As of August 26th, 2021 Yahoo India will no longer be publishing content. Your Yahoo Account Mail and Search experiences will not be affected in any way and will operate as usual. We thank you for your support and readership. For more information on Yahoo India, please visit the FAQ Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Budi Sutrisno (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Tue, September 15, 2020 16:51 493 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c44f5aa7 1 National PSBB,psbb-total,PSBM,micro-scale-social-restrictions,West-Java,West-Java-Governor-Ridwan-Kamil,Bekasi,Bogor-city,Depok,Jakarta-COVID-19,COVID-19-in-Indonesia Free West Java is set to implement micro-scale social restrictions (PSBM) in Jakartas satellite cities, namely Bogor, Depok and Bekasi, with restrictions applied only in areas categorized as red zones. Governor Ridwan Kamil and the West Java COVID-19 task force made the decision after a coordination meeting with the local administrations on Monday to consider a stricter approach to fight COVID-19 alongside Jakarta. As Jakarta reimposes large-scale social restrictions (PSBB), health experts have urged other administrations in the surrounding area to also apply stricter measures against COVID-19 to see effective results. West Java has agreed to support Jakartas PSBB by carrying out the PSBM, especially in areas bordering Jakarta. We use the term PSBM as used by the President, Ridwan said in a statement. The more we do not depend on Jakarta, the looser [social restrictions] can be. Activities are restricted to 25 percent but not for the whole city. This applies only in red zones, which is at a micro level, he added, referring to a percentage applied to various activities during the restrictions, such as the number of people allowed to continue working in nonessential companies. Read also: Jakarta back under PSBB, but less strict than before Jakartas satellite cities in West Java have been implementing the so-called proportional PSBB, where the percentage of PSBB is adjustable by each city and regency, with the fifth extension slated to end on Sept. 29. Ridwan suggested that regional heads have an incentive budget allocated to community unit heads to help them be at the forefront of educating the public about the PSBM. The community unit heads are also in charge of tracking down suspected close contacts of [COVID-19 patients] who must have a swab test, he said, adding that the province was gearing up to meet the World Health Organizations (WHO) testing capacity standard. Separately, Ridwan said Jakarta residents would be restricted from traveling to West Java as the capital implemented the PSBB. He said the West Java Transportation Agency was currently discussing the restriction scheme. The mayors and regents are also counting the number of residents working informally in Jakarta. Due to the strict PSBB, they might no longer be able to work, so it affects the amount of social assistance, he said, as quoted by kompas.com. Read also: PSBB to last two weeks but dont expect pandemic to be over', Anies says Ridwan expressed hope that West Java and Jakarta could coordinate more closely so that the policies implemented by each province could serve the community as best possible. Bogor Mayor Bima Arya Sugiarto agreed about the implementation of the PSBM, saying the PSBB was not the best choice in regard to psychological and economic conditions in his area. Bekasi Mayor Rahmat Effendi said Bekasi would follow the curfew restriction policy applied in Depok and Bogor to set limits on the hours of activities of citizens and businesses. He said the city had turned the Patriot Stadium into an isolation center for asymptomatic COVID-19 patients ready for use this week as the occupancy rate of hospital beds in the city has reached 90 percent. (syk) Climate advocates have blasted the gas plan. (Photo by David Gray/Getty Images) Australian climate advocates have blasted the Governments plan to build a gas powered plant in New South Wales Hunter Valley, warning it threatens any chance of the country meeting its climate change mitigation goals. The Morrison Government has revealed a plan to underwrite the construction of a gas power plant in NSW should Australias power giants fail to deliver an extra 1,000 megawatts of power ahead of the 2023 closure of the Liddell coal-fired station. The plan is at the centre of Australias gas-fired recovery, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said, saying it will shore up the 850,000 jobs in the manufacturing centre and further developments will deliver another 5,000. However, while Morrison also described the plan as key in ensuring Australians had access to affordable and reliable energy, Climate Councillor and former BP Australasia president Greg Bourne said the plan wont work. The Federal Government is trying to shore up the gas industry which is in a poor financial state. Meanwhile, the rest of the world is decarbonising, Bourne said on Tuesday. This announcement delivers no jobs in the short-term, and will only deliver huge uncertainty into the energy market. Climate Council CEO Amanda McKenzie echoed his words, saying the key to cheap and clean energy is renewable energy. The Climate Council in July released a report finding investments in clean energy would deliver 76,000 jobs. To reduce emissions, reduce power prices, create jobs, and reboot Australias economy, we need investment in clean, affordable, reliable renewable energy and storage technologies, McKenzie said. The plan also puts at risk Australias hopes of meeting its Paris Agreement goals of limiting global warming to below 2 degrees, the Australasian Centre for Corporate Responsibility (ACCR) said. And using all of Australias gas resources could emit three times the entire planets annual carbon emissions, according to a report from the Australian Conservation Foundation released earlier this month. Story continues The Covid-19 pandemic's massive disruption to our industries and jobs has deeply upset Australians, but it won't compare to the economic disruption we will experience if our governments back dirty fossil fuels like gas over clean, renewable energy and technology, ACF's chief Kelly O'Shanassy said. Australia is the worlds biggest liquefied natural gas exporter, but ACCR director of climate and environment Dan Gocher said that if the country is to have any hope of meeting the Paris Agreement, no more gas fields can be developed. Australias chief scientist from 2008 to 2011, Penny Sackett, in late August said gas can not be used to transition away from coal and to renewable energy. She noted that while in the last 30 years the US and UK have successfully used gas to transition away from coal, Australia would be better off switching to non-fossil fuel sources. Morrison recognised the role of renewables in delivering reliable and clean energy and said the Government had already funnelled $30 billion to the sector between 2017 and today, but added that the sector needed more integration into the electricity grid, rather than subsidies. Opposition energy spokesperson Mark Butler said the Government failed to incorporate renewable energy into its economic recovery plan, dubbing new gas power as the most expensive way to build new energy. [Renewable energy] is the cheapest new energy in the system and it's continuing to drop in price every single year," he said. The Australian Greens has also been staunch in its opposition to integration of gas into the energy sector, warning further investment in gas will trash the environment, threaten our water and air and lock us in for even more dangerous global heating. Want to take control of your finances and your future? Join the Womens Money Movement on LinkedIn and follow Yahoo Finance Australia on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. More than a hundred candidate vaccine trials against the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the virus that causes the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), are underway. About 35 are now undergoing clinical evaluation, and of these, nine are in the final phase of human trials, including the vaccine developed by Oxford University and the biopharmaceutical firm, AstraZeneca. Earlier this month, AstraZeneca announced that it had paused its phase 3 clinical trial due to a volunteer falling ill. Now, the firm said it resumes the international clinical trial of the proposed coronavirus disease candidate. Resuming trials AstraZeneca announced that it had resumed the trials for its coronavirus vaccine, AZD1222, following confirmation by the Medicines Health Regulatory Authority (MHRA) that it was safe to do so. On September 6, the standard review process triggered a voluntary pause to immunization with AZD1222 across all global trials. The team made this move to review safety data by independent committees and even international regulators, following a man falling ill while enrolled in phase 3 clinical trial. The regulators, along with the U.K. committee has concluded that it is safe to resume human trials in the U.K. However, the pharma company and its partner, Oxford University, said they could not disclose further medical information. AstraZeneca is committed to the safety of trial participants and the highest standards of conduct in clinical trials. The company will continue to work with health authorities across the world and be guided as to when other clinical trials can resume to provide the vaccine broadly, equitably, and at no profit during this pandemic, AstraZeneca said in a news release. Meanwhile, Oxford University said in a statement that about 18,000 people across the globe have already received the candidate vaccine. Before the pause of the trial, the company has been testing the vaccine in the United States, Latin America, the United Kingdom, Asia, Africa, and Europe. In a large trial like the phase 3 trial of the AZD1222 or Oxford vaccine, it is expected that some participants will feel unwell, and every case should be evaluated carefully to ascertain appropriate assessment of safety, the Oxford University scientists said. The AZD1222 vaccine AZD1222 is one of the potential vaccines at phase 3 clinical trial level. Phase 3 trials are the last phase of human trials to make sure the vaccine is safe and effective to use. These trials assess the side effects of each drug and which drugs work better, wherein more than 100 people are enrolled. The vaccine was co-invented by the University of Oxford and its spin-out company, Vaccitech. The vaccine utilizes a replication-deficient chimpanzee viral vector based on a weakened version of a common cold virus, called adenovirus. The vaccine contains the genetic material of the SARS-CoV-2 virus spike protein, and it aims to induce an immune response against the virus. In July, the preliminary results of the AZD1222 trial show promise in inducing a strong and robust immune response against SARS-CoV-2. The results of phase 1 and 2 clinical trials published in the journal The Lancet show that there are no early safety concerns, and the vaccine induces a robust immune response. The vaccine triggered a T cell response within 14 days of vaccination. These cells are antibodies that can detect and attack cells infected with SARS-CoV-2. Oxford's scientists explain the Phase I/II results for the COVID-19 vaccine Play There is a dire need for a safe and effective coronavirus vaccine as the global case toll has topped 29.15 million people. More than 925,000 individuals have died from COVID-19. The United States reports the highest number of cases, with more than 6.55 million cases, followed by India, with more than 4.84 million cases. The other countries with a high number of cases include Brazil, with more than 4.33 million cases, Russia, with more than 1 million cases, and Peru, with more than 729,000 cases. By Azernews By Ayya Lmahamad Azerbaijan will establish a Committee to Protect Rights of Tourists under the Association of Tourism of Azerbaijan to help tourists in solving their problems. The organization will be headed by tourist expert Rahman Guliyev. Guliyev has told Day.az that the committee, as a non-profit organization, will reduce the burden of tourism companies, answer tourists questions and provide them with consulting services. The main goal of the committee is to eliminate tourists distrust of tourism companies. Moreover, he stated that lawyers will be involved in the committee to solve tourists problems. Likewise, he stressed that during pandemic, tourists faced a number of problems, such as the return of air tickets, cancellation of tourists packages and hotel reservations. The committee will help tourists in solving such problems, and regularly review new decision, instructions and immediately inform tourists. It should be noted that the site and the hotline of the committee will be opened in the near future, where tourists who faced problems during the trip can apply. Earlier it was reported that some 618,300 foreigners and stateless persons from around 152 countries visited Azerbaijan during the period of January-July 2020. The number of arrivals from the EU member states amounted to 17,500, from the Persian Gulf countries to 83,300, and from CIS countries to 218,000. Additionally, 68.6 percent of people arrived to the country, arrived by rail and road, 29.5 percent by air and 1.9 percent by sea transports. The museum was meant to showcase the arms, art and fashion of the Mughals, Muslim rulers who reigned over the Indian subcontinent from the 16th to the 18th centuries. But officials this week in Agra, home to the Taj Mahal the worlds most famous example of Mughal-era architecture and Indias best-known building had another idea: a complete overhaul of the museum so that it would instead celebrate Indias Hindu majority, leaders and history. The changes to the planned museum are the latest example of a Hindu nationalist revival sweeping the country, spurred by the countrys popular prime minister, Narendra Modi. Critics of the government say that Mr. Modi and his supporters are fanning the flames of religious division, damaging Indias secular foundation and rewriting the countrys history to remove Muslim achievements from the narrative. Ground was broken for the museum in 2016 after financing was approved under the previous government, but little progress has been made on its construction. You might think the Czech director Jiri Menzel, having spent much of his life behind the Iron Curtain, wanted nothing more than to be free of it. But Mr. Menzel knew the value of having limits to test. There were great films made under censorship, even in the United States for instance when they were not allowed to show kissing, he told The East European Film Bulletin in 2013. Freedom has this unlucky side effect that by making everything possible, you lack purpose and a direction. Creation always needs limits. Mr. Menzel won international acclaim and an Oscar for his first feature, Closely Watched Trains, released in 1966, a time when he and other directors including Milos Forman, Vera Chytilova and Ivan Passer tested authoritarian limits under Communism in Czechoslovakia. The movement, which became known as the Czechoslovak New Wave, was muzzled when Soviet troops marched into the country in 1968, a crackdown that began a period of creative limbo for Mr. Menzel. But he re-emerged, directing movies known for irony and humor. He also had substantial careers as an actor and a stage director. TAMPA, Fla., Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- WWC Global was awarded a three-year contract supporting the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA). The company will provide expertise by way of comprehensive acquisition, portfolio management, and business support. DISA is a combat support agency of the Department of Defense (DoD). The agency is composed of more than 8,000 military and civilian employees. It provides, operates, and assures information-sharing capabilities and a globally accessible enterprise information infrastructure to directly support joint warfighters, national-level leaders, and coalition partners across the full spectrum of military operations. "WWC Global leveraged our proven performance in financial management, data acquisition, and customization to secure this contract with DISA," said Lauren Weiner, CEO of WWC Global. "We are excited to support DISA's critical mission to connect and protect the warfighter in cyberspace." "This contract award enables us to utilize our meaningful approach to the data and budgetary processes at DISA," said Donna Huneycutt, President and COO of WWC Global. "The WWC Global team will apply our systematic methodology to projects, while continuing to focus on putting good government into practice." WWC Global has over 16 years of financial management and data analysis expertise within the DoD. With employees in over 25 contract locations, spanning four continents and 13 time zones, WWC Global is the largest woman-owned federal management consulting firm headquartered in Tampa, Florida. To learn more about the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA), please visit DISA.mil. About WWC Global WWC Global is a federally focused, woman-owned management consulting firm with a wide portfolio of clients including the U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. Department of State, U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Agency for International Development, and U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The firm's mission is to help federal agencies put good government principles into practice. Implementing a proven series of program management techniques, carrying out statistical and qualitative analysis, identifying effective metrics, and utilizing performance measurement tools with outcome-based qualitative data, WWC Global provides exemplary client service to surpass mission completion objectives. Over 74 percent of WWC Global staff are veterans and/or military spouses. For more information, visit wwcglobal.com. SOURCE WWC Global Related Links http://www.wwcglobal.com Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-15 21:40:55|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close -- The UN Charter was signed at a time when world leaders felt a strong need for a mechanism that would help bring peace and stop future wars, which was possible only if all nations worked together through a global organization. -- After decades of globalization and integration, the world is facing widening fragmentation in response to salient risks and challenges, due to the return of unilateralism, protectionism, treaty withdrawals and military and economic bullying practices. -- As a founding member of the UN and a permanent member of the Security Council, China has honored its commitments to the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, and has been defending the UN in responding to global threats and in pursuit of peace and development. BEIJING, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping will attend high-level meetings of the United Nations via videoconference next week to join world leaders in tackling global challenges. This year marks the 75th anniversary of the founding of the 193-nation body, growing from 51 signatories including China at the end of the Second World War. Today the world is at another juncture in human history, and efforts must be doubled to "save succeeding generations" as is enshrined in the UN Charter. Photo taken on Sept. 14, 2020 shows the outside view of the United Nations headquarters in New York, the United States. (Xinhua/Wang Ying) MULTILATERALISM IN JEOPARDY The UN Charter "brought rules and hope to a world in ruins," said UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres while commemorating the organization's birth. It was signed at a time when world leaders felt a strong need for a mechanism that would help bring peace and stop future wars, which was possible only if all nations worked together through a global organization. However, after decades of globalization and integration, the world is facing widening fragmentation in response to salient risks and challenges, due to the return of unilateralism, protectionism, treaty withdrawals and military and economic bullying practices. The unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic, which has brought almost 1 million deaths worldwide and paralyzed the global economy, is a reminder of a world in similar chaos in 1945. "In 1945, the most destructive war in human history had just ended with a general recognition that humanity can never again allow such unmitigated devastation to be unleashed by national conflict and conquest, and that only a multinational body could provide that hope, if not that guarantee," said Robert Lawrence Kuhn, chairman of the Kuhn Foundation based in Los Angeles and New York. "There are always differences among nations. The high road is figuring out how to develop collective opportunities while controlling potential conflict by constant contact," he said. Warning about the dangers in international relations in the era of instant global communications and inflamed social media, Kuhn suggested that global geopolitics need both multinational organizations and strong bilateral relations among nations. "The UN cannot be the whole answer, but it is certainly part of the answer," he said. A woman walks past the United Nations headquarters in New York, the United States, Sept. 14, 2020. (Xinhua/Wang Ying) GLOBAL AWARENESS As a founding member of the UN and a permanent member of the Security Council, China has honored its commitments to the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, and has been defending the UN in responding to global threats and in pursuit of peace and development. In its position paper on the 75th anniversary of the UN, China reaffirmed its commitments to safeguarding the UN-centered global governance system, the basic norms of international relations underpinned by the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, the authority and stature of the UN, and the central role of the UN in international affairs. China's voice resonates with its partners across the world. In a meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, European Council President Charles Michel and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen via video link on Monday, Xi reached consensus with the EU leaders on safeguarding multilateralism and jointly addressing global challenges. Merkel, Michel and von der Leyen said it is imperative for Europe and China to strengthen cooperation, jointly safeguard multilateralism and resist unilateralism and protectionism. Commenting on the meeting's outcomes, Christine Bierre, editor-in-chief of France's Nouvelle Solidarite magazine and an expert at the Schiller France Institute, said the leaders sent a positive signal on safeguarding world peace, stability and prosperity, fully demonstrating that multilateral cooperation is the trend of the times. In fulfilling its responsibilities, China always fits its deeds to its words. Beijing has been actively docking its own development goals and plans with the UN's 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and has achieved remarkable results in areas like poverty alleviation and climate governance. Moreover, China has also registered an 8,000-strong standby force and a 300-member permanent police squad for UN peacekeeping missions, assisted other developing countries with 180 poverty reduction projects, among other initiatives and measures in support of the UN as Xi announced at the 2015 summit meetings commemorating the organization's 70th anniversary. "China will shoulder its share of responsibility and continue to play its part in this common endeavor," Xi said at the UN headquarters five years ago. "We should renew our commitment to the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, build a new type of international relations featuring win-win cooperation, and create a community of shared future for mankind," Xi said. Photo taken on Sept. 14, 2020 shows the United Nations (UN) flag flying outside the UN headquarters in New York, the United States. (Xinhua/Wang Ying) HOPE FOR THE FUTURE "My wish is that there is peace and justice." This is one of the 250,000 voices recorded around the world in the UN global dialogue initiative, launched to gather hope, fear and ideas across the world. It is part of the commemoration events of the 75th session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) with the theme of "The Future We Want, the UN We Need: Reaffirming Our Collective Commitment to Multilateralism." World leaders are expected to jointly forge solutions for global public health, full equality, climate action, among others, just like 75 years ago when the signatories pledged "to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war, which twice in our lifetime has brought untold sorrow to mankind and to reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights ... to promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom." Tijjani Muhammad-Bande, president of the 74th UNGA, said Monday that "the most important thing is to continue to underline the importance of collaboration, the multilateral effort." "This is the way to guarantee not only peace, but also prosperity, which are very important goals of the United Nations from the very beginning," he told Xinhua in an interview. Photo taken on Sept. 14, 2020 shows the outside view of the United Nations headquarters in New York, the United States. (Xinhua/Wang Ying) Just as Xi said in his 2015 speech, goals of peace, development, equity, justice, democracy and freedom "are far from being achieved." But hope lies in the world's collective response. On the eve of the 21st century, to encourage people around the world to face challenges in the new millennium, former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan urged all countries to stand side by side. "More than ever before in human history, we share a common destiny. We can master it only if we face it together. And that, my friends, is why we have the United Nations," he said. (Video reporters: Wang Shoubao, Addis Zenebe, Wei Ying, Zhang Mocheng, Wang Yitao, Yang Zhigang, Zhang Yang, Ren Yaoti, Chen Zhonghao, Xu Yang, Zhao Xu, Meng Jing, Du Yang, Liu Qu, Guo Chen, Nie Xiaoyang, Chen Junxia; Video editor: Ma Ruxuan) VERNON, CT A second truckload of food has been distributed by Vernon officials to area families during the cornavirus pandemic through the US. Department of Agriculture's Farmers to Families food program. On Tuesday, Vernon Mayor Daniel Champagne and Vernon Department of Public Works employees teamed up to distribute 1,400 boxes of fresh produce to senior citizens and families in Vernon, Hartford, Ellington, Coventry and Stafford. Like last month, the fresh produce boxes included heads of lettuce and cabbage, bags of carrots, apples, onions, potatoes and celery. About 89 million boxes of food have been distributed to families around the country through the USDA program intended to serve those affected by the coronavirus pandemic. "I reached out to the housing authorities and to community leaders in neighboring towns to distribute the food to senior housing facilities and food pantries," Champagne said. "It was a great opportunity to get 15 pounds of fresh apples, carrots, celery and other items to seniors and families in our community." (Town of Vernon) The Hockanum Valley Community Council and the Cornerstone Foundation, both in Vernon, received hundreds of boxes of produce to distribute to families. A crew from the Vernon Housing Authority picked up 300 boxes of food to deliver to residents. Immanuel House of Hartford and Rose Commons and Welles Country Village, both of Vernon, also received food for senior residents. Some food boxes are still available and Champagne said those in need people are encouraged to call the Cornerstone Foundation at 860-871-1823 or the Hockanum Valley Community Council at 860-870-7940 to check availability. ____ This story is part of Patch's new partnership with Feeding America. Patch has partnered with Feeding America to help raise awareness on behalf of the millions of Americans facing hunger. Feeding America, which supports 200 food banks across the country, estimates that in 2020, more than 54 million Americans will not have enough nutritious food to eat due to the effects of the coronavirus pandemic. This is a Patch social good project; Feeding America receives 100 percent of donations. Find out how you can donate in your community or find a food pantry near you. Story continues (Patch Media Partner/Shutterstock) This article originally appeared on the Vernon Patch Investigators from the Central Anti-Corruption Bureau of Poland (CBA) have found cash equivalent to EUR 1 million hidden by former head of the State Automobile Roads of Ukraine (Ukravtodor) Slawomir Nowak, the CBA has reported on its website. "The money was hidden in two specially prepared hiding places. The officers found funds worth more than PLN 4 million (PLN 4.163 million), including EUR 536,400, $470,000 and PLN 30,000. Other assets bought using the funds from corruption crimes were also seized, including two apartments with an estimated value of about PLN 2 million and a luxury car Land Rover," the CBA said. The CBA continues investigating and identifying illegal assets. As reported, on July 22, 2020, the Polish court took into custody for three months Nowak and two of his accomplices. According to the law enforcers, Nowak registered enterprises in Poland to affiliated persons and replenished their charter capital using funds of participants in Ukravtodor's tenders. The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO), together with the CBA and the District Prosecutor's Office, counded authorized searches in Kyiv, Lviv and on the territory of Poland as part of a joint investigation of the activities of a criminal organization in the road sector. Sorry! This content is not available in your region New Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday (September 15) said that there should be no doubt about the country's determination to protect its sovereignty and territorial integrity, and asserted that India's armed forces are ready to deal with "all contingencies" in the high-altitude region while making a statement in Lok Sabha. Articulating the government's position on the tense Sino-India border row in eastern Ladakh, the Defence Minister said that China has been conveyed that any attempt to "unilaterally" change the status quo along the LAC is not at all acceptable while acknowledging that India is facing a "challenge" in the region. Rajnath Singh said, "I will not hesitate to share with this august House that we are facing a challenge in Ladakh and I urge the House to pass a resolution in support of our armed forces who have been defending our motherland at great heights and most inclement weather conditions." He further said, "At the same time, the House can be assured that we remain prepared to deal with all contingencies," adding "I conveyed in clear terms our concerns related to the actions of the Chinese side, including amassing a large number of troops, their aggressive behavior and attempts to unilaterally alter the status quo that were in violation of the bilateral agreements." The Defence Minister made five key points about China in the Lok Sabha: 1. Rajnath Singh said that on the intervening night of August 29 and 30, China tried to infiltrate from the southern side of Pangong Lake, but the Indian Army foiled their attempt. 2. On the Galwan Valley clashes, he said the Chinese side "created" a violent face-off and our brave soldiers laid down their lives but inflicted costs including casualties on the Chinese side. 3. From April this year, the number of Chinese soldiers and weapons on the border of Ladakh has increased steadily. There is tension on the LAC as China has gathered a large number of troops and ammunition in its area, but in response to that, India has also made adequate preparations, he said. 4. Rajnath Singh said the Indian Army is fully alert on the Line of Actual Control and is ready to take action according to the need. 5. The Defence Minister said the Chinese side had taken action to "hinder" the normal, traditional patrolling pattern of Indian troops in the Galwan Valley area which resulted in the face-off. The Defence Minister further informed the house that China wants to change the LAC in Ladakh. For this purpose, the Chinese military is constantly trying to encroach, but the Indian Army is fully capable of answering him. Conveying a message to opposition parties and those who doubt the government's resolve, Rajnath Singh said that Parliament should give a message in one voice that the whole country stood firmly behind the army. The Defense Minister also conveyed to China about India's three principles that both sides should respect the Line of Actual Control; secondly, neither side should try to unilaterally violate the LAC; and thirdly, the two countries should abide by all the existing agreements. It may be mentioned here that India has also scuttled China's expansionist policy through diplomacy, and has emerged as a major competitor of China at every international forum. Recently, India managed to find a place in the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations, after beating China and Afghanistan. It will continue to remain a member of this council for the next four years. India and Afghanistan were supported by the majority of the 54-member council, but China failed to garner requisite support. In the recent past, India's foreign policy has witnessed a marked change. It used to follow a slow pace but now it has changed drastically. On the contrary, China followed an aggressive policy, but now it is talking about agreements and status quo in the wake India diplomatic pressure created on the global forums, especially after developments along the LAC in Ladakh. Meanwhile, the Indian Army is preparing for the upcoming winter season in Ladakh, where the temperature goes up to minus 40 degrees, in the wake of the Sino-India standoff along the LAC in the Ladakh region. Indian Army is using the services of C-17 Globemaster, the largest transport aircraft of the Indian Air Force, to transport logistics and military essentials to Leh Airport to have an adequate supply of ration, weapons, and other essentials. The Air Force's Chinook helicopters are also being used to deliver goods to inaccessible areas so that the soldiers stationed at the height of 16-17,000 feet would have an adequate supply of required items to protect from freezing cold. And to keep this mission safe, Sukhoi 30 MKI fighter jets also remain present in the sky. To brave the freezing cold of Ladakh, soldiers will need special tents for the next 7 to 8 months. At this height, every soldier has been given a total of 21 items to protect them from winters. These items include three-layer warm clothes, three-layer gloves-socks, and warm hat, along with special shoes. Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden, speaking on Thursday (REUTERS) In dueling campaign stops with the president in Minnesota, Joe Biden mocked Donald Trump for repeatedly saying he will reveal an infrastructure plan that never seems to materialize. Mr Trump took particular exception to his opponent's continued reference of a Columbia University study showing implementation of coronavirus guidelines a week earlier would have saved 36,000 lives. It was the second campaign event in as many days for Mr Biden after his CNN town hall appearance on Thursday night, in which he was mocked for breaking social distancing rules with host Anderson Cooper. During the event, Mr Biden said he had benefited from white privilege and knew how it felt to be looked down upon because he was from working class Scranton and didn't go to an Ivy League university. New polls showed Mr Biden well ahead of Mr Trump in Arizona and Maine. But in a call with Senate Democrats on Friday, the party's November contender said he takes nothing for granted and that he plans on appearing in key battleground states as the election enters the final bend. Despite the continued advantage in the polling and only 46 days left before the public democratically elects the next occupant of the White House, Biden again called on the president to step down from his position in the Oval Office before his first term has expired. Please allow a moment for our liveblog to load A desperate Boris Johnson is resorting to flinging insults at Prime Ministers Questions because of his inability to provide answers to questions about his policies, Sir Keir Starmer has claimed. The Labour leader said that after their first encounters in the House of Commons went hopelessly wrong for Mr Johnson earlier this year, the prime minister switched from attempting to answer questions to making groundless allegations against Sir Keir. Sir Keir responded furiously last month when Mr Johnson accused him at the dispatch box of condoning sympathy for the IRA, a jibe that earned Mr Johnson a rebuke from the Commons Speaker, Sir Lindsay Hoyle. Today the Labour leader rejected Mr Johnsons criticism that he failed to speak out over terrorism or the Russian poison attack in Salisbury under Jeremy Corbyn in order to avoid an internal party clash. Sir Keir said: It hit a sore point because it was so obviously wrong. I have prosecuted terrorists as director of public prosecutions. For five years before I was director of public prosecutions, I worked in Northern Ireland with the Police Service of Northern Ireland. I have never stayed silent about calling out terrorism and calling out the IRA. Ive spent years of my life working with police officers prosecuting very serious terrorist cases. I've worked with the Police Service of Northern Ireland for five years. And I was working there for with communities that suffered great loss because of the terrorist acts that took place in Northern Ireland. I know people who've got family members who have been affected by this. Asked why he thought Mr Johnson had called him a supporter of an IRA-condoning politician at PMQs, Sir Keir said: It was the usual general insult from the prime minister without thinking through what he was saying. 'I'll make the decisions': Speaker Lindsay Hoyle rebukes Boris Johnson at PMQs On any issue of terrorism that has arisen whilst Jeremy Corbyn was leader of the Labour Party, I've spoken out. I spoke out, in a slightly different context, on Salisbury when we had the poisonings there. I was very clear about that, whatever anybody else said, I knew very clearly in my own mind what I needed to say and what was the right thing to say about Salisbury. The prime minister accused me a few weeks before of saying nothing about Salisbury. It was just completely wrong and he had to be shown the clip of me actually saying it, but even then he probably hasn't come back and apologised. My assessment is that he started PMQs back in the early days, when it was me and him, trying to answer questions. That went hopelessly wrong, and he then decided to stop answering questions and now he's so desperate he's just reaching for insults. Sir Keir accused Mr Johnson of taking a similar approach to challenges over his performance on the coronavirus, responding to criticisms by issuing ever more extravagant promises such as his Operation Moonshot plan to test millions of people a day rather than addressing the issue at hand. The Labour leader told LBC Radio that he backed the governments rule of six ban on gatherings of more than six people in England, which comes into force today. But he added: What I would say to the government is, if you're asking that of the British people, your side of the bargain is to get the testing and tracing and isolating right in order to keep this under control. What he always does is, instead of attending to the problem in hand, he makes another promise about the future. So instead of saying, Im going to fix the system as it now is,' he says, We're going to have 10 million tests by the end of the year.' I just want the problem we've got fixed. India: Police threaten to charge pastor, frame son with crimes, if he refuses to stop sharing Gospel Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment A Christian pastor in northern India was forced to sign papers renouncing all religious activity including sharing the Gospel or holding worship in his home after a police officer threatened to file false charges against him and his teenage son. A house church pastor identified only as Pastor Sugriv told Morning Star News that the threats by police in Uttar Pradesh state came after his son, 19-year-old Pawan Kumar, asked intoxicated Hindu extremists to stop making offensive comments about Christianity outside their home in Tarkulwa village, Maharajganj District. The officers at Shyam Deurwa police station joined hands with the assailants and forced us to sign a document vowing that we would never conduct prayers in our home, and that we would not share the Gospel with anyone, he said. I was forced to sign it. What kind of justice is this? The night of the first incident, drunk Hindu extremists reportedly shouted Hallelujah, hallelujah outside the Christians home. Though police initially ordered the Hindus to stop harassing the pastor and his family, they returned the next night, shouting obscenities. Once again, the Christians informed police of the incident: We had no other option but to inform the police, Sugriv said. It is not safe for us to have these drunkards come by whenever they want and start picking fights with us, shouting at the top of their lungs. We have women in our house, and it was beyond what we could tolerate. This time, two police officers came to the Christians home and asked the pastor's son to show them where the accused lived. We thought they came to take action against them for our safety and allowed our son to go with them to show their homes, he said. We had waited very long for our child to return, and someone passing by informed us that police had taken him into custody. At the station, police threatened to charge the pastor with sexual harassment based on false accusations presented by a Hindu extremist and frame his son in such a case that he will be behind the bars for many, many years. As a condition for his sons release, the officers forced Sugriv to sign a document vowing that they would never practice their faith in their home or talk about Christ with anyone, he said. Shyam Deurwa Police Inspector Vijay Singh denied that the document the pastor signed violated Indias religious freedoms, saying it prohibited only fraudulent conversion. Villagers have been opposing them since they have been propagating Christianity in the area, so I had only taken their signatures on a document vowing that they will not forcefully convert or allure anyone to convert, Singh told Morning Star News. Attacks on Christians in India have been on the rise since Narendra Modi of the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party took office as prime minister in 2014. In a recent report, Persecution Relief, an organization that aims to protect the right to worship guaranteed by India's Constitution, revealed that hate crimes against Christians had risen by an alarming 41%. It records 293 cases of hate crimes against Christians, including five rapes and six murders, compared to 208 incidents last year. The majority of the incidents took place in Uttar Pradesh state, where believers make up just 0.18% of the population. In March, Christians in Uttar Pradesh were falsely accused of forcefully converting Hindus to Christianity and were subsequently brutally beaten by a drunken police officer who then ordered them to pose like Christ on the cross. In August, a pastor was attacked and brutally beaten by a mob of radical Hindu nationalists as he returned home from a prayer meeting in Bikampur village, located in the Bareilly district of Uttar Pradesh. Christian rights activist Dinanath Jaiswar from the advocacy group Alliance Defending Freedom International said that police in Uttar Pradesh have time and again unleashed their anger against minorities. It appears the Hindu extremist groups are closely working with the police officers to target Christian worship, he said. India is ranked No. 10 on Open Doors USAs 2020 World Watch List of the countries where it's most difficult to be a Christian. The group notes that Hindu radicals often attack Christians with little to no consequences. JERSEYVILLE Felony charges filed recently by the Jersey County States Attorney include: Megkinize E. Carter, 26, of Alton, was charged Sept. 10 with unlawful possession of controlled substance, a Class 4 felony. According to court documents, on Sept. 9 Carter allegedly was found to be in possession of less than 15 grams of methylphenidate hydrochloride, a controlled substance. Bail was set at $5,000. Mark A. Badalamentl, 58, of Brighton, was charged Sept. 8 with unlawful possession of methamphetamine, a Class 3 felony. According to court documents, on Sept. 6 he was found to be in possession of less than five grams of methamphetamine. Bail was set at $5,000. Shawn E. Evans, 40, of Brighton, was charged Sept. 8 with unlawful possession of methamphetamine, a Class 3 felony. According to court documents, on Sept. 5 Evans was found to be in possession of less than five grams of methamphetamine. Bail was set at $5,000. Tamitha M. Suttles, 32, of Jerseyville, was charged with unlawful possession of methamphetamine, a Class 3 felony. According to court documents, on Sept. 5 she was found to be in possession of less than five grams of methamphetamine. Bail was set at $5,000. Ethan H.F. Harris, 26, of Lebanon, Illinois, was charged Sept. 8 with unlawful possession of controlled substance, a Class 4 felony. According to court documents, on Sept. 5 he was found to be in possession of less than 15 grams of cocaine. Bail was set at $5,000. The Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board (HWDSB) is warning families whose children are learning remotely that some online classes will be delayed while the board scrambles to hire additional staff. Last Friday, the Hamilton school board told The Spectator it was confident its virtual program would open this Wednesday with a full slate of teachers and finalized class sizes. By Monday afternoon, however, the board had sent a memo to parents telling them that some online classes will begin two days later, on Friday, instead. If you are not contacted (on Monday), then a teacher will contact you on Wednesday. Your childs half-day session will be on Thursday, and their first full day will be on Friday, the board instructed families. We apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate the understanding as the new staff hired will need time to prepare for their new remote assignment. The board has scrambled to hire new teachers to accommodate the sudden leap in students opting to learn remotely rather than in-person. Last week alone, approximately 2,000 more students registered for online classes, bringing total online enrolment up to 8,600. The increase in enrolment amounts to 80 new classes on top of the 240 classes that have already been set up, the board says. The board says its finalizing the hiring of more than 90 educators to account for the new classes. Loading Hamiltons Catholic board delayed its virtual school reopening twice in the past week, first because it said teachers needed more time to prepare, and then again on Monday due to a wide-spread power outage across Hamilton. Virtual classes in the Catholic board will now begin on Wednesday. Teachers assigned to online classes have expressed concern with last-minute efforts to begin virtual schooling, with some saying they know little about the classes theyre supposed to teach or the resources available to them. I only have one word to describe this situation: chaos, said Jeff Sorensen, president of the Hamilton-Wentworth Elementary Teachers Local Union, last week. Most of our virtual teachers are still waiting for timetables and assignments. They know theyll have to teach, for example, Grade 6 students, but they dont know what theyre supposed to be teaching or how. Math? Art? English? They have no idea. In an interview with The Spectator on Friday, the board said it was confident the virtual school would open Wednesday. Were going to allow for some transition time when classes start time where students can talk through what this new reality will look like and get to know their teachers. Were going to continue to exercise that patience and ask everyone to do the same, as opposed to delaying the start of school. We think its really important for students to be back in school, said Peter Sovran, associate director of learning services for the HWDSB. By Monday, however, the board was telling families to brace for class delays. We are asking parents guardians for their patience should there be some adjustments for our schools opening plan, the board wrote. A student who appealed her Leaving Cert calculated grades says it is "extremely frustrating" not knowing when the process will conclude. Tatum Williams (19) is one of a number of pupils who have lodged an appeal with the Department of Education after she was marked down in four of her subjects. Although the process does not look at the marking system and only examines whether the data was transferred correctly from the school to the department, Ms Williams said she wants to exhaust every avenue. She missed out on her first CAO choice by two points after her results were downgraded from 509 to 473. The former Limerick Tutorial College pupil says she can't understand how in some subjects she received a lower grade than in her mock exams. "All four of my H2s were taken down to a H3," she said. "My geography mock was a H2, I was given this mark by my teacher and yet I was awarded a H3 in my final grade. I got my second choice and I'm grateful for that, but it's still hard to miss out on my first choice as I didn't want to move away from [Limerick]." Ms Williams was offered a place studying general nursing at University College Cork, but her first choice was the University of Limerick. "I wanted to go to Limerick as that's where I'm based. We've no idea when we will hear back about the results of the appeal and I have until [tomorrow] to accept my offer. "I'm currently on a student visa and you have to be enrolled in a course full-time to get your visa renewed, so deferring isn't an option." She said some students were "shocked" by their results: "It's just difficult watching so many of us who worked so hard being downgraded because we attended a fee-paying school." HONG KONG and SHANGHAI, Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Ping An Insurance (Group) Company of China, Ltd. (hereafter "Ping An" or the "Group", HKEx:2318; SSE:601318) announced that the Group's subsidiary, Ping An Bank Co., Ltd. ("Ping An Bank", SZ:000001) has been named World's Best Digital Bank at the prestigious Euromoney Global Awards for Excellence 2020, the first Chinese bank do so. "Shenzhen-based Ping An Bank didn't tweak the rulebook when it set out in pursuit of a better digital strategy. Instead, it tore it up and began again. The Chinese bank's plans have worked beyond all expectations," said Euromoney, the financial publication that established the awards in 1992. Xie Yonglin, President and Co-CEO of Ping An Group and Chairman of Ping An Bank, said: "Technology is a major factor of global financial competitiveness. Ping An Group has invested more than RMB100 billion in technology in the past 10 years and will invest RMB100 billion in the next five years. Under the Group's "finance + technology" and "finance + ecosystem" strategies, Ping An Bank has been driving technological innovation to provide convenient, smart and comprehensive financial services to customers, strengthen its digital and online operations capabilities, and advance its digital transformation. Ping An Bank will continue to innovate to set an example for China and for the world's banking industry." In the first half of 2020, Ping An Bank's revenue increased by 15.5% year-on-year to RMB78,328 million. As of June 30, 2020, retail assets under management (AUM) exceeded RMB2.3 trillion and retail customers exceeded 100 million. The provision coverage ratio rose by 31.81 percentage points (pps) to 214.93% from the end of 2019. Technology has played a critical role in Ping An Bank's strong performance. In response to the COVID-19 outbreak, the bank resumed business quickly through online digital operations. As of June 2020, more than 30,000 employees had worked remotely, supported by nearly 7,500 technicians who were able to continue with technology development and operations and maintenance management and monitoring through various remote working tools. Innovations have also transformed the customer experience. In the first half of 2020, unmanned customer services accounted for 88.5% of Ping An Bank's artificial intelligence (AI)-processed customer service workloads, up 2.4 pps from the end of 2019. AI evaluation also enabled Ping An Bank to shorten credit card issuance time to two minutes from two days for manual processing. Applications for its unsecured loans and other credit products are now fully managed online, shortening loan approval process to 10 seconds. The digital risk management model has reduced credit losses by 60% compared to the manual system. As of the end of June 2020, registered users of the Ping An Pocket Bank mobile banking app exceeded 100 million. - End - About Ping An Group Ping An Insurance (Group) Company of China, Ltd. ("Ping An") is a world-leading technology-powered retail financial services group. With over 210 million retail customers and 560 million Internet users, Ping An is one of the largest financial services companies in the world. Ping An has two over-arching strategies, "pan financial assets" and "pan health care", which focus on the provision of financial and healthcare services through our integrated financial services platform and our five ecosystems of financial services, health care, auto services, real estate services and smart city services. Our "finance + technology" and "finance + ecosystem" strategies aim to provide customers and internet users with innovative and simple products and services using technology. As China's first joint stock insurance company, Ping An is committed to upholding the highest standards of corporate reporting and corporate governance. The Group is listed on the stock exchanges in Hong Kong and Shanghai. In 2020, Ping An ranked 7th in the Forbes Global 2000 list and ranked 21st in the Fortune Global 500 list. Ping An also ranked 38th in the 2020 WPP Kantar Millward Brown BrandZTM Top 100 Most Valuable Global Brands list. For more information, please visit www.pingan.cn . SOURCE Ping An Insurance (Group) Company of China, Ltd. Related Links www.pingan.cn Hong Kong: Dealing with 12 detained separatists China's business Iran Press TV Monday, 14 September 2020 9:58 AM Hong Kong says it will stay away from China's detention of a dozen individuals it calls "separatists" who sought to flee to Taiwan, arguing that handling the case is within the jurisdiction of mainland China. Hong Kong authorities said Sunday that they had received pleas from the families of 12 residents, who were detained last month by Chinese law enforcement for illegal entry into the mainland as they were trying to flee to Taiwan by sea. They are now being held in Shenzhen and face possible charges of immigration violations and human smuggling. Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Hua Chunying said in a Twitter message on Sunday that the detainees, ranging in age from 16 to 33, were "elements attempting to separate Hong Kong from China." The families of six detainees held a news conference in Hong Kong on Saturday, calling for the return of the 12, who were detained on August 23 on a boat bound for Taiwan. They were wearing masks, sunglasses and hooded jackets in an effort to maintain anonymity. The Hong Kong government ruled out any interference in the case on Sunday, saying that their "crime falls within the jurisdiction of the mainland." It reiterated that "the special administrative region government respects and will not interfere with law enforcement actions." Hong Kong said the group was suspected of committing "various criminal offenses" in the city. The regional government has also called on the families to make use of free legal consultation services being offered to them. The arrests were made after China imposed a security law on Hong Kong that criminalizes sedition, secession, and subversion against the mainland -- offenses punishable by sentences of up to life in prison. The new law allows Chinese national security institutions to operate in the city for the first time since 1997, when Hong Kong returned from British to Chinese rule. The city has been governed under the "one-country, two-systems" model since then, meaning that Chinese sovereignty is applied even as the city has its own government. The United States, Britain, and other Western countries have criticized the law and have moved to take action against Beijing and Hong Kong. China has condemned their stances, saying Hong Kong is a purely internal Chinese affair. Referring to the latest arrests, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Friday that Washington was "deeply concerned" that the detainees had "been denied access to lawyers of their choice." Taiwan detains 5 Hong Kong residents In a related development, Taiwan has been holding five people from Hong Kong in detention, Reuters reported, citing familiar sources. The five were who fled Hong Kong by boat, made it to the Taiwan-controlled Pratas Islands at the northern end of the South China Sea last month They are currently held at a Taiwan coast guard facility in the southern port city of Kaohsiung, according to Taiwan security sources. The Hong Kong Security Bureau, however, said it had not received any information from Taiwan, nor any request from families for help. But police have made inquiries with the Taiwan authorities and are awaiting a reply, it added. "We call on Taiwan to take responsibility for combating cross-border crimes. If they are suspected of committing crimes in Hong Kong, they should not harbor criminals," said Security Secretary John Lee. The semi-autonomous island has said it is open to separatists from Hong Kong to enter legally. China's official newspaper, The Global Times, however wrote on Monday that the detention of the five showed Taipei's pledges to help Hong Kongers was "fake." Hong Kong was rocked by violent protests over a bill that would have reformed its extradition law last year. Rioters vandalized the city, destroying public and private property and attacking anyone deemed to be pro-government. Hong Kong dropped that bill, but acts of violence continued. The Chinese government says the United States and Britain fanned the flames of that unrest in Hong Kong by supporting the protesters. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address By Akbar Mammadov President Ilham Aliyev has said that Azerbaijan-Turkey strategic alliance and partnership is an important factor in ensuring peace and security in the region and contributes to the development of cooperation. Aliyev made the remarks in a letter sent to Turkish President Recep Tayyib Erdogan on the 102nd anniversary of the liberation of Baku on September 15. Commenting on the 1918 events, Aliyev said that Despite the difficulties of that period, brotherly Turkey did not spare its help from Azerbaijan. The Caucasian Islamic Army led by Nuru Pasha came to Azerbaijan and joined the struggle. The Caucasus Islamic Army, which passed a glorious battle route from Ganja to Baku, together with the newly formed Azerbaijani National Army and volunteers, liberated Baku from Armenian and Bolshevik occupation." Aliyev said that September 15 is a very significant day for the people of Azerbaijan. He recalled that two years ago, he and Turkish President Erdogan watched the participation of Azerbaijani and Turkish soldiers in the military parade dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the liberation of Baku. "Undoubtedly, this historic event will always be remembered, he noted. Aliyev also thanked Turkey for statements expressing unequivocal support for Azerbaijan over Armenias cross-border provocation near Azerbaijans Tovuz region in July this year. He stressed that Azerbaijan has also always stood by brotherly Turkey and demonstrated its unwavering support in all matters. Indeed, the relations between our brotherly and friendly countries and peoples are successfully developing and expanding in all areas in line with the slogan of the great leader Heydar Aliyev "One nation, two states, the president said. Turkish President Recep Tayyib Erdogan also marked the anniversary of Bakus liberation in a letter sent to President Ilham Aliyev on the same day. Erdogan said that As in Baku, our brotherhood inherited from our ancestors who fought shoulder to shoulder in Canakkale, today forms the spiritual basis of our common destiny. Turkish-Azerbaijani relations are developing perfectly in the political, economic and military spheres. With the inspiration from our history and the strength we have gained from our unshakable ties, our countries have become the guarantors of the stability of our region, Erdogan said. The Turkish president expressed confidence that the Turkish-Azerbaijani brotherhood will last forever, and that the two countries will further support each other. The presidents also had a phone conversation on the same day. --- Akbar Mammadov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @AkbarMammadov97 Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Corporations in the United States have pledged for years to increase the number of Hispanic, Black, Asian-American and other underrepresented members on their boards, which make decisions that affect the livelihoods of millions. Yet a comprehensive new survey finds that they have made little progress. The boards of the 3,000 largest publicly traded companies remain overwhelmingly white. Underrepresented ethnic and racial groups make up 40 percent of the U.S. population but just 12.5 percent of board directors, up from 10 percent in 2015, according to a new analysis by the Institutional Shareholder Services ESG division. The firm, which announced a database of the findings on Tuesday, advises investors on how to vote in board elections and on other corporate matters. Black directors make up just 4 percent of the total, up from 3 percent in 2015, while Black women make up just 1.5 percent of the more than 20,000 directors included in the analysis, which goes beyond other surveys that included only the 500 largest public companies. Since the death of George Floyd in police custody in May, many chief executives have backed efforts to tackle racial injustice. In theory, the one thing that they could swiftly change is the corporate boardroom. Executives and their boards wield tremendous clout in selecting new directors, and their picks are almost always approved by shareholders. In the fifth season of the famous television quiz show Kaun Banega Crorepati, Sushil Kumar, a man from Bihar, made the headlines after he won Rs 5 crores as prize money. For many this would be the best thing in the world. But that is not how it turned out for Kumar. In a recent Facebook post, he has admitted that he went through the worst phase of his life after he won the huge sum. The win at KBC shot him to instant fame but he could unfortunately not handle it very well. With the money he won, he tried to start some business a few times, but it always resulted in a loss. He moved to Delhi and then Mumbai in search of something even he wasnt sure of, but couldnt get the peace of mind he yearned for. His relationship with his wife also soured along the way. In the post, Sushil Kumar wrote, 2015-2016 was the most challenging time of my life. I could not continue my studies as being a local celebrity, I attended 10 to 15 events every month in Bihar. He said that he was very conscious of his portrayal in the media as he did not want to come across as a jobless person. After some of his business ventures failed, he began donating money for causes. This attracted some wrong kind of people. Losing hope in Bihar, he moved to Delhi where he started driving cabs along with a friend. In Delhi, he met students from JNU, IIMC and other artists, which made him realize there was much more to life than he understood. During his time in Delhi, he got addicted to cigarettes and alcohol. His relationship with his wife deteriorated and at one point she even asked for divorce. He then moved to Mumbai to try his luck in films. That too didnt pan out well. In Mumbai, he would spend his days smoking entire packs of cigarettes. At last, after a lot of introspection, he realized, I did not come to Mumbai to be a director, but that I was just running away instead of facing my problems. He also realized how arrogant he had become and that it would be better to be good and humble. Sushil went back to his village, where he started working as a teacher and an environmentalist. He finally feels at peace. BRUNSWICK, Ohio -- For the first time in more than 30 years of giving recognition to school administrators in Ohio and throughout the United States, the Ohio Association of Elementary School Administrators and the National Association of Elementary School Principals have named two principals and one Hall of Fame school -- all from the same district. Crestview Elementary School was selected as a 2020 OAESA Hall of Fame School, while Memorial Elementary School Principal Katie Mann and Kidder Elementary School Principal Bonne Kubec were each named this year as the NAESP National Distinguished Principal Award winners for 2020 and 2021. The Hall of Fame School Award recognizes schools that engage faculty, students and the community to provide a quality school experience. The school staff submitted an extensive application documenting the effectiveness of their educational program in several areas. Hall of Fame Schools were selected by committees of OAESA members. The NAESP National Distinguished Principal Award recognizes and honors outstanding principals who ensure that Americas children acquire a sound foundation for lifelong learning and achievement, according a news release from the organization. We are best friends and collaborate on so many things. We joked that they should just make us co-winners, Kubec laughed. While that option was not permitted, the naming of this year and next years recipients seemed a viable option to the NAESP board, given the scheduling uncertainty brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. Unprecedented selection Having two winners from the same school district two years in a row was unprecedented. The winners were each nominated by staff or parents and took part in a months-long process beginning in December 2019 that included an extensive application, site visits to each of the buildings, and interviews with parents and building and central office staff. Mann and Kubec both agreed that their NAESP awards are as much recognition of the work of the students and staff at their respective buildings as it is of their role as principals. I really think of it as a building award -- my staff is amazing, and there is no way I could be the administrator I am without them, said Mann, who is in her 21st year in the Brunswick district. She was a special education and reading intervention specialist at both the high school and elementary school level before becoming an administrator. Kubec, a Brook Park native, began her career in the Berea City Schools before coming to Brunswick 12 years ago. Formerly an assistant principal at Willetts Middle School, Kubec has been principal at Kidder for seven years. I want to provide as much support to my students and staff as I can, Kubec said of her personal view of a building principals role. And the thing about (the students and staff at Kidder) is that they get that I support them and they support me. While some of her ideas, Kubec said, have been less than orthodox -- such as a Literacy on the Lawn event involving students and parents -- the buildings collective can-do spirit has more often than not led to a deeper educational experience for everyone. When I say, we can do this, they trust me enough to say, lets give it a try and they jump in with two feet, she said. In Manns view, that sense of collaboration and cooperation in education extends far beyond Brunswick, with teachers and administrators from around the country sharing ideas more often than has been the case in the past. Building principals' roles have likewise expanded greatly in recent years, Mann said. My job has drastically changed; it went from strictly a managerial role to now being an instructional leader, she said. The social-emotional piece is so important -- and supporting parents is so important. (Things like) not disciplining for a bad choice, but getting to the reason for it. Building honor Crestwood Principal Jamie Schulke said the OASEA Hall of Fame award is especially meaningful to her because of the fact that it recognizes the school as a whole. It is about relationships -- what we do with our students, parents, and the community, Schulke said. We work so well together on common goals, and having the support of the community makes our job so much easier. She pointed to the dedication of the students and staff at Crestview, as well as the number of extracurricular clubs students can become involved in. Schulke said student clubs and other supplemental education opportunities are not typical at the elementary level, but can be vital to a students long-term interest and involvement in both school and the community as a whole. Schulke said she comes from a whole family of school administrators. I wanted to make an impact, she said of her decision to pursue that side of education. Not only students, but helping families and staff. Schulke was a sixth-grade science teacher at Ford Middle School and an assistant principal at Big Creek Elementary School, both in the Berea City School District, before coming to Brunswick to serve as assistant principal at Willetts. She is now in her fifth year as principal at Crestview. It is quite an honor, Schulke said of the OASEA award. And it justifies all the hard work of the teachers, parents and students -- everything weve accomplished. Schulke will be presented with the award, which also includes $1,000 to be used at the principals discretion, at the OAESA Professional Conference, scheduled to be held June 16-18, 2021. Kubec and Mann will also be recognized at the conference. Read more news from the Brunswick Sun. Growing up, my mother instilled in me the importance of being proud of not only my Mexican heritage, but my Costa Rican roots as well. Sept. 15 marks the beginning of a month-long celebration to honor and recognize the many contributions of Latinos and Latinas to our country. For me, Hispanic Heritage Month is a time to reflect and remember my ancestors, particularly my abuelitos, who laid the foundation on which my family has grown and flourished. SHE SE PUEDE: Eva Longoria Baston helps launch `She Se Puede, inspiring Latinas everywhere In addition to celebrating my Mexican culture, I am also proud to celebrate with my fellow Ticos a moniker for Costa Ricans as they acknowledge the 199th anniversary of Costa Rican independence. I grew up learning about the popular catchphrase of Costa Ricans, "Pura Vida!" referring to the simple life, and the centuries-old tradition of "El Grito." Even as a child, I always believed I had the best of both worlds. My abuelitos on my mother's side taught me about the value of believing in the American dream. They ran and operated a flower shop from their home in Houston. As a little girl, I'd sit and watch my abuelita, her passion for her work clear, and realize that one day I wanted to feel that same kind of orgullo pride in my work. In Costa Rica, my family took pride in being entrepreneurs with a neighborhood restaurant and a bakery that my tia still runs today. My mother built in me the confidence I carry today, allowing me to believe in my dreams and to get back up even when things get tough. To many, she was a reflection of strength and honor over the more than four decades she worked as a nurse. There are many Latino legends that have made great contributions to our communities over the years, but for me, the people who left a lasting legacy for myself and my daughter were mi familia my family. And this is why I celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with entusiasmo! Turner, who suffered from mental illness, was shot by Juan Delacruz at an apartment complex where they both lived. A Texas police officer has been charged with assault for fatally shooting a woman after a struggle over the officers stun gun last year, prosecutors have announced. A Harris County grand jury indicted Baytown police officer Juan Delacruz on Monday for shooting Pamela Turner in the parking lot of an apartment complex where they both lived in May 2019. Delacruz was charged with aggravated assault by a public servant, a felony that could lead to a sentence of five years to life in prison if he is convicted. Prosecutors said he will be given the chance to turn himself in. It has been over 15 MONTHS since ofc. Juan Delacruz fatally shot #PamelaTurner while she was walking home. We still do not have justice! We must continue to #SayHerName and demand that ofc. Delacruz be held accountable! (: c_ringness on IG) pic.twitter.com/Fcbx3ZGoqb Ben Crump (@AttorneyCrump) September 8, 2020 Delacruz shot Turner after a struggle with the 44-year-old Black woman that a bystander captured on video. The footage showed Delacruz standing over Turner and reaching down to try to grab her arms. Turner then yells, Im pregnant. Moments later, something flashes as she reaches her arm out toward the officer. Suddenly, Delacruz pulls away and fires five gunshots. Police in the Houston suburb said the Hispanic officer shot Turner during an attempted arrest after she shocked him with his Taser. Court records showed three outstanding misdemeanor warrants against Turner at the time. Ben Crump, a lawyer for Turners family, said last year that she was not pregnant but had been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia. He said Delacruz knew his neighbour suffered from mental illness and shot her from a safe distance away. Crump and Delacruzs attorney did not immediately respond to the Associated Press news agencys requests for comment. Delacruz returned to work less than two weeks after the shooting, but the department said he would be on administrative duty while the Texas Rangers and the civil rights division of the Harris County district attorneys office investigate the shooting. The charge against Delacruz comes after months of protests over racism and police violence in cities across the country following the death of George Floyd in May. Floyd, who was Black, died after a white Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee on Floyds neck for nearly nine minutes. Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg, who is up for election in November, on Monday called Turners death a tragedy. It is important to acknowledge that her family and the community are in pain, she said. Baytown police Lieutenant Steve Dorris asked in a statement for the community to maintain trust in the legal process and its police as the case proceeds. He did not answer questions about Delacruzs employment status or the internal affairs investigation into the shooting. Israeli fighter jets, refueling planes hold massive drills aimed at Tehran France announces gradual lifting of coronavirus restrictions Fountains in Athens' central square illuminated with Armenian tricolor Austria approves Europe's first mandatory COVID-19 vaccination mandate World War II aircraft crashed in India found after 77 years Armenian Parliament Deputy Speaker meets EU delegation Deputy Speaker of Armenian parliament meets Russian Ambassador to Armenia Germany won't pay compensation if Nord Stream 2 doesn't comply with German, EU laws NEWS.am digest: EU special rep. is in Armenia, Roma's Mkhitaryan turns 33 today Child injured in Artsakh car accident taken to Yerevan by Russian peacekeepers' helicopter Taiwanese woman faces death penalty for setting island's deadliest fire Turkey passes law to exempt converted lira deposits from corporate tax Blinken says he discussed Iran nuclear deal with Lavrov Erdogan says Turkey has peaceful relations with Russia like never before New German government wants to attract 400,000 skilled workers from abroad every year Israeli Attorney General orders to investigate police allegations of spyware Blinken: Any Russian invasion of Ukraine will be met with swift response Candidate: Ombudsmans institution is one of few established institutions in Armenia Lavrov summarizes the results of talks with Blinken UN agrees on definition of Holocaust denial Lavrov and Blinken talks kick off in Geneva Australian FM says issue of sending direct military aid to Ukraine is not considered Armenia PM receives EU delegation, need for full operation of Karabakh peace process is stressed Armenia National Assembly debating on new ombudspersons candidacy Katherine Tai: The world can't go back to the 2019 trading system Dollar gains value in Armenia Armenia legislature told hold secret ballot to elect TV and radio commission new members NATO intends to hold largest military exercises beyond Arctic Circle in early March 7 new cases of coronavirus reported in Artsakh 'Zangezur corridor' will unite Turkic world, says Azerbaijan presidential office official Armenia FM highlights need for full resumption of Karabakh peace talks Armenia ex-defense minister: In our time it was shame to immediately turn to CSTO in case of Azerbaijan provocations UN General Assembly head calls for peace during Beijing Olympics Armenia Tourism Committee has new chairperson Russian MFA: Priority today is to start Azerbaijan-Armenia border delimitation, demarcation process Parliament passes, in first reading, bill restricting gambling advertising in Armenia UK considering sending hundreds of additional troops to Ukraine's neighbors Warships of Russia, Iran and China work out counteraction to maritime piracy Armenia first deputy minister of justice dismissed Israeli defense minister tests positive for COVID-19 Karabakh conflict resumption likelihood is moderate, its impact on US interests is low, report says Antonio Guterres thinks Russia will not invade Ukraine Azerbaijan ambassador to Russia hastens to sweeten the sediment of statement by US embassy in Baku IS fighters attack army barracks in mountainous area north of Baghdad, killing 11 soldiers Thomas de Waal: Will Armenia and Turkey be able to normalize relations after 3rd attempt? Armenia Security Council secretary, visiting EU delegation discuss situation on border with Azerbaijan Foreign ministers of Israel and Turkey have talk for 1st time in 13 years Fly Arna shareholders appoint companys Board of Directors 628 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia CSTO chief: Necessary to work on Armenia-Azerbaijan border delimitation, demarcation FBI search congressman's home in connection with Azerbaijan probe Newspaper: Armenia PM again goes way of black and white Newspaper: Scenario devised after war to be implemented in Artsakh EU Special Representative for South Caucasus arrives in Armenia Quake hits Armenia: 28 km northwest of Jermuk Crete island lighthouse illuminated with colors of Armenian tricolor Aurora Humanitarian Initiative to allocate $500,000 to projects in Artsakh Sajid Javid: Britain must learn to live with COVID-19, it could be with us forever Erdogan suggests Putin and Zelensky meet face to face EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus meets Aliyev US imposes sanctions on Ukrainians related to 'Russian harmful foreign activities' Sabah: Ankara refuses to hold next Armenian-Turkish meeting in a third country US general discusses regional security and bilateral cooperation in Armenia Secret graves of alleged protesters discovered in Almaty Armenian side members to Armenian-American Intergovernmental Commission confirmed WHO advises countries to lift or ease international travel restrictions US sanctions against Vladimir Putin, Ruben Vardanian and members of the Russian government Armenian Foreign Ministry discusses Mirzoyan's participation in Turkey forum Thailand to resume non-quarantine travel scheme from February 1 Instagram introduces paid subscription feature NEWS.am daily digest: 20.01.22 Europe considers new strategy to combat COVID-19 Norwegian prosecutors refuse release Anders Breivik, 2011 mass murderer Erdogan urges Turks to sell foreign currency for liras Azerbaijan not yet returned about 300 sheep of Armenia villager Media: Israeli President thinks about visiting Turkey Dollar quite stable in Armenia Trade turnover between Ukraine and Armenia increases by 24% Armenia legislature speaker meets with of International Republican Institute president, and director for Eurasia Kremlin does not exclude new call between Putin and Biden EU Special Representative for South Caucasus to soon visit Armenia, Azerbaijan State Duma discusses work of biolaboratories near Russia's borders US lawmakers to parliament speaker: Armenian POWs must be returned to their homeland immediately Security Council chief: Armenia expects OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs to visit region Armenia government does not approve plan to considerably raise minimum wage Turkish FM: Armenian representatives invited to diplomatic forum in Antalya Twitter suspends Mexican billionaire's account over offensive behavior Armenian PM says Omicron strain is slowly spreading Azerbaijan says it supports launching border delimitation process with Armenia with no conditions Zakharova speaks on Aliyev's visit to Kyiv Zakharova does not comment on Azerbaijan president's threats against France presidential candidate for her Artsakh visit Cavusoglu: Steps to increase mutual trust will be discussed at next meeting with Armenia US gives go-ahead to Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia to send missiles and other American-made weapons to Ukraine Zakharova: Russia, as OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair, supports continuation of work in this format Cyber attack on Red Cross: data of over 515,000 people compromised Pashinyan: UK has been strong partner of newly independent Armenia Israel hopes UN will unanimously condemn Holocaust denial Armenia, Ukraine depositories sign memorandum of cooperation Azerbaijan advises Armenia to correctly assess the new geopolitical realities and draw conclusions Australia, UK to fight back against cyberattacks from China, Russia and Iran A lonely pensioner who put up a poster in his window asking for friends after his beloved wife died has been inundated with thousands of emails and hundreds of phone calls from wellwishers all over the world. MailOnline told yesterday how Tony Williams felt isolated with no close family or friends after his wife Jo, 77, died from pancreatic cancer in May. The retired physicist put up the heart-breaking sign at his home, and handed out cards to strangers as well as taking out two local newspaper adverts asking for someone to talk to. Tony Williams put up a poster in his window asking for friends after his beloved wife died and has since been inundated with thousands of emails and hundreds of phone calls from wellwishers all over the world The retired physicist put up the heart-breaking sign at his home, and handed out cards to strangers as well as taking out two local newspaper adverts asking for someone to talk to But today the 88-year-old said he was overwhelmed by the response to his advertisement and said his phone hadn't stopped ringing. 'I'm considering taking it down this weekend,' he said. 'It's overkill now. Mission accomplished.' The first person to respond, he said, was television personality Dame Esther Rantzen, who got in touch the same afternoon. 'We had a lovely conversation,' he said. 'She was one of those people who really listen, which is a dying art these days. We spoke for about 20 minutes and she said she'd call me back in a week or two.' After that, the pensioner found himself bombarded with telephone calls and emails. 'I answered about 100 calls and my answering machine was full with 30 messages,' he said. 'And I had thousands and thousands of emails. People contacted me from all over the world: the United States, Canada, Australia, the Middle East, Spain, Iceland. 'A lot of people said they knew how I felt because they had been bereaved themselves. I had a lovely long conversation with a lady from Cairo who travels to Britain on business. 'One woman, Margaret, called me from Florida and invited me to fly over to stay with her. She said she'd pick me up at the airport and show me round the State. 'The loveliest gesture probably came from a teacher at the primary school down the road, who said if I'd mind if the children all wrote me letters. 'I said that would be lovely! And I offered to come to the school to talk to the children afterwards, so they'd know who they were writing to.' Tony married Jo, a secretary, A marriage to a woman he met at University College London (UCL) broke down, and in 1982 he married Jo, a secretary Mr Williams has two brothers, Geoff and Gavin, and a sister, Tessa. But although they are close, they live some distance away and do not see each other regularly. In addition to putting up the poster, he got some name cards printed which he gave out to people he met. So far he has distributed 29, but none of the recipients has called him. 'I have all sorts of feelings about the response,' he said. 'I did it really for myself. I wanted to alert people to those suffering from loneliness who nobody knows are there. 'I want to start a campaign to reach people in similar positions, so that they can take heart from what I've done. 'All yesterday afternoon I was on the phone and answering emails. I barely had time to eat. The last one came just after midnight. But I love conversation, I really do.' Mr Williams had been diagnosed with cancer himself, and underwent an operation to remove it from his leg this week. 'I know it's going to fade but hopefully when all the attention dies down, I'll have a number of people to keep in contact with over the long term,' he said. Mr Williams grew up on RAF bases as his father was in the air force, and as a result moved from place to place as a boy. 'I attended 11 schools, including five grammars,' he said. 'I made friends but lost them again when I moved. The problem was, you couldn't take them with you.' He continued this pattern in adult life, spending just two or three years in a job before moving to another part of the country. Jo's sister Sylvia Maxey said today that her brother-in-law has struggled since Jo's death and revealed that her funeral arrangements had caused a rift in the family A marriage to a woman he met at University College London (UCL) broke down, and in 1982 he married Jo, a secretary. 'Her death all happened so quickly,' he said. 'I couldn't visit her in hospital because of Covid. But she said she wanted to die at home, so they allowed her to come back. Her sisters came to say their goodbyes, and nine days later she passed away.' Jo's sister Sylvia Maxey said today that her brother-in-law has struggled since Jo's death and revealed that her funeral arrangements had caused a rift in the family. Mrs Maxey, of Croxton near Thretford, Norfolk, said: 'In a way I feel sorry for him because he idolised Jo, but he can be a difficult person to get on with sometimes and he does have a habit of upsetting people.' She said that things had been tense with Mr Williams when her husband Tony had been excluded from attend Jo's funeral. Due to Covid restrictions no more than ten mourners could go. Mr Williams' brother who has dementia was invited from Wales, but cancelled late on, meaning only nine relatives were there. Mrs Maxey said: 'I was very annoyed and I still am. I thought we were immediate family and should have priority but there you go. 'I do feel sorry for him. But there are people on my estate who are widowers and they just get on with their lives,' she added. SAINT PAUL, Minn., Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota (Blue Cross) today announced that supportive care services from Livio Health will be expanded for the second time this year, making access available to more than 240,000 Blue Cross members across the state. The decision is part of Blue Cross' focus to improve the long-term sustainability of high quality and affordable health care. Livio Health services support people with serious illness and are now available to all Blue Cross' Medicare Advantage and fully insured commercial members throughout the state at no additional cost to the member. This includes plans offered to individuals and families (both on and off MNsure); small employers; and many large employers. Blue Cross first engaged Livio Health's team of nurse practitioners, medical social workers, chaplains, and nurse care coordinators in June 2019 to deliver patient-centered, in-home care at no cost to around 50,000 Medicare Advantage members living in the Twin Cities metro area. Strong member satisfaction rates and quality metrics drove the decision to expand access to additional member populations twice so far this year. "Livio care teams are able to provide exactly the kind of support our members need while managing a stressful and complex serious illness," said Dr. Craig Samitt, president and CEO at Blue Cross. "The fact that nine in 10 Livio patients understand they can call Livio at any time of day or night can help reduce unnecessary emergency rooms visits is critically important. Our high-risk members need to minimize exposure risk to all viruses, especially COVID-19, whenever possible." The services Livio provides to Blue Cross members include 24/7 medical support for urgent needs, emotional support, pain management, caregiver support, advance care planning and more. The option to receive these supportive care services from the comfort and safety of home is of special significance for those with mobility issues or who are immunocompromised. Livio has increased options for patients to safely connect with their care team by offering easy-to-connect video visits and frequent phone check-ins when requested. By extending their technology capabilities, Livio can reach more Blue Cross members throughout the state. "The partnership between Blue Cross and Livio is rooted in a shared vision to reimagine and reinvent health care to be more effective and affordable," said Dr. Bennett Clark, chief medical officer at Livio Health. "Our successes over the past year have allowed us to expand to additional populations and further sharpen our organization's strategic focus on quality patient outcomes through our supportive care services." Livio's care model is focused on tailoring care to what is important to members, which helps relieve some of the burden that comes with serious illness. Blue Cross and Livio know that providing care should not be one-size-fits-all. Livio aligns their support to members' values to help keep them out of the hospital and focused on more good days. Through building strong relationships, Livio's care teams guide their patients in conversations about what they want their future health care to look like, as well as provide services that extend past their typical treatment plan. About Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota, with headquarters in the St. Paul suburb of Eagan, was chartered in 1933 as Minnesota's first health plan and continues to carry out its charter mission today: to promote a wider, more economical and timely availability of health services for the people of Minnesota. A nonprofit, taxable organization, Blue Cross is the largest health plan based in Minnesota, covering 2.9 million members in Minnesota and nationally through its health plans or plans administered by its affiliated companies. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota and Blue Plus is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, headquartered in Chicago. About Livio Health Livio Health provides supportive medical care for people with serious illness through in-home, phone and video visits. Livio's care teams work alongside specialists and primary care teams to provide care tailored to patients' values and aspirations. Livio gives patients access to 24/7 medical support and a team of experts, including physicians, nurse practitioners, social workers, chaplains, and nurses. At Livio, we help patients and families focus on more good days. SOURCE Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota Related Links www.bluecrossmn.com Hyderabad: The waves of labourers and workers who moved back and forth across the country during the lockdown saw as many as 37,050 of them returning to Telangana. In the neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, this number was 32,571, the Lok Sabha was informed in a written reply by Union labour minister Santosh Kumar Ganwar. The minister said Uttar Pradesh saw the biggest return of such guest workers with 32,49,638 returning home, followed by Bihar with 15,00,612, Bengal with 13,84,693 and Rajasthan with 13,08,130 going back to their homes in the wake of the shutdown of factories, construction activity and other employment avenues during the lockdown. According to experts, the return of guest workers to their home states is one of key reasons, which led to spread of coronavirus, which was initially a purely urban phenomenon, to rural areas in the country. The disease now covers almost the entire country. The purchase intention of Vietnamese consumers living in Ho Chi Minh City towards a global brand from the US versus domestic brands of Vietnam Ph.D. CAO MINH MAN (Business School, International University, Vietnam National University - Ho Chi Minh City Campus) ABSTRACT: This study explores influence of several factors on the purchase intention of young consumers living in Ho Chi Minh City towards products of Calvin Klein and domestic brands. Based on the cognitive-affective model of buying intention, this study examines the correlation among the need for uniqueness characteristics of Vietnamese consumers, elements (perceived quality, emotional value) and the purchase intention of Vietnamese consumers. This study was conducted with 172 valid answers from young customers aged 18 to 35, living in Ho Chi Minh City. By using the Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), this study finds that there is a positive and significant correlation between Vietnamese needs for uniqueness and attitudes toward American products. In addition, the studys findings show that there are an insignificant correlation between the attitudes towards American goods and the perceived quality and an insignificant correlation between the consumer emotional value towards domestic brands. Meanwhile, this study reveals a positive and significant correlation among the attitudes towards American goods and the perceived quality and the consumer emotional value for the Calvin Klein brand. Furthermore, the study finds that the emotional value has a positive and significant relationship with the purchase intention for both Calvin Klein and domestic brands. Keywords: Consumers, purchase intention,global brands, local brands. 1. Introduction Customers choose one product based many criteria as emotional value (display of wealth, status, prestige), benefits they get (high quality, low price, discount). Consumers in developing countries tends to get a life that is similiar to some developed countries (America, United Kingdom,) this leads to the purchasing of foreign brands (Kinra, 2006). The disparities between high income and lower income and the validity of status exist in almost developing countries. As the result of this, the purpose of using foreign brand is showing the social standing (Kottak, 1990). There have been several studies on Vietnamese consumers attitude on the foreign brands (To Linh Nhan, Minh Tinh Le, 2019; Hai Chung Pham and Barry Richards, 2015). This study is aimed at the Vietnamese customers purchase attention in relation to U.S. brands and local brands. 2. Literature Review 2.1. Need for uniqueness Synder & Fromkin (1980) uniqueness theory illustrated that people aspire to reach a mild degree of similarity with others. Jane E. Workman, Laura K. Kidd (2000) illustrated that the need for uniqueness is expressed publicly and in observable behaviors of self- designed to create a moderate sense of difference, the actions are verifiable as being measurable. 2.2. Perceived quality According Joseph Yu et al (2005), perceived quality is the only mechanism that affects consumer service in a constructive and clear way. 2.3. Emotional value Emotional value tests the supposed utility that consumers equate with a product or service's potential to arouse emotions or affective states (Sheth et al, 1991). Sheth et al also illustrate that goods and services are also socially sensitive such as an romantic dinner with rose, the fear feelings appear when watching horror movie. Emotional reactions are conditioned by the rewards of a product or service a customer receives from (Sweeney, J. C. & Soutar, G. N., 2001). 2.4. The cognitive-affective model According to Li et al. 1994, cognitive-affective causes influence on purchase intention.. The model shows that not only the cognitive element (perceived quality) but the affective factor (emotional value) directly or indirectly influence on the willing to pay. Figure 1: Conceptual Model 2.5. Customers need for uniqueness influences on attitudes toward American products The concept of the need for uniqueness in consumers derives from the philosophy of uniqueness by Snyder and Fromkin (1977). Following Kelly Tepper Tian, William O. Bearden, and Gary L. Hunter (2001), the need for uniqueness of consumers is characterized as the characteristic of seeking distinction in relation to others by purchasing, using and disposing of summer goods in order to establish and enhance one's self-image and social image. According to Fromkin (1970), each individuals have a need for uniqueness (or can call it as sepearate identity). H1: Vietnamese (Ho Chi Minh city) consumers get high positive attitudes towards American products as the need for uniqueness increases. 2.6. Attitudes toward American products impact on percieved quality and emotional value Pereived quality was recognized as a cognitive response to a goods, that strongly influences product purchase intention according to cognitive affective model of Kamar (2009). The country of origin gets direct effect on customers evaluation of the products (Peeter W.J. Verlegh, 2001. According to To Linh Nhan and Minh Tinh Le (2019), young customers in Vietnam appriciate the quality of products originated from Western. Moreover, Hai Chung Pham and Barry Richards (2015) finds that Vietnamese youth prefers Western brands than domestic brands. H2a: Attitude toward American product grows, Vietnamese customers perceive U.S. brand to achieve high quality. H2b: Attitude toward American product grows, Vietnamese customers perceive local brand to achieve low quality. Kinra (2006) found that in some of developing country, customers link global brands with some positive sympothic meanings as wealth, status, health that can increase customer emotional value H3a: The attitudes toward U.S. products increase, Vietnamese customers perceive a U.S. brand to have high emotional value. H3b: The attitudes toward U.S. products increase, Vietnamese customers perceive a local brands to have low emotional value. 2.7. Perceive quality and emotional value affect on customers purchase intention By the model framework, both perceived quality and emotional value affect on consumers purchase intention. H4a: The perception of American products quality enhances, Vietnamese customers grow their purchase intention to U.S. brands. H4b: The perception of local products quality enhances, Vietnamese customers grow their purchase intention to the local brands. Besides the high products quality, the brands have to concern to the emotional value as well for increasing the number of consumers. H5a: The perception of American brands emotional value of customers increases, the increasing in purchase intention to U.S. brands of Vietnamese. H5b: The perception of local brands emotional value of customers increases, the increasing in purchase intention to local brands of Vietnamese. 3. Methodology The study includes U.S. and local clothing brands.Participants were people from 18 to 35 years old in a variety of majors in Ho Chi Minh City. The sample size is measured at least 150 usable responses because of Roger (2006), the sample size at least is equal to five multiplies with the questions in the survey. This study uses 172 acceptable responses. The U.S. apparel brand is Calvin Klein, as focus group interviews revealed that Calvin Klein was popular brands for Vietnamese. The measurement of individual characteristics and brand specific variables including the need for uniqueness, behavior and attitude toward products, perceived quality, emotional value, purchase intention. Each was put on a 5-point scale ranging from strongly disagree and strongly agree. The item Need for uniqueness scales are based on the model and scale of Tian et al. (2001). They identified three dimesions, which can estimate the level of Need for uniqueness of customers, namely in the study is the Vietnamese consumers, that are creative choice counter conformity, and avoidance of similarity. The item Attitudes toward American products scale is built following to the model of Shimp and Sharma (1987), Perceived quality from the model of Dodds et al. (1991) and the item Emotional value from model of Sweeney and Soutar (2001). In addition, the measurement for Purchase intention includes two items: the intention to buy brand frequently, and planning to buy brand more often. 4. Data Analysis and Results 4.1. Reliability test The result shows that the Cronbachs Alpha of all factors is almost higher than 0.7. 4.2. KMO and Barletts test The EFA test for independent variables includes the following indicators: The condition for KMO is that 0.5 The Bartlett test has Sig = 0.000 which is lower than 0.05, which means the observed variables have a linear relationship with the representative factors. Total Variance = 75.157 then the percentage of variance of the data is 75.157%. 4.3. Confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) CFA analysis results show the figures that: CMIN / df = 2.682; CFI = 0.865; TLI = 0.844; RMSEA = 0.099. As the result of this, the model is not appropriate for practical data in the market. Using software-based calculation of CR and AVE values shows that the PIB value has not reached the convergence value and in which PIB4 observations are reported to be removed in order to get a good value. And also in this run, the author has joined the covariance to increase the model's compatibility and the results are as follow: Figure 2: CFA in AMOS model (the second time) The analysis results which shown in figure 3 illustrate that: CMIN / df = 1,412; CFI = 0.969; TLI = 0.963; RMSEA = 0.05, as the results of this, the model is comformable for the figures and the data in reality of the market. 4.4. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) analysis Figure 3: SEM model in AMOS Based on the SEM model, the results include: CMIN/df = 1,567; CFI = 0.956; TLI = 0.950; RMSEA = 0.075 therefore, the model is favorable for data in the practical market. Table 1: The estimation results (Estimated Coefficients - r) 4.5. Hypotheses testing From the results above, the study supports H1, H2a, H3a, H4b, H5a, and H5b; however, the study doesnt support H2b, H3b, and H4b. It means the study finds out a positive and significant relationship between Vietnamese (Ho Chi Minh city) consumers attitudes towards American products and their need for uniqueness. The study also finds out some positive and significant relationships: the attitude toward American product grows and Vietnamese customers perceive U.S. brand to achieve high quality; the attitudes toward U.S. products increase and Vietnamese customers perceive a U.S. brand to have high emotional value; the perception of local products quality enhances, Vietnamese customers grow their purchase intention to the local brands; the perception of American brands emotional value of customers increases and the increase in purchase intention to U.S. brands of Vietnamese; the perception of local brands emotional value of customers increases and the increase in purchase intention to local brands of Vietnamese customers. The study doesnt find out significant relationships: the attitude toward American product grows and Vietnamese customers perceive local brand to achieve low quality; the attitudes toward U.S. products increase and Vietnamese customers perceive a local brands to have low emotional value; the perception of American products quality enhances and Vietnamese customers grow their purchase intention to U.S. brands. 5. Conclusion and Recommendation This research demonstrates the impact of both affective components and cognitive elements influence on the Vietnamese purchase intention of two brands that are local brand and Calvin Klein that using cognitive-affective model. In addition, this study also is a response to the study on need for uniqueness of Workman and Kidd (2000). Besides, this study also illustrates that the need for uniqueness has the affect on the Vietnamese attitude toward American products. REFERENCES: Chwo-ming Joseph Yu, Lei-yu Wu, Yu-ching Chiao, Hsing-shia Tai. (2005). Perceived quality, customer satisfaction, and customer royalty: the case of Lexus in Taiwan. Total quality management, 16, 6, 707-719. David Garvin. (1984). What does product quality really mean? Slogan management review. Dodds WB, Monroe KB, Grewal D. (1991). Effect of price, brand, and store information on buyers' product evaluations. Journal of Marketing Research, 28(307), 19. Fromkin, H. L. (1970). Effects of experimentally aroused feelings of undistinctiveness upon valuation of scarce and novel experiences. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 16(3), 521-529 Hai Chung Pham, Barry Richards. (2015). Western brands in the minds of Vietnamese consumers. Journal of Consumer Marketing, 32, 5. Jane Workman, Laura K. Kidd. (2000). Use of need of uniqueness scale to characterize fashion consumers group. Clothing and textiles research journal, 18. Kelly Tepper Tian, William O. Bearden, Gary L. Hunter. (2001). Consumerss need for uniqueness: Scale and validation. 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Abnormality as a positive characteristic: The development and validation of a scale measuring need for uniqueness. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 518-527. Sweeney, J. C., & Soutar, G. N. (2001). Consumer perceived value: The development of a multiple item scale. Journal of Retailing, 77(2), 203-220. Terence Shimp, Subhash Sharma. (1987). Consumer Ethnocentrism: Construction and Validation of the CETSCALE. Journal of Marketing Research, 24(3), 280-289. To Linh Nhan, Minh Tinh Le (2019). Western fashion brand in the eyes of Vietnamese millennials. JONKOPING International Business School. Workman JE, Kidd LK. Use of the need for uniqueness scale to characterize fashion consumer groups. Cloth Text Res J 2000,18(4), 227-36. Y INH MUA HANG CUA KHACH HANH THANH PHO HO CHI MINH OI VOI THUONG HIEU TOAN CAU (HOA KY) VA THUONG HIEU NOI IA TS. CAO MINH MAN Khoa Quan tri Kinh doanh, Truong ai hoc Quoc te, ai hoc Quoc gia Thanh pho Ho Chi Minh TOM TAT: Nghien cuu uoc tien hanh tren nhung khach hang tre tai TP. Ho Chi Minh. Nghien cuu tim hieu anh huong cua mot so yeu to en y inh mua oi voi thuong hieu Calvin Klein va thuong hieu noi ia. Can cu vao mo hinh anh huong nhan thuc cua y inh mua, nghien cuu kiem tra moi quan he giua nhu cau cua khach hang ve nhung ac iem rieng biet, nhung nhan to (nhu: chat luong cam nhan, gia tri cam xuc), va y inh mua cua ho. Nghien cuu su dung 172 cau tra loi hop le cua nhung khach hang tre trong o tuoi tu 18 en 35, ang sinh song tai TP. Ho Chi Minh. Su dung SEM (mo hinh phuong trinh cau truc), nghien cuu tim ra moi quan he thuan chieu, ang ke giua nhu cau cua khach hang ve nhung ac iem rieng biet va thai o cua ho oi voi hang hoa My. Them vao o, nghien cuu cung tim ra moi quan he khong ang ke giua thai o oi voi hang hoa My va chat luong cam nhan, cung nhu gia tri cam xuc cua nguoi tieu dung oi voi thuong hieu noi ia. Trong khi o, nghien cuu tim thay moi quan he thuan chieu va ang ke giua thai o oi voi hang hoa My va chat luong cam nhan, cung nhu gia tri cam xuc cua nguoi tieu dung oi voi thuong hieu Calvin Klein. Hon nua, nghien cuu tim ra gia tri cam xuc co moi quan he thuan chieu va ang ke voi y inh mua oi voi thuong hieu Calvin Klein va thuong hieu noi ia. Tu khoa: Nguoi tieu dung, y inh mua hang, thuong hieu toan cau, thuong hieu noi ia. [Tap chi Cong Thuong - Cac ket qua nghien cuu khoa hoc va ung dung cong nghe, So 19, thang 8 nam 2020] By PTI NEW DELHI: As many as 155 healthcare staff, including 64 doctors, have died due to coronavirus, according to 'Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package Insurance Scheme for Health Workers Fighting COVID-19' which provides relief in case of death of such workers, Parliament was told on Tuesday. Minister of State for Health Ashwini Choubey was responding to a question on the number of healthcare staff, including doctors, nurses, support staff and ASHA workers, affected by the disease. He told Rajya Sabha that 'health' is a state subject and "such data is not maintained at central level". Choubey, however, said the database of those seeking relief under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Insurance package is maintained at the national level. A total of 155 healthcare workers died due to COVID-19 as on September 11. These include 21 healthcare workers, including six doctors from Maharashtra, followed by 14 each from Gujarat and West Bengal, and 12 from Arunachal Pradesh and 10 from Tamil Nadu, he said. The minister said the health ministry had provided guidelines on Infection Prevention and Control practices to state governments. Training was conducted for all states in the month of March. A plan was also conveyed to the states to complete the training up to district level by March 20, 2020, the minister said. The Training on Infection Prevention and Control was also made available for all categories of healthcare workers on the iGoT platform. The states were asked to constitute Infection Prevention and Control committees. Hospitals were to identify nodal officers who will monitor healthcare workers and review their exposure status, Choubey said. High-risk exposures are placed under quarantine for seven days. Based on the exposure/clinical profile of such doctors, nursing officers and other health workers, a decision shall be taken by the Nodal Officer/Head of the Department (or his appointed sub-committee) for further period of one week. An advisory for managing healthcare workers working in COVID and non-COVID areas of hospitals was issued by the Ministry of Health on June 18, Choubey informed the Upper House. Guidelines on rational use of personal protective equipment (PPEs) for hospital and community settings (including frontline workers) were issued on March 24. These guidelines followed a risk-based approach and recommended the type of PPE that needs to be used in high and low risk areas, the minister said in his reply. The healthcare workers were provided with hydroxychloroquine for prophylaxis and prevention of infection, he said. N95 masks and triple/double ply masks were brought under price control. Export of PPEs, N95 masks, triple/double ply medical masks, goggles and visors were banned till such time we were self-reliant, the MoS said. A package of Rs 15,000 crore (USD 2 billion) under 'India COVID-19 Emergency Response and Health System Preparedness Package' was approved by the Union Cabinet on April 22. The states were supported with 9.81 crore tablets of hydroxychloroquine. A total of 28,476 ventilators were supplied to states/UTs, the minister said. "During initial stage of the pandemic, there were concerns on non-availability of protective gears. However, with the Government of India stepping in to enhance capacity and allocating PPE to states as per need, this concern was addressed. States and UTs were provided with 3.05 crore N95 masks and 1.2 crore PPE kits," Choubey added. Senate Foreign Relations Committee member Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) questions witnesses during a hearing about Venezuela in the Dirksen Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington, on Aug. 04, 2020. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) Senator Urges Additional Ban on Chinese-Owned Mobile App Over Security Threats Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) is urging the U.S. administration to extend a transaction ban to WeChats sister app, QQ, in a bid to counter hazards posed by high-risk Chinese telecommunications hardware and software. Like WeChat, the instant messaging app QQ is developed by Chinese tech giant Tencent. President Donald Trump on Aug. 6 issued an executive order to ban transactions with ByteDances TikTok and Tencents WeChat, saying that the apps mass harvesting of user data and political censorship pose significant national security risks that call for aggressive action. There has been a significant increase in QQ downloads in the United States since Trumps order, according to data collected by market analyst firm Sensor Tower. In a letter to Trump released on Sept. 14, Rubio noted the identical ownership and similar functions of WeChat and QQ. These similarities highlight the common threats that they pose, including data privacy risks, as well as espionage and censorship at the direction of the Chinese government and Communist Party. The Shenzhen-based Tencent, along with tech firms ByteDance and Huawei, have faced increased scrutiny internationally for security and privacy concerns related to their products. The headquarters of Tencent, the parent company of Chinese social media company WeChat, are seen in Beijing on Aug. 7, 2020. (Greg Baker/AFP via Getty Images) Party Ties Tencent has a long history of complying with the Chinese Communist Partys surveillance apparatus and has a close relationship with the regime. Pony Ma, Tencents founder and CEO, has been a delegate to Chinas rubber-stamp legislature, the National Peoples Congress, since 2013. An internal company list The Epoch Times recently obtained also identified more than 7,700 of its employees to be members of Chinese Communist Party branches that are embedded within its offices across the country. The Tencent Party committee also boasts that it created the first Party journal among Chinese internet firms in 2005. Another leaked document from state-owned telecom firm China Unicom also revealed how Tencent helped build an app for Party-building activities, which usually involves studying Party doctrines to enforce members obedience. In Oct. 2017, on the second day of Chinas party congress convened once every five years, the company created an app designed to give virtual applause to Chinese leader Xi Jinping. Citizen Lab, a cybersecurity research group at the University of Toronto, recently found WeChat to be monitoring its international users to boost its censorship algorithm. A number of Chinese dissidents have experienced police admonition, arrests, and other forms of suppression over their posts on Tencent apps, the most notable case being Chinese whistleblower doctor Li Wenliang. The company has received additional pushback in Australia and India. Most recently, India added scores of Tencent-owned mobile game apps to its banned list of over 200, mostly Chinese apps. WeChat was on the first blacklist that India issued in late June. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. By Akbar Mammadov An Azerbaijani military serviceman has been wounded as a result of Armenian cease-fire violation on the border, the Ministry of Defence reported on September 15. The incident occurred on September 14 in the direction of Hajalli village in Azerbaijans Tovuz region. Azerbaijani Armys Warrant Officer Aliyev Renat has received a medical treatment and his condition is stable. The units of the Azerbaijani army have suppressed the Armenian attack in a retaliatory fire and the operational conditions are under the control of the Azerbaijani Army, the ministry said. The cease-fire violation on the border comes a day after Armenian armed forces shelled the Alibeyli village of the border Tovuz region on the evening of August 13. It should be noted that Armenia has stepped up its military provocation recently, staging sabotage both on the border and on the line of contact. On July 12, Armenian forces shelled Azerbaijan's positions in Tovuz, Azerbaijan's strategically-important district. The attack killed 12 Azerbaijani servicemen, including an army general, as well as a 76-year-old civilian. Armenian forces retreated after suffering losses in Azerbaijan's retaliation. Since 16 July, eight UAVs of the Armenian armed forces, attempting to carry out a reconnaissance flight over the positions of the Azerbaijani Army's units, have been destroyed by the Azerbaijani Air Defense units. Another provocation was staged on August 23 at around 6:00 am when Azerbaijan thwarted a provocation attempt by the sabotage-reconnaissance group of the Armenian armed forces in the direction of Goranboy region of Azerbaijan. As a result of measures taken by the Azerbaijani army, the commander of the sabotage-reconnaissance group of the Armenian Armed Forces, senior lieutenant Gurgen Alaverdyan was taken as prisoner. Azerbaijan and Armenia are locked in a conflict over Azerbaijans Nagorno-Karabakh breakaway region, which along with seven adjacent regions was occupied by Armenian forces in a war in the early 1990s. More than 20,000 Azerbaijanis were killed and around one million were displaced as a result of the large-scale hostilities. --- Akbar Mammadov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @AkbarMammadov97 Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz The United Arab Emirates and Bahrain signed agreements on Tuesday to normalize ties with Israel, becoming the first Arab states in a quarter century to break a longstanding taboo, in a strategic realignment of Middle East countries against Iran. U.S. President Donald Trump hosted the White House ceremony, capping a dramatic month when first the UAE and then Bahrain agreed to reverse decades of ill will without a resolution of Israel's dispute with the Palestinians. In front of a crowd of several hundred people on the White House lawn, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu signed accords with Emirati Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nahyan and Bahrains Foreign Minister Abdullatif Al Zayani. The deals, denounced by the Palestinians, make them the third and fourth Arab states to take such steps to normalize relations since Israel signed peace treaties with Egypt in 1979 and Jordan in 1994. Meeting Netanyahu earlier in the Oval Office, Trump said, "We'll have at least five or six countries coming along very quickly" to forge their own accords with Israel. Later Trump told reporters a third Gulf Arab state, Saudi Arabia, would strike an agreement with Israel "at the right time." The Saudi cabinet stressed in a statement the need for a "just and comprehensive solution" to the Palestinian issue. Saudi Arabia is the biggest Gulf Arab power. Its king is custodian of Islam's holiest sites and rules the world's largest oil exporter. Despite its own reluctance, the kingdom's quiet acquiescence to the agreements was seen as crucial. 'Change the course of history' The ceremony provided Trump with valuable imagery as he tries to hold on to power in a Nov. 3 presidential election. Flags of the United States, Israel, the UAE and Bahrain were in abundance. "We're here this afternoon to change the course of history," Trump said from the White House balcony. Trump called the deals "a major stride in which people of all faiths and backgrounds live together in peace and prosperity" and declared that the three Middle East countries "are going to work together, they are friends." The back-to-back agreements mark an improbable diplomatic victory for Trump. He has spent his presidency forecasting deals on such intractable problems as North Korea's nuclear program only to find achievements elusive. Bringing Israel, the UAE and Bahrain together reflects their shared concern about Iran's rising influence in the region and development of ballistic missiles. Iran criticized both deals. All three of the Middle East leaders hailed the agreements and Trump's role in glowing terms, with Netanyahu saying it gave hope to "all the people of Abraham." But the UAE and Bahraini officials both sought to reassure the Palestinians that their countries were not abandoning them or their quest for statehood in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, despite the Palestinian leadership having decried the deals as a betrayal of their cause. In a sign that regional strife is sure to continue while the Israeli-Palestinian conflict remains unresolved, Palestinian militants fired rockets from Gaza into Israel during the ceremony, the Israeli military said. Israel's Magen David Adom ambulance service said paramedics treated two men for light injuries from flying glass in Ashdod, and four others suffered shock. "This is not peace, this is surrender in return for the continuation of the aggression," read a tweet posted on the Twitter account of the Palestine Liberation Organization. "There will be no peace before Palestine is free." Trump's evangelical support With Trump seeking four more years, the accords could help shore up support among pro-Israel Christian evangelical voters, an important part of his political base. Another target of the White House plans, in addition to Saudi Arabia, is Oman, whose leader spoke with Trump last week. Oman sent its ambassador to Tuesday's ceremony, a senior U.S. official said. No Saudi representative attended. Meeting the Emirati foreign minister before the ceremony, Trump thanked the UAE for being first in the Gulf to agree to ties with Israel and left little doubt the Iran issue was overhanging the event. Trump predicted that Iran, under heavy U.S. sanctions, would want to reach a deal with Washington, which has been trying to get it to renegotiate an international nuclear accord. Tehran shows no sign of budging. Netanyahu faces criticism at home of his handling of the coronavirus pandemic and a corruption trial on charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust that have led to frequent street protests. Netanyahu denies any wrongdoing and describes his trial as a leftist political witch-hunt aimed at unseating a popular right-wing leader. In a nod to the coronavirus, the White House encouraged but did not require participants to wear masks. It was left to the leaders whether to shake hands, and they did not do so in public. Most people in the crowd did not wear masks. Some differences remain despite warming ties. Trump said on Tuesday he would have no problem selling advanced stealth F-35 fighter jets to the UAE, which for years has sought to obtain them. Israel, which has the F-35, objects to such a sale. Frustrated by the Palestinians' refusal to take part in Trump's Middle East peace initiative, the White House has sought to bypass them in hopes they will see the deals with the UAE and Bahrain as incentives, even leverage, for peace talks Speaking to Fox News hours before the ceremony, Trump predicted the Palestinians would eventually forge peace with Israel or else be "left out in the cold." The Palestinian leadership has long accused Trump of pro-Israel bias and denounced the Arab rapprochement with Israel, even though Netanyahu agreed, in return for normalization with the UAE, to suspend a plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank. Although Israeli-Palestinian negotiations broke down in 2014, some Gulf Arab states and several other Arab countries have long had quiet, informal contacts with Israel. Its a running joke by now that if Biden wins hell be replaced in short order by Vice President Kamala Harris. But did Harris let the mask slip today when she said, in a scripted broadcast targeted at hispanic voters in Arizona, that a Harris administration together with Joe Biden. . . That is how you might talk about someone understood to be a pure figurehead. You can watch the clip here. (Longer YouTube version here.) Im betting the Secret Service is taking resumes of food tasters right about now. COLOGNE, Germany, Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- As a leader in cross domain solution technology INFODAS continues to provide innovative high-end security hardware and software solutions for mission critical environments in the public sector and critical infrastructure. After an in-depth assessment that lasted seven years, the German Federal Office of Information Security (BSI) has issued a SECRET approval for the SDoT Labelling Service. All elements of the Secure Domain Transition (SDoT) Product Family have met the BSI's strict requirements for hardware and software security at the German SECRET and below level. NATO and EU SECRET approvals were granted as well. SDoT products allow to make data available or exchange it in a controlled manner while sensitive data remains protected. Public sector organizations that handle classified information and want to take advantage of digitization frequently wish to selectively share sensitive data with other systems, organizations or allies in real time. However, many unstructured data objects (e.g. pictures, videos, patient records, documents) require another trusted element for release decision as their classification level could easily be changed. The SDoT Labelling Service solves this issue. It allows to manually or automatically classify any data object with a tamper proof XML Security label that is cryptographically bound to a file. The product complements the bi-directional SDoT Security Gateway cross domain solution for SECRET and below domains so that even unstructured data can be filtered. The SDoT Labelling Service is placed in the classified IT infrastructure and can be integrated in any work environment (e.g. Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel) of the user which ensures a high degree of user adoption and data centric security. Alternatively, INFODAS offers the SDoT Workstation, a hardened laptop, with a data classification application. XML security labels can be freely defined by an organization and may include categories such as the creator of a label, permissive & restrictive sharing policies or label validity. Any changes to a label are always logged throughout its lifecycle. Even the smallest change to a data object automatically leads to invalidation of a label that prevents its release from a classified domain. The XML security labels already adhere to the new NATO standardization agreements 4774 for confidentiality labels as well as 4778 for metadata binding. The SDoT Labelling is designed and manufactured in Germany following the security-by-design principle. It has the same high-end security software and hardware architecture as the SDoT Diode, SDoT Security Gateway and SDoT Security Gateway express. The INFODAS SDoT product family currently offers the most comprehensive and government evaluated cross domain solutions on the global market for network security and data leakage prevention (DLP). For the past 10 years SDoT products have been used in the toughest and mission critical environments around the world. About INFODAS - connect more.be secure INFODAS is an independent, family owned business founded in 1974 in Germany. The company develops innovative cross domain solutions based on security-by-design principles and provides Cybersecurity and IT consulting to government, defense and commercial clients. INFODAS SDoT product family cross domain solutions (SDoT Security Gateway, SDoT Software Data Diode, SDoT Labelling Service, PATCH.works) are approved up to German, EU, NATO SECRET and are listed in the NATO information assurance catalogue. Website LinkedIn Twitter Product pictures & Graphics https://www.infodas.de/en/news/press-releases/sdot_labelling_service_secret_approval_nato_4774_4778_data_classification/ Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1273871/infodas_SDoT_and_Workstation.jpg Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1273872/infodas_SDoT_Outlook_Email.jpg Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1273873/infodas_SDoT_architecture.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1273874/infodas_Logo.jpg Contact INFODAS GmbH Ina Hagen, Tel. +49 (0)221 70912234 marketing@infodas.de Prev 1 of 6 Next Rio Rancho saw supporters for Black Lives Matter and counter-protestors in support of President Donald Trump collide in tense moments on Saturday. On Southern Boulevard by the MVD Express, the Changes Rally, organized by the Black New Mexico Movement, was being held to honor rapper Tupac Shakur, according to the rallys event page on Facebook. A few hundred people went to the event, with a majority of people there protesting against the rally. Many people there were not wearing masks. Shakur was shot in a drive-by in Las Vegas, Nev., and died six days later on Sept. 13, 1996, according to history.com. Unapologetically outspoken, courageous, and passionate about reform in our country, Tupac Shakur never shied away from a chance to speak out about police brutality, war, poverty, and corrupt politics, according to the Changes Rally event page on Facebook. Shakur served time for multiple charges throughout his life, including in 1995, for sexual assault against a 19-year-old woman, according to an article in the New York Times. The founder of the BNMM, LaQuonte, Te Barry, was asked why he chose such a controversial person. There are a lot of people that have a past, and I am not saying that what he did was right or anything like that, but I am saying everybody goes through situations in life. It is about what you do to grow from there; what do you do to change your life, he said. The rally became less about the former rapper and more about social injustices, with supporters of the rally wearing Black Lives Matter shirts and carrying BLM flags. Rio Rancho resident Chad Rutter went to the rally to counter-protest. The silent majority brings me here today to stand up against the Marxism that is being taught on the other side of this line here, he said. I dont agree with any of it. Black lives (are) not the only thing that matters, all lives matter. Black Lives Matter is the right hand to Antifa and it wont be in Rio Rancho, he said. Its not happening; it is not going down here. We are not Portland, we are not Chicago we are none of those other cities. We are a Republican run city and we are here to make sure it stays that way, Rutter said. Barry said he receives messages through social media from people in Rio Rancho, saying they dont feel like they have a voice. BNMM has been planning a rally in Rio Rancho for a few months but had to change the location frequently due to threats from counter-protesters, Barry said. They made up all kinds of lies that we are Antifa and violent and we do this and we do that, and that is not what we are. These people have called us n and flipped us off and all kinds of just stupid stuff, Barry said. President of the BNMMs Rio Rancho chapter, Barbara Jordan, has been a resident since 2015. She would like to see more local politicians show their support for BLM and BNMM. Jordan spoke about Martin Luther King Jr. at the rally. Judge us by the content of our character instead of the color of our skin. And here we are 57 years later trying to fight the same thing. This has spanned over 12 generations of minorities and we still have to capitalize on this moment and remind America that Black lives matter. In Rio Rancho, Black lives matter, she said. Jordan said the movement will not stop until there is change. People think that somehow Rio Rancho does not have systemic racism but it does, she said. I know because my son is in school and he has been called n there, too. For safety precautions, a wall of cars separated those attending the rally and protesters. In addition, BNMM had a wall of veterans lined between the cars to prevent counter-protesters from crossing over. They have been antagonizing us all day, saying how are we are the violent ones, when we had a wall of cars here, and these people are coming to our wall to say things to us, Barry said. Those people are just out there reckless with guns. Barry would later arm himself with a handgun in a holster after a counter-protester started crossing the line of cars yelling, Get out of my city. I am not afraid. That is one thing we cant be. We have to come and stand our ground, Barry said. Though many moments during the protest were tense, there were occasions when people from each side would shake the hands of each other and hug. When people on both sides of the line merged in tense moments the wall of vets would lock hands trying to keep the groups a part. Someone from the counter-protest, attempted to punch someone attending the rally. Shortly after, officers from the Rio Rancho Police Department appeared on the scene. Organizers from BNMM began asking supporters of the rally to leave, saying it was no longer safe to be there. By 7:30 p.m. fewer than 30 people were left. Officers from RRPD created a barrier, with the wall of veterans behind them, to separate counter-protesters and the people supporting the rally. As supporters left, counter-protesters would yell, Mission accomplished, and the crowd would cheer. One counter-protester was escorted off the property by RRPD and deputies from the Sandoval County Sheriffs Office but was not arrested. It is said we live in a diverse place, and there is so much hate in the world, Barry said. I have children that live in New Mexico that I have to raise a son and a daughter and I dont want them to have to walk around in fear or know that people hate them. So I am going to fight to the end so my children can have a better tomorrow. In mid-July, Barry was charged with unlawful carrying of a deadly weapon on school premises while in Civic Plaza in downtown Albuquerque. There is no school in sight at the plaza. Prosecutors dismissed the charge two weeks later, according to a report on Aug. 22. It is something held over my head now. As you can see, these Trump people there, that is all they can talk about is the gun charges as if I am some violent person. I was wrongfully arrested, so I dont get how I was the wrong one, Barry said. Barry hopes the counter-protesters will understand who is standing on the other side of the line, he said. We always accept people, we dont have hate in our heart and I think that is what these people have: They have hate in their heart they look at color, and we look at peoples hearts and what they are about, Barry said. Rio Rancho resident Amy King went to protest against the rally. As you can see, we have much more people on the Trump side, kind of drowning out, I guess, the Black Lives Matter side, King said. When Jordan started her speech, bikers counter-protesting would rev the engines of their motorcycles. It seems like the rest of us, if youre white, for some reason, we are the problem; the police are the problem and I dont think thats the problem, she said. King said she is a Christian who believes Jesus died for everyone. They have a much more proportionate amount of them committing crimes. Thats just how it is; thats the facts. I dont make up the facts, she said. I think that if Black lives matter, they would be fixing their own communities, they would be working in their own communities to better their own communities, more business, more educational opportunities and this is what Trumps trying to do. According to the 2018 crime report from the FBI, 69 percent of people arrested nationwide were White, 27.4 percent were Black, and 3.6 percent were of other races. In the same report, the FBI separates the ethnicities Hispanic or Latino in a data set. Of those ethnicities, 18.8 percent of arrestees reported being Hispanic or Latino and 81.2 did not. The Rio Rancho protest ended with no arrests and no property damage. Only certain Black lives matter to them; for some reason that I dont understand. I never hear them talk about all the Black kids killed in the cities. How come they dont talk about that? Thats what I want to know, because to me they are hypocrites, King said. There will be a peace talk at Civic Center Circle west of City Hall, on Oct. 3, where speakers from BNMM will be. The event will have voter registration and speakers to inspire change, according to its event page on Facebook. National statistics: Black people are three times more likely to be killed by police than white people in the U.S. overall. In 2017, 1,147 people were killed by police. 13 of those cases resulted in officers being charged. 149 people killed by police were unarmed. New Mexico statistics: From 2013-2019, police in New Mexico killed 142 people. Black 4 Asian 1 Hispanic 78 Native American 6 White 41 Unknown race 12 NM Race/Ethnicity in 2017: American Indian/Alaska native 9.1 percent Asian/Pacific Islander 1.7 percent Black/African American 2.2 percent Hispanic 48.8 percent White 38.2 percent Local statistics: Sandoval County by race/ethnicity in 2017: American Indian/Alaska native 12.5 percent Asian/Pacific Islander 1.7 percent Black/African American 2.4 percent Hispanic 39.0 percent White 44.4 percent Sandoval County Sheriffs Office had two killings in the county. In 2017, a deputy backed over a 68-year-old woman on his way to another call. In 2009, Sgt. Joe Harris died in a shootout that also killed the suspect. Rio Rancho has had two police killings in both incidents the victim was armed. In 2017, Rio Rancho police shot and killed one person; a Hispanic man who attempted to kidnap a woman and later fired at officers. In 2009, Rio Rancho police shot and killed one person while responding to a domestic violence call. The 31-year-old man killed was armed with a shotgun. Sources: Mapping Police Violence NMs Indicator-Based Information System Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Tuesday signed landmark accords normalizing the Jewish states relations with the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, as part of a peace push brokered by US President Donald Trump. The Israeli leader signed bilateral accords at the White House with UAE Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al-Nahyan and Bahrain Foreign Minister Abdullatif al-Zayani, and all three leaders signed a joint declaration along with Trump. The deals, denounced by the Palestinians, make them the third and fourth Arab states to take such steps to normalize ties since Israel signed peace treaties with Egypt in 1979 and Jordan in 1994. Meeting Netanyahu earlier in the Oval Office, Trump said, Well have at least five or six countries coming along very quickly" to forge their own accords with Israel. But he did not name any of the nations involved in such talks. Speaking from the White House balcony, Trump said: Were here this afternoon to change the course of history." Flags of the United States, Israel, the UAE and Bahrain were in abundance. He called it a major stride in which people of all faiths and backgrounds live together in peace and prosperity" and declared that the three Middle East countries are going to work together, they are friends." The back-to-back agreements mark an improbable diplomatic victory for Trump. He has spent his presidency forecasting deals on such intractable problems as North Koreas nuclear program only to find actual achievements elusive. Bringing Israel, the UAE and Bahrain together reflects their shared concern about Irans rising influence in the region and development of ballistic missiles. Iran has been critical of both deals. But in a sign that regional strife is sure to continue while the Israeli-Palestinian conflict remains unresolved, sirens warning of rocket fire from Gaza sounded in southern Israel on Tuesday as a ceremony was under way in Washington. (With inputs from AFP, Reuters) TEL AVIV, Israel, Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- SAM Seamless Network , the intuitive security platform for unmanaged networks, today launched SAM Intelligence Service, a complementary solution for security and networking vendors that identifies and actively protects every connected device on an enterprise network with a high level of accuracy based on their extensive data sets. Bolstering traditional endpoint security offerings, SAM Intelligence Service empowers CISOs with comprehensive visibility of their entire enterprise attack surface to optimize their security posture. Enterprise networks are growing more complex and exponentially increasing in size due to the sheer number of physical devices such as routers, printers and cameras connecting to them that security teams aren't able to detect or control. Often deploying unauthorised software and hosting vulnerabilities, IoT devices significantly increase the attack surface. According to the Ponemon Institute , only 5% of organizations keep an inventory of all managed IoT devices, of which only 8% have the ability to scan IoT devices in real-time, and unsecured connected devices now account for 26 percent of security incidents . As the majority of the developed world has been working from home since March and 41% of employees are expected to continue to work remotely for some time , these network blind spots are exacerbating an already serious security threat to organizations. SAM Intelligence sets a new standard of accurate identification, and security of every device on a network that is usually only available by scanning or passive capture. This empowers security teams with the ability to detect, analyze, manage and control all activities happening on a network, from device discovery and network traffic to monitored applications and network performance, mitigating countless vulnerabilities that could be exploited by hackers to compromise a network. SAM Intelligence utilizes the wealth of data accumulated from its secure monitoring of over 70 million devices across leading ISP networks for identification and protection, incorporating a daily assessment of over 5 million devices for changes in behavior, new signatures, new software versions and the analysis of 200 million daily data entries. SAM Intelligence-as-a-Service spans 18,000 known device types, fingerprinting 96% of devices connected to its networks. In comparative tests, their solution recognized an additional 71% of devices on a network over a current leading fingerprinting vendor and delivered more detailed insights such as a specific model (for example specifying iPhone 5 rather than just iPhone), to accurately assess confidence levels in detecting exact network behavior . "IoT devices are now becoming more prevalent on enterprise networks than traditional endpoints, posing a much greater security concern for large organizations," said Sivan Rauscher, CEO and co-founder of SAM Seamless Network. "CISOs urgently require a deeper, holistic level of visibility of their corporate networks that incorporates all IoT devices. Our unrivalled intelligence on device identification and protection will significantly boost their overall security, while mitigating attackers' exploits to gain unauthorized entry." SAM Intelligence provides threat intelligence against widespread attacks such as DDoS, brute-force, phishing, malware, spyware, crypto-jacking and ransomware across all devices on a network. Key features include: The ability to precisely fingerprint a device in minimal time, identifying origin and manufacturer The ability to develop and deploy effective per-model security policies The identification of anomalies requiring further protection Minimizing the amount of false-positive alerts Threat analysis including security risks, vulnerabilities and actionable recommendations for devices. SAM is currently working with leading Endpoint Detection Response (EDR), Endpoint Protection and AV companies to incorporate SAM Intelligence into their existing offerings. About SAM: SAM Seamless Network provides a software-only cybersecurity solution that integrates seamlessly with any platform, and is designed to protect unmanaged networks such as homes and SMBs, by securing the gateway and all connected devices. SAM is capable of studying the behavior of a single network of fragmented devices, and creating a customized protection in real-time using its unique device and IoT-driven threat intelligence. Installed remotely on all existing gateways, SAM doesn't require any additional hardware or a technician to provide comprehensive network security, data insights, network management and content control tools. Read more: www.securingsam.com Media Contact: Gina Shaffer US: +1(707) 533-1504 IL: +(972) 54-649-3485 [email protected] SOURCE SAM Seamless Network Related Links https://securingsam.com/ My reporting shows that it was the doctors and the national security team that told the president that he needed to do this, and he okayed it, Woodward said. And if this was such a big deal, he would have gone out and announced it. Instead, he sent the secretary of health and human services, [Alex] Azar, to announce it. The basis of allotment for Route Mobile IPO has been finalised. The Mumbai-headquartered company is expected to debut on bourses on September 21 with a likely final issue price of Rs 350 per share. Its Rs 600-crore initial public offering witnessed a massive 73.3 percent subscription during September 9-11 and the price band was Rs 345-350 per share. The company in consultation with merchant bankers is expected to finalise basis of allotment on September 16 and the process of refunds/ASBA unlocking could take place from September 17. Equity shares are likely to be credited to eligible investors on September 18 and the listing date could be September 21. Also read: Happiest Minds Technologies IPO: Check allotment status here Investors, who have subscribed for the public offer, can check their IPO allotment status through two available options: Option 1 >> Select "Equity" in Issue Type;>> Select "Route Mobile" from the dropdown;>> Enter your "Application Number";>> Enter your "PAN Number (Permanent Account Number)"; >> And click on the "Search" button. Option 2 You can check your allotment status through the website of Registrar - KFin Technologies appointed for IPO: >> Select IPO "Route Mobile" from the dropdown. >> In "Application Type" box Select "ASBA" or "NON ASBA";>> Enter your "Application Number";>> Enter "Captcha" mentioned in digits-and-letters in above table; >> And click on the "Submit" button. >> Select Depository "NSDL" or CDSL";>> Enter DPID (depository participant ID);>> Enter "Client ID";>> Enter "Captcha" mentioned in digits-and-letters in above table; >> And click on the "Submit" button >> Enter your PAN number;>> Enter "Captcha" mentioned in digits-and-letters in above table; >> Click on the "Submit" button. (Note: Captcha is Completely Automated Public Turing Test To Tell Computers and Humans Apart) Also read: Chemcon Speciality Chemicals IPO likely to open on September 21 Ahead of likely listing next week, Route Mobile share price continued to trade at a premium of Rs 160-190 per share over the expected final issue price of Rs 350 per share in the grey market, citing stellar response to the IPO, sources familiar with the development told Moneycontrol. Route Mobile provides cloud communication platform as a service (CPaaS) to enterprises, over-the-top (OTT) players and mobile network operators (MNOs). Its enterprise segment provides a cloud-based communication platform to enterprises, while mobile operations segment include services such as SMS analytics, firewall, filtering, monetisation and CPaaS (cloud-communication platform as a service) and hubbing solutions. Company's IPO consisted of a fresh issue of Rs 240 crore and offer for sale of Rs 360 crore by promoters Sandipkumar Gupta and Rajdipkumar Gupta. The fresh issue proceeds will be used for repayment of certain loans, acquisitions and other strategic initiatives, purchase of office premises in the Mumbai region and general corporate purposes. Its global operations included 9 direct and 12 step-down subsidiaries serving its clients through 18 locations across Africa, Asia Pacific, Europe, Middle East and North America. The company generates over 80 percent of its revenue in foreign currency. As of June 2020, Route Mobile had served more than 30,150 clients since its inception. The company has direct relationships with over 240 mobile network operators (MNOs). Bengaluru, Sep 16 : Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa will be in New Delhi to take part in the Bhoomi Pujan programme of Karnataka Bhavan on Thursday. This was announced by Law and Parliamentary Affairs minister, J.C. Madhuswamy on Tuesday after the state cabinet meeting held here in the Vidhana Soudha. Speaking to reporters here, Madhuswamy said that the state cabinet has approved the renovation of Karnataka Bhavan situated in New Delhi. "The state government will demolish the existing guest house completely and build it at an estimated cost of Rs 120 crore. The CM will be going there to take part in the Bhoomi Pujan programme of this building," he elaborated. Meanwhile, speculation is doing the rounds that Yediyurappa may seek an appointment with the party high command to broach his cabinet expansion issue. However, sources close to the CM revealed to IANS that the CM may not be able to meet the party high command, especially Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amith Shah. "Shah is admitted to the AIIMS while the PM will be busy with the ongoing Parliament session, hence it may not be possible for Yediyurappa to broach the topic at this juncture. As a result, at present it can be safely construed that cabinet expansion may not take place in near future," the source added. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text This is the hilarious moment a greedy seagull wolfed down a whole sausage in one gulp. Footage of the crafty bird pinching a sausage from a plate of leftovers outside a restaurant has gone viral. It shows the bird standing on the edge of a table in Looe, Cornwall and swiftly grabbing the leftover food in its beak. Footage of the crafty bird pinching a sausage from a plate of leftovers outside a restaurant in Cornwall has gone viral The seagull devours the sausage in one go, taking no notice of the customers dining nearby. In the video someone laughs and exclaims: 'Oh, he's got a whole sausage' as the animal guzzles down the leftover food. The greedy bird was captured by Trinity Anne Taylor, 18, from London, who was celebrating her birthday in Cornwall with her family. She said: 'The seagull initially flew down and was standing in an empty coffee cup and my mum told me to start filming. Just as I started to, it swallowed that sausage. 'Everyone in the cafe was laughing.' In a swift movement the bird snatches the food and devours the sausage in one go, taking no notice of the customers sitting nearby Trinity Anne Taylor, 18 (pictured), from London, was celebrating her birthday in Cornwall with her family when she caught the hilarious moment on video Trinity was surprised that she'd managed to capture the comical moment on camera. She said: 'My brother and my dad weren't paying attention but my mum and I were just laughing in pure shock. I couldn't believe I actually caught it on video.' The video posted to TikTok has since garnered nearly 1 million views with one user _cameron_16 calling the seagull a 'Glizzy Gladiator'. This is a term used to refer to someone who consumes abnormal amounts of 'glizzy' which is slang for a sausage or a dish that consists of them. In the video someone laughs and exclaims: 'Oh he's got a whole sausage' as the animal snatches the leftovers from the plate and guzzles down the snack President Donald Trump said on "Fox & Friends" Tuesday that he wanted to "take out" Syrian President Bashar al-Assad after the 2017 Khan Shaykhun chemical attack in Idlib, Syria, but Jim Mattis, then his secretary of defense, objected. "I would've rather taken him out. I had him all set. Mattis didn't want to do it," Trump said Tuesday, calling Mattis, a retired Marine Corps general, "highly overrated." He said Mattis, who commands tremendous respect among US troops but has frustrated more than one US president, was a "terrible general" and a "bad leader." "I had a shot to take him out if I wanted, and Mattis was against it," Trump said. "Mattis was against most of that stuff." Trump said that he does not regret not killing the Syrian leader though. He said he "could've lived either way with that." Rather than assassinate Assad for his regime's role in the horrific April 4, 2017 chemical attack that killed 89 people and injured more than 500 others, the US obliterated Shayrat Air Base with 59 cruise missiles, believed to be the source of the attack, which is considered to be the deadliest since the 2013 attack in Ghouta, Syria. In response to another deadly chemical attack in Syria about a year later, the US, together with France and the UK, used ships and aircraft to conduct strikes on sites believed to support Syria's chemical warfare operations. The president's admission Tuesday supports reporting from 2018 that Trump then disputed as "fiction." Washington Post journalist Bob Woodward revealed in his book "Fear" that Trump told Mattis that the US should "f---ing kill" Assad. Mattis acknowledged the president's demands but told aides after hanging up the phone that the US response would be "much more measured." Trump denied Woodward's reporting, saying the events presented in the book never happened. "The book is fiction," he said, stating that killing Assad is something that was "never even discussed." "No, that was never even contemplated, nor would it be contemplated, and it should not have been written about in the book," Trump said. Lately, the Trump administration has been fighting a series of troubling new allegations in Woodward's latest book, "Rage," including that he knowingly misled the American public about the threat posed by coronavirus. Read the original article on Business Insider. REUTERS Trade minister Mary Ng said Tuesday that Canada will not impose reciprocal tariffs on the U.S. after it dropped its aluminum levies, but if the U.S. reimposes them, Canada will not back down. Let me be clear, Canada has not conceded anything. We fully retain our right to impose our countermeasures if the U.S. administration decides to reimpose its tariffs on Canadian aluminum products, and we are prepared to do so, Ng said at a news conference. Ng said the government has spoken with members of the aluminum industry on the positive development, and to assure them that Canada will always stand up for aluminum workers, and the entire industry. Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland said it was such good news that the U.S. relieved the tariffs. Its a good decision for the industry and for Canadian workers. Its a decision that is beneficial to everyone the imposition of U.S. tariffs was a mistake right from the beginning, she said. Freeland said there are no guarantees on what could happen next, but said Canada will be strong on retaliatory efforts if tariffs are re-imposed. Should tariffs be reimposed on our aluminum exports in the future. Canada will retaliate with perfectly reciprocal dollar for dollar tariffs, as we have done in the past. We will always stand up for our workers, and our industry. The announcement was made a couple of hours after the U.S. announced it was dropping 10 per cent tariffs it re-imposed a little over a month ago. After consultations with the Canadian government, the United States has determined that trade in non-alloyed, unwrought aluminum is likely to normalize in the last four months of 2020, with imports declining sharply from the surges experienced earlier in the year, a press release from the United States Trade Representative office said. The release indicated that the U.S. will resume duty-free treatment of non-allowed, unwrought aluminum retrospective to September 1. It added that if shipments increase 105 per cent the expected volume it will re-impose 10 per cent tariffs on all shipments made in that month. Story continues In addition to the forgoing, if imports exceed 105 per cent of the expected volume in any month, the United States may re-impose the 10 per cent tariff going forward, it said. Similar tariffs were imposed in 2018, but were removed with the understanding that there would not be a significant surge in imports of these products. Freeland and Ng said the government had spent the last month in consultations with Canadians about which metal products it will target with retaliatory tariffs if todays announcement from the U.S. had not been made. The U.S. imports about 60 per cent of aluminum from Canada and according to Global Affairs Canada, the combined trade of aluminum between Canada and the U.S. totals to $14.5 billion annually. Freeland announced a month ago that the government intended to impose $3.6 billion in punitive counter-measures. Retaliatory measures did the job Mark Agnew, senior director of international policy at the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, said in an interview he isnt surprised with todays news from the U.S., and that it was a clear indication that Canada applied the necessary pressure. It shows that the pressure of retaliatory tariffs did the job that they were intended to do especially in a U.S. presidential election year, he said, but added that adding quotas means Canada isnt done yet. Agnew said he was surprised to see a quota and that the current administration has been uncertain with many decisions, so anything could happen. Certainly with this administration, I think, we collectively in Canada have underestimated the length that the Trump [administration] is willing to go, he said. Its a very erratic operation that they have going [on] down there and I think the Deputy Prime Minister is absolutely correct that this is a unilateral U.S. announcement, but the flip side is that the U.S. could unilaterally decide to switch things around in this administration given how chaotic they operate. Mark Warner, a Canadian and American trade lawyer at MAAW Law, said in an interview this is the first time weve seen a quota on aluminum and can be seen as the de facto quota. In the 2018 agreement, we didnt see specific actual numbers. So little by little, [weve gotten] closer and closer to saying this is a de facto quota, he said. Its good the retaliation didnt come, its good to suppose the tariffs are coming off, but its very clear producers on the Canadian side are going to have to watch very carefully what [the U.S.] did. Warner doesnt think tariffs will be re-imposed in the next couple of months before an election in the U.S., but its possible something could happen after. If Trumps reelected and we go higher [in exports] then yeah I think they will be reimposed. If Trump loses, and you go higher, I think these tariffs will be gone but I think there will be a lot more of sitting down and having a conversation with Canada about the market, he said. Download the Yahoo Finance app, available for Apple and Android and sign up for the Yahoo Finance Canada Weekly Brief. President Donald Trump meets with Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi in the Oval Office of the White House on Aug. 20. Read more The Mideast story with the most potential to change the region for the better is getting insufficient attention. Im not referring to the U.S.-brokered deals between Israel and two Gulf states, but rather to current developments inside Iraq, where a highly unusual Iraqi prime minister (a longtime human-rights activist) is fighting to normalize his country. The odds facing Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi are stiff, with Iranian-backed militias challenging his efforts, his followers, and his life. Yet there is real hope for positive change in Iraq, in large part because of Kadhimis courage. READ MORE: Israel-UAE deal won't resolve Palestinian problem I Trudy Rubin For those who care about stabilizing the Middle East, Iraq is really central, says Michael Knights, an expert on Iraq and Gulf security affairs at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. Iraq going right could be the black swan that could change everything. With its central geography abutting Turkey, Iran, the Gulf, and Jordan, Iraq could provide an anchor in an increasingly chaotic region, and a hedge against renewed terrorism from any quarter (including Iran). So who is this new Iraqi leader and what does he want? When Kadhimi met President Donald Trump at the White House last month, the news focused on the announcement that the number of U.S. troops in Iraq will drop from 5,200 to 3,000 by September. In a small meeting with journalists, which I attended, Kadhimi stressed that Iraq doesnt want combat troops, but rather training and security cooperation, plus cooperation on the economy, education, and health. In other words, Iraq wants to be an ally like Poland or Kuwait, where a limited number of U.S. troops stays on in the interest of both countries. A relationship where Iraq is not a forever war anymore. But all this depends on whether Kadhimi succeeds in bringing lawless sectarian militias under government control, and combating deep-seated corruption. His surprise ascendancy to prime minister, in May, came after months of demands by young Iraqi protesters Iraqs version of the Arab Spring demanding an end to sectarian government and violence. Hundreds of demonstrators, many of them poor Shiites, were assassinated by snipers, presumably by Iran-backed forces. (Demonstrators want all U.S. and Iranian forces gone, but were more fervent about Iran.) Kadhimi came to office promising justice for the dead youths - and reform of a government in which sectarian political parties divide the spoils. He also promised early elections sometime next year. His bona fides include years of human-rights work in exile and as director of the Iraq Memory Foundation upon his return to Baghdad in 2003. In a previous surprise appointment as director of Iraqs national intelligence agency, he professionalized the body, which contributed greatly to the defeat of ISIS. He wants to hold people accountable for the 700 targeted killings [of demonstrators] and to dismantle the militias, and have only the state bear arms, says Kanan Makiya, founder of the Iraq Memory Foundation, author and professor emeritus at Brandeis University. He really wants to be the person who normalizes the country and makes it work. Kadhimi has several things going for him. He has an equally committed Iraqi president, Barham Salih, by his side. Iraqs leading Shiite cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, has backed his call to impose rule of law on armed militias. The protesters and the public support him. And Tehran has been weakened by COVID-19, government stumbles, and by the U.S. killing of Irans Quds Force Commander Qasem Soleimani. But the challenge is huge. The militias have struck back, assassinating a close aide, as well as a well-known young female activist, Reham Yacoub, while the Iraqi leader was in Washington. I asked Kadhimi whether he could bring the killers to justice as promised. He grew emotional, thanking me for the question. I first need to strengthen the tools of the Iraqi state, the rule of law and making Iraqis accountable, he said. Kadhimi has established a commission to identify the dead and compensate families, and flew directly from Washington to Basra after Yacoubs murder to visit her family. And in an unprecedented move toward downgrading sectarianism in Iraq, he has ordered state institutions to stop classifying Iraqis by religious sect. But the Iraqi leader recognizes he must build up law and order step by step, not challenging the militias before he has the tools (and not confronting neighboring Iran directly, given its long border with Iraq and deep historic ties). READ MORE: Poisoning of Navalny is a litmus test for Trump and Putin I Trudy Rubin My situation is, I have a paper sword. I have to turn it into a wooden sword and eventually metal. I cant afford internal competition when my tools are insufficient. I compare the situation to Columbia when drug cartels were in charge. "We are entering a new phase to restore trust in the security forces. This is a unique moment for U.S.-Iraq relations, which neither Trump nor a President Joe Biden should squander. There is always the danger Trump will pull a Syria, and suddenly try to withdraw all U.S. forces (he has already contradicted the Pentagon by saying troop levels in Iraq will soon drop to 2,000). No matter who wins in November, this Kadhimi moment is too important to waste. Do you still believe that empirical evidence matters, that science and reason separate us from the Dark Ages and that "alternative facts" are simply falsehoods? Then you are stuck in the past, wedded to a bygone age. This is the post-truth era. While Beltway journalists and Democratic politicians are consumed by President Donald Trump's coronavirus cover-up, as described in Bob Woodward's latest book, "Rage," the bombshell revelations in its pages are unlikely to move any poll numbers or change any votes. The entire Trump presidency has been a miasma of lies, both odious and obvious, yet he is still buoyed by the fierce loyalty and devotion of nearly half the country. While Trump has struck out against Woodward in his usual blind fury first disputing the cover-up, but later trying to justify it thoughtful critics have castigated the author for failing to reveal Trump's lies sooner. According to excerpts from "Rage," Trump said in a February interview that he knew the novel coronavirus was "deadly stuff" and acknowledged in a March interview that he "wanted to always play it down. I still like playing it down because I don't want to create a panic." Given that Trump was routinely minimizing the dangers in public, Woodward should have made his revelations much sooner. Journalistic integrity demanded that. But even if he had, the public would be no more educated, the voters no less polarized. Even now, Senate Republicans continue in their role as willing collaborators, refusing to acknowledge the president's mendacity and its dangerous consequences. Trump's supporters certainly would not have listened. Many of them know that he lies, and they don't care. Others simply believe everything the president says, no matter how many times he contradicts himself, no matter how much video or audio evidence disputes him. Trump loyalists are capable of a mind-bending, brain-busting cognitive dissonance. Some have even fallen down the rabbit hole into a reality that would be recognizable only in sophomoric fantasy novels. Among Trump's fans are a growing number who accept a weird melange of conspiracy theories propagated by a person (or persons) called "Q." Among the crazed notions disseminated by the QAnon cult are the same ones that led a supposedly sane North Carolina man, Edgar Maddison Welch, to drive to a Washington, D.C., pizza parlor in December 2016 and fire several rounds from an assault rifle into it, believing that he could rescue children who were part of a sex-trafficking ring led by Hillary Clinton. Although QAnon is an ever-shifting hodgepodge of conspiracies, from anti-vaccine pseudo-science to baffling theories about the John F. Kennedy assassination, its overarching thesis seems to be that Trump is secretly battling a ring of pedophiles running a global sex-trafficking ring. Needless to say, the cabal of pedophiles includes many well-known Democrats and Hollywood stars, but "deep-state" bureaucrats are also murkily involved. The ever-vigilant and supremely clever Trump had to feign collusion with the Russians, Q has said, in order to fend off a coup attempt by Clinton, Barack Obama and George Soros. If you doubt that these deranged beliefs have any bearing on the national interest, please know that the president himself has given credence to QAnon, sometimes sharing its posts on his social media accounts and referring to its followers as "people who love our country." Never mind that the FBI has called QAnon a potential domestic terror threat. Marjorie Taylor Greene, an avowed QAnon supporter from Georgia, recently won a Republican congressional primary, which sets her up for a likely win from her heavily Republican district in November. Trump saluted her as a "future Republican star." Many Americans who value logic and reason would never believe the lunacy spouted by QAnon, but they are nevertheless confused, doubtful, disbelieving of everyone not only Trump but also Dr. Anthony Fauci, not only Mitch McConnell but also Nancy Pelosi, not only the propagandists on Fox News but also the scientists at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That's how authoritarianism wins: Its assault on veracity erodes the sense that there are any reliable facts. Vladimir Putin figured that out decades ago; he is an expert at telling so many lies that even his skeptics tire of trying to find the truth. His acolyte, Trump, has learned well. The post-truth era is here. Brasilia, Sep 15 : Brazil's southern state of Mato Grosso do Sul has declared a state of environmental emergency after raging wildfires destroyed 1.4 million hectares of vegetation since the beginning of the year. On Monday, state Governor Reinaldo Azambuja signed the decree during a meeting with the National Secretary for Civil Protection and Defense, Alexandre Lucas Alves, who travelled to Campo Grande, the state capital, a day earlier, reports Xinhhua news agency. The 79 municipalities of the state are suffering from a severe drought affecting the central region of the country, and fires have also spread through the states of Mato Grosso and Tocantins. The drought has been described as the worst in 47 years in the country. However, the Mato Grosso do Sul state government also blamed man-made blazes for having "caused forest and urban fires in much of the state". The fires have also surrounded the Encontro das Aguas park in the Pantanal, located at the Mato Grosso and Mato Grosso do Sul states' border, threatening both flora and fauna in the region. Personnel from the Brazilian environment institutes and army troops have been fighting the fires in the region for months. Forecasts indicate this week will again see no rains, with high temperatures hitting some places in the region, increasing the risk of wildfires. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text MBABANE - The Ludzidzini Council called police officers to assist in stopping the construction of houses believed to be bedsitters next to royal fields at Ngonini in Ezulwini. Information gathered from the nearby residents was to the effect that armed police officers paid a surprise visit to the site last week. It is said that the officers of the law found the contractors, whom they ordered to pack their belongings and vacate the site with immediate effect, pending deliberations. It is said that the officers of the law were sent by the Ludzidzini Council to stop the construction. Discovered During a visit to the site yesterday, there were no people found. It was discovered that the houses were being constructed a few metres from the edge of the royal fields. However, the newly-constructed wall fence is too close to the fields. Some of the houses in question are nearing completion. While at the site, this publications team was approached by a man from a nearby homestead. The man introduced himself as a member of the Manana homestead situated near the fields. He stated that as a member of the Manana family, he was also keeping an eye on the site. He asked what business the publication had in the site. Information He was told that the publication was at the site to verify information to the effect that police officers had been called to stop construction. He was also informed that the officers of the law had allegedly been assigned by Acting Ludzidzini Governor Lusendvo Fakudze to stop the construction as per the gathered information. Let me clarify this to you before you publish the wrong version. It will not be good to say the acting Ludzidzini Governor stopped construction at the site. What you need to understand is that there is a dispute within the family. One of the family members bypassed the royal kraal of the area and decided to fabricate a story to the authorities. He lied that the family and the royal kraal had allocated people land at the royal fields, alleged the family member, who preferred to comment on condition of anonymity. He further stated that as a result, police were sent to stop the construction. The family member stated that there was no way people could have constructed houses without the approval of the people in charge of the land, being the royal kraal. As a family; we know how these people came about. The royal kraal is also aware of the people. The family member who fabricated a story and caused confusion will answer to his action once the matter has been finalised, he claimed. The family member registered his optimism that the construction would continue after deliberations. Ezulwini Inner Council Indvuna Ndlavela Mavimbela confirmed knowledge of the matter. Mavimbela stated that the people were allocated land as per a request from the Manana family. However, he was quick to state that there was a dispute among the family members resulting in the current situation. The Manana family requested for land on behalf of their relatives and the royal kraal approved the allocation. We are aware of the construction. Police were called concerning the construction but they have since withdrawn. Talks are ongoing between the family members, he said. Chief Police Information and Communications Officer Superintendent Phindile Vilakati said police could only be part of the people who stopped the construction, not that they were the actual ones who stopped the construction. The wife of an Australian Defence Force soldier sobbed in court as he was found guilty of trying to trick a nurse into 'assisting' him provide a sperm sample. Captain William Howieson was stationed at Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea in 2018 when he gave an unsigned doctor's note to a PNG army nurse saying she needed to help him produce five sperm samples. While giving evidence at an ADF Court Martial in Canberra, the nurse said she refused the 29-year-old's proposition. She handed Captain Howieson a specimen jar and took him to a cubicle before telling him: 'You need to go and masturbate yourself in there', the court heard. Captain William Howieson was stationed at Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea in 2018 when he gave an unsigned doctor's note to a PNG army nurse saying she needed to help him produce five sperm samples The nurse said he then told her 'but the paper says that you need to assist'. The jury on Tuesday found beyond a reasonable doubt that Captain Howieson brought discredit on the ADF. Captain Howieson's wife Bronte Millman - a vet from from Townsville - cried in court as the verdict was delivered, the Townsville Bulletin reported. During the trial the nurse also alleged Captain Howieson told her he had a lump in his groin and asked her to examine it in private. She told the court martial there was no lump, and said he pulled down his pants. However, the court found Captain Howieson not guilty of those allegations, the ABC reported. Defence Force Chief Judge Advocate Brigadier Michael Cowen QC told the panel it might conclude Captain Howieson's offending had 'a rather brazen element to it'. He said Captain Howieson, who previously had a perfect service record, was a 'mature man who doesn't have the folly of youth on his side'. Prosecutors told the court it was clear the act had been premeditated. Captain Howieson's wife Bronte Millman - a vet from from Townsville - cried in court as the verdict was delivered Brigadier Cowen said Captain Howieson's role as a liaison officer and responsibility of controlling a large amount of money gave him confidence in his position. 'You may think that that confidence emboldened him to commit the offence,' he said. Captain Howieson faces a maximum sentence of three months behind bars, or a fine and demotion. He will be sentenced later this week. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-15 21:44:51|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close LUSAKA, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- The European Union (EU) has launched a 25.9 million Euros fund aimed at supporting smallholder farmers in the agri-business. The new agribusiness development project will benefit 150,000 smallholder farmers with particular attention to the creation of decent employment opportunities for women and youth, according to an emailed release from the EU Office in Zambia on Tuesday. The EU will grant around 150,000 Euros to winners of an Enterprise Zambian Challenge Fund who will demonstrate that their envisaged investments were not only innovative but that they will also contribute to the smallholder farmers' commercialization and better integration into sustainable value chains. The statement added that the project was part of the EU support to Zambia's Smallholder Farmers Program supported by Gorta-Self-Help Africa and Imani Development Limited. The project was expected to increase smallholder farmers' opportunities in agriculture, agroforestry, and aquaculture value chains. Jacek Jankowski, EU Ambassador to Zambia pledged the organization's continued support to Zambia amid the COVID-19 pandemic. "Zambia has a potential to not only get smallholder farmers out of subsistence level, but also become players that promote and benefit from more sustainable, less carbon-intensive and climate change resilient agri-food systems," he said in the release. According to him, the new funds will support the private sector to leverage investments for stronger market integration and to improve cooperation for sustainable value chain development. Gorta-Self-Help Africa's Country Director in Zambia Elia Manda said investing in small and medium-sized enterprises and smallholder farmers to transition to greener and more sustainable agri-food systems and tackle the challenge presented by COVID-19 provides an opportunity to generate employment opportunities, particularly for women and youth. Enditem TORONTO, Sept. 15, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Montero Mining and Exploration Ltd. (TSX-V: MON) has initiated exploration of the Isabella gold silver project located approximately 200 km south of Santiago and 125 km south of Yamanas Minera Florida mine in the Southern Coastal Range of Chile. The Company has tied up mineral rights to exploration claims that cover an area of 67 km2 and make up the Isabella Gold Silver Project. To date Montero has defined four high grade Au-Ag priority targets for initial drill testing and a sedimentary polymetallic geophysical target within the Isabella West and Isabella East claims. On August 30, 2020 Montero completed a US$50,000 option payment on the Isabella East claims. No drilling has ever been carried out at Isabella. Dr. Tony Harwood, President and Chief Executive Officer of Montero commented, Montero has initiated a confirmatory sampling program at the Isabella gold project. The program is designed to better define the extent of the gold silver vein structures and to investigate a geophysical target in the sediments recently identified by Montero. A diamond drilling program is planned. Isabella Gold - Silver Vein Targets A total of four target areas have been identified and are slated for drilling using a track-mounted diamond drill (Figure 1). A 2,600m drill program is planned to test the vein targets. Initial drilling will test one mineralized quartz vein array within the Isabella West property (Target A) and three vein arrays within the Isabella East property (Targets B, C, and D). Drill Target A (Isabella West): Multiple high grade Au-Ag quartz veins have been defined within a 75m wide zone of altered granite extending 600m along strike. Surface samples of vein material returned assays up to: 8.53 g/t Au, 11.2 g/t Ag and 7.56 g/t Au, 16.8 g/t Ag. Trenches completed over 300m strike length of the vein array returned: 6.92 g/t Au over 1m, 2.88 g/t over 2m, and 1.42 g/t Au over 12m (incl. 3.53 g/t Au over 3m). The vein array is contained within a broader zone of anomalous Pb defined as >100 ppm which is characteristic of the high-grade Au veins in the area. Drill Target B (Isabella East): Multiple high-grade quartz veins identified over a zone 100m wide x 250m in length. Surface samples of vein material returned assays up to: 26.76 g/t Au, 31.8 g/t Ag. Several veins have been mapped over a distance of 250m. An assay of 21 g/t Au, 70 g/t Ag was also obtained from a 1.5m wide vein exposed in an exploration adit completed by the property owner. Trench sampling returned 6.5 g/t Au over 5m, incl. 21.85 g/t Au over 1m. Drill Target C (Isabella East): Multiple high-grade quartz veins over 200m wide zone. Surface assays up to 48 g/t Au and 362 g/t Ag were returned from vein material sampled along 250m strike length. Drill Target D (Isabella East): Multiple high-grade quartz veins defined over area 50m wide and 150m in length. Surface samples of vein material returned assays up to 12.55 g/t Au, 629 g/t Ag. Trench sampling returned 2.72 g/t Au, 204 g/t Ag over 1m. Isabella Sediment Hosted Polymetallic Target Identified Processing of data from the 101 line kilometer, drone-supported aerial magnetic survey completed by the previous owner has identified an extensive area of high magnetics within sediments proximal to the granitic contact. Montero contracted John Coggan of Mines Geophysical Services to reinterpret the magnetic data and magnetic high anomaly at depth (Figure 2). Previous mapping over this area has identified discrete zones of Fe-oxide breccia boulders (gossan) which have returned assays up to 800 ppm Zn and 400 ppm Cu. Montero considers such concentrations in gossan boulders to be anomalous and the Company will further evaluate the area for potential sedimentary polymetallic geophysical target by drilling. A 240m drill hole is planned to test the newly identified magnetic target. Montero has a 100% interest in a Chilean private company (ChileCo) which holds all the mineral rights to the Project. ChileCo directly holds 100% of the mineral rights to 18 km2 of claims and has two subsidiaries with 49 km2 under option agreements: 1) ChileCo holds an 85% interest in the Isabella West claims and; 2) ChileCo is earning an 85% interest in the Isabella East claims. Montero paid US$50,000 on August 30, 2020 with further payments of US$400,000 due by August 2022 to complete the 85% earn-in. Qualified Person This press release was reviewed and approved by Mr. Michael Corey P.Geo., whom is a member of the Association of Professional Geoscientists of Ontario (APGO) and is a Qualified Person for the purpose of National Instrument 43-101 and a technical advisor to Montero. Mr. Corey has visited the property and reviewed previous sampling techniques and analysis. A data review was also undertaken by Marcial Vergara B.Sc. who is based in Chile and also a Qualified Person. The qualified persons have extensive experience in gold exploration in Chile. About Montero Montero is a junior exploration company focused on finding, exploring and advancing globally significant gold deposits in Chile. The Company is in the process of relinquishing its portfolio of battery metal projects in Africa to focus on gold opportunities in Chile. Monteros board of directors and management have an impressive track record of successfully discovering and advancing precious metal projects. Montero trades on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol MON and has 21,880,818 shares outstanding. For more information, contact: Montero Mining and Exploration Ltd. Dr. Tony Harwood, President and Chief Executive Officer E-mail: ir@monteromining.com Tel: +1 416 840 9197 | Fax: +1 866 688 4671 www.monteromining.com Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION: This news release includes certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward looking information includes, but is not limited to, statements, projections and estimates. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as plans, expects or does not expect, is expected, budget, scheduled, estimates, forecasts, intends, anticipates or does not anticipate, or believes, or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results may, could, would, might or will be taken, occur or be achieved. Such information is based on information currently available to Montero and Montero provides no assurance that actual results will meet management's expectations. Forward-looking information by its very nature involves inherent risks and uncertainties that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance, or achievements of Montero to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Actual results relating to, among other things, completion of the HOA, results of exploration, project development, reclamation and capital costs of Monteros mineral properties, and financial condition and prospects, could differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements for many reasons such as: an inability to complete the HOA on the terms as announced or at all; changes in general economic conditions and conditions in the financial markets; changes in demand and prices for minerals; litigation, legislative, environmental and other judicial, regulatory, political and competitive developments; technological and operational difficulties encountered in connection with Monteros activities; and other matters discussed in this news release and in filings made with securities regulators. This list is not exhaustive of the factors that may affect any of Monteros forward-looking statements. These and other factors should be considered carefully and accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Montero does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. Figure 1: Isabella GoldSilver Property Shows Priority Drill Target Areas https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/eaaefaec-332c-4db4-a2ed-b58e8a62c816 Figure 2: Processing of UAV magnetic survey data has defined an area of high magnetics (view vertically down above) in sediments adjacent to the granite contact. Montero is proposing a drill hole to test the magnetic body for potential sediment-hosted mineralization https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/11943e40-b89e-4fed-86ac-5048ff4d16b3 TVPage's Ambassador Storefronts integrates with SAP Commerce Cloud to enable online stores powered by SAP technology to launch e-commerce virtual ambassador storefronts. Brands using the new integration can transform sales teams into ambassadors to sell online through personalized virtual storefronts using shoppable video, product collections and live events to drive new revenue, traffic and extended consumer engagement. The Ambassador Storefronts app empowers subject matter experts, in-store sales associates, influencers, and savvy consumers to promote products to social audiences and sell online. TVPage enables brands to engage with consumers more personally across digital channels with contactless guided shopping. TVPage recently graduated from the SAP.iO Foundry Tel Aviv program for early-stage companies. TVPage's participation in the program resulted in TVPage's integration with SAP technology, addressing the growing need for stronger digital channels in a post-COVID-19 e-commerce world. Brands in North America and Europe across beauty, lifestyle, food and beverage, electronics, sports, and more turn to TVPage's Ambassador Storefronts app to increase revenue and optimize the consumer path to purchase online. "The need for personalized shopping experiences online is growing and the Ambassador Storefronts app by TVPage provides brands and retailers a new channel to connect with consumers in authentic ways," said Mark Osborn, VP Strategy & Operations for the Consumer Products Industry at SAP. "We congratulate TVPage on their successful graduation from the SAP.iO program and are happy to see their app offered on SAP App Center, making it available to all businesses running SAP Commerce Cloud. The app provides the opportunity for businesses to enable brand ambassadors, store associates and salespeople to connect with consumers directly through existing online stores, with the Ambassador Storefronts app by TVPage." "Consumers today are looking for a guided experience when purchasing products and hold brands they trust to an extremely high standard" said Allon Caidar, CEO and Co-Founder of TVPage. "Our online storefront and purchasing technology empowers brands with a path to purchase that speaks to today's consumers, delivering high-value outcomes directly to consumers while increasing sales, customer loyalty and creating a top-notch customer experience." About SAP App Center At SAP App Center , businesses can discover approximately 1,600 innovative partner solutions that integrate with and extend SAP solutions. There, customers can find the SAP-validated partner apps they need to grow their business. And for each purchase made on SAP App Center, SAP will plant a tree. Find, try, and buy SAP partner solutions digitally at www.sapappcenter.com. About TVPage TVPage enables salespeople beyond the limitations of physical stores by activating ambassador storefronts on e-commerce sites, where they post shoppable content. Ambassadors drive traffic to their storefronts from their social audiences, generating new engagement and sales. Shoppable videos become discoverable on Google search. TVPage serves the entire experience, and directly reports on all sales. Ambassadors can earn a commission from their sales, paid directly on the app. TVPage customers include Macy's, HSN, Autozone, Bed Bath & Beyond, Peek & Cloppenburg, and others. About SAP.iO Foundries SAP.iO is SAP's strategic business unit to incubate startup innovation and drive new business models for SAP. Through the SAP.iO Fund & Foundries we help the next wave of enterprise software innovation build products, find customers and change industries by investing in and accelerating startup innovation. The SAP.iO Fund invests in breakthrough, pathfinding early-stage (Seed to Series A) enterprise software startups who are first to capitalize on emerging trends with potential to unlock significant value for SAP and its customers. The SAP.iO Foundries are SAP's global network of equity-free startup accelerators that help promising startups integrate with SAP solutions and accelerate their entry into a curated, inclusive ecosystem whose offerings can be easily accessed and deployed by SAP customers. Any statements in this release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements as defined in the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties described in SAP's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC), including its most recent annual report on Form 20-F, that could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations. SAP cautions readers not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements which SAP has no obligation to update and which speak only as of their dates. SAP and other SAP products and services mentioned herein as well as their respective logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of SAP SE in Germany and other countries. Please see https://www.sap.com/copyright for additional trademark information and notices. All other product and service names mentioned are the trademarks of their respective companies. Media Contact for TVPage Bianca Illion [email protected] SOURCE TVPage, Inc. Related Links http://www.tvpage.com A fire boat battles a fire at Pier Park along the Fraser River in New Westminster, B.C. on Sunday, September 13, 2020. A waterfront park along the Fraser River in New Westminster, B.C., has been extensively damaged by a major fire. New Westminster Mayor Jonathan Cote called the situation at Pier Park "devastating" in a social media message posted late Sunday night. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Shane MacKichan Fire Contained but Continues to Burn at Pier Park in New Westminster A four-alarm fire that started around 8:00 pm Sunday night at the Timber Wharf section of the Westminster Pier Park, in New Westminster B.C., is contained but continues to burn. The blaze ripped through the pier, shutting down the SkyTrain service and traffic in the area until late Sunday night. The New Westminster fire department battled the blaze with the help of firefighters from Vancouver, Richmond, Delta and Coquitlam. Vancouver sent out fire boats to assist with the dock fire. A video posted on Twitter by the New Westminster Firefighters @NewWestFF shows a stretch of the burning pier being quickly extinguished by the fire boat crew. Nearby schools suspended classes and the police are asking people to stay away from the area. The city also closed services as of Tuesday due to the poor air quality, made worse by wildfires in the United States. Westminster residents are advised by the city to remain indoors and keep doors and windows closed. New Westminster mayor Jonathan Cote said Sunday night on Twitter that the fire was contained but the old part of the pier will be completely destroyed. City councilor Patrick Johnstone explained in a blog post that the fire was contained to the Timber Wharf and that thanks to the New Westminster Fire department and crews from across the region, damage to the western half of the park pier was limited. Cote gave a fire update Monday morning saying that he went to the site. The fire was contained to the old pier but was still burning under the deck. The fire will likely last for days until they can lift or remove the deck to extinguish the fire underneath. The parks iconic art installation, a giant W made from shipping containers erected in 2015, called WOW Westminster, is still standing following the pier fire. No one was hurt in the fire. The cause remains unknown. The Westminster Pier Park connects visitors to the Fraser River and was nominated as the #1 boardwalk around Vancouver in 2015, with equal parts built on land and water. Westminster Pier Park has been recognized for its engineering and design excellence over the years receiving several awards. By Express News Service BHUBANESWAR: Arrested on charges of murder last Diwali, a 20-year-old took out a procession when he was released on bail on September 10. He and three others were arrested by police on Monday for violating Covid guidelines. Accused Roshan Jena and his three associates Kashinath Barik (34), Gyana Ranjan Badajena (37) and Chitta Ranjan Pradhan (23) have been booked under Epidemic Diseases Act. Roshan and his associates had allegedly taken out a motorcycle and jeep rally from Special Jail Jharpada here to Sundarpada area. When he was released from the jail, he received a rousing welcome from his associates who flouted the Covid-19 guidelines. He reportedly travelled in an open jeep while his associates escorted him on two-wheelers. Police sources said over 20 people were part of the rally between the Special Jail and Sundarpada. A case has been registered in this regard under Sections 143, 149, 294, 269, 270, 279 and 504 of IPC, Section 3 of the Epidemic Diseases Act and Section 96 of Odisha Urban Police Act, said an officer of Airfield police station. Police seized a jeep and three two-wheelers. Efforts are on to nab the other accused involved in the violations. On Diwali night last year, Amaresh Nayak of BDA Colony died after being assaulted by a group of anti-socials in Sundarpada after he got into an argument with them for feasting and bursting firecrackers in the area. Roshan was one of the accused. (Newser) Hundreds of thousands, maybe millions, of birds are dropping dead in New Mexico, alarming biologists who suspect wildfires could be playing a role. A large number of migratory birds were found dead at the US Army White Sands Missile Range and White Sands National Monument on Aug. 20, before more turned up in the areas of Dona Ana County, Jemez Pueblo, Roswell and Socorro, reports CNN. There have also been sightings in California, Arizona, Colorado, and Texas. "This is just an unprecedented mortality," Martha Desmond, a biologist at New Mexico State University who is working with colleagues to examine hundreds of the dead birds, tells the Las Cruces Sun-News. "We know this is a very large event, hundreds of thousands and maybe even millions of dead birds, and we're looking at the higher end of that, she adds, per CNN. story continues below Witnesses reported some birds were acting oddly before they died. Swallows were seen on the ground, though they don't walk. Other birds appeared lethargic and were getting hit by cars. Desmond tells CNN that wildfires may have forced some birds to migrate before they were ready and "had enough fat to survive." Smoke may have also caused lung damage, or forced birds to alter their routes. In Colorado, officials have blamed cold temperatures, per the Grand Junction Daily Sentinel. But Desmond believes "something else has been going on aside [from] weather events." The mystery is especially "devastating" as more than 3 billion birds have been lost since 1970, she tells the Sun-News. "Climate change is affecting the abundance of insects, it's affecting the volatility of the fires, and the scary thing is this may be an indication of the future." (Read more birds stories.) Qantas boss Alan Joyce doesnt bluff nor does he bring a knife to a gunfight. So make no mistake, when Joyce announces he wants to review the airlines property leases what he is really attempting to do is generate an auction between the states for who gets to house Qantas' head office. The winner will be the state that offers Qantas the largest incentive to relocate or, in the case of NSW, retain the head office. Qantas boss Alan Joyce will relocate the head office to the state with the highest bid. Credit:Louise Kennerley And its not just about the head office. There are myriad Qantas facilities up for grabs, such as training and maintenance facilities as well as the Jetstar headquarters. Equally, the $40 million cost saving that Qantas says it is looking to find has little bearing on its property strategy. The airline has earmarked several billion dollars of cost savings over the next couple of years so $40 million wont move the dial. There will always be someone trying to hamper Ukraine's European integration efforts. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has said there is no threat to the visa-free travel between Ukraine and the European Union. "I'd like to state very clearly there are no threats to visa-free travel with the European Union," Kuleba said at the Svoboda Slova [Freedom of Speech] TV panel show on Monday, answering a question on whether the appeals submitted to the Constitutional Court allegedly threaten the independence of anti-corruption bodies. Read alsoKuleba invites Hungary's FM to visit Zakarpattia on Sept 23The foreign minister said the anti-corruption infrastructure in Ukraine, including the National Anti-corruption Bureau of Ukraine, continues its work. "There will always be dialogue, someone will always be dissatisfied with something, but I don't see any macro threats," Kuleba said. The minister added that it is in the interests of the Ukrainian state to ensure that the anti-corruption infrastructure works. "By virtue of my job, I communicate a lot with our partners, and I hear no substantive claims that we have destroyed this very anti-corruption infrastructure," Kuleba said. He also said there is no reason to talk about a shift in Ukraine's foreign policy from the Western vector to the Russian one. "I don't see any signs that Ukraine could return to the triune brotherhood and sisterhood (with Russia)...," the official said. Kuleba added it is necessary to talk about joint efforts that should be made to continue the country's movement toward the European Union and NATO. "There will always be someone grumbling and trying to destroy it, but we will always be stronger. Since the Ukrainian people are behind us, those who move the country westward," the top diplomat said. NABU row: latest The Constitutional Court of Ukraine has ruled that the presidential decree on the appointment of Director of the National Anti-corruption Bureau Artem Sytnyk was unconstitutional. Commenting on the said judgment, NABU said the move is "politically motivated." The Bureau was established in 2014 at the request of Ukraine's main creditor, the International Monetary Fund. The Bureau's government funding is mandated under American and European Union aid programs. It has an evidence-sharing agreement with the FBI. ROTTERDAM, The Netherlands (15 September 2020, 17:42 CET) - IMCD N.V. (IMCD or the Company), a leading global distributor of speciality chemicals and food and pharma ingredients, today announces that it has signed an agreement to acquire 100% of Signet Excipients Private Limited (Signet), one of the leading distributors of excipients in India. Signet is well aligned with the IMCD business model and strategy and provides a significant platform for further growth in India and the Asia-Pacific region. Founded in 1986, Signet grew from a small distribution company to one of the leading distributors of excipients in India. It focusses on the distribution of pharmaceutical, nutraceutical and bio-pharma excipients across categories such as diluents, fillers, sweeteners, disintegrants, binders, surfactants and others. Based in Mumbai, Signet is also active in India, Bangladesh, the Middle East and Africa. Signet currently serves more than 900+ customers, with 400+ products from the worlds leading excipient producers. With approximately 100 employees, Signet generated revenue of INR 13.2 billion (ca. EUR 152 million) in the last twelve months up to and including June 2020, and realised a normalised EBITA of INR 3.4 billion (ca. EUR 39 million). The transaction will take place in two tranches, with IMCD now acquiring 70% of the share capital from the founders and the remaining 30% by 2024. The transaction is expected to have high single digit cash EPS accretion in the first full year post acquisition. The founders of Signet will continue to lead the company post completion of the first tranche. With its asset light business model and long-term relationships with leading tier 1 global excipient producers, the acquisition of Signet by IMCD has a strong strategic rationale. It is an important step in IMCDs strategy to become a leading global speciality pharma ingredient distributor and strengthens IMCDs footprint in the high growth and resilient pharma excipient distribution market. It furthermore significantly strengthens IMCDs presence in India and increases IMCDs position in the high-growth APAC region. Piet van der Slikke, CEO of IMCD commented: As India is the largest supplier of generic medicines globally, it is our ambition for our pharmaceutical business to have a strong presence there. Hence, I am pleased that Signet and IMCD will now join their activities in India, Bangladesh, the Middle East and Africa. Harish Shah, founder and managing director of Signet, adds: IMCD is an excellent partner for Signet, not only due to the similarity of our principals but moreover the culture of growth through deep market knowledge, technical innovation and highest levels of service. We look forward to being a strategic part of IMCDs global pharmaceutical business. The closing of the transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approval, and is expected to take place in the last quarter of 2020. Piet van der Slikke (CEO) and Hans Kooijmans (CFO) will host a conference call later today, at 18:15 PM CET. The presentation used in the call and an audio replay of the call will be made available on the website www.imcdgroup.com/investors. This press release contains information that qualifies as inside information within the meaning of Article 7(1) of the EU Market Abuse Regulation. Attached, please find the press release in pdf format. Attachment Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 15) Two lawmakers are seeking accountability for key executives of the embattled Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) even after President Rodrigo Dutertes approval of the lodging of complaints against some of its high-ranking officials. Senate President Vicente Tito Sotto III, in a message to reporters on Tuesday, said he was dumbfounded that Health Secretary Francisco Duque, who serves as ex-officio chairperson of the agency, was spared from the list recommended by the Justice Department-led task force to the chief executive. No Duque? No Del Rosario? Im dumbfounded! Article 217 of the RPC (Revised Penal Code) is very clear, Sotto said, also referring to resigned PhilHealth Senior Vice President for Legal Sector Rodolfo Del Rosario. Duterte on Monday gave his go signal for the filing of complaints against top officials of the state health insurer including former CEO Ricardo Morales over the alleged anomalies inside the agency. Duque was not on the task forces list of people recommended to face complaints, based on what the President read during his Monday night address. This is contrary to the earlier report of the Senate, which sought the filing of charges against the health secretary. Senator Ralph Recto likewise stressed the need to hold members of the PhilHealth board accountable. To me I think what is lacking is the accountability of the members of the board itself," Recto said in an interview with CNN Philippines' The Source. "Remember it is the board ang nagbabantay dapat sa management ng PhilHealth (who should be looking out for the management of PhilHealth). If the board did its job, then there should be no problem. Amid these concerns, the lawmakers expressed confidence that the Office of the Ombudsman, which would also be looking into the case, would have a better perspective of the issues hounding the agency. Perhaps the Ombudsman would have a better perspective of the anomalies, Sotto said. The Ombudsman does not rely its investigations on task forces. They have motu propio powers. More investigation should be done by the appropriate government agencies, in this case, it should be the Ombudsman," Recto said separately. "And I trust that the Ombudsman will do its job properly. Only the beginning as probes to continue The Task Force PhilHealth meanwhile vowed that the investigations on the agency will continue even after it submits the long-awaited draft report to the chief executive. Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra added that "more people may be charged" in the course of the investigation. Malacanang echoed the sentiment, saying this is only the beginning of the process, especially with the Ombudsman also conducting its probe on PhilHealth. This is only the beginning, no? So ito po ay pauna lamang given the very limited period of time na binigay po sa task force to come up with its recommendations, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in his media briefing. Delhi is conducting the highest number of COVID-19 tests in the whole world, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said during the one-day session of the Assembly on Monday. Amid a surge in COVID-19 cases, Kejriwal said the matter of concern should be the number of deaths and not cases as he claimed that the coronavirus death rate in the national capital is perhaps the lowest in the world. He said that currently around 60,000 tests for detection of COVID-19 are being conducted in Delhi daily, which means that 3,000 tests are conducted per day per million population in the city. "In Delhi, 3,057 COVID-19 tests are conducted per day per million population. In the UK, around 3,000 tests are conducted per million population, 1,388 in the USA, 2,311 in Russia, and 8,58 in Peru. In India, the figure is 819 tests per day per million. So, Delhi is conducting the highest number of tests in the whole world," the chief minister said. "The largest number of COVID-19 tests are being carried out in Delhi. Eleven per cent Delhi has been tested so far with nearly 21 lakh tests. The concern should be the number of deaths and not the number of COVID cases. Death rate in Delhi is perhaps the lowest in the whole world," he said. The chief minister said the COVID-19 situation was the toughest in Delhi. "First, we need to understand that the COVID-19 situation of was the toughest in Delhi. We must keep this in mind whenever we compare the situation from other states. "Coronavirus had a huge impact in countries such as Italy and the UK. Indians living there asked the governments that they wanted to go back to Delhi," he said. The Indian government decided to bring these people back to India by sending special flights, the chief minister said. "Delhi is the national capital of India and so 80-90 per cent of all flights landed in Delhi. COVID-19 was a new disease then, and nobody knew about any protocol or guidelines to be followed, no quarantine, and no isolation," Kejriwal said. Kejriwal said the pandemic made him realise that nobody can handle it alone. "If Delhi would have tried to handle it alone, we would not have been able to do it. We took help from everyone. I want to thank the Centre for helping us whenever we needed them. They gave us PPE kits, oxygen cylinders and testing kits. No government can handle it alone. "We have a weakness. We do not know how to do politics, but this weakness has become our biggest strength right now. I always say, the credit is yours and all the responsibility is mine. Whenever Delhi faces trouble, the responsibility is mine," he added. Kejriwal said people from all over country are coming to Delhi for COVID-19 treatment. "A total of 5,264 people from other states have been treated so far in Delhi. It is a difficult time. Human history never witnessed such a pandemic. We have to work for the wellbeing of the human kind," he added. During the assembly session, AAP MLAs, including Saurabh Bhardwaj, hit out at the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh, alleging that there was a "scam" in procurement of COVID-19 kits and equipments. "There is a Delhi model which follows more tests, plasma therapy and home isolation and there is a model of the BJP government in UP that is about corruption and profiteering," charged AAP MLA Raghav Chadha. BJP MLA Vijender Gupta claimed that COVID-19 cases were rising in Delhi and the AAP government has failed to protect people from the disease. Also read: Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia tests positive for COVID-19 Also read: Amid spurt in COVID-19 cases, Delhi govt asks 33 private hospitals to reserve 80% ICU beds Indian-origin Senator said she thought of her mother immediately when former vice president offered her to be his running mate on the Democratic ticket for the November presidential elections. Trailblazer Harris, 55, has scripted history in the American political system by becoming the first black, first African-American and Indian-American to be a vice presidential candidate for a major political party. Her mother Shyamala Gopalan Harris migrated to the US as a 19-year-old young graduate from India in 1957 for higher studies. In multiple interviews, Harris has reflected on the profound impact her mother, a renowned cancer specialist, had on where she is now. "I thought immediately of my mother and what she must be thinking as she looks down on us," Harris said in response to a question during a fund raiser. What was it like to get that Zoom call from (last month), she was asked. Harris recounted how she and her team got a call that Biden wanted to talk and then got another call where she was told Biden wanted to do a zoom call. She described how she went in "our little makeshift office" and then when the call started Biden immediately asked her to join the ticket. After referring to her mother, Harris also described how husband Doug Emhoff's ear was on the door outside the room listening in on the call. Eventually Jill Biden and Emhoff joined the call with Biden and Harris. When asked how she will present her and Biden's vision for the first 100 days, Harris said the first thing is to "get the virus under control." "Specifically, we will create a pandemic board that will oversee testing. So that's about distribution, it's about testing is happening in an efficient manner. It's also about making sure we are investing in the tests that are most relevant in the tests that we are trying to accomplish, so for example rapid testing," she said. Harris went on to tick off economic relief through a series of executive orders "to strengthen buy American rules so that tax payer dollars support American products and supply chains." "Again, day one, re-enter the Paris Climate agreements," Harris said. She pointed to California, Oregon and Washington and said "all of this is predictable." She continued "Reengage our NATO allies. And this is again a real strength of Joe's. He has the experience based on a long history of being in the Senate and being a leader on foreign affairs and then of course eight years of being vice president." Harris said that she will send a bill to congress immediately creating a pathway to citizenship for our dreamers and the 11 million undocumented immigrants" Harris said. She said the administration would push a bill to "deal with systemic racism." "People are marching in the streets. Minnesota of course are experiencing this and there are reforms that are important that can be put in place so we can do things like ban carotid chokeholds, which of course would've saved the life of George Floyd," she said. A Biden-Harris administration would also introduce a national standard for use of force and national police standard oversight commission. A devastated Fifi Box emerged from her father's Melbourne home on Tuesday morning, just hours after learning of the death of Jaimi Kenny - the eldest daughter of her ex-partner Grant Kenny. Despite ending her relationship with former Ironman Grant eight years ago, the radio host, 43, shared a close bond with Jaimi and is no doubt heartbroken over the 33-year-old's death on Monday from an unspecified illness. A visibly strained Fifi walked out the house carrying her one-year-old daughter, Daisy Belle, on her hip as she was waved off by her father. A devastated Fifi Box emerged from her father's Melbourne home on Tuesday morning, just hours after learning of the death of Jaimi Kenny - the eldest daughter of her ex-partner Grant Kenny. Pictured with her one-year-old daughter, Daisy Belle The sighting comes after Fifi pulled out of her breakfast radio show on Tuesday following news of Jaimi's passing. Her absence was briefly alluded to on Fox FM's Fifi, Fev and Byron, with host Byron Cooke saying: 'Well, Fi is away today but the show must go on.' Trying to lift the team's spirits, Brendan Fevola added: 'We're a team, we're one and one, we're going to mould into one and just nail it. 'If we're in the Titanic, I've got my arms around you. I'll carry you, bro.' Despite ending her relationship with former Ironman Grant eight years ago, the radio host, 43, shared a close bond with Jaimi and is no doubt heartbroken over the 33-year-old's death on Monday from an unspecified illness A visibly strained Fifi walked out the house carrying her one-year-old daughter, Daisy Belle, on her hip as she was waved off by her father (pictured) The sighting comes after Fifi (right) pulled out of her breakfast radio show on Tuesday following news that Jaimi (not pictured), the older half-sister of her daughter Trixie (left), had died at the age of 33. Pictured with her youngest daughter Daisy Belle (centre) Fifi welcomed Trixie in 2013 after a brief relationship with Jaimi's father, and despite their break-up remained close to Grant's children from his previous marriage to Lisa Curry: Jaimi, Morgan and Jett. She hasn't commented publicly on Jaimi's death, but it's believed they were close. Jaimi would even babysit her much younger half-sister on occasion while single mum Fifi was at work. Her absence was briefly alluded to on the Fifi, Fev and Byron show, with host Byron Cooke (left) saying: 'Fi is away today but the show must go on.' Pictured with Brendan Fevola Bond: Fifi welcomed Trixie in 2013 after a brief relationship with Jaimi's father, Grant Kenny, and despite their break-up remained close to Grant's adult children from his first marriage. Pictured: Jaimi, Fifi and Trixie in September 2017 Blended family: Fifi and Grant dated for several months in 2012, but had split by the time she welcomed daughter Beatrix 'Trixie' Belle (pictured) via IVF in 2013 Pictured: The Kenny family tree, including Fifi's daughters - one of whom was fathered by Grant Jaimi's mother, three-time Olympian Lisa Curry, separated from Grant in 2009 after 23 years of marriage, before finalising their divorce in 2017. Fifi and Grant dated for several months in 2012, but had split by the time she welcomed daughter Beatrix 'Trixie' Belle via IVF in 2013. She did not acknowledge Grant was Trixie's father until 2016, when she shared a photo to Instagram of the retired athlete attending their child's third birthday party. In June 2019, Fifi welcomed another daughter, Daisy Belle, via IVF and an anonymous donor. The identity of Daisy's father is not public knowledge. Fifi did not acknowledge Grant was the father of her daughter until 2016, when she shared this photo to Instagram of the retired athlete attending Trixie's third birthday party Half-sisters: Jaimi previously babysat her half-sister Trixie (pictured together in 2015) while single mother Fifi was at work It comes after Lisa Curry released a heartbreaking personal statement about the death of her eldest child on Tuesday. The 58-year-old former competitive swimmer spoke of her 'unbearable' pain in a gut-wrenching Instagram post. 'Our hearts are completely broken. Our beautiful daughter Jaimi has lost her battle with a long-term illness and passed away peacefully in hospital yesterday morning with her loving family by her side,' Lisa began her post, which was interspersed with pink floral emojis - an ode to Jaimi's 'love of flowers'. On Tuesday, Lisa Curry (right) released a statement about the death of her daughter Jaimi (left), who lost her battle with a long-term illness on Monday at the age of 33 The former competitive swimmer spoke of her 'unbearable' pain in a gut-wrenching Instagram post on Tuesday (above). Her post was interspersed with pink floral emojis - an ode to Jaimi's 'love of flowers' Lisa continued: 'So loved. So beautiful. So kind to everyone... So painful. I can barely breathe. 'Jaimi will forever be remembered as a caring, bright and loving soul who always put others before herself. Her love of flowers, cooking, art, decorating, photography, babies, the beach, and helping others will always be remembered. 'Our hearts are broken and the pain is unbearable but we cherish every wonderful moment we got to share with our treasured and so loved first child.' Lisa's update comes after her ex-husband, Grant Kenny, announced that their 'caring and loving' daughter had died at Sunshine Coast University Hospital on Monday morning. The family hasn't revealed the exact cause of death. Pictured: Lisa and Jaimi in an undated photo Lisa thanked 'the paramedics, support staff and the incredible team' at the Sunshine Coast University Hospital for the 'extra time we were able to spend with Jaimi'. She added: 'It goes without saying that this is a very difficult time for our family and all who knew and loved Jaimi so very much. 'Rest in peace, my beautiful baby. I will miss you every sunrise, I will miss you when the sun is shining and the birds are singing. I will miss you when the clouds are dark and stormy and when the rainbow appears. I will miss you when I close my eyes. I will miss you when I open my eyes. I will miss our long hugs and long chats. I will miss watching, feeling and knowing your love for your sister and brother, your little nephew, Cleo, your Ma and dad. 'I just can't believe you're not here anymore. I sit and just shake my head. It doesn't seem real or right. You will forever be with me in my heart, Jaimi. I love you so much.' 'Our hearts are broken and the pain is unbearable but we cherish every wonderful moment we got to share with our treasured and so loved first child,' Lisa said Lisa's husband, Elvis Presley impersonator Mark Tabone, acknowledged the tragedy in an Instagram post on Tuesday. 'As the tears flow and the heart aches, I write this as a tribute to beautiful young lady, who's life ended way too soon,' he wrote. 'As your mother and father weep your loss, I too feel lost and heavy hearted. Nobody should ever lose their child. 'You always put everybody else first. You were gifted with many talents, amazing cook, arts and crafts, writing, and your love and creativity with flowers.' He went on to thank the public for their condolences and said his 'job now is to nurture my wife through this unimaginable time'. Lisa and Mark married in May 2018 at their Sunshine Coast hinterland property. Lisa's husband, Elvis Presley impersonator Mark Tabone (left), acknowledged the tragedy in an Instagram post on Tuesday. Pictured with Lisa and Jaimi He thanked the public for their condolences and said his 'job now is to nurture my wife through this unimaginable time' Jaimi's younger brother Jett, 26, also addressed the tragic loss on Tuesday. 'I may not have been the best brother to you all the time, I know you thought you weren't being the big sister I needed all the time, but I do know we loved one another unconditionally all the time,' he wrote on Instagram. The male model and lifesaver continued: 'I will love you forever. Rest In Peace my beautiful big sister, the world lost one of its treasures yesterday but heaven gained one. You will be dearly missed by all whose lives you touched.' Jaimi's (right) younger brother Jett (left) also addressed the tragic loss, writing on Instagram: 'I may not have been the best brother to you all the time, I know you thought you weren't being the big sister I needed all the time, but I do know we loved one another unconditionally all the time' 'Rest In Peace my beautiful big sister, the world lost one of its treasures yesterday but heaven gained one. You will be dearly missed by all whose lives you touched' he added The Curry-Kenny family confirmed Jaimi's death in a statement on Monday afternoon. 'It is with a very heavy heart that Lisa and I confirm that our beautiful daughter Jaimi has lost her battle with a long-term illness and passed away peacefully in hospital this morning in the company of loving family,' read the statement, which was written by Jaimi's father, Grant. 'Jaimi will forever be remembered as a caring, bright and loving soul who always put others before herself,' it continued. Jaimi (centre) is survived by her Ironman father, former pro swimmer mother (right), brother Jett (left) and sister Morgan 'Our hearts are broken and the pain is immense but we must move forward cherishing every wonderful moment we got to share with our treasured first child. 'We thank the incredible team at the Sunshine Coast University Hospital for their tireless commitment to making her better and giving us as the extra time we were able to spend with her. 'It goes without saying that this is a very difficult time for family and friends and we trust we will all be allowed to grieve in privacy.' Neither the family's statement on Monday nor Lisa's Instagram update on Tuesday specified the exact nature of Jaimi's illness Lisa is pictured with her son Jett (left), surviving daughter Morgan (right) and her grandson Flynn Jaimi had just turned 33 in June, with her mother taking to social media at the time to wish her a happy birthday. 'Our first born. Really... where have all those years gone! Have a lovely day bubba. We all love you so much,' Lisa wrote. Jaimi is survived by her Ironman father, former pro swimmer mother, brother Jett and sister Morgan. Jaimi is pictured as a child with her mother, a three-time Olympian and former swimmer Jaimi (pictured as a baby with her father, Grant) turned 33 in June Lisa is pictured with Jaimi after winning gold in the Womens 100 metres butterfly during the 1990 Commonwealth Games in Auckland, New Zealand Neither the family's statement on Monday nor Lisa's Instagram update on Tuesday specified the exact nature of Jaimi's illness. However, it's understood Jaimi had long battled an eating disorder, with her family supporting her through years of treatment. She had been a patient at the End ED private clinic on the Sunshine Coast. The Bastar Police have opened a new front against the Maoists through posters, short films and audio clips in local dialects spoken by tribals as part of a high-intensity campaign against the anti-tribal and anti-developmental activities of the Naxals". Police officers running the new campaign say it is part of their ongoing propaganda war against the extremists. Called Bastar Tha Maata and Bastar Cho Awaaz (meaning Voice of Bastar) in local Gondi and Halbi dialects, officers say the idea behind the campaign is to show the real face of Maoist leaders to local residents. Inspector General of Police (Bastar Range) Sundarraj Pattilingam said in addition to the ongoing offensive operations against the red guerrillas, a strong need was felt to expose the real and ugly face of the Maoists. For the same purpose, Bastar Police has launched launched a counter propaganda psyops against the misdeeds of Maoists". He added that the psyops would be fought through a series of posters, short films, audio clips and other popular propaganda methodologies. Sunderraj said over the past two decades, the local police force, with the help of central paramilitary forces like CRPF, BSF, ITBP and SSB, has made inroads into the erstwhile strongholds of Maoists. The induction of well-trained and highly-motivated special anti-Naxal task forces like DRG, STF and CoBRA has given the much-required operational edge to the security forces. And now as part of a three-pronged strategy, namely Vishwas, Vikas and Suraksha, which has yielded positive results in Bastar, the propaganda war has been launched against the Maoists," he added. Meanwhile, a decision to set up a specialised police unit called the Bastar Special Force, in which only local young men of the region will be recruited, has also been taken to counter the influence of Maoists. These decisions were part of a review meeting chaired by Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Monday. According to the proposal of setting up the specialised force, youths from remote villages of Maoist-affected Bastar division will be recruited, which is believed to help not just create employment opportunities for them but help forces effectively counter Maoists since in the jungles of Bastar, the difficult geographical conditions and local dialects pose a huge challenge for the police deployment. The five new centres would be opened in Bengaluru, Gurugram, Chennai and Pune Unfazed by the COVID-19 pandemic, The Executive Centre (TEC), a premium serviced office brand, plans to invest Rs 100 crore in the Indian market and open five new centres in Bengaluru, Gurugram, Chennai and Pune to meet the growing demand for co-working spaces. The companys operations have been growing at an average 30 per cent annually, and the revenue stood at around Rs 150 crore in June 2020, as compared to Rs 119 crore in a year ago, the company said. The revenue of India business grew as it mostly caters to large corporate clients. On expansion, we will continue as per the plan. TEC would invest over Rs 100 crore to open five new centres at Bengaluru, Gurugram, Chennai and Pune. Nearly 2 lakh sq ft area of office space has already been taken on lease to start these facilities. These five centres, which have a capacity of around 2,300 desks, would become operational by next year, Nidhi Marwah, managing director South Asia, TEC, told Moneycontrol. TEC is currently operating 30 centres spread over 8 lakh sq ft at prestigious Grade A addresses in Mumbai, Gurugram, New Delhi, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Chennai and Pune. TEC is the third-largest serviced office business in Asia, with annual turnover in excess of $275 million. TEC, which counts Facebook and Twitter amongst its large clients in India, recorded 30 percent growth annually in Asia Pacific, including India. In addition, the total number of workstations occupied as of June 30, 2020, increased by 13.8 percent year-on-year. Client renewal rate increased to 62 percent in the first half of 2020 from 60.2 percent. The demand for premium serviced offices has increased from MNCs and domestic corporates across the Greater Bay Area and South-East Asia. The company will continue to invest on business expansion to meet this demand. TEC's India operation has been growing at an average 30 per cent annually, and we remain bullish on medium to long term, said Paul Salnikow, founder and CEO. Photo credit: Richard Foulser From ELLE Decor If you had asked interior designer Nate Berkus 15 years ago where he would feel at peace, it is unlikely that he would have described a house near a beach. Berkus was on vacation in Arugam Bay in Sri Lanka in 2004 when the country was devastated by a tsunami, and though he survived, his partner at the time, photographer Fernando Bengoechea, did not. But last year, when Berkuss husband, designer Jeremiah Brent, suggested they check out a house for sale in Montauk, New York, as a second home for their family, Berkus was finally ready to explore the idea. Photo credit: Richard Foulser I was raised in Southern California and lived on a lake outside of Minneapolis. The water has always been how I think of a carefree afternoon, explains Berkus, who has been living in Montauk full-time since March with Brent and their children, Poppy, five, and Oskar, two. I didnt want my experience in the tsunami to deprive our family of summers like that. Photo credit: Richard Foulser In August of 2019, Berkus and Brent had just returned from three years in Los Angeles, where they had planned to stay longer until they realized how much they missed the hubbub of New York City. They had downsized from a Spanish Colonial spread in Hancock Park to a West Village townhouse and werent looking to purchase a weekend place. But the house in Montauk, previously owned by the photographer Raphael Mazzucco, proved difficult to resist. Residing on a nature reserve, the home, which was built in the 1980s and extensively renovated by Mazzucco, boasted a picturesque landscape, ample light, and numerous handcrafted touches. Raphael built the fireplace in the great room out of beach rocks, Brent explains. The wrapped walls in the family room were from a dock that was being demolished. Photo credit: Richard Foulser The couple gave the house a renovation face-lift, as they characterize it. They painted the exterior black to contrast with the brightness within, stripped and sanded floors for added lightness, and redid the kitchen with plaster walls and white concrete countertops. An outdoor kitchen is now a screened-in dining area, and they created a back patio for lounging. Perhaps most crucially, they added 40 percent more native vegetation to the surrounding land. Story continues Inside the house, Brent and Berkus stuck to a neutral palette and incorporated design details influenced by their trips to Portugal, Mexico, and Peru, where they got engaged in 2013. Down a hallway and a few stairs from the entrance is the great room with its 22-foot-high ceilings and the aforementioned stone fireplace, which the couple topped with a collection of antique terra-cotta bulls, Peruvian objects thought to ward off evil spirits. Much of the furniture here and throughout the home is from Berkus and Brents collaboration with the company Living Spaces, which they mixed with online finds from Etsy and eBay that are covered in performance fabrics. Photo credit: Richard Foulser As a counterpoint to such technological textiles, the couple turned to wicker, jute, and other woven materials for an artisanal contrast. In the wood-paneled family room, 1970s rope chairs with shearling cushions from 4th Generation Antiques in Pasadena add textural interest, while varied surfaces abound in the main bedroom on the second floor, where Berkus and Brent added a wall and pocket door to separate the previously open bathroom and sleeping areas. In the bathroom, they added a holly olive tree in an old limestone pot to go with the existing pebble-floored shower. That was my worst nightmare when we bought the house, says Brent of the stony surface. But now we both love it. It is so relaxing. A deep sense of calm pervades the whole home, something Berkus attributes to his and Brents mindset when they approached the design process. The pressure was off. We were building and selecting things thinking, It doesnt have to be perfect, he explains. I think that opened up something in both of us. The spirit in which we decorated and renovated this house is the spirit in which we live here. Photo credit: Hearst Owned This story originally appeared in the October 2020 issue of ELLE Decor. SUBSCRIBE You Might Also Like Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (Agence France-Presse) Copenhagen, Denmark Tue, September 15, 2020 16:09 493 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c44f3203 2 Environment Greenland,global-warming,climate-change Free A massive chunk of ice -- larger than the city of Paris -- has broken off from the Arctic's largest ice shelf because of warmer temperatures in Greenland, scientists said Monday. The 113-square-kilometer block broke off the Nioghalvfjerdsfjorden glacier in Northeast Greenland, which the scientists said had been expected given the rising average temperatures. "We're observing increasing speed on this largest remaining ice shelf," Jason Box, professor of glaciology at the Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS), told AFP. GEUS also published satellite images showing the portions of the glacier that had broken off. While it is normal for pieces of ice to break off from a glacier -- a process called calving -- they are generally not this large. According to GEUS, since 1999, the glacier has lost 160 square kilometers of ice, an area twice the size of Manhattan, with the loss rate accelerating in the past two years. "If we see more warm summers like we observed the last two years, it will be contributing more to the accelerating global sea level rise," Box said. The melting of Greenland's ice sheet contributed to a sea level rise of 1.1 centimeters between 1992 and 2018, according to a study published in the science journal Nature in December. A more recent study by the University of Lincoln in England predicted that the melting ice in Greenland could raise sea levels by 10 to 12 centimeters by 2100. Average temperatures in the region have risen by about three degrees Celsius since 1980 and are expected to reach record levels in 2020. According to Jenny Turton, a researcher at Germany's Friedrich-Alexander Universitat Erlangen-Nurnberg, heatwaves in recent years have accelerated the melting. "Each summer, water drains from the Greenland ice sheet onto the tongue of the glacier, forming rivers and ponds on the surface. Refreezing of the water in winter creates additional pressure on the floating tongue, which can lead to calving events," Turston said in a statement published by GEUS. Researchers said the development mirrored that of a neighboring glacier, the Zachariae, which collapsed into the ocean in 2015, leading to an increase in calving as it was heated from both the ocean and air. Houston: Louisiana and Mississippi residents were under evacuation orders on Monday, local time, as Hurricane Sally churned across the Gulf of Mexico, ahead of expected landfall on Tuesday (Wednesday AEST), the US National Hurricane Centre said. The second storm in less than a month to threaten the region, Sally was headed toward a slow-motion landfall that could dump damaging rains on the US Gulf Coast. Residents from Louisiana to Florida were told to also expect storm surge and high winds. Sally is the 18th named storm in the Atlantic this year and will be the eighth of tropical storm or hurricane strength to hit the United States - something "very rare if not a record" said Dan Kottlowski, senior meteorologist at AccuWeather. Accurate data on historic tropical storms can be elusive. Mississippi and Louisiana issued mandatory evacuation orders to residents of low-lying areas while Mississippi ordered its coastal casinos to close by late Monday afternoon. Lucknow: A day after the Election Commission stamped its seal of approval on his claim over Samajwadi Party and its symbol bicycle, UP Chief Minister went into a huddle with his advisors strategising on an alliance with Congress and RLD to prevent BJPs march to power in the key cow belt state. On a day of fast paced developments, Akhilesh, having put paid to SP founder Mulayam Singh Yadavs hopes of retaining control over the party, called on his father at the latters residence for a second time in two days and described his ties with him as unbreakable. However, treading with caution, Akhilesh camp also filed a caveat in the Supreme Court in case the ECs decision is challenged there. With Akhilesh in complete control of the ruling Samajwadi Party after the EC order, hectic activity was witnessed both in Lucknow and the national capital over formation of an alliance with Congress. While the UP Chief Minister said in Lucknow that a decision on the alliance will be made in a day or two, senior Congress leaders in the national capital went a step ahead saying the nitty gritty of the proposed partnership will be decided over the next couple of days. The decision on alliance (with Congress) will be taken in a day or two, Akhilesh told journalists in Lucknow, while his uncle and key party strategist Ramgopal Yadav, who stood behind him in the internecine feud in the SP, hoped a grand secular alliance would be in place for the state assembly election, the process of which kicked off today with the notification being issued for the first phase of polling on February 11. I am confident that the Samajwadi Party-Congress alliance will form the next government in Uttar Pradesh, AICC General Secretary Ghulam Nabi Azad told reporters in New Delhi. Azad, who is in-charge of party affairs in UP, said it was just a beginning of the alliance process and the nitty gritty would be decided in the next one or two days. At the AICC briefing later, party coordinator for UP Meem Afzal spoke in similar vein. Congress will have an alliance with Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh. The details of the arrangement will be announced in the next two days, he said. Before the poll panel settled the dispute between the warring factions in the Samajwadi Party in Akhileshs favour, Mulayam had rejected all suggestions of a tie-up with Congress despite his Chief Minister son having said if the two came together the alliance could win over 300 of the states 403 seats. Rendered without a party, Mulayam was learnt to have given a list of about 40 candidates to Akhilesh today when the latter came calling. According to unconfirmed reports, the list did not include the name of Mulayams younger brother Shivpal, who headed the SPs UP unit, and was one of the protagonists in the bitter family feud. Instead, the list reportedly has the name of his son. Over 90 per cent candidates in both the lists are common. We will finalise the list of candidates soon, Akhilesh told reporters during an informal chat at his Kalidas Marg residence. Akhilesh said his priority is to form a Samajwadi Party government again and promised to take everyone along. I will take Netaji (Mulayam Singh Yadav) along...my relation with him is unbreakable. I was confident that I will get cycle (symbol). Little time is left. Its a big responsibility and I will take everyone with us, he said. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Covid-19 is a Black Swan event, so one has to take decisions in an uncertain environment. The government had the task of choosing what path to follow in fighting the disease with little available information. Initially, various experts predicted India was going to be the next hot spot and many had spelt doomsday for India with over 300 million cases and 2 million to 2.5 million deaths in the near future. On the other hand, there were others who thought it wont be too serious. In tackling the pandemic, India followed an approach similar to the Barbell strategy in finance ... Disclaimer: Views expressed are personal. They do not reflect the view/s of Business Standard. Plus, Bill's Message of the Day, an honest look at President Biden's press conference. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices We have used your information to see if you have a subscription with us, but did not find one. Please use the button below to verify an existing account or to purchase a new subscription. BEIJING, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- China has seen comprehensive enhancement in the intellectual property rights (IPR) sector over the past decade, with remarkable results, said a report released by the National Intellectual Property Administration (NIPA) on Monday. Over the 2010-2019 period, the comprehensive development index of China's IPR sector increased from 100 to 279.2, according to the 2019 annual evaluation report on China's IP development. The annual report was compiled by the Intellectual Property Development and Research Center of NIPA, which began research on the topic in 2012. The country has achieved all-round development in the IPR sector, with rapid development of intellectual property creation, improved quality and efficiency, and increased benefits of utilization, said the report. China's comprehensive enhancement in IPR protection has greatly contributed to its socio-economic development. In 2018, the added value of China's patent-intensive industries reached 10.7 trillion yuan (about 1.57 trillion U.S. dollars), about 11.6 percent of that year's GDP. China has also been endeavoring to cultivate a good environment for IPR development, with increasing institutions, professionals and service patterns. In 2019, the number of patent and trademark agencies increased to 51,000 and the number of practicing patent agents exceeded 20,000. Domestically, Guangdong, Shanghai, Jiangsu, Beijing, Zhejiang and Shandong were the country's top performers in terms of their comprehensive IPR development index. In the global perspective, China has seen improved international status in terms of general IPR development conditions. Among 40 sample countries, China jumped from 20th place in 2014 to eighth place in 2018, according to the report. China has taken the global lead in the number of applications for patents. According to the World Intellectual Property Organization, with 59,000 applications filed in 2019 via the Patent Cooperation Treaty System, China overtook the United States as the biggest user of the system. China has vowed to work with all countries to enhance IPR protection. With the continued growth of patents and strengthened protection efforts, China has basically achieved the goal of building a country with high-level IPR creation, utilization, protection and management. At 101 years old, Captain John Allman Hemingway lives a quiet existence at his nursing home in Foxrock in Dublin. Adored for his gentleness and impeccable manners, the former RAF fighter pilot has lived a life defined by astonishing heroism and luck. Today, on the 80th anniversary of the defining moment of the Battle of Britain which saw 56 German Luftwaffe shot down by allied forces, he is the sole surviving pilot. This is even more remarkable given he was shot down four times during World War II, twice in a single month. On one occasion he had to parachute into the sea - but was miraculously saved by a rescue boat. He then helped to row the boat ashore. On another occasion, after being shot down in Italy, he was rescued by farmworkers who dressed him in peasant clothes and walked him past scores of German troops. In his most recent interview, Mr Hemingway, like many of his generation, refuses to accept any special praise or recognition. Expand Close Now aged 101, he resides in a Dublin nursing home, where he is adored by staff for his impeccable manners / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Now aged 101, he resides in a Dublin nursing home, where he is adored by staff for his impeccable manners Read More In fact, the Battle of Britain Association didn't know of his existence until 2018 when his family contacted them to tell of his continued good health. In the interview, he said: "Everyone played their part, so I never regarded myself as a history maker." However, he admitted he is "one of the lucky ones". "Given that I was shot down four times, lived when my parachute didn't open properly and survived when many didn't, you could say I'm a lucky Irishman. "I am here because I have had some staggering luck and fought alongside great pilots in magnificent aircraft with ground crew in the best air force in the world at that time," he added. During the Battle of Britain, which raged in the skies of southern England between July and October 1940, 544 RAF pilots and aircrew lost their lives. Mr Hemingway explained how he and his officers coped with the loss of their comrades. "We were incredibly young, most of us were less than 23, so much was happening. It was just a matter of taking each day at a time, each one no more important than any other. Others write the history - we were doing our job." Born in Dublin in 1919, he was educated at St Patrick's Cathedral Choir School and later St Andrew's College. Expand Close Captain Hemingway looks to the skies in 1940 / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Captain Hemingway looks to the skies in 1940 He lived with his parents and three sisters in St Kevin's Park in Churchtown. In January 1938, Mr Hemingway was accepted for RAF training in Yorkshire, and by December was posted to No 85 Squadron in Debden, flying Hurricanes. The average number of trainees who qualified as fighter pilots following training was three in 100. After the war, he married his partner Bridget. They had three children, and she died in 1998. Mr Hemingway retired from the RAF in 1969 as a Group Captain. He moved back to Ireland in 2011 and has lived happily here since. Speaking to the Irish Independent, Mr Hemingway's son, Peter, explains that his dad is a "gentleman" in the real sense of the word. "He is a quiet, reclusive and private man. However, he is the life and soul of any party for about 10 or 15 minutes, and then the shutter comes down. "He is old-school. They love him at his care home because of his manners. They call him a gentleman in the sense of being a gentle man. "However, behind that is a will of granite. If he doesn't want to do something, he won't do it. "The biggest argument we ever had is [relating to] his room, where there is a button he can press if he is in pain or if he falls. He refuses to use it as he doesn't want to bother anyone. That's the kind of man he is." Mr Hemingway has a theory about why he has lived such a long and lucky life. "I can't say, "Don't drink", or "Don't fool about with people", or "Don't fly and get shot at" - I've done everything. "And I'm an Irishman. The only advice I can give to people is to be Irish." Marier was informed that he had the authority to approve invoices of up to $250,000 by virtue of his director-level status at Driscolls," officials said. "Within weeks, Marier started abusing that authority by submitting and approving false invoices from a fake business called TNC US Inc. and routing the payments to a shell J.P. Morgan Chase bank account that he created and maintained for TNC. In honor of Geraldo Riveras five decades on TV, Fox Nation (Fox News Channels subscription-based streaming service) has released the four-part series, I Am Geraldo: 50 Years. The first episode premiered on Sept. 6 and highlighted key moments in Riveras career, including the opening of Al Capones secret vault (which turned out to be empty). The entire series is available exclusively on Fox Nation. Its been a wild, wild ride, Rivera tells Yahoo Entertainment about his 50-year broadcasting career. On Sept. 8, 1970 Rivera did his first story for Eyewitness News in New York City, after having left his job as a lawyer to pursue journalism. At the time, he was one of very few Latinx reporters on TV. When I was hired, he explains. I was hired with the notion that I was part of an effort to diversify. Geraldo Rivera holding a John Lennon album outside of the Dakota, the building where Lennon lived and was murdered in front of in 1980. (Photo: Fox Nation) Rivera comes from a large Puerto Rican family. My dad was one of 17 children, he says. I have 100 first cousins, at least, on my fathers side. But his heritage has always been a source of pride for Rivera. It was extremely important to represent the Latino community when I came on board, he explains. I still feel, and will always feel, an enormous gratitude to the Latino community for the support that they have shown me. In 1977, early in his career, Rivera met Donald Trump. He would go on to interview Trump multiple times and build a lasting friendship. I speak to the President every couple of weeks, he says. He called me to congratulate me on my 50 years. Geraldo Rivera and Donald Trump appeared together on The Celebrity Apprentice in 2015. (Photo: Getty Images) In 2015, the two appeared on The Celebrity Apprentice. The show aired its season finale in February, with Rivera landing in second place and that June, Trump announced his candidacy for president. Now, in the upcoming election, Rivera notes, Does he have a chance at the election? Its a long shot, he says. I think he very well can pull it out. Theres a lot of support for the president thats on the down low. Rivera doesnt confirm who hes voting for, but he does say there are pressing issues, like immigration and the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program that Trump needs to stand behind for him to fully support another term. Trump, I tell you, the problem is his language more than his actions, Rivera says. I dont like his incendiary language when it comes to immigrants. I try to counsel him against that. Story continues The DACA program was passed by the Obama administration in 2012 and shields some undocumented immigrants known as Dreamers, who arrived in the U.S. at a very young age from deportation, allowing them to work in this country. In June, the Supreme Court blocked president Trumps attempt to end the program. More than a month after the ruling, the Trump administration said it will not accept new applications and will limit renewals to one year instead of two. Trump has repeatedly objected to DACA as part of his anti-immigration agenda, but he has been unable to end the program following a series of lawsuits. Rivera is a strong supporter of DACA, its recipients and their path to citizenship. I promise that if the Dreamers are ever deported, he says, Ill throw my body in front of them and say, You have to take me first. I Am Geraldo: 50 Years is currently available to stream on Fox Nation. Read more from Yahoo Entertainment: As Riddhima Kapoor turned a year older today, September 15, her mother Neetu Kapoor took to her Instagram handle to shower wishes on her 'lil girl'. Neetu shared that Riddhima has been 'amazing' in the past few months. The Kapoor family suffered a major loss with the passing of the legendary actor, husband and father, Rishi Kapoor. Sharing an adorable photo with Riddhima, Neetu wrote as caption, "In my head she is my lil girl but what she has been for the past few months has been amazing !!! She has been strict at the same time always watched me like a hawk !! we have cried we have laughed played scrabble (most of the time she lost ) cannot be another like her. happy big 40 cuteness." Riddhima, overwhelmed with this birthday wish, replied to the post, "Love you most est ma." Rishi Kapoor died on April 30, 2020, after battling leukemia for around two years. At the time, Riddhima, who lived in Delhi, could not fly to Mumbai to attend the funeral because of the lockdown. She had to drive down to Mumbai with her daughter Samara, and has been living with Neetu since then. Riddhima rang in her birthday with her near and dear ones, including her brother Ranbir Kapoor and his girlfriend Alia Bhatt, cousins Kareena Kapoor Khan and Karisma Kapoor, and others. She took to her Instagram handle to share a picture collage and captioned it, 'Family'. ALSO READ: Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt Groove To Aap Jaisa Koi Song For Birthday Girl Riddhima Kapoor Sahni ALSO READ: Rishi Kapoor's Birth Anniversary: Daughter Riddhima Kapoor Sahni Remembers Him With A Heartfelt Post RHB has rolled out its #JomSapot campaign in a bid to help small and medium enterprises (SMEs) promote their products and services to consumers. Ongoing from now until 30 November 2020, the campaign is held in conjunction with Malaysia Day, and is aimed at accelerating local business growth as well as providing consumers with incentives to buy from Malaysian SMEs. According to RHB, its #JomSapot campaign achieves its objectives by turning online traffic into actual purchases via a pledge system. Merchants who sign up for the campaign will be listed on RHBs #JomSapot online platform, where they can showcase some of their current promotions. Meanwhile, individuals can declare their support for selected businesses listed in the platform by making a public pledge on their social media, and subsequently, by purchasing from the businesses. Beyond that, the campaign also sees RHB encouraging its customers to buy from local businesses by giving them a chance to win up to RM650 cashback for such expenses. This includes three monthly RM50 cashback rewards from September to November, and a final grand prize of RM500 cashback. To qualify, your purchases must be made with an RHB credit/debit card or via the RHB DuitNow QR. Depending on the merchants that you buy from (participating/non participating) and other steps that you take, you can earn a number of entries to win the cashback prizes. The group managing director of RHB, Datuk Khairussaleh Ramli said that the #JomSapot initiative enables the bank to market the businesses products directly to consumers and to encourage positive buying behaviour. As we make our pledges, share our pledges on social media and make our purchases at the outlets, we are demonstrating a strong sense of unity and solidarity while ensuring the continued success of our local businesses, he said. Meanwhile, the group chief marketing officer of RHB, Abdul Sani Abdul Murad emphasised that the #JomSapot initiative is not just a marketing platform for local businesses. It includes promotions and marketing support capabilities which RHB will invest to help create awareness for these businesses and to encourage Malaysians to shop with them, he said, adding that the cashback rewards for RHB customers will also give them added value on their purchases. To find out more about the #JomSapot campaign, head on over to RHBs website here. Alternatively, consumers who wish to learn more about the cashback rewards can check out this campaign page. (Source: The Edge Markets) 5 1 vote Article Rating SHARE Kansas City Cant Stop Killing After deadly summer in Kansas City, community leaders make a push for prevention KANSAS CITY, Mo. - One of Kansas City's most violent summers is winding down. Police statistics show the murder rate in the city has been near an all-time high in 2020, and now, social activists are seeking ways to restore peace. Crime totals from the summer months tell an unfortunate tale. Another Outbreak Lesson Three Raymore-Peculiar School District students test positive for COVID-19 RAYMORE, MO (KCTV) - Two Raymore-Peculiar High School students and one Raymore Elementary School student have tested positive for the coronavirus. The District said they have contacted anyone who was potentially exposed and needs to quarantine related to these cases. QB Pays Front Line Patrick Mahomes' foundation establishing hazard pay program for early childhood educators KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Patrick Mahomes' foundation is helping out child care workers that have been hard hit by the pandemic. Turn the Page KC and 15 and the Mahomies Foundation donated $15,000 each to help establish a hazard pay program for early childhood educators. CGI Is The New Hotness The glamorous Insta models raking in millions - but something's not quite right SHE has modelled for Prada, Chanel and Calvin Klein, shared a kiss with Bella Hadid and amassed more than 2.5million loyal followers on Instagram. Yet picture-perfect Miquela Sousa, 19, isn't your typical celebrity influencer - she's actually among a growing army of ROBOT Insta models being snapped up by designer brands. Cash Powers Veep Biden Is Outspending Trump On TV, And Just 6 States Are The Focus Of The Campaign Where the major party presidential campaigns are spending their money on TV advertising can tell you a lot about where they're focusing their efforts. And based on that, it's pretty clear that the race between President Trump and Joe Biden is coming down to just six swing states - Florida, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Michigan, Wisconsin and Arizona. PREZ PELOSI?!?! President Nancy Pelosi? Don't underestimate what she might do in office About one month ago, during a speech to the 2020 Council for National Policy, raised the possibility of House Speaker (D-Calif.) succeeding him as the next president of the United States. Said Trump: "I really don't think that you are going to know anything on the evening - anything meaningful or anything real - on the evening of Nov. Election War Games Ahead Iranian threat against US ambassador foreshadows 'a Benghazi moment' in run-up to 2020 election A reported threat against the U.S. ambassador to South Africa raises the specter that Iran will seek to use a high-profile terrorist attack or assassination to upend the 2020 presidential election, according to U.S. analysts. La Migra Butchers Ladies ICE Whistleblower Complaint Alleges 'Uterus Collector' Doctor Performed Mass Hysterectomies Several immigration advocacy groups filed a complaint on behalf of a whistleblower nurse to the Office of the Inspector General on Monday, alleging "jarring medical neglect" and a lack of COVID-19 safety precautions at Irwin County Detention Center in Georgia. Among several charges of negligence, the complaint describes reports of high rates of hysterectomies performed on Spanish-speaking immigrant women. Prez Trump Earns Peace Accord Trump to preside over signing of historic Middle East deals at White House President Trump will preside over the signing of two historic deals between Israel and two Gulf nations at the White House on Tuesday -- a ceremony that will burnish Trump's foreign policy credentials as he seeks reelection. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will sign deals marking the normalization of relations with both the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. Downtown KC Sounds Off Live, outdoor music returns to Downtown venues Symphony string trio to serenade outdoors on Tuesday The will feature a string trio performing an evening serenade at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday atop the Kansas City Symphony Central Library parking garage. The performance is part of a Symphony's series of free outdoor chamber concerts. Cowtown B-List Public Service 'Certified Young Person' Paul Rudd teams up with NY Gov. Cuomo in satire mask video ALBANY, N.Y. - Kansas City's favorite actor and the governor of New York have teamed up in a goofy new video with one underlying message - "Wear a mask." The video, posted to Gov. Andrew Cuomo's YouTube page and Twitter account on Sept. 14, already has nearly a quarter of a million views and 112,000 favorites, respectively. Weather This Week Sunny, dry and beautiful weather all week long Pleasant and dry weather this week with lots of sunshine each day Clear skies and cool temperatures each night Highs warm to the mid 80s by Wednesday, cooler and less humid after a late week cold front KANSAS CITY'S MOST ACCURATE FORECAST Monday: Sunny and comfortable with temperatures close to normal. In her latest post, insta-hottie Lindey Pelas declares,And then seems to offer a stunning juxtaposition betwixt commercialism and the female form which inspires our morning fair use peek at pop culture, community news and top headlines for purposes of education, parody and public education . . . Not just titillation.is the song of the day and this is the OPEN THREAD for right now . . . A sketch of the viscoelastic cone, and its dimensions. (a) An angled view with a section of the conical shell cut out. (b) A cross sectional diagram including the axis of symmetry and a single section of the conical shell. Credit: Science Advances, doi: 10.1126/sciadv.abb2948 It is presently challenging to determine the stability of viscoelastic structures since seemingly stable conformations may gradually creep (plastic deformation of a material under stress as a function of time) until their stability is lost. Although a discernable creeping effect does not necessarily lend to instability of viscoelastic solids, researchers are currently limited with numerical simulations to predict the future stability relative to theoretical predictive tools. In a new report on Science Advances, Erez Y. Urbach and Efi Efrati in physics and complex systems at the Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel, described viscoelastic solids through an evolving instantaneous reference metric to measure elastic strains. The transparent and intuitive methods derived in this work for incompressible viscoelastic solids reduced the question of future stability to static calculations alone. The team showed the predictive power of the approach by understanding the subtle mechanisms of delayed instability in thin elastomeric shells in order to demonstrate quantitative agreement with experiments. Creeping motion in nature A relatively slow creeping motion underlies the snapping Venus fly-trap one of the fastest motions in the plant kingdom. Similar creep is observed prior to thin elastomeric shells snapping, known as jumping poppers that last a fraction of a second. While the slow creeping motion of shells appear to be elastically stable, lasting orders of magnitude longer, those on a much larger scale can be noted on Earth's crust before an earthquake aftershock. Researchers are still learning the exact role of viscoelasticity in aftershocks due to the absence of a predictive theoretical framework to detect the future stability of such systems. In each of the outlined examples, the slow viscoelastic flow in the material can lead the system to instabilities, causing an abrupt release of internally stored elastic energy. Although scientists can determine the variables governing viscoelastic behavior, the mechanisms of delayed instabilities in viscoelastic fluids remain poorly understood. In this work, Urbach and Efrati quantitatively addressed the feature of viscoelastic instability by using a metric description. Schematic representation of the metrics collinearity. The minimization of the metric g (marked by a full black circle) is constrained and performed with respect to the subset of metrics that correspond to realizable configurations (thick black line). These metrics are in, particular, orientation preserving and Euclidean. Given an instantaneous reference metric, g (marked by a full gray circle), the realized metric will correspond to the closest point from the set of admissible metrics to g according to the distance function given by the instantaneous elastic energy. Starting from rest, g evolves from g0 (marked by a full red circle) toward the g, which remains the closest admissible metric to g due to collinearity of the three metrics. As g remains stationary, the evolution of g will preserve the collinearity, asymptotically approaching gstat (marked by an open circle), which is also collinear. We stress that throughout this evolution, g remains unchanged; thus, no variation of the configuration will be observed despite the stress relaxation. Credit: Science Advances, doi: 10.1126/sciadv.abb2948 The team described the materials' behavior as a fast elastic response relative to temporally evolving test lengths that can change due to slow viscoelastic flow. They interpreted the microscopic response in the material and predicted the future stability of unconstrained viscoelastic structures. Urbach et al. explained all relations of linear viscoelastic materials through intricate calculations of strain rate with a stress relaxation function, then derived mathematical relationships for one-dimensional systems in this work; some of which depended on material properties such as the Young's modulus and the Poisson's ratio. Instantaneous incremental deformations caused increased linear stress for a purely elastic response in the material. Since viscoelastic materials tend to be dissipative (thermodynamically open), the definition of an elastic free energy can be incomplete. The scientists therefore eliminated inertia from the system and approximated the motion of the material to a quasi-state evolving between elastic equilibrium states. As a result, a given instantaneous reference metric could yield multiple elastically stable configurations. The viscoelastic reference length evolution. At the resting state, all three length measures on the body, its measured length g (marked red), its instantaneous reference length g (marked gray), and its rest reference length g0 (marked black) are all equal. When subjected to a constant displacement extension, the instantaneous reference length evolves away from the rest length and toward the presently assumed length, thus resulting in stress relaxation. It asymptotically approaches the stationary state gstat=g+(1)g0, in which the initial stress is reduced by a factor of 1 . When released, the unconstrained system immediately adopts its favored instantaneous reference length, which, in turn, gradually creeps toward the rest lengths. Credit: Science Advances, doi: 10.1126/sciadv.abb2948 Viscoelastic instabilities through the metric description The time-dependent instantaneous reference metric of the material could in this way evolve to acquire new stable configurations, merge existing stable points, or cause stable elastic configurations to lose stability. In the latter scenario, the slow viscoelastic evolution will be followed by a rapid snaphighlighting the main difficulty of predicting the stability of viscoelastic structures. This feature is known as temporary bistability, pseudo bistability or creep buckling. Two distinct processes must take place for incompressible linearly viscoelastic solids to creep into instability. First, an elastically stable state will acquire stability through viscoelastic relaxation under some external load for an amount of time. Then as the external load is removed, the body will assume the newly acquired stable state, alongside viscoelastic creep for the resulting instability. However, an acquired stable state is transient (temporary). In this way, Urbach et al. used the metric description of viscoelasticity to provide a picture of the mechanism governing the stability of viscoelastic structures. Experimental verification of the viscoelastic stability diagram. (A) Straight and inverted conical poppers. Photo credit: Erez Y. Urbach, Weizmann Institute. (B) The two axes span the dimensionless geometrical properties of the truncated conical poppers. The background colors represent the theoretically predicted regions of each of the phases. Each marker corresponds to a different popper; different shaped (and colored) markers indicate the different phases observed in experiment. (C) Numerically calculated flipping time as a function of the normalized thickness of the conical popper for immediate release and long holding time. The different poppers were simulated by varying their thicknesses and constant radii rmin = 10 mm, rmax = 25 mm. The material properties taken were = 0.1, and the memory kernel was assumed to be exponential with = 0.1 s, Youngs modulus E = 2.5 MPa, and Poissons ratio v = 0.47. Varying the kernel may lead to varying rate of divergence of the flipping time between the stable and acquired stability region, yet the location of this divergence will remain unchanged. The divergence of flipping times was addressed in a previous study, and more recently, the rate of divergence was studied previously as well. Credit: Science Advances, doi: 10.1126/sciadv.abb2948 Experimental results The calculations conducted in this work revealed many qualitative characteristics of viscoelastic instabilities. The scientists then tested the quantitative predictions of the theory by experimentally examining the response of silicone rubber conical poppers. For this, they cast silicon rubber poppers as truncated conical shells to gain simpler control on the thickness of the material. As the thickness increased, the bistability decreased, then at a timepoint the popper immediately snapped back. The scientists produced 50 different conical poppers of different geometries and tested their phases to experimentally determine the phase boundaries of viscoelastic properties. The work presented here was similar to previous studies on elastoplasticity. The metric theory can be implemented to isotropic incompressible viscoelastic solids to provide basic rules for viscoelastic instabilities. In order for a given structure to creep into instability, the creeping should have preceded within a timeframe in which the structures were held under an external load. The theory was specifically powerful on application to describe the experimentally delayed instability in thin elastomeric shells. These results will be able to shed light on the role of viscoelasticity in triggering delayed earthquake aftershocks. In this way, the metric description proposed here will provide a theoretical framework to understand delayed viscoelastic instabilities. Explore further How stretchy fluids react to wavy surfaces 2020 Science X Network Connecticut filed a lawsuit on Monday against oil giant Exxon Mobil Corp for misleading the public over the impacts of climate change, becoming the latest state to target the fossil fuel industry for violating state consumer protection laws. The states attorney general William Tong filed the lawsuit in Connecticuts Superior Court, alleging that Exxon violated the states unfair trade practices act, deceiving Connecticut consumers about what the company knew about fossil fuels impact on climate change. Exxon Mobil made billions of dollars during its decades-long campaign of deception that continues today, said Attorney General Tong, adding that the state should not have to bear the expense of fortifying our infrastructure to adapt to the very real consequences of climate change. Over the last few months, attorneys general from Massachusetts, Minnesota, the District of Columbia and Delaware have sued members of the fossil fuel industry, accusing companies of violating state laws by deceiving consumers about harms caused by their products. Exxon spokesman Casey Norton said the company will defend itself in court and continue to invest in efforts to reduce emissions. Legal proceedings like this waste millions of dollars of taxpayer money and do nothing to advance meaningful actions that reduce the risks of climate change, Norton said. Unlike other states lawsuits, which either target multiple companies or trade groups or highlight bring up other violations like fraud, Connecticuts is focused on one company and one law. Tong will examine all of Exxon Mobils deceptions dating back decades as well as the companys current advertising and marketing, which he says falsely portray Exxon as working to combat climate change. The state is seeking remediation for past, present and future harm from climate change, restitution for investments it had to make to adapt to climate change, disgorgement of corporate profits, and establishment of a third-party controlled education fund on climate change, among other relief. (Reporting by Valerie Volcovici; Editing by Marguerita Choy) Topics Lawsuits Climate Change Energy Oil Gas Connecticut Icicitrinity.com scored 54 Social Media Impact. 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The total number of people who tagged or talked about website Facebook page in the last 7-10 days. Facebook Timeline is the new layout of Facebook pages. The description of the Facebook page describes website and its services to the social media users. Twitter account link TWITTER PAGE LINK NOT FOUND Yahoo Life has partnered with Emmy- and Peabody Award-winning broadcaster Soledad OBrien for the exclusive premiere of the documentary Hungry to Learn. OBrien and her team followed the lives of four college students facing the hard choice of paying for college or paying for food and housing. She discovered that an astounding 45 percent of college students are struggling with hunger. This is part two of our partnership, exploring how colleges, universities and nonprofit organizations are helping students who are struggling with hunger during the coronavirus pandemic. Watch OBriens Hungry to Learn documentary here. College and university students are struggling with hunger across the U.S., and the coronavirus pandemic is making it worse. As a result, some schools and nonprofit organizations have ramped up operations to support vulnerable students. Marissa Nachman, vice president of programs at Swipe Out Hunger, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to ending college student hunger and that reaches over 20,000 students nationwide, says the virus crisis has only aggravated the problem. With the pandemic, obviously so many people students and their families have lost income. A lot of students who used to be living on campus arent able to live on campus right now, or might not have another stable place to live, Nachman tells Yahoo Life. And so, food insecurity has definitely been exacerbated. In April the organization surveyed 167 students from three universities (Cal Poly San Luis Obispo; the University of Tennessee, Knoxville; and the University of Mississippi), asking them to specify challenges theyve encountered during the pandemic. Thirty-three percent of students reported loss of income after being laid off, and 20 percent reported food insecurity. Obviously, right now in COVID-19, theres a lot of needs and theres a lot of opportunities to kind of adapt programs and create new programs to support students, says Nachman. Story continues In March, Congress passed the CARES Act, providing $2 trillion in financial aid for those in need during the pandemic, including $6 billion earmarked specifically to assist students in need. While it did help countless students, there were populations of students left out namely, international students and undocumented students were not included in the language by the Department of Education ... which we were very disappointed by, says Nachman. Day to day, we have between 700 to 900 students visiting our [campus] food pantry, says Darice Ingram, the program coordinator for Pioneers for H.O.P.E. at Cal State East Bay, which provides emergency assistance, emergency housing and food for students dealing with a basic-needs crisis. She says the need is real, as 80 percent of the student population at Cal State East Bay is living at or below the federal poverty level. Since the pandemic began, she says, the food pantry services moved online and her organization has worked to connect students to resources near their homes. Ingram says Cal State East Bay was one of the first universities in the California State University system to distribute their CARES Act dollars. We were able to serve over 10,000 students with emergency assistance through a combination of CARES dollars and donor dollars, so we were even able to serve students that didnt qualify for CARES dollars, she says. Sandra Vasquez, a senior at Los Angeles Trade-Technical College, says she has struggled with food insecurity throughout her education. She has received her certificate in culinary arts and is three classes away from getting her degree. Sandra Vasquez, a senior at a Los Angeles community college, says she has struggled with food insecurity throughout her education. (Courtesy of Sandra Vasquez) About a year ago, she became eligible for SNAP benefits, or food stamps. Once I started getting it, thats when I started noticing that my food insecurity was changing a little bit and I was able to maintain, she says. Vasquez says it has been a struggle to get to this place, having lived in foster homes until she aged out at 18. I struggled. I pushed my way through, she says. Out of eight siblings Im the only one that is going to graduate college this year. Vasquez says she makes around $1,200 a month, which goes to rent and utilities. She describes living with a roommate in the past who didnt pay her part of the utilities, which resulted in the power being shut off, and recalls having to study by flashlight. To me, its just sad, because I wasnt able to pay extra so that we can keep the utilities on, but, you know, I managed to do my part, she says. A symptom of poverty When I talk to someone new, this is something thats shocking to them, but when you really look at how the system of higher education has changed over the past four decades, it becomes really obvious and apparent why this is an issue, says Rebecca Leighton, health promotion specialist at Boynton Health at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities. Her main focus is on college student food insecurity. She says in the 1970s and 80s, states covered about two-thirds of tuition for a student. Today, that cost is reversed, with students paying for at least two-thirds. In the state of Minnesota, tuition has increased at twice the rate of the Minnesota per capita income. So the increase in the tuition is much higher today than it was a couple of decades ago, and income hasnt matched, she says. Although a majority of the University of Minnesotas classes are online this fall, its food pantry, Nutritious U, plans to reopen on Sept. 23. (Courtesy of the University of Minnesota) Leighton also points to a greater diversity of students attending college now. College or higher education used to be a resource for families with money and families whose parents had already gone to college, she says. And now, over the last few decades, it has opened up and theres a lot more first-generation students, students of color, students from low-income families. So students come into the institution of higher education with a lot less resources than students in the past. On campus during the pandemic, students of color were hit the hardest. According to a University of Minnesota survey that polled about 2,000 students in April, food insecurity was reported by 58 percent of American Indian/Alaskan natives, 40 percent of Black students, 39 percent of Asian students, 28.1 percent of Hispanic/Latinx (any race) students and only 14 percent of white students. Access to food is one thing, but its really a symptom of unmet need usually a symptom of poverty, says Leighton. So a student or an individual in the community is struggling to pay for enough food during normal times, [but] when the crisis hits like COVID-19, that kind of pushes them over the edge, financially. Then food is one of the first of the basic needs to go, because youre going to try to prioritize your rent or your medication over food. Although a majority of the University of Minnesotas classes are online this fall, its food pantry, Nutritious U, plans to reopen on Sept. 23 and will double the number of days it is open each month. Leighton says its hard to anticipate the number of students who will use the food pantry this fall, but she thinks there will be a greater need, especially among students who are already on the edge. She says a survey of food pantry participants confirmed that during the spring and summer, students suffered job losses and loss of internships and, as a result, lost eligibility for SNAP benefits because they werent working enough hours. Living on Ritz crackers and tuna Thats what happened to Hayden Pegues, who is a senior at Southern Illinois University, majoring in aviation management. He says at the beginning of the pandemic, his food insecurity was exacerbated, as he left his construction job and was no longer eligible for SNAP food stamps. I thought I could get a job after that, but like, I cannot. Ive applied at tons of different places and still have not been able to get a job, says Pegues. He says the food pantry on his college campus was closed during the pandemic, and so I would just make Ritz crackers and tuna stretch out as long as I could. But he then discovered a nearby off-campus food pantry, which he says is a great improvement over his campus food pantry, where offerings were very limited. Like, you get cans of corn ... and like, peanut butter and stuff like that. You cant make a meal with [it], he says. Hayden Pegues, an aviation management major in Illinois, says his food insecurity was exacerbated at the beginning of the pandemic. (Courtesy of Hayden Pegues) Pegues estimates that by the time he graduates from college in the spring, hell owe around $45,000 in student loans. It is very difficult to ask for help, especially when youve been raised, being taught, like, fend for yourself, he says. Its almost impossible to juggle full-time school and enough work to make it so that you can eat whatever you want or how much you want. He says this fall, classes are online due to the pandemic, and there is little to no access to campus amenities such as the student center. He says the dental center is open but not accepting student insurance. I would love to see tuition dropped if theyre not going to up their standards of learning and just do online stuff because you know, anyone could go to a community college and get that same exact education for cheaper, he says. Helping hungry students Leighton recommends looking into food pantries at colleges and universities in your area as places to donate food or money. She also recommends asking local universities if they have a scholarship fund or emergency aid fund where donations can be made. A lot of times students might just have an emergency crisis, like a car breakdown, and they need that repair and they dont have $500 for that. And if they could get an emergency grant for that, it might keep them in school and prevent them from having to drop out without a degree but with all the debt partway through the education. If you are a student in need of assistance, Swipe Out Hunger has partnered with Rise, a nonprofit organization that builds student-led campaigns to make college accessible to all. Theyve created a Student Navigator Program to connect students to financial benefits available through the CARES Act. Through the programs online referral service, students can connect with resources and benefits and can apply to learn more about what might be available to them. For additional information on resources for students during the coronavirus pandemic, visit the Hope Center for College, Community, and Justice. Read more from Yahoo Life: Want lifestyle and wellness news delivered to your inbox? Sign up here for Yahoo Lifes newsletter by Sumon Corraya The Holy Cross priest was a missionary in Bangladesh for 71 years. He died four days ago at the age of 97. He discovered at least 250 species of nematodes. He was committed to education, science, the poor and human rights. In 1987 he received the Ramon Magsaysay Award, the Asian Nobel Prize. Dhaka (AsiaNews) Fr Richard William Timm, a missionary with the Holy Cross Institute, passed away last Friday at the University of Notre Dame (Indiana, USA), at the age of 97. Fr Timm was a legend in Bangladesh. An internationally renowned zoologist, he discovered at least 250 species of nematodes, roundworms found in wet soils or water. As a friend of the country, he was an educator, author of many books and publications, committed to social development, and winner of the Magsaysay prize (the Asian Nobel Prize). Fr James C. Cruze, superior of Holy Cross, remembers him as a great friend of Bangladesh, who loved the people of this land. He did not receive any government recognition, but Bangladeshi Catholics loved him very much. Fr Timm was born in Michigan City on 2 March 1923. He was ordained a priest in 1949. After completing his studies, including a degree from the Catholic University of Washington DC, he arrived in Dhaka in November 1952 to work for Notre Dame College. He immediately opened a science department and a debate club shortly thereafter to help students assimilate knowledge through discussions. He later also opened a Science Club. He has discovered at least 250 species of nematodes, including the timmia parva, a marine nematode named after him. And his tome on biology has been used in the country for many years. He was honoured for his contribution to Bangladeshs War of Liberation, As a zoologist, he spent most of his time in the lab. But after the great cyclone of 1970 and the War of Liberation of 1971, he left everything to devote himself to relief and reconstruction work. He spent many months on Manpura Island to save the lives of the poor and abandoned. This period changed his life. Upon returning to Dhaka, he never returned to his educational role in the college, but got involved with Caritas Bangladesh and Justice and Peace, supporting human rights. Understanding the need for non-governmental organizations, he formed an association, the Association of Development Agencies in Bangladesh (ADAB). To support the human rights, he set up a Coordinating Council for Human Rights in Bangladesh (CCHRB). His views and articles were published in Bangladesh and other countries. For all of this, he was awarded the Ramon Magsaysay Award in 1987. His confreres remember him as a man of strong faith and a good Catholic priest who served Bangladesh and the Church for 71 years. During his stay in the country he edited the Dhaka Letter. He was also a historian, a writer for his institute and a spiritual director. One of the buildings of Notre Dame College was renamed after him. Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site. 0108263 License for publishing multimedia online Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349 Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-15 22:35:53|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIJING, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- As China and the European Union (EU) celebrate the 45th anniversary of their diplomatic ties this year, the world's two major powers are moving steadily to broaden prospects for future cooperation. During a video meeting on Monday, Chinese and EU leaders announced the official signing of an agreement on geographical indications (GI), committing to speeding up investment treaty talks to conclude negotiations within this year, and decided to strengthen environmental and digital cooperation. The meeting injected confidence into the bilateral relationship and opened up new areas for collaboration, experts said. EMBRACING COOPERATION POTENTIAL The agreement on GI between China and the EU is China's first comprehensive, high-level bilateral agreement on GIs, and the first major trade agreement between China and the EU in recent years, according to China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The agreement makes it easier for Chinese products to enter the EU market and vice versa, said Cui Hongjian, a senior research fellow with the China Institute of International Studies. It sets an example for other economies in the world to cooperate in this field, Cui added. The negotiations of the investment treaty between the two sides, which started the first round in 2013, have attracted much attention. The progress made so far by the two sides have shown China and the EU's determination to have a rule-based bilateral treaty, said Cui. He said China and the EU should take a practical approach to resolve differences during the negotiations, as the two sides are at different stages of economic development. If concluded within this year, the treaty will send a positive message about China and the EU working together during trying times, and give a strong boost to business confidence on both sides, said Ambassador Zhang Ming, head of the Chinese Mission to the EU. POWERING A DIGITAL FUTURE As the world is going digital, capturing new opportunities to push economic transformation and building a safer market environment in the new era are common challenges for China and the EU, which entails massive room for cooperation. At Monday's video meeting, leaders from the two sides decided to establish a so-called China-EU High-Level Digital Cooperation Dialogue and to forge China-EU green and digital partnerships. In February, the European Commission unveiled its strategy for data and Artificial Intelligence (AI), since the bloc is prepared to lead the next battle of "big data." As a collection of wide-ranging plans, the strategy includes creating a single European market for data and taking sector-specific actions for industrial manufacturing, "green" deals, mobility, and health. For China, the leaps and bounds in emerging technologies, including 5G and big data, have spurred rapid growth in the digital economy over the past decades. In 2019, the country's digital economy hit 35.8 trillion yuan (about 5.25 trillion U.S. dollars), accounting for 36.2 percent of GDP, according to data from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. China's digital trade totaled 203.6 billion U.S. dollars last year, accounting for 26 percent of the country's total trade in services. "The China-EU High-Level Digital Cooperation Dialogue officially opened cooperation in the area, which is a major growth point for the future economy," noted Cui. Enditem This years budget allows for borrowing of up to $5 billion from the Federal Reserve that would be repaid with anticipated but uncertain federal aid. Illinois became the first state to tap a new Fed program designed to aid state and local governments when it borrowed $1.2 billion in June to plug a hole in last years budget. "Common corn pests like corn rootworm, corn earworm and western bean cutworm have historically demonstrated the ability to overcome some control management practices," says Tim O'Brien, Ph.D., Agrisure traits manager for Syngenta . "The innovative Agrisure traits portfolio offers growers different tools to rotate, which proactively protect yield potential, trait durability and long-term field health." Corn rootworm (CRW) is historically a highly adaptable pest, and long-term management requires the rotation of multiple control strategies to delay the development of insect adaptation. The Agrisure Duracade trait offers growers a different option that could catch CRW off guard and provides a foundation in multi-year corn rootworm management plans. The Agrisure Duracade trait features a unique mode of action that controls CRW differently than other below-ground traits, binding to a different receptor site in the CRW digestive tract. For best results, growers designing multi-year corn rootworm management plans may want to consider the use of different control methods including crop rotation, corn rootworm-traited hybrids, soil-applied insecticides, and adult beetle control. By offering both Agrisure Duracade trait stacks and the Agrisure 3122 trait stack, the Agrisure traits portfolio provides corn producers the option to rotate trait stacks with different modes of action for corn rootworm. The Agrisure Viptera trait is another valuable tool, controlling more above-ground pests than any other trait in the corn industry. It is the only trait available today that effectively controls western bean cutworm. Hybrids with the Agrisure Viptera trait have less insect-feeding damage as well as higher grain quality potential due to lower incidences of mold and mycotoxin development. By controlling 16 above- and below-ground insects, the Agrisure Duracade 5222 E-Z Refuge trait stack combines the Agrisure Duracade and Agrisure Viptera traits to manage more pests than any other competitive trait stack. Many hybrids are also available with Agrisure Artesian water optimization technology as identified by the 'A' at the end of the trait stack name. The value of Agrisure traits plays out at harvest: Hybrids with Agrisure Duracade trait offer growers an average 4.1 bu/A yield advantage over products without the trait.1 Hybrids with the Agrisure Viptera trait offer an average 7.3 bu/A yield advantage over products without.2 Agrisure traits hybrids are available through local Golden Harvest Seed Advisors , NK retailers and independent seed companies. Syngenta is assisting growers with long-term pest management strategies through its CRW monitoring program , designed to inform growers in all regions of the most effective integrated approach to their pest and weed control, as well as multi-year whole farm approaches. To learn more about Agrisure traits as part of an integrated approach to pest management, visit the virtual Syngenta booth at the Farm Progress Virtual Experience from Sept. 15-17. Click here to be instantly transported to the booth and learn more about available solutions. For more information on Agrisure Duracade trait stacks and to find additional resources about corn rootworm management, including a step-by-step Take Control of Corn Rootworm Management Brochure , visit www.agrisureduracade.com . To learn more about Agrisure Viptera, visit www.agrisureviptera.com . Join the conversation online connect with Syngenta at Syngenta-us.com/social . 1 Data based off 2018 Syngenta trials; not an isoline comparison. 2 Study results from Syngenta field trials in 33 locations with natural pest pressure, 2007-2009. About Syngenta Syngenta is one of the world's leading agriculture companies. Our ambition is to help safely feed the world while taking care of the planet. We aim to improve the sustainability, quality and safety of agriculture with world class science and innovative crop solutions. Our technologies enable millions of farmers around the world to make better use of limited agricultural resources. With 28,000 people in more than 90 countries we are working to transform how crops are grown. Through partnerships, collaboration and The Good Growth Plan we are committed to improving farm productivity, rescuing land from degradation, enhancing biodiversity and revitalizing rural communities. To learn more visit www.syngenta.com and www.goodgrowthplan.com . Follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/Syngenta and www.twitter.com/SyngentaUS . Web Resources: Agrisure Traits Agrisure Duracade Agrisure Viptera Agrisure Artesian Golden Harvest Seed Advisor NK Retailer Know More, Grow More Syngenta Newsroom Syngenta Seeds Syngenta U.S. Thrive Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This document may contain forward-looking statements, which can be identified by terminology such as 'expect', 'would', 'will', 'potential', 'plans', 'prospects', 'estimated', 'aiming', 'on track' and similar expressions. Such statements may be subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause the actual results to differ materially from these statements. For Syngenta, such risks and uncertainties include risks relating to legal proceedings, regulatory approvals, new product development, increasing competition, customer credit risk, general economic and market conditions, compliance and remediation, intellectual property rights, implementation of organizational changes, impairment of intangible assets, consumer perceptions of genetically modified crops and organisms or crop protection chemicals, climatic variations, fluctuations in exchange rates and/or commodity prices, single source supply arrangements, political uncertainty, natural disasters, and breaches of data security or other disruptions of information technology. Syngenta assumes no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect actual results, changed assumptions or other factors. 2020 Syngenta, 2001 Butterfield Road, 16th Floor, Downers Grove, IL 60515. Important: Always read and follow label and bag tag instructions; only those labeled as tolerant to glufosinate may be sprayed with glufosinate ammonium based herbicides. Agrisure, Agrisure Artesian, Agrisure Duracade, Agrisure Viptera E-Z Refuge, Golden Harvest, NK and the Syngenta logo are registered trademarks of a Syngenta Group Company. HERCULEX and the HERCULEX Shield are trademarks of Dow AgroSciences LLC. HERCULEX Insect Protection technology by Dow AgroSciences. LibertyLink, Liberty and the Water Droplet logo are registered trademarks of BASF Corporation. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. More information about Agrisure Duracade is available at http://www.biotradestatus.com/. SOURCE Syngenta BEIRUT - A helicopter for the U.S.-led coalition fighting the Islamic State group made an emergency landing in northeast Syria on Tuesday morning, a U.S. military spokesman said. There were no injuries. Col. Wayne Marotto tweeted that the incident was not the result of hostile activity. The helicopter landed safely, emergency personnel responded and the crew was recovered, he said. Hundreds of U.S. troops are stationed in northeastern Syria, working with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces to fight IS militants. The U.S. carries out patrols in the area and over the past months there has been friction with Russian troops and Syrian government forces. "Northwest Vista College is proud to offer nationally-renowned science, technology, engineering, and math programs (STEM). Our new STEM Building will spark even more innovation and technology-based education, helping strengthen our existing local and regional partnerships while preparing students and graduates for careers of the future ." Dr. Ric Baser, President Northwest Vista College The STEM Building offers a beautiful juxtaposition between cutting-edge, future-forward design and the natural setting with abundant mature trees. Site amenities including outdoor learning spaces and a dedicated food truck station are integrated features of the design. The interior of the facility is comprised of a wide range of innovative learning environments including flexible, general-purpose classrooms; chemistry, engineering, math, physics, genetics, and tutoring labs; instructor offices, and student and faculty common areas. The two-story elevated lobby and common space, wrapped in dramatic lake and tree canopy views, is the social hub for celebrating STEM on campus. LOCATION & FUNDING: The new STEM Center is located at 3535 N. Ellison Drive, San Antonio, TX 78251, in the heart of the Northwest Vista College campus. In May of 2017, Bexar County voters approved a general obligation bond and awarded Northwest Vista College $69 million to make necessary improvements to current buildings and add new facilities. The targeted final construction date of NVC's STEM Center is September 2021, at which time a community grand opening will be held. For more information about the project, visit https://www.alamo.edu/nvc/. Overland Partners Overland Partners Architects bring together diverse talents to deliver dynamic, comprehensive design services in architecture, master planning, and urban design throughout the world. With a notable spirit of collaboration, Overland thoughtfully integrates technology, art, and craft to create world-class, innovative, and sustainable solutions for highly complex projects. For more information, visit overlandpartners.com or call 210.829.7003. Contact: Erika Picard, [email protected] SOURCE Overland Partners Architects Related Links http://www.overlandpartners.com Education topical featured La Crosse area students frustrated, but not surprised, as COVID-19 cases increase Peter Thomson, La Crosse Tribune Center campus is quiet Monday at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse where a 14-day quarantine of all dorms was put in effect Sunday to prevent further spread of COVID-19. In-person undergraduate classes will be suspended through Tuesday and resume online Wednesday. Frustration is the key emotion flooding many University of Wisconsin-La Crosse students as on-campus residents are ordered to shelter in place, junior Caleb Marecek said Monday. He said that he, along with many of his peers, predicted this situation would occur when they returned to the campus earlier this month. Like it was sort of just a matter of time before we either get shut down and get sent back (home) completely. Or something like whole dorms on lockdown, which we are currently in right now, Marecek said. Marecek So far, 275 cases have been diagnosed on the campus, with 51 of those cases announced Monday. All of those cases were diagnosed within six days, as the school year had just started on Sept. 8. As for the universitys preparedness for this pandemic, already 70% of its 140 quarantine/isolation beds are filled. Marecek even lives near one person who has been diagnosed with the quickly spreading disease, he shared. Currently, to help prevent further spread, classes have been moved online for a two-week period. Nonessential activities on campus have been canceled and students have been asked to not go home, instead staying in their dorm rooms where only fellow dorm residents are allowed. Students are allowed to get meals to go from the dining locations on the campus, but only during certain hours each day. If a student is diagnosed with COVID-19 or showing symptoms, meals will be delivered while they recover alone. Masks are required to be worn on the campus. These campus-wide instructions, including the completely online classes and shelter-in-place requirements, are currently scheduled to end at 5 p.m. Sept. 27, but they could be extended. 45 COVID cases added in La Crosse County According to The New York Times, the La Crosse metro area has seen the second-fastest rise in new cases of any metro area in the United States. As for things to do during this quiet time on the campus, Marecek said there are not activities taking place at least not in the Eagle residence hall where he lives. Students mainly spend their days in their assigned rooms, but can occasionally use the study rooms in the buildings. Marecek did say he thinks its highly likely he will get COVID-19, especially because of the numerous cases near him. He has not yet been required to be tested for the disease as of Monday. This likelihood of spread on the campus, he said, is greatly causing stress for many students. Even daily service opportunities are being removed from the students lives, as they are limited on what they can do outside of their homes and cannot receive mail as normal. As for other local higher education institutes, Viterbo University announced Monday its total number of students diagnosed with COVID-19 is at 63, while no employees have tested positive. Masks are required on the campus, along with social distancing. Classes continue to be taught as originally planned, with some in-person. Peter Thomson, La Crosse Tribune A message of frustration is displayed at Sanford Hall dormitory Monday at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. Due to a spike in COVID-19 cases campus officials have decided to close academic buildings and quarantine all dorms for at least 2-weeks. As for classes at Western Technical College, most are online, with only classes that require in-person time taking place in person. Social distancing is a major focus in the classes that are taking place. In Winona, Minnesota State College Southeast currently has a similar setup with most classes online. In total, by the start of September, the campus was only at a total of four positive cases. No extreme increases have been announced. Winona State University also has faced a high increase of cases, with 209 confirmed as of Sept. 6. The universitys classes had started Aug. 24. The university is currently in a two-week lockdown, helping to stop the spread. Classes are being moved online during the time period, but are expected to be moved back to in person at the end of the month. At Saint Marys University, only 24 campus members have tested positive for COVID-19 since the universitys start the week of Aug. 24. SMU has stayed a green level of caution with in-person classes continuing and no lockdowns. Weather extremes are set to lash each side of the country this week, with choking heat in the west and heavy rain in the east. North-western parts of Australia will scorch through above average temperatures for days to come as record-breaking winter heat rolls into spring. A hot, dry air mass lingering across Western Australia's Kimberly region saw the mercury hit as much as 10C above average on Wednesday, as residents brace for more warm weather. Yampi Sound reached 40.1C just after midday, with Derby and Curtin close behind at 39C, well above the September daily average temperature of 30C. A heat map shows the above average temperatures scorching the top end of the country as north western Australia braces for a heatwave in days to come The sweltering heat is predicted remain around the high 30Cs to low 40Cs from the Pilbara to Kimberleys into Monday. Meanwhile, a low pressure system barrelling across the nation in the coming days will bring thunderstorms and showers to southern, central and eastern parts of Australia. The wet weather will provide relief to some of the driest parts of the country, with downpours expected in the country's southeastern corner from Thursday to Sunday. 'This will result from a pool of cold air from the Southern Ocean a few kilometres above the surface, moving north and interacting with tropical moisture from the north,' said Sky News Weathermeteorologist Tom Saunders. 'The best rain will fall across western and northern South Australia, and southwest Queensland, where around 20 to 50mm is likely to fall, up about two months worth of rain for these regions.' Rain will hit South Australia and southern parts of Victoria on Thursday before moving north east, crossing into NSW and Queensland by Saturday. The weather extremes will see hot conditions in western parts of the country while rain batters the south and east. Pictured are beach goers enjoying warm weather in Perth A Bureau of Meteorology map shows the path of a cut-off low pressure system that will bring rainfall this week as it barrels from the country's south west across to the east The downpours will hit northwest NSW and southwest Queensland first, before sweeping east across both states on Sunday. Parts South Australia could be soaked by up to 25mm, while NSW and Queensland can expect up to 20mm. As the system moves into central parts of Australia, it could bring heavy rain, thunderstorms, flash flooding, damaging winds and dust storms. But the wild weather is just a taste of more to come, with the country forecast to be drenched more than usual as La Nina settles in the Pacific from next month. The climate event, associated with increased downpours, will bring an abundance of rain until the rest of the year. Heading into the weekend, Sydneysiders can expect sunny conditions on Wednesday with a top of 25C before clouds roll in on Thursday. Temperatures will drop to a maximum of 22C over the weekend with showers on Sunday. Parts of SA, TAS, VIC, NSW , ACT and QLD can expect to get soaked this weekend as a pressure system sweeps over the country's east. Pictured: A man sheltering from rain in Sydney Brisbane could see some showers on Wednesday and Friday before a wet weekend. However, temperatures will remain moderately warm with maximums in the mid 20s with lows in the mid to high teens. Melbournians will need their umbrellas from Thursday, with humid conditions predicted for the weekend amid sporadic rain fall. Victoria's capital city will see minimum temperatures this week around 10C with Thursday and Friday, the two coolest days, topping at 16C and 19C . Saturday will be the warmest day, climbing to 25C. Adelaide and Canberra will have maximums sitting close to 20C, remaining grey leading into Saturday and Sunday, when both capital cities can expect to get soaked. ACT will chill through minimum temperatures below 10C this week, while Adelaide will be slightly warmer with lows ranging from 13C to 17C. Perth will remain sunny and warm in coming days, with a possible shower or two on Saturday. Lows will sit around 10C with highs from 18C to 26C. Possible showers are forecast for Darwin this weekend, which will otherwise remain dry. The northern city will enjoy warm days between the mid 20s- mid 30s. Hobart will be wet the next couple of days before some Friday sunshine with a top of 16C and a low of 6C. Showers will return for the end of the weekend, with temperatures rising to the low 20s. The bill to taxpayers for Hong Kongs mass coronavirus screening is HK$530 million, although the total cost of the controversial programme will remain unknown until the mainland Chinese partners involved disclose how much they spent. The government revealed the price tag, equivalent to US$68.3 million, a day after the two-week voluntary testing came to a close on Monday, having checked less than a quarter of the citys 7.5 million people. Aside from the expenditure, some health experts had questioned whether the drive would prove an effective tool in containing the spread of Covid-19. The effort uncovered 42 infections, or two per 100,000 people. But Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor said the value of the operation could not be judged simply by the number of cases discovered. Rather the process had taken a snapshot of the extent of Covid-19 in the community and the data would help the government make better informed decisions about its pandemic response going forward. Get the latest insights and analysis from our Global Impact newsletter on the big stories originating in China. The [outcome] is difficult to be assessed by the expenditure, Lam said. If we managed to find thousands of cases, does it mean this scheme is successful? Lam argued the results could indicate the spread of the virus during the third wave, which began in early July, might not be as severe as the public feared. We could then further relax social-distancing measures or discuss travel arrangements with different governments including the mainland and Macau, she said. The benefits brought [by the scheme] are far more than a few hundreds of millions dollars. The city recorded zero local infections on Tuesday, a first in more than two months, and four imported ones, taking the total number of cases to 4,975, with 102 deaths. The ambitious undertaking required establishing 141 centres across the city, staffed by more than 6,000 Hong Kong medical professionals and students. The results were processed by laboratories managed by four companies with mainland ties, including Sunrise Diagnostic Centre, which has erected a temporary facility at Sun Yat Sen Memorial Park in Sai Ying Pun. Story continues Secretary for the Civil Service Patrick Nip Tak-kuen said the central government covered the cost of that laboratory and its technicians, while 70 per cent of Hong Kongs outlay, about HK$370 million, paid the salaries for health care and supporting staff at the testing centres. The rest was spent on recruitment, technical support, security and logistics, as well as protective gear and other relevant resources, among other items, according to Nip. But authorities refused to reveal the cost to the mainland side, with Lam saying: It is more appropriate for the central government or commissioned organisations to reveal [how much they have spent]. The Post has reached out to Beijings liaison office in Hong Kong and Sunrise Diagnostic Centre on the amount spent by the mainland side. The 42 infections identified through the scheme comprised 32 new cases, five people who were already on the radar of health authorities as close contacts of previously known patients, and five who had close contacts with cases detected by the mass screening. Thirteen cases were asymptomatic, while 20 were untraced. Health minister Professor Sophia Chan Siu-chee said the 42 cases translated into a positive rate of two infections among every 100,000 people. Several health experts had previously cast doubt over whether mass screening could help cut transmission chains in the community, noting infected residents would be moving around in public for at least three days before learning of their results. Professor Keiji Fukuda, head of the school of public health at the University of Hong Kong, said it was difficult to apply cost effectiveness as a metric to evaluate one-off actions, such as community testing, for situation such as the Covid-19 pandemic. Hong Kong residents line up for Covid-19 testing at the Kwun Chung Municipal Services Building in Yau Ma Tei last Thursday. Photo: Nora Tam If the government is able to finance the operation and the information is useful, then the cost can be seen as reasonable, said Fukuda, who advises the government on its pandemic response. It is possible that the testing results would have found a large number of infections that would have led to a change in strategy. While no government was obliged to reveal the cost of a specific undertaking, disclosure can contribute to a greater sense of transparency, which is an essential component of trust, he said. The government will continue to offer free testing for people with minor symptoms at outpatient clinics, with the number to rise from 22 to 30 this week and expand to 40 by the end of the month, taking the daily quota of testing from 2,400 to about 4,000. High-risk groups, such as employees at elderly care homes and hotels, will continue to be monitored for any sign of localised outbreaks, according to Chan. The government would review its data and begin drafting its pandemic response strategy for the next wave, she said. Lam did not rule out the possibility that mandatory testing would be imposed on areas or groups hit by several cases. She thanked central government officials for attaching great importance to the scheme and deploying 570 medical staff from the mainland to ramp up the citys testing capacity. They have worked very diligently around the clock in the labs in the past two weeks, and now completed their mission, she said. This is touching. Separately, she revealed three blocks at Chun Yeung Estate, which currently provided more than 1,500 quarantine units, could cease operation by the end of the month and be returned for residential use in late January. Additional reporting by Natalie Wong and Zoe Low This article Hong Kongs mass coronavirus testing cost taxpayers HK$530 million, leader labels scheme a success first appeared on South China Morning Post For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2020. Daewon Temple's dragon entrance / Courtesy of Dale Quarrington By Hallie Bradley It's said again and again, once you've seen one Korean temple, you've seen them all. Ask Dale Quarrington, though, and that's a mistake. "In a nebulous sense, yes, they all do look the same in their symmetry and outward appearance," began the foreign resident of Yangsan, South Gyeongsang Province. "But if you look closely, and you understand what you're looking at, a world of difference reveals itself." Quarrington is the owner and writer of KoreanTempleGuide.com and recently he released his third book on the subject titled "Korean Temples: The Weird and Wonderful" in which he hopes to dispel the notion that all Korean temples are the same. The red-and-green facades with Buddhist scenes and flowers painted from floor to rafter are what most people first notice when they approach a Korean temple. The colors that are consistent across temples make it seem as though they are one and the same until you come to a place like Daewon Temple in Pohang. "Daewon Temple has a 100-meter-long life-size dragon that winds its way from the lower to upper courtyard," Quarrington explained. "Dragons have multiple meanings in Korea, one of which is good luck. And you'll find dragons all throughout Korean Buddhist temples." Seonji Temple / Courtesy of Dale Quarrington He added, "Another meaning of a dragon is as a protector of the Buddhist teachings. And at Daewon Temple, you first have to go through the mouth of the dragon to enter into the main hall. So quite literally, the dharma's teachings are protected in the belly of the dragon." Originally from Tottenham, Canada, Dale came to Korea in the autumn of 2003, and since he first landed he's been drawn to the Buddhist temples he saw around him. "I have a personal interest in art, and my academic background is in history and religion. So, Korean Buddhist temples seem to be a great synergy of both my personal and academic interests," he shared. The cover of "Korean Temples: The Weird and Wonderful" by Dale Quarrington / Courtesy of Dale Quarrington The Government has been accused of leaving Dublin "in limbo" after announcing a new plan for living with Covid-19. Under the plan, the entire country will be listed at a level two out of five, meaning that life around Ireland will continue as it has been for much of the summer. However, there will be additional restrictions in Dublin, where Covid-19 cases have been rising dramatically in recent weeks. Several Cabinet sources suggested a move to level three is likely, either later this week or early next week, if the numbers remain high. Wet pubs - those not serving food - in Dublin are to remain closed and the number of visitors to a home will be limited under the new restrictions. In a bid to provide clarity to the country, the Cabinet approved its Living with Covid Plan following a two-and-a-half-hour meeting at Dublin Castle on Tuesday morning. Read More Cabinet no longer restricting movements as Health Minister tests negative for Covid-19 Ireland will have a new five-level Covid-19 restriction system with the country placed on level 2, and Dublin placed on a different level, but not level 3. It is tighter than level 2 but not quite level 3, said one source after a detailed discussion among ministers. Taoiseach Micheal Martin speaking in Dublin at the unveiling of the Irish Government's blueprint for living with Covid-19.The Cabinet signed off on the medium-term plan for living with coronavirus, which includes different levels of restrictions, ranging from one to five. Picture: Julien Behal At Cabinet, ministers agreed to the following measures in relation to Dublin based on recommendations of NPHET: No more than two households should meet at any given time. People should only have visitors from one other household to their home. People can continue to socialise in indoor or outdoor public venues, but only with people from their own household or one other household, and in groups of no more than six people; Pubs and bars (not serving food) in Dublin should not open on September 21; The exemption allowing a maximum of 200 patrons at certain outdoor venues with a minimum accredited capacity of 5,000 will not yet apply to venues in Dublin; Higher-level and further education institutions in Dublin should consider what enhanced protective measures are necessary to ensure safe recommencement of on-site activities; Those living in Dublin should be encouraged to limit travel outside Dublin if possible, and when outside the county, they should not meet with more than one other household. Government sources said despite reluctance from the Taoiseach and Tanaiste, the capital could be moved to a level three alert as early as next week. NPHET will meet on Thursday to discuss the situation. Read More Here's what the five levels of the Living With Covid plan mean for you Taoiseach Micheal Martin said the plan was needed because we are "not yet able to make Covid-19 a part of our past", as he aimed to make the future more certain. "But we have a lot more clarity about how we can get to that point." Mr Martin said the additional restrictions in Dublin are needed as the rise in cases in Dublin were "worrying". Mr Martin denied the plan for Dublin represented an extra level of alert, a "level two and a bit" despite Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald saying that the announcement had put the capital "in limbo". However, he said it was not fair to compare the regional lockdowns in the midlands with Dublin's situation, saying that NPHET had given advice based on a number of factors. He said the situation in the midlands was "very different" to that in Dublin. He said that moving to level three was a "very significant decision in terms of the impact on certain sectors in society and on the economy". Mr Martin denied the plan for Dublin represented an extra level of alert, a "level two and a bit" despite Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald saying that the announcement had put the capital "in limbo". Mr Martin said while he did not believe the different arrangements for Dublin would be seen across the country, it was up to NPHET to make recommendations. Asked about cocooners, the over 70's and most vulnerable, health minister Stephen Donnelly said those people were "more aware of what is needed than anyone else". He said all of the measures apply to all age groups, saying he believed that the government approach was "respectful". Asked about whether people should plan for a Christmas with family, Mr Martin said that the plan was slated to last for six to nine months. In relation to Christmas, this is a six-month plan. This is the plan that applies, we will see obviously how we progress over the next three months," he said. "I think if we all work collectively and together as a people we can get the numbers down and control the virus. And then well see what will happen in that scenario. But its a six-month plan. And we want to bring clarity over that six-month period more broadly speaking. So, we didnt discuss Christmas today, we discussed the preparation of this plan in terms over the six-month framework." For the New World Order, a world government is just the beginning. Once in place they can engage their plan to exterminate 80% of the world's population, while enabling the "elites" to live forever with the aid of advanced technology. For the first time, crusading filmmaker ALEX JONES reveals their secret plan for humanity's extermination: Operation ENDGAME. Jones chronicles the history of the global elite's bloody rise to power and reveals how they have funded dictators and financed the bloodiest warscreating order out of chaos to pave the way for the first true world empire. Watch as Jones and his team track the elusive Bilderberg Group to Ottawa and Istanbul to document their secret summits, allowing you to witness global kingpins setting the world's agenda and instigating World War III. to Ottawa and Istanbul to document their secret summits, allowing you to witness global kingpins setting the world's agenda and instigating World War III. Learn about the formation of the North America transportation control grid, which will end U.S. sovereignty forever. Discover how the practitioners of the pseudo-science eugenics have taken control of governments worldwide as a means to carry out depopulation. View the progress of the coming collapse of the United States and the formation of the North American Union. Never before has a documentary assembled all the pieces of the globalists' dark agenda. Endgame's compelling look at past atrocities committed by those attempting to steer the future delivers information that the controlling media has meticulously censored for over 60 years. It fully reveals the elite's program to dominate the earth and carry out the wicked plan in all of human history. Endgame is not conspiracy theory, it is documented fact in the elite's own words. Opposition parties, including the Congress, in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday demanded the restoration of Member of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS) fund, even as they supported the governments decision to cut salaries of MPs. Participating in a discussion on the Salary, Allowances and Pension of Members of Parliament (Amendment) Bill, 2020, in the Lower House, members of the Congress, TMC, BJD, NCP, TRS, TDP and other parties pitched for the restoration of the funds. Under the MPLADS, each MP gets Rs 5 crore every year to carry out development works in their constituencies. In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, the government had in April decided to suspend MPLADS funds for two years - 2020-21 and 2021-22. The money would be transferred into the governments consolidated fund. Making a strong case for restoration of MPLADS funds, Trinamool Congress leader Saugata Roy said salaries of the parliamentarians can be taken away, but the fund should be given back. He also stressed the government should cut down on bigger expenses. Echoing similar sentiments, BJD MP Pinaki Misra said the government should seriously reconsider its decision on MPLADS funds and urged that it should be restored. Supporting the Salary, Allowances and Pension of Members of Parliament (Amendment) Bill, NCP leader Supriya Sule said it is probably a drop in the ocean" in terms of salary cut and everyone wants to stand united in this regard. The estimated cost of the proposed development of the central vista is Rs 20,000 crore and you (Union government) are saving around Rs 10,000 crore from MPLADS for a building which we have not asked for," she said. Do you want a central vista and an office, or a ventilator and a good hospital in your constituency. It is not rocket science. I urge this government to come clean on this," the NCP MP said. YSR Congress member Midhun Reddy urged the government to rethink suspension of MPLADS funds, while Telangana Rashtra Samithi MP Nama Nageswara Rao called for restoration of the funds. The funds should not be taken away, stressed Telugu Desam Party member Jayadev Galla said. Leader of the Congress party in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said MPLAD fund should be restored. Everybody has called for restoration of the funds, so why not, we pass an unanimous resolution" in this regard, he proposed. Chowdhury said 93 per cent of the funds have been utilised by members and the bulk of it were spent on welfare activities for SCs, STs and villagers. While the government is giving tax relief to the corporates, it is cutting salaries of the MPs. This is being penny-wise and pound-foolish", he said, adding, I am appealing to the House that this fund should be restored. Other members who demanded for the same include AAP MP Bhagwant Mann, Independent MP from Maharashtra Navneet Ravi Rana, BSPs Ritesh Pandey and AIMIMs SI Jaleel. TMC MP Mahua Moitra said the government is doing a disservice by this decision, while Navneet Ravi Rana said the fund is very important for us" and the government should not take our rights". New Delhi: "Stray dogs have a right to live," was how the Supreme Court reacted sharply today when a submission was made that such canines should be completely destroyed across the country. A bench of Justices Dipak Misra and R Banumathi observed that though culling of stray dogs was permissible, there has to be a balance and a proper method for this. When one of the petitioners told the apex court that he wanted to "totally destroy" stray dogs across India, the bench said "nobody can destroy stray dogs in entirety. They also have a right to live". Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Pinky Anand concurred with the observations of apex court and said that stray dogs have a right to live and there has to be a balance. The apex court has been hearing a batch of petitions on issues relating to orders passed by various civic bodies on culling of stray dogs which have become a menace, especially in Kerala and Mumbai. During the hearing, the bench said in Kerala, there were issues of human concern but for this all stray dogs cannot be killed. "A person can die due to dog bite. It is an accident and for that, we cannot say kill all the stray dogs," it said. The bench was also informed that a panel headed by former Kerala High Court judge Sri Jagan had received around 400 matters related to dog bites and it was working on it. The panel was set up by the apex court to inquire into incidents in which people and even children killed stray dogs and these acts were supported by several vigilante groups in Kerala. "The panel has received around 400 applications out of which 24 have been settled. The committee is working on it," one of the counsel told the bench, which listed the matter for further hearing on March one. When an advocate told the court that people have died due to dog bites in Kerala and children were unable to go to school due to this menace, the bench said "just because there are some stray dogs in a field or a school, they cannot be killed". "They (stray dogs) have to be taken to shelter homes ....if there is no way out, they have to be culled and not killed. But there has to be a method for it," it said. To this, one of the petitioners said he would construct shelter homes for dogs in his area in Kerala but the apex court asked him to submit a concrete proposal and prepare a road map. During the hearing, another petitioner told the bench that vigilante groups in the state were still killing stray dogs despite apex court's direction in this regard. The bench said it would hear the matter on the next date of hearing. The Supreme Court had earlier restrained vigilante groups in Kerala from imparting training to children, distributing airguns to the people at subsidised rates to kill stray dogs and publicly propagate that there was a "war" against canines in the state. Kerala's counsel had told the bench the state government was making "immense efforts" to curtail the spread of stray dogs and trying to ensure that no canines attack humans. In an affidavit filed before the apex court, the Centre had said, "Involvement of various agencies/departments at the central and state level, more particularly at the state level, was required in proper and effective control and management of stray dogs as per ABC Rules implemented by the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI)." The court appointed panel, in its interim report, had said more than one lakh people in Kerala have been bitten by dogs in 2015-16 and warned that frequent stray dog attacks on children there had created a dangerous situation. Some NGOs and individual petitioners have moved the apex court against the decisions of some high courts, including the Bombay High Court and Kerala High Court, to allow municipal authorities to deal with the stray dogs menace as per the rules. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. ALL4 The addition of the Kentucky Region is our first step into the acquisition world consistent with our strategic objectives of expanding our geographic footprint, building additional air quality expertise, and building out our EHS multimedia capabilities. All4 LLC (ALL4) has completed its first acquisition with the purchase of Smith Management Group (SMG), a Kentucky-based, environmental consulting firm solving multimedia challenges for industry since 1989. SMG will be known as ALL4s Kentucky Region with operations in both Louisville and Lexington and will help expand and strengthen ALL4s technical environmental, health, and safety (EHS) multimedia support to industrial clients. The addition of ALL4s Kentucky Region is an investment for ALL4 consistent with its long-term goals of sustained growth and expansion of technical capabilities. Strategically, ALL4 is expanding its geographic footprint and attracting top technical talent that fit the ALL4 culture. Bill Straub, Chief Executive Officer of ALL4, said, The addition of the Kentucky Region is our first step into the acquisition world consistent with our strategic objectives of expanding our geographic footprint, building additional air quality expertise, and building out our EHS multimedia capabilities. Clay Whitney, SMGs President, said, I am delighted that SMG will be joining ALL4. This is a capstone to plans for expanding our capabilities and geographic reach that will more comprehensively serve our clients and provide expanded career opportunities for our talented people. ALL4 has a strong track record that complements ours and values the characteristics that have made us successful over the past 30 years. I look forward to seeing how this venture will successfully serve our clients and staff. The addition of the Kentucky Region brings ALL4 to a total of six (6) Regions and over 105 employees with a tremendous depth of EHS multimedia expertise to serve a diverse set of industries and clients. We continue to add air quality depth while intentionally growing into other media, noted ALL4 Chief Technical Officer Colin McCall. We are responding to the technical needs that our clients are seeking by adding talented professionals who are inspired to execute our vision of shaping environmental responsibility. About ALL4 ALL4 is an environmental consulting company, primarily assisting clients with complex air permitting, air dispersion modeling, continuous emissions monitoring, ambient pollutant and meteorological monitoring, and multimedia EHS compliance. ALL4's office locations include: Philadelphia, PA (headquarters); Atlanta, GA; Louisville/Lexington, KY, Raleigh, NC, Houston, TX; and Washington, DC. The company provides environmental consulting services to numerous heavily-regulated industries across the country, including pulp and paper, food and beverage, consumer products, cement, chemical/pharmaceutical, waste management, power, oil and gas, and automotive. ALL4 is a best in class company growing in personnel, culture, and environmental disciplines. For more information, visit http://www.all4inc.com and connect with ALL4 on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Suo-Moto statement by Dr. Harsh Vardhan, Minister for Health & Family Welfare on 14thseptember 2020 in Lok Sabha/Rajya Sabha regarding COVID pandemic and the steps taken by the Government of India India PIB Ministry of Health and Family Welfare Posted On: 14 SEP 2020 12:20PM by PIB Delhi The full text of the suo-moto statement by Dr. Harsh Vardhan, Minister for Health & Family Welfare today in Lok Sabha/Rajya Sabha regarding COVID pandemic and the steps taken by the Government of India is as follows: I have briefed this august house on two earlier occasions once in February and again in March this year on the Covid Pandemic. I would again like to brief the Hon'ble members on the current situation of Covid-19 Pandemic and the actions taken by the Government of India. 2. Since my last briefing, WHO declared COVID-19 a pandemic and asked all countries to take urgent and aggressive action against this public health crisis. 3. As on 11thSeptember, 2020, 215 countries/territories worldwide are affected. As per WHO, there are more than 2.79crore confirmed cases across the world with more than 9.05 lakh deaths, with a case fatality rate of 3.2%. 4. As on 11thSeptember, 2020, a total of 45,62,414 confirmed cases and 76,271 deaths (Case Fatality Rate 1.67%) have been reported in India. As many as 35,42,663 (77.65%) cases have recovered. The maximum cases and deaths have been primarily reported from Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, West Bengal, Bihar, Telangana, Odisha, Assam , Kerala & Gujarat. All these States have reported more than one lakh cases. With our endeavor to manage COVID-19 through a whole of government & whole of society approach, India has been able to limit its cases and deaths per million to 3,328 cases per million and 55 deaths per million population respectively , which is one of the lowest in the world as compared to similarly affected countries. 5. Many of the epidemiological parameters such as mode of transmission, subclinical infection, period of virus shedding, role of immunity etc. are still being researched. Once a person is exposed to the infection, the disease may develop anytime between 1-14 days. The main symptoms of Covid are fever, cough, and difficulty in breathing. In our country about 92% of the cases are reported to be having mild disease. In only about 5.8 % of cases where oxygen therapy is required and the disease may be severe enough to require intensive care in only1.7% cases. 6. The increasing magnitude of this outbreak in India called for a pre-emptive, pro-active, graded, whole-of-government, whole-of-society approach, built around a comprehensive strategy to prevent infections, save lives and minimize impact. 7. The Government of India undertook the COVID-19 challenge with the highest level of political commitment. The nationwide lockdown, a bold decision, undertaken by Government duly involving community, initiated as self-imposed Junta Curfew as per the call given by Hon'ble Prime Minister is testimony to the fact that India has collectively stood up to manage COVId-19 and successfully blunted the aggressive progression of COVID. It has been estimated that this decision prevented approximately 1429 lakh cases and 3778 thousand deaths. Further, these four months were utilized to create additional health infrastructure, enhance human resource and produce within India critical elements such as PPEs, N-95 masks and ventilators. A case in point is increase in dedicated isolation beds 36.3 times and dedicated ICU beds above 24.6 times to what existed in March 2020. Whereas there was no indigenous manufacturing of PPE, with the requisite standards, at that point in time, we are now self-sufficient and, in a position, to even export the same. On behalf of our countrymen, I take this opportunity to congratulate our Hon'ble Prime Minister, Sh. Narendra Modi, who personally continues to monitor the situation and provided his leadership. 8. Government of India has initiated a series of actions to prevent entry of the disease and to contain it. I am daily reviewing the situation. Hon'ble Prime Minister himself has interacted with the Chief Ministers of all States and UT administrations and all stakeholders to regularly understand issues and collaborate with the States for effective Covid management. Group of Ministers under my Chairmanship consisting of Minister of External Affairs, Minister of Civil Aviation and Minister of State for Home Affairs, Minister of State for Shipping and Minister of State for Health & Family Welfare have met 20 times since its inception on 3rdFebruary, 2020. Committee of Secretaries under Cabinet Secretary has taken regular reviews with all related Ministries of Health, Defence, Ministry of External Affairs, Civil Aviation, Home, Textiles, Pharma, Commerce and other officials including with State Chief Secretaries. Under the overall guidance of Hon'ble Prime Minister, Ministry of Home Affairs, Govt. of India has constituted 11 Empowered Groups on 29th March 2020 on different aspects of COVID-19 management in the country to take informed decisions on issues ranging from (i) medical emergency planning, (ii) availability of hospitals, isolation and quarantine facility, disease surveillance and testing, (iii) ensuring availability of essential medical equipment, (iv) augmenting human resource and capacity building, (v) supply chain and logistic management, (vi) coordination with private sector, (vii) economic and welfare measures, (viii) information, communications and public awareness, (ix) technology and data management, (x) public grievance and (xi) strategic issues related to lockdown. These groups have recently been restructured on 10th September based on the need and evolving scenario. My own Ministry is constantly reviewing the evolving scenario. Video conferences are being held with States regularly. We have held 63 video conferences so far with State Health Ministers, Health functionaries and district level officials. The Joint Monitoring Group (JMG) under the Chairmanship of DGHS which advises MoHFW on technical matters has met 40 times till now to assess the risk, review the preparedness & response mechanisms and finalize technical guidelines. 9. Government of India, based on its experience of successfully managing pandemics and epidemics in the past, provided the requisite strategy, plans and procedures to the State Governments and UT administrations. This includes containment plans and guidelines on a wide range of subjects related to travel, behavioral& psycho-social health, surveillance, laboratory support, hospital infrastructure, clinical management, rational use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) etc. including inspirational guidance for healthcare personnel. 10. Government of India has also taken several other measures to contain/suppress the transmission of Covid. First Travel Advisory was issued on 17thJanuary, 2020 and as situation evolved, the travel advisories were revised in a graded manner. Universal screening of passengers from all countries was introduced and up to 23rd March, 2020 (till suspension of all commercial flights), a total of 14,154 flights with 15,24,266 passengers were screened at the airports. In addition to airports, about 16.31 lakh persons were screened at land border crossings and about 86,379persons were screened at 12 major, 65 minor sea ports. 11. Presently Government of India has advised no scheduled international commercial passenger aircraft be allowed to take off from any foreign airport for any airport in India, from March 22, 2020 except under Vande Bharat Mission on May 7th 2020, which aims to bring home stranded Indians in many countries due to Covid-19 pandemic. Temporary air travel arrangements (Transport Bubbles) between India and 9 other mutually consenting countries aimed at restarting commercial passenger services have commenced. They are reciprocal in nature, meaning airlines from both countries enjoy similar benefits. A 'Guidelines for International arrivals' has also been issued by the Ministry on 24th May, 2020, which were revised on 2nd August, 2020. Prior to the lockdown 1.0, Government of India evacuated Indian nationals from Wuhan inChina, Diamond Princess Cruise Ship, Japan, Iran, Italy and Malaysia. Under Vande Bharat Mission, as reported on 11th September, 2020, a total of 12,69,172 passengers have been brought back to India. 12. Community surveillance was initiated initially for travel related cases and subsequently for cases being reported from community by Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP).As on 11thSeptember 2020, a total of about 40 lakh persons have been kept under surveillance and extensive contact tracing of all positive cases is regularly being undertaken through disease surveillance network so as to break the chain of transmission. Ministry of Health & Family Welfare released containment plans to contain cluster and large outbreaks on 2nd March and 4thApril, 2020 respectively and these plans were updated from time to time. The containment plans envisage a strategy of breaking the chain of transmission by (i) defining containment and buffer zones, (ii) applying strict perimeter control, (iii) intensive active house to house search for cases and contacts, (iv) isolation and testing of suspect cases and high risk contacts, (v) quarantine of high risk contacts, (vi) intensive risk communication to raise community awareness on simple preventive measures and need for prompt treatment seeking and (vii) strengthening of passive Influenza Like Illness (ILI)/ Severe Acute Respiratory Illness (SARI) surveillance in containment and buffer zones. 13. With the evolving scenario, laboratory network is continuously being strengthened. From a situation of a single laboratory equipped to undertake testing for Covid in January, presently 1705 laboratories are conducting COVID-19 Testing. Laboratories have been established in difficult terrains like Ladakh, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland as well as other North Eastern states, Lakshadweep and Andaman & Nicobar island. Currently the testing is about 1 million tests a day (which translates to 720 tests per million population per day), much higher than that stipulated by WHO which is 140 tests per million population per day. A total of 5,51,89,226samples have been tested so far as on 11thSeptember 2020.While there were no indigenous manufacturers of laboratory diagnostics or testing machines for Covid, today we have an indigenous production capacity of more than 10 lakh kits/day. 14. For appropriate management of COVID-19 cases, a three tier arrangement of health facilities [(i) COVID Care Center with isolation beds for mild or pre-symptomatic cases; (ii) Dedicated COVID Health Centre (DCHC) with oxygen supported isolation beds for moderate cases and (iii) Dedicated COVID Hospital (DCH) with ICU beds for severe cases] has been implemented. Tertiary care hospitals under ESIC, Defence, Railways, paramilitary forces, Steel Ministry etc. have been leveraged for case management. As on 12th September, 2020, a total of 15,284 COVID treatment facilities with 13,14,646 dedicated isolation bed without O2 have been created. Also, a total of 2,31,093 oxygen supported isolation beds and 62,717 ICU beds (including32,575 ventilator beds)have been created. Constant monitoring of the disease trend, analysis of available infrastructure and planning in advance for the future has averted a major crisis as was faced by many developed countries. In addition, a total of 12,826 quarantine centres with 5,98,811 beds have been created. 15. Guidelines on Clinical management of COVID-19 were issued and regularly updated &widely circulated. These include case definition, prevention of infection control, laboratory diagnosis, early supporting therapy, management of severe cases and complications. No specific antivirals have been proven effective so far. Symptomatic treatment for fever and cough, appropriate rehydration, supplemental oxygen therapy remains the mainstay of treatment. We have re-purposed the drug Hydroxychloroquine for mild (but high-risk cases) and for moderate cases. This was done with limited scientific evidence but well acknowledging that this drug has been used widely in India for other ailments where it is used for prolonged periods of time, with good safety profile. In addition, provisions for investigational therapies has also been made for using Remdesivir, Convalescent plasma and Tocilizumab for managing severe cases under close medical supervision. With the intent to ensure dissemination of these standard treatment protocols and reduce mortality to maximum extent, a number of initiatives have been launched. An AIIMS Corona helpline 9971876591 has been started to guide the doctors on medical management. AIIMS Delhi is running the COVID-19 National Tele-consultation Centre (CoNTeC) which can be reached by calling +91-9115444155. It is catering to doctors, from anywhere in the country, who want to consult AIIMS faculty for the management of COVID-19 patients, as well as to the public in general. Telemedicine guidelines have been issued on 25.03.2020 to provide tele-consultation to patients for mitigation of their illness and prevention of crowding in clinics. It may also help in triage, treatment and counseling for care of ill patients by healthcare providers in areas with limited access. A clinical Center of Excellence (CoE) initiative has also been launched by Ministry of Health & FW with AIIMS, Delhi as apex nodal institution and State level CoEs to provide guidance on clinical management protocols. Weekly webinars are being organized by AIIMS to guide these State level CoEs on crucial clinical issues that doctors may require guidance on managing Covid cases. These State level CoEs are expected to further disseminate these in their districts. To ensure accessibility of quality treatment for both Covid and non-Covid health issues, to far flung areas, use of telemedicine has been promoted in a big way. 'eSanjeevani', a web-based comprehensive telemedicine solution is being utilized (in23states) to extend the reach of specialized healthcare services to masses in both rural areas and isolated communities. ICMR is establishing a National Clinical Registry on COVID that will provide insights into clinical course of COVID-19 disease, its spectrum and outcome of patients. 16. Thirteen clinical trials of repurposed drugs and harnessing of traditional knowledge using the modern medicine approach are building a portfolio of therapeutic options for Covid-19 patients. Phase 2 clinical trial of immunomodulator Sepsivac has been completed successfully. Phase 2 clinical trial of the first-ever phytopharmaceutical ACQH is underway. One prophylactic trial of Aswagandha and three trials of Guduchi + Pippali; Yashtimadhu; and polyherbal AYUSH drug (AYUSH-64) are planned on moderately ill Covid19 patients. An effective vaccine would be the sure shot tool in armamentarium against this disease. On this front, globally, there are around 145 candidate vaccines in preclinical evaluation and currently 35 vaccines in clinical trial. In India, a major focus has been on facilitating the development of COVID19 vaccine. More than 30 vaccine candidates have been supported which are in different stages of development, 3 candidates are in advanced stage of Phase I/II/III trials and more than 4 are in advanced pre-clinical development stage. COVID19 Biorepositories have been setup, which have collected more than 40,000 samples which have been made available to researchers and industry for developing diagnostics, therapeutics and vaccines. To coordinate procurement and distribution of Covid vaccine, Government of India has constituted a National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for COVID-19 on 7th August, 2020, under the Chairmanship of Member (Health), NITI Aayog. 17. Ministry of AYUSH has contributed through various measures for the management and mitigation of Covid-19. The Ministry recommended guidelines of self-care for preventive health measures and boosting immunity. Ministry of AYUSH has also issued health advisories from different systems of medicine on prophylaxis and immunity promotion which was translated into eight foreign languages and circulated to Indian Embassies. Various AYUSH Hospitals were designated as quarantine centres, isolation centres, Covid Care Centres and Covid Health Centres. Around 8.5 lakh Ayush healthcare professionals have been registered on covidwarriors.gov.in. Ministry of AYUSH has formed an "Inter-disciplinary AYUSH R&D Task Force". The Task Force has formulated and designed clinical research protocols for AYUSH prophylactic studies and add-on interventions in COVID-19 positive cases. AYUSH-CSIR collaborative studies were initiated with AYUSH medicines for prophylaxis/treatment. A large scale population-based study through AYUSH Research Councils and National Institutes under the Ministry on prophylaxis of AYUSH interventions in targeted populations in containment zones is underway. Ministry of AYUSH has also initiated impact assessment of effectiveness, acceptance and usage of AYUSH advisories & measures in prevention of COVID 19 through a mobile application app known as AYUSH-Sanjivani app. 18. States have been requested to assess the stock of their logistic, particularly Personal Protective Equipment and procure the same. Total orders for 1.92 crore PPEs have been placed by the Central Government so far. The Ministry has already supplied 1.39 Crore PPE Kits and 3.43 crore N95 masks to States (as on 11thSeptember, 2020). Department of Pharmaceuticals increased the production of drug hydroxychloroquine manifold. As on 11thSeptember, 2020, MoHFW has issued 10.84 crore tablets of Hydroxychloroquine to States/UTs. India has also exported it to more than 140 countries. The Central Government has already issued orders to purchase 60,948 ventilators to meet any contingencies. As on 11th September 2020, 32,109 ventilators have been allocated to States of which 30,170 have been delivered. The country is self-sufficient in oxygen and oxygen cylinders. Ministry of Health &Family Welfare has procured & supplied 1,02,400 oxygen cylinders to various States/UTs so far. In addition, oxygen concentrators are also being supplied to States. 19. One of the major challenges was to identify and train a large number of Covid warriors across sectors and departments that can be involved in not only COVID related work but also for ensuring maintenance of other essential medical services. Pooling manpower resources has been done from Defence, AYUSH, NCC, NSS, NYK, public sector enterprises, and private sector. In spite of various constraints and challenges, the Covid warriors rose to the occasion in serving humanity. The country feels indebted to the doctors, nurses, paramedics, frontline field workers, security and police personnel, sanitary workers, volunteers and journalists who have worked tirelessly to protect our countrymen from Covid. I would request the August House to place on record the appreciation for the yeoman services delivered by them. There had been instances where healthcare service personnel had to face harassment, acts of violence, intimidation and danger to life during discharge of their duties. To overcome this and support their efforts, Government of India promulgated Epidemic Diseases (Amendment) Ordinance, 2020 on 22ndApril 2020. To build the capacities of human resources including the medical manpower who help managing patients in hospitals; as well as non-medical personnel and field workers involved in surveillance, logistics etc., modules have been made available on iGOT - Diksha (online platform) by DOPT (https://igot.gov.in/igot/). The training modules have been translated to regional languages. Close to 29.15 lakh people have registered for various courses. This includes 5,699 doctors, 86,018 Ayush Professionals, 4,102 Nurses, 963 Allied Health Professionals, 5,881 frontline workers, 2,70,736 volunteers and 25,42,892 other participants. About 18.96 lakh course completions have taken place on iGOT Diksha platform. Training Resources for medical and non-medical personnel have also been made available on the website of Ministry of Health & Family Welfare. We have now moved from 'managing travel related cases' to containing clusters and large outbreaks due to local transmission to wide spread of infection to urban, peri-urban and rural areas. This would require concerted effort by the Government with people's participation to prevent large scale morbidity and mortality. Equally crucial is to maintain the success achieved in management of reproductive maternal and child health, vaccine preventable diseases, non-communicable diseases, tuberculosis, vector borne diseases such as Kala Azar and Malaria. Hence there is an increased thrust for managing non-Covid essential services. 20. MoHFW website is being updated daily to provide general public with information on current status of COVID-19 spread in India. Regular press releases are being issued and press briefings are being held. Communication material and toolkits have been developed (pamphlets, poster, audio and AV films) and provided to the States/UTs on COVID-19 disease, preventive steps required to be taken by the communities, handling of myths and stigma related to disease and to widely publicize the helpline numbers available. Communication material is also being hosted on MoHFW website and through social media. Dos and Don'ts are being widely circulated through SMS (550 crore SMSs have been sent). Caller-tune messages are being sent to telecom subscribers in 13 languages and 117 crore subscribers have been reached. A dedicated call center / helpline (1075) had been started in the initial days to guide community at large which is being used by the citizens very effectively and on a regular basis. A total of 41.04 lakh calls have been received so far. 21. Department of Bio Technology, Department of Science and Technology, CSIR and Department of Health Research covered the entire chain of scientific and technological solutions holistically for COVID-19 through academia, R&D labs, industry, startups and NGOs. These solutions include basic scientific studies on the behavior, transmission and effects of virus, mathematical modeling of the pandemic, and products such as the world class ventilators, diagnostic kits, vaccines, therapeutics, antiviral coatings, disinfectants, PPEs, masks, mobile testing booths and hospitals, artificial intelligence based tools, and information dissemination to masses. For these purposes, a comprehensive mapping of our entire startup ecosystem was done to identify and support over 110 technology startups and over 20 industries for commercial production. Over 150 projects in all areas of virus behavior have been initiated. 22. Government of India is regularly coordinating with WHO headquarters, regional office and country office to get updates on evolving scenario. Government of India has also provided support to other countries in tackling the challenge posed by the Covid. India has played a major role in shaping up G20 and BRICS response to Covid. India is also extending support wherever required to neighboring SAARC countries. 23. The Government is proactively identifying gaps and building an Atmanirbhar Bharat that will be able to take challenges of similar pandemics, epidemics and disasters in future. An Expenditure Finance Memorandum of Rs. 65,560.98 Crores under Prime Minister Atmanirbhar Swasth Bharat Yojana for strengthening is under consideration. This includes investment in research, healthcare and public health infrastructure with particular focus on pandemic management. 24. I would urge all Hon'ble members of Parliament that battle for Covid is still far from over. On one hand, when we are in stage of Unlock so as to revive economy, and have a balanced approach, it is important that sustained community support is ensured consistently to control the spread of Covid infection & break its chain of transmission. Your support is crucial to create awareness in your respective constituencies for Covid Appropriate Behaviour. The simple public health measures of wearing of mask/face covers, frequent hand washing, respiratory etiquettes, and physical distancing "2-gaj kidoori" as a social vaccine, if practiced in a responsible manner, will help us control/suppress the transmission of Covid. 25. I wish to inform this house that the Government is taking all necessary measures to prevent spread of the COVID in India. **** MV HFW/COVID HFM Statement/14September/2 (Release ID: 1653947) NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Not that I doubt Ray or Jason, but that Frosty announcement was .... what, a month or 2 ago. It wasn't immediate. I suppose Ray wanted to make sure that WB would pull shit before speaking up. Reply Thread Link wait, the fact that the whole "frosty" movie announcement was fake..... WB really ain't shit. Reply Thread Link I shouldn't even be surprised that WB would pull this kind of shit, but god, I'm disgusted. I'm glad Ray has Jason's support though and hope the rest follow through, ugh. Reply Thread Link they better follow through and not leave these guys out to dry. Reply Parent Thread Link Yup, same here. Really hoping they don't fuck them over. Reply Parent Thread Link i'm not ready for all the snowman sex jokes tbh. but it's v obvs that jason wrote that tweet lol. glad ray has his support. considering Gal has so much clout w/ them bc WW is so successful, I hope her ass speaks in defense of him, even if just to say she believes and supports him. Reply Thread Link yes! I will be very disappointed in Gal if she doesn't show some support publicly Reply Parent Thread Link Whoa @ the Frosty thing. That is so weird of them to do ugh. And I remember the announcement post here lol. Reply Thread Link It's wickedly ingenious. It's a low-key offer of easy money, if he plays along it helps invalidate Ray's claims. Then they can choose if he actually even gets the part. Reply Parent Thread Link I'm so confused about this Frosty thing. Is the movie fake? or just that those 2 producers are working on it fake? Reply Thread Link i think it means jason voicing the character is fake Reply Parent Thread Link oh ok, thanks. WB is a mess. Reply Parent Thread Link Jason working on it is fake. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Love how Jason is standing by Ray Now where is the rest of the JL cast support Reply Thread Link I was taken aback by that username. Reply Thread Link Same. Its 2020 and no one on his team has thought to change it? Reply Parent Thread Link I was thinking that too Reply Parent Thread Link Wait, I'm sorry. The entire Frosty thing was fake, or WB offered Jason that ~sweet, sweet role in exchange for shutting up about JL drama and he said no? Seriously, Frosty the Snowman?? Am I having a stroke rn? JUST TELL US WHAT HAPPENED ON THAT SET MY GOD Reply Thread Link Wow. At this point I'd be surprised if we got any more Aquaman films, especially with Amber Heard being in the headlines too. Reply Thread Link i'm pretty sure aquaman is their highest grossing film out of that universe, so they'd be dumb to cancel it Reply Parent Thread Link I think at this point in his career Jason would totally walk. But lmao they are probably aware of that! If we get a sequel, he would have way more say and probably a producer credit. Reply Parent Thread Link They did Pasha dirty. Reply Thread Link interesting to see how miss gal is very mute about this right now! Reply Thread Link Can't see Ben, Ezra or Henry commenting either. And as white guys they have far less to lose. Edited at 2020-09-15 03:35 am (UTC) Reply Parent Thread Link Ezra has too much to lose Ben always stays quiet (look at the HW situation, he knew.he just told him to stop) Gal is probably under NDA (given what whedon did to her) Henry is not concerned Reply Parent Thread Expand Link That is just....... such a weird ploy to get people to ignore Ray. It almost makes me think they were trying to pit them against each other, for some reason. I'm glad Jason is sticking by him, though. I also expect the others to start sticking up for Ray soon, they always seemed like a tight-knit cast. Reply Thread Link An Australian makeup artist has warned against getting lip fillers at 'random a**e places' after the injections she had been getting for five years migrated up to her nose, and she was forced to have them dissolved. Shani Grimmond, 23, shared a video on her YouTube channel detailing the process of getting filler removed from your face, saying she was 'excited and nervous' about her visit to a reputable clinic. 'I've been looking for a good place to dissolve my lips for a year and I finally found it,' she said, mentioning Angel Aesthetics Clinic in Brisbane, Queensland. Scroll down for video Shani Grimmond, 23, shared a video on her YouTube channel detailing the process of getting filler removed from your face, saying she was 'excited and nervous' about her clinic visit (pictured before getting them dissolved) 'I've been looking for a good place to dissolve my lips for a year and I finally found a place,' she said, shouting out Angel Aesthetics Clinic on Queensland's Gold Coast (pictured left at 18 and right at 23) The popular beauty blogger said she first dabbled with cosmetic injectables at age 18 and has a total of 6mL of filler in her lips, which has been inserted by six different beauty salons. While she was happy with the results for many years, more recently she started noticing that it 'looked like she had a mouth guard in' because her top lip was protruding. 'So we've got filler in my lips that hasn't dissolved naturally and instead has migrated above my lip. It's really quite scary to be honest,' she said. The popular beauty blogger said she first dabbled with cosmetic injectables at 18 and has a total of 6mls of filler in her lips, which has been inserted by six different beauty salons (pictured getting her lips dissolved) Shani wanted to 'start again' and decided to get all of the filler removed, a process which involves numbing the lips before injecting hyaluronidase into them (pictured left after getting them dissolved and right four days later) Shani wanted to 'start again' and decided to get all of the filler removed, a process which involves numbing the lips before injecting hyaluronidase into them. Hyaluronidase is a dissolving agent which helps the body breakdown the filler itself. The needles can leave the patient swollen and with significant bruising so Shani was prepared for two weeks spent at home recovering. She documented the experience by sharing footage of her lips immediately after the treatment, a week later - when she had to get more hyaluronidase injected into her puffy top lip - and almost three weeks on, when she looked like an '18-year-old version of herself'. 'I am so relieved that it's done. This is the lesson I have had to learn. Going to random places and I don't know what they're putting in there... this is what happens,' she said. 'I am so relieved that it's done. This is the lesson I have had to learn. Going to random places and I don't know what they're putting in there... this is what happens,' she said (pictured before her lips were dissolved) Although her lips have now returned to their previous state (pictured), Shani is hoping to get them refilled slightly to achieve a natural result Although her lips have now returned to their previous state, Shani is hoping to get them refilled slightly to achieve a natural result. The maximum amount she will get put back in is 2mls. Many of her loyal followers were pleased to see Shani's lip reduction and said it made the youthful brunette look even younger. 'You look so much younger without the filler, the natural lips look so nice,' one woman said. 'You look so much younger without the filler, the natural lips look so nice,' one woman said 'It's actually comforting to see all of these influencers getting their filler dissolved and being aware of the migration and promoting a more natural look,' said another. A third added: 'I totally understand you like yourself more with bigger lips, but girl, I actually love your natural lips SO MUCH I think it honestly makes you look younger and suits you better'. She will be uploading a separate video showcasing her new, slightly plumper lips. Vicky Phelan has appealed to politicians to allow her and others to die with dignity. The cervical cancer campaigner, who is terminally ill, backed an assisted dying bill to be introduced in the Dail today. Her message to politicians, she said, was: "Allow us to die a peaceful death with dignity. "Palliative does not always work. I have seen people in recent years with a certain amount of suffering that no pain management can get on top of. "I don't want my children to see me like that. All I am asking for is a choice." Labour Party leader Alan Kelly said his party supported the bill, with Solidarity/PBP behind it, along with Independents, as campaigners called for a free vote among political parties. Failed They pointed out that recent opinion polls had shown up to 85pc of people in Ireland are in favour of an assisted dying law. Tom Curran, partner of the late Marie Farrell, who took an unsuccessful right-to-die case in 2013, said a previous bill that he had written several years ago with the help of four barristers had failed to progress. Gesturing towards Leinster House, he said that while the High Court had said the Oireachtas had the power to legislate, "there was not the interest or the courage from in there to do anything about it". The previous bill was introduced by former junior minister for science John Halligan, and Gino Kenny TD said his bill was virtually identical, containing all necessary safeguards. Gail O'Rourke, who stood trial and was acquitted of helping her friend Bernadette Forde to die, said there was no "slippery slope" evident in other countries that had introduced such legislation. "This is not mandatory, it is just a choice," she said. She said divorce and abortion had been introduced in Ireland and the legislation was about extending freedom of conscience to citizens. Mr Kenny said while people would object on various grounds, the issue was essentially about empathy and compassion. His bill would grant the right to die to the over-18s only, unlike in the Netherlands, where the legislation allows children assert their right to die and on grounds that include depression. Vicky Phelan said she had suffered from depression, had sought help and come through it, and a schedule of illnesses could be specified under the law, if passed. "I remember watching Marie Fleming's case, when she couldn't make that choice, and being horrified at what that woman had to endure," Ms Phelan said. High-Priority Targets Include Zona Basal, Faina, Pilarzinho and Corrego Brandao TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / September 15, 2020 / Jaguar Mining Inc. ("Jaguar" or the "Company") (TSX:JAG) is pleased to announce the commencement of near-mine surface diamond drilling for high-priority exploration targets located in and around the Turmalina Gold Mine ("Turmalina"), the Pilar Gold Mine ("Pilar") and the Caete processing facility all located in Minas Gerais, Brazil. The high priority targets include Zona Basal, Faina, Pilarzinho and Corrego Brandao. Drill Target Highlights At the Corrego Brandao Exploration Target, located near Jaguar's Caete Plant, soil sampling, geological mapping and a recently completed high resolution drone magnetics survey have all significantly extended the area of interest for drill targeting. A gold in soil anomaly (>100ppb Au) has now been defined in an area that includes a greater than 5km strike length. In 2019, an intersection of 21.32 g/t Au over 12.8m (including 60.08 g/t over 3.0m) was reported from reconnaissance phase auger drilling (see press release June 4, 2019). Drilling is expected to commence in Q4-2020 or early 2021 once permitting has been received. The Zona Basal Target, located near Turmalina, commenced an initial 10-hole (1,200m) reconnaissance diamond drilling program in early September 2020. Drilling is currently focused on structurally controlled, bed-rock mineralized sources reported from trench sampling within an extensive 3km x 0.5km (plus pathfinder elements Arsenic and Antimony) gold in soil anomaly (>100 ppb Au) coincident with geophysical (magnetics) anomalies. At the Faina Deposit, also located near Turmalina, four large-diameter (PQ) diamond drill-holes were completed during August 2020 (547.10m) in order to provide representative samples of mineralized material for new metallurgical test work benefiting from modern advancements in extractive metallurgy subsequent to work completed at Faina prior to 2005. Historically, this resource was considered to have refractory characteristics resulting in low metallurgical recoveries. Faina currently has a NI 43-101 compliant Resource (M+I+I) of 418koz at a weighted average grade of 7.21 g/t Au. (Turmalina Technical Report dated April 20th, 2020). At the Pilarzinho Project, located 1.5km along strike to the south-west of the Pilar Mine, a diamond drill rig has been mobilized to complete a series of surface diamond holes targeting sheared Banded Iron Formation ("BIF") related mineralization, previously intersected in trenches and old workings. The targeted mineralization is associated with the south-western limb of the same regional fold structure which hosts the mineralization currently being mined at the Pilar Mine. Vern Baker, CEO, Jaguar Mining commented: "This is a very exciting time for Jaguar, we are not only building a sustainable production base in our mines, but we are now funding significant exploration efforts in and around our producing mines. The exploration team has done an outstanding job over the last several years with very little investment as we have continued to replace and replenish our resource base and reserves at our mines. Now the team is ready to take on a strategic, expanded regional exploration program, targeting new resources that will utilize our current infrastructure and capacity, leading to production growth for the company and strengthening of the exploration team. We now have a significant queue of quality targets beyond our current programs and we look forward to moving ahead on the exploration properties in the recently announced Iron Quadrangle Agreement with Iamgold. We are confident that our exploration portfolio will be a key value driver for our shareholders and stakeholders as we move forward." Jon Hill, Vice President, Geology and Exploration, Jaguar Mining commented: "Growth exploration continues to be one of the major value drivers for the company, as the exploration team is now focused on high-quality exploration targets within Jaguar's extensive Iron Quadrangle portfolio. The time and effort expended by the team over the past two years on systematic, on-the-ground exploration has greatly enhanced the effectiveness of integration and interpretation of geological mapping, structural and geochemical data. Coupled with the recent, high-resolution drone magnetics data and specialist geophysical processing and interpretation, it is clear that Jaguar is committed to increasing its exploration investment going forward and is adding capacity and resources to support these enhanced, drill based, exploration programs. Corrego Brandao Target-Caete Plant The Corrego Brandao Exploration Target located near Jaguar's Caete plant facility was generated by soil sampling over a regional conceptual target identified in late 2018. Anomalous gold in soil sampling results (> 100ppb Au) over a strike length of some 400m were followed up in Q1-2019 with geological mapping, trenching and shallow auger drilling with very encouraging initial results. In 2019, an intersection of 21.32 g/t Au over 12.8m (including 60.08 g/t over 3.0m) was reported from reconnaissance phase auger drilling at this target (see press release June 4, 2019). In late 2019 and 2020, additional on-strike soil sampling, geological mapping along with a recently completed high resolution (50m line spacing) drone magnetics survey has significantly extended the area of interest for drill targeting. The gold in soil anomaly (>100ppb Au) has now been defined in an area that includes a greater than 5km strike length and is believed to be importantly coincident with the highly anomalous pathfinder elements arsenic, antimony and tellurium. The anomaly is closely associated with a mafic lithological signature, evident in the radiometrics images and spatially associated with regional scale folding and thrust faulting. Processing, interpretation and inversion modelling of high resolution (50m spaced) drone magnetics flown in Q2-2020 has defined a series of distinct targets for drill testing along the trend of the host structure. The permitting process for drilling the Corrego Brandao Exploration Target and related priority targets is in progress and it is expected that drilling will commence in Q4-2020 or early 2021. Figure 1 (A-F), Corrego Brandao Project Images showing Gold in Soil (A Top Left), Arsenic in Soil (B Top Right), Antimony in Soil (C Middle Left), Tellurium in soil (D Middle Right), Radiometrics Ternary Image (U-Th-K) (E Bottom Left) and Geological - Structural Interpretation (F Bottom Right). Figure 2 Corrego Brandao Project Magnetic Image showing initial targets generated from preliminary Inversion modeling. Zonal Basal Target -Turmalina Mine Mineralized zones defined in trenching are associated with sericite-chlorite-silica altered BIF, Metasedimentary and Metavolcanic rocks and quartz veining. The best trench results reported in 2019 (see press-release dated June 4, 2019) were 1.28 g/t Au over 17.61m including 3.1 g/t Au over 4.05m and 18.60 g/t Au over 1.44m. A high resolution drone magnetics survey at 50m line spacing was completed over the Turmalina Mine and Exploration Licenses in Q1-2020. This survey has generated a series of high-quality targets for follow-up exploration including priority targets coincident with the strong soil anomalism and trench-results at the Zona Basal Project. The magnetics data has defined an area, which both covers and extends the Zona Basal target, and displays distinct similarities to the geophysical signature over known surface expressions of mineralization currently being mined at Turmalina. Importantly these targets extend under recent cover soil where soil geochemistry is ineffective for detecting bedrock mineralization sources. Several drill holes in the initial reconnaissance program are targeting these covered areas. (Please see figures 3 and 4 for the location of the Zonal Basal target). Figure 3 - Reduced to Pole (RTP) Magnetics Image showing the relative location of the Zona Basal Targets relative to known mineralized occurrences at Turmalina and Au in Soil anomalism > 100ppb Au. Figure 4 - Geological Map (left image) and surface geochemistry with trenching results at the Zona Basal Targets relative. Au in soil anomalism is presented at > 100ppb Au. Faina Deposit -Turmalina Mine The shallow oxide portion of the Faina Deposit was previously mined by Jaguar via an open pit, however due to the refractory nature of the sulphide mineralization, it was never exploited. Metallurgical Testwork completed prior to 2005 reported low recoveries of approximately 50% via the conventional processing currently applied to the free-milling material from the Turmalina mine. Advances in metallurgical processes for extraction of gold from refractory ores like Faina, along with excess crushing and milling capacity at the Turmalina Plant and current favourable economic conditions have justified an investment in reviewing the feasibility of the Faina Deposit, including a full review of new metallurgical test-work. To obtain representative samples for this testwork, four large diameter (PQ) diamond drill holes were completed during August 2020 with a total combined meterage of 547.10m. The holes targeted and intersected representative sulphide mineralization. Sampling of this core is in process after which some 200kgs will be submitted to the laboratory for test-work. Please see figures 5, 6 and 7 for the location of the Metallurgical drill holes and a cross-sectional view through the Faina Resource Model. Figure 5 - Location of Large Diameter Diamond (PQ) Drill Holes completed at the Faina Deposit for Metallurgical Testwork Samples. Figure 6 - Figure showing Faina Resource Model and Oz per vertical meter profile. Figure 7 Cross - section through the Faina Deposit showing a high grade intersection open at depth (10.2 g/t Au over 9.7m* (*drilled width - true width unknown)). Pilarzinho Project - Pilar Mine At Pilarzinho, a project located 1.5km along strike to the south-west of the Pilar Mine, a total of 12 reconnaissance phase surface diamond holes (1,400m) have been planned to target sheared BIF related mineralization intersected in trenches and within extensive old workings present in the area. Drilling is expected to commence in September 2020. The targeted mineralization is associated with the south-western limb of the same regional fold structure which hosts the mineralization currently being mined nearby at the Pilar Mine. (Please see figure 8). The best result from surface trenching reported on April 21st 2020 (Jaguar AIF), was 2.67 g/t Au over 8.56m (including 9.46 g/t Au over 2m). Figure 8 Analytical Signal (AS) Magnetics image showing location of Pilarzinho Project (left image) and Geological setting relative to the Pilar Mine structure (right image). Qualified Person Scientific and technical information contained in this press release has been reviewed and approved by Jonathan Victor Hill, BSc (Hons) (Economic Geology - UCT), FAUSIMM, Vice President Geology and Exploration who is an employee of Jaguar Mining Inc., and is a "qualified person" as defined by National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101"). Quality Control Jaguar continues to use a quality-control program that includes insertion of blanks and commercial standards in order to ensure best practice in sampling and analysis. HQ, NQ, and BQ size drill core is sawn in half with a diamond saw. Samples are selected for analysis in standard intervals according to geological characteristics such as lithology and hydrothermal alteration. All diamond drill hole collars are accurately surveyed using a Total Station instrument and down-hole deviations are surveyed using non-magnetic equipment (SPT Stockholm Precision Tools with GyroMaster Solid State North Seeker) and a Reflex Gyrosmart 642. Mean grades are calculated using a variable lower grade cut-off (generally 0.5g/t Au). No upper gold grade cut has been applied to the data. Half of the sawed sample is forwarded to the analytical laboratory for analysis while the remaining half of the core is stored in a secure location. Auger, trench and drill core samples from exploration drillholes, auger holes and trenches are transported in securely sealed bags and sent for physical preparation to the independent ALS Brazil (subsidiary of ALS Global) laboratory located in Vespasiano, Minas Gerais, Brazil. The analysis is conducted at ALS Global's respective facilities (fire assay are conducted by ALS Global in Lima, Peru, and multi-elementary analysis are conducted by ALS Global in Vancouver, Canada). ALS has accreditation in a global management system that meets all requirements of international standards ISO/IEC 17025:2005 and ISO 9001:2015. All major ALS geochemistry analytical laboratories are accredited to ISO/IEC 17025:2005 for specific analytical procedures. The drilling results presented on this news release are from drill holes completed by Jaguar Mining Inc's own drilling machines. The infill samples are transported for physical preparation and analysis in securely sealed bags to the Jaguar in-house laboratory located at the Roca Grande Mine, Caete, Minas Gerais. 10 - 15% of samples are submitted to ALS for check assay analysis. Please refer to Appendices 2 and 3 for check-assay results. For a complete description of Jaguar's sample preparation, analytical methods and QA/QC procedures, please refer to the "Technical Report on the Roca Grande and Pilar Operations, Minas Gerais State, Brazil", a copy of which is available on the Company's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com. The Iron Quadrangle The Iron Quadrangle has been an area of mineral exploration dating back to the 16th century. The discovery in 1699-1701 of gold contaminated with iron and platinum-group metals in the southeastern corner of the Iron Quadrangle gave rise to the name of the town Ouro Preto (Black Gold). The Iron Quadrangle contains world-class multi-million-ounce gold deposits such as Morro Velho, Cuiaba, and Sao Bento. Jaguar holds the second largest gold land position of a gold producer in the Iron Quadrangle with just over 25,000 hectares. About Jaguar Mining Inc. Jaguar Mining Inc. is a Canadian-listed junior gold mining, development, and exploration company operating in Brazil with three gold mining complexes and a large land package with significant upside exploration potential from mineral claims covering an area of approximately 64,000 hectares. The Company's principal operating assets are located in the Iron Quadrangle, a prolific greenstone belt in the state of Minas Gerais and include the Turmalina Gold Mine Complex and Caete Mining Complex (Pilar and Roca Grande Mines, and Caete Plant). The Company also owns the Paciencia Gold Mine Complex, which has been on care and maintenance since 2012. The Roca Grande Mine has been on temporary care and maintenance since April 2018. Additional information is available on the Company's website at www.jaguarmining.com. For further information, please contact: Vern Baker President and Chief Executive Officer Jaguar Mining Inc. Vern.baker@jaguarmining.com 416-847-1854 Hashim Ahmed Chief Financial Officer Jaguar Mining Inc. hashim.ahmed@jaguarmining.com 416-847-1854 Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements in this news release constitute "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking statements and information are provided for the purpose of providing information about management's expectations and plans relating to the future. All of the forward-looking information set forth in this news release is qualified by the cautionary statements below and those made in our other filings with the securities regulators in Canada. Forward-looking information contained in forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "are expected", "is forecast", "is targeted," "approximately," "plans," "anticipates," "projects," "continue," "estimate," "believe," or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may," "could," "would," "might," or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, may be considered to be or include forward-looking information. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release and the dates of technical reports, as applicable. This news release contains forward-looking information regarding potential and, among other things, expected future mineral resources, potential mineral production opportunities, geological and mineral exploration statistics, ore grades, current and expected future assay results, and definition/delineation/exploration drilling at the Pilar Gold Mine and the Turmalina Gold Mine in Brazil, as well as forward-looking information regarding costs of production, capital expenditures, costs and timing of the development of projects and new deposits, success of exploration, development and mining activities, capital requirements, project studies, mine life extensions, and continuous improvement initiatives. The Company has made numerous assumptions with respect to forward-looking information contained herein, including, among other things, assumptions about the estimated timeline and for the development of the drill program at the Pilar Gold Mine (and its expanded exploration footprint) and the Turmalina Gold Mine; its mineral properties; the supply and demand for, and the level and volatility of the price of, gold; the accuracy of reserve and resource estimates and the assumptions on which the reserve and resource estimates are based; the receipt of necessary permits; market competition; ongoing relations with employees and impacted communities; and political and legal developments in any jurisdiction in which the Company operates being consistent with its current expectations including, without limitation, the impact of any potential power rationing, tailings facility regulation, exploration and mine operating licenses and permits being obtained and renewed and/or there being adverse amendments to mining or other laws in Brazil and any changes to general business and economic conditions. Forward-looking information involves a number of known and unknown risks and uncertainties, including among others: the risk of Jaguar not meeting its plans regarding its operations and financial performance; uncertainties with respect to the price of gold, labor disruptions, mechanical failures, increase in costs, environmental compliance and change in environmental legislation and regulation, weather delays and increased costs or production delays due to natural disasters, power disruptions, procurement and delivery of parts and supplies to the operations; uncertainties inherent to capital markets in general (including the sometimes volatile valuation of securities and an uncertain ability to raise new capital) and other risks inherent to the gold exploration, development and production industry, which, if incorrect, may cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated by the Company and described herein. In addition, there are risks and hazards associated with the business of gold exploration, development, mining and production, including without limitation environmental hazards, tailings dam failures, industrial accidents and workplace safety problems, unusual or unexpected geological formations, pressures, cave-ins, flooding, chemical spills, and gold bullion thefts and losses (and the risk of inadequate insurance, or the inability to obtain insurance, to cover these risks). Although we have attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. SOURCE: Jaguar Mining Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/606041/Jaguar-Commences-Drill-Programs-on-Near-Mine-Surface-Targets-at-Pilar-and-Turmalina-Mines-Brazil Stuart R. Morris, Esq., CPA, B.C.S., founding partner of Morris Law Group in Boca Raton, Fla., has been named to the 2021 Best Lawyers in America edition for Trusts and Estates. Im honored and grateful to be recognized in this years list of the Best Lawyers in America. - Stuart R. Morris, Esq., CPA, B.C.S. Morris Law Group, https://law-morris.com, headquartered in Boca Raton with three other offices in South Florida, is pleased to announce that the firms Founding Partner, Stuart R. Morris, Esq., CPA, B.C.S., has been included in the 2021 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America for his work in Trusts and Estates. Since it was first published in 1983, Best Lawyers has become universally regarded as the definitive guide to legal excellence. Im honored and grateful to be recognized in this years list of the Best Lawyers in America, said Mr. Morris, who assists clients with estate planning, estate and gift tax planning, wills and trusts, business structuring and succession planning, asset protection planning, domestic and international tax planning, probate and trust administration, and special needs planning. Its humbling to be among such a prestigious group of attorneys from across the country, he added. Best Lawyers has published their list for over three decades, earning the respect of the profession, the media, and the public as the most reliable, unbiased source of legal referrals. Its first international list was published in 2006 and since then has grown to provide lists in over 75 countries. "Best Lawyers was founded in 1981 with the purpose of highlighting the extraordinary accomplishments of those in the legal profession. After three decades, we are proud to continue to serve as the most reliable, unbiased source of legal referrals worldwide," says CEO Phillip Greer. Lawyers on The Best Lawyers in America list are divided by geographic region and practice areas. They are reviewed by their peers on the basis of professional expertise and undergo an authentication process to make sure they are in current practice and in good standing. Attorney Stuart R. Morris and the Morris Law Group team are available for consultations at the clients convenience, either in person, by telephone or by video conference. For more information or to schedule an appointment with a Morris Law Group attorney today, please contact Morris Law Group, visit http://www.law-morris.com or call (561) 750-3850. About Stuart R. Morris, Esq., CPA, B.C.S. Attorney Stuart R. Morris, Esq., CPA, B.C.S. is board-certified in Wills, Trusts and Estates and is a Certified Public Accountant. He founded Morris Law Group in 1991, and practices in estate and gift tax planning, probate and trust administration, wills and trusts, business structuring and succession planning, asset preservation planning, domestic and international tax planning, and special needs planning. Mr. Morris is one of Worth magazines nations Top 100 Attorneys, has been selected to Florida Super Lawyers consistently since 2007, named to Florida Trends Florida Legal Elite consistently, received the Legal Elite Award from U.S. Business News, and is recognized as a Top Attorney in Palm Beach and Martin counties by Palm Beach Illustrated. He recently was named in the 2021 Edition of the Best Lawyers in America for Trusts and Estates. He has an AV Preeminent Peer Review Rating, the highest rating afforded an attorney, from Martindale-Hubbell. He is a member of The Florida Bar, the District of Columbia Bar, the Florida Institute of Certified Public Accountants, and the American Bar Association. About Morris Law Group, Wealth Preservation Attorneys Morris Law Group, a prestigious South Florida estate planning law firm with four conveniently located offices, provides personalized, discreet services to help protect their clients wealth now and in the future. The Morris Law Group team of knowledgeable and qualified attorneys and legal professionals has more than 150 years of combined experience in managing complex estate planning, tax planning, trust and estate administration, and business structuring and succession planning for clients. An AV Preeminent-rated law firm by Martindale-Hubbell, Morris Law Group is adept at translating these strategies into easy-to-understand, jargon-free language, so clients can make informed decisions about their Wealth Preservation Solutions. Consultations are available in Spanish and English. Se habla Espanol. Contact Morris Law Group, visit http://www.law-morris.com or call (561) 750-3850 for more information today. ### Annastacia Palaszczuk's face dominated television screens, social media feeds and newspaper front pages almost every day this year as Queensland battled the COVID-19 pandemic and closed its borders for the first time in more than 100 years. Since the virus first invaded the state in late January, hundreds of thousands of Queenslanders have been tuning in to the state government's almost-daily press conferences, where the leadership team provides pandemic updates alongside Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young. Premier Annastaica Palaszczuk and Opposition Leader Deb Frecklington. Credit:Lydia Lynch/Supplied While updating the COVID tally, Ms Palaszczuk and her deputy, Health Minister Steven Miles, also use the updates to spruik Labor policy while Opposition Leader Deb Frecklington struggles to stay relevant in the lead-up to the October 31 state election. And free media has never been more important in the time leading up to a state election. Letter, Maybe Sir John A. Macdonalds time is indeed up, Sept. 8 Letter writer Joe G. Wongs condemnation of a great Canadian is understandable. But the draconian Chinese Head Tax was a reflection of that era, the xenophobia prevalent across North America. There were numerous articles, and even editorials, in late 19th-century and early 20th-century newspapers warning readers about the Yellow Peril, a racist colour-metaphor that portrayed East Asian people as a danger to western civilization. And these were the days when the local press was the only source for news. Macdonalds vilifiers seem to sense blood now. But he was a man of his times. Will protestors start toppling headstones of people who lived during that era because they were obviously complacent to what we now perceive as racism? Garry Burke, Oro-Medonte, Ont. With all due deference, Macdonald didnt author the Chinese Exclusion Act, that was Mackenzie King. I believe the letter writer meant to refer to the Franchise Act, 1885, in which, in addition to excluding people of Chinese descent from the vote, Macdonald advocated for both women and the Indigenous people to get the vote. Macdonalds legacy is complex, and has both good and bad elements. Rory Gallagher, Montreal In his letter, Joe G. Wong missed the point that Canadian immigration laws are for the deemed benefit of Canada at the time of enactment. That was the case in the 1920s and the Chinese Exclusion Act. At that same time, young males who were not farmers were also excluded, as was my father. The temptation to judge history in the light of current knowledge is the error of presentism. Raymond Peringer, Toronto Illegality of monument destruction is entirely the point, Sept. 9 There has been much said and written about the tearing down of statues, and the cancel culture debate is likely to continue. This piece fails to add anything to that discussion and, instead, represents the worst sort of sophistry. The writers point appears to be that vandalism should not be regarded as illegal if practised against an historical figure who some people dont like. John A. Macdonald has a very mixed legacy as seen from todays perspective. Within the context of his own time, his views regarding Indigenous people were not in any way remarkable. Macdonald proved himself capable of doing both good and evil. In other words, he was a human being. In his particular case, he helped found a nation, something very few people have done. And he set in motion the horrors of residential schools. We cannot alter the past. The sensible approach is to work to improve the future. Steve Soloman, Toronto Im baffled as to why this contributor and others thinks its OK to vandalize and destroy public monuments. What part of public monuments escapes these Einsteins? The wishes of one person or group should not prevail. All Canadians should have a say as to what does or does not happen to them. Whether these statues are symbols of history or (things of) historical memory, no one group or person has the right to determine their fate. Rita Maio, Woodbridge Toppled statues a reminder that history is not static, Sept. 8 In her column, Gillian Steward makes some good points, but, unfortunately, also says that the recent toppling in Montreal of a statue of Canadas first prime minister, John A. Macdonald, can be seen as a necessary symbolic act that brings attention to the dark side of our history that we prefer to shove under the rug. No. This violent, vandalistic act was not necessary, at all, in any way. It was hugely counterproductive. With every act of vandalism, todays violent demonstrators sabotage the work being done by non-violent demonstrators protesting over the same issues, and push farther into the future, the day when the unaddressed unfairnesses being protested over, may finally be addressed. John Fagan, Willowdale Among the statues that according to Gillian Steward have been dumped, or should be, because they honour people who caused other people great hardship for a very long time, she includes the ones of Christopher Columbus. No statue? No European discoverer? An America undiscovered by Europeans? No Google, Facebook, or Amazon. No jazz, no La Belle Province, no Ontario Yours to Discover, no Cuba Libre, no Viva Chile, and, of course, no Alberta and no Premier Jason Kenney. Come to think of it, no America means that Steward would be writing somewhere in the British Isles packed to the rafters with no immigrants to an undiscovered America. Jaime Oksemberg, Toronto It can be examined from a present perspective, but it should also be examined in the context of the times that events took place and its people lived. Without the efforts and achievements of Macdonald and Cartier and the other Fathers of Confederation, Canada would not exist. Most Canadians feel that this country is the greatest country to live in, in spite of our problems and challenges. Without the work of the Fathers of Confederation, we would all probably live in the United States with all of its major problems. Statues erected to honour accomplishments should also initiate conversations and debates about these people, both the good and the bad (about them). They should also encourage and examination of the times in which these people lived in order to promote better understanding. This is the value of the study of history. The Daily Beast Reuters/Arnd WiegmannTheatrical rock superstar Meat Loaf, whose Bat Out of Hell is one of the bestselling albums of all time, has died at the age of 74. Reports say the singer and actor had recently fallen sick with COVID-19.In an emotional statement posted to Facebook early Friday, the performers family said he was with his wife when he died and had said his final goodbyes to his two daughters in the past 24 hours. The star sold 100 million albums in his five-decade career and starred in movie 'Don't have to convert anyone but teach how to live': RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat Neither India, nor Pakistan is happy with partition: RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat No India without Hindus, no Hindus without India: RSS chief RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat to pay 2-day visit to Kolkata next week India pti-Madhuri Adnal Kolkata, Sep 15: Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh supremo Mohan Bhagwat will be on a two-day visit to Kolkata from September 22 to look into the organisational aspects of the RSS in West Bengal, where it has made deep inroads in the last few years. A senior RSS official on Tuesday said that Bhagwat will reach the city on September 22 morning and will hold closed-door meetings with functionaries of the organisation. Coronavirus outbreak: Kolkata Metro resume services after over five months "He will meet functionaries at the RSS office. Due to the pandemic, he will not visit any other place. Issues related to our organisation and welfare work done during the pandemic will be discussed," he said. A dour session from the big banks and major losses for miner Rio Tinto and telco giant Telstra kept a lid on the Australian sharemarket on Tuesday with the index ending an uneventful day marginally in the red. The local bourse rose by 0.3 per cent above 5900 at the open thanks to a strong Wall Street lead, but soon sagged under the heavyweight financials to close 0.1 per cent lower at 5894.8. ANZ led losses for the big four with a 1.9 per cent drop to $17.35, with Commonwealth Bank shedding 1.7 per cent to $65.03, Westpac down 1.5 per cent to $16.72, and NAB 1.4 per cent lower at $17.16. Gold miners enjoyed strong gains on Tuesday as the precious metal price increased to a two-week high. Credit:Getty Biotech CSL, tech darling Afterpay, and miner BHP did their best to offset losses but failed to inspire a wider rally in a session light on corporate news. Not even the announcement of a lockdown reprieve for regional Victorians, or a better-than-expected dump of Chinese data appeared to excite ASX investors. There were no market-moving surprises from the September minutes of the Reserve Bank of Australia meeting. ANZ head of Australian economics David Plank said the release added little to the understanding of how monetary policy might evolve. In our view the timing and extent of further monetary policy measures will depend critically on fiscal policy we think the upcoming federal and state budgets will contain enough stimulus to reasonably expect a relatively strong recovery in 2021, Mr Plank said. If this is the case, then we think the RBA will hold off from taking further steps until sometime into 2021. Portfolio manager at Tribeca Investment Partners, Jun Bei Liu, said macro issues, lockdown updates, and vaccine news would likely continue to drive post-earnings season sentiment amid a relative dearth of corporate highlights. She said in Australia, the traditional post-reporting season roadshow has been shorter than usual this year, meaning a lot of investor positions are now locked in. "Because everything is done virtually, the one-on-one meetings have been much closer to result time,'' she explained. "It used to take a little bit longer into September and we got a second wave of reactions. But this year we are already done.'' Gold miners again lifted with the price of the precious metal, with Newcrest adding 1.9 per cent to $33, Northern Star up 7.4 per cent to $14.92, and Evolution 3.9 per cent higher at $6.13. Rio Tinto went the other way, eroding yesterdays gains by 1.5 per cent to close at $102.13. Fortescue Metals also gave up an early lead to finish slightly lower at $17.70. BHP climbed 0.7 per cent to $37.49 and along with CSL outperformed the broader market. CSL finished 1.5 per cent higher at $287.45. Toll giant Transurban gained 0.9 per cent to $14.22 and Goodman Group added 1.5 per cent to $18.25 to lift the property sector. Afterpay gained 3.4 per cent to $75.01 to lead tech shares higher. Telstra dropped 2.1 per cent to $2.82 and Macquarie Group continued Mondays slide with a 1.3 per cent drop to $118.69. Tributes are flowing for a terminally-ill young woman who lost her brave cancer battle just days after marrying the love of her life. Ashleigh Simrajh, 23, was diagnosed with having stage four melanoma in 2019, more than a year after she was told the lump on her leg has was probably a wart. After recently being told she had just days to live, she and partner Jason Hale said 'I do' in front of 50 of their closest family and friends in an emotional ceremony at Sea World Resort on the Gold Coast on September 5. Her devastated husband confirmed his bride's death in a heartbreaking tribute on Tuesday morning, describing her as having the soul of an angel and 'the most beautiful woman I could've ever imagined being with'. Ashleigh Simrajh (pictured on her wedding day last week) has lost her battle with melanoma 'Words cannot describe the pain I'm feeling right now, I'm absolutely devastated and my heart is completely shattered,' Mr Hale wrote. 'You were so brave and strong and I know that you tried your absolute best fighting this battle, you couldn't have tried any harder than you did. I'm so proud of you babe.' He thanked his wife for everything she did for him and for being so kind, selfless and caring. 'Thank you for loving me so much and making me feel like I was on top of world, its what any man hopes for and dreams of,' Mr Hale continued. 'From very early on you had a special place in my heart and that special place will always be there for you and only you. 'We had so much planned out! We pictured having kids travelling the world and most importantly growing old together! 'We would've done so much more than that too, as any loving couple does.' Grieving husband Jason Hale (left) posted a heartbreaking tribute following Ashleigh's death 'I think growing old with you was something I wanted to do the most. Not much else mattered to me than to just be there with you for my whole life. 'Knowing that these things won't ever happen rips me apart inside. I'll never stop thinking about them.' He ended the post saying that her being his wife meant the absolute world to him and was so grateful the wedding went ahead. 'I really don't know what I'm going to do without you now. I'm so lost and feel completely empty inside. It doesn't even feel real to me that you're gone, it just feels like I'm in this horrible dream which I can't escape,' Mr Hale wrote. 'I needed you in my life. You were my best friend' 'I don't know whereabouts you are now, but I hope I can find you again very soon 'For now my precious angel, fly high.' A shattered Jason Hale paid tribute to his late wife Ashleigh on Tuesday morning Days after her wedding, Ashleigh was rushed to hospital before later returning home to enjoy her final days privately with family. 'She is comfortable and pain free, slept the entire night, she sleeps sitting up surrounded by pillows as she cant lay down due to the fluid around her lungs,' her father wrote on the GoFundMe page on Saturday. 'This young lady is a fighter she is fighting so hard.' 'Ashleigh's message regarding melanoma and incompetent doctors has literally reached millions of people and she has defiantly saved lives which is what she is trying to do. 'PLEASE keep sharing her story and saving lives all Ash wants is no one else to have to go through what she has gone through.' After an urgent dash to hospital last week, Ashleigh (pictured with her mum) spent her final days at home Her father said the wedding was both the saddest and happiest day of his life, after the family's world was flipped upside down by Ashleigh's illness. The Gold Coast community banded together to raise $18,000 for the ceremony. 'We got told in late August that she had one to three days to live and her strength to still be here 12 days later to get married just showed how important it was for her,' Mr Simrajh told Daily Mail Australia last week. Ashleigh, a 'fanatical' Essendon fan, had been using every ounce of her energy throughout her cancer battle to encourage others to go for regular skin checks and question a doctor's diagnosis if something doesn't feel right. Ashleigh was 20 years old when spotted a lump on her leg and took herself to the doctor to get it checked. But the family claims the doctor thought it was nothing more than a wart and sent her to a surgeon, without taking a biopsy. 'She first saw a GP in 2018 who told her it was a wart and referred her to a specialist,' Mr Simrajh said. Ashleigh was 20 years old when spotted a lump on her leg and took herself to the doctor to get it checked. But the family claims the doctor thought it was nothing more than a wart and sent her to a surgeon, without taking a biopsy 'Ash thought it was a skin specialist but we now know he was a general surgeon who again told her it was cosmetic and would cost $2,500 to get removed. 'Neither of them did a biopsy on it and Ashleigh left reassured that it wasn't anything to worry about.' But overtime, Ashleigh's bump became painful when she knocked it and she knew something wasn't right. Ashleigh pictured with her bridesmaid and sister Chelsea on her wedding day on September 5 Ashleigh, a 'fanatical' Essendon fan, had been using every ounce of her energy throughout her cancer battle to encourage others to go for regular skin checks and question a doctor's diagnosis if something doesn't feel right 'When it started to bleed she went to another doctor who immediately did a biopsy and told her two days later it was melanoma,' Mr Simrajh said. 'She now has lung cancer, liver cancer, cancer in her chest and only days to live.' Mr Simrajh said the whole family is 'devastated'. 'Let down is not how I would describe it. I would describe it as we have been betrayed as she trusted the medical professionals,' he said. 'She believed them and continued her life as if nothing was wrong. 'If it had been diagnosed when she first went to see them she wouldn't be where she is now. Mr Simrajh said the family's life was put on hold for 12 months and they all lived in dread about what was going to happen to Ashleigh. 'Ash weighs 34 kilograms now and is skin and bones. She is under palliative care and struggles for every single breath,' he said. Tony Simrajh said the family's life has been put on hold for 12 months and they all live in dread about what is going to happen to Ashleigh Ashleigh and her family have launched legal action against two practitioners. 'Anyway how do you replace a life? How do you fix the pain and suffering that Ashleigh has had and the impact on our family? How do you replace never seeing her again or having grandchildren?' Mr Simrajh said. 'I would do anything or give anything to have Ashleigh in my life forever she is not only my daughter but she is my best friend. 'I will never be able to fill that void our family will never be whole again and we will never be the same.' Mr Simrajh said the legal case is not about money but is instead about the doctors 'owning up to their errors and taking responsibility'. He hopes to spread his daughter's message: Get your skin checked and trust your instinct. 'If you don't feel like the doctors are doing the basic things like a biopsy get someone else to check it as well,' he said. Overtime, Ashleigh's bump became painful when she knocked it and she knew something wasn't right Ashleigh was sent a letter from Prime Minister Scott Morrison thanking her for her efforts in reminding Australians about the dangers of skin cancer. She also received a phone call from Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk ahead of her nuptials on Saturday. 'The PM heard about it and wrote her that awesome letter that gave her the strength to go on that was such a kind thing to do and meant so much to her,' Mr Simrajh said. 'Annastacia called her personally and sent flowers on her wedding day. She even gave Ashleigh her mobile number so Ash could send her wedding pictures and to reach out to her if she needed anything. 'Ash has had so many messages of support and also people who have had their skin rechecked to find out that they have melanoma as well Ashleigh has saved lives she really has.' The wedding was both the happiest and saddest day of Mr Simrajh's life. Ashleigh was sent a letter from Prime Minister Scott Morrison thanking her for her efforts in reminding Australians about the dangers of skin cancer 'To see her so fragile on what should have been her happiest day was heartbreaking but yet seeing the love that was in the room for her was very inspirational,' he said. Ashleigh was 'depleted' after the ceremony and she watched the reception from her bed. Unable to dance because of COVID-19 restrictions, Ashleigh and her father listened to Count On Me by Bruno Mars as their father/daughter dance. 'The guests really belted it out while I tried in between crying while her mother Tracey and sister sat holding her hand. It brought a smile to her face,' he said. The family have a GoFundMe page to share Ashleigh's story and spread her message. 'Ashleigh is 23 years of age and has terminal cancer due to a GP and specialist not conducting basic tests like a biopsy,' the page reads. 'She is on a mission to get her story out there for young people to get checked but also to get another doctor to have a look at it if you are still not sure. That would have saved her life if she did.' BERLIN - Police say a jeweler in the northern German city of Celle has shot dead two men suspected of trying to rob his business. German news agency dpa reported Tuesday that one suspected robber was killed at the scene, while the second died later in hospital. Celle police have appealed for witnesses to the incident Monday afternoon to come forward. They are particularly keen to hear from any tourists who might have been taking photos in Celles picturesque old town at the time. The owner and his wife, both in their early 70s, were the only people in the jewelry store at the time of the alleged robbery. Read more about: Manish Sisodia New Delhi: Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said that he has tested positive for Covid-19 and has gone into self-isolation. Sources said that over the past few days, he visited the official residence of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, met Health Minister Satyendra Jain and held meetings with education department officials. Advertisement Manish Sisodia tweet Had got my Covid-19 test done after I had a mild fever. The report has come positive. I have gone into self-isolation. As of now, I have no fever or any other issue. I am fine. By your blessings, I will recover fully and return to work soon," Sisodia said in a tweet in Hindi. "Sisodia was regularly coming to the Delhi Secretariat and attending meetings with education department officials. They will be getting tested in the next couple of days," a source said. Advertisement Sisodia had also visited the Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) in Tilak Nagar and Hari Nagar in the past few days, the sources said. Manish Sisodia Sisodia is the second minister in the Arvind Kejriwal government, who has tested positive for the novel coronavirus. Advertisement In June, Health Minister Jain had tested positive for Covid-19 and recovered. Australian Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton warned on Sunday that if foreign journalists working in the country provide a "slanted view" of Australian affairs, they might come under the scrutiny of federal agencies, according to the Associated Press. A netizen on Twitter compared Dutton's words to the "Ministry of Truth" in George Orwell's novel Nineteen Eighty-Four. What is a "slanted view" anyway? All views have their specific positions. What Dutton said is a huge slap in the face of the West's so-called democracy and press freedom. The essence of Western "press freedom" has been sadly reduced to extreme politicization. Press freedom is only a concept in Australia, and it no longer exists in reality. The blatant wording in many Australian media's news reports and opinion articles seem to be free. But in fact they are simply speaking for different interest groups, driven by political interests. Australia only accepts media outlets that meet the interests and requirements of particular political forces. Media that represents different views and ideologies have no freedom at all. In June, Australian intelligence agency staff raided the homes of four Chinese journalists, questioning them for several hours and seizing their computers and mobile phones. These groundless searches are a serious political issue. Chinese journalists working in Australia strictly abide by laws and uphold professional ethics. Like other foreign journalists in Australia, they are committed to enhancing the understanding of Chinese and Australian people. However, Australian authorities have stifled normal bilateral exchanges. "Press freedom" has become a victim of Australia's continued poisoning of its relations with other countries. It seems that what Dutton said was aimed at all foreign journalists. And how does Australia treat its own journalists? In 2019, Australian police raided the headquarters of the country's national broadcaster ABC, saying it had published classified information about Australian special forces' alleged abuses in Afghanistan. Also, the Australian government has enacted more than 60 rules restricting press freedom over the past 20 years. Australia's so-called mainstream media should also be careful of such political suppression. Democracy, people's livelihood and press freedom - some of the ideas that the West is proud of - have been openly abandoned by Australia and replaced by US styled McCarthyism and "white terror." So-called "press freedom" has become a pawn manipulated by political cronies in Canberra. Is "press freedom" to smear other countries through media the issue? What kind of "free" country attacks press freedom from behind using the big stick of political suppression to destroy views that it hates? "If people are here as journalists and they're reporting fairly on the news, then that's fine," Dutton said. But the standard of "reporting fairly" is set by Australia's biased position. The so-called infiltration is also nothing but a one-sided, groundless accusation. If news and other fields are gradually reduced to Australia's political pawns, then the country will eventually be flooded with "white terror." Global Times South Australia will open its borders to allow residents from the ACT into the state but remain closed to New South Wales. The South Australian Transition Committee met on Tuesday morning and decided the new border restrictions would come into effect at midnight. ACT residents will be able to enter the state without completing a 14 day mandatory quarantine while NSW residents will remain subject to the restrictions. 'Effective midnight tonight the requirement to quarantine will be lifted for people travelling between ACT and South Australia,' Police Commissioner Grant Stevens said. South Australia announced it would open to residents from the ACT on Tuesday, allowing residents to travel to the state without spending 14-days in quarantine. The new restrictions will come into effect at midnight (Barossa Valley pictured) SA Premier Steven Marshall (pictured left) said the restrictions would be altered in line with health advice. The state is expected to remain closed to NSW 'for the foreseeable future' He said the 14 day quarantine would remain in place for NSW residents 'for the foreseeable future'. 'The advice from the Chief Public Health Officer is that we want to see a better situation in terms of community transmission before we relax the restrictions on NSW. 'It's not possible to put a time frame on it but the indicators are that NSW is heading in the right directions,' Commissioner Stevens explained. He said health authorities were looking for a period of at least two-weeks without community transmission before opening the border. Travellers from the ACT will still be required to fill out approval forms and declarations they have not been outside the 'safe community transmission zone' prior to travelling. 'This is our way of assuring as best as possible that those people travelling between SA and other places have not exposed themselves unnecessarily to the risk of COVID-19 and bringing it into SA. The eased restrictions will allow families to be reunited for the September school holidays and the October long weekend (travellers disembarking a plane at Byron Bay pictured) 'You can only come from ACT by air because to come by road you would have to travel through NSW and then the 14 day quarantine period would apply,' he said. SA Premier Steven Marshall previously said he would not do anything that was contrary to health advice. 'We want to give as much of a leg up to those people who want to travel as soon as possible,' the premier said on Monday. 'I'm very keen to open that border the minute I get the advice that it's safe to do so.' The eased restrictions will allow families to be reunited in the lead up to the September school holidays and the October long weekend. SA Police Commissioner Grant Stevens said health authorities were waiting for community transmission to ease in NSW before allowing residents to travel to SA (beachgoers pictured) In other changes to coronavirus rules, the premier said he was hopeful crowds of up to 25,000, or about 50 per cent capacity, would be possible at Adelaide Oval for any AFL finals matches. He said significant crowds were at games over the weekend, and SA Health officials were reviewing how those games were managed to consider any next steps in increasing numbers. SA reported no new virus cases on Tuesday, leaving the state's total since the start of the pandemic at 466. The state has no active infections. New South Wales recorded seven new coronavirus cases on Tuesday, two are linked to known clusters and one remains under investigation. The remaining four cases are travellers in mandatory hotel quarantine. The ACT has not reported a coronavirus infection since July 10. By Akbar Mammadov A group of servicemen led by Chief of the Military Academy of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces Lieutenant General Heydar Piriyev and a delegation led by Turkish Ambassador Erkan Ozoral have visited the Alley of Martyrs and the Turkish Martyrdom, the Defence Ministry said on September 15. At the event, it was noted that the relations between the two countries are based on ancient history, friendly relations, and Turkey is an important partner of Azerbaijan. It was also stressed that the cooperation between the two countries is based on fraternal relations that are constantly developing. As part of the visit, a wreath of roses has been laid on behalf of the Defense Ministry and the Turkish Embassy in Azerbaijan, and the memory of the martyrs has been commemorated. In the meantime, the Azerbaijani Defence Ministry organized a commemoration event in Takla village of Gobustan district near Baku on the occasion of the liberation of Baku from the occupation. Addressing the event, Major General Rasim Aliyev, Chief of the Department of Ideological Work and Moral and Psychological Support of the Ministry of Defense, said that the Azerbaijani people have always supported Turkey, and the Turkish people have always supported Azerbaijan. Speaking about the fraternal assistance provided by Azerbaijanis to the brotherly Turkish people in the victory of Canakkale during the First World War, as well as in the War of Independence, he reiterated that the Turkish people and state have also always shown courageous support to Azerbaijan. In turn, Turkish Armed Forces officer Alper Karacaoglu expressed his deep gratitude to the President of Azerbaijan, including the leadership of the Defense Ministry for the respect shown to the Turkish soldiers martyred in the battles for Azerbaijan, for the eternalizing their names and the transformation of Turkish martyrs into a real tomb. It should be noted that a series of events are being held in connection with the 102nd anniversary of the liberation of Baku in the division, formation, military units, ideological and cultural centres of the Azerbaijani Army. Azerbaijani and Turkish Air Forces carried out demonstration flights over western Ganja city on the same day. Earlier, the two countries' presidents exchanged letters on the occasion of the 102nd anniversary of the liberation of Baku. --- Akbar Mammadov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @AkbarMammadov97 Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz US President on Tuesday said he wanted to order the assassination of Syrian President in 2017 but was advised against it by then Defense Secretary Gen (rtd) James Mattis. The Syrian president is accused of a number of war crimes, including massacring his own citizens and ordering the torture of foreigners. "I would have rather taken him (Assad) out. I had him all set. Mattis didn't want to do it, Trump told Fox News in an interview on Tuesday when asked if Assad had ordered chemical bombs be dropped on the north Syria town of Khan Sheikhoun in April 2017. According to intelligence reports, the chemical agent sarin had been used, killing 86 people including 27 children. "Do you regret not taking out Assad and was it because of Russia being allied with them (Assad) the Fox News presenter asked Trump. "No, I do not regret that. I could have lived either way with that. I considered him certainly not a good person, but I had a shot to take him out if I wanted and Mattis was against it," Trump said. The US president was critical of Mattis. "Mattis was against most of that stuff (the assassination bid). He'd keep you in military, but he didn't know how to win. He had no concept to win, Trump said. Trump said they have made tremendous progress in the war against terrorism. "I got rid of the Islamic State (IS) after he (Mattis) was gone. I did a great job on IS, 100 per cent of the caliphate (is gone). Got rid of them. Took out (Iranian major general Qasem) Soleimani as you know. Took out (Iraqi terrorist Abu Bakr) al-Baghdadi. These are the two biggest terrorists. Al-Baghdadi founded ISIS, he was trying to build it again after I wiped it out, he said. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Videos Sorry, there are no recent results for popular videos. The chairman of the Pro Romania Party, Victor Ponta, stated on Tuesday, in Slatina, that his party represents a long-term project, and that on September 27 a "foundation" is laid for the future. Victor Ponta was present on Tuesday in the city of Slatina and in several other localities in the county to support the candidates of the party for the local elections, being accompanied by the candidate for the position of chairman of the Olt County Council, Mihai Nita, by the candidate for mayor of Slatina, Marius Balasa, as well as by other candidates from cities and communes. "I came to Slatina to express my support for Marius Balasa, for Mihai Nita, the candidate for the position of chairman of the County Council and for all of Pro Romania's candidates. I am convinced that on September 27 we lay a foundation for the future and through our local elected officials, mayors, deputy mayors, we can build what we want for 2024," said Victor Ponta. The Pro Romania leader maintained that 2021 will be a crisis year, as was 2011. "Although the entire system was made so that nobody other than the PSD [Social Democratic Party] and the PNL [National Liberal Party] can do anything in elections in Romania, Pro Romania has very good candidates. Pro Romania is a long-term project, it's not only for September 27. We want in the coming period, even if we are in the opposition, because that's how you grow - in the opposition - to show the Government what it does wrong, to show what must be done and to try and contribute so that Romanians overcome the crisis in 2021 easier than they did the one in 2010. If people forgot how 2011 was, unfortunately we will remember, I see the same mistakes, 'there's no more money, we can't do that', but at the same time business as usual and the same arrangements, and in 2012 an important part of those here showed that Romania can be pulled out of the crisis. I hope that in 2022-2023 Romanians suffer less and we get out quicker and easier of the crisis period," Victor Ponta also said. A 15-year-old girl was allegedly raped by five men in Sitapur last week and the incident came to light on Monday after an accused shared a video of the crime on a social media platform, the police said. Superintendent of police, Sitapur, Rakesh Prakash Singh said, The incident occurred on September 7 in Imalia Sultanpur area. The accused reportedly threatened the girl of consequences if she informed anyone. Apparently, this is why the girl did not inform her family members about it. The local police acted after the video went viral and an FIR was filed in the matter. Teams from four police stations were deployed on the case. The police detained one of the accused. We have detained one of the accused and our teams are raiding possible hideouts of the remaining accused. All the accused are adults and are of the same area. Efforts are also being made to prevent further circulation of the video online, the police officer said. According to locals, five men surrounded the girl when she was on her way back from a market. They took her to a secluded spot near the village and gang-raped her. They also shot a video of the act and threatened the girl that they would make it go viral if she told anyone about the incident. The girl will be taken for a medical examination on Tuesday. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The comedians of late-night TV are united on at least one front: President Donald Trump's most recent rally in Nevada was a dangerous move. Thousands of Trump supporters attended the president's Sunday night rally, held in violation of the state's coronavirus restrictions that prohibit indoor events of more than 50 people. Social distancing was not enforced, and masks were not mandatory. As such, the event has the potential to spur a coronavirus outbreak and late-night hosts Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers, and Trevor Noah promptly took the president to task during their respective Monday night shows. "Of course, Donald Trump doesn't care if people die," Mr Colbert claimed on his show. "Case in point, he's gone back to holding rallies." The Late Night host then cited a doctor who alleged that Trump's Nevada rally is equivalent to "negligent homicide". Mr Meyers told his audience that this isn't the first time Mr Trump has acted negligently back in June, the president's indoor rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, was blamed as the source of a coronavirus surge in the area. "If you were actively trying to get people sick, this is how you would do it," Mr Meyers said. "The only way he could spread the virus more efficiently is to hold a rally at a meatpacking plant and charge one French kiss for admission." As for Mr Noah, the Daily Show host branded Mr Trump "president of the United States and one-man super spreader" in response to his reckless Nevada rally. "How are you going to call yourself the president of law and order when you're openly flouting the law?" Mr Noah asked. "This isn't just about breaking the law. What Donald Trump is doing here is actually dangerous." Mr Fallon, meanwhile, joked that "the next long-term residency in Las Vegas will be the coronavirus." "Well, guys, Election Day is now less than 50 days away," he noted on Monday's Tonight Show. "The only thing coming sooner than November 3 is a Covid test for anyone who went to the president's indoor rally last night. What is President Trump doing holding a packed, mask-less rally in Las Vegas? Even old ladies smoking at the slot machines were like, 'I wouldn't set foot in there.'" The Kolkata Municipal Development Authority (KMDA) has appealed to the National Green Tribunal (NGT) to relax its order banning Chhath puja rituals to be held at the famous Rabindra Sarobar Lakes in south Kolkata. The NGT will hear the review petition on September 17. The word Chhath means six. The festival is dedicated to Lord Surya (Sun God) and Chhathi Maiya, who is known to be the sister of Lord Surya. This festival is unique to the states of Bihar, Jharkhand, Eastern Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Delhi. Devotees express their gratitude towards Lord Surya and perform important rituals over a for a span of four days. While the opposition sees this as another move by the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) to woo Hindi-speaking voters prior to the 2021 assembly polls, environment activists and conservation experts said they are extremely worried. The NGT passed an order in 2018, banning Chhath puja at Rabindra Sarobar, after environment activists and wildlife lovers started a movement. The petition was moved by noted environment activist Subhas Dutta. The green activists had earlier moved the Calcutta high court as well to stop the old practice. Covering 192 acres of artificial lakes and with 7,000 trees, some of which were badly damaged by cyclone Amphan in May, Rabindra Sarobar is a birders paradise. At least 200 species of resident and migratory birds have been sighted here by the citys birders. It is also home to numerous types of fish and animals. Despite the ban, hundreds of devotees broke open the gates of Rabindra Sarobar in November 2019 to perform Chhath puja. They even used crackers and played drums at the Sarobar although the government has earmarked alternative waterbodies in the city. The incident made headlines and triggered a huge controversy. It is very difficult to control the religious sentiments of people. The police could not take any harsh measure because the rituals are performed by women. We have appealed to the NGT to relax the ban this year. The puja will be held on November 20, a senior KMDA official said on condition of anonymity. This is shocking. How can the government allow nature to be destroyed? said veteran environment activist Banani Kakkar whose organization, PUBLIC, has been crusading for a greener city for more than three decades. There is very little time to move the NGT against the KMDAs review petition, she added. Declared as a site of national importance Rabindra Sarobar was developed by the British in the 1920s as one of the twin lungs of Kolkata, the other being the Maidans. Bird species sighted here include cotton pygmy goose, large-billed leaf warbler, Tickells leaf warbler, black-headed cuckooshrike and slaty-blue flycatcher, among others. No TMC leader was willing to comment on the development on record. Bharatiya Janata Partys Bengal unit vice-president Ritesh Tiwari took a dig at chief minister Mamata Banerjee. It has taken her nine years to understand the sentiments of Hindi-speaking people. But it is too late now. Why didnt the government take action when some outfits were making insulting remarks against Hindi-speaking people in public in recent years? said Tiwari. Incidentally, on Monday, the TMC launched an all-new three-tier Hindi cell while India observed Hindi Diwas. The cell will have separate committees at state, district and community block levels. The BJP won 18 of the states 42 Lok Sabha seats in 2019. The TMCs tally came down from 34 seats to 22. The BJP poses a challenge to Banerjee in the upcoming assembly polls. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON NEW HAVEN While smoke from the wildfires burning across the West Coast was visible in Connecticut Tuesday morning, the smoke is not expected to have harmful effects on health in the state. Julie Malingowski, a meteorologist with the NWS Western Region Headquarters in Utah, said Wednesday that the smoke from the series of active wildfires on the West Coast, most of which are in California, was pushed by a high pressure system past the Rocky Mountains into the Great Plains. From there, wind has taken it across the United States to the East Coast, she said. Malingowski said the smoke dissipated to a significant extent as it traveled across the country. Much of what remains, she said, remains high in the atmosphere, causing a level of haze and colorful sunsets. The smoke is not expected to have harmful effects on health in Connecticut, she said, though she advised residents to check with their local air quality experts to get specific information. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration indicated that smoke was present in the atmosphere across the northeastern United States, including in Connecticut, on Tuesday. The haze was visible in Connecticut Tuesday morning, as noted by NBC Connecticut. Despite the smoke, the air quality in Connecticut was expected to remain good throughout the day Tuesday, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. The Air Quality Index in New Haven was expected to peak at a value of 37 Tuesday and 33 on Wednesday, according to AirNow.gov, a service run by the EPA. In Bridgeport and Fairfield, the ratings are expected at 36 and 33; in Torrington, 29 and 28; in Greenwich and Stamford, 34 and 35; in Middletown, 31 and 31; in Danbury, 31 and 33; in Norwalk and Westport, 34 and 35. The forecast draws on data from the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, according to the website. Anything below a concentration of 50 is considered good, with little to no risk to residents, according to the scale for the AQI. By comparison, the AQI in Portland, Ore., stood at 445 Tuesday morning. Anything above of a value of 301 is considered hazardous. Everyone in that city is advised to stay indoors, reduce outdoor activities and stay tuned to local news to receive advice, officials said on AirNow.gov. I can feel it in my chest and then I just feel hung over despite not drinking, Portland resident Zoe Flanagan told The Associated Press. I felt really hung over all day Saturday. I just couldnt get enough water, I had a headache. The series of West Coast wildfires, burning for weeks, have destroyed neighborhoods, leaving nothing but charred rubble and burned-out cars, forced tens of thousands to flee and cast a shroud of smoke that has given Seattle, San Francisco and Portland, Oregon, some of the worst air quality in the world, according to the AP. Malingowski said meteorologists have seen smoke from wildfires travel across the country in the past. However, the number of simultaneous wildfires on the West Coast is uncommon, producing a more significant density of smoke. As long as the fires remain active, continue to expect the hazy skies, said Malingowski. william.lambert@hearstmediact.com India is making vigorous attempts to provide logistics support to its forward deployed soldiers in the eastern Ladakh sector, where more than 50,000 Indian troops are likely to remain stationed through the winter months to deal with any provocation by the Chinese forces, with no end in sight to the tense border standoff, people familiar with the developments said on Tuesday. From specialised winter clothing to rations and arctic tents to portable heaters, military planes and helicopters have been flying to Ladakh almost daily with their cargo holds filled with crucial supplies and gear that soldiers would require to slug it out in the inhospitable mountain terrain, the officials said, requesting anonymity. Fresh images coming out of Ladakh on Tuesday provided glimpses of the extraordinary effort being made by the military to support its high-altitude deployments in the sensitive sector. Necessary steps have also been taken for equipment sustenance, the officials said. ALSO READ | Any serious situation along LAC will impact India-China bilateral ties: Rajnath Singh In a statement made in Lok Sabha on the situation in the Ladakh sector, defence minister Rajnath Singh said, I can assure you that the morale and motivation of our armed forces is very highThey are being provisioned with suitable clothing, habitat and the required defence wherewithal. Army chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane visited forward locations in Ladakh on September 3 to review the armys operational preparedness and the logistics arrangements for sustenance of forces through the winter. China has deployed sizeable military assets in the eastern Ladakh theatre, including 50,000 troops, 150 aircraft, tanks, heavy artillery, missiles and air defence systems, with India matching every military move made by the neighbour. The determination of our troops is praise worthy. They are capable of serving at forbidding altitudes with scarce oxygen and in extremely cold temperatures, something that they have effortlessly done over the last many years on Siachen and in Kargil, Singh said in Lok Sabha. ALSO READ | Indian, Chinese top military commanders likely to meet this week He said the lower house should pass a resolution in support of the armed forces that have been defending the country at towering heights, braving inclement weather in Ladakh. Top Indian and Chinese military commanders are likely to hold a meeting along the contested Line of Actual Control (LAC) this week to reduce military tensions in eastern Ladakh where the situation remains tense after a series of recent maneuvers by the two armies in the Pangong Tso area. Corps commander-ranked officers have so far met five times but failed to break the deadlock. They will now be meeting for the first time after the Indian Army swiftly moved and occupied key heights to prevent the Peoples Liberation Army from grabbing Indian territory on the southern bank of Pangong Tso in a stealthy midnight move on August 29. The Indian Army controls ridgeline positions on the southern bank of Pangong Tso that allow it to completely dominate the sector and keep an eye on Chinese military activity, with the most significant heights being held by India on Rezang La and Reqin pass where the PLA made some desperate attempts to regain lost ground earlier this week. The Indian Army has also taken control of key heights overlooking the PLAs deployments on the Finger 4 ridgeline on the northern bank of Pangong Tso where rival soldiers are deployed barely a few hundred metres from each other. The Chinese side has mobilised a large number of troops and weapon systems along the LAC as well as in the eastern Ladakh theatre where the current friction areas include Gogra, Kongka La and the northern and southern banks of Pangong Tso, Singh said. In response to Chinas actions, our armed forces have also made appropriate counter deployments in these areas to ensure that Indias security interests are fully protected, he added. Some residents of Kuje Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have expressed concern over the influx of unregistered motorcycle operators in spite of a ban on their operations by the area council. The residents, who made the call in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), in Kuje, a suburb of the FCT, on Tuesday, described the development as a treat to security in the area. The Kuje Area Council administration had on May 12 banned operations of commercial motorcycles; and introduced tricycle as a means of transportation in the area. The administration said the increasing number of unregistered motorcycles in the area was exposing the residents to criminal activities such as kidnapping and banditry. Abraham Gado, a resident of Kuchiyako Community in Kuje, said the current situation required adequate political will on the part of the council to ensure the protection of lives and property of people in the area. With the security challenges in the country now, you cannot imagine the number of motorcyclists that have moved into Kuje, despite the ban imposed by the area council. Almost all the commercial and privately-owned motorcycles operate without registered number plates. The riders are reckless and passengers are at their mercy. They do not belong to any association or union, and the worst is that we do not even know where many of them come from or reside. It will require the political will of the leadership of the area council to ensure the protection of lives and property in Kuje, Mr Gado said. Another resident, James Mark of Kayarda community, said that the influx of motorcycle operators in the area was worrisome and called on the council to do the needful urgently. Mr Mark also called on the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), to ensure that motorcyclists in the area adhered to traffic rules and regulations. We are faced with the menace of commercial motorcyclists who torment other road users with their reckless riding. READ ALSO: They also park indiscriminately along the road, thereby making movement difficult for other road users. We should not allow any group of persons to be above the law and hold majority to ransom, he said. On his part, Balla Usman called on the FRSC officials to collaborate with the area council in ensuring that the motorcycles were registered and issued number plates for easy identification. He, however, frowned at the council authorities for lack of political will, and continuity in ensuring enforcement on its policies and decision in governance. You cannot imagine the number of motorcyclists that would immediately converge whenever any motorcycle operator is involved in a minor accident with a car; even when they are at fault. The dilapidated roads are also not something to write home about, especially during this rainy season; the road users are facing untold hardships, he said. Just $15,615. Thats how much a $52 billion meatpacking company was fined by the federal government for unsafe conditions that led to the deaths of eight workers. Even as the dangers and virulence of the coronavirus have become more glaring, infecting 6.5 million Americans and killing nearly 200,000, the nations top worker protection arm has been asleep at the wheel. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has issued only guidelines, rather than established enforceable rules, for businesses that rushed to reopen when they were deemed essential early in the pandemic, putting hundreds of thousands of employees in workplaces where the virus could easily spread. Now, after six months of near silence on the issue, OSHA has begun issuing fines for the meatpacking industry, which is responsible for some of the nations largest coronavirus outbreaks. But if the agencys first major actions are meant to chasten corporate America, executives arent likely to get the message. At the Greeley, Colo., Swift beef plant where eight workers have died from the effects of the coronavirus, OSHA found that the operator, JBS Foods, failed to maintain a safe working environment. In a statement Friday night, OSHA also cited the companys lack of timely disclosures about illness and injuries after a May inspection. The robotics industry is having a major moment amid the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic. Its true that category has been an exciting target for investments for a number of years now, but labor issues and concerns over transmission have led many sectors to take a good, long look at automation. Meal preparation is a prime target. Its an essential service and one that finds human hands coming into direct content with food. Leipzig, Germany-based DaVinci Kitchen is looking to tackle issues around food preparation with the launch of a modular robotic kiosk that cooks Italian-themed pasta dishes. In 2018, German incubator 2b AHEAD Ventures assembled the team that would become DaVinci to address concerns around labor shortages in the food preparation industry. The catering industry is gigantic, CTO Ibrahim Elfaramawy told TechCrunch on a call ahead of the startups participation in Disrupt Battlefield. Everyone has to eat. We see our clients struggling to find qualified personnel. The jobs are getting tougher, the pay is not increasing, unfortunately. A lot of restaurant owners are looking for solutions to increase their capabilities and quality. Robots can work 24/7. This is the opportunity that we see and many of our clients are excited about it. Image Credits: DaVinci Kitchen The first batch of robots will focus on pasta a relatively easily prepared dish with universal appeal. The machine creates the pasta, cooks and serves it all in around six minutes, according to Elfaramawy. It can prepare two dishes simultaneously and cleans the dishes in around 20-30 seconds. The system is modular, so the machine can potentially be outfitted to prepare other foodstuff, including salads or prepare different takes on the pasta theme, swapping Italian style for an Asian dish, for example. Thus far, the small company has raised around $780,000 in a seed round, courtesy of 2b AHEAD and Rheine-based frozen food company, Apetito, which is also one of DaVincis first clients. The startup is also in the process of raising a Series A with a target of $1.7 million. Its first kiosks are on track to be delivered in late-2020 or early 2021, depending on COVID-19s impact on the companys supply chains. The first batch will include 10 machines. The company is targeting restaurants and food courts, which can buy or lease the robots. https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/themes/techcrunch-2017/features/shortcodes/vidible-callback-js.php?id=2 S ir Keir Starmer is set to issue a fresh appeal to ministers to bring forward new measures to protect jobs when the coronavirus furlough scheme comes to an end. The Labour leader will warn that communities across the country will face the "scarring effect of mass unemployment" if the Government fails to act. He will offer to work with ministers to develop a "genuine national plan" to protect jobs when the scheme closes at the end of October. Sir Keir will also call for an expansion of part-time working, rewarding employers who give people hours rather than cut jobs, and the provision of training and support for those unable to return to work full-time. "At this moment of national crisis we should take inspiration from our past," he is expected to say. "Be willing to put party differences aside and work together in the interest of the country. He will deliver his speech on Tuesday to the TUC annual congress online, rather than addressing delegates in London in person. It comes after it emerged he is self-isolating after a member of his household developed possible Covid-19 symptoms. The state has supported around 9.6 million jobs through the furlough scheme since the country went lockdown in March. While Labour has said it accepts the furlough scheme cannot continue indefinitely, Sir Keir will argue that with "a bit of imagination" the Government can continue to help those most at risk of losing their jobs. He will urge ministers to target sectors under the greatest pressure - including aviation and retail, as well as businesses in areas hit by local lockdowns. Sir Keir will add: "Imagine how powerful it would be if we could form a genuine national plan to protect jobs, create new ones and investing in skills and training? "I'm making an open offer to the Prime Minister - work with us to keep millions of people in work." Sir Keir will also call on ministers to outlaw "fire and rehire" - when people are given notice of redundancy and then hired back on worse pay and conditions. "These tactics punish good employers, hit working people hard and harm our economy," he is expected to say. "After a decade of pay restraint that's the last thing working people need, and in the middle of a deep recession it's the last thing our economy needs." A HM Treasury spokesman said: "We already have a national plan to not only protect jobs, but to create new ones - and we are implementing it right now. "Thousands of young people will take their first steps into work through our 2 billion Kickstart scheme this autumn and our up to 9 billion Job Retention Bonus will help companies bring those on furlough back to work. 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United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe The British government on Tuesday admitted increasing demand for coronavirus tests was posing problems after hospital bosses warned delays in the system were jeopardising healthcare services. "I don't deny that it is an enormous challenge and when you have a free service, it's inevitable that demand rises," Health Secretary Matt Hancock told parliament. But he rejected claims of a spiralling backlog, which have triggered complaints that people with COVID-19 symptoms were unable to get tests and delays in getting in results. "The backlog is actually falling and is less than one day's test processing capacity," he said. Hancock spoke after criticism from the chief executive of NHS Providers, which represents the heads of hospital trusts in the state-run National Health Service in England. Chris Hopson told Sky News television there were "current capacity problems with the testing regime", and urged the government to prioritise frontline health workers. Staff absences in major cities had jumped as people tried to get tests, forcing them to stay off work and compounding delays to routine care that have worsened since the outbreak. "We have now got cases where patients who should be being treated, we can't treat them because they can't get access to a test," Hopson said. "So, for them that's a real problem." Hancock insisted that capacity for testing was "at a record high" and 9,278 tests were carried out on Monday in the 10 areas of the country worst-hit by a surge in cases. LBC radio on Monday said no coronavirus tests were available in those areas. At the weekend, it was reported that a backlog of 185,000 swab tests were sent for processing in laboratories in Italy and Germany. Because of the surge in demand for tests, the UK government has promised to increase capacity and urged people only to get a test if they are showing symptoms. According to the latest government statistics, more than 225,000 tests on average were carried out daily, while capacity was at nearly 375,000 tests per day on September 10. Britain, which has been the worst-hit country in Europe registering nearly 42,000 deaths, has seen a resurgence in the virus in recent weeks. More than 3,000 new cases were recorded on three consecutive days over the weekend, for the first time since May. 'World beating' regime Prime Minister Boris Johnson had pledged to have a "world-beating" testing and tracing operation in place by June. But alongside concerns about the testing regime, there are fears the tracing system is still failing to reach the required number of people to work effectively. A much-touted smartphone app to help trace people is yet to launch in England. Scotland, which runs health from the devolved administration in Edinburgh, launched an app last week using technology developed by Apple and Google. Explore further Follow the latest news on the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak 2020 AFP One of the deals, worth $243.2 million, will be used to establish a water drainage system in Sinai Egypt inked three development agreements worth about $885 million with Arab funds between January and August, the international cooperation ministry said on Tuesday. The funds will be used for Sinai development, to support structural reform in the management of public finances, and to strengthen the health ministrys capacity to combat COVID-19, the ministry said in a statement. International Cooperation Minister Rania Al-Mashat said that one of the agreements had been signed with the Arab Monetary Fund to support structural and institutional reform to increase the efficiency of the management of public finances. That deal was worth 153.5 million Arab Accounting Dinars (AAD), equivalent to $637.9 million. Al-Mashat said the agreement comes within the framework of Egypts economic reform programme, underway since 2016, which aims to promote resilience and stability in economy via five main objectives: improving the processes of preparing and implementing the states general budget, improving tax administration, improving government procurement management, strengthening the social protection system, and improving public debt management. The ministry also inked an agreement worth about 75 million Kuwaiti dinars, equivalent to $243.2 million, with the Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development. The funds will be used to implement a project establishing the Bahr El-Baqar water drainage system, as part of the Sinai development plan, Al-Mashat said. The third deal signed was a 1 million Kuwaiti dinar grant agreement with the Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development, equivalent to $3.3 million, to support the efforts of the health ministry to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. Cooperation with Arab developments funds began in 1974, the ministry said, and the total cooperation portfolio with bodies including the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development, the Saudi Fund for Development, the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development, the Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development, and the Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development has totalled $12.5 billion since then, including a current portfolio of $6.9 billion. Search Keywords: Short link: By Ayya Lmahamad A new cargo train route from China to Europe through Azerbaijans territories has been put into operation, local media has reported. According to the report, the first freight train on this route, which will depart from Qinhua in eastern China, will arrive in Baku in 15-18 days. The train, consisting of 100 containers loaded with various goods, including industrial equipment and household items, will arrive at the Kazakhstans port of Aktau and then sent by ferry to the Baku International Sea Trade Port Alat. Qian Yong, general manager of international transport company in Jiangxi Province, said that this route will take less time to transport goods than the traditional land and sea transport. Initially, the route is planned to launch 1-2 trains per month, however in the future the number of trains will increase. Note that after the commissioning of the railway Baku-Tbilisi-Kars, cargo from China to Europe and back are delivered via the Trans-Caspian international transport route. Trans-Caspian International Transport Route also makes a significant contribution to the implementation of the Chinese initiative "One belt, one way". The Trans-Caspian International Transport Corridor was established in February 2014 with the participation of relevant agencies involved in cargo transportation of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Georgia. Lately, Ukraine, Romania and Poland have joined the association. Currently the route begins in the Chinese port of Lianyungang and passes through Kazakhstan, the Caspian Sea, through Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey, expanding further to Europe either through Georgian Black Sea Ports or through Turkey by BakuTbilisiKars railway. The Trans Caspian transport route is one of the Chinas Belt and Road Initiative important integrated trade corridor. This 6,500 km long corridor enhances development and growth of Central Asia and Caucasus by increasing regional trade, investment and infrastructure. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Senators return to Washington Tuesday with a slate of politically contentious objectives to check off just as the 2020 election season revs into high gear. While the stalemate continues on another COVID-19 relief package, other legislative priorities -- primarily a stopgap government funding bill to avert a government shutdown -- also loom large. Lawmakers, bitterly divided over coronavirus spending, face a tremendous time crunch with just two weeks to break the logjam before they depart for the month of October to focus on the November election. Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, in press stops around Kentucky during the Senate recess, laid the groundwork for a politically difficult return, pointing to the upcoming election as the cause of Congress' failure to find common ground on coronavirus relief before its exodus from Washington at the beginning of August. "Regretfully as we've gotten closer and closer to the election, the degree of bipartisan cooperation has descended," McConnell said at a local stop Wednesday. "And I can't tell you for sure whether we'll get another rescue package or not." PHOTO: In this Aug. 4, 2020, file photo, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell speaks after attending the Senate Republican luncheon at the Hart Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. (Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images, FILE) After weeks of failed negotiations between the administration and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, Senate Republicans are now looking to advance a new piece of COVID-19 relief legislation thats a slimmed-down version of their original $1 trillion Health, Economic Assistance, Liability Protection and Schools (HEALS) Act. While the HEALS Act floundered -- failing to garner support from more than half of the GOP conference -- Republican leadership hopes the new, "skinny" proposal will attract at least 51 Republican votes, a statement of support from the majority that might aid McConnell in bipartisan negotiations. MORE: Mnuchin testifies as Senate GOP poised to offer slimmer COVID-19 relief bill The new $500 billion proposal, which is not expected to attract Democratic support, includes funding for reduced federal unemployment insurance benefits, virus treatment and tracing, vaccines, liability protections and aid for schools and small businesses. Story continues "We have a focused, targeted solution that we hope that the House would pass," Sen. John Barrasso, a member of GOP leadership, told reporters Tuesday, adding, "That's the goal, is to come back and vote to move to that." While a vote on the measure -- which sources tell ABC News is expected Thursday -- would give vulnerable Republicans something to point to in their reelections as Americans around the country suffer amid the coronavirus pandemic, it is not expected to get the 60 votes needed for passage. In a letter to his colleagues on Thursday, Schumer, D-N.Y., called the $500 billion proposal "emaciated" and "clearly inadequate." "It is clear Republicans are trying to "check the box" and give the appearance of action rather than actually meet the truly profound needs of the American people," Schumer wrote. Amid the bitter partisanship around virus funding, lawmakers must come together to fund the government by Sept. 30 to avert a government shutdown. And while many thought congressional leaders would be forced to merge COVID-19 stimulus aid efforts with a stopgap government funding bill, a precarious proposition given the state of virus negotiations, Pelosi and Treasury Secretary Mnuchin reached a crucial agreement this week that seems to move the two top agenda items on separate tracks. PHOTO: Speaker of the House Rep. Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer speak at a news conference Aug. 7, 2020, on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. (Alex Wong/Getty Images, FILE) On Tuesday, Pelosi and Mnuchin agreed on a temporary government funding bill, according to a person familiar with their Tuesday phone call. The informal agreement called a continuing resolution would stave off a government shutdown after Sep. 30 and avoid entangling the issue with ongoing coronavirus relief negotiations. The proposal to fund government at current levels, which sources tell ABC News is expected to be approved in the GOP-run Senate, could avoid a shutdown before the November election and potentially through the end of the year, depending on the agreement reached by Democrats and the Trump administration. "House Democrats are for a clean continuing resolution," Pelosi spokesman Drew Hammill told ABC News. But the high-level agreement on a continuing resolution would still leave pandemic funding unresolved while a host of other issues are poised to come to a head over the next month. MORE: Pelosi, Mnuchin agree to avoid a government shutdown at the end of the month With a heightened focus on the upcoming election, Democrats are expected to return to the Hill pushing back on an Aug. 29 decision by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence to cease in-person election security briefings to Congress and instead providing intelligence information only in written form. The newly-minted Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe told a group of senators last week that "this approach helps ensure, to the maximum extent possible, that the information ODNI [Office of the Director of National Intelligence] provides the Congress is not misunderstood nor politicized." Democrats lambasted the decision, with Pelosi calling it "an abdication of your responsibility to keep the American people and their elected representatives informed of foreign threats to the 2020 election" in a letter to Ratcliffe. News broke the following day of a DHS intelligence bulletin from mid-July, which warned of Russias attempt to discredit Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden. As ABC News reported, the memo was never published, fueling concern from Democrats that the administration is seeking to withhold crucial security information in advance of the election. Many Republicans have yet to weigh in on the matter. MORE: DHS withheld July intelligence bulletin calling out Russian attack on Bidens mental health Meanwhile, three Senate committee chairmen are expected to unveil the findings of two parallel investigations digging into the 2016 federal probes of Russian interference during the 2016 election -- something Democrats have decried as having partisan motivations, specifically to hurt Bidens candidacy and to aid Trump. PHOTO: In this Aug. 6, 2020, file photo, Sen. Ron Johnson speaks during a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington. (Toni Sandys/The Washington Post via AP, FILE) Sens. Lindsey Graham, Ron Johnson and Chuck Grassley have been leading the probes with an eye toward Biden and the involvement of his son, Hunter Biden, in Burisma, a Ukrainian energy company. There is no evidence that either of the Bidens committed a crime, and they are not believed to be under any type of federal investigation related to Hunter Biden's work in Ukraine. Still, the GOP chairmen have said they expect to publish their reports in advance of the 2020 election. Johnson said his report on the Bidens and Burisma could come as soon as mid-September. MORE: Senate Committee poised to issue first subpoena into Ukrainian company with ties to Biden A statement released by the intelligence community in August warned of Russian interference in the election by way of pro-Russian Ukrainian national Andriy Derkach, who the statement said is "spreading claims about corruption -- including through publicizing leaked phone calls -- to undermine former Vice President Biden's candidacy and the Democratic Party." Democrats have alleged that Johnson and Grassley have used documents furnished by Derkach as part of their investigation, a claim that both senators have denied. On Thursday, Johnson and Grassley issued a statement in defense of their probe. "Congress should take seriously any real threat to our elections, not just the ones Democrats find politically convenient or ones they cook up based on actual disinformation to smear their political rivals," the senators wrote. ABC News' Benjamin Siegel contributed to this report. Senate returns to partisan showdowns as election looms originally appeared on abcnews.go.com The sexual assault and murder of a boy in the Moroccan city of Tangiers has stirred calls for the death penalty for the "monster" who killed the 11-year-old child. A suspect, a 24-year-old man working in the huge industrial zone of the port city, appeared before a prosecutor on Monday, along with three flatmates charged with not having informed the police. Capital punishment is still in force in the kingdom but has not been applied since 1993. A "justice for Adnan" campaign calling the killer to be executed has picked up steam since the boy's body was found on Friday night buried under a tree near his home. His family contacted police when the boy went missing four days earlier and his picture was widely circulated on social media. Internet users unearthed low-definition footage appearing to show Adnan with a stranger. The suspect was identified and arrested for "intentional homicide of a minor and indecent assault", Moroccan police said. According to an initial investigation, he took the boy to his rented apartment, then "sexually assaulted him and committed intentional homicide", before burying him. Moroccan media said that he later sent a ransom demand to the parents by text from his own phone, making them believe he was still alive. King Mohammed VI late Monday sent a letter of condolence to the boy's family, condemning the "odious criminal act", the royal palace said. Partnership Continues magniX's Leadership in Making All-Electric Aviation a Mainstream Reality REDMOND, Washington, Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- magniX , the company powering the electric aviation revolution, today announced it has entered a partnership with Universal Hydrogen , an end-to-end fuel logistics company making hydrogen-powered commercial flight a near-term reality. To promote near-term adoption of hydrogen in commercial aviation, Universal Hydrogen is developing a retrofit conversion kit for the De Havilland Canada DHC8-Q300 (which will also be applicable to the ATR 42 family of aircraft) to a hydrogen fuel cell electric powertrain. magniX will be providing the electric propulsion system powering the converted 40-passenger regional aircraft. Universal Hydrogen's plan for the Dash 8 includes a two-megawatt class electric propulsion system on each wing, which will be provided by magniX. magniX has repeatedly demonstrated leadership in building practical, fully electric commercial aviation solutions, including the eBeaver that started flying with Harbour Air in December 2019, and the eCaravan that started flying in May 2020. Powering the Dash 8 with magniX's electric propulsion will mark another step in scaling up magniX's zero-emission commercial aviation propulsion solutions to regional commercial aircraft. "There is a clear need for a step change in emissions reduction in commercial aviation, and hydrogen-based, carbon-free power is the future of the industry," said Paul Eremenko, co-founder and CEO of Universal Hydrogen. "When looking for our propulsion partner, magniX stood out as a clear proven leader with a track-record of delivering the best in aerospace-grade electric propulsion. We look forward to watching the successful flights of our fully carbon-free Dash 8." "Universal Hydrogen, through its hydrogen transport and distribution infrastructure solution, is on a path to change the way regional flight is achieved and transform it from being powered by decades-old, expensive, polluting technology to low-cost clean solutions," said Roei Ganzarski, CEO of magniX. "The magniX team is inspired by the synergies between our mission and that of Universal Hydrogen. Together, we will bring scalable, proven technology to the next level of electric aviation." To learn more about magniX's electric propulsion technology, visit www.magnix.aero . Follow Universal Hydrogen's project at www.hydrogen.aero/ . About Universal Hydrogen Universal Hydrogen is a fuel logistics company making hydrogen-powered commercial flight a near-term reality. Founded in 2020 by long-time aviation industry experts Paul Eremenko, Jason Chua, Jon Gordon, and J-P Clarke, Universal Hydrogen's goal is to solve aviation's carbon emissions crisis by making hydrogen the universal propellant for a carbon-free aviation industry. Leveraging the existing freight network for hydrogen distribution with its unique storage and transport methods, Universal Hydrogen solves the primary obstacle to hydrogen for aviation: the lack of cost-effective infrastructure for hydrogen transport and distribution. To accelerate market adoption, Universal Hydrogen is also retrofitting existing regional airplanes with a hydrogen-electric powertrain. For more information, please visit: www.hydrogen.aero About magniX Headquartered in Redmond, WA, magniX is on a mission to lead the commercial aerospace and defense industries by providing high performance, reliable and environmentally friendly propulsion solutions. Developed with proprietary technology, magniX offers a range of revolutionary electric propulsion solutions, including motors and power electronics, which produce zero emissions at lower operating costs. For more information, please visit: www.magnix.aero . Media Contact: Barokas Communications for magniX magniX@barokas.com Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1273876/magniX_Universal_Hydrogen.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/749902/magniX_Logo.jpg September 15, 2020 Pay n Play casinos are set to change the industry like never before. These are the latest set up for a casino and they help to get players spinning their favourite games in less than 50 seconds. 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Sweden, Finland, Estonia, Germany, and the Netherlands have all signed up to allow casinos to use Pay n Play casinos. Whats more, some of the biggest European regulatory bodies in the industry have also signed up to help verify the new technology. Big names like the Malta Gaming Authority and the UK Gambling Commission have given the green light for this style of technology. You can find a full list of the commissions that have given their backing here - bestpaynplaycasinos.com to save you time on research. Though we have yet to see this technology emerge in countries like the UK, it is a great indicator that we might see something in the future. In North America Though many online casinos are still banned in the US, the tide is slowly turning. More and more states are slowly introducing a form of online casino to those living within their borders, and it might lead to the launch of Pay n Play casinos here too. Another great market worth considering is Canada. Though the discussion of gambling in North America is more focused on the US, there is a great gambling culture in Canada too. The introduction of Pay n Play might be very natural here, and could help to boost the Canadian gambling economy in a similar way to what we are seeing in Europe. The scope that this new technology could bring is absolutely massive. For players who dont like to be tied to one casino, they will be able to play wherever they choose. Whats more, the backing of multiple big names in the industry means that this is a process that is going to be safe and well-regulated, no matter where it is launched. Police have arrested a member of a car-lifting gang, involved in stealing vehicles from the city and selling them in Uttar Pradesh. The accused has been identified as Saleem, 38, a resident of Baltana, Zirakpur. His three accomplices are at large. Saleem was arrested at a naka set up near GMCH, Sector 32, in the wake of spurt in snatching and vehicle theft cases. Following his interrogation, police recovered four Honda City cars stolen from different areas under the jurisdiction of the Sector 34 police station. With this, three cases of car theft registered at the station were solved. The accused was produced before a court on Tuesday and remanded in three-day police custody. Saleem is part of a four-member gang that stole vehicles from the city and sold them in Uttar Pradesh, said Baldev Kumar, station house officer, Sector 34. Police are investigating whether the gang is also involved in theft of car batteries, as some men moving around in Honda City cars have been captured in CCTV cameras stealing batteries. The staff at Stony Brook Southampton Hospital is accustomed to the number of patients tripling or even quadrupling each summer when wealthy Manhattanites flee the city for the Hamptons. But this year, the COVID pandemic has upended everything. The 125-bed hospital on the southern coast of Long Island has seen a huge upswing in demand for obstetrics and delivery services. The pandemic has families who once planned to deliver babies in New York or other big cities migrating to the Hamptons for the near term. From the shores of Long Island to the resorts of the Rocky Mountains, traditional vacation destinations have seen a major influx of affluent people relocating to wait out the pandemic. But now as summer vacation season has ended, many families realize that working from home and attending school online can be done anywhere they can tether to the internet, and those with means are increasingly waiting it out in the poshest destinations. Many of the medical facilities in these getaway spots are used to seeing summer visitors for bug bites or tetanus shots, hiring an army of temporary doctors to get through the summer swells. Now they face the possibility of needing to treat much more serious medical conditions into the fall months and for the foreseeable future. Such increase in demand could strain or even overwhelm the more remote towns' hospitals and health care providers, threatening the availability of timely care for both the newcomers and the locals. The Southampton hospital has just seven intensive care unit beds, with the capacity to expand to as many as 30, but it wouldn't take much for the hospital to be swamped by patients. "For health care, the bottom line is: As our population grows, we have to have the infrastructure to support it," said Tamara Pogue, CEO of Peak Health Alliance, a nonprofit community health insurance-purchasing cooperative in Colorado ski country. And many communities do not. Home sales soar Sunny shores and mountain vistas are prompting people to relocate to second homes if they have them, or to purchase new homes in those areas if they don't. Renters who used to come for a month are now staying for two or three, and summer renters are becoming buyers. Multimillion-dollar residences in the ski resort town of Aspen, Colorado, for example, that once sat on the market for nearly a year now move in weeks. "Some of the most experienced and seasoned real estate brokers have never seen activity like what we have experienced in July and August," said Tim Estin, a broker in Aspen, whose firm draws clients from COVID hot spots such as Dallas, Houston, New York, Miami, Los Angeles and Chicago. Many destinations tried to discourage second-home owners from coming, particularly early in the pandemic after Colorado ski resorts became an epicenter of COVID cases. Gunnison County, Colorado, home to the Crested Butte ski resort, banned out-of-towners, prompting the Texas attorney general to take up the matter on behalf of Texans with homes in the area. In Lake Tahoe, along the California-Nevada border, second-home owners were told to go back to the Bay Area. And in New York vacation destinations, online messages targeted big-city transplants with classic New York aplomb. The ski resort town of Vail, Colorado, on the other hand, welcomed them with open arms with its Welcome Home Neighbor campaign in May. "We have long held the belief that in a resort community with so many second homes, that lights on are good, lights off are bad," said Chris Romer, president and CEO of the Vail Valley Partnership, the region's chamber of commerce. Romer said the 56-bed Vail Health Hospital supported the campaign, particularly after visits to the town plummeted 90% in April once the ski lifts stopped running. "We never would have launched the program if the hospital didn't sign off on it," Romer said. Demand for health care The influx of patients to these rural areas is helping hospitals and clinics rebound from the drop in typical patient visits during the pandemic, but there is concern that additional growth could overwhelm local resources. So far, though, enough people seem reluctant to seek care during the pandemic, unless it's an emergency or COVID-related, that it hasn't reached a tipping point. Others might be seeking care with their providers in the big city through telehealth or the occasional run back to their primary residence. But the mix of patients is different. In Leadville, Colorado, a town nestled in the mountains at an altitude of 10,151 feet, summertime usually means an influx of mountain bikers and runners. "Leadville has these crazy 100-mile races, where we have very elite athletes from all over the planet, and they have specific medical needs," said Dr. Lisa Zwerdlinger, chief medical officer at the local St. Vincent Hospital. "But what we're seeing now are these second-home owners, people who are coming from other places to spend extended periods of time in Leadville and who come with a whole host of other medical issues." Most of the races this summer were canceled. That meant fewer extreme athletes and more Texans; fewer broken bones and turned ankles, and more chronic conditions exacerbated by the high altitude. Nonetheless, August was the busiest month ever at Zwerdlinger's family medicine practice. Hospitals in vacation towns typically prepare for surges during holidays, said Jason Cleckler, CEO of Middle Park Health, with locations serving Colorado's Winter Park and Granby Ranch ski resorts in Grand County. During Christmas week, the population of neighboring Summit County, which houses resorts like Breckenridge and Keystone, swells from 31,000 to 250,000. But Cleckler said the COVID surge in resort communities is drawn-out so hospitals may have to respond with more permanent increases in capacity. In Big Sky, Montana, whose part-time residents include Bill Gates and Justin Timberlake, Big Sky Medical Center doubled its capacity to eight beds in anticipation of a surge in patients due to COVID-19. The center's two primary care doctors are completely booked. With so many new people in town, the hospital has accelerated plans to shift a third full-time doctor into the clinic. As the wily coronavirus works its way into all corners of America, though, patients may find that not all regions have the same capacity to deal with COVID or even other complex medical problems. Visitors to the sole clinic in nearby West Yellowstone, a gateway to the namesake national park, expect to be able to get COVID tests even if they have no symptoms or a known connection to a case, said Community Health Partners spokesperson Buck Taylor. "There seems to be a frustration that a rural Montana clinic doesn't have the resources they expect at home," Taylor said. "That's nothing new. People come to Montana all the time and say, 'But where can I get any good Thai food?'" Planning for what's next The year has been such an outlier for hospitals that it's difficult for them to predict and plan for what will happen next. On Long Island, many locals typically leave the Hamptons for Florida during the winter. But it's unclear whether those snowbirds will stay or go this year, given the high levels of COVID-19 in Florida now, said Robert Chaloner, CEO of Stony Brook Southampton. That could also change the demand for who needs medical care. One indication that some visitors may be staying put? The jump in new students. The Big Sky school district expects a 20% increase in enrollment this fall. Leadville schools have at least 40 new students. Vail Mountain School's waiting list is its longest ever. Many have speculated that the pandemic lockdown might fundamentally change the way companies operate, allowing more people to work from distant locations for the foreseeable future. "Every indicator that I see is pointing to the fact that this is a shift," said Romer in Vail. "It has the potential to be permanent." Taylor Rose, Big Sky Medical Center's director of operations and clinical services, said that, if that happens, the hospital will have to rebalance its services. "I'd probably give it a year or two before I make any major changes," Rose said. "People are going to start deciding, 'This really isn't for me. I'm not going to stay here and deal with 6 feet of snow in the winter.'" What our new office represents is our confidence that Port St. Lucie and the greater Treasure Coast is a wonderful community. A personal injury law firm has opened a new office in Port St. Lucie to better serve their local clientele, and those in the greater Treasure Coast region including Stuart, Palm Bay, Okeechobee, Vero Beach, and Fort Pierce, despite the severity of the Covid19 pandemic and the toll its taken on demand for new office space. The Law Offices of Craig Goldenfarb, P.A., established in West Palm Beach in 2002, chose Port St. Lucie for the home of their second office after much consideration. The decision was made in part on the regions continuing growth in population, but also because the firm employs several individuals who happen to call Port St. Lucie their home, and prior to the pandemic, were forced to endure long daily commutes to the central Palm Beach County office. Conventional thinking would reason that the midst of a global viral pandemic would not be the optimal time to lease new office space, but his firm doesnt think in conventional terms, says founder Craig Goldenfarb, Esq. Weve been looking to open a satellite office prior to the Covid19 outbreak, so in the long run, it doesnt much affect our deep desire to provide great legal services to folks in the region, he says. It also gives our employees peace of mind that when they are ready to get back to a physical office, one will be waiting for them in their neighborhood. The personal injury law firm employs about sixty lawyers, paralegals, assistants, and support staff, with a newly hired attorney, Marisa Zarzeski, Esq., and her team of one paralegal and one assistant being permanently assigned to the new Port St. Lucie office. Having bucked the trend by leasing new commercial office space is not to say the firm and its owner isnt taking the virus seriously. The firm embraced remote telework for all of their staff very early on in the pandemic, despite being considered an essential business and therefore not being subject to mandatory shutdown orders. Mr. Goldenfarb knew right away that he had to do the right thing. In order to comply with best practices issued by the CDC and do his part in combating the virus, he decided to make the investment into offering a rapidly organized voluntary remote work program. More than 90% of the firms employees have been working from home since mid-March, when the majority of Floridas counties began instituting stay-at-home orders. That is very rare for a law firm, which are typically change-averse and slow-moving. In fact, many law firms are still requiring their employees to work in the office each day. Even though the new office, located on the second floor of the Seacoast Bank building on W Port St. Lucie Blvd, about two miles east of I-95, is fully operational with networked computers, phones, a stocked kitchen, and tasteful decor, it may not be used by the staff right away. And thats OK, says Mr. Goldenfarb. What our new office represents is confidence. Its our confidence that Port St. Lucie and the greater Treasure Coast is a wonderful community with good, hard-working people that deserve competent, experienced, and most importantly, local, legal representation. Its also confidence in knowing that when the pandemic does finally cease, we want to be one of those staple businesses folks can rely on. To that end, Mr. Goldenfarb decided to highlight some of those businesses in a new marketing campaign called Hello PSL, where he and his staff of Port St. Lucie lawyers visited recognizable establishments to let those businesses know that the firm is now in town. These videos can be seen in TV advertising campaigns and online. Its all part of a bigger effort by the firm: to better serve their clients throughout South Florida, and now beyond. Alex Trebek began hosting Jeopardy! in 1984. (Photo: Eric McCandless/ABC via Getty Images) You know that part of every Jeopardy! episode, right after the first commercial break, when host Alex Trebek mingles with the contestants? Dont expect to see that in the era of COVID-19. Ken Jennings, a former contestant who won the shows Jeopardy! Greatest of All Time tournament in January, has been named a consulting producer for the shows 37th season. During an appearance Monday on Good Morning America, he explained that Trebek will no longer approach players at all. The show aired its first new episode Sept. 14 after having shut down production in March. Trebek will stay at the hosts podium, instead of coming over to the contestants because Alexs health is priority No. 1 on that set, Jennings explained on Good Morning America. Hes the last of the old-school broadcasters the way hes in peoples homes every night, Jennings said. People feel like hes part of the family. I know hes raring to go. He was not happy about the slightly longer-than-usual Jeopardy! hiatus. Hes excited to be back. Trebek, whos hosted the quiz show since 1984, turned 80 on July 22. His age alone makes him particularly vulnerable to the virus, but hes also a cancer patient. The beloved TV star revealed in March 2019 that hed been diagnosed with late-stage pancreatic cancer. Since then, hes given fans regular updates on his treatment. He said in July that he was fatigued from treatments but was otherwise feeling great. Trebek noted at the time that changes were in store for the new season. Weve redesigned our set to separate the contestants and myself a little bit more from them, Trebek said during his own GMA interview. So we are taking all kinds of precautions. Our testing procedure now is done online. In addition, the contestants will stand farther apart and taping will be limited to two days a week. In Jenningss new role, hell be presenting video categories, reaching out to potential new contestants and working with the smarties who come up with those clues. Story continues For the latest coronavirus news and updates, follow along at https://news.yahoo.com/coronavirus. According to experts, people over 60 and those who are immunocompromised continue to be the most at risk. If you have questions, please reference the CDCs and WHOs resource guides. Read more from Yahoo Entertainment: Sen. Ron Johnson to Release Interim Report on Biden Probe Within a Week Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), chairman of the Senate Homeland Security Committee, said Monday that he is on the verge of releasing an interim report on the probe involving Hunter Biden and the Obama administration. Stay tuned. In about a week were going to learn a whole lot more of Vice President Bidens fitness for office, Johnson told Republicans during a video call, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Johnsons office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. In July, Bidens presidential campaign launched a personal attack on Johnson in a memo. The memo, which was written by Deputy Campaign Manager Kate Bedingfield, claims Johnson diverted his committees resources away from the oversight of the CCP virus pandemic to promote a long-debunked, hardcore right-wing conspiracy theory about the Bidens as part of a strategy to assist President Donald Trump in his reelection. Johnson has been leading an investigation into the Bidens dealing in Ukraine. Hunter Bidens reportedly lucrative position on the board of Burisma while his father was in office has drawn Republicans ire, although both Bidens have said they havent engaged in any corrupt activities. Burisma and the Bidens came up during a July 25 phone call between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, which became the focus on the House Democrat-led impeachment inquiry. As part of the committees ongoing investigation, it has received U.S. government records indicating that Blue Star sought to leverage Hunter Bidens role as a board member of Burisma to gain access to, and potentially influence matters at, the State Department, Johnson wrote in a letter to other members of the committee. Johnson, Senate Judiciary Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), and Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) have sought documents and records from different agencies related to Hunter Bidens business activities in Ukraine. If senators vote in favor of Johnsons subpoena, it will mark an escalation in the investigation. Grassley and Johnson, in particular, have been investigating whether there was a conflict of interest when the younger Biden served on the board of Burisma. Ukrainian officials have been investigating the founder of Burisma, Ukrainian oligarch Mykola Zlochevsky, for money laundering, tax evasion, and corruption. His whereabouts are currently not known. Joe Bidens campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Jack Phillips contributed to this report Three Black Lives Matter protesters face criminal charges after being accused of harassing outdoor diners in Pittsburgh earlier this month. As WPXI-TV in Pittsburgh and the New York Post report, the three protesters -- Shawn Green, Kenneth McDowell and Monique Craft were charged by Pittsburgh police on Monday for the incident over the Labor Day weekend. The incidents were caught on video shot by bystanders. Details from the WPXI and New York Post: Craft, known as Nique, was charged with theft by unlawful taking and disorderly conduct after admitting to chugging an elderly couples beer. McDowell, identified in the criminal complaint as being the ringleader, allegedly used a bullhorn to scream obscenities at those eating outside the Sienna Mercato restaurant, then confronted the manager of a nearby McDonalds, police said. His charges included possessing instruments of crime, disorderly conduct and harassment. Green also known as Lorenzo Rulli allegedly swore at diners, gave an elderly couple the middle finger and screamed through the open window at a front of a restaurant, the complaint said. Greens charges include disorderly conduct and criminal mischief. Video of the Sept. 8 incident on Penn Avenue in Pittsburgh is here. READ MORE: Pregnant woman extremely critical after being struck by stray bullet on Pa. street Pa. man, 78, shot son and wife in head, then himself: such a tragedy Pa. man, 60, accused of sexually assaulting girl, 6: cops Pa. high school football games attract big crowds despite COVID-19 limits: I dont know how they expect schools to stop it Couple dead, man injured, in shooting inside Pa. home - but cops are mum on details Pa. man accused of raping 12-year-old after posting her naked pictures online: cops 3 charged in shooting, killing of 1-year-old Pa. boy Job applicant at Pa. restaurant accused swiping tip jar right after applying Pa. man, 21, slapped with 88-year sentence for rape, sexual assault at his moms day care Pa. day care worker, 24, gets off with probation after fracturing 7-month-old girls skull Missing mans body pulled from Pa. river President Donald Trump (right) will take part in an ABC News town hall in Philadelphia Tuesday night, hosted by 'Good Morning America' co-host George Stephanopoulos, who spent 30 hours with Trump last year. Read more Trump Town Hall in Philadelphia Date: Tuesday, Sept. 15 Time: 9 p.m. Eastern Location: National Constitution Center, Philadelphia TV: ABC President Donald Trump will travel to Philadelphia Tuesday to participate in an ABC News town hall, where he will attempt to win over undecided voters seven weeks before Election Day. The ABC News town hall will take place at the National Constitution Center, and will feature uncommitted Pennsylvania voters questioning Trump on a host of issues, with his administrations response to the coronavirus pandemic likely to dominate the evening. The town hall will be moderated by veteran ABC News anchor and Good Morning America co-host George Stephanopoulos. To abide by local coronavirus restrictions, the evening will feature live questions from people in the audience and online. The town hall comes as Trump faces widespread criticism for revealing to veteran journalist Bob Woodward during a recorded interview in March he was deliberately playing down the threat the country faced from the coronavirus, which has now killed more than 194,000 Americans, according to Johns Hopkins University. In 2016, Trump won Pennsylvania by 44,000 votes, out of more than six million cast, a margin less than 1%. Though polls have tightened since the summer, Biden a Scranton native has consistently outpaced Trump in the commonwealth, a key battleground state. A new Marist College poll released last week showed Biden widening his lead to 9 percentage points over Trump, thanks in part to the strong support the former vice president is receiving from suburban Pennsylvania voters. Heres everything you need to know to watch and stream the town hall: How can I watch and stream Trumps Philadelphia town hall? The town hall, which will air in Philadelphia on 6ABC, is scheduled to begin at 9 p.m. Eastern and last about 90 minutes. You can stream the town hall on ABC News Live, the ABC News app, and ABCNews.com. You can also stream ABC and ABC News Live on a host of so-called skinny bundles, including fuboTV (free seven-day trial), YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, and AT&T Now. Who will be moderating Trumps town hall? Throughout his presidency, Trump has rarely granted interviews beyond a circle of opinion hosts on Fox News and other conservative outlets. Tuesday, it will be veteran news anchor George Stephanopoulos questioning the president, alongside undecided Pennsylvania voters. Prior to joining ABC News in 1997, where he hosts the Sunday news program This Week and co-hosts Good Morning America, Stephanopoulos worked for former President Bill Clinton as a White House communications director and senior policy adviser. Last year, Trump spent 30 hours with Stephanopoulos over two days. Among the revelations from that hour-long special were Trumps admission hed be willing to accept political dirt on his Democratic presidential opponent from a foreign entity. He also called Stephanopoulos a little wise guy during a testy exchange over Robert Muellers investigation of Russian interference during the 2016 campaign. Road closures, extra police in Philly for Trumps visit Trump is scheduled to land at Philadelphia International Airport around 4:30 p.m. and is expected to arrive at the National Constitution Center just before 5 p.m., according to the presidents public schedule. Road closures in the area around Independence Mall will last from about 1 or 2 p.m. into the evening, according to a city spokesperson. The closures will be from Fourth to Ninth Streets, and from Market to Vine Streets. Pedestrian restrictions will also be implemented around the National Constitution Center. With protests expected during Trumps visit, Philadelphia police will bolster regular patrols with additional personnel, officials said. While there are no specific threats to Philadelphia, in preparation for possible protest activity and out of an abundance of caution, the department will deploy additional officers throughout the city, a police spokesperson said. Biden will have his own Pennsylvania town hall Thursday Biden will travel to Pennsylvania later this week for his own town hall, which will take place from Scranton and air on CNN. Anderson Cooper will moderate the event, which will feature a socially distanced live audience that abides by the states coronavirus restrictions. ABC News offered to host a town hall with Biden, but the network said in a statement the two sides were not able to find a mutually agreeable date. Recent stories about the 2020 election in Pennsylvania: 2020 presidential debate schedule The Trump and Biden campaigns have agreed to three debates during the 2020 election (Trump said hed be willing to do a fourth debate moderated by podcast host Joe Rogan): Sept. 29: Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, moderated by Fox News Sunday anchor Chris Wallace Oct. 15: Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts in Miami, moderated by C-SPAN Political Editor Steve Scully Oct. 22: Belmont University in Nashville, Tenn., moderated by NBC News White House correspondent (and Philadelphia native) Kristen Welker A debate between Vice President Mike Pence and California Sen. Kamala Harris, Bidens running mate, is scheduled for Oct. 7 at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City. USA Today Washington bureau chief Susan Page will be the moderator. Tens of thousands of people have been forced to rely on food banks for the first time in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, according to new research which shows demand for food parcels is set to soar by 61 per cent this winter compared to the same period last year. Analysis published by the Trussell Trust, the UKs largest food bank provider, estimates that 846,000 food parcels will be distributed in October to December this year with six given out every minute as furlough comes to an end and unemployment is set to rocket. The research, carried out on behalf of the charity by Heriot-Watt University, also shows that during the start of the pandemic, around half of people who used a food bank in the Trussell Trust network had never needed one before and families with children were hardest hit. The latest data shows that almost 100,000 households received support from a food bank in the Trussell Trust network for the first time between April and June this year. It comes as separate findings published by Action for Children indicate that a new wave of families who have never needed help before are struggling to make ends meet due to falling incomes and rising household costs with 71 per cent of households supported by the charity's emergency appeal having not had financial issues before the pandemic. With the end of the furlough scheme in October set to see unemployment soar to levels not seen since the early 1990s, the charity warns that families will be plunged into even deeper crisis as thousands struggle to keep their children clothed and well-fed. In one case, parents Leah Gale, 25, and Carl, 28, from Sherborne in Dorset, found themselves struggling to afford the basics for their three children Jayden, six, Colby, four, and Evelyn, two when work dried up for Carl, a self-employed painter and decorator, during lockdown. The family were forced to turn to their local food bank for the first time, and they have also been supported by funds from Action for Childrens coronavirus appeal, which helped them pay for gas and electricity as well as buy summer clothes for their children. We were doing OK before the pandemic just. But everything went downhill rapidly after lockdown, Leah explained. Leah Gale, who has three children Jayden, Cloby and Evelyn says she and her family has never struggled like this before' (Action for Children) As Carl is self-employed, were not entitled to any government help or furloughing or anything, so weve been forced to borrow left, right and centre from family and friends as well as take out a loan to cover the council tax. Weve never struggled like this before, ever. Covering lifes basic expenses since March has pushed us into the most debt weve ever been in and it doesnt look like things will get better for a long while yet. Dee Woods, co-founder of Granville Community Kitchen, which provides both food parcels and cooked meals to local people in need in Brent, London, said there had been a 700 per cent rise in demand since the start of lockdown with the service now supporting around 700 people per week, compared to 100 in March. She said the rise was made up of a combination of people who had lost their jobs and werent offered furlough or had no recourse to public funds, those still in work but with reduced hours, those whose benefits dont cover their needs and rough sleepers who were placed in hotels during lockdown but have now had to leave. Explaining that many had never used a food bank before, she said: People turn up and break down into tears. They never thought they would end up in a situation where they would need to ask for help to eat. Sometimes theyve already gone without food for days. It really is heartbreaking. Help the Hungry: Olivia Colman visits The Felix Project Ms Woods said she was concerned about the months ahead, adding: We are preparing for a tsunami. Right now it feels calm, but there will be increasing unemployment when the furlough scheme ends and more people lose their jobs and have to go on benefits. Sally Noden, who runs Action for Childrens Newcastle family support service, which has been working in partnership with the citys West End food bank, said she and her team had supported many families who hadnt needed help before often single parents who had lost their income due to the pandemic. Its been a real struggle for families that had been just about managing before and had never had to go to food banks to suddenly have to say, I dont have enough food. Thats a really big thing for a parent. It can really impact on their mental health and their self-esteem, she said. Ministers are being urged to put a protective shield around struggling families by not withdrawing the 20-a-week increase in universal credit, which was announced in response to the pandemic, and by boosting child benefit this winter, to prevent a generation of children from being scarred by poverty. Jonathan Reynolds, Labours shadow work and pensions secretary, urged the government to take further, urgent action to make sure that no one goes hungry during the public health crisis. Months into this crisis too many people are still falling through the gaps in the safety net and children are going hungry as a result. The governments incompetence is worsening already unacceptable levels of child poverty in the UK, he said. The Trussell Trust warned that, without action, 670,000 additional people are set to be classed as destitute by the end of 2020 on top of year-on-year rises in the number of people unable to afford food and forced to use food banks across the UK. Emma Revie, chief executive of the charity, warned that food banks and other community charities could not continue to pick up the pieces, adding: Our research finds that Covid-19 has led to tens of thousands of new people needing to use a food bank for the first time. This is not right. With the furlough scheme set to wind down, we must act now to put in place protection for each other. The Budget and comprehensive spending review present a pivotal opportunity to put things right. Carol Iddon, deputy chief executive at Action for Children, said families were hanging by a thread as they faced one of the bleakest winters of their lives". While parents on low incomes are starting to buckle, a new wave of families whove never needed help before are now also struggling to make ends meet," she added. The government must put a protective shield around struggling families by ensuring that Novembers Budget makes clear that universal credit will not be cut by 20 a week in the spring. Andrew Forsey, director of Feeding Britain, said the new food bank figures were incredibly troubling, adding: They show that something very serious has been happening to the poorest individuals in our society and this has been amplified by the pandemic." Sabine Goodwin, coordinator of the Independent Food Aid Network, pointed out that on top of the 1,200 Trussell Trust food banks, there were at least 916 independent food banks distributing emergency food parcels every week all of which had also seen a huge rise in demand. Decisive and immediate action needs to be taken to turn the tide of escalating poverty levels driving the proliferation of food banks, food pantries and other charitable food aid providers, she said. Help The Hungry: Damien Hirst rainbow heart displayed across London Show all 6 1 /6 Help The Hungry: Damien Hirst rainbow heart displayed across London Help The Hungry: Damien Hirst rainbow heart displayed across London Aiden and Tanya from South Hill School in Hemel Hempstead put up Damien Hirst's butterfly heart in their school window Jeremy Selwyn Help The Hungry: Damien Hirst rainbow heart displayed across London Brothers and sisters, Mei, Rio and Jui, proudly hold up Help The Hungry posters Nigel Howard Help The Hungry: Damien Hirst rainbow heart displayed across London Elise and Josie pose with their poster at their Carshalton home Daniel Hambury/@stellapicsltd Help The Hungry: Damien Hirst rainbow heart displayed across London The heart is a symbol of solidarity and hope to support the Independent's Help The Hungry campaign Evening Standard Help The Hungry: Damien Hirst rainbow heart displayed across London The Turner Prize-winning artist created the rainbow heart design filled with butterflies, one of his motifs, to pay tribute to charities and individuals helping to feed vulnerable people during the coronavirus crisis Help The Hungry: Damien Hirst rainbow heart displayed across London Students at South Hill School in Hemel Hempstead wave as they display a butterfly heart poster A government spokesperson said: We have provided 9.3bn extra welfare support to help those most in need, including increasing universal credit by up to 20 a week, as well as introducing income protection schemes, mortgage holidays and additional support for renters. Meanwhile, since mid-March weve supported 3.9 million claims to universal credit and made 1.3 million advance payments to people who could not wait. The Independents Help The Hungry campaign is highlighting projects that need your help to feed people left vulnerable by the Covid-19 crisis Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-15 16:16:45|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close ULAN BATOR, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- A passenger plane chartered by the Mongolian government to repatriate its nationals from Europe arrived here on Tuesday, local authorities said. The chartered flight from Frankfurt to Ulan Bator landed at the Buyant-Ukhaa International Airport early Tuesday, with 240 passengers onboard, Mongolia's State Emergency Commission (SEC) said in a statement. The repatriated people consisted of pregnant women, the elderly, children, the disabled and sick, and those with financial or other problems, the SEC said, adding that they will be isolated at designated facilities for 21 days. Following its suspension of international commercial flights during the COVID-19 pandemic, Mongolia has repatriated more than 21,000 nationals on chartered flights, trains and buses from different parts of the world, according to the commission. The Asian country planned to send a total of 13 special flights this month to COVID-19-hit countries to repatriate more nationals. As of Tuesday, Mongolia has reported a total of 311 COVID-19 cases, all of which were imported. No local transmissions or deaths have been reported in the country so far. Enditem The new exterior wall system pairs polyiso ci with a weather resistive barrier (WRB) to increase building envelope performance while simplifying jobsite demands. Hunter Panels is expanding their portfolio of category-leading polyiso wall solutions with the addition of the Hunter Xci AEGIS Wall System. The new exterior wall system pairs polyiso continuous insulation (ci) with a weather resistive barrier (WRB) to increase building envelope performance while simplifying jobsite demands. A single-source solution, the Hunter Panels system provides protection against the elements, high thermal efficiency and NFPA 285 compliance all in one quality assembly. The systems Xci composite polyiso panels attach to a structural base wall (fire retardant treated wood, steel stud, concrete or CMU) in order to effectively support the cladding system. The WRB is then applied directly on top of the Xci composite polyiso panels, protecting all seams and fastener penetrations from the elements. The multi-functionality of materials provides professionals with a complete solution for insulation, backing and weather resistance. This in turn reduces the number of trips around a building typically associated with the installation of an exterior wall system. Moreover, Hunter Panels strategic systemization ensures all materials are compatible and able to perform key functions within the wall assembly. Our system checks all of the boxes, from superior performance to protection to code compliance, said Jason Greenleaf, Technical & Tapered Design Services Manager for Hunter Panels. Its the ultimate building envelope shield. Equally impressive, it streamlines installation so that professionals can build efficiently and with confidence. This new exterior wall system utilizes Hunter Panels composite polyiso products to provide ci and thermal efficiency. Users can select Hunter Xci Ply, Xci Ply (Class A) or Xci NB depending on the classification of their building type. The self-adhering Xci VP-SA WRB then serves as the systems secondary component, providing critical defense against air and water intrusion. The elements of this systemized wall assembly are described below: Hunter Xci Ply and Xci Ply (Class A): designed for use with fire treated plywood backing in commercial wall applications, this rigid insulation panel has been tested within a wide assortment of National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 285 compliant assemblies. With this designation, its been approved for use in Type I, II, III and IV buildings. Xci Ply (Class A) is produced with >25 flame spread foam core polyiso. Hunter Xci NB: intended for use with OSB or plywood backing in Type V commercial and residential wall applications, Hunter Xci NB is a rigid insulation panel that offers a simple solution for satisfying ci requirements. It also acts as a cladding attachment surface. Xci VP-SA WRB: a powerful safeguard designed for use in above grade wall assemblies. The vapor permeable, self-adhering weather resistive barrier provides protection against air and water intrusion while still allowing for breathability. Learn more about the advantages of building with the Hunter Xci AEGIS Wall System at http://www.hunterpanels.com. About Hunter Panels Hunter Panels, a leading manufacturer of polyisocyanurate (polyiso) insulation, offers a wide range of roof and wall insulation products under the Hunter Panels and Hunter Xci brand names. Headquartered in Portland, Maine, Hunter operates seven state-of-the-art polyiso manufacturing plants in New York, Pennsylvania, Florida, Illinois, Texas, Utah, and Washington. For more information, visit http://www.hunterpanels.com or call 888-746-1114. On Tuesday's episode of The Block, lockdown hits the Melbourne set and the contestants are left in shock. The episode, filmed in March, sees host Scott Cam reveal that while the building set will stay open, social distancing and other guidelines will have to be brought in. The Blockheads are then gathered for a special announcement about major changes on the show. Hard times: On Tuesday's episode of The Block, lockdown hits the Melbourne set and the contestants are left in shock Scott tells them that they can invite their children and families on set - and the show will fund it all. Airfares would be covered, and a school house would be built for little ones to study with a tutor. The generous offer leaves the parents in the group weeping, both over the stress of being parted from their loved ones by border closures and lockdowns, and the joyful prospect of having them close. Welcome! Scott Cam (pictured) tells them that they can invite their children and families on set - and the show will fund it all. Airfares would be covered, and a school house would be built for little ones to study with a tutor But they have tough decisions to make, and Jimmy, 33, and Tam, 31, from Brisbane, wonder if bringing their daughter Frankie, four, to set is a good idea. 'We haven't seen Frankie in five weeks. Your heart is saying get her here, get here here,' Jimmy said. 'But she's safe where she is in Noosa. We had to talk about it a lot and figure out what the best thing for her is. ' For Daniel, 35 and Jade, 34, from South Australia, there was no decision to make - instead the farmers were left weeping when they realised they could not have their family with them despite the generous offer. Painful: But they have tough decisions to make, and Jimmy, 33, and Tam, 31, from Brisbane, wondered if bringing their daughter Frankie, four, to set was a good idea. Both pictured Safe: 'We haven't seen Frankie in five weeks. Your heart is saying get her here, get here here,' Jimmy said. ' Pictured: Frankie He added: 'But she's safe where she is in Noosa. We had to talk about it a lot and figure out what the best thing for her is' 'There's four grandparents involved, three little kids. So it's not easy to say it's a great idea,' Daniel said. Jade added: 'They have a family farm, a business that runs, that doesn't stop. If it stops, its gone.' However, the pair judged that it was 'impossible' for them to have their family leave the farm and stay on set. Breaking down, Jade added: 'It's not easy. We'd love to have our kids here with us. We'd love to have them here every day.' The indomitable spirit of the Jewish people is that we see the world through a lens of abundance and not scarcity, Fenster said. In the face of fear and anxiety we choose hope. It is the moment we are in, and we are going to approach it with openheartedness and ready to find truth, meaning or purpose. Heads of government attending the G7 Summit in Biarritz, France, in August 2019 (Getty Images) The image of the US overseas has suffered since the beginning of the Trump administration, but it fell to a new low this year with the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, a poll shows. A 13-nation survey by Pew Research Centre shows the reputation of the US plummeting among key allies and partners. In several countries, the percentage of the public that have a favourable view of the US is at its lowest point since the group began a survey on the topic 20 years ago. The 13-country median with a favourable view of the US was 34 per cent of respondents, with only 16 per cent having confidence in the president, Donald Trump. Only Spain, the UK, Japan, Italy and South Korea had a favourable view of the US exceeding 40 per cent. Western Europeans have a particularly low opinion of the president, with only between nine and 11 per cent having confidence in him in Belgium, Germany, Denmark and France. Japanese respondents had the most confidence in Trump, but that totalled only 25 per cent. The UK had a 41 per cent favourable view of the US and 19 per cent had confidence in Trump. Confidence in the president is as low as with post-Katrina George W Bush. Trump is currently perceived similarly to the leaders of Russia and China, with 83 per cent having no confidence in him compared to 73 per cent for Vladimir Putin, and 78 per cent for Xi Jinping. In terms of the pandemic, respondents were asked to say if the US had done a good job responding to the coronavirus. They were also asked the same about their own country, the World Health Organisation, the European Union, and China. The US had a median score of 15 per cent, compared to 74 per cent for the home country, 64 per cent for the WHO, 57 per cent for the EU, and 37 per cent for China. Only six per cent of South Korean respondents said the US had done a good job. The highest percentage of people that thought the US had handled the crisis well was 20 per cent of Spanish respondents. The survey was conducted among 13,273 people in 13 countries not including the US from 10 June to 3 August, 2020. Story continues Read More Coronavirus: Americans trust Dr Fauci and Andrew Cuomo far more than Trump, poll finds Half of US military now disapprove of Trump, poll shows Trump poll: 'Idiot' most common word used by voters to describe US President Majority of Americans say they're 'embarrassed' by US coronavirus response as disapproval over Trump's handling hits record high NAPLES - Rosa Parks has found a home at the Royal Palace of Naples, in an installation by American artist Ryan Mendoza titled "Almost Home - The Rosa Parks House Project". Mendoza brought the historic home of the African-American activist to the central courtyard of the historic Palazzo Reale. Parks became an important symbol of the civil rights movement in the US when, in 1955, she refused to give up her seat to a white passenger on a segregated bus in Montgomery, Alabama. The exhibition was organised by the Fondazione Morra Greco with support from the Region of Campania and in collaboration with Campania Museums Regional Management. Rosa Parks' home was originally located in Detroit, Michigan, and was purchased by Parks' niece, Rhea McCauley, to save it from being demolished. McCauley approached Mendoza for help after struggling to find institutional support to restore the home, and in 2016, Mendoza transported the house to his residence in Berlin and rebuilt it in his backyard. "With the 'Almost Home - The Rosa Parks House Project', Ryan Mendoza keeps alive the memory of Rosa Parks and all those who lived in the house during a dramatic and conflicted moment in American history, whose identity, today called into question by the return of the Black Lives Matter movement, appears increasingly fragile and contradictory due to the wounds of a colonial past still open," said the show's curators in a statement. Entrance to the installation is free, and runs through January 6. OTTAWA - The threat of a federal election seems to be easing as the Liberal government prepares for a return to Parliament next week amid concerns Canada could already be heading into a dreaded second wave of the novel coronavirus. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 15/9/2020 (493 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks with the media before the first day of a Liberal cabinet retreat in Ottawa, Monday September 14, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld OTTAWA - The threat of a federal election seems to be easing as the Liberal government prepares for a return to Parliament next week amid concerns Canada could already be heading into a dreaded second wave of the novel coronavirus. Fears of a COVID-19 resurgence hung over a cabinet retreat Tuesday as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his ministers met behind closed doors for a second straight day to plot a path through and eventually beyond the pandemic. Yet politics were also heavy in the air as talk moved to the return of Parliament with a throne speech on Sept. 23 that Trudeau had previously suggested would lay out a bold plan for rebuilding Canada's economy. The government now says it will largely focus on containing the effect of the illness. There had been questions in the past few weeks about whether the throne speech would serve as the catalyst for a fall election, as the minority Liberal government would need the support of at least one opposition party to survive a confidence vote in the House of Commons. There was also speculation the Liberals wanted an election, and were planning to use the throne speech as an excuse for launching a campaign in the hopes of winning a majority government. Such talk was emboldened by Monday's election results in New Brunswick, where the Progressive Conservatives under Blaine Higgs went from a minority to a majority government by riding a wave of support for its handling of the COVID-19 crisis. NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh appeared to take the wind out of federal election speculation on Tuesday, suggesting his party would hold its nose and give the government a pass on the throne speech and then hold the Liberals to account on the budget or future legislation. "We can't rule out that we could continue to see these numbers rise across the country. And that is the real risk of COVID19." Health Minister Patty Hajdu What they say in the throne speech really doesnt have that much impact. It doesnt really matter when it comes down to it because theyve said a lot of things in the last throne speech that they havent followed through on, Singh said. I want to see implementation, perhaps in the budget. The budget bill might be a way for us to really gauge if the government is serious about following through. The throne speech is expected to include some commitments that would align with NDP priorities, such as on child care. This increases the likelihood, although does not guarantee, that Singh's party will find a way to support it. Singh added he is scheduled to speak to Trudeau by telephone later this week, in which the NDP leader planned to push the government not to reduce the $2,000-per-month Canada Emergency Response Benefit. Trudeau is also scheduled to speak to Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole, Bloc Quebecois Leader Yves-Francois Blanchet and Green party Leader Elizabeth May about the throne speech later this week, according to the Prime Minister's Office. The theme of congeniality emerged as fears of a second wave of COVID-19 were heightened after another increase in the number of positive cases in Canada. That continues a troubling trend in recent weeks that has hijacked the Liberals' talk of setting a bold new post-pandemic course for Canada. Health Minister Patty Hajdu was unable to say Tuesday whether the trend is a temporary blip or a cause for larger concerns, saying: "It's hard to speculate because we still have time to actually keep these numbers under control if we all work together as governments and as individuals. "But listen, we can't rule that out. We can't rule out that we could continue to see these numbers rise across the country. And that is the real risk of COVID-19." The threat posed by COVID-19 was underscored on Monday when the Bloc Quebecois announced that Blanchet and the rest of his caucus were self-isolating after a staff member tested positive for the illness. The positive test came after an in-person caucus meeting. The Bloc's experience focused attention on the pending return of Parliament next week, including the question of how many members of Parliament would be allowed to sit in the House of Commons and how voting will be conducted. The Conservatives remain opposed to allowing electronic voting, insisting there are safe ways to allow all 338 MPs to vote on motions and bills. But the Liberals, NDP and Bloc support having only a small number of MPs in the chamber, with most participating virtually, including voting remotely. Government House leader Pablo Rodriguez on Tuesday suggested the hybrid model was the only answer to ensure all MPs have their voices heard in the House while remaining safe. Heritage Minister Steven Guilbeault urged the Conservatives to agree to such a measure. "We believe that the return of the House should continue on the basis of the hybrid model that we have so that there's not 338 people packed into a very small room where we could really contaminate each other," Guilbeault said. "And I really hope the Conservative party will come around and understand that safety is a very important thing for Canadians." The throne speech is expected to include three main priorities: measures needed to protect Canadians' health and avoid another national lockdown; economic supports needed to help keep Canadians financially afloat while the pandemic continues; and longer-term measures to eventually rebuild the economy. In particular, it is expected to promise more funding for health care, including long-term care homes, which have borne the brunt of the more than 9,000 deaths from COVID-19 in Canada. It is also expected to promise money for child care so that parents especially women, hardest hit by the shutdown can go back to work. Details on the longer-term recovery measures won't be revealed until an economic statement later in the fall. The COVID-19 resurgence has forced the government to focus on the immediate challenge it poses, pushing its previous priority the climate change crisis to the sidelines. "Sure, we're concerned about climate change, but I'm a mother, I'm concerned about my kids going to school, I'm concerned about the numbers that I'm seeing in Ottawa and across Canada that are going up," said Infrastructure Minister Catherine McKenna, who previously held the environment post. Still, she argued that the government can do more than one thing at a time. "When the pandemic is over, and we will get through this, we still have another crisis. It's called climate change," McKenna said. "We have to tackle climate change." Ready, Pet, Go! Leesa Dahl looks at everything to do with our furry, fuzzy, feathered, fishy (and more!) pet friends. Arrives in your inbox each Monday. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Emergency aid to help Canadians weather the pandemic has already pushed the federal deficit for this year up to an unheard-of $343 billion. With the government operating on the assumption that the pandemic will continue to plague the globe for at least two more years, unprecedented amounts of red ink seem destined to continue flowing. Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland said she's "well aware" some people are concerned about the amount of debt the government is piling up. But she defended it, arguing "the best thing we can do for our economy is to keep coronavirus under control. I can't emphasize that too much." She pointed out that 1.8 million Canadians are still unemployed or under-employed as a result of the pandemic and said the government is committed to getting them all back to work. That said, Freeland said the government understands "the value of wise and prudent fiscal management." She added that she has been talking "a lot" to Paul Martin, the former Liberal prime minister who tamed the federal deficit when he was finance minister in the 1990s. Sept. 15, 2020. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-15 23:35:54|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close MAPUTO, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- An archaeological study is currently underway in Moatize district, Mozambique's western province of Tete, to understand the history of the former inhabitants in that mineral-rich region, said the mining company and the study's sponsor Vale Mozambique in a statement on Tuesday. According to the statement, the study is aimed at exploring the life of the ancient local communities, including their daily lives and cultural practices, following the finding of various artifacts in the region. Archaeologists working in the research have found different objects, mostly ancient and contemporary china in the district, which might be connected to the populations once lived in that space and crucial to reconstruct the history of the region, said the statement. Being a multicultural province in Mozambique, the region of Tete was a Kiswahili trade center until it was occupied by Portugal in 1530. Enditem While rejecting Actor Rhea Chakraborty's bail plea, The special NDPS court noted that if she is released on bail she may alert others and destroy evidence. The court also observed that some amount was transferred via her credit card to buy drugs. Refusing to grant bail to actor Rhea Chakraborty in connection with a drug case related to the death of Sushant Singh Rajput, a special (Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act) court in Mumbai has held that if she is released on bail she may alert others and they may destroy evidence. Additional Sessions Judge GB Gurao, while disposing of the bail plea on September 11, observed that the investigation is at a preliminary stage and if the accused is released on bail then she may tamper with the prosecution evidence. In addition according to the prosecution accused has taken the names of other persons. The investigation in respect of those persons is in process. If the accused is released on bail then she will alert those persons and they will destroy the evidence. There is a possibility of tampering of evidence, the order said. The special NDPS court noted that the prosecution has explained that accused demanded police protection to come to the Narcotics Control Bureau office from her house, after which one lady cop was accompanying the accused. Also Read: PM Modi lays foundation stone of seven projects in Bihar Also Read: Hurt by Jaya Bachchans remark, Ravi Kishan says he is just a son of a priest who crawled his way up Statement of the accused was recorded on September 6,7 and 8. The prosecution revealed the role of the accused on the basis of said statement and thereafter, she was arrested in the crime. Therefore, at this stage, when the investigation is at a preliminary stage, it can not be said that the statement is forcefully recorded and inadmissible in evidence, the order said. Section 27-A of the NDPS Act as discussed above is in respect of the illicit trafficking of drug, considering the punishment prescribed for the offence punishable under this section offence is non-bailable, it added. The court also observed that the NCB has recovered WhatsApp chat and other electronic evidence and that some amount was transferred via credit card of the accused. It also noted that a commercial quantity of LSD was recovery from accused Anuj Keshwani. Apart from Rhea, the court had on September 11 also rejected the bail plea of Rheas brother Showik, Abdul Basit, Zaid Vilatra, Dipesh Sawant and Samuel Miranda, who were also arrested by the NCB in the case. Rhea, in her bail application, had said that the NCB has not disclosed any connection between Chakraborty and any drug peddler and claimed that during her custody, she was coerced into making incriminatory confessions and that statement was retracted on September 8 itself. Also Read: Kangana Ranaut questions Jaya Bachchan, asks if her stance would remain same if Shweta, Abhishek are targeted Online service SoloSuit wants to help Americans who are being sued for a debt fight back using automated tools. The company, which is launching its service nationwide today at TechCrunch Disrupt Startup Battlefield, guides users through preparing a response to their lawsuit, optionally having a consumer protection attorney look over the entire document on their behalf, then handing the printing and court filing. The idea for SoloSuit came from founder, George Simons, who had bought a lemon during his first year of law school and struggled to find an attorney who would help him out. That prompted the realization that there are likely millions of people across the U.S. who also can't find attorneys to take cases for a variety of reasons. For example, they may struggle if there isn't enough money in the case to make it worth an attorney's while, or if the attorney they want is too busy to get on the phone, he suggests. The area of focus SoloSuit landed on, however, was debt lawsuits. Every year, 10 million Americans get sued for debt and 9 million automatically lose because they aren't able to figure out how to respond to those lawsuits, Simons claims. These debts could include medical debt, credit cards, auto loans, student loans, or any other unsecured debts. After a debt collector is unable to collect from the consumer, they may choose to sue for that debt instead. With the SoloSuit web app, users can respond to these lawsuits in about 15 minutes, the startup says. The way the process works is that when someone receives a complaint and summons in the mail, they'll usually only have 14-30 days to respond, depending on the state, before they automatically lose their case. Often, customers will Google for information about what to do next, which is where they'll find SoloSuit's free online guides. These will also refer the potential customers to the web service. Here, the web app, which was demoed at Disrupt, will guide the customer through creating the response to the lawsuit and optionally pay to have an attorney review it. Story continues Customers can either pay $15 to have the response printed and filed on their behalf, or $115 to have an attorney review it before filing. The startup spun out of the Brigham Young University LawX legal design lab, where it was originally founded by a team of students. Simons ended up taking the reins and the other students have moved on. Currently, he is the sole founder but is expecting to hire a technical co-founder soon. Since SoloSuit's founding a couple of years ago, it has seen 3,000 Utah-based customers who have been sued for a combined total of $11 million in debt lawsuits. The startup believes they've helped around 50% of those cases get dismissed. Today, the service will launch across all 50 U.S. states and will add the attorney review feature. https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/themes/techcrunch-2017/features/shortcodes/vidible-callback-js.php?id=0 An X-ray image of a loach's mucus storage system, and a schematic diagram demonstrating how lubricant is secreted in the authors' setup. Credit: Hyung Jin Sung Long-distance cargo ships lose a significant amount of energy due to fluid friction. Looking to the drag reduction mechanisms employed by aquatic life can provide inspiration on how to improve efficiency. Fish and seaweed secrete a layer of mucus to create a slippery surface, reducing their friction as they travel through water. A potential way to mimic this is by creating lubricant-infused surfaces covered with cavities. As the cavities are continuously filled with the lubricant, a layer is formed over the surface. Though this method has previously been shown to work, reducing drag by up to 18%, the underlying physics is not fully understood. In the journal Physics of Fluids, researchers from the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology and Pohang University of Science and Technology conducted simulations of this process to help explain the effects. The group looked at the average speed of a cargo ship with realistic material properties and simulated how it behaves under various lubrication setups. Specifically, they monitored the effects of the open area of the lubricant-filled cavities, as well as the thickness of the cavity lids. They found that for larger open areas, the lubricant spreads more than it does with smaller open areas, leading to a slipperier surface. On the other hand, the lid thickness does not have much of an effect on the slip, though a thicker lid does create a thicker lubricant buildup layer. "Our investigation of the hydrodynamics of a lubricant layer and how it results in drag reduction with a slippery surface in a basic configuration has provided significant insight into the benefits of a lubricant-infused surface," said Hyung Jin Sung, an author on the paper. Now that they have worked on optimizing the lubricant secretion design, the authors hope it can be implemented in real-life marine vehicles. "If the present design parameters are adopted, the drag reduction rate will increase significantly," Sung said. Explore further A novel salvinia-like slippery surface More information: "A lubricant-infused slip surface for drag reduction," Physics of Fluids, aip.scitation.org/doi/10.1063/5.0018460 Journal information: Physics of Fluids "A lubricant-infused slip surface for drag reduction," Three of the hotel quarantine cases were in returned overseas travellers, and the fourth was in a NSW resident who had returned from Victoria. All passengers on the same flight from Victoria to Sydney are in hotel quarantine. A further case has also been confirmed in a student from Blue Mountains Grammar, and the school is closed for deep cleaning and contact tracing. The case will be included in Wednesday's numbers. Ms Berejiklian said she wanted only a low level of community transmission ahead of the school holidays. "Its really important to keep testing rates high," she said. NSW Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant said increased testing was important before people start moving about the state for holidays, and she'd like to see testing numbers over 20,000 each day. 'In a fairly safe place' Professor Mary-Louise McLaws told Channel 9's Today show that keeping daily numbers lower than four cases a day would indicate success in virus management. "[NSW is] potentially on track to zero but to be out of the woods you don't necessarily have to have zero but you do have to have between zero and four cases every day for twice an average incubation period," she said. Professor McLaws added that, if NSW's cases remain at the low levels seen on Monday - with four, including just one case of community transmission - there would be little justification for other states to restrict its residents. "We are in a fairly safe place, but we are not completely safe," she said. "I'd be waiting for another week at least but preferably another 13 days." Her comments come as residents from NSW and the ACT could be able to visit South Australia without quarantine as early as this week, with a decision on the matter expected on Tuesday. On Tuesday, South Australia lifted the 14-day quarantine requirement for people travelling to from the ACT, but South Australia Police Commissioner Grant Stevens said that will not change the rules for people coming from NSW, for now. "For NSW the 14-day quarantine period will remain in force for the foreseeable future, until such time as our health experts are satisfied that the community transmission issues which are occurring in NSW have abated to the degree that we can allow that movement from NSW into South Australia," he said. Future bookings can be bigger, but more people face fines On Monday afternoon changes to the Public Health Order were announced, including making all attendees to private parties with more than 20 guests liable for the $1000 fine. NSW Police Assistant Commissioner Tony Crandell, who heads the police coronavirus operation, said the Public Health Order was being amended as the state heads into the party season. "Police are taking this very seriously: we don't want an increase of people coming together to equal an increase of coronavirus cases, we don't want complacency to creep in," he said. Other changes to the Public Health Order also came into effect at midnight on Monday. Amaravati, Sep 15 : Andhra Pradesh's ruling party YSRCP has urged the Centre to order a CBI investigation into the alleged land scam in the Amaravati capital region and irregularities in the Andhra Pradesh State FiberNet Limited (APSFL) during the previous TDP regime. The YSR Congress Party (YSRCP), which had already made a request in this regard a couple of months ago, decided to once again raise the issue during the ongoing Parliament session. The YSRCP alleged that the then Telugu Desam Party (TDP) government resorted to insider trading, benefiting Chandrababu Naidu, his family members and those close to them. The party reiterated that the information about choosing Amaravati as the location for building the new state capital was leaked by those in power and they through their aides purchased land in and around Amaravati at throwaway prices. The investigations conducted so far including by the Cabinet Sub-Committee revealed that before the announcement of Amaravati as the state capital, 4,069.94 acres of land was purchased in Krishna and Guntur districts by those involved in insider trading. The YSRCP Parliamentary Party has decided to highlight the 'nepotism, manipulation, corruption and breaking the oath of secrecy by the people in high office who were privy to information leaking it to their close circles and the insider trading arising out of such malpractice.' People in the know of cabinet decisions including cabinet ministers, legislators, party associates, and their benamis reaped undue benefits by buying land ahead of the actual announcement, it said. According to YSRCP leaders, the beneficiaries included Chandrababu Naidu, his son and then cabinet minister Nara Lokesh, his close associate and NRI, Vemuri Ravi Kumar Prasad, then minister Paritala Sunita, Public Accounts Committee chairman and MLA Payyavula Keshav, former MLAs G V S Anjaneyulu and Dhulipalla Narendra, Kambampati Rammohan Rao and several other TDP leaders. The benami transactions that took place in the land deals allegedly involved Ministers and TDP leaders. The boundaries of the capital area were redrawn to suit their favoured few to keep their landholding at an advantageous place. The YSRCP also alleged that assigned and government land was grabbed and surrendered for land pooling to get the benefits announced by the government. Unwilling farmers were intimidated to acquire their land. The land pooling scheme rules also do not comply with the Land Acquisition Act. The Jagan Mohan Reddy-led YSRCP also decided to highlight the irregularities in the AP State Fiber Net Limited (APSFL) involving then chief minister Chandababu Naidu, his son and Information Technology Minister Nara Lokesh and the then technical advisor to the government, Vemuri Hari Krishna Prasad. The YSRCP government on July 13 extended consent to the CBI for a probe into APSFL irregularities and intimated the same to the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), Government of India. The total amount involved is to the tune of Rs 2,000 crore. A large part of this amount was raised through loans and the rampant pilferage led to a severe financial strain on the government. The tender was given to Tera Software owned by the family members of Hari Krishna Prasad and undue favours were doled out during 2014 and 2019. "There were grave irregularities at bidding level and undue favour was meted out to Tera Software by giving the maintenance contract at an exorbitant rate to the company," the ruling party said. A Cabinet Sub-Committee (CSC), headed by Finance Minister Buggana Rajendranath, has already conducted a probe into the land deals and the APSFL scam. Based on the CSC's findings, the state government constituted a Special Investigation Team to investigate deeper into the alleged scandals. The panel found that in the irregularities pertaining to APSFL, some of the files were routed through Chandrababu Naidu. Though the estimates were unjustified, excessive rates were quoted by the lowest bidder at a premium of 11.26 per cent, the then chief minister got the tender approved. "Then Minister for Information Technology, Sri Nara Lokesh played a role in the signing of MoU between DoT, BBNL, Government of AP and APSFL for Bharatnet Phase-II at a cost of Rs 907.94 crore only, despite it being evident on file that there was a deviation from prescribed technology, the estimates did not follow any standardized fixation of cost of materials, many ingredients of the work were left out of the estimates incorporated for the MoU - thereby knowing pretty well that there is going to be a huge escalation of estimates without, there being any correlating financial sanction from the Central Government." Vemuru Hari Krishna Prasad, the then technical advisor to the government, played a pivotal role. Evidence gathered by CSC indicated that Hari Krishna Prasad, as a member of the committees which processed the tenders, illegally facilitated the award of most of the high value tenders to Tera Software and that his family members and he himself were closely associated with the sister concerns of Tera Software, says the CSC report. When Robert McDowell gave his friend Gerald Drummond a ride and handed him a gun later used to kill a man and a 15-year-old boy on a Tacony street in July 2007, he set in motion a series of events that ended with both of them being convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison without the chance for parole. On Monday, McDowell, 38, learned that he will not die in prison, but instead would be released very soon, according to his lawyer. McDowell was scheduled to be retried for the slayings starting Monday in Philadelphia Common Pleas Court, after a federal judge this year granted him a new trial because the state judge who sentenced him erred in properly explaining reasonable doubt to the jury. Instead of picking a jury for the retrial, the District Attorneys Office offered McDowell a plea deal of 7 to 15 years in prison, which makes him eligible to immediately seek parole because he has already served more than the minimum sentence. McDowells bushy beard and face mask could not conceal his smile as he accepted the deal, which also includes 10 years of reporting probation. Speaking to Judge Glenn Bronson, McDowell acknowledged his victims and said I look forward to going home and making something out of his life. This was a terrible, awful crime. It was senseless, it was brutal, said Bronson, who added that in accepting the plea deal, he took into account that McDowell did not pull the trigger" and that two witnesses who testified against him had since died. When I consider all the things that I know about this case, Im willing to accept the recommended sentence, said Bronson, who noted that he had denied McDowells petition for a new trial before the defendant appealed to federal court. Mr. McDowell, you have had some great fortune within the criminal justice system, Bronson said in the nearly empty courtroom in which everyone present wore masks. McDowells fortune came on the same day that U.S. Attorney William M. McSwain held a news conference to accuse Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner of being lenient with violent offenders by offering them plea deals that allowed them to return to the streets, where some committed new crimes. He cited 12 such cases. These policies create a culture of lawlessness; they leave criminals emboldened; and they have inevitable consequences one of which is a murder rate in Philadelphia that is the highest it has been in nearly 15 years, McSwain said. Assistant District Attorney Robert Wainwright declined to comment on McDowells plea deal after leaving the courtroom. Jane Roh, spokesperson for District Attorney Larry Krasner, declined to comment. McDowells attorney, William Davis, said, He was serving two life sentences, so hes very grateful that we were able to resolve this with a 7-to-15 sentence. In pleading guilty to two counts of third-degree murder, criminal conspiracy and a weapon offense, McDowell for the first time admitted in court that he provided Drummond with the gun that was used to kill Damien Holloway, 27, and Timothy Clark, 15, on July 13, 2007. Roh, Krasners spokesperson, emailed a statement from Matthew Clark, Timothy Clarks brother, supporting the offices handling of the case. I believe the sentence is fair because Robert McDowell wasnt the actual shooter. The District Attorneys Office absolutely kept me informed throughout this process, I was consulted and involved the whole way, wrote Matthew, who said by phone that his mother and another brother had both died since McDowell was convicted. Although neither Drummond nor McDowell testified during their trial nearly a decade ago, their attorneys at the time argued that neither man was even present when the victims were gunned down, execution-style, on Vandike Street near Longshore Avenue. Back then, prosecutor Carlos Vega told the jury that both were there and that McDowell brought the gun but lacked the heart to shoot. So he handed the weapon to Drummond, who ordered the victims to their knees before shooting both in the head, Vega said. Holloway had a rocky dating relationship with Drummonds sister, with whom he had a child, and Drummond did not like how the victim had been treating her, Vega told the jury. Drummond shot Clark because he happened to be with Holloway at the time, Vega argued. The jury that convicted McDowell and Drummond could not reach a unanimous verdict on sentencing the pair to death, so under state law they received life sentences. Drummond is still behind bars but is trying to get a new trial as well, Davis said. Staff writer Julie Shaw contributed to this article. President Donald Trump's senior advisor Jared Kushner told CNBC on Tuesday he supports the president's plan to cut drug prices, arguing that the U.S. shouldn't pay more than other European countries for the same treatments. The comments by the president's son-in-law came two days after Trump announced that he signed an executive order aiming to lower drug prices. The president said Sunday his "Most Favored Nation order" will guarantee the U.S. receives the same, lower drug prices that the pharmaceutical industry gives to other countries. Kushner said the order is designed to compel drugmakers to make their pricing policies fairer across the globe. "Right now, there's a disproportionate burden being shared by America," Kushner said on "Squawk Box." "If you're the largest customer from somebody, you should be getting the best price, not the worst price." "We're not saying give us the same price as Africa, but we are saying give us the same price as other developed countries like the U.K. and Germany," he added. "Why should we be paying substantially more for our drugs than they're paying?" Trump has throughout his presidency attacked Big Pharma for what he sees as predatory pricing policies. The president is especially irked by the disparity between the prices paid by Americans and those paid by citizens from other developed countries in Europe. "Drug companies, which are being forced by me to substantially reduce Drug Prices, are taking $millions in ads saying I want to increase Medicare Primiums. Wrong, just the opposite! These ads show DRUG PRICES ARE GOING DOWN, and they are not happy! False advertising!" he tweeted Aug. 13. Trump also signed a variety of executive orders in July aimed at reforming the drug industry. One such order would allow states, pharmacies and wholesalers to import drugs from Canada where they typically cost less than in the U.S. In most circumstances, it is illegal to import medications from other countries for personal use, according to the Food and Drug Administration. During the weekend, a group of hikers found an empty tent near the Hazel Creek Trail in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park found between North Carolina and Tennessee. The group also discovered what they assumed to be human remains across the creek while a bear scavenged the area. Feasting on human remains Authorities later identified the remains to belong to 43-year-old Patrick Madura from Elgin, Illinois. After finding the remains, the group searched for an area with cellular service and immediately reported their findings to officials. According to The Sun, law enforcement rangers along with wildlife officers were quickly dispatched to the area after the report. The news release wrote that officials arrived at campsite 82 where the hikers allegedly found the remains shortly after midnight and confirmed that the discovery was of a deceased adult human male. Upon seeing the animal found near the campsite scavenging the remains of the dead man, rangers immediately euthanized it. Jamie Sanders, the spokeswoman for the National Park Service, said it was unclear whether the bear was responsible for mauling Madura or if the cause of death was something else entirely. Sanders noted that their wildlife biologists believe when a bear feast on human remains, there are greater chances of the animal conducting that behavior again, posing significant risks to any hiker in the area. She stated officials do not want bears to associate humans with food. Also Read: Step Dad Molests, Impregnates 10-Year-Old Girl, Church Gives Her Baby Shower The Great Smoky Mountains National Park sits on the border between Tennessee and North Carolina. Every year, the area attracts visitors from all around the world and is the most visited park in the United States, featuring mountains and other beautiful sceneries. The National Park Service wrote on its website that the area where the incident occurred, the backcountry, is a natural area. Officials also warn hikers about the dangers of the region that consists of swollen streams and downed trees, as reported by Newsweek. Dangers of the wild The website also posts warnings of the estimated 1,500 black bears believed to be patrolling across the entirety of the country park. The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is one of the most massive protected areas located in the eastern parts of the United States and is home to black bears that are left to live in the wild to experience a natural environment. While investigations are ongoing, park officials closed off a section of the trail to avoid more hikers going through. According to the Daily Star, the incident comes two years after a similar case of a black bear was found feasting on human remains within the vicinity of the park. Officials set the previous animal loose after placing a tracking collar on it. However, five days later, they proceeded to kill the animal due to safety concerns for visitors. Medical experts who performed an autopsy on Madura found that he died from a meth overdose and officials concluded the bear most likely did not attack the victim while he was still alive. Related Article: Mother Catches Man on the Act of Molesting Her Daughter as She Pretends to Sleeps @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. A visitor looks at the Liberty Bell at the Independence National Historical Park. Read more A dozen eager tourists lined up near the Liberty Bell last Friday afternoon as Independence National Historical Park headed into its first weekend of operation since it shut down in March, welcoming back a trickle of guests to indoor spaces including Independence Hall, Old City Hall, the Second Bank portrait gallery, and the glassy, 400-person-capacity shed housing the cracked hunk of bronze that has become Philadelphias most recognizable icon. But in light of the pandemic, tourists were greeted with subtly mixed messaging. Signs note face coverings are required per city/state" orders. They make no mention of the official policy of the Department of the Interior, which oversees the National Park Service: Masks are not required, even indoors. And staff can suggest mask usage, but not enforce it. We are not able to police that, said Leslie Obelschuk, a spokesperson. Were not permitted to. Its Park Service policy. She said a carefully considered reopening plan includes social-distancing protocols that limit visitors to nine per Independence Hall tour, or 20 inside the Liberty Bell pavilion. But as for masks, she said, its a gray area. Its a debate that has echoed through national parks for weeks, as the Department of the Interiors rule against requiring masks conflicted with Park Service guidance to adhere to local regulations. In Pennsylvania, by order of the state Health Department, masks must be worn in indoor public spaces, as well as outdoors when maintaining a six-foot distance is not possible. READ MORE: Pennsylvania makes masks mandatory in all public spaces We must ensure National Park Service employees and the public are taking at least the most basic measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19, members of the U.S. House Committee on Natural Resources wrote in an August letter to the Department of the Interior, urging a mask mandate and demanding an accounting of its plans to run national parks in accordance with CDC guidelines. But out of wide-open nature, in the cramped corridors of Independence Hall, those concerns take on greater urgency, said one park employee, who declined to be named because Park Service policy prohibits speaking with reporters. Staff are very frustrated that we cannot make people wear masks, said the staffer, adding that its already become a common sight to see visitors removing their masks once theyre inside security at the Liberty Bell, or pulling them below their chins to take selfies or speak to rangers. For staff, the only recourse is to flee: The park has been really supportive of that: If you dont feel comfortable, get yourself out of the situation. Given recent light crowds, thats been doable. But normally, the Liberty Bell can see as many as 10,000 visitors a day. According to one visitor survey, about 85% are from out of state. Right now, that could include coronavirus hot spots or places where indoor mask usage isnt required. Its not like working in a grocery store where its local people, so youre really only looking at whatever the community spread is. Its whatever the national spread is for us, the employee said. On Friday, people making the pilgrimage to the bell had traveled from as far as Illinois and New Hampshire, en route to weddings or detouring from road trips. READ MORE: List of Philly area museums and attractions that have reopened Lyn Krenz, who walked out of Independence Hall wearing a KN95 mask, said shed driven from Bethlehem, Pa., after learning the park had reopened. She relished the opportunity for a rare, uncrowded visit to the historic site and felt safe given the high mask usage. I would not have gone in" otherwise, she said. Sarah Roesler, a Maryland resident in town for a medical appointment for her infant son, said shed been looking forward to showing the bell to her 9-year-old daughter, Liberty. She left irritated by the security measures like placing her belongings, including the infants toys, in a plastic bin that was not sanitized. Its a pandemic, she said. Obelschuk said safety for all visitors and staff remains the top priority in the park reopening effort. Smaller or particularly high-touch spaces, like the Edgar Allen Poe House and the Benjamin Franklin Museum and print shop, remain closed. Were all about visitors," she said, "but we want to do it safely. As for staff, some have negotiated assignments that require less exposure to the public, and at least one has requested to take a leave of absence, said Jeff Sievert, acting president of American Federation of Government Employees Local 2058, which represents unionized park staff. My members love what we do for the Park Service, protecting such a historic site. We just hope that visitors would have the same reverence for their own health and safety and the health and safety of our members as they do for these historic buildings. Charlotte Mulhall denies she had inappropriate liaisons while in Mountjoy jail Convicted murderer Charlotte Mulhall, one of the so-called 'Scissor Sisters', has denied having "liaisons" while behind bars, including one alleged to have been with a female prison officer. In a High Court filing, Mulhall (37) disputed claims she had been "found in a very compromising position" with the prison officer on December 23, 2018. She was transferred from Mountjoy Prison's Dochas Centre in Dublin to Limerick Prison the following day. The mother-of-one made the denials in judicial review proceedings against the Irish Prison Service and the State where she is seeking damages and an injunction directing her return to the Dochas Centre. Beauty In an affidavit she admitted she had been seen by a prison officer "sitting on" another prison officer, but said this was for the purposes of "performing a beauty treatment". Mulhall said the transfer had resulted in her being deprived of visits from her mother and her son and had "inflicted great injury" to her "emotional well-being". "It has caused untold stress and upset to me, my son and my family," she said. Her counsel, Conor Power SC, told the court no proper or timely reasons had been given to her for the transfer. Mr Power, who appears in the case with Cian Kelly BL and Tracy Horan & Co Solicitors, said Mulhall had been given no hearing in respect of the allegations. The transfer was in effect the unlawful imposition of a punishment, in breach of fair procedures and constitutional justice, he said. The court was told during an ex parte, or one side only, leave application that Mulhall was not afforded the opportunity to challenge the allegations, which she entirely disputes. Mulhall is serving a life sentence for the gruesome murder of her mother Kathleen's boyfriend Farah Swaleh Noor in Ballybough, Dublin, in 2005. Her sister Linda (45) was sentenced to 15 years for manslaughter and has since been released. In an affidavit, Mulhall said her transfer to Limerick came "without any notice or warning to me or my family". She said a draft Prison Review Committee report from December 2019 said she had been transferred "for operational reasons" on foot of "a number of inappropriate associations with other prisoners and staff". Mulhall disputed this and said she only became aware of this reason for her transfer recently when the report was released under freedom of information rules. In her affidavit, Mulhall outlined the contents of an "incident summary" which had also been released to her. This stated: "This prisoner has been involved in a number of liaisons while in Dochas, all of which have received significant media coverage, including adverse publicity. Safety "She should be transferred to Limerick females as soon as possible, preferably immediately, until further notice." Mulhall said she disputed the contents of the document. A separate Irish Prison Service document said she had been transferred for "her own safety and well-being". Mulhall said a number of differing grounds for the transfer had been put forward. "I dispute these and if I had been afforded the opportunity at the outset I would have told the governor exactly what happened and this situation could easily have been avoided." Mr Justice Charles Meenan adjourned the case to next month. The US government provided $5 million to set up YSEALI academy in Vietnam The US Department of State is working with the Congress to provide $5 million for the new YSEALI Academy at FUV in Ho Chi Minh City. YSEALI Academy at FUV plans to offer executive-level capacity-building seminars for entry- to mid-level professionals aged 25-40 from across Southeast Asia around the themes of technology and innovation, public policy, and entrepreneurship. Via the academic fellows programme, participants aged 18-25 can travel to the US for a five-week fellowship held on the campus of a US college or university. More than 1,200 young people have taken part in the fellowship, which includes an on-campus academic residency, leadership development, interaction with American peers, and community service activities. In addition, the academy will offer the professional fellows programme for participants aged 25-35. Notably, they will spend five weeks in the United States in individually-tailored work placements with non-profit organisations, government agencies, or private sector offices across the country. American hosts also travel to Southeast Asia on reciprocal exchanges. There have been more than 1,200 participants in this fellowship. The academy will organise regional workshops and summits. Young leaders will be able to develop practical skills and collaborate on cross-border projects in human capital development-focused regional workshops held across Southeast Asia. Since 2014, alumni gather at the annual YSEALI Summit to strengthen their networks and to discuss solutions to shared regional challenges. The YSEALI Summit takes place in the ASEAN chair country for that year. More than 3,000 young leaders have participated in the regional workshops and summits. Last but not least, the US government has provided more than $1.7 million in small grant funding to support young Southeast Asian leaders innovative ideas for civic engagement, economic development, education, and sustainable development. YSEALI is the US governments signature programme to educate and provide skills training to the people of Southeast Asia. The programme, along with other US-sponsored people-to-people initiatives, showcases the US governments commitment to strengthening the ties among the combined one billion people of the United States and Southeast Asia. Through a variety of programmes, it also seeks to build the leadership capabilities of youth in the region and foster a community of leaders who work across borders to solve shared challenges. YSEALI is open to young people from all ASEAN member countries. There are more than 5,000 alumni of its programmes, and nearly 150,000 young people belong to the network. The CAA was passed months ago, causing violent protests. Why are people still being arrested? A citizenship law in India caused violent protests. Dozens of Muslims and Hindus were killed. But hundreds of people are still being detained today, months after the protests ended, and Amnesty International is accusing Delhi Police of abuse. So whats in this law? Why does it omit Muslims? And what does it mean for a secular India? The Covid-19 vaccine research and development project in Vietnam has shown positive progress with a fairly high immune response to the vaccine antigens. Vietnam is striving to accelerate the progress of Covid-19 vaccine research, Kinh Te & Do Thi reported. Vietnams Prime Minister has asked the Ministry of Health to focus on coordinating with ministries and agencies to disseminate and guide the implementation of measures to prevent the Covid-19 pandemic in the new normal. Vietnams research on Covid-19 vaccine is expected to end in October 2021. Besides developing Covid-19 vaccines, the health ministry is tasked with strengthening international cooperation with countries which already have clinical trial results for Covid-19 vaccines. Remote medical examination and treatment delivery will be strengthened and expanded, and information technology will be widely applied to regularly support localities to improve the capacity of health workers, according to the prime ministers instruction. The Covid-19 vaccine research and development project in Vietnam has shown positive progress with a fairly high immune response to the vaccine antigens. This is the outcome of the analysis by the Central Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology on two batches of serum samples. The vaccine proved to be highly immunogenic when tested in 50 mice, analyses of their serum samples by the institutes researchers have shown. Testing on mice is an important step in preparing vaccines for human trial, where researchers would be looking for an immune response after administration, according to Do Tuan Dat, director of developer Vaccine and Biological Production No.1 (Vabiotech). Dat said that Vietnamese scientists are working on developing a Covid-19 vaccine and plan to manufacture on a large scale. Vietnams research on Covid-19 vaccine is expected to end in October 2021 after human trial succeeds, the director of Vabiotech added. The firm is also waiting for global research results and the effectiveness of other candidate vaccines to draw experiences and apply them to Vietnams own efforts. Vietnam has confirmed 1,063 Covid-19 infections so far, most of them have recovered with only 107 active cases left, and 35 deaths. No community transmission has been recorded in the past eleven days. Hanoitimes Anh Kiet-Cong Tho Vaccine nationalism and challenges for developing countries Poorer countries have to face four major challenges in the fight against coronavirus: vaccine funding, domestic structural bottlenecks, overloaded medical forces, and identifying the people who need a vaccine. An Instagram model was allowed to leave Australia for 'essential' work while hundreds of families are unable to visit dying relatives. Bonita Sorrentino, 20, flew from coronavirus-plagued Melbourne to London on Thursday for modelling work after getting an exemption. Australian citizens and permanent residents are banned from leaving the country unless they meet one of six strict criteria. One of the grounds is if the travel is 'essential for the conduct of critical industries and business' such as import and export commerce. Bonita Sorrentino, 20, flew from coronavirus-plagued Melbourne to London on Thursday for modelling work after getting an exemption Ms Sorrentino was not shy about leaving Melbourne as she documented her flight on social media and posted photos from London on the weekend Thousands of applications for compassionate grounds have been refused, including visiting dying relatives, attending funerals, and reuniting families. Ms Sorrentino was not shy about leaving Melbourne as she documented her flight on social media and posted photos from London on the weekend. A photo showed her wearing a face mask having just landed at a London airport after her 23-hour flight on Thursday. Just before leaving she teased her 37,000 Instagram followers that she would be on 'a new adventure soon' and later changed her location to 'currently London'. The young model bragged on a group chat with friends that she couldn't wait to leave as she was 'sick of Melbourne' and its Stage Four lockdown. Ms Sorrentino's trip was organised by UK talent agency Above and Beyond, which also brought in other models from the U.S. and elsewhere. Ms Sorrentino bragged on a group chat with friends that she couldn't wait to leave as she was 'sick of Melbourne' and its Stage Four lockdown. She then posted the photo on the right from her accommodation in London Just before leaving she teased her 37,000 Instagram followers that she would be on 'a new adventure soon' and later changed her location to 'currently London' The company was dismissive of angry Australians who asked how she was able to work overseas when they couldn't even visit interstate family. 'Explain how our client is breaking restrictions? When she has travelled on a model visa? I appreciate your concern but your points are incorrect,' it replied. 'She (sic) a model and she's working, focus on your family. And next time try not to be a troll... Read the law. It's valid.' Border Force said each case was unique and considered on its own merit based on the information provided in the application, and supporting evidence must be provided. Above and Beyond and Ms Sorrentino both failed to respond to questions from Daily Mail Australia. The ban on leaving the country extends to dual citizens who have spent more time in Australia than elsewhere in the past two years. Border Force figures reveal that of the 91,950 exemption requests lodged up to July 31, just 22,640 were granted. Ms Sorrentino's trip was organised by UK talent agency Above and Beyond, which also brought in other models from the U.S. and elsewhere The company was dismissive of angry Australians who asked how she was able to work overseas when they couldn't even visit interstate family ABF Commissioner Michael Outram said that number had increased dramatically since then and the agency was settling 99 per cent of applications within 48 hours. He said on ABC's Radio National on Tuesday morning that 47,000 requests to leave had now been approved with the percentage increasing. 'We're working tirelessly to attend to these exemption requests, we won't get it right all the time,' he said. Commissioner Outram said compassionate and economic applications were not in competition and requests to attend funerals and so on would be allowed. 'If you're asking me to ask my decision makers to compare the merits of somebody in a terrible situation and they need to go to a funeral of a close family member or end of life with somebody who needs to travel on business, we'd never make any decisions,' he said. 'We're doing it for both. We're not comparing the merits of those two scenarios.' Commissioner Outram's words conflicted with numerous stories of desperate Australians being turned down - but gave hope to others applying now. Astrid Magenau, an immunologist with dual German-Australian citizenship, was denied clearance to fly to Germany to say goodbye to her dying father. Horst Magenau, 76, died on July 18 and she did not get approval to leave on compassionate grounds to attend his funeral until two weeks later. 'It makes me feel like I am living in a prison, that's what I would say, it's a prison island,' she said. Australian woman Jess Doherty took five attempts to be given permission to move to the U.S. where her partner Johnathan lives Astrid Magenau, an immunologist with dual German-Australian citizenship, was denied clearance to fly to Germany to say goodbye to her dying father Families have also been split up, like miner Paul Walker in Perth who was denied clearance to be at the birth of his first child in June. Mr Walker is a British citizen but an Australian permanent resident, and his girlfriend Anna Smith was stuck in Britain after Australia's borders closed. Australian woman Jess Doherty took five attempts to be given permission to move to the U.S. where her partner Johnathan lives. She said her first application was rejected in just 10 minutes and the second in two hours. Commissioner Outram also explained why former PM Tony Abbott was allowed to travel to Britain for his new job as a trade envoy. 'He was allowed to go because he was going to give evidence at a parliamentary committee in the UK as a former Prime Minister of Australia,' he said. Tom Hanks, on the other hand, was admitted to enter Australia for purely economic reasons, at the request of the Queensland Government. 'There are different categories that I have been provided to turn my mind to, one of which is economic activity,' he said. 'Obviously stimulating our economy is really important and the Queensland government wrote to me and expressed the importance in terms of their economy.' The travel ban was earlier this month was extended for another three months until December 17, and is expected to continue well into 2021. Video PlayerClose Chinese President Xi Jinping co-hosts a China-Germany-EU leaders' meeting in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 14, 2020, via video link with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, whose country currently holds the EU's rotating presidency, European Council President Charles Michel and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. [Xinhua/Li Tao] BEIJING, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) Leaders of China, Germany and European Union (EU) on Monday agreed to strengthen communication and cooperation to ensure the success of the upcoming series of major political agenda between China and the EU, enhance mutual trust, seek mutual benefits on a win-win basis and uphold multilateralism, vowing to bring the ties up to a higher level. That came as Chinese President Xi Jinping co-hosted a China-Germany-EU leaders' meeting Monday evening in Beijing via video link with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, whose country currently holds the EU's rotating presidency, European Council President Charles Michel and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. The leaders announced the official signing of the China-EU agreement on geographical indications (GI), stated their commitment to speeding up the negotiations of the China-EU Bilateral Investment Treaty to achieve the goal of concluding the negotiations within this year, decided to establish a China-EU High Level Environment and Climate Dialogue and a China-EU High Level Digital Cooperation Dialogue, and to forge China-EU green and digital partnerships. Xi pointed out the COVID-19 pandemic is accelerating changes unseen in a century, and mankind is standing at a new crossroad faced with multiple common challenges. It is only more imperative for China and the EU, as two major forces, markets and civilizations, to firmly grasp the general trend of mutual support and united cooperation in face of such situations, unswervingly promote the sound and stable development of the China-EU comprehensive strategic partnership, to inject more positive energy into COVID-19 response efforts, economic recovery and championing justice, Xi said. Xi proposed four principles the two sides should adhere to for developing China-EU relationship. First, China and the EU should adhere to peaceful coexistence. As there are no identical political systems in the world, the coexistence of multiple civilizations represents the normalcy. "The more firm the strength underpinning China-EU peaceful coexistence, the more guaranteed the world peace and prosperity," Xi said. Second, China and the EU should adhere to openness and cooperation. China is working toward the goal of fostering a new, dual-cycle development architecture with the domestic cycle as the mainstay and with domestic and international development reinforcing each other. "China will seek better interconnectivity and effectiveness between the two markets and resources on the two sides, to promote common development in a more robust and sustainable way," said Xi. Third, China and the EU should adhere to multilateralism. Xi stressed China is ready to work with the EU to step up dialogue and coordination at bilateral, regional and global levels, stay committed to a global governance outlook featuring consultation, contribution and shared benefit, defend the international order and system with the United Nations at the core, promote the political settlements of international and regional hot-spot issues. Fourth, China and the EU should adhere to dialogue and consultation. "China and the EU need to stay committed to the mainstream of cooperation, resolve misunderstanding through dialogue, overcome difficulties through development and properly manage differences." Noting China and Europe are important trade and investment partners to each other, Xi said the two sides should step up macro-policy coordination, take more measures and unleash more cooperation opportunities. Noting the agreement on GI was officially signed on Monday, Xi said the two sides should adopt a positive and pragmatic attitude, speed up negotiations on the China-EU investment agreement to achieve the goal of completing the negotiations by the end of this year, working to upgrade cooperation, facilitate the post-epidemic world economic recovery and jointly safeguard an open trade and investment environment. "The Chinese market remains open to the EU. More high-quality and safe EU agricultural products are welcome to enter China," Xi said. "The two sides should forge China-EU green partnerships," Xi said, adding that the two sides need to participate constructively in the global multilateral process of tackling climate change and protecting global biodiversity, support each other in running the UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow next year and promoting the 15th Conference of the Parties of the convention on biodiversity in Kunming to achieve positive results, and contribute to global sustainable development. The two sides need to forge China-EU digital partnerships, Xi said, adding that China has put forward its global initiative on data security, and hopes that the EU will work with China to formulate standards and rules of the global digital field and promote the sound development of global governance in digital economy. Xi said the two sides should properly address each other's legitimate concerns, adding that China follows closely the recent developments of the EU in 5G, foreign investment review, government procurement and competition policy. Xi expressed the hope that the EU will keep its trade and investment market open, foster an open, fair, just and non-discriminatory business environment and protect the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese companies. Since the outbreak of COVID-19, China and the EU have maintained close contacts in anti-pandemic and global health cooperation, demonstrating the significance and global impact of China-EU relations, Xi said. For the next step, the two sides should strengthen macroeconomic policy coordination and cooperation, maintain the stability of the global industrial chain and supply chain, and jointly promote the recovery of the world economy, Xi said. Xi called for strengthening vaccine research and development cooperation, to strive for making vaccines universally available global public goods, and fully accommodate the availability and affordability of the vaccines in developing countries. Personnel exchanges must be resumed in an orderly manner, and the cross-border movement of goods should be facilitated, Xi said. Xi urged actively carrying out tripartite cooperation with Africa on the basis of full respect for African countries' will, calling on the international community, especially multilateral financial institutions and commercial creditors, to take stronger actions on debt relief in Africa. Xi also clarified China's principled position on Hong Kong-related and Xinjiang-related issues, saying that the essence of the issues is to safeguard China's national sovereignty, security and unity, and to protect the rights of people of all ethnic groups to live and work in peace. "China firmly opposes any person or force creating instability, division and chaos in China, and meddling in China's internal affairs by any country," Xi stressed. "There is no one-size-fits-all path to human rights development in the world. There is no best way, only the better one," Xi stressed, adding that countries should priorly handle their own things. Chinese people will not accept "an instructor" on human rights and oppose "double standards". China is willing to strengthen exchanges with the European side based on the principle of mutual respect so that the two sides can both make progress, said Xi. For their parts, Merkel, Michel and von der Leyen said China is an important strategic partner respected by the EU. It is imperative for Europe and China to strengthen cooperation, jointly safeguard multilateralism, resist unilateralism and protectionism, and respond more effectively to various global challenges, which is in line with the common interests of both Europe and China and the international community. The EU is willing to work with China to strengthen dialogue, promote mutual trust, and push cooperation in the fields including economy and trade, investment, green economy, climate change, biodiversity, and sustainable development for more achievements. The European side was encouraged by the signing of the agreement on GI, welcomed China relaxing market access restrictions, expanding opening up, pledging to concluding the EU-China investment agreement negotiations within this year to inject new impetus into EU-China relations. The European side is willing to strengthen cooperation with China in international organizations, promote anti-pandemic international cooperation, maintain free trade, and promote the economic recovery in Europe, China as well as the world at an early date. On the human rights issue, the European side admitted its problems and expressed the hope to conduct dialogue with China based on the principles of equality and mutual respect to enhance mutual understanding and handle their differences properly. The leaders also exchanged views on international and regional issues including the Afghanistan and the Iranian nuclear issues, agreeing to strengthen communication and coordination and to make joint efforts in maintaining international and regional security and stability. Chinese President Xi Jinping co-hosts a China-Germany-EU leaders' meeting in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 14, 2020, via video link with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, whose country currently holds the EU's rotating presidency, European Council President Charles Michel and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. [Xinhua/Pang Xinglei] Chinese President Xi Jinping co-hosts a China-Germany-EU leaders' meeting in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 14, 2020, via video link with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, whose country currently holds the EU's rotating presidency, European Council President Charles Michel and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. [Xinhua/Li Tao] Chinese President Xi Jinping co-hosts a China-Germany-EU leaders' meeting in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 14, 2020, via video link with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, whose country currently holds the EU's rotating presidency, European Council President Charles Michel and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. [Xinhua/Li Xiang] (Source: Xinhua) MAYFIELD HEIGHTS, Ohio -- Residents, upset by the flooding that occurred in their basements on Labor Day, as well as in past years, let out their frustrations Monday (Sept. 14) to Mayor Anthony DiCicco and City Council. On Labor Day (Sept. 7), nearly 4 inches of rain fell in about six hours on Mayfield Heights and many other eastern suburbs, causing more water to fall than sewers could handle. Guess why were here, Marnell Avenue resident Janet Harris said to council. Were tired of the flooding -- again. Harris said she moved into her home in 2009 and went on to learn from neighbors that flooding has been going on in her neighborhood for decades. We are over this, she said. We are tired of flooding. We are tired of talking about flooding. We are tired of not being able to use our basements. Harris said items in her basement are regularly kept on shelving units to keep them off the floor, or in storage tubs. Every time it floods, we have to move things from side to side and de-mold and sanitize the basement, she said. Harris, who said she represented many of her fellow residents, said her homes basement had flooded in 2011, 2014, 2019 and in March of this year, before the Labor Day flooding. We no longer can keep things in our basement of any value, or use our basement for anything but storage. We are tired of being afraid every time it rains," she said. Gates Mills Boulevard resident Christopher DeJohn, nephew of Councilman Robert DeJohn, also spoke about the flooding at his familys house. Our entire basement was inundated (Sept. 7) with about 7 inches of standing sewer water," he said. "This comes within five months of a previous (March 29) flood. Christopher DeJohn, who bought the home from his father, said that, because of the risk of viruses, particularly COVID-19, many of his familys belongings, some of them irreplaceable, had to be discarded for safety reasons. He said that flooding started there in 2003, when his father lived at the home, and that he and his father, combined, have spent tens of thousands of dollars in mitigation projects, and we have clearly come up short. DeJohn said that it is clear that sanitary sewer water is entering storm water sewers and causing backflow, and that the city and/or county needs to step in and alleviate the problems. Perhaps the most upset resident was Tom Marotta, also of Marnell Avenue, who said that he has lived in the same home for 62 years and has experienced flooding ever since. He said that, because of flooding, property values are being hurt. Whos going to buy a house thats been flooding for 60 years? he said. Marotta, too, said he has spent tens of thousands of dollars over the years trying to fix the problem, and that he has had companies that guarantee a dry basement refuse to take on the job of keeping his basement water free. Marotta believes the citys sewers are just too small to handle the flow, stating that they were installed at a time when the city had about one-third the number of houses it now has. The Labor Day flooding mainly took place in homes in the southwestern and southeastern parts of the city. City Engineer Dan Gerson, of the GPD Group, was present at the meeting to discuss the situation with residents. Gerson was thanked by the residents in attendance, as he answered their calls on the day the heavy rains fell. In addition to Marnell Avenue, Gerson said that the flooding affected nearby streets such as Ascot, Crestwood, Bellingham, Alcester, Algiers and Westerham -- streets that drain into the Roselawn pump station, which was installed in 1982. Other streets under discussion were Mayflower, Hawthorne, Gilbert, Byron, Mayfair and Circle Drive. He said that a detention basin was installed in the Marnell area in 1994, which, like the pump station, was an attempt to alleviate flooding. Gerson said he will talk with DiCicco on Tuesday (Sept. 15) about possible paths to take to remedy the flooding. The real solution," he said, is finding out where those pipes (causing the problems) are broken, and trying to line those pipes, line them with (an epoxy) that hardens up into a new type of pipe; rehabbing manholes; and then also trying to grout the laterals that come off the main sewers up to a certain distance from the street. Doing this work on all the streets dealing with flooding, he said, would cost the city $3 million to $4 million. He said the city should first test to find broken pipes before spending a huge amount of money. Gerson recommended doing main line dye testing, in which storm sewers are flooded with dyed water, and then a camera is inserted into sanitary sewers. It can then be seen where water from the storm sewer is getting into the sanitary sewer. You may find the whole line is bad, or you may find five or six places or segments that need to be repaired, and the rest is in relatively good shape," he said. Gerson said it would cost abut $100,000 to $150,000 to do such testing in the impacted areas. That testing could be done this year, and repairs could possibly be done by late summer next year, using money from the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District to pay for a portion of the repairs. He also suggested making some changes to the pump station and the water storage facility at Temple Avenue and Mayfield Road. Gerson said that merely adding larger sewer pipes wont do the trick. We could add 84-inch (diameter) pipes and theyll eventually connect to 28-inch pipes (elsewhere in the city), so where will the water go? he said. I know the residents want answers sooner than Ill be able to give them, he said. I can only tell you its going to take some time. So if you can, be patient, the best you can, and let me know when things flood. DiCicco met with residents about flooding five years ago, and said he will do so again. He noted that, while his home did not flood, his family business, DiCicco & Sons Funeral Home, 5975 Mayfield Road in Mayfield Heights, did experience basement flooding. Read more from the Sun Messenger. Semler Lowers Training Costs, Strengthens Learning Retention with Microsoft 365 Integration AARHUS, Denmark, Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Semler Group, Denmark's largest automotive group, has successfully implemented LMS365's learning solution to support the digital transformation of learning among their 5,000 internal and external users. Click to Tweet: Leading Danish car importer chooses @lms365 to digitally transform its learning environment: https://tinyurl.com/y22quyro digitallearning LMS Before deploying LMS365, Semler Group's learning team sought a learning platform that would match their ambitious Microsoft 365 strategy and digitally transform the Semler Academy, its internal training and certification program. With LMS365, Semler found a solution to support their goals, paving the road to becoming the most digitally advanced company in their sector. They seamlessly deliver a tailored learning experience for sales, service and technical staff across its employees and network of resellers through its existing Microsoft Office 365 infrastructure. Semler can deploy, track and manage the learning and knowledge needed to meet the high requirements for working with volume brands like Skoda and Volkswagen, and luxury brands like Audi, Porsche and Bentley. Using LMS365, Semler Group has been able to: Optimize the required time spent on each certification - Personalized certification paths have helped eliminate redundant training, reducing employee time spent on training by 40%, resulting in more time to focus on customers. - Personalized certification paths have helped eliminate redundant training, reducing employee time spent on training by 40%, resulting in more time to focus on customers. Reduce the overall cost of training - With its new remote learning capabilities and efficient learning paths, Semler has reduced classroom training by 50%. - With its new remote learning capabilities and efficient learning paths, Semler has reduced classroom training by 50%. Increase adoption of Microsoft 365 - Semler is able to maximize use of the entire Microsoft 365 suite, improving operations and performance for its fast-paced work environment. To learn more about how companies like Semler are implementing LMS365 and Microsoft 365 to uplevel their business, read the full case study and watch the video on the LMS365 website here: https://tinyurl.com/y22quyro Robert Nederby, regional manager and senior vice president, professional services, LMS365, said: "There is no doubt that Semler Group is a future-forward company that understands the value of learning. We are excited to have a customer like Semler Group with high aspirations who considers Microsoft 365 key to their digital transformation. The fact that they not only understand the advantages of our platform but also use it in new and innovative ways is a great inspiration to our team." Morten Kruger Stadpris, digital learning manager, Semler Group, said: "LMS365 has been a gamechanger due to its seamless integration with Microsoft 365. This is the only platform built into the Microsoft suite, and using Microsoft Power Apps was especially key for us to deliver tailored learning experiences for both internal and external users." About LMS365: LMS365 has 700+ enterprise and public customers with over 4 million users. 50+ trusted partners have implemented the solution in more than 40 countries, with customers in all sectors, and deployments ranging from a few hundred employees to 50,000+ employees. LMS365, a Microsoft Preferred Solution, is one of the fastest-growing cloud-based Learning Management Solutions in the market today. LMS365 provides a modern, integrated, and familiar learning experience as learning is now made possible within Microsoft Teams, Mobile and SharePoint Online. LMS365 is fast to install, highly configurable, easy to use and fully integrated with the rest of your digital workplace, including Office 365, SharePoint & Teams. Website: LMS365.com PR Contacts: Shyna Deepak Nadel Phelan, Inc. 831-440-2408 shyna.deepak@nadelphelan.com A teenager who got into Oxford University while battling a rare form of Leukaemia is to travel abroad for pioneering treatment after raising more than 500,000 in six days. Alviar Cohen, 18, from Redbourn, Hertfordshire, was diagnosed with T-cell Leukaemia in 2017 aged 15 and has been cared for by Great Ormond Street and UCLH hospitals. Over the past three years, Mr Cohen has refused to let the disease hold him back - reading, studying and taking video conferences from his hospital bed and going on to achieve 5 A*s in his A-levels this year. The 18-year-old was offered a place this summer to study biomedical science at the University of Oxford. Mr Cohen is among 10 per cent of people with a rare form of the disease which is more difficult to cure. Alviar Cohen with his twin brother Justin. After countless rounds of chemotherapy treatments, two courses of radiotherapy and a bone marrow transplant from his twin brother, Justin, he was told in January 2020 his cancer was progressing and doctors had run out of options. The Cohen family started a Gofundme page after coming across a team in Singapore who had cured a five-year-old boy from the UK - suffering the same condition - using the CAR-T therapy. The treatment, which is not available in the UK, is specifically developed for individual patients and involves reprogramming their immune system cells, which are then used to target the cancer. Mr Cohen has now raised the 500,000 he needs for the treatment through his GoFundMe page. Just one day after the launch of his fundraiser last week, he had gained support from over 4,000 donors. Writer Neil Gaiman and England rugby union captain Owen Farrell were among those to share his fundraising page. Its been surreal that so many people have come together in such a short amount of time to help me raise this money. Ive also had some people who have been diagnosed with cancer that I dont even know reach out to me calling me an inspiration, it does feel weird but Ive always been someone that wants to help or inspire others so Im grateful that I can do this and share my story. The teenager will be travelling to Singapore with his mother, Chiharu Cohen. / AlviarCohen Mr Cohen added: Its been three years with Leukaemia but we were able to raise this amount in just a matter of days I still cant believe it - but Im so grateful to all our friends and the general public who shared and donated. Now we can plan to go to Singapore to get this treatment that could change a lot for me - Im truly grateful. The 18-year-old is now in the process of planning his trip to Singapore for the treatment with his mother Chiharu who will be accompanying him. She said she had not stopped crying since they reached the 500,000 target. Im so happy, I just wasnt expecting us to reach the target in this short amount of time - I thought it would take about three months. We had even started writing letters to send to big companies to see if they could help us but now we dont have to send any off because of the kindness of people, she said. President Donald Trump announces his list of potential Supreme Court nominees in the Diplomatic Reception Room of the White House in Washington, on Sept. 9, 2020. (Doug Mills-Pool/Getty Images) Trump Threatens 1,000 Times Greater Response to Any Attack by Iranian Regime President Donald Trump said late Monday that his administration would retaliate to any form of attack by the Iranian regime with an attack that will be 1,000 times greater in magnitude. In a Twitter statement, the president wrote, According to press reports, Iran may be planning an assassination, or other attack, against the United States in retaliation for the killing of terrorist leader Soleimani, which was carried out for his planning a future attack, murdering U.S. Troops, and the death & suffering caused over so many years. Any attack by Iran, in any form, against the United States will be met with an attack on Iran that will be 1,000 times greater in magnitude! he wrote. caused over so many years. Any attack by Iran, in any form, against the United States will be met with an attack on Iran that will be 1,000 times greater in magnitude! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 15, 2020 Trumps statement comes after South Africas State Security Agency said on Monday it has noted reports about an alleged plot to assassinate the United States Ambassador to South Africa, Ambassador Lana Marks. The agency also said that it was taking steps to ensure no harm would come to any diplomats stationed in the country. Marks, a close ally of Trump, was sworn in as U.S. ambassador on Oct. 4 last year. U.S. Ambassador to South Africa Lana Marks speaks at an unspecified location ahead of a delivery from the U.S. government of personal protective equipment to the South African National Department of Health in August 2020. (United States Embassy South Africa/Flickr [CC BY 2.0 ept.ms/2haHp2Y]) Read More South Africa Security Agency Notes Report of Iran Plot to Assassinate US Ambassador Politico first reported on the matter, writing on Sept. 13 that, The Iranian government is weighing an assassination attempt against the American ambassador to South Africa, citing U.S. intelligence reports via an unnamed U.S. government official and another official who reportedly told the outlet they had seen the intelligence. The outlet added, citing the unnamed officials, that the intelligence about the threat became more specific in recent weeks, and that the Iranian Embassy in Pretoria, South Africa, was involved. A spokesperson for the Iranian embassy in Pretoria rejected the claim in a statement to local outlet Independent Media on Monday. While I deny this baseless accusation, we will provide you with more information soon, Hamid Reza told the outlet. The Politico report said that news of the plot comes amid Irans continued search for ways to avenge the killing of Qassem Soleimani, Irans top general, in January. Soleimani commanded the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Quds Force and was the architect of Tehrans proxy wars in the Middle East. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was asked on Monday to comment on the reported threat to Marks, as well as any actions that the State Department is taking to protect the ambassador. He told Fox News, I cant comment on the intelligence but Ill say this: the Islamic Republic of Iran has engaged in assassination efforts all across the world. They have assassinated people in Europe and in other parts of the world. We take these kinds of allegations seriously. Well do everything thats within our means to protect anyone of our state department officials the same way we do for our soldiers sailors airmen and marines. We make very clear to the Islamic Republic of Iran that this kind of activityattacking any American any place at any time, whether its an American diplomat, an ambassador, or one of our service membersis completely unacceptable. Tom Ozimek contributed to this report. Please register or log in to keep reading. No credit card required! Stay logged in to skip the surveys. Advertisement The UK today recorded another 3,105 cases of the coronavirus as the outbreak continues to grow, while separate figures show the number of Covid-19 deaths has dropped to a six-month low. Government statistics show the UK's rolling seven-day average of daily infections has tipped 3,000, after doubling in a fortnight following a sudden spike in cases. Some 2,621 infections were recorded yesterday. Cases had dropped to record lows at the start of July when national restrictions were lifted, and slowly climbed throughout August. But they have rocketed in the past two weeks. For comparison, just 1,339 Britons were testing positive for the coronavirus every day at the start of September, on average. Health officials also announced 27 laboratory-confirmed deaths across all settings, up from the nine recorded yesterday but down on the 32 confirmed last Tuesday. It comes as separate figures released today revealed the number of people dying from coronavirus in England and Wales has plunged to the lowest level since mid-March, before the peak of the pandemic struck. Only 78 people died from Covid-19 in the week ending September 4, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The dip marks a 23 per cent drop from last week, when 101 deaths were recorded. Just five coronavirus deaths either suspected or laboratory-confirmed were registered between March 7 to 13, two weeks before the lockdown was imposed. The 25-week low is a nose-dive from the peak of the pandemic, when 8,000-plus deaths from the coronavirus were being registered every week. Government figures show deaths have yet to spike in line with soaring cases, which have doubled in the space of a fortnight around 3,000 Britons are now testing positive each day but only 12 are dying, on average. Top experts believe this is because young people, who aren't as vulnerable to the disease, are driving the second wave and that doctors are better prepared for the disease. Evidence from Sweden and the US where deaths didn't spike in line with soaring cases suggests Britain may avoid a second wave of deaths. Infections are now beginning to increase across all age-groups in Britain, including the elderly. It can take patients several weeks to succumb to the life-threatening infection, meaning deaths may not start to trickle through for at least another week. Hospital admissions, another way of measuring the pandemic, have also started to increase in the past week, with 143 coronavirus patients admitted for care on September 12 in England alone the most up-to-date figure. For comparison, it had dropped to as low as 25 at the end of August. Experts insist the UK doesn't yet need to panic over the rising number of cases because they are only a fraction of the 100,000-plus that occurred each day during the darkest period of the crisis. Other scientists, however, say action is needed to prevent Britain being hit by another wave of the disease. In other developments to Britain's coronavirus crisis today: Up to 250,000 Brits are waiting for their Covid-19 test result because of a backlog in Government laboratories which has meant thousands of swabs are being held up in a process that is only supposed to take 24 hours; Britons travelling to the European Union could soon face quarantine on arrival across the board as countries consider whether to adopt a standardised threshold for imposing self-isolation rules; Priti Patel vowed to snitch on her own neighbours if they break the Covid 'Rule of Six' as police complained they have had no guidance on how to enforce the draconian new restrictions on 'mingling'; Britain's coronavirus lockdown led to an extra 3,600 deaths from preventable heart conditions and strokes, a top cardiologist warned; Around 300 schools in England and Wales have been forced to close or send pupils home after positive Covid tests, it was revealed. Hospital admissions, another way of measuring the pandemic, have also started to increase in the past week, with 143 coronavirus patients admitted for care on September 12 in England alone the most up-to-date figure. For comparison, it had dropped to as low as 25 at the end of August SWEDEN AND US DATA SUGGEST DEATHS MAY NOT FOLLOW CASES SURGE Evidence from Sweden and America suggests that Britain may avoid a second wave of coronavirus deaths despite a rebound in infections. The UK's rise of of 21,300 cases in the last week - more than double the figure of 8,700 two weeks ago - has sparked fears that Britain is following in the footsteps of France and Spain which have both seen alarming spikes in virus cases. But despite warnings from the WHO that Europe's death toll is likely to mount in the autumn, experts hope that the second peak will be less deadly because patients are typically younger and doctors are better prepared for the disease. In Sweden, the death rate has been falling steadily since April despite a peak of cases in the summer - with the country's top epidemiologist saying that deaths can be kept low without drastic lockdown measures. France recorded its highest-ever spike in cases with more than 10,000 on Saturday, but deaths are nowhere near the mid-April peak and the country's PM says it must 'succeed in living with this virus' without going back into lockdown. In the United States, cases surged to record levels in July and August after the first wave had receded - but death rates in summer hotspots such as Texas and Florida were well below those in New York City where the virus hit hardest in the spring. In Sweden, which raised eyebrows around the world by keeping shops and restaurants open throughout the pandemic, deaths have been falling since April. There are fears that the UK will experience a rise in the number of people dying of coronavirus as a direct result of cases surging. But data shows otherwise the US has almost completely avoided a second wave in Covid-19 deaths despite seeing a huge increase in the number of people infected since June Despite seeing a new surge in coronavirus infections, Sweden has recorded a continuing fall in fatalities since the start of May Only 11 new deaths were announced last week, down from a peak of 752 fatalities in seven days in mid-April. Cases reached their height in Sweden in the second half of June, when some days saw more than 1,000 infections - but the death toll continued to fall regardless. Sweden's state epidemiologist Anders Tegnell, who has become the face of the no-lockdown strategy, said in a recent interview that voluntary hygiene measures had been 'just as effective' as complete shutdowns. 'The rapidly declining cases we see in Sweden right now is another indication that you can get the number of cases down quite a lot in a country without having a complete lockdown,' he told Unherd. Tegnell added that 'deaths are not so closely connected to the amount of cases you have in a country', saying the death rate was more closely linked to whether older people are being infected and how well the health system can cope. 'Those things will influence mortality a lot more, I think, than the actual spread of the disease,' he said. Advertisement Deaths being announced each day by the Department of Health have tumbled since the peak of Britain's Covid-19 crisis, with more than 1,000 patients killed on some days in April. The most up-to-date government coronavirus death toll updated this afternoon stood at 41,664. It takes into account victims who have died within 28 days of testing positive. The deaths data does not represent how many Covid-19 patients died within the last 24 hours. It is only how many fatalities have been reported and registered with the authorities. And the figure does not always match updates provided by the home nations. Department of Health officials work off a different time cut-off, meaning daily updates from Scotland and Northern Ireland are out of sync. The toll announced by NHS England every day, which only takes into account fatalities in hospitals, doesn't match up with the DH figures because they work off a different recording system. For instance, some deaths announced by NHS England bosses will have already been counted by the Department of Health, which records fatalities 'as soon as they are available'. The government's official toll is different to the figures compiled by the ONS, which includes suspected fatalities where coronavirus was mentioned on a death certificate and not just lab-confirmed ones. ONS data released today also revealed the total number of deaths in England and Wales has also fallen below the five-year average for the first time in a month, dropping 15.7 per cent below the average expected. Experts said this was because it contained the August bank holiday, which would have caused a recording lag. And they revealed influenza and pneumonia was to blame for around 12.8 per cent of all deaths in the seven-day spell, twelve times more than coronavirus (1 per cent). There have been 57,528 deaths in the UK where coronavirus was mentioned on the death certificate, including 52,420 in England and Wales, 4,231 in Scotland and 877 in Northern Ireland. Statisticians say the excess death toll how many people victims were confirmed compared to the five-year average stands at around 60,000. There were a total of 8,996 deaths in England and Wales in the week ending September 4, which is 1,341 fewer deaths than the previous week and 1,403 deaths below the five-year average. It is the first week that they have dropped below the average since August 13, with every region seeing fewer deaths than expected. The South East registered the most deaths, at 1,208, followed by the North West, at 1,057, and the East of England, at 806. Similarly, the South East registered the most deaths from coronavirus during the week, at 17, followed by the North West, at 13, and Yorkshire and the Humber and East Midlands, which both saw 10 deaths. The number of deaths from coronavirus in Wales increased to four deaths, from three last week, although their average number of deaths remained below the five-year average. The overall number of deaths in Wales also dropped from 591 last week to 488. Only 0.8 per cent of these involved coronavirus. The ONS said that the drop may be explained by the August bank holiday weekend, contained during this week, meaning fewer officials on hand to register and process coronavirus deaths. They wrote: 'The week ending 4 September contained the late August bank holiday, which would have contributed to the decreased number of deaths registered and the decrease in deaths registered involving Covid-19.' Up to 4 September 424,808 deaths were registered in the UK, which stands 52,872 above the five-year average. Of those registered, as many as 52,376 mentioned coronavirus on the death certificate, accounting for 12.3 per cent of all deaths in England and Wales. All figures are provisional and based on death registrations, which can result in a lag between the date the person dies and when it is recorded. In the week up to September 4 the UK registered below 2,000 new coronavirus cases a day, reaching a peak of 1,940 on September 4. There are concerns that the recent wave of infections, which have stayed above 2,000 new cases a day for more than a week, could result in a spike in the death rate two to four weeks later. But the infections are mostly concentrated in young people, according to the Government, which are at a much lower risk of dying from the infection than older generations. ARE DEATHS GOING TO RISE IN LINE WITH CASES? Government figures show deaths have yet to spike in line with soaring cases, which have doubled in the space of a fortnight around 3,000 Britons are now testing positive each day but only 12 are dying, on average. Top experts say this is because young people, who aren't as vulnerable to the disease, are driving the second wave. But cases are rising across all age-groups, including the elderly. It can take patients several weeks to succumb to the life-threatening infection, meaning deaths may not start to trickle through for at least another week. Hospital admissions, another way of measuring the pandemic, have also started to increase in the past week, with 143 coronavirus patients admitted for care on September 12 in England alone the most up-to-date figure. For comparison, it had dropped to as low as 25 at the end of August. Top experts insist the UK doesn't yet need to panic over the rising numbers because they are only a fraction of the 100,000-plus that occurred each day during the darkest period of the crisis. Other scientists, however, say action is needed to prevent Britain being hit by another wave of the disease. Advertisement Despite this, however, officials have expressed concern that they could pass the virus on to older generations, which could then lead to a rise in the death rate. It can take up to a week for coronavirus tests to be processed, meaning that the number of cases reported in the week up to September 4 actually reflect the situation in the UK a week earlier. Paul Hunter, associate professor at the University of East Anglia, told MailOnline last week he expects the death rate may also start going up 'within the next two weeks'. An increased rate of new infections may overwhelm the UK's track and trace system, which would force authorities to re-impose some lockdown restrictions. Increased demand for testing has already overwhelmed the UK's testing system, with no tests being available in any of the ten coronavirus hotspots in England. Those trying to book tests are greeted with a message on the website telling them that the service is 'very busy' and that more appointments will be posted 'soon'. The system works by allowing testing centres to upload appointments, which are then booked on a first-come-first-serve basis. But in recent weeks there are mounting fears that those who do not need tests, and those without coronavirus symptoms, are booking them due to concerns over infection. Matt Hancock said last week he had heard cases of whole schools trying to book tests, or those having one because they were concerned about travelling abroad, which had overwhelmed the system. NHS trusts expressed concern this morning that their staff are unable to get tested when they display symptoms of the virus, meaning they sometimes spend weeks before they are allowed back in to work, which in turn leaves hospitals under-staffed as they try to manage a post-coronavirus backlog. The UK could be forced to draft in science students to staff coronavirus testing labs which are buckling under the pressure of surging demand for swabs. A nationwide testing fiasco has left doctors and nurses unable to work because they can't get checked for the illness, preventing the NHS getting back to normal. Hospital admissions, another way of measuring the pandemic, have also started to increase in the past week, with 143 coronavirus patients admitted for care on September 12 in England alone the most up-to-date figure. For comparison, it had dropped to as low as 25 at the end of August MASSIVE QUEUES BUILD-UP OUTSIDE COVID-19 TESTING CENTRES Massive queues built-up outside coronavirus testing centres in England today as the government's shambolic swab system descended into further chaos and Matt Hancock was forced to admit the fiasco will last for several weeks. Long lines were pictured at sites in Southend, Bury, Birmingham and Manchester as the Health Secretary faced a grilling in Parliament over the system which has left doctors, nurses, care home residents and teachers all unable to get checked for the life-threatening disease. Outraged residents in some parts of the country have complained about being forced to drive hundreds of miles for Covid-19 testing. But frustrating images revealed some testing sites were deserted today, with workers left twiddling their thumbs and fighting their boredom on their phones. The Health Secretary admitted up to 250,000 Britons are waiting for their Covid-19 test result because of a mammoth backlog in Government laboratories, which has meant tens of thousands of swabs are being held up in a process that is only supposed to take 24 hours. In response to criticism from furious MPs today, he said there is a hold-up of 'less than a day's capacity' caused by 'operational challenges' in laboratories. The Department of Health claims it can process 245,000 swab tests per day. His system which ministers promised would be 'world-beating' and is crucial to keeping the pandemic at bay by squashing local outbreaks before they spiral out of control came under fire after an investigation revealed no swab tests were available for residents in England's 10 hotspots yesterday afternoon. Labour branded the service an 'utter farce' and 'a fiasco', with the shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth revealing NHS patients are now having their operations cancelled because of the testing crisis. Swabs have even had to be flown to Germany and Italy for analysis because of the hold-up in Britain. Furious MPs said their constituents have been directed to testing centres dozens or hundreds of miles away from their homes, and the Speaker of the House of Commons, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, said the issue was 'unacceptable' and pressured Mr Hancock and his ministers to get a grip and take 'urgent action'. A huge queue of people is pictured outside a coronavirus testing centre at Southend-on-Sea, Essex, at 8am this morning. Many of the people reportedly turned up hoping they would be allowed in, but hadn't made appointments Advertisement In another humiliating blow to the testing system, headteachers have warned that schools which were closed for months because of the pandemic will 'grind to a halt' if teachers can't get tested quickly. One in Preston said this morning that he already has two staff self-isolating at home and struggling to get tested, along with 10 children. Health officials have blamed the crisis which experts fear will rumble on for weeks on a staffing shortage in laboratories. Desperate bosses have now admitted they may have to hire students to plug gaps in the rota in the face of sky-high demand. Chief executive of NHS Trusts Chris Hopson told the Today programme this morning: 'It's clear there are capacity problems with the testing regime. 'Trust leaders from Bristol, Leeds and London have all raised concerns about the lack of testing availability, leading to greater levels of staff absence. 'NHS trusts are working in the dark they don't know why these shortages are occurring, how long they are likely to last, how geographically widespread they are likely to be and what priority will be given to healthcare workers and their families in accessing scarce tests.' But government sources say the actual cause of the crisis is a 'secret in Whitehall', while one leading scientist said labs appear to be fully staffed and working normally and that the Department of Health may be wrong about its maximum capacity. Backlog in the system means government ministers are reportedly considering restricting coronavirus tests and refusing 'frivolous' requests from people who don't need to be swabbed. Patients have been told to travel hundreds of miles, even to different countries, for tests because there are none available nearby, and swabs have also had to be flown to Germany and Italy for analysis. The blunder was unveiled by an investigation by the LBC radio station yesterday that found there were no test bookings available at any of the country's ten coronavirus hotspots including Bolton, Salford, Bradford and Manchester. But Priti Patel today denied that tests were unavailable in the country's worst-hit areas. The Home Secretary told BBC Breakfast today that she has seen with her own eyes that swabs are available in towns hit by local lockdown rules. Oxford University's Sir John Bell, who has been advising Number 10 on testing, says the testing fiasco has likely been caused by a 'second wave' of Covid-19, triggering a surge in demand for tests. Professor Alan McNally, who helped set up the Milton Keynes Lighthouse Lab, said a 'perfect storm' of events have crashed the testing system. He described the situation as 'worrying' because it has happened before the winter and admitted there were 'clearly underlying issues which nobody wants to tell us about'. Ms Patel said it was 'wrong to say' that there were no tests available after she was quizzed about the long delays in trying to book a test in Bolton where the infection rate is the highest in England. Speaking on BBC Breakfast this morning, she said: 'Tests are available, youve heard me say, particularly in local lockdown areas, Ive seen this myself, Ive seen the teams that have been working on this. 'Mobile testing is going in, capacity is going into local areas where lockdowns have been undertaken and are taking place. 'I think it is wrong to say tests are not available, new book-in slots are being made available every single day, mobile testing units are being made available. 'And on top of that home testing kits are being issued across the country but specifically in local lockdown areas.' But the Home Secretary added: 'Clearly there is much more work that needs to be undertaken with Public Health England and the actual public health bodies in those particular local areas. 'As a Government we work with Public Health England to surge where there is demand in local hotspot areas and we continue to do that.' On access to testing, she said the majority of tests are available within a 10-mile radius. 'It seems to me therell be extreme cases where people cant get to test locations within that radius but that doesnt mean that Public Health England are not working night and day to boost capacity,' she added. Closing Liddell power station would lift NSW wholesale power prices by more than a quarter but the effects would decline as more capacity entered the market, according to a leaked report. The Liddell Taskforce study, obtained by The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald, assessed how the electricity market would be affected by the shutting of the ailing AGL coal-fired power plant in the Hunter Valley. A taskforce investigating the effects of shutting the Liddell power station has found the market has largely begun to prepare for its closure. Credit:Janie Barrett The taskforce was set up to gauge the likelihood of a repeat of price shocks similar to those that followed the sudden closure of the Northern plant in South Australia in 2015 and Victoria's Hazelwood plant two years later. Despite AGL giving the market about seven years warning about its plans to close the 1680-megawatt Liddell plant, the study's modelling found wholesale prices in NSW would increase from the low $60 per megawatt-hour in 2022 to between $75 and $80 in 2023-24. A stylist has suggested the fashion industry needs to be more inclusive after a model on set struggled to fit into sample sized designer trousers. Fran Burns, from London, took to Instagram to call for sample sizes, which are worn by models and typically range from a UK size 4-8, to made bigger after admitting she felt like a 'twisted creep' trying to help a model into the trousers. The stylist, who has previously worked as as fashion editor at i-D and British Vogue, posted an image of a 'tiny' woman, who she estimated was 'a size 8 at most', struggling to fit into a pair of sample size trousers from luxury brand Celine. Stylist Fran Burns took to Instagram to call for sample sizes, typically UK size 4-8, to made bigger after several models struggled to fit into clothes from the new luxury brand Celine. She posted a picture of one of the 'tiny' models who could not fit into a pair of trousers The fashion editor, pictured, said the fashion industry needed to be more inclusive instead of making people feel 'too big' for clothes and suggested the fashion brands were the exception, not the women who do not fit into their clothing She said: 'More often than not I am working with young women who - in spite of being exceptionally beautiful - are living, breathing, feeling human beings who should never be made to feel like they are too big for the clothes.' After finding several looks from the Celine collection did not fit the models on her shoot, she decided to take to social media to stress that the fashion industry needs to change. She said: 'I had several looks from this collection and none of them fit her. 'She was not the exception - you [Celine] are. This is so unacceptable - it is fundamentally wrong to suggest that this is the norm. It isnt.' The fashion editor added: 'We have a responsibility in this industry to celebrate and to empower and to make people feel great. In her post she said she felt like a 'twisted creep' trying to get one of the models to fit into the trousers which were too small for her. Pictured: Fran's post on Instagram 'Why else would we want to go out and spend our hard earned cash on these things?! Because we want to feel GOOD!' As someone working in the fashion industry, she said she, and everyone else who works in the same field, as a responsibility to care for people on set at shoots. In addition, she suggested they had a responsibility to make sure beauty standards are not defined by a dress size, which she described as 'completely unrealistic for the majority'. 'Nobody should look at fashion imagery and feel bad about themselves and nobody should participate in making fashion imagery and feel bad. 'Putting this girl into these trousers made me feel like a twisted creep and my beautiful model feel like she wasnt good enough so thank you for that. 'Things have to change in so many ways but how hard is it to size things up? Any stylist worth their safety pins wont complain about it.' Celine declined to comment when approached by MailOnline. Her post received an overwhelming response from like-minded people who praised her for speaking out against the industry. Her impassioned speech on Instagram garnered an enormous response from other people in the fashion industry, from magazine editors to other models who have been subject to the beauty standards she spoke openly about The sentiment was also echoed by others in the industry, including model Karen Elson - who has spoken out previously about her battles with her weight and eating disorders at the height of fame. Joining in Fran's fight against sample size clothing, the 41 year old told her 178,000 followers to check out Fran's 'eloquent and powerful' post. She wrote on her Instagram: 'It is no secret within fashion that body dysmorphia and eating disorders are rife and in fact normalized in our industry. Model Karen Elson, who has previously spoken out about her own experiences with eating disorders sparked by the pressure from the fashion industry, praised Fran for her 'eloquent and powerful' post and encouraged her followers to go read it Before posting on her own profile, Karen took to the comments on Fran's post too to thank the editor for speaking out against the industry and expressed her disgust at people feeling ashamed of their body shape 'Many in fashion fetishize an adolescent body type. Its really twisted when you think about it. 'Models often start out as teens and many are expected to remain at our teenage body size throughout our careers. Its impossible for most without resorting to extreme measures.' The model continued: 'I think its time to open this zero 0 Pandoras box with compassion and honesty.' Cocoa Falls After Q4 North American Cocoa Demand Unexpectedly Declines Barchart - 1 hour ago March ICE NY cocoa (CCH22 ) on Friday closed down -84 (-3.16%), and March ICE London cocoa #7 (CAH22 ) closed down -21(-1.19%). Cocoa prices on Friday fell sharply after an unexpected drop in North American... CCH22 : 2,576s (-3.16%) CAH22 : 1,737s (-1.19%) Cotton Trading off Highs at Midday Barchart - Fri Jan 21, 11:39AM CST Early session strength has faded for midday cotton futures. Prices are trading 114 to 152 points in the red at midday, though were up by more than a penny earlier. New crop cotton futures are 61 to 83... CTK21 : 89.48s (+3.77%) CTK22 : 117.98s (-1.41%) CTZ21 : 111.55s (+0.25%) Pre COF Losses for Friday Cattle Barchart - Fri Jan 21, 11:39AM CST Pre report positioning has the front month fat cattle futures market $0.52 to $1.07 in the red at midday. Feeder cattle are also weaker going into the NASS update with midday drops of $0.8 to $1.35. USDA... LEG22 : 137.925s (-0.29%) LEM22 : 137.300s (-0.78%) GFF22 : 160.275s (-0.56%) GFH22 : 163.300s (-1.00%) A 19-year-old Iranian national and a 25-year-old stateless national of the Palestinian Authority were indicted in Boston federal court on Tuesday after the U.S. Attorneys office said they hacked into hundreds of American websites as a form or retaliation for the killing of General Qasem Soleimani, the head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Quds Force, a U.S.-designated foreign terrorist organization. Behzad Mohammadzadeh (a/k/a Mrb3hz4d), believed to be approximately 19 years old, and Marwan Abusrour (a/k/a Mrwn007), believed to be approximately 25 years old, were charged on one count of conspiring to commit intentional damage to a protected computer and one count of intentionally damaging a protected computer. The men are believed to be living in Iran and the Palestinian Authority and are wanted by United States authorities. Marwan Abusrour, a stateless national of the Palestinian Authority & self-described spammer, carder, & black hat hacker, is wanted by the #FBI for allegedly defacing at least 337 websites with pro-Islamic, pro-Palestinian, & pro-hacker messages. https://t.co/lJyXh101MZ pic.twitter.com/M84My6D59U FBI Boston (@FBIBoston) September 15, 2020 According to U.S. Attorney Andrew Lelling, Mohammadzadeh publicly claimed to have hacked into more than 1,100 websites around the world with pro-Iranian and pro-hacker messages. Mohammadzadeh began the assault on websites in 2018 and continues to do so through present day, the U.S. Attorneys office said. Abusrour spams email inboxes searching for profits, trades stolen credit cards and hacks into computer systems for personal gain, Lellings office said. Abusour has claimed to have damaged at least 337 websites around the world, which he began no later than June 6, 2016, and continued through at least July 2020, the U.S. Attorneys office said. Marwan Abusrour was indicted on Tuesday for hacking into hundreds of websites. The two men started working together on December 26, 2019. Abusrour began providing Mahammadzadeh with access to compromised websites, authorities said. On Jan. 2, the U.S. Department of Defense confirmed the United States had killed Soleimani. Following this statement, Mohammadzadeh transmitted computer code to approximately 51 websites hosted in the U.S., and replaced the content with pictures of the Soleimani against a background of the Iranian flag, authorities said. The image was also accompanied by the phrase Down with America, and other text. Behzad Mohammadzadeh is wanted by the #FBI for allegedly transmitting computer code to 51 U.S. websites & defacing them with photos of the late Gen. Soleimani against a background of the Iranian flag, along with the message, "Down with America." https://t.co/Md7gbxmg9b pic.twitter.com/MAzb4y2Ri5 FBI Boston (@FBIBoston) September 15, 2020 Some of the websites affected were hosted on computers owned by a company with corporate headquarters in Massachusetts. Days after the first hacking, Abusrour provided Mohammadzadeh with access to at least seven websites, which they hacked into with a similar image and text. The defendants took credit online for their website defacements, authorities said. The charge of conspiring to commit intentional damage to a protected computer provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gain or loss. The charge of intentionally damaging a protected computer provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gain or loss. Foreign hackers are a persistent commercial and national security threat to the United States, Lelling said in a statement. Working with our law enforcement partners worldwide, we will aggressively pursue, prosecute and apprehend those who use the internet to attack American interests. The lawyer representing Fort Hood Spc. Vanessa Guillen's family will join lawmakers introducing the #IAmVanessaGuillen Bill on Capitol Hill Wednesday. The bill will allow soldiers to report sexual harassment and assault to a third party if passed. COVID-19 UPDATES: Houston ISD announces campuses with cases "We all need this Bill to pass so we can help protect our men and women serving in the military," Attorney Natalie Khawam said in a statement. "Our soldiers deserve to have the same rights and protections we all have, especially since they are serving our country." Khawam said California Rep. Jackie Speier (D) and Oklahoma Rep. Markwayne Mullin (R) are leading the bill. Guillen went missing from Fort Hood on April 22. Her remains were located in June, and her funeral was held in Houston last month. Investigators believe Aaron Robinson, another soldier at Fort Hood, killed Guillen on April 22. Robinson shot and killed himself when law enforcement officers confronted him on July 1. His girlfriend Cecily Aguilar is charged with helping dispose of Guillen's body, the Houston Chronicle reported. Guillen reportedly told her mother and sister that an officer on the base was sexually harassing her, but did not report it, saying that nothing had been done when other women on the base had reported the issue. "The IAmVanessaGuillen bill is a bipartisan bill," Khawam said. "It is not a political issue, it's a human rights issue." Nvidia, best known as a major player in graphics processing, today announced it had locked down a deal to purchase U.K.-based chip licensing giant Arm Limited for $40 billion. According to Bloomberg, Nvidia will pay Arm's current owner, SoftBank Group, $12 billion in cash and $21.5 billion in stock, along with other payments, including a signing bonus and possible milestone moneys based on meeting performance targets. Arm does not manufacture silicon; instead it designs processors. It then licenses those designs for others to customize or not before fabricators crank out chips from silicon wafers. Arm's impact has been massive, primarily because its made-for-mobile chips have powered virtually every smartphone since Apple's 2007 introduction of its iPhone. The chips also are at the heart or brain of everything from tablets to Internet-of-things (IoT) devices such as sensors and controllers. Earlier this year, Apple committed to transitioning its Mac personal computer line from processors provided by Intel to designs of its own spun off from licensing Arm. The first such Macs are set to debut before year's end. The sale of Arm to Nvidia will give other chip makers pause, but it may impact Apple as well, argued Jack Gold, principal analyst at J. Gold Associates. "Apple is a[n Arm] licensee. But will they want to play with Nvidia once it owns Arm? Apple didn't want to play with Intel, after all," Gold said in an interview Monday. Apple may have valid concerns about an Nvidia-owned Arm, Gold contended. "Will licensees worry their proprietary use of Arm IP [intellectual property] might somehow be compromised or used by Nvidia?" he wrote in a research note shared with Computerworld. "I think this will be an issue, not in the short term, as you can't just rip and replace technology, but longer term, especially for the biggest players who have the wherewithal to go it alone and ultimately design out the Arm IP if they perceive it as a risk." Gold thought that Apple might wonder whether its IP is secure with Arm as a, well, arm of Nvidia. "Apple is always concerned about secrets," Gold said during the interview, perhaps understating Apple's penchant for secrecy. One reason Arm has been so attractive to Apple and other technology companies is that Arm's business model has been customer-neutral. Because Arm does not make its own chips, it could not directly compete with, say, Apple's silicon or force the Cupertino, Calif. company to buy chips from Arm rather than outsource the fabrication. "Apple wants to be in control of its own destiny," Gold observed. Gold also pondered the financial implications of Nvidia's purchase. "Do they want a heavy-duty payback?" he asked during the interview, referring to possible higher licensing fees. That, too, could put licensees like Apple in an unexpected spot. For its part, Nvidia said it isn't about to make changes to Arm. "As part of Nvidia, Arm will continue to operate its open-licensing model while maintaining the global customer neutrality that has been foundational to its success," the company asserted in a statement. Elsewhere, Nvidia's CEO, Jensen Huang, told Bloomberg that with the money his company is spending on Arm he had no incentive to disrupt current relationships with customers. That may well be true over the short term, say, the next two or three years, Gold said, but no one, perhaps not even Nvidia, knows how Arm might take on a different strategy beyond that time frame. Companies almost invariably make a no-changes pledge when they acquire another firm, promising, for example, to keep the current leadership team in place or declaring that it does not envision layoffs among the acquisition's workforce. Those promises are often kept ... until they aren't. The deal is not guaranteed, of course, for it will have to earn approval from regulatory agencies of a number of countries and organizations, including the U.S., the U.K., the European Union and the People's Republic of China. "Will this even go through?" Gold asked. If it does, will Arm be considered a U.S. company, rather than a U.K. firm as it now is? (Nvidia on Monday said that it would keep Arm's headquarters in the U.K.) If so, and President Trump is reelected, might Arm be used by his administration against China? "We're in the middle of a trade war, you know," Gold said. "That would put all the Chinese chip makers out of business." With that as a possibility, how likely would China sign off on the deal? Welcome Guest! You Are Here: When they decide to take our team from the Midwest and the upper Northeast and pre-stage us in California, that really says a lot about what is going on nationally, Bell said. Theres incident management teams all across the country. If they say, Hey, East Coast team were going to preposition you in California because we know were going to have a big fire,' thats kind of an indicator of everything going on. HONG KONG The United States is warning citizens of the risk of arbitrary police and security power in Hong Kong and urging Americans to reconsider travel to the city now that the Chinese government has imposed a sweeping security law there. The advisory, which was posted on the State Departments website on Monday, is unlikely to have much of an immediate effect on travel, as entry into Hong Kong is already tightly restricted by coronavirus control measures. But it could further fray ties between the United States and China. The State Department advisory warned that the security law, which came into force in June, could subject Americans who have been publicly critical of China to a heightened risk of arrest, detention, expulsion, or prosecution. The security law targets what it deems acts of secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign elements, but critics say the broad wording also gives the authorities wide-ranging powers to target voices of dissent. Dozens of people in Hong Kong have already been arrested under the law, including Jimmy Lai, a prominent pro-democracy media tycoon. She was forced to cancel her nuptials after COVID-19 hit. But EastEnders star Louisa Lytton still had something to celebrate over the weekend as she revealed she's bought a house with her fiance Ben Bhanvra. The actress, 31, took to Instagram on Monday to document the early stages of transforming her new abode after moving her things into the home. Scroll down for video Love nest: EastEnders star Louisa Lytton has revealed she's moved into a new house with fiance Ben Bhanvra after COVID-19 forced them to cancel their big day Louisa took to social media to share a snap of herself and husband-to-be Ben sat in the back of the moving lorry surrounded by boxes. The star admitted the chance to buy their first home was a welcome consolation after the COVID-19 pandemic forced them to cancel their wedding. She penned the caption: 'Still unpacking i honestly don't know how all of that stuff fit in our little flat. 'I feel so overwhelmed (in a good way) my flat was my baby, it looked after us during lockdown, it allowed me and the girls (@alexlouizebird @mariannaneo ) to fall in drunk after nights out, have nights in with 3BlindMice (@cartierfraseriheacho @mafromusic) it even had a space in the bed for @natashastonemua for a whole month whilst she held my hand and supplied lots of wine through a break up. Love nest: The actress took to Instagram on Monday to document the early stages of transforming her new abode Pretty corner: The following evening the star shared another snap of the cards she'd received to congratulate her on the move, perched neatly on a new rattan table 'It was mine and @bennnyy__ first home. Goodbye wedding (for now) Hello house Shall I update you on the progress or are we bored of home accounts?!' Louisa then shared a video montage of her and Ben moving into their home to the John Legend track Good Morning, with the living room and driveway completed covered in boxes and bags. The following evening the star shared another snap of the cards she'd received to congratulate her on the move, perched neatly on a new rattan table. She penned the caption: 'Thanks for the comments, I'll update as I go (i'm nervous as I'm really not good at this gram stuff) The only corner acceptable enough to post right now.' Changes: She later documented the move with a video montage, which displayed her living room covered with bags and boxes Good news: The star admitted the chance to buy their first home was a welcome consolation after the COVID-19 pandemic forced them to cancel their wedding The Ruby Allen actress later took to her Stories to document the early stages of transforming her home, including making friends with the new neighbourhood cat, and helping her nearby mother paint her fence. Louisa was forced to postpone her wedding in the US earlier this year due to the coronavirus crisis. But her spirits were recently lifted after her friends threw her a surprise hen do in the park on the day they should have been flying out to Croatia together. The actress revealed that she was tricked into believing she was going to Ikea with her fiance, before actually being surprised with a picnic. Cute: Louisa later took to her Stories to document the early stages of transforming her home, including making friends with the new neighbourhood cat She captioned the snaps: 'Today we would have been jetting off for my hen do, instead I went to work, came home and argued with Ben as to why I didn't want to 'go to IKEA in 30 degree heat'. 'Little did I know it was all a ploy to get me to my surprise pre hen picnic. What a special day, social distance celebrations are fast becoming my fave. A picnic with my girls in the sun. All that was needed x love you all x Thank you.' Louisa is yet to reveal when he wedding, which should have been taking place in August, has been rescheduled for. Louisa and Ben got engaged on her 30th birthday while on holidays in the Maldives last year, just a year after being together. Six titles made the shortlist for this year's Booker Prize for Fiction, considered one of the most prestigious prizes for books published in English. This year's finalists was chosen from a list of 162 books submitted for the award. To qualify, the books must have been published in the U.K. or Ireland between October 1, 2019 and September 30, 2020. The winner will receive 50,000 and each shortlisted author receives 2,500. The overall winner will be announced on November 14. The 2020 shortlist is as follows, with the title author, and U.K. and U.S. publisher listed (when suitable). Four of the books are debuts and several of the authors have been in contention for the prize before. This year's list is also notably diverse, with four women authors on the shortlist -- Diane Cook, Tsitsi Dangarembga, Avni Doshi and Maaza Mengiste.-- and two men, Douglas Stuart and Brandon Taylor. Four of the shortlisted books come from independent publishers represented by the Independent Alliance: Canongate Books, Daunt Books Publishing, Faber & Faber and Oneworld Publications. Cook, Mengiste, Stuart and Taylor are living in the U.S., Doshi lives in Dubai, and Dangarembga lives in Zimbabwe, where she has been under arrest following protests against government corruption. "As judges we read 162 books, many of them conveying important, sometimes uncannily similar and prescient messages," said Margaret Busby, chair of the 2020 judges. "The best novels often prepare our societies for valuable conversations, and not just about the inequities and dilemmas of the world whether in connection with climate change, forgotten communities, old age, racism, or revolution when necessary but also about how magnificent the interior life of the mind, imagination and spirit is, in spite of circumstance." To the Editor: Re Goodbye to the Way We Used to Shop, by Sarah M. Seltzer (Sunday Review, Sept. 6): One of the great ladies of retail is departing. Five generations of my family have looked to Lord & Taylor as their mainstay, their go to store. My nana (receipts starting in 1905), mother and I shopped and lunched amid live parakeets and visited the real Santa there. In the dressing room mirrors, I journeyed from young girl to old woman. I became the grandmother watching my daughters and granddaughters discover the delights of the store. Nanny, look at my shoes. The ones I got for prom. Where did you get them? Somehow the answer didnt surprise me. Camilla Hanson Orleans, Mass. To the Editor: Yes, a lovely reminiscence about Lord & Taylor, an eternal place of comfort and familiarity. This was a go-to place for my mom in the 1940s. She would grab my hand and say, Come on, dear, were heading uptown to shop at L.&T. Chinese authorities have confirmed the criminal detention of 12 Hong Kongers who were allegedly attempting to travel illegally to Taiwan by boat last month, while the foreign ministry in Beijing labelled the group separatists. The 12 people, aged 16 to 33, were put under 'compulsory criminal detention' on August 23 for illegally crossing the border, according to a statement Sunday from the public security bureau in Shenzhen of southern China. Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam Tuesday claimed that the 12 people arrested at sea by mainland authorities were not 'democratic activists being oppressed'. Relatives of 12 Hong Kong activists detained at sea by Chinese authorities are pictured attending a press conference in Hong Kong, Saturday, September 12. They called for their family members to be returned to the territory, saying their legal rights were being violated Chinese authorities have confirmed the criminal detention of 12 Hong Kongers who were allegedly attempting to travel illegally to Taiwan by boat last month, while the foreign ministry in Beijing labelled the group separatists. The relatives of 12 Hong Kong people in China custody arrive at the Legislative Council for a press conference in Hong Kong on Saturday Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam (pictured in centre on Tuesday) claimed that the 12 people arrested at sea by mainland authorities were not 'democratic activists being oppressed' Lam's comments come after relatives of some of the detainees held a news conference on Saturday to demand their urgent return. The families pleaded for them to be allowed to call home and consult lawyers appointed by the families and not the Chinese government. Hours before the conference, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the United States was deeply concerned about the activists, noting they had been denied access to lawyers. The statement from Chinese authorities was the first formal announcement that the 12 would likely face criminal charges. The 12 were believed to be travelling to the self-ruled island of Taiwan, a popular choice among protesters who have chosen to leave Hong Kong since the passage of a new national security law in June. Critics say the Hong Kong law is Beijing's clearest attempt to erase the legal firewall between the semi-autonomous territory and the mainlands authoritarian Communist Party system. Lam's comments come after relatives of some of the detainees held a news conference on Saturday to demand their urgent return. The families pleaded for them to be allowed to call home and consult lawyers appointed by the families and not the Chinese government The statement from Chinese authorities was the first formal announcement that the 12 would likely face criminal charges. Protesters are pictured holding signs supporting the 12 Hongkongers who remain in Chinese custody during a rally in Hong Kong on September 6 US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo (pictured in a Saturday briefing) said the United States was deeply concerned about the activists, noting they had been denied access to lawyers US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement Friday that the US is 'deeply concerned' over the arrests of the 12 people, whom he called 'democracy activists.' US State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said in a Twitter post Saturday that the arrest of the 12 is 'another sad example of the deterioration of human rights in Hong Kong.' 'Legitimate governments do not need to wall their countries in and prevent their citizens from leaving,' Ortagus wrote. Beijing foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said Sunday on Twitter that the 12 detained were not 'democratic activists, but elements attempting to separate #HongKong from China.' Under Hong Kong's security law, attempting to separate Hong Kong from China is illegal, as the law outlaws secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces in the city's internal affairs. The file photo shows pan-democratic legislator Eddie Chu Hoi-dick, Vice convener for Hong Kong's Civil Human Rights Front Figo Chan, and activist Leung Kwok-hung, also known as "Long Hair", march at the anniversary of Hong Kong's handover to China from Britain on July 1 Under Hong Kong's security law, attempting to separate Hong Kong from China is illegal, as the law outlaws secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces in the city's internal affairs. A man is detained by riot police during a demonstration on July 1 Hong Kong's Security Bureau said on Monday all 12 were suspected of committing crimes in Hong Kong. Ten of them had been charged with offences such as manufacturing or possessing explosives, arson, rioting, assaulting police or possession of offensive weapons. Those 10 had been on bail and not allowed to leave Hong Kong, it said. One was suspected of colluding with foreign forces under a national security law that Beijing imposed on Hong Kong in June. The law allows for the punishment of anything China considers to be subversion, separatism, terrorism or such collusion. Speaking at her regular weekly news conference, Lam reiterated that the 12 will have to face justice in the mainland and that her government will provide them and their families with the 'needed and feasible' assistance. 'The reason for them leaving Hong Kong seems to be that they were running away from legal responsibility,' Lam said. 'I want to set the record straight, because certain local and overseas individuals tried to shift the attention, describing them as democratic (activists) being oppressed.' Asked about whether it was appropriate label them as 'separatists' given they are yet to face trial, Lam said she saw 'no particular value' in debating the issue. Protesters chant slogans and gesture during a rally against a new national security law in Hong Kong on July 1, the 23rd anniversary of the city's handover from the UK to China Pro-democracy lawmaker Eddie Chu expressed concern in a interview with public broadcaster RTHK on Monday that the 12 could face more severe charges in the future, which could result in longer prison sentences. They are currently accused of illegally crossing the border and not separatism. The relatives of the arrested Hong Kongers held a news conference on Saturday calling for the return of their family members to Hong Kong, saying their legal rights were being violated. The relatives, who wore masks and sunglasses and did not not reveal their names, said those arrested should be allowed to meet with lawyers they themselves have hired, not those appointed by Chinese authorities. They also said they should be provided with needed medications and be allowed to call their families. In a statement released at the news conference, the families said that the Hong Kong government had not yet provided any sort of concrete assistance to the families. Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam said last week that the group arrested would have to be dealt with according to Chinese laws if they were arrested for committing an offence in China. She said that the Hong Kong government would try and render assistance. Santander job row with Orcel set for court showdown with Botin a witness FILE PHOTO: Andrea Orcel, Banco Santander chairwoman Ana Botin and Banco Santander CEO Jose Antonio Alvarez are seen together at a meeting By Emma Pinedo and Jesus Aguado MADRID (Reuters) - A high-profile row between Spain's Santander and Andrea Orcel will go to a court showdown in March after they failed to reach a deal over the withdrawal of an offer to make the Italian banker chief executive. Orcel, among Europe's top investment bankers, is claiming breach of contract by the euro zone's third-largest bank by market value, and suing for 112 million euros ($126 million). He was offered the role of CEO in September 2018 but Santander changed its mind the next January, saying it could not meet his pay demands, in a rare U-turn involving such a high-level appointment at a major bank. Lawyers for both parties, wearing masks to respect COVID-19 rules, told a preliminary hearing in a Madrid court that they did not want an out-of-court settlement. As a result, the judge said the dispute would now go to trial starting on March 10 next year, when Santander chairman Ana Botin will be among the witnesses called to speak, at the request of Orcel's legal team. Axel Weber, chairman of UBS was also added to the list of witnesses. UBS declined to comment. Jose Miguel Fatas, a lawyer for Santander, said it had not asked for Orcel be put on the list of witnesses because what was at stake was not the facts but legal issues and the Italian would not therefore speak at the trial. "Our thesis is very simple, there is an offer letter that they say is the (job) contract and we say that it is not the contract," Fatas told reporters after the one-hour hearing. Orcel's lawyer Alvaro Remon, who did not respond to a request for comment, had earlier told the court: "What we ask for first of all is that the contract be fulfilled." TWO KEY WORDS Much of the trial will revolve around whether a September, 2018 four-page offer letter was a binding job contract, as Orcel says, or a non-binding initial offer, as the bank says. "How much meaning can be attached to those two words: recruitment and appointment. And that's all I'm saying", judge Javier Sanchez Beltran told the court. Santander promised to pay "up to" 35 million euros of a 55 million euro package that Orcel was due to receive in future years from his employer at the time, UBS. Story continues The letter said Orcel would make his "best efforts" to cap that cost by getting the Swiss bank to contribute some of it. However, UBS refused and Orcel then told Santander he would not accept less than 35 million euros. Orcel, who was head of UBS Group's investment banking business at the time, resigned from the Swiss bank when he was offered the Santander job. Neither Orcel nor Botin were in court for Monday's hearing, which wrapped up after focusing on issues such as procedural evidence and which witnesses would be accepted. (Reporting by Emma Pinedo and Jesus Aguado; Additional reporting by Mike Shields; Writing by Ingrid Melander and Jesus Aguado; Editing by Alexander Smith) 'The recalculated ranking showed India should have had a higher ranking earlier (113 in 2012 instead of 132) and lower ranking later (114 in 2018 instead of 100).' 'This would mean that there has been no change in India's climate of doing business across two regimes.' 'This is exactly consistent with the reality on the ground,' observes Debashis Basu. The World Bank on August 27 acknowledged the 2018 and 2020 reports of 'Doing Business Ranking', an index on ease of doing business for 190 countries), suffered from 'data irregularities' and that changes in the data were inconsistent with the methodology. The biggest gainers in the 2020 report were Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Togo, Bahrain, Tajikistan, Pakistan, Kuwait, China, India, and Nigeria. The World Bank wouldn't say the data relating to which countries was irregular. A Wall Street Journal article has claimed that China, Azerbaijan, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia (all authoritarian countries with no freedom of speech or democratic rights) were the ones that benefited the most. The World Bank has suspended the Doing Business reports for now, which would deal a minor blow to the Indian government. It is a blow because the credibility of these rankings, which the government was trumpeting, is now in tatters. But it is minor because these rankings do not lead to anything concrete such as increased domestic or foreign investment. But it is certainly an occasion to remind ourselves of three things: One, it is the states' job to usher in ease of doing business; two, there were flaws in the ranking methodology; and three, the ground reality hasn't changed much. When Prime Minister Narendra Modi was campaigning before the 2014 election, he promised us development and good governance. He touched a chord in the hearts of millions of entrepreneurs running tiny to very large businesses by talking of how difficult India's business environment is, and how it contrasted with stories of how easy it was to do business in Gujarat, where he was chief minister then. But India has a federal structure (the Centre and the states divide powers and roles). States impose the largest number of roadblocks to the path of doing business. The Centre has a much smaller role. There is simply no way Modi could promise an easier business climate without all the states leading the change. The Centre's role would have been limited to enacting central legislation that covers some aspects of doing business, such as international trade, taxation, and insolvency resolution. Most of the permits and licences and laws related to land and labour are in the hands of states. Modi could have worked with the states in which his party, the BJP, was in power to create a low-friction environment, but he hasn't. But showing improvement in international and credible rankings such as the World Bank's Doing Business was too good an opportunity to pass up. Since 2014, India has leapfrogged 79 positions from a low rank of 142. It earned a place among the world's top 10 improvers for three years in a row during 2018-2020 -- trumpeting this as a success of its policies. But this owed itself to a clever and determined effort in exploiting the multilateral institution's methodological weaknesses that put disproportionate emphasis on insignificant changes. India's ranking shot up -- among other things -- by eliminating the need for a company seal or rubber stamp to open a bank account, dropping the need to submit a cancelled cheque with employee provident fund applications, removing the need for traders to submit hard copies of documents, and increasing the capacity of an online customs payment gateway. But it was not limited to gaming methodology. India gained hugely in ranking because the World Bank changed the methodology itself! And so, while the Modi government celebrated India's rapid rise in ranking, World Bank Chief Economist Paul Romer resigned amid controversy over the changes to the methodology of rankings. The Center for Development recalculated the ranking and showed that India's rank was more modest. Interestingly, the recalculated ranking showed India should have had a higher ranking earlier (113 in 2012 instead of 132) and lower ranking later (114 in 2018 instead of 100). This would mean that there has been no change in India's climate of doing business across two regimes. This is exactly consistent with the reality on the ground. Among Modi's many catchy slogans is 'tourism, not terrorism'. But despite ranking eighth among 140 countries under'cultural resources and business travel', India ranks 109th in 'tourist service infrastructure', in a study by the World Economic Forum. A key component of the tourism ecosystem is restaurants. If the government was really interested in improving the climate of doing business instead of burnishing its image by using the World Bank rankings, it would have noticed, for example, that a restaurant needs up to 15 licences in India compared to four in Singapore and two in Turkey. This is according to a report titled An Integrated Value Chain Approach to Ease of Doing Business in India, by the Pahle India Foundation. The list includes licences for health trade, environment, fire, tourism, pollution, music, liquor, wine and beer (separately), legal metrology, police clearance, signage, operating timing, etc. Notice that all these are state subjects and some are under municipalities. For the babus, each one is an opportunity to make money; some are like Extortion in Monthly Intalments. I could go on with numerous other examples. Some like taxtortion involve the Centre. A few days ago, Vallabh Bhansali, a financial expert and die-hard fan of the current regime, said: 'Unfortunately, in our country, governments don't like to lose. If some tax regime or provisions go against the government, it changes the law.' 'The citizen is battered that there is no way his innovation can work and he must always lose. Subsidies, arbitration awards are not paid fully and therefore there is a lack of confidence.' 'We have gone beyond ease of doing business and come to a stage where the government has to say that please do the business.' Not a very ringing endorsement of the much-boasted ease of doing business. Debashis Basu is the editor of www.moneylife.in Feature Presentation: Rajesh Alva/Rediff.com YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 15, ARMENPRESS. According to the forecasts of the Central Bank, Armenia will have 4-5% economic growth in 2021, CBA President Martin Galstyan told reporters today. The 6.2% decline forecast by us for this year will be followed by nearly 5% economic growth in 2021. We expect that all spheres will record a positive growth, for instance, we expect for the services field to have 4.2% growth, agriculture 3.2%, industry 5%, he said. Touching upon the current economic activity in some sectors, the CBA President said in case of industry they were predicting 2.2% decline, but at this moment it is 2%. There is a positive progress in terms of industry, which is connected with the export of raw materials, as well as the high prices registered in the international market. But, in line with this, there is a major decline in the construction sector -18.7%. I would like to note that here there is also a statistical problem. Construction is registered when it is over, the ongoing construction is not registered in the statistics. Therefore, there can be cases when we see construction works, but they are not recorded statistically, he said. Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan A rally is being planned outside of the Peterborough provincial courthouse on Wednesday to protest the potential release of the man accused of attacking and sexually assaulting a 61-year-old woman last month in Jackson Park. Rally co-organizer Jim Reedyk is calling for people to bring signs and their voices to let justice officials know exactly how they feel about the person who is accused in the case of these crimes. The accused man, Corby Charles Dewitt, 29 of North Kawartha Township, has a long list of previous crimes that have escalated over the years. Dewitt was charged with sexual assault, kidnapping, uttering threats to cause death, assault and choking to overcome resistance in the Aug. 17 attack. The attack happened about a kilometre east of the Ackison Road entrance to the park. The woman suffered critical injuries and was airlifted to a Toronto hospital. City police praised two other women who had been in the area who intervened during the attack. Reedyk is concerned that if given a chance the courts will release Dewitt on bail due to reduce the risk of COVID-19 in the correctional facilities. He said he has a lot of family and friends who use Jackson Park regularly. I have a lot of relatives that go in the park, a lot of relatives, a lot of customers and I worry he might get bail, he said. He said that he doesnt think Dewitt will receive bail. I dont think that he will get out, but at least I want some accountability, Reedyk said. I want to know, because most times you just dont find out about these things until later. Courts usually let people know the night before about the appearances and what format they will be conducted in, in-person or by video appearance from jail, he said. The night before they tell you when the court appearance will be, Reedyk said. Even if it is on video link it doesnt matter, at least it shows that we are there to support the community, to support this woman, and to ensure this sort of thing isnt acceptable. He said that he is surprised that charges were not elevated to attempted murder. I am quite surprised that he hasnt been charged with attempted murder because he put her into critical condition and thats pretty bad, Reedyk said. Even if half a dozen people show up to the rally he will be happy, he said. We are going to go to every one of his court appearances with these pickets and say no, you put a lady in critical condition and if she had have died, he would have got life in prison, Reedyk said. A leading Japanese carmaker recently saidit has halted its plan to scale its operations owing to prevailing taxation policies in India. The company termed the policy as we dont want you tax policy. This came at a time when India is rolling out a red carpet for foreign companies as the government aims to attract global value chains. To be fair, there have been instances when Indias tax administration has made blunders while dealing with foreign investors. A recent instance is the Vodafone retrospective taxation issue during the UPA-II. However, the present situation with Toyota is fundamentally different. For starters, to claim that India has a we dont want you taxation policy after Indias historic corporate tax cut is extremely unfair to the government. It is worthwhile to note that while the effective corporate tax rate in India is around 25%, the same in Japan is 30.62%. For new manufacturing companies, the corporate tax rate is even lower at 18% in India. The more important point is that India has made several attempts at reforming the tax rate over the last few years and broadly, the tax rates have tended to reduce on most instances. Needless to say, that there is a genuine need for rationalization of personal income taxes or direct taxes as a whole and that while government has taken some measures in this direction, a more aggressive approach would be appreciated. Nonetheless, to criticize the attempt at a time when tax rationalization is ongoing seems to be driven by the high tax on hybrid vehicles which is a policy decision as government recognizes them as different from electric vehicles. Thus, the statement is more due to personal vested interests rather than any legitimate concern for a broader tax reform and such statements often do more damage to the prospects of genuine reforms. It is further curious to observe that while Toyota is reluctant to scale its operations, companies such as Maruti Suzuki and Hyundai continue to dominate the Indian market with the same taxation regime. Natural to ask, how is one taxation regime more conducive to Suzuki another Japanese car manufacturer while Toyota finds it as a bottleneck for its growth? In fact, even as Toyota India finds the tax regime responsible for their lower than normal capacity utilization, several car brands such as Kia and Morris Garages have launched their vehicles and have swiftly captured a decent share of the domestic consumer market. In the event of a wonky taxation regime, new car makers would not have lined up to launch products in India. Nobody is denying that India does not have wonky taxation policies they are there for several sectors, but not in this particular case. The 28% tax rate may seem excessive, especially since it has a compensation cess which is further levied on top of it. But a frequently missed point about the Goods and Service Tax regime is the input tax credit at every stage of the value addition process. Therefore, the increase in tax incidence is not as high or significant to cause for a lower demand for automobiles. More importantly, India has had the bulk of these taxation policies for many decades whereby we taxed cars at a higher rate, so what has changed suddenly for Toyota? One is not justifying the high rates of tax on automobiles but is simply asking to not ascribe the consequences of bad business decisions to the taxation policies. This is important as over the coming few years, we may witness a further increase in the tax rates of automobiles to reduce the carbon emissions and our carbon footprint. This has become critical as the world wakes up to recognizing the perils of climate change, especially at a time when forest fires, frequent hurricanes, erratic rainfall, and other such events become a regular feature. Consequently, most countries will increase taxes on automobiles in an attempt to incentivize electric vehicles going forward. The difference, in Indias approach as against many other countries is on dealing with Hybrid cars as India views them as a cleaner variant of the conventional diesel and petroleum-based cars. This approach is guided by the fact that while hybrid cars may have lower emissions, they cannot be considered as clean fuel-based automobile vehicles. Thus, they do not get the benefit that electric vehicles get in the form of a lower indirect tax rate. This is fair and consistent with the ethical position that India has taken to ensure inter and intra generational equity in the form of access to a clean environment. Additionally, it is important to observe that Toyota is not the sole company that has met with limited success in capturing the domestic market as companies such as Ford and GM had a similar fate. This had more to do with high costs of cars, stiff domestic competition and lack of adequate service support rather than our domestic taxation policies. The recent statement thus appears to be an attempt at getting a tax cut for the automobile sector rather than from a genuine concern either for the industry or for the agenda of taxation reforms. In fact, interestingly, when the Union Government had lowered excise to incentivize production and sale of automobiles, Toyota was reluctant to pass on the benefit to the consumers. This leaves us with the question of whether a tax cut would eventually benefit the consumers or would it go into their profit margins. While there is a genuine need for a more comprehensive taxation reforms, using it as an opportunity to further special interest is neither fair to the government nor ethical on part of any private entity. The government has definitely made some progress on the tax reforms front and will likely continue doing so in the near future. In the meantime, automobile companies must borrow a book from the page of new entrants which have been able to dodge the domestic slowdown simply by offering a differentiated product at a competitive price. One hopes that more companies end up adapting this approach in the near future. (The author is a Delhi-based policy researcher. Views are personal and do not reflect Mints editors'.) Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Never miss a story! Stay connected and informed with Mint. Download our App Now!! Topics By Karen Lema MANILA (Reuters) - Experts described as dangerous and premature on Monday the Philippines' decision to cut the social distancing minimum to 30 centimetres (12 inches) on public transport, as the country saw another daily record in newly confirmed COVID-19 deaths. Reducing gaps between passengers incrementally to a third of the 1 metre minimum could backfire, experts and medical professionals warned, and prolong a first wave of infections that the Philippines has been battling since March. The new rules took effect on Monday, when the country reported 259 new confirmed deaths, a record for the second time in three days. Total fatalities increased to 4,630, while infections have doubled in the past 35 days to 265,888, Southeast Asia's highest number. "This will be risky, reckless and counter-intuitive and will delay the flattening of the curve," Anthony Leachon, ex-president of the Philippine College of Physicians, told news channel ANC. "Even if you wear a face shield and mask, reducing the distance between, it will be dangerous," he said, adding that 1 or 2 metres was the minimum international standard. The transport ministry's new rules cut the distance to 75cm on Monday, 50cm on Sept. 28 and 30cm on Oct. 12. Conversation and phone calls are now prohibited. The health ministry on Monday urged the public to be "extra vigilant" in tight travel conditions and to choose other transport modes if possible. Manila's transport systems are notoriously crowded, with commutes typically involving long queues and several changes. "It is likely that we will see an increase in cases and our recovery will slow if we do this now," said epidemiologist Antonio Dans. Dans is a member of a health professionals alliance that last month pleaded for a tightening of Manila's lockdown - a "timeout" to stop hospitals being overrun. It urged a rethink of the 30cm rule. The plan aims to help an economy that the government sees contracting 5.5% this year, the worst shrinkage in 35 years. "Reopening the economy will never happen unless the viral transmission is controlled," added Leachon, a former advisor to the government's COVID-19 task force. (Additional reporting by Enrico dela Cruz; Writing and additional reporting by Martin Petty; Editing by Ed Davies) British Prime Minister Boris Johnson lashed out at the European Union on Monday as he won initial approval for a plan to breach the Brexit treaty, saying the move was needed because the bloc had refused to take a "revolver off the table" in trade talks. Johnson won the so-called second reading parliamentary vote on the Internal Market Bill 340 to 263. A wrecking amendment was defeated shortly beforehand, though more will follow as he faces a growing rebellion in his party. The EU says Johnson's bill would collapse trade talks and propel the United Kingdom towards a messy Brexit while former British leaders have warned that breaking the law is a step too far that undermines the country's image. Johnson, though, said it was essential to counter "absurd" threats from Brussels including that London put up trade barriers between Britain and Northern Ireland and impose a food blockade - steps he said threatened the United Kingdom's unity. "The EU still have not taken this revolver off the table," Johnson told parliament before the vote. "What we cannot do now is tolerate a situation where our EU counterparts seriously believe that they have the power to break up our country." The EU has demanded Britain scrap the main parts of the bill by the end of September and that if not, there will be no trade deal at the end of the year to cover everything from car parts to food. To back up its message, the European Commission has delayed a crucial decision on allowing London to continue clearing euro transactions for EU-based clients, a derivatives source told Reuters. Johnson made clear that he would press ahead with the bill which he cast as a defensive insurance policy aimed at preventing a foreign power from dividing the United Kingdom by using Northern Ireland as leverage. Many lawmakers, though, are disturbed by such an explicit bid to breach international law. All five of Britain's living former prime ministers have expressed concern about his plan. "I understand how some people will feel unease over the use of these powers and I share that sentiment myself," Johnson said. "They are an insurance policy and if we reach agreement with our European friends, which I still believe is possible, they will never be invoked." But some EU diplomats believe London is playing a game of chicken, inviting the collapse of trade talks to either get the deal it wants or leave without a deal. Now the bill has passed its second reading, it will face four more days of debate on its fine print - a stage at which lawmakers can try to insert revisions that could change the entire meaning of the bill, or even kill it. The main battleground is likely to be an attempt by Bob Neill, a Conservative lawmaker, to amend the bill to ensure any attempt to use the clauses that breach the Brexit divorce agreement receive prior approval from parliament. (Reuters) Source: www.businessworld.ie Tier 3 - Orange View Photo Sonora, CA After holding the position for a short period over five months ago, Dr. Eric Sergeinko was back serving as Interim Health Officer for Tuolumne County at todays board of supervisors meeting. Dr. Sergienko is Mariposa Countys full-time Public Health Officer, and he has agreed to also serve as Tuolumne Countys Interim Public Health Officer while the county continues to search for a full-time replacement for Dr. Bob Bernstein. Dr. Liza Ortiz served in the Interim position for the most recent five months, but she resigned effective this past Friday. Members of the board thanked both Dr. Sergienko for coming back, and Dr. Ortiz for her service. Dr. Sergienko noted that there have been 216 total COVID-19 cases in Tuolumne County, 193 people have recovered, and six cases are still active. There are also 14 Sierra Conservation Center inmate cases not included in the county count. In addition, there have been three confirmed COVID-19 deaths. He also highlighted regional partnerships, including the Yosemite Gateway Area Coordination Team and the San Joaquin Valley Public Health Consortium. He noted that Tuolumne County remains in the orange Moderate Tier 3 category when it comes to state-mandated business restrictions. Some businesses that are allowed to be open indoors, with modifications, are restaurants, gyms, salons, barbershops, cultural ceremonies, churches, wineries, retail, childcare and personal care services. Businesses that must remain closed are concert venues, festivals, live theaters and nightclubs. Bars and breweries can only operate outdoors. In order to drop to the next tier, yellow, the county must have a positivity rate of about one case over a seven day period. The criteria must be met for two consecutive weeks. At that point, businesses like bars would be able to reopen indoors. Dr. Sergienko indicated that Mariposa County was getting closer to meeting that threshold, but Tuolumne County is still seeing well over one new case per week. Some schools in the past week have begun the process of reopening. Asked about whether he has heard of any cases of COVID-19 reported in response to the reopening, Dr. Sergienko responded, I have not within the state of California at this point in time, so I think that is something that as a state, and a region, well need to pay attention to because were about 1-2 weeks in for a lot of in-person schools. We have had reports in other states of transmission in schools, but not in our state. The health department also noted that the new Education and Compliance Division of the Health Department has received 27 complaints over the past two weeks about local businesses not being in compliance with COVID-19 health protocols. 67-percent of the facilities are now successfully addressing the complaints, and when accounting for complaints not applicable, closer to 80-percent of the businesses complained about are in compliance. Reese Witherspoon is not letting a terrible 2020 get in her way. Instead of moping around about COVID-19 and the California wildfires, the Oscar-winning actress was seen dancing with a chilled pink cocktail in her hand at home. The 44-year-old The Morning Show producer was debuting a new yellow dress for the fall collection of her brand Draper James when she kicked up her heels with delight. Party time: Reese Witherspoon is not letting a terrible 2020 get in her way. Instead of moping around about COVID-19 and the California wildfires, the Oscar-winning actress was seen dancing with a cocktail in her hand at home Fun in LA: The 44-year-old The Morning Show producer was debuting a new yellow dress for the fall collection of her brand Draper James when she kicked up her heels with delight Reese was seen outside a cozy home grooving to her music as she held a chilled pink drink in a wine glass. The Big Little Lies producer and star seemed to not have a care in the world as she looked slender in the yellow floral print number. 'New dress got me dancin! Check out our new BEAUTIFUL Fall collection @draperjames.' Fresh for fall: Reese was seen outside a cozy home grooving to her music as she held a chilled pink drink in a wine glass Her blonde hair was perfectly style as she had on pretty makeup and gold hoop earrings. The Wild star completed the look with strappy heels. And then she was seen in the exact same dress while holding a smoothie on her Draper James Instagram page. 'Our fall line is here my favorite collection yet! Cant wait to see how yall style it Xx Reese.' Change of pace: And then she was seen in the exact same dress while holding a smoothie on her Draper James Instagram page. 'Our fall line is here my favorite collection yet! Cant wait to see how yall style it Xx Reese.' The look for fall 2020: There was a sketch too - the dress has hints of marigold and lavender An artist at work: In this image, the dress is being colored in to get its vibrancy Last week the star was celebrating her daughter Ava Phillippe's milestone 21st birthday. The actress marked the special occasion with several sweet snaps of her mini-me on Wednesday, including one of Ava as a baby. The black-and-white photo captured baby Ava wearing a party hat while sitting before a plate of cake. 'I cannot wait to see ALL the Good you put into this world': Reese was celebrating her daughter Ava Phillippe's milestone 21st birthday Reese also shared a snap of herself with her daughter, whose looks are frequently compared to hers. Ava looked just like a young Reese as she struck a pose with her mother. In the glowing caption, Reese raved about her daughter's many positive qualities. 'Wow! How is it possible that this little girl is now 21 years old?' Reese captioned the snap. 'Happy Birthday to my sweet girl who has become the most incredible young woman. Baby Ava! The sweet, black-and-white snap captured the tot wearing a party hat while sitting before a plate of cake 'Her kindness, her compassion, and her huge heart never cease to amaze me. Ava, there aren't enough words to describe how proud I am of everything you've already accomplished. I cannot wait to see ALL the Good you will put into this world. I love you so much @avaphillippe' Ava and her younger brother Deacon, 16, are the children of Reese and her ex-husband Ryan Phillippe. The Legally Blonde actress remarried in 2011 to talent agent Jim Toth, whom she now shares seven-year-old son Tennessee with. Double trouble! There really is no denying the striking resemblance between the women (pictured 2019) Ava now studies at the University of California, Berkeley, but for Reese, watching her eldest child leave the nest was far from easy. 'It's weird when your children go away to college,' Reese previously told host Ellen DeGeneres during a segment on her talk show. 'It's hard. I never imagined how it felt for my mom. I might have gone into [Ava's] empty room, laid down on her bed and cried when she went to college.' While Ava hits the books, Reese's son Deacon is currently pursuing a career in music. An unprovoked attack on a woman in Sweden has caused outrage with online commentators claiming the perpetrator should be jailed for life without parole. The incident, which has been shared widely on the internet, happened in Malmo, Sweden. The video shows the woman walking along the street towards the man who moves aside and then punches her without warning. This is the shocking moment a woman was assaulted on the street in Malmo, Sweden in an unprovoked attack The attacker waited for the woman to pass before hitting her without warning Swedish police are trying to identify the assailant after the woman was knocked to the ground Social media users condemned the attack with one person claiming 'that is absolutely disgusting'. A second person claimed the attacker should receive 'life in prison without parole'. A third contributor added: 'From behind as well. Brave guy that.' The woman falls down between two parked cars and the pavement. The incident is believed to have taken place in the Rosengard district of Malmo, according to local media. They said the attacker is believed to be a man in his 20s, although he has not been identified. According to Russia Today, Swedish police are trying to identify the attacker who may have been responsible for several other similar assaults in the area. More than 10 years in the making, the $52.7 million expansion and renovation project will be a state-of-the-art repository for the state's historic collections and resources, serving as a place for learning and discovery. When complete, the project will nearly double the size of the existing building and include 66,000 square feet of new space, plus exterior and interior renovations to 66,995 square feet of the existing 1952 Veterans and Pioneers Memorial Building. The Cushing Terrell design melds new with historic, using the space between the two structures to create a dramatic entry that will seamlessly connect the two facilities. "The vision for who we can be in the future really has also been built into this process, bringing together diverse voices from across our state from east and west, north and south, our tribal nations, men and women, young and old it will be reflected right here," said Governor Steve Bullock at the ground blessing ceremony. "Those voices will shape its architecture and landscaping the way that our mountains and our plains and those winding rivers have shaped each and every one of us. This building design also looks to the future by incorporating sustainable features that will showcase the ingenuity and the values that make Montana such a special place." Taking inspiration from the state's geology, the new building will appear to emerge from the earth, symbolically referencing the Lewis Overthrust, the geophysical collision of tectonic plates that drove one plate over another and helped to define Montana's landscape. The landscape design will continue the sense of exploration with features and plantings that mimic (on a micro scale) the journey from the plains and grasslands to the foothills and forests and finally to mountain landscapes. Linking it all together is a river-like trail that will flow from one ecosystem to the next. "We hope the exterior environment provides visitors an opportunity to feel an intimate connection to the spectacular Montana landscape and the people who have lived here over the generations," notes Wes Baumgartner, landscape architect, Cushing Terrell. The design concept for the Montana Heritage Center is meant to convey the feeling that nature is a driving force behind why people live in the state. The building's exterior represents the diverse and ever-changing Montana landscape, the backdrop for the lives of its residents. From the inside, the building is a vessel that preserves and highlights the remarkable stories of Montana's people. With a commitment to sustainability and creating healthy spaces, the project is pursuing both USGBC LEED and IWBI WELL certifications and is anticipated to be complete in 2024. Project Team Cushing Terrell: Architecture, landscape architecture, engineering, fire protection, land surveying, stakeholder engagement, public outreach Main Street Design: Interpretive exhibit consultant Big Sky Acoustics: Acoustical consultant Sletten Construction: Construction contractor Client: State of Montana , Department of Administration / Montana Historical Society About Cushing Terrell Cushing Terrell was founded in 1938 on the belief that integrating architecture, engineering, and design opens the doors for deepened relationships and enhanced creativity. This foundation continues to define the multi-disciplinary firm today. Driven by empathy, the team creates systems and spaces that help people live their best lives, achieve their visions, and enjoy healthy, sustainable built environments. With more than 375 team members and offices in Colorado, Idaho, Louisiana, Minneapolis, Montana, Texas, and Washington their technical expertise encompasses the commercial, education, government, healthcare, residential, and retail markets. Offering the value of a small, local firm backed by large-firm resources, Cushing Terrell was engaged in the design of projects totaling more than $800 million in total construction in 2018. For more information about Cushing Terrell, visit cushingterrell.com. About the Montana Historical Society The Montana Historical Society is the guardian of Montana's memory. Established in 1865, one of the oldest institutions of its kind in the West, the MHS's vast historic collections of artifacts, photographs, and documents are exhibited in six extraordinary galleries. In 1969, MHS became the official state Archives and the repository for state agency records of permanent value. The mission of the Montana Historical Society is to promote an understanding and appreciation of Montana's cultural heritage past, present, and future. SOURCE Cushing Terrell Related Links https://www.cushingterrell.com LIMA : Peru will start testing coronavirus vaccines from China's Sinopharm and U.S. drugmaker Johnson & Johnson in September, researchers said, which should help the country gain faster access to inoculations once the vaccines are approved. Sinopharm began this week to recruit up to 6,000 volunteers in Peru, which Reuters data indicates has the highest number of COVID-19 deaths in relation to its population size. A team of Chinese scientists is expected to arrive in the Andean nation next week to work with local researchers, said German Malaga, a doctor and lead vaccine investigator at Lima's Cayetano Heredia University. "This is going to happen around Sept. 3, to begin vaccinations on Sept. 8," he said. Sinopharm's clinical trials in Peru are being done with Cayetano Heredia and the state-run Universidad Mayor de San Marcos. Peru has recorded around 622,000 cases of the coronavirus, the fifth highest case load in the world, and 28,277 deaths. It now has the world's deadliest fatality rate per capita, with 86.67 deaths per 100,000 people, a Reuters tally shows, just ahead of Belgium. Sinopharm will also do clinical coronavirus vaccine trials elsewhere in Latin America, including in Argentina. Other Chinese laboratories that will be conducting trials in the region include Sinovac Biotech, which will work in Brazil and Chile, and Walvax Biotechnology Co Ltd and CanSino Biologics Inc, which will test in Mexico, authorities have said. Johnson & Johnson's Janssen unit will start tests with some 4,000 volunteers in Peru around Sept. 24, Prime Minister Walter Martos told reporters on Thursday. "We are contacting other companies, laboratories, from Britain and other countries that are going to help us immunize at least 70% of the local population," Martos said. J&J said earlier this week that it would conduct Phase III trials for its vaccine in Chile, Argentina and Peru. Peru, a country of nearly 33 million people and the world's no. 2 copper producer, has been particularly hard-hit by the pandemic, both in terms of infections and economic impact. The economy crumbled over 30% in the second quarter of the year. The death toll could also be higher than official figures suggest. A national registry shows that between April and August there were 68,192 more deaths compared to the same period in 2019. Excess deaths often give a better indication of the true number of fatalities. Researcher Malaga and Carlos Castillo, the chief adviser for immunizations and vaccines at Peru's health ministry, said that carrying out clinical trials would help Peru get faster access to vaccines when they were ready. "There is an unwritten agreement, in the sense that in the country where a clinical trial is being carried out, it has priority access to vaccine availability," Castillo said. This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Never miss a story! Stay connected and informed with Mint. Download our App Now!! The Washington Post is providing this news free to all readers as a public service. Follow this story and more by signing up for national breaking news email alerts. U.S. airlines desperate for passengers are giving up a revenue stream that brought in $2.8 billion in 2019. Change fees were those nasty charges that added up to $200 per person on American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines, and $125 on Alaska Airlines. The airlines charged the fee whenever a passenger canceled a nonrefundable ticket more than 24 hours after purchasing it. Southwest Airlines didnt charge change fees, which helped the airline win favor with many travelers. On ExpressNews.com: Wary Traveler: The airline club is still open, but its not the hot spot it used to be American, Delta, United and Alaska eliminated the fees through the end of the year after COVID-19 kept most airline seats empty. Now they say theyre dropping the fees permanently. Of course, the reality is that nothing is preventing the airlines from reversing course once business recovers. The permanent removal of fees is never permanent. It will only become permanent when Congress passes a law blocking change fees or the federal Department of Transportation issues regulations banning them. Consumer advocates have pressed for that action for years, but they havent gotten anywhere. Well, lets enjoy the lack of change fees while we can assuming you feel safe flying in the middle of a pandemic. The fee elimination reflects the airlines acute financial straits and their desperate efforts to lure flyers back into the skies. Its also the first reversal in the add-on fee culture that airlines started more than a decade ago. From charging more for legroom in premium economy rows to baggage fees for checking a suitcase, airlines found ways to boost the price of a ticket. Baggage fees alone amounted to $5.1 billion in revenue for U.S. airlines in 2019, even more than change fees. I usually take a carry-on bag, so the baggage fees did not make me poorer. The change fees were another matter. There were numerous times when I bought a round-trip ticket for $189 or $199 and had to change my travel plans. This meant the ticket was a total loss, given the $200 change fee. In other words, the only way to get a credit would be if the ticket cost at least $201. True, in that example, we are talking about a $1 credit, but thats better than losing money. I felt pained whenever I canceled a nonrefundable ticket. My good deal had gone up in smoke. Travel plans do change, however, especially when booking several weeks or a months in advance to get the best deal. This explains why airlines collected almost $3 billion in change fees last year. I would not be surprised if baggage fees are next for elimination, but for now travelers can be thankful that at least the change fee is gone. The notion that airlines are trying to convey to travelers is that there is no risk in booking a trip financially at least. However, it remains to be seen whether anything short of a COVID-19 vaccine will convince reluctant travelers to fill airline cabins again. Airline analysts say that carriers can eliminate change fees and have all the fare sales they want but the reality is that passengers need to feel safe before they will fly again. While the Transportation Security Administration reported that the Friday and Monday of Labor Day weekend were the biggest travel days since the pandemic began, airlines still saw less than half the number of travelers they did the same weekend the previous year. And since Labor Day, the number of air passengers has dropped back to around 30 percent of 2019 levels. On ExpressNews.com: Wary Traveler: What its like to catch a flight in the age of coronavirus In any case, if you plan to be among the 30 percent, the elimination of change fees can be a positive. Still, beware, because there are some catches. For one thing, you wont get your money back. Airlines will only give you a travel credit for your unused ticket, usually good for one year from the date of your original flight. A key consideration: What happens if your new flight is cheaper than your original ticket? American, United and Alaska will credit you the difference, so you might have some credit left to use on a second flight. Delta has not announced what its policy will be going into 2021. In other words, if you paid $800 for the initial ticket, but the new ticket costs $600, then youre out of luck if Delta chooses not to refund the difference. Youd be out $200, the same amount as the change fee. Back to those nasty fees. Their elimination mostly does not apply to international flights, but thats not very relevant for the time being, since most foreign travel is off-limits. International change fees were even higher than domestic fees. American Airlines charged as much as $750. The change fee elimination also does not apply to basic economy tickets, those cheaper tickets that dont guarantee an assigned seat. However, all in all, the end of change fees is a good thing. I know I wouldnt feel as bad the next time I have to change my flight. Randy Diamond covers tourism and the travel industry. To read more from Randy, become a subscriber. randy.diamond@express-news.net By PTI MUMBAI: Former Navy man Madan Sharma, who was recently attacked by Shiv Sena workers in Mumbai, on Tuesday said he is with the BJP and RSS now. He was talking to reporters after meeting Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari at Raj Bhavan. "From today onwards, I am with BJP-RSS. When I was beaten up, they had levelled allegations that I am with BJP- RSS. So I am with BJP-RSS from now on," he said. Sharma (62) met Koshyari at the Raj Bhavan here. He was attacked after posting on his housing society's WhatsApp group a cartoon lampooning Chief Minister and Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray. After the attack in north Mumbai's Kandivli suburb, Sharma had demanded that the chief minister apologise to him and the country. He had also said that Thackeray should quit his post if he was unable to uphold law and order in the state. Six Shiv Sena workers have been arrested in connection with the incident. Scope for dialogue improves after Ankara withdrew exploration vessel, but EU threat of sanctions against Turkey remains. Greece says it is ready for talks with Turkey over contested Mediterranean waters if Ankara continues disengaging itself from the crisis, following the withdrawal of a Turkish exploration vessel from a disputed region. Turkey still has time ahead of and after the (EU) summit to continue the first encouraging step of disengaging itself from this crisis, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said after talks with EU Council President Charles Michel in Athens, referring to the upcoming September 24-25 EU summit. If we have tangible proof and this (proof) is continued, we are ready to start immediately I stress that, immediately exploratory talks with Turkey regarding our only major dispute: the demarcation of maritime zones in the Aegean and the eastern Mediterranean, he said. The long-running dispute between the two NATO members flared up again last month when Turkey sent a ship, the Oruc Reis, to survey waters claimed by Greece. Greek and Turkish warships shadowing the boat collided, highlighting the potential for military escalation. The European Union said Ankara could face sanctions, a move Turkey has decried as lacking legal basis. On Sunday, less than two weeks before EU leaders discuss the crisis, the Oruc Reis returned to port. Turkey said it would resume work after regular maintenance, but a senior Turkish official said it could stay longer to give diplomacy a chance. The two countries had been on the verge of resuming talks last month, following mediation by Germany, but Turkey broke off contact after Greece and Egypt signed a deal which Ankara said violated its own claims. Germany, which currently holds the EU presidency, has continued its diplomatic efforts, according to the Turkish official who spoke on condition of anonymity, and Turkey wanted to give those efforts a chance of success. Maintenance work on the Oruc Reis could be finished in a week, allowing it to return to the disputed area, but it can remain docked longer to reduce tensions in the region and allow for diplomacy, the official said. He said Turkey wanted to give an opportunity for EU foreign ministers, who meet on Monday, ahead of the summit, to take steps towards easing the crisis. Greek officials have also made statements softening the atmosphere. These are positive. We need to take steps forward for the solution of the problem now, without pre-conditions. Greek and Turkish military officials were holding separate de-confliction talks at NATO headquarters on Tuesday. The meeting was one of a series of contacts aimed at preventing any incident at sea spilling over into open conflict, but was not expected to address the actual disputes. Despite calling Oruc Reis back to port, Turkey still has a drilling ship and a seismic survey vessel operating in waters claimed by Cyprus, which is demanding EU sanctions on Ankara. Meanwhile, Michel said third countries might be invited to talks aimed at easing the dispute. Michel said he was hopeful a commitment for talks would be made soon and a negotiating process involving several countries could help facilitate an agreement. We are discussing the idea of a multilateral conference because, beyond bilateral dialogue, there is probably the need to bring the different countries to the table in order to deal with the different issues, Michel said. He did not elaborate. Prime Minister Mitsotakis called for European solidarity on the issue and a renewed migrant crisis. Turkeys foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said his country has been proposing to restart exploratory talks with Greece. Exploratory talks actually cover all disputed issues between Turkey and Greece The previous government [in Greece] didnt want to actually restart. And this government also has not been willing to restart the exploratory talks, so we have to make an agreement, he said. Germany, which currently holds the EUs rotating presidency and launched an effort in July to broker direct Greek-Turkish negotiations, is a likely candidate to participate, if the discussions are broadened. The Emir of Biu, Umar Mustapha-Aliyu is dead, an official said. The emir died early Tuesday morning at his palace in Biu town, the headquarters of Biu Local Government Area. The Borno State Commissioner of Home Affairs, Information and Culture, Babakura Abba-Jato, confirmed the death in a statement he issued to the media. Mr Abba-Jatos message reads: Inna lillahi, wa Inna Ilayhi rajiu, (from God we come and unto Him shall we all return). His Royal Highness, the Emir of Biu, Mai Mustafa Umar Aliyu, has answered the call of Allah subhanahu wa taala The late Emir was appointed in June 1989. He died this morning at the age of 80. He will be laid to rest in Biu at 2 pm today according to sources. May his soul rests in peace; Ameen. Mr Mustapha-Aliyu was born on November 9, 1940 in Biu, and he attended Kwaya Kusar Primary School between 1947 and 1949 and Biu Central Primary School from 1950 to 1953. He proceeded to Hausari Primary School in Maiduguri between 1953 and 1955. He was district head of Biu town from 1975 to 1989 before he later emerged the emir. The Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, and his deputy, Umar Kadafur, are expected to attend the emirs burial in Biu. Reflections and Recollections In Orthodoxy, G.K. Chesterton wrote: Therefore the modern man in revolt has become practically useless for all purposes of revolt. By rebelling against everything he has lost his right to rebel against anything. The key word in Chestertons aphorism is right. Rebellion brought America into existence, a revolution predicated on specific issues: liberty and taxation without representation. The men and women of 1776 focused on life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, founded a republic, wrote a Constitution that remains one of the worlds most profound documents, and left untouched such institutions as the church, the family, and free enterprise. The French Model Less than 20 years later, France also raised the banner of revolution, a violent upheaval that differed radically from that of the United States. The new government outlawed the Catholic Church and replaced the Triune God with the goddess Reason. Citizens deemed traitors to the revolution were carted through the streets of Paris to the guillotine and beheaded. The state issued decrees controlling speech and behavior, crushed its opposition in regions like the Vendee, and wreaked havoc on an already failing financial system. Napoleon eventually brought order from this chaos by assuming the mantle of emperor and dictator. The French Revolution, and not the American, has served as the prototype of revolt ever since. And it is the French model that we have seen at work in America for the last 50 years. The Academy Just as French intellectualsRousseau, Voltaire, and otherslaid the foundation for the French Revolution, American teachers and professors have produced two generations of students who were rarely taught love of country in the classroom and who were instead fed narratives of leftist ideology portraying the United States as a racist, sexist, and capitalistic hellhole, a blood-drenched land of oppression and failure. At Guilford College in the early 1970s, I took a course in the history of post-World War II India. The professor, a visitor from some university in California, neglected to address that history but instead spent nearly every class attacking Richard Nixon, the American family, and the middle class. After a paper I submitted to him came back marked B-, I decided to conduct an experiment. Having received his permission to rewrite the paper, I changed my conclusion to fit what I judged to be his worldview and received an A. Any temptation to join the left died that day. In the article Im a Former Teacher. Heres How Your Children Are Indoctrinated by Leftist Ideas, Douglas Blair recounts several examples of such indoctrination from his four years of teaching in elementary school. When he had his class making paper tepees for a Thanksgiving project, other teachers told him this was cultural appropriation, and Blair was ordered to desist. When he asked students to research famous men and women of Britain, he looked at one girls list and asked, Well, what about Winston Churchill? Oh, no, not him, she replied. He was a racist and didnt think women should have rights. He wasnt a good guy. By Their Fruits, You Shall Know Them Today, we are reaping the terrible harvest planted by these sowers. Mobs in the streets tear down statues, loot stores, burn and pillage, and beat and sometimes murder their fellow citizens, all in the name of equality and social justice. Even worse, in some of our cities, government officials abet these vandals, allowing them free rein in their destruction and praising them for calling our attention to their grievances. And the focus of these riots and protests? Chestertons Everything. The middle class, the family, the history of our country, Godall are under assault. Even Mother Nature is not exempt from this revolt, as we see when men and women claim it is their right to change their sex. This scattergun approach to rebellion might be summed up in a line from the movie The Wild One, when someone asks biker Johnny Strabler (Marlon Brando), Hey, Johnny, whatre you rebelling against? and he replies, Whatve you got? Young Marlon Brandos image was of a rebel without a cause. (Hulton Archive/Getty Images) Rebelling against everything means standing for nothing. In other words, nihilism. Darkness Falls: The Culture Even more threatening to our culture are the attacks by the electronic mob. Step out of line, post something on social media that offends someoneanyoneand you encounter the wrath of these digital Visigoths. In the last decade or so, professors, celebrities, and even ordinary citizens have fallen victim to the group-think crew, their reputations destroyed, their ability to earn a living forbidden them, their families verbally assaulted and threatened. But this ravenous mob doesnt stop with the living. It hunts down writers, artists, politicians, and military heroes from the past, and works around the clock to eradicate them from our memory and our history books. Lets look at their latest victim. How Cancel Culture Works Until now, most literary critics judged Flannery OConnor as one of Americas great 20th-century writers. Her short stories appear in any anthology worthy of the name, and professors teach her work in classrooms across the country. My Advance Placement students read her novel Wise Blood and her short story Revelation, which I regard as one of the finest ever written by an American writer. A first edition of Flannery OConnors 1952 novel. Now OConnor is under attack as a racist. In a recent essay in The New Yorker, Paul Elie, who included a highly favorable portrait of OConnor in his biographical study of four American writers, declares her a racist, not for her books and stories but for some things she said and wrote privately. The mob has already come a-running; some readers have denounced her, and Baltimores Loyola University has erased her name from a dormitory. In Flannery OConnor and the Ideological War on Literature, Charlotte Allen defends OConnor and explains the devastating effects of cancel culture: The fact that this debate is taking place at all, howeverwhether or not Flannery OConnor was a racist, how racist or not she might have been, whether she redeemed herself from her racism via her writing or grew past her racism morallyis exactly what has gone fearfully wrong. The primary evil of cancel culture isnt toppled statues or renamed buildings or even destroyed livelihoods. It is that, once cancel culture has come for an artist, it becomes impossible to take that artists artistry seriously Henceforth, it will be impossible to give a public lecture about OConnor, teach a college class, write a critical essay, or adapt her fiction to stage or screen without appending a dreary prologue rehearsing all the arguments about her attitudes toward black people. And in the midst of such arguments, all nuance, humor, characterization, and subtlety in the works themselves gets flattened or lost. This is what cancel culture does: It reduces literature to ideology. Kneeling Before the Small-Minded In fact, cancel culture reduces all that it touchesart, beauty, family, and loveto ideology. Once we see all of reality through political glasses, once we accept the notion that the personal is political, all that we treasure becomes dross. The magic of life vanishes. As may be seen by its advocates, both the young rebels in the streets and their older allies, cancel culture also reduces adults to infants, toddlers with no sense of nuance or history who smash our past and our culture as a 3-year-old might kick apart a sandcastle. While they are amusing themselves, lets ask some questions. Where among these destroyers are philosophers comparable to Socrates and Plato? Where are the great writers like Cervantes, Shakespeare, and so many others; the political geniuses like John Locke, Thomas Jefferson, and James Madison; the painters and sculptors like Michelangelo, Titian, and Rembrandt; the composers with the talent of Bach, Mozart, and Beethoven? Where today among those wanting to destroy our culture is there a political thinker such as John Locke? Lithograph after H. Garnier; Library of Congress. (Public Domain) We kneel before the small-minded when we might stand on the shoulders of giants. We can mount those once sturdy shoulders of Western civilization by studying and passing along its gifts to our young people. The climb will be arduousthe lures of popular culture are many and seductiveyet how else can we defend and save Western culture unless we ourselves understand it, absorb it, and love it? Time to cancel cancel culture. Jeff Minick has four children and a growing platoon of grandchildren. For 20 years, he taught history, literature, and Latin to seminars of homeschooling students in Asheville, N.C., Today, he lives and writes in Front Royal, Va. See JeffMinick.com to follow his blog. By Azernews By Akbar Mammadov Azerbaijani and Turkish Air Forces carried out demonstration flights over western Ganja city on September 15 to mark the 102nd anniversary of the liberation of Baku with the help of the Turkish army. The flights have involved combat aircraft and helicopters of both countries and started at 14:00 over the Ganja city. It should be noted that the Caucasian Islamic Army led by Nuru Pasha together with the newly formed Azerbaijani National Army and volunteers, liberated Baku from Armenian and Bolshevik occupation on September 15 in 1918. Following the liberation, Baku was declared the capital of the Azerbaijani Democratic Republic, which became the first democratic republic in the Muslim East. Azerbaijani and Turkish presidents exchanged letters on September 15 on the occasion of Bakus liberation day. Aliyev said that is a very significant day for the people of Azerbaijan, adding that this historic event will always be remembered, A military parade of Azerbaijan and Turkish soldiers was held in Baku in 2018 with the participation of the two countries presidents to mark the liberation day. Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday said India is committed to a peaceful resolution of the current border stand-off with China in Ladakh but any attempt to unilaterally alter the status quo by the neighbouring country is unacceptable. Making a statement in Lok Sabha, Singh also said the Indian Army has inflicted heavy costs including casualties on the Chinese side during the clash with the PLA at the Galwan valley on June 15. READ | China in unauthorized occupation of about 38,000 square km of land in Ladakh The Defence Mminister said since April, the buildup of troops and armaments by the Chinese side has been witnessed in the border areas adjacent to eastern Ladakh. He said in early May, the Chinese side had taken action to hinder the normal, traditional patrolling pattern of Indian troops in the Galwan Valley area, which resulted in a face-off. Here is the full text of Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in Lok Sabha: Honble Speaker, 1. I rise today to brief this august House about the development on our eastern borders in Ladakh. You are aware that our Honble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji had visited Ladakh and met our brave soldiers to convey the message of solidarity of the Nation behind their every action. I too have spent some time with our soldiers in Ladakh and I want to tell you that I have felt their indomitable courage, gallant and valour. As you are aware that Col Santosh Babu, along with his 19 brave soldiers, made the supreme sacrifice in the cause of defending the territorial integrity of India. Honble Speaker, this House has paid homage to them by observing two minutes silence yesterday. 2. I would like to take some time first to briefly provide some details of our boundary issue with China. As the House is aware, India and China are yet to resolve their boundary question. China does not accept the customary and traditional alignment of the boundary between India and China. We believe that this alignment is based on well-established geographical principles confirmed by treaties and agreements, as well as historical usage and practice, well-known for centuries to both sides. The Chinese position, however, is that the boundary between the two countries has not been formally delimited, that there exists a traditional customary line formed by the extent of jurisdiction that they claim was exercised historically by each side, and that the two sides have different interpretations of the position of the traditional customary line. The two countries had engaged in discussions during 1950s-60s but these efforts could not yield a mutually acceptable solution. 3. As the House is aware, China continues to be in illegal occupation of approximately 38,000 sq. km in the Union Territory of Ladakh. In addition, under the so-called Sino-Pakistan 'Boundary Agreement' of 1963, Pakistan illegally ceded 5,180 sq. km. of Indian territory in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir to China. China also claims approximately 90,000 sq. km. of Indian territory in the Eastern Sector of the India-China boundary in Arunachal Pradesh. 4. Both India and China have formally agreed that the boundary question is a complex issue which requires patience and has committed to seeking a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable solution through dialogue and peaceful negotiations. In the interim, the two sides also agree that maintenance of peace and tranquillity in the border areas is an essential basis for the further development of bilateral relations. 5. I would like to mention here that as yet there is no commonly delineated Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the border areas between India and China and there is no common perception of the entire LAC. Therefore, in order to ensure peace and tranquillity in the border areas, especially along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), the two countries have concluded a number of agreements and protocols. 6. Under these agreements, the two sides have agreed to maintain peace and tranquillity along the LAC without prejudice to their respective positions on the alignment of the LAC as well as on the boundary question. It is on this basis, that our overall relations also saw considerable progress since 1988. Indias position is that while bilateral relations can continue to develop in parallel with discussions on resolving the boundary question, any serious disturbance in peace and tranquillity along the LAC in the border areas is bound to have implications for the positive direction of our ties. 7. A key element of both the 1993 and the 1996 Agreements is that the two sides will keep their military forces in the areas along the Line of Actual Control to a minimum level. These agreements also mandate that pending an ultimate solution to the boundary question, the two sides shall strictly respect and observe the Line of Actual Control. Furthermore in these agreements, India and China also committed to clarification and confirmation of the Line of Actual Control to reach a common understanding of the alignment. Thus, in the late 1990s and up to 2003, the two sides engaged in an exercise to clarify and confirm the LAC. But, thereafter the Chinese side did not show a willingness to pursue the LAC clarification exercise. As a result, there are some areas where the Chinese and Indian perceptions of LAC overlap. In these areas, as also with other sections of the border areas, the various agreements govern the manner in which troops of both sides should operate and deal with situations of face-offs to maintain peace and tranquillity. 8. Before I apprise the House of the current developments, let me inform that the Government has an elaborate and time tested coordination mechanism amongst different intelligence agencies including intelligence units of the Central Police Forces and the three armed forces. Technical and human intelligence is continuously gathered in a well-coordinated manner. It is shared with the armed forces which help them in taking decisions. 9. Let me now apprise the House of the developments this year. Since April, we had noticed a buildup of troops and armaments by the Chinese side in the border areas adjacent to Eastern Ladakh. In early May, the Chinese side had taken action to hinder the normal, traditional patrolling pattern of our troops in the Galwan Valley area, which resulted in a face-off. Even as this situation was being addressed by the Ground Commanders as per the provisions of our bilateral agreements and protocol, in mid-May the Chinese side made several attempts to transgress the LAC in other parts of the Western Sector. This included Kongka La, Gogra and North Bank of Pangong Lake. These attempts were detected early and consequently responded to appropriately by our armed forces. 10. We made it clear to the Chinese side both through diplomatic and military channels that China was, by such actions, attempting to unilaterally alter the status quo. It was categorically conveyed that this was unacceptable. 11. Given the growing friction along the LAC, the Senior Commanders of the two sides in a meeting on June 6 2020agreed on a process of disengagement that involved reciprocal actions. Both sides also agreed to respect and abide by the LAC and not undertake any activity to alter the status quo. However, in violation of this, the Chinese side created a violent face-off on June 15th at Galwan. Our brave soldiers laid down their lives and also inflicted costs including casualties on the Chinese side, 12. The conduct of our armed forces throughout these incidents shows that while they maintained Sayyam in the face of provocative actions, they also equally displayed Shaurya when required to protect the territorial integrity of India.I would like the House to join me in recognizing the courage and valour of our soldiers, who undergo immense hardship in the most difficult conditions to keep us all safe and secure. 13. While no one should doubt our determination to safeguard our borders, India believes that mutual respect and mutual sensitivity are the basis for peaceful relations with neighbours. As we want to resolve the current situation through dialogue, we have maintained diplomatic and military engagement with the Chinese side. In these discussions, we have maintained the three key principles that, determine our approach: (i) both sides should strictly respect and observe the LAC; (ii) neither side should attempt to alter the status quo unilaterally; and (iii) all agreements and understandings between the two sides much be fully abided by in their entirety. The Chinese side, on its part, took the position that the situation should be handled in a responsible manner and ensure peace and tranquillity as per bilateral agreements and protocol. 14. Even as these discussions were going on, the Chinese side again engaged in provocative military manoeuvers on the night of 29thand 30th August in an attempt to change the status quo in the South Bank area of Pangong Lake. But yet again, timely and firm actions by our armed forces along the LAC prevented such attempts from succeeding. 15. As is clear from these events, the Chinese actions reflect a disregard of our various bilateral agreements. The amassing of the troops by China goes against the 1993 and 1996 Agreements. Respecting and strictly observing the Line of Actual Control is the basis for peace and tranquillity in the border areas and explicitly recognized in both 1993 and 1996 agreements. While our armed forces abide scrupulously by it, this has not been reciprocated by the Chinese side. Their actions have led to face-offs and frictions from time to time along the LAC. As I mentioned earlier, the agreements have detailed procedures and norms to deal with the situation of face-offs. However, in the recent incidents, this year, the violent conduct of Chinese forces has been in complete violation of all mutually agreed norms. 16. As of now, the Chinese side has mobilized a large number of troops and armaments along the LAC as well as in the depth areas. There are several friction areas in Eastern Ladakh including Gogra, Kongka La and North and South Banks of the Pangong Lake. In response to Chinas actions, our armed forces have also made appropriate counter deployments in these areas to ensure that Indias security interests are fully protected. The House should have full confidence that our armed forces will always rise to the challenge and do us all proud. This is still an ongoing situation and obviously involves sensitive operational issues. I would, therefore, not be able to give more details in public and I am confident about the understanding of the House in this regard. 17. This rapid deployment by our armed forces including ITBP has taken place in a challenging time of COVID-19. Their efforts need to be appreciated. It has also been made possible by the high importance that the Government has placed for developing border infrastructure in the last few years. The House is aware that over the last many decades, China had undertaken significant infrastructure construction activity that enhanced its deployment capabilities in the border areas. However, in response, our Government too has stepped up the budget for border infrastructure development to about double the previous levels. As a result, more roads and bridges have been completed in the border areas. This has not only provided much-needed connectivity to the local population but has also provided better logistical support for our armed forces, enabling them to be more alert in the border areas and respond more effectively where required. In the coming years too, the Government remains committed to this objective. Honble Speaker, 18. I would like to emphasize, that India remains committed to resolving the current issues in our border areas through peaceful dialogue and consultations. It was in pursuit of this objective that I met my Chinese counterpart on 4th September in Moscow and had an in-depth discussion with him. I conveyed in clear terms our concerns related to the actions of the Chinese side, including amassing of a large number of troops, their aggressive behaviour and attempts to unilaterally alter the status quo that were in violation of the bilateral agreements. I also made it clear that even as we wanted to peacefully resolve the issue and would like the Chinese side to work with us, there should also be no doubt about our determination to protect Indias sovereignty and territorial integrity. My colleague, Shri Jai Shankar, the External Affairs Minister, has thereafter met the Chinese Foreign Minister in Moscow on 10th September. The two have reached an agreement that, if implemented sincerely and faithfully by the Chinese side, could lead to complete disengagement and restoration of peace and tranquillity in the border areas. 19. As the Members are aware, in the past too we have had situations of prolonged stand-offs in our border areas with China which have been resolved peacefully. Even though the situation this year is very different both in terms of the scale of troops involved and the number of friction points, we do remain committed to the peaceful resolution of the current situation. At the same time, the House can be assured that we remain prepared to deal with all contingencies. 20. Honble Speaker, this House has had a glorious tradition that whenever the country is faced with a challenge, this House has always exhibited its strength and unity towards the resolve and determination of our Armed Forces. This House has also reposed its full confidence in the indomitable spirit, gallantry and bravery of our Armed Forces deployed on our borders. 21. I can assure you that the morale and motivation of our Armed Forces is very high. The reassuring visit by our PM has ensured that our commanders and soldiers understand that the entire nation stands behind them in support of the just cause of defending our territorial integrity. They are accordingly being provisioned with suitable clothing, habitat and the required defence wherewithal. The determination of our troops is praiseworthy. They are capable of serving at forbidding altitudes with scarce oxygen and in extremely cold temperatures, something that they have effortlessly done over the last many years on Siachen, and Kargil. 22. I will not hesitate to share with this august House that we are facing a challenge in Ladakh and I urge the House to pass a resolution in support of our Armed Forces who have been defending our motherland at great heights and most inclement weather conditions in Ladakh for our safety and security. This is a time when this august House has to come together and reiterate confidence and faith in the velour of the brave armed forces and support them in the mission that they have undertaken to protect the territorial integrity of our motherland. By Aisha Jabbarova Azerbaijan is among handful of countries that carry out a completely independent domestic and foreign policy, President Ilham Aliyev said on September 15 that marks the start of the new academic year and is celebrated as Knowledge Day in the country. Aliyev said that Azerbaijani people support the independent policy pursued by the government. This support gives me additional strength. Relying on it, we confidently lead Azerbaijan forward. Our children and youth need to lead the country along this path in the future the path of independence, so that the Azerbaijani people never depend on anyone in the future, so that we never fall under the influence of anyone," Aliyev said. The president said that Azerbaijan has made great success as an independent country. In any sphere, the Azerbaijani people see what the advantages of independence are. Azerbaijan is a dignified country today. It acts with dignity in the international arena. Azerbaijan is a free country and our citizens live in freedom. In the economic sphere, Azerbaijan is a developing country with a powerful army. We have achieved all this during the period of independence. Furthermore, the president spoke about the effects of COVID-19 on the country and about the governments efforts to curb of the pandemic as well as its consequences. He said that the government took relevant measures since the start of the pandemic. "Since the beginning of March, all schools, universities and other educational institutions were closed and the main goal of that was to protect children and adolescents from illness. Naturally, this has had an adverse impact on the sphere of education. However, I believe that as a result of the measures taken, we have managed to prevent a significant part of the negative consequences of the pandemic in education," Aliyev said. He said that the government is preparing for a post-pandemic period and is currently in talks with several foreign companies in connection with the delivery of the vaccine to the country. The president further said that despite the consequences of the pandemic, the economic downturn and the reduction of oil revenues, the government continues to build schools and universities as 147 schools were built in the country in 2020. He reminded that a large social package was provided to citizens in 2019 and 2020, adding that this year, the social package covers 5 million citizens. "In the last two to three years, we have been building modular schools in small villages. This year, the construction of 60 modular schools will be provided. Thus, about 150 schools are being built and overhauled in just one year. I should also mention that over the past 17 years, almost 3,700 schools have been built and overhauled in Azerbaijan. This constitutes the overwhelming majority of our school fund, because there are currently about 4,500 schools in Azerbaijan, of which 3,700 have received a completely new appearance and have been rebuilt," Aliyev said. The president reminded that a new building for Ganja State Agrarian University in Ganja, two new ADA buildings in Baku were commissioned this year. Aliyev further said that education ranks second after defence in terms of the volume of expenditures allocated from the state budget. "It is no coincidence that the expenditure allocated for education in Azerbaijan is in second place among other budget expenses. If we were not at war, they would be in first place because our largest expenditure at present is related to defense, the president said. -- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By PTI NEW DELHI: Some opposition members in Rajya Sabha on Tuesday accused the government of privatising airports in the name of development and also centralising powers in its hands. Participating in the discussion on 'The Aircraft (Amendment) Bill, 2020' that seeks to improve India's aviation safety ratings and provide statutory status to regulatory institutions, including the DGCA, members of the Congress and Left, besides some other parties alleged monopolisation of airports in the hands of one entity. However, the BJP claimed the government's objective is to expand the aviation sector and create the infrastructure to make air travel safer and accessible for all. Congress member K C Venugopal demanded a probe into the privatisation of six airports alleging violation of rules and corruption, a charge denied by BJP member GVL Narasimha Rao who said there is complete transparency under the Modi dispensation. Initiating the debate, Venugopal alleged that the government was promoting crony capitalism by privatising airports in the name of developing them. He said the Adani group has won bids to operate and develop six airports of Ahmedabad, Lucknow, Bengaluru, Jaipur, Guwahati and Thiruvananthapuram. "There is a move to monopolise Indian airports. In the future, all Indian airports will be owned by only one company. How can you allow this. . . There is a clear violation of norms in giving airports to a single private entity. This is a clear scam of public money," he alleged. "I am asking for an inquiry into all this. This is a clear case of corruption," he said, alleging that the government ignored the advice given by its own ministries. Countering the charge, BJP's Rao claimed there was complete transparency in developing airports and alleged that crony capitalism was promoted during the previous Congress-led UPA regime and cited 2G and coal auctions when courts had to intervene. He said passenger traffic has more than doubled in the last five years and risen by 118 per cent, against 54 per cent rise in the previous five years. He said the government has evolved an ambitious plan to expand the aviation sector and was investing Rs 13,000 crore to develop 12 airports. The objective of the prime minister is to make air travel safer and accessible for all sections of society, Rao said. Praful Patel (NCP), a former civil aviation minister, stressed the need for developing more airports to decongest airports like Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai and Chennai. He said that Jewar airport was approved in 2007 and Navi Mumbai in 2005 but both are yet to be completed. He also sought to know how appointments will be made in statutory bodies in the wake of lesser technical people available, as earlier only a specialist was appointed as DGCA. "Airport or aviation is not only a mode of transportation but also huge economic growth," he said, adding there was a need to help the sector hit by COVID-19. Dinesh Trivedi (TMC) lauded the Vande Bharat mission and asked the government to restructure Air India but not sell it. "If Air India was not there, private players would not have been there. Air India is a very good airline. You can change its structure, but please don't sell it. Drop plans to sell it," he said, demanding a complete revamp of the Aircraft Act saying it has become outdated. BJD member Prasanna Acharya supported the bill, saying there was a need to modernise and update legislations related to the airline industry. He said the bill seeks to give autonomy to three authorities -- DGCA, BCAS and AAIB -- "but certain sections infringe upon independent functioning of these bodies". Vishambhar Prasad Nishad (SP) pointed to difficulties faced by passengers during the lockdown and demanded a probe into irregularities in tickets sold. He termed it as unfortunate that Air India was being sold citing losses and said the government has not outlined what would happen to the airline employees. P Wilson (DMK) welcomed the bill but pointed out a few discrepancies. The bill converts three authorities as statutory authorities, he said. He, however, said the Centre has the power to issue directions to these expert bodies and asked the government to reconsider this provision. V Vijaysai Reddy of YSRCP said the aviation sector has posted a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) growth of over 11 per cent during 2016-20. The bill increases the power of the Centre and its control over the sector, he alleged, adding, "there is centralisation of power". Ram Chandra Prasad Singh (JD-U) said the Bill seeks to provide statutory powers to the three authorities which will strengthen the safety and security of aircraft and passengers. Jharna Das Baidya of CPI (M) said the Bill is giving extraordinary power to the Centre. "All are suspecting it as another step to help privatisation in the airline sector," she said. RJD member Manoj Kumar Jha said the aviation sector was in turbulence even before the pandemic. "When we look at the bidding process in several realms . . . you know the beneficiary. More often than not, the beneficiary does not change. . . The quid pro quo appears to be an integral part of the policy frameworks," he alleged. Referring to certain sections of the Bill, he said the government's talk about cooperative federalism "is nothing but rhetoric". Binoy Vishwam (CPI) said this government has taken FDI as a panacea for all problems. "Government is bent on privatising all companies, all their ports. It is a dangerous move for the nation against Atmanirbhar Bharat," he said, alleging the government's policies are "anti-worker and anti-national". Anil Desai (Shiv Sena) said there is a need to reconsider the legislation which proposes a fine of up to Rs one crore for violation. He also urged the government not to sell Air India and revive Jet Airways. Sanjay Singh (AAP) said the idea should be that the common man can travel by air and added that during the pandemic he facilitated the return of 180 labourers to Bihar at a cost of Rs 16 lakh. DP Vats (BJP) said the passenger traffic at airports doubled in the last five years but was impacted by COVID-19. Vivek K Tankha (Cong) regretted that on several safety indices India scores low even in comparison to Bangladesh, Pakistan and Maldives. Portland is now accepting applications for another round of relief grants for small businesses impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. The city allocated $15 million in federal COVID-19 relief money in July to support Portland small businesses. A total of $12 million will be distributed as grants following a two-week application period, while the other $3 million will be given as block grants to community organizations that can reach culturally specific populations. The grants will support businesses with fewer than 50 employees, childcare providers, commercial landlords and certain nonprofits. The application period opened Monday and runs through Friday, Sept. 25. The city will choose grant recipients after the application process closes and will notify grantees Oct. 14. Were hopeful that were able to help keep some of our citys beloved businesses open and support entrepreneurs that will continue to employ people and provide necessary goods and services that are critical to the fabric of our city, said Kimberly Branam, executive director for Prosper Portland, the citys economic development agency. This is the second time that Prosper Portland has distributed money through its small business relief fund during the pandemic. Nearly 9,000 businesses applied in March during a three-day application period for a pool of $1 million of general fund money from the city, with just over 200 receiving funds. Prosper Portland estimated that it would have needed up to $50 million to support all the small businesses that sought relief. Branam said the current $15 million in funding still wont meet the need, but said she is hopeful that this round of grants will make a bigger impact. Prosper Portland anticipates that the funds will be able to support at least 700 businesses. The agency will also be able to distribute bigger grants this time around. While grants were capped at $10,000 in the first round in April, the agency will distribute grants of $10,000 to $25,000 this time. The agency will prioritize organizations and businesses owned by people of color, companies that did not receive enough federal pandemic relief funds, organizations focused on childcare and businesses that are shifting operations to adapt to the pandemic environment. I think were hopeful that the $15 million that we have to deploy in this context makes a meaningful difference for businesses that are really still vulnerable or are trying to pivot and be successful in that pivot, Branam said. But frankly, its not enough. The new grants are being distributed at a time when businesses are running out of other federal relief money that has helped them stay afloat during the pandemic. Many of those businesses have used up funding from the Paycheck Protection Program, which gave forgivable loans to businesses to support eight weeks of payroll and other expenses. While the money distributed by Prosper Portland wont come close to matching the money that businesses secured through federal relief loans, John Tapogna, president of consulting firm ECONorthwest, said that Prosper Portland can be more precise in determining which businesses need the most support. It is certainly dwarfed by the overall federal response, but I think the advantage at the local level is both speed and precision, Tapogna said. Prosper Portland is on the ground. They can see the need more clearly and they can see where the gaps are. So, if their grant selection process is good, they have an advantage of time and precision that obviously the massive federal money does not. Shea Flaherty Betin, entrepreneurship and community economic development manager at Prosper Portland, said the agency made changes to its application process based on what it learned from its first round of funding in April. The agency decided to keep the application open for two weeks this time to ensure that the grants were accessible to more organizations. The application is also available in five languages and there is a video online that walks through the application process for businesses. Businesses that receive grants must use the money by the end of the year, but can choose how they spend it based on their own needs. We are being as flexible as we can on the use of the funds, Flaherty Betin said. Still, Branam said it is likely that businesses will need additional support in the months to come. She is hopeful that city, state and federal funds will continue to be made available to ensure that businesses can make it through the pandemic and that Prosper Portland will be able to provide additional grants at a later date. Its very possible that what well need to see if the pandemic lasts and if we need to continue to have physical distancing is an infusion of cash at multiple times thats tailored to the moment, thats supporting businesses who have yet to be supported and who are particularly vulnerable, Branam said. -- Jamie Goldberg | jgoldberg@oregonian.com | @jamiebgoldberg By Trend Over the past 24 hours, Armenian armed forces have violated the ceasefire along the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops 30 times, Trend reports referring to Azerbaijani Defense Ministry. Armenian armed forces were using large-caliber machine guns. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on the withdrawal of its armed forces from Nagorno Karabakh and the surrounding districts. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz File image Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Tuesday thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for inaugurating and laying stones of seven urban infrastructure schemes worth Rs 541 crore and assured him that the state government would complete all the projects on time. Besides, it would also expedite other central government schemes being implemented under Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) and other programmes in the state, Kumar said. Prime Minister inaugurated two sewage treatment plants (STP)- one each at Beur and Karmalichak in Patna- which would treat the water before releasing them in river Ganga to help prevent the river getting polluted. Modi also inaugurated water supply schemes for Chapra and Siwan town where 81,000 an 58,000 people will be benefited from the water supply under AMRUT Mission. Besides, foundation stones were laid for two water supply schemes- one each for Munger and Jamalpur (in Munger). PM also laid stone for Muzaffarpur Riverfront Development Scheme, being built under Namami Gange. Prominent among those who graced the occasion included- Governor Phagu Chauhan, Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi, union ministers Ravi Shankar Prasad, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and a host of other MPs, MLAs who were digitally connected from different places. Speaking on the occasion, Kumar said that STPs being built under Namami Gange project are necessary in order to protect rivers especially Ganga from getting polluted. "Its not a small thing. Drainage water is treated before releasing them into the river. Its a big thing. Today, two STPs- one each at Beur and Karmalichak are being inaugurated by the PM who laid the stones for these STPs on October 14, 2017," Kumar said. The treated water will be released in the rivers once all STPs become functional in the state, he added. Kumar reminiscenced his college and childhood days while talking about Ganga and said "I was born at Bakhtiarpur in Patna district. We used to go to take bath in the Ganga on Sunday when schools were closed. "There was wonderful flow of clean water then. We used to take a bucket of water to home for drinking purposes. But, slowly and gradually the situation in terms of pollution in Ganga worsened with the time and increase in population. Stating that the water should be utilised and not misutilised, the CM said that people are using drinking water being made available to them under Har Ghar Nal Ka Jal scheme for bathing their buffalos and irrigation purpose after which he had to ask them publicly not to misuse water meant for drinking. Under the scheme pure drinking water is being provided to all households in Bihar. Since the Prime Minister had mentioned about the scheme Har Ghar Nal Ka Jal on September 10 while inaugurating Rs 294 crore relating to Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) in Bihar, Kumar said "80 per cent of the work under the scheme has been completed and the remaining work will be finished by the end of October this year." "We (state government) are getting all types of support from you (the central government) in every field," Kumar told the PM. Praising the river development scheme, Kumar said that this is a good scheme for which a foundation stone has been laid by the PM for developing the ghats along Burhi Gandak river in Muzaffarpur as it would attract people to visit the river side. Kumar recalled his engineering college days when he used to sit on the banks of Ganga as the college was situated along the river. People are much more aware now with regard to environment which is evident from the fact that 5.16 crore people came in support for forming 18,000 km long human chain across the state in support of Jal-Jeevan-Hariyali (Water-Life-Greenery) campaign, Kumar said. (Newser) An immigration detention center in Georgia performed questionable hysterectomies, refused to test detainees for COVID-19, and shredded medical records, according to a nurse quoted in a complaint filed Monday. The complaint to the Homeland Security Department's internal watchdog relies on the accounts of Dawn Wooten, who worked full-time as a licensed practical nurse at the Irwin County Detention Center until July, when she was demoted to work as needed, the AP reports. Wooten calls a gynecologist who works outside the facility the uterus collector. Everybody he sees has a hysterectomyjust about everybody, Wooten said. Hes even taken out the wrong ovary on a young lady. It was unclear to Wooten if women knowingly consented to the operations. Nurses raised concerns about the doctor, who is unnamed. story continues below These immigrant women, I dont think they really, totally, all the way understand this is whats going to happen depending on who explains it to them, she is quoted saying. The facility in Ocilla houses men and women detainees for US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, as well as inmates for the US Marshals Service and Irwin County. While the 27-page complaint filed by advocacy group Project South quotes unidentified detainees extensively, it also includes detailed comments from Wooten. The complaint says Wooten was demoted after missing work with coronavirus symptoms, which she believes was retaliation for raising questions about addressing COVID-19. Wooten said the number of detainees infected was much higher than reported because there was no active testing and not all cases were reported, according to the complaint. (Read more Immigration and Customs Enforcement stories.) Dear Reader, Business Standard has always strived hard to provide up-to-date information and commentary on developments that are of interest to you and have wider political and economic implications for the country and the world. Your encouragement and constant feedback on how to improve our offering have only made our resolve and commitment to these ideals stronger. Even during these difficult times arising out of Covid-19, we continue to remain committed to keeping you informed and updated with credible news, authoritative views and incisive commentary on topical issues of relevance. We, however, have a request. As we battle the economic impact of the pandemic, we need your support even more, so that we can continue to offer you more quality content. Our subscription model has seen an encouraging response from many of you, who have subscribed to our online content. More subscription to our online content can only help us achieve the goals of offering you even better and more relevant content. We believe in free, fair and credible journalism. Your support through more subscriptions can help us practise the journalism to which we are committed. Support quality journalism and subscribe to Business Standard. Digital Editor UPDATE: State Highway 25 is closed as firefighters battle a large scrub fire near Whangamata. Emergency services are at the scene of the fire, which is near Onemana, by the corner of Toko Road. Local radio station Gold FM says the fire is reported to have started in the trees by the side of the road. The fire is reported to have jumped the highway, forcing the closure by authorities. Fire and Emergency New Zealand northern fire communications shift manager Craig Dally says it is now classified as a third alarm fire, which means crews from around the Waikato and Bay of Plenty have been called in to assist with the blaze. Two helicopters are also at the scene. Thames/Coromandel District Council says Tairua Road, State Highway 25 (near Jullian Drive) between Whangamata and Onemana is closed due to a large wild fire. The road is closed between SH25A Hikuai and Harry Watt Drive, Whangamata. Civil Defence advise everyone to please stay away. Council warns that some nearby residents may experience power outages. Check Powerco's webiste here for more information. EARLIER: State Highway 25 is blocked as firefighters battle a scrub fire near Whangamata. Gold FM are reporting on their Facebook page that emergency services are at the scene of a fire near Onemana by the corner of Toko Road. A fire that's thought to have started in trees is now blocking SH25, says a post on the radio stations page. Motorists are warned to avoid the area at present. "Fire trucks from around the district are assisting and two helicopters have been deployed to the fire." Thames/Coromandel District Council says Tairua Road, State Highway 25 (near Jullian Drive) between Whangamata and Onemana is closed due to a large wild fire. "The road is closed between SH25A Hikuai and Harry Watt Drive, Whangamata. "Civil Defence advise everyone to please stay away." Council warns that some nearby residents may experience power outages. Check Powerco's webiste here for more information. At the scene? Call 0800 SUNLIVE or email photos to newsroom@thesun.co.nz New Delhi, Sep 15 : The National Law School of India University, Bengaluru has informed the Supreme Court that the decision to implement NLAT 2020 is entirely justified and in the public interest, as it is the only way to avoid a 'Zero Year', where students will lose the opportunity to join it in the current academic year. In a counter-affidavit, the university said: "The academic year for the incoming batch of first-year students for the academic Year 2020-21 will fall short of 285 days if NLSIU does not complete admissions by September 18... postponement of CLAT 2020 from September 7 to September 28 rendered completion of admissions to NLSIU and commencement of term by September 18 impossible." The university contended that the implementation of NLAT 2020 is also permitted and in accordance with applicable law, and as per the NLSI Act, the Executive Council is the Chief Executive Body of NLSIU, which authorised the university to conduct its own admission process. "Further, the Memorandum of Association and Bye-Laws of the Consortium of National Law Schools, which conducts the CLAT exam, do not prohibit a member from conducting its own admissions test to determine admissions, especially when CLAT is not held by the Consortium," said the university's affidavit. Former NLSIU VC R. Venkata Rao and Rakesh Kumar Agarwalla, the parent of a student of the university, in their response filed through advocate Vipin Nair, said: "It is also important to submit at the outset that both the Respondent No.1/NLS University and Respondent No.2/Vice Chancellor have never, at any point of time ever intimated either the student community or the Consortium that there was indeed a parallel move to have its independent separate examination apart from CLAT." They also argued that the university has faced widespread backlash from renowned academics, students, lawyers, and across the media for its exclusionary and onerous technical requirements to conduct the exam. On September 11, the Supreme Court gave the green signal to NLSIU, Bengaluru, to conduct separate exam -- NLAT-2020 -- scheduled on Saturday, but asked it not to announce the results till the pendency of the plea. A bench comprising Justices Ashok Bhushan, R. Subhash Reddy and M.R. Shah sought response from the university and its Vice-Chancellor Sudhir Krishnaswamy within three days. The top court will hear the matter on Wednesday. Gary Lineker was once again the BBCs top earner, according to new figures, but he is taking a pay cut. An announcement on Tuesday said the Match Of The Day host is reducing his salary. The names of BBC talent earning more than 150,000 a year have been published, a move previously instigated by the Government. Lineker took 1.75 million, according to the figures, which cover the period until the end of March this year before any cut. BBC Radio 2 breakfast show DJ Zoe Ball shoots up the list on 1.36 million, making her the highest-paid woman in the top 10. The salary does not include her presenting work for Strictly Come Dancings It Takes Two. Pay packets made through BBC Studios, the broadcasters commercial arm and responsible for the likes of Strictly Come Dancing, Antiques Roadshow and Doctor Who, are not disclosed. Graham Norton takes about 725,000 for his Radio 2 show and some TV work, but not his chat show. Radio 2 DJ Steve Wright is on about 475,000. Video of the Day Newsreader and election night presenter Huw Edwards is on more than 465,000. Fiona Bruce takes home over 450,000 for her work on Question Time. BBC Radio Londons Vanessa Feltz is on about 405,000. Desert Island Discs host Lauren Laverne makes the top 10 for the first time, with more than 395,000. Broadcaster Stephen Nolan is on over 390,000 for his radio work, including 5 Live. Match Of The Days Alan Shearer is on the same figure. Laverne took over from Kirsty Young on the Radio 4 programme, while Bruce followed in the footsteps of David Dimbleby. The BBC previously opposed the publication of salaries as a poachers charter, but then-boss Lord Hall later said he welcomed the transparency. The salaries are being published amid questions about how the BBC will be funded in future. The licence fee model is guaranteed until December 31 2027, the end of the current charter. Decriminalisation of licence fee evasion could also be on the cards but the BBC has warned that switching to a civil system would cost the broadcaster more than 200 million a year. The BBC began means-testing the free TV licence for over-75s in August, having previously delayed its introduction because of the pandemic. BBC director-general Tim Davie said Lineker has signed a new five-year contract with the BBC, but that he will take a 23% pay cut. And he has done so at a saving of nearly a quarter over his last contract, he said. We are hugely honoured to have a broadcaster of such brilliance at the BBC. And this is a great example of giving audiences both the best talent and the best value. Lineker said: I love working with the BBC, and am very proud to continue to be a part of their outstanding football team. Im looking forward to the next five years with a European Championship and World Cup on the horizon, its exciting times for me and the team. Oh dear. Thoughts are with the haters at this difficult time. https://t.co/r41naocRcI Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) September 15, 2020 Following the announcement, he also tweeted: Oh dear. Thoughts are with the haters at this difficult time. The BBC is clamping down on presenters use of social media. Davie added: Gary knows that he has responsibilities to the BBC in terms of his use of social media. YouTube Shorts is Google's response to TikTok. The new service will allow users to post 15-second long videos.YouTube Shorts will be available as an early beta in India After Facebook, it looks like Google is also looking to move into the vacant slot left by the banning of TikTok. YouTube has announced that it is launching a short-form video experience called YouTube Shorts. Like TikTok, the new feature is aimed at creators and artists looking for a way to shoot short and catchy videos that could go viral. User-generated short videos were born on YouTube starting with our first upload, a short 18-second video called Me at the zoo. As technology advances, creators and artists can now take advantage of the incredible power of smartphones to easily create and publish high-quality content wherever they are in the world. And people can be entertained and informed by bite-sized content in the spare minutes of the day, the company notes in its blog. YouTube Shorts will be first released in India as an early beta with a handful of creation tools. Users are requested to note that this is an early version of the product, and they will be adding more features and expand to other countries over the coming months. YouTube Shorts will give people the opportunity to post 15-second long videos. Some few features that will be available in this early beta will include a multi-segment camera to stitch together multiple videos, the option to record music with a large library of songs. Users also get access to speed controls as well as a timer and countdown that lets them, record hands-free This move comes just a few months after Facebook launched Instagram Reels, which is another service that aims to draw in the TikTok crowd. YouTue Shorts will also be competing with a plethora of homegrown apps such as Chingari and Roposo. UPDATE: This story has been changed to reflect that Central Dauphin School District students could be offered in-classroom lessons or online-only courses starting next month, not the hybrid model. Central Dauphin School District is hoping to let students go back into the classroom full-time soon. The district is considering a move from its current hybrid model to the traditional, five-day in-person lessons next month. In addition, a nasal swab will be offered to students and staff that show symptoms of the novel coronavirus. Students and families that want to continue remote learning will be allowed to instead of in-classroom learning five days a week through the districts online CORE program. The hybrid model would go away altogether. We will be working with Quest Diagnostics to be able to do nasal swabs with parents' consent, the districts physician, Amy Zellers, said at Monday nights school board meeting. The tentative date for students who want to return to in-classroom learning is Oct. 13. There are many moving variables that could interrupt those plans though, Superintendent Norman J. Miller said at the beginning of the school board meeting. The district needed the time to prepare for the transition, school board members said. They unanimously approved the plan for consideration. The final vote on the matter will take place on Oct. 5. The hybrid model allowed the district to analyze whether officials could utilize preventative measures as a means to mitigate an outbreak, using tools like social distancing, wearing masks and washing hands. Based on the districts feedback and input from Zellers, Miller said there hasnt been a spike in the number of positive cases of COVID-19 within the district. He said hes aware of only one positive case reported out of the districts 12,000 students since the start of the school year. Students who do not give the district parental consent will not be tested, Zellers said. But, students or staff who become ill during the day, and report to the nurses office, will have the ability to be tested for COVID, if they meet testing criteria, she said. "Symptomatic patients that are tested, using Quest testing, will be able to have this testing done at no cost. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, otherwise known as the CARES Act, will cover the cost of testing. Insurance information will be collected. The nasal swab is not a requirement. This is something that we are offering that gives us the ability to identify cases quicker within the system, Zellers said. Quest is committed to trying to get us these results within 48 hours. We will be able to get our nurses to help us with contact tracing so that we can quickly alert anyone that may need to quarantine. District administration has used the hybrid model to closely analyze developing health and safety standards, making sure that several areas have stabilized before moving ahead, for example, with transportation, food service, and new registrations. The nasal swab program is an additional way to protect the districts community, Miller said. We are the first in Dauphin County to be able to use this testing system," he said. In both a letter to parents and guardians, as well as at the school board meeting, Miller noted several reasons why the hybrid model was necessary so the district could once again reopen its building doors full-time. He added that the nasal swab is another step toward battling the spread of COVID-19. He and other school board members emphasized the need to keep communication open with the community. The Oct. 13 date is only tentative. It depends on whether the infection rate stays the same, increases or decreases, he said. District officials will continue to follow the Pennsylvania Department of Education and the Pennsylvania Department of Health guidelines. They will also keep tabs on Dauphin Countys positive case rates, as well as the commonwealths, overall positive case rates. Even with the option to return to in-classroom learning, he asked for the district communitys patience. We also have many students that may wish to move from our CORE program to in-person or vice versa, which may create additional staffing and technology issues, Miller said. We may have to be flexible upon our return to full in-person instruction. In the high schools, this may include having weeks with four days of classroom learning and one-day remote. We will continue to closely monitor the guidance and data, and, hopefully, have a full return to in-person instruction on October 13." READ MORE In August more houses in the Harrisburg area were sold, at a faster rate and at a higher price If a student tests positive for COVID-19, heres what schools will do and what parents should know Pa. high school football games attract big crowds despite COVID-19 limits: I dont know how they expect schools to stop it The city of Louisville, Kentucky, has reached a $12m settlement with the family of Breonna Taylor in a civil suit stemming from the fatal shooting by police of the 26-year-old inside her apartment in March, the citys mayor, Greg Fischer, announced on Tuesday. Related: 'No justice, no derby': Breonna Taylor demonstrators protest Kentucky race The agreement would be one of the highest such payments in a police killing in years. Fischer addressed Taylors mother, Tamika Palmer, as he announced the settlement at a press conference on Tuesday afternoon. I cannot begin to imagine Ms Palmers pain, and I am deeply, deeply sorry for Breonnas death, Fischer said. Palmer pushed for charges against the officers involved in the shooting. As significant as today is, its only the beginning of getting full justice for Breonna, Palmer said. We must not lose focus on what the real drive is and with that being said, its time to move forward with the criminal charges because she deserves that and much more. A lawsuit filed in April by Palmer alleged the police used flawed information when they obtained a no-knock warrant to enter the 26-year-old womans apartment late at night in March during a drug investigation. Taylor and her boyfriend were roused from bed by police, and her boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, has said he fired once at the officers, thinking it was an intruder. Investigators say police were returning fire when they shot Taylor several times. No drugs were found at her home. We wont let Breonna Taylors life be swept under the rug, said Benjamin Crump, an attorney for Taylors family. Crump said the $12m agreement is the largest such settlement given out for a black woman killed by police. Separately, a grand jury could soon be asked to weigh charges in a potential criminal case against three officers involved in the shooting. Local prosecutors have come in for heavy criticism for the long delay. Sunday marked six months since Taylors death at the hands of police on 13 March, prompting months of demonstrations in Louisville and nationally, against the backdrop of widespread Black Lives Matter protests. Story continues Taylor, a black medical worker, was killed in a post-midnight police raid of her apartment, where she was with her boyfriend, Kenneth Walker. Witnesses said police did not identify themselves before entering, and Walker fired on them. One of the officers involved in the raid, which was connected to a drug investigation, was fired in June. That month, the city banned the use of no-knock search warrants. Brett Hankinson was terminated for wantonly and blindly firing 10 rounds into the apartment, according to his termination letter. Police said none of the three officers who took part in the raid were wearing body cameras. In addition to a monetary settlement, the agreement between the city and the Taylor family includes multiple policing reforms, according to reports, including a requirement that commanders approve all search warrants before they go to a judge. The largest previous settlement by Louisville in connection with police misconduct was an $8.5m payment for wrongful imprisonment to a man who was convicted after an officer committed perjury at trial, the Louisville Courier Journal said. Attorney Sam Aguilar confirmed that a settlement had been reached, telling CNN: The citys response in this case has been delayed and its been frustrating, but the fact that theyve been willing to sit down and talk significant reform was a step in the right direction and hopefully a turning point. Kentuckys attorney general, Daniel Cameron, who was appointed special prosecutor on the case earlier this year, is expected to announce a charging decision soon. The FBI has also opened an investigation. SOME of the people linked to the foiled July 31 mass demonstrations claimed yesterday that they were still being trailed by suspected State security agents despite being recently cleared by the police, the Daily News reports. However, police said yesterday that they had not received any reports of unlawful surveillance or harassment from the complainants who include leaders of the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) and the Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (Artuz). This comes as authorities have consistently rejected claims that they are targeting government critics instead blaming their detractors for allegedly fomenting anarchy in the country and working with foreigners to effect regime change. It also comes as the ruling Zanu PF has said it is ready and happy to engage with the opposition to end the countrys myriad challenges. However, and as relative calm appears to take hold in the country following recent political tensions over the thwarted July 31 anti-government demos, ZCTU president Peter Mutasa and his Artuz counterpart Obert Masaraure say they are still being trailed by suspected State agents. The government is not softening its stance at all. We had no case to answer in the first place, and the government knows that. It simply wanted to block the July 31 protests by whatever means. We are not off the hook and are still being stalked by State agents. They visit our homes in unmarked cars. The government has only changed the agents from police to the ferret squad (a shadowy group of suspected State security agents). We are not safe. They want to abduct, harm or kill us, Mutasa told the Daily News. On his part, Masaraure said police had cleared them because they should never have been on the list of wanted people in the first place. He also claimed that State security agents had visited his home last week looking for him. It is clear that we were never wanted by the official police force of Zimbabwe. We didnt commit any crime which could have warranted the law enforcers to arrest us. The shadowy ferret group wanted to cover its back before abducting and torturing us. They would obviously turn us over to the police and force them to prefer charges against us. By the way, they did this to me in the past they are now deploying their shadowy ferret. On 7 September at around 1520hrs, the same team was at my house in a black unmarked Toyota Wish. We are being hunted by this criminal outfit, the outspoken Masaraure told the Daily News. However, national police spokesperson Paul Nyathi said yesterday that the two unionists were yet to make a report of the alleged harassment by suspected State security agents. In the run-up to the foiled July 31 mass demos, police put Mutasa and Masaraure among a list of people they wanted to question. MDC vice national chairperson Job Wiwa Sikhala; activist Makomborero Haruzivishe; Godfrey Kurauone; MDC youth secretary general Ostallos Siziba; Tajamuka/Sesijikile leader Promise Mkwananzi; former Harare councillor Denford Ngadziore; Allan Moyo; MDC-Alliance youth leader Obey Sithole; expelled Zanu PF youth leader Godfrey Tsenengamu; another ex-Zanu PF youth leader Jimmy Kunaka; Artuz secretary-general Robson Chere and MDC Alliance youth spokesperson Stephen Chuma were also on the wanted list. Tsenengamu is yet to emerge from his hide-out despite most of those who had been placed on the list now going about their normal business. Last month, in what appeared to be a significant change of tack, Tsenengamu and Masaraure appealed to authorities to end the crackdown on critics and hold national dialogue. It is very unfortunate that authorities have decided to descend heavily on citizens for speaking out. I thought they would engage with citizens and hear out their concerns. But sadly we are being treated like terrorists. I think the authorities must reconsider their position on dissenting voices. That is the only sustainable way to address this. In the same way that authorities have re-engaged and engaged with the international community and victims of the Gukurahundi disturbances in order to find common ground, they must also consider engaging with all, Tsenengamu told the Daily News from his hideout then. The forthright former Zanu PF bigwig who now leads the anti-corruption pressure group, the Front for Economic Emancipation (FEE) had previously warned that the government still faced a major uprising by fed up Zimbabweans despite foiling the July 31 protests. On July 31, opposition and pro-democracy groups had planned to stage mass demos against the countrys worsening political and economic crises, but were stopped by authorities who deployed hordes of security forces throughout the country. Rights groups have claimed that dozens of opposition figures and activists have been tortured and assaulted in a retributive exercise by suspected security agents. The government has refuted the allegations claiming instead that the opposition is allegedly working with foreigners to destabilise the country. The countrys deepening crises have since attracted the attention of both South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and the international community. Last week, Ramaphosa sent a high-powered delegation of the ruling African National Congress (ANC) to Harare, to meet Zanu PF to find ways of assisting local authorities to end the countrys long-running crises. The two former liberation movements were described as having been very candid and robust with each other in their heart-to-heart dialogue, which was held at the Zanu PF headquarters in Harare. Briefing the media, ANC secretary general Ace Magashule said the meeting had progressed well as both parties were frank with each other. We had very frank, open and robust discussions and we committed ourselves to introspection and renewal of our values. so that we understand and comprehend the challenges. We have agreed that as the ANC, we came here to engage with Zanu PF and yes we have agreed that we will come back to meet other stakeholders or whoever you refer to so that we understand and comprehend the challenges. We have received requests from Transform Zimbabwe political party, the United States ambassador, Simba Makoni, Zapu and the MDC Alliance we agreed with Zanu PF that it was important that we meet them . So we are going to arrange for our coming back to meet them, Magashule said. (Photo : REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration) Small toy figures are seen in front of a Covid-19 Vaccine logo in this illustration taken, September 9, 2020. (Photo : REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko) Robyn Porteous, a vaccine trials' volunteer, is injected with a vaccine as part of the country's human clinical trial for potential vaccines after being tested for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), at the Wits RHI Shandukani Research Centre in Johannesburg, South Africa, August 27, 2020. Public health experts urge the public to have doubts over claims of pharmaceutical companies regarding the safety of COVID-19 vaccines they are developing. In an interview with CNN's Wolf Blitzer on Sunday, September 13, Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, an epidemiologist and public health expert, said that the company that could produce an effective vaccine first would gain a lot of incentive. "To see a CEO get out ahead of the science here I think is something we should all take with a grain of salt," El-Sayed said. In the same show, Anne Rimoin, an epidemiology professor at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health also said that such schedule is "all speculation" at the moment. "I want to see the data. Show me the data," Rimoin said. This conversation happened after Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said in an in interview earlier that day that they will know by the end of October whether their candidate vaccine will work. "Then, of course, it is (the) regulator's job to issue (a) license or not," Bourla said adding that he is not familiar how long it takes for the regulators to issue an approval. However, the regulating vaccines agency, the US Food and Drug Administration, is currently after having several blunders since the start of the pandemic, so people may be scared or do not even pay attention to the news anymore. "That's why you always tell the truth even if it doesn't win the news cycle," Brigham and Women's Hospital emergency physician Dr. Jeremy Faust told Blitzer. Read also: Chinese Whistleblower, Dr. Li-Meng Yan to Release Scientific Proof that Coronavirus Came from Wuhan Lab, Not at a Wet Market How vaccine skeptism can affect COVID-19 battle In August, a Gallup survey stated that 1 out of 3 Americans will not get COVID-19 vaccine, even if it is free and FDA-approved. Worse, AstraZeneca's recent pause on human trials may boost people's doubts over the vaccine In an interview with NPR, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Psychology professor Dolores Albarracin said it is normal for people to have doubt on these new vaccines that are being developed. However, she said that aside from the 20% who are a part of anti-vaccine groups, 60% are afraid of the side effects while the 37% think these vaccines will not work. Albarracin also said that exposure to social media has great impact on people's decision whether or not they will get the vaccination in fear of the side effects. She highlighted the power of social media, particularly Twitter, in spreading misinformation. The doctor said that among 3,000 participants they surveyed over the flu season, those who live in areas where vaccine misinformation is trending are likely to get the vaccine, except for those who have had real discussions with their family, physicians, or friends. "But otherwise, the misinformation they encounter regionally affects them," Albarracin noted. To counter such misinformation, Dr. Albarracin suggested "to communicate a norm." This means telling the public that everybody like and must have it, which is different from what happened with wearing masks where there were a lot of contradictions that created more hesitations. Meanwhile, the doctor also noted that we need to systematically correct misinformation through health education in public, work, and schools. This follows an explosion of misinformation, which WHO called as infodemic. "And if we don't eradicate it, it will make it very difficult to end the COVID-19 pandemic," Albarracin added. Read also: AstraZeneca Suspended Human Trials After Reports of Serious Side Effects Including Transverse Myelitis This is owned by Tech Times Written by CJ Robles 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Congress MP Rajeev Satav on Tuesday gave a Zero Hour notice in Rajya Sabha over 'drawing the attention of Central government on the reservation of Maratha community'. New Delhi [India], September 15 (ANI): Congress MP Rajeev Satav on Tuesday gave a Zero Hour notice in Rajya Sabha over drawing the attention of Central government on the reservation of Maratha community. The monsoon session of Parliament had commenced on Monday amid the COVID-19 pandemic. All safety measures have been initiated to conduct the session as per health guidelines amid coronavirus. Also read: Amid India China standoff, Rajnath Singh to address LAC situation in Parliament today Also read: India beats China, becomes member of UNs ECOSOC body This notice by the Congress MP comes after the Supreme Court on September 9 had directed that no quota will be granted to people of the Maratha community in education and jobs in the State this year and referred the hearing on a batch of plea challenging the constitutional validity of a Maharashtra law granting Maratha reservation in education and jobs to a larger bench. (ANI) Also read: India, Japan agree to advance defence cooperation to realise free, open India-Pacific DALLAS, Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Commit Partnership, a coalition of over 200 public and private schools, colleges, universities, foundations, businesses, and nonprofits, selected GreenLight Credentials to provide its innovative blockchain platform to the Texas College Bridge. This program, in partnership with the Texas Education Agency, helps Texas students become college ready. In just three months, over 100 Texas independent and charter school districts have signed up to provide their students with a personalized bridge to college readiness. These include Dallas ISD, Amarillo ISD, Mesquite ISD, and Bastrop ISD. "We're happy to be the first school district in Texas to bring Texas College Bridge to our students!" said Dr. Tracey Brown, Director of Guidance, Counseling & College Readiness at Irving ISD. "This will prepare our students to take college courses upon enrollment and make their transition to college faster, cheaper, and more secure." The Texas College Bridge is providing over 6,000 students a GreenLight eLocker for accessing Math and English courses needed to demonstrate college readiness. Upon completion of one or more of these courses, a verifiable Certificate of Completion is added to the student's eLocker. The student can use his or her handheld device to instantly share this certificate, along with transcripts, achievement badges, resumes and other more with participating colleges. "To have this program in place to help students continue their journey has been a game changer," Dr. Brown continued. "The motivation for us was to not let our students fall through the cracks. This was an opportunity for us to help them across that bridge and matriculate on through college. It is truly important for us to have our kids graduate from college." Manoj Kutty, GreenLight's CEO, explained, "Society knows education is central to making the world a better place and GreenLight is working to give students a superior path to college through ownership of their academic records." GreenLight is placing students first, helping them realize the power of digital life-long learning records for college and career success. The Texas College Bridge is a leading example of the project. It is dedicated to helping students achieve the greatest potential in the student and the economy. About GreenLight GreenLight connects students, educators and businesses by providing users ownership and control of their lifelong learning achievements which can be instantly and securely shared between educational institutions, students, and employers. SOURCE GreenLight Credentials Related Links https://glcredentials.com/ Police escort the truck, that was found to contain a large number of dead bodies, as they move it from an industrial estate in Thurrock - AP Vietnam has jailed four people over their roles in the death of 39 migrants found in a refrigerated truck in Britain last year, state media said. The deaths of the 31 men and eight women from Vietnam, who were found in a vehicle near London in October 2019, highlighted the enormous risks of illegal migration to Europe and sparked an international outcry. The four defendants - the youngest aged 26 and the oldest 36 - were given prison sentences of between two and a half years and seven and a half years by a court in central Ha Tinh province on Monday, according to the official provincial newspaper. They were found guilty of "organising, brokering illegal emigration", it said, adding that two others had been given suspended sentences. But Nguyen Dinh Gia, who lost his 20-year-old son Luong in the tragedy, told AFP he believed the defendants should not have been given jail terms. "The people involved were just trying to help and then the accident happened," he said. "He was an adult who made his own decision and joined the trip voluntarily, with the aim to improve his life, earning money to alleviate our poverty." Gia said his son had wanted to travel to Britain from France, where he had been living illegally since 2018. The journey to Britain, where he aimed to look for work in a nail salon, would have cost him around 11,000. "It has been almost a year but whenever I think about this, it's still painful," Gia said. Luong and the majority of the other migrants came from a handful of poor central provinces, hotspots for illegal migration to Europe. The lorry carrying the victims - including two 15-year-old boys - arrived on a ferry from the Belgian port of Zeebrugge in the early hours of October 23. They died from lack of oxygen and overheating, according to post-mortem examinations. A number of people have been arrested and charged in Britain, France and Belgium in connection with the case, including the driver of the lorry, Maurice Robinson, of Northern Ireland, who has pleaded guilty to manslaughter. Ronan Hughes, 40, from County Armagh in Northern Ireland, also pleaded guilty to manslaughter last month. Joe Biden was rudely interrupted by a large bug while giving remarks on climate change in Wilmington, Delaware, today. The Democratic presidential nominee paused momentarily to fiercely swat a large bug from his neck while in the middle of his speech on climate change and wildfires in California. In the seconds running up to the hit, the insect can be seen crawling up Mr Bidens right shoulder before it dissapears behind his neck. Moments later, while speaking about the US economy and the unrelenting impact of climate change Mr Biden swats purposefully at his neck and the a large bug falls behind the podium. Sorry that was a bug, he says chuckling, speaking of the environment. The funny moment came amidst Mr Bidens livestream on Monday from the Delaware Museum of Natural History in Wilmington where he discussed both climate change and the wildfires that continue to rage through the west coast. You know what is actually threatening our suburbs? Fires," he said in response to Mr Trumps continued attacks that Mr Bidens policies would threaten to destroy the suburbs. Fires are blazing so brightly, smoke reaching so far, Nasa satellites can see them one million miles away in space," he added. More than a hundred wildfires continued to threaten the western states of California, Oregon and Portland, and have caused the deaths of dozens of people. With every bout with natures fury cased by our own inaction on climate change more Americans see and feel the devastation its happening everywhere, its happening now and it affects us all," Mr Biden said. Donald Trump has largely remained silent on the ongoing fires until last week when he commended the 28,000+ Firefighters and other First Responders who are battling wildfires across the west coast. Mr Trump visited California on Monday to be briefed the devastation brought by the wildfires following two days of campaigning in Nevada. The president has claimed the wildfires have been caused by poor forest management, and a lack of raking. Experts, in contrast, say the fires, which occur annually in the area, have become more frequent and more intense as result of climate change. The remarks also comes just as than 170 leading environmentalists urged people to back Mr Biden, saying that a protest vote for a third party could allow Mr Trump to be reelected. Only by rallying behind the Democratic Party can we end the Trump administrations unprecedented malignancy, fear mongering, pathological lying, and atrocious policymaking. This is not the year to make a utopian statement or to waste a single vote," says a public letter released on Monday. The house where a British officer and the co-founder of the Syrian civil defence group mysteriously fell to his death has become unrentable since the tragedy. Father-of-two James Le Mesurier fell from the terrace of his house in Istanbul, Turkey, and was found dead on the street aged 48 on November 11, 2019. His body was found by a passerby on his way past the house in Karakoy to morning prayers at a nearby mosque. The death of Le Mesurier was deemed a suicide after the three and a half month investigation by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office which terminated on March 2020 this year. But it remains shrouded in intrigue after the 48-year-old father of two was found dead only two days after the Kremlin accused him of being a spy. The house where former British officer James Le Mesurier died in Istanbul, Turkey, has become unrentable according to locals The three-storey 500 square metres (1640 square feet) house, in a central location of the city, remains on the rental market seven months after Le Mesurier's wife left in February James Le Mesurier, pictured on Twitter, was found dead outside his home in Istanbul's Beyoglu district in November Locals say that as soon as people realise that it is the house where the British agent died they lose interest According to the national newspaper Hurriyet Daily News, Le Mesurier's wife Emma Winberg left the house they shared in February with all their belongings. However, the three-story 1,640sqft house, in a central location of the city, remains on the rental market seven months later. Locals say that as soon as people realise that it is the house where the British agent died they lose interest. A shopkeeper on the street where Le Mesurier died, named Tark Emir, said: 'The building was shown on televisions and newspapers for days. Le Mesurier's wife Emma H Winberg (pictured on November 13) left the house they shared in February with all their belongings Locals say that as soon as people realise that it is the house where the British agent died they lose interest 'Everyone knows this place. People come and take pictures in front of it. There are also those who come to rent. 'They consult us. They give up when they find out it's the building where the agent died.' Real estate agent Ilker Erkan said: 'There is no legal problem with the building. The seal of the building was removed earlier this year. 'In the past months, we wanted to rent the building for 60,000 Turkish Liras [6207] per month. Now we want 50,000 Liras [5173].' Le Mesurier was the co-founder of the White Helmets, officially named the Syria Civil Defence, which has saved the lives of thousands and helps those stuck in rebel-held areas during the bombing by the Syrian government and Russian forces. Mr Le Mesurier had apparently tumbled from an upstairs window in the middle of the night and was wearing a white shirt, grey trousers, and a wristwatch when his body was spotted by worshippers on their way to a mosque in the Beyoglu district at around 5.30am on Monday (pictured, the scene where his body was found) He was honoured by the Queen with an OBE in 2016 for 'services to the Syria Civil Defence group and the protection of civilians in Syria'. He formed the voluntary search-and-rescue group called the White Helmets, which says it has rescued more than 100,000 civilians during Syria's brutal civil war. Known officially as the Syria Civil Defence, the group numbering more than 3,000 sends volunteers into bombed areas to help rescue trapped civilians and administer medical treatment. It has lost 252 volunteers to date and more than 500 have been wounded. The sealed entrance of the home where Mr Le Mesurier was found dead, photographed in November The group was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize in 2016 and received the Right Livelihood Award in recognition of 'outstanding bravery, compassion and humanitarian engagement in rescuing civilians'. Mr Le Mesurier told Al Jazeera in 2015 that he had begun training and supporting the organisation in early 2013 alongside Turkish rescue experts, starting with 'a single team of 20 people'. 'I was working in Istanbul... and got together with a group of Turkish earthquake rescue volunteers,' he said. The White Helmets quickly expanded, and are credited with saving tens of thousands of lives during Syria's conflict. A documentary about the group won an Academy Award in 2017. The White Helmets have become a favourite target of pro-Syrian and pro-Russian groups. They have accused the group of supporting terrorists in Syria and doctoring footage of atrocities committed by regime forces - claims strongly denied by its supporters. The 48-year-old was under 'intense stress' and had suffered a years-long Russian smear campaign against him, his wife Emma Winberg revealed in November. Winberg, who works as the director of Mayday Rescue, told police that he had been taking medication because he was under 'intense stress' and that the pair moved to the area to be near a medical centre, Anadolu reported. Police officers and members of the public outside Mr Le Mesurier's home on Monday morning. Amnesty International UK has called for a 'proper investigation' into the death Though many details of Le Mesurier's final hours are unconfirmed, it seems they were spent at Mayday's office with his wife Emma Winberg, a fellow director of the organisation. She reportedly told detectives that she and James went to bed at around 4am on Monday, having both taken sleeping pills. She was woken by knocking on the door and discovered that her husband was lying on the street surrounded by police. The building is said to be well secured and accessible only via a fingerprint identification system. Footage from a security camera over the front door showed nothing suspicious and no sign of forced entry, leading police to conclude that it was suicide. Despite the current situation brought about by the dreaded Covid-19 pandemic, the local arm of compact car maker Suzuki is making sure that its followers will still experience the fun and excitement of the highly-anticipated Suzuki Auto Festival. Suzuki Philippines Inc. (SPH) has just announced that they will celebrate this years annual meet in the digital landscape by moving their show online via Facebook. SPH's initiative to tap social media resources comes as a direct response to the current protocols against the pandemic while boosting the brand's efforts to reach its market, without the need for fans to leave their homes to join in the fun and still continue to champion the Suzuki Way of Life. suzuki logo Suzuki Philippines Vice President and Automobile Division General Manager Keiichi Suzuki expressed excitement over the upcoming event this coming weekend (September 19-20). We are more than delighted to make this event possible especially for those who have been eagerly anticipating our yearly Auto Festival. We strongly believe that opportunities like this, especially in the new normal, where we are able to connect with our customers and Suzuki fans through a special event is one that we all embrace as a company, he said. During the two-day event, Suzuki will feature one of its dealerships to make viewers feel the same on-ground experience. Aside from that, the All-New XL7 and the All-New S-Presso, together with the other members of the Suzuki automobile roster, will be featured in one of the exciting shows lined up at the Suzuki Virtual Auto Festival. The All-New XL7 and the All-New S-Presso were introduced in the country last March, "to cater to the needs of modern Filipino families and professionals as a reliable companion in witnessing new places and exciting drives." Also, the kidsand kids at heartwill have activities wherein they can participate, such as the Suzuki Safety Scout webinar as well as contests and games. Story continues Further, they can expect Suzuki merchandise at the program. Viewers may catch any of the 4 shows happening each day on Suzuki Philippines Facebook page, which starts at 11:00 AM. Now more than ever is the perfect time to find avenues of hope and happiness with the current challenges we face which pose a hindrance to our moving forward as a community. Festivities like these serve as beacons of how we can remain unwavering in our commitment to provide our customers and those who believe in Suzuki, and the Suzuki Way of Life! innovations that are designed to foster a stronger sense of community. We look forward to seeing our supporters and Suzuki enthusiasts in this year's Suzuki Virtual Auto Fest! Suzuki concluded. Photo/s from Suzuki Philippines Also read: PH is First Outside Manufacturing Country to Serve S-Presso Suzuki Offers Exciting Promos for Upcoming XL7, S-Presso Suzuki PH brings its vehicles to your home for a test drive In a story written by Metro reporter Rachel Weiner, The Post briefly reported Monday that a real FBI raid had taken place. The story was updated about two hours later to note that the raid was a fabrication and later taken down entirely with an editors note in its place saying it was published because The Post failed to obtain appropriate confirmation. Vaping marijuana and vaping nicotine rose sharply in the past three years among college-age (19-22 years old) adults, according to 2019 survey results from the Monitoring the Future (MTF) study. The percentage of college students who said they vaped marijuana in the past 30 days rose from 5.2% in 2017 to 14% in 2019. The corresponding percentages for their non-college-attending peers increased from 7.8% in 2017 to 17% in 2019. MTF, an ongoing study of the trends in substance use by adolescents and adults in the United States, is funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), part of the National Institutes of Health. The survey is conducted by scientists at the University of Michigan's Institute for Social Research, Ann Arbor. The percentage of college-age adults aged 19 to 22 who vaped nicotine also rose dramatically between 2017 and 2019. In 2017, 6.1% of college students and 7.9% of those not in college said they vaped nicotine in the past month, rising to 22% and 18%, respectively, in 2019. These increases in vaping marijuana and nicotine are among the largest increases in use for any substance reported by the study in its 45-year history. "We are seeing an increasingly concerning trend," said Nora D. Volkow, M.D., director of NIDA. "Many young people may view vaping and cannabis use as 'safer', but the reality is that nicotine is highly addictive, and cannabis can also be addictive, particularly in younger adults for whom the brain is still developing." The MTF study has been annually tracking substance use among college students and non-college adults since 1980. Results are based on data from college students one to four years beyond high school graduation who are enrolled full-time in a two- or four-year college in March of the given year, compared with same-age high school graduates not enrolled full-time in college. These 2019 survey results are now online. The 2019 data also revealed a continued high prevalence of marijuana use among young adults, who are 19 to 22 years old. In 2018, 43% of this group--regardless of college attendance--reported using marijuana in the past year, and this percentage was unchanged in 2019. Particularly notable is the prevalence of daily, or near-daily, use of marijuana among those not attending college in 2019--at 15%, it is at the highest level since the survey began. This compares to 5.9% of college students who reported daily, or near-daily, use of marijuana. The 2019 MTF survey data reflect drug use patterns prior to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic's impact on substance use and related behaviors and attitudes among the nation's young adults may be reflected in future MTF survey results. The 2020 MTF middle and high school student findings are due to be released later in 2020. Other highlights from the 2019 survey results on college-age adults include: Cigarette smoking continued a downward trend, with 7.9% of college students reporting having smoked in the past month. Among their peers who are not in college, 16% reported having smoked in the past month, an all-time low. Binge drinking (five or more drinks in a row in the past two weeks), which has been declining gradually over the past few decades, showed no significant changes for young adults attending or not attending college. In 2019, 33% of college students and 22% of same-age adults not in college reported binge drinking. High-intensity drinking (10 or more drinks in a row in the past two weeks) has stayed level at about 11% since 2015 for people between the ages of 19 and 22, regardless of college attendance. Prescription opioid misuse continued to decline, with 1.5% of college students and 3.3% of those not attending college reporting non-medical use of opioids (narcotic drugs other than heroin) in the past year. This represents a significant five-year decline from rates of 4.8% and 7.7%, respectively, in 2014. Amphetamine use continued to decline, with 8.1% of college students and 5.9% of noncollege respondents reporting non-medical use of amphetamines in the past year. Information on previous years' MTF survey findings and other resources, including an infographic, can be found on NIDA's College-Age & Young Adults webpage. ### About the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA): NIDA is a component of the National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIDA supports most of the world's research on the health aspects of drug use and addiction. The Institute carries out a large variety of programs to inform policy, improve practice, and advance addiction science. For more information about NIDA and its programs, visit. About the National Institutes of Health (NIH): NIH, the nation's medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit http://www.nih.gov. Advertisement The UK could be forced to draft in science students to staff coronavirus testing labs which are buckling under the pressure of surging demand for swabs. A nationwide testing fiasco has left doctors and nurses unable to work because they can't get checked for the illness, preventing the NHS getting back to normal. NHS staff are having to leave the frontline to self-isolate because they or family members cannot book a test. NHS Providers says that if the shortage is not addressed soon it will wreak havoc on hospitals as virus cases continue to escalate. In another humiliating blow to the testing system, headteachers have warned that schools which were closed for months because of the pandemic will 'grind to a halt' if teachers can't get tested quickly. At least 30 schools have closed already because of cases and one headteacher in Preston said this morning that he already has two staff self-isolating at home and struggling to get tested, along with 10 children. Health officials have blamed the crisis which experts fear will rumble on for weeks on a staffing shortage in laboratories. Desperate bosses have now admitted they may have to hire students to plug gaps in the rota in the face of sky-high demand. But Government sources say the actual cause of the crisis is a 'secret in Whitehall', while one leading scientist said labs appear to be fully staffed and working normally and that the Department of Health may be wrong about its maximum capacity. Experts say the Government must scale up its capacity for processing tests but this is not likely to come until the newest major 'Lighthouse Laboratory' opens at the end of this month near Loughborough. Backlog in the system means Government ministers are reportedly considering restricting coronavirus tests and refusing 'frivolous' requests from people who don't need to be swabbed. Speaker of the House of Commons, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, today said the situation was 'unnaceptable' and told Boris Johnson and Matt Hancock to 'urgently' get a grip. Mr Hancock is facing Parliament over the issue this afternoon. Patients have been told to travel hundreds of miles, even to different countries, for tests because there are none available nearby, and swabs have also had to be flown to Germany and Italy for analysis. The blunder was unveiled by an investigation by the LBC radio station yesterday that found there were no test bookings available at any of the country's ten coronavirus hotspots including Bolton, Salford, Bradford and Manchester. This could make it harder to squash local outbreaks before they spiral out of control, and Labour's Shadow Health Secretary, Jonathan Ashworth, today told Mr Hancock he had 'lost control of the virus'. But Priti Patel today denied that tests were unavailable in the country's worst-hit areas. The Home Secretary told BBC Breakfast today that she has seen with her own eyes that swabs are available in towns hit by local lockdown rules. Oxford University's Sir John Bell, who has been advising Number 10 on testing, says the testing fiasco has likely been caused by a 'second wave' of Covid-19, triggering a surge in demand for tests. Professor Alan McNally, who helped set up the Milton Keynes Lighthouse Lab, said a 'perfect storm' of events have crashed the testing system. He described the situation as 'worrying' because it has happened before the winter and admitted there were 'clearly underlying issues which nobody wants to tell us about'. Here's how Britain's testing fiasco is unfolding: People in some of Britain's worst-affected areas, including Bolton and Greater Manchester, say they are unable to get access to coronavirus tests when they need them. People are being offered test slots dozens of miles away from home; Members of the public trying to book tests online have been met with a 'service busy' page, and those turning up at testing sites have been turned away by staff; Care home bosses say their staff and residents who are allocated around half of the daily test capacity in the UK, some 100,000 tests per day are still not able to get tested regularly as officials promised they could; Officials say the demand for tests is now so high that their laboratories cannot cope claimed capacity for swab tests is around 250,000, with demand now at around 200,000 per day. It is not clear how many people are attempting to book tests each day; Sir Lindsay Hoyle, Speaker of the House of Commons, today branded the situation 'unacceptable' and called for action from the Government; A headteacher warned schools are in for a 'really bumpy ride' if they can't get their staff and pupils tested, and at least 30 have already had to send home entire year groups or classes over virus scares; NHS doctors and nurses being forced to stay off work because they can't get tests will hinder the health service's attempt to return to full capacity after thousands of appointments and operations were cancelled. A man is pictured being turned away from a coronavirus testing centre in Bolton today, which has the highest infection rate in the country The testing shortage has come days after Downing Street committed to 'Operation Moonshot', an ambitious plan to eventually carry out 10million tests a day to track the virus in real time. Matt Hancock has repeatedly spoken of 'ramping up' testing capacity and boasted that Britain now does more swab tests than many of its neighbours. But the system seems to be cracking under the pressure of carrying out the approximately 200,000 swabs per day before 'Moonshot' has even begun. But today, NHS Providers an organisation which represents hospital staff warns that the backlog is hitting the health service's ability to get back to normal. Chief executive Chris Hopson said: 'It's clear there are capacity problems with the testing regime. Sir Lindsay Hoyle, Speaker of the House of Commons and MP for Chorley, near virus-hit Bolton, said the current testing situation is 'unacceptable' and urged ministers to get a grip on it as soon as possible 'Trust leaders from Bristol, Leeds and London have all raised concerns about the lack of testing availability, leading to greater levels of staff absence. 'NHS trusts are working in the dark they don't know why these shortages are occurring, how long they are likely to last, how geographically widespread they are likely to be and what priority will be given to healthcare workers and their families in accessing scarce tests.' Nurses, doctors and other vital hospital staff are being told to take time off work and self-isolate because they might have coronavirus but can't get tested. This is wasting NHS staff time, experts say, at a time when it is crucial that hospitals don't face any more problems. WHAT IS HAPPENING TO TESTING IN THE UK? What has gone wrong with coronavirus testing in the UK? People across England are struggling to get access for swab tests which are used to confirm whether or not they have Covid-19. These should be available on the day at drive/walk-through centres or by mail order but many have reported being unable to get them, and instead being met by a 'service busy' message on the booking website. This is even reportedly a problem in areas with local lockdowns, where testing is crucial and mobile test sites are set up to speed up the process. Why are tests not available for everyone who wants them? The Government's testing system is still not set up to cope with the surging demand now being placed on it. It was never advanced enough to offer everyone a test, which is why only people with symptoms are supposed to book the swabs. Numbers of people catching the virus are rising across the country and the number of people wanting tests is increasing as a result. Although the Department of Health claims it can process 243,817 swab tests per day, the system is stalling at a lower level 205,659 were done on Thursday, September 10, the most recent data. Health officials have blamed laboratory capacity for the shortage, and the testing chief at NHS Test & Trace apologised for this last week. Is a lack of staff in labs really to blame? One suggestion is that labs may not have enough technical staff able to operate the machines that process the swabs. More labs are being set up and more staff employed, but this could take weeks or months to translate to big gains in testing capacity. One of the scientists who helped set up the system, however, has rejected this and said labs are operating normally and 'there are problems elsewhere in the chain'. The University of Birmingham's Professor Alan McNally said on BBC Breakfast: 'The labs are still fully staffed, they are still churning through huge amounts of samples per day - the same number as they were a couple of months ago - so there are problems elsewhere in the chain... 'I think this is multi-factorial. I think you almost have a perfect storm of events that have come together to almost essentially crash the testing system. 'I think there is a surge in demand [and] I think our stated capacity is very different from actually how many tests can be run in a given day.' What is the impact of growing pressure on test labs? A large workload for testing labs around the UK means that people's results are taking longer to process many people have to wait more than the target 24 hours to find out their result. This means that the government is throttling the number of tests that are sent out, to avoid completely overwhelming the system, so people in some areas are finding it difficult to access swabs. There are concerns that a system that is frustrating or slow to use will put people off and members of the public will stop bothering to use it. Should people still be ordering tests? Yes, anyone who has symptoms of coronavirus (a cough, fever or lost sense of taste/smell) must order a test however they can. People who do not have symptoms, and have not been instructed by a medical professional to get tested, should not order a test. Advertisement There are already tens of thousands of patients who are overdue medical procedures and appointments that had to be postponed or cancelled because of the lockdown, and hospitals are scrambling to get through a massive backlog of patients before winter hits. Chris Hopson added that the NHS 'simply cant spare members of staff waiting for tests, not being able to come into work'. Sir John Bell, himself a medicine professor and qualified doctor, said the Government was not properly prepared for another surge in suspected cases and tests. He said on BBC Radio 4 this morning: 'A month ago they had spare capacity in testing significant spare capacity but I think what has been underestimated was the speed at which the second wave would arrive. 'But also the pressure put on the system from children returning to school, and the testing demands associated with that, and people increasingly out and about. 'So, I think they are definitely behind the curve in terms of getting the necessary tests for what we need today.' A leading scientist who helped set up the lab testing system, however, has rejected claims that it is failing. Professor Alan McNally, a geneticist at the University of Birmingham, told BBC Breakfast there were 'clearly underlying issues which nobody wants to tell us about'. He said: 'The labs are still fully staffed, they are still churning through huge amounts of samples per day - the same number as they were a couple of months ago - so there are problems elsewhere in the chain... 'I think this is multi-factorial. I think you almost have a perfect storm of events that have come together to almost essentially crash the testing system. 'I think there is a surge in demand [and] I think our stated capacity is very different from actually how many tests can be run in a given day.' The NHS is not the only place struggling to get enough tests schools are also feeling the impact of delays in the nationwide system. The new school year in England started just last week for most children but there are already reports of staff, pupils and even entire classes going into isolation after Covid scares. One headteacher in Preston, Lancashire, said he has two staff and 10 children already stuck at home because of the virus. The staff, he said, struggled to get tested. Jim Blakely, head at Garstang St Thomas' School, told the Today programme: 'At the moment Ive got two members of staff not here. 'My Year 4 teacher was sent home last Wednesday due to Covid symptoms, a persistent cough, but there were no tests available on Wednesday. 'So he kept trying to book during the day and in the evening, and there was some test available in some strange places, and these are the same places that parents in my school have been directed to like Aberdeen and Llandudno. 'Not only are they miles away, but they are in Wales and Scotland. There is very little local testing.' Mr Blakely's account matches dozens of others which have seen people say the test booking system has tried to send them to centres tens or hundreds of miles from home. He added: 'This is going to be a really bumpy ride unless there is quick testing near schools. 'And I think thats what we need really urgently, and a 24 hour turnaround on tests ideally, so families can get back to work and children can get back to school.' More than 30 schools have told pupils to stay at home because of a confirmed Covid-19 case. Seven have shut completely because of a positive coronavirus test, while 21 have sent at least one entire year group home. And The Daily Telegraph's analysis of school closures revealed eight have sent a handful of pupils home because of a case. Government guidelines say teachers must send home any children who have been in 'close contact' with an infected case. Doctors, scientists and MPs have warned that the 'farcical' policy threatened to wreck the education for a generation of children who only returned to classrooms earlier this month after spending six months at home. It also threatens to set back efforts to return millions of workers to offices and workplaces because they have to stay at home to look after their children. The Mail on Sunday reported that all Year 7 and Year 10 pupils at 20,000-a-year North London Collegiate School, a top independent day school for girls aged 4-18, were told to isolate for two weeks after just two pupils fell ill last week. A woman is pictured taking a swab test for coronavirus at a centre in Bolton this morning. Other people in the town say they are struggling to get appointments for tests Another man denied entry to the testing site in Bolton pleads his case with a member of staff An investigation by the LBC radio station yesterday found there were no test bookings available at any of the country's ten coronavirus hotspots including Bolton, Salford, Bradford and Manchester Care home bosses have also criticised ministers for failing to deliver on their promise to prioritise testing in the vulnerable sector ahead of the winter, amid fears it could be ravaged by a second wave of Covid-19. The Government had pledged that all care homes would get access to regular testing for staff and residents after the sector was caught off-guard and unprotected by the first wave in March, which has led to the deaths of at least 14,000 people. HOSPICE NURSE UNABLE TO WORK BECAUSE HER SON CAN'T GET TESTED A hospice nurse has been unable to return to work due to a lack of available coronavirus tests. Samuel Austin, from Faversham, Kent, said he has been trying for 48 hours to book a Covid test, after his young son started showing symptoms on Sunday. The situation has meant Mr Austins son cannot return to nursery and left his wife, a nurse at a local hospice, unable to work. His wife's hospice is not part of the NHS so she does not receive priority testing. 'Everything we submit we get "this service is very busy. Please try later" or if we get through to finding a test site, we are told no site is available to see us,' the 35-year-old project manager told the Press Association. 'Ultimately my disappointment is for my son and my wife. I feel powerless to help them and it shouldnt be this way.' Advertisement But chiefs in the sector say deliveries have been slow and tests aren't being processed quickly, adding that it would make sense for homes to have machines capable of processing tests on-site. The chief executive of Care England, Martin Green, told The Times: 'We were promised weekly testing for staff and 28-day testing for residents. That has not been delivered. There are delays in the couriers not coming to take swabs and problems with the labs getting the results back in time. 'It seems that the government makes an announcement first and then scrabbles around to see how it makes it happen. The testing regime needs a thorough root and branch review.' Department of Health officials have already made a desperate appeal for staff to Britain's biomedical sector, admitting it needs 400 technicians immediately to help fix the testing fiasco. The appeal, written by Professor Dame Anna Dominiczak an expert in medicine at Glasgow University who was drafted in to help, revealed that bosses would hire 'recent graduates' with a biology degree to work in labs to analyse coronavirus test samples. But she also revealed that health chiefs would be open to hiring current students with 'some previous lab experience' to fill holes in rotas on a part-time basis, The Telegraph reports. Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon piled pressure on the Government yesterday by claiming the backlog was also affecting Scottish patients. Test results are processed in one of seven Lighthouse Labs across the country in areas including Milton Keynes in Buckinghamshire, Loughborough in Leicestershire, Cambridge and Glasgow. Miss Sturgeon is concerned that the backlog in England is having a knock-on effect in the Glasgow lab, leading to delays in Scotland. She said yesterday: 'We've been raising these concerns with the UK Government.' A senior Government source last night dismissed her claims as 'wrong', adding: 'It is disappointing the First Minister has decided to play politics with the pandemic. 'We have been working with the Scottish government through the weekend to ensure they have the support on testing they need. The First Minister should get her own house in order before blaming others.' Yesterday it was revealed that swabs are not available in Bolton, which is fighting the largest outbreak of the virus in the country with an infection rate of 122 cases for every 100,000 people. The Government website where testing slots are booked also shows there are no tests available in Salford, Bradford, Blackburn, Oldham, Preston, Pendle, Rochdale, Tameside and Manchester, according to LBC radio. Coronavirus tests are currently unavailable in the ten centres of the UK's coronavirus outbreak, reports LBC. Pictured above is a testing centre in Bolton, northern England Those trying to get tests in the ten UK hotspots are being greeted with this message When postcodes in each area are put into the testing system it allegedly comes up with the message: 'This service is currently very busy. More tests should be available later.' The leader of the council in Bolton, which has Britain's highest infection rate, said there were 'major flaws' with the online booking system and that it was out of the council's control because the Government runs it. He said the issue was 'unacceptable'. MORE THAN 30 SCHOOLS HAVE SENT PUPILS HOME IN VIRUS SCARES More than 30 schools have told pupils to stay at home because of a confirmed Covid-19 case, it was revealed today. Seven have shut completely because of a positive coronavirus test, while 21 have sent at least one entire year group home. And The Daily Telegraph's analysis of school closures revealed eight have sent a handful of pupils home because of a case. Government guidelines say teachers must send home any children who have been in 'close contact' with an infected case. Doctors, scientists and MPs have warned that the 'farcical' policy threatened to wreck the education for a generation of children who only returned to classrooms earlier this month after spending six months at home. It also threatens to set back efforts to return millions of workers to offices and workplaces because they have to stay at home to look after their children. The Mail on Sunday reported that all Year 7 and Year 10 pupils at 20,000-a-year North London Collegiate School, a top independent day school for girls aged 4-18, were told to isolate for two weeks after just two pupils fell ill last week. Advertisement Sir Lindsay Hoyle, MP for nearby Chorley and the Speaker of the House of Commons, today slammed the situation on Twitter and said he had urged the Government to take action. Sir Lindsay said: 'I am receiving numerous complaints from residents unable to book a test after displaying Covid symptoms. This is completely unacceptable and totally undermines track and trace so I have raised my concerns with Ministers to push for action to be taken as a matter of urgency.' Home Secretary Priti Patel said it was 'wrong to say' that there were no tests available after she was quizzed about the long delays in trying to book a test in Bolton where the infection rate is the highest in England. Speaking on BBC Breakfast this morning, she said: 'Tests are available, youve heard me say, particularly in local lockdown areas, Ive seen this myself, Ive seen the teams that have been working on this. 'Mobile testing is going in, capacity is going into local areas where lockdowns have been undertaken and are taking place. 'I think it is wrong to say tests are not available, new book-in slots are being made available every single day, mobile testing units are being made available. 'And on top of that home testing kits are being issued across the country but specifically in local lockdown areas.' But the Home Secretary added: 'Clearly there is much more work that needs to be undertaken with Public Health England and the actual public health bodies in those particular local areas. 'As a Government we work with Public Health England to surge where there is demand in local hotspot areas and we continue to do that.' On access to testing, she said the majority of tests are available within a 10-mile radius. 'It seems to me therell be extreme cases where people cant get to test locations within that radius but that doesnt mean that Public Health England are not working night and day to boost capacity,' she added. Head teachers have also warned schools will also be hit by staff being unable to get tested quickly. One primary head in Southampton told The Guardian how three self-isolating staff were unable to get swabs, adding: 'We will grind to a halt if the availability of tests does not improve rapidly.' Another primary school head in Sussex said test shortages will 'derail the reopening' and ensure instability for both staff and pupils. Labour MP Stella Creasy yesterday described the situation as an 'absolute farce'. She told BBC Radio 4's World At One: 'I've had lots of parents get in touch with me this morning because they've got children with symptoms that are listed who need to get a test who cannot book one online, who've been trying all over the weekend to book one. 'Our walk-in centre which is on their doorstep yesterday started turning people away if they didn't have an appointment, which would make sense if it was busy but I've been down there myself and there's nothing happening there. 'They don't know how many tests they need to do, they don't know how many scientists they need and they don't know what the demand is.' Priti Patel (left) denied that tests were unavailable in the country's worst-hit areas. The Home Secretary told BBC Breakfast today that she has seen with her own eyes that swabs are available in towns hit by local lockdown rules. Oxford University's Sir John Bell (right), who has been overseeing Number 10's antibody test programme and advising ministers, believes the fiasco has been caused by a 'second wave' of Covid-19 had led to a surge in demand for tests Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon piled pressure on the Government by claiming the backlog was also affecting Scottish patients PRITI PATEL DENIES THERE ARE A LACK OF TESTS IN BADLY-HIT AREAS Home Secretary Priti Patel said it was 'wrong to say' that there were no tests available after she was quizzed about the long delays in trying to book a test in Bolton where the infection rate is the highest in England. Speaking on BBC Breakfast, she said: 'Tests are available, youve heard me say, particularly in local lockdown areas, Ive seen this myself, Ive seen the teams that have been working on this. 'Mobile testing is going in, capacity is going into local areas where lockdowns have been undertaken and are taking place. 'I think it is wrong to say tests are not available, new book-in slots are being made available every single day, mobile testing units are being made available. 'And on top of that home testing kits are being issued across the country but specifically in local lockdown areas.' The Government is 'surging capacity' in local lockdown areas and tests are available within a 10-mile radius, she added. Ms Patel said: 'Clearly there is much more work that needs to be undertaken with Public Health England and the actual public health bodies in those particular local areas. 'As a Government we work with Public Health England to surge where there is demand in local hotspot areas and we continue to do that. On access to testing, she said the majority of tests are available within a 10-mile radius. 'It seems to me therell be extreme cases where people cant get to test locations within that radius but that doesnt mean that Public Health England are not working night and day to boost capacity,' she added. Advertisement Last week Boris Johnson said he wanted to carry out millions of tests a day as part of a highly ambitious strategy known as 'Operation Moonshot'. But scientists warned that the plans were 'fundamentally flawed' and even dangerous as the tests can wrongly tell people they are either positive or negative. The testing chief of NHS Test & Trace last week issued a public apology on Twitter and said lab capacity was to blame for slow turnaround times and people being unable to order swabs. It is not clear why labs are struggling to process the tests, which are the same as they have been throughout the pandemic. One Government source told The Times that Britain was in for a 'rough few weeks' until another lighthouse lab opens in Leicestershire. Lord Bethell of Romford, the testing minister, blamed the return of children to school for putting 'enormous pressure' on testing centres because youngsters are often joined by their parents and other household members. He told peers yesterday that Number 10 was 'throwing everything we can' at the system to make it work. On September 10, 227,465 tests were processed while the Department of Health claimed it had the capacity to cope with 364,917 in a day. Labour's Jonathan Ashworth, the shadow health secretary, claimed it 'beggars belief' that ministers didn't use the summer to ramp up testing capacity ahead of schools reopening. LBC's Westminster correspondent Ben Kentish said that when they tried to get tests in any of the ten areas, they were not offered one. 'The Government testing website simply says the service is very busy and people should come back in a few hours,' he said. 'We tried to get a test in the top ten areas. In all ten they were unable to get any sort of tests in any of the ten areas.' Coronavirus test appointments are uploaded on the Government's testing portal throughout the day, meaning those looking to book a test are advised to check back regularly. Once each test is booked the site shows there are none available in the area at present. All the ten areas that yesterday did not have tests available are listed by Public Health England as the areas of England with the biggest coronavirus outbreaks. Their latest report placed Bolton at the top of the list, followed by Bradford with 72 cases per 100,000, Oldham with 66 cases per 100,000 and Salford with 62 cases per 100,000. Testing shortages came to the fore last week when people revealed they were either being sent dozens of miles away from home to get a test, while others were unable to get any at all. Online booking systems were unable to process requests for tests meaning people who thought they might have the coronavirus had to go without. In response the chief of testing at NHS Test & Trace, Sarah-Jane Marsh, issued a 'heartfelt apology' last week. Ms Marsh said there was capacity at testing sites but laboratories processing the tests are at a 'critical pinch-point'. She added that the system is doing 'all it can to expand quickly'. SECOND WAVE TO BLAME FOR LACK OF TESTS, TOP EXPERT CLAIMS An Oxford University expert who has been overseeing the government's antibody testing programme and advising ministers blamed a second wave for the testing fiasco. Sir John Bell, regius professor of medicine at Oxford, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that a spike in Covid-19 cases had led to a surge in demand for tests. He said: 'I think what's going wrong is the second wave. 'A month ago they had spare capacity in testing - significant spare capacity - but I think what has been underestimated was the speed at which the second wave would arrive, but also the pressure put on the system from children returning to school, and the testing demands associated with that, and people increasingly out and about. 'So, I think they are definitely behind the curve in terms of getting the necessary tests for what we need today." Sir John said there would be a 'significant increase' in testing capacity over the next two weeks. 'But this will get worse because of course we haven't hit winter yet - we haven't all started to sniffle, get fevers, get colds, and that's going to add additional confusion to the problem,' he said. 'The demand will go up. The real question is whether they can get supply in a position where it can outpace demand, and that's the challenge at the moment.' Advertisement There have been reports of people being told there are no appointments available at test centres in England and that there are no home tests kits available to send out. Ms Marsh wrote on Twitter: 'Can I please offer my heartfelt apologies to anyone who cannot get a Covid test at present. 'All of our testing sites have capacity, which is why they don't look overcrowded; it's our laboratory processing that is the critical pinch-point. We are doing all we can to expand quickly. 'We have additional NHS, Lighthouse, University and Partner Labs all due to open up imminently and we are also expanding the use of non-Laboratory based tests. The testing team work on this 18 hours a day, seven days a week. We recognise the country is depending on us.' Embarrassingly, the problems come as Prime Minister Boris Johnson last week committed to his Operation Moonshot and to getting mass testing up and running in the UK by next year. He said a pilot programme will be launched in Salford next month which will see audiences at both indoor and outdoor venues tested on the day to see if they are infectious. Those who test positive for coronavirus will be sent home while those who test negative will be allowed in. The PM said if the pilot is successful the measures could be rolled out nationwide and that he wanted everybody in the UK to eventually have access to daily coronavirus testing, with pregnancy-style checks providing results in as little as 15 minutes. Mr Johnson told a Downing Street coronavirus press conference that negative tests would effectively provide people with a 'passport' which would allow them a 'freedom to mingle with everybody else who is similarly not infectious in a way that is currently impossible'. The Prime Minister said he hoped the mass testing approach will be 'widespread by the spring'. Mr Johnson told a press conference last week that up until now testing has been used primarily to identify people who have the disease so they can be isolated from the rest of society. The PM said that will continue to be the priority with a goal of increasing testing capacity to 500,000 a day by the end of October. But he said that 'in the near future we want to start using testing to identify people who are negative... so we can allow them to behave in a more normal way'. He said new types of coronavirus tests which are 'simple, quick and scalable will become available' allowing for results in 90 or even 20 minutes and for tests to be administered in their millions everyday. Mr Johnson said: 'That level of testing would allow people to lead more normal lives, without the need for social distancing.' Ms Marsh said there is capacity at testing sites but laboratories processing the tests are at a 'critical pinch-point' Bolton has been placed under strengthened lockdown restrictions following a surge in cases, and last week became the first place in England to be forced to move pubs back to a takeaway only service. NEARLY 500,000 PATIENTS HAVE BEEN WAITING AT LEAST SIX WEEKS FOR KEY TESTS Nearly half a million patients have been waiting six weeks or more for key diagnostic tests to detect cancer, heart attacks and other serious conditions. The figures have increased 12-fold in just a year as hospitals struggle with a post-Covid backlog. Charities fear the long waits will have a devastating impact on NHS patients, particularly those who have cancer which may become untreatable. Separate data shows that the number of patients having cancer treatment is down by a quarter on the same time last year. The total has fallen by 6,647 to 21,599. Yesterday the Mail revealed that hospital admissions had plummeted across seven serious illnesses. There is a growing backlog of patients who were unable to receive treatment at the height of the pandemic and who are now at risk of serious complications. This number is continuing to rise because social distancing and infection control measures mean hospitals can deal with only a limited number of patients. The latest NHS data shows that 489,647 patients had been waiting more than six weeks for one of 15 key diagnostic tests in July, the last month for which there are figures. A shocking 291,982 of them had been waiting at least 13 weeks. By comparison, in July 2019, just 40,099 had been waiting six weeks or more and 5,675 for at least 13 weeks. Michelle Mitchell of Cancer Research UK said: 'Sadly, the Covid-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on cancer services and the lives of cancer patients. There's still a lot of work that needs to be done to ensure that cancer screening, diagnosis and treatment will not be even more impacted by any future waves of Covid-19.' Alex Norris, a Labour health spokesman, said: 'Patients waiting for these tests cannot afford for the Government to be as slow as they have been in other areas. Some of these tests will be used to diagnose cancer, and for those patients, we know that early diagnosis leads to better treatment and survival.' An NHS spokesman said: 'Hospitals have been working round the clock throughout the pandemic so that patients can continue to receive vital tests and treatment while staying safe between March and July.' The backlog is also affecting routine surgery such as hip and knee operations and NHS figures last week showed that 2.1million patients had been waiting at least 18 weeks. Advertisement Other measures imposed include a limit on opening hours, with venues required to close from 10pm to 5am, and a law stating people cannot socialise outside of their household. A further 96 cases of people with coronavirus were confirmed yesterday in Bolton, bringing its cumulative total to 3,239. A spokesman for Bolton council said they are aware the Government is planning to open three new walk-in and drive-in test centres in their area so that more appointments will be available. Leader of the council, David Greenhalgh, said today: 'We completely understand how frustrating it is for people who are finding it difficult to book a test. 'This is an unacceptable situation, and myself and senior officers have escalated the issue to the highest levels. 'In our experience, there are major flaws with the online booking system, but this is a nationally run site, which is not locally run and is out of our control. 'We, as a local authority have done everything asked of us. Our teams have been working hard to increase testing capacity in Bolton two new test centres have opened in the borough and a third is due to open this week; and yet we know these two new sites are currently operating below capacity, and our own residents cannot access a local test. 'This is unacceptable and it needs to get sorted and the issues resolved, and I urge Government to treat this as a matter of the utmost priority. 'We would ask people to try booking an appointment in a few hours. Also, please only book a test if you have coronavirus symptoms or you have been asked to get tested.' Matt Hancock last week accused people of trying to get a coronavirus test when they didn't have symptoms of the virus, alleging they had seen a 25 per cent surge in demand for these cases. Guidance makes clear the tests are only for those who have symptoms, or who have been asked to get a test by authorities. Mr Hancock appealed for only those with symptoms to get a test, in response to a backlog caused by 'lab issues'. Ms Sturgeon has accused the UK government of trying to limit the number of tests available in Scotland while speaking at the Scottish Government's coronavirus briefing. 'We were concerned over the weekend that one of the ways the UK Government was trying to deal with the backlog was to restrict access to testing, and the Health Secretary managed to avoid that happening in Scotland,' she said. She also expressed 'serious concern' about the testing backlog and urged Mr Hancock to share the 'full scale and nature of issues they are facing' so her Government could help to try and fix the problem. She continued: 'There was a proposal over the weekend that the available slots at mobile testing units and regional testing centres in Scotland would be reduced and the Health Secretary managed to avoid that happening so that we retained full capacity for Scotland. 'We have no indication at the moment that there is any significant issue in Scotland with people accessing testing slots. A sign in Bolton orders those suffering coronavirus symptoms to get a test, despite a lack of testing capacity 'The issue that we do appear to be suffering some impacts from - and again it's a UK-wide issue - is a backlog in tests being processed that is then leading to a longer turnaround time.' Scotland's Health Secretary, Jeane Freeman, said she had 'constructive conversations' with Mr Hancock and her Welsh counterpart Vaughan Gething about the backlog, which she said was caused by rising demand and an 'issue with the speed and capacity of processing the tests'. She added: 'I was pleased that we managed not to have the restrictions on access to testing slots that were originally being proposed, but this is work that we need to continue because we need to try as best we can to work cooperatively and to resolve this situation.' Is YOUR school affected by a coronavirus outbreak? The 300 schools in England and Wales forced to close or send pupils home after positive Covid tests Thousands of students are having their return to school curtailed because of coronavirus outbreaks in the classroom amid a fiasco over testing. Headteachers have warned that schools which were closed for months because of the pandemic will 'grind to a halt' if teachers and pupils can't get tested quickly to avoid whole-school closure. At least 30 schools have closed completely already because of cases and one headteacher in Preston said this morning that he already has two staff self-isolating at home and struggling to get tested, along with 10 children. Another 300 in England and Wales have sent class groups home after receiving positive test results. Pupils in Scotland had all returned by August 12, and they are also dealing with a number of outbreaks. And Northern Ireland schools were back in classrooms on August 31, despite a survey from NI's largest teaching union saying a majority of staff 'feel anxious and stressed' about returning. Jim Blakely, head at Garstang St Thomas' School, told the Today programme: 'At the moment I've got two members of staff not here. 'My Year 4 teacher was sent home last Wednesday due to Covid symptoms, a persistent cough, but there were no tests available on Wednesday. 'So he kept trying to book during the day and in the evening, and there was some test available in some strange places, and these are the same places that parents in my school have been directed to like Aberdeen and Llandudno. 'Not only are they miles away, but they are in Wales and Scotland. There is very little local testing.' Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said disruption to pupils' education could worsen in the months to come. 'While only a small number of schools have had to close because of outbreaks, we are regularly hearing reports of groups of pupils and staff having to self-isolate in response to positive cases. More than 330 schools in England and Wales have either shut completely or sent some class groups home after receiving positive test results. Pictured: Blackfordby St Margaret's CE Primary School, Derbyshire is closed 'The concern is that this disruption will worsen as winter approaches.' He also warned that the work of schools and colleges in reopening to all students is being undermined by widespread problems in accessing Covid-19 tests. 'Even when tests have taken place this was not the end of the problems. Some leaders reported that it was taking three days or more for test results to be returned, and when there were positive Covid cases, a number said they had experienced difficulty in getting through to local health protection teams for guidance and support,' he said. Downing Street has said that the vast majority around 99 per cent of schools have reopened as planned this month. 'There is a very small number of schools which have asked some or all of their pupils to remain at home,' they said. 'Children who are self-isolating continue to receive remote education from home.' Here is a list of all schools in England and Wales known to have been affected by a positive coronavirus test: Downing Street have said that the vast majority - around 99 per cent - of schools have reopened as planned this month. Pictured: St Mark's Primary School, Swanage, Dorset which also closed due to an outbreak England NORTH WEST Accrington Mount Carmel RC High School told every Year 7 pupil to remain at home after a pupil in the year group tested positive for Covid-19. A pupil also caught the bug at Accrington Academy - students who were in 'very close and prolonged proximity' to the infected pupil were told they needed to quarantine for 14 days at home. St Christopher's CE High School confirmed on September 7 that two pupils had the disease, but said it would remain open. A class at St Anne's and St Joseph's school were told to self-isolate for two weeks following a case. It is not known if it is a pupil or member of staff that has been affeted. Barnoldswick Coates Lane Primary School confirmed a positive case Covid-19 - a number of individuals who may have been in close contact have been asked to isolate. Blackburn Two students and one teacher at Blackburn College tested positive for coronavirus. Students and staff who have been in direct contact with the teacher and two pupils are being asked to self-isolate at home for 14 days. At Blackburn High School three year groups have been sent home due to a coronavirus case in each - year 10, year 9 and year 7. Lammack Primary School contacted parents after positive cases of coronavirus were confirmed among pupils. A class at the Blackburn school has been advised to take precautionary measures and self-isolate following instructions from Public Health England. A year 9 pupil tested positive at Witton Park Academy and the whole year group were sent home. The parents of Year 7 students at Pleckgate High School were contacted following a positive case in that year group. 160 pupils at Two Mile Hill Primary School in Bristol are at home self-isolating following an outbreak Bolton Three schools in Bolton have had outbreaks. They are: St Bernard's RC, Bolton - (Year 5 bubble) Beaumont Primary, Bolton - (Reception) Clarendon Primary, Bolton - (Year 6 bubble) Burnley A Year 7 at Unity College caught the bug on the first day back to school. He had shown no symptoms but was immediately collected by his family and told to self-isolate. All other 25 students in the Year 7 'bubble' were sent home on Wednesday afternoon and will also self-isolate for 14 days. Bury Five schools in Bury have had coronavirus outbreaks. They are: Heaton Park Primary School, Bury - (Class 2W and Year 3) Lowercroft Primary School, Bury - (Year 6) Prestolee Primary School, Radcliffe St Bernadette's RC Primary, Whitefield - (Nursery, Years 1, 2, 5 and 6) St Gabriel's RC High School, Bury - (Year 11) Pictured: Royal Wootton Bassett Academy near Swindon, Wiltshire where 284 students are self isolating Cheshire 'Several' cases of coronavirus were reported in unspecified Cheshire West schools this week, Cheshire West and Chester Council said. All schools affected have successfully completed contact tracing, while all staff and pupils who have been in contact with those suffering symptoms have been advised to self-isolate for 14 days. Carlisle A pupil at Stanwix School tested positive for the bug, prompting some pupils there to self-isolate. Leyland An entire class of primary school pupils and their teacher was told to self-isolate after a pupil tested positive at Leyland Methodist Infant and Junior Schools. Parents of Year 1 pupils have been asked to keep their children at home after the school was notified of a positive Covid-19 case. Longridge St Cecilia's Roman Catholic High Schoo has asked 13 members of staff to self-isolate for 14 days after a teacher tested positive. Years 7, 8 and 9 will not return to school until September 17 and have been told to access learning from home. Manchester Twelve schools in Manchester have had coronavirus outbreaks. They are: Wilbraham Primary School, Fallowfield - (Year 3 and Year 4) Park View Community School, Miles Platting Manchester High School for Girls - (Year 5 Prep) Newall Green Primary School, Wythenshawe - (One class in Year 1) Old Hall Drive Academy, Gorton - (Year 6) Old Moat Primary School, Withington - (Year 6) St Aidan's Catholic Primary, Northern Moor - (Year 2) Chorlton High School South - (A Year 7 class) Green End Primary School, Burnage - (One Reception class) Oswald Road Primary School, Chorlton - (Year 3) Manchester Communication Academy, Harpurhey - (One bubble from Year 11) Inspire Academy, Ashton - (Year 1) Merseyside West Derby School was the first in the city to send children home after a confirmed case. A total of 56 pupils and three staff members will now spend 14 days self isolating at home following the positive test. Half of all pupils at Sudley Junior School were sent home after it recorded two positive coronavirus cases, with pupils in Years 3 and 5 now isolating. A member of "the school community" at Broad Square Primary School tested positive, meaning they are their bubble are in self-isolation. Pupils in Year 11 at Liverpool College have to isolate for two weeks after a positive coronavirus tests. In Everton Hunts Cross Primary School and Our Lady of Immaculate School had to send some pupils home after an outbreak. English Martyrs Catholic Primary Year 5 pupils have to spend a fortnight at home after a member of staff got the bug where as Litherland Moss shut entirely after Year 3 pupils tested positive. Woodchurch High School and Co-op Academy Bebington have collectively have to tell hundreds of students to self-isolate after pupils at the former and staff at the latter caught the disease. Ridgeway High School, Brackenwood Infant School and Bidston Village Primary School have been affected to an unknown extent after reported cases. Meadow Park School - a pupil referral unit - closed after an outbreak among staff. All Saints Catholic High School remains open despite two pupils testing positive for coronavirus last week. Parents of children at Longton Lane Primary School received an email on Tuesday morning informing them there had been a confirmed case of Covid-19 at Kidzone, the neighbouring private nursery that also provides Longton Lane's after-school club. Oldham Thirteen schools in Oldham have had coronavirus outbreaks. St Martin's CE Primary, Oldham - (One class) Yew Tree Community School, Chadderton - (Class 4 Red) Hey with Zion, Lees, Oldham - (Nursery) Whitegate End Primary and Nursery, Chadderton, Oldham - (One Year Sandbrook Community Primary School, Rochdale - (One bubble) Broadfield Primary School, Rochdale - (Three bubbles) Marland Hill Community Primary School, Rochdale - (Two bubbles) St Cuthbert's RC High School, Rochdale - (Year 11) Boarshaw Primary School, Middleton - (One bubble) Middleton Parish Church School Bowlee Park Community School, Middleton - (Year 1 Class 3 and Year 1 Class 4) St Luke's Primary, Heywood - (Year 2 and 3) St Anne's Academy, Middleton - (Small number of students) Penrith Ullswater Community College staff said one of its students has tested positive for the virus. Preston Dozens of students were sent home from Cardinal Newman College after a positive case of coronavirus on September 7. Students who share classes with the infected student must self-isolate for 14 days. Rochdale Ten schools in Rochdale have had coronavirus outbreaks. They are: Sandbrook Community Primary School, Rochdale - (One bubble) Broadfield Primary School, Rochdale - (Three bubbles) Marland Hill Community Primary School, Rochdale - (Two bubbles) St Cuthbert's RC High School, Rochdale - (Year 11) Boarshaw Primary School, Middleton - (One bubble) Middleton Parish Church School Bowlee Park Community School, Middleton - (Year 1 Class 3 and Year 1 Class 4) St Luke's Primary, Heywood - (Year 2 and 3) St Anne's Academy, Middleton - (Small number of students Meanwood Primary, Rochdale - (Year 2 and Year 4) Rossendale The Valley Leadership Academy sent home a group of pupils after a student in Year 11 tested positive for coronavirus. Salford Five schools in Salford have had coronavirus outbreaks. They are: Harrop Fold, Salford - (Year 11) Buile Hill Academy, Salford - (Year 7) Co-op Academy Swinton - (Year 7 and Year 10) Ellenbrook Primary School, Walkden, Salford - (One class from Year 3) Salford City Academy, Eccles - (Small number in Year 11) NORTH EAST Barnsley St Helen's Primary Academy confirmed that a teacher tested positive for the virus, meaning all students in that teacher's class must now self-isolate for two weeks. On September 6, Athersley South Primary School confirmed that a positive case of the virus had been identified at the school. Students in Year 8 and 9 only were advised to stay home for two weeks and have been told they can return to school on September 17. On September 8, Wellgate Primary School confirmed they had one confirmed case of the virus within the school. On September 7, Barugh Green Primary School closed two of its class bubbles after a child in each was confirmed to have the virus. On September 10, two departments at Barnsley College were closed after three members of staff tested positive for coronavirus. Consett Consett Academy told parents a child had tested positive on Tuesday. It said the school remains open however and that a small number of students are self-isolating. Darlington Four days after children returned to school Hummersknott Academy confirmed a Year 7 student had its first case of Covid-19. On Monday, Staindrop Academy told parents the school had a confirmed case. Durham Laurel Avenue Primary School told parents on Monday that a pupil had tested positive. The day after that Belmont School confirmed that a member of non-teaching staff had tested positive for Covid-19, with Coxhoe Primary School following closely behind. There has been a confirmed case of Covid-19 at Seaham Trinity Primary School in County Durham, meaning Year 1 pupils have to stay home. Gateshead St Thomas More Catholic School sent pupils home after a Year 9 student contracted the disease. Hartlepool St Aidan's primary school saw a pupil or staff member test positive. Head teacher Lynn Chambers told parents that after taking advice from Public Health England, there was no need to close parts of the school or ask any children to self-isolate. Houghton le Spring Shiney Row Primary School closed both Year 1 and Year 6 groups after a confirmed case within the school. Easington Lane Primary School shut its nursery after a member of staff tested positive for Covid-19 at the weekend. Lanchester The whole of Year 8 at St Bede's Catholic School and Sixth Form Centre were told to self-isolate after an infection was confirmed at the Lanchester school. North Shields Marden High School's headteacher said a pupil had tested positive for the virus. Ryhope St Patrick's Primary School is asking all children in reception to self-isolate for 14 days. YORKSHIRE AND HUMBER Bradford Dixons Academies Trust, which runs 12 academies in Bradford and Leeds, has confirmed that two staff members and one student have tested positive for the virus at three academies. While the Trust has not named the schools, two of them are understood to be Dixons Trinity Academy and Dixons Kings Academy. A small number of staff and students have been asked to self-isolate. On September 8 , Bradford Academy wrote to parents informing them that a member of staff had the bug. The school said that Public Health England's advice was to keep the bubble that the teacher taught in open, as he had socially distanced while teaching. On September 12, Parkside School closed after two members of staff tested positive for coronavirus. Cleethorpes A teacher at Cleethorpes Academy tested positive for Covid-19. However, because of the strict social distancing measures in place on the site, the school remains open to all other staff and pupils unless they fell unwell. Coulby Newham The King's Academy confirmed a positive test of a Year 7 pupil, prompting the entire year group to self-isolate. Keighley A staff member at Beckfoot Oakbank School tested positive for the virus and was asked to stay home for two weeks. Three other members of staff were also asked to self-isolate after coming into close contact with the staff member, though the school's head teacher said that no students have been affected. Leeds Bardsey Primary School will only welcome back Years 5 and 6 on September 8 after a member of staff tested positive. The rest of the school are now set for another week of home learning. On September 11, Castleton Primary School asked a small number of children to remain at home until September 21 after someone tested positive for the virus. Marsden A child in Year 6 at Lisle Marsden Church of England Primary Academy tested positive. Parents of other Year 6 children who have been in close proximity to the pupil have been contacted, but all other children are continuing to attend. Middlesborough Outwood Academy Ormesby school leaders said in a short statement that a confirmed case had been found within the school community earlier this week. The person who tested positive did not contract the virus at the secondary school. On Tuesday a Year 7 pupil had tested positive for the virus at Kings Academy. Their whole year group will now have to self-isolate. Nunthorpe Academy confirmed it had seen a Covid-19 case. All those with close contact to the affected pupil were told to self-isolate until September 22. Hemlington Hall Academy is to close for 14 days after five staff members tested positive for coronavirus. Ormesby Ormesby Primary School told its parents that all Year 5 pupils would need to self-isolate due to a confirmed case. Redcar A positive case had been recorded at St Benedicts RC primary school. Ings Farm Primary School has also seen a positive case, although it remains open to all but those directly in contact with the student. MIDLANDS Bicester Year 2 pupils and some staff at Five Acres Primary School were told to stay at home for 14 days following an outbreak. Bilborough Glenbrook Primary School partially closed after a member of staff tested positive. Bingham Robert Miles Junior School sent a Year 5 bubble home after a member of staff tested positive. Birmingham Pupils in Year 11 student at Greenwood Academy tested positive after showing symptoms of Covid-19, sparking a 14-day quarantine for classmates. A class of students at Erdington Academy have been sent home after a positive case. Year 8 and 11 bubbles at King Edward's Five Ways were told to self isolate after one pupil in each year group reported they had received a positive test result over the weekend. Hall Green Infant and Junior School sent home its Year 4 and 5s after positive cases, while a Year 1 class from Lakey Lane were sent home. All pupils and employees in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 at Prince Albert Primary School were told to stay home for 14 days. Yardley Primary School sent home pupils today after a positive case. Blaby Barlestone Primary School sent several pupils home after they came into contact with a student who tested positive for Covid-19. A Year 3 pupil caught the bug at Blaby Stone Primary, meaning everyone in the year had to self-isolate for 14 days. Blackfordby Blackfordby Church of England Primary has been shut for a deep clean after an outbreak. Blyth Newsham Primary School has sent its Year 1s home after a child tested positive. A reception class of 30 children at Bede Academy in Blyth have been advised to self-isolate until September 18 after a confirmed case. Braunstone A teacher tested positive at Fullhurst Community College, leading Year 10 pupils to a period of self-isolation. Bromford Pupils in Years 4 and 6 at Firs Primary Academy have been told to isolate for a fortnight following two confirmed cases at the school. Chapel Hill A member of staff at St Cecilia's RC High School tested positive on September 5. No pupils have been affected but 12 members of staff have been advised to self isolate for 14 days. Chesterfield Parents of Year 5 students at Newbold Church of England Primary School in Cranborne Road were told to collect children on Thursday. Coalville A school visited by Boris Johnson on August 26 temporarily shut after a member of staff caught the disease. The Castle Rock School hosted the Prime Minister as he went on a press tour when schools reopened after months of lockdown. Only those staff and students who came into direct contact with the person infected will be made to stay home for two weeks, with Castle Rock due to open its doors on September 15 to everyone else. Corby Studfall Junior Academy said a Year 4 pupil had tested positive for Covid-19. They are the only person that has had to self-isolate. A member of AYear 5 group at Hazel Leys Primary Academy tested positive, meaning their bubble has been told to home school for the next 14 days. Countesthorpe Four members of staff have had to isolate after a teacher caught the bug at Countesthorpe Leysland Community College. Coventry A child in Year 1 at Parkgate Primary School has caught the bug. Parents of all children in Year 1 at the school have been told that their child must self-isolate for 14 days as a precaution. Elsewhere in the city Longford Park Primary School, Foxford Community School, John Gulson Primary School, Park Hill Primary School and West Coventry Academy have reported cases. Before the weekend there were 23 confirmed cases in the city's school system. Croxton Kerrial Croxton Kerrial Primary School has been closed after a positive case was reported. Desford Last weekend at Bosworth Academy pupil found out they had the bug. They did not go to school on the Monday, meaning class can continue as normal. Dudley The Wordsley School confirmed there had been a positive case on September 8. Grantham All Year 7 pupils, along with four staff, have been sent home from Kings School. Groby Three members of staff at Brookdale Groby Learning Campus must self-isolate after catching the virus. Guildford Sandfield Primary School wrote to parents on September 7 to confirm it had sent the Year 3 bubble home after a positive case. Evington Judgemeadow Community College pupils in Year 10 and 11 have been sent home after a student got the bug. Harlow The Freshwaters Primary Academy closed on Tuesday after a number of students displayed coronavirus symptoms. The school announced it will stay shut until negative test results come back. Handsworth Wood Parents were told to pick their children up from school as soon as possible on September 10 after a case was confirmed in Year 2 at Cherry Orchard Primary School and Nursery. Heanor Senior staff at Heanor Gate Science College confirmed that a year 10 pupil had contracted the disease. But because the youngster had not been in lessons since last Friday, no other students need to self-isolate. Howitt Primary Community School sent a number of children home, who were in the same "bubble", after a Year 6 pupil also tested positive for coronavirus. Hucknall A member of staff at Holgate Primary and Nursery School tested positive, meaning they and 29 children were sent home. Humberstone A single pupil has tested positive at Merrydale Infants School. A teacher has been infected at Falcons Primary, leading Year 4 students to self-isolate. A Humberstone Junior Academy child also has the bug, meaning they and their bubble have to self-isolate. Kibworth A Year 10 student was sent home after one day back at Beauchamp College having tested positive. Kingshurst Tudor Grange Academy sent a letter to parents informing them that a Year 7 pupil had tested positive for Covid-19. The pupil was not in school whilst symptomatic but in accordance with guidelines, the pupils tutor and support bubble will be required to self-isolate. Leicester The Winstanley School has recorded a case. Parents have been urged to watch their children and get them to self-isolate if they begin showing symptoms. A member of staff and a teacher have tested positive for the bug at New College. A class bubble worth of pupils at English Martyrs School in Year 9 have been made to self-isolate after a pupil caught the disease. A single case at Wyvern Primary has seen several staff and pupils embark on a period of self-isolation, while a member of staff at Ellesmere College also has the bug. One student has been confirmed as having the virus at each of Orchard Mead Academy, Mowmacre Hill Primary, Catherine Infants School, Crown Hills Community College, City of Leicester College, Shenton Primary, Medway Primary, Overdale Infant School and Lancaster Academy. Loughborough Woodbrook Vale School has had to send several dozen pupils home for a fortnight after a single pupil caught the bug. Mansfield Two pupils at Berry Hill Primary School caught the bug, meaning two classes were put in self-isolation for two weeks. Market Harborough A pupil at Ridgeway Primary Academy has tested positive for the coronavirus. They have been asked to self-isolate for 10 days. Other pupils who were in close contact with the child have been asked to self-isolate for two weeks. Northampton Greenfields Specialist School for Communication has recorded a case. Because the school is separated into zones to stop everyone mixing, only limited numbers have been sent home. Northampton International Academy sent one bubble of students home after a teacher caught the bug. Nuneaton A pupil at Chetwynd Junior School tested positive. They have been told to self-isolate for 14 days along with people close to them. Nottingham Mellers Primary School has been forced to close after a teacher tested positive for coronavirus. The school confirmed a Year 1 teacher had tested positive for Covid-19 in a statement on its website. Oadby Brocks Hill Primary School has told two Year 3 classes worth of pupils to stay home for 14 days after two children tested positive. A Year 10 pupil at Gartree High School tested positive, prompting the rest of the year being told to stay home until September 21. Oldbury Pupils at Oldbury Academy were told they must self-isolate for 14 days on Friday, September 11. The rest of the school remains open, with children not directly affected by the case urged to attend as normal. Radford Mellers Primary School saw a Year 1 and Year 3 teacher test positive for coronavirus at the start of last week. All Year 1 and Year 3 pupils were been told to stay at home for 14 days and register for a test if they feel unwell. The school cannot currently reopen for the remaining pupils "for the time being" as too many staff members are either self-isolating or getting tested. Quinton Year 4 pupils at World's End Junior School have been ordered to remain at home. Retford A group of pupils from Carr Hill Primary School were sent home and told to self-isolate for 14 days after there was a positive case on-site. The school remains open. Rocester The JCB Academy confirmed a positive case after being one of the first schools in England to reopen in August. It was closed on Friday September 4 as a precaution but reopened the following on Monday with around 100 students self-isolating. Rothwell A Year 10 student in Montsaye Academy has caught the bug, meaning people in their bubble were told to self-isolate. Rugby St Matthews Bloxham Primary and Bilton High Schools have also both had positive cases. Neither of them have closed. Saltley Highfield Junior and Infant School in Saltley closed to pupils and staff in Year 4 and 5 after an unconfirmed number of cases. Sandwell Thirty students at Moat Farm Junior School were told to self-isolate on September 10, the day after Year 4 pupils and teachers from Ocker Hill Academy were sent home. Foxyards Primary School has had to send two year groups home after an outbreak. A bubble has been told to self-isolate following a case in Year 9 at Stuart Bathurst Catholic High School. Wodensborough Ormiston Academy confirmed a student had tested positive, leaving 27 students and one staff member in self-isolation. Sapcote A child tested positive at All Saints Church of England. Scampton Scampton C of E Primary School sent a class load of pupils and a teacher home after a student tested positve. EAST ANGLIA Beechdale Robert Shaw Primary and Nursery School has told Year 5s to self-isolate after a teacher caught the disease. Haverhill Five members of staff tested positive at Samuel Ward Academy. The school closed on Monday for a deep clean to be carried out and so the headteacher can establish who the staff members have been in contact with. It reopened on Wednesday. Hitchin Hitchin Boys' School closed after a member of staff tested positive. A 'significant number' of other staff are having to self isolate and a 'few cases' where pupils had closer contact with the staff member. Head teacher Fergal Moane confirmed the school is looking at a mixture of remote and on-site learning for the two week period. Kings Langley There has been a positive Covid-19 test of a Year 5 student at Kings Langley Primary School. The year five bubble were told to self-isolate for 14 days. Norwich A pupil or member of staff at George White Junior School was told to self-isolate for 14 days after testing positive for the coronavirus. Old Buckenham Old Buckenham High School closed last week after a member of staff tested positive. Radlett A 'small number of pupils' tested positive at the Hertsmere Jewish Primary School and three classes have been self-isolating as a result. SOUTH EAST Aylesford A Year 6 pupil from Valley Invicta Primary School tested positive and the whole year group were told to self isolate. Aylesbury A student at Aylesbury Grammar School has tested positive for Covid-19. One form group from Year 8 has been told to isolate as a result. Ashford There has been a case reported at Echelford Primary School. Battle Claverham Community College has had a confirmed case of Covid-19 but remains open. Bracknell Parents of students at Garth Hill College, Edgbarrow and The Brakenhale School have received letters warning that there have been outbreaks. Four students from Garth Hill's sixth form are in isolation as are an unspecified number from Brakenhale's Year 13. It is not known what year has been affected from Edgebarrow. Bromley Bromley College has been deep cleaned after a staff member tested positive for coronavirus - though students have been told to still attend. Red Hill Primary School confirmed an individual at the school has coronavirus and that everyone who was considered a 'close contact' has been asked to self-isolate for 14 days. Bushey Two members of staff tested positive at the Bushey Meads Academy and were sent home immediately. No students have been in close contact with the staff members. The headteacher says the school is safe and all necessary Public Health England advice is being followed. Chelmsford The head teacher of Great Baddow High School in Chelmsford confirmed that one of the pupils at the institution has received a positive diagnosis for Covid-19. Chesham An unknown number of pupils at Chesham Grammar School caught the virus last week. Most of them are said to have been infected abroad during the school holidays. The school had not reopened when the cases were confirmed. Chobham A pupil at Valley End C of E Infant School caught the bug. Croydon A staff member at Ridgeway Primary School and Nursery tested positive last Saturday - a couple of days before pupils returned for the new academic year. Dartford 'A number of staff' at Longfield Academy have been told to self-isolate after a member of support staff is unwell with a suspected case of Covid-19, a spokesman has said. Given the circumstances of the case it is being treated as a confirmed case. Didcot Hadden Hill Nursery was be closed until September Friday 11 following an outbreak. The nursery has not specified whether it is a child or a member of staff who has coronavirus. Enfield Wilbury Primary School welcomed back children on Monday but on Tuesday the school was forced to close a 'bubble class' after a child tested positive for the virus. Hersham Bell Farm Primary School sent letters to parents informing them that pupils in Year 1 have contracted the virus. Hove Six people have now tested positive for the coronavirus at Cardinal Newman Catholic School since the start of term. It is thought the cases are linked to an eighteenth birthday party, also attended by a Brighton, Hove And Sussex VI Form College student. A further three students at the college contracted the disease, with nine people in total now in isolation. Hounslow Heston Community School has suffered one positive case. The school has sent home one tutor group to self-isolate 'as a precautionary measure' but will remain open for everyone else. Cranford Community College announced a 'new female student' had received a positive test. A total of 27 students and two teachers who had been in contact with her have been told to self-isolate. Isle of Wight Cowes Primary School sent letters to parents saying an individual had coronavirus. The council said the school is following the advice of Public Health England and has asked the other children in that class bubble, the teacher and teaching assistant to self-isolate for 14 days. Maidenhead Manor Green School is the latest school to see positive test result. Headteacher Joolz Scarlett said: "Opening the school in an international pandemic is not without risk, and were a special school, so so some pupils have very complex special needs which make them vulnerable. So we have given parents the option to continue home schooling. Very few parents have taken us up on that offer and most pupils are in." Marlow There has been an outbreak amongst Sir William Borlase's Grammar School pupils. It is not known how many pupils were affected. Medway A Strood Academy employee and three other members of staff have been advised to self isolate after a positive case at the school. Oxford The Cherwell School advised pupils and parents that an unnamed employee had contracted Covid-19 and was self-isolating. Students are still expected to come to school. Reading A "class bubble" at Katesgrove Primary School, 30 pupils plus a teacher and an assistant, were sent home after a positive test this week. They must now self-isolate for a period of 14 days. Rayleigh A member of staff at Sweyne Park School tested positive for the virus. Any other staff member or pupil who came into close contact with the affected person has been sent home. SOUTH WEST Bristol One Year 6 child has been diagnosed with the bug at Shirehampton Primary School. The entire year group is self-isolating for 14 days. Two Mile Hill Primary School tested positive leading 160 students of mixed ages to self-isolate. John William Oasis Academy saw one confirmed case, leading all of Year 7 to isolate. Kings' Forest Primary School had one Year 1 pupil test positive, with the result being their 27 class mates being put in isolation. Calne St Margarets Preparatory School has asked all 27 pupils and three staff in Year 3 to self-isolate for 14 days. Plymouth A student at Plymouth College tested positive for coronavirus. The private school, located in Ford Park, confirmed a Year 11 day pupil has received a positive result for Covid-19 and the whole Year 11 "year group bubble" will isolate at home for a quarantine period of 14 days. In a message, the UN Secretary-General has also stated that well before COVID-19, frustration was rising and trust in public authorities was declining. International Day of Democracy allows everyone to review the state of democracy in the world. It is observed by all UN member states on 15 September. According to a report by The Times of India, on 15 September, 1997, the "Universal Declaration on Democracy" was adopted by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), an international organisation of national parliaments. The report adds that the declaration affirmed the principles of democracy, the elements and exercise of democratic government and the international scope of democracy. In 1988, the process for International Conferences on New and Restored Democracies (ICNRD) commenced as the Philippines overthrew the 20-year dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos and Corazon C. In 2006, the sixth conference of the ICNRD took place in Doha, Qatar, following which, an advisory board set up by the chair of the process (in this case Qatar), decided to promote an International Day of Democracy. On 8 November, 2007, the resolution, titled, Support by the United Nations system of efforts of Governments to promote and consolidate new or restored democracies was adopted. The link between democracy and human rights is captured in article 21(3) of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which states, The will of the people shall be the basis of the authority of government; this will shall be expressed in periodic and genuine elections which shall be by universal and equal suffrage and shall be held by secret vote or by equivalent free voting procedures. According to the United Nations, the unprecedented COVID-19 crisis has resulted in major social, legal and political challenges globally. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has urged governments to be crystal clear, responsive and accountable in COVID-19 response. He has also asked them to ensure that emergency measures are legal, proportionate and non-discriminatory. Guterres has added, "The best response is one that responds proportionately to immediate threats while protecting human rights and the rule of law." His policy brief also says states must respect and protect, among other rights, freedom of expression and of the press, freedom of information, freedom of association and of assembly. In a message, the UN Secretary-General has also stated that well before COVID-19, frustration was rising and trust in public authorities was declining. He added that governments must do more to listen to people demanding change. He urged them to seize the moment to build a more equal and inclusive world, with respect for human rights. Prashant Bhushan has said that he regrets not having realised in time that the India Against Corruption (IAC) campaign was propped up by the RSS to bring down the UPA government. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) founder member and senior lawyer was a core member of the anti-graft movement IAC that eventually became AAP. Bhushan was later expelled from the Arvind Kejriwal-led party along with Yogendra Yadav in 2015. But in hindsight there are two things which I regret. One is not having seen that the movement was to a very large extent supported and propped up by the BJP-RSS for their own political purposes to bring down the Congress government and get themselves to power, Bhushan said in an interview to India Today on September 12. Both Kejriwal and Bhushan were part of IAC core committee, also known as Team Anna, that in 2011 launched a nation-wide movement demanding a pan-India ombudsman or Lokpal. Kejriwal's two prominent Team Anna comrades --retired IPS officer Kiran Bedi and former Army Chief General (Retd) VK Singh -- have joined the BJP since. Bedi, BJPs CM candidate against Arvind Kejriwal in 2015 elections which she lost, is currently Lieutenant Governor (L-G) of Puducherry. General (Retd) VK Singh is serving as Minister of State for Roads, Transport and Highways in the Narendra Modi government. In the past, the Congress party had made similar remarks accusing that RSS was behind the IAC that targeted UPA government for being corrupt. Bhushans latest remarks evoked a response from the Congress party's former president, Rahul Gandhi. What was known to us has been confirmed by a founding AAP member. The IAC movement & AAP were propped up by the RSS/BJP to subvert democracy and bring down the UPA government, Gandhi tweeted on September 15. Unlike many other Team Anna members, Bhushan and Kejriwal continued to work together, till April 2015 when the two differed on ideological issues in handling AAP following which the Supreme Court lawyer was expelled from the party. Anna Hazare was probably not aware of it. Arvind (Kejriwal) was aware of it and I have very little doubt of that, Bhushan said referring to the three-time Chief Minister of Delhi. Bhushan said his second regret was that he could not understand Kejriwals 'unscrupulous' character early enough. "I understood it too late by which we have created another Frankenstein monster, he said in the interview. I was exceedingly fond of Arvind but I was never very critically looking at him in order to see whether he was unscrupulous in his means.. but it became clear immediately after the Lok Sabha elections, one after another things unfolded, that he was not just unscrupulous and dictatorial but he had contempt for the policies of the party, Bhushan said In 2015, Bhushan made allegations against the party's leadership, including Kejriwal, its functioning and its deviation from the core ideology, values and commitments. Later, Bhushan and Yadav founded Swaraj Abhiyan. Many AAP leaders have often accused Bhushan of supporting Kiran Bedi as BJP's CM candidate in 2015 and wanting AAP to form government in Delhi with the BJP. IAC also referred as Team Anna could not stay together with its main face Anna Hazare not agreeing with Kejriwal and his other colleagues decision to jump in the political fray in 2012. Anna Hazare has been relatively silent with an appearance here and there. Other prominent Team Anna members including Shanti Bhushan, father of Prashant Bhushan, social activist Medha Patkar, poet Kumar Vishwas, to name a few, have taken different routes since then over disagreements with Kejriwal. Google has confirmed the launch of its upcoming products for September 30. Along with new Pixels, we'll also see a smart speaker and Chromecast. Google has finally announced the launch date of its flagship Pixel 5 smartphone. At its Launch Night In event, Google will also launch its new Chromecast, new smart speaker and the Pixel 4a 5G. The Google Pixel 5 event will take place on September 30. This will be a proper event unlike the Pixel 4a launch. Google will also livestream its Launch Night In event that is scheduled to start at 11 AM PT which is 11:30 PM IST. Livestream details are yet to be announced but it will most likely happen through YouTube. Google had already confirmed the launch of Pixel 5 and Pixel 4a 5G. Whats new is the launch of a Chromecast and smart speaker. But both products have been spotted in multiple leaks already. Google Pixel 5 will be the companys flagship phone, and it will come with 5G support. The smartphone is also expected to come with the Snapdragon 765G chipset, OLED 90Hz display, up to 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. Pixel 5 is also said to house two rear cameras, and feature wireless charging. As for the Pixel 4a 5G, this will be the 5G variant of the mid-range Pixel. Other than the 5G support, the new Pixel 4a is expected to offer the same set of features as the regular variant. Google has however confirmed that the 5G Pixel 4a will not launch in India. The new Google Chromecast codenamed Sabrina is tipped to cost around $50. It is expected to come bundled with a remote control that will have a dedicated Google Assistant button. More features expected on the new Google Chromecast include 4K support, HDR, Dolby Vision, and a revamped UI for Android TV as well. Google confirmed its new Nest smart speaker this July. It looks more like a bigger version of the Google Nest Mini, and in an oblong-like cylindrical design. The smart speaker will come in a light blue colour but a pink variant has been spotted as well. Post-Brexit border chaos could result in a queue of 7,000 lorries in Kent with heavy goods vehicles having to wait two days to make the crossing to the EU, according to a leaked Government report. A 'reasonable worst case' scenario put forward by the Border and Protocol Delivery Group also warned Eurostar passengers could have to wait an extra two hours for trains. The report, seen by The Guardian, suggested that between 50 and 70 per cent of large businesses will be ready for post-Brexit customs arrangements on January 1. A leaked Government report suggested post-Brexit border chaos could result in a queue of 7,000 lorries in Kent. The Port of Dover is pictured on August 14 Meanwhile, only 20 to 40 per cent of small to medium sized firms will be prepared when the transition period comes to an end in December. Under the 'reasonable worst case' scenario, based on between 30 to 60 per cent of lorries being ready for new border arrangements, the report estimated 'a maximum queue of 6,500 HGVs may develop in January'. However, it warns that could grow to 7,000 by the first week of February because of 'sustained disruption'. The report added: 'In each case it is estimated that HGVs could take two days to reach the front of the queue.' It also warns of 'significant disruption' for Eurostar passengers in the event the UK and EU split without agreeing terms on their future relationship. It cites modelling from last year which suggested new border controls could result in 'queues of many thousands'. The 46-page report, dated last week, also said an essential IT system used by hauliers will not be tested publicly until the end of November, just one month before the transition period ends. The emergence of the report comes less than a week after road haulage chiefs warned MPs there is an 80 per cent chance of 'chaos in Kent' on January 1 because the Government has failed to put in place an adequate post-Brexit customs system. Richard Burnett, chief executive of the Road Haulage Association, said ministers were in 'denial' about the prospect of a border meltdown as lorry drivers are forced to adapt to new paperwork. However, a Cabinet Office spokeswoman said in a statement the Government was using a 'stretching scenario' in the leaked report as opposed to a prediction. She said: 'As a responsible government we continue to make extensive preparations for a wide range of scenarios, including the reasonable worst case. 'This is not a forecast or prediction of what will happen but rather a stretching scenario. It reflects a responsible government ensuring we are ready for all eventualities.' Islamabad, Sep 15 : United States Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad made a day-long visit to Pakistan on Monday to hold important meetings with the Pakistani military and civilian leadership to pave the way forward in the Afghan peace process. During his stay in Islamabad, Khalilzad met with Pakistan Army Chief Qamar Javed Bajwa at the General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi. Khalilzad appreciated Pakistan's "sincere and unconditional support" for Afghan peace, adding that the peace process would not have been possible without Islamabad's support. Khalilzad was accompanied by a three-member delegation of senior US officials. During the meeting, Ambassador Mohammad Sadiq, Pakistan's Special Representative for Afghanistan was also present. "All elements of national power are united towards making that vision a reality to ensure long-awaited peace, progress, and prosperity in the region", stated an Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) press release quoting the Pakistan Army Chief. The Pakistani side further elaborated on its proposed four-pronged strategy which includes: Continuation of support to the Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process while respecting the consensus that emerges from intra-Afghan negotiations. Ensuring that Afghanistan neither witnesses the violent days of the past nor becomes a space for elements who would harm others beyond its borders. Deepening and sustaining economic development. Ensuring a well-resourced, time-bound return of Afghan refugees to their homeland with dignity and honor. Interestingly, Khalilzad did not meet Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan or Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and only had a meeting with the Pakistan Army Chief and Ambassador Sadiq. It is believed that the quick trip of Khalilzad to Pakistan is to seek Islamabad's help to press the Taliban and compel them to announce a long-term ceasefire during the first round of talks in Doha. The Afghan government has been asking for a long-term ceasefire to the Taliban and has kept this point on top of its agenda during the ongoing talks in Doha. Abdullah Abdullah, head of the peace process and negotiating team from the Afghan government has even offered release of more prisoners and jailed fighters of the Taliban in exchange for a long-term ceasefire by the Taliban. However, the Taliban have not yet announced a truce as they came to the negotiating table. "The presence of government negotiators at the talks is aimed at achieving a ceasefire, ending the violence and ensuring lasting peace and stability in the country", said Sediq Seddiqi, Afghan presidential spokesperson. The 2020 Taihe Civilizations Forum concluded on September 12. During the seven-day forum, more than 130 leading experts and scholars from China and abroad participated in the four sub-sessions - International Relations, Education and Culture, Advanced Technology, and Youth Dialogue - sharing views on harmonious and sustainable development and enhancing mutual understanding through listening and explaining. In the sub-session on International Relations, participants held discussions under the theme China-U.S. Relations and the Impacts on the World, and reached six consensuses. First, China-U.S. relations, as the most important bilateral relationship in the world, are critical to the well-being of the two countries and the rest of the world, and affect global peace and stability. Second, conflicts between China and the U.S. are a disaster for both countries and the entire world. This means that measures must be taken to prevent this dangerous situation from arising and to bring China-U.S. relations back to a healthy, stable, and mutually beneficial trajectory. Third, China and the U.S. should tackle their problems through dialogue. Holding dialogue is the wise choice for resolving differences, the proper way to establish mutual trust, and the optimal method for reducing misjudgment. Without dialogue, no problems can be solved. Fourth, both China and the U.S. need to take action, control their differences, and handle divergences reasonably, instead of creating or exacerbating these differences. China-U.S. relations need to adhere to a non-confrontational approach, and be conducted in a controlled manner. Fifth, China and the U.S. should cooperate more, especially in the battle against the COVID-19 pandemic, and promote economic recovery in the post-pandemic era. Cooperation also needs to be conducted on global and regional hotspot issues. Sixth, we should be more cautious and ensure that China-U.S. relations do not exert a negative influence on third parties, in particular, forcing other countries to choose sides, which is something other countries do not want to be forced to do. In the sub-session on Education and Culture, guests from China and overseas worked around the theme of Constructing the spectrum of vocational ability of future talents. Participants at the forum all agreed that vocational qualification frameworks were commonly used in most countries with advanced vocational education systems, and China should also take it as an important direction in its own vocational education reform. The COVID-19 outbreak and the development of new technology has triggered global economic changes and industrial adjustments, as well as a new round of vocational education reforms. To meet the demands for reform, countries should learn from each other and strengthen cooperation in vocational education. All parties participating in the forum agreed to share information, create cooperative opportunities, and enjoy win-win results in the future. In the sub-session on Advanced Technology, focusing on the theme of Maintaining Global Biosecurity with Emerging Technologies and Innovative Mechanisms, experts and representatives of enterprises working in the fields of biomedicine and biosecurity, digital and information technology, and ethics and governance from China and abroad gathered to take part in in-depth discussions and exchanges. Experts believe that in order to deal with biosecurity threats and challenges, and improve biosecurity governance capabilities, we should not only leverage the power of science and technology, but also change peoples thinking and behavioral patterns, and address interpersonal relationships as well as the relationship between human beings and nature, in order to address the biosecurity issues human beings are facing through systematic understanding and solutions. In the Youth Dialogue sub-session, a comprehensive discussion was held among international young talents, focusing on education reform during the pandemic and climate change, which concerns all of humanity. They concluded that the rampant COVID-19 pandemic was a wake-up call to mankind and promoted reforms in various areas through concept innovation and technological development. At this critical moment of a worsening global environment, changing international circumstances, and an accelerated technological revolution, young leaders representing our future should embrace the digital era, work hard, cooperate with one another, and help build a community of shared future for mankind and contribute to the harmonious and healthy development of the world. Patrick Kielty and Cat Deeley have decided to quit the US to protect their children from gun violence. (AP) Cat Deeley has revealed she decided to move back to the UK after husband Patrick Kielty and her son were caught up in a shopping mall shooting. The Birmingham-born TV presenter has lived in Los Angeles for 14 years hosting US shows including So You Think You Can Dance and The Choice. But she and her family have now made the decision to return to Britain. Deeley, 43, told YOU magazine how Irish comedian Kielty, 49, and her four-year-old son Milo were on a trip to the Century City Mall in LA when police officers arrived and told them to take cover because a gunman was on the loose. Read more: Ant & Dec share amazing throwback pic with Cat Deeley on SMTV anniversary The former SM:TV presenter said: They shut down the centre. I got a call from Paddy, saying, Theyre taking us out through the fire exits but nobody can get to their car. If we walk to a junction, can you come and get us? He wanted to keep Milo calm, so I didnt understand the enormity of what was happening. as I was driving I began to see helicopters, news vans, firemen and SWAT [armed police response] squads. It makes me go funny now. It was terrifying. Deeley explained Kielty and her son had been in a fast food restaurant and were pushed into the kitchen, where the comedian distracted his son by playing Peppa Pig on his phone. She said her husband was shaken by the incident but fortunately Milo, though hot and cranky, had not understood what was going on. Cat Deeley has hosted 'So You Think You Can Dance' in the US since 2006. (FOX via Getty Images) Deeley, who is also mother to two-year-old son James, admitted fear had played a part in the familys decision to leave America. Read more: Cat Deeley is pregnant with her and Patrick Kielty's second child She said: There was a moment when I was with a friend looking at potential schools for Milo and we had to ask the question nobody wants to, What do you do if there is a live shooter on the premises? They tell you exactly what would happen, whether the kids would go to a safe room or hide under the desks... The danger suddenly becomes a reality. Deeley and Kielty were friends for many years before they began dating. They married in Rome in 2012. Watch: Cat Deeley cringes watching her first screen test for SMTV SMITHFIELD, Va., Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Smithfield Foods, Inc. (the "Company") today announced the results of its previously announced cash tender offers (collectively, the "Tender Offers") to purchase any and all of its 2.650% Senior Unsecured Notes due 2021 (the "2021 Notes") and its 3.350% Senior Unsecured Notes due 2022 (the "2022 Notes," and together with the 2021 Notes, the "Notes"), the 2021 Notes and 2022 Notes each having an aggregate outstanding principal amount of $400.0 million. The Tender Offers expired at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on September 14, 2020 (the "Expiration Time"). According to information provided by D.F. King & Co., Inc., the information and tender agent for the Tender Offers, $89,216,000 aggregate principal amount of the 2021 Notes, or 22.30% of the aggregate principal amount outstanding, and $ 91,586,000 aggregate principal amount of the 2022 Notes, or 22.90% of the aggregate principal amount outstanding, were validly tendered at or prior to the Expiration Time and not validly withdrawn. There were no tenders of Notes pursuant to the guaranteed delivery procedures described in the Offer to Purchase dated September 8, 2020. On September 15, 2020, which is the expected settlement date (the "Settlement Date"), the Company expects to pay for the Notes validly tendered and not validly withdrawn. The Company will pay all holders of the 2021 Notes accepted for purchase in the tender offer $1,006.25 per $1,000 principal amount of 2021 Notes tendered and all holders of the 2022 Notes accepted for purchase in the tender offer $1,010.00 principal amount of 2022 Notes tendered, in each case plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but not including, the Settlement Date. Barclays Capital Inc. and BofA Securities acted as the dealer managers for the Tender Offers. The information agent and tender agent is D.F. King & Co., Inc. Questions regarding the Tender Offers should be directed to Barclays Capital Inc. at (212) 528-7581 (Collect) (800) 438-3242 (U.S. Toll-free) or [email protected] and BofA Securities at (980) 387-3907 (Collect) or [email protected]. This announcement does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any security and shall not constitute an offer, solicitation or sale in any jurisdiction in which such offering, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. Cautionary Statement on Forward-Looking Language Forward-looking statements are made throughout this release. The forward-looking information may include statements concerning the Company's outlook for the future, as well as other statements of beliefs, future plans and strategies or anticipated events, and similar expressions concerning matters that are not historical facts. The forward-looking information and statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, the statements. These risks and uncertainties include availability and prices of livestock, raw materials and supplies, livestock costs, livestock disease, food safety, product pricing, the competitive environment and related market conditions, ability to make and successfully integrate acquisitions, operating efficiencies, access to capital, the cost of compliance with environmental and health standards, adverse results from ongoing litigation, actions of domestic and foreign governments and the impact of the COVID-19 global pandemic. These forward-looking statements represent the Company's judgment as of the date of this press release. The Company disclaims, however, any intent or obligation to update these forward-looking statements. There can be no assurance that the proposed transactions will be completed as anticipated or at all. About Smithfield Foods, Inc. Headquartered in Smithfield, Va. since 1936, Smithfield Foods, Inc. is an American food company with agricultural roots and a global reach. Our 40,000 U.S. and 15,000 European employees are dedicated to producing "Good food. Responsibly." and have made us one of the world's leading vertically integrated protein companies. We have pioneered sustainability standards for more than two decades, including many industry firsts, such as our ambitious commitment to cut our carbon impact by 25 percent by 2025. We believe in the power of protein to end food insecurity and have donated hundreds of millions of food servings to our neighbors in need. Smithfield boasts a portfolio of high-quality iconic brands, such as Smithfield, Eckrich and Nathan's Famous, among many others. SOURCE Smithfield Foods, Inc. Related Links www.smithfieldfoods.com LOS ANGELESIn the wake of Saturday nights shooting of two L.A. County Sheriffs Department deputies in Compton, several activists have come forward to denounce the violence and urge the department to engage in more dialogue with the community. Najee Ali, an activist at the forefront of ongoing protests around the Aug. 31 fatal shooting of Dijon Kizzee, and LaWanda Hawkins, the founder of Justice for Murdered Children, a group that represents families of homicide victims, stood Monday morning outside St. Francis Medical Center in Lynwood to deliver a reconciliatory message amid rising tensions between residents and law enforcement. We dont support shooting. We dont support the murder of anybody, Ali told a group of reporters. At the end of the day, were not against the Sheriffs Department. Were not against law enforcement. We are simply against police abuse, police racial profiling, police mistreatment of Black and brown residents within the city. Both deputies, one a 31-year-old mother of a six-year-old boy and the other a 24-year-old man, were shot in the head near the Compton Metro station in what authorities have described as an ambush. They were listed in stable condition, and authorities are looking for the gunman who was captured on video firing into their patrol car. Officials have not offered a motive for the attack, which came in the midst of tense nightly protests near the South L.A. sheriffs station to condemn the deputy shooting last month of Dijon Kizzee, 29, in the Westmont neighbourhood. Some of the demonstrations have escalated into violent clashes with deputies, and protesters have said theyve sustained injuries from projectiles fired by officials. Sheriffs officials, however, have not linked Saturdays shooting to the protests. Compton and South L.A. communities have had to contend with a spate of recent violence involving the Sheriffs Department. Last Thursday, detectives from the Operation Safe Streets Bureau also killed a man who they said opened fire on them as they served a search warrant in Compton, the Sheriffs Department said. Ali and Hawkins referenced videos that have surfaced showing people celebrating the shooting of the deputies. On Saturday night, some demonstrators showed up at St. Francis Medical Center, with one identifying himself as a member of an activist group called the Africa Town Coalition. Videos capture at least one person in the crowd yelling, I hope they ... die. Ali said the activists dont represent our community, our movement, our struggle for justice, and Hawkins pleaded with residents to help identify the shooter. What happened to those deputies should never have happened, and those who know anything should call in immediately, she said. During a separate Monday news conference, County Supervisor Kathryn Barger also condemned the actions of the group outside the hospital. She said she supports peaceful protest but that a line had been crossed. The events of this weekend have made it clear to me that the anti-law enforcement rhetoric expressed by many elected officials, community leaders and others has created a toxic environment amid the time of civil unrest, she said. Not only is this dangerous for those who are working to serve and protect us, but the communities that they are trying to protect. Experts, though, have warned that such assumptions are misguided and that protests are repose to problems, not the cause. Thats a really, really important thing to point out, because you absolutely will get people who will spin this into meaning that these protests are causing problems, Dr. Sarah Vinson, a forensic psychiatrist and associate professor of psychiatry at Morehouse School of Medicine, told the Los Angeles Times. Pastor Michael Fisher of Greater Zion Church Family in Compton, which has about 3,000 families, said he believes theres a climate of mistrust in law enforcement that hasnt been addressed by officials. There is a lot of hurt in our community that is now spawning a lot of hatred, and its unjustifiable, but you can understand how we got there, he said. For months, Fisher has been pushing for the Compton sheriffs station to support the creation of an advisory council composed of civilians that would relay community concerns to officials. The community is hearing nothing, he said. The community is demanding answers, and all theyre getting from law enforcement is, Its under investigation. The Sheriffs Department did not respond to a request for comment. Before approaching a group of sheriffs officials outside the hospital with a bouquet of flowers to deliver to the injured deputies, Ali called on the department to fire deputies in Compton and elsewhere in the county who are part of tattooed cliques known for an aggressive policing style. He asked for honest dialogue between the community and the department. I would not be a leader if I did not hold both sides accountable, he said. Times staff writers Laura Nelson and Kevin Rector contributed to this report. Amazon is huddling with the largest mall owner in the United States to turn anchor stores into fulfillment centers. The deal with Simons Property Group would give Amazon access to space formerly occupied by Sears and J.C. Penney, both of which have filed for bankruptcy, the Wall Street Journal has reported. If Amazon can close the deal, it would give the company access to some valuable geography that it ordinarily wouldnt have access to. Its difficult to get warehouses in suburban areas, observed Gene Munster, co-founder of Loup Ventures, a venture capital firm in Minneapolis. Theres also the potential for adding, eventually, a brick-and-mortar experience, he told the E-Commerce Times. In-Person Shopping Not Dead Yet Consumers want a brick-and-mortar experience when they cant wait to buy something or they need to touch it before they buy it. Theres still a use case for humans wanting something immediately, where a delivery person cant get it to them, Munster said. Amazons biggest opportunity in the next decade is to advance into brick and mortar, he maintained. It sounds counter intuitive, but it isnt because in the next 10 years, we believe that 40 to 50 percent of total commerce will be brick and mortar. Chelsea Gross, director for digital performance benchmarks at Gartner, explained that Amazon has continued to increase its physical presence over the years. It may surprise some to know that they have multiple stores in a number of cities, she told the E-Commerce Times, but I am surprised that they are considering to build out, especially when e-commerce revenue has increased substantially. Longest Last Mile Amazon could be eyeing former anchor stores in malls as a way to take advantage of contemporary brick-and-mortar trends. In recent times, big flagship stores and small experience stores have proven to be most successful. Amazon has made its way into some of the smaller experience stores with its convenience stores and books and media stores so it makes sense to move into a larger format that builds on what theyve done with Whole Foods, Gross said, but its also possible that theyll just use these space to better operate last mile fulfillment. A D V E R T I S E M E N T The last mile of delivery has been the most difficult for Amazon, noted Patrick Gourley, an assistant professor at the Pompea College of Business at the University of New Haven. Amazon gets packages to the nearest fulfillment center and then FedEx, UPS or USPS delivers it in the last mile, he explained. If it wants more fulfillment centers to bring some of that delivery in-house, it could be useful to take up space in a mall, he continued. Theyre in residential areas and theyre the only buildings with large amounts of empty square footage in those areas. Theyve dipped their toe in retail, he added, but I dont know if theres going to be an Amazon store near you any time soon. Touch and Immediacy Amazon could use the mall space for multiple purposes, noted Charles King, the principal analyst at Pund-IT. The company could use a portion of those spaces for local pickup or, eventually, repurpose them into retail outlets, he told the E-Commerce Times. Im sure Amazon is considering other options, as well. Mark William Lewis, CEO of Netalico Commerce, an e-commerce development agency based in Raleigh, N.C., acknowledged that it might seem like an odd choice for Amazon to move more into the brick-and-mortar business in the age of COVID when e-commerce is booming. But its been plotting this for years in advance, since they purchased Whole Foods, he told the E-Commerce Times. COVID likely means they can get retail space for quite a discount. One of the advantages physical retail space has over e-commerce is discovery, he explained. You might go into a store for one thing, but then see something while youre there and come out with a shopping cart full of other things that you didnt even know existed. E-commerce stores try to do this through things like recommended products, he continued, but theres only so much cross-selling they can get in your face before you leave the website. A D V E R T I S E M E N T Another advantage is that many products, like clothing, benefit greatly from being able to touch, feel, and try on before you buy, he added. Then some people just need something immediately, he said. As fast as Amazon has gotten with delivery, sometimes you want to walk in a store and come out with your product. No Mall Savior If mall tenants are hoping Amazon will change their fortunes, that prospect isnt likely in the short-term. I believe the primary drivers for Amazons interest are the number of properties, their proximity to urban and suburban customers and the distressed owners looking for a way out, King said. Amazon is one of few companies I can think of that has both the interest and the means of making deals of this size, he added. Lewis, too, sees Amazon lured to a deal by cheap space. I can see them taking advantage of this for a combination of retail warehouses and fulfillment centers, he said. They may get some potential foot traffic from the mall, but theyre also getting prime fulfillment locations in the heart of many metropolitan areas. Wildlife experts in New Mexico say birds in the region are dropping dead in alarming numbers, potentially in the "hundreds of thousands." It appears to be an unprecedented and a very large number, Martha Desmond, a professor at New Mexico State Universitys department of fish, wildlife, and conservation ecology, told NBCs Albuquerque affiliate KOB. New Mexico residents have reported coming upon dead birds on hiking trails, missile ranges, and other locations. In a video posted by Las Cruces Sun News, journalist Austin Fisher shows a cluster of dead birds he discovered while on a hike on September 13 in the states northern Rio Arriba County. I have no idea, Fisher says in the video, as he pans the camera to reveal what appears to be dozens of birds laying dead on the ground. Birds in southern New Mexico that have mysteriously died. (Allison Salas) Desmond said it is difficult to say how many birds are dying, but that there have been reports across the state. I can say it would easily be in the hundreds of thousands of birds." Multiple agencies are investigating the occurrences, including the Bureau of Land Management and the White Sands Missile Range, a military testing area. On the missile range we might in a week find, get a report of, less than half a dozen birds, Trish Butler, a biologist at the range, told KOB. This last week we've had a couple hundred, so that really got our attention. Its unclear to scientists why the die-off is occurring, and Desmond said its possible it was caused by a cold front that hit New Mexico last week or by recent droughts. Desmond also told KOB the deaths could be related to the wildfires in the West. There may have been some damage to these birds in their lungs. It may have pushed them out early when they weren't ready to migrate. Researchers are looking into a large die-off of migrating birds in New Mexico last weekend as well as reports from other areas. Not much is known about the impacts of smoke and wildfires on birds, so the more data they collect, the better to understand this. ODFW (@MyODFW) September 14, 2020 The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife said on Twitter that not much is known about the impacts of smoke and wildfires on birds. Scientists are asking the public to report sightings of dead birds to an online database, and that people safely collect the dead birds so that researchers can study them closer. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com. DUBLIN, Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Non-Optical Pressure Sensor Market - Forecasts from 2020 to 2025" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The global non-optical pressure sensor market is estimated to be valued at US$2.445 billion in 2019 and is projected to grow at a healthy CAGR during the forecast period. Pressure sensors are referred to as devices that are equipped with pressure-sensing elements for the measurement of pressure and finally covert the value into an electronic signal in the form of an output. The market is projected to hold strong prospects for growth in the forecast period due to the immense applications of pressure sensors across varied end-use industries. For example, in HVAC systems, pressure systems are utilized for monitoring the condition of air filters. As filters clog with particulates, a differential pressure across filter rises and this can be detected. The improved GPS location is offered by the use of pressure sensors. An altitude can be measured through the detection of barometric pressure due to an association between the barometric pressure and altitude in the atmosphere. Furthermore, pressure sensors are utilized in wearables for the monitoring of patients and the elderly in assisted living environments. In the case of an event, like a fall, the sensors bring it to the notice of a medical staff or a family member. The mechanism lies in the measurement of small changes in air pressure by the pressure sensor. In the present COVID-19 scenario, the use of pressure sensors in medical ventilators is fueling the market demand in 2020 owing to the surging demand for ventilators for the treatment of patients suffering from the deadly disease. However, in other industries, the market is projected to experience a slight decline in 2020 owing to the shutting down of manufacturing operations due to labour shortages, work-from-home, and lockdown initiatives. Also, the advent of optical pressure sensors and due to its better performance in comparison to the traditional pressure sensors, the market growth is projected to hamper in the forecast period. The growing utilization of automated drug delivery system is fueling the market growth during the course of the forecast period. It has been observed that pressure sensors are placed in automated drug delivery systems in order to deliver proper dosage to the patients. Hence, the market is projected to grow at a significant pace over the next five years. The major factors supporting the growth of the utilization of drug delivery systems include growing number of chronic diseases like diabetes, and respiratory diseases. In addition, the growing geriatric population suffering from age-associated diseases are further propelling the market demand. It has been predicted by the National Institutes of Health that the diabetes prevalence in America is predicted to rise by 54% affecting over 54.9 million Americans between 2015-2030. Also, annual deaths due to diabetes is predicted to surge by 38% to 385,800. The total annual medical and societal costs linked to diabetes is predicted to rise around 53% to over USD622 billion by the end of 2030. Significant efforts are being made towards effective diabetes management. The emergence of advanced insulin delivery systems with automated dispensing systems is providing relief for many patients suffering from this disease. According to the USFDA news release on December 2019, the organization announced the authorization of the first interoperable automated glycemic controller device that is capable of automatically adjusting the insulin delivery to a diabetic patient. The Automated insulin dosing (AID) system consist of a pump, continuous glucose monitor (CGM), and a software for controlling the system of compatible devices. With automated dispensing devices increasingly present in varied healthcare organizations, the market is propelled to grow during the forecast period. In addition, the shift to direct patient care, changes in healthcare systems, and cost-reduction pressures is further offering high growth prospects for automated drug delivery systems to proliferate, further contributing to surging the market growth during the course of the forecast period. The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists approved the use of automated drug dispensing system distribution as this has contributed to releasing the pharmacists from labour-intensive drug distribution functions. The presence of companies offering pressure sensors that fulfill the requirements of the various end-user industries is driving the market growth during the forecast period. Key Topics Covered: 1. Introduction 1.1. Market Definition 1.2. Market Segmentation 2. Research Methodology 2.1. Research Data 2.2. Assumptions 3. Executive Summary 3.1. Research Highlights 4. Market Dynamics 4.1. Market Drivers 4.2. Market Restraints 4.3. Market Opportunities 4.4. Porters Five Forces Analysis 4.4.1. Bargaining Power of Suppliers 4.4.2. Bargaining Power of Buyers 4.4.3. Threat of New Entrants 4.4.4. Threat of Substitutes 4.4.5. Competitive Rivalry in the Industry 4.5. Industry Value Chain Analysis 5. Non-Optical Pressure Sensor Market Analysis, by Sensor Technology 5.1. Introduction 5.2. Potentiometric 5.3. Inductive 5.4. Capacitive 5.5. Others 6. Non-Optical Pressure Sensor Market Analysis, by End-User Industry 6.1. Introduction 6.2. Automotive 6.3. Medical 6.4. Chemical 6.5. Aviation 6.6. Others 7. Non-Optical Pressure Sensor Market Analysis, by Geography 7.1. Introduction 7.2. North America 7.2.1. North America Non-Optical Pressure Sensor Market, By Sensor Technology 7.2.2. North America Non-Optical Pressure Sensor Market, By End-User Industry 7.2.3. By Country 7.2.3.1. United States 7.2.3.2. Canada 7.2.3.3. Mexico 7.3. South America 7.3.1. South America Non-Optical Pressure Sensor Market, By Sensor Technology 7.3.2. South America Non-Optical Pressure Sensor Market, By End-User Industry 7.3.3. By Country 7.3.3.1. Brazil 7.3.3.2. Argentina 7.3.3.3. Others 7.4. Europe 7.4.1. Europe Non-Optical Pressure Sensor Market, By Sensor Technology 7.4.2. Europe Non-Optical Pressure Sensor Market, By End-User Industry 7.4.3. By Country 7.4.3.1. UK 7.4.3.2. Germany 7.4.3.3. France 7.4.3.4. Others 7.5. Middle East and Africa 7.5.1. Middle East and Africa Non-Optical Pressure Sensor Market, By Sensor Technology 7.5.2. Middle East and Africa Non-Optical Pressure Sensor Market, By End-User Industry 7.5.3. By Country 7.5.3.1. United Arab Emirates 7.5.3.2. Israel 7.5.3.3. Saudi Arabia 7.5.3.4. Others 7.6. Asia Pacific 7.6.1. Asia Pacific Non-Optical Pressure Sensor Market, By Sensor Technology 7.6.2. Asia Pacific Non-Optical Pressure Sensor Market, By End-User Industry 7.6.3. By Country 7.6.3.1. Japan 7.6.3.2. China 7.6.3.3. India 7.6.3.4. Australia 7.6.3.5. Others 8. Competitive Environment and Analysis 8.1. Major Players and Strategy Analysis 8.2. Emerging Players and Market Lucrativeness 8.3. Mergers, Acquisitions, Agreements, and Collaborations 8.4. Vendor Competitiveness Matrix 9. Company Profiles 9.1. Emerson Electric Co. 9.2. Honeywell International Inc. 9.3. Rotork 9.4. Pentair 9.5. Parker Hannifin Corp. 9.6. ABB 9.7. SMC Corporation 9.8. Eaton Corporation plc 9.9. Festo Group For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/8qs2za Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research. Media Contact: Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager [email protected] For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 SOURCE Research and Markets Related Links http://www.researchandmarkets.com YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 15, ARMENPRESS. All three candidates nominated to the three vacant positions of Constitutional Court judges were confirmed to the posts by parliament. The three candidates Yervand Khundkaryan, Artur Vagharshyan and Edgar Shatiryan, were nominated by the General Assembly of Judges, the President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian, and the Cabinet respectively. All three candidates passed the confirmation vote with near-unanimous results. However, the two opposition parties Prosperous Armenia (BHK) and Bright Armenia (LHK), boycotted the voting, claiming that the entire process is taking place with violations. The three justices will officially assume office in an inauguration ceremony in parliament. Yervand Khundkaryan, Artur Vagharshyan and Edgar Shatiryan were nominated for the positions to replace justices Felix Tokhyan, Hrant Nazaryan, and Alvina Gyulumyan, who were ousted after the parliament passed on June 22 the ruling blocs constitutional amendments on suspending their powers. The chief justice of the high court, Hrayr Tovmasyan, was also suspended. His position remains vacant. Reporting by Anna Grigoryan; Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan On September 14, the US President Donald Trump vowed that the United States would retaliate with attacks 1000 times greater in magnitude if Iran planned vengeance for the killing of its top general Qasem Soleimani in January 2020. Taking to his official Twitter handle, Trump threatened Iranian leader Hassan Rouhani, saying, that any attack by Iran in any form will be dealt with attacks of tenfold intensity. Trumps threats came in the backdrop of the reports of an alleged Iranian plot to assassinate the US ambassador to South Africa, Lana Marks. ...caused over so many years. Any attack by Iran, in any form, against the United States will be met with an attack on Iran that will be 1,000 times greater in magnitude! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 15, 2020 Earlier, Irans President had warned the US of the consequences of Soleimanis death, saying, that the Americans werent aware of the disaster that they had made. Further, he stated, that the Americans will pay the price for this act, not today, but in time to come. Moreover, Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had threatened the US of "harsh revenge waiting" and had observed a 3-day of national mourning after an airstrike ordered by US President Trump assassinated the senior commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, who, he called, an international face of resistance. The killing of Irans elite Quds Force leader had also since exacerbated tensions between Iran and the US, as only last month, Iran reminded the US that it isnt over yet in state-run media reports. According to press reports, Iran may be planning an assassination, or other attack, against the United States in retaliation for the killing of terrorist leader Soleimani, which was carried out for his planning a future attack, murdering U.S. Troops, and the death & suffering... Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 15, 2020 Read: Saudi Coalition Launches Airstrikes On Iran Backed Houthi Barracks And Military Sites Read: Pro-reform Iranian Religious Leader Dies Aged 83 According to a report by the Washington based news broadcaster Politico, Iran was considering assassination attempts on the US ambassador to avenge the killing of Soleimani. The report cited US government officials saying, on condition of anonymity, that the Iranian embassy in the South African city of Pretoria was involved in a plot to assassinate the US ambassador to South Africa. It said that the intelligence about the vengeance for the Iranian military commanders death became more specific in recent weeks. The officials revealed that Marks has been made aware of the threat. According to Politico's report, while the American intelligence community wasnt sure about why the Iranian leader would target Marks, they speculated her ties with Trumps family for over 23 years as the reason. [Revolutionary Guard Gen. Qassem Soleimani, center, attends an annual rally commemorating the anniversary of the 1979 Islamic revolution, in Tehran, Iran. Credit: AP] Key figure to Iranian regime Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guards (IRGC)s elite Quds Force leader Qassem Soleimani was killed on January 3, 2020, after an airstrike at Baghdad International Airport was instructed by Trump. A key figure to the Iranian regime and an integral driver of Irans foreign policy strategy known for the creation of the proxy networks from Lebanon to Iraq to Yemen all across the Middle East, Soleimani was an important leader to Iran. US President Donald Trump, however, called Soleimani a monster and accused him of planning a big attack immediately after he was killed by a US drone strike. "He was a monster. And he's no longer a monster. He's dead," Trump said in an AP report, adding, "he was planning a big attack and bad attack for the US". "I don't think anyone can complain about it, Trump said. Trump accused Soleimani of "travelling with the head of Hezbollah and killing many. In a statement published by the state-run Iranian Fars news agency, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said that "cruelest people on earth (Trump) assassinated the "honourable" Iranian commander who "courageously fought against evils and bandits of the world." Read: I Dont Think Science Knows: Trump Dismisses Climate Science In California Wildfire Meet Read: Iran Says It Chased Out Three US Aircraft Over ADIZ Violation During Naval Exercises You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close On my podcast with Joe Rogan he offered to moderate a debate between Joe Biden and Donald Trump. It would be four hours with no live audience. Just the two candidates, cameras, and their vision of how to move this country forward. Who wants this? tweeted MMA podcaster Tim Kennedy today. I do! replied the president, to much surprise and discussion. But Trump has posted content from Joe Rogans feeds and news-adjacent spaces several times in the past. His delighted response should, ultimately, surprise no one. Tim Kennedy, Joe Rogan, and Trump share one very similar dark sentiment: they all happily and unapologetically embrace bro culture proclivities. Last year, Fox News interviewed Kennedy about toxic masculinity in America. Kennedy was defensive about it, even going so far as to suggest that masculinity itself is being demonized. Rogan echoed those sentiments on his show last year when confronted with discussion about toxic masculinity, calling it a dumb phrase. During the 2016 election cycle, President Trump defended his toxic comments then as simply locker talk. Four years later in this next election cycle, everyone watching can see that nothing has changed on the matter. If anything, it seems to just continue to pour in without care or accountability for those it reaches. Joe Rogan is colloquially known as Brogan for a reason. And hes said himself that he would rather vote for Trump than Biden in the past, right around the time that he officially endorsed Bernie Sanders. Rogans specific lines of attack on Biden and there have been many are extremely similar to Trumps lines of attack, with claims that Biden is mentally compromised and doesnt know where he is. In April, he referred to Biden as old and stumbling while at the same time saying on his podcast that the pressure of being president of the United States is something no one has ever prepared for. The only one who seems to be fine with it is Trump, oddly enough. He doesnt seem to be aging at all or in any sort of decline. Gleeful Twitter followers responded that he was going to make liberal heads explode. Little wonder, then, that Trump would rush to want to be moderated by Rogan. And given his long past of public commentary on the Democratic nominee, anybody who thinks Rogan has a chance of being an impartial moderator worthy of a serious political debate is downright foolish. Recently, Trump retweeted a sobering comment from Joe Rogans show. In the retweeted segment, Rogan discussed pain with former champion Mike Tyson. Tyson commented about how the idea of being able to hurt someone was orgasmic. At a delicate and divisive time in our nations politics, this conversation being retweeted by the president should frighten folks. This is the atmosphere the president wants the debate to take place in. It should go without saying that the current moment calls for diplomacy and care at best, and neutrality at worst. Putting Donald Trump in a room with a celebrated leader of bro culture and asking him to debate Joe Biden is self-evidently a recipe for disaster. The president knows its a rigged debate, and thats the kind hes most interested in because proud bros have never been interested in a level playing field. Opposition health spokesman Zak Kirkup has slammed Premier Mark McGowan after he suggested West Australians returning from overseas could be quarantined in immigration detention centres. On Tuesday, Mr McGowan called on the federal government to open some of its defence and immigration facilities as nearly 2000 people were locked in Perth hotels. Opposition health spokesman Zak Kirkup. Credit:Nathan Hondros He said Christmas Island, Yongah Hill Immigraton Detention Centre and various defence facilities could take thousands of people and would be a good backup for the state. Mr Kirkup said some of these facilities were housing serious criminal offenders who had their visas revoked and couldn't be deported because of flight restrictions. Thai visa round-up! Army ready for protest riots? Killer ex-minister! || September 15 Post when: Sep 15 2020 18:31:06 on: Watch our latest features 0 Views PHUKET XTRA - September 15 || Brought to you by PVCPhuket.com Ex-Minister confesses to kidnapping, murder |:| Thai visa round-up, what we now know |:| Another long holiday in the works |:| Micro-schools could be the future |:| Army denies stockpiling riot gear for protests Hosted by: JP Mestanza || #Phuket 1- Round-up on Immigration Amnesty: Where we are RIGHT NOW 6- Five more Covid-19 cases in Thailand We also recommend watching: RSS Face mask warnings, Bangkok transit flights, Crocodile swims to Surin Beach? || January 21 Post when: Jan 21 2022 19:23:48 on: PHUKET XTRA - January 21 || Brought to you by @PVC Phuket Bangkok transit flights to Phuket start Feb. 1 |:| Cops issue face mask warnings on Bangla Rd. |:| Woman, 21, found drowned in Chalong |:| Phuket COVID Update Hosted by: JP Mestanza || #Phuket #PhuketNews #Thailand 1- Bangkok transit flights to Phuket start Feb. 1 MORE: Test & Go to resume Feb. 1 with extra test requirement 2- Prime Minister rules out early election 3- Phuket face mask campaign targeting tourists begins 4- Woman, 21, found drowned in Chalong 5- Phuket COVID Update MORE: Thailand COVID Update Test & Go to return Feb. 1! Drinking hours extended, 2 more Sandbox destinations || January 20 Post when: Jan 20 2022 19:27:03 on: PHUKET XTRA - January 20 || Brought to you by @PVC Phuket Test & Go to return on Feb. 1 |:| Drinking hours extended |:| Sandbox expanded |:| Phuket to crack down on unmasked arrivals |:| Phuket jab strategy revealed |:| Joe Ferrari wanted to scare suspect Hosted by: JP Mestanza || #Phuket #PhuketNews #Thailand 1- Modified Test & Go scheme for tourist arrivals to return 2- Drinking hours extended 3- Phuket vows tough action on unmasked tourists 4- Phuket officials reveal booster jab strategy 5- Joe Ferrari wanted to scare suspect MORE: More on Joe Ferrari case 6- Phuket COVID Update Billions approved for Patong Tunnel project || January 19 Post when: Jan 19 2022 19:07:49 on: PHUKET XTRA - January 19 || Brought to you by @PVC Phuket Cabinet approved B14.6 billion to build Patong Tunnel |:| Tiger hunters homes to be removed from national park |:| Man welcomed to Phuket with gunshot threats |:| Phuket COVID Update Hosted by: JP Mestanza || #Phuket #PhuketNews #Thailand 1- Cabinet approves B14.67bn to build Patong Tunnel 2- Man welcomed to Phuket with gunshot threats 3- Tiger Killers homes to be removed from national park 4- Phuket COVID Update Phuket begins 4th vaccine jab roll out || January 18 Post when: Jan 18 2022 19:38:02 on: PHUKET XTRA - January 18 || Brought to you by @PVC Phuket Phuket starts to rollout 4th jabs |:| Insurance companies file suit against regulators over ban against policy cancellation |:| Abbot told to stop painting faces gold |:| Phuket COVID Update Hosted by: JP Mestanza || #Phuket #PhuketNews #Thailand 1- Phuket fourth jabs being rolled out MORE: Chalong Hospital offering walk-in AstraZeneca third-, fourth-dose jabs 2- Two firms file lawsuit against OIC head over insurance claims 3- Abbot told to cease face-gilding ritual 4- Phuket COVID Update MORE: Thailand COVID Update Bangla shooting trial set for March! Test & Go restart proposal? || January 17 Post when: Jan 17 2022 19:16:27 on: PHUKET XTRA - January 17 || Brought to you by @PVC Phuket Officials to propose restart of Test & Go |:| Phuket students all allowed back to school |:| Southern peace talks in Phuket |:| Bangla shooting trial set for March |:| COVID update Hosted by: JP Mestanza || #Phuket #PhuketNews #Thailand 1- Officials to propose restart of Test & Go quarantine-free entry to Thailand 2- Phuket students allowed to go back to school 3- Trial of Bangla shooter cop still postponed 4- Southern peace talks held in Phuket 5- Thai insurance companies look to sue regulators over COVID policies 6- Phuket COVID Update Onion New Delhi: The government banned the export of all varieties of onions with immediate effect, a move aimed at increasing availability and curbing prices of the commodity in the domestic market. Onions Advertisement "The export of all varieties of onions... is prohibited with immediate effect," the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) said in a notification. The DGFT deals with exports and imports-related issues. In the national capital, onion prices were ruling at around Rs 40 per kilogram. Onions Advertisement Maharashtra, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and Gujarat are major onion producing states. It may be noted that 40 per cent of the country's total onion crop is produced in the kharif season and the rest during the rabi season. The Iowa Department of Public Health reported no new cases of COVID-19 in Pottawattamie County over a 24-hour period ending at 3 p.m. Tuesday. The state COVID-19 website listed 1,828 positive cases Tuesday, down one from Monday. The Iowa Department of Public Health has said in the past reductions are sometimes the product of duplicated reports or updated residence information. The county's 14-day rolling average positivity rate was 8.1%, according to coronavirus.iowa.gov. The state reported 1,556 recoveries in Pottawattamie County, an increase of eight. There have been 36 COVID-19 deaths in the county. Mills County Public Health reported 11 new confirmed cases for the week ending Tuesday, bringing the county's total during the pandemic to 149. There have been 112 recoveries in the county. There were 59 tests during the week. The county's 14-day positivity rate was 6.2% Tuesday afternoon. There has been one COVID-19 death in the county. According to the state, there remain six positive at Glen Haven Village, a long-term care facility in Mills County. Mills County Public Health has previously said the outbreak includes four patients and two staff members. In Iowa Regional Medical Coordination Center region four which includes Pottawattamie, Mills, Harrison, Cass, Crawford, Shelby, Fremont, Montgomery, Page, Adams, Audubon and Taylor Counties there were 11 hospitalized COVID-19 patients with six in intensive care, according to the state site. The region has 169 inpatient beds available, which translates to 40.8% bed availability, the site said. There were 25 intensive care beds available, with 58 ventilators available and one COVID-19 patient on a ventilator as of Tuesday afternoon. Information about COVID-19 Symptoms in people who have been exposed to coronavirus can include fever, cough and shortness of breath, according to the Iowa Department of Public Health. The symptoms may appear in as few as two days or as long as 14 days after exposure. Most people experience mild or moderate symptoms that clear up in two to three weeks. Older adults and people with existing health problems are among those particularly susceptible to more severe illness, including pneumonia. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend the use of masks when out in public. Make sure it covers the mouth and nose. Face shields are an option as well, as they cover the eyes. Public health officials recommend: Stay home as much as possible. Self-monitor for symptoms. Call your physician if symptoms appear. Wash hands frequently with soap and water. Clean and disinfect frequently-touched objects and surfaces. Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue or your upper arm/elbow. COVID-19 testing is available in Pottawattamie County via two TestIowa locations: All Care Health Center, 902 S. Sixth St., and Western Historic Trails Center, 3434 Richard Downing Ave. To get tested, residents must complete the online assessment at testiowa.com to schedule an appointment. For those struggling with mental health during the pandemic, yourlifeiowa.org has several resources, including a hotline at 855-581-8111 and a text-friendly line at 855-895-8398. The University of Nebraska Medical Center has a COVID-19 screening app 1-Check COVID. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates formally inked normalization deals with Israel on Tuesday in a signing ceremony hailed by President Donald Trump as one that would change the course of history. After decades of division and conflict, we mark the dawn of a new Middle East, Trump said from the White House balcony overlooking the South Lawn. These agreements prove that the nations of the region are breaking free from the failed approaches of the past. Todays signing sets history on a new course, and there will be other countries very, very soon that will follow these great leaders, he said. The Trump administration announced in mid-August that Israel had agreed to hold off annexing large portions of the West Bank in exchange for cooperation with the UAE on various issues, including tourism, direct flights and investment. The deal made the UAE the third Arab country to establish ties with Israel, after Egypt in 1979 and Jordan in 1994. Last week, Trump announced that Bahrain would be striking its own normalization deal with Israel. During an Oval Office meeting ahead of the signing ceremony, Trump joked that "even Bibi gets tired of war," referring to Netanyahu. The UAE and Bahrain were not officially at war with Israel, but prior to the US-brokered agreements, did not recognize the Jewish state. Trump added that "five or six" countries could follow in forging their own ties with Israel. Trump didnt name which countries he was referring to, but Oman, Morocco and Sudan have been floated as likely candidates. This day is a pivot of history. It heralds a new dawn of peace, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Tuesday. You heard from the president that he is already lining up more and more countries. This was unimaginable a few years ago." The Israeli leader was joined by Emirati Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al-Zayani. Both stressed the need for a two-state solution to resolve the decades-old Palestinian-Israeli conflict. Nahyan thanked Netanyahu for halting annexation of Palestinian territories," which was a key factor in the UAE's decision to move forward on the deal. It is now incumbent on us to bring about the lasting peace," Zayani said. "A just, comprehensive two-state solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict will be the foundation, the bedrock of such peace. The deals were nonetheless denounced by the Palestinian leadership as a violation of the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative, which calls for Israel to withdraw from lands captured since 1967 before gaining any recognition from Arab states. The Israel pacts hand the White House diplomatic wins ahead of Novembers general election. Following meetings with their leaders earlier this month, Trump also announced Serbia and Kosovo will open embassies in Jerusalem. The state Medical Examining Board agreed Tuesday to fine two doctors $5,000 each and issued a cease and desist order to a woman without a Connecticut medical license who performed a procedure that led to an infection. Dr. Bryan Boffi, of Avon, a psychiatrist at the Hospital of Central Connecticut, was fined $5,000 and his license was reprimanded after he issued a patient a prescription for Ativan, a sedative, without consulting with the persons regular mental health clinician, documents said. Boffi cared for the patient while the person was admitted to HOCCs psychiatric ward in May of 2016, but failed to talk to the persons out-patient psychiatrist about the patients history or inpatient treatment strategy before prescribing the medication, a consent order said. The state Department of Public Health began investigating Boffi after receiving a complaint from the patients family, papers said. Boffi has since completed 150 hours of continuing education in the treatment of depression, addiction and the use of benzodiazepines, such as Ativan, DPH officials said. The board also agreed to discipline anesthesiologist Dr. Glen Rosenfeld, of West Hartford, with a $5,000 fine after he admitted that he had performed a nerve block on the wrong eye of a patient in October 2016 and a nerve block on the wrong leg in a second patient in 2017. He was working at Bristol Hospital as an anesthesiologist at the time and is still working there, according to state officials. A New Haven woman has agreed to not practice medicine without a Connecticut medical license after she conducted three procedures to remove fluid from a patient who later suffered an infection, documents said. Lillian Ruiz-Estrepo was listed as a college graduated nurse in Columbia in DPH papers. But she had no medical license while working for Pelle Dolce Aesthetics in June of 2019, according to the DPH. Over a two-week period, Ruiz-Estrepo removed excess fluid with a syringe three separate times that had built up in the abdomen of a woman who recently had surgery, documents said. The woman wound up with an infection as a result of the procedures, documents said. The DPH was notified of the incident in July of 2019. Ruiz-Estrepo told DPH investigators that the woman was not scheduled to see a doctor for another week and she felt bad for the patient so she agreed to remove the fluid, documents said. The board also agreed to reinstate the medical license of Dr. Sarita Mallya, of California, who is seeking to return to psychiatry after a four-year absence following two serious automobile accidents. She is returning to Connecticut to practice psychiatry at the Capitol Region Mental Health Center, she said. This story was reported under a partnership with the Connecticut Health I-Team ( c-hit.org ), a nonprofit news organization dedicated to health reporting. FP Trending Chinas Change-4 probe including the lander and the rover have resumed their activities for the 22nd lunar day on the far side of the moon. Chinese news agency Global Times reported that while the probes lander woke up at 5.15 am Beijing time on Saturday, 12 September while the rover Yutu-2 or Jade Rabbit-2, woke up a day before on Friday at 11.54 am. The report added that the news was confirmed by the Lunar Exploration and Space Program Center of the China National Space Administration. The Change-4 probe goes into a dormant state due to the lack of solar energy and wakes up in time to resume its work after stipulated periods of time. A lunar day is equal to 14 days on Earth, and a lunar night is the same length, the report added. According to a report by China Daily, the centre has revealed that Yutu-2 will be moving northwest during the 22nd lunar day. Its goal will be going towards a basalt area that are some impact craters with high reflectivity. Scientific detection is going to be carried out thereafter by using the various instruments that the rover is carrying. These include a panoramic camera, infrared imaging spectrometer, neutral atom detector, and a lunar radar. The spacecraft had made a successful soft landing on the far side of the moon on 3 January 2019 after being launched on 8 December 2018. According to a report by Xinhua News, it was the first soft landing on the Von Karman Crater in the South Pole-Aitken Basin. About two weeks ago, the craft crossed the 600-day milestone. After travelling 519.29 meters, the spacecraft had completed 600 days on the moon. Also, the rover Yutu 2 became the longest-working lunar rover on the moon after successfully transgressing its three-month design lifespan. When the lander and the rover had woken up for the 19th lunar working day in June earlier this year, the space agency of the country was planning to study a new crater on the lunar soil. Flash Chinese President Xi Jinping met Monday with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, whose country currently holds the rotating presidency of the European Union (EU), European Council President Charles Michel and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen via video link. They reached consensus on advancing ties, safeguarding multilateralism, and jointly addressing global challenges. Sound, stable China-EU ties urged "The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the once-in-a-century transformations unfolding in the world and placed humanity at a new crossroads," said Xi. It is important that China and the EU remain steadfast in pursuit of sound and steady growth of their comprehensive strategic partnership and adhere to four principles, namely peaceful coexistence, openness and cooperation, multilateralism, and dialogue and consultation, said Xi. This year marks the 45th anniversary of China-EU diplomatic ties. Despite the pandemic of COVID-19, which is still raging globally, communication between China and the EU does not stop. The frequency and intensity of bilateral high-level exchanges speak to the strong commitment of China and the EU to promoting the partnership. "Under current circumstances, closer high-level communication between the two sides on this relationship and issues of mutual interest can help strengthen political mutual trust, promote practical cooperation and advance China-EU relations," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said on Sept. 10. Observers held that though the world is undergoing huge changes, mutual benefits, complementarities, as well as dialogue and cooperation remain fundamental features in China-EU ties. Moreover, China and the EU have carried out effective anti-epidemic cooperation, which will inject impetus for them to promote ties in the future. "We hail the frankness and pragmatic spirit in which this meeting took place. We believe that by bringing the commitment of cooperation into substantial dialogues, both Europe and China can benefit, share and learn a lot from each other," said Luigi Gambardella, president of ChinaEU, a business-led international digital association in Brussels. Consensus on cooperation During the meeting, the Chinese and EU leaders stated their commitment to speeding up the negotiations of the China-EU Bilateral Investment Treaty to achieve the goal of concluding the negotiations within this year. The Chinese and EU leaders announced the official signing of the China-EU agreement on geographical indications. The leaders also decided to establish a China-EU High Level Environment and Climate Dialogue and a China-EU High Level Digital Cooperation Dialogue, and to forge China-EU green and digital partnerships. "If China and the EU could finish the negotiations by the end of this year, it will be of special significance. It will send a positive message of China and the EU working together during the trying times, and give a strong boost to the business confidence on both sides. It will also contribute to the post-COVID-19 global economy recovery and to the concerted efforts to safeguard an open trade and investment environment," said Ambassador Zhang Ming, head of the Chinese Mission to the EU, at a briefing on the meeting on Sept. 11. "They enjoy cooperation space as the two sides look forward to exploring opportunities in each other's market," said Chen Fengying, a researcher at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, noting that mutual benefit is the essence of China-EU cooperation. For China and the EU, cooperation is far greater than competition, while consensus far exceeds differences, said Chen. In August this year, the China-Europe freight trains have maintained strong growth. The trips made and the volume of goods delivered were 1,247 and 110,000 TEUs respectively, up by 62 percent and 66 percent year on year. The growth once again indicates that economic globalization is an irreversible trend of the times as countries are economically interdependent with unprecedented integration of interests. Jointly safeguarding multilateralism In the meeting, Xi said under the current circumstances, it is only more imperative for China and the EU, as two major forces, markets and civilizations, to inject more positive energy into COVID-19 response efforts, economic recovery and championing justice in the world. Xi stressed China is ready to work with the EU to step up dialogue and coordination at bilateral, regional and global levels, stay committed to a global governance outlook featuring consultation, contribution and shared benefit, defend the international order and system with the United Nations at the core, promote the political settlements of international and regional hot-spot issues. For their parts, Merkel, Michel and von der Leyen said it is imperative for Europe and China to strengthen cooperation, jointly safeguard multilateralism, resist unilateralism and protectionism, and respond more effectively to various global challenges. The European side is willing to strengthen cooperation with China in international organizations, promote anti-pandemic international cooperation, maintain free trade, and promote the economic recovery in Europe, China as well as the world at an early date, said the European leaders. "The slowdown caused by the pandemic also holds a lot of potential that must now be tapped together," Robby Schlund, member of the German Bundestag, said that it is particularly important to stress that people should support good relations in the sense of economic multilateralism for mutual benefits. From top left to bottom right: Yoshua Dwayne Montague, Kathryn Patterson, Barry Jones and Frank Gaston, Jamal Shariff Newman, Matthew Modderman, Talia Gessner, and Taylor Enterline. (Courtesy of Lancaster Police) Lancaster Protesters Held on $1 Million Bail Each on Alleged Riot-Related Charges Several protesters in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, are being held on $1 million bail each for allegedly rioting in the city. About a dozen people were arrested by authorities, including a juvenile for staging the riots at around 3 a.m. on Monday, officials told Fox News. The rioters converged in the city in the wake of the officer-involved shooting death of Ricardo Munoz, who was seen on a police bodycamera video charging at an officer with a knife in his hand. The officer killed Munoz outside his mothers house in Lancaster. In this still image from police body camera video, a man chases a police officer while wielding a knife, in Lancaster, Pa., on Sept. 13, 2020. (Courtesy of Lancaster Bureau of Police) Police officials said the mob of rioters threw rocks, bricks, and other objects at police. A county vehicle near the station was also damaged. Jamal Shariff Newman, 24; Barry Jones, 30; Frank Gaston, 43; Yoshua Dwayne Montague, 23; Matthew Modderman, 31; Talia Gessner, 18; Kathryn Patterson, 20; Taylor Enterline, 20; T-Jay Fry, 28; Dylan Davis, 28; Lee Alexander Wise, 29; Jessica Marie Lopez, 32, were identified as the suspects. A 16-year-old boy was arrested but wasnt identified. Bail was set for $100,000 for Wise, and Lopez bail information wasnt known. They face charges including arson, vandalism, riot, and criminal conspiracy. Black Lives Matter-affiliated group Lancaster Stands Up criticized the high bail amounts. The absurdly high bail amounts indicate that what were seeing is not a measured pursuit of justice, but a politically motivated attack on the movement for police reform and accountability, the group wrote. The Lancaster County District Attorneys Office is investigating the shooting. Theres an investigation that has to play out here and were just asking everybody to maintain peace and allow the investigation to play out allow the district attorneys office to do their jobs, Lancaster Police Chief Jarrad Berkihiser said at a press conference earlier this week. It does us no good to create other harm, or other, you know, to have other loss of life or injury or any type of property damage within the city that does absolutely nobody any good because it actually detracts investigators away from that investigation, he added. Court records show that Munoz has a criminal record and was awaiting trial on four charges of aggravated assault at the time of his death. Lancaster Mayor Danene Sorace, a Democrat, said in a statement: This has been a heartbreaking day for our city. I grieve for the loss of life and know that there are more questions to be answered as the investigation continues. Sorace said the officer involved in the incident was placed on administrative leave. These stocks could benefit most from the antitrust suit against Google Published Tue, Sep 15 2020 3:22 PM EDT Updated Tue, Oct 20 2020 11:35 AM EDT LESBOS, Greece: Thousands of migrants stranded on Lesbos since a fire destroyed their camp last week refused to move into a new facility set up to house them on Tuesday, demanding instead that they be allowed to leave the Greek island. More than 12,000 people, mostly refugees from Afghanistan, Africa and Syria, were left without shelter, proper sanitation or access to food and water after a fire tore through the overcrowded Moria migrant camp last Wednesday. At a temporary camp in the Kara Tepe area with 5,000 beds available, only about 1,000 people had moved in so far, according to a government official, adding that more space was being made available. Migrants wearing masks as a precaution against the coronavirus queued outside the camp gates to receive water, food and blankets from aid workers before they entered. COVID-19 tests were also carried out, and at least 25 people tested positive, further complicating attempts to resettle asylum seekers. But many thousands more were reluctant to enter the tent camp, a police official said, fearing that life there would be no better than the squalid conditions they endured in Moria and hoping to be allowed to leave the island. Thousands of people, including women and children, spent the night in makeshift tents on a road outside the temporary camp. We have informed them that they must come into the facility, but they have refused," the police official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. They want to leave the island." Germany could take in up to 1,500 people stranded by the Moria fire, government sources said on Tuesday, in addition to 100-150 Berlin has already agreed to take in. Only a few hundred migrants, mainly unaccompanied minors, have been moved off Lesbos. Greek officials have said there will be no mass transfers and all asylum seekers will have to go into the new shelter. No one will leave Lesbos without having first entered the temporary camp," Citizen Protection Minister Michalis Chrisohoidis told Skai radio. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on Saturday that no matter what, a permanent migrant reception centre would be set up on Lesbos to replace the overcrowded refugee camp destroyed last weeks blaze. [L8N2GA0DV] European Council President Charles Michel, who arrived in Athens on Tuesday, was expected to visit Lesbos in the evening. Disclaimer: This post has been auto-published from an agency feed without any modifications to the text and has not been reviewed by an editor F our people have been sent to prison in Vietnam for their part in the deaths of 39 migrants smuggled into the UK last year, according to state media. The defendants, aged between 26 and 36, were found guilty of "organising, brokering illegal emigration" and jailed for between two and a half years and seven and a half years respectively. The trial took place in the Ha Tinh province in central Vietnam on Monday and was reported in the official provincial newspaper. But the father of one of the men who died in the tragedy said that he thought that the defendants deserved lighter punishments. Officials move coffins containing the victims at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi in November 2019 / EPA Nguyen Dinh Gia, whose son Luong, 20, lost his life in the lorry, told Agence France-Presse: "The people involved were just trying to help and then the accident happened. He was an adult who made his own decision and joined the trip voluntarily, with the aim to improve his life, earning money to alleviate our poverty. It has been almost a year but whenever I think about this, its still painful," he added. The bodies of the Vietnamese migrants were found on an industrial estate in the Essex town of Grays shortly after the container arrived in Purfleet on a ferry in the early morning of October 23, 2019. Among the men, women and children were 10 teenagers including two 15-year-old boys. The lorry in Essex after the bodies were discovered / AFP via Getty Images The inquest found that their cause of death was asphyxia and hyperthermia a lack of oxygen and overheating in an enclosed space. Several people have been arrested, charged and tried in the UK, France and Belgium in connection with their deaths. Lorry driver Maurice Robinson, 25, who took the container from the port where it arrived in Essex, pleaded guilty to 39 counts of manslaughter at the Old Bailey in April. He had previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration. Robinson, of Craigavon in Northern Ireland, also admitted acquiring criminal property. He denied a further charge of transferring criminal property. Police on Eastern Avenue, Grays, Essex, where the bodies of the migrants were discovered / PA Ronan Hughes, 40, from County Armagh in Northern Ireland, also pleaded guilty to manslaughter in August. Lorry driver Eamonn Harrison, 23, of Mayobridge, County Down, Northern Ireland, was extradited from Ireland to face 39 counts of manslaughter and one count of conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration. He is alleged to have driven the lorry trailer to Zeebrugge in Belgium before it sailed to England. A bill signed by Gov. Phil Murphy on Monday will make it easier for essential workers in New Jersey who contract the coronavirus to qualify for workers' compensation. The new law, retroactive to March 9, removes a requirement that essential workers who came down with the coronavirus to prove they did so on the job. As of Monday, N.J. reported 196,968 coronavirus cases. Typically, in order to receive workers' compensation in New Jersey, an employee must prove they suffered a job-related illness or injury. This new law creates a presumption during the ongoing public health crisis that essential employees' illnesses are related to their work. That presumption can only be refuted by a preponderance of the evidence showing the essential worker was not exposed at their workplace, according to the bill. When they first entered the workforce, none of these essential workers could have imagined the kind of danger and extreme challenges this pandemic would one day present them with, Assemblyman Thomas Giblin, D-Essex, said in a statement. Yet these dedicated workers have heroically stepped up and put their health on the line in order to help their fellow community members get through this unprecedented crisis. Government employers, particularly local government employers, may see increased costs as a result of the law if it prompts an increase in workers' compensation benefit claims, according to a fiscal estimate prepared by the nonpartisan Office of Legislative Services. Business groups decried the legislation, saying it would further burden businesses that already are struggling to weather the pandemic and economic crises. As we have repeatedly stated, there is federal CARES Act money specifically meant to rightfully cover the costs of essential workers who truly do contract COVID-19 on the job. Instead, that money was left on the table and our beleaguered employers are forced to pick up those costs, said Michele Siekerka, president of the New Jersey Business and Industry Association. Murphy should have at least conditionally vetoed the bill to restrict its application to the months when New Jerseyans were under a stay-at-home order that limited their activities, she said. Without that modification, any essential worker out and about at a time when more people are catching COVID-19 in social settings than workplace settings, or those traveling to other states on vacation, can now make a claim they contracted it at work, she argued. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Samantha Marcus may be reached at smarcus@njadvancemedia.com. Tell us your coronavirus story or send a tip here. Halle Berry has joined the likes of Mariah Carey and Lewis Hamilton to honour Breonna Taylor, who was shot dead by Louisville Metro Police Department as they served a no-knock warrant at her home in March. Halle, 54, Mariah, 50, and Lewis, 35, all took to their Instagram accounts on Monday to share a picture of themselves wearing a charity protest T-shirt. On the T-shirt, it states: 'Arrest the cops who killed Breonna Taylor' with a picture of the late 26-year-old's face on the back below the words 'say her name'. Honour: Halle Berry has joined the likes of Mariah Carey and Lewis Hamilton to honour Breonna Taylor, who was shot dead by Louisville Metro Police Department as they served a no-knock warrant at her home in March The T-shirt is created by the Phenomenal Woman Action Campaign in partnership with the Breonna Taylor Foundation with all profits going to the latter. The three officers who fired their weapons that night have been at the centre of consistent public backlash, with protesters calling for them to be fired and charged with murder. One of the officers, Brett Hankison, was fired for 'blindly' firing 10 shots into Taylor's apartment from outside. The other two, John Mattingly and Myles Cosgrove, remain on the force on administrative assignment. Posting a picture of her T-shirt from the front and back, Halle wrote alongside her photo: 'It has been 6 months since first-responder #BreonnaTaylor was murdered in her home, asleep in her bed. Protest: Halle, 54, Mariah, 50, left, and Lewis, 35, right, all took to their Instagram accounts on Monday to share a picture of themselves wearing a charity protest T-shirt T-shirt: On the T-shirt, it states: 'Arrest the cops who killed Breonna Taylor' with a picture of the late 26-year-old's face on the back below the words 'say her name' Statement: Posting a picture of her T-shirt from the front and back, Halle wrote alongside her photo: 'It has been 6 months since first-responder #BreonnaTaylor was murdered in her home, asleep in her bed.' 'She still deserves justice - we have not forgotten, and we will not forget. Let's keep speaking out...until our voices are heard!' Mariah also shared two pictures of herself in the protest T-shirt, she penned: 'It's been six months since #BreonnaTaylor, a frontline medical worker was killed by police in a 'no-knock' raid targeting the WRONG apartment. 'Medical workers like her save lives every day - but police violence claims Black lives at nearly the same pace. Her killing hurts especially bad right now. Now, more than ever we have to stay connected and vigilant. 'Follow @wearepushblack to read more about her story and for daily doses of inspiring, #BlackHistory stories to keep us going.' Mariah also shared two pictures of herself in the protest T-shirt, she penned: 'It's been six months since #BreonnaTaylor, a frontline medical worker was killed by police in a 'no-knock' raid targeting the WRONG apartment.' On track: The Formula One World Champion also posted a snap wearing the T-shirt on the track at the Tuscan Grand Prix While Lewis captioned his photo with: '#JusticeForBreonnaTaylor '. The Formula One World Champion also posted a snap wearing the T-shirt on the track at the Tuscan Grand Prix. He penned: 'It's been 6 months since Breonna Taylor was murdered by policemen, in her own home. Still no justice has been served. We won't stay silent. #JusticeForBreonnaTaylor.' Although Lewis now faces an FIA investigation for wearing a 'political' T-shirt at Sunday's Tuscan Grand Prix. He wore the T-shirt during the 'taking a knee' ceremony and on the podium as God Save the Queen played to celebrate his 90th career win. Warrant: Breonna and her boyfriend Kenneth Walker had been sleeping in bed when the officers served the warrant at around 1am. The Kentucky Attorney General is still investigating the killing, which has led to riots in America, so Lewis' intervention is seen by several senior F1 figures as being potentially 'political'. FIA statutes forbid political statements of any kind. Lewis could be fined, with one official privately indicating to Sportsmail the Mercedes man had 'crossed a line'. The FIA and the sport's owners Liberty Media have previously tried hard to work with him on his anti-racism fight. On the night of Breonna's death, officers attended her apartment after securing a court-approved warrant as part of a drugs investigation that allowed officers to enter her home without any prior warning. Breonna and her boyfriend Kenneth Walker had been sleeping in bed when the officers served the warrant at around 1am. Investigation: Lewis now faces an FIA investigation for wearing a 'political' T-shirt at Sunday's Tuscan Grand Prix The suspect at the centre of the probe had apparently lived at the same address years earlier and continued to receive packages there. Mr Walker, a licensed gun owner, had fired a shot in the direction of the doorway, thinking the couple were victims of a home invasion. The shot struck Sergeant Mattingly in the leg before Officer Hankinson returned fire, discharging his weapon in the direction of Walker 10 times. Mr Mattingly and Mr Cosgrove also opened fire. Ms Taylor was hit eight times and pronounced dead at the scene. 'Somebody kicked in the door and shot my girlfriend,' a frantic Mr Walker told dispatchers in a 911 call. Officers: One of the officers, Brett Hankison (left), was fired for 'blindly' firing 10 shots into Taylor's apartment from outside. The other two, (left to right) John Mattingly and Myles Cosgrove, remain on the force on administrative assignment Unbeknownst to the officers at their home, the suspect they were searching for had been taken into custody hours earlier in a separate location. Breonna's death received national attention two months later, following the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minnesota police in May. The three officers who fired their weapons that night have been at the centre of consistent public backlash ever since, with protesters calling for them to be fired and charged with murder. One of the officers, Brett Hankison, was fired for 'blindly' firing 10 shots into Taylor's apartment from outside. The other two, John Mattingly and Myles Cosgrove, remain on the force on administrative assignment. A 38-year-old Liverpool woman celebrated her first wedding anniversary to a tree, as per a TNN report. Kate Cunningham 'tied the knot' with an elder tree in 2019 and changed her surname to 'Elder'. One year later, she said it was the best decision of her life and has no plans of 'divorcing her partner. The tree is at Rimrose Valley Country Park in Sefton, Merseyside. Interestingly, Kate has a human boyfriend and two children of her own, apart from her tree husband. On the day of the anniversary, they were left at home while Kate celebrated her union with two friends and some elderflower chambers. However, she admits that her 15-year-old son is embarrassed about her marital status. Naija Times "I think getting married was one of the best decisions I have ever made. Not once have I thought that I shouldn't have done it. It's something that I feel like happened at the right time. Despite causing a little bit of embarrassment for my 15-year-old, he sees the bigger picture now and understands what it's for, said Kate. "It's something which has made me feel a bit more confident about myself. I don't care about what anyone else says. Marrying the tree has given me a new purpose," she added. Kate, who is a former teaching assistant, said that she visits the park to see the elder tree five times a week sometimes. She hoped that her marriage would attract a campaign to save Rimrose Valley Country park from being transformed into a bypass. Besides her campaign, local residents tried to stop the new bypass plan, which aims to ease traffic congestion through Rimrose Valley. Naija Times She was apparently inspired to get married to the elder tree by female activists in Mexico, who reportedly held similar ceremonies to raise awareness of illegal logging. As much as it's about this campaign, I'm thinking about the destruction all across the world. This world is quite beautiful and it can't all be doom and gloom, said Kate. The 38-year-old has also called for an annual 'Marry A Tree Day' event and has encouraged more Brits to wed trees and shrubs TRAI's decision to not regulate OTT (over-the-top) communications services is a forward-looking approach in interest of the consumers and will aid the progress of the sector that has shown no demonstrable and evident instances of harm or dysfunction of the markets, BIF said on Tuesday. The comments came after the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) ruled out any immediate regulatory intervention for OTT communications services like WhatsApp, Google Duo and Viber. It said time is not opportune to recommend a comprehensive regulatory framework for them, dashing hopes of telcos that had been pushing for same rules to be applied to such players. Describing TRAI's recommendations on OTT as "bold and progressive stroke" in interest of consumers and economic development, industry think-tank Broadband India Forum (BIF), in a statement, lauded the regulator on adopting a "forward-looking approach in choosing to not regulate a sector wherein there have been no demonstrable and evident instances of harm or dysfunction of the markets." OTT services refer to applications and services that are accessible over the internet and ride on an operator's network. Skype, Viber, WhatsApp and Hike are some of the popular and widely-used OTT services. The importance and effectiveness of such services have been amply demonstrated during the COVID-19 crisis, as numerous digital services have helped the citizens in maintaining connectivity and near-normal operations via OTT applications, BIF said. Several studies have also documented the relevance and contribution of OTTs in enhancing productivity, and efficiency, it said. As per an ICRIER report, apps contributed a minimum Rs 1.4 lakh crore to India's GDP in 2015-16, and the number is steadily rising and estimated to be Rs 18 lakh crore by end of 2020. "OTTs have enabled accessibility of digital tools and amenities for the people, thereby enriching lives and empowering them by helping to enhance their productivity and socio-economic standing," BIF President T V Ramachandran said. This has led to massive spill-over effects, adding to the nation's economic prosperity. "It is great that the regulator has decided to permit market forces to operate freely in the sector without need for any regulatory intervention, which will help incentivise the growth and progress of this vital sector," Ramachandran said. Arguing that telecom operators and OTTs are as different as "chalk and cheese", he said it is for this reason that they should not be compared on equal grounds. "We firmly believe that the interests of a particular segment of the industry should not prevail over the numerous benefits to the citizens, the national economy, and the overall growth of the sector," he added. OTTs are not substitutes of telcos but rather depend on them, BIF said, pointing out that OTT applications cannot be offered without access to the physical networks, that only operators deploy. As OTT and telecom service providers are not in the same turf, the level playing field condition does not apply, BIF said, adding that certain quarters had "incorrectly expressed concern" regarding lack of provision of a level-playing field in the recommendations. BIF said it strongly believes that all members contributing to the delivery of enabling and empowering digital services, including OTTs, should be treated as essential service providers. "Today, measures like work-from-home, distant education, updating and dissemination of critical information and messages, have been enabled by these services in the challenging circumstances. Therefore, they should be provided all the required support to nurture and advance, for the benefit of the citizens and the growth of the national economy," it said. On Monday, had come out with its recommendations on OTT services, saying "it is not an opportune moment to recommend a comprehensive regulatory framework for various aspects of services referred to as OTT services, beyond the extant laws and regulations prescribed presently". had further said that no regulatory interventions are needed for privacy and security related issues of OTT services for now. The regulator said market forces should be allowed to respond to the situation without prescribing any regulatory intervention. "However, developments shall be monitored and intervention as felt necessary shall be done at appropriate time," it said. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Indian government on Monday banned the export of all varieties of onions except those cut, sliced or broken in powder form, with immediate effect. The government of India on Monday banned the export of all varieties of onions except those cut, sliced or broken in powder form, with immediate effect. The move was apparently aimed at increasing domestic supply and reducing prices which have risen in the recent past to Rs 35 to 40 in Delhi. In a notification, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry stated, In exercise of the power conferred by Section 3 of the Foreign Trade (Development and Regulation) Act, 1992, as amended, read with para 1.02 and 2.01 of the Foreign Trade Policy, 2015-20, the Central Government hereby makes the following amendment in the Export policy of the onions. For the item description at Serial Number 51 and 52 of Chapter 7 of Schedule 2 of ITC (HS) Classification of Export and Import items, with immediate effect. The ban includes Bangalore rose onions and Krishnapuram onions. The export of all varieties of onions as described is prohibited, with immediate effect. The provisions under Transitional Arrangement (Para 1.05 of the FTP 2015-20) shall not be applicable under this notification, the notification read. Also read: How can our heroes be Mughals ?: Yogi Adityanath calls for renaming Agras Mughal Museum after Shivaji Also read: Saugata Roys remark on Nirmala Sitharaman draws flak, BJP seeks unconditional apology India is the biggest exporter of Onions in the world. The president of the Mumbai-based Onion Exporters Association said that due to heavy rains this year, the summer-sown crops have been damaged and their harvesting has been delayed. Also read: NDA candidate Harivansh re-elected as RS Dy Chairman, Oppn candidate Manoj Jha defeated International flight reopening plan changed The Ministry of Transport has announced a change to the plan to reopen international flight routes which were due to start on September 15. illustrative image A meeting on September 14 agreed to postpone the plan to reopen international flights. Medical agencies are still completing testing and quarantining procedures which will be submitted to the National Committee on Covid-19 Prevention and Control on September 17. The authorities are also still clarifying other procedures and entry requirements for different groups of arrivals including experts, officials, investors and Vietnamese people. The estimated numbers of arrivals in Hanoi and HCM City are unclear so the authorities can't arrange quarantine areas, monitoring system and related costs yet. Vietnam planned to reopen flight routes to China, Japan, South Korea, Cambodia, and Laos. The flights to and from China, Japan, and South Korea were supposed to be reopened on September 15 and the flights to and from Taiwan, Laos and Cambodia were supposed to be reopened from September 22. All arrivals must pay for their quarantines and tests, and fill in medical declaration forms. The Ministry of Health was asked to deal with such issues while the Ministry of Transport was asked to classify priority groups of arrivals, select commercial airports and other entry regulations. There must be plans for each flight to ensure passenger safety. The number of flights will be increased gradually. The authorities in Hanoi, HCM City and Can Tho City were asked to prepare quarantine areas for at least 10,000 people. The Ministry of Public Security, Ministry of Defence and local authorities will tighten inspections against illegal immigration. Organisers, accommodation facilities or businesses that support illegal immigration will be strictly punished. All state agencies must work together to simplify the procedures and make clear individual responsibilities. Africa has the youngest population in the world its average age is just 19 years. At African Enterprise, we know that the key to the continent is its youth; this is how the dream for the Foxfires, the youth arm of AE, was born. Foxfires play a vital role in AE city-wide and university missions each year, as they reach their fellow youth with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The programs name comes from Judges 15 where Samson ties torches to the tails of foxes and releases them into the fields of the Philistines. The name is symbolic of youth who, set ablaze with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, carry His fire into the world. AE currently has Foxfires teams in Kenya, Zimbabwe, South Africa and Malawi, with each team made up of around 10 young Africans. Many of our Foxfires come from difficult backgrounds, but they have a passion for the Gospel, and they choose to devote a year of their lives to Christian ministry. After 2 months of training, the Foxfires visit schools, childrens homes and youth groups, using energetic dance and drama performances to share the Gospel message. They also mentor younger leaders and present programs that help young people to contribute positively to society, while navigating issues such as peer pressure, drug abuse, crime, poverty and HIV/AIDS. Julie Kibie, a social worker at Bro Beausang Education Centre, was overwhelmed by the effect that the Kenyan Foxfires have had on pupils at the school, describing the Foxfires as the change agents that we so need for this generation! One of those pupils, Lizzy, lost her mother at birth, and suffered from low self-esteem due to ongoing rejection by her stepmother. Speaking of the Foxfires, she describes: I have learned that my background does not dictate my future or how I should view things Furthermore, my decision to welcome Christ in my life has had a difference since I can now speak my heart to God. I am forever grateful for the new me that the Foxfires program has carved. With COVID-19 having affected the Kenyan Foxfires schedule this year, the team are determined to continue shining their light in the midst of dark and seemingly hopeless circumstances. One team member, Brandon, encourages fellow youth around the world not to lose hope during this challenging season: Have hope and be positive. See the best that can be done to improve your skill as a young person during this period. Let your dreams keep hope alive. God honours his childs hearts desires. He will ensure that it happens in due time. Focus now on the talent, the gifting or the strength you have always passed over or ignored Be that unmoved change agent for a better life tomorrow. God bless! A woman has been awarded $115,000 after a NSW Police officer pointed a gun at her chest, handcuffed her and pepper-sprayed her dog after she failed to stop her car in Sydney's south-west. Lytha Owlstara was driving near Picton on September 14, 2013 when a highway patrol officer tried to pull her over because her car's registration had expired. She kept driving for about three kilometres, prompting a low-speed police pursuit, until she arrived at her home and pulled into the garage. In an interaction caught on the police dash camera, Senior Constable Christopher Hurtak can be seen running into the garage after her car with his gun drawn and held to his side. About 19 seconds later he is seen backing out of the garage, with his gun pointing towards Ms Owlstara's chest. Constable Hurtak can also be seen spraying capsicum spray at Ms Owlstara's dog when he pushes the animal to the side to grab her and it snarls at him. WASHINGTON - A top communications official for the administration's coronavirus response urged President Donald Trump's supporters to prepare for an armed insurrection after a contested election and accused government scientists of "sedition" in a Facebook Live chat that he described in detail to The Washington Post on Monday. Michael Caputo, assistant secretary for public affairs at the Department of Health and Human Services, which is overseeing the coronavirus response, leveled the accusations and promoted other conspiracy theories in a Facebook Live event first reported by The New York Times. Caputo confirmed the authenticity of the video in comments he made to The Post. "Since joining the administration my family and I have been continually threatened and in and out of criminal court dealing with harassment prosecutions," Caputo said in a statement. "This weighs heavily on us and we deeply appreciate the friendship and support of President Trump as we address these matters and keep our children safe." Caputo's comments come as Trump administration officials say they are seeking to build public support for a coronavirus vaccine but have faced setbacks, most recently the release of audio in which the president admitted that he deliberately downplayed the virus when he knew it was "deadly." Trump installed Caputo in April after considering whether to fire Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar over a series of damaging stories about Trump's handling of the pandemic, according to three current and former White House officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe behind-the-scenes discussions. Allies persuaded Trump to not make such a change amid a pandemic, but instead to bring in Caputo, the officials said. (Trump denied reports that he was considering firing Azar at the time.) Almost immediately, Caputo began exerting control over officials' public appearances and statements; by early summer, he had extended that scrutiny to scientists. He and an adviser have faced criticism in recent days for interfering with the work of scientists at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, seeking to change, delay or kill weekly scientific reports they thought undermined Trump's message that the pandemic is under control. Caputo has also sought to wield influence over when government scientists appear on television, telling officials that he approves such bookings. Caputo is viewed as a Trump loyalist, but several White House officials said that his behavior has been erratic and that some of his ideas have been regarded as extreme. For example, he proposed that the federal government spend millions of dollars on a professionally directed and produced documentary about the administration's race to develop vaccines that he wanted to air at film festivals, said a senior administration official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. The idea was rejected by White House communications aides. In the Facebook video, Caputo criticizes government career scientists, the media and Democrats, The Times reported and Caputo confirmed. He said that he was under attack by the media and that his "mental health has definitely failed." "I don't like being alone in Washington," Caputo said in the video, describing "shadows on the ceiling in my apartment, there alone, shadows are so long." Caputo also said the CDC, which is part of HHS, had a "resistance unit" that aimed to undermine Trump. Without offering any evidence, he also accused scientists "deep in the bowels of the CDC" of giving up on science and becoming "political animals." They "haven't gotten out of their sweatpants except for meetings at coffee shops" to plot "how they're going to attack Donald Trump next," he said in the video. "There are scientists who work for this government who do not want America to get well, not until after Joe Biden is president." He also predicted that Trump would win the election but that Biden, the Democratic presidential nominee, would refuse to concede. "And when Donald Trump refuses to stand down at the inauguration, the shooting will begin," he warned in the video. "The drills that you've seen are nothing. If you carry guns, buy ammunition, ladies and gentlemen, because it's going to be hard to get." Several Democratic lawmakers, including Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., and Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., called for Caputo's firing late Monday. "Secretary Azar has a basic responsibility to ensure our public health experts are able to do their jobs, our covid-19 response is not undermined by misinformation or conspiracy theories, and the data used to inform our efforts is free of political interference," Murray said in a statement. Noting that Caputo has said the president asked him to oversee a $250 million campaign "intended to help America to get back to normal," DeLauro said, "We now know this is a propaganda campaign that must be defunded immediately. It is not the mission of the Department of Health and Human Services to get the President reelected." House Democrats on the select subcommittee on the coronavirus crisis also announced that they had launched an investigation into political interference in the CDC's science reports on the pandemic. The White House declined to comment about Caputo on Monday. Speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss behind-the-scenes conversations, a White House official said that the president was aware of Caputo's comments but that his job appeared to be safe for now. Nonetheless, the official said, some advisers were arguing that Caputo should be demoted or removed because of concern that he could damage the administration's efforts to build public confidence in a prospective coronavirus vaccine. The official said the White House has expanded its coronavirus vaccine messaging team, detailing staffers from other agencies in an "end run" around Caputo. Senior White House aides have warned Caputo that some of his public comments crossed a line. Caputo deactivated his personal Twitter and Facebook accounts Monday. HHS released a statement describing Caputo as "a critical, integral part of the President's coronavirus response, leading on public messaging as Americans need public health information to defeat the covid-19 pandemic." Several current and former administration officials have expressed frustration that Caputo seems more focused on the president's political fortunes than on combating the pandemic. Caputo denied that, saying that while he cares about the president's electoral prospects, he is most worried about the deaths and suffering caused by the pandemic. He noted that he has urged friends to wear masks. "If you don't wear a mask, you're part of the problem," he said in the interview. As a former radio talk show host, Caputo said he used to host such Facebook Live events every Sunday until he took the HHS job in April. Since then, he has done two or three such events to talk about the pandemic response. He said he spoke about being in personal danger because a car had stopped in front of his Buffalo, N.Y.-area home, where he was shooting the video, and a man rolled the car window down and twice yelled profanities and threatened his life. Since Caputo has been in the HHS job, he said, his two daughters, now 6 and 8, have been harassed constantly. One man is being prosecuted for yelling obscenities at them when they were playing outside, he said. The Post could not immediately confirm that case. In the video, Caputo said questioners asked whether he would stay in the job because of mounting criticism of his team's interference in the work of the CDC's weekly scientific missives aimed at the nation's doctors, known as the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Reports. He said he expected to remain in his post. Caputo was an unusual choice for the top health communications job in the government, especially during the deadliest public health crisis in a century. A New York public relations specialist and political consultant, Caputo served as campaign manager to businessman Carl Paladino in his unsuccessful bid for governor of New York in 2010. Caputo began working with Trump in 2014, first to assist Trump's unsuccessful bid to buy the Buffalo Bills that year and then, in 2016, to assist Trump's efforts in the Republican primary for president in New York. Caputo remained in the public eye, particularly after the appointment of special counsel Robert Mueller in 2017. In frequent interviews, Caputo bemoaned the investigation and the effect it had on Trump allies who faced hefty legal bills as they received subpoenas and requests for interviews with investigators. When the investigation wrapped, Trump hosted Caputo for a meeting in the Oval Office and posed for pictures with his family. Caputo drew the attention of Mueller's investigators in part because he had had contact with a Russian who offered damaging information about Hillary Clinton during the 2016 campaign. In May 2016, Caputo said, a Russian man approached his then-business partner Sergey "George" Petrushin at an art gallery opening in Florida, claiming to have information that could be helpful to Trump's campaign. Petrushin connected him with Caputo, who arranged for him to meet with political operative Roger Stone, a longtime friend. According to the Mueller report, which described the episode, investigators found no link between the Russian man's outreach and the broader effort by Russia to interfere in the 2016 election. As a political adviser and public relations specialist, Caputo also had lived for a time in Moscow in the 1990s, where he worked on a campaign reminiscent of "Rock the Vote" on behalf of then-Russian President Boris Yeltsin. Returning to the United States, Caputo took a contract in 2000 working for the Russian conglomerate Gazprom Media to improve Vladimir Putin's image in the United States. He later told the Buffalo News that he was "not proud of the work," adding, "at the time, Putin wasn't such a bad guy." STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Authorities announced charges against 10 alleged members of a loosely linked drug distribution network in Brooklyn Monday that included one Staten Island street dealer and is said to have bought and sold hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of cocaine at pandemic prices." Special Narcotics Prosecutor Bridget Brennan, Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez and New York City Police Commissioner Dermot Shea said the series of arrests helped to take apart an alleged drug network that operated out of Park Slope, Gowanus and Sunset Park. This long-term investigation helped to dismantle an alleged drug network that continued to operate and benefit during the height of the pandemic, distributing large amounts of cocaine through several Brooklyn communities," said Gonzalez. "This takedown shows the resolve of my office to continue to work with the special narcotics prosecutor and the NYPD to keep narcotics traffickers and the gun violence that often follows them, from doing business in Brooklyn. The investigation began before the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in August 2019 following a nonfatal overdose near the Farragut Houses in Brooklyn, authorities said, after members of a street level organization tied to that overdose sold narcotics, including heroin, fentanyl and cocaine, to undercover officers over 20 times totaling approximately $16,000 in sales. Months later, a wiretap investigation was started in February 2020 and focused on the role of accused drug kingpin Miguel Rivera, 42, of Queens, as an alleged cocaine supplier. Over the next two months, authorities said Rivera allegedly obtained at least five kilograms of cocaine that totaled a combined wholesale value of up to $250,000. Those prices, authorities said, came as access to cocaine was extremely limited during the height of the pandemic, which caused a markup of nearly 30% to 50% over the typical price. Riveras associate, Alberto Bota, 55, of Brooklyn, was a part of the operation, which aimed at immediately reselling that cocaine at an additional markup of 3% to 5%, authorities said, often on the same day it was purchased. On July 8, 2020, Bota called alleged narcotics supplier Joe Lopez Santos, 42, of Brooklyn, who allegedly agreed to sell a kilogram of cocaine for $41,000. Bota informed Rivera of the deal, who then told Luis Rodriguez, 42, a street level dealer who lives on the 1000 block of Hylan Boulevard in Grasmere, that the cocaine would be available for purchase soon, according to Kati Cornell, a spokeswoman for the Special Narcotics Prosecutors Office. That night, authorities said Bota and Lopez Santos agreed to meet in Botas home on Union Street in Brooklyn. Detectives established surveillance and saw Rivera, Bota and Lopez Santos enter and exit the home separately, according to authorities. At 7:20 p.m., police stopped Lopez Santos' vehicle and recovered $41,000 in cash from a black bag on the floor of the car. About a half an hour later, police stopped Riveras car and recovered 799 grams of cocaine from the trunk and center console of the vehicle. Bota was arrested that night, authorities said. The police conducted a court-authorized search of his car and found an additional 150 grams of cocaine, heroin, a scale and about $4,000 in cash from a hidden compartment in the vehicle. Police conducted another court-authorized search of a storage unit allegedly associated with Rivera on July 15, 2020 at a location on 4th Avenue in Sunset Park and found two firearms with no serial numbers, a bulletproof vest, ammunition and approximately $60,000 cash packed into vacuum sealed bags containing $20,000 each and labeled with different dates. Two days later, police found a vacuum sealer and $83,300 in cash in his Myrtle Avenue home in Queens. One Staten Islander charged among Brooklyn drug bust. (Photo courtesy of NYPD) Luis Rodriguez the Staten Island dealer traveled off the Island to retrieve cocaine from Rivera on multiple occasions, including for the alleged July 8 deal, according to a criminal complaint. On that day, Rivera was arrested just before Luis Gonzalez sent him a text reading, Im here, after the two agreed to a cocaine deal over the phone, the criminal complaint indicated. Just over a week later, on July 16, Luis Rodriguez was observed by detectives in front of his home walking towards a car. He was stopped by an officer who found over one-eighth an ounce of crack-cocaine in his pocket along with $2,055 in cash. A search warrant for Luis Rodriguezs home was executed on July 17 and found small, blue ziplock bags authorities said are used for the packaging of narcotics. Rivera, Bota and Lopez Santos were arraigned in Manhattan Supreme Court Monday afternoon. Rivera faces charges of operating as a major trafficker, second-degree conspiracy, multiple counts of first and third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, first-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance, second-degree criminal possession of a weapon and criminal possession of a firearm. Riveras attorney information was not immediately available on online court records. Bota was charged with second-degree conspiracy and multiple counts of first and third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance, second- and third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and second-degree criminally using drug paraphernalia. Botas attorney could not immediately be reached. Lopez Santos faces charges of second-degree conspiracy and first-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance. The COVID-19 pandemic created cocaine supply shortages that allowed alleged high level drug traffickers Rivera and Bota to price gouge their desperate clientele. For them, the crisis provided an opportunity to charge some of the highest prices for cocaine seen in New York City in recent years, Brennan said. The indictment reveals a singular focus on enhancing profits, draining hundreds of thousands of dollars from Brooklyn neighborhoods while the city was in COVID-19 lockdown. Luis Rodriguez; Angel Rodriguez, 42, of Queens; Bruce Williams, 44, of Brooklyn; Kevin Pedraza, 30, of Brooklyn; Rafael Lopez, 34, of Brooklyn; and Raymond Pedraza, 30, of Brooklyn, were arraigned previously, according to a release. Rodriguezs attorney information was not immediately available. Jason Perez, 34, of Hazlet, waived extradition from New Jersey on Friday and is expected to be arraigned at a later date. This case illustrates our joint responsibilities in eradicating the trade in illegal narcotics," said Shea. Our NYPD officers, working with our law enforcement partners, have worked throughout the pandemic to ensure New Yorkers are safe and we embrace these charges as a measure of justice." Two criminal court judges in the 2nd Judicial District in Albuquerque have decided not to keep their seats. Patti Watson, a spokeswoman for the Judicial Performance Evaluation Commission, said Judge Charles Brown and Judge Cristina Jaramillo have decided to not stand for retention this year. It means they elected not to try to keep their seats, i.e., are retiring from those positions, Watson wrote in an email. JPEC is a nonpartisan commission that evaluates judges performance every six years and recommends whether voters should retain them during the general election. Neither Brown nor Jaramillo could be reached on Monday. Brown is the presiding judge of the courts criminal division; he has served on the bench since 2007, according to the courts website. Jaramillo was elected to District Court in 2014, before which she was a judge in Metropolitan Court. SYRACUSE, N.Y., Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- HealtheConnections has partnered with Nuvance, formerly Health Quest, a leader in healthcare in the Hudson Valley region of New York state and eastern Connecticut, to sunset their current physician portal and replace it with the health information exchange (HIE) portal through HealtheConnections before the end of September. As the New York State Department of Health's accredited HIE for the Hudson Valley region, HealtheConnections is well positioned to connect Nuvance and its regional partner organizations through one single portal system. The HIE aggregates regional patient health records to provide consolidated views of that patient's health history. Through HealtheConnections, medical organizations like Nuvance can securely exchange patient data, which leads to increased efficiency and cost savings for both the organization and its patients. Nuvance alone boasts 71 locations and more than 300 licensed clinicians. With its partners, this initiative will connect 108 new participating organizations with more than 700 physicians, and the thousands of support staff members who require patient health information sharing and access. The transition to HealtheConnections, a critical healthcare service in the Hudson Valley healthcare community, will yield operational efficiencies and patient care quality and safety improvements for the newly connected entities. "Innovative technology, collaboration with our colleagues, and the ability to securely share critical information are the keys to delivering better patient outcomes at a lower cost," said Albert Villarin, MD, the Chief Medical Informatics Officer at Nuvance. "We have an opportunity and a responsibility to leverage HealtheConnections' established network within our community and take the next step toward realizing a seamless continuum of care." Nuvance employees and its partners will have access to all the data they are accustomed to and then some. With consent, providers that access HealtheConnections' myConnections HIE portal can receive the comprehensive medical record for their patients' information from more than 460 organizations: Medical histories, vitals, allergies, medications, lab results, and more are right at their fingertips. As an added benefit, providers can take advantage of customizable clinical alerts, HIPAA-compliant email, robust image exchange, and value-based care solutions through HealtheConnections, all at no cost. "Our customer and technical engagement teams have prioritized building relationships and fostering increased HIE usage by demonstrating its tangible value for participants," said Rob Hack, President and CEO of HealtheConnections. "We are pleased by the trust Nuvance places in us and we welcome its partners to our network to deliver the data they need to support provider efficiencies and improved patient care." Nuvance and its partners join 1,400 other participating organizations and 10,000 providers across 3,600 locations in the 26-county region HealtheConnections supports. To learn more about HealtheConnections, visit www.healtheconnections.org. About HealtheConnections HealtheConnections is accredited by the New York State Department of Health and a member of the Statewide Health Information Network of New York (SHIN-NY), designated to operate the health information exchange for the Central, Northern, Southern Tier, and Hudson Valley regions of New York. HealtheConnections delivers trusted and valued services and initiatives that support regional care providers, patients, and the state health information exchange and population health improvement agendas. Learn more by visiting healtheconnections.org. SOURCE HealtheConnections Related Links https://www.healtheconnections.org Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Andriy Yermak met with the ambassadors of the G7 countries and spoke about the results of the negotiations at the level of advisors to the leaders of the countries participating in the Normandy format in Berlin. "We are grateful for your support and want to convey to you the position of Ukraine and the algorithm we are following on the path towards a peaceful settlement of the military conflict in Donbas as transparently and thoroughly as possible," Yermak said at the meeting on September 14. He noted that every achievement, in particular the ceasefire regime, which lasted almost six weeks, became possible thanks to the support of the G7 countries. Yermak informed the G7 ambassadors in detail about Ukraine's position in the negotiations, outlining the course of the negotiation process. He noted that the parties agreed to hold the next meeting of advisors to the Normandy Four leaders in the near future, which, according to Yermak, will bring the summit of the Normandy Four leaders closer. According to the head of the President's Office, Ukraine is proposing a clear plan of action to achieve peace with specific dates for the implementation of all agreements reached during the last meeting of the leaders of the Normandy format in Paris. Yermak noted that in order to inform Ukrainians about the details of the peace talks and the implementation of this plan, communication will be strengthened, the participants of the meetings at the level of advisors and in the TCG will carry out explanatory work "to inform about what is happening and what should be done by everyone to achieve peace as soon as possible". "We understand that communication, in particular with the media, is necessary and important," he said. The meeting was also attended by Deputy Prime Minister - Minister for Reintegration of Temporarily Occupied Territories Oleksiy Reznikov, Minister of Defense Andriy Taran, First Deputy Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Ruslan Demchenko, Ukraine's representative in the TCG working group on political issues, MP Andriy Kostin. ish BRIDGEPORT A judge has denied a reputed Bridgeport gang member from being released from custody after the prosecutor detailed a variety of crimes she claims the defendant has been accused of committing. Tyiese Warren, 20, appeared Tuesday in court via video conference on federal charges in connection with his alleged involvement in a crime spree in Bridgeport and Stratford earlier this year. Authorities say Warren was linked to a series of robberies, car thefts and carjackings in Stratford and Bridgeport in March. He also faces state charges in connection with those crimes. He pleaded not guilty to the charges of Hobbs Act robbery; brandishing, carrying and using a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence; and federal carjacking in federal court during a Sept. 3 court appearance. Magistrate Judge William I. Garfinkel denied a motion for Warrens release with conditions, which stipulated the defendant would stay at his mothers home in Bridgeport. Those reasons were detailed before the court by Assistant U.S. Attorney for Connecticut Karen Peck, who tied Warren to numerous other alleged crimes, including a series of shootings in Bridgeport that led to a murder last December. She said Warren was also a fellow gang member of at least one person charged in the shooting outside the Bridgeport courthouse in January. In all honesty, I dont think theres a judge in the country who would release Mr. Warren under these circumstances, Garfinkel said. Hes very young, but the track record hes been compiling since his late teens, its just too risky. I cant take the chance. Garfinkel said the choice for continued detention wasnt a decision he made lightly, adding that due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic he was making an effort to release as many folks as possible. Warrens attorney said he believes the death of Warrens brother contributed to his immature actions. Peck later said she believed Warren used his brothers murder as part of a gang war to motivate him to acts of violence. The weight of evidence against Mr. Warren is literally overwhelming, Peck said. Peck then outlined the events Warran is accused of committing during one night in March, starting with the alleged theft of a pregnant womans vehicle in Stratford. Peck mentioned another vehicle theft, where the victim tried to stop the suspects from stealing his car and was dragged for several hundred yards after grabbing on to the car. A Bridgeport carjacking, during which Warren allegedly told the victim drive or Ill shoot you, happened shortly after, followed by a robbery at gunpoint at Stratford gas station convenience store, Peck said. These cases alone give a picture of what this defendant has been up to, Peck said. But she didnt stop there. A month before the March crime spree, Peck said, Milford police arrested Warren on a larceny charge connected with a stolen Mercedes. She said Milford police found a 40-caliber shell casing in the vehicle that, when run through law enforcement systems, matched forensics connected to shootings in Bridgeport. Among those shootings, Peck said, were a series of gunfire throughout December 2019, culminating in the death of TyQuess Moore. The 18-year-old was found shot multiple times in a Newfield Avenue driveway. He was later pronounced dead at the hospital. Peck said investigators have text messages from Warren in a group chat with other gang members linked to these shootings. She said investigators have videos and pictures of Warren with guns, including 50-round drums and extended magazines. Video footage showed Warren and fellow gang member Marquis Israel in the Subaru used in the shooting outside the Golden Hill Street courthouse in January, according to Peck. She said one of the four victims shot during that incident was paralyzed by the bullets. She said text messages showed Warren talking about killing an East End gang member who went by the nickname Scrap. Peck said he was ultimately killed, although she did not speculate whether police believe Warren is a suspect. On March 10, 2019, 21-year-old Tyron Scrap Heard was fatally wounded in a shooting in Bridgeport that also wounded a 17- and 22-year-old. No arrests have been made in that homicide. Peck said beyond video footage and text messages, Warrens rap lyrics also allegedly highlight his crimes. He raps about various acts of violence and shooting he intends to do, and has done, against opposition gang members, she said. He is totally committed to the life of the gang. Court records show Warren also faces state charges of first-degree larceny, interfering with an officer/resisting arrest, engaging police in a pursuit and operating a motor vehicle without a license. Hes next in court on those charges on Oct. 13. More details were shared with the Hale County Commissioners who on Monday walked back a previous decision to participate in the payroll tax deferral program enacted by President Donald Trump in August. During the Courts last meeting, the commissioners unanimously approved enacting the deferral program for Hale County employees with the stipulation that the employees would be given the choice to opt out of it. At the time, there were still a lot of unanswered questions regarding whether or not the tax deferral would have to be repaid and by whom. What we agreed on last time before we knew all the regulations was that we were going to leave it up to the individual employee, said County Judge David Mull. Trump has since released additional information. The exemption would defer FICA deductions from Sept. 1 through Dec. 31. County Attorney Jim Tirey said the president cannot forgive FICA payments without an act of Congress. County Treasurer Ida Tyler told the Court Monday that the upon further review, it was determined that the employees would have between January and April 2021 to pay those back. And if the employee leaves, the responsibility to repay would fall on the county. The deferral would mean more take home pay temporarily but essentially a double FICA deduction later. We have a motion from Commissioner (Harold) King (precinct 3) to change what we did last time and basically not offer employees the opportunity to choose and we would just say were not going to participate in the deferment, said Mull. Commissioner Jimmy Kelly, precinct 4, seconded the motion, which was followed by a unanimous vote. Following that item, the commissioners then approved a joint election agreement and then a resolution with the Plainview Independent School District regarding the district hosting its own election at the same time as the other municipal elections. Tirey noted that the hed requested some changes in the paperwork filed by the district and was awaiting a response with the requested amendments. The Commissioners Court unanimously approved for Judge Mull to sign off on both items when the requested changes are made and approved by Tirey. The Court also voted to award Hale Center ISD $5,000 in CARES Act money that was awarded to the county. Judge Mull noted that the school was the only one to request any of those funds so far. Prior to the meetings end, Commissioner King requested a new line item be added to his budget for solid waste. The fund will provide dumpsters to be placed on North Date Street from now through the end of December. Other items approved by the Court include: Athens: German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Interior Minister Horst Seehofer have agreed to take in around an additional 1500 migrants from Greek islands after a fire left thousands homeless, German government and coalition sources said. More than 12,000 people, mostly refugees from Afghanistan, Africa and Syria, were left without shelter, proper sanitation or access to food and water after the fire tore through the overcrowded Moria migrant camp on the island of Lesbos last Wednesday. Migrants shout slogans during a protest near Mytilene town, on the island of Lesbos, Greece, on Monday. Credit:AP The sources told Reuters Germany would home migrants whose asylum applications have already been accepted, adding that they would not only take refugees from Lesbos. There are around 30,000 refugees and migrants living on Greek islands. Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. (Newser) A slew of new stories on the November race have a familiar theme: Joe Biden is in trouble with Latino voters. The issue is especially prominent in Floridawhere Biden will appear on Tuesdaybut polls suggest that Trump is making big headway among Latinos nationwide. Coverage: Nationally: Biden led Trump among Hispanics by 30 points in July, according to a Reuters poll. The most recent poll showed the lead was just 9 points in August. The story takes note of the enthusiastic turnout at a Trump Latino roundtable in Phoenix on Monday. This is supposed to be a roundtable, but it looks like a rally, said the president. Biden led Trump among Hispanics by 30 points in July, according to a Reuters poll. The most recent poll showed the lead was just 9 points in August. The story takes note of the enthusiastic turnout at a Trump Latino roundtable in Phoenix on Monday. This is supposed to be a roundtable, but it looks like a rally, said the president. Florida: The numbers in this battleground state are telling. Hillary Clinton won the Latino vote here in 2016 by 30 points, but this year, Trump is leading Biden 50% to 46%, according to a new NBC/Marist poll. It's a big reason why Biden's lead in the state from earlier this summer has vanished, and the two are now in statistical dead heat. story continues below A key reason: Trump is trouncing Biden in Florida among Cuban-Americans in particular, and it could cost cost Biden the state in 2020, reports USA Today. One reason: The Trump campaign is saturating Spanish-language airwaves with ads suggesting that Biden is aligned with dictators such as the late Fidel Castro and Venezuela's Hugo Chavez. It's preying on people's vulnerabilities, their sensitivities, their family trauma of having to leave everything in their home country to come here," says Florida Democrat Annette Collazo, who is running for state legislature. She called the ads "deceptive." Trump is trouncing Biden in Florida among Cuban-Americans in particular, and it could cost cost Biden the state in 2020, reports USA Today. One reason: The Trump campaign is saturating Spanish-language airwaves with ads suggesting that Biden is aligned with dictators such as the late Fidel Castro and Venezuela's Hugo Chavez. It's preying on people's vulnerabilities, their sensitivities, their family trauma of having to leave everything in their home country to come here," says Florida Democrat Annette Collazo, who is running for state legislature. She called the ads "deceptive." Misinformation via app: Politico reports that conspiracy theories from QAnon and other deceptive claims are flooding the WhatsApp chats and Facebook feeds of Spanish-speaking residents of South Florida. WhatsApp is popular in Latin American communities because it doesn't require a US phone number or mobile service provider, and many use it to keep it in touch with relatives abroad, per the story. "Ive never seen this level of disinformation, conspiracy theories, and lies, says Latino Democratic strategist Evelyn Perez-Verdia. It looks as if it has to be coordinated. Politico reports that conspiracy theories from QAnon and other deceptive claims are flooding the WhatsApp chats and Facebook feeds of Spanish-speaking residents of South Florida. WhatsApp is popular in Latin American communities because it doesn't require a US phone number or mobile service provider, and many use it to keep it in touch with relatives abroad, per the story. "Ive never seen this level of disinformation, conspiracy theories, and lies, says Latino Democratic strategist Evelyn Perez-Verdia. It looks as if it has to be coordinated. Response: The Biden campaign is racing to make up the gap in Spanish-language ads in Miami-Dade and is increasing its Latino staff, notes a separate Politico story. (Mike Bloomberg has pledged $100 million to help Biden in the state.) The Biden campaign is racing to make up the gap in Spanish-language ads in Miami-Dade and is increasing its Latino staff, notes a separate Politico story. (Mike Bloomberg has pledged $100 million to help Biden in the state.) Trump's theme: In addressing Latino supporters Monday in Arizona, Trump stressed his law-and-order theme in regard to protests in US cities. Theyll rip down your community, Trump said. Many of these are Hispanic-American small businesses, stores, shops and they rip them down and call it peaceful protesting. In addressing Latino supporters Monday in Arizona, Trump stressed his law-and-order theme in regard to protests in US cities. Theyll rip down your community, Trump said. Many of these are Hispanic-American small businesses, stores, shops and they rip them down and call it peaceful protesting. A counterpoint: Others don't understand the support of Trump. So many Latinos in my community are essential workers who are on the front lines of the fight against coronavirus, but Trumps failed response has treated our essential workers like theyre disposable, and its a disgrace, says Arizona state Sen. Rebecca Rios. And former Democratic state Senate majority leader Alfredo Gutierrez recalled the president's previous rhetoric on Latino migrants. Why would they deign to sit, agree to sit, next to this guy who has spent the last three years spewing hate against us? (Read more Election 2020 stories.) Partnership enables organizations to assess mental wellness and neurological performance in real-time to help link employees to available support services Toronto, ON, Sept. 15, 2020, the most trusted provider of environmental, health, safety and quality, an award-winning digital health company, to provide organizations access to practical, evidence-based solutions to assess and improve employee mental wellness and neurological performance through its innovative EQ At Work solution. Highmark's EQ At Work solution is a highly-interactive, gamified mobile application that allows employees to complete short, entertaining "mini-games" that help assess their mental wellness and neurological performance based on variables including reaction time, reasoning, memory, balance and stress level. Users can track their performance over time using highly visual dashboards and metrics, and even share the data with their treating health professional. By integrating Highmark's EQ At Work solution with Cority's market-leading Occupational Health platform, companies can leverage Cority's extensive business intelligence tools to monitor aggregated and anonymized mental and neurological performance indicators more broadly, identify larger organizational trends for action, and help occupational health teams coordinate health and wellness services, including clinic exams, testing, and/or counselling for employees tailored to their specific wellness needs. This integration enables businesses to take a more proactive, data-driven approach to manage mental wellness risks, and help optimize employee health and productivity. "With EQ At Work, we help organizations deliver an easier, faster, and more relevant way to assess mental wellness and neurological performance based on a unique understanding of dynamic brain function," said Dr. Sanjeev Sharma, CEO of Highmark Interactive. "We're extremely excited to partner with Cority to help empower employers with leading tools that will help enhance employee wellness now and into the future." "Organizations are increasingly recognizing the role that mental health and wellness plays on overall employee health, workplace safety, and sustainable business performance," said Michael Couture, Chief Product Officer at Cority. "There is a growing appetite across industries for practical solutions that will enable firms to proactively identify mental health and wellness risks and allow them to take the appropriate steps to mitigate harm and remove barriers to care. Recognizing the importance of this issue, we feel our partnership with Highmark will enable us to bring newer innovations to clients to help them meet this challenge head-on." About Cority Cority is the most trusted environmental, health, safety, and quality (EHSQ) software for assuring client success. Cority enables organizations to utilize EHSQ software to advance their journey to sustainability and operational excellence by combining the deepest domain expertise with the most comprehensive and secure true SaaS platform. With 30+ years of innovation and experience, Cority's team of over 350 experts serve more than 800 clients in 100 countries, supporting 2.5 million end users. The company enjoys the industry's highest levels of client satisfaction and has received many awards for its strong employee culture and outstanding business performance. To learn more, visit www.cority.com. About Highmark Interactive Founded in 2017, Highmark Interactive seeks to change the paradigm of neurological testing and management. Our vision is to become leaders in digital diagnostics and therapeutics by fusing the engagement of mobile gaming with machine learning. Designed and supported by a team of neurologists, physicians, mathematicians and machine learning experts from learning universities, our security-compliant cloud-based technology is cleared for use by the US FDA, Health Canada, and EU CE Marking. Highmark's solutions are currently used by organizations in 29 countries. To learn more, visit www.highmark.tech. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-16 05:35:32|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close ULAN BATOR, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Visiting Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Mongolian Foreign Minister Nyamtseren Enkhtaivan held talks on Tuesday, vowing to advance bilateral cooperation in fighting the COVID-19 epidemic and further promote the two countries' ties. Wang said that since the novel coronavirus outbreak, China and Mongolia have helped each other and overcome the difficulties together. Mongolian President Khaltmaa Battulga made a special visit to China at the most severe time of the epidemic in China, expressed support for China and donated 30,000 sheep to China, Wang said, adding that Mongolian people from all walks of life initiated fundraising activities for China. The Chinese side also reciprocated, by sharing prevention and control experience and information with Mongolia without reservation, and providing medical supplies assistance, Wang said, noting that the relationship between the two countries has withstood the test of the epidemic outbreak and has been further improved in the joint fight against the epidemic. "We are willing to work with Mongolia to implement the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries and push the China-Mongolia comprehensive strategic partnership to a new level," he said. The message of the visit to the outside world is that, first of all, China is willing to further strengthen cooperation in the fight against the epidemic with Mongolia, consolidate the good momentum of "zero infection" on the two sides, work together to deal with the preparation for the possible long-term presence of the epidemic, strengthen normalized joint prevention and joint control, make better use of the "green channel" for goods exchanges, accelerate the establishment of "fast channels" for personnel exchanges, and carry out vaccine and drug cooperation, Wang said. "The epidemic will eventually pass, and the China-Mongolia friendship will last forever." Second, China will continue to support Mongolia's economic and social development and improvement of people's livelihood, and is willing to share development opportunities with Mongolia to achieve common prosperity. The advantages of both parties complement each other and the cooperation prospects are broad. The two countries must make up for the time lost due to the outbreak of the epidemic and promote the resumption of work and production of key projects as soon as possible, Wang noted. During this visit, the two sides reached a consensus on extensive cooperation, and agreed to speed up the alignment of the joint construction of the Belt and Road and Mongolia's Prairie Road development initiative, actively promote sewage treatment plants, hydropower stations, transformation of shanty towns and other major projects that have been agreed and are under negotiation, expand the import of agricultural and animal husbandry products and coal from Mongolia, and further strengthen cooperation between ports and cross-border economic zones. Third, the two sides should work together to ensure the long-term healthy and stable development of China-Mongolia relations. China and Mongolia are permanent neighbors and should also be permanent friends. This is the only right and the best choice for the two countries. The two sides should continue to strengthen political mutual trust, consolidate the political foundation of bilateral relations, in particular respect each other's national sovereignty and territorial integrity, and refrain from interfering in each other's internal affairs. This is not only a political commitment when the two countries established diplomatic relations, but also a basic norm of international relations. It should become a "sacred needle" for the healthy and stable development of bilateral relations. Wang emphasized that China and Mongolia are both developing countries and share extensive common interests in international and regional affairs. The two sides should strengthen their support and cooperation in the United Nations and other multilateral frameworks, and jointly send the positive note of opposing unilateralism, supporting multilateralism, opposing splitting and confrontation, and supporting win-win cooperation. For his part, Enkhtaivan said that Mongolia attaches great importance to the development of relations with China and places cooperation with China as a priority in the country's foreign policy. Since the outbreak of the epidemic, the two countries have maintained close, high-level communication, while political mutual trust has been solid, and mutually beneficial cooperation has been continuously deepened, said Enkhtaivan. Saying that Wang is the first foreign minister to visit Mongolia since the outbreak, Enkhtaivan called the visit a vivid manifestation of the great importance China attaches to the Mongolia-China relations and the traditional friendship between the two neighbors. Enkhtaivan expressed Mongolia's gratitude to China for its anti-epidemic supplies assistance, and willingness to continue to unite with China to fight the epidemic and expand cooperation in traditional Chinese medicine. The establishment of a Green Gateway aimed at boosting trade and economic cooperation between Mongolia and China amid the COVID-19 epidemic has played an important role in restoring and expanding trade between the two countries, he said. The Mongolian foreign minister said that Mongolia is willing to deepen cooperation with China in areas including culture, education, health and innovation, and intensify communication and coordination on the multilateral stage to promote more mutually beneficial and win-win results. The two foreign ministers reiterated that China and Mongolia will respect each other's sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity and will not interfere in each other's internal affairs. After the talks, the foreign ministers signed the revised Agreement on China-Mongolia Border Ports and Their Management System, the annual cooperation plan of the Chinese and Mongolian ministries of foreign affairs and other documents, and jointly met the press. Enditem A 22 year old homeless man appeared in court yesterday charged with the murder of a missing 32 year old woman. Christopher Mayer, an Iraqi Kurd, is accused of murdering Lorraine Cox who was last seen in Exeter city centre in the early hours of Tuesday, September 1. Police said Lorraine was reported missing two days after she was last seen. They are yet to find her body and are currently searching woodland at Newton St Cyres near Exeter and have still cordoned off a road around Exeter city centre. Christopher Mayer, 22 (left), was charged with the murder of Lorraine Cox (right), 32, after she went missing in Exeter city centre on September 1 Police erected Special Operations Tents in Mary Arches Street, Exeter, Devon, on Thursday as they launched a murder investigation Mayer, who has no fixed abode, appeared via video link from Exeter jail for a hearing before a judge at Exeter Crown Court. Five other men, aged between 71 and 22, have been bailed by police until next month. They were all arrested on suspicion of murder. Mayer was remanded in custody and will next appear in court on October 8. Ms Cox, a Type 1 diabetic, had left her vital medical kit left at home, which sparked concern among her friends Devon and Cornwall Police say Ms Cox's family are being kept informed of any updates and are being supported by trained officers A trial could be held in March 2021. Devon and Cornwall Police say Ms Cox's family are being kept informed of any updates and are being supported by trained officers. They have asked for their privacy to be respected. Friends and family put up missing posters throughout the city after Ms Cox went missing last week. Limited impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the recurring operating result Upturn in activity beginning June 2020 Resumption of surgical operations seen in the 3rd quarter of 2020 Implanet is holding a conference call (in French only) at 6.15 pm CEST today to present these results To join the call, please dial in on +33 (0)1 70 71 01 59 then enter the participant PIN code 85 01 50 33 # Regulatory News: IMPLANET (Euronext Growth: ALIMP, FR0013470168, eligible for PEA-PME equity savings plans) (Paris:ALIMP), a medical technology company specializing in vertebral and knee-surgery implants, announces its results for the first half of the year to June 30, 2020, as approved by the Board of Directors on September 15, 2020. Implanet CEO Ludovic Lastennet said: "These first-half results illustrate the slowdown in activity due to the COVID-19 pandemic, embodied by the halting and postponement of scheduled surgical operations since March. Measures implemented in early spring have enabled us to navigate this period as best as possible. We reacted swiftly, and the decrease in activity was partly offset by adapting our cost structure and managing our operations in France and abroad. The latest trends confirm the gradual upturn in activity, we anticipate recovering a portion of the lost revenue we were unable to generate during this period during the second half of the year. Nevertheless, we are keeping a close eye on the continually changing public health situation and will activate every lever at our disposal in order to pursue our development by capitalizing on Implanet's assets and product ranges In thousands IFRS* H1 2020 H1 2019 Change (%) Revenue 2,595 3,818 -32% Cost of goods sold -1,148 -1,641 -30% Gross margin 1,446 2,177 -34% Gross margin 55.7% 57.0% -1.3 pp Recurring operating costs -3,339 -3,898 -14% EBIT before non-recurring items -1,892 -1,721 -10% Other non-recurring income (expense) -148 171 n/a EBIT -2,040 -1,550 -32% Financial income/(loss) -370 -275 -34% Net income/(loss) -2,410 -1,825 -32% *Unaudited data Revenue tied to the COVID-19 pandemic in H1 2020 Over the first six months of 2020, Implanet generated sales of 2.59 million, down 32% on the H1 2019 figure of 3.82 million. Spine sales totaled 1.51 million (vs. 2.38 million in H1 2019), while Knee activity fell by 24% compared with the first half of 2019, totaling 1.08 million. First-half revenue was heavily impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly the Export segment. This impact was mainly concentrated on the months from March until May, with the majority of surgical operations suspended in the countries Implanet addresses directly (France, United States and Germany) as well as the postponement of export deliveries as a precautionary measure. The Company recorded an increase in activity in June, notably thanks to JAZZ activity in France, which was up 10%. Reminder of percentage of 2019 monthly revenue achieved in each of the first 6 months of 2020: January February March April May June Percentage of 2019 revenue 111% 115% 42% 11% 37% 80% Gross margin and EBIT Over the first half of 2020, the gross margin was 1.44 million, versus 2.18 million in 2019, a result of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. This decrease was partially offset by a 0.56 million decrease in recurring operating expenses made possible by adapting the Company's cost structure. In particular, this management was characterized by the rapid implementation of partial work measures, which resulted in savings of 0.39 million over the period, and tight control over marketing and administrative spending. Other non-recurring operating expenses correspond to the costs incurred during the Knee activity divestment project. These exclusive negotiations have been terminated. As a reminder, in 2019, the non-recurring income corresponded to the reversal of a provision concerning a dispute between Implanet and a distributor. At June 30, 2020, the financial result can primarily be explained by the cost of bond financing and foreign exchange losses recorded in the South America zone. Given all these elements, the net loss was 2.41 million at June 30, 2020, versus a loss of 1.83 million in the first half of 2019. Cash position As of June 30, 2020, Implanet had cash and cash equivalents of 0.97 million, versus. 0.68 million at December 31, 2019. Regarding its financial situation, the Company has benefited from State support, notably via two State-guaranteed loans in France totaling 0.80 million and, in the United States, the financing of a PPP (Paycheck Protection Program) loan of $79 thousand. The Company has also been granted a deferral of its social security contributions totaling 0.21 million. As a reminder, on February 7, 2020 the Company renewed its bond financing line with Nice Green for a maximum amount of 4.0 million over the period from February 2020 to February 2021. At June 30, 2020, it still had access to 2.74 million. 2020 outlook Regarding the current third-quarter trend, surgical operations resumed over the summer and numerous operations are currently scheduled for the coming weeks, suggesting that activity during this quarter should be in line with that recorded in 2019. However, the performance in the coming months will depend on the evolution of the public health situation, both in France and abroad. Given the ongoing changes in this situation, it is difficult to establish estimates for the full year. Implanet will continue to work hard to make the most of the resumption of surgical operations and to optimize its cost structure to end this quarter and the year in the most positive way possible. Reminder of H1 2020 highlights Further development of the direct sales model in key European markets such as Germany, where it has appointed Stephan Collardey as Country Manager Germany; - Extension of the CE marking on the Company's entire range of MADISONTM knee prostheses until 2024 by the European authorities; - JAZZ Cap intellectual property extended to Japan; - Marketing of the MADISON total knee prosthesis in the United States, in partnership with KICo. Upcoming financial event: Q3 2020 revenue, on October 13, 2020 after market close About IMPLANET Founded in 2007, Implanet is a medical technology company that manufactures high-quality implants for orthopedic surgery. Its activity revolves around two product ranges, the latest generation JAZZ implant, designed to improve the treatment of spinal pathologies requiring vertebral fusion surgery, and the MADISON implant designed for first-line prosthetic knee surgery. Implanet's tried-and-tested orthopedic platform is based on product traceability. Protected by four families of international patents, JAZZ and MADISON have obtained 510(k) regulatory clearance from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States, the CE mark as well as the ANVISA authorization in Brazil. Implanet employs 36 staff and recorded 2019 sales of 7.4 million. For further information, please visit www.implanet.com. Based near Bordeaux in France, Implanet established a US subsidiary in Boston in 2013. Implanet is listed on Euronext Growth market in Paris. The Company would like to remind readers that the table for monitoring the equity line (OCA, OCAPI, BSA) and the number of shares outstanding, is available on its website: http://www.implanet-invest.com/suivi-des-actions-80 View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200915006030/en/ Contacts: IMPLANET Ludovic Lastennet, CEO David Dieumegard, CFO Tel.: +33(0)5 57 99 55 55 investors@implanet.com NewCap Investor Relations Sandrine Boussard-Gallien Nicolas Fossiez Tel.: +33 (0)1 44 71 94 94 implanet@newcap.eu NewCap Media Relations Nicolas Merigeau Tel.: +33 (0)1 44 71 94 94 implanet@newcap.eu Paris, September 15, 2020 - The Board of Directors of Atos SE decided, during its meeting held on September 14, 2020, to propose the candidacy as Director of Mr. Edouard Philippe, mayor of the city of Le Havre and former French Prime Minister, during the general shareholders' meeting to be held on October 27, 2020. **** About Atos Atos is a global leader in digital transformation with 110,000 employees in 73 countries and annual revenue of 12 billion. European number one in Cloud, Cybersecurity and High-Performance Computing, the Group provides end-to-end Orchestrated Hybrid Cloud, Big Data, Business Applications and Digital Workplace solutions. In the UK & Ireland Atos delivers business technology solutions for some of the country's largest public and private sector organisations The Group is the Worldwide Information Technology Partner for the Olympic & Paralympic Games and operates under the brands Atos, Atos|Syntel, and Unify. Atos is a SE (Societas Europaea), listed on the CAC40 Paris stock index. The purpose of Atos is to help design the future of the information space. Its expertise and services support the development of knowledge, education and research in a multicultural approach and contribute to the development of scientific and technological excellence. Across the world, the Group enables its customers and employees, and members of societies at large to live, work and develop sustainably, in a safe and secure information space. Press contact: Sylvie Raybaud - sylvie.raybaud@atos.net - +33 6 95 91 96 71 - @Sylvie_Raybaud Attachment A spike in coronavirus cases has prompted Jordan to suspend schools and announce a series of nationwide restrictions for two weeks beginning Thursday. The government is shuttering places of worship, cafes, restaurants and public markets, and schools will switch to online learning for all but grades 1, 3 and 12. Health Minister Saad Jaber said he hopes the measures are enough to avoid reimposing a harsh nationwide lockdown and an army-enforced round-the-clock curfew, which kept the virus in check in March but strained Jordan's already fragile economy. "We hope the new measures, though [they] might be tough, [will] reduce the number of infections, and we are cautious not to return to blanket curfews, Jaber told reporters, according to state news agency Petra. Jordan began easing restrictions in April and allowed more than 2.1 million students to return to school this month. Last week, Jordans international airport in Amman resumed regularly scheduled international flights after a six-month closure. But health officials are alarmed by an uptick in new cases, and in late August, Minister of State for Media Affairs Amjad Adaileh warned Jordan had entered the second wave of the virus. In one of Jordans highest single-day tolls since March, the country recorded 214 new cases on Monday, as well as two deaths from COVID-19. A majority of the new infections were in the capital, Amman, said Jaber. The country of 10 million has so far registered over 3,500 cases and a total of 27 deaths. Jaber attributed the recent surge in infections to wedding parties, large gatherings and funerals. Waco Independent School District Chief of Staff Kyle DeBeer explained the investigation process when someone tests positive to the school board last week. He said the process begins with the district's health services department interviewing the person who tested positive and first establishing the period during which that person would have been infectious. For someone with symptoms, that time frame begins two days before they had symptoms. For someone without symptoms, it begins two days before that person took a test. Once that time frame has been established for each person who tests positive, the health services department walks through each day with the person, seeing where they went throughout the day, who they came into contact with and the physical setup of the rooms they were in with other people, DeBeer said. With that information, the department builds a list of close contacts, or people who were within 6 feet of the person who tested positive for at least 15 minutes. Whether the close contacts wore a mask in the presence of the sick person is not considered part of the criteria for excluding or including individuals as close contacts, DeBeer said. The district follows the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines. It is not uncommon to see companies perform well in the years after insiders buy shares. On the other hand, we'd be remiss not to mention that insider sales have been known to precede tough periods for a business. So we'll take a look at whether insiders have been buying or selling shares in Nvoi Limited (ASX:NVO). What Is Insider Selling? It is perfectly legal for company insiders, including board members, to buy and sell stock in a company. However, such insiders must disclose their trading activities, and not trade on inside information. We would never suggest that investors should base their decisions solely on what the directors of a company have been doing. But logic dictates you should pay some attention to whether insiders are buying or selling shares. For example, a Columbia University study found that 'insiders are more likely to engage in open market purchases of their own companys stock when the firm is about to reveal new agreements with customers and suppliers'. View our latest analysis for Nvoi The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Nvoi In the last twelve months, the biggest single purchase by an insider was when Non-Executive Director John Winters bought AU$75k worth of shares at a price of AU$0.01 per share. So it's clear an insider wanted to buy, even at a higher price than the current share price (being AU$0.008). While their view may have changed since the purchase was made, this does at least suggest they have had confidence in the company's future. To us, it's very important to consider the price insiders pay for shares. It is generally more encouraging if they paid above the current price, as it suggests they saw value, even at higher levels. Nvoi insiders may have bought shares in the last year, but they didn't sell any. You can see the insider transactions (by companies and individuals) over the last year depicted in the chart below. If you want to know exactly who sold, for how much, and when, simply click on the graph below! Story continues There are plenty of other companies that have insiders buying up shares. You probably do not want to miss this free list of growing companies that insiders are buying. Does Nvoi Boast High Insider Ownership? For a common shareholder, it is worth checking how many shares are held by company insiders. We usually like to see fairly high levels of insider ownership. Nvoi insiders own about AU$4.4m worth of shares. That equates to 30% of the company. While this is a strong but not outstanding level of insider ownership, it's enough to indicate some alignment between management and smaller shareholders. So What Do The Nvoi Insider Transactions Indicate? It doesn't really mean much that no insider has traded Nvoi shares in the last quarter. But insiders have shown more of an appetite for the stock, over the last year. Insiders own shares in Nvoi and we see no evidence to suggest they are worried about the future. In addition to knowing about insider transactions going on, it's beneficial to identify the risks facing Nvoi. Every company has risks, and we've spotted 4 warning signs for Nvoi (of which 2 make us uncomfortable!) you should know about. If you would prefer to check out another company -- one with potentially superior financials -- then do not miss this free list of interesting companies, that have HIGH return on equity and low debt. For the purposes of this article, insiders are those individuals who report their transactions to the relevant regulatory body. We currently account for open market transactions and private dispositions, but not derivative transactions. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com. London, Sep 15 : In order to curb the rise in coronavirus cases, tough new limits on social gatherings has come into force in the UK, meaning that in most regions, it is now illegal for groups of more than six to meet up. The "rule of six" kicked off on Monday midnight across England, Wales and Scotland in the latest push to curb the recent surge in coronavirus infections, reports Xinhua news agency. The new rule applies across indoor and outdoor settings, with police able to disperse gatherings of over six people and fine individuals involved. The new restrictions were imposed after the country's reproduction, or R, number escalated to between one and 1.2 for the first time since March. On Sunday, more than 3,000 Covid-19 cases were reported for the third day in a row -- the first time since May. The new "rule of six" simplifies and strengthens the rules on social gatherings, making it easier for Britons to understand and for the police to enforce. Apart from a set of limited exemptions including work and education, any social gatherings of more than six people will be against the law. Police officers have been authorised to disperse any unlawful gatherings and fine individuals 100 pounds ($128), doubling up to a maximum of 3,200 pounds. Organisers and facilitators of larger gatherings of more than 30 people, such as unlicensed music events, can be subject to fines of up to 10,000 pounds. "As we continue to fight this virus, I urge the public not participate in social gatherings of more than six people in any setting, indoors or outdoors," Home Secretary Priti Patel told reporters on Monday. Meanwhile, Kit Malthouse, the MP for North West Hampshire, encouraged people to use the non-emergency phone number to report any suspected violations. "We are in discussions about what reporting mechanisms there might be, but there is obviously the non-emergency number that people can ring and report issues they wish to," he said. A recent survey carried out by the British Medical Association (BMA) found that 86 per cent of doctors in England anticipated a "second wave" of the coronavirus pandemic in the country in the next six months. In a poll of more than 8,000 doctors and medical students, 53.66 per cent of respondents viewed a second wave as "very likely", while a further 32.05 per cent answered "quite likely", local media reported on Monday. Nearly 50 per cent said that a second peak was their top concern for the health service this winter, while the capacity to deal with the ongoing coronavirus cases as well as the restart other routine care appointments was most concerning for over 35 per cent of respondents. As of Tuesday, the overall Covid-19 caseload in the UK increased to 373,553, while the death toll stood at 41,726. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) Watergate reporter Carl Bernstein has slammed Donald Trump as a 'homicidal president' who is hosting 'homicidal assemblies' with his indoor campaign rallies amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Bernstein, the former Washington Post journalist who reported alongside Bob Woodward, called out Trump on Monday night for resuming indoor campaign rallies and saying he is using his supporters as 'sacrificial lambs'. 'You're witnessing a homicidal president convening, purposefully, a homicidal assembly to help him get reelected instead of protecting the health and welfare of the United States, including supporters whose lives he is willing to sacrifice,' Bernstein told CNN's Anderson Cooper. 'Here is this president, who has staked part of his presidency on the right to life, particularly of the unborn, and every day he has sacrificed the lives of thousands of Americans because he is unwilling to deal honestly, forthrightly, meaningfully, with the greatest domestic crisis in our post-war history in this country. 'Now we've seen in front of us, tonight, this homicidal assembly that the president of the United States has called his supporters to be sacrificial lambs. It's astonishing.' Scroll down for video Watergate reporter Carl Bernstein called out Trump on Monday night for resuming indoor campaign rallies amid the coronavirus pandemic "You're witnessing a homicidal President convening purposefully a homicidal assembly to help him get reelected," says journalist Carl Bernstein of Pres. Trump's indoor rallies. He's called his supporters to be "sacrificial lambs," adds Bernstein. "It's astonishing." pic.twitter.com/63NQnpKkgS Anderson Cooper 360 (@AC360) September 15, 2020 Bernstein, who went as far as calling Trump's handling of the coronavirus outbreak 'the most grievous felony' in history, was referring to Trump holding an indoor campaign rally in Henderson, Nevada, on Sunday and a round table event in Phoenix, Arizona, on Monday night. The rally was held at the Xtreme Manufacturing warehouse facility where thousands of supporters gathered to hear Trump speak. Relatively few people wore masks. Nevada restricts gatherings to 50 people based on White House reopening guidelines. 'This is an insult to every Nevadan who has followed the directives, made sacrifices, and put their neighbors before themselves,' said Nevada's Democratic Governor Steve Sisolak. The city of Henderson on Monday announced that it was fining Xtreme Manufacturing $3,000. Trump on Monday also drew hundreds of supporters to an indoor event in Phoenix, Arizona that his campaign advertised as a 'Latinos for Trump roundtable'. 'This is supposed to be a roundtable but it looks like a rally,' he told the crowd. Most in the audience did not wear masks but tables filled with hundreds of unused masks were at the entrance to the event. Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey, a Republican, has consistently refused to criticize Trump for holding large gatherings in the state, including a packed campaign event at a Phoenix church in June when Arizona was seeing a surge in COVID-19 cases. 'The constitutional rights of Arizonans are going to be protected,' Ducey said. 'The've been protected the entire time. They're nonnegotiable.' A Trump rally in in Henderson, Nevada, on Sunday night drew thousands of supporters. Nevada restricts gatherings to 50 people based on White House reopening guidelines Upcoming rallies in Wisconsin on Thursday and Minnesota on Friday will be held in open-air airplane hangars. Neither state caps attendance on outdoor events. Democratic governors and local leaders have urged Trump to reconsider campaign events, warning that he is putting lives at risk. But they have largely not tried to block the gatherings of thousands of people, which Trump and his team have deemed 'peaceful protests' protected by the First Amendment. Trump has made the case that if demonstrators can gather en masse for protests over racial injustice, so can his supporters. 'If you can join tens of thousands of people protesting in the streets, gamble in a casino, or burn down small businesses in riots, you can gather peacefully under the 1st Amendment to hear from the President of the United States,' Tim Murtaugh, a Trump campaign spokesperson, said in a statement. Trump's campaign has insisted that it takes appropriate health precautions, including handing out masks and hand sanitizer and checking the temperatures of those in attendance. It comes after it emerged last week that Trump had referred to the virus as 'deadly stuff' in a private conversation with Bernstein's former reporting partner Bob Woodward. Trump, at the same time, was publicly downplaying the threat of COVID-19. T Three days after delivering his 'deadly' assessment in a private call with Woodward, he told a New Hampshire rally on February 10 that 'it's going to be fine'. Trump's acknowledgment in Woodward's new book 'Rage' that he was minimizing the severity of the virus in public to avoid causing panic has triggered waves of criticism that he wasn't leveling with the American people. The president told Woodward on March 19 that he had deliberately minimized the danger. 'I wanted to always play it down,' the president said. 'I still like playing it down because I dont want to create a panic.' Each year, 30 million children receive free or reduced-priced meals at school through the National School Lunch Program. For many, this is a crucial source of nutritious foodsometimes the only one they have access to consistently. When schools closed in March, this resource was unexpectedly cut off. So as part of the CARES Act, Congress authorized states to implement the Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer, or P-EBT, program, which would help students and their families pay for the meals they normally received at school. Each state had to submit an application to Food and Nutrition Services at the United States Department of Agriculture, and families would receive up to around $400 per child between March and June. Advertisement Yet it took until the third week of August for all 50 states to get their programs approved (Idaho was the final state to join.). Furthermore, many of the states that had a program approved early took months to fully implement it, with many families receiving money into July to make up for meals lost in March. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its always better to get cash into peoples hands quickly. In Michigan, that happened. State officials were able to roll out the program quickly and effectively, reaching vulnerable children in need. Michigan started sending money out to families in April and was done distributing benefits by May to more than 900,000 families. This means that families received help when they needed it, instead of waiting for months. This was possible thanks to Michigans long-term investment in collecting educational data. Advertisement Advertisement Michigans success was the result of a decadeslong investment in data sharing and infrastructure that allowed it to quickly identify and support vulnerable children. Almost 20 years ago, Michigan developed the Center for Educational Performance and Information, which aggregates and stores education data. Since then, the CEPI has developed data sharing agreements with other departments and refined its data collection processes to ensure the quality and accuracy of their data. That was crucial to making the P-EBT program work. To implement the program, the Department of Education shared its data with the Department of Health and Human Services to match children to households who were already receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefitssometimes referred to as food stampsand then automatically add P-EBT benefits to their existing EBT cards. For those children not enrolled in SNAP, HHS used addresses and information collected by the Department of Education to send out preloaded cards. In a little more than a month, Michigan distributed more than $300 million to almost 1 million families. Twenty years prior, Michigan laid the groundwork for a system that could be used to address the changing needs of Michiganders, and in a crisis, it was able to keep children fed. Advertisement Advertisement Unfortunately, many other states were unable to share information easily between schools and the departments that would administer food assistance programs. Some states decided they needed parents to submit an application to determine their eligibility and confirm where to send their benefits. Those plans first required states to design and develop forms. Then parents needed to know that these applications existed, and how to fill them outoften requiring internet accessand state agencies needed to process the applications. This created extra hurdles and more delays for the state and, more importantly, families and children. Advertisement Advertisement The success of P-EBT in Michigan had tangible and positive effects on families. In July, New Americas Public Interest Technology New Practice Lab, where I work, and Propel, a company that runs FreshEBT to help SNAP recipients track their benefits, conducted a survey of approximately 500 SNAP users to better understand the impact of P-EBT. (New America is a partner with Slate and Arizona State University in Future Tense.) One 46-year-old mother of two said, Without SNAP/P-EBT we probably wouldnt have food to eat, or we would have [had] to choose between paying bills or eating. Another mom said, It has truly been a blessing. Having five kids at home [and] out of school, it would have been very hard to feed them full time without the P-EBT. For these families and others, P-EBT was a lifeline. It ensured children had enough to eat, and that parents could continue to afford food even as many experienced job loss or reduced hours at work. Nationally, according to a report from the Brookings Institution, the P-EBT program significantly reduced hunger, led to a 30 percent reduction in the rate of children not getting enough to eat, and lifted 3.9 million children out of hunger. It could have been even more successful if every state had implemented it in a timely manner. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Across the board, the nationwide pandemic response was hampered by a historic lack of investment in high quality, well-designed government systems. This was evident not only in the implementation of the P-EBT program, but also in widespread failures of unemployment insurance systems across the country. Millions of unemployed workers suffered as systems crashed, call centers were buried under an avalanche of callers desperate for support, and states frantically worked to bring systems back online. Applicants waited weeks or longer for their first unemployment checks, even as they needed to pay rent and put food on the table. Advertisement In order to be able to get help to families when they need it, federal, state, and local governments need to invest in data collection and make a practice of sharing data between agencies when necessary. Doing this during normal times means that theyll be prepared when confronted with a crisis. And while outdated technology is problematic, so is modern technology that is poorly implemented. States must invest in well-designed, responsive, and agile technology that allows them to flexibly implement new programs and processes when needed. Advertisement Government agencies should regularly update their processes to identify inefficiencies and constantly experiment and improve upon government programs. Michigans CEPI, for example, regularly evaluated its data collection procedures, refining the process and adding additional information to better serve the people. Beyond Michigan, one example of what this might look like in the future is Get CalFresh, a collaboration between the state of California and Code for America. Code for America conducted user research to better understand the pain points in the application process, and piloted new and simpler applications. Together, they were able to decrease the time it took to fill out an application for CalFresh, Californias SNAP program, to 10 minutes from 45, and added supportive features like document uploading to replace mail in, fax, or drop off forms. By consistently improving the client experience through human-centered design and thoughtfully applied technology, this system is better able to meet the needs of recipients. Advertisement The P-EBT program was a necessary policy to address a national emergency. But the success of even the most prudent policies is contingent upon their implementation. Policy isnt just about passing the right laws or making resources available: It is making sure we design programs in partnership with those theyre intended to benefit, and that we have the right tools to effectively mobilize resources and deliver those benefits on the ground. The challenges of policy implementation illustrate why preemptive innovation in government is so important. Without it, all levels of government will continue to ineffectively serve the people who most rely upon it in a crisis. Future Tense is a partnership of Slate, New America, and Arizona State University that examines emerging technologies, public policy, and society. BEIJING, Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Ambow Education Holding Ltd. ("Ambow" or the "Company") (NYSE American: AMBO), a leading national provider of educational and career enhancement services in China, today announced its unaudited financial and operating results for the three-month and six-month periods ended June 30, 2020. Dr. Jin Huang, Ambow's President and Chief Executive Officer, said, "Since various measures that the Chinese government implemented to constrain the COVID-19 outbreak were gradually relaxed during the second quarter, the majority of our schools, tutoring centers and training offices reopened with operations gradually returning to normalcy. As such, our second quarter financial performance significantly improved on a quarter-over-quarter basis, highlighted by a 2,600 basis points increase in Gross Margin. We maintained healthy operating efficiency and profitability with a positive net income in the first half of 2020, demonstrating our capability to navigate the dynamic market during the unprecedented challenging times. Striving for increasing enrollment across all Ambow programs while also deploying stringent cost controls, we are confident in our ability to drive profitable growth and strengthen our leadership position in the career enhancement market in China." "Amid pandemic-related and broad-based economic challenges, we remain focused on delivering high quality educational technologies and services to address personalized learning needs in a dynamic learning environment. With the outbreak of COVID-19, the integration of technology into education was further accelerated, which has significantly boosted the demand for online-based education from both students and professionals. To enhance the learning and teaching experience in the COVID-19 environment, Ambow rolled out its next-generation online-to-offline education SaaS platform, Huanyujun Education Hub, which is equipped with our proprietary technologies including hologram live streaming, AI and IoT, all of which are built on our cloud-based infrastructure. Simultaneously drawing upon our extensive educational resources and assets spanning the globe, we believe this mobile-based platform is uniquely positioned to exploit the booming trend in the e-learning industry across a wide spectrum of educational scenarios," concluded Dr. Huang. Second Quarter 2020 Financial Highlights Net revenues for the second quarter of 2020 decreased by 8.7% to US$22.0 million from US$24.1 million in the same period of 2019. The decrease was primarily due to a reduction in the recognition of deferred revenue in the period as a result of the one-month extension of spring semester 2020 at the Company's K-12 schools, which used to concluded at the end of June, and fewer services provided at the Company's tutoring centers and training offices as a result of social distance and counter measures to COVID-19. This was partially offset by revenue from NewSchool of Architecture and Design, LLC ("NewSchool"), acquired in the first quarter of 2020. for the second quarter of 2020 decreased by 8.7% to from in the same period of 2019. The decrease was primarily due to a reduction in the recognition of deferred revenue in the period as a result of the one-month extension of spring semester 2020 at the Company's K-12 schools, which used to concluded at the end of June, and fewer services provided at the Company's tutoring centers and training offices as a result of social distance and counter measures to COVID-19. This was partially offset by revenue from NewSchool of Architecture and Design, LLC ("NewSchool"), acquired in the first quarter of 2020. Gross profit for the second quarter of 2020 decreased by 14.1% to US$8.5 million from US$9.9 million in the same period of 2019. Gross profit margin was 38.6%, compared with 41.1% for the second quarter of 2019. The decrease in gross profit and margin was mainly attributable to the decrease in net revenues. for the second quarter of 2020 decreased by 14.1% to from in the same period of 2019. Gross profit margin was 38.6%, compared with 41.1% for the second quarter of 2019. The decrease in gross profit and margin was mainly attributable to the decrease in net revenues. Operating expenses for the second quarter of 2020 slightly increased by 1.2% to US$8.5 million from US$8.4 million for the same period of 2019. for the second quarter of 2020 slightly increased by 1.2% to from for the same period of 2019. Net income attributable to ordinary shareholders was US$0.7 million , or US$0.02 per basic and diluted share, compared with a net income of US$1.3 million , or US$0.03 per basic and diluted share, for the second quarter of 2019. was , or per basic and diluted share, compared with a net income of , or per basic and diluted share, for the second quarter of 2019. As of June 30, 2020 , Ambow maintained strong cash resources of US$27.2 million , comprised of cash and cash equivalents of US$13.9 million and short-term investments of US$13.3 million . First Six Months 2020 Financial Highlights Net revenues for the first six months of 2020 decreased by 15.9% to US$34.8 million from US$41.4 million in the same period of 2019. The decrease was primarily due to due to a reduction in the recognition of deferred revenue in the period as a result of an one-month extension of spring semester 2020 at the Company's K-12 schools, which used to conclude at the end of June, and fewer services provided at the Company's tutoring centers and training offices, as operations during the period were temporarily suspended due to the outbreak of COVID-19. This was partially offset by revenue from NewSchool, acquired in the period. for the first six months of 2020 decreased by 15.9% to from in the same period of 2019. The decrease was primarily due to due to a reduction in the recognition of deferred revenue in the period as a result of an one-month extension of spring semester 2020 at the Company's K-12 schools, which used to conclude at the end of June, and fewer services provided at the Company's tutoring centers and training offices, as operations during the period were temporarily suspended due to the outbreak of COVID-19. This was partially offset by revenue from NewSchool, acquired in the period. Gross profit for the first six months of 2020 decreased by 34.6% to US$10.2 million from US$15.6 million in the same period of 2019. Gross profit margin was 29.3%, compared with 37.7% for the first six months of 2019. The decrease in gross profit and margin was mainly attributable to the decrease of net revenues. for the first six months of 2020 decreased by 34.6% to from in the same period of 2019. Gross profit margin was 29.3%, compared with 37.7% for the first six months of 2019. The decrease in gross profit and margin was mainly attributable to the decrease of net revenues. Operating expenses for the first six months of 2020 decreased by 8.7% to US$15.7 million from US$17.2 million for the same period of 2019. The decrease was primarily attributable to lower expenditures due to the temporary suspension of operations at schools and tutoring centers in the period as part of the national pandemic containment effort, as well as stringent expense controls to improve operating efficiency. for the first six months of 2020 decreased by 8.7% to from for the same period of 2019. The decrease was primarily attributable to lower expenditures due to the temporary suspension of operations at schools and tutoring centers in the period as part of the national pandemic containment effort, as well as stringent expense controls to improve operating efficiency. Net income attributable to ordinary shareholders was US$1.5 million , or US$0.04 per basic and diluted share, compared with a net loss of US$2.2 million , or US$0.05 per basic and diluted share, for the first six months of 2019. The Company's second quarter and first half 2020 financial and operating results can also be found on its Form 6-K filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission at www.sec.gov. Exchange Rate Information This announcement contains translations of certain RMB amounts into U.S. dollars at a specified rate solely for the convenience of the reader. Unless otherwise noted, all amounts translated from RMB to U.S. dollars for the second quarter and first half of 2020 are based on the effective exchange rate of 7.0651 as of June 30, 2020; all amounts translated from RMB to U.S. dollars for the second quarter and first half of 2019 are based on the effective exchange rate of 6.8650 as of June 28, 2019; all amounts translated from RMB to U.S. dollars as of December 31, 2019 are based on the effective exchange rate of 6.9618 as of December 31, 2019. The exchange rates were according to the middle rate as set forth in the H.10 statistical release of the U.S. Federal Reserve Board. About Ambow Education Holding Ltd. Ambow Education Holding Ltd. is a leading national provider of educational and career enhancement services in China, offering high-quality, individualized services and products. With its extensive network of regional service hubs complemented by a dynamic proprietary learning platform and distributors, Ambow provides its services and products to students in 15 out of the 34 provinces and autonomous regions within China. Follow us on Twitter: @Ambow_Education Safe Harbor Statement This announcement contains forward-looking statements. These statements are made under the "safe harbor" provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "will," "expects," "anticipates," "future," "intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates" and similar statements. Among other things, the outlook and quotations from management in this announcement, as well as Ambow's strategic and operational plans, contain forward-looking statements. Ambow may also make written or oral forward-looking statements in its reports filed or furnished to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, in its annual reports to shareholders, in press releases and other written materials and in oral statements made by its officers, directors or employees to third parties. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements, including but not limited to the following: the Company's goals and strategies, expansion plans, the expected growth of the content and application delivery services market, the Company's expectations regarding keeping and strengthening its relationships with its customers, and the general economic and business conditions in the regions where the Company provides its solutions and services. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in the Company's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. All information provided in this press release is as of the date of this press release, and Ambow undertakes no duty to update such information, except as required under applicable law. For investor and media inquiries please contact: Ambow Education Holding Ltd. Tel: +86-10-6206-8000 The Piacente Group | Investor Relations Tel: +1-212-481-2050 or +86-10-6508-0677 E-mail: [email protected] AMBOW EDUCATION HOLDING LTD. UNAUDITED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (All amounts in thousands, except for share and per share data) As of June 30, As of December 31, 2020 2019 US$ RMB RMB ASSETS Current assets: Cash and cash equivalents 13,935 98,455 157,600 Restricted cash 2,004 14,160 - Short term investments, available for sale 11,160 78,849 57,487 Short term investments, held to maturity 2,123 15,000 31,000 Accounts receivable, net 2,914 20,589 17,939 Amounts due from related parties 1,030 7,274 2,318 Prepaid and other current assets, net 21,721 153,464 133,296 Total current assets 54,887 387,791 399,640 Non-current assets: Property and equipment, net 21,159 149,489 157,463 Land use rights, net 246 1,737 1,759 Intangible assets, net 8,515 60,156 56,607 Goodwill 8,678 61,313 60,353 Deferred tax assets, net 636 4,497 10,195 Operating lease right-of-use asset 42,476 300,100 257,361 Finance lease right-of-use asset 870 6,150 6,450 Other non-current assets, net 12,419 87,743 70,971 Total non-current assets 94,999 671,185 621,159 Total assets 149,886 1,058,976 1,020,799 LIABILITIES Current liabilities: Short-term borrowings 1,473 10,409 - Deferred revenue * 16,328 115,358 165,111 Accounts payable * 1,561 11,047 14,718 Accrued and other liabilities * 27,428 193,780 192,957 Income taxes payable, current * 26,787 189,253 180,715 Amounts due to related parties * 525 3,706 1,971 Operating lease liability, current * 8,254 58,314 53,512 Total current liabilities 82,356 581,867 608,984 Non-current liabilities: Income taxes payable, non-current * 4,785 33,803 32,152 Operating lease liability, non-current * 36,954 261,087 216,067 Total non-current liabilities 41,739 294,890 248,219 Total liabilities 124,095 876,757 857,203 EQUITY Preferred shares (US$ 0.003 par value;1,666,667 shares authorized, nil issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2019 and June 30, 2020) - - - Class A Ordinary shares (US$0.003 par value; 66,666,667 and 66,666,667 shares authorized, 38,858,199 and 38,883,199 shares issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2019 and June 30, 2020, respectively) 103 731 730 Class C Ordinary shares (US$0.003 par value; 8,333,333 and 8,333,333 shares authorized, 4,708,415 and 4,708,415 shares issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2019 and June 30, 2020, respectively) 13 90 90 Additional paid-in capital 496,698 3,509,224 3,508,745 Statutory reserve 667 4,712 20,185 Accumulated deficit (473,608) (3,346,090) (3,371,815) Accumulated other comprehensive income 2,115 14,941 6,341 Total Ambow Education Holding Ltd.'s equity 25,988 183,608 164,276 Non-controlling interests (197) (1,389) (680) Total equity 25,791 182,219 163,596 Total liabilities and equity 149,886 1,058,976 1,020,799 * All of the VIE's assets can be used to settle obligations of their primary beneficiary. Liabilities recognized as a result of consolidating these VIEs do not represent additional claims on the Company's general assets. AMBOW EDUCATION HOLDING LTD. UNAUDITED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (All amounts in thousands, except for share and per share data) For the six months ended June 30, For the three months ended June 30, 2020 2020 2019 2020 2020 2019 US$ RMB RMB US$ RMB RMB NET REVENUES Educational program and services 34,771 245,659 282,638 21,994 155,392 164,453 Intelligent program and services 12 83 1,366 10 71 905 Total net revenues 34,783 245,742 284,004 22,004 155,463 165,358 COST OF REVENUES Educational program and services (24,391) (172,324) (172,520) (13,431) (94,891) (94,323) Intelligent program and services (206) (1,458) (4,709) (23) (160) (2,851) Total cost of revenues (24,597) (173,782) (177,229) (13,454) (95,051) (97,174) GROSS PROFIT 10,186 71,960 106,775 8,550 60,412 68,184 Operating expenses: Selling and marketing (3,426) (24,206) (25,171) (1,933) (13,657) (11,083) General and administrative (11,924) (84,243) (92,394) (6,375) (45,042) (46,776) Research and development (382) (2,698) (468) (222) (1,567) (300) Total operating expenses (15,732) (111,147) (118,033) (8,530) (60,266) (58,159) OPERATING (LOSS) INCOME (5,546) (39,187) (11,258) 20 146 10,025 OTHER INCOME (EXPENSES) Interest income 585 4,135 1,520 304 2,145 1,132 Foreign exchange gain, net 5 35 1 1 9 32 Other income (loss), net 220 1,552 186 21 146 (474) Gain from deregistration of subsidiaries 552 3,897 1,279 552 3,897 - Gain on the bargain purchase 5,700 40,273 - - - - Gain on sale of investment available for sale 149 1,056 419 75 530 140 Total other income 7,211 50,948 3,405 953 6,727 830 INCOME (LOSS) BEFORE INCOME TAX AND NON- CONTROLLING INTEREST 1,665 11,761 (7,853) 973 6,873 10,855 Income tax expense (230) (1,623) (7,398) (334) (2,362) (2,257) NET INCOME (LOSS) 1,435 10,138 (15,251) 639 4,511 8,598 Less: Net loss attributable to non-controlling interest (100) (708) (273) (42) (296) (180) NET INCOME (LOSS) ATTRIBUTABLE TO ORDINARY SHAREHOLDERS 1,535 10,846 (14,978) 681 4,807 8,778 NET INCOME (LOSS) 1,435 10,138 (15,251) 639 4,511 8,598 OTHER COMPREHENSIVE INCOME, NET OF TAX Foreign currency translation adjustments 1,179 8,328 (3,174) 1,117 7,895 (746) Unrealized gains on short term investments Unrealized holding gains arising during period 133 940 700 71 499 420 Less: reclassification adjustment for gains included in net income 95 668 452 54 381 247 Other comprehensive income (loss) 1,217 8,600 (2,926) 1,134 8,013 (573) TOTAL COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS) 2,652 18,738 (18,177) 1,773 12,524 8,025 Net income (loss) per share - basic 0.04 0.25 (0.34) 0.02 0.11 0.20 Net income (loss) per share - diluted 0.04 0.25 (0.34) 0.02 0.11 0.20 Weighted average shares used in calculating basic net income (loss) per share 43,577,168 43,577,168 43,469,610 43,583,418 43,583,418 43,503,109 Weighted average shares used in calculating diluted net income (loss) per share 43,577,168 43,577,168 43,469,610 43,583,418 43,583,418 43,647,645 AMBOW EDUCATION HOLDING LTD. UNAUDITED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN EQUITY (All amounts in thousands, except for share and per share data) Attributable to Ambow Education Holding Ltd.'s Equity Retained Accumulated Class A Ordinary Class C Ordinary Additional Earnings other Non- shares shares paid-in Statutory (Accumulated comprehensive controlling Total Shares Amount Shares Amount capital reserves deficit) income Interest Equity RMB RMB RMB RMB RMB RMB RMB RMB Balance as of January 1, 2020 38,858,199 730 4,708,415 90 3,508,745 20,185 (3,372,409) 6,341 (680) 163,002 Share-based compensation - - - - 238 - - - - 238 Issuance of ordinary shares for restricted stock award 12,500 0 - - (0) - - - - - Foreign currency translation adjustment - - - - - - - 433 - 433 Unrealized gain on investment, net of income taxes - - - - - - - 154 - 154 Net income/(loss) - - - - - - 6,039 - (412) 5,627 Balance as of March 31, 2020 38,870,699 730 4,708,415 90 3,508,983 20,185 (3,366,370) 6,928 (1,092) 169,454 Share-based compensation - - - - 242 - - - - 242 Issuance of ordinary shares for restricted stock award 12,500 1 - - (1) - - - - - Foreign currency translation adjustment - - - - - - - 7,895 - 7,895 Unrealized gain on investment, net of income taxes - - - - - - - 118 - 118 Deregistration of subsidiaries - - - - - (15,473) 15,473 - - - Net income/(loss) - - - - - - 4,807 - (297) 4,510 Balance as of June 30, 2020 38,883,199 731 4,708,415 90 3,509,224 4,712 (3,346,090) 14,941 (1,389) 182,219 Balance as of January 1, 2019 38,756,289 728 4,708,415 90 3,507,123 20,149 (3,271,838) 8,305 (1,786) 262,771 Share-based compensation - - - - 872 - - - - 872 Issuance of ordinary shares for restricted stock award 28,646 1 - - (1) - - - - - Foreign currency translation adjustment - - - - - - - (2,428) - (2,428) Unrealized gain on investment, net of income taxes - - - - - - - 75 - 75 Net loss - - - - - - (23,756) - (93) (23,849) Balance as of March 31, 2019 38,784,935 729 4,708,415 90 3,507,994 20,149 (3,295,594) 5,952 (1,879) 237,441 Share-based compensation - - - - 266 - - - - 266 Issuance of ordinary shares for restricted stock award 19,097 0 - - (0) - - - - - Foreign currency translation adjustment - - - - - - - (746) - (746) Unrealized gain on investment, net of income taxes - - - - - - - 173 - 173 Addition of noncontrolling interests resulting from new subsidiaries - - - - - - - - 502 502 Net income (loss) - - - - - - 8,778 - (180) 8,598 Balance as of June 30, 2019 38,804,032 729 4,708,415 90 3,508,260 20,149 (3,286,816) 5,379 (1,557) 246,234 Discussion of Segment Operations (All amounts in thousands) For the six months ended June 30, For the three months ended June 30, 2020 2020 2019 2020 2020 2019 US$ RMB RMB US$ RMB RMB NET REVENUES K-12 Schools 17,948 126,800 150,958 12,086 85,389 87,165 CP&CE Programs 16,835 118,942 133,046 9,918 70,074 78,193 Total net revenues 34,783 245,742 284,004 22,004 155,463 165,358 COST OF REVENUES K-12 Schools (10,550) (74,542) (90,093) (5,820) (41,113) (47,797) CP&CE Programs (14,047) (99,240) (87,136) (7,634) (53,938) (49,377) Total cost of revenues (24,597) (173,782) (177,229) (13,454) (95,051) (97,174) GROSS PROFIT K-12 Schools 7,398 52,258 60,865 6,266 44,276 39,368 CP&CE Programs 2,788 19,702 45,910 2,284 16,136 28,816 Total gross profit 10,186 71,960 106,775 8,550 60,412 68,184 SOURCE Ambow Education Holding Ltd. Related Links www.ambow.com TuneCore Launches Operations in Brazil and Russia Both Russia and Brazil are key markets for independent artists, having seen exponential growth in recent years due to the availability of digital music and the accelerated growth of streaming services, commented Andreea Gleeson, Chief Marketing Officer, TuneCore TuneCore, the leading digital music distribution service provider for independent artists today announced its continued international expansion with the launches of TuneCore Russia and TuneCore Brazil. These openings mark the 9th and 10th countries with local TuneCore hires, and several more planned in the coming year. TuneCore is owned by Paris-based Believe, which distributes over one-third of the worlds digital music. Both Russian and Brazilian music markets feature robust local talent, who will now be supported by TuneCore country managers on the ground as well as dedicated local language websites in Russian and Portuguese. TuneCore empowers independent artists to distribute their music to the companys extensive network of over 150 digital stores and streaming services across the globe, including Spotify, iTunes/Apple Music, YouTube Music, Amazon Music, TikTok and Deezer. TuneCore pays out well over $1 million each day to artists, while they retain 100 percent of their sales revenue and rights for a low annual flat fee. In Russia, newly appointed Head of TuneCore Russia, Ivan Ivanov will partner with leading local music aggregator UMA as well as the #1 local digital music store, Yandex on behalf of TuneCore and its artists. Ivans background is in business development, where he has helped key media companies build their presence in Russia. He most recently worked at Yoola, a global YouTube multi-channel network with over 1.5 billion subscribers and over 10 billion monthly views. There he worked closely with creators to maximize revenue streams. The Russian music market has enjoyed exponential year over year growth, largely due to the bridge between social media and streaming services, said Ivanov. The launch of TuneCore Russia is an investment in the countrys burgeoning local music scene and Im very excited to have a role that empowers Russian independent artists to distribute their music worldwide and grow their careers, without giving up their rights or revenue. Heading up TuneCore Brazil is Bruno Duque. Bruno began his career at Sony Music in Los Angeles in the Latin Music Division, and then segued into other areas of the industry. Most recently, he was Marketing Manager at iMusica, the leading digital content distributor in Latin America. There, he focused on licensing and label relations. Brazil is a country with a diverse and creative culture, which heavily influences its music. Choosing Brazil for the newest TuneCore office speaks volumes to the companys dedication to supporting independent artists across all musical genres, stated Duque. Im excited to join TuneCore Brazil, especially as digital music and streaming services continue to grow and invigorate the local music scene. Ivanov will report jointly to Andreea Gleeson, Chief Marketing Officer of TuneCore as well as Viktoria Siniavskaia, Managing Director Russia, Eastern Europe and META of TuneCore parent Believe. Duque also reports to both Gleeson, and Alejandra Olea, Managing Director, Americas for Believe. TuneCores global expansion is one that we approach very thoughtfully, yet confidently. Both Russia and Brazil are key markets for independent artists, having seen exponential growth in recent years due to the availability of digital music and the accelerated growth of streaming services, commented Gleeson. By expanding our local team and localizing our website to Russian and Portuguese, we demonstrate our support of artists with dedicated local executives who not only speak the same language as our artists but also live and breathe the same culture. Bruno and Ivan are industry veterans with extensive understanding of independent artist needs in their markets and believe deeply in our vision to support all artists, at all stages of their careers. I am delighted they have joined our team. Earlier this year TuneCore launched in India, with a dedicated website for the Indian music market featuring local talent and local currency. The company expanded into Germany, France and Italy in 2016, the UK and Australia markets in 2015, while TuneCore Japan and TuneCore Canada have had similar localized services since 2012 and 2011, respectively. Other key market launches are being planned for the coming year as TuneCore continues its international expansion. About TuneCore TuneCore is the global platform for independent musicians to build audiences and careers with technology and services across distribution, publishing administration and a range of promotional services. TuneCore Music Distribution services help artists, labels and managers sell their music through Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, TikTok, Deezer, and more than 150 download and streaming stores worldwide, while retaining 100 percent of their sales revenue and rights for a low annual flat fee. TuneCore Music Publishing Administration assists songwriters by administering their compositions through licensing, registration, worldwide royalty collections, and placement opportunities in film, TV, commercials, video games and more. The TuneCore Artist Services portal offers a suite of tools and services that enable artists to promote their craft, connect with fans, and get their music heard. TuneCore, part of Believe, is headquartered in Brooklyn, NY, with offices in Los Angeles, Nashville, New Orleans, Atlanta, and Austin, and global operations in the UK, Australia, Japan, Canada, Germany, France, Italy, Russia, India, and Brazil. For additional information, please visit http://www.tunecore.com/ru (Russia) and http://www.tunecore.com/br (Brazil) About Believe Believe is a world leading digital music company, helping artists and labels to build their audiences and careers, at all stages of their development. It is a best-in-class technology organization, providing global distribution and digital marketing services to its partners, with more than 1,200 professionals and offices in 45 countries. Believe owns several brands, labels and companies including Believe Distribution, TuneCore, Nuclear Blast, Naive, and AllPoints. More information at https://www.believemusic.com/ ### TechCrunch Disrupt 2020 TechCrunchs premier event, Disrupt, has arrived. With over 10,000 attendees from all around the world, and hundreds of startups across a variety of categories sharing their stories, TechCrunch Disrupt is the ultimate Silicon Valley experience where the leaders of the startup world gather to ask questions, make connections and be inspired. TechCrunch Disrupt promises five days of non-stop online programming with two big focuses: founders and investors shaping the future of disruptive technology and ideas, and startup experts providing insights to entrepreneurs. This year, Mike-Cannon Brookes (co-founder and co-CEO, Atlassian), Dr Robert Playter (CEO, Boston Dynamics), Roelof Botha (partner, Sequoia Capital), Steven Yang (founder and CEO, Anker) and more key players of the tech industry are coming to Disrupt. And from sessions with Grabs group managing director Russell Cohen and Singapore-based Gillian Tee of Homage to Melisa Irene of East Ventures, theres plenty on the Disrupt stage thats relevant and held at a great time during the work day for the Southeast Asian audience. Here are some picks: Tuesday, 15 September 1pm SGT (Singapore time) Looking Toward the Future of Tech in China and Silicon Valley with Edith Yeung, general partner, Race Capital Edith Yeung, general partner at Race Capital and the creator of the China Internet Report, has invested in over 50 startups including Lightyear/Stellar, Silk Labs, Chirp and Fleksy. Join us in a conversation about which emerging technology trends in China and the United States will leave an impact. 1.30pm SGT Decoding Decacorn Byjus Journey and Future Ambitions with Byju Raveendran, founder and partner, Byjus At a time when startups are struggling to raise capital, the Indian edtech giant has not only raised hundreds of millions of dollars, it has also bought a startup for $300 million. How did Byjus build this startup in a country where very few people are willing to pay? And what does Indias second most valued startup plan to do next? Story continues Wednesday, 16 September 1pm SGT How Tech Can Help Asias Aging Population with Gillian Tee, co-founder and CEO, Homage Caregiving, especially for elderly people, is one of Southeast Asias most pressing social issues. We talk to Gillian Tee, co-founder of Homage, about building a platform that pairs specific, qualified carers with clients, and how startups can do more to address the needs of families. Thursday, 17 September 1pm SGT Digitizing Indonesia Melisa Irene, partner, East Ventures As the largest economy in Southeast Asia, Indonesia has attracted both domestic and foreign investors to bet on its burgeoning tech sector. We talk to Melisa Irene, the first female partner at Indonesia-focused East Ventures, about the aspiring startups helping brick-and-mortar businesses to go digital as well as other internet trends in the region. Friday, 18 September 1.30pm SGT Grabbing The Market with Russell Cohen, group managing director, Grab Hear from Russell Cohen, group managing director of Grab (the regions first decacorn startup) on how coronavirus has reshaped the ride-sharing industry and whats next for the transportation giant. While sessions on the Disrupt stage are live-streamed free upon log-in a variety of passes for a comprehensive Disrupt experience, including networking and training, are available for purchase. Buy your ticket to TechCrunch Disrupt here Stay in the know on-the-go: Join Yahoo Singapore's Telegram channel at http://t.me/YahooSingapore Former Navy man Madan Sharma, who was recently attacked by Shiv Sena workers, on Tuesday said he will associate with the Bharatiya Janata Party and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh from now on. IMAGE: Former Navy official Madan Sharma, who was recently attacked by Shiv Sena workers, meets Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari at Raj Bhavan in Mumbai on Tuesday. Photograph: ANI Sharma, who met Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari at Raj Bhavan, along with local BJP leaders Mangal Prabhat Lodha and Atul Bhatkhalkar, said he wants stringent action against those who assaulted him. "From today onwards, I am with BJP-RSS. When I was beaten up, they had levelled allegations that I am with BJP-RSS. So I am with BJP-RSS from now on," Sharma, 62, told reporters. In a letter submitted to Koshyari, he said he did not get justice from Maharashtra government and requested the Governor to convey his displeasure over the issue to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray. In the letter, Sharma said he suffered eye and back injuries in the attack by the Shiv Sena workers. He claimed that instead of taking action against the assailants, police came to arrest him an hour after the incident. He said police filed a case against the Sena workers only after he raised the issue with Bhatkhalkar, who is a local BJP MLA. Sharma said Defence Minister Rajnath Singh spoke to him over phone and Union minister Ramdas Athawale met him at his residence to enquire about his health after the incident. However, no minister or leader from Maharashtra called or empathised with him after the incident, Sharma added. Sharma also claimed that Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut had said he was not a Navy man, thereby insulting him and other ex-servicemen. 'They defended the incident and now they are also threatening me. This shows that I wont get justice of any kind from the Maharashtra government,' Sharma said. 'Hence, I request you that you express displeasure over the incident to Maharashtra's Chief Minister Shri Uddhav Thackeray and instruct to take strict action against the attackers so that I get justice,' he wrote in the letter to Koshyari. Speaking to reporters after meeting Koshayri, Sharma alleged the law and order situation in the state has weakened in the past one year. "When I was beaten, they (Sena) had accused me of belonging to RSS-BJP. Today, I declare, I will be associated with the RSS-BJP now on," he said. He said all ex-servicemen are associated with the RSS-BJP now and they will not allow injustice to be meted out to common people. Sharma was attacked here on Friday after posting on his housing society's WhatsApp group a cartoon lampooning Chief Minister and Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray. After the attack in north Mumbai's Kandivli suburb, Sharma had demanded that the chief minister apologise to him and the country. He had also said that Thackeray should quit his post if he was unable to uphold law and order in the state. Six Shiv Sena workers rearrested Meanwhile, six Shiv Sena workers, who were granted bail last week in a case of alleged assault on Sharma, were re-arrested in the early hours of Tuesday, a police official said. The Indian Penal Code Section 452 (house trespass after preparation of hurt, assault or wrongful restraint), which is non-bailable, was added in the case registered against them, he said. Earlier, the six persons were arrested last week after local BJP MLA Atul Bhatkhalkar posted a video on Twitter of the assault, but they were granted bail on Saturday. The accused were then booked under IPC Section 325 for causing grievous hurt, which is a bailable offence. Later, Leader of opposition in the state Legislative Council Pravin Darekar, Bhatkhalkar and the victim's family members demanded that the accused be booked under IPC Sections 326 (causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons and means), 452 and 450 (house-trespassing), which are non-bailable. On the basis of CCTV footage and the complainant's statement, the Samta Nagar police invoked IPC Section 452 against the six accused and re-arrested them around 2 am on Tuesday, a senior police official said. In 2019, the price of alcoholic drinks in Hungary was the third lowest among European Union Member States, according to data by statistical agency Eurostat. When compared with the EU average price index of 100, the price index of alcoholic drinks (spirits, wine, and beer) in Hungary stood at 80. Lower prices were registered only in Bulgaria (79) and Romania (76). Prices varied greatly across the EU, with the price of alcoholic drinks more than twice as high in the most expensive member state than in the cheapest one, Eurostat notes. The highest alcohol prices were measured in Finland (191), followed by Ireland (182), and Sweden (156). New Delhi, Sep 15 : The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Tuesday opposed the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill of 2020, saying that as a party of farmers, it cannot support anything which goes against the interest of the country's 'annadaata', especially in Punjab. "The SAD is essentially an organisation of farmers. Every Akali is a farmer and every farmer is an Akali by heart. The party has always championed the cause of the farmers and has made supreme sacrifices to safeguard their interests. That legacy can not and will not be compromised or diluted, no matter what price we have to pay," SAD President Sukhbir Badal said in the Lok Sabha. In a sharp speech lasting nearly 19 minutes, Badal said the government erred grievously in not taking the stakeholders, farmers and their organisations on board. Stating that the SAD was not consulted before the farm ordinances were framed, Badal said, "Ever since the ordinances were issued, we have been asking the government not to press with it and not to bring this bill. But our voice was not heard." He said when these ordinances were discussed in the Cabinet, the party's representative Harsimrat Kaur Badal had raised objections and voiced the concerns of the farmers, requesting the ordinances be put off. "But the ordinances were still issued. We had hoped then that the government will correct the mistake when a bill on these would be introduced. But that has not happened," Badal said. The SAD President said that Punjab will be the worst affected by the effect of these ordinances and the bill to convert these into an Act. "Punjab and Haryana have built best marketing infrastructure with their own resources. We will be the worst affected if the assured marketing of farmers' produce at MSP is endangered," he said. Badal articulated the popular reaction to these bills with an anecdotal reference to his meeting with a farmer. "I asked a farmer why he was opposed to these ordinances. He compared these ordinances with the Jio initiative. Farmers fear the bills will lead to monopolisation by multinationals," he said. Recalling his party's long history of struggle for farmers' interests, he said Akali patriarch Parkash Singh Badal had spent 16 years in jail and one of the main reasons for that was that he always fought for the farmers' cause. "The country has produced three great Kisan leaders -- Sardar Parkash Sing Badal, Chaudhary Charan Singh and Chaudhary Devi Lal. The SAD, therefore, has to live up to the legacy of Sardar Badal," he added. In coordinated disclosures, multiple news organisations around the world reported on Monday what they described as a widespread surveillance operation by a Chinese company. Zhenhua Data, the reports claimed, put together a database with the personal information of over two million people of public interest politicians, celebrities, business leaders, prominent military officials and academics. In India, according to The Indian Express, these included the president, the prime minister, the Congress president and several chief ministers. The company describes its activities as hybrid warfare and counts among its clients, the Chinese military and intelligence. It has sold services for military, security and foreign propaganda to domestic institutions in China, including the government and security services, The Daily Telegraph noted. The data, purportedly trawled since 2017, includes biographies, family maps, and records of social media posts. The nature of this information and the way in which the company described its activities feed into larger concerns about Chinese surveillance operations on adversarial countries and their citizens. These have, at least in India, led to the banning of popular mobile apps such as TikTok and PUBG in recent months. Zhenhua Datas activities, however, appear to be less novel or damaging than the adjectives used to describe it. Such operations are known as OSINT (open-source intelligence) gathering and analysis. The data in OSINT operations is publicly available. The novelty of the practice is in digging this data out, drawing linkages and contextualising it. Journalists have used it, famously, to nail the culprits behind the downing of civilian aircraft (flight MH17 over Ukraine and PS752 in Iran), fake news and disinformation operations, even identify military deployment. OSINT operations by intelligence agencies are usually hidden from public view. To put it simply, Zhenhuas database is akin to putting together a dossier on a person with publicly available data. Such dossiers are not uncommon in security establishments. By nature, these dossiers are meant to include information that is not in the open, information that can compromise an individual, an institution or an establishment. A security analyst who follows surveillance told me that, by contrast, Zhenhuas database was not all that worrying. What does appear to be new is the increasing frequency with which adversaries are drawing attention to Chinas cyber operations. The Daily Telegraph noted that Zhenhua Datas database was leaked by a company insider and first obtained by the Five Eyes intelligence network of the United States (US), the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. It was from this network that the information made its way to the press. Earlier this summer, a US Senate report released in July accused China of surveillance and censorship through its tech. A month before that, Australia disclosed a large scale cyber attack. While Prime Minister Scott Morrison did not name any suspects, the countrys security establishment told local journalists that the blame likely lay with groups in China. The larger threat stems from Chinas position as a hardware and software powerhouse as it exports technology that is often at a more lucrative price point than alternatives. Overtly, this emanates from the countrys cyber security law, which legally mandates that all Chinese tech companies hand over data (stored in Chinese servers) if requisitioned by security agencies. Covertly, this emanates from software and hardware that foreign intelligence agencies have long suspected of having backdoors to allow interception as information streams across mobile networks, internet routers and server farms. Essentially, yes China is watching. But Zhenhua Data is likely to have contributed only a small portion of its peripheral vision. binayak.dasgupta@htlive.com The views expressed are personal SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister and senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh said on Monday that the BJP-led Central government has broken the backbone of the people in the unorganised sector. While addressing the people of Darbhanga through a virtual rally, Digvijay Singh said the Centre is privatising government sector entities which are directly or indirectly penalising the farmers of the entire nation. "The situation in Bihar is even worse as farmers are struggling to fight the Corona pandemic as well as the floods," Singh said. "Our leader Rahul Gandhi had pointed out the wrong policies pertaining to the privatisation process along with its consequences, but the Centre didn't pay heed. He had also highlighted the consequences of coronavirus well before its outbreak in India, but the Narendra Modi-led government didn't show any foresight. As a result, the entire country is in the grip of the pandemic now," he said. Senior Congress leader Ajay Kapur said that the Nitish Kumar-led government in Bihar has failed to address the grievances of the people. "He has implemented liqour ban in Bihar, but the reality is very different. Now liquor mafias are ruling the state while the administration has no control over it. People of Bihar need change and the Congress will expose the failures of the current government before the people," Kapur said. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Adrian Wail Akhlas (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, September 16, 2020 Indonesia failed to continue an upward trend in monthly exports in August as slow global economic recovery reduced demand for the countrys products. Southeast Asias largest economy recorded US$13.07 billion in exports in August, down 4.62 percent compared to July and down 8.34 percent annually, as the pandemic upended global demand, Statistics Indonesia (BPS) announced on Tuesday. The country recorded month-on-month (mom) export growth in June and July after contractions in April and May, during which Indonesia implemented strict movement restrictions. Exports of oil and gas products fell 27.4 percent year-on-year (yoy) to around $610 million in August, while exports of mining products decreased 24.7 percent yoy to $1.39 billion due to falling commodity prices. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,000/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Netanyahu and officials from the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain were due to sign a US-sponsored deal to normalise diplomatic relations, an accord denounced by Palestinians as an Arab betrayal of their struggle against occupation. US President Donald Trump was set to host the ceremony on Tuesday at the White House, in the presence of Netanyahu, Emirati Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid al-Zayan. The two Gulf ministers had also arrived in the US capital on Monday, according to the official Bahraini and Emirati news agencies. Trump announced on Friday that Bahrain had emulated the UAE by agreeing to normalise relations with Israel, a move widely denounced by Bahrains opposition and activists as a black day for the country. According to Israeli newspaper Haaretz, the Israeli delegation had shunned Netanyahus coalition partners Benny Gantz and Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi. A full list of attendants had yet to be released by the White House, but Hungary announced its foreign minister would attend - marking the only representation from a European country. Netanyahus trip came days before a stringent three-week lockdown, which he had announced on Saturday as a measure to curb the spread of coronavirus in Israel, with the country facing one of the worlds highest infection rates. Anti-Netanyahu protests The lockdown announcement had reignited protests against the prime minister, with protesters calling for his resignation over his governments poor handling of the pandemic, as well as his trial on corruption charges. Protesters attempted to block Netanyahu from reaching Ben Gurion airport on Sunday. They eventually managing to block the entrance to Terminal 3, the main terminal for international departures, according to the Jerusalem Post. Crime Minister, one of the organisations taking part in the protests, accused Netanyahu of running away from his countrys crises. The people are collapsing and the defendant [Netanyahu], who fails to manage the crisis, closes the country and runs away, the organisation said. Another organisation, Black Flags, denounced Netanyahus US trip as unjustified. A moment before entering lockdown, instead of dealing with the disaster he caused - Netanyahu runs away for four days of campaigning in the United States, it said. While we do not understand the restrictions and groan beneath the exacerbating crisis, he will be [having fun]. A real leader would stay to protect and strengthen his nation, but Netanyahu was engaged in the search for a private plane for him, his wife and his inciting son. Update 3:45 PM ET: In a statement given to GamesIndustry, a Sony representative denies rumors that production estimates have changed for the PS5 since the process first began, and specfifically notes that "the information provided by Bloomberg is false." Original Story: Sony has lowered its PlayStation 5 production estimates by 4 million units to 11 million, according to a report from Bloomberg. People familiar with the matter claim that manufacturing issues with the PS5's custom system-on-chip could prevent Sony from building as many consoles as it would like. Production yields for the system-on-chip have reportedly been as low as 50 percent, although there's no word on what's causing the manufacturing issue. The news comes a few months after Sony reportedly increased PS5 production by up to 50 percent to capitalize on the consumer demand created by the COVID-19 pandemic. At the time, Nikkei Asian Review reported that the console maker has raised production orders to 9 million units from an 6 million units. Assuming those numbers were accurate, then Sony is still on track to meet those early targets. A helicopter makes a water drop on a fire near the Mt. Wilson Observatory in the Angeles National Forest northeast of Los Angeles. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) It was 1 p.m., and flurries of ashes were falling like snow for the fourth consecutive day. David Cendejas looked toward massive clouds of smoke rising off the eastern flank of the Bobcat fire as it marched westward toward the Mt. Wilson Observatory and nearby thickets of broadcast spires stabbing hundreds of feet skyward. The fire has moved to within 1.6 miles away from the observatory, said Cendenjas, 28, superintendent of the complex that houses 18 astronomical wonders including the 100-inch Hooker telescope, which proved the existence of other galaxies flung across the universe. A bit of good news is that the smoke was so thick Sunday night that it choked the speed of fires advance. Cendejas and other staffers had spent the morning introducing more than three dozen firefighters to the emergency firefighting systems and backup electric generators strategically located across the property perched on a 5,710-foot mountain shaded by pines and oak forests. They included a water tank connected to a high-pressure pump built in 1970, last used when the observatory was rescued from snarling flames of the Station fire after a fight that lasted five days and four nights. Now, as menacing columns of smoke churned turned the sky orange and gray, firefighters in 12 fire engines were girding for the arrival of the flames, which would trigger a screeching blare from large horns on the observatorys gleaming white dome. By 1:45, a sense of urgency swept across the grounds. "We're not going anywhere," Los Angeles County Fire Department Capt. Keith Stires said. "We are committed here." Firefighters began quietly and efficiently unspooling fire hoses. Battalion chiefs were studying maps. The Mill Creek Hotshots, from San Bernardino, arrived and took up positions near broadcast towers owned by media companies and federal agencies of every stripe. All nonessentials have to leave immediately, Dendejas told a visitor. Story continues The Bobcat fire has burned more than 36,000 acres and is only 6% contained. As night fell, officials said they were still concerned about its spread, especially around Mt. Wilson. An L.A. County Public Works assistant dam operator at Cogswell Dam, a remote county flood control operation that looms over an 8-mile-long stretch of the San Gabriel Rivers west fork, discovered the Bobcat fire at 12:21 p.m. on Sept. 6. The operation controls the flow of the stream, which provides some of the best fly fishing in Southern California and helps recharge the metropolitan aquifer in the flatlands below. The fire spread rapidly, said Kerjon Lee, a spokesman for the county agency. He called 911. Public works operators have evacuated the area. The fire surrounded the dam, Lee said, but no structures there have been damaged, and no injuries are reported. Firefighters are taking water from Cogswell and San Gabriel Reservoirs in the San Gabriel Mountains above Azusa. On Monday afternoon, he said, flames were approaching Santa Anita Dam, less than a mile above Arcadia. Were approaching winter storm season, Lee said, and that infrastructure is critical to protect downstream communities from potential flooding. With 15 days to go before the 2020 census closes, the Korean Community Center held an event to educate area residents and spread awareness about its importance. Among the people in attendance at the Sept. 15 event at Korean Community Center which is located on the west side of Hollister Street just north of Long Point Road was Consul General from the Republic of Korea, Myung-Soo Ahn. Spring Branch is home to Houstons largest Koreatown district. The census response rate for the neighborhood so far is just under 55 percent, according to the Center for Urban Research, at the CUNY Graduate Center, which studies census data in "hard to count" communities. A decade ago the census tract hit 61 percent. Last push: 'Most have not responded': Scramble underway in Houston area to finish census count before deadline I want to register everybody in the community to be counted, said the events Master of Ceremony Hyunja Norman a board member of the Korean American Association and the Korean Community Center as well as the president of the Korean American Voting League. The 2020 census closes on Sept. 30. Norman said she is putting a big focus on senior citizens, many of whom live alone, dont have children and may not be computer savvy. The community center has a big outreach program where organizers call everybody they know and check with them to ask if they have filled out the census. People at the community center also help people complete the paperwork. These kinds of things only we can do because they know us they trust us, Norman said. She also said that many Koreans living in the country are either expats or students who may not even know about the census, which is why education and awareness is important. Opened in 2011: Korean Community Center opens in Spring Branch Part of Normans presentation about the 2020 census was dedicated to dispelling myths, such as the fact that it is only for citizens or that it asks any questions about citizenship, as well as listing ways to identify a census worker if one comes to your door. Our Korean community is not large compared to the Chinese community or other communities, but we still exist, she said. We are still a part of this great Houston, Harris County, Texas and United States. We are part of America. elliott.lapin@hearst.com The European Union's top court has handed down its first decision on the bloc's net neutrality rules -- interpreting the law as precluding the use of commercial 'zero rating' by Internet services providers. 'Zero rating' refers to the practice of ISPs offering certain apps/services 'tariff free' by excluding their data consumption. It's controversial because it can have the effect of penalizing and/or blocking the use of non-zero-rated apps/services, which may be inaccessible while the zero rated apps/services are not -- which in turn undermines the principal of net neutrality with its promise of fair competition via an equal and level playing field for all things digital. The pan-EU net neutrality regulation came into force in 2016 amid much controversy over concerns it would undermine rather than bolster a level playing field online. So the Court of Justice of the EU (CJEU)'s first ruling interpreting the regulation is an important moment for regional digital rights watchers. https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js Despite the existence of a net neutrality regulation, European carriers have continued offering packages that 'zero rate' certain apps, such as Facebook-owned WhatsApp, for example -- raising questions over whether such offers comply with the rules. Today's ruling suggests they do not. Story continues In another example from Hungary, one of carrier Telenor's 1GB data tariffs (screengrabbed below) touts unlimited domestic data consumption for a number of social apps, including Facebook, WhatsApp, Messenger, Instagram and Twitter -- meaning all other apps/services are at a disadvantage as usage is throttled by the user's 1GB allowance. A Budapest court hearing two actions against Telenor, related to two of its 'zero rating' packages, made a reference to the CJEU for a preliminary ruling on how to interpret and apply Article 3(1) and (2) of the regulation -- which safeguards a number of rights for end users of Internet access services and prohibits service providers from putting in place agreements or commercial practices limiting the exercise of those rights -- and Article 3(3), which lays down a general obligation of "equal and non-discriminatory treatment of traffic". The court found that 'zero rating' agreements that combine a zero tariff with measures blocking or slowing down traffic linked to the use of non-zero tariff services and applications are indeed liable to limit the exercise of end users rights within the meaning of the regulation and on a significant part of the market. "Such packages are liable to increase the use of the favoured applications and services and, accordingly, to reduce the use of the other applications and services available, having regard to the measures by which the provider of the internet access services makes that use technically more difficult, if not impossible. Furthermore, the greater the number of customers concluding such agreements, the more likely it is that, given its scale, the cumulative effect of those agreements will result in a significant limitation of the exercise of end users rights, or even undermine the very essence of those rights," the court writes in a press release. It also found that no assessment of the effect of measures blocking or slowing down traffic on the exercise of end users rights is required by the regulation, while measures applied for commercial (rather than technical) reasons must be regarded as automatically incompatible. The full CJEU judgement is available here in French and Hungarian. (Update: And in English here.) Oregons rapid rebound from the coronavirus pandemic is continuing, with the states jobless rate falling from 10.4% in July to 7.7% in August. The state added 11,300 jobs last month, according to the new numbers Tuesday from the Oregon Employment Department, down from 17,700 jobs added in July. There were nearly twice as many unemployed Oregonians in August as there were a year earlier, but the continued decline in the jobless rate suggests Oregon is continuing to enjoy an unexpectedly quick recovery from the pandemic recession. Oregons jobless rate was 14.9% in April. And Oregon appears to be improving faster than the U.S. overall the national jobless rate was 8.4% in August. Oregons new jobless claims have fallen to pre-pandemic levels and the state has recovered 41% of the jobs it lost in the first months after the coronavirus shutdowns hit in March. Many of last months job gains were driven by workers being recalled from temporary layoffs. Core unemployment continued to rise. And the wildfires that burned more than 1 million acres across Oregon last month are forcing many workers to stay home, often without pay, and could complicate the states recovery from the pandemic. The biggest job gains last month were in hospitality, retail, construction and the government. All those sectors added more than 3,000 jobs in August. Still, the hospitality sector which includes restaurants, bars and hotels -- has recovered just over half the jobs it lost early in the pandemic. The retail sector has recovered three-quarters of the jobs it lost. Thats good news for workers in those fields, which tend to be at the lower end of the wage scale. The bad news is that middle-wage sectors are only seeing very modest gains and high-wage sectors are not seeing any growth in recent months, Josh Lehner of the Oregon Office of Economic Analysis wrote Tuesday. They may not have suffered as much to date, but theyre also not bouncing back. This is a concern and likely speaks to more permanent layoffs in these industries. Sectors that remained near their low point for the year include manufacturing, government, information and business services. Oregon classified 162,000 workers as unemployed last month, down from 221,000 in July. The state had 82,000 unemployed workers in August 2019. Those numbers exclude self-employed workers who are receiving jobless benefits under a temporary program Congress established in March. Pandemic job cuts were especially hard on Oregonians because the state, hamstrung by an obsolete computer system, has struggled to pay out unemployment benefits throughout the pandemic. Oregon has now paid $4.2 billion in benefits to more than 400,000 people altogether, but the employment department says tens of thousands are still waiting for their claims to be adjudicated or otherwise resolved. -- Mike Rogoway | mrogoway@oregonian.com | twitter: @rogoway | President Muhammadu Buhari has extended his heartfelt condolences to the government and people of Borno State on the passing of Emir of Biu, Mai Mustapha Umar Aliyu. In a statement signed by his spokesperson, Femi Adesina, on Tuesday, Mr Buhari also commiserated with the royal family and the Biu Emirate Council on the death of Mr Aliyu, who for 31 years, had the privilege of leading the people of Biu with diligence and dedication. The President affirmed that the late emir, who was a strong advocate for peace and development in the North East region, demonstrated visionary leadership that was very evident to all, including his efforts to modernise Biu by supporting the establishment of educational institutions in the community. Also, Mr Buhari noted that the late Emirs style of servant leadership for over three decades earned him the trust and respect of his community, contemporaries and Nigerians from diverse political, social and religious leanings. He believes that the Emirs good works will continue to be remembered and cherished in his community and the wider region of the North East, praying almighty God to grant the soul of the departed eternal rest and comfort to the people of Biu during this time of mourning, the statement noted. Incoming students began moving in on the OSU campus on Aug. 13, 2020 in Columbus. (Matthew Hatcher/Getty Images) The Ohio State University recently announced that it will cancel spring break in an effort to try to help stop the spread of COVID-19. University Provost Bruce A. McPheron made the announcement in an email to students, faculty, and staff last week that was obtained by Yahoo Life, noting that the email was written to provide clarity about spring semester 2021 so that you can begin to make plans. There will be no spring break, McPheron wrote. Instead, there will be two instructional breaks on Tuesday, Feb. 9, and Wednesday, March 31where there will be no classes. This approach will keep our community together throughout the semester and reduce travel-related exposures. Classes will end earlier than usual, on April 22, and graduation will take place on May 9. By moving these dates forward, we will allow more time to plan for summer term classes, McPheron wrote. To students, faculty and staff alike, thank you for your continued flexibility as we respond to an ever-changing situation, McPheron said. A spokesperson for OSU referred Yahoo Life to McPherons email. Several students spoke out against the move on Twitter. osu canceling spring break bc of covid but still having in-personal classes (so they an charge full tuition) just isnt sitting right with me Chloe G McGowan (@chloe_mcgowanxx) September 11, 2020 OSU canceled spring break and I'm going to have a mental breakdown. How's your morning going? Oseremhen Arheghan (@osearheghan) September 11, 2020 While students arent happy about this move, its unlikely to do them any real mental harm, clinical psychologist John Mayer, author of Family Fit: Find Your Balance in Life, tells Yahoo Life. The mental-health benefits of canceling spring break are outstanding, he says. In my experience with students, canceling spring break will not be a trauma in their lives that will have emotional consequences. Story continues The college experience already has many diversions built into it, so students will have plenty to do to mentally recharge, Mayer says. It is not like this concept of spring break is a necessary ingredient of higher education, Mayer says. Traditionally, there were many contributors to why schools initiated a spring break, but mental health concerns was not the primary motivation for this scheduled break. The students will be fine, he adds. Infectious disease experts say the move by officials at The Ohio State University is a smart oneand they expect other schools will do the same. Related video: Iowa colleges cancel spring break If the campus is basically a bubble, you would not want to introduce the virus, Dr. David Cennimo, assistant professor of medicine-pediatrics infectious disease at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, tells Yahoo Life. Of course, this requires the campus to actually be a bubble, which is more probable if there is low local transmission and no or few ongoing cases. Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious disease specialist and professor at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, tells Yahoo Life that canceling spring break is a good idea. Weve already learned that there are many young people in college who are ignoring recommendations not to party in large groups, he says. Doing anything we can to inhibit the mass migration of college students to places like Florida, where theyre having a continuing surge of COVID-19, is important. Spring break is going to involve [the] mixing of people from schools doing things that arent conducive to social distancing, Dr. Amesh A. Adalja, senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, tells Yahoo Life. Trying to limit exposure that individuals might have on spring break and keeping campuses as closed as possible is the best way to prevent outbreaks. While many students spend spring break partying, plenty of others use that time to visit family. Canceling break also prevents some college students from visiting their grandparents for a week, Cennimo points out. But whether or not this will help keep COVID-19 cases down on campus remains to be seen. There is no experiment to prove this, but it makes excellent sense, Dr. John Sellick, professor of medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases at the University at Buffalo/SUNY, tells Yahoo Life. Many schools have canceled fall breaks in an effort to keep kids on campus as long as possible, he points out. I would suspect that many schools that have not gone virtual will try to do this as they have done for the fall, Sellick says. Adalja agrees. I think this will become very common, he says. For the latest coronavirus news and updates, follow along at https://news.yahoo.com/coronavirus. According to experts, people over 60 and those who are immunocompromised continue to be the most at risk. If you have questions, please reference the CDCs and WHOs resource guides. Read more from Yahoo Life Want lifestyle and wellness news delivered to your inbox? Sign up here for Yahoo Lifes newsletter. Appointment 15 September 2020 Sojern, a leading provider of digital marketing solutions for travel, today announced that technology finance veteran Aman Kothari has joined the company as Chief Financial Officer (CFO). In his new role, Kothari will oversee all aspects of finance, including financial planning and analysis, accounting, tax, and treasury. Bringing nearly three decades of finance experience to the role, he will be tasked with helping the company execute on its mission to become the number one direct demand generator for hotels, attractions and destinations worldwide. Prior to Sojern, Aman served in executive finance roles at both private and public companies. At Auction.com, Aman served as CFO and co-lead the successful sale of the company. Before Auction.com, Aman was Senior Vice President, Global Controller and Chief Accounting Officer at Yahoo! where he played an integral role in many of the company's significant transactions, and prior to that was a Senior Manager with PwC. Aman holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, Scotland and is a Chartered Accountant. Defence minister Rajnath Singh addressed Parliament on Tuesday on Indias ongoing border row with China and said that Beijing does not recognise the current boundary. Singh said that Indias armed forces have foiled the transgression attempts by China in Ladakh amid the standoff between the two countries at the Line of Actual Control (LAC). He was speaking in the Lok Sabha on the second day Monsoon Session of Parliament. He added that Indian soldiers have laid down their lives to ensure that Chinese designs are foiled pointing to the violent standoff at the Galwan Valley in eastern Ladakh in June this year, when 20 Indian Army soldiers were killed. Here are the highlights from his speech in the Lok Sabha: India and China agree that it is essential for the further development of bilateral relations to maintain peace and tranquillity in the border area. India and China border issue remains unresolved and there has been no mutually acceptable solution till. China disagrees on border. China does not recognise the traditional and customary alignment of the boundary. We consider that this alignment is based on well established geographical principals. We have told China through diplomatic channels that the attempts to unilaterally alter the status quo were in violation of the bilateral agreements. China has mobilised a huge number of army battalions and armaments along LAC and inner areas. Therere many friction points in eastern Ladakh, Gogra, Kongka La, Pangong Lakes north and south banks. The Indian Army has made counter deployments in these areas. I want to assure you that we are ready to deal with any situation. In meeting with Chinese defence minister, I clearly stated that while our troops had always taken a responsible approach towards border management, but at same time there should be no doubt about our determination to protect Indias sovereignty and territorial integrity. Violent conduct of Chinese troops is a violation of all past agreements. Our troops have done counter deployments in the area to safeguard our borders. I want to assure that the morale of our armed forces is high. No one should doubt it. The Prime Ministers visit to Ladakh has sent a message that people of India stand behind Indian armed forces. I request this house to pass a resolution that we stand shoulder to shoulder with our armed forces who are guarding our borders to safeguard Indias sovereignty and integrity. The Chinese side created a violent face-off on June 15 at Galwan. Our brave soldiers laid down their lives and also inflicted costs including casualties on the Chinese side. We have faced situations of prolonged stand-offs in border areas with China in the past as well, which were resolved peacefully. Even though the situation this year is very different both in terms of scale of troops involved and number of friction points, we remain committed to a peaceful resolution. BRIDGEPORT Police said officers were dispersing a public gathering of people apparently violating pandemic restrictions when one woman allegedly refuse to leave then punched and spat on officers. Sara Cox, 32, of Prospect Street, was charged with assault on public safety personnel, interfering with police, public indecency, breach of peace and littering. Cox, sitting in a jail cell in a white hazardous material suit, refused offers for a drug or mental health treatment program during her arraignment Tuesday, instead insisting she would rather serve time. This is a troubling police report, said Superior Court Judge Tracy Lee Dayton. She ordered Cox held in lieu of $50,000 bond. According to police, officers were patrolling Park Avenue early Tuesday morning when they spotted a large group of people who did not appear to be wearing masks gathered at the corner of Park Avenue and Olive Street. Police said officers ordered the group to disperse and all left with the exception of Cox, who was drinking what appeared to be a can of beer. Cox finished the drink and threw the can into the street, police said. Officers ordered her to pick up the can but police said Cox refused and instead, in full view of the officers, pulled down her pants and urinated on the sidewalk. Police said additional officers responded to the scene. Officers tried to handcuff Cox but police said she fought with officers, punching one in the chest and attempting to spit on other officers, allegedly telling them she was HIV positive and had just smoked crack cocaine. (TNS) - David Erickson got the call directly from the publisher of the Missoulian, the Montana newspaper where he works as a reporter writing about business and housing. You might as well hear it first so you can break the news, the publisher told him earlier in August. The newspaper building, on the riverfront in a highly coveted part of downtown Missoula, was going up for sale for $8.5 million.Erickson and his colleagues had been working from home during the pandemic, but they hoped to return to their newsroom once it was over. The potential loss of the physical building, owned by Lee Enterprises, felt like a gut punch to an already battered local news operation.Since 2000, the Missoulians editorial staff has dwindled from 40 to 21 employees, similar to newspaper losses around the country. The citys local news ecosystem had already taken a hit: Lee in 2017 purchased the rival weekly, the Missoula Independent, and shut it down the next year.Were investigating government institutions, were investigating politicians, were investigating businesses, were investigating nonprofits that exert a huge amount of control over the community, Erickson said. For every reporter thats lost, thats one less person digging into important issues that affect the entire community.Newspapers have been closing at a rapid clip, buckling under the pressure from changing news consumption habits, advertising shifts and many other factors, including consolidated corporate ownership. For outlets covering state and local news, the drop in advertising revenue since the onset of COVID-19 has only exacerbated a preexisting financial crisis. A diminishing number of them can afford daily coverage of state government.The Tribune Company announced in August it would permanently shutter five physical newsrooms, including the Daily News in New York and the Orlando Sentinel in Florida. The newspapers will continue to publish, with reporters, editors and photographers working remotely for the foreseeable future.Earlier in August, a federal bankruptcy judge approved the sale of the McClatchy newspaper chain to the hedge fund Chatham Asset Management. McClatchy, owned by the same family since the California Gold Rush era, is the second-largest local news company in the country. Among its newspapers are the Miami Herald, the Kansas City Star and the Sacramento Bee.Another hedge fund with stakes in hundreds of U.S. newspapers, Alden Global Capital, has a reputation for slashing newspaper staffs to the bare minimum for continued operation. The staff of The Denver Post in 2018 called Alden, its corporate owner, vulture capitalists in an editorial calling on the company to invest more in its papers.All the closures, asset sales, furloughs and layoffs come at a time when quality information is crucial, whether its about the immediate health concerns of the pandemic, how local and state governments spend federal COVID-19 relief money or when schools will reopen. All are generally the kind of stories covered by local news outlets, typically newspapers.Youve got this massive public crisis thats touching every aspect of daily life, thats hugely politicized from every angle, said Rachel Alexander, who writes about education and nonprofits for the Salem Reporter, an online publication, and serves as president of the Oregon chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. The professional organization gave out small grants to about 20 Oregon journalists who were laid off or furloughed, Alexander said.Its our job to let people know whats going on and convey accurate information, be a watchdog, and also to give people a bit of hope and find those stories of people who are doing OK, or thriving or trying something new in spite of all this, Alexander said. And theres fewer than ever of us to do it right now.Since 2004, publishers have shuttered at least 1,800 newspapers, leaving so-called news deserts where people have limited information about their communities. In some places, newspapers have had to retreat to fewer printed editions each week or have laid off so many employees that theyve become ghost newspapers with marginal value to the audience theyre supposed to serve.The decline comes in a moment when people desperately need information about their communities, said Sarabeth Berman, CEO of the American Journalism Project, which has raised $50 million to support nonprofit newsrooms that have emerged to fill in the gaps.So far, the project supports 11 nonprofit news outlets, all online. They include Vermonts VTDigger, Mississippi Today and other newsrooms, many of which focus on statehouse coverage. The American Journalism Projects co-founder, venture capitalist John Thornton, in 2008 founded the member-supported Texas Tribune, which has the largest statehouse news bureau in the United States.The implications of when you dont have local news are really dire, Berman said. That really leads us to our starting point, which is that we need to figure out a new way to finance and sustain local news.The crisis has been growing for more than a decade. The number of newsroom jobs in the United States dropped by 23% from 2008 to 2019, according to the Pew Research Center. (The Pew Charitable Trusts funds the research center and Stateline.) There were an estimated 114,000 reporters, editors, photographers, videographers and other people who produce news in 2008. By 2019, that number declined to about 88,000. Most of those job losses were in newspapers.The consequences are well-studied in academic circles. When a local newspaper dies, evidence shows civic engagement decreases, elected officials are less accountable, corruption is more pervasive and voter participation drops and becomes more polarized.Local newspapers dont just inform people about whats happening in their community. Theyre an alternative to national news, which frequently focuses on partisan conflict, said Joshua Darr, an assistant professor of political communication at Louisiana State University.Darr has studied the effect newspaper closures have on increased polarization in voting habits. The loss of local news, Darrs work found, leads to the sort of political polarization that makes governing more difficult both locally and nationally, in part because it focuses on conflict and not the collaboration necessary for thriving local communities.People dont know that theres a crisis, Darr said. People think that local news is financially doing OK and theres no urgency there. And I dont think they realize how close it is to being a real shell of its former self, if its not already there.Efforts to address the crisis include bipartisan federal legislation. Earlier this summer, U.S. Reps. Ann Kirkpatrick, an Arizona Democrat, and Dan Newhouse, a Washington Republican, introduced the Local Journalism Sustainability Act. The proposed law would offer tax credits to local news organizations and their advertisers.Statehouse coverage, dominated by for-profit newspapers in most places, has suffered as those organizations face financial challenges now complicated by the coronavirus. The reporters who remain often do so in a diminished capacity.Peter Wong, who has covered news in Oregons state capitol since 1980, used to serve on the national board of the now-defunct Association of Capitol Reporters and Editors. With few remaining members, the organization fell apart in the wake of the recession.Wong has worked in recent years for the Portland Tribune, a group of locally owned suburban newspapers. Fellow reporters at his publication who werent laid off during the pandemic now work only 24 hours a week.The layoffs come at a time when state lawmakers in Oregon are grappling with critical issues: a $1 billion projected budget shortfall connected to the pandemic and legislation to address concerns about the use of police force, including the use of tear gas on protesters.Between 2008 and 2019, newspapers cut half of their workers, from an estimated 71,000 to 35,000. For comparison to another for-profit industry that has seen its share of market-related job losses: There were an estimated 51,000 coal miners in the U.S. at the end of 2019, down from 77,800 at the beginning of 2010.There are some bright spots, particularly in nonprofit news. Back in 2009 when Anne Galloway first started VTDigger, it was a one-woman online news operation with a motto reflecting its scrappy purpose: Nitty Gritty News for Vermont.Galloway, like many U.S. newspaper journalists that year, was laid off from her job at the height of the recession. Yet she hoped to remain in journalism, and she saw an unfilled niche in covering state spending and politics. She began building a nonprofit news outlet with a rudimentary WordPress website, little suspecting that what she was doing might one day be a model for keeping local and statehouse news coverage alive in communities where newspapers are in decline.I had a donate button on the site right away, just a simple PayPal thing that I did that I somehow cobbled together myself, even though Im really not very skilled at that kind of thing, Galloway said. I just thought, you know, since the industry was tanking, that there was no alternative except a nonprofit model. I mean, there were no profits in journalism then, and its even less available now.Over the past decade, VTDigger grew from 14,000 unique page views a month to 700,000. Its now not only the largest nonprofit newsroom in Vermont, its the largest news organization in the state, with 25 employees and a $2 million annual budget supported by memberships, philanthropic donations and corporate underwriting.Statehouse reporting is just so incredibly vital for people to understand whats happening with their government and whats happening with their local reps, Galloway said. And its really, I think, the most important way people have of influencing policy as it happens. I just think its a really powerful way to connect people with government.2020 Stateline.orgVisit Stateline.org at www.stateline.orgDistributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. 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For 4-star hotels in Kota Kinabalu, the average price found is $66/night, and for 5-star hotels the average price is $106/night. $11/night is the cheapest price found for a hotel in Kota Kinabalu by HotelsCombined users over the last 72 hours. How much is a hotel in Kota Kinabalu tonight? Users have found prices for hotels in Kota Kinabalu tonight starting as low as $13, rising to an average cost of $45, based on searches in the last 72 hours. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-15 22:03:31|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close HELSINKI, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Finland's industrial turnover contracted in July for the seventh consecutive month due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated restrictions. Working-day adjusted turnover in industry fell in July by 10.3 percent from one year earlier, Statistics Finland said in a press release on Tuesday. Following the downward trend in the previous six months, seasonally adjusted turnover in industry continued to decline by 1.5 percent compared with June. Turnover decreased in July in all major industries, of which it decreased the most in the forest industry by 19.2 percent year-on-year. In July, the turnover of manufacturing in other major industries was also affected by COVID-19. Turnover decreased in electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply by 16.7 percent; in the electrical and electronics industry by 14.8 percent; and in the chemical industry by 12.4 percent from one year earlier. However, turnover in the food industry was the closest to the previous year's level and fell only by 0.1 percent. According to Statistics Finland, export turnover plunged in June the most in the chemical industry by 25.6 percent from one year earlier. Export turnover dropped in the forest industry by 22.8 percent and in the textile, clothing and leather industry by 16.7 percent. Meanwhile, the export turnover of the mining and quarrying industries grew the strongest in June, by 150.4 percent year-on-year. According to the latest forecast for Finland's economic growth published by the Bank of Finland on Monday, the country's economy will shrink by 4.7 percent in 2020, but grow by 2.7 percent in 2021 and by 2.4 percent in 2022. The central bank said the downturn will be followed by a slow recovery, as the coronavirus continues to spread around the world and continues to create uncertainty about future economic development. Enditem Chinese authorities have locked down a city on the border with Myanmar and declared entering wartime mode after detecting two cases imported from the neighbouring country. Ruili, a city with over 200,000 residents in southwestern Chinese province Yunnan, Monday reported the new COVID-19 infections, two Myanmar nationals who were said to have illegally crossed the land border. All residents of the city will be tested for the coronavirus as authorities pledge to crack down on the area's notorious cross-border smuggling trade. Ruili, a city with over 200,000 residents in south-western Chinese province Yunnan, Monday reported the new COVID-19 infections, two Myanmar nationals who were said to have illegally crossed the land border. A resident is pictured being tested for the virus in Ruili on Tuesday Chinese authorities have locked down a city on the border with Myanmar as the officials declared entering wartime mode after detecting two cases imported from the neighbouring country. Residents receive COVID-19 coronavirus testing in Ruili of Yunnan province today Ruili was placed under lockdown on Monday evening, with people banned from leaving the city except for special circumstances, said an official notice . All residents have been ordered to self-isolate for at least a week. The picture shows barriers being placed in the border city Ruili was placed under lockdown on Monday evening, with people banned from leaving the city except for special circumstances, said an official notice. All residents have been ordered to self-isolate for at least a week. Businesses and schools across the city have been closed while checkpoints and health workers are placed in residential complexes to check peoples IDs and temperatures. Xie Dapeng, mayor of Ruili, announced the two confirmed cases during a press briefing on Monday. A 32-year-old Myanmar woman took her three children and two nannies across the border from Muse, Myanmar, to Ruili on September 3, and stayed at her sister's residence at the Aoxing Shiji community. The woman and one of her nannies tested positive for the contagion and were diagnosed as confirmed coronavirus infections on Sunday, the authorities said. The city of Ruili is separated by a shallow river from the border town of Muse, Myanmar's main gateway to China and awash with weapons and cash from casinos, drugs and sex All residents of the city will be tested for the coronavirus as authorities pledge to crack down on the area's notorious cross-border smuggling trade. Residents receive COVID-19 coronavirus testing in Ruili in China's southwestern Yunnan province on September 15 Businesses and schools across the city have been closed while checkpoints and health workers are placed in residential complexes to check peoples IDs and temperatures Medical workers check information as they prepare COVID-19 coronavirus testing for residents in Ruili in China's southwestern Yunnan province on September 15 All people living in the residential compound where the patients stayed were given nucleic acid tests which all came back negative. A total of 190 close contacts have also been monitored and under quarantine, according to the officials. The city of Ruili is separated by a shallow river from the border town of Muse, Myanmar's main gateway to China and awash with weapons and cash from casinos, drugs and sex. Local officials admitted that there are still loopholes in controlling the 169.8 kilometres (105.5 miles) of the border that Ruili shares with Myanmar, They pledge to crack down on illegal immigrants crossing the border and repatriate those who have unclear arrival records or have no fixed residence and have no fixed place to work, according to the Ruili government. Schools and kindergartens across the city of Ruili have been closed following the new infections reported by local authorities on Monday. The picture shows a closed local school Chinese authorities have locked down a city on the border with Myanmar as the officials declared entering wartime mode after detecting two cases imported from the neighbouring country. Residents wait for COVID-19 coronavirus testing in Ruili in Yunnan province today Ruili, a city with over 200,000 residents in southwestern Chinese province Yunnan, Monday reported the new COVID-19 infections, two Myanmar nationals who were said to have illegally crossed the land border. A Ruili resident is pictured receiving a swab test for COVID-19 today The Chinese authorities also said they will also assist Myanmar government with anti-virus efforts and financial support to help villages bordering the country build strong epidemic prevention and control checkpoints. Myanmar has seen a surge in new coronavirus cases. On Friday, the country re-imposed tough measures to control the spread of the disease. China has appeared to have largely contained the virus outbreak as the country has gone a month without new cases of domestic infection. Last week, Chinese leader Xi Jinping touted China's role in battling the coronavirus pandemic at a triumphant awards ceremony for medical professionals decorated with bugle calls and applause. He told the audience that China has acted in an 'open and transparent' manner over the contagion while 'passing an extraordinary and historic test'. The upbeat mood in Beijing comes as concerns grow about a resurgence of COVID-19 across Europe, with France tightening restrictions, cases in Britain spiking and schools resuming around the region in recent days. Worldwide infections to date now stand at more than 29 million and over 924,000 people have died from the disease, with the pandemic showing no sign of peaking. But in China the virus has been all but banished through a combination of lockdowns and travel restrictions earlier in the year that have officials touting the nation as a coronavirus success story. Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain Far from bringing about a new era of social solidarity, often-changing and unclear guidance around the coronavirus may push people to act more selfishly, researchers said Tuesday. Danish and Swedish investigators found that unclear expectations will prompt most people to take the easiest optionwhether the choice before them is over rounding a tip at a restaurant up or down or respecting virus recommendations. "As uncertainty of expectations arises, we are more likely to keep as much as possible for ourselves and be stingy rather than generous," Toke Fosgaard, a professor at the University of Copenhagen and co-author of the study, said in a statement. When participants in the 286-person study were given 100 Danish kronor ($16, 13.44 euros) to share with a partner, more opted to split it down the middle when told that was the norm. By contrast, "the vast majority" kept most of the money for themselves when told they could decide freely how to split itand that their partner would not find out the original amount. "When there is a clear expectation of what to do in a given situation, people comply with the norm," Fosgaard said, while "if people are uncertain about which guidelines apply, most will opt to do as they please." Selfish behaviour is amplified when "an individual is alonethat is, removed from the judgemental eyes of others." The researchers suggested their findings may also predict how closely people adhere to health recommendations during the pandemic. "For example, one might skip an extra hand wash at home, relax with the cleaning or host many different groups of friends," Fosgaard said. Or with guidance unclear about how long face masks should be worn, it could be that "many would be tempted to extend usage, and thereby delay the purchase of new masks," he added. Denmark has made the wearing of masks compulsory on public transport and in cabs, as in many other European countries. But neighbouring Sweden has instead placed the responsibility on its population to respect physical distancing, strict application of hygiene rules and self-isolation in case of symptoms. Explore further Follow the latest news on the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak 2020 AFP Burma Powerful Armed Ethnic Group Launches Its Own Military Academy in Myanmar UWSA chair Bao Youxiang at the 30th anniversary of the founding of the group. / Myo Min Soe / The Irrawaddy NAYPYITAWThe most powerful ethnic armed group in Myanmar has established its own military academy. More than 30 years after signing a ceasefire with the government, the United Wa State Army (UWSA) opened the new military academy on Sept. 11 in the village of Yaung Tein in Panghsang, in the area under the control of the armed group. UWSA chairman Bao Youxiang, military chief Zhao Zhongtang, External Relations Department head Zhao Guoan and other UWSA officers attended the opening ceremony with more than 100 cadets expected to receive military training as part of the academys first incoming class. UWSA spokesperson and liaison officer Nyi Rang, based in Shan States Lashio Township, said the military academy aims to build future leaders. We intend to turn out [leaders for] future generations, literate ones for the modern age. Every organization should have its own military academies and military training schools, Nyi Rang said. Through the military academy, the UWSA hopes to teach the younger generation how to cope with the challenges of modern times, both conceptually and technically. Details of the subjects and teaching methods, however, are still unclear. The educational process will last for four years. There is a need to upgrade the conceptual and technical skills of the armed forces The political and military training schools need to improve in line with changing times, Nyi Rang said. The academy has been in the planning stage for years, he said, adding that previously, military training sessions were organized randomly. Myanmar military (or Tatmadaw) spokesman Major General Zaw Min Tun said the UWSA should focus more on the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA), which the group has yet to sign, than on opening a military academy. We have repeatedly said that armed groups should not expand their forces or territories while walking on the path to peace. The stance of the Tatmadaw is that [the UWSA] should focus on the NCA, and work for permanent peace in the interests of the Union, Maj-Gen Zaw Min Tun said. To mark the 30th anniversary of its bilateral ceasefire pact with the government, the UWSA held a military parade in April last year in Panghsang, showing off some of its military hardware including drones and anti-aircraft missiles. At the time, Myanmar military leaders said they put up with the UWSAs grand-scale parade for the sake of the peace process, despite the fact that the group was acting as if it were a parallel government with a parallel army. Founded on April 17, 1989, the UWSA signed a ceasefire with Myanmars then military governmentthe State Law and Order Restoration Councilin the same year, after splitting from the Communist Party of Burma (CPB). It also founded the United Wa State Party and the Wa State Peoples Government. Since then the UWSA has quietly grown into the largest, best-equipped ethnic armed group in Myanmar with an estimated 30,000 troops and 10,000 auxiliary members, according to Myanmar Peace Monitor. Since the ceasefire deal in 1989, there have been no clashes between the UWSA and the Tatmadaw. The Federal Political Negotiation and Consultative Committee (FPNCC) led by the UWSAa bloc of seven ethnic groupshas been demanding an alternative to the NCA in making peace with the national government. The relationship between the government and Wa leaders has deteriorated since Myanmar military intelligence chief General Khin Nyunt was purged in a power struggle, according to peace and security expert Dr. Min Zaw Oo. The lack of a negotiation channel is part of the problem. The establishment of the FPNCC and the demand that negotiations must be held as a group serve no ones interests. Throughout the history of Myanmar, negotiations were largely bilateral. In fact, the FPNCC is just for show. There must be direct negotiation between the UWSA and the government, he said. Normally, all the [ethnic] armed groups have military training. While the KIA [Kachin Independence Army] and TNLA [Taang National Liberation Army] have military academies, I think the UWSA is trying to systematically nurture commanders starting from the grassroots level, said political analyst U Maung Maung Soe. Myanmars 2008 Constitution acknowledges the Wa areas in Shan State as a self-administered region, covering six townships split between two districts. Although such zones are supposed to be under the control of the central government, the Wa effectively exercise total control over the area with their own government and administration. The UWSA demands complete autonomy, like other ethnic armed groups in Myanmar. It has attracted criticism for its close ties with China. Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko You may also like these stories: Children Killed by Artillery Strike Spark International Charity Calls to End War in Western Myanmar Rakhine Parties Slam COVID-19 Campaign Restrictions Ahead of Myanmars Election Military Burns Down Rakhine Village in Western Myanmar: Residents A group of Perth artists have replaced plaques on statues in the CBD with new signs highlighting the historical figures' involvement in an Aboriginal massacre in a bid to "rewrite history". The group, operating under the name The Statue Review, said the statues of the early settlers glorified "people who partook in ethnic cleansing" and should be relocated to a museum. Over the weekend, the collective replaced the plaques underneath the statues of Western Australia's first governor Captain James Stirling and first surveyor-general John Septimus Roe to highlight their links to the Pinjarra massacre. In 1834, Stirling led police, soldiers and settlers, including Roe, to the Murray River in Pinjarra, with the ensuing bloody attack pitting rifles and bayonets against Indigenous Australians armed with spears in what would later come to be known as the Pinjarra massacre. On the eve of voting Tuesday on a 2021 budget and tax rate, Bexar County commissioners directed County Manager David Smith to look for more than $1.3 million in spending cuts in order to save half of the 38 deputy constable positions proposed for elimination. That would reduce the number of deputy constable jobs affected to 19 countywide. There currently are 69 deputy constables in the four county precincts. A proposal by Commissioner Justin Rodriguez to look at alternative spending reductions aimed at cushioning that blow a little bit followed a staff update Monday on dozens of tweaks to a proposed $1.78 billion budget. On ExpressNews.com: Bexar County takes step to improve responses to 911 mental health calls One of the most significant changes is a $1.5 million increase in department of behavioral health operational expenses. The increase would pay for a first-year program using best practices for responding to patrol calls to the Sheriffs Office that involve individuals with mental health issues. Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff said the budget update during a third and final budget work session Monday still left the proposed elimination of 38 deputy constable posts looming as the big elephant in the room. The proposed budget calls for eliminating 12 deputy constable positions in Precinct 1; 11 in Precinct 2; six in Precinct 3; and nine in Precinct 4. That move seeks to reduce costs by $2.7 million. All four constables serving in elected positions urged commissioners at a Sept. 3 work session not to defund more than half of their deputy staffing during the pandemic, saying it would lead to a loss of personnel for serving warrants and civil process documents and providing security in justice of the peace court during uncertain times. On ExpressNews.com: Constables speak out on proposed budget cuts Precinct 1 Constable Ruben Tejeda again addressed commissioners Monday, saying his deputies generate revenue from serving warrants and have a vital role in maintaining order during the pandemic. These deputies are very hard-working and dedicated to the community that they serve proudly. This pandemic has left everyone in dire needs, Tejeda said. Give them the opportunity to demonstrate their fortitude and pride in their work. Rodriguez said he could not support a cut as deep as called for in the proposed budget. I know that weve got to make tough choices, and no one wants to ever have anyone lose their job, he said, asking that the reduction be reduced from 38 to 19 positions, distributed equitably across the four precincts. Commission Tommy Calvert said he was worried, with interruptions in postal service, that the county would need the deputies to serve legal documents in compliance with state law. Thats why I think that we should just maintain the level as it is, because the mail is so messed up at the moment, Calvert said. But Calverts motion to consider keeping all 38 deputies got no support from commissioners. Commissioner Kevin Wolff called for a vote on the updated spending plan, including the cut of 38 deputies. Thats when Calvert supported Rodriguezs proposal to only trim 19 positions. That motion passed in a 3-2 vote, with Commissioners Wolff and Sergio Chico Rodriguez voting against it. On ExpressNews.com: Commissioners get first look at pandemic-trimmed county budget The Commissioners Court will hold back-to-back public hearings, starting at 10 a.m. Tuesday, on the budget and a proposal to adopt the existing tax rate of 30.1 cents per $100 valuation. Compared with last year, certified values in Bexar County have risen nearly 6 percent in 2020 to $182.6 billion, due partly to about $4.5 billion in new construction. But county officials are worried about future decreases in commercial property values, as well as the reliability of on-time payments on residential property taxes, in light of the pandemics economic effects. The county auditors office projects a 94 percent collection rate on payments during 2021, below the historic rate on collections of about 98 percent. Tuesdays meeting will be held in the Double-Height Courtroom of the Bexar County Courthouse, 100 Dolorosa St., with face coverings and social distancing required. The meeting will be streamed live on the county website, bexar.org. Scott Huddleston covers Bexar County government and the Alamo for the San Antonio Express-News. To read more from Scott, become a subscriber. shuddleston@express-news.net | Twitter: @shuddlestonSA Paris, France (PANA) - The International Federation of Human Rights (IFHR) and Zimbabwe Human Rights Association (ZimRights), Tuesday strongly condemned the harassment of civil society in the management of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic by the government Why this Seven Springs clip grabbed the attention of 1 million people The tweet has been seen by more than 1 million people so far. Many commenters asked if the clip was planned or fake. Sisters in Film (SIF), known in Arabic as rawiyat (the feminine term for storytellers), is a collective of nine emerging filmmakers from across the Arab world. Having struggled to make their debuts, these artists all found it even harder to make a second film, and decided to join forces to pool knowhow, facilitate their own artistic journeys and extend solidarity to other woman filmmakers. The Paris-based initiative will be launched during the upcoming, fourth round of El Gouna Film Festival (GFF, 23-31 October). Naziha Arebi (Libya/UK), Yasmina Chouikh (Algeria), Danielle Davie (Lebanon), Myriam El Hage (Lebanon), Dorothee Myriam Kellou (Algeria/France), Dina Naser (Jordan), Erige Sehiri (Tunisia), Lina Soualem (Palestine/Algeria/France) and Kawthar Younis (Egypt) are proposing a kind of syndicate or union in which all Arab countries and diaspora Arabs can be represented. Enabling women to function in a safe environment that shields them from the fiercely competitive environment of the film industry, SIF is the first of its kind. The story began in 2019 when the nine women met in Tunis and again in Rabat-Sale, Morocco for a workshop designed by the artistic director of Sale Film Festival Hicham Falah, part of the Med Films regional programme. As the SIF concept presentation puts it, this was when they realised how many struggles we had in common: isolation, legal and financial challenges, social safety net, moral and sexual harassment, lack of psychological support, difficulty to access information. All of us felt a lack of a network and solidarity not only in the region but globally. Dina Naser is the Palestinian-Jordanian director of the award-winning Tiny Souls (2019), which follows the daily life of a little girl named Marwa at the refugee camp to which she flees Syria with her family, screened at the IDFA and GFF as well as many other prestigious festivals. For Naser the collective is a response to the first-film trauma suffered by Arab woman filmmakers, which resulted in many giving up their careers altogether. We work in a cruel, aggressive environment controlled by men and closed circles, she says. At least the nine of us can make nine films happen, and we can support others who are making their first or second film. But she does not feel that the way to do this is to keep men out. There will be collaboration with male filmmakers too. We want to break out of the stereotype imposed on us and the assumption that a female initiative is exclusive to women. Our aim is to create an alternative but inclusive atmosphere where there is room for everyone. SIFs working plan is still being drafted but Naser stresses the censorial challenges specific to woman directors. For example, as a Jordanian woman filmmaker I have to make all kinds of calculations before I can approach certain subjects. There are many taboo subjects in the Arab world and they are perceived differently when tackled by a woman. In the end we have to have what it takes not to lose our passion and this is just not easy. That is not to mention the lack of specialist skills and financial support since art is seldom prioritised. All of which impacts the industry. Filmmaking is a lifetimes journey and we want to make it more pleasant by building an alternative space governed by solidarity and creativity, and making it available not only directors, producers, writers, but also to technicians in every field of filmmaking. The Egyptian Kawthar Younis made her debut, the feature-length documentary A Present from the Past (2016), during her third year at Cairos Higher Cinema Institute. But when it came to her second film it turned out the lack of a creative producer was her greatest challenge. A filmmaker cannot make a film based solely on the way she conceives it. There has to be a producer to take ideas further through discussion. One reason our films are not appealing worldwide is that their creative potential isnt explored. The collective could play this role, however: as woman filmmakers they could bounce ideas off each other, aware of the challenges they face in terms of opportunities, space and the ability not just to reach a point but to maintain and build on achievements. The Lebanese Myriam El Hages A time to Rest (2015) is a personal journey into the horrors of the civil war through the minds of her uncle Riad and his friends. I personally joined SIF because it was so difficult to make my second film, she says, that I felt needed help. I needed people. I needed solidarity. When a female filmmaker makes her second film in her thirties, she faces all the social pressures of starting a family, having kids, and embracing her passion at the same time. It is very important to push women to continue, to make a second film. Because this is where we lose women in the film industry. We should stand by each other and not be part of the industrys competitive game. If we lose our selfish spirit and start taking a helpful and supportive attitude instead, that is what its all about. In our region, says Danielle Davie, another Lebanese filmmaker, co-directed Embodied Chorus, which won GFFs best project in development two years ago, a female filmmakers biggest challenge is to be taken seriously. The film industry is dominated by men. Here in Lebanon, because we dont have an industry, lots of women work in the media production field but not in filmmaking. There is a different attitude to women even in film schools, and it is not obvious but you can feel it. My challenge is to achieve equality and equity, and help make society ready to listen to womens stories. Our stories dont look at the world in the same way as mens, and this is another challenge. Joining SIF will help to overcome this through solidarity, networking and sharing experience. Maybe one consequence will be changing the way films are funded and produced. For me it is a kind of movement. For her part Lina Soualem does not believe the initiative is there to change the industry but to empower female filmmakers within it. She is currently developing her second feature documentary after her debut, Their Algeria (2019), which won best doc-in-progress at Canness Doc Corner and was selected to premiere at the Visions du Reel International Film Festival 2020. I dont think were going to change the industry which is full of difficulties and competition, Soualem says, but we want to bring more solidarity and less competition to relations between filmmakers. Filmmaking is lonely business and if youre a woman you face the obstacle of having to justify yourself, to prove yourself, because people will not trust you as easily with grants or backing. It is important to build a network where the more privileged female filmmakers whose films have already been made and screened at international film festivals can connect with more isolated filmmakers who dont have the same opportunities in terms of travelling and connections. In the Arab world filmmaking presents psychological challenges, she says: The topics tend to be heavy: political unrest, the trauma of war and colonisation. It is psychologically difficult to make a piece of art tackling social-political issues and to defend your vision and to find money in the West and in the Arab world and to present your project to people all at the same time, and the kind of solidarity SIF provides allows those who have more power and knowhow to share it with the others, she explains. The Algerian Dorothee Myriam Kellou, SIF president, made In Mansourah, you separated us (2019), which follows her journey with her father Malek back to Mansourah, the village where he was born, for the first time since the Algerian War of Independence (1954-1962). Experiencing both worlds she understands Arab woman filmmakers difficulties. We tackle issues that are not very well received in society. In my film I work on colonialism in France and it is still very much a silent topic for which it is hard to find funding and emotional support. When I started my project I was very lonely and felt extremely emotionally isolated. There is also a double pressure on female filmmakers as they should not be free to do what they want, where the balance between your family life, your personal life, and your work life becomes a major concern. As a woman travelling and working alone you may face sexual harassment too. You may be punished for not allowing yourself to be manipulated as a professional, or you may not be taken seriously. When I was shooting in Algeria, they used to call me by the word tofla, which means young woman. I was also separated from my male crew during mealtimes. That had its positive side, allowing me to connect with the women who let me show their poetry and songs in the film, but it was still segregation that, having no power as a woman director, I had to give in to. That is the importance of SIF: empowering women. We have so much energy to put into the collective. It will grow through the initiatives of its members. Once it is open to other female filmmakers it will also be the initiative of new sisters in film. That is how it will grow. *A version of this article appears in print in the 17 September, 2020 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly Search Keywords: Short link: BAKU, Azerbaijan, Sept.15 By Tamilla Mammadova Trend: Georgia received 371.3 million kWh of electricity from Azerbaijan from January through August this year, Trend reports via the Georgian Electricity System Commercial Operator (ESCO). This figure is 389.23 million kWh or 2 times less compared to the previous year. In the first eight months of last year, Georgia received 760.53 million kWh of electricity from Azerbaijan. Imports from Azerbaijan accounted for 59.7 percent of Georgia's total electricity imports, from Russia - 40.3 percent. From January through August 2020, Georgia exported 15.3 million kWh of electricity to Azerbaijan, 69.5 million kWh to Turkey. In the reporting period, Azerbaijan sent 101.8 million kWh of electricity to Turkey via Georgia. This figure is 25.2 percent less compared to the same period last year. During the first 8 months of last year, Azerbaijan sent 136.2 million kWh of electricity to Turkey via Georgia. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @Mila61979356 If I may cite a colorful expression coined by Winston Churchill to describe an earlier American political figure, Mike Doherty is a bull who brings along his own china shop. That characteristic was on display the other day when the Republican state senator from Hunterdon County spoke at a 9/11 memorial ceremony. After noting the number of police and fire personnel killed in those attacks, Doherty stuck his horns straight into the shelves when he connected those events from 19 years ago to whats going on in the streets today. After criticizing the attack on law enforcement and calls to defund the police, Doherty went on to say that These demands to defund the police are based upon allegations of systemic racism ... the United States does not have systemic racism. It is an evil lie. The call to defund the police is part of an agenda that seeks to create chaos and mayhem in the United States, he continued. These forces want the police out of the way so that the lawless agenda can be fully implemented. The only thing standing in the way is the blue line. This brought expressions of outrage from people who thought it tasteless for a politician to politicize such an event. When I got Doherty on the phone yesterday, he said he was unbothered by the criticism. He said he felt a need to counter the attacks police are under these days. We live in unprecedented times, and 2020 provides very few opportunities for elected officials in my position to make a statement, he said. This is an event at which we were talking about law enforcement and I felt it important to let them know that there is someone who supports them. Having leveled that china shop, the West Point grad and former Army officer charged into another. That was the debate Sunday night between Democratic U.S. Rep. Tom Malinowski and his Republican challenger, state Senate minority leader Tom Kean of Union County. At one point Malinowski brought up Dohertys speech and asked Kean whether he also condemned the Black Lives Matter movement. I disagree with Mike when he says there isnt systemic racism, Kean responded. Ive attended Black Lives Matter events and heard all the protests. When I ran that by Doherty yesterday, he said that when he heard those remarks, I kind of scratch my head. What sort of support does he thinks hes garnering when he takes these stands? Thats the question of the moment, not just among New Jersey Republicans but Republicans all over the country. Is it best to take a clear position against the Black Lives Matter movement and hope to energize the right-wing vote? Or is it better to mollify the moderates in hopes of getting their votes? That wont be answered until Nov. 3. But back in 2016 we got a preview. It came at the Republican National Convention at which Donald Trump accepted the GOP nomination for president. Hundreds of protesters marched under the Black Lives Matter banner in streets outside the convention hall. I spent some time watching them maneuver as a heavy law enforcement presence hemmed them in. At the time I wrote: "In the case of the anti-Republican demonstrations Im seeing in Cleveland, Id almost suspect they were getting paid by Donald Trump to help his campaign. A popular chant among the Black Lives Matter crowd ended with the couplet five, six, seven, eight - America was never great. I cant believe they think this is helping their cause. It wasnt. The more moderate Democrats were making the much sounder argument that America was already great under Barack Obama. Trump directed his fire not at the moderates but at Black Lives Matter. He invited David Clarke, the conservative African-American sheriff of Milwaukee County, to address the convention. (See clip below.) Clarke began by proclaiming loudly that Blue Lives Matter before going into an attack on the activists outside the hall as well as what he said was a recent crime wave. If you dont believe it, a recent Gallup Poll confirms it, Clarke said. Half of all Americans now worry a great deal about crime and violence, up consistently and dramatically from just a few years ago, and for African-Americans that number is 70 percent. Compare that to the present. A Monmouth University Poll released yesterday said that 65 percent of Americans say maintaining law and order is a major problem. For Blacks, the number is 84 percent. In a press release, poll director Pat Murray said its too early to tell whether Trump or Democratic nominee Joe Biden will benefit from those increased fears. It certainly is. But we know how it turned out back in 2016. Sometimes you have to break a few cups and plates to get peoples attention. ADD - SHERIFF CLARKES SPEECH IN 2016: Gordon Ramsay has built a food empire. The British chef owns various restaurants around the world, plus hes become a major celebrity for hosting shows such as Hells Kitchen and Masterchef. But is Ramsay actually as talented of a chef as hes led us to believe? The answer is in his Michelin stars. Gordon Ramsay | Franco Origlia/Getty Images Gordon Ramsay has become a household name for his attitude and cooking skill Ramsay is unparalleled in his craft; most celebrity chefs do not have the level of training and expertise that Ramsay does. He has taken his talents all around the world, spending time studying cuisine in France and as the personal chef on a private yacht in Italy, which helped him learn about Italian cuisine. Most people know Ramsay as a world-renowned chef, but thats not the only thing thats helped him secure a name for himself in the food industry. His attitude has, at the very least, helped his television shows rise in the ratings. From Kitchen Nightmares to Hells Kitchen and Masterchef, Ramsay has no problem calling his apprentices idiot sandwiches or kicking them out of the kitchen the moment they mess up. Still, aspiring chefs and those wanting to hone their skills in the craft look up to him, knowing hell help take their dishes to the next level. Gordon Ramsay spits food out in front of James Corden. | Terence Patrick/CBS/Getty Images RELATED: People Are Still Mad That Bobby Flay Didnt Show Up to a Gordon Ramsay Cookoff Ramsay has acquired 16 Michelin Stars in his lifetime and currently holds seven Many of the celebrity chefs we know and love today are nowhere near as critically acclaimed as Ramsay. Though TV nowadays offers some drool-worthy shows, most of the chefs dont have the same worldwide recognition as the Masterchef host. During his lifetime (so far), Ramsay has acquired a whopping 16 Michelin Stars, ranking him as one of the most renowned chefs in the world. Still, Michelin Stars come and go, and though Ramsay has earned 16, he currently holds seven. Its not uncommon for restaurants to rise or drop in Stars (or lose them altogether), but it nonetheless bruised Ramsays ego. I started crying when I lost my Stars, Ramsay once said in a Norwegian TV interview. Its a very emotional thing for any chef. Its like losing a girlfriend. You want her back. Ramsay primarily lost the Stars due to inconsistency in his dishes. Ramsays restaurant in London has had the highest Star rating for nearly two decades Still, even with seven Stars, Ramsay remains the sixth most-Starred chef in the world. And nearly half of those stars come from his flagship eatery, Restaurant Gordon Ramsay in London. The restaurant, which opened in 1998 as Ramsays first solo operation, has held onto three Michelin Stars since 2001. Ramsay became the first Scottish chef to ever hold three Michelin Stars, though there have been a few well-known food critics who seem to think the restaurant is overrated. KITCHENER Police have charged a man with committing an indecent act after he allegedly exposed himself in a Kitchener park. On Monday at 2:15 p.m., police were called to Homer Watson Park where a man reportedly exposed himself on a community trail in a wooded area near Wabanaki Drive at Wilson Avenue. Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 519-570-9777 ext. 4499 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477. It doesn't happen often, but when it does, it creates what we call "the magic of cinema". Bringing to life characters that simply didn't exist before a writer conjured them up requires a unique mix of individual pursuit of brilliance, but also a jugalbandi of skill, daring and commitment with others. A director who can imagine and create it, an actor who can make us believe in it, a cinematographer who captures it and an editor who eventually decides what we see, how, when, and for how long. No matter how well one of them does, creating that magic depends on what everyone does. Hungarian director Kornel Mundruczo's first English language film Pieces of A Woman, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival (Tiff) on Saturday, strives for that kind of brilliance and achieves in a bravura sequence that comes barely six minutes into the film and goes on for almost 24 minutes. Based on a screenplay by Kata Webber, Pieces of A Woman is set in Massachusetts, US, where Martha (Venessa Kirby), a slim, chic executive, and her construction worker husband Shaun (Shia LaBeouf) have planned a home birth for their first child. They have bought a baby-friendly car, a room with a crib is ready, and the midwife has been booked. September 17. There is slight chill in the air. Winter is coming. And so is the baby. Cinematographer Benjamin Loebs long, intimate sequence, shot by a hand-held camera, stays with Martha for the entirety of the birth of her baby. It starts with mild contractions, her water breaking, the contractions increasing and a replacement midwife turning up. In this sequence, where there are few, carefully-concealed cuts, the camera stays close to Martha as a helpless Shaun tries his best to be of some use. It zooms in when Martha needs a hand to squeeze and steps back as she gets delirious with pain and says she smells something rotten. We feel as if we too are attached to her, bobbing around Martha gently in amniotic fluid along with her baby. Your hair will stand on its end when Martha screams in pain, her veins popping out as she tries to push the baby out. This visceral look at what childbirth entails for a woman, eager and desperate to eject a piece of herself, is just the beginning of change of Marthas body and emotions. Venessa Kirby, most well-known for playing Princess Margaret in Netflix's Crown, is stripped of all veneer of glamour and even dialogue in Pieces of A Woman as she has to first let a child rip through her, and then cradle a tragedy that keeps taking her apart, bit by bit. Kirby carries this destruction, this loss in her body, in her silence, in her inability to tolerate even the most loving and benign of touches. They all feel as if they are taking a bite of her broken pieces. While Martha is pretending to live, a media and court room drama is playing out. But Martha is keeping everything and everybody at an arms length. Her mother, Elizabeth (played with flinty self-assurance and infuriating interference by Ellen Burstyn), wont have it. In the film's second most powerful scene, Elizabeth tells her own story, and the film again takes Martha apart so that she can piece herself back together. Though it's too early to tell, but for now my prediction is that the next Oscar for best performance female will go to Venessa Kirby. And I wont be surprised if Ellen Burstyn stands smiling next to her, holding her own golden knight. ALMATY, Kazakhstan -- A Kazakh court has upheld the conviction and sentencing of an activist found guilty of spreading false information about the coronavirus. The Almaty city court on September 15 upheld a decision by a lower court to sentence Alnur Ilyashev to three years of restricted freedom, a parolelike limitation, and ban him from social or political activism for five years. Ilyashev was detained on April 17 after he wrote on Facebook that authorities in Kazakhstan, including those in the ruling Nur Otan party, have been corrupt and incompetent in their response to the coronavirus outbreak. The 43-year-old activist spent more than two months in custody before being released after the initial court verdict was handed down in June. Amnesty International slammed the sentence as absurd and as a sign that the government is not tolerating criticism. The 3,000 square foot log cabin located at the foot of the Mourne Mountains in Newcastle Mum and dad Nicola, Kevin, Rothwell with Austin (white and black top), Ingrid, Bruce. Austin Rothwell from Kircubbin spent a year learning to walk again after his diagnosis in May 2018 with acute lymphoblastic Leukaemia. Picture Colm O'Reilly Sunday Life The magic of 'Narnia' restored the spirits of a 12-year-old Co Down boy after a traumatic life and death battle with cancer over the past two years. Austin Rothwell from Kircubbin spent a year learning to walk again after his diagnosis in May 2018 with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. At one stage his parents were advised to prepare for the worst as their son's life hung by a thread during a terrifying three months in intensive care. Austin recovered physically after a lengthy battle but it wasn't until he went to a residential centre for children with cancer called Narnia that his parents saw their son's smile return. Narnia is a log cabin in the woods within the Daisy Lodge complex in Newcastle which offers much-needed respite breaks for families of children with cancer and is run by the Northern Ireland Cancer Fund for Children. Expand Close The 3,000 square foot log cabin located at the foot of the Mourne Mountains in Newcastle / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The 3,000 square foot log cabin located at the foot of the Mourne Mountains in Newcastle But just as this special place gave Austin a reason to feel joy again, Covid-19 struck and cut him off from his new friends. In an inspiring story shared during Children's Cancer Month which runs throughout September, Austin's mum Nicola (42) highlights the importance of the support from the charity who continued to help Austin cope during lockdown. Nicola says: "If I could bottle the feeling that Cancer Fund for Children's support has given my family, it would be stockpiled like hand sanitiser and hard to find. "I had actually forgotten what my son was like before his cancer diagnosis. Being at Narnia lit a spark in my boy that I had not seen in a very long time. "For the first time in a long time I saw Austin as a 12-year-old boy. His shoulders were light, and he was actually living and loving life. This feeling came home with him. It spread and we saw a real difference in him." Austin is the oldest of three children. He has a brother Bruce (7) and sister Ingrid who is 10. His father Kevin (40) has become his main carer. Expand Close Austin Rothwell with sister Ingrid and brother Bruce. / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Austin Rothwell with sister Ingrid and brother Bruce. It was the day after his 11th birthday on May 29, 2018, that he came home from school and discovered a lump on his neck. He also had swollen glands at the back of his head and bruising on his back. His mum took him to his GP who took a blood sample. Later that evening the family got a call from the doctor breaking the news that Austin had leukaemia. They were advised to take their son to the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children where induction chemotherapy started immediately. Austin had a central line put in and his hair began to fall out as he faced five weeks of treatment. It was during the last week of the chemotherapy that he suddenly took very ill and was rushed to ICU. Nicola recalls: "The next three months became the darkest days and I still can't believe we actually lived them. "Austin deteriorated fast and was ventilated. "He had developed sepsis and was extremely unwell. The source of infection was his bowel. Surgery was a possible solution, but Austin was too sick for surgery. "There came a point where Kevin and I were told that the chances of Austin surviving were very slim, and that we must prepare ourselves for the worst. It is a very odd feeling being told your child is likely to die." Expand Close Austin Rothwell / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Austin Rothwell Austin's distraught parents were then told the only thing that could save their son was surgery but that it too could cost him his life. Mum Nicola reveals: "We decided to give the surgery a chance. We owed that to our beautiful boy. Eight long hours went by. We sat in the quiet room and prayed. We had people all over the world praying during Austin's surgery. "Afterwards, the doctors explained that they almost lost him on several occasions." Their ordeal was not over yet and during the next seven days Austin had to go into theatre four more times, each time with the understanding that he might not make it. Then finally after three very long months Austin was taken off the ventilator. He spent the next year learning how to walk as his time in ICU had caused his muscles to atrophy. He was unable to eat and was tube-fed for many months. Austin is still undergoing chemotherapy treatment which will continue until next July. Before his cancer diagnosis he had suffered from anxiety and being dependent on a wheelchair for a year left a huge dent in his confidence. This is where the NI Cancer Fund for Children has made an invaluable difference to his emotional recovery and well-being. A residential at the charity's Daisy Lodge centre transformed him as his mum explains: "It was a two-night residential where the young people, along with their cancer support specialists, have fun, play games and talk. "He came home and started to count down the days to the next one. The young people started a WhatsApp group and a phone that lay uncharged for a year was suddenly pinging every few minutes. "I could hear him giggle and he had a real spring in his step. He had the best time of his life." Covid-19 came just as Austin was about to go on his second residential but again the NI Cancer Fund for Children stepped in and has been a lifeline during the past months. Nicola says: "To say Austin was devastated is an understatement. I was also very sad because I knew the transformative impact getting away would have on him. "I really wondered how Cancer Fund for Children could continue to offer support. "Within days a Zoom meeting was set up. I was a little unsure how Austin would respond, but two hours later he emerged from his room beaming. I totally underestimated how important social contact of this kind was to Austin. "He has had a weekly Zoom chat with the charity's cancer support specialists ever since. The other night he was on the phone for two hours and came out so happy." The family was just beginning to emerge from months of isolation to protect Austin during his treatment when once again they were forced to shut off from the world because of the pandemic. To keep him safe no one left the house at all for five months and even now as a family they continue to be careful . Expand Close Austin Rothwell / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Austin Rothwell A trip to Daisy Lodge at the end of August gave the whole family a much-needed lift following their many weeks of isolation. Nicola, who feels indebted to the charity, tells us: "There are lots of families like ours and we are not alone. Cancer Fund for Children has helped us to learn how to live with cancer. Thanks to the charity's support we were able to put cancer on the back burner and joy, laughter and relaxation came to the forefront." With fundraising events cancelled due to the pandemic, Nicola urged people to continue to support the charity. She adds: "We are living in unprecedented times and because charity events cannot happen right now, donations are not coming in. "Even in these strange times Cancer Fund for Children is offering light in the darkness. "Your donations are so important in ensuring their work continues. Please help our children be children and learn to laugh and love again." For more information or to support the charity, go to www.cancerfundforchildren.com Farmers who receive subsidy payments have been reminded by the Rural Payments Agency to be wary of fraudsters. Subsidy claimants have been encouraged to take measures to ensure they do not fall victim to these types of scams this coming winter. In the past, farmers have received emails, texts and telephone calls claiming to be from the RPA or Defra. Links to a website mocked up to look like an RPA or Defra online service can sometimes be included in the message. Criminals have also been known to pose as banks, as well as authorities such as the police, to attempt to extort money though illegitimate means. The RPA issued new guidance: "We do not send emails or text messages with links to websites asking you to confirm your personal details or payment information. "We strongly advise anyone who receives such a request not to open the link and delete the item." How can I prevent fraud? As fraudsters may target those who receive subsidy payments, the RPA said subsidy claimants must: Never discuss your bank account details with someone you do not know The RPA will not ask anyone to make a payment over the phone Delete any emails or texts you do not believe are genuine, and do not open any links the RPA's main email addresses are: ruralpayments@defra.gov.uk; rpa@notifications.service.gov.uk; rdpenetwork@defra.gov.uk Be cautious about what information you share externally, particularly on social media If you suspect an attempted fraud or feel youve been the subject of fraud, you can contact: RPAs Fraud Referral Team on 0800 347 347 or FraudInConfidence@rpa.gov.uk; Action Fraud (the UKs national reporting centre for fraud and cyber-crime) on 0300 123 2040 Kangana Ranaut seemed to have fallen for a story on a satirical news website, The Fauxy, which said that Facebook has launched a new feature to mark yourself safe from Shiv Sena goons. She shared the article on her Twitter page and thanked the social networking site for being considerate and respecting her right to free speech. Thank you Facebook free speech must be protected in a democracy, people need to be protected from Sonia Sena goons much like COVID -19 virus, thank you for being considerate, well done, she tweeted. Several people felt that Kangana believed the satirical piece to be an actual news story. However, she claimed in later tweets that her post was intended for sarcasm and satire. She wrote, The news I have tagged its account clearly says its a fictitious news source. Intended for sarcasm and satire ... She added in another tweet, All dimwits getting excited ... sit down pls ... The story was done by a satirical news website, The Fauxy. Their website contains a disclaimer which says, The Fauxy is a Satire Web Portal. The content of this website is a work of fiction. Readers are advised not to confuse the articles of The Fauxy as genuine and true. Kangana has been engaged in a war of words with Shiv Sena leaders ever since she likened Mumbai to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and criticised the Mumbai Police earlier this month. She has been slamming Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, who is also the president of the Shiv Sena, in her tweets. Amid her verbal duel with the Maharashtra government, Kangana came to Mumbai on September 9 and challenged her detractors to stop her from entering the city. She was given Y-plus security by the Union home ministry ahead of her visit. Also read | Swara Bhasker says she is tired of being called outspoken: I am always lying to people at film screenings Upon landing in Mumbai, Kangana sent out a message to the Maharashtra chief minister, accusing him of colluding with the mafia in Bollywood to target her. She also challenged him to come at her in further tweets, vowing to expose him and the Karan Johar gang. A few hours ago, Kangana implied that Uddhav is shielding the murderers of Sushant Singh Rajput and people involved in the alleged drugs nexus in Bollywood. She tweeted, Basic problem of Maharashtra CM is why I exposed movie mafia, murderers of SSR and its drug racket, who his beloved son Aaditya Thakeray hangs out with, this is my big crime so now they want to fix me, ok try lets see who fixes who!!! Kangana returned to her hometown on Monday morning. With a heavy heart leaving Mumbai, the way I was terrorised all these days constant attacks and abuses hurled at me attempts to break my house after my work place, alert security with lethal weapons around me, must say my analogy about POK was bang on, she wrote before getting on the flight. Follow @htshowbiz for more Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz has said that Austria will additionally allocate EUR 1 million in humanitarian aid for the war-torn eastern Ukraine. He said at a joint briefing in Vienna on Tuesday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that they are aware that Ukraine continues to be in a difficult situation in the east of the country. Therefore, he said, Austria will not only continue its humanitarian aid, but also expand and increase it. He added that they had already provided a lot of aid to the east of Ukraine, and now they are investing an additional EUR 1 million in the form of humanitarian aid. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-15 10:16:42|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close SHANGHAI, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Shanghai reported one imported COVID-19 case and no domestically transmitted cases on Monday, the municipal health commission said Tuesday. The patient is a Ukrainian who left Ukraine on Sept. 10 and arrived in Shanghai on Sept. 12 via Britain. The passenger started to show symptoms while under quarantine in Shanghai and was later diagnosed as a confirmed case. A total of 44 close contacts have been put under quarantine. As of Monday, Shanghai had reported 606 confirmed imported cases and 342 locally transmitted cases. Enditem D owning Street has warned peers not to try and block the controversial legislation overriding parts of the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement. The UK Internal Market Bill passed its first hurdle in the Commons on Monday, but Boris Johnson is facing a major revolt of around 20 senior Conservatives over an amendment to the bill, which could break international law. The legislation would give ministers sweeping new powers to ensure unfettered access between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK. Some peers have warned that the bill will not get through the upper chamber in its current form. Boris Johnson: Brexit divorce Bill will act as an insurance policy for the UK A No 10 spokesman responded, saying ministers believed the Salisbury Convention which states the House of Lords should not vote down legislation to implement Government manifesto commitments should apply. We would expect the Lords to abide by the Salisbury Convention, the spokesman said. Guaranteeing the full economic benefit of leaving the EU to all parts of the United Kingdom and ensuring Northern Irelands businesses and producers enjoy unfettered access to the rest of the UK were clear Conservative manifesto commitments which this legislation delivers. It comes after Home Secretary Priti Patel defended the controversial clauses in the Internal Market Bill. She contradicted Cabinet colleague Brandon Lewis by denying his dramatic Commons admission that the Government is ready to break international law in a very specific and limited way. Loading.... Speaking after a major rebellion by around 20 senior Conservatives against the new Internal Market Bill, the Home Secretary appeared to signal a climbdown by declaring: We are absolutely not doing that. Malaika Arora reveals she worked and travelled through her pregnancy, says marriage was never a hindrance 2 1 of 2 On Scene TV Show More Show Less 2 of 2 On Scene TV Show More Show Less A 14-year-old boy who was driving a stolen vehicle was killed and two teen passengers were injured in an early Tuesday crash in northwest Houston that happened when two police cruisers chased their car. Around midnight, patrol officers ran the license plate of a black Ford Fusion in front of them and discovered it was stolen, said assistant chief James Jones of the Houston Police Department. The officers followed the car heading southbound on Hollister Street while waiting for a back-up unit. The boy driving the vehicle turned around and went north. The grandparents and great-grandparents of the inhabitants of Sisal told them about a steam ship that took away Mayas during the War of the Castes, Barba Meinecke said. And one of the people in Sisal who saw how they led the Mayas away as slaves, told his son and then he told his grandson, and it was that person who led us to the general area of the shipwreck. Courtesy /U.S. Border Patrol U.S. Border Patrol agents from the Laredo North Station seized multiple bundles of marijuana and arrested two suspects in north Laredo. The incident occurred during the late afternoon of Sept. 11, when agents observed several individuals carrying bundles across the Rio Grande. As agents moved into a position to intercept them, they were able to apprehend two individuals and seize the six bundles of marijuana. Cabinet approves long-term tourist visas BANGKOK: The Cabinet today (Sept 15) agreed to allow in foreign tourists who agree to 14-day quarantine and stay for at least 90 days, to help the flagging economy. tourismCOVID-19economics By Bangkok Post Tuesday 15 September 2020, 07:06PM This moving walkway at Don Mueang airport, Bangkok, has few people in the absence of tourists. The Cabinet on Tuesday resolved to welcome back long-stay foreign tourists, on condition they agree to quarantine and provide proof of payment of somewhere to stay. Photo: Arnun Chonmahatrakool / Bangkok Post Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said after the Cabinet meeting today that the government would issue special tourist visas for long-stay visitors. The most important condition would be a 14-day quarantine, reports the Bangkok Post. Visitors can arrive for tourism or health services, and they can stay at alternative state quarantine facilities, specific areas or at hospitals that function as quarantine facilities, he said. Our public health system is amongst the best in the world and people can have confidence in it. The prime minister said the Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) would later elaborate on the matter. Deputy government spokeswoman Traisulee Traisaranakul said long-stay visitors would have to present proof of payment for their long stay in the country. This could be payment for a hotel reservation, or the lease of a condominium room. The target is to welcome 100-300 visitors a week, or up to 1,200 people a month, and generate income of about B1 billion a month, she said. The 90-day special tourist visa could be extended twice, for 90 days each time. Long-stay visitors could begin arriving next month, Ms Traisulee said. Prasong Poontaneat, finance permanent secretary, said the country needed to generate income from visitors, especially those from the countries where coronavirus disease had not been spreading in past months such as China, Taiwan and some countries in Europe. Twenty Chinese provinces were free of COVID-19 and had a combined population of around 800 million. If only 1% of them, about 8 million people, visited Thailand they could support the tourism sector, he said. ABURI, Ghana - Malis military rulers face a regional deadline for naming a civilian interim leader Tuesday, as the junta meet with West Africa leaders who maintain that new elections must be held within a year. The 15-nation regional bloc known as ECOWAS had issued the ultimatum to Malis military leaders after they initially proposed remaining in power for three more years. In recent days, the junta that seized power in an Aug. 18 coup has cut that timeline in half, but it is still longer than the year set by ECOWAS. Another possible disagreement is over who will lead Malis transition. The coup leaders say the interim president chosen to oversee the transitional government could come from the military, but the regional leaders have said the leader must be a civilian. These issues are expected to be at the top of the agenda on Tuesday at the summit including presidents from six countries in the regional bloc. The gathering is taking place in Ghana, whose president is the newly chosen ECOWAS chairman. We need to bring finality to our deliberations on Mali, Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo said in his opening remarks. That country can no longer afford any delay in putting a responsible government in place. There has been widespread concern that the ongoing political upheaval in Mali will set back efforts to contain the countrys growing Islamic insurgency. After a similar coup in 2012, Islamic extremists took advantage of a power vacuum and grabbed control of major towns in northern Mali. Only a 2013 military intervention led by former colonizer France pushed extremists from those cities, and the international community has invested more than seven years into the fight against extremism there. The terrorists are taking advantage of the situation in Mali to flex their muscles even more, Ghanas president warned Tuesday. ECOWAS had attempted to mediate Malis political crisis back in July after growing street demonstrations called for the resignation of President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita. However, the political opposition made clear it would accept nothing short of his ouster, and mutinous soldiers capitalized on Keitas unpopularity when they launched the Aug. 18 coup. Deep divisions have emerged in the weeks since between the opposition coalition and the junta leaders. Over the weekend, the opposition publicly criticized the junta for saying that the countrys interim leader didnt have to be a civilian. ___ Ahmed reported from Bamako, Mali. Associated Press writer Krista Larson in Dakar, Senegal contributed to this report. The West is ablaze. Millions of acres are burning. Vast areas of forest are being reduced to ash. Communities are being devastated and the very atmosphere has turned into a toxic orange haze. The wildfires raging through California, Oregon and Washington state, sending choking smoke as far as British Columbia, are a terrifying glimpse into a future that scientists have been warning us about for many years. Theyre the latest example of the toll that climate change is taking on the planet. And even in the midst of the fight against COVID-19, even if were far from the areas directly affected, we cant afford to look away. The fires are an unmissable reminder that, once the pandemic has been brought under control, the climate crisis will still be upon us more than ever. Naturally, not everyone agrees. President Donald Trump, who visited the devastated areas on Monday, blames California and other states for not cleaning your floors that is, for failing to pick up leaves and dead trees from its forests so the fires can feed on the dry fuel and rage out of control. For him, its simply a matter of forest management. The scientists who study such things, on the other hand, have no doubt that theres something a lot bigger at work here. Climate change didnt start any particular fire, they say, but droughts and the hotter, drier air that comes with a warmer world create the conditions for more and bigger blazes. Fundamentally, its not all that complicated. Californias governor, Gavin Newsom, stood in the charred ruins of a forest in the northern part of his state the other day and put it simply. If you do not believe in science, he said, I hope you believe in observed reality. The hots are getting a lot hotter and the wets are getting a lot wetter... The science is absolute. The data is self-evident. Its the western states that are ground zero of the crisis right now, but in January it was Australia, where unprecedented fires consumed 50,000 square kilometres. Before that, record wildfires raged through British Columbia and Alberta. Parts of eastern Canada were hit by floods also linked to the changing climate. This past summer, the Arctic registered temperatures higher than it had ever seen before. A Siberian town called Verkhoyansk hit 38 degrees C the hottest ever recorded above the Arctic Circle. A new study found the Greenland ice cap is melting faster than expected. And so far, 2020 has been the second-hottest year ever recorded (after 2016). Amid all this, Trump has steadfastly refused to acknowledge climate change as a reality. He denies that science knows whether the California fires can be linked to the warming planet, and his administration has challenged scientific research that draws a connection between human activity and the climate change. Its a dismal record, and yet another reason to hope that Americans will vote to send him packing on Nov. 3. Another four years of such policies from the most powerful government in the world would be truly devastating. COVID-19 has, quite naturally, consumed public attention and pushed other issues to the side. And right now, as the number of cases rises in many parts of Canada just as kids return to school, its to be expected that both parents and politicians are focused on that almost to the exclusion of everything else. That has to be the top priority as long as people fear for their health and their jobs. But the climate change emergency is gathering momentum in the background. Even the sharp temporary drop in greenhouse gas emissions that came with the global lockdown in the spring had no lasting impact. On that front, things are already back to normal. But the world cant afford to turn away, despite the disruption of COVID-19. The western fires are just one more reminder that the cost of doing nothing is already very high, and rising fast. Read more about: Nursing homes have been extremely hard hit by the coronavirus, with more than 40 percent of deaths in the United States linked to these facilities. To limit the spread, states like New Mexico have established dedicated homes to treat long-term care patients infected with the virus. Inside these new facilities, patients are isolated, but not completely alone. The New York Times got a rare glimpse inside one of these nursing homes, where residents and the providers who care for them struggle with the effects of the virus. Tributes have been expressed to the family of an inspiring young girl from Co Down who passed away suddenly over the weekend after surviving a devastating accident last year. Ellie McDonnell (16) from Portaferry recently supported the National Air Ambulance Week after she was involved in a collision at her family home last year. The accomplished equestrian rider had been picked to ride in the Northern Ireland team in a competition in Wales just before the crash occurred on July 23, 2019. The Down High School pupil was riding a quad bike when she collided with her mums 4x4 on a blind bend on a lane leading to the family home. It later emerged that Ellie had sustained broken arms, legs, eye sockets, cheeks and teeth, and had severe swelling on the brain. Shortly after their arrival, the Air Ambulance medical team put her into an induced coma to protect her brain and then she was transported to the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast. Ellies parents, Mary and Peter, travelled via car to the hospital and were told to prepare for the worst due to the extent of her injuries. However, Ellie made a dramatic recovery and was discharged from hospital on September 20 last year. Since then, Ellie raised as much money as possible for Air Ambulance NI. In a recent fundraising initiative, she said: I dont remember much about that day. All I know is that the air ambulance saved my life and without them I wouldnt be sitting here today. I would just like to thank Air Ambulance NI for all that they have done for me. In a statement, the principal of Down High School, Mrs Maud Perry, said Ellies tenacity after her accident last year was truly inspirational, and she showed a level of courage and positivity that was remarkable. It was an absolute privilege to have known Ellie. We will treasure the precious memories we have of her and will miss her terribly, she said. Ms Perry described Ellie as an exceptional student, conscientious, hardworking and highly intelligent. She added: She was also one of the stars of the schools equestrian team and competed regularly across the British Isles to very high acclaim. Ellie loved horses and her passion for the outdoors was obvious. Abbots Cross Presbyterian Church said on social media: Some sad news, Ellie McDonnell, the girl who recently had surgery to fit a titanium plate has died suddenly. Please pray for Gods comfort for them as they come to terms with their loss. The committee of the NI Welsh Pony and Cob Society said it was devastated by the news. It said: Ellie has been an inspiration to so many and leaves behind a huge legacy. The Northern Area committee of the Irish Pony Society added: We send our heartfelt condolences and sincerest sympathy to her parents Peter and Mary and brother Max at this extremely difficult time. Ballygalget GAC, where Ellies brother Max plays, also expressed its condolences to the family. Were going to continue updating this file with the most important things to know about coronavirus in Connecticut every day: Sept. 18 Deaths take a small jump up Daily confirmed coronavirus cases were down somewhat Friday, with only 141 new confirmed cases statewide (compared to 220 on Thursday). The most notable increase in cases at least in the big cities was Hartford, where there continues to be an increase in the average number of new cases. Deaths from coronavirus, though increased to four statewide in a single day notable, as there was an increase of one on Thursday and two on Wednesday. Are colleges fueling the rise in cases? Sacred Heart University has announced a total of 67 positive coronavirus cases, including 34 new cases in the last seven days. The college is randomly testing students without symptoms, and theyre only testing a small percentage of the student body this far, so its possible that the number of cases will rise precipitously, at Sacred Heart and elsewhere, as more students are tested. CDC reverses course on testing again Back in July, the CDC said tests were not really necessary. Except for rare situations, a test-based strategy is no longer recommended, the agency wrote. At the time, many epidemiologists and public health experts were flummoxed. Then, Friday, the CDC reversed that guidance, saying, Due to the significance of asymptomatic and pre-symptomatic transmission, this guidance further reinforces the need to test asymptomatic persons, including close contacts of a person with documented SARS-CoV-2 infection. Not many people are comfortable with the idea of a vaccine The number of adults who say they would get a coronavirus vaccine has dropped significantly, according to a poll published by Pew Research Center. Only 51 percent of American adults say they would definitely get vaccinated, with another 30 percent saying they would probably get a vaccine. The probablys have stayed the same, but the number of people who definitely would be vaccinated against the coronavirus was over 70 percent in May. People are concerned that the process is being rushed, according to the survey. Masks and social distancing are working against the flu The CDC said that efforts to combat the coronavirus are working against the flu, too: Following widespread adoption of community mitigation measures to reduce transmission of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, the percentage of U.S. respiratory specimens submitted for influenza testing that tested positive decreased from [greater than] 20 percent to 2.3 percent and has remained at historically low interseasonal levels. Sept. 17 Number of new cases increases since yesterday Today the State of Connecticut announced 220 new coronavirus cases, one more death and five more hospitalizations since yesterday. The positivity rate (the percentage of total tests that are positive) is at 1.6 percent, an increase from yesterdays rate of 1.2 percent. Gov. Ned Lamont said during a press conference that it was a troubling trend, though still far lower than the positivity rate in many other states. Intimate partner violence not being reported during the pandemic There is a pandemic within the pandemic, according to a perspective published in the New England Journal of Medicine. Calls to hotlines about intimate partner violence dropped 50 percent in some places, and that doesnt mean the violence has stopped. Instead, it suggests that intimate partners are unable or unwilling to reach out because they are trapped with their abusers in isolation and quarantine. COVID-19 transmission rate increases Connecticut's transmission rate has increased to 1.17. This means that every infected individual is expected to pass the virus along to more than one other person, indicating that the virus is spreading. Connecticut has not seen a transmission rate this high since April 1, when it was at 1.16, according to rt.lives model. A number above 1.0 indicates that COVID-19 will spread quickly, anything below signals that infections will slow. Moderna releases new details about its vaccine trial Biotech company Moderna has released details about the vaccine trial going forward. The first analysis of trial data may not be done until late December and those results may not be enough to tell if the vaccine works, according to the document. The next analysis of results will not be until March of 2021. Three-year-olds are now to wear masks at childcare programs Connecticuts Office of Early Childhood announced that soon three-year-olds will be required to wear face masks at childcare programs. The mandate will go into effect starting Sept. 21, as part of a state order. Sept. 16 Coronavirus death rate in CT inches up Connecticut was averaging two coronavirus-related deaths per day, but that number has started to increase. On Sept. 10, the rolling seven-day average was one death per day, but the data showed the average number of deaths per day in Connecticut doubling to two on Sept. 11 and it has remained at an average of two deaths since then. New daily cases up 136 Wednesday the State of Connecticut announced 135 new coronavirus cases, two more deaths and one less hospitalization. The positivity rate (the percentage of total tests that are positive) is at 1.2 percent, a decrease from yesterdays rate of 1.3 percent. Rolling seven-day average of new cases Danburys spike continues as new cases increase slightly each day. Trends show that larger cities are experiencing seeing a small incline in cases, with the exception of New Haven, which has seen a decrease in rolling seven-day average of new cases. New Havens average number of new cases has decreased to 4.86, while Danburys average has increased to 22.14 new cases today. More minority children are dying according to CDC The CDC said this week that, as of July 31, a total of 78 percent of all the kids who have died from coronavirus infections are minorities. As of the end of July, there were 121 coronavirus-associated deaths in the U.S. among people aged younger than 21. Thats not a lot, considering the fact that were nearing 200,000 total deaths from the disease in this country. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/covid-data/images/COVIDNET-hospitalizations-Age-Race-Ethnicity-SEP5-1200x675s.gif Gov. Lamont has one of the highest COVID-19 approval ratings A 50-state survey rates Gov. Ned Lamont at number four in terms of highest in-state COVID-19 approval ratings. Number one was Vermont Gov. Phil Scott, who got 76 percent approval. Lamont is not trailing far behind with 64 percent approval. Not enough vaccines for the world to resume pre-pandemic life World Health Organization chief scientist Soumya Swaminathan doesnt think there are enough vaccines for the whole world to resume its pre-pandemic life until 2022, the South China Morning Post reported yesterday. World Health Organisation scientists predict the need for social distancing and masks will continue into next year. Sept. 15 There were 136 new cases in a single day The state of Connecticut announced an increase of 136 in the number of positive COVID-19 tests. The positivity rate (the percentage of total tests that are positive) is at 1.3 percent, an increase from yesterdays rate of 1.1 percent but still far below that in other states. Danbury saw the highest daily increase Danbury has been going through what amounts to a mini-spike and though the numbers are small, the trend continues. There was an increase of 16 new cases, day-over-day, in Danbury, with Bridgeport right behind, with a daily increase of 15 new cases. Of the states largest cities, New Haven appears to be in the best shape, with a rolling seven-day average of new cases actually decreasing to 5.43. By contrast, Danburys rolling seven-day average is 21.43 new cases as of today. Vaccine trial restarts amid concerns Development of a vaccine being by drugmaker AstraZenica and the University of Oxford was halted when a patient developed spinal cord damage. That trial has restarted, though officials at NIH have expressed some reservations. "The highest levels of NIH are very concerned," NIH official Dr. Avindra Nath told CNN. "Everyone's hopes are on a vaccine, and if you have a major complication the whole thing could get derailed." New way to treat the virus found? Scientists at the University of Pittsburgh say they have found a new way to treat the coronavirus. They say they have identified the smallest molecule yet that neutralizes the virus. If so, as the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports, it could be a very effective way to treat COVID-19. $100 fine for not wearing a mask Gov. Ned Lamont said yesterday that there would be a $100 fine for not wearing a mask, going forward. Police and public health officials will be allowed to write tickets, though thow that would be enforced has not yet been discussed. The CDC has said restaurants are dangerous The Centers for Disease Control said last week that adults with COVID infections were twice as likely to have been to a restaurant. The study they released did not distinguish between eating outdoors and indoors, so its possible eating outdoors might increase your risk of a COVID infection. Adults with positive SARS-CoV-2 test results were approximately twice as likely to have reported dining at a restaurant than were those with negative SARS-CoV-2 test results, the CDC said, including indoor, patio and outdoor seating. Sept. 14, 2020: There were 569 new cases since Friday Gov. Ned Lamont announced at a Monday press conference 569 confirmed coronavirus cases since Friday. The governor also said that the positivity rate the percentage of total coronavirus tests that are positive is at 1.1 percent. He was careful to put that into context, saying that the positivity rate in other states is significantly higher. The transmission rate in Connecticut is 1.09. The transmission rate (or Rt) in Connecticut, as estimated by the website rt.live, has reached 1.09, the highest its been since April 3. The transmission rate indicates the rate of secondary infections the number of people a single patient is expected to infect. If its below 1, the virus is contained; above 1, it means the virus is spreading. Pfizer said it could distribute a vaccine by the end of the year The CEO of drugmaker Pfizer, Albert Bourla, told CBS Face the Nation that the company expects to give data on vaccine development to the Food and Drug Administration by the end of October. If the FDA gives its approval, Bourla said Pfizer is prepared to distribute hundreds of thousands of doses by the end of the year. Should ethics drive vaccine distribution? A research letter published by a trio of legal and health scholars suggests that ethical concerns should determine who gets a limited number of vaccine doses. Some, they wrote, have suggested a lottery as a fair way to handle it, but they argue that disregards medical necessity and the need to prioritize disadvantaged populations. Google searches may predict COVID outbreaks A study published in the journal Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, showed that Google search trends for gastrointestinal issues might predict coronavirus outbreaks by as much as four weeks. A look at Google Trends showed that there were in fact a higher volume of searches for diarrhea and loss of smell in Connecticut in early March, just as the pandemic was getting up to speed. Polluting industries should be held liable for the damage caused to the climate and environment, climate justice advocates said at the launch of a Liability Roadmap on Tuesday. The Global Liability Roadmap, launched in several countries across the world, aims to make big polluters pay for the harms they cause the environment. At the launch in Lagos, Akinbode Oluwafemi, the executive director of Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), said the industries have profited richly from the environmental chaos across the globe and are driving climate change and undermining attempts to address it. The polluting industries include the fossil fuel, mining, agribusiness, oil and gas industries, who have fueled the climate crisis in times past. These industries abuses have not only knowingly fueled the climate crisis, their actions have also undermined progress to address it including at institutions like the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). They have willfully delayed action, costing lives and hundreds of billions of dollars in damage, he said. Mr Oluwafemi added that the Big Polluters are attempting to profit from the pandemic, demanding government bailouts and rolling out PR schemes that paint them as saviours in this crisis. These corporations have eroded the power of governments to effectively address global disasters like the climate crisis and COVID-19. They are the ones who should be paying, not being bailed out. They have simultaneously driven the deforestation, extinction and biodiversity loss crises that drive animals out of their habitat and enable pathogens to spread around the world. They have extracted wealth from and perpetrated environmental racism in communities of colour and Indigenous communities around the world, he said. Ronke Ige, an Associate Director of CAPPA, said the roadmap will help relevant authorities take legal, civic and administrative actions against the big polluters of the environment. She said the roadmap contains guidance for decision-makers and movements at four levels of action: international, national, local, and multilevel. The activist said there is a need to support communities that are at the frontline of the pollution and give them succour. There is need to provide publicly governed mechanisms that channel large-scale finance to directly support the communities on the Front lines of the climate crises, protect the rights of local communities, indigenous people, peasants, fisherfolk, pastoralists, nomadic and rural peoples, and women as stewards of nature. We must protect the rights of local communities, Indigenous peoples, peasants, fisherfolk, pastoralists, nomadic and rural peoples, and women as stewards of nature. We must also recognize and protect the rights of nature in harmony with protecting rights of the stewards, acknowledging nature sustains all life on Earth and must be respected, preserved, and treated with reverence, she added. The group, alongside other partners, is resolute on driving advocacy towards the protection of the environment and the climate. Help.org, a trusted online resource for individuals who struggle with addiction and their loved ones, has announced the Best Rehab Facilities in Kansas City, Missouri for 2020. The informational guide recognizes the top 10 rehab facilities based on cost, treatment options, location, accompanying services and more. According to recent studies, drug overdose is the leading cause of death among people under age 50. In Kansas City, deaths related to opioid abuse increased significantly from 2011 to 2015. Substance abuse among adolescents is also escalating in Kansas City with 55 percent of high school students reported using alcohol, 38 percent reported using marijuana, 8 percent reported using prescription drugs without a valid prescription, and 2 percent reported using heroin. With the growing need for accessible and high-quality rehab programs, Help.org has developed a unique ranking process to help connect individuals with treatment providers that meet their needs. The Help.org research team analyzed thousands of facilities across the country and then identified the most cost-effective and highest rated programs in larger cities like Kansas City. Each facility was evaluated based on rehabilitation services, treatment approaches, cost, special programs for unique demographics and ancillary services. The website also provides information about drug use and side effects as well as educational articles. For a detailed listing of the Best Rehab Facilities in Kansas City, Missouri please visit https://www.help.org/drug-and-alcohol-rehab-centers/kansas-city-mo/ 2020 Best Rehab Facilities in Kansas City, Missouri (in alphabetical order) Benilde Hall Program 3220 East 23rd Street Kansas City, MO 64127 816-842-5836 Dismas House of Kansas City, Inc 2300 Main Street, 9th Floor Kansas City, MO 64108 816-256-5330 Footprints, Inc. 4501 Troost Avenue Kansas City, MO 64110 816-561-0567 Guadalupe Center, Inc. 2600 Belleview Ave Kansas City, MO 64108 816-531-6911 Healing House, Inc. 4505 St. John Avenue Kansas City, MO 64123 816-920-7181 Heartland Center for Behavioral Change 1730 Prospect Avenue Kansas City, MO 64127 816-421-6670 ReDiscover Treatment Options Program 8800 Blue Ridge Blvd, Suite 100 Kansas City, MO 64138 816-966-0903 Swope Health Services Imani House 3801 Blue Parkway Kansas City, MO 64130 816-923-5800 Tri-County Mental Health Services 3100 NE 83rd St, Suite 1001 Kansas City, MO 64119 816-468-0400 Truman Medical Centers 1000 E. 24th St. Suite 2E Kansas City, MO 64108 816-404-5850 ABOUT HELP.ORG Help.org is an online resource for individuals who struggle with addiction and their loved ones. The website provides the latest research through scientifically proven methods, community recovery resources as well as information about local financial assistance. Help.orgs team of researchers, activists and writers work together with addiction counselors and other professionals to offer useful and accurate resources to help individuals seeking recovery. To learn more, visit https://www.help.org/. Fatah, Hamas and other factions come together after the stab in the back by Arab states over Israel deals. Gaza City Prompted by Arab states normalising relations with Israel, fractured Palestinian political factions are working diligently in multilateral talks to restore unity and mend the division between the Gaza Strip and the West Bank in negotiations far more promising than previous efforts. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrains foreign ministers will sign on Tuesday an agreement with Israel at the White House establishing full ties in violation of the Arab Peace Initiative. The move is a threat to long-standing Arab demands that Israel ends its decades-long occupation and agree on a two-state solution with the Palestinians. On Saturday, Palestinian groups led by Hamas and Fatah agreed on a unified field leadership comprising all factions that will lead comprehensive popular resistance against the Israeli occupation, a statement said. It called for Tuesday when the signing ceremony takes place in Washington, DC to be a day of popular rejection. Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank are planning day of rage demonstrations, and other protests are expected outside the embassies of Israel, the United States, UAE, and Bahrain worldwide. The formation of the joint leadership group and progress in the intra-Palestinian unity talks came after a long-awaited September 3 meeting among Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, Hamass Ismail Haniya, Islamic Jihads chief Ziyad al-Nakhala, and the leaders of various Palestinian entities. Gatherings were held in Ramallah in the occupied West Bank and Beirut, Lebanon. Hamas and other Palestinian parties have for years demanded that such a meeting take place, but Abbas always rejected the move, calling on Hamas to honour previous unity pacts first. But with the Palestinian cause lately facing so many challenges the most important being the normalisation between Arab countries and Israel Abbas agreed to hold discussions. Major progress Husam Badran, a member of Hamas political bureau, told Al Jazeera several factors are pushing the Palestinians together, including US President Donald Trumps deal of the century, Israels annexation plans of Palestinian areas, and Arab states normalising relations with the occupation and what it represented as a treacherous stab in the back of the Palestinians. Badran called the leadership meeting a major step of progress that resulted in clear decisions on several pressing issues. The rush of a number of Arab countries to normalise their relations with the occupation state has pushed the file of forming a unified field leadership for popular resistance to the top of the Palestinian actions agenda, Badran said. He added the normalisation moves necessitate that the Palestinians cooperate and strengthen their internal front, and transcend all their differences to save the Palestinian cause. The Palestinian leaders are transforming their rejection of all the plans that aim to liquidate the Palestinian cause into realistic steps on the ground, said Badran. Three committees were formed at the meeting: the first focused on forming a unified field leadership to activate popular struggle against the Israeli occupation, the second is responsible for reaching an agreed-upon vision to end the division between Gaza and the West Bank, and a third tasked with reviving the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO). The committees were given a five-week time limit to submit recommendations to the Palestinian president. Abbas pledged he will agree to the recommendations whatever they may be. Palestinians shoes are placed on pictures of US President Donald Trump, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a protest [Majdi Mohammed/Reuters] Hamas-Fatah reconciliation Hamas and Fatah have been divided since 2007 when Hamas deposed Fatahs security forces from Gaza following months of tension. Multiple attempts were made since then to bridge the divide between the two, but none came to fruition. Relations between Hamas and Fatah, however, have seen significant improvement recently. In the past couple of months, the two main Palestinian movements, driven by Israeli annexation plans, engaged in positive talks that centred on presenting a unified rejection of the Israeli-American plans. The Palestinians unity efforts come at a very sensitive time, where the Palestinian cause is exposed to serious and strategic threats and challenges, starting with the American administrations efforts to impose facts on the ground to legitimise the Israeli occupation, and the Israeli plans to annex the West Bank, Palestinian political analyst Husam al-Dajani told Al Jazeera. The last of these threats was the UAEs decision to normalise their relations with Israel with no regard for Palestinian rights or the Palestinian cause. The UAEs normalisation decision precipitated/accelerated the intra-Palestinians talks and persuaded all parties to come together. Al-Dajani said division must end for good if the Palestinian cause is to survive. There must be persistent work to restore consideration to the Palestinian national project. This work begins with ending the division in order to be able to confront all the threats and challenges, said al-Dajani. Senior Fatah official and spokesperson Iyad Nasser told Al Jazeera, The threats and dangers facing the Palestinian people and the Palestinian cause is what led to this progress achieved in forming the committees and in forming the national field leadership for popular resistance. Nasser said his party is optimistic the efforts to mend fences will work. At this stage, unity is needed to confront all projects and schemes that aim to liquidate the Palestinian cause and Palestinian rights. At this critical time, we must transcend the minor factional disputes towards full devotion to defend and advance the central issue, which is the Palestine issue, Nasser added. Confronting normalisation requires the acceleration in the achievement of national unity and the escalation of popular resistance in the occupied Palestinian land. Palestinian protest Israels plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank near the city of Ramallah in June [Abbas Momani/AFP] Confronting Israel As successful reconciliation efforts between Hamas and Fatah have proved elusive for more than a decade, the Palestinian people generally meet any new attempts with scepticism. Al-Dajani noted, The reason for the progress between Hamas and Fatah was that the starting point for talks between the two movements this time was confronting Israel and protecting the Palestinian cause, as opposed to power-sharing and the political ambitions of each. If that equation continues, and the advancement of the Palestinian cause remains the gateway for unity talks, then Palestinian unity will come naturally and will be accomplished. Hamas and Fatah dialogue during the past two months has been focused on setting disagreements aside and finding common ground. In addition to their unified rejection of the Israeli and American measures against the Palestinians, the two movements agreed non-violent popular resistance is the preferred strategy. The joint leadership, led by Hamas and Fatah, is expected to activate popular resistance in the West Bank this week, though it did not elaborate. Jibril Rajoub, secretary-general of Fatahs central committee who was behind the initiative within Fatah to re-launch talks with Hamas in June told reporters that the Palestinian factions agreed there will be a change in the rules of engagement with Israeli occupation forces. We will not allow the occupation to uproot an olive tree, or injure one Palestinian without paying the price, said Rajoub. Hong Kong: Govt thanks Mainland support team The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government today held a farewell ceremony for the Mainland nucleic acid test support team upon the successful conclusion of the 14-day Universal Community Testing Programme (UCTP) yesterday. It expressed heartfelt gratitude to relevant central ministries, the governments of Guangdong Province, Fujian Province and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, as well as all support team members for their full support to Hong Kong. A total of about 1,783,000 people participated in the UCTP for COVID-19 testing. The Hong Kong SAR Government said the programme's timely and smooth operation hinged on the full support of the central government by establishing quickly a nucleic acid test support team involving 570 members to greatly enhance Hong Kong's testing capability. Through the farewell ceremony, the Hong Kong SAR Government thanked every member of the support team for their dedication and commitment, working zealously days and nights and enabling the smooth launch of the large-scale programme to provide voluntary virus testing for all citizens. It also expressed sincere gratitude to some 6,000 healthcare personnel and students who were responsible for collecting specimens, some 4,000 serving and retired civil servants undertaking administrative support duty, as well as the personnel who took up security and logistical work, for their professionalism and dedication in providing high quality and efficient services to the public. With full support of all working staff, the programme helped identify asymptomatic COVID-19 patients in the community at an early stage for treatment, thereby stopping further infections, the Hong Kong SAR Government reiterated. Speaking at the farewell ceremony, Chief Executive Carrie Lam noted that the programme helped cut the virus transmission chain in the community and provided a more reassuring basis for the Government to gradually relax social distancing measures so as to allow early resumption of social and economic activities. She said: "It is a challenging yet honourable mission to complete nearly 1.8 million nucleic acid tests in a short period of time. It fully reflects the effort made by every staff member who worked in the Huo-Yan Laboratory, as well as the care and concern of the central government and people in the Mainland for the people of Hong Kong. "On behalf of the Hong Kong SAR, I would like to express heartfelt thanks to the central government and every one of the support team." The Hong Kong SAR Government pointed out that according to the World Health Organization and health experts, COVID-19 would not be eradicated without effective treatment and vaccination. The virus will co-exist for quite a long period of time and even become seasonally endemic. It added that the Government is required to incorporate work in relation to disease prevention and control as well as infection management, and would continue to extend and conduct repeated testing for target groups or vulnerable groups. This story has been published on: 2020-09-15. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. NFI has experienced explosive growth in the distribution space over the past decade, which is now the largest segment of our business generating over $1 billion in revenue. NFI, a leading supply chain solutions provider, recently enhanced its distribution service offerings with new appointments in operational leadership. NFI welcomed Steve Silverman as Senior Vice President of Distribution and Mike Simpson as Regional Vice President of Distribution. NFI also announced the promotions of Kevin Wright and Brian Webb to Senior Vice Presidents of Distribution. With nearly 120 years of combined experience, Silverman, Simpson, Wright, and Webb will provide continued value to customers and strengthen NFIs distribution capabilities. To further position the company for continued growth, Silverman will be responsible for the central U.S. region and Canada, overseeing NFIs project management team and customer start-ups, while Simpson will manage NFIs cross-dock operations and expand the companys reverse logistics solutions. Wright will oversee the companys eastern distribution operations and Webb will focus his efforts on the western region. With more than 50 million sq. ft. of warehousing space and 350 locations across North America, NFIs distribution footprint spans e-commerce fulfillment centers, cross-docks, transloading facilities, multi-temperature distribution centers, and customs exam stations. In addition to leveraging state-of-the-art warehouse management systems (WMS) technology, the company continues to innovate and has implemented robotics and automation within its warehouses to generate cost savings and improve efficiency. In addition to organic growth, NFI has also expanded its distribution capabilities and geographical presence through the acquisitions of both California Cartage Company and Dominion Warehousing in 2017. NFI has experienced explosive growth in the distribution space over the past decade, which is now the largest segment of our business generating over $1 billion in revenue, said Kevin Patterson, President of Distribution at NFI. In addition to investing in innovative technology and equipment, NFI continues to grow its warehousing business by bringing strong talent to the team to support future growth and bring greater value to our customers. We are thrilled to welcome Steve Silverman and Mike Simpson to the NFI family and look forward to Kevin and Brians contributions within their new roles. Prior to joining NFI, Silverman held a variety of positions ranging from sales to operations and engineering, and was most recently the SVP of Supply Chain for Bargain Hunt, a discount retailer. Previously, Silverman held the positions of SVP of Integrated Solutions & Implementations and SVP of Operations at Geodis, and was the CEO of Axion International, a green technology infrastructure business. Simpson joins from FedEx Supply Chain after 17 years, where he was most recently the VP of Operations with a team of over 4,400 employees after a previous career as a United States Army Officer. Wrights role with NFI has continued to evolve over the past 22 years, in which he has expanded the distribution east region, while Webb has transformed the distribution west region in his four years at NFI. Established in 1932, NFI is one of the oldest and largest privately-held 3PLs in North America. The company serves customers throughout a variety of industries, including food and beverage, ecommerce, retail, manufacturing, and consumer packaged goods. A true end-to-end partner, NFIs suite of solutions span dedicated transportation, distribution, brokerage, transportation management, port drayage, intermodal, global logistics, and real estate. # # # About NFI -- NFI is a fully integrated North American supply chain solutions provider headquartered in Camden, N.J. Privately held by the Brown family since its inception in 1932, NFI generates more than $2 billion in annual revenue and employs more than 13,100 associates. NFI owns facilities globally and operates approximately 50 million square feet of warehouse and distribution space. Its dedicated fleet consists of over 3,000 tractors and 12,500 trailers operated by 3,000 company drivers and leveraging partnerships with 400 owner operators. NFI has a significant drayage presence at nearly every major U.S. port, leveraging the services of an additional 1,500 owner operators. The companys business lines include dedicated transportation, distribution, brokerage, transportation management, port drayage, intermodal, global logistics, and real estate. For more information about NFI, visit http://www.nfiindustries.com or call 1-877-NFI-3777. UNITED NATIONS (AP) The U.N. humanitarian chief warned Tuesday that the specter of famine has returned to conflict-torn Yemen and for the first time singled out Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait for giving nothing to this years $3.4 billion appeal. Mark Lowcock told the U.N. Security Council that famine in Yemen, the Arab worlds poorest country, was averted two years ago because donors swiftly met 90% of the U.N.s funding requirements, enabling humanitarian agencies to increase monthly aid from 8 million to 12 million people and save millions of lives. Today, he said, the U.N. appeal has received only 30%, about $1 billion, leaving 9 million Yemenis to cope with deepening cuts to aid programs including food, water and health care. Lowcock said Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Kuwait who have a particular responsibility, which they have discharged in recent years, have so far given nothing to this years U.N. plan. The U.N. humanitarian office said Saudi Arabia pledged $300 million to the U.N. and $200 million for other humanitarian activities in Yemen. Neither the UAE nor Kuwait made a pledge in 2020, it said. Alluding to financial pledges that have not been turned into actual contributions, Lowcock said, it is particularly reprehensible to promise money, which gives people hope that help may be on the way, and then to dash those hopes by simply failing to fulfill the promise. Continuing to hold back money from the humanitarian response now will be a death sentence for many families, Lowcock said. So yet again, I call on all donors to pay their pledges now and increase their support. Yemens conflict has killed more than 100,000 people and created the worlds worst humanitarian disaster, with more than 3 million people internally displaced and two-thirds of the population relying on food aid for survival. Some 24 million Yemenis, or 80% of the countrys population, require some form of assistance or protection, according to the U.N. Story continues U.N. special envoy Martin Griffiths told the council that increased fighting, greater humanitarian needs and the COVID-19 pandemic" have taken their toll. Lowcock said the situation has been made worse by escalating conflict in recent weeks, especially in central Yemen. In August, more civilians were killed across the country than any other month this year, he said. Both Griffiths and Lowcock singled out the worrying situation in the province of Marib, where more than 1 million people have sought refuge since 2015. Griffiths said a battle there would not only force those who sought refuge there to flee again but would have political implications, undermining prospects of convening an inclusive political process that brings about a transition based on partnership and plurality. Lowcock condemned the closure of the airport in Yemen's capital, Sanaa, to U.N. and humanitarian flights by the rebel Houthis, who control the city and the country's north, on the grounds of fuel shortages. The shortages are having severe humanitarian consequences, but that doesnt justify closing the airport, he said. Lowcock urged a rapid solution if aid workers are to remain safely in the north, and the U.N. is to maintain operations, including the scheduled delivery of 100 tons of humanitarian cargo by plane to Sanaa in the coming weeks. Hours before meeting Union agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar in Delhi on Tuesday, Haryana Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) president Gurnam Singh Charuni said that farmers of the state want the Centre to give an undertaking that foodgrain procurement will continue under the minimum support price (MSP). We want the Centre to give an undertaking that foodgrain procurement will continue under the MSP. Let private players buy foodgrains from farmers, but it must be guaranteed that they will not be allowed to procure the produce below the MSP decided by the Centre, Charuni said. He, however, dismissed as an eyewash the efforts of a panel of three BJP MPs to reach out to the states farmers over the weekend. Haryana BJP president OP Dhankar had deputed three party MPs to meet farm union leaders to allay the fears of agitating farmers on the agriculture ordinances. Dhankar, state agriculture minister JP Dalal, the three MPs, namely Bhiwani-Mahendergarh MP Dharambir Singh, Kurukshetra MP Nayab Singh Saini and Hisar MP Brijendra Singh, and farmer representatives are calling on Tomar on Tuesday. We will hand over a report based on the feedback and suggestions given by the farmers to the Union agriculture minister, Dhankar said. Charuni, who has been invited for the talks, said, The primary objective behind setting up the three MPs committee was to throw dust into the eyes of agitating farmers. This panel was set up to mislead the farmers and defuse the crisis, said Charuni, who hails from a village near Shahbad. What is the locus standi of this committee? This is an eyewash. Is this MSP issue only confined to Haryana? It pertains to farmers of the entire country, he said. FARMERS IN PROTEST MODE Farmers, who have been in protest mode and were prevented from holding a rally at Pipli grain market in Kurukshetra against the Centres recent agriculture ordinances, were lathicharged last week, putting the government on the backfoot. On Monday, the three MPs panel handed over is report to Dhankar in Delhi. By evening, Charuni, who has been leading the farmers stir in Haryana, was invited to hold talks first with BJP MP Dharambir Singh and then Union agriculture minister Tomar on Tuesday. While the ruling BJP in Haryana has accused the opposition, particularly the Congress, of trying to politicise the issue and creating a doubt in the minds of farmers about the three agriculture ordinances. Dalal clarified that the ordinances introduced by the Centre has only given an option to farmers that if a private agency wants to buy grains from outside government mandis at a price higher than the MSP then farmers can sell their crop at a higher price. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Advertisement Hurricane Sally closed in on New Orleans Monday evening with rapidly strengthening winds of 110mph and the potential for up to two feet of rain that could bring severe flooding. The category 2 storm was on track to brush by the southeastern tip of Louisiana and then blow ashore late Tuesday or early Wednesday near the Mississippi-Alabama state line for what could be a long, slow and ruinous drenching. Sally, upgraded to a hurricane on Monday, saw its trajectory shifted east toward Mississippi. As of 4 p.m. CDT, Sally was about 105 miles east-southeast of the mouth of the Mississippi River, and winds were picking up, with sustained winds of up to 100 mph. Experts say a 10 foot storm surge will provide one of the sternest test of levee system since hurricane Katrina. Officials in Mississippi and Louisiana issued mandatory evacuations for residents in low-lying areas and President Donald Trump issued an emergency declaration for parts of the two states. A news release from the Federal Emergency Management Agency says the declaration authorizes the agency to coordinate disaster relief efforts and provide emergency assistance to the affected areas. Forecasters say Sally, now an extremely dangerous Category 2 hurricane, could approach major hurricane strength as it nears the Gulf Coast. Images show the flood gates being closed in New Orleans Monday. New Orleans Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness Director Collin Arnold said: 'If we have 18 inches of rain over three days, we can probably handle that. But if we have 9 inches of rain in two hours, we're going to have issues. 'We really have to manage expectations about what can actually be drained and how long it will take.' The Flood Protection Authority tweeted images of the flood gates in the New Orleans area being closed Alex Vidmar, center, and Darrin Manning board up a business as Hurricane Sally approaches in Ocean Springs, Mississippi Several parking lots on Sanibel Island were still under water on Monday; Tropical Storm Sally passed by the area over the weekend saturating the area with heavy rains in some areas including Sanibel The Hurricane Katrina monument is surrounded by rising waters in eastern St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana on Monday Storm-weary Gulf Coast residents rushed to buy bottled water and other supplies ahead of the hurricane, which powered up to a Category 2 in the afternoon. Forecasters said sustained winds could reach 110 mph by landfall. 'This is the real deal, and it deserves your attention,' Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves wrote on Twitter, shortly after the storm was upgraded. He urged people in low-lying areas to prepare to evacuate. 'Be smart. Prepare for worst. Pray for the best,' he said. People in New Orleans watched the storms track intently, worried that Sally would pose the latest test for pumps used in the low-lying city's century-old drainage system. In eastern New Orleans, drainage canals were lowered in anticipation of torrential rains, Mayor LaToya Cantrell said. New Orleans police went on 12-hour shifts, and rescue boats, barricades, backup generators and other equipment were readied, Police Superintendent Shaun Ferguson said. In coastal Mississippi, water spilled onto roads, lawns and docks well before the storm's arrival. Chris Dier, a teacher who lives in St. Bernard Parish, east of New Orleans, told The New York Times: 'Were concerned about those levees and what it means for potential flooding. If it deviates 10 or 15 miles west, then its going to be right over St. Bernard Parish, so we just have some concerns because Katrina also had a similar path.' New Orleans resident George Schaefer added: 'If it comes up the mouth of the Mississippi, water could over-top the levees.' The category 2 storm was on a track to brush by the southeastern tip of Louisiana and then blow ashore late Tuesday or early Wednesday near the Mississippi-Alabama state line Sally, upgraded to a hurricane on Monday, saw its trajectory has shifted east toward Mississippi As of 4 p.m. CDT, Sally was about 105 miles east-southeast of the mouth of the Mississippi River, and winds were picking up, with sustained winds of up to 100 mph The town of Kiln, Mississippi, where many homes sit high on stilts along the Jourdan River and its tributaries, was under a mandatory evacuation order, and it appeared most residents obeyed. Many of them moved their cars and boats to higher ground before clearing out. For only the second time on record, forecasters said, five tropical cyclones swirled simultaneously in the Atlantic basin at one point Monday. The last time that happened was in 1971. In addition to Sally were Hurricane Paulette, which passed over a well-fortified Bermuda on Monday and was expected to peel harmlessly out into the North Atlantic; and Tropical Storms Rene, Teddy and Vicky, all of them out at sea and unlikely to threaten land this week, if at all. Rene was downgraded to a trough of low pressure Monday evening. Seawater and sand swept onto roads on one end of Dauphin Island off the coast of Alabama, washing away several cars, Dauphin Island Mayor Jeff Collier said. He said about a dozen people had to be evacuated by Humvee. To the west, in Mississippi, Jeremy Burke lifted things off the floor in case of flooding in his Bay Books bookstore in the Old Town neighborhood of Bay St. Louis, a popular weekend getaway from New Orleans, about 60 miles to the west. 'Its turning into a ghost town,' he said. Experts say the 10 foot storm surge will provide one of the sternest test of levee system in New Orleans since Katrina A Santa Rosa Island Authority worker moves a lifeguard stand from a flooded Quietwater Beach in Pensacola, Florida Monday High Seas and rough surf pound the Pensacola Beach fishing pier as Hurricane Sally churns in the Gulf of Mexico on Monday City of New Orleans worker Robert Warren boards up businesses in the French Quarter as the city braces for the arrival of Tropical Storm Sally in New Orleans Monday Sally has lots of company during what has become one of the busiest hurricane seasons in history - so busy that forecasters have almost run through the alphabet of names with two and a half months still to go. Energy companies, ports and refiners had earlier raced to shut down as Sally grew stronger; it is the second significant hurricane to shutter oil and gas activity over the last month. Sally's impact could extend beyond the storm's duration, said an oil industry analyst.'I don't expect to see damage from wind, but we could see a significant amount of onshore flooding that impacts infrastructure that subsequently impacts Gulf of Mexico production,' said Andrew Lipow of Lipow Oil Associates in Houston. The U.S. Coast Guard said all traffic from the port of New Orleans would be stopped at 6 p.m. CDT. The Coast Guard shut the ports of Gulfport and Pascagoula, Mississippi, Mobile, Alabama and Pensacola, Florida, at midday. Michael 'Mac' Mclaughlin, a 72-year-old retiree who moved to Kiln a year ago, hooked his boat up to his pickup truck to take to his sons house in another part of Mississippi before heading to New Orleans to ride out Sally there with his girlfriend. 'It would be dumb to stay here,' Mclaughlin said. He said his home was built in 2014 to withstand hurricanes, 'but I just dont want to be here when the water's that deep and be stranded. That wouldn't be smart.' On August 27, Hurricane Laura blew ashore in southwestern Louisiana along the Texas line, well west of New Orleans, tearing off roofs and leaving large parts of the city of Lake Charles uninhabitable. The storm was blamed for 32 deaths in the two states, the vast majority of them in Louisiana. More than 2,000 evacuees from Hurricane Laura remain sheltered in Louisiana, most of them in New Orleans-area hotels, Gov. John Bel Edwards said. President Donald Trump issued an emergency declaration for parts of Louisiana and Mississippi People in New Orleans watched the storms track intently, worried that Sally would pose the latest test for pumps used in the low-lying city's century-old drainage system In eastern New Orleans, drainage canals were lowered in anticipation of torrential rains, Mayor LaToya Cantrell said. New Orleans police went on 12-hour shifts, and rescue boats, barricades, backup generators and other equipment were readied, Police Superintendent Shaun Ferguson said A news release from the Federal Emergency Management Agency says the declaration authorizes the agency to coordinate disaster relief efforts and provide emergency assistance to the affected areas The extraordinarily busy hurricane season - like the catastrophic wildfire season on the West Coast - has focused attention on the role of climate change. Scientists say global warming is making the strongest of hurricanes, those with wind speeds of 110 mph or more, even stronger. Also, warmer air holds more moisture, making storms rainier, and rising seas from global warming make storm surges higher and more damaging. In addition, scientists have been seeing tropical storms and hurricanes slow down once they hit the United States by about 17 per cent since 1900, and that gives them the opportunity to unload more rain over one place, like 2017s Hurricane Harvey in Houston. In Mississippi, Reeves said Sally could dump up to 20 inches of rain on the southern part of the state. Shelters opened, but officials urged people who are evacuating to stay with friends or relatives or in hotels, if possible, because of the coronavirus. People in shelters will be required to wear masks and other protective equipment, authorities said. 'Planning for a Cat 1 or Cat 2 hurricane is always complicated,' Reeves said. 'Planning for it during 2020 and the life of COVID makes it even more challenging.' In Alabama, Gov. Kay Ivey closed beaches and called for evacuations. A gas station employee wraps a fuel pump in plastic as Hurricane Sally approaches in Pass Christian, Mississippi Monday Ferrari CEO Louis Camilleri hopes "flexibility" in the F1 rules helps the famous Maranello team pull itself out of its "hole". The partisan Italian press is now blasting Ferrari after each race, with Corriere dello Sport predicting that it will take "a long time" for the situation to change. "While the other teams develop, Ferrari sinks further and further into an unprecedented crisis," added Corriere della Sera newspaper. Ferrari chairman John Elkann admits that Ferrari's "enormous history" in F1, which was marked at Mugello with the team's 1000th race, "also creates pressure". He told Sky Italia: "There are many reasons why we are in this situation, but at Ferrari we do not like excuses. "It will take time. We have a difficult season ahead of us, this year and next year, and in 2022 we will have the opportunity to restart on a new basis." Indeed, the corona crisis means teams are limited in the car changes they can implement between 2020 and 2021. "There is nothing worse than giving false hopes," Elkann added, "but we must progress for 2021. But to progress means to be on the podium, not to win." Camilleri agrees that Ferrari's return to competitiveness will "take time". "I'm hoping with a bit more flexibility in the regulations next year we can at least step it up from where we are," he said. "We're in a hole now, and we know we're in a hole. Realistically it is going to be tough." Carlos Sainz is moving from McLaren to Ferrari for 2021, and he is already asking for "patience and trust" from his own fans. "I think we have to wait," he told El Mundo Deportivo newspaper. "F1 may change next year with a couple of regulations to slow down the cars and take away downforce. "It is a very young project, Mattia already said that last year, and now we have to wait and see if things improve a bit. They will surely improve," Sainz added. "I think it is a difficult challenge but one that I want to do - to get to Ferrari, to do everything I can to improve the car, to guide in the direction that I think is the right one and prepare well for the regulation change in 2022 which for me will be the key for the next years. "But changing a car to suddenly win races is going to be difficult," he acknowledged. "So I think that next year is going to be a difficult year but a year that if Ferrari hits the key of the problems and spends the 'tokens' in the correct areas, suddenly the year can be much better than this one." (GMM) Having endured three months alone, rowing across the Pacific Ocean in a small rowboat, Lia Ditton hauled her 21-foot craft into a slip at the Waikiki Yacht Club in Honolulu on Saturday, relieved to have made the 2,700-nautical-mile journey from San Francisco Bay in one piece. I dont even know what day it is, Ditton said Monday. Morning and night are thankfully dictated by the rising of the sun. Beyond that, Im kind of adrift. The 40-year-old ocean rower, who has made the Bay Area her home for the past several years, shoved off from Tiburon on June 17 on a mission to row, solo and unsupported, to the Hawaiian Islands. She hoped to be done in about 50 days, but planned for 75 to be safe. Instead, it took her 86. She thought about giving up and calling for a rescue many times, particularly after a scary capsizing early in the trip that tossed her overboard and left her emotionally battered. I was one beat from drowning, she said. A second and more sudden capsizing in August jarred her awake from an afternoon nap and tumbled her upside down inside her cabin. Youre on high alert after that, Ditton said. I didnt want to continue after that. That boat was clearly unsafe, she said. But its not so straightforward. Its not like you can call an Uber. At the time of the second capsizing, Ditton estimated that she was 18 to 36 hours away from the nearest shipping lane, where she would need to be to get a rescue. She opted to push on toward the Hawaiian Islands. Im a sailor first, she said. I didnt want to get off just because I wanted to be done. Wes Young The last 24 hours of her row were harrowing. The final leg took her through the Molokai Channel, a 26-mile-wide passage between Molokai and Oahu that squeezes the ocean into a roiling torrent. The current there carried Dittons craft at 10 knots, and waves crashed over her cabin. Conditions were so rough she feared she might need a tow from another boat to make it safely to shore, but she resisted. I thought, no, I didnt come 86 days to get towed in. That is not happening, Ditton said. She rowed for a day straight, coaxing herself through Friday night and even hallucinating from exhaustion at one point. By the time she arrived at the yacht club, she was happy just to have saved her boat and avoided serious injury. Administrator Ocean rowers can suffer all kinds of nasty ailments during long periods at sea from unremitting foot rot and sun blisters to fractured bones and renal failure. But Ditton says she arrived in remarkably good health despite muscle atrophy from the knees down a consequence of being unable to walk around for three months. Pulling up at the dock Saturday morning was strange, Ditton said. Hawaii has been all but shut down due to the coronavirus pandemic, making it nearly impossible for Dittons friends, family and shore team to fly in for her arrival. Stepping off her boat, she was greeted by a small handful of strangers in doctors masks and face shields filming her with smartphones. A few of them draped leis around Dittons neck as she stood on the deck of her boat in a sleep-deprived daze. A nurse who had been commissioned to examine Ditton showed up in a traditional nurse uniform. I thought, this is completely surreal, Ditton said. Safety restrictions due to COVID-19 kept bystanders from coming in contact with her. Its quite hard not to be able to hug people when youve been out of contact like that, Ditton said. That was a shame. One video stream of the moment on Instagram Live drew hundreds of viewers and thousands of congratulatory comments, including notes from actress Jennifer Garner, comedian Theo Von and British explorer Jenny Wordsworth. Even though it took her 86 days, Ditton set a womens world record for the fastest solo, unsupported row across that stretch of ocean. Granted a special exception, Ditton has been recovering in a suite on the 29th floor of the Prince Waikiki hotel, which is otherwise closed to everyone but essential airline workers. Her windows look south over the vast Pacific. All Id like to do is turn the hotel round so I can see the trees and mountains, she said. Gregory Thomas is The Chronicles editor of lifestyle & outdoors. Email: gthomas@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @GregRThomas By Express News Service BENGALURU: The authorities of Bengaluru Central Prison have stated that expelled AIADMK leader VK Sasikala's probable date of release is January 27, 2021. Replying to an RTI application filed by advocate and RTI activist T Narasimha Murthy, the prison authorities have stated, "As per prison records, Convict Prisoner number 9234 Sasikala's 'probable date of release' is 27-1-2021 provided in-default fine amount is paid as awarded by the Hon'ble court. Further, her 'probable date of release' would be 27-2-2022 if the fine is not paid". Besides, the reply added that Sasikala's release date may also vary if she utilised parole facility. The reply was provided on September 11. Sasikala, Ilavarasi and Sudhakaran are lodged in the central prison located in Parappana Agrahara after they were convicted and awarded four-year jail terms in a disproportionate assets case by the Supreme Court in February 2017. A day after Centre's decision to ban the export of onion, several onion farmers in Maharashtra's Lasalgaon and Nashik came out on roads on Tuesday (September 15) to protest against the government's decision. The farmers are demanding that the Centre must lift the ban on the export of onion. It is interesting to note that the price of onion has touched Rs 35 per kilogram in Mumbai but in Lasalgaon, which is the largest producer of onion in India, the best quality onion is still selling at Rs 3200 per quintal. The price of average quality onion is Rs 2,800 per quintal while low quality onion are selling here at Rs 1100 per quintal. The traders at onion market in Lasalgaon kept their shops closed on Tuesday to register protest against the Centre's decision to ban the export of onion. Notably, the fresh crop of onion will come to market in January, which means there is a gap of 3 months before the new produce of onion will hit the market. The supply of majority of onion during this period comes from some parts of Karnataka but this year the onion harvest has been badly hit in these areas due to heavy rainfall. The Centre on Monday banned the export of all varieties of onions with immediate effect, a move aimed at increasing the availability and curbing prices of the commodity in the domestic market. "The export of all varieties of onions... Is prohibited with immediate effect," the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) said in a notification. The DGFT, an arm of the commerce ministry, deals with exports and imports-related issues. The provisions under transitional arrangement shall not be applicable under this notification. Maharashtra, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and Gujarat are major onion producing states. It may be noted that 40 per cent of the country's total onion crop is produced in the kharif season and the rest during the rabi season. The kharif crop, however, cannot be stored. Matt Hancock said the coronavirus testing issues will take 'weeks' to solve. (Parliamentlive.tv) The government has admitted its coronavirus testing issues will take weeks to solve. Health secretary Matt Hancock has been accused of presiding over a fiasco amid signs of massive strain on the testing system. Issues have included huge queues for tests, people reporting they have been unable to get tests, and others being offered tests hundreds of miles from their homes. It has meant suspected COVID-19 patients with acute medical needs, as well as people in care homes, will now be prioritised under plans to ration tests. Watch: Matt Hancock admits there are "challenges" with the coronavirus testing system Hancock was summoned to the House of Commons on Tuesday to answer an urgent question on the situation. He was invited by his predecessor, Jeremy Hunt, to assure the testing problems would be solved in a weeks time. However, Hancock would only say: We will be able to solve this problem in a matter of weeks. In [Hunts] own constituency yesterday 194 people got their tests. So we are managing to deliver record capacity but as he well knows, demand is also high and the response to that is to make sure we have prioritisation, so that the people who most need it can get tests that they need. People queuing for a walk-in testing centre in Bolton last week. (AFP via Getty Images) Among the examples MPs fired at Hancock were: No tests available in COVID hotspots such as Rochdale, Pendle and Bradford A mobile testing centre failing to turn up in Bolton, which has the highest infection rate in England Hundreds queuing for five hours for a test in Bury People in Farnham asked to travel to Bristol, 96 miles away, for a test Labours shadow health secretary Jon Ashworth accused Hancock of losing control of this virus as he said: People want to know when they will get a test and when this mess will be fixed. Today there will be thousands of ill people trying to book a test only to be told none are available. When will ill people no longer have to travel hundreds of miles for a test that should be available on their doorstep? Story continues Hancock, who has been accused by Labour MPs of overseeing a complete fiasco and shambles, countered: When you have a free service, its inevitable that demand rises. The challenge is to make sure we prioritise the tests we have as a nation to those who most need it. He also claimed the average distance travelled to a test site is now 5.8 miles, down from 6.4 miles last week. Figures on Monday showed 2,621 confirmed new infections, with Hancock acknowledging the epidemic is growing. Watch: What are the current UK government guidelines on face coverings within schools? On Monday, the governments rule of six coronavirus law came into force, banning most social gatherings of more than six people in England. However, confusion continued to reign on Tuesday over the ban on mingling, with home secretary Priti Patel accused of not understanding her own laws by a human rights barrister after she wrongly said two families of four stopping for a chat on the way to the park constituted illegal mingling. Meanwhile, a top officer told Good Morning Britain that officers were still unsure how to uphold the new law, which bans any social gatherings of over six people. Coronavirus: what happened today Click here to sign up to the latest news and information with our daily Catch-up newsletter Photo: Instagram Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posted a picture of himself from his hospital bed in Germany on Tuesday, looking gaunt but joking wryly about his condition and saying that he was enjoying the ability to finally breathe on his own after being poisoned with a nerve agent. The Instagram post was the first image of the 44-year-old released since he was taken to Berlin's Charite hospital two days after falling ill on a domestic flight in Russia on Aug. 20. Hi, this is Navalny," he wrote in the Russian-language post. I have been missing you. I still can't do almost anything on my own, but yesterday I managed to breathe on my own for the entire day. Navalny had been kept in an induced coma for more than two weeks as he was treated with an antidote before hospital officials said on Sept. 7 that his condition had improved enough for him to be brought out of it. On Monday, the hospital said he had been removed from mechanical ventilation and was able to leave his bed for short periods of time. In the photo, Navalny is being given a hug by his wife Yulia and is flanked by his two children as he sits upright in his bed in a hospital gown. His statement even had the ring of his well-known sarcastic humour. Just on my own, no extra help, I didn't even use the simplest valve in my throat, he said of being able to breathe without ventilation. "I liked it very much. Its a remarkable process that is underestimated by many. Strongly recommended. Despite his recovery, doctors have said they cannot rule out long-term health issues associated with the poisoning. Navalnys spokeswoman, Kira Yarmysh, tweeted that once he had recovered, Navalny plans to return to Russia. No other option has ever been considered, she wrote. Leonid Volkov, a top associate of Navalny, refused to give any details on his condition or his possible return when reached by The Associated Press on Tuesday. A German military lab has determined that Navalny was poisoned with Novichok, the same class of Soviet-era agent that Britain said was used on former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter in Salisbury, England, in 2018. On Monday, the German government said independent tests by labs in France and Sweden backed up its findings. The Hague-based Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons also is taking steps to have samples from Navalny tested at its designated labs, Germany has said. The Kremlin has bristled at calls from German Chancellor Angela Merkel and other leaders to answer questions about the poisoning, denying any official involvement. French President Emmanuel Macrons office said he had expressed deep concern over the criminal act that targeted Navalny directly with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday. The Kremlin said Putin in the call underlined the impropriety of unfounded accusations against the Russian side and emphasized Russias demand for Germany to hand over analyses and samples. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters Tuesday that Russia is puzzled by the German refusal to share Navalny's analyses and other medical data, or compare notes with the Russian doctors who found no trace of poison in his system while he was at a hospital in the Siberian city of Omsk. Filippo Grandi, UN High Commissioner for Refugees, speaks to media outside Luzmila Hospital in Amman, Jordan. UNHCR/Muhammad Kisswany UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, continues to ramp up measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 among Jordans refugee population and is seeking to mobilize additional resources for the countrys overall pandemic response, UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi said at the conclusion of a two-day visit to the Kingdom on 14-15 September. The High Commissioners visit included meetings with senior government officials, refugees and local Jordanians. His visit came after a recent spike in COVID-19 infections in the country including the first six confirmed cases among Syrians living in the two main refugee camps, Zaatari and Azraq. I am grateful to Jordan as a major refugee host country for its continued hospitality and efforts to include refugees in the national health system and coronavirus response plan, Grandi said. I urge donors to maintain solidarity with Jordan as it deals with the twin threats to health and livelihoods faced by refugees and vulnerable Jordanians alike. Jordan currently hosts around 750,000 registered refugees, including more than 658,000 from the conflict in neighbouring Syria. UNHCR is working closely with the Government of Jordan to support the humanitarian response to the pandemic and its longer-term economic impact. It has provided protective equipment to hospitals and health clinics, distributed medication to refugees and built quarantine areas in Zaatari and Azraq. In addition, we are making sure that whatever resources we mobilize for health care related to the pandemic can be used by everybody by the refugees and by Jordanians. The virus does not make any distinction and nor should we, Grandi said. The affordability of healthcare remains a challenge for many refugees, who often rely on UNHCR to get the treatment they need. In 2020, over US$1 million will be distributed to refugees as part of UNHCRs cash for health programme and 36,000 refugees referred to hospitals for secondary and tertiary healthcare at a cost of US$5.2 million. Despite this, over 2,000 refugees are currently on UNHCRs waiting list for medical treatment due to a lack of funds. The High Commissioner met refugees from Syria and Sudan who were receiving treatment free-of-cost at Luzmila Hospital in the capital Amman, thanks to cooperation between UNHCR and its health care partners. During his visit, Grandi also met refugee and local Jordanian students benefiting from UNHCR scholarships at Luminus Technical University College in Amman. With only 3 percent of refugees globally able to access higher education, Luminus provides vocational training and diplomas for refugee youth alongside their Jordanian counterparts, then actively matches their skills to employment opportunities upon graduation. Almost ten years into the Syria conflict, 79 percent of refugees in Jordan live under the poverty line and the coronavirus crisis has only exacerbated this situation. It is estimated that approximately 17 percent of Jordanians and a third of refugees have lost their jobs during the pandemic. As a result, UNHCR is investing in livelihoods programmes to encourage refugees to become self-sufficient and thus contribute to improve the overall economic situation in the Kingdom. Following his visit to Jordan, Grandi will be continuing onto Syria. For more information on this topic, please contact: Indian-origin Senator Kamala Harris said she thought of her mother immediately when former vice president Joe Biden offered her to be his running mate on the Democratic ticket for the November presidential elections. Trailblazer Harris, 55, has scripted history in the American political system by becoming the first black, first African-American and Indian-American to be a vice presidential candidate for a major political party. Her mother Shyamala Gopalan Harris migrated to the US as a 19-year-old young graduate from India in 1957 for higher studies. In multiple interviews, Harris has reflected on the profound impact her mother, a renowned cancer specialist, had on where she is now. I thought immediately of my mother and what she must be thinking as she looks down on us, Harris said in response to a question during a fund raiser. What was it like to get that Zoom call from Joe Biden (last month), she was asked. Harris recounted how she and her team got a call that Biden wanted to talk and then got another call where she was told Biden wanted to do a zoom call. She described how she went in our little makeshift office and then when the call started Biden immediately asked her to join the ticket. After referring to her mother, Harris also described how husband Doug Emhoffs ear was on the door outside the room listening in on the call. Eventually Jill Biden and Emhoff joined the call with Biden and Harris. When asked how she will present her and Bidens vision for the first 100 days, Harris said the first thing is to get the virus under control. Specifically, we will create a pandemic board that will oversee testing. So thats about distribution, its about testing is happening in an efficient manner. Its also about making sure we are investing in the tests that are most relevant in the tests that we are trying to accomplish, so for example rapid testing, she said. Harris went on to tick off economic relief through a series of executive orders to strengthen buy American rules so that tax payer dollars support American products and supply chains. Again, day one, re-enter the Paris Climate agreements, Harris said. She pointed to California, Oregon and Washington and said all of this is predictable. She continued Reengage our NATO allies. And this is again a real strength of Joes. He has the experience based on a long history of being in the Senate and being a leader on foreign affairs and then of course eight years of being vice president. Harris said that she will send a bill to congress immediately creating a pathway to citizenship for our dreamers and the 11 million undocumented immigrants Harris said. She said the administration would push a bill to deal with systemic racism. People are marching in the streets. Minnesota of course are experiencing this and there are reforms that are important that can be put in place so we can do things like ban carotid chokeholds, which of course wouldve saved the life of George Floyd, she said. A Biden-Harris administration would also introduce a national standard for use of force and national police standard oversight commission. South Korea plans to invest 2.7 trillion won (US$2.3 billion) in the next 10 years to develop drones for military use, the arms procurement agency said Tuesday. Under the plan, the country will develop various drones to carry out missions ranging from surveillance to firing grenades and rifles, according to the Defense Acquisition Program Administration. Combat experiments are under way with a rifle and grenade launchers attached at the bottom of drones, it said. The agency will complete securing necessary technologies for the development of small assault drones by 2022. The actual development of the weapons systems is expected to take another four years, officials said. The agency was to hold a seminar on the drone defense industry Tuesday. It will be broadcast live on its YouTube channel. (Yonhap) ISRAEL-POLITICS-DEMO Israeli protesters take part in an anti-government demonstration outside the Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv on September 13, 2020, demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over several corruption indictments and his handling of the coronavirus crisis. Credit - Jack GuezAFP/Getty Images Israel was one of the earliest adopters of stringent measures to combat the spread of COVID-19, forcing all foreign arrivals to self-isolate on March 9, just before the World Health Organization announced a global pandemic. This week, as cases rise, it is set to become the worlds first country to enter a second nationwide shutdown. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced the new three-week-long shutdown in a televised message to Israelis on Sunday evening. Returning Israel to shutdown, he said, would exact a heavy price on us all. That address came shortly before the Prime Minister flew to Washington D.C., where on Tuesday he is set to sign a historic normalization agreement with foreign ministers from the United Arab Emirates and Bahrainonly the third and fourth Arab countries respectively, to make peace with Israel since its founding. Polls show that Israelis welcome that development in foreign policy but it contrasts with serious discontent at home. Since June, thousands of protesters have gathered at weekly demonstrations outside the Prime Ministers Jerusalem residence and elsewhere in Israel, calling for Netanyahu to resign over his serial corruption indictments, his mismanagement of the countrys COVID-ravaged economy, and his role in Israels ongoing constitutional crisis. The new measures, which are set to come into force hours before the start of Jewish New Year this Friday, have drawn further backlash from small businesses, and religious communities. Heres what to know about the new shutdown, how Israelis are reacting, and what lessons it could have for other parts of the world where cases are rising. Story continues Why is Israel locking down for a second time? The shutdown comes on the recommendation of Israels Health Ministry and Netanyahus coronavirus czar, Ronni Gamzu. Shortly after Gamzu took up the post in July, he told local television networks that the socioeconomic trauma inflicted by COVID restrictions was greater than its health impact. With Israel still in recession and the unemployment rate above 25% Gamzu said he had no plans to reimpose lockdown measures. Those plans have changed in light of Israels soaring infection rate. In recent days, Israel has registered between 3,000 and 4,000 new cases daily and there are currently more than 40,000 active cases in a country of just 9-million people. Ahead of religious holidays that traditionally see Israelis gather with relatives at home, or attend prayers in synagogues, hospital directors have warned Israels parliament that the healthcare system risks collapse if cases keep rising. On Monday, one overburdened hospital in northern Israel announced it would not be accepting any more coronavirus patients because of overcrowding. What does the shutdown actually entail? The official regulations are still being debated in parliament and are subject to change. But the most stringent measure appears to be an order for Israelis to stay within 500 meters of their homes, with fines imposed on those who venture further for non-essential reasons. The lockdown period is slated to begin hours before the start of Rosh Hashanah, or Jewish New Year, this Friday and last for three weeks. The period also encompasses Simchat Torah and on Sept. 27 Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar. While complicated rules govern how many people are permitted to congregate for prayers at synagogueswith the number varying according to local infection ratestraveling to meet relatives is unlikely to be permitted, reports Israels Haaretz. This is not the kind of holiday we are used to, Netanyahu told Israelis, And we certainly wont be able to celebrate with our extended families. The new measures will shutter shopping malls and other non-essential stores, and nix in-restaurant diningpharmacies and supermarkets are allowed to remain open. Schools, which Israel reopened after its first lockdown in May, are set to close for the entire period. Israels finance ministry has estimated the cost of the second lockdown at $1.88billion. Whats the situation like in the West Bank and Gaza Strip? In March, the U.N. Security Council commended joint efforts between Israel and the Palestinian Authority to limit the spread of COVID-19 in the occupied territories, but said in July that a breakdown in co-operation had put lives at risk. Deteriorating relations significantly compounded the health sectors ability to respond to a surge in cases in the West Bank, and improve prevention efforts in Gaza, the UNs Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process said in a statement at the time. There are now more than 39,000 people with COVID in the West Bank, with a further 2,000 in Gaza, according to UNOCHA. A 12-year-long IsraeliEgyptian air, land, and sea blockade restricts the movement of people and goods in and out of Gaza, which is administered by Hamas. NGOs have warned of catastrophic consequences should the disease spread among Gazas 2-million population, but until recently the blockade had shielded the 25-mile-long coastal enclave from the worst of the pandemic. Until late last month, Hamas had recorded no infections outside of quarantine centers set up at Gazas border crossings. This bought time for authorities to build capacity in the healthcare system and prepare for the worst, says Salam Khashan, a family doctor who works at Gaza hospitals dealing with the COVID crisis. Preparation included developing Gazas tele-healthcare infrastructure and setting up non-hospital quarantine centers in schools and other buildings. Attendance is mandatory for asymptomatic positive cases, in one of the worlds most densely populated territories, where self-isolating at home is virtually impossible. After Gazas first community case was discovered on Aug 24, Hamas instigated a 48-hour curfew. On Monday, Khashan tells TIME, authorities recorded an additional 108 new infections in the past 24 hours. We are able to deal with about 280 new positive cases per day, she says. If numbers are above this level, we will be out of control. Who is opposing the new measures in Israel? Netanyahu enjoyed a bump in popularity for his initial response to the global pandemic and urged Israelis to go out and celebrate when the first lockdown ended in May. This time, he is facing far more resistance. One lawmaker has already quit the government. In a resignation letter submitted Monday, Israels housing minister Yaakov Litzmanwho is ultra-Orthodoxcriticized the impact of the new rules on religious festivals, which he said wrongs and scorns hundreds of thousands of citizens. That echoes ultra-Orthodox criticism of Israels initial lockdown, during which a prominent rabbi argued that suspending religious students Torah study was more dangerous to Israel than the coronavirus. But opposition to the second shutdown extends far beyond religious quarters. Hard right lawmaker Naftali Bennett called the new measures a hammer blow to small businesses, while centrist opposition leader Yair Lapid said the need to reimpose a lockdown evidenced the Prime Ministers failure to deal with the crisis. Some shopkeepers have vowed to remain open in spite of the new rules and a hundreds-strong restaurateurs association told Israels Haaretz the new restrictions would crush the economy. Meanwhile, the demonstrations calling for Netanyahus resignation are set to continue. Guidelines issued by Israels Ministry of Health on Tuesday state that the new travel restrictions do not prevent Israelis from attending protests, but there remains a lack of clarity over what is and isnt permitted. The situation here is completely chaotic. We dont understand the rules, says Emma Maghen Tokatly, a Tel Aviv-based cultural curator who for 12 successive weekends has joined demonstrations in front of the Prime Ministers residence in Jerusalem. I just saw a message saying up to 1,000 people can be in a Synagogue. But I cant eat my Rosh Hashanah dinner with my parents? Whatever the regulations turn out to be, Tokatly adds, continuing the protests is crucial, to let the government know theyre failing us. Late US astronomer Carl Sagan predicted in 1967 that there could be life on Venus. Now, two telescopes in Hawaii and Chile spotted in the thick Venutian clouds the chemical signature of phosphine, a noxious gas that on Earth is only associated with life, according to a study journal Nature Astronomy published on September 14. Astronomers have found a potential sign of life high in the atmosphere of neighboring Venus: hints there may be bizarre microbes living in the sulfuric acid-laden clouds of the hothouse planet. Several outside experts and the study authors themselves agreed this is tantalizing but said it is far from the first proof of life on another planet. They said it doesn't satisfy the extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence" standard established by Sagan, who speculated about the possibility of life in the clouds of Venus in 1967. Sagan pointed out that a high carbon-dioxide atmosphere was not an obstacle. "Sagan's work on Venus was formative, though few today remember his impact," Mashable quoted Darby Dyar, the chair of NASAs Venus Exploration Advisory Group, as saying. "His idea was prescient, and still makes sense today: between the hellish surface conditions on present-day Venus and the near-vacuum of outer space must be a temperate region where life could live on." Its not a smoking gun," said study co-author David Clements, an Imperial College of London astrophysicist. Its not even gunshot residue on the hands of your prime suspect, but there is a distinct whiff of cordite in the air which may be suggesting something. As astronomers plan for searches for life on planets outside our solar system, a major method is to look for chemical signatures that can only be made by biological processes, called biosignatures. After three astronomers met in a bar in Hawaii, they decided to look that way at the closest planet to Earth: Venus. They searched for phosphine, which is three hydrogen atoms and a phosphorous atom. On Earth, there are only two ways phosphine can be formed, study authors said. One is in an industrial process. (The gas was produced for use as chemical warfare agent in World War I.) The other way is as part of some kind of poorly understood function in animals and microbes. Some scientists consider it a waste product, others don't. Phosphine is found in ooze at the bottom of ponds, the guts of some creatures like badgers and perhaps most unpleasantly associated with piles of penguin guano, Clements said. Study co-author Sara Seager, an MIT planetary scientist, said researchers exhaustively went through every possibility and ruled all of them out: volcanoes, lightning strikes, small meteorites falling into the atmosphere. ... Not a single process we looked at could produce phosphine in high enough quantities to explain our teams findings. That leaves life. The astronomers hypothesize a scenario for how life could exist on the inhospitable planet where temperatures on the surface are around 800 degrees (425 degrees Celsius) with no water. Venus is hell. Venus is kind of Earths evil twin, Clements said. Clearly something has gone wrong, very wrong, with Venus. Its the victim of a runaway greenhouse effect. But thats on the surface. Seager said all the action may be 30 miles (50 kilometers) above ground in the thick carbon-dioxide layer cloud deck, where it's about room temperature or slightly warmer. It contains droplets with tiny amounts of water but mostly sulfuric acid that is a billion times more acidic than whats found on Earth. The phosphine could be coming from some kind of microbes, probably single-cell ones, inside those sulfuric acid droplets, living their entire lives in the 10-mile-deep (16-kilometer-deep) clouds, Seager and Clements said. When the droplets fall, the potential life probably dries out and could then get picked up in another drop and reanimate, they said. Life is definitely a possibility, but more proof is needed, several outside scientists said. Cornell University astronomer Lisa Kaltenegger said the idea of this being the signature of biology at work is exciting, but she said we dont know enough about Venus to say life is the only explanation for the phosphine. Im not skeptical, Im hesitant, said Justin Filiberto, a planetary geochemist at the Lunar and Planetary Institute in Houston who specializes in Venus and Mars and isnt part of the study team. Filiberto said the levels of phosphine found might be explained away by volcanoes. He said recent studies that were not taken into account in this latest research suggest that Venus may have far more active volcanoes than originally thought. But Clements said that explanation would make sense only if Venus were at least 200 times as volcanically active as Earth. David Grinspoon, a Washington-based astrobiologist at the Planetary Science Institute who wrote a 1997 book suggesting Venus could harbor life, said the finding almost seems too good to be true. Im excited, but Im also cautious, Grinspoon said. We found an encouraging sign that demands we follow up. NASA hasnt sent anything to Venus since 1989, though Russia, Europe and Japan have dispatched probes. The U.S. space agency is considering two possible Venus missions. One of them, called DAVINCI+, would go into the Venutian atmosphere as early as 2026. Clements said his head tells him its probably a 10% chance that its life, but his heart "obviously wants it to be much bigger because it would be so exciting. NORTHAMPTON - Nerkin Morales pleaded guilty on Tuesday in Hampshire Superior Court to a reduced charge of voluntary manslaughter in the 2018 shooting death of Daniel Cruz and was sentenced to 15 to 20 years in prison. By agreeing to the plea, Morales, 24, avoided having to go on trial for murder, which could have resulted in a sentence of life in prison. In a hearing before Judge John Agostini, Morales admitted his guilt to manslaughter and to seven other offenses, all related to the March 10, 2018 killing of Cruz at Meadowbrook Apartments and the subsequent attempt to conceal the crime. He also admitted guilt to charges of improper disposal of a body, burning personal property, intimidation of a witness, withholding evidence, two counts of conspiracy, and unlawful possession of a firearm. Morales admitted to shooting Cruz three times in the hallway of a Meadowbrook apartment building, and then conspiring with eight other people to conceal the crime by disposing of the body by burning it behind a tobacco farm in a field off a dead-end road in Hatfield. The area off Bridge Road in Hatfield where Daniel Cruz's body was dumped and then set on fire. Another man, Pedro Soto-Rodriguez, 22, was sentenced to up to 8 years in prison after pleading guilty to being an accessory to murder after the face and intimidating a witness. As many as five other people are awaiting trial for the cover-up. Each of the additional charges that Morales admitted to carried a sentence of between 6 months and 10 years. Because he had 3 prior convictions for violent crime or drugs, the unlawful firearm possession charge carried a 15 year sentence. The gun was never recovered, but Morales admitted to giving it to a man in Holyoke with instructions to get rid of it. Each of the additional charges will be served concurrently, or at the same time with the 15-20 year manslaughter conviction. Morales is already serving a 3-year prison sentence after he pleaded guilty in Hampden Superior Court to possession with intent to distribute heroin and trafficking in cocaine. His sentencing in the Cruz case will be served concurrently with that previous sentence. Prosecutor Jennifer Suhl of the Northwestern District Attorneys Office said prosecutors agreed to the reduced plea of manslaughter because of what she called mitigating circumstances leading up to Cruz being shot. She said Cruz and Soto-Rodriguez got into a shouting match the night before at Meadowbrook Apartment when Cruz accompanied a friend to Soto-Rodriguezs apartment. They were looking for Morales because he owed the friend $500, but Morales was not around. When Morales arrived at the apartment the next morning, he passed Cruz in the hallway while Cruz was waiting to resume his dispute with Soto-Rodriguez. Cruz and Soto-Rodriguez began fighting, and at some point Cruz drew a knife and cut him on the arm. Soto-Rodriguez called for help, and Cruz ran over and fired six shots at Cruz, hitting him 3 times in the chest, neck and back, and killing him. Suhl said that after the killing, Morales and Soto-Rodriguez wrapped the body in a sleeping bag and hid it in the bedroom of Soto-Rodriguezs apartment. They then sought the help of others in disposing the body and cleaning up the crime scene. Originally, they planned to carve the body up, and even purchased 5 machetes and trash bags for that task. But after several hours, they decided to remove the body to Hatfield in Soto-Rodriguezs BMW. They soaked it with gasoline and then set it on fire. Afterward, they all sought to hide out by renting rooms at the Comfort Inn in West Springfield, where they drank alcohol and used drugs, she said. Surveillance video from the hallway shows them laughing and having a good time, Suhl said. While Morales could defend the shooting as rising to the defense of Soto-Rodriguez, it is indefensible how they and their co-conspirators treated the body and worked to conceal the crime, she said. The body was dumped like a piece of trash, she said. Of the 15-to-20 year sentence, she said, This sentence is just. Moraless lawyer, William ONeil of Northampton said Morales had no intention of killing Cruz before it happened. He walked by him in the hallway. It was only when Mr. Cruz attacked Mr. Soto-Rodriguez in the hallway (that he shot him), he said. But ultimately he did bring a gun with him, and that was a tragic decision for both of them. He noted that Morales, a 2016 graduate of Northampton High School, has two children, ages 4 and 2, and has shown significant remorse. Related content The body of a Northampton man was found on fire in Hatfield 4 months ago; heres what we know about the investigation Who is Nerkin Morales? Suspect at center of Daniel Cruz slaying has alleged gang ties, criminal history Prosecutor: Murder of Daniel Cruz occurred after argument in Northampton apartment led to altercation Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-15 21:39:52|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close YAOUNDE, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- At least two Cameroonian soldiers and a civilian were killed late Monday in an improvised explosive device blast in Bongongo, a locality in Cameroon's restive English-speaking region of Southwest, local authorities said on Tuesday. A local government official told Xinhua on condition of anonymity that the soldiers were patrolling the village when the device planted along the road exploded. The explosion destroyed the military vehicle, leaving two soldiers and a civilian killed and another civilian injured at the scene, the source said. Armed separatists fighting to create an independent nation in the country's two Anglophone regions of Northwest and Southwest have claimed responsibility for the roadside bombing. Cameroonian government forces have been in clashes with the separatist fighters since 2017. The security situation in the troubled regions has improved since the start of the year, but clashes between security forces and separatist groups are still occasionally reported, according to security reports. Enditem By Supantha Mukherjee STOCKHOLM, Sept 15 (Reuters) - Payment provider Klarna Bank AB said on Tuesday it has raised $650 million at a valuation of $10.65 billion from investors led by Silver Lake, as the Swedish company seeks to compete with rivals such as PayPal and Australia's AfterPay in the hotly contested U.S. markets. Other investors include Singapore's sovereign wealth fund GIC, funds managed by BlackRock and HMI Capital. Concurrently, Merian Chrysalis, TCV, Northzone and Bonnier have acquired shares from existing shareholders, the company said. Reuters had reported about the potential fund-raising round last week, citing sources. The new valuation is nearly double of the $5.5 billion valuation reached after the funding round in August last year. Existing investors include Sequoia Capital, Dragoneer, Permira, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Bestseller Group and Ant Group. Founded in 2005, Klarna allows shoppers to buy online through its merchant partners and settle the dues in four installments using its "buy-now-pay-later" (BNPL) service. It has been investing heavily to expand in the United States and the UK, resulting in the company posting its first annual loss earlier this year. Klarna's losses have jumped seven-fold in the first half of the year. The company, backed by rapper Snoop Dogg, plans to list in New York in the next two years. (Reporting by Supantha Mukherjee in Stockholm, Editing by Sherry Jacob-Phillips) Ryanair expects the European Commission this week to unveil a new system of COVID-19 travel advice that will open up most regions of the continent to travel without quarantine, Chief Executive Eddie Wilson said on Monday. The European Commission earlier this month proposed a common traffic light system for EU member states to coordinate border controls and remedy the current, confusing patchwork of coronavirus restrictions on travelers across Europe. "I think you'll see the vast majority of Europe and UK returned into a green zone and then it'll be up to the individual health authorities to follow up on track and tracing them," Wilson told Ireland's RTE radio. (Reuters) Source: www.businessworld.ie | By Joanne Morrison Researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) have begun participation in the Phase 3 clinical trial of an investigational COVID-19 vaccine co-developed by scientists at Moderna, Inc., and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This clinical trial is a key step toward final approval of a vaccine to protect against the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus that has impacted millions of people around the world. The vaccine trial is being conducted by researchers in UMSOMs Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health (CVD). This is the first to be implemented under Operation Warp Speed, a multi-agency collaboration led by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that aims to accelerate the development, manufacturing, and distribution of medical countermeasures for COVID-19. UMB President Bruce Jarrell participates in the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine trial. Principal investigators for the clinical trial are Karen Kotloff, MD, professor of pediatrics, and Matthew Laurens, MD, MPH, associate professor of pediatrics. The UMSOM site, expected to recruit several hundred participants, is part of the nationwide trial being conducted at 89 research sites that is expected to enroll 30,000 adults. Matthew Laurens, MD, MPH We urgently need safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines to control this pandemic. Vaccines can be rapidly given to protect whole populations, while treatments must be given to one person at a time after illness or exposure occurs, Kotloff said. The Moderna mRNA-1273 vaccine has already shown promise in early testing in adults of all ages. This next trial will tell us whether it prevents COVID-19. It is critical that we include a diverse group of people in the trial, particularly those communities most impacted by this terrible virus, so the results will apply broadly to the population. This virus disproportionately affects older adults, people with unstable medical conditions, and racial and ethnic minorities, making it critical that the vaccine works well in those who need it most. UMSOM researchers are targeting people who have increased risk of exposure because of location or circumstance, such as occupation, to see whether the vaccine protects them. As part of that plan, UMSOM researchers will enroll and vaccinate participants in Marylands hardest-hit communities, including Langley Park and Baltimore. Researchers have partnered with CASA in Hyattsville, Md., the largest member-based Hispanic and immigrant organization in the Mid-Atlantic region. Vaccinations will take place on campus in Baltimore and in Hyattsville/Langley Park. It is critical that we reach all communities that have been impacted by COVID-19, said Laurens, highlighting the importance of UMSOMs collaboration with CASA. Moderna is leading the trial as the regulatory sponsor and is providing the investigational vaccine for the trial. The Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response and NIAID are providing funding support for the trial. UMSOM is part of the NIAID-supported COVID-19 Prevention Network (CoVPN), which aims to enroll thousands of volunteers in large-scale clinical trials, testing a variety of investigational vaccines and monoclonal antibodies intended to protect people from COVID-19. Trial volunteers will receive two intramuscular injections approximately 28 days apart. Participants will be randomly assigned to receive two injections of either the mRNA-1273 vaccine or a salt water placebo. The trial is blinded, so the investigators and the participants will not know who is assigned to which group until the study is over. Participants will be asked to provide a nasopharyngeal swab and a blood sample at an initial screening visit as well as at several time points after each vaccination and over the next two years after the second vaccination. Scientists will examine blood samples in the laboratory to better understand the immune responses to SARS-CoV-2 that provide protection. Kathleen Neuzil, MD, MPH Our team is contributing to the advancement of several promising COVID vaccine candidates. We are working diligently to ensure that the safety and performance of these vaccines is meticulously assessed, said Kathleen Neuzil, MD, MPH, FIDSA, the Myron M. Levine, MD, DTPH, Professor in Vaccinology and CVD director. Neuzil also is a co-director of CoVPN, which brings together experts from existing NIAID-supported clinical research networks to fight COVID-19. Kirsten Lyke, MD The Moderna Phase 3 trial at CVD adds to COVID-19 research already underway at UMSOM. In May, CVD researchers Kathleen Neuzil, MD and Kirsten Lyke, MD, professor of medicine, led Phase 1 trials of mRNA vaccine constructs developed by Pfizer and BioNTech. Early results published this month in Nature showed that these Pfizer/BioNTech vaccines are well tolerated and have produced a robust immune response in healthy adult volunteers. Research on these Pfizer/BioNTech vaccines continues, as UMSOM researchers have now vaccinated a group of adults aged 65 and older as part of this study and are analyzing the results from that cohort. About mRNA Vaccines Both Moderna and Pfizer have chosen to develop mRNA vaccines or messenger RNA vaccines that direct the bodys cells to make the spike protein that projects from the surface of the virus. The vaccine is delivered inside of a lipid (fatty) envelope to strengthen the immune responses. This type of vaccine does not contain any part of the virus that could cause COVID-19. An advantage of an mRNA vaccine over a vaccine that directly injects the spike protein is the ability to rapidly produce large quantities of vaccine doses against a new pathogen. At present, there is no Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-licensed mRNA vaccine. If continued research shows efficacy of this vaccine, it could serve as a key platform for other vaccines. This is an important development toward developing a vaccine against COVID-19. This research conducted by our experts in the UMSOM Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health has the potential for impacting millions of people in the world, as we urgently need a vaccine against this deadly illness, said UMSOM Dean E. Albert Reece, MD, PhD, MBA, who also is executive vice president for medical affairs, University of Maryland, Baltimore, and the John Z. and Akiko K. Bowers Distinguished Professor at UMSOM. About the University of Maryland School of Medicine Now in its third century, the University of Maryland School of Medicine was chartered in 1807 as the first public medical school in the United States. It continues today as one of the fastest-growing, top-tier biomedical research enterprises in the world with 45 academic departments, centers, institutes, and programs; and a faculty of more than 3,000 physicians, scientists, and allied health professionals, including members of the National Academy of Medicine and the National Academy of Sciences, and a distinguished two-time winner of the Albert E. Lasker Award in Medical Research. With an operating budget of more than $1.2 billion, the School of Medicine works closely in partnership with the University of Maryland Medical Center and University of Maryland Medical System to provide research-intensive, academic and clinically based care for nearly 2 million patients each year. The School of Medicine has more than $540 million in extramural funding, with most of its academic departments highly ranked among all medical schools in the nation in research funding. As one of the seven professional schools that make up the University of Maryland, Baltimore campus, the School of Medicine has a total population of nearly 9,000 faculty and staff, including 2,500 student trainees, residents, and fellows. The combined School of Medicine and Medical System (University of Maryland Medicine) has an annual budget of nearly $6 billion and an economic impact of more than $15 billion on the state and local community. The School of Medicine faculty, which ranks as the eighth-highest among public medical schools in research productivity, is an innovator in translational medicine, with 600 active patents and 24 startup companies. The School of Medicine works locally, nationally, and globally, with research and treatment facilities in 36 countries around the world. Visit medschool.umaryland.edu. About the Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health For over 40 years, researchers in the Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health have worked domestically and internationally to develop, test, and deploy vaccines to aid the worlds underserved populations. CVD is an academic enterprise engaged in the full range of infectious disease intervention from basic laboratory research through vaccine development, pre-clinical and clinical evaluation, large-scale pre-licensure field studies, and post-licensure assessments. CVD has worked to eliminate vaccine-preventable diseases. CVD has created and tested vaccines against cholera, typhoid fever, paratyphoid fever, non-typhoidal Salmonella disease, shigellosis (bacillary dysentery), Escherichia coli diarrhea, nosocomial pathogens, tularemia, influenza, malaria, and other infectious diseases. CVDs research covers the broader goal of improving global health by conducting innovative, leading research in Baltimore and around the world. CVD researchers are developing new and improved ways to diagnose, prevent, treat, control, and eliminate diseases of global impact. Currently, these diseases include typhoid, Shigella, E. coli diarrhea, malaria, and other vaccine-preventable infectious diseases. CVD researchers have been involved in critical vaccine development for emerging pathogens such as Ebola and Zika. In addition, CVDs work focuses on the ever-growing challenge of antimicrobial resistance. Iraqi authorities said on Tuesday morning, September 15, that US air defenses had intercepted two rockets fired towards the Green Zone in central Baghdad. The Green Zone was hit at 1 am this morning, said the Iraqi Security Media Cell in a statement released to Iraqi media. [The rockets] were intercepted by the C-RAM system and there were no losses or damage. Videos shared on social media show the C-RAM systems distinctive tracer fire lighting up the sky over Baghdad. The system was installed earlier this year, and, in July, attempted to intercept a rocket fired at the Green Zone, according to the AP. The system was deployed following consultations with Iraqi authorities, according to a US official quoted by Fox News. Credit: Al-Washash City via Storyful One of Editor & Publishers 10 That Do It Right 2021 Business owners forced to close their doors amid the coronavirus lockdown have been told their insurance claims must be paid following a High Court judgment. The Financial Conduct Authority brought a test case in front of the High Court earlier this year after insurers rejected business interruption insurance claims - even where lost earnings due to a pandemic appeared to be covered in policy wordings. This morning, the Court ruled on a representative sample of 17 policy wordings used by 16 insurers, after an eight-day hearing. The judgment found that most, though not all, of the disease clauses in the sample do provide cover. Hiscox, RSA and QBE are among the insurers whose policies were tested by the Court The test case also clarified that the Covid-19 pandemic and the government and public response were a single cause of the covered loss, which is a key requirement for claims to be paid even if the policy provides cover. Insurers argued that the insurance policies in question don't cover pandemics, even though some explicitly stated that cover was provided for notifiable diseases. Christopher Woolard, interim chief executive of the FCA, said: 'We are pleased that the Court has substantially found in favour of the arguments we presented on the majority of the key issues. 'Today's judgment is a significant step in resolving the uncertainty being faced by policyholders. 'Insurers should reflect on the clarity provided here and, irrespective of any possible appeals, consider the steps they can take now to progress claims of the type that the judgment says should be paid. 'They should also communicate directly and quickly with policyholders who have made claims affected by the judgment to explain next steps.' Small businesses faced bankruptcy during lockdown after having their claims turned down While the FCA says that the majority of business interruption customers are not covered for coronavirus, there remains a dispute over policies which contain certain clauses. Lloyd's of London underwriter Hiscox, FTSE 100 giant RSA and Australia's QBE are among insurers accused by policyholders of unfairly denying claims. As a result of the ruling, insurers should pay out hundreds of millions of pounds to policyholders. Hiscox expects to have to pay out 100million as a result of the ruling, for example. Before that happens, insurers are likely to appeal the decision, delaying claim payouts further. Will insurers now pay out? Unless successfully appealed, the High Court judgment is legally binding on the eight insurers that were part of the test case. For insurance policies with similar policy wordings and claims, the FCA says today's rulings provides 'persuasive guidance' - meaning it will be much harder for insurers to wriggle out of paying. However the majority of business interruption policies will not be affected and policyholders are being urged to carefully check their policy wordings. It's likely that insurers will now appeal the decision. This means they may not pay out in the meantime until the appeals process has fully finished. Huw Evans, director general of the Association of British Insurers said: 'This is a complex judgment spanning 162 pages and 19 policy wordings and it will take a little time for those involved in the court case to understand what it means and consider any appeals. 'Individual insurers will be analysing the judgment, engaging with the regulator, taking account of the appeal process and keeping their customers informed in the period ahead.' NVBDC leadership is expanding to bring organizations together whose purpose is to develop and promote the success and growth of Service Disabled and Veteran-Owned Businesses. Lieutenant Colonel (retired) Kathy Poynton, Director, NVBDC MVO Task Force Kathy Poynton previously worked with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation as the National Director of Event Operations & Specialty Events, Hiring Our Heroes. Where she created, organized, and executed Veteran hiring events stateside and overseas. She supervised and mentored a team of seven event planners that have executed over 1,100 hiring events resulting in employment of 31,000 veterans nationwide. Kathy personally executed 147 hiring events. Lieutenant Colonel (retired) Kathy Poynton served over 32 years in service, over 24 of those years in active duty status. During her military career she has deployed to Honduras, Panama, Turkey, Kuwait, and Afghanistan. Kathy received numerous awards during her service including Bronze Star, Army Commendation Medal and Iraqi Campaign Medal. Lieutenant Colonel (retired) Kathy Poynton, Director, NVBDC MVO Task Force Kathy Poynton previously worked with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation as the National Director of Event Operations & Specialty Events, Hiring Our Heroes. Where she created, organized, and executed Veteran hiring events stateside and overseas. She supervised and mentored a team of seven event planners that have executed over 1,100 hiring events resulting in employment of 31,000 veterans nationwide. Kathy personally executed 147 hiring events. Lieutenant Colonel (retired) Kathy Poynton served over 32 years in service, over 24 of those years in active duty status. During her military career she has deployed to Honduras, Panama, Turkey, Kuwait, and Afghanistan. Kathy received numerous awards during her service including Bronze Star, Army Commendation Medal and Iraqi Campaign Medal. The primary role of the NVBDC Military and Veteran Organization Task Force is to focus on pursuing and achieving tactical and strategic objectives by partnering with organizations having equal goals to help Veteran Businesses. The NVBDC Military and Veteran Organization Task Force Director will engage, build, and lead the task force to extend the reach and understanding of corporate certification standards of the NVBDC program. Through the efforts of this Task Force and the team, NVBDC will collaborate and partner with strategic Military and Veteran organizations while creating reciprocal business relationships that will enhance both of our values and directives as Veteran business support agencies. The primary role of the NVBDC Military and Veteran Organization Task Force is to focus on pursuing and achieving tactical and strategic objectives by partnering with organizations having equal goals to help Veteran Businesses. The NVBDC Military and Veteran Organization Task Force Director will engage, build, and lead the task force to extend the reach and understanding of corporate certification standards of the NVBDC program. Through the efforts of this Task Force and the team, NVBDC will collaborate and partner with strategic Military and Veteran organizations while creating reciprocal business relationships that will enhance both of our values and directives as Veteran business support agencies. Detroit, MI, Sept. 15, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- National Veteran Business Development Council (NVBDC) Certification is the leading certification organization to ensure credible and reliable documentation exists of Veteran status, ownership and operational control. NVBDC has become recognized as the source for corporations seeking certified Service-Disabled/Veteran Owned Businesses (SD/VOBs). Our organizational structure consists of the Board of Directors, Advisory Board, Officers and Staff, and is designed to bring diverse teams together to create a force that strengthens the visibility of Veteran business owners of all sizes in the corporate marketplace. Story continues Over the past seven years since we created the NVBDC we have seen limited efforts by the major Military Service Organizations (MSOs) and the Veteran service organizations (VSOs) in trying to help our veteran business owners succeed. We have watched the launch of many government and educational programs designed to help Veterans learn to start and grow a business. Unfortunately, most of these efforts are directed towards doing business with the Federal Government and completely miss the much larger corporate market. The training programs are very beneficial but from our point of view, they stop way short of delivering the needed information to compete at the next level said Keith King, NVBDC founder and CEO. NVBDC is Vets helping Vets, and as we have established a strong foothold on the National/International stage, our leadership is expanding to identify, connect and partner with other organizations whose purpose is to help their members who may own a business to promote the success and growth of their service disabled and veteran-owned companies. The primary role of the NVBDC Military and Veteran Organization Task Force is to focus on pursuing and achieving tactical and strategic objectives by partnering with organizations having equal goals to help Veteran Businesses. The NVBDC Military and Veteran Organization Task Force Director will engage, build, and lead the task force to extend the reach and understanding of corporate certification standards of the NVBDC program. Through the efforts of this Task Force and the team, NVBDC will collaborate and partner with strategic Military and Veteran organizations while creating reciprocal business relationships that will enhance both of our values and directives as Veteran business support agencies. NVBDC created the only acceptable veteran business certification program that meets the Billion Dollar Roundtable corporate certification standards. Standards that are much higher than Federal, State, and local government programs. To truly be able to bring the full market value of the corporate support our Veteran Business Owners have, we must plan, strategize and work with the leading military and veteran organizations that can help execute our plan by using their expertise and concentrated focus on this key economic opportunity, Said Brigadier General (ret) Richard Miller, President, National Veteran Business Development Council. Choosing the right person for the director position was imperative to NVBDCs organizational goals. Kathy Poynton previously worked with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation as the National Director of Event Operations & Specialty Events, Hiring Our Heroes. Where she created, organized, and executed Veteran hiring events stateside and overseas. She supervised and mentored a team of seven event planners that have executed over 1,100 hiring events resulting in employment of 31,000 veterans nationwide. Kathy personally executed 147 hiring events. We are honored to have Kathy as the primary advocate for identifying and engaging with the leading military and Veteran organizations in her position with NVBDC as the Military and Veteran Organization task force Director said Brigadier General (ret) Richard Miller, President, National Veteran Business Development Council. Lieutenant Colonel (retired) Kathy Poynton served over 32 years in service, over 24 of those years in active duty status. During her military career she has deployed to Iraq, Honduras, Panama, Turkey, Kuwait, and Afghanistan. Kathy received numerous awards during her service including Bronze Star, Army Commendation Medal and Iraqi Campaign Medal. Kathy is a results-driven leader with experience providing strategic management in areas of operations, human resources, project and program management, and process improvement. Kathy has a Masters, in Public Administration, Marist College, Poughkeepsie, NY and is a graduate of Command and General Staff College. Together, Kathy and the task force will promote Veteran-Owned Businesses (VOBs), especially businesses owned and operated by Service-Disabled Veterans (SD/VOBs) to national VSO and Military Service Organizations (MSOs). We believe the MSOs and VSOs can help their membership grow by being recognized as an advocate for their current and future members who are or will become business owners. The NVBDC views entrepreneurship as another form of employment and we believe that helping our veterans succeed in business helps them, their families, and the communities in which they reside. The NVBDC wants to work with the MSOs and VSOs who can help make this a reality for our veterans. Kathy is excited to kick-start her plan and develop her role bringing these organizations together. Kathy initiated a soft launch of the NVBDC Task Force, before this announcement, and the feedback has been exceptional. She is already underway with 6 organizations starting the process of becoming involved to join together and establish the NVBDC Task Force. We have signed MOUs from Women Veterans Empowered & Thriving, Warrior Women United, Veteran Business Network, The Rosie Network, InvestVets and The Women Veterans Alliance. The very first organization to sign a MOU is The Women Veterans Alliance; A prime example of the NVBDC Task Force mission to connect with MVO/VSO organizations that have similar goals. The Women Veterans Alliance vision is to connect over 2 million Women Veterans (and supporters) globally for the purpose of sharing their gifts, talents, resources and experience. They are committed to creating a community that Equips, Empowers and Encourages women that have served our county with knowledge, resources, mentorship, and career opportunities to discover and fulfill their greatest potential. National Veteran Business Development Council is devoted to increasing awareness, promoting Veteran-owned businesses of ALL SIZES in the corporate marketplace, reinforce the reliability of NVBDC Certification and bring the Veteran communities together. NVBDCs Mission: The NVBDC is the only Veteran Owned Business Certification organization developed by Veterans for Veterans. The purpose is to provide a credible and reliable certifying authority for all size businesses, ensuring that valid documentation exists of Veteran ownership and control. Any questions go to: www.nvbdc.org or contact us at (888)-CERTIFIED National Veterans Business Attachments CONTACT: Keith King, Founder & CEO National Veteran Business Development Council 313.446.6885 kking@nvbdc.org TORONTO, Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Six visually impaired college students in Canada and the United States are a step closer to achieving their dreams with the help of eSight , the company behind the clinically validated, wearable assistive device that significantly enhances vision for those living with low vision and legal blindness. The company is awarding five of its life-changing devices to students in Canada, with a sixth in the United States receiving a monetary scholarship. The Canadian students who received the devices were selected by eSight and the CNIB Foundation . The winners are: Camilla Cambell-Davis , 28, of Calgary, Alberta , studying early childhood development at Bow Valley College , 28, of , studying early childhood development at Bow Valley College Sean Heaslip , 40, of Vancouver, British Columbia , a PhD candidate in Counselling Psychology at the University of British Columbia , 40, of , a PhD candidate in Counselling Psychology at the Emma Van-Dyk , 18, of London, Ontario , studying nursing at the University of Western Ontario , 18, of , studying nursing at the Nicolas Garcia , 27, of Calgary, Alberta , earning his master's degree in mathematics at Queens University , 27, of , earning his master's degree in mathematics at Gregory Carrier , 37, of Edmonton, Alberta , a PhD candidate in Medieval History at the University of Toronto with a concentration on the lives of people who were deaf and blind Winners were selected based on an essay, two reference letters and an eSight evaluation to ensure the medical devices are a fit for their eye conditions. All of the recipients are living with eye diseases and disorders that cause low vision and legal blindness, though they will be able to see with near perfect vision when wearing eSight. eSight separately awarded a monetary scholarship to Tori Diamond, who lives in Columbia, South Carolina. She already owns eSight, so she plans to use the $2,000 scholarship to help pay her tuition as she works toward a degree in psychology at South University. "A common theme we see with these students is that they want to help others. Looking at their education routes, we will all benefit from their future successes," said eSight CEO, Robert Vaters. "We know that eSight can help students through many aspects of college that some of us take for granted, like reading textbooks, getting to and from class, seeing slides during a lecture and enjoying a greater sense of independence. With the scholarships, we are confident that the selected students will not only excel throughout college, but well beyond." eSight's vision-enhancing technology works by stimulating the remaining synaptic activity in the user's eyes to provide the brain with increased visual information. The device combines a best-match camera, lens and two high-resolution screens, which can integrate with the user's own prescription lenses for even greater visual clarity. eSight users typically live with serious eye conditions such as macular degeneration, Stargardt's disease, diabetic retinopathy, optic nerve hypoplasia and more. A typical eSight user has a visual acuity range from 20/60 to 20/800 but some users live with up to 20/1400. To learn more, visit www.esighteyewear.com . About eSight eSight is a leading vision-platform organization with a simple but profound promise: provide individuals living with vision loss the chance to see new possibilities. eSight eyewear is the most advanced and versatile assistive device available for those with visual impairments, most commonly caused by conditions such as macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy and Stargardt's disease. eSight is clinically-proven and registered with the FDA and EUDAMED, and is inspected by Health Canada. Learn more at www.eSightEyewear.com. Press Contact: Shannon Craig 647.494.4117 https://www.eSightEyewear.com SOURCE eSight A leader in Hurras al-Din has been killed in a drone strike that targeted his car as it drove through Idleb city reports SY 24. On Monday, a drone belonging to the US-led International Coalition to Defeat the Islamic State targeted a car in the center of Idleb city in the al-Qusour neighborhood, killing two people. According to SY 24s correspondent, The drone targeted the car near the al-Rawda Mosque in Idleb, with four missiles, which killed those who were in the car. Military forces cordoned off the site. SY 24 learned, through private sources, that the bombing targeted a leader in Hurras al-Din, a Tunisian national. On Aug. 13, 2020, the so-called Abu Yahya Uzbak was targeted near the city of Sarmada in the northern countryside of Idleb. On Jun. 24, 2020, the International Coalition killed Hurras al-Din leader, Abu al-Qassam al-Urduni, when they targeted his car on the Idleb-Binnish road. In recent months, the International Coalition has intensified its targeting of figures belonging to the organizations classified as terrorists in northern Syria, specifically after it carried out an operation in the Idleb countryside, in which the leader of the Islamic State, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, was killed. This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author. We are focused on creating a consistent and sustainable business model" Highland Properties, LLC announced today it has closed on the purchase of MNSTAR Technologies, a leader in providing electrical system solutions and high-quality manufactured wire harnesses. Along with the change in ownership comes a new name, MNSTAR Group Highland Holdings, LLC. This name change increases the scope and breadth of the MNSTAR brand. While the deal closed today, Highland Properties, LLC has been operating the business under a management contract since May 14. Founded nearly 30 years ago in a Grand Rapids basement and garage, MNSTAR has grown to be a leader in the wire harness industry which serves manufacturers of cars, emergency vehicles, boats, RVs, and construction vehicles. With 50 associates presently, MNSTAR has been a working 23-thousand square foot manufacturing facility to hundreds of workers for nearly three decades. We are eager to enhance the capital of this long-standing company and expand upon its history of being a leader in the industry, said George W. Klus, Chairman of Highland Properties. Our goals include improving business levels and expanding our client base to help add jobs on Minnesotas Iron Range. MNSTAR founder Michael Rhodes will stay with the company as a staff engineer. I am excited to work with this ownership group and help them expand on the opportunities we started, said Rhodes. This change will help us move to the next level in the industry. Klus said the industry is changing and he intends to bring MNSTAR up to speed with an infusion of capital and leadership, which he believes will invigorate the company and provide steady growth. Leading the day-to-day operations of MNSTAR is President and CEO Kip Boie, a Navy veteran with more than four decades of manufacturing experience. We are committed to generating growth while holding true to the founding principles of MNSTAR, said Boie. The most important resource this company has is our employees. We are focused on creating a consistent and sustainable business model that will enable us to employ even more of our neighbors. Boie said that the outlook for growth is good for MNSTAR Group Highland Holdings, LLC. We are already strengthening relationships with our current customers to improve our ability to serve them. We will position ourselves to win more business from around the state, region and country, said Boie. I believe that with an infusion of resources this company will not only expand physically but also in terms of employees and in the scope of the clients we serve. Klus added that it is important in challenging times for manufacturing companies of all sorts to make commitments to use products made in America. We pledge to use products made in the USA to ensure our customers are getting the best materials possible, all while supporting the American economy, he said. We look forward to hitting the ground running and being our absolute best. About MNSTAR Group Highland Holdings, LLC: Founded in 1993, MNSTAR is a leader in providing electrical system solutions and high-quality manufactured wire harnesses with "Quality by Design". MNSTAR designs innovative solutions that provide manufacturability to the customer and serviceability to the end user. This strategy allows MNSTAR Technologies to maintain an overall leadership position in the Emergency, Commercial Truck, Quality OEM, Marine and Energy markets. Attention reporters and editors all of the newsmakers in this release are available for interviews to make scheduling easy and hassle free contact Robb Leer publicist 612.701.0608 robbl@leercommunication.com for more information on MN Star Technologies go to https://mnstar.com/ or https://www.facebook.com/MNSTAR.Group.1 ### As smaller political parties continue to raise alarm over the GHC100,000 Cedis filing fees being charged by the Electoral Commission (EC) a Deputy Director of Communications of the NPP, Kamal-Deen Abdulai has justified the old one billion cedis figure. He has also commended the EC arguing that this is a good measure to reduce the number of persons on the ballot. The Electoral Commission, on Monday, September 14, 2020, opened nominations for the 2020 presidential and parliamentary elections. The nomination forms are to be filed from Monday, October 5, 2020, to Friday, October 9, 2020, with GHS100, 000 set as the filing fee for presidential candidates, and GHS10, 000 for parliamentary candidates. But there have been varied opinions on the amount set, with many calling for a reduction. Meanwhile, Kamal-Deen Abdulai says the GHS100,000 fee requirement will help prevent a situation where over 40 candidates could be found on the ballot. Mr. Kamal-Deen Abdulai made these comments on Citi TV's Breakfast Daily show on Tuesday, September 15, 2020. In any case, political parties like the NDC not too long ago charged GHS400,000 for their presidential elections. The NPP also charged GHS200,000 for their presidential candidates. So, I think it is to sanitise the system. The money is not going to the Electoral Commission but for all Ghanaians, he said. EC defends GHS100,000 filing fee for presidential aspirants The Electoral Commission has justified the increment in filing fees for the 2020 presidential and parliamentary elections. A Deputy Chairman of the Commission, Dr. Bossman Eric Asare insisted that the increment is in tandem with the value of the currency. In each particular year, it is important you look at the value of GHS50,000 in 2016, then compare it to GHS50,000 in 2020 then you will notice that the Commission has not increased it much. And even when you look at the [filing fee for] parliamentary [aspirants], the GHS10,000, you will realise that the Commission has reduced the price because we all know that GHS10,000 in 2016, is not the same as GHS10,000 in 2020. The Commission is doing this to promote multiparty democracy. ---CitinewsRoom ASTA Awards 3rd Annual Susan D. Tanzman Inspiration Award to Karolina Shenton, Vice President of The Cruise Web Advisors are the heart and soul of travel industry and their hard work will assure our industry will not only persevere, but thrive. The American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA) promotes outstanding contributions within the travel community and recognizes the individuals and organizations working to improve and promote the world of travel. Winners were chosen by ASTA Members and announced virtually at the 2020 ASTA Global Live conference. In the attached clip, David Harris, CEO and Helen Enriquez, VP, Product Development and Technology Solutions of Ensemble Travel Group announce the big news: https://www.youtube.com/embed/cNBEmUYq_jw. Named in honor of the late Susan Tanzman, a long-time advocate for travel agents, the Susan D. Tanzman Inspiration Award is presented annually to individuals exemplifying Susans inspirational spirit and dedication to the travel community. When Karolina emigrated as a young woman from Poland into an entry level sales department coordinator role at The Cruise Web, I saw quickly that Karolina had a rare and special blend of intelligence, focus, and determination that would make her a leader," said Frans Hansen, President of The Cruise Web. "18 years later, Karolina's contributions have not only helped The Cruise Web become what we are today, but her advocacy and professionalism have benefited all travel retailers and the greater travel industry community. Upon accepting the award, Karolina Shenton said, I am truly honored to accept this amazing recognition. Furthermore, Im humbled by the great efforts being made throughout our industry to assure a bright future. There has never been a time more important than right now, to work together to assure that the industry we all love and live emerges healthy and stronger than ever. Throughout my 18 years in the travel industry, I have always been impressed by the unwavering creativity, professionalism and resilience of travel advisors. Advisors are the heart and soul of this industry and their hard work will assure our industry will not only persevere, but thrive." Please join us once again in congratulating Karolina Shenton, recipient of the 2020 Susan D. Tanzman Inspiration Award! We know Karolinas impact extends far beyond The Cruise Web, and we believe the travel community as a whole is better because of her contributions and dedication to the industry and its members. About The Cruise Web The Cruise Web is an independent travel agency with over 25 years of experience with personal vacation planning. The Cruise Web provides the best vacation value for travelers around the world, saving their clients both time and money. To learn more, contact The Cruise Web today at 1-800-377-9383 (toll-free) or 1-240-487-0155 (international), and online at CruiseWeb.com. The work- and school-week got off to an inauspicious start when it came to new COVID-19 cases in Ontario. On Monday, the provinces public health units reported 371 cases in the past 24 hours, a level not seen since early June. I dont think theres anyone who understands infectious diseases in epidemiology who isnt concerned because the number of cases are pretty high. And theyre almost certainly a substantial undercount of how many cases there really are, said Andrew Morris, an infectious disease specialist at Sinai Health and University Health Network, and a professor of medicine at the University of Toronto. Other areas of the country, particularly the east coast, are faring better. In the west, cases continue to climb. Here, the Star takes stock of the current state of affairs across the country and asks three experts to weigh in on what is happening and what we might see in the coming days and weeks. Did the gamble of bubbling in the eastern provinces pay off? Nova Scotia hasnt reported a new case of the virus in nearly a week and New Brunswick has had similar success, with one new case of the virus reported on Monday. The two provinces entered into an Atlantic bubble with Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland on July 3, allowing people in the provinces to travel freely without the 14-day isolation requirement. Cases have remained low. The region had a natural advantage with no large international airports and low population density, said Colin Furness, an infection-control epidemiologist and assistant professor at the University of Toronto. Despite the perceived advantage, he said the provincial governments intervened early to restrict visitors to the provinces, although Nova Scotia never implemented the same restrictions and remained open with the 14-day isolation requirement. But the province did ask its residents to remain within their household bubble until the middle of May, when they allowed families to double bubble. Furness said residents in the Atlantic Provinces seem to have a strong cultural orientation to community safety: the discourse out there is not demanding that things reopen rapidly, but an overriding concern about safety and not rushing. In June, the province broke up the bubbles, allowing groups of 10 without social distancing, and groups of up to 50 at events when social distancing could be maintained. Its hard to parse what is responsible for their success public attitudes or early interventions but both were really well oriented to great outcomes, said Furness. They get an A+ from me across the board not just the government and the public health authorities, but the citizens themselves. I think they set a world-class example for an effective response. Cases continue to climb out west British Columbia is nearing the 7,000 mark for cumulative cases of COVID-19 and active cases in the province are at 1,476 double what they were at their height in late April. There are 49 people in hospital, the highest number since the middle of May, and 10 of those in the ICU, according to media reports. Dr. Bonnie Henry, the provinces health officer, has asked people to maintain social bubbles of no more than six and to physically distance in public or wear a mask when thats not possible. Furness said the province intervened early and rigorously, and active cases began to drop in early May. The problem there is the risk of complacency in thinking that they had avoided COVID, rather than that they have avoided it so far, said Furness. B.C. has a lot of risk factors that the Atlantic Provinces dont, and they opened up more aggressively too. Im betting that B.C. will weather this rise in cases effectively over the winter and not be overwhelmed, he added. Alberta too had success early on and new cases reported each day were on the decline by the end of April. But a month later they started to creep up again and have risen from a low of 13 on May 25 to more than 100 in recent days. Ontario: Do we need to take a step back? In what could be an ominous sign, new lab-confirmed cases of COVID-19 reached 371 Monday, according to the Stars count of cases reported by local public health units. The new cases come just as schoolchildren across the province headed back to the classroom in staggered starts Monday. Over the last week, Ontario has seen an average of 228 new cases reported each day the highest seven-day average the province has seen since mid-June. Nearly 60 per cent of Mondays newly reported cases were in Toronto, Peel and Ottawa. Todd Coleman, an epidemiologist and assistant professor in health sciences at Wilfrid Laurier University, said the recent upward trend of new cases reinforces the need for public health messaging to continue to emphasize the three pillars of prevention: mask wearing, hand washing and social distancing. I have a feeling that were seeing people potentially making risk compensation decisions where theyre saying, I can social distance but I wont wear a mask or something along those lines, Coleman said. Theyre not really enacting all three of the pillars of prevention that we know are helping to reduce numbers. Sinai Healths Morris noted that there is mixed messaging coming from the provincial government in terms of the size of gatherings allowed. (Currently indoor gatherings are limited to a maximum of 50 people, while outdoors the limit is 100 people). Citizens in Brampton recently complained to the city about a crowded backyard party, but because there were fewer than 100 people in attendance, bylaw officers couldnt break it up. Were allowing larger gatherings, but on the other hand were telling people not to have larger gatherings, he said. If we believe that large gatherings are a problem, then we do need to do everything in our power to reduce those gatherings. Coleman also pointed out that more than six months into the pandemic, people might be experiencing social-distancing fatigue, especially in light of the fact that new infections went down over the summer compared to earlier in the year. It was a sentiment echoed by Health Minister Christine Elliott speaking to reporters Monday. That leads people to think maybe its not so bad, maybe my chances of getting infected arent so great so Ill go out and do some of the little things that I havent been able to do for the past few months, Coleman said. The problem there though is that this is an easy virus to transmit once you are in contact with someone ... it just takes one to infect a whole bunch of people and to lead to really large chains of infection. In Toronto alone Monday, there were 108 new cases reported a number that just a few weeks ago was closer to what was being reported provincewide. In Ottawa, another region helping to drive Ontario-wide numbers of new coronavirus cases, the citys public health unit Monday reported 61 new cases of the virus and one new death. Ottawa Public Health reports that there are currently 11 hospitalizations due to the virus with one case in intensive care. To date, the region has had 3,335 cases and 268 deaths attributed to COVID-19. Public health units in Peel Region and York Region reported 51 and 21 new infections, respectively, on Monday. Already in York Region, a staff member at the before-and-after school program at Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Elementary School in Woodbridge has tested positive for the virus. Students and staff in the program have been asked to self-isolate for 14 days. Coleman noted that with students in Kindergarten to Grade 12 returning to class this week, as well as university and college students, more outbreaks are likely in the cards in the coming weeks. The trajectory doesnt look positive. With files from Ed Tubb and Breanna Xavier-Carter Bret Michaels, multi-platinum musician and reality TV star, has been named the official 2020 ambassador for the 10th annual World College Radio Day being held worldwide on Oct. 2, according to a press release from the College Radio Foundation. This celebration will unite college radio stations from more than 30 countries around the world to bring awareness to the work and value they bring to the broadcasting medium. This years theme, Global Solidarity Rocks, reflects on current needs worldwide, from the streets of Beirut, to the race to find a cure for Covid-19, and to all the teachers and students returning to schools with much uncertainty. Michaels, front man of the band Poison and former resident of Mechanicsburg, said of the honor, In this difficult time, there has never been a more important year, or a better year, for the hope that college radio brings. It is the future of communications and, in a year like this, communication is key. Music itself is the soundtrack to life and helps drive us through these unprecedented times. When dorms and campuses may be quiet, this should be the time for college radio to be going strong. Bret is honored to be named the Official 2020 Ambassador for World @collegeradioday Read all about it here: https://t.co/Ycs2Rrnnpz pic.twitter.com/QIjlo14bnM Bret Michaels (@bretmichaels) September 15, 2020 His Life Rocks Foundation will be donating $10,000 in personal Bret Grants to participating college radio stations around the world stay on the air, matching the funds raised by the College Radio Foundation. Anabella Poland, general manager of WMSC FM at Montclair State University in New Jersey, said In their early days, Poison received airplay support from college stations that helped songs like Talk Dirty to Me get momentum on radio. Brets passion and authenticity is deeply inspirational to the students. A lifelong Type 1 diabetic, Michaels is known for his unbroken fighting spirit. With over a million injections over his lifetime, a myriad of blood tests and more, he has never let anything stop him. From the lessons he learned along the way, Michaels will be inviting college radio students to #askBret life questions and advice so he can help them navigate the challenges of life. Michaels was scheduled to perform with Poison this summer in Hershey but the concert with Motley Crue, Def Leppard and Joan Jett & the Blackhearts was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. Read more: US President Donald Trump on Monday vowed that any attack by Iran would be met with a response "1,000 times greater in magnitude," after reports that Iran planned to avenge the killing of top general Qasem Soleimani. A US media report, quoting unnamed officials, said that an alleged Iranian plot to assassinate the US ambassador to South Africa was planned before the presidential election in November. "According to press reports, Iran may be planning an assassination, or other attack, against the United States in retaliation for the killing of terrorist leader Soleimani," Trump tweeted. "Any attack by Iran, in any form, against the United States will be met with an attack on Iran that will be 1,000 times greater in magnitude!" Relations between Washington and Tehran have been tense since the Iranian revolution, and have spiralled since Trump unilaterally pulled out of a landmark international nuclear deal with Iran in May 2018. In January, a US drone strike killed Soleimani in Baghdad, and Washington is pushing to extend an arms embargo on Iran that starts to progressively expire in October as well as reimposing UN sanctions on the Islamic republic. The Iranian navy last week said it drove off American aircraft that flew close to an area where military exercises were underway near the Strait of Hormuz. The military said three US aircraft were detected by Iran's air force radars after they entered the country's air defence identification zone. (AFP) COLUMBUS, Ohio The number of Ohio medical marijuana patients who have purchased products from state dispensaries increased by 3.4% between July and August, new figures show. In August, 103,642 patients were registered with the state and have bought the drug, according to the Ohio Medical Marijuana Control Program. This number isnt quite 1% of the states population of 11.7 million. Seven hundred twenty-one registered medical marijuana patients had a terminal diagnosis in August, 9,267 were military veterans and 9,694 patients were low-income. The Ohio General Assembly passed the law in 2016 legalizing medicinal cannabis. Lawsuits and state regulators' delays slowed the opening of the first dispensaries until January 2019. To this day, parts of the program are still not ready: -Of the 19 companies that received provisional licenses to run large-scale marijuana cultivation facilities, only 11 have received certificates of operation. Twelve of the 14 small-scale cultivators are up and running. -51 of 57 dispensaries have certificates of operation. - 23 of 48 processors, companies which create products such as oils, have certificates of operation. -Three of six testers, who check for quality and THC content in marijuana products, have certificates of operation. As of Aug. 17, 21,340 pounds of plant material have been sold, a nearly 16% increase from mid-July. Medical marijuana sales by Aug. 17 totaled $176.1 million, which were also nearly 16% up from a month prior. Other coverage: State board adds cachexia to the list of conditions for Ohio medical marijuana Ohio medical marijuana 1 year in: What you need to know about successes, struggles of the states program For many Ohio marijuana users, the grass is greener in Michigan The United States has imposed visa restrictions on some Nigerians undermining electoral processes in the run up to the governorship elections in Edo and Ondo states. The move also targets individuals it accused of working to undermine the November 2019 governorship polls in Kogi and Bayelsa. Morgan Ortagus, spokesperson for the U.S. Department of State, disclosed this in a statement on Monday. MsOrtagus said those affected were working to undermine the Nigerian democratic process or for organising election-related violence. The Department of State emphasises that the actions announced today are specific to certain individuals and not directed at the Nigerian people. READ ALSO: This decision reflects the Department of States commitment to working with the Nigerian government to realise its expressed commitment to end corruption and strengthen democracy, accountability, and respect for human rights. We remain committed to working together to advance democracy and respect for human rights and achieve greater peace and prosperity for both our nations. We condemn the acts of violence, intimidation, or corruption that harmed Nigerians and undermined the democratic process. The spokesperson urged the Independent National Electoral Commission, political parties, security services and other stakeholders in the impending Edo and Ondo elections to uphold the tenets of democracy. She underscored the need for them to facilitate genuinely free and fair elections, conducted in an appropriately transparent and non-violent manner. she said. She did not provide vital details of Nigerians affected such as their identities, how many they are and how the government arrived at its conclusion. On enquiry, another spokesperson of the department told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that such information was protected by U.S. privacy laws. Visa records are confidential under Section 222(f) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). Therefore, we cannot discuss the details of individual visa cases, the official said. In Mondays statement, Ms Ortagus said the latest targets operated with impunity at the expense of the Nigerian people and have undermined democratic principles. The Edo and Ondo governorship polls are scheduled to hold on Sept. 19 and Oct. 10. (NAN) At the beginning of the new semester, canteens from colleges and universities in Beijing came up with new ways to encourage students to prevent wasting food and clean their plates. Students buy "small fried dish" in a canteen in the Capital University of Economics and Business (Photo/Cao Haipeng) In order to encourage teachers and students to empty their plates, in addition to providing half servings of rice, canteens at Beihang University have begun to produce and sell handmade "mini-sized steamed buns" at a low price. One of the canteens has also provided a half-price "small fried dish, while some other canteens allow customers to take food themselves and pay according to the weight of the meals. "Finally, there is no need to worry about having meals with inappropriate servings. It's perfect, as I can buy one and a half servings now," said a girl at the canteen. Meals suitable for sale by weight can be counted in tael at canteens of Tsinghua University. Rice can also be bought in tael, and a large steamed bun can be sold in halves. Furthermore, the canteens also provide takeaway packaging to encourage students to pack up their leftovers. Canteens at the Capital University of Economics and Business have provided windows for small servings of food. "It's hard not to have an empty plate," said Feng Boyi, a sophomore, adding that "it's very scientifically designed. At a canteen of the university, teachers and students can get rewards such as paper tissues and fruits with their emptied plates. The school also plans to upgrade the intelligent settlement system to help make the Clean Your Plate campaign a normal part of canteen procedure. Students from the China Agricultural University can be rewarded with customized university-themed tableware if they post photos of their emptied plates on their social media. Ma Ziwei, organizer of the activity and deputy secretary of the universitys Youth League Committee, said that the purpose of this activity is to teach freshmen the first lesson on not wasting food and to create a strong campus atmosphere of cherishing food. The Ministry of Transport said Vietnam would not resume regular commercial flights internationally starting Tuesday, despite earlier suggestions to do so. Resuming international flights starting Tuesday is out of the question since medical authorities are still finalizing Covid-19 testing and quarantine procedures for individual arrivals, a transport ministry official said. Plans on containing the coronavirus following the flight resumption are expected to be submitted to the National Steering Committee on Covid-19 Prevention on Thursday. Localities across Vietnam, especially Hanoi and HCMC, need to ensure quarantine zones and surveillance capacity are not overwhelmed by possible new entrants, but they have not been able to determine the number of possible arrivals. After the country managed to bring the second wave of the pandemic under control, the transport ministry earlier this month proposed reopening flights to mainland China, Japan, and South Korea starting September 15, followed by Laos, Cambodia and Taiwan starting September 22. The ministry estimates the number of arrivals to be quarantined per week at about 5,000 in Hanoi and HCMC. The flights will first serve foreign diplomats, officials, experts, business managers, and bring home Vietnamese from overseas. Passengers are yet to include tourists. The arrivals will have to pay for their quarantine and Covid-19 tests. Vietnamese carriers have announced plans to restore commercial international flights to certain locations, with Vietnam Airlines planning to operate one-way flights from Vietnam to Japan starting September 18. Bamboo Airways said Taiwan could be the first international market it plans to resume flights to in October, while Vietjet Air only has plans to resume its Hanoi-Taipei (Taiwan) service. Vietnam has suspended all international flights since late March. The country has recorded 1,063 Covid-19 cases so far, 35 having succumbed to the disease. Many of the fatalities are elderly patients suffering underlying conditions like diabetes and kidney failure. No local transmission has been recorded nationally in nearly two weeks. WASHINGTON, DC / ACCESSWIRE / September 15, 2020 / New developments have raised serious questions regarding the economic and job benefits from offshore wind energy projects in U.S. waters. Unsubstantiated claims of significant economic growth and investment have exaggerated the benefits of offshore wind energy, and diminished the economic and cultural importance of sustainable American wild-caught fisheries. Georgetown Economic Services: Benefits of Offshore Wind 'Grossly Inflated' A new study, conducted by Georgetown Economic Services (GES), finds that "[t]he claim that the huge investments in offshore wind would provide significant job and economic benefits in the U.S. has been grossly inflated." The study also reaches an important conclusion: many of the jobs and benefits would actually go to the foreign-owned companies currently dominating the wind energy landscape, instead of creating local opportunities. The study examined the potential permanent and temporary jobs that would be created by wind energy development in New England and the Mid-Atlantic, and the Vineyard Wind project in particular. It found that estimates for domestic permanent jobs are 3-4 times lower than those promised by the wind industry, and that companies will need to spend millions importing turbines and other equipment from Europe, as the U.S. lacks the relevant infrastructure. "A careful investigation of the employment impact shows a surprisingly low number of positions at the more permanent level of actual operation and maintenance of the offshore wind electricity," the study found. Astonishingly, GES estimates of temporary employment were actually higher than wind energy industry estimates, indicating that temporary construction jobs are expected to go to skilled international workers rather than be sourced locally. Specifically, it found "the bulk of the jobs will be created overseas rather than here at home, and total domestic employment in manufacturing and construction is small when compared with employment in the manufacture of conventional equipment for power generation." Ignoring a Century of Jones Act Precedent This troubling report arrives in the midst of a murky policy atmosphere. Vessels and crews from Europe constructed the two existing U.S. offshore wind energy projects without documentation of any domestic job creation, and there is no apparent movement toward requiring U.S. labor or materials in future projects. The Jones Act requires items shipped within the U.S. to be transported on vessels that are built, owned, and operated by American citizens or permanent residents. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), however, has never issued guidance as to how this law applies to offshore wind energy. In July, CBP issued a "ruling letter" stating that the installation of turbines for the Vineyard Wind project using a non-Jones Act qualified (i.e. foreign-flagged) jack-up vessel would not violate the Jones Act. CBP then abruptly revoked that ruling just a few weeks later, citing uncertainty whether the Jones Act extends to wind energy activities more than 3 miles offshore at all. This appears to create a blanket exemption absent congressional or judicial action, despite the fishing industry's subjugation to protectionist laws and other industries' similarly heavy regulation under "Buy America" provisions. This cannot be the government's intended consequence. One could make a reasonable argument for the use of European jack-up vessels for limited offshore construction, as occurs in oil and gas, when such vessels do not exist in the U.S. But granting carte blanche to bypass domestic investment in a new heavy industry is economically and politically myopic, particularly given the burgeoning offshore wind energy industry in countries like China that are at the cusp of becoming key competitors in this field. Manhattan Institute: "The Dismal Economics of Offshore Wind" The GES study's findings are consistent with other recent reports finding issues with how offshore wind energy is being promoted and developed. A study recently released by the Manhattan Institute also criticized the long-term economic prospects of offshore wind power, finding that "[a]bsent continued subsidies it is unlikely that any offshore wind facilities will be developed." The actual costs to ratepayers are likely far greater than advertised in part because experience from Europe has shown "that the performance of offshore wind turbines degrades rapidly." Unions Cast Doubt on Domestic Workforce Benefits The quality of offshore wind jobs is also in question. A North America's Building Trades Unions report examining the difference across energy industries found that tradespeople "consider projects in oil and natural gas to have better perceived wages, benefits, and opportunities than renewables projects," and that those projects have longer durations. Moreover, it found "skilled trade jobs are not highly interchangeable between [the natural gas and renewables] industries." Failure to Consider Negative Effects on Seafood Sector Employment In July, a study from the Science Center for Marine Fisheries found that officials at the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) were not giving sufficient attention to the potential negative impact of offshore wind on existing ocean use jobs. Estimates of economic and employment benefits promoted by wind energy advocates also consistently ignore the displacement of jobs and revenue from fishing and existing energy industries. Preservation of Fisheries Jobs Demands Caution and Oversight As the federal government deliberates approval of Vineyard Wind-the first such commercial-scale project in the United States-the American public should be highly concerned over misrepresentation of the economic benefits of offshore wind energy. Many state governments and well-funded trade associations are promoting this new industry as a major win for states and ports, providing both jobs and economic growth. However, once permits are issued there is currently no way to monitor or enforce the fulfillment of these promises . Reasoned decisions depend on verification of these claims before jeopardizing the industries that already support our coastal communities. About RODA RODA represents fishing industry associations and companies dedicated to improving the compatibility of offshore developments with their businesses. RODA's approximately 170 members represent every Atlantic coastal state from North Carolina to Maine, and Pacific coast members in California, Oregon, and Washington. PRESS CONTACT Bob Vanasse Stove Boat Communications (202) 333-2628 bob@stoveboat.com SOURCE: Responsible Offshore Development Alliance View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/606072/Offshore-Wind-Energy-Will-Deliver-Few-US-Jobs-Lack-of-Oversight-Means-Most-Jobs-Will-Be-Overseas An independent probe into events at a Belfast cemetery on the day that veteran republican Bobby Storey was cremated is set to report in six weeks. Scenes of mass gatherings in west Belfast at Mr Storeys funeral despite restrictions as part of the coronavirus regulations sparked outrage in June. Further upset was caused over access granted to Roselawn Cemetery on a day when eight other families were denied access due to pandemic measures. Expand Close Deputy First Minister Michelle ONeill during the funeral of Bobby Storey (Liam McBurney/PA) PA / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Deputy First Minister Michelle ONeill during the funeral of Bobby Storey (Liam McBurney/PA) Belfast City Council apologised to those families. The council also ordered an independent investigation into the handling of the funeral at Roselawn Cemetery which will be led by lawyer Peter Coll QC. It will report back in six weeks time. The terms of reference include 14 concerns. The first of these is whether any preferential treatment was sought to accommodate the cremation of Mr Storey by political representatives or others acting on behalf of the family. The list of concerns also includes whether control of the cemetery was handed to persons acting on behalf of the Storey family, using CCTV to examine numbers present and the decision to send council staff home. Mr Coll has also been asked to review when and if decisions were communicated to elected representatives, which elected representatives they were communicated to and when they were so communicated. In a statement, Belfast City Council said families affected by events at Roselawn will be given the opportunity to speak to Mr Coll directly. Party Group Leaders on Belfast City Council have agreed to the release of the Roselawn investigation terms of reference, the statement reads. These incorporate the issues raised by the political parties within council following the decision to commission an independent investigation, and have been approved by all of those parties which supported that decision. The terms of reference provide scope for additional issues to be raised between Party Group Leaders and Peter Coll QC. Council will ensure that any relatives of families impacted may speak directly with Mr Coll QC should they wish to do so. Council will be in touch with family representatives in the coming days to facilitate arrangements should they wish such a meeting to take place. Meanwhile, Mark Webster, deputy chief constable of Cumbria Constabulary, will oversee and direct the PSNIs investigation into potential breaches of Covid-19 restrictions at Mr Storeys funeral. New Delhi: The Border Security Force (BSF) has foiled an infiltration bid by five terrorists from the Pakistan side in Jammu and Kashmir's Samba on the intervening night of September 14-15. As per the reports, the movement of a group of five terrorists was noticed in Pakistan side of International Boundary of Samba sector which was tracked by the BSF troops. "At about 0030 hours, the group of heavily armed five terrorists were seen by BSF troops close to International Boundary on Pakistan side where they reached taking advantage of undulating ground and thick wild growth," said the BSF. "Terrorists then took refuge in a depression having dense wild growth. All nearby BSF duty point was reportedly also alerted and the personnel challenged them to stop on which they fired on BSF party with a heavy volume of fire," added the BSF. The troops in self-defence fired on the infiltrating ANEs with coordinated effective fire and foiled a possible infiltration bid attempt of armed terrorists from Pakistan side helped by Pak Rangers. The area was illuminated by the help of Para bomb and the BSF troops saw fleeing terrorists towards Pakistan. The area was searched but nothing was recovered as terrorists could not cross the international border. According to an official statement, a strong protest note is being lodged with Pakistan Rangers for their assistance in facilitating terrorists in infiltrating towards the Indian side. BAKU, Azerbaijan, Sept. 15 Trend: Another meeting of the Supervisory Board of the Azerbaijan Investment Holding was held on Sept. 15 under the chairmanship of Azerbaijani Prime Minister, Chairman of the Supervisory Board, Ali Asadov, the Azerbaijani Cabinet of Ministers told Trend. The members of the Supervisory Board took part in the meeting. The instructions arising from the Azerbaijani presidents decree dated August 7, 2020, were thoroughly discussed during the meeting. A report on the work carried out to organize the activity of the Azerbaijan Investment Holding was heard. The proposals in connection with the state-owned enterprises, which will be transferred under the management of the Holding following paragraph 5.2 of the Azerbaijani presidents decree dated August 7, 2020, were discussed. A presentation on the principles of the activity of the Holding and the creation of economic value for the state was demonstrated and the corresponding discussions were held. YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 15, ARMENPRESS. President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi of Egypt received on September 14 the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia Zohrab Mnatsakanyan in the presence of Minister of Foreign Affairs of Egypt Mr. Sameh Shoukry and the Armenian ambassador to Cairo. The Spokesman for the Egyptian Presidency stated that President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi welcomed the visit of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia to Cairo, asking him to convey his regards and greetings to the Armenian President, the Egyptian Presidency said. President El-Sisi stressed the special historical relationship between Egypt and Armenia and reaffirmed Egypt's keenness to strengthen joint cooperation between the two countries at various levels to achieve the common interests of the two friendly peoples. For his part, Mr. Mnatsakanyan conveyed the greetings of the Armenian President to President El-Sisi, stressing his country's pride in the close and constructive cooperation between the two countries, particularly as the large Armenian community in Egypt are held in high regard. The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia further commended Egypts distinguished position, regional and international leverage and pivotal role in the region. He further stressed Armenia's mutual interest in strengthening joint cooperation between the two countries, especially in the tourism, cultural, trade and economic fields. The Spokesman added that, during the meeting, they exchanged views on some regional files, including developments in Libya, Syria, Lebanon and the Palestinian cause. They agreed on the importance of undermining foreign interventions in the region that seek to achieve direct gains for their own interests at the expense of security, stability and peoples' capabilities. They also discussed some areas of bilateral cooperation between the two countries, including increasing mutual investment opportunities and improving and enhancing trade exchange, especially in the sectors of pharmaceutical industries, technical education and tourism. They also stressed the importance of coordinating and exchanging information between the concerned agencies. Horos Asset Management recently released its Q2 2020 Investor Letter, a copy of which you can download here. The investment firms portfolios have not been immune to this recovery, with Horos Value Internacional posting a 16.0% return in the second quarter in line with the 16.5% rise of its benchmark index, and Horos Value Iberia returning 14.1%, above the 8.5% of its benchmark index. You should check out Horos Asset Management's top 5 stock picks for investors to buy right now, which could be the biggest winners of the stock market crash. In the said letter, Horos Asset Management highlighted a few stocks and Teekay LNG Partners LP (NYSE:TGP) is one of them. The investment firm said it trimmed its position in Teekay LNG Partners LP (NYSE:TGP) stock in Q2 2020. Teekay LNG Partners LP (NYSE:TGP) is an independent owner and operator of LNG carriers. Year-to-date, Teekay LNG Partners LP (NYSE:TGP) stock lost 29.6% and on September 14th it had a closing price of $10.95. Here is what Horos Asset Management said: "We trimmed our exposure to the two Teekay companies after the strong rally they experienced in April from the March lows (Teekay Corp. rallied 120% while Teekay LNG 70%). In the case of Teekay LNG, the share price has been relatively flat since then, while the holding company Teekay Corp. has had a sharp decline and returned to its lows. What justifies this poor performance of the company on the stock market? On the one hand, Teekay Corp. and Teekay LNG finally announced the expected transaction of the Incentive Distribution Rights (IDRs) that Teekay Corp. held over Teekay LNG. Specifically, Teekay LNG acquired the IDRs by issuing 10.75 million shares (around $120 million at the time of the transaction). As a reminder of the functioning of the IDRs, Teekay Corp. was entitled to receive an extraordinary dividend from Teekay LNG, provided that the latter exceeded certain minimum thresholds for earnings distributions to its shareholders. In addition, as we have mentioned in the past, Teekay Corp. controlled c.34% of Teekay LNG (31.7% via common shares and 2.0% via a General Partner agreement). In our opinion, this complex capital structure made it difficult to value both companies, so the transaction announced on May 11 looks positive to us. However, the terms of this transaction were somewhat disappointing from the perspective of Teekay Corp.'s shareholderswho now control 42.5% of Teekay LNGso we adjusted our valuation of Teekay Corp. downwards." Story continues Ralf Gosch/Shutterstock.com In Q1 2020, the number of bullish hedge fund positions on Teekay LNG Partners LP (NYSE:TGP) stock decreased by about 23% from the previous quarter (see the chart here), so a number of other hedge fund managers don't seem to agree with TGP's growth potential. Our calculations showed that Teekay LNG Partners LP (NYSE:TGP) isn't ranked among the 30 most popular stocks among hedge funds. The top 10 stocks among hedge funds returned 185% since the end of 2014 and outperformed the S&P 500 Index ETFs by more than 109 percentage points. We know it sounds unbelievable. You have been dismissing our articles about top hedge fund stocks mostly because you were fed biased information by other media outlets about hedge funds' poor performance. You could have doubled the size of your nest egg by investing in the top hedge fund stocks instead of dumb S&P 500 ETFs. Below you can watch our video about the top 5 hedge fund stocks right now. All of these stocks had positive returns in 2020. Video: Top 5 Stocks Among Hedge Funds At Insider Monkey we leave no stone unturned when looking for the next great investment idea. For example, this mom trader turned $2000 into $2 million within 2 years. So, we are checking out her best trade idea of the month. We read hedge fund investor letters and listen to stock pitches at hedge fund conferences. We go through lists like the 10 most profitable companies in the world to pick the best large-cap stocks to buy. Even though we recommend positions in only a tiny fraction of the companies we analyze, we check out as many stocks as we can. You can subscribe to our free enewsletter below to receive our stories in your inbox: Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey. Costco became a massive global retailer by doing something many people might have once thought crazy: charging people a fee just to shop in its stores. However, it has worked beautifully for the company. Today's Costco was born out of a merger of two stores with similar models Price Club, founded in 1976, and Costco, founded in 1983. The idea of charging memberships came from Price Club founder Sol Price, who got the idea from a company called FedCo, a single warehouse store that sold products mostly to U.S. Postal Service workers. Though memberships cost a minimum of $60 a year, renewal rates are high around 90% in 2019. In an era where shopping is increasingly moving online, Costco draws shoppers to its warehouses by offering low prices, an array of services such as credit cards and travel booking, and an inventory that combines reliably available staples with a rotating selection of other goods that turn visits into treasure hunts. Investors do have some concerns. The company has been slower to move online than retail overall online penetration for retail was above 20% in the second quarter of 2020, whereas Costco's was only about 7%. But the company is trying to beef up its online business, even if it is doing so slowly. Investors are also watching the store's ability to attract younger buyers. Evercore ISI estimated that Costco's average customer age is around 50, and the firm thinks lowering that to 40 or 45 would be better. Costco has been introducing product types popular among younger shoppers such as organic produce and items that are sustainably made. The company is also expanding internationally, though some think not fast enough. China is one market where Costco has room to grow. When it opened a store in Shanghai, it attracted mobs of customers. Finally, the store has to keep members loyal. Membership fees make up most of Costco's income. Some analysts worry that if consumers were to cancel subscriptions and memberships, either due to "subscription fatigue" or tightening household budgets, Costco would have problems. But because Costco sells so many essentials, such as toilet paper and produce, and its private label Kirkland Signature brand is so admired not to mention its customers, who are loyal to the point of near-fanaticism investors do not anticipate waves of cancellations in its future. Michael R. Caputo is assistant secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services in the Trump administration A senior Trump official raised brows after going on a conspiracy thinking Twitter rant accusing government scientists of engaging in sedition in their handling of the pandemic. According to the New York Times, Sunday, in a since-deleted social media rant, Michael R. Caputo, assistant secretary of public affairs at the Department of Health and Human Services, accused the CDC of having a covert resistance unit meant to undermine President Donald Trump. WASHINGTON, DC JULY 14: Former Trump campaign aide Michael Caputo (L) and his lawyer Dennis Vacco talk to reporters after testifying before the House Intelligence Committee during a closed-door session at the U.S. Capitol Visitors Center July 14, 2017 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) Given that he is a top communications official responsible for shaping communications around the coronavirus, his late-night claims amidst a rising death toll caused alarm. READ MORE: Breonna Taylors family speaks out following $12 million settlement: Its time to move forward with the criminal charges If you carry guns, buy ammunition, ladies and gentlemen, because its going to be hard to get, he urged his followers in his message. I dont like being alone in Washington, Caputo went on, describing shadows on the ceiling in my apartment, there alone, shadows are so long. Although almost 200,000 people in the United States have passed away due to the virus, Caputo still urged people to attend Trump rallies, although he did concede that they should wear masks. Early Monday he took things a step further and suggested tear gassing all journalists, Fox News reported. WASHINGTON, DC JULY 14: Former Trump campaign aide Michael Caputo arrives to testify before the House Intelligence Committee during a closed-door session at the U.S. Capitol Visitors Center July 14, 2017 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) READ MORE: Tyra Banks slammed on social media for Dancing with the Stars host debut Following the backlash, he deleted his Twitter account, and the Department of Health and Human Services released a statement explaining, Mr. Caputo is a critical, integral part of the presidents coronavirus response, leading on public messaging as Americans need public health information to defeat the COVID-19 pandemic. In his own statement Monday, Caputo told The Times: Since joining the administration, my family and I have been continually threatened and harassed by people who have later been prosecuted. This weighs heavily on us, and we deeply appreciate the friendship and support of President Trump as we address these matters and keep our children safe. Have you subscribed to theGrios podcast Dear Culture? Download our newest episodes now! The post Trump health official goes on Twitter rant about conspiracy theories, armed revolt appeared first on TheGrio. (ST. JOSEPH, Mo.) 2020 is seeing its share of disasters. We are responding to various disasters across the country and multiple disasters at that, said Randee Krumwiede, Executive Director of the American Red Cross of Greater Kansas City and Northwest Missouri. From the wildfires burning down the west coast, to Hurricane Laura in the south and the newest storm supposed to arrive Tuesday night along the Louisiana/Mississippi border, Hurricane Sally. The American Red Cross is running out of volunteers as COVID-19 limits their numbers. There was an estimated 30,000 extra volunteers that would be needed. So, now we are in a situation where we are in dire need of volunteers all across the country, said Krumwiede. The Red Cross is looking for heroes to answer the call. A hero like Russ Schuster who just got back home from serving the people of Louisiana after Hurricane Laura tore through the state. Theres a lot of trees down, trees on houses, trees on power lines. Power Lines broken off and on the ground and I would estimate that its going to be well into October or November before all the people have their electricity back, said Russ Schuster, Service Associate with the American Red Cross. Schuster's decision to volunteer was inspired. I read an article that said the first one-third of your life is for yourself, the next one-third of your life is for your family and the last third of your life, if youre able to, give back to society. If I can give back, I will, said Schuster. And now, as Louisiana is bracing for another hurricane, Yes, some people are going to get a double whammy. All I can say is my hearts out for them, said Schuster, the Red Cross is looking for more heroes like Schuster. We are looking for local heroes to step up and say yes to the call. To respond to disasters and help those people that are often in their darkest hour, said Krumwiede. For Hurricane Laura's disaster relief, The Red Cross has served 622,000 meals and snacks and handed out more than 154,000 packets of relief items and cleaning supplies. To volunteer with the American Red Cross, please visit their website. President Muhammadu Buhari Tuesday justified government borrowing to finance infrastructure, asserting that his government took loans in the interest of the country to solve the dire shortfall in infrastructure. Speaking at a virtual meeting with members of the Presidential Economic Advisory Council (PEAC) at the State House, in Abuja, President Buhari said the country must fix its roads to save lives from soaring road accidents. We have so many challenges with infrastructure. We just have to take loans to do roads, rail and power, so that investors will find us attractive and come here to put their money, the president said after listening to a presentation by PEAC chaired by a professor, Ayo Salami. He regretted that the failure to provide the infrastructure for effective transportation deprived the country of its well-deserved status as the West African hub for Air cargo transportation and trans-shipment of goods. On the issue of the economy, President Buhari noted the challenges posed by the collapse of the oil market and the decision of government to abide by the reduced oil production quota allocated by the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). We have to accept that decision; otherwise they (Middle-East producers) can flood the market and make the product unviable. So we have cooperated with what we get. With oil, we are in a difficult situation. The politics of oil is that the less you produce, the less you earn, he said. President Buhari also stressed the position of agriculture in the governments scheme to reduce joblessness and poverty. For us to bounce back to productivity, especially in agriculture, the unemployed with many of them uneducated had to be persuaded to go into agriculture. If we hadnt gone back to the lands we would have been in trouble by now. That is why we virtually stopped the importation of food thereby saving jobs and foreign exchange. The president also broached the issue of COVID-19 pandemic and how it necessitated the recent government policies as they relate to energy (electricity) and fuel. He said the federal government took such decisions because it places the country above politics. COVID has reduced us to the same level as developed countries. We are lucky we went back to the land. We eat what we produce. We are doing our best to secure the country and provide infrastructure for investment to be viable in the country, he said. Commending the chairman and the members of the council for their patriotism and service to the nation, President Buhari pledged to continue to draw from their wisdom, knowledge and experiences as the nation deals with challenging economic times. Earlier, Prof Salami had in his presentation highlighted the councils recommendations on poverty reduction and stimulation of non-debt investment inflows, as promised at their last meeting. The council recommended steps for the effective implementation of governments plan to lift 100 million Nigerians out of poverty, as well as measures to curb poverty disparity in Nigeria. The council promised to set out a full policy paper that would, in the first instance, stop more Nigerians from falling into poverty and thereafter, further plans on reducing the poverty headcount in the country. The PEAC also outlined a number of measures aimed at aggressively increasing the countrys non-debt investment inflow, including measures to improve investor perception of the country and the proposed establishment of a 5 billion 10 billion dollars investment and growth fund to invest in. The PEAC used the opportunity of the meeting to express support and solidarity with the administration on its recent policies. It listed the implementation of reforms encapsulated in the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA) 2020 recently signed into law, the reforms in the energy sector, bringing electricity and fuel prices in line with the market, and the decision of the Central Bank of Nigeria to merge the exchange rate of the naira versus other foreign currencies. TikTok's departure from the Indian market came as surprise to a lot of people here. We're sure it came as a surprise to the folks over at TikTok, who are probably figuring out a way to keep their services active in the US now President Donald Trump is looking to get them out of the US too. Amidst all this chaos, it looks like YouTube has decided to have some fun launching its own version of TikTok. That's right, YouTube is now bringing its own version of TikTok called 'YouTube Shorts' and it's going to start testing it first in India. YouTube As of now, it looks like this particular new form of video content will be baked into YouTube itself, which means it's being introduced as a feature in YouTube itself, instead of a standalone service or an app. But it's definitely a TikTok rival. According to YouTube, the tool is for social media creators to "shoot short, catchy videos using nothing but their mobile phones." Just like TikTok, YouTube Shorts will allow you to string multiple clips together, add music, and use a timer and countdown to record videos hands-free. All these features, in case you're wondering, are available on TikTok. via GIPHY It's worth pointing out that this particular feature will only be available to select users for now. You should be seeing the option to use this feature on your YouTube app already if you have it. YouTube's decision to start the trials with India is a strategic one. This is the perfect time to grab the attention on TikTok users who're still looking for a new home to post content on. A lot of them have already started using Instagram Reels, but we think YouTube has really good potential to lure some users. This is also particularly interesting to see because there was a huge controversy between a bunch of YouTube and TikTok content creators not too long ago. Is this going to spark something new? Will the Indian TikTok content creators join YouTube now and try this feature? Only time will tell. In case you're interested, then you can learn more about the feature right here. LONDON, Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Battery cell manufacturer, AMTE Power, and infrastructure specialist InfraNomics, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), to evaluate the technical and commercial viability of establishing lithium ion cell manufacturing facilities in Western Australia, servicing the energy storage market. The rollout of energy storage is part of the global solar and wind-led low-carbon energy transition, and Australia's transition to renewable energy is continuing to pick up pace. Solar prices have fallen by approximately 90 percent, batteries by 87 percent[1] and wind by 67 percent over the past 10 years, making the increased adoption of renewable energy and associated batteries increasingly attractive. The project is 100 percent industry financed and collaborates with the Lithium Valley industry organisation in Kwinana. The Western Australian State and the Australian Federal Governments have been very supportive of this emerging sector, and have clear strategies to develop domestic battery manufacturing, and drive the country's growth and economic recovery plans. AMTE Power is a well-established UK-based battery manufacturer, unique in its ability to provide innovation, commercialisation, and scalable supply across a wide range of markets - owning proprietary technology and a revolutionary cell pack design. InfraNomics is an infrastructure developer, advisor and investor based in Perth, Western Australia. Both parties have now agreed heads of terms to produce and sell lithium-ion batteries, for industrial applications focused on energy storage, along with domestic and export distribution facilities. Kevin Brundish, CEO at AMTE Power comments: "We are excited to partner with InfraNomics to explore establishing onshore, end-to-end battery manufacturing capabilities in Western Australia, to support the country's unprecedented transition to renewable energy, and build on the value of its abundant mineral resources. AMTE Power has developed the technology and tools to significantly reduce the time to market for lithium ion cells, and believe Lithium Valley in Western Australia is the perfect environment to develop this further." Cameron Edwards, Director and Founder of InfraNomics said that the location of the new facility in "Lithium Valley", Kwinana, would benefit from direct access to local critical raw materials, technical sector expertise, low cost energy, a well trained workforce, and major local industries: "The battery facility would deliver a sustainable and ethical alternative supply chain for domestic and international customers. We're positioning the company within the international battery supply chain, via the establishment of an advanced manufacturing facility in Lithium Valley. We will create a minimum of 250 direct jobs, value add to the emerging local critical raw materials industry, develop a new manufacturing export market for Australia, and support the growth of AMTE Power throughout Europe." Cameron Edwards Director InfraNomics concludes: "Marrying AMTE's manufacturing, IP portfolio, world-class expertise in battery research and experience with WA's world class resources, Australia's premier industrial zone, local industrial expertise, low energy costs, well trained workforce and major local industries, provides the opportunity for an international alternative supply chain which is competitive on price, quality, sustainability and reliability." [1] BloombergNEF Dec 2019https://about.bnef.com/blog/battery-pack-prices-fall-as-market-ramps-up-with-market-average-at-156-kwh-in-2019/'sf113554299=1 Thiruvananthapuram, September 15 : CPI(M)s youth outfit DYFI has demanded the resignation of union minister of state for external affairs V Muraleedharan over the UAE consulate-linked gold smuggling case. Amidst vociferous calls from the congress-led opposition UDF and the BJP in Kerala for the resignation of higher education minister in the LDF government K T Jaleel in connection with the gold smuggling controversy, DYFI national president Mohammed Riyas told reporters on Tuesday that it was union minister Mr. Muraleedharan who should be stepping down over the issue. Muraleedharans statement denying that the gold was smuggled through diplomatic baggage was aimed at protecting the accused, he said. The union ministers continuation in the union cabinet had become untenable with the union finance ministry confirming in parliament the other day that the gold was smuggled through the diplomatic channel, he added. The union home ministry in its order handing over the probe into the gold smuggling case to the national investigation agency made it clear that the gold was smuggled through a diplomatic baggage, the DYFI leader said. What prompted Mr. Muraleedharan to contradict the union home ministrys version of events, he asked. The DYFI leader also pointed out that an editor of Janam TV, a BJP mouthpiece, had advised key accused in the gold smuggling case Swapna Suresh to tell the investigating agencies that the baggage containing the contraband was not a diplomatic one, echoing Muraleedharans view. The CPI(M) youth outfit also alleged that the reshuffle in the customs team - which is probing the gold smuggling case - that came close on the heels of the agency questioning the Janam TV editor was carried out at the behest of Mr. Muraleedharan. Meanwhile, protests by the youth outfits of the congress and the BJP demanding the resignation of minister K T Jaleel raged across Kerala. Jaleel is in the eye of a storm after the enforcement directorate questioned him the other day in connection with the gold smuggling case. (TNS) A few dozen centrist lawmakers rankled by the collapsed COVID-19 stimulus talks and lack of relief to Americans will try to prod Democratic and Republican leaders and the Trump administration back to the negotiating table with a new $1.5 trillion package.One of the most popular and bipartisan-backed provisions in previous packages, direct checks of at least $1,200 to American taxpayers, is included in the new plan from the 50 members of the House Problem Solvers Caucus,reported Tuesday.The Problem Solvers' offering comes a week after the latest $500 billion GOP plan was blocked by Senate Democrats, who derided the package as inadequate in the wake of an unprecedented public health and economic crisis. It also follows a series of stalled talks and false starts since the spring as Democratic and Republican proposals have bounced back and forth between the House, Senate and White House.reported that the Problem Solvers voted to endorse the bill this week. In addition to direct checks, their proposal would also boost the Paycheck Protection Program, the small business loan program established in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, and provide $450 weekly in supplemental unemployment insurance for eight weeks, followed by replacing up to $600 weekly in lost wages for another five weeks, according to the Times. The measure also includes $15 billion for the U.S. Postal Service and $400 million to aid in the November elections.It will be an uphill battle to get the measure to President Donald Trumps desk, particularly because neither the administration nor the Republican-controlled Senate have entertained anything more than $1 trillion. At least 20 Senate Republicans, believing enough had already spent over the pandemic, would not support a roughly $1 trillion GOP proposal advanced by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell in July, even though it was $2 trillion less than a Democratic package approved in the House in May.Trump has signed executive orders to provide temporary eviction and student loan relief, extended unemployment boosts of $400 weekly and a payroll tax cut that did not have bipartisan support. But the Trump administration, Republicans and Democrats have consistently been at least $1 trillion apart on a final stimulus deal.One of the biggest sticking points for both sides has been state and local aid, with Democrats consistently calling for nearly $1 trillion in new funds to municipal governments whose budgets have been decimated by the pandemic. Republicans have balked at new funding, saying they dont want to invest taxpayer dollars in poorly-managed governments, particularly ones led by Democrats.But the Problem Solvers, led by Reps. Josh Gottheimer, a New Jersey Democrat, and Tom Reed, a New York Republican, allotted $500 billion to state and local governments, the Times reported. Democratic leaders and the entire Massachusetts delegation have wholeheartedly supported state and local government aid, which, as proposed by Democrats in May, would go to all states regardless of party control.Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin on Monday said theres still a chance that lawmakers agree on a COVID-19 stimulus deal after Senate Democrats blocked the most recent Republican proposal.The president and I want to have more support to help those American businesses impacted by this, he said. I think theres many areas of this where there is an agreement between Democrats and Republicans. There are some areas where we have differences on the amounts. But I will continue to work on this. I told (House Speaker Nancy Pelosi) Im available anytime to negotiate. South Africa: Health focuses on immunity, seroprevalence as COVID-19 cases decline Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize says the department is currently conducting a national seroprevalence study, which should unveil the actual seroprevalence of Coronavirus antibodies and status of national immunity. South Africa has seen the surge receding and thus raises the question of the level of immunity that may already be existing in society, Mkhize said in a statement on Monday. According to the model of COVID-19, the initial seroprevalence studies from convenience samples have shown seroprevalence of between 29% and 40%. Interestingly, the revised models currently predict that there are probably about 12 million South Africans in total - detected and undetected - infected with Coronavirus. This translates to about 20% of the population, said Mkhize. There are now 650 749 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with 15 499 deaths since the outbreak in March 2020, after 52 more people lost their lives on Monday. However, Mkhize said the number of detected cases countrywide continues to be on a downward spiral since 22 August 2020, when the country reported under 3 000 cases. This was down from between 10 000 and 15 000 cases a day at the peak of the pandemic in July. Patients under investigation, general ward admissions, ICU admissions, deaths and excess deaths are on the decline, the department said. Consistency across these indicators reassures us that indeed, we are in the midst of a trough in the pandemic. The latest report released by the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) also indicated that the discharge rate from the hospital was 75%, while the in-hospital case fatality ratio was 17.5%. At the height of the epidemic, these sample hospitals were reporting between 6 400 and 6 8 00 admissions per week, said Mkhize. Critical needs demands drop South Africa has benefited significantly from the contributions of the World Health Organisation (WHO) surge team. The WHO surge teams situational report confirms the decline as reported by NICD. The report showed a 42% decline of detected cases in the preceding two weeks and a 28.9% decline in deaths in the same period. Admission to critical care wards increased by 13.9% during this epidemic week but conversely, admissions into general wards decreased by 43% in the same period, the department said. Bed occupancy and oxygen demand are also falling. Mkhize said the percentage of beds currently occupied by COVID-19 patients nationally is under 10% for non-ICU beds and under 30% for ICU beds. The department has also increased the acquisition of ventilators, with 5 444 procured (some having been received through donations). Mkhize said 2 848 ventilators are currently awaiting delivery. Meanwhile, 20 000 ventilators are still expected to be produced through the National Ventilator Project. We also have reports from Afrox indicating that oxygen demand has decreased nationally in the past few weeks, said the Minister. Healthcare workers Mkhize said his department is determined to protect frontline workers, who remain of paramount importance. We reiterate: no personal protective equipment (PPE), no work! As of 11 September, 32 429 healthcare workers had contracted Coronavirus, while 257 succumbed to the deadly virus. KwaZulu-Natal has the highest number of deaths at 69, followed by the Eastern Cape with 66, Gauteng 37 and Free State 23. The Minister said he was pleased that Occupational Health and Safety Committees (OHS) are now established in 3 849 public health facilities, where union members will also be represented. This will assist in constant monitoring of issues affecting health workers, including where there is a shortage of PPE, said Mkhize. Auditor-General report The Minister noted with concern the findings of the Auditor-General (AG), which cast the spotlight on the deficiencies and non-compliance with PPE procurement processes, insufficient controls to ensure receipt and payments of PPE, and the level of quality of PPE. The AG also highlighted the delays in the delivery of the protective gear, as well as evidence of price gouging and failure to procure them at market value. This cannot be accepted. This must be condemned. Once all the investigations have been concluded, there must be consequence management for any officials that may be implicated in wrongdoing and/or irregularity, Mkhize said. SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2020-09-15. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Inmate firefighters in Whitewater, Calif., on Aug. 2. (Josh Edelson/AFP via Getty Images) Since the 1940s, when they were called upon to replace men fighting in WWII, inmates have been tasked with battling Californias wildfires and today these men and women (and some juveniles) make up almost a third of the states wildfire-fighting team. Although this marginalized population averages 10 million work hours every year (including occasional 24-hour shifts) and is paid even less than minimum wage for their voluntary efforts, now, for the first time, these inmates have a shot at making firefighting a permanent career choice after their release. Thats because, on Friday, Californias Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a new bill, AB2147, which allows for some incarcerated individuals to have their records expunged after serving their sentences, thereby clearing the path to their post-sentence firefighter career. (Older laws had prohibited many with a conviction from applying to become a firefighter, even if they had battled blazes as inmates.) Inmates who have stood on the frontlines, battling historic fires should not be denied the right to later become a professional firefighter, Newsom tweeted. The new law is nothing if not timely, as forest fire devastation on the West Coast has reached apocalyptic proportions, and early COVID-19 releases of inmates have left the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation with 600 fewer inmate firefighters available this fire season compared to last year, noted the Atlantic. CAs inmate firefighter program is decades-old and has long needed reform. Inmates who have stood on the frontlines, battling historic fires should not be denied the right to later become a professional firefighter. Today, I signed #AB2147 that will fix that. pic.twitter.com/15GJ7Gijt7 Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) September 11, 2020 Still, although the bill will open up opportunities for many, it wont do so for all, explains Andrew Ward, an attorney with the Institute for Justice who is suing the state of California for its near-total ban on EMT certification for people with felony records, something required to become a firefighter, which underlies the states bizarre practice of using inmates as firefighters and then barring them from firefighting because of their criminal histories. Story continues Ward does call AB2147 a step in the right direction, in that it gives people who have served in the fire camps an opportunity to get their records expunged, but it doesnt change the restrictions that are still on the books. Ward explains to Yahoo Life that individuals remain ineligible if they didnt serve as firefighters while incarcerated, and that only the charge you faced while actively fighting fires would be removed meaning that prior convictions could still make a person ineligible to receive the necessary EMT certification. The bill also excludes inmates who have been convicted of any felony punishable by death or life imprisonment including, but not limited to, murder, kidnapping, rape or arson. Ward says that despite the state moving to dismiss his case, our lawsuit will continue because [the new bill] doesnt even cover everyone whos worked in one of the camps. Its great to see that after a couple of years, the legislature could finally get it passed. But it doesnt fully solve the problem. Further, he adds, its still too early to know whether or not this will will start a trend amongst other states that rely on inmate firefighters such as Oregon and Washington but he remains hopeful. There's certainly a growing recognition, on the left and the right, that these really harsh laws aren't working. We've seen lots of states reform their laws over the last couple of years, and I certainly hope other ones would follow California's example. Read more from Yahoo Life: Want daily wellness, lifestyle and parenting news delivered to your inbox? Sign up here for Yahoo Lifes newsletter. As the talks to normalize relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) gather momentum, a group of private sector players from Israel is also expected in the country in search of mutually beneficial investment and trading opportunities. Coming against the backdrop of the historic talks, a group of Israel investors under the auspices of the United Emirates-Israel Investment Group, have shown keen interest in developing partnerships in various sectors of the regional economy. According to the spokespeople of the Emirates-Israel Investment Group, the exports to the UAE could jump to an annual $300-$500 million. Israel known as a start-up nation is expected to bring innovative solutions in the Energy, Cyber security and communications industries. The group has identified Dubai as the gateway to the regions vibrant market and their first visit to the UAE is seen as a launchpad for doing business in the wider GCC region. We are proud of the successful normalization talks between Israel and the UAE two great nations that can achieve more in terms of economic growth following a strong annual bilateral trade. As private sector players from Israel, we are also looking for investment opportunities in key areas such as cyber technology, biotech, green energy and food technology that can further strengthen this relationship, said Adv. Ofir Bar-Noy, United Emirates-Israel owner of Bar-Noy and Co. Lawyer office and the Co-Founder of the Group. According to Ofir, the groups primary objective is to collaborate with UAE investors and to nurture trade opportunities as well as to establish solid foundations for long term business relationships. The group also plans to tap into UAEs unique position as a regional business hub for world-class products and cutting-edge technology to grow a market for Israel products and services. Apart from their unmatched expertise in areas such as communication and cybersecurity, real estate and law, international business as well as taxation, the group also has vast experience in agriculture, food, artificial intelligence and automotive sectors. With the annual bilateral trade largely expected to start at US$2 billion and even hit up to US$6.5 billion upon the cooperations maturity, according to Israels finance ministry, the group is now laying the groundwork for would-be Israel and UAE investors to take advantage of the normalization treaty to develop new markets in the region. Partager et informez vous aussi...... 0 shares Share Tweet LinkedIn Articles similaires ST. LOUIS, Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Fund managers' investment performance, brand credibility and online communications are key factors to attract Chinese investors, according to a new report published today by FleishmanHillard. The report, The Future of Asset Management in China 2020, offers insights to global asset managers assessing opportunities in China. It is the second annual China-focused asset management report published by FleishmanHillard, which features analysis drawn from an online survey of mainland Chinese investors' attitudes and behavior, plus an overview of the latest industry trends. The key findings of the report show that when selecting a fund manager, mainland Chinese investors put emphasis on performance, credibility and online communications. However, while Chinese investors will pay higher fees for foreign fund management relative to local managers, they expect to get some added value in the form of unique investment strategies and capabilities. Notably, ESG product offerings are a requirement for the majority. "Despite the COVID-19 pandemic and geopolitical issues, the asset management industry in China continued to grow healthily thanks to the ongoing relaxation of market access rules for overseas asset managers," said Patrick Yu, Asia Pacific lead for FleishmanHillard's Financial and Professional Services practice. "Our second China-focused asset management report provides useful insights to help industry players understand investor expectations and plan their communications programs more effectively. Understanding the industry landscape and having a well-thought out communications strategy continue to be important for overseas asset managers to flourish and attract mainland investors." The report includes the following findings from mainland investors: Performance and credibility continue to be key . Asset management performance and credibility remain the most important factors when selecting a fund manager, but there is a fall in the number who consider it very important performance factors dropped to 56% from 64% last year and credibility fell to 55% from 74%. However, net importance (combining "very" or "somewhat" important) shows little change from last year. . Asset management performance and credibility remain the most important factors when selecting a fund manager, but there is a fall in the number who consider it very important performance factors dropped to 56% from 64% last year and credibility fell to 55% from 74%. However, net importance (combining "very" or "somewhat" important) shows little change from last year. QDLP and WFOE fund products continue to entice mainland investors. Just over 90% of the investors had invested in Qualified Domestic Limited Partner (QDLP) products run by overseas asset managers. Most of them experienced higher service fees, but they found that acceptable. Almost nine out of 10 (89%) of the investors had purchased private fund products from overseas asset management houses that have a Wholly-Foreign-Owned-Enterprise (WFOE), down a fraction from last year (91%). Feedback on WFOE asset management funds was similar to QDLP, conveying that performance is good and investment strategy is unique. While the fees are on the high side relative to the local players, they are very manageable. Appetite for WFOE products clearly remains very strong, reflecting the confidence many Chinese investors have in overseas fund managers. Just over 90% of the investors had invested in Qualified Domestic Limited Partner (QDLP) products run by overseas asset managers. Most of them experienced higher service fees, but they found that acceptable. Almost nine out of 10 (89%) of the investors had purchased private fund products from overseas asset management houses that have a Wholly-Foreign-Owned-Enterprise (WFOE), down a fraction from last year (91%). Feedback on WFOE asset management funds was similar to QDLP, conveying that performance is good and investment strategy is unique. While the fees are on the high side relative to the local players, they are very manageable. Appetite for WFOE products clearly remains very strong, reflecting the confidence many Chinese investors have in overseas fund managers. Prospect for overseas asset managers in onshore retail funds looks promising. Thanks to ongoing relaxation of policies, the local regulator in China has recently approved the first overseas manager to run an onshore retail fund management platform. It is promising to see that nine out of 10 investors would be interested in onshore retail funds offered by overseas asset managers. The prospect of global brands with their own strategies fused with mainland China expertise for the China market is clearly compelling for local investors. Thanks to ongoing relaxation of policies, the local regulator in has recently approved the first overseas manager to run an onshore retail fund management platform. It is promising to see that nine out of 10 investors would be interested in onshore retail funds offered by overseas asset managers. The prospect of global brands with their own strategies fused with mainland expertise for the market is clearly compelling for local investors. Digital and, in particular, mobile distribution channels for thought leadership and products are critically important during and after COVID-19. The pandemic has sparked the use of more online channels for patronage or access to fund information in China , with 68% opting for more online channels. This is likely here to stay, emphasizing the need for a digital and mobile strategy. The pandemic has sparked the use of more online channels for patronage or access to fund information in , with 68% opting for more online channels. This is likely here to stay, emphasizing the need for a digital and mobile strategy. COVID-19 has had relatively little impact, yet the vast majority have changed their approach to risk as a result of the U.S.- China trade tensions. Four out of five investors say COVID-19 has affected their confidence in their financial situation, but just one in five (21%) say they are extremely uncertain about their financial situation in the near term. Overall, the impact looks to have been relatively moderate for 56% it is described as low. Yet for investors, the survey shows that one-third increased their asset allocation risk appetite as a result of the trade tensions. Interestingly, more than 90% said they had altered their approach because of the tensions. Four out of five investors say COVID-19 has affected their confidence in their financial situation, but just one in five (21%) say they are extremely uncertain about their financial situation in the near term. Overall, the impact looks to have been relatively moderate for 56% it is described as low. Yet for investors, the survey shows that one-third increased their asset allocation risk appetite as a result of the trade tensions. Interestingly, more than 90% said they had altered their approach because of the tensions. Greater risk management (56%), transparency in communications with customers (50%) and strong ESG product offerings (50%) continue to be the top three most important traits for an overseas asset management operating in China . FleishmanHillard's "The Future of Asset Management in China 2020" report includes qualitative and quantitative data. FleishmanHillard TRUE Global Intelligence fielded an online survey of 250 Chinese investment professionals between July 20 and July 27, 2020. All respondents to the survey self-identified as working in investment, finance or banking, and had traded or invested in at least one of the following: equities fund (85%), fixed income (76%), ETF (72%), balanced funds (63%), PE funds (58%) or alternatives (29%). About FleishmanHillard FleishmanHillard specializes in public relations, reputation management, public affairs, brand marketing, digital strategy, social engagement and content strategy. FleishmanHillard was named 2019 PRWeek U.S. Outstanding Large Agency; 2019 Holmes Report North America Large Agency of the Year; ICCO Network of the Year Americas 2017-2019; Agency of the Year at the 2017 and 2018 North American Excellence Awards; 2018 Large Consultancy of the Year by PRWeek UK; PR News' Best Places to Work in PR 2016-2018; Human Rights Campaign Best Places to Work for LGBTQ Equality 2018-2020; PR Awards Asia 2017 Greater China Agency of the Year; and NAFE's "Top Companies for Executive Women" 2010-2020. The firm's award-winning work is widely heralded, including at the Cannes International Festival of Creativity. FleishmanHillard is part of Omnicom Public Relations Group, and has 80 offices in more than 30 countries, plus affiliates in 50 countries. About Omnicom Public Relations Group Omnicom Public Relations Group is a global collective of three of the top global public relations agencies worldwide and specialist agencies in areas including public affairs, marketing to women, global health strategy and corporate social responsibility. It encompasses more than 6,300 public relations professionals in more than 370 offices worldwide who provide their expertise to companies, government agencies, NGOs and nonprofits across a wide range of industries. Omnicom Public Relations Group delivers for clients through a relentless focus on talent, continuous pursuit of innovation and a culture steeped in collaboration. Omnicom Public Relations Group is part of the DAS Group of Companies, a division of Omnicom Group Inc. (NYSE: OMC) that includes more than 200 companies in a wide range of marketing disciplines including advertising, public relations, healthcare, customer relationship management, events, promotional marketing, branding and research. SOURCE FleishmanHillard Inc. VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Sept. 15, 2020(Frankfurt: RR0) ("Rockridge" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that its 3,000 metre minimum drill program has commenced at its high-grade Raney Gold Project located southwest of Timmins, Ontario, Canada (the "Raney Gold Project" or "Property"). The drill program will include approximately 11 drill holes which will range in depth between 200 metres and 350 metres to test the strike and down-plunge extent of the high-grade intercepts identified during the previous drilling programs. Raney Gold Project Location Map: http://www.rockridgeresourcesltd.com/_resources/maps/location_map_may2020a.jpg "We are excited to continue drilling the high-priority targets at our strategically located Raney Gold Project." said Grant Ewing, CEO of Rockridge Resources. "Our team has carefully selected targets to follow-up on the high-grade gold mineralization previously discovered at Raney, including a highlight intercept of 28 grams per tonne gold over 6 metres at approximately 100 metres depth from our last program. With only 5,500 metres of historical drilling at the Project, we have identified other prospective targets that will be drill tested with the intent of making new discoveries elsewhere on the property. This program will be an important catalyst for Rockridge in the coming months as we continue to see momentum building in the gold market." Highlights: The Raney Gold Project is a large prospective gold property covering ~2,800 hectares located ~110 km southwest of the prolific gold district of Timmins, Ontario A fully-funded and permitted minimum 3,000 metre diamond drilling program (approximately 11 holes) is now underway The program is being carried out by Missinaibi Drilling Services Ltd., a 100% Aboriginally owned and operated independent drilling contractor company; their management has many years of experience including substantial expertise in the Timmons district where they work with Newmont at the Borden Mine Project adjacent to the Raney Project A drilling program completed earlier in the year (2,070 metres in nine diamond drill holes) to assess the potential of the mineralized gold system returned a highlight intercept of 28.0 g/t gold over 6.0 metres (see news release dated April 29, 2020) A recently completed summer field exploration program focused on delineating and prioritizing target areas along the broad gold bearing structural zone Gold mineralization is associated with broad intervals of higher concentrations of narrow quartz veins hosted in an extensive structural corridor that may extend over several hundred metres, with no drilling completed over a large extent of this corridor; the mineralized structure is open along strike and at depth Property has excellent access and infrastructure and is accessible by paved and forestry roads bringing the drill costs down Diamond Drilling Program Plan: The first five holes of the drill program will test priority targets down-plunge of known high-grade gold zones. Specifically, a primary drill target will be the down-plunge extension of the previously reported high-grade drill intercept which returned 28.0 g/t Au over 6.0 metres (uncut) from 125.0 metres to 131.0 metres in hole RN 20-06. Cross Section of High-Grade Gold Mineralization in Hole RN 20-06: http://www.rockridgeresourcesltd.com/_resources/projects/raney-project-drilling-section-20200730.jpg The results of the recently completed drone magnetometer survey completed during the first phase summer field program suggest strong continuity of the structural corridor along strike and identified other targets on the property. Based on the magnetic survey data, the structural corridor potentially extends west toward an area where a nose fold structure may exist. Approximately six holes are planned to test the strike extent of this prospective structural corridor that hosts the known gold mineralization at Raney. Magnetometer Survey Plan Map Showing Exploration Potential Along Extensive Structural Corridor: http://www.rockridgeresourcesltd.com/_resources/images/Raney-Gold-Project-Summer-2020-Drill-Targets.jpg Raney Gold Project Location: The Raney Gold Project is strategically located within the highly prospective west extension of the Abitibi Greenstone belt, proximal to several regional deposits. Newmont's operating Borden Gold Mine (reserves of 4.17 MT @ 6.38 g/t Au for ~860k oz. Au reported in 2015) is located 35 km west of Raney. IAMGOLD and JV partner Sumitomo Metals Mining recently decided to proceed with construction of their Cote gold project located 75 km southeast of Raney. The Cote project, estimated to contain gold reserves of ~7 million ounces (~236MT @ 0.96 g/t Au), is noted as a "world-class" deposit by IAMGOLD. GFG Resources is a close neighbour that has acquired a large land package in the area including its Pen and Dore Gold Projects. Raney Gold Project Geology and History: A total of 2,070 metres in nine diamond drill holes were completed during the recent winter diamond drilling program. The drill program focused on the main zone over a strike extent of approximately 225 metres that produced the best historic intercept of 6.5 g/t gold over 8.0 metres back in 2010. Silicification and minor carbonate alteration were recognized, however gold mineralization appears to be closely related to intervals of high quartz vein density. The quartz veins are hosted in a steeply dipping alteration zone dominated by intermediate volcanic rocks consisting of lapilli tuffs and bedded argillites, with lamprophyre dikes. The quartz veins crosscut and run parallel to a weak fabric, and range in thickness from 0.5 cm to 20 cm in width. A zone of increased vein density has been noted where the historic visible gold intercepts occur. The recently drilled high-grade intercept of 28.0 g/t over 6.0 metres (uncut) from the 2020 winter program was the fourth drill hole on the Property to intercept visible gold, and all these occurrences were in the main zone near the 100-metre level. The broad structural corridor that hosts the mineralization is up to 125 metres wide and extends well beyond the area tested by drilling. No drilling has been conducted along this corridor except for the ~225-metre-long main zone. Historical drilling at the Raney Gold Project focused on identifying near-surface gold mineralization. Previous exploration on the Property from 1972 to 1991 consisted of prospecting, mapping, sampling, trenching, winkie drilling, ground geophysics, stripping, and some limited diamond drilling. This was followed by exploration work during the 2009 to 2010 period. The best intercept returned from historical drilling was 6.5 g/t gold over 8.0 metres. The property is underlain by mafic volcanics to the north, and felsic to intermediate volcaniclastics to the south. The felsic volcaniclastics are host to the gold zones. Quartz feldspar porphyry dykes and sills and minor mafic intrusives occur throughout the Property. The porphyries are generally massive but may be sheared and hydrothermally altered and veined in places. A 100 metre-wide intensely sheared and altered quartz-feldspar porphyry body is located just to the south of the main Raney gold showing. Gold mineralization exposed on the surface and intersected in drill holes on the property is typical of the lode gold class of gold deposit which is the dominant gold deposit type in the Abitibi Greenstone Belt. Gold mineralization on the property is associated with the intensely sheared and altered zones within the felsic tuffs, and higher grades tend to occur where quartz veining is present. The Property is in the Archean Swayze Greenstone Belt, considered to be the southeast extension of the Abitibi Greenstone Belt, which hosts the world-class Timmins and Kirkland Lake gold districts. Numerous gold occurrences occur throughout the district and several world-class mines have been developed. These deposits are responsible for a significant portion of the world's cumulative gold production and are often characterized by gold enriched quartz vein systems associated with supracrustal belts in low to medium grade metamorphic terranes. Gold mineralization at the Property is typical of the mesothermal lode gold deposit model. Rockridge holds an option to earn a 100% interest in the Raney Gold Project which is expected to complete by the end of this program. Qualified Person: Todd Keast, P.Geo., a "qualified person" for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects, and the Raney Gold Project Manager for Rockridge Resources Ltd., has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical disclosure in this news release. About Rockridge Resources Ltd. Rockridge Resources is a publicly traded mineral exploration company focused on the acquisition, exploration, and development of mineral resource properties in Canada and other mining-friendly jurisdictions. The Company's Raney Gold Project is a high-grade gold exploration project located in the same greenstone belt that hosts the world-class Timmins and Kirkland Lake lode gold mining camps. The Company's Knife Lake Project is in Saskatchewan, which is ranked as the #3 mining jurisdiction in the world by the Fraser Institute. The project hosts the Knife Lake deposit, which is a VMS, near-surface copper-cobalt-gold-silver-zinc deposit open along strike and at depth. Rockridge's goal is to maximize shareholder value through new mineral discoveries, committed long-term partnerships, and the advancement of exploration projects in geopolitically favourable jurisdictions. Additional information about Rockridge Resources and its project portfolio can be found on the Company's website at www.rockridgeresourcesltd.com . Rockridge currently has 51.1 million shares issued and outstanding. Rockridge Resources Ltd. "Grant Ewing" Grant Ewing CEO For further information contact myself or: Jordan Trimble, President or Spencer Coulter, Corporate Communications Rockridge Resources Ltd. Telephone: 604-687-3376 Toll Free: 800-567-8181 Facsimile: 604-687-3119 Email: info@rockridgeresourcesltd.com NEITHER THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THE CONTENT OF THIS NEWS RELEASE. Forward Looking Information Statements included in this announcement, including statements concerning our plans, intentions and expectations, which are not historical in nature are intended to be, and are hereby identified as, "forward-looking statements". Forward-looking statements may be identified by words including "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "expects" and similar expressions. The Company cautions readers that forward-looking statements, including without limitation those relating to the Company's future operations and business prospects, are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. A 31-year-old Hamilton man facing human-trafficking charges is back behind bars after allegedly breaching his bail and being caught with drugs. Kedine Reid-King was arrested and charged with human-trafficking offences in May after a victim came forward to police in April. Detectives from Hamiltons human-trafficking unit believe there are more victims and witnesses. Police released Reid-Kings photo Tuesday and are asking anyone with information to come forward. After his arrest in May, Reid-King was released on bail with strict conditions. However, he was arrested again Sept. 10 after allegedly breaching those conditions, police said. When he was arrested, police allegedly found evidence of drug trafficking. Police seized about $1,100 worth of cocaine and cash. In addition to the human-trafficking charges, Reid-King now faces six charges of failing to comply with a release order, possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking and proceeds of crime under $5,000. Anyone with information can reach the human-trafficking unit by calling Det. Kathy Stewart at 905-546-3831 or Det. Const. Kudo Park at 905-540-6379. To remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or crimestoppershamilton.com. JUMP TO RECIPE Why It Works Trimming and grinding your own quality meat decreases the risk of contamination. Using a store-bought curing packet that's specially formulated for nem chua ensures proper food safety standards along with appropriate seasonings and flavorings. Whether served rolled into small logs, cut into squares, or bundled in tropical leaves, nem chuaa beloved type of Vietnamese cured porkmanages to deliver on almost every flavor we crave: sourness from lactic acid; a subtle sweetness imparted by banana leaves or sugar; a pungent bite from raw garlic; ample saltiness; floral spiciness from black pepper and funkiness from white pepper; and a good dose of raw-chile heat. Usually people use plastic or banana leaves, but my grandpa would wrap them in guava leaves, says Chef Helen Nguyen of Saigon Social, a homestyle Vietnam restaurant in NYC. It takes on a slightly herbal bitterness and almost smoky taste. The geographic footprint of nem chua isn't limited to Vietnamit edges into Cambodia, Thailand, and Laos, too. In the latter two countries, the name of the finished product is typically written as naem (or sometimes nam) and the preparation also incorporates cooked sticky rice in the mixture. In each area, differences in heat levels, days of fermentation, and methods of forming the preparation make for a nuanced range of possibilities in the final nem chua. However, across all regions, nem chua can be enjoyed both as-is (it's a perfect accompaniment to an ice cold beer, says Nguyen), as well as an ingredient in cooked dishes, like naem khao (a crispy rice salad made by frying and crumbling rice balls then mixing them with naem) and phat naem sai khai (naem stir-fried with egg). Although Nguyen considers nem chua a top 10 dish of Vietnam, she says that more education is needed about it [in the US], because people are worried about raw meat. Hence, she compares nem chua to charcuterie for those unfamiliar with it: Its just cured meat, like a cured sausage, or a dry salami. While the traditional procedure of making nem chua is to let the ground meat mixture ferment naturally outdoors for a few days, the modernized process involves a store-bought curing packet that shrinks the timeline to just 24 hours and dramatically reduces variability across batches. One of the most popular brands, Lobo (which Nguyen also recommends), markets the curing mix specifically as nam powder. The information on many packets is typically written only in Thai script, but Hong and Kim from The Ravenous Couple, a Vietnamese cooking blog, sent me one where all the contents were labeled in English. With an ingredient list in hand, I set out to confirm exactly what kind of transformation the raw meat mixture was undergoing. First, Anna Bauer, a food scientist who works for a major national packaged foods company, pointed out that nem chua made with this packet is a cured, but not fermented, product. The meat is only in the fridge for 24 hours, and since the packet doesnt list any microbes in the ingredients, it doesnt have time to be fermented. However, it still takes on a distinct tanginess due to the main ingredient, glucono delta-lactone (GDL), which breaks down into gluconic acid due to the high level of moisture in raw meat and lowers the pH, hindering the ability for harmful bacteria to grow. Additionally, Bauer says that because GDL denatures some of the proteins, it changes the texture of the nem chua. The next two main ingredients, glucose and dextrose, are two names for the same molecule and add sweetness to the final product. While this recipe's quick method of nem chua doesnt leave time for bacterial fermentation, during longer curing methods these types of sweeteners provide an easy fermentation substrate for microorganisms to munch on, says Bauer. Lactic acid bacteria love glucose and will produce lactic acid as it metabolizes the glucose. This further decreases the pH of the sausage and leads to complex flavor development. The nicely bouncy, supple bite of nem chua is also partially due to sodium tripolyphosphate (STPP), an alkaline salt that helps modify muscle fibers to...bind them during the curing process, explains Claire Thrift, a food scientist who has worked on packaged foods for a range of major businesses, such as Post. STPP has also been shown to increase migration of salt and nitrites into muscle fiber, ensuring even distribution and thus a safe and effective cure. According to Bauer, the phosphates are also specifically binding to the water in the meat, which helps the emulsification by not allowing syneresis [the oozing out of liquid]. The result contains more moisture and is easier to chew, Bauer sayssimilar to a Slim Jim versus a jerky. For those concerned about nitrite, which is also listed in the ingredients (in sodium nitrite form), Thrift says that the sodium erythorbate present helps inhibit nitrosamine formation, which are the carcinogenic compounds that form when nitrites and proteins interact in your gut, and are responsible for the bad reputation of cured and processed meats. Why use nitrites at all? Because they are necessary to prevent the growth of clostridium botulinum, the bacteria that causes botulism, and offers the cured flavor we are now accustomed to. It also changes the final color of the product to a more appealing red. While the process of making nem chua with the packet seasoning is very controlled, all the food scientists I interviewed encouraged those who make the dish to be mindful of food safety, cleanliness, and the use of quality meats. Professor Eric Decker, head of the Department of Food Science at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, says there is potential for trichinosis* when using pork for nem chua, given that the meat is not fully cooked, but this is preventable if the pork is chemically tested for trichinosis, or frozen at certain temperature and time regimes to kill the trichinosis. Alternatively, beef may be a better option, although that still constitutes a microbial risk, just like [eating] beef tartare. Nguyen, who has trained under Pat LaFrieda and is a meat expert herself, recommends striking up a relationship with your local butcher to source the best meat possible, and using the leanest cut of pork (or, optionally, beef) available when making nem chua (she explains fattier cuts tend to go rancid more quickly). For pork, a tenderloin or loin is a great choice; for beef, beef eye round. Even with those naturally lean cuts, Nguyen will still trim off as much excess fat as possible. She recommends using a meat grinder at homea double grind is the bestbut tossing everything into a food processor also yields suitably delicious results. If you live near a grocery store stocked with Southeast Asian products, make sure to also grab a few bags of cooked, sliced pork skin (typically kept in the frozen section). These thin, translucent strands create the distinct chew in Nguyens nem chua, and are generally found in nem chua preparations across Vietnam (including mass-produced varieties). Bite into a piece and youll see those little flecks peeking out against the pink flush of freshly ground pork loin, surrounded by specks of garlic, chile, and peppercorn. Its not the same without the skin, Nguyen says, its like eating a cheeseburger without cheese. To Nguyen, nem chua is not only a staple of her upbringingshe likens opening the refrigerator and seeing nem to finding a ham and cheese or bolognabut also a fond memory of her father, who passed away 10 years ago. It was one of his absolute favorites, she recounts. He would have a beer with dinner and we would eat nem. Its a snack, its bar food, its street food, its everything! *Per the CDC: Trichinosis, or trichinellosis, is a type of roundworm infection that results from eating raw or undercooked meat infected with the trichinella parasite, particularly wild game meat or pork. Cases of trichinosis in the U.S. have declined sharply over time (see historical graphs), and now the risk of trichinosis from eating commercially raised and properly prepared pork is very low. Navajo Nation officials said they will participate in the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine trials amid a steady decline in coronavirus cases. The tribes territory once had the highest coronavirus infection rate in the country, but has since seen a substantial decrease in community spread, The Arizona Republic reported. Navajo officials reported zero new confirmed cases on Sept. 8 for the first time since the pandemic hit the reservation. As of Saturday night, there had been 9,969 confirmed cases and 530 confirmed deaths from the coronavirus in the Navajo Nation, according to its Department of Health. The number of infections is thought to be far higher because many have not been tested, and studies suggest people can be infected with the virus without feeling sick. The vaccine trials will be conducted at health care centers across the Navajo Nation. Participation is voluntary. Several COVID-19 vaccine clinical trials are making progress across the U.S., and its important that the Navajo people have an opportunity to participate in a Phase 3 trial, Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez said in a statement. The vaccine trial studies will be led by the Johns Hopkins Center for American Indian Health and will be the first coronavirus vaccine study conducted on the Navajo Nation. The Navajo Nation includes parts of Arizona, New Mexico and Utah. An 18-year-old woman arrested in the death of Sierra Rhodd who was shot and killed as gun-wielding assailants surrounded her home has been released after a Harris County magistrate determined there was no probable cause linking her to the crime, according to court records. Emma Lou Presler was charged Monday with murder on the grounds that she had a role in the brazen shootout at a Cypress-area home in the 11200 block of Timber Crest Drive where 20-year-old Rhodd was killed as she was in bed. Investigators believed she had a role in the killing because deputies found her driving a red pickup truck which security cameras may have seen with two other vehicles that was stopped a block from the shooting. Court records show the vehicles registered owner is Preslers boyfriend and that a witness saw a man matching his description minutes after the shooting. Presler said she was in the area to pick him up. Presler appeared in court Tuesday afternoon and the hearing officer, James Callan, ordered that she be released after reviewing the circumstances behind her arrest. Court records show that he did not believe probable cause existed. In court, as Presler stood up in the back row in a orange jumpsuit, Callan questioned why no one was found to have pointed Preslers truck out as being the same one that drove by the Rhodd home at the time of the shooting. He also took exception to the fact that investigators did not elaborate on where they obtained surveillance footage purporting to show her vehicle and the two others described as a black SUV and a stolen motorcycle. At this time, I dont think yall have probable cause, Callan said. Most people involved in a drive-by, they do the drive-by and then they haul ass and they go somewhere who knows where. They dont hang around the crime scene. While Callan did acknowledge that aspects of the case did lean toward Presler having some role in the shooting, he asked that investigators take another look and find more witnesses. Preslers father, Bill Bagby, learned of his daughters alleged role in the attack after seeing her booking photo on a news report. From his front door, Bagby maintained her innocence. We do not think she is responsible for the shooting, Bagby said, adding that he had not heard from her in recent months. Its a little hard to wrap our heads around. Bagby was elated to learn of her release and said a family member would pick her up at the jail. The charge was expected to be dismissed later on Tuesday, officials said. Presler was also being held on an unrelated abuse of a debit card charge in which she was linked to vehicle break-in. Stolen from the car was a Harris County Sheriffs Office detention officers jacket that contained the debit card. That charge remains, court records show. Rhodd was killed around 11 p.m. Sunday when at least three shooters opened fire from outside her home. Her parents heard the gunfire mistaking the sound as fireworks at first while watching TV with their 15-year-old son and his girlfriend. The father, Michael Rhodd, told them to get on the ground as a barrage of bullets hit the house. He rushed to Rhodds room and found her lying at the foot of the bed, according to court records. She was dead by the time first responders arrived. Rhodds father said she had cerebral palsy. I tried to do everything I could, he said. I couldnt do nothing. Harris County District Attorneys Office spokesman John Donnelly said the 15-year-old son was believed to be the intended target. He ran outside to return fire. The assailants then scattered. Investigators found anywhere from 40 to 60 shell casings from four different weapons scattered in front of the home and behind it. nicole.hensley@chron.com Pressure ratcheted up on Chinese fishing fleets in Latin American waters by Mark Godfrey September 15,2020 | Source: SeafoodSource An industry body in Peru has signed a memorandum of understanding with a key regional non-governmental organization, committing to better manage biodiversity in waters that are a key supply point for Chinese demand for seafood and fishmeal. The Comite de Pesca y Acuicultura de la Sociedad Nacional de Industrias de Peru signed the agreement with Organizacion para la Proteccion de los Recursos del Atlantico Sur (OPRAS, also known as the Organization for the Protection of Resources in the Southwest Atlantic). The document signed by OPRAS President Alan Mackern and Alfonso Miranda Eyzaguirre, president of the fishery and aquaculture committee of the Comite de Pesca y Acuicultura de la Sociedad Nacional de Industrias, forms the basis of a cooperative partnership between private firms, producers, and non-governmental bodies work together to stop illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing and commit to the sustainable management and conservation of marine resources. A global spotlight was turned on Chinas fleet in Latin America this summer when Ecuador sent out a warning about Chinese trawlers massing near the Galapagos Islands, where biospheres have been impacted by shrinking stocks of fish and squid. The MoU signing comes as the World Trade Organization convenes in Geneva on Monday, 14 September, to begin official negotiations aimed at reaching an agreement that would eliminate harmful fisheries subsidies. The negotiators have set a deadline of the end of the year to come to an agreement. Chinas government made much of a moratorium on squid fishing by the countrys vessels in the southwestern Atlantic this summer, aimed at conserving squid resources. Yet China, which classes itself as a developing nation, wants carve-outs or flexibilities for all developing nations in any WTO deal. Isabel Jarrett, manager of The Pew Charitable Trusts program to end harmful fisheries subsidies, said with the negotiations, countries are on the cusp of a conservation victory that would boost fisheries around the world. Jarrett has called for WTO delegates to agree on robust rules curtailing subsidies that can lead to overfishing and overcapacity including support for fuel and vessel construction as well as subsidies that contribute to illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing. Earlier this summer, OPRAS signed a memorandum of understanding with CALAMASUR [the Committee for the Sustainable Management of the Jumbo Flying Squid in the South Pacific], which includes industry stakeholders from Chile, Ecuador, Mexico and Peru. The goal of that memorandum is to expand cooperation in efforts against illegal and unreported fishing. Theme(s): Fishing Craft, Gear and Fishing Methods. NEW DELHI: Bhojpuri actor and BJP MP Ravi Kishan on Tuesday (September 14) hit out at Samajwadi Party MP and veteran actor Jaya Bachchan over her 'bite the hands that feed them' remarks on him, stating that he worked his way up in the film industry without anyone's support. "There is a conspiracy to finish our film industry by hollowing it out. As a responsible member of the film industry, it is not just my right but my duty to raise it in Parliament and Jaya ji should respect that. I am just a son of a priest who crawled his way up and has worked in 600 films," Kishan said in the Parliament. "I expected Jaya ji to support what I said. Not everyone in the industry consumes drugs but those who do are part of a plan to finish the world's largest film industry. When Jaya ji joined, the situation was not like this but now we need to protect the industry," he added. He said that Jaya probably didn't listen to the issue which was raised by him in the Parliament. "I raised the issues to save the industry from drugs. Jaya Bachchan belong to a different party with a different ideology than BJP. Our ideology is to remove dirt from the country and we are working on this since 2014 under the leadership of the Prime Minister. I will not let my film industry to become hollow from inside. The industry is as much mine as it is of Jaya Bachchan. I will raise the voice even at the cost of my life," he said. The actor added that instead of receiving any support on the issue, he is being insulted in the House. Ravi Kishan added that consumption of drugs in Bollywood has become a fashion now, a trend which was not seen during the 90s. He said that the reputation of the film industry is being tarnished due to the few people and; the backbone of drug cartels and mafias need to be broken. "The death of SSR is now also being linked to the drugs. Which country is planning to ruin our film industry? This is the matter of concern for government and my party is in government," he said. He congratulated Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for renaming Mughal museum in Agra in the name of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. "Mughals dont deserve to be named as they attacked and looted us. This is a very good step by Yogi Adityanath," he said. He also questioned Congress Wayanad MP and former party president's absence from the Monsoon session, stating, "Rahul Gandhi should raise questions when he is in India. I dont know on which foreign tour he is. Parliament is in session and Rahul Gandhi should come back." The comments from Ravi Kishan came after Jaya Bachchan during the zero hour in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday in a veiled manner criticised him for raising the drug abuse issue in Bollywood. The 72-year-old veteran actress-politician, however, had refrained from taking any names. "I think it is very important that the government must support this industry and not kill it just because there are a few people, you can't tarnish the image of the entire industry. I was really embarrassed and ashamed yesterday one of our members in the Lok Sabha, who is from the industry spoke against (I am not taking the name) the film industry." "It is a shame 'jis thali mein khate hai usi me chhed karte hai', galat baat hai. I need the protection, this industry needs protection and support of the government", Bachchan said during the second day of the Monsoon session in Parliament. President Donald Trump speaks to the press as he greets Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for meetings at the White House in Washington on Jan. 27, 2020. (Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images) Israel, UAE, Bahrain Set to Sign Milestone Abraham Accords at White House Israel and two other Middle Eastern countries are set to sign milestone deals in the White House on Tuesday. President Donald Trump will be joined by H.E. Shaikh Khalid Bin Ahmed Bin Mohamed Al Khalifa, Bahrains minister of foreign affairs, Israels Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the United Arab Emirates foreign minister. The so-called Abraham Accords lay out what the countries agreed to in recent days: the normalization of relations between them. Israel before the agreements was only recognized by two other countries in the Middle East. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Israel first announced the normalization on Aug. 13, shocking foreign policy observers who long thought such a deal was impossible. Leaders of both countries thanked Trump for his help. A man rides a scooter near the flags of the United States, United Arab Emirates, Israel, and Bahrain as they flutter along a road in Netanya, Israel, on Sept. 14, 2020. (Nir Elias/Reuters) Israeli National Security Adviser Meir Ben-Shabbat (center left) elbow bumps with an Emirati official as he leaves Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, on Sept. 1, 2020. (Nir Elias/Pool via AP) The two countries agreed to cooperate on the development of a vaccine for the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, which causes COVID-19; open mutual embassies; and send flights between the two countries. Bahrains announcement came last week. Theres no more powerful response to the hatred that spawned 9/11 than this agreement, Trump told reporters at the White House, referring to the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks against the United States. Netanyahu said in an address following Bahrains announcement, It took us 26 years to get from the second peace agreement with an Arab state to the third peace agreement, and it took us not 26 years but 29 days to reach the peace agreement between the third Arab state and the fourth Arab state, and there will be more. Trumps son-in-law and senior adviser, Jared Kushner, led negotiations on the deals. A senior administration official told reporters Monday that all three countries were extremely excited. Jared Kushner listens during an announcement in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington on Sept. 11, 2020. (Andrew Harnik/AP Photo) (L-R) U.S. special representative for Iran Brian Hook, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Bahraini King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, Bahraini Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa and Bahraini national security adviser Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa meet at Sakhir Palace in Manama, Bahrain, on Aug. 26, 2020. (Bahrain News Agency via AP) The process will see the Emiratis and the Israelis signing a document and the Bahrainis and Israelis signing a document before something will be produced that everybody will sign, the official said. I think you might find tomorrow that the UAE document is going to be a much, sort of, longer document than the Bahrain document. And honestly, thats sort of a function of the time, the official said, referring to how the UAE deal came sooner. The day will start with Trump greeting the representatives of the countries and holding several bilateral meetings before the signing ceremony. Several hundred people are expected to attend the event. Some Democratic lawmakers were invited. Some declined the invitation but others are believed to be attending. Invitees were told to wear masks but also told they do not have to. The event is being held on the South Lawn of the White House, which is outside. Spread of the CCP virus is much lower outdoors. The United States is still talking with other countries in the Middle East, the official said. More deals could come in the future. In a lab on San Antonios West Side, a group of scientists and engineers are building two suitcase-size devices that may help humanity find space life and an alternate place to live in our solar system. The Ultraviolet Spectrograph and the Mass Spectrometer for Planetary Exploration, in development at the Southwest Research Institute, are two of nine scientific instruments set to travel to one of Jupiters moons, Europa, in 2024 aboard NASAs Europa Clipper space probe. The 390 million-mile journey to the ice-covered moon, thought to have an ocean twice the size of Earths, may take the helicopter-size probe six years to reach and cost taxpayers $4.25 billion, but the payoff could be priceless. /Courtesy SwRI Whats in Europas oceans? Is it habitable? Can it sustain life? asked Kurt Retherford, Ph.D., principal investigator on the Ultraviolet Spectrometer and staff scientist at the Southwest Research Institute. We need to send more missions to go investigate these things. SwRI, a nonprofit applied-science research organization, is the linchpin of San Antonios little-recognized space economy. Related: San Antonio in hunt to land U.S. Space Command Over the past five years, NASA has awarded more than $1.3 billion in grants and contracts 208 in all to SwRI and 23 other San Antonio companies, universities and organizations. Another two area companies are part of the space agencys $20 billion contract to provide information technology support across the federal government. Add to that contracts and subcontracts with dozens of companies in the space sector such as Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, United Launch Alliance, SpaceX and others, and the financial impact to San Antonio and South Texas is much greater. Thats work thats already underway. Its likely to increase along with the number of commercial space endeavors and ambitious NASA missions, including the possibility of manned space flight to the moon and Mars. We are in an extremely exciting time for human space flight, said Walt Ugalde, NASAs intellectual property licensing manager. Believe it or not, theres a lot of commercialized space technology out there if you just stop and look. We always tell folks theres more space in your place than you care to realize. Ugalde, a Leon Valley native and John Marshall High School graduate, said the opportunities for doing business with NASA are boundless. Jerry Lara, Staff / San Antonio Express-News Related: S.A. was military air hub, from early flight to space Get real curious engage intentionally, he said. Really take the time to see what kind of opportunities there are for corporations, small businesses and startups. Across the region, many are hard at work doing everything from designing spacecraft and sensors, developing the worlds largest telescopes, building space robots, testing the survivability of lunar habitats, maintaining NASAs ground equipment, helping resupply the International Space Station, providing computer tech support to astronauts and more. The citys space history San Antonios space history looms large in Americas journey to the heavens. Scientists here outfitted monkeys for space, learned how human bodies react to extreme altitudes and screened the first astronauts. They also invented freeze-dried ice cream and tested day-glo-orange Tang. Astronaut Ed White, the first American to walk in space, was born here. Frances Northcutt, the first woman to work in Mission Control, grew up in Luling. Astronaut David Scott, the seventh person to set foot on the moon and first to drive a four-wheeled vehicle there, was born on Randolph AFB and attended the San Antonio Academy from 1943-45. Astronaut Bernard Harris, graduate of Sam Houston High School, logged more than 438 hours and became the first African American to walk in space in 1995. Longtime resident Dr. Lawrence Lamb led development of NASAs medical exams and evaluated all those who went to the moon. Dr. Tom Tredici, an ophthalmologist who helped design the gold visors on the Apollo astronauts spacesuits, still works at Brooks on the Southeast Side at age 97. The list goes on. Scientists at the Air Forces School of Aviation Medicine at Randolph, which later became the School of Aerospace Medicine at now-decommissioned Brooks AFB, laid the foundation for understanding how space impacts the human body. In 1958, Airman 1st Class Donald Farrell spent seven days in a pressurized chamber at Randolph in an experiment that mimicked the space capsule environment. Jerry Lara, Staff / San Antonio Express-News Related: Space exploration began at Brooks on the ground Randolphs and Brooks scientists trained and studied Sam, a rhesus monkey and one of the first primate astronauts. Sam flew to an altitude of 55 miles aboard a Mercury spacecraft in 1959. Brooks engineers fabricated his biopack survival capsule, and one of the doctors wives fashioned a prototype monkey spacesuit out of a silver ironing board cover. Sam retired at the San Antonio Zoo. Countless astronauts endured physicals and centrifuge training at Brooks over the years, including 30 candidates vying to join the Mercury program in 1962. John Glenn visited again in 1998 before his shuttle mission at age 77. Center of space universe In San Antonios space business universe, Southwest Research Institute is a supergiant star. Operating on a 1,500-acre campus, the institute performs the most work for NASA in San Antonio, with 129 contracts worth more than $945 million. Last week, SwRI announced that the institute will be listed in NASAs Rapid Spacecraft Development catalog that the U.S. government uses to procure proven spacecraft. We beat out Dallas and Houston by a factor of 10 in our area of space research, said James Burch, Ph.D., SwRIs vice president of space science and engineering. He started the organizations space program in 1977 and grew it from just himself to its current 470 people. You look at space research and building satellites in Texas, its San Antonio nothing comes close. While most of SwRIs space business worth $150 million annually is with NASA, its scientists and engineers also work with aerospace companies, the Department of Defense, universities and the European Space Agency. Courtesy SwRI Related: That time when San Antonio turned a monkey into an astronaut Burchs team has led missions that sent dozens of spacecraft across the solar system, and he rattles the details off with ease. Image was the first to analyze Earths magnetosphere. New Horizons flew to Pluto and gazed the Kuiper belt. Juno, the first polar orbiter of Jupiter, uses microwaves to peer inside the planet. Magnetospheric Multiscale isnt a catchy name, but the billion-dollar mission, launched five years ago, has sent four spacecraft to understand the interactions between the suns and Earths magnetic fields. Punch will stare at material coming off the sun and track it all the way to Earth. The eight CYGNSS satellites are revolutionizing hurricane tracking and analysis. In 2021, Lucy will head into the abyss toward the Trojan asteroids. In space science, nobody matches us, said Burch, an Army veteran of the Vietnam war, whose program holds more space mission primary investigator positions than any other organization in the country. A lot of people are jealous, but too bad. Were super overloaded right now with work. And SwRI is hiring. We like to hire young engineers and young scientists and let them sink or swim with us thats the way we do it, he said. People that are willing to work hard and work fast are successful. According to Burch, the real challenge is attracting the scientific and engineering talent to San Antonio, due largely to the fact that there arent a lot of aerospace companies in the area. Youve got to convince them to come to a place they havent thought of being before, and theres a certain amount of culture shock, he said. Once they get here, they dont want to leave, and thats another problem because you do want to have a certain amount of turnover. Southwest Research Institute Related: At 97, scientist is last of the old breed at San Antonios former Brooks AFB Burch attributes much of SwRIs success to its well-funded research and development program. Ive never proposed anything that I havent already built a prototype and proved that it works, he said. A lot of our competitors dont have that and so theyre proposing ideas you know, drawings and Ive got a prototype. That gives you a real edge. SwRI scientists get one shot at ensuring their spacecraft is ready for flight. Thats the exciting part of it because youre working on something and you know you cant fix it, he said. So, it launches, and its got to work for five or 10 years, and you cant fix it except whatever you can do with software, but not that much. Burch is currently lead investigator on the Magnetospheric Multiscale project, which will help scientists understand magnetic reconnection, the process that leads to solar flares and explosions of solar material that can wreak havoc on Earth. Hes also leading Europa Clippers Mass Spectrometer mission that may find life-forming compounds erupting from Europas ocean vents. You want to find if space life exists elsewhere, any kind of life, whether its a cell or a critter, right? he said. While its very cold on Europa, and a similar moon of Saturn, in their oceans down deep its habitable for cells, maybe fish. Who knows? You got to take the first steps. Hes confident his instruments can find building blocks of life if theyre present on Europa. Kurt Retherford and his core team of 20 people at SwRI, as well as hundreds of others around the country, have worked on their Ultraviolet Spectrometer for more than five years. What really excites me about studying Europa is the potential for finding a new place in the solar system where life could originate, he said. That would set us up to do a subsequent mission where maybe we land on the surface and find more solid evidence for life that has existed there or may be ongoing today. That kind of discovery life in the solar system we havent done that yet, and this would really change our perception of who we are as humanity. Small business, big impact A low-key 60s-era building on the citys East Side serves as home base for the Rothe family of companies Rothe Development, Rothe Enterprises and Rothe San Antonio Calibration. Founded by Wilhelm Bill Rothe, a member of Werner von Brauns Operation Paperclip team of rocket scientists, Rothe Development opened in 1967 and has collaborated with NASA since 1973. Jerry Lara, Staff / San Antonio Express-News Today, the company oversees 15 NASA contracts worth nearly $300 million that employ 125 people around the country. Rothe also works as a subcontractor on another seven space contracts. SA Inc.: Get the best of business news sent directly to your inbox In a wood-paneled conference room, company Vice President Dale Patenaude and his son, Eric, director of business development, both University of Texas-Austin engineering graduates, laugh and banter as they recount their businesss contributions to space exploration. In the early days, Rothe ran various engineering projects at Brooks where it maintained centrifuges, tested equipment and, at one point, designed a small treadmill for dogs. Later, Rothe took over the machine shop and services contract at Johnson Space Center and performed machining, painting and precision cleaning. Jerry Lara, Staff / San Antonio Express-News Cleanliness is an important part of space flight, and for years Rothe was responsible for removing all germs and hydrocarbons from items going to space. The last place any kind of hardware that would go up on a space shuttle was our cleaning rooms, said Eric, who worked at Johnson Space Center before returning to the family business. The company also made the cables that went on the gantry for the shuttle, said Dale, whos been with the company since 1971. In the first space shuttle launch, they didnt think they needed them so they didnt put covers over the cables, OK, and the first launch burnt up all the cables, he said, and we got an immediate reorder Hurry up and redo us all these cables! Jerry Lara, Staff / San Antonio Express-News Over the years, the company designed and produced the shuttles joystick controllers, upgraded simulator software for the shuttles arm and redesigned interior instrument panels. Rothe engineers even designed and built a model of the space station that Christa McAuliffe was planning to use as a teaching aide during the doomed Challenger mission. Related: Texas Power Brokers: Scientist aims to find secrets of solar systems past Managing the NASA machine shop was often a hectic endeavor. Dale recalls one satellite that didnt start it was a dud for some reason and so they suddenly had a hurry-up program to make a satellite capture device for the shuttle. The problem: The satellite wasnt designed to be captured, nor was the shuttles arm designed to grab a satellite. We were busy making iteration one while theyre designing iteration two and iteration three, he said. Eric said, When youre a service provider in the machine shop at a place like NASA, youre constantly asking, whats this new thing were doing? After the Shuttle Columbia disaster in 2003, Rothe machined a replica shuttle wing of aluminum and carbon fiber for testing at SwRI. The problem was that the specific type of aluminum needed wasnt available anymore. So we had to go to the aluminum mill and make a special order of this alloy of aluminum, Dale said. And we had to use the same kind of tooling that (the original builder) used, so we had to look through all the diagrams and everything and figure out exactly how they put these wings together. Rothe had about 100 projects going at any one time while operating the Johnson Space Center machine shop. The biggest hassle is not making the stuff, its accounting for all of it, Dale said. Related: Revenue jumps to a record at Southwest Research Institute The company has supported NASAs neutral buoyancy lab basically a 40-foot deep swimming pool used for training astronauts since 2003. And the biggest thing its working on now for NASA is running information technology for flight operations, which includes direct support for astronauts and the flight directors. We do the help desk for the astronauts, Dale said. It doesnt matter what time of day. Theyre VIPs. Rothe also supports cargo missions to space, packaging materials in custom foam cutouts and Kevlar bags, and escorting the cargo to the launch pad. The type of cargo you send up is everything from food for the astronauts to clothing and science experiments and hardware you use to fix stuff on the space station, Eric said. All sorts of stuff. And then there are contracts for ground support equipment, laboratories, calibration, radar, space launch weather instruments, welding and sheet metal work. So theres all sorts of big jobs and all sorts of little jobs, Eric said. Dale said hes seen the contracts ebb and flow over the years. NASA has this habit of taking small business contracts and making them part of a big contract, and then they go for a number of years, he said. And then they make it back to small business again, and it goes back and forth between small business and big business. Related: Retail therapy for the COVID-19 era: Anxious San Antonians snapping up sage, weighted blankets, candles, crystals, CBD oil Eric said many contractors in the NASA sphere form teams. Its a process by which you can use your capabilities with someone elses capabilities to have a team that covers all the capabilities necessary for any kind of contract, he said. So, on any given contract where youre a prime and a company is a subcontractor to you on this project, youll be the other way around on another contract. Dale said Rothe will likely do more information technology work for NASA, and keep an eye on the agencys budget. Its a matter of priorities, he said. How much priority do you put on space? Both are optimistic for the future. Im excited to see that NASA has been given the opportunity to let the private companies take care of some of the small stuff so they can think about the big stuff, Eric said. I think NASA should be in the mode of dreaming big and doing the hard projects and letting the contractors fill in underneath. Looking to the stars Both the University of Texas at San Antonio and UT Health San Antonio hold contracts with NASA. But those arent the only efforts at local universities to advance space exploration. One UTSA professor is leading an international project to usher in the next generation of massive telescopes to better understand the universe. Chris Packham, physics and astronomy professor at UTSA, studies exoplanets. These planets orbit stars other than our sun, and they could unlock knowledge about life in space and the development of the universe. The nearest exoplanet is more than four light years away, and there currently are no telescopes or technology to study them from Earth. To move things forward, we need to think about the next-generation telescopes, Packham said. One example is a 30-meter telescope in planning for construction in Hawaii or La Palma, one of the Canary Islands. Im leading part of a group to build an advanced infrared instrument for the 30-meter telescope, he said. And part of the key drive there is to understand exoplanets, understand their atmospheres and deep-probe the formation of these exoplanets. Related: UTSA partnering with Japan to build powerful telescope He said scientists could also use the proposed instrument to peer into the centers of galaxies far away from our own galaxy and understand the effects of the always-present supermassive black hole. Collaboration between UTSA and SwRI, as well as experts in California, Hawaii, Japan, Canada, India and China, is the only way such a complicated instrument can be built, he said. The project could take decades and cost many millions of dollars. Its thrilling to think that we can go out and command this kind of exciting exoplanet scientific venture, but its also really nice to think that this brings these worldwide collaborators here to San Antonio, he said. Its a real thrill for me for San Antonio to be kind of the home base for this proposed next-generation instrument. At the crossroads Sam Ximenes, founder and CEO XArc Exploration Architecture Corp. and board chair of the WEX Foundation, has a vision of San Antonio being a space hub. In 2013, he saw Houston redeveloping an airport into a spaceport and SpaceX scouting locations at Boca Chica and McGregor, and realized San Antonio was in a good position to develop into a major space player. He believes San Antonio can become a space construction and habitation leader. Related: Budding space explorers will learn how to build a moon base The expertise and abilities for terrestrial application in road construction or even companies that do refurbishment of aircraft, he said, are examples of the kinds of companies that could transfer their knowledge for space applications. Whatever you do in your profession, passion or avocation, you can apply that in space, he said. For any profession, I can give you a place where you can fit into the space community. Ximenes sees San Antonios diverse culture, military ties and proximity to Houston as important factors in attracting talent, and hes helping children learn about space and pursue space careers via the WEX foundation. Whatever is put up there is going to have a benefit down here, he said. Nobody thinks about San Antonio being part of the space program. On Aug. 6, the San Antonio industry group Tech Bloc hosted a Facebook Live event that brought together a panel of space experts including Packham, Retherford, Ugalde and two other NASA scientists to discuss S.A.s growing role in off-planet exploration. At least 90 people watched the event, and the recorded broadcast has more than 3,000 views, according to Ileana Gonzales, Tech Blocs operations and community engagement manager. The goal was to use some of the San Antonio space research as a distraction and a way to think about things other than the COVID situation, Packham said. Ugalde sees a bright space future for the community. Ive been trying to embed myself back into the San Antonio market so that NASA can begin to leverage the expertise of industry and innovators in the region. We are reaching out to businesses interested in participating in the technology development aspect of commercial space particularly for the moon and Mars, he said. Theres a way for people in San Antonio industry and businesses to become an active participant in their space program. He said San Antonios biomedical, cybersecurity, engineering, tourism and art industries are ripe for business with NASA. We do know one of the cool things about San Antonio is its thriving arts community, he said. Weve always found that folks that can apply a little bit of artistic, abstract thinking to engineering challenges usually come up with novel solutions to complex problems. Brandon Lingle writes for the Express-News through Report for America, a national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms. ReportforAmerica.org. brandon.lingle@express-news.net After the Netflix documentary "Tiger King" launched her fame, Carole Baskin now found herself on the dance floor as she joins "Dancing with the Stars." But someone stole the momentum of her dancing debut, all thanks to the family of her missing ex-husband, Don Lewis. Carole Baskin's estranged husband went missing in 1997, and conspiracy theories suggest that the 59-year-old Big Cat Rescue CEO had something to do with it. During the Monday premiere of "Dancing with the Stars," the mysterious disappearance of Don Lewis sparked anew after his family places a commercial during the airtime of Carole's debut on the dancing show. The 50-second commercial featured Lewis' daughters (Gale, Lynda, and Donna), former assistant, and family attorney encouraging viewers who have information on his disappearance to contact them. "His family deserves answers, they deserve justice.," lawyer John M. Philips said. "Do you know who did this or if Carole Baskin was involved?" he added. Donna - Lewis' oldest daughter also confirmed that they had funded $100,000 for the investigation. We could assume that the said amount of money will be rewarded to anyone who can give enough information about Lewis' disappearance. When Lewis' disappearance was highlighted in one of the episodes of "Tiger King," viewers are quick to conclude that Carole Baskin was the mastermind behind it. One conspiracy theory suggests that Baskin fed Lewis' to the tigers and disposed of any evidence of his DNA on the meat grinder. While the animal-enthusiast repeatedly denied the accusation, many still believed that Baskin did it to control Lewis' money. Another theory also claims that Lewis' fled to Costa Rica onboard a private plane and went missing. Carole Baskin's Performance Carole Baskin did not let Don Lewis' family steal the spotlight from her dancing debut. "Daning with the Stars" saved Baskin's performance at the end of the premiere, where she danced to the tune of "Eye of the Tiger." The big cat enthusiast was paired with pro dancer Pasha Pashkov, who was paired to "The Office" actress Kate Flannery during season 28 last year. And since the star contender was linked to tigers, the duo was also dressed in tiger-print outfits. Baskin and Pashkov's performance started as the latter leaped out of a cage as they do the paso doble on the Survivor's hit song. Judges Comment Baskin was very honest that she had "absolutely zero dance experience," but judge Derek Hough commended her for her confidence on the dance floor. On the other hand, Judge Carrie Ann Ibana said she appreciates the connection Baskin had with her pro-partner. But judge Bruno Toliolo was not pleased with her performance and said: "You didn't quite kill the paso doble. It was kind of sedated." At the end of the show, Baskin only got a total score of 11, which was the lowest score on the show's premiere night. Good thing, there was no elimination during the first night of the competition. Baskin will be back on "Dancing with the Star" dance floor in a week or two to redeem herself. READ MORE: Taylor Swift Approves Movie Idea Inspired By Her Song 'The Last American Dynasty' Gaelic is traditionally spoken in Scotland across the Highlands and the Hebridean islands, such as Skye. Credit: Skye Studio/Shutterstock In recent months there has been talk of a "Gaelic crisis" in Scotland, based on a study that predicts Gaelic may be disappearing across the country. I do not speak Gaelic, but I have spent five years researching bilingualism, and as a German native speaker who has lived in Scotland for over a decade, I am intimately familiar with what it means to communicate in a second language. When we talk about bilingualism, we often assume that people are equally fluent in both languages and use them equally often. The reality is that some bilinguals may be more proficient in one language than the other and, while some will use both languages equally often, others will use one language more frequently than the other. The question of how frequently a bilingual person uses a particular language brings us back to the decline in the number of of active Gaelic speakers in Scotland. Despite the ubiquity of bilingual English-Gaelic road signs and the historic presence of the Scots language, Scotland has remained mostly monolingually English. This in itself is not surprising. Just seeing a language pictured does little to help us learn it; we need to actively use a language to accomplish this and, perhaps more importantly, continue to use it. Social settings The language we choose to communicate in sends a certain message. If I talk to someone in German in a room full of people who do not speak the language, I effectively exclude them from the conversation. If I choose to use a language others understand, I give them the opportunity to join inand this is often viewed as the polite option. But this becomes problematic if speakers of minority languages do not feel comfortable using that language in a social setting because they are concerned that they might come across as impolite or hostile. If we want to change this, we need to make room for minority languagesbe it Gaelic, Scots or sign languagesto be used in social, everyday settings. If I am not part of a conversation, there is no harm in my lack of understanding the language. In multilingual workplaces, people often develop their own way to deal with that situation, for example, by translating parts of what is being said, or switching languages when someone new enters the conversation. (It is also a great way to learn swear words in different languages!) Use it or lose it Once someone is fluent in a language, they are unlikely to completely forget how to speak it. But what often happens is that people might start to feel a little rusty after not using a language for a while. This is called "language attrition" and can affect a first or second language. In other words, even if someone spoke Gaelic for the first 18 years of their life, if they then go on to use mostly English for the next 10 years, they are likely to experience some degree of language attrition. Some will notice that they can no longer master complex grammatical structures, others may find that their vocabulary has shrunk or that they struggle to pronounce words or sentences without an accent. The way forward The good news for the Gaelic language is, the number of young speakers did not decline between the 2001 and 2011 censuses and these early learners are at a lower risk of being affected by language attrition. Besides age, there are two key factors that can help to prevent this problem: motivation and usage. People who are motivated to maintain language skills are more likely to do so, but they need opportunities to use the "at risk" language. In other words, if we want to avoid language attrition, we need to provide more opportunities for people to speak Gaelic after they leave school. That means at work, in higher education, and as part of our healthcare and legal systems. Countries which adopt formal guidelines that set clear expectations of when people should have the right to use a minority languagefor example Welsh in Wales or English and French in different areas of Canada generally have a higher rate of bilinguals. This implies that if we strengthen the rights of minority language speakers, it will be a first step towards increasing their numberand possibly preventing languages like Scottish Gaelic from becoming extinct. Explore further Bilingualism and dementia: How some patients lose their second language and rediscover their first This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Late actor Irrfan Khans son, Babil Khan, met his best friend immediately after arriving in London. Babil, who goes to college in the UK, revealed in a new Instagram post that he went straight to meet his friend after he dropped off his suitcase at home. He also responded to a fans question about the mandatory quarantine rule. What do you do after a 12 hour flight? Of course, go meet tony two hours away from your house right after dropping your suitcase. This is Louis, hi Louis (Tony was busy). Louis and I have been best friends since first year, now I live with Louis. The end, he had written on Instagram, sharing pictures with his friend. On being asked about the self-isolation rule, Babil said, @tanumoy5chakraborty I did the test, everyone else has been quarantined, so Im covid negative with everyone around me being covid negative :). In another comment, he added, @tanumoy5chakraborty but also its 6 people per gathering together allowed in uk. Babil also shared details about his journey. Replying to a fan, he said that it was tiring and that he wore a face mask the whole time. Also read | I am just a son of a priest, crawled my way up, worked in 600 films: Ravi Kishans response to Jaya Bachchans criticism In an earlier post, Babil said that it felt weird to leave for London, as the last time he travelled, Irrfan was still alive. He also shared a few behind-the-scenes photos from the sets of Angrezi Medium, the actors last release. Off to London. One more year. Last time I left was about this time and baba was still there, its weird this time, and its not just Baba Ive lost. (2nd, 3rd Angrezi medium bts), he wrote. Irrfan Khan died in April after a two-year battle with neuroendocrine tumour. Babil has regularly been sharing memories with him since then. Many fans have remarked that the father and son duo bear a striking resemblance to each other. Follow @htshowbiz for more In order to review the Covid situation in the city, a five-member team sent by the Union ministry of health and family welfare arrived here on Tuesday. The team comprising a senior doctor of the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) visited various parts of the city to analyse the cause behind the spreading of the virus and the high mortality rates. The Union health ministry had decided to deploy central teams in Punjab and Chandigarh to assist them in strengthening public health measures for containment, surveillance, testing and efficient clinical management of Covid patients with an aim to reduce the mortality rate. It was earlier this month that a report of the Union ministry had featured Ludhiana in the top 15 districts of the country with high Covid caseload and fatality rate. Sharing details on the teams visit, civil surgeon Dr Rajesh Bagga said that the team had visited containment zones including Durgapuri and micro-containment zones. The teams visit had triggered panic in the Durgapuri area after 17 streets of the locality were sealed and a heavy police force was deployed in the area. Besides, the team members also checked the testing facilities and conducted a meeting with deputy commissioner Varinder Sharma, said Dr Bagga. I have apprised the team members that the health department is witnessing resistance in certain areas due to the misinformation being spread on social media. However, we have roped in NGOs and politicians to help us in speeding up the testing process, said Dr Bagga. 115 teams formed to speed up testing process Dr Bagga said that 115 teams have been formed to fast track the testing process. Of the 115 teams, 64 will be covering Ludhiana city and towns of Khanna and Jagraon, while 35 teams equipped with mobile testing vans and buses have been deployed in several villages across the city. The remaining teams have been kept on standby. He said that the central team will submit its observation and suggestions to the state government. SEATTLE, Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Wrench , the mobile vehicle maintenance and repair solution that brings dealer-quality service directly to consumers and fleet managers across the U.S., today announced it has acquired Lemon Squad , the premier automotive inspection company with the largest network of ASE-certified inspectors in the U.S. Andy Dabbs, president and CEO of Lemon Squad, will join Wrench as general manager of inspections, and the company's network of 2,800 expert inspectors will become part of Wrench's extended team. As a result of the acquisition, Wrench now serves consumers and fleet operators across the vehicle ownership experience - from pre-purchase to repair nationwide. Through the acquisition of Lemon Squad, Wrench customers and fleet operators can now schedule on-site, pre-purchase vehicle inspections directly through the Wrench mobile app. Within 24-48 hours, a certified technician will travel to the location of the vehicle, conduct an in depth inspection and then deliver a comprehensive inspection report. Customers can also continue to contact Lemon Squad directly. "Lemon Squad's expertise perfectly aligns with our mission of removing the hassles of vehicle ownership" said Ed Petersen, co-founder and CEO of Wrench. "In addition to offering mobile vehicle maintenance and repair solutions at the customer's convenience, we can now provide quality on-site, pre-purchase inspection of used cars, giving customers peace of mind that they are making the right purchase decision from the start." "Lemon Squad's auto inspection includes rigorous testing to ensure customers do not end up making a bad purchase. Combining our efforts with Wrench is a natural next step, especially as the demand for used vehicles skyrockets," said Andy Dabbs, president and CEO of Lemon Squad. "Wrench's established high quality maintenance and repair offerings coupled with our pre-purchase used car inspections will provide customers with the security and assurance they need when purchasing and maintaining their vehicles." For more information on Wrench, visit www.wrench.com . About Wrench Wrench is the premier mobile vehicle maintenance and repair solution that brings dealer-quality service directly to consumers and fleet customers across the U.S. With full-time, ASE-certified mobile mechanics, Wrench provides full-service auto maintenance and repair users can schedule at their location of choice via the Wrench mobile app. Wrench is a privately held company headquartered in Seattle, WA with investments from major venture capitalists, including Madrona Venture Group, Vulcan Capital, and Tenaya Capital, and Marubeni Corporation. To learn more, please visit: www.wrench.com . About Lemon Squad Lemon Squad is the premier US-based automotive inspection company with the largest network of ASE-certified inspectors covering the entire USA including Hawaii and Alaska. For more information, please visit: https://lemonsquad.com/ . PR Contact Barokas Communications Cara DiFabio [email protected] 301-639-0738 SOURCE Wrench, Inc. Related Links https://getwrench.com/seattle-wa-mobile-mechanic/ Almost half of NSW teachers including two in five high school English teachers say they were poorly trained to teach writing, and a quarter devote less than an hour a fortnight of class time to it. Two-thirds said they were either minimally or not prepared at all to teach grammar, punctuation, spelling, paragraphing and sentence structure, or for marking and giving students feedback on writing. Half of the state's school teachers feel underprepared to teach writing. Credit:Virginia Star A review of education degrees also found there was "significant variation" in the extent to which universities prepared trainee teachers. Some institutions never addressed skills such as how to teach grammar or assess writing. High school teachers especially those in science were particularly lacking in confidence, leading one policy veteran to call for responsibility for teaching writing to be given to English teachers rather than sharing it across all disciplines. The 2020 Smart China Expo Online combined online and offline forms and used Cross Reality (XR) and other technologies to create the visual experience of personally on the scene. Liu Zhenmin, United Nations Under-Secretary-General addressed via video, saying, "Enriching life has grown into a premier international forum for dialogue and cooperation in the broad filed of SMART technologies. On the behalf of the United Nations, I congratulate the Expo organizers for highlighting International engagement and fostering cooperation and partnership between governments and industries." Tang Liangzhi, deputy secretary of the Chongqing Municipal Party Committee and mayor of Chongqing, presided over the opening ceremony where he reiterated the principle focus behind the alternate format behind the Smart China Expo this year. "Based on the theme of Smart Technology: Empowering Economy, Enriching Life, the innovative concept behind the exhibition has broken past the limitations of time, space and geographical location. It will present the latest achievements in global smart development through the integration of sub venues, online and offline platforms, plus real and virtual experiences." In a speech delivered by Wang Zhijun, the vice minister of Industry and Information Technology of China, he stated ways to accelerate the integration of artificial intelligence and the real economy. "We will encourage foreign enterprises and research institutions to actively participate in key scientific research projects, jointly build open innovation platforms to jointly promote artificial intelligence technology in benefit the world." He added that, "We welcome global intelligent enterprises to invest in China, share the world's largest consumer and technology application market." Chen Min'er, member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Secretary of the Chongqing Municipal Party Committee, delivered a speech on how the pandemic has accelerated development in the digital economy. "At present, the development of digital economy in the city has entered the fast lane in the transformation of traditional industries. In this period of epidemic prevention and control, intelligent applications have been used widely for unmanned distribution, remote diagnosis, treatment, and online education, which have allowed us to feel the infinite vitality and prospects of innovation in big data intelligent." "We should unswervingly follow the road of optimization and upgrades in the real economy, promote vigorous development in the digital economy, and strive to write a new chapter of high-quality development and life in Chongqing." Josephine Teo, Minister for Manpower and Second Minister for Home Affairs, Singapore, described the level of cooperation with Chongqing. "Singapore and Chongqing have a shared commitment to be at the forefront of digital connectivity. In fact, this is a key pillar of the Chongqing Connectivity Initiative, which is China and Singapore's third government-to-government flagship project. Our collaboration has enabled Singapore's attendance at the SCE Online today to be streamed live through the CCI international dedicated connectivity." "I am glad that we have a strong participation of around 30 Singapore companies at the SCE online E-exhibition, with 17 memorandums of understanding to be signed between them and their partners." Keynote speaker addresses by holographic projection Following the opening ceremony, industry representatives and experts took the stage in a variety of forms. While most guests delivered speeches either live on stage, or though pre-recorded video. Nobel Prize laureate Kostya Novoselov delivered a unique keynote presentation by means of holographic projection, where he described his present focus of research into intelligent textiles, including an anti-virus coating that kills viruses through programmable responses. He concluded, "we really believe that our smart, adaptive, intelligent materials would find their use in many areas from smart cities, robotics, artificial intelligence, progressive health care, water treatment and telecommunication." Jack Ma, co-chairman of the UN High Level Panel on Digital Cooperation, emphasized how the pandemic has not only presented difficult challenges, but has also brought great opportunity. "Among all the uncertainty of today, the trend towards digitization has not changed. While digitalization once made life easier for businesses, it is now the key to their survival. The process of digitization which may have taken 30 to 50 years to complete, has likely been shortened to 10 or 20 years." "Industry now has the opportunity to combine research and development with digital technology to reduce the cost of promotion, sales channels, labour and management. While traditional industry has the opportunity to be driven by technology, the epidemic has transformed technology originally reserved for emergencies into daily life." Robin Li, chairman and CEO of Baidu group announced that the Western Autonomous Driving Open Test Base in Yongchuan District of Chongqing would be officially opened during the 2020 Smart China Expo Online. "So far, it has become the test and demonstration base with the richest application scenarios and the largest scale of autonomous vehicles in the western region," said Li. Last year, Yongchuan District and Baidu reached a cooperation agreement on the base. Moreover, the L4 self-driving minibus jointly developed by Baidu and King Long is also scheduled to make its world premiere in Yongchuan Chongqing on September 17. This means that the first self-driving bus line in the west will soon be put into operation. Other high profile guests included, 2017 Turing Award winner David Patterson, and Lu Yong, CEO of Huawei China Region. Hi-Tech Product Releases The final stage of the event was a series of product releases headed by hi-tech educational resources developer IFLYTEK, which released intelligent software that that can analyze student performance to identify weaknesses in a variety of subjects, and design courses suited directly to their needs. Among other major smart product releases included the first HP computer with chips manufactured in China. Intel announced the company's largest FPGA innovation center in the world, while Chang'an Ford released the news they will start mass production of the first car model equipped with the function of vehicle-road coordination. For more information on the 2020 Smart China Expo Online, please visit https://www.ichongqing.info/special/2020-smart-china-expo-online/ SOURCE iChongqing Made In Chelsea star Sam Thompson cut a pensive figure when he was pictured for the first time since dumping Zara McDermott after discovering she cheated on him. The reality TV personality, 27, looked deep in thought as he walked down the street in London, showing off his biceps in a grey vest and matching tracksuit bottoms. He paused for a moment, wearing his workout gear with black trainers, showcasing a series of tattoos on his arms. Out and about: Made In Chelsea star Sam Thompson was pictured for the first time on Tuesday following claims girlfriend Zara McDermott cheated on him at the start of their romance Sam, 27, has been having crisis talks with Zara, 23, - they parted ways amid claims she cheated while taking part in The X Factor: Celebrity last year. The fallout from the breakup will reportedly play out before the cameras in explosive scenes on Made In Chelsea. The split and the fall-out is set to air on upcoming scenes on Made In Chelsea. Ouch! Sam, 27, has been having crisis talks with Zara, 23, - they parted ways amid claims she cheated while taking part in The X Factor: Celebrity last year A source told MailOnline exclusively: 'Zara cheated on Sam with someone in the music industry. Someone connected to the X Factor. 'Sam is obviously distraught about this. He only found out about it very recently and has escaped for a few days.' The reality star appeared on the series last summer and autumn, as part of the Love Island pop group No Love Lost. At this point, she had been in a relationship with Sam for several months but it's said the Made In Chelsea star has only recently found out about the infidelity. More to come: The fallout from the breakup will reportedly play out before the cameras in explosive scenes on Made In Chelsea They added: 'It means viewers will get to see the raw emotion caused by Zara's infidelity last year, as Sam tries to come to terms with what has happened' Their broken relationship is now said to be 'hanging in the balance' as the pair have been unable to talk while the Made In Chelsea star films The Circle with pal Pete Wicks, but the Love Island star 'is fighting hard to get him back'. A source also told MailOnline: 'Zara and Sam split towards the end of last month. They had been arguing a lot since moving in together as a result of lockdown and things just built up between them. 'Zara has moved back to her parents' house in Essex where she's taking some time for herself, she really loved Sam so this hasn't been easy for her. An insider has said: 'Their relationship is hanging in the balance. Sam left to film The Circle saying he couldn't be with Zara right now' All over: It was recently reported the couple had split and claims later emerged the break-up came after Sam, 28, discovered Zara had cheated on him a year ag Sam has taken some time away from Zara to film the Channel 4 program, The Circle, but that reportedly hasn't stopped her attempts to ask for forgiveness. The outing comes after Sam broke his social media silence on Saturday when he thanked his close friend and TOWIE star Pete for being there for him when he is 'down'. The couple were an item for 16 months, with Zara joining Sam on the E4 show as a cast member. On the show, she was seen declaring that she wants to marry and have children with Sam. She also moved in with him at the start of lockdown. Patching things up? Zara is said to be fighting so hard to get him back. She's going to do everything she can to prove he can trust her again A source told MailOnline: 'Sam is obviously distraught about this. He only found out about it very recently and has escaped for a few days' Speaking out: Sam finally broke his silence since his breakup from Zara as he thanked his close friend Pete Wicks for being there for him when he is 'down' on Saturday Sam wrote: 'Im incredibly lucky to have people I can lean on when Im down. I know youre not the soppy type, but you really are the brother I never had' Louise tweeted last Wednesday: 'Cheaters always want you to be loyal while they're being unfaithful,' which prompted fans to assume she had trouble in her own relationship with fiance Ryan Libbey. Days later she sparked further speculation by posting: 'Trust takes years to build, seconds to break, and forever to repair' followed by 'I'm proud of my heart. It's been played, stabbed, cheated, burned and broken somehow still works.' An insider told MailOnline: 'Things between Louise and Ryan are really great. Her tweet last week was actually aimed at a friend.' Zara and Sam, who regularly post on Instagram and TikTok together, haven't shared any content as a couple since August. Shares is the leading weekly publication for retail investors. It is packed with investment ideas, news and educational material to help build and run portfolios and get more from your money. Shares puts on free Investor Events throughout the year across the country. They provide an opportunity for investors to learn more about companies on the stock market and hear from a range of investment experts including fund managers and Shares journalists. Warships and fighter jets of Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy take part in a military display in the South China Sea on April 12, 2018. (Reuters) Chinese Professor Declares Three Ways China Could Nuke the World Zhao Shengye became a household name overnight in China and among overseas Chinese communities after he suggested in a recent social media post that Beijing should deploy nuclear weapons to counter the United States recent actions. His verified profile on Sina Weibo, a platform similar to Twitter, shows that he is a professor at the Shenyang Institute of Technology, and has more than three million followers. The Trump administration in recent months has taken tougher action against Beijing on multiple fronts, including Chinese tech companies posing security threats and firms involved in Beijings militarization of the South China Sea. On Sept. 12, Zhao posted: if [U.S. President Donald] Trump is bent on fighting against Chinaeven intervening in a future war to liberate Taiwan, the ultimate result of Trumps actions will be the destruction of all mankind. Zhaos rhetoric on Taiwana self-ruled island that Beijing claims as part of its territory, despite Taiwan having all the features of a nation-statematches Beijings recent aggression, such as intruding on the islands airspace. The United States has consistently condemned Beijings threats on Taiwan and is the islands main arms supplier. Significantly, Zhaos controversial post included an English translation as well, suggesting that it was meant for a broader audience. Zhao described several strategies by which the Chinese regime could attempt nuclear destruction: 1. When a nuclear submarine loaded with nuclear warheads is detonated in the Pacific Ocean, the shock waves could exceed 2,000 meters. The water would submerge surrounding areas. 2. Detonating thousands of nuclear bombs in the Himalayas at the same time could change the orbit of the earth. 3. Drilling 10,000 meters deep in the Sichuan basin and implanting thousands of nuclear bombs at the same time would trigger the collapse of the earths core and the extinction of human beings all over the world. Zhaos jaw-dropping post drew immediate reaction among netizens. Kantie, an online Chinese-language media outlet, argued that Zhao represented the Chinese regimes authoritarian mentality of, if I cannot survive, no one else shall be allowed to survive. China analysts also described Zhao as a radical nationalist. His extremist ideas became a hotly debated topic online. But about ten hours later, the post was deleted from the platform. Some netizens questioned whether authorities initially allowed the post because they wanted to threaten nuclear war with the United States. A file photo shows a Russian Kilo-class conventional submarine belonging to the Chinese Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) Navy at the naval headquarters of the China North Sea Fleet in the eastern Chinese port city of Qingdao on Aug. 2, 2000. (Goh Chai Hin/AFP/Getty Images) As early as in 1957, then-Party chief Mao Zedong openly expressed that they were willing to engage in a nuclear conflict. He himself admitted: Im not afraid of nuclear war. There are 2.7 billion people in the world; it doesnt matter if some are killed. China has a population of 600 million. Even if half of them are killed, there are still 300 million people left. Eight policemen died of coronavirus in the last 48 hours across Maharashtra, taking the death toll in the state police past the 200-mark. The number of stand in the forces stands at 202. Some 371 fresh cases of infection have been reported in the Maharashtra police in the last 24 hours. The policemen who died in the last two days were from Thane, Jalgaon, Ratnagiri and Nagpur districts. As per the details shared by Vinayak Deshmukh, assistant inspector general of police (Law and Order), total cases of Covid-19 infection in the state police force is now at 19,756. Out of these, 15,830 policemen have recovered. Some 3,724 policemen are active patients and are undergoing treatment at various public, private hospitals and Covid care facilities. Out of the 202 policemen deaths reported, 20 were of the officer rank. Most of the policemen who lost battle with Coronavirus had co-morbidities such as diabetes, blood pressure. Covid mortality is seen higher in policemen in age group 48-58, said a senior police official. The coronavirus crisis cost the global tourism sector $460 billion in lost revenue during the first six months of 2020 as the number of people travelling plunged, the UN said Tuesday. Revenue lost between January and June amounted to "around five times the loss in international tourism receipts recorded in 2009 amid the global economic and financial crisis," the Madrid-based World Tourism Organization said in a statement. International tourist arrivals fell by 440 million during the period, or 65 percent, with Asia, the first region to feel the impact of Covid-19, seeing the steepest decline, it added. "This represents an unprecedented decrease, as countries around the world closed their borders and introduced travel restrictions in response to the pandemic," the Tourism Organization said. While tourism is slowly returning to some destinations, the UN body warned that "reduced travel demand and consumer confidence" would continue to hurt the sector for the rest of the year. It predicted international tourist arrivals will plunge by around 70 percent in 2020 owing to the coronavirus. International tourism arrivals rose by four percent in 2019 to 1.5 billion, with France the world's most visited country, followed by Spain and the United States. The last time international tourist arrivals posted an annual decline was in 2009 when the global economic crisis led to a four percent drop. The UN body said it expects it will take two to four years for tourist arrivals to return to 2019 levels. tpe/ds/mg/tgb The Duggar family has recently teased a surprise courtship. While they are keeping the romance a secret until the Sept. 22 episode of Counting On, family followers cant help but speculate about which of the Duggar kids are ready to announce a relationship. While some of the Duggar kids seem more likely to be dating than others, there are quite a few family members who are old enough to get married. Twins, Jeremiah and Jedidiah Duggar are old enough to get married Jeremiah and Jedidiah are the next in line for courtship if you believe the Duggar family courts in age order. They are the oldest unmarried Duggar boys, even though they are still incredibly young for marriage. Jed and Jeremiah, the familys second set of twins, will turn 22 in December. RELATED: Counting On: The Mystery of Jedidiah Duggars Living Situation Appears to Be Solved The pair have moved out of their familys Springdale, Arkansas home and are living on their own for the first time. Could they be preparing for marriage? If one of the twins is in the midst of the romance, its probably Jeremiah. Jedidiah is currently running for office. His political aspirations have probably left him a bit too busy to romance anyone. Jeremiah, who is serving as Jeds campaign manager, seems to have a bit more free time. Neither has been spied hanging out with an unknown woman, though, meaning they probably arent courting. James, Jason, and Justin Duggar are all old enough to consider courtship, too While Jeremiah and Jedidiah Duggar are the eldest unmarried Duggar boys, there are a few more young men who could all, theoretically, be courting. Jason Duggar, who recently joined Instagram, turned 20 in April. Not only is he old enough to court, but he appears capable of supporting a family. Jason has chosen to go into the house flipping business and has worked on several projects in recent years. Jason had been previously linked to Lauren Caldwell, but nothing ever came of the rumors. RELATED: Counting On: One Giant Hint That James Duggar is Courting James Duggar, freshly 19, has also been linked to Lauren in recent months. Hes been spending a fair amount of time with the Caldwell family, leading family followers to believe love is in the air. Justin Duggar, who is not yet 18, could potentially be dating someone, too. While its less common for the Duggar boys to marry young, its not unheard of. Josh Duggar, the familys troubled oldest son, married Anna Duggar before he turned 21. Justin will turn 18 in November. There is always Jana Duggar While it is expected that one of the Duggar boys will announce the next courtship, Jana Duggar could surprise everyone by settling down. Now 30, Jana is the Duggar familys eldest unwed daughter. She, unlike her sisters, has rejected multiple suitors over the years. RELATED: Counting On: Do The Duggar Kids Resent Jana Duggar? Janas single status has been a running storyline during this season of Counting On. The fact that her relationship status has been so heavily featured has led some fans to believe that a courtship might be on the horizon. If it is, Jana has managed to keep everything incredibly low key. Her courtship announcement would actually come as a shock to most family followers. Ivanka Trump visited North Carolina on Monday where she outlined the choices for voters in the upcoming presidential election. During a visit to Wilmington, the president's daughter said the state's motto, 'To be, rather than to seem' also reflected the choice in candidates voters face. 'On one hand you have a person who is a vessel for whatever the fringe of the party or the mainstream media want him to be, but on the other hand you have someone who is arguably the most authentic president we've ever had,' Ivanka said during a chat with prospective voters at a Wilmington bakery. The daughter of President Donald Trump, Ivanka Trump attended a 'fireside chat' in North Carolina on Monday The discussion was moderated by Trump 2020 National Press Secretary Hogan Gidley, left 'Washington has not changed Donald Trump,' Ivanka Trump, the President's adviser, said. 'Donald Trump has changed Washington, and it's very true,' she said Her visit to Wilmington was her fifth visit to North Carolina in three-and-a-half years. The state is key in Donald Trump's re-election campaign. It is one of the the most volatile of the swing states, has 15 electoral votes and is considered a must-win for Mr Trump this time around as well. Ivanka spoke of what she sees as her father's accomplishments including the First Step Act which removed a 'three strikes' life sentence for some offenses and allowing judges more discretion when it comes to the sentencing of non-violent crimes. 'Of all the people who've talked about positively impacting the system for better, it was this president who delivered the most historic criminal justice reform that we've had in a generation and it's just getting started,' Ivanka said. The president's daughter also visited a bakery during the time she was in the city The visit from Ivanka Trump was campaign driven, and one of several stops for her with the election less than two months away After the 'fireside chat', Trump sat down to enjoy a salad bowl and tortilla chips with voters Ivanka spoke to kids who were eating in the restaurant close to where the event was being held She then went on to sing her father's praises of the government's response towards the coronavirus and stressed how the Paycheck Protection Program helped to keep small businesses paying their workers during the pandemic. Ivanka said her father 'used his business experience to harness the private sector to clear the road blocks that exist within government to get things done.' The President's daughter also touted his commitment to family policy and education, referencing several pieces of legislation passed by his administration. 'The president is the first president of either party to put paid family leave into his budget,' she said. Before leaving the crowd of potential voters who were all fully masked, she urged them to 'get out and vote.' The president 'doesn't want to see the country go in the wrong direction and it won't under his watch,' she assured them. Ivanka emphasized her fathers economic agenda moving forward, focusing on four pillars revision of trade deals, tax reform, deregulation and energy independence The president's daughter sounded confident of her father's re-election bid ABUJA, NIGERIA / ACCESSWIRE / September 15, 2020 / Urban Shelter Limited (USL) is redefining the real estate sector with a culture dedicated to service, finding opportunities and creating value. USL, a property development company, with headquarter in Abuja, Nigeria, has 3 decades of experience in property development and management. The company is driven to make itself a household name in the country and Africa as a whole. Urban Shelter has to its advantage an immense reserve of resources, both financial and human capacity, which gives the company the ability to deliver projects effectively. USL has developed and managed properties for individuals, corporate organizations, state and federal government establishments, while strategically consolidating its activities across Nigeria, Ghana, UAE and the entire West African sub-region. The company has delivered cutting edge and competitive real estate solutions to its valued clients at competitive prices. Urban Shelter Limited was founded by a visionary leader - Mallam Ibrahim Aliyu, a man of impeccable values and of the highest professional ethics. Over a career spanning five decades (both in public and private sectors) he effortlessly combines his strong family values with intuitive business acumen to lead the company that is renowned for its integrity and credibility. Currently, the company is being led by Saadiya Aminu, as the Managing Director/CEO. She started her career in Development Finance. Urban Shelter continues to witness remarkable growth under her management. Hajia Saadiya Aminu - Managing Director/CEO, Urban Shelter Limited Saadiya has garnered vast experience in real estate and investment over a 20yr period. Her background in Economics, coupled with a unique ability to anticipate business trends, has put her in the position she is as not only the head of one of the largest real estate companies in Nigeria and Africa, but also one of the most successful business women around. In an exclusive interview with the PLEASURES Magazine team, Saadiya Aminu gave an extensive breakdown of the company operations, from its strategies and plans to its offers. She said: 'Our passion is people and projects. As such our clientele includes Nigerians across every income category from corporate bodies to private individuals; cooperative societies to institutions. Our primary objective is providing real estate solutions and change the Nigerian skyline one project at a time'. She stated that the major distinguishing factor of the Urban Shelter model from others was a broad spectrum of services that cover various segments of the real estate market which include residential (affordable, intermediate & high-end), commercial (offices), retail (shopping malls, markets) and specialty projects (hotels, leisure etc). "Urban Shelter has continued to grow both in sophistication of its projects and geographically through growth of new markets." 4 Bedroom Detached at The Hills Residences Located at The Guzape District, Abuja The company's growth geographically has extended to Kaduna State, Lagos State and Niger State while we have planned projects for Kano State, Enugu State and Abia State. "In 2020, despite a difficult business environment, we launched The Waterfront by Urban Shelter along Jabi Lake. This is a speciality project, which once completed will provide a recreational destination for Abuja families; and The Hills high-end residential project in Guzape". Urban Shelter,Bellavue Residences, Abuja Urban Shelter is currently on several potentially high-yield projects to add to its impressive portfolio. "We are currently operating on 7 sites in Abuja with a combination of retail and residential projects including BellaVue Residences Lifecamp, Urban Shelter Residences Dawaki, Promeande Estate Lokogoma, Urban Shelter Estate Kyami, Sarauniya Estate Lugbe, Apo Urban Market and Brick City Valley Kubwa. In Lagos we are active on two sites: Urban Shelter Estate, Ajah and Urban Shelter Living, Victoria Island, Lagos. While in Kaduna we are developing the second phase of Urban Shelter Millennium City, a 16-hectare project and have also launched in partnership with Kaduna State Government in the development of Kassuwar Barci. A Further two projects in Niger State are also under development." The company has a portfolio of over $1.1billion in terminal values of works in progress, and combined assets under management. She averred that the company is people and project-oriented, committed to delivering consistently superior quality projects to clients at the end of the day. 'For more than 30 years, we have helped Nigerians rediscover the dream of homeownership, the aspiration of turning a house into a home. We have built houses, so our clients can transform them into welcoming homes and safe havens in secured locations. We are proud to say for many Nigerians, Urban Shelter has turned their dreams into a reality." "Our strategic focus continues to be centred on building exceptional properties in some of Nigeria's most desirable locations (residential, retail and commercial) Each Urban Shelter development exemplifies our company's commitment to the highest standards supported by market awareness, driven by passion and governed by integrity. We are delighted to announce our several commercial developments that will come on board in 2021. These include the development of UTC, Garki Abuja; Shelter Tower (15 floor office development) in the heart of Central Business District Abuja; and Guzape Mall, a retail development". Because Urban Shelter is passionate about getting people into homes, we have made it our singular goal to evolve affordable homes without compromising on aesthetics, design or quality, thus, achieving homes that put the client at its very centre. It's a segment of the market that we have built expertise in which our signature use of the burnt red bricks we are able to produces homes at competitive rates. Saadiya emphasized the social advantages of home ownership that lead to better productivity of individuals and in turn lead to a more productive economy. According to her, "Owning a home leads to better health, better output and productivity. Providing access to water, sanitation and other physical and social infrastructure are our main priorities in all our estates. On financial benefits, home ownership provides the opportunity for individuals to unluck several financial resources such as access to loans that could be used to fund your dreams. During our interaction with clients we identified there was great reluctance for the average Nigerian to access mortgages, most would prefer to save over a long period of time and wait to own a home. We took cognizance of this and developed different financial options for our clients to help them get onto to the property ladder. These include extended five - year payment plans, pay and stay options; referrals to preferred Primary Mortgages Institutions partners. In 2019, we signed an agreement with Nigeria Mortgage Refinance Company to refinance clients with existing mortgages." 5 Terrace Perspective view Urban Shelter Residences, Dawaki On COVID-19, she lauded the efforts of frontline medical officials fighting the pandemic. During the lockdown, the management of Urban Shelter prioritized the health and lives of its employees and their families. It has continued to do so by adhering to all the safety guidelines put in place by the NCDC and putting Health & Safety at the core of daily activities. 'While very challenging, the lockdown period has helped the team to focus on pre-development function of project management. This involves - design optimization work, finalising Bill of Quantities, developing artwork, 3Ds and marketing materials as well as evolving research and development. So, with the three months of lockdown, we were able to do more of the planning phase and we are ready to hit the ground running by the time the lockdown was lifted". The economy, the business climate and how we interact both socially and professionally - things are changing sequel to the global pandemic. For instance, though most of our building materials are sourced internally, foreign import of building materials for the high-end building has been challenging, but we envisioned these pitfalls and we are currently working our way through them." She explained that Urban Shelter currently has a 5-year payment plan for middle-income earners and extended payment plans for different demographics. 'The Building Services, R&D team of our company, have developed N5,000,000 ($10,000) homes that have all the requisite infrastructure, which we are market in Abuja. Last year the Urban Shelter team took its exhibitions to London UK, Italy, and Houston US, to directly reach out to Nigerians in the diaspora looking to invest in real estate at home. There are several stories of individuals who have been conned by relatives and strangers while trying to invest in properties, so Urban Shelter offers a more credible way to invest in real estate and ensure quality for your resources. 'We are also evaluating collaboration with Nigerian banks that function in the diaspora to make remittances easier. Investments in real estate in Nigeria give a higher return than most countries currently" - Saadiya Aminu 'We are also evaluating collaboration with Nigerian banks that function in the diaspora to make remittances easier. Investments in real estate in Nigeria give a higher return than most countries currently" 'It is important to also address better gender balance and as such we have reviewed trends so women can invest, and we help facilitate that process for everyone. She added that women are very entrepreneurial and should be giving the level playing ground to invest into real estate. Patterns of investment tell more that women invest in commercial and retail projects than residential properties. These nuanced issues are what Urban Shelter looks at, to ensure they are doing the best they can for each unique client,' she said. On sustainability and conservation, we believe minimum carbon footprint is vital in how we operate. By putting nature and conservation at the heart of how we operate, we approach the design of each project with a view to conserving the greenery. We have come across trees that are hundreds of years old and redesigned entire projects, so we protect them. Our Corporate Social Responsibility projects include remodelling sub-standard schools to help in upgrading their facilities; Sickle Cell Awareness; Give Girls A Chance; WRAPA and numerous others. As a woman in this position, Saadiya Aminu acknowledges that there are challenges she faced which include not having a background in architecture or engineering. She stressed that being humble to learn and growing through the ranks, gave her an opportunity to learn under renowned mentors and earned her the position which she now sits on, incompetence backed by knowledge and experience. "A woman in a leadership position today is not so novel and less of something people are surprised by," she said, adding that she also thanked the Urban Shelter team who has been supportive and has maintained a sense of camaraderie through all situations. "We are delighted to announce our several commercial developments that will come on board in 2021." - Hajia Saadiya Aminu 'Thankfully, I was raised by parents who never adhered to preconceived gender roles, so they gave me exceptional access to education and an opportunity to work and excel in my career,', she said while also lauding her husband who she described as a champion and support to her through all her career endeavours. As a woman in a leadership position, Saadiya acknowledged the inputs of her male mentors, Dr. Mansur Muhtar and Dr. Abraham Nwankwo who pushed her to be more in her career path. To aspiring women leaders, she said, "I think women should start and not wait for a perfect condition, and while at it they shouldn't be afraid of being mentored by men." "Envision where you want to be, plan it, prepare for it, pray on it, follow through with it and even when the plan fails, start again. You may fail 1,000 times; you only need to succeed once. God will put people in your life, resources and opportunities that will take you to where you are supposed to be - but you need to be brave enough, so have courage," she added. Urban Shelter is part of larger group of companies with interest in Power, Hospitality and Manufacturing including - Shelter Suites & Hotels Ltd, North South Power, Shelter Clay Ltd and Urban Abode. CONTACT DETAILS: Website: www.urbanshelternigeria.com Email: info@urbanshelternigeria.com Facebook handle: Urban Shelter Limited Twitter: @urbanshelter LinkedIn: Urban Shelter Limited Instagram: @urbanshelterlimited Address: 2nd Floor, Shippers Plaza. Plot 438, Michael Okpara Way Zone 5, Wuse Abuja - FCT Nigeria Tel: +2348095555569, +2348036338184 SOURCE: Pleasures Magazine View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/606178/At-Urban-Shelter-Every-Project-Offers-Chance-To-Change-Lives-Bring-Peace-Of-Mind-Saadiya-Aminu Novaremed AG (Novaremed), a clinical-stage Swiss biopharmaceutical company, today announced that it has raised CHF2.5 million from its existing shareholders in an oversubscribed new financing round. This brings the total financing raised by the company, since its inception, to CHF23.5 million. The additional proceeds will be used to prepare for the initiation of a Phase 2b clinical study in the US of its novel drug candidate, NRD135S.E1, for the treatment of Painful Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy (PDPN). The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had recently cleared an Investigational New Drug (IND) application for the Phase 2b clinical study. "The oversubscription of the new financing is a strong endorsement by our shareholders of the major milestone achieved by the company by securing an IND clearance from the FDA", said Subhasis Roy, M. Com, MBA, CEO/COO of Novaremed. Novaremed also announced today that its PCT patent application covering a targeted therapy to treat pain and inflammation was published on July 30, 2020 (Publication No. WO 2020/1522226). It was titled "Compounds for use in the treatment or prophylaxis of pain, inflammation and/or autoimmunity". This PCT application allows Novaremed to file patent applications and seek protection in most major countries worldwide. The national patent applications, if granted, will provide protection for Novaremed's technology without a gap in patent protection until 2039/40. Dr. Eli Kaplan, Novaremed's Founder and Chief Innovator, commented, "This PCT patent application is a significant step in being able to protect our unique compound for neuropathic pain for many years to come. It is particularly important now as we get closer to beginning our Phase 2b clinical trial in patients with PDPN." Novaremed is participating at International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) sponsored conference "Virtual Series on Pain Expo", which is being held virtually this year between September 2020 and March 2021. Novaremed's poster abstract on the results of the Phase 2a Proof of Concept study has been accepted for the virtual poster gallery. Notes to the Editor: About Novaremed Novaremed Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Novaremed AG was founded in 2008 in Israel and Novaremed AG was founded in 2017 in Switzerland. Novaremed Ltd is developing NRD135S.E1, an orally active non-opioid small molecule with a novel mechanism of action against PDPN. In a Phase 2a Proof of Concept study, NRD135S.E1 showed clinically relevant reduction in patient-reported pain and an excellent safety and tolerability profile. Novaremed Ltd is currently preparing to conduct a Phase 2b study in PDPN patients in USA. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200915005582/en/ Contacts: For further information about Novaremed, please contact: Subhasis Roy, CEO/COO Tel: +41 79 2075715 Email: subhasis.roy@novaremed.com www.novaremed.com NEW DELHI - Indias defence minister accused China on Tuesday of violating past border agreements and expanding its troop deployments along a disputed mountainous frontier in the Ladakh region where the two countries have been locked in a military standoff for months. Rajnath Singh told Parliament that India has informed China through diplomatic channels that its attempts to unilaterally alter the status quo were in violation of the bilateral agreements. He also said India has made counter-deployments along the rugged frontier and its troops have foiled transgression attempts by China. We should be confident that our armed forces will handle the situation successfully, Singh said. India and China have been embroiled in a tense border standoff in Ladakh, where in June they had their deadliest clash in decades. The Asian giants have accused each other of sending soldiers into rival territory and firing warning shots for the first time in 45 years, threatening a full-scale military conflict. On Sept. 5, Singh and his China counterpart, Gen. Wei Fenghe, met in Moscow to discuss ways to lower tensions. It was the first high-level direct contact between the two sides since the standoff. Days later, the foreign ministers of the two countries also met in Moscow. They agreed to deescalate border tensions, but a settlement of the impasse is expected to be a long process. In Beijing, foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said at a daily briefing Tuesday that China hopes that India will earnestly implement the consensus reached by the foreign ministers of the two sides, meet China halfway, and make concrete efforts to ease the situation. Relations between the two countries have often been strained, partly due to their undemarcated border. They fought a border war in 1962 that spilled into Ladakh and ended in an uneasy truce. Since then, troops have guarded the undefined border area, occasionally brawling. They have agreed not to attack each other with firearms. Soldiers from the two sides fought in May and June with clubs, stones and their fists. A clash on a high ridge on June 15 left 20 Indian soldiers dead. China is believed to have also suffered casualties, but has not given any details. Singh said India inflicted heavy casualties on Chinese forces, but did not provide any numbers. After that clash, the two countries partially disengaged from the site in the Galwan Valley and at least two other places, but the crisis has continued in at least three other areas, including glacial Pangong Lake. Singh said the countries have resolved to keep peace and tranquility along their border but havent been able to find a mutually acceptable solution. He said the impasse was due to differing perceptions of the fiercely contested Line of Actual Control that separates Chinese and Indian-held territories from Ladakh in the west to Indias eastern state of Arunachal Pradesh. Singh said India had built roads, bridges and other infrastructure along the border. We are fully prepared to protect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of our country, he said, adding that China continued to occupy nearly 38,000 square kilometres (14,670 square miles) of Indian land in Ladakh. After Singhs address, the main opposition Congress party staged a walkout from Parliament and said Prime Minister Narendra Modis government was misleading the country over the issue of Chinese encroachment. On June 19, Modi said China had not intruded inside Indias borders during the latest standoff. He added that no one could take even an inch of land from India. But Mr. Modi, when will you stand against China? When will we take back the land of our country from China? Congress party leader Rahul Gandhi tweeted. Read more about: (Photo : REUTERS/Aziz Taher) People stand near a damaged site after a fire erupted in a landmark building in Beirut's commercial district, Lebanon September 15, 2020 (Photo : REUTERS/Aziz Taher) A man uses a water hose to put out the remains of a fire that broke out at Beirut's port yesterday, Lebanon September 11, 2020. On Tuesday, Sept. 15, a fire erupted in Beirut souk. A building designed by a famous Iraqi architect caught fire as it was being repaired from the last Aug. 4 massive Beirut explosion that killed at least 200 people. This fire incident was already the third time in the same area of the last explosion within this week. After the Beirut explosion comes to another three fire incidents A famous building under repair due to the recent Beirut explosion on Aug. 4, was recently caught fire. No injuries or casualties were reported in the incident. However, the location of the building was near the port wherein the massive explosion happened. Arab News reported that there was still no found cause behind the said fire case. The building was actually designed by late Iraq-born British architect, Zaha Hadid. First Lieutenant Michel Al-Murr, of the Beirut Fire Brigade, identified that only the exterior of the building was damaged, which had materials like "fiberglass and resin, and compressed." The building was scheduled to be finished repairing since 2019. However, due to delays caused by a coronavirus and the recent explosion, Hadid's building did not achieve its opening date for the visitors. "It should have been finished in 2019, but bad events continue in downtown Beirut, the date of its opening has delayed. Now, I doubt that it will rise again in light of these losses," said Abdul Rahman Sultan, the owner of the steel company that was working on the implementation of the design of the building's facade, told Arab News. . . pic.twitter.com/ZQrUzVsSh8 (@CivilDefenseLB) September 15, 2020 Surprisingly, that was the third time-- within a week-- that a fire occurred near the port area, wherein the first and biggest explosion happened. Two recent fires were reported in Beirut, including a huge one on Thursday, Sept. 10. That fire caused panic to the residents living near the area since the massive Beirut explosion only happened more than a month ago. Just like this present one, there were still no reported causes of fire incidents. Beirut explosion on Aug. 4 The world was shocked when they first heard about the Beirut explosion that happened on Aug. 4. At least 200 died, and more than 6,000 people were left injured due to that explosion. As Tech Times recently reported, Lebanon's Army found a positive content of 4.35 tons of ammonium nitrate near the Beirut port entrance. This was the explosive chemical that was said to be the main cause of the massive explosion. Due to the incident, a lot of groups rioted and protested against the government handling of the case. Even some of the officials from Lebanon resigned from their posts due to the incident. ALSO READ: Four Explosions Within 24 Hours: Here's What Happened in Lebanon, China, North Korea, and UK This article is owned by Tech Times Written by Jamie Pancho 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The logo of the social network application TikTok (L) and a US flag (R) shown on the screens of two laptops in Beijing, China, on Sept. 14, 2020. (Nicolas Asfouri/AFP via Getty Images) Senator Asks US to Reject Tiktok-Oracle Deal, Saying It Allows for Chinese Regime Control The United States should reject a proposed partnership between Oracle and TikTok that would allow for continued Chinese regime control over the app and consequently endanger American national interests, said Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.). Oracle reached a deal over the weekend with TikToks parent company ByteDance, in which Oracle would serve as a trusted technology provider for the Chinese-owned video-sharing app. The proposal is currently awaiting a review from the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), an interagency body that screens foreign investment transactions for national security concerns. In a Sept. 14 letter (pdf) to the committee chair, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, Hawley urged the CFIUS to take a more critical look at the Oracle-ByteDance collaboration and reject anything short of a clean break with the apps Chinese ties. ByteDance can still pursue a full sale of TikTok, its code, and its algorithm to a U.S. company, so that the app can be rebuilt from the ground up to remove any trace of CCP influence. Or perhaps, given constraints imposed by Chinese law, the only feasible way to maintain Americans security is to effectively ban the TikTok app in the United States altogether, he wrote. Popular among teenagers, TikTok has faced intense scrutiny for privacy issues and for censoring sensitive user content to toe the Chinese Communist Partys line. It remains unclear whether the new deal entails transferring the TikToks coveted recommendation algorithms to Oraclewhich could be subject to a new Beijing export regulation that requires sales of such technologies to be approved by Chinese authorities. Regardless, as ByteDance has no intention whatsoever of relinquishing ultimate control of TikTok, the proposed partnership leaves fully intact the national security threat of the Chinese regime having access to Americans data, the senator said. Chinese intelligence law requires all Chinese companies like ByteDance to cooperate with Beijings intelligence efforts and hand over data in accordance with the regimes will. With such repressive laws still in force, any corporate shell game that leaves TikTok in the hands of ByteDance will simply perpetuate the original problem, Hawley said. In short, the proposal violates the Presidents executive order, he added. Microsoft, whose offer ByteDance had turned down, said on Sunday that its solution would have made significant changes to ensure the service met the highest standards for security, privacy, online safety, and combatting disinformation. CFIUS is set to review the agreement this week and make a recommendation to President Donald Trump, who has the final say over the TikTok deal. Kim Santepheap, Secretary of State at the Ministry of Justice, said the treaty will benefit both nations and it was different from an extradition agreement. This treaty will allow the transfer of sentenced persons between the two nations, he said, adding that in some cases, families of the sentenced persons can also request the respective governments for the transfer. Vietnamese Ambassador to Cambodia Vu Quang Minh said this is a very humanitarian arrangement, reflecting mutual trust and close cooperation between law enforcement authorities of the two countries. He said the treaty would help both sides to transfer certain inmates to continue serving their sentences in their own countries so their families can also visit and support them while in prison. The ambassador expressed his hope that the Vietnam and Cambodia will continue their joint efforts to find and curb transnational crimes, including human trafficking, drug abuse and illegal trade, and reduce the crime rates in both countries. Kin Phea, Director-General of the Royal Academy of Cambodias International Relations Institute, described the treaty as a good legal instrument that highlights good legal cooperation between the two countries. During his visit to Vietnam in December 2016, Prime Minister Hun Sen and his Vietnamese counterpart Nguyen Xuan Phuc witnessed the signing of three cooperative agreements, including the Treaty on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters between the two nations and the Treaty on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons. In May 2020, the Vietnamese Embassy presented 4,000 antimicrobial face masks to detention centres through the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Cambodia. The support was in response to a call from the ICRC in Cambodia for medical supplies for detainees amid the ravaging COVID-19 pandemic. Police in Tanzania have arrested the owner of a school where 10 pupils died in a dormitory fire on Monday. Seven other pupils were also injured during the fire and have been admitted to the hospital in the north-western Kagera region. Tanzania's Inspector General of Police, Simon Sirro, told reporters that investigations were ongoing to determine the cause of the fire at Byamungu English Medium Primary School. He said that preliminary findings indicated the dormitory was not built to proper standards. The police chief said the electrical wiring in the dormitory was faulty, and the entire building crumbled when the roof collapsed - an indication that the building materials used were substandard. Local authorities have been asked to investigate education inspectors who allowed the school to house the pupils in the dormitory. School fire tragedies are frequent in the region and there are calls for enhanced safety in institutions. In July, three students were killed in the main city, Dar es Salaam, after a dormitory at Ilala Islamic Secondary school caught fire. Source: BBC Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) recommended that no regulations should be applied to over-the-top (OTT) communication services, at least for now. Turnover data available with stock exchanges suggests a mixed impact of SEBI's new margin rule so far. Scientists have predicted that coronavirus will become a seasonal virus in countries with temperate climates only when herd humanity is attained. Read for more top stories from the world of business and economy: 1. TRAI's no-regulation stance on WhatsApp, Messenger, JioChat to keep chats private, free TRAI's no-intervention stance would mean that consumers of OTT services can communicate with each other without being worried about anybody snooping on them. 2. Has Modi's tax policy deepened govt's resource crunch? A Tamil Nadu legislator believes so DMK legislator P Thiagarajan's comments come while the government is scrambling to find money to fund its key expenditure programmes. 3. SEBI new margin rules: Daily cash turnover plunges 29%; F&O stable The average daily turnover in the cash segment for Asia's oldest bourse BSE has fallen to Rs 3,137.23 crore compared with Rs 4,432.38 crore in the previous month. 4. Flipkart to create 70,000 jobs ahead of festive season, Big Billion Day Sale Flipkart is aiming to create 70,000 jobs across its supply chain ahead of festive season; the e-tailer will enable GSTIN on invoices to help small businesses claim input tax credit. 5. COVID-19 to become seasonal? Herd immunity will decide frequency of outbreak, claims study Dr Hassan Zaraket of the American University of Beirut in Lebanon, added, 'COVID-19 is here to stay and it will continue to cause outbreaks year-round until herd immunity is achieved'. A hot potato: It's considered good practice among system administrators not to install software updates as soon as they are out unless they purposely fix security flaws. In the case of Windows updates, even more so because of the recent history of poor quality control that results in multiple things breaking after installation. This time, however, the severity of a newly-discovered flaw makes that risk pale in comparison to the risk of compromising your Windows domain. Security researchers have revealed new proof-of-concept code for a Windows flaw that allows an attacker to easily infiltrate enterprise networks, gain administrative privileges, and get full access to Active Directory domain controllers on Windows servers. The flaw, dubbed "Zerologon," is essentially a severe privilege-escalation glitch that Microsoft has addressed in the August 2020 security updates. That means that if you've delayed the installation of those patches, you may have a big problem in your hands, as there are now four additional methods demonstrated on GitHub. When Dutch security company Secura discovered a vulnerability in Netlogon, it was catalogued as a less severe flaw than Zerologon, as it required a person-in-the-middle attack for it to become an effective tool for malicious actors. However, Zerologon allows an attacker to craft an authentication token for the Netlogon Remote Protocol that opens up the possibility to set the computer password of the Domain Controller to something of their choosing. Researchers explained that the issue stems from the incorrect use of AES-CFB8 encryption, which requires randomly-generated initialization vectors for each authentication message. But because Windows doesn't take this requirement into consideration, an attacker can input zeros into specific fields to make taking over the domain controller in a matter of seconds, in a process detailed here. Microsoft's August 2020 security patch applies this requirement to render all Zerologon attacks ineffective, and Secura has published a Python script that can tell administrators if their Domain Controller has been patched correctly. In an open letter to the Delhi Police Commissioner, the retired officers called the investigations and challans submitted by the Delhi Police with respect to the 24 February riots as 'partisan and politically motivated' Nine retired IPS officers, in an open letter to Delhi Police commissioner SN Shrivastava on, questioned the probe of the Delhi riots and called it a "flawed" investigation. The former officers have asked for a re-investigation of all riots cases without any bias and to base it on strong principles of a criminal probe. As citizens deeply committed to Constitutional values, we condemn the arrest of Umar Khalid who has been subjected to a malicious investigation targeting peaceful anti-CAA protesters With deep anguish, we have no doubt in saying that this investigation is not about the violence in the national capital, but on the completely peaceful and democratic protests across the country against the unconstitutional CAA, read a statement by 36 signatories. As per The Indian Express, some of these signatories which include academics, artists, activists, and lawyers, were signed by prominent faces like Syeda Hameed, Arundhati Roy, Ramachandra Guha, TM Krishna, Brinda Karat, Jignesh Mevani, P Sainath, Prashant Bhushan, and Harsh Mander. According to The Print.in, the letter called the investigations and challans submitted by the Delhi Police as partisan and politically motivated. This, it further said, has pained all police officers (those serving and retired), who believe in upholding rule of law and the Constitution. The letter also claimed that one of the special police commissioners had tried to influence investigations claiming resentment among Hindus over the arrest of some rioters from their community. Such a majoritarian attitude in the police leadership leads to a travesty of justice for the victims of the violence and their family members belonging to minority communities. This would further mean that real culprits of the violence belonging to the majority community are likely to go scot-free, the letter said, as per LiveLaw. This letter comes days after decorated former IPS officer Julio Ribeiro, who was former Mumbai Police commissioner wrote to the Delhi Police commissioner, questioning the probe into the northeast Delhi riots cases. The Indian Express reports that in his letter, Ribeiro has said that the Delhi Police is taking action against peaceful protesters while ignoring senior BJP leaders who made provocative, communal public speeches in the build-up to the violence. True patriots are being entangled in criminal cases, he wrote. On Monday, a Delhi court sent former JNU student leader Umar Khalid, arrested under the stringent anti-terror law Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, to police custody for 10 days in a case related to the communal violence in northeast Delhi in February. Police had sought his custody for 10 days saying they wanted to confront him with documents running into 11 lakh pages. Khalid was arrested on Sunday night in the case. Communal clashes had broken out in northeast Delhi on 24 February after violence between citizenship law supporters and protesters spiralled out of control leaving at least 53 people dead and around 200 injured. Stephen Hahn, commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (r) watches as President Donald Trump (l) speaks at the White House US President Donald Trump has hinted a COVID-19 vaccine may be ready before the November election, but will it be safe and effective? Experts are worried the country's world-renowned health institutions responsible for overseeing the approval and distribution processes have become increasingly compromised by political pressure, which could end up costing lives. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are at the center of the storm. The two agencies, historically considered above the partisan fray, have earned the broad respect of the international scientific community. But their experts are now viewed with deep suspicion by Trump's top lieutenants, who see them as resistant to the president's agenda of re-opening the economy. Senior scientists at the CDC, who would routinely brief the press in past health crises, were the first to sound the alarm on the coronavirus but have been sidelined since March. Official CDC guidelines, long considered a global benchmark, were mysteriously amended over summerfirst to tilt recommendations heavily towards schools reopening in-person, and later to advise that people exposed to COVID-19 patients don't need a test if they are asymptomatic. The second move was seen as particularly egregious since no scientific rationale was offeredbut it did tie in with Trump's stated desire to carry out fewer tests. Last week, Politico reported that the head of communications at the federal health department Michael Caputo had for months been demanding to revise scientific reports on the virus published in the CDC's "Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Reports"for example on the level of contagiousness among children. "It is unprecedented for the political leadership of the United States to intrude into the scientific functioning of those agencies," William Schaffner, a member of the editorial board of the MMWR told AFP. Caputo then doubled down, accusing career government scientists of "sedition" in a Facebook post on Sunday, according to the New York Times. He also claimed the CDC harbored a "resistance unit" determined to undermine Trump and said left-wing hit squads were preparing for an armed insurrection. 'Culture of fear' The FDA's credibility as the world's most influential drug regulator has been tarnished in a way that could impact most important decision of the pandemic: when to approve the first COVID-19 vaccine, says Eric Topol, director of the Scripps Research Translational Institute. He cites two key events. In March, the body authorized emergency use of hydroxychloroquine, an old anti-malaria drug touted by Trump, despite the lack of evidence of its effectiveness against COVID-19. The authorization was revoked in June over safety concerns. In August, as Trump prepared to go before the Republican National Convention, the FDA issued emergency approval for the transfusion of blood plasma from recovered COVID-19 patients. But FDA commissioner Stephen Hahn misrepresented a key statistic that suggested plasma had a major life-saving impact. Hahn later apologized and withdrew his statement. Hahn has rejected claims that his agency has faced pressure from the White House and emphasized the review process involved independent experts. "We will not jeopardize the public's trust in our science-based, independent review of these or any vaccines. There's too much at stake," he tweeted last week. The late-stage trials underway are unlikely to have enough data by October, when Trump suggests a vaccine could be ready. It is also unlikely that a company would stake its reputation on a drug that isn't ready. But experts remain suspicious, singling out near-daily statements by Pfizer's CEO of a vaccine that is weeks away as a cause for concern. "I think that there is going to be an unfortunate pressure campaign to approve them," said Harvard epidemiologist Michael Mina. The two agencies "have become subservient to the Trump White House people," said Topol, citing a "culture of fear"of losing one's job or of being on the receiving end of a hostile presidential tweet followed by abuse from his supporters. Robert Redfield, the CDC director has "allowed his agency to basically become a non-entity," continued Topol, who concluded that: "If these people were of principle, they would resign." According to the New York Times, career scientists at the CDC are considering just that. Explore further Follow the latest news on the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak 2020 AFP The largest wildfire in California history took aim at the largest cannabis-growing region in the United States on Monday. The August Complex Fire, created when several lightning-ignited fires merged into a single conflagration, has cut a fiery swathe across five counties. So far, it's blackened nearly 900,000 acres, more territory than the entire state of Rhode Island. Now its westward march threatens the celebrated Emerald Triangle marijuana farming region, only a few weeks away from peak harvest time. There are thousands of folks that migrate into Mendocino, Humboldt and Trinity counties every year, and they are not familiar with the territory let alone a massive wildland fire knocking at their door, said state Sen. Mike McGuire per the Santa Rosa Press Democrat. McGuire represents the North Coast. The fire reportedly skirted the community of Kettenpom in southern Trinity County, burned the ridges outside Covelo in northern Mendocino County and is pushing toward Alder Point in Humboldt County. It was only 28% contained as of Monday. Mendocino County Sheriff Matt Kendall told the Press Democrat that while Covelo has an official population of about 1,500, more than 10,000 people live and work on surrounding cannabis farms at this time of year. He worries that a fast-moving blaze could overtake workers before they have time to evacuate. The cannabis business is a multi-billion-dollar industry in California, and this years record-breaking fires and smothering smoke pollution will no doubt affect at least part of the crop. Kristin Nevedal, executive director of the International Cannabis Farmers Association, based in the Humboldt County town of Garberville, told GreenState in 2017 that the delicate, fragrant flower buds begin to bloom right at the height of fire season. Especially when its ripe I can tell you from personal experience, wildfire definitely will make your cannabis have a smoky flavor to it; just like wine, said Nevedal. Smoke-tainted buds are sometimes given nicknames like campfire pot, beef jerky and hickory kush. Cal Fire Mike Moffitt is an SFGATE Reporter. Email: moffitt@sfgate.com. Twitter: @Mike_at_SFGate Dr. Brian Day, medical director of the Cambie Surgery Centre, at his office in Vancouver in a file photo. (The Canadian Press/Darryl Dyck) Doctor Prepared to Take Challenge of BCs Public Health-Care Rules to Canadas Top Court BC Supreme Court rejects constitutional challenge to have laws that make up BC's single-payer health insurance system struck down A Vancouver surgeon who spent 11 years battling the ban on private health care in British Columbia is not giving up. The B.C. Supreme Court rejected Dr. Brian Days constitutional challenge, but he says hes ready to fight the issue all the way to the Supreme Court of Canada. An 880-page ruling by Justice John Steeves of the B.C. Supreme Court on Sept. 10 upheld that the provinces Medicare Protection Act (MPA) did not violate the Charter rights of patients who wished to pay for private care when they were forced to wait in the public system. Day, owner of the for-profit Cambie Surgery Centre, led plaintiffs in the legal challenge to overturn MPA provisions that prohibit physicians from earning income from both the publicly funded system and private clinics and that also limit extra billing and ban health insurance for services already covered under the public plan. In 2005, Dr. Jacques Chaoulli successfully challenged Quebecs ban on private health care because the public system rationed the amount of care offered while legally banning the alternative of paying for services. In 2009, Day, who later became head of the Canadian Medical Association, launched a similar challenge in B.C. It sounds extreme, but it was literally about giving citizens in this province the same rights that Quebecers have under the Charter of Rights and the same rights that citizens in every other country already have, Day said in an interview. One of our plaintiffs was a young man who waited 27 months for his surgery on the spine at the age of 15 or so. And he has ended up in a wheelchair paralyzed for life. His time that he waited was four times the maximum medically accepted time for surgery, and that has been condoned by the decision. Advocates for the status quo fear that the private system will take resources away from the public system and make it worse. The B.C. Health Coalition and Canadian Doctors for Medicare, which were intervenors in the case, applauded the decision. As a group of patients, doctors, and health-care advocates, we became involved in this case in order to defend and protect public health care, said Edith MacHattie, co-chair of the BC Health Coalition. This is a victory for everyone who uses health care in Canada. Even though the attack had been launched in B.C., it took aim at the very heart of the Canada Health Act and every provincial health care insurance plan. Dr. Danyaal Raza, chair of Canadian Doctors for Medicare, agreed. This is a historic victory against profit-driven health care in Canada, he said in a press release. We know that single-payer publicly funded health care is the fairest way to pay for health care, rather than forcing patients to pay out-of-pocket or buy private insurance. The release points out that the sections of the MPA that the plaintiffs sought to strike down are in place to preserve a public health care system in which access to necessary medical care is based on need and not an individuals ability to pay. Nadeem Esmail of the Fraser Institute says that facilitating choice need not compromise universal care. The reality is that we can have choice and we can have a universal access health-care system just like the Swedes do, just like the Australians do, just like the Britons do, he said. They encourage people to use the private system because its recognized that that actually reduces the burden on the public purse, and it improves performance when patients arent shackled to a monopoly. Day founded the Cambie Surgery Centre in 1996 and started his practice treating injured workers. In 2003, the orthopedic surgeon began to include other patients, even though that went against unproclaimed provisions of the MPA. We decided, How can you possibly turn down patients who are desperate? he recalls. Day says the law as writtenand now entrenched by the judges decisiononly permits him to do surgeries on workers compensation claimants, prisoners, and people from anywhere but the province of B.C. Yesterday for instance, I operated on a patienta young man from Alberta with a wrecked knee ligament. He can come here and still can, completely within the laws of British Columbia [and] so on, and have treatment, but a B.C. resident with the same identical injury [cannot]. Its unlawful. So theres no country on Earth that has such laws and that is crazy. Joanna Baron, executive director of the Canadian Constitution Foundation, was not involved in the litigation but supports the plaintiffs. The trial decision contains errors in both fact and law, and we look forward to seeing this case appealed, Baron said. We are disappointed in todays result, which we find completely inconsistent with existing Charter case law and with the Supreme Court of Canadas decision in Chaoulli. Section 7 of the Charter says, Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of the person and the right not to be deprived thereof except in accordance with the principles of fundamental justice. The section has been successfully used to strike down laws against prostitution, euthanasia, and even safe injection sites. Day says the human toll from rationing in health care is worse now because the pandemic has reduced the availability of needed services. He believes part of what feeds the opioid addiction in British Columbia is the reliance on its use for pain relief as 40,000 people wait for health care. The fact that since we started our lawsuit, 75,000 Canadians have died on the wait list is just unacceptable. And that has been condoned and endorsed as acceptable by this court. It will go the Appeal Court of British Columbia and then eventually its likely to the Supreme Court of Canada, he says. BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 15 By Elnur Baghishov Trend: As many as 2,705 people have been infected with the coronavirus (COVID-19) in the past 24 hours in Iran, said Sima Sadat Lari, spokesperson for Iran's Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Trend reports citing the ministry. According to Sadat Lari, 140 more people have died from the coronavirus over the past day. Sadat Lari added that the condition of 3,811 people is critical. The official said that Iran's Tehran, Mazandaran, Gilan, Qom, Isfahan, Razavi Khorasan, East Azerbaijan, Kerman, North Khorasan, Semnan, Yazd, Zanjan, and Qazvin provinces are considered 'red' zones. So far, more than 3.61 million tests have been conducted in Iran for the diagnosis of coronavirus. Iran continues to monitor the coronavirus situation in the country. According to recent reports from the Iranian officials, over 407,300 people have been infected, and 23,453 people have already died. Meanwhile, over 349,900 have reportedly recovered from the disease. The country continues to apply strict measures to contain further spread. Reportedly, the disease was brought to Iran by a businessman from Iran's Qom city, who went on a business trip to China, despite official warnings. The man died later from the disease. The Islamic Republic only announced its first infections and deaths from the coronavirus on Feb. 19. The outbreak in the Chinese city of Wuhan - which is an international transport hub - began at a fish market in late December 2019. The World Health Organization (WHO) on March 11 declared COVID-19 a pandemic. Some sources claim the coronavirus outbreak started as early as November 2019. The online racism directed at WA Treasurer Ben Wyatt was "most disgusting" from left-wing supporters of Black Lives Matter protests, who accused him of being "not black enough". Mr Wyatt, who is also the WA Labor government's Aboriginal Affairs Minister, spoke in support of his cousin and federal Liberal minister Ken Wyatt, who detailed the abuse he received after urging protesters to stay home and not risk the health of the people they were marching to protect. WA Aboriginal Affairs Minister Ben Wyatt addresses the media with Mount Lawley MP Simon Millman. Credit:Nine News Perth He said the derogatory terms directed at Ken Wyatt were ones Aboriginal politicians had to deal with for a long period of time. "I actually found, to be honest, the most disgusting comments that I got were associated with supporters of the Black Lives Matter rallies," he said. "No doubt about it, because there's an element of contempt around the identification that Ken and I have about being Aboriginal." Millions of students across Pakistan have returned to classes following a six-month break due to the coronavirus pandemic. Higher-education institutions and senior school classes reopened on September 15 for the first time since they shut down in March. The federal government last week announced the staggered resumption of classes following a sharp decline in the country's daily infection numbers. Education Minister Shafqat Mehmood said that middle-school classes would reopen on September 23, while elementary school would return on September 30. Teachers and students will have to follow precautionary measures, including the wearing of masks and social distancing. Pakistan has recorded more than 302,000 coronavirus cases and over 6,300 deaths, but daily infections have been slowing since July, with the authorities reporting 404 new cases and six deaths on September 15. The Boys & Girls Club of Kenoshas chief executive is leaving the agency to run Jockey Internationals corporate philanthropic efforts. The club announced Tuesday that Jake McGhee will leave by Dec. 1 to become vice president and chief philanthropy officer at Kenosha-based Jockey, overseeing the Jockey Being Family Foundation and community engagement. A statement from the club said it would immediately begin a nationwide search for a new CEO. McGhee will stay on to help with the transition and selection process. McGhee was hired as chief executive officer of the Boys & Girls Club in April 2016. During his tenure, the clubs budget has grown from $2.1 million to more than $3 million, according to a statement from the organization, while its average daily attendance during the school year grew from 67 to about 240. McGhee was recently awarded the 2020 CEO of the Year Award by the Boys & Girls Clubs of Wisconsin. McGhee came to Kenosha as general manager of the Kenosha Kingfish when the Northwoods League baseball team launched in the city in 2014. He left the club for the Boys & Girls Club. Im incredibly excited about the next chapter in my career with Jockey and am tremendously grateful for all the Boys & Girls Club has done for me over the past several years, said McGhee in a formal statement. Im so thankful for all of the community partners, board members and the incredible staff who have helped the Club do some very special things for families and kids in Kenosha. Jockey Being Family, a charitable arm of the company, focuses on supporting adoptive families in part by funding nonprofit organizations that provide post-adoptive services to families. According to company data, the initiative has contributed $6.9 million to nonprofit agencies, served 350,000 families and provided 43,000 personalized backpacks for newly adopted children. The backpacks include a blanket and a teddy bear for children and links to resources for adoptive parents. Debra Waller, Jockeys chairman and chief executive, said the company hopes to emphasize a focus on community relations. Our goal with Jakes appointment is to strengthen our current philanthropic efforts with Jockey Being Family and expand our community partnerships in Kenosha, Waller said. Waller was adopted as an infant and started Jockey Being Family in 2005. Im sad to say goodbye to an organization that I love, but at the same time, I like making a difference in my work and am thrilled to continue to make an impact on our community in my new role at Jockey, McGhee said in his statement. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. MADISON There might be a mad dash to purchase tickets through the Madison Rotarys Madison Restaurant Raffle and there is more than taste at stake. The purchase will help raise money to support local, independent restaurants through the difficult times brought on by COVID 19, but also will help Madison residents through the Madison Rotary Foundation, according to organizers. Plus, the winner will walk away with some tasty gift certificates to local eateries. Were buying roughly $5,000 worth of gift certificates from all 34 restaurants in Madison, said Rotary President Scott Beckwith. The grand prize is $100 gift certificate to each of the 34 restaurants in Madison, he noted. Donahues Madison Grille has already sold a lot of raffle tickets, according to owner Patrick Donahue. He said that while he is excited about the whole event, he is especially wowed by the top prize. Thats pretty impressive, he said. Im excited about that. In addition, second prize is a $50 gift certificate to all 34 restaurants and third prize through tenth prize is $15 to each of the towns pizza restaurants. Raffle tickets cost $20 each and are available until Thursday, Oct. 8 at 11:50 a.m. at madraffle.org. The drawing will be the same day at 6 p.m. The profits will stay in Madison and go directly to The Madison Rotary Foundation that will help support, financially, the Madison school system and local food banks, to name a few. Pho Madison Manager Adam Nguyen said business has been slow and he is enthusiastic about the potential customers the raffle will bring into his Vietnamese restaurant. I hope the Madison Raffle helps out just a little bit, he said. Donahue has no doubt it will. Certainly, by virtue of the fact that they are purchasing that many certificates, he said. I think its good and I think it brings in people. This is what Beckwith is hoping for. Im a lifelong Madison resident and the last thing I want to see is businesses fail in Madison, said Beckwith. Theyve really been hard hit and were just trying to get people to try to get out there and utilize what makes Madison great. This is the first time that I can think of that a civic organization, like Rotary, is not asking - were really not asking the restaurants to give us anything, Beckwith said. Were just asking them to participate. The fact that the Rotary is taking this project on, without asking for anything from the restaurants, is not lost on Madison Beach Hotel General Manager John Mathers. He recalls a conversation with The Wharf Restaurant Manager Beth McDevitt about the event. I think its really cool that theyre supporting local businesses like that, Mathers said. Im very impressed. He added, like many other local establishments, The Wharf has suffered financially due to COVID-19. Itll bring people out, he said. Every little bit counts these days towards businesses like ours that are literally struggling to survive and for them to buy these gift certificates is a real show of solidarity with the local restaurant businesses. The average number of visits for evaluation and management and physical medicine services in the California workers compensation system has continued to edge down since the enactment of the sweeping reform law SB 863 in 2012. However, with the adoption of the RBRVS fee schedule, evidence-based medicine standards, mandatory utilization review and independent medical Review, and other reforms, evaluation and management and physical medicine payments have increased from 33% to 47% of the total medical reimbursements in the system, according to a study from the California Workers Compensation Institute. The new CWCI study measures changes in the volume and reimbursement of different types of medical services provided to injured workers in the wake of incremental reforms to the California workers compensation system enacted over the past 20 years. The study, based on indemnity claims data from CWCIs IRIS database, tracks medical service utilization (percent of claims with a given service and the number of visits per claim) and total amounts paid per claim for medical services delivered within the first 24 months of treatment, with results broken out by medical service category. California has enacted multiple legislative and regulatory reforms affecting workers comp medical benefit delivery over the past two decades, so the study examines and compares data from claims with initial treatment dates within an 18-year span from 2000 through 2017. Because the study focuses on medical services in the first 24 months of treatment, there were years in which the results were influenced by reforms from multiple periods, so the report highlights changes in medical treatment utilization and payments for claims in which the initial service was rendered during three distinct non-transitional periods: 2000 to 2001 (Pre-2004 reforms); 2004 to 2010 (Post-SB 228 and SB 899); and 2013 to 2017 (Post-SB 863, AB 1244, and AB 1124). The CWCI study also provides data on regional variations in medical services over time, including changes in the average number of E&M services and physical medicine visits, and in the proportion of claims that involved physical medicine. Focusing on the most recent post-reform period, the authors also analyzed four claim characteristics that impact medical service utilization: opioid use; major surgery; the injured workers age; and the industry in which they were employed at the time of injury. The study found that the average age of a California injured worker has increased from 38.9 years in 2000 to 43.9 years in 2017, a notable finding given that the likelihood of having major surgery within the first 24 months of treatment increases with age, and the study shows workers over 40 also have significantly higher E&M and Physical Medicine utilization rates, according to the CWCI. The full study has been released in a CWCI Research Note, Changes in Medical Treatment Trends After 20 Years of Incremental Workers Compensation Reform, which includes background on the reforms enacted over the past two decades, plus exhibits and analyses summarizing the results. Related: Topics California Trends Claims Workers' Compensation Maharashtra on Tuesday reported 515 Covid-19 deaths, most in a day as well as first in excess of 500, as the toll went past 30,000 to 30,409. State officials said 302 deaths were from the past 48 hours, 116 were from last week and 97 were from before that period. A day after a relative drop in Covid-19 cases, Maharashtra posted 20,482 infections on Tuesday, taking its case count to 1,097,856. Except on Monday, the state has recorded over 20,000 new cases on each day of the past week, which has led to a rise in active cases 291,797 accounting for 26.57% of the total. In 15 days of this month, the state has recorded over 3 lakh cases (3,05,243 cases) and average number of daily cases comes to 20,349. The high number of casualties continues to be a concern for state authorities as it is still the highest in the country. Figures show that the states contribution in total Covid-19 casualties is around 37.64%, with 80,776 deaths reported across the country. In the past fifteen days, average number of deaths a day of the state went up to 371. The situation appears to be getting difficult with every passing month as the average is constantly on the rise. In August, average number of deaths a day was 309, while in July, June, May and April, they were 282, 187, 59 and 14, revealed statistics. In August, the state reported a total 9,589 deaths, the highest in a month. The state has recorded 5,569 deaths in 15 days of this month, indicating that maximum Covid casualties are going to be reported in September. The case fatality rate (CFR) of the state was recorded at 2.77% on Tuesday and comes at third position after Punjab and Gujarat. The CFR of Punjab and Gujarat were 2.95% (with 2,424 deaths) and 2.81% (with 3,227 deaths) on Monday, according to statistics shared by the state medical education department Public health expert Sanjay Pattiwar said the state seems to be moving towards herd immunity, but at a big price in terms of large number of deaths. Besides, the health infrastructure in rural areas, where Covid-19 is spreading rapidly, is still too weak to deal with the situation. We seem to be looking at herd immunity by way of natural infection and not through vaccination. In such a case it is going to be difficult to control the situation and have to pay a heavy price by losing the lives of a large number of people to Covid-19, Pattiwar said. There is also no guarantee that vaccines that are being developed will give life-long immunity from virus as against polio vaccine, he said. Polio vaccine gives us life-long protection whereas in this case there is no such guarantee. We even dont know the level of protection coronavirus vaccine is going to give and for how many days. The reason is that the polio vaccine was evolved over a period of 30-40 years. In contrast, this vaccine has not been tested for more than three-four months. Thus, the coronavirus vaccine is going to be a temporary phenomena and all stress needs to be given on following social distancing norms, he said. Pune city continues to contribute the highest number of infections to the daily caseload as it recorded 1,889 cases on Tuesday. Its tally stood at 131,983 cases. Mumbai recorded 1,586 cases as the second highest contributor, taking its tally to 173,596. Of them, active cases were 30,938. The citys recovery rate is 77.33% and fatality rate is of 4.74%. Nagpur city has occupied third position in the list with 1,422 cases and its tally went up to 41,405. The surge in infections is a result of easing restrictions and the festival season that saw a large number of people getting out of their houses. Besides, with removal of restrictions on inter-district and inter-state travel, new hotspots with a significant number of cases are being reported in semi-urban and rural areas. Currently, the major hotspots in the state are Pune district, Satara district, Nashik city, Pimpri-Chinchwad city, Sangli district, Solapur district, Ahmednagar district and Jalgaon district, where fresh cases recorded were 1,302, 1,117, 1,029, 871, 618, 557, 536 and 504 respectively. In a bid to tackle the surge in Covid -19 cases and deaths, the state government launched its door-to-door survey My Family, My Responsibility on Tuesday. The state-wide programme aims to check 2.25 crore families for symptoms of Influenza Like Illness (ILI), Severe Acute Respiratory Illness (SARI) and co-morbidities. The idea is to effectively curtail the spread with necessary care and also reduce the number of Covid-19 casualties. While launching the campaign, the chief minister Uddhav Thackeray virtually interacted with 28,000 village sarpanchs and asked for their active participation in the campaign. He requested them to monitor the campaign and ensure it is done as expected. Under the campaign, health workers will conduct door-to-door surveys during which they will check residents body temperature and oxygen levels, besides other symptoms, including tiredness, throat pain, dry cough, diarrhoea, and loss of smell and taste, officials said. Those with Covid-19 symptoms will be recommended a swab test. People with ailments such as diabetes, heart and kidney disease as well as obesity will be referred for treatment. Besides, health workers will also impart health education to people, especially on Covid-19, said a health official. Each team comprising a health worker and two volunteers will survey each and every family of the state twice in over a month. The state is also assigning one doctor to five teams. The first phase of the survey is starting Tuesday. The volunteers are expected to complete it by October 10. The second phase will be conducted between October 12 and 24. On Tuesday, the state has conducted 87,944 tests and the total number of tests conducted till date are 5,409,060. On the other side, the state has also recorded 19,423 recoveries, highest in a day so far and total number of recovered patients reached 775,273. The recovery rate recorded was 72.62%, against the national average of 78.28%, with 80,775 deaths. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON FedEx launched a new way for tracking packages to ensure the safety of the parcels until they reach their respective destinations. Typically, a package is barcoded, which is repeatedly scanned 10 to 20 times throughout the process while shipping companies upload the details to their websites, so people can check their status whenever they want. Former FedEx executive Satish Jindel said publishing the data does not cost anything, and people like knowing that their parcel has been delivered. Jindel's current company, ShipMatrix, analyzes the package-shipping data. However, The Wired reported that the world's largest logistics companies are developing advanced tracking devices to ensure the packages are properly tracked. This is because some industries require stringent tracking because the packages are highly sensitive, like health care. To ensure the safety of each package, FedEx launched a tiny Bluetooth-enabled sensor that will be attached for quick shipping sensitive packages to help customers follow the shipping. Currently, the sensors will be limited to sensitive parcels for the company's top five clients in retail, health care, and aerospace industries. FedEx sensors replaced These new sensors replaced the heavier, older version that uses cell phone networks to track the parcel's location. The new model "communicates" with around 300,000 devices that are scattered across the FedEx vehicles and facilities in the U.S. These sensors are active as they constantly send out updates about their locations within about a meter. Unlike the earlier version that needed to be charged every four days, the new ones have batteries that could last for a year. Meanwhile, FedEx did not divulge the cost of these devices but claims these are cost-effective. FedEx sensors are different from the ones with UPS launched in May that also use cellular, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth technologies in tracking and collecting data on sensitive packages. For now, the FedEx sensors will only track location, but they can also be outfitted to track environmental factors, which can be critical in sensitive parcels like temperature, light, and humidity. Logistics and health industry Logistics business proved to be highly important during the COVID-19 pandemic as it means the survival of a certain community. It can even be a matter of life and death, while an expensive drug that arrives late might be rendered useless if the patient has already passed away. Since there is a growing number of older people who require regular access to medical devices and medications, it means there is a growing demand for healthcare logistics. This is the reason companies are spending much on tracking this type of shipment. However, delivering sensitive packages like vaccines of health supplies has proved to be highly difficult. The German delivery company Deutsche Post warned earlier this month that dispersing vaccines from manufacturers to health authorities may be highly challenging, particularly in Asia, Africa, and South America. This is because the vaccines not only carry syringes but also sensitive to temperature, which needs to be kept at as low as -112 degrees Fahrenheit while it is being shipped worldwide. Meanwhile, FedEx's chief information officer Rob Carter said the world has a lot of needs, particularly during the pandemic. This entails "an awful lot of interest in making sure that your shipment is being handled correctly" and it reaches the destination at the exact time. Read also: Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID Vaccine Clinical Trials Resumes; Why it Ended in the First Place This is owned by Tech Times Written by CJ Robles 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Today Selling Power released its Top 20 Online Sales Training Companies 2020 list: https://bit.ly/3haMgxT For the first time, this edition of the Top 20 list focuses specifically on the top organizations providing online sales training. The list helps B2B sales leaders select the right sales training partner to help salespeople navigate ever-shifting B2B customer buying journeys, close bigger deals more consistently, avoid common selling pitfalls, and achieve quota consistently. Selling Power founder Gerhard Gschwandtner says an online-focused list is particularly relevant as COVID-19 has catalyzed the shift toward virtual business for B2B sales leaders and teams. Recent research from McKinsey & Company shows 90% of sales teams have transitioned to remote selling, he says. Finding a sales training partner that can deliver effective learning virtuallythe same way B2B sales teams are conducting businesswill be crucial for leaders as they navigate the current crisis and plan for the future. Gschwandtner adds that delivering online sales training effectively is one of many topics that will be addressed by experts at its all-virtual Sales 3.0 Conference on October 14. More information on that event can be found at http://www.sales30conf.com/vegas2020. All companies on the Selling Power Top 20 Online Sales Training Companies 2020 list submitted a comprehensive application that included a detailed listing of their offerings for both training and retention, innovative solutions, and their companys unique contributions to the sales training marketplace. The main criteria used when comparing applicants and selecting the companies to include on the 2020 list of Top 20 Online Sales Training Companies were: Strategies to keep participants engaged, including engagement metrics tracked Platform and applications used for delivery of online training The scope and breadth of online offerings (e.g., on-demand course offerings, online/virtual instructor-led offerings) Methodologies for supporting participant retention Strength of client feedback as it relates to customer support, ROI, ease of use, and overall client satisfaction As part of the evaluation process, the Selling Power team surveyed and considered feedback from 230 unique clients of the sales training companies that applied. Among the companies that landed on the list, heres a brief selection of comments from their clients: Filled with valuable tools to help you achieve your goals Game-changing for our business! Great care in detail in the virtual content that allowed for impressive engagement Outstanding support through-out the learning journey Significant measurable and long-lasting value to the business A phenomenal partner to our organization, with world-class sales skill content Made a world of difference to the results we are seeing in the field See the Selling Power Online Top Sales Training Companies 2020 list at: https://bit.ly/3haMgxT About Selling Power In addition to Selling Power, the leading digital magazine for sales managers and sales VPs since 1981, Personal Selling Power, Inc., produces the Sales Management Digest and Daily Boost of Positivity online newsletters (http://ow.ly/R05730oD22t), as well as videos featuring interviews with top executives. Selling Power is a regular media sponsor of the Sales 3.0 Conference, which is attended by a total of more than 1,000 sales leaders each year (http://ow.ly/JtSn30oD247). Australian parents whose child was suffering from 'significant health issues' discovered their house was contaminated with meth - years after they moved in. Researchers tested the Victorian home after a child living at the residence began suffering from unexplained illnesses. Despite the property appearing immaculate to the naked eye, the children's bedrooms were found to be coated in drug residue, with traces on walls, furnishings - and even soft toys. Levels exceeded the Australian safety guidelines, prompting the family to move out and donate their belongings for further research, Yahoo reports. A Victorian family discovered their home was coated in methamphetamine after one of their children began suffering from 'significant health issues'. Pictured is one of the kid's bedroom and stuffed toys that had traces of the drug The childrens' bedrooms were found to be coated in drug residue, with traces on walls, furnishings and soft toys The items contributed to a new study investigating how the substance can linger in the air and move around homes that have been used as illegal drug labs well after the facility has been shutdown. Researchers from Adelaide's Flinders University sampled the air inside meth-contaminated homes - where some low-budget manufacturers cook the stimulant. It found significant levels of the drug floating around inside and above household possessions, including soft toys after they had been moved off-site. Methamphetamine, commonly known as ice, can seep from gyprock walls and other furnishings into the air, the academics said. Jackie Wright, one of the experts behind the peer-reviewed study, said inhalation of meth posed a significant risk to house members along with the more well-known exposure methods of dermal absorption and ingestion. Surface wipes deployed during testing don't measure inhalation contaminants and regulations need to change, she said. Researchers from Adelaide's Flinders University sampled soft toys (pictured) and air in homes that had been illegal drug labs 'Australian guidelines currently allow for the assessment of methamphetamine in contaminated properties, or properties contaminated with other illicit drugs, but ignore inhalation exposure,' Dr Wright said in a statement on Tuesday. 'These policies can significantly underestimate the risks in former meth houses when new owners aren't aware, and therefore indicate the guidelines don't currently address protective health measures.' Methamphetamine exposure risks through inhalation varies depending on the age of those inside a contaminated home, Flinders University associate professor Stewart Walker notes. He says it's the most likely mode of transmission for adults (60 per cent), but not so for young children (20 per cent). Their main intake threats are absorbing the drug through their skin due to more commonly coming into contact with surfaces and objects, or ingestion because of their propensity to put things in their mouth. Fellow associate professor Kirstin Ross says further research into air analysis of contaminated homes should be done to protect concerned families. 'This would provide additional insight into the levels of contamination in a home,' she said. 'This data supports our assessment that the air phase is an important aspect of the transfer of methamphetamine contamination and the inhalation pathway is just as relevant as surface sampling when evaluating exposure risks.' We attempted to send a notification to your email address but we were unable to verify that you provided a valid email address. Please click here to update your email address if you wish to receive notifications. Otherwise, you may click here to disable notifications and hide this message. Continue Reading Below Advertisement You could invent time travel, collect history's greatest writers, force them to compete with a billion typewriting monkeys, and still not come up with a better headline, for Wapakoneta or America or the world. That's our boy, Neil. We sent him to the moon. The paper also landed an interview with Armstrong's parents, who were appropriately proud, in a very sweet small-town Ohio way. Armstrong's mother expressed her hope that the Apollo crew were all getting enough sleep, since "I'm worried they may be cramped and uncomfortable in there," while his dad thought it was "real nice" of President Nixon to give the astronauts a call. Although it's Nixon we're talking about, so we have to assume there was an unrecorded portion of the conversation where he asked them to bury a couple boxes of evidence in a remote crater. NASA Commander Armstrong, seen here realizing he locked the keys inside the lander. Continue Reading Below Advertisement Meanwhile, the hometown newspapers of the other Apollo crew members were slightly less effusive. In Buzz Aldrin's hometown of Montclair, New Jersey, the Montclair Times only came out once a week, so locals had to wait until Thursday to read about "History's Biggest Splash." Which sounds like an ad for a discount water park, but actually refers to the crew landing back in the Pacific Ocean. Meanwhile, Michael Collins moved around a lot as a kid and was actually born in Rome, Italy, where all the newspapers presumably led with some variant of "Bikini-Clad Senator Stabs Pope In Moped Dispute." But we still have the Wapakoneta Daily News, who saw their local boy become the first man to set foot on another heavenly body and thought "that's nice, he was always a sweet kid." It's the greatest honor anyone could hope for. Top image: NASA Victoria's Health Minister Jenny Mikakos said the backlog for elective surgery now numbered about 60,000 patients. "The figures change from hour to hour and day to day. Of course, as people's needs change and I want to stress also that as we resume this elective surgery that people will get access to their treatment based on clinical need," she said. Ms Mikakos said anyone awaiting for a category 2 or a category 3 surgery may be able to have their condition and case reviewed to ascertain their priority. "For anyone who is concerned about their current condition or have any concerns that their condition may have deteriorated in recent weeks, it's important that they speak to their GP or their specialist doctor about their place in that waiting list," she said. The waiting list for category 2 patients at the end of June as Victoria headed into its second wave was 23,249 and for category 3 was 30,869. Those totals were already well above the figures from 12 months earlier. Dentists to reopen Melburnians needing routine dental work will be able to see their dentists in Melbourne at the end of the month. MS Mikakos announced dentists and other allied health services will be able to resume non-urgent procedures and treatment from September 28. "They will be able to resume non-urgent procedures such as routine examinations, temporary fillings, simple extractions and simple procedures," she said. "That's significantly important for those waiting for dental care as well as others waiting for allied health." On track for lockdown lifting Wednesday was the second consecutive day that Victoria has recorded 42 cases and comes after 35 infections were reported on Monday, 41 on Sunday and 37 on Saturday. Melbourne's 14-day case average, which is crucial to easing lockdown restrictions from September 28, has dipped to 49.6. In its road map to recovery, the state government said restrictions would only start to ease from the end of September in Melbourne if the 14-day average remained between 30 and 50 cases. Mr Andrews said the state now had fewer than 1000 active cases for the "first time in a long time". "[That] should be a point of pride for every single Victorian who is doing the right thing, making sacrifices, staying the course, doing what has to be done to get our state open and keep it open," he said. The number of new "mystery cases" with no known source since August 31 til Sunday is now 81. For curfew and the five kilometre limit to lift, by October 26 the total number of mystery cases over the prior 14 days needs to be five cases or fewer. Mr Andrews said there might be an assessment made on whether restrictions could ease earlier than September 28, but urged patience. "The fact that we are in the 30-to-50 band should be a point of pride, absolutely. But we are making an assessment, not today, but in a short amount of time, about being in the 30 to 50 band and if we are, not just for a day, but for a decent period, for a significant period, then we'll be able to make that call," he said. "It needs to be in that band of 30 to 50 and we need to wait a little bit longer. I know that's challenging but, as we've said, we are on track." Road blocks to the regions The 14-day case average in regional Victoria has fallen to 3.5. The Health Department has reported an additional mystery case of unknown community transmission in regional Victoria but noted that it emerged more than 15 days ago and would not jeopardise the easing of lockdown restrictions in country areas from midnight. Melburnians trying to escape to holiday homes following the easing of restrictions in regional Victoria will face an almost $5000 fine at beefed up road blocks. Deputy Commissioner of regional operations Rick Nugent announced a new $4957 fine on Tuesday for "failure to comply with a requirement to remain in a restricted area". In an effort to deter Melburnians travelling to regional Victoria in the upcoming school holidays, Mr Nugent said police would check every car towing caravans or boats. The fine will apply per person found in a group travelling. For example, a couple travelling would each receive a $4957 fine and be sent home. In regional Victoria from Thursday, residents can have visitors to their homes, restaurants and cafes can have seated indoor and outdoor dining, beauty services can reopen and people can gather in groups of 10 outside. Victoria Police has beefed up vehicle-checking at key arterials roads in and out of Melbourne. "I just say to anyone who is caught in one of those roadblocks, you know, that will be challenging, but nowhere near as challenging as this getting away from us again in regional Victoria because people went to regional Victoria from metropolitan Melbourne, had no lawful reason to do it, and took the virus with them," Mr Nugent said. "The feedback I get from very small country towns to big regional centres is they'd love to have visitors but they love being virus-free a lot more. "There will be a time for travel. There will be a time for tourism to get back on its feet, Melbourne out into the regions and vice versa. That is not now." Meanwhile, research by some of the nation's most senior scientists has found that more than 60,000 cases of coronavirus in Australia could have gone undetected, potentially adding to calls to ease restrictions sooner. Loading The federal government-funded study by a team of researchers including Australia's Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Dr Nick Coatsworth, estimates that by July before Victoria's peak in cases 71,400 people may have contracted the virus. At the time, there were only 11,190 officially confirmed cases in Australia. Bazaar Corporate Radar | Feb 22, 2021, 12:00 AM IST Bazaar Corporate Radar Bazaar Corporate Radar is your window into the minds of top CEOs, Boardrooms, global economists, fund managers and sector analysts. If it?s making news, you?ll find it on Bazaar Corporate Radar. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-15 18:14:12|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close CHONGQING, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- The 2020 Smart China Expo Online commenced Tuesday in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, according to the organizer. The three-day event is co-hosted by Chongqing and Singapore. A total of 551 companies and other institutions, including 148 foreign enterprises such as Intel, IBM and Siemens, will participate in the online exhibitions of smart products and smart manufacturing, among others. "Indeed, smart technologies are vital for the inclusive and sustainable future we want," said Liu Zhenmin, UN Undersecretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, while addressing the opening ceremony via video link. "In the ongoing fight against COVID-19, smart technologies have been deployed to prevent, monitor and contain the spread of the pandemic, and to support recovery." "The creativity and innovation of industries is key to the advancement of smart technologies, while governments have a crucial and expanding effect on creating the enabling environment," he added. Themed "Smart Technology: Empowering Economy, Enriching Life," the expo has 41 online forums on 5G, blockchain, industrial internet and semiconductors. Huawei, Hikvision, Mitsubishi Electric and other leading tech companies will hold 116 online launch events, releasing their latest products and technologies. A branch venue was set up in Singapore for the opening ceremony, which maintained a real-time connection with the main venue in Chongqing. Addressing the opening ceremony via video link, Josephine Teo, Singapore's minister for manpower, congratulated Chongqing for organizing the large-scale flagship event. "This is a testament to Chongqing's ability to innovate and leverage digital technologies," she said. "Singapore and Chongqing have a shared commitment to be at the forefront of digital connectivity," she added. "The era of intelligence belongs to the whole world," said Wang Zhijun, vice minister of industry and information technology, at the opening ceremony. "We welcome global smart enterprises to invest in China and share the world's largest consumer market and technology application market." The expo, which has been held twice in Chongqing since 2018, serves as a platform to promote global exchanges of smart technologies and international cooperation of the smart industry. Enditem With schools slated to reopen across New York City next week, 55 teachers and school staff in the district have already tested positive for COVID-19. Since most of those that tested positive had to wait several days before receiving their test results, many had already reported to school buildings for preservice preparations with colleagues last week. Teachers across the largest school district in the United States returned to their buildings to prepare for the upcoming school year on September 8, after a deal was struck behind their backs between the United Federation of Teachers (UFT) and Democratic Mayor Bill de Blasio. The deal, which highlights the collusion between the teachers unions in the US and both political parties in the reckless reopening of K-12 schools, sought to derail a widely anticipated teachers strike by delaying the resumption of in-person instruction until September 21. However, all the fundamental issues at stake in the reopening of New York Citys schools remain unresolved, and there is mounting opposition to this homicidal policy. New York City Teachers protesting unsafe school reopeings on Monday Late last Wednesday, news began to surface that two teachers at two separate schools, PS 001 and MS 88, both located in District 15 in Brooklyn, had tested positive for COVID-19. According to initial reports, the teachers received their test results Tuesday evening, after they had reported to their respective schools earlier the same day. By Wednesday it was revealed that 16 teachers from 16 different buildings had tested positive, with most of the tests administered on September 2, a full eight days before being notified of their results and two days after they had been in contact with colleagues in school buildings. The explosion of COVID-19 positive cases among teachers across the city was entirely predictable given the widespread outbreaks that have taken place in K-12 districts and college campuses across the United States during the past month. Since August, at least six K-12 teachers have died from the coronavirus nationally, with countless others falling ill to the virus. As in other places, New York City teachers are increasingly engaging in efforts to organize against the resumption of in-person instruction. On Friday, teachers at IS 230, located in the Jackson Heights neighborhood in Queens, one of the areas worst hit by the coronavirus in the spring, organized a walkout after learning that administrators had failed to notify them that one of their colleagues had received a positive test on Thursday. The teacher had immediately informed both the DOE and the UFT of the results. One teacher told the media, We saw the procedures supposedly put in place to keep us safe not actually keeping us safe. We were promised it would be different this time around, and it hit close to home for us because we already lost a staff member to the virus in March. On Monday IS 230 teachers continued their walkout and were joined by teachers at PS 139 in the Flatbush neighborhood of Brooklyn, citing concerns ranging from delays in contact tracing and poor ventilation to inadequate measures for disinfecting the building. At least one teacher from the school tested positive for the virus last week. In a recent open letter issued by the staff of MS 88, located in the Park Slope neighborhood of Brooklyn, teachers denounced the delays in testing results as well as the haphazard and incomplete manner in which the citys contact tracing program is being carried out. Firsthand accounts are emerging of several teachers being contacted by the citys Test & Trace Corps three days after reported exposures. Teachers and administrators across the city are also increasingly exposing the fraudulent manner in which the Department of Education has responded to a series of recent inspections of ventilation systems within school buildings. In a recent example, teachers and administrators from the Murry Bergtraum Campus, located in Lower Manhattan, sent a letter to UFT President Michael Mulgrew and schools Chancellor Richard Carranza, citing details from the most recent ventilation report issued by the DOE for their building. Among the many unsafe conditions within the building, educators highlight that none of the windows are functional and only 50 percent of the 225 office and classroom spaces within the facility are rated operational. The building, which has a student population of approximately 1,000, has no unit ventilators and only two usable bathrooms that must be shared by students and staff. Despite these conditions, the DOE has deemed the building ready to receive students for in-person classes on September 21. IS 230 teachers working outside after walking out last Friday (Credit: Twitter) On Monday morning, educators and parents picketed outside the Murry Bergtraum campus. Increasingly, parents of public school students have rallied behind educators in an effort to block the unsafe reopening of schools. Last Thursday, a parent advisory group in District 16, located in Brooklyn, voted unanimously to take legal action against the DOE to prevent the reopening of schools with in-person classes. As in other parts of the US, the efforts by rank-and-file New York City educators to organize opposition to the reckless policy of in-person school reopening has shed light on the treacherous role being played by the American Federation of Teachers and its local affiliate, the UFT. While facilitating the reopening of schools, these unions seek to channel the immense opposition of teachers into the electoral campaigns of the Democratic Party. The efforts of rank-and-file educators to organize popular opposition to the reckless school reopening policy is increasingly leading many to the conclusion that new organizations of struggle must be built. The recent formation of the New York City Educators Rank-and-File Safety Committee, along with similar committees of educators across the US, marks a significant step forward in this process. By imposing a school reopening with in-person classes in New York City, with a student population of 1.1 million, de Blasio is attempting to normalize death among teachers and children. He spelled this out at a press conference Monday morning, stating, Some people will test positive. We have to remember that for the very small percentage of people who test positive for the coronavirus, it is a very temporary reality. Teachers picketing Intermediate School 230 in Jackson Heights, NY on Monday. In pressing for the resumption of in-person learning in New York City, the ruling class aims to set a precedent to allow for similar reopenings in cities like Los Angeles, Chicago, and every other district throughout the country that is starting their semesters with online instruction. The opposition to the unsafe reopening of schools is of vital interest to the working class as a whole. We call on all parents, students, teachers and education workers throughout New York City to read the founding declaration of the New York City Educators Rank-and-File Safety Committee and join us. We urge teachers and education workers, school workers, parents and students throughout the US to build similar Rank-and-File Safety Committees in their respective areas and join our efforts to coordinate a broad, international campaign to end the homicidal policy of in-person school reopening being carried out in the name of capitalist profits. Every educator who wants to take up this fight should join the committee and contact us today. NEWTOWN TOWNSHIP >> Newtown Township will be applying for federal funding to bolster its career firefighting force. And its crossing its fingers and hoping the third times a charm. At its Jan. 12 meeting, the board of supervisors voted unanimously to resubmit its SAFER (Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response) grant application to the Federal Emergency Management Agency to... Multiple handguns were stolen over the weekend from a firearms dealer in Lower Paxton Township, police said. Police said the burglary took place overnight Friday into Saturday on the 5200 block of Creekwood Drive. The guns were taken from a licensed dealer, police said. The dealer is offering a $1,500 reward for information leading to the guns' return. Anyone with information is asked to contact Lower Paxton Township police at 717-657-5656, and reference incident No. 20-0026644. READ MORE: Black Lives Matter protesters accused of harassing diners at Pa. restaurant face charges 4 Penn State football players facing marijuana charges They didnt have to kill him: mother says son shot by Lancaster officer was mentally ill [September 15, 2020] Oman Cards and Payments Opportunities and Risks Report 2020-2024 - ResearchAndMarkets.com The "Oman Cards and Payments - Opportunities and Risks to 2024" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The 'Oman Cards and Payments - Opportunities and Risks to 2024' report provides detailed analysis of market trends in Oman's cards and payments industry. It provides values and volumes for a number of key performance indicators in the industry including cards, direct debits, cheques, and credit transfers during the review-period (2016-20e). The report also analyzes various payment card markets operating in the industry and provides detailed information on the number of cards in circulation, transaction values and volumes during the review-period and over the forecast-period (2020e-24f). It also offers information on the country's competitive landscape, including market shares of issuers and schemes. The report brings together the publisher's research, modeling, and analysis expertise to allow banks and card issuers to identify segment dynamics and competitive advantages. The report also covers detailed regulatory policies and recent changes in regulatory structure. This report provides top-level market analysis, information and insights into Oman's cards and payments industry, including Current and forecast values for each market in Oman's cards and payments industry, including debit and credit cards. Detailed insights into payment instruments including cards, direct debits, cheques, and credit transfers. It also, includes an overview of the country's key alternative payment instruments. E-commerce market analysis. Analysis of various market drivers and regulations governing Oman's cards and payments industry. Detailed analysis of strategies adopted y banks and other institutions to market debit and credit cards. Scope To promote e-payments in the country - particularly mobile payments - in November 2019, the central bank introduced the Mobile Payments Clearing & Settlement System. This platform enables interoperability between different mobile banking and mobile wallet apps operated by banks and payment service providers. The platform enables users to make person-to-person, person-to-business, and person-to-government payments using mobile phone numbers and QR codes in real-time via mobile banking and wallet apps. The central bank has also published unified specifications for the platform, as well as a national QR code standard for enabling mobile payments through a single interface between different mobile banking and wallet apps. Contactless payments are gaining prominence in Oman, with many leading banks now offering contactless cards to their customers. In September 2018 the National Bank of Oman (NBO) introduced Mastercard Titanium debit cards with contactless functionality. Most recently, in December 2019 Bank Sohar announced the introduction of contactless credit and debit cards. This followed Bank Muscat introducing contactless debit and credit cards in the country in June 2019. The coronavirus outbreak has provided a boost to contactless payments. The Central Bank of Oman (CBO) is urging consumers to use contactless payments as an alternative to cash. In response to growing demand, in April 2020 Mastercard increased the contactless payment limit without a PIN from OMR20 ($52.02) to OMR30 ($78.02). With the growing preference for electronic payments, banks are launching e-commerce payment gateways for the smooth functioning of online transactions and to reduce online fraud. In July 2020, Oman Air launched an e-commerce payment gateway in collaboration with Bank Dhofar. The gateway enables Oman Air customers to pay for online flight tickets conveniently and securely. Meanwhile, in July 2020 the CBO established a dedicated agency to manage Oman's national payment system. Reasons to Buy Make strategic business decisions, using top-level historic and forecast market data, related to Oman's cards and payments industry and each market within it. Understand the key market trends and growth opportunities in Oman's cards and payments industry. Assess the competitive dynamics in Oman's cards and payments industry. Gain insights into marketing strategies used for various card types in Oman. Gain insights into key regulations governing Oman's cards and payments industry. Key Topics Covered: Payment Instruments Card-based Payments E-commerce Payments Alternative Payments Payment Innovations Payments Infrastructure & Regulation Appendix Companies Mentioned Bank Dhofar Bank Muscat Bank Sohar HSBC Mastercard NBO Visa Pay+ PayPal (News - Alert) bm Wallet Thawani Pay eWallet App CASHU Fortumo eFloos For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/crbjpm View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200915005888/en/ [ Back To www.mobilitytechzone.com/wimax's Homepage ] If you have an event you'd like to list on the site, submit it now! Go to form Accusing fingers point to climate change as the reason behind Sudans devastating floods, but other factors have come into play Nile waters in Sudan have begun to drop to after reaching record levels, causing severe damage in several cities, the Water and Irrigation Ministry in Khartoum said Sunday. Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok tweeted Sudan hasnt seen similar floods since 1912, instructing state institutions to coordinate efforts to save Sudan from the catastrophic repercussions of the floods. Heavy rains across large parts of Sudan resulted in floods that killed more than 106 and injured 56 people, according to the civil defence authority. More than half a million Sudanese nationwide were affected by the floods that destroyed and damaged homes and created the perfect environment for water-borne diseases to spread, said the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Aid (OCHA). Sudans Security and Defence Council declared a state of emergency nationwide for three months, designated the country a natural disaster zone, and ordered the formation of a committee headed by Minister of Labour Lina Al-Sheikh and comprising all ministries, states and bodies concerned. Sudans usual rain season takes place annually between June and October. Water levels in the White Nile rise from spring to May and in the Blue Nile from July to September. This year, the equatorial sources of the River Nile, prime among which is Lake Victoria, shared by Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania, witnessed torrential rains that contributed to the increased water level in the White Nile. Less than two months later, Ethiopias Lake Tana, source of the Blue Nile, saw heavy rains, especially in August, increasing the water levels of the Blue Nile to a record 17.67 metres on 7 September. On Sunday, water levels dropped to 17.36 metres, further decreasing in northern water stations to 15.6 metres in Atbara and 15.22 metres in Dongola. These water levels confirm statements by Sudanese Minister of Irrigation Yasser Abbas that opening the gates of Egypts Aswan High Dam will not improve conditions in Sudan. Social media users linked Sudans floods to the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) that is currently under construction, and the Aswan High Dam in Egypt. The allegation was denied by Abbas and ministry officials at a press conference 1 September. Khartoum is located 350 metres above sea level, the Aswan High Dam 182 metres above sea level, which means that water took its natural course and slid into the High Dams reservoir, which didnt reach its maximum water storage capacity. The High Dam has a high drainage capacity when its reservoir reaches maximum storage capacity, with each of its gates, Toshka endorheic basin, and the backup canal behind the dam, able to drain 250 million cubic metres of water daily, which proves that opening the gates of the High Dam will not decrease the level of floods in Sudan in any way. The other claim is that the heavy rains are the result of storing water in the GERD reservoir. The refutation to the claim is that five billion cubic metres of water cant change the surrounding environment. The High Dam has a storage capacity of 164 billion cubic metres and rainfall seasons and quantities didnt change to the north nor to the south in north Sudan two regions known for poor rains. Other people cited global climate change as the reason for torrential rains in Sudan. The claim is the nearest to the truth, albeit not the only cause. The rising temperature of Earth results in increased evaporation in oceans, including the hot Indian Ocean. Clouds forming in above-average rates, pushed by winds to the east to India and Pakistan, resulted in Sudans floods this year, and to the west towards Yemen and East Africa extending from Ethiopian highlands in the north all the way through Sudan to the African Great Lakes in the south, which resulted in the increased water levels of the Blue and White rivers all throughout the year. This is also the reason for the floods in the Juba and Shebelle rivers in south Ethiopia and Somali and in Yemen, where UNESCO heritage sites were damaged. Environmental experts, however, believe climate change is not the only reason for the heavy rains the region witnessed in 1946 and 1988 as well. Heavy rains havent occurred for more than 30 years and for climate change to be the culprit the region should see more heavy rain occurrence in the next 30 years, experts said. It is still too early to support the climate change theory. Proving the theory requires more time and similar occurrences, said Osama Mohamed Ali, a professor of water resources at the University of Khartoum. It is an exaggerated statement to tie [Sudans] heavy rains to climate change. Sudan has suffered dry weather for most of the 1980s before the 1988 flood took place, which left more damage than the current flood, Ali added. The dry weather Sudan endured from 1981 to 1987 rendered the country in famine, contributing to the fall of former president Jaafar Numeiri in April 1985. The drought that followed in the late 1990s compounded the social conditions in Darfur even further, intensifying the conflict between farmers, who depend on rain for their crops, and herders who released their livestock on agricultural lands to be fed. Complicating the social status in the region was the Chad war where [former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi] used a large number of tribal youths in Sudan who returned to their dry homeland after their defeat, Ali said. Climate change resulted in fluctuations in the amount of rain in Sudan, further disbanding social systems in Darfur to the west, Kordofan, central west and the east, he added. Water storage protocols in west Sudan were negatively affected by rising temperatures, where basins dug to store rain water saw elevated evaporation. Crops also decreased and the quality of the soil deteriorated. Small rivers in Sudan were filled with rain water and spilled over to large swaths of land, damaging hundreds of thousands of acres of agricultural land across the country, stated Ali. The worst part is, after the floods are over, more damage can be discovered, such as the destruction of crops, he said. Similar heavy rains have occurred in Yemen, Algeria, Somalia, India, China and Japan, and their effects were evident in US west coast states, such as California, Oregon and Washington, where drought resulted in massive fires. Climate change had a hand in all such disasters, but it is not the only culprit, Ali insisted. *A version of this article appears in print in the 17 September, 2020 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly Search Keywords: Short link: Artist Geng Xiaonan for years quietly helped dissidents and liberal intellectuals whod crossed Chinas Communist Party and lost their jobs or their freedom most recently ordering online groceries for former Tsinghua University scholar Xu Zhangrun, who was blacklisted by vendors following his arrest in July. So when Geng and her husband were taken away by police in Beijing's Haidian district on Sept. 9 on suspicion of running an "illegal business operation" after the film producer and publisher made public her support for Xu, it was the legal scholar himself who led the charge to publicize the couples plight. Xiaonan is a brave woman Lets speak up for her; voice our concerns, Xu told RFA. Since party general secretary Xi Jinping began an indefinite term in office in March 2018, his administration has stepped up a purge of liberal intellectuals from higher education institutions. Authorities in Beijing detained Xu on July 6 after he had published strident critiques of Xi and calls for political reforms online, on allegations of "seeking out prostitutes." He was released a week later, but told the media that he had been fired from his teaching post and subjected to public sanctions for "moral corruption" by Tsinghua University's law school. Geng, the owner of a private art and culture salon in China and an independent film producer, has championed dissidents who have taken great risk in Xis China. Dissidents who have been aided by Geng include Xu Zhiyong, a legal scholar who called for Xis resignation and was sentenced to four years in prison; Early Rain Covenant Church Reverend Wang Yi, who was sentenced to 9 years in jail for inciting subversion of state power and for running an illegal operation; and citizen journalist Chen Qiushi, who sneaked into Wuhan during its lockdown to report from epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic and has been missing for since March. Blacklisted online After his release, from detention, Xu Zhangrun was fired from Tsinghua University losing his livelihood, while an on-line blacklist stripped him of the right to receive donations from the public. Geng Xiaonan began to order groceries online for Xu on August 26th to relieve his financial burden. She found that Taobao, TMall, and Hema -- the three grocery order apps owned by popular e-Commerce merchant Alibaba had set Xu Zhangrun as a prohibited search phrase. She was arrested because of me! Xu told RFA. Xu said Geng had texted him last week, saying that police has arrested several employees of her husbands publishing company on Sept. 6, and two days later, authorities blocked her husbands his companys Weibo accounts. Geng then told Xu early on Sept. 9 that she was out running errands, and went incommunicado, along with her husband, Xu said, calling it definitely unusual. Friends of Geng told RFAs Mandarin Service before her disappearance, a series of events pointed toward gathering trouble for her, beginning in early August with a police visit to her fathers house in Sichuan. On Aug. 14, police in Beijings Haidian district visited Gengs home, checking on exit routes and the electricity breaker box. On Aug. 27, police secretly searched warehouses of the publishing company that Geng Xiaonans husband runs in Beijing and neighboring Hebei province, warning the warehouse managers to keep the search secret from the couple, friends said. Geng told RFA in early September that she thought these actions did not pose great danger and there was no need to report on these incidents Intellectuals back Geng Several well-known Chinese female intellectuals, including Tsinghua Professor Guo Yuhua, former China Party School Professor Cai Xia, and Hoover Institute visiting researcher Li Nanyang, have all taken up Gengs cause. Xiaonan is a good friend of mine for years. Shes kind and righteous, said Cai, who was expelled from partys top training academy and stripped of her pension in August over speeches she made criticizing the countrys direction under Xi. For many years she has been so kind to help senior political dissidents, she said, mentioning former Zhao Ziyang aide Bao Tong, who remains under house arrest since supporting 1989 student demonstrators, and other liberal figures. Her chivalrous courage is admirable. She has worked so hard to rescue Xu Zhangrun and other persons of conscience. She is a talented writer of remarkable style. Now that she is being placed in great danger. We call for her release. Analysts noted that charges of "seeking out prostitutes" have been used before by the Chinese authorities to target peaceful critics and activists, or anyone who runs afoul of local officials and powerful vested interests. Xu has lodged a legal challenge, and denies the charges. Rev Wang Yi was also jailed on charges that included running an illegal operation the same accusations Geng and her husband are facing. Under the authoritarian dictatorship, the kind suffer while the wicked run rampant. Random citizens may lose their freedom for the sake of conscience and justice, said Xu. Geng Xiaonan spoke for justice. She cried for the political dissidents who lost their lives, he added. We cannot just sit back and let it be. We shall make our voices heard and call for her release, he told RFA. Reported by Bei Ming for RFAs Mandarin Service. Translated by Min Eu. Written in English by Paul Eckert For the first time in two years, the University of Florida is no longer the only Florida school among the top 50 in the annual U.S. News and World Reports national ranking of public and private colleges, released Monday. The University of Miami stepped up its game, rising from No. 57 last year to No. 49, tied with Lehigh University in Pennsylvania, Northeastern University in Massachusetts and Pepperdine University in California. UM, based in Coral Gables, ranked No. 53 in fall 2018 and No. 46 in fall 2017. Its nice to be back in the top 50, said Jeffrey Duerk, UMs executive vice president for academic affairs and provost, in a written statement. UF, however, kept the lead. The Gainesville-based university scored No. 30 this year nationally, up from last years No. 34. It tied with New York University, Tufts University in Massachusetts and the University of California-Santa Barbara. For the fourth year in a row, UF improved in the rankings among public universities, jumping from No. 14 in the 2017 list to No. 6 this year, tied with the University of California-Santa Barbara. It ranked seventh last year. Mori Hosseini, UFs Board of Trustees chairman, said in a press release that the universitys momentum is unbreakable. Now is the time to double down, make the final push and carry the ball across the goal line, he said, referring to the schools goal to join the top five institutions. UF follows the University of California-Los Angeles, the University of California-Berkeley, the University of Michigan, University of Virginia and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Florida State University in Tallahassee tied for the 58th spot in the best colleges ranking. It placed No. 19 among top public schools, tying with the University of Maryland in College Park, the University of Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania and the University of Washington. Florida International University, based in Miami, tied for 95th place among public universities and for the 187th place nationally. Story continues The University of South Florida in Tampa tied on No. 103 nationally. It tied for the No. 46 spot in the public schools list. The University of Central Florida in Orlando tied for the 77th spot among public schools and for 160th among national schools. Florida A&M University maintained its spot as the highest-ranked historically black public school in the country, at an overall ranking of No. 117. The top five national universities were Princeton, Harvard, Columbia and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Yale, which tied. See how your college or university ranked here. Several Florida universities, including FIU, were ranked among the top 100 public universities in the country, according to the latest U.S. News & World Report rankings released Monday. How do they come up with the rankings? The U.S. News & World Report, a media company, has been ranking universities and colleges globally since the early 1980s. This year, it ranked about 1,400 schools on 17 indicators of academic quality, examined with pre-pandemic data. According to a press release, the company used new aspects in the methodology used for its Best Colleges list, including the fact that the rankings now cover schools that dont use SAT or ACT scores in their admissions process. The rankings now measure student debt as well, specifically the average amount of accumulated federal loan debt among full-time undergraduate borrowers at graduation and the percentage of full-time undergraduates in a graduating class who used federal loans. An Oregon Republican state senator who previously prevented a vote on a climate change bill, has had his house destroyed in wildfires. Fred Girod was one of 11 Oregon state senators who refused to turn up to the state Capitol in June 2019, which prevented quorum for a vote on climate change legislation. The bill was an attempt to pass a cap-and-trade proposal, which would set a limit on pollution and aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions dramatically by 2050 and help combat climate change in the state, according to Labor411. The 69-year-old, alongside 11 of his colleagues refused to attend the session, which prevented the 18 Democratic state senators from reaching quorum, which needed 20 officials present. The Oregon state Democrats attempted to pass a similar bill by working with Mr Girod earlier this year, but he quit the project and accused them of making fake concessions. On Monday, Oregon Live reported that Mr Girods house was destroyed in the wildfires that have devastated large parts of the state and the US West Coast. Mr Girod was initially turned away when he attempted to visit his local area to assess the damage over the weekend, as the wildfires continued to rage across the state. Speaking to Oregon Live, Mr Girod said it hurts, but added: My job is to know whats happening in the district, and I need to be able to assess the damage. States across the US West Coast, including California and Washington, have been ravaged by wildfires over the last few weeks, and Oregon, which would usually be unaffected to this scale because of its cooler climate compared to other areas, has been badly hit. In response to the wildfires across the west coast, the Associated Press reported that scientists, along with the governors of Oregon, California and Washington, have all said that climate change is the reason for the widespread damage in recent weeks. They reported that plants and trees dying out due to climate change are partly behind the unprecedented fires, and that the level of pollution needs to be tackled to prevent repeated incidents. After president Donald Trump blamed forest management for the wildfires, California governor Gavin Newsom angrily told him that climate change is real, and that is exacerbating this. Please respect, and I know you do, the difference of opinion out here as it relates to this fundamental issue...of climate change. In a campaign speech on Monday, Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden echoed Mr Newsom and claimed in reference to the president: If you give a climate arsonist four more years in the White House, why would anyone be surprised if we have more of America ablaze? He added: If you give a climate denier four more years in the White House, why would anyone be surprised when more of America is underwater? As the wildfires have spread, at least 10 people have been killed in Oregon, 24 have lost their lives in California, and one person has died in Washington state. Wildfires are still raging across Oregon, and two separate fires in Portland might merge, although firefighters have said that they would cause less damage than last weeks wildfires. We often see insiders buying up shares in companies that perform well over the long term. Unfortunately, there are also plenty of examples of share prices declining precipitously after insiders have sold shares. So before you buy or sell IDT Australia Limited (ASX:IDT), you may well want to know whether insiders have been buying or selling. What Is Insider Selling? It is perfectly legal for company insiders, including board members, to buy and sell stock in a company. However, rules govern insider transactions, and certain disclosures are required. We don't think shareholders should simply follow insider transactions. But equally, we would consider it foolish to ignore insider transactions altogether. As Peter Lynch said, 'insiders might sell their shares for any number of reasons, but they buy them for only one: they think the price will rise'. View our latest analysis for IDT Australia IDT Australia Insider Transactions Over The Last Year Over the last year, we can see that the biggest insider purchase was by insider John Huntley for AU$330k worth of shares, at about AU$0.14 per share. We do like to see buying, but this purchase was made at well below the current price of AU$0.19. Because the shares were purchased at a lower price, this particular buy doesn't tell us much about how insiders feel about the current share price. IDT Australia insiders may have bought shares in the last year, but they didn't sell any. You can see a visual depiction of insider transactions (by companies and individuals) over the last 12 months, below. If you click on the chart, you can see all the individual transactions, including the share price, individual, and the date! IDT Australia is not the only stock that insiders are buying. For those who like to find winning investments this free list of growing companies with recent insider purchasing, could be just the ticket. Insider Ownership For a common shareholder, it is worth checking how many shares are held by company insiders. Usually, the higher the insider ownership, the more likely it is that insiders will be incentivised to build the company for the long term. It appears that IDT Australia insiders own 16% of the company, worth about AU$7.3m. We've certainly seen higher levels of insider ownership elsewhere, but these holdings are enough to suggest alignment between insiders and the other shareholders. Story continues What Might The Insider Transactions At IDT Australia Tell Us? There haven't been any insider transactions in the last three months -- that doesn't mean much. On a brighter note, the transactions over the last year are encouraging. Insiders own shares in IDT Australia and we see no evidence to suggest they are worried about the future. So while it's helpful to know what insiders are doing in terms of buying or selling, it's also helpful to know the risks that a particular company is facing. For example, IDT Australia has 2 warning signs (and 1 which is concerning) we think you should know about. If you would prefer to check out another company -- one with potentially superior financials -- then do not miss this free list of interesting companies, that have HIGH return on equity and low debt. For the purposes of this article, insiders are those individuals who report their transactions to the relevant regulatory body. We currently account for open market transactions and private dispositions, but not derivative transactions. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com. The June shooting death of a 26-year-old Birmingham man has been ruled justifiable. Birmingham police on Tuesday said no charges will be filed in the June 26 shooting death of Stephone Jemison. West Precinct officers responded at 10:42 p.m. that Friday to a report of a person shot at 2915 Avenue V. When they arrived on the scene, the found a wounded Jemison in the front room of the residence. He was taken to UAB Hospital where he was pronounced dead. Sgt. Rod Mauldin said the investigation showed a verbal altercation took place prior to the victim being shot. Details of the dispute are unclear. Investigators presented their evidence to the Jefferson County District Attorneys Office which deemed the shooting justified. Of the 85 homicides in Birmingham so far this year, 12 have now been ruled justifiable and one accidental. Under the FBIs Uniform Crime Reporting guidelines, law enforcement agencies are not required to included justifiable deaths in their homicide counts. Johnny Depp is doing his best to revive his acting career, and he could make it with the help of three roles in the MCU. This year, Hollywood Reporter revealed that Disney chose Margot Robbie to lead the remake of the award-winning film "Pirates of the Caribbean" instead of casting Depp again. The title and full cast of the said reboot are yet to be revealed. However, the news outlet clarified that it will be a whole new pirate experience with a new storyline -- without Depp. Although he has been dropped from his former career-defining role as Captain Jack Sparrow, the 57-year-old actor is reportedly eyeing to get several Marvel roles. Three Marvel Roles for Depp? According to a report published by We Got This Covered, their intel revealed that Depp is currently in talks with Marvel Studios about his possible appearance as Corsair, the leader of Starjammers and father of Cyclops and Havok. In addition, his name has also been linked with Korvac, the role of Captain Marvel 2's major antagonist. Aside from these two roles, Depp is said to be in discussions for a role in the reboot of "Ghost Rider." Per the outlet, he would love to play Bounty Hunter's role. We Got This Covered first reported the possibility of the actor landing the said "Ghost Rider" character earlier this month. The news outlet said that a source disclosed the information to them, noting that Depp wants to live up to the character's moniker and ride a black horse. However, Kevin Feige has reportedly already secured the slot in the film for Keanu Reeves, as he has been inviting the actor since the 2000 film "X-Men." In 2019, the 46-year-old Marvel Studios president opened up to ComicBook.com about his efforts to bring Keanu to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. "We talk to him for almost every film we make," the Marvel big boss revealed. "I don't know when, if, or ever he'll join the MCU, but we very much want to figure out the right way to do it." The source also claimed that as the conversations continue, it is highly likely that Depp will join the MCU, at least for a role out of three. Johnny Depp Begging For Roles? Earlier this year, rumors about Depp begging "Avengers" star Robert Downey Jr. to give him a job in Hollywood emerged. His desperation showed up even more after he requested the court to move the schedule of his legal battle with Amber Heard in order for him to film "Fantastic Beasts 3." Initially, the trial is scheduled to run from January 11, 2021 to January 28, 2021. Depp asked that the trial to be postponed until between March and June 2021 since director David Yates decided to shoot the film from October until February. Since Heard refused to grant him his wish, the actor's career is in danger again. READ MORE: Robert Downey Jr. Net Worth: How Much Did the 'Iron Man' Star Earn From Marvel? Ivanka Trump's mother believes her daughter could follow the footsteps of her father, U.S. President Donald Trump. During her appearance with the British daytime talk show "Loose Women," Ivana Trump was asked if her 38-year-old daughter could be the next U.S. President. Without a second thought, the Czech-American media personality answered "definitely" and explained that the blonde beauty, who is also serving as the presidential advisor, could be America's first female President. "I think she's in the White House every day, she's next to her father every day, she knows all that is going around... I think she could be one day the first woman president, definitely. She's smart as hell, she's beautiful," Ivana explained. In addition, the "Raising Trump" author "doesn't blame" the public if they want Ivanka to be the next U.S. president, pointing out that she has the credentials to be in the position. Republicans Want Ivanka and Donald Trump Jr. in the White House Earlier this year, the presidential daughter and her older brother, Donald Trump Jr., were among the top picks to run for the 2024 presidential election. Based on the poll conducted by Axios and Survey Monkey, the majority of the Republican voters want two of President Donald Trump's children for the top seat in the White House, as well as Vice President Mike Pence and former U.S. Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley. It came after 29 percent of the party voters said they would consider the eldest Trump as the next U.S. President, while 16 percent voted for the mother-of-three. On the other hand, the 61-year-old Pence led the survey with 40 percent, while Haley is in third place with 26 percent. Ivanka Trump vs. Meghan Markle for the Presidential Seat? With Ivanka Trump rumored to be running in the 2024 national election, there are already speculations that she might end up battling with former royal Meghan Markle. Several royal commentators predict that the Duchess of Sussex "is poised to compete" for a seat in the White House following her and husband Prince Harry's exit from the royal family. Royal commentator Beverly Turner claimed that stepping down as senior members of the Firm is part of Meghan's plan to run for U.S. presidency. "She will run for President, I have no doubt about it. I have no doubt; I think this is all part of the plan. It may not be very soon, but it will be," she told U.K. Channel 5's Jeremy Vine. Meanwhile, royal author Lady Colin Campbell also shared the same stance and pointed out that the runaway duchess wanted to set her foot into the Oval Office. "I know the Duchess of Sussex has political ambitions and I've been told that one day she wants to run for President," Campbell shared. Like Turner, the outspoken author said that quitting the monarchy is part of Meghans plan to enter politics. "I think everything she is doing, leaving the Royal Family and moving back to California, is part of her plan, and she has taken Harry along with her." READ MORE: Chris Evans What? 5 Most Shocking Celebrity Leaks of All Time On Sunday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus Likud-Blue and White coalition approved a full national lockdown to start on Friday morning, just before the Jewish New Year. It is the first government in the world to impose a second national lockdown. The government put in place tight restrictions in early March. But in late April, as the infection rate began to fall, Netanyahu announced the phased reopening of schools, workplaces, restaurants, bars, clubs, swimming pools and hotels in the interest of corporate profits. He did so without putting in place any measures to guard against or deal with a second wave, despite recommendations from a team of experts, headed by Professor Eli Waxman from the Weizman Institute of Science. His team recommended that the government reconsider its decision to restart the economy if the daily number of infections rose above 200, which the government ignored. Within days of the government lifting restrictions on schools class sizes, there was a resurgence of the virus. In July, Siegal Sadetzki, Israels director of public health services, resigned, saying that insufficient safety precautions in schools, as well as large gatherings like weddings, had fueled a significant portion of second-wave infections. Seven months into the crisis, it is still difficult to gain access to testing or get speedy results. After months of claiming it had a contact-tracing system in place, the health ministry handed over responsibility to the army which is now appealing for help from private companies and saying it will not be ready until November at the earliest. Sundays decision came amid a soaring infection rate. Israel now tops the world rankings in the number of new COVID-19 cases per capita, with 157,000 confirmed casesbetween 3,000 to 4,000 new cases are being recorded every dayand 1,136 deaths in a country of 9 million people. The vast majority of cases have occurred since May when Netanyahu famously told people that the lockdown was over, and people should go out and have a good time. In the West Bank, 35,663 cases have been confirmed along with 214 deaths. This includes 8,550 cases in East Jerusalem, while the Hebron governorate has been the hardest hit. The Palestinian Authority has imposed lockdowns on badly-affected areas and a ban on public gatherings including weddings and graduation parties. In Gaza, 1,631 cases have been reported and 11 deaths. The first cases of community transmission were recorded on August 24, and since then the authorities have imposed a strict lockdown. During the first phase of the lockdown, scheduled to last at least three weeks, people are not allowed to go more than 500 metres from their homes. Schools and non-essential workplaces, businesses and organisations will close. Restaurants will be open for delivery or takeout only and public transport will be reduced. Gatherings are limited to 10 people indoors and 20 people outdoors, severely limiting traditional family gatherings and religious services during the Jewish holy days. These regulations are based on a new coronavirus law authorising the cabinet to issue restrictions, including limitations on the number of people at demonstrations and the distance between protesters that will curb the weekly anti-Netanyahu protests. The police are preparing to enforce the lockdown policy, even as voices from several groups have announced on social media they will not follow restrictions. Police plans permit the forceful dispersal of gatherings, including entering synagogues if necessary, with large numbers of officers from patrol, riot police and Border Police units. Such are the political tensions within the ruling coalition over the governments budgetnow postponed until the end of Novemberthat Sundays cabinet meeting was the first in a month. The coronavirus cabinet committee had recommended a national lockdownreportedly with the support of Netanyahu, Health Minister Yuli Edelstein and coronavirus coordinator Professor Ronni Gamzuin large part because of warnings that the hospitals, underfunded for decades, would soon be overwhelmed by the rising number of patients. Yesterday, the Western Galilee Hospital in Nahariya became the first hospital to announce that it was unable to accept any more coronavirus patients. Ten days ago, as the number of confirmed cases rose, the Netanyahu government ordered a week of overnight curfews and school closures to take effect from last Tuesday in 40 red areas with the highest infection rates. This was a capitulation to the religious ultra-Orthodox parties upon whom he is dependent, and effectively neutered Gamzus plans. Gamzu had called for a full lockdown, including the closure of non-essential workplaces and schools, in the 40 worst affected towns and cities, predominantly religious and Arab, Bedouin and Druze communities. The mayors of four of the affected towns had warned Netanyahu that they would not cooperate with authorities if the lockdowns were imposed. The Health Ministry also announced that the 3,000 Hasidic pilgrims returning from Uman in the Ukraine after the Jewish New Year will not have to quarantine in isolation hotels but will be allowed to self-isolate at home. Netanyahu, facing the prospect of years in jail if found guilty of fraud, bribery and breach of trust in three separate cases, will do anything to maintain his support base and keep himself in power while he manoeuvres to avoid conviction. This extends to provoking an all-out conflict with the judiciary, which he has accused of launching a left-wing coup to unseat him. As infections continued to mount, around 120 doctors and scientists wrote an open letter urging the government not to impose a general lockdown, but instead adopt the Swedish model of herd immunity. Some were even invited to give evidence to the Knessets coronavirus committee. Another group of 150 doctors and scientists vehemently opposed them for encouraging widespread infection, but the open letter served the governments objectives in challenging the scientific recommendations and questioning the acceptance of lockdowns. The proposal for a second national lockdown met furious resistance from the ultra-Orthodox religious communities, businesses, and the Histadrut trade union federation. Some 85,500 businesses are expected to close this year, compared with 40,000 in a normal year. At least 21 percent of workers are unemployed, a figure set to increase. With businesses claiming that the lockdown would cost them $2 billion and threatening non-compliance, Netanyahu told his finance minister to come up with a new economic package to assist them, adding to the record high budget deficit that is nearly triple that of a year ago. Yaakov Litzman, chairman of the United Torah Judaism party, the construction and housing minister and a Netanyahu ally, resigned from government in protest over the expected lockdown Sunday, saying that it would prevent hundreds of thousands of Jews, of all sectors, from praying in synagogues. Even the timing of the lockdown was adjusted to meet Netanyahus demands. The postponement until Friday enables him to fly to Washington for Tuesdays signing of the Israel-United Arab Emirates normalization agreement, now slated to include Bahrain as well, and to posture as a world statesman. Both the Orthodox community, which has insisted on keeping its places of worship, schools and religious seminaries open, and Arab Israelis, who have held traditional large-scale wedding celebrations, have been blamed for the spread of the disease. But this is hardly surprising. Netanyahu has based his coalition on incitement against Israels Arab citizens and the cultivation of every form of backwardness among his own far-right and religious support base, guaranteeing the ultra-Orthodox rabbis autonomy to keep their schools free of a modern science-based curriculum. The continued growth of religious ideology, like its counterparts in other countries, the cultivation of divisions between Israels diverse communities and the economic, social and healthcare crisis now engulfing Israel-Palestine are the price paid by the working class for the betrayals of their old political leaderships. This can only be overcome by the Israeli and Palestinian working class uniting with their class brothers and sisters throughout the Middle East on the basis of a conscious, revolutionary and socialist programme. A Rohingya woman is assisted to walk by others after the boat carrying them landed in Lhokseumawe, Aceh province, Indonesia, early Monday, Sept. 7, 2020. AP/Zik Maulana UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is saddened by the deaths of three Rohingya refugees who disembarked in northern Aceh, Indonesia last week. Among the arrivals one young man and two young women, all under the age of 25, have now passed away. We are also deeply concerned about the health of many others in the group of 293 people, more than a third of whom are identified as in need of hospitalization and medical care. The overwhelming majority of the group (four out of five) are women and children and approximately half are girls under the age of 18. Many children in the group are without their parents, and others are not accompanied by any guardian. At least one boy, aged 12, was left without a caregiver during the journey when his father died. More than 30 people are reported to have died during the journey at sea, which started in Coxs Bazar, Bangladesh, and lasted for seven months. Those who survived are in a fragile physical condition and have suffered serious trauma. All of the new arrivals have returned negative rapid tests for COVID-19, but they are suffering from a range of other medical conditions believed to be caused by exposure, malnutrition and all that they endured at sea. Having been repeatedly turned away and refused disembarkation in the region, many are showing symptoms consistent with beriberi disease, a preventable condition caused by acute vitamin deficiency. With limited space and resources available in local health facilities, we are working with local authorities in Lhokseumawe, Aceh, as well as the Indonesian Red Cross, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and other partners. Arrangements are currently being made to establish a medical clinic at the BLK site designated by Indonesian authorities for temporary shelter. Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) has deployed an emergency health team to conduct medical assessments and UNHCR has begun distributing B1 tablets for the treatment of the vitamin deficiency causing symptoms consistent with beriberi disease. Pre-registration of the new arrivals has been delayed until later this week to allow time for medical provision. UNHCR commends the Government of Indonesia and the local community in Aceh for receiving the group and mobilizing support to rapidly meet their immediate basic needs. This tragic episode serves as a stark reminder to states in the region that prompt action to provide a safe port could have saved dozens of lives. For more information on this topic, please contact: Navalny is fully aware of his condition, he's fully aware of what happened and he's fully aware of where he is. Alexei Navalny, the Russian opposition leader who is recovering from being poisoned, has spoken to a German prosecutor about the attempt on his life and says he plans to return to Russia as soon as he has recovered, a senior German security official said on Monday. "He's not planning to go into exile in Germany," the official said, according to The New York Times. "He wants to go home to Russia and he wants to continue his mission." "He's fully aware of his condition, he's fully aware of what happened and he's fully aware of where he is," said the official, speaking on condition of anonymity to talk candidly about the case. In his conversation with the German prosecutor, he refused to cooperate with a Russian request to jointly investigate the case with Germany, the security official said. Also, Navalny posted his first photo on Instagram since the poisoning. "Hello, this is Navalny. Miss you. I still can hardly do anything, but yesterday I was able to breathe on my own all day. All by my own. No external help, not even a simplest valve in my throat. Loved it. An amazing process, underrated by many. Recommend," he wrote. Read alsoNovichok for Navalny: From Putin with loveNavalny poisoning: background I find Gena Rowlands to be the worlds most spectacular performer, and this is the performance of a lifetime. It was so devoid of vanity that for me is of great value, because sometimes this industry dictates that you pay a lot of attention to what your exterior is looking like. It infiltrates the work in a way that can be really dangerous. I thought: This is an actress who is not afraid to be loathed, who is not afraid to be humiliated, who is not afraid to be ugly. This is the kind of acting I want to do. 4. Kim Stanley The movie Frances was one of the more defining moments for me. I remember being a 14-year-old and coming across it on television. It was this scene of Jessica Lange sitting in the car, staring at her house. And I thought, What is this, and who is that? But Kim Stanley was the most astonishing thing. This is probably something for my shrink to decipher, but Im drawn to performances that are not about endearing oneself to an audience. I remember when I did 12 Years a Slave being confronted with these feelings of, Should I be bothered by the potential hatred that will be held by viewers for me? But there was something that struck me as so true and so vulgar in terms of her living so vicariously through her childs success, and her childs beauty, and her childs bravery. It was something Ive never been able to shake. 5. Joan Armatradings Heaven I think its the most exquisite love song ever written. I grew up with all my friends worshiping Madonna. And I worshiped Joan Armatrading and Laura Nyro and Joni Mitchell and the Pretenders and all this music that my mother had these records of. When she was out of the house, I would just put them on and cry like a good little artist who wanted to be a poet-performer. I had never heard anybody sing about love in a way that had all of the elements of the actual experience, which was exhilarating and mournful and celebratory. Its my idea of heaven, for sure. 6. A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara Its the most exquisite book about pain Ive ever read. But really what its about is friendship and the circuitous route that it sometimes takes. There was something so poignant to me about the love story between these friends, it just made me weep. And I mean sob uncontrollably in my bed at night before I turned off the light. 7. NPRs Throughline Its revisiting moments in our history in an effort to give greater clarity to where we stand now. And I think its important, given what were dealing with politically as well as from a social justice standpoint, to re-examine what you held to be true, and to perhaps give context to those stories. This podcast gives me a real opportunity to be told about it in a way that is inventive and clear and made by young people. I find it to be wonderful. 8. I May Destroy You I dont know how Michaela Coel made a show that is about sexual assault, and yet its about everything else that happens in ones life as well. And she challenges you to confront so many widely held beliefs. Arabella is a character who sometimes you dont like very much. I think theres such bravery in creating a character that an audience struggles with wanting to spend time with. And yet in the very next beat, you fall in love with her again. And the very next beat you weep for her. And the very next beat youre laughing uproariously. Also, its got the worlds greatest title. "Unfortunately, in the second round of U.S. sanctions, our chip producers only accepted orders until May 15. Production of the chip will stop on Sept. 15," Richard Yu, chief executive of Huawei's consumer business, said last month. "Because there is no Chinese chip manufacturing industry to support, Huawei is faced with the problem of no chips." In recent weeks, suppliers from South Korea and Taiwan have all indicated they will comply with the sanctions and cease their supply of semiconductors to Huawei on Tuesday, the day the new moves against the Chinese company comes into force. The sanctions against one of China's most successful technology companies were announced in August, when the United States introduced a new set of rules that prohibit foreign chipmakers that rely on U.S. technology from selling any chips to Huawei without first obtaining a special license. Starting Sept. 15, China's telecom giant Huawei -- once a symbol of Chinese technology prowess -- will be cut off from essential supplies of semiconductors. Without those chips, Huawei cannot make the smartphones or 5G equipment on which its business depends, business analysts say. Microchips For all of China's efforts to become a global leader in high-technology, the factory of the world is yet not able to manufacture top-level contenders in one crucial area -- the microchip, the nervous system that runs just about every electronic device. An important mark of a microchip's level of sophistication is how many transistors can be placed on its surface. The smaller the size, measured in nanometers, the more advanced the microchip. China's best manufacturing process is believed to be able to make 14-nanometer microchips, which are several generations behind Samsung and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC). Samsung reached this standard in 2014. TSMC, the world's largest contract chipmaker, is already making 5-nanometer chips. While some of the most advanced semiconductor manufacturers are based outside the U.S., the industry is heavily dependent upon U.S. suppliers to provide everything from design software to manufacturing equipment. Washington first placed Huawei on a trade blacklist in May 2019, citing national security concerns. However, this ban did not include most foreign-produced chips. In May, the U.S. extended the ban to cut off Huawei from its non-American suppliers, which affects China's own semiconductor companies whose market is in China. Early last month, China's leading chipmaker, Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (SMIC), indicated it will abide by the U.S. rules and stop selling chips to Huawei. Like all of the semiconductor foundries, SMIC relies on U.S.-based companies to obtain key production equipment. "The dominance of U.S.-origin technology in upstream sectors of the global semiconductor supply chain means that Chinese ICT (Information and Communication Technologies) firms across the board are exposed to U.S. export controls, regardless of what happens to SMIC or Huawei as individual companies," John Lee, a senior analyst at the Mercator Institute for China Studies (MERICS), told VOA. China's Failed Attempts Beijing has a long history of angst about the country's dependence on foreign semiconductors. Its strategic planning related to this key industry dates back to the 1950s, when the State Council convened a group of scientists to develop an "Outline for Science and Technology Development, 19561967," which identified semiconductor technology as a "key priority." In recent decades, from the "531 Development Plan" launched in 1986 to the multibillion-dollar National Integrated Circuit Industry Investment Fund that was explicitly established for the chip sector in 2014, the country has poured considerable state resources into its semiconductor aspirations. A report released in July 2019 by U.S. International Trade Commission said the fund, along with provincial and municipal Integrated Circuit-related funds, are well on their way to reaching the goal of $150 billion. James Andrew Lewis, senior vice president and director of the Technology Policy Program at CSIS, told CNBC last week that China might outspend the U.S. "1,000 to 1" when it comes to investing in semiconductors. In 2016, China's President Xi Jinping noted, "The fact that core technology is controlled by others is our greatest hidden danger." Xi emphasized the point again last Friday when chairing a symposium of scientists on the development of science and technology during the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) period. "Some key core technologies are subject to others," he said. Last week, in response to the new U.S. restrictions on Huawei, China announced a sweeping new set of government policies to expand its domestic semiconductor industry by providing extensive support for the next generation of semiconductors in the 14th Five-Year Plan. In hopes that key technologies from the foreign firms will get transferred to Chinese companies, Beijing has also encouraged U.S. chipmakers to form joint ventures with domestic firms. According to MERICS, the think tank based in Germany, China's quest for foreign technology at times even targets entire industries. "Almost all of the large semiconductor enterprises in the United States have received investment offers from Chinese state actors," a research report by MERICS said. On the other hand, Douglas Fuller, a professor at City University of Hong Kong who studies the technology industry, said China should not be viewed as a failure. "There are only four firms ahead of SMIC in foundry services -- two from Taiwan (TSMC and UMC), Korea's Samsung, and U.S./UAE's GloFo," Fuller told VOA in an e-mail. As for mass manufacturing, there are only two places with the leading technology -- TSMC in Taiwan and Samsung in Korea, he said. "Intel is even playing catch-up. Thus, other than Taiwan and Korea, the whole rest of the world is behind the cutting edge of manufacturing tech in this industry, including the U.S., Japan, Israel and all of Europe," said Fuller. Will Huawei Survive? It remains unclear where Huawei will be able to buy its chips. Taiwanese chipmaker MediaTek said last month it had applied to the U.S. government for permission to continue supplying Huawei after new U.S. rules take effect. In the meantime, Huawei has reportedly stockpiled up to two years' worth of silicon to keep its business running. "In the short term, it is difficult to see any effective options available to Chinese firms targeted by U.S. export controls on semiconductors," said Lee, whose research focuses on the rise of Chinese digital technology. As for the future, analysts say the U.S. will unlikely be able to stop China from making basic semiconductors. Given enough time, the country's vast consumer market for electronics and decades of investment will eventually make it a chip producer. "In the medium to long term, China will probably be able to substitute U.S. technology and develop a complete domestic semiconductor supply chain (though whether it can catch up to foreign firms at the technological cutting edge is another issue)." Lee said in an e-mail. James Lewis, director of the Technology Policy Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), wrote in May that Huawei has been harmed by the U.S. effort, "but the Chinese government will not allow it to collapse -- Huawei is too important." Dublin, Sept. 15, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Turkey Hotel Market & Volume, Budget & Star Rated Hotel ( 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th) Star, City, Province, Chain Hotel (International, Domestic), Company (Hilton, Marriott, Radisson, Accor) & Forecast" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. It is anticipated that Turkey Hotel Market will be US$ 11.6 Billion by the end of the year 2026 Around the world, COVID-19 has impacted almost every economy, mostly tourism, hotel, and the airlines' industry. Turkey is a part of an interconnected globally, and this new crisis hits at the center of globalization. So, we expect the coronavirus will affect the Turkey hotel market severely in the year 2020. The year 2021 will see some growth on the back of domestic tourists. Read the complete analysis of Cornonavirus's impact on the hotel industry of Turkey in the report. In recent years, Turkey has been considered as one of the most attractive destinations for travel across the world as a variety of options is available at affordable prices. Besides, the country classic sun & sea vacation, apart from that it is also known for its historical, heritage as well as cultural attractions among tourists. In the year 2019, Turkey has named the 6th most visited country across the globe hosted a large number of tourists. Foreign visitors have risen dramatically in the last few years in Turkey. Countries like Germany, Bulgaria, United Kingdom, Iran, and Russia are the country from where many tourists arrive in Turkey. Star rated hotel has the most significant market share in Turkey due to numbers of the facility given by star-rated hotels. Besides, visitors also prefer star rated over a budget hotel. Antalya is one of the most preferred cities in Turkey and has 4-star and 5-star hotels in its center and surrounding towns such as Kemer, Belek, and Ka. Star rated hotel occupancy is increasing year on year. Turkey's lucrative tourism industry souring and its top destination for Halal Tourism tend to drive Turkey hotel market in the future. Story continues Key Topics Covered: 1. Introduction 2. Research Methodology 3. Executive Summary 4. Market Dynamics 4.1 Growth Drivers 4.2 Challenges 5. Turkey Hotel Market 6. Market Share - Turkey Hotel 6.1 Budget Hotel vs. Star Rated Hotel 6.2 Star rated Hotel 7. Market & Volume - Star Rated Hotel 7.1 1 Star 7.1.1 Market 7.1.2 Volume 8. City Volume - Star Rated Hotel 8.1 Antalya 8.2 Istanbul 8.3 Mugla 8.4 Izmir 8.5 Aydin 8.6 Ankara 8.7 Mersin 8.8 Busra 8.9 Afyonkarahisar 8.10 Balikesir 9. Market & Volume - by Province Budget Hotel 9.1 Istanbul 9.1.1 Market 9.1.2 Volume (No of Hotel, No of Rooms & No of Beds) 9.2 Marmara 9.2.1 East & West Market 9.2.2 East & West Volume (No of Hotel, No of Rooms & No of Beds) 9.3 Aegean 9.3.1 Aegean & Mediterranean Market 9.3.2 Aegean & Mediterranean Volume (No of Hotel, No of Rooms & No of Beds) 9.4 Black Sea 9.4.1 West & East Market 9.4.2 West & East Volume (No of Hotel, No of Rooms & No of Beds) 9.5 West Anatolia 9.5.1 Market 9.5.2 Volume (No of Hotel, No of Rooms & No of Beds) 9.6 Central Anatolia 9.6.1 Market 9.6.2 Volume (No of Hotel, No of Rooms & No of Beds) 9.7 Northeast Anatolia 9.7.1 Market 9.7.2 Volume (No of Hotel, No of Rooms & No of Beds) 9.8 Central-East Anatolia 9.8.1 Market 9.8.2 Volume (No of Hotel, No of Rooms & No of Beds) 9.9 Southeast Anatolia 9.9.1 Market 9.9.2 Volume (No of Hotel, No of Rooms & No of Beds) 10. Chain Hotel in Turkey 10.1 Top 10 International Chain Groups 10.2 Top 10 Domestic Chain Groups 10.3 Top 10 International Brand 10.4 Top 9 Domestic Brand 10.5 Chain Hotel by Category 11. Turkey Hospitality Sector: Merger & Acquisition Deals 12. Top Five Countries People Visited in Turkey 12.1 Distribution of Arriving Foreign Visitors 12.2 Distribution of Arriving Foreign Visitors 13. Company Analysis 13.1 Radisson Hotels 13.1.1 Overview 13.1.2 Recent Development 13.1.3 Revenue 13.2 Hilton 13.3 Accor 13.4 Marriott For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/8jgtbi Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research. CONTACT: CONTACT: ResearchAndMarkets.com Laura Wood, Senior Press Manager press@researchandmarkets.com For E.S.T Office Hours Call 1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call 1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 Novavax Inc today announced that it has revised its deal with world's largest vaccine manufacturing company Serum Institute of India (SII) in order to produce 2 billion doses of Covid-19 vaccines. In August, Novavax signed a deal with Pune-based Serum Institute to produce a minimum of one billion doses of its vaccine candidate for low-and middle-income countries and India. However, as a part of the expanded agreement, Serum Institute will also manufacture the antigen component of NVXCoV2373, Novavax COVID19 vaccine candidate. Todays agreement with Serum Institute enhances Novavax commitment to equitable global delivery of our COVID-19 vaccine. With this arrangement, we have now put in place a global supply chain that includes the recently acquired Praha Vaccines and partnerships with leading biologics manufacturers, enabling production on three continents," said Stanley C. Erck, President and Chief Executive Officer of Novavax. We continue to work with extraordinary urgency to develop our vaccine, now in Phase 2 clinical trials, and for which we anticipate starting Phase 3 efficacy trials around the world in the coming weeks," the company said in a statement. US-based Novavax's vaccine is in mid-stage trials after an early-stage trial showed it produced high levels of antibodies against the novel coronavirus. Serum is the world's largest vaccine manufacturer by number of doses produced and sold globally (more than 1.3 billion doses). It is estimated that about 65% of the children in the world receive at least one vaccine manufactured by Serum Institute. Vaccines manufactured by Serum are accredited by the World Health Organization, Geneva and are being used in approximately 170 countries across the globe. Moreover, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and SII have also partnered for clinical development of a glycoprotein subunit nanoparticle adjuvanted vaccine developed by Novavax. The trial will be initiated in the second half of October after the vaccine is manufactured by SII. The trial is led by ICMR-National AIDS Research Institute (NARI), Pune. Meanwhile, at a Union Health Ministry briefing on the prevailing Covid-19 situation in the country, an ICMR official said three vaccines are at the clinical trial stage in India. "Cadila and Bharat Biotech have completed phase-I trials. Serum Institute has completed phase II-B3 trials, and will start phase-III trial (with 1,500 patients at 14 locations) after clearances," said Balram Bhargava, DG, ICMR. Apart from Novavax-SII trials, other drugmakers such as Pfizer Inc and Moderna Inc have already begun large late-stage studies of their experimental vaccines. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Never miss a story! Stay connected and informed with Mint. Download our App Now!! Topics YEREVAN. Supporters of the second President of Armenia, Robert Kocharyan, are at the yard of the Yerevan courtand in support of him. Also, they are holding banners that read: "[PM] Nikol [Pashinyan], the murderer." Speaking to reporters, Narek Mantashyan, co-founder of the Alternative NGO, said that the criminal case against Kocharyan was fabricated and subject to being dropped. "And end must be put to this joke," he added, in particular. As reported earlier, Tuesdays court session on the criminal case against Robert Kocharyan and several other former senior officials is being held behind closed doors. The previous hearing on September 8 was also a closed session. At that hearing, defense attorney Aram Vardevanyan had filed a motion with the court to revoke the attachment on the former president's property and bank accounts, and had submitted a respective expert assessment to the court. However, the lawyer had requested a closed hearing, and the court had granted this request. A Conservative MP has resigned from the government over Boris Johnsons plan to break international law over Northern Ireland. Rehman Chishti, the MP for Gillingham and Rainham in Kent, said he was quitting as the governments special envoy for freedom of religion. The move came as Downing Street revealed that Mr Johnson is taking the highly unusual step of opening the debate on the UK Internal Market Bill in the House of Commons this afternoon A second reading debate would normally be opened by a minister from the department responsible for the bill - in this case business secretary Alok Sharma. The fact that the prime minister feels it necessary to appear in the chamber, and to take up to five and a half hours of questions from MPs, is an indication of the pressure he is under from opposition to his plans. Announcing his resignation as the PMs envoy, the normally loyal Mr Chishti said: I cant support Internal Market Bill in its current form, which unilaterally break UKs legal commitments. As an MP for 10 years and former barrister, values of respecting rule of law and honouring ones word are dear to me. The resignation is significant because it is the first from the government over the issue, though the civil service head of Whitehalls legal department quit last week after refusing to go along with the bill. The prime minister has been criticised for his plan to pass a law allowing him override parts of the Brexit withdrawal agreement; all the UKs living former prime ministers have spoken out against the move. Up to 30 Tory MPs are expected to back a rebel amendment tabled by Sir Bob Neill, the chair of the justice select committee and set to come to a vote on Tuesday next week. The amendment would give MPs a veto on any attempt to break the agreement by requiring them to vote on the date on which the controversial decisions come into effect. But the bill is expected to survive votes this evening on an opposition reasoned amendment seeking to bring an immediate halt to its progress through parliament. In a letter to the prime minister sent on Monday, the Kent MP Mr Chishti said: "Having read your letter to colleagues, as well as wider statements on the matter, I will not be able to support this Bill on a matter of principle. "I have real concerns with the UK unilaterally breaking its legal commitments under the withdrawal agreement. During my 10 years in parliament and before that as a barristers, I have always acted in a matter which respects the rule of law. "I feel strongly about keeping the commitments we make; if we give our word, then we must honour it. Voting for this Bill as it currently stands would be contrary to the values I hold dearest." Geoffrey Cox QC, the former attorney general, on Sunday night openly damned the plans, saying he could not support them and that they were "unconscionable. But with an effective working majority of around 87 MPs it is all but certain that Mr Johnson will get his way, unless there are a large number of abstentions on the Tory backbenches. MPs will have the opportunity to debate the issue on Monday afternoon at the bills second reading. Asked about Mr Chishtis resignation, the PMs official spokesman said: The prime minister thanks him for his service and would wish him well for the future. "But we have very clearly set out the reasons for the measures related to the Northern Ireland protocol and the PM believes it is critical that this legislation is passed. business Big Story | Will the non-regulation of OTT players put telcos at a disadvantage? In this edition of Big Story, we find out the impact of TRAI's decision on OTT platforms and for telcos. The Justice Department on Tuesday has said it will team up with the Securities and Exchange Commission to probe whether electric truck start-up Nikola misled investors with exaggerated claims about its technology. Investigators from the Southern District of New York in Manhattan will join the SEC in examining the company, according to The Wall Street Journal. Federal investigators are examining whether Nikola, which manufactures electric and hydrogen-powered semi-trucks, misrepresented facts about progress it had made in developing the much-touted technology. Nikola declined to comment when asked by the Journal if it had been contacted by the SEC. 'When we have something to disclose, we will,' a company spokesperson said. Shares in Nikola sank by more than 8 per cent on Tuesday after a hedge fund report alleged the electric truckmaker misled investors over its technology said the company had failed to address most of its queries. The Hindenburg Research report claims that the truck manufacturer is an intricate fraud based on years of lies, exaggerations of its technologies and faked product launches. Nikola, the start-up company that is working on producing electric semi-trucks, is being probed by the Securities and Exchange Commission as well as the Justice Department, it was reported on Tuesday Shares in Nikola sank by more than 8 per cent on Tuesday after the short-selling research house which has alleged the electric truckmaker misled investors over its technology said the company had failed to address most of its queries Nikola has rejected the accusations and threatened to take legal action against short-seller Hindenburg Research since its report about the company sparked the first of a series of falls in the company's shares last week. Bloomberg News reported late on Monday that the SEC was probing Nikola to assess the merits of Hindenburg's claims. 'Nikola's response has holes big enough to roll a truck through,' the short seller said in a new report on Tuesday. Nikola, which has denied any allegations of wrongdoing and said it had contacted and briefed the SEC on its concerns regarding the short-seller's report, could not immediately be reached for comment on Tuesday. The sensational Hindenburg claims came just two days after General Motors announced it would be investing $2billion in the company. In its lengthy report, Hindenburg claimed to have extensive evidence that the Nikola's proprietary technology was purchased from another company. The report accused its founder and CEO, Trevor Milton, of making countless false statements over the last decade. The company is also accused of faking a promotional video for its truck, the Nikola One, in 2018. The truck allegedly didn't have a functioning engine so instead it was rolled down a hill with the footage edited to make it appear as if it was driving on a flat road. Trevor has managed to parlay these false statements made over the course of a decade into a $20 billion public company, Hindenburg wrote. He has inked partnerships with some of the top auto companies in the world, all desperate to catch up to Tesla and to harness the [Electric Vehicle wave]. Scroll down for video In its lengthy report, Hindenburg claimed to have extensive evidence that the companys proprietary technology was purchased from another company, and accused its founder and CEO Trevor Milton (above) of making countless false statements over the last decade The company was accused of staging a promotional video for its Nikola One truck that reportedly didn't have an engine In a tweet, Milton called the report a hit job and asked the public to give me a few hours to put together responses to their lies. It makes sense. Tens of millions of shares shorted the last day or two to slam our stock and a hit job by Hindenburg. I guess everything is fair game in war, even a hit job. I know who funded it. Nikola also released a formal statement, writing that the company has been vetted by some of the worlds most credible companies and investors. We are on a path to success and will not waver based on a report filled with misleading information attempting to manipulate our stock. Hindenburg is betting against Nikolas shares, meaning the hedge fund will profit if its stock falls. Nikola was listed on the stock exchange in June through a blank-check acquisition, and its shares have more than quadrupled since. Much of its meteoric ascent has been spurred by the belief the company could one day rival Tesla despite having no planned sales until at least 2022. One of Hindenburgs most striking claims comes from the allegation that the company faked a promotional video for its Nikola One truck in 2018. Titled Nikola One in Motion and published to Nikolas official YouTube page, the video appeared to show the truck driving on a level road at a high rate of speed. But according to Hindenburg the truck didnt actually have a working engine. Instead, the company rolled the prototype along a downhill stretch of a highway and filmed it as if it was being driven. A former employee who reportedly spoke with Nikola Chief Engineer Kevin Lynk, said Lynk told them how it was going to work and he said they would tow it to the top of a super low grade hill and let it roll. A person familiar with the video also reportedly confirmed it was faked to the Financial Times, claiming the video was shot on a hill in an isolated area of Utah. The footage was then edited to make the terrain look flat, the source said. A personal familiar with the video also reportedly confirmed it was faked to the Financial Times, claiming the video was shot on a hill in an isolated area of Utah. The footage was then edited to make the terrain look flat, the source said A former employee who reportedly spoke with Nikola Chief Engineer Kevin Lynk said Lynk told them how it was going to work and he said they would tow it to the top of a super low grade hill and let it roll' Hindenburg reportedly conducted their own experiment down the same hill, known as the Mormon Trail, where by they claimed to have rolled a vehicle down it in neutral, reaching speeds of up to 56 mph and travelling more than 2.1 miles Hindenburg reportedly conducted their own experiment down the same hill, known as the Mormon Trail. They claimed to have rolled a vehicle down it in neutral, reaching speeds of up to 56 mph and travelling more than 2.1 miles. More shockingly, Hindenburg claims the company never had any intentions of finishing development of the Nikola One, theorizing rather that the promotional video was merely a stunt to appease skeptical investors. The Nikola One was first unveiled by the company in December 2016, and the product launch later fell subject to much scrutiny. Milton billed the Nikola One as by far the most state of the art truck ever built in history. He also assured in a tweet that the truck unveiled at the event would be functioning and fully built. During the unveiling, he said: I dont want someone to end up doing something and driving this truck off the stageso were going to try to keep people from driving off. But this thing fully functions and works, which is really incredible. He then insisted three times at the close of his presentation that the truck was real. For every doubter out there that said theres no way this is true. How can that be possible? Weve done it. Its my pleasure to actually let you guys enjoy the night, see the truck, know its real, touch it, feel how sturdy it is. Youre going to see that this is a real truck. This is not a pusher. Thank you so much everyone! However, a Bloomberg report from June claimed that the Nikola One truck presented on stage that night was indeed a pusher - referring to an inoperable prototype - and did not function as claimed. Others familiar with the launch told the network they were concerned by Miltons claims about the truck. Gears and motors were reportedly missing, and while the words H2 Zero Emission Hydrogen Electric were emblazoned on the side of the vehicle, there was no fuel cell on board. There wasnt a fuel cell in the truck. We never claimed there was, Milton said, while confirming the motors and gears werent in the vehicle for safety reasons. Gears and motors were missing, and while the words H2 Zero Emission Hydrogen Electric were emblazoned on the vehicle, there was no fuel cell on board A close up of the H2 decal on the truck from the night of the launch is seen close up above Behind-the-scenes photos of the launch acquired by Hindenburg purportedly show how incomplete the truck actually was in the build up to the launch. The photos, said to have been taken three months prior, show the Nikola One consisted largely of a metal frame of rails with wheels mounted onto it. Other vital components of the vehicle including the body and fueling system had reportedly not arrived and the factory workers were assembling it in was not even set up for production. Hindenburg said that some workers were even forced to run to local hardware stores to pick up basic parts. The body of the truck reportedly arrived in late November, roughly a week before the show. While Milton claimed the truck was fully functioning, a source who worked on the unveiling reportedly told Hindenburg that during the show the truck couldnt function independently, so an electric cable was snaked up from under the stage through the floor of the cab. The hedge fund published a screenshot from the reveal, purporting to show the wire peering out from behind one of the trucks wheels. Following the success of the launch, in January 2017, Nikola raised significant capital and signed partnerships with a number of major companies, including Bosch, as well as CNH International who agreed to assist in manufacturing. After securing the partnerships, development on the Nikola One project reportedly ceased shortly after much to the surprise to those involved. It appears the prototype had already served its purpose: giving the company the legitimacy it needed to raise more investment and court larger partners that would be able to build them an actual working model from start to finish, Hindenburg wrote. It was not considered necessary to actually back up the false claims that had been made on the stage. The group shared a text message from an alleged employee that read: We havent touched the truck since the show you didnt hear that from me. When questioned why investors arent asking to see if the truck actually runs, the worker replied: Im sure they do. I cant imagine how much work it would take to get that to run. Hindenburg claims the staged promotional video was then released by Nikola more than a year on to appease any investor doubts. While Milton claimed the truck was fully functioning, a source who worked on the unveiling reportedly told Hindenburg that during the show the truck couldnt function independently, so an electric cable was snaked up from under the stage through the floor of the cab (above) Behind-the-scenes photos of the launch acquired by Hindenburg purportedly show how incomplete the truck actually was in the build up to the launch. The photos, taken three months prior, show the Nikola One consisted largely of a metal frame of rails with wheels mounted onto it The body of the truck reportedly arrived in late November, roughly a week before the show In another instance, the fund said that Nikola had bought electrical inverters from a third-party supplier while claiming publicly to have made them in-house. The products true branded label was then covered up with a piece of green masking tape during a demonstrational video, the group said. Nikola has regularly used off-the-shelf products from third parties, while claiming to have vast internal proprietary technology and to design all the products itself, the report reads. It then partners with companies that actually have the components Nikola claimed to have already developed internally. The fund also accused Milton of lying about Nikola's Phoenix headquarters being 'completely off-grid' and run entirely by solar panels in April 2019. 'We have the only off-grid headquarters that we know of, completely off of hydrogen, battery, and solar. We have 3.5 megawatts of solar up on the roof producing about 18 megawatts of energy a day in our headquarters,' Milton said during an interview. However a report in June 2019 by Bizjournals stated that the company had yet to install any solar panels on its roof. Hindenburg compared two aerial images of the Nikola's headquarters from December 2019 and January 2020, which appeared to show no sign of solar panels on the roof either. The report further suggests Nikola management overstated its internally developed battery and fuel-cell capabilities. Nikola announced [in 2019] it would revolutionize the battery industry, the Hindenburg authors wrote. Nikola planned to buy new technology, but the deal, according to Hindenburg, fell through. Nikola has never walked back claims relating to its battery technology. Instead, [founder Trevor Milton] continued to publicly hype the technology. In another instance, the fund said that Nikola had bought electrical inverters from a third-party supplier while claiming publicly to have made them in-house. The products true branded label was then covered up with a piece of green masking tape during a demonstrational video, the group said The fund also accused Milton of lying about Nikola's Phoenix headquarters being 'completely off-grid' and run entirely by solar panels in April 2019. An aerial image from January 2020 appeared to show no solar panels had been installed Nikola, whose stock rose nearly 40 percent on Tuesday following the GM investment announcement, fell almost 15 percent last Wednesday as rumors circulated of an impending critical report. The GM deal plays an interesting role in the Hindenburg report. GM is getting an 11 per cent stake in the company, in exchange for agreeing to provide Nikola with hydrogen fuel cells and batteries for its vehicles. GM will also be providing engineering support and will manufacture the companys Badger pickup truck. Nikola will be responsible for sales and marketing of the Badger. The deal could indicate that GMs fuel-cell and battery technology is superior to what Nikola claimed to be developing internally, Barrons reported. In a statement, GM told FT: We are fully confident in the value we will create by working together. We stand by the statements we made in announcing the relationship. Milton issued another tweeted statement late Thursday morning. Cowards run, leaders stay and fight for integrity, the CEO wrote. Hindenburg is only making people love us more for trying to destroy us. It will take the rest of the day to address the one sided false claims, but I will put out a detail report to address it. In the meantime, troll on. This picture taken on Nov. 23, 2014, shows prayer flags hanging before the Zangmu Hydropower Station in Gyaca county in Lhoka, or Shannan prefecture, southwest China's Tibet region. ( STR/AFP via Getty Images) Chinese Regime Weaponizing Tibets Rivers, Choking Asias Water Supply: Expert The Tibetan plateau, which serves as the source for 10 major rivers in Asia, provides water to hundreds of millions across the continent. But the Chinese regime has weaponized these waters to fuel its own industrialization, starving downstream Asian countries of this precious resource, China analyst and Tibetan activist Maura Moynihan says. She sounded the warning as water management has gained importance in China, which has experienced its worst flooding in decades. Over the past few months, tens of millions of people were displaced across central and southwestern China, and billions of dollars have been wiped from Chinas economy. The flooding has also renewed concerns about the structural integrity and environmental effects of the worlds largest hydroelectric project, the Three Gorges Dam on the Yangtze River. In August, water flowing into the dams reservoir reached record highs and approached maximum capacity. Critics have argued that the dam has limited ability to control flooding, and that its presence may exacerbate problems in the long run. Should the dam collapse, millions of lives would be in danger. For Moynihan, the problems surrounding the Three Gorges Dam represents the tip of the icebergthe regime has built hundreds of thousands of levees, dikes, reservoirs, and dams along its major river systems. Once youve built these dams, its really difficult to unbuild them, and to reverse the environmental damage caused by [them], Moynihan said in a recent interview on Epoch Times American Thought Leaders program. Thats precipitated a water crisis, yet no one in the West wants to hear about it, the activist said. The cost of yoking and choking that water, weaponizing that water, and taking Tibets water to the thirsty mainland of the PRC [Peoples Republic of China] has tremendous consequences, because Asia is the worlds most populous continent, Moynihan said. Were in a crisis, she added. And I dont think theres a single think-tank in America thats working on this. For decades, Moynihan has traveled around the region, researching and reporting on issues facing Tibet. Her columns were previously published in outlets such as The Washington Post, but the appetite for her reporting ran dry seemingly overnight since the 2000s, she said. Media are now basically doing the CCPs bidding by removing any and all discussion of Tibet, she added, referring to the Chinese Communist Party. Theres seemingly a whole news blackout about Tibet in the last decade, Moynihan said. Turning Off the Tap The Chinese regimes aggressive dam-building projects have allowed it to weaponize waters by shutting off supply to downstream countries, Moynihan said. For the past two years, the Mekong Riverwhich originates in Tibet and flows through five Southeast Asian countrieshas hit record-low water flows. This was caused not only by less rainfall, but also by Chinas upstream hydropower dams that held back vast amounts of water, according to two reports this year. An April report (pdf) found that for six months in 2019, while China received high levels of rainfall, its dams on the Upper Mekong restricted an unprecedented amount of watereven as downstream countries were battling a severe drought. The report was authored by Eyes on Earth, a U.S.-based climate consulting company, and was jointly commissioned by the U.S. governments Lower Mekong Initiative (LMI) and the United Nations-backed Sustainable Infrastructure Partnership. The Mekong River Commissionan inter-governmental group that includes Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnamin an August report (pdf) also linked the Mekong drought to Chinas dams. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has called out Beijings activity on the Mekong, saying on Sept. 14 that the CCPs unilateral decisions to withhold water upstream have exacerbated a historic drought. He criticized the regime for not sharing comprehensive data on water flows with the Mekong River Commission. Beijing provides water level and rainfall data only during the flood season, and only from two of its many stations on the Upper Mekonginsufficient for water management purposes, according to the commission. In late August, Chinese premier Li Keqiang pledged to share annual hydrological information with Mekong countries, but didnt provide further details. Pompeo encouraged Mekong countries to hold the CCP accountable to its pledge to share its water data. That data should be public. It should be released year-round, he said, adding that it should be shared through the Mekong River Commission. The United States last week launched the MekongU.S. Partnershipcommitting more than $150 million to regional initiativesin part to strengthen water security along the Mekong. Moynihan said that downstream countries havent been vocal about this issue because of their deep economic ties with Beijing. Many Southeast Asian states have signed onto the Belt and Road Initiative, the regimes signature infrastructure investment project aimed at advancing its influence worldwide, she noted. They cant really speak out and criticize the CCP because they can shut your supply off, she said. Its very, very serious. India, meanwhile, also faces the prospect of its water supply being choked off, Moynihan said. China is building several hydropower dams along the Brahmaputra Riverwhich runs from Tibet to India and Bangladeshraising fears that the regime could exert control to its political and economic advantage. These concerns have taken on fresh urgency in the aftermath of recent deadly border clashes between India and China in the Galwan Valley. Moynihan recalled a conversation with a retired Indian general whom she met at a cocktail party in New Delhi. We were talking about Tibet, Moynihan said. He said, Well, what are we going to do? Theyre there. And were here looking up, and their guns are pointed down at us. And they also have our water. What are we going to do? Cathy He CHINA EDITOR Follow Cathy He is a New York-based reporter focusing on China-related topics. She previously worked as a government lawyer in Australia. She joined the Epoch Times in February 2018. Tel Aviv, Sep 15 : Bank Hapoalim, one of Israel's largest, announced that it has signed a cooperation agreement with Emirates NBD, a top bank in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). "The memorandum of understanding signed by the two banks is a historic step, in which they will deepen cooperation as part of the strengthening of economic relations between Israel and the UAE," Xinhua news agency quoted Bank Hapoalim as saying in a statement on Monday. "The agreement with a leading bank in the UAE is a groundbreaking achievement that allows Israeli clients to operate directly in the UAE and later in other countries," said Dov Kotler, CEO of Bank Hapoalim. Shayne Nelson, CEO of Emirates NBD, hailed the agreement with Bank Hapoalim as an opportunity for the UAE bank to "strengthen leading position in the MENAT region (Middle East, North Africa and Turkey)". On August 13, Israel and the UAE announced a US-brokered deal to normalize their ties. The deal is scheduled to be signed on Tuesday at the White House. EAST BRUNSWICK, N.J. and BANGALORE, India, Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Wipro Limited (NYSE: WIT) (BSE: 507685) (NSE: WIPRO), a leading global information technology, consulting and business process services company, today announced that it has been positioned as a Leader in The Forrester New Wave: RPA Service Providers In Healthcare, Q3 2020. The pandemic has accelerated the adoption of automation across the Healthcare & Life Sciences (HCLS) value chain. Forrester initiated this research to get a deeper insight into how automation projects are unfolding in the HCLS industry. The report evaluated the current offering, market presence and strategy of 12 of the most significant emerging Robotic Process Automation (RPA) service providers in HCLS. In addition to being named a leader, Wipro received differentiated ratings in the intelligent automation, attended automation, unattended automation, HCLS Automation, Knowledge Transfer and commercial model criteria. The Forrester report stated that, "Of all the vendors [Forrester] evaluated, Wipro has the most experience building bots for HCLS clients and delivering automations to HCLS clients under outcomes-based procurement models." The report also noted, "Clients said that Wipro is their trusted strategic advisor on new [Artificial Intelligence] (AI) technologies and emerging governance models." "The COVID-19 pandemic is forcing healthcare organizations (HCOs) to scale operations to care for an unprecedented number of patients. The entire healthcare value chain is under scrutiny for opportunities to increase throughput and carve out cost. Life sciences organizations face pressure to accelerate research, manufacturing, and distributionCOVID-19 will eventually pass, but the automation tools and strategies being deployed today are here to stay," says the report authored by Jeff Becker, Senior Analyst, Forrester Research. The report later notes, "Wipro is an all-purpose service provider; it's a strong fit for enterprises that need strategic governance advice or those that just need a team of bot developers willing to work at risk." Bill Stith Senior Vice President and Global Head, Health Business Unit, Wipro Limited said, "As we navigate the current challenges, we continue to invest in co-innovation with our clients and extended partner ecosystem to empower the global health workforce. We provide automation architectures, governance frameworks and machine-learning-based decision management which can be scaled at velocity, so their time is freed to address greater health challenges. We continue to discover, analyze and design new automated processes and intuitive artificial intelligence interventions, across the care continuum from clinical trials to care delivery to claims processing, offering these through creative servicing models. We believe this recognition exemplifies our market leadership in this segment of digital health." To view a custom version of the report, please click here About Wipro Limited Wipro Limited (NYSE: WIT) (BSE: 507685) (NSE: WIPRO) is a leading global information technology, consulting and business process services company. We harness the power of cognitive computing, hyper-automation, robotics, cloud, analytics and emerging technologies to help our clients adapt to the digital world and make them successful. A company recognized globally for its comprehensive portfolio of services, strong commitment to sustainability and good corporate citizenship, we have over 180,000 dedicated employees serving clients across six continents. Together, we discover ideas and connect the dots to build a better and a bold new future. Media Contact: Nisha Chandrasekaran Wipro Limited [email protected] Forward-Looking Statements The forward-looking statements contained herein represent Wipro's beliefs regarding future events, many of which are by their nature, inherently uncertain and outside Wipro's control. Such statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding Wipro's growth prospects, its future financial operating results, and its plans, expectations and intentions. Wipro cautions readers that the forward-looking statements contained herein are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the results anticipated by such statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties regarding fluctuations in our earnings, revenue and profits, our ability to generate and manage growth, complete proposed corporate actions, intense competition in IT services, our ability to maintain our cost advantage, wage increases in India, our ability to attract and retain highly skilled professionals, time and cost overruns on fixed-price, fixed-time frame contracts, client concentration, restrictions on immigration, our ability to manage our international operations, reduced demand for technology in our key focus areas, disruptions in telecommunication networks, our ability to successfully complete and integrate potential acquisitions, liability for damages on our service contracts, the success of the companies in which we make strategic investments, withdrawal of fiscal governmental incentives, political instability, war, legal restrictions on raising capital or acquiring companies outside India, unauthorized use of our intellectual property and general economic conditions affecting our business and industry. The conditions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic could decrease technology spending, adversely affect demand for our products, affect the rate of customer spending and could adversely affect our customers' ability or willingness to purchase our offerings, delay prospective customers' purchasing decisions, adversely impact our ability to provide on-site consulting services and our inability to deliver our customers or delay the provisioning of our offerings, all of which could adversely affect our future sales, operating results and overall financial performance. Our operations may also be negatively affected by a range of external factors related to the COVID-19 pandemic that are not within our control. Additional risks that could affect our future operating results are more fully described in our filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, including, but not limited to, Annual Reports on Form 20-F. These filings are available at www.sec.gov . We may, from time to time, make additional written and oral forward-looking statements, including statements contained in the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and our reports to shareholders. We do not undertake to update any forward-looking statement that may be made from time to time by us or on our behalf. SOURCE Wipro Limited A total of 38 economic offenders, including Nirav Modi, Vijay Mallya, Mehul Choksi fled the country in the last five years, parliament was informed on Monday. Minister of State for Finance Anurag Thakur responded to a query by lawmaker Dean Kuriakose on whether the government has any data on businessmen who migrated to other countries after obtaining loans fraudulently in the last 5 years. To which Thakur responded saying that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has said 38 people involved in financial irregularities with banks fled from India between January 1, 2015, and December 12, 2019. Interpol has been approached to issue red corner notices (RCNs) against 20 persons out of these 38, Thakur said in a written reply in Lok Sabha. He added that extradition requests were sent in respect of 14 people to various countries while applications under Fugitive Economic Offenders Act, 2018 have been filed against 11 people. However, Thakur did not give the quantum of the fraud committed by these fugitives. He further informed the members of the Lok Sabha that the government has implemented a slew of policies for preventing businessmen and individuals from fraudulently obtaining loans and fleeing the country. The government, he said, has also advised the public sector banks to obtain a certified copy of the passport of promoters/directors and other authorised signatories of companies availing loan facilities of more than Rs 50 crore. Besides, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) has barred companies with wilful defaulters as promoters/directors from accessing capital markets to raise funds under the Substantial Acquisition of Shares and Takeovers (Second Amendment) Regulations, 2016. Additionally, last year the government said that the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 debarred wilful defaulters from participating in the insolvency resolution process. Heads of PSBs were also empowered to request for issue of Look Out Circulars (LOCs) for wilful defaulters. Last month, the All India Bank Employees' Association (AIBEA) released a report in which it stated that India's biggest 2,426 wilful defaulters owe the banks an astounding Rs 1.47 lakh crore. Mehul Choksi's Gitanjali Gems has the biggest single loan default of Rs 4,644 crore to Punjab National Bank, part of a bank fraud that shook the Indian banking sector in 2018. Jatin Mehta's Winsome Diamonds and Jewellery owes Rs 1,390 crore to Central Bank of India, Rs 984 crore to Punjab National Bank, and Rs 636 crore to Canara Bank. ABG Shipyard owes Rs 1,875 crore to SBI, Ruchi Soya Industries owes Rs 1,618 crore to SBI, and Kingfisher Airlines owes Rs 586 crore to SBI. Also read: COVID-19 badly hit salaried class; Rs 39,400 crore withdrawn from provident fund in 5 months Also read: LIC IPO: State insurer unlikely to be ready for market debut this year Updated 2:53 p.m. Tuesday The N.C. Center for Missing Persons has canceled Silver Alerts for two women who were reported missing from Guilford County. Silver Alerts for Patsy Fogleman Nelson, 87, and Doris Folgeman Feldon, 94, were canceled early Tuesday morning. Posted 10:39 p.m. Monday The N.C. Center for Missing Persons has issued Silver Alerts for two women missing from Guilford County. Patsy Fogleman Nelson, 87, and Doris Folgeman Feldon, 94, were last seen at 4601 Plaza Drive in the Greensboro area. They may in a Burgundy, 2010 Ford Fusion with a Virginia license plate and are possibly headed to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, according to releases from the center. Nelson is white, 5 feet, 8 inches tall and weighs about 120 pounds. She has short brown hair and green eyes. Feldon is white, 5 feet, 4 inches tall and weighs about 140 pounds. She has short white hair and blue eyes. Both woman may be wearing pajamas. Nelson and Feldon are believed to suffer from some form of cognitive impairment. Anyone with information about where they may be is asked to call the Guilford County Sheriff's Office at 336-641-3356. LONDON, Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- GlaxoSmithKline plc will present new data at the upcoming European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Virtual Congress 2020, underscoring its commitment to advancing its growing oncology portfolio, which includes the recent European Commission (EC) and US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approvals of BLENREP (belantamab mafodotin) for patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma, and the FDA approval of a new indication in first-line ovarian cancer for ZEJULA (niraparib). Reflecting the increasing depth and breadth of GSK's innovative research in oncology, investigators will present 13 abstracts covering a range of approved and investigational therapies, focused on science related to the immune system, the use of human genetics and other research platforms. GSK presentations at ESMO will focus on research intended to improve outcomes for women with high unmet medical needs, including data related to the safety and efficacy of ZEJULA in patients with advanced, recurrent or resistant ovarian cancer. Investigators also will present a late-breaking presentation: "Safety and Antitumor Activity of Dostarlimab in Patients (Pts) with Advanced or Recurrent DNA Mismatch Repair Deficient (dMMR) or Proficient (MMRp) Endometrial Cancer (EC): Results from GARNET." Dr Axel Hoos, Senior Vice President and Head of Oncology R&D, GSK said: "This year we have achieved strong momentum for our oncology pipeline, with 14 assets in clinical development across four key research areas. Recent approvals for BLENREP in multiple myeloma and a new indication for ZEJULA in first-line ovarian cancer have delivered new treatment options for patients with unmet needs, and we look forward to sharing new data from our oncology pipeline at ESMO." A list of additional presentations focused on GSK therapies at ESMO can be found below: Synthetic Lethality Abstract Name Presenter Presentation Details Patient-Reported Outcomes (PRO) in Patients (Pts) Receiving Niraparib in the PRIMA/ENGOT-OV26/GOG-3012 Trial Pothuri, B. 810MO Efficacy and Safety of Niraparib in Older Patients (Pts) with Advanced Ovarian Cancer (OC): Results from the PRIMA/ENGOT-OV26/GOG-3012 Trial Valabrega, G. 819P MOONSTONE/GOG-3032: A Phase II, Open-Label, Single-Arm Study to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of Niraparib + Dostarlimab in Patients with Platinum-Resistant Ovarian Cancer Randall, L.M. 883TiP JASPER: Efficacy and Safety of First-Line (1L) Niraparib Plus a Programmed Death Receptor 1 Inhibitor (PD-1i) in Patients With Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) Ramalingam, S.S. 1268P Immuno-oncology Abstract Name Presenter Presentation Details Safety and Efficacy of Dostarlimab in Patients (Pts) with Recurrent/Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) Subramanian, J. 1399P Patient-Reported Outcomes (PROs) in the GARNET Trial in Patients (Pts) with Advanced or Recurrent Mismatch Repair Deficient/Microsatelite Instability-High (dMMR/MSI-H) Endometrial Cancer (EC) Treated with Dostarlimab Kristeleit, R. 858P The Relationship Between Overall Survival (OS), Progression-Free Survival (PFS), and Objective Response Rate (ORR) in Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Clinical Trials of Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (HNSCC): A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis Wang, X. 951P Matching-Adjusted Indirect Comparisons (MAIC) of Safety Between Single-Agent Belantamab Mafodotin Versus Selinexor Plus Dexamethasone in Relapsed/Refractory Multiple Myeloma (RRMM) Suvannasankha, A. 901P A Phase II/III, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Study of Bintrafusp Alfa with Gemcitabine Plus Cisplatin as First-Line Treatment of Biliary Tract Cancer Oh, D-Y. 79TiP Long-Term Follow-Up of Bintrafusp Alfa, a Bifunctional Fusion Protein Targeting TGF- and PD-L1, in Patients with Pretreated Biliary Tract Cancer Yoo, C. 73P Three-Year Follow-up of Bintrafusp Alfa, a Bifunctional Fusion Protein Targeting TGF- and PD-L1, for Second-Line (2L) Treatment of Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) Paz-Ares, L. 1272P Phase 2 Study of Bintrafusp Alfa, a Bifunctional Fusion Protein Targeting TGF- and PD-L1, in Platinum-Experienced Advanced Cervical Cancer Birrer, M. 879TiP GSK in Oncology GSK is focused on maximising patient survival through transformational medicines. GSK's pipeline is focused on immuno-oncology, cell therapy, cancer epigenetics and synthetic lethality. Our goal is to achieve a sustainable flow of new treatments based on a diversified portfolio of investigational medicines utilising modalities such as small molecules, antibodies, antibody-drug conjugates and cell therapy, either alone or in combination. About GSK GSK is a science-led global healthcare company with a special purpose: to help people do more, feel better, live longer. For further information please visit www.gsk.com/about-us. Important information for BLENREP in the EU Indication BLENREP is indicated as monotherapy for the treatment of multiple myeloma in adult patients, who have received at least four prior therapies and whose disease is refractory to at least one proteasome inhibitor, one immunomodulatory agent, and an anti-CD38 monoclonal antibody, and who have demonstrated disease progression on the last therapy. Important safety information Contraindications: Hypersensitivity to the active substance or to any of the excipients. Warnings and precautions: Corneal adverse reactions have been reported with BLENREP (keratopathy or microcyst-like epithelial changes in corneal epithelium with or without changes in visual acuity, blurred vision, and dry eye symptoms). Ophthalmic examinations including assessment of visual acuity and slit lamp examination, should be performed at baseline, before the subsequent 3 treatment cycles and during treatment as clinically indicated. Patients experiencing corneal adverse reactions may require dose modifications or treatment discontinuation based on severity of findings. Cases of corneal ulcer (ulcerative and infective keratitis) have been reported with BLENREP. These should be managed promptly and treatment with BLENREP should be interrupted until the corneal ulcer has healed. Due to the risk of thrombocytopenic events, complete blood counts should be obtained at baseline and monitored during treatment. Patients on concomitant anticoagulant treatments may require more frequent monitoring and should be managed with a dose delay or reductions. If a moderate or severe infusion-related reaction occurs, interrupt infusion and provide supportive treatment. Once symptoms resolve, resume at a lower infusion rate. If anaphylactic or life-threatening infusion reaction, BLENREP should be permanently discontinued. Undesirable effects: The most commonly-reported adverse reactions were keratopathy and thrombocytopenia. The most commonly reported serious adverse reactions were pneumonia, pyrexia and infusion related reactions. Very common (1/10): Pneumonia, thrombocytopenia, anaemia, lymphopenia, leukopenia, neutropenia, keratopathy, blurred vision events, dry eye, nausea, diarrhoea, pyrexia, fatigue, increased aspartate aminotransferase, increased gamma glutamyltransferase and infusion related reactions. Common (1/1000 to <1/10): Upper respiratory tract information, photophobia, eye irritation, vomiting and increased creatine phosphokinase. Refer to the BLENREP Prescribing Information for a full list of adverse events and the complete important safety information. Important Information for ZEJULA in the EU Zejula approved indication: Zejula is indicated as monotherapy for the maintenance treatment of adult patients with platinumsensitive relapsed high grade serous epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer who are in response (complete or partial) to platinumbased chemotherapy. Important Safety Information Contraindications: Hypersensitivity to niraparib or to any of the excipients and breast-feeding. Warnings and precautions: Test complete blood counts weekly for the first month of treatment, then monthly thereafter. If a patient develops severe persistent haematologic toxicity including pancytopenia that does not resolve within 28 days following interruption, Zejula should be discontinued. Due to the risk of thrombocytopenia, anticoagulants and medicinal products known to reduce the thrombocyte count should be used with caution. If MDS and/or AML are confirmed while being prescribed Zejula , treatment should be discontinued, and the patient treated appropriately. Hypertension, including hypertensive crisis, has been reported with the use of Zejula. Preexisting hypertension should be adequately controlled before starting Zejula treatment. Zejula should be discontinued in case of hypertensive crisis or if medically significant hypertension cannot be adequately controlled with antihypertensive therapy. Patients with galactose intolerance, the Lapp lactase deficiency or glucose galactose malabsorption should not take this medicine. Tartrazine may cause allergic reactions. Paediatric safety and efficacy has not yet been established. Undesirable effects: The most common serious adverse reactions were thrombocytopenia and anaemia. Very common (1/10): urinary tract infection, thrombocytopenia, anaemia, neutropenia, decreased appetite, insomnia, headache, dizziness, dysgeusia, palpitations, hypertension, dyspnea, cough, nasopharyngitis, nausea, constipation, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhoea, dyspepsia, back pain, arthralgia, fatigue, asthenia. Common (1/1000 to <1/10): bronchitis, conjunctivitis, leukopenia, hypokalemia, anxiety, depression, tachycardia, epistaxis, dry mouth, abdominal distension, mucosal inflammation (including mucositis), stomatitis, photosensitivity, rash, myalgia, oedema peripheral, Gamma-glutamyl transferase increased, AST increased, blood creatinine increased, ALT increased, blood alkaline phosphatase increased, weight decreased. Refer to the Zejula Prescribing Information for a full list of adverse events and the complete important safety information. GSK enquiries: Media enquiries: Simon Steel +44 (0) 20 8047 5502 (London) Tim Foley +44 (0) 20 8047 5502 (London) Kristen Neese +1 804 217 8147 (Philadelphia) Kathleen Quinn +1 202 603 5003 (Washington DC) Analyst/Investor enquiries: Sarah Elton-Farr +44 (0) 20 8047 5194 (London) Sonya Ghobrial +44 (0) 7392 784784 (Consumer) Danielle Smith +44 (0) 20 8047 0932 (London) James Dodwell +44 (0) 20 8047 2406 (London) Jeff McLaughlin +1 215 751 7002 (Philadelphia) Frannie DeFranco +1 215 751 4855 (Philadelphia) Cautionary statement regarding forward-looking statements GSK cautions investors that any forward-looking statements or projections made by GSK, including those made in this announcement, are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. Such factors include, but are not limited to, those described under Item 3.D "Risk Factors" in the company's Annual Report on Form 20-F for 2019 and as set out in GSK's "Principal risks and uncertainties" section of the Q2 Results and any impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Registered in England & Wales: No. 3888792 Registered Office: 980 Great West Road Brentford, Middlesex TW8 9GS SOURCE GlaxoSmithKline plc Blackrock Clinic co-founder Joseph Sheehan is appealing a US court ruling that last month dismissed efforts by him to reverse the sale of a 28pc stake he owned in the hospital to a company controlled by beef baron Larry Goodman. It's the latest round in a legal saga that has engulfed firms behind the hospital for years. Loans totalling about 19m were made by Anglo Irish Bank in 2006 to Mr Sheehan in order to buy shares in a company behind Blackrock Clinic. Those loans were later sold to Mr Goodman's firm, Breccia. A legal battle later ensured between Mr Sheehan and firms linked to Mr Goodman regarding control of the 28pc stake. Breccia ultimately had a receiver appointed over Mr Sheehan's stake in the hospital and acquired Mr Sheehan's 28pc holding earlier this year. In May, the High Court dismissed claims made by Mr Sheehan, including that Mr Goodman's Breccia and Irish Agricultural Development Company, and other defendants including Blackrock Clinic co-founder George Duffy, had "conspired to adversely and prejudicially affect the property interests of the plaintiff in divesting, selling and seeking to enforce against the shareholding of the plaintiff". The judge in the case also dismissed efforts by Mr Sheehan for the court to declare that any sale or transfer of his loan facilities was null, void, invalid or illegal. The court granted a judgment on a counter-claim by Breccia against Mr Sheehan and refused a stay on the order for costs against Mr Sheehan, who is based in the United States and has initiated bankruptcy proceedings there. As part of those proceedings in the US, Mr Sheehan sought to have the sale of his stake in the Blackrock Clinic firm reversed, arguing that the disposal had occurred after he had filed for bankruptcy in Illinois. Breccia and Irish Agricultural Development Company argued in the US that the court there did not have jurisdiction to reverse the sale. The US court ruling stated: "The plaintiff [Mr Sheehan] wrongly argues that the court has personal jurisdiction over the defendants because they are alleged to have violated the automatic stay by continuing to prosecute claims in Ireland. Those cases have been proceeding for five years. The court will not find personal jurisdiction on this basis." Heavy rain and surf pounded the barrier island of Navarre Beach, Florida, on Tuesday afternoon and road signs wobbled in the gusty wind. Rebecca Studstill was among those watching. Studstill, who lives inland, was wary of getting stuck on the island, saying police close bridges once the wind and water get too high. Just hunkering down would probably be the best thing for folks out here, she said. Written by ACM *Strasbourg/Angelo Marcopolo/- There is No Dialogue with a Gun on the Table and War Threats, and the Reason for which there is Tension in Eastern Mediterranean's Energy Resources' Hotspot Nowadays, is Turkey's abuse of Military Force, Instead of Peaceful Negotiations, clearly Denounced CoE's President-in-office and Greek Minister for European Affairs, Miltiades Varvitsiotis, who was invited as Keynote Speaker at the PanEuropean Organisation of Strasbourg Assembly's Standing Committee, (of Equivalent Status as its Plenary), in Reply to Critical Questions raised by Turkish MPs. ---------------------------- - At First, the rotating Chairman of CoE's Organisation for Human Rights, Democracy and Rule of Law (for the Period of 7 to 11/2020), Observed the Fact that, as a matter of General Principle ,"CoE is Not Dealing with Eastern Mediterranean Tensions". + Moreover, "there are Other Fora where we can Discuss that": F.ex., "We Expressed Our Views", Together "With Turkish Foreign Minister Mr. Cavusoglou, at EU Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee, Last Week" in Brussels, he noted, (pointing at a Meeting where Many MEPs appeared quite Critical vis a vis the Turkish MFA in this case). - However, "Although" that's true, "I'd like to Reply to the Question (raised by a Turkish MP Today) on those Tensions", he Accepted. >>> -In Fact, "the Tensions in Eastern Mediterranen are Not Provoked by Peaceful Events", Varvitsiotis observed. On the Contrary, "They are Provoked by the use of Military Force !" - "And", particularly, "the Presence of a Great part of Turkish Naval Fleet in the Eastern Mediterranean, Escorting an (Oil/Gas) Exploratory Vessel", (Often, Notoriously, inside EU Members Cyprus or Greece's EEZ) "is, definitively, Not a Sign of promoting Stability, Security and a Peaceful Way of Negotiating with Partners in Good Will...", he Criticized. - On the Contrary, -"We have Urged (Ankara) to Refrain from Unilateral Acts, in Areas that are Contested", (as, f.ex., illegal Search and/or Drilliing for Gas/Oil in Non-Delimitated Zones, Revendicated by Other Countries, which is tantamount with Violating the International Law of the Sea), "and to Go Back to the Table of Dialogue", Varvitsiotis invited. - "This will remain Greece's Position, throughout this whole Period, Because We Believe that, with Partners and Neighbours, we Have to Discuss, and Not to Go at outrage... - So that, Turkey "CanNot come Back to the Table of Discussion by having ...a fully Loaded Gun on the Table, and a Premisse, from the Other Side, that Either You Agree with Me, Or we Go into War !" - "This is Not the Kind of Dialogue that We Expect. We Expect a Dialogue that comes With a Refrain from using a Beligerant Tone, and, Definitively, From using Military Means, as a way To Push for the Outcome that the Other Partner Wants". - "Therefore, we Welcome all the Initiatives, from the EU, from Member States like Germany, from the USA, (etc) that Search for DesEscalation, and Return on a Table of Discussions", he Concluded. Turkey has Already Chassed, by Bullying Threats from its WarShips, an Italian Drilling Ship of ENI, which Peacefully acted in Agreement with Cyprus' Government, inside that EU Member's EEZ, located Between the Southern Coasts of the Island and Egypt, one of the Countries with which Cyprus has Signed relevant Sea Zones' Delimitation Treaties, (as, inter alia, Also an Explicit Video, Audio-Registrations, and Ships' Movements' capture by Satellites, Clearly Showed earlier, During an EU Heads of State/Government Summit in Brussels). But, Ankara, on the Contrary, did Not Dare make Any such Military Bullying Attempt vis a vis ...USA's or France's Drilling Ships there, which Operated also in Agreement with the legitimate Government of Cyprus... But it has, Many Times, attempted to Block and/or Threatend with "NAFTEX" for Turkish WarShips so-called "Military Exercises", various Parts of EU Member Cyprus' EEZ, (near which it has Already Started to Find Important Energy Resources, as well as Egypt and Israel, etc., With whom Nicosia has Signed relevant Delimitation Agreements). In Addition, Turkey has Notoriously Send, Numerous Times, its own Drilling Ships provocatively Inside EU Members' Greece and Cyprus' EEZ, escorted by a Heavy presence of Turkish WarShips and Military Planes, Both at the Mediterranean and in the Aegean Sea. Last, but not least, various Ankara Government's Top Officials have Often abused of Multiple Provocations, Beligerant Rhetorics, and Even Brutal War Threats, especially Against Greece, in this same regard, (one of the Latest being, f.ex., the Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar's reported Call for "Greece to Shut Up", or, "Otherwise, ...Become a <> (be Eaten as Meat) !" While, almost at the Same Time, just Last Week-End, Turkish President Tayip Erdogan "Warned" the French President Emmanuel Macron, "Not to Search Quarell with Turkey" (sic !), Accusing France for alleged "Massacres", and Even Approaching Dangerously ISIL's Deadly Terrorists' Propaganda accross Africa's Sahel, by Slandering a French and EU Anti-Islamist Terrorism presence at "Mali", since 2013... They were Both Reacting Against a Call, by a joint Declaration of "MED-7" Summit's Heads of State/Governments (all EU Member States, linked to the Mediterranean), these Days at Corsica, (See : ..., etc), to "Reply to Turkey's Aggressions in the Mediterranean with All adequate Means of the EU", Unless it Really Commits to a Peaceful Dialogue and Legal ways to settle such Issues. That "MED-7" Move came at the Eve of EU's Forthcoming Exceptional 27 Heads of State/Governmet Summit on September 24-25 in Brussels, mainly due to deal with Turkey's Behavior in Eastern Mediterranean, Aegan Sea and elsewhere vis a vis European interests, on the Occasion of which, Ankara has been Repeatedly Warned of Sanctions, unless it Sincerely Engages in a really Peaceful Dialogue for Solutions according also to International Law, (See:http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/med7summitincorsica.html). - Meanwhile, in Parallel, the President of EU Parliament's Biggest Group, that of ChristianDemocrats/EPP, Manfred Weber from Germany, stressed Today, that "We Stand with Greece and Cyprus ! Europe should stay United and keep the Pressure on Erdogan in the EasternMediterranean. We will Not be Blackmailed at the the Border, we will Not be Provoked at Sea. We doN't want Conflict, But We will Not Back Away". (../..) ("Draft-News") By Ayya Lmahamad Azerbaijan increased the volume of exports to the Central Asian country of Kazakhstan by 14.4 percent during the first seven months of 2020, Trend has reported. According to the statement, export of Azerbaijani products to Kazakhstan amounted to $16.5 million, which is by $2.08 million more than in the same period of 2019. Thus, Kazakhstans share in the total export of Azerbaijan increased from 0.12 to 0.18 percent. Meanwhile, import of Kazakh products to Azerbaijan decreased by 3.5 times, from $144.09 million to $48.22 million. Thus, share of Kazakhstan in Azerbaijans total import decreased from 1.71 to 0.82 percent. Moreover, during the reporting period, the volume of foreign trade operation between two countries amounted to $64.7 million, which is by 2.4 times less compared to the same period of the last year. Likewise, export-import ratio in the foreign trade relations of the two countries was 25 and 75 percent respectively, while in 2019 it was 9 and 91 percent respectively. The volume of Azerbaijans foreign trade turnover amounted to $13.7 billion during the period of January-July 2020. The value of export amounted to $7.8 billion or 57.2 percent of the total turnover, while the value of import amounted to $5.9 billion or 42.8 percent. Thus, foreign trade turnover resulted in surplus of $1.9 billion. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz In an America bitterly divided over protests and politics, the least-familiar part of our Constitutions First Amendment may be the most endangered: the right to peacefully protest. That right is guaranteed in the last 18 words of the amendment, which say Congress shall make no law abridging the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances." The 14th Amendment makes that apply to states, too. Most all Americans affirm and actively exercise the First Amendments right of free speech. Many Americans swear by the Second Amendments right to bear arms. But the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances? Were less certain about that one. Pew Research Center this month reported a decline in how many Americans say, it is very important for the country that people are free to peacefully protest, from 74 percent two years ago to 68 percent now. Pew said the decline has come entirely among Republicans: NEW YORK, Sept. 14, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Pomerantz LLP announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against FirstEnergy Corporation ("FirstEnergy" or the "Company") (NYSE: FE) and certain of its officers. The class action, filed in United States District Court for the S, and indexed under 20-cv-06896, is on behalf of a class consisting of all persons and entities other than Defendants who purchased or otherwise acquired FirstEnergy securities between February 21, 2017, and July 21, 2020, inclusive (the "Class Period"). Plaintiff seeks to pursue remedies against FirstEnergy and certain of the Company's current and former most senior executives under Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Exchange Act"), and Rule l0b-5 promulgated thereunder. If you are a shareholder who purchased FirstEnergy securities during the class period, you have until September 25, 2020, to ask the Court to appoint you as Lead Plaintiff for the class. A copy of the Complaint can be obtained at www.pomerantzlaw.com. To discuss this action, contact Robert S. Willoughby at [email protected] or 888.476.6529 (or 888.4-POMLAW), toll-free, Ext. 7980. Those who inquire by e-mail are encouraged to include their mailing address, telephone number, and the number of shares purchased. [Click here for information about joining the class action] Defendant FirstEnergy is headquartered in Akron, Ohio. The Company is an electric utility company with subsidiaries and affiliates involved in the distribution, transmission, and generation of electricity, as well as energy management and other energy-related services. FirstEnergy's ten electric utility operating companies comprise one of the U.S.'s largest investor-owned utilities, serving more than six million customers in Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey, and New York. The Company also owned and operated two nuclear power plants in Ohiothe Perry Nuclear Generating Station and the Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Station. The Complaint alleges that throughout the Class Period, Defendants made materially false and misleading statements regarding the Company's business, operational, and compliance policies. Specifically, Defendants failed to disclose to investors that: defendants touted FirstEnergy's legislative "solutions" to problems with its nuclear facilities, but failed to disclose that these "solutions" centered on an illicit campaign to corrupt high-profile state legislators to secure legislation favoring the Company. Over a nearly three-year period, FirstEnergy and its affiliates funneled more than $60 million to prominent state politicians and lobbyists, including Ohio Speaker Larry Householder ("Householder"), to secure the passage of Ohio House Bill 6 ("HB6"), which provided a $1.3 billion ratepayer-funded bailout to keep the Company's failing nuclear facilities in operation. In addition, defendants falsely represented that they were complying with state and federal laws and regulations regarding regulatory matters throughout the Class Period, exposing the Company and its investors to undisclosed risks of reputational, legal, and financial harm. The truth began to be revealed on July 21, 2020. That day, federal agents announced the arrest of Householder and four other persons, including a prominent FirstEnergy lobbyist, in connection with a $60 million racketeering and bribery scheme. The 82-page criminal complaint and affidavit detailed a pay-to-play scheme in which FirstEnergy corrupted the legislative process to ensure the passage of HB6. Prosecutors described the case as involving the "largest bribery, money-laundering scheme" in Ohio history. On this news, FirstEnergy's stock price fell, trading as low as $22.85 per share on July 22, 2020, down nearly 45% from its closing price of $41.26 per share on July 20, 2020, damaging FirstEnergy shareholders. The Pomerantz Firm, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Paris, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, the Pomerantz Firm pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 80 years later, the Pomerantz Firm continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomerantzlaw.com CONTACT: Robert S. Willoughby Pomerantz LLP [email protected] SOURCE Pomerantz LLP Related Links www.pomerantzlaw.com Charlevoix man denies wrongdoing despite signing illegitimate election document Charlevoix resident John Haggard is among a group of Republicans who signed an Electoral College certificate attempting to award the states 16 votes to Donald Trump following the 2020 election a document now under federal investigation. LANSING, MI - Did you contract COVID-19 while visiting a business? Were you hospitalized? Did the business knowingly expose you to the virus? Those are the questions Michigan lawmakers are mulling as factors in the future of liability related to coronavirus infection. House Bill 6030, sponsored by Rep. Thomas Albert, R-Lowell, would create the COVID-19 Response and Reopening Liability Assurance Act. It would establish hospitalization as a minimum threshold for suing a business that exposed a person to the virus. The minimum threshold, defined as the minimum medical condition in the bill, refers to: Hospitalization after a positive test of COVID-19 for at least 24 hours A coronavirus-related condition that restricts someone from working for at least 14 days (not including a 14-day quarantine after a positive test) Death Legislators are deliberating on the bill, as well as House Bill 6031, which would put some protections from liability in place, in the House Judiciary Committee, chaired by Rep. Graham Filler, R-DeWitt. Cary Silverman, a representative of the American Tort Reform Association, testified to the committee on Sep. 8 on how the bills address three issues with COVID-19 liability. The first is to provide some assurances to businesses that they will not be unfairly subjected to lawsuits when they were forced to operate during the pandemic, Silverman said. The second goal has to be to protect the public by providing a strong incentive for businesses to follow the best practices. The third is to hold those acting recklessly with misconduct responsible for causing harm. The bill would also protect businesses developing off-brand PPE and other medical equipment, devices or treatment to combat the virus. The liability would kick in if there was substantial evidence the business knew its product was defective and contributed to health damage. This provision was blasted by Rep. David LaGrand, D-Grand Rapids, for inconsistent liability standards. What were saying is that Purell can be subject to product liability, but some idiot running a distillery who makes a product can just say (theyre) an idiot, LaGrand said at a Sep. 15 committee hearing. House Bill 6031, sponsored by Rep. Tommy Brann, R-Wyoming, would not hold businesses following public health guidelines liable if an employee contracted COVID-19, unless the employer willfully exposed the person to the virus. Willful means intentional dismissal or indifference to standards set by the Michigan Operational Health and Safety Administration, Center of Disease Control and Prevention, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services or local health departments, according to the bill. It does not mention Gov. Gretchen Whitmers executive orders as a standard for businesses to follow. Related: Northern Michigan orchard lawsuit against Whitmer complains of hypothetical punishment, says AGs office Both bills are still under negotiation in the Judiciary Committee prior to a vote on the House floor. Read more from MLive: Whitmer administration, Michigan lawmakers agree to state budget framework Panel votes down Michigan Capitol gun ban proposals, but talks continue What is, isnt allowed as gyms reopen under Gov. Whitmers latest order A councillor in Uttarakhands Haldwani, who had been protesting for over 40 days demanding a complete waiver of school fee during the pandemic, climbed an overhead tank on Tuesday while intensifying his protest. The councillor climbed an overhead tank at Jal Sansthan in Haldwani, Nainital district. When the news spread, local MLA and Uttarakhand leader of the Opposition Indira Hridayesh reached the spot, urging the councillor to climb down. After he was assured by Hridayesh that the matter will be raised with the state government, the councillor climbed down but was stung by a swarm of bees. Rohit Kumar, the protesting councillor said, We have been protesting for over a month now and no one from the state government has come to speak to us. Today, I climbed the overhead tank, risking my life demanding a complete waiver of fee collected by schools during the lockdown period, we did not hear anything from the government. The leader of Opposition has assured me that she will raise the issue in the upcoming assembly session, which is why we are temporarily cancelling the protest but will continue again if the government takes no action, added Kumar. Also read: India sheds reluctance in engaging Taliban at the Doha intra-Afghan talks Speaking on the protest, Savin Bansal, district magistrate, Nainital, said, As per the state governments norms, only tuition fee is to be charged by schools. This is no policy decision to waive off fee. It is difficult to do something like this as the private schools also need some money to function. Meanwhile, investigating the matter of extra fee being collected by some private schools following complaints from parents, the Nainital district education department has sent notices to twelve of forty schools that were being probed in the matter. We have now sent notices to these schools after listening to the complaints lodged by parents with the district administration. The schools have been asked to inform why they have charged extra fee apart from the collection of only tuition fee as per the norms of the state government. After the schools give us a reply, we will accordingly decide whether the schools should be penalised or stricter action should be taken, added Bansal. On June 23, the state government had ordered that private schools imparting education through online classes or other communication modes during the lockdown period will be allowed to charge only the tuition fee. The schools cannot charge any other fee from parents. However, if a school is teaching extra subjects through online mode of teaching, then a fee for such courses, based on a previously set fee, can be charged above the tuition fee, the order stated. The order further stated, If certain parents despite taking the benefit of online education are not able to pay the fee then they shall write to the school principal or the schools managing committee, explaining why they are unable to pay the fee and seek extension for paying the fee. In such a situation, the school management will allow the parent to pay the fee in the extended time period, but in any condition whatsoever, the student will not be removed from the school. (With inputs from Ankur Sharma in Haldwani) SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON NEW DELHI: Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday introduced Banking Regulation (Amendment) Bill, 2020 in the Lok Sabha. The law seeks to protect the interest of the depositors by bringing co-operative banks under the regulatory framework of Reserve Bank of India (RBI). With the amendments, RBI will be able undertake a scheme of amalgamation of a bank without placing it under moratorium. Earlier, if a bank was placed under moratorium, it not only limited withdrawals by depositors, but also disrupted a banks lending operations. Further amendments were proposed to be made in section 45 of the Act to enable the Reserve Bank of India to make a scheme to protect the interests of the public, the banking system, depositors or to secure the banking company's proper management, without first making an order of moratorium so as to avoid disruptions in the financial system," according to the statement of objects and reasons mentioned in the bill introduced in the Lok Sabha. According to the bill, the central banks banking regulations will be applicable to cooperative banks as well, which is expected to enhance the oversight of the co-operative banking sector which has seen many scandals in the past. Cooperative banks have been under the dual control of cooperative societies as well as RBI. However, the changes will not affect the existing powers of the state registrars of co-operative societies under state laws. Nor will the changes apply to primary farm credit societies or cooperative societies, the main business of which is long-term finance for agricultural development. With the amendment, cooperative banks will be allowed to raise money via public issue and private placement, of equity or preference shares as well as unsecured debentures, with the centrals banks nod. Currently, access to capital for cooperative banks is limited. In June, the union cabinet on approved the ordinance to bring 1,482 urban and 58 multi-state cooperative banks under the supervision of the RBI to strengthen oversight of the lenders, boost depositors confidence and prevent a Punjab and Maharashtra Cooperative (PMC) Bank-like fraud. The governments move follows the collapse of PMC Bank, which had allegedly created fictitious accounts to hide over 4,355 crore of loans extended to the now bankrupt Housing Development and Infrastructure Ltd (HDIL). The fraud, which was discovered by RBI in September, 2019 trapped millions of depositors. In March, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman tabled in the Lok Sabha the amendments to the Banking Regulation Act, 1949. However, due to the outbreak of the covid-19, the Parliament could not approve the changes. Thereafter, on June 26, an ordinance was promulgated. As the economic situation arising from the covid-19 pandemic had increased the stress in both co-operative banks and banking companies, there was an immediate need for legislation in this regard. As Parliament was not in session, the Banking Regulation (Amendment) Ordinance, 2020 was promulgated by the President of India," the bill said. The Banking Regulation (Amendment) Bill, 2020 seeks to replace the Banking Regulation (Amendment) Ordinance, 2020. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Never miss a story! Stay connected and informed with Mint. Download our App Now!! Topics While the decision may vindicate Beijing, the US has all but incapacitated WTOs ability to hand down a binding verdict. A World Trade Organization panel ruled Tuesday that Trump administration tariffs on $200bn worth of Chinese goods are illegal, vindicating Beijing, even if the United States has all but incapacitated the WTOs ability to hand down a final, binding verdict. The decision marks the first time that the Geneva-based trade body has ruled against a series of high-profile tariffs that President Donald Trumps government has imposed on a number of countries allies and rivals alike. Trump has repeatedly claimed that the WTO treats the US unfairly. In its decision, the WTOs dispute settlement body ruled against the US governments argument that China has wrongly engaged in practices harmful to US interests on issues including intellectual property theft and technology transfer. The ruling, in theory, would allow China to impose retaliatory tariffs on billions worth of US goods. But it is unlikely to have much practical impact, at least in the short term, because the US can appeal the decision and the WTOs appeals court is currently no longer functioning largely because of Washingtons refusal to accept new members for it. The appeals court issues final rulings in trade cases and stopped functioning last year when the terms of two of its last three judges expired with no replacements. That means the US can appeal the decision into the void, said Timothy Keeler, a lawyer at Mayer Brown and former chief of staff for the US Trade Representative. This panel report confirms what the Trump administration has been saying for four years: The WTO is completely inadequate to stop Chinas harmful technology practices, said US trade representative Robert Lighthizer in a statement. He said the US had presented extensive evidence of Chinas intellectual property theft and the WTO has offered no fixes for it. The United States must be allowed to defend itself against unfair trade practices, and the Trump administration will not let China use the WTO to take advantage of American workers, businesses, farmers, and ranchers, he added. The Chinese Ministry of Commerce said the ruling was objective and fair and called on the US to respect it. The US tariffs target two batches of Chinese products. Duties of 10 percent were imposed on some $200bn worth of goods in September 2018, and were jacked up to 25 percent eight months later. An additional 25 percent duties were imposed in June 2018 against Chinese goods worth about $34bn in annual trade. The Trump administration has justified the sanctions under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, once a common tool used by the US government to impose sanctions and recently revived by Trump. The US argued that Chinas actions had amounted to state-sanctioned theft and misappropriation of US technology, intellectual property and commercial secrets. The WTO panel ruled that the US measures violated long-standing international trade rules because they only applied to products from China, and that Washington had not adequately substantiated its claim that the Chinese products hit with the extra duties had benefitted from the allegedly unfair Chinese practices. Part 2 of a two-part series on document accessibility software. Although roughly 54% of adults living with a disability conduct business online, the accessibility of web content has lagged behind demand. According to one study, 70% of websites -- including many of those offering government services -- contain accessibility blocks that make them unreadable for those who are blind or partially sighted, even with assistive technology. For Americans living with visual impairments, the inability to access tax and building codes, rate sheets, forms and other static documents can be a critical barrier to obtaining much-needed services. For government entities, failing to provide accessible documents can lead to expensive lawsuits and prosecution by the Department of Justice. In fact, the number of lawsuits around digital accessibility jumped from 57 in 2015 to more than 3,000 just three years later. In the first article of this two-part series, we looked at how document accessibility software can automate conversion and remediation of personalized, transactional documents, such as tax bills and account notices. In this article, well explore how automated solutions can overcome some of the challenges associated with remediating static documents -- i.e. those items, like tax and building codes that are often housed on a website. Well also discuss how to overcome some of the biggest barriers to adopting document accessibility software and where this technology is headed in the future. When it comes to making static documents accessible, government entities face two key challenges. The first is converting website documents into an accessible format; the second is implementing processes to ensure that new and updated documents all remain compliant. Because Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act requires government entities to make web content accessible to constituents in a form they can consume, most organizations remediate HTML components as part of their overall process for making sure their websites are compliant with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). However, government agencies still need a way to remediate the thousands of PDF documents hosted on their websites, and this is where document accessibility software can save a significant amount of time, effort and money. The first step to making PDF documents accessible is to identify how many PDF files are out of compliance and how many pages are in each document. After gathering that information, agencies need to convert their documents into WCAG-compliant, accessible PDFs. This process is so labor-intensive and time-consuming that many organizations outsource the task to a third party or use accessibility software to automate as much of the process as possible. But remediating existing documents is only half the battle. Agencies must also confirm that documents remain accessible when they are updated and every time new documents are introduced. Many organizations run website scans periodically to facilitate this process. Commonly used composition software like Microsoft Word can create accessible PDFs. However, users must be trained on accessibility features, and employees must be monitored to verify that they are using these capabilities correctly. Taking advantage of add-ons in Microsoft Word can reduce training time and encourage adoption among agency staff. Document accessibility software is another tool that can cut down on the amount of time and effort involved in converting and remediating static document by interpreting and creating an accessible version of the deficient document. This includes tagging elements so they can be identified by assistive technology; properly defining elements such as headings, list elements, tables and URL links; setting the reading order so the document will make sense to the consumer; adding alternate text to all graphics so they can be easily understood; and marking any unnecessary elements as artifacts so they will be ignored by assistive technology. By automating tagging and many of these other tasks, agencies can significantly reduce the amount of time it takes to make these documents accessible. Considering the number of PDF documents -- some of them running to 100 pages or more -- that government agencies host online, this software is clearly a powerful time-saving tool for complying with accessibility requirements. Still, not every task can be automated. Setting the reading order for non-sequential documents, adding alternate text and identifying artifacts require some user effort. Given all these benefits, its unclear why more government agencies havent embraced document accessibility software. One of the biggest barriers to adoption appears to be overcoming the momentum of existing processes. Conversion is difficult to do without qualified accessibility specialists, who can be challenging to find. It also takes commitment and resources to train large numbers of employees to navigate the subtleties of accessibility and make it part of their daily routine. Additionally, it is essential to designate experts in the subject matter who can then lead accessibility initiatives. Setting up and funding centers of excellence is probably the No. 1 step agencies can take to overcome these challenges. As we enter a new decade, developers remain focused on reducing the manual effort it takes to convert and remediate complex documents by improving automatic tagging and other features. Automating quality assurance is also a top priority. The goal is to test files once when they are converted and then log any errors for follow up and correction. Agencies wondering whether document accessibility software is worth the money should consider the costs of outsourcing this process to a service bureau, as well as the immense effort it takes to tag and remediate documents using a general purpose PDF processing program, like Adobe Acrobat Pro. Consider, too, the cost of non-compliance: legal fees, fines or even loss of funding. Given the cost savings and increased productivity that document accessibility software provides, this is technology that delivers a great return on investment. A new concept focusing on elevated pub fair, a new location of a popular chicken wing spot, and a brick and mortar eatery from a veteran catering chef are all set to open in the Birmingham area soon. Heres a rundown of the upcoming restaurants, in order of opening date. Porch (Crestline Village/ Mountain Brook) Porch, a new restaurant focusing on international elevated pub fare, craft beer, and cocktails opens Tuesday, Sept. 15 in Crestline Village. Helmed by Frank Alverson, the menu emphasizes fresh, local produce and will change based on seasonal availability. This is the first restaurant from Alverson, who grew up in Mountain Brook and spent six years working in the Charleston culinary industry before returning to Alabama. Porch will be open Tuesdays to Thursdays from 5 to 10 p.m. and Fridays and Saturdays from 5 to 11 p.m. Heres a look at the menu: The menu at the upcoming Porch in Crestline Village (courtesy, Porch) Porch: 2 Dexter Avenue Mountain Brook, AL 35213| 205-739-2083| Porchmb.com Chef Peoples Cafe (Avondale) Veteran catering chef Cecil Peoples is set to open Chef Peoples Cafe in the former Hot Diggity Dog space above Fancys on Fifth. The restaurant will open on Tuesday, Sept. 22. The cafe will be open from Tuesday to Friday for lunch and dinner-- lunch service is from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and dinner service is from 5 to 9 p.m. Sundays are reserved for all-day dinner cookout from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Chef Peoples also plans to continue his catering operations-- the restaurant will be closed on Saturdays and Mondays for special events. Chef Peoples Cafe: 430 41st Street South, Birmingham, AL 35222| (205) 595-8026| chefpeoples-cafe.com J Wings at the Pizitz (Downtown Birmingham) Local favorite chicken wing chain J Wings will open a new stall at The Pizitz Food Hall, replacing Alabama Biscuit Cos Winner Winner. Known for its wings and sandwiches, the Pizitz will mark the chains fourth restaurant-- J Wings has locations in Fultondale, Bessemer, and the Birmingham Crossplex. For this downtown Birmingham location, the owners of J Wings have teamed up with Chuy Mendez, the proprietor of Unos Tacos and an operating partner at The Louis, The Pizitz Food Halls anchor bar. J-Wings at the Pizitz is expected to open this fall. J Wings: 1821 2nd Ave N #3112, Birmingham, AL 35203| Facebook.com/J-wings Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain Australia recorded zero new coronavirus deaths for the first time in two months on Tuesday, as a slowdown in new cases allowed a crippling lockdown in its second-biggest city to be eased. Just 50 fresh virus cases were reported nationwidedown from peaks above 700 in late July and early Augustwhile no fatalities were registered for the first time since July 13, according to an AFP tally. The news came a day after a strict lockdown of Melbourne was loosened, allowing residents to spend an extra hour a day exercising outside and visiting friends living alone. In surrounding Victoria state, locals will be able to leave their homes and businesses can reopen from midnight Wednesday after rural case numbers dipped. "It is a massive thing, it is a very positive thing," Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews said. Melbourne residents still face restrictions, with non-essential businesses remaining closed and an overnight curfew in place until October 26. Almost three-quarters of Australia's almost 27,000 cases and 90 percent of the 816 coronavirus deaths have occurred in Victoria state. Hundreds died in aged care homes as the virus swept through facilities, infecting thousands of residents and staff. Clusters also emerged at schools, abattoirs and hospitals after security bungles at hotels used to quarantine international travellers allowed the virus to leak back into the community. With case numbers under control, pressure is mounting on the government to allow thousands of Australians stranded overseas by border closures to travel home. Caps introduced on international arrivals in the wake of the Melbourne outbreak have severely limited those able to return, with commercial airlines reportedly prioritising first- and business-class passengers to recoup losses racked up flying near-empty planes. Opposition leader Anthony Albanese called on the prime minister to use his Royal Australian Air Force jet to bring home citizens, a plan derided as a "stunt" by one government minister. Other politicians have called on the government to use immigration detention centres to house the returneesa method initially used for nationals returning from Wuhan, but abandoned once the virus spread globally. Explore further Follow the latest news on the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak 2020 AFP Actress Kangana Ranaut returned to hometown Manali on Monday, amid rising tension in her relationship with the Shiv Sena-led Maharashtra government. "With a heavy heart leaving Mumbai, the way I was terrorised all these days constant attacks and abuses hurled at me attempts to break my house after my work place, alert security with lethal weapons around me, must say my analogy about POK was bang on," the actress tweeted from her verified account on Monday morning. On Sunday afternoon, Kangana and her sister Rangoli met Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari at Raj Bhavan. Following her meeting, Kangana had expressed in a tweet: "A short while ago I met His Excellency the Governor of Maharashtra Shri Bhagat Singh Koshyari Ji. I explained my point of view to him and also requested that justice be given to me, it will restore faith of common citizen and particularly daughters in the system." By Trend The resettlement of Lebanese Armenians to Nagorno-Karabakh is a serious violation of international law, a well-known Georgian expert on national security issues, Doctor of Political and Military Sciences, Professor Vakhtang Maisaya told Trend. "Firstly, the factor of the occupation of the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan is already a violation of international law, territorial integrity and sovereignty of an independent country that is a member of the UN and one of the main actors of the international community. Secondly, any illegal actions to resettle representatives of one state to the occupied territories of another state are a serious violation of international law," the expert noted. According to him, the Lebanese state, which itself at one time underwent an attempt at seizure and occupation, must take appropriate measures to stop such illegal acts. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on the withdrawal of its armed forces from Nagorno Karabakh and the surrounding districts. Azerbaijan's First Vice-President Mehriban Aliyeva has congratulated pupils and students on the occasion of the Knowledge Day in a post on her official Instagram page on September 15. Dear pupils and students, I congratulate you on the beginning of a new school year. I hope you would spare no efforts to achieve high results and get excellent grades, to become a knowledgeable, educated person and a worthy citizen of Azerbaijan. I wish each of you robust health, cheerfulness, intelligence, perseverance, and keenness to learn. Happy Knowledge Day! the post reads. -- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz CARACAS, Venezuela - Venezuelas chief prosecutor on Monday said a U.S. citizen recently arrested in the country as a suspected spy has been charged in an alleged terrorist plot to sabotage oil refineries and electrical service in order to stir unrest. The man, alleged to have CIA ties, had help from three Venezuelan conspirators, who were arrested with him last week near a pair of oil refineries on the countrys north Caribbean coast, Venezuelas Chief Prosecutor Tarek William Saab said on state television. The office gave the U.S. suspects name as Matthew John Heath. Authorities said cellphones taken from the men when they were arrested last week include images of suspected targets, including a large bridge in Zulia state, military installations and dilapidated oil refineries in Falcon state. The prosecutor showed pictures of equipment allegedly seized from the group, including a grenade launcher, plastic explosives, a satellite phone and a bag of U.S. dollars. Everything here could qualify as a lethal weapon designed to cause harm and to promote assassinations, crimes against the people of Venezuela, said Saab, who also accused the man of planning to open a drug trafficking route through Venezuela. President Nicolas Maduro announced on Friday that an unnamed suspected U.S. spy had been captured, saying he was a Marine and former CIA operative in Iraq. Heath has been charged with terrorism, trafficking illegal weapons and conspiracy, authorities said. U.S. authorities have not commented on the case. The Associated Press was unable to make immediate contact with Heath, an attorney or a relative representing him for comment on the accusations. The arrest surfaced as this nation, once wealthy from oil, has been gripped by a deep gasoline shortage that has sparked mile-long lines to fuel up, even in the capital of Caracas. Venezuela also struggles to provide electricity to residents, especially in Zulia state, once a major hub of the nations vast oil production. Heath is accused of targeting the Amuay and Cardon refineries part of the massive Paraguana Refinery Complex on Venezuelas northern Caribbean coast. However, the refineries have ceased producing gasoline, and Venezuela depends on shipments from Iran, despite having the worlds largest oil reserves. He is accused of entering Venezuela illegally, the prosecutor said, adding that he didnt have a passport but rather had a copy of it hidden in one of his shoes. The three Venezuelans accused of conspiring with Heath include a military officer, Saab said. The investigation also landed the arrest of four other Venezuelans accused of helping him sneak into the country from Colombia, authorities said. Saab said Heath had worked in Iraq as a communications specialist three months each year from 2006 to 2016 for MVM Inc., a Virginia-based private security contracting company. MVM provided a statement to the AP saying that Heath is not currently an employee or contractor with the firm. The U.S. Marine Corps said it had a record of a man by the same name who served from 1999 to 2003, but it could not confirm that this was the same person detained in Venezuela. Military records showed the decorated Marine was a specialist in communication. This arrest follows a failed beach incursion in early May that landed two ex-Green Beret soldiers in a Venezuelan jail for allegedly participating in a failed attempt to overthrow the socialist government. The two former U.S. special forces soldiers were arrested along with more than 80 rebel Venezuelan fighters who staged a failed beach attack called Operation Gideon aimed at arresting Maduro. The operation mounted from makeshift training camps in neighbouring Colombia left several rebels dead. It was orchestrated by Jordan Goudreau, an American citizen and three-time Bronze Star recipient who served in Iraq and Afghanistan. The ex-Green Berets in Goudreaus force Luke Denman Airan Berry Venezuela have been sentenced to 20 years in prison. Authorities say the two men confessed to being part of the plot. While the Trump administration denied having anything to do with the bungled May incursion, Washington backs Venezuelan opposition politician Juan Guaido as the countrys legitimate leader in place of Maduro. ___ Follow Scott Smith on Twitter: @ScottSmithAP Read more about: The Indian government has spent $30 billion to support enterprises investing in the country. If Vietnam cannot act promptly, it will miss the opportunity to lure foreign investors amid competition with other countries. Commenting about Vietnams economy in the first eight months of the year, economist Vo Tri Thanh said Covid-19 has been like a typhoon that has caused severe destruction all over the world, including in Vietnam. However, there are positive signs about vaccine production and the slower spread of the virus. Citing predictions by some international institutions that Vietnam may see GDP growth rates of 2-3 percent this year, Thanh said the figures are extremely positive considering the current conditions. Thanh thinks that the economy will grow no more than 2-3 percent. Can Van Luc, chief economist of BIDV, also said that in the context of the second Covid-19 outbreak, he is inclined toward the worst scenario with the predicted growth rate of 1.5-2 percent. Regarding opportunities and challenges in the real estate market, Luc said opportunities always exist with dangers, but there are still three positive features in the real estate market industrial real estate, housing real estate and logistics. According to the General Statistics Office, in the first eight months of the year, the implemented investment capital sourced from the state budget reached VND250.5 trillion, an increase of 30.4 percent over the same period last year. According to the General Statistics Office, in the first eight months of the year, the implemented investment capital sourced from the state budget reached VND250.5 trillion, an increase of 30.4 percent over the same period last year. As the government is stepping up public investment as a solution to help the economy overcome difficulties, real estate will be one of the business fields to enjoy the biggest benefits. During and after Covid-19, investors behaviors changed a lot, so the investment structure will change to adapt to the new circumstances, Luc commented. Sharing the same view, Nguyen Duc Huong, former chair of LienViet Post Bank, compared Covid-19 to a revolution. Revolution here means renovation. Covid-19 has made Vietnam more trustworthy in the eyes of the international community and many foreign investors are now looking to Vietnam, he said, adding that many friends of his who have made investments abroad now want to come back to Vietnam. Luring eagles Eagle is the word used by some Vietnamese economists to talk about multinationals. Dang Van Quang, director of Jll Vietnam, commented that Vietnam now has a high number of FDI projects, and Vietnam is in an advantageous position to receive the new FDI wave. We can see the high interest by investors, but the number of completed deals is still not high. We hope when Covid-19 is controlled, the situation will be better, Quang said. Quang went on to say that there are barriers from laws, law enforcement, and the legal documents that guide the implementation of laws. The Indian government has spent $30 billion to support enterprises to invest in the country. If Vietnam cannot act quickly, it will miss the opportunity to lure investors, he said. The Prime Minister said if Vietnam cannot be prompt to prepare nests for eagles, they will head for other destinations." Duy Anh Vietnam urged to improve infrastructure to attract more FDI Vietnam needed to improve its infrastructure in order to attract more FDI, a webinar heard on Monday. TikTok may or may not be making a deal for its U.S. operations, which the U.S. government says it will shut down over national security concerns come September 20th if its Chinese ownership is not resolved. But something that the U.S. narrative has not really addressed is that the company is still growing like a weed in other markets. Today, TikTok announced that it had hit the 100 million month active user milestone in Europe, where it has officially launched in the U.K., France, Germany, Italy, Russia and Spain. "We've been humbled to see how Europe has embraced TikTok during the time we've been here," said Rich Waterworth, the company's head of Europe, in a blog post today. He also added that the Creator Fund for Europe, launched earlier this month with TikTok committing to pay out 250 million over the next three years to professional "creators" trying to make money producing video content for the app, has seen more than 40% of all eligible creators enrolling. Notably, TikTok is putting this news out less than one month after it said it had reached 100 million users in the U.S. The news comes at an interesting time for the company in other ways too. It points to a kind of scale in the region that stands to become even more important for TikTok's owner ByteDance, and specifically as a counter-balance to its future prospects in its biggest two markets. ByteDance is not only facing some tough times ahead in the U.S., but it's also weathering some significant storms in its second-largest market, India, where the app has been banned and seems currently to have no prospective buyers or champions to get it out of that predicament. Currently in the U.S., the company seems to have three options: the U.S. might be shut down altogether; or TikTok sells the business to another company in whole or part and relinquishes making money or using U.S. creators and audience to fuel its viral video machine; or ByteDance somehow manages to take the Trump administration to court and win to keep things operating as is or with some modifications. Story continues All three are very painful in their own ways, making the growth and potential in Europe even more notable. TikTok has been trying to take a "business as usual" approach to things despite all of this. In recent weeks, it has launched a number of new features both for consumers and for marketers in the U.S. and elsewhere. They have included an expansion of its marketing tools, to expand the variety and size of advertisers who use the platform to promote their brands, and new features like Stitch, which gives a way for users to sample content from other videos and then "quoting" and sharing among users on the platform, as well as adding in new ways to post more and creating more viral videos. The numbers also underscore an early thought experiment: What would TikTok life be like without input from the U.S. market? So far, it's fair to say that the U.S. TikTok explosion has been a major part of the global TikTok explosion. It has produced not just the biggest audience, but the app's biggest stars. And if you take Facebook or any other social app as a benchmark, the U.S. would stand to become TikTok's biggest market for advertisers and revenues over time, too. Still, it's very notable that the 100 million milestone in Europe was put out today of all days. In the last 24 hours, we've seen conflicting reports about a possible buyer -- Oracle -- finally nearing a deal; as well as a separate report that the Chinese government is ready to shut down the whole process. Putting out the European numbers so close timing-wise -- less than three weeks apart -- to posting about 100 million users in the U.S. could be ByteDance's way of saying that it might just have the last dance after all. Scientists from the United States have formulated a way to produce healthier and more quality livestock for the people in the near future, with the gene-editing process's help. Are you willing to eat gene-edited meat? Does eating gene-edited livestock safer for humans? A lot of studies were already discussed regarding gene-editing. However, this was the first time that a group of scientists from the US and Britain found a way to do this process in animals, using the gene-editing tool called CRISPR-Cas9. Reuters reported that scientists from Washington State University made an interesting experiment on livestock animals. Using the gene-editing tool, researchers created "surrogate sires" from animals. To explain, researchers were able to create gene-edited pigs, cattle, or goats. The sperms that they produce have traits such as disease resistance and higher meat quality. The process, which starts with choosing who will raise to become the 'surrogate father.' Before the animal is even born, the gene-editing tool to remove the fertility gene in the embryo. The animals will be born sterile but healthy. Scientists will take the stem cells from the male donor and transplant them into the surrogate. The surrogate will then produce the sperm that holds the genetic material. Scientists from the study concluded that this process could actually make livestock meat healthier and enhance the industry to improve the food industry. "With this technology, we can get better dissemination of desirable traits and improve the efficiency of food production," said Jon Oatley, a reproductive biologist at Washington State University in the United States, who co-led the work. "If we can tackle this genetically, then that means less water, less feed, and fewer antibiotics, we have to put into the animals." Is gene-editing safe? If there's one thing that scientists debate all the time, it's the process of gene-editing. Many scientists do not like the concept of this process since it raises questions about ethics. Tech Times reported, in 2018, a Chinese scientist made the world's first gene-edited twin babies. The babies named Lulu and Nana reportedly had their specific genes removed even before they were born. Chinese scientist He Jiankui allegedly wiped off the specific gene called 'CCR5,' which enables humans to contract HIV. It also has its impact on stroke survivors, that once removed, the gene induces the patient's motor cells. However, Alcino Silva, a neurobiologist at the University of California, Los Angeles, believes that this process could impact the babies' brains. "The answer is likely yes, it did affect their brains," Alcino J. Silva, a neurobiologist at the University of California, Los Angeles, whose lab studied the CCR5 gene's role in memory and cognition, told MIT Technology Review. "The simplest interpretation is that those mutations will probably have an impact on cognitive function in the twins." ALSO READ: China's Twin CRISPR Babies May Have Shorter Life Span Because Of Mutation This article is owned by Tech Times Written by Jamie Pancho 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Bank Credited for its Creativity and Impactful Use of Technology CORAL GABLES, Fla., Sept. 15, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Amerant Bank , one of the largest community banks headquartered in Florida, is proud to announce it has been recognized by Mastercard in its annual Community Institution Segment Awards with an Innovation Award. The awards program recognizes those Community Institutions who are making an impact in their local communities by demonstrating advancement in innovation, leadership and philanthropic efforts and recognizes organizations across three distinct categories Innovation, Doing Well by Doing Good and Priceless Partner. Amerant received The Innovation Award, which distinguishes top banking institutions that deliver enhanced value to card members by going beyond industry tools and enhancing the customer experience through the creative and impactful use of technology. We are very appreciative to Mastercard for this wonderful recognition, said Millar Wilson, Vice Chairman and CEO of Amerant. All of Amerant is proud of the team members who worked so diligently to earn this recognition. Their creativity demonstrates the special ways in which we further serve our clients. Amerant is continuously innovating its digital tools to maximize productivity and ensure precision, while implementing ways to increase customer engagement. Amerant has operated for over 40 years and today has 27 banking centers 19 in South Florida, 7 in the Houston, Texas area, and loan production offices in Dallas and New York. The Company provides individuals and businesses in the U.S., as well as select international clients, with deposit, credit and wealth management services. We were highly impressed with Amerants technological developments and submission. The bank was awarded for their outstanding work in payments, said Yasemin Bedir, EVP, Processor & Community Institutions for Mastercard. Amerant created a digital platform that truly maximized digital channels and improved efficiency and accuracy, all while augmenting the customer experience that went well above the norm. Story continues About the Mastercard Community Institution Segment Awards The annual Mastercard Community Institution Segment Awards were created to recognize the outstanding efforts of the hundreds of Mastercard partner Community Institutions throughout the United States whose work is driving forth positive change and impact. Institutions can self-nominate and partners are recognized across three categories: Innovation most creative and impactful use of technology Priceless Partnership best use of Mastercard priceless assets Doing Well by Doing Good best use of assets in community service or charitable contributions For additional information about Amerant, please visit amerantbank.com and follow the Company on Twitter at @AmerantBank, Instagram at @AmerantBank, and Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/AmerantBank/. About Amerant Bancorp Inc. Amerant Bancorp Inc. is a bank holding company headquartered in Coral Gables, Florida. The Company operates through its subsidiaries, Amerant Bank, N.A. (the Bank), Amerant Investments, Inc., Amerant Trust, N.A., and Elant Bank and Trust Ltd. The Company provides individuals and businesses in the U.S., as well as select international clients, with deposit, credit and wealth management services. The Bank, which has operated for over 40 years, is one of the largest community banks headquartered in Florida. The Bank operates 27 banking centers 19 in South Florida, 8 in the Houston, Texas area, and loan production offices in Dallas, Texas and New York, New York. For more information, please visit www.amerantbank.com or https://investor.amerantbank.com . CONTACT: Kreps DeMaria Public Relations & Marketing Israel Kreps, ikreps@krepspr.com Veronica Villegas Baldwin, vvillegas@krepspr.com 305.663.3543 The presidential election in 2016 was a wake-up call that the security of the countrys election infrastructure can never again be considered a sure thing. During the last presidential campaign, Russia hacked into the Democratic National Committees network and stole emails from Clinton campaign officials while also breaking into at least two county voting systems in Florida. Those digital security attacks took place alongside destructive disinformation campaigns that ran on vulnerable and unprepared social media networks. At this years Billington Cybersecurity Summit, 55 days before the next presidential election, experts weighed in on the progress, or lack thereof, that the US has made in securing Americas elections since 2016. Chris Krebs, head of the Department of Homeland Securitys (DHSs) Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), told attendees that three-and-a-half years after he joined the agency it has turned the corner in a really meaningful way on cybersecurity. We're working in all 50 states on a regular basis to share information, to secure their systems, to ensure that they have all the resources they need to be prepared, whether it's a COVID environment or non-COVID environment. Matthew Masterson, senior cybersecurity advisor at CISA, says his group is hard at work on supporting the more than 8,800 officials who run the countrys elections. Many of the voting jurisdictions are small but many election offices represent the largest IT operations in their counties in terms of total number of assets. Youve got voter registration systems, election night reporting systems. Voting systems get a ton of attention. There are so many pieces of infrastructure that exist at the state and local level, he said. For us at CISA, our focus is on making sure they have access to timely and actionable both information and intelligence to make sure they manage risks to their systems. More votes will be auditable in 2020 Nonetheless, election officials are natural risk managers, Masterson says, and the situation seems to be improving. In 2016, approximately 80% of votes cast had an auditable record of some sort, he said, a figure that has risen to 92% as we move toward election day 2020. Theres still work to do though when it comes to audits. Now what we need to focus on is how do we effectively and efficiently audit those records and how do we do it transparently so the public can have the confidence in the votes cast, Masterson said. The important thing is to reassure voters that their votes will be counted, Trevor Timmons, CIO, Department of State, State of Colorado, said. At every step of the way, if they can see the resiliency and the process that is in place, we think that helps support the confidence of the voters. This year, with mail-in ballots, setting expectations is important. Were probably not going to know Tuesday at 7 pm; were probably not going to know Tuesday in the middle of the night, so we need to make sure expectations are set at the right level for this election. Chris Wlaschin, vice president of systems security and CISO for top election equipment maker Election Systems & Software (ES&S), believes his industry is working toward improvements. In the last 15 years, election technology providers have moved forward to provide a paper trail, he said. Today our industry under the leadership of the Election Infrastructure Subsector Coordinating Council has come together and tried to move the ball forward when it comes to election security technology. Senator Mark Warner (D-VA), vice chairman of the Select Committee on Intelligence, said that despite some improvements, he is very concerned in a host of areas that we have not done enough. Social media companies are doing a slightly better job, he said. DHS, CISA in particular under Chris Krebs leadership, I think has done a pretty good job of improving the overall security of our election machinery and I think theyve gotten most election officials recognizing that this is a threat. Bi-partisan election security legislation blocked At least our intelligence communities are more aware of the overall threat of foreign nations hacking information and weaponizing information in the way that Russia did with the DNC hacks, Warner said. The bad news quite honestly, and I think its Congress responsibility, is that we have not passed a single piece of legislation, even though there has been a great deal of bipartisan legislation proposed. The majority leader has not let them come to the floor. Weve not passed legislation that I would have thought would have been the ultimate low-hanging fruit. We called it the FIRE [Foreign Influence Reporting in Elections] Act. It says if a foreign government interferes in any presidential election, the obligation should be to not say thank you for that help but to tell the FBI. Senate Republicans blocked that legislation in mid-2019. Russian disinformation still a concern, deep fakes not so much Warner is particularly concerned about Russia trying to polarize the American electorate over racial justice in the last remaining days of the election. One thing we know about 2016 is that Russia, with its disinformation, tried to exacerbate divisions in our country based on race, he said. Im very, very concerned in these last 50-plus days whether Russia could try to exacerbate those divisions again. One thing that hasnt happened so far is the misleading and divisive use of so-called deep fake images and videos, which experts had predicted might be used in election disinformation campaigns. In many ways Ive been surprised...that bad guys whether through election interference or frankly through market interference havent used the technology more effectively, Warner said. Chris Vickery, director of cyber risk research at UpGuard, shares Warners concern that the US hasnt done enough since 2016 to protect elections. A number of government committees, investigations, and revelations over the past four years have proven beyond doubt that our nation's system of elections is under ongoing assault from adversaries foreign and domestic who disagree with our freedoms, liberties, and rule of law, he tells CSO. While many individuals on the periphery of this assault have been arrested, indicted, convicted, and continue to be subjects of investigation, there have been no systemic changes or rehabilitations introduced to address the root level problems and corruption being leveraged to harm our nation. I am not alone in fearing that the adversaries of democracy have not squandered four years of access to the immense power and influence available to the Office of the President of The United States of America and control over the Executive Branch. We must be willing to recognize and confront the real possibility of extensive intentional sabotage, snares, and bear traps having been deployed while the foxes were entrusted to guard the henhouse, Vickery says. I wish I could be more reassuring and upbeat, but the consequences of sugar-coating the elevated risks we now face would far outweigh any temporary warm feelings. Now is the time for unvarnished real talk and real patriots to rise and demonstrate to the world that here, truth matters. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-15 15:31:07|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close ISTANBUL, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Turkish prosecutors on Tuesday issued detention warrants for at least 66 military personnel over their alleged links to a network believed to be behind a coup attempt in 2016. Police launched simultaneous operations in 28 provinces across the country to catch the suspects upon the order of the Chief Public Prosecutor's Office in Izmir, the state-run Anadolu agency reported. It said so far 53 of the suspects, including soldiers on active duty, have been detained. All those targeted in operations have alleged connections with the network headed by the U.S.-based Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen, Anadolu added. The Turkish government blames Gulen and his network for masterminding the coup bid in July 2016, in which 250 people were killed, and has been pushing for his extradition. Enditem STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Public school students across New York City are getting ready to return to school buildings on Monday, but the union that represents public school teachers is calling for an all-remote start to the academic year, following an announcement that 55 public school staff members have tested positive for the coronavirus (COVID-19), according to a recent report. Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Monday that nearly 17,000 staff members were tested for COVID-19 so far, and 55 had positive results -- a positivity rate of 0.32%. That number includes three Staten Island staffers, according to the Movement of Rank & File Educators (MORE-UFT), a caucus of the United Federation of Teachers (UFT). Some people will test positive. And those folks will immediately get support, de Blasio said. After two weeks, those professionals will come back to work and theyll complete the entire school year. The same will happen with students. Some students will test positive at some point in the year and they will go home for two weeks and then they will come back. Michael Mulgrew, president of the UFT, said Monday that many school staffers who were tested for coronavirus two weeks ago are just getting back the results, and the city isnt launching contact tracing efforts fast enough, reported NBC New York. *** CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE COVERAGE OF CORONAVIRUS IN NEW YORK *** Despite a deal made between the city and UFT to delay the 2020-2021 school year to Sept. 21 for blended in-person and remote learning, Mulgrew and educators are now pushing for a move to an all-remote model for the start of the school year. The educators and union cite issues with the monthly random coronavirus testing of staff and students, and they claim conditions at schools are unsafe, according to NBC. Mulgrew told reporters Monday that the city needs to start looking at what they agreed to, and that at this point, theyre not making the grade," NBC reported. Mulgrew said that, as of Monday, schools arent ready to open, and the union might take the city to court over the lack of transparency with the test-and-trace program. School staff also reported buildings with broken sinks, toilets and windows, as well as the lack of enough personal protective equipment (PPE) or adequate staffing for the blended learning model, NBC New York reported. Mulgrew also said that custodial staff members havent received all necessary cleaning materials. If those issues arent addressed, Mulgrew said the Sept. 21 start date is in jeopardy, according to NBC. We are still having issues with supplies. Serious issues are arising when we get a reported case to when they report it; two- to three-day lags, Mulgrew said, according to NBC New York. Its unacceptable; were not going back to March. De Blasio announced Monday that the city would launch a coronavirus rapid response situation room for school principals to report suspected coronavirus cases in schools. School principals will be able to use a hotline to report suspected coronavirus cases in a school, and the team will then monitor and investigate the reported case and share findings with the school. Related stories: NYC to bring in 2,000 more educators for the start of school as de Blasio pushes forward with Sept. 21 reopening 3 S.I. schools see positive coronavirus cases, union says Coronavirus: How to find ventilation inspection results for your childs school What will reopening look like in largest U.S. school districts? NYC school year delayed; in-person learning to start Sept. 21 Reopening of NYC schools delayed: What you need to know Heres how coronavirus testing will work in NYC schools 2020-2021 school year: 26% of NYC families choose full-time remote learning Coronavirus: Reopening plans for Staten Island charter schools 2020-2021 school year in NYC: Guidelines on gym, music and more Coronavirus: How NYC plans to safely reopen schools in fall 2020-2021 academic year: Reopening plans for schools across Staten Island The Catholic elementary school reopening plan: Face masks, temperature checks and more FOLLOW ANNALISE KNUDSON ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER. The U.S. Space Force is starting to take shape and will soon let a group of service members try out a potential future service dress uniform, along with some physical training gear, its top enlisted adviser said Tuesday. Through a rotational process, "60 folks will be trying out service dress and 60 folks will be trying out PT gear, on and on," Chief Master Sgt. Roger Towberman said in a town hall speech during the virtual 2020 Air, Space and Cyber conference. "We'll use a different group every time [because] we want as many people involved in our future as possible." Read Next: The Air Force Has Already Flown a Secret Plane That Could Be Its Next Fighter Uniforms are on Space Force's long list of details still to be determined. Others include service-specific insignia and a rank structure, as well as what to call its members -- though transferees will still be called airmen while legislation is pending. So far, the Space Force has debuted a service seal, logo, flag and utility uniform name tape for the service-duty Operational Camouflage Pattern uniform. Towberman acknowledged that pending decisions like uniforms are on the forefront of troops' minds because they speak to the service's identity. The White House played a role in some of these early decisions, offering input on creation of the official seal, for example. In July, Time magazine reported that President Donald Trump also suggested that the First Lady "should help design Space Force uniforms because of her impeccable fashion sense." Reiterating comments he made to Air Force Magazine, Towberman announced that the Space Force intends to ditch promotion testing for enlisted members. "We're going to get rid of promotion testing; we're going to go to boards," he said Tuesday, referring to the selection process. "We're excited to kind of watch how that grows." More information will be provided to airmen soon, he added. The Air Force last year dropped one of its standard promotion test phases for the master sergeant, senior master sergeant and chief master sergeant ranks -- the Weighted Airman Promotion System, or WAPS. The new system focuses on merit, not necessarily test scores, in the senior noncommissioned officer promotion process, officials said at the time. Towberman said the Space Force has the opportunity to shape its own benchmarks for success. "I want people that can think critically. I want people that can reason. I want people that, when given access to all the information in the world, can bring it together in a useful way," he said. "Just memorizing stuff and spitting out a multiple choice test is not where we want to go." -- Oriana Pawlyk can be reached at oriana.pawlyk@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @Oriana0214. Related: The First Members of Space Force Just Deployed to the Middle East More doctors and health experts are raising concerns about a widespread and infrequently discussed side effect of COVID-19 that must be given attention. This side effect is about mental illness, and health experts raise concerns over this problem because many people who got infected with COVID-19 had later developed a mental health condition. This side effect is most of the time not being discussed. According to a study published in the journal Brain, Behavior and Immunity, the researchers found that more than half of people who survive COVID-19 have eventually developed mental health problems or conditions like depression or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Researchers of the new study had interviewed around 402 people who tested positive for the virus. They were asked to answer a questionnaire one month after they received treatment in a hospital. The result has shown that 28 percent of respondents qualified as having PTSD, while 42 percent had anxiety, 31 percent had depression, 20 percent exhibited obsessive-compulsive disorder symptoms, and 40 percent reported insomnia. PTSD, anxiety, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and insomnia are just a few of the mental health illnesses that COVID-19 recovered patients suffered with. The researchers noted that these patients had experienced at least one of these issues or any related mental illness. Many of the COVID-19 patients reported that they experienced neurological side effects from the illness that can linger for weeks and sometimes for months. This includes fatigue, confusion or "brain fog," and personality changes. Scientists and researchers believed that this mental health illness happened because COVID-19 causes inflammation in the brain, which could be responsible for some of these symptoms. However, they suggested that more studies are still needed to establish the correlation between COVID-19 and metal illness. "Considering the alarming impact of COVID-19 infection on mental health, we now suggest assessing psychopathology of COVID-19 survivors, to diagnose and treat emergent psychiatric conditions, monitoring their changes over time, with the aim of reducing the disease burden, which is expected to be very high in patients with psychiatric conditions," the researchers of the new study said. The most interesting part of the recent research is that researchers found that mental health problems also soar high to those uninfected. Some develop fear and anxiety about contracting the virus, social isolation, financial worries, lockdown-related family, and relationship pressures. Suzan Song, a Washington, D.C.-based psychiatrist, said: "As a psychiatrist, my most common patients during the pandemic have been working mothers trying to manage a full-time job at home while also being primarily responsible for children at home." "Most report feeling irritable with low energy, difficulty focusing, uncontrollable emotions, guilt over perceived privilege, loss of interest in past hobbies, general lack of motivation and thoughts about death and the meaning of life," she added. The National Center for Health Statistics and Census Bureau released in their July survey that 30 percent of adults had symptoms of depressive disorder, compared to 6.6 percent last year, while 36 percent had symptoms of an anxiety disorder, compared to 8.2 percent in 2019. Check this out! Beirut: Lebanon's factional rivalries have stymied moves to form a new government on the eve of a deadline agreed with France and stalling efforts to exit a dire economic crisis. Prime Minister-designate Mustapha Adib met President Michel Aoun for talks after two leading politicians objected to the way the cabinet was being formed. Political sources said Adib did not present a list of ministerial names as had been anticipated. During his September 1 visit, Emmanuel Macron gave a 15-day deadline for the Lebanese government to form a new cabinet. Credit:Bloomberg Missing Tuesday's deadline could prove an early blow to a French effort to secure agreement from fractious politicians on reforms to root out corruption in return for foreign aid needed to resolve the worst crisis since Lebanon's 1975-1990 civil war. France's Foreign Ministry said Lebanese politicians needed to deliver on their promise to agree on a cabinet. US Lawmakers Condemn Attacks on LA County Police Deputies U.S. lawmakers from both sides of the aisle are speaking out to condemn the Saturday shooting of two Los Angeles County sheriffs deputies, who were ambushed while sitting in their patrol car. Florida Congressman Greg Steube (R-Fla.) said the ambush on the officers reflects a breakdown of society. This is the epitome of the breakdown in society that occurs with the radical lefts agenda. Where is the outrage and the protests for these intentional attacks on our brothers and sisters in blue? Please pray that God heals them! Steube wrote on Sunday. The sheriffs department said a 24-year-old male deputy and a 31-year-old female deputy were shot in the head and had multiple gunshot wounds. The gunman walked up on the deputies and opened fire without warning or provocation, the sheriffs department said in a Twitter post that included a video showing a person walking up to a patrol car and opening fire through the passenger-side window. A Democrat congressman from California called the shooting cold-blooded. I am disturbed to hear of a cold-blooded ambush on two LA County sheriffs deputies. I pray for their full recovery and want the perpetrator brought to justice, wrote Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.). Dan Crenshaw (R-Texas), a former U.S. Navy Seal, criticized the recent spate of political and physical attacks on police officers as a contributing factor to the shooting of these officers. America please pray for those LA police officers. They were targeted and shot in cold blood. The demonization and lies about law enforcement must stop. There is no justice derived from these lies, only resentment turned into violence, he wrote. Calls to defund police departments across America have gotten louder since the death of George Floyd in police custody, which sparked nationwide protests against police that have frequently devolved into rioting and looting. Progressive Democrats in cities Seattle, Portland, and New York have called for major cuts to police funding. The two deputies who were ambushed were still able to radio for help from their police car, the sheriff said. Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva, whose department has come under fire during recent protests over racial unrest, expressed frustration over anti-police sentiment as he urged people to pray for the deputies. My heart is with the families of the NC deputy and two LA deputies who were shot in cold-blooded attacks, Rep. Brad Schneider (D-Ill.). Our police are heroes, risking their lives for their communities. We must pursue justice against these perpetrators and all those in our communities who turn to violence. California lawmaker, Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) said in a written statement Sunday, The horrifying shooting of two LA County Sheriffs deputies last night was a senseless and unforgivable act of violence. Theres no place in our society for such savagery. She added, Local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies will do all they can to identify and arrest the shooter. The perpetrator must be brought to justice. Saudi Arabia will allow exceptional categories of citizens and residents to fly into and out of the kingdom starting from Tuesday EgyptAir will resume flights to and from Saudi Arabia for certain categories of passengers, the airline said on Tuesday, two days after the Gulf country announced the partial resumption of international flights. Saudi Arabia will allow exceptional categories of citizens and residents to fly into and out of the kingdom starting from Tuesday. Regular air traffic between Saudi and other countries, including Egypt, came to a halt in mid-March in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. The Saudi General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) announced on Tuesday that the categories include Saudi citizens and their non-Saudi companions, or their non-Saudi wives and children, as well as non-Saudis who have valid exit and re-entry visas, work permits, residency permits or visit permits. All travellers heading for Saudi Arabia should present a negative COVID-19 PCR test result certificate, dating no earlier than 48 hours before their scheduled flight, according to the GACA. Saudi Arabia is planning to completely lift restrictions on all travel, allowing its citizens to exit and re-enter by land, sea and air, after January 1, 2021. The country has registered a total of 326,930 coronavirus cases, including 4,338 deaths, since the first case was discovered there in early March. The country is home to the largest group of Egyptian expatriates worldwide: around three million Egyptian reside there, according to the countrys official statistics agency. Egypt began resuming regular international flights at all its airports in July, after a four-month hiatus due to the pandemic. Search Keywords: Short link: Prime Ministers Modi and Abe enjoyed a close and empathetic relationship and this certainly gave a sustained momentum to the India-Japan strategic partnership. It is necessary for India to reach out and engage with his successor as early as possible, advises former foreign secretary Shyam Saran. IMAGE: US President Donald J Trump with Prime Ministers Narendra Damodardas Modi and Abe Shinzo in Osaka, June 28, 2019. Photograph: Kevin Lamarque/Reuters. Abe Shinzo has resigned after an unprecedented eight years in office, making him the longest serving prime minister of Japan. He will be missed in Japan where he was able to orient the country towards a more forward looking economic strategy with his 'three arrows' of an expansive monetary policy, a flexible fiscal policy and structural reforms to raise productivity and restore growth. He may not have achieved all his objectives, but Japan's extended period of economic stagnation did give way to modest stirrings of life. COVID-19 has dealt a severe blow to Japan's economy, but its recovery will probably require more of 'Abenomics' than less. One should expect Abe's economic legacy to endure. Under Abe, Japan became a less diffident power in Asia and beyond. He raised his country's profile in a region coming to terms with the rapid rise of Chinese power and influence. He had to walk a tightrope between a China with which the Japanese economy was deeply integrated and a US more sharply confrontational with China but somewhat unpredictable and even whimsical towards its own allies including Japan. He managed this delicate act quite successfully. This will become more difficult as the post-Covid world begins to fragment, becomes more polarised and economies large and small withdraw behind protectionist walls. In dealing with this altered economic environment, Abe has positioned Japan in a relatively good state. It is under his leadership that the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a mega high-standard regional free trade agreement has survived despite the US under Donald Trump walking out. Japan is part of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) which brings together 10 Asean countries, Japan, South Korea, China, Australia and New Zealand. India disappointed Japan and other RCEP partners by walking out of the final phase of negotiations due to concerns about China flooding the Indian market with cheap goods. Thus, Japan remains a key player in shaping the emerging economic and trade architecture in Asia. This means that any successor government in Tokyo is unlikely to follow the American lead in 'decoupling' with the Chinese economy, though the country will continue to diversify its external economic interests away from over-dependence on China. This must be appreciated by Indian policymakers who nourish an exaggerated notion of Japanese capital seeking to exit China and looking at India as an alternative destination. Abe was very focused on countervailing Chinese influence in the region and to this end prepared to encourage Japanese business and industry to look at India as an investment destination offering both scale and growth prospects. India largely disappointed him on that score and Japanese interest in China has strongly revived over the past few years. A successor prime minister may be less interested in pursuing an active and expanding diplomatic and security role in the region, balancing economic engagement with China. Interest in partnership with India may well diminish. When India rejected being part of China's Belt and Road Initiative, Japan, too, stayed away. However, currently Japan is both competing and collaborating with China on BRI projects. The India-Japan Africa Corridor project announced in 2016 with much fanfare has mostly faded into the background. The economic pillar of the India-Japan strategic partnership is weak and likely to decline further in the post-Abe era. It is in the India-Japan security relationship that the Abe period witnessed the most significant advance. On his visit to India in August 2007, during his first and brief term as prime minister, Abe announced his vision of the 'Confluence of the Two Oceans' or what later became the Indo-Pacific and the notion of 'free and open Indo-Pacific'. He saw the potential of the concert of democracies forming a 'Quadrilateral' to contribute to a new balance of power in the Indo-Pacific. Under his initiative, the first Quad meeting among India, US, Japan and Australia took place in Manila in 2007, but the US scuttled further engagement in order not to jeopardise Chinese and Russian support on the Iran and North Korean nuclear issues. It is to Abe's credit that he led the Quad's revival in 2017 persuading India to agree, because he was convinced of India's critical role as a security partner. India and Japan now have annual 2+2 meeting of their foreign and defence ministers, which has raised their security cooperation to a high level. A bilateral Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement that would mutually allow access to each other's defence facilities and provision of support was concluded at the Modi-Abe summit this month. It would be fair to say that India-Japan security relations have expanded rapidly and substantively during Abe's tenure. It remains to be seen whether a new political dispensation in Tokyo will bring the same energy and enthusiasm to the security engagement that Abe did. One should also not underestimate the personal role Abe played in enabling the landmark India-Japan nuclear deal in 2017 overcoming very strong opposition of Japan's powerful non-proliferation lobby. This deal is the most important after the original India-US nuclear agreement. But it is less known that Abe helped in India getting a waiver at the Nuclear Suppliers Group. I had travelled in 2007 to Tokyo as a special envoy to canvass support and had met Taro Aso, the then foreign minister. At the formal meeting he read out a rather harsh and discouraging brief given to him by his officials. However, as he accompanied me to the lift he whispered to me that I should convey PM Abe's message to our then PM that Japan would support India at the NSG. And that contributed significantly to our success. Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Shinzo Abe enjoyed a close and empathetic relationship and this certainly gave a sustained momentum to the India-Japan strategic partnership. It is necessary for India to reach out and engage with his successor as early as possible. India-Japan relations will remain crucial to India's pursuit of its economic and security interests. Shyam Saran is a former foreign secretary and a senior fellow, CPR. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Dian Septiari (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, September 16 2020 The United States is not trying to push ASEAN countries to choose sides in its strategic rivalry with China, a senior US foreign policy official has insisted, as the Western superpower continues to call out Beijings aggressive bullying in the South China Sea. The US recently changed tack in its engagement with Southeast Asia, openly seeking leverage and support from ASEAN countries as it continues to antagonize China in a geopolitical rivalry that has sparked a trade war and spilled over into other global concerns, including the war on COVID-19. The shift in policy has not gone unnoticed, with several ASEAN and individual member countries expressing no interest in getting involved and wanting to steer the region away from becoming a stage for geopolitical contestation. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,000/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Hurricane Sally intensifies as southern US states alert residents September 15,2020 | Source: BBC News A newly formed hurricane is closing in on the US Gulf Coast, threatening several southern US states including Florida, Mississippi and Alabama. Hurricane Sally grew to a category two storm on Monday and was expected to make landfall early on Wednesday. The hurricane will bring more than 1ft (30cm) of rain and 85mph (135km/h) winds to some areas, with the potential of deadly storm surges, officials say. This year's hurricane season has been particularly active. For only the second time in recorded history, there are five tropical storms churning in the Atlantic basin at the same time. Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards, whose state is still recovering from Hurricane Laura last month, tweeted on Monday to warn residents to "be smart and be safe". Alabama and Mississippi each declared states of emergency in anticipation of the hurricane, which at 21:00 GMT on Monday was located 145 miles south-east of Biloxi, Mississippi, and moving towards land at a rate of 6mph. Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves said Sally was expected to make landfall near Biloxi at about 02:00 (06:00 GMT) on Wednesday. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) said the storm had shifted and was not expected to directly hit Louisiana, but could still cause storm surges that could trigger major floods. "Additional strengthening is forecast tonight and early Tuesday and Sally is expected to be a dangerous hurricane when it moves onshore," the NHC warned. In New Orleans, residents who live outside the city's levee protection system have been ordered to evacuate their homes. As of Monday, almost 80,000 homes in Louisiana were without power as a result of Hurricane Laura, which hit three weeks earlier. In addition to Sally, there are four other tropical cyclones - Paulette, Rene, Teddy and Vicky - swirling in the Atlantic Ocean basin. If only one more storm is officially named - Wilfred has already been chosen - meteorologists will begin naming new storms after the Greek alphabet. 2020 BBC Theme(s): Communities and Organisations. Former Navy man Madan Sharma, who was recently attacked by workers, on Tuesday said he will associate with the and RSS from now on. Sharma, who met Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari at Raj Bhavan, along with local leaders Mangal Prabhat Lodha and Atul Bhatkhalkar, said he wants stringent action against those who assaulted him. "From today onwards, I am with BJP-RSS. When I was beaten up, they had levelled allegations that I am with BJP- RSS. So I am with BJP-RSS from now on," Sharma (62) told reporters. In a letter submitted to Koshyari, he said he did not get justice from government and requested the Governor to convey his displeasure over the issue to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray. In the letter, Sharma said he suffered eye and back injuries in the attack by the workers. He claimed that instead of taking action against the assailants, police came to arrest him an hour after the incident. He said police filed a case against the Sena workers only after he raised the issue with Bhatkhalkar, who is a local MLA. Sharma said Defence Minister Rajnath Singh spoke to him over phone and Union minister Ramdas Athawale met him at his residence to enquire about his health after the incident. However, no minister or leader from called or empathised with him after the incident, Sharma added. Sharma also claimed that MP Sanjay Raut had said he was not a Navy man, thereby insulting him and other ex-servicemen. "They defended the incident and now they are also threatening me. This shows that I wont get justice of any kind from the Maharashtra government, Sharma said. "Hence, I request you that you express displeasure over the incident to Maharashtras Chief Minister Shri Uddhav Thackeray and instruct to take strict action against the attackers so that I get justice, he wrote in the letter to Koshyari. Speaking to reporters after meeting Koshayri, Sharma alleged the law and order situation in the state has weakened in the past one year. "When I was beaten, they (Sena) had accused me of belonging to RSS-BJP. Today, I declare, I will be associated with the RSS-BJP now on, he said. He said all ex-servicemen are associated with the RSS-BJP now and they will not allow injustice to be meted out to common people. Sharma was attacked here on Friday after posting on his housing society's WhatsApp group a cartoon lampooning Chief Minister and Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray. After the attack in north Mumbai's Kandivli suburb, Sharma had demanded that the chief minister apologise to him and the country. He had also said that Thackeray should quit his post if he was unable to uphold law and order in the state. Six Shiv Sena workers have been arrested in connection with the incident. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) D isgraced ex-MP Charlie Elphicke was dubbed a sexual predator as he was jailed for two years for attacks on two young women. The former government whip, 49, dubbed himself a "naughty Tory" during a 2007 attack at his family home, groping the victim and chasing her until she had barricade herself into a room for safety. A decade later Elphicke now an elected MP - struck again, carrying out two sexual assaults on a junior Parliamentary staffer in a campaign of harassment. Elphicke, a father-of-two and qualified lawyer, confessed to cheating on his wife with another woman during his trial but insisted he had not groped anyone. But a jury convicted him of three sex assault charges. This morning, Mrs Justice Whipple said Elphicke was a bully who had used his power and position as an MP to target the victims. Both women describe very similar and shocking assaults on them," she said. You are a sexual predator who used your success and respectability as a cover. In each case, you took advantage of your position. Former Conservative MP Charlie Elphicke, with MP for Dover Natalie Elphicke / PA She said Elphickes offending was a gross abuse of power as he had lured them into a false sense of security. You then treated what you did as a joke, saying you were a naughty Tory in an attempt to trivialise your actions," the judge added. Elphicke glanced briefly to the back of the court before being led away to the cells. Within minutes of Elphickes conviction last month, his wife Natalie ended their 25-year marriage and left Southwark crown court without him. She had been by his side each day as he arrived and left the courthouse, but stayed away from the courtroom where details of his sexual misconduct were unfolding. She has now started divorce proceedings. Mrs Elphicke had replaced her husband as the MP for Dover when he stood down in a doomed bid to clear his name. The case also raised serious questions for the Conservative Party, as Elphicke had been handed back the whip while facing a criminal investigation in order to back former PM Theresa May in a confidence vote. The first offence was committed at Elphickes family home while his wife was away and his children slept upstairs. He pounced on the victim, a woman in her 30s, as they shared a bottle of wine, having first turned the conversation to leather and bondage. He tried to kiss me and I moved my head, he pushed me down by my shoulders, he had his knee between my legs and he was groping my breast," she told the court. I was just shocked really, really shocked. The court heard how Elphicke likened to TV comic Benny Hill chased the woman around the kitchen while chanting Im a naughty Tory, and eventually she barricaded herself in another room to end the pursuit. Elphicke had been handed back the whip while facing a criminal investigation in order to back former PM Theresa May in a confidence vote / PA In a victim impact statement, the woman said the attack left her anxious about being alone with men, telling the court: I feel like things I once enjoyed have been taken away from me. She said seeing Elphickes face and hearing his voice triggered anxiety in her, adding: I felt like a disposable convenience, to be used when he wanted. The second victim, in her early 20s, fell into Elphickes clutches in 2016 after he had been elected Parliament. She told the court how she spurned the MPs advances but he grabbed hold of her while moving in for a kiss and briefly tried to stop her from leaving the office. He stroked her leg in a second incident a few weeks later, and the woman had to repeatedly decline his advances. The woman said she was left feeling trapped, frightened, and constantly on edge, and the incident had damaged her self-esteem. "Shortly, Mr Elphickes descent into total disgrace will be complete" He crushed a part of my spirit," she said. I was helpless, depressed, beaten, vulnerable, and constantly scared. Ian Winter QC, mitigating, told the court: Shortly Mr Elphickes descent into total disgrace will be complete. He has, through his conduct, lost an extremely successful career as a barrister, he has destroyed what was a very successful Parliamentary career culminating in him being a government whip. He has lost his wife. Elphickes daughter is now estranged from him and his teenage son has been bullied at school, the court heard. It is difficult to get any lower," added Mr Winter, urging the judge not to send him to prison. In his defence at trial, Elphicke, a former Lambeth councillor and ex-chairman of the Cities of London and Westminster Conservative Association, claimed the first offence was nothing more than a misunderstanding, and said he had lost my head in a bid to woo the second victim. He broke down in tears in the witness box as he admitted to cheating on his wife with a third woman. The Parliamentary staffer complained to deputy chief whip Anne Milton about Elphickes behaviour, but instead of admitting what he had done the MP instead mounted an attack on the party hierarchy for the way the allegation had been handled. Ex-Tory MP Charlie Elphicke found guilty of three counts of sexual assault The matter did not make its way to the police until after the first victim came forward in 2017, when she saw Elphickes name on a notorious leaked list of politicians accused of sexual misconduct. The court heard Elphickes estranged wife submitted a statement to the court today, detailing the impact on their family, and at least one serving MP also wrote a statement handed to the court today by the defence lawyers. Elphicke, of Dover, Kent, denied three counts of sexual assault and was convicted by the jury. He will be subject to sexual offender notification requirements for the next ten years. Charlie Elphicke confirmed through his spokesman upon sentencing that he is seeking to overturn the conviction. A statement read: Two weeks ago, my legal team sought leave to appeal my conviction to the Court of Appeal. That application is made on a number of grounds which demonstrate that my trial was unfair and my conviction unsafe. Loading.... I know that I am innocent of any criminal wrongdoing and will continue to fight to clear my name. Murphy was dumped after allegations that DHS had improperly gathered information about peaceful protesters in Portland, Ore., and elsewhere. But his complaint suggests that he was a political fall guy. Murphy said in the complaint that he wasnt aware of any such surveillance actions, and that he would have refused to authorize them but that Wolf told him his reassignment would be politically good for Mr. Wolf. The dental office is based in the city of Pasadena. While these fish have seemed entirely unconcerned with oral hygiene, humans should do everything in their power to take better care of their teeth. An August 24 article in the Charlotte Observer reports on a discovery of an invasive species of South American fish, the pacu, by a Tennessee fisherman. Though relatives of the fearsome piranha, pacu are noted for two things: their oddly human-looking teeth and the fact that, fortunately for Tennesseans both human and water-dwelling, they are vegetarians a species of human not widely found in the Volunteer State. Pasadena-based Premier Care Dental Group says that, while these fish have seemed entirely unconcerned with oral hygiene, humans should do everything in their power to take better care of their teeth. Moreover, unlike our aquatic friends, people can always do something about their teeth if something happens to them. Premier Care Dental Group notes that taking care of ones teeth is pretty simple, but it does require a bit of commitment and consistency. For one thing, routine teeth brushing is essential. The group says that those who properly brush their teeth after every meal for about two minutes are significantly less likely to suffer from many of the most common oral ailments. Flossing and using a mouth rinse will further improve those odds. However, one of the most important aspects of taking care of ones teeth is knowing when its time to get a professional involved. Premier Care Dental Group says that patients should routinely be seeing their dentist at least twice a year for a checkup and cleaning. Of course, they should also schedule a visit immediately any time they experience some sort of oral pain, discomfort, or sensitivity. Premier Care Dental Group notes ignoring adverse oral symptoms can turn out to be an enormous mistake. Most oral concerns are treatable in their early stages, but the group contends that illnesses that are allowed to progress are almost always more painful, damaging, and very often, much more expensive to treat than if they had been caught early. For example, failing to fill a cavity can, later on, mean that a root canal will be necessary to save the tooth. If that doesnt happen and the problem is allowed to continue, the result can be an extremely painful toothache followed by an extraction which will then call for either an implant or a bridge. Premier Care Dental Group says that by simply allowing a dentist to periodically examine ones teeth and gums, patients can better protect their health while avoiding a great deal of heartache and expense. Interested readers in Pasadena and the San Gabriel Valley area can learn more about Premier Care Dental Group by visiting their website at https://www.premiercaredentalgroup.com/ or calling (626) 747-7855 to speak with a friendly team member. Liam Neeson opened up to Andy Cohen about working with son, Micheal, in the new movie Made in Italy and how it was a cathartic experience for them both. In the drama, Neeson and Micheal play a father and son who come together to grieve the loss of their wife/mother who died in a car accident years earlier. Neeson admitted the storyline hit close to home. In 2009, Neesons wife and Micheals mother, actress Natasha Richardson, tragically died in a skiing accident. I mean, the trailer made me cry, frankly, because it's, it's just very touching to see the two of you together, Cohen said on his SiriusXM radio show. Read more: Neeson proud of Phantom Menace Im very proud of him, Andy. I'm not gonna blow smoke he does have a presence, Neeson replied on Andy Cohen Live. Micheal he really does. And the subject matter is, was, is very close to home losing my wife, Micheal, losing his mother, and that, that is part of the story of Made in Italy. It was quite cathartic in many ways for both of us. Liam Neeson (L) and son Micheal Neeson attend the Maison Mais Non launch party, 2015. (Photo by David M. Benett/Getty Images for Maison Mais Non) I mean, there are so many obviously overlaps between your real life and this movie that it also seems like a painful place to go back to, Cohen added. Was it intense for you at all? Or was it did it open up a lot of conversation between you and Micheal about Tash and about what happened? While Neeson said it didnt, the 68-year-old action star admitted it felt as if someone had just grabbed my gut and twisted it when he read the script. It was quite scary, Neeson shared. It it really made my gut turn because it was so, as you say, it touched on something Micheal and I have both gone through [are] still going through 11 years after Natasha has died. And I thought, gosh, this would be fantastic if I could do it with Micheal. Liam Neeson and Natasha Richardson arrive for the 2002 Tony Awards at New York's Radio City Music Hall June 2, 2002. (Photo: Reuters) A few other young actors were suggested, but Neeson got the script to his son. I said, Micheal, just read this. I didn't tell him what it was about or anything. And he responded to it. He sort of looked at me after he read it. I looked at him and I said, Look, what do you think? Do you want to, should we try and go through this together and see what happens? And he agreed, he shared. Yes of course it touches on very, very delicate stuff. Story continues Director James DArcy wrote the script based off of his experience losing his father at a young age. So we were all kind of in this together, you know? Neeson added. It was cathartic in lots of ways, it really was. Neeson and Richardson shared sons Micheal and Daniel, who were 13 and 12, respectively, at the time of her death. Two years ago, Micheal changed his last name from Neeson to Richardson to honour his mother. I think the did the right thing, Neeson told Cohen of his sons decision. I think it was a lovely homage, its a lovely gesture and hes, you know, hes not saddled with my last name which, you know, I have a certain celebrity status I guess, he continued. Id hate for him to be constantly asked Oh are you Liam Neesons son. So, it was a lovely gesture. You know Natashas family, mother and sisters were very touched by it as indeed I was too. DUBLIN, Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Parents of the Pandemic - The Education Lockdown and its Impact on Homeschooling in America" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. America has been at crossroads before. And in the spring of 2020, the country faced another defining moment: millions of U.S. schoolchildren were sent home from school amid a threatening outbreak of the coronavirus, COVID-19. The scourge, eventually classified as a pandemic by the World Health Organization, kept children home in every state in the nation, even in the few states which did not call for sheltering in place. In this report, through scores of graphs, a dozen tables, and thousands of personal comments to help illustrate the findings, the report relates how these parents of the pandemic have coped with the demands of educating at home. Millions of Parents Schooling Kids at Home for the First Time Their experiences provide a revealing look into American parenting in the early 21st Century and parents' surprising willingness to consider new models of at-home learning. The Parents of the Pandemic poll were conducted on May 16-27, 2020 among 631 online respondents who were double opt-in members of a panel run by Dynata. The 631 respondents to the study deliver a margin of error of 3.9% at the 95% confidence level; results would be within this margin for 19 in 20 studies conducted in a similar way. This study was fielded while the country emerged from shelter-in-place orders instituted by the governors of most US states, amid a worldwide pandemic due to the COVID-19 virus. Virtually every school in the country was closed, even in states where no lockdown was instituted. To participate, parents of school-age children (who comprise 27 percent of the US population), were recruited and asked to affirm they had children at home and out of school due to the pandemic lockdowns. They answered dozens of questions about their lockdown lifestyle, how they managed to survive the disruption, and answered a half-dozen open-ended questions about their experience. These verbatim responses offer a personal glimpse into the sentiment of American parents about the immediate state of US Education. Key Topics Covered: Introduction Methodology Executive Summary The Pandemic Impact Children at Home during Pandemic Schools Attended Children's Grade Levels Pre-Pandemic Parental Involvement Parental Involvement in Lockdown Resources Provided by Schools School Performance during Lockdown Lockdown Education Experience Homeschooling Perceptions Demographics Appendices For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/4ixcl6 About ResearchAndMarkets.com ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends. Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research. Media Contact: Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager [email protected] For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 SOURCE Research and Markets Related Links http://www.researchandmarkets.com Malcolm & Marie is the first film shot after coronavirus quarantine While many of us are being frugal with our coins during the pandemic, Netflix is saying carpe diem. The streaming service recently wrapped up a deal acquiring the rights to Malcolm & Marie, a love story staring Zendaya Coleman and John David Washington for a $30M. It is the largest amount paid for a film acquisition out of a film festival, according to the Daily Mail. In this case, it was the Toronto Film Festival, which was largely virtual this year. Read More: Tenet looks to the future but remains stuck in the past with familiar trope The romantic drama is directed by Sam Levinson who is also behind Zendayas HBO series Euphoria. In a statement, the director boasted about Netflix and pulling off a movie production in strange times. I am so grateful to this cast and crew, many of whom are my Euphoria family, for coming together during such uncertain times, says Levinson. We felt privileged to be able to make this film together and we did so with a lot of love. We are all thrilled that it has ended up with Netflix which is unparalleled in allowing filmmakers the freedom to tell their stories that reach audiences all over the world. In the film, Washington plays a filmmaker and Zendaya is his girlfriend. The couple begins their evening at a big movie premiere but things quickly turn left on their ride home when the couple starts discussing their past relationships. The conversation becomes more intense than either expected challenging their union. The black and white film was shot in the midst of the pandemic and is the first film completed after the coronavirus lockdown. According to Harpers Bazaar the film took extreme precautions due to the pandemic. John David Washington attends the 30th annual Producers Guild Awards at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on January 19, 2019 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images) Cast and crew were quarantined two weeks before shooting and once on location at the eco-friendly Caterpillar House in Carmel, California, they could not leave the premises. There were daily temperature checks and social distancing was enforced as much as possible. Story continues Read More: Zendaya, adorned in all Black designers, stuns on InStyle magazine cover The film is being compared to Marriage Story and supposedly covers many current social issues. Specific details are still oh the hush and its unclear when the movie will be available for streaming on Netflix. Have you subscribed to theGrios podcast Dear Culture? Download our newest episodes now! The post Netflix acquires Zendaya, John David Washington romance Malcolm & Marie appeared first on TheGrio. LAS VEGAS, NV / ACCESSWIRE / September 15, 2020 / DLT Resolution Inc. (OTC PINK:DLTI), an information technology, cyber security, telecommunications and Union Services company, is pleased to provide a shareholder update including the securing of a New Public Sector Union with its Vote YourChoice () - Secure Online and Remote Voting Application. The new customer is a Canadian Union in the Public sector. The selling proposition that closed the deal was the Proprietary System for secure online and remote voting DLT Resolution's wholly owned Union Strategies Inc. ("USI") again used its deep domain knowledge of all things Union to modify the bylaws of its new customer to facilitate the change to paperless voting. As always, USI intends to introduce this new customer to DLT's and USI's other products as it gains familiarity with the needs of the Union. Strong Demand & Market Acceptance Since the launch of Vote YourChoice () - Secure Online and Remote Voting Application in June 2020, we have seen significant acceptance and demand for our service. To date, we have already signed up 6 new public sector unions, ran online & remote Voting for a number of new and existing union clients and are planning the launch into new markets outside unions. Acquisitions The Company has been in negotiations with 2 strategic acquisitions that would add significant sales, earnings and growth opportunities for the combined entities. Although COVID-19 shutdowns has stalled one of these acquisitions, management expects to have this back on track in the near term. NYSE Listing The Company desires to pursue a NYSE American Stock Exchange listing for our common shares in 2021. We have been working to this end to meet the NYSE American standards for listing. If successful, either one of the potential acquisitions would put us well on our way to this objective. Management looks forward to updating our stakeholders in upcoming press releases. "We are very excited about this step into the future of voting," said Fred Vecchio of Union Strategies. "It saves our customers a tremendous amount of time, money whilst providing the utmost of voter security." Vote YourChoice () - Secure Online and Remote Voting Addressing an ever-growing demand for online and remote voting for all types of public and private elections and voting requirements. This requirement is now, more than ever, a fundamental change in the way people are able to cast their ballot and maintain physical distancing requirements. This remote ability is also estimated to increase voter participation by 18% to 35%. Applications include union elections and voting, condominium corporation voting, publicly traded company voting, municipal and provincial elections to name but a few applications globally. Vote YourChoice () - Union Strategies for membership voting Union Strategies provides Union's with a solution that is secure, cost-effective and integrates with individual Union locals' requirements. Through running elections on the USI platform, members will feel confident that their votes are processed by a neutral third party and in a transparent manner due in part to our unique voter-verified audit trail. Unions can also count on our support team as a virtual part of its elections staff. About DLT Resolution Inc. DLT Resolution Inc. currently operates in three high-tech industry segments: Blockchain Applications & Cyber Security; Telecommunications; and Data Services which includes Image Capture, Data Collection, Data Phone Center Services, and Payment Processing. Its clients represent some of the top businesses from a variety of sectors. DLT Resolution helps organizations that have invoices, ledgers, statements, applications, surveys, employee and customer rewards programs and a wide range of other non-core functions benefit from data management. DLT Resolution also operates a Health Information Exchange providing the ability to request and retrieve medical information & records while meeting all of today's Security & Compliance demands for HIPAA, PIPEDA and PHIPA. Through RecordsBank.org , the Company offers an easy to use online gateway to its centralized system for patients, lawyers and insurers to retrieve and access medical records. Learn more at: DLTResolution.com and DLTTelecom.com . About Union Strategies Inc. (USI) USI has been providing a suite of products and services to Unions for over 10 years. The company designs, builds, and executes programs resulting in greater success for unions. Programs are designed to engage the membership, decrease expenses, and save time for a more productive business. The Company's suite includes Telecommunications, Event Management, Professional Writing, Social Media Management, Web Design, Graphic Services, and Promotional Offerings. The company is a one-stop-shop for all things union. The company has more than 130 clients that are considered "mid-market" in terms of overall size of the particular local with 450,000 members. USI operates nationally in Canada and looks to expand into the USA in 2020. Learn more at: UnionStrategiesinc.com Forward-Looking and Cautionary Statements The use of the word "company" or "Company" refers to DLT Resolution Incorporated and its wholly-owned subsidiaries. This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In accordance with the safe harbour provisions of this Act, statements contained herein that look forward in time that include everything other than historical information, involve risks and uncertainties that may affect the company's actual results. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "will," "expects," "anticipates," "future," "intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates" and similar statements. DLT Resolution may also make written or oral forward-looking statements in its periodic reports to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") on Forms 10-K and 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K, in its annual report to stockholders, in press releases and other written materials, and in oral statements made by its officers, directors or employees to third parties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and there are a number of important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statements made by the company, including, but not limited to, plans and objectives of management for future operations or products, the market acceptance or future success of our products, and our future financial performance. The company cautions that these forward-looking statements are further qualified by other factors including, but not limited to, those set forth in the company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019 (available at http://www.sec.gov ). DLT Resolution undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any statements in this release, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. Nothing within this communication is meant to be a solicitation to buy or sell our securities. Investing in over the counter (OTC) securities often carries a high degree of risk. Please contact your financial advisor before investing in our securities. 800-463-5465 Contact: Fred Vecchio President Union Strategies Inc. (647) 776-0950 ext. 874 (416) 669-5465 Cell 87 Caster Avenue, Woodbridge ON, L4L 5Z2 SOURCE: DLT Resolution Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/606110/DLT-Resolutions-Vote-YourChoice-TM-Secure-Remote-Voting-Sees-Strong-Market-Demand-with-its-6th-New-Public-Union-Client-since-June-Launch Allentown, PA (18103) Today Partly cloudy and very cold. Near or below zero wind chills again late at night towards sunrise. . Tonight Partly cloudy and very cold. Near or below zero wind chills again late at night towards sunrise. By PTI NEW DELHI: Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) Dr V G Somani on Tuesday gave permission to Serum Institute of India to resume clinical trial of the Oxford COVID-19 vaccine candidate in the country while revoking its earlier order of suspending any new recruitment for phase two and three trial. The DCGI, however, put certain conditions like taking extra care during screening, providing additional information in informed consent and close monitoring for adverse events during follow-up of the study which have to be "scrupulously" followed by Serum Institute of India (SII). SII has also been asked to submit to the DCGI's office details of medication used in accordance with the protocol for management of adverse events. The DCGI had on September 11 directed Serum Institute of India to suspend any new recruitment in the phase two and three clinical trial of the Oxford COVID-19 vaccine candidate till further orders in the backdrop of pharma giant AstraZeneca pausing the clinical trials in other countries because of ''an unexplained illness'' in a participant in the study. ALSO READ | 'Excellent safety' of two indigenous COVID candidate vaccines revealed during Phase-I trials: Minister On Saturday, British-Swedish biopharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford said clinical trials for their coronavirus vaccine have resumed in the UK after the Medicines Health Regulatory Authority's (MHRA) confirmed that the trials were safe. SII, which has partnered with AstraZeneca for manufacturing the vaccine candidate for COVID-19, on Tuesday submitted the recommendations of the Data and Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB), UK and DSMB, India, and requested for permission to restart enrolment in the clinical trial. According to Tuesday's order issued by DCGI, the DSMB, UK, recommended that the investigators recommence all immunization in their clinical trials subject to certain conditions. DSMB, India, also has recommended to continue the study and enroll the remaining participants in the clinical trial as per protocol subject to certain conditions. According to the order, SII has submitted revised participant information sheet, revised informed consent form and additional safety monitoring plan for the evolved participants. ALSO READ | Evidence suggests COVID-19 spreads through saliva, respiratory secretions of infected people: Ashiwni Choubey The Pune-based firm has also submitted a summary of safety follow up of seven days post first vaccination, stating that no serious adverse events were experienced by any of the subjects till the date of the reporting, and the reported adverse events were stated to be mild, resolved on their own and did not have any sequale. "In view of the above, I Dr V G Somani, Drugs Controller General of India, Central Licensing Authority, after careful examination of your reply and the recommendations of the DSMB in India and in UK revoke herewith the order dated September 11 issued under Rule 30 of the New Drugs and Clinical Trials Rules, 2019. "You may recommence the clinical trial as recommended by DSMB, India, as per already approved protocol and the provisions laid down under the New Drugs and Clinical Trial Rules, 2019, subject to the conditions mentioned," the order said. As the California wildfires and the COVID-19 pandemic rage on in tandem, they may pose a serious double threat. "Now we're battling two public health crises," Panagis Galiatsatos, M.D., M.H.S., a pulmonologist at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center and volunteer medical spokesperson for the American Lung Association, told ABC News. And it gets worse: The two forces of nature may interact with each other. "When we have public health concerns from wildfires to hurricanes, we worry about worsening spread of the virus," said Galiatsatos. PHOTO: Fire burns on the remains of fire damaged trees as smoke billows in the aftermath of the Beachie Creek fire near Detroit, Ore., Sept. 14, 2020. (Shannon Stapleton/Reuters) Wildfire smoke causes air pollution by creating particulate matter, microscopically small particles that may bypass filters in the nose and throat and penetrate deep into the lungs. These particles can cause airway inflammation, leading to increased susceptibility to respiratory infections, aggravation of underlying respiratory conditions and increased risks for hospitalization and death from pneumonia. "Ongoing studies will give us more information on wildfire smoke and COVID-19, but we do know that air pollution makes COVID-19 worse, especially if you have underlying conditions," said Simone Wildes, M.D., an infectious disease specialist at South Shore Health and ABC News Medical Unit contributor. The combination of airway inflammation caused by irritants in smoke plus underlying conditions such as asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease create a "perfect storm" for poor COVID-19 outcomes, she added. "Even if you have great working lungs, if you breathe in remnants from fires, your lungs may be impaired and ill-prepared to fight off the virus," said Galiatsatos. MORE: After 27 deaths in last week, West Coast firefighters brace again for tough conditions Previous studies have shown that during wildfires, affected areas see a substantial increase in emergency room visits and hospital admissions for respiratory illnesses (like asthma or emphysema) and cardiovascular conditions (such as heart attacks and strokes). Now, experts are concerned that the wildfires may add to the pandemic's strain on California's hospitals. "Hospitals are going to have to treat a lot of breathing problems as a result of damage from fire exposure. Capacity will be stretched," said Wildes. Story continues As people are forced to flee from the fires and take refuge together, social distancing efforts may be compromised. Shelter crowding is a major concern, she said, but so are the effects of inhaling toxins from wildfire smoke. "The big thing is social distancing is going to be hard, but you have to balance immediate danger, like needing to get people to safety from a fire, with the overall danger of spreading infection. The important thing is to get back to social distancing as soon as you are able." MORE: Trump in California amid devastating fires, as governors put focus on climate change Similarly, Wildes explained, "Staying indoors is a double-edged sword now." "If your house is too close to the fire, then you have to evacuate, but if you're not so close, it's safer to stay indoors and protect yourself from the smoke," she said. Unfortunately, if you do have to go outdoors, the cloth masks that are recommended for reducing COVID-19 transmission won't keep you safe from the effects of air pollution. "N95 masks work best in fires, but because of the pandemic, we have a shortage, which is another double-edged sword." PHOTO: EMS medics transport a man with possible COVID-19 symptoms to the hospital on Aug. 7, 2020 in Austin, Texas. (John Moore/Getty Images) The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers guidelines for staying safe while the COVID-19 pandemic overlaps with devastating wildfires. Checking air quality reports frequently is essential. The CDC recommends creating a cleaner air space at home, if possible, as well as adhering to social distancing and respiratory and hand hygiene practices as best as you can if you do have to go to a public disaster shelter. MORE: Best bet to beat COVID-19 this fall? Flu shots Because COVID-19 and smoke inhalation can result in similar symptoms -- shortness of breath, sore throat, cough -- Dr. Wildes recommends discussing any concerning symptoms with your health care provider to see if COVID-19 testing is recommended. "The major thing to remember is that if people don't catch the virus, they can't spread it. Now is the time to do everything you can," said Galiatsatos. Leah Croll, M.D., is a neurology resident at NYU Langone Health and a contributor to the ABC News Medical Unit. This report was featured in the Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2020, episode of Start Here, ABC News daily news podcast. "Start Here" offers a straightforward look at the day's top stories in 20 minutes. Listen for free every weekday on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, the ABC News app or wherever you get your podcasts. Twin disasters: How the West Coast fires might impact the COVID-19 pandemic originally appeared on abcnews.go.com Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Pema Khandu tested positive for Covid-19 on Tuesday and has placed himself in self isolation. I had undergone the Covid-19 test RT-PCR and have tested positive for Covid-19. I am asymptomatic and feeling healthy, the CM tweeted. However as per SOP and safety of others, I am self isolating myself and requesting everyone who came in contact with me to adhere to the SOP, the 41-year-old added. Khandu tested positive two days after states health minister Alo Libang tested positive for Covid-19. Last week, the CM had trekked 24 km for 11 hours to meet residents of a remote village located at a height of 14,500 feet above sea level. Accompanied by just one security officer and some villagers, he trekked through passes, difficult mountain terrain to reach Luguthang in his constituency Mukto in Tawang district. Arunachal Pradesh has witnessed a rise in Covid-19 cases in recent weeks. Till Monday, the state had recorded 6,298 Covid-19 positive cases with 4,531 recoveries and 10 deaths. By Express News Service NEW DELHI: Minister of State for Finance Anurag Singh Thakur on Monday informed the Parliament that 20 Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) and their units are at various stages of strategic disinvestment. In a written reply to a query in from a member of the Lok Sabha, Thakur said that transactions have been completed in eight CPSEs while there are six CPSEs under consideration for closure or under litigation. Big names who figure in the transactions-under-process head are Air India, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd and Shipping Corporation of India. Earlier in February this year, the Centre had set a divestment target of Rs 2.1 lakh crore for FY21. Many experts feel that this will be a challenging task to achieve, considering the unfavourable environment created by the pandemic and subsequent disruptions to economic activity. The Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM) has thrice extended the bid deadline for Air India. Similarly, the deadline for BPCL has been extended to the end of September. In FY20, the Department has missed the divestment target of Rs 65,000 crore by Rs 14,701 crore since it had to defer a number of Offer For Sales (OFS), including those of Coal India, SAIL and Hindustan Aeronautics. Strategic Disinvestment implies substantial sale of Government shareholding of CPSEs, which are not in priority sector, along with transfer of management control, Thakur said. Besides, in certain other CPSEs, the Government carries out disinvestment of minority stake without transfer of management control from time to time through various SEBI-approved methods IPO, OFS, Buyback and ETF, he added. United Nations also extended the Diwali greeting on the occasion. A happy and safe Diwali to all those who are celebrating!, tweeted the UN. India has been elected as a member of the United Nation's Commission on Status of Women (CSW), a body of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), said TS Tirumurti, permanent representative of India to the United Nations on September 15. "Election to the ECOSOC body is an endorsement of India's commitment to promoting gender equality and women's empowerment," Tirumurti said. India will be a member of the United Nation's Commission on Status of Women for four years - 2021 to 2025. He shared the news on Twitter saying, "India wins seat in prestigious ECOSOC body! India elected member of Commission on Status of Women (CSW). It's a ringing endorsement of our commitment to promote gender equality and women's empowerment in all our endeavours. We thank member states for their support." India, Afghanistan and China had contested the elections to the Commission on Status of Women. While India and Afghanistan won the ballot among the 54 members, China did not make it past the half-way mark. Established in June 1946, the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) is the principal global intergovernmental body dedicated to the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women. In June, India was elected as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council . India was elected with overwhelming support, garnering 184 votes out of 192, to become a non-permanent member of the UNSC for the term 2021-2022, Vikas Swarup, MEA Secretary (West) said. India's two-year term will begin on January 1, 2021. This will be the eighth time India will be serving on the Security Council. Members of Parliament (MPs) of the Left parties protested in front of Mahatma Gandhi statue in the Parliament House premises, over their demand for withdrawal of anti-farmers policies. Government in the name of Covid is unleashing an attack on democracy, Parliament and institutions under the Constitution. So Left parties, CPI, CPI-M we came here to register our protest, CPI MP Binoy Viswam told ANI. CPI-Ms MP KK Ragesh said, All the three ordinances are against the interest of the farmers and they are promulgated to save the interest of corporates. That is why we are opposed to it, Yesterday, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had termed the agriculture ordinances rolled out by the centre as black ordinances and said that these are a fatal attack on farming community. Farmers in Punjab, Haryana are protesting against the recent agriculture ordinances passed by the Union Cabinet. On June 5, President Ram Nath Kovind had promulgated three ordinances to usher in agricultural reforms for raising the income of the farmers and giving them more freedom to sell their produce.The President promulgated Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion & Facilitation) Ordinance 2020, Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Ordinance 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Ordinance Act, 2020. The top communications official at the Health and Human Services Department has apologized for his bizarre Facebook live session where he claimed that political opponents 'are going to have to kill me' and that Democrats are plotting an armed insurrection. Michael Caputo, a former Trump campaign official, apologized in an emergency staff meeting where he also indicated he might soon be leaving the agency, Politico reported. He ended the meeting by encouraging his staff to listen to Grateful Dead music. Michael Caputo, the top communications official at the Health and Human Services Department, has apologized for his bizarre Facebook live session Caputo called an emergency staff meeting to apologize and ended it by encouraging staff to listen to the Grateful Dead Caputo's bizarre Facebook Live session came after the publication of a Politico story Friday that indicated Caputo and other political appointees were pressuring Centers for Disease Control officials to alter weekly coronavirus reports. 'You understand that they're going to have to kill me, and unfortunately, I think that's where this is going,' he said, the New York Times reported on his Facebook live post. Caputo told staffers his behavior online was a combination of physical health issues and the stress of fielding death threats against his family. He disputed talk about his mental health - saying that some of his comments have been taken out of context. He's scheduled to meet with HHS Secretary Alex Azar on Tuesday and President Donald Trump, who is close to Caputo, is expected to be involved in any decisions about his future employment. Caputo is close with President Trump, who is expected to be involved in any decision about his future employment 'If you carry guns, buy ammunition, ladies and gentlemen, because it's going to be hard to get,' warned Health and Human Services communications advisor Michael Caputo in his Facebook Live rant Several Democrats called for his resignation in the wake of the Facebook Live session. 'And when Donald Trump refuses to stand down at the inauguration, the shooting will begin,' Caputo said in it. 'The drills that you've seen are nothing.' Said Caputo: 'If you carry guns, buy ammunition, ladies and gentlemen, because it's going to be hard to get.' During his rant posted Sunday, Caputo said his 'mental health has definitely failed.' 'I don't like being alone in Washington,' he continued. He said there were 'shadows on the ceiling in my apartment, there alone, shadows are so long.' He also blasted government scientists 'deep in the bowels of the CDC have given up science and become political animals' who he said 'haven't gotten out of their sweatpants except for meetings at coffee shops.' Caputo is a protege of Donald Trump advisor Roger Stone He said the officials ''walk around like they are monks' but in fact practice 'rotten science.' Caputo is an associate of longtime informal Trump advisor Roger Stone who provided his own violent imagery about what could be in store during an experience on conspiracy theorist Alex Jones' radio show. Stone said Trump should consider imposing 'marshal law' or invoke the Insurrection Act should results show he lost the election. Stone, who had his jail sentence commuted by Trump, said 'the ballots in Nevada on election night should be seized by federal marshals and taken from the state.' He said the ballots 'are completely corrupted' and claimed: 'we can prove voter fraud in the absentees right now.' Caputo, 58, was appointed to his post by Health and Human Services Sec. Alex Azar in mid-April. It was cast at the time as a move by the White House to assert control over Azar's agency. 'I'm delighted to have Michael Caputo join our team at @HHSGov as our Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs, especially at this critical time in our nation's public health history,' Azar tweeted at the time he was named Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs. Caputo's comments come after Trump said this past weekend he will 'negotiate' for a third term if he wins the election. Caputo was an advisor to the Trump campaign, lived in Russia in the 1990s and advised state energy company Gazprom. He was interviewed by special counsel Robert Mueller's team, and was featured briefly in his report as having learned through a Florida-based Russian business partner about another Florida-based Russian who 'claimed to have information pertaining to Hilary Clinton.' 'Caputo notified Roger Stone and brokered communication' that helped set up a May 2016 meeting, according to the report. Caputo told the Times Monday, Since joining the administration my family and I have been continually threatened.' He continued: This weighs heavily on us, and we deeply appreciate the friendship and support of President Trump as we address these matters and keep our children safe. HHS said in a statement: 'Mr. Caputo is a critical, integral part of the presidents coronavirus response, leading on public messaging as Americans need public health information to defeat the Covid-19 pandemic.' Caputo's rant came on a weekend after it was reported he has been interfering with COVID-19 reports by health experts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention because their data doesn't match the 'optimistic messages' sought by the White House. In one instance, CDC Director Robert Redfield and his scientists were accused of trying to 'hurt the president' with their reports about COVID-19, according to POLITICO. The reported interference was learned a day after it was revealed that the same group of Trump loyalists were seeking to muzzle Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease expert. Since being named spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services, Michael Caputo, the Republican Party operative and former Trump campaign official, and his staff have pressured CDC personnel to alter the wording of its Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. The report has usually been published without any political interference and is a key method by which the CDC advises doctors and the general public about COVID-19. Caputo has no medical background. Since then, he and his team have tried to stop the CDC from releasing some of its findings that do not line up with messaging from Trump, POLITICO is reporting. Caputo and his staffers reportedly tried to retroactively change agency reports which they claimed inflated the risks of COVID-19. The political appointees reportedly sought to make clear in the reports that American who became infected with the virus did so due to their own behavior, according to POLITICO. Automobile dealers in India are worried that some of them may be forced to default as banks have started pressing them to repay dues after the six-month loan moratorium ended on 31 August amid tepid vehicle sales. With insufficient cash flows and fixed overheads, dealers have expressed their inability to clear their dues immediately. According to three auto dealers, some banks have already started asking for more collateral for granting further extension or restructuring of dues. For some dealers, the banks have even debited their entire pending interest amount in the first week of September. The stringent lockdown aimed at curbing the covid pandemic has strained the finances of dealers. Most continued to incur fixed costs like rent and salaries, though sales remained weak even after lifting of the lockdown in May. Several dealers Mint spoke to said it will be impossible for them to pay the pending interest in one go and have asked banks to deduct the amount over a period of six months or more as auto sales are expected to recover by then. Vinkesh Gulati, president of Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (Fada), said it will not be possible for many dealers to pay their entire dues to banks immediately as their businesses have suffered heavily. Banks should restructure loans under less stringent conditions and let dealers pay on a monthly basis. In the past few months, most dealers went into working capital negative. Retail sales have also not recovered substantially, and only wholesale has improved in expectation of good sales during the festive season," he said. Due to subdued sales in the past two years, more than 300 dealerships have closed, and some are in the process of winding up as the covid-19 related economic downturn has worsened their finances. According to a passenger vehicle dealer in Hyderabad, banks are well within their rights to seek pending amount as per guidelines set by the Reserve Bank of India, but most dealers had to use the funds available to meet fixed costs in the past few months. Most dealers managed to clear their inventory by July as retail sales picked up gradually post lockdown. So, technically they should be able to pay back; but due to the pandemic, a lot of them had to use the short-term funds from the banks to pay employees and pay rent. Also, for restructuring, banks are looking at certain financial ratios in February when balance sheets of dealers were already stretched," said the person, requesting anonymity. Bankers said that like other stressed borrowers, automobile dealers also have the option of debt recast, as permitted by the central bank. To that extent, lenders are assessing accounts on the basis of eligibility prescribed by the Kamath committee last week. As per RBI directions, we are telling working capital borrowers that their unpaid interest will be converted into a funded interest term loan, which they can repay in instalments till March 2021. Some of them will have difficulties in servicing loans suddenly from September after a prolonged moratorium, however, they need to approach banks as soon as possible for us to take things forward," a banker said, seeking anonymity. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Never miss a story! Stay connected and informed with Mint. Download our App Now!! Topics The United States and British military units will take part in the 2020 Joint Efforts strategic command and staff exercise, and up to 200 foreign instructors, military advisers and observers will oversee the exercise, Head of the General Directorate of Doctrine and Training of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Major General Oleksiy Taran said. "Also, a feature of the exercises this year will be their international character. For the first time, the military units of the armed forces of NATO member states will be involved in the strategic command and staff exercises: the United States, Great Britain for the joint implementation of combat training tasks, advisers of the NATO Representative Office in Ukraine, representatives NATO Liaison Offices in Ukraine, as well as instructors, military advisers, observers from the United States, Great Britain, the Federal Republic of Germany, the Republic of Lithuania and the Republic of Poland," Taran said at a briefing at the Ukrainian Defense Ministry in Kyiv on Tuesday. In total, up to 200 foreign instructors, military advisers and observers will oversee the exercise. "Their work will be organized not only in military units and subunits, headquarters at the tactical level, but also at the command posts of the strategic and operational levels," Taran said. He said that within the international cooperation, it is planned to involve units and tactical groups of the NATO armed forces for joint actions during the training and combat missions. "It is expected to involve a company tactical group of the air assault brigade of Great Britain, which will take part in a complex of tactical and tactical-special exercises. Together with the units of the Ukrainian air assault forces, it will work out the issues of landing and seizing a bridgehead to ensure the forcing of medium, small and large water obstacles, overcoming water obstacles on landing craft and on a pontoon bridge, conducting raiding operations. At the same time, the commander of the air assault brigade of Great Britain was appointed to the staff of the leadership of the deputy chiefs of tactical exercises," Taran said. Meanwhile, the representative of the General Staff said that this company tactical group arrives in Ukraine by airborne with the help of military transport aircraft, and will carry out parachuting with weapons and equipment to the training grounds of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the area of the corresponding exercises. "It is also envisaged to ensure the exchange of data on air and ground conditions, including using AWACS E3-A aircraft and Global Hawk unmanned aerial vehicles," he said. Taran said that simultaneously with the strategic command and staff exercises, it is planned to conduct other multinational exercises and events with the participation of units of NATO member countries and partner countries, in particular, the Rapid Trident Ukrainian-U.S. exercise, a combat training flight of strategic bombers of the U.S. Air Force with imitation of the application of missile and bomb strikes against critical infrastructure and sea targets, training of the air tactical group of special operations forces of the U.S. Armed Forces in Europe with the development of joint missions with units of the Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. There will also be planned training activities involving UNIFIER, JMTG-U and ORBITAL training mission instructors. Speeding drivers can only receive 14 years in jail under current laws. (Getty) Speeding drivers who kill others by causing car accidents could be given life sentences under new laws proposed by the government. Major sentencing reforms being announced in a White Paper this week could see drivers who kill others after speeding, racing or using a phone treated more severely. Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs could also become punishable with a life sentence if the laws are passed. Currently the maximum sentence for such crimes is 14 years but that could change as early as next year, when Parliament will debate the changes. Ministers are also proposing creating a new offence of causing serious injury by careless driving to stop those who cause injuries being convicted of the lesser offence of careless driving - which has the maximum penalty of a fine. The new offence was first proposed in 2017 and will apply to crimes in England, Scotland and Wales, but not Northern Ireland which has separate road safety laws. Justice Secretary Robert Buckland - also the Lord Chancellor - said: "This government has been clear that punishments must fit the crime, but too often families tell us this isn't the case with killer drivers. "So, today I am announcing that we will bring forward legislation early next year to introduce life sentences for dangerous drivers who kill on our roads, and ensure they feel the full force of the law." Momcilo Krajisnik was sentenced to 20 years for persecuting and expelling non-Serbs during the Bosnian war. Momcilo Krajisnik, a former Bosnian Serb official who was convicted of war crimes by a United Nations court, has died after contracting the new coronavirus. The hospital in the northern Bosnian town of Banja Luka said that Krajisnik died early on Tuesday from consequences of infection with the new coronavirus. Bosnia has more than 23,635 COVID-19 cases and 705 deaths to date, according to Johns Hopkins University. The 75-year-old was taken to hospital in late August as his health deteriorated. Krajisnik was convicted and sentenced to 20 years in prison by the UNs Yugoslav war crimes tribunal in The Hague, Netherlands, for persecuting and forcibly expelling non-Serbs during the 1992-95 war. He was released from a British prison in 2013 after serving two-thirds of the sentence. Krajisnik served as the Bosnian Serb parliament speaker during the conflict that erupted after the breakup of the Yugoslav federation in the 1990s. A close aide to Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic, who was convicted by The Hague tribunal for genocide, he was among the leadership that led efforts to create a Serb self-styled state in parts of Bosnia and unite it with neighbouring Serbia. Bosnian Serb forces took control of about one-third of the Bosnian territory, expelling Muslims and Croats from their homes and brutally killing thousands. About 100,000 people were killed and 2.2 million others displaced in the Bosnian war, which erupted as communal rivalries tore Yugoslavia apart after the fall of communism, until a US-brokered peace agreement ended the conflict. Many Serbs consider Krajisnik and other Bosnian Serb wartime officials as heroes despite the UN war crimes convictions against them. Upon his release, Krajisnik received a heros welcome from thousands of Serbs upon returning to the Bosnian Serb wartime stronghold of Pale. Krajisnik is survived by two sons and a daughter. Mercedes may be whistling on its way to the seventh world title in a row, but it is not quiet behind the scenes. For example, Toto Wolff seems to be at the end of his period with the team, which may be sold. Since Eddie Jordan's quotes that Mercedes will be sold to INEOS, there is increasing demand for Mercedes. What is Toto Wolff going to do and who will take over the team? According to Mika Hakkinen, fans of the team at least don't have to worry, because there is already an excellent structure in place. Is Wolff leaving Mercedes? ''Toto announced this weekend that he's considering a different role and that the team might be restructured. You shouldn't underestimate the pressure to always be at every race and to perform and I understand Toto when he is looking for a better balance in his life'', says Hakkinen in his column for Unibet.com. However, according to the two-time world champion, Mercedes doesn't have to worry. With or without Toto, Hakkinen is convinced that Mercedes will remain a well-oiled machine. ''I'm sure that Toto will leave a structure behind, so that the team can always remain competitive," concludes the Finn. She tied the knot to the love of her life in a lavish Essex wedding back in September 2018 following a two-year romance. And Olivia Bowen looked incredible as she stepped out to celebrate her second wedding anniversary with husband Alex at Scott's in Mayfair on Tuesday. The former Love Island star, 26, put on a glamorous display as she donned a a clingy pink dress while posing up a storm alongside her hunky man, 29. Wow: Olivia Bowen, 26, looked incredible as she stepped out to celebrate her second wedding anniversary with husband Alex, 29, at Scott's in Mayfair on Tuesday Highlighting her killer figure, the former sales executive stunned in the light-coloured ensemble, which featured a daring thigh-high slit. The reality star boosted her frame in a pair of nude pointed heels, while keeping accessories to a minimum. Bouncy waves framed her striking features, which were enhanced with matte foundation, false lashes and nude lipgloss. Ex-scaffolder Alex ensured he didn't let his woman down in the style stakes as he looked sharp in a black shirt, wide-leg trousers and matching boots. Love: The couple were clearly on cloud nine as they arrived to the swanky venue and shared a kiss before going inside to enjoy their meal Stunning: Olivia put on a glamorous display as she donned a a clingy pink dress while posing up a storm Stylish: Highlighting her killer figure, the former sales executive stunned in the light-coloured ensemble, which featured a daring thigh-high slit The pair, who fell in love on the second series of the reality show in 2016, were clearly on cloud nine as they arrived to the swanky venue and shared a kiss before going inside to enjoy their meal. The couple pulled out all the stops to celebrate their anniversary with a romantic stay at five-star hotel ME London following their date. Their solid relationship has gone the distance after they first got together and are one of the rare Love Island romances that have not fizzled out. Fashion: The reality star boosted her frame in a pair of nude pointed heels, while keeping accessories to a minimum Sensational: Bouncy waves framed her striking features, which were enhanced with matte foundation, false lashes and nude lipgloss Milestone: The couple also enjoyed a romantic stay at five-star hotel ME London on Tuesday Loved-up: Olivia shared snaps of the couple inside their hotel lobby as they wrapped their arms around each other Date night: Olivia and Alex looked every inch the happy couple as they held hands on their night out When asked why she thinks her and Alex's relationship has worked so well, she told MailOnline: 'Its such a hard one to answer because I was never ready for a relationship when I went in there and we tried to be friends for such a long time. 'We were sort of trying to make it really casual and not really looking at it as a relationship and I think thats partly the reason why. It happened so naturally in such an unnatural environment, we just clicked. 'I think it is really hard to find. I think as well we trust each other, we have fun together and we also have created a little bubble that we like to live in where we keep ourselves to ourselves. 'I think thats a really key thing in this industry to remember why youre with someone and to respect and trust them and thats all that matters.' Romance: Speaking previously about their relationship, Olivia said: 'It happened so naturally in such an unnatural environment, we just clicked' Opinion Policies Editorials are longer opinion pieces that are written by a group of community members recruited across campus who address relevant issues on a local, national and international level. Editorials are research-based. The purpose of the Editorial Board is to promote discussion concerning relevant issues in the community while advising on possible solutions. Topics are chosen via relevancy and interests of the members, which are then discussed by the Editorial Board in order to reach a general consensus concerning the topic or issue. Feedback policy If you have a grievance concerning the content or argument of the Editorial Board, please contact either Opinion Editor Peyton Hamel (peyton.hamel@iowastatedaily.com) or the Editorial Board as a whole (editorialboard@iowastatedaily.com). Those wanting to respond to editorials can also submit a letter to the editor through the Iowa State Daily website or by emailing the letter to Opinion Editor Peyton Hamel (peyton.hamel@iowastatedaily.com) or Editor-in-Chief Sage Smith (sage.smith@iowastatedaily.com). Column Policy Columns are hyper-specific to opinion and are written by only columnists employed by the Iowa State Daily. Columnists are unique because they have a specific writing day and only publish on those writing days. Each column undergoes a thorough editing process ensuring the integrity of the writer, and their claim is maintained while remaining research-based and respectful. Columns may be submitted from community members. These are labelled as Guest Columns. These contain similar research-based content and need to be at least 400 words in length. The following requirements should be met: first and last name, email and relation or position to Iowa State. Emails must be tied to the submitted guest column or it will not be accepted or published. Pseudonyms are prohibited and the writer will be banned from submissions. Read our full Opinion Policies here. Updated on 10/7/2020 Authorities in Panama have discovered a new mass grave in a remote area where in January they found the remains of seven people that police believe were tortured and killed by a religious sect. Prosecutors said Monday they believe a different sect is responsible for the new mass grave, however. The state prosecutor's office said investigators were supervising the exhumation of skeletal remains from the site in the indigenous Ngabe Bugle region, 350 kilometers (210 miles) north of the capital. Authorities in Panama have discovered a new mass grave in a remote area in Panama, pictured above and below The state prosecutor's office said investigators were supervising the exhumation of skeletal remains from the site in the indigenous Ngabe Bugle region Investigators had to hike for 10 hours through mountains to reach the site, near the source of the Chucara River. 'At this time it is not possible to determine either the sex or the number of people' found in the grave, Azael Tugri, a public prosecutor in the indigenous district of Nurum, told local media. Tugri said investigators had to hike for 10 hours through mountains to reach the site, near the source of the Chucara River. Panama's Aeronaval Service (SENAN) said in a statement the grave was located after a painstaking month-long search. Pictures of the site released by the prosecutor's office showed officials in white coveralls digging in the dirt under thick vegetation. Panama's Aeronaval Service (SENAN) said in a statement the grave was located after a painstaking month-long search Pictures of the site released by the prosecutor's office showed officials in white coveralls digging in the dirt under thick vegetation The remote mass grave was discovered in the indigenous Ngabe Bugle region, 350 kilometers north of the capital. In January, another mass grave was discovered in the village of Santa Catalina Panama's TVN-2 channel showed images of what appeared to be bone fragments displayed on a white sheet. The latest grisly discovery is being linked by investigators to the dismantling last month of a suspected sect and the arrest of its leader, a source close to the investigation told AFP. SENAN officials linked the grave site to the 'alleged rape and mistreatment of minors' by the religious group. The authority said evidence from the grave had already been sent to a police base in Santiago de Veraguas, 250 kilometers southwest of Panama City, for forensic examination. Authorities have altogether made five arrests in the case, and rescued three minors, a 14 and 10-year-old as well as a three-month-old baby, according to the prosecutor's office. The latest grisly discovery is being linked by investigators to the dismantling last month of a suspected sect and the arrest of its leader If confirmed, the apparent mass killing would be the second carried out by a sect in the Central American country this year - although authorities say there is no link to the 'God's New Light' sect responsible for the grave discovered in January. Then, investigators uncovered a mass grave in Altos del Terron - an isolated community in the indigenous region - containing the remains of a pregnant woman and six children aged from one to 17. The bodies had wounds consistent with being beaten. Days later Bibles, messages alluding to the devil and a heap of rope could still be seen at the site of the massacre - a makeshift church in dense jungle that was used by the sect. If confirmed, the apparent mass killing would be the second carried out by a sect in the Central American country this year Police suspected 'God's New Light' leaders were involved in brutal exorcisms, and raided a church used by the sect, arresting 10 people and rescuing 15 others. Police believe the victims were 'tortured and sacrificed' and that the other 15 people would have been, too. The public prosecutor's office said later that the 10 suspects had tied up their victims and beat them to death with Bibles, sticks and machetes. Survivors told them the sect leader claimed he was carrying out God's orders to 'remove the demon' from the victims in a violent exorcism. Netflix is distributing the film Cuties, which includes scenes focusing on the pubic areas of 11-year-old girls, including numerous scenes of girls "twerking" and "humping" in skimpy costumes. The public outrage and massive cancelations of Netflix subscriptions have prompted Netflix and its media allies to "justify" Cuties as "social commentary" that exposes the sexual exploitation of children. They're sexually exploiting children in order to protect them from exploitation. We right-wing rubes just don't get it. The claim is as indefensible as a scientist who poisons individuals and pleads that he was merely demonstrating that poison is harmful. Netflix is essentially claiming that Cuties, taken as a whole, has serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value. Assuming for the sake of argument that it might have such value, that does not constitute a defense to the production, distribution, transportation, advertisement, or possession of child pornography, nor does the prosecution have to prove that, taken as a whole, it has no such value. In New York v. Ferber, 458 U.S. 747 (1982), the U.S. Supreme Court held that child pornography is illegal if it contains a scene of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct: The Miller standard, like all general definitions of what may be banned as obscene, does not reflect the State's particular and more compelling interest in prosecuting those who promote the sexual exploitation of children. Thus, the question under the Miller test of whether a work, taken as a whole, appeals to the prurient interest of the average person bears no connection to the issue of whether a child has been physically or psychologically harmed in the production of the work. Similarly, a sexually explicit depiction need not be "patently offensive" in order to have required the sexual exploitation of a child for its production. In addition, a work which, taken on the whole, contains serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value may nevertheless embody the hardest core of child pornography. "It is irrelevant to the child [who has been abused] whether or not the material . . . has a literary, artistic, political or social value." Netflix should be prosecuted under federal and state child pornography and sexual exploitation laws. 18 USC 2423 (a) prohibits knowingly transporting a minor in interstate or foreign commerce with the intent that the minor engages in prostitution or in any sexual activity. 18 USC 2252A defines activities relating to material constituting or containing child pornography. 18 U.S. Code 2256. Child pornography definitions include "graphic or simulated lascivious exhibition of the anus, genitals, or pubic area of any person [under the age of eighteen years]." U.S. v. Kemmerling, 285 F.3d 644 (8th Cir. 2002): A picture is "lascivious" only if it is sexual in nature. Thus, the statute is violated, for instance, when a picture shows a child nude or partially clothed, when the focus of the image is the child's genitals or pubic area, and when the image is intended to elicit a sexual response in the viewer. U.S. v. Horn, 187 F.3d 781 (9th Cir. 1999) reh, en banc, den. A depiction is lascivious when the child is nude or partially clothed, the focus of the depiction is child's genitals or pubic area, and the image is intended to elicit a sexual response in the viewer. The Supreme Court held in Osborne v. Ohio 495 U.S. 103 (1990), that it is constitutionally permissible to ban the possession and viewing of child pornography. Thus, anyone who purchases a DVD of Cuties or copies the broadcast, take note. You can be fined and imprisoned for several years 18 USC 2252. Netflix, consult your attorney: every scene in Cuties showing a "lascivious exhibition of the genitals or pubic area" and each girl involved in each scene will qualify as a separate count in an indictment against any person at Netflix and its agents who were knowingly involved in any aspect of its production, distribution, transportation, advertisement, or possession of child pornography, 18 USC 2252. Photo credit: Twitter video screen grab. The fine and imprisonment are much larger when the girls are under 12 years. Cancelation of subscriptions is the least of your worries. Janet LaRue served as chief counsel at Concerned for Women, legal studies director at the Family Research Council, and senior counsel for the National Law Center for Children and Families. She is a member of the California and U.S. Supreme Court Bars and co-author of How to Protect Your Child in an X-Rated World. Ms. LaRue has spoken, debated, and written extensively on abortion, pornography, judicial activism and nominations, freedom of speech, and religion. A new trial is now underway for an Indiana man accused of raping and butchering his ex-girlfriend before eating parts of her body - as jurors have already been warned they will be shown crime scene photos worse than any horror film. Joseph Oberhansley's murder trial started in Clark County in southern Indiana on Friday. The 36-year-old is charged with murder, rape, abuse of a corpse and burglary in the 2014 death of his 46-year-old ex-girlfriend Tammy Jo Blanton. Oberhansley's first trial ended abruptly late last year when the judge declared a mistrial after a prosecution witness brought up his past drug use and prison time while testifying in front of jurors. Jurors in the second trial have been selected from Allen County in the state's north-east because of the intense media coverage the case has received in southern Indiana. Scroll down for video Joseph Oberhansley's murder trial started in Clark County in southern Indiana on Friday. The 36-year-old is charged with murder, rape, abuse of a corpse and burglary in the 2014 death of his 46-year-old ex-girlfriend Tammy Jo Blanton Joseph Oberhansley is accused of breaking into Tammy Jo Blanton's home before raping and fatally stabbing her. He then allegedly ate parts of her body, including her brain As his second trial got underway, Clark County Prosecutor Jeremy Mull told jurors in his opening remarks that they would see photos of the 2014 crime scene that are 'worse than anything you would see in a horror movie'. He said the victim 'met a fate that's very difficult to describe' at the hands of Oberhansley. Defense attorney Bart Betteau asked jurors to be wary of 'emotional evidence' that wasn't relevant to the facts in the killing. Oberhansley is accused of breaking into Blanton's home on September 11, 2014 and then raping and fatally stabbing her. He then allegedly ate parts of her body, including her brain. Blanton's body was found by police in her bathtub with parts of her skull removed. Officers also found a 'plate with what appeared to be skull bone and blood' on it. A skillet, a pair of tongs with blood on the handles and tissue were in the rubbish bin. An autopsy revealed Blanton died from multiple stab wounds and that parts of her heart, lungs and brain were missing. Blanton's body was found by police in her bathtub with parts of her skull removed. Oberhansley is charged with murder, rape, abuse of a corpse and burglary in her death Police have previously said Oberhansley admitted to the crimes, including 'cooking a section of her brain and eating it'. Authorities also say he devoured parts of the victim's heart and lung. Oberhansley, however, insists he is innocent. Witnesses who have testified so far include two officers who responded to her home the day of the killing and a 911 dispatcher who fielded Blanton's call, in which she told the dispatcher that Oberhansley was trying to break into her home. A police officer who arrested Oberhansley told jurors that they found a knife and a brass knuckle device in his pocket that had blood and blonde hair on it. Blanton's coworker Tessa Shepherd, who was among the last to see the victim alive, told jurors that Blanton had told her she had been raped by the accused prior to her murder. Sabrina Hall, another co-worker and friend of Blanton's, has testified that she called police after a man she believes was Oberhansley answered Blanton's phone the day her friend died. She said time moved 'super fast and super slow at the same time' as she waited for officers to confirm what she believed had happened. Oberhansley's first trial ended abruptly late last year when the judge declared a mistrial after a prosecution witness brought up his past drug use and prison time while testifying in front of jurors Blanton's coworker Tessa Shepherd, who was among the last to see the victim alive, told jurors that Blanton had told her she had been raped by the accused prior to her murder At the time of the murder, Oberhansley was free on parole for fatally gunning down his girlfriend Sabrina Elder, 17, in a drug-fueled jealous rage in 1998. He also shot his mother in the back and fired at his sister before tucking the weapon under his chin and pulling the trigger to give himself a 'partial lobotomy'. Oberhansley was found mentally not competent in October 2017 to be tried. He was hospitalized for more than six months at Logansport State Hospital after the judge ruled he wasn't capable of participating in the trial. But last year, a doctor from Logansport filed a report certifying that Oberhansley was competent and he was released back to police custody. In November 2018, a judge decided that Oberhansley was fit to stand trial based off the doctor's report, which found his competency had been restored during his time at the psychiatric hospital. Oberhansley was set to stand trial in August 2019 but a mistrial was declared during the first day of testimony after a witness for the state spoke of things that attorneys had agreed would not be mentioned to the jury. If he is convicted by the jury in this current, Oberhansley will face a sentence of life in prison. Lebanon's new premier says needs more time to form cabinet Iran Press TV Monday, 14 September 2020 5:22 PM Lebanon's Prime Minister-designate Mustapha Adib has met with President Michel Aoun for more consultations over the formation of his cabinet. "God willing, all will be well," Adib told reporters following the meeting in Beirut on Monday. Sources familiar with the matter said Adib did not hand over a list of ministerial names as had been anticipated. The sources said Adib told the president he would return in a few days while Aoun consulted with various political factions. Adib agreed that the sides take their time to recrystallize the government formation in a way to protect it, according to the sources. On Sunday, the office of Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri voiced his opposition to the manner Adib was forming a new cabinet, saying his Amal Movement would not participate in the next administration. Berri's grievance was over what is said to be resorting to 'foreign leverage' in forming the cabinet. The senior legislator, however, stressed that his party would cooperate with the next government for the sake of national stability as well as ending a crippling economic crisis that has been aggravated in the wake of a disastrous explosion at Beirut's port in August. On Saturday, French President Emmanuel Macron spoke to Berri on the phone in an effort to remove an obstacle around the finance ministry post, a demand that was turned down by Berri. The French president has used a provocative colonial tone during his recent visits to Lebanon. Additionally, the president of the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM), Gebran Bassil, announced on Sunday that his party would not be part of the next cabinet, but would support it. He argued that "a single camp" is seeking to form the new Lebanese government "without consultations" with other political parties. Adib faces a 15-day deadline to form a new cabinet. The prime minister-designate was expected to present his plan to President Aoun on Monday. Lebanon is facing its worst economic crisis in decades. The Lebanese pound has continued to plummet against the US dollar. Observers say US sanctions on Lebanon have deteriorated its already struggling economy. Lebanon started negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in May, but they have since hit a wall due to foreign interference. The previous prime minister, Hassan Diab, submitted the resignation of his government on August 10 under the brunt of mounting public outrage over the Beirut explosion. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address A man who served seven years for a murder he didnt commit allegedly tried to extort $300,000 from the husband of a woman murdered by his former cellmate, who told him the widower ordered the hit and never paid up. Hanna "John" Safi was granted conditional bail in the NSW Supreme Court on Tuesday over the alleged extortion and allegations he perverted the course of justice, following his arrest in February. Hanna "John" Safi is accused of trying to extort $300K from a widower after his wife was murdered. Mr Safi spent seven years and eight months incarcerated for murder before a retrial found him not guilty in March 2019. The court heard prosecutors will allege that upon his release, Mr Safi collaborated with his cellmate Tony Halloun who is serving a 24-year sentence for the bashing murder of 65-year-old grandmother Shahnaz Qidwai inside her northern Sydney mansion in 2012 to extort the dead woman's husband Khalid Qidwai. CARSON CITY, Nev. -- Nevada health officials say they expect to see an uptick in new coronavirus cases after President Donald Trump held rallies in the state over the weekend. Thousands of mostly mask-less supporters attended the rallies in Minden on Saturday and Henderson on Sunday, which violated Nevada directives capping at 50 the number of people who can attend public gatherings. The rally in Henderson was the first indoor event Trump has held since a mid-June arena event in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Nevada has reported more than 73,800 coronavirus cases and nearly 1,460 deaths since the start of the pandemic. ___ HERES WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE VIRUS OUTBREAK In defiance of Nevada's coronavirus restrictions and US guidelines, Trump holds indoor rally in front of largely maskless crowd To door knock or not? Candidates are evolving tactics of political campaigning in the coronavirus pandemic era Teacher departures, some driven by health concerns, leave schools scrambling for substitutes A family struggle as pandemic worsens food insecurity Follow APs pandemic coverage at http://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak ___ HERES WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING: SAO PAULO, Brazil Brazils Supreme Court says its chief justice as contracted COVID-19 and is feeling well. Luiz Fux, who has sat on the top court since 2011, assumed its top position five days ago from Jose Dias Toffoli. The 67-year-old will remain in the post for the next two years. The Supreme Court said in a statement Monday that Fux will remain in isolation for 10 days. Brazils top court is meeting online due to the pandemic and, while the Chief Justice normally presides over hearings from the courts main chamber, Fux is expected to chair Wednesdays session from home. ___ LANSING, Mich. A Michigan county has ordered a two-week quarantine for 23 fraternities and sororities and seven large rental houses near Michigan State University following a coronavirus outbreak that a local health official said was turning into a crisis. Story continues The mandatory quarantine, ordered Monday, means students or others living in the buildings cannot leave except for medical care or necessities that cannot be delivered. Ingham County Health Officer Linda Vail acted two days after she urged all MSU students living locally to voluntarily self-quarantine for 14 days. She said the outbreak was being fueled by a lack of cooperation and compliance from some students at the university, which is offering online-only instruction. People who willfully violate the order could face six months in jail, a $200 fine or both. Since Aug. 24, two days before the start of classes, Ingham Countys COVID-19 case count has jumped by 52%, according to the county. ___ COLUMBIA, S.C. Officials in South Carolina say Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette was diagnosed with COVID-19 on Friday, but is recovering in isolation with her family at home. Brian Symmes, the spokesman for Gov. Henry McMaster, said Monday that Evette had a sore throat and headache and was tested for the virus. She has stayed at her familys home near Greenville since noting the symptoms on Thursday. Evettes positive test prompted McMaster and his wife to get COVID-19 tests, which both came back negative Sunday. Symmes said it was the fifth negative test since the pandemic began for the governor and the third for his wife. Symmes said two members of Evettes staff and some of her security detail are also isolating but have not tested positive for COVID-19. Evette, 53, and the 73-year-old governor were last together on Sept. 6. ___ CAIRO Egypt says wedding parties, funeral prayers and cultural events will be allowed next week, only at open venues, for the first time since the government imposed a partial lockdown earlier this year to fight the coronavirus pandemic. Nader Saad, a spokesman for the government, said Monday that wedding parties will be allowed with a maximum capacity of 300 people starting from Sep. 21 at tourist facilities and hotels that have obtained health safety certificates. He said in a statement that cultural events, including book fairs, will be allowed in open-air places with 50% of its capacity. Funeral prayers will be also allowed at mosques with outdoor yards. ___ NEW YORK This years Macys Thanksgiving parade has been reimagined for the coronavirus pandemic. Macys officials said Monday that the parade will feature floats, performers and giant balloons parading along a one-block stretch of 34th Street in front of the retailers flagship Manhattan store. The spectacle will be broadcast as usual from 9 a.m. to noon Eastern time on NBC and will include both live and recorded elements. The giant balloons will be flown without the traditional 80 to 100 handlers and will instead be tethered to vehicles. Most of the parades performers will be locally based to cut down on travel. ___ PANAMA CITY Panama has lifted a five-month-old coronavirus measure that restricted women from going out one day, and men the next. The rules, lifted Monday, limited when people could go out for essentials. They proved controversial because it led to harassment and discrimination against transgender people. Health Minister Luis Antonio Sucre urged caution despite the lifting of the rule, which had been in place since March. Similar measures were also tried in Peru as a way to reduce the number of people on the street and slow the spread of contagion. ___ PITTSBURGH A federal judge has struck down Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolfs pandemic restrictions that required people to stay at home, placed size limits on gatherings and ordered non-life-sustaining businesses to shut down, calling them unconstitutional. U.S. District Judge William Stickman IV on Monday sided with plaintiffs that included hair salons, drive-in movie theaters, a farmers market vendor, a horse trainer and several Republican officeholders who sued as individuals. Stickman wrote in his ruling that the Wolf administrations pandemic policies have been overreaching, arbitrary and violated citizens constitutional rights. Wolf has lifted many of the restrictions since the lawsuit was filed in May, allowing businesses to reopen and canceling a statewide stay-at-home order. But his administration has maintained some capacity restrictions and limitations. A spokesperson for Wolf said the administration was reviewing the decision. ___ PARIS Two of Frances biggest cities with COVID-19 infection rates exceeding the national surge in new cases are tightening limits on public activities as the French government seeks to ward off a new nationwide lockdown. The stricter restrictions announced Monday in Marseille and Bordeaux responded to a demand from Frances prime minister that both cities take additional steps to stem their growing numbers of infections. In Bordeaux, the top government official for the region announced a ban on gatherings of more than 10 people in public parks, along the citys picturesque river and on beaches. The new rules also limit the size of large public gatherings to no more than 1,000 people. To counter partying, Bordeaux cafes and restaurants will also no longer be able to serve clients who are standing up and will not be able to play music outdoors. Dancing is forbidden in public venues, including at weddings. Drinking alcohol in public is also banned in Bordeaux, a center of the French wine industry. In Marseille, Frances second-biggest city after Paris, the regional government also announced a series of similar restrictions and the cancellation of an 11-day international festival. ___ ATLANTA The coronavirus pandemic has disrupted the fight against HIV. Across the U.S. South, clinics have stopped or limited testing for the AIDS virus and public health officials overwhelmed by demands to control COVID-19 have shifted staff away from tracking HIV patients. Progress against the virus had already stalled in recent years. Now, health experts and advocates worry the country is at risk of backsliding, with a spike in new HIV infections because people dont know they have the disease, arent aware if their treatment is working or arent getting a drug that can prevent them from getting HIV in the first place. The issue is of particular concern in the South, which accounted for more than half of the countrys roughly 37,000 HIV infections in 2018 and has been a focus of the Trump administrations goal of eradicating the disease by 2030. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, fewer people in the South are aware that they have HIV compared with other regions in the U.S. ___ MILAN The number of new positive cases of coronavirus identified in Italy narrowed in the last 24 hours almost in proportion to the lower number of tests. Italy reported 1,008 new positives on Monday, the first day of school in most of the country after breaks of six to seven months, down by 30% from the previous day. During the same period, testing dropped by 37% to just over 45,000, according to Health Ministry statistics. The number of confirmed positives has edged up for the last six weeks, mostly discovered during testing of returning holidaymakers. Most are asymptomatic, although the number of people in the hospital and in intensive care units is also edging up, with 80 more hospitalized in the last 24 hours and 10 more in intensive care. Fourteen people died in the period, bringing the pandemic total to 35,624 known victims. ___ BRATISLAVA, Slovakia Slovakia is imposing travel restrictions for anyone coming from the Czech Republic after its neighbor registered a record level of new confirmed COVID-19 cases. Starting on Friday, travelers from the Czech Republic will have to present a negative coronavirus test that is not older than 72 hours or be quarantined for five days and then get tested. Random checks will be conducted to make sure people comply with the requirements. Exceptions include students, teachers, health personnel, some artists and athletes and some others. The two countries that formed Czechoslovakia have closer ties with one another than with any other country. ___ LONDON New rules preventing gatherings of more than six people go into effect in England, Scotland and Wales on Monday, in an effort to simplify directives meant to prevent the spread of COVID-19. But a myriad of exceptions ensure that the public is likely to still find the rules hard to follow. For example, the rule applies to pubs but not to schools or workplaces. The U.K. has suffered Europes deadliest coronavirus outbreak. It recorded more than 3,000 new cases of COVID-19 for the third day running on Sunday. Though an increase in testing accounts for some of the new cases, its clear that the U.K. has seen the virus spread in recent weeks, stoking concerns about a second wave. To try to halt the spread, authorities have tightened a number of restrictions on everyday life. Londons Metropolitan Police pledged to take appropriate action, and say they will act to enforce the tighter restrictions across the capital. ___ WINTER PARK, Fla. Police say a 70-year-old man was beaten after he asked a man who wasnt wearing a mask to practice social distancing inside a central Florida gas station. According to an Orange County arrest affidavit, the two men began arguing outside a Citgo gas station in Winter Park on Sept. 8. The older man paid for his items and left. The report said 24-year-old Rovester Ingram followed him outside and began kicking and punching the older man. The Orlando Sentinel reported that the man went back inside the gas station, and Ingram punched him again, grabbed him by the hair and dragged him back outside. Winter Park police confirmed the victims account through eyewitness accounts and security footage. They found Ingram at his house. Court records show he is charged with kidnapping/inflicting bodily harm as well as aggravated battery. The victim was taken to a hospital for treatment. ___ PARIS A global development agency said the worlds 20 major industrialized nations have seen their economies shrink in an unprecedented manner between April and June amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The Paris-based Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development said Monday that the gross domestic product dropped by a record 6.9% in the second quarter of this year in the G-20 area. This organization noted that is significantly larger than the 1.6% fall recorded in the first quarter of 2009 at the height of the financial crisis. Between April and June this year, the GDP most dramatically fell by 25.2 in India, by 20.4% in the UK and by 17.1% in Mexico. It plunged by 9.1% in the United States. The OECD said that China was the only G-20 country recording growth (11.5%) in that period. The organization said that reflects the earlier onset of the pandemic in this country and subsequent recovery. ___ NEW DELHI India reopened its Parliament after more than five months Monday even as the country continues to report the most daily new infections of the coronavirus in the world and daily virus deaths remain above 1,000. Lawmakers must wear masks and follow other sanitization protocols, sit on seats separated by transparent plastic sheets and keep their meetings limited. The Question Hour, when lawmakers ask questions to ministers and hold them accountable for the functioning of their ministries, will not be allowed. Opposition parties have protested the decision to do away with the Question Hour and are expected to grill the government over its handling of the pandemic, the nosediving economy and simmering tensions with China. ___ JAKARTA, Indonesia Main streets were less crowded as Indonesias capital began two weeks of social restrictions Monday to curb a rise of coronavirus infections that has pushed its critical-care hospital capacity to unsafe levels. Jakarta Gov. Anies Baswedan announced the restrictions Sunday, to last from Monday to Sept. 27, to combat a virus outbreak he called an emergency situation. Social, economic, religious, cultural and academic activities will be restricted, with 11 essential sectors, like food, construction and banking, allowed to operate with health protocols and 50% of usual staffing levels. ___ SEOUL, South Korea South Korea has reported its lowest daily virus tally in about a month as it began easing its tough social distancing rules in the greater Seoul area. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said the 109 new cases took the countrys total to 22,285 with 363 deaths. The daily increase has stayed in the 100s for 12 straight days, but Mondays increase was the lowest since mid-August. The government on Sunday relaxed its physical distancing guidelines in the Seoul area, citing a downward trend in new infections and economic worries. The rules effective Monday allow customers to eat and drink inside franchise cafes and bakeries and indoor gyms and after-school academics can reopen. A ban on late-night dining at restaurants was also lifted. Distancing and masks are still required. KATONAH, N.Y., Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- For the first time in the U.S., community solar will be offered on an opt out basisand the Villages of Brockport and Lima, NY, in partnership with Joule Community Power (Joule), are leading the charge. The New York State Department of Public Service (DPS) has approved implementation of the pilot in Lima and Brockport as a component of Joule's Finger Lakes Community Choice program. Community outreach, public education, and preparations for implementation to 3,000+ households begin this month. Community Solar Community solar enables households to receive the benefits of solar energylower electricity costs and reduced carbon gas emissionswithout having to install panels on their home or property. Instead, a utility account holder subscribes to a nearby solar project (or "solar farm"), and a portion of the electricity generated by the solar farm gets credited directly to the subscriber's utility bill. The guaranteed discount, in the form of solar bill credits, is made possible by NY State incentives for renewable energy generation. Roughly half of U.S. residents cannot install solar panels on their homes. Opt-Out Community Solar The milestone approval of opt-out community solar by DPS enables communities, rather than individual consumers, to directly support the development of renewable energy generation in NY State and opens the door to a more inclusive model of community participation. The revolutionary community choice aggregation (CCA) solar program allows municipalities to enroll their entire population in community solar, leveraging the collective buying power of their residents at a large enough scale to secure better terms through a single competitive bidding process with solar providers. When used in conjunction with CCA supply programs, residents can augment their electricity bill savings and combat climate change on multiple fronts, thereby maximizing impact of their participation and their electricity bill savings. The Pilot Until the approval of the pilot by DPS, those wishing to enroll in a community solar program were required to undergo a soft credit check, sign a contract with a community distributed generation (or "CDG") provider, and pay separately for the solar credits. Therefore, before opt-out community solar, subscribers would pay a reduced monthly utility bill as well as a second bill from the solar CDG project developer for their discounted solar credits that lowered their utility bill. With the launch of the pilot in Brockport and Lima, however, the municipalities sign a community-level agreement with the solar project developer on behalf of their residents and businesses, enabling eligible account holders to be automatically enrolled in the program with any credits or charges to be accounted for in the consumer's National Grid electricity bill. National Grid will continue to deliver electricity to all residents and remains responsible for repairs, maintenance, and service. Residents can opt-out of the program at any time with no penalty, but would lose the guaranteed 10% price reductions on the solar bill credits that lower their annual electricity costs. While benefiting communities and residents, opt-out community solar also provides significant benefits to solar project developers. By making agreements with municipalities, developers can gain enrollment certainty and acquire customers at scale. Joule Gives Back Joule has established a community solar program that gives back to the community. As an added incentive to sign up and to encourage communities to make the shift toward clean, locally-sourced energy, we have established "Sustainability Funds" for participating municipalities. Funded through a community solar program, based on enrollment numbers, communities can use their funds to finance future sustainability projects of their own choosing. By reducing sales and marketing numbers to attract enough customers to make a solar farm viable, Joule is able to channel savings back into the community. To see how much our opt-in community solar communities have earned to date, please visit https://www.joulecommunitypower.com/results. The Implications Brockport Mayor Margay Blackman commented, "The Village of Brockport converted to municipal solar in December of 2019, and we have been waiting for the moment that we can offer all of our residents community solar with guaranteed savings under a single electric bill. With Joule and the Finger Lakes Community Choice solar program, that moment has arrived." "The CCA solar program that Joule Assets has created meets the Village of Lima's long-sought goal of providing residents with 100% renewable energy at a 10% cost saving. The elegance of the program is that residents don't have to take any action to benefit and the solar credits will appear automatically on their regular National Grid bill each month," explained Lima Mayor John Correll. Mike Gordon, CEO of Joule stated, "We are delighted to be able to cooperate with our municipal partners in the Villages of Lima and Brockport on this first-of-a-kind program. It is always inspiring to work with far-sighted local leadership looking to better the situations of their own constituents, while at the same time supporting a larger cause." "This DPS approval signals a significant win for efforts to scale up renewable energy in New York State," said Jessica Stromback, Managing Director of Joule Assets. "Joule is proud to have spearheaded this effort with our partners in Brockport and Lima, and hopes that this structure that is taking off now in New York will also expand across the U.S. in order to scale renewable energy nationally in the fight against climate change." About Finger Lakes Community Choice Finger Lakes Community Choice is a community choice aggregation (CCA) programcomprising communities in Western New Yorkthat enables participants to save on electricity by pooling local electricity demand in order to leverage the collective buying power of their residents and small businesses in effort to secure more favorable terms on their energy supply and/or community solar contracts. The CCA supply program enables participants to pay less for renewable energy than they've historically paid for traditional supply. The CCA community solar program provides guaranteed electricity bill savings for solar farm subscribers in the form of utility bill credits and made possible by NY State incentives for renewable energy generation. The participating communities include the Town of Geneva for energy supply and The Villages of Brockport and Lima for community solar. This program was formed in partnership with Joule Community Power. Learn more at https://www.fingerlakescommunitychoice.com/. About Joule Community Power Joule Community Power (Joule) works with municipalities and local partners to empower communities and facilitate their goals of providing residents and businesses with cleaner and cheaper energy. Joule principals were responsible for implementing New York State's first Community Choice Aggregation Program (CCA)a program that enables communities to aggregate local energy demand in order to: 1) save moneygain leverage to procure less expensive electricity for residents and businesses, 2) make moneycreate new revenue opportunities by participating in energy markets, and 3) go greengain local control to opt for clean and renewable generation sources. Joule is the only company in New York State offering CCA administrative services with a Public Service Commission-approved implementation plan that integrates local renewable energy projects, and only Joule has the expertise, relationships, and experience to effectively design, implement, and manage such a program. Joule's innovative renewable energy strategy in New York is driving new regulation and encouraging the Public Service Commission to rapidly advance innovative solutions. Joule Community Power is a division of Joule Assets. Learn more at joulecommunitypower.com. SOURCE Joule Community Power Related Links https://www.joulecommunitypower.com The Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's parliament, has adopted a statement on the situation in Belarus. A total of 228 MPs voted for a respective draft resolution, No. 3053a, at a parliament meeting on Tuesday, September 15. The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine believes that the presidential election in Belarus was neither free nor fair. "The election was held in the complete absence of competition between candidates, free media and authoritative observers from international organizations such as the OSCE and the Council of Europe," the statement said. The Ukrainian parliament said the presidential election in Belarus took place with significant violations, numerous refusals to register candidates and a non-transparent vote count. "We consider it unacceptable to intimidate opponents, imprison them, create obstacles for independent national observers at polling stations, violate the right of voters to express their will, and to establish the government's full control over the Central Election Commission of Belarus," the document said. The Verkhovna Rada emphasized that all this gives grounds to believe that the officially announced results of the presidential election in Belarus do not reflect the real will of Belarusian citizens. Ukrainian MPs condemned the use of excessive force and cruelty by Belarusian law enforcement agencies. "We join the European Union's assessments of the undemocratic nature of the presidential election in Belarus and support the imposition of sanctions on those responsible for electoral fraud and violence against protesters," Ukrainian lawmakers said. At the same time, the Verkhovna Rada demanded the release of all detainees without exception and expressed hope that the Belarusian authorities would not allow further escalation and tensions in Belarusian society, persecution of political opponents and Belarusian citizens who took to the streets to show their disagreement with the actions of the authorities and have their own alternative opinion. The parliament also condemns and considers unacceptable the illegal detention of Ukrainian citizens. "We will use all legal means to protect their rights and interests," the statement said. Ukraine respects the sovereignty of Belarus, supports its independence and adheres to the principle of non-interference in internal affairs. In this regard, the Verkhovna Rada strongly rejects the accusations of the Belarusian side regarding Ukraine's involvement in destabilizing the situation in Belarus. "Belarus has always been and will be a fraternal state for us, with which we have historical, cultural and spiritual links. We hope that Belarus will overcome this difficult stage without weakening its sovereignty," the document reads. The Ukrainian parliament also said that any intention to involve Russian and CSTO forces to resolve the situation in Belarus is unacceptable and such a step would be considered a direct threat to common European security and Ukraine's security. The Verkhovna Rada called on the Belarusian authorities to establish an equal dialogue with Belarusian society in order to find a peaceful way out of the current crisis. One option could be new free and democratic elections with independent international observers from leading European institutions. Protests are going on in Belarus against the rigging of the August 9 presidential election. According to official figures, Alexander Lukashenko, who has ruled the country since 1994, won 80.1% of the vote, while opposition candidate Svetlana Tikhanovskaya garnered 10.1%. After that, Tikhanovskaya was forced to leave for Vilnius. Belarusian security forces continue to use violence against demonstrators and detain protesters. According to the opposition, more than 10,000 people have been detained and several people have died since the beginning of the demonstrations. The European Union has not recognized the results of the presidential election in Belarus and has decided to impose personal targeted sanctions on Belarusian officials involved in violence and electoral fraud. op The Instagram post was the first image of the 44-year-old released since he was taken to Berlin's Charite Hospital two days after falling ill on a domestic flight in Russia on August 20. The Kremlin critic posted a picture of himself from his hospital bed in Germany on Tuesday, looking gaunt but joking wryly about his condition and saying that he was enjoying the ability to finally breathe on his own after being poisoned with a nerve agent. "No other option was ever considered," Navalny's spokeswoman Kira Yarmysh said. "We haven't discussed concrete plans yet." Berlin: Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny plans to return to Russia even as he remains under guard in a German hospital after a near-fatal poisoning in his homeland last month. "Hi, this is Navalny," he wrote in the Russian-language post. "I have been missing you. I still can't do almost anything on my own, but yesterday I managed to breathe on my own for the entire day." Navalny had been kept in an induced coma for more than two weeks as he was treated with an antidote before hospital officials said on September 7 that his condition had improved enough for him to be brought out of it. On Monday, doctors said he had been removed from mechanical ventilation and was able to leave his bed for "short periods of time." In the photo, Navalny is being given a hug by his wife Yulia and is flanked by his two children as he sits upright in bed in a hospital gown, and his statement even had the ring of his well-known sarcastic humour. "Just on my own, no extra help, I didn't even use the simplest valve in my throat," he said of being able to breathe without ventilation. "I liked it very much. Its a remarkable process that is underestimated by many. Strongly recommended." (Bloomberg Opinion) -- If Europe has a strategy to stop the spread of Covid-19, its keeping it well hidden. Frances President Emmanuel Macron has vowed not to go back to the dark days of national lockdown, preferring instead to live with the coronavirus disease, but his government is struggling to halt a jump in cases. France reported more than 10,000 new cases in 24 hours over the weekend, a grim postscript to its decision to cut the required quarantine for positive cases in half to seven days. Its a similar story in Spain, the country with the most cases in Europe and the first to cross the barrier of more than half a million in total. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has also ruled out national lockdowns, but messy public-health disagreements between Madrid and regions such as Catalonia and an initially lax approach to nightlife have worsened a post-lockdown surge in cases. Taking population into account, the seven-day average rate of new cases in France and Spain is above the U.S.s. British cases arent too far behind, hitting their highest level since May. Austria is warning this is the start of a second wave. Were not there yet in terms of deaths and hospital admissions, which remain well below the viruss April peak. For now, the bulk of new cases seem to be asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic young adults. Still, young people dont live in a vacuum, and infections are spreading to those who are older and more vulnerable. The drive to get adults back into the office and kids back into classrooms, however laudable, is accelerating the viruss spread. Estimates of the reproduction rate from Bank of America suggest its above 1 in all big European countries bar Germany, meaning one infected person will on average spread it to more than one other person. Doctors warn of a rough winter ahead without a vaccine. Thats why filling gaps in the testing, tracing and isolation of cases will be crucial in breaking chains of transmission over the next few months. Europe is testing far more than at the start of the pandemic, with the share of tests coming back positive at 10% or below, but the allocation of resources is still pretty woeful. Story continues The opening of the testing floodgates to almost any suspected case has overwhelmed laboratories. Tales of waiting as long as eight days for a result in France, or the reported backlog of almost 200,000 tests in the U.K., are a farcical counterpoint to the countries headline-grabbing political targets of 1 million or more tests per week. Theyre a drag on public confidence and on the economy, given the need to self-isolate while waiting for the results. No wonder people often ignore stay-at-home rules. The tracing part of the equation has also flopped. Digital tracing apps designed to easily track potential transmissions from one positive case have failed to attract a critical mass of users in some countries. The U.K. has yet to even launch its redesigned version. Human tracers are struggling with a decline in contacts identified per positive case in France, its currently around 2, while in Spain, the figure is about 3. This is needle-in-a-haystack territory. There is room to expand testing capacity, or at least dole out resources more efficiently. More mobile laboratories and drive-thru options would help. Testing teams should target populations that need them most such as symptomatic cases or care workers while reserving a more bazooka approach to cluster zones or high-incidence areas. Clear and simple rules on when testing is actually necessary might prevent a too-hasty rush to test in schools or offices.There could also be more experimentation with pooling multiple samples that are tested at the same time in order to save resources or alternative types of testing methods, such as using saliva samples, though theres a risk of more false negatives. On the contact-tracing front, better organization, more training and more outreach are needed. More hiring is one thing France is recruiting 2,000 additional contact tracers but it should be accompanied with robust training as the job requires working with local communities and collecting sensitive information people may not want to share. If digital apps dont gather steam, other techniques could be tried such as backward contact tracing, in which new cases and their contacts are linked to events or places that could flag more potential cases (and clusters). Sure, this is only one piece of the broader virus puzzle. Face-masks and social distancing are still critical. But its remarkable what an effective testing policy can do. In Frances northwest Mayenne region, where a flare-up of cases was successfully curbed last month, mass testing was rolled out alongside a target of delivering results within between 24 to 48 hours. Why not simply aim for this turnaround time nationally? It might make those no more lockdown promises a little easier to keep. This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners. Lionel Laurent is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering the European Union and France. He worked previously at Reuters and Forbes. For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com/opinion Subscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source. 2020 Bloomberg L.P. In the late 1990s China decided to model its rapidly modernizing armed forces on the Western model. Chinese were impressed with how the American led force demolished the Iraqi army in 1991. This Hundred Hour War was an impressive demonstration of how a well-equipped and well-trained all-volunteer force could roll over a Soviet-style, largely conscript force, even when outnumbered. There were several instances during that short war when outnumbered American units defeated larger Iraqi forces. Chinese officers looked at that and decided that this was the kind of military China needed. This attitude was reinforced in 2003 when two American and one British division invaded and defeated Iraq in a few weeks. In both those wars the Americans allowed TV journalists to accompany the combat units, so there was lots of video for Chinese troops and officers to study. By 2003 China was still hampered by a force modeled on the Russian (Soviet Union) model, an organizational style that had largely been discredited. China still depended on conscription for a lot of its troops and were only beginning to build an effective NCO (sergeants and petty officers) corps along with better trained and selected officers. China found that it was a lot easier to obtain modern weapons and combat uniforms than it was to train the troops to fight like the Westerners. Changing recruiting, training and leadership methods is still a work in process, even after about 25 years of effort. For example, one crucial factor in achieving combat effectiveness similar to the Americans was unit cohesion. U.S. combat units trained for over a year to create a brigade that was ready to deploy overseas for combat. That preparation period could be compressed, but only if most of the same troops remained with the unit. This was, and still is, impossible for Chinse army units. The problem is that a third of the two million strong Chinese military are still conscripts, most of whom are gone in two years. Worse, most of those conscripts are in the army, which accounts for about half the military personnel. It gets worse. Until recently, every year all the new conscripts came in at once. The traditional induction date for new recruits was November first. Like their Russian mentors, China inducted most of its new troops at one time. Russia does it twice a year, but China only recently adopted that approach. November was at the end of the main harvest season and most young men had little to do over the Winter months so Russia, and China, favored this time of the year to induct new and train recruits. In China this was made worse because these new recruits were trained by local (to where they lived) military units. This meant these units, especially the army ones, lost about a third of their troops and had to assign another five or ten percent of the unit to training the new conscripts. In effect most army units were much less effective for half the year. The navy, air force and rocket forces had far fewer conscripts and were not much disrupted by the annual induction and discharge of conscripts. In fact, most ship crews have no conscripts at all. This was much the same in front-line air force and rocket (ballistic missile) units. Some elite army units, like special operations and airborne, had far fewer conscripts and were not disrupted. Since 2015 China has been addressing this problem by moving the induction date back to a month or so, so induction takes place a month or so after high school and college students graduate. Induction was then conducted twice a year and in 2020 a new schedule of even more frequent inductions was to begin in January 2020. The coronavirus disrupted that and that new program will instead begin in 2021. The plan is to eventually induct new troops year-round, as in the West. To make that work the Chinese also shifted to separate basic training centers. Again, this was based on the Western model. In a few years Chinese combat units will be able to train and be combat ready as their American counterparts are. However, this requires that the Chinese program to build a Western style NCO force succeeds. So far the NCO program seems to be working but this sort of thing takes time, and another decade or two will be needed to complete. Another major change in the Chinese military is persuading more high school and college graduates to volunteer for service and stay in for up to ten years. Until the last few decades there were not a lot of Chinese high school and college graduates in general and the military ran its own schools and did not depend on civilian universities for new personnel. Times have changed and that was one reason for changing the induction date to August 1st, to make it easier to attract new graduates before they found good jobs in the civilian economy. Its a simple idea that makes a big difference. Changing over to a Western style year-round induction system requires many more internal changes and more expense. Changing the annual induction date, on the other hand, was a lot cheaper. Since 2008 the Chinese military has made themselves more attractive to college grads and has been able to attract more of them. While about 150,000 college grads join each year, the military has not been able to attract many from the top universities. These are the men needed by the senior military leadership in 20-30 years, when Chinese forces will be much more powerful and complex. That's because the Chinese military is getting a lot more high-tech gear, a process that will continue in the future. It is obvious that it will require high quality leaders to get the most out of it. At the moment it looks like the high-end gear will arrive on schedule but not the high-end leadership. There are too many more attractive opportunities in the civilian economy and the conscription process is corrupt enough that anyone who doesn't want to be in the military can avoid it, while many who need a job but are not qualified can bribe their way in. This is troubling because the government, and to a lesser extent the military leadership, want to do something about corruption in the military. This problem can best be addressed with better quality leadership at the top. The current leadership knows that many of its senior officers are dirty. All these guys came up in the wake of the calamitous 1960s "Cultural Revolution." This disaster discredited the communists and led to the economic reforms (a market economy) of the 1980s. The Communist Party is still in charge but wants to deal with corruption (which is fomenting rebellious attitudes among the people) and increase the quality of leadership in the military. This is proving to be difficult. The corruption problem is made worse by the fact that conscription is handled by local entities, which are run by local politicians who are often corrupt, or willing to tolerate a lot of corruption. The military has tried to address this by sending more army personnel to increase the number of them assisting the local officials while also trying to spot who is corrupt and report those officials for prosecution. The Chinese armed forces have changed a lot since 2000. Uneducated country boys are no longer welcome. Then again, neither are tattooed and pierced urban hipsters or anyone who snores. In the 1990s, the military was, as the Chinese like to say, a "peasant's army." Worse, none of the officers or NCOs had any combat experience. The last of the Korean War vets were gone and the few veterans of the 1979 war with Vietnam were still trying to forget that disaster. The army was largely non-mechanized, with many primitive weapons and aging equipment. That has all changed in the last decade. Now most of the troops are better educated, more experienced, and largely from urban areas. Most of these troops are single children, the result of the "one child" policy. Officially introduced in 1978, this draconian solution to population growth did not really get going until the 1980s. In the last decade nearly all the new recruits came from single child families. Often called "little princes," their parents (and grandparents) lavished them with all the attention usually spread among many more kids. Often described as spoiled, these kids did get more adult attention, better education, and more of everything. They enter the military with lots of skills like computers, driving, and the ability to learn new stuff in a hurry. The best of these kids went to the top universities and few choose the military as a career. The army has found that this new generation is much more capable and quicker to learn. Senior commanders welcome this because it's the kind of manpower Western forces use to achieve very impressive results on the battlefield. Chinese NCOs and officers have learned how to work around the bad habits (selfishness, insubordination, stubbornness) of some little princes and make the most of the talents these troops bring with them. The most incorrigible little princes are just tossed out. The Chinese military is smaller now than in 2000. A decade ago there were 2.4 million, 40 percent of them conscripts. Now there are two million, with a third of them conscripts. Most Chinese troops are volunteers. Technically, about 700,000 men are conscripts that serve for two years, with each year's class of conscripts inducted in the autumn. Only about 350,000 conscripts are inducted each year, and nearly all of these tend to be volunteers. That's because only about four percent of each year's crop of 18-year-old males is needed. How do they decide who to take? Naturally, the army tries to get the most physically, psychologically, and educationally fit for the armed forces. To that end the military has been administering tests to draftees for nearly two decades now. If you're not literate (over 90 percent of Chinese are), they don't want you. But the better educated 18-year olds don't want to go into the military, not with that booming economy out there. If selected most of these lads bribe their way out or simply rely on there being enough qualified volunteers to satisfy the recruiting officials. A lot of young men who don't have much education very much want to get into the military. For one thing, it's a job, and there are opportunities for education and advancement. The military tries to identify the more capable among these poor, uneducated young men, so they can be taken into service. Men who have been accepted by a university are automatically exempt, as are those with a criminal record. Drug addicts, the physically or mentally infirm, and anyone who just doesn't seem right to the examiners, is exempt from conscription. And for many of those who are perfect, there are numerous officials willing to take a bribe and get you off the list. The work of deciding who actually gets drafted is done by thousands of draft boards or, as the Chinese call them, People's Armed Forces Departments (PAFD). Each is assigned a quota, based on how many 18-year olds are coming of age in a town or city neighborhood. Since these locations vary greatly in the wealth and educational levels of the inhabitants some PAFDs have an easy time of it, while others have to struggle to meet their quota. In some wealthy PAFDs hardly anyone wants to go and some interesting soap operas ensue. In less wealthy PAFDs bribes will be paid to get some kids in. Not large bribes but you get the picture. In the late 1990s, the operation of the PAFDs was turned over to the military, in an attempt to reduce the corruption and ensure that the best quality recruits were obtained. This was partially successful, if only because most of the people running each PAFD were still locals and often reporting to some corrupt local official. Partly in response to this dramatic change, China recently revised its Military Service Law (which stipulates how troops are recruited, their living conditions, and benefits in general) for the first time since the 1990s. In an attempt to get more highly educated young Chinese to join, living conditions are being improved and pay has been increased. Moreover, in recognition of the fact that many of the brightest troops will not make a career out of the military, the new law gives departing troops help in getting a good civilian job. One of the more attractive benefits is help with college tuition for soldiers who successfully complete their service. The Chinese probably noted how successful the U.S. G.I. Bill educational benefits were in attracting prime recruits. China will eventually have a Western quality military, or something very close to it. The Chinese realize this takes time, as in several decades. The Chinese are willing to take the time, make the effort and do it right. Heinz Kraft Co. Cracker Barrel brand cheddar cheese is arranged for a photograph in Dobbs Ferry, New York, U.S., on Wednesday, Feb. 20, 2019. Kraft Heinz on Tuesday said it is selling part of its cheese business to Lactalis in a $3.2 billion deal. Breakstone's, Polly-O, Athenos, Hoffman's, Knudsen and Cracker Barrel are included in the deal, accounting for $1.8 billion in net sales over the last twelve months. Additionally, the French company will be licensing the Kraft cheese brand. The deal is expected to close in the first half of next year and is subject to regulatory approval. Kraft Heinz will use the proceeds of the deal to pay down its debt. Kraft Heinz CFO Paulo Basilio said that the company expects its adjusted earnings per share to be diluted by 5% as a result of the sale. Ahead of the company's investor day, analysts had speculated that its cheese business could be on the auction block because of competition from private label brands. CNBC reported more than a year ago that the company was weighing a sale of Breakstone's sour cream and cottage cheese business. Shares of Kraft Heinz were up 1% in morning trading as the company presented its long-term turnaround plan to investors. As its blueprint is implemented, the company is projecting long-term organic sales growth of 1% to 2% and adjusted earnings per share growth of 4% to 6%. The stock, which has a market value of $39.5 billion, has risen less than 1% this year. A former Mixed Martial Arts fighter frightened staff of a Laois hotel when he became drunk and made threats. A case was heard on the matter at the Portlaoise District Court last Thursday, September 10. Gary Tobin of 99F Lower Gardiner Street flats, Dublin 1, was charged with threatening and abusive behaviour, and of being intoxicated in public on the Dublin road, Portlaoise, at the Killeshin Hotel. Garda Sgt JJ Kirby gave evidence about the incident which happened on Sunday July 19 this year. For some reason, he lost control. He was an MMA fighter. He said it will take seven guards to put me down. The staff became frightened, they called the Gardai and he was arrested, he said. A charge of assault of his partner was withdrawn by her. Mr Tobin has 46 previous convictions. Judge Catherine Staines told him to reflect on what he had done. I ask you to reflect on your despicable behaviour and deal with your drink problem, she said. The case was put back to November 3 for a restorative justice report. More Portlaoise District Court stories in the Leinster Express on sale now in your local shop. Sentencing on immigration charges has been postponed until Nov. 17 for a Mexican national who has been named as a suspect in the fatal shooting last November of the 55-year-old mother of two New Mexico State Police officers. Luis Talamantes, 33, was scheduled to be sentenced Tuesday on illegal reentry charges in a federal courtroom in San Antonio, Texas. Federal prosecutors are seeking an enhanced sentence of 20 years for that immigration crime, citing his alleged involvement in the death of Jacqueline Vigil on Albuquerques West Side. He has not been charged in that slaying. Talamantes attorney asked for a continuance Friday. Talamantes is accused of fleeing to Texas after the shooting, which occurred as Vigil was sitting in her car outside her home, preparing to leave for the gym. Tips to Crime Stoppers led Albuquerque police to alert Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents of his whereabouts in San Antonio. He has been held on illegal reentry charges since January. National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval (Reuters) At a meeting of national security advisers (NSAs) of member countries of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), India on September 15 walked out in protest after the Pakistani side projected a "fictitious" map showing Indian territories as part of Pakistan. The government has said this move by Pakistan "was in blatant disregard to the advisory by the host against it and in violation of the norms of the meeting". As per reports, NSA Ajit Doval walked out of the conference to register India's opposition to the Pakistani representative's move to push the map on a multilateral platform. Last month, Pakistan had released a new "political map" that included regions of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), and Junagadh in Gujarat. The Indian government had reacted to the move, calling it "an exercise in political absurdity", and said the country's "ridiculous assertions have neither legal validity nor international credibility". Listen | China wants to appear as the winner in the standoff with India, combined attack with Pakistan is not a possibility "At the meeting of the NSAs of member states of the SCO, hosted by the Chair of the SCO (Russia), the Pakistani NSA deliberately projected a fictitious map that Pakistan has recently been propagating. This was in blatant disregard to the advisory by the host against it and in violation of the norms of the meeting. After consultation with the host, the Indian side left the meeting in protest at that juncture," External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said in response to a media query. "As was to be expected, Pakistan then went on to present a misleading view of this meeting," he added. Nikolai Patrushev, secretary of the National Security Council of Russian Federation, conveyed that he was personally very grateful to India for attending the SCO summit held earlier today, adding that Russia does not support what Pakistan had done, government sources told CNN-News18. He further said he hopes Pakistan's "provocative act" will not affect India's participation at the SCO. - Cassper Nyovest and Thobeka Majozi have given birth to their first child, a beautiful baby boy - The rapper took to social media to make the announcement on Sunday night, 13 August - Social media users have sent their messages of congratulations to the beautiful couple for their new addition PAY ATTENTION: Click See First under the Following tab to see Briefly.co.za News on your News Feed! A huge congratulations is due to Cassper Nyovest who is now a proud daddy to his first born child. The rapper and his girlfriend Thobeka Majozi have welcomed their baby boy. The Mzansi musician took to social media on Sunday evening to make the revelation. He posted a picture wearing theater scrubs as he was preparing for the birth of the child. He took to social media to share that his boy's name is Khotso, which means peace. Taking to Twitter, Cass posted: "This album means sooo much more and it makes sooo much sense now that my son, Khotso is here. #AnyMinuteNow" Mzansi have flooded his comments section with messages of congratulations. The phrase 'Congratulations Mufasa' trended on social media into Monday morning. Cassper and Thobeka have not yet shared any pictures of the bundle of joy but we are sure that he is super cute. DJ Black Coffee congratulated Cass with a message on Twitter. Simz Ngema also posted: "Welcome khotso... Our Simba is home. Congratulations Cassper Nyovest & Thobeka" KeketsoMaine said: "Congratulations Mommy and Daddy" Advovolicious said: "Same day HHP was born, congratulations Mufasa" SamuelKambule2 said: "Over!!!. The young muffasa has landed. The young Simba. I repeat!!!!! He's here." TumeloMole said: "Congratulations mufasa. Simba is here, bow down nation" Cassper Nyovest has announced the birth of his baby boy. Image: @casspernyovest/Instagram Source: Twitter READ ALSO: Vhudie leaves Mzansi in tears after performing song for couple Briefly.co.za previously reported Simphiwe Ngema has revealed that she already gave birth to her baby boy back in June. The actress and her bae Tino Chinyani have finally let Mzansi in on their big secret. The couple took to social media a month ago to reveal that they were expecting a bundle of joy. A week later, they revealed the gender of the baby and they have now dropped a huge bombshell that they have already given birth. Wow! The couple shared a video on social media and introduced the world to Tiyani Kemorena Michael Chinyani. The doting couple have even gone as far as to launch a clothing brand named after the boy titled Tiyani Afrika. Enjoyed reading our story? Download BRIEFLY's news app on Google Play now and stay up-to-date with major South African news! Source: Briefly News Closing remarks by Angel Gurria OECD Secretary-General 10 September 2020 - Paris, France (As prepared for delivery) President Jose Ramos-Horta, First lady Rula Ghani, honorary Laureates and Leaders, It is a pleasure to address the Fair Share for Children Summit 2020. As we have heard today, the economic and social consequences of COVID-19 are expected to affect children severely. I very much share the concern that has been expressed by Laureates and Leaders about this grave challenge. From the outset, the OECD has been clear that in managing the crisis, priority must be given to protecting lives and the well-being of the most vulnerable this includes children. The pandemic is harming the health, social and material well-being of all children worldwide and the most vulnerable children are suffering the most. While saving lives is a priority during a pandemic, school closures, social distancing and confinement widen inequalities between children. Such measures increase the risk of poor nutrition, exposure to violence at home, higher anxiety and stress, and reduced access to vital family and care services. The economic downturn is expected to increase child poverty, leading to a greater number of children not returning to school. These children are at real risk of being drawn into child labour. A joint report published with the ILO, IOM and UNICEF in 2019, on Ending Child Labour, Forced Labour and Human Trafficking in the Global Supply Chain, provided the first global estimates of the extent of children working in global supply chains. The numbers are shocking: from 12% in Sub-Saharan Africa, to 26% in Eastern and South-Eastern Asia . We cannot risk seeing these numbers increase even further. Over the next few years, the OECD will make child well-being a priority in its work. We recognise the higher level of investment and better policy making required for managing the impact of this crisis on children. We therefore call on all countries to ensure that children get their fair share of the global response to the pandemic. As we tackle the crisis together, you can count on the OECD to continue supporting countries to put children at the centre of their agendas. Thank you. See also: OECD work on Child Well-Being A Texas police officer has been charged with aggravated assault more than a year after fatally shooting a black woman with schizophrenia during a struggle over the cops stun gun, prosecutors have revealed. A Harris County grand jury indicted Baytown Officer Juan Delacruz on Monday for the shooting death of 44-year-old Pamela Turner in the parking lot of an apartment complex where they both lived in May 2019. Police previously said that during a struggle between the two, Turner reached for Delacruz's Taser and used it on him, before he fired five shots at her. However family members have long contested the claim, insisting she never discharged the stun gun. Delacruz, an 11-year veteran, was charged with aggravated assault by a public servant, a felony that could lead to a sentence of five years to life in prison if he's convicted. Prosecutors said he'll be given the chance to turn himself in. Scroll down for video A Harris County grand jury indicted Baytown Officer Juan Delacruz on Monday for the shooting death of 44-year-old Pamela Turner in the parking lot of an apartment complex where they both lived in May 2019 Police previously said that during a struggle between the two, Turner reached for Delacruz's Taser and used it on him, before he fired five shots at her. However family members have long contested the claim Delacruz was patrolling the Brixton Apartments on Garth Road near Park Street at around 10:40pm on May 13 last year when he encountered Turner, and attempted to arrest her. Police said the pair had prior dealings and Delacruz was aware Turner had three misdemeanor warrants out for her arrest at the time - two for criminal mischief and one for assault resulting in bodily injury. A bystander captured the altercation between Delacruz and Turner on cellphone. In the clip, Turner is heard yelling at the officer, I'm walking! I'm actually walking to my house! and then accuses Delacruz of harassing her. As he attempts to handcuff Turner, she breaks free from his grasp, prompting Delacruz to deploy his Taser. Turner is then seen in the footage slowly falling down to the ground. A scuffle then ensures between the pair as Turner is heard repeatedly yelling out Why? Delacruz continues in his attempts to handcuff Turner and take her into custody, as Turner flails her arm and cries out, Im pregnant!' - which was later deemed unture. The woman then appears to swipe at the officer. At that point, something can be seen flashing as Turner extends her arm. Delacruz then steps back before discharging his handgun. Five shots are heard ringing out in the video, striking Turner on at least one occasion. Police later said Turner was able to gain control of the Taser and used it on the officer which forced the officer to draw his duty weapon and fire multiple rounds at the suspect. Neighbors who saw the incident said the community knew Turner and were aware of her mental health issues but said they never felt threatened by her Delacruz was patrolling the Brixton Apartments on Garth Road near Park Street at around 10:40pm on May 13 last year when he encountered Turner, and attempted to arrest her. A scuffle then ensures between the pair as Turner keeps yelling out Why? Delacruz continues in his attempts to handcuff turner and take her into custody, as Turner flails her arm and cries out, Im pregnant! The woman then appears to swipe at the officer. At that point, something can be seen flashing as Turner extends her arm Delcaruz then steps back before discharging his handgun. Five shots are heard ringing out in the video, striking Turner on at least one occasion Delacruz administered first aid on Turner until EMTs arrived, but she was pronounced dead at the scene. Civil Rights Attorney Benjamin Crump, who is representing the Turner family, said last year that she had been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia a diagnosis her neighbor Delacruz was aware of. While Baytown PD say Turner used Delacruzs Taser on him, Crump said the specific model of stun gun the officer had could not have fired for a second time, without having been reloaded first. Turner was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia in 2005. She had three outstanding warrants out for her arrest at the time of the shooting, all misdemeanor counts Crump says Turner would not have been able to manually reload the weapon during the scuffle. He absolutely knew that Taser could not be fired again without her changing the cartridge, Crump, told Houston Public Media in 2019. And he did not have to use deadly force while she was laying on her back. Crump accused the department of trying to criminalize Turner to justify what he called was an unjustifiable execution. Lt. Steve Dorris, a spokesman for the Baytown Police Department, said Monday that Officer Delacruz, who was hired in 2008, was still employed by the department and had a nonenforcement role. Dorris declined to say whether Delacruz had been shot with his own Taser in the altercation when pressed by the New York Times Monday. He referred questions to the Texas Rangers and the local district attorneys office, both of whom investigated the incident. The Texas Rangers have not yet returned a DailyMail.com request for comment on the matter. Baytown PD has urged the public to be patient and to have trust and faith in the legal process, which remains ongoing. Greg Cagle, Delacruz's attorney, meanwhile, said he believed the case against his client was being motivated by politics, for theres no facts that would justify a criminal charge against the officer, he said. When someone takes a police officers taser and then uses it against them, the officer is left with no options other than deadly force. Thats how the officers are trained, he continued. Spray paint marks the spot where Pamela Turner was pronounced dead after being shot by Delacruz on May 13, 2019 Turner's sister, Antoinette Dorsey-James (above), told KPRC last year that her sibling had previously complained of the officer harassing her. This undated photo provided by the Turner family shows Pamela Turner, second from right, with her family in Baytown, Texas Turner's sister, Antoinette Dorsey-James, told KPRC last year that her sibling had previously complained of the officer harassing her. Neighbors who saw the incident said the community knew Turner and were aware of her mental health issues but said they never felt threatened by her. 'Pam Turners killing was a tragedy,' Kim Ogg, the Harris County district attorney, said in a statement on Monday. 'It is important to acknowledge that her family and the community are in pain.' 'Ultimately, we presented all of the evidence to a grand jury that determined the Baytown police officer should be charged with a crime for his actions when he shot Ms. Turner,' she said. 'We respect their decision, and we will be moving forward with prosecution.' Turner is survived by two children, both in their 20s, and three grandchildren. The charges against Delacruz come following months of nationwide protests against racism and police violence around the country, spurred by the death of George Floyd in Minnesota police custody on Memorial Day. Turners name received a mention from Reverend Al Sharpton during the Houston funeral service for Floyd on June 8, in a list among other black Americans who have died in police custody. Crump has previously criticized how long it took officials to investigate Turners death. Last month, he wrote on Twitter: Wheres the outrage over Pamela Turner? Over an investigation thats lasted more than 1 YEAR?! Every morning, Ofc. Juan Delacruz puts on his uniform and goes to work at Baytown Police Department. Every morning, the family of Pamela Turner mourns her death and prays for JUSTICE. Three people are now facing criminal charges for harassing diners at a restaurant in Pittsburgh during a Black Lives Matter protest over Labor Day weekend. Misdemeanor charges were filed against Monique Craft, 35, Kenneth McDowell, 33, and Shawn Green, 24, on Monday. It's unclear whether they've been taken into custody. A viral video showed the trio and other protesters screaming 'f*** the white people' and yelling other obscenities at diners outside the Sienna Mercato restaurant on Penn Avenue on September 5. Craft was dubbed the 'beer bandit' after being seen swiping a drink from an elderly white couple and downing it in front of them before another protester knocked the glass to the ground. Green, who goes by Lorenzo Rulli, swore at the elderly couple and gave them the finger, according to a police complaint. He also walked up to the front of the restaurant and screamed into an open window. Police identified McDowell as the 'ringleader' and said he used a megaphone to scream obscenities at diners sitting outside Sienna Mercato and others passing by, as seen in the video. McDowell was also accused of getting into an alteration with a McDonald's manager in another protest video that went viral. Scroll down for video Monique Craft, Kenneth McDowell and Shawn Green, who goes by Lorenzo Rulli, are now facing charges for harassing diners two restaurants in Pittsburgh during a Black Lives Matter protest over Labor Day weekend. A viral video showed Craft swiping a beer from an elderly couple drinking outside the Sienna Mercato restaurant on September 5 A man identified as Kenneth McDowell is seen shouting at a bicyclist through a megaphone during the confrontation outside Sienna Mercato Shawn Green, who goes by Lorenzo Rulli (center in purple) swore at an elderly couple and gave them the finger, according to a police complaint Craft has been charged with disorderly conduct, conspiracy and theft by unlawful taking after allegedly admitting to chugging the couple's beer. McDowell is charged with possessing instruments of crime, conspiracy, disorderly conduct and harassment, and Rulli is charged with disorderly conduct, conspiracy, criminal mischief and simple trespass. Police noted in the complaint that the diners did not appear to be engaging with the protesters. However, the protesters involved later told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that what the video didn't capture was a group of men shouting 'Blue Lives Matter' and one man swinging a bike at them. Craft (pictured) insisted that the protesters didn't instigate the altercation outside Sienna Mercato The incident outside Sienna Mercato drew the ire of President Donald Trump, who called the protesters Joe Biden voters and 'anarchists' in a flurry of tweets on September 8. 'BLM Protesters horribly harass elderly Pittsburgh diners, scaring them with loud taunts while taking their food right off their plate,' Trump complained. 'These Anarchists, not protesters are Biden voters, but he has no control and nothing to say. Disgraceful. Never seen anything like it. Thugs!' Trump said 'this thuggery' was happening in Democratic-run cities and states. 'Biden and his most Liberal in Senate running mate, Kamala, won't even talk about it,' Trump charged. 'They won't utter the words, LAW & ORDER!' Biden has repeatedly said that violence, looting and other bad behavior didn't count as protesting. In two tweets Tuesday, Trump challenged Biden and his running mate Kamala Harris to 'utter the words, LAW & ORDER,' after protesters displayed bad behavior in Pittsburgh Saturday. The protesters later told the Post-Gazette that the video didn't tell the whole story Cellphone footage captured the moment the protesters descended on Sienna Mercato's outdoor dining space, with Craft approaching an older couple's table before drinking their beer in front of them. Rulli tells the diners: 'F**k the white people that built the system,' adding: 'F*** 12,' a reference to police. Some diners picked up their belongings and left after demonstrators called them an 'embarrassment'. In a second video, McDowell was seen walking next to a cyclist and speaking through a megaphone. It's difficult to distinguish what was said between the pair before McDowell nudged the cyclist with his megaphone. The cyclist swatted back before a second protester reportedly hit the man from behind with a skateboard. Craft, who identifies as nonbinary, sought to explain the scenes in an interview with the Post-Gazette. 'Even though people [at the restaurant] saw that whole thing, they still saw me as an aggressor,' Craft said. Craft said the altercation was sparked when protesters marched through the area and three men shouted: 'Blue lives matter.' It's unclear if these men were diners or pedestrians in the area. When protesters approached the group, one man reportedly swung at people. Craft said that one man grabbed Craft's hair and placed a hand on Craft's chest, saying he was trying to stop a confrontation from happening. Cellphone footage captured the moment the protesters descended on Sienna Mercato's outdoor dining space (left), with Craft approaching an older couple (right) at a table before drinking their beer in front of them Craft (pictured) said the confrontation began after a group of men yelled 'Blue Lives Matter' at protesters and one man reportedly swung at bike at people Describing the moment she took the couple's drink, Craft said: 'So, being a theatrical, snarky type of person that I am, I said that I don't have time to wait for you to order another beer; I will take the one you have' After the initial confrontation, Craft said that the older man seen in footage chastised protesters for their actions. His wife, however, invited Craft over for a drink and to discuss the situation. 'So, being a theatrical, snarky type of person that I am, I said that I don't have time to wait for you to order another beer; I will take the one you have,' Craft said of the moment they grabbed the drink. Rulli also explained his involvement in the row with the older couple he shouted at, saying the footage didn't show a number of agitators who harassed demonstrators that day. 'We don't target businesses,' Rulli told Post-Gazette. 'Our restaurant industry in the city supports us very much. 'We were talking to people that were talking to us. The beer that was consumed was an offer. The glass that fell was a mistake.' He added that people at the restaurant were cheering for demonstrators, and he only approached the older couple after they disparaged him. 'The reason I engaged the individual man and his wife is because ... her husband called me "an embarrassment" and "disgusting,"' Rulli said. Rulli (center in purple) said he got involved in the confrontation with the elderly couple after the husband called him 'an embarassment' and 'disgusting' In a second video, McDowell was seen walking next to a cyclist and speaking through a megaphone. It's difficult to distinguish what was said between the pair before McDowell nudged the cyclist with his megaphone The charges against McDowell also stemmed from an altercation inside a McDonald's restaurant, police said. Video showed protesters swarming the eatery before a man identified as McDowell began shouting at the manager. Pittsburgh police opened an investigation into both incidents last week. The city's protests are in response to several black Americans who have died in police custody, with the recently shared footage of the death of Daniel Prude in Rochester, New York in March, sparking the new wave of outrage. Similar scenes have played out across the county with a diner in Washington D.C. last week cornered by a group of anti-racism protesters outside a restaurant. In another incident, diners in Rochester were also confronted by a large group of demonstrators. 'We're shutting your party down,' one woman was seen shouting in the face of a New York diner as demonstrators smashed the customer's glasses in front of their faces, broke plates, overturned chairs and chanted at them to get out. The charges against McDowell also stemmed from an altercation inside a McDonald's restaurant, police said. Video showed him attacking a manager with his megaphone Turkey: US disturbing balance in Eastern Mediterranean with Greek Cyprus deal Iran Press TV Monday, 14 September 2020 5:37 AM Turkey's Foreign Ministry has expressed its objection to a recent agreement between the United States and the Greek Cyprus for the construction of a new training center, warning that the move could further undermine peace and stability in the region. Turkey and Greece are engaged in an age-old territorial dispute, which has escalated in past weeks over Ankara's energy exploration bid in the Eastern Mediterranean. "The MoU signed between the US and the Greek Cypriot administration on Sept. 12, 2020 and envisaging the establishment of a 'Land, High Seas and Port Security Center' in the Greek Cypriot administration ignores the Turkish Cypriot side," Foreign Ministry spokesman Hami Aksoy said in a statement The Turkish official pointed out that the establishment of a new border security training center on the Greek-controlled side of the island of Cyprus will fall short of consolidating regional peace and stability. "We call on the US to return to its traditional policy of neutrality regarding the island and to contribute to the efforts to resolve the Cyprus issue," the ministry statement added. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo earlier this month unveiled Washington's plans to lift a decades-long arms embargo on Greek Cyprus and boost its security cooperation with Nicosia. Aksoy said the US lifting of the arms ban and the inclusion of the Greek Cyprus in its International Military Education and Training (IMET) program would further complicate the situation. "The steps taken by the US, such as lifting the arms embargo on the Greek Cypriot Administration and including the Greek side in the military training program disrupt the balance between the two peoples on the island and increase tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean," Aksoy said. During a stop in Nicosia from Doha on Saturday, Pompeo condemned Turkey's actions in the Eastern Mediterranean, while explicitly backing Greece. "We remain deeply concerned about Turkey's ongoing operations searching for natural resources in areas over which Greece and Cyprus assert jurisdiction in the Eastern Mediterranean," Pompeo said. On his brief visit, the US state secretary signed a memorandum of understanding with Cypriot Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides on the construction of the new border security training center funded by the US. "The Republic of Cyprus has the right to exploit its natural resources, including the right to its hydrocarbons found in its territorial sea and its exclusive economic zone," he added. Pompeo, however, left without meeting with any Turkish Cypriot officials. Since 1974 when Greece and Turkey almost went to war over Cyprus, the island has been divided into a northern part run by a Turkish Cypriot administration recognized only by Turkey, and a southern part governed by the internationally-recognized Greek Cypriot government. In the meantime, Turkish seismic research vessel Oruc Reis, which has been at the heart of the standoff between Greece and Turkey over gas exploration in the Eastern Mediterranean, is back at a port in southern Turkey. On Sunday, Refinitiv ship tracking data showed that the Oruc Reis, along with two accompanying vessels, had sailed to waters near the southern province of Antalya. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis welcomed the move as a first positive step and a potential prelude to launching bilateral negotiations towards resolving the dispute over offshore drilling rights, which started with the discovery of the first gas deposits in the Eastern Mediterranean in 2011. But Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar ruled out any possibility of Ankara "giving up our rights there." "There will be planned movements backwards and forwards," Akar said Sunday. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address I had to do it, I gotta feed my kids and family I need the cash, Foy said, according to the police complaint filed in court. Foy denied he was selling pot when reached by The Post. But he pleaded guilty to distribution after prosecutors reduced the charge from a felony to a misdemeanor. A judge suspended a six-month prison sentence and placed him on six months supervised probation. The White House will host a signing ceremony on Tuesday for Israel to establish diplomatic relationships with two important Islamic countries in the Middle East - the UAE and Bahrain, marking a notable diplomatic achievement for US President Donald Trump in an election year. Representatives from the UAE and Bahrain will sign the historic agreement with Israel in the presence of President Trump at the White House. President Trump helped broker a historic agreement between the UAE and Israel to normalise relations in August. Last week, Trump announced that Bahrain had also reached a deal with Israel to normalise relations. The event, the president says, would usher in a new era towards peace in the region. So, the Emiratis and the Israelis will be signing their own document, as will the Bahrainis and the Israelis will be signing their own document. Then there's also going to be, sort of, something that everybody is signing, a senior administration official told reporters during a conference call on the eve of the historic agreements, in which President's advisor and son-in-law Jarred Kushner has played a key role. Both the deals were announced by Trump himself after he hosted the phone calls with their respective leaders. The Israel-UAE deal was announced on August 13 and the Israel-Bahrain deal was announced last week. According to the senior administration official, the UAE's Crown Prince's brother and foreign minister of the country is going to be in attendance. Bahrain would be represented by its foreign minister as well. The agreement has been dubbed as the Abraham Accord. There's going to be, sort of, the Abraham Accord that is going to be signed. And then the bilateral with the US as witness or observer being signed, the US official said on conditions of anonymity. A few hundred people are expected to attend the signing ceremony at the White House. In an interview to Fox News, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that it is a remarkable accomplishment. The administration of President Trump has set the conditions for peace in the Middle East. There's real progress. Tomorrow we'll have the Israelis, the Bahrainis, the Emiratis all in Washington to sign agreements normalising relationships amongst the countries. It's a great day, the top American diplomat said. I remember (former) Secretary (of State, John) Kerry saying that if the nuclear was abandoned, that Israel would become more isolated, when in fact just the opposite has now happened, he said. They've joined hands and now they have many more partners across the region. Each of those countries, those Gulf states recognise that the shared threat from the Islamic Republic of Iran is very, very real, and now they are working together, building out security and economic relationships and real ties between these countries. It'll be truly stabilising for the Middle East to see what happens tomorrow in Washington, DC. I'm proud of what President Trump and his team have accomplished, Pompeo said. The deal between the UAE and Israel represented a significant breakthrough in diplomatic relations between the two nations as the Trump administration works to facilitate cooperation between Arab nations and Israel. Trump, seeking re-election in the November 3 presidential election against his Democratic Party rival, Joe Biden, is hoping that the two major diplomatic deals would help him in the polls. British automakers are not exactly keen on breaking up with tradition, but Land Rover did trespass into uncharted territory with their first all-new Defender L663 series. Say what you will about breaking up the lineage that could be traced all the way back to the original Land Rover that was created in 1948, but it is sometimes good to kill the old gods to make room for the new ones, as the saying goes. Especially if youre going for an additional tuning kit... 7 photos STOCKTON, Calif., Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- WelbeHealth, operator of four PACE programs across California, is offering a free webinar to address coronavirus safety and manage risk for our elderly. COVID-19: What Seniors and Caregivers Need to Know, will be presented on September 22, 2020 from 2:00pm to 3:00pm. To register call 800-851-0966 or email [email protected] and include your name and email address. Space is limited. Dr. Colin Robinson, MD, MPH, Medical Director for WelbeHealth will be the presenter of this valuable information. Dr. Robinson will address the latest guidance on coronavirus safety and how to manage risk while staying active and engaged, as well as answer any questions about the virus, symptoms, safety, and more. The webinar will also include a Q&A session to answer questions you may have about the virus and ways to keep safe. During this global pandemic, seniors have received information from various news, government and community sources on how to stay safe. While most were helpful, some information conflicted with others creating questions for many seniors. Masks or no masks? Three feet of space or six? Stay away from all groups or just those greater than 10? WelbeHealth wants to ensure that seniors are informed and prepared. The webinar will educate seniors and caregivers with symptoms to watch out for as well as inform on how to reduce risk of exposure to coronavirus. Older adults and people with underlying medical conditions are at particularly high risk during the COVID-19 pandemic, underscoring the need for aggressive action to protect PACE participants. According to the National PACE Association, the average PACE participant in the U.S. is 77 years old with 8 medical conditions, many of which are chronic conditions such as diabetes, dementia, and coronary artery disease. WelbeHealth operates PACE (Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly), a comprehensive medical and social care model with a decades-long track record of improved quality of life, life expectancy and personal empowerment for frail seniors. Most PACE participants are able to live safely and independently in their own homes and communities rather than receive care in a nursing home. WelbeHealth operates PACE programs in San Joaquin and Stanislaus Counties Stockton PACE; Pasadena Pacific PACE; Long Beach LA Coast PACE; and soon to open in Fresno Sequoia PACE. For further information email [email protected] SOURCE WelbeHealth Related Links welbehealth.com The New Street property sold for the first time in 30 years. Credit: A corner building leased to four tenants at 310-318 New Street has sold for the first time in 30 years for $3.3 million. The 530 sq m two-level brick building returned income of $145,089 per annum, Teska Carsons George Takis and Michael Taylor said. A fully refurbished office/warehouse in the heart of industrial Moorabbin has sold for $1.49 million. Nichols Crowders James Glen negotiated the deal for the 700 sq m property at 8 Wren Road to an online fashion group looking for a new office space with a classic brick warehouse. Brunswick Not-for-profit group Brunswick Industries Association has sold 3-7 Syme Street for $3.9 million. The group, which provides meaningful employment for people living with a disability, offered the 1996 sq m site through Gross Waddells Andrew Greenway and Andrew Waddell who negotiated a deal with a local investment fund. Bentleigh East Launched to market on the eve of the stage four lockdown, a local developer has picked up a development site at 730B Centre Road for $950,000. The 581 sq m site attracted multiple offers, said Nichols Crowders Darryl Lever. SRINAGAR: In a continuing crackdown on terrorist associates in Jammu and Kashmir, security forces on Tuesday arrested two terrorist associates with Rs 6 lakh terror fund. A joint team of Awantipora police and security forces, acting on specific information, arrested two terrorist associates at Ladhoo Crossing in Pulwama when the duo was travelling on a two-wheeler from Shopian to Khrew. An IANS report claimed that arrested terrorist associates were linked to Al-Badr terror outfit and were identified as, Rayees-ul-Hassan and Mushtaq Ahmad Mir. While Hassan is a resident of Gadikhal Awantipora, Mir hails from Dadsara Awantipora. The forces recovered incriminating material of proscribed outfit Al-Bader from their possession, including Rs 6 lakh Indian currency, meant for terror funding of Al-Bader outfit. The two-wheeler, on which the terrorists were travelling, carried registration number JK01AC- 4035, and was seized by the forces. Police has registered a case under relevant sections of unlawful activities. The Syrian Democratic Council has said that the regime is refusing to enter talks with them, despite a recent understanding between them and the Peoples Will Party reports Shaam News. Hikmat Habib, a member of the Presidential Body of the Syrian Democratic Council (SDC), said that the councils delegation has informed the Russian side of Damascus refusal to hold a dialogue with the Autonomous Administration in northeastern Syria, following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between SDC and the Peoples Will Party and the meeting the two delegations had with Russian Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov. Habib said that Lavrov had heard from the two delegations their respective opinions regarding the political solution and their adherence to the latter as well as the expansion of the Syrian-Syrian dialogue, including all parties without exclusion. Habib pointed out that Lavrov asked Deputy Foreign Minister, Mikhail Bogdanov, to work on developing the involvement of the representatives of the Autonomous Administration and SDC and increase their participation in international discussions around the Syrian crisis, all the while devising ways to include them in the Constitutional Committee. Habib spoke about the importance of the agreement with the Peoples Will Party and the Moscow Platform. He said, The Moscow Platform is internationally recognized and is part of the High Negotiations Committee and has representatives in the Constitutional Committee. The MOU was signed so that we become part of the political process, and we want to be part of the discussions pertaining to our future. Habib emphasized that senior Russian Foreign Ministry officials stressed during the meetings that, the next stage will be one of stability, and they will work with their international partners to implement a ceasefire and will not a allow further escalation of military operations. Moscow Platform head and the Secretary of the Peoples Will Party, Dr. Kadri Jamil, considered that, the agreement with the SDC has quelled the tension between the regions of northeastern Syria and Damascus, noting that the agreement is Syrian par excellence, without external interference. Jamil said, in an interview with Rudaw Media Network, that the Russian vision has been consistent since the beginning of the crisis, until now, as they keep reiterating that the political solution is based on Security Council Resolution 2254, the only conceivable solution for the moment, and that all Syrians must be included in the political process. This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author. Liao Xiaojuan, an online mango seller in Baise, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Dubbed "mango beauty" by her countrymen in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Liao Xiaojuan is among a growing number of female college graduates who have found commercial success in China's less affluent rural areas. Like many of her peers, Liao, 26, chose an office job upon graduating from a college seven years ago in the regional capital Nanning, where she found herself often living paycheck to paycheck. Then came the light-bulb moment for the digital marketing student. Since she was very young, Liao has been helping out during summer breaks at her family's mango plantation in Baise, about a three hours' drive from Nanning. But it was not until a recent visit back home that she began to realize the business opportunities underlying the sprawling but largely traditional mango industry that has for decades served as an economic pillar in her rural hometown. The older, largely digital illiterate farmers there, who have struggled to ride the wave of the nation's e-commerce boom, are heavily reliant on old-fashioned distribution channels. Knowing that, purchasers had often driven a hard bargain, damping economic prospects for the toiling fruit growers. "Then I thought to myself, why don't I help sell mangoes online?" said Liao, who quit her job in Nanning in 2014 to fully facilitate the homecoming plan. Her efforts quickly gained momentum, broadening profit margins and quickly depleting her family's mango stock. That prompted her to extend a helping hand to less tech-savvy neighbors and start livestreaming sessions to further promote the local specialty. "A college education in digital marketing is definitely essential, but e-commerce is impossible if there's no reliable internet access," the mango beauty said, adding that internet service has expanded rapidly in villages in recent years as rural infrastructure has been upgraded to revive the rural economy. Liao was among a growing number of female entrepreneurs seeking financial independence using the internet, as central authorities have pushed for cyber-based employment. Women's federations across the nation in recent years have fostered 100,000 female e-commerce entrepreneurs, whose success has in turn created job opportunities for more than 15 million more women, according to a white paper released by the State Council Information Office last year. The report said women account for 55 percent of those self-employed online. Liao's initial success came as the nation moves to bolster career opportunities for female talent so as to empower women and close gender inequality gaps. Authorities handed out more than 380 billion yuan ($55.6 billion) in easy loans between 2009 and 2018, benefiting nearly 6.6 million women, the white paper said. The program has prospered since late 2012 as China renewed a sweeping anti-poverty drive aiming to end domestic poverty before 2021. China has been making headway in boosting female presence in workplaces, defying traditional culture that stresses women's roles in family and child rearing. Data from the white paper show there were some 340 million working women in 2017, or more than 40 percent of the working population on the mainland. This is double the number in 1978, when China adopted sweeping reforms and started to embrace a market economy. Female representation in critical posts, such as in the national legislature and in management, are also increasing. Nearly one in four deputies to the 13th National People's Congress, the top legislature, is a woman, double the number in 1954, according to the 2019 report. Female representatives made up 39.7 percent and 41.6 percent of boards of directors and regulatory committees, respectively, in businesses in 2017, and women holding management jobs at government agencies reached 22.2 percent, 1.6 percentage points higher compared with 2015, it added. (Source: China Daily) NAP Turned Aside (9.32) Next Best Jakarta (7.55) Other Sugar Fix (9.59) Turned Aside can turn them away The feature race at Kentucky Downs on Wednesday is the $500,000 Grade 3 Franklin-Simpson Stakes. A full field of 12 is expected for this highly competitive contest, but Linda Rices Turned Aside may well turn this race into a procession. Hes been steadily progressive throughout his career, winning three of his seven starts thus far and posted a career-best effort on his latest outing to readily land the Grade 3 Quick Call at Saratoga in July. Involved in a pace skirmish throughout, he travelled up powerfully around the bend and quickened clear in impressive fashion for a comfortable score. That effort can be upgraded, given that Turned Aside was dropped to the extended five furlongs for the first time. Its still very early days for this progressive three-year-old and his better days should be firmly ahead of him. Stepping back up to this distance is another big positive, with two prior victories coming over the six furlong distance. Jose Ortiz takes over the ride and another big effort has to be expected. Jakarta in the ascendency As ever, Michael Maker has his stable in great form and Jakarta has five-star claims in the sixth race on the card, a $100,000 Starter Allowance contest for fillies and mares. Shes enjoyed a very productive career thus far, winning six of her 14 starts, including a Stakes contest at Gulfstream Park earlier this year. Shes been aimed high since, including a pair of Grade 3 tilts at Belmont Park, where she far from disgraced herself. Jakarta posted a career-best effort on her latest outing at Saratoga, finishing a narrow second in a Listed contest. She was only collared in the dying strides over the five-and-a-half furlong distance and a return to the extended six furlongs is a big positive. On paper, this is an easier contest. Her best form, including a Black Type success at Gulfstream back in May, gives her excellent claims, even if you disregard her subsequent improvement. If Maker's charge can match her best form back at this level, shes going to be tough to beat. Sweet on Sugar Fix's chance One of five Starter Allowance contests on the card on Wednesday, Race 8 will be raced over the mile and seventy-yard distance. Saffie Joseph Jr is having a great time of things in recent weeks and the good times can keep rolling with Sugar Fix. His filly has been on a roll in 2020, completing a four-timer when easily taking a claiming contest at Saratoga in July. Joining Joseph thereafter, she made her stable debut in the Grade 3 Lake George, where she acquitted himself well to finish a close-up fifth. Sugar Fix continues to progress with each start this year and its unlikely that her improvement stops there. After just 13 starts, and six victories, the best is surely yet to come from this unexposed three-year-old, who can take another step up the ladder. Note to readers: we may earn a commission from the offers and links on this page. A senior bank regulatory official in Shanghai was placed under investigation for graft, sending another shock wave through the industry in Chinas financial hub. Zhou Wenjie, a member of the Communist Party committee and deputy director of the Shanghai Bureau of the China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission (CBIRC), is being probed for serious violation of discipline and law, the partys anti-corruption watchdog said Monday in a statement. The Shanghai banking sector has been rocked by graft scandals under Zhous oversight. At least five top bankers have also come under investigation. Three of the cases are intertwined and are most likely linked to an investigation of former securities chief Liu Shiyu, sources close to the matter told Caixin. Zhou, 49, joined the Shanghai office of the national banking regulatory body in 2003 and was promoted to deputy bureau chief in 2016. Before that, he worked for the central banks Shanghai branch since 2001. According to the official website of the CBIRC Shanghai branch, Zhous responsibilities included overseeing the bureaus general office, banking institution inspection department, consumer protection department and offices supervising large state banks and national joint-stock banks. Zhous information has been taken down from the website. Investigators targeted Zhou during an ongoing investigation of Gu Qingliang, former head of the Shanghai branch of China Zheshang Bank, people familiar with the matter told Caixin. But Zhou is also being probed for other violations, they said. Gu Qingliang, who resigned from Zheshang Bank in late 2018, was investigated in mid-2019 for suspected violations involving the banks fast-expanding interbank business, Caixin learned. In July, the CBIRC fined Zheshang Bank more than 100 million yuan ($14.6 million), the highest penalty issued against a commercial bank since early 2018, over its involvement in illegal interbank business. Zheshang Bank expanded its assets by 130% from 2014 to 2017 by borrowing enormous sums on the interbank market and then investing in higher-yielding assets, Caixin reported previously. It came under scrutiny after the regulator instructed financial institutions to cut back on interbank business and reduce off-balance sheet assets. In June 2019, Gu Guoming, a former head of the Shanghai branch of Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Ltd. (ICBC), was placed under investigation. Gu Guoming is accused of taking nearly 137 million yuan ($19.5 million) in bribes between 2008 and 2019, a Shanghai court said in July following a hearing. Lu Hong, a deputy head of Gu Guomings ICBC branch, was also put under investigation for alleged graft. Leng Peidong, the chief of the Shanghai branch of Ping An Bank, was investigated in October 2019, Caixin reported earlier. Lengs predecessor, Yang Hua, is also under probe. Contact reporter Han Wei (weihan@caixin.com) and editor Bob Simison (bobsimison@caixin.com). Download our app to receive breaking news alerts and read the news on the go. A young father faces a fight to walk again after shattering both his legs in a horrific balcony fall while on a 'dream holiday' with his family. Jamie Moylan, from Birkenhead, Merseyside, was rushed to hospital in the early hours of Saturday morning after plunging to the ground while saying goodbye to friends in Turkey. The 26-year-old was given emergency surgery to both legs after doctors reportedly told his partner Mia Hodgson they were going to amputate his foot. Jamie Moylan, pictured with his partner and daughter, faces a fight to walk again after shattering both his legs in a horrific balcony fall while on a 'dream holiday' in Turkey But Jamie is still in Turkey and it is not yet known whether he will ever walk again after the accident. Now his family are frantically trying to raise enough money to pay the hospital bills and to organise to bring him home for more treatment. Mia told the Liverpool Echo that the couple, and their three-year-old daughter Amaya, were only supposed to be there for one week but decided to extend their stay after Jamie's sister flew out to the holiday destination with her children. The 24-year-old, from Liverpool, said: 'We were only out there for a week but when Jamie's sister came over and we decided to extend the trip. 'Friday was our last night and we were due to fly home on Saturday so we had been out for a family meal before coming back to the hotel. 'I took Abbey to bed and Jamie went to say bye to some friends we met out there.' A short time later, Mia said the hotel manager woke her up to get Jamie's passport and to say he had been in an accident. She added: 'At around 1am they woke me to say he'd been in an accident and needed his passport urgently. The 26-year-old was given emergency surgery to both legs after doctors reportedly told his partner they were going to amputate his foot 'Apparently he was chatting to our friends on the balcony but there was nowhere to sit. 'So Jamie sat on the balcony railings and put one leg over to stabilise himself but he lost his balance and fell.' Jamie's sister went to the hospital but Mia couldn't go to see him until later in the morning. When she got there, she said that doctors were saying they would need to amputate Jamie's foot because it was so badly damaged. Mia said: 'I begged them not to and they rushed him to surgery to see what they could do. 'He had a major operation on both legs and is still in a really bad way. 'We don't even know if he will walk again.' Mia and Amaya had to fly home that day but Jamie's sister returned to Alanya to be with him while the family organise bringing him home. Jamie's family are desperately trying to raise 20,000 to pay the hospital for the treatment so far as well as whatever else he needs Jamie, Mia and Amaya had taken out insurance for their holiday before travelling but were unaware they would need to extend it after deciding to stay an extra week. Now, they are desperately trying to raise 20,000 to pay the hospital for the treatment Jamie has received already and whatever else he needs. Mia said 'They've said we have to pay 20,000 straight away and it will likely be more than that by the time we are able to bring him home. 'Friends and family came forward and sent us money and I am organising a raffle to help raise some more. 'We were told to set up a GoFundMe page or something but the money can't be claimed for 30 days and we don't have that time.' Mia has said the whole ordeal has been a nightmare and she would do anything to bring Jamie home and get him the help he needs. She said: 'He just wants to be home and I need him here. It's so stressful and scary and we just don't know what the future is going to be like for us but we need to get him home as soon as possible.' Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Tue, September 15, 2020 19:09 493 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c44f9775 1 National bnpt,terrorism,attack,syekh-ali-jaber,National-Police,terror-attack,assault,Lampung Free The National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT) and the National Police are currently investigating the possible involvement of a terror network in an attack against prominent Islamic preacher Syekh Ali Jaber. The agencys head, Boy Rafli Amar, said a team comprising personnel of both forces had been deployed to trace the attackers digital footprint. We are looking into the possibility [that the perpetrator is affiliated with a terror group], Boy said during a meeting with House of Representatives Commission III overseeing legal affairs in Jakarta on Tuesday, as quoted by kompas.com. Read also: Islamic preacher Syekh Ali Jaber attacked while giving sermon Ali was attacked by a man, identified as 24-year-old AA, while giving a sermon at Falahudin Mosque in Bandar Lampung, Lampung, on Sunday. AA attacked the preacher with a knife, leaving a wound in his right shoulder. The attacker was apprehended shortly after the incident. Boy added that AA's family had claimed the man had been suffering from mental illness for the past five years. However, he refused to believe the statement before the investigation was finished and AA underwent a psychological examination. Ali expressed hope authorities would investigate the case thoroughly as he believed the attacker was trained. He was echoed by Religious Affairs Minister Fachrul Razi, who described the incident as a crime. (vny) A Delta Air Lines flight headed for Los Angeles returned to the gate Saturday night in Detroit after a woman aboard the plane refused to wear a face mask, airline officials say. Flight 201 had been scheduled to depart at 8:15 p.m., The Detroit Free Press reported. But the plane returned to the gate at Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport before takeoff. A woman aboard the plane who had refused to wear a face mask in compliance with Delta policies to curb the spread of coronavirus was removed without incident, The Detroit News reported. Delta requires masks on every flight for the safety of our customers and crew, said spokeswoman Kristin Seay, reported Deadline Detroit. The plane took off about 45 minutes late and arrived in Los Angeles with 84 passengers, The Detroit Free Press reported. In a Twitter post, Alexis Wiley, chief of staff to Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, wrote that her mother had been on the flight and posted a video of a passenger departing the plane. My moms @Delta flight from Detroit to LA just turned around and went back to the gate because a passenger refused to wear a mask. Flight attendants announced masks are non negotiable! Thank you @Delta for putting passenger safety first! @LASpeech pic.twitter.com/vuMUl3fQVH Alexis Wiley (@AlexisWileyNews) September 13, 2020 Pamela Wiley told her daughter the woman had worn a face mask while boarding, but refused to put it back on after being seated, The Detroit News reported. She said flight attendants were polite, but resolute, according to the publication. They really tried to work with her, it was very well done, Pamela Wiley said, The Detroit Free Press reported. I was really pleased that they cared enough about the rest of us, and their own health and safety, because they know that this is the rule and there is no exception. More than 29 million cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed worldwide with more than 925,000 deaths as of Sept. 14, according to Johns Hopkins University. The United States has more than 6.5 million confirmed cases with more than 194,000 deaths. A 27-year-old Flemington native with a rare medical condition is awaiting a life-saving procedure that she will not receive unless she raises tens of thousands of dollars within the next week. Jacqueline Jacqui Heid, who currently lives in Highland Park, traveled to Germany in late June to receive surgery after her arteries became compressed. Her condition is mainly the result of Superior Mesenteric Artery Syndrome (SMAS), a syndrome in which the duodenum the first part of the small intestine is compressed between the aorta and the Superior Mesenteric Artery, causing immense pain and bloating after meals. She developed this syndrome, so rare it only affects .013% of the population, following a major car accident in 2013 that required her first life-saving surgery in 2018. After learning about a German surgeon, Wilhelm Sandmann, who was willing to operate on her, she successfully raised over $50,000 for the operation, travel and other costs through a GoFundMe page. Two years later, three new compressions have formed and caused a reoccurrence of SMAS, meaning that Heid once again needs to meet this same financial goal but is roughly $35,000 short of it one week prior to the procedure. Its been a struggle just affording day-to-day living expenses as we didnt expect to be in Germany this long, so any little bit helps, Heid, whose medical condition prohibited her from speaking in an interview with NJ Advance Media, wrote on her GoFundMe page on Sept. 7. We have been borrowing money from almost everyone we know just to afford food, housing, other living expenses, as well as my appointments, scans, and prescriptions to the point that we have essentially tapped everyone out and really need all the help we can get! Hayley Stakem, a close friend of Heids who attended Hunterdon Central Regional High School with her and has helped to finance her current stay in Germany, explained that her operation has taken months to schedule due to short-staffing at the hospital for reasons related to the coronavirus. Because of (COVID-19), the hospital kind of started turning patients away and not letting the doctors do surgery, Stakem said. As we postpone more, its costing more money. Its a whole mess. Jacqui Heid in 2017Courtesy Jacqui Heid While not in Germany herself, Stakem has been communicating with Heid at least once every few days and reported that shes trying to hang in there. Shes definitely struggling," Stakem said. Shes at the point where she cant hold down food anymore. Shes under 90 pounds now. Ive been in significant pain since getting out here to the point that Im not on my phone at all. Ive barely even called my mom, Heid wrote online. If Heid fails to receive the surgery, she will likely be hospitalized and fed through a feeding tube as her condition inevitably worsens, Stakem said. The hospitals, they dont necessarily know whats going on too well because this is such a rare syndrome, Stakem said. So they dont really know how to treat it or anything; they cant treat it in the hospital. Theres only specialized doctors. Despite her dire circumstances, Heid nonetheless expressed her appreciation for the support she has received throughout her continuing tribulations. At this point, I am just so grateful for everyone who has helped us get this far and to finally have a date set, Heid said. Thank you all again so much for helping me along this crazy journey that will hopefully be over soon. Individuals can make a donation that will go towards saving Heids life on her GoFundMe page. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Caroline Fassett may be reached at cfassett@njadvancemedia.com. Tell us your coronavirus story or send a tip here. Chennai, Sep 15 : Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K.Palaniswami on Tuesday said the government will not allow Karnataka to build a dam at Mekedatu. The Supreme Court's judgement on the issue is very clear. The water that has to be supplied to Tamil Nadu by Karnataka has to be supplied, Palaniswami told the Assembly. He also said the apex court's order is also clear that Karnataka cannot block or divert the Cauvery river water. The Karnataka government is committed to the proposed Mekedatu project across the Cauvery river, but Tamil Nadu is opposed to it. Broadcaster Stephen Nolan's salary increased by around 65,000 last year, making him one of the BBC's top 10 highest earners, new figures show. The Radio Ulster presenters pay of between 390,000-394,999 emerged as the BBC released its annual report of talent who earned more than 150,000 between April 2019 and March 2020, a move previously instigated by the Government. His rise in wages - from between 325,000 and 329,999 the previous year - means Nolan (47), who also has shows on Radio 5 Live, is the joint-ninth highest paid presenter in the corporation, tying with Match Of The Day's Alan Shearer. Details of Nolan's earnings through programmes commissioned for the BBC from his independent production company are not, however, included in the figure. Last year, the Radio Ulster presenter's salary was slashed from between 400,000 and 409,999 in 2017/2018, causing him to rank at 13th on the list. A BBC NI spokesperson said: "Stephen's salary represents his income across many projects including his network programmes BBC Radio 5 Live, his daily BBC Radio Ulster shows and live television work. "His published salary each year may vary, depending on when payments for work completed are actually made." The latest figures also show BBC NI director Peter Johnston's pay increased by around 20,000 to just under 200,000. The spokesperson said Mr Johnston's salary was "appropriate for his role". "Peter's salary was adjusted more than a year ago after a number of pay freezes for senior management and was part of BBC-wide benchmarking to bring salaries in line with industry standards." Gary Lineker was once again the BBC's top earner, according to the new figures, but he is taking a pay cut. An announcement on Tuesday said the Match Of The Day host is reducing his salary. Lineker took 1.75 million - before any cut. BBC Radio 2 breakfast show DJ Zoe Ball shoots up the list - on 1.36 million, making her the highest-paid woman in the top 10. The salary does not include her presenting work for Strictly Come Dancing's It Takes Two. Pay packets made through BBC Studios, the broadcaster's commercial arm and responsible for the likes of Strictly Come Dancing, Antiques Roadshow and Doctor Who, are not disclosed. Graham Norton takes about 725,000 for his Radio 2 show and some TV work, but not his chat show. Radio 2 DJ Steve Wright is on about 475,000. Newsreader and election night presenter Huw Edwards is on more than 465,000. Fiona Bruce takes home over 450,000 for her work on Question Time. BBC Radio London's Vanessa Feltz is on about 405,000. Desert Island Discs host Lauren Laverne makes the top 10 for the first time, with more than 395,000. Laverne took over from Kirsty Young on the Radio 4 programme, while Bruce followed in the footsteps of David Dimbleby. The BBC previously opposed the publication of salaries as a "poacher's charter", but then-boss Lord Hall later said he welcomed the "transparency". The salaries are being published amid questions about how the BBC will be funded in future. The licence fee model is guaranteed until December 31 2027, the end of the current charter. Decriminalisation of licence fee evasion could also be on the cards - but the BBC has warned that switching to a civil system would cost the broadcaster more than 200 million a year. The BBC began means-testing the free TV licence for over-75s in August, having previously delayed its introduction because of the pandemic. BBC director-general Tim Davie said Lineker has signed a new five-year contract with the BBC. "And he has done so at a saving of nearly a quarter over his last contract," he said. "We are hugely honoured to have a broadcaster of such brilliance at the BBC. "And this is a great example of giving audiences both the best talent and the best value." The BBC is clamping down on presenters' use of social media. Davie added: "Gary knows that he has responsibilities to the BBC in terms of his use of social media." Vietnam logged no local COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, the 13th day in a row, while announcing five recoveries, according to the Ministry of Health. The countrys tally remains at 1,063 patients, having been confirmed since January 23, when the virus first struck. Five patients were declared free of the pathogen on Tuesday, including four in Da Nang and one in neighboring Quang Nam Province, the health ministry said. The number of recovered patients has reached 931 while 35 have died, most having suffered critical pre-existing conditions, as yet. Vietnam has registered 551 local infections since July 25, when a new wave hit the country after it had gone 99 days without documenting any community transmission. Most of the cases have been traced back to Da Nang. The nation is quarantining 32,578 people who came into close contact with infected patients or arrived from outbreak-hit regions. Almost 380 Vietnamese citizens arrived in Vietnam on board a Bamboo Airways flight on Tuesday, the government said in a post on its verified Facebook account the same day. They are children under 18 years old, senior citizens, people with underlying health conditions, pregnant women, workers whose contracts have expired, students, and others who are in dire straits. They were sent to a quarantine center upon landing at Cam Ranh aiport in south-central Khanh Hoa Province. The Vietnamese government says it will continue sending charter planes to bring back citizens stranded in other countries and territories over COVID-19 travel restrictions. Vietnam began denying entry to foreign nationals on March 22 but the government allows foreign experts, skilled workers, investors, and diplomats to enter the country on a case-by-case basis. The nation has suspended commercial international flights since March 25 to slow the spread of COVID-19. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! By PTI NEW DELHI: The Shiromani Akali Dal, an ally of the ruling BJP, Tuesday opposed in Lok Sabha the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill 2020, saying it is against the interest of farmers of the country, especially those in Punjab. Three farm sector-related ordinances were cleared by the Union Cabinet recently and the corresponding bills were tabled in Lok Sabha on Monday. One of them -- the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill 2020 -- was taken up for a discussion on Tuesday and passed by a voice vote. Participating in the debate, SAD President Sukhbir Singh Badal said when the ordinance was being discussed in the Cabinet, his party colleague and Union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal had raised objections and conveyed the concerns of farmers. She had requested the ordinance be put off, but it was issued regardless, Sukhbir said. Harsimrat Kaur Badal is the Union Food Processing Minister in the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Cabinet. The government should not have brought the ordinance without consulting farmers. farm organisations, and parties like the SAD that have a substantial presence among the farming community, Sukhbir said, adding these stakeholders should have been taken on board. Ever since the ordinance was issued "we have been asking the government not to press with it and not to bring this bill. But our voice was not heeded to," he said. Underlining that he himself hails from a farming family, Sukhbir, in an emotive speech, said the SAD essentially is a party of farmers and has always championed their cause. "The party's legacy cannot and will not be compromised or diluted, no matter what price we have to pay," he said, speaking in Punjabi. The government on Monday had introduced 'The Farmers' Produce Trade And Commerce (Promotion And Facilitation) Bill' and 'The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill', and 'The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill' to replace the ordinances promulgated earlier. Expressing his concerns about all three bills, Badal said Punjab will be the worst affected state by these legislations. "Punjab and Haryana have built best marketing infrastructure from their own resources. We will be the worst affected if the assured marketing of farmers' produce at MSP is endangered," he said. He requested the Centre withhold these legislations and work to address the concerns of farmers, adding that the farming community in many states, including Punjab and Haryana, have been protesting against these bills. Later, speaking to the media, he said when the voting on the bill was taking place, Congress and Aam Aadmi Party MPs from Punjab were not present in house as he opposed the proposed legislation. (ANSA) - ROME, SEP 14 - Schools reopened in much of Italy on Monday for the first time since the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic in early March. Some 5.6 million pupils are back in class in 12 regions, plus the autonomous province of Trento. The reopening of Italy's schools is a big test for the State and for Premier Giuseppe Conte's government. "Today is an important day for the national community that we are looking to with confidence and enthusiasm," said Conte. "We don't hide the fact that there are difficulties. "But there is constant monitoring and we will make an initial assessment this evening. "I also want to say that we are investing a great deal in schools this year". President Sergio Mattarella will inaugurate the school year later on Monday in Vo', a Veneto town that was one of Italy's first coronavirus hotspots. Pupils must be at least one metre apart from each other while in class. They are allowed to lower their facemasks during lessons. Pupils at some schools where it is not possible to respect the one-metre rule, however, will have to wear masks throughout the day. Education Minister Lucia Azzolina said 94 million masks have been sent to Italy's schools. "The students have a great desire to go back to class and reacquire sociality," Azzolina told RAI television. "This year will be complex and we know that. "But we have worked hard and constructed a prevention strategy that will function if everyone does their bit with responsibility". (ANSA). The mayor of Rochester, N.Y., a city reeling since the disclosure that a Black man died after officers placed him in a hood, lashed out at the Police Department on Monday, saying that it views everything through the eyes of the badge, and calling for a federal civil rights investigation into the mans death and other arrests going back three years. The mayor, Lovely Warren, abruptly fired the police chief, LaRon Singletary, two weeks before he was to step down in the wake of the mans death. The man, Daniel Prude, died in March, days after being handcuffed and restrained by officers. The mayor said a preliminary investigation into Mr. Prudes death has shown what so many have suspected, that we have a pervasive problem in the Rochester Police Department. Ms. Warren also suspended the citys spokesman and attorney for 30 days. She said blame for the handling of Mr. Prudes death which has led to accusations of a cover-up was spread throughout the citys halls of power. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Rizki Fachriansyah and Fadli (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta and Batam Tue, September 15 2020 Indonesia has reasserted its sovereignty in talks with the Chinese government in light of the controversy surrounding the unauthorized deployment of a Chinese coast guard vessel into Indonesias exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the North Natuna Sea off Riau Islands province. The Foreign Ministry said the government had discussed the issue with the Chinese deputy ambassador to Indonesia in Jakarta on Sunday in the hopes of clarifying the intent behind Chinas deployment of its coast guard vessel. The ministry emphasized that [] Indonesia's EEZ does not overlap with Chinese waters and [the government] therefore rejects Chinas nine-dash line claim because it contradicts the 1982 UNCLOS [United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea], the Foreign Ministry said in a statement released on Monday. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,000/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login The murky quality of Tuesdays sky over Massachusetts can be attributed to ongoing deadly wildfires in the West, according to forecasters. The fires have swept through Oregon, California and Washington, killing at least 35 people and burning roughly 4.6 million acres, CNN reported. Smoke from the fires has also billowed across the country, encompassing nearly all the United States in two large swaths, according to NOAAs Office of Satellite and Product Operations. One of the swathes of high-density smoke traveled from across upper western states to the Great Lakes region and ended in New York. The other swath blew across the southwest through Missouri, Illinois and Kentucky, ending in the Mid-Atlantic, CNN reported. The historic plumes of smoke may even blot out the sun in the afternoon, according to NBC Boston. 4 Smoke from deadly Oregon wildfires spreads across United States, including to Massachusetts Several people Tuesday morning across New England took to social media to post photographs of the dimmed sun, the smokey clouds and the haziness. In Milton, Massachusetts, the Blue Hill Observatory and Science Center tweeted a photo of the hazy sky, explaining the smokes effects on the atmosphere. As many of you have probably noticed today, the sky is rather milky in appearance this afternoon, the observatory said in its tweet. While there are some very thin cirrus up there, most of the milky appearance is being caused by a smoke layer aloft, courtesy of the wildfires on the west coast! Alan Dunham, a meteorologist with the National Weather Services Boston/Norton office, told MassLive that although the haziness is noticeable, the smoke is not surface-based. Instead, the smoke is well off into the atmosphere, the meteorologist noted. It will effect sunrise and sunset," Dunham said about the smoke in Massachusetts, "but it wont be down on the surface. Two images from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration showed the massive shroud of smoke that hangs over the majority of the country. They also showed the accompanying aerosols, a mixture of small particles and chemicals produced by the incomplete burning of carbon-containing materials that can lead to poor air quality across the U.S. The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protections air quality monitoring website continues to show good air quality across Massachusetts, though, and state officials have not recorded elevated levels of fine particulates. The smoke from the wildfires that has been drifting across the United States is aloft in the atmosphere and is forecast to remain that way, authorities noted. More photographs of Tuesdays hazy sky in Massachusetts Smoke from the #wildfires out West have made it to New England today. A hazy sky through the evening here in western Mass. Great shot from Bob Labrie! #mawx #smoke pic.twitter.com/DtilWOyYZg Janna Brown (@MetJannaBrown) September 15, 2020 Haze courtesy of the West coast fires. The smoke is now in the upper level atmosphere here in Massachusetts. pic.twitter.com/S29u37Xo5V Mike Malone (@rfgenerator) September 15, 2020 Sun dimmed today over Massachusetts by smoke from the west coast fires at 25.000 ft. pic.twitter.com/aBsM46uwiJ Jim Manning (@JimManning9) September 15, 2020 North Weymouth Mass..earlier this evening.. pic.twitter.com/GDO9IluLJi NORTH WINDS (@NeWeathereye) September 15, 2020 Related Content: Smoke from deadly Oregon wildfires stretches across United States, causes brownish haze in Massachusetts; Haziness may blot out sun OAK PARK, MI A 15-year-old boy is charged with manslaughter related to the accidental shooting death of a 12-year-old boy on Monday, Sept. 14, in Oak Park. The charge comes after the death of Ladamian Williams, WDIV Local 4 reports. The boys were playing with a gun around 12:30 p.m. on Monday at an Oak Park home. The children found the gun at the home. Williams was shot. Emergency responders rushed him to a hospital where he was later pronounced dead. RELATED: Michigan boy, 12, dies after being shot by gun he was playing with The suspect will be charged as a juvenile. READ MORE: Gunman holding 2 hostages in Detroit is suspect in June triple murder Professional poker player killed near Detroit was burned alive after sexual assault 1 teen shot, another arrested at house party with over 100 underaged people U.P. prison rioters destroy housing unit in hours-long take over Of the four crore migrant workers in the country, over 25 per cent or 1.05 crore have returned to their respective states due to coronavirus epidemic and ensuing lockdown. Uttar Pradesh tops the list with 32.50 lakh labourers having returned to their homes, followed by Bihar at 15 lakh, Union Minister of State (IC) for Labour and Employment Santosh Kumar Gangwar said in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha on Monday. The data provided by the government in the Parliament doesnt have figures from states like Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Uttarakhand, Karnataka, Himachal Pradesh, Delhi and Goa among a few others. Given that some of these states like Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh are net sender of migrants, the figure of 1.05 crore could be on a lower side. Apart from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, about 13.85 lakh migrant workers returned to thier native places in West Bengal, followed by Rajasthan which saw 13.08 lakh workers returning. Other major states which are witnessing reverse migration are Madhya Pradesh 7.54 lakh, Jharkhand 5.30 lakh, Punjab 5.16 lakh, Assam 4.26 lakh, Kerala 3.11 lakh, Maharashtra 1.83 lakh, according to the governments reply in the Lok Sabha. Among the Union Territories, Jammu and Kashmir has 48,780 workers returning home, followed by Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu, which till today counted 43,747 workers back to the UT. Based on the last census report, the government had earlier claimed that there are four crore migrant workers in the country. In a separate answer on migrants, the minister informed that the Indian Railway has operated more than 4611 Shramik Special Trains since May 1 with more than 63.07 lakh migrant workers shifted to various destinations in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh and other States. Food and water was also provided free of cost to the workers during their journey, he said. The government said there have not been any reported cases of forced retention of labourers in the country during the lockdown period. In an answer to a question by Bhartruhari Mahtab of Biju Janata Dal and Shiv Senas Rahul Shewale on the number of migrants labourers dying or injured during the process of migration, the minister informed that there is no such data available with the government. However, with lockdown restrictions eased now and economy slowly opening up, there are reports of workers from states like UP, Odisha and Bihar slowly returning to cities. This while giving a much needed push to slowed down economic activities would further correct the work-labour imbalance the pandemic induced migration has created both in the cities and rural areas. WASHINGTON, Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Jewish Council of the Emirates (JCE), which represents the United Arab Emirates' burgeoning Jewish community, hailed today's signing of the Abraham Accords as a peace agreement that can have a transformative effect for Muslim-Jewish understanding and cooperation across the Middle East. A community no longer contained to a "hidden synagogue" in Dubai, the JCE celebrated on the White House lawn at Tuesday's official signing, represented by its president, Ross Kriel, and JCE Chief Rabbi Yehuda Sarna. "This historic deal would not have been possible without an abundance of both faith and political fortitude. We stand in admiration for the leaders of the United States, United Arab Emirates, and Israel for brokering this epoch-making event, heralding in a new era of peace," Kriel said. "We've been praying for this day for years, and today, those prayers have been answered. This moment will forever redefine life in the Middle East." Kriel added: "The news that Bahrain followed thereafter gives us even greater hope for the future of a peaceful, welcoming, and inspired Middle East -- one in which this type of interfaith harmony is not the exception, but the norm." Rabbi Sarna also lauded the Accords' signing as a history-making milestone and one worthy of bearing the name of Abraham -- the common patriarch of Judaism, Islam and Christianity. "What distinguishes Abraham -- in the Torah, the Bible and the Quran -- is not that he was the first to make a covenant with God, but that he was the first to establish peace agreements with others. Bearing his name, the Abraham Accords honor that legacy of peace by opening a new chapter of coexistence," said Sarna. "Today was not just the eve of the Jewish New Year, but the dawn of a new era for the entire Middle East. The true significance of these Accords is not to be found in some 'room where it happened', but in the doors it will open." The Jewish Council of the Emirates is the representative body approved by the Jewish community of the UAE. The JCE constitution provides for our mission to advance the unity, welfare, standing and security of Jews residing in the United Arab Emirates and to contribute to the flourishing diversity and pluralism of the UAE. Sept 14 (Reuters) - Global M&A volumes are approaching $2 trillion for 2020, with technology making up almost a fifth of the total after mammoth deals such as SoftBank's $40 billion sale of chipmaker Arm. Dealmaking has stepped up a gear in September, with Nvidia Corp on Monday announcing the purchase of Arm from Japan's SoftBank. Others are coming thick and fast, with Verizon buying Mexican mobile phones provider Tracfone for $6.25 billion and Gilead Sciences to acquire biotech firm Immunomedics for $21 billion. Such waves are characteristic after downturns, but Refinitiv data shows 2020's $1.97 trillion total of deals announced so far exceeds $1.26 trillion and $1.6 trillion during the same period in 2009 and 2010 respectively, after the 2008 financial crisis. "Coming out of recession, there's usually a bit of catch-up to do and the cost of capital tends to be cheap," Graham Secker, chief European equity strategist at Morgan Stanley, said. Tech firms comprised 17.8% of the total at $351.4 billion, the highest level since the dotcom boom of 2000, while financial services were in second place with a deal value of $283.8 billion or 14% of the total, Refinitiv said. Tech's dominance, the data showed 5,966 deals targeting tech so far this year out of a total of just over 30,000, reflects the wider impact the coronavirus crisis has had. The en masse switch by people stuck at home to internet-powered platforms for shopping, working, schooling, medical consultations and communication has sparked speculation that some of these shifts are permanent. "Because of the changes that will come on back of this, companies will be thinking of whether they have the right business structures. There is a greater risk of a structural change in consumer behaviour than after previous recessions," Secker at Morgan Stanley said. (Reporting by Sujata Rao; Additional reporting by Rachel Armstrong; Editing by Alexander Smith) STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Six students from New York University (NYU) have tested positive for the coronavirus (COVID-19), the university said in a statement. Between Aug. 1 and Sept. 11, NYU said it had conducted almost 30,000 saliva-based COVID-19 tests and had an overall positive rate of approximately .19%, the statement issued Monday said. All six students tested positive at NYUs Rubin Hall, which houses about 400 students, and have been isolated in accordance to the universitys protocols. The students close contacts have also been quarantined. NYU retested all residents and employees of Rubin Hall out of an abundance of caution, the universitys statement said, and instructed that all individuals quarantine from last Saturday to Tuesday night. The university said it conducted tests on Monday and expected results back Tuesday evening so that NYU can evaluate, in consultation with the citys Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, what steps to take after that, which may well include extending the quarantine. Quore, the leading provider of workflow management and productivity tools for hotels, was determined to be an indispensable tool for the staff at the Holiday Inn Detroit Northwest while navigating the challenges brought on by the Coronavirus pandemic. Quore was temporarily suspended but quickly brought back when guest satisfaction suffered. Travis Maschino, General Manager of the Holiday Inn Detroit Northwest, attributed the decline with the absence of Quore. The team was no longer able to contactlessly communicate with guests, whether they were sending welcome messages or resolving guests problems, nor amongst themselves transitioning information between shifts and departments. Reverting back to documenting and tracking via notebook was more cumbersome and time consuming than anticipated, and didnt justify the minimal cost savings. I really wanted to make sure my staff had the tools to do the job, that our guests werent inconvenienced and that our work orders were still able to be effectively handled, says Maschino. I also had to make sure that we continued documentation of our room PMs and our deep cleanings because unfortunately with a pandemic, we still have to do those things. After reinstating Quore, the Holiday Inn Detroit Northwest saw their operations and customer satisfaction return to their high standard. In addition to operational protocols and procedures constantly evolving, so are guest expectations, says David Fox, Quore COO. Were proud to provide a solution that offers some sense of normalcy and consistency to hotel staff. Its humbling and inspiring that we play a role in getting our customers, like Travis and his team, through this tumultuous time. For more information on: How Travis Maschino leverages Quore Contactless Communication with Quore About Quore Quore is an award-winning, cloud-based hotel quality optimization solution, providing the right tools to empower hotels of any size to make operations more efficient and improve guest experiences. Founded in 2012, it is the first solution ever to combine state-of-the-art technology and intuitive design to better manage all aspects of the guest experience, including preventative maintenance, guest requests and complaints, work orders, housekeeping and workforce/shift communication. Quores software is used by more than 4,400 hotels in the U.S., and it supports hotels from the industrys largest brands, including IHG, Marriott, Hilton and Choice. The Franklin, Tennessee-based company is privately owned and was named one of Americas Best Startup Employers by Forbes. The Texas Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered the secretary of state to immediately take all necessary actions to put three Green Party candidates back on November ballots. The candidates had been removed for ineligibility after the Texas Democratic Party and some of its candidates sued because some Greens hadn't paid filing fees. Last month, the 3rd Court of Appeals sided with the Democrats and ordered the Green Party to declare that its candidates David B. Collins, running for U.S. Senate; Katija Kat Gruene, running for Railroad Commission; and Tommy Wakely, running for Congressional District 21 were ineligible. District 21 includes parts of northern San Antonio and a swath of the Hill Country. The fees were newly charged to third parties this year after legislators last year passed a law extending the requirement to them; third parties have sued over the law in still-pending cases. The Supreme Court did not explain its order Tuesday but said it would issue an opinion soon. Its the ultimate David versus Goliath kind of a thing, said Charles Waterbury, attorney for the Texas Green Party. I understand we all live and work in a partisan atmosphere, but it sure is nice when all the parties get to be on the ballot. RELATED: Texas Supreme Court rules in favor of Libertarians in ballot case Harris County officials told the court Monday that it is too late to make changes even if the court were to act today. Saturday is the deadline to mail ballots to military or overseas voters who already submitted their ballot requests. Harris County currently has 180,000 requests for mail-in ballots (nearly double that for a typical presidential year general election), Harris County Attorney Vince Ryan wrote. Given the warnings the United States Postal Services has issued to election authorities that even first-class mail may take up to a week for local delivery, the Harris County clerks elections department is anxious to get as many ballots as possible out to eligible voters who requested them as soon as possible. But Tuesday, a spokeswoman told Hearst Newspapers that the county will be able to add the two statewide candidates and send out military ballots by Friday, as planned. Bexar County election officials could not immediately be reached. Texas Democratic Party Chair Gilberto Hinojosa, in a statement, accused the all-Republican Supreme Court of making a decision based on politics and to give them a better chance to hold on to power. Green Party candidates are commonly thought of as siphoning votes from Democrats, while Libertarians are thought of as taking from Republicans. The Legislature, with bipartisan majorities, passed a law that minor party candidates have to pay the same filing fees or obtain the same number of petitions as major party candidates to appear on the general election ballot, Hinojosa said. The Green Party didnt want to follow the law, and now the state attorney general and Republican Texas Supreme Court have helped them flaunt it. The decision comes after the Supreme Court this month ruled against Republicans who also had sued, over filing fees that 44 Libertarian candidates failed to pay. The court said the suit should have been filed prior to the deadline to declare a candidate ineligible. While third-party candidates seldom have taken enough votes from major party candidates to change the outcome of an election, a Hearst Newspapers analysis from last year showed that as Texas elections become more competitive, their chances of doing so gradually have been improving. Police at the scene of a stabbing incident on the Michael Ferguson roundabout in west Belfast A man suffered stab wounds in what is believed to have been a machete attack in west Belfast yesterday afternoon. Video footage of the incident appeared to show a man wearing a black T-shirt and jeans being restrained by two other men in the middle of the Michael Ferguson roundabout. The man is seen holding a large blade as he was being dragged away by the two men. A young woman was also involved in the altercation which took place as the roundabout was busy with traffic. A spokesperson for the PSNI said that two men were arrested in relation to the incident and confirmed that one man sustained stab wounds. A red Ford Focus was cordoned off by police at the scene as armed officers sealed the area off. A blue hurling stick was also taken by officers. Motorists were asked to seek an alternative route as the Stewartstown Road was closed for several hours at the roundabout. Sinn Fein MP Paul Maskey condemned the stabbing, describing it as "absolutely reprehensible". He also urged anyone with information about the incident to bring it to police. A 46-year-old man is to appear in court on Tuesday charged with attempted murder and possession of an offensive weapon in a public place. As is normal procedure all charges are reviewed by the Public Prosecution Service. A 17-year-old male arrested in connection with the incident was released on bail pending further police enquiries. The Paramount Queenmother of Wassa Fiase Traditional area Nana Abena Kunadwoa, has urged women to support the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to win this year's general elections. This comes after Vice Presidential Candidate for the NDC, Prof. Naana Opoku Agyeman paid a courtesy call to traditional authorities in the Western region. She said, the nomination of Prof. Naana Agyeman is an inspiration for women in the country. According to her, participation in Ghanas politics, which is dominated by males, is now breaking traditional barriers and misconceptions about the capabilities of women in politics. She endorsed the Vice Presidential Candidate during a meeting organized by the Western Regional House of Chiefs in the Western region. She said women representation in politics at the regional and national level hasn't been encouraging and that, hopes the NDC is given the nod to enable her advance the course of women participation in politics. Its been long overdue getting women representation at both regional and national levels. So then, I pray that you make this happen if you are voted into office." Prof. Jane Opoku Agyeman in her address assured to collaborate with Queenmothers when in power. Based on this, the Queenmother noted that Queenmothers are ready to work with her. Do make it a duty to work with the Queenmothers. In your address youve indicated that commitment to work with us, so please make that happen. We are ready, Nana Abena Kunadwoa added. Prof. Jane Naana Opoku Agyeman is on a four day tour in the Western region. She is expected to meet with chiefs at Prestea Huni Valley, hold durbar with tradional authorities today, and to Amenfi Central, Bogoso and other communities tomorrow. The Latinos for Trump group in Arizona will be getting a boost as U.S. President Donald Trump is headed to visit the state on Monday, September 14. He will be hosting a roundtable dubbed as "Latinos for Trump" at the Arizona Grand Resort to sway 1.2 million eligible Latino voters in the state to his side. Trump will first stop in California to get updates on the wildfire before heading to Arizona for his fifth visit to a state known to lean on the Democrats' side. The Latinos for Trump group have set up offices in a south Phoenix strip mall, and one each in Tucson and Yuma, which serves as a public statement that Trump does care about the Latino voters. This is said by Pam Kirby, a member on the group's advisory board, according to a report on the USA Today. Kirby, also a former member of the Scottsdale school board, added that Trump is not just sitting in D.C., saying that he values the Latino vote, but he is "walking the talk" and is actually making financial investments in Arizona. The Latinos for Trump centers and website share key issues in the president's platform that appeal to Latino voters, such as freedom, family, faith, opportunity, jobs, and economy. The group's website states that they are mobilizing for President Trump's re-election by sharing the historic gains in Latino communities that were affected by the administration of Trump. Its website further stated that President Trump's re-election would "ensure economic opportunity, safer communities, and religious liberty for generations to come." According to a report on Fox 10, one of the issues that will be taken up in the Latinos for Trump roundtable will be having a pro-life president, which is what the Latino community wants, said Kirby. Kirby added that President Trump is the most pro-life president that the country has had and has been the only president who has actually walked in a "Walk for Life" march. While Trump is seemingly making headway in a predominantly Democrat-leaning state, Kirby claimed that they have had Democrats registering to vote as Republicans. Proof that the Latinos for Trump is making some headway in earning votes for Trump. This is not surprising with Kirby saying that Democrat presidential candidate Joe Biden has yet to visit the Grand Canyon State this election cycle. According to Kirby, the former vice president, and the Democrats have taken the Latino community for granted. Biden's running mate, Senator Kamala Harris, had spoken to the Latino small business owners in Arizona virtually on Saturday, September 12. She had told them that the Democrats are engaging community members like them because they know that they are the state's backbone. Polling on the General Election race as of September 13 had Biden leading by 4.7 percent over Trump. However, Trump seems to be making progress in courting Latino voters elsewhere with the Miami Latinos, also putting him in a tight race against Biden, according to a report on the Latin Post. Miami is another Democrat state. Check these out: Miami Latinos Put Trump, Biden in Tight Presidential Race Second Stimulus Checks: Is the Congressional Leadership Prioritizing Politics Over U.S. Economy? Air Pollution Contributes to Higher COVID-19 Deaths in Some States Look out your window or step outside and look around you. Depending on where you live, you're sure to see trees, grass, bushes, mountains, perhaps palm trees and sand. All of this is part of a layer of the Earth that geoscientists call the "critical zone." This critical zone supports all terrestrial life. Yet much of it is hidden from us, tens of meters or more below the surface of everything we see. Below all the soil, flora and fauna, there is the gradual breakdown of rock to soil, the flow of groundwater, and chemical interactions between roots and minerals -- processes that sustain surface life, but about which much remains to be learned. Steve Holbrook, a professor and department head in the Department of Geosciences in the Virginia Tech College of Science, wants to bring what's hidden out into the open. "The critical zone provides crucial services to humans and ecosystems, including the production of soil, storage of plant-available water, filtering of contaminants from groundwater, maintenance of streamflow, and long-term regulation of Earth's climate," Holbrook said. "These services are maintained by a delicate and complex balance of processes -- physical, hydrological, biological, and chemical -- that are vital to human societies. Changes in the critical zone can therefore have far-reaching implications for resource management and consumption by humans. In this time of changing climate, increasing population, and widespread land-use changes, it is vital to understand how the critical zone functions from top to bottom -- from treetop to bedrock." As part of a new, $5.3 million five-year National Science Foundation (NSF) grant, Holbrook and collaborators at eight other universities in the U.S. and Canada will conduct field work and modeling at seven sites that span the continental U.S. from Maryland to Southern California. The team hopes to better understand the connections between the deep critical zone and ecosystem resilience, watershed hydrology, and erosion. The project includes an ambitious program of drilling deep holes, geochemical sampling, geophysical surveying, hydrology, and numerical modeling. In this illustration of the continental United States, the field sites in Professor Steve Holbrook's study are marked with stars at the following locations: Pond Branch, Maryland, a suburb of Baltimore; Clinton, South Carolina; Laramie Range, Wyoming; Boulder Creek, Colorado; and the Southern Sierra Nevada, the San Jacinto Mountains, and San Gabriel Mountains, all in California. "Our central hypothesis can be summed up by two catchphrases," Holbrook said. "First, geology matters, and second, what happens at depth doesn't stay at depth. We think that bedrock composition and geologic history imposes underappreciated controls on surface ecosystems and hydrology." Virginia Tech will receive about $1.6 million as the lead institution on the project, which is one of nine new five-year projects from NSF's Critical Zone Collaborative Network program. The field sites will be located at Pond Branch, Maryland, a suburb of Baltimore; Clinton, South Carolina; Laramie Range, Wyoming; Boulder Creek, Colorado; and the Southern Sierra Nevada, the San Jacinto Mountains, and San Gabriel Mountains, all in California. Collaborating universities include Clemson University, the Colorado School of Mines, Dickinson College, Johns Hopkins University, the University of California Los Angeles, Concordia University in Canada, and the University of Wyoming. Virginia Tech research scientists Ivan Rabak and Sean Bemis will work on the project with Holbrook. As the project progresses and gains more funding, Holbrook said graduate and undergraduate students will be brought on board for research paid summer field work. A full-time outreach coordinator also will be hired to help communicate scientific results to the general public, including K-12 schools via a set of online "virtual critical zone" demonstrations. As with scores of projects across academia and countless other professions, work on the project has been stalled by the COVID-19 pandemic. In-person meetings are moot and field work has been delayed. "We had to submit a detailed COVID response plan to NSF in order to receive the funding, in which we outlined how we will change our plans under various scenarios of severity of the pandemic," Holbrook said. "The field work is scheduled to start in earnest next summer, so we are hoping for the best, but planning for the worst." Holbrook and his team's study of the critical zone builds on the nationwide Critical Zone Observatories established by NSF in 2007. Additionally, a loose international network of geoscientists working in the Critical Zone Exploration Network are also exploring the structure of the shallow subsurface environment. But Holbrook's efforts will probe deeper than these other efforts. "What's unique about our project is that we are focusing on the deeper parts of the critical zone, which are by far the most difficult to access - hence all the drilling and geophysics," Holbrook said. ### Facebook has launched the Climate Science Information Centre a dedicated webpage on the site that collects resources from climate experts. The new feature collects resources from reputable climate experts, including the UK's Met Office and the UN Environment Programme. The feature is like a climate version of the platforms Covid-19 Information Centre, which was introduced earlier in the year to combat coronavirus-related misinformation. It's hoped the feature will educate climate sceptics during a crucial time for climate change awareness. Facebook has also promised to power its entire global operations with renewable energy, such as wind and solar, by the end of this year. Emulating a similar promise by Apple, the company will also reach net zero emissions throughout its value chain by 2030 meaning emissions of greenhouse gases will be offset by its operations. The announcements follow Google's claim on Monday that it has just offset all the carbon emissions it ever created. Google has also revealed plans to be powered exclusively by carbon-free energy by the year 2030. The Climate Science Information Centre, a separate is a dedicated space on Facebook that connects our community with factual resources from the world's leading climate organisations including The Met Office in the UK 'Climate change is real the science is unambiguous and the need to act grows more urgent by the day,' Facebook said in a blog post. 'As a global company that connects more than 3 billion people across our apps every month, we understand the responsibility Facebook has and we want to make a real difference. 'Thats why today, ahead of Climate Week, we are announcing a new Climate Science Information Centre to connect people with science-based information.' The dedicated webpage is much like its Covid-19 Information Centre, created in March this year in response to the current health pandemic. The Covid-19 Information Center already acts as a hub for easy access to reputable information about the viral disease, from sources such as the World Health Organisation, the NHS and the government. Covid-19 Information Centre has directed more than 2 billion people to information from health authorities so far, Facebook said. 'One of the biggest lessons we have learned from the Covid-19 pandemic is how powerful Facebook can be for connecting people to accurate, expert advice and information during a global crisis,' Facebook said. The Covid-19 Information Center, featured at the top of News Feed, provides a central place for people to get the latest news and information as well as resources and tips to stay healthy 'Now, we are taking a similar approach to the climate crisis by launching a new Climate Science Information Centre on Facebook to connect people to factual and up-to-date climate information.' Climate Science Information Centre will feature facts and figures from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and their network of partners. This includes the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the UK's The Met Office. 'Climate change, which is already happening, is the greatest threat facing humanity and the world we inhabit,' said Professor Stephen Belcher, Met Office chief scientist. 'Harnessing the best available climate science is our best guide to inform how we can avoid the worst impacts of climate change, but also to help us live with those impacts for which it is too late to avoid. 'Facebook's Climate Science Information Centre will provide a central and accessible source for all this information.' The new Centre rolls out today for Facebook users in the UK, the US, France and Germany and will come to other countries soon. Facebook also mentioned that it partners with more than 70 independent fact-checking organisations globally, covering more than 60 languages, to monitor climate science content. Dubious information on the site features a warning label on top 'so people understand that the content has been rated false'. Value chain includes emissions from suppliers and other factors such as employee commuting and business travel Facebook used the launch to announce that its global operations will achieve net zero carbon emissions, from its offices to its data centres. In the longer term, net zero carbon emissions will be achieved in its entire value chain as well by 2030. This includes emissions from suppliers and other factors such as employee commuting and business travel. The company will achieve this by reducing carbon emissions through efficient designs, supplier engagement and 'carbon removal technology'. Facebook used 3.43 terawatt hours of electricity in 2018, according to Statista with one terawatt hour being one trillion watts over the course of one hour. 'Over the next decade, Facebook will work to reduce carbon emissions from our operations and value chain, including by working with suppliers on their own goals, helping the development of new carbon removal technologies and making our facilities as efficient as possible,' the social network said. Facebooks global policy chief Nick Clegg, the former Lib Dem leader who was hired by the company in 2018, said the company would continue exempting false claims about climate change posted by politicians. 'No social media company has ever tried to do so for the simple reason that political speeches always are characterised by exaggerations, selected uses of statistics, and exaggerated claims of virtues from one candidate and vices of others,' he said. In a blog post on Monday, Google said it has now compensated for all of the carbon it has ever created. 'As of today, we have eliminated Googles entire carbon legacy (covering all our operational emissions before we became carbon neutral in 2007) through the purchase of high-quality carbon offsets, Google CEO Sundar Pichai said. Google CEO Sundar Pichai said the world has to 'chart a sustainable course for our planet or face the worse consequences of climate change' 'This means that Google's lifetime net carbon footprint is now zero. Were pleased to be the first major company to get this done, today.' Pichai also detailed plans for the company to be powered exclusively by carbon-free energy sources by 2030. 'This is our biggest sustainability moonshot yet, with enormous practical and technical complexity. 'This will mean every email you send through Gmail, every question you ask Google Search, every YouTube video you watch, and every route you take using Google Maps, is supplied by clean energy every hour of every day.' Both Facebook and Google's claims follow a similar announcement from Apple in July. The iPhone maker said it will be 100 per cent carbon neutral by 2030 by offsetting emissions of the greenhouse gas from its operations. CEO Tim Cook tweeted that Apples entire business will be carbon neutral by the year 2030. 'The planet we share cant wait, and we want to be a ripple in the pond that creates a much larger change,' he said It will have a net zero carbon footprint in 10 years across its entire business, including its manufacturing supply chain, it said. Apple is already carbon neutral for its global corporate operations, such as its offices and data centres, which are powered by 100 per cent renewable energy. The recent commitment means every Apple device sold, including iPhones and Mac computers, will have net zero climate impact, according to the company. Microsoft pledged earlier this year to become carbon negative by removing more carbon from the atmosphere than it emits by 2030. By 2050, Microsoft will also remove from the environment all the carbon the company has emitted either directly or by electrical consumption since it was founded in 1975. Meanwhile Amazon has a target of 2040 to become carbon neutral, while Google, which relies on wind power to support operations at its data centres, became carbon-neutral in 2007. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. Gov. Andrew Cuomo finally relented last week, saying that indoor dining would be allowed in the five boroughs beginning on Sept. 30. But Cuomo just couldnt just give the green light for indoor dining. That would have been too simple. No, the state had to set down a list of rules and regulations that could make indoor dining here onerous for owners, and downright intrusive for folks who just want to go out and enjoy a meal. Under the state rubric, restaurants here will be limited to 25 percent capacity. In addition, restaurants will be required to perform temperature checks on diners. And one diner per table will have to provide contact tracing information. Whats next? Having to take a blood test in order to go out to eat? Getting a clean bill of health from a doctor to show to the server before youre seated? Having to give name, rank and serial number? Doing temp checks and taking contact information just puts more burdens on restaurant owners. Suddenly theyre in charge of implementing public health policy? What if someone who dined at the restaurant later gets sick and blames the establishment, saying that the staff must have let an infected person in? Think of the simple nuisance lawsuits. Meanwhile, there are already objections from owners that 25 percent capacity simply isnt going to be enough for restaurants that have been largely shuttered for the last six months. Smaller establishments in particular wont see much of an economic boost from having just a quarter of their indoor tables back in operation. Oh, and you can only serve until midnight. In other regions of the state, restaurant capacity is at 50 percent. And temperature checks and the providing of contact information are not required. Why is it different in the city? The guidelines also state that city restaurants should operate with enhanced air filtration, ventilation and purification standards. I can see the inspectors descending now, the same way they did when restaurants built outdoor-dining areas at great personal expense, only to be told later that theyd have to spend thousands of dollars more to actually be in compliance. How will all these indoor dining strictures be policed? Dont worry. An army of 400 inspectors will be out there to make sure were following the rules. Maybe they can help tackle the rising crime, graffiti and garbage on the streets while theyre at it. If that kind of enforcement is still a priority, that is. We hear a lot about how decisions regarding reopening New York City are based on density. Different density here, different rules. If thats the case, then Staten Island, with far less density than any of the other boroughs, shouldnt be bound by the same rules as the other four boroughs. We dont share a physical border with any other borough. Different rules could easily be applied to us, just as different dining rules apply on Long Island and in Yonkers, which actually do share borders with other boroughs. The lower the citys infection rate goes, the harsher the clampdown, including cars being senselessly being pulled over at virus checkpoints under Mayor Bill de Blasios hot spot program. Which does next to nothing to ensure that people who have visited high virus states are quarantining. Its just vehicular stop-and-frisk. And now youll be fined $50 if you dont wear a face mask on mass transit. Good luck making that one stick when police months ago stopped mask and social-distancing enforcement out of fear of conflicts erupting that would turn them into viral video stars. So many ways for us to run afoul of rules and regulations. Of being subject to random stops. Of being compelled to give personal information. Being forced to undergo intrusive physical exams. Thats New York under Cuomo and de Blasio. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Dian Septiari (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Tue, September 15 2020 Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi has expressed the governments concern about the increasing number of Rohingya refugees arriving on Indonesias shores, calling on other countries in the region to share responsibility for addressing the core issues that led to the crisis. In the last two months, Indonesia received almost 400 boat people of Rohingya ethnicity. [] Myanmar is their home, so a voluntary, safe and dignified repatriation should be continuously pursued, Retno said at the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) on Saturday. Indonesia has rescued and taken in 395 Rohingya people who were adrift at sea on cramped boats. The first group was rescued by fishermen in Aceh on June 24, and the second arrived on Sept. 7. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,000/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Parliament Updates: The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill, 2020, has been passed in the Lok Sabha, by voice vote. The House has been adjourned until 3 pm on 16 September, 2020 Auto refresh feeds The matter was raised on Sunday at the Parliament's Business Advisory Committee meeting, meant to discuss and slot agenda for business for the coming session. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will address the Lok Sabha on the India-China border row at 3 pm, according to the Parliament's list of business for the day. Without naming him, she also took a dig at Ravi Kishan's statement in the Lok Sabha on Monday in which he had applauded the NCB's work to clean up the drug trafficking and addiction within the film industry. "People who made their names in the industry have called it a gutter. I completely disagree. I hope that govt tells such people not to use this kind of language," Bachchan added. Speaking about the online harrassment of celebrities, SP MP Jaya Bachchan said in the Rajya Sabha that the image of the film industry is being tarnished because of a few selected incidents. "Film industry is a source of employment for scores of people. It has always come forward to help the government in its endeavors. Hence, I request you to support the industry," she said. Rajya Sabha MP NK Premachandran gives notice over naming of Sitaram Yechury, Yogendra Yadav and others in the Delhi riots case. Economist Jayati Ghosh and Delhi University professor Apoorvanand have also figured in a supplementary charge sheet filed by the Delhi Police in the February riots cases, allegedly for "provoking and mobilising" anti-CAA protesters. Congress MP Manickam Tagore has given an Adjournment Motion notice in the Lok Sabha on the issue of 'China's agency watching Indian political leaders and over 10,000 Indians.' Venugopal highlighted the near-miss incidents, adding that this could be due to shortage of flight security officers. Recalling the Karipur aircraft tragedy, he said, "We still don't know the reason for the cause of the accident." He also raised doubts on table top airports handling wider aircrafts. Congress KC Venugopal, while speaking on Bill, raised the issue of the Kozhikode air crash and privatisation of airports. He said that the government went against advice given by its own departments to enable Adani to bag a tender for privatisation of several airports. He further added that this will lead to monopolisation of one company on running airports. In many cases, land was provided by state government, which is now going in private hands. Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said by Diwali and end of the year, India would have pre-COVID 3,00,000 passengers a day. Rao said the new policy will create employment and reduce cost of operation for airlines. He also lauded the government's Vande Bharat mission to evacuate Indians from across the world during COVID-19 lockdown. Rao said the real crony capitalism was seen during UPA era and cited 2G and coal auctions. Noting that the civil aviation sector has undergone transformation, Rao said passenger traffic has more than doubled in the last five years. He attributed his travel from Vijaywada to Kapada in Rs 800 to the governments flagship scheme UDAN. The objective of the Prime Minister is to make air travel safer and accessible for all sections of society, not just the elite, said Rao. Highlighting that there has been a spike in passengers and air traffic, BJPs GVL Narasimha rao commended the government for maintaining transparency during auctions. He also lauded the Vande Bharat mission to evacuate Indians in other countries and stated that all bids for privatisation of airports be done in transparent manner. Samajwadi Partys Vishambar Prasad Nishad asked about the fate of employees of Air India after the entity is sold out. He sought to know how many poor people managed to utilise the services of UDAN. Acharya sought to know why Air India is unable to run with full occupancy when private airlines are able to do so. He also questioned why the Bill is not making the three aviation bodies in its ambit functional autonomous. BJDs Prasanna Acharya said India fares poorer than Pakistan and Nepal in aviation safety audit. We fared poorly in security audit too. It is very discouraging. I am happy that safety and security concerns are addressed in the Bill. The increase in penalty is also a good feature, he said in the Rajya Sabha. Airports are huge opportunity for economic development, he said, adding that there is a need to expand large airports and make new ones in Chennai and Kolkata. The former civil aviation minister said, The Bill is important because with the growth of the sector you have to bring your regulations in line with the international requirements. Patel added that there is a shortage for technical people to head statutory bodies. While we are making these three bodies statutory, we have not answered how they will be appointed. We are lacking in specialists, he said. During debate on Aircraft Amendment Bill, NCP MP Praful Patel said, "4-5 percent people board flights one time in a year. If this number goes up to 10-15 percent, we would need a huge increase in number of airports and aircraft. Airlines are financially stressed due to COVID-19 and need support." The Aircraft Amendment Bill, 2020 was passed by the Rajya Sabha through voice vote. The Bill's provisions seek to improve India's aviation safety ratings and provide statutory status to regulatory institutions, including the DGCA. Last week, the Supreme Court imposed an interim stay on quotas in jobs and education to Marathas and referred the matter to a larger bench to examine if the 2018 law, which breached the 50 percent apex court-mandated cap in the cast-based reservation, was legal. The Central government, he said, had not placed its view when the issue was considered by a three-judge bench. But before the larger bench, "the central government should along with state government (of Maharashtra) support Maratha reservation," he said. The Central government was on Tuesday urged in Rajya Sabha to support quota for Marathas in jobs and education. Raising the issue through a Zero Hour mention, Rajeev Satav of the Congress said the Supreme Court has referred the issue of quotas for Marathas in jobs and education to a larger bench. As per The Indian Express , the following adjournment notices have been given in the Lok Sabha on the given issues: Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi on Monday had introduced in Lok Sabha. The ordinance was cleared by the Cabinet on 6 April and promulgated on 7 April, as per PTI. The Salary, Allowances and Pension of Members of Parliament (Amendment) Bill, 2020 seeks to replace the Salary, Allowances And Pension of Members of Parliament (Amendment) Ordinance, 2020. Members of the Lok Sabha on Tuesday will discuss a bill that seeks to reduce for one year the salaries of Members of Parliament by 30 percent to meet the exigencies arising out of COVID-19 pandemic. As per media reports , there will be no discussion on China today. A suo moto statement by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will be put in today, government told Opposition parties during Lok Sabha's BAC meeting. Both India and China agree that to maintain peace and tranquillity in the India-China border areas, it is essential for the further development of bilateral relations, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh tells Lok Sabha on India-China border issue. China believes that the Line of Actual Control (LAC) is not clearly demarcated, said the defense minister. "We want peaceful resolution to the LAC issue. I want to inform all that the LAC is not delineated and both India and China have agreed to maintain peace at the border. Any activity at the LAC will impact the relationship between the two countries," says Rajnath Singh at Lok Sabha. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday told the Lok Sabha that India maintains that China is under the illegal occupation of Aksai Chin. Apart from this, Pakistan has illegally "sold" land in PoK to China, he adds. "Both India and China have two different perceptions of the LAC and this has led to a face-off between both armies." Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said in Lok Sabha that the perception of LAC is different for India and China. He said the government was actively coordinating with different intelligence agencies. "Since April, China has been increasing the presence of soldiers and arm deployment at the border. India has successfully warned China through diplomatic and military channels. "China has mobilised a huge number of Army battalions and armaments along LAC and inner areas. There're many friction points in eastern Ladakh, Gogra, Kongka La, Pangong Lake's north and south banks. Indian Army has made counter deployments in these areas. I want to assure you that we are ready to deal with any situation," Defence Minister Rajanth Singh, speaking in Lok Sabha, on India-China border issue. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday told the Lok Sabha that the "violent conduct of Chinese troops is a violation of all past agreements. Our troops have done counter deployments in the area to safeguard our borders." "However, I want to inform this House and through it the entire nation, that we are prepared for all outcomes to ensure India's sovereignty is maintained," he adds. "A few days later, (external affairs minister) S Jaishakar met his counterpart in Moscow, and told him that if China respects the agreements signed and removes their buildup, then peace can return to the boundary between the two nations." he said. Rajnath Singh told the Lower House of Parliament: "I met my Chinese counterpart in Moscow recently, and put forward our concerns, but made it absolutely clear that India is very serious about issues of sovereignty." "In meeting with Chinese Defence Minister, I clearly stated that while our troops had always taken a responsible approach towards border management, but at same time there should be no doubt about our determination to protect Indias sovereignty and territorial integrity." he added. I request this house to pass a resolution that we stand with our armed forces who are guarding our borders to safeguard India's sovereignty and unity, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh tells Lok Sabha. "In the past too, we've had situations of prolonged stand-offs in border areas with China which were resolved peacefully. Even though the situation this year is very different both in terms of the scale of troops involved and the number of friction points, we remain committed to peaceful resolution." he adds. "China continues to be in illegal occupation of approximately 38,000 sq. kms in Ladakh. In addition, under the so-called Sino-Pakistan 'Boundary Agreement' of 1963, Pakistan illegally ceded 5,180 sq. km. of Indian territory in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir to China," said Rajnath Singh in the Lok Sabha today. After Rajnath Singh finished his address in Lok Sabha, Congress MPs staged a walkout from the lower house, demanding discussion on India-China border issue. After the Congress staged a walkout on Tuesday, Congress spokesperson, Randeep Singh Surjewala, in a tweet asked Rajnath Singh, "The country is united with the military. But tell us, How did China dare occupy our land? Why did Modiji mislead us on China not infiltrating our region? When will we drive China back from our land? When will we show China the red eye?" Lok Sabha had already approved the bill in the last session, in which three Jamnagar, Gujarat-based institutes Institute of Post Graduate Teaching and Research in Ayurveda, Gulabkunwerba Ayurveda Mahavidyalaya and Institute of Ayurveda Pharmaceutical Sciences, would be conglomerated. Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan introduced 'The Institute of Teaching and Research in Ayurveda Bill, 2020,' which will grants institutions of national importance status by conglomerating the cluster of Ayurveda institutes at Gujarat Ayurveda University campus in Jamnagar. "Lockdown helped create additional health infrastructure. During this time, dedicated isolation beds went up by 22 times & dedicated ICU beds, above 14 times from what existed in March 2020. Testing capacity for COVID increased 10 times; limited indigenous manufacturing capacity for masks, PPEs, ventilators, etc. at the time of lockdown, was also enhanced to attain self-reliance. By slowing down Covid spread, 1429 lakh cases & 37,00078,000 deaths prevented." he said. Lockdown from 25 March to 31 May successfully controlled aggressive progression of COVID-19 in India but there has been steady rise in number of cases in post-lockdown phase: Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Ashwini Choubey tells Rajya Sabha As per PRS Legislative Research , the proposed reduction to the salaries and allowances of MPs and Ministers amounts to savings of around Rs 54 crore. This is less than 0.001% of Rs 20 lakh crore which is the amount of the special economic package announced by the centre, in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Members of the Lok Sabha began discussions on a bill that seeks to reduce for one year the salaries of Members of Parliament by 30 percent to meet the exigencies arising out of COVID-19 pandemic. BJP MP Vijay Baghel from Durg (Chhattisgarh) endorses the Bill, that proposes to replace an ordinance brought in April through which 30% salary of parliamentarians was deducted. Congress Member Dean Kuriakose said that total collection from the salary deduction would be around 50 crore, which is very less compared to the economic package announced by the government in view of the COVID-19 outbreak. Due to several reasons, the decision to freeze MPLADs for two years was wrong. The Salary, Allowences and Pension of Members of Parliament (Amendment) Bill is currently being taken up in the Lok Sabha as the Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi moves it for consideration. Several MPs speak for restoration of MPLAD funds. As per The Indian Express , MPLAD is a central government scheme, under which MPs can recommend development programmes involving spending of Rs 5 crore every year in their respective constituencies. MPs from both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, including nominated ones, can do so. "The Central Vista project must be cancelled, and more ventilators must be brought for the common man in this nation. Why is the government not reducing its expenditure to make sure that the costs come down," said NCP MP Supriya Sule in Lok Sabha while discussing the Salary, Allowences and Pension of Members of Parliament (Amendment) Bill Meanwhile, Congress leader once again attacked the BJP-led Centre over the India-China standoff after Rajnath Singh's statement in the Lok Sabha. In a tweet in Hindi the Congress leader said: " It is clear from the statement of the Defense Minister that Modi ji misled the country on Chinese encroachment. Our country has always been, and will remain, with the Indian Army. But Mr. Modi, w hen will you stand against China? When will we take back the land of our country from China? Do not be afraid to name China." "Please take our (MPs) salaries, but please do not cut MPLADS funds (Members of Parliament Local Area Development) meant for development works," said Navneet Ravi Rana, Independent MP from Amravati, Maharashtra, in Lok Sabha "As on September 11, 2020, 223 persons are under detention. No person is under house arrest in the UT of Jammu and Kashmir," he said in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha. Reddy also said after the bifurcation of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir on August 5, 2019, the number of terrorist incidents have reduced significantly. Union Minister of State for Home G Kishan Reddy said the government of Jammu and Kashmir has reported that after the abrogation of Article 370 in August last year various measures were taken to maintain public order which included preventive detention of certain persons. Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhary says a unanimous resolution be passed for restitution of MPLADs, as MPs rely on MPLADs to extend help to the people in our constituencies. "We were ready to provide masks, ventilators and even ambulances in our areas from the fund. Almost 80% of the fund is spent in rural areas; why are you taking away the funds meant to be spent on Scheduled Castes?" he asks. "Blatant lies in the parliament by Union Ministers that no one is under house arrest. It has now been 7 months of house arrest and 6 months of detention for many of us, since 5 August, 2019," he said. Jammu and Kashmir PDP youth leader Waheed Ur Rehman has accused the MHA of lying to the Lok Sabha. The MHA has submitted a written reply claiming that no one is under house arrest in Jammu and Kashmir. However, Waheed Ur Rehman said that he, along with many others, has been under house arrest for over seven months. Owaisi said that had he been permitted to ask the question, he would have asked the defence minister about the Chinese occupation of 1000 sq km of territory that India used to patrol. All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen chief Asaduddin Owaisi has termed Defence Minister Rajnath Singh's speech on China in the Lok Sabha as weak, inadequate and 'a 'ghinona mazaak' in the name of national security. "The government came to power on promises of transparency and accountability. In the past six years, we've had very little of that from the government. The MPLADS is perhaps the only thing where MPs are directly accountable to their constituents " Mahua Moitra, TMC MP on Salary, Allowances and Pension of Members of Parliament (Amendment) Bill, 2020. The highest number of personnel who died during their service period belonged to the CRPF (1,597), followed by 725 of the BSF, 671 of the CISF, 429 of the ITBP, 329 of the SSB and 381 of the Assam Rifles, he said replying to a written question. A total of 4,132 paramilitary personnel died during duty between 2017 and 2019, the Lok Sabha was informed on Tuesday.Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai said the deaths include gazetted officers, subordinate officers and other ranks. "However, a case in this regard has been registered by NCB Mumbai zonal unit on 28 August, 2020. Till date, in this case 10 persons have been arrested. Drugs such as Ganja, Hashish, Tetra Hydro Cannabinol and Lysergic acid De-ethylamide have been seized in the operation," he said. "During the period of COVID-19 lockdown, no such actionable inputs were received by NCB revealing the nexus between people in the film industry and drug traffickers. Replying to a written question in the Lok Sabha, Union Minister of State for Home G Kishan Reddy said the NCB carries out searches, seizures, arrests and investigations continuously throughout the year on the actionable inputs developed on its own or received from other sources. The government on Tuesday said no actionable inputs were received by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) revealing the alleged nexus between people in the film industry and drug traffickers. The motion for consideration of the Bill is adopted. Motion moved by Sougata Ray for increasing deduction to 35% is negatived by voice vote. "The government has taken unprecedented measures to tackle Covid-19. Rs.20 lakh crore had been given," he says. Objections are raised by some members. "Till November, almost all poor people will be getting rations. MNREGA wages have also been increased," says Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi. Parliamentary Affairs Minister's response to the issues raised: "The scope of the Bill is regarding 30% reduction in salary of members. I thank all the members who have supported it. This is unprecedented". As per PRS Legislative Research , the proposed reduction to the salaries and allowances of MPs and Ministers amounts to savings of around Rs 54 crore. This is less than 0.001% of Rs 20 lakh crore which is the amount of the special economic package announced by the centre, in light of the COVID-19 pandemic The amendments to reduce salaries and allowances of MPs and Ministers, under The Salary, Allowances and Pension of Members of Parliament (Amendment) Bill, are done to supplement the central governments resources to fight the coronavirus pandemic. The question is whether this reduction has a significant impact to help ramp up financial resources needed to fight COVID-19. MP Sougata Roy, MP Amar Singh on Tuesday opposed the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill, 2020 in the Lower House. Singh said the legislation departs from the Principal Act as Act empowers the government to issue directions to ensure 'equitable distribution' and 'maintenance fair prices' whereas a bill restricts power to 'extraordinary circumstances.' Earlier this month, a 19-year-old woman COVID-19 patient was sexually abused by an ambulance driver while she was being shifted to a first line treatment centre near Pathanamthitta in Kerala, police said. Raising the matter during Zero Hour in Lok Sabha, he said it shows that there is no protection available for coronavirus patients in the southern state. "The incident that has happened in the state of Kerala is a shame for the country. So I would like to request that the Health and Family Welfare Ministry should ask for a detailed report on the incident, Kodikunnil said. Congress member Suresh Kodikunnil on Tuesday raised the issue of sexual assault on a COVID-19 patient in Kerala and urged the Centre to seek a detailed report on the incident. Both the Shiv Sena and the JD(U) are also in favour of the amendment. As per The Hindu, DM Kathir Anand, DMK, says the the proposed amendment is open to debate before being passed, the ordinance route had bypassed the legislation route. "The amendment is likely to benefit the MNCs, big corporates, but not the farmers directly," he says, urging the government to send the Bill to Select Committee. The minister, in a written reply in the Lok Sabha, further said the Centre had liberally allocated foodgrains to cover maximum migrants/stranded migrants. The government had allocated 8 lakh tonnes for two months. "Until 31 August, about 2.67 lakh tonnes (provisional) of foodgrains have been distributed under the scheme to about 2.67 crore persons (i.e. 94.6 per cent of estimated beneficiaries by States/UTs) per month for the months of May and June," Minister of State for Food and Consumer Affairs Danve Raosaheb Dadarao said. Free ration was distributed to 2.67 crore migrant workers per month in May and June against the target of 8 crore under the Atmanirbhar Bharat package announced following the COVID-19 outbreak, Parliament was informed on Tuesday. MPs who support these farm bills in parliament will not be allowed to enter villages and we will teach him a lesson, warned Bhartiya Kisan Union (Lakhowal) general secretary Harinder Singh Lakhowal. Calling the bills worse than coronavirus, he said they would negatively affect farmers, arthiyas (commission agents) and farm labourers, if implemented. The Centre introduced the bills on food and agriculture reform in the Lok Sabha on Monday. The proposed legislations seek to provide barrier-free trade for farmers' produce outside notified farm mandis, and empower farmers to enter into farming agreements with private players prior to production for sale of agri-produce. The protesting farmers squatted on highways and other key roads for two hours at several places across the state against the three bills calling them anti-farmer. Commuters faced inconvenience because of road blockades while the authorities diverted traffic. Punjab's agitating farmers on Tuesday warned that any Punjab MP who supports the farm bills in parliament will not be allowed to enter the villages as they blocked roads at many places as part of their state-wide protest. Three ordinances were promulgated in the agricultural sector earlier this year, of which the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Ordinance, 2020, was one. Bills to replace all 3 ordinances were introduced in the Lok Sabha yesterday. House divided on the Bill over delimitation of stock. BJD's Bhartruhari Mahtab and BSP's Danish Ali oppose the Bill, with the latter accusing the government of selling everything, from airports to railways and now crop production, to corporates. Last week, the Akalis had appealed to the BJP-led Centre not to present three farm ordinances for approval in Parliament until "all reservations" expressed by farmers are "duly addressed" With the BJP-led NDA government going ahead with laying the bills on the table of the House on the very first day of Parliament session on Monday, instead of accepting SAD's "so-called plea" to defer the same, the Akali "charade" on the issue had been laid bare, the chief minister said. Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Tuesday said the introduction of farm bills in Parliament by the Centre had "totally exposed" the Shiromani Akali Dal's "pretence" of protecting the interests of farmers of the state. The Act empowers the central government to control the production, supply, distribution, trade, and commerce in certain commodities. The Ordinance seeks to increase competition in the agriculture sector and enhance farmers income. It aims to liberalise the regulatory system while protecting the interests of consumers. As per PRS Legislative Research , the proposed reduction to the salaries and allowances of MPs and Ministers amounts to savings of around Rs 54 crore. This is less than 0.001% of Rs 20 lakh crore which is the amount of the special economic package announced by the centre, in light of the COVID-19 pandemic The amendments to reduce salaries and allowances of MPs and Ministers, under The Salary, Allowances and Pension of Members of Parliament (Amendment) Bill, are done to supplement the central governments resources to fight the coronavirus pandemic. The question is whether this reduction has a significant impact to help ramp up financial resources needed to fight COVID-19. MP Sougata Roy, MP Amar Singh on Tuesday opposed the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill, 2020 in the Lower House. Singh said the legislation departs from the Principal Act as Act empowers the government to issue directions to ensure 'equitable distribution' and 'maintenance fair prices' whereas a bill restricts power to 'extraordinary circumstances.' Earlier this month, a 19-year-old woman COVID-19 patient was sexually abused by an ambulance driver while she was being shifted to a first line treatment centre near Pathanamthitta in Kerala, police said. Raising the matter during Zero Hour in Lok Sabha, he said it shows that there is no protection available for coronavirus patients in the southern state. "The incident that has happened in the state of Kerala is a shame for the country. So I would like to request that the Health and Family Welfare Ministry should ask for a detailed report on the incident, Kodikunnil said. Congress member Suresh Kodikunnil on Tuesday raised the issue of sexual assault on a COVID-19 patient in Kerala and urged the Centre to seek a detailed report on the incident. Both the Shiv Sena and the JD(U) are also in favour of the amendment. As per The Hindu, DM Kathir Anand, DMK, says the the proposed amendment is open to debate before being passed, the ordinance route had bypassed the legislation route. "The amendment is likely to benefit the MNCs, big corporates, but not the farmers directly," he says, urging the government to send the Bill to Select Committee. The minister, in a written reply in the Lok Sabha, further said the Centre had liberally allocated foodgrains to cover maximum migrants/stranded migrants. The government had allocated 8 lakh tonnes for two months. "Until 31 August, about 2.67 lakh tonnes (provisional) of foodgrains have been distributed under the scheme to about 2.67 crore persons (i.e. 94.6 per cent of estimated beneficiaries by States/UTs) per month for the months of May and June," Minister of State for Food and Consumer Affairs Danve Raosaheb Dadarao said. Free ration was distributed to 2.67 crore migrant workers per month in May and June against the target of 8 crore under the Atmanirbhar Bharat package announced following the COVID-19 outbreak, Parliament was informed on Tuesday. MPs who support these farm bills in parliament will not be allowed to enter villages and we will teach him a lesson, warned Bhartiya Kisan Union (Lakhowal) general secretary Harinder Singh Lakhowal. Calling the bills worse than coronavirus, he said they would negatively affect farmers, arthiyas (commission agents) and farm labourers, if implemented. The Centre introduced the bills on food and agriculture reform in the Lok Sabha on Monday. The proposed legislations seek to provide barrier-free trade for farmers' produce outside notified farm mandis, and empower farmers to enter into farming agreements with private players prior to production for sale of agri-produce. The protesting farmers squatted on highways and other key roads for two hours at several places across the state against the three bills calling them anti-farmer. Commuters faced inconvenience because of road blockades while the authorities diverted traffic. Punjab's agitating farmers on Tuesday warned that any Punjab MP who supports the farm bills in parliament will not be allowed to enter the villages as they blocked roads at many places as part of their state-wide protest. Three ordinances were promulgated in the agricultural sector earlier this year, of which the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Ordinance, 2020, was one. Bills to replace all 3 ordinances were introduced in the Lok Sabha yesterday. House divided on the Bill over delimitation of stock. BJD's Bhartruhari Mahtab and BSP's Danish Ali oppose the Bill, with the latter accusing the government of selling everything, from airports to railways and now crop production, to corporates. Last week, the Akalis had appealed to the BJP-led Centre not to present three farm ordinances for approval in Parliament until "all reservations" expressed by farmers are "duly addressed" With the BJP-led NDA government going ahead with laying the bills on the table of the House on the very first day of Parliament session on Monday, instead of accepting SAD's "so-called plea" to defer the same, the Akali "charade" on the issue had been laid bare, the chief minister said. Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Tuesday said the introduction of farm bills in Parliament by the Centre had "totally exposed" the Shiromani Akali Dal's "pretence" of protecting the interests of farmers of the state. The Act empowers the central government to control the production, supply, distribution, trade, and commerce in certain commodities. The Ordinance seeks to increase competition in the agriculture sector and enhance farmers income. It aims to liberalise the regulatory system while protecting the interests of consumers. Parliament LATEST Updates: The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill, 2020, has been passed in the Lok Sabha, by voice vote. The House has been adjourned until 3 pm on 16 September, 2020. Lok Sabha is currently discussing the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill, 2020. The Bill amends the Essential Commodities Act, 1955. As per PRS Legislative Research, the proposed reduction to the salaries and allowances of MPs and Ministers amounts to savings of around Rs 54 crore. This is less than 0.001% of Rs 20 lakh crore which is the amount of the special economic package announced by the centre Rajnath Singh today addressed the Parliament on the border tension with China. He said India is 'very serious about issues of sovereignty' and the country is 'prepared for all outcomes' to ensure that it is maintained. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi slammed Narendra Modi for 'misleading the nation on Chinese infiltration'. 'When will we take back the land of our country from China? Do not be afraid to name China,' he said in a tweet Health minister Harsh Vardhan said that the battle against coronavirus is far from over and even though the country has unlocked, community support is crucial to break the chain. Rajya Sabha passed the Aircraft (Amendment) Bill, 2020, which seeks to improve India's aviation safety ratings and provide statutory status to regulatory institutions, including the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). Congress MP Manickam Tagore has given an Adjournment Motion notice in the Lok Sabha on the issue of 'China's agency watching Indian political leaders and over 10,000 Indians'. Speaking about the online harrassment of celebrities, SP MP Jaya Bachchan said in the Rajya Sabha that the image of the film industry is being tarnished because of a few selected incidents. "Film industry is a source of employment for scores of people. It has always come forward to help the government in its endeavors. Hence, I request you to support the industry," she said. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will address Parliament on the India-China standoff along the Ladakh LAC at 3 pm. The Opposition had raised the issue at the first business advisory committee (BAC) meeting for Lok Sabha chaired by Speaker Om Birla on Sunday. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, and Minister of Home, state, G Kishan Reddy will also be making statements in Lok Sabha today. Union Minister Pralhad Joshi will move The Salary, Allowances, and Pension of Members of Parliament (Amendment) Bill, 2020, while Ram Vilas Paswan will move The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill, 2020 for consideration and passing. In Rajya Sabha, Sitharaman will make a statement on the circumstances which had necessitated immediate legislation by the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Amendment) Ordinance, 2020. The National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions Bill, 2020, The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Second Amendment) Bill, 2020, The Aircraft (Amendment) Bill, 2020, The Institute of Teaching and Research in Ayurveda Bill, 2020 are among the bills listed for business today. The Monsoon Session is seeing a plethora of protocols in place in view of the coronavirus outbreak. It is compulsory for members to wear masks, while the staff at the Parliament complex is conducting intensive sanitisation at regular intervals. Ahead of the commencement of the Monsoon Session first day on Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called on MPs to send out a unanimous message that the entire country stands behind its armed forces. I hope the Parliament, and all its members, will send out a message in a unanimous voice, spirit and resolve that the country stands in support of them, he said. During the 30-minute Zero Hour, the Treasury benches avoided issues like the India-China border row, unemployment, migrant crisis and economic slowdown, but discussions were held on NEET, coronavirus and bills seeking reforms in the banking and medicine sectors. NCPs Supriya Sule was the only MP who raised the issue of unemployment and economic crisis. Urging the Centre to assist Maharashtra, she said, On the first day, we should have discussed the state of economy and unemployment. I dont see the Centre talking much about these issues, she said. In the Lok Sabha, Union ministers introduced eight Bills in the Lok Sabha and the House passed two pending Bills. In the Rajya Sabha, JD(U) MP Harivansh Narayan Singh was elected the deputy chairman. In the Upper House, five bills, including on reduction in the remuneration of ministers and protection of healthcare professional in epidemic, were introduced. A marked increase in stillbirths has been reported as coronavirus pandemic strains hard-pressed rural health services. Mantasha Bano was 28 weeks pregnant when her cries of sudden, unbearable pain prompted neighbours to call an ambulance in the rural Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It never came, and Banos baby was stillborn. Medical workers in the northern state have reported a marked increase in stillbirths as the coronavirus pandemic strains hard-pressed rural health services including maternity care in one of the countries worst hit by COVID-19. Bano, 22, said she believed her baby could have survived if the ambulance had arrived quickly. It was a girl. She was very beautiful. I feel sad, very sad I had so many dreams and now everything is shattered, she said. Coronavirus infections are rising faster in India than anywhere else in the world as the worlds second-most populous nation appeared to be on course to cross the milestone of five million cases on Wednesday. The World Health Organization (WHO) fears the situation could get worse as the virus spreads into the vast countryside, where 60 percent of Indias 1.35 billion people live. As the virus stretches manpower and equipment to the limit, state-run health facilities are reserving beds, tests such as ultrasound scans and treatment for critical cases involving COVID-19 or serious accidents, local healthcare workers said. Workers from the governments Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA) usually the first point of contact in rural India have also been deployed to fight the pandemic. The situation has forced many women like Bano, who rely on their husbands daily wages, to pay for private healthcare. Renu Singh, an ASHA coordinator who has been overseeing 26 villages in Uttar Pradesh, including Atesua where Bano lives, for nearly 15 years, said it was the first time maternal care had been so badly disrupted. Between March and August, when India was under a months-long national lockdown, she said there had been 22 stillbirths in her area about four times more than last year. We have never seen such a large number of stillbirths in the villages before, she said, adding that health facilities that once catered to pregnant women had been converted into COVID-19 centres. She said nutrition units known as Anganwadi Centres which provide health checkups, medicines, food rations and child and maternal healthcare advice were also shut for months, resuming only irregular operations in July. All these factors are responsible for the rising cases of stillbirths, she said. Situation will become worse Jay Pratap Singh, Uttar Pradeshs health minister, said state health facilities were fully working again after the strict lockdown initially affected all medical services. He told the Thomson Reuters Foundation his department was trying to plug healthcare gaps with various measures, including the recruitment of more radiologists for prenatal ultrasounds. The problem (of stillbirths) may be in some areas but not across Uttar Pradesh Things have smoothened up now, he said, adding that he did not have up-to-date statewide birth data. Some local medics disagree, however. Doctor Anil Kumar Dixit, superintendent at a state-run community health centre in Itaunja town near the state capital of Lucknow, said his facility had no qualified personnel to operate its ultrasound scanner. There are many factors which result in stillbirths and most of them can be prevented easily by getting regular checkups, following doctors advice and taking health supplements regularly, he added. The WHO recommends at least eight prenatal checkups, one ultrasound before 24 weeks of pregnancy and a daily intake of iron and folic acid supplements to prevent maternal anaemia, neural tube defects (NTDs) and preterm birth. Coronavirus infections are rising faster in India than anywhere else in the world as the country repeatedly reports the highest global daily caseloads [File: Anushree Fadnavis/Reuters] Sarita Gautam, 22, missed several of those steps during her pregnancy, including regular iron supplements for her anaemia. She said she only had two weeks supply and struggled to get hold of more as her health clinic was closed to normal patients, which also forced her to get an ultrasound privately in June when she was five months pregnant. The doctors at the (state-run clinic) told me to come and get the ultrasound done in the ninth month of my pregnancy, but I had lost my baby before that, she said. Kusum Singh, an ASHA worker who assisted Gautam, said the local state-run facility was only admitting women who were in the last week of pregnancy and reserving ultrasounds for them, leaving others with no choice but to seek private care. Many of the families are so poor they cannot afford testing, Singh said. If this continues, the situation will become worse. This year, especially after the lockdown was imposed, there have been a lot of stillbirths, she added. More investment Indias federal health ministry did not respond to repeated requests for comment and nationwide stillbirth data. As part of lockdown guidelines, the ministry said prenatal services had to be provided on a walk-in basis at state-run health centres with social distancing rules. It is our duty to ensure the life of a pregnant woman is not put to unnecessary danger, Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said in February. But as COVID-19 spread and hospitals began to buckle, more hardship cases involving pregnant women have come to light. In June, a woman who was eight months pregnant died near New Delhi after being turned away by eight hospitals. A month later, a newborn died when a woman gave birth in an autorickshaw in Bengaluru after three hospitals said they could not admit her due to a lack of beds. Aparna Hegde, a urogynecologist, called for urgent extra investment in primary healthcare and to improve the referrals process, urging authorities to identify possible gaps that could put women at higher risk. (Otherwise) when a pandemic comes, its really going to come and hit you and expose all your frailties, said Hegde, founder of Armman, a maternal and child health charity. Gautam, who lost her baby when she was seven months pregnant, spends her days grieving the loss, which has also strained her marriage. My husband blames me for it, saying I was careless during the pregnancy But I did everything to save the child. President Donald Trump and California Governor Gavin Newsom joined a roundtable discussion Monday on the massive wildfires engulfing the Golden State and much of the West Coast. Newsom acknowledged that he and Trump both had different views regarding climate change and its role in the wildfires. Despite this, they set aside partisan politics. Newsom thanked Trump for the help coming in from the government to help the state. California had received support to combat the blazes. He noted that there is still much more to be done to solve the problems regarding the fires as they continue to grow. "I want to thank you and acknowledge the work you have done to be immediate in your response," Newsom said to Trump. He added that the help from Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) was "profoundly significant." A disaster declaration in California was approved by Trump in late August, at the urging of Newsom. It ordered federal funding to be directed to the state. The meeting was held at the Sacramento McClellan Airport, said a Fox News report. The exchange between Trump and Newsom was one-on-one on live television, said the Associated Press. Differences in Points of View The reports also noted how Newsom "dropped fiery tone" he had recently held about climate change. He engaged in a respectful conversation that hailed their good relationship as leaders to which Trump agreed. "We actually have a very good relationship. Good man," the President said of Newsom. Last week, Newsom declared that he had "no patience" for those who deny climate change. He said he believes such people "disabuse ourselves of all the B.S. that's being spewed by a very small group of people." Yet, on Monday, Newsom told Trump that they "can agree to disagree" on the matter. He asked the President to "please respect... the difference of opinion out here." Trump and Newsom had butted head in the past. They repeatedly did so in their first terms in office. Newsom stressed that he acted as he did during their meeting not to gain political points. "That was an opportunity to remind him of a point he's very familiar with," he said in his visit to Camelot Equestrian Park in Oroville. He added that he let his point come across "in an honest and forthright way." During his visit to Oroville, he said the record-breaking fires should end all debate about climate change. "I'm a little bit exhausted that we have to continue to debate this issue," he said. "This is real and it's happening. This is the perfect storm." The Oroville park was charred, left with only smoky mountain terrain, said a report from Reuters. The North Complex fire first broke out in August. It burned across over 200,000 acres this week and killed at least 10 people. The blaze raged near Oroville and nearby communities. Some 100 wildfires raged across the West Coast over the weekend. These burned a total area that is nearly as large as the state of New Jersey. It put half a million people under evacuation alert in Oregon and spouted thick smoke across three states. Check these out! West Coast Winds Seen to Fuel the Spread of Wildfires Newsom Declares State of Emergency in Five California Counties California National Forests to Close Due to Extreme Fire Threat SDL's End-to-end Intelligent Language Solution Generates Ten-fold Efficiency Gain for Leading Distributor of Electronics SDL (LSE: SDL), the intelligent language and content company, announces that RS Components, a leading international distributor of Electronic, Electrical and Industrial components, has turned to SDL's intelligent language solution to translate its entire catalog of 600,000 products (containing 30 million words) into 12 languages-while producing a ten-fold efficiency gain in translation times for new products from 10 days to one. "Customers today demand content in their own language. Sounds easy, but with our enormous catalog of content it's incredibly difficult to ensure the information they receive is up-to-date, consistent and to the highest standards," said Dominic Pemberton, Vice President Content, RS Components. "Thanks to SDL we're now able to deliver this level of service, while continually growing our catalog to respond to new industrial and electronic trends." An end-to-end SDL solution was designed-combining SDL Machine Translation (MT) and SDL Translation Management System (TMS)-and tightly integrated with RS Components' existing content management systems and processes. A daily drop of content is automatically sent from RS Component's content team to SDL MT, where it is translated and published live in the catalog. SDL TMS oversees the entire process, ensuring efficiencies and consistency of content. "Speed of response to emerging trends is what makes brands stand out in today's hyper-competitive retail environment," explains Thomas Labarthe, Group Revenue Officer, SDL. "RS Components is doing just that by using SDL's intelligent language solution to dramatically increase time-to-market for new products globally-well ahead of competitors." SDL Machine Translation is an enterprise-grade solution for those looking to apply the latest in neural machine translation to automatically translate content. With over 20 years of experience, SDL has used the latest advances in the field of artificial intelligence to create a solution that helps organizations break the language barriers for content-intensive processes securely, at scale. SDL TMS automates workflows and approval processes and applies translation best practices. The combined power of SDL MT and SDL TMS ensures that companies like RS Components can meet complex global translation demands. Click here to read full case study: https://www.sdl.com/products-and-solutions/translation/sdl-machine-translation/resources/rs-components-case-study About RS Components RS Components is a trading brand of Electrocomponents plc, a global omni-channel solutions partner for industrial customers and suppliers who are involved in designing, building or maintaining industrial equipment and facilities. We aim to offer our customers unrivalled choice of product technologies, solve problems with innovative solutions and deliver a world-class customer experience, making it easy to do business with us. We stock more than 500,000 industrial and electronic products, sourced from over 2,500 leading suppliers. We solve problems and provide a wide range of value-added solutions to over one million customers. With operations in 32 countries, we trade through multiple channels and ship over 50,000 parcels a day. Electrocomponents plc is listed on the London Stock Exchange and in the last financial year ended 31 March 2020 reported revenue of 1.95 billion. Electrocomponents plc has six operating brands; RS Components, Allied Electronics Automation, RS PRO, OKdo, DesignSpark and IESA. For more information on RS, please visit the website at https://uk.rs-online.com/web/. About SDL SDL (LSE: SDL) is the intelligent language and content company. Our purpose is to enable global understanding, allowing organizations to communicate with their audiences worldwide, whatever the language, channel or touchpoint. We work with over 4,500 enterprise customers including 90 of the world's top brands and the majority of the largest companies in our target sectors. We help our customers overcome their content challenges of volume, velocity, quality, fragmentation, compliance and understanding through our unique combination of language services, language technologies and content technologies. Follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200915005119/en/ Contacts: Media: SDL Denis Davies Corporate Communications ddavies@sdl.com +44 1628 410105 The National Ballet of China premiered a new original piece, titled Like Flowers, at the National Center for the Performing Arts in Beijing from Sept 11 to 13. Choreographed by Fei Bo and Zhang Zhenxin, the piece follows the story of volunteer He Lin, who travels to a remote mountainous area inhabited by ethnic Miao people and devotes herself to China's poverty alleviation campaign. Miao folk dances and costumes are infused with ballet in the performance. The company's ballet dancers, including Ma Xiaodong, Qiu Yunting and Wang Ye, played major roles. And the company's symphony orchestra performed under the baton of chief conductor Zhang Yi. The company wanted to stage Like Flowers at the end of last year. But COVID-19 disrupted the plan. The two choreographers began working on the new piece in early February, after the dancers resumed their daily training from their homes across the country. PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Burgess, et al. v. Martin Operating Partnership, LP, Case Number 19CA-CC00084 Cass County Circuit Court State of Missouri READ THIS NOTICE CAREFULLY. YOUR LEGAL RIGHTS ARE AFFECTED WHETHER YOU ACT OR DO NOT ACT. A settlement has been reached in a class action lawsuit that alleges the following "303 Tractor Hydraulic Fluid Products"Martin 303 Tractor Hydraulic & Transmission Fluid and Orscheln Premium 303 Tractor Hydraulic & Transmission Fluiddid not meet the equipment manufacturer specifications stated on the label. The Defendant denies it did anything wrong and states further that the labels were truthful and adequate. The Court has not decided who is right. Instead, the parties agreed to a proposed settlement to avoid the expense and risks of continuing the lawsuit. You are a Settlement Class Member if you have purchased, not for resale, one of the following products sold in Missouri during the stated Class Period: Product Size Start Class Period End Class Period Martin 303 5 gal. April 5, 2014 Present Orscheln 303 5 gal. May 23, 2013 September 2, 2014 The settlement establishes a $450,000.00 "Class Settlement Fund" that will be paid to Settlement Class Members as: (1) cash awards of an estimated return of 25% of the purchase price paid for the 303 Tractor Hydraulic Fluid Products and (2) reimbursement for the costs of any repairs, parts, and specific equipment damage that a Settlement Class Member claims resulted from, in whole or in part, the use of the 303 Tractor Hydraulic Fluid Products during the Class Period. You may need to submit a Claim Form to receive your award, which can be obtained at www.martin303settlement.com or by calling 866-742-4955. The deadline to submit a Claim Form is February 8, 2021. Class Counsel will seek an incentive payment of $5,000.00 for each of the Class Representatives. Class Counsel will ask that the Court award up to $150,000.00 in attorneys' fees and expenses. These amounts will not be paid from the Class Settlement Fund. If you do not want to be legally bound by the Settlement, you must exclude yourself from it by February 8, 2021. If you do not exclude yourself, you will not be able to sue Defendant or any Released Party or Retailer for any claim relating to the lawsuit. If you remain a Settlement Class Member, you may object to the settlement by February 8, 2021. The Court will hold a hearing on March 23, 2021 to consider whether to approve the Settlement and a request for attorneys' fees and expenses. This date may be moved, canceled, or otherwise modified; see www.martin303settlement.com for more information. This notice only summarizes the proposed settlement. For additional information, including the precise terms and conditions of the Settlement, please see www.martin303settlement.com or call 866-742-4955. If you have questions or would like assistance in completing a Claim Form, contact Class Counsel at 816-595-7723 or at [email protected] A State Court authorized this Notice. This is not a solicitation from a lawyer. SOURCE RG/2 The remnants of Hurricane Sally likely will inundate the Triad and Northwest North Carolina with rain Thursday through early Saturday, forecasters now say. The storm also will combine with a cold front to lower temperatures. "You are definitely going to get some showers," said Chrissy Cockrell, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Raleigh. "And it may result in localized flooding in the Triad." The storm's remnants might produce 2 to 5 inches Thursday through Friday in the Triad, Cockrell said. The weather service has issued a hazardous weather alert for central North Carolina, including Forsyth, Guilford and Davidson counties. Steady rainfall Thursday through Saturday could result in flooding in urban areas, the weather service said. Hurricane Sally was expected to come ashore late Tuesday night in the Mobile Bay area of south Alabama, the weather service said. As of Tuesday, the storm had winds of 85 mph and was moving at 2 mph. Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} The storm's predicted rainfall of up to 30 inches in the Gulf Coast region could trigger historic rainfall over the southern United States, according to Accuweather in State College, Pa. HAPPY FOR HARLEY I felt so happy reading the story of Harley the cat (Sept. 13, Page 8). Thanks to Krystal Seubens for feeding it and to Forgotten Cats for taking good care of Harley and transporting him in style to his original owner Susan Klein. Is his brother Seven with Klein? I dont think the article mentioned about Seven. Thats why microchipping your pets is very important. We rescued our cat from our backyard when it dropped to 6 degrees three winters ago. We took her to the vet the cat wasnt microchipped. Its our indoor cat now and microchipped. We absolutely love her. She has a very sweet personality, affectionate and snuggly. We wonder how she ever survived outdoors sleeping under cars and wandering around the neighborhood all alone. People should be kind and considerate not only to each other, but to animals as well. JUST TELL US I think the top chiefs of police in our nation should have a hour-long segment on all channels to let everyone know what their expectations are for everyone so there is no reason to put themselves or others in dangerous situations that could get them injured or killed. Explain to us what needs to be done when approached by officials. These times we live in are dangerous times for all of us. I think most of these shootings happened because of failure to listen too demands from officials who are trying to make everyone safe, including themselves. At the end of the day, everyone just wants to make it home safe to their families. PETE DOWN THE STREET CREDIT WHERE ITS DUE I am absolutely willing to give President Trump credit for the Middle East peace pact, since it happened while he was president. I would even be fine with his being awarded that coveted Noble Peace Prize that would briefly satisfy his obese ego. Since he owns and deserves the credit and awards for the peace accord, he also owns and deserves the scorn and outrage based on the despicable, immoral, unethical, hurtful, insulting, idiotic, damaging things he has said and done that have sullied this nations ideals and reputation and have divided its people as no other president in recent memory has managed to do no, not even Obama. So yes, give credit where it is due for everything that Trump has done and failed to do. Its only fair. JB S.S. IS SECURE There have been several comments that President Trump is going to take away our Social Security. How many times over the years has this rumor surfaced? Just imagine what would take place if this would actually happen. There would be millions of Americans with absolutely no income at all, people would starve and homes would be lost. It always seems the political party that has fears of losing the election come up with the idea to scare voters of losing their income. No politician is going to run for office stating, Im going to take away your Social Security because its a good idea. Its not going to happen. American citizens would not allow it, so whoever is pushing this agenda is blowing smoke up your nose. ANDY FROM HAVERTOWN GET A CLUE, ANDY Andy from Havertown: When multiple anonymous sources all tell the same story to different reporters, such as that Donald Trump cant understand why anyone would join the military and calls people who serve suckers and losers, that story has been corroborated. When the president is on tape saying that he has been lying about the dangers of COVID-19 (e.g., admitting he knows it is deadly for young people at the same time he says publicly that young people are virtually immune) that story is confirmed. Open your eyes and see that your emperor is a lying sociopath. PJ DOUBLE STANDARDS It seems for some rules apply one way. A man still has his job as a public official after posting a picture of two people pointing a gun at a cops head? How come the politicians are not standing in front of the Darby Township building demanding his resignation from public office as they did for the Interboro School Board member? I am so confused. What am I missing? Hyderabad, Sep 16 : Hyderabad police on Tuesday busted an alleged 'hawala' racket with the arrest of four persons and seized Rs 3.75 crore cash from them. Police Commissioner Anjani Kumar said two cars were also seized from the accused. Acting on a tip off, the Commissioner's Task Force (West) made the arrests. The arrested were identified as Eshwar Dileep Solanki (29), Harish Ram Bhai Patel (35), Ajith Singh (34) and Rathod Kanak Singh Natuba (42), all from Gujarat and residing in Banjara Hills in Hyderabad. On credible information that four persons were moving in two cars with huge cash, police intercepted two cars on Road No 12, Banjara Hills. The four occupants were carrying Rs 3.75 crore cash without any valid documents. Their interrogation revealed that they are working for P.Vijay & Company, Mumbai and its owner Kamlesh Shah, a native of Ahmedabad, has a branch office at Hyderabad. Solanki and Patel came to Hyderabad on Monday in a Mahindra Scorpio to collect the cash from Dinesh and Giri working at the branch office in Banjara Hills. They collected the cash on Tuesday and all the four were proceeding in two cars to Solapur. Police suspect the amount is part of a hawala transaction. The Police Commissioner said the seized amount will be handed over to the Income Tax Department for further necessary action. The persons who are in possession of money will be examined by the Income Tax department. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text National Assembly Speaker Park Byeong-seug, center, sits in an open studio where lawmakers can shoot videos for their legislative activities, along with ruling Democratic Party of Korea floor leader Rep. Kim Tae-nyeon, right, and main opposition People Power Party floor leader Rep. Joo Ho-young, during its opening ceremony at the National Assembly in Seoul, Tuesday. Yonhap By PTI NEW DELHI: There should be some kind of self-regulation in the media, the Supreme Court said on Tuesday while raising questions over a "rabid" Sudarshan TV programme, claimed by the channel in promos as a ''big expose on conspiracy to infiltrate Muslims in government service''. The apex court, while hearing a plea raising grievance over the programme, said that the manner in which some media houses are conducting debate is a matter of concern as all kind of defamatory things are being said. Look at this programme, how rabid is this programme that one community is entering into civil services, observed a bench headed by Justice D Y Chandrachud. See how insinuating is the subject of this programme that Muslims have infiltrated the services and this puts the examinations of UPSC under scanner without any factual basis, said the bench, also comprising Justices Indu Malhotra and K M Joseph. Such insidious charges also put a question mark on the UPSC exams. Aspersions have been cast on UPSC. Such allegations without any factual basis, how can this be allowed? Can such programs be allowed in a free society, the bench said. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the top court that freedom of journalist is supreme and it would be disastrous for any democracy to control the press. Senior advocate Shyam Divan, appearing for Sudarshan TV, told the bench that the channel considered it as an investigative story on national security. Your client is doing a disservice to the nation and is not accepting India is a melting point of diverse culture. Your client needs to exercise his freedom with caution, the bench told Divan. During the hearing conducted through video-conferencing, the bench said, We are not suggesting some kind of censorship on media but there should be some kind of self-regulation in media. How do we lay down some standards for the media reportage, the bench said, adding that there should be some kind of self-regulation and it would hear the solicitor general on this issue. The apex court said the petition has sought guidelines as to how media should report some issues and guidelines for self-regulation. We are not saying states will impose any such guidelines as it would be an anathema to Article 19 of freedom of speech and expression, the bench said. The apex court observed that revenue model of TV channels and their ownership patterns should be put in public domain on the website. The point is this that the right of the media is on behalf of the citizens only and it''s not an exclusive right of the media, the bench said. Electronic media has become more powerful than print media and we have not been supportive of pre-broadcast ban, it added. Mehta told the bench that there should be some kind of self-regulation but the freedom of journalist has to be maintained. He also referred to some foreign judgements on freedom of speech and expression. During the hearing, the bench referred to criminal investigation being carried out by some media houses. When journalists operate, they need to work around right to fair comment. See criminal investigation, media often focuses only one part of the investigation, it said. The bench told Divan, We expect some kind of restraint from your client (Sudarshan TV). Senior advocate Anoop G Chaudhary, appearing for the petitioner, said the Delhi High Court had referred the matter to the Information and Broadcasting Ministry but the ministry did not pass a reasoned order. He said the ministry allowed the broadcast and did not hear the other side and simply took the statement of the channel that it would follow the broadcasting rules. On August 28, the top court had refused to impose pre-broadcast ban on Sudarshan TV from telecasting ''Bindas Bol'' programme, whose promo claimed that the channel was all set to broadcast a ''big expose on conspiracy to infiltrate Muslims in government service''. It had issued notice to the Centre, the Press Council of India, News Broadcasters Association and Sudarshan News on a plea filed by advocate Firoz Iqbal Khan who has raised grievance pertaining to the programme. The apex court had said that prima facie, the petition has raises significant issues bearing on the protection of constitutional rights. The Delhi High Court, on September 11, had declined to stay the telecast of the series of programmes. OTTAWAA group of Tamil Canadians is calling on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for legal changes to remove sovereign immunity as a defence for international crimes. Such a move would enable Sri Lankan families to seek justice for their disappeared loved ones, said Kumanan Kunaratnam, a Tamil activist in Ottawa, in a Parliament Hill news conference Monday. A civil war gripped the country between 1983 and 2009, with insurgents who sought a separate Tamil state battling a central government dominated by Sri Lankas majority Sinhalese. Amnesty International estimates at least 60,000 people have disappeared in Sri Lanka since the late 1980s, with the activists saying most of the victims are Tamil. Last year the United Nations noted that thousands of people in Sri Lanka dont know what happened to missing loved ones. This is an issue that must deeply concern all human beings, Kunaratnam said. The legal doctrine of sovereign immunity largely protects governments from court actions in other countries. There are exceptions, however, such as when a state engages in commercial activities. Kunaratnam said sovereign immunity should be removed. If sovereign immunity can be removed as a defence for a commercial transaction, why cannot it be removed for international crimes? He said that such legislation will not only benefit Tamils but also victims of enforced disappearances across the globe. Hundreds of thousands of people have vanished during conflicts or periods of repression in at least 85 countries around the world, according the United Nations. A group of four Tamil Canadians finished a 16-day walk for justice from Brampton to Parliament Hill in Ottawa to raise awareness about the human rights violations in Sri Lanka. Another group of three activists walked from Montreal to Ottawa. The group also wants Canada to refer Sri Lanka to the committee established under the United Nations convention against enforced disappearance. Although Sri Lanka ratified the UNs convention against enforced disappearances in 2016, it invoked a provision of the international treaty that prevents victims from petitioning the committee over a countrys violations of the convention. Only another country can make such a complaint against Sri Lanka. Canada, however, has not signed on to the convention at all, limiting its standing to make such a complaint. Read more about: The University of Michigan is responding with a new round of threats and intimidation to the overwhelming vote Sunday by graduate students to extend their strike. On Monday, UM President Mark Schlissel sought a restraining order and court injunction to break the strike against the universitys reckless reopening of campus and in-person classes amidst the coronavirus pandemic. In a video statement to the campus community, Schlissel said that the university can no longer allow the profound disruption to the education weve promised our undergraduate students. What contemptible hypocrisy! It is the universitys own policies that will cause not only a profound disruption to the education of students but to their lives and the lives of their families and the campus community at large. Schlissel went on: We want our great classes to continue, our students to learn without interference and we dont want anyone to feel threatened simply for wanting to go to class. Again, the threat comes from the fact that undergraduate students, graduate students and faculty are exposed to the coronavirus with the initiation of in-person classes. Going to the court, Schlissel claimed, was our only choice after learning the strike would continue. Wed much rather our classes be in session while we work out our differences. The rest of Schlissels video response was dominated by the usual hollow phrases and platitudes about welcoming the opportunity to discuss the issues and being committed to addressing them, all the while feigning that their main concern is the students education. The action by the university administration is a direct threat to the striking students and workers. For all the talk about wanting to talk things out, Schlissel has a clear position on the strike: End it or face fines and expulsion. The striking graduate students began this struggle out of a concern for their own lives and the lives of their fellow students, university workers, and the community. The support they have received since launching the strike reveals the broadly felt sentiment among workers and youth throughout the region and across the country. Behind the administrations response stand political forces that are acting on behalf of the ruling class. The drive to reopen schools for in-person learning is a reckless, homicidal campaign which prioritizes profit over life. It is part of the broader back-to-work campaign, spearheaded by the Trump administration but supported by the entire political establishment. Despite the statements of support offered by the Democrats, such as former UAW President Bob King and Representative Rashida Tlaib, their real response to the striking students is expressed in the actions of Schlissel and the Board of Regents. The university is dominated by highly connected Democratic Party operatives with close ties to the corporate interests that determine UM policy. Regent Jordan B. Acker, the vice chair of the Board of Regents, worked for the Michigan Democratic Party as the Deputy Communications Director before moving to Washington to work as a communications aide to the House Judiciary Committee. Acker served as an associate in the White House Office of Presidential Personnel and was then appointed by President Obama in March 2011 to be an attorney-adviser to Secretary Janet Napolitano at the Department of Homeland Security. Regent Denise Ilitch is chair of the Board of Regents and president of Ilitch Enterprises, LLC. Regent Paul W. Brown is a managing partner of eLab Ventures, a venture capital firm headquartered in Michigan with offices in Silicon Valley. One could continue this exercise for every member of the board. With seven weeks left until the US election, the main concern of the Democratic Party is to suppress growing opposition in the working class and the Trump administration behind their own right-wing campaign. Indeed, Bidens wife Jill is in the midst of a multiweek Back to School Tour that will stop in 10 major cities to promote her husbands campaign to reopen safely. As for the trade unions, they are working to isolate the strike at UM to facilitate its defeat. The American Federation of Teachers (AFT), the parent organization of the GEO, has done nothing to mobilize broader support, despite widespread sympathy among teachers and opposition to the back-to-school campaign. At the University of Michigan alone, the AFT includes the Lecturers Employee Organization, AFT Michigan 6244, consisting of non-tenure-track faculty on all three campuses, Ann Arbor, Dearborn and Flint. It also includes the United Physician Assistants of Michigan Medicine (UPAMM), consisting of physician assistants at the University of Michigan hospital. However, the AFT has not called out the LEO and UPAMM to support the graduate students. Detroit Public School teachers voted by a margin of 91 percent to 9 percent to authorize a safety strike to block plans by the district to start in-person teaching. The Detroit Federation of Teachers, part of the AFT, ignored the mandate and agreed to a reopening scheme with in-person learning. The strike vote and the setting up of rank-and-file safety committee, independent of the DFT, makes clear that there is overwhelming opposition among teachers to the reopening of schools. The opposition of educators, parents and students to the unsafe reopening of schools and the new wave of budget cuts must be freed from the stranglehold of the AFT and the entire corporate-controlled union apparatus. The International Youth and Students for Social Equality (IYSSE), the student and youth movement of the Socialist Equality Party (SEP), condemns the threats from the university. The fight, not only against the unsafe reopening at UM but the policy of the ruling class as a whole in response to the pandemic, requires the mobilization of the working class against the Democratic and Republican parties and the capitalist system. It is not to the Democrats and the union executives that students should turn, but to teachers, auto workers, service workers, health care workers and the entire working class. The International Youth and Students for Social Equality in the US is holding a national online meeting Thursday, at 8 PM EDT to organize students against the reckless reopening of schools. We urge students and youth to register for the event today. Quanta to Host Expert Perspectives Webinar on Home Dialysis Alcester, Warwickshire, UK, 15 September 2020: Quanta Dialysis Technologies Ltd ("Quanta" or the "Company"), a British medical technology innovation company, today announces that it will be hosting an Expert Perspectives Webinar on home dialysis on Monday 21 September at 4pm BST / 11am EDT. The webinar will feature presentations by Key Opinion Leaders, Dr. Sandip Mitra (Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust), Veronika Dubajova (Senior ?European Medtech Analyst at Goldman Sachs), Dr. Ian Rechner (Intensive Care Medicine Consultant, Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust) and Patient Advocate and Home Dialysis Patient, Maddy Warren, who will discuss a range of topics focused on home dialysis. The presentation will be followed by a live moderated Q&A with the panel and audience by Tina Tan, Executive Editor at FirstWord MedTech. The management team at Quanta Dialysis Technologies will also be available to discuss SC+, its small, simple and versatile haemodialysis system. SC+ is commercially available in the UK, where it has been successfully used to treat patients across a range of care settings, from the ICU and the clinic to the home. The Company has submitted its 510(k) with the FDA and is planning US commercial launch during 2021. The innovative and patented technology behind SC+ is based on a design breakthrough that enables all dialysate fluid management to be conducted on a small, lightweight, disposable cartridge. Featured Speakers and agenda: Introduction John E. Milad, Chief Executive Officer, Quanta Dialysis Technologies Session 1 - Market perspectives on home dialysis Veronika Dubajova, ?Senior European Medtech Analyst, ?Goldman Sachs Overview of the home dialysis market Trends and drivers of growth in home dialysis Session 2 - Why should patients dialyse at home Dr. Sandip Mitra, Consultant Nephrologist, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust Clinicians' view of who can benefit from home dialysis What a clinician needs from a device Session 3 - The Executive Order Dr. Paul Komenda, Chief Medical Officer, Quanta Dialysis Technologies How quickly will dialysis be adopted routinely in North America? The practical implications of moving many patients home Session 4 - Living with dialysis Maddy Warren, Patient Advocate and Home Dialysis Patient The day to day experience of a patient dialysing The freedom that home dialysis gives to a patient Session 5 - SC+ in the ICU Dr. Ian Rechner, Intensive Care Medicine Consultant, Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust COVID-19 and the call for more dialysis machines Working in partnership with Quanta Session 6 - Moderated panel and audience Q&A Tina Tan, Executive Editor at FirstWord MedTech The Expert Perspectives Webinar is scheduled to close at 6pm BST / 1pm EDT If you would like more information, please contact quanta@consilium-comms.com or to attend, please click here to register. -ENDS- For more information about Quanta, please contact: Quanta John E. Milad, Chief Executive Officer T: +44 (0)1789 400043 E: enquiries@quantadt.com (mailto:enquiries@quantadt.com) Consilium Strategic Communications Amber Fennell / Matthew Neal / Lindsey Neville T: +44 (0)203 709 5708 E: quanta@consilium-comms.com (mailto:quanta@consilium-comms.com) About Quanta and SC+ Based in the Midlands of the UK, Quanta is a technology-enabled provider of innovative dialysis products and services. Quanta aims to improve dialysis experiences and help people to live more freely. The lead product SC+ is a small, simple and versatile haemodialysis system designed to provide greater freedom and flexibility in the delivery of life sustaining dialysis treatments - making the therapy manageable to a broad range of users across a wide range of environments, from the ICU to the home. SC+ is commercially available in the UK, where it has been successfully used to treat patients across a range of care settings, from the ICU and the clinic to the home. The innovative and patented technology behind SC+ is based on a design breakthrough that allows all dialysate fluid management to be conducted on a small, lightweight, disposable cartridge. The unobtrusive, simple-to-use and digitally connected design of SC+ is intended to empower more patients to take control of their lives with selfcare and home dialysis. Meanwhile, as a compact, portable and versatile device, SC+ provides flexibility to deliver dialysis across a wide range of use environments and prescriptions. For more information, please visit our website: quantadt.com SC+ is not yet FDA cleared and not yet available for sale or use in the USA. We cant say when it will happen or how. Maybe more Democratic officeholders why, hello, Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Mayor Lori Lightfoot will work up the courage to call for the speaker of the Illinois House to step down. Maybe state party officials humiliated by the relentless percussion of FBI raids, subpoenas, wiretaps and indictments will admit they need a fresh face as state chair. Or maybe itll be a simpler scenario, in which Michael Madigan, master of his own timeline, abruptly quits or announces his retirement. Whatever the means or the timing, we do know Madigan wont wield his clout forever. His stature as Illinois most influential political figure is imperiled during this, his 50th year in the Illinois General Assembly. House Republican Leader Jim Durkin of Western Springs last week initiated the formation of a special committee, using Madigans own House rules, to investigate the speaker and allegations of bribery involving ComEd. Thats pretty rich. The 129 pages of House Rules culled during Madigans long tenure and designed to stifle opposition and streamline his power bit him this time. Madigan called the committee formation a political stunt, defended his tenure as speaker and dared Durkin to a transparency duel on patronage hires. Madigans umbrage, however, was misplaced. Hes the one linked to a federal corruption investigation, not Durkin or House Republicans. Somewhere, a clock ticks. Between now and Nov. 3, Illinois Democrats will be performing Olympics-quality gymnastics. Theyll profess to be disgusted by corruption while remaining silent on Madigan and while spending campaign money and resources he has given them, even as he stands identified in federal court records as the alleged recipient of favors in exchange for his help in the legislature. Madigan has denied wrongdoing and has not been been charged with any crime. But the drumbeat of Democratic scandals from Chicago to Springfield is a drag on other elected members of his party, especially suburban Democrats considered vulnerable in the November election. Will suburban voters reelect or reject incumbents who play two-faced games? Incumbents who pretend to be independent but rely on the speaker for staff and resources? Who reelected him speaker in 2019, despite a sexual harassment probe among his ranks and an unfolding corruption investigation? Remember, only one Democrat out of 74 in the last election for speaker voted present, and she was Rep. Anne Stava-Murray of Naperville, who also refused his help on the campaign trail. Every other Democrat sat on his or her hands. So spare us, and voters, the fake outrage at what is now a full-blown federal bribery investigation aimed at the speakers operations. Whats perplexing is that Democrats should want to liberate the party from Madigan. Many ambitious Democrats long have chafed at the sclerosis: Madigan and his loyalists cling so tightly to the arteries of power that a next generation of Democrats has trouble advancing. They get stuck, over and over, trying to defend his power to frustrated constituents in grocery aisles and at block parties and on doorsteps. Its got to be exhausting. As the gatekeeper of legislation, Madigan dictates most of what happens in the General Assembly. He makes the day-to-day decisions that govern which bills escape from committee, get called for debate and are passed or rejected. Not only does he pick committee chairs, he swaps Democratic members in and out like pawns so he can manipulate committee votes. Stripping Madigans bossism out of the statehouse would be like opening the windows to a dusty attic. His departure would let Democratic legislators give less attention to a speakers agenda, and more attention to the constituents they serve. More than three years ago we urged Madigan and then-Senate President John Cullerton to step down. Cullerton has done so. But with Madigan still around, Illinois crises endure. Chicago Tribune In a fresh development in the ongoing probe of the rape and extortion case involving Uttarakhand BJP MLA Mahesh Singh Negi, the Uttarakhand Commission for Protection of Child Rights (UCPCR) has summoned the complainant woman for allegedly undertaking an illegal DNA test of her 3-month-old daughter who she claims is the biological daughter of MLA Negi. The summon was served by the UCPCR on Monday in which it asked the woman and her husband to appear before it to present her side on the allegations of illegally undertaking the DNA test of the child, i.e. without any directions of the court. The summon was served on an application given by former chairman of Bar Council of Uttarakhand Hari Singh Negi to the body alleging the woman and her husband on the same. HT has a copy of the summon served. In the summon, the UCPCR stated that in the aforementioned matter, the Commission is summoning you in pursuance of its powers under the provision of section 14(i) of the Commission for Protection of Child Rights Act, 2005. The Commission has the powers to monitor the implementation of provisions of the Juvenile Justice Act, RTE Act and POCSO Act. Now therefore in the above matter, you are hereby required (personally) to appear before this Commission at 2.30 pm on September 19 at Commission headquarters. If you fail to comply with this order without lawful excuse, you will be subject to the consequences of disobedience under Code of Civil Procedure, 1908, stated the summon. Also read: AAP propped by BJP-RSS to bring down UPA government - Rahul Gandhi The development comes days after the Commission wrote to the investigation officer of the extortion and blackmailing case against the woman, for probing the claims of the woman on undertaking the DNA test of her daughter and husband at a hospital in Uttar Pradesh where she had delivered the child. In that matter, the Commission, while citing the polices reply, stated that no such DNA test was held in that hospital as per the womans claims. The woman had then refuted the claims of the Commission and said that she had got the DNA test done at a laboratory in Delhi. The womans counsel SP Singh, meanwhile, said that The summon is yet to be received by them. Once we get it and study it, then only we can comment on it, said Singh. Meanwhile, the Dehradun polices Special Investigation Squad (SIS) conducted the medical examination of the woman on Monday in the investigation of the rape case registered against MLA Negi. Arun Mohan Joshi, Senior Superintendent of Police, Dehradun, said The medical examination was conducted as per the legal procedure. She would also soon record her statements before the court in the investigation. Many developments have taken place since August when the matter first came to light. Negis wife and one of the accused in the rape case, Rita Negi, had lodged a complaint against the woman accusing her of blackmailing and trying to extort 5 crore. Based on the complaint, the police booked the woman along with her husband, mother and sister-in-law. A few days later, the woman lodged a complaint against MLA Negi, accusing him of raping her for the last two years and fathering her child. She also demanded a DNA test of her child and Negi to prove her claims. A case was registered later on the directions of a local court in Dehradun where she had filed a petition, demanding the case to be registered against Negi. The police had refused to do so saying the complaint will be included in the ongoing probe of the extortion case as it pertains to the same matter. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The Midland County Sheriffs Office will hire a training coordinator effective Oct. 1. The new position was approved by the Midland County Commissioners Court on Monday with a salary of $86,000. Commissioner Robin Donnelly said during the meeting the training coordinator would help officers with obtaining the continuing education requirements necessary for certifications. And also, this is going to help us out in avoiding lawsuits based on whats going on in the world right now, he said. Most of the discussion on hiring a training coordinator was done during executive session that was not open to the public. Commissioners on Monday also approved purchasing services from a plumbing company to do work on the county jails pipe system and connect it to sewer water, according to a representative from the sheriffs office who spoke at the meeting. The purchase was approved without going out for bid because of the urgency in getting this project completed for the health and safety of our employees and the inmates at the jail, Commissioner Luis Sanchez said. The sheriffs office was previously put on notice by the Texas Commission on Jail Standards for multiple issues with its plumbing system, including toilets and showers that didnt work. They received a non-compliance notice in February during an annual inspection. A re-inspection in July found many of those issues were still ongoing, according to a report from TCJS. Additionally on Monday, the Commissioners Court approved the purchase of a site for a MCSO radio antenna on Midkiff Road. The location is part of an ongoing project to upgrade the departments radio system. An employee with the countys IT department previously told the Reporter-Telegram the county was adding three more towers and upgrading to a newer system. The project will allow MCSO to connect more easily with the Odessa Police Department and Ector County Sheriffs Office and will improve communication for patrol officers on their portable radios. The next regular Commissioners Court meeting will be 9 a.m. Sept. 28 at the Midland County Courthouse. A public budget hearing is scheduled for Monday. The Washington Post took notice of something that's worrying the Democrat party: Hispanics are not excited about Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. Instead, we're seeing a significant shift in Hispanic support from the Democrat party to Donald Trump. There are a lot of reasons behind this shift, including Trump's hostility to socialism, his support for law and order, his roaring economy, his refusal to divide the U.S. by race...one Cuban influencer in Miami. There's no question that Trump is gaining support among Hispanic voters: Concerns about Biden's strength among such Florida voters follows the release last week of a NBC-Marist poll that showed they are essentially split between Biden and President Trump. The numbers compare to Democrat Hillary Clinton having lost to Trump in Florida in the 2016 presidential race, despite having led Trump by a 59% to 36% margin among Latinos in the same poll. Democrats have noticed, and, according to the Washington Post, Biden's campaign promises to do something about his hitherto sluggish outreach to Hispanics: Top Latino Democrats are voicing growing concern about Joe Biden's campaign, warning that lackluster efforts to win the support of their community could have devastating consequences in the November election. Recent polls showing President Trump's inroads with Latinos have set off a fresh round of frustration and finger-pointing among Democrats, confirming problems some say have simmered for months. Many Latino activists and officials said Biden is now playing catch-up, particularly in the pivotal state of Florida, where he will campaign Tuesday the start of National Hispanic Heritage Month for the first time as the presidential nominee. Reaching out to Latino voters will be a key focus on the visit, according to a person with knowledge of the trip. Going into the election, Biden will have spent roughly two months campaigning for the Hispanic vote. Trump, on the other hand, has spent four years campaigning for the Hispanic vote. Trump has campaigned by promising that America will never be a socialist country. This matters to the Cubans, Venezuelans, and Nicaraguans who fled socialism to come here. They've witnessed how socialism destroys the economy and individual liberty, leading to nothing but poverty and despair, with healthy doses of fear and death thrown in. Trump has campaigned by creating tremendous economic opportunities for Hispanics. Before the Democrats tried to destroy the economy with their pandemic panic, more Hispanics (and blacks) were in the workforce than ever before. As this Hispanic woman relates, in America, if you're willing to put in the work, you can go from being an immigrant child who dropped out of high school to a successful business-owner sitting at the same table as the president: Trump has campaigned by supporting law and order. In a recent poll, 71% of Hispanics said law and order is a major concern. According to the poll, people thought Biden would have handled the riots better than Trump, but as the left gets crazier and Biden's mental deficits are harder to hide, that thinking will end. Trump has campaigned by refusing to use racial politics. Because of their racial obsessions, Democrats have turned their party into a fight for government spoils among special interest groups. President Trump's economic growth means relief from this tribal mindset. And Trump has a special weapon in Miami. According to Ozy, there's one gay Cuban immigrant who explains much of the shift to Trump among young Miami Hispanics: [O]ne of the biggest influences, both Republicans and Democrats agree, is the changing political views of a single man the 41-year-old YouTube star Alex Otaola, who arrived in South Florida from Cuba in 2003 and has built an audience of hundreds of thousands of Cuban Americans since. "In both surveys and focus groups we saw the impact of YouTube personalities like Alex Otaola," wrote Carlos Odio, head of Democratic Latino research firm Equis Labs, in a July voter analysis. "He started this Cuban YouTube movement, and now there are dozens," says Rey Anthony Lastre, the co-chair of the Cuban American Republicans of Florida. "He has mobilized all his viewers, organized caravans of thousands of cars a sea of cars, you don't see the end of it to support Trump, and told them to register to vote. He's a game-changer." For Otaola, it's all about keeping communism off American shores and you can thank Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's rise for his switch to Trump. If you want a great visual of the difference between Hispanic support for Biden and support for Trump, these two videos will help. First, a car parade in Las Vegas, which has long been a source of Hispanic support for Democrats thanks to former Sen. Harry Reid's organization abilities. About 30 cars showed up: And second, the car parade in Miami with hundreds of cars rolling through to show Cuban, Venezuelan, and Nicaraguan support for Trump. No wonder the media ignored it: BEIJING The U.S. on Tuesday issued a sweeping new advisory warning against travel to mainland China and Hong Kong, citing the risk of arbitrary detention and arbitrary enforcement of local laws. The advisory is likely to heighten tensions between the sides that have spiked since Beijings imposition on Hong Kong of a strict new national security law in June that has already been met with a series of U.S. punitive actions. The statement warned U.S. citizens that China imposes arbitrary detention and exit bans to compel cooperation with investigations, pressure family members to return to China from abroad, influence civil disputes and gain bargaining leverage over foreign governments. U.S. citizens traveling or residing in China or Hong Kong, may be detained without access to U.S. consular services or information about their alleged crime. U.S. citizens may be subjected to prolonged interrogations and extended detention without due process of law, the advisory said. In Hong Kong, China unilaterally and arbitrarily exercises police and security power, the advisory said, adding that new legislation also covers offenses committed by non-Hong Kong residents or organizations outside of Hong Kong, possibly subjecting U.S. citizens who have publicly criticized China to a heightened risk of arrest, detention, expulsion, or prosecution. When in Hong Kong, U.S. citizens are strongly cautioned to be aware of their surroundings and avoid demonstrations, the advisory said. Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin told reporters at a daily briefing Tuesday that the U.S. should fully respect the facts and should not engage in unwarranted political manipulation when issuing such advisories. China has always protected the safety and legal rights of foreigners in China in accordance with law. China is one of the safest countries in the world, Wang said. Of course, foreigners in China also have an obligation to abide by Chinese laws. Last month, the Trump administration suspended or terminated three bilateral agreements with Hong Kong covering extradition and tax exemptions, citing Beijings violation of its pledge for Hong Kong to retain broad autonomy for 50 years after the former British colonys 1997 handover to Chinese rule. Other Western nations have also suspended their extradition treaties with Hong Kong following the national securitys laws passage. The U.S. has also acted to end special trade and commercial privileges that Hong Kong had enjoyed and has imposed sanctions on Hong Kong and Chinese officials, including Hong Kongs pro-Beijing leader Carrie Lam, involved in enforcing the new security law. Tensions between Beijing and Washington have hit their lowest point in decades amid simmering disputes over trade, technology, Taiwan, Tibet, the South China Sea, the coronavirus pandemic and, most recently, Hong Kong. The impact of the tensions has been felt in the tit-for-tat closures of diplomatic missions as well as visa restrictions on students and journalists. The latest travel advisory did not offer any new warnings regarding COVID-19 in mainland China and Hong Kong, but referred travelers to earlier notices advising Americans to avoid the regions and return home from them if possible. President Donald Trump has assigned full blame to Beijing for the coronavirus outbreak in the U.S., deflecting criticism of his own handling of the pandemic that threatens his reelection. The virus was first detected in the central Chinese city of Wuhan late last year, leading to the global pandemic. Critics have accused Beijing of an initial cover-up attempt, although Trump himself has admitted to downplaying the severity of the virus as early as February. China appears to have contained the virus within its borders, reporting no new cases of domestic infection in a month, while Hong Kong has also radically brought down its numbers of new cases. The Philippines recorded a sudden surge in deaths caused by COVID-19 on Saturday, along with a continued rise in case numbers. The death toll rose by 186, a new record and an alarming leap from the countrys average of around 50 deaths per day over the past week. It is the highest single-day fatality rate recorded so far in Southeast Asia. The spike was attributed to incorrect figures provided by local authorities. The Department of Health said 128 cases previously reported as recovered were discovered to be 126 deaths and two active cases. The classifications cover data going back to April. President Rodrigo Dutertes administration explained the discrepancy in recorded deaths as an inevitable product of the countrys continuing validation process, in which reported cases are often duplicates or erroneous entries. It is not the first time, however, that Philippine authorities have been found to conceal or alter data recording the spread of the virus. From June 12 to August 21, more than 4,000 cases were removed from the COVID-19 tally, apparently because of encoding errors. There were also corrections that revealed 309 deaths, earlier announced as recovered cases. The official death toll reached 4,371 on Saturday, but this record suggests that the real total could be much higher. The national governments pandemic response has been marked by a lack of any serious efforts to detect, trace or isolate the disease. In public televised addresses, Duterte has by turns downplayed the threat of the virus and advocated unscientific methods, including washing face masks with petrol. Confronting the worst coronavirus outbreak in both Southeast and East Asia, the Philippines has seen cases double over just five weeks. After an increase of nearly 5,000 new infections on Saturday, the figures have risen to 261,216 cases. It was the fifth consecutive day on which over 3,000 additional cases were tallied. Of Saturdays reported cases, 2,619 came from capital city Manilas overpopulated metropolitan area, which has accounted for around half of total coronavirus figures. At least 82 percent of the newly confirmed cases dated back as far as August 30. The government had previously said it was expecting an irregularly high number of cases this week, due to the slow arrival of reports from overworked laboratories. The underfunded health sector is struggling to provide an accurate picture of the virus rapid community spread across the densely crowded archipelago. The Philippines currently has only 119 licensed laboratories capable of conducting coronavirus tests. Its testing rate is still among the lowest internationally, performing just 28,018 tests per million people. As with testing labs, hospitals are unprepared to meet the demands placed on them by the global pandemic. Filipino Nurses United vice president Leni Nolasco has urged the government to immediately hire the countrys 200,000 unemployed skilled nurses to address the chronic shortage of nursing personnel in COVID-19 referral hospitals. The governments recent token efforts to augment the health systemwith 5,000 new beds for isolation facilities and $US61 million for personal protective equipment (PPE)will prove insufficient to prevent a growing public health crisis. From the outset, Dutertes government has imposed draconian police-state measures on the one hand, while pursuing ever more frantic bids to resume economic activity on the other. Production in key sectors was halted in mid-March by a repressive lockdown centred in Manila. Social restrictions were slowly eased in June, with catastrophic results as the virus spread through reopened workplaces. Nevertheless, the government has desperately pushed the economic reopening, particularly since a recession was officially declared in the second quarter. On Friday, Duterte signed into law a second economic stimulus package, known as Bayanihan II. It includes financial aid of $US2.8 billion for major corporations affected by the lockdown, as well as a $US525 million standby fund for future bailouts later this year. Similar to its predecessor, Bayanihan II allows presidential powers to realign funds for pandemic-related expenses. Congressman Bienvenido Abante Jr. said last week that funds are scarce due to the low revenue collections brought about by the pandemic, the Manila Times reported. The new package, however, assured private businesses that funds will not be lacking for them, even as depleted healthcare and social welfare programs suffer. Dutertes signing of the package came as the government declared a further easing of restrictions across the entire Philippines, which began yesterday. Iligan City, Bacolod City, and Lanao del Sur will remain under modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) until the end of the month. For the rest of the country, workers will be herded back into unsafe and crowded workplaces to restart the flow of corporate profits. Public transportation is gradually reopening. The number of passengers on the Metro Rail Transit was raised yesterday. The Department of Transportation announced that as many as 204 commuters are now permitted on a train (i.e., 68 per wagon). They added that physical distancing would be lowered to 0.75 metres between passengers, to be further reduced every two weeks. A state-backed contact tracing app, Staysafe.ph, is set to be rolled out in transport terminals in the coming weeks. The app, however, is not a genuine attempt to implement contact tracing, but instead serves to justify the governments back-to-work drive and the false notion that it is safe to return to places of employment. The swift reopening of the countrys failing tourism industry is also on the agenda. Hotels can now accept greater numbers of guests under specialised programs outlined by the Department of Tourism, as the country restarts domestic travel. Significant investments are being made in an expensive new project to rehabilitate Manila Bay for tourism purposes. Interior Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya claimed it would not detract funds from the governments coronavirus response, despite growing criticism of the project as the health crisis worsens. Fearful of mass opposition, government officials are trying to justify their failure to contain the pandemic since March. Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said on Friday, as quoted by ABS-CBN News: I will be the first to admit that our initial response was rather slow, if not laggard. Why? Because nobody actually expected this pandemic. Such statements from ruling elites around the world aim to shrug off responsibility for the devastation inflicted by the pandemic. Medical experts had continually warned about a potential pandemic throughout the past decade. Epidemiologists and health experts from the University of the Philippines have estimated that total cases could reach 310,000 to 330,000 by the end of this month. Six workers, who were granted bail last week in a case of alleged assault on a former man, were re-arrested in the early hours of Tuesday, a police official said. The Indian Penal Code Section 452 (house trespass after preparation of hurt, assault or wrongful restraint), which is non-bailable, was added in the case registered against them, he said. Earlier, the six persons were arrested last week after local BJP MLA Atul Bhatkhalkar posted a video on Twitter of the assault on former man Madan Sharma (62), but they were granted bail on Saturday. The accused were then booked under IPC Section 325 for causing grievous hurt, which is a bailable offence. Later, Leader of opposition in the state Legislative Council Pravin Darekar, Bhatkhalkar and the victim's family members demanded that the accused be booked under IPC Sections sections 326 (causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons and means), 452 and 450 (house-trespassing), which are non- bailable. On the basis of CCTV footage and the complainant's statement, the Samta Nagar police invoked IPC Section 452 against the six accused and re-arrested them around 2 am on Tuesday, a senior police official said. Sharma was attacked last Friday for allegedly forwarding a cartoon mocking Chief Minister and president Uddhav Thackeray on social media. After the attack, Sharma had demanded that the chief minister apologise to him and the country. He had also said Thackeray should quit his post if he was unable to uphold law and order in the state. The heads the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), which also comprises the NCP and Congress. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Justice Department's Office of the Inspector General has launched an investigation into Roger Stone's sentencing recommendation, two people familiar with the matter told NBC News. Stone, a longtime friend and adviser of President Trump, was convicted last year of witness tampering and lying to investigators. Prosecutors working on the case said they were told to push for a lighter sentence than the seven to nine years they were considering, and this is what the watchdog is looking into, NBC News reports. Before the sentencing, Attorney General William Barr intervened, and Stone was ultimately sentenced to 40 months in prison. In July, Trump commuted his sentence. In response to Barr's intervention, all four of the Stone prosecutors quit, including Aaron Zelinsky, who testified before Congress in June. He said he was told by the office of the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia to endorse a lighter sentence for Stone, due to his relationship with Trump. One person with knowledge of the matter told NBC News Zelinsky's testimony is what prompted the Inspector General's Office to start the investigation. More stories from theweek.com Fox News calls Trump's town hall with undecided Pennsylvania voters an 'ambush' Trump says he'll be on Fox & Friends every week but host Steve Doocy doesn't agree to have him Trump says U.S. will beat COVID-19 through 'herd mentality' With most school districts in Connecticut requiring that students learn online at least part of the time, the Lamont administration announced Tuesday that 20,000 of the 81,000 students who need a laptop for classes will receive one in the next few weeks. Nearly 13,000 of the 53,000 families who need the internet will also soon be getting a wireless hot spot, the administration said. The remaining computers are expected to arrive sometime in October and free broadband hookup for families will begin in the next two weeks. Although the vast majority of school districts across the state are employing a so-called hybrid model, where students split their school week between in-person and remote learning, the Lamont administration for the last three weeks has declined to provide the CT Mirror with a district-by-district breakdown of how many laptops are needed and how many have been provided. Only 36 of the states 201 school districts offered students the option of returning to in-person classes full-time. In New Haven, for example, which opened for online instruction only, 2,500 students didnt log-in at all the first week. Its unclear how many devices were requested by families in that district or how many have been provided by the state. The State Department of Education is working to set up a system to track weekly how many students are logging on, but state officials are unable to say when that monitoring system will be up and running. When schools shut down last March due to the pandemic, a quarter of students either skipped or were minimally present for distance learning. For many of those who went MIA, lack of access to the internet or a computer was an obstacle. When the remaining devices are delivered, roughly 27% of all public school students in the state will have received a free laptop and every student who needs one will have it. When the broadband hookups are complete, at least 10% of the states students will be receiving free internet, though the reach is likely much greater since so many families have multiple school-aged children. The wireless connections and about half the laptops are being paid for out of the federal money the state received from the CARES Act in early May. The remaining computers were purchased by the now-dissolved Partnership for Connecticut, which was a public-private venture between the state and billionaire philanthropists Ray and Barbara Dalio. The state initially believed only 61,000 laptops would be needed in addition to the 60,000 purchased by The Partnership, but adjusted that number up to 81,000 after surveying districts about student need. We are prioritizing access to needed technology and connectivity to narrow gaps in opportunities and outcomes between students with means and those without, Education Commissioner Miguel Cardona said in a press release announcing that 20,000 of the laptops will soon be delivered. Educational equity will be our continued focus as we work together to support districts and educators with effectively employing remote learning methods that meet the needs of every student. SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Digital Realty (NYSE: DLR), a leading global provider of cloud- and carrier-neutral data center, colocation and interconnection solutions, announced today it intends to redeem all 10,000,000 outstanding shares of its 5.875% Series G Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock (CUSIP: 253868 889). Series G Preferred Stock held through the Depository Trust Company will be redeemed in accordance with the applicable procedures of the Depository Trust Company. The redemption date will be October 15, 2020. The Series G Preferred Stock will be redeemed for $25.00 per share, plus all accrued and unpaid dividends to, but not including, the redemption date in an amount equal to $0.057118 per share, for a total payment of $25.057118 per share, which will be payable in cash, without interest on the redemption date. After the redemption date, Series G Preferred Stock will no longer be deemed outstanding and all the rights of the holders of Series G Preferred Stock will terminate, except the right to receive the redemption price. In addition, because all the issued and outstanding shares of Series G Preferred Stock are being redeemed, the Series G Preferred Stock will no longer trade on the New York Stock Exchange after the redemption date. The Series G Preferred Stock currently trades on the NYSE under the symbol DLR.PRG. The notice of redemption and related materials are being mailed to holders of record of Series G Preferred Stock as of September 15, 2020. As specified in the notice of redemption, payment of the applicable redemption price, plus any accrued and unpaid dividends payable on the redemption date, without interest, will be made only upon presentation and surrender of the certificates representing the Series G Preferred Stock to the redemption agent, American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC. Questions regarding the redemption of the Series G Preferred Stock may be directed to American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC at: American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC Operations Center 6201 15th Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11219 Attention: Reorganization Department Tel.: (800) 937-5449 For Additional Information Andrew P. Power Chief Financial Officer Digital Realty (415) 738-6500 Investor Relations John J. Stewart / Jim Huseby Digital Realty (415) 738-6500 [email protected] About Digital Realty Digital Realty supports the data center, colocation and interconnection strategies of customers across the Americas, EMEA and APAC, ranging from cloud and information technology services, communications and social networking to financial services, manufacturing, energy, healthcare and consumer products. www.digitalrealty.com Safe Harbor Statement This press release contains forward-looking statements that are based on current expectations, forecasts and assumptions that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual outcomes and results to differ materially, including statements related to the timing and consummation of the redemption of the Series G Preferred Stock. For a list and description of such risks and uncertainties, see the reports and other filings by Digital Realty Trust, Inc. and Digital Realty Trust, L.P. with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including Digital Realty Trust, Inc. and Digital Realty Trust, L.P.'s combined Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2020 and June 30, 2020, and other documents subsequently filed by the company with the SEC. The company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. SOURCE Digital Realty Related Links http://www.digitalrealty.com Police are investigating a shooting where a wounded man may have been pushed out of a car and then run over in east Houston. Another driver saw the man fall from a moving vehicle described as a freshly cleaned, black SUV with shiny rims around 9 p.m. Sunday in the 6700 block of Wayside Drive. The fleeing vehicle then hit him, police said. Washington, Sep 16 : Israel signed agreements to normalise diplomatic ties with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain at the White House. US President Donald Trump joined Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nahyan and Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani in signing the three-way agreements on Tuesday, Xinhua news agency reported. The signing ceremony, which was held in the South Lawn at the White House, formally makes the UAE and Bahrain the third and the fourth Arab nation to establish diplomatic ties with Israel. Egypt and Jordan signed their peace deals with Israel in 1979 and 1994, respectively. The signing also demonstrated that the Trump administration is eager to showcase its foreign policy achievement and gain support among pro-Israel evangelical Christians with the upcoming presidential election. Trump touted the historical significance of the agreements by calling them "peace deals." The UAE and Bahrain have never fought a war against Israel in history, and the unofficial relationship between Israel and the two Arab states have developed for years. Netanyahu hailed the normalization agreements as "a pivot of history" that heralds new dawn of peace, saying Israel, the UAE and Bahrain are eager to invest in a future of partnership, prosperity and peace. Bahrain's foreign minister noted that the agreement is an important first step, while emphasizing the two-state solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. "Today's agreement is an important first step and it is now incumbent on us to work urgently and actively to bring about the lasting peace and security our peoples deserve a just, comprehensive, and enduring two-state solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict will be the foundation, the bedrock of such peace," he said. Sheikh Abdullah of the UAE in his remarks expressed thanks to Netanyahu for halting the annexation of Palestinian territories, calling it "a decision that reinforces our shared will to achieve a better future for generations to come." According to the Israel-UAE deal announced on August 13, Israel agrees to suspend its plan to annex parts of the occupied Palestinian territories in the West Bank. The Palestinian leadership, which has long accused the Trump administration of being biased in favour of Israel, condemned the deals. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas called on all Arab countries to abide by the Arab Peace Initiative, launched in 2002, which stipulates that the Arabs can only normalize relations with Israel after the Palestinian issue is resolved. The Trump administration has announced the ambitious Mekong-US partnership which aims to curb China''s growing influence in Southeast Asia and promote economic independence of partner nations. Apart from the US, the coalition includes Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam from Southeast Asia. It was formally launched after a virtual meeting on September 11. The Mekong-US partnership reflects the importance of the Mekong region to the United States, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Monday. He said these efforts will include working closely with Japan, Australia, South Korea, India, and other like-minded partners. The cooperation name is derived from the Mekong river, which starts in Tibet and flows 4,180 km southeast through China, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam, ending in the South China Sea. It forms the boundary between Laos, Burma and Thailand. "Our relationship with Mekong partner countries is an integral part of our Indo-Pacific vision and our strategic partnership with ASEAN," he said. "With more than USD 150 million in initial investments in regional programmes, we will build on the good work of the Lower Mekong Initiative (LMI) and the USD 3.5 billion in regional US assistance during the last eleven years," he added. The LMI is the pre-existing regional cooperation programme of the US. The Mekong-US partnership will continue to strengthen water security and the work of the Mekong River Commission, Pompeo said, noting that now USD 55 million will be allotted to combat transnational crime, viz-a-viz., human trafficking, smuggling of narcotics, arms, and banned wildlife products. "We need to be candid, however, about the challenges we face, including those from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), which increasingly threatens the Mekong''s natural environments and economic autonomy," Pompeo said. Alleging that the CCP''s unilateral decisions to withhold water upstream have exacerbated an historic drought, Pompeo said the US stands with the region and the Mekong River Commission in calling for transparent data sharing. "We encourage countries of the Mekong region to hold the CCP accountable to its pledge to share its water data. That data should be public. It should be released year-round. It should include water and water-related data, as well as land use, and dam construction and operation data. It should be shared through the Mekong River Commission, the organisation that serves the interests of Mekong-region countries, not those of Beijing," Pompeo said. The US, he said, is also concerned about infrastructure-linked debt and the predatory and opaque business practices of Beijing''s state-owned actors, such as China Communications Construction Company (CCCC). The US State Department said the partnership is complementary to the Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy (ACMECS), ASEAN, the Mekong River Commission, and with other Mekong development partners and cooperation mechanisms in line with these values. Among other things, the partnership includes strengthening regional governance and promotes transparency with USD 6 million to support local voices and provide platforms to advance their research and explore diverse perspectives, to develop east-west transportation connectivity with India and Bangladesh, to promote women''s economic empowerment, and continue the Third Country Training Program with Singapore. The Mekong-US partnership comes in the backdrop of China''s growing military and economic influence in the Indo-Pacific region. China has made territorial claims in the South China Sea and the East China Sea, which have been disputed by Mekong nations. Both areas are stated to be rich in minerals, oil and other natural resources and are vital points in global trade. Beijing has also built and militarised islands and reefs it controls in the region. Built by the French railway technology company Alstom, it will host a 90-metre-long digital wall for train operation, said to be the second largest in Asia. IMAGE: A man walks on a railway track as freight trains are parked at Tughlakabad railway station in New Delhi. Photograph: Adnan Abidi/Reuters Prayagraj, the venue for the Kumbh Mela, is poised to add another distinction to itself. The city, earlier known as Allahabad, will soon house one of the worlds largest operation control centres (OCC) as part of the Indian Railways ambitious Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC) programme. Once fully operational, the centre, spread over 4.2 acres, will function as the nerve centre of the entire 1856-km Eastern DFC (EDFC). Built by the French railway technology company Alstom, it will also host a 90-metre-long digital wall for train operation, said to be the second largest in Asia. The automated goods trains running system will be monitored round the clock, and some 250 staff members are expected to man the OCCs control room at all times. We have built one of the worlds largest operations control centres in Allahabad for Indian Railways. "This command centre will monitor freight trains along all the six corridors of the EDFC, says Alain Spohr, managing director, Alstom India and South Asia. In July 2015, the Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India (DFCCIL) awarded a Rs 1,497-crore contract for civil works, power supply works, electrification, signalling, and a telecommunications system over 343 km, along with the eastern phase of the DFC. Alstom, which won the contract, also built the sub-stations and a control centre. This will be a vital part of the Rs 30,000-crore EDFC. Once it is up and running, the OCC will be a one-stop centre for controlling and monitoring trains. Signals, electrical substations, access into the substations and every other operation on the EDFC will be monitored and controlled by it, significantly reducing downtime. Built on Alstoms ICONIS signalling platform, it enables seamless supervision and control, offering the Integrated Train Management System (TMS) for the first time in India, Spohr adds. ICONIS (Integrated Control and Information System) is a user-friendly network monitoring and controlling system which gives railway infrastructure managers complete control over their network operations, leveraging Internet-of-Things (IoT), cloud- and sensor-based technologies and a digital dashboard. Alstom says the OCC will monitor the movements of all trains along the eastern corridor, ensuring that it gets direct communications from various sections on tracks, trains and stations. Moreover, the OCC will host the second-largest world-class digital wall in Asia for train operation, with officials monitoring the TMS and SCADA (Supervisory, Control and Data Acquisition) data on a 24x7 basis. SCADA refers to control and management solutions in a variety of industries. The system collects data from various monitoring and control points and processes it at a central computer. In the case of the EDFC, the SCADA system will enable traction controllers to monitor, control and remotely operate power supply equipment at traction sub-stations, sectioning and paralleling posts and sub-sectioning and paralleling posts. It would also allow monitoring and control of other auxiliary sub-stations and equipment such as fire alarms at stations, depots and the OCC from a single location. ICONIS draws together all the relevant operational data in real-time, allowing controllers to assess situations and swiftly resolve issues. By tracking and recording routine operations, the platform also offers a repository of data to help pinpoint recurring problems and determine best practices to further improve efficiency, says Alstom. As for the telecommunication system, it will provide the necessary communication channels for carrying voice, data, and video signals for management control and operations. Alstom has also built a VoIP (voice over internet protocol) as a fallback option to ensure seamless connectivity. A similar control system is coming up in the Western DFC at Ahmedabad. Once the DFC starts functioning, goods and passenger traffic will get segregated into individual tracks. This is expected to boost passenger movement by enabling Indian Railways to introduce more passenger trains. Moreover, it will allow goods trains to travel at higher speeds - locomotives for the DFC are designed to travel at 100 km per hour, with a minimum speed of 75 km per hour. It will also lead to fewer greenhouse gas emissions, as it facilitates the operation of electric trains. An international group of scientists reported the detection of small quantities of a gas in the atmosphere of Venus they believe could be a sign of biological life on the often-overlooked planet. The findings need to be confirmed with additional measurements, the researchers and other experts said. The gas, known as phosphine, is a rare, hard-to-detect molecule typically produced in highly inhospitable environments that lack oxygen, like the violent depths of Jupiter and Saturn. We found a unique signal in Venus for which the most likely explanation is phosphine, and the most likely explanation for phosphine seems to be life," said Clara Sousa-Silva, a Massachusetts Institute of Technology quantum astrochemist and one of the authors of the study. It does seem kind of extraordinary. Even Im skeptical." The team pointed to two possible explanations for the findingssome crazy, unknown chemistry, or life on Venus," said Sara Saeger, an MIT planetary scientist who worked on the study. Theyre equally probable." She and others pointed out that on Earth, phosphine can be found in sewage facilities or the intestines of living organisms, though at extremely low levels. At higher concentrations, it can be toxic. The results, published Monday in the journal Nature Astronomy, could turn a new spotlight onto Earths second-closest neighbor, whose surface was once much cooler and may have had oceans. Despite its relative proximity to our home planet, Venus has been long overlooked in planetary research, some scientists say. Some hope the new study will add Venus to the list of potentially habitable worlds and turn the tides for the bright planet. Venus was beloved for a long time," said Dr. Sousa-Silva, and attracted research, but the probes that we sent melted quite dramatically and barely survived long enough to send back any signals, so it was really hard to keep doing that to ourselves." The surface of Venus is an abominable place," she added, but the clouds themselves could be habitable." She and her team detected phosphine in the clouds, using telescopes on Earth aimed at Venus. The instruments measured radiation patterns. Molecules naturally absorb radiation at certain known wavelengths. By assessing blips, or dips, in those signals, the researchers can infer that certain compounds, like phosphine, are present. For years, much more attention and resources have been trained on Mars and moons like Jupiters Europa and Saturns Enceladusicy ocean worlds that scientists suspect may also host life. Its not the determination of alien life[but] maybe this is actually a world we should be more credibly thinking about habitability," said Paul Byrne, a North Carolina State University planetary scientist who wasnt involved in the research. Its a massive deal, hands down." Some scientists cautioned against drawing conclusions too early. I think the data are robust. The experiment was done meticulously," said Darby Dyar, chair of astronomy at Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts, who wasnt involved in the research. The interpretation is a little more difficult," she said. The problem is that we havent thought too much about whether phosphine can be created abiotically" on Venus, in part because we know so little about the planet and its chemistry. Even on Earth, the process by which phosphine is synthesized isnt completely understood, scientists said. The study detected minute amounts5 to 20 parts per billionin the Venusian atmosphere. On Earth, quantities are measured in parts per trillion or quadrillion, according to Dr. Sousa-Silva. The researchers want to confirm with additional measurements that the molecule they detected is in fact phosphine. Every molecule vibrates and rotates with unique patterns, and these molecular dances act like signatures. The team found one such signature in this round of experiments based on the way phosphine rotates. Next up would be to look at its vibrations with infrared sensors to confirm the initial observations. That extra information really helps to pin things down," said Steven Shipman, associate professor of physical chemistry at the New College of Florida in Sarasota, in an email. While its possible it could be another molecule, if so, its not something obvious. So it probably really is phosphine." Until orbiters can sample the atmosphere for more direct signs of life, scientists say, the debate over whether Venus is habitable and inhabited will continue. Write to Daniela Hernandez at daniela.hernandez@wsj.com Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Never miss a story! Stay connected and informed with Mint. Download our App Now!! Topics Boris Johnson was accused of blaming others for his Brexit "mess" as Labour urged MPs to vote against the Internal Market Bill in the House of Commons yesterday. Former Labour Party leader Ed Miliband warned MPs that passing the bill would "equip the government with the power to break the law", and said Mr Johnson's "cavalier" attitude must be opposed. Read More Mr Miliband added the debate was not an argument about "Leave versus Remain" but "Right versus Wrong". The bill would override part of the Brexit deal relating to Northern Ireland - thereby breaching international law. Mr Johnson won the so-called second reading parliamentary vote on the Internal Market Bill by 340 to 263 last night. A wrecking amendment was defeated shortly beforehand, though more will follow as he faces a growing rebellion in his party. Mr Johnson was accused of lying about dealing with an EU power to 'blockade' British exports to Northern Ireland as the bill began a stormy passage through the House of Commons. Mr Miliband challenged the prime minister to point to where the bill dealt with that issue. He said that, having read the legislation, the bill dealt with state aid to Northern Ireland companies and exit notices on goods going to the other way. The British prime minister did not take up the invitation to respond on this point. Mr Miliband then declared: "He doesn't know the protocol, he hasn't read the bill, he doesn't know his stuff." Highlighting the concerns expressed by former prime ministers John Major and Tony Blair about the implications for Northern Ireland, he said the prime minister had claimed to be aware of those "particular sensitivities" and called the Withdrawal Agreement "a great deal for Northern Ireland". Mr Miliband declared: "This is not just legislative hooliganism on any issue, but on the most sensitive issue of all, and I think we should take the word of two former prime ministers on Northern Ireland." Meanwhile, Leo Varadkar said that if the proposed legislation was a negotiating tactic, it had backfired. If it was not a tactic, then it meant the UK was a country that doesn't honour international treaties. It would be "a great shame" for "a really great country to become a shadow of its former self". The British government admits the draft law breaks international law but claims it does so in a limited way, and that it is needed as an insurance policy to prevent what Mr Johnson claims would be an EU blockade. The move has caused anger in the EU as trade talks continue, with Britain given a deadline of the end of the month to drop the bill or face legal action. Governor of the Central Bank Gabriel Makhlouf said Ireland must plan for divergence between the UK and EU economies, potentially as soon as January 1 when the current transition period is due to end. "Too many people were hoping the transition period would carry on forever," he warned. "It would be wise to plan on the basis that there won't be a deal (before the January 1 exit date) and there will be a hit," Mr Makhlouf said. Speaking at an event organised by the Institute for International and European Affairs (IIEA) in Dublin, he said the Central Bank has previously estimated a crash-out Brexit will cost the Irish economy 1pc to 2pc of GDP, but he said those estimates need to be reviewed. Regulators believe the financial system as a whole here is ready for Brexit, whatever shape it takes. People queue up outside a Centrelink office in Melbourne, Australia, for welfare payments on April 20, 2020. (WILLIAM WEST/AFP via Getty Images) Deloitte Modelling Predicts Return to Pre-COVID JobSeeker Would Further Shrink Australian Economy A new report published on Tuesday by Deloitte Access Economics has predicted that cutting JobSeeker will shrink the size of the Australian economy which is already in recession due to social distancing measures needed to manage the spread of COVID-19. The report (pdf), commissioned by the advocacy group Australian Council of Social Services (ACOSS), predicted that if JobSeeker is reduced to the pre-pandemic levels, spending will drop and cause a $31.3 billion reduction in the size of the economy over the next two years. Meanwhile, the cuts to the Coronavirus supplementary payment would reduce government borrowing by an average of over $23 billion across both 2020-21 and 2021-22 financial years. The modelling also predicted that 145,000 full-time jobs could disappear over the next two years, which equates to an estimated 1.28 percent of employment. Deloitte argues this would create a large and sustained negative shock, and that there would be a measurable contraction in the broader Australian economy with rural regions to be hardest hit. There is much inherent uncertainty in the economic future we face in the next few years, and we know that it will be tough, the report said. Premature removal of the Coronavirus Supplement, and a failure to permanently lift the base rate, would hit hard not only for those among our most disadvantaged, but also for Australian society as a whole, the report noted. The JobSeeker Coronavirus Supplement has temporarily doubled unemployment benefits since April, with people receiving a $550 supplement each fortnight atop the base rate unemployment payment of $565. The supplement will be cut by $300 a fortnight on Sept. 24, reducing JobSeeker to $815. Deloitte Access Economics Partner Nicki Hutley said in a media release on Sept. 15 that the report showed every dollar the government had invested in JobSeeker was generating an economic return that was allowing Australia to pull itself out of the recession. Providing people without paid work with enough to get by is a highly effective economic stimulus, as they have little choice but to spend straight away on essentials, said Hutley, noting those on higher incomes were currently more likely to be saving than spending. This is why other measures, such as income tax cuts, would not be as effective in getting us out of this recession, Hutley said. CEO of the Australian Council of Social Service Dr. Cassandra Goldie agreed with the assessment, noting that it was one of the best things the government could do to support Australia on the long road to economic recovery. Goldie called on the federal government to legislate a permanent and adequate JobSeeker rate. There are a lot of things that are not in our control in this pandemic, but one thing that the government does have control over is ensuring that everyone has enough to cover the basics of life, including a safe place to live, Goldie argued. People and businesses need this certainty in order to be able to rebuildthey need to know that the government has their backs, she said. But not everyone agrees. New South Wales (NSW) Agricultural Minister Adam Marshall has criticised JobSeeker for being a financial disincentive to those seeking employment, the ABC reported on Sept. 8. Why would they want to come out here and do some hard labouring work when they can earn money at home doing absolutely nothing? he said. Marshall is worried because the NSW agricultural industry is facing a predicted shortage of 20,000 workers between now and Christmas. If we dont find a way to resolve this workforce shortage very, very quickly, were going to potentially hobble a sector that has the chance to bring in a huge amount of additional money to our economy, Marshall noted. Earlier modelling released by the Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre argued that while the coronavirus supplement was necessary during the pandemic, it should be adjusted down to provide an incentive for people to work, reported the Sydney Morning Herald on July 2. Centre Director Alan Duncan noted that the pre-pandemic base rate of JobSeeker, previously known as Newstart, would not provide an adequate basic standard of living. The cost of raising JobSeeker and related payment rates, principally Youth Allowance, by $200 per fortnight is relatively inexpensive, at around $3.8 billion over the six months following the withdrawal of the current coronavirus supplement, Professor Duncan said. The $550 supplement would cost $11.2 billion over six months for 1.76 million unemployed in the December quarter and 1.5 million in the March quarter for 2021. Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Sept. 15 that the government is now shifting its focus away from financial aid like JobKeeper and JobSeeker, which were created to help people survive the initial COVID-19 economic crisis. We dont just want to get through, he told business leaders in New South Wales. We need businesses to have the confidence to grow and to employ more people. Parenting in 2020 has not been easy. As if coronavirus quarantines werent tough enough, now west coast fires are keeping kids inside. Air quality maps indicate unhealthy to hazardous conditions from Oregon to Southern California and official advisories instruct limiting outdoor activities and keeping children indoors. Its been extremely surreal, Kirsten Russell, a mother of two in Wilsonville, Oregon told TODAY Parents. This is their childhood in 2020. Sons, Connor, 4, and Jackson, 2, keep Russell on her toes. Kirsten Russell and sons, Connor, 4, and Jackson, 2, have been spending more time upstairs due to the wildfires ripping across the west coast. (Courtesy Kirsten Russell) With a preschooler and a toddler, (we do) a lot of fort building, playdough, building, creating, dance parties, the floor is hot lava...getting creative as best we can without going to buy new supplies, Russell said, adding that the family spends most of their time in an upstairs playroom, because its harder to breathe downstairs. This is a familiar scene for Janelle and Jeff Boek in southeast Portland. Janelle Boek shared the view from her home in southeast Portland: Things were pretty good until Friday night and then we were sitting downstairs and our heads started hurting, Janelle Boek said. Its affecting us to where we are staying upstairs. The Boeks have been honest with their daughter, Everly, 4, about what is going on and are trying their best to ease the anxiety of staying indoors. The last few days we have been playing board games a lot of Sorry and matching games, Boek said. We did some stretches and deep breathing this morning it was much needed. For parents who have exhausted board games and indoor forts, here are eight suggestions from the TODAY Parenting Team: For the future secret agent Indoor "Laser" Maze (Jennifer Landis) Let your kids train to be secret agents by setting up a laser maze made of yarn taped to walls, tied to doors and otherwise strung across walkways and hallways to create a maze. For the at-home chef Baking Challenge (Rachel Campos-Duffy) How many times have you wanted to make a chocolate cake from scratch or prove you can make a flaky crust as good as your grandmothers, but you just don't have the time? A day indoors is the perfect opportunity to enlist the kids with no time pressure or worse, dinner guests to impress. This treat is just for you and the kids, so if the souffle deflates, you can still eat the yummy remains with no stress! You'll be surprised how into cooking and experimenting with exotic or sophisticated recipes kids are these days. I think it has a lot to do with the popularity of all those cooking and baking challenges on the Food Network especially the ones that feature kids. What's better than the smell of home baked treats wafting through your house? Story continues For the slime obsessed DIY Slime (Nina Parrish) This experiment is better for older elementary and middle school kids as it requires the use of a detergent called Borax. In this lesson, kids learn about polymers while creating their own glitter slime. The best part is, the glitter stays stuck INSIDE the slime! For the budding artist Window Markers (Two Came True) Window markers are super cool and fun for kiddos. The best part is that they are also easy to clean up. Let your kiddos write and create designs on your sliding glass door, random windows in your house or even your shower doors. Play a game of Tic Tac Toe, or keep a tally of every time you see a car drive down the street. Whatever it may be, these markers are great at making the time pass. And what kid wouldnt love drawing on something other than paper? For the DIY-ers Make Your Own Finger Paint (Julia Christensen) To distract bored little hands, make your own non-toxic finger paint using items found in your kitchen. Search online for an exact recipe; it will likely be a combination of corn starch, sugar, water and food coloring. Create the paint on your stovetop and then let your child get creative after it cools. Remember that the food coloring may stain surfaces, so be sure to use this craft in a controlled (perhaps cling wrap-covered) environment. For the child on the go Homemade Race Track (Olivia Johanson) This works best on any kind of floor (use blue painter's tape for hardwood floors and masking tape for carpet) and is remarkably easy. All you have to do is lay out some masking tape around part of your living room floor and draw little lines in the center to make each strip look like a road. You can add some obstacles in the form of toys to make it more challenging. Then race your kids or get them to race around the track together. For the future engineer Super Stacker Towers (Nina Parrish) This activity is perfect for a kid who likes to build but may not be quite so enthusiastic about completing their homework. Write items that need to be learned or studied on cups, stack them up, and turn learning into a game! For the photographer Regular Day (Paul) On a regular day just like any other, get an alarm clock and set it to go off at intervals; an hour is normally good as you are likely to be doing something different each time. Take a picture of whatever you are all doing when that alarm clock chimes and you can build a collage at the end of the day. The kids will eagerly anticipate the alarm going off and it can provide for a great memory when you look back on it in a few years time. And if youre a parent who just cannot adult any more, this genius nap time art lesson is pretty high on the list of hacks to pull out in case of emergency. Russian flag carrier Aeroflot Airlines has opened the sale of tickets for passenger and cargo flights from several countries, said the airline's spokeswoman without naming the countries, reported Russian news agency Tass. "On reaching an agreement with the operational headquarters of the government, Aeroflot opened the sale of air tickets for its own passenger and cargo flights to Moscow for citizens of the Russian Federation, the spokeswoman was quoted as saying in the report. Export flights will continue from the cities Russian airlines do not operate regular commercial flights to. These are some cities in South America, some cities in Africa and Asia, and some other destinations," she added. Export flights to transport Russians abroad and foreigners in Russia back to their home countries were launched after Russia suspended international flights due to the coronavirus pandemic, the report said. A member of the Bangladesh Border Guard is shown on guard duty in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, Sept. 14, 2020. Bangladeshs Foreign Ministry has summoned Myanmars ambassador to protest unusual troop movements near its southeastern borders, where refugee camps house close to 1 million Rohingya refugees who fled Myanmar, authorities said Monday. Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and foreign ministry officials said authorities in the region had noted unusual numbers of Myanmar security forces since early Friday, at several points near the border, including in civilian ships. Large ships can be seen in Myanmar waters. Law enforcers are on high alert in this island, Nur Ahmed, chairman of St. Martins Union Council, told BenarNews, an RFA-affiliated online news service, by telephone. St. Martins island in the Bay of Bengal is a top tourist attraction in the Coxs Bazar region. The unusual troop movements without any prior notice have caused Bangladesh border guards to go on alert. We have confirmed that there was suspicious movement and presence of Myanmar troops in their area, Lt Col. Ali Haider Azad Ahmed, commander of the BGB unit in Coxs Bazar, told BenarNews. So we have intensified all activities including patrolling. Everyone has been kept on alert at the border. If anything happens, including new infiltrations, it will be prevented, he said. A Bangladesh foreign ministry official, meanwhile, reached out to his Myanmar counterpart. We called in the Myanmar envoy and expressed our concerns. He was asked to convey our message to the appropriate authorities, Md Delwar Hossain, director-general of the Myanmar cell at Bangladeshs foreign ministry, told BenarNews. Increased traffic at the border A Rohingya camp leader in Teknaf district the southernmost tip of Bangladesh, which lies across the Naf River from Myanmars Rakhine state told BenarNews that camp residents noticed Myanmar troops setting up seven or eight tents. There has been an increase in traffic at the border for two days. It could not be confirmed whether they were police or army members, but the residents of the Rohingya camp are afraid of this, Mohammad Nur, a camp leader, told BenarNews, In southeastern Bangladesh, refugee camps house about 1 million Rohingya, including more than 740,000 who fled from Myanmars Rakhine state amid a brutal military crackdown that began on Aug. 25, 2017, in the wake of attacks by Rohingya insurgents on police outposts that killed 9. Shahriar Alam, Bangladeshs state minister for foreign affairs, told the BBC on Monday that Myanmar officials had not informed their Bangladesh counterparts about the troop mobilizations, despite an agreement to do so. [T]he Myanmar army has increased the number of troops in several places near the border with Bangladesh using civilian boats, he told the British media. Whatever happens in these cases, there is a rule for neighboring states to notify the other side if they take action against any internal insurgency. But they did it without informing us. Thats why we informed the embassy here. A professor at Jahangirnagar University in Dhaka said the troop movements could be part of an effort to keep Rohingya out of Myanmar. Myanmar has been trying to totally eradicate the Rohingya from Rakhine state from the beginning. The new army deployment may be a part of that effort, Dr. Tareque Shamsur Rehman told BenarNews. They are adamant they will not take back the Rohingya despite directives of the International Court of Justice and the pressure from the United Nations. They will continue to do so, as long as the Western world does not impose economic sanctions on Myanmar, he said. Reported by BenarNews, an RFA-affiliated online news service. SSV, MIPL, Magellan Team, NASA Venus A group of astronomers have detected trace amounts of a highly toxic gas on Venus, a promising sign that Earths closest neighbor may be home to possible life. In an article published in Nature Astronomy on Monday, the astronomers said that phosphine (PH) gas has been found in Venus atmosphere and according to one of the writers of the study, one of the best explanations for its creation is life. As far as we can tell, only life can make phosphine, Clara Sousa-Silva, molecular astrophysicist at Harvard University, told The New York Times. We know that it is an extraordinary discovery. We may now know just how extraordinary without going back to Venus. The study says that on Earth, phosphine is produced biologically, and its uniquely associated with human activity or microbial presence, even in an oxidizing environment. Venus environment is significantly harsher than that of Earth; its temperatures can melt lead, and its atmosphere is so thick it would crush a human, according to NASA. Its also inhospitable for human life, as its dehydrating and hyperacidic, the study says. However, the study claims that there is no known chemical process able to explain phosphines presence on Venus, and therefore it must be produced in a way not previously considered plausible for the planets conditions. RELATED VIDEO: NASA Successfully Launches Mars Rover to Collect Signs of Ancient Life NASA Successfully Launches Mars Rover to Collect Signs of Ancient Life The rover named Perseverance launched on Thursday, July 30, 2020 The Times reported that, using telescopes, scientists found that Venus had thousands of times more phosphine than Earth, and the light in Venus environment constantly breaks it down, meaning there must be something continuously replenishing it. The researchers models reportedly found that volcanic activity and lightning on the planet wouldnt enough to keep adding more but living things might be. Story continues I should emphasize that life, as an explanation for our discovery, should be, as always, the last resort, Sousa-Silva told Reuters. This is important because, if it is phosphine, and if it is life, it means that we are not alone. It also means that life itself must be very common, and there must be many other inhabited planets throughout our galaxy. RELATED: NASA Successfully Launches Mars Rover to Collect Signs of Ancient Life The study says that there are other parts of the Solar System that have phosphine, but only in the atmospheres of giant planets, in which cases it is produced in deep atmospheric layers at high temperatures and pressures, and dredged upwards by convection. On the solid surface of a rocky planet like Venus, the gas would be quickly destroyed before making it to the interior. This could be unknown photochemistry or geochemistry, or possible life, the study says. Information is lacking as an example, the photochemistry of Venusian cloud droplets is almost completely unknown. RELATED: NASA Successfully Launches Mars Rover Perseverance to Collect Signs of Ancient Life The study acknowledges that the detection of phosphine is not robust evidence for life only for anomalous and unexplained chemistry, something other scientists stressed to the Times. Still, the discovery will make waves, and, the studys authors hope, will ramp up efforts to further research into the topic. This is an astonishing and out of the blue finding, Sara Seager, planetary scientist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and one of the papers authors, told the Times. It will definitely fuel more research into the possibilities for life in Venus atmosphere. Busting a move on the dance floor will not be permitted when Luxe Nightclub and Lounge reopens its doors this weekend. The establishment on Niagara Street, attached to Canadas Best Value Inn and below Big Daddys Pho, was open for a month until it was shut down by the COVID-19 pandemic in March. When Niagara entered Stage 3 of the provinces reopening plan in late July, bars and restaurants were allowed to start accepting customers at indoor seating areas. Nightclubs have been able to open, but only to serve food and drinks, and without any dancing. Following these rules, the Welland nightclub will be set up as a lounge, making room for a maximum of 50 people at about 10 separate booths and tables. This is a step in the right direction, said Dalton Patterson, who runs the club with his business partner Moe Sinno. Only a few weeks of entertaining before shutting down was difficult for the young entrepreneurs. It was beyond frustrating, said Patterson, adding the business was not eligible for relief funding offered by the federal government due to the length of time it was in operation. The property owners went to bat for them and did successfully apply for rent relief provided by the province. We were lucky our landlord was gracious in working with us, said Patterson. Sinno said staff will be monitoring patrons to make sure they are abiding by guidelines wearing masks on the way to their tables, not wandering around the bar, and not dancing to what the DJ is spinning or getting down when live solo music acts hit the stage. Well enforce it, and if they dont do it, well tell them to leave, he said. The club will be open Saturday 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. for walk-in customers, and then 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. for those who have made reservations. A comedy night will have customers laughing Sunday. Trivia events are being planned for coming weeks. Patterson said the duo are working on plans with a catering company to bring in a portable kitchen that would allow for food to be served. Drinks will be delivered to seated customers at their tables, and not ordered standing at the bar. Everything is new to everyone here, said Patterson, adding this weekend will be about introducing everyone to the new vibe. Niagara Region Public Health said nightclubs can operate as restaurants only and that enforcement of this regulation is the responsibility of bylaw officers. In a statement Tuesday, Niagara acting medical offer of health Dr. Mustafa Hirji said the greatest risk of spreading COVID-19 is wherever there is crowding and close congregation of people. Niagara Region Public Health encourages businesses to operate safely by preventing closer contact and crowding in their establishments, he said. He also strongly recommended people do the same in their personal lives. House parties, backyard events and weddings have driven much of the increase of cases we have seen in Ontario in the past few weeks, Hirji said. It is important we all do our part to avoid and prevent these situations that can lead to COVID-19 spreading through our community. Korea's Supreme Court By Kim Se-jeong The independent Sentencing Commission under the Supreme Court proposed new guidelines Tuesday that will allow judges to hand down prison terms of up to 29 years and three months for those found guilty of creating sexually exploitative content. The guidelines proposed by the commission will become official in December if agreed to after a review by all of its members. The proposal will also allow judges to sentence those who sell sexual content online to up to 27 years in prison, and those who are charged with distributing content and recruiting minors for content creation to up to 18 years. Those who buy the content could also receive jail time of up to six years and nine months. This is the latest development in a drive to impose appropriate sentencing on sex criminals after two recent cases in which those found guilty were given lenient sentences enraged the public, who vented their anger at judges who have been traditionally lenient on sex crimes. Earlier this year, Cho Ju-bin, who ran a sexual blackmail ring called the "Nth Room," was indicted on charges of creating sexually violent content and selling this in a Telegram chatroom. The 24-year-old coerced women, including minors, to record sexually violent videos and charged Telegram users who wished to enter the chatroom, called "Baksa," which in Korean mean a person with a doctorate. Son Jong-woo served an 18-month sentence jail term for running the world's largest pornography site that included child pornography. His case went viral here as the U.S. filed an extradition request to try him there; however a Korean court denied the request. His father also drew public outrage with an emotional appeal for his son and arranging a fake marriage for him. Under growing public pressure, the National Assembly passed relevant laws making the possession of sexually violent content a crime; law enforcement made offenders' personal information public for the first time; and the Sentencing Commission reviewed sentencing guidelines. The new proposals are not expected to have a direct impact on Cho or Son, as they will only be applicable to offenders indicted after December. Although criminal laws have sentencing guidelines that are broad, judges refer to the commission's as they are more specific. However, the judges are not bound by them, but are expected to respect them. Newron Pharmaceuticals S.p.A. ("Newron") (SIX: NWRN, XETRA: NP5), a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of novel therapies for patients with diseases of the central and peripheral nervous system, today announced its financial results and operational progress for the half-year ended June 30, 2020. Highlights: Evenamide (Schizophrenia) All evenamide pre-clinical studies requested by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) completed with no toxicity concerns identified First clinical safety study initiated despite industry wide delays caused by COVID-19 Newron on track to initiate its pivotal Phase III program in 2021 Newron currently evaluating potential options for partnering/co-developing evenamide Xadago/safinamide (Parkinson's disease) Newron noted Supernus Pharmaceuticals' acquisition of US WorldMeds' CNS portfolio, including the US rights to Xadago/safinamide, effective June 2020 Progress made in plans to perform the levodopa-induced dyskinesia (PD LID) study with Xadago Zambon previously held discussions with the FDA on the design of a potentially pivotal efficacy study to evaluate the effects of Xadago/safinamide in patients with PD LID Intention is to perform the study in the US, Europe and Asia/Australia Zambon acknowledges Newron's experience in the development of Xadago in patients with Parkinson's disease; discussions to have Newron as the party responsible for conducting the study; Zambon will remain associated with the study Financial terms to stay unchanged Sarizotan (Rett syndrome) Newron terminated development program, after the Sarizotan Treatment of Apneas in Rett Syndrome (STARS) clinical study did not demonstrate evidence of efficacy on the primary or secondary efficacy variables Company to share learnings from the Rett Syndrome International Burden of Illness study, and is evaluating passing on the study to another pharmaceutical company for completion Corporate Newron received third tranche of EUR 7.5 million under financing agreement with the European Investment Bank (EIB) In light of COVID-19 pandemic, Newron reiterated its commitment to health and safety of patients, caregivers and employees Newron is evaluating opportunities to broaden its pipeline of treatments for central and peripheral nervous system diseases Stefan Weber, Newron's Chief Executive Officer, commented: "The first half of 2020 has presented some obstacles, but we move forward excited by our current pipeline of novel drugs and are confident in our ability to advance these through the clinic and improve their positioning in the market. We look forward to progressing towards our Phase III clinical program, evaluating evenamide in schizophrenia, to complete preparations towards the new label study with Xadago, and to potentially broaden our central nervous system pipeline. Newron's total available funding, including the EIB funds not yet drawn down, in addition to our royalty income and Italian R&D tax credits, will fund the Company's planned development programs and operations well into 2022." Evenamide In January 2020, Newron reached an agreement with the US FDA on the design and conduct of additional short-term pre-clinical explanatory studies with evenamide, as well as the protocol for a first, four-week safety study in patients with schizophrenia. The requested pre-clinical studies have already been successfully completed, with no toxicity issues reported. Despite anticipated delays associated with COVID-19, Newron has initiated the first clinical safety study, an explanatory four-week randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study to evaluate the safety, tolerability, EEG effects and preliminary efficacy of two fixed doses of evenamide in outpatients suffering from chronic schizophrenia receiving treatment with a second-generation atypical antipsychotic. Newron intends to recruit approximately 120 patients. Patient recruitment is progressing well at sites in the US and India, with more than 75 patients enrolled, and contingent on no further COVID-19 restrictions, results from the study are currently expected in Q1 2021. Together with the pre-clinical results confirming absence of toxicity that have been submitted to the FDA, the extensive explanatory study package should deliver robust, convincing clinical data to proceed with the next, pivotal phase of clinical development. Newron remains confident that it is on track to initiate the Phase III studies with evenamide in Q2 2021. In key territories, the Company continues to expect to commercialize evenamide itself in the treatment-resistant schizophrenia indication. For the indication of patients showing inadequate response to their current atypical antipsychotics and experiencing worsening of psychosis, Newron is currently evaluating potential options for partnering/co-development. Xadago/safinamide In April 2020, we noted the agreement between US WorldMeds and Supernus Pharmaceuticals, under which Supernus intended to acquire US WorldMeds' central nervous system (CNS) portfolio, including the US rights to Xadago/safinamide. The transaction subsequently closed in June. Supernus' focus is the development and commercialization of products for the treatment of CNS diseases. Newron progresses in the plans to perform the LID study with Xadago: Zambon had previously held discussions with the FDA on the design of a potentially pivotal efficacy study to evaluate the effects of Xadago/safinamide in patients with PD LID. The intention is to perform the study in the U.S., Europe and Asia/Australia. Zambon acknowledges Newron's experience in the development of Xadago in patients with Parkinson's disease and there have been discussions to have Newron as the party responsible for conducting the study. Zambon will remain associated to the study. Financial terms will stay unchanged: Newron will make a fixed financial contribution to the study, in return for a one-time milestone payment and a greater share of royalties should the study lead to a label extension. Sarizotan Unfortunately, in May 2020 Newron announced that the Sarizotan Treatment of Apneas in Rett Syndrome (STARS) study did not demonstrate evidence of efficacy on the primary or secondary efficacy variables. The study was well-designed and executed, based on highly promising data from a genetic model of Rett syndrome in mice. The results of the study demonstrate the inherent difficulties in translating effects in animal models, even if genetic, to human clinical studies. As a consequence, Newron has decided to terminate this development program. However, as part of its long-time commitment to the Rett syndrome community, the Company is evaluating how to share the learnings from the Rett Syndrome International Burden of Illness study (potentially by passing on the study to another pharmaceutical company for completion). Financials: For the first six months of 2020, Newron reported a net loss of EUR 10.5 million, compared to EUR 14.0 million in the same period in 2019. The reduction is mostly due to the termination of the sarizotan development program in Rett syndrome. Cash used in operating activities has decreased to EUR 7 million from EUR 14.7 million in 2019. Xadago revenues received from Zambon increased by 12.4% (EUR 2.5 million versus EUR 2.2 million in 2019). Newron's R&D expenses declined to EUR 7.8 million from EUR 10.3 million in 2019. G&A expenses were EUR 4.4 million in the first six months of 2020 versus EUR 5.9 million in 2019. Cash and Other current financial assets at June 30, 2020 were at EUR 39.4 million, compared to EUR 39.2 million at the beginning of the year. Financial Summary (IFRS): In thousand EUR (except per share information) HY1 2020 HY1 2019 Licence income/Royalties 2,509 2,232 Research and development expenses (7,777) (10,298) General and administrative expenses (4,374) (5,934) Net profit/loss (10,503) (14,046) Profit/loss per share Basic (0.59) (0.79) Cash used in operating activities (7,039) (14,700) As of June 30, 2020 As of Dec. 31, 2019 restated (1) Cash and Other current financial assets 39,365 39,163 Total assets 57,834 60,288 (1): In 2020, Management restated the 2019 figures related to the R&D tax credit receivables. For additional information, please see Notes 2 and 12 of the Half-Year Report 2020. Newron's Half Year Report 2020 is available for download on the Company's website: https://www.newron.com/investors/reports-and-presentation/year/2020financial-reports-and-accounts Upcoming events: H.C. Wainwright 22nd Annual Global Investment Conference (virtual): September 15, 2020 Investora 2020, Zurich: September 23, 2020 Deutsches Eigenkapitalforum 2020 (virtual): November 16-18, 2020 Jefferies Virtual Global Healthcare Conference: November 17-19, 2020 About Newron Pharmaceuticals Newron (SIX: NWRN, XETRA: NP5) is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of novel therapies for patients with diseases of the central and peripheral nervous system. The Company is headquartered in Bresso near Milan, Italy. Xadago/safinamide has received marketing authorization for the treatment of Parkinson's disease in the European Union, Switzerland, the USA, Australia, Canada, Brazil, Colombia, the United Arab Emirates and Japan, and is commercialized by Newron's Partner Zambon. Supernus Pharmaceuticals holds the commercialization rights in the US. Meiji Seika has the rights to develop and commercialize the compound in Japan and other key Asian territories. Newron is also developing evenamide as the potential first add-on therapy for the treatment of patients with positive symptoms of schizophrenia. For more information, please visit: www.newron.com Important Notices This document contains forward-looking statements, including (without limitation) about (1) Newron's ability to develop and expand its business, successfully complete development of its current product candidates, the timing of commencement of various clinical trials and receipt of data and current and future collaborations for the development and commercialization of its product candidates, (2) the market for drugs to treat CNS diseases and pain conditions, (3) Newron's financial resources, and (4) assumptions underlying any such statements. In some cases, these statements and assumptions can be identified by the fact that they use words such as "will", "anticipate", "estimate", "expect", "project", "intend", "plan", "believe", "target", and other words and terms of similar meaning. All statements, other than historical facts, contained herein regarding Newron's strategy, goals, plans, future financial position, projected revenues and costs and prospects are forward-looking statements. By their very nature, such statements and assumptions involve inherent risks and uncertainties, both general and specific, and risks exist that predictions, forecasts, projections and other outcomes described, assumed or implied therein will not be achieved. Future events and actual results could differ materially from those set out in, contemplated by or underlying the forward-looking statements due to a number of important factors. These factors include (without limitation) (1) uncertainties in the discovery, development or marketing of products, including without limitation difficulties in enrolling clinical trials, negative results of clinical trials or research projects or unexpected side effects, (2) delay or inability in obtaining regulatory approvals or bringing products to market, (3) future market acceptance of products, (4) loss of or inability to obtain adequate protection for intellectual property rights, (5) inability to raise additional funds, (6) success of existing and entry into future collaborations and licensing agreements, (7) litigation, (8) loss of key executive or other employees, (9) adverse publicity and news coverage, and (10) competition, regulatory, legislative and judicial developments or changes in market and/or overall economic conditions. Newron may not actually achieve the plans, intentions or expectations disclosed in forward-looking statements and assumptions underlying any such statements may prove wrong. Investors should therefore not place undue reliance on them. There can be no assurance that actual results of Newron's research programs, development activities, commercialization plans, collaborations and operations will not differ materially from the expectations set out in such forward-looking statements or underlying assumptions. Newron does not undertake any obligation to publicly up-date or revise forward looking statements except as may be required by applicable regulations of the SIX Swiss Exchange where the shares of Newron are listed. This document does not contain or constitute an offer or invitation to purchase or subscribe for any securities of Newron and no part of it shall form the basis of or be relied upon in connection with any contract or commitment whatsoever. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200915005634/en/ Contacts: Newron Stefan Weber CEO +39 02 6103 46 26 pr@newron.com UK/Europe Simon Conway Natalie Garland-Collins, FTI Consulting +44 20 3727 1000 SCnewron@fticonsulting.com Switzerland Martin Meier-Pfister, IRF +41 43 244 81 40 meier-pfister@irf-reputation.ch Germany/Europe Anne Hennecke, MC Services +49 211 52925222 anne.hennecke@mc-services.eu USA Paul Sagan, LaVoieHealthScience +1 617 374 8800, Ext. 112 psagan@lavoiehealthscience.com Britain's International Trade Secretary told MPs on Monday that a free trade deal signed last week with Japan showed that the UK "can strike deals that go further and faster than the EU." Liz Truss told MPs that the trade agreement it was a "major moment in our national history." She said the deal showed that "economic powerhouses" like Japan were keen to strike trade deals with the UK, deals she said could go "further and faster" outside the EU. Shadow International Trade Secretary, Emily Thornberry, was quick to point out that the UK's trade with Japan was "nothing like as important" as its trade with the EU. "The deal they signed on Friday will increase our trade with Japan by a little less than half in 15 years' time. But that is nothing compared to what we will lose in just four months if we do not get a deal with Europe that this government has promised," she told MPs. Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content. Kindly add us to your ad blocker whitelist. If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism, consider contributing and/or subscribing to our free daily Newsletter . Support our mission and join our community now. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-14 22:32:24|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Photo taken on Sept. 11, 2020 shows a view of the 64th plenary meeting of the 74th session of the UN General Assembly at the UN headquarters in New York. The General Assembly adopted an "omnibus" resolution to encourage international cooperation in response to COVID-19. (Eskinder Debebe/UN/Handout via Xinhua) BEIJING, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations General Assembly has adopted a resolution, voted for by an overwhelming majority of 169 countries, to encourage international cooperation in response to COVID-19, and this result shows the international community's consensus view that unity and cooperation are the only way to overcome the virus, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Monday. Spokesperson Wang Wenbin made the remarks at a press briefing when asked to comment on the resolution, which was only opposed by two countries last week, one of them the United States. "The resolution identifies international cooperation, multilateralism and solidarity as the only way for the world to effectively respond to global crises such as COVID-19," Wang said, adding that it urges member states to promote inclusion and unity, take strong action against racism, xenophobia, hate speech, violence and discrimination, and refrain from promulgating and applying any unilateral economic, financial or trade measures not in accordance with international law and the UN Charter. Wang said that the adoption of the resolution once again proves a Chinese saying: "A just cause rallies abundant support while an unjust one finds little." He said that the U.S. side frequently withdrew from international organizations and treaties, and used the epidemic situation to blame other countries, while deliberately undermining the international community's efforts to unite against the epidemic. "This is totally unpopular. The United States has stood in opposition to the international community," he said. "We hope the U.S. side will face up to the voice of justice in the international community, correct its erroneous practices of spreading rumors and smearing, shifting responsibilities and selfishness, stop unilateral sanctions that violate international law and basic norms governing international relations, and be a supporter of the international community's unity against the epidemic, not a stumbling block," Wang said. Augustoberfest to return in 2022, but in a new location This year marks the 25th anniversary of Augustoberfest, usually held in downtown Hagerstown. But this year's festival is moving out of Hagerstown. The rate of Californians testing positive for COVID-19 has continued to fall even as the state has opened new options, including a walk-up kiosk at Los Angeles Union Station that can conduct 500 tests per day. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times) As the Golden State faces a triple threat of respiratory risks destructive wildfires, toxic air quality and a deadly pandemic there is a faint glimmer of hope. Over the last seven days, just 3.5% of COVID-19 tests in California came back positive, the lowest rate since the state began reporting the data in late March. A month ago, the positive test rate was nearly twice as high. The number of new confirmed cases has fallen to the lowest level since mid-June, according to a Times analysis of state data. Hospitalizations for COVID-19 have fallen to the lowest levels since the start of April, with 2,869 patients in hospital beds Saturday. These positive signs come as California reduces the turnaround time for coronavirus tests. Dr. Erica Pan, the acting state public health officer, said last week that laboratories are now producing test results in an average of 1.3 days. The data have left officials feeling cautiously optimistic about California's progress against the pandemic as the state nears the end of the sixth month of stay-at-home orders. They urged residents to stay vigilant and to keep taking the precautions that are working: wearing face coverings in public, observing social distancing with anyone outside the immediate household and staying home whenever possible. Officials said there are two factors that could mar the rate of positive tests: a decline in testing during the wildfires and lingering questions about whether Labor Day gatherings caused a surge in transmissions. It can take up to two weeks for the coronavirus to incubate in the human body. California saw a surge in cases, hospitalizations and deaths after the Memorial Day weekend, which included holiday gatherings, graduation parties, massive protests over police brutality and the reopening of bars, which were later closed again. Health officials are "very anxious to figure out" whether gatherings, parties and other activities over the latest three-day weekend, which ended a week ago, will lead to another spike in cases, "which then leads to more hospitalizations and even more deaths," said Barbara Ferrer, director of Los Angeles County's Department of Public Health. Story continues "We are, in fact, somewhat challenged about getting good data because weve had both extreme heat and weve had the fires that have created unhealthy air conditions," Ferrer continued. "What thats led to, unfortunately, is a lot less testing." Ash and smoke from the Bobcat fire were so strong that L.A. County was forced to temporarily close some testing sites in the San Gabriel Valley. But, Ferrer said, the vast majority of testing centers are open. She urged residents to get tested if they have experienced COVID-19 symptoms or have associated with anyone who has, including in a workplace or at home. Meanwhile, Southern California officials are watching with interest and caution as San Diego and Orange counties have begun to slowly reopen indoor businesses. Both counties have received approval from the state to reopen restaurant dining rooms, museums, movie theaters and places of worship at 25% capacity. Last week, Los Angeles County reported 9.6 transmissions per 100,000 residents. That rate must fall below seven per 100,000 for two consecutive weeks before Newsom would allow restaurants, theaters and other nonessential businesses to reopen. For now, no L.A. County school campuses will be allowed to reopen to all K-12 students until at least November. However, schools will be allowed to offer in-person classes for children with special needs, provided occupancy on campus does not exceed 10% of the student body. Public health officials have received 59 applications from individual schools to reopen for "students who cannot be served virtually," Ferrer said. A union representative for Debenhams workers in the midlands is fearful that if the Government does not offer adequate financial supports to the lower paid and unemployed, then Ireland will hit a depression, not a recession this time. Mandate Divisional Organiser in the Midlands, Mandy Kane, says that Debenhams workers are determined to continue on fighting for their redundancy rights. Referring to the continued fight by Debenhams workers in Newbridge and nationally for redundancy, she said: They believe that it should be statutory plus two. Ms Kane, said: They are quite determined, the anger has not subsided at all. Some of the stores would have anything up to 40 years service. Some of the workers have moved on to other jobs, which is inevitable - people have mortgages to pay and some have not been successful in job applications. She said: We have a situation where a company has walked away. The unions are trying to get legislation to protect the Debenhams workers. Ms Kane said: The Government has reduced the Covid payments, people need to start contacting their local T.D.'s about this. She says that 'vulture funds' mortgage companies have no empathy. Ms Kane said: The Covid payment is not enough. People on low pay don't have the fall-back position of savings, they contribute every penny that they have, and they contribute locally. Mandate also is representing the horse racing industries and she says that this is also being majorly impacted by restrictions on those allowed attend. She said: The country is going into a depression worse than we ever expected, not a recession, a depression. How do you get out of that? We did not get out of the last recession. Ms Kane says that for each of the horseracing industries punters not coming in - and being behind closed doors, has caused a considerable drop in income. She said: Co Kildare is reliant on horseracing and it hasn't recovered from the last recession. When you are just about to get off your knees and then you are back down - it will take people years, years and years to recover, it has the potential to go on for years. The Government needs to prioritise, the levels of suicides in the last recession shot up, and this is where we could be heading again. I don't believe that the Government we have are the people to help these people. The Government need to help the lower paid and unemployed. Todays Headlines The most important news stories of the day, curated by Post editors and delivered every morning. Email address By signing up you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy SACRAMENTO Gov. Gavin Newsom has endorsed an initiative that would overhaul Californias iconic Proposition 13 by changing how commercial property taxes are calculated a measure likely to be one of the hardest-fought issues on the November ballot. After months of declining to weigh in on the ballot measure, Proposition 15, Newsom announced his support as he also pledged not to sign any of the proposals to increase income taxes on the wealthiest Californians that were floated at the end of the legislative session. California, like every state in America, is currently experiencing the severe financial aftershocks of global pandemic, Newsom said in a statement Friday. Prop. 15, he said, is a fair, phased-in and long-overdue reform to state tax policy. The measure would change Prop. 13, the 1978 voter-approved initiative limiting property tax increases. It would create a split roll, maintaining a strict cap on annual tax hikes for homeowners, but lifting it for most large commercial properties. Under the initiative, those commercial properties would be reassessed every three years instead of when they are sold. Critics have long complained that Prop. 13 which sets the tax rate at 1% of the price when a property is sold and restricts increases to 2% annually has deprived the state of revenue from large businesses that rarely change hands and are still paying taxes based on assessments from decades ago. Organized labor, a major ally of Newsom, is behind Prop. 15, which could raise an estimated $12 billion annually for schools and local governments. The campaign celebrated the governors endorsement as another watershed moment in the push to close corporate tax loopholes. But business groups and other opponents of the initiative warned that it would only deepen the economic recession. The California Chamber of Commerce said in a statement that Proposition 15 will tank our recovery, hamstring small and minority businesses ability to rehire laid-off workers, and cost every consumer hundreds of dollars every year when companies pass on the cost of their higher taxes. Both sides have already raised tens of millions of dollars for the campaign, which will have significant implications for local budgets. Searching for new revenue to offset a massive state budget deficit, many supporters of Prop. 15 have also pushed lawmakers to raise the top state income tax rate and create a first-in-the-nation wealth tax. Both of those proposals died at the end of the legislative session in August without a vote. Newsom said Friday that in a global, mobile economy, now is not the time for those types of tax increases. Newsom also made endorsements on several other measures Friday, and now has weighed in on nearly all the initiatives on the Nov. 3 ballot. He supports Proposition 14, to renew a bond funding stem cell research; Proposition 16, repealing a ban on state affirmative action policies; Proposition 17, restoring voting rights for parolees; Proposition 18, allowing 17-year-olds to vote in primaries if they turn 18 before the general election; Proposition 19, letting older Californians and victims of natural disasters keep their property tax rate when they move to a new home, and reassessing inherited homes if the late owners child or grandchild doesnt use it as a principal residence; and Proposition 25, to end cash bail. He opposes Proposition 20, which would roll back an earlier expansion of parole for some crimes, and Proposition 21, allowing local jurisdictions to adopt more expansive rent control policies. Alexei Koseff is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: alexei.koseff@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @akoseff The devastating effects of human activity on wildlife in the American tropics over the last 500 years are revealed in a new study published today. More than half of the species in local 'assemblages' - sets of co-existing species - of medium and large mammals living in the Neotropics of Meso and South America have died out since the region was first colonised by Europeans in the 1500s. Researchers at the University of East Anglia (UEA), in the UK, and University of Sao Paulo (USP), Brazil, found that human activity such as habitat change and overhunting is largely responsible for the overwhelming loss, or 'defaunation', in mammal diversity across Latin America. The study, published in the journal Scientific Reports, compared all animal inventories at over 1000 Neotropical study sites published over the past 30 years with baseline data going back to the Colonial era. The findings draw on a compilation of 1,029 separate mammal assemblages - typically a few kilometres apart from each other - spanning approximately 10,700 km and 85 of latitude across 23 countries, from Mexico to Argentina and Chile. They reveal that the dominant cause of local species extinction and assemblage downsizing - the reduction in body size within each assemblage - is a direct result of habitat changes such as farming, logging and fires, and aggravated by the chronic process of overhunting. Dr Juliano Andre Bogoni, a postdoctoral researcher sponsored by the Sao Paulo Research Foundation and working at UEA's School of Environmental Sciences, led the study with Prof Carlos Peres, also of UEA, and Prof Katia Ferraz from USP. Dr Bogoni said: "Our findings can be used to inform international conservation policies to prevent further erosion of, or restore, native biodiversity. Further conservation efforts should be mobilized to prevent the most faunally-intact biomes, such as Amazonia and the Pantanal wetlands, from following in the footsteps of 'empty ecosystems' that are now typical of historically degraded areas such as the Brazilian Atlantic Forest and the Caatinga. "This includes effective implementation and law enforcement in existing protected areas, and curbing political pressures to either downgrade or downsize these areas. Greater investment should be allocated to more effective control of illegal hunting, particularly commercial hunting, deforestation, and anthropogenic fires, as well as ensure that fully implemented protected areas are working." Prof Peres said: "Sound resource management should be sensitive to the socioeconomic context, while recruiting rather than antagonizing potential local alliances who can effectively fill the institutional void in low-governance regions. "Hominins and other mammals have co-existed since the earliest Paleolithic hunters wielding stone tools some three million years ago. Over this long timescale biodiversity losses have only recently accelerated to breakneck speeds since the industrial revolution. "Let us make sure that this relentless wave of local extinctions is rapidly decelerated, or else the prospects for Neotropical mammals and other vertebrates will look increasingly bleak." The team looked at 165 species and analysed local losses in more than 1000 sets of medium to large-bodied mammal species that had been surveyed across the Neotropics. On average more than 56 per cent of the local wildlife within mammal assemblages across the Neotropics were wiped out, with ungulates lowland tapir and white-lipped peccary comprising the most losses. The extent of defaunation was widespread, but increasingly affecting relatively intact major biomes that are rapidly succumbing to encroaching deforestation frontiers. Over time the assemblage-wide mammal body mass distribution greatly reduced from a historical 95th-percentile of approximately 14 kg to only about 4 kg in modern assemblages. ### 'Extent, intensity and drivers of mammal defaunation: a continental-scale analysis across the Neotropics', Juliano A Bogoni, Carlos A Peres and Katia M P M B Ferraz, is published in Scientific Reports on September 15. When the coronavirus struck the U.S. in January, 24-year-old Dakota Hendrickson was just weeks away from launching his nanofiber HVAC air filter startup, Filti. Suddenly making filters for facemasks became an even better idea. "I will not forget the minute we flipped [the website] on," says Hendrickson. It was March 27 at around 10:30 a.m. "In a couple of days, I had 2,000 emails in my inbox," he says. The experience since has been nothing short of dizzying--and par for the course for any company in the business of selling personal protective equipment (PPE) these days. While live events companies and restaurants have been hamstrung (or worse) by the pandemic, the businesses that make PPE or that have transitioned to producing different protective garments have been buoyed by the unfortunate turn. Indeed, the market for PPE, which includes facemasks, gowns, and face shields, is expected to top $80 billion by 2026, up from more than $50 billion in 2019, according to a July report from researcher Global Market Insights. That growth is apparent at Filti. The Kansas City, Missouri-based company has shipped more than 325,000 square meters of bulk facemask material and around three million standalone mask inserts. On average, one square meter can yield about 25 to 40 facemasks. Filti booked roughly $2 million in sales from the material in its first 45 days of operation and has grown 190 percent in the past 90 days. The Filter The idea for Filti originally came to Hendrickson by way of Monte McDowell, an old friend of his father's. McDowell is the CEO of Nxtnano, a Clermont, Oklahoma-based manufacturer of nanofiber material, which is used in everything from high-performance clothing to automotive filtration. After shadowing McDowell for a summer, the nanofiber concept stuck with him, says Hendrickson. "Every time I turned around, he was grabbing my pant leg, like 'Hey, I want to come down and work for you. I want to be an entrepreneur,'" says McDowell who is also Filti's only investor. After Hendrickson graduated from college at Creighton University in December 2018, McDowell gave him a shot. "I told him we could produce the material if he'd do the business," says McDowell. So together with McDowell's son, Andy McDowell, the three developed the product, set up a website, and prepared to launch Filti. Despite having to switch gears ahead of launch, Hendrickson says the transition was more or less smooth. Filti's sheets of nanofiber material, which can be used to make facemasks including N95 respirators, are sold directly to end-users on its website. The sheets come in three different sizes and sell for $29.99 to $189.99. A twenty-pack of individual mask inserts sells for $19.99. The company also recently added HVAC air filters--its intended first product--to its repertoire. The MERV 16 9500 HVAC filter is sold on the company's website and available to ship mid-September. It retails for $39.95 for one or $199.87 for a pack of four, and Hendrickson says it's like an N95 respirator for your house. The strength of the filter is rated on a Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value (MERV) scale, which spans from a rating of 1 to 20, depending on the minimum size of the particles a filter can capture. Filti's filters are MERV 16, the same grade typically used in hospitals, and can capture particlulates of bacteria, droplets from sneezing, and smoke greater than 0.3 micrometers. "I wouldn't say they're equivalent to N95 masks," says Donna Hager, president and CEO of Macan Deve, a White Plains, New York-based engineering and architecture firm, "but comparable." Because Filti's filters use nanofibers--fine networks of fibers that filter particulate matter--they're likely to be more efficient than electrostatic filters that use electricity to catch dust, pollen, and other airborne particlulates, says Jeffrey Siegel, a civil engineering professor at the University of Toronto. He points to a 2015 study by James Montgomery at the University of British Colombia, which found that humidity can in some cases lead to efficiency degradation in these filters. While the use of nanofiber material for filtration has been deployed for some time, Siegel cautions, its adoption for commercial filtration remains somewhat experimental. He studied the use of different MERV filters in residential settings in Toronto. In a 2019 study, he found that home air filters performed worse than lab tests suggested due to the differences in air velocities and gaps around a home's filters. "There are a host of issues that may affect its real-world performance," says Siegel. But if those kinks could be worked out, he believes such a filtration system could offer health benefits. The next products Filti plans to launch are a MERV 13 washable HVAC filter, which the company plans to start shipping early in October, and finished facemasks--not just material--available to ship this month. Growing the Business While Hendrickson's quick pivot helped the company launch with an in-demand product at the outset, he's convinced Filti will maintain its popularity long after the pandemic subsides. Home filtration products, says Hendrickson, give people the chance to level up their filtration status, which will continue to remain important post-pandemic. "The pandemic didn't create a new market for us, but it did put a spotlight on the need for better air quality and air filtration products." Currently, Filti has one patent pending for its washable air filter. McDowell acknowledges that Hendrickson has a long way to go as an entrepreneur. "He's just learning, right, and he doesn't see some things," he says, referencing Hendrickson's young age and relative lack of experience, "but nobody sees everything." Even so, McDowell anticipates Filti will keep up its momentum. The rape case provoked a nationwide outcry in Pakistan after a police official seemed to blame the victim because she was driving at night without a male companion Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan said Monday that the worst sex crimes should be punishable by chemical castration, following an arrest in a gang-rape case that has prompted nationwide protests. Hundreds of women have taken to the streets of cities across Pakistan in recent days after a woman was raped in front of her two children when her car ran out of fuel near the eastern city of Lahore. The case attracted additional anger after a police official seemed to blame the victim because she was driving at night without a male companion. Asked about the case, Khan said the worst sex crimes should be punishable by public hangings, but added this could impact trading deals with partners that oppose the death penalty, such as the European Union. "What I think is that there should be chemical castration, I have read it is happening in many countries," Khan said in an interview with Pakistani news station Channel 92. "The way murder is graded: First-, second- and third-degree. This should also be graded, and for first-degree (sex crimes) there should be castration." Chemical castration involves using drugs to reduce a person's libido. Khan's comments came after police arrested Shafqat Ali, one of two suspects in the gang-rape case. "His DNA has matched, and he has confessed to the crime," Punjab province Chief Minister Usman Buzdar said on Twitter. A senior police official confirmed the arrest, adding that a manhunt was ongoing for the second suspect. Following last week's incident, Lahore police chief Umar Sheikh faced an angry backlash and calls for his resignation after suggesting the rape was at least partially the victim's fault. Sheikh apologised Monday. Rape is notoriously difficult to prosecute in Pakistan, where women are often treated as second-class citizens. Legal expert Osama Malik told AFP the rape conviction rate can be as low as two percent. "This drops even lower in cases where a minor has been raped. That is one of the reasons that rape is rarely reported," he said. Story continues Malik also blamed the societal stigma attached to sex crimes and the "abhorrently misogynistic attitude" of many police officials for the underreporting of rape cases. Lapses during the collection of forensic evidence and shoddy prosecutorial practices also contribute towards "abysmal" conviction rates, he added. kf-zz/wat/ch Although it may be daunting to read about rising COVID-19 cases in schools with students just starting class, experts says the numbers are to be expected. On Tuesday morning, Ontario announced in its daily COVID-19 update that there were 14 new active cases in schools across the province, including four at Toronto schools adding up to 29 in total. The province said that the cases are among both students and staff and no schools have been closed. The provincial data also notes there are 4,828 schools in the province, so 27 schools is less than one per cent (0.56 per cent of schools). Dr. Ashleigh Tuite, an epidemiologist with the University of Torontos Dalla Lana School of Public Health, told the Star that these cases occurred too rapidly to be caused by in-school transmission. The new cases represent infections that are happening out in the community, she said. The good news is that these cases have been identified once cases are known, we can initiate contact tracing to try to prevent any onward spread within the school setting, Tuite said. Dr. Isaac Bogoch, infectious disease specialist at the University of Toronto and Toronto General Hospital, agrees that these numbers are not out of the ordinary. Obviously its not a good thing. Its just not surprising, Bogoch told the Star. We know that COVID will be introduced into schools and that it will be proportionate to the amount of COVID thats in the community. On Tuesday, Ontario reported 251 new cases province wide. Bogoch wasnt surprised that all of the schools remained open after confirming COVID-19 cases. There are a number of reasons why a school would remain safe to operate after a case is confirmed, he said. For example, the person may have tested positive after the virus had stopped being infectious. Or, after contact tracing, it was determined the person hadnt come in close contact with anyone. If the person who tested positive came in close contact with their classmates, that class might need to go home, he said. But it doesnt mean the school needs to shut down. Theres going to be unique circumstances with each one of these cases that will be investigated, and that will determine whether or not (the school will be closed), Bogoch said. Tuites main concern is about those who dont know they have COVID-19 and go to school while infectious. Its in these sorts of situations where the different layers of protection that have been put in place at schools become really important, she said. If staff and students are able to keep physically distant, wear masks, keep up with hand hygiene, etc., the risk that an infectious case in the school will lead to additional cases is reduced. Instead of looking at the COVID-19 cases introduced to the school, Bogoch recommended parents to watch out for transmission within the school. Everything weve been talking about for the last couple of months is: can we set up the school in a way that, not if, but when a case is introduced ... it has the lowest likelihood of being transmitted to other people? he said. Were going to find out how successful that is sooner rather than later. In its latest update Tuesday, the province reported the following GTA schools had confirmed infections: Halton reported two cases, both among school staff at St. Marguerite dYouville Catholic Elementary School and Oodenawi Public School. Peel confirmed seven cases St. Joseph Secondary School (student), Briarwood Public School (staff), John Fraser Secondary School (student), Louise Arbour Secondary School (student), North Field Office (staff), Ross Drive Public School (staff) and Ruth Thompson Middle School (unidentified). Durham had two, one in a student and one in a staff member. The affected schools are: Ecole Ronald-Marion (staff) and Mapleridge Public School (student). Toronto had four confirmed cases, all of whom were among staff Bloordale Middle School, Charles G. Fraser Junior Public School, Don Mills Middle School and Earl Haig Secondary School. There was one case in York region a student at Little Rouge Public School. In other parts of the province, Ottawa had 11 confirmed cases in nine schools while Waterloo and Pembroke reported one each for a total of 29 cases. Many students returned to in-person class on Monday, with some showing signs of hesitation or concern. Positive cases were being confirmed before the first day of school, with the York, Halton and Peel region as well as Hagersville alerting parents to at least one case in their respective communities Sunday. Sept. 16, 2020 Correction: This story has been updated from a previously published version to correct that its Earl Haig Secondary School in Toronto that has a positive case among a staff member, not Earl Haig Public School. Has your child been assigned to a large class or has your school kept class sizes low? We want to hear from you. Tell us about your familys experience with in-person school by emailing schools@thestar.ca . Please include your school board in the email. With files from Breanna Xavier-Carter Kevin Jiang is a breaking news reporter, working out of the Stars radio room in Toronto. Reach him via email: kjiang@thestar.ca Read more about: Armed men on Saturday abducted a State Security Service (SSS) official in Katsina State and killed him a day later while in captivity. The official, Sadiq Bindawa, until his death, was serving at the SSS headquarters in Abuja, PREMIUM TIMES learnt. Sources said the assailants stormed the home of the deceased in Katsina town after he arrived from Abuja and whisked him away. The abductors demanded N5 million ransom, which was given to them at an agreed point on Sunday. However, after receiving the ransom, they were ambushed by security operatives who were monitoring them, and a shootout occurred, a relative of the deceased told PREMIUM TIMES, asking not to be named for security reasons. Following the firefight, many armed bandits were killed, others fled with bullet wounds and the money. Those that escaped went back to the den and shot dead Mr Bindawa, the source said, saying the family was briefed by the SSS who, however, told them not to talk to journalists. Other family members of the deceased confirmed the information to our reporter. The body of the deceased was later found in the bush, the source added. Efforts to speak with the SSS in Katsina were unsuccessful. The spokesperson of the SSS headquarters, Peter Afunanya, did not return calls or reply a message sent to him. Also, the police spokesperson for Katsina State, Gambo Isah, did not respond to several calls. In Queensland more than 100 soldiers were at Brisbane Airport and the citys quarantine hotels. But in Melbourne, Victoria Police told the ADF its soldiers were not needed. And in May, just days before the first outbreak at the Rydges on Swanston hotel in Carlton, the army said it was told by Mr Crisp that "the situation in Victoria has improved to such an extent that it is unlikely Victoria would need any further ADF support except planners". Victorias decision to rely on poorly trained private security guards in its quarantine hotels instead of a mix of police, soldiers and private guards as other states did more successfully allowed coronavirus to escape into the community. Guards at the Rydges on Swanston and the Stamford Plaza in the CBD contracted coronavirus from returned travellers and then spread the disease in the community sparking a deadly second surge that has now left 574 elderly Victorians dead from the virus. The federal government documents provided to the inquiry on Tuesday included an email with the subject heading "assistance re hotel stay security". The email was sent in April by the boss of the Commonwealth public service, Phil Gaetjens, to Chris Eccles, his Victorian public service equivalent. Mr Gaetjens wrote: "The Commonwealth would be willing to assist Victoria in a similar way [to NSW] if you wanted to reconsider your model" and use the ADF. Mr Eccles replied: "Thanks Phil." A copy of Phil Gaetjens' email offering ADF support to Victoria. In July, after the quarantine program was suspended following major coronavirus outbreaks at the Rydges and Stamford Plaza, Prime Minister Scott Morrison wrote to Mr Andrews three times offering ADF support, according to the submission from Canberra. Along with the offers of ADF support revealed in Tuesdays meeting, there was also fresh information on who within the Victorian government decided to use private security guards for the hotels rather than police or soldiers. A crucial text message recovered by Mr Crisp and shown for the first time to the inquiry on Tuesday showed he had been told by then-police chief Graham Ashton that private security should be used for quarantine hotels, and not police. He said he took a call from Mr Ashton during the March 27 meeting and stepped out of the room. He sent a text message soon after to Assistant Commissioner Michael Grainger, who was in the room representing Victoria Police. A screenshot of the text message Andrew Crisp sent to Assistant Police Commissioner Michael Grainger. The text message said Mr Ashton had "made it clear in VSB [the Victorian Secretaries Board] that private security is the first security option at hotels/motels and not police". The Victorian Secretaries Board includes the secretaries of each state department and the police chief, and is chaired by the secretary of the Department of Premier and Cabinet. In another meeting recording, Mr Crisp said he understood it was Mr Ashton's preference that "private security be the first line of security". "It's Mick Grainger here. Absolutely that's our preference," Mr Grainger said. Mr Crisp said he was not opposed to the use of private security, telling the inquiry: "I thought they would have been a suitable and appropriate workforce to use in the hotels." He also told the inquiry he believed the Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions had been "tasked by [the] Department of Premier and Cabinet with this operation and had already made those arrangements in relation to private security as one element of this particular operation". In one meeting recording, Mr Crisp made it clear who he thought was running the quarantine program: "In terms of who's in charge, it is the Department of Health and Human Services for this operation." But he also pointed out there were "various departments and agencies and organisations that will be playing a support role". The federal governments submission also made clear that the Victorian government had signed off on a request in June for 850 ADF troops to replace private security guards. But that request was withdrawn after the state decided to use Corrections Victoria officers instead. Mr Andrews told a Victorian parliamentary hearing in August that it was "fundamentally incorrect to assert that there were hundreds of ADF staff on offer and somehow, someone said no". Loading Mr Andrews, who will appear at the inquiry next week, rebuffed questions about the offer of ADF support at his press conference on Tuesday. "I'm not interested in having a debate with the Prime Minister or anyone else, frankly, from his party," he said. Health Minister Jenny Mikakos told Parliament on Tuesday that she had provided a statement to the states hotel quarantine inquiry but had not yet been asked to appear at the hearings. Fox News host Sean Hannity and Fox Business host Lou Dobbs, in addition to network staffers, are set to be deposed over their debunked reporting about the death of Seth Rich. The Daily Beast reports that the two Fox stars, who promoted conspiracy theories about the 2016 murder of the Democratic National Committee staffer, will be questioned in October as part of a lawsuit filed by Mr Richs parents. Both Mr Hannity and Mr Dobbs led their networks reporting on the rumours around Mr Richs death, falsely claiming that he had leaked thousands of Democratic emails to WikiLeaks which in turn had led to his politically motivated killing. Joel and Mary Rich filed an emotional distress and tortious interference lawsuit against Fox, reporter Malia Zimmerman, and Ed Butowsky, a wealthy conservative who often appeared on the network. Mr Butowsky paid a private investigator to look into the death of Mr Rich and communicated with Ms Zimmerman ahead of the storys publication. He also emailed Mr Hannitys personal account offering to show him evidence regarding the conspiracy theories. Mr Rich was shot and killed late at night near his home in Washington, DC, in July 2016. The case has never been solved, but police believe it was likely to have been the result of a robbery gone wrong. Pro-Trump conspiracy theorists claimed that Hillary Clinton had ordered Mr Rich to be killed as revenge for leaking the emails. This would mean that Russian hackers were not responsible for the email theft. These wild theories caused widespread outcry and have been debunked by both special counsel Robert Mueller and the Senate Intelligence Committees investigation. FoxNews.com first reported on the theories on 16 May, 2017, in a story claiming that the FBI had found evidence of links to WikiLeaks on Mr Richs computer. Mr Hannity claimed that this was one of the biggest scandals in American history and enthusiastically reported on the story. In a Washington Post op-ed, the Richs publicly begged conservative media outlets to stop spreading the discredited rumours. Fox eventually retracted the story, but Mr Hannity refused to follow suit. Mr Dobbs also promoted the story and so will also be deposed, but Fox News host Laura Ingraham will not, with Fox legal counsel refusing to allow her to be questioned. Ms Ingraham had decried the medias lack of curiosity about the story of the murder. Other potential Fox presenters and contributors that may be deposed include legal analyst Judge Andrew Napolitano and former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich. Fox executives scheduled to be interviewed as part of the suit include vice president Bill Sammon, Fox News Media president and executive editor Jay Wallace, and senior executive vice president, corporate communications, Irena Briganti. Mr Dobbs is scheduled to be deposed on 7 October, and Mr Hannity on 30 October. When contacted by The Independent, Fox News declined to comment due to pending litigation. If I ask: Whats the connection between the covid-19 pandemic and the wildfires raging up and down the West Coast, you might answer: They are two phenomena that make it difficult to breathe. Or, they are two of a burgeoning number of omens that portend the End of Days. Or, they are two problems awaiting magical solutions promised by Americas best president ever, Donald Trump, who says the novel coronavirus will soon wash over much like the sniffles, while the fires ebb on a suddenly cooling Earth just watch. Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny said Tuesday he was able to breathe unaided in his first public comments after his suspected poisoning, while his aide said he planned to return from Germany once recovered. Hello, this is Navalny, he wrote in a post on Instagram that has racked up more than 1 million likes in a few hours. Supporters saluted what they said was the 44-year-olds return from the dead. Taking to social media for the first time after he fell seriously ill in Siberia on August 20, Navalny posted a picture, appearing with his wife and two children in the Berlin hospital where he was flown for treatment. Wearing a hospital gown and sitting up in bed, he looked gaunt and barely smiled, while his wife Yulia beamed next to him. The outspoken critic of President Vladimir Putin collapsed on a flight from the Siberian city of Tomsk to Moscow after a trip to support opposition candidates in local elections. German experts say there is unequivocal evidence that Russias most prominent opposition figure was poisoned with Novichok, a potent nerve agent. Moscow has dismissed the findings, saying its doctors found no trace of poison. Yesterday I was able to breathe on my own all day, Navalny wrote. Its an amazing process and underestimated by many. I recommend it, quipped Navalny, who has 1.8 million followers on Instagram. I miss you, he told his supporters. The anti-corruption campaigners suspected poisoning has sparked sharp condemnation from Western leaders, who have called for a thorough investigation and for those responsible to be brought to justice. Germany said Monday that French and Swedish labs had independently confirmed findings by doctors in Berlin that Navalny was poisoned with Novichok. Back from the dead Navalnys allies say the use of the banned chemical weapon means that only the Russian state could be responsible. Throughout the day, supporters greeted Navalny on social media. Navalny has come back from the dead. He deserves to be Russias president, one post said on Twitter. Navalnys spokeswoman Kira Yarmysh said separately that the opposition leader planned to return to Russia. No other option has ever been considered, she told AFP. Russia has dismissed Germanys findings, saying its doctors found no trace of poison when Navalny was first taken to hospital in Siberia. This week, Putin dismissed unsubstantiated claims over his critics illness. The director of Russias Foreign Intelligence Service, Sergei Naryshkin, on Tuesday reiterated that Russian doctors had found no evidence that Navalny was poisoned. Therefore, we have many questions for the German side, Naryshkin told reporters. Medics in the Siberian city of Omsk had carried out robust tests and saved the opposition leaders life, he said. He added that Russia had destroyed stockpiles of Novichok, a Soviet-designed nerve agent, and that allegations Russia stored the chemical weapon amounted to disinformation. Despite international calls for Russia to carry out a transparent investigation or risk sanctions, it has not opened a criminal probe. Navalny refuses Russia probe Putins spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia was ready to cooperate with German doctors, but that medics in Berlin had not yet shared Navalnys test results. For some reason, we havent received a response from our German counterparts, Peskov said. The New York Times, citing German officials, said Navalny had refused to cooperate with a Russian request to investigate the case together with Germany. His spokeswoman Yarmysh declined to comment on the report. The case has heightened tensions between Russia and the West, and sharpened calls for Germany to abandon the nearly completed Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project. Navalnys post came a day after his allies claimed symbolic victories in local elections held throughout Russias regions on Sunday, with opposition candidates claiming seats on city councils in Tomsk and Novosibirsk. Russia has been accused in the past of poisoning critics. Novichok was also used in the 2018 attack on former Russian double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in the English city of Salisbury. CBP's Continued Enforcement Actions To Combat Forced Labor in China Press Statement Michael R. Pompeo, Secretary of State September 14, 2020 The Trump Administration has led the world in calling attention to the Chinese Communist Party's egregious human rights abuses in Xinjiang, and we've taken action to back up our rhetoric. Today, we continue this record as the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) issued five new Withhold Release Orders (WRO) for certain goods produced in the People's Republic of China (PRC). WROs prevent goods from being imported into the United States when made with forced labor. Upon issuing these WROs, CBP will detain shipments of goods produced in whole or in part by forced labor or prison labor, preventing those goods from being imported into the United States, in line with U.S. customs laws. These orders demonstrate that the world will not stand for the PRC's human rights abuses against Uyghurs and members of other Muslim minority groups in Xinjiang, which include subjecting individuals to forced labor and stripping them of their freedom and agency to choose how and where they work. The recently issued WROs focus on products including cotton, apparel, computer parts, and hair products. These actions send a clear message to the PRC that it is time to end its practice of state-sponsored forced labor and to respect the human rights of all people. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address A politically sophisticated attempt to influence the Delhi elections played out on Facebook before it was taken down silently, a former employee said in a memo that cited examples of how the company failed to act in time or with transparency in tackling efforts to undermine democratic processes around the world. The memo, written by data scientist Sophie Zhang, who worked at Facebook and was recently laid off, was obtained by Buzzfeed News, which reported about it late on Monday. The memo cited instances of alleged attempts by political parties to sway elections in Azerbaijan and Honduras, and similar but unattributed campaigns in Ukraine, Spain, Brazil, Bolivia and Ecuador, besides India. I worked through sickness to take down a politically sophisticated network of more than a thousand actors working to influence the election, Zhang wrote about the 2020 Delhi elections in the 6,600-word memo, according to the report. The takedown was not officially reported by Facebook and the employee did not specify who were behind the attempt. The Buzzfeed News report is the third since an August 14 story by Wall Street Journal that first detailed how Facebook struggles to manage content on its website, especially those involving politicians. Facebook Indias policy team members personally intervened to halt action against a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader in Telangana, citing a potential risk to the companys commercial interests in the country, the first report said. Facebook, which has been attacked by both the opposition Congress and the ruling BJP, has since banned the politician, and denied that it acted in a biased manner. The company is being investigated by a parliamentary panel and a Delhi legislative assembly committee. Raghav Chadha, the chairperson of the committee on peace and harmony, said the recent disclosures were worrying and unless such practices are deterred in time, they can affect the countrys democracy. Also read: Facebook in contempt, warns Delhi Assembly panel Before she was fired, Zhang was with Facebooks Site Integrity team tasked with combating fake news, the Buzzfeed report said. It was not clear why she was fired, but the report noted that she had turned down a $64,000 severance payment in order to avoid a no-disparagement deal. In the three years Ive spent at Facebook, Ive found multiple blatant attempts by foreign national governments to abuse our platform on vast scales to mislead their own citizenry, and caused international news on multiple occasions, she wrote in the memo. The disclosure adds to questions of transparency in how the social media company acts on problematic content, which includes hate speech and fake information that has been proven to succeed in influencing elections. It also spotlights the problem of who takes these calls, which in Zhangs case appeared to be a mid-level employee. A Facebook spokesperson said the company deals with each issue thoroughly. Working against coordinated inauthentic behaviour is our priority, but were also addressing the problems of spam and fake engagement. We investigate each issue carefully, including those that Ms Zhang raises, before we take action or go out and make claims publicly as a company, this person added. Zhang could not be reached for a comment. Experts say that the latest memo highlights a recurrent problem with social media websites in general and Facebook in particular. Facebook normally comes out with a transparency report. It is important to ask why there was no disclosure of the takedown but, more importantly, also ask Facebook what it considers as inauthentic activity. The ex-employee expresses how she was overwhelmed by the larger political repercussions of her decision. When a companys content moderation begins to impact the world outside their users, it becomes a democratic duty to intervene and determine how these decisions are taken, said Jyoti Panday, researcher at the Internet Governance Project, Georgia Institute of Technology. What happens to preaching when it is shaped by missional theology? In her new book, Sally A. Brown, works out a preaching theory focused on witness and empowering ordinary Christians to become witnesses in daily life. Her book is called Sundays Sermon for Mondays World: Preaching to Shape Daring Witness. Her book is part of the well-known Gospel and Our Culture Series. At the heart of her book are stories of courageous, daring witness like these: Lodged in our memories are the images of these creative, courageous witnesses, daring to signify with their bodily presence in contested spaces their belief in powers of justice and hope that cannot be defeated by those who aim to win by force. An African American woman seated resolutely on a city bus; a cellist absorbed in his music amid destroyed buildings; a slight, lone figure silhouetted before a tank; a young Pakistani woman with bandaged head turned toward the camera, smiling as best she can: these women and men chose to act as agents of [redemptive] interruption. We live in a world now that is messed up with terrorist tactics and political warmongering and the like. Its no longer my fathers world. Whats it like to be a witness now? Its easier to withdraw. Under conditions like these, it takes energy to stay socially and politically engaged. The temptation to retreat into homogenous social enclaves along class, ethnic, or religious lines, or to take refuge in social-media echo chambers where the disturbance of difference is filtered out, is ever present. Christians are as tempted as anyone else to take refuge in such artificially homogenous spaces. But can we do so with integrity, in precisely that historical moment when public testimony to the mercy ,inclusive love, and restorative justice of God-in deed as well as in word-could not be more crucial? So, withdrawal into conventicles is not an option. We are to be witnesses. Here are Browns major questions: What kind of public witness to Gods ongoing, redemptive engagement with the world is called for under the conditions described here? What kind of daring, everyday countertestimonies to the all-too-easy rhetoric of hate might strategic preaching on our part inspire? In other words, how can individual believers discern and, with imaginative courage, participate in the ongoing, redemptive activity of God in the ordinary settings of their everyday lives, testifying with their lives to the mercy, love, and justice of God? This means for her the question about preaching and sermons on Sunday (shes a homiletics prof after all): Precisely what strategies in Christian sermons best equip the men, women, and even children in our pews to take daring action that testifies to the radical mercy, inclusive love, and restorative justice of God, doing so in ways that are creative, agile, and apt to the demands of a given moment? Image: Cover Photo Her heartbeat is missional theology and that means attractional servics are no longer the means. People arent coming to churches to hear sermons so the church has to be sent into the world to become Gods missional agents of grace and justice and peace: The cultural shifts that have made religious communities ostensibly "public worship services far less public," in the minds of many, raise a question for those of us who want to make the news of Gods mercy and justice, expressed in Jesus Christ, more available: If the credibiIity of Christian faith no longer depends on the sermons we preach in our public worship services, on what does the credibility of Christian faith depend? The answer seems obvious. If Christian faith is going to have any persuasive appeal for the religiously uncommitted, that appeal will depend on what Christians say and do outside their church buildings in their Monday-to-Saturday lives, in those truly public spaces where they work,learn, exercise, socialize, and volunteer, shoulder-to-shoulder with persons who embrace other faiths or none. If the credibiIity of Christian faith no longer depends on the sermons we preach in our public worship services, on what does the credibility of Christian faith depend? The answer seems obvious. If Christian faith is going to have any persuasive appeal for the religiously uncommitted, that appeal will depend on what Christians say and do outside their church buildings in their Monday-to-Saturday lives, in those truly public spaces where they work,learn, exercise, socialize, and volunteer, shoulder-to-shoulder with persons who embrace other faiths or none. This is wher missional theology the missio Dei becomes the operative category for Sally Brown. A movement that came of age in the 90s (here she seems to neglect the Roman Catholic contribution as well as the fundamental vision of David Bosch, as she favors the American scholar Darrell Guder). What does this mean? First, it is fundamentally Trinitarian: Gods work in the world through the Son in the Spirit, and all tied into the Trinitarian-ness of God. Second, this means the church, like the sending God, is sent to participate in the sending Gods redemptive mission in the world. Third, missional initiatives mean what God is doing not only in the church but also in the world. [One cant help but notice here a tie back to the social gospel as well as to liberation theology in this orientation.] The sent ones enter into what God is doing. [SMcK: I have always a question here: What is it that God is doing? Her next point leads us to her answer.] Fourth, Gods redemptive work is broad: the whole person in the whole world. Thus, Missional theology, as a whole, urges a vision of Christian witness to Gods redemptive work, decisively inaugurated in Jesus Christ and continuing in the power of the Spirit, that is: (1) broader than soul-salvation;(2) holistic, addressing the needs of the whole person and human community, as well as the ecosystems of our planet; (3) attentive to the wholeness of not only individual persons, but also human communities (especially marginalized communities with limited access to the goods that make for a thriving life); and (4) necessarily expressed in deed, as well as word. Which means... Gods redemptive activity, engaging the whole human person and wholeness of human communities, can be expressed through the efforts of people outside the church and willinclude efforts that contribute to human beings physical, emotional, and social well- being and empowerment. In this chp Brown turns then to the faithful-practices movement at work alongside missional theology and praxis to focus on all the practices of the church like worship, hospitality, faith-formation practices, etc as well as practices that overlap with those outside the church like justice activism, peacemaking but especially practices that mediate Gods redemptive work in the world. A third element is a postliberal hermeneutic that drives much of missional theology and missional practices. Postliberal theology emphasizes reading Scripture as a unified narrative of God in relationship to humanity, one that shapes the lives of individuals and communities around a distinctive set of practices and produces a distinctive theological grammar. There is lots of talk about narratives in the Bible, whether they are the singular biblical narrative (reading forward) or the Christian narrative (reading backward), but the big idea is that the narrative is the theological structure of Christian identity and practice. Preaching and we will get to this in our series is impacted deeply by these main ideas. KEY HIGHLIGHTS Industry bodies have suggested to do away with the need for paperwork for disbursal of loans when it has already been sanctioned by banks under emergency credit scheme Some industry captains pitched for support to hospitality sector as it was among the worst-affected from pandemic It was also suggested that banks should not charge interest on interest from pandemic-hit borrowers and instead only recover cost of finance Centre had last week tasked an expert panel under former CAG Rajiv Mehrishi to assess the impact on the economy and financial stability of waiving interest and interest on interest during the COVID-19 related moratorium India Inc. has proposed to do away with the requirement of paperwork for disbursal of loans under emergency credit scheme. In a meeting with an expert panel headed by former Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) Rajiv Mehrishi on Tuesday, representatives of various industry bodies also suggested that banks should not charge interest on interest and instead only recover the cost of finance from borrowers who availed moratorium on loans. ALSO READ: Loan restructuring, moratorium should happen simultaneously, says former Chief Statistician Pronab Sen Sources told BusinessToday.In that some industry bodies raised the issue of growing stress in the industry especially hospitality sector and pitched for relief measures. Leading chambers CII and FICCI were among those which attended the meeting."Some industry bodies talked about stress in the hospitality sector and made a case for relief in future. At least two industry bodies suggested to eliminate the need for paperwork after banks sanctioned loans under emergency scheme. There was broad consensus that interest on interest should not be charged by banks and only cost of funds should be recovered for one year till March 2021," a reliable source said. Centre had last week tasked the expert panel to assess the impact on the national economy and financial stability of waiving interest and waiving interest on interest on the COVID-19 related moratorium. The terms of reference (ToR) include suggestions to mitigate financial constraints of various sections of society hit hard by the pandemic. The Rajiv Mehrishi-led committee held its meeting on Tuesday and sought suggestions from the industry. Hearing petitions seeking directive to banks to not charge interest on interest during moratorium period, the Supreme Court had last week asked government to come up with measures to ease EMI burden of borrowers hit hard by the crisis. ALSO READ: COVID-19 badly hit salaried class; Rs 39,400 crore withdrawn from provident fund in 5 months The government had told the top court that it was in discussion with banks and other stakeholders for possible relief. "In today's meeting the committee was very specific on the issue of charging interest on interest but some of the industry representatives started talking about support to sectors such as hospitality. But the most balanced view that came up was that cost of finance for banks should only be charged for the crisis period. Given that the situation is unlikely to improve in the next six months, banks should not be allowed to make profit," the official quoted above said. "Everyone should share the hit. Banks should not make money on loans by charging interest on interest," he said saying industry executives were almost unanimous on this. In the view of coronavirus crisis, RBI had announced a moratorium on repayment of debt for six months beginning March 1, 2020, to help individual borrowers and companies to tide over the crisis. The moratorium ended on August 31 even as industry demanded extension till March, 2021. The central bank had initially provided the relief for three months till May 31 but later extended it to August-end. The government on its part had announced Rs 3 lakh crore concessional loans for existing MSME borrowers and later widened the eligibility criteria to cover more firms. ALSO READ: How banks will restructure your home and auto loans Earlier this year, a Russian-backed troll farm in Ghana tried to set up a satellite office in Charleston. At the same time, Russian operatives used fake social media accounts to castigate South Carolina U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham. And they pumped out posts touting Bernie Sanders over Joe Biden in South Carolina's Democratic presidential primary. Now, as the November election nears, two Clemson University social media disinformation experts are warning South Carolina voters to be extra vigilant. Russian operatives have struck here in the recent past. And they're likely working now to confuse, inflame and weaken the country, said Darren Linvill, a professor in Clemson's communications department. Russian trolls work especially hard to amplify existing racial divisions, he said. "Russia sees this very real issue our state continues to grapple with as a button to press to continue to sow division, just as they do in many other parts of the country." A new federal indictment highlights work Russian operatives did to penetrate South Carolina's activist circles this year. Last week, federal prosecutors alleged a Russian named Artem Lifshits, 27, stole identities of Americans and opened bank, Paypal and Bitcoin accounts. Prosecutors said the thefts were part of Project Lakhta, a campaign to influence November's election. Lifshits managed the troll farm's translators, a key post, a U.S. Secret Service agent said in an affidavit. As part of its influence campaign, Project Lakhta members were told to focus on racially motivated shootings, including the murders of nine churchgoers at Emanuel AME Church, the agent said. Prosecutors also said the project created a bogus group called Eliminating Barriers for the Liberation of Africa, or EBLA, in Ghana. The group recruited Ghanaians to create fake social media accounts and then expanded: In late January, the group advertised on LinkedIn about a job in Charleston as a "chapter coordinator." The post described the group as "a network of strong advocates of human rights." Working with CNN, Linvill and Patrick Warren, a Clemson economics professor, exposed the Ghana operation in February. It's unclear whether the group successfully recruited anyone here. But it wasn't the first time this happened. A Post and Courier investigation earlier this year revealed how a bogus Russian-backed group, Black Matters US, tried to stage a divisive rally in Charleston in 2016 on the anniversary of the Emanuel AME Church shooting. "Russia clearly took an interest in Charleston as a particular target for their disinformation efforts," Linvill said, referring to the recent federal charges against Lifshits. "The decision to hire an EBLA employee in Charleston was likely made in Russia by Project Lakhta, and the money for the position, like the money for the entire EBLA project, came from Russia." The internet has long been populated by trolls people who start quarrels and post inflammatory messages. But foreign governments, especially Russia and China, have deployed trolls to amplify the voices of Americans with extremist views. Linville shared tweets Clemson culled earlier this year from accounts they believe were controlled by Russian operatives. Some attacked Graham and his change from Donald Trump detractor to ardent supporter. "Please continue to retweet to humiliate Lindsey Graham," several said. "These comments simply point to the importance of both on the national stage. Lindsey Graham is a powerful senator who commands influence on the national stage. South Carolina is an early primary state," Linvill said. Russians often add fuel to already burning diatribes on social media, he added. "Where the conversation goes, so go the trolls. They often follow rather than lead." Foreign trolls aren't easy to peg, Linvill and Warren said. But understanding some of their patterns can help you identify suspicious posts, they said. To that end, they created an interactive "Spot the Troll" game. (https://spotthetroll.org) "There will always be more trolls," Linvill said. "If we can help teach the public what to be wary of, we can make disinformation less effective." Doughnut maker Krispy Kreme today unveiled what it says is the worlds largest Hot Light at its new flagship store in Times Square, New York City. The hot light at the entrance is 15 feet tall and weighs 8,000 pounds. A hot light signals that hot and fresh doughnuts are available. "Though the lights are dim on Broadway, the shop opening is a delightful symbol of the resurgence of joy returning to the heart of New York City. Cast members from Chicago, Broadways longest-running American musical, welcomed their new neighbor and Broadways newest bright light by turning on the shops Hot Light this morning before Krispy Kreme Times Square opened its doors to the public." The store is located at 1601 Broadway at West 48th Street. It is open 24 hours a day, seven day a week. According to Krispy Kreme, employees make 380 dozen original glazed doughnuts per hour. The store also features a glazed waterfall for spectators to watch the doughnuts to through, stadium-style seating inside a giant Krispy Kreme dozens box, a street-side pickup window, a special edition Big Apple doughnut available only at the Times Square store. The Big Apple doughnut, according to Krispy Kreme, Inspired by the candy apples sold at Coney Island, the inside of the doughnut features a Red Delicious flavored Kreme filling and dipped in sweet, shiny red shimmer mirror glaze to give it that candy apple shine! Topped off with a royal icing green leaf and a lightly salted pretzel stick for the stem. Krispy Kreme said it follows recommendations by the city and CDC to prevent the spread of COVID-19 with remote queuing, the ability to reserve a time online to visit the store and requiring customers to wear a face covering. The store has a grab-and-go counter and a 24-hour window for curbside ordering and pick up. Krispy Kreme celebrates the grand opening of its new flagship on Broadway in New York Citys Times Square on Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2020, by turning on the worlds largest Hot Light with the help from its new neighbors, cast members of Chicago Broadways longest-running American musical. Krispy Kreme CEO Mike Tattersfield (right) and Times Square Alliance President Tim Tompkins (left) are joined by three cast members of Chicago (left to right center) Lana Gordon, Jessica Ernest and Michael Scirrotto. (Photo: Business Wire) READ MORE NEWARK, N.J. - A northern New Jersey town has reached an agreement in a federal lawsuit that accused it of illegally denying an Orthodox Jewish groups attempt to expand its footprint, the U.S. attorneys office for New Jersey announced Tuesday. If the agreement is approved by a judge, Woodcliff Lake will allow Valley Chabad to expand its existing property, and will pay the group $1.5 million to settle a separate lawsuit filed by the group against the town. The U.S. attorneys office sued Woodcliff Lake in 2018, alleging the town violated the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act when it blocked Valley Chabad from buying additional property or expanding its existing building. According to the complaint, Valley Chabad began looking for a larger facility more than 10 years earlier, and twice entered into contracts to purchase property only to have the town step in and buy the land using eminent domain. On a third occasion, the suit alleged, the town modified zoning laws so townhomes could be built on a property Valley Chabad was seeking to buy, leading the propertys owner to cancel the contract with Valley Chabad. The group also alleged the town rejected its numerous requests for zoning modifications to expand its existing property. Woodcliff Lake denied the allegations and wrote in court filings that the Orthodox groups plans failed to meet zoning requirements governing houses of worship, such as minimum lot size and parking capacity. Through our actions today, we have taken steps to ensure that Valley Chabad and its members will no longer face unlawful barriers in their practice of religion, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito said in a statement Tuesday. Woodcliff Lake is 20 miles (30 kilometres) northwest of New York City and just over the New Jersey border from Rockland County, New York, where towns such as Monsey and Airmont have concentrations of Orthodox Jews In the early 2000s, the lawsuit alleged, Rabbi Dov Drizin was asked by a borough official for a letter that would explain how Valley Chabad differed from the religious community in Monsey. Woodcliff Lakes goal is and always has been to engage in sound planning, common sense development, and beneficial environmental practices while fully respecting the constitutional right of religious freedom, the town said in a statement Tuesday. The voluntary settlement with Valley Chabad strikes this important balance and provides us with a path forward unencumbered by costly legal action. PBOC's work continues on digital RMB' From:ChinaDaily | 2020-09-14 20:06 China's central bank is steadily promoting research and development pilot work for the digitalized currency, or the "digital RMB". Some key characteristics were further explained by a senior official on Monday. The "digital RMB" is China's legal tender issued by the People's Bank of China, the central bank. Only designated institutions can participate in the digital RMB's operational system and exchange the currency with the public, relying on an "account-based system", the central bank's vice governor Fan Yifei said in an article for Financial News, an official newspaper of the central bank. As the digital RMB is a replacement of cash in circulation, or the M0, instituions and individuals should accept any private or public debt repayment by the digital RMB. "It is not allowed to reject the digital currency payment," the central bank official wrote. The new type of currency should also follow the anti-money laundering and anti-terrorist financing laws and regulations, as well as regulations for the management methods of large amount of cash, according to the article. The value of the digital currency is equivalent to banknotes and coins, which has the feature of "controllable anonymity", according to Fan, who added the issuance and management system of the digital RMB is centralized, with PBOC at the core. The PBOC is responsible for the "wholesaling" of digital RMB to designated commercial banks, and in charge of the whole "life-cycle" management of the system. Commercial banks and other institutions are responsible for providing digital RMB exchange and circulation services to the public. The central bank will control the issuance quota of the digital RMB, working out unified technical, security and application standards. In addition, it will manage digital RMB wallets, which allow users to deposit money into an account stored on their electronic devices. "The digital RMB is a public product provided by the central bank. It does not pay interest, nor does the central bank charge for services such as exchange and circulation," the article said. A Rwandan court is charging the man who inspired the film "Hotel Rwanda" with terrorism, complicity in murder and forming an armed rebel group. Prosecutors accuse Paul Rusesabagina of orchestrating crimes against unarmed, innocent Rwandan civilians in 2018. Rusesabagina refused to plead to all 13 charges on Monday, including being linked to murders, claiming some of the charges are baseless. Rusesabagina, who has been detained since late last month, is asking to be released because of poor health. The court will hear his request for bail on Thursday. The film "Hotel Rwanda" portrayed Rusesabagina, a former hotel manager, as a hero, who protected Tutsis fleeing the 1994 genocide. Rusesabagina is credited with saving more than 1,000 lives. Hong Kong on Monday evening completed its mass COVID-19 screening program launched two weeks ago, with the participation of some 1.78 million residents in total. Most of the specimens collected under the Universal Community Testing Program, nearly 1.72 million, had been tested by 8:00 p.m. on Monday, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government said in a statement. The program was aimed at identifying asymptomatic patients and cutting invisible transmission chains as Hong Kong faced the third round of epidemic outbreak starting early July. As Hong Kong lagged behind in testing capacity, the central government acted swiftly to offer enormous support in medical resources and experts. A spokesman of the HKSAR government said Monday the successful and smooth operation of the program hinged on the full support of the central government, with a nucleic acid test support team established to enhance the testing capacity of Hong Kong in a short period of time. "More than 570 members of the support team have completed their mission by working zealously days and nights at the temporary air-inflated laboratories," the spokesman said. Qiu Hong, deputy head of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the HKSAR, said the central government and the mainland are the strongest backing of Hong Kong and called for joint efforts of the society to win the anti-epidemic fight and push Hong Kong back on track at an early date. "Although the epidemic situation in Hong Kong has subsided, there are still asymptomatic COVID-19 patients in the community," the HKSAR government spokesman said, vowing to extend and conduct repeated testing for targeted and vulnerable groups. Hong Kong reported 14 new cases of COVID-19 on Monday, bringing the tally of confirmed cases to 4,971. For this dispensation, ideas are dangerous. Those who propagate liberalism and democratic traditions are even more dangerous, observes Rashme Sehgal. IMAGE: A scene from a riot affected area of New Delhi, February 28, 2020. Photograph: Rupak De Chowdhuri/Reuters Let a hundred flowers bloom may have been Chinese leader Mao Zedong's message to allow intellectuals and artists to express their angst with the Chinese government. But the present ruling dispensation in Indian believes in crushing secular, liberal, voices which they see as a threat to their immediate implementation of an autocratic State. It is keeping this over-riding ambition in mind that the Modi government has set about insisting that the Delhi riots which left behind a trial of death and destruction, were the result of a deep-rooted conspiracy triggered by secular intellectuals and students who succeeded in brainwashing the minds of thousands of women encouraging them to sit in protest against the anti-Citizenship (Amendment) Act. Several student activists including students from the women's collective Pinjra Tod -- Devangana Kalita and Natasha Narwal of Jawaharlal Nehru University and Gulfisha Fathima of Jamia Milia Islamia -- have been arrested and are facing charges under various sections of the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), as also student leader Umar Khalid. What is significant is that from the 20 arrested so far, 19 are students, five of them women. All of them have been charged under the draconian UAPA and have been imprisoned on charges of a conspiracy for the Delhi violence. The attention of the Delhi police has now shifted to those they perceive to be the kingpin of this 'deep-rooted conspiracy'. It is keeping this in mind that the Delhi police has dragged in prominent personalities including Communist Party of India-Marxist General Secretary Sitaram Yechury, renowned economist Professor Jayati Ghosh, Delhi University Professor Apoorvanand, who teaches Hindi at Delhi University, Swaraj Abhiyan leader Yogendra Yadav and documentary film-maker Rahul Roy, all of whom they believe were part of a premediated plan to instigate violence against the State. Yogendra Yadav is convinced this supplementary chargesheet filed by the Delhi police is but a dress rehearsal. The main chargesheet against them, he insists, will be filed on September 17. "By filing this supplementary chargesheet, they were merely testing the waters. They are trying to see what kind of splash this will create? How far it will go? That is why they were ready with the disclaimer statement," says Yadav. IMAGE: Police detain Swaraj Abhiyan leader Yogendra Yadav during a protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act in New Delhi, January 30, 2020. Photograph: Anushree Fadnavis/Reuters The investigation to the Delhi riots of February is taking place at three levels. There are 700 local cases which are being dealt with by the local police thanas. Then there are cases of murder and serious injury which are being investigated by the Delhi police's crime branch and finally, the government believes is the over-arching 'grand conspiracy theory' that has been spun by these secular personalities 'to malign the government'. It is these instigators who are being brought under the net of the malevolent FIR 59 whereby all the accused will be charged under the dreaded UAPA where the onus is on the accused to prove his innocence. This chargesheet will, Yadav believes, be filed on September 17. For the present, he said, 'the Delhi police is furiously trying to put together all the dots.' "The present situation is in many ways worse than the anti-Sikh riots of 1984 perpetuated by the then Congress government because here the government is filing 'criminal cases against the victims," says Yadav. "And in order to buttress this argument they are deliberately ignoring evidence that is staring them right under their eyes." "So I believe, the real action will start some time next week," he said. Tracing the main steps that have led to the unfolding of this diabolical drama, Yadav points out, the home minister (Amit Anilchandra Shah) had issued a statement on February 25 2020 that the violence (Delhi riots) had been a 'spontaneous' act'." This viewpoint was challenged by a rightwing affiliated report which on February 28 went public to insist the riots were a handiwork of Islamist radicals, backed by 'urban Naxals' who had played a key role in perpetrating this violence under the guise of the anti-CAA protests. This group of 'urbans Naxals' had misrepresented facts thereby creating disaffection amongst the gullible, uneducated Muslim women who were forced to take to the streets, the report claimed. "They had arrived at this conclusion even before investigation by the Delhi police had started," points out Yadav. "Their objective was to criminalise the movement as also to send out a signal that no individual or group should dare indulge in any kind of protests against the government," he says. "Those who are critical of this regime must pay a price for it. Of course, a lot of people took part in the anti-CAA protests, but they have zeroed in on those who had some visibility," Yadav believes. IMAGE: Shopkeepers carry their belongings in a rickshaw after salvaging them from their damaged shops in a New Delhi's riot affected area, February 26, 2020. Photograph: Adnan Abidi/Reuters Professor Apoorvanand also points out how the supplementary chargesheet has "accused us of having continously poisoned the minds of common people against the CAA/NRC which is the government's political position," he said. "Although FIR 50/2020 was registered in connection with the death, from gunshot injury, of one Amaan, the investigation seems to have focussed on deligitimising the protests and in trying to make the protestors indirectly responsible for Amaan's death," Professor Apoorvanand points out. "While I am not one of the accused, it is very surprising that the police should accuse three young women, without any basis, of having murdered a 17-year-old boy, Amaan," he adds. "It would seem that the accused women are not directly linked to the murder, but the allegation is that they instigated some unknown shooter." "The investigation has not revealed who shot at Amaan, but it insists that whoever it was, was instigated by the anti-CAA stance of the accused individuals." "It is also pertinent that on September 1, the Delhi high court, while hearing a bail application by Devangana Kalita, has categorically held that the police has not been able to give any evidence of any incendiary speech by her." The court also said that "the statements of the witnesses were produced belatedly, as an afterthought by the police," points out Professor Apoorvanand. He points out that the names of Rahul Roy, Umar Khalid, Jayati Ghosh, Sitaram Yechury and Yogendra Yadav have been mentioned in uncorroborated statements that are being attributed to the accused who are already in custody. The police, however, insist that these activists have gone to the extent of informing the police that Professor Ghosh, Professor Apoorvanand and Roy coordinated with the the Islamist group Popular Front of India and the JCC to mentor Pinjra Tod members to carry forward their militant campaign against the CAA. To corroborate their version, the police produced Fathima's statement which alleges that Yechury, Bhim Army chief Chandrasekhar, Yogendra Yadav, Mahmood Parcha, Umar Khalid and some leaders from the Muslim community assisted the 'conspirators of the violence'. But the fact is that in the disclosure statements by Natasha Narwal and Devangana Kalita show that both these students have written 'Refuse to sign' and Kalita's statement to this effect was crossed out presumably by the police. The question is why Professor Jayati Ghosh, a noted economist who teaches at JNU, has been included in this list is surprising especially since she was hardly involved with the anti-CAA protests. The answer is that she has taught economics to both Natasha Narwal and Devangana Kalita. "My only defence is truth. In my case whatever I say has been recorded and the police will be hard put to produce even one sentence I have spoken which has invoked violence," says Yadav. IMAGE: Umar Khalid was interrogated by the Delhi police for 11 hours on Sunday, September 13, 2020, and then arrested under thr UAPA. Photograph: Kind courtesy @UmarKhalidJNU/Twitter Yechury has also come down heavily against the Delhi police for its 'illegitimate and illegal actions' which he maintains is a direct outcome of the politics of the BJP's top leadership. 'They are scared of legitimate peaceful protests by mainstream political parties and are misusing State power to target the Opposition,' Yechury said going to add that 'BJP's illegal intimidation wont stop people from opposing discriminatory laws like the CAA,' he has tweeted. The Delhi police's probe may have begun as a regular investigation, but it soon morphed into a witch-hunt against students, activists and academics who have been critical of the Modi government's policies including NRC and cAA. Professor Apoorvanand believes that the Delhi riots conspiracy case bears an eerie similarity with the Bhima Koregaon case. In both cases, the actual act of violence has not been investigated nor are the police interested in finding out the facts. "Their aim seems to be criminalise the anti-CAA protests and protestors. It is a downright scripted investigation," says Professor Apoorvanand. And indeed the Delhi police has failed to investigate the role of Kapil Mishra and Anurag Thakur in instigating this violence by openly threatening violence if the anti-CAA protestors did not withdraw their protests. For this dispensation, ideas are dangerous. Those who propagate liberalism and democratic traditions are even more dangerous. The media, institutions and the political Opposition are of little concern for them. It is people like Yadav, Yechury and Apoorvanand who are working on the ground holding onto and propagating Constitutional values who are perceived to be a threat and need to be silenced. The second Republic of India has dawned and the sooner the public at large resists this onslaught, the better it will be for Indian democracy. Rashme Sehgal has had a long career in journalism and worked for The Times of India, The Indian Post among other newspapers. Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff.com Disastrous Public Health Wales data breach highlights need for urgent reforms, says social care leader This article is old - Published: Tuesday, Sep 15th, 2020 A social care leader says the disastrous data breach which led to the details of more than 18,000 people who tested positive for coronavirus being published online has highlighted the need for major reforms. Mario Kreft MBE, the chair of Care Forum Wales, is also concerned that it took Public Health Wales a fortnight to admit the mistake which meant that the data could be viewed online for 20 hours on August 30. The fact that it took so long, said Mr Kreft, was hugely damaging in terms of public trust and confidence in the organisation which had not had a great pandemic. Mr Kreft believes that, had something similar happened in the private sector, the authorities would have come down on it like a ton of bricks. Most cases involved in the data breach gave initials, date of birth, geographical area and sex, meaning the risk of identification was low, said Public Health Wales. In Wrexham, the personal details of 1,410 people who tested positive for coronavirus have been affected by the breach. There was more risk of the nearly 2,000 people living in care homes or supported housing being identified because the data included the name of their place of residence being published. The incident was the result of individual human error when the information was uploaded to a public server searchable by anyone using the site. The information had been viewed 56 times before it was removed but there was no evidence so far that the data had been misused. Mr Kreft said: One of the key questions is why has it taken so long for Public Health Wales to admit this disastrous data breach with highly personal information being published on a website for the whole world to see? For whatever reason, Public Health Wales have kept this under wraps for a fortnight when they should surely have been up front about it and let people know as soon as possible. Something as important as this should have been brought to the attention of the people of Wales and the Welsh Government immediately. The delay was totally unacceptable. To publish information about individuals personal medical history and the names of the care homes where they live raises very serious concerns about the organisation. If something of a fraction of the magnitude of this had happened in the private sector, the regulator would have come down on the company concerned like a ton of bricks. There would have been a price to be paid and somebody would have been held to account. This was a dreadful mistake by an individual but the decision to keep this important information quiet was clearly taken at a high level within Public Health Wales. This is about the checks and the balances within the organisation and about how it is managed. The fact that this breach was allowed to happen in the first place and the ensuing lack of openness and transparency is incredibly damaging in term of the publics trust and confidence. Neither does it inspire the trust of the independent sector working in social care. Lets face it, the track record of Public Health Wales has not been great during this coronavirus crisis. They have not had a great pandemic and this must come as a crushing blow to many of the hard-working people in the organisation. This disastrous data breach has highlighted the need for far-reaching reforms of the whole of the system, not just Public Health Wales. If they review and reflect in an open and transparent way about what has taken place and also consult with the social care sector as part of the process, we will be able to put changes in place to make us more resilient in future. Luckily, many of our members had the good sense and strength of character to resist their calls in the early days of the coronavirus crisis to allow hospital patients to be discharged into care homes without testing. Their refusal as part of our campaign to shield social care undoubtedly saved countless lives which would otherwise have been lost if everybody had followed the guidance of Public Health Wales. I can only imagine that they are just reeling from one body blow after another. There are still major problems in terms of testing, both with the overall capacity and how its all being managed. The most important thing to people running care homes is capacity capacity to get tests done, and capacity to turn the results around quickly. Everyone on the ground is trying their best, but the system can be a nightmare even as its currently organised. In a statement, the agency said: Public Health Wales regrets to announce that there has been a data breach involving the personally identifiable data of Welsh residents who have tested positive for Covid-19. A risk assessment has been conducted and legal advice has been sought, both of which advise that the risk of identification of the individuals affected by this data breach appears low. The incident, which was the result of individual human error, occurred on the afternoon of 30 August 2020 when the personal data of 18,105 Welsh residents who have tested positive for Covid-19 was uploaded by mistake to a public server where it was searchable by anyone using the site. After being alerted to the breach we removed the data on the morning of 31 August. In the 20 hours it was online it had been viewed 56 times. They added: In the majority of cases (16,179 people) the information consisted of their initials, date of birth, geographical area and sex meaning that the risk they could be identified is low. However, for 1,926 people living in nursing homes or other enclosed settings such as supported housing, or residents who share the same postcode as these settings, the information also included the name of the setting. A federal court hearing on Thomas Jefferson University's acquisition of Einstein Healthcare Network started Monday. The Federal Trade Commission is trying to block the deal. Read more Concerned that Thomas Jefferson University might enter the health insurance market, executives at Independence Blue Cross engaged in role-playing to explore how the regions largest health insurer might change its network of hospitals and doctors to meet that new competition. Excluding Jefferson is one option that would have been discussed, Paul Staudenmeier, the insurers vice president of provider contracting, reimbursement, and value-based programs, testified Monday on the first day of a federal court hearing on Jeffersons proposed acquisition of Einstein Healthcare Network. News of Independences reaction to Jeffersons dramatic expansion since 2015 under chief executive Stephen K. Klasko was a highlight of Mondays all-day hearing. The Federal Trade Commission and the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General are seeking a preliminary injunction to block Jefferson from taking over Einstein, pending an FTC proceeding that is scheduled to start on Jan. 5. The regulators say the merger would increase hospital prices by an estimated 6.9% at Einsteins hospitals and cost consumers $23.3 million a year. The hearing on the preliminary injunction is expected to last all week, but a decision wont be immediate. An additional round of filings from both sides is due by Sept. 28. U.S. District Judge Gerald J. Pappert said he hopes to issue his decision before the FTC proceeding starts next year. Under Klasko, Jefferson has expanded from three hospitals to 14. Einstein would add four more. Meanwhile, Jefferson is angling to gain a foothold in the insurance market through the pending acquisition of Health Partners Plans Inc., a Medicaid and Medicare Advantage insurer. Such a move would be a potential springboard to challenge Independence, which commands 50% of the commercial insurance market in Southeastern Pennsylvania. Klasko has long wanted to build a network that made Jefferson indispensable to any insurer. Nobody can enter Philadelphia without going through us, he said in a January 2018 interview. READ MORE: Jefferson, Einstein say its North Philadelphia hospital is at risk without a merger A second insurance-company executive was also among those who testified Monday as witnesses for the FTC and the Pennsylvania attorney general. Most of the witnesses testified from remote locations. Keith Markowitz, who until recently was an assistant vice president for contracting at Cigna for eastern Pennsylvania and now has another job at the company, testified that if Jefferson demanded higher rates after it acquired Einstein, Cigna would have to pay them. Excluding hospitals such as Jeffersons Abington, Einstein Medical Center Montgomery, and Einstein Medical Center Philadelphia would make its insurance plans unattractive to customers, he said. Peter DeAngelis, Jeffersons chief financial officer, was the final witness of the day and the only one to appear in person in the Federal Courthouse at Sixth and Market Streets in Center City. During cross-examination by a lawyer for Jefferson, DeAngelis denied that Jeffersons goal in acquiring Einstein was to increase its ability to get higher rates from commercial insurers such as Cigna and Independence, which accounts for a fifth of Jeffersons current revenue. We dont believe the market and people through insurance as they pay more and more through copays are able to afford significantly higher rates, DeAngelis testified. Its not part our mantra going forward that we want to be the most expensive provider. We want to be the most efficient provider in the region. READ MORE: Jefferson Healths expansion hits a deep pothole with large COVID-19 loss However, while being questioned earlier in the afternoon by an FTC lawyer, DeAngelis read from an email that he sent to Klasko during difficult contract negotiations with IBC. Part of that email said: You have achieved significant scale and leverage in the market. We should be using it not to be unreasonable but to support the longer-term vision. Whether that ultimately means we are a must-have or not, we have significant leverage and need to use it as part of our financial improvement plan over the next few years. IBC declined to answer a reporters questions about the role-playing it engaged in on the possibility of building a network of caregivers without Jefferson. We will not be providing comment at this time as this case is in active litigation, spokesperson Donna Farrell said. WASHINGTON, Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Pacify Health, the country's leading lactation support and pediatric telehealth app, today published a new study on breastfeeding challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic and potential impact on maternal and infant health, and medical spending. The study features survey data from 1,000 new and expecting moms* across the U.S. on how COVID-19 has affected their plans to breastfeed, as well as new analyses on medical spending data and maternal mortality if national breastfeeding rates were to drop. "From our survey, the data shows that a majority 60% of recent moms feel COVID-19 makes it harder to breastfeed," said George Brandes, Pacify's CEO. "In addition, we see the pandemic putting vaccination rates at risk, since 70% of moms are concerned about in-person medical visits post-delivery. This is a serious public health issue; our data modeling shows that even a 5% drop in breastfeeding rates could cost the US healthcare system more than $320 million in medical spending annually, and increase maternal mortality by more than 30%." Despite these concerning findings, the study also reveals some positive data, with the majority of moms intending to breastfeed in some capacity despite the pandemic. However, breastfeeding experiences aren't equal across the board. New and expecting Black and Hispanic mothers are 57% more likely to report that COVID-19 has or would make it harder to breastfeed compared to White mothers, and 70% of moms covered by Medicaid say that COVID-19 will affect their ability to breastfeed, compared to 43% of moms covered by private insurance. "Rectifying these inequalities will be critical to preventing negative health outcomes and unnecessary costs," said Brandes. "Telemedicine is uniquely positioned to help solve for this, as nearly 60% of new moms expressed a strong preference to receive virtual lactation support as opposed to an in-person lactation consultation. It's a solution that is quick to implement and easy to scale to moms who need this critical support." Download the full study here. Other key findings include: More moms are breastfeeding due to COVID-19, but those covered by Medicaid lack support Over a quarter (27%) of new moms and about 1 in 10 expecting moms (9%) were not planning on breastfeeding but made changes to their feeding plans due to the pandemic. The large majority (93%) of recent moms who say that COVID-19 has made breastfeeding more difficult are still planning to breastfeed. While expecting moms covered by Medicaid intend to breastfeed exclusively at a similar or higher rate (21%) as expecting moms with commercial insurance (17%), new moms covered by Medicaid are less than half as likely (8%) to actually breastfeed exclusively, compared to moms covered by private insurance (17%), indicating a lack of breastfeeding support for moms covered by Medicaid. Moms are concerned about in-person postpartum visits; would prefer a maternal telehealth solution Half (51%) of moms said they would attend their postpartum appointments, despite concerns, while 17% said they may try to postpone their scheduled appointments. Moms covered by Medicaid were 27% more likely to report that they may try to delay some scheduled appointments due to concerns about COVID-19, compared to mothers with commercial insurance. The majority (58%) of new moms said that if they had a breastfeeding question or problem, they would rather get lactation support from a video visit on their smartphone than have to seek in-person assistance. More than two-thirds of moms covered by Medicaid (67%) and three-quarters of moms with commercial insurance coverage (76%) who are interested in using telehealth would prefer a virtual service that's specific to maternal and lactation support, versus one from their general primary care provider. "With the need to socially distance due to COVID-19, moms are understandably concerned about how to seek that support, which has traditionally been in-person," said Melanie Silverman, MS, RD, International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, and Chief Clinical Officer at Pacify Health. "Being able to virtually connect with a certified lactation consultant from the comfort and safety of home is clearly going to be critical in giving moms the support they will need to breastfeed successfully and pass on vital early immunities to their baby. While breastfeeding support has always been important, it's especially critical during the global pandemic we're in the midst of today. If U.S. breastfeeding rates are to stay as high as they are, we must ensure new moms don't feel isolated or unsupported." *Methodology Conducted in May 2020, the survey asked 500 expecting mothers and 500 mothers who had given birth within the past six months about how COVID-19 has affected their perceptions of and plans around in-person care, the value of breastfeeding, need for lactation support, and the role of telemedicine. Respondents represented 47 states and 91% completed high school or other secondary education. Respondent ages ranged from 18-24 (38%), 25-34 (46%) and 35 and over (16%). For more demographics, see the full report. About Pacify Health Pacify Health was founded on the idea that more can be done to use mobile technology to help families access excellent prenatal and pediatric care. Pacify's industry-leading mobile platform provides instantaneous, 24/7 support to new mothers. Mothers who download the app can connect via video-visit with clinicians including nurses and lactation consultants. There are no appointments or scheduling, and calls are answered in an average of less than 30 seconds. Pacify serves a diverse range of mothers via contracts with leading hospitals, employers, Medicaid managed care companies, state Departments of Health, the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program, and breast pump manufacturers. In 2019, Pacify was acquired by Advantia Health as part of its commitment to continued investment in technologies that improve the lives and health of women and their families. Advantia is transforming healthcare for all women we're setting a higher standard of care and convenience while reducing unnecessary costs. Compassion and value inspire everything we do. We take time to listen, answer questions completely, and offer helpful technology between visits so that our patients are empowered and at ease. Alongside coordinated care, Advantia is pioneering care models that align incentives with the best interests of women and their families. Learn more at AdvantiaHealth.com and Pacify.com Media Contact Vanessa Ulrich (410) 534.1161 [email protected] SOURCE Pacify Health Related Links http://www.pacify.com Torino are sounding out the possibility of a loan switch with an option to buy The 24-year-old midfielder has fallen down the pecking order at the Emirates Arsenal are close to offloading midfielder Lucas Torreira with Serie A side Torino in negotiations over a move, according to reports. The 24-year-old midfielder has fallen down the pecking order at the Emirates and did not feature in their Community Shield victory over Liverpool nor was he included in the squad for their win at Fulham at the weekend. Torino are sounding out the possibility of a loan switch with an option to buy Torreira, according to Sky Sports. Arsenal close to offloading Lucas Torreira with Serie A side Torino reportedly in negotiations The 24-year-old midfielder has fallen down the pecking order at Emirates under Mikel Arteta The Italian outfit would reportedly pay Arsenal a total of 22million for the transfer in two instalments of 11m. Torreira made 39 appearances for the north London club last season, in which he scored two goals and supplied one assist. However manager Mikel Arteta has opted for Mohamed Elneny and Granit Xhaka in the heart of the midfield this season. Arsenal are keen to let Torreira leave during this transfer window in order to raise funds for new additions before the deadline in October. Arteta's side opened their Premier League campaign in style on Saturday, sealing a comfortable 3-0 win at Fulham. Differences between the House and Senate approaches to address veteran suicides have hampered progress of proposed legislation, leaving the possibility that no bills will be passed by the end of the year. The House Veterans Affairs Committee on Thursday discussed more than two dozen suicide prevention bills, including measures to improve outreach to female veterans; address suicide among Native Americans; mandate training across the Department of Veterans Affairs on asking about access to guns and other lethal means; and improve acute crisis care for suicidal veterans. Read Next: Nearly 400 Rescued by National Guard From Raging Creek Fire The debate comes on the heels of last months Senate passage of the Cmdr. John Scott Hannon Veterans Mental Health Care Improvement Act, a bipartisan bill that would require the VA to hire additional suicide prevention coordinators and give grants to organizations that focus on veterans' mental health. But House Democrats say the legislation is too narrow in scope and leaves out important changes that could have a lasting impact in slowing the pace of veterans suicide. Committee Chairman Rep. Mark Takano, D-Calif., said he is in negotiations with the Senate to ensure that some of the House measures are passed to "bring about real change." "Recent Senate action to advance suicide prevention offers a promising start, but it is the 'People's House' that must complete the work necessary to tackle the crisis of veteran suicide," Takano said. "We need sweeping legislative action backed up by researchers, veteran stakeholders, mental health experts, clinical psychologists, and medical professionals." Last week before the House hearing, Senate Veterans Affairs Committee Chairman Jerry Moran, R-Kansas, said he and Takano had reached a deal to bring the Hannon Act to a vote in the House without any amendments. But Takano said Thursday his plan was not to present House bills as amendments to the Hannon Act, or S. 785, but instead to negotiate for the passage of House legislation as "reciprocity." "The negotiations, I think, are getting very close," he said. A bipartisan group of senators last week wrote House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and House Minority Leader Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., urging them to bring the Hannon bill to the House floor. Noting that the entire Senate Veterans Affairs Committee voted for the bill, and it was approved by the Senate, the signatories, including Moran and the committees ranking member, Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., said the bill "puts in place critical care, services and supports that will save veterans' lives." The Hannon bill is supported by nearly 40 veterans service organizations, including the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Disabled American Veterans, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, Paralyzed Veterans of America and American Veterans. "[S.] 785 is the bill that's passed [the Senate]. ... We just don't want to have the time run out in this Congress before something gets passed," retired Air Force Lt. Col. Jim Lorraine, president of America's Warrior Partnership, told the House veterans panel last week. VA Secretary Robert Wilkie has thrown his support behind the Hannon bill, saying the grant assistance to charities and localities will put funds in the hands of organizations already proven to help veterans. "I can only do so much with the money I have because there are always fences around funds," Wilkie told Military.com on Friday. "The Senate came together in a bipartisan way, supporting S. 785. ... Here is a bipartisan bill that's sitting in a House committee. Pass it because it's needed." Takano expressed irritation that neither Wilkie nor a representative from the VA was present at the hearing on approaches to veteran suicides. "Secretary Wilkie and I both agree addressing veteran suicide is our top priority and yet only one of us is here today," he said. As of the day of the hearing, 25 legislative days remained on the House calendar in 2020, but only 12 before the election. Congress often conducts only essential business in the lame duck session, and all legislation would have to be reintroduced in the new Congress if the bills don't pass this year. Veterans who need assistance with a mental health emergency can call the Veterans Crisis Line, 1-800-273-8255 and press 1, or they can text 838255 or go to VeteransCrisisLine.net for assistance. -- Patricia Kime can be reached at Patricia.Kime@Monster.com. Follow her on Twitter @patriciakime. Related: Burn Pits Linked to Chronic Cough and Wheezing in Veterans, New Study Shows Union Education Minister Dr Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank on Tuesday paid tribute to the father of Indian engineering Bharat Ratna M Visvesvaraya on his 159th birth anniversary. To honour him, India celebrates Engineers Day on September 15 each year. Salute to him on the Engineer Day, the birth anniversary of the great engineer and diplomat Bharat Ratna of modern India, Shri M Visvesvaraya. Heartfelt congratulations and best wishes to all engineers who have made invaluable contributions in the progress of the country, he tweeted (roughly translated from Hindi). Nishank also urged people to remember the innovations done by the Indian engineers on this day. Mokshagundam Visvesvaray was a prolific engineer, educationist and statesman of the 20th century. His birth anniversary, Sep 15, is celebrated as Engineers Day. Lets commemorate the innovations and great work of our engineers on this Engineers Day, he tweeted. The Union Minister also shared lines of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for Indian engineers and tweeted, From Make in India to Digital India, Indias engineers have a pivotal role in realizing the aspirations of India-- Honourable PM Shri Narendra Modi. Born on September 15, 1861, in Muddenahalli near Chikkaballapur, M Visvesvaraya was a world-renowned civil engineer and is considered of the foremost nation-builders, creating marvels upon which modern India was built. New Delhi: The Customs Department will closely watch import of items like mobile phones, home appliances, set top boxes, cameras and other electronic items with a new set of rules for checking abuse of Indias free trade deals kicking in from next Monday, said an official. Import of these items from countries with which India has free trade agreements (FTAs) will receive special regulatory attention as the authorities enforce new rules for verifying the origin of imported products. The Customs (Administration of Rules of Origin under Trade Agreements) Rules, 2020 issued last month takes effect from 21 September. The idea is to prevent dumping of products into India by exporters in a third country exploiting the free trade agreement India has with certain nations. These rules were issued to check the alleged abuse of the FTAs, which has been on the rise to evade customs duty on imports. The official quoted above said that a new provision was introduced in the Customs Act earlier this year for strict verification of rules of origin of imports under FTAs to ensure that FTA benefits are taken correctly. The rules for implementing this provision were issued last month. What has caused concern among the authorities is the fact that while Indias exports to FTA partner countries remain almost flat under major treaties, imports rose rapidly. Trade deficit has widened. In case of Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries, the merchandise trade gap has risen from 5 billion dollar in 2010 when the ASEAN FTA was implemented, to more than 22 billion dollars now. This steep increase in trade deficit has become a serious cause of concern for the country," the official said. Indias position of merchandise trade surplus with Vietnam and Singapore has reversed in last three to four years. Also, trade gap has widened with Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and Singapore, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity. These FTAs have been misused widely to export goods to India in utter disregard to the rules of origin requirement. Vietnam has now been exporting a large number of electronic items. These include smartphones, television sets, set-top boxes, digital cameras and parts of mobile phones," said the official. Electronics imports have started coming in from Indonesia too. Thailand and Malaysia have also been exporting increased quantity of electronic and other goods, said the official. In last five years, the Customs department has detected fraudulent claims under FTA to the tune of Rs. 1,200 crore, said the official. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Never miss a story! Stay connected and informed with Mint. Download our App Now!! Topics Kanye West has referred to himself as the new Moses while demanding that he be released from his record deal. In a series of tweets shared on Monday (14 September) night, the rapper, who is currently running for the US presidency, tweeted about his position in the music industry. In the since-deleted posts seen by Variety, West claimed that he was the 2nd richest black man in America and that he would not be releasing music until he was released from his contract with Sony and Universal. He then said that he wanted an apology from J Cole and Drake, comparing himself to Nat Turner, who led a slave rebellion in 1831. These tweets were later deleted, with West seemingly backtracking on his comments against his fellow rappers. I have the utmost respect for all brothers no more dissing each other on labels we dont own, he posted. The rapper is running for president (AFP via Getty Images) I need to see everybodys contracts at Universal and Sony, Im not gonna watch my people be enslaved, he continued, adding: Im the new Moses. The Independent has contacted Universal and Sony for comment. In recent years West, 43, has reconnected with his Christianity, running a weekly church event titled Sunday Service and producing gospel music. During a recent Sunday Service event, the Ultralight Beam musician appeared to walk on water as he performed with his choir in the middle of a lake. West is competing to be the next president as an independent candidate, but has been barred from appearing on the ballot in a number of states, including Arizona, Wisconsin and Virginia. President Donald Trump has vowed to hit back at Iran if the Islamic republic strikes at the United States US President Donald Trump on Monday vowed that any attack by Iran would be met with a response "1,000 times greater in magnitude," after reports that Iran planned to avenge the killing of top general Qasem Soleimani. A US media report, quoting unnamed officials, said that an alleged Iranian plot to assassinate the US ambassador to South Africa was planned before the presidential election in November. "According to press reports, Iran may be planning an assassination, or other attack, against the United States in retaliation for the killing of terrorist leader Soleimani," Trump tweeted. "Any attack by Iran, in any form, against the United States will be met with an attack on Iran that will be 1,000 times greater in magnitude!" Relations between Washington and Tehran have been tense since the Iranian revolution, and have spiralled since Trump unilaterally pulled out of a landmark international nuclear deal with Iran in May 2018. In January, a US drone strike killed Soleimani in Baghdad, and Washington is pushing to extend an arms embargo on Iran that starts to progressively expire in October as well as reimposing UN sanctions on the Islamic republic. The Iranian navy last week said it drove off American aircraft that flew close to an area where military exercises were underway near the Strait of Hormuz. The military said three US aircraft were detected by Iran's air force radars after they entered the country's air defence identification zone. bgs/qan The Supreme Court on Tuesday took strong exception to the television programme titled Bindas Bol aired by news channel Sudarshan news relating to Muslims entering civil services which the channel had likened to infiltration and Jihad. A three-judge bench, headed by justice DY Chandrachud, said that the claims made by the channel were insidious and it also cast aspersions on the credibility of the UPSC exams and was a great disservice to the nation. Here is one anchor who says one particular community is trying to infiltrate UPSC. Can anything be more insidious (than such claims). Such allegations affect the stability of the country and also cast aspersions on the credibility of the UPSC exam, justice Chandrachud remarked. He said that every single person who applies for the UPSC goes through the same selection process and the insinuation that one community is trying to infiltrate civil services does great disservice to the nation. In the UPSC exam, all are subjected to the same tests, interviews and are assessed by the same persons. But the insinuation is that one community is trying to infiltrate the UPSC. What you are doing does not do credit to our democratic system. Your client is doing great disservice to the nation. We are a melting pot of cultures, Chandrachud told senior counsel Shyam Divan, who was appearing on behalf of Sudarshan news. Sudarshan news submitted that the programme raises an issue concerning national security and it is in public interest to bring out the story. The programme is in adherence to programme code, senior counsel Shyam Divan on behalf of Sudarshan news maintained. Divan also submitted that he was willing to supply copies of all episodes of the programme to the court so that the bench can decide whether or not the programme is in violation of law. The court was hearing a plea by advocate Firoz Iqbal Khan who claimed that the programme contains derogatory statements about Muslim community and was divisive in nature. Justice KM Joseph, who was also on the bench, said that freedom granted to the media is not absolute and the manner in which certain television channels conduct news debates today left a lot to be desired. He asked solicitor general Tushar Mehta, appearing for Central government, to explore options on disclosing the shareholding pattern and revenue model of media houses on public domain. Certain channels mute panellists when they express views which go against the anchors views. This is unfair. No freedom is absolute, not even journalistic freedom, justice Joseph said. Solicitor general Tushar Mehta said that freedom of a journalist is supreme and any regulation of the same would need extensive debates. The bench acknowledged that regulation of media outlets is a very difficult proposition. He however asked Sudarshan news to exercise freedom of speech with responsibility. Last week, the Centre allowed Sudarshan News to broadcast the show which claimed a big expose on conspiracy to infiltrate Muslims in government service. Earlier, the top court on August 28 declined to impose a pre-broadcast ban on the news channel, saying it has to be cautious in imposing a prior restraint on publication or the airing of views and cannot prevent airing of a programme based on an unverified transcript of a 49-second clip. President Donald Trump's rally at Xtreme Manufacturing on September 13 in Henderson, Nevada. Andrew Harnik/AP Photo President Donald Trump is "not at all concerned" about contracting the coronavirus during his rallies because he is "very far away" from people, he told the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Thousands of Trump supporters flocked to the president's indoor rally on Sunday in Henderson, Nevada, defying state orders that limit gatherings to 50 people. A Trump campaign spokesman stood by the decision, saying people can "gather peacefully" at such rallies if they can "join tens of thousands of people protesting in the streets, gamble in a casino, or burn down small businesses in riots." Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. President Donald Trump said he was not afraid of contracting the coronavirus at his campaign rallies, where public-health guidelines to limit its spread are loosely followed, if at all. "I'm on a stage and it's very far away," Trump told the Las Vegas Review-Journal. "So I'm not at all concerned." Related: 6 times Trump contradicted coronavirus public officials The president on Sunday held his first indoor rally in nearly three months in Henderson, Nevada, at a facility run by the construction-equipment company Xtreme Manufacturing. While Trump stood by himself on a stage, thousands of his supporters many without masks were packed close together. The event flouted Gov. Steve Sisolak's executive order limiting gatherings in Nevada to 50 people. It also ignored the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's guidance that people can avoid getting sick by wearing face coverings and maintaining social distance. Sisolak denounced the Trump campaign's decision to host the event as "shameful, dangerous and irresponsible." But Trump's team defended the move. "If you can join tens of thousands of people protesting in the streets, gamble in a casino, or burn down small businesses in riots, you can gather peacefully under the 1st Amendment to hear from the president of the United States," Tim Murtaugh, a campaign spokesman, said in a statement. Story continues Trump did not respond to a question posed by the Las Vegas Review-Journal on whether he was concerned about risking the health of people who attend his rallies. The last rally Trump held fully indoors was on June 20 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Health experts and state leaders were concerned the event could act as a superspreader event because research suggests large indoor gatherings are responsible for most coronavirus transmission. Following the rally, several Trump staffers and allies, including former Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain, tested positive for the coronavirus. Cain died of COVID-19 on July 30, but it remains unclear if he picked up the virus at the BOK Center. As of Monday, Nevada has recorded 73,650 cases and over 1,450 virus-related deaths, while national figures exceed 6.5 million cases and more than 194,000 deaths. Sunday evening's rally also came amid recent criticism that Trump had publicly downplayed the virus in March despite knowing long before then that it posed a severe threat to public health. Read the original article on Business Insider Xtreme Manufacturing was hit with a $3,000 fine Monday from the City of Henderson, Nevada, for hosting an indoor rally for President Trump over the weekend. Why it matters: The indoor rally was Trump's first since June. The City of Henderson warned Xtreme Manufacturing prior to the event that they would be fined for hosting a large number of people. Trump told the mostly maskless crowd the U.S. "will very easy defeat" the virus. "We are not shutting the country again," Trump said. "A shutdown would destroy the lives and dreams of millions Americans." What they're saying: "During the event, a compliance officer observed six violations of the directives and the City's Business Operations Division has issued a Business License Notice of Violation to Xtreme Manufacturing and assessed a penalty of $3,000," the City of Henderson said in a statement to news outlets. The other side: The Trump campaign said every individual had their temperature checked before the rally, and was provided with masks they were encouraged to wear. Trump has yet to address the fine, and his campaign and Xtreme Manufacturing did not immediately respond to Axios' requests for comment. Trump tweeted late Monday, "We had great rallies this past weekend, after the Governor of Nevada worked very hard to cancel all of our venues. Despite the fact that he controls the state, he failed, but would have rather done rally outside. "Can you imagine this man is in charge of the Ballots in Nevada!? Not fair," he added, before complaining, without any evidence: "Rigged Election!" Editor's note: This article has been updated with Trump's Twitter comments. The industrial hemp harvest is underway across New York state, and much of it can be turned into the oils that fuel the growing legal trade in CBD-infused products like tinctures, lotions and salves. But the state regulations and licenses that allow the hemp/CBD businesses to operate legally expire at the end of October. New guidelines and license procedures are sitting on Gov. (Andrew) Cuomos desk one hemp industry leader says, but theres no sign theyll be issued soon. With 700 hemp growers across the state, producing hundreds of thousands of pounds destined for more than 100 in-state processing facilities this fall, the time is growing short. Its going to be a disaster if they have to sit on this much hemp, said Allan Gandelman, a Cortland hemp grower and processor who is also president of the New York Cannabis Growers and Processors Association. We need these regulations now. Gandelman, owner of hemp company Head + Heal in Cortland, joined Eddie Brennan, president of Beak & Skiff Apple Orchards, on Tuesday to call for the regulations that were promised in the state Hemp Extracts bill that Cuomo signed into law late last year. (Beak & Skiff earlier this year jumped into the hemp extract processing business). Its important, they said, for the many growers and processors, and for the hundreds of related business that take the finished extracts to produce the tinctures, salves and other consumer products. Similar media events calling for the release of the rules were held today across the state, in Binghamton, Buffalo, New York City and elsewhere. The events were held as part of National Hemp Action Day. The frustration for the hemp growers and processors stems from the fact that they succeeded in getting a bill that broadly outlines the rules for the industry passed through the state Legislature and approved by the governor. But the specific rules need to be issued now so theres time for the 60-day comment period and application process, Gandelman said. The law provides for the new licenses and permits to be issued starting Jan. 1. For all (that) to happen from now until January 1 seem unlikely, Gandelman said. The law sets out procedures for the licensing of industrial hemp growers and extract manufacturers and establishes what are likely the nations strictest testing and labeling requirements. The bill was approved by state lawmakers last year in the wake of their failure to approve a bill legalizing adult recreational use of marijuana. Hemp is a species of cannabis, like marijuana, but does not produce as much THC, the compound that creates the marijuana 'high." CBD (cannabidiol) extracted from hemp is a non-psychoactive compound that is touted by its advocates for health benefits. The states growers and processors have been operating for the past few years under a temporary state-sanctioned research program. It expires Oct. 31 and the permits and licensing expire with it. Without the new regulations in place, the hemp industry would be in a gray area, Brennan said. Thats especially troublesome, because of the nature of the business. There is an unfortunate stigma with hemp, THC and CBD, Gandelman said. The unprocessed hemp contains just a trace of THC, and the finished extract that is used for products like lotions and salves contains less than the 0.3% THC that makes it legal under federal law, Brennan said. But during the processing and extraction, the percentage can rise temporarily to more than 3%. That means, temporarily, were dealing with a narcotic, he said. Thats just one of the reasons processors like Beak & Skiff and Head + Heal want clear regulations. Another is that without strong New York state regulations, the CBD market is flooded with out-of-state products that may be processed to lower standards with fewer regulations, Brennan and Gandelman said. They may contain more THC than allowed, for example, or perhaps be laden with heavy metals, they said. There are rogue producers and possible unsafe products out there, Brennan said. The goal of the Hemp Extracts bill in New York was to establish strict guidelines that could make the states hemp industry among the best in the country, he said. Not a lot of industries out there say they want more regulation, Brennan said. "But were begging, Please regulate us. " If and when Cuomos administration does set out new rules and guidelines, there is still one area that will not be covered: The Hemp Extracts law as signed does not specifically allow CBD to be added to food and beverages. Though it is possible to find CBD in food and beverages on the market, the states Agriculture & Markets department has declared them illegal, based on current guidelines from the federal Food & Drug Administration. In signing the Hemp Extracts law last year, Cuomo said he would defer action on food and beverage with CBD until a summit on the hemp/CBD industry he hoped to convene in the spring. The coronavirus pandemic seems to have derailed that. Beak & Skiff had a first-hand experience with the food and beverage issue: It had planned to release a CBD-infused Cold Brew Coffee product last year, but had to pull it after the Ag & Markets ruling last summer. Were in this position where you can find something on a shelf that we are technically not allowed to make, Brennan said. State Health Department spokesperson Jill Montag responded to a question about the new regulations with this statement: "The New York State Department of Health is finalizing a comprehensive set of regulations to launch the hemp industry in NYS ... These regulations will outline the necessary requirements for licensure, processing and retail sale of cannabinoid hemp for human consumption (i.e. CBD products), which includes but is not limited to labeling, testing and advertising standards. Eddie Brennan, president of Beak & Skiff Apple Orchards, joined by Allan Gandelman of Cortland, president of the New York Cannabis Growers and Processors Association, during a media event to call on Gov. Andrew Cuomo to issue new regulations for the hemp industry. They are in the Beak & Skiff Hemp House in the town of Onondaga, used to research and process hemp into usable oils and extracts for commercial products like salves, tinctures and lotions. Don Cazentre writes for NYup.com, syracuse.com and The Post-Standard. Reach him at dcazentre@nyup.com, or follow him at NYup.com, on Twitter or Facebook. 'Jihad of the Womb': Watchdog details systemic abduction of Christian girls in Egypt Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment A watchdog group has shed more light on the widespread abduction, trafficking and exploitation of Coptic Christian women and girls in Egypt, highlighting the cases of 13 women and girls who were kidnapped or abducted in the last three years. Coptic Solidarity, a Virginia-based nonprofit founded in 2010 that is dedicated to achieving equal citizenship rights for the Copts in Egypt and whose leader has testified before U.S. Congress, released the report "Jihad of the Womb: Trafficking of Coptic Women & Girls in Egypt last Thursday. The new document is a continuation of the organizations work to address a troubling trend of kidnappings and disappearances that it says violate international trafficking and child abuse laws. The organization is critical of the Egyptian governments lack of action. The capture and disappearance of Coptic women and minor girls is a bane of the Coptic community in Egypt, yet little has been done to address this scourge by the Egyptian or foreign governments, NGOs, or international bodies, the report argues. [T]he Egyptian government and international entities must address these heinous crimes that have been conducted with near impunity. The report, compiled from information gathered through the Coptic community, family members, religious leaders and Egyptian media reports, is to be submitted to United Nations entities as well as the U.S. Office for Trafficking in Persons. One priest from the Minya Governate told Coptic Solidarity that at least 15 girls go missing in his area every year and added that his daughter was almost kidnapped. Women who disappear and are never recovered must live an unimaginable nightmare, the report explains. The large majority of these women are never reunited with their families or friends because police response in Egypt is dismissive and corrupt. According to the report, countless families have reported that police have either been complicit in the kidnapping or at the very least bribed into silence. Coptic Solidarity reasons that the lack of action when it comes to the trafficking of Coptic women is a major problem when it comes to documenting cases. Police often claim that the women and girls have gone with their captors willingly, an argument that is often made in countries where religious minorities are regularly kidnapped and forced into marriage. While few cases are genuine marriages, Coptic Solidarity estimates about 500 cases within the last decade, where elements of coercion were used that amount to trafficking. The kidnappings come in the backdrop of a Coptic minority population that is already marginalized as Coptic Solidarity has reported to UN bodies. The report further argues that organized Salafist Muslim groups in Egypt are engaging in a phenomenon Coptic Solidarity calls Jihad of the Womb the idea that Muslims are being urged by religious leaders to convert non-Muslim women and make Muslim children. These networks are often supported by like-minded members (including high-ranking officials) of the police, national security and local administrations, the report states. Their roles include refusal to lodge official complaints by the victims families, falsifying police investigations, organizing the formal sessions of conversion to Islam at Al-Azhar, or harassing families into silence and acceptance of the de facto trafficking of their loved ones. According to the report, the Egyptian government has maintained that the majority of abduction cases are about young women falling in love with someone from a different denomination. The problem with this defense is that the Egyptian government does not acknowledge or protect the ongoing rights of Coptic females, the report contends. Regardless if a woman is kidnapped from her home or in public, or if she agrees to elope and then discovers she has been tricked and wishes to leave, the elements of trafficking in persons and crimes against children are all still applicable. The 13 women that the report highlights represent only a fraction of the abducted women and girls in Egypt. In each of these cases, no investigative report has been completed, and none of the known perpetrators have been brought to trial meaning there is complete impunity for those who traffic Coptic women and girls, the report reads. In all of these cases, the police refuse to use words such as kidnapped or disappeared when writing the initial police report. They will only use the word absent, even when there is evidence of trafficking. Among the victims included in the report is 39-year-old Ranya Abd al-Masih, a teacher and mother of three, who was kidnapped in April in the Menoufia government. Three days later, Masih was seen in a video wearing a niqab, saying that she left her home on her own, converted to Islam and told her husband to stop looking for her. However, family members have noted that Masih did not take any of her personal belongings with her and that she is noticeably crying in the video as she recited what she was told to say. Her family and church leaders called for her to be released. She was later returned to the family in July after suffering sexual, psychological and spiritual abuse. Of note, Raynas family was directed by the police to stop talking publicly about her case, the report explains. Also in April, 15-year-old Yustina Magdy Attia was kidnapped in the Baad El Arab village of Beni Suef and was returned about three weeks later. Last November, 17-year-old Coptic Christian girl Lisa Romani Mansi was abducted in the Papillary Olive Field district near Cairo. She reportedly disappeared as she was on her way to a tutoring lesson. She has not been heard from since and her cell phone had been turned off. The childs father told Coptic Solidarity that he has received an inadequate response from the police as he seeks to find his daughter. Last October, 20-year-old Marina Sami Sahi, who had recently gotten married and was five months pregnant, was kidnapped in the Gesr Al Suez area of Cairo. There have not been any updates on her case, according to Coptic Solidarity. In July 2019, 18-year-old Nerges Adel Ibrahim was kidnapped by the cousin of one of her friends. Sarah Atef, a 23-year-old Coptic attending university in Beni Suef, was kidnapped in June 2019. A few days after her kidnapping, she reportedly made a phone call to her family to tell them that she fell in love with a Muslim man and converted to Islam. Sarahs friends have said that this it is extremely unlikely because Sarah loved her faith and was a very devout Christian, the report stresses. In May 2018, 18-year-old Vivian Adel Youssef was kidnapped just two weeks after she married her husband. Although her husband filed a police report, no updates have been made available on her status or whereabouts, the report states. Twenty-year-old Meray Girgis Sobhi was kidnapped on April 10, 2018, and was reported missing by her family. The girls father told Coptic Solidarity in a phone call that there has been no effort to investigate the matter and search for her. The phone call was apparently recorded by Egyptian national security because the father was contacted by them telling him to stop talking publicly about Merays kidnapping, the report notes. According to her father, Meray was then returned, but he was forced to write a letter denouncing Coptic Solidarity and saying that he would not give interviews to international media. Hoda Atef Ghali Girgis, 16, was kidnapped on April 8, 2018, while on her way home from an Easter party. No update on her situation has been provided. A witnessed alleged that three masked men pushed Rasha into a car and fled off, according to the report. Much like the others, there has not been any update on her situation. Coptic Solidarity also highlighted the cases of 26-year-old married Coptic woman Christine Lamie, 18-year-old Hanan Adly Girgis and a 16-year-old Coptic girl named Marilyn, who was kidnapped in June 2017 and recovered after 92 days. Her mother, Hanaa Aziz Shukralla Farag, shared about seeing a video online of Marilyn veiled, holding a Quran, and claiming to have converted to Islam, despite her obvious looks of discomfort and pressure to make the recitation, the report reads. Egypt ranks as the 16th worst country in the world when it comes to Christian persecution on the Open Doors 2020 World Watch List. A Baytown Police Department officer indicted in the shooting death of Pamela Turner was released on bail Tuesday morning after surrendering to the court, his attorney said. Officer Juan Delacruz posted $25,000 bond for a charge of aggravated assault by a public servant. Delacruz is the latest local police officer to be indicted in a deadly police shooting and the second Baytown officer to be indicted over an on-duty altercation. On May 13, 2019, Delacruz fatally shot Turner, 44, after first approaching her to make an arrest on outstanding warrants. Delacruzs attorney, Gregory Cagle, said he believes the facts and law are on his clients side. Its factually undisputed that he was executing a lawful arrest, he said. Its undisputed that she resisted the arrest and I think its undisputed she took his Taser and used it on him. The shooting has drawn a level of scrutiny, however, in part because Turner had paranoid schizophrenia and was believed to be amid a mental crisis at the time of the altercation. A bystander video also captured her yelling "I'm pregnant" just moments before she was shot. That statement turned out to be false, police said. Roughly 16 months passed before the Harris County District Attorneys Office presented the case to a grand jury. The aggravated assault by a public servant charge is a first-degree felony that carries a punishment of five years to life in prison. The indictment against Delacruz is the second against a Baytown officer in just a month. A grand jury also indicted former Baytown Officer Nathaniel Brown, charging him with misdemeanor assault for allegedly kicking a person recording an arrest during a traffic stop. The department fired Brown less than two months after the June incident. The Delacruz investigation is ongoing at the Baytown Police Department, as an Internal Affairs investigation has been completed but still needs to be turned over to Chief Keith Dougherty for review. The Texas Rangers also investigated the encounter and turned the case over to the Harris County District Attorneys Office, which presents every officer-involved shooting to a grand jury. Delacruz is still employed at the Baytown Police Department, where he has been removed from patrol and policing duties since shortly after the shooting, according to the agency. A man accused of bashing a great-grandfather has been charged with murder following the pensioner's death. Emiliano Lombardi, 84, was attacked with pieces of broken mirror outside his home in East Cannington, south Perth, on August 16. The 84-year-old was rushed to Royal Perth Hospital the next morning and remained in intensive care until his death 15 days later. Quade Karsum Jones, 28, was arrested after the attack and was charged with causing grievous bodily harm with intent. That has now been upgraded to murder. Emiliano Lombardi, 84, (pictured) died in Royal Perth Hospital two weeks after he was brutally attacked outside of his East Cannington home, in south Perth, on August 16 Mr Lombardi was slashed with mirror shards after checking a noise near his home and suffered a broken nose, eye injuries, and numerous deep cuts (pictured) Homicide detectives took over the investigation after Mr Lombardi's death and charged Jones with murder. The 28-year-old is set to face Perth Magistrates Court on Wednesday. Mr Lombardi had gone outside to investigate a disturbance at about 7pm when he was brutally slashed with the car mirror shards. He suffered a broken nose, eye injuries, and numerous deep cuts and spent a week in an induced coma. WA Police arrested two men on August 20. Both Jones, from Seville Grove, and a 24-year-old man from Armadale were taken into custody. Jones, a roofing tradie, was also accused of indecently assaulting a woman aged in her 40s, striking a woman in her 20s with a metal sign and robbing a man in his 20s. His charges include indecent assault, robbery, and assault occasioning bodily harm. Police will allege the attack on the great-grandfather was committed as part of a crime rampage that lasted for an hour between 6.30pm and 7.30pm. The 24-year-old man who allegedly joined Jones on his alleged crime spree was charged with multiple counts of criminal damage, as well as firearms and drug offences The alleged rampage included the four assaults, graffiti and letterbox damage and a brick thrown through a window. WA Premier Mark McGowan earlier this month offered his sympathies to Mr Lombardi's loved ones, saying he was deeply saddened by his death. 'Nobody, especially our elderly and most vulnerable, should have to suffer like this, nor be afraid outside their own home,' he posted on social media. 'My own parents are approaching Mr Lombardi's age - I can only imagine how his family are feeling today.' Mr Lombardi's children Dom Lombardi and Laura Hussein have also spoken out on their father's excruciating fight for life and the painful reminders of his suffering. 'That roller coaster ride is unbearable,' Mr Lombardi told 9News. 'Those 15 days were complete torture.' 'As soon as it goes quiet, I just see that image so that's going to be etched on my mind, I think for the rest of my life,' Ms Hussain said. The US and India said on Tuesday the peace process in Afghanistan must lead to a political roadmap and a permanent ceasefire, and the Afghan sides should ensure that the countrys territory isnt used by any terrorist group against any country. This was among the outcomes of a meeting between the US special representative on Afghanistan reconciliation, Zalmay Khalilzad, and external affairs minister S Jaishankar. The meeting was also attended by National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and foreign secretary Harsh Shringla. On Tuesday, Khalilzad travelled to New Delhi from Doha, where representatives of the Afghan government and the Taliban have begun the much-delayed intra-Afghan negotiations to hammer out a final political settlement. Khalilzad met Pakistan Army chief Gen Qamar Bajwa and other senior officials during a visit to Islamabad on Monday, following which he had returned to Doha. The United States and India share the view that the peace process must continue until there is agreement on a political roadmap and a comprehensive and permanent ceasefire. The Afghan sides should ensure their territory must not be used by any terrorist group against any other country, said a statement issued by the US embassy after Tuesdays meeting. People familiar with developments said on condition of anonymity that Khalilzad briefed the Indian side about the US assessment of the intra-Afghan negotiations and also shared the American perspective on the Afghan peace process. The two sides discussed future steps and possible cooperation between India and the US in furthering the Afghan peace process, one of the people cited above said. They also discussed how to promote regional and international cooperation with regard to Afghanistan, the person added. The US embassy statement quoted Khalilzad as saying that regional and international support is critical for the success of the intra-Afghan negotiations and the implementation of any agreement. India and the US will work together in support of this objective, he said. The US and India expressed similar views on the importance of long-term assistance, trade and investment for consolidating a peace agreement for the benefit of the people of Afghanistan, the region, and beyond, the statement added. Khalilzad last travelled to New Delhi to brief the Indian side on developments in the Afghan peace process on May 7, and this was his fifth visit to India since January 2019. He also appreciated Indias participation in the inauguration of the intra-Afghan negotiations in Doha on September 12, the people said. Tuesdays discussions reflect the India-US strategic partnership, which provides for close consultations between the two sides on bilateral, regional and international issues of mutual interest, the people cited above said. During his visit to Islamabad on Monday, Khalilzad had held talks with GenBajwa and Mohammad Sadiq, Pakistans special representative for Afghanistan, on regional security and the intra-Afghan talks. Bajwa told him that Prime Minister Imran Khan had provided a clear vision regarding peace and connectivity in the region and Pakistan is working to make that vision a reality. Jaishankar had laid down Indias expectations from the peace process in his address at the inaugural ceremony for the intra-Afghan negotiations on Sunday. He had said New Delhi expects that Afghan soil will never be used for any anti-India activities, and it supports an immediate, comprehensive ceasefire since the rising levels of violence cannot continue. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Uzbekistan, Switzerland Reach Agreement On Returning Funds Seized From Karimova By RFE/RL's Uzbek Service September 14, 2020 Switzerland and Uzbekistan have reached an agreement on returning more than $130 million to Tashkent that was seized in connection with criminal proceedings against Gulnara Karimova, the oldest daughter of late President Islam Karimov. The Swiss government said on September 11 that, according to the nonbinding framework agreement, any returned assets "shall be used for the benefit of the people of Uzbekistan." Transparency and the creation of a monitoring mechanism are among the requirements for the restitution to take place, the statement said. Switzerland froze around 800 million Swiss francs ($880 million) in 2012 in connection with criminal proceedings against Karimova, of which almost $131 million was confiscated in 2019. The remaining funds remain frozen, and the statement stressed that the framework agreement would cover any more assets definitively confiscated in the still-ongoing criminal case. Earlier in May, Uzbek government officials said Tashkent received from France assets worth $10 million illegally acquired by Karimova. Tashkent has sought over $1 billion from foreign jurisdictions since announcing Karimova's imprisonment in 2017. Karimova, once seen as a possible successor to Karimov, was placed under house arrest in Tashkent in 2014 while her father was still alive and running the country. Karimov died in 2016 and Shavkat Mirziyoev became his successor soon afterward. Criminal investigations in Switzerland, the United States, Sweden, and the Netherlands have linked Karimova to a massive, years-long bribery scheme that revolved mainly around foreign telecommunications companies gaining access to the lucrative Uzbek market. In December 2017, Karimova was sentenced to a 10-year prison term, but the sentence was later reclassified to house arrest and shortened to five years. She was placed in jail in March 2019 for allegedly violating the terms of her house arrest. In February, she sent a letter to Mirziyoev offering to return $686 million to the country's treasury in exchange for the dismissal of the court case against her at home. But a month later, she received an additional 13 years and four months in prison after being found guilty of extortion, money laundering, and other crimes. With reporting by AP and AFP Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/uzbekistan- switzerland-reach-agreement-on-returning-funds- seized-from-karimova/30837707.html Copyright (c) 2020. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Thailands tsunami-warning buoys both out of action PHUKET: The two tsunami-warning buoys deployed west of Phuket that Thailand is responsible for maintaining are both out of action, the National Disaster Warning Centre (NDWC) in Bangkok has confirmed. disastersSafety By Tanyaluk Sakoot Tuesday 15 September 2020, 04:42PM The good news is that the second tsunami-warning buoy, Station 23461, is still transmitting real-time data, including its location. Screenshot: NOAA The second tsunami-warning buoy, Station 23461, is now missing from its usual location in the Andaman Sea, some 280km northwest of Phuket. It is believed to have broken loose from its mooring to the sea floor after being struck by a fishing boat, again. Photo: NOAA The buoy has been out of action since January. Screenshot NOAA The buoy has been out of action since January. Screenshot NOAA The tsunami-warning buoy in the Bay of Bengal array has been broken into and scavenged for parts. Photo:NOAA One of the tsunami-warning buoys has been scavenged for its components, while the other is still relaying real-time data, has come loose from its sea-floor mooring and is drifting aimlessly some 200km west of Phuket, Dr Prasong Thammapala, Acting Director of the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) Information Technology and Communication Center, told The Phuket News. However, Dr Prasong urged people to not panic, as the outer warning buoy, located some 600 nautical miles west of Phuket, is just one of an array of tsunami-warning buoys that are still functioning. The Bay of Bengal array was created by an international project with different countries responsible for their own warning buoys, with all of them feeding real-time data to a tsunami-alert system monitored by the United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), he said. The other warning buoys feed data into the same network. If an underwater earthquake strikes out there, we will be notified by the same system, Dr Prasong explained. Please do not panic or be afraid that we will miss any signs of an earthquake, he repeated. The Indian Navy contacted the NDWC in January to inform them that the Thailand buoy in the Bay of Bengal array, designated Station 23401, had been damaged, Dr Prasong said. They took photos showing that the buoy had been broken into. The battery and the equipment were taken out, he added. Just making arrangements to repair the buoy has already proved a challenge, Dr Prasong said. Many budgets have been stripped down to fund COVID-relief projects, and getting an expert to fly in from the US to make sure that the equipment re-installed into the buoy is properly calibrated to stream data into the NOAA-operated network is proving cumbersome. We can not fix this by ourselves. It involves sensitive information in order to connect to the satellite system. We need experts [involved with working with NOAA] to do this part, Dr Prasong said. I have already contacted them in the US to send an expert to Thailand, but the COVID-19 restrictions are making this difficult, he added. Meanwhile, the second tsunami-warning buoy, Station 23461, is now missing from its usual location in the Andaman Sea, some 280km northwest of Phuket. The good news is that the buoy is still transmitting real-data, including its GPS location, Dr Prasong explained. I think that a fishing boat has hit it again, breaking its mooring to the sea floor, he said. But we are still receiving data from it, including its location, which makes it much easier to find and return it to its proper location. Hungary is spending $2.4 billion to build (under license) at least 200 German Lynx IFVs (Infantry fighting vehicle). This type of tracked IFV is not used by Hungarian troops, which currently depends on an older Russian design, the wheeled BTR-80/80A. These were modernized in 2008 but proved to have a hard time keeping up with tanks when off road. Hungary will be the first export customer for Lynx, which is currently being considered by Australia, the Czech Republic and the United States. The Lynx contract includes logistical and technical support, especially for setting up the Lynx assembly plant in Hungary and determining which components can be obtained locally. A few German made Lynx will be delivered by 2022, with production in Hungary is expected to be underway shortly thereafter. Lynx was designed by Rheinmetall, which also produces the new Puma IFV for the German Army. Lynx is a less expensive version of the $9 million Puma and is more easily customized to suit export customer needs. Unlike the Puma, Lynx was privately developed without any government support. All the features of the Puma, and much more besides, are available for Lynx. Unlike the Puma, the Lynx is available in two chassis sizes. The smaller KF31 can carry three crew and six passengers while the KF41 has a more powerful engine and carries eight passengers. Each has a turret which can be equipped with 30mm or 35mm autocannon plus a 7.62mm machine-gun. The KF31 has a top speed of 65 kilometers an hour and the KF41 is 70 kilometers an hour. Each model can be equipped with a wide variety of electronics and different degrees of armor protection. As a result of these variations the weight of these vehicles can range from 30 to 44 tons. The lighter models are based on the slightly smaller KF31 chassis. Both models can be configured as IFVs, recon vehicles, command vehicles, ambulances or vehicle recovery (tow and repair). The idea behind Lynx was that the popularity of the Puma with German troops would not always translate to many foreign customers. The first of 350 Pumas entered service in 2015 and all be delivered to the German Army by 2020. Puma replaces 2,000 Cold War era (1970s) Marder IFVs. The army wants to buy more Pumas but the government has not agreed to that yet. Puma contains lots of innovations, many of them suggested by Marder users. The basic model has a remote (from inside the vehicle) control turret equipped with a new 30mm automatic cannon. This RWS (remote weapons system) approach worked well in Iraq, where it was widely used in American vehicles. The Puma armor protection comes in three levels. The basic level results in a 29.4-ton vehicle that protects against artillery, heavy machine guns (up to 14.5mm) and RPG rounds. There's a 31.5-ton and 43-ton version. The Germans settled on the 31.5-ton version as their standard. This one gives all round protection from 14.5mm machine-guns, and some protection from 30mm rounds. The Puma's 30mm cannon can fire computer-controlled shells that will detonate inside of buildings or above enemy troops taking cover behind a wall or in a trench. The 30mm cannon can fire up to 200 rounds a minute, and has a range of 3,000 meters. The vehicle carries 400 rounds of 30mm ammo, and over two thousand rounds for its 7.62mm machine-gun. Optional weapons include a guided missile launcher or automatic grenade launcher. The 30mm gun also has an armor piercing round that is also effective against personnel (FAPIDS-T, or Frangible Armor Piercing Incendiary Discarding Sabot -Tracer). The Puma has a crew of three (commander, gunner and driver) and carries up to eight infantrymen (or cargo) in the rear troop compartment. The Puma is also "digital." Noting the success the U.S. Army has had with equipping their armored vehicles with "battlefield Internet" communications equipment, the Germans did the same with Puma. The Puma is 7.4 meters (24 feet) long and air conditioned. Top road speed is 70 kilometers an hour. Lynx offers the same degree of protection from 14.5mm machine-gun and 30mm autocannon rounds. Lynx is also protected against explosives of up to 10 kg (22 pounds) and most mines. This is a similar protection level to Puma, but Lynx doesnt have to be as compact and thus is easier and cheaper to make. Same as more expensive Puma, protection can be increased by add-on armor packages. In its most well-protected variant, the Lynx is as heavily armored at the Russian T-72 tank. If so, this is phenomenal for an IFV, even a 44 ton one. Other Lynx accessories include an acoustic sensor (which indicates where enemy fire is coming from), a laser warning sensor, smoke dispensers and an APS (Active Protection system). Lynx can also use the manned LANCE or LANCE 2.0 turret fitted with a stabilized WOTNAN 30 or 35mm cannon. This weapon can fire up to 200 rounds per minute and a ranges of up to 3,000 meters. There is also a coaxial mounted 7.62mm machine gun. The main canon uses two ammunition types: APFSDS-T (armor-piercing fin-stabilized discarding sabot - tracer) and ABM (air burst munition) which is programmable with an electronic timer and warhead which dozens of tungsten pellets. This type of ammunition is devastating against infantry and a serious threat even to helicopters. Lynx can also be equipped with an RWS turret similar to the one used by Puma. There is also an option for an RWS armed with a 12.7mm machine gun or 40mm automatic grenade atop the manned turret. The primary anti-tank weapon is a launcher (mounted on the turret) for the two SPIKE LR or LR2 anti-tank missiles. These have a max range up to 4,000 or 5,500 meters. The mobility is provided by a Liebherr turbocharged diesel engine which, depending on the model used, can provide 750, 800 or 1140 horsepower. The last is reserved for KF41 version. This contract is very important for Rheinmetall and the Hungarian Army. Rheinmetall now has its export first customer for Lynx while Hungarian troops and the Hungarian Lynx manufacturer gain access to a new IFV design that is produced in Hungary. This a something of a gamble because Lynx might still have some problems to fix. In the last decade Hungary has been regularly procuring new equipment form European firms. In 2018 the Hungary signed contracts for 44 Leopard 2 A7+ MBTs, 12 used Leopard 2s for training, 24 PzH 2000 self-propelled howitzers and 6 Bergepanzer 3 Buffel armored recovery vehicles. -- Przemyslaw Juraszek CHICAGO, Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Landmarks Illinois has awarded the first grant through its new Timuel D. Black, Jr. Grant Fund for Chicago's South Side to the Muddy Waters Original Jam Out (MOJO) Museum, a nonprofit working to preserve blues legend Muddy Waters' former home in North Kenwood and convert it into a museum and cultural center. The MOJO Museum has received a $2,500 matching grant from Landmarks Illinois Timuel D. Black, Jr. Grant Fund for Chicago's South Side. Landmarks Illinois launched the new grant fund in May 2020 in celebration of the life and work of acclaimed civil rights leader Timuel D. Black, Jr. Generous contributions made at Landmarks Illinois' 2020 Legendary Landmarks Celebration in March, where Mr. Black was honored as a Legendary Landmark, helped fund the new grant program. The fund provides small planning and capital grants to support organizations and people working to preserve the history, culture and architecture of Chicago's South Side, where Mr. Black has spent the majority of his life living and promoting African American history. The MOJO Museum will use Landmarks Illinois' grant funds to help make critical repairs to Muddy Water's former home as part of the first phase of the four-phase restoration and redevelopment plan for the 131-year-old structure. Phase 1 work includes repairing the roof of the home, replacing and repairing windows, conducting masonry repairs to the exterior of the home and completing interior repairs due to water damage. Landmarks Illinois has long advocated for the Muddy Waters House, located at 4339 S. Lake Park Ave. and built in 1889. McKinley Morganfield, aka Muddy Waters, purchased the brick two flat in 1954 and lived in it until the 1970s. The building is part of the North Kenwood Multiple Resource District, a Chicago Landmark District designated in 1992 due to its architectural significance. The home is also eligible for individual Chicago Landmark designation, and a nomination is underway. In 2013, Landmarks Illinois included it on its Most Endangered Historic Places in Illinois due to a demolition threat and deferred maintenance on the long-vacant house that was at the time in foreclosure. "We are proud to offer free technical assistance and financial support to the MOJO Museum board as it strives to celebrate Muddy Waters and share his influential music with all generations of music lovers," said Bonnie McDonald, President & CEO of Landmarks Illinois. "The revitalized home will become a community asset and a focal point for the incredible musical culture Chicago is known for." Chandra Cooper, Waters' great-granddaughter and President of the MOJO Museum, purchased the Muddy Waters house as a way to preserve her family's history. Earlier this year, Landmarks Illinois helped Cooper and the MOJO Museum develop a restoration plan for the structure and aided in the organization's successful application for a grant from the National Trust for Historic Preservation's African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund. Landmarks Illinois thanks the architecture and engineering firm of Klein & Hoffman, and contractor Berglund Construction, for donating their services to develop the plan. "We are honored and so grateful to be recipients of this grant fund," said Cooper. "The Muddy Waters MOJO Museum is excited to be working with Landmarks Illinois in preserving our Chicago blues treasure!" Muddy Waters, a six-time Grammy-winner and a member of both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Blues Foundation Hall of Fame, created a rehearsal space in the home's basement while he lived there. The MOJO Museum envisions returning the home's basement to a jam session space, with a recording studio and lounge. The first floor of the home will be dedicated to museum space that promotes blues education to young people and provides music class space. "This exemplary project is precisely why Landmarks Illinois created the Timuel D. Black, Jr. Grant Fund for Chicago's South Side," said McDonald. "We believe the MOJO Museum contributes to telling the Bronzeville neighborhood's incredible history and, in this way, honors Mr. Black's legacy of civil and human rights activism." Future grant application opportunities Nonprofits, community organizations as well as faith-based and educational institutions are encouraged to apply for funding through the Landmarks Illinois Timuel D. Black, Jr. Grant Fund for Chicago's South Side. The next round of applications for the grant fund are due October 15, 2020. Grants will provide financial support to people working to restore significant structures or sites located on Chicago's South Side that are under threat of demolition, imminent deterioration or are of such architectural importance that their preservation will benefit the public and community. Structures or sites on the South Side named to Landmarks Illinois' recent Most Endangered Historic Places in Illinois are also eligible for funding. Grants through the Landmarks Illinois Timuel D. Black, Jr. Grant Fund for Chicago's South Side will range from $500 - $2,500 each, depending on need, and will require a one-to-one match. Visit www.Landmarks.org/grants to view complete grant guidelines and to submit a grant application. About Landmarks Illinois We are People Saving Places for People. Landmarks Illinois is a membership-based nonprofit organization serving the people of Illinois. We inspire and empower stakeholders to save places that matter to them by providing free guidance, practical and financial resources and access to strategic partnerships. For more information, visit www.Landmarks.org. Media Contact: Kaitlyn McAvoy Communications Manager, Landmarks Illinois [email protected] SOURCE Landmarks Illinois Related Links http://www.landmarks.org Renee Jocelyn O'Brien pleaded guilty to 11 counts of fraud at Brisbane Magistrates Court on Tuesday after raising more than $10,000 on GoFundMe A mother-of-two lied about her daughter having terminal cancer to everyone she knew - including her husband, a court has heard. Renee Jocelyn O'Brien pleaded guilty to 11 counts of fraud at Brisbane Magistrates Court on Tuesday after raising more than $10,000 on GoFundMe and from other donations. She told friends and family that her daughter's condition was fatal and she would die in 18 months. The court heard how O'Brien took her five-year-old daughter to the hospital after she complained of headaches. Doctors found a small cyst near the girl's skull but instead of telling her family the truth, O'Brien told her mother and husband that the child had brain cancer. Her husband, who had no idea his wife was lying, quit his job to spend more time with the family and the pair even discussed funeral options with a friend. A GoFundMe page for the family raised thousands of dollars in donations and a kindly couple, who did not have children, helped to create and tick off experiences on a 'bucket list' for O'Brien's daughter. Nick Hanly, O'Brien's legal aid lawyer, said his client made a 'giant leap' when she was told about the cyst, the Courier-Mail reported. 'She has started a lie and it has snowballed,' he said. 'It has engrossed her life and she has continued the story.' He added that his client was of 'below average intellect' and was highly stressed at the time of her offending. Social media posts led to the family getting media exposure, and they were gifted incredible experiences such as whale watching and motorcycle rides. The mother-of-two told friends and family that her daughter's condition was fatal and she would die in 18 months However, a government agency became concerned and contacted police. O'Brien admitted to her child never having cancer after police came to her home with a search warrant. An anonymous friend told Daily Mail Australia they discovered O'Brien was lying from other mutual friends. 'Her constant lying and the way she treated their kids made us think about our friendship,' the friend said. 'I feel sorry for the kids, they will need lots of counselling.' O'Brien was sentenced to a nine-month prison term suspended for two years. New Delhi: Actress Hina Khan is soon becoming the most sought after face in the music scene in India after featuring in videos in different avatars. She recently shot for a dreamy and a fairtytale sequence with her 'Naagin' co-star Dheeraj Dhoopar amidst the pandemic and it is going to be a treat to the fans of two of the most followed stars on social media to come together. What is interesting is to watch the actors who've played diametrically opposite roles in their last outing come together to romance in song titled 'Humko Tum Mil Gaye', which released today. In times when casting directors often find it feasible to pick the hit lead pairs to do romantic numbers, Hina talks about being paired opposite the villain in her show and shares her excitement. "The best part was that the music producers wanted to cast on the basis of our chemistry, despite me playing the protagonist in 'Naagin' & Dheeraj has a grey shade as the antagonist but we have a twisted attraction between the two of us which they liked & we're leaning towards. We just finished 'Naagin' and this came along so it was exciting," Hina said. Talking about shooting during a pandemic, "Though like everyone else, I was aware of the precautions to be taken but was also nervous for the virus has been looming over our heads and the end doesn't look in sight. So the show must go on. We took all the necessary precautions and shot it. Also, I'm glad as a video shoot creates an opportunity for many wage earners and it can keep their lights running." BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 15 By Jeila Aliyeva - Trend: Turkmenistan has increased the import of friction materials and products made from them by 4.1 times from such countries of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) as Kazakhstan and Russia in 1H2020, Trend reports with reference to the Eurasian Economic Commission. The volume of purchases amounted to 1,296 tons for a total of $5,021, which is 3 times more than the import of friction materials and products from them by Turkmenistan from Kazakhstan and Russia in 1H2019. The share of Kazakhstan in the above-mentioned amount of exports to Turkmenistan amounted to $456, and Russia - $4,564. Russia also exported 29 tons of asbestos fiber to Turkmenistan, which is 8.4 times more than the export of the same product from Russia to Turkmenistan for six months of 2019, for a total of $56,854, which is 7.5 times more than the amount for the export of the same product from Russia to Turkmenistan. From January through May, Turkmenistan imported various types of fabrics from the EAEU countries. According to statistics, during this period, Russia was the only exporter of fabrics from synthetic complex threads to Turkmenistan from the EAEU countries in the amount of 3,015 square meters, for a total amount of $2,042. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @JeilaAliyeva The price of meth has skyrocketed in some parts of Australia due to hard border closures making it harder for addicts to afford the illicit drug. Western Australia's border restrictions has impacted on drug supply chains and prices have soared to between $300-$400 for a 10th of a gram. It means addicts are increasingly turning to more dangerous alternatives such as heroin, which is cheaper at $150 for a 10th of a gram. The state has lost 36 lives to suspected drug overdoses this year alone. Western Australia's border restrictions has made it harder to source the drug and prices have soared to between $300-$400 for a 10th of a gram (stock) Meth prices have soared to between $300-$400 for a 10th of a gram of meth compared to heroin which is cheaper at $150 (pictured: Operation Zulu officers carry out a search in Welshpool) Tom Sullivan from the Australian Institute of Criminology revealed that the price of meth had tripled in the state, making it difficult for addicts to afford. 'Border restrictions have cut off the supply of methamphetamines and also increased price,' he told 6pr. 'The consequences were a reduction in availability and the cost of methamphetamines was three times higher than it was at beginning of the year.' Mr Sullivan feared that the under-strain drug market could also see drug addicts overdosing if it suddenly 'bounces back'. 'There are implications for those not expecting to reduce their use and they may be involuntarily abstaining from methamphetamines which could lower their tolerance,' he said. Officers in Operation Zulu, which is led by drug and firearm squad, raided 23 properties across the state last week. They seized heroin, meth, LSD, cannabis, guns and about $80,000 cash, and charged 27 people with a total of 61 offences. Detective Superintendent Tony Longhorn believes that fentanyl was being added to heroin which is making the drug even more fatal. Officers in Operation Zulu raided 23 properties last week in Perth due to drugs Officers raided 23 properties last week in hopes of gaining insight into the worrying trends of heroin and meth use in Perth 'There is some suggestion that other drugs like fentanyl are now being used to enhance heroin, creating a potential for further complications and overdoses,' he told The West Australian. 'When drug users switch from using a synthetic stimulant, like meth, to a powerful opioid depressant, such as heroin, and have no awareness as to the purity of the substance, there is a significant risk of accidental overdose which can lead to death.' Det-Sen. Sgt Matt Froude is hoping last week's raids will help give an insight into the Perth drug market. 'We are trying to seize as much as we can and then further to that glean more intelligence as to how we can intercept it and who's getting it in and where.' Perth was the second capital city to have the highest consumption of heroin, with Melbourne in first place according to the National Wastewater Drug Monitoring Program report. President Trump claimed on Tuesday that he wanted to assassinate President Bashar al-Assad of Syria early in his presidency, at the height of that countrys bloody civil war, but James N. Mattis, then the secretary of defense, stopped him. I wouldve rather taken him out. I had him all set, Mr. Trump said during a morning appearance on Fox & Friends. Mattis didnt want to do it. Mattis was a highly overrated general. That assertion contradicts Mr. Trumps own previous denials that he ever considered going after the Syrian strongman, whose regime has killed scores of thousands of civilians. In 2018, Bob Woodward reported in his book Fear that Mr. Trump told Mr. Mattis the military should kill Assad. But Mr. Trump called that account fiction after the book came out. That was never even contemplated, nor would it be contemplated and it should not have been written about in the book, he said. As part of a nationwide settlement, about 600 former ITT Tech students in Massachusetts will have more than $5.6 million of loan debt canceled, Attorney General Maura Healey announced on Tuesday. Resolutions were reached with 48 attorneys general offices that will affect more than 35,000 students nationwide who were granted more than $330 million in loans from PEAKS Trust. The total amount of student loan debt will be canceled. As part of the settlement, PEAKS Trust will forego collection of outstanding loans and issue no new loans to student borrowers. PEAKS will send notices to eligible borrowers about the cancelled debt and ensure that all automatic payments are cancelled. PEAKS is also required to supply credit reporting agencies with information to update credit information for affected borrowers. Students looking to further their education received nothing but low-quality programs from ITT Tech and were forced into high-interest loans they couldnt afford to pay, Healey said in a statement. This settlement demonstrates our offices work in making sure struggling student borrowers get the relief they deserve. The attorneys general alleges that ITT Tech, with PEAKS knowledge, offered students loans upon enrollment to cover the gap between federal student aid and the full cost of tuition. Students were required to repay the loan during their next academic year. ITT Tech often pulled students out of class and threatened to expel them if they did not refinance their debt with a high-interest PEAKS loan, the attorney generals office said. ITT Tech credits would not transfer to most other schools, leaving students little choice but to sign up for PEAKS financial products, Healeys office said. The default rates of the high-cost PEAKS loans were extremely high, the attorney generals office said. The loans, usually not dischargeable in bankruptcy, devastated student credit ratings after the student not able to make their monthly payments. A suit filed by Healey against ITT Tech in 2016 remains in both Superior Court and in federal bankruptcy court. Healey was also part of a similar multistate settlement against another private ITT lender last year. Related Content: Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey closes COVID-19 violations form as Baker administrations reporting line ramps up Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey sues Trump administration, claiming new rule would block CARES Act funding for 1 million students nationwide Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey leads 18 AGs in lawsuit over Trump administrations change to international student program FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. -- Sept. 15, 2020 -- Initial findings reported by the Arizona COVID-19 Genomics Union (ACGU) suggest that following Arizona's first reported case of COVID-19 in late January, the state experienced no cases that went undetected and was COVID-free until at least 11 distinct incursions occurred between mid-February and early April. The published results appear in the scientific journal mBio. Faculty at the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen), an affiliate of City of Hope, Northern Arizona University (NAU), University of Arizona (UArizona) and Arizona State University (ASU) launched the ACGU in April with the express purpose of tracking the causative agent of COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2: how it evolves and how it spreads into, within and out of Arizona. The ACGU sequenced the SARS-CoV-2 genomes in as many virus-positive patient samples in Arizona as possible, and working with Arizona's public health officials, applied the results toward statewide efforts to test and track patients, as well as provide guidance for Arizona public policy makers. Quick action by ASU and Maricopa County public health officials, ACGU scientists agree, likely kept the first identified COVID-19 patient in Arizona -- a student who had just returned from Hubei, the Chinese province where the disease originated -- from igniting an outbreak, and prevented Arizona from becoming an early epicenter for the contagion. "This is a great example of how a rapid and thorough public health response can be successful in preventing the spread of this disease," said ACGU Director Dr. Paul Keim, Regents' Professor of Biological Sciences and Cowden Endowed Chair in Microbiology at NAU and Executive Director of NAU's Pathogen and Microbiome Institute. "Similar steps could be taken when shaping future efforts to reopen businesses and schools, even though the virus continues to circulate and people remain susceptible," added Keim, who is also a Distinguished Professor and Co-Director of TGen's Pathogen and Microbiome Division. Dr. Michael Worobey, an ACGU co-founder and the head of University of Arizona's Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, agrees. "It's a combination of the patient doing the right things to isolate himself and be aware that he possibly had this disease, and public health officials doing all the right things. Stopping an incursion of COVID-19 was a victory for the state of Arizona," Dr. Worobey said. This bought Arizona valuable time for preparedness efforts. The first reported case of "community" transmission occurred in Arizona in early March descended from the Washington state outbreak that was discovered in February. More than 80% of the SARS-CoV-2 genome sequences from Arizona COVID-19 cases descended from at least 11 separate lineages that were initially circulating widely in Europe, and by travel have since dominated the outbreak throughout the U.S. None of the observed transmission clusters are epidemiologically linked to the original travel-related case in the Arizona, suggesting successful early isolation and quarantine. The ACGU uses state-of-the-art sequencers, custom computational analysis workflows, and supercomputers to determine the sequence of the virus's RNA genome, which is just under 30,000 bases long. In contrast, there are nearly 3 billion bases in the human genome, which determine traits as simple as eye and hair color, and as complex as an individual's propensity for cancer and other disease. TGen has so far sequenced SARS-CoV-2 genomes from nearly 3,000 COVID-19 positive samples for the ACGU, and additional sequencing was performed at ASU and UArizona, from among the more than 200,000 positive cases in Arizona, making it one of the most robust such efforts in the nation. ACGU receives Arizona samples collected by state, county, tribal and private healthcare systems. ACGU scientists take advantage of small changes or mutations in the virus' genome, which naturally occur over time as the virus reproduces, to track the spread of the virus. By comparing mutations observed in Arizona to those present in strains circulating across the globe, they can determine when and from where the virus has been introduced to Arizona. Using molecular clock analyses, researchers found that the majority of Arizona sequences are represented by two lineages -- and several sub-lineages -- most of which were likely introduced through domestic travel, but with some evidence for international importation. "Through the ACGU, we are harnessing expertise in virology, genomics, evolution and bioinformatics from throughout Arizona in order to rapidly distill these genomic data into actionable insights that can complement the state's public health response," Dr. Keim said. "These results demonstrate the power of public health contact tracing and self-isolation following a positive test for stemming the tide of infections moving forward." Dr. David Engelthaler, Director of TGen North in Flagstaff, which includes the institute's infectious disease branch, said the initial ACGU findings show how each community, each state is writing its own story for what is happing in the COVID-19 pandemic. "We need to understand all of those plot lines that have led to where we are now," said Dr. Engelthaler, another of the co-founders of the ACGU. "Once this disease was detected in Arizona on Jan. 26, public health immediately jumped in to make sure that all contacts were identified, samples were collected and the patient was watched very closely for the next couple of weeks to make sure there were not any more cases." In the coming months, he said, it will be necessary to track COVID-19 outbreaks and build epidemiological walls around each case, especially for those most at risk: persons older than 65, those in long-term care facilities, prisons, and those with pre-existing health problems. "When you don't have eyes on this, when you don't have contact tracing, then it can really easily move from person-to-person," Dr. Engelthaler said. "It's really useful for public policy makers to be making locally-informed decisions." Dr. Efrem Lim, a virologist who leads the ASU team, said the SARS-CoV-2 genome sequence data can give health care providers and public policy makers an edge in fighting the pandemic. "Tracking the transmission of the virus and its mutations ensures that therapeutics and vaccines being developed are on the right course," said Dr. Lim, an assistant professor at ASU's Biodesign Institute. "We now have a handle on what the SARS-CoV-2 virus in our communities looks like at the sequence level." ### This study -- An Early Pandemic Analysis of SARS-CoV-2 Population Structure and Dynamics in Arizona -- was supported by: The NARBHA Institute, Flinn Foundation, The Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Arizona, the National Institutes of Health, the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, the University of Arizona College of Science and Office of Research Innovation and Impact, and BIO5 Institute. The authors acknowledge the critical role the Arizona Department of Health Services and multiple county and tribal health departments play in directing samples to the ACGU to be sequenced. Computational analyses were run on Northern Arizona University's Monsoon computing cluster, funded by Arizona's Technology and Research Initiative Fund (TRIF), administered by the Arizona Board of Regents. Additional analysis efforts also were funded by TRIF. Software development efforts were funded in part by the Chan-Zuckerberg Initiative and the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. The Cowden Endowment for Microbiology provided funds to support salaries. About TGen, an affiliate of City of Hope Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) is a Phoenix, Arizona-based non-profit organization dedicated to conducting groundbreaking research with life-changing results. TGen is affiliated with City of Hope, a world-renowned independent research and treatment center for cancer, diabetes and other life-threatening diseases: http://www.cityofhope.org. This precision medicine affiliation enables both institutes to complement each other in research and patient care, with City of Hope providing a significant clinical setting to advance scientific discoveries made by TGen. TGen is focused on helping patients with neurological disorders, cancer, diabetes and infectious diseases through cutting-edge translational research (the process of rapidly moving research toward patient benefit). TGen physicians and scientists work to unravel the genetic components of both common and complex rare diseases in adults and children. Working with collaborators in the scientific and medical communities worldwide, TGen makes a substantial contribution to help our patients through efficiency and effectiveness of the translational process. For more information, visit: http://www.tgen.org. Follow TGen on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter @TGen. Media Contact: Steve Yozwiak TGen Senior Science Writer 602-343-8704 syozwiak@tgen.org About Northern Arizona University Northern Arizona University is a higher-research institution providing exceptional educational opportunities in Arizona and beyond. NAU delivers a student-centered experience to its 31,000 students in Flagstaff, statewide and online through rigorous academic programs in a supportive, inclusive and diverse environment. Dedicated, world-renowned faculty help ensure students achieve academic excellence, experience personal growth, have meaningful research opportunities and are positioned for personal and professional success. Media Contact: Diane Rechel Communications Officer 928-225-0483 Diane.Rechel@nau.edu About Arizona State University Arizona State University has developed a new model for the American Research University, creating an institution that is committed to access, excellence and impact. ASU measures itself by those it includes, not by those it excludes. As the prototype for a New American University, ASU pursues research that contributes to the public good, and ASU assumes major responsibility for the economic, social and cultural vitality of the communities that surround it. Media contact: Joe Caspermeyer Manager, Natural Sciences Media Relations & Strategic Communications 480-727-4858 Joseph.Caspermeyer@asu.edu Yesterday, I wrote about how Google uses its search engine to make it harder for people to investigate concerns about Joe Biden's declining mental state. Having listened to Scott Adams on Monday and then conducted searches in line with his suggestions, I could see that Google's information manipulation is more subtle and far-reaching than would first appear. You can read here my September 14 post about how Google's search engine, which accounts for at least 80% of all internet searches, gives Biden an in-kind campaign donation by discouraging inquiries into his possible dementia. On Real Coffee with Scott Adams, Adams identified second- and third-level experiments that show Google's subtlety and its continued efforts to protect Biden and attack Trump. (You can see the Scott Adams video at the end of this post.) Someone pointed out to Adams that the "Joe Biden has [dementia]" experiment needed to be balanced with a Donald Trump experiment. Adams, therefore, did a Google search to see how Google's autocorrect handled a search for Trump and racism. What you discover, if you use Bing's search engine as a control, is that both Bing and Google do not autosuggest "Trump is a racist." Instead, Bing returns several different autosuggestions, while Google gives no suggestions: The impression one is left with is that Google would rather remain silent than risk the possibility that an autosuggest term could provide useful or even positive information about Trump. In other words, while Google is careful not to badmouth Trump, it's taking no chances. However, if you actually do a Google search for "Trump is a racist," you'll be inundated with results that come almost entirely from left-wing sources: (By the way, if you do the "Trump is a racist" search on Bing, after you wade through the "news" and "quotes" and get to the actual websites, the second site listed is an article from American Thinker, challenging the claim that Trump is a racist.) For balance, here's what happens if you type "Biden is a" into Google: The above patterns are subtle because Google is not using the autosuggest feature to badmouth Trump. It's merely resisting any possibility of "good-mouthing" him. Meanwhile, Google makes positive suggestions about Biden. Scott Adams took the experiment farther by checking out the infamous "fine people hoax." This was the media's fraudulent assertion that Trump had called white supremacists "fine people" when, in fact, he'd unambiguously condemned them. This influential lie has justified the Democrat party's hysterical, extreme, and increasingly violent anti-white race-hatred. One of the most despicable things about Biden's campaign is the fact that, although even leftist "fact-checking" sites have disavowed the hoax, he keeps coming back to the Big Lie. (E.g., see here, here, and here.) In Bing, if you type "fine people," you'll get autosuggestions for the hoax: If you follow up on the first suggestion, you get links to sites that discuss the hoax, along with suggestions for other hoax-related searches. It's different at Google, which has clearly curated both the autosuggest and the search results. When you type in "fine people," Google treats that as a typo and returns only "find people" results: Type in the whole phrase, "fine people hoax," and Google refuses to give you any suggestions: Google doesn't want you thinking too much about the hoax on which Biden's built his campaign. If you follow through on the "fine people hoax," search, Google returns a careful balance of curated results, primarily from left-leaning sites. None of the sites on the first page openly challenges the fact that Biden is relying on a lie to power his campaign by increasing racial divisions in America: When you go into a grocery store, even though you think you're in charge of your decisions, you'd be surprised at how skillfully you're being manipulated behind the scenes. Everything in a grocery store, including those tempting candy bars at the cash register, is carefully calculated to get you to buy things you hadn't intended to bring home or to spend more than you had planned. Google is curating its searches as powerfully and subtly as those grocery stores affect your buying habits. It's protecting Biden from negative stories and suggesting the few positive reports about him. (As you may have noticed, few people have anything positive to say about Biden. The Democrats and their minions are dedicated to attacking Trump, not promoting Biden.) Meanwhile, it's subtly ensuring that people searching for information about Trump will have to work to find anything good about him. If this pattern isn't a donation in kind to Biden, I don't know what is. China has mobilised a large number of troops and armaments along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) asserted Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday, adding that the Indian armed forces have made adequate counter deployments in response to China`s actions. READ | China in unauthorized occupation of about 38,000 square km of land in Ladakh: Rajnath Singh | Full text of Defence Minister Making a statement in Lok Sabha, he added that the House should have full confidence that Indian armed forces will always rise to the challenge. Singh stated that this is still an ongoing situation and involves sensitive operational issues. Live TV "As of now, the Chinese side has mobilized a large number of troops and armaments along the LAC as well as in the depth areas. There are several friction areas in Eastern Ladakh including Gogra, Kongka La and North and South Banks of the Pangong Lake. In response to Chinas actions, our armed forces have also made appropriate counter deployments in these areas to ensure that Indias security interests are fully protected," he said. "The House should have full confidence that our armed forces will always rise to the challenge and do us all proud. This is still an ongoing situation and obviously involves sensitive operational issues. I would, therefore, not be able to give more details in public and I am confident about the understanding of the House in this regard," he added. Here are the key points: * I would like to take some time first to briefly provide some details of our boundary issue with China. As the House is aware, India and China are yet to resolve their boundary question. China does not accept the customary and traditional alignment of the boundary between India and China. We believe that this alignment is based on well-established geographical principles confirmed by treaties and agreements, as well as historical usage and practice, well-known for centuries to both sides. The Chinese position, however, is that the boundary between the two countries has not been formally delimited, that there exists a traditional customary line formed by the extent of jurisdiction that they claim was exercised historically by each side, and that the two sides have different interpretations of the position of the traditional customary line. The two countries had engaged in discussions during 1950s-60s but these efforts could not yield a mutually acceptable solution. * As the House is aware, China continues to be in illegal occupation of approximately 38,000 sq. km in the Union Territory of Ladakh. In addition, under the so-called Sino-Pakistan 'Boundary Agreement' of 1963, Pakistan illegally ceded 5,180 sq. km. of Indian territory in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir to China. China also claims approximately 90,000 sq. km. of Indian territory in the Eastern Sector of the India-China boundary in Arunachal Pradesh. * The Government has an elaborate and time tested coordination mechanism amongst different intelligence agencies including intelligence units of the Central Police Forces and the three armed forces. Technical and human intelligence is continuously gathered in a well-coordinated manner. It is shared with the armed forces which help them in taking decisions. * Since April, we had noticed a buildup of troops and armaments by the Chinese side in the border areas adjacent to Eastern Ladakh. In early May, the Chinese side had taken action to hinder the normal, traditional patrolling pattern of our troops in the Galwan Valley area, which resulted in a face-off. Even as this situation was being addressed by the Ground Commanders as per the provisions of our bilateral agreements and protocol, in mid-May the Chinese side made several attempts to transgress the LAC in other parts of the Western Sector. This included Kongka La, Gogra and North Bank of Pangong Lake. These attempts were detected early and consequently responded to appropriately by our armed forces. * We made it clear to the Chinese side both through diplomatic and military channels that China was, by such actions, attempting to unilaterally alter the status quo. It was categorically conveyed that this was unacceptable. * India believes that mutual respect and mutual sensitivity are the basis for peaceful relations with neighbours. As we want to resolve the current situation through dialogue, we have maintained diplomatic and military engagement with the Chinese side. In these discussions, we have maintained the three key principles that, determine our approach: (i) both sides should strictly respect and observe the LAC; (ii) neither side should attempt to alter the status quo unilaterally; and (iii) all agreements and understandings between the two sides much be fully abided by in their entirety. The Chinese side, on its part, took the position that the situation should be handled in a responsible manner and ensure peace and tranquillity as per bilateral agreements and protocol. * Even as these discussions were going on, the Chinese side again engaged in provocative military manoeuvers on the night of 29thand 30th August in an attempt to change the status quo in the South Bank area of Pangong Lake. But yet again, timely and firm actions by our armed forces along the LAC prevented such attempts from succeeding. * The Chinese actions reflect a disregard of our various bilateral agreements. The amassing of the troops by China goes against the 1993 and 1996 Agreements. Respecting and strictly observing the Line of Actual Control is the basis for peace and tranquillity in the border areas and explicitly recognized in both 1993 and 1996 agreements. While our armed forces abide scrupulously by it, this has not been reciprocated by the Chinese side. Their actions have led to face-offs and frictions from time to time along the LAC. As I mentioned earlier, the agreements have detailed procedures and norms to deal with the situation of face-offs. However, in the recent incidents, this year, the violent conduct of Chinese forces has been in complete violation of all mutually agreed norms. * As of now, the Chinese side has mobilized a large number of troops and armaments along the LAC as well as in the depth areas. There are several friction areas in Eastern Ladakh including Gogra, Kongka La and North and South Banks of the Pangong Lake. In response to Chinas actions, our armed forces have also made appropriate counter deployments in these areas to ensure that Indias security interests are fully protected. The House should have full confidence that our armed forces will always rise to the challenge and do us all proud. This is still an ongoing situation and obviously involves sensitive operational issues. I would, therefore, not be able to give more details in public and I am confident about the understanding of the House in this regard. * This rapid deployment by our armed forces including ITBP has taken place in a challenging time of COVID-19. Their efforts need to be appreciated. It has also been made possible by the high importance that the Government has placed for developing border infrastructure in the last few years. The House is aware that over the last many decades, China had undertaken significant infrastructure construction activity that enhanced its deployment capabilities in the border areas. However, in response, our Government too has stepped up the budget for border infrastructure development to about double the previous levels. As a result, more roads and bridges have been completed in the border areas. This has not only provided much-needed connectivity to the local population but has also provided better logistical support for our armed forces, enabling them to be more alert in the border areas and respond more effectively where required. In the coming years too, the Government remains committed to this objective. * India remains committed to resolving the current issues in our border areas through peaceful dialogue and consultations. It was in pursuit of this objective that I met my Chinese counterpart on 4th September in Moscow and had an in-depth discussion with him. I conveyed in clear terms our concerns related to the actions of the Chinese side, including amassing of a large number of troops, their aggressive behaviour and attempts to unilaterally alter the status quo that were in violation of the bilateral agreements. I also made it clear that even as we wanted to peacefully resolve the issue and would like the Chinese side to work with us, there should also be no doubt about our determination to protect Indias sovereignty and territorial integrity. My colleague, Shri Jai Shankar, the External Affairs Minister, has thereafter met the Chinese Foreign Minister in Moscow on 10th September. The two have reached an agreement that, if implemented sincerely and faithfully by the Chinese side, could lead to complete disengagement and restoration of peace and tranquillity in the border areas. * I will not hesitate to share with this august House that we are facing a challenge in Ladakh and I urge the House to pass a resolution in support of our Armed Forces who have been defending our motherland at great heights and most inclement weather conditions in Ladakh for our safety and security Contradicting his past claims that assassinating Syria's president was "never discussed," US President Donald Trump said Tuesday he wanted to have Bashar al-Assad killed following a suspected chemical weapons attack, but former Defense Secretary Jim Mattis wouldn't let him. "I had him all set. Mattis didn't want to do it," Trump told Fox News, adding that he didn't regret not killing Assad but would have "rather taken him out." I could have lived either way with that. You know I considered him certainly not a good person, but I had a shot to take him out if I wanted to, and Mattis was against it, he said. Mattis was against most of that stuff. But when asked about Assad in September 2018, the president said he didnt even contemplate killing him. Not at all, Trump told reporters. I heard somewhere where they said the assassination of President Assad by the United States. Never even discussed." Journalist Bob Woodward reported in his 2018 book, "Fear: Trump in the White House," that Trump wanted to assassinate the Syrian leader after a suspected chemical weapons attack in the rebel-held town of Khan Sheikhoun killed 89 people in April 2017. Trump told Mattis, Lets f---ing kill him! Lets go in. Lets kill the f---ing lot of them, according to Woodwards book. Mattis told an aide, Were not going to do any of that, the book alleges. The retired four-star Marine Corps general instead developed a plan for retaliatory strikes on one of Assads airbases, and Trump ended up ordering them. The missile strikes did not deter Assad. In April 2018, a suspected chlorine attack in the town of Douma killed more than 40 people and triggered punitive but limited missile strikes against Syrian military targets from the United States, United Kingdom and France. Trump has also reportedly clashed over Assad with other members of his administration. In his recent memoir, former national security adviser John Bolton said Trump had a constant desire to talk directly with the Syrian regime about bringing home missing journalist Austin Tice and other Americans held hostage. Both Bolton and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo objected, according to the book. Fortunately, Syria saved Trump from himself, refusing even to talk to Pompeo about them, Bolton wrote. Trump also described Mattis on Tuesday as a terrible general and bad leader. The former defense secretary resigned in December 2018 over Trumps abrupt decision to pull US troops from Syria. Around 200 critically endangered golden frogs are safely living in fish tanks in Panama to protect them from the devastating superfungus that threatens their existence and a third of the country's amphibian species. As their name suggests, these frogs are yellow or gold in color with black spots on their bodies. They are cocooned from the outside world inside a fish tank installed by the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) which is a 5,000-square-foot facility located in the northern city of Panama in Gamboa. These species are endemic in Panama, but these days, there are no golden frogs that can be seen in its natural habitat because of the threat brought by superfungus that kills the amphibians in the wild. According to the report from the World Wildlife Fund, Earth has already lost more than two-thirds of the vertebrates in less than 50 years. Today, only about 1,500 tiny Panamanian golden frogs are found in zoos as they are believed to be extinct already in the wild. STRI researchers said that around 225 species of amphibians in Panama are threatened by superfungus, describing the situation as "critical." Superfungus in the Water The chytrid fungus poses the greatest threat to the amphibians in Panama. This superfungus can spread through water and is responsible for chytridiomycosis, which is an infectious disease that caused the extinction of some 30 species of amphibians. It infects the animal by becoming embedded into the skin, which then prevents them from exchanging salts and water with the environment. It causes irreparable damage to the animal's vital functions which then would lead to heart failure that causes its death. The researchers said that the disease affects populations of amphibians, such as the golden frogs, which is a very devastating phenomenon. The superfungus was discovered in the Korean Peninsula back in the 20th century, and scientists said that it has already spread throughout the whole world. In fact, it arrived in Panama in the 1990s and has been wreaking havoc since. What's more, the superfungus not only affect golden frogs or amphibians but as well as other species. Scientists warn that deforestation and other environmental destruction and pollution of bodies of water due to human activities only exacerbate the problem. Read Also: Chytrid Fungus Causes Chytridiomycosis: Deadly Amphibian Plague Infects Zebrafish Hope for the Amphibians The scientists do not lose hope despite the gloomy scenario as they see a glimmer of hope because some species believed to have died years ago have been rediscovered. According to them, there might be species that have developed defenses against the infection, which gives more hope, knowing that some frogs and amphibians are returning. But STRI continues to house some 2,000 specimens from 12 species of frogs in Gamboa including the golden frogs. They hope that someday they can be released into the wild to fend for themselves. STRI researchers said that the goal was never to detain the frogs forever, but rather to re-establish their populations in their natural habitat. In an effort of helping the frogs reproduce, the scientists freeze the semen of frogs to impregnate the females and increase their population as amphibians are the most threatened species in the world. Read More: Study on Glass Frog and its Translucent Skin Reveals More than Just its Camouflage Technique Check out more news and information on Amphibians in Science Times. ThunderCat Technology, a Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business, announced today that the company is officially a U.S. Army Information Technology Enterprise Solutions Software 2 (ITES-SW2) contract holder. ThunderCat will be one of only 31 contractors on the $13 billion 10-year award. The ITES-SW2 is a follow on to the ITES-SW contracts that are the Armys mandatory source for commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) IT software. The scope of the ITES-SW2 contract includes software products, software maintenance and related incidental services and hardware. It will support Army, Department of Defense (DoD) and all Federal Agency enterprise Information Technology (IT) infrastructure and info-structure goals. There are 14 different product categories including IT Utility & Security, Modeling & Simulation, Multimedia & Design, Program & Development, NetOps, and Operating Systems. These 14 categories align with the major software categories identified by U.S. Army Network Enterprise Technology Command (NETCOM). CEO Tom Deierlein and the team are very excited. As a retired Army Officer, it gives me great pride to support the mission and vision of Computer Hardware Enterprise Software and Solutions (CHESS). We like the idea of supporting our Warfighter's information dominance and promoting the Army's center of excellence for commercial IT with superior products and services. Even though it is a small role we relish the idea of helping the good guys defeat the bad guys About CHESS Based at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, CHESS reports to the Program Executive Officer Enterprise Information Systems (PEO EIS). Charged by the CIO/G-6 and mandated through Army Regulation 25-1, CHESS is the Army-designated primary source for providing commercial hardware and software solutions for the Army's IT requirements. Offering simple, straightforward contract vehicles through its online Army e-commerce ordering system, the IT e-mart, CHESS directly supports the CIO/G-6 strategy by providing the benefits of continuous vendor competition for best value and consolidating requirements to maximize cost avoidance and leverage the Army's buying power. CHESS works diligently with other Army Knowledge Management partners, including the U.S. Army CIO/G-6, Information Systems Engineering Command, and Network Enterprise Technology Command to provide architecturally sound, standards-and-policy-compliant IT enterprise solutions to all Army customers around the world. For more information about CHESS, visit https://chess.army.mil/ About ThunderCat Technology Currently ranked #48 on the Solution Provider 500, the award winning ThunderCat Technology is a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) that delivers technology products and services to government organizations, educational institutions, and commercial companies. Led by a combat-wounded CEO, ThunderCat is a systems integrator that brings an innovative approach to solving customer problems in and around the datacenter by providing strategies for Data Storage, Networking, Cyber Security, and Cloud Transformations. A proven leader, ThunderCat Technology provides and optimizes technologies from best of breed manufacturers. Clients include DOD, DHS, VA, Treasury, FBI, State of Virginia, State of NY, Sony, Avery Dennison, Visa, and Chesapeake Regional Hospital http://www.thundercattech.com. Comes as the PM returned to the Commons to defend attempt to change his Brexit bill Pictured juggling his red box, Dilyn the dog's lead and baby bottle outside No10 He might have a global pandemic and a Brexit negotiations to deal with, but Boris Johnson is still pulling his weight in fatherhood. The Prime Minister had his hands full as he arrived back in Downing Street yesterday ahead of a debate in the Commons. The 56-year-old was pictured juggling his ministerial red box and folder, Dilyn the dog's lead, and Wilfred's baby bottle as he got out of the car. A tired-looking Prime Minister had his hands full as he arrived back in Downing Street yesterday ahead of a debate in the Commons Boris Johnson, 56, was pictured juggling his ministerial red box and folder, Dilyn the dog's lead, and Wilfred's baby bottle as he got out of the car Although fiance Carrie Symonds was not in shot, it is believed she was not far behind carrying their four-month-old son. Looking tired in an unbuttoned shirt, Mr Johnson was soon back in Parliament defending his Internal Market Bill, which he claims will stop the EU trying to 'break up our country'. The controversial piece of Brexit legislation however passed its first reading by 77 votes late last night. The return to late-night debates and crucial meetings on tackling the coronavirus pandemic are said to be putting a strain on Johnson, who is up every morning before 6am to walk Dilyn. Boris and fiance Carrie had enjoyed their first family holiday with Wilfred up in northern Scotland during a Parliamentary recess, but were forced to cut it short after the location of their secret getaway was revealed. The PM has remained tight-lipped on the issues of fatherhood since the birth of his son almost two months ago. Although fiance Carrie Symonds was not in shot, it is believed she was not far behind carrying their four-month-old son But just before Father's Day this year, he revealed that he is being a hands-on dad in Downing Street by regularly changing nappies. During a visit to Bovingdon Primary Academy in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, on Friday, the Prime Minister told well-wishers how he has been helping his fiancee Carrie Symonds look after their son. Mr Johnson said Wilfred is in great shape, adding: Ive changed a lot of nappies, I want you to know. Wilfred was born at the end of April just weeks after the Prime Minister was in intensive care battling coronavirus. The PM has remained tight-lipped on the issues of fatherhood since the birth of his son almost two months ago Boris and fiance Carrie had their first family holiday with Dilyn the dog and baby Wilfred up in northern Scotland during a Parliamentary recess Mr Johnson is known to have at least six children but he has refused to confirm the number. The Prime Ministers remarks about being a hands-on dad come after he appeared flustered when This Mornings Phillip Schofield asked before the birth whether he planned to change nappies. After hesitating, Mr Johnson eventually replied: I expect so. He then complained that it was a tricky question. A paedophile found with more than 2,000 images of child abuse material began looking at the horrific content daily due to his 'abnormal penis', a court has heard. Rhys Jaden Friend, 19, from the Sunshine Coast, was arrested in May 2019 after sending a link containing footage of boys aged nine to 12 engaging in oral and anal sex. He then sent a message to the unnamed recipient saying 'now it's your turn', the Sunshine Coast Daily reported. The teenager pleaded guilty to possessing and distributing child exploitation material at the Maroochydore District Court on Monday. Rhys Jaden Friend, 19, from the Sunshine Coast, was arrested in May 2019 after sending a link containing footage of boys aged nine to 12 engaging in oral and anal sex (stock image) The teenager's defence lawyer Mark Dixon said his client, who has autism, didn't know how serious the offences were until he was arrested. '[My client] was born with a condition that affects his genitalia,' Mr Dixon told the court. 'It is a condition that has required a number of surgeries over the years and it is a condition that led him to be obsessive over his, what he always viewed to be, an abnormal penis as opposed to what was normal. 'That seems to be the catalyst or the trigger for him initially looking for this material.' He said his client was distributing the material so he could be sent more in return. The court heard how police had no idea how much content was exchanged because of the way in which it was send. However when police searched Friend's home in Sippy Downs the seized laptops and phones. They uncovered 2,213 images and 122 movies on the teen's devices - 186 of which were in the most serious category. They uncovered 2,213 images and 122 movies on the teen's devices - 186 of which were in the most serious category (stock image) Crown prosecutor Christopher Cook told the court that the teenager was seeking out the material. Judge Richard Jones said the material that was found on the teenager's laptop was particularly disturbing and 'repugnant'. However, he also noted no previous criminal history, a troubled childhood, the offender's age and his willingness to be cooperative with police, while sentencing. Judge Jones sentenced the teenager to three years probation for possessing the child exploitation material, as well as one year in jail for distributing it. However, the prison sentence was suspended for three years. A conviction was recorded for distributing the child abuse material, but not possessing it. This originally appeared in the Sept. 10 Des Moines Register. Want one fewer contagious disease to worry about? Get a flu shot. Wash your hands. Wear a mask. Maintain physical distance from others. Stay home if youre sick. By now everyone is familiar with measures to prevent spreading and contracting the novel coronavirus, which has killed about 190,000 Americans. Another benefit of those measures: protection against the seasonal flu this fall and winter. Countries in the temperate Southern Hemisphere, where flu activity typically occurs from April through September, are reporting substantially lower numbers of flu and other respiratory infections this year. Hygiene and distancing efforts intended to reduce the spread of coronavirus transmission have likely played a role in reducing influenza virus transmission, according to an Aug. 31 influenza update from the World Health Organization. That makes sense. And while we can all hope for similar reduced transmission in the Northern Hemisphere during our flu season, lets not bet our lives on it. Colder weather will drive people together indoors, where they are more likely to share air and viral particles. So go ahead and get a seasonal flu vaccine. Then you can worry a little less about contracting another contagious illness. In fact, flu immunization, which is formulated each year based on predictions about which strains will be circulating, is more important than ever, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The vaccine has long been pushed as a way to protect your own health and the health of your friends and family. Now its also being encouraged as a way to help reduce burdens on health care systems strained by COVID-19 patients. The CDC estimates about 400,000 people were hospitalized from seasonal flu complications last year. Immunizing more people could help preserve hospital beds, staff and medical resources needed for COVID-19 patients this year. A flu vaccine is especially important for people who are older and those with underlying health conditions. Of course, these are the same people who are most vulnerable and need to minimize close interactions with others during an infectious disease pandemic. Those of us avoiding shared indoor spaces should consider an outdoor flu clinic. HyVee pharmacies, for example, are advertising schedules for drive-up flu shot clinics at stores through October. Iowa pharmacies adapted quickly to the pandemic by offering parking lot, curbside, outdoor and drive-up immunization services, said Kate Gainer, executive vice president and CEO of the Iowa Pharmacy Association. An IPA member recently shared a story that he gave a flu shot to someone who had never received one before in his life, and he was comfortable receiving it from his pharmacist through the open passenger side car window in the pharmacys parking lot, she said. Gainer suggested Iowans should check with their local pharmacies and ask about opportunities to receive a flu shot and perhaps also catch up on other immunizations. A flu vaccine delivered in circulating, outdoor air is a welcome opportunity right about now. And it will be a critical model to get people safely inoculated when a COVID-19 vaccine becomes available. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The Spanish Fort City Council on Monday night announced it will implement a dusk-to-dawn curfew beginning Tuesday for a portion of the city in response to Hurricane Sally. The council granted Spanish Forts mayor authority to lift the curfew if it is no longer needed. The restriction will be imposed in areas of the city along U.S. Highway 90 and 98 from the Mobile-Baldwin County line to the U.S. Highway 98 bypass. CURFEW SET RELATED TO HURRICANE SALLY The City Council of the City of Spanish Fort has imposed a curfew in those areas... Posted by City of Spanish Fort on Monday, September 14, 2020 Sally is expected to make landfall either Tuesday night or early Wednesday morning somewhere between Grand Isle, Louisiana and Navarre, Florida, according to the National Weather Services 10 p.m. update on the hurricane. Tornadoes are possible in coastal Alabama late Monday night through early Tuesday morning, with the threat of tornadoes increasing and slowly spreading inland during the day Tuesday. WYOMING, MI Police identified Adolfo Samaniego, 19, of Wyoming, as the man who was run over by a pickup truck and killed this weekend during a large disturbance. The driver, Adam James Grego, 28, of Grand Rapids, was charged with failure to stop at the scene of fatal crash. He is held in the Kent County Jail on $100,000 bond. The death happened early Sunday, Sept. 13, in an alley near Whiting Street SW and Nagel Avenue, in a confrontation between the driver and a group of men who were on foot, police said. Grego, in a 2005 Chevrolet Silverado, revved his engine and drove at the group. He then turned his truck around, revved the engine again, and sped toward them, hitting Samaniego, police said in a probable-cause affidavit filed in Wyoming District Court. Samaniego died at the scene. Police responded around 1 a.m. to a report of a disturbance. They were met by an angry and unruly crowd, and called for assistance from neighboring police agencies, Capt. James Maguffee said in a statement. Gunshots were fired but no shooting injuries were reported. The driver allegedly left the scene but police later arrested him and recovered the pickup truck. Police said the incident remains under investigation. Read more: Wyoming man run over and killed by truck investigated as homicide Parents petition for Michigan high school marching bands to perform this fall First potential human case of mosquito-borne EEE detected in Michigan Sir Keir Starmer is self-isolating after a member of his household showed symptoms of possible coronavirus, the Labour Party has said. Party sources refused to discuss who the person involved is, but it is understood to be a member of the Labour leaders family. Sir Keir lives with his wife Victoria and their two children in north London. He has not personally shown any symptoms of the illness. He was told about the possible infection of his family member this morning shortly after appearing on an LBC phone-in show, and the radio station has been informed in case any of its staff came into contact with him. A spokesperson for the Labour leader said: This morning Keir Starmer was advised to self-isolate after a member of his household showed possible symptoms of the coronavirus. "The member of his household has now had a test. In line with NHS guidelines, Keir will self-isolate while awaiting the results of the test and further advice from medical professionals." Under current coronavirus rules, Sir Keir must self-isolate until the result of his family members test is known. If the test is positive, he will have to remain at home for 14 days. He will not be allowed to have visitors other than those providing essential care or leave his property even for exercise and will have to have food and other essentials delivered to the house. Sir Keir had been due to respond to Boris Johnsons opening statement in the debate on the controversial UK Internal Market Bill in the House of Commons today, but will now not take part. And he will be unable to appear in person to deliver his scheduled speech to the TUC Congress on Tuesday, instead a virtual question and answer session with TUC General Secretary Frances OGrady and key workers. If he is told to self-isolate for a fortnight, this would include Labours virtual annual conference from 19-22 September, though he would be able to take part by video from home. HARRY CABLUCK, STF / AP For the first time in two decades, the Texas State Board of Education is planning to revise schools' sex education policy. The board voted last week to teach seventh and eighth grade students to "analyze the effectiveness and the risks and failure rates ... of barrier protection and other contraceptive methods in the prevention of STDs, STIs and pregnancy," as well as the importance of abstinence, as reported by Aliyyah Swabi for the Texas Tribune. Error. Page cannot be displayed. Please contact your service provider for more details. (19) From kids not wearing masks properly and losing them to classrooms that can safely handle only 12 to 15 students, the initial results of a Sick Kids study provides some warnings to schools about what to expect as they reopen. As classes continue to restart across the province this week students in the Toronto Catholic board began heading back Monday and the citys public elementary students will on Tuesday Sick Kids experts say their observational study likely reflects what teachers are seeing on the front lines as the COVID-19 pandemic continues. As the return to school has already started, teachers across the province are likely learning, or have already learned, the same observations we made, said Dr. Clyde Matava, one of the principal investigators of the study that was conducted at the end of August with 190 students and 15 teachers. We hope ... these initial findings will foster conversations between stakeholders to share invaluable knowledge about school safety that can only be gleaned from real-world settings. Liz Stuart, president of the Ontario English Catholic Teachers Association, said while its early to make definitive statements about how things are going ... the Sick Kids simulation certainly confirms many of the things we have been trying to tell the government over the past six months. She said that Sick Kids experts have once again noted the impossibility of facilitating proper physical distancing without reducing class sizes. The study also points to a number of operational issues that anyone working in schools could have predicted would be problematic. Those include crowding at entry times given the required COVID-19 screening upon arrival, and students unsure of what to do with their masks during recess and getting them dirty if they put them around their wrists, Sick Kids found. Several children in the younger grades needed new masks provided throughout the school day, Sick Kids also reported. Parents too struggled with the new normal, with many wanting to check in with the teachers at the beginning and end of the school day, and were often not wearing masks because of the outdoor pickup. As a result, it was difficult for teachers to maintain distance while supervising the children and support a conversation with parents. Sick Kids also urged teachers to limit their time indoors when they arent teaching, given they observed that on-site staff congregated in shared spaces like workrooms and offices. On class size the most contentious issue the province has faced the study found that in an average-size classroom it was not possible to maintain a two-metre distance between students and accommodate more than 12 to 15 students in the class, even with the desks against all four walls. Some Ontario high school teachers are now reporting classes of more than 30 students, with upper elementary classes and kindergarten classes nearing that number. In larger, urban boards, high school classes sit at about 15 students, but around the province classes are much larger. Both the Toronto public and Catholic boards have decided to target extra teaching staff to areas of the city hardest-hit by COVID-19 so classes in those communities will also be in the mid-teens. The Sick Kids study recommends staggering start dates and start times to help with crowding at the beginning of the day, and allowing students to use all doors to enter or exit. The Toronto public board said that it not something it is currently considering, although lunchtimes and recesses are being staggered at a number of schools in the city and in Durham Region. It also said masks should be stored in a clean bag and not put around a lanyard or worn as a wristlet. At Queens Park, Education Minister Stephen Lecce said boards are acting quickly on reducing class sizes and using $200 million in funding and reserves, as well as additional federal funding. We expect every single educator, as noted, to be hired right across the province. We are seeing classroom sizes come down, especially in Toronto, he added. He said boards are dealing with families making decisions about keeping their kids at home for online learning or sending them back to class, and while those decisions are made and while were seeing migration of tens of thousands back and forth, it creates operational challenges for boards. Its not an excuse, but its important context for families to understand ... And the absence of knowing the full quantum of kids in the class, school boards are essentially consolidating classes to make up for those unknown numbers. The formal results of the Sick Kids study are not yet available, but in the meantime, researchers and teachers put together their observations and key recommendations following the simulated school days. The study was criticized for using private schools for the observations, with questions as to whether that would accurately reflect public school classrooms. The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in an unanticipated exodus from the clustered housing of New York City to the spacious homes and sprawling yards of Fairfield County. Some people were so anxious to leave city life they purchased houses sight unseen. Even those prospective buyers who took the time tour a house on the market, virtually or in person, had little time to familiarize themselves with the neighborhood or town they were about to call home. So, let's familiarize the next owners of the red colonial house at 776 Pequot Ave. with their new residence: "A beautifully restored treasure in the heart of Southport Village," according to the listing agents, and its stellar surroundings. While its implementation on the ground will be a key test, external affairs minister S Jaishankar and Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi deserve felicitations for agreeing on September 11 that our troops should continue their dialogue, quickly disengage, maintain proper distance and ease tensions. Meeting in Moscow in the midst of tension, and with our experience in Ladakh being agonisingly fresh, their agreement is an accomplishment of not just bilateral diplomatic reflexes but of practical intelligence. It is, in fact, the most tangible, ground-level Sino-Indian development since the signing of the India-China agreement in Qingdao on June 9, 2018, on the sharing of hydrological data on the Yarlung-Tsangpo or Brahmaputra. Given our boundary dispute, Chinas position on Aksai Chin, Arunachal Pradesh and post-Doklam, that agreement reached by Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi with President Xi Jinping was historic. I thought then and believe now even more, that it was, in fact, civilisational. In the Qingdao Agreement, India succeeded in persuading the upper-riparian parent to view the river downstream non-hegemonically. This was a gain for gravitational and ecological intelligence for both nations, faced with what Ma Jun, director of the Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs in Beijing, in a 2017 interview, described as the harsh reality that it is not easy to find clean rivers and lakes anymore and the quality of groundwater aquifers is still deteriorating. A water crisis looms over our two nations, dependent as both are on rain-fed rivers, with global warming reducing sources for snow-fed rivers. Civilisations have, in history, been about river-based and river-nourished habitation. Seeing the reports from Moscow, I recalled the presentation of credentials in June 1998 by the new Chinese ambassador to New Delhi to then President KR Narayanan. Both the ambassador and the president knew that the occasion was not just ceremonial. Nothing between China and India can be just ceremonial. President Narayanan had, early in his career as an officer in the ministry of external affairs, been on the China desk. And being the scholar that he was, he used the opportunity to study Sino-Indian relations in-depth and prepared a paper on the subject.It dealt with both the strategic and civilisational dimensions of our ties. Shortly before the ceremony, he asked for a copy of that closely-typed paper from the ministry and re-read it. Those like me privileged to be serving on his staff knew he took no event for granted, and studied not just official briefs but old and new books as well. He used that learning, without ostentation, in the conversations that ensued around the occasion. The Chinese ambassador-designate knew, too, that the president he was presenting his credentials to, was not just someone who happened to be president. After the 1962 war, the two neighbours had withdrawn their ambassadors. When the positions were resumed, in 1976, Narayanan was chosen as the ambassador of India to the Peoples Republic of China. So it was as one who knew China that President Narayanan received the new Chinese ambassador to New Delhi. He had worked on the draft welcoming speech given to him, enriching it with his own special touches, like in these words: As a sister civilisation in the East, India has had extensive contacts and exchanges with China which have been not only mutually rewarding but enriching for the Asian and world civilisation. And in a way typical of the philosopher-President, he added: We must promote exchanges at the level of the peoples of India and China. Two years later, as President Narayanan was leaving on a State visit to China, the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee told him that he hoped the visit will open a new chapter in our relations. I cannot say if it did that but the visit, in which he was accompanied by a political rainbow comprising Members of Parliament (MPs) Sushma Swaraj, Somnath Chatterjee, Sushil Shinde, S Ramachandran Pillai and a non-MP, Mohammed Afzal Meem, certainly made an impression there. You were born in 1920, President Jiang Zemin told him, I was born in 1926. We belong to the same generationWe must make efforts that would be beneficial to both our peoples. When President Narayanan called on the then Premier Zhu Rongji, he pointed to the wide spectrum of Indian politics represented in the Indian delegation and said all parties in India were united in wanting improved relations with China. And Zhu, thoughtfully, said something I can never forget. There is a touch, Zhu said, of Indian civilisation in Chinese culture. President Narayanan, on more than one occasion during that visit, stressed on the fact that the time during which discord has marked our ties is much shorter than the time in which we have had concord. There is no telling how our relations will fare. But it is important that we do not let go of our sense of the two nations past in peace and give the maximum possible scope to what the Jaishankar-Wang text has described as continuing dialogue. And going beyond the immediate concerns of that dialogue, we must strive to keep the Qingdao Agreement on track for it is about the waters of life. Gopalkrishna Gandhi is a former administrator, diplomat and governor The views expressed are personal SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The M5 Bucharest Metro line Raul Doamnei - Eroilor section, including Valea Ialomitei will become operational for the public today after 14:00hrs, according to a press statement released by Metrorex. The Raul Doamnei - Eroilor section, including the Valea Ialomitei station and depot, is funded on non-reimbursable external funds under the POS-T 2007 - 2013 operational programme transport, operational programme large infrastructure 2014-2020 (85%) and the national budget (15%).Work on it began in November 2011, and the value of the project is about 3.2 billion lei. The eligible value of the project is about 2.3 billion lei, of which the contribution of the European Commission under the Cohesion Fund - amounting to 85% of the eligible value of the project - is about 2 billion lei, according to Metrorex.The M5 - Raul Doamnei - Eroilor section offers a high capacity transport route and a means of connection between the southwestern part of Bucharest (Drumul Taberei District) and the city center, on a length of about 7 km (10 subway stations).Metrorex representatives emphasise that the trains will run at a maximum speed of 80km/ h, "at an optimal interval between trains", on the Raul Doamnei - Eroilor section, including Valea Ialomitei. In the final phase, there will be one every two minutes.According to Metrorex, the project contributes to the achievement of objectives such as: increasing the efficiency of transport in terms of speed, through time savings that the new underground transport line will provide; increasing the attractiveness of subway transport, compared to road transport, and consequently, reducing the number of accidents, reducing damage to the road network; achieving fuel economy and maintenance; reducing travel times; reducing pollution (exhaust gases, noise, vibrations) by relieving surface transport both public and private, with important consequences on improving the quality of life and the state of the environment. (Bloomberg) -- President Donald Trump is preparing to decide whether to approve Oracle Corp.s alliance with the Chinese-owned video app TikTok after security experts examined the companies proposal. A U.S. national security panel reviewed the bid Tuesday afternoon, but didnt make a recommendation that the president approve or reject the deal, according to a person familiar with the matter. Speaking to reporters on the South Lawn of the White House, Trump said his staff are very close to a deal and signaled what could be telling support for Larry Ellison, Oracles chairman. I have a high respect for Larry Ellison, he said. Hes somebody I know, hes been really a terrific guy for a long time. The proposal, unveiled in part, doesnt call for Oracle to buy the business outright. Instead, the company would invest in a newly restructured global TikTok, with operations based in the U.S., according to people familiar with the proposal. Bytedance would maintain majority ownership and at least three shareholders in TikToks Chinese parent company -- General Atlantic, Sequoia Capital and Coatue Management -- would take stakes in the new business, said the people, all of whom asked not to be identified because the terms arent finalized. Oracles proposal lacks the payment to the U.S. government that the president has insisted be the condition of any deal, according to two people familiar with the plan. Yet the company will try to use the promise of creating 20,000 new jobs through the popular video app as a way to win his approval, they said. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, who has played a central role in brokering a deal that would shift the Chinese-owned video apps U.S. operations over to an American company, leads the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S., or Cfius, and has promised to give Trump the panels recommendation this week. White House adviser Jared Kushner voiced strong support for Oracles bid for TikTok during an interview with CNBC earlier Tuesday, even though the proposal could still fall short of President Donald Trumps demands that any deal protect national security and include the payout to the U.S. government. Story continues The U.S. is undertaking a two-track national security review of the TikTok proposal this week and any sale still requires sign-offs from both the U.S. and China. One is through Cfius, and a separate one is through the Commerce Department. While details of the agreement between Oracle and Chinas ByteDance Ltd. remain under wraps, Kushner expressed optimism that it would clear the administrations key hurdles. Hopefully the application qualifies on the merits for what were trying to accomplish from a national security point of view, Kushner said. Americas interest in that is really national security -- we want to make sure that peoples data is protected. The deal unveiled Monday by Oracle seeks to address the national-security concerns that Trump raised last month when he ordered the sale of TikToks U.S. business. The administration says that Chinese ownership of the app poses a risk to American users data security and that Beijing could use the service to deliver disinformation and propaganda to the services 100 million active users in the U.S. Based on whats been revealed so far about the deal, national security experts say the arrangement doesnt satisfy those concerns, which the Trump administration laid out in executive orders and public statements. Its not clear the first goal has been met and the second goal is even more difficult, said Stewart Baker, a national security lawyer at Steptoe & Johnson and a former assistant secretary with the Homeland Security Department. There could still be a lot of negotiating to do. The companies havent fully addressed Trumps repeated demand for a payment to the U.S. Government. I said the United States has to be compensated, well compensated, he reiterated earlier this month, a demand that has confounded security experts who say such a payment would stretch his authority under U.S. law. Even if security officials recommend Trump block the deal, the president has the final say and he can overrule their recommendation. Trump has until Sept. 20 to make a decision. The deal, if finalized, would create what Mnuchin called TikTok Global. The unit would have its headquarters in the U.S. and create 20,000 jobs, he said, without offering details. Its unclear how a new subsidiary would create that many U.S.-based jobs. TikTok has hundreds of open jobs listed right now, from content moderation to advertising sales. Snapchat Inc., which operates a social media app similar to TikTok, employs 3,000. By comparison, Facebook Inc., the owner of Instagram Inc., had more than 52,000 employees at the end of June. TikTok and the Treasury Department declined to comment. A representative for Oracle didnt reply to requests for comment. Cfius includes members from the State, Defense, Justice, Commerce, Energy and Homeland Security departments. The panel assesses deals for national security implications by looking at factors that include: U.S. businesss contracts and ties with the federal government; as well as whether the deal involves critical infrastructure, such as transport systems, data networks and other communication systems. Bytedance has been working with Cfius since October 2019 on addressing the committees concerns, according to a person familiar with the matter, and for months has been trying to separate somewhat from China, including hiring a new CEO and giving autonomy to U.S. executives for the apps bug fixes and product changes. The company had already began moving data and content moderation to the U.S., where it stores its data with firms like Amazon.com Inc. and Alphabet Inc.s Google, with backup servers in Singapore. If Cfius accepts these remedies, it could allow Bytedance to keep control of one of its prized assets, the person said. Even if TikToks data is stored by Oracle in the U.S., that could could still leave ByteDance with some control over the computer code behind how the app chooses which videos are shown to users. If TikToks algorithms remain in ByteDances hands, security experts say, the code could be manipulated by Beijing to run information campaigns or deliberately show video to American users, perhaps even to influence the U.S. elections. (Corrects Facebook employee figures in 17th paragraph) For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com Subscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source. 2020 Bloomberg L.P. With homicides so commonplace they often are relegated to the back page, sex offenses are largely under the radar. While they are always important to victims and their families and there is never a case in which forced sex is OK, whether date rape or child abuse from time to time these cases rise to the level where the rest of us cant help but pay attention. A couple examples in recent years: the bust of a sex-trafficking ring operating out of local hotels and an Albuquerque couple accused of prostituting their 7-year-old daughter for drugs. Thats why its reassuring lawmakers decided its important for community protection to keep tabs on convicted sex offenders and to give you access to the key information. Under New Mexico law, people convicted of any of 13 offenses ranging from criminal sexual penetration to sexual exploitation of children are required to register with their local sheriffs office within 10 days of being released from jail or prison or being placed on probation or parole. Sex offenders convicted in other states who move here are required to do the same. They are required to let the local sheriff know when they change jobs or move to a new address. The Bernalillo County Sheriffs Office has a unit dedicated to monitoring sex offenders, the vast majority of whom follow the law. On the flip side, its worrisome that warrants had been issued for more than two dozen absconders/noncompliant offenders BCSO says should be considered armed and dangerous. While the registry helps law enforcement keep tabs on people convicted of sex crimes, another important reason for this system is to alert the public. If a convicted sex offender lives on your block, you are entitled to know that. Ditto for your place of employment, businesses you frequent and a community college or university you might attend. The city of Albuquerque has a sex offender lookup function on its website, searchable by last name or ZIP code. Recognizing that it is impossible to notify every citizen about a sex offenders presence in their community, this site will enable you to obtain information and take the necessary precautions, the website says. Providing the public with information regarding convicted sex offenders is a crucial step toward encouraging (members of) the public to protect themselves from future acts. The city cautions, as it should, that the information should not be used to harass or intimidate. Sex offenders who follow the rules and dont reoffend should be able to live in peace. Thats not in conflict with the DPS statement that it hopes its statewide sex offender registry will increase and promote public awareness. There are several thousand convicted sex offenders in New Mexico, and the absconder issue was brought home locally by an insert placed in the Albuquerque Journal on Aug. 31 by BCSO with photos, names and description of its 26 Most Wanted Sex Offenders. Failure to comply with the states sex offender registry requirements is a fourth-degree felony, and the job of tracking down this category of fugitive falls to BCSOs Sex Offender and Tracking Unit, or SORT. The unit is operating under the direction of Sgt. Charles Holmes and has six detectives five from BCSO and one from APD. As of last week, a BCSO spokesman said, the unit was monitoring 1,325 offenders, with 29 listed as absconder or noncompliant. The unit gets two to four new offenders per week, and the information complied in the registry is extensive, from fingerprints to DNA to physical descriptions, including tattoos. While the SORT unit cautions that the public should never attempt to apprehend anyone on its list, it welcomes tips to 468-7678 or to sort@bernco.gov. Meanwhile, if you have a question about a person or what offenders may be in your ZIP code, look it up. Or you can confidentially sign up for an alert on the city website if a registered sex offender moves within one mile of your address. The registry and site are there for your protection. You should feel free to use them. This editorial first appeared in the Albuquerque Journal. It was written by members of the editorial board and is unsigned as it represents the opinion of the newspaper rather than the writers. KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Managers of a Westport tavern that's been linked to a coronavirus outbreak are meeting with the city's health department Monday. The health department says seven employees and at least two recent customers have the coronavirus. Health inspectors are meeting with Westport Ale House management Monday, after seven employees tested positive for COVID-19. Education spokesperson Chris Hipkins has announced the initiative as part of the party's $1.7 billion education package announced in Porirua today. Key policies in the education package: Replace the decile system with the Equality Index Significantly close the pay gap for teachers working in education and care centres Continue rolling out free lunches programme to a quarter of all school-aged children Targeted funding in areas such as trades training and apprenticeships The party says it will provide free access to all apprenticeships and to many trades training courses for the next two years if elected. "We will be targeting our additional tertiary education spending in areas that are critical for the country's economic recovery in the post-Covid environment," Hipkins says. "We're putting trades and vocational training back on the map, and that includes free apprenticeships and free vocational training in those areas where New Zealand has skill shortage. He attributes the decision not to extend fees-free tertiary education beyond the first year to the Covid-19 pandemic, saying the funding had been redirected into skill shortage areas. He denies the virus is being used to cover up the failure of the fees-free policy. "That's what's gonna give us a better bang for our buck ... it is an admission that it's the sort of thing that you do when the economic going is good rather than at a time that you need to invest in order to keep the country moving." He says the initiatives will be supported by the reform of the Vocational Education System which will be completed if the party is re-elected. Labour says tens of thousands of learners are eligible to save between $2500 and $6000 a year under this policy. From 2022, the party would also implement the Equality Index in schools, scrapping the current decile system. In September 2019, Hipkins first pledged to scrap the decile system saying it made sense to use a system that more accurately predicted whether children were at risk of failure. He says the equity system is expected to mean an extra $75 million in funding for schools and early learning - an increase of about 50 percent, up from $150m. "We want every child no matter who they are or where they come from to have the opportunity to fulfil their potential and live life to the fullest. This is a huge step towards addressing the inequities in our public education system. "Once it's fully implemented the new funding system is expected to involve additional funding of $75m per year, across schooling and early learning. But it's important that there's also a transition period where the shift to the Equity Index is managed carefully." The target of free healthy lunches for a quarter of school children would increase the number from about 8000 to more than 200,000, he says. "Free lunches in schools, rolling out to 200,000 kids is a really big step, it's going to take quite a bit of work ... we're committed to doing because the feedback that we've had from the first round of schools who have taken part in the programme is it has made such a difference to kids learning. "They're just much healthier and much more engaged in their learning." Labour also pledges to "ensure all 17,000 teachers working in education and care centres are paid what they deserve". It will continue to work towards pay parity between teachers in education and care centres and their counterparts in schools and kindergartens. "We inherited a sector that was somewhat dispirited and in desperate need of some additional investment," he said. "We're here today at a community-based early childhood education service because we've got one big piece of unfinished business when it comes to early childhood education teacher pay and that's the issue of pay parity. "Teachers who are working in community based services like this one, private early childhood education services as well, they're not currently paid as well as the teachers working in kindergartens and that's because the government subsidies don't allow for that. "We've seen significant increases in funding for ECE (early childhood education), for all ECE. We're going to continue that investment." He says the coronavirus has not meant teaching te reo Maori in more schools has gone on the backburner. "If you look at the investment we've had in te reo Maori, if anything we've ramped it up as a result of Covid-19. We've been training over 1000 - I think it might even be getting up towards 2000 - additional te reo Maori teachers during our time that we've been in government ... a lot of additional curriculum resourcing has been developed. "I've been really open about this, I would have loved to have learned te reo Maori when I was at school and I'm really disappointed that I didn't have that opportunity ... I'm embarrassed to say that I have not made any progress in that area, but I do think it is important. "It is one of the things that makes us unique as a country, it is our first language, and we should absolutely be investing in it." Yesterday, the National Party pledged a $1.9 billion education package if elected into government. Hipkins says National's plans are similar to what Labour has already been implementing in its first term. "We've been putting extra money into counselling services and mental health support in schools because we know that makes a big difference, we have put more money into things like sign language, english as a second language support. "Many families will say it's not the lack of support that's the problem, it's not being able to access it." He also touted learning support coordinators, teacher and teacher aide pay increases, and increasing numbers of teacher aides. -RNZ On the Frontline Against China, the US Coast Guard Is Taking on Missions the US Navy Can't Do Competition with China has drawn more Pentagon resources to the Pacific, but the most visible U.S. military presence there... On a steep rising curve, India's Recovery Rate touches 78% India PIB Ministry of Health and Family Welfare There are 28 lakh more Recoveries than Active Cases 60% of Total Active Cases in 5 Most Affected States Posted On: 14 SEP 2020 11:11AM by PIB Delhi India's journey of a fast growing Recovery Rate has crossed a milestone today. On a continuous upward trajectory, the Recovery Rate has touched 78.00% reflecting the increasing number of high recoveries per day. 77,512 patients have been discharged in the last 24 hours. The total recovered cases are 37,80,107. The gap between Recovered cases and Active cases is consistently increasing. This has touched nearly 28 lakh today (27,93,509). The total number of active cases in the country stands at 9,86,598 as on date. More than 60% of the Active Cases are concentrated in 5 States viz Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. These States are also reporting 60% of the total recovered cases. 92,071 new cases have been reported in the last 24 hours in the country. Maharashtra continues to contribute a high number. In the last 24 hours it has reported more than 22,000 new cases. Andhra Pradesh has contributed more than 9,800 new cases. Nearly 60% of the total cases are being contributed by five States viz. Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh. 1,136 deaths have been logged in the past 24 hours. Of the new deaths, nearly 53% are concentrated in three States of Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Uttar Pradesh. These are followed by Tamil Nadu, Punjab and Andhra Pradesh. More than 36% of deaths reported yesterday are from Maharashtra (416 deaths). # Name of State / UT Active cases Confirmed cases Cumulative Cured/ Discharged/Migrated Cases Cumulative Deaths As on 14.09.2020 As on 14.09.2020 As on 13.09.2020 Change since yesterday As on 14.09.2020 As on 13.09.2020 Changes since yesterday As on 14.09.2020 As on 13.09.2020 Change since yesterday TOTAL CASES 986598 4846427 4754356 92071 3780107 3702595 77512 79722 78586 1136 1 Maharashtra 290716 1060308 1037765 22543 740061 728512 11549 29531 29115 416 2 Karnataka 99222 459445 449551 9894 352958 344556 8402 7265 7161 104 3 Andhra Pradesh 95072 567123 557587 9536 467139 457008 10131 4912 4846 66 4 Uttar Pradesh 68122 312036 305831 6205 239485 233527 5958 4429 4349 80 5 Tamil Nadu 47012 502759 497066 5693 447366 441649 5717 8381 8307 74 6 Odisha 31539 150807 146894 3913 118642 115279 3363 626 616 10 7 Chhattisgarh 31505 63991 61763 2228 31931 27978 3953 555 539 16 8 Telangana 30532 158513 157096 1417 127007 124528 2479 974 961 13 9 Kerala 30140 108278 105139 3139 77699 75844 1855 439 425 14 10 Delhi 28812 218304 214069 4235 184748 181295 3453 4744 4715 29 11 Assam 28161 141763 140471 1292 113133 110885 2248 469 453 16 12 West Bengal 23624 202708 199493 3215 175139 172085 3054 3945 3887 58 13 Madhya Pradesh 20487 88247 85966 2281 65998 64398 1600 1762 1728 34 14 Haryana 20079 93641 91115 2526 72587 70713 1874 975 956 19 15 Punjab 19787 79679 77057 2622 57536 55385 2151 2356 2288 68 16 J&K (UT) 17481 54096 52410 1686 35737 35285 452 878 864 14 17 Rajasthan 16654 102408 100705 1703 84518 82902 1616 1236 1221 15 18 Gujarat 16407 113500 112174 1326 93883 92678 1205 3210 3195 15 19 Jharkhand 14336 61474 60460 1014 46583 45074 1509 555 542 13 20 Bihar 14113 158285 156703 1582 143350 141499 1851 822 808 14 21 Uttarakhand 10519 31973 30336 1637 21040 20153 887 414 402 12 22 Tripura 7429 19165 18910 255 11536 11132 404 200 194 6 23 Goa 5173 24592 24185 407 19129 18576 553 290 286 4 24 Puducherry 4878 19833 19445 388 14570 14228 342 385 370 15 25 Himachal Pradesh 3364 9555 9229 326 6114 5962 152 77 73 4 26 Chandigarh 2728 7991 7542 449 5170 4864 306 93 92 1 27 Arunachal Pradesh 1732 6121 5975 146 4379 4253 126 10 10 0 28 Manipur 1638 7875 7731 144 6191 6102 89 46 45 1 29 Meghalaya 1623 3724 3615 109 2075 2020 55 26 25 1 30 Nagaland 1172 5083 5064 19 3901 3839 62 10 10 0 31 Ladakh (UT) 869 3345 3294 51 2436 2414 22 40 39 1 32 Mizoram 598 1428 1414 14 830 823 7 0 0 0 33 Sikkim 567 2086 2055 31 1505 1503 2 14 11 3 34 D&D & D&N 255 2745 2725 20 2488 2444 44 2 2 0 35 A&N Islands 252 3546 3521 25 3243 3202 41 51 51 0 36 Lakshdweep 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 **** MV/SJ HFW/COVID States data/14September2020/1 (Release ID: 1653936) NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The Department of Public Safety is not disclosing some key details about the investigation into the attorney general who fatally hit a man while driving after attending a Republican Party event at a restaurant in eastern South Dakota. Jason Ravnsborg, 44, reported hitting a deer Saturday night near Highmore but actually struck a pedestrian whose body wasnt discovered until the next morning, DPS said in a Monday morning news release. The pedestrian was later identified as Joe Boever, a 55-year-old man from Highmore. The Highway Patrol, which is part of DPS, is leading the investigation but receiving assistance from the North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation. The DPS spokesman, however, is not disclosing which agency is handling what parts of the investigation, including whether the state's top law enforcement official will be interviewed by fellow South Dakota public safety officials or ones from North Dakota. "How duties are shared are internal decisions," Tony Mangan said. Mangan also said he couldn't share the following information because it's part of an ongoing investigation: When and how Ravnsborg contacted the Hyde County Sheriff's Office to report hitting the deer; Whether Ravnsborg got out of the car after the crash to look for the deer and any damage to his car; If local law enforcement arrived to look for the deer on Saturday night; Whether Ravnsborg was driving a personal or state-owned vehicle; If Ravnsborg made it home to Pierre on Saturday night or had to leave his car somewhere and get a ride; Where and when on Sunday morning the victim was found, and by whom; Whether law enforcement found any parts of Ravnsborg's car on the road; If Ravnsborg has already been tested for drugs and alcohol, and if so when. Mangan said he wouldn't be able to disclose this type of information at this stage of any investigation concerning a fatal crash. What is known so far Gov. Kristi Noem said at a Sunday afternoon press conference in Sioux Falls that Ravnsborg had been involved in a fatal crash around 10:30 p.m. Saturday on U.S. Highway 14 near Highmore. No other details were released at the time. Ravnsborg was driving westbound on the highway in a 2011 Ford Taurus, according to the DPS news release on Monday. He called the Hyde County Sheriff's Office to say he hit a deer but law enforcement realized he hit a person when Boever's body was discovered the next morning. Most people when they hit a deer they stop and they call law enforcement, Mangan said. The majority of people get out of their car if they suspect their car was damaged, he added. Mangan said all aspects of the crash are under investigation, including whether it could be a criminal hit-and-run if Ravnsborg actually knew he hit a person. Alcohol and drug use is always checked in crashes and the cars are always investigated, he said. Mangan said the Highway Patrol communicates with state's attorney offices if a crash may be criminal, and the decision about whether to file charges usually goes to office of the county where the crash occurred. Ravnsborg, who is serving his first term as attorney general, was driving to Pierre after attending the Spink County Lincoln Day Dinner in Redfield, said Tim Bormann, spokesman for the office. The event was hosted at Roosters Bar and Grill from 5 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., according to the South Dakota GOP's website. Nick and Victor Nemec, who are brothers, said their cousin Boever was hit while walking to his disabled vehicle, which he'd crashed into a ditch and hay bale Saturday morning. "My cousin got run over by the attorney general, said Nick, a former state lawmaker. A deer doesnt look like a human, Victor added. Nick, 62, and Victor, 58, said they were called to identify Boevers body around 7:30 p.m. Sunday. The brothers, farmers who live near Holabird, say theyre upset about how long it took for officials to ask them to identify the body. Victor is afraid officials wont share the truth about the crash. I believe the state is going to try to cover this up as much as they can. I dont trust this state government, he said. This state is known for covering up wrongdoing of elected officials all the time. We will handle this as we would any other fatal crash, DPS Secretary Craig Price said during the Sunday news conference. Price said he and the Highway Patrol will be leading the investigation, and Noem said Price will report directly to her. The South Dakotas Division of Criminal Investigation, which is part of the Attorney Generals Office, will not be investigating the crash in order to avoid the appearance or actual conflict of interest, Bormann said. Inspectors from the North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation the equivalent of DCI will be helping instead. Bormann said Sunday evening that Ravnsborg drinks lightly and doesnt believe he was drinking at the event. Ravnsborg does have a history of speeding, according to the Argus Leader. He pleaded guilty to six traffic violations between 2014 and September 2018, just before he was elected to office. He was once pulled over for driving 85 mph in a 65 mph zone at midnight, records show. He was also cited for a seat belt violation and driving without a proper exhaust and muffler system. A suspicious feeling Boever has no children and lived by himself after separating from his wife, Victor said. Boever was helping him at the farm since he was between jobs. Boever was quiet, quite the intellectual type of personality" and was most interested in philosophy and history, Victor said. He was just a very soft-spoken individual and spent most of his time helping at Victors farm, said Nick. Victor said he received a call from Boever around 7:50 a.m. on Saturday asking to be picked up on the highway since he had crashed his pickup into a ditch on U.S. 14 and hit a hay bale. Victor said he arrived around 8:30 a.m. to find the damaged pickup and Boever, who said he had been on his way to visit him. He drove Boever back to his home in Highmore where they spent around 30 minutes together. Victor left after telling Boever he would help him retrieve his pickup the next morning. Thats the last I saw him, Victor said. Victor said he called his cousin several times Sunday morning but Boever didnt answer so he decided to drive over to his house around 9:30 a.m or 10 a.m. He saw that Boever's pickup was still in the ditch on the north side of the road as he was driving to Highmore. He also saw something new near the truck: state troopers, sheriff's deputies, local volunteer firefighters and officials from the Department of Transportation. He also saw tarps on the ground. Victor said a friend from Highmore said he saw a red vehicle bumper under one of the tarps but Victor didnt see that himself. He said the same friend, who lives near the crash site, said he didn't hear any sirens on Saturday night. Victor proceeded to Boevers house and entered the home after his cousin didnt come to the door when he knocked. He was nowhere to be found, Victor said. I was starting to get a suspicious feeling since there was a car crash and Boever was missing. Victor called the sheriffs office to say Boever was missing and asked if he was involved in the crash. He said the office asked him when he last saw Boever and told him to wait at Boevers house until someone arrived to speak with him. No one arrived so Victor kept calling the office until they told him in the mid-afternoon to return to his house and wait for someone to meet him there. Again, no one showed up. Nick said his brother called him around 5 p.m. to say that Boever was missing and since they knew about the crash, we suspected its our cousin." Victor said he was getting anxious so he called 911 in the early evening to make an official missing person report. Confirmation Victor said an investigator called around 7:30 p.m. to ask him to go to the funeral home in Highmore to identify his cousin. Victor called Nick and they drove to the funeral home. Nick said he saw that the accident scene was a half-mile west of the junction of U.S. 14 and SD 47, the border of Highmore. He said the pickup was another half-mile west of the crash scene. The brothers arrived at the funeral home and saw a van pull in, Victor said. The funeral home director, a state trooper and a BCI investigator took out a body bag and said Boever died in a car accident. They warned us as they were unzipping it that the body was damaged and they unzipped it enough where we could see the head and it was my cousin, Victor said. He said the officials asked them several questions but did not take formal statements. We were a little disgusted, angry because this was 22 hours after the accident" and a good 10 hours after Victor had told them who the dead man was, Nick said. The brothers both believe Boever was hit while he was walking back to his truck, either to try to fix it or get something from inside it. I dont know what he was thinking because they had made plans to go back on Sunday morning and get that pickup out of the ditch, Nick said of the plans between Boever and Victor. Nick said the area where his cousin was hit is either a 45 mph zone or right after it transitions into a 65 mph zone. Victor said the highway has a shoulder with gravel next to it before there is a ditch. After IDing the body, Nick said, he drove to Boevers house to lock it up. On the way back to his house he asked a state trooper if he could have Boevers pickup, but they said it was being taken into evidence. Contact Arielle Zionts at arielle.zionts@rapidcityjournal.com. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 1 Funny 1 Wow 2 Sad 5 Angry 11 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. The Trump administration on Monday shelved plans for a broad import ban on cotton and tomato products from China's Xinjiang region while announcing narrower bans on products from five specific entities. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) acting Deputy Secretary Kenneth Cuccinelli said the new "Withhold Release Orders" (WROs) on cotton, textiles, apparel, hair products and computer parts are aimed at combating China's use of forced labor by detained Uighur Muslims in Xinjiang. He told reporters on a conference call that the administration was conducting more legal analysis of the region-wide import bans. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials told Reuters last week that they had prepared the broader bans on cotton, cotton textiles and tomatoes, among China's biggest commodity exports, along with the orders announced on Monday. CBP acting Commissioner Mark Morgan said on Monday the agency's investigations into the region-wide orders were continuing. Two people familiar with the Trump administration's internal deliberations said that concerns about the broad orders and their effect on supply chains were raised by officials, including Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue. China also had agreed to buy increased quantities of U.S. cotton under the countries' Phase 1 trade deal, which could be put at risk by a U.S. ban on imports from China's dominant cotton-producing region. But Cuccinelli said it was legal concerns, not trade, that prompted the need for more study of the region-wide import bans. "We want to make sure that when we do get challenged - and we assume that we will be challenged, legally - that we will prevail and none of the goods we would ultimately would seize under such a WRO would be shaken loose and released into the United States," he said. The Withhold Release Orders allow U.S. Customs and Border Protection to detain shipments based on suspicion of forced-labor involvement under long-standing U.S. laws to combat human trafficking, child labor and other human rights abuses. Shippers can send the products to other countries or seek to prove that they are not produced with forced labor. DHS said the block on products from Xinjiang entering the United States applied to all products made with labor from the Lop County No. 4 Vocational Skills Education and Training Center; hair products from the Lop County Hair Product Industrial Park; apparel produced by Yili Zhuowan Garment Manufacturing and Baoding LYSZD Trade and Business Co; Cotton produced and processed by Xinjiang Junggar Cotton and Linen Co Ltd; and computer parts made by Hefei Bitland Information Technology Co Ltd. Neither Xinjiang Junggar nor Baoding LYSZD were aware of the orders when asked on Tuesday. Yili Zhuowan declined to comment. The U.S.-based group Worker Rights Consortium said this year that Yili Zhuowan had made gloves for French brand Lacoste that appeared to have been sewn at a factory where ethnic minority people faced forced ideological and behavioral re-education. Lacoste said it had halted shipments from that factory after those allegations, media reported. A China-based cotton trader said the new orders should "largely be discounted" as they impacted only a few, small suppliers. However, he said any expansion of the ban to make it regional would be bad for busineses. "It will disrupt supply chains and contribute to a worsening situation between the U.S. and China and less trust," he said. President Donald Trump's administration is ratcheting up pressure on China over its treatment of Uighur Muslims in Xinjiang, where the United Nations cites credible reports as saying 1 million Muslims held in camps have been put to work. The Chinese embassy in Washington referred to past Chinese foreign ministry statements rejecting allegations of forced labor in Xinjiang and criticizing the United States for meddling in China's internal affairs in the region. Also read: China announces new restrictions on US diplomats' activities amid rising tensions Also read: Xi Jinping's aggressive moves against India 'unexpectedly flopped', says US magazine Also read: US biggest threat to international order, world peace: China Queensland's dream to host the 2032 Olympic Games remains on hold, despite calls from some to ditch the pitch altogether as the state grapples with the economic devastation wreaked by the coronavirus pandemic. In December last year, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk decided the state would go ahead with a bid to host the games in 2032. Australia's Cathy Freeman celebrates winning the women's 400-metre race at the Sydney Olympics in 2000. Credit:AP Photo/Thomas Kienzle That was a month before the first COVID-19 case made its way to Queensland and before 234,000 Queenslanders lost their jobs. In May, during the height of the pandemic, Ms Palaszczuk said the bid process had been paused, but was adamant the decision did not go any further than that. The Air Force command in charge of moving personnel and equipment around the globe is ready to play a bigger role in the kill chain for troops on the ground or for pilots in the air, according to its top commander. Gen. Jacqueline Van Ovost, the only female four-star general at the Pentagon, said Monday that the command had recently airdropped palletized, simulated Joint Direct Attack Munition bombs, or JDAMs, off a C-17 Globemaster III transport aircraft to test out the ability to turn airlifters into bomb trucks. Read Next: Air Force Unveils New 'E-Series' Designation for Advanced Aircraft and Weapons In later phases, there will be an "actual launch of an actual missile that actually gets fired," Van Ovost said during the Air Force Association's 2020 virtual Air, Space and Cyber conference. The AMC experiment was similar to Air Force Special Operations Command's Cargo Launch Expendable Air Vehicles with Extended Range, or CLEAVER, test earlier this year, except the CLEAVER's pallet drop came off an MC-130J Commando II, which is already configured to airdrop weapons. "It's a little different from what special operations is doing," Van Ovost said. "The concept, once fully matured, is for these munitions to behave just as if they were dropped from a bomber aircraft -- separate from the aircraft, ignite their motors, fly to predesignated waypoints and altitudes, then strike their targets." The AMC experiment is not meant to replace any global strike bomber roles, she added. The recent exercises were one of many the Air Force is conducting to test its Advanced Battle Management System (ABMS), designed to leverage air and space platforms to fuse together, process, and share data from around the world. Another test during the same exercise earlier this month showed the command's ability to flex the cargo aircraft in multiple ways, Van Ovost said. A C-17 with enhanced communications relayed real-time coordinates to the Marine Corps' High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, or HIMARS, while on board; once the wheeled rocket launcher system rolled off the aircraft, it was locked and loaded and ready to go, she said. "We were able to keep the Marine Corps HIMARS vehicle spun up the entire time it was in the airplane. It knew where it was and knew what the situational awareness was on the ground with the operational picture, and it could be retargeted in flight such that when it got off the airplane, it could immediately employ and, if you wanted to, roll right back onto the C-17 and take off out of there before an enemy can determine its location," Van Ovost said. "We recognize that we actually can bring more to the fight than we have been," she said. Tactical Reach Just as the Air Force is gearing up for its airmen to be multi-capable -- executing skills beyond their functional area -- so should its aircraft and weapons in the digital realm, Van Ovost said in a separate interview with Military.com last week. For that, she envisions that larger aircraft -- like C-17s, C-5 Super Galaxies and even the service's tankers -- will take on data-relay equipment or communication nodes to provide tactical datalinks for all in the battlespace, whether in close proximity or beyond line of sight. "Our airplanes are going to be at the forward edge; they're going to be there. Our tankers are going to be there or airlift or tactical airlift is going to be there. So why wouldn't we augment the joint force [capability] and provide the Navy and Marine Corps and Army and Air Force the comms that they need and the data that they need to stay ahead so they can close the kill chain faster?" Van Ovost said Thursday. The idea dates back nearly two decades to the onset of the Afghanistan and Iraq wars, when communications in the austere environment were hard to come by. But instead of building an airplane whose sole purpose is to act as a data node, the military should use one of its many existing, spacious aircraft that are powerful enough to create an airborne network for multiple weapons systems -- which is where Air Mobility Command comes in, Van Ovost said. If troops need to relay imagery, video, signals or communications beyond the transmittable range -- even if this transfer is cut off or jammed by enemies -- AMC aircraft can act as an aerial booster, she added. For example, the KC-46 Pegasus, the service's newest tanker, already has communications systems on board that allow it to be configured into a relay. "I am talking about assured command and control for the forward joint force, and our ability to bring forward beyond line-of-sight capabilities to tie in our joint force together -- our ground forces to our fifth-gen forces to our fourth-gen forces -- to tie them in through a network and use the power and the location of, for example, airlifters and tankers who will be in the battlespace," Van Ovost said. There are limitations: Enemies would target cargo or tanker aircraft loitering high above the battlespace and providing critical intelligence or data, so those pilots would need their own "situational awareness so they can understand what the real threat is before we have to think about scramming, turning around and getting out of that location," she said Monday. Van Ovost said that AMC continues to study "self-protection capabilities of our airplanes." Some airlifters, such as C-130 Hercules aircraft, carry decoy flares, designed to draw a rocket to lock onto it instead of the aircraft. But it doesn't have offensive capabilities. "As this thing evolves, we'll see what we actually need in the future and how we can use the joint force to be more protected," she said. -- Oriana Pawlyk can be reached at oriana.pawlyk@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @Oriana0214. Related: A Fighter Pilot Will Dogfight an AI-Controlled Jet in 2024, Esper Says Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 1 anno fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili. The automotive digital cockpit market 2020 could expand at a rate of 9.5% between 2019 and 2025 (evaluation period), reveals Market Research Future (MRFR). We will provide COVID-19 impact analysis with the report, offering detailed market developments following the coronavirus disease outbreak. ALSO READ: https://www.openpr.com/news/1921875/automotive-digital-cockpit-market-to-grow-with-increased-demand Key Boosters and Main Challenges The COVID-19 outbreak has landed the automotive industry in a soup, with major companies shifting their manufacturing from China to other countries such as India. The global pandemic led to a strict lockdown across countries, following which manufacturing companies were forced to close down and curfews were imposed. This weakened the production level of several auto products, which also includes digital cockpits. The COVID-19 impact on the industry has been such that the consumer behavior has changed immensely, as they are forced to buy only essential products. However, since digital cockpits ensure seamless connection between the application system and the vehicle, they are observing sustained demand among drivers that want to save time and boost their connected lifestyle in the vehicle. Further, autonomous vehicles have been quite useful in the battle against SARS-CoV-2, by transporting food as well as urgent medical supplies to infected locations, medical professionals. Autonomous vehicles have also been helping in disinfecting healthcare facilities and hospitals to control the spread of the novel coronavirus. The emerging trends of hybridization, connected or autonomous vehicles and electrification can give rise to lucrative opportunities for the HMI software providers to develop and equip vehicles with completely digital instrument clusters coupled with top-resolution infotainment systems. Automotive OEMs are increasingly coming up with customized digital cockpits with voice-control, steering-wheel-mounted controls, touchscreen and various infotainment system features in vehicles, which facilitate better vehicle functionality as well as effortless driving experience. To cite a reference, in July 2020, Mercedes added new features to its MBUX infotainment system in the new S-class, which includes a 3D instrument cluster. The company says that this technological innovation was the outcome of the rising demand of the drivers for a more secure way of driving. Market Segmentation The digital cockpit market in the automotive industry has been considered for equipment, vehicle type and propulsion. The market segments depending on equipment are digital instrument cluster display type, advanced head unit, head-up display (HUD) and camera-based driver monitoring system. The primary vehicle types considered are light commercial vehicle, heavy commercial vehicle and passenger car. Propulsion-wise, the market sections are battery electric vehicle (BEV), internal combustion engine (ICE), plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) as well as hybrid electric vehicle (HEV). Regional Study The regional study of the automotive digital cockpit market throws light on Europe, APAC/Asia Pacific, North America, and RoW/the Rest of the World. MRFR anticipates Europe to emerge as the clear winner in the global market, as the region holds a massive number of leading automotive OEMs along with tier-1 suppliers. Most of these OEMs are continuously striving to enhance the features of traditional automotive digital cockpit, while adopting IOT and telematics for better functioning. The escalating use of information, safety, navigation and remote diagnostics within connected vehicles is also inducing significant growth in the automotive digital cockpit market in Europe. The accelerated consumption of intelligent transportation systems and the rising use of innovative technologies in connected vehicles can also be favorable for the European market. The APAC market is set to boom at a significant pace in the near future, thanks to the widespread demand for better driver experience in economy and mid-priced passenger cars. Being the biggest consumer and producer of vehicles, India and China offer attractive growth prospects to the automotive digital cockpit market. Top Market Players The top market players listed in the MRFR report are Aptiv (Ireland), Faurecia (France), Visteon Corporation (US), Panasonic Corporation (Japan), HARMAN International (US), Nippon Seiki Co., Ltd (Japan), Robert Bosch GmbH (Germany), Pioneer Corporation (Japan), Continental (Germany), Denso Corporation (Japan), to mention a few. Latest News June 2020 Cerence Inc., an AI-based vendor entered a partnership with e.solutions GmbH for the development of a highly advanced automotive digital cockpit. The speech recognition technology of Cerence has been used in the latest car model, which can be main communication point that provides access to the digital assistants belonging to e.solutions. FOR MORE DETAILS https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/automotive-digital-cockpit-market-7755 Perry Village Council has approved a developers request to construct a new housing subdivision in the community. However, a resolution allowing the project to move forward did not win unanimous support from village legislators. Councilman Rick Walker cited several reasons why he voted against the resolution to develop a subdivision on the Booth Farm property at Main Street and South Ridge Road, also known as Route 84. Perry Village is not a cookie-cutter community, and this is yet another case of someone coming in and putting as many pieces of property as many rooftops as you can in a small parcel, and Im opposed to this, Walker said, during the Sept. 10 council meeting. All other council members Phil Cassella, Mike Glover, Jean Schonauer, Buddy Semple and Elias Coss voted in favor of the project. The subdivision will be developed by B.R. Knez Construction of Concord Township on land that it owns on Main Street and South Ridge Road, just east of the Perry Township border. Council passed the resolution after discussing the role that the Booth Farm Planned Unit Development, as its formally known, could play in attracting new businesses to the village. From a standpoint that we have seriously been looking at ways in which to have economic development, and rooftops is an important item as far as Im concerned I think (the Booth Farm subdivision) would add to it, Cassella said. I think as long as its done correctly and positively, it will be a benefit to the village. Rooftops refer to the number of homes that are located within a community, region or other specific geographic area. When it comes to economic development, theres a popular saying that retail follows rooftops. That adage capsulizes the idea that retailers want locations that are near places which already have a robust residential population, or areas where significant numbers of new homes are being built. In addition, some national restaurant chains use rooftops as a benchmark when expanding into new communities. The need for more rooftops to accelerate economic development in the Perry area was brought up two years ago at a community meeting during which the Champion Farm Joint Land Study was unveiled. Once the site of a horticultural nursery, the Champion Farm property today is owned by Perry Schools, which leases sections of the land to the township and village. About 80 acres are located in the township, while the remaining 150 acres are in the village. Champion Farm stretches from North Ridge Road, or Route 20, on the north in the township to Main Street in the village for its southern border. The district made the acquisition with the intent of redeveloping the land with a mix of primarily commercial, medical, office and/or light industrial uses. Its hoped that these new tenants would generate payroll revenue and strengthen the communitys tax base within the established Perry Joint Economic Development District, according to study. During the June 27, 2018, meeting when the study was presented, consultant Emil Liszniansky said the primary market area surrounding Champion Farm is hindered by a scarcity of rooftops. The area is more spread out, with rural developments and lot of farms still in place, he said. The lack of rooftops is a challenge to getting intense commercial development on the Champion Farm site. At the Sept. 10 Perry Village Council meeting, the idea of additional rooftops and how it could lure tenants to the former Champion Farm which still sits barren was reiterated. One of the things we are missing is the rooftops, Councilwoman Jean Schonauer said. However, Walker doesnt share his colleagues sentiments on rooftops being an indispensable economic development tool. Theres no guarantee that more rooftops here are going to bring business, Walker said. Theres no guarantee whatsoever of that, and thats one of the reasons I oppose (the Booth Farm project). Cassella also serves on the Perry Village Planning Commission, which recommended that council approve a resolution indicating its desire for the Booth Farm project to begin. However, even with councils expression of support, Cassella said Knez still has to meet a variety of requirements stipulated by the Planning Commission, village engineer, and other government agencies. (The Planning Commission) will have another gathering as far as a pre-construction meeting, where all of the details we have uncovered during our process will be reviewed, before we actually issue a (building) permit, Cassella said. Semple said he liked the fact that the Booth Farm project, along with development of the Hidden Village subdivision that started in town about two years ago, can broaden the communitys tax base. To sustain this, you cant keep beating up on the same people over and over and over again, and (the addition of the Booth Farm subdivision) helps to spread it around and keep everybody at a certain (tax) rate, Semple said. I believe one of our functions is to keep the people living nicely and not taking money out of their pocket, if we can help it. So I think these new developments will help that situation by bringing in some fresh blood. In response to Semples claim of economic benefits stemming from the new subdivisions, Walker said these developments also will increase the number of vehicles traveling on village streets. Ive already seen quite a large impact on our traffic with just Hidden Village, and its only going to get worse, and I think youre going to see people move out, because were losing our charm, he said. At this point, its anticipated that Knez will construct 27 homes in the first phase of the Booth Farms subdivision, village Mayor James Gessic said. Its difficult to estimate how many homes ultimately will be constructed on the Booth Farms site, since Knez is still awaiting results of soil testing and changes in drainage requirements that might be mandated by several government agencies, village officials said. Both factors could affect where homes can be built throughout the property. However, before each new phase of the project can begin, the developer will have to come back and seek approval from the communitys Planning Commission and Village Council. SAN FRANCISCO For weeks, residents up and down the West Coast have been checking forecasts to find out when the suffocating, hazardous wildfire smoke will shift and allow them to once again open their doors and windows. Its been relentless. For the past three weeks there hasnt been a day when that hasnt been our primary concern, Cristina Mueller, a freelance writer in Oakland, told Yahoo News. The mother of two daughters, ages 3 and 7, Mueller said the first thing she does in the morning, and the last thing before she goes to bed, is check a variety of websites for the current air quality index, the Environmental Protection Agencys scale that measures the concentration of pollutants in the air. NASA's Aqua Satellite captures devastating wildfires in Oregon on Sept. 10. (NASA) Three years ago I didnt even know what AQI was, and now it dominates everything we do, Mueller said. We cant go outside. Since COVID, I feel like walks were the only thing that we had left, and now this is taking away walks. Late last week, models predicted that a break in the unrelentingly sooty air would finally arrive on Monday across much of California, Oregon and Washington. But as the day broke and revealed a now familiar mix of smoky haze and low visibility, websites of agencies like Northern Californias Bay Area Air Quality Management District confirmed the bad news: The air for millions of people still ranged from unhealthy to hazardous. NOAA/NASA's Suomi NPP satellite captured this series of images showing the winds changing direction on Sept. 6 when clouds of brown smoke began to cascade into the Pacific Ocean. (NASA) The time of the expected improvement has been pushed back to the end of this week. For people living in areas where wildfire smoke has become a daily occurrence, the health threat is serious. The biggest health threat from smoke is from fine particles, the Environmental Protection Agency says on its website. These microscopic particles can penetrate deep into your lungs. They can cause a range of health problems, from burning eyes and a runny nose to aggravated chronic heart and lung diseases. Exposure to particle pollution is even linked to premature death. That helps explain why people like Mueller have been glued to air quality websites and the predictions of when things might get better. Smoke forecasting, it turns out, is tricky business. Variables like barometric pressure, temperature, moisture, wind speed, terrain and altitude all factor in to the modeling, Ranil Dhammapala, an atmospheric scientist with the Washington State Department of Ecology, told the Seattle Times. And, like weather forecasting, predicting how long wildfire smoke will linger is subject to interpretation. Story continues The models didnt take into account a reduced amount of heating at the surface and painted an overly optimistic picture of the clearing, Dhammapala told the Times. An air tanker drops retardant at a wildfire on a hillside in Yucaipa, Calif., on Sept. 5. (AP Photo/Ringo H.W. Chiu) While air quality remained dismal over much of Washington and Oregon on Tuesday, conditions improved slightly in the Bay Area, falling to the moderate level (pollution concentrations measured between 50 and 100 on a scale of 0 to 500) in San Francisco, Oakland and Marin County for the first time in days. Scattered rain began to fall in the Pacific Northwest, though not enough to extinguish the fires still raging there. In Portland, the smoke was still so thick that some airlines canceled flights Tuesday in and out of the city until at least 3 p.m., when winds were expected to pick up. Sarah Gibbs, a graduate student at Antioch University who who lives with her three children in Newcastle, a suburb of Seattle, posted a photo on Facebook on Tuesday after the city registered an AQI reading of 269. The number is worse, Gibbs, who says she checks the EPAs air quality app on her phone roughly 10 times a day, told Yahoo News. I actually thought it might have been getting better because for a brief period of time I could see some definition of high clouds through the smoke, but, oddly, the number I saw did not indicate it was better. Ive seen the worst number yet today. The sheer volume of the smoke generated by 24 active fires in California, 14 in Oregon and another 15 in Washington has shown few signs of abating since last week, and the long-awaited change in the winds has meant that the mass of smoke hovering over the West Coast is now heading east across the country. The joint NASA & @NOAA Suomi NPP satellite continues to monitor wildfires in the western United States. New images show the winds have changed again, with smoke and small particles suspended in the air (aerosols) moving across the continental U.S.: https://t.co/tlMce2rxIT pic.twitter.com/EmISBArc4F NASA (@NASA) September 15, 2020 Parts of Idaho and Montana have been blanketed by hazardous levels of smoke in recent days. Satellite imagery on Monday showed it stretching from California up through Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Illinois and Michigan. By Tuesday it had reached the East Coast, the National Weather Service said. It looks like the smoke, depending on whats happening with the winds, could be reaching anywhere from the Carolinas to the Northeastern part of the country, National Weather Service meteorologist Julie Malingowski told the San Francisco Chronicle. Its hard to tell exactly. Far less dense than what is being experienced on the West Coast, the smoke that has drifted into the skies over places like New York and Washington, D.C., appears more like clouds or haze. Relatively speaking, its nothing compared with what people are enduring out west. Weve been housebound since Friday. Everything that we had been doing was outdoors because of coronavirus, so now those small pleasures have been taken from us as well, Gibbs said. I can feel my nostrils gently burning. Ive got a headache, my daughters complaining of a headache. You feel it pretty quickly when you go outside. _____ Read more from Yahoo News: Irelands foreign minister has accused Boris Johnson of inflammatory language and jeopardising Brexit trade negotiations after Boris Johnson claimed the EU was threatening the integrity of the UK. In response to the prime ministers contentious proposals to override aspects over the Brexit agreement, Simon Coveney also urged the UK government to behave as modern democracies should and honour international agreements it had signed. The comments came after Mr Johnson used a newspaper article to double down on plans to introduce legislation to disapply key parts of the EU withdrawal agreement if negotiations with the bloc over a future trading agreement collapse. Brandon Lewis, the Northern Ireland secretary, told MPs last week the proposals, if passed by parliament, would breach international law in a limited and specific way an extraordinary admission that provoked outrage from Brussels. Attempting to dissuade potential Conservative rebels from scuppering his plans, Mr Johnson claimed over the weekend the EU could carve up our country unless MPs pass the Bill that will be introduced in the Commons tomorrow. He added: I have to say that we never seriously believed that the EU would be willing to use a treaty, negotiated in good faith, to blockade one part of the UK, to cut it off, or that they would actually threaten to destroy the economic and territorial integrity of the UK. Responding to remarks on the BBCs Andrew Marr Show, Mr Coveney said there was only one side in the negotiations threatening to break its word and international law. The British government is behaving in an extraordinary way. The British people need to know that because outside of Britain where this issue is being discussed now, the reputation of the UK and Britain as a trusted negotiator on important issues like this is being damaged in a very serious way. He later added: There is no blockade proposed. That is the kind of inflammatory language coming from No 10 which is spin and not the truth. In a separate interview, the Irish justice minister Helen McEntee claimed the unilateral action to introduce the controversial legislation had damaged trust between the EU and the UK. Were in a very difficult space, she said. Asked on Sky Newss Sophy Ridge on Sunday programme whether the bloc would look at taking legal action or consider sanctions against the UK, Ms McEntee added: This is something that could happen. I think other implications as Ive mentioned the overall trade agreement, that is certainly at risk if this is implemented. On Sunday, Michel Barnier, the EUs chief negotiator, also said the Northern Ireland protocol in the EU withdrawal agreement was not a threat to the integrity of the UK. We agreed this delicate compromise with Boris Johnson & his gov in order to protect peace & stability on island of Ireland. We could not have been clearer about the consequences of Brexit, he tweeted. Mr Barnier also said sticking to facts is also essential and insisted the EU is not refusing to list the UK as a third country for food imports as claimed by the prime minister in his article over the weekend. To be listed, we need to know in full what a countrys rules are, he added. The same objective process applies to all listed countries. However, in a series of posts on Twitter, the UKs chief negotiator Sir David Frost responded to his counterpart, insisting the EU had made clear to us in the current talks there is no guarantee of listing us. He went on: I am afraid it has also been said to us explicitly in these talks that if we are not listed we will not be able to move food to Northern Ireland. The EUs position is that listing is needed for Great Britain only, not Northern Ireland. So if GB were not listed, it would be automatically illegal for NI to import food products from GB. I hope the EU will yet think better of this. It obviously makes it no easier to negotiate a free trade agreement and the solid future relationship we all want. MBABANE I love him so much. These are the exact words of the bride-to-be for Mbabane Alliance Church leader Reverend Johannes Mazibuko. Thulile Dlamini declared her undying love for the reverend in an interview with this reporter yesterday. Dlamini was officially introduced at the church as the new companion for the reverend during Sundays service. Dlamini said; I love him so much and can assure you that the relationship was never before the demise of Pastor Rose. Pastor Rose was the wife to Reverend Mazibuko, who passed away in July following a long battle with cancer, as confirmed by the reverend. Dlamini had been asked to comment regarding her soon-to-be status as the first lady of Mbabane Alliance Church and how she was taking all the attention that was making rounds, especially on social media. She said she was very excited and happy to serve in the church alongside her husband-to-be as her mentor and spiritual father. Dedicated According to Dlamini, she is a born again Christian and God-fearing woman dedicated to serve God and the church and believes that He would carry her through. However, she made it clear that she would not try to be Pastor Rose and fit her big boots, but would be herself and serve with the gift that God had given to her. Dlamini said she joined the Alliance Church in 2010 and became a full member after certification in 2011. She stated that she served along with the late pastors wife in the ministry of protocol, participating also in other Mazibuko family activities when requested to do so. On the assumption that her relationship with Reverend Mazibuko started while his late wife was still alive, Dlamini said people always had opinions about certain things and it was their right to do so. However, she stated that as a Christian who was deeply rooted in the teachings of Christ, she was not shaken by the criticism and negative talk. She said the disapproval by the public shall come to pass. Meanwhile, Dlamini said there was no law or timetable that stated when one should remarry after the passing on of his or her partner, but what they were concerned about was the will of God and the cleanliness of the gospel and respect for each other. Reverend Mazibuko, in an interview conducted on Sunday at his home at Mpolonjeni, said he had been with his now deceased wife for over a year while she was sick, supporting her as the illness she was suffering from caused her so much pain. I last had a wife when she started falling sick, which means I had no companionship all along, said Mazibuko. He said his wife was sick and going through so much pain and he was nursing her. The reverend said his wifes death did not come as a shock but they saw it coming from the different stages she passed through. We cried, mourned while she was still alive and now (that she is gone) what can hold me back? he questioned. Mazibuko said he knew his bride-to-be very well as he had taken time to familiarise himself with her, although at times a person could not be perfect. He said her bride-to-be was someone who loved the Lord, stating that he noted such before his wife fell sick. He said biblically, he understood that when a person died, he or she could not be remembered, which was stated in the book of Ecclesiastes 9 verse 3-5. He said this did not mean he did not care but the truth was that when a person had passed away, they would not wake up, even when you mourn for 12 or 20 years. Respect Mazibuko said what was important was to respect, love and take good care of that person during their lifetime but when they die, it is finished. He said people should understand that according to biblical teachings, it emphasised that married couples should be separated in death, which was what happened with him. The man of God said re-marrying was not about sex but companionship, adding that he knew the pleasure of having a companion and needed one going forward. Mazibuko said assisting was broad and for him, he needed to share issues with his partner who would comfort him when they were having a bad day. In the book of 1st Corinthians 7 verse 39 and Romans 7 verse 1-6, Apostle Paul addresses the issue that if one is married to someone, they are tied to them until death separates them. When they decide to re-marry, they are free to marry anyone on condition that they are born again, the reverend shared. Hyderabad, Sep 15 : Though the Covid-19 pandemic is still around, many people in Hyderabad have taken off their masks, unaware of the lurking danger around them in the form of micro-droplets. From 100 per cent compliance to the compulsory mask rule during the lockdown and in the subsequent period, one now finds about 50 per cent people in public places without masks. A drive around the busy thoroughfares in this city reveals a worrying trend. From people walking on roads to motorists and from shopkeepers to the customers at eateries, many are not at all bothered about face covering to protect themselves. Though not wearing a mask is punishable in Telangana, due to lack of strict implementation of the rule, people are not taking it seriously. Even among those wearing the mask, a large number are not covering their nose and mouth. Citizens are seen wearing masks at places where it is mandatory for entrance but at other times, they are openly flouting the rule. The compliance is more in places like hospitals, offices, supermarkets, shopping malls and metro stations. With 800-900 new Covid cases per day in July, the situation in Hyderabad was a matter of concern. The numbers have now come down by 50 per cent and people have apparently became complacent after the number of cases dropped over the last one month. Health authorities have claimed that the situation in the state capital is now under control. They, however, cautioned people against complacency or negligence. Health experts have also been cautioning people against negligence, saying unless a vaccine is found, they will have to continue following the precautions like wearing masks, maintaining social distance and washing hands frequently. They describe masks as the first line of defence against the virus. It was in April that the Telangana government made wearing masks compulsory for people when they are out of their house. A month later, the government announced that a Rs 1,000 fine will be imposed on those not complying with the rule. Negligence, lack of awareness and "nothing will happen to me" attitude are the reasons for people not wearing masks. This is despite the warning by health authorities that the number of cases among 20-40 age group is increasing. "A common sentiment is if I am not personally at high risk for Covid-19, why should I wear a mask? It is important to understand that the virus that causes Covid-19 can be spread even before symptoms appear, by such things as coughing, sneezing, or even speaking at close range," said Dr Rahul Agarwal, Senior Consultant - Internal Medicine, Medicover Hospitals, Hyderabad. "People should often wear masks to protect themselves and also to protect others from respiratory droplets. This approach is important because of possible asymptomatic transmissions of Covid-19. Social distancing and frequent hand-washing or use of hand sanitiser, will be important in limiting the spread of Covid-19 as we return to our usual activities," he said. According to Dr E. Bhavani, Consultant Microbiologist, Continental Hospitals, masks have become mandatory in today's life as Covid-19 spreads through micro droplets released while talking and sneezing. "As we cannot maintain social distance of six feet at all times, the only way we can stop Covid-19 spread is through wearing masks," she said According to the commentary in the New England Journal of Medicine, masks reduce the viral load that a person is exposed to, thereby conferring a degree of immunity. Wearing a mask is like having a vaccine. One also notices many people not wearing the masks properly. They are seen wearing it on their chin or neck and adjust it to cover nose and mouth only if they have to visit places where wearing a mask is mandatory. People are also in a dilemma as to which mask they should wear. According to Dr Agarwal, cloth face coverings have been recommended due to their low cost and ready availability. "Fabric masks should consist of at least three layers of different material in order to be effective. By using cloth face coverings, we can save surgical masks and N-95 masks for healthcare workers who may be involved in direct care of patients with Covid-19," he said. Dr Bhavani pointed out that wearing masks with two or more layers has been recommended. "Wear the mask over your nose and mouth and secure it under your chin, strongly fit it at the side of your face. Masks should be worn by people two years and older." "Masks should not be worn by children younger than two years, people who have trouble breathing or people who cannot remove the mask without assistance. Do not wear masks intended for healthcare workers, for example N95 masks. Do not wear a fabric that makes it difficult to breath, for example vinyl. Do not wear a mask with an exhalation valve or vent which allows virus particles to escape. Masks can be included in regular laundry. Always discard masks when it becomes wet in a closed dustbin," she added. DES MOINES Iowa Republicans hailed the return of a proven winner as they fight to re-elect President Donald Trump and U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst, but Democrats called Terry Branstads surprise decision to step down as U.S. ambassador to China in time to hit the fall campaign trail a sign of GOP desperation. While there was no official announcement Monday from the White House or U.S. State Department, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo tweeted about the former Iowa governor and the U.S. Embassy said Branstad confirmed his decision in a phone call with Trump last week. Trump told Ernst over the weekend that Branstad is coming home because he wants to campaign. Iowas other Republican U.S. senator Chuck Grassley issued a statement praising Branstad for his efforts to help level the playing field with China during his three years as Trumps ambassador to a key trading partner. Deploying Midwestern diplomacy that bears respect and takes no nonsense, his work on the international stage has been outstanding, just like his work on behalf of the people of Iowa when he was governor, said Grassley. Over the past few years, amid rising tensions and trade conflicts, its been reassuring to have an advocate for American agriculture bring his experience and expertise to the table and represent Americas interests with the worlds second largest economy. However, Iowa Democratic Party Chairman Mark Smith, a Marshalltown state representative, said Branstads tenure in China since mid-2017 was less than stellar. He went there to foster a long-standing relationship with President Xi Jinping but become part of a Trump administration trade war that had detrimental outcomes for farmers and jeopardized ties Branstad worked to build during his record time as governor. I dont rate it very high, Smith said of Branstads tenure, asserting the U.S. relationship with China is worse now and Branstad returns with only a short list of accomplishments. Branstad, who never lost an Iowa election when he was on the ballot and has a strong statewide network of support and wide name recognition, likely will remove himself from his ambassadorial duties and the political prohibitions that come with it in time to insert himself in the final weeks of the campaign. Republicans are battling to carry the state and its six electoral votes for Trump like they did in 2016, re-elect Ernst to a six-year term, send more Republicans to the U.S. House and retain GOP control of the Statehouse for Gov. Kim Reynolds in the Nov. 3 general election. A U.S. ambassador stepping down in order to hit the campaign trail is a historically desperate, last-ditch effort by Republicans to prop up vulnerable GOP politicians like President Trump and Senator Ernst who broke their promises to fight for Iowans in Washington, said Smith. While Democrats viewed Branstads return as an acknowledgment by Iowa Republicans that they have a problem with voters, Drake University political scientist Dennis Goldford said too little is known about why Branstad is returning to Iowa to draw any conclusions or speculate. Its also too early to say what impact Branstad would have on the campaign, Goldford said. Could he possibly swing some Bob Ray Republicans both of them that are left in the state? Could he get them to support Trump when they might be hesitant? Well, maybe. But anybody who is more of a Branstad Republican or is populist or conservative is already supporting Trump. Branstad might have enough of that former Iowa Gov. Bob Ray tint to give a level of comfort to moderate Republicans uneasy with the president, particularly in the business community, Goldford noted, whereas he probably doesnt have a lot of heavy lifting to do with regard with Ernst. At the same time, the Drake University political observer said having Branstad back on the campaign trail in Iowa doesnt hurt certainly but noted we certainly live in a different world from the one in which he was governor. In a close election, Goldford said, a feather on the scale certainly makes a difference so having a tried and true veteran like Branstad could be beneficial for Republicans even if its on the margins. But can he make some massive difference or swing an election? At this point its hard to see how he could do that, he noted. Steffen Schmidt, an Iowa State University political science professor, said Branstad comes back to Iowa with little to show in terms of protecting farmers. But he can campaign for the Republicans and he has been an amazing politician, he added. Hes a well-connected sheep dog who can herd the GOP cats to vote in numbers and vote Republican, Schmidt said. So Branstad can be an effective, well-known, experienced asset in a year when both parties need to open all the floodgates of assets because many races will be razor tight. Plus hes a likable guy. Smith said if Branstad is Republicans October surprise, Democrats are not worried. Were ready for it. Were willing to put forth the message that Iowans need to hear, which is the truth and how these policies of Trump, Ernst and Branstad have adversely affected Iowas economy. It may be too soon to know what role Branstad, 73, might take in campaigns. He might need time to readjust, but University of Iowa political science professor Tim Hagle expects Branstad has maintained contacts here and it would not take him that long to get back up to speed. Even if he doesnt literally hit the campaign trail, Branstad could help by reaching out virtually to past supporters of his and the presidents to reassure them four more years of Trump would be better for them than a Joe Biden presidency, Hagle said. When his name was on the ballot, Branstad was able to win over no party voters, who make up about one-third of all Iowa voters. They tend to care about jobs and the economy and health care, Hagle said. Being able to discuss the value of Trumps policies, possibly compared to Bidens, could help to keep those voters in Trumps (and Ernsts) camp, he said. Along similar lines, the same would be true for any Republican voters who might be tired of the drama surrounding Trumps administration. If he hits the campaign trail, Branstad is likely to draw crowds and positive reactions, said University of Northern Iowa political scientist Chris Larimer, but the folks showing up to such an event were likely going to be supporting Ernst anyway. What Ambassador Branstad may provide for Sen. Ernst is some political cover in that having Branstad on the campaign trail for her is likely going to be perceived as less polarizing than having President Trump, Larimer said. Even though Branstad was a part of the current administration, Larimer said its possible he will have some influence with older voters who remember him as Iowas governor rather than as Trumps ambassador. Love 27 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 0 Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman have been embroiled in a long-running 'feud'. And the pair 'clashed' again in a new commercial for Hugh's Laughing Man Coffee Company. Shared to Instagram on Tuesday, the ad, narrated by Ryan, 43, shows Hugh, 51, rising in bed in his New York apartment. Funny! Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman (pictured) have been embroiled in a long-running 'feud'. And the pair 'clashed' again in a new commercial for Hugh's Laughing Man Coffee Company shared to Instagram on Tuesday An alarm goes off, and he throws the clock at the wall, smashing it, before yelling at some children out the window. Ryan joked in the voice over: 'This is Hugh Jackman. Noted humanitarian. Goodwill ambassador'. Hugh then looks cranky as his dog stands at his feet, wanting to go for a walk, to which Hugh snaps, 'Go walk yourself!' Angry man: The ad, narrated by Ryan, 43, shows Hugh, 51, rising in bed in his New York apartment. An alarm goes off, and he throws the clock at the wall, smashing it, before yelling at some children out the window Woof: Hugh then looks cranky as his dog stands at his feet, wanting to go for a walk, to which Hugh snaps, 'Go walk yourself!' Ryan joked in the voice over: 'This is Hugh Jackman. Noted humanitarian. Goodwill ambassador' In voice-over, Ryan calls Hugh an 'eternal optimist' as Hugh is shown listening to heavy metal music. Finally, Hugh has some of his Laughing Man Coffee, which cheers him up - and Ryan jokes that the drink turns the actor into 'the Hugh Jackman we know and love'. In the comments under the Instagram video, Ryan poked fun at Hugh again, writing: 'Clearly, youre not a morning person. Afternoons and evenings arent amazing for you either.' Better: Finally, Hugh has some of his Laughing Man Coffee, which cheers him up Love the guy: Ryan jokes that the drink turns the actor into 'the Hugh Jackman we know and love' In the comments under the Instagram video, Ryan poked fun at Hugh again, writing: 'Clearly, youre not a morning person. Afternoons and evenings arent amazing for you either' Hugh established Laughing Man in 2011 to provide a marketplace for farmers in developing countries to sell their goods to customers in America. In an interview with the Daily Beast earlier this year, Hugh revealed exactly how his long-running rivalry with Ryan began. While the actor struggled to remember the specifics, he said it did start over Ryan's ex-wife, Scarlett Johansson, who he was married to from 2008 until 2011. Hugh said: 'I met him back on Wolverine, and I used to ream him because I was very close friends with Scarlett. Pals really! In an interview with the Daily Beast earlier this year, Hugh revealed exactly how his long-running rivalry with Ryan (right) began Over a girl: While the actor struggled to remember the specifics, he said it did start over Ryan's ex-wife, Scarlett Johansson (pictured) who he was married to from 2008 until 2011 'Scarlett had just married Ryan, so when he came on set I was like, "Hey, you better be on your best behaviour here, pal, because I'm watching," and we started ribbing each other that way.' Hugh said things 'escalated' after Ryan took on the role of Deadpool, proving to be a rival to his portrayal of Wolverine. And he claimed Ryan had used social media to 'manipulate' him in recent years, with the two men regularly poking fun at each other on Instagram. But Hugh joked he never spends more than 'five hours a day' thinking of ways to enact revenge on Ryan. Takeda, one of the world's leading global biopharmaceutical companies, has joined forces with some of the world's leading plasma companies to focus on developing a hyperimmune globulin in the worldwide fight against Covid-19 pandemic. Spearheading the Covid fight from its brand-new Dubai address and also the headquarters for India, CIS, the Middle East, including Turkey & Africa (ICMEA), Takeda said the CoVIg-19 Plasma Alliance is an unparalleled partnership. Tracing Takeda's roots in Japan back to 1781, the companys new office at One Central at Dubai World Trade Centre carefully curates' Japanese elements. The design details are subtly reflected in the corporate philosophy in its four values: Integrity, Fairness, Honesty, and Perseverance. Takeda's ICMEA business is part of its Growth & Emerging Business Unit (GEM), one of four Regional Business Units that make-up its worldwide commercial operations: The US, Japan, Europe & Canada (Eucan) and GEM. "Advances in research and development have been pushing the boundaries of science over the years, and we have been playing our part in helping bring transformative, life-changing therapies to patients across disease areas," remarked Takeda Senior VP and Area Head, Mahender Nayak. "Through groundbreaking initiatives such as the Mohammed bin Rashid Medical Research Institute, the community will surely benefit from research studies and scientific insights that are reflective and more specific to the regional population profile," stated Nayak. Its added focus on genetic studies will help the Institute resolve critical unmet medical needs while supporting the endeavors of organizations such as Takeda by building on combined strengths across all stages of discovery, development and commercialization, alongside its own global team of researchers and scientists, he added. On the new office, Nayak said Takeda's new area offices based at One Central at Dubai World Trade Centre houses the hub team for the ICMEA Area. "Following Takeda's recent 239th birthday as a company, we felt it suitable to introduce the new state-of-the-art facility, merging the worlds of science and Japanese tradition to provide a refreshed environment for our team members," he noted. Highlighting the key LEED initiatives at its new office, Nayak said: "One Central at DWTC itself is recognized for its green credentials, achieving Gold level certification by LEED standards, with Takeda's offices receiving Silver level certification. Takeda's values of Integrity, Honesty, Fairness, and Perseverance guide us in our obligation to protect the environment and our patients and motivate us to act urgently on climate change." Welcoming the Japanese group, Helal Saeed Almarri, Director General, Dubai World Trade Centre Authority (DWTCA) and Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM), said: "As one of the world's leading global biopharmaceutical companies, relocating its new area office for ICMEA to One Central to cover a wider geographic area emphasizes both the strategic importance of the development and supports Dubai's attractiveness to international corporations as a global dynamic business destination of choice." "DWTCA's One Central development continues to deliver a distinctive proposition that highlights Dubai's global status as a progressive, technologically advanced hub for international business," he added.-TradeArabia News Service India on Tuesday walked out of a meeting of the national security advisors of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation member countries in protest after the Pakistani representative used a "fictitious" map showing Indian territories as part of Pakistan. "This was in blatant disregard to the advisory by the host against it and in violation of the norms of the meeting. After consultation with the host, the Indian side left the meeting in protest at that juncture," External affairs ministry spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said. The virtual meeting was chaired by Russia. "As was to be expected, Pakistan then went on to present a misleading view of this meeting," Srivastava said responding to a query on the issue. Government sources said the Pakistani action was "blatant violation" of the SCO charter and against all its established norms of safeguarding the sovereignty and territorial integrity of SCO member states. They said the Indian side issued its strong objection to the use of the illegal map by Pakistan and even the Russian side tried very hard to persuade the Pakistani representative not to do so. Pakistan was represented at the meet by Moeed W Yusuf, Special Assistant to the prime minister on national security. Nikolai Patrushev, the Secretary of the National Security Council of Russia, conveyed that he was personally very grateful to Indian NSA Ajit Doval for attending the meet, the sources said. They said Russia does not support what Pakistan has done and hopes that Pakistan's "provocative" act will not affect India's participation in SCO and not cast any shadow on Patrushev's warm personal relationship with the Indian NSA for whom he said he has the "highest regard". Both India and Pakistan are members of the SCO, an influential regional grouping. The SCO, seen as a counterweight to NATO, has emerged as one of the largest trans-regional international organisations which accounts for almost 44 per cent of the world population stretching from the Arctic Ocean to the Indian Ocean and from the Pacific Ocean to the Baltic Sea. 15 Sep 2020, 9:46 AM Govt bans export of onion with immediate effect The government on Monday banned the export of all varieties of onion except those cut, sliced or broken in powder form, to increase availability of the commodity in the domestic market and contain rising prices. There is shortage of onion in the domestic market due to heavy rainfall and floods. YouTube Shorts launched in India, hopes to fill spot vacated by TikTok banAfter Instagram's Reels, YouTube has rolled out its short video platform called YouTube Shorts to fill the void created by the TikTok ban in India. Ever since TikTok was banned in India, several tech companies came up with their own short video platforms. YouTube too was long-speculated to be developing a similar platform and now the company has finally made it official. The video creation tool would be first available for Indian users. Indian economy normalising after Q1 slump; growth potential intact: Kumar Mangalam Birla Kumar Mangalam Birla, Chairman of Aditya Birla Group, exuded confidence that India is on the path to economic recovery after a severe shock in the first quarter of this fiscal. Addressing shareholders of Grasim on Monday, he stated that Indian and global economy are likely to bounce back as a result of fiscal and monetary measures employed across the world. Public banks need much more than Rs 20,000 crore capital infusion The government has sought approval from the parliament for Rs 20,000 crore capital for public sector banks (PSBs) via recapitalisation bonds. There will, however, be no additional burden on the government finances as bonds issued by the government will be subscribed by the banks first which, in turn, will come back to them from the government as capital. But the PSBs will require much more than Rs 20,000 crore considering worst-case scenarios. Rs 65,560 crore to fight future pandemics! Centre to invest in research, healthcare The Central government is planning to spend Rs 65,560.98 crore under Prime Minister Atma Nirbhar Swasth Bharat Yojana to identify gaps in health infrastructure and effectively face the challenges of COVID-19-like pandemics, epidemics and disasters in future. Indian Oil expects gas oil, petrol sales to reach pre-COVID levels in H1 FY21Indian Oil Corp, the country's top refiner, expects local demand for gasoline and gasoil to reach pre-pandemic levels in the first half of next fiscal year beginning April 2021, Chairman SM Vaidya said on Monday. India, the world's third-biggest oil importer and consumer, has experienced a sharp decline in its fuel demand, mirroring a global trend following the coronavirus outbreak. Chinese investment in India falls 28.5% YoY to $163.77 million in FY20Chinese Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in India declined by 28.48 per cent year-on-year to $163.77 million in the financial year 2019-20, according to an official statement, as souring relations between New Delhi and Beijing led to a fall in investor confidence. The fund inflows from Chinese companies in India have declined on an annual basis from $350.22 million in 2017-18 to $229 million in 2018-19, Parliament was informed on Monday. Surfing superstar Stephanie Gilmore was left shaken after her accused stalker allegedly approached her at a competition over the weekend. The seven-time world champion was competing at the Tweed Coast Pro at Cabarita in northern NSW on Sunday when Squires Winter allegedly spoke to her. Gilmore had been unloading her board from her car when the 66-year-old man allegedly appeared beside her, the Daily Telegraph reported. Mr Winter is banned from looking for the surfer or going within 500m of her after Gilmore took out an personal violence order to be protected from him in May. Surfing superstar Stephanie Gilmore was left shaken after her alleged stalked approached her at a competition over the weekend Gilmore in action during the Tweed Coast Pro at Cabarita Beach in Northern NSW on Sunday Mr Winter began the conversation, saying: 'Hi how are you?' Gilmore did not recongise him at first and responded saying 'great, thank you'. Mr Winter then mentioned 'catching up later'. Gilmore said they would not be and went to leave. Mr Winter then allegedly said: 'We are going to catch up later, aren't we?' Gilmore said no and walked away. She later told police she was left feeling unsafe. Mr Winter, who lives in Glenreagh, northwest of Coffs Harbour, was allegedly found by police at midday about 50m from the car park of the event. He allegedly told police he had been on his way to Brisbane when he stopped to use the bathroom and saw Gilmore. The seven-time world champion (pictured in September last year) was competing at the Tweed Coast Pro at Cabarita in northern NSW on Sunday when Squires Winter allegedly went to speak with her Gilmore was left shaken by the encounter and informed police of the interaction shortly after her heat He told police he understood the protection order prevented him from approaching Gilmore. Mr Winter appeared in Tweed Heads Local Court via audio-video link on Tuesday where he pleaded not guilty to contravening a protection order. Police prosecutor Sergeant Chris Martin said Mr Winter's story 'did not make any sense' as he knew he would not be able to cross the border due to coronavirus restrictions. During the bail application hearing, Sgt Martin said there were extreme concerns for Gilmore's welfare and Mr Winter had a long history of violence. Mr Winter was denied bail, with Magistrate Geoff Dunley citing his long history of violence, and previous breaches of AVOs. His decision to deny bail was also due to Mr Winter travelling a lengthy distance to breach the order, which he found indicated 'fixated behaviour and some degree of planning'. In 2010 Gilmore was attacked Julius Fox with a metal bar outside her home in Coolangatta. She suffered wrist and head injuries which left her in emotional turmoil, with her attacker eventually jailed for four years. External Affairs Minister on Tuesday held extensive talks with US special envoy for Zalmay Khalilzad on the historic peace negotiations between the and the Afghan government and related issues. Khalilzad arrived here in the midst of the Afghan peace talks in Doha which are aimed at ending 19 years of war in that has killed tens of thousands of people and ravaged various parts of the country. "Glad to receive Amb. Zalmay Khalilzad @US4AfghanPeace this evening. Useful discussions on the Doha Meeting and its follow-up," Jaishankar tweeted. Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla were also present in the meeting. Khalilzad visited Islamabad on Monday where he met Pakistan Army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa and discussed the Afghan peace process among other issues. On Saturday, an Indian delegation attended the inaugural ceremony of the intra-Afghan negotiations in Doha while Jaishankar joined it through video conference. In his address at the ceremony, Jaishankar said India expects that the soil of is never used for any anti-India activities. There have been apprehensions in India over the possibility of use of Afghan soil for anti-India activities if a new dispensation that is friendly to Pakistan emerges from the intra-Afghan negotiations. India has been a major stakeholder in peace and stability in Afghanistan. It has already invested USD two billion in aid and reconstruction activities in the country. India has been supporting a peace and reconciliation process which is Afghan-led, Afghan-owned and Afghan-controlled. India has been keenly following the evolving political situation after the US inked a peace deal with the in February. The deal provided for the withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan, effectively drawing curtains to Washington's 18-year war in the country. The US has lost over 2,400 soldiers in Afghanistan since late 2001. India has also been maintaining that care should be taken to ensure that any such process does not lead to any "ungoverned spaces" where terrorists and their proxies can relocate. India has been calling upon all sections of the political spectrum in Afghanistan to work together to meet the aspirations of all people in that country including those from the minority community for a prosperous and safe future. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Today we will run through one way of estimating the intrinsic value of Jacobs Engineering Group Inc. (NYSE:J) by projecting its future cash flows and then discounting them to today's value. One way to achieve this is by employing the Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) model. It may sound complicated, but actually it is quite simple! Companies can be valued in a lot of ways, so we would point out that a DCF is not perfect for every situation. For those who are keen learners of equity analysis, the Simply Wall St analysis model here may be something of interest to you. See our latest analysis for Jacobs Engineering Group What's the estimated valuation? We are going to use a two-stage DCF model, which, as the name states, takes into account two stages of growth. The first stage is generally a higher growth period which levels off heading towards the terminal value, captured in the second 'steady growth' period. In the first stage we need to estimate the cash flows to the business over the next ten years. Where possible we use analyst estimates, but when these aren't available we extrapolate the previous free cash flow (FCF) from the last estimate or reported value. We assume companies with shrinking free cash flow will slow their rate of shrinkage, and that companies with growing free cash flow will see their growth rate slow, over this period. We do this to reflect that growth tends to slow more in the early years than it does in later years. A DCF is all about the idea that a dollar in the future is less valuable than a dollar today, so we need to discount the sum of these future cash flows to arrive at a present value estimate: 10-year free cash flow (FCF) estimate 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 Levered FCF ($, Millions) US$620.5m US$693.3m US$747.4m US$793.3m US$832.6m US$867.1m US$897.9m US$926.3m US$953.0m US$978.5m Growth Rate Estimate Source Analyst x5 Analyst x2 Est @ 7.81% Est @ 6.13% Est @ 4.96% Est @ 4.14% Est @ 3.56% Est @ 3.16% Est @ 2.88% Est @ 2.68% Present Value ($, Millions) Discounted @ 8.5% US$572 US$589 US$585 US$572 US$553 US$530 US$506 US$481 US$456 US$431 ("Est" = FCF growth rate estimated by Simply Wall St) Present Value of 10-year Cash Flow (PVCF) = US$5.3b Story continues We now need to calculate the Terminal Value, which accounts for all the future cash flows after this ten year period. The Gordon Growth formula is used to calculate Terminal Value at a future annual growth rate equal to the 5-year average of the 10-year government bond yield of 2.2%. We discount the terminal cash flows to today's value at a cost of equity of 8.5%. Terminal Value (TV)= FCF 2030 (1 + g) (r g) = US$979m (1 + 2.2%) (8.5% 2.2%) = US$16b Present Value of Terminal Value (PVTV)= TV / (1 + r)10= US$16b ( 1 + 8.5%)10= US$7.0b The total value is the sum of cash flows for the next ten years plus the discounted terminal value, which results in the Total Equity Value, which in this case is US$12b. To get the intrinsic value per share, we divide this by the total number of shares outstanding. Compared to the current share price of US$94.0, the company appears about fair value at a 0.1% discount to where the stock price trades currently. The assumptions in any calculation have a big impact on the valuation, so it is better to view this as a rough estimate, not precise down to the last cent. dcf Important assumptions Now the most important inputs to a discounted cash flow are the discount rate, and of course, the actual cash flows. You don't have to agree with these inputs, I recommend redoing the calculations yourself and playing with them. The DCF also does not consider the possible cyclicality of an industry, or a company's future capital requirements, so it does not give a full picture of a company's potential performance. Given that we are looking at Jacobs Engineering Group as potential shareholders, the cost of equity is used as the discount rate, rather than the cost of capital (or weighted average cost of capital, WACC) which accounts for debt. In this calculation we've used 8.5%, which is based on a levered beta of 1.051. Beta is a measure of a stock's volatility, compared to the market as a whole. We get our beta from the industry average beta of globally comparable companies, with an imposed limit between 0.8 and 2.0, which is a reasonable range for a stable business. Moving On: Although the valuation of a company is important, it is only one of many factors that you need to assess for a company. The DCF model is not a perfect stock valuation tool. Rather it should be seen as a guide to "what assumptions need to be true for this stock to be under/overvalued?" For example, changes in the company's cost of equity or the risk free rate can significantly impact the valuation. For Jacobs Engineering Group, we've compiled three pertinent elements you should assess: Risks: You should be aware of the 2 warning signs for Jacobs Engineering Group we've uncovered before considering an investment in the company. Management:Have insiders been ramping up their shares to take advantage of the market's sentiment for J's future outlook? Check out our management and board analysis with insights on CEO compensation and governance factors. Other Solid Businesses: Low debt, high returns on equity and good past performance are fundamental to a strong business. Why not explore our interactive list of stocks with solid business fundamentals to see if there are other companies you may not have considered! PS. Simply Wall St updates its DCF calculation for every American stock every day, so if you want to find the intrinsic value of any other stock just search here. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com. Bayer AG settled thousands more U.S. lawsuits over its Roundup weed killer after criticism that the company was failing to uphold an $11 billion deal it announced in June to resolve the massive litigation. The agreements, revealed in a court filing late Monday, are with lawyers representing consumers who argue Roundup caused their cancer. The settlements mark a significant step forward after the lawyers said two weeks ago that Bayer was backing out of their agreements. The judge handling all the cases filed in U.S. federal court expressed surprise in an Aug. 28 hearing at how little progress the company had made. The latest settlements resolve about 15,000 U.S. lawsuits, according to lawyers familiar with the deals. Added to the approximately 32,000 settlements previously disclosed by Ken Feinberg, the mediator overseeing the process, Bayer has resolved at least 47,000 of the suits. The company has said it faces about 125,000 filed and unfiled Roundup claims. The value of the settlements wasnt disclosed. At the hearing last month, U.S. District Judge Vince Chhabria said he had paused the federal Roundup litigation based on Bayers representation that it had been settled. After learning details falling short of his expectations, the judge threatened to lift the pause, allowing the cases to go to trial. It remains to be seen whether the settlements revealed Monday will satisfy him. CEO Contract Bayer last week extended the contract of Chief Executive Officer Werner Baumann, in a sign of continuity as the German company works its way through the thicket of lawsuits. The company said at the time it was making progress with plaintiff attorneys. Spokesman Christian Hartel, reached by phone, referred to a company statement from last week in which it said Bayer will proceed on an accelerated basis to finalize the preliminary deals to resolve existing suits that were announced in June. Bayer has now settled with all the lawyers who took Roundup cases to trial and won big verdicts that deeply exacerbated the problem for the company. The legal threat has weighed on Bayer since its 2018 acquisition of Monsanto, maker of the herbicide, with the shares losing more than a third of their value. The companys stock rose as much as 1% early Tuesday in Frankfurt. Were the ones who know where all the bodies are buried, said Brent Wisner, one of the three lawyers whose settlements were disclosed Monday. The lawyers who took the cases to trial sifted through millions of documents to build the suits, he said. The people who are left unsettled, if they want to pursue this litigation, theyre going to have to do what took us four years. Step Forward The agreements are a huge step forward for Bayer and Monsanto finding a way through the nightmare that has been Roundup for them, Wisner said. The other lawyers Bayer settled with are Jennifer Moore and Aimee Wagstaff, who won the only Roundup case so far to go to trial before Chhabria in San Francisco. All three lawyers declined to discuss the terms of their deals. A fourth lawyer who took a Roundup case to trial, Mike Miller, previously indicated his lawsuits were settled. On behalf of my clients across the country, I am pleased that we were finally able to reach a settlement with Monsanto and bring resolution and justice for my clients, Moore said. The case is In re Roundup Products Liability Litigation, 16-md-02741, U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California (San Francisco). With assistance from Tim Loh. Copyright 2022 Bloomberg. Nothing about 2020 surprises us anymore. It has been the year of pandemics, wildfires, asteroids zooming past Earth and now, aliens. Scientists said on Monday that they have detected in the harshly acidic clouds of Venus, a gas called phosphine, that indicates microbes may inhabit Earths inhospitable neighbour, a tantalizing sign of potential life beyond Earth. Also Read: Aliens on Venus? Potential Signs of Life Detected on the Inhospitable Planet Also Read: 2020 Series Finale: Venus May Have Alien Life and Humans Already Want to Migrate This could be indicative of the presence of alien life on a planet that has always been described as inhospitable. Heres what we know thus far about the stunning finding. What have the scientists discovered? In a study published in Nature Astronomy, the researchers have reported traces of phosphine in small concentration on Venus - of around 20 parts per billion, which is much more than what can be expected. The gas has been detected in the highly toxic atmosphere of Venus, as reported by New York Times. The Indian Express reports that this groundbreaking discovery was apparently made in 2017, but the scientists chose dig deeper and confirm before going public with it this year. Did the scientists find life on Venus? No, technically, they did not. No images of alien life form have been captured, nor have the scientists been able to bring back specimens of microbes to examine them. In short, the team of scientists, from the UK, US and Japan, have not found life form on Venus. Instead, they found a substance, Phosphine, which is usually found on Earth either industrially or when microbes thrive in the absence of oxygen. According to a report by Reuters, the discovery of phosphine is a major breakthrough and could indicate life on the planet. However, life, as an explanation for the discovery should be the last resort, according to Massachusetts Institute of Technology molecular astrophysicist and study co-author Clara Sousa-Silva. I should emphasize that life, as an explanation for our discovery, should be, as always, the last resort, Sousa-Silva added. This is important because, if it is phosphine, and if it is life, it means that we are not alone. It also means that life itself must be very common, and there must be many other inhabited planets throughout our galaxy. The abstract of the study published in the journal mentions clearly that the presence of phosphine on Venus is unexplained. After detailed and thorough study, the scientists have not been able to determine the source of the gas. The presence of PH3 is unexplained after exhaustive study of steady-state chemistry and photochemical pathways, with no currently known abiotic production routes in Venuss atmosphere, clouds, surface and subsurface, or from lightning, volcanic or meteoritic delivery," says the first part of the study. What is Phosphine? Phosphine - a phosphorus atom with three hydrogen atoms attached - is highly toxic to people. It is a colourless but smelly gas which is usually produced when microbes, like bacteria, survive in the absence of oxygen. The researchers examined potential non-biological sources such as volcanism, meteorites, lightning and various types of chemical reactions, but none appeared viable. The research continues to either confirm the presence of life or find an alternative explanation. On Earth, microorganisms in anaerobic environments - ecosystems that do not rely on oxygen - produce phosphine. These include sewage plants, swamps, rice fields, marshlands, lake sediments and the excrements and intestinal tracts of many animals. Phosphine also arises non-biologically in certain industrial settings. To produce phosphine, Earth bacteria take up phosphate from minerals or biological material and add hydrogen. Ideally, given that Venus is extremely hostile and completely toxic and inhospitable, it should be destroying the phosphine that is in its clouds. Reuters adds that its surface and atmosphere are rich in oxygen compounds that would rapidly react with and destroy phosphine. Yet, that has not happened. Something must be creating the phosphine on Venus as fast as it is being destroyed, said study co-author Anita Richards, an astrophysicist associated with the University of Manchester in England. But is Venus able to support life? Ideally, it should not. Venus is Earths closest planetary neighbour. Similar in structure but slightly smaller than Earth, it is the second planet from the sun. Earth is the third. Venus is wrapped in a thick, toxic atmosphere that traps in heat. Surface temperatures reach a scorching 880 degrees Fahrenheit (471 degrees Celsius), hot enough to melt lead. The planet has massive concentrations of carbon dioxide and the thick atmosphere of the planet exerts a pressure of 1,300 pounds per square inch on whatever is present on the surface. As NY Times reports, all these factors make it extremely difficult to visit Venus or even examine the supposed life form that exists on it. Apparently, Venus destroys any metal that lands on its surfaces, including spacecraft. What about Venus exploration missions? Once reports of alien life on Venus began doing the rounds on social media, several pointed out that it was now time to prioritise Venus over other planets like Mars. For long, scientists have focused on Mars and traces of water on it as the most likely planet to have a life form on it. On the other hand, Venus is considered to be the most hellish" planet in the solar system. Despite the aforementioned hostile conditions on Venus, human beings have tried to send up spacecrafts to explore the planet. Heres a chronology of missions to Venus, starting from 1961. However, none have been successful per say. Currently, the Japanese spacecraft Akatsuki is the only one monitoring the planet. How significant is this discovery? This is, by far, the most credible evidence of the presence of life outside our planet. In fact, some scientists reportedly believe that this could be more important than finding water traces on Mars. The administrator of NASA, Jim Bridenstine, also said on Twitter that it is time to prioritise Venus, which has long been ignored owing to its hostile environment. Dr David L Clements, Reader in Astrophysics at Imperial College London, told Express UK that the discovery will shift everyones attention to Venus. According to him, this will prompt more scientists to find out what exactly is going on on Venus. If it is life that is releasing phosphine, then researchers will have to find out more about it. If not, it will give a better understanding of the planet and the complex chemistry it possesses. We have done our very best to explain this discovery without the need for a biological process. With our current knowledge of phosphine, and Venus, and geochemistry, we cannot explain the presence of phosphine in the clouds of Venus. That doesnt mean it is life. It just means that some exotic process is producing phosphine, and our understanding of Venus needs work, one of the researchers said. While previous robotic spacecraft have visited Venus, a new probe may be needed to confirm life. Fortunately, Venus is right next door, Sousa-Silva said. So we can literally go and check. (With inputs from Reuters) Beirut faced fresh misery today as a third fire broke out in the space of a week in a city still reeling from the catastrophic port explosion which killed nearly 200 people last month. Black clouds of smoke were pouring from the futuristic Zaha Hadid-designed shopping centre today on the main road that passes by the port in central Beirut. The cause of the fire is not clear, but firefighters doused the bright red flames with water hoses fired from a crane into the smouldering facade of the building. Separately, there were reports of yet another blaze at a sports facility elsewhere in Beirut, with footage appearing to show smoke rising near a major road. The series of fires in the last week has brought fresh anguish to a city still in shock from the August 4 blast that devastated Beirut and unleashed a wave of outrage at corruption and incompetence among Lebanon's elite. While Emmanuel Macron is spearheading efforts to turn the country around, France is on a collision course with Washington which warned today that the crisis could not be resolved without addressing Hezbollah's arms supplies. A crowd gathers around the Zaha Hadid-designed shopping centre which caught fire in Beirut today in the third blaze to hit the city since August's catastrophic explosion Black clouds of smoke were pouring from the futuristic shopping centre today on the main road that passes by the port where the explosion took place in central Beirut Smoke from the burning shopping centre obscured part of the neighbouring Hilton hotel Separate footage appeared to show another blaze at a sports facility elsewhere in Beirut The building that caught fire today has been under construction for years but its curved lattice has become a prominent feature of the central commercial area that was rebuilt after the 1975-90 civil war. During the reconstruction, skyscrapers designed by international architects have gone up and historical Ottoman-era buildings have been renovated. But Lebanon's economic crisis had driven many businesses out of the city centre even before the August 4 blast ruined another swathe of the capital. Witnesses at the scene today saw firefighters use a crane to aim water hoses at the charred facade of the building. 'What was on fire was the insulation that separates the outside from the inside' of the building, a civil defence officer said. 'We were able in the fastest time possible to control' the blaze, he said. Another civil defence official said firefighters have extinguished the fire, adding that an investigation would be opened. There were no immediate reports of injuries. Today's emergency follows a small fire at the port last Tuesday and another huge fire on Thursday at a port warehouse where food aid was stored. Both the explosion and port fires have revived popular outrage against a political class accused of being inept, corrupt and unable to ensure public safety Firefighters are lifted up by a crane to extinguish the fire which broke out at Beirut Souks on Tuesday. The cause of the fire is not yet known People watch as firefighters are hoisted up in a crane and water hoses are aimed at the curved lattice of the building in Beirut today The ruined facade of the building after a fire in what one civil defence official said was the insulation between the interior and the outside of the building A man inspects the damage as pieces of debris hang from the side of the landmark building Preliminary government findings said sparks from a power saw could have caused Thursday's blaze, echoing a theory that welding was also behind the August 4 explosion. Greenpeace warned residents to protect themselves against 'toxic' smoke after Thursday's fire, which broke out in a warehouse thought to be storing tyres. On Tuesday, local social media users speculated the cause of the fire at the Zaha Hadid building could also be welding. Hadid, the British-Iraqi architect who died in 2016, was famed for her architectural works of sweeping curves in countries around the world. She was the first woman to win the prestigious Pritzker Prize for architecture, and best known for her designs for the Guangzhou Opera House in China and the aquatics centre used in the 2012 London Olympics. The latest fire left residents exasperated in a nation waiting for its politicians to get a grip on the crisis. 'It's terrible. It's unbelievable,' said Joe Sayegh, 48, who had been on a jog through the city before coming to the scene. 'Every day we have a problem.' Wreckage lies in front of destroyed grain silos in the port of Beirut three days after the devastating explosion in the Lebanese capital on August 4 The devastated port of Beirut is seen in an aerial view after the explosion at a warehouse which killed nearly 200 people The government resigned after the port blast, which was blamed on highly explosive ammonium nitrate kept in poor storage conditions for years. France is pressing Lebanon to form a new government to tackle endemic corruption and implement reforms to unlock foreign aid. But many Lebanese remain sceptical that Lebanon's political elite can chart a new course. 'With these people, if they are the same people, nothing will change,' Sayegh said. While France says that the Iran-backed Hezbollah group has a legitimate role in Lebanese politics, the US regards it as a terrorist organisation. Hezbollah, which has a parliamentary majority, and its Shi'aite ally Amal held senior posts in the last government including the health and finance ministries. US secretary of state Mike Pompeo warned France today that its efforts to resolve the crisis in would be in vain without tackling the issue of Hezbollah's weaponry. French officials have said the priority is to put in place a government that could implement reforms quickly. But the United States last week expanded its sanctions related to Lebanon by blacklisting two former government ministers it accused of enabling Hezbollah. 'The United States has assumed its responsibility and we will stop Iran buying Chinese tanks and Russian air defence systems and then selling weapons to Hezbollah (and) torpedoing President Macron's efforts in Lebanon,' Pompeo told France Inter radio. 'You can't allow Iran to have more money, power and arms and at same time try to disconnect Hezbollah from the disasters it provoked in Lebanon.' Rochester Mayor Lovely Warren fired Police Chief La'Ron Singletary Monday, two weeks before he was set to retire from his command, as part of leadership changes following a review of Daniel Prude's death. Warren told reporters that the cursory management review of the city's handling of the March 23 incident showed that the city did not take Prude's death as seriously as it should have. She said changes needed to happen immediately. "The initial look has shown what so many have suspected, that we have a pervasive problem in the Rochester Police Department -- one that views everything through the eyes of the badge and not the citizens we serve," she said at a news conference. MORE: Rochester police chief, deputies step down suddenly following protests over death of Daniel Prude In addition to ousting Singletary, Warren suspended Rochester Corporation Counsel Tim Curtin and Communications Director Justin Roj for 30 days without pay for "failure to act, inform and follow policy and procedures," she said in a statement. PHOTO: Rochester Police Chief, La'Ron Singletary speaks during a news conference with Mayor Lovely Warren regarding the protests over the death of Daniel Prude during an arrest on March 23, in Rochester, N.Y., Sept. 6, 2020. (Brendan Mcdermid/Reuters) Singletary announced last week that he was retiring on Sept. 29 because of the ongoing investigation into Prude's death. Six other department leaders announced they will vacate their roles at the end of the month. The shakeup came a week after police body camera footage was released showing the incident between the officers and Prude, 41. Prude's brother, Joe, called 911 to get help, saying Daniel was having a mental health emergency. In the video, officers approach Prude, who is naked, and Prude initially complies with the officers' orders. Prude is subsequently seen shouting and spitting, which prompts officers to place a spit bag over his head. The officers are then seen pinning Prude to the ground while the bag is still on his head, and he eventually goes lifeless. Prude died a week later. PHOTO: Rochester Mayor Lovely Warren addresses the media during a news conference in Rochester, N.Y., Sept. 8, 2020. (Adrian Kraus/AP, FILE) Seven officers involved with the incident have been suspended as the New York state attorney general conducts her investigation. Several protests broke out in the days following the release of the video, with some of them turning contentious as police broke up crowds who marched through the city. Story continues MORE: Demonstrators march to Rochester Public Safety Building to protest death of Daniel Prude Warren said she would enact several reviews from the report. The mayor called for the City Office of Public Integrity (OPI) to initiate a thorough investigation to determine if any employees -- including herself -- violated city policies or ethical standards. She also called on the U.S. attorney general to investigate whether Prude's civil rights were violated in the arrest. "I have apologized to the Prude family and this community for the failures that happened along the way, including my own," Warren said in a statement. "As mayor, I own these failures." ABC News' Joshua Hoyos contributed to this report. Rochester mayor fires police chief amid leadership shake-up over Daniel Prude's death originally appeared on abcnews.go.com Americans, of course, buy products that are made all over the world, but most of the toilet paper they use is made in the U.S. Toilet paper is inexpensive and takes up a lot of space in trucks and ships, making it not worth the cost of importing from other countries. Thats left the toilet paper aisle with the same familiar brands, causing some shoppers to do a double take when they see the unfamiliar stuff. The Deputy Campaign Manager of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr Abdul Mustapha Hamid has advised Ghanaians not to take the comfort they are enjoying under President Nana Akufo-Addo for granted. He stated that its likely for the comfort to engender forgetfulness and so urged Ghanaians not to forget how they suffered under the erstwhile Mahama administration. Speaking at NPPs weekly press conference at Alisa Hotel on Monday, Hon. Mustapha Hamid who also doubles as Zongo Development Minister said the Akan people say that, atiyi3 ma awir3fi3, to wit, comfort engenders forgetfulness. We have taken the new comfort for granted and have forgotten that it has not always been like this. It has taken the vision and conviction of President Akufo-Addo to restore the dignity and sanity to our country and its people. So soon people forgotten that for three years we slept in darkness. For three years businesses in this country had collapsed because of dumsor. Indeed dumsor cost this country. And it was not for lack of capacity. It was simply because the economy was in such a poor state, that the NDC government could not raise the money required to keep the lights on. When we make the argument today, they tell us that they resolved dumsor before the exited. Here are the statistics for how many hours the lights were off in 2015, 2016 and 2017. In 2015, there was 868 hours, 44 minutes of power outages. In 2016, there were 320 hours, 27 minutes of power outages. In 2017, there were 41 hours and 7 minutes of power outages. So, they should tell us if resolving over 800 hours of power outages is tantamount to resolving dumsor, he further stated. Ladies and gentlemen of the media, that is what leadership of vision and conviction does. But beyond vision and conviction, we need leadership of empathy and compassion. For many years, Ghanaians in rural areas were dying because basic medical deliverables like anti-snake serums were unavailable. The empathy that President Akufo-Addo has for the rural people and his vision got him to institute the drone service for delivering critical medical supplies to remote areas of our country to save lives. We have established drone delivery centers in Omenako in the Eastern Region, Walewale in the North-East Region, Mampong in the Ashanti Region and Sefwi-Wiawso in the Western-North Region. To date, 79, 800 life-saving products have been delivered to 945 health facilities across the country, including 2, 500 COVID samples to two testing centers. Just yesterday, Ghanas drone delivery system together with that of Rwanda were the subjects of a BBC documentary. Today, Akufo-Addos leadership is being praised across the world, with his quotes making it into many write-ups and articles across respected journals. Just go to youtube or google and search for the top ten most respected leaders across Africa and see how our President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo fares, he added, asking how come Ghana was not mentioned in that respect eight years, seven years or four years ago?. Source: Josephine Acheampomaa/[email protected] Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Tuesday warned France that its efforts to resolve the crisis in Lebanon would be in vain without immediately tackling the issue of Iran-backed Hezbollah's weaponry. President Emmanuel Macron has spearheaded international efforts to set Lebanon on a new course after decades of corrupt rule led to its deepest crisis since the 1975-1990 civil war. But unlike Washington, which deems the heavily armed and politically powerful movement a terrorist group, Paris says its elected arm has a legitimate political role. The United States last week expanded its sanctions related to Lebanon by blacklisting two former government ministers it accused of enabling Hezbollah. That has raised questions as to how much the US and France are coordinating as Lebanon's factional rivalries struggle to form a new government. "The United States has assumed its responsibility and we will stop Iran buying Chinese tanks and Russian air defence systems and then selling weapons to Hezbollah (and) torpedoing President Macron's efforts in Lebanon," Pompeo told France Inter radio. "You can't allow Iran to have more money, power and arms and at same time try to disconnect Hezbollah from the disasters it provoked in Lebanon." Hezbollah, which has a parliamentary majority, and its Shiite ally Amal held ministerial posts in the last government, including the health and finance ministries. Macron said on Sept. 1, during a visit a month after a devastating Beirut port blast, that Lebanese politicians agreed to form a cabinet by Sept. 15, an ambitious timeline given it usually takes months. French officials have said the priority is to put in place a government that could implement reforms quickly, but the matter of Hezbollah's weapons was not an immediate issue. French daily newspaper Le Figaro reported in August that Macron had met Mohammed Raad, the head of Hezbollah's parliamentary bloc, and told him that the group should disassociate itself from Iran and remove its forces from neghbouring Syria. The French presidency did not deny the meeting, which would be a first between a French leader and a member of the group. "It's a doubled-edged sword for Macron. Hezbollah is part of the very governance system that needs changing and I'm not sure you can deal with political Hezbollah without handling armed Hezbollah," said a French diplomatic source. Search Keywords: Short link: The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State has summoned the Special Adviser on Political Matters to President Muhammadu Buhari, Babafemi Ojudu; and 11 others to appear before a panel for allegedly disobeying the partys directive. Mr Ojudu has been a vocal critic of Governor Kayode Fayemi in Ekiti. The 12 party members are to appear within 10 days before an eight-member disciplinary panel raised by the state chapter of the party for their failure to withdraw court cases instituted against the party. Others summoned are Oyetunde Ojo, said to be an in-law to ex-Lagos governor Bola Tinubu, Femi Adeleye, Bunmi Ogunleye, Akin Akomolafe, Bamigboye Adegoroye, Wole Oluyede, Olusoga Owoeye, Dele Afolabi, Toyin Oluwasola, Ayo Ajibade and Ben Oguntuase. This development was announced to journalists in Ado Ekiti on Tuesday, by the partys spokesperson, Sam Oluwalana, who is also a member of the disciplinary panel. You will recall that on 25th July, 2020, the National Executive Council headed by President Buhari passed a resolution directing members of the party to withdraw not to institute any court action and to withdraw their cases in court in order to explore the internal conflict resolution mechanisms of the party. The caretaker finds it worrisome that despite the directive of NEC and the subsequent steps taken by the party to ensure compliance, there have been a number of court cases by party members seeking for the dissolution of the Caretaker Committee /State Congresses in complete disregard of the directive of NEC. The leadership of the party has decided to invoke the provisions of Article 21 of the party constitution against members of the party who have flouted the directive. He said the composition of the disciplinary committee was in line with the directive given by Mai Mala Buni-led caretaker committee. Let me clarify here, this is not a suspension but an invitation. We are not here to witch-hunt anybody; all those involved will be given fair hearing, his statement read. Speaking with PREMIUM TIMES in an interview, Mr Ojudu said he has not received the summon. I have not received any summon and it is not served by mere press conference. I have been in talk with the party leadership and that has not been communicated. It is my ward that has the power to summon me. They have tried to use my ward against me but it failed. So, the summon they called is illegal. Twitter recently introduced a new election misinformation policy that allows it to take more aggressive action on tweets that could undermine election results. Now, the company is taking new steps to promote official election information to its users ahead of the 2020 presidential election. Twitter is introducing a dedicated place for election news on its platform with a new US elections tab in the Explore section of its app and website. According to Twitter, the hub is meant to make it simpler for people to find accurate information and resources on Twitter. It will serve as a centralized hub for voting resources and ballot information, as well as election-related news. The company will highlight election-specific Moments from reputable news outlets, for example, as well as live streams of official events like the upcoming debates. Twitter will also promote PSAs to educate users about how to vote, including how to request an absentee ballot. The new hub comes as Twitter and other platforms try to shore up their services ahead of the 2020 election. With more people expected to vote by mail than in previous years, experts have warned that companies need to do more to prevent disinformation from spreading, especially if a winner isnt immediately clear on election night. Twitter, along with Facebook, Google and Microsoft, also recently met with government agencies to discuss election security. Malaysian sniffer dogs tracked missing British girl Nora Quoirin's scent to an abandoned fishing hut - but found no scent at the villa window she is thought to have climbed through, her inquest heard. Nora vanished from the Dusun rainforest resort, around 45 miles from Kuala Lumpur, where she had been staying with her parents and siblings on August 3 last year. A huge rescue operation was launched involving more than 350 searchers, including volunteers, sniffer dogs and a shaman before she was found dead ten days later Police bosses have insisted that there is no evidence of an abduction, and it is believed the 15-year-old simply wandered off. Nora survived for six days before dying of starvation and stress in the jungle, and was found lying half in a stream at the bottom of a rocky slope by hikers on day ten of a search, it is said. The inquest into her death has now heard that dogs discovered her scent on the other side of a small picket fence at the rainforest eco resort, where she had been staying with her family, the Mirror reported. Nora Quoirin (pictured) was not sexually assaulted prior to her death, an inquest has heard A map shows the Dusun Resort near Seremban in Malaysia where Nora disappeared last year The dog led for nearly a mile to a hut used to rest by fishermen. A cadaver dog did not pick up any scent at the hut, implying that Nora was alive when she was there. Fadzil bin Arshad, the Fire and Rescue Department search operations supervisor, said that they had arrived at the Dusun eco-resort on August 5 to help with the search. He said: 'We had two canine tracker handlers and a Labrador and a Border Collie to lead our efforts.' Following a briefing, they went to the villa and were given part of one of Nora's tops by the missing girl's mother. 'Once having exited via the window, the child could have turned right which leads to a slope and make walking difficult,' the supervisor said. 'The other two options - left or proceed straight seemed most probable.' Officers searched the surrounding area, and a scent was picked up which continued along until an empty shack close to a fish pond - where the trail was lost, he said. It comes after the inquest heard that Nora had not been sexually assaulted before her death. Parents Meabh and Sebastien (pictured calling for their daughter with a megaphone last year) demanded an inquest after arguing their daughter would not have wandered off A sexual assault was ruled out by a forensic expert, with a post-mortem ruling the 15-year-old had died from internal bleeding in her intestine, through stress and starvation. Noor Aidora Saedon, head of forensics, told the coroner the schoolgirl had died four days before her body was discovered by hikers. An autopsy took place less than an hour after her body was airlifted from the water, the inquest heard. Last week, the court was told how the girl was approached by a stranger at Kuala Lumpur International Airport. Father Sebastien had left Nora, who had learning difficulties, with her two younger siblings - aged 12 and eight - for less then five minutes while he went to meet his wife, Meabh, who was flying in separately, at the arrival gate. A female police office told the inquest that as Sebastien walked away, despite only taking around 30 steps, the siblings were approached by an unknown male. Police believe Nora simply wandered off and that there is no 'criminal element' involved. Officers say she was able to leave the resort by herself by getting out of a window which had a faulty latch. DNA analysis established no evidence of penetration prior to her death. The hearing continues. Dancer, dramaturge and Kyoto University of the Arts teacher Nanako Nakajima was one of the earliest artists to make the transition from traditional Japanese to contemporary dance theatre, extending her work outside Japan, notably to Germany. She presents a model of cultural and temporal as well as geographic border crossing. The former Valeska-Gert guest professor at the Free university of Berlin tells us it is time to ask what real means to us while facing the consequences of Covid-19 for the performing arts worldwide. Her project Dance Archive Box is as valid and global an example of how to extend or transform the life of a given performance while preserving its memory as any. Inspiring for the performing arts scene in the Arab region, this is an experiment in how a performance can change while holding onto the memory of its own transformations. My professional background has taken two different directions, she told me: research, and dance dramaturgy. I do research during the creative process of performances. Those two fields create balance in my practice as I need each to complement the other, the creative ideas and dramaturgical input along with theory. So somehow theory and practice combine create my work. In 2004, exactly 16 years ago, I started working as a dramaturg in New York. But years before embarking on that experience, I was trained in the traditional Japanese dance of Odori, which is close to Kabuki and Geisha dancing. We use kimonos and music played on traditional instruments dating back to 1700. It has become a small community. We share the same repertoire with Kabuki. Odori is the dance part of those stage traditions. I belong to the Fujima Dance School where I started dancing at the age of three, so its been 40 years now. This is quite an unusual background for a contemporary artists, but traditional dancers almost never work outside the country. Then again, I am interested in contemporary dance and European conceptual art. I have also studied theatrical performance and dance studies in the United States, Germany and Japan. As an academic researcher, I am now teaching dance studies at various universities in Japan, alongside my artistic career. I am very interested in linking my research topics to the dramaturgy and research of the production I am involved in as an artist. As for Dance Archive Box, which she produced while a Valeska-Gert guest professor at the Free university of Berlin in 2019-2020, I had suggested a few possible projects to the university, so that one of them could function as a topic and vehicle for my guest professorship. We decided that it should be Dance Archive Box. Initially this project started in 2013. The first part was launched in 2014 in Tokyo. At the time I had two more people on the team as facilitators: the Japanese critic Daisuke Muto, and the Singaporean theatre director Ong Keng Sen. The people at the Saison Foundation (initially named after the department store) had established several artistic and cultural projects, such as museums and theatres, and they allocated funding to contemporary dance as well. The foundation wanted to make its own archive and to support dance artists producing ephemeral works. So it was decided to create the new archive project so that dance too could be archived, and so that the archives could also be used for future creations. I worked with seven dance artists in Japan to create the archive boxes. We designed as a process including a week of seminars and two weeks of workshops. Each artist archived his or her own seminal works. The artists created seven boxes exploring how they could be used by other people. They made their own stye of archiving. Some launched websites, others created an archive on paper. In 2015 we shipped all the archive boxes to Singapore, where a workshop was held for Asian artists to create a performance. A few months later we got together and presented the response performance in connection to each of the archive boxes. Ong Keng Sen, the Singaporean director on the team, was in charge of the 50th celebration of the independence of Singapore, a project presented at the Singapore International Festival of Arts in a postcolonial context. The project should continue to go to other places, within Japan as well. In the 2016 festival TPAM (the Tokyo Performing Arts Meeting in Yokohama), I presented some of the resulting performances and invited new traditional dancers to create responses to the archive boxes. In Berlin I brought the boxes outside the Asian context for the first time. Speaking of colonialism and empire, Nanako says she experienced a context in which North and South seemed to cooperate as peers, but she also experienced how the original dance archive was absorbed into the German academic format. All the participants were students, not yet professional artists. The purpose was more for education, so the attitude tends to become more sincere and scholarly. Students in Germany are well informed about archiving and colonial/post-colonial contexts, and they know the dangers of using archive boxes that have come from other cultural contexts. But I noticed that the Japanese characteristics in dance are transformed into a German understanding of Japanese cuteness, like an infant playful element. Some Japanese critics say that this childish character is against modernisation as Westernisation in dance, or that it is anti-technique, because the dancers in Europe are mostly trained in ballet while the Japanese dancers are not, so they tend to be viewed as not ideal from the perspective of western dance. This is already a criticism of the ideal dancing body that was brought to the student archivists while making the archive boxes. Which brings us back to the Japanese context again while meeting each other across the world. Traditional theatre and dance had already been introduced to Europe, like Kabuki and Noh, but not contemporary dance. Contemporary Japanese dance is somehow ignored by the European audience. In that sense, the archive box transmitted the knowledge of that dance community to Europe. The interesting thing is that contemporary dance in Japan the way it is all the world has no specific technique to rely on, which makes it the most difficult genre to archive. For instance, we only have new pieces, because we continuously produce new work, and we do not re-stage old pieces. We do not teach dance to students because there is no solid dance technique to teach, no dance school, nor families inheriting that type of dance. All of which makes that genre difficult to archive and to share. To preserve something or to historicise it, we need to create archives, although sometimes the archiving freezes the creations. Nanako also edited an edition of the Performance Research Journal on ageing in dance, raising questions about the experimental potential of the ageing dancing body in Japan. We have many aged dancers in Japan, and the people do not criticise that, she says. They can still go on stage at the age of 90. They can still act on stage, maybe with a little support, but most theatres appreciate those performers because they are guardians of the theatrical tradition. They share the repertoire and keep repeating the same piece over and over again. You keep repeating till you get to a point when you can perform in an almost unconscious way, which is considered to be the perfect stage for actors and dancers. The settings provide that, they are fixed on stage. This applies to theatre and dance that are mostly traditional, not modernised. There is no director, no choreographer, only actors and dancers who make their own work, which they can also change because it is their own. The most difficult repertoires are those performed by the oldest performers, depicting the old beauty. Nonetheless, in contemporary dance theatres it is not common to see the ageing body on stage. Returning to the present moment, Nanako comments on technologys potential: In post-Corona crisis times, maybe there is a greater possibility to talk about technology as a way to care for ageing bodies and to support them, because old people constitute a vulnerable group. Therefore the issue of the ageing body gets a new dimension after this pandemic, and requires technical support. Perhaps online performances can be more real than those based on live physical encounter. I am asking whether virtuality reduces the feeling of real or not. I feel weve already lived in a virtual space for some time, and weve already been experiencing the post-human lifestyle, yet we are still connected. Online performances offer freedom from physical restrictions. The style of communication has also totally transformed. I am thinking how to make contact with older people during a pandemic without physically meeting them. The Japanese state is also promoting a robot-inclusive society, in order to support old citizens. Now it seems as if this virtual care is more necessary than before. And so maybe it is also time to question what is reality? My own reality is no more actual than my dream. My reality is small compared to the virtual world where I can meet my old parents, or speak to anyone I wish to communicate with. It is a space for greater freedom. Might it be possible to collaborate with Arab artists, though? Collaborations are determined primarily by individual artists, this is much more important than geographic origins. I am always curious about someone I want to work with. Afterwards comes the stage of producing the art project, and this is when we need to search for funding or residencies, or individual grants, or sponsorship. But first we need to decide we want to work together. *A version of this article appears in print in the 17 September, 2020 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly Search Keywords: Short link: News item: Scientific American magazine has made its first ever endorsement for president. Youll never guess who they have endorsed. I know the suspense is killing you: Scientific American has never endorsed a presidential candidate in its 175-year history. This year we are compelled to do so. We do not do this lightly. The evidence and the science show that Donald Trump has badly damaged the U.S. and its peoplebecause he rejects evidence and science. . . Its time to move Trump out and elect Biden, who has a record of following the data and being guided by science. Flashback 1: Harvard geneticist Richard Lewontin, writing in 2004 in the New York Review of Books: Most scientists are, at a minimum, liberals, although it is by no means obvious why this should be so. Despite the fact that all of the molecular biologists of my acquaintance are shareholders in or advisers to biotechnology firms, the chief political controversy in the scientific community seems to be whether it is wise to vote for Ralph Nader this time. Flashback 2: MIT climate scientist Kerry Emanuel, as mainstream as they come in this politicized field (Al Gore references his work, and in one of his books Emanuel refers to Sen. James Inhofe as a scientific illiterate and climate skeptics as les refusards), offered this warning to his field in 2010: Scientists are most effective when they provide sound, impartial advice, but their reputation for impartiality is severely compromised by the shocking lack of political diversity among American academics, who suffer from the kind of group-think that develops in cloistered cultures. Until this profound and well-documented intellectual homogeneity changes, scientists will be suspected of constituting a leftist think tank. Over to you, Scientific American. US to Block Imports of Goods Made in China's Xinjiang to Combat Forced Labour, DHS Says Sputnik News 18:59 GMT 14.09.2020 WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - The United States has moved to block the import of goods made in China's Xinjiang to combat alleged forced labour practices, the Department of Homeland Security said on Monday. "US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) issued five Withhold Release Orders (WRO) today on products from the People's Republic of China (PRC)", the department said in a statement. "The products subject to the WROs are produced with state-sponsored forced labor in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, where the Chinese government is engaged in systemic human rights abuses against the Uyghur people and other ethnic and religious minorities". On 9 September, Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf said that the DHS has set up a coordinating group to integrate responses to Chinese efforts to steal US intellectual property, undermine the integrity of US elections and conduct other hostile activities. The DHS was targeting illicit Chinese manufacturers who had exploited the COVID-19 pandemic by producing fraudulent or prohibited PPE and medical supplies that especially endanger our front-line workers and the department was also preventing goods produced by slave labour and Chinese -made fentanyl from entering US markets, Wolf said. US President Donald Trump had waged a trade war against China throughout 2019, hiking tariffs over a number of $250 billion worth of Chinese goods entering the US market, purportedly taking issue with the lopsided trade balance between the two. A Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Claire Forcier-Rowe Not only does she have a track record of accomplishments as long as my arm, but her longtime service to the industry, the awards shes received, and her civic contributions make her a great fit for a growth-oriented company like ours. Ray Ferguson, VP Central Virginia Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices PenFed Realty, one of the countrys fastest-growing real estate brokerages, is pleased to announce the appointment of Claire Forcier-Rowe as the new managing broker for the companys offices in the Richmond region. We are so pleased to welcome a leader of Claires caliber and experience to the company, said Ray Ferguson, the companys regional vice president for Central Virginia. Not only does she have a track record of accomplishments as long as my arm, but her longtime service to the industry, the awards shes received, and her civic contributions make her a great fit for a growth-oriented company like ours. Forcier-Rowe joins the company with more than twenty years of experience in the real estate industry, both as a managing broker and as an award-winning real estate professional. She is an active volunteer for the industrys major associations, including Virginia Realtors where she was president in 2017, and the National Association of Realtors where she currently serves as a board member in the risk management issues committee. She is also currently serving on the standard forms and awards committees of the Richmond Association of Realtors, and is a volunteer for the Spotsylvania Emergency Concerns Association and the Richmond chapter of the American Red Cross. Forcier-Rowe has also received manager of the year awards from Virginia Realtors (2011) and Fredericksburg Area Association of Realtors (2010). Im excited to join a company thats focused on providing unparalleled support for agents and topnotch service to clients, said Forcier-Rowe. These two areas of focus, in addition to the companys commitment to the values of integrity, innovation and improvement, align perfectly with my outlook, and Im looking forward to being a member of this professional family for many years to come. Forcier-Rowe is a native of Connecticut and currently resides with her family in Mechanicsville, Va. She can be reached by email at claire.forcier-rowe@penfedrealty.com or by phone at 804-320-1391. About Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices PenFed Realty Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices PenFed Realty (http://www.penfedrealty.com) is a full-service real estate company with an annual sales volume of over $5 billion. The company has over 1,800 agents and almost 60 offices, providing complete real estate services nationwide. PenFed Realty is a wholly-owned subsidiary of PenFed Credit Union and is a member of the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices brokerage network, operated by HSF Affiliates LLC. Membership with PenFed Credit Union is not required to conduct business with BHHS PenFed Realty. We are proud to be an equal employment opportunity employer. Equal Housing Opportunity. NEW YORK, N.Y. -- New York Citys museums and zoos will offer free and discounted tickets for students before the start of school, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Monday. New York City kids continue to show their resilience every day. Im thrilled to see these extraordinary institutions open their doors to young people and families across the five boroughs, said Mayor de Blasio. Arts and culture are a critical part of New York Citys social fabric, and we thank these organizations for providing our kids with safe, educational activities before schools open next week. Participating organizations include: American Museum of Natural History: The museum welcomes NYC schoolchildren and their caregivers back, with a hall to visit for every grade and every age. Tickets are pay what you wish for NYC residents. Reserve on their website: https://ticketing.amnh.org/#tickets . Metropolitan Museum of Art: The Met is welcoming students and caregivers back to both their main building on Fifth Avenue, and to The Cloisters. For NYC residents, admission is pay what you wish. Closed to the public Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Reserve a timed ticket on their website: https://engage.metmuseum.org/reservation . Morgan Library and Museum: The Morgan Library & Museum is providing free tickets to school-aged kids aged 18 and younger and their caregivers on Sept. 16, 17 and 18. Advance reservation required. Families can email tickets@themorgan.org with desired date and time of visit. To plan your visit go to www.themorgan.org . Museum of Arts and Design: Children under 18 are always free, and the museum is extending a special $5 ticket to caregivers with the promo code: NYC20. Reopening to the public Sept. 17. Tickets may be reserved on MADs website: https://madmuseum.org/visit . The Museum of Modern Art: MoMA has reserved a number of tickets for students and their caregivers this week. Interested families should email tickets@moma.org with their preferred day and time. All tickets will be free of charge. Open to Members only on Mondays. Visitors guide: https://www.moma.org/visit/tips (note: families should email tickets@moma.org to book tickets). National September 11 Memorial Museum: The Family Pass is intended for families or small groups up to five people exploring the city together. The package includes two adult and up to three child/young adult (ages 7-17) admission tickets to The Museum at a discounted price of $82. Closed Tuesday and Wednesday. Book on their website: https://www.911memorial.org/visit/visit-museum-1 . New Museum: Tickets are available for the museums first two weeks, starting Sept. 15. Closed Mondays. Admission is free through Sept. 27. Book on their website: https://www.newmuseum.org/visit . South Street Seaport Museum: The Tall Ship Wavertree is open to guests on upcoming Saturdays, free of charge. Book timed tickets on their website: https://southstreetseaportmuseum.org/ . Staten Island Museum: The museum will reopen on Saturday, Sept. 19, and will offer visitors take away bags with activities from the Women of the Nation Arise! suffrage exhibit. Purchase your tickets through the museums website: www.statenislandmuseum.org . Whitney Museum of American Art: Admission is Pay What You Wish through September. The Whitney is operating at a significantly reduced capacity for your safety, and same-day tickets may be extremely limited. All visitors must book timed tickets in advance. Tickets, visitor policies, updated hours and online events are available on the Whitneys website: https://whitney.org/visit . Wildlife Conservation Society: The Wildlife Conservation Society is offering preferred admission access to WCS zoos and aquarium parents and guardians with children during the week of Sept. 14. All tickets are date-specific and must be purchased in advance online at the individual parks' websites Bronx Zoo, New York Aquarium, Central Park Zoo, Prospect Park Zoo, Queens Zoo. Additional community access included the traditional free Wednesday admission at the Bronx Zoo and New York Aquarium and those tickets are released on the Bronx Zoo and New York Aquarium websites on Tuesday of each week. Visit the zoos Know Before You Go page: https://bronxzoo.com/plan-your-visit/know-before-you-go. City Hall asked New Yorkers to visit each organizations website for full details on admissions and ticketing policies. For a list of other cultural groups that have re-opened or are reopening soon, visit NYC & Companys website. For families who are unable to visit in-person, these cultural organizations will provide kid-friendly opportunities for enrichment online: HOUSTON, Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- KBR (NYSE: KBR) has secured an eight-year contract to perform day-to-day base operations for the U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa (USAFE-AFAFRICA) a major command of the Air Force. This new indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract has a $974 million maximum ceiling value. KBR will help sustain the well-being of U.S. armed forces at Moron Air Base in Spain, as well as Incirlik Air Base, Izmir Air Station, Office of Defense Cooperation Turkey and the Ankara Support Facility also in Turkey. The company will keep these bases and facilities operating smoothly so deployed Air Force and government personnel can execute their missions without distraction. KBR's work will include program management; civil engineering; morale, welfare and recreation support; postal operations; and safety, occupational health, industrial hygiene and ambulance services. It will also provide logistics support, such as vehicle management, fuel operations and air terminal services. KBR received this contract which has a five-year base period and three one-year optionsfrom the Air Force Installation Contracting Center. KBR is a major provider of base operations services for the U.S. military. Last year, KBR won multiple prime contracts on the $82 billion Logistics Civil Augmentation Program V contract. It also holds several large contracts with Naval Facilities Engineering Command supporting bases in Africa and the Middle East. "KBR continues its legacy of serving U.S. troops around the world through this new contract award," said Byron Bright, KBR Government Solutions President. "This significant win speaks to KBR's ability to meet customer needs as we strategically drive growth by drawing on our deep domain expertise." KBR ensures mission and project success for defense, intelligence, space, aviation and industrial customers globally. KBR creates sustainable value and drives innovation by combining engineering, technical and scientific expertise with full life cycle capabilities, mission knowledge and future focused technologies. Known for excelling in complex and extreme environments, KBR meets customers' most pressing challenges today and into the future. About KBR KBR is a global provider of differentiated professional services and solutions across the asset and program life cycle within the government services, technology and industrial sectors. KBR employs approximately 28,000 people worldwide with customers in more than 80 countries and operations in 40 countries. KBR is proud to work with its customers across the globe to provide technology, value-added services, and long-term operations and maintenance services to ensure consistent delivery with predictable results. At KBR, We Deliver. Visit www.kbr.com Forward Looking Statement The statements in this press release that are not historical statements, including statements regarding future financial performance, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. These statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the company's control that could cause actual results to differ materially from the results expressed or implied by the statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: the significant adverse impacts on economic and market conditions of the COVID-19 pandemic; the company's ability to respond to the challenges and business disruption presented by the COVID-19 pandemic; the recent dislocation of the global energy market; the company's ability to realize cost savings and efficiencies relating to the streamlining of its Energy Solutions business; the company's ability to manage its liquidity; the company's ability to continue to generate anticipated levels of revenue, profits and cash flow from operations during the COVID-19 pandemic and any resulting economic downturn; the outcome of and the publicity surrounding audits and investigations by domestic and foreign government agencies and legislative bodies; potential adverse proceedings by such agencies and potential adverse results and consequences from such proceedings; the scope and enforceability of the company's indemnities from its former parent; changes in capital spending by the company's customers, including as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic; the company's ability to obtain contracts from existing and new customers and perform under those contracts; structural changes in the industries in which the company operates; escalating costs associated with and the performance of fixed-fee projects and the company's ability to control its cost under its contracts; claims negotiations and contract disputes with the company's customers; changes in the demand for or price of oil and/or natural gas; protection of intellectual property rights; compliance with environmental laws; changes in government regulations and regulatory requirements; compliance with laws related to income taxes; unsettled political conditions, war and the effects of terrorism; foreign operations and foreign exchange rates and controls; the development and installation of financial systems; increased competition for employees; the ability to successfully complete and integrate acquisitions; and operations of joint ventures, including joint ventures that are not controlled by the company. KBR's most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K, any subsequent Form 10-Qs and 8-Ks, and other U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filings discuss some of the important risk factors that KBR has identified that may affect the business, results of operations and financial condition. Except as required by law, KBR undertakes no obligation to revise or update publicly any forward-looking statements for any reason. SOURCE KBR, Inc. Related Links http://www.kbr.com Remember "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air," the hit NBC show from the 1990s starring Will Smith as a streetwise teen from Philadelphia sent to live with his rich relatives in a gorgeous mansion in Bel-Air, CA? That iconic house has now returned to the limelight as an Airbnb rental. Starting on Sept. 29, Los Angeles County residents will have a chance to book one of five October stays in the Fresh Prince's wing of the mansion. And it can all be yours for the astonishingly low price of just $30 per nighta fan-friendly rate set to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the home's TV debut. Guests will revel in the home's '90s decor and amenities as well as enjoy exclusive Airbnb experience perks, including donning a new pair of Air Jordans to shoot hoops in the bedroom, dining on literal silver platters (all meals are included), and playing the home's vinyl collection on a turntable like the one owned by show co-star DJ Jazzy Jeff. Given the world we live in today, all local COVID-19 guidelines will be strictly enforced. (The home will be scrubbed between guests, following both CDC and Airbnb enhanced cleaning protocols.) In fact, guests (two max per stay) must show proof of L.A. County residency and live in the same household to minimize potential health risks. And to help celebrate community and support youth during this 30th year milestone, Airbnb is making a donation to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Philadelphia, which happens to also be Smith's hometown. Isn't that sweet? Choose from a dozen poolside lounge chairs. Airbnb The reality behind the Fresh Prince mansion Of course this is a made-for-TV tale, so not everything is exactly true to life, including the location of the famed estate. For one, it isn't in Bel-Airit's actually located in nearby Brentwood. But "The Fresh Prince of Brentwood" doesn't sound quite so lofty, does it? Granted, in reality, the difference between these two tony enclaves is subtle. Bel-Air, just minutes from West Hollywood, is a smaller area with winding streets and loads of privacy. Meanwhile, Brentwood feels like a more traditional neighborhood, albeit with lovely lush yards plus easy access to top-notch schools and world-class shopping, dining, and nightlife. Gaze at Will Smith's way-cool kicks and lids from the king-size bed. Airbnb And if it's celebrity residents you seek, both neighborhoods sport multimillion-dollar mansions and can point to many famous celebs as current and past residents. "Bel-Air commands prestige: Elizabeth Taylor, Ronald Reagan, and Frank Sinatra all lived here, as have business and tech moguls like Elon Musk," says Cara Ameer, a real estate agent with Coldwell Banker in Los Angeles. Meanwhile, Brentwood's residential bragging rights include Cindy Crawford, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Harrison Ford. Games for days fill this amazing retro home. Airbnb Another thing these two areas have in common are sky-high home prices. "The two areas have evolved tremendously since 'The Fresh Prince' first aired, and real estate values have soared by several million dollars over the past 30 years," Ameer adds. So even if your Bel-Air Airbnb stay won't be in Bel-Air, that's no reason to let that stop you. "There are many L.A. shows filmed with exterior shots of famous homes, while the interiors are done on a sound stage offsite," says Tyler Drew, CEO of Anubis Properties in Los Angeles. "But at $30 a night, I think a stay here is well worth the price for a little historical inaccuracy." A socially distanced concierge will give you a full tour. Airbnb How much is the 'Fresh Prince' mansion worth today? This particular property in Brentwood was apparently chosen for a starring role in the show because it has a traditional American style, albeit one stuck in a '90s design rut. It's currently valued at around $6.4 million, but some agents think it could be worth more to the right buyer. "The home, which is probably worth around $7.5 million depending on condition, is really a snapshot in time of that decade's pop culture, which includes other shows like 'Beverly Hills 90210' and 'Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous,'" says Ameer. However, most buyers wouldn't be likely to embrace the property's boxy formal style and old-school, chopped-up living and dining spaces, eschewing them for more modern open-plan rooms. "Given that the home is from 1937, someone buying it now may eye the property for a substantial remodel or teardown," Ameer adds. Nonetheless, Airbnb fans probably aren't eager to own the place as much as just soak it in for a night. "Staying here for a night is all part of the throwback experience," Ameer says. ___ Watch: Picture It: The 'Golden Girls' House Could Be Yours for $3M The post 'The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air' House Is Back! What's Up With This Famous Mansion Today appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com. (Alliance News) - US-based investment manager Apollo Global Management LLC has sold 33.0 million ordinary shares in Watches of Switzerland Group PLC at 310 pence per share, raising GBP102.3 million, global coordinator for the share sale Barclays Bank PLC said on Tuesday. Shares in the luxury watch retailer were down 6.7% at 311.50 pence each in London. The shares, representing an about 14% stake in Watches of Switzerland, were sold by Jewel Holdco Sarl, a company owned and controlled by AIF VII Euro Holdings LP, an affiliate of investment funds managed by an affiliate of Apollo Global. Barclays said the placing was increased from 27.5 million shares due to strong demand during the bookbuild process. Following the completion of the share sale, Apollo Global will continue to own 67.7 million shares in Watches of Switzerland, or a 28% stake. Watches of Switzerland will not receive any proceeds from the placing, as it was of existing shares. By Tapan Panchal; tapanpanchal@alliancenews.com Copyright 2020 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved. Ukraine and Austria have signed a number of bilateral documents on support for children with cancer and their families and on cooperation between Kyiv region and Lower Austria. The signing ceremony took place in the presence of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and his Austrian counterpart Alexander Van der Bellen in Vienna on Tuesday, September 15, the press service of the head of the Ukrainian state reported. According to the report, Minister for Communities and Territories Development of Ukraine Oleksiy Chernyshov and Executive Director of GLOBAL 2000 Agnes Zauner signed an agreement on cooperation in support of children and families in Kharkiv region between Kharkiv Regional State Administration and GLOBAL 2000, an Austrian environmental protection organization that implements the humanitarian project "Children of Chornobyl." In addition, Head of Luhansk Regional State Administration Serhiy Haidai and Zauner signed an agreement on cooperation in support of children and families in Luhansk region between the Luhansk Regional Civil-Military Administration and GLOBAL 2000. According to the report, both agreements envisage the continuation and strengthening of cooperation to provide modern and affordable medical care for children with cancer, rehabilitation, training of medical staff, the introduction of modern methods of supporting children during treatment, supporting families in difficult situations and improving the quality of life of children. Head of Kyiv Regional State Administration Vasyl Volodin and Governor of Lower Austria Johanna Mikl-Leitner also signed an agreement on cooperation between Kyiv region and the federal state of Lower Austria to deepen friendly relations. Zelensky is on an official visit to Austria on September 15-16. op MILAN We need to have a vision and a mission, and Salvatore Ferragamo is the ideal candidate to be a leader in womens and mens shoes. So believes Michele Norsa, who returned to the Florence-based company in June as executive vice chairman, as he discussed Ferragamos performance in the first half with analysts on Tuesday, expressing his confidence in the brands core and storied category. Norsa also pointed to another winning asset in his eyes: the brands special place in the heart of consumers, especially in Asia, which he sees as a big advantage over some competitors. To be sure, Asia Pacific has long been Ferragamos main market, representing 44.3 percent of total sales in the first half, even though it saw a 39.9 percent decrease in sales in the period, which amounted to 166.7 million euros. In the second quarter, the retail channel in China recovered, recording revenue growth of 11.6 percent at constant exchange rates, as it did in South Korea. These were silver linings for Ferragamo, as it reported a six-month period ended June 30 impacted by the lockdown enforced in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, which dragged down its top and bottom lines. The company posted a net loss of 86 million euros, including a minority interest, which compares with a profit of 60 million euros in the same period last year. Revenues fell 46.6 percent to 377 million euros, compared with 705 million euros at the end of June last year. Sales in the retail channel were down 41 percent to 260.6 million euros, accounting for 69.2 percent of the total, while the wholesale channel reported a 56.4 percent decrease to 110.9 million euros, mainly penalized by the performance of the travel-retail channel in the second quarter and by the fragrance division. As of June 30, the group counted 643 points of sales, including 389 directly operated stores. Norsa said he was very pleased to be back at the company he exited in 2016 after helming it for 10 years and responded candidly to an analyst about his return. Story continues Leaving was mainly a personal reason as my wife was sick, but work is the best antidote, and I have had serious experiences consulting on boards, its very useful, I have a lot of information, I traveled a lot and I think I have more experience now. [Chairman] Ferruccio Ferragamos call was unexpected but I said yes right away, I find a balance with my other roles and I came with enthusiasm and joy. I found a wonderful team and I can be an important outside voice. Norsa shared the call with chief executive officer Micaela Le Divelec Lemmi and chief financial officer Alessandro Corsi, saying he had been working in full harmony with the ceo, the board shareholders and the management. He admitted to the pressure felt, given the volatility and the uncertainties, but he had set out a series of priorities, such as a long-term financing credit line for a maximum amount of 250 million euros, which, as reported, is linked to the luxury brand hitting certain sustainability targets, and that will allow breathing room and investments over the next five years. We have put in place a significant process of streamlining the organization and reducing costs, and we need people to take on more responsibilities [according to the] double hatting principle. He was already pleased with very satisfactory results that will drive us in 2021 with significant savings. We are facing an extremely volatile market and unpredictable events but we have opportunities in front of us to build future growth and transform our distribution. For example, Norsa sees opportunities for investments and to increase the brands presence in key cities in Mainland China and cited as most interesting the opening of Chinese borders to Macao, Hong Kong, Thailand and Cambodia after the pandemic. Nonstop flights have restarted to countries such as Canada and Denmark, for example, he added on a positive note. At the same time, he said he was looking carefully at markets such as Mexico and Taiwan, where the brand has a strong brand awareness and is well-positioned, he noted, as well as Russia and the Middle East. Le Divelec Lemmi highlighted the actions taken so far, which despite the uncertainties, will help minimize the effects the pandemic had on 2020, in addition to the cash credit. We have mitigated the stock in excess to protect the brand and keep our wholesale clean, and there has been a voluntary cut of management compensation, she said. The executive also pointed to a rationalization of the groups store network, citing as an example the relocation of a banner in Canton Road in Hong Hong in early 2021, potential closures in Europe and in travel retail. There is solid ground for growth, we plan five openings in China in second and third-tier cities, and to leverage pop-ups to engage customers. She also emphasized Ferragamos investments in its digital platform and communication and its omnichannel service. We are not changing our priorities, she added. In the first half, the Japanese market registered a 37.4 percent decrease in sales, which fell to 36.9 million euros, hurt by a 56.1 percent decrease in the second quarter. The Europe, Middle East and Africa region posted a 51.7 percent decrease to 85.8 million euros. Revenues in North America fell 54.4 percent to 69.7 million euros, tumbling 81.1 percent in the second quarter. Norsa said he had been following the U.S. very closely, with major changes in wholesale, which is now improving with solutions for department stores that will become more selective, and offer better opportunities. He said the performance in the region was mixed, with cities such as New York being abandoned, but other areas such as Manhasset, Miami or Beverly Hills performing very well, although he did not deny the effects of social turbulence. Sales in Central and South America dropped 54.6 percent to 17.4 million euros. Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization decreased by 83.9 percent to 30 million euros from 184 million euros. The operating loss stood at 74 million euros compared with an operating profit of 94 million euros in the same period last year. By product category, sales of shoes fell 46.4 percent to 159.5 million euros, representing 42.4 percent of the total. Leather goods and handbags fell 43.6 percent to 158.6 million euros, accounting for 42.1 percent of the total. Ready-to-wear dropped 47.3 percent to 19.1 million euros, representing 5.1 percent of the total. Fragrances were down 66.3 percent to 14.1 million euros, accounting for 3.7 percent of the total, also due to the postponement of the launch of products caused by the lockdown measures in the global markets. Operating costs decreased 17.2 percent to 300 million euros, a consequence of the cost containment, the renegotiation of rents and the streamlining of the organization. Similarly, capital expenditures decreased 56.7 percent to 11 million euros. As of June 30, the adjusted net financial position amounted to 58 million euros, net of the IFRS16 accounting effect, compared with 141 million euros at the end of June last year. Including the IFRS16 effect, the net financial position was negative for 562 million euros. Sign up for WWD's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. OAKLAND, Calif. While Facebook has heralded improvements to its fight against disinformation in the United States, it has been slow to deal with fake accounts that have affected elections around the world, according to a post published by a former employee. The employee, who worked on a Facebook team dedicated to rooting out so-called inauthentic activity on the service, said executives ignored or were slow to react to her repeated warnings about the problem. In the three years Ive spent at Facebook, Ive found multiple blatant attempts by foreign national governments to abuse our platform on vast scales to mislead their own citizenry, Sophie Zhang, the employee, wrote in a 6,600-word post shared with the entire company on her final day on the job. As countries like Russia, China and Iran have continued sophisticated disinformation operations, Ms. Zhangs post has drawn attention to smaller countries that run cheap and easy bot networks to influence their citizens. In one example, bots promoted the president of Honduras. In another, they attacked opposition figures in Azerbaijan. (Natural News) Another police shooting is being reported out of Pennsylvania, where recently released bodycam footage shows 27-year-old Ricardo Munoz brandishing a knife over his head in a threatening manner before being shot dead by police officers. Munoz had reportedly been awaiting trial for stabbing and seriously injuring four people at the time when cops encountered him waving around a knife. Munoz had become aggressive towards his own mother as he was attempting to break into her Lancaster home at around 4:15 p.m., which is when Munozs family called the police to report his violent behavior. When an officer wearing a bodycam arrived at the home about 10 minutes later, Munoz emerged and began to charge at him while brandishing a knife in clear view and in a threatening manner. The officer fired at Munoz to subdue him, and Munoz was pronounced dead at the scene. Once the news hit headlines, Black Lives Matter (BLM) and Antifa protesters quickly leapt into action and started causing trouble at the scene of the shooting. They reportedly marched from the home to the Lancaster Police Department, chanting this is what democracy looks like all along the way. These same protesters also smashed in windows of police cars, according to WGAL-TV, in a show of solidarity with Munoz, who has an extensive criminal rap sheet that includes harassment, criminal trespassing, stalking and aggravated assault. Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, offers some perspective on all this in the following episode of The Health Ranger Report, which discusses why liberal cities all across America, including those in Pennsylvania, are collapsing at breakneck speed: Will BLM and Antifa stand with the 16-year-old boy that Munoz stabbed last year? It cannot be stressed enough that Munoz, just like Jacob Blake, was a criminal who was shot because of his own criminal actions. Police did not go out and suddenly decide to shoot him simply because of the color of skin, but rather because he was in the process of trying to inflict harm upon them and others. In other words, police officers are the real heroes in both cases not Blake or Munoz, both of whom are/were a threat to the lives of innocent people. Were it not for the police, Blake would have continued terrorizing his ex-girlfriend, and Munoz likely would have murdered his own mother and possibly other family members. Protesters, on the other hand, see things differently. To them, Blake was an innocent victim of police brutality whose legacy must be memorialized through violent rioting. Lancasters historic post office, for instance, was vandalized by a protester who, in honor of Munoz, smashed the buildings windows. District Attorney Heather L. Adams, who will be making a final determination on the use of force in this case, urged these protesters to remain peaceful as violence and destruction of property will become headlines and serve no purpose for the safety and wellbeing of our citizens and neighborhoods. Lancaster Mayor Danene Sorace also piped in with her own propaganda, stating that the shooting of knife-wielding Munoz represents a heartbreaking day for our city. I grieve for the loss of life and know that there are more questions to be answered as the investigation continues, she further stated. Meanwhile, few mainstream media outlets, if any, are reporting that Munozs own family had called the police because he was putting their lives in danger with his knife. All they are saying is that police shot a minority, a deception that is needlessly stirring the pot and causing more division and unrest. These people are so far gone that the truth doesnt matter, is how one DailyMail Online commenter summed up the situation. For more related news about the downfall of America at the hands of BLM and Antifa terrorists, be sure to check out Terrorism.news. Sources for this article include: DailyMail.co.uk NaturalNews.com Hyderabad: Apart from the movement of people in public places, speaking loudly, laughing, shouting, screaming can also increase the release of aerosols in the air, allowing the SARS Cov 2 virus to eject and spread around causing Covid 19. Behaviours in closed environments that can lead to aerosol generation are loud singing, talking loudly in office corridors, speaking or calling out colleagues from one corner to another, in an asymptomatic patient will allow for the spread of the virus around. Dr C. Shekhar Singh, ear nose and throat surgeon explains, Talking normally requires a normal effort of the nose, mouth and throat. But when one speaks loudly, shouts, coughs or vomits, it requires more effort and pressure on the diaphragm and abdominal muscles. During this, the aerosol generation from the body is high. The focus on aerosol-generating behaviours is due to the unlock in which it is found that people are moving about without wearing masks or following the social distancing norms. The use of metro, movement of people to their offices and also other human activities have brought these behaviour in focus. Dr K. K. Aggarwal, past president of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) says, It is very important to understand that in the prevention techniques, behaviours which can increase risk factors must not be undertaken during this time of Covid-19. It is important to understand that masks are extremely important and if someone is shouting, laughing loudly and screaming then even three feet is not a safe distance and it will have to be six feet. These small aspects will help people stay safe which are also some ways in which asymptomatic carriers of Covid spread the virus around. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. A Silsbee ISD educator killed in a motorcycle wreck Sunday night is being remembered by friends as an inspiration. Mark Randall Wallace of Beaumont, 61, was on a 2013 Kawasaki motorcycle on FM 92 about 7 miles north of Silsbee when a 1998 Chevrolet passenger vehicle crossed the center line for unknown reasons, according to the Department of Public Safety. Wallace, an HVAC instructor at Silsbee High School, was knocked off his motorcycle before being hit by a second car a short-time later, DPS said. He was pronounced dead by Justice of the Peace Mark Ames. The driver of the Chevrolet fled the scene, and was later found dead in his home. The cause still is under investigation. Matt Ortego, a former Silsbee High School teacher and current Constable for Precinct 4 in Orange County, once taught in the classroom next to Wallace and said he was an inspiration. I met Mark in 2017 when I became the criminal justice teacher in Silsbee, Ortego told The Enterprise. Mark was the type of guy that was a man of God, he was an inspiration not only to the students but to everyone he met. The world will not be the same without him. Silsbee ISD said in a statement that Wallace touched the lives of many students and teachers throughout Silsbee ISD and will be missed. Ortego said Wallace could turn the most bleakest moments into the most fun. Additional counselors were on campus Monday for students, teachers and the community. The driver of the Chevrolet has been identified as 53-year-old Jerry Sangwin of Spurger. DPS said they believe Sangwin crashed into a ditch at about 8 p.m. Sunday and struck Wallace as he was trying to back out. Sangwins cause of death is under investigation by local authorities, and Justice of the Peace Milton Powers has ordered a toxicology screen. Wallace was not wearing a helmet when EMS arrived on scene. The investigation is ongoing and all information is preliminary at this time, DPS said. isaac.windes@hearstnp.com twitter.com/isaacdwindes By participating in the intra-Afghan inaugural dialogue in Doha, India has shown its willingness to engage with all Afghan parties including the Taliban for peace in Kabul and to ensure no anti-India activity is allowed from Afghan soil. There is no ambiguity on the Indian position vis-a-vis engagement with Afghan parties as Indian delegation sat on the same table as the Afghan government as well as the Taliban. The host nation Qatar could have only made this possible after talking to all principal stake-holders in the Afghan dialogue, said a senior official. Pakistan is understood to have conveyed its concern over an Indian role at Doha to the parties concerned as Indian participation is now not restricted to only Kabul, instead New Delhi is a legitimate stake-holder in Afghan peace and reconciliation process. Over the past decade, New Delhi was reluctant to engage with the Taliban but with external affairs minister S Jaishankar himself addressing the inaugural session, this ambiguity has been removed with India ready to talk to both sides. An ultra-conservative Sunni movement, the Taliban leadership is based in Quetta across the Bolan Pass, and its deputy leader Sirajuddin Haqqani leads the proscribed Haqqani Network. Taliban leader Mullah Haibatullah Akhundzada is a cleric and Haqqani is the sword arm of the insurgent group. Zalmay Khalilzad, the US Representative for Afghan Reconciliation, is meeting external affairs minister Jaishankar around 3.30 pm today to brief the Modi government about the way forward to the Afghan peace, elections and the expectations from India. A Pashtun himself, Khalilzad will be arriving from Islamabad. Addressing the inaugural session, EAM Jaishankar had advocated for a ceasefire between warring parties in Afghanistan and sought commitment from both Afghan government and the Taliban representative that Afghan soil would not be used for anti-India activities. The second part referred to the presence of Pakistan based Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Tayyeba terrorist training camps across both Khyber and Bolan pass. Also Read: Seize the opportunity, says UK on Afghan-Taliban peace talks While India understands the US desire to get out of Afghanistan after 19 long years of counter-insurgency and policing, it is concerned about the rise in violence once the Americans exit out of Kabul with only a representative force of 4,700 available after elections. However, the positive sign in Doha was the presence of both Afghan Government and the Taliban on the same table and the willingness to talk with each other. This raises hopes that Taliban may take the election route this time and not go for military take-over of Kabul once the US exits. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON And of course community outbreaks of COVID-19 tied to asymptomatic but infected children are happening in the United States. On Friday, researchers from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a report on a cluster of cases originating from two Salt Lake City day care facilities. The report found that 12 youngsters infected with coronavirus (only three showed any symptoms) enrolled at two day care centers easily passed SARS-CoV-2 to at least 12 family members, one of whom ended up hospitalized. Qatari government spokesperson says normalising ties with Israel cant be the answer to Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Normalising relations with Israel cant be the answer to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, a Qatari official has said, adding that Doha will not join other Gulf Arab states in establishing diplomatic ties with Israel. We dont think that normalisation was the core of this conflict and hence it cant be the answer, Lolwah al-Khater, Qatars foreign ministry spokesperson said on Monday in an interview with Bloomberg. The core of this conflict is about the drastic conditions that the Palestinians are living under as people without a country, living under occupation, she said. 181111050501560 Al-Khaters statement came ahead of Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates signing their normalisation deals with Israel in a ceremony scheduled in the White House later on Tuesday. The deals will normalise diplomatic, commercial, security and other relations between Israel and the Arab states. Palestinians have slammed the deals as grave betrayals by the Arab states, further undermining their efforts to achieve self-determination. The Palestinian leadership wants an independent state based on the de facto borders before the 1967 war, in which Israel occupied the West Bank and the Gaza Strip and annexed East Jerusalem. Arab countries have long called for Israels withdrawal from illegally occupied land, a just solution for Palestinian refugees and a settlement that leads to the establishment of a viable, independent Palestinian state in exchange for establishing ties with it. Earlier this month, Qatars Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani told White House adviser Jared Kushner that Doha supports a two-state solution, with East Jerusalem as the capital of a Palestinian state, to end the conflict with Israel. Working towards unity Prompted by the normalisation of ties between Arab states and Israel, fractured Palestinian political factions are working diligently in multilateral talks to restore unity and mend the division between the Gaza Strip and the West Bank in negotiations far more promising than previous efforts. On Saturday, Palestinian groups led by Hamas and Fatah agreed on a unified field leadership comprising all factions that will lead comprehensive popular resistance against the Israeli occupation, a statement said. It called for Tuesday when the signing ceremony takes place in Washington, DC to be a day of popular rejection. Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank are planning day of rage demonstrations, and other protests are expected outside the embassies of Israel, the United States, UAE, and Bahrain worldwide. The formation of the joint leadership group and progress in the intra-Palestinian unity talks came after a long-awaited September 3 meeting among Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, Hamass Ismail Haniya, Islamic Jihads chief Ziyad al-Nakhala, and the leaders of various Palestinian entities. Gatherings were held in Ramallah in the occupied West Bank and Beirut, Lebanon. Hamas and other Palestinian parties have for years demanded that such a meeting take place, but Abbas always rejected the move, calling on Hamas to honour previous unity pacts first. GCC rift In her interview, al-Khater also suggested that there may soon be progress towards ending a three-year-old boycott of Qatar by some Arab nations. Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt cut diplomatic and trade ties with Qatar on June 5, 2017, and imposed a sea, land and air blockade, claiming Doha supported terrorism and was too close to Iran. Qatar has consistently rejected the claims and said there was no legitimate justification for severing relations. The rift has frustrated President Donald Trumps efforts to form a united front against Iran in the Gulf, and a new round of US-led mediation was launched two months ago. The efforts, backed by Kuwait, have not yet reached a tipping point, al-Khater said. In the past couple of months, there have been messages and messengers going back and forth, she said. Its very early to talk about a real breakthrough but the coming few weeks might reveal something new, she added, without providing further details. Negotiations have moved beyond the 13 demands the boycotting states presented early on as a basis for any resolution, she said. At the top of the list was downgrading of diplomatic ties with Iran, but it also included ceasing military cooperation with Turkey and shutting down the Al Jazeera network. Were beyond this point, al-Khater said. The point we are at is engaging constructively in unconditional negotiations and discussions that do not necessarily need to include all parties at once. The Qatari officials comments came days after US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Washington is hopeful that Saudi Arabia and its regional allies will end the blockade. Pompeo said it was particularly important to build on Arab-Israeli rapprochement to better confront increasing malign behaviour from Iran. TMC MP Derek O'Brien Tuesday hit out at Health Minister Harsh Vardhan for not congratulating the state governments and health workers on their fight against coronavirus or condoling the demises of those who were at the forefront of the battle. Speaking to the media near Parliament, he said the health minister read out a 12-page statement in Rajya Sabha during which he used the word congratulate once. Tomorrow morning we will get a chance to ask clarifications. The Health minister used it once. It was a 12-page statement. He used the word congratulate once. Who did he congratulate? The Prime Minister. No, why didn't the health minister congratulate the doctors, the healthcare workers, the nurses, the police, the ward boys, the sweepers, he said. So many of them have lost their lives. He couldn't be little generous to congratulate them? Or condole those who have lost their lives? said the TMC Rajya Sabha MP. "No thanks to the state governments even in one of your statements. He could have thanked them and said what they are doing, the Centre could have learnt so much from different states, like my state, Bengal. What are the good things we did, what are the best practices we did. Nothing, he said. He also questioned the government over its preparations to the fight the virus. What preparation was done by this government? When we from Trinamool on March 18 came to Parliament wearing masks, what happened? Five of us MPs were asked to leave the House," he said. The TMC leader claimed preparations were in fact made to welcome US President Donald Trump. "You didn't do any preparation, no preparation (for fighting the virus). You did preparation when Trump came. What were you doing then? You were giving Trump laddus. You were giving him Dhokla. I don't know what else were you giving him? But that is the time when you announced this lockdown. You said you spoke to chief ministers. I challenge you. What did you write to chief ministers before the lockdown? Not one meetingyou said you had 45 video conferences. How many of those video conferences were before the lockdown?" he said. The TMC MP added the government announced a 21-day lockdown with just four-hour notice and no preparation. Tomorrow we will ask them these questions. The problem is they do not have any answers," he said. The Rajya Sabha MP also alleged the Centre did not take the state governments in confidence while making decisions on the pandemic. Out of Rs 100 spent on health, the state governments give Rs 65 and the Centre Rs 35, yet the state governments get no thank you for their work, he said. Now they are doing damage-control and do not want to answer questions on the crisis. On January 30 was India's first case, with the lockdown announced, we had 600 cases per day now we have one lakh cases per day. What are you asking us to do? To bang on the thalalight diyas. We did all that but you have to respect scientific evidence. "This is a government which is entertaining Donald Trump. This is a government which was trying to run Parliament in March. This is a government now at least today, all 800 MPs have been asked to wear masks. When we were telling you from the 12th and 13th of March, this is a dangerous pandemic, allow us to wear masks and you were saying to get out," he alleged. In his statement, Vardhan said the nationwide lockdown, community involvement and other step prevented up to 38,000 deaths and 29 lakh COVID-19 cases in the country. He also said that government efforts have been able to limit coronavirus numbers to 3,328 cases and 55 deaths per million population, which is one of the lowest in the world. The minister informed Rajya Sabha that from a situation of a single laboratory equipped to undertake testing for COVID in January, presently 1,705 laboratories are conducting COVID-19 testing. The serviceman suffered an injury of moderate severety. A Ukrainian soldier has been injured amid engineering works after he stepped on an explosive device near the village of Vodiane in Donbas. "The soldier suffered an injury of moderate severety. He was promptly provided with first aid and evacuated to a hospital," the Skhid [East] Operational Tactical Grouping Command wrote on Facebook. Read alsoZelensky says ending war in Donbas his top priorityThe Command of the soldier's military unit and military law enforcers are working at the scene. Circumstances of the incident are being clarified, the report concludes. Donbas war: latest Democratic New York State Assemblyman Dov Hikind speaks at a press conference in New York City in a 2011 file photograph. (Michael Nagle/Getty Images) Former Lawmaker Looks Forward to Historic Israel Peace Signings at White House A former Democratic New York lawmaker said hes looking forward to watching in person as the historic peace accords are signed at the White House on Tuesday. It is a great moment to be part of this event at the White House, Dov Hikind, a former assemblyman, told NTD News, a sister media to The Epoch Times, before flying to Washington. All of my life, you know, everyone has talked about peace in the Middle East, trying to bring nations in the Middle East closer together. And finally, some real concrete things are happening, he added. Normalization agreements between Israel and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Israel and Bahrain, are being signed at the White House around noon. The impact of the deals have already been dramatic. Direct flights from Tel Aviv to Abu Dhabi started last month. And the two countries immediately began cooperating on work on a CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus vaccine. Hikind said he knows Israelis who are in the UAE right now, staying in hotels that are serving Kosher food. President Donald Trump greets the Bahrain Foreign Minister Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa at the White House in Washington, Sept. 15, 2020. (Alex Brandon/AP Photo) This is huge, its unbelievable, he said. And Im very, very excited to be at the White House to take part in a truly historic event. This is real history being made by Donald Trump by his administration, and all the other people that were involved in bringing this together, he added. Asked to expand on the why the deals are so large, Hikind noted that the countries previously had no trade or cultural exchange, or other relations, with Israel. And suddenly, you have a breakthrough with the United Arab Emirates, and now with another nation, and Saudi Arabia has given the okay for Israeli planes to fly to fly over its territorythis is what everybody waits for, he said. Thats why theres a Nobel Prize for someone who makes peace in the world. because it is recognized as one of the great things you can accomplish, when you, when you bring nations together, you set an example. And you hope that others will follow as well. Trump was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize for his work on the Israel-UAE deal. Everyone will benefit from normalization between Israel and other countries, Hikind said. He also said the deals were one of many things Trump has accomplished in his first term, and highlighted Trumps position on Israel. A man rides a scooter near the flags of the United States, the United Arab Emirates, Israel, and Bahrain as they flutter along a road in Netanya, Israel on Sept. 14, 2020. (Nir Elias/Reuters) Theres never been a president of the United States that is showing more friendship to the people of Israel, Hikind said. That has been a great friend of the people. Israel and the people of Israel know this, whether youre on the left, center, right, they appreciate that Donald Trump has been a great friend. In contrast, he believes the Democratic Party does not deserve the support of Jewish people. He pointed to the praise Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden and his running mate, Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), heaped on Jacob Blakes family after meeting with them, and wondered about the alleged anti-Semitic positions of Blakes father, including support of known anti-Semite Louis Farrakhan. The Democratic Party thinks these are our new heroes. Am I living in this world? Or am I living on the moon? he wondered. The Biden campaign and the Democratic National Committee didnt respond to requests for comment. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) last week called Trumps successes in the Middle East a distraction, arguing the lack of an agreement between Israel and Palestine signaled failure. Weve been waiting for a very long time for the presidents proposal for an IsraeliPalestinian peace agreement that honored the two-state solution. It was coming in two weeks, it was coming in two months, it was coming in six monthsit still hasnt come in any way that has brought peace, she said. So, good for him for having a distraction on a day when the numbers of people who are affected and the numbers of people who are dying from this virus only increases. Miguel Moreno contributed to the report. One of the crown jewels of Texas camping reopens Tuesday. Big Bend National Park's Chisos Basin Campground will welcome campers for the first time since July. Reservations are required and group sized are limited to one household or eight people. There will be no first come, first served camping. READ ALSO: 'Airbnb for the outdoors': 5 stunning Hipcamp land-sharing spots near San Antonio The campground was recently named the best spot for camping in Texas by Conde Nast Traveler. "Perched atop an uncharacteristically green island in the sky, the Chisos Basin does not feel like Texas," the magazine wrote. "Mountain lions and black bears roam free among the jagged, rust-colored cliffs, and the arid Chihuahuan Desert sprawls out thousands of feet below. If you're looking to hike, the campgrounds 69 sites are the perfect jumping off point for the parks best trails." Many of those trails, including Lost Mine and Window, are currently open. READ ALSO: RockerDogz Gourmet Street Dogz now open on South Side of San Antonio Big Bend National Park shut down all overnight camping in March amid the coronavirus pandemic. The park tried a phased re-opening in June before closing again on July 1 after a COVID-19 case in the park residential community. On Tuesday, all paved roads at the park will be open and the Rio Grande will re-open for day-use river trips. The U.S. administration has issued orders to block the import of cotton, apparel, computer parts, and hair products made by "forced labor" in China's northwestern region of Xinjiang, a move Beijing called an attempt to sabotage global supply chains. The so-called withhold release orders, which stop short of a wider regional ban, give the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) the authority to seize products from five entities in China, preventing the goods from being imported into the United States, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement on September 14. The action, which is likely to stoke already heightened tensions between the United States and China, is aimed specifically at the "egregious human rights abuses" that Uyghurs and other mainly Muslim ethnic groups in Xinjiang are facing. Such abuses "include subjecting individuals to forced labor and stripping them of their freedom and agency to choose how and where they work, Pompeo said, adding that the orders send a clear message to China that it is time to end its practice of state-sponsored forced labor and to respect the human rights of all people. China's Foreign Ministry said on September 15 that the U.S. import bans were aimed at sabotaging global supply chains. The five entities targeted by the new orders include the Lop County No. 4 Vocational Skills Education and Training Center in Xinjiang, where the CBP says it has information that reasonably indicates the use of prison labor to make hair products. "This is not a vocational center, it is a concentration camp, a place where religious and ethnic minorities are subject to abuse and forced to work in heinous conditions with no recourse and no freedom," Homeland Security Acting Deputy Secretary Ken Cuccinelli told reporters. This is modern-day slavery." Washington has recently ratcheted up pressure on China over its treatment of Uyghurs. Pompeo has said that American companies are becoming aware of human rights abuses in Xinjiang, but the CBP did not identify any U.S. companies that do business with the named entities. In the past year, the U.S. government has issued eight withhold release orders to block goods from China tainted by forced labor and is considering further steps, including a ban on cotton and tomatoes from the entire Xinjiang region. China has faced condemnation for placing more than 1 million Uyghurs and members of other ethnic groups in Xinjiang in concentration camps since 2017. Beijing says the camps are reeducation and training centers needed to combat separatist terrorism and extremism. Uyghurs are the largest Turkic-speaking indigenous community in Xinjiang, followed by Kazakhs. The region is also home to ethnic Kyrgyz, Tajiks, and Hui, also known as Dungans. With reporting by Reuters, AFP, and AP Additionally, the Head of State affirmed that he is willing to testify before the Prosecutor's Office starting now and not when his term ends. "Despite how fanciful and unreal it seems, I call on the competent bodies to conduct an investigation by contrasting this version so as to determine the falseness of these claims through formal instances," he stated. The statesman confirmed that he and everyone at the Executive Branch are willing to be investigated, and said with conviction that there is no crime and nothing illegal in what the audio recordings revealed. "I must tell Peruvians that this constitutes the betrayal of someone close to me. It makes me sad and, in addition to being disappointed, I regret to say that this is a personal situation that has extended to the political scene and has been exploited by shady characters," he said. The President regretted the situation and apologized to the country because a person from the Presidential Office, whom he trusted, created this situation with baseless claims and without any foundation, thus feeding the gossip mill and people's ghoulish instincts. David Cameron has criticised Boris Johnsons plan to break international law, warning that ignoring a treaty is the very, very last thing you should contemplate. Mr Cameron joins John Major, Theresa May, Gordon Brown, and Tony Blair in condemnation, meaning all former living prime ministers have now urged the PM to change course. Passing an Act of Parliament and then going on to break an international treaty obligation is the very, very last thing you should contemplate. It should be an absolute final resort, so I do have misgivings about what is being proposed, he said. MPs on Monday are debating the Internal Market Bill, which includes provisions that violate the Brexit withdrawal agreement signed by Boris Johnson last year. Critics say the move will undermine the UKs standing in the world and make it harder to criticise other countries that shirk their obligations. At the weekend Mr Blair and Sir John said the policy was "irresponsible, wrong in principle and dangerous in practice". Theresa May said the move could damage trust in the UK while Gordon Brown branded it an act of self-harm. Mr Cameron said the priority at the moment for the government should be getting a deal, adding: "I would just make this point: so far what's happened is the government's proposed a law that it might pass or it might not pass or might use or might not use depending on whether circumstances do or do not appear. The bigger picture here is we are in a vital negotiation with the European Union in order to get a deal and I think we have to keep that context, that big prize in mind, and that's why I've perhaps held back from saying more up till now. Justice Secretary Robert Buckland has said the powers being sought by the government to amend aspects of the Northern Ireland Protocol are an "insurance policy". The government says they will only be used if their attempts to settle differences in other ways fail. However, the withdrawal agreement already includes an arbitration procedure to settle disputes, and also clearly states that the UK must apply the EU customs code in Northern Ireland which the UK now wants to get out of. Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU Show all 66 1 /66 Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU A message projected onto the White Cliffs of Dover Sky News/AFP via Getty Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU Getty Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU Big Ben, shows the hands at eleven o'clock at night AFP via Getty Images Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU Nigel Farage speaks to pro-Brexit supporters PA Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU Pro-Brexit demonstrators celebrate on Parliament Square REUTERS Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU The Union flag is taken down outside the European Parliament in Brussels PA Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU Pro-EU campaigners outside the Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh PA Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU A pro-Brexit supporter jumps on an EU flag in Parliament Square PA Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU EU Council staff removed the Union Jack-British flag from the European Council in Brussels, Belgium EPA Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU A pro-Brexit supporter pours beer onto an EU flag PA Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU Pedestrians pass in front of the Ministry of Defence Building on Whitehall, illuminated by red, white and blue lights in central London AFP via Getty Images Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU A Brexit supporter shouts during a rally in London AP Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU Pro-EU campaigners outside the Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh PA Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU Pro-EU campaigners take part in a 'Missing EU Already' rally outside the Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh PA Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU A large pro-EU banner is projected onto Ramsgate cliff in Kent PA Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU Pro-EU supporters light candles in Smith Square in Westminster PA Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU A man waves Union flags from a small car as he drives past Brexit supporters gathering in Parliament Square AFP via Getty Images Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU The five-year old Elisa Saemann, left, and her seven-year old sister Katie hold a placard during a rally by anti-Brexit protesters outside the Scottish parliament in Edinburgh AP Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU Pro Europe supporters gather on Brexit day near the British embassy in Berlin, Germany EPA Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU Anti-Brexit protester hugs a man while holding a placard REUTERS Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU A decorated, old fashioned fire pump in Parliament Square PA Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU Pro Brexit Elvis impersonator performs at Parliament Square Getty Images Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU An anti-Brexiteers stands with his dog in Parliament Square AFP via Getty Images Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU Paddy from Bournemouth wears Union colours as he sits next to an EU flag decorated bag in Parliament Square AFP via Getty Images Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU A pro-EU activist plays a guitar decorated with the EU flag during a protest organised by civil rights group New Europeans outside Europe House, central London AFP via Getty Images Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU People celebrate Britain leaving the EU REUTERS Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU A Pro Brexit supporter has a Union Jack painted onto his face at Parliament Square Getty Images Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU Men hold placards celebrating Britain leaving the EU REUTERS Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU Pro Brexit supporters dance in the street draped with Union Jack flags at Parliament Square Getty Images Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU An anti-Brexit demonstrator spreads his wings during a gathering near Downing Street AP Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU Pro EU supporters display a banner ' Here to Stay, Here to Fight, Migrants In, Tories Out' from Westminster bridge EPA Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU Pro-Brexit supporters burn European Union flags at Parliament Square Getty Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU A man poses for a picture on Parliament Square in a 'Brexit Day' t-shirt Reuters Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU People celebrate Britain leaving the EU Reuters Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU AFP via Getty Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU A man wears a pro-Brexit t-shirt Reuters Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU Anti-Brexit demonstrators visit Europe House to give flowers to the staff on Brexit day Reuters Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU Pro Brexit supporter wears a novelty Union Jack top hat outside the Houses of Parliament Getty Images Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU Customers Scott Jones and Laura Jones at the Sawmill Bar in South Elmsall, Yorkshire, where a Brexit party is being held throughout the day PA Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU AP Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU Getty Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU Getty Images Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU Pro-EU activists protest Getty Images Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU A pro-Brexit demonstrator burns a European Union flag AP Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU Pro Brexit supporters Getty Images Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU Pro Brexit supporters Getty Images Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU A Brexit supports holds a sign in Parliament Square AP Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU A man carries an EU themed wreath Reuters Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU Ann Widdecombe reacts with other members of the Brexit party as they leave en masse from the European Parliament PA Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU Anti-Brexit demonstrators in Parliament Square PA Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU Pro EU supporters let off flares from Westminster Bridge Getty Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU British MEPs Jonathan Bullock, holding the Union Jack flag and Jake Pugh leave the European Parliament, in Brussels on the Brexit day AFP via Getty Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU Newspapers and other souvenirs at a store, near Parliament Square Reuters Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU Brexit supporters hold signs in Parliament Square AP Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU Pro-EU protesters hold placards in Parliament Square AFP via Getty Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU French newspapers PA Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald with a Border Communities Against Brexit poster before its unveiling in Carrickcarnon on the Irish border PA Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU National growers organisation British Apples & Pears has renamed a British apple to EOS, the Greek goddess of dawn, to commemorate Brexit day AP Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU Pro-EU protesters hold placards in Parliament Square AFP via Getty Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU Britain's departure from the European Union was set in law on January 29, amid emotional scenes, as the bloc's parliament voted to ratify the divorce papers. After half a century of membership and three years of tense withdrawal talks, the UK will leave the EU at midnight Brussels time (23.00 GMT) on January 31 Reuters Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU A man poses with paintings on Parliament Square Reuters Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU People sporting Union Flags gather in Parliament Square Getty Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU A man walks with a St. George's flag at Westminster bridge on Brexit day Reuters Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU A British bulldog toy and other souvenirs at a souvenir store Reuters Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU British pro-brexit Members of the European Parliament leave the EU Parliament for the last time Reuters Brexit day: UK says goodbye to EU Jonathan Bullock waves the Union Jack as he leaves the European Parliament EPA The EU customs code which the UK signed Northern Ireland up to requires so-called export summary declarations for goods leaving its jurisdiction, but Boris Johnson has now said he does not want Northern Ireland businesses to have to fill in paperwork when shipping goods to Great Britain. Letter From PUCL to To Mr. SN Srivastava, IPS, Commissioner of Police, Delhi Police PUCL PEOPLEaS UNION FOR CIVIL LIBERTIES 332, Patpar Ganj, Opposite Anand Lok Apartments, Mayur Vihar I, Delhi 110 091 Phone 2275 0014 PP FAX 4215 1459 Founder: Jayaprakash Narayan; Founding President: V M Tarkunde President: Ravi Kiran Jain; General Secretary: Dr. V. Suresh E.mail: puclnat[at]gmail.com& pucl.natgensec[at]gmail.com 14th September 2020 To: Mr SN Srivastava, IPS Commissioner of Police, Delhi Police Headquarters, Jai Singh Road, New Delhi Subject: Urgently stop the motivated and malicious investigation and carry out bona fide investigation into the violence in North East Delhi in end February 2020; Stop filing of the charge sheet on the basis of fabricated evidence and false confessions in the conspiracy case made out in FIR number 59/2020, Crime Branch police station, New Delhi. Dear Commissioner, We represent the Peoples Union for Civil Liberties, which is the oldest human rights organisation in the country, founded during the Emergency by Shri Jayaprakash Narayan, Acharya Kripalani and others and led by prominent jurists/ academics like Justice Tarkunde, Justice Sachar, Shri Kannabiran, Prof. Rajni Kothari and Prof. Prabhakar Sinha, amongst others. The PUCL is an independent, voluntary human rights body unaffiliated to any political party which believes in the primacy of the Indian Constitution, works to uphold and protect the constitutional, democratic and human rights of citizens and to promote democratic values in all walks of life consistent with the Constitution and rule of law. We approach you as the Head of the Delhi police to express our deepest concern over reports which allege bias in the investigation by the Delhi police in the North East Delhi violence cases. This tragedy, which occurred between 23rd -26th, February 2020, took 53 lives and injured scores of others, is a matter of grave shame for our country. We are aware this is a mammoth investigation with over 751 FIRs, of which 61 FIRs are being investigated by Crime Branch; 689 FIRs are being investigated at the Police Station level and one by the Special Cell of the Delhi Police. Our concern today is specifically with reference to FIR 59/2020 registered at the Crime Branch Police station and being investigated by the Special Cell, Delhi police and examining the conspiracy angle of the Delhi riots. This FIR was registered on March 6, 2020, by an officer of the Crime Branch, based solely on ainformationa by an unnamed informant under very simple sections of the IPC 147/148/149/120B, relating to conspiracy, for unlawful assembly and rioting among others. It is a matter of great alarm the manner in which Delhi police is trying to beef up an otherwise hollow foundation and has added charges which include 19 IPC Sections - 120 (B) read with 302, 307, 124 (A), 153 A, 109, 114, 147, 148, 149, 186, 212, 353, 395, 427, 435, 436, 452, 34 - and sections 3 & 4 of the PDPP Act, sections 25 & 27 of the Arms Act and sections 13, 16, 17, 18 of the UAPA. The charge-sheet in this matter is to be filed before September 17, 2020. We wish to draw your attention to the following concerns we have regarding the investigation under FIR 59/20, and we seek your urgent intervention and assurances in this regard. 1. False theory of conspiracy by all those who were part of the movement against CAA The scrutiny of several other charge-sheets that have already been filed in the riots cases, indicates that the Delhi Police is developing a theory of a wide-ranging and deep-rooted conspiracy to cause violence between communities in February 2020, allegedly to destabilize India and ruin its international image. It is alleged that the planning into this violence preceded even the passage of the Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAA), on December 11, 2020. The entire democratic movement against the CAA, which many legal experts in India and outside and Special Rapporteurs of UN have opined is unjust, unconstitutional and against Indiaas obligations under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) is sought to be criminalised and is being projected as the front for this conspiracy. In order to build a foundation of conspiracy and book people under UAPA, Chargesheets like the latest Supplementary charge-sheet in FIR No. 50/2020, Jaffrabad Police station shows the motivated investigation that the Delhi police have indulged in. The frequent clubbing of the terms "anti CAA Protestor / rioter" in the chargesheet shows a predetermined mindset of the Delhi police to project every law abiding citizen, who in exercise of their fundamental right of freedom of speech and expression and in the performance of their fundamental duties to defend the country and its Constitution, protested against an unjust law. It is a matter of great concern that statements which the persons in police remand denied making, have been made the basis to implicate more law abiding citizens, with the clear motive to target eminent academics and University professors, writers, film makers, civil society activists, political party leaders and also MLAs as being the instigators, mobilisers of road blocks and motivators of dharnas, in order to build a baseless case. There is hardly any circumstantial or electronic evidence, to even show any involvement; yet, brazenly such chargesheets implicating people have been filed, to build a larger case of being conspirators of the violence. We bring to your attention two such news reports. Delhi Police Spreads Riots Conspiracy Net, Drags In Eminent Academics and Activists (https://thewire.in/rights/delhi-police-riots-conspiracy-academics-activists) Delhi riots: Police name Yechury, Yogendra Yadav, Jayati Ghosh, in supplementary charge sheet (https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/delhi/delhi-riots-police-name-yechury-yogendra-yadav-jayati-ghosh-apoorvanand-as-co-conspirators-6593612/) Under this wide ambit, a large number of people continue to be interrogated and arrested, as conspirators and provocateurs. This includes young people from the Muslim community, senior activists, academics, writers, professors, cultural artistes, trade-unionists who supported the anti CAA protests. The interrogation of more than 60 people under FIR 59/2020, shows a clear line of investigation - every activity which was part of the peaceful anti CAA protest is now being made suspect. Even a womens solidarity yatra, wherein a group of women over three days visited a dozen sites, is now suspect. Visits to dharna sites to make speeches on the CAA is being looked upon as provocation, discussion on whether a road block should happen or not, which is a strategy used by all protests, is being considered as the gravest criminal offence that could have occurred, more important than the road block itself. A WhatsApp group, the `Delhi Protest Solidarity Groupa (DPSG), comprised of a motley group of people, who were there with a simple objective as citizens to support a peopleas movement, is being made out to be some dangerous hub of this alleged criminal conspiracy. Discussions on this group are being taken out of context and being presented as a part of the asinistera plan to provoke violence. The absurdity of these presumptions and line of interrogation and investigation has not gone unnoticed by the media also. How Delhi Police Turned Anti-CAA WhatsApp Group Chats Into Riots Conspiracy (https://thewire.in/communalism/delhi-riots-police-activists-whatsapp-group). Inside Anti-CAA WhatsApp Group Tagged for Delhi Riot aConspiracy (https://www.thequint.com/news/india/anti-caa-whatsapp-group-delhi-protest-support-group-delhi-police-riot-conspiracy), Delhi riots: In WhatsApp group to support protests against CAA, vibrant debates about strategy (https://scroll.in/article/969951/delhi-riots-in-whatsapp-group-to-support-protests-against-caa-vibrant-debates-about-strategy). 2. Manufacturing of evidence through custodial interrogations & coerced confessions Twenty people arrested under this FIR were subjected to custodial interrogation, amongst whom, it is reliably learnt, at least 5 were allegedly forced to make confessions. The actual number may be higher. Of these 20 people, 17 persons have been booked under sections 13, 16, 17 & 18 of the UAPA, and remain incarcerated. The invoking of UAPA sections is to clearly ensure that those arrested do not get bail for the next five years or more. The invoking of UAPA is not only an abuse of law but it is in fact trivialising a law which was enacted to deal with serious threats and was not meant to crush democratic and constitutionally guaranteed rights. Additionally, over 40 people said they were interrogated. Some young people were repeatedly called, kept till late into the night, and asked to sign on pre-drafted texts of "confessions". Some refused and some succumbed under pressure. (https://thewire.in/rights/citing-instance-of-witness-coercion-umar-khalid-accuses-police-of-framing-him-in-riots-case). In other riots case also, people have reported being coerced during police interrogation (https://www.thepolisproject.com/manufacturing-evidence-how-the-police-framed-and-arrested-constitutional-right-defenders-in-india/#.X00TkS2B2qA) A scrutiny by independent media found the following: In the Ankit Sharma charge-sheet (FIR 65/20), Dayalpur Police station, presented by the Delhi Police, there were 4 identical aconfessionala statements. There were 7 identical statements in the Ratan Lal (FIR 60/20), Dayalpur police station, chargesheet. And there were 10 identical statements in the Jaffrabad police station, (FIR 50/20) charge-sheet. (https://scroll.in/article/967881/delhi-polices-grand-riots-conspiracy-where-is-the-evidence). In a fourth charge-sheet of the Dilbar Negi case (FIR number 39/20) Thana, Gokulpuri, the Indian Express found that 9 out of 12 confessional statement were near verbatim copies of each other. (https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/delhi/delhi-riots-9-of-12-confession-statements-near-copies-of-one-another-6485967/). This pattern of coerced statements and false evidence is alarming. We are all aware that confessional statements made in police custody have little evidentiary value in court. Yet, they are being repeatedly leaked to select media, to build a public opinion and allow a media trial. This has already vilified and harmed people like Professor Apoorvanand and Dr. Umar Khalid. It has also vilified Asif Iqbal Tanha, Meeran Haider, Tahir Hussain, Gulfisha, Natasha Narwal and Devangana Kalita, Khalid Saifi, Sharjeel Imam and others who remain incarcerated. All this is happening despite High Court orders in the Devangana Kalita case asking the police to stop such leaks of information of ongoing investigation. 3. Shocking nature of biased narrative being presented in several charge-sheets We draw your attention to the kind of utterly absurd story that has thus far been presented in some of the charge-sheets: The background in several charge-sheets has targeted simple speeches like that of Harsh Mander, (a widely respected former senior IAS officer), given to protesting students of Jamia Millia Islamia on 16th December; claiming that this speech "behind the facade of peace", provoked unlawful acts and violence, when there is nothing to prove such an allegation. The speech, which actually called for peace, love and non-violence, is in the public domain. It falls within the domain of the right to freedom of speech and expression recognised in Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution of India. Several charge-sheets contain elaborate flow charts, alleging entirely fictitious layers of planning, and alleging that this wide range of people who supported the movement against CAA were all part of a well-coordinated conspiracy - this includes people like film maker Rahul Roy, student activist Kanwalpreet and others from AISA, members of `Pinjra Toda, the young women students group from several Universities in Delhi and others from the Delhi based group of activists, called the `United Against Hatea working for secularism in the country. The Delhi police has not even spared D. S. Bindra, a philanthropist from the Sikh community who sold a flat to feed people at dharna sites and Dr. Anwar of Al Hind Hospital who deposed over the phone in the midnight hearing in front of a High Court judge, regarding ambulances being prevented from reaching his hospital to take the injured to specialised hospitals in Delhi. These allegations of conspiracy have no basis in fact, or in evidence. There appears to be a race to implicate as many bonafide law abiding citizens into a non-existent conspiracy case in the chargesheet which is to be filed. Clearly this investigation is leading farther and farther away from the real rioters. It appears that it is being carried out solely to spread fear among citizens so as to silence all democratic activities and not for the purpose of bringing the real perpetrators of the violence to book. 4. We urge you to uphold the sanctity of due process, conduct a fair and just investigation, as mandated by the law, CrPC and the Delhi Police rules. We appeal through this letter, to urge you as the Head of the Delhi Police, to ensure a fair and just investigation into the violence that shook Northeast Delhi in end February, 2020 so that the real perpetrators are brought to book. We look up to you to restore faith in the Delhi Policeas investigation. We urge the Delhi Police to probe into the matter with the skills and objectivity that it has been trained for, following the constitutional mandates and established procedures of law, and not pursue this malicious line which appears to be politically motivated. We are constrained to point out that the Delhi police seem to be abdicating its constitutional duty to conduct independent, fair and objective investigation. The fact that the police is not investigating the role played by BJP leaders, like Kapil Mishra and others in actually instigating and promoting the violence, despite so much electronic evidence of speeches, social media posts being available only deepens our concern. We would like to point out that we are not alone in pointing out to the patently partisan role seemingly played by the Delhi Police. Very senior former police officers including well known former DGP level officers, eminent ad experienced former IAS, IFS and Central Services officers and a large number of citizens, media as well as the Delhi Minorities Commission are asking the same questions. Dead and Buried: Delhi Police ignored complaints against Kapil Mishra, other BJP leaders for leading mobs in Delhi violence - (https://caravanmagazine.in/politics/delhi-policeignored-complaints-against-kapil-mishra-bjp-leaders-leading-mobs-delhi-violence). No Evidence To Indicate Role Of Anurag Thakur, Kapil Mishra & Parvesh Verma In Delhi Riots: Delhi Police Tells Delhi HC - (https://www.livelaw.in/news-updates/no-evidence-to-indicate-role-of-anurag-thakur-kapil-mishra-parvesh-verma-in-delhi-riots-delhi-police-tells delhi-hc-159903). Report of the Fact-Finding Committee on the North-East Delhi Riots of February 2020 (https://ia801906.us.archive.org/11/items/dmc-delhi-riot-fact-report-2020/-Delhi-riots-Fact-Finding-2020.pdf) We have just come to know from media reports that Dr. Umar Khalid, a promising young scholar, who believes in the power of Gandhian non-violent, peaceful means for bringing about communal harmony and peace thereby strengthening secularism, was arrested by the Delhi police late last night on 13th September, 2020. It is pertinent to point out that he is a law abiding citizen and that he has always voluntarily appeared before the police whenever summons were issued for his presence. There is no fear of him fleeing justice. This being the case, there is absolutely no legal necessity to justify his arrest. This only underscores our concern about the Delhi police engaging in arbitrary arrest and conducting a partial, biased and politically motivated investigation. We appeal that a fair and just probe be ensured. That all arbitrary arrests be immediately stopped and all those incarcerated be released. It is important that there is no travesty of justice in investigation and the truth, with evidence, is presented to the courts. The smallest tribute that can be paid to the numerous lives lost during the NE Delhi violence is to ensure that the true perpetrators are brought to book. It will also be the biggest demonstration that ultimately it is the rule of law and the Indian Constitution that triumphs in our country. With regards. Sd/- Mr. Ravi Kiran Jain, President, PUCL Dr. V. Suresh, General Secretary, PUCL Note: This Copy of letter is sent by email as attachment. Hard Copy with signature is being sent separately by post. Heroic: John Paddy Hemingway (second left) with the airmen who fought the Battle of Britain The last surviving member of 'The Few' - the airmen who won the Battle of Britain - has praised the "true professionals" who helped the country to prevail against Germany in 1940. Group Captain John 'Paddy' Hemingway is now 101, and regards himself as "a lucky Irishman", having survived multiple dog fights during the war. Born in Dublin on July 17, 1919, he was granted an RAF short service commission on March 7, 1939, and posted to 85 Squadron in Debden, Essex, flying Hurricane aeroplanes, staying with them throughout the Battle of Britain. During the war he destroyed or severely damaged seven enemy aircraft and was shot down himself several times. On April 11, 1941 he was mentioned in dispatches, and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) on July 1, 1941. Cpt Hemingway spent time in 1942 at an offensive radar station, but returned to operational duties in 1945, taking command of a spitfire squadron in Italy. After the war he stayed in the RAF and retired in 1969 as a Group Captain. He now lives in Wicklow, in Ireland, where he recently celebrated his 101st birthday. Cpt Hemingway says he feels "privileged to have met so many amazing young men and pilots" throughout his life. South Korean companies need to keep close tabs on India's anti-dumping rules and other trade remedies to protect its domestic industries, a report said Tuesday. India, Asia's third-largest economy, has been beefing up efforts to shield its domestic industries from foreign competitors by sharply raising import regulation probes in recent years. "India's import regulations have recently been very tough and aggressive," the report from the Korea International Trade Association (KITA) said. "South Korean exporters should pay closer attention to them." In February, New Delhi amended its enforcement decrees on anti-dumping and countervailing duties, and subsidies in a show of its growing protectionist tendencies. "In particular, South Korean steel and petrochemical manufacturers should preemptively brace for the potential risk of import controls as they are prone to India's anti-dumping and countervailing tariffs," the report said. According to the report, India's new investigations for import restrictions came to an average 60.5 cases per year between 2016 and 2019, nearly double the 30.3 cases recorded from 2010-15. China was the No. 1 target of India's probes with 77 cases since 2016, followed by South Korea with 24, Thailand with 22 and Malaysia with 21. South Korean companies have been ramping up efforts to make forays into the world's second-most populous country, which has been emerging as one of the most promising markets in the world. In the first half of this year, South Korea's exports to India sank 33.2 percent on-year to US$5.36 billion amid the coronavirus pandemic, with imports from India falling only 5.3 percent to $2.59 billion. Seoul is seeking to hike bilateral trade with India to $50 billion a year by 2030. Last year, bilateral trade reached $20.7 billion. (Yonhap) The three limited editions with cases made of exclusive honey gold as well as special movement decorations and dials are dedicated to Ferdinand Adolph Lange. In establishing his manufactory 175 years ago, the watchmaking pioneer laid the foundations for Saxonys precision watchmaking industry. Tourbograph Perpetual Honeygold A. Lange & Sohne Never stand still and build bridges Inspired by long-standing tradition, the watchmakers of A. Lange & Sohne today strive to advance precision watchmaking with innovative ideas and excellent craftsmanship. Their driving motivation of never standing still is exemplified by the new anniversary edition with the epithet Homage to F. A. Lange. The three limited models with cases made of exclusive honey gold, special movement decorations and special dials are dedicated to watchmaking pioneer Ferdinand Adolph Lange. They represent a unique connection between traditional watchmaking elements and innovative craftsmanship in processing techniques, thus building a bridge from the origins of Lange watchmaking to the present. A. Lange & Sohne also bridges the West and the East by presenting this special edition at the Watches & Wonders watch fair, which will be taking place in Shanghai for the first time from 9 to 13 September 2020. The company is thus making its return to a place where, in 2008, it began the expansion of its market presence in China with its second boutique. Since then, Lange has continuously expanded its distribution network and today has more than 20 boutiques and sales outlets in the Peoples Republic of China and its special administrative regions. This is a strong achievement for a watchmaker who manufactures only a few thousand watches per year, summarises Lange CEO Wilhelm Schmid. We are noticing an increasing appreciation for our timepieces in China, in particular thanks to the younger generation we are delighted by this fact. I am convinced that China still holds plenty of potential for A. Lange & Sohne and our market position can undergo sustainable growth. In the founders tradition: the 2020 anniversary edition Homage to F. A. Lange The 1815 watch family, which bears the birth year of Ferdinand Adolph Lange, is inspired by tradition and therefore primarily stands for the classic side of A. Lange & Sohne. The familys design transports the spirit of the pocket watches of yesteryear to the mechanical wristwatches of today distinguished restraint and the demand for precision represent the values of Ferdinand Adolph Lange. The unifying element of the three new limited editions is the innovative case material, honey gold, which symbolises the scientific side of the manufactory and stands for the stated goal of using metallurgic discoveries for watchmaking. Additionally, all three models stand out thanks to their special movement decorations, which include grained plates made of German silver and black-rhodiumed engravings on the balance cock. What is more, each of the three watches features a special dial. 1815 THIN HONEYGOLD With a diameter of only 38 millimetres, this timelessly elegant two-hand watch is a mere 6.3 millimetres high. With Arabic numerals and a railway-track minute scale, the intricately hand-made enamel dial emphasises the design inspired by Lange pocket watches. The edition is limited to 175 watches. 1815 Thin Honeygold A. Lange & Sohne 1815 RATTRAPANTE HONEYGOLD This is the first watch from A. Lange & Sohne which places the classic complications of timekeeping chronograph and rattrapante in the spotlight in their pure forms. Additionally, for this watch which is limited to 100 pieces the exclusive case material honey gold was used for the first time in combination with a black dial made from solid silver. * 1815 Rattrapante Honeygold A. Lange & Sohne TOURBOGRAPH PERPETUAL HONEYGOLD The TOURBOGRAPH PERPETUAL HONEYGOLD is further proof of our desire to always push the envelope of precision watchmaking. Only 50 pieces of the most complex timepiece of the new anniversary edition will be made. Two of its five complications tourbillon and fusee-andchain transmission have the single purpose of further increasing the accuracy of the watch. Orchestrating the perfect interaction between chronograph, rattrapante and perpetual calendar is a major watchmaking challenge. Movement A. Lange & Sohne For the dial arrangement, A. Lange & Sohne took a completely new approach: it is made of black-rhodiumed honey gold with raised numerals and scales that stand out from the dark background as a ground relief. WASHINGTON, Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. Institute of Peace (USIP) is pleased to announce that Rita M. Lopidia, executive director and co-founder of the Eve Organization for Women Development in South Sudan, received the Institute's inaugural Women Building Peace Award. This award recognizes the vital efforts of individual women pursuing peace in fragile or conflict-affected countries around the world. "USIP is proud to honor Ms. Lopidia with the inaugural Women Building Peace Award," said Joe Lataille, the Institute's acting president and chief financial officer. "Her commitment to nonviolent action, inclusive leadership, and fearless advocacy embody the spirit of this award." Ms. Lopidia led a coalition of women's organizations to champion women's participation in the 2018 revitalized peace agreement in South Sudan, and her organization supports women displaced by South Sudan's conflict. She has also advocated for the development of the South Sudan United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 National Action Plan and gender-sensitive legislation in her own country. "Throughout my career, I've been humbled by the courageous, inspiring, and powerful women I've met who risk their lives and find bold new ways to build peace," said Nancy Lindborg, honorary chair of the Women Building Peace Council. "I know Ms. Lopidia will inspire generations of women peacebuilders to come." Leymah R. Gbowee, 2011 Nobel Peace Laureate, announced the selection of Rita Lopidia as the first recipient of the award during a virtual ceremony hosted by USIP earlier today. The celebration also featured 10 finalists that the Women Building Peace Council selected from more than 150 nominees representing 51 countries. "In today's complicated, turbulent world, women like Ms. Lopidia remind us what's possible," said Megan Beyer, co-chair of the Women Building Peace Council. "We are so proud to honor her with this well-deserved recognition. We remain grateful to all our finalists for their continual, courageous commitment to peace." "Ms. Lopidia's achievements reinforce what data have long shown: to build a more peaceful world, give women a seat at the table," said Marcia Carlucci, co-chair of the Women Building Peace Council. "As the COVID-19 pandemic threatens to exacerbate violent conflict globally, lifting up the importance of women peacebuilders remains vital." For information on the award, visit www.usip.org/womenbuildingpeace For information on USIP, visit: https://www.usip.org/about SOURCE United States Institute of Peace Related Links http://www.usip.org Photo: BC Gov Flickr The B.C. government has announced 97 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours. An additional six cases have been reported in the Interior Health region, bringing the total case count to 479 since the start of the pandemic. One person is currently in the hospital with 19 cases active and on isolation in the IH region. Tuesday's new cases bring the total number of positive COVID-19 tests in the province to 7,376 since the beginning of the pandemic. There are currently 1,590 active cases in BC. Sixty-three people are hospitalized, of which 20 are in the ICU. No new deaths were reported Tuesday. To date, 219 people have died from the virus in B.C. Across the province, 5,548 have fully recovered from the virus, and 3,001 are self-isolating after being exposed to the virus. There was one new health-care facility outbreak at OPAL by Element in the Vancouver Coastal Health region. In total, eleven long-term care or assisted-living facilities and three acute-care facilities have active outbreaks. There is no new community outbreak to report, although community exposure events continue to be an issue. Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and Minister of Health Adrian Dix issued a joint statement, encouraging B.C. residents to do their part to break the chains of transmission. "We must hold steady with our layers of protection. From keeping safe distances to washing our hands, staying home, and staying away from others when we are ill and have symptoms of COVID-19, we must all do our part." "And if we do have symptoms, contact 811 to arrange to get tested." During Tuesday's joint statement, they wanted to urge teachers and students to monitor their surroundings as they head back to school. "As teachers and youth get back to the classroom, public health teams have been there and are working closely with schools to manage and contact trace any time a COVID-19 case arises." "Although this phase was left for the end, because it considers activities with the highest potential for (COVID-19) contagion, it is necessary to start them as these represent a significant number of jobs," he told RPP radio and TV station. "Of course, (this must be done) with great care in terms of health-related issues to avoid the worsening of the coronavirus pandemic, as is happening in some European countries," he expressed. Likewise, the economist stressed that without the beginning of this phase, the process of reactivating the economy could be stuck in limbo. Impact The economist commented that the GDP result in July (-11.7%) shows the effects of the beginning of Phase 3 , but in the second fortnight. "In (the results of) August, the impact of this phase will be seen more clearly , which could report a (GDP rate of) -7%," he said. UK MPs resume Brexit feuding as new bill faces first Commons vote Boris Johnson's government last week introduced a bill to override the EU treaty and unilaterally regulate UK trade Britain's parliament on Monday finds itself in familiar territory -- arguing about Brexit -- with threats of rebellion and resignations over Prime Minister Boris Johnson's controversial plan for a new law that will break his EU divorce treaty. The House of Commons holds its first debate and vote over the bombshell new bill from late afternoon, despite a call from Brussels for it to be withdrawn by the end of the month. The contentious legislation, unveiled last week, would override the divorce deal the UK struck with the EU last year in several key areas related to Northern Ireland. It would see London unilaterally regulate UK trade and state aid within the British province, ignoring the EU treaty which gives Brussels a continuing say over Northern Ireland's trading relationship. If the law passes in the coming weeks, Brussels has warned it could scupper ongoing trade deal talks and threatened court action, leaving the prospects of an orderly Brexit in tatters. Even some Brexiteer lawmakers were aghast that Britain would wilfully trash an international treaty, threatening the country's reputation and potentially endangering Northern Ireland's fragile peace. Former prime ministers John Major and Tony Blair this weekend openly criticised the action, while David Cameron said Monday he had "misgivings" about the approach. Meanwhile, Johnson's pro-Brexit former attorney general Geoffrey Cox said it would be "unconscionable" to override an international treaty. "I think it is wrong that the British government or our parliament should renege on an agreement on which we gave our solemn word," he told Times Radio. - 'Squabbling days' - The latest row revives the bitter wrangling over how to implement British voters' shock decision in 2016 to quit the bloc, which led to parliamentary deadlock and repeated postponements. The impasse was broken after Johnson sealed a divorce deal with Brussels and used it to win a thumping victory in a December general election which gave his Conservatives an 80-seat majority in the House of Commons. Story continues Brexit took legal effect the next month, but in practice Britain has remained bound by EU rules under a transition period until the end of this year. With the clock ticking down, no breakthrough is in sight for regulating cross-Channel trade from January, and Northern Ireland is back as a fiendishly complicated obstacle. Britain claims it needs the new law as an insurance policy in case no trade agreement is struck, but the EU was left blind-sided, as were many in parliament. The government nonetheless appears determined to ram the UK Internal Market Bill through as quickly as possible, and senior minister Michael Gove believes it can avert a full-scale rebellion. "I think we have got the support of our own MPs and MPs in other parties as well," he told BBC television. "But you're absolutely right we are reaching a crunch moment." On Friday evening, the prime minister held a chaotic Zoom call with about 250 Conservative backbenchers which appeared to do little to mollify the malcontents. Johnson warned them against a return to the "miserable, squabbling days of last autumn" over Brexit, according to MPs' accounts to the media afterwards. Not long after the call, he accused the EU of plotting to break up the UK with a food "blockade" down the Irish Sea, which EU leaders have denied. - 'Madman theory' - MPs will get their first chance to debate the legislation from mid-afternoon Monday, before voting at around 2100 GMT to continue its passage through parliament. However, more meaningful votes on attempts to change the draft law will not come until next week. Commons Justice Committee chairman Bob Neill has filed an amendment to dictate that parliament, not the government, will have the final say on any changes to the EU Withdrawal Agreement. The bill "is potentially a harmful act for this country, it would damage our reputation and I think it will make it harder to strike trade deals going forward," he told Channel 4 News. It remains to be seen whether Tory rebels can muster the numbers to seriously embarrass the government on Monday or whether they could hold their fire until future votes. The main opposition Labour party, which opposed Brexit, says it is open to negotiation about the bill but would rather be talking about Covid-19. "We should be getting on with defeating this virus, not reigniting old rows," Labour leader Keir Starmer wrote in the Sunday Telegraph. jit-jj/phz/wdb Huawei's Survival at Stake as US Sanctions Loom By John Xie September 14, 2020 Starting Sept. 15, China's telecom giant Huawei once a symbol of Chinese technology prowess will be cut off from essential supplies of semiconductors. Without those chips, Huawei cannot make the smartphones or 5G equipment on which its business depends, business analysts say. The sanctions against one of China's most successful technology companies were announced in August, when the United States introduced a new set of rules that prohibit foreign chipmakers that rely on U.S. technology from selling any chips to Huawei without first obtaining a special license. In recent weeks, suppliers from South Korea and Taiwan have all indicated they will comply with the sanctions and cease their supply of semiconductors to Huawei on Tuesday, the day the new moves against the Chinese company comes into force. "Unfortunately, in the second round of U.S. sanctions, our chip producers only accepted orders until May 15. Production of the chip will stop on Sept. 15," Richard Yu, chief executive of Huawei's consumer business, said last month. "Because there is no Chinese chip manufacturing industry to support, Huawei is faced with the problem of no chips." Microchips For all of China's efforts to become a global leader in high-technology, the factory of the world is yet not able to manufacture top-level contenders in one crucial area the microchip, the nervous system that runs just about every electronic device. An important mark of a microchip's level of sophistication is how many transistors can be placed on its surface. The smaller the size, measured in nanometers, the more advanced the microchip. China's best manufacturing process is believed to be able to make 14-nanometer microchips, which are several generations behind Samsung and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC). Samsung reached this standard in 2014. TSMC, the world's largest contract chipmaker, is already making 5-nanometer chips. While some of the most advanced semiconductor manufacturers are based outside the U.S., the industry is heavily dependent upon U.S. suppliers to provide everything from design software to manufacturing equipment. Washington first placed Huawei on a trade blacklist in May 2019, citing national security concerns. However, this ban did not include most foreign-produced chips. In May, the U.S. extended the ban to cut off Huawei from its non-American suppliers, which affects China's own semiconductor companies whose market is in China. Early last month, China's leading chipmaker, Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (SMIC), indicated it will abide by the U.S. rules and stop selling chips to Huawei. Like all of the semiconductor foundries, SMIC relies on U.S.-based companies to obtain key production equipment. "The dominance of U.S.-origin technology in upstream sectors of the global semiconductor supply chain means that Chinese ICT (Information and Communication Technologies) firms across the board are exposed to U.S. export controls, regardless of what happens to SMIC or Huawei as individual companies," John Lee, a senior analyst at the Mercator Institute for China Studies (MERICS), told VOA. China's failed attempts Beijing has a long history of angst about the country's dependence on foreign semiconductors. Its strategic planning related to this key industry dates back to the 1950s, when the State Council convened a group of scientists to develop an "Outline for Science and Technology Development, 19561967," which identified semiconductor technology as a "key priority." In recent decades, from the "531 Development Plan" launched in 1986 to the multibillion-dollar National Integrated Circuit Industry Investment Fund that was explicitly established for the chip sector in 2014, the country has poured considerable state resources into its semiconductor aspirations. A report released in July 2019 by U.S. International Trade Commission said the fund, along with provincial and municipal Integrated Circuit-related funds, are well on their way to reaching the goal of $150 billion. James Andrew Lewis, senior vice president and director of the Technology Policy Program at CSIS, told CNBC last week that China might outspend the U.S. "1,000 to 1" when it comes to investing in semiconductors. In 2016, China's President Xi Jinping noted, "The fact that core technology is controlled by others is our greatest hidden danger." Xi emphasized the point again last Friday when chairing a symposium of scientists on the development of science and technology during the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) period. "Some key core technologies are subject to others," he said. Last week, in response to the new U.S. restrictions on Huawei, China announced a sweeping new set of government policies to expand its domestic semiconductor industry by providing extensive support for the next generation of semiconductors in the 14th Five-Year Plan. In hopes that key technologies from the foreign firms will get transferred to Chinese companies, Beijing has also encouraged U.S. chipmakers to form joint ventures with domestic firms. According to MERICS, the think tank based in Germany, China's quest for foreign technology at times even targets entire industries. "Almost all of the large semiconductor enterprises in the United States have received investment offers from Chinese state actors," a research report by MERICS said. On the other hand, Douglas Fuller, a professor at City University of Hong Kong who studies the technology industry, said China should not be viewed as a failure. "There are only four firms ahead of SMIC in foundry services two from Taiwan (TSMC and UMC), Korea's Samsung, and U.S./UAE's GloFo," Fuller told VOA in an email. As for mass manufacturing, there are only two places with the leading technology - TSMC in Taiwan and Samsung in Korea, he said. "Intel is even playing catch-up. Thus, other than Taiwan and Korea, the whole rest of the world is behind the cutting edge of manufacturing tech in this industry, including the U.S., Japan, Israel and all of Europe," said Fuller. Will Huawei survive? It remains unclear where Huawei will be able to buy its chips. Taiwanese chipmaker MediaTek said last month it had applied to the U.S. government for permission to continue supplying Huawei after new U.S. rules take effect. In the meantime, Huawei has reportedly stockpiled up to two years' worth of silicon to keep its business running. "In the short term, it is difficult to see any effective options available to Chinese firms targeted by U.S. export controls on semiconductors," said Lee, whose research focuses on the rise of Chinese digital technology. As for the future, analysts say the U.S. will unlikely be able to stop China from making basic semiconductors. Given enough time, the country's vast consumer market for electronics and decades of investment will eventually make it a chip producer. "In the medium to long term, China will probably be able to substitute U.S. technology and develop a complete domestic semiconductor supply chain (though whether it can catch up to foreign firms at the technological cutting edge is another issue)." Lee said in an email. James Lewis, director of the Technology Policy Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), wrote in May that Huawei has been harmed by the U.S. effort, "but the Chinese government will not allow it to collapse Huawei is too important." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address For Subscribers Farmers concerned about chemical costs, supply issues heading into 2022 Higher fertilizer and chemical costs are on the minds of farm groups as they look toward spring planting. OTTAWA, ON, Sept. 15, 2020 /CNW/ - The Business + Higher Education Roundtable (BHER) is excited to announce the launch of the Canada Comeback Challenge , a national competition that will create up to 10,000 work-integrated learning (WIL) experiences for post-secondary students and recent graduates. The Canada Comeback Challenge is made possible by generous support from the Government of Canada. "Canada's continued prosperity depends on young Canadians having access to the education and experience they need to succeed," said the Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry. "Our government is proud to support the launch of the Canada Comeback Challenge to help create new work-integrated learning opportunities for young Canadians across the country." Through an entirely online competition, student teams will contribute to Canada's COVID-19 recovery by tackling real-world problems facing employers in the public, private, and not-for-profit sectors. Participating students will compete for a chance to pitch their ideas to a panel of Canadian leaders, receive mentorship from experienced professionals, and gain exposure to unique challenges in different sectors. "By leveraging the creative spirit and energy of Canada's incredible students and new graduates, the Canada Comeback Challenge gives our country's young leaders the chance to play a central role in helping organizations solve some of their toughest challenges," said Val Walker, CEO of the Business + Higher Education Roundtable. "Through building connections between employers, students and mentors at a time when collaboration is critical to our recovery, the Canada Comeback Challenge is working to build back a stronger, more resilient Canada." The opportunities created through the Canada Comeback Challenge will help fill the gap in lost work placements for students due to the pandemic. As an immersive online program, participating students will be able to collaborate with peers and professionals across the country from coast to coast to coast. Throughout the competition, students will have access to financial resources to help develop their pitches, as well as professional development courses, and mentorship and networking opportunities that will enrich their experience and support skills development for their future careers. The opportunities made possible by the Canada Comeback Challenge will enhance collaboration between employers and students with a focus on developing solutions that will benefit our economy and support the development of a prosperous, healthy and resilient Canada. To get involved in the Canada Comeback Challenge or to learn more, click here . SOURCE BHER - Business + Higher Education Roundtable For further information: Media Contact: Brianna Workman - Associate, Communications - Business + Higher Education Roundtable - 613-695-5138, [email protected] Donald Trump President Donald Trump waits to greet the Bahrain Foreign Minister Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa at the White House, on Sept. 15, 2020, in Washington. Credit - Alex BrandonAP When Israeli and Persian Gulf state leaders clasp hands with President Donald Trump today on the South Lawn of the White House, the moment will telegraph the image of a peace-making American leader just as his re-election bid, just seven weeks away, needs it. The U.S.-brokered agreements normalize diplomatic relationships between Israel and the United Arab Emirates and between Israel and Bahrain. In non-diplo speak: two Arab states are saying Israel has a right to exist, and that doesnt happen every day. For years, most Gulf states have held the line with the Palestinians in the hopes of securing a sovereign, durable nation of Palestine. Now, there are plans for direct flights from both countries into Tel Aviv and the fact that they will be allowed to use Saudi airspace to do so only adds to the solemnity. U.S. politics helped make it happen. It is a clear thank-you gift to Trump from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has enjoyed far warmer relations with this President than with his predecessor. Its a nod from two of the more liberal Gulf states that share Trumps antagonism toward Iran. And its a tacit sign of approval from those states political patrons in Saudi Arabia who understand the need for concessions to the West after the Saudi heir apparent lost some of his shine in Washington after being connected to the brutal murder of a Washington Post columnist. There are still political costs to dismembering a critic inside a consulate after all. As a package, the White House is pitching these historic accords as products of Trumps true self: a level-headed deal-maker, and not an erratic force in international affairs. His campaign is already advertising that hes been nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize misspelling Noble along the way which his reliable pals in conservative media are treating as a real possibility despite the fact Trump is held in low regard in many parts of the world. Story continues Text of the deals isnt expected to be released until after the photo-op has unfolded. White House senior adviser (and Trump son-in-law) Jared Kushner is calling it this historic peace agreement in the Middle East. Foreign policy hands will rightly quibble over that labeling, noting this isnt the Middle East peace plan sought for decades between the Israelis and the Palestinians. Talks between Israelis and Palestinians remain at a hard pause as Trump and his envoys seem to have taken the Israelis side at every possible juncture; peeling Gulf states away from their Arab neighbors will do little to engender goodwill. Others will note this is sure to inflame tensions with Iran, whose leaders are plotting to assassinate a U.S. diplomat in retaliation for Washingtons assassination of a top Iranian general, according to Politicos reporting about U.S. intelligence. Trump returned a threat in a late-night tweet that may have confirmed the report: Any attack by Iran, in any form, against the United States will be met with an attack on Iran that will be 1,000 times greater in magnitude! You cant say its not a terrific picture and one that could soothe nerves about Trumps fitness for a job that has proven far more complicated in the age of COVID-19. The pandemic has derailed Trumps favored pastime of huge rallies, but hes still summoning crowds to events, like the one today on the South Lawn that is expected to draw hundreds. If its anything like Trumps quasi-convention in the same space two weeks ago, dont look for many masks or much social distancing. There is, however, one fatal flaw with this telegenic gambit: Peace deals arent what is motivating voters. Polls consistently show foreign policy an issue but not the issue. Pews survey in late July and early August found the economy, health care, the Supreme Court, the coronavirus outbreak and violent crime outpacing foreign policy. Republicans typically have an advantage on foreign policy questions, but Democratic nominee Joe Biden, a former Vice President and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, is tied with Trump on that question. And Trumps base from four years ago straight-up thinks diplomacy is for suckers; Pews surveys of Trump supporters in August and September of 2016 found only 19% of them backed the statement that diplomacy is the best path to peace, compared to 55% of all voters and 76% of Hillary Clintons supporters who said the same. He wont rebuild his winning coalition with those numbers. To be sure, Israels security is a major factor for some voters, including the Evangelicals who are among Christianitys strongest advocates for Israel and have seldom wavered on Trump. This move that adds further legitimacy to Israels very existence comes as the Jewish faith is heading into Rosh Hashanah at the end of this week and its High Holy Days that follow. It also comes as early voting is set to begin. But theres a good chance a single-issue voter on Israel was already planning to reward Trump in November. Make sense of what matters in Washington. Sign up for the daily D.C. Brief newsletter. Welcome to the News Release Wire Selection Control Panel. Instant News Wire After UAE, Bahrain normalising ties with Israel US President Donald Trump on Saturday announced a second successful mediation that brought Israel and another Gulf Arab country Bahrain together to sign a friendship pact, after the one signed with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) last month. Bahrain now becomes the second Gulf Arab nation to normalise ties with Israel following UAE and the fourth Arab country to do so after Egypt, Jordan and UAE to befriend the Jewish nation. In a joint statement, the United States, Bahrain and Israel said the agreement was reached after Trump spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa on Friday. The Israel-Bahrain pact, part of a broader diplomatic push by US President Donald Trump and his administration, puts another feather in Trumps cap, making him more eligible for his Nobel Peace Prize nomination. Trump hailed the deal as "a historic breakthrough" while the Palestinian Authority (PA), the main stakeholder in the West Asia conflict, condemned the Bahrain-Israel normalisation deal as another betrayal by an Arab state. The agreement was "a stab in the back of the Palestinian cause and the Palestinian people", like the UAE-Israel deal announced last month, AFO quoted Ahmad Majdalani, social affairs minister in the occupied West Bank-based Palestine Authority, as saying. Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, said the deal was an "aggression" that dealt "serious prejudice" to the Palestinian cause. Iran said Bahrain was now partner to the "crimes" of Israel. "The rulers of Bahrain will from now on be partners to the crimes of the Zionist regime as a constant threat to the security of the region and the world of Islam," the foreign ministry said in a statement. The Turkish foreign ministry strongly condemned Bahrain's decision to establish diplomatic ties with Israel, adding it will deal a fresh blow to efforts to defend the Palestinian cause. "It will further encourage Israel to continue illegitimate practices towards Palestine and its efforts to make the occupation of Palestinian lands permanent," the ministry statement said. The UAE welcomed the decision by Bahrain and Israel to establish relations, saying that it hoped it would have a positive effect on peace and cooperation in the region and around the world. "The move represents a significant step towards an era of security and prosperity ... (and) would expand the scope of economic, cultural, scientific, and diplomatic avenues of cooperation," the UAE foreign ministry said in a statement. On 15 September, the UAE will formally normalise ties with Israel, a move that was announced last month. Bahrain and Israel will sign a declaration on the same day. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi said he appreciated the "important step" Israel and Bahrain had taken in agreeing to establish diplomatic relations. The agreement would help establish "stability and peace in the Middle East, in a way that achieves a just and permanent settlement of the Palestinian issue," el-Sisi said on Twitter. Jordan's foreign minister Ayman Safadi said in a statement that the necessary steps to achieve a fair and comprehensive peace in the region should come from Israel. Safadi added that Israel should stop all its procedures to undermine the two-state solution, and end the illegal occupation of the Palestinian lands. Oman TV on Sunday said the country welcomes Bahrain's decision to normalise relations with Israel. "The Sultanate welcomes the initiative taken by the sisterly kingdom of Bahrain," the channel said on its Twitter account. Oman hopes "this new strategic path taken by some Arab countries will contribute to bringing about a peace based on an end to the Israeli occupation of Palestinian lands and on establishing an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as capital," it added. WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump's first indoor rally in months was staged as a rebuke to Democrats he accuses of using coronavirus restrictions against him, but the campaign event in Nevada also prompted sharp denunciations from critics on Monday as a symbol of the president's handling of the covid-19 pandemic. The Sunday-night gathering came as the pandemic has caused at least 190,000 deaths in the United States, with the number expected to pass 200,000 before Trump holds his next official campaign events on Friday. The Nov. 3 election had already become a referendum on the president's often dismissive approach to the pandemic before revelations last week that he had told Washington Post journalist Bob Woodward that he knew the severity of the virus but preferred to play it down in public. "We are already making the turn. We're making that round, beautiful, last turn" to a post-pandemic economic recovery, Trump said during the rally in Henderson, Nev., although the nation has recovered only about half of the jobs lost since spring and 13.6 million workers remain unemployed. On Monday, Trump held another indoor campaign event at a luxury hotel in Phoenix that was billed as a roundtable with Latino supporters. The White House pool reporter traveling with Trump described the scene as looking much like a rally, with more than 100 people crowded closely together in a ballroom. Television footage showed mask-free supporters waving campaign signs. "I know this was supposed to be, you know the fake news, they said that this is supposed to be a roundtable, but it looks like a rally," Trump said. "But it is a rally because we love each other." He then added that "it is a roundtable." Democratic nominee Joe Biden has made adherence to coronavirus rules a defining feature of his mostly virtual campaign. Although Trump depicts Biden as fearful, the former vice president has stuck with a strategy featuring few public events. Those he does hold are usually small and outdoors, as was a speech about climate change Monday in Wilmington, Del. Trump's address to a large and mostly mask-free crowd standing shoulder-to-shoulder indoors defied a Nevada ban on mass indoor events. It had been hastily moved inside a warehouse offered by a Trump supporter after the state and its Democratic governor sought to prevent a previously planned outdoor event that would have violated Nevada's pandemic precaution rules. Trump's speech appeared to be a gamble that his defiance would energize his most loyal supporters, even at the risk of alienating more moderate voters he needs if he is to win. Many around the president are acutely aware that a potential surge in coronavirus cases and deaths close to the election could be disastrous, according to campaign and White House aides, but they are mostly bowing to Trump's desire to pack the house. According to campaign documents reviewed by The Washington Post, campaign officials presented Trump and other top aides with a proposal for drive-in rallies in the early months of the pandemic. Supporters could then stay in their cars and watch Trump from the stage. The plan outlined an event at the Florida State Fairgrounds in Tampa that would include up to 10,000 attendees, 2,500 cars, 22 large screens and three times more audio than a typical rally. It also included an elaborate stage. "In terms of complexity and production, we believe this would be the largest Presidential campaign rally buildout footprint in history," the plan said. Trump did not approve the drive-in rallies proposal. The documents were provided to The Post on the condition of anonymity by a person with knowledge of the plans who was not authorized to address the matter on the record. The president and his team also considered six options for other venues, including three outdoors, before holding an indoor rally in Tulsa in June, according to the documents reviewed by The Post. All of the proposed venues had a smaller seating capacity than the BOK Center in Tulsa, Okla., where Trump eventually held what would be his last indoor rally before the one Sunday in Nevada. The Tulsa arena has a capacity of about 19,000, but Trump pulled in a much smaller crowd. The rally was generally seen as a political and public health disaster and presaged the ouster weeks later of campaign manager Brad Parscale. During the Tulsa rally, Trump warmly noted the attendance of pizza magnate Herman Cain, a onetime political rival turned supporter. Cain was hospitalized with covid-19, the illness caused by the novel coronavirus, less than two weeks after the rally, where most attendees were not wearing masks. Cain later died of the disease on July 30 at age 74. It is not known where he was infected. Attendees seated behind Trump at the Henderson event were issued masks, some of which bore the "MAGA" acronym for Trump's campaign slogan, "Make America Great Again." It was an apparent nod to criticism of the event as a potential virus "superspreader." The Trump campaign had maintained days of secrecy ABOUT the location. Reporters planning to cover the event were not informed that it would be indoors until hours beforehand, and many who had reserved space inside opted not to enter. In Nevada, where Trump held events over the weekend, there have been more than 73,500 cases and at least 1,450 deaths related to the virus. Two advisers close to Trump, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter on the record, said the return to indoor rallies may not be a permanent one. "I wouldn't expect to see one of those every week," one of the officials said. "It's not an ideal situation." Trump has two rallies scheduled for Friday, in Minnesota and Wisconsin. Both are at airports and apparently are open-air events. Trump frequently schedules rallies in private aviation hangars that are open to the tarmac, usually with Air Force One providing a backdrop. Campaign officials said they were generally not interested in large indoor rallies but felt they had little choice in Nevada after several outdoor venues were canceled. The officials said they encourage people to wear masks and check temperatures in advance. "People are eager to see their president and our first preference for venues are places like airplane hangars. But the fact remains that no one bats an eye at people gambling in casinos or tens of thousands of people protesting shoulder-to-shoulder," Trump campaign spokesman Tim Murtaugh said in a statement Monday. "People should be able to gather peacefully under the 1st Amendment to hear from the President of the United States." Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak had criticized the president for flouting the state's coronavirus restrictions, tweeting Sunday that the president's rally at Xtreme Manufacturing was "shameful, dangerous and irresponsible." Trump dismissed the criticism, saying in an interview with the Las Vegas Review-Journal that the Democratic governor had blocked the campaign from using any of six proposed outdoor venues. The president told the newspaper that he thought he was exempt from the rule prohibiting gatherings of more than 50 people and said he was "not at all concerned" about catching the coronavirus at his indoor rally. "I'm on a stage and it's very far away," he said. Biden's campaign called the event reckless. "Every rally turned superspreader event Donald Trump decides to hold serves as another reminder to Americans that Trump still refuses to take this pandemic seriously and still doesn't have a plan to stop it, even after nearly 200,000 deaths and untold economic damage," spokesman Mike Gwin said in a statement. Leading up to Sunday's rally, medical professionals and local officials warned of the dangers of letting the indoor event proceed. Kathleen Richards, a spokeswoman for Henderson, told reporters that the city had issued verbal and written warnings to Xtreme Manufacturing about social distancing restrictions and threatened the company with a citation and the loss of its business license. Don Ahern, who owns the venue, told the Review-Journal that the state fined him nearly $11,000 last month for not following Nevada's coronavirus policies after he held a Trump campaign event and beauty pageant attended by hundreds of people at the Ahern Hotel. The World Health Organization on Sunday reported the highest one-day increase in coronavirus infections since the pandemic began, with more than 308,000 new cases. Brazil, India and the United States logged the largest numbers of new infections on Sunday. Globally, there have been more than 28 million recorded cases of the coronavirus, according to WHO figures. About 6.5 million are in the United States. - - - The Washington Post's Lateshia Beachum, Timothy Bella and Adam Taylor contributed to this report. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-16 03:10:03|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close ATHENS, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Greece and Egypt will continue negotiations to complete the demarcation of their maritime borders, following an earlier deal setting up an exclusive economic zone between them in the Mediterranean Sea, Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias said on Tuesday. Dendias made the remarks during a joint press conference with his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukry after their meeting in Athens. The two countries signed on Aug. 6 -- and ratified later -- the deal after holding talks in good faith, solving an issue that had been pending for more than 15 years, Dendias noted. "It is a model of application of the international law, a model of application of the law of the sea, a model of respect for the principle of good neighborliness between states, an agreement that contributes to the stability and exploitation of the resources of the Eastern Mediterranean," said the Greek minister, national broadcaster ERT reported. Greece and Egypt are among countries accusing Turkey of "provocations" also because of the research conducted by Turkish seismic survey vessel Oruc Reis in recent weeks. "We have rejected all provocative actions that destabilize the region and escalate tensions, which are not in the interests of either side. Together we strive for the Eastern Mediterranean to become a region of cooperation, of brotherhood, of peace and to contribute to the prosperity of the region," Shoukry said. After Oruc Reis returned to Turkey last weekend after weeks of research in a disputed area, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said his country expects more positive steps and an end to "provocations" to restart dialogue with Turkey over the delimitation of maritime borders. The Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Ministry confirmed on Monday that Oruc Reis has so far collected a total of 3,525 km seismic data in the Mediterranean Sea. The ministry noted that Turkey has been continuing exploration and drilling activities in the Mediterranean in line with international law. Turkey has been opposing the drilling efforts of several countries, including Greece, without its involvement, claiming that it has the same rights in the waters. In August, Turkey dispatched Oruc Reis and two auxiliary navy vessels to the disputed region near the Greek island of Meis, also known as Kastellorizo, prompting the Greek claims that the sea area lies within its continental shelf. Enditem According to the Asia-Africa Market Department under the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Embassy of Saudi Arabia in Vietnam released an announcement from the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) on September 8, in which SFDA stated it will allow 12 Vietnamese seafood enterprises to restart the export of several seafood products to this Middle East country. Thus, after more than two years, SFDA will initially allow a selection of Vietnamese enterprises to export wild catch fish to Saudi Arabia. The enterprises approved for the export of wild catch fish to Saudi Arabia include Halong Canfoco Danang Company Limited, Binh Dinh Fishery Joint Stock Company, Thanh Dung Canning Company Limited, Tin Thinh Co.,Ltd, Fujiura Nha Trang Ltd, Tien Trien company limited, and others. The Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT) said that this is a good signal for Vietnamese exporters, opening a new opportunity for seafood exports amid the difficulties in many markets due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The MOIT will continue to work with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and other authorised agencies to promote SFDA to allow more Vietnamese seafood companies to export to the Middle Eastern country, towards completely removing the ban on the import of Vietnamese seafood. However, the MOIT noted that Vietnamese exporters should strengthen inspection over production process and quality of products as Saudi Arabia is a demanding market, and, as the leading market in the Middle East, Saudi Arabias policy changes can exert influence on other markets in the region. JEFFERSON CITY A 79-page memorandum released Monday says there are credible allegations Gov. Mike Parsons administration interfered with a House investigation into the states medical marijuana program, without detailing specific instances of interference. The memo, prepared by counsel for the House Democrats, said that beginning in May, credible allegations emerged concerning executive branch interference in the Special Committee on Government Oversights investigation of the Republican administrations medical marijuana program. Casey Millburg, the staffer who wrote the memo to House Minority Leader Crystal Quade and the three Democrats on the investigative panel, said in the memo that she wouldnt detail the allegations because the Special Committee on Government Oversight had yet to meet to discuss them. Kelli Jones, spokeswoman for the governors office, on Tuesday dismissed the memo as "a partisan attempt to create a negative story about the governor before the election." The nugget on potential Parson administration interference is just one piece of the memo, which is based on records the committee obtained this summer from the Department of Health and Senior Services. The House requested the documents in early May, the same month as the possible interference, the memo noted. The memo makes the case that the Special Committee on Government Oversight should continue its work digging into the program, which has so far spent $1.3 million in court to defend its licensing decisions. But, less than two months before Election Day, it is unclear whether the Republican-controlled committee has the political will to publicly reopen the probe, which could cast Parson in a negative light. Lawmakers meet back in Jefferson City this week for their annual veto session. The Post-Dispatch obtained the memo Monday from House Democrats. Leaders of the states medical marijuana program fielded heavy criticism early this year over the states handling of marijuana business licenses, including the states hiring of a third-party scorer, Nevada-based Wise Health Solutions, to grade applications. Rejected applicants have complained of scoring discrepancies and possible conflicts of interests by Wise, a joint venture between the marijuana business training school Oaksterdam University and the Nevada-based company Veracious Investigative & Compliance Solutions. The memo says that emails show the first connection between Wise and DHSS was in December 2018 a connection which department officials have not previously disclosed to the committee. The memo says that shortly after voters approved Amendment 2, legalizing medical marijuana in November 2018, a member of the Missouri Medical Cannabis Trade Association, Jack Mitchell, introduced via email Dr. Randall Williams, director of the state health department, to Rebecca Gasca, who was involved in Nevadas marijuana legalization effort. Gasca, according to the memo, informs the director that she is responding to Mr. Mitchells request to connect the director to a person whose resume description is an exact match to that of Mr. Chad Warren Westom, head of Veracious. The memo says there were no other records of communications between Williams, Gasca and Westom. The committee is entitled to question why Director Williams did not disclose to it this early connection to the individual whose company was selected to score applications, the memo says. It is further justified in inquiring whether Mr. Westom was connected with any other DHSS officials earlier than has previously been shared with SCOGO (the Special Committee on Government Oversight), as well as the nature and timing of any such communications, the memo says. Williams did not immediately respond to a request for comment late Monday. The memo says that while officials have denied having any basis for concern over Wises impartiality or conflicts of interest, the House identified records that detail such concerns. In these, the individuals allege in detail conflicts of interest and other appearances of impropriety on the part of WHS (Wise Health Solutions), the memo says. The committee also obtained status reports from Wise that mention problems during the scoring process; however, the memo said the updates were vague and said the committee should ask the company and state for more information. The memo also says Parsons office had unique opportunities to weigh in on scoring regulations, including the awarding of bonus points, and a market study that DHSS has used to justify its cap on the number of medical marijuana businesses. [I]t should be stated that it is not at all unusual for a governors office to be apprised of rulemaking developments within its administration, the memo says. But, the memo says, The governors office twice had unique opportunities to review advance information and help shape matters that ultimately proved influential to the licensure process and its outcomes. The committee ... may also want to ask which staff in the governors office had access to this advance information, the memo says, and whether the office had policies in place to ensure it was not shared or discussed outside of necessary staff. The memo also blasts the departments handling of its information request, saying that in violation of the Sunshine Law, the department didnt detail which records it withheld, and didnt attempt to separate open portions of records from portions deemed closed. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. NEW YORK, Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- HSBC Holdings plc (the 'Company', 'we' or 'us') has announced the anticipated launch of six separate offers to purchase for cash any and all of the outstanding series of notes listed in the table below. The launch of the Offers (as defined below) is expected to be at or around 10:00 a.m. (New York City time) on September 15, 2020 (the 'Launch Date'). The Offer Documents will be available from 10:00 a.m. (New York City time) on the Launch Date at the following link: https://www.gbsc-usa.com/hsbc/ . We refer to the outstanding notes listed in the table below collectively as the 'Notes' and separately as a 'series' of Notes. We refer to each offer to purchase a series of Notes as an 'Offer', and collectively as the 'Offers'. The Offers are made upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Offer to Purchase dated September 15, 2020 relating to the Notes (the 'Offer to Purchase') and the related notice of guaranteed delivery (the 'Notice of Guaranteed Delivery', and together with the Offer to Purchase, the 'Offer Documents'). As of the date of the Offer to Purchase, the aggregate outstanding principal amount of Notes subject to the Offers is $8,147,122,000. References to '$' are to U.S. dollars. Acceptance Priority Level(1) Title of Notes(2) CUSIP Maturity Date Principal Amount Outstanding Reference Security Fixed Spread Fixed Price(3) 1 2.950% Senior Unsecured Notes due May 2021 404280AY5 May 25, 2021 $2,500,000,000 UST 2.625% due May 15, 2021 (US9128284P22) +15 basis points ('bps') N/A 2 Floating Rate Senior Unsecured Notes due May 2021 404280AZ2 May 25, 2021 $1,000,000,000 N/A N/A $1,010.96 3 4.000% Senior Unsecured Notes due March 2022 404280AN9 March 30, 2022 $2,000,000,000 UST 0.375% due March 31, 2022 (US912828ZG82) +25 bps N/A 4 3.400% Senior Unsecured Notes due March 2021 404280AV1 March 8, 2021 $1,032,090,000 UST 1.125% due February 28, 2021 (US912828P873) +10 bps N/A 5 5.100% Senior Unsecured Notes due April 2021 404280AK5 April 5, 2021 $907,191,000 UST 1.250% due March 31, 2021 (US912828Q376) +10 bps N/A 6 Floating Rate Senior Unsecured Notes due March 2021 404280AX7 March 8, 2021 $707,841,000 N/A N/A $1,010.11 (1) We will accept Notes in the order of their respective Acceptance Priority Level specified in the table above, subject to the satisfaction of the Financing Condition (as defined within the Offer to Purchase). It is possible that the Financing Condition might not be met with respect to any series of Notes with any Acceptance Priority Level, and such series of Notes will not be accepted for purchase, even if one or more series of Notes with a lower Acceptance Priority Level is accepted for purchase. (2) The 3.400% Senior Unsecured Notes due March 2021, the 5.100% Senior Unsecured Notes due April 2021, the 2.950% Senior Unsecured Notes due May 2021 and the 4.000% Senior Unsecured Notes due March 2022 are collectively referred to as the 'Fixed Rate Notes'. The Floating Rate Senior Unsecured Notes due March 2021 and the Floating Rate Senior Unsecured Notes due May 2021 are collectively refered to as the 'Floating Rate Notes'. (3) Per $1,000 principal amount. The purpose of the Offers is to improve HSBC's liabilities structure, as the Notes cease to qualify as eligible liabilities items under CRR once they have a residual maturity of less than 12 months. 'CRR' refers to regulation (EU) No 575/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of June 26, 2013 on prudential requirements for credit institutions and investment firms and amending regulation (EU) No 648/2012, as amended, supplemented or replaced from time to time, and (where relevant) any applicable successor EU or UK legislation. Each Offer will expire at 5:00 p.m. (New York City time) on September 22, 2020, unless extended or earlier terminated by the Company in its sole discretion (such date and time with respect to an Offer, as the same may be extended, the 'Expiration Time'). Notes tendered for purchase may be validly withdrawn at any time at or prior to 5:00 p.m. (New York City time) on September 22, 2020 (such date and time with respect to an Offer, as the same may be extended, the 'Withdrawal Date'), but not thereafter, unless extended or earlier terminated with respect to an Offer by the Company in its sole discretion. We expect the Settlement Date to occur on the third business day after the Expiration Time, or September 25, 2020, unless extended or earlier terminated in respect of an Offer by the Company in its sole discretion (such date with respect to an Offer, as the same may be extended, the 'Settlement Date'). Each Offer is independent of the other Offers, and we may terminate, modify or waive the conditions of any Offer without terminating, modifying or waiving the conditions of any other Offer. Upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Offer Documents, holders who (i) validly tender Notes at or prior to the Expiration Time or (ii) validly tender Notes at or prior to the Guaranteed Delivery Date pursuant to the Guaranteed Delivery Procedures (each as defined in the Offer to Purchase), and whose Notes are accepted for purchase by us, will receive consideration for each $1,000 principal amount of each series of Notes, which will be payable in cash on the Settlement Date as described below (the 'Consideration'). The Consideration applicable to each series of Floating Rate Notes validly tendered and accepted by us pursuant to the Offers will be the Fixed Price specified in the table above for such series of Notes. The Consideration applicable to each series of Fixed Rate Notes validly tendered and accepted by us pursuant to the Offers will be calculated at or around 11:00 a.m. (New York City Time) on September 22, 2020 (such date and time with respect to an Offer, as the same may be extended by the Company in its sole discretion, the 'Price Determination Date'), in accordance with the formula set forth in the Offer to Purchase and with standard market practice, using the applicable 'Offer Yield', which will be equal to the sum of: a) the applicable 'Reference Yield', as determined by the Dealer Manager, that corresponds to the bid-side yield of the Reference Security specified in the table above for such series of Fixed Rate Notes appearing on the Price Determination Date, such yield being directly quoted on the Bloomberg Reference Page (as defined below) and being rounded to the nearest 0.001 per cent. (with 0.0005 per cent. being rounded up), plus b) the Fixed Spread specified in the table above for such series of Notes. Accordingly, the Consideration payable by us for each $1,000 principal amount of each series of Fixed Rate Notes accepted by us will equal: (i) the present value on the Settlement Date of $1,000 principal amount of such Fixed Rate Notes due on the maturity date of such Fixed Rate Notes and all scheduled interest payments on such $1,000 principal amount of such Fixed Rate Notes to be made from (but excluding) the Settlement Date up to and including such maturity date, discounted to the Settlement Date at a discount rate equal to the applicable Offer Yield, minus (ii) the Accrued Interest per $1,000 principal amount of such Fixed Rate Notes; such total amount being rounded to the nearest cent per $1,000 principal amount of such Notes, and the above calculation being made in accordance with standard market practice as described by the formula set forth in the Offer to Purchase. The 'Bloomberg Reference Page' means the page on Bloomberg from which the Dealer Manager will observe the bid-side yield of the Reference Security for each series of Fixed Rate Notes, which is expected to be PX3 or PX4, as applicable (or any other recognized quotation source selected by us in consultation with the Dealer Manager if such quotation source is not available or manifestly erroneous). As soon as reasonably practicable after the Price Determination Date, the Company will issue a press release specifying the Consideration for each series of Fixed Rate Notes validly tendered and accepted. In addition to the Consideration, holders whose Notes of a given series are accepted for purchase will also be paid a cash amount equal to accrued and unpaid interest on such Notes from, and including, the last interest payment date for such Notes to, but not including, the Settlement Date, rounded to the nearest cent (such amount in respect of a series of Notes, 'Accrued Interest'). Accrued Interest will be payable on the Settlement Date. For the avoidance of doubt, interest will cease to accrue on the Settlement Date for all Notes accepted in the Offers. Under no circumstances will any interest be payable to holders because of any delay on the part of Global Bondholder Services Corporation, as depositary, The Depository Trust Company ('DTC') or any other party in the transmission of funds to holders. On the date of the Offer to Purchase, the Company launched a proposed new issuance (the 'Proposed Issuance') of senior unsecured debt securities in one or more series (the 'New Notes') which are not subject to the Offers. It is expected that the Offers will be financed with the net cash proceeds from the issuance of such New Notes, along with cash on hand, if necessary. No assurance can be given that the Proposed Issuance will be completed. The Offers are subject to the terms and conditions described in the Offer Documents. In particular, the Company's obligation to complete an Offer with respect to a particular series of Notes is conditioned on satisfaction of the 'Financing Condition', meaning (1) the Proposed Issuance has been successfully completed on terms and conditions satisfactory to the Company in its sole discretion and (2) the aggregate principal amount of the Proposed Issuance, as set forth in an announcement at or around 10:00 a.m. (New York City Time) on September 16, 2020 (the 'Total Available Amount'), is sufficient to fund the sum of (a) the Consideration (excluding Accrued Interest) for all validly tendered and not validly withdrawn Notes of such series plus (b) the aggregate Consideration (excluding Accrued Interest) for all validly tendered and not validly withdrawn Notes of each series having a higher 'Acceptance Priority Level' (as specified in the above table, with 1 being the highest Acceptance Priority Level and 6 being the lowest Acceptance Priority Level), other than Excluded Notes (as defined below). Notwithstanding any other provision in the Offer to Purchase to the contrary, if the Financing Condition is not satisfied for a particular series of Notes, at any time at or prior to the Expiration Time, then (1) we will not be obligated to accept for purchase such series of Notes and will terminate the Offer with respect to such series of Notes (such series of Notes, 'Excluded Notes'), and (2) if there is any series of Notes having a lower Acceptance Priority Level for which the Financing Condition is satisfied, meaning the Total Available Amount is equal to or greater than the sum of: a) the Consideration necessary to purchase all validly tendered and not validly withdrawn Notes of such series (excluding Accrued Interest), plus b) the aggregate Consideration necessary to purchase all validly tendered and not validly withdrawn Notes of all series having a higher Acceptance Priority Level than such series of Notes, other than the Excluded Notes (in each case, excluding Accrued Interest), then all Notes of such series having a lower Acceptance Priority Level will be accepted for purchase, and the Financing Condition will be applied at each subsequent Acceptance Priority Level until there is no series of Notes with a lower Acceptance Priority Level to be considered for purchase for which the Financing Condition is met. It is possible that any series of Notes with any Acceptance Priority Level will fail to meet the Financing Condition and therefore will not be accepted for purchase even if one or more series with a lower Acceptance Priority Level is accepted for purchase. If any series of Notes is accepted for purchase under the Offers, all Notes of that series that are validly tendered and not validly withdrawn will be accepted for purchase. As a result, no series of Notes accepted for purchase will be prorated. The Company reserves the right to amend or waive any of the conditions of the Offers, in whole or in part, at any time or from time to time, in our sole discretion, subject to applicable law. If any of the conditions are not satisfied at the Expiration Time with respect to an Offer, we may, in our sole discretion and without giving any notice, subject to applicable law, (a) terminate such Offer, (b) extend such Offer, on the same or amended terms, and thereby delay acceptance of any validly tendered Notes, or (c) continue to accept tenders. We will, in connection with the allocation of the New Notes in the Proposed Issuance, consider among other factors whether or not the relevant investor seeking an allocation of the New Notes has, prior to such allocation, validly tendered or given a firm intention to us or the Dealer Manager that they intend to tender their Notes pursuant to the Offers and, if so, the aggregate principal amount of Notes tendered or intended to be tendered by such investor. Therefore, a holder who wishes to subscribe for New Notes in addition to tendering its Notes for purchase pursuant to the Offers may be eligible to receive, at the sole and absolute discretion of the Company, priority in the allocation of the New Notes, subject to the issue of the New Notes and such holder also making a separate application for the purchase of such New Notes to the managing bookrunner of the issue of the New Notes in accordance with the standard new issue procedures of such bookrunner. However, we are not obliged to allocate the New Notes to a holder who has validly tendered or indicated a firm intention to tender Notes pursuant to the Offers and, if New Notes are allocated, the principal amount thereof may be less or more than the principal amount of Notes tendered by such holder and accepted by us pursuant to the Offers. All Notes accepted in the Offers will be cancelled and retired, and will no longer remain outstanding obligations of the Company. Holders of Notes are advised to read carefully the Offer to Purchase for full details of and information on the procedures for participating in the Offers. The Company has retained HSBC Bank plc as Dealer Manager for the Offers (the 'Dealer Manager'). Questions and requests for assistance related to the Offers may be directed to the Dealer Manager at UK: +44 (0)20 7992 6237, US: +1 (212) 525-5552 (Collect) or +1 (888) HSBC-4LM (Toll Free), or by email at [email protected]. Global Bondholder Services Corporation will act as the information agent (the 'Information Agent'). Questions or requests for assistance related to the Offers or for additional copies of the Offer Documents may be directed to the Information Agent at (866) 470-4300 (toll free) or (212) 430-3774 (banks and brokers). You may also contact your broker, dealer, custodian bank, trust company or other nominee for assistance concerning the Offers. If the Company terminates an Offer, all Notes tendered pursuant to such Offer will be returned promptly to the tendering holders thereof. Holders of Notes are advised to check with any bank, securities broker or other intermediary through which they hold Notes as to when such intermediary would need to receive instructions from a beneficial owner in order for that beneficial owner to be able to participate in, or withdraw their instruction to participate in, an Offer before the deadlines specified herein and in the Offer to Purchase. The deadlines set by any such intermediary and DTC for the submission and withdrawal of tender instructions will also be earlier than the relevant deadlines specified herein and in the Offer to Purchase. This announcement is for informational purposes only and does not constitute an offer to purchase or sell, or a solicitation of an offer to purchase or sell, any security. No offer, solicitation, or sale will be made in any jurisdiction in which such an offer, solicitation, or sale would be unlawful. The Offers are only being made pursuant to the Offer to Purchase. Holders of the Notes are urged to carefully read the Offer to Purchase before making any decision with respect to the Offers. United Kingdom. This communication and any other documents or materials relating to the Offers are not being made and such documents and/or materials have not been approved by an authorized person for the purposes of section 21 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000. Accordingly, this communication and such documents and/or materials are not being distributed to, and must not be passed on to, persons in the United Kingdom other than (i) to those persons in the United Kingdom falling within the definition of investment professionals (as defined in Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (the 'Financial Promotion Order')), (ii) to those persons who are within Article 43(2) of the Financial Promotion Order, including existing members and creditors of HSBC Holdings, (iii) to those persons who are outside the United Kingdom, or (iv) to any other persons to whom it may otherwise lawfully be made under the Financial Promotion Order (all such persons together being referred to as 'Relevant Persons') and the transactions contemplated by the Offer to Purchase will be available only to, and engaged in only with, Relevant Persons. Any person who is not a Relevant Person should not act on or rely on this communication or any of its contents. Belgium. Neither this communication nor any other documents or materials relating to the Offers have been submitted to or will be submitted for approval or recognition to the Financial Services and Markets Authority ('Autorite des services et marches financiers / Autoriteit financiele diensten en markten') and, accordingly, the Offers may not be made in Belgium by way of a public offering, as defined in Articles 3 and 6 of the Belgian Law of 1 April 2007 on public takeover bids (the 'Belgian Takeover Law') as amended or replaced from time to time. Accordingly, the Offers may not be advertised and the Offers will not be extended, and neither this communication nor any other documents or materials relating to the Offers (including any memorandum, information circular, brochure or any similar documents) has been or shall be distributed or made available, directly or indirectly, to any person in Belgium other than (i) to 'qualified investors' in the sense of Article 10 of the Belgian Law of 16 June 2006 on the public offer of placement instruments and the admission to trading of placement instruments on regulated markets, acting on their own account or (ii) in any circumstances set out in Article 6, 4 of the Belgian Takeover Law. This communication has been issued only for the personal use of the above qualified investors and exclusively for the purpose of the Offers. Accordingly, the information contained in this communication may not be used for any other purpose or disclosed to any other person in Belgium. Italy. None of the Offers, this communication or any other document or materials relating to the Offers have been or will be submitted to the clearance procedures of the Commissione Nazionale per le Societa e la Borsa ('CONSOB') pursuant to Italian laws and regulations. The Offers are being carried out in the Republic of Italy as exempted offers pursuant to article 101-bis, paragraph 3-bis of the Legislative Decree No. 58 of 24 February 1998, as amended (the 'Financial Services Act') and article 35-bis, paragraph 4 of CONSOB Regulation No. 11971 of 14 May 1999, as amended. Holders or beneficial owners of the Notes that are located in Italy can tender the Notes for purchase in the Offers through authorized persons (such as investment firms, banks or financial intermediaries permitted to conduct such activities in the Republic of Italy in accordance with the Financial Services Act, CONSOB Regulation No. 20307 of 15 February 2018, as amended from time to time, and Legislative Decree No. 385 of 1 September 1993, as amended) and in compliance with applicable laws and regulations or with requirements imposed by CONSOB or any other Italian authority. Each intermediary must comply with the applicable laws and regulations concerning information duties vis-a-vis its clients in connection with the Notes and/or the Offers. Hong Kong. This communication and any other documents or materials relating to the Offers and/or the debt securities is not being made in Hong Kong, by means of any document, other than (i) in circumstances which do not constitute an offer to the public within the meaning of the Companies (Winding Up and Miscellaneous Provisions) Ordinance (Cap. 32, Laws of Hong Kong) (the 'CWUMPO'), or (ii) to 'professional investors' as defined in the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap. 571, Laws of Hong Kong) (the 'SFO') and any rules made thereunder, or (iii) in other circumstances which do not result in the document being a 'prospectus' as defined in the CWUMPO. No invitation, advertisement or document relating to the Offers and/or the Notes has been or will be issued, or has been or will be in the possession of any person for the purpose of issue (in each case whether in Hong Kong or elsewhere), which is directed at, or the contents of which are likely to be accessed or read by, the public in Hong Kong (except if permitted to do so under the securities laws of Hong Kong) other than with respect to the Offers and/or the Notes which are or are intended to be disposed of only to persons outside Hong Kong or only to 'professional investors' as defined in the SFO and any rules made thereunder. Canada. Any offer or solicitation in Canada must be made through a dealer that is appropriately registered under the laws of the applicable province or territory of Canada, or pursuant to an exemption from that requirement. Where the Dealer Manager or any affiliate thereof is a registered dealer or able to rely on an exemption from the requirement to be registered in such jurisdiction, the Offers shall be deemed to be made by such Dealer Manager, or such affiliate, on behalf of the relevant company in that jurisdiction. France. None of the Offers are being made, directly or indirectly, to the public in the Republic of France ('France'). This communication and any other document or material relating to the Offers has been or shall be distributed to the public in France and only (i) providers of investment services relating to portfolio management for the account of third parties (personnes fournissant le service d'investissement de gestion de portefeuille pour compte de tiers) and/or (ii) qualified investors (investisseurs qualifies), other than individuals, acting for their own account, all as defined in, and in accordance with, Articles L.411-1, L.411-2 and D.411-1 of the French Code monetaire et financier, are eligible to participate in the Offer. This communication has not been and will not be submitted for clearance to nor approved by the Autorite des Marches Financiers. Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements In this communication the Company has made forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical fact are, or may be deemed to be, forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of terms such as 'believes', 'expects', 'estimate', 'may', 'intends', 'plan', 'will', 'should', 'potential', 'reasonably possible' or 'anticipates' or the negative thereof or similar expressions, or by discussions of strategy. We have based the forward-looking statements on current expectations and projections about future events. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions about us, as described under 'Risk Factors' in our Offer to Purchase. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. In light of these risks, uncertainties and assumptions, the forward-looking events discussed herein might not occur. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of their dates. Investor enquiries to: Greg Case +44 (0) 20 7992 3825 [email protected] Media enquiries to: Ankit Patel +44 (0) 20 7991 9813 [email protected] Note to editors: HSBC Holdings plc HSBC Holdings plc, the parent company of the HSBC Group, is headquartered in London. HSBC serves customers worldwide from offices in 64 countries and territories in our geographical regions: Europe, Asia, North America, Latin America, and Middle East and North Africa. With assets of US$2,923bn at 30 June 2020, HSBC is one of the world's largest banking and financial services organisations. SOURCE HSBC Holdings plc Does the September share price for Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE:TMO) reflect what it's really worth? Today, we will estimate the stock's intrinsic value by estimating the company's future cash flows and discounting them to their present value. One way to achieve this is by employing the Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) model. There's really not all that much to it, even though it might appear quite complex. Companies can be valued in a lot of ways, so we would point out that a DCF is not perfect for every situation. If you still have some burning questions about this type of valuation, take a look at the Simply Wall St analysis model. See our latest analysis for Thermo Fisher Scientific Step by step through the calculation We're using the 2-stage growth model, which simply means we take in account two stages of company's growth. In the initial period the company may have a higher growth rate and the second stage is usually assumed to have a stable growth rate. In the first stage we need to estimate the cash flows to the business over the next ten years. Where possible we use analyst estimates, but when these aren't available we extrapolate the previous free cash flow (FCF) from the last estimate or reported value. We assume companies with shrinking free cash flow will slow their rate of shrinkage, and that companies with growing free cash flow will see their growth rate slow, over this period. We do this to reflect that growth tends to slow more in the early years than it does in later years. Generally we assume that a dollar today is more valuable than a dollar in the future, so we need to discount the sum of these future cash flows to arrive at a present value estimate: 10-year free cash flow (FCF) estimate 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 Levered FCF ($, Millions) US$5.70b US$6.60b US$7.52b US$8.20b US$8.77b US$9.25b US$9.68b US$10.0b US$10.4b US$10.7b Growth Rate Estimate Source Analyst x6 Analyst x5 Analyst x1 Est @ 9.02% Est @ 6.98% Est @ 5.55% Est @ 4.55% Est @ 3.85% Est @ 3.36% Est @ 3.02% Present Value ($, Millions) Discounted @ 8.4% US$5.3k US$5.6k US$5.9k US$5.9k US$5.9k US$5.7k US$5.5k US$5.3k US$5.0k US$4.8k ("Est" = FCF growth rate estimated by Simply Wall St) Present Value of 10-year Cash Flow (PVCF) = US$55b Story continues After calculating the present value of future cash flows in the initial 10-year period, we need to calculate the Terminal Value, which accounts for all future cash flows beyond the first stage. For a number of reasons a very conservative growth rate is used that cannot exceed that of a country's GDP growth. In this case we have used the 5-year average of the 10-year government bond yield (2.2%) to estimate future growth. In the same way as with the 10-year 'growth' period, we discount future cash flows to today's value, using a cost of equity of 8.4%. Terminal Value (TV)= FCF 2030 (1 + g) (r g) = US$11b (1 + 2.2%) (8.4% 2.2%) = US$177b Present Value of Terminal Value (PVTV)= TV / (1 + r)10= US$177b ( 1 + 8.4%)10= US$79b The total value is the sum of cash flows for the next ten years plus the discounted terminal value, which results in the Total Equity Value, which in this case is US$134b. In the final step we divide the equity value by the number of shares outstanding. Compared to the current share price of US$434, the company appears slightly overvalued at the time of writing. Valuations are imprecise instruments though, rather like a telescope - move a few degrees and end up in a different galaxy. Do keep this in mind. dcf The assumptions Now the most important inputs to a discounted cash flow are the discount rate, and of course, the actual cash flows. You don't have to agree with these inputs, I recommend redoing the calculations yourself and playing with them. The DCF also does not consider the possible cyclicality of an industry, or a company's future capital requirements, so it does not give a full picture of a company's potential performance. Given that we are looking at Thermo Fisher Scientific as potential shareholders, the cost of equity is used as the discount rate, rather than the cost of capital (or weighted average cost of capital, WACC) which accounts for debt. In this calculation we've used 8.4%, which is based on a levered beta of 1.027. Beta is a measure of a stock's volatility, compared to the market as a whole. We get our beta from the industry average beta of globally comparable companies, with an imposed limit between 0.8 and 2.0, which is a reasonable range for a stable business. Looking Ahead: Although the valuation of a company is important, it ideally won't be the sole piece of analysis you scrutinize for a company. DCF models are not the be-all and end-all of investment valuation. Preferably you'd apply different cases and assumptions and see how they would impact the company's valuation. For example, changes in the company's cost of equity or the risk free rate can significantly impact the valuation. Can we work out why the company is trading at a premium to intrinsic value? For Thermo Fisher Scientific, we've put together three additional items you should explore: Risks: We feel that you should assess the 2 warning signs for Thermo Fisher Scientific we've flagged before making an investment in the company. Management:Have insiders been ramping up their shares to take advantage of the market's sentiment for TMO's future outlook? Check out our management and board analysis with insights on CEO compensation and governance factors. Other Solid Businesses: Low debt, high returns on equity and good past performance are fundamental to a strong business. Why not explore our interactive list of stocks with solid business fundamentals to see if there are other companies you may not have considered! PS. The Simply Wall St app conducts a discounted cash flow valuation for every stock on the NYSE every day. If you want to find the calculation for other stocks just search here. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com. Crude oil production in the U.S. shale patch is set to decline by 68,000 bpd next month, with every play registering declines in output except the Permian, the Energy Information Administration said in its latest Drilling Productivity Report. While production in the Permian is expected to increase by 23,000 bpd to 4,173 million barrels daily, output in the Niobrara shale play alone will offset this with an equal decline. In the Eagle Ford, production is set to decline by 28,000 bpdthe biggest declinewhile production in the Anadarko, Bakken, and Appalachia plays is seen to fall by 20,000 bpd, 19,000 bpd, and 1,000 bpd, respectively. This means total shale oil production in October could average 7.64 million bpd daily next month, down from 7.708 million bpd this month. Oil production across U.S. shale plays fell sharply in late spring as the oil price collapse made a lot of wells unprofitable and even loss-making. With oil prices still around 40 percent below their levels from the start of the year and the outlook negative, the October decline may not be the last monthly one for the shale patch. The outlook on oil demand remains the single most negative factor for oil price, with the latest blow in this respect being BPs 2020 Energy Outlook, according to which oil demand may never return to pre-pandemic levels, meaning the peak in global oil consumption might have been reached last year. Another bearish factor for prices was the pending reopening of Libyas oil ports, which would signal an increase in production, too. Libyas oil production has been slashed to less than 100,000 bpd amid the months-long blockade of the export terminals but reopening them will prompt a ramp-up in output. The reopening is not yet a done deal but the latest reports suggest it may only be a matter of time. By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com The European Union does not recognise embattled leader Alexander Lukashenko as the legitimate president of Belarus, the bloc's diplomatic chief said on Tuesday. Josep Borrell, the EU's high representative for foreign affairs, told the European Parliament the August 9 election that returned the veteran strongman to power was fraudulent. Lukashenko has faced huge protests against his rule since the disputed ballot and widespread condemnation from the international community for a brutal crackdown on demonstrators by his security forces. "The situation is clear for us. We consider the elections of August 9 fraudulent," Borrell told the parliament. "We don't recognise Lukashenko as the legitimate president of Belarus." The EU has already said it does not recognise Lukashenko's reelection as legitimate and is in the process of preparing sanctions against those responsible for rigging the vote and cracking down on protests. Borrell said more than 7,500 peaceful protesters have been detained and 500 cases of torture have been documented. But diplomats say the EU sanctions on Belarus are being blocked by Cyprus, which is demanding measures against Turkey first in a dispute over natural gas drilling in the eastern Mediterranean. Borrell said the EU's credibility was at stake and urged member states to pass the sanctions -- which need a unanimous vote -- before their summit in Brussels at the end of next week. Search Keywords: Short link: Donald Trump on Tuesday slammed Nevadas Democratic governor over an indoor weekend campaign rally he held in the state, saying he preferred a second outdoor event but Steve Sisolak forced us inside even amid the state governments own coronavirus restrictions. It wasnt our fault. We had four or five outdoor sites for the second weekend rally in Nevada, Mr Trump alleged on Fox & Friends, saying the Sisolak administration rejected each one and forced his campaign to select a very big building to help with Covid-19 worries. Every place we had was a big open site, the president alleged, calling each one perfect amid the pandemic. I would have preferred to have been outside. This is what were up against. Its a disgrace. The president claimed Sisolak administration officials followed his campaign team from possible site to possible site, contending they were dead set on rejecting each outdoor venue. The Trump campaign hosted supporters at rallies in the state on Saturday and Sunday nights. The former was held at a regional airport near Reno and the latter was indoors in Henderson. Television coverage and pool reporters traveling with the president showed that most rally-goers were not wearing masks and were not social distanced at either event. Mr Sisolak called the selection of the indoor facility selfish and reckless. The Sunday event was Mr Trumps first indoor campaign event since June, when a Tulsa, Oklahoma, arena was only half-filled amid Covid-19 worries. He also attended a large indoor event on Monday in Phoenix, the capital city of swing state Arizona. While the Latinos for Trump event was not a rally, it felt and sounded like one. Roundtable participants, mostly small business owners and officials, lavished Mr Trump with praise and several told him I love you. The rowdy crowd chanted four more years! and we love you! throughout. While no one at the Arizona Grand Resort was socially distanced and pool reporters said few were masked, the president was positioned at the center of the dais, several feet from any of the other roundtable speakers. NEW YORK, Sept. 14, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Pomerantz LLP announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Braskem S.A. ("Braskem" or the "Company") (NYSE: BAK) and certain of its officers. The class action, filed in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey, and indexed under 20-cv-11366, is on behalf of a class consisting of all persons other than Defendants who purchased or otherwise acquired Braskem securities between May 6, 2016, and July 8, 2020, both dates inclusive (the "Class Period"), seeking to recover damages caused by Defendants' violations of the federal securities laws and to pursue remedies under Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Exchange Act") and Rule 10b-5 promulgated thereunder, against the Company and certain of its top officials. If you are a shareholder who purchased Braskem securities during the Class Period, you have until October 26, 2020, to ask the Court to appoint you as Lead Plaintiff for the class. A copy of the Complaint can be obtained at www.pomerantzlaw.com. To discuss this action, contact Robert S. Willoughby at [email protected] or 888.476.6529 (or 888.4-POMLAW), toll-free, Ext. 7980. Those who inquire by e-mail are encouraged to include their mailing address, telephone number, and the number of shares purchased. [Click here for information about joining the class action] Braskem is headquartered in Camacari, Bahia. The Company is purportedly the largest producer of thermoplastic resins in the Americas, based on the annual production capacity of the Company's twenty-nine plants in Brazil, six plants in the U.S., two plants in Germany, and four plants in Mexico, as of December 31, 2019. The Company's segments include, among others, its Vinyls Unit, which involved salt mining operations in Alagoas, Brazil. The complaint alleges that throughout the Class Period, Defendants made materially false and misleading statements regarding the Company's business, operational, and compliance policies. Specifically, Defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (i) Braskem's salt mining operations were unsafe and presented a significant danger to surrounding areas, including nearly two thousand properties; (ii) the foregoing foreseeably increased the risk that Braskem would be subjected to remedial liabilities, including, but not limited to, increased governmental and/or regulatory oversight or enforcement, significant monetary and reputational damage, and/or the permanent closure of one or more of its salt mining operations; (iii) accordingly, earnings generated from Braskem's salt mining operations were unsustainable; (iv) Braskem downplayed the true scope and severity of the Company's liability with respect to its salt mining operations; and (v) as a result, the Company's public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times. On April 2, 2019, media sources and, later, Braskem, disclosed that the Company had been sued by local authorities in connection with a geological event it had purportedly caused in the state of Alagoas, Brazil. Specifically, Braskem disclosed, in relevant part, that the Company "ha[d] become aware, through the media, of a lawsuit filed against it by the Public Prosecutor's Office and the Public Defender's Office, both of the State of Alagoas." The Company disclosed that the lawsuits were "requesting the freezing of amounts and assets in a total of approximately R$6.7 billion [i.e., 6.7 billion reais] to guarantee any potential damages owed to the general public affected by the geological phenomenon which occurred in districts near the rock salt extraction area in Maceio." On this news, Braskem's American Depositary Share ("ADS") price fell $1.60 per share over two trading days, or 5.98%, to close at $25.14 per share on April 3, 2020. Then, on January 3, 2020, Braskem disclosed that it had executed an agreement related to the aforementioned geological event that subjected the Company to further liabilities. Specifically, the Company disclosed that on January 3, 2020, it had executed an agreement with the Alagoas State Public Defender's Office ("DPE"), the Federal Prosecution Office ("MPF"), the Alagoas State Prosecution Office ("MPE"), and the Federal Public Defender's Office ("DPU") "to support the relocation and indemnification of residents of the areas at risk located in the districts of Mutange, Bom Parto, Pinheiro and Bebedouro of Maceio, Alagoas, as established in the agreement, which will be submitted to judicial ratification." Among other conditions, the Company advised that preliminarily estimates for the relocation established in the agreement involve approximately 17,000 people, with estimates to be recognized as provisions at approximately R$1.7 billion for the implementation of the relocation, and R$1 billion to close the Company's salt wells. Finally, on July 9, 2020, during pre-market hours, Braskem disclosed that authorities in northeastern Brazil had advised the Company that the geological damage from its salt mining operations was more widespread than initial estimates. Specifically, among other things, 1,918 properties needed to be evacuated because of the geological event associated with Braskem's mining operations, and Braskem estimated that moving the residents would cost the Company an additional R$850 million in possible payments to those residents, with another additional R$750 million in expenses to "definitively" shut down Braskem's salt mining operations. On this news, Braskem's ADS price fell $0.59 per share, or 6.20%, to close at $8.93 per share on July 9, 2020. The Pomerantz Firm, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Paris is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, the Pomerantz Firm pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 80 years later, the Pomerantz Firm continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomerantzlaw.com. CONTACT: Robert S. Willoughby Pomerantz LLP [email protected] SOURCE Pomerantz LLP Related Links www.pomerantzlaw.com By Akbar Mammadov Armenia violates all principles of international law related to the protection and management of water resources in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan and at the transboundary level, Azerbaijans Foreign Ministry said in a joint statement with the Ecology and Natural Resources Ministry on September 15. The latest open provocative activities of the Armenian leadership, including the recent ecological terrorism show that the aggressor country in addition to grossly violating international law and fundamental human rights continues to be a serious threat to peace and security in the region, the statement reads. Furthermore, the ministries stressed that the hostile attitude towards nature and environmental terror in the Nagorno-Karabakh region and surrounding districts of Azerbaijan currently occupied by Armenia poses a serious threat to the environment of the entire region. As a result of the heavy pollution of trans-boundary rivers by Armenia, there is a great threat to the survival of wildlife in these rivers, said the statement. Thus, the ministries pointed out that at the same time, the use of reservoirs in the occupied territories has become impossible and a potential source of danger for the population living in the surrounding areas due to lack of maintenance. Armenia's non-participation in the UN Convention on the "Protection and Use of Trans-boundary Watercourses and International Lakes" makes it impossible to resolve transboundary water issues within the framework of international norms. The statement also reads that resolution No. 2085, adopted in 2016 by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe on deliberate deprivation of the residents of Azerbaijan's border regions of water, reflecting the demand of immediate withdrawal of the Armenian armed forces from the mentioned region and ensuring investigation of independent engineers and hydrologists on the spot, has not been implemented. The statement said that on the contrary, Armenia has expanded its activities in this direction. In recent days, the blockage of the Indjasu River, which runs through the village of Dovekh in the Tavush region of Armenia and flows into the reservoir in the village of Kemerli in the Gazakh region, has deprived the local population of water. The ministries emphasized that this situation, which is a serious violation of the principles of international law and human rights, also poses serious challenges to the implementation of internationally accepted instruments, including the obligations under the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. We call on the international community to strongly condemn the illegal activity of Armenia and take urgent measures to prevent such unlawful actions of the aggressor state, the statement concludes. Azerbaijan and Armenia are locked in a conflict over Azerbaijans Nagorno-Karabakh breakaway region, which along with seven adjacent regions was occupied by Armenian forces in a war in the early 1990s. More than 20,000 Azerbaijanis were killed and around one million were displaced as a result of the large-scale hostilities. The OSCE Minsk Group co-chaired by the United States, Russia and France has been mediating the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict since the signing of the volatile cease-fire agreement in 1994. The Minsk Groups efforts have resulted in no progress and to this date, Armenia has failed to abide by the UN Security Council resolutions (822, 853, 874 and 884) that demand the withdrawal of Armenian military forces from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan. --- Akbar Mammadov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @AkbarMammadov97 Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz London, Sep 15 : British Prime Minister Boris Johnson defended a controversial internal market bill that will override some parts of a Brexit agreement already reached between Britain and the European Union (EU). Johnson on Monday opened a debate in the House of Commons at the start of the bill's legislative journey where it faces a rough ride over the coming days, Xinhua news agency reported. Johnson's first hurdle will come late Monday night local time when lawmakers vote on an amendment supported by the main opposition Labour Party. Labour wants MPs to reject the internal market bill, saying it would undermine the Brexit withdrawal agreement already agreed by the British parliament. They also claim the internal market bill, if passed, would breach international law and tarnish Britain's global reputation as a law-abiding nation and the UK's ability to enforce other international trade deals and protect jobs and the economy. Labour's Ed Miliband said even passing the bill would mean breaking international law. Miliband was deputing for the opposition leader, Keir Starmer, who had gone into a COVID-19 isolation after a member of his household tested positive. Johnson told MPs the bill will uphold the Conservative government's manifesto commitment to guarantee unfettered trade after Brexit between Britain's mainland and Northern Ireland. He said it will give ministers powers in reserve to protect Britain's economic integrity. Johnson said the legislation was needed to resolve tensions in the Brexit deal agreed with the EU and ensure Britain could not be broken up by a foreign power. He added: "What we cannot do now is tolerating a situation where our EU counterparts seriously believe they have the power to break up our country." Johnson told MPs he understood their unease and has absolutely no desire to use these powers, describing the bill as an insurance policy or safety net. "The passing of the bill does not mean the powers will necessarily be used," said Johnson. Johnson claimed that in the event of no deal between Britain and Brussels, the EU had threatened to introduce an instant and automatic prohibition of animal products from Britain's mainland to Northern Ireland. It would effectively mean a blockade of food and agricultural products within Britain. "It seems incredible that the EU could make that threat," he said. Johnson said Scottish beef being sent to Northern Ireland could face a 90 per cent tariff, Welsh lamb shipped to Northern Ireland could have a 61 per cent tariff, while cream from England could face a 100 per cent tariff. A number of politicians from Johnson's governing Conservative party have threatened to oppose the bill. The bill has also come under attack from a number of former British prime ministers, including Labour's Tony Blair and Conservatives John Major and Theresa May. Britain ended its membership of the EU on January 31, but is following the bloc's trade rules during a transition period which runs out on December 31. Britain and Brussels are currently seeking a post-Brexit trade deal to run from January 1, 2021, but so far there are still a number of sticking points. A Mornington Peninsula cafe owner has mounted a legal challenge over Victoria's draconian Stage Four lockdown, arguing it is putting her small business at risk. Michelle Loielo filed a suit in Victoria's Supreme Court on Tuesday, saying she has lost 99 per cent of business under the tough restrictions. The curfew, which affects metropolitan Melbourne, originally required people to stay home between 8pm and 5am, but was pushed back to 9pm from Monday. The widowed mother of three - who last month flagged plans to seek pre-selection for the Liberal Party - says the curfew violates her rights to freedom. Michelle Loielo filed a suit in Victoria's Supreme Court on Tuesday, saying she has lost 99 per cent of business under the tough restrictions The curfew, which affects metropolitan Melbourne, originally required people to stay home between 8pm and 5am, but was pushed back to 9pm from Monday She says her business in Capel Sound used to bring in up to $20,000 a week in earnings. 'Last week I made $400,' she wrote in a court document supporting her claim. 'This situation troubles me greatly, as I am the sole financial provider for my three children and I am genuinely concerned that I am not going to be able to provide for my children if this situation continues. I am afraid that I will lose my house.' Ms Loielo said the business was running at a loss, and trying to keep it afloat while caring for her children had taken a significant toll on her health. In a post on her restaurant website on August 8, Ms Loielo said the industry had taken an 'absolute beating' in 2020 and she had had to remodel, reshuffle and rethink everything to do with her business. 'To this end, I have become heavily involved in local politics and discussions and am even taking a crack at being preselected to run for the next state election in the seat of Nepean for the Liberal Party,' she wrote. Court documents, filed by Marcus Clarke QC, argue the curfew direction is invalid on grounds of irrationality and illogicality. Mr Clarke has previously provided expert advice to Victoria's state opposition over the legality of changes to Victoria's state of emergency, which has been extended. In an originating motion he says the curfew is not reasonably proportionate, and not based on relevant and reliable evidence in line with public health laws. It says Victoria's Deputy Public Health Commander, Associate Professor Michelle Giles, 'failed to give any real independent consideration to whether it was appropriate to make the curfew'. Ms Loielo, the DHHS and shadow attorney-general Edward O'Donohue have been contacted for comment. Under Premier Daniel Andrews' current roadmap to recovery plan, the retail giant won't be able to open its major stores until October 26 The lawsuit comes as Wesfarmers, who runs Bunnings and Kmart, put its hand up to co-design COVID-19 protocols with the Andrews Government to allow shops to reopen from September 28. Under Premier Daniel Andrews' current roadmap to recovery plan, the retail giant won't be able to open its major stores until October 26. 'We would welcome the opportunity for further collaboration with the Victorian government and health officials about how our retail businesses have evolved to be COVID-safe and how they could further adjust, if required, to meet concerns about reducing people movement,' Wesfarmers boss Rob Scott told The AFR. 'Many of Wesfarmers businesses have been at the forefront of proactively managing the health response and supporting state government departments.' Mr Scott said the company has developed a range of practical suggestions to support a resumption of more business activity without increased risk. He said greater physical distancing, store marshals and extended trading hours could be implemented to return to some semblance of normality. 'We continue to hope we can work together to deliver a more optimal plan that safeguards health, but with less impact on people and their financial and mental wellbeing,' Mr Scott said. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-16 05:33:09|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BRUSSELS, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Josep Borrell, the European Union (EU) high representative for foreign affairs and security policy, warned on Tuesday that EU's relations with Turkey were at a watershed moment in history. At a European Parliament plenary, Borrell called for urgent and collective engagement to deal with the situation in the Eastern Mediterranean. The dispute over Turkish natural gas explorations off Greek islands in the Eastern Mediterranean has escalated in recent weeks. Greece considers the explorations illegal. The Turkish government, on the other hand, believes the waters, in which natural gas is being drilled on a trial basis, belong to the Turkish continental shelf. "I have spent the last few months trying to facilitate de-escalation efforts. But the least I can say is that more efforts are needed -- the softest way of saying that the situation has not been improving," Borrell said to MEPs. He said Turkey is an important neighbor of the EU, but with its actions in the Eastern Mediterranean its future relations with the bloc are called into question. "Our relations with Turkey, which are -- I can say that firmly -- at a watershed moment in history," Borrell said. According to the EU foreign policy chief, immediate de-escalation is essential to allow the resumption of dialogue and the negotiations, which is the only path towards stability and lasting solutions. "This is one of the moments in history when decision makers have to go and face difficult decisions, trying to look for the best for all of us. I am sure that this is what the European Council will try to do at the next meeting," he said, referring to the Special European Council on Sept. 24-25. According to Borrell, the latest move by Turkey to discontinue seismic exploration in the waters is a step in the right direction and gives some hope that it will lead to further steps towards dialogue. "We are not going to solve it by military means, but through dialogue and negotiations," said the EU foreign policy chief. Enditem New Jersey college sophomores who are at least 20-years-old could soon be eligible to become substitute teachers, a proposal lawmakers say could both increase teacher diversity and chip away at a substitute teacher shortage exacerbated by the pandemic. Under a bill passed by the state Senate Education Committee on Monday, students enrolled in college would need to complete 30 course hours the general equivalent of one year of college studies to serve as a substitute teacher. Current law mandates college students who want to substitute teach have completed 60 hours of college credits. As a venture partner, DVP said that Neemuchwala would be bringing deep technology expertise and invaluable experience of building businesses. Abidali Neemuchwala, who quit as the chief executive officer and managing director of IT services firm Wipro early this year, has joined US-based Dallas Venture Partners (DVP) as a venture partner. DVP also launched its operations in India. The firm said it plans to focus on early-stage and growth-stage companies dealing with areas such as cloud infrastructure, artificial intelligence, machine learning and mobile. As a venture partner, the firm said that Neemuchwala would be bringing deep technology expertise and invaluable experience of building businesses. It said his understanding of the Indian market will be an asset for both DVP as well as the startups backed by the firm. I'm very happy to be part of DVP, which is focused on Dallas, Texas, which is my adopted home, and India, which is my motherland. "And it gives me an opportunity to contribute back to both these places in an area of my expertise, which is 'technology' and help create many more unicorns, said Neemuchwala. We always asked when India will have the next Google. We now have about 20- 30 unicorns coming out of India already. "India is going to become a very thriving hub for innovation and technology. "All of this has been possible, not only because of the entrepreneurial spirit of Indians but also because of the supportive government policies. Neemuchwala said the time is right for Indian start-ups to be known as the global powerhouse in the area of business-to-business software-as-a-service. He said DVP would be adding value to the companies which have already crossed $1 million revenue and are ready to reach $10 million in revenues. I along with my team can help them. This team has huge operating experience. "We can handhold entrepreneurs, to be able to devise and refine product roadmap and take them to the next level of growth, said Neemuchwala. Dayakar Puskoor, a serial entrepreneur with a track record of successful investments will serve as the managing director of DVP. The firm plans to make investments in the range of $2 million to $10 million both in early-stage and growth-stage companies. Abid (Neemuchwala) has been a statesman of the IT services industry and a thought leader advising global CXOs on digital transformation, said Puskoor. His rich experience in business and technology, and extensive network, will benefit the startup ecosystem worldwide. The pre-existing version of DVP was a venture capital platform that successfully invested in twenty-one startups with multiple successful exits and with a combined portfolio enterprise value of more than $1 billion. The firm will provide extensive support to its portfolio companies through co-investments from Silicon Valley investors, participation in incubator and accelerator programmes. According to a report, more than 55,000 startups were launched in India in the last five and a half years. Out of these, over 3,200 startups raised $63 billion in funding. The digital boom and technology disruption, especially in the current times, has led to an increased interest of investors, particularly in the tech-domain. With its entry in India, DVP said it will tap the opportunities that the burgeoning tech ecosystem is offering to overseas investors. The fund aims to bring Silicon valley spirit from Dallas to India. DVP envisions to help Indian startups grow globally making around $300-500 million investment in the country and create about $7-10 billion enterprise value within 10 years. Photograph: Abishek Chinnappa/Reuters The stunningly well-preserved carcass of an Ice Age bear has been uncovered in Siberia. Reindeer herders in Russias far northeastern Lyakhovsky Islands found the specimen after melting permafrost left its remains exposed. Preliminary analysis suggested the adult cave bear - a long-extinct species - lived 22,000 to 39,500 years ago, according to scientists. Radiocarbon dating will be used to obtain a more precise figure, said senior researcher Maxim Cheprasov from the Mammoth Museum laboratory in Yakutsk. Lena Grigorieva, a scientist at the North-Eastern Federal University (NFEU), hailed the discovery as of great importance for the whole world. In a statement, she added: "This is the first and only find of its kind - a whole bear carcass with soft tissues. "It is completely preserved, with all internal organs in place, including even its nose." The reindeer herders remarkable discovery on Bolshoy Lyakhovsky Island, the largest of the Lyakhovsky group, came as the similarly well-preserved carcass of a cave bear cub was found in another area in Yakutia's mainland, NFEU said. Permafrost melt has led to major discoveries of mammoths, woolly rhinos, Ice Age foals, several puppies and cave lion cubs across vast tracts of Siberia. However, amid a searing heatwave this summer that caused widespread wildfires in Siberia, scientists warned that thawing permafrost could also unleash a wave of ancient diseases. BHP grants Adbri cement and lime contract extension ICR Newsroom By 15 September 2020 BHP has awarded Adbri a four-year contract extension at the Olympic Dam mine in South Australia. The US$160m contract involves the supply of cement and lime to Olympic Dam, which holds major copper, gold, silver and uranium deposits. The extension will run through to mid-2026 and represents a 20-year supply relationship between Adbri and BHP. Adbri CEO, Nick Miller, thanked BHP for continuing to choose local materials over imported alternatives. We are pleased to extend our long-term relationship with BHP at its Olympic Dam Project which demonstrates the strength of our integrated cement and lime position as well as our high quality and cost competitive product offering, he said. We thank BHP for supporting a home-grown manufacturer over an imported product which protects local jobs and benefits the broader South Australian economy. Published under Error. Page cannot be displayed. Please contact your service provider for more details. (27) Funds will Expand Medigate's Leadership and Availability to Healthcare Organizations Needing Advanced Protection, Visibility and Cost Control Medigate, the leader in IoT and medical device security and asset management, today announced the completion of a $30M Series B round led by new investor Partech, a global technology investor respected for its track record in scaling technology innovators globally. Existing investors YL Ventures, U.S. Venture Partners (USVP) and Blumberg Capital also participated in the round and were joined by Maor Investments. This brings Medigate's total funding to $50M, including a Series A round completed in 2019. Medigate will use the investment to execute its vision of becoming healthcare's security and clinical analytics company. As the volume and velocity of data generated from IoT and medical devices surges, healthcare organizations are expanding their digital strategies beyond their walls to include technology like wearable devices designed for patient monitoring and mobile devices used for telehealth. Providing a single, comprehensive solution for them will not only help reinforce their security stance from the core to the edge, it will provide analytics that will help drive operational efficiencies, organizational effectiveness, reduction in CapEx and OpEx, improve patient experiences, and much more. "Partech is a very sophisticated technology investor. With their backing, we will be able to quickly expand to help healthcare organizations around the world experience the same ROI as those in the United States," said Jonathan Langer, CEO and Co-Founder of Medigate. "We are very appreciative of the continued support we receive from our investors at YL Ventures, USVP and Blumberg Capital and are excited to add Partech and Maor Investments to our team as we enter in the next phase of our growth." Gartner has forecasted that the number of connected devices will grow to 25 billion by 2021. According to Healthcare Informatics Research, more than 40% of those will be used in the healthcare industry by the end of this year to improve patient outcomes. The explosion of connected devices is dramatically increasing cybersecurity and medical device management challenges for healthcare delivery organizations. Medigate's solution addresses patient safety and privacy by automatically locating, identifying and managing the security posture of all devices connected to the network, in addition to powering clinical engineering with the device data they've never had available before to manage their fleet of medical devices. Medigate has continued its tremendous growth by demonstrating how comprehensive device data leads to new ROI and cost savings in healthcare delivery organizations around the world, from the largest health systems to specialty hospitals. As proof of Medigate's impact on the industry, the company was recently named a winner of the SINET 16 Innovator Award, where a panel of dozens of leading industry experts selected the 16 most innovative and compelling companies from more than one hundred emerging cybersecurity providers. This recognition follows a strong 2020 where Medigate was named as a "Market Leader" in Forrester's New Wave Report, one of Forbes' "Top 20 IoT Startups to Watch" and the winner of Frost and Sullivan's "Enabling Technology Leadership Award for Medical Device Security." "Medigate's innovative approach to device visibility, security and management is giving hospitals confidence they can secure and manage the devices they're connecting to their network," said Jean Sini, general partner at Partech. "Their growth over the last two years is evidence that securing unmanaged devices is top of mind for healthcare leaders." Yoav Leitersdorf, managing partner at YL Ventures, shared, "Medigate is powered by an extraordinary team that has outperformed even our highest expectations. It's been a privilege to work alongside them since their founding three years ago and we are thrilled to continue to be a part of their journey. This latest milestone is testament to their vision of protecting every healthcare organization from cyberattacks." "Medigate's ability to deliver a single source of device truth for executives across a healthcare organization has advanced its growth trajectory," said Jacques Benkoski, partner at USVP. "We are excited to help with their global advancement and adoption." "We've believed from the beginning that Medigate's unique approach to their solution and partner ecosystem has and will continue to position them as the solution of choice for healthcare, validated by its rapid adoption by leading health systems and hospitals across the United States," said Bruce Taragin, managing director at Blumberg Capital. About Medigate Medigate is the industry's first and leading dedicated medical device security and asset management platform, enabling providers to deliver secure, connected care. Medigate fuses the knowledge and understanding of medical workflow and device identity and protocols with the reality of today's cybersecurity threats. With Medigate, hospital networks can safely operate all medical devices on their network, enabling deployment of existing and new devices to patients while ensuring privacy and safety. For more information visit: https://www.medigate.io/. About Partech Partech is a global investment firm with offices in San Francisco, Paris, Berlin and Dakar. It brings together capital, operational experience and strategic support for entrepreneurs at seed, venture and growth stages across multiple continents, with over 1.3B investment capacity. Investments range from $200K to $50M in a wide range of technologies and businesses for enterprises and consumers, from software, digital brands and services, to hardware and deep tech across all major industries. Companies backed by Partech have completed more than 20 initial public offerings and more than 50 strategic exits above $100M. Current portfolio: partechpartners.com/companies. About YL Ventures YL Ventures funds and supports brilliant Israeli tech entrepreneurs from seed to lead. With headquarters in Silicon Valley and satellite offices in Tel Aviv, YL Ventures manages $270 million and specializes in cybersecurity. YL Ventures accelerates the evolution of portfolio companies via strategic advice and U.S.-based operational execution, leveraging a powerful network of CISOs and global industry leaders. The firm's track record includes successful, high-profile portfolio company acquisitions by major corporations including Palo Alto Networks, Microsoft, CA and Proofpoint. Learn more at www.ylventures.com. About U.S. Venture Partners U.S. Venture Partners (USVP) is a leading Silicon Valley venture capital firm, partnering with entrepreneurs to transform their ideas into world-changing companies. The USVP team consists of former entrepreneurs, technologists, corporate executives and financial professionals who assist with strategy, scaling, team building, product development and business development. USVP is based in Menlo Park, California. For more information visit www.usvp.com. About Blumberg Capital Blumberg Capital is an early-stage venture capital firm that partners with passionate entrepreneurs to innovate and build successful technology companies. The firm specializes in leading Seed and Series A rounds collaborating with angel investors, other venture capital firms and strategic partners. The Blumberg Capital team are active investors and board members operating as an extension of the entrepreneurs' network. Blumberg Capital is headquartered in San Francisco with team members in Tel Aviv and New York. For more information visit www.blumbergcapital.com. About Maor Investments Maor Investments is a Luxembourg-based co-investment fund focused on revenue-generating Israeli-related tech companies with an established proof of concept. Maor joins top-tier venture capital funds and strategic investors to back strong Israeli entrepreneurs in their growth stage. Thanks to their vast European network, Maor's teams serve as door openers with leading European customers and partners. For more information visit https://maorinvestments.com/. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200915005204/en/ Contacts: Nina Gill LEWIS 781-418-2434 medigate@teamlewis.com (TNS) The Orangeburg County, S.C., School District has developed a mobile application that can link its students and their families with telehealth services.It is something that Annesia Jackson is happy about. The Dallas native moved to Orangeburg three years ago and has two daughters who attend school in the district."I think it's important. It gives ready access to a health care representative to be able to assist in situations so we don't have to call and have a waiting time. We can get online and be able to speak to someone right then and right there to help out in a situation," Jackson said.She added, "This would be really good for us as parents, I believe, just to get that immediate help right then and there."OCSD partnered with Palmetto Care Connections, a Bamberg-based nonprofit telehealth network; the Regional Medical Center; Family Health Centers Inc. and Bamberg Family Practice for the creation of a S.M.A.R.T. (Students' Medical Access to Resources in Telehealth) Virtual Health Collaborative.School officials, along with those from partnering agencies, converged upon the district office in Orangeburg on Monday to announce the effort.Under the initiative, a S.M.A.R.T. Virtual Health Collaborative app now appears on all district-issued devices and leads to a webpage of telehealth providers. Students and families can also begin accessing telehealth services through the district's website by clicking on the app and selecting a provider of their choice.S.M.A.R.T. can also be accessed directly through the following link: www.ocsdsc.org/telehealth . Individuals can also simply go to www.ocsdsc.org , click on Quick Links at the bottom right of the page, scroll down to Parent/Student Resources and click on OCSD - SMART Virtual Telehealth.OCSD Superintendent Dr. Shawn Foster said it is critical to provide access to health care services to individuals who are not only without transportation, but the necessary technology to access the services remotely.Foster recalled speaking with RMC Chief Executive Officer Charles Williams about the challenge."I recall Mr. Williams and his epidemiologist were talking about some of the struggles that they were having here in the community in regard to access, that he had people in this community calling in, wanting to see a doctor, Foster said.If the caller said they didnt have transportation, "the hospital then followed up and would ask, 'Well, do you have a device to use?' They said, 'Well, I don't have a device. I don't even have a smart phone.' So they found themselves in a challenging situation, where they were trying to provide services over the phone, which is not an ideal circumstance," he said.Foster said it wasn't long before the FHC came on board with the telehealth initiative.An opportunity existed that allowed OCSD to fill a gap in providing services, he said."I've said since day one that I hope to have Orangeburg in a space where our education is no longer product-driven, that we're solution-driven."When I say product-driven, I mean it's more than about getting 24 credits and getting a high school diploma. It's about being an educational institution that is willing to seek solutions to gaps that we have in our community," he said.The superintendent thanked the other community partners such as Palmetto Care Connections and its staff, including Director of Technology Matt Hiatt.PCC is seeking to expand the list of providers in the S.M.A.R.T. Virtual Health Collaborative. There is no expense to medical entities for participation in the collaborative, but there is a request that they provide professional and patient care to those they serve.PCC Chief Executive Officer Kathy Schwarting said, "Our whole purpose and mission in life is to make sure that rural and underserved communities have access to care. I've spent 25 years in rural health care, and I've always said that your zip code should not define the quality of service you have, the type of service, or the quality of the life that you live.""If you want to live in Orangeburg, Bamberg, Allendale, you should still have access to the same high-quality services. That's what PCC is built on. ... We have helped lots of rural communities in the state implement school-based telehealth, but not with the vision that Dr. Foster has had. So I'm very grateful for that," Schwarting said.Schwarting said children will still have access to their primary care providers."We have other primary clinics in the county and around the county that would like to participate. We also believe that children should have access to their primary care provider. If they already have a medical home, don't ship them out to a health system. Let them see their health care provider if at all possible and then let the health systems, if needed, complement that service for some specialty services," she said."So we're very blessed in this community to have Mr. Williams, Dr. Foster, the Family Health Center," she added.Williams said, "I am so thankful to Dr. Foster. We sat down and we talked about this. The entire discussion that we had for probably a little over two hours that day, it was never about us. It was all about how we can serve.""Many of you that know me and you know our team, it's all about trust, building sustainability and always focusing on the community. We do nothing for ourselves, but for the people we are blessed to serve. We are nothing but tools to be used by the master carpenter to do his work," he said.Williams said the mobile app will allow more people to have access to health care.By the grace of God and this partnership, patients that need care now, if they have a school-age child with this device in their home, they will have access. ... We will be able to send them a link, they will be able to hit the link, and they will be able to be seen by their provider. Everything cannot wait." Opalesque Industry Update - The global hedge fund industry continues to climb out of the turmoil created by the Covid-19 pandemic. The industry gained an average of +2.5% in August, bringing the year to date (YTD) average return firmly into positive territory at +2.21%, according to the just-released August eVestment hedge fund performance data. This is a welcome change from the virtually 0% YTD average return (-0.27% to be exact) the industry achieved in July and the several months of challenging returns in the middle of the year. Almost every major hedge fund type and strategy eVestment tracks put up positive average returns for August and most hedge fund types and strategies are now showing positive average returns for the year, indicating that the industry is regaining its footing following a challenging few months. Event Driven-Activist hedge fund strategies were among the big performance winners in August, with an average return of +7.88%. These funds now stand at +3.25% YTD, which while positive, is far from the +17.46% average return Event Driven-Activist funds produced in 2019. Size did not seem to be an advantage in August, according to eVestment's data, as the 10 largest reporting funds' average returns in August and YTD are meaningfully below the industry averages: +0.32% for the 10 largest reporting hedge funds vs. +2.5% for the industry, and -1.21% YTD for the 10 largest hedge funds vs. +2.21% YTD for the industry. Some other interesting points from the new data include: India-focused hedge funds saw a surge in performance in August, resulting in average returns of +6.52% for the month. These funds are still negative for the year, at -2.25%, but are heading in the right direction. YTD Convertible Arbitrage funds have produced the best average returns among primary strategies eVestment tracks. These funds had an average return of +2.64% in August and stand at +6.89% YTD. Nearly 90% of Convertible Arbitrage managers are positive for the year with those posting positive returns seeing average gains near 10%. Long-Short Equity funds posted strong results in August, at +3.91%. This brings YTD average performance for Long-Short Equity funds to +3.10%, which is a long way from the average return of +14.30% these funds delivered in 2019. China-focused hedge funds are having another strong year. The average return for China-focused funds in August was +1.64%, bringing YTD performance to +17.87%. With continued strong results, China-focused hedge funds could be on pace to exceed the average return of +22.56% the group posted in 2019. "First and foremost, I would like to extend an apology on behalf of the District and the Board of School Directors to the student who was involved and to his family. They did not ask for this incident to occur, nor do they deserve the negative attention that it has brought." - school board President Tina Stoll SINGAPORE, Sept 15, 2020 - (ACN Newswire) - Adera Global Pte. Ltd. ("ADERA" or the "Company"), an innovative financial services technology group headquartered in Singapore with a track record of more than 35 years, is pleased to announce that it has entered into two Memorandum of Understandings ("MOU") and a letter of intent to broaden and deepen its business presence in Chongqing, China.Highlights:- Supported by major Chinese institutions in the banking and trade industries, the supply chain financing platform will utilise ADERA's blockchain solutions and it will be jointly developed together with two established Chinese partners, Chongqing JiangBeiZui CBD investment Group and CCIF Pte Ltd- Greater economic collaboration will facilitate more trade between Singapore and Chongqing and the supply chain financing platform will enable enterprises in Singapore and Chongqing to digitalise and standardise their trade processes and invoices- With enhanced accountability and transparency via the supply chain financing platform, it fosters greater trust and confidence between financing institutions and transacting parties, leading to lower risks to business transactions and faster access to financing- The fintech and data centre established by ADERA will be located in Bishan, Chongqing and it will focus on the development of fintech solutions, artificial intelligence and secured data capabilities, among other new technology innovations- ADERA will also be participating in SMART CHINA EXPO 2020, where the Company will showcase its latest fintech and digitalisation innovations in this Virtual ExpoThe MOUs and letter of intent are part of the China-Singapore (Chongqing) Demonstration Project on Strategic Connectivity and it is the third intergovernmental cooperation project between China and Singapore which mainly covers four key areas of cooperation: financial services, aviation industry, transportation logistics and information, and communication.Previously, such intergovernmental cooperation projects have effectively facilitated the origination and completion of several China-Singapore cooperation projects. In 2018, 16 cross-border financing projects under the China-Singapore Demonstration Initiative on Strategic Connectivity were followed through.Strategic Collaborations with Established Chinese Private Enterprises and Government Agencies in ChongqingChongqing, in southwest China, is one of four municipalities directly controlled by the central government - the other three are Beijing, Shanghai, and Tianjin. Chongqing has posted double-digit economic growth for more than a decade and in 2019, Chongqing posted a GDP growth of 6.3% Y-o-Y to RMB 2,361 billion in 2019.ADERA's first MOU and letter of intent relates to the development of the first supply chain financing platform for cross border trade activities between Singapore and Chongqing.Utilising ADERA's blockchain solutions and technology capabilities, the supply chain financing platform will be jointly developed together with two established Chinese partners, Chongqing JiangBeiZui CBD investment Group, a state-owned enterprise, and CCIF Pte Ltd, a state-related business agency.In addition, the supply chain financing platform has obtained the support from major Chinese institutions in the banking and trade industries that comprise of Bank of Chongqing, YuMaoTong Foreign Trade Service Platform and Chongqing Tianlian Citrus Network Technology Co. Ltd.To facilitate a greater volume trade activities between Singapore and Chongqing and improve efficiency between business enterprises in both countries, the blockchain-based supply chain financing platform will integrate multiple e-invoicing standards in China to conform to the PEPPOL e-invoicing standard that is recognised internationally.With enhanced accountability and transparency via the supply chain financing platform, it can foster greater trust and confidence between financing institutions and transacting parties, leading to lower risks to business transactions and faster access to financing.The pilot supply chain financing platform is expected to be introduced by the end of 2020 and there is potential to replicate the platform across other key markets in China and connecting more business enterprises and transactions between China and Singapore.The second MOU is signed between ADERA and Chongqing Bishan District Government to establish a fintech and data centre, spearheaded by ADERA, which will be located in Bishan, Chongqing. The fintech and data centre will focus on the development of fintech solutions, artificial intelligence, and secured data capabilities, amongst other new technology innovations.Commenting on these milestones, Mr. Lennon Tan, Chairman of ADERA, said: "The MOUs and letter of intent reflect our strong commitment to serve the business communities in both Chongqing and Singapore with our technology innovations and deep industry experience.Working together with our established MOU partners in Chongqing, we look forward to develop an enhanced ecosystem of trust that transcends geographical barriers and creates new value propositions that will benefit stakeholders.Paving the way for the mainstream adoption for digitised supply chain documentation and data integration, we believe that our blockchain-based supply chain financing platform will lead to a higher volume of cross border trades and faster access to supply chain financing while lowering risks at the same time among transacting parties."Mr. Lennon Tan, added, "Sharing a common vision of developing and commercialising new technology innovations with the district government in Bishan Chongqing, our fintech and data centre in Chongqing aims to be a gateway to enable more advanced technology applications to create a more inclusive community."Showcasing ADERA's Latest Fintech and Digitalisation Innovations in SMART CHINA EXPO 2020In addition, ADERA is participating in the SMART CHINA EXPO 2020, which is an annual gathering for international enterprises, industry leaders, scholars and experts, and government officials to share and explore the latest developments in the fields of smart technology, smart industry, smart manufacturing, and smart application.Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, SMART CHINA EXPO 2020 has been transformed into a virtual platform and ADERA will be showcasing its latest fintech and digitalisation innovations in the following areas:- Blockchain driven cross-border e-invoicing & supply chain platform- Digital identity solutions enabling enrolment to verification- Fintech transformation for banking institutions with workflow automation & intelligent kiosk- Biometric contactless attendance and temperature-taking system with contact tracingcapabilitiesAbout Adera Global Pte Ltd ("ADERA")Serving global banks, financial institutions, telecommunications and government agencies around the world, ADERA is a financial services technology group headquartered in Singapore providing a platform of innovative fintech, digitalisation and data security solutions.With an established track record of more than 35 years, ADERA aims to enable our customers to digitalise and enhance their business models to broaden access to new markets, improve end- users experience and develop greater business efficiency.For more information, please visit ADERA website: https://aderaglobal.comIssued on behalf of Adera Global Pte. Ltd. by 8PR Asia Pte Ltd.Media Contact:Mr. Alex TANMobile: +65 9451 5252Email: alex.tan@8prasia.comSource: ADERACopyright 2020 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved. Vietnam resumes six international air routes Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh on Tuesday afternoon approved the Ministry of Transports proposal on resuming international commercial flights to six destinations. Illustrative photo. Accordingly, Vietnam will reopen four air routes to Guangzhou (China), Taiwan (China), Seoul (the Republic of Korea), and Tokyo (Japan) from September 15, and to Phnom Penh (Cambodia) and Vientiane (Laos) from September 22. It is expected that 5,000 passengers will arrived in Vietnam each week including 2,200 in Hanoi, 2,450 in Ho Chi Minh City and 400 in Can Tho Province. The Ministry of Health and Ministry of Transport were asked to publicise quarantine regulations for arrivals and the list of real-time PCR laboratory approved by the government. The prime minister also agreed to extend paid quarantine centres and asked the Ministry of Public Security and local authorities to ensure order at the quarantine areas. SEARCH A minimum of 3 characters are required to be typed in the search bar in order to perform a search. BISMARCK, N.D., Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Gov. Burgum has declared September 15, 2020 Children of Incarcerated Parents Day. The North Dakota Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (DOCR) will be recognizing this day by partnering with Securus Technologies to provide free communication from incarcerated parents to their children. The DOCR and Securus will provide one stamp to any resident who listed they have a child(ren) to be able to send an email for free (one stamp per child listed). Due to rising COVID-19 numbers throughout the state, the DOCR has suspended in-person visitation at all facilities, excluding the Youth Correctional Center. Understanding the significance of family, it is important to the DOCR and Securus to provide residents with digital communication technologies to ensure families can stay connected during the pandemic. "One in 28 children in the United States has a parent behind bars. This number is greatly higher when looking at having an incarcerated parent some time during their childhood. When a child has an incarcerated parent, they are at an increased risk for behavior problems, physical and mental health conditions, criminal activity, and substance abuse," said Lea Quam, Deputy Director of Transitional Planning Services. "Research has shown having contact with their incarcerated parent can mitigate these risks." The North Dakota Children of Incarcerated Parents Initiative is a DOCR led project inspired by Gov. Burgum's Main Street Initiative. This initiative has challenged North Dakota's leaders to look for innovative ways to create the resources and assistance necessary to make healthy, vibrant communities. At the DOCR, we strongly believe that cultivating healthy families and healthy children is an essential part of creating a vibrant community. The Children of Incarcerated Parents Initiative brings together agencies from the public and private sector, as well as community stakeholders, to work together on projects aimed at creating better outcomes for the children and families impacted by incarceration. In North Dakota, over 1,400 children have been identified through Child Support as having an incarcerated parent sentenced to the DOCR. These numbers do not include children from intact families whose parents have not sought child support, parents incarcerated in county and tribal jails or federal detention centers. The Children of Incarcerated Parents Initiative's foundation is based on the belief that many of the effects of parental incarceration can be mitigated and we can increase positive outcomes for families. SOURCE North Dakota Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation Indonesian multi-service platform Gojek has allegedly acquired a majority stake in Vietnamese payment startup WePay, according to DealStreetAsia. The size of the deal remains undisclosed. According to the report, the acquisition will help Gojek secure an e-wallet license to operate in Vietnam. We are always looking for opportunities to partner with innovative Vietnamese businesses as a means to enhance experience for users, a Gojek representative told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper without elaborating. The representative added that the company will give more detailed information at an appropriate time. As per the DealStreetAsia report, following the deal, WePay developed by leading Vietnamese communications corporation VCCorp has relocated its headquarters from Thanh Xuan District to Cau Giay District in Hanoi, where the Gojek office is located. Gojek Vietnams country general manager Phung Tuan Duc has also become the legal representative of WePay since mid-August, according to the e-wallets public information on the National Business Registration Portal. WePay is an online payment service provider that claims to have a partnership with 24 local banks, 1,000 merchants, and four international card issuers. After the launch of its former subsidiary GoViet in 2018 and the official rebranding as Gojek Vietnam in August, Gojek has established a substantial presence in the country across a range of verticals, including motorbike-hailing (GoBike), food delivery (GoFood), and package delivery (GoSend). In Vietnam, although cash on delivery has been the most popular mode of purchase, the trend is shifting thanks to COVID-19. Since the onset of the pandemic, digital payments have been growing rapidly and a culture of contactless payment is evolving. Before Gojek, now-dominant player Grab also acquired Vietnamese e-wallet Moca to promote cashless payment for its services in Vietnam in 2018. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! On Monday, police in New Jersey broke up a massive crowd of partygoers who descended upon the infamous Jersey Shore house to catch a glimpse of YouTube pranksters the Nelk Boys. The Gen Z-friendly YouTube stars who boast over 5.7 million followers on the platform sparked the huge mob of hundreds of people after posting videos of their location on Instagram. The footage shows them popping champagne bottles outside the recognizable Seaside Heights home where MTV's hit reality show Jersey Shore was filmed. The Nelk Boys were reportedly using the home to celebrate the launch of a new line of apparel and merchandise. In one video, the home's owner, Daniel Merk, is seen in the background and heard telling his renters that he was kicking them out and the party had to end. The same video showed a large, tightly packed group of people waiting outside the home and being held back by police. By that time, fans had shown up en masse, and the gathering of mostly maskless people grew larger as the night went on. Eventually, police from neighbouring towns were called in to maintain order. Authorities said the crowd remained mostly under control, but added that the party did violate state health codes. Outdoor gatherings in New Jersey must be limited to 500 people, who are socially distanced, under the state's coronavirus guidelines. The Nelk Boys may have attracted more than 1,000 partygoers. Seaside Heights Mayor Anthony Vaz told NBC News that he would not tolerate another blow to the town's reputation, which was already tarnished by Jersey Shore. "We will not tolerate this or these kinds of things that will disrupt an image we're trying to correct," Mr Vaz said. "It was shocking to me." This isn't the first time the Nelk Boys have faced backlash for their antics. Last week, YouTube temporarily de-monetised them after they allegedly threw on-campus parties at Illinois State University, creating a "widespread public health risk," BuzzFeed reported. The group previously pulled a stunt in which they protested Covid-19 restrictions in Los Angeles, leading a crowd in an "open the gyms" chant. PracticeWise logo There was little doubt that social distancing mandates caused by COVID-19 would make quickly adapting our standard live training to a high-quality online experience necessary if we wanted providers to get what they needed to best support these youth. In order to support frontline mental health professionals during this time of social distancing, PracticeWise, a company that partners with organizations and agencies to help kids improve their mental health, is now offering one of its most popular programs, Managing and Adapting Practice (MAP) Direct Services Training, online. The MAP Direct Services Training program teaches mental health professionals how to use the MAP system to improve the quality, efficiency, and outcomes of youth mental health services. MAP gives administrators and providers access to current scientific information, user-friendly monitoring tools, and clinical how to guides for practices commonly found in evidence-based care. The first online MAP Direct Services Training session was launched late summer and was the first socially-distant adaption of its kind from PracticeWise. It was the result of continued work from the training team who succeeded at the challenge of taking a 40-hour in-person clinical training curriculum and delivering it online in an engaging and successful manner. From its inception, PracticeWise has brought innovative tools and solutions to the mental and behavioral health community that help best meet the evolving needs of children and adolescents, explained Teri Bourdeau, Ph.D., ABPP, PracticeWise Vice President of Training and Development. There was little doubt that social distancing mandates caused by COVID-19 would make quickly adapting our standard live training to a high-quality online experience necessary if we wanted providers to get what they needed to best support these youth. Cheri Shapiro, Ph.D., Research Associate Professor and Director of the Institute for Families in Society at the College of Social Work, University of South Carolina, explained how MAP has helped enhance the quality of care in South Carolinas mental health system. In South Carolina, the MAP/MATCH training provided by PracticeWise is integral to our efforts toward enhancing provider skills and services within our mental health system. We have been working with PracticeWise since 2017 toward this goal. At present, we are using MAP as one part of a project designed to broadly encourage trauma-responsive supports for elementary school age children and their families in schools, and to enhance delivery of high-quality school mental health services for children and families who may need that level of intervention." The next MAP Direct Services Training will be held online over a 2-week period starting October 5, 2020. For more information, contact info@practicewise.com. President Donald Trump speaks during a roundtable rally with Latino supporters at the Arizona Grand Resort and Spa in Phoenix, Arizona, on Sept. 14, 2020. (Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images) Were Not Going to Be Another Venezuela, Trump Tells Latino Roundtable in Arizona President Donald Trump held a Latinos for Trump roundtable with local supporters in Phoenix, Arizona, just a day after holding a similar event in Las Vegas, Nevada. During his remarks, the president expressed optimism for Hispanic Americans and warned them against a leadership under Democrats, saying, Were not going to be another Venezuela. Speaking to a cheering crowd at an indoor venue at the Arizona Grand Resort, the president praised the Hispanic American community. Hispanic Americans embody the American dream and they are great business people. Hispanic Americans strengthen our nation beyond description, he said. You protect our nation as brave members of the military and as members of law enforcement, great, great members of law enforcement. You uplift the communities and promote our shared values of faith and family, community, hard work, and patriotism. Youre an amazing group of people. And I love you and were taking care of you and Im never letting you down. Supporters react as President Donald Trump speaks at a Latinos for Trump Coalition roundtable at Arizona Grand Resort, in Phoenix, Arizona, on Sept. 14, 2020. (Andrew Harnik/AP Photo) Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey welcomed the president and said the event couldnt be a better way to kick off Hispanic heritage month, which takes place Sept. 15-Oct. 15. Ducey thanked Trump for the governments support through the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus pandemic. In opening remarks at the roundtable, Trump spoke about his administrations actions that have benefited Hispanic American communities, which include various tax cuts and regulation cuts, and the creation of opportunity zones. He noted the White House Hispanic Prosperity Initiative, an executive order signed in July to improve Hispanic Americans access to educational and economic opportunities. Trump said that Hispanic Americans have seen the lowest unemployment rate on record. President Donald Trump speaks during a roundtable with Latino supporters at the Arizona Grand Resort and Spa in Phoenix, Arizona, on Sept. 14, 2020. (Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images) Before the China virus came in, we achieved the lowest Hispanic American unemployment rate ever recorded ever. Not even close. Over 600,000 Hispanic Americans were lifted out of poverty in that short period of time. Thats a record. All records, Hispanic American ownership, home ownership reached an all time high, Trump said as he painted an optimistic picture of the future. We built the greatest economy in history and now were doing it again. So its called Make America Great Again. And I say, make America great again and again. Again and again. He said that Hispanic Americans are seeing 3.3 million jobs for Hispanic Americans in the last 4 months, calling the recovering from the impact of the CCP virus a super V. Trump warned against his opponent, former Vice President Joe Biden. Joe Biden has spent 47 years selling out the Hispanic American community, sending your jobs to China, raising your taxes, surging regulations, the president said, later adding, Ive achieved more for Hispanic Americans in 47 months than Joe Biden has achieved in 47 years. President Donald Trump and others participate in a roundtable with Latino supporters at the Arizona Grand Resort in Phoenix, Arizona, on Sept. 14, 2020. (Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images) Trump said that Democrats carry an anti-police rhetoric which serves to endanger law enforcement. We love our law enforcement. Many, many of the law enforcement are Hispanic Americans, as you know, Trump added. He told supporters that Biden would surrender your entire country to the radical leftand thats all theyre doing is using him. He has no clue. We dont want to have a socialist country. Some of you came from parts of the world where its socialist or worse. You know, its called the C word, right? The C word. Because I think in many cases, these people are talking even beyond socialism and were not going to let that happen. Were not going to let the rule of law really just be ruled by the mob. People cheer for President Donald Trump during a roundtable with Latino supporters at the Arizona Grand Resort in Phoenix, Arizona, on Sept. 14, 2020. (Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images) He added: I often say, were not going to be another Venezuela. We love the people of Venezuela. We have tremendous support in Miami, from Venezuelans and Cubans. Were not going to let that happen to our country. Nobody wants it. And you know who wants it least is Hispanic Americans. They want to see it less than anybody because they know about it more than anybody. And so were not going to let that happen. The president also pledged his support for religious liberty, the Second Amendment, and school choice. He said that Biden would totally eliminate religious liberty and that the Democrats would abolish school choice. A vote for Republicans this Novembers a vote for the American dream, he said in closing. President Donald Trump dances after speaking at a roundtable with Latino supporters at the Arizona Grand Resort in Phoenix, Arizona, on Sept. 14, 2020. (Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images) Supporters at the roundtable praised the president and his administration for having promoted businesses and jobs, law and order and public safety, school choice, healthcare for veterans, and actions to combat the opioid crisis. Trump won Arizona over Hillary Clinton by about 3.5 percentage points in 2016. Nationally, Hispanics make up the largest minority voting group at more than 13 percent of eligible voters. Biden will hold events in Florida in the cities of Tampa and Kissimmee, which have high Puerto Rican populations. I am going to work like the devil to make sure I turn every Latino and Hispanic vote, Biden told reporters on Monday. Earlier on Monday, Trump met with firefighters and officials in California to discuss the largest wildfires in state history. He said forest management was key to controlling the blazes. Reuters contributed to this report. Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 15 Trend: On September 15, Azerbaijan marks the 102nd anniversary of Bakus liberation from the Bolshevik-Dashnak occupation. On this day in 1918, the Islamic Army of the Caucasus, which included the Azerbaijani corps, entered Baku, liberating the city from the Bolshevik-Dashnak occupation. The liberation of Baku is an event of exceptional importance for the Azerbaijani-Turkish friendship and brotherhood. Despite that during 70 years of the Soviet rule this event was purposefully explained in an erroneous context, the Azerbaijani people never forgot the heroism of Turkish soldiers. On September 10, 1918, Nuru Pasha, an Ottoman general in the Ottoman army, took direct control over the liberation of Baku. By order of Nuru Pasha dated September 10, 1918, the command of the Eastern Front and the Northern Group belonging to it were liquidated, and the movement of all formations at the front was directly entrusted to the command of the Islamic Army of the Caucasus. In an order dated September 13, 1918, sent to the fighting divisions by the command of the Islamic Army of the Caucasus, it was stated that an offensive on Baku will start on September 14 at 02:00. About 8,000 Ottoman soldiers and the Azerbaijani forces consisting of up to 7,000 people gathered to take part in decisive offensive on Baku. At 02:00, the fifth Caucasian division began to advance in the direction of the Heybat-Balajari railway. At 03:00, the first line of Bakus defense was captured, and at 06:00 - the second line. The enemy was destroyed by artillery fire. The 56th regiment, who became the protagonist of the offensive, captured the strategic heights and moved forward pursuing the enemy. The 15th regiment takes over Balajary slopes, and the Mashtagha squad from this regiment captured Sabunchu, and the people's volunteers captured Keshla station. Evading direct confrontation, the Armenians engaged in fighting in city blocks and houses, as if they wanted to repeat the March massacre. On September 14, General Densterville and the government of the Central Caspian dictatorship, and Baku Commissars left Baku. On September 15 in Ganja in the first issue of the "Azerbaijan" newspaper, the news about the liberation of Baku was published: "Telegram of the commander of the Caucasian Islamic army Nuru Pasha to the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic: "Bismillah-ir-Rahman-ir-Rahim! At the beginning of 09:00 on September 15, 1918, the city of Baku was liberated by our heroic army." After the liberation of Baku by the Caucasian Islamic army, on September 17, the government of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic moved from Ganja to Baku. Thus, the main stage of state building began in Azerbaijan. On September 18, the parts of the Caucasian Islamic army stationed around the city entered Baku. The Azerbaijani Turks, who were the real rulers of the city, warmly welcomed the victorious army as a savior. Thus, the independence of Azerbaijan was ensured and the domination of Armenians and Bolsheviks in Baku and surrounding areas was terminated. About 2,000 soldiers of the Caucasian Islamic army were killed in the military operation to liberate Baku. The liberation of Baku from Bolshevik-Dashnak occupation is one of the most glorious pages in the history of Azerbaijan of the XX century. Despite the fact that many years have passed since those events, the brotherly help of the Turks is never forgotten, it has always been remembered and will be remembered by the Azerbaijani people with a sense of gratitude. Unemployed workers in the state will begin receiving additional federal benefits this week, the Lamont administration announced Monday. The additional money, $300 a week, will be paid retroactively for those who qualify and will be paid for six weeks, the Connecticut Labor Department said. This will provide thousands of unemployed workers in the state with an additional $1,800. The federal aid is a slimmed-down version of a program created by legislation addressing the pandemic that had provided those who lost their jobs due to the coronavirus with $600 a week in enhanced unemployment benefits, for up to 39 weeks. But those enhanced benefits ended on July 26 and many jobless individuals have struggled since then. Meanwhile Congress has been unable to reach a deal on new stimulus legislation that would reinstate the federal benefits. Frustrated by Congress inaction, President Donald Trump used his authority to spend about $44 billion in Federal Emergency Management funds to reinstate the benefits himself, at half the amount and for a limited time. We urge claimants to self-certify for Lost Wages Assistance it will offer much-needed additional assistance to our unemployed workforce, said Connecticut Labor Commissioner Kurt Westby. But this program is only a temporary one FEMA will end it once available federal funding is exhausted. Retroactive to July 26, the new federal aid will also be available for claim weeks beginning Aug. 2, 9, 16, 23 and 30. That means that those who have lost their jobs in September are not eligible. Claimants will receive the supplemental benefit in several payments. The first payment of $300 will be issued this week and the remainder of retroactive payments following in two or three separate payments. To qualify for the federal benefit, a claimant must have a weekly benefit of at least $100 and have become unemployed or partially unemployed due to COVID-19. Those who participated in the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program, which was established for self-employed individuals, independent contractors and others who do not qualify for state unemployment benefits, have already self-certified that their unemployment or underemployment is due to COVID-19 . But all other applicants for the new federal aid are required to self-certify when they apply for the new benefit on the Connecticut Department of Labor website. The new federal program is expected to provide $375 million in additional unemployment benefits to Connecticut claimants, the CDOL said. The Court of Appeal has heard that an appeal by Tipperary farmer, Patrick Quirke, against his conviction for the murder of Bobby 'Mr Moonlight' Ryan could last up to four days. Lawyers for Quirke and the DPP appeared before a brief sitting of the Court of Appeal on Tuesday to discuss progress in the case. The full appeal hearing is listed for a date in October. However, the President of the Court of Appeal, Mr Justice George Birmingham, expressed hope that the parties might be able to conduct the appeal in a shorter timeframe that the three to four days currently anticipated. Mr Justice Birmingham adjourned the matter for mention to next week to allow both sides consider each others submissions on the appeal. Quirke (50) of Breanshamore, Co Tipperary, had denied murdering Bobby Ryan (52), a part-time DJ going by the name Mr Moonlight, who went missing on June 3, 2011 after leaving his girlfriend Mary Lowrys house at about 6.30am. The body of Mr Ryan was subsequently found in an underground run-off tank on the farm owned by Ms Lowry and leased by Quirke at Fawnagown, 22 months later, in April 2013. Expand Close Bobby Ryan / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Bobby Ryan It was the prosecutions case that Quirke murdered Mr Ryan so he could rekindle a love affair with Ms Lowry and that he subsequently staged the discovery of the DJs body after Ms Lowry tried to terminate his lease at Fawnagowan. Quirkes lawyers contended that the prosecution had failed to prove their case beyond mere suspicion. They pointed to inconsistencies in Mary Lowrys evidence, and claimed she was not a reliable witness. Expand Close Mary Lowry. Picture: Mark Condren / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Mary Lowry. Picture: Mark Condren A jury at the Central Criminal al Court found Quirke guility of Mr Ryans murder by a 10-2 majority verdict after deliberating for almost 21 hours following a trial that lasted 13 weeks. The farmer was given a mandatory life sentence by Ms Justice Eileen Creedon. In evidence that was frequently interrupted by legal argument, the jury learned that Quirke started farming the land at Fawnagowan following the death of Ms Lowrys husband, Martin, in September 2007. Martin Lowry had been best man at Quirkes wedding. In early 2008 Quirke and Ms Lowry began a sexual relationship that she subsequently described as "seedy" and "sordid" and something she regretted. In August 2010 Ms Lowry met Bobby Ryan at a dance, who she described as fun, funny and a breath of fresh air. When Quirke found out about their relationship, he told gardai that he was angry and hurt. He took Ms Lowry's phone and texted Mr Ryan to tell him that he was in a relationship with Mary and she had not been honest. He then called Mr Ryan and told him: "I'm the man. On June 2, 2011 Bobby Ryan called to Ms Lowry's home some time after 9pm. He stayed the night and left around 6.30am. Ms Lowry, who waited to hear his van cross the cattle grid at the end of her drive, later told gardai that he took longer than usual to drive away. He was not seen alive again. Quirke claimed his affair with Mary Lowry resumed in August 2011 and that the following month, they stayed in the Cliff House Hotel in Ardmore, Co Waterford, something Ms Lowry said she couldnt remember. In December 2012, Ms Lowrys solicitor sent a letter to Quirke asking to terminate the lease at Fawnagowan. He agreed to leave that June. In April, Quirke called his wife Imelda to say he had found a body in a disused waste tank at Fawnagowan. Imelda arrived shortly afterwards and called Garda Tom Neville. Quirke gave a voluntary statement to gardai and denied knowing how Ryan's body ended up in the tank. By Rami Ayyub JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel's rapprochement with Gulf Arab states has left the Palestinians feeling abandoned by traditional allies and clutching an old playbook in a rapidly changing Middle East, analysts and critics say. As the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain prepare to sign normalization accords with Israel at a White House ceremony on Tuesday, Palestinian leaders face calls to overhaul their strategy to avoid becoming marginalized in a region where Israel and most Sunni Arab regimes share a fear of Iran. The Palestinian approach to securing freedom from Israeli occupation has for years relied on a longstanding pan-Arab position that called for Israeli withdrawal from the occupied West Bank and Gaza and Israel's acceptance of Palestinian statehood, in return for normal relations with Arab countries. But the Palestinians last week failed to persuade the Arab League to condemn nations breaking ranks. Tuesday's ceremony, hosted by U.S. President Donald Trump, will be "a black day in the history of Arab nations", Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh said on Monday. Shtayyeh said the Palestinians are now discussing whether to "adjust Palestine's relationship with the Arab League." But critics say the proposed move is too little too late, with President Mahmoud Abbas facing mounting criticism for their increasingly isolated position. "There is very little indication that the (Palestinian) leadership is contemplating a break from its approach," Tareq Baconi, an analyst with the International Crisis Group, told Reuters. The Palestinians' strategy centers on holding Israel to account in international legal tribunals, and trying to break the United States' dominance over the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, Baconi said. "Arab and European support in that strategy is crucial, but it is questionable that the Palestinians will be able to secure either to the level required to ensure a just peace." Story continues TWO-STATE SOLUTION Despite signs of shifting Arab support, Saeb Erekat, Secretary General of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), said the underlying Palestinian strategy for achieving a state in the West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza would not change. "To stay on the grounds of international law, international legality, to seek peace based on ending Israeli occupation and a two-state solution ... we cannot depart from these squares," he told Reuters. While conceding difficulties faced by a Palestinian leadership under Israeli occupation, analysts nevertheless say Abbas does have some options. After years of in-fighting between the two main Palestinian factions, Abbas's Fatah and Islamist Hamas, long-overdue elections would refresh the president and parliament's mandate and boost their leverage abroad by increasing their legitimacy at home, analysts say. "We need to ... rebuild the PLO's institutions from the ground up and cement relations between Palestinians here and in the diaspora," Gaza analyst Talal Okal said. Over six million diaspora Palestinians, he said, "can influence the communities they live in so the Palestinian cause has a place on the agendas of their host governments." TRUMP BOYCOTT One area where Abbas has widespread public support - 70% in recent polls - is his two-year boycott of the Trump administration, which he accuses of pro-Israel bias over its recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital and endorsement of Israel's West Bank settlements. Frustrated by the Palestinians' refusal to take part in Trump-led talks, the White House has sought to bypass Abbas and his team, apparently hoping they will see the deals with the UAE and Bahrain as incentives to return to negotiations. For more than two years Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner has tried sidestepping Abbas to appeal to Palestinians directly, telling Al-Quds newspaper in 2018: "The world has moved forward while you have been left behind. Don't allow your grandfather's conflict to determine your children's future." That has had little apparent success. And the Palestinian leadership at first engaged with the Trump administration. Until, said Erekat, they concluded that "these people want to dictate a solution, not negotiate a solution ... they're the ones who are departing from international law." Dennis Ross, who served as a Middle East adviser under Republican and Democratic administrations, had cautionary words for both sides. While the Gulf deals served notice that Palestinians "don't have a veto on normalization as regional dynamics shift" the Israelis, he said, "cannot wish the Palestinians away and standing pat also means increasing the risk of one state for two peoples." GRAPHIC: Trump's Middle East peace plan map - https://graphics.reuters.com/ISRAEL-PALESTINIANS-PLAN/0100B5B73B0/ISRAEL-PALESTINIANS-PLAN.jpg (Additional reporting by Nidal al-Mughrabi in Gaza, Ali Sawafta in Ramallah, Adel Abu Nemeh in Jericho and Matt Spetalnick in Washington; Editing by Stephen Farrell, William Maclean) While more Gulf countries are expected to normalise their relations with Israel, Kuwaits political structure makes it an exception If you have an ounce of dignity, get out of the hall, occupiers, child murderers! Kuwaiti Parliamentary Speaker Marzouk Al-Ghanem became something of a household name across the Arab world three years ago when a video clip of his fiery anti-Israel speech during an International Parliamentarians meeting went viral. Al-Ghanem was responding to an Israeli lawmakers address to the forum, which took place in Saint Petersburg in Russia. You represent the worst form of terrorism, state terrorism, he said, as the hall erupted in applause, followed by the Israeli delegation storming out of the room. Kuwaiti ruler Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah promptly sent a letter of praise to the countrys national assembly about Al-Ghanems stand, which truly embodies Kuwaits support for the Palestinian peoples quest to regain their legitimate rights. Al-Ghanem, elected in 2013, is still speaker of Kuwaits 50-member assembly, the only elected legislative body in the Gulf region. His views, expressed on many occasions in response to developments that have followed, are in line with the small oil-rich countrys tradition of Pan-Arabism, resonating across the vibrant and opposition-majority parliament elected in 2016 and consisting of Islamists, Arab nationalists and liberals. After the announcement that the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain would be normalising their relations with Israel, there has been speculation that other Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries could follow suit, possibly Oman, known for its friendliness towards Israel, and possibly Saudi Arabia, which is undergoing seismic changes under the watch of Saudi Crown-Prince Mohamed Bin Salman. Qatar, presently in a feud with the UAE, attacked the normalisation agreements despite Dohas informal diplomacy with Israel. Days before Bahrain made its announcement, US President Donald Trump told a White House news conference that I will tell you that countries are lining up that want to go into it, referring to normalisation with Israel. I think what ultimately will happen is youre going to have quite a few countries come in. The big ones are going to be coming in. I spoke to the king of Saudi Arabia, so were talking. We just started the dialogue. And youll have them come in, he said. But among the Gulf monarchies openly seeking normalised relations with Israel, Kuwait, a constitutional monarchy and still ruled by a generation that has long opposed Israels occupation of Palestine, stands out. Kuwaits political system is one reason why the country is the least likely to follow the UAE and Bahrain in normalising relations with Israel, said Kristian Ulrichsen, a fellow at Rice Universitys Baker Institute in the US. The populist nature of Kuwaiti politics means that very few government ministers or MPs would be willing to openly support such a proposal out of concern at the political and electoral backlash that would likely come their way if they did so. Kuwaits hybrid political system is divided between an appointed government and an elected parliament, which, unlike in the other Gulf monarchies, traces its power back to the tiny countrys foundational years. Kuwaits national assembly has the constitutional right to approve or disapprove of the appointment of the countrys emir, including the authority to remove him from his post. This was enforced in 2006 when it removed then ruler Saad Al-Sabah because he could not carry out his duties as ruler due to illness. While the emir also has the power to dissolve the assembly and has done so many times, some scholars consider the political system in Kuwait, through its assembly, its judicial system and its constitutional court, to be one of the most independent in the Arab world. The other factor that makes Kuwait unlikely to normalise with Israel, said Ulrichsen, was the fact that both the countrys emir and crown-prince are from the generation that lived through every phase of the Arab-Israeli conflict going back to 1948, and their attachment to Palestine and to the Palestinian cause remains strong. Kuwait therefore has not undergone a generational transformation in attitude as has, for example, the UAE with [crown-prince of Abu Dhabi] Mohamed Bin Zayed and, to some extent, Saudi Arabia with [crown-prince] Mohamed Bin Salman. Kuwaits large Palestinian community is among the biggest in the Gulf region. Waves of Palestinian refugees fled to Kuwait after 1948 and 1967, where they were met with open arms by the pan-Arab Gulf monarchy. Kuwaits Arab nationalist position was unique in the region following the death of former Egyptian president Gamal Abdel-Nasser in 1970 and Cairos historic shift under his successor Anwar Al-Sadat who signed a peace agreement with Israel in 1979. In addition to hosting Palestinian Liberation Organisation (PLO) figures, the oil-rich emirate was also refuge to Arab intellectuals from the 1960s to the early 1980s, including prominent Egyptian journalist Ahmed Bahaaeddin, editor of Al-Arabi, the Arab worlds most prominent cultural magazine at the time. Kuwait was also home to Naji Al-Ali, an iconic Palestinian cartoonist in the 1960s upon an invitation from Palestinian author and journalist Ghassan Kanafani. Kuwait was the first of the formerly British-protected sheikhdoms in the Gulf to gain independence in 1961, 10 years before Bahrain, Qatar and the UAE. It was also the first to modernise, launching the first university in the Gulf region in 1964. As a founding member of the GCC, Kuwaits policy rested on regional cooperation and partnership. Throughout the recent crisis within the GCC caused by differences with Qatar, Kuwait has remained a bridge and mediator between the conflicting parties and has helped to hold the fractured GCC together. With one third of the GCC now officially recognising Israel, some Kuwaiti voices fear the already volatile union might see more damage. This will cause a lack of coordination and the loss of a single political compass exposed by the Qatar crisis, said Abdallah Al-Shayji, a Kuwaiti political scientist. The internal conflict within the GCC over Iran, Syria, Turkey and Libya has deepened the crisis, he added, which has been exacerbated by normalising relations with Israel. The future of the GCC might now rest on how the UAE, a heavyweight political actor in the Gulf region, navigates its next move. The UAEs and Bahrains announcements are unlikely to affect the rift in the GCC directly, but they may be used as leverage by the Emiratis in Washington should the UAE ever feel the need to pressure Kuwait or other GCC states that do not follow their lead, Ulrichsen said. But we have not yet seen any sign of this happening. Saudi Arabia has remained silent about the decisions to normalise taken by the UAE and Bahrain, though these are unlikely to have taken place without Riyadhs endorsement. Suspended between old and new-guard policies, Saudi Arabias slow pace towards normalisation with Israel will likely take more time, yet it puts it in the spotlight. It also eases the pressure on Kuwait, for now, said Kristin Diwan, a senior resident scholar at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington. If Saudi Arabia eventually comes on board, and ties with Israel begin to reshape the region, this will isolate and endanger Kuwait. But for now, the slower pace of Saudi normalisation gives them cover, she said. *A version of this article appears in print in the 17 September, 2020 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly Search Keywords: Short link: 'I was not really aware that this movement was slyly being propped up by the BJP and RSS.' IMAGE: Members of Kisan Baburao 'Anna' Hazare's team from the India Against Corruption movement in 2012. From left: Kiran Bedi, Arvind Kejriwal, K B Hazare, former Union law minister and his son, lawyer Prashant Bhushan. Photograph: Reuters Supreme Court lawyer Prashant Bhushan told Rajdeep Sardesai, in an interview for the news television channel India Today last weekend, that the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh may have propped up Kisan Baburao 'Anna' Hazare's India Against Corruption movement in 2011. Bhushan claims that his former IAC colleague and currently Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal knew that the RSS was offering organisational support to the IAC movement. "But I wasn't aware of that," Prashant Bhushan claims in an interview with Prasanna D Zore/Rediff.com. How difficult has it been for you to admit that the Anna Hazare-led IAC movement was propped up by the BJP and RSS? In a 2011 interview with Rediff.com you were categorical that there were no such links? At that time, I'm pretty sure that even Anna Hazare wasn't aware of the fact that -- and I wasn't aware at that time -- that it (the India Against Corruption movement) was in a sort of very organised way being propped up by the RSS-BJP. Now, or over the years when one looks at it, and see the kind of supporters who came forward and then you heard about how the backroom organising was also being done by these people who were very close to the BJP-RSS, in retrospect (one can say that the IAC was propped up by the RSS-BJP). At that time I wasn't looking at this (link) so critically; it's not a question of my difficulty in admitting it; it was that I was not really aware of the fact that this movement was slyly being propped up by the BJP and RSS. What were those instances that made you look critically at this link? Over the years, when I saw that, how this BJP ascended to power, and then one started looking back how these people (yoga guru Baba) Ramdev and Sri Sri Ravi Ravishankar, V K Singh (the former chief of the Indian Army who later joined the BJP and is a minister in the Narendra Modi government), who joined the BJP, so to say, and then it became clear that it had been, in a very, very, well considered manner, propped up. I'm pretty sure, though I have no concrete evidence of this, but I'm pretty sure that a decision was taken by the BJP and RSS top brass to support us on the issue of corruption and take on the Manmohan Singh government. In hindsight, is it okay to say that the Modi government is the IAC's gift to the country? They (the BJP) certainly took enormous advantage of the IAC movement in order to bring down the Congress and thereby ascend to power. Why did Hazare, who calls himself a crusader against corruption, keep quiet when charges of corruption were leveled against the Modi government in the Rafale case? What does it tell you about him as a crusader against corruption? The problem is that somebody has to take him through all those documents; somebody has to explain the whole thing (how the Modi government is complicit) to him. The problem is that Anna cannot work entirely on his own, especially with his growing age. I don't blame Anna Hazare as such; I don't think he was a person who had any hidden agenda. That's not my impression of him at all. He is a simple, innocent, kind of person, who needed organisational support in order to carry on his movement. And that organisational support at that time was provided by Arvind (Kejriwal) and probably by the RSS-BJP from behind the scenes. I am sure Arvind was aware of (the fact that the BJP-RSS were providing organisational support to the IAC movement), but I wasn't aware of that. Are you in touch with Anna Hazare? No, not really. The problem is that he lives there in Pune (Ralegaon Siddhi, actually, close to Pune, but in Ahmednagar district in Maharashtra); he is surrounded by all kinds of people and unless somebody is going to be in touch with him daily (he cannot be made aware of the intricacies of the Rafale case); so you have to invest a huge amount of time in order to have him on board. By 'all kinds of people', do you mean those from the RSS and BJP? There may be some of those also; there are all kinds of people around him. He is a simple-minded man who, again, is not able to sometimes discern which of his staffers are doing things behind his back and have links with other people and so on. What would your message be for Hazare? Please do something about the manner in which democracy is being destroyed (in our country); not just democracy civilisational values are being destroyed in this country by this ruling dispensation. Are you concerned about how the Modi government and the Delhi police is framing serious criminal charges against activists who participated in the anti-CAA movement? Right now (under the Modi government) the future of democracy in India is very, very, grim. When you start arresting people like Umar Khalid (who was arrested by the Delhi police under the UAPA on Sunday, September 13, 2020), or these Pinjra Tod women, or the Bhima Koregaon people, some of whom are the finest and the most non-violent, exemplary activists of our times, then there is certainly there is no democracy left in the country. The Uttar Pradesh government has now proposed a police force that can search and arrest anybody without a warrant. Is this an attempt to suppress voices of dissent by the BJP? It's mainly the BJP governments (which are trying to suppress dissent) wherever they are in power. The BJP and RSS are totally fascist parties; they don't believe in democracy. A team of University of California researchers is working to improve telepresence robots and the algorithms that drive them to help children with disabilities stay connected to their classmates, teachers and communities. The effort is funded by a $1 million grant from the National Robotics Initiative at the National Science Foundation. The project is unique in that the team is working with telepresence robots equipped with an arm, which will allow children at home to interact with the outside world by touch. These mobile tele-manipulator robots will also be equipped with cameras, microphones, a display and other sensors that will allow children to interact with people in places where they can't usually go, especially schools. Even before COVID-19, there were over 2.5 million children in the United States who were unable to attend school in person due to medical conditions. The current pandemic has both increased this number and isolated them even further. The project team includes professor Laurel Riek in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering and Emergency Medicine at University of California San Diego, and professors Veronica Ahumada-Newhart, Jacquelynne Eccles, and Mark Warschauer at the University of California, Irvine in the Schools of Education and Informatics. "The robots we build on this project will provide an exciting, enabling technology for millions of people with disabilities and others who are isolated during the pandemic, especially children at high risk of infection," said Riek. Making a robotic arm available is key, Riek added. "Children want to be able to touch the world. They want to be able to throw a ball, play games, and raise their hand in class." UC Irvine's Ahumada-Newhart has dedicated the past seven years to studying robot-mediated learning and inclusion, deploying telepresence robots in schools across the country. She developed a framework for how to create a social telepresence for children via a robot, from both a theoretical and qualitative standpoint. Riek and her team will build new adaptive, accessible control systems that will allow children to operate the robot. Riek has also recently developed a system, JESSIE, which allows people with no prior programming experience to write complex, dynamic control software for robots using paper cards and taking a picture of them. This project will build on this work to create JESSIE-KIDS, which will enable controlling mobile telemanipulators in an inclusive and accessible way, to both support easily adapting the robots to meet the needs of different children, and also teach children programming concepts. This project's focus is schools, which means that experiments will have to start once the COVID-19 pandemic is under control. But first, researchers will identify best practices and guidelines for the use of telepresence in schools to best facilitate learning and social development in collaboration with key stakeholders. They will use this to inform the design of new inclusive interfaces and control modalities for homebound children to use the remotely-operated mobile telemanipulator robots. They also will pioneer new inclusive robotics curricula to support children with disabilities entering the STEM workforce. This national robotics curriculum will be publicly available online and will feature introductory concepts in robotics as well as information about the evolving roles of robots in our society. This project will yield new knowledge in multiple fields, including robotics, education, and healthcare. It will promote the progress of science by exploring how to make mobile telemanipulators accessible to people with disabilities. This work will also benefit society through insights into robot-mediated interaction, which can extend to other domains, such as telemedicine, telehealth, and others who experience barriers to remaining socially connected to their real-world communities in the physical world. ### Would you like to receive breaking news notifications from The Post and Courier? Sign up to receive news and updates from this site directly to your desktop. Breaking News Columbia Breaking News Greenville Breaking News Myrtle Beach Breaking News Aiken Breaking News N Augusta Breaking News Click on the bell icon to manage your notifications at any time. Success! Please click the 'Allow' button in the 'Show Notifcations' alert in your browser if one is available. Thank you for signing up! Please enable notifications in your browser and reload the page. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 15) A Manila-based celebrity cosmetic surgeon has been rearrested in Lapasan in Cagayan De Oro. Authorities from Northern Mindanao again apprehended Dr. Joel Mendez in a police operation on Sunday. He was convicted of attempted rape and two counts of rape, according to the regional police. Mendez was arrested by virtue of the warrant issued by a court in Mandaluyong City last February 4. He is now detained at Maharlika Detention Center, and will be transported back to Manila. No bail was recommended in the new arrest warrant. We will never stop until all wanted persons [are] arrested and put behind bars since it is our mandate to enforce the law [and] ensure the safety of other people that may be possible victims," Northern Mindanao Police Chief Police Brigadier General Rolando Anduyan said. Mendez is the owner of Skinology Spa and Wellness Center, a medical spa based in Quezon City. The cosmetic surgeon was arrested last July 12, 2018 in Mandaluyong City for allegedly molesting a 17- year-old girl and a model of the Mendez Medical Group inside his clinic in 2015. He was released after posting bail. CNN Philippines Northern Mindanao-based correspondent Alwen Saliring contributed to this report. Close Brexit briefing: How long until the end of the transition period? The justice secretary has suggested he could resign if the government passes Brexit legislation that flouts international law. Robert Buckland said on Sunday that if the Internal Markets Bill broke the law in a way he found unacceptable he would stand down, but insisted that we are not at that stage. Meanwhile, writing in the Sunday Times, former prime ministers Tony Blair and Sir John Major, accused Boris Johnson of embarrassing the UK with the bill, which is due to be introduced to the Commons on Monday, also claiming he was putting both trade negotiations and the Irish peace process at risk. In a first, the Uttar Pradesh government will organise a five-day international virtual exhibition of One District One Product (ODOP) next month in which around 25,000 stalls will be available for buyers. The government is also planning to connect buyers from 50 countries with this exhibition. Navneet Sehgal, additional chief secretary, MSME and khadi, said the event will be organised with the assistance of FICCI and Handicraft Export Promotion Council. It will also help artisans display their products online and reach out to national and international buyers. Through this exhibition, Indian and foreign buyers will be able to directly connect with artisans to do business. Apart from wholesale purchase, retailers and other customers will also be able to purchase articles of their choice here. A wide-ranging ODOP articles, including footwear of Agra and Kanpur, chikan clothes of Lucknow, scent of Kannauj, terracotta of Gorakhpur, silk of Varanasi, carpet of Bhadohi and brassware of Moradabad will be displayed at the exhibition. Moreover, the state government is all set to promote products selected under its ODOP scheme across the country through retail stores. The government will also provide financial assistance to the artisans whose products will be selected. Products selected under ODOP scheme will be displayed in retail stores across the state. However outside Uttar Pradesh, display of these products will be confined to stores in airports and railway stations only. The Yogi government had launched the ODOP scheme in January 2018. It has identified 75 products, one each from every UP district that have made the respective districts famous. BRADY ANDERSON, Chariho, Wrestling, Sophomore; Anderson finished first in the 152-pound weight class at the Griswold Midseason Invitational tournament. Anderson went 3-0 in the tournament, pinning all of his opponents in the first period. Anderson is 10-4. LYDIA LASKEY, Stonington, Gymnastics, Senior; Laskey finished first in all four events in meets against NFA and Westerly. Laskey had an all-around score of 33.75 against NFA and 34.60 against Westerly. RILEY PELOQUIN, Westerly, Girls Basketball, Sophomore; Peloquin scored 22 points and had 19 rebounds in two games. Peloquin is averaging 7.6 points and 7.5 rebounds a game for the Bulldogs. DEONDRE BRANSFORD, Wheeler, Boys Basketball, Sophomore; Bransford scored 25 points and had 28 rebounds in a pair of Wheeler victories. Bransford is averaging 10.6 points and 12.1 rebounds per contest for the Lions. Vote View Results TAG is delighted to partner with HR4 as part of our digital transformation journey. The new employee engagement tool will allow our team members to access information in real time 24/7 via the HR4 app and allow for a more robust communication tool said Trotman Auto Groups CEO, Mike Trotman HR4 Ltd., a fully interactive HCM solution focused on optimizing the entire employee lifecycle announces that the Trotman Auto Group is deploying their HR4 software platform across the group. The platform will provide Trotman with the ability to deliver its team members real-time company related information, access to company resources, policies & guidelines, employee profiles and more. HR4 Ltd., a fully interactive HCM solution focused on optimizing the entire employee lifecycle announces that the Trotman Auto Group is deploying their HR4 software platform across the group. The platform will provide Trotman with the ability to deliver its team members real-time company related information, access to company resources, policies & guidelines, employee profiles and more. Trotman Auto Group (TAG) is comprised of 12 successful automotive dealerships and over 500 employees throughout British Columbia. TAGs vision is to lead the industry by creating a vibrant culture, an engaged team and an exceptional employment and client experience. TAG is delighted to partner with HR4 as part of our digital transformation journey. The new employee engagement tool will allow our team members to access information in real-time 24/7 via the HR4 app and allow for a more robust communication tool said Trotman Auto Groups CEO, Mike Trotman We are thrilled to add Trotman to our HR4 Community. I believe our digital solution aligns nicely with Trotmans mission and vision as an organization said HR4s Vice President, Bri Newman About Trotman Auto Group Trotman Auto Group (TAG) has grown from a single point, mid-size Chrysler dealership in the 1990s to a nationally recognized industry leader and one of the most innovative dealer groups in Canada employing over 500 team members, now representing 12 OEM brands at 11 dealership locations across BC. About HR4 Ltd. HR4 Ltd., an HCM solution, founded in 2013 was built to connect the workplace and harness employee potential while giving HR and managers a seamless approach to managing their teams. From hiring to new hire orientation to performance management and everything in between. Its suite of apps are designed to connect the workplace and are proven to increase efficiency, communication and performance in both new hires and tenured employees. Brett Coomer/Staff photographer The U.S. House of Representatives on Monday unanimously passed a bill to name a Houston post office after slain Harris County sheriffs deputy Sandeep Dhaliwal, the first Sikh deputy to work for the agency, according to U.S. Rep. Lizzie Fletcher. Dhaliwal was gunned down in September 2019 during a routine traffic stop in the Cypress area. He was the first Sikh American in Texas to receive a policy accommodation to serve while wearing his articles of faith, including his turban and beard. N HS staff have been forced to stay off work and quarantine due to the lack of coronavirus testing, health leaders have warned. Hospitals in Bristol, Leeds and London have raised concerns over the weekend about tests being unavailable for health workers. NHS Providers, which represents NHS trust leaders, warned that the recovery of normal NHS services was being put in jeopardy. Meanwhile, it said preparations for the winter pressures of Covid-19 and seasonal flu were being hampered. NHS staff are having to self-isolate due an inability to get a test for themselves or family members, it added. Testing has come under intense scrutiny after people across England reported they were unable to book tests, or were being offered tests hundreds of miles away. NHS Providers chief executive Chris Hopson said there was a lack of detailed operational information on the shortages, such as how long they will last. Coronavirus hits the UK - In pictures 1 /81 Coronavirus hits the UK - In pictures A deserted Westminster Bridge PA A man wearing a face mask or covering due to the COVID-19 pandemic, walks past customers sat outside a restaurant AFP via Getty Images Boris Johnson addresses the nation on the Coronavirus lockdown Andrew Parsons Runners pass cardboard cutouts of Britain's Queen Elizabeth II and Prince William during the London Marathon in London AP An empty escalator at Charing Coss London Underground tube station Jeremy Selwyn Electronic bilboards displays a message warning people to stay home in Sheffield PA A sign is displayed in the window of a student accommodation building following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Mancheste Reuters People take part in a 'We Do Not Consent' rally at Trafalgar Square, organised by Stop New Normal, to protest against coronavirus restrictions, in Londo AP People sing and dance in Leicester Square on the eve on the 10PM curfew Reuters Hearts painted by a team of artists from Upfest are seen in the grass at Queen Square, following the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Bristol Reuters Graffiti reads 'good luck and stay safe', as the number of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases grow around the world, under a bridge in London Reuters A sign is pictured in Soho, amid the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in London Reuters Prime Minister Boris Johnson gestures, during a coronavirus briefing in Downing Street, London AP A person runs past posters with a message of hope, as the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues in Manchester REUTERS Riot police face protesters who took part in a 'We Do Not Consent' rally at Trafalgar Square, organised by Stop New Normal, to protest against coronavirus restrictions in London AP An image of The Queen eith quotes from her broadcast to the UK and the Commonwealth in relation to the Coronavirus epidemic are displayed on lights in London's Piccadilly Circus PA Military vehicles cross Westminster Bridge after members of the 101 Logistic Brigade delivered a consignment of medical masks to St Thomas' hospital Getty Images Durdle Door in Dorset Reuters Captain Tom Moore via Reuters Mia, aged 8, and Jack, aged 5, take part in "PE with Joe" a daily live workout with Joe Wicks on Youtube to help kids stay fit who have to stay indoors due to the Coronavirus outbreak PA An NHS worker reacts at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital during the Clap for our Carers campaign in support of the NHS Reuters Goats which have taken over the deserted streets of Llandudno @AndrewStuart via PA Tobias Weller PA Novikov restaurant in London with its shutters pulled down while the restaurant is closed London Landscapes: Hyde Park and the Serpentine, central London. Matt Writtle A newspaper vendor in Manchester city centre giving away free toilet rolls with every paper bought as shops run low on supplies due to fears over the spread of the coronavirus PA Theo Clay looks out of his window next to his hand-drawn picture of a rainbow in Liverpool, as the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continue Reuters A young man cuts another man's hair on top of a closed hairdresser in Oxford Reuters General view of the new NHS Nightingale Hospital, built to fight against the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in London via Reuters Jason Baird is seen dressed as Spiderman during his daily exercise to cheer up local children in Stockport, as the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues Reuters A woman wearing a face mask walks past Buckingham Palace Getty Images A man holds mobile phone displaying a text message alert sent by the government warning that new rules are in force across the UK and people must stay at home PA Medical staff on the Covid-19 ward at the Neath Port Talbot Hospital, in Wales, as the health services continue their response to the coronavirus outbreak. PA Prime Minister Boris Johnson taking part in a virtual Cabinet meeting with his top team of ministers PA A shopper walks past empty shelves in a Lidl store on in Wallington. After spates of "panic buying" cleared supermarket shelves of items like toilet paper and cleaning products, stores across the UK have introduced limits on purchases during the COVID-19 pandemic. Some have also created special time slots for the elderly and other shoppers vulnerable to the new coronavirus. Getty Images People on a busy tube train in London at rush hour PA Mia, aged 8 and her brother Jack, aged 5 from Essex, continue their school work at home, after being sent home due to the coronavirus PA Children are painting 'Chase the rainbows' artwork and springing up in windows across the country Reuters Social distancing in Primrose Hill Jeremy Selwyn A general view of a locked gate at Anfield, Liverpool as The Premier League has been suspended PA Homeless people in London AFP via Getty Images A piece of art by the artist, known as the Rebel Bear has appeared on a wall on Bank Street in Glasgow. The new addition to Glasgow's street art is capturing the global Coronavirus crisis. The piece features a woman and a man pulling back to give each other a kiss PA The Queen leaves Buckingham Palace, London, for Windsor Castle to socially distance herself amid the coronavirus pandemic PA A general view on Grey street, Newcastle as coronavirus cases grow around the world Reuters Matt Raw, a British national who returned from the coronavirus-hit city of Wuhan in China, leaves quaratine at Arrowe Park Hospital on Merseyside PA Britain's Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty (L) and Chief Scientific Adviser Patrick Vallance look on as British Prime Minister Boris Johnson gestures as he speaks during a coronavirus disease (COVID-19) news conference inside 10 Downing Street Reuters The ticket-validation terminals at the tram stop on Edinburgh's Princes Street are cleaned following the coronavirus outbreak. PA Locked school gates at Rockcliffe First School in Whitley Bay, Tyne and Wear PA A sign at a Sainsbury's supermarket informs customers that limits have been set on a small number of products as the number of coronavirus (COVID-19) cases grow around the world Reuters Jawad Javed delivers coronavirus protection kits that he and his wife have put together to the vulnerable people of their community of Stenhousemuir, between Glasgow and Edinburgh AFP via Getty Images A sign advertising a book titled "How Will We Survive On Earth?" Getty Images A man who appears to be homeless sleeping wearing a mask today in Victoria Jeremy Selwyn A pedestrian walks past graffiti that reads "Diseases are in the City" in Edinburgh AFP via Getty Images Staff from The Lyric Theatre, London inform patrons, as it shuts its doors PA A quiet looking George IV Bridge in Edinburgh PA A quieter than usual British Museum Getty Images A racegoer attends Cheltenham in a fashionable face mask SplashNews.com A commuter wears a face mask at London Bridge Station Jeremy Selwyn A empty restaurant in the Bull Ring Shopping Centre Getty Images A deserted Trafalgar Square in London PA Passengers determined to avoid the coronavirus before leaving the UK arrive at Gatwick Airport Getty Images He said: Its clear that there are current capacity problems with the testing regime. Trust leaders from Bristol, Leeds and London have all raised concerns over the weekend about the lack of testing availability leading to greater levels of staff absence. Its not just access for tests for staff members themselves, its also access for their family members as NHS workers have to self-isolate if their family members are unable to confirm if they have Covid-19 or not. The problem is that NHS trusts are working in the dark they dont know why these shortages are occurring, how long they are likely to last, how geographically widespread they are likely to be and what priority will be given to healthcare workers and their families in accessing scarce tests.They need to know all this information so that they can plan accordingly. Under strain: an NHS COVID-19 walk-in testing centre in Bolton / AFP via Getty Images For example, trusts need to know if they should try to create or re-establish their own testing facilities as quickly as possible. Mr Hopson said NHS trusts were also concerned about the impact of testing shortages on patients who need to be tested before being admitted for hospital treatment. Were aware of a small number of examples of patients being unable to get such tests, which cuts across trusts ability to restore services in the way they have been asked to do, he said. We are concerned, for example, that patients waiting for hospital treatment can no longer highlight this fact when applying online to access a test. NHS workers march for more wages across the UK 1 /29 NHS workers march for more wages across the UK Protesters take part in a march in Brighton, as rallies form across the country calling for a 15 per cent pay rise for NHS workers and an increase in NHS funding PA Nurses were excluded from the wage increase for around 900,000 public sector workers announced in July because they are in the final year of a three-year agreement PA Protesters outside BBC Broadcasting House in central London, as marches and rallies form across the country PA Dancers lead the march as they parade through Bristol city centre PA Protesters hold up signs during a March in Brighton PA Protesters outside BBC Broadcasting House in central London call out for change PA Campaigners of all ages were seen on the streets of Brighton PA A protester is seen wearing an 'I love the NHS' t-shirt PA People hold placards as they meet in Bristol city centre PA People wear customised face coverings as they parade through Bristol PA People march with placards through Bristol city centre PA People wear customised face coverings as they march for change in Bristol PA Signs called for the Government to increase wages PA Dancers lead the march as they parade through Bristol PA Marches and rallies form across the country calling for a 15 per cent pay rise for NHS workers and an increase in NHS funding. PA People is hospital scrubs dance as they parade through Bristol PA Rallies formed across the country calling for increased salaries and more NHS funding PA Many campaigners taking part worked though the Covid pandemic PA Some people held pictures of Boris Johnson PA People march with placards through Bristol PA People also remembered all the NHS workers who died during their job during the pandemic PA NHS staff and supporters march on Regent Street in central London PA We need to prioritise tests for healthcare workers and their families and patients coming in for treatment, many of whom have already waited longer than normal. Our recent survey showed how concerned trust leaders were about the impact of inadequate testing on their ability to restore services and its disappointing that no detailed information on the current problems has been shared. He urged the Government to be honest and open about what was going on. The Government response has often been to rely on a random, impressive sounding, overall statistic the number of tests performed or PPE (personal protective equipment) items delivered or to set out a bold future ambition a world class test and trace service by June, or a moonshot testing regime at some point next year, he said. Both approaches ignore the operational problem at hand. Neither helps the frontline organisations that actually have to deal with the problem. The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has said testing capacity has been targeted at the hardest-hit areas following a rise in demand. An NHS spokeswoman said: Hospitals continue to fully comply with recommended patient and staff testing protocols. To further support the national Test and Trace programme, NHS hospital labs have now been asked to further expand their successful, fast turnaround and highly accurate, testing capacity. NEW YORK, Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Inventors of the Bed Scrunchie ( https://bedscrunchie.com/ ) Jack Nekhala and Michael Nusinkis take on Amazon in the fight to protect their intellectual property from fraudulent Chinese sellers. While Jeff Bezos and Amazon increased net worth by over $50 billion in the past six months because of the pandemic, small businesses are continuing to fight harder than ever to stay afloat. You would think Jeff Bezos would do more. President Trump vowed to lead the fight against intellectual property theft from China, but change is not happening fast enough. Bed Scrunchie When textile industry experts and friends, Jack Nekhala and Michael Nusinkis invented the Bed Scrunchiean innovative product designed to keep your sheets and bed tightthey never imagined that they would one day fight for intellectual property rights and protect their small business from America's largest conglomerate. After designing the product and obtaining four US patents, months later they were selling their product on Amazon with record numbersa dream for the duo. However, soon after the Bed Scrunchie appeared as a bestseller on Amazon, so did copycats based in China. Nekhala and Nusinkis contacted Amazon several times. However, Amazon's response was to contact the seller, who could not speak English and would not respond to Bed Scrunchie's request to remove the infringing product. Instead, the friends sought legal counsel to fight the look-a-likes. Thousands of dollars down the drain, the copycats were forced off of the site only to appear again followed by more listings created by the same manufacturer. Nekhala commented, "As China steals intellectual property, Amazon continues to profit on small businesses while leaving no protection for American inventors. Even as the retailer promotes their upcoming event for small businesses, they are in fact allowing others to cannibalize those Americans who have worked so hard to develop products. Amazon has the power to fix it, but has yet to do anything about it." Amazon receives commission for sales on its site, making money at the expense of hard-working American small businesses and inventors. Nusinkis added, "We are one small business, among many, who need to be heard." Press Contact: Now + Zen PR [email protected] 212-564-2122 About the Bed Scrunchie : The Bed Scrunchie is the world's first patented 360-degree all-in-one bed tightening system. It clips to the edges of your bed sheets or mattress topper and slides under your mattress effortlessly without lifting, while providing a flawless hotel bed look and military corners. It replaces the age-old sheet straps, sheet suspenders and bed bands. Keep your sheets tight! For more information, please visit https://bedscrunchie.com/ or follow the brand on social media @bedscrunchie on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest. SOURCE Bed Scrunchie Related Links https://bedscrunchie.com SAN FRANCISCO and SUZHOU, China, Sept. 14, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Innovent Biologics, Inc. ("Innovent") (HKEX: 01801), a world-class biopharmaceutical company that develops, manufactures and commercializes high quality medicines for treatment of oncology, metabolic, autoimmune and other major diseases, and Eli Lilly and Company ("Lilly",NYSE: LLY) jointly announce that results of six clinical studies of TYVYT (sintilimab injection) will be presented during the upcoming European Society of Medical Oncology ("ESMO") Virtual Congress 2020 from September 19th to 21st. The annual ESMO conference is among the most prestigious and influential global oncology conferences, during which oncologists around the world will share the latest research progress in cancer treatments. The six sintilimab studies to be presented at ESMO Virtual Congress include two LBAs (late-breaking abstracts, mini oral) and four e-posters (including two ongoing Phase 3 studies). The studies cover indications including lung cancer, gynecological cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma, gastric cancer, and other solid tumors. A brief summary of the studies is as follows: Cancer Type: Lung Cancer Presentation type: LBA (mini oral) Biomarker Results from the ORIENT-11 Study (NCT 03607539): Finding biomarkers to accurately predict the efficacy of Immuno-combination therapy is still a hotspot and difficult issue in the study of PD-1 inhibitors. In the ORIENT-11 study, sequencing was conducted on baseline tumor biopsies to explore the association between immune related genes and clinical efficacy. The results could improve our understanding of the mechanism of action of immunotherapy-chemotherapy combination and provide a scientific rationale for future selection of suitable patients. Researcher: Professor Yunpeng Yang, Sun Yat sen University cancer center Results of the ORIENT-12 Study (NCT03629925): sintilimab plus gemcitabine and platinum chemotherapy as first-line treatment for locally advanced or metastatic squamous non-small-cell lung cancer (sqNSCLC). Clinical benefit from platinum-based chemotherapy for patients with advanced sqNSCLC is limited. Previous studies have shown the clinical benefits of the combination therapy of PD-1 inhibitor with paclitaxel/platinum chemotherapy as first-line treatment for sqNSCLC. In a Phase 1b cohort study, sintilimab in combination with gemcitabine/platinum chemotherapy has shown good efficacy and acceptable safety as first-line treatment for sqNSCLC. ORIENT-12 is a randomized, double-blind, Phase 3 study evaluating sintilimab or placebo in combination with gemcitabine and platinum chemotherapy as first-line treatment for locally advanced or metastatic sqNSCLC. ORIENT-12 has demonstrated for the first time survival benefit by treatment with PD-1 inhibitor in combination with gemcitabine and platinum chemotherapy in first-line sqNSCLC. Researcher: Professor Caicun Zhou, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, Tongji University Cancer Type: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) Presentation Type: e-poster Sintilimab plus IBI305 (bevacizumab) as the first-line treatment for advanced HCC (NCT03794440). So far the treatment of first-line advanced HCC is limited with feasible choices such as sorafenib or lenvatinib. Immuno-oncology inhibitors have shown therapeutic value in HCC, with PD-L1 inhibitor (atezolizumab) in combination with a VEGF inhibitor reporting clinical benefits in unresectable or metastatic HCC patients before systemic treatment. This study will announce the safety and preliminary efficacy of combining PD-1 inhibitor and VEGF inhibitor in the first line treatment for patients with advanced unresectable or metastatic HCC. Currently sintilimab is undergoing Phase 2/3 study in combination with Byvasda (bevacizumab injection) in comparison with sorafenib in the first-line treatment of advanced HCC. Researcher: Academician Jia Fan, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University Cancer type: Gastric Cancer Report type: e-poster ORIENT-106 Study: To date, systemic chemotherapy remains the main choice for unresectable locally advanced or metastatic gastric cancer / gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma (G/GEJ). The prognosis of these patients is poor with the median overall survival (mOS) only about one year. Preclinical studies have shown that an anti-VEGF receptor 2 (VEGFR-2) antibody can restart the tumor microenvironment to avoid immunosuppression of tumor cells. In clinical studies, it was also observed that blocking PD-1 and VEGFR-2 at the same time could achieve synergistic anti-tumor effect. The ORIENT-106 study based on this theory is a multicenter, randomized, open label Phase 3 clinical trial to verify the efficacy and safety of sintilimab (IgG4 PD-1 inhibitor) and ramucirumab (IgG1 VEGFR-2 antagonist) as the first-line treatment for locally advanced or metastatic G/GEJ. Researcher: President Ruihua Xu, Sun Yat sen University Cancer Center Cancer type: Gynecological Tumor Report type: e-poster There are limited effective treatment for advanced cervical cancer patients who have previously received platinum-based chemotherapy. PD-1 inhibitor monotherapy has shown promising efficacy in patients with cervical cancer with positive PD-L1 expression. The combination of PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors plus anti-angiogenesis drugs has shown significant anti-tumor activity in certain cancers. Professor Qin Xu from Fujian Cancer Hospital conducted a phase II study of sintilimab plus anlotinib for the treatment of advanced cervical cancer with positive PD-L1 expression. The study may potentially further improve the clinical outcomes of patients with advanced cervical cancer who have previously received platinum-based chemotherapy. Researcher: Professor Qin Xu, Fujian Cancer Hospital Cancer type: Solid Tumors Report type: e-poster The antitumor effect of chemotherapy combined with either PARP inhibitors or PD-1 inhibitors have been demonstrated in several studies, and previous researches have shown a synergetic effect of PARP inhibitors combining with PD-1 inhibitors. However, little was known regarding the combination of the three regimens. This is a phase 1b clinical study initiated by Professor Hu Yi of the Chinese PLA General Hospital, exploring the combination of sintilimab, platinum and niraparib (a PARP1/2 inhibitor) in the treatment of previously treated advanced solid tumors. The novel triple combination could potentially overcome resistance and further improve clinical outcomes of patients with advanced solid tumors who failed standard therapy. Researcher: Professor Yi Hu, Chinese people's Liberation Army General Hospital About Innovent Inspired by the spirit of "Start with Integrity, Succeed through Action," Innovent's mission is to develop and commercialize high quality biopharmaceutical products that are affordable to ordinary people. Established in 2011, Innovent is committed to developing, manufacturing and commercializing high quality innovative medicines for the treatment of cancer, metabolic, autoimmune and other major diseases. On October 31, 2018, Innovent was listed on the Main Board of the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited with the stock code: 01801.HK. Since its inception, Innovent has developed a fully-integrated multi-functional platform which includes R&D, CMC (Chemistry, Manufacturing, and Controls), clinical development and commercialization capabilities. Leveraging the platform, the company has built a robust pipeline of 23 valuable assets in the fields of cancer, metabolic, autoimmune diseases and other major therapeutic areas, with 3 products, TYVYT (sintilimab injection), BYVASDA (bevacizumab injection) and SULINNO (adalimumab injection), on market, 1 asset under NDA review with priority review status, 4 assets in Phase III or pivotal clinical trials, and additional 15 molecules in or close to clinical trials. TYVYT (sintilimab injection) has been the only PD-1 inhibitor included in the NRDL since 2019. Innovent has built an international team with expertise in cutting-edge biological drug development and commercialization. The company has also entered into strategic collaborations with Eli Lilly, Adimab, Incyte, Alector, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Hanmi and other international partners. For more information, please visit: www.innoventbio.com. About Eli Lilly and Company Lilly is a global healthcare leader that unites caring with discovery to create medicines to make life better for people around the world. We were founded more than a century ago by a man committed to creating high-quality medicines that meet real needs, and today we remain true to that mission in all our work. Across the globe, Lilly employees work to discover and bring life-changing medicines to those who need them, improve the understanding and management of disease, and give back to communities through philanthropy and volunteerism. To learn more about Lilly, please visit us at www.lilly.com. About Innovent Biologic's strategic cooperation with Eli Lilly and Company Innovent entered into a strategic collaboration with Lilly focusing on biological medicine in March 2015 a groundbreaking partnership between a Chinese pharmaceutical company and a multinational pharmaceutical company. Under the agreement, Innovent and Lilly are co-developing and commercializing oncology medicines, including TYVYT (sintilimab injection) in China. In October 2015, the two companies announced the extension of their existing collaboration to include co-development of three additional antibodies targeting oncology indications. In August 2019, Innovent entered into an additional licensing agreement with Lilly to develop and commercialize a potentially global best-in-class diabetes medicine in China. In August 2020, Innovent and Lilly announced an expansion of their strategic alliance for TYVYT (sintilimab injection). Its collaboration with Lilly indicates that Innovent has established a comprehensive level of cooperation between China's innovative pharmaceuticals sector and the international pharmaceuticals sector in areas such as R&D, CMC, clinical development and commercialization. SOURCE Innovent Biologics, Inc. Related Links www.innoventbio.com COVID-19 biorepositories have been setup through which over 40,000 samples have been made available to researchers With 92, 071 fresh cases of novel coronavirus, India on Monday recorded an overall of 48.46 lakh cases of infection so far. Among those who tested positive were about 25 Members of Parliament who were detected to be carrying the COVID-19 infection during a checkup at the Parliament House. Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan, in a suo moto statement in the Lok Sabha, said the government is constantly reviewing the evolving scenario. He added India is regularly coordinating with WHO headquarters, regional office and country office to get updates on the evolving scenario. While saying that the battle with COVID-19 is still far from over, Dr Harshvardhan urged MPs to create awareness among people in their constituencies with regard to COVID appropriate behaviour. On one hand, when we are in the stage of unlock so as to revive the economy, and have a balanced approach, it is important that sustained community support is ensured consistently to control the spread of COVID infection and break its chain of transmission, the minister said. In our country about 92% of the cases are reported to be having mild disease. In only about 5.8 % of cases where oxygen therapy is required and the disease may be severe enough to require intensive care in only1.7% cases, he said. Terming the stringent nationwide lockdown as a bold decision by the union government in March-April, the minister said that the lockdown helped India successfully blunted the aggressive progression of COVID-19. It has been estimated that this decision prevented approximately 1429 lakh cases and 3778 thousand deaths. Further, these four months were utilized to create additional health infrastructure, enhance human resources and produce critical elements within India, he said. Giving updates on the vaccine trials in India, Dr Harsh Vardhan said 13 clinical trials of repurposed drugs are going on out of which Phase 2 clinical trial of immunomodulator Sepsivac has been completed successfully, Phase 2 clinical trial of the first-ever phytopharmaceutical ACQH is underway, one prophylactic trial of Aswagandha and three trials of Guduchi plus Pippali; Yashtimadhu; and polyherbal AYUSH drug (AYUSH-64) are planned on moderately ill Covid19 patients. An effective vaccine would be the sure shot tool in armamentarium against this disease. On this front, globally, there are around 145 candidate vaccines in preclinical evaluation and currently 35 vaccines in clinical trial. In India, a major focus has been on facilitating the development of COVID19 vaccine. More than 30 vaccine candidates have been supported which are in different stages of development, 3 candidates are in advanced stage of Phase I/II/III trials and more than 4 are in advanced pre-clinical development stage, he said. Besides, COVID-19 biorepositories have been setup through which over 40,000 samples have been made available to researchers and industry for developing diagnostics, therapeutics and vaccines. We have now moved from managing travel related cases to containing clusters and large outbreaks due to local transmission to wide spread of infection to urban, peri-urban and rural areas. This would require concerted effort by the Government with peoples participation to prevent large scale morbidity and mortality, the minister added. Giving details of the spread of infection, the minister said the maximum number of cases and deaths from COVID-19 have been primarily reported from Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karantaka, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, West Bengal, Telangana, Odisha, Assam, Kerala and Gujarat. All these states have reported more than 1 lakh cases. Of the 92,071 new cases reported in the last 24 hours in the country, Maharashtra continues to contribute a high number and has reported more than 22,000 new cases. Andhra Pradesh has contributed more than 9,800 new cases. At the same time, the government underlined the increasing recovery rate which has now reached 78 per cent. "Enhancing our public company and capital markets capabilities has always been a critical component of the firm's strategy," said Todd Holleman, head of King & Spalding's CFI practice. "Heath, Michael and Jonathan are a great fit for our practice, and their insights are more important than ever to clients navigating the challenges posed by the current economic climate." "The addition of Heath and Michael further bolsters recent growth of our corporate practice in Houston," said Tracie Renfroe, managing partner of the Houston office. "We are very excited to have them join our team, as their entrepreneurial spirit is one of the defining characteristics of our firm's culture." Heath Trisdale Trisdale spends a significant portion of his practice on energy-related transactions, including both mergers and acquisitions and securities-related transactions. In addition to energy-related transactions, Trisdale also has extensive transactional experience involving participants across the healthcare and life sciences, manufacturing and technology sectors, ranging from early growth entities to mature public companies. Trisdale received his undergraduate degree from Rice University and his J.D. from South Texas College of Law. Michael Hamilton Hamilton represents companies in a broad range of corporate and transactional matters, including capital markets transactions, SEC reporting, governance matters and mergers and acquisitions. He also represents borrowers and lenders in connection with domestic and cross border commercial financing matters. Hamilton's transactional experience spans a variety of industries, including energy, chemicals, life sciences and real estate investment trusts. Hamilton received his undergraduate degree from Boston University, summa cum laude, and his J.D. from the University of Texas School of Law with honors. "King & Spalding's collaborative environment and focus on the Energy and Healthcare sectors where we have many clients are what drew us to the firm," said Trisdale. "We look forward to partnering with our new colleagues to help our clients achieve their business objectives." About King & Spalding Celebrating more than 130 years of service, King & Spalding is an international law firm that represents a broad array of clients, including half of the Fortune Global 100, with 1,200 lawyers in 22 offices in the United States, Europe, the Middle East and Asia. The firm has handled matters in over 160 countries on six continents and is consistently recognized for the results it obtains, uncompromising commitment to quality, and dedication to understanding the business and culture of its clients. More information is available at www.kslaw.com. SOURCE K&S Related Links www.kslaw.com The official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said in a report that Kim was satisfied with the work carried out by the soldiers in Kangbuk-ri, which has turned into "a fine example of socialist farm village" in a short period of time. Seoul, Sep 15 (IANS) North Korean leader Kim Jong-un inspected reconstruction work North Hwanghae province after typhoon damage, lauding soldiers mobilized for recovery work as "creators of all miracles", state-media reported on Tuesday According to the KCNA, Kim ordered the removal of all old and damaged buildings and the rebuilding of new ones after the village was ravaged by heavy rains and strong winds, Xinhua news agency reported. During the inspection, Kim said that it was imperative to set up a long-term construction goal for the country in a more realistic and planned way and to bolster state assistance to accelerate the development of rural areas. Kim's trip to the village came days after he visited another flood-hit area in the same province late last week, reports Yonhap News Agency. Three consecutive typhoons have pounded North Korea in recent weeks and wrecked havoc on its farming area. --IANS ksk/ AUSTIN, Texas, Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Offerd, the pioneering Multifamily Acquisitions firm specializing in off-market sourcing utilizing predictive analytics, today announced a series of client partnerships with investors seeking to identify multifamily assets that meet precise criteria. The partners run the gamut from multi-billion-dollar dynasties to dynamic startups, and the deals highlight Offerd's unique platform and strong market momentum. The varied acquisition criteria also illustrate broad demand for multifamily assets even in this challenging economic environment. "Early in the pandemic, we publicly stated that off-market transactions would accelerate even while the volume of widely exposed opportunities shrinks, because sellers don't want to be perceived as being in distressand now, six months later, that's exactly what's happening," said Travis Farese, founder and CEO of Offerd. "We've sourced more than $1 billion in off-market multifamily assets since this crisis began, and we continue to see interest from a broad spectrum of investors: marquee financial institutions, REITS and small syndicators. And again, these owners aren't selling because of the pandemic, but in spite of it." Offerd's new client-partners include: A multi-billion-dollar, multi-generational development firm with a distinguished track record. The company, which adheres to a long-term view, has partnered with Offerd to execute a $500M national campaign targeting Class A suburban multifamily assets in markets such as Raleigh , Nashville , Austin , Denver , Phoenix and Seattle . A fast-growing boutique sponsor with a strong track record in secondary markets in the Northeast that now looks to expand its footprint into the Mountain States, including the Denver and Salt Lake City MSAs, targeting Class B and Class C workforce housing. A prolific, multi-generational developer with a strong presence in hospitality, retail and mixed-use projects throughout the country. The company has partnered with Offerd to uncover off-market multifamily development sites and assets in multiple markets. Offerd's platform builds on data in 10,000-plus categories, combined with proprietary analytics and software, to evaluate historical, current and forecasted national, market, sub-market and property-level facts and trends. The company blends expertise, technology and information to execute targeted sourcing campaigns for each client's precise acquisition strategies. About Offerd Offerd combines powerful technology, data intelligence and custom services into one innovative platform to function as an extension each client's acquisitions team and identify off-market multifamily assets that meet specific investment criteria. Offerd is based in Austin, Texas. SOURCE Offerd Related Links https://offerd.com/ Skip to main navigation Diversity and Inclusion Since its inception 50 years ago, the mission of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) to protect, sustain, and, when possible, improve our environment is a cause that has united all cultures and heritages. Environmental awareness and stewardship play an integral role in many of our cultures, and the pursuit of ensuring a clean, healthy environment now and into the future remains a goal of our agency on a professional and personal level. DEC is dedicated to providing a work environment that fully supports and fosters diversity and inclusion. DEC's mission of protecting the environment can only be successfully accomplished when we embrace the diversity, strengths, and talents of all our employees. Diversity Resources and Links Resources include articles, podcasts, and blogs that present the perspective of Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC), Latino/a, and Latinx, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and other identities (LGBTQ+) and their experiences in the outdoors and in nature. More about Diversity and Inclusion: Single photons from a silicon chip Quantum technology holds great promise: Just a few years from now, quantum computers are expected to revolutionize database searches, AI systems, and computational simulations. Today already, quantum cryptography can guarantee absolutely secure data transfer, albeit with limitations. The greatest possible compatibility with our current silicon-based electronics will be a key advantage. And that is precisely where physicists from the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR) and TU Dresden have made remarkable progress: The team has designed a silicon-based light source to generate single photons that propagate well in glass fibers (DOI: 10.1364/OE.397377). Quantum technology relies on the ability to control the behavior of quantum particles as precisely as possible, for example by locking individual atoms in magnetic traps or by sending individual light particles - called photons - through glass fibers. The latter is the basis of quantum cryptography, a communication method that is, in principle, tap-proof: Any would-be data thief intercepting the photons unavoidably destroys their quantum properties. The senders and receivers of the message will notice that and can stop the compromised transmission in time. This requires light sources that deliver single photons. Such systems already exist, especially based on diamonds, but they have one flaw: "These diamond sources can only generate photons at frequencies that are not suitable for fiber optic transmission," explains HZDR physicist Dr. Georgy Astakhov. "Which is a significant limitation for practical use." So Astakhov and his team decided to use a different material - the tried and tested electronic base material silicon. 100,000 single photons per second To make the material generate the infrared photons required for fiber optic communication, the experts subjected it to a special treatment, selectively shooting carbon into the silicon with an accelerator at the HZDR Ion Beam Center. This created what is called G-centers in the material - two adjacent carbon atoms coupled to a silicon atom forming a sort of artificial atom. When radiated with red laser light, this artificial atom emits the desired infrared photons at a wavelength of 1.3 micrometers, a frequency excellently suited for fiber optic transmission. "Our prototype can produce 100,000 single photons per second," Astakhov reports. "And it is stable. Even after several days of continuous operation, we haven't observed any deterioration." However, the system only works in extremely cold conditions - the physicists use liquid helium to cool it down to a temperature of minus 268 degrees Celsius. "We were able to show for the first time that a silicon-based single-photon source is possible," Astakhov's colleague Dr. Yonder Berencen is happy to report. "This basically makes it possible to integrate such sources with other optical components on a chip." Among other things, it would be of interest to couple the new light source with a resonator to solve the problem that infrared photons largely emerge from the source randomly. For use in quantum communication, however, it would be necessary to generate photons on demand. Light source on a chip This resonator could be tuned to exactly hit the wavelength of the light source, which would make it possible to increase the number of generated photons to the point that they are available at any given time. "It has already been proven that such resonators can be built in silicon," reports Berencen. "The missing link was a silicon-based source for single photons. And that's exactly what we've now been able to create." But before they can consider practical applications, the HZDR researchers still have to solve some problems - such as a more systematic production of the new telecom single-photon sources. "We will try to implant the carbon into silicon with greater precision," explains Georgy Astakhov. "HZDR with its Ion Beam Center provides an ideal infrastructure for realizing ideas like this." ### Publication: M. Hollenbach, Y. Berencen, U. Kentsch, M. Helm, G. Astakhov: Isolation of telecom single-photon emitters in silicon for scalable quantum photonics, in Optics Express, 2020 (DOI: 10.1364/OE.397377) Additional information: Dr. Georgy Astakhov Institute of Ion Beam Physics and Materials Research at HZDR Phone: +49 351 260 3894 | Email: g.astakhov@hzdr.de Media contact: Simon Schmitt | Science editor Phone: +49 351 260-3400 | Email: s.schmitt@hzdr.de Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf | Bautzner Landstr. 400 | 01328 Dresden / Germany | http://www. hzdr. de The Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR) performs - as an independent German research center - research in the fields of energy, health, and matter. We focus on answering the following questions: * How can energy and resources be utilized in an efficient, safe, and sustainable way? * How can malignant tumors be more precisely visualized, characterized, and more effectively treated? * How do matter and materials behave under the influence of strong fields and in smallest dimensions? To help answer these research questions, HZDR operates large-scale facilities, which are also used by visiting researchers: the Ion Beam Center, the High-Magnetic Field Laboratory Dresden, and the ELBE Center for High-Power Radiation Sources. HZDR is a member of the Helmholtz Association and has six sites (Dresden, Freiberg, Grenoble, Leipzig, Schenefeld near Hamburg) with almost 1,200 members of staff, of whom about 500 are scientists, including 170 Ph.D. candidates. This story has been published on: 2020-09-15. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Dawn Chavous listens as Philadelphia City Councilmember Kenyatta Johnson talks with reporters as they leave the federal courthouse in Center City after pleading not guilty to federal corruption charges in January. Pictured in the background is Chavous' attorney, Barry Gross. Read more Philadelphia City Councilmember Kenyatta Johnson and his wife have urged a judge to toss the federal bribery case against them, arguing that prosecutors failed to allege that they explicitly struck a deal with leaders of a South Philadelphia nonprofit accused of paying them off. The push, outlined in a new filing this week, comes amid the couples efforts to fend off the allegations against them before they are due to stand trial next year and it offers the first glimpse of what their defense might look like once the case is presented to a jury. Federal prosecutors in January charged Johnson, 46, and his wife, Dawn Chavous, 40, with accepting more than $66,750 between 2013 and 2014 from two executives at Universal Companies, a community development charity and charter-school operator founded by music producer Kenny Gamble. Hiding the bribes in the form of a consulting contract to Chavous, prosecutors say, the executives former CEO Abdur Rahim Islam and ex-CFO Shahied Dawan bought the councilmembers protection when disputes over properties it owned came before Council or other city boards. But in court filings Monday, Johnson and Chavous' attorneys argued that the government had offered no evidence that any of the parties had agreed that Chavous' contract with Universal had anything to do with Johnsons votes on matters involving Universals landholdings. Put simply, there is no evidence that Universal retained Chavous Consulting in order to bribe Councilmember Johnson, defense lawyers Patrick Egan and Barry Gross wrote. READ MORE: Inside the FBI investigation into Philly Councilman Kenyatta Johnson, his wife, and Kenny Gambles nonprofit Chavous lawyers argue that she was eminently qualified for her job at Universal as a leading education consultant, campaign adviser, and advocate for charter schools. She has described as insulting the accusation the contract was given to her as an under-the-table payoff to her husband. Prosecutors maintain she did next to no work over the 14-month life of the contract and around that same period Johnson made several consequential decisions regarding Universals landholdings in his district, which covers South and Southwest Philadelphia. That included securing a rezoning ordinance in 2014 for the Universal-owned site of the former Royal Theater on South Street. The nonprofit had struggled unsuccessfully for years to redevelop the site after purchasing it for $286,252 in 2000. Efforts to sell it also failed, due to potential buyers' doubts about the economic viability of developing the property under its zoning restrictions. With Johnsons assistance, the site was rezoned for mixed-use development featuring apartments and retail space a move Johnsons lawyers described in court papers Monday as nothing more than an expression of his legitimate position regarding development within his district and one that, they noted, came shortly after Universals contract with his wife had ended. The nonprofit then sold the property within a year for $3.7 million nearly 13 times what it originally paid. Prosecutors have also accused Islam and Dawan of paying off Johnson and Chavous when Universal was in danger of losing ownership of a parcel of properties it had bought from the city at a cut-rate price of $3 at 13th and Bainbridge Streets in a 2005 deal that required the nonprofit to build 109 single-family homes on the site within 18 months. The land remained undeveloped eight years later, prompting the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority to take steps to rescind the nonprofits ownership. But Johnson told the authority he would not support taking the land back from Universal an influential position given Councils long-standing practice of deferring to the wishes of councilmembers regarding development issues in their districts. Johnsons lawyers maintained Monday that his approval wasnt legally required for the PRA to move forward and balked at the idea that his refusal to support a government effort that never got off the ground could be considered an official action under federal bribery statutes. Declining to take an official action is not an official action, they wrote.Prosecutors are expected to respond to those arguments in the coming weeks. Islam and Dawan also face charges of tax evasion stemming from more than $500,000 they allegedly embezzled from Universal and in a separate alleged bribery scheme involving the former school board president in Milwaukee, where Universal operated two charter campuses. New Delhi, Sep 15 : China is in illegal occupation of 38,000 square km of Indian land and it considers another 90,000 square km as its own, Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said in Parliament on Tuesday, adding that the Line of Actual Control (LAC) is not clearly delineated. The Defence Minister said that China has tried to disrupt the ground situation in May and June and it led to India's response. "We have told China that such incidents won't be acceptable to us," Rajnath said. China continues to be in illegal occupation of approximately 38,000 sq km in the Union Territory of Ladakh. In addition, under the so-called Sino-Pakistan 'Boundary Agreement' of 1963, Pakistan illegally ceded 5,180 sq km of Indian territory in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir to China. China also claims approximately 90,000 sq kms of Indian territory in the eastern sector of the India-China boundary in Arunachal Pradesh, the minister said. China does not accept the customary and traditional alignment of the boundary between India and China. "We believe that this alignment is based on well-established geographical principles confirmed by treaties and agreements, as well as historical usage and practice, well-known for centuries to both sides," the minister said. The two countries had engaged in discussions during the 1950s and 60s but these efforts could not yield a mutually acceptable solution. Both India and China have formally agreed that the boundary question is a complex issue which requires patience and have committed to seeking a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable solution through dialogue and peaceful negotiations. In the interim, the two sides also agree that maintenance of peace and tranquillity in the border areas is an essential basis for the further development of bilateral relations. The Defence Minister said as yet there is no commonly delineated Line of Actual Control in the border areas between India and China and there is no common perception of the entire LAC. Therefore, in order to ensure peace and tranquillity in the border areas, especially along the LAC, the two countries have concluded a number of agreements and protocols. Under these agreements, the two sides have agreed to maintain peace and tranquillity along the LAC without prejudice to their respective positions on the alignment of the LAC as well as on the boundary question. "It is on this basis, that our overall relations also saw considerable progress since 1988. India's position is that while bilateral relations can continue to develop in parallel with discussions on resolving the boundary question, any serious disturbance in peace and tranquillity along the LAC in the border areas is bound to have implications for the positive direction of our ties." A key element of both the 1993 and the 1996 agreements is that the two sides will keep their military forces in the areas along the Line of Actual Control to a minimum level. These agreements also mandate that pending an ultimate solution to the boundary question, the two sides shall strictly respect and observe the Line of Actual Control. Furthermore in these agreements, India and China also committed to clarification and confirmation of the Line of Actual Control to reach a common understanding of the alignment. Thus, in late 1990s and upto 2003, the two sides engaged in an exercise to clarify and confirm the LAC. But, thereafter the Chinese side did not show a willingness to pursue the LAC clarification exercise. As a result, there are some areas where the Chinese and Indian perceptions of LAC overlap. In these areas, as also with other sections of the border areas, the various agreements govern the manner in which troops of both sides should operate and deal with situations of face-offs to maintain peace and tranquillity. Since April, India had noticed a buildup of troops and armaments by the Chinese side in the border areas adjacent to eastern Ladakh. "In early May, the Chinese side had taken action to hinder the normal, traditional patrolling pattern of our troops in the Galwan Valley area, which resulted in a face-off," Rajnath said. Even as this situation was being addressed by the Ground Commanders as per the provisions of our bilateral agreements and protocol, in mid-May the Chinese side made several attempts to transgress the LAC in other parts of the western sector, he said. This included Kongka La, Gogra and North Bank of Pangong Lake. "These attempts were detected early and consequently responded to appropriately by our armed forces," said the minister adding, "We made it clear to the Chinese side both through diplomatic and military channels that China was, by such actions, attempting to unilaterally alter the status quo. It was categorically conveyed that this was unacceptable." Given the growing friction along the LAC, the senior commanders of the two sides in a meeting on June 6, 2020 agreed on a process of disengagement that involved reciprocal actions. Both sides also agreed to respect and abide by the LAC and not undertake any activity to alter the status quo. However in violation of this the Chinese side created a violent face-off on June 15 at Galwan. "Our brave soldiers laid down their lives and also inflicted costs including casualties on the Chinese side," the minister said. He also said that the conduct of Indian armed forces throughout these incidents shows that while they maintained "Sayyam" (patience) in the face of provocative actions, they also equally displayed "Shaurya" (valour) when required to protect the territorial integrity of India. He said India believes that mutual respect and mutual sensitivity are the basis for peaceful relations with neighbours." "As we want to resolve the current situation through dialogue, we have maintained diplomatic and military engagement with the Chinese side," the minister said. "In these discussions, India has maintained the three key principles that determine our approach that is both sides should strictly respect and observe the LAC, neither side should attempt to alter the status quo unilaterally and all agreements and understandings between the two sides much be fully abided by in their entirety." The Chinese side, on its part, took the position that the situation should be handled in a responsible manner and ensure peace and tranquillity as per bilateral agreements and protocol. Even as these discussions were going on, the Chinese side again engaged in provocative military manoeuvers on the night of August 29 and August 30 in an attempt to change the status quo in the South Bank area of Pangong Lake. But yet again, timely and firm actions by our armed forces along the LAC prevented such attempts from succeeding. "As is clear from these events, the Chinese actions reflect a disregard of our various bilateral agreements," the minister said. The amassing of troops by China goes against the 1993 and 1996 agreements. Respecting and strictly observing the LAC is the basis for peace and tranquillity in the border areas and is explicitly recognised in both 1993 and 1996 agreements. "While our armed forces abide scrupulously by it, this has not been reciprocated by the Chinese side," the minister said. Their actions have led to face-offs and frictions from time to time along the LAC. Thousands of lorries could be stuck in queues for up to two days to cross the Channel to Europe after the UK transitions to Brexit on 1 January, according to an official report. The 46-page document presented to the governments XO (exit operations) committee last week sets out the possibility of massive disruption in the county of Kent, whether or not Boris Johnson manages to secure a free trade agreement in the currently stalled talks with Brussels. A reasonable worst-case scenario says that queues of up to 7,000 trucks may clog up roads approaching Channel ports in the first weeks of 2021, while thousands of passengers could also be forced to wait as long as two hours to board a Eurostar train through the Tunnel. The paper, drawn up by the Border and Protocol Delivery Group and obtained by The Guardian, warned that a crucial IT system to be used by hauliers preparing documentation for the Channel crossing is not expected to be publicly tested until November. The government estimates that at least 200 million additional pieces of paperwork will have to be filled in by exporters each year as a result of Brexit, at a cost estimated by HM Revenue and Customs at up to 20 billion annually - significantly more than the UKs annual contributions to EU budgets. The new paper forecast that 50-70 per cent of large businesses will be ready for the new bureaucratic burden imposed on cross-border trade, but that as few as 20-40 per cent of small and medium-sized companies will know what to do from New Years Day. The reasonable worst-case scenario set out to the XO committee, chaired by Michael Gove, would see 30-60 per cent of trucks being ready for the new arrangements. It is estimated a maximum queue of 6,500 HGVs may develop in January, the report said. Because of the lull in business activity over the Christmas and New Year period, disruption can be expected to be lower in the initial days of January, it said. But it added: We would expect sustained disruption to worsen over the first two weeks as demand builds. Considering demand levels in the first week of February, it is estimated that if readiness does not improve by then, queues could reach a length of 7,000 HGVs. In each case it is estimated that HGVs could take two days to reach the front of the queue. The paper also warned that passengers on Eurostar and at airports could face significant disruption if UK nationals are not allowed to use e-gates. UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 17 January 2022 Bonhams Danny McIlwraith holds a Nigerian polycrome carved wood mask during a photocall for the sale of the Jim Lennon Collection at Bonhams in Edinburgh PA UK news in pictures 16 January 2022 The moon rises above the Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth, Hampshire PA UK news in pictures 15 January 2022 Demonstrators outside Downing Street during a Kill The Bill protest against The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill in London PA UK news in pictures 14 January 2022 Ecologist Emma Smart (left) and retired GP Dr Diana Warner outside HMP Bronzefield, in Surrey, following their release from the prison where Emma undertook a 26-day hunger strike during her incarceration. Ms Smart was sentenced in November, along with other members of Insulate Britain, to serve four months for breaking a High Court injunction by taking part in a blockade at junction 25 of the M25 motorway during the morning rush hour on 8 October last year PA UK news in pictures 13 January 2022 A TV presenter holds a copy of a newspaper outside 10 Downing Streetafter the Prime Minister apologised for attending a gathering of colleagues in the Number Ten garden in May 2020, while the UK was in strict lockdown due to the Coronavirus pandemic Getty UK news in pictures 12 January 2022 Fitness guru Derrick Evans after receiving an MBE during an investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 11 January 2022 A couple walk underneath an umbrella during wet weather on Westminster Bridge in central London PA UK news in pictures 10 January 2022 A jogger passes the Covid Memorial Wall in London AP UK news in pictures 9 January 2021 The sun rises over horses at Seaton Sluice in Northumberland PA UK news in pictures 8 January 2022 Riders compete during the Veterans Men's race at the UK Cyclo-Cross National Championships 2022 in Ardingly, south of London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 7 January 2022 A dog looks out of a car window at the wintry conditions in Killeshin, Co. Laois PA UK news in pictures 6 January 2022 People walk through frost and mist alongside a frozen lake during sunrise in Bushy Park, London REUTERS UK news in pictures 5 January 2022 A skier jumps on the slopes at Allenheads in the Pennines to the north of Weardale in Northumberland PA UK news in pictures 4 January 2022 Freshly-fallen snow covers houses in Corbridge, near Hexham in Northumberland PA UK news in pictures 3 January 2022 Dean Morrison, 13, receives his Covid-19 vaccine from student nurse Anthony McLaughlin during a vaccination clinic at the Glasgow Central Mosque PA UK news in pictures 2 January 2022 Konastantinos Tsimikas of Liverpool with Chelseas Mason Mount during the Premier League match at Stamfrod Bridge Liverpool FC/Getty UK news in pictures 1 January 2022 New Years Eve Lasers, drones and fireworks illuminate the sky in front of the Royal Naval College in Greenwich shortly after midnight in London EPA UK news in pictures 31 December 2021 Competitors in fancy dress run across the Pennine tops near Haworth, West Yorkshire, in the annual Auld Lang Syne Fell race which attracts hundreds of runners every year PA UK news in pictures 30 December 2021 Sunrise at Bamburgh Castle in Northumberland PA UK news in pictures 29 December 2021 The Very Revd Dr Robert Willis, Dean of Canterbury Cathedral, looks at Becket, a six month old red-billed chough as he visits Wildwood Wildlife Park in Kent on the anniversary of the murder of Thomas Becket PA UK news in pictures 28 December 2021 Troops of the Household Cavalry are seen reflected in a puddle during the changing of the Queens Life Guard, on Horse Guards Parade, in central London PA UK news in pictures 27 December 2021 A pedestrian walks past a winter sale sign outside a John Lewis store on Oxford street in London Getty UK news in pictures 26 December 2021 Riders take their bikes through the snow near Castleside, County Durham PA UK news in pictures 25 December 2021 Patrick Corkery wears a santa hat and beard as waves crash over him at Forty Foot near Dublin during a Christmas Day dip PA UK news in pictures 24 December 2021 People stand inside Kings Cross Station on Christmas Eve in London Reuters UK news in pictures 23 December 2021 Christmas shoppers fill the car park at Fosse Shopping Park in Leicester PA UK news in pictures 22 December 2021 The sun rises behind the stones as people gather for the winter solstice at Stonehenge. Getty UK news in pictures 21 December 2021 People take part in a winter solstice swim at Portobello Beach in Edinburgh to mark the solstice and to witness the dawn after the longest night of the year PA UK news in pictures 20 December 2021 An auction employee displays poultry to buyers and sellers attending the Christmas Poultry Sale at York Auction Centre in Murton PA UK news in pictures 19 December 2021 Joao Moutinho of Wolverhampton Wanderers looks on during the Premier League match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Chelsea at Molineux Getty Images UK news in pictures 18 December 2021 Freight lorries queuing at the port of Dover in Kent PA UK news in pictures 17 December 2021 Newly elected Liberal Democrat MP Helen Morgan, bursts 'Boris' bubble' held by colleague Tim Farron, as she celebrates following her victory in the North Shropshire by-election PA UK news in pictures 16 December 2021 Brussels sprouts are harvested by workers as they prepare for the busy Christmas period near Boston in Lincolnshire PA UK news in pictures 15 December 2021 Lewis Hamilton is made a Knight Bachelor by the Prince of Wales at Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 14 December 2021 The Royal Liver Buildings surrounded by early morning fog in Liverpool PA UK news in pictures 13 December 2021 People queue outside a walk-in Covid-19 vaccination centre at St Thomas's Hospital in Westminster Getty Images UK news in pictures 12 December 2021 People take part in the Big Leeds Santa Dash in Roundhay Park, Leeds PA UK news in pictures 11 December 2021 People arrive at a Covid-19 vaccination centre at Elland Road in Leeds, PA UK news in pictures 10 December 2021 Stella Moris speaks to the media after the US Government won its High Court bid to overturn a judges decision not to extradite WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange PA UK news in pictures 9 December 2021 Camels are lead around Salisbury Cathedral during a rehearsal for the Christmas Eve Service PA UK news in pictures 8 December 2021 Margaret Keenan and Nurse May Parsons, a year after Margaret was the first person in the UK to receive the Pfizer vaccine PA UK news in pictures 7 December 2021 Snowfall in Leadhills, South Lanarkshire as Storm Barra hits the UK with disruptive winds, heavy rain and snow PA UK news in pictures 6 December 2021 A person tries to avoid sea spray on New Brighton promenade in Wallasey as the UK readies for the arrival of Storm Barra Getty UK news in pictures 5 December 2021 People release balloons during a tribute to six-year-old Arthur Labinjo-Hughes outside Emma Tustin's former address in Solihull, West Midlands, where he was murdered by his stepmother PA UK news in pictures 4 December 2021 People walk through a Christmas market in Trafalgar Square Reuters UK news in pictures 3 December 2021 A pedestrian carries a dog as they dodge shoppers on Oxford Street in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 2 December 2021 Duchess of Cambridge inspects a Faberge egg at the Victoria and Albert Museum Getty UK news in pictures 1 December 2021 Meerkats at London Zoo with an advent calendar PA UK news in pictures 30 November 2021 Workers put the finishing touches to the Trafalgar Square Christmas Tree ahead of the lighting ceremony later in the week PA UK news in pictures 29 November 2021 Home Secretary Priti Patel is greeted by a police dog at a special memorial service for Met Police Sergeant Matiu Ratana Getty New border controls at Londons St Pancras station could lead to queues of many thousands for Eurostar services to Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam, the document said. It added that Eurostar has committed to mitigate this scenario, including in extremis cancelling services. The document described preparations for post-Brexit border operations as all-consuming, involving 26 government departments using 100 IT systems, some of which cannot legally share data with others Operation Fennel contingency plans drawn up by Kent authorities to cope with queues will be frustrated unless a smart freight system is ready in time, the report warned. The system will provide a Kent access permit to lorries with the right documentation, allowing them to proceed to Channel ports like Dover. However, it is unclear whether those without paperwork will be prevented from entering the county or required to go to a lorry park for clearance. So far, the government has confirmed plans for the construction of one lorry park in Ashford, Kent, with legislation granting powers for more in 29 council areas near ports and airports around the country. The new document calls for advice centres to be set up at truck stops and service stations on all main motorways to help hauliers prepare their papers for onward journeys to ports. A Cabinet Office spokesperson said: "At the end of the year we will be outside the single market and the customs union, whatever the outcome of negotiations. There are a range of actions that businesses will need to take to prepare so that they are ready to take advantage of the opportunities and changes that it will bring. "As a responsible government we continue to make extensive preparations for a wide range of scenarios, including the reasonable worst case. This is not a forecast or prediction of what will happen but rather a stretching scenario. It reflects a responsible government ensuring we are ready for all eventualities." A spokesman for Eurostar said: Eurostar is working closely with station partners, governments and control authorities on both sides of the Channel to ensure that robust plans are in place for a range of scenarios to protect services and to manage customer flows effectively. The growing demands for ultrahigh energy density batteries used in electronic devices, electrical vehicles, and large-scale energy storage have inspired wide search on novel electrode materials, especially high-capacity cathode materials for Li-ion batteries (LIBs). The traditional design paradigm for the transition-metal oxide (TMO) based cathodes, e.g., LiCoO2, LiMn2O4, LiFePO4 are to use TM as the sole source of electrochemical activity, and their theoretical capacity is limited by the number of electrons that TM can exchange per unit mass. Moreover, the usage of transition metals is also confronted with the pressure of raw material cost and environmental contamination. Although Li-rich cathodes exhibit enhanced capacity to some extent by activating the redox reactions at oxygen sites, they inevitably suffer from poor structural stability and potential safety issues. Replacing the TMO cathodes with a high capacity and light-weighted carbonaceous analog can deliver huge advantages in cathode designing. However, their low electrochemical potential (< 0.5V), determined by the high energy sp2-pz orbital in the form of weak bond, essentially rules out most them for rechargeable LIBs/SIBs cathode application. Therefore, a challenging question emerges: can the Li+ intercalation potentials of carbonaceous materials be tuned to a level comparable to those of currently used TMO cathodes (viz., with the potential >3.0 V)? Recently, Prof. Chuying Ouyang from Jiangxi Normal University and Prof. Siqi Shi from Shanghai University proposed an effective strategy to achieve a breakthrough in the design of carbonaceous materials as cathodes for rechargeable LIBs/SIBs. By using the p-type doping strategy, they showed that the new transition-metal-free Li(Na)BCF2/Li(Na)B2C2F2 cathodes have the high potential of 2.7-3.7 V that would lead to a record-breaking high energy density (> 1000 Wh kg?1). Meanwhile, they also demonstrate great potentials in Na-ion storage. In this work, the researchers uncover the tuning effect of the p-type doping strategy on the Li+ intercalation potentials of carbonaceous electrodes. It is emphasized that the high Fermi level (?4.31 eV) of graphite material results in a low Li+ intercalation potential of ~0.2 V, while for fluorinated graphite (CF), the hybridization of carbon atoms changes from sp2 to sp3, which leads to the increasing of the potential to 2.29 V. However, the electronic saturation nature of CF at Fermi level causes irreversible structural change during lithiation. To address this issue, the authors proposed that some carbon atoms could be substituted with boron atoms to create unoccupied states close to the valence bands (p-type doping), which efficiently shift-down the Fermi level of BCF2 to ?8.36 eV and consequently increases the Li+ intercalation potential to 3.49 V, comparable to those of common TMO cathodes for LIBs. Besides, the p-type doped B-C-F can achieve not only good electronic structural stability during lithiation, but also improved structural stability due to the strong Coulomb interactions between boron and fluorine. Amazingly, they for the first time transform the carbonaceous anode material into cathode material for rechargeable battery application through the p-type doping strategy. This p-type doping strategy realizes great enhancement of Li+/Na+ intercalation potentials and structural stability for carbonaceous materials, by building visual links between electrochemical potential and band-structure properties. And it can be further applied to other charge transfer-dominated ion intercalation/deintercalation systems, to provide an avenue for developing next-generation cathode materials with ultrahigh energy density. More importantly, this work presents a new paradigm for systematically evaluating performance of electrochemical energy storage materials from multiple perspectives including crystal structure searching, phase diagram calculation, phonon spectrum, electronic structure tuning, voltage platform prediction, ions diffusion barrier, etc. This work has been published on National Science Review (2020, DOI: 10.1093/nsr/nwaa174), entitled "Efficient potential-tuning strategy through p-type doping for designing cathodes with ultrahigh energy-density". Subsequently, Prof. Michel Armand, one of the founders of Li ion battery field has published corresponding research highlight on National Science Review (2020, DOI: 10.1093/nsr/nwaa185) and highly rated this work: "...achieved a breakthrough in the design of carbonaceous materials as cathodes for rechargeable LIBs/SIBs. This is a new paradigm for battery design, which is helpful in addressing issues related to the battery energy-density limit as well as the transition-metal cost and shortages...In a broader sense...can help guide a rational design of these compounds in the future and inform prospective theoretical and experimental researches in this field.". ### See the article: Zhiqiang Wang, Da Wang, Zheyi Zou, Tao Song, Dixing Ni, Zhenzhu Li, Xuecheng Shao, Wanjian Yin, Yanchao Wang, Wenwei Luo, Musheng Wu, Maxim Avdeev, Bo Xu, Siqi Shi, Chuying Ouyang, Liquan Chen Efficient potential-tuning strategy through p-type doping for designing cathodes with ultrahigh energy-density National Science Review, https://doi.org/10.1093/nsr/nwaa174 Research Highlight from Prof. Michel Armand Michel Armand A new family of carbonaceous cathodes for rechargeable batteries through electronic structure tuning engineering National Science Review, https://doi.org/10.1093/nsr/nwaa185 Declaring the dawn of a new Middle East, President Donald Trump on Tuesday presided over the signing of historic diplomatic pacts between Israel and two Gulf Arab nations that he hopes will lead to a new order in the Mideast and cast him as a peacemaker at the height of his reelection campaign. Hundreds of people amassed on the sun-washed South Lawn to witness the signing of agreements between Israel and the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. The bilateral agreements formalize the normalization of the Jewish state's already thawing relations with the two Arab nations in line with their common opposition to Iran and its aggression in the region. "We're here this afternoon to change the course of history, Trump said from a balcony overlooking the South Lawn. After decades of division and conflict, we mark the dawn of a new Middle East. The agreements do not address the decades-long Israeli-Palestinian conflict. While the UAE, Bahrain and other Arab countries support the Palestinians, the Trump administration has persuaded the two countries not to let that conflict keep them from having normal relations with Israel. Trump's political backers are looking for the agreements to boost his standing as a statesman with just seven weeks to go before Election Day. Until now, foreign policy has not had a major role in a campaign dominated by the coronavirus, racial issues and the economy. The pandemic was in the backdrop of the White House ceremony, where there was no social distancing and most guests didn't wear masks. The agreements won't end active wars, but supporters believe they could pave the way for a broader Arab-Israeli rapprochement after decades of enmity and only two previous peace deals. Skeptics, including many longtime Mideast analysts and former officials, have expressed doubts about their impact and lamented that they ignore the Palestinians, who have rejected them as a stab in the back by fellow Arabs. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has insisted that Israel has only suspended its plans to annex West Bank settlements. Yet even the harshest critics have allowed that the agreements could usher in a major shift in the region should other Arab nations, particularly Saudi Arabia, follow suit, with implications for Iran, Syria and Lebanon. Other Arab countries believed to be close to recognizing Israel include Oman, Sudan and Morocco. "We are very down the road with about five different countries, Trump told reporters before the ceremony. In addition to the bilateral agreements signed by Israel, the UAE and Bahrain, all three are signing a document dubbed the Abraham Accords after the patriarch of the world's three major monotheistic religions. The Palestinians have not embraced the US vision. Palestinian activists held small demonstrations on Tuesday in the West Bank and in Gaza, where they trampled and set fire to pictures of Trump, Netanyahu and the leaders of the UAE and Bahrain. A poll released on Tuesday found that 86 per cent of Palestinians believe the normalization agreement with the UAE serves only Israel's interests and not their own. The poll, carried out by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research, was carried out Sept. 9-12 and surveyed 1,270 Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and Gaza. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points. Even in Israel, where the accords have received widespread acclaim, there is concern they might result in US sales of sophisticated weaponry to the UAE and Bahrain, thus potentially upsetting Israel's qualitative military edge in the region. They're very wealthy countries for the most part ... some are extraordinarily, like UAE, Trump told Fox & Friends in an interview before the ceremony. And they would like to buy some fighter jets and I personally would have no problem with it. Meanwhile, a politically vulnerable Netanyahu is facing questions about appearing at such a large event just days after he announced a new nationwide lockdown to fight a surge in coronavirus cases that will impose severe restrictions on movement and gatherings. And while the UAE and Bahrain have a history of suppressing dissent and critical public opinion, there have been indications that the agreements are not nearly as popular or well-received as in Israel. Neither country sent its head of state or government to sign the deals with Netanyahu. Bahrain's largest Shiite-dominated opposition group, Al-Wefaq, which the government ordered dissolved in 2016 amid a yearslong crackdown on dissent, said there is widespread rejection of normalization. Al-Wefaq said in a statement that it joins other Bahrainis who reject the agreement to normalize ties with the Zionist entity, and criticized the government for crushing the public's ability to express opinions to obscure the extent of discontent at normalization. The ceremony follows months of intricate diplomacy headed by Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law and senior adviser, and the president's envoy for negotiations, Avi Berkowitz. On August 13, the Israel-UAE deal was announced. That was followed by the first direct commercial flight between the countries, and then the Sept. 11 announcement of the Bahrain-Israel agreement. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Curaleaf Holdings has announced that it is partnering with two Massachusetts veterans organizations to recruit applicants as more than 50 new jobs have opened at the companys Webster facility. The vertically integrated marijuana company is adding the new jobs to its expanded grow and manufacturing facility in Webster and is partnering with Mass Fallen Heroes and Project New Hope Inc., according to a statement. Through those partnerships, Curaleaf hopes to recruit qualified veteran applicants for the new jobs, the statement said. We are extremely honored to be partnering with Curaleaf on this and many other initiatives, Mass Fallen Heroes Executive Director Dan Magoon said. Like many nonprofits, this pandemic has seriously impacted our mission and our ability to serve our veterans and families of the fallen. Curaleaf has provided us much needed support during this challenging time. Curaleaf also plans to give donations to the two organizations in a celebration of the expansion of its adult-use and medical marijuana dispensary in Oxford. We are expanding our business at a time when many others are unfortunately closing in the Commonwealth, and we welcome the opportunity to provide much-needed jobs to those in the veteran community, Curaleaf CEO Joe Lusardi said. This effort also demonstrates the great growth potential of the cannabis industry, in Massachusetts and beyond. Some of the jobs available include cultivators, vault inventory associates and manufacturing associates. Applicants must be 21 years old and able to pass a background check. The openings are 80% full time and 20% part-time. Those interested can apply online. Providing assistance to these veterans' organizations makes us a stronger company and community partner, Curaleaf Massachusetts President Patrik Jonsson said. Many of our veteran medical patients have shared their powerful stories with us and we are committed to helping them today and in the future. Curaleaf is headquartered in Wakefield and has dispensaries in Oxford, Ware and Provincetown. The company operates in 23 states with 92 dispensaries, 22 cultivation sites, 30 processing sites and employs more than 3,000 people across the country. Related Content: A Place for All Conservatives to Speak Their Mind. The former boss of Croatia's food and retail giant Agrokor and 14 others have been charged with a multi-million euro fraud, prosecutors said Tuesday, in the biggest business scandal to rock the country. At the centre of the case is Ivica Todoric, a 69-year-old tycoon who fled Croatia in 2017 and was extradited from London the following year before bailing himself out of a Zagreb prison. An indictment filed to the court accused him and others, including his two sons and other former top executives of Agrokor, of "abuse of trust" and "forging of official or business documents", prosecutors said in a statement. Todoric himself illegally gained more than 122 million euros while the alleged crimes cost the firm over 1.2 billion kunas (159 million euros, $189 million), prosecutors said. The Zagreb-based company, which changed its name into Fortenova during restructuring last year, is the biggest employer in the Balkans with two-thirds of its 50,000 workers in Croatia. A large network of suppliers provide tens of thousands more jobs. Todoric slammed the indictment as a "historic shame on Croatia's judiciary" and accused the government of being behind a "criminal plan" to seize the company from him. He has repeatedly branded the investigation against him as politically motivated and - we have accused senior members of the Croatian government of orchestrating the company's 2019 takeover. After amassing more than seven billion euros in debt, Agrokor was saved from bankruptcy last year after creditors backed a multi-billion euro debt deal with Russian state-owned Sberbank. Sberbank is now the largest single stakeholder with a nearly 40 percent stake. The legal case is the most complex ever of its kind in Croatia and the file has more than 80,000 pages, prosecutors said. Earlier this year Todoric faced a trial in which he is accused along with three other suspects of syphoning 1.2 million euros from Agrokor by paying for fictious consulting services. RADNOR, Pa., Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP announced that veteran federal prosecutor Jamie M. McCall has joined its Securities Litigation Practice Group as a partner. Over a 12-year tenure as an Assistant United States Attorney in both Wilmington and Miami, Mr. McCall directed numerous complex financial crime investigations and prosecutions including cases involving securities, tax, bank and wire frauds, as well as theft of trade secrets and cybercrime. Mr. McCall successfully led numerous jury trials during his time with Justice, including United States v. Wilmington Trust Corp., et al., a lengthy securities fraud prosecution arising from corporate misconduct during the financial crisis, and United States v. David Matusiewicz, et al, the first criminal prosecution of a cyberstalking-related homicide; the defendants received life sentences. Most recently, Mr. McCall served as section chief for the National Security and Cybercrime Division for the Delaware U.S. Attorney's Office. He was twice awarded the DOJ's Director's Award for Superior Performance. "Jamie adds significant prosecutorial and trial experience to our already deep bench of litigators, and with a growing number of major cases and large institutional clients we look forward to putting his trial-tested skills to work," said David Kessler who co-manages Kessler Topaz's Securities Practice Group. Prior to joining Justice in 2008, Mr. McCall spent several years practicing civil law at Morgan, Lewis & Bockius in Philadelphia, where he worked on litigation matters involving Fortune 250 companies. Notably, he began his legal career as a Judge Advocate in the Marine Corps, serving primarily as a prosecutor and achieving the rank of Captain. In 2004, he served as principal legal advisor to 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment in and around Fallujah, Iraq, including during the First Battle of Fallujah. "I'm pleased to join one of the nation's preeminent financial litigation firms and I look forward to leveraging my experience as a federal prosecutor with Kessler Topaz's advocacy on behalf of investors bringing private actions challenging corporate misconduct," Mr. McCall said. Mr. McCall maintains an active membership in the Federal Bar Association, District of Delaware chapter. A sought-after speaker, he has presented on numerous issues involving corporate and securities fraud. He was also a featured interview on CBS's "60 Minutes" in a segment about theft of original correspondence by Christopher Columbus, most recently aired this past August. Mr. McCall has received numerous awards for his work in securities fraud and cybercrime, along with respective military service awards, including the Navy & Marine Corps Commendation Medal, Navy & Marine Corps Achievement Medal, Combat Action Ribbon, and Global War Against Terrorism Expeditionary Medal. About Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP is one of the largest law firms in the world specializing in complex litigation on a contingent basis. Since the Firm's founding, Kessler Topaz has developed a worldwide reputation for excellence in the areas of shareholder, ERISA, consumer, antitrust, and whistleblower litigation. The Firm proudly notes that it has recovered billions of dollars on behalf of its clients and the classes they represent. For more information about Kessler Topaz, visit www.ktmc.com. You may also contact Darren J. Check, Esquire at 610-822-2235, or [email protected]. Related Links http://www.ktmc.com Contact: Darren Check 610-822-2235 [email protected] SOURCE Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check Even teleprompter could not take so many lies: Rahul's dig at PM Modis Davos speech Rahul Gandhi launches scathing attack on Modi govt over deaths of migrant workers India oi-Deepika S New Delhi, Sep 15: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi launched a scathing attack against the government's response in parliament on Monday about the data of migrants' deaths during coronavirus lockdown. "Modi government does not know how many migrant workers died or how many people lost their jobs during the lockdown," Gandhi tweeted in Hindi. "You didn't count so what, nobody died? Yes, but it is unfortunate that there was no impact on the government. The world saw them dying but the Modi government remained clueless," Gandhi added. The government does not have data regarding the number of migrants who died or were injured during migration to their native places due to the lockdown, Union minister Santosh Gangwar told the Lok Sabha on Monday. "No such data is available," the Labour Minister said in a written reply. 'Save your own life as PM busy with peacock: Rahul Gandhis dig at Modi govt India elected as the member of the United Nations Commission on Status of Women | Oneindia News The response was to BJD member Bhartruhari Mahtab's question on the "the number of such labourers died/ injured during migration to their native places due to such lockdown, State/ UT-wise". A nationwide lockdown was imposed on March 25 to contain spreading of coronavirus infections. There was an exodus of a large number of migrant workers to their native places from different parts of the country during the lockdown. The lockdown restrictions were eased from late May. Mahtab also asked whether the government has taken adequate measures to safeguard social, economic, legal and health rights of migrant labourers before implementing lockdown in the country due to COVID-19. "India, as a nation, has responded through the central government, state governments, local bodies, self-help groups, resident welfare associations, medical health professionals, sanitation workers as well as large number of genuine and bonafide non-governmental organizations in the nation's fight against the unprecedented human crisis due to the outbreak of COVID-19 and country-wide lockdown," the minister said in his reply. In order to mitigate the financial crisis of migrant workers and protect them against the economic disruptions due to the outbreak of COVID-19 and the country-wide lockdown, the central government has taken numerous measures to provide them financial assistance, food packages and other benefits, the minister said. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-15 10:25:57|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Chinese President Xi Jinping co-hosts a China-Germany-EU leaders' meeting in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 14, 2020, via video link with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, whose country currently holds the EU's rotating presidency, European Council President Charles Michel and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. (Xinhua/Pang Xinglei) BRUSSELS, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- Top European Union (EU) officials commented positively on their video meeting with Chinese leadership on Monday, which reaffirmed the commitment to maintain common interests and address differences. The China-Germany-EU leaders' meeting was co-hosted by Chinese President Xi Jinping, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, European Council President Charles Michel and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen via video link. At a press conference after the meeting, Michel said that they had discussed topics including climate change, economic and trade issues, international affairs and human rights, as well as COVID-19 and economic recovery. "Europe needs to be a player, not a playing field. Today's meeting represents another step forward in forging a more balanced relationship with China," Michel said. "We made it clear where we stand, where we agree, and where we disagree ... But we are ready to engage, ready to cooperate where we can, and ready to roll up our sleeves to find concrete solutions ... We want a relationship with China that is based on reciprocity, responsibility, and basic fairness," said Michel. Merkel, whose country currently holds the EU's rotating presidency, also emphasized the principles of reciprocity and fair competition. "We are different societies. We have different social systems, but we acknowledge the importance of multilateralism and the importance of rules," she said. She named the agreement on geographical indications (GI) as "a practical step when it comes to the economic and trade issues." The official signing of the China-EU agreement on GI was announced before the meeting. Merkel said during the press briefing that both the EU and China welcome the Paris Agreement on climate change, and that the EU has particular interest in the emission trading system which China is creating. On the EU-China investment agreement, EU officials emphasized that more work is needed on the issue of rebalancing market access and on sustainable development. The two sides reaffirmed their objective of closing the remaining gaps before the end of the year. Von der Leyen, who also attended the press briefing, emphasized the discussion on COVID-19 pandemic. "We discussed the need to continue to act in global solidarity and cooperation on this matter. It is very important to engage in the global framework, not only to find a vaccine, but also to make it accessible to low and medium income countries," said the European Commission president. Enditem A new confirmed COVID-19 cases in Peterborough city and county, Curve Lake First Nation and Hiawatha First Nation was reported Tuesday afternoon by Peterborough Public Health, raising the number of active cases in the jurisdiction to five. The new case is on top of three other cases confirmed Monday and another that was confirmed on Sept. 7. The jurisdiction now has 110 cumulative confirmed cases, with 103 resolved and two earlier deaths. The case from Sept. 7 is a female under 20 while the new cases include a man in his 20s, a man in his 30s and a woman in her 40s, according to Public Health Ontario. The health unit has also declared an outbreak at Fairhaven long-term care home on Dutton Road after a Fairhaven employee who works in the Riverside Special Care Home unit tested positive for the virus. There was no immediate word whether the spike in cases is related to outdoor orientation week parties last week at Trent University in which students were mingling closely together without wearing masks. One of the parties was on the citys footbridge at Nassau Mills, just outside of the campus. Peterborough Public Health is urging any students who attended the parties to get tested if they have symptoms. Peterborough Public Health now has a cumulative rate of 74.4 cases per 100,000 people, less than a quarter of the provincial cumulative average of 328.4 cases per 100,000 people as of Tuesday. More than 26,450 have now been tested for the virus, the health unit also reported Tuesday. Drive-thru COVID-19 testing continues at the Northcrest Arena at 100 Marina Blvd. in the citys north end on a first-come, first-serve basis for people without symptoms who drive or walk into the clinic. The hours are from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. weekdays. The testing centre has relocated there from the Kinsmen Civic Centre. Anyone with symptoms should call 705-876-5086 to arrange for testing at the Peterborough Regional Health Centre assessment centre. To arrange for a test on a weekend, with or without symptoms, also call 705-876-5086. The hospital advises that the assessment centre is busier than usual on Monday mornings. According to sources, Al-Sarraj will stay on in a caretaker capacity through Geneva's negotiations next month The Tripoli-based Government of National Accord's (GNA) Premier Fayez Al-Sarraj plans to resignexpectedly by the end of this weekahead of October's inter-Libyan talks in Geneva, officials "familiar with his thinking" told Bloomberg on Tuesday. However, the officials said that Al-Sarraj "will stay on in a caretaker capacity" through Geneva's negotiations, adding that he "would relieve some of the pressure on himself while setting the stage for his exit after the Geneva talks." Al-Sarraj discussed his exit plans with Libyan and international actors and his aides, officials noted. Libya has been divided between two authorities in Tripoli and Tobruk for six years. While the GNA is based in the capital Tripoli, Khalifa Haftar's Libyan National Army (LNA) controls the east and is allied to the Tobruk-based House of Representatives. The LNA is backed by Egypt, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), France and Russia, while the GNA is backed by Turkey, Qatar and thousands of Syrian mercenaries. In 22 August, both parties to the conflict declared a ceasefire that ended fears about possible GNA aggression against the port city of Sirte, 230 miles (370 kilometres) east of the capital Tripoli, and Al-Jufra, which has a major military airbase. Al-Sarraj announced on Facebook that he "issued instructions to all military forces to immediately cease fire and all combat operations in all Libyan territories." Speaker of the east-based parliament Aguila Saleh also announced a ceasefire, which was welcomed by world leaders. Both sides agreed to hold elections in March 2021. Negotiations in Geneva will follow those that took place in September in Moroccos coastal town of Bouznika, south of the capital Rabat, in a bid to reach a political settlement. In Bouznika, both parties agreed on the "criteria, transparent mechanisms and objectives" for key power positions. After Morocco's talks, the UN's interim envoy to Libya Stephanie Williams called on the "international community to its responsibilities to support this process and to unequivocally respect the Libyan people's sovereign right to determine their future." Protests erupted against the GNA in western Libya in late August when protesters gathered outside the GNA building to demonstrate against severe deterioration in social and economic conditions and corruption. Search Keywords: Short link: India insisted on 'complete disengagement' in all its talks with China on eastern Ladakh row: Govt Expansionist China now tests its might in Bhutan India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, Sep 15: The People's Liberation Army is now eyeing territory in Bhutan. This move comes after China increased its present along the Line of Actual Control and the South China Sea. Thimpu has been sensitised about the developments. Bhutan is centra; to India's national security as it lies next to the Siliguri corridor. In case of any sort of compromise by Bhutan, it would have an adverse effect on India's defences in the area. The territorial claims by China in Bhutan include 318 sq km in the western sector and 495 km in the central sector. The PLA continues to construct roads and improve military infrastructure in a bid to intimidate the Bhutan Army. The PLA is also indulging in aggressive patrolling and denial of access, people familiar with the developments explained to OneIndia. What China is trying to do by sending representatives linked to UFWD Following the 2017 Doklam standoff, the PLA has intruded into 5 areas of Western Bhutan and laid claim to a new boundary which extends around 40 km into Bhutan. China has also improved defences, constructed roads and helipads for troop movement. Further the PLA has also enhanced surveillance in North Doklam. It has installed surveillance cameras and continues with aggressive military posturing. It may be recalled that China had recently objected to Bhutan's Sakteng Wildlife Sanctuary (SWS) Project on the ground that it was located in a disputed border area. Bhutan lodged a strong protest with China after the representative from Beijing sought to block a grant from the Global Investment Facility for the Sakteng Wildlife Sanctuary in Bhutan. At a virtual meeting of the GEF Council, Beijing's representative said that the sanctuary was in an area, which was part of the disputed territory between China and Bhutan and was on the agenda of the China-Bhutan boundary talks. India elected as the member of the United Nations Commission on Status of Women | Oneindia News The Chinese further opposed the GEF fund to Bhutan for the sanctuary. Though Bhutan and Beijing have been in talks to settle the boundary dispute since 1984, the territorial dispute between the two was limited to 764 sq kilometres of area. However China never registered a claim on the sanctuary or any other area in eastern Bhutan. Mike Pompeo tweet indicates US ambassador to China is leaving "The Sakteng Wildlife Sanctuary is an integral and sovereign territory of Bhutan and at no point during the boundary discussions between Bhutan and China has it featured as a disputed area," Bhutan said while rejecting the claim made by the Chinese. (Newser) The news about Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny has been getting better from the hospital, and Tuesday brings the most optimistic update yetfrom Navalny himself. The 44-year-old posted a photo of himself on Instagram from his hospital room in Germany with his wife and two medical workers, reports NBC News. "I still cant do many things, but yesterday I could breathe by myself the whole day," Navalny wrote in the caption. "I did not use any outside help, not even the simplest valve in my throat. He joked, "I recommend it," per Sky News, and he added to his supporters, "I miss you all." story continues below Multiple international labs have concluded that Navalny was poisoned with the nerve agent Novichok, which was developed by the Soviet Union and has been used to poison other Russian figures. Much is unknown about Navalny's recovery, including whether he will suffer any long-term damage. But the New York Times reports that he already is planning to return to Russia as soon as he is able and that he has spoken to a German prosecutor about his case. Hes not planning to go into exile in Germany, says a spokesman for the German government. He wants to go home to Russia and he wants to continue his mission. (Read more Alexei Navalny stories.) HelioCampus, a technology-enabled services company that provides colleges and universities with the decision support services they need to operate more strategically and sustainably, today announced the acquisition of ABC Insights, a leading higher education benchmarking consortium that helps its members better understand their administrative spend levels and compare to peer institutions to direct and shape financial decision making. The acquisition bolsters HelioCampus ability to help higher education improve institutional health across academic and administrative functions with benchmarking, data analytics and decision support. In addition to sharing similar campus origins at the University System of Maryland and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, respectively, HelioCampus and ABC Insights share a commitment to helping institutions operate more strategically, said HelioCampus CEO, Darren Catalano. Together, we aspire to become the most trusted source and advisor to higher education by helping them leverage their data to accelerate their path to financial sustainability. HelioCampus provides strategic decision support and insights for institutions to grow resources, maximize returns of academic programs and optimize administrative spend. The acquisition of ABC Insights enables HelioCampus to expand client resources and service offerings to include: Enhanced Financial Decision Support: Adding cost benchmarking augments HelioCampus focus on decision support and financial sustainability and will offer clients the ability to understand their staffing intensity relative to peer institutions and navigate new realities using reliable data. Accelerated COVID Response: The newly combined company will offer cross-campus visibility into academic and administrative efficiencies that will help institutions take decisive action and respond to current challenges while creating opportunities for the future. Expanded Community of Practice: The joining of HelioCampus clients and ABC Insights members offers an even larger network of peer institutions for best practice sharing, networking and other engagement opportunities. "A dedication to improving the financial sustainability of higher education by helping universities be more efficient and effective is in the DNA of both of our organizations and makes us a perfect match," said Steven Beisser, President and Chief Operating Officer of ABC Insights. "By joining the HelioCampus family, we are able to dramatically increase the ways we support universities today through the combination of our complementary services and tomorrow as we work together to develop additional offerings." HelioCampus plans to expand its capabilities and core offerings from a client service, product development and technical standpoint, with no interruption to current services and support being provided to clients of either company. The HelioCampus headquarters will remain in Bethesda, Maryland, with plans to grow its footprint in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Darren Catalano will continue to lead the combined company as CEO. ABC Insights co-founders will be assuming new leadership roles at HelioCampus: Steven Beisser will serve as VP of Operations, Paul Friga as VP of Strategy and Joe Rice as VP of Technology. About HelioCampus HelioCampus accelerates the path to financial sustainability by enabling institutional transformation and helping institutions deliver on their mission. With data from every corner of campus, HelioCampus provides strategic decision support and insights for institutions to grow resources, maximize returns of academic programs and optimize administrative spend through an enterprise technology platform and ongoing services. Originated within the University System of Maryland, HelioCampus offers a unique perspective on using data to facilitate meaningful conversations that spur action, leading to greater institutional health and performance. For more information about HelioCampus visit http://www.heliocampus.com or follow them on Twitter. About ABC Insights ABC Insights measures the staffing intensity levels within higher education administration to help its members gain insights into how best to support their institutions. Through the company's analytics and support services, its members gain visibility and a deep understanding of their administrative activities. This helps ensure alignment with their strategic plans, improves student outcomes, assists in fulfilling their mission and, ultimately, can lower the cost of higher education. Originated within the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, ABC Insights is one of the first successful startups to emerge from the Launch Chapel Hill business accelerator. This program is supported jointly by the University, Orange County, NC, and the Town of Chapel Hill. For more information about ABC Insights visit https://abc-insights.com The recent initiative of President Trump to find a solution to Afghan problem by bringing the Taliban to the peace table also has not received appreciation in the USA or in other countries, to the extent that it deserves. by N.S.Venkataraman The peace accord between the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Israel has been made possible by the initiative of President Trump and no one needs to have any doubt about this fact. Following the footsteps of UAE, Bahrain has also restored its relationship with Israel and both these countries have given recognition to Israel. This is a very creditable achievement of President Trump, as it is not an easy peace exercise. Now, with four countries namely Egypt, Jordan,UAE and Bahrain recognizing Israel as a sovereign country , a firm foundation for peace has been laid in the Middle East region. Reports say that Saudi Arabia may also opt for friendly relations with Israel, though the recognition of Israel by Saudi Arabia may not happen immediately. Not surprisingly , Palestine groups have protested against the proactive move of UAE and Bahrain in fostering relationship with Israel. Obviously, there is increasing realization amongst the Islamic countries in Middle East region about the fruitlessness of war mongering with Israel, which has not benefited the Palestinian people in any way so far. On the other hand, it has only created sufferings for the Palestinian people ,who have to face frequent conflicts in the region. The Palestine people are virtually living in isolation now without any hope for their future and certainly they would want to get out of this disturbing situation. The success of President Trumps peace initiative in the Middle East certainly can change the face of the Middle East region and enable it to rid itself from the climate of conflict and violence that has been happening so far. It would be good if the Palestine people would see the writing on the wall, realize the ground reality of Israel being there for all time to come and work out a peaceful solution , so that the Palestine people can live in peace and realize their potentials for growth and development. Apart from Trumps successful peace initiative in the Middle East, for which his critics are not giving him the due credit , another remarkable initiative of President Trump was his attempt to have peaceful relations with North Korea, which would make South Korea and North Korea to cooperate and live in peace. In spite of the fact that USA is the most prosperous country in the world with strong military base and North Korea is an impoverished country with people being denied the opportunities due to its isolation, Trump did not stand on prestige but went all the way to Singapore to meet the North Korean President to establish cordial relationship. Trump did this, even though earlier there was bitter and hateful exchange and mutual threat between the USA and North Korea. The fact that Trump did not completely succeed in his peace initiative with North Korea should not in any way minimize the importance of his initiative. The recent initiative of President Trump to find a solution to Afghan problem by bringing the Taliban to the peace table also has not received appreciation in the USA or in other countries, to the extent that it deserves. Of course, Trump has initiated trade war with China, which many people believe , both in the USA and other countries, as a necessary step to control China, which is exhibiting aggressive behavior , both in the military front and trade front. But, it should be noted that Trump has limited his conflict with China only with regard to trade and did not start military warfare. If a military conflict would take place between China on the one side and USA and other countries on the other side, it would be entirely due to Chinas aggressive postures and not due to any military warlike approach of Trump. Obviously, there are pledged critics and sections of hostile media in the USA, which appear to be doing everything possible to denigrate Trump on the eve of the forthcoming Presidential election. Fairness demands that President Trump should be given due credit by American people for his remarkable peace initiative in the Middle East and similar other peace strategies that he initiated with North Korea and in Afghanistan. Even in the case of the India Pakistan conflict, President Trump offered to mediate between the two countries , for which he was ridiculed by his critics and both China and India rejected his offer. Nevertheless, the fact remains that President Trump offered his service towards the cause of peace, which is laudable. Burns was arrested around 1:15 p.m. Monday in Glendale by members of the United States Marshals District of Arizona. He is being held on a no-bond warrant out of Kendall County and is awaiting extradition back to Illinois. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- A firefighter suffered burns when he became trapped by a fast-moving electrical fire inside an apartment in the Park Hill Apartments in Clifton, according to the FDNY. Fire marshals determined that the blaze was caused by faulty wiring, according to FDNY spokesman Jim Long. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-15 10:09:21|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIJING, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- No new locally-transmitted COVID-19 cases were reported Monday across the Chinese mainland, the National Health Commission said Tuesday. Meanwhile, eight confirmed COVID-19 cases arriving from outside the mainland were reported -- four in Guangdong and one each in Shanghai, Zhejiang, Sichuan and Yunnan, the commission said in its daily report. No new suspected COVID-19 cases or new deaths related to the disease were reported, the commission said. On Monday, 11 COVID-19 patients were discharged from hospitals after recovery, the commission said. By the end of Monday, a total of 2,653 imported cases had been reported on the mainland. Of them, 2,511 had been discharged from hospitals after recovery, and 142 remained hospitalized, with one in severe condition. No deaths from the imported cases had been reported. As of Monday, the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases on the mainland had reached 85,202, including the 142 patients still being treated. Altogether 80,426 people had been discharged after recovery, and 4,634 had died of the disease on the mainland, the commission said. There were two suspected COVID-19 cases on the mainland, while 6,513 close contacts were still under medical observation after 471 were discharged Monday, according to the commission. Also on Monday, nine new asymptomatic cases, all from outside the mainland, were reported. The commission said 361 asymptomatic cases, including 360 from outside the mainland, were still under medical observation. By the end of Monday, 4,971 confirmed cases including 101 deaths had been reported in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR), together with 46 confirmed cases in the Macao SAR and 499 cases including seven deaths in Taiwan. A total of 4,635 COVID-19 patients in the Hong Kong SAR, 46 in the Macao SAR, and 476 in Taiwan had been discharged from hospitals after recovery. Enditem Air that was considered unhealthy to breathe was recorded as far away as Montana and up into Canada, though the high-level haze extended much further. Propelled by the jet stream and a high-pressure system over the Great Lakes, the smoke began arriving at higher altitudes across much of the continent. By midday on Tuesday over Washington, D.C., the sun and the sky had blurred together into one diffused and omnipresent bright light. Brian LaSorsa, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service in the Baltimore and Washington region, said he first noticed the smoke over the region on Monday, in the upper levels of the atmosphere. Obviously we dont see smoke very often from wildfires, Mr. LaSorsa said. But on the ground along the East Coast, the air quality remained clear. There was a possibility the smoke could descend, possibly later this week if a cold front comes through, Mr. LaSorsa said, but he expected it to stay aloft through Tuesday night. The wildfires along the West Coast that are generating the atmospheric pollution had flared dramatically last week when winds whipped them into infernos that overwhelmed cities and razed hundreds of homes in Washington, Oregon and California. Wildfires have also been sparked in Idaho, where a blaze of nearly 70,000 acres near the Oregon border forced the evacuation Monday of dozens of residents and campers. In Oregon, where tens of thousands of people have been displaced by evacuations, authorities in some areas were still asking residents on Tuesday to stay away from destroyed neighborhoods because of lingering dangers, including falling trees and rock slides along Highway 22 in Marion County. UN migration agency says Libyan coastguard retrieved two bodies, and survivors say 22 others are missing. A boat carrying refugees and migrants bound for Europe has capsized in the Mediterranean Sea off Libyas coast, leaving at least two dozen people dead or missing, the UN migration agency said. Safa Msehli, spokeswoman for the International Organization for Migration (IOM), told The Associated Press news agency Libyas coastguard intercepted three boats on Monday, and one of them had capsized. She said the coastguard retrieved two bodies, and survivors reported 22 others as missing. At least 45 survivors were returned to Libya all of them male, with a majority from Egypt and Morocco and taken to a detention centre in the Libyan capital, Tripoli, Msehli said. This new tragedy signals yet again the need for increased search and rescue capacity in the Mediterranean. Instead, we are seeing restrictions on NGOs and long, unnecessary stand-offs, Msehli said. The shipwreck was the latest maritime disaster involving refugees seeking a better life in Europe. More than 560 people are feared to have drowned in the Mediterranean this year, according to the IOMs Missing Migrants Project. 200715170152666 In August, a boat carrying dozens of refugees and migrants capsized leaving at least 45 people missing, marking the largest number of deaths in a single shipwreck off the coast of the North African country. The IOM reported that since mid-August, when four shipwrecks were reported in the central Mediterranean, 48 bodies have washed ashore at Libyan coasts. It said at least 54 other people may have died at sea in those tragedies. Libya, which descended into chaos following the 2011 uprising that toppled and killed longtime leader Muammar Gaddafi, has emerged as a major transit point for African and Arab refugees fleeing war and poverty and heading to Europe. Most make the perilous journey in ill-equipped and unsafe rubber boats. The IOM said in March its estimated death toll among refugees who tried to cross the Mediterranean passed the grim milestone of 20,000 deaths since 2014. In recent years, the European Union has partnered with the coastguard and other Libyan forces to stop the flow of refugees and thousands have been intercepted at sea and returned to Libya. Rights groups say those efforts have left refugees at the mercy of brutal armed groups or confined in squalid and overcrowded detention centres that lack adequate food and water. The EU agreed earlier this year to end an anti-migrant smuggler operation involving only surveillance aircraft and instead deploy military ships to concentrate on upholding a widely flouted UN arms embargo thats considered key to winding down Libyas relentless war. SPRINGFIELD The states three casinos recorded about $71 million in gross gaming revenue in August a year-over-year decrease of 17.4% in the first full month of operations following a nearly four-month shutdown due to the coronavirus pandemic, according to data released Tuesday by the Massachusetts Gaming Commission. MGM Springfield, Encore Boston Harbor and Plainridge Park reopened in July at reduced capacity and under a number of other safety measures meant to stem the spread of the virus. Operating at one-third capacity, MGM Springfield brought in $18.46 million in gross gaming revenue in August a year-over-year drop from $20.97 million in August 2019. The total was the casinos lowest for a full month of operations since it opened, but it was only about a half-million dollars shy of the previous low of $18.95 million in December 2019 despite the serious limitations posed by the pandemic. With only 800 of its 2,000 slot machines in play, the two-year-old, $960 million resort on Springfields South End saw a year-over-year drop of about 10% in slots revenue: $14.05 million, compared to $15.63 million in August 2019. Revenue from table games was down about 17%, from $5.33 million last year to $4.41 million this year. Encore reported $42.39 million in gross gaming revenue, compared to $52.49 million in August 2019. Plainridge Park, which has no table games, reported $10.17 million in slots revenue, compared with $12.08 million in August 2019. Before MGM Springfield opened in late August 2018, the company told the state and city it would bring in an average of $34.8 million a month in gross gaming revenue from slot machines and table games like poker. Instead, the average over its first 18 full months was $21.5 million. The peak was $26.9 million in September 2018, its first full month of operation. The casino brought in just $9.3 million in March 2020, when it and the states other gaming sites were shutdown mid-month due to the pandemic. MGM Springfield reopened July 10, and brought in $10.7 million in from that date through 31, 2020. MGM also promised to create 3,000 jobs here. Earlier this year, the company had 2,500 employees. As of this week there are 700, with plans to call more people in as business ramps back up. But at the beginning of September, MGM Springfield announced that it had laid off 1,000 furloughed employees, part of 18,000 job cuts being made by its parent company nationwide. The laid off employees all of them having been on furlough since the March shutdown will continue with company-paid health care through Sept. 30, retain their seniority and have first crack at jobs as they reopen. Related Content: A home cook has recreated takeaway-style kebabs at home using her air fryer. The woman, from Melbourne, used a combination of lamb and beef mince, herbs and spices, onion, garlic, salt and pepper, bread crumbs and an egg to make her own rotisserie-style doner kebabs. She insisted her homemade version tasted remarkably similar to ones you can buy at kebab shops after she served the carved meat with wraps, mixed lettuce, tomato slices and garlic dip. A home cook has recreated the popular takeaway-style kebabs at home using her air fryer The woman, from Melbourne, served the sliced meat with wraps, fresh salad and garlic dip 'For dinner tonight, tried a recipe for takeaway style rotisserie kebab in the three-in-one air fryer. There's lots of ingredients, but surprisingly easy to make. Tastes exactly like a takeaway kebab,' she wrote in a Facebook group. In a large bowl, she mixed all the ingredients together until it's well combined. She pointed out the recipe, which she found on social media, requires the ingredients to be blended in a food processor - but she ended up skipping the step. 'Didn't have a food processor at home so I was worried the mix wouldn't stay together on the rotisserie, but it turned out great,' she said. She used a combination of lamb and beef mince, herbs and spices, onion, garlic, salt and pepper, bread crumbs and an egg to make her own rotisserie-style donor kebabs The woman said she rolled the meat into a log shape and placed on the rotisserie to bake The woman said she rolled the meat into a log shape and then wrapped it in foil before adding a second layer as this will 'hold it together better'. She baked the meat on the rotisserie for 30 minutes in the first round so the ingredients are cooked through, while holding its shape in the air fryer. The home cook then removed the foil from the meat, transferred it back to the air fryer and baked for a further 30 minutes or until the surface turned golden. 'Unwrap foil and back in to crisp up and finish cooking,' she added. She baked the meat on the rotisserie for 30 minutes in the first round so the ingredients are cooked through, while holding its shape in the air fryer She carved the meat and served it with Mission roasted garlic-flavoured wraps and Yumi's garlic dip. The woman pointed out the recipe did not belong to her but she was inspired to create the dish at home after finding it in the Facebook group. Many were amazed by the easy-to-make dish, while others said they were keen to make it for dinner at home. 'Looks fantastic. I can't wait to try this,' one woman said, while another added: 'I didn't know you could make it so easy. Thank you for the recipe.' 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Particularly when they're held indoors, during a global pandemic, like his campaign stop in Henderson, Nev., on Sunday night. Compared with coverage of his rallies during the 2016 election cycle, the major broadcast and cable news networks have been less likely to go live with the president on the stump. The one holdout typically has been Fox News though the president's favorite channel lately has been prone to cut in and out through parts of the speech that meander or conflict with its high-rated prime-time pundits. But when the president spoke at the Xtreme Manufacturing facility Sunday, Fox did not broadcast the rally. None of the major networks did. Not even C-SPAN, which historically broadcasts his rallies as something of a public service for viewers. For health reasons, correspondents and camera crews for the leading broadcast and cable news networks mostly reported from outside the facility. The indoor rally was held in violation of state's coronavirus regulations, drawing the ire of Democratic Gov. Steve Sisolak, who called it "shameful, dangerous and irresponsible." It was the campaign's first indoor rally since it held an event in Tulsa, Okla., in June. Former GOP presidential candidate Herman Cain appeared at that rally without wearing a mask, was hospitalized several days later and eventually died of covid-19, the illness caused by the novel coronavirus; a local reporter who covered the rally, Paul Monies of Oklahoma Watch, said he later tested positive for the coronavirus and was asymptomatic. Representatives for NBC News and CBS News, which kept their correspondents outside, told The Washington Post on Monday that their networks follow public health guidelines when making such decisions. "We will continue to follow and monitor prevailing public health guidelines regarding large indoor gatherings as we have since the start of the pandemic," an NBC News spokesperson said. Jeremy Diamond, a White House correspondent for CNN who broadcast from outside the venue, said on air that the decision was made by journalists because of the increased risk of virus transmission indoors, particularly when social distancing is not practiced. "You don't want to be exposed, potentially, to a spread of coronavirus," CNN anchor Wolf Blitzer said during a segment Sunday. "That's right, Wolf," Diamond replied. "And, If you listen to every public health expert, that is what they would advise you to do - is to not an attend an event where you have thousands of people packed together inside in an indoor space where people are not wearing masks, where people are not social distancing." A live video feed was provided to the networks, as is standard, to use if they chose. But they did not on Sunday night. Networks generally are reluctant to discuss their programming decisions, including choices about when to broadcast the president's rallies. Fox, which has broadcast Trump rallies far more than most other networks - and boasted that its live coverage of the Tulsa rally drew a substantial 7.7 million viewers - did not provide a public comment about its decision not to broadcast the Henderson event. Fox's correspondent Jonathan Hunt also reported from outside the rally venue. However, members of the traveling White House press pool - the small number of reporters who take turns staying in close proximity to the president and sharing their reporting with others - did cover the event from inside the building. "Poolers serve as the public's eyes and ears, 7 days a week, 365 days a year," explained Zeke Miller, the Associated Press reporter who serves as president of the White House Correspondents' Association, hailing "the professionalism of the White House travel pool in a difficult and potentially hazardous situation." THE SPYMASTERS How the CIA Directors Shape History and the Future By Chris Whipple In the headquarters of the Central Intelligence Agency, there is an inscription on a wall near the entrance: And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make ye free. The line, borrowed from the New Testament, serves as a sort of C.I.A. motto an instruction, at least according to the interpretation of one longtime agency official, to speak truth to power. Its fair to wonder how a veteran of the mightiest intelligence outfit in the history of the world one that has helped topple governments and bring down empires, that surveils both heads of state and ordinary citizens, that operates a fleet of drones to track and kill targets hiding out thousands of miles away can think of himself as contending with power rather than embodying it. But it reflects a sensibility that runs through The Spymasters, Chris Whipples genial, engaging portrait of the men and one woman who have run the C.I.A. over the past six decades. Whipples spymasters come across as more beleaguered than omnipotent, stumbling more often than swaggering (to use a word favored by the former director Mike Pompeo). Their job, Whipple asserts, is one of the hardest, and most perilous, in government. More than one director has been sent to run the agency on the malicious assumption that the experience would doom any future political prospects. And that was all true before the inauguration of a president who rails against the deep state and has likened intelligence officials to Nazis. C.I.A. directors have played a major role in the decisive struggles of American foreign policy, from the Cold War to the war on terrorism to todays competition with China. But Whipples animating interest lies in struggles closer to home especially the rapport, or lack thereof, between the C.I.A. chief and the commander in chief. The C.I.A. has one protector and one customer, and if you cant get that relationship right then the agency is screwed, the former director Bob Gates tells Whipple, the author of a book about White House chiefs of staff. The relationship has gone wrong as often as not. We can overthrow foreign governments, a senior agency official observes, but we have a more difficult time dealing with our own. Over and over, we see Whipples spymasters left hapless and humiliated by Beltway politics and bureaucratic maneuvering. They may be able to listen in on the private deliberations of world leaders, but that doesnt mean they know when theres a meeting at the White House to which theyre not invited. Jimmy Carters C.I.A. director, Stansfield Turner, was an admiral, a Rhodes scholar, even a college buddy of the president. Yet when Turner complained after discovering that there was a regular 6:30 a.m. White House intelligence briefing that did not include him, West Wing staffers simply changed the name to national security briefing and continued excluding him. President Donald Trump, center, with from left, Bahrain Foreign Minister Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump, and United Arab Emirates Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nahyan, during the Abraham Accords signing ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House. Read more WASHINGTON Israel on Tuesday signed historic diplomatic pacts with two Gulf Arab states at a White House ceremony that President Donald Trump declared will mark the dawn of a new Middle East, casting himself as an international peacemaker at the height of his reelection campaign. The bilateral agreements formalize the normalization of Israels already thawing relations with the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain in line with their common opposition to Iran. But the agreements do not address the decades-long conflict between Israel and the Palestinians, who view the pacts as a stab in the back from their fellow Arabs and a betrayal of their cause for a Palestinian state. Hundreds of people massed on the sun-washed South Lawn to witness the signing of agreements in a festive atmosphere little marked by the coronavirus pandemic. Attendees did not practice social distancing and most guests didnt wear masks. Were here this afternoon to change the course of history, Trump said from a balcony overlooking the South Lawn. After decades of division and conflict, we mark the dawn of a new Middle East. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the day is a pivot of history. It heralds a new dawn of peace. Neither Netanyahu nor Trump mentioned the Palestinians in their remarks, but both the UAE and Bahraini foreign ministers spoke of the importance of creating a Palestinian state. Emirati Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the brother of Abu Dhabis powerful crown prince, even thanked Netanyahu for halting the annexation of West Bank land claimed by the Palestinians in exchange for Emirati recognition. Netanyahu, however, has insisted that Israel has only suspended its plans to annex West Bank settlements. Today, we are already witnessing a change in the heart of the Middle East a change that will send hope around the world, al-Nahyan said. Bahrani Foreign Minister Abdullatif al-Zayani said Bahrain would stand with the Palestinians. Today is a truly historic occasion, he said. A moment for hope and opportunity. But in the Gaza Strip, Palestinian militants fired two rockets into Israe l, apparently meant to coincide with the ceremony. The Israeli military said the rockets were fired from Gaza and one was intercepted by air defenses. Earlier in the day, Palestinian activists held small demonstrations in the West Bank and in Gaza, where they trampled and set fire to pictures of Trump, Netanyahu and the leaders of the UAE and Bahrain. Israel and the U.S. hope the agreements can usher in a major shift in the region should other Arab nations, particularly Saudi Arabia, follow suit. That could have implications for Iran, Syria and Lebanon. Until now, Israel has had peace deals only with Egypt and Jordan. Other Arab countries believed to be close to recognizing Israel include Oman, Sudan and Morocco. We are very down the road with about five different countries, Trump told reporters before the ceremony. Many longtime Mideast analysts and former officials, among others, have expressed doubts about the impact of the signings. In addition to the bilateral agreements signed by Israel, the UAE and Bahrain, all three signed a document dubbed the Abraham Accords after the patriarch of the worlds three major monotheistic religions. The Abraham Accords and the bilateral agreement signed by Israel and Bahrain fell short of more detailed formal treaties that are the diplomatic norm. Both documents were made up of general statements pledging to advance diplomacy, mutual cooperation and regional peace. The most detailed of the agreements was the one between Israel and the United Arab Emirates. The nations agreed to approve bilateral agreements on 15 areas of mutual interest, including finance, trade, aviation, energy, telecommunications, health, agriculture and water. During the signing ceremony, the leaders were seated at a long table where President Harry S. Truman once held weekly luncheon meetings with his Cabinet. Discussions about the Truman Doctrine to restrain Soviet expansion during the Cold War and the Marshall Plan to send billions in economic aid to Western Europe after World War II were held at the table. The stagecraft, including live music and flags was meant to evoke previous Middle East agreements. Trumps political backers are looking to boost his standing as a statesman with just seven weeks to go before Election Day. Until now, foreign policy has not had a major role in a campaign dominated by the coronavirus, racial issues and the economy. Besides Republicans, a few House Democrats attended the event, a notable development at a time when their leader, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is barely on speaking terms with the president. Many Democrats, including presidential nominee Joe Biden, widely support the deal. Rep. Elaine Luria, D-Va., said she accepted the invitation immediately on receiving it over the weekend. It definitely was a monumental event, and the ceremony was very fitting for that, Luria, a member of the House Armed Services Committee, said in a telephone interview afterward. Like Luria, some other Democrats in attendance, such as Rep. Anthony Brindisi of New York, are freshmen in tough reelection races. Still others, such as Florida Reps. Ted Deutch and Stephanie Murphy hail from districts with large numbers of Jewish constituents. Questions remain, however, about the significance of the agreements. Even in Israel, where the accords have received widespread acclaim, there is concern they might result in U.S. sales of sophisticated weaponry to the UAE and Bahrain, thus potentially upsetting Israels qualitative military edge in the region. Trump said he is OK with selling military aircraft to the UAE. Pelosi also welcomed the agreements but said she wants to learn details, specifically what the Trump administration has told the UAE about buying American-made F-35 aircraft and about Israel agreeing to freeze efforts to annex portions of the West Bank. The UAE and Bahrain have a history of suppressing dissent and critical public opinion, but there have been indications that the agreements are not nearly as popular or well-received as they are in Israel. Neither country sent its head of state or government to sign the deals with Netanyahu. Bahrains largest Shiite-dominated opposition group, Al-Wefaq, which the government ordered dissolved in 2016 amid a yearslong crackdown on dissent, said there is widespread rejection of normalization. The ceremony followed months of intricate diplomacy headed by Jared Kushner, Trumps son-in-law and senior adviser, and the presidents envoy for international negotiations, Avi Berkowitz. On Aug. 13, the Israel-UAE deal was announced. That was followed by the first direct commercial flight between the countries, and then the Sept. 11 announcement of the Bahrain-Israel agreement. BERLIN Police are warning residents and business owners of a scam from callers who claim they are with Eversource. Callers pretending to represent Eversource threaten homes and businesses with having power shut off if payment isnt received immediately. The bogus caller may encourage you to pay using strange methods such as paying using gift cards. Berlin police posted on their Facebook page. This is a scam and no reputable utility company collects debts on the spot, over the phone, particularly using gift cards or cash equivalent cards such as Green Dot. If you doubt the authenticity of such a call, please look up the number to the utility company on your own, do not use the number they provide, and ask. Eversource has a page on its website on the various types of scams. One of them is an overpayment scam. Scammers call claiming that you overpaid your utility bill and request your personal bank account or credit card information to give you a refund. Eversource representatives always carry company-issued photo identification and will always provide it when asked. Contractors working for Eversource always carry documentation explaining the nature and location of their work. Customers who are scheduled for disconnection due to nonpayment receive written notice via the U.S. mail, which includes the actions they can take to maintain service. However, no disconnections are happening right now due to the pandemic. Eversource almost never makes unsolicited house visits. Exceptions might include accessing, maintaining, or ensuring the reliable and safe operation of our equipment. If youre not sure the person you're speaking with is an Eversource employee, call the utility at 800-592-2000. Stephanie CondeBy KELLY MCCARTHY, ABC News (NEW YORK) -- Back to school looks different in 2020 and as many students stay home for remote learning due to the pandemic, those who depend on free lunches are facing new challenges and disparities around food. The National School Lunch Program, managed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), recently extended its flexible summer waiver program through the end of the year to help keep kids nourished. While the way meals are being prepared at school cafeterias, served, distributed and consumed will change, accessibility to those free lunches remains the driving force in keeping students fed. How an East Los Angeles school has served the food-insecure community in need As the director of school operations for the Arts in Community Charter Schools in East Los Angeles, Stephanie Conde always made sure that the school was prepared to feed free lunches to nearly 800 students each day before the coronavirus outbreak. But as the pandemic wore on -- bringing with it compounding medical and economic tolls -- she found that not just students but the entire community was in need. Conde told ABC News' Good Morning America she created a system to harness resources to feed the larger community in need, including elderly and disabled individuals. "When COVID all started, we were one of the few charter schools in our area that decided to feed the community in addition to the students -- we had a really big demand," Conde said. "To me it was about giving access to food to everybody we could." "The extension of the waiver has been really helpful to us because we're now able to start serving the community," Conde explained. Families with incomes at or below 130% of the poverty level and children in families receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families and kids in families who receive food stamps are eligible for free lunches. Reduced-price lunches are available for any child in a family with income between 130% and 185% of the poverty level. The School Nutrition Association requires the daily meals include 3/4 cup of vegetables, 1 cup of 1% or fat-free milk, 1/2 cup serving of fruit, and an entree with whole grains and a lean protein, but daily menus vary by school district based on market availability. "We were serving breakfast, lunch and supper, so it was three meals per student per day," she said of their operation during the pandemic. "We handed out meals to everybody that was 18 years and younger who qualified and adults with disabilities." As cases of COVID-19 increased in Los Angeles County, Conde said she could feel people's fear of leaving their homes to get food, so she used the USDA summer meal waiver as a way to deliver meals contact-free. "We went on to serving almost 6,000 meals, so it was a big jump, but we saw the need, especially in our area with lots of low-income housing. A lot of those have several families in each apartment, and that's the reality," she said of the community in close proximity. "One person got infected, then another. So when someone would get infected we would go deliver the meals to them." Conde also contacted building managers that housed seniors with disabilities and found out how many people were in need of a delivered meal. She tapped other employees from the school, such as playground supervisors and janitorial staff, who had less work to do because children were not on campus. "My team said, 'Yes, we believe in it, we know our kids need it. Tell us what to do,'" Conde told GMA. They created guidelines of what the employees were responsible for at the grab-and-go centers, with five people at each site preparing and delivering the meals, and a couple people who came "early to prepare the packs of meals for the people who were going to go deliver," she said. One employee with a truck "put everything in boxes and coolers" and delivered them to buildings and families. "It's hard -- a lot of these families don't have family leave, they don't have the same access, they can't get unemployment -- but they still have to buy food," said Conde. "Taking that burden off, or at least giving them access to food, or knowing that they could count on our school and give them a meal was very important." Coming from a Latino household herself, Conde said she was inspired to advocate for her own community, especially families who are fearful of, or feel shame in, asking for government assistance. "I think one of the things that came with COVID is that this attacks so many people equally," Conde said. "Even if you don't have food stamps or rely on free or reduced lunch, it's opened the eyes and really brought us into the same boat and has given a voice to say, 'I do need help.' And then actually requesting help -- the two have aligned." For many parents and guardians, the free lunch pickup model being used in districts across the country that requires an adult to come to a predetermined location at a specific time to reduce contact, became a hurdle in actually getting their child's grab-and-go meals. With the school year already underway, Conde adjusted the in-person schedule for Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays to "decrease exposure to our staff and for those who come get meals." "We're reducing the number of pickup visits to be proactive and conscious about [social distancing]," she explained. "Families have really appreciated that they don't have to come everyday -- especially since it's so hot and many come walking. I know I can't send a whole week's worth. They don't always have the fridge space. In our school community I need to be conscious of their day-to-day reality." Other school districts out West have enlisted bus drivers to give the lunches a lift. The Tuscon Unified School District in Arizona has mobilized its grab-and-go meal system to 67 stops along 12 bus routes, organized by region to distribute school-provided breakfast and lunch. Tuscon Unified also made its verification process more flexible for more efficient meal pickup. Guardians can provide a student ID, report card or some school-issued documentation. If that's not available, they can do a video call to show their student at home, and for any child not enrolled in school, the parent can provide a medical document with the child's name and date of birth. Food insecurity and COVID-19 According to No Kid Hungry, a national campaign run by the nonprofit organization Share Our Strength that works to solve problems of hunger and poverty, COVID-19 has been a major setback for ending childhood hunger. "Some organizations have reported data showing 1 in 4 households with children facing hunger and our new research shows an even higher figure. This represents a huge leap from the 1 in 7 reported in September 2019," the nonprofit reported. According to No Kid Hungry, 74% of food-insecure parents who are still working are in essential industries. "The pandemic has shown how critical schools are to feeding kids. They will need more support as they reopen and explore new ways to reach students, whether thats meals delivery or alternatives to how traditional school meals like lunch are served," No Kid Hungry explained in a new report. "Over 20 million kids rely on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) for the food they need." Sonny Perdue, the secretary of Agriculture, said that as the nation begins to reopen and as more people return to work, "it remains critical our children continue to receive safe, healthy, and nutritious food" from the National School Lunch Program. "During the COVID-19 pandemic, USDA has provided an unprecedented amount of flexibilities to help schools feed kids through the school meal programs," Perdue said last month upon extending the waivers for the reimbursement program, which is backed by Congressional funding. He added that it will continue "for as long as we can, legally and financially. Reggie Ross, president of the School Nutrition Foundation -- the charitable arm of the School Nutrition Association, which is a nonprofit organization that represents over 55,000 members who provide meals to students -- said in a statement that he "greatly appreciates USDA addressing the critical challenges shared by our members serving students on the front lines these first weeks of school." He also said that the waivers allow school nutrition professionals to focus on nourishing hungry children rather than spend time processing paperwork to verify eligibility in the midst of a pandemic. Lisa Davis, senior vice president of Share Our Strength, said that the extension "is important for hungry kids headed back to school, younger siblings not yet in school, parents struggling to make ends meet and for the schools and community groups rising to the challenge to feed them during this pandemic." But while she hailed the critical action by the USDA, Davis said it's "not enough" because with COVID-19 cases on the rise, "the health and economic effects of this pandemic will likely continue to impact children, families and schools well into 2021." "Last minute, stop-gap measures like these can create confusion for parents and barriers to the long-term planning needed to reach the unprecedented number of kids going hungry in our country right now," Davis said. As Conde noted, the extension for the free lunch program is a step toward helping already hard-hit communities amid the pandemic, but more resources and awareness is needed to help the free lunches have more reach and direct impact. "Now with COVID we don't know what the ramifications are going to be," she said. "Our families need this help for kids and families having access to this food." Copyright 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved. Ten Tanzanian schoolchildren were killed when a dormitory at a privately-owned primary school in the north of the country caught fire, a senior government official said on Monday, Reuters reported. Police, the fire department, and other government officials have started an investigation into the fire, the cause of which is unknown, said Marco Gaguti, the regional commissioner for Kagera. This dormitory was housing 74 pupils and when it caught fire the pupils started fleeing, but due to the impact of the fire some couldnt make it on time, Gaguti said. Seven other children suffered from burns during the inferno, which started before midnight. Police are working with relatives of the pupils to identify the charred bodies, Gaguti said, adding that investigators are expected to establish the source of the fire in the next 14 days. The US announced Monday it would block a range of Chinese products made by "forced labor" in the Xinjiang region, including from a "vocational" center that it branded a "concentration camp" for Uighur minorities. "The Chinese government is engaged in systematic abuses against the Uighur people" and other minorities, said Mark Morgan, acting commissioner of the Customs and Border Protection agency. "Forced labor is an atrocious human rights abuse," he said. The items include cotton, garments, hair products and electronics from five specific manufacturers in Xinjiang as well as adjacent Anhui. It also included all products tied to the Lop County No. 4 Vocational Skills Education and Training Center in Xinjiang, which Homeland Security Acting Deputy Secretary Ken Cuccinelli said was a center of forced labor. "This is not a vocational center, it is a concentration camp, a place where religious and ethnic minorities are subject to abuse and forced to work in heinous conditions with no recourse and no freedom," Cuccinelli told reporters. "This is modern day slavery." The actions announced consisted of "withhold release orders" or WROs, which empower the CBP to seize products from the blacklisted companies and organizations. The US government is increasingly using such orders to pressure Beijing over its detention of more than one million members of the mostly Muslim Uighur minority in Xinjiang for ostensible reeducation. - Calling attention to abuses - In July, the customs agency placed WRO blocks on hair products, used for wigs and extensions, from several companies operating in Xinjiang, and in August did the same for garments made and sold by the Hero Vast Group. "The Chinese government needs to close its concentration camps," said Cuccinelli. The move came as rights groups and members of US Congress press the administration of President Donald Trump to take more resolute action over alleged Chinese repression of Muslims in the country's vast west. Story continues In July the US Treasury imposed sanctions on a major paramilitary group, Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, accusing it of abuses against Uighurs and other mostly Muslim groups. It also hit several officials with sanctions, including Chen Quanguo, the Chinese Communist Party chief for the Xinjiang region and architect of Beijing's hardline policies against restive minorities. "The Trump Administration has led the world in calling attention to the Chinese Communist Party's egregious human rights abuses in Xinjiang, and we've taken action to back up our rhetoric," said Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in a statement. CBP officials said they are currently studying a measure to place a block on all cotton and tomatoes from Xinjiang. In August the Investor Alliance for Human Rights called for a ban on all cotton-made goods linked to Xinjiang, which supplies the lion's share of China's cotton. pmh/jm MISSION HILLS, Calif., Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Rooter Hero owner, John Akhoian, is giving up some of his airtime so listeners and viewers can publicly thank their heroes. John frequently uses his commercials to talk about his troubled childhood and to show gratitude for the way his life turned out. Now, he wants to give his viewers a chance to do the same thing. "I can't change the news cycle and make 2020 go away, but I can use my airtime to spread a little bit of joy," said Akhoian. "All the news isn't bad. There are heroes all around us, and I want to give people a chance to thank someone who has made their life better in 2020. We have the word HERO in our name, but every day we are reminded that the real heroes are our customers." Rooter Hero recently lost an employee to COVID-19. John remembered Stephanie in one of his commercials, and the public response was overwhelming. "People called and told us how touched they were that we used commercial airtime to memorialize, Stephanie. One person complained that we didn't list our phone number on the commercial. That listener managed to track us down to thank us anyway. That's when I realized we could make a difference." Rooter Hero has a page on their website, (rooterhero.com/myhero) where viewers can write about their heroes. "There is no prize or money to win," says Akhoian, "We'll select a story that touches our hearts, and then we'll share it with viewers and listeners. You never know, the winning entry could be something as simple as someone who shared a smile when our viewer needed it most." Rooter Hero Plumbing, since 1995 in Orange, California. There are 13-Rooter Hero locations in California and Arizona. John Akhoian is the author of three books, Values First, Creating 99-Millionaires, and The Secret to Real Wealth. For media inquiries, contact: Eiman Bassam, CEO, EBS Advertising 702-988-2307 ebsadvertising.com SOURCE Rooter Hero Related Links http://www.rooterhero.com 14th September 2020 Possible biosignature detected on Venus The detection of phosphine in the clouds of Venus is reported by astronomers using both the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) in Chile and the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope in Hawaii. This may indicate a biosignature. Credit: ESO/M. Kornmesser/L. Calcada & NASA/JPL/Caltech An international team of astronomers today announced the discovery of a rare molecule phosphine in the clouds of Venus. On Earth, this gas is only made in two ways: either industrially, or by extremophile microbes that thrive in oxygen-free environments. For decades, astrobiologists have speculated that high clouds on Venus could offer a potential home for microbes floating free of the scorching surface, but needing to tolerate very high acidity. The detection of phosphine could point to such extra-terrestrial "aerial" life. "When we got the first hints of phosphine in Venus's spectrum, it was a shock," said Jane Greaves, team leader at Cardiff University in the UK, who first spotted signs of phosphine in observations from the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope (JCMT) in Hawaii, USA. Confirming the discovery required using 45 antennas of the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) in Chile, a more sensitive telescope. Both facilities observed Venus at a wavelength of about 1 millimetre, much longer than the human eye can see only telescopes at high altitude can detect it effectively. The team which includes researchers from the UK, US and Japan estimates that phosphine exists in the clouds of Venus at a small concentration, only about 20 molecules per billion. Following their observations, they ran calculations to see if these amounts could originate from non-biological processes on the planet. Some ideas included sunlight, minerals blown upwards from the surface, volcanoes, or lightning strikes, but none of these could make anywhere near enough of this rare molecule. These non-biological sources would make, at most, just one ten thousandth of the amount of phosphine that the telescopes saw. Credit: ESO/M. Kornmesser/L. Calcada To create the observed quantity of phosphine (which consists of hydrogen and phosphorus) on Venus, terrestrial organisms would only need to work at about 10% of their maximum productivity, according to the team. Earth bacteria are known to make phosphine: they take up phosphate from minerals or biological material, add hydrogen, and ultimately expel phosphine. Any organisms on Venus, if present, will probably be very different to their Earth cousins, but they too could be the source of phosphine in the atmosphere. While the discovery of phosphine in Venus's clouds came as a surprise, the researchers are confident in their detection: "To our great relief, the conditions were good at ALMA for follow-up observations while Venus was at a suitable angle to Earth. Processing the data was tricky, though, as ALMA isn't usually looking for very subtle effects in very bright objects like Venus," said Anita Richards of the UK ALMA Regional Centre and University of Manchester. "In the end, we found that both observatories had seen the same thing faint absorption at the right wavelength to be phosphine gas, where the molecules are backlit by the warmer clouds below," adds Greaves, who led the study published today in Nature Astronomy. Phosphine signature in Venus's spectrum. Credit: Joanna Petkowska Another team member, Clara Silva of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the US, has investigated phosphine as a biosignature of non-oxygen-using life on planets around other stars, because normal chemistry makes so little of it. She comments: "Finding phosphine on Venus was an unexpected bonus. The discovery raises many questions, such as how any organisms could survive. On Earth, some microbes can cope with up to 5% of acid in their environment but the clouds of Venus are almost entirely made of acid." The team believes their discovery is significant because they can rule out many alternative ways to make phosphine, but they acknowledge that confirming the presence of "life" needs a lot more work. At 50 km altitude (where the phosphine is believed to be present) the high clouds of Venus are very similar to Earth's average temperature, and the air pressure is almost identical too. However, they are incredibly acidic, about 90% sulphuric acid, posing major issues for any microbes trying to survive there. ALMA European Operations Manager, Leonardo Testi, who did not participate in the new study, says: "The non-biological production of phosphine on Venus is excluded by our current understanding of phosphine chemistry in rocky planets' atmospheres. Confirming the existence of life on Venus's atmosphere would be a major breakthrough for astrobiology; thus, it is essential to follow-up on this exciting result with theoretical and observational studies to exclude the possibility that phosphine on rocky planets may also have a chemical origin different than on Earth." More studies of Venus and of rocky planets outside our Solar System aided by next-generation observatories such as the Extremely Large Telescope may help gather clues on how phosphine can originate on them and contribute to the search for signs of life beyond Earth. A sample return mission, perhaps using balloons or drones in the upper atmosphere, could provide a definitive answer in the coming decades. "Through my whole career I have been interested in the search for life elsewhere in the Universe, so I'm just blown away that this is even possible," said Professor Greaves in a BBC interview. "We are genuinely encouraging other people to tell us what we might have missed. Our paper and data are open access; this is how science works." Venus mission concept using balloons/drones. Credit: NASA-JPL/Caltech --- Follow us: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube Comments HOUSTON, Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Dannenbaum Engineering, a civil engineering firm known for delivering engineering excellence, building enduring relationships and improving Texas communities, is celebrating its 75th anniversary. President and CEO Michel Maksoud said, "We've built a solid reputation as a premier civil engineering firm with expertise in public infrastructure, surface transportation, land development, hydrology and hydraulics, airports, ports and harbors. We're proud of our project performance, which has benefited our clients and the communities where we work." Experienced Leadership Founded in 1945, the employee-owned company is managed by an Executive Committee with broad experience and expertise. Maksoud has been with Dannenbaum Engineering for more than 20 years. Before being appointed president in late 2019, Maksoud served as the company's Houston Transportation Division manager and chief structural engineer. A Legacy of Innovation "We've always been more than an engineering firm," Maksoud said. "We team with clients and others to find innovative solutions to make communities better. Through the decades, we've partnered to provide safe water and sewer systems, address subsidence, and identify ways to fund mass transit and highway projects." Founder and innovator Joseph B. Dannenbaum developed and patented the energy-efficient solar aerobic wastewater treatment process in the 1950s. His son, Jim Dannenbaum, now honorary chairman, led the company for over 50 years, a period of remarkable growth. In the 1950s-'60s the company played a leadership role in addressing public health concerns in Houston by establishing entities to fund residential water and sewer services, including for Acres Homes, a historic African American community established during World War I. In the 1970s, Dannenbaum Engineering addressed regional subsidence issues by working with Gulf Coast Waste Disposal Authority and others, which led to state legislation establishing the Harris-Galveston Coastal Subsidence District. In the 1980s Dannenbaum Engineering worked with municipal utility districts and others to begin formation of the West Harris County Regional Water Authority, resulting in more than $1 billion in new infrastructure to provide surface water to up to 750,000 people. Maksoud said, "As we mark our 75th anniversary, we celebrate our past and work to build an even stronger Dannenbaum Engineering rooted in a culture of trust, respect and excellence." ABOUT DANNENBAUM ENGINEERING Founded in 1945 and headquartered in Houston, Texas, Dannenbaum Engineering is one of the state's premier civil engineering firms with expertise in public infrastructure, surface transportation, land development, hydrology and hydraulics, airports, ports and harbors. The company has seven offices across Texas. SOURCE Dannenbaum Engineering Related Links dannenbaum.com ISLAMABAD - Pakistans top court on Tuesday postponed for two weeks the much-awaited appeals hearing against the acquittal earlier this year of a British-Pakistani man and three others in the 2002 kidnapping and killing of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl. According to Faisal Saddiqi, a defence lawyer for the Pearl family, the Supreme Court announced the postponement in the case after the chief prosecutor failed to show up following a death in the family. Saddiqui said the next hearing will be on Sept. 29. Pearl disappeared on Jan. 23, 2002 in the southern port city of Karachi while researching links between Pakistani militants and Richard C. Reid, who became known as the shoe-bomber after he was arrested on a flight from Paris to Miami with explosives in his shoes. A videotape received by U.S. diplomats in February, 2002 confirmed that the 38-year-old Pearl was dead. He had been beheaded. Authorities later arrested Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh, a former student at the London School of Economics, and three others who were convicted in July 2002. But a Karachi court in April overturned the murder conviction of Saeed, a British Pakistani national, though it found him guilty of kidnapping Pearl and sentenced him to seven years. Saeed could go free unless the Supreme Court rules otherwise. He had already spent 18 years in prison on death row and the seven-year sentence for kidnapping was expected to be counted as time served. Also Tuesday, Saeed filed an appeal, challenging his conviction and the seven-year sentence in the Pearl case. No dates were immediately set for a hearing of his petition. In court testimony and emails released during the 2002 trial, Saeed said he had developed a personal relationship with Pearl, with the two men sharing concerns about their wives, who were both pregnant at the time. The Pearl Project, an investigative journalism team at Washingtons Georgetown University, carried out a three-year investigation into Pearls kidnapping and death. It concluded that Pearl was beheaded by Khalid Sheikh Mohammad, who was arrested in Pakistan in 2003 and later described as the architect of the 9-11 terrorist attacks on the United States. Mohammad is a prisoner at the U.S. Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Read more about: The federal Liberal government, and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, have a tendency to say the right things when it comes to Indigenous rights and reconciliation. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 14/9/2020 (493 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Opinion The federal Liberal government, and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, have a tendency to say the "right things" when it comes to Indigenous rights and reconciliation. Virtually from the beginning, Trudeau has said "no relationship is more important to me and to Canada than the one with Indigenous Peoples," while committing to clearly defining Indigenous individual and collective rights and recognizing self-determination. These words have been declared on minister mandate letters, pronounced on national television, and appeared on Twitter, such as this past weekends anniversary of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, passed by the UN on Sept. 13, 2007. "Today is the 13th anniversary of #UNDRIP," Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations Carolyn Bennett tweeted Sept. 13. "This impt Declaration sets out the individual and collective rights of Indigenous Peoples around the world. Canada fully endorses the Declaration as we work with First Nations, Inuit, and Metis to accelerate the path to self-determination." Bennett then tweeted out a familiar promise: that Canada will "introduce legislation to implement the Declaration by the end of the year." Implementing the declaration means Indigenous Peoples would get the same rights as other human beings across the world. As the UN describes it: "The document emphasizes the rights of Indigenous Peoples to live in dignity, to maintain and strengthen their own institutions, cultures and traditions and to pursue their self-determined development, in keeping with their own needs and aspirations." The key, and I suppose controversial, word here is "self-determination." This means that by 2021, if the Liberals follow through, Indigenous nations would be recognized, affirmed, and enabled to express their independence however they see fit. They will form their own institutions and develop, deliver, and follow their own laws. They will govern on their own territories and they would, most importantly, get stolen land or land owed to them back. They will partner with other governments and businesses on development projects and initiatives using "free, prior, and informed consent" for both sides. So, this is pretty impressive language and a revolutionary step for the country. Canada wasnt always this friendly to the declaration. Unlike 144 other countries who ratified the declaration, Canada was one of four countries to originally refuse, only recently "endorsing" it in 2016. An "endorsement" is not law though. And yet, the declaration has found its way into Canadian law. In a set of legal gymnastics possible only in Canada, the declaration was implemented by British Columbias provincial government last November. So, are Indigenous nations self-determining only in B.C.? Do they operate under two different and very contradictory sets of laws (the federal Indian Act is antithetical to self-determination, for instance)? Do Indigenous Peoples need non-Indigenous governments to verify their independence? Doesnt this defeat the purpose? Whether or not the declaration is passed into federal law by the end of the year, the biggest obstacle to it is not politics but ignorance. The Conservative party, which rejected it in 2007, is the most steadfast against the declaration. All of Canadas other federal parties have committed to implement it. While former Conservative leader Andrew Scheer often described the declaration as containing "many laudable goals" he took issue with what he called an Indigenous "veto" embedded in the "free, prior, and informed consent" clause. New leader Erin OToole is now using this language too. What Conservatives mean is that Indigenous nations can be independent as long as their "independence" never interferes with Canadian desires. Indigenous nations can establish their own schools or child welfare system or maybe even govern some of their own lands but must always, forever, acquiesce to Canadian rule. This isnt self-determination, by the way: its surrender. Indigenous nations dont want a "veto," they want partners. It doesnt matter how many times Conservatives use the term "veto." It doesnt matter. The Supreme Court has already ruled unanimously in the 2014 Tsilhqotin decision that Aboriginal title is "the right to control the land." Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. That means if an Indigenous nation can legally prove historical use and occupancy over any lands, they have "title" and the "right to choose" what happens with their territories. Canadian law cannot supersede this title except under unique circumstances. Canada has no rights to simply take Indigenous land without free, prior, and informed consent. Call this a veto or not it doesnt matter. Canadian law says so. This is precisely why B.C. was prompted to pass the declaration; there was no legitimate reason to stop it. And there is no legitimate reason to not implement it now. So, lets do the right thing for everyone. niigaan.sinclair@freepress.mb.ca Burma Rakhine COVID-19 Hospital Reports High Recovery Rate Health workers at Sittwe Hospital bid farewell to patients who were discharged on Sept. 5. / Min Aung Khine / The Irrawaddy Sittwe, Rakhine StateA total of 214 COVID-19 patients have recovered and were discharged from Sittwe Peoples Hospital in Rakhine State since Sept. 5, according to Dr. Zaw Lwin, the medical superintendent of the hospital. A total of 396 COVID-19 patients were admitted to the hospital since cases broke out on Aug. 16 in Sittwe. Of them, 214 have been discharged and 181 others are still receiving treatment while one has died. Thirty-eight people who have recovered were discharged today, Dr. Zaw Lwin told The Irrawaddy on Monday. While the virus strain found in the ongoing outbreak in Rakhine seems to have a high infectious rate, most of the patients have reported good health and only one person has died and his death was due to underlying, age-related health problems, said Dr. Zaw Lwin. A 75-year-man died on Sunday. He saw a doctor for fever and tested positive for coronavirus. He was suffering from heart problems, a stroke and high-blood pressure. He died despite treatment because of his age and underlying health conditions, said the superintendent. The man was admitted to the hospital on Saturday and died the following day. Most of the COVID-19 patients in Rakhine reported a loss of smell, which is a less common symptom than fever and cough. Most of them have not had breathing problems and intensive care treatment has barely been necessary, said Dr. Zaw Lwin. COVID-19 cases surged in Rakhine after a bank clerk was infected with coronavirus on Aug. 16 in Sittwe. According to the Ministry of Health and Sports, there were 722 COVID-19 patients from Aug.16 to Sept.14 in Rakhine, which has seen the highest number of COVID-19 cases after Yangon. Currently, 376 COVID-19 patients are still receiving treatment at 14 hospitals across Yangon. Rakhine States government has imposed stay-at-home orders across the state with a 9pm-4am curfew in Sittwe. Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko You may also like these stories: Civil Servants Among COVID-19 Patients as Cases Spread Through Myanmar Capital Myanmar Officials to Prosecute Owner of Nightspot Responsible for Yangons Biggest COVID-19 Cluster Despite Current Economic Fallout in Myanmar, ADB Forecasts a Bounce "We are very grateful to AT&T for their partnership and generosity, for their volunteerism and donations, especially this latest significant contribution," said Prospera President & CEO Augusto Sanabria. "We help Hispanic entrepreneurs year-round, but this pandemic has increased the need and demand for our services. Every small business we help recover means more financial and job stability, which in turns makes stronger households and greater prosperity. We will continue focusing our resources and expertise on helping small business owners overcome the overwhelming challenges they are facing." AT&T has been a supporter of Prospera's mission for several years and a sponsor of its annual signature special events. This latest donation of $100,000 makes AT&T a member of Prospera's Investors' Circle. The Believe Miami funding will be used to serve and empower more local entrepreneurs, to help them overcome challenges and strengthen their small businesses. "Small businesses are the heartbeat of the American economy, capable of transforming our communities with the goods and services they provide local residents," said AT&T Florida President Joe York. "But the challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic are making it difficult for many to launch these vital endeavors. For minority businesses, the challenges are even greater, which is why we are pleased to support Prospera's effort to empower Hispanic entrepreneurs and help them start and grow their businesses." "In these challenging times, Miami small businesses need to harness the transformative impact of community partners to survive, sustain and ultimately thrive," said Prospera South Florida Vice President Myrna Sonora. "AT&T recognized the need and accepted the responsibility. This award demonstrates their commitment to our collective future." Prospera has been delivering bilingual services to Hispanic entrepreneurs since 1991. In the last five years, the organization has facilitated over $57 million in loans, trained over 20,000 entrepreneurs, and helped clients create or retain nearly 16,000 jobs. For more information, visit www.prosperausa.org. Media Contact: Maria Yabrudy, 407-412-3303, [email protected] SOURCE Prospera Related Links http://www.prosperausa.org Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. No new COVID-19 cases recorded over last 24 hours Vietnam recorded no new COVID-19 cases overnight, with the tally standing at 1063, the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control reported on September 15 morning. Of the total, 691 were infected with the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 domestically, including 551 linked with central Da Nang city since the latest outbreak began there on July 25. As many as 926 patients have recovered while 35 died from complications related to the disease. Most of the fatalities were the elderly with serious underlying health conditions Among those still under treatment, 13 have tested negative for SARS-CoV-2 once, 13 others twice and 19 thrice. There are 33,605 people having close contact with confirmed cases or coming from pandemic-hit regions under quarantine at present. The Health Ministry has called on residents to wear masks in public places, regularly wash hands with soap, avoid crowd gatherings, and install Bluezone app to receive infection risk alerts. Two recovered patients in Quang Nam test positive for SARS-CoV-2 The Health Department of the central province of Quang Nam reported on September 14 that two recovered COVID-19 patients had recently tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 novel coronavirus during self-quarantine after treatment. They are Patients 549 and 550, both female and residing at Bao Thang Pagoda in Hoi An citys Son Phong ward. They tested positive for the first time on August 1. Patient 549, 55 years old, was discharged from the Quang Nam General Hospital on August 18 for 14 days of self-quarantine at the pagoda. She tested negative twice, on August 25 and 31. Her third test on September 13 was positive. Patient 550, 75 years old, was treated at the Hue Central Hospital in neighbouring Thua Thien-Hue province and was released on August 27 for self-quarantine at Bao Thang Pagoda. She tested negative on September 3 and positive twice, on September 11 and 13. Both women did not leave their residence or interact with anyone during quarantine. They are now quarantined at the Quang Nam General Hospital, with all people living at the pagoda being tested. The pagoda closed on August 1, so no related community transmissions have been recorded. Da Nang removes COVID-19 checkpoints at gateways The central city of Da Nang, the epicentre of the countrys coronavirus outbreak, has removed all checkpoints set up at its gateways after the COVID-19 outbreak was put under control. The decision came into effect as of 12.00hrs September 14, according to an urgent telegram released by the Da Nang Municipal Department of Public Security. Life has returned to normal in Da Nang following the containment of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. No new cases of community transmission have been detected in the city over the past days. The removal of the checkpoints aims to facilitate economic development and human movement in Da Nang, as well as between Da Nang and other neighbouring localities. Despite the disease being under control, the Da Nang administration has asked local police units to work closely with relevant forces to strictly manage all foreigners and Vietnamese citizens residing in the locality, promptly discover and quarantine those coming from epidemic hit areas. The Da Nang administration had decided to establish eight checkpoints at gateways to the city since July 31 when the virus resurged in the locality. The checkpoints were designed to control, detect and prevent any people and vehicles entering or coming out of the city. 100-year-old woman enjoys full recovery from COVID-19 A further five novel coronavirus (COVID-19) patients were discharged from Quang Nam Central General Hospital on September 12 after making a successful recovery from the disease, including a 100-year-old patient. The elderly woman had previously tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 virus on August 1. She then began to suffer from severe pneumonia caused by complications relating to COVID-19. In addition, she had previously been diagnosed with underlying illnesses, including heart failure and respiratory failure. After undergoing treatment at hospital for over a month, the patient responded well to treatment and went on to test negative for the virus four times, therefore meeting criteria for release. Furthermore, an additional four other patients were also discharged from the hospital after displaying no virus symptoms such as a fever, a cough, or shortness of breath. At present, there are 13 COVID-19 patients receiving treatment in Quang Nam province. More than 240 Vietnamese citizens brought home from Malaysia More than 240 Vietnamese citizens from Malaysia were flown home on September 14 on a flight of Bamboo Airlines. At Cam Ranh International Airport (Photo: VNA) The flight was arranged by the Vietnamese authorities, the Vietnamese Embassy in Malaysia, the carrier and authorities of Malaysia. Passengers included pregnant women, those with underlying health conditions, under-18 children, workers with expired labour contracts, and other especially disadvantaged cases. The Vietnamese Embassy sent its staff to the airport to assist them with boarding procedures. To prevent the spread of COVID-19, disease prevention measures were carried out during the flight. Upon landing at Cam Ranh airport in the south-central province of Khanh Hoa, the flight crew and all passengers were given heath check-ups and quarantined in line with regulations. In the future, more flights are set to be conducted to bring Vietnamese citizens with disadvantaged circumstances, depending on their need and quarantine capacity at home./. 113 illegal Chinese migrants returned via Lao Cai intl border gate Vietnamese authorities and police agencies returned 113 Chinese citizens, who illegally entered and stayed in Vietnam, via the Lao Cai International Border Gate in the northern mountainous province of Lao Cai, on September 14. The repatriation was implemented by the provincial police in coordination with the Vietnam Immigration Department under the Ministry of Public Security, Ho Chi Minh Citys police and the Lao Cai International Border Gates border station. The Immigration Management Department of the HCM Citys police detected the 113 illegal Chinese migrants during inspections from July 21 August 5. Southeast Asian nations report hundreds of COVID-19 related deaths The Philippines reported 259 more deaths related to SARS-CoV-2 on September 14, raising the total number of fatalities in the country to 4,630. The Philippine Ministry of Health said the country recorded 4,699 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, bringing its tally to 265,888 the highest in the Southeast Asian region. On the same day, 3,141 new COVID-19 cases and 118 deaths were reported in Indonesia, making its total of infections and fatalities to 221,523 and 8,841, respectively. Indonesia currently has so far had the highest number of COVID-19-related deaths in Southeast Asia. Meanwhile, Singapore has begun distributing COVID-19 tracing devices to its citizens, with the aim of further improving the country's ability in the fight against COVID-19. The electronic device called TraceTogether will complement the same-name contact-tracking app on smartphones that the Singaporean government has encouraged people to install. On September 9, the Singaporean Health Ministry announced that from September 17, all travellers from India who are not Singaporeans and permanent residents will have to take a COVID-19 test before departing for Singapore. Over 360 Vietnamese citizens flown home from Singapore More than 360 Vietnamese citizens were brought home from Singapore on a flight of Pacific Airlines on September 14. The flight was arranged by Vietnamese authorities, the Embassy of Vietnam in Singapore and the carrier, together with competent agencies of Singapore. The passengers included children under 18, those with underlying health conditions and those in difficult circumstances. The Vietnamese Embassy also sent its staff to the airport to assist them with boarding procedures. To prevent the spread of COVID-19, disease prevention measures were carried out during the flight. Upon landing at Can Tho International Airport in the Mekong Delta city of the same name, the flight crew and all passengers were given heath check-ups and quarantined in line with regulations. In the future, more flights are set to be conducted to bring Vietnamese citizens with disadvantaged circumstances, depending on their need and quarantine capacity at home. - Njoka lost his job after he was shown the door by K24 in a mass firing - The journalist announced to fans he will be launching his own talk show dubbed Centered - His announcement excited his fans who duly camped on his pages to congratulate him for his new move PAY ATTENTION: Click 'See First' under 'Follow' Tab to see Tuko.co.ke news on your FB Feed Mediamax owned TV station K24 dropped an ax on its staff some months ago in what was termed as cleaning the house and getting rid of redundant employees. Many TV personalities, big shots and not so big all lost their jobs, something that did not only anger the victims but also their respective fans and Kenyans. READ ALSO: Pretty Mutave: 12 photos of late Aziza, Maza actress that show film industry has lost a gem News anchor Eric Njoka's new show will be airing on Thursdays. Photo: UGC Source: Instagram READ ALSO: Promoter Mtetezi begs Uhuru to reopen clubs, says gengetone artistes are languishing in poverty Among people who lost their jobs during the mass firing is none other than news anchor Eric Njoka. Just life fellow journalists who were sacked, he was left at a crossroad with nothing much to do. However, it seems the news anchor is done with counting his loses and is back on his feet ready to take over the world with new stuff. TUKO.co.ke has learnt the anchor man has started his own online show months after being shown the door at K24. The journalist on Monday, September 14, dropped a surprise to his fans after announcing the launch of his talk show dubbed Centered. READ ALSO: Serge Aurier: Brother of Spurs star Christopher shot dead in France TUKO.co.ke understands Njoka's new show will be airing on Thursdays on YouTube and other social media pages. ''It is coming Let the new journey begin Introducing Centred. Subscribe and hold your breath It's a new revolution, online,'' he said. His announcement excited his fans who congratulate him for his new move. READ ALSO: Ali Korane: Gavana wa Garissa aachiliwa kwa dhamana ya KSh 3.2 milioni Njoka is not the only journalist to venture into private practice after losing their jobs. Joab Mwaura of the Mgaa Gaa Na Upwa fame also started his own media company after suffering the same predicament. Others who were shown the door by Mediamax include Betty Kyallo and Jalang'o but unlike the rest, they already had their side businesses running by the time the ax fell. K24 has been on the spot not once but several times for allegedly poaching top journalists only to jeaopodise their careers by sacking them unexpectedly. Do you have a groundbreaking story you would like us to publish? Please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690. Contact Tuko.co.ke instantly. My children are not a curse - Judy Kemuma | Tuko Talks | Tuko TV Source: TUKO.co.ke On-street parking would be free in the city until the end of summer under an election policy outlined by Melbourne Town Hall hopeful Arron Wood. Deputy lord mayor Wood, who is challenging lord mayor Sally Capp for the top job at next month's council election, said the policy would cost $10 million but would be invaluable in attracting shoppers back to the CBD. Deputy lord mayor Arron Wood, pictured at home during lockdown. Credit:Joe Armao "With public transport patronage likely to remain low due to social distancing requirements, we need to come up with other ways to entice people to come into the city to spend money at our renowned retail outlets, cafes and restaurants and world-leading arts and cultural attractions," he said. Under the plan, time limits on parking would continue to be enforced. Zelensky: We don't have "relations" with Russia after Crimea annexation, war in Donbas, and it's still too early to talk about them- we have just started dialogue President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky notes that there is no word "relationship" between Ukraine and the Russian Federation after the illegal annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation and the outbreak of war in Donbas, and it is still very, very early to talk about such a concept. "Unfortunately, we have lost this word ["relationship."] And we lost the meaning of this word between our countries, after Russia illegally annexed Crimea and the war began in eastern Ukraine," he said at a joint briefing in Vienna on Tuesday with Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen, answering a question about his relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Zelensky noted that before, Ukrainians and Russians had called each other "brothers and sisters," and the countries had had excellent relations. "And today there are 14,000 killed people, and today there are no two territories of our independent country. Therefore, I have not yet found a word about what is 'between us,'" he stressed. At the same time, Zelensky pointed out that the leadership of Ukraine and the Russian Federation began to speak, which led to a regime of ceasefire, which is "more complicated than we thought, but it exists," thanks to which Ukraine was still able to return home 140 of its citizens. "I believe that this is the beginning of a dialogue. And it seems to me that it is still very, very early for us to speak about the 'relations,'" he added. He 'made it clear' that he and Prince Charles were engaged in a 'power struggle' Prince Andrew gave an 'excruciating' diatribe about 'how brilliant he was' at a dinner, according to Lady Swire's diaries. She also says he spoke about how desperate he was to ensure that his daughters Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie have royal roles. Sasha Swire encountered him at an official dinner in 2011 at Hillsborough Castle in Northern Ireland. Lady Swire (centre left with Hugo Sire, Margaret Thatcher and Lady Miloska Nott) describes in her diaries her encounter with Prince Andrew at a dinner in 2011 at Hillsborough Castle During the evening the prince made clear that he and his brother, Prince Charles, were engaged in a 'power struggle' within the Royal Family. She describes the dinner with 20 local businessmen, saying: 'I have to say, Prince Andrew chairing the round the table discussion is excruciatingly painful to watch. 'I sat there trying to listen to how brilliant he was when all I am seeing is him in swimming shorts, attending topless pool parties at Jeffrey Epstein's mansion.' She adds: 'It is clear there is a power struggle taking place between him and Prince Charles. A lot of Andrew's embarrassing friendships with oligarchs, and his imploring anyone who will listen to bail out his wife, has strained their relationship. She claims that Prince Andrew gave an 'excruciating' diatribe about 'how brilliant he was' at the dinner and made clear that he and Prince Charles, were engaged in a 'power struggle' 'To illustrate this, he tells us about a misunderstanding over a grand piano.' Andrew's difficult relationship with his brother and the future king is well documented. Charles has long campaigned for a slimmed-down monarchy, with Beatrice and Eugenie very much sidelined. She also describes the behind the scenes action in the Royal Box at The Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, where the Duchess of Cornwall, whom she describes as 'incredibly friendly', got on like a house on fire with Mr Cameron. Her explosive new diary reveals the day that Mr Cameron wanted to take her into the bushes because he was enamoured by her perfume and how Italian premier Silvio Berlusconi had a two-way mirror installed in his official residency. Extracts from Sasha Swire's tell-all diary reveal how the Conservative Prime Minister asked her not to walk ahead of him on a coastal path in Polzeath because her scent was 'affecting my pheromones'. Extracts from Sasha Swire's amazing tell-all diary reveal how David Cameron asked hernot to walk ahead of him on a walk in Polzeath because her scent was 'affecting my pheromones' Writing about the alleged incident, which Mrs Swire claims occurred in August 2011 on a three-day break to Cornwall, she claims: 'At one point, on the coastal path, he (David Cameron) asks me not to walk ahead of him. 'Why?' I ask, and he says: 'Because that scent you are wearing is affecting my pheromones. It makes me want to grab you and push you into the bushes and give you one!' 'This is not flirting by the prime minister. This is probably lewdness. But hell, I'm so starved of masculine interest at my age it made me smile.' Mrs Swire's book Diary of an MP's Wife: Inside and Outside Power, which is being serialised in The Times, also recounts a dinner in Dorneywood, the Chancellor's country house, where Mr Cameron shares anecdotes about foreign leaders including 'the Sarkozys' fake marital displays' and Italian premier Berlusconi's two-way mirror. 'I sit next to Dave at dinner. He gives us wonderful vignettes of the Sarkozys' fake marital displays and of being given a tour around Rome's equivalent of No 10 by Berlusconi,' she writes. 'When they come to his bedroom he points at a Renaissance two-way mirror above the bed and with his characteristic grin says, 'Well, they didn't have porn channels in those days, did they?'' Lady Swire also recalled the aftermath of the EU referendum that cost Mr Cameron his premiership. She recalls him 'chomping on cigars' over 'endless bottles of wine' at his Oxfordshire home in the weekend after the Brexit vote, while being 'incandescent with anger' at Michael Gove and Boris Johnson. Mrs Cameron, she claims, was only able to join her husband for his resignation speech after a large Negroni. 'When they walked back inside, Dave apparently recoiled at her gin-sodden breath,' she writes. Bexar County Commissioners approved a $1.78 billion budget for 2021 that retains 19 of the 38 deputy constable posts originally targeted for elimination after hearing emotional appeals for and against public spending on law enforcement. Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff called the budget process probably the most difficult one that Ive been through since taking office 18 years ago. About 20 people addressed the commissioners, some pleading with them to keep all 69 deputy constable positions funded during the pandemic. Others urged county leaders to spend less on the Sheriffs Office and more on mental health treatment and safe-voting options in the Nov. 3 election. Precinct 3 Constable Mark Vojvodich unleashed his disappointment with the staffing cuts, which he said has been framed incorrectly and will result in a loss of essential services, including serving of papers enforcing child support payments. The cuts have hurt the morale of deputies serving the community during uncertain times, he said. This dumpster fire continues to affect the daily lives of these officers, Vojvodich added. On ExpressNews.com: Commissioners hope to save some constable staff posts Jolene Garcia, a local activist, invoked the name of Damian Daniels, a combat veteran who on Aug. 25 was fatally shot by a sheriffs deputy while experiencing mental distress that prompted four calls to the Sheriffs Office in a span of 25 hours before the shooting. Say his name: Damian Daniels, Garcia said. In her remarks to commissioners, she asked commissioners to shift funding toward professionals trained in providing mental health responses because that is not what our (law enforcement) officers are trained to do. Help us heal our community, Garcia said. The budget includes $1.5 million for a pilot program, developed through a partnership with the Southwest Texas Regional Advisory Council, known as STRAC, and the Center for Health Care Services, that will send a trained mental health professional and an EMT crew instead of sheriffs deputies to 911 calls involving individuals dealing with mental health issues. By shifting about one-tenth of a cent per $100 valuation on the property tax rate from debt service to maintenance and operation, the county projects a $1.5 million savings that will fund 19 of the deputy constable positions previously proposed for elimination. For fiscal 2021, commissioners approved the existing tax rate of 30.1 cents per $100 valuation. Commissioner Tommy Calvert did not support the budget, which was approved in a 4-1 vote. He said he opposed any elimination of deputy constables who provide the most community oriented law enforcement that we have in the four precincts. Calvert said it was just horrible that the scramble over limited resources in a budget process with an uncertain economic future has been so divisive. I am saddened that were pitted so against each other, he said. On ExpressNews.com: County takes steps to improve 911 mental health responses Commissioner Kevin Wolff said the cuts in constable staffing should not be viewed as a reaction to the defund the police movement, but a reality of a tough budget cycle and the fact that the deputies workload is not what it used to be. Dont mix this up, and dont make it an us-them piece, he said. Cut out all the noise. Were making real financial decisions that are tough to make, and it does affect people. Although property valuations are up 6 percent overall this year, compared with 2019, officials are worried about homeowners ability to pay residential property taxes in a timely manner. County Judge Wolff said hes also concerned about future valuation of downtown hotels and other commercial properties, and the impact of potential devaluations next year. We are going to have some revenue losses, Judge Wolff said. Scott Huddleston covers Bexar County government and the Alamo for the San Antonio Express-News. To read more from Scott, become a subscriber. shuddleston@express-news.net | Twitter: @shuddlestonSA As he spoke, the R.A.N. ship Stalwart fired a 101-gun salute across Port Moresby harbor and fireworks exploded 3000 feet above the city. The Governor-General of the new nation (Sir John Guise) in a broadcast at 12.01 am said: Papua New Guinea is now independent. Port Moresby Australias 69-year rule in Papua New Guinea ended at midnight last night. First published in The Age on September 16, 1975 The Australian flag-lowering ceremony in PNG. Credit:Russell McPhedran They signaled the end of 90 years of colonial rule under British, German and Australian authorities. In a short emotional speech proclaiming independence, Sir John Guise said: The constitution of the independent State of Papua New Guinea, under which all power rests with the people, is now in effect. We have at this point in time broken with our colonial past. Let us unit with the Almighty Gods guidance and help in working together for the future as a strong and free country. Russian actor Efremov changes defense lawyer at appeal stage RAPSI, Eugeny Varlamov 18:45 15/09/2020 MOSCOW, September 15 (RAPSI) Lawyer Roman Filippov will act as a defense lawyer for actor Mikhail Efremov sentenced to 8 years behind bars for a drunken fatal road traffic accident in an appeals instance, RAPSI was told Tuesday in the Russian Lawyers Company. According to the company, Filippov has more than a 15-year work experience in the sphere of criminal and civil law. Efremov waived the services of attorney Elman Pashayev because he was dissatisfied with his sentence, the public oversight commissions member Eva Merkacheva told RAPSI earlier. Efremov is now in a Moscow detention center. On September 8, the actor received 8 years in penal colony for and was banned Efremov from driving for three years. The court returned him his broken Jeep. The court found that victim Sergey Zakharov was killed in the accident due to the defendant's driving behaviour. When delivering sentence Judge Elena Abramova said Efremov needed no compulsory psychiatric care. The defendant accepted the danger of his actions and did not suffer serious mental diseases, the judge stated. However, the court considered his guilty plea during the pretrial investigation and his three minor children as mitigating circumstances. On September 3, a prosecutor demanded an 11-year imprisonment for Efremov and driving ban for 3 years. That day, the court heard the parties arguments. Before the beginning Efremov made a plea of guilty. Earlier, he refused to admit his guilt and said he remembered nothing. On the evening of June 8, Efremov driving his car crossed into the oncoming lane in central Moscow and collided with a delivery service vehicle. He was arrested on the scene. Alcohol and drugs were reportedly found in his blood. Victim Sergey Zakharov was taken to hospital where he died early in the morning of June 9. On June 9, Moscows Tagansky District Court ordered Efremov to be put under house arrest; the measure is still in force. In particular, he was banned from communicating with other case parties, using mobile phone and Internet. Pfizer Inc said participants developed mild-to-moderate side effects in the New York-based drug company's experimental coronavirus vaccine late-stage trial. Fatigue was the most commonly reported symptom data as of August 27, executives said on an investor conference call on Tuesday. Because the study is randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled - the gold-standard of clinical trials - researchers do not know if the subject received the experimental jab or a placebo. An independent data monitoring committee could recommend pausing the study at any time, but has not done so to date, the company said. However, no major safety issues - such as side effects resulting in hospitalization - have been reported unlike a participant in the Oxford University trial that was recently paused in the US Pfizer Inc says participants have shown mild to moderate side effects from either its experiment coronavirus vaccine or a placebo with the fatigue being the most common sign. Pictured: The first patient enrolled in Pfizer's coronavirus vaccine clinical trial at the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore, receives an injection, May 2020 No major side effects, such as adverse reactions that require hospitalization, have been reported. Pictured: Pfizer headquarters in New York City, July 2019 Over 12,000 study participants had received a second dose of the vaccine, Pfizer executives said on the conference call. After the second dose, 36 percent of the age 18-to-64 group and 27 percent of the age 65-to-84 group reported fatigue. The next most commonly reported symptoms were headache, muscle pain, chills and joint pain, respectively. '[Researchers] would notify us if they had any safety concerns and have not done that to date,' Dr Kathrin Jansen, Pfizer's head of vaccine research, said on the call. The company has enrolled more than 29,000 people in its 44,000-volunteer trial to test the experimental COVID-19 vaccine it is developing with German partner BioNTech. Pfizer had said the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will consider issuing an emergency use authorization of a vaccine if it sees strong enough safety and efficacy data in a subset of the trial volunteers. This means the FDA is only requiring data on 6,000 volunteers - 3,000 vaccinated and 3,000 given a placebo, the executives said. Pfizer added it is continuously scrutinizing the safety and tolerability of the vaccine in its study. 'What we are doing in terms of releasing data is very unusual,' CEO Albert Bourla said, according to Bloomberg News. 'It is a must to release this data.' The comments come after the COVID-19 vaccine trials of rival AstraZeneca Plc were put on hold worldwide last week after a severe side effect was reported in a volunteer in Britain. The British participant was rushed to the hospital after suffering a serious reaction that triggered spinal cord inflammation. AstraZeneca's trials resumed in the UK and Brazil on Monday following the green light from British regulators, but remain on hold in the US. The vaccine candidate from Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech uses part of the pathogen's genetic code called messenger RNA, or mRNa. It trains the body to recognize the coronavirus, which will send out an immune response if a person becomes infected. In July, the company released data from its early-stage trial, involving 45 people who received either a low, medium or high dose of the vaccine in two shots or a placebo. Volunteers given either the low or medium dose generated not just antibodies against the virus but specifically neutralizing antibodies, meaning they stop the virus from infecting human cells. Results showed the levels of neutralizing antibodies were between 1.8 and 2.8 times greater than those seen in recovered patients. Pfizer Inc says it could have results from its late-stage coronavirus vaccine trial available as early as October and - if data shows the jab is safe and effective - it will submit an application for approval immediately. Big number: 186,094, the number of condo units constructed in Toronto between 2002 and 2018, according to a report by city halls planning division. If Toronto had an inclusionary zoning policy mandating developers set aside a percentage of all units for affordable housing, the city could have thousands more affordable homes. When news broke that a condo development application for Bathurst and College could spell the end or at least the relocation of the classic Toronto dive bar Sneaky Dees, the reaction across social media and with the nacho enthusiasts I talked to was almost universal. It went something like this: Ugh. More condos. And I get it. I get the ugh. I get the exasperated sighs over seeing spots like Sneaky Dees, Crews & Tangos and the shops of Little Jamaica threatened to make way for condos with advertising extolling the virtues of spending almost a million bucks for a shoebox one-bedroom-plus-den, where the den is in fact a slight indentation in a hallway. But even though I understand it, I am not among the anti-condo camp. I believe, stubbornly, that escalating housing costs relate to high demand, and one of the ways you address demand is by offering more supply. Its also true that people opting for more dense housing in walkable neighbourhoods really move the needle in the fight against climate change. Condos can be good. The problem is that Toronto has spent the last two decades generally building bad condos. First, theyre not even a little bit affordable. Toronto has so far not been able to use policy to tie its condo boom to growth in affordable housing. An inclusionary zoning policy, as is used in places like New York City and Vancouver, requires developers to set aside a percentage of units of new condo projects for affordable housing. (In Vancouver, its 20 per cent.) Toronto council made repeated requests to Queens Park over the last decade to develop such a policy and give Toronto the power to use inclusionary zoning, but the provincial Liberals waited until the end of their tenure to take action. Premier Doug Fords government then scaled back the policy, restricting inclusionary zoning mostly to areas around transit stations. Its a huge missed opportunity. Between 2002 and 2018, 186,094 condo units were added in Toronto, according to city halls planning division. If just 10 per cent of those had been set aside for affordable housing, Toronto would have more than 18,000 extra affordable homes. That wouldnt be a substitute for other government programs designed to create affordable housing, but at least with inclusionary zoning Torontos condo boom would have offered something for people who dont have a six-figure salary or a trust fund. Then theres the problem of displaced businesses. There is no functional reason why cool bars and indie shops shouldnt be able to find space in new condo buildings, but too many of Torontos new condos have ended up instead with a collectors set of dull retail spaces: a dental clinic, a fast food restaurant, a real estate office. Ive been given a variety of reasons over the years for why this is. (Its been a problem since long before the pandemic.) Some business owners tell me its about careless designs for ground floor retail spaces, which dont really accommodate anything beyond simple offices or shops. Others suggest the market creates incentives to hold units vacant sometimes for years until a big tenant comes along and can sign a long-term lease. Whatever the reason, cool retail strips are being replaced with lifeless ones. There have been some condo projects that have shown it can be done better. A building at the corner of Dundas Street East and Carlaw Avenue came with a new theatre, for example. And a new waterfront building is set to have a city-run child care centre in its base. These are things that new condos can offer to established residents to make neighbourhoods better. Some people will never be happy to hear about a new condo project, but a policy to include affordable housing and a strategy to get local businesses or services into retail spaces would go a long way toward addressing the tendency to say ugh at every new proposal. There must be a bigger push to make condos a net benefit for the neighbourhoods theyre moving into. As it is, I worry that the legacy of Torontos condo boom wont be what was built, but what was lost. Delhi Assemblys main hall has been thoroughly sanitised and those who came in contact with the two COVID-19 positive legislators have been asked to take preventive measures, officials said on Tuesday. Two AAP MLAs, who tested negative for COVID-19 when they underwent the mandatory rapid antigen test on Monday ahead of the one-day session, attended the proceedings but later left the House after reports of their previous RT-PCR test came positive in the evening, they said. The Assembly hall has been sanitised thoroughly. All the members and officers who came into contact with MLAs Vishesh Ravi and Parmila Tokas have been advised to take adequate precautionary measures," a senior official of the Delhi Assembly secretariat said. Besides Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his cabinet colleagues, the session was also attended by ruling AAP and opposition BJP MLAs. On a lighter note, Ravi, who is AAP MLA from Karol Bagh constituency and had tested positive for the virus previously, said coronavirus seems to be in no mood to leave him alone. Perhaps Corona is in no mood to stop following me. I had undergone RT-PCR test at the Assembly before the session on September 11 and it came positive on September 14. People say its re-infection. Feel fine and so far there are no such symptoms. Have quarantined myself at home," Ravi tweeted in Hindi. Earlier in May, Ravi and his brother had tested COVID-19 positive. It was mandatory for all legislators to undergo COVID-19 test in order to attend the House proceedings on Monday. A total of 180 people underwent COVID-19 test at the coronavirus testing facility set up in the assembly premises on Monday. Nine people including an AAP MLA and staff members were found positive, following which the legislator did not attend the proceedings. However, the rapid antigen test report of Ravi and Tokas came negative and they attended the proceedings of the House for some time. When their RT-PCR test report came positive in the evening, they left the House. Before this, 94 individuals, including 29 MLAs underwent RT-PCR test on Friday and no one was found positive for coronavirus, officials said. Various safety measures were put in place for the one-day session, including setting up of a coronavirus testing facility at the assembly for the staff and legislators before the session, and altered seating arrangements to maintain social distancing norm. Egypt is stepping up moves to encourage electronic payments by vendors and the general public as part of its digital transformation The Central Bank of Egypt (CBE) and Federation of Egyptian Banks (FEB) have launched a joint campaign to raise awareness about the merits of electronic payments that aims to increase public interaction with points of sale (POS) and increase the use of quick-response codes (QR codes) and mobile wallets to facilitate daily transactions. A statement by the FEB said vendors could acquire POS for free for a limited time, as well as QR codes. It said they could conduct free maintenance of the system through Banque Misr, the National Bank of Egypt, the Commercial International Bank, the African-Arab International Bank, Banque du Caire, the Bank of Alexandria and the Qatar National Bank. The campaign targets people across the social and economic spectrum nationwide. It aims to promote electronic payments in a straightforward way as part of government plans to decrease the dependence on cash, said Mohamed Al-Etrebi, chairman of the FEB and president of Banque Misr. The CBE has ambitious plans to promote electronic payments, kickstarting an initiative to distribute 100,000 POS countrywide by December 2020. The CBE would bear the cost of the machines, Al-Etrebi added. Banks participating in the campaign are making facilities available to vendors to use POS and QR codes to provide the best financial services possible in the light of peoples preferences to pay electronically, he said. FEB statistics show that Egypts banks had issued 17.3 million debit cards, 16.2 million prepaid cards, and 3.3 million credit cards by the end of March, and there are 88.3 million POS and 13.3 million ATMs nationwide. In May, the CBE launched a campaign to promote electronic payments and decrease the dependence on cash as part of preventive measures against the spread of the coronavirus. The Ministry of Finance is also seeking better financial inclusion by making financial and banking services available to the public electronically and decreasing the dependence on cash. This would reduce fraud and theft, increase the use of mobile wallets, and promote services online, said Mohamed Ibrahim, head of the automation unit at the ministry. The initiative serves vendors who wish to use POS for free, since the system connects to a vendors account directly and without added fees, he said. He added that merchants who keep up with the electronic-payments system will find it easier to gain clients. The government has already been moving towards electronic payments, and most government employees and pensioners cash their monthly incomes through ATMs, Ibrahim said. After the approval of the regulations on non-cash payments, the government offered a six-month grace period for the introduction of non-cash payments. The same grace period has been provided to government authorities and private-sector companies so that they can introduce electronic payments to their employees without added fees. A law passed by parliament last year obliges government and private-sector bodies to pay their financial dues and insurance subscriptions electronically and aims at the gradual transformation of all purchases into electronic payments in a bid to reduce cash transactions. The law obliges government bodies and companies whose capital is entirely or mostly owned by the state to pay service-providers and contractors not on the regular payroll electronically if their fees exceed LE5,000, said Hamdi Hosni, head of projects at the electronic-payments unit of the Ministry of Finance. The regulations allow government bodies to give incentives to people who pay electronically, including discounts of five per cent. The Egyptian Federation of Chambers of Commerce is drawing up a list of vendors that do not pay electronically, said Ibrahim Al-Arabi, head of the federation, estimating these to add up to some five million. The federation is conducting studies with electronic-payments companies to sign protocols with all of them in order not to limit transactions to only selected companies, he said, adding that it intended to generalise the discounts available to vendors. In addition to the protocols, courses will be launched in cooperation with the Chamber of the Digital Economy to train vendors to use electronic payments and raise public awareness about the countrys digital transformation. *A version of this article appears in print in the 17 September, 2020 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly Search Keywords: Short link: If it wasnt for the coronavirus pandemic, Winnipeg pastor Greg Wiens would be in Washington, D.C., this week. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 14/9/2020 (493 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. If it wasnt for the coronavirus pandemic, Winnipeg pastor Greg Wiens would be in Washington, D.C., this week. On Thursday, Global Vision 2020 the organization he works for part-time as faith-based outreach co-ordinator will receive a Patents for Humanity award from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Instead, Wiens will be watching a livestream from home as the organization is honoured for the innovative way it is helping people in the developing world perform eye tests and obtain inexpensive prescription eyeglasses. Global Vision 2020 is one of six organizations being honoured, as the Patent Office recognizes innovators "who use game-changing technology to meet global humanitarian challenges." In its announcement, the Patent Office noted the organizations USee Vision Kit "provides prescription eyeglasses in a cost-effective way to hundreds of people who normally lack access to vision care, particularly in remote parts of the world." "Its quite an honour," said Wiens, 45, who pastors the Westwood Community Church in Winnipeg, part of the Canadian Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches. He gives full credit to founder and executive director Kevin White, who invented the self-serve kit. SUPPLIED Wiens (far right) says over 50,000 people have received glasses through the program. "Its uses the same concept as binoculars," said Wiens, explaining how it works. "Users turn a dial until they can clearly see the eye chart. They select their own prescription." Once the prescription is known, the user is matched with a pair of lenses in an inexpensive frame. "Because of the simplicity, we can serve hundreds of people a day," he said, noting to date more than 50,000 people have received glasses. Each pair costs about US$5. For Wiens, the number of people served is just a drop in the bucket. "Worldwide, two-and-half-billion people need glasses but cant afford them," he said. "Its one of the worlds largest unmet global disabilities." How Wiens became involved with the organization is a story in itself. He became interested after reading an article in National Geographic in 2008, about how White was helping people in the developing world get affordable eyeglasses. "I just knew I needed to contact him," Wiens said, acknowledging it was a crazy idea. "It just wouldnt let me go," he said. "I dreamed about it three nights in a row. I heard the voice of God. He told me I needed to get involved to help people see better." JOHN WOODS / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Wiens with the Global Vision 2020 eyeglass kit which will receive a Patent for Humanity Award from the U.S. Patent and Trademark office. He connected with White, a retired U.S. Marine who became involved in the cause in 2005, when he was head of humanitarian and civic assistance operations in Africa and Eastern Europe for the U.S. military. In that capacity, White saw the distribution of used eyeglasses "and was not impressed with the efficiency. No one received 20/20 in both eyes, and often people would pick the frame they liked (versus) the prescription they needed. I thought we could do better than that." When Wiens called him, "I thought here is a man on a mission," said White, who lives in Maryland. "I told myself I will help him in every way I can because he wants to help me solve this global problem." White liked Wiens idea of involving church groups. "Faith-based groups are all about service to others, and outreach to others," said White. "Those outreaches often go to places where people have limited, or no access to many of the things we take for granted such as eyeglasses. Who better to partner with?" Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. So far, Wiens has trained people from 28 organizations and churches to use the kit, including from Mennonite, Pentecostal, Lutheran, Roman Catholic, and Anglican. Glasses and other materials are stored at the Mennonite Brethren Ministry Centre in Winnipeg. Wiens ultimate goal is to see the kits be used to help people in the developing world create self-sustaining businesses. "I dont want to be a 'white saviour,' someone who comes and then leaves," he said. "I want to train local people so they can start businesses, earn income, and take care of their own families." While pleased about the award, what means more to Wiens are all the people impacted. "When you see someone who can see clearly for first time, you just weep over it," he said. "It changes everything about their lives." faith@freepress.mb.ca Police at the scene of a stabbing incident on the Michael Ferguson Roundabout on September 14th 2020 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) A man was chased and attacked with a machete in west Belfast as part of a dispute over getting to see a child, a court was told on Tuesday. Martin Ward allegedly took the blade and inflicted wounds on the victim when a teenage accomplice had refused to "cut him to bits". Ward, 46, of Glasvey Close in the Dunmurry area, is charged with attempted murder over the incident in the middle of a roundabout on Monday afternoon. He also faces a further count of possessing an offensive weapon in a public place. The defendant was arrested after police were called to the scene on the Stewartstown Road. Belfast Magistrates' Court was told Ward's daughter and the injured party's son have a child together. Police said a dispute had developed between them over contact with the child. Opposing bail, an officer alleged the victim was punched after being followed in his vehicle to the Michael Ferguson roundabout. It was claimed that Ward then told a 17-year-old youth with him to "get the machete from the car and cut him to bits". When his instructions were ignored the defendant allegedly retrieved the blade himself and chased the other man. He swung it at him up to three times, striking him on the head and the back, the court was told. Ward's solicitor, Adrian Harvey, confirmed his client had admitted pursuing the victim with the weapon, but never intended to kill him. "When he hit him with the weapon he saw the blood and stopped," Mr Harvey said. "He also apologised profusely during police interviews." District Judge Fiona Bagnall refused bail, however, due to the risk of further offences. Expressing concerns about the alleged attack carried out in broad daylight, she remanded Ward in custody to appear in court again next month. Meanwhile, a A 17-year-old male also detained in connection with the incident has been released on bail pending further police enquiries. On Sunday, Lancaster, Pennsylvania police responded with deadly force to a domestic disturbance call around 4:15 p.m. Rulennis Munoz had called the police on her brother, 27-year-old Ricardo Munoz, to receive help because the latter was incoherent and misbehaving. Munoz suffered from bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. Rulennis told Lancaster Online, He had an episode. He was just incoherent and misbehaving. According to statements and body-cam video released by the Lancaster Bureau of Police, an officer approached Munozs row house and, after having spoken briefly to Munozs sister, Ricardo Munoz, clearly disoriented, rushed out of the door brandishing a kitchen knife, chasing the officer down the street, screaming obscenities. The officer responded with deadly force, shooting Munoz multiple times. The mentally ill man instantly dropped to the ground dead. Munoz was awaiting trial for stabbing several people after he had been attacked in an altercation. In that case, when police had arrived at the scene, he refused to drop his knife and was tased, a supposedly non-lethal form of violence that sometimes results in death. Within hours of the killing, several hundred multi-racial and multi-ethnic peaceful protesters responded to the use of deadly force in the city, demanding answers and the end to police violence. The demonstration continued into the early morning hours, with right-wing pro-police militia members arriving in army fatigues to defend the police and confront protesters. Around 3 a.m. Monday, protesters linked arms in a line on an access ramp leading to the west side of the police station. Police responded by blanketing the protesters with tear gas, pepper spray, and other chemical munitions. Having been provoked, a few protesters threw bricks at the station and damaged police vehicles, after which time police moved in with brute force, arresting eight protesters and charging them with crimes such as vandalism, rioting, failure to disperse, and other charges. Six of the eight had their bail set at an excessive $1 million dollars. Five more protesters were arrested by police Monday. The killing of Munoz comes in the wake of the brutal murder of George Floyd, which has sparked months of unprecedented nationwide and international protests against police killings. Protests have also been fueled by the recently released video of a killing of a mentally ill man in Rochester, New York on March 23. The highly disturbing video shows that police tortured Daniel Prude, a 41-year-old black man, by placing a hood over his head, handcuffing him naked, and smashing his head repeatedly against the pavement. The medical examiner ruled it a homicide by asphyxiation. The killing of mentally ill individuals by police happens with regularity throughout the United States and other countries. In Australia, for example, Todd McKenzie, a 40-year-old man diagnosed with schizophrenia was gunned down by police last month. Linden Cameron, a 13-year-old with Aspergers syndrome was left in critical condition after being shot multiple times by police in Salt Lake City, Utah earlier this month. Lancasters Democratic Mayor, Danene Sorace, held a press conference on Monday, in which she detailed the abysmal social conditions confronting the citys working class. One-third to one-half of the city lives below the poverty line, depending on metrics, while half of renters pay more than 30 percent of their income on housing costs such as rent. Human and mental health departments have been cut, and Pennsylvania currently has a $5 billion state budget deficit. Workers and the poor are faced with decades of stagnant wages and rising housing costs. Sorace of course did not mention that it is her party, along with the Republicans, which bears responsibility for overseeing and enforcing the dramatic decline in living standards for the working class in communities like Lancaster over many decades. The criminal response of the Trump administration to the pandemic will only worsen the horrific social conditions faced by working people. Tens of millions are still unemployed and every month workers are losing their jobs with no relief coming. Millions have lost their health insurance, limiting their ability to gain access to health care. In fact, the government is embarking on a strategy of herd immunity that will result in more deaths. Echoing Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden, Sorace sought to blacken the protesters as violent criminals, claiming there is no place for this in the community, and refused to reproach the police department for firing tear gas on peaceful protesters. Presenting police violence in racial terms, Sorace said black and brown communities are being the most directly impacted by the COVID-19 crisis and unemployment, while offering reformist nostrums. Such promises will not do anything to minimize or eliminate police violence. As usual, Democratic politicians present police killings in racial terms and as the problem of individual bad officers. Police killings continue unabated, on track to once again hit the average of 1,000 victims per year, the majority of whom are working class or poor. While Native Americans and blacks are disproportionately killed compared to whites, who make up the largest share, the uniting factor of police brutality victims is that they are working class and poor. The actors Blake Lee and Ben Lewis will helm the first LGBTQ-themed holiday movie for the Lifetime network. The two, who are married to each other in real life, will be able to tap into their natural romantic chemistry for the The Christmas Setup. The movie will also be written and directed by members of the LGBTQ community, according to TV Line. Make strides: Blake Lee (L) and his husband Ben Lewis were announced Monday as the stars of Lifetime's first LGBTQ-themed holiday film, The Christmas Setup; pictured in April 2019 Lewis will star as Hugo, a New Yorkbased lawyer who travels for the holidays back to his hometown of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, with his best friend Madelyn (played by GLOW's Ellen Wong). Hugo's mother Kate (The Nanny's Fran Drescher) is conveniently in charge of the city's Christmas celebrations. Kate is looking to set her openly gay son up, so she arranges a rendezvous with his high school friend Patric (Lee), on whom he had a crush years earlier. Patrick, who achieved success on the West Coast in Silicon Valley, starts to get close to his old friend, but Hugo's holiday is interrupted by a job offer that would require him to upend his life and move to London. Buddies: Lewis stars as Hugo, a New York lawyer who travels home to Milwaukee with his friend Madelyn (GLOW's Ellen Wong) for the holidays; pictured in August 2019 Family Affair: Hugo's mother Kate (Fran Drescher) is in charge of the city's Christmas festivities, and she tries to match her son up with his old high school friend Patrick (Lee); shown in January The Christmas film will be written by Michael J. Murray and directed by Pat Mills. Lifetime is attempting to expand its holiday representation with another season film, A Sugar & Spice Holiday, which will star Asian leads. Jacky Lai and Tony Giroux will star in that film, with the respected character actor Tzi Ma coming in following his well-received role in the live-action remake of Mulan. Both The Christmas Setup and A Sugar & Spice Holiday will be part of Lifetimes Its a Wonderful Lifetime slate of holiday films, which will include 30 different offerings. Rising star: Lewis is best known for playing William Clayton, an openly gay character, in the final two season of The CW's Arrow series; shown in August 2019 in Beverly Hills Prior to leading The Christmas Setup, Lewis appeared as William Clayton in the final two season of The CW's Arrow series. After he requested that his character be written as gay, the character came out on the series. He was also featured on the Canadian high school drama Degrassi: The Next Generation, and he played Other Scott in Edgar Wright's Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World. Lee has mostly appeared in smaller roles, though he had a series regular part in the one-season show The Wisdom Of The Crowd, which was canceled shortly after its star Jeremy Piven was accused of sexual harrassment. He was also a regular on the short-lived series Mixology and appeared in multiple episodes of Parks And Recreation. Tajik President Rahmon, Four Other Men Registered As Presidential Candidates By RFE/RL's Tajik Service September 14, 2020 DUSHANBE -- Tajikistan's long-serving President Emomali Rahmon and four other men have been registered as candidates for a presidential election scheduled for October 11. The Central Election Commission of the Central Asian nation said on September 14 that it had registered as candidates Rustam Latifzoda of the Agrarian Party; Abduhalim Ghafforov of the Socialist Party; Miroj Abdulloev of the Communist Party; Rustam Rahmatzoda of the Party of Economic Reforms; and Rahmon, who is the leader of the People's Democratic Party. The secretary of the Central Election Commission, Navruz Samadzoda, told RFE/RL that a decision on the possible registration of a sixth candidate, the leader of the Democratic Party, Saidjafar Usmonzoda, will be made later in the day. The deadline for filing documents for the registration of presidential candidates was September 11. Many in Tajikistan expect that the incumbent Rahmon, who was nominated by his party, the Federation of Independent Trade Unions, and the Union of Tajikistan's Youth will be announced as the winner again, saying that the other candidates were registered just to present the facade that the election has legitimate competition. The campaign will kick off on September 15 after all registered candidates receive official documents confirming their participation. The only opposition party functioning inside Tajikistan, the Social Democratic Party, said earlier that it will boycott the poll. There has been speculation that Rahmon, who has been president since 1992, would bow out to clear the way for his son, Dushanbe Mayor Rustam Emomali, to run for the presidency. In Tajikistan's last presidential election, in 2013, Rahmon was reelected by a landslide, with 84 percent of the vote. None of the five presidential elections won by Rahmon has been deemed free and fair by Western election observers. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/tajik-president -rahmon-four-other-men-registered-as- presidential-candidates/30837752.html Copyright (c) 2020. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Compared to Alpha 7S III, Alpha 7C features a 24-megapixel sensor, a fully articulating screen, the same autofocus algorithm as Alpha 7S III, and a body shape that is similar to the A6600 with the EVF on the corner. The launch of the new camera provides a more affordable and compact option of full-frame mirrorless camera. SmallRig Cage for Sony Alpha 7C To maximize the mounting options, the cage can be seamlessly integrated to the camera and features multiple 1/4"-16, 3/8"-20, ARRI thresholds and cold shoe, which enable filmmakers to set the whole rig up within the compact body of the cage. With built-in Arca-Swiss quick release system, the cage allows fast switch between tripod shooting, handheld shooting and gimbal shooting. The cage secures the camera via a 1/4"-20 screw on the bottom and a m2.5 screw on the right side to further prevent twisting. Additionally, the lightweight and ergonomic design is able to boost the grip experience to the greatest extend. SmallRig is constantly exploring possibilities to boost the shooting efficiency with feasible and premium accessory solutions, and all kinds of feedback and reviews of Sony Alpha 7C are welcomed. SmallRig expects to develop the best co-creation platform together with worldwide content creators. Feel free to check out SmallRig products on the websites: Official Website: www.smallrig.com Amazon: www.amazon.com/smallrig (US) https://www.amazon.de/smallrig (Germany) Ebay: www.ebaystores.com/smallrig20092018 For Resellers: www.smallrigreseller.com About SmallRig Founded in 2012, SmallRig is an innovation-driven manufacturer that designs and builds premium camera rigs and accessories for all kinds of cameras. Our sales network is spreading to over 200 countries and regions while our products are well-supported by over 500k filmmakers and photographers worldwide. Media Contact: Joy Liu [email protected] +86 15502187487 SOURCE SmallRig US president Donald Trump has presided over the historic signing of diplomatic agreements between two Gulf states and Israel on Tuesday, a move that could dramatically alter the political landscape of the Middle East. Israels prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Emirati and Bahraini foreign ministers attended the ceremony at the White House, where they sealed the divisive Abraham Accords in front of more than 700 guests. Although hailed by Mr Trump as peace agreements, they do not end active wars. Instead, they formalise normalisation between the UAE, Bahrain and Israel. Until recently Israel was, in the Arab world, recognised by only Jordan and Egypt because of regional stances on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Both deals in the accords have been vehemently rejected by the Palestinians as a stab in the back and betrayal. What are the details of the agreements? In short, we do not know. The wording of both deals has been kept secret due to the sensitivity of the content. However, this afternoon Emirati officials affirmed it will make reference to a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian crisis. One of the toughest sticking points concerns whether Israel will, in exchange for diplomatic relations, agree to halt its plans to imminently and unilaterally annex occupied Palestinian territory, which is illegal under international law and seen as a major obstacle to peace. Mr Netanyahu is under intense pressure from his right-wing and pro-settler base for this stipulation to be removed. Some details were, however, revealed in the joint statements initially released in August and then September. The announcement on 31 August between Israel, UAE and the US said that the deal would indeed lead to the suspension of Israeli plans to annex parts of the West Bank. In exchange the UAE would abolish a 40-year boycott law of Israel, allowing UAE companies to trade directly with the country. The same statement confirmed the opening of phone lines, flights and tourism links between the two countries, as well as collaboration on Covid-19 research, health, space, foreign policy and intelligence. The joint statement between Bahrain and Israel, however, offered scant information and did not mention the precondition of Israel suspending its annexation programme. Why now? It is no secret that both the UAE and Bahrain have been creeping towards normalisation with Israel over the last few years, as the axis of power and influence in the region has shifted. Rather than the 70-year-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the main concern for many Gulf nations centres on the regional role played by Iran, which is also Israels number one enemy. For the UAE, still embroiled in a ruinous five-year war against Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen, intelligence sharing and military cooperation with Israel would be strategic. Meanwhile, Bahrains Sunni rulers have long accused its Shia majority population engaged in years of anti-government protests as being stirred up and even led by Iran. Another long-term foe of Israel is the Hamas militant group that runs Gaza, and is an offshoot of the Muslim Brotherhood, one of the main enemies of the UAE. And so, in 2015 Israel opened a diplomatic office in Abu Dhabi tied to the International Renewable Energy Agency. Three years later Israeli ministers visited the Emirati capital and at the same time Israeli athletes began participating in competitions held there. US-Israeli delegation including Jared Kushner travel from Tel Aviv to Abu Dhabi to mark the normalisation of ties in August (AFP/Getty) Meanwhile Bahrain hosted the Peace to Prosperity conference last June where the US unfurled the economic segment of its Middle East peace plan, which for the first time saw Israeli journalists and businessmen permitted to enter the capital Manama. In Israel, the timing is fortuitous for Mr Netanyahu, who only narrowly kept his position as prime minister after forging a choppy alliance with his election rival in April following three inconclusive votes in less than a year. In January he was formally indicted on corruption charges across three trials. More recently he has been confronted with protests against his handling of the coronavirus. Signing deals with two Gulf states is a major diplomatic win for him at a tricky time. Donald Trump, meanwhile, is facing re-election in November amid mounting anger over his handling of the pandemic that has ravaged the US economy. He has also been criticised for his reaction to mass unrest, police brutality and most recently huge wildfires. Mr Trumps official peace plan for the region was embarrassingly rejected by the Palestinian leadership that cut ties with Washington. These two fresh agreements have allowed Mr Trump to point to his other diplomatic work in the Middle East. What do all sides hope to gain? One of the biggest advantages for the UAE, a country playing a growing political and military role in the region, is the promise of advanced US weapons, specifically warplanes. Although US officials have denied the link, Washington has been working on an arms sale which could reportedly see Abu Dhabi purchase long-sought F-35 stealth fighter jets, Reaper drones and EA-18G Growler planes. This is despite resistance from Israel, concerned it may lose its US-protected qualitative military edge in the region. Bahrain will also likely gain greater access to purchases of US air defence systems, while both states will reap the benefits of trading openly with Israel, which is home to one of the worlds most advanced tech sectors. For Israel, isolated in the region because of its ongoing occupation of Palestinian land, these deals will not only allow it to trade with the UAE and Bahrain but the agreements will likely open the door for more of the Gulf to follow suit. What do the Palestinians think? The fractured Palestinian leadership is united in its condemnation of the agreements with both the Palestinian Authority, anchored in the West Bank, and Hamas in Gaza, calling it a stab in the back. Most recently the Palestine Liberation Organisation called Bahrains decision to follow suit a betrayal of Jerusalem, Al-Aqsa and the Palestinian cause, describing it as extremely dangerous. Demonstrators in Gaza City on 15 September burn pictures depicting Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan, Bahrains King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa, Donald Trump, and Benjamin Netanyahu, during a protest against the deals (AFP/Getty) The deals are supposedly rooted in the Saudi Arabia-led Arab Peace Initiative, which stated that Israel would only win full recognition from the Arab world if it resolved the conflict with the Palestinians and granted them the right to statehood. However, the Palestinians, and several experts, argue that Israel has promised nothing tangible in exchange for normalisation, and so has been effectively rewarded for its actions, including threatening to break international law with annexation. Certainly, Emirati ministers told The Independent that Israel halting annexation was not a condition for the agreement. Annexation or a two-state solution to the crisis, meanwhile, is not mentioned in the joint statements between Bahrain, UAE and the US. What does the rest of the region think and what will this mean in the future? While the deal has been largely welcomed within Israel and the UAE there has been some criticism from Israeli settlers and far right voters, who fear that Israel will halt its plans to annex swathes of the West Bank including major settlements locks. There has also been disapproval from within Bahrains Shia population who have argued the move does not bring peace to Palestinians still living under occupation. It has also been criticised by Iran, Iran-backed rebels the Houthis, and Turkey although Ankara formally recognises Israel. Officials in Kuwait, which had been among the states thought to follow the UAEs and Bahrains lead, told local media that it would be the last to normalise relations with Israel. Saudi Arabia has remained noticeably silent. That said experts speculate that Bahrain would not have been able to push ahead with this deal without the tacit approval from Riyadh, because of the close ties and dependence Bahrain has on its larger neighbour. Saudi Arabia also permitted the first direct flight between Tel Aviv and Abu Dhabi to fly over its airspace, prompting speculation it could consider a move towards Israel. Egypt and Jordan, who have keystone peace deals with Israel, have welcomed the move, as has Oman, which hosted Mr Netanyahu in 2018 and is among the states pitted to normalise ties with Israel next. Otherwise, there is feverish speculation Morocco and Sudan may also follow suit. The South China Sea accounts for more than 10% of the global fish catch and surrounding states have taken increasingly extreme measures to ensure they obtain their share. Stocks have declined drastically amid overfishing and the destruction of coral reefs, to the point that they may be on the verge of collapse, according to some studies. By Express News Service NEW DELHI: Larsen & Toubro on Monday said that it has topped the LinkedIn charts in terms of most the followed Indian conglomerate, leaving behind Reliance Industries, Aditya Birla Group, Tata Group and Adani Group. L&T with its 20 lakh and five thousand plus followers, is the top most followed conglomerate, with Reliance Industries followed the second most at over 18 lakh, 98 thousand followers, over 15 lakhs 2 thousand followers for Aditya Birla Group, 4 lakh 83 thousand plus for Tata Group, over 3 lakh 41 thousand followers for Adani Group and over One lakh 58 thousand followers for Godrej Group, Linkedin data showed as on September 7. Yuvraj Mehta, Head, Corporate Brand Management & Communications at Larsen & Toubro said: We have grown this follower base through consistent and targeted messaging. The content strategy for a B2B conglomerate like L&T needs to be highly focused and different from a typical FMCG or a consumer products brand play book. The Osun State Police Command, on Monday, confirmed the arrest and arraignment of a popular Nigerian pornstar, Tblakhoc, for allegedly shooting an adult movie in the Osun Osogbo grove. The Osun Osogbo Sacred Grove, located on the outskirts of the Osun State capital, is a UNESCO World Heritage site recognised for its cultural value and significance. Tblackhoc was arrested alongside four Nigerians and a Cameroonian for the alleged offence, which also included sharing the controversial video on social media. The accused persons are Ladiva Aije, 22; Juliet Semion, 24; Ahmed Olasunkanmi, 23; Adeniran Eritosin, 29; and Tunde Jimoh, 27. According to the Osun police public relations officer, Folashade Odoro, Tblackhoc real name, Tobiloba Isaac Jolaoso, recorded the x-rated film on July 25, and syndicated it on several porn sites. Speaking with PREMIUM TIMES on Monday, Ms Odoro said, yes Tblakhoc was arrested for shooting a porn film in the Osun Osogbo shrine and was arraigned at a high court in Osogbo today. She also said he was arrested following a complaint filed by a member of the Traditional Religion Worshippers Association in Osun State. Awosunwon of Idinleke Temple, Osogbo, reported to the us that he sighted Tblakhoc dressed in Osun traditional attire in a sex movie with a naked young lady shared on the social media. You will have to call me back tomorrow morning for an update on the court ruling, she added. In the controversial video, Kingtblakhoc was dressed like an Osun adherent alongside a female pornstar who went completely naked as the video progressed. He was also arrested for using Ifa worshippers items in the video. Court proceedings The police prosecutor, Idoko John, told the court on Monday that the pornstar and his accomplices committed the crime in an international worship ground, which could tarnish the image of the religion. The accused persons are being prosecuted for acting in a film which appeared on the face of it to bear a pornographic picture of young girls who were half-naked and thereafter published or sent for public consumption, the charge sheet read. The prosecutor alleged that the accused persons conspired amongst themselves to act at the Osun-Osogbo traditional and religious ground and commit a misdemeanour to wit insult to religion. He stated that the offence committed by the accused persons was contrary to and punishable under 516,233,517,451 Cap 34 Vol ll Law of Osun State 2002. The six accused persons pleaded not guilty to the allegations slammed against them. One of the accused told the court that they only went to the shrine for excursion and only took pictures. The defence counsel, Tunbosun Oladipupo, applied for the bail of the accused persons in liberal terms saying that the allegations are bailable offences. The court ruled that the six accused persons be remanded in the Ilesa correctional centre. The judge adjourned the matter till September 17 for ruling on bail. Kingtblakhoc, who began his career in 2005, is Nigerias leading pornstar. He is famous on Instagram and Twitter, where he regularly showcases his works. The 27-year-old pornstar is also the owner of a popular Nigerian dating and hookup site. Nigeria has a fledgling porn industry which has been recognised alongside their American and Indian counterparts. Two men were found dead Sunday with gunshot wounds outside a vacant building in north Houston, according to police. A passerby came upon the men, who have not been identified, around 6 p.m. at the entrance of an abandoned grocery store in the 8900 block of Jensen, police said. The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine has shared the EU's assessment of the non-democratic nature of the presidential elections in Belarus and supported the introduction of EU sanctions against those guilty of falsifying the results of the presidential elections. Some 228 MPs voted for relevant decree No. 3053A on the Ukrainian parliament's statement on the situation in Belarus. "We join the European Union's assessment of the non-democratic nature of the presidential elections in Belarus and support the imposition of sanctions against those responsible for falsifying election results and using violence against protesters," the MPs said in the statement. According to the statement, the presidential elections in Belarus were held with significant violations, and the Ukrainian parliament believes that they were not liberal and fair, and took place in the absence of competition between candidates, free media, as well as reputable observers from international organizations such as the OSCE, Council of Europe. MPs condemned the use of excessive force and cruelty by the law enforcement agencies of Belarus towards the protesters. "The Verkhovna Rada demands the release of all detainees without exception and hopes that the official authorities of Belarus will not allow further escalation and tension in the Belarusian society, persecution, both for political reasons, of their opponents and citizens of Belarus who took to the streets of cities to show their disagreement with the actions official authorities," the MPs said in the statement. The Verkhovna Rada also condemned the illegal detention of Ukrainian citizens and promised that it would protect their rights and interests by all legal means. The MPs said in the statement that Ukraine supports the sovereignty of Belarus and rejects accusations of the Belarusian side of Ukraine's involvement in the destabilization of the situation in Belarus. "We consider inadmissible any intention to involve the forces of the Russian Federation and the CSTO [Collective Security Treaty Organization] to resolve the situation in Belarus. We will consider such a step a direct threat to the European security and security of Ukraine," the MPs said. The Verkhovna Rada called on the Belarusian authorities to engage in an equal dialogue with society in order to find ways of a peaceful way out of the crisis. Rajesh Asnani By Express News Service JAIPUR: The death of 11 members of a family of Pakistani Hindu migrants in Jodhpurs Dechu village on August 9 has sparked a controversy. Two days after a statement of the Pakistan Foreign Office mentioned a RAW hand behind the "mysterious" deaths, Police authorities and social activists in Jodhpur have hit back strongly at the baseless charges being made from across the border. In Pakistan, the Indian envoy was reportedly summoned on Monday to convey the serious concern of the government over the deaths. The Indian envoy was told that "despite repeated requests by the Pakistani High Commission in New Delhi for details regarding the tragic incident, the Indian government failed to share any substantive details regarding the cause and circumstances of the deaths", said a press release by the Pakistan Foreign Office. The press release also claimed that Shrimati Mukhi, daughter of the deceased head of the family who resides in Pakistan, had made statements implicating the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) in the murder of her parents and other family members, allegedly after RAW failed to convince them to spy on Pakistan and issue anti-Pakistan statements". The statement by the Pakistani side has provoked sharp reactions in Jodhpur. The head of the Jodhpur Police, which is probing this case, has said the charges are baseless. According to Jodhpur SP Rahul Bareth, There is no scope of any outside person or agency having a role in the death of these 11 people. The core issue of dispute within the family was over the custody of children. The FIR in the case was lodged by a relative of the deceased Kewal Ram. Neither in the written documents nor in a long video that was recovered is there any mention of any pressure on the family from any quarters. All that we can find out is that there was a family dispute over the custody of Kewal Rams children. Whatever tragedy happened was due to their internal family clash and there was nobody from outside involved. The SP said. Bareth further said that call details of the entire family are being probed and psychologists are analysing the mental conditions that prevailed in the family. The Pakistani allegations have also angered activists of the Seemant Lok Sangathan, a Jodhpur-based NGO fighting for the rights of Pakistani Hindu migrants. The chief of the NGO Hindu Singh Soda says, Pakistan is unnecessarily blaming India. If they are so concerned about the Hindu minorities, why dont they provide them adequate security? In my work with Hindu migrants for over three decades, I have found that they all seek refuge in India simply because of the persecution in Pakistan. According to Soda, the charges by the daughter of one of the deceased is being forced by the Pakistani government to malign India. If the family had been happy in Pakistan, why would they have been so keen to migrate to India? Hong Kong: 4 imported cases detected The Centre for Health Protection today said it is investigating four additional COVID-19 cases, all of which are imported. The new cases involve two men and two women aged between 32 and 43 who arrived in Hong Kong from Japan, the Philippines, Rwanda and India. For information and health advice on COVID-19, visit the Government's dedicated webpage. This story has been published on: 2020-09-15. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Edison, NJ -- (SBWIRE) -- 09/15/2020 -- Latest Research Study on Global Brand Protection Software Market published by AMA, offers a detailed overview of the factors influencing the global business scope. Global Brand Protection Software Market research report shows the latest market insights with upcoming trends and breakdown of the products and services. The report provides key statistics on the market status, size, share, growth factors, Challenges and Current Scenario Analysis of the Global Brand Protection Software. Key statistics are presented on the market size, % share, % growth and influencing factors, Challenges with Pre and Post Covid Impact on the Global Brand Protection Software Market. This Report also covers the emerging player's data, including: competitive situation, sales, revenue and global market share of top manufacturers are MarkMonitor (United States), Resolver (United States), BrandShield (United States), PhishLabs (United States), BrandVerity (United States), AppDetex (United States), Hubstream (United States), Numerator (United States), Pointer Brand Protection (The Netherlands) and Red Points Solutions (Spain) Free Sample Report + All Related Graphs & Charts @ : https://www.advancemarketanalytics.com/sample-report/61472-global-brand-protection-software-market Brief Overview on Global Brand Protection Software Brand Protection Software helps organizations with the online monitoring of brands. It helps in protecting digital assets and intellectual property in contradiction to brand breaches. This software locates and reclaims distracting traffic. Different companies have different methods to protect their companies brand protection. For instance, the company named MarkMonitor is shielding their e-commerce teams by providing and developing their online brand protection strategies, as well as exposing web traffic interception schemes which consist of cybersquatting and paid search scams. Increasing scam of counterfeit brands of companies are driving the market for brand protection software 1) How Impact of COVID-19 / Economic Slowdown in 2020 is considered in the Estimates of Study? Analyst at AMA have conducted special survey and have connected with opinion leaders and Industry experts from various region to minutely understand impact on growth as well as local reforms to fight the situation. A special chapter in the study presents Impact Analysis of COVID-19 on Global Global Brand Protection Software Market along with tables and graphs related to various country and segments showcasing impact on growth trends. 2) What companies are profiled in latest version? Can list of players be customize based on regional geographies or targeted areas Considering heat map analysis and based on market buzz or voice the profiled list of companies in the the report". The list of players can also be customized as per your requirement keeping in mind your areas of interest and adding local emerging players and leaders from targeted geography. ** List of companies covered may vary in the final report subject to Name Change / Merger & Acquisition Activity etc. based on the difficulty of survey since data availability needs to be confirmed by research team especially in case of privately held company. Up to 2 players can be added at no additional cost. 3) Can Market be broken down by different set of application and types? Additional segmentation / Market breakdown is possible subject to data availability, feasibility and depending upon timeline and toughness of survey. However a detailed requirement needs to be prepared before making any final confirmation. ** An additional country of your interest can be included at no added cost feasibility test would be conducted by Analyst team of AMA based on the requirement shared and accordingly deliverable time will also be disclosed. The Global Brand Protection Software Market segments and Market Data Break Down are illuminated below: Type (Solution (Domain Monitoring, Mobile-App Monitoring, Anti-Counterfeit)), Application (Advertising Monitoring, Content Protection Intelligence, Site Blocking Intelligence, Social Media Monitoring, Anti-Counterfeiting, Market Place Monitoring, Others), End-User Industry (Construction, Machinery & Electronics, Geological Mining, Government, Manufacturing, Energy and Utilities, Consumer Goods and Retail, Healthcare, Others), Deployment Type (Cloud-Based, On-Premise), Distribution Channel (Direct Sales, Distributor), Organisation Size (Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs), Large Enterprises) Region Included are: North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Oceania, South America, Middle East & Africa Country Level Break-Up: United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Chile, South Africa, Nigeria, Tunisia, Morocco, Germany, United Kingdom (UK), the Netherlands, Spain, Italy, Belgium, Austria, Turkey, Russia, France, Poland, Israel, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, China, Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, Singapore, India, Australia and New Zealand etc. Enquire for customization in Report @: https://www.advancemarketanalytics.com/enquiry-before-buy/61472-global-brand-protection-software-market Strategic Points Covered in Table of Content of Global Brand Protection Software Market: To obtain various conclusions as well as important qualitative and quantitative information about the Global Solar PV Tracker market. Try a limited scope research document specific to Country or Regional matching your objective. GET FULL COPY OF United States Global Brand Protection Software market study @ USD 2000 And, Europe Global Brand Protection Software market study @ USD 2500 Some Strategic Points Covered in Table of Content of Global Global Brand Protection Software Market: Chapter 1: Introduction, market driving force product Objective of Study and Research Scope the Global Brand Protection Software market Chapter 2: Exclusive Summary the basic information of the Global Brand Protection Software Market. Chapter 3: Displaying the Market Dynamics- Drivers, Trends and Challenges of the Global Brand Protection Software Chapter 4: Presenting the Global Brand Protection Software Market Factor Analysis Porters Five Forces, Supply/Value Chain, PESTEL analysis, Market Entropy, Patent/Trademark Analysis. Chapter 5-7: Displaying the by Type, End User and Region 2014-2019. Evaluating the leading manufacturers of the Global Brand Protection Software market which consists of its Competitive Landscape, Peer Group Analysis, BCG Matrix & Company Profile. Market Estimates by segments, by countries and by manufacturers with revenue share and sales by key countries in these various countries (2020-2025). Chapter 8 & 9: Displaying the Appendix, Methodology and Data Source Finally, Global Brand Protection Software Market is a valuable source of guidance for individuals and companies. Data Sources & Methodology The primary sources involves the industry experts from the Global Brand Protection Software Market including the management organizations, processing organizations, analytics service providers of the industry's value chain. All primary sources were interviewed to gather and authenticate qualitative & quantitative information and determine the future prospects. In the extensive primary research process undertaken for this study, the primary sources Postal Surveys, telephone, Online & Face-to-Face Survey were considered to obtain and verify both qualitative and quantitative aspects of this research study. When it comes to secondary sources Company's Annual reports, press Releases, Websites, Investor Presentation, Conference Call transcripts, Webinar, Journals, Regulators, National Customs and Industry Associations were given primary weight-age. Get More Information: https://www.advancemarketanalytics.com/reports/61472-global-brand-protection-software-market What benefits does AMA research studies provides? - Supporting company financial and cash flow planning - Latest industry influencing trends and development scenario - Open up New Markets - To Seize powerful market opportunities - Key decision in planning and to further expand market share - Identify Key Business Segments, Market proposition & Gap Analysis - Assisting in allocating marketing investments Definitively, this report will give you an unmistakable perspective on every single reality of the market without a need to allude to some other research report or an information source. Our report will give all of you the realities about the past, present, and eventual fate of the concerned Market. Thanks for reading this article; you can also get individual chapter wise section or region wise report version like North America, Europe or Asia. About Advance Market Analytics Advance Market Analytics is Global leaders of Market Research Industry provides the quantified B2B research to Fortune 500 companies on high growth emerging opportunities which will impact more than 80% of worldwide companies' revenues. Our Analyst is tracking high growth study with detailed statistical and in-depth analysis of market trends & dynamics that provide a complete overview of the industry. We follow an extensive research methodology coupled with critical insights related industry factors and market forces to generate the best value for our clients. We Provides reliable primary and secondary data sources, our analysts and consultants derive informative and usable data suited for our clients business needs. The research study enable clients to meet varied market objectives a from global footprint expansion to supply chain optimization and from competitor profiling to M&As. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday sought unequivocal support from all MPs over the ongoing border dispute with China in Ladakh. It is the responsibility of all MPs to send a clear message that people of the country are standing behind the soldiers who are at the border protecting the country, Modi said on the first day of the monsoon session of Parliament on Monday. Modis message to opposition parties is important because most political parties have demanded a detailed discussion on the ongoing border dispute. They want either the defence minister or the foreign minister to make a statement on the floor of the House. The government is also likely to brief senior leaders of all prominent political parties on the developments. This House, particularly this session, has one crucial responsibility. Today the brave soldiers of our army are on the borders. They are defending the borders with great courage and high spirits, in difficult terrain. Rain is going to start in a few days. Just like the faith with which they are standing, determined to protect the motherland, these Houses and all the members of the House too will send out a message in a unanimous voice, spirit and resolve that the country stands in support of the Indian Army through the Houses and the MPs," Modi said. Tensions have been running high between India and China since May when India detected multiple intrusions into Indian territory in Ladakh by Chinese troops. India sent in hundreds of thousands of its soldiers to bolster security after China moved in thousands of troops, tanks, aircraft and missile batteries to the border within its territory facing Ladakh. Many rounds of talks at the level of senior commanders have not yielded any results. However, at a meeting of the foreign ministers of India and China last week, the two sides agreed on five points, including the need to reduce tensions. This has brought about a temporary truce between the two sides though the Indian Army is set for the long haul and prepared to maintain its positions along the heights of five features it captured in August besides some areas around the Pangong Tso in winter, given that trust has been a casualty because of the intrusions that have taken place in violation of pacts signed over the years, according to analysts. The monsoon session is the first session of Parliament since the outbreak of coronavirus and social distancing norms have been put in place. Modi described the situation as special and said that while there was pandemic on one hand, there was also an obligation for MPs to fulfil their duties. During the first day of Rajya Sabha, former deputy chairman of the Upper House, Harivansh, was re-elected to the post by a voice vote for the second time, defeating Manoj Jha of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), who was a joint opposition candidate. Key bills were introduced in the Lok Sabha, including three farm related bills that will replace ordinances promulgated earlier, including The Farmers Produce Trade And Commerce (Promotion And Facilitation) Bill, The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, and The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill. However, opposition parties opposed the bills. A bill that seeks to reduce for one year the salaries of MPs by 30% to meet the exigencies" arising as a result of the covid-19 pandemic was also introduced. gyan.v@livemint.com Elizabeth Roche contributed to this story. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Port Louis, Mauritius (PANA) Three new cases of COVID-19 have been detected in Mauritius on Tuesday, on three people who were in quarantine following their repatriation from France, health authorities told PANA KYODO NEWS - Sep 15, 2020 - 15:21 | All, Coronavirus, Japan Japan's Cabinet on Tuesday decided to use 1.64 trillion yen ($15.5 billion) in reserve funds for fiscal 2020 to beef up the government's response to the coronavirus pandemic, including contributions to an international framework to develop vaccines. The emergency funding includes 739.4 billion yen to support local governments in securing enough rooms at hospitals and hotels for COVID-19 patients and 314.2 billion yen for a no-interest loan program for households that have seen incomes fall sharply due to the pandemic. To help medical institutions prepare for seasonal influenza patients this fall and winter, the government will allocate 217.0 billion yen. It will also extend 17.2 billion yen to the COVAX Facility, an international framework to develop and purchase vaccines for COVID-19. The government has set aside a total of 11.5 trillion yen in reserve funds under two extra budgets for the year through next March to be used in the fight against the pandemic. It has separately earmarked 500 billion yen in reserve funds under the initial budget for the fiscal year, and on Tuesday the Cabinet also decided to spend 31.5 billion yen of the funds to help rebuild areas in southwestern Japan hit hard by torrential rain and flooding in July. Charges were framed against actor Vikram Chatterjee at Alipore court in Kolkata on Tuesday, two years after he was involved in a car crash in the city, killing his co-passenger model Sonika Chauhan. Chatterjee has been charged under the Indian Penal Code with culpable homicide not amounting to murder, causing grievous hurt by act that endangers life and personal safety of others and damaging property. He has also been charged under several sections of the Motor Vehicles Act for rash driving and driving under the influence of alcohol. The trial is scheduled to start in October. Chatterjee was arrested on July 6, 2017. His car had hit a pavement at high speed in south Kolkata in the early hours of April 29, killing Sonika who was sitting in the front passenger seat. The Kolkata police filed a chargesheet on July 19. Chatterjee, who was in court, did not want to comment on Tuesday. His lawyer Anirban Guha Thakurta said the court did not accept the prosecutions argument for charging Chatterjee with murder (Section 302 of the IPC). The section was dropped while the rest were kept. It was alleged that Chatterjee consumed alcohol at a party and also while he was driving the car. Forensic reports indicated that the car was moving at a speed well over 100 kmph. Sonikas friends gave confidential statements to a magistrate. After his arrest, Chatterjee was remanded in judicial custody before being released on bail. The death created divisions in Kolkatas modelling and acting circles. Many of Sonikas friends accused Vikram Chatterjee of suppressing the truth. The models friends organised a candlelight walk on May 8, 2017, demanding justice for Sonika. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky has said that Ukraine is considering the possibility of transferring the ports of Chornomorsk and Berdiansk to concession, as well as the privatization of three more ports. "Now we are working out the possibility of transferring the ports of Chornomorsk and Berdiansk to concession, as well as the privatization of three more ports," he said at a joint briefing with Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz in Vienna on Tuesday. Zelensky also drew attention to the project to extend the wide-gauge railway from Uzhgorod through Slovakia to Vienna. "This route will greatly ease and speed up the transit of goods from Asia to Austria and the EU," he said. Representative image Eight people who refused to wear face masks in public during the coronavirus pandemic were ordered by local authorities to dig graves for people who haddhad from COVID-19 in Gresik regency, East Java in Indonesia. There are only three available gravediggers at the moment, so I thought I might as well put these people to work with them, Cerme district head Suyono told Tribun News, according to a report by the Jakarta Post. The punished residents have been ordered to dig graves at a public cemetery in Ngabetan village, Suyono reportedly said. Suyono assigned two people to each grave to assist the gravediggers. Of the two people, one is tasked with digging the grave while the other with laying wooden boards inside the hole to support the corpse, said the report. No anti-maskers, who are being punished, are forced to handle the dead bodies, it noted. The action can hopefully create a deterrent effect against violations, Suyono was quoted as saying. COVID-19 Vaccine Frequently Asked Questions View more How does a vaccine work? A vaccine works by mimicking a natural infection. A vaccine not only induces immune response to protect people from any future COVID-19 infection, but also helps quickly build herd immunity to put an end to the pandemic. Herd immunity occurs when a sufficient percentage of a population becomes immune to a disease, making the spread of disease from person to person unlikely. The good news is that SARS-CoV-2 virus has been fairly stable, which increases the viability of a vaccine. How many types of vaccines are there? There are broadly four types of vaccine one, a vaccine based on the whole virus (this could be either inactivated, or an attenuated [weakened] virus vaccine); two, a non-replicating viral vector vaccine that uses a benign virus as vector that carries the antigen of SARS-CoV; three, nucleic-acid vaccines that have genetic material like DNA and RNA of antigens like spike protein given to a person, helping human cells decode genetic material and produce the vaccine; and four, protein subunit vaccine wherein the recombinant proteins of SARS-COV-2 along with an adjuvant (booster) is given as a vaccine. What does it take to develop a vaccine of this kind? Vaccine development is a long, complex process. Unlike drugs that are given to people with a diseased, vaccines are given to healthy people and also vulnerable sections such as children, pregnant women and the elderly. So rigorous tests are compulsory. History says that the fastest time it took to develop a vaccine is five years, but it usually takes double or sometimes triple that time. View more Show Follow our LIVE blog for the latest updates of the novel coronavirus pandemic Suyono further said that the number of COVID-19 cases continued to increase in Cerme, which had prompted the village administration to strengthen protocols in the region, said the report. According to the Regent Law No. 22/2020, residents who violate the protocols are subject to fines or community service as punishment, added the report. Meanwhile Indinesias capital Jakarta has been witnessing a surge in COVID-19 cases. Indonesia's virus task force said more than 54,000 of the nation's 218,000 cases of COVID-19 were in Jakarta. The city also has recorded 1,391 deaths of the nation's toll of 8,723. On September 13, Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan announced two weeks of social restrictions from September 14 to 27, in what he described as an emergency decision to control a rapid expansion in coronavirus cases in Jakarta. During the restriction, social, economic, religious, cultural and academic activities will be restricted, with 11 essential sectors, like food, construction and banking, allowed to operate with health protocols and 50 percent of usual staffing levels. Schools, parks, recreation sites and wedding reception venues must close entirely. Restaurants and cafes are limited to takeaway and delivery service. Shopping centers must limit the number of visitors and their hours. Only religious places at residential areas are able to open. Jakarta previously imposed large-scale social restrictions from April to June, then eased the gradually with businesses reopening and using health protocols. But the virus has spread significantly since June, and medical facilities are filling with sick patients. (With inputs from agencies) Follow our full coverage on COVID-19 here Prime Minister Ludovic Orban participated, on Tuesday, in an electoral event of the National Liberal Party (PNL) and Save Romania Union - Party of Liberty, Unity and Solidarity Alliance (USR PLUS Alliance) in Bucharest District 4, where he stated that Delta Vacaresti, with the help of specialists, can become "an oasis" and a high point of attraction in Bucharest. He was at the Youth Park Amphitheater, at the launch of the local governing program of Simona Spataru, the candidate supported by PNL and USR PLUS for District 4 City Hall. "I can't wait for the team led by Nicusor Dan to reach the Capital City Hall and at Dirstrict 4 - the team led by Simona Spataru, so that together we can redirect the land to the Capital City Hall, so that we can be sure that no apartment buildings are built there or other funny businesses conceived by the mafia behind PSD [the Social Democratic Party], but there will really be an oasis there and a green lung of Bucharest and a high point of attraction for any tourist who comes to Bucharest. The Vacaresti Delta is a place where I am convinced that through a project competition, in which to call landscape architects, even internationally, we can generate a sensational project, that could become an additional point of attraction in Bucharest," said Orban. The PNL and USR-PLUS candidate for District 4 City Hall, Simona Spataru, said that among her objectives are the inclusion of the Amphitheater in the Youth Park and the Vacaresti Delta on the Capital's tourist. "I have an objective close to my heart, related to Environment - the Vacaresti Delta. Here, where I will ask for the support of the mayor Nicusor Dan. I know that he also loves that objective. And like this one, the Amphitheater, I think they will both be on the tourist map of the Capital. We need the Amphitheater for young people, for art, for culture, we need the Delta for health, to increase the tourist value of Bucharest. And for this I will fight together with Nicusor Dan to achieve an important tourist objective," said Simona Spataru. Orban mentioned that "Bucharest needs to be rebalanced, needing support from the government as well." "Support will be provided from the governmental level for this rebalancing, so that the south may rise, which is extremely important to increase the quality of life in the southern part of Bucharest, mainly in Dirstrict 4 - investment park, generating areas that really foster development, the construction of the motor way that started in the south, the Bucharest ring road (...). Last but not least, a project that can become possible, of an airport in the south, that will create an important development factor," Orban added. At 16, she entered the college itself, graduating in 1950 with a bachelors degree in English. A professor there told her that women writers were not important enough to study, Ms. Howe later recalled, but also urged her on to graduate school. She received a masters degree from Smith College the next year and studied for a PhD at the University of Wisconsin before dropping out at the insistence of her second husband. At least 140 teenagers killed themselves in for trivial reasons in the last six months, a study said, prompting the state Human Rights Commission (SHRC) to direct the Social Justice Department to examine the effectiveness of its prevention measures. In his direction to the Director of the department on Monday, SHRC chairmanAntony Dominic also sought a report on the initiatives taken to prevent by youngsters. "As per a complaint received by the panel, a study conducted by DISHA, an NGO, shows that at least 140 youngsters in the age group of 13 to 18 had committed during the period of January 2020 to June 2020," a commission release said. The study said thatfamily disputes, troubled love affairs, failure in examinations, issues over mobile phones, two-wheelers were among the major reasons for the suicides. "Thiruvananthapuram district has the highest number of suicides with 22 youngsters having taken the extreme step, followed by Malappuram with 20 suicides," the SHRC said. The complaint said that the ineffectiveness of "village child protection councils"has resulted in the rising number of suicides among youngsters. The release said the SHRC asked the Social Justice Department to review the effectiveness of the suicide prevention measures being taken up by it and sought a report. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had in July said instances of suicidaltendencies were being witnessed among children and termed it as an "extremely serious social issue". "Since March 25, when the lockdown was imposed, 66 children, below 18 years of age, have ended their lives due to various reasons," Vijayan had said. To help the children facing issues relating to mental pressures, 'Chiri'a tele-counselling initiative was initiated by the government under its Our Responsibility to Children Programme (ORC), a planned community intervention that connects with Children and Young people between the age of 12 -18 years. The health department had launched "Ottakalla Oppamund" (You are not alone, we are with you) programme to help children facing any kind of mental distress and to stop the suicidal tendencies among them. A committee headed by Fire and Rescue Services DGP R Sreelekha had also been constituted to conduct a study on suicides by children in the state. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) ATLANTA, Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Spelman College moved up on multiple 2021 U.S. News & World Report college ranking lists. The College has increased its standing from No. 57 to No. 54 in the National Liberal Arts rankings. Five years ago, Spelman was No. 77. The rise in rankings is a testament to the College's continuing efforts to improve its academic outcomes. Spelman is also listed as No. 4 on the list of Top Performers in Social Mobility, up from No. 6 last year. For the 14th year in a row, Spelman is the No. 1 historically Black college or university in the country. Up from No. 22 in 2020, the College has risen to No. 19 on the list for Undergraduate Teaching for National Liberal Arts Colleges. Spelman jumped 13 places, from No. 76 last year to No. 63 this year, on the list of First Year Experiences and is No. 10 on the list of Most Innovative Schools of National Liberal Arts Colleges. "U.S. News & World Report's rankings acknowledge the quality academic experience our outstanding faculty provide our students," said Mary Schmidt Campbell, Ph.D., Spelman president. "We are especially proud of the recognition of undergraduate teaching, academic innovation and our ability to be effective as agents of social mobility." Spelman's excellence continues to attract a robust pool of first year applicants. This year, Spelman received 9,115 applications. The 596 fall enrollees represent the largest incoming class in the last decade. Total enrollment tops 2,200 students for the fall semester. "This year's enrollment gains are a reflection of students and families understanding that our current times require the type of educational experience that only Spelman can provide," said Ingrid Hayes, vice president of enrollment management. "We prioritize academic excellence, leadership development, political and social awareness, historical context and service to aid and uplift all. These tools are essential for the next generation of innovators and change makers, no matter their chosen career disciplines." Liberal Arts U.S. News' National Liberal Arts Colleges ranking focuses almost exclusively on those institutions that offer an undergraduate education and award at least 50 percent of their degrees in the arts and sciences. Spelman's wide range of liberal arts disciplines include outstanding programs in STEM, the humanities and the arts, including new programs in documentary filmmaking, curatorial studies, art history and photography. Undergraduate Teaching Spelman's faculty are receiving significant grants, publishing valuable research and receiving recognition for innovative best practices. A selection of the College's recent faculty excellence includes: Innovation Spelman continues to develop innovative initiatives in terms of curriculum, faculty, students and campus life, including: Tamara Pearson , Ph.D., C'96, was appointed inaugural director of the Center of Excellence for Minority Women in STEM. Established by a $2 million grant from the Department of Defense, the Center, which is the first of its kind, is designed to address minority underrepresentation in the natural sciences and mathematics fields. Prior to returning to her alma mater, Dr. Pearson served as associate director of school and community engagement in the Center for Education Integrating Science, Mathematics and Computing at the Georgia Institute of Technology . , Ph.D., C'96, was appointed inaugural director of the Center of Excellence for Minority Women in STEM. Established by a grant from the Department of Defense, the Center, which is the first of its kind, is designed to address minority underrepresentation in the natural sciences and mathematics fields. Prior to returning to her alma mater, Dr. Pearson served as associate director of school and community engagement in the Center for Education Integrating Science, Mathematics and Computing at the . Talitha M. Washington , Ph.D., C'96, was named the director of the AUCC Data Science Initiative. Launched in 2019, the initiative endeavors to dramatically increase the number of underrepresented minorities with credentials in data science and data analytics. The initiative also seeks to advance research using data science methods, especially in areas that impact minority communities. Serving most recently as a program director at the National Science Foundation, Dr. Washington has extensive experience that includes leadership in math education, research methodologies and partnership development. A tenured associate professor at Howard University , Dr. Washington was recently recognized by NSF as a Women's History Maker and received the Black Engineer of the Year STEM Innovator Award. , Ph.D., C'96, was named the director of the AUCC Data Science Initiative. Launched in 2019, the initiative endeavors to dramatically increase the number of underrepresented minorities with credentials in data science and data analytics. The initiative also seeks to advance research using data science methods, especially in areas that impact minority communities. Serving most recently as a program director at the National Science Foundation, Dr. Washington has extensive experience that includes leadership in math education, research methodologies and partnership development. A tenured associate professor at , Dr. Washington was recently recognized by NSF as a Women's History Maker and received the Black Engineer of the Year STEM Innovator Award. Spelman plans to establish a new chair in Queer Studies, backed by a matching gift from philanthropist Jon Stryker of up to $2 million . This first-ever chair of its kind housed at an HBCU was named after celebrated poet and civil rights activist Audre Lorde and is attached to the Comparative Women's Studies Program housed at Spelman's Women's Research and Resource Center. Last year, Spelman began a fundraising campaign to raise $2 million . The chair is expected to be hired in 2021. plans to establish a new chair in Queer Studies, backed by a matching gift from philanthropist of up to . This first-ever chair of its kind housed at an HBCU was named after celebrated poet and civil rights activist and is attached to the Comparative Women's Studies Program housed at Women's Research and Resource Center. Last year, began a fundraising campaign to raise . The chair is expected to be hired in 2021. The Career Pathways Initiative, Spelman's UNCF grant-funded project, celebrated the fourth year of its five-year term this year. Directed by Tinaz Pavri , Ph.D., division chair of social sciences, and co-directed by Harold Bell , director of Career Planning and Development, CPI ensures that faculty, staff and administrators work together as a team to achieve goals. About Spelman College Founded in 1881, Spelman College is a leading liberal arts college widely recognized as the global leader in the education of women of African descent. Located in Atlanta, the College's picturesque campus is home to 2,100 students. Spelman is the country's leading producer of Black women who complete Ph.D.s in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). The College's status is confirmed by U.S. News and World Report, which ranked Spelman No. 57 among all liberal arts colleges, No. 22 for undergraduate teaching and No. 6 for both innovation and social mobility among liberal arts colleges, and No. 1 for the 13th year among historically Black colleges and universities. The Wall Street Journal ranked the College No. 3, nationally, in terms of student satisfaction. Recent initiatives include a designation by the Department of Defense as a Center of Excellence for Minority Women in STEM, a Gender and Sexuality Studies Institute, the first endowed queer studies chair at an HBCU, and a program to increase the number of Black women Ph.D.s in economics. New majors have been added, including documentary filmmaking and photography, and partnerships have been established with MIT's Media Lab, the Broad Institute and the Army Research Lab for artificial intelligence and machine learning. Outstanding alumnae include Children's Defense Fund founder Marian Wright Edelman, Starbucks Group President and COO Rosalind Brewer, political leader Stacey Abrams, former Acting Surgeon General and Spelman's first alumna president Audrey Forbes Manley, actress and producer Latanya Richardson Jackson, global bioinformatics geneticist Janina Jeff and authors Pearl Cleage and Tayari Jones. For more information, visit www.spelman.edu. SOURCE Spelman College Related Links http://www.spelman.edu The White House is denying social media reports of a spat with Israeli officials over mask-wearing and social distancing at a midday White House event where Benjamin Netanyahu will sign peace accords with the leaders of two Arab countries. One report posted in a Twitter thread by a former senior Democratic Party official, Jon Cooper, described the situation as a "dispute" and alleged White House staff were trying to both please Israeli security officials and Donald Trump. "Trump has requested that no masks be worn, and chairs be placed right next to each other as if it was one of his rallies. Trump is again saying there is 'no problem and the virus is going away' and 'just look at our economy it's coming back,'" Mr Cooper tweeted without citing or describing his sources. He contends White House aides had told colleagues who will be among those on the South Lawn for the historic event they should not wear masks "because it looks better." Mr Cooper also contends Israeli security have told the White House they are concerned about the 70-year-old Netanyahu contracting a virus that has killed over 194,000 people on US soil, and were threatening to keep him at a Washington, DC, hotel. A source with knowledge of the planning denied any conflict with the Israeli delegation, saying there have been "no issue at all leading up to today." Israel will implement a national lockdown on Friday night, the first country to do so twice. Several hundred people are expected on the White Houses South Lawn, a bigger anticipated audience than the 250-person gatherings allowed in the Jewish State. A US official told the Times of Israel the lawn is a vast space and participants will be kept as far apart as possible, adding each of the three Middle Eastern countries delegations are taking the matter seriously. But that does not mean mask-wearing will be mandatory. As of around 11 a.m., the double-pact signing event was still scheduled to proceed. Mr Netanyahu, according to a White House-crafted schedule, is slated to arrive at the executive mansion and be greeted by the US first couple at 11:20 a.m. Mr Trump and his aides are hailing the peace pacts Mr Netanyahu is slated to sign with the leaders of the UAE and Bahrain as the potential start of a more-peaceful Middle East. He told Fox News Channel on Tuesday morning more such pacts involving Israel are likely ahead. But experts say without one with the Palestinians, true peace is unlikely. In another crackdown on China, the United States has banned cotton, hair products, computer components, and some textiles from Chinas Xinjiang province which are made using forced labour. By taking this action, DHS is combating illegal and inhumane forced labor, a type of modern slavery, used to make goods that the Chinese government then tries to import into the United States. When China attempts to import these goods into our supply chains, it also disadvantages American workers and businesses, said Acting Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Deputy Secretary Ken Cuccinelli. President Trump and this Department have, and always will, put American workers and businesses first and protect American citizens from participating in these egregious human rights violations, Cuccinelli said. The Trump Administration will not stand idly by and allow foreign companies to subject vulnerable workers to forced labor while harming American businesses that respect human rights and the rule of law, said Acting CBP Commissioner Mark A. Morgan. Also read: Uighur issue resonates in US presidential polls, Chinas Iron Brother Pakistan silent Todays Withhold Release Orders send a clear message to the international community that we will not tolerate the illicit, inhumane, and exploitative practices of forced labor in U.S. supply chains. The list of Withhold Release Orders (WRO) issued by the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) include products made with labour from the Lop County No. 4 Vocational Skills Education and Training Center, hair products made in the Lop County Hair Product Industrial Park; apparel produced by Yili Zhuowan Garment Manufacturing Co. and Baoding LYSZD Trade and Business Co.; cotton produced and processed by Xinjiang Junggar Cotton and Linen Co. in Chinas Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. Besides, Computer parts made by Hefei Bitland Information Technology Co. in Anhui have also been banned as Hefei Bitland uses both prison and forced labor to produce electronics. The series of actions CBP has taken against imports from China demonstrates the pervasive use of unethical and inhumane labor conditions in China, and CBP will not turn a blind eye, said Brenda Smith, Executive Assistant Commissioner of CBPs Office of Trade. Also read: In Chinas Xinjiang, forced medication accompanies lockdown Allowing goods produced using forced labor into the US supply chain undermines the integrity of our imports. American consumers deserve and demand better, Smith added. This comes days after a bipartisan group of US Senators asked the CEO of Disney, Bob Chapek, to explain the companys cooperation with the Chinese authorities in Xinjiang during the production of the Mulan live-action remake. China has been criticised globally for cracking down on the Uyghurs by sending them to mass detention camps, interfering in their religious activities and sending members of the community to undergo some form of forcible re-education or indoctrination. (ANI) Turkey said on Tuesday it had extended the operations of its Yavuz energy drill ship in disputed Mediterranean waters off Cyprus until Oct. 12, in a move that could stir tension between the Greek Cypriot government and Ankara. Yavuz will be accompanied by three other Turkish ships, according to a maritime notice that added "all vessels are strongly advised not to enter" the area. Cyprus' internationally recognised Greek Cypriot government has long been at loggerheads with Turkey, which began drilling for oil and gas near Cyprus last year. The island was split after a 1974 Turkish invasion spurred by a brief coup engineered by the military then ruling Greece. A breakaway Turkish Cypriot state in north Cyprus is recognised only by Ankara. Turkey questions Cyprus' right to explore in the seas around the island because it maintains that the Nicosia administration does not represent the interests of Turkish Cypriots. That argument is dismissed by Cyprus, which is legally recognised as representing the entire island. In a separate dispute between Turkey and Greece, the two countries are at odds over the delimitation of their continental shelves. Greece said on Tuesday it was ready for talks with Turkey following the withdrawal of a Turkish exploration vessel from a disputed region. Search Keywords: Short link: The event was attended by Administrative Secretary of the Argentine Senate Maria Luz Alonso, Administrative Secretary of the Argentine Chamber of Deputies Rodrigo Martin Rodriguez, Vietnamese Ambassador to Argentina Dang Xuan Dung, and officials of Vietnams representative agencies. On behalf of the Vietnamese NA, Ambassador Dung handed over the face masks to the Argentinian side. He affirmed that the gift stems from the sincere sentiments of the Vietnamese State and people to Argentinian friends, and demonstrates the sharing and support from Vietnam for Argentinas COVID-19 fight. The diplomat spoke highly of the measures undertaken by the Government of Argentina to curb the spread of the disease in the community, expressing his belief that with the determination and efforts of the Government and the National Congress, Argentina would soon overcome the pandemic to return peoples lives to normal and revitalise the economy. Vietnam will continue to work closely and share information and experiences with Argentina in a joint effort to quickly repel and control the disease as well as to minimise its negative impacts, contributing to the long-term development of relations between the two countries in all fields, Dung emphasised. In reply, Administrative Secretary of the Argentine Senate Maria Luz Alonso expressed her thanks to the Government, NA and people of Vietnam for their practical and significant gift amidst the pandemic. She hailed the action as vivid evidence of the traditional friendly relations and cooperation between Vietnam and Argentina, pledging to continue further promoting bilateral ties for the benefit of both countries peoples. The Spanish Cabinet on Tuesday approved a draft bill containing a raft of measures that address the legacy of the Civil War (1936-39) and the Francisco Franco regime, which lasted until the dictators death in 1975. The Democratic Memory bill, which builds on existing historical memory legislation, contemplates closing down associations that still glorify the late dictators memory, including the Francisco Franco Foundation, which will be declared illegal. The text also proposes extending eligibility for Spanish citizenship to the descendants of members of the International Brigades, who fought on the republican side in the war. The descendants of the members of the International Brigades who fought for freedom and against fascism in Spain will be eligible for Spanish nationality. It was time for this government to say to these heroes and heroines of democracy: thank you for coming," tweeted Podemos leader Pablo Iglesias, who serves as the Deputy PM in charge of social affairs and the 2030 Agenda. With this bill, the government also wants to turn the Valley of the Fallen, a controversial, state-run civil war memorial outside Madrid, into a place of collective memory. Last year Francos remains were exhumed from the site and transferred to a Madrid cemetery following a long legal battle with the dictators descendants. The bill also makes provisions for the creation of a specialized prosecutors office for democratic memory and human rights, and for a national DNA bank to help with the exhumation of victims from mass graves, to be funded with public money. Forensic expert Francisco Etxeberria, who has advised the government during the drafting of the bill, estimates that between 20,000 and 25,000 bodies could be recovered from mass graves in the next four to five years. This is an important law for the government, but also for Spanish democracy, said Deputy Prime Minister Carmen Calvo, of the Socialist Party (PSOE), on Tuesday. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, who leads a minority government in coalition with the leftist Unidas Podemos, had pledged to improve on the 2007 Historical Memory law passed under the government of Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, also of the PSOE. But Sanchez will need to secure additional support to get the bill through parliament. On Tuesday, Senator Javier Maroto of the main opposition Popular Party (PP) said that the executive is using this bill to cover up its management and its lies in connection with the Covid-19 crisis. But Maroto did not specify whether the center-right party would vote for or against the bill in the Congress of Deputies. Voiding Francoist trials Calvo said the law would declare void all the summary trials held in Francoist Spain, honoring a longstanding demand by historical memory associations. Calvo also said that overturning those legal proceedings is the best form of reparation for the political trials that led to the summary execution of important people such as [Lluis] Companys, alluding to the president of Catalonia between 1933 and 1940 who was shot by a firing squad at Francos orders. Catalan premier Quim Torra had recently asked the government of Spain to apologize for that execution. This is an important law for the government, but also for Spanish democracy Deputy PM Carmen Calvo Additionally, the bill significantly alters the way Francoism is to be taught in primary and secondary schools across Spain. United Nations Special Rapporteur Pablo de Greiff had said in a report about Spain that some schoolbooks described the civil war in generic terms, perpetuating the notion of symmetric responsibility [by both sides]. Spanish democracy could not afford one more day without a law like this one, said Calvo. Our young people need to know where we come from. They need knowledge about what must never happen again. Steep sanctions Unlike the 2007 law, which did not set out any sanctions for violators, any infringement of the future law will come with penalties that could be as high as 150,000 in the most egregious cases, warned Calvo. In a recent interview with EL PAIS, Calvo said that the 66 items in the bill lay out the foundation to build a common democratic memory for all Spaniards. English version by Susana Urra. SV Krishna Chaitanya By Express News Service CHENNAI: The IIT-M has prohibited unauthorised feeding of stray dogs and introduced a slew of measures to protect the wildlife on the campus. A circular, which will come into force from Tuesday, was issued by the institutes estate officer based on the recommendations of the Permanent Committee nominated by National Green Tribunal in a petition filed by animal activist Antony Clement Rubin. According to the circular, feeding of stray dogs should be restricted to designated feeding sites built in five locations at academic, hostel and residential zones. The dogs should be fed only pelleted dog food and fresh water twice a day. Feeding of stray dogs in other locations on the campus is strictly prohibited. Residents/students who are interested in feeding dogs are encouraged to handover pelleted dog food to the authorised person appointed by the administration or come to the designated feeding points at the indicated timings. They can visit the dog feeding zone and ensure that the dogs are fed adequately by the institute/authorised agency appointed by the institute, the circular read. This apart, all pets owned by the residents should be registered with the estate section. The violations of the order will be treated as a nuisance to the public and will be punishable with a fine, circular said. Forest officials told Express that these measures were needed to save the wildlife oin the campus. Several spotted deer and endangered black buck were falling prey to these stray dogs. However, some of the residents said the measures were not scientific. For such a large campus, five feeding locations are not enough. Also, pelleted dog food is expensive. Many of us feed home cooked food, said a IIT-Madras resident. The pieces are compelling an imposing, wall-mounted necklace evokes slave chains as well as the bling for which it is named; striking portraits of Black women and men; a sizable and vertical sculpture, by a Ghanaian artist, created from discarded water containers and other pollution. These arresting works are part of a pop-up exhibition in a $7-million (U.S.) model home at 181 Fremont, an 800-foot tower in San Francisco. Its the tallest residential building on the West Coast. Called PODIUM, the highrise exhibition includes 20 artworks by 15 renowned Black artists. Each work speaks to racial equity, justice or colonialism in some way, art adviser Holly Baxter told the Star. Each piece tells a story and resonates with the (viewer) in a deep way. Although it was not originally planned in response to Black Lives Matter and anti-racism protests in response to police violence, PODIUM became a very authentic, heartfelt, intellectual response to what was happening in the world, Baxter said. The home and art collection, curated from around the world, can be seen virtually in a video tour any time and in-person, by appointment, until the end of September. For the condos interior designer Robbie McMillan, whose husband and seven-year-old daughter are Black, PODIUM has deep meaning. Its huge, kind of everything personal as a human being in this world, said McMillan, who worked with Baxter on the art and design elements in the 2,314-sq.-ft. suite, one of 67 residences in the mixed-use highrise. Hes a true believer in the powerful message of art, as illustrated in the primary (as opposed to master) bedroom. There, large black and gold chains, in artist Angela Hennessys work titled Bling, evoke the chains used in the transatlantic slave trade. As well, theyve also become objects of adornment, of status and wealth in African American communities, Hennessey told Sculpure magazine last year. In hip hop and rap communities, having gold is part of the performance. Another wall in the room features a six-foot-square portrait based on photos from the 1880s that belonged to artist Lava Thomass grandmother. The dramatic carpet, whose eyes in chains design links back to Bling, is one of the homes five gorgeous custom rugs hand-knotted in Nepal, said McMillan. With layers of complementary textures, colours and patterns in the furnishings, the room just vibrates, he said. Its a continual reveal of excitement and bold energy. In another bedroom, portraits of two shirtless men borrow artist Erica Deemans own skin colour for a backdrop, said Baxter, adding that Deeman challenges stereotypes of Black men. The local artist also created photo silhouettes of two African-American women that are exhibited in the living room. Baxter said she and McMillan wanted the 48th-floor model suite which offers sweeping panoramas of San Francisco Bay and the Golden Gate Bridge to feel like a sophisticated art collectors home. The curated pieces, from both local and international Black artists, are priced from $3,500 to $65,000 (U.S.) and are available through Holly Baxter & Associates. The entire collection is valued at $380,000. Art is a central focus of their work, McMillan says of AubreyMaxwell, the design firm he co-founded with Marcus Keller, his business and life partner of 20 years. Their own home is filled with works by Black artists. High-quality furnishings that complement rather than compete with the artwork are key to the condos esthetic, said McMillan. His vision and design for the space include Milan-based carpet company cc-tapiss warm and modern but not overly bold creations that anchor contemporary furniture from another Italian favourite, B&B Italia. McMillan said the incredible design and structural excellence of those pieces were a perfect match for the architecture and engineering prowess of the steel-and-glass building. The award-winning landmark built by developer Jay Paul Company https://www.jaypaul.com/in 2018 in 2018 is anchored in bedrock more than 260 feet deep. The numbers Price: $6.855 million (U.S.) Size: 2,314 square feet Bedrooms: 3 Bathrooms: 3.5 ANN ARBOR, MI Alexander Weinstein has lived off Lakeview Avenue, in part of Scio Township on Ann Arbors western border, for the past two years. Hes a stones throw east of an old manufacturing complex where Gelman Sciences discharged large amounts of dioxane into the environment between the 1960s and 1980s. A new proposed cleanup plan for the toxic chemical plume creeping through the groundwater calls for installing new extraction wells for pump-and-treat remediation. But some of the purged water would be discharged into First Sister Lake after going through treatment to reduce pollution levels, and it still could contain some dioxane. Thats unbelievably unacceptable, said Weinstein, who lives near the lake and is worried about it being polluted. Ive been very thankful that we get zero dioxane in our waters, in our lake, he said. I live on a well. This would, by design, introduce pollutants directly into the lake First Sister Lake and Second Sister Lake as well as a number of other problems of overflow and flooding. The proposed cleanup plan is part of a new legal settlement negotiated between the state, polluter and local officials and it now awaits a final vote by Ann Arbor, Scio Township and Washtenaw County elected officials. Several residents voiced objections at a virtual public hearing hosted by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy Monday night, Sept. 14. It would be a horrible settlement and a step backward, Weinstein said. There are children that swim in these lakes, he said. There are a lot of people that would be affected very negatively, and I ask that you ensure the safety and the environmental responsibility and hold the polluter much more responsible than this settlement would do. Ann Arbor resident Beth Collins, who lives next to First Sister Lake near Jackson and Wagner roads, said she also finds it very concerning that water containing pollutants could be discharged into a standing body of water. And the amount of 200 gallons per minute, which equates to about a 100-year storm event each day, or approximately five inches of rainwater in a 24-hour period, she said. Collins, secretary of the local Coalition for Action on Remediation of Dioxane, said shes yet to see any science to support the plan and residents are frustrated. Dolph Nature Area, where the lake is located, is a wetland preserve thats supposed to be protected, she said. Why would you be doing this to damage our wetlands? she asked. Wetlands provide carbon sequestration, which should be even more important now with all the climate problems were having. Its also a habitat to all this wildlife in this area. Dioxane is classified by the Environmental Protection Agency as likely to be carcinogenic to humans by all routes of exposure. It also can cause kidney and liver damage, and respiratory problems. EGLE officials declined to respond to questions and concerns aired Monday night, though they said theyll be compiling a document responding to specific questions and feedback after the public comment period ends Sept. 21. In a presentation Monday night, EGLE officials defended the proposed cleanup plan. The fourth amended and restated consent judgment comprehensively addresses the Gelman groundwater contamination and provides multiple layers of protection, putting into place safeguards that make the remedy more protective of human health and the environment, said Mike Neller, EGLEs remediation and redevelopment director. A map presented by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy at a virtual public meeting Sept. 14, 2020, showing plans for more monitoring wells to track the spread of the Gelman dioxane plume at the northern boundary in Ann Arbor where there's concern it could spread toward Barton Pond, the city's main drinking water supply.EGLE EGLE began negotiations with the polluter to update a Circuit Court consent judgment governing the plume in March 2016, due to an anticipated reduction of the states limit on dioxane in drinking water from 85 parts per billion to 7.2 ppb. The city, county, Scio Township and Huron River Watershed Council intervened, gaining a seat at the table in the negotiations. The proposed consent judgment puts in place a new limit of 280 ppb, down from 2,800 ppb, for dioxane allowed to vent to surface waters, Neller said. And there would be an expansion of the groundwater-use prohibition zone for the plume because its now defined by more restrictive criteria, he said. Importantly, the expanded prohibition zone only affects areas already served by the municipal water, ensuring that the daily lives of homeowners and residents in the expanded area and their drinking water wont be affected, he said. The monitoring well network to track the plumes spread would be expanded to add up to 36 new monitoring wells at 14 key locations, Neller said, and pump-and-treat operations would double with new extraction wells. A map presented by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy at a virtual public meeting Sept. 14, 2020, showing plans for more monitoring wells to track the spread of the Gelman dioxane plume in the western area of the plume in Scio Township.EGLE The proposed plan includes an early-warning contingency planning trigger process so EGLE and Gelman can take prompt action to prevent the plume from migrating beyond designated boundaries, Neller said. There would be a contingency plan to extend municipal water to areas that rely on wells if needed, said Dan Hamel, EGLE project manager. On the Gelman property, the company will conduct additional remediation activities to control areas where existing 1,4-dioxane contamination is a continuing source to the groundwater contamination migrating from the property, Hamel said, noting that includes three more extraction wells in areas north, northeast and east of Third Sister Lake. These new extraction wells will be pumped at a combined pumping rate of 75 gallons per minute, which will enhance and accelerate removal of 1,4-dioxane from the shallow groundwater on the property, Hamel said. Based on the performance of those wells, up to three additional extraction wells may be installed on the Gelman site to accelerate dioxane removal, Hamel said. The proposed plan for attacking the pollution at the source also includes phytoremediation using trees and heated soil vapor extraction, along with installing impervious barriers to inhibit water from percolating through soils. Gelman also would install up to three new extraction wells in the eastern area of the plume. A map presented by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy at a virtual public meeting Sept. 14, 2020, showing plans for more monitoring wells to track the spread of the Gelman dioxane plume in the West Park area of Ann Arbor, where there are concerns dioxane in shallow groundwater could infiltrate basements and rise to the surface in some spots.EGLE Several longtime activists whove been tracking the Gelman plume said theyre hoping local officials reject the settlement and petition the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for a more complete cleanup under the federal Superfund program. The EPA route is the way to go, said Scio Township resident Roger Rayle, chairman of the CARD coalition. Its the only entity with the enforcement capability to make a multibillion-dollar, recalcitrant polluter to do the right thing. Dan Bicknell, an environmental remediation professional and former EPA Superfund enforcement officer who is credited with discovering the plume in the 1980s, said the proposed settlement would just continue a dilution strategy. It will not stop the pollution from spreading toward Barton Pond, which is Ann Arbors main drinking water source, or peoples drinking water wells in Ann Arbor Township, Scio Township and Barton Hills Village, Bicknell said. The shallow dioxane plume will travel through the city of Ann Arbor unabated, presenting a risk to building occupants from dioxane vapor intrusion or flooded basements, as well as to workers in a trench who are in contact with the polluted shallow groundwater, he said. The consent judgment is really not protective of public health or the environment. Bicknell believes a Superfund cleanup could halt the plume and restore the local aquifers to drinking water quality. Under whats proposed, safeguards are included to ensure any migration of dioxane above 7.2 ppb is detected before it goes outside the prohibition zone, Hamel said. If there is a detection of 4.6 ppb or greater in any boundary well, the frequency of testing for dioxane would increase from quarterly to monthly, Hamel said. Exceeding 4.6 ppb three consecutive months would trigger a process that includes testing nearby drinking water wells and evaluating the need for more remediation and potential hookups to municipal water, he said. New monitoring wells near the northern boundary would help evaluate concerns about dioxane migration toward Barton Pond, Hamel said. If dioxane is detected above 7.2 ppb in those wells, additional monitoring wells would be installed near the northern boundary, Hamel said. Scio Township Trustee Kathleen Knol shared residents' concerns about potential discharges into First Sister Lake after the water goes through treatment with ozone/hydrogen peroxide or ultraviolet light and oxidizing agents. The proposed plan states conditions for those discharges would be no more restrictive than whats included in the polluters previously issued permit for discharges into Honey Creek, allowing daily dioxane concentrations up to 22 ppb and a monthly average up to 7 ppb, plus other limits for bromate, hydrogen peroxide and barium. Those limits were put in place several years ago before the states dioxane standards were tightened and the limit for drinking water was lowered to 7.2 ppb, Knol noted. EGLE needs to do its job, review the discharge application, step up to the plate, protect the public health of our residents, Knol said. Dont allow for this document to preempt what EGLE should be doing in the first place. Scio Township resident Jillian Kerry questioned why Gelmans parent company, Danaher Corp., isnt required to use more effective treatment technology available through Trojan Technologies, one of its companies. She argued the proposed settlement is not in line with the companys own mission statement about water quality confidence and environmental stewardship. Ann Arbor Township Trustee Michael Moran said he finds aspects of the proposed settlement distressing and doubts its ability to keep the plume from spreading. Far too few monitoring wells and extraction wells are proposed, he said, and local officials would be giving up way too much for very little improvement. They have to waive all other future claims, known or unknown, for the pollution caused by Gelman, he said. Ann Arbor Township is not a party in the litigation against the polluter. Rita Loch-Caruso, a University of Michigan toxicology professor and founding CARD member, said she doesnt support the settlement. There are too many ways in which Gelman is being allowed to abdicate its responsibilities for this cleanup and that is my major concern, she said. We should not be allowing them out clauses." Ann Arbor resident Mozhgan Savabieasfahani, an environmental toxicologist, expressed disappointment in EGLE officials, saying they sounded like salesmen for Gelman. The settlement would be a mega break for the polluter, allowing dioxane to spread further, she said, though she also doesnt think turning to the EPA will help. Ann Arbors City Council must launch an immediate and complete cleanup of the toxic Gelman plume, instead of wishing for another 30 years that Gelman or the state or the EPA might do it, she said. Rayle, who has been watching over the plume since the 1990s, said only a fraction of CARDs concerns would be addressed by the settlement. Even the couple of good items in the proposal have some flaws, he said, arguing some of the remediation proposed wouldnt target areas of highest concentration. The southwest area near the core is largely ignored, even though it has some of the highest readings moving off the original Gelman site, he said. Rayle also argued the plan does not take into account the length of time needed to control the pollution. Local governments should not have to give up their future decision making in order to get this limited cooperation from the polluter, he said. The local governments and the state government have to work together to protect our waters of the state from Gelmans dioxane. MORE FROM THE ANN ARBOR NEWS: A closer look at the proposed Gelman plume cleanup plan. Is it enough? Expert explains cleanup plan for Ann Arbor dioxane plume in 7 new videos Were really, really slow, EPA tells local officials seeking pollution cleanup Ann Arbor finalizing plans to test for dioxane leaking into residents' basements Ann Arbor council rehashes drama before choosing Tom Crawford as next city administrator BATTLE CREEK, MI -- Jill Biden, the wife of Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden, visited two West Michigan cities during a campaign swing through the battleground state. Biden toured the Kids' Food Basket in Grand Rapids and joined Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat and a national co-chair for the campaign, for an event with military families in Battle Creek. Biden said her husband would fully fund National Guard activities to assist COVID-19 response efforts and highlighted other issues caused by the pandemic during her stops in Michigan. In Grand Rapids, Biden said she visited Michigan because the campaign isnt taking one vote for granted. Shes previously campaigned in Flint and other cities on behalf of her husband, in addition to doing several virtual events throughout the summer. Im sure well be back here again, Biden said. Trump won Michigan in 2016 by 10,704 votes, a narrow margin that leaves the two campaigns set for a competitive fight with less than 50 days until the election. Bidens visits to Kent and Calhoun counties targeted to areas Trump won four years ago. Trump gathered fewer Republican votes in Kent County than the GOP nominee in 2012, and Whitmer carried the county in 2018. Trump increased Republican turnout in Calhoun County, and the county did not flip for Democrats in mid-term elections. Both visits were in Michigans 3rd U.S. House District, where Democratic candidate Hillary Scholten is taking on Republican Peter Meijer to replace U.S. Rep. Justin Amash, I-Cascade Township. Scholten met with Biden in Grand Rapids. Scholten said Joe Biden has dedicated his life to service and is running at a crucial time to restore, civility, humanity and empathy to our national leadership. Scholten said her campaigns internal polls show Biden leading by 5 percentage points in Michigans 3rd District. I think the main topic of conversation is the disparities that have been broken wide open because of this pandemic, Scholten said. People arent so much focused on national politics as they are on everyday kitchen table issues. I think the importance of an event really highlights it. She said the 2018 election was a wakeup call for Democrats in Kent County. People here in West Michigan are looking for a new political home, she said. Bidens visits in Michigan focused on health and economic impacts on the coronavirus pandemic. She first stopped at Kids' Food Basket, which serves children who attend schools where 70% or more of the student population receive free or reduced-cost lunch. A chemical-free 10-acre farm provides meals to four counties in West Michigan. Volunteers and local high school students help manage the farm. Will Osmun, vice president of programming at Kids' Food Basket, said most of the organizations' work was done inside schools. As those buildings shut down due to the pandemic, Osmun said the Kids' Food Basket had to transition distributing meals from 70 sites in Kent, Ottawa, Allegan and Muskegon counties. Families are still struggling to find out where they can access the food, Osmun said. Biden said food insecurity issues are exacerbated by COVID. During a pandemic, as well as you all know, we have so much food insecurity, Biden said. This program is unbelievable, what theyre doing to help this community. A program like this should be national, it should be in every state to help kids learn about food and healthy meals and help all families with food insecurity, Biden added. Biden headed south to Battle Creek, where Trump held a campaign rally on the same night he was impeached by the U.S. House in December 2019. A second event was held at the home of former U.S. Rep. Joe Schwarz, a Republican who endorsed Joe Biden earlier this year. Participants sat in a semi-circle of socially-distant chairs set up on the lawn in Schwarz' backyard. Biden-Harris campaign signs were set up in between the speakers, and a large sign reading our sacred obligation stood behind the podium. We all feel the devastation of this virus, but for so many of our military families the sting is worse because with tours of duty and deployment, youre facing uncertainty on top of uncertainty, Biden said. Biden said the economic impact of COVID-19 has increased a need to expand job training opportunities for recently retired veterans and their spouses. If I have the honor of serving as your First Lady, one of my most important priorities will be making sure our veterans and caregivers and survivors have what you need, Biden said. I want you to know that Joe and I will keep listening. Thats what Im here to do today. The group engaged in a 30-minute discussion about some of the various issues facing military families. Whitmer noted the vital role members of the National Guard played in assisting Michigans COVID-19 response. The governor said Trump denied a request to fully cover the cost of National Guard activities. Biden said her husband would fully fund the National Guard if elected. Bidens visit came one day after the presidents son, Donald Trump Jr., drew hundreds of supporters to a rally in Macomb County. The raucous rally featured a performance from Michigan-born musician Kid Rock, and though it was held outdoors Trump supporters largely ignored social distancing and did not wear masks. The events in Grand Rapids and Battle Creek were closed to the public, but Michigan reporters were invited and were able to ask Biden a few questions at each visit. The campaign kept reporters socially distant. Whitmer said large political rallies held by President Donald Trump in recent weeks violate her executive orders limiting public gatherings during the COVID-19 pandemic. Whitmer issued executive orders limiting outdoor social gatherings and organized events to 250 attendees. Her orders also limit indoor events to 50 people, but the orders include exemptions for First Amendment-protected events. Still, Whitmer said large rallies violate her orders. This is the exact kind of thing that creates potential superspreader events, Whitmer said. My job as governor of Michigan is to ensure I do everything I can to protect everyone in this state, whether theyre inclined to be at an event on one side of the aisle or the other. READ MORE ON MLIVE: Whitmer says Michigan Trump rallies are potential superspreader events and violate her orders Donald Trump Jr. says Biden decimated Michigan jobs at campaign rally with Kid Rock President Donald Trump says hes running for reelection to keep jobs in Michigan Donald Trump celebrates Michigan rally turnout, slams Bidens jobs record DETROIT They beat her when she was down. At 57, Christina Ihlenfeldt is reeling with heartache, anger and regret _ gut-wrenching regret. In just one week, she buried her husband, became unemployed and then got taken for $30,000 by online scammers pretending to be with Best Buys Geek Squad. This wasnt supposed to happen to her, she would later think. She was college educated and tech savvy. She had a legal background, worked with computers her entire work life and helped major corporations process patent payments. But she was emotionally and mentally drained after her husbands death, she said, and the slick con artists lay in waiting. They knew I was a widow, the Clinton Township woman told the D etroit Free Press. And they were very prepared. . I keep thinking, `How could I have let this happen? And then the memories come flooding back: The night she found her husband on the bathroom floor. The heart attack. The nurses telling her his body was shutting down. The peaceful look on his face when he took his final breath at home. I was vulnerable, and they knew it, said Ihlenfeldt, struggling to regain her composure. I would never have done this if I was in my right mind. After two weeks of agonizing _ she called the FBI, her children, her bank, a bank in Thailand and the wire-transfer company that released her funds to faraway scammers Ihlenfeldt decided to speak up about what happened to spare others her fate. Im beating myself up over and over and over again, but I was vulnerable, she said. And despite the embarrassment, I dont want others to fall prey to this. How a widow got scammed It was about 10:30 a.m. Aug. 19 and Ihlenfeldt was sitting outside on one of her husbands old aluminum lawn chairs, drinking coffee and trying to enjoy the morning sun. I was so depressed, she recalled, noting her hellish week. Six days earlier, she had buried the love of her life, Bob Ihlenfeldt, 69, who passed away after battling a foot infection followed by a heart attack that he couldnt fight back from. Then four days after the funeral, she got a call from work: They were eliminating her position, ending her nearly six-year career as an administrative assistant at a financial services philanthropic firm. Two days later, the scammers zeroed in on her. As she sipped on her coffee in the lawn chair, an AOL email alert went off on her cellphone. It was from her husbands email account, which she had access to. The email said it was from Geek Squad Best Buy, stating that it had auto-charged his account $300 for two additional years of protection. It looked plausible, she recalled, so she set out to cancel the two-year protection plan, noting it wasnt needed anymore, and she didnt want a $300 charge coming out of her husbands account. So she dialed one of the phone numbers listed in the email. I said, Im calling because of this email. Id like to request a refund. We dont need protection. `Oh yes Ma `am. We can help you with that, she recalled the male voice on the other line telling her. Then came what she would later realize was the first red flag: The man said he would send her a form to fill out to start the refund. She was to put her name on it, and the amount she was owed: $300. She emailed the form and he said, Were done. But then came a pause. He said something didnt go through, that perhaps maybe she didnt fill out the form correctly, and that there was another way. He would fill out the form for her on her computer. Before entering her computer, he asked, By the way, how is your computer running? It had been running slowly, she recalled. And she thought he was with the real Best Buy Geek Squad, so when he asked to get onto her desktop remotely, she said, like a fool, I let him. While she was watching, the stranger on the other end of her telephone took control of her computer and filled out the supposed refund form. He typed her name, and then the 30000. The decimal point never showed up. He intentionally left out the decimal point, she would later realize, which made $300 look like $30,000 in the eyes of the computer. At first he said, `Oh my God! we deposited $30,000 instead of $300 into your bank. Check your bank. Ill be in trouble, she recalled him telling her. Panicked and worried, she checked her bank account. The $30,000 was there, with a plus mark next to it. All I could think of was for him getting his money back, she said. Then Im trying to figure out how to get it back to him before someone noticed, so what did I do? She did what the stranger asked: She wired $30,000 back to a Mellon Bank in New York. I went to the physical bank and authorized a wire transfer, she said, now kicking herself for not telling the bank what was happening. I was so believing that he was going to get into trouble. It wasnt until after she left the bank that afternoon that she discovered what really happened. After gaining access to her computer, the man had gone into her husbands bank account, withdrew $30,000 from it and transferred the funds into her bank account, she said. This was the $30,000 that she saw in her bank that day. It was the money she wired back to them from the bank. It was her husbands money, money that was supposed to help her get on with her life, but was last traced to a bank in Thailand. People reading this may say, `God what an idiot. Its so easy to say that. But the son-of-a-bitch sent me emails that looked like a Chase bank account. Ive got screen shots showing there was a deficit in their account. They were very prepared, she said, still torn up about not letting her bank know what was going on. The whole time, she said, she really thought he was going to lose his job, and she was trying to help him. `The money was gone After discovering the money missing from her husbands bank account, Ihlenfeldt called back the number listed in the original Geek Squad email. What is going on? Someone took money from my husbands account?! she recalled screaming. He said, `Ma `am, I can explain. The company found out about my error and they held the funds. None of that made sense to her, so again, she asked, How did you get into my husbands account? He said, `No, no no Ma am. Its from the account you gave us. The stranger continued with the ruse, telling her, Ma `am, were from Geek Squad. Our job is to help you get your money back, she recalled. By the time she got home and contacted the wire company, OFX, it was too late. The money had already been transferred. She tried to initiate a recall to get the money sent back, but said that the wire company told her that the receiving bank has to notify the recipient _ in this case, the scammers _ about a recall request. And if the recipient refuses to send it back, then the money stays put. I blew up. I said, `Are you kidding me?! Do you think theyre going to authorize a recall? Its a scam. She kept trying to call back the stranger she had spoken to, but by 5 p.m. that night, they stopped answering her emails and phone calls. I was heartsick, she said. The money was gone. A love to cherish For Ihlenfeldt, her faith, three grown children and five grandchildren are what keep her going now. She still believes that the world is filled with mostly good people, and she believes that love endures all. Bob taught her that and showed her that. He was her sweetheart, the love of her life. He was 12 years her senior, and came into her life at a time when she thought love, romance and courtship were long over for her. The two met in 2010. At the time, she was a single mom with three children and had been divorced for 14 years. The two started dating and worked together in the intellectual property field, processing patent payments for large corporations. She had a computer and legal background while Bob was a computer operator and manager. Bob was a total surprise, she said, noting she was convinced that she would never marry again. I have a music degree. He was a lover of music and a walking history book of Detroit music. I just loved hearing his stories and people writing about it on his obituary page. For six years, Christina and Bob Ihlenfeldt loved and cherished one another, celebrated life together and overcame some hardships. In 2016, Bob had a stroke but came through OK. In 2018, he had a second stroke that hit harder: He couldnt drive or ride his motorcycle anymore. Then this summer brought more health problems. Bob, who was a diabetic, was hospitalized with a foot infection on July 25. Within a week, he would suffer a heart attack. He had fallen down at home and his wife had found him on the bathroom floor. The ambulance came and transported him back to the hospital, where his health quickly deteriorated. His heart was operating at 15%. His body was shutting down. Heartbroken, Ihlenfeldt brought him home and stayed at his side until he peacefully slipped away. He started fluttering his eyes. He looked upwards the pain, the wrinkles were gone, she said. He looked like an angel. His face radiated. He was seeing heaven. `You wont see that money again In a statement to the Free Press, Best Buy warned consumers to be wary of such schemes. Unfortunately, what happened to Mrs. Ihlenfeldt is a terrible scam. Best Buy does not request access to a personal device without a customer first contacting us to request service. If someone thinks theyre being involved in a similar scam, we encourage them to contact the local authorities immediately, as well as report it to the FBIs Internet Crime Complaint at ic3.gov. Ihlenfeldt did file a complaint with the FBI, and received a call back the following morning. At about 7:30 a.m., an FBI agent at the Detroit office called her and took her information, she said. Im hoping that theres some way to track (them) down, she said, noting the FBI agent gave her little hope. He just said, `Sometimes when we can catch these guys, we get some of the money back, but I would just prepare yourself that you wont see that money again. It was no revelation. I knew that. Thats why I was so sick to my stomach. . My heart was going into my stomach, she recalled, noting she was too afraid and embarrassed to tell her family. Still, she reached out to her son, who, she said, told her not to worry and that she had done the right thing by contacting the FBI. One of her cousins, Alicia Bova, was heartbroken, shocked and angry when she heard what happened, and started a Go Fund Me page to help raise money for Ihlenfeldt. I want to help my cousin in any way, to ease the sting of losing her savings at a time she needs them the most, said Bova, who described Ihlenfeldt as a giving and compassionate person who has helped many. She is always there to help people in need and last year, she came through for me, Bova said, hoping others will now come to the aid of her cousin. She just lost her husband, and her job is being eliminated. No one plans for a fraud victim day. Im hoping that people can help her. A cursory review of the Internet and Best Buy forums show that Ihlenfeldt is not alone. In recent years, multiple Geek Squad scams have been cited by people across the country, typically involving fraudsters emailing or leaving phone messages that Geek Squad was renewing an account or offering refunds for computer work, and needed people to call back. No one reported actually losing money, however. Ihlenfeldt also found a YouTube video from a victim who was targeted in almost the exact same way as her, but didnt lose tens of thousands of dollars. Ihlenfeldt, meanwhile, desperately tried to get her money back. She went back to her bank, but there was nothing they could do for her, she said, noting the bank was kind and sympathetic and said they had seen it before. She also tried the money wire company again, only to learn that the $30,000 transfer had been completed, that a recall was requested, but that the recipient refused. She also contacted Bangkok Bank in Thailand, where the money was last tracked. A bank representative there told her to email information explaining what happened, which she did. To date, she has heard nothing from the bank. It was so convincing, she recalled. They kept saying, `This is our job to get your money back. We know youre a widow. And you need this money. Ugh, Theyre awful. Theyre horrible people. About the photo: Christina Ihlenfeldt of Clinton Township, Mich., sits in her chair in her home on Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2020. She became widowed, unemployed and lost $30,000 from a scam in one week. Heartbroken and vulnerable, the scam group using the name Geek Squad conned her into wiring them money to fix her computer. Her late husband, Robert Ihlenfeldt passed away on Friday, Aug. 7, 2020. (Rodney Coleman-Robinson/Detroit Free Press via AP) Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. A senior BT executive charged with murdering his wife of 42 years was arrested at the local pub after a relative found her dying at home in Bexley, a court heard. Suzanne Winnister, 66, was discovered with severe head and neck injuries when police were called to her gated 1.6million mock-Tudor property last Tuesday. Her husband Leslie Winnister, 68, appeared at the Old Bailey, via video link from HMP Highdown, charged with murdering the retired bank worker. Bill Emlyn-Jones, prosecuting, said Winnister was found in the local pub, and that Mrs Winnister had suffered 'fatal injuries to the head and neck'. Winnister has served as BT's treasurer for 15 years and is currently registered as a director of the telecom giant's property and investment arms. Leslie Winnister (left) appeared at the Old Bailey, via video link from HMP Highdown, charged with murdering retired bank worker and wife of 42 years Suzanne Winnister (right) A senior BT executive charged with murdering his wife of 42 years was arrested at the local pub after a relative found her dying at home in Bexley, a court heard Judge Nigel Lickley QC told the Old Bailey in London: 'It would appear that this incident arose for reasons that are yet to be explained.' Winnister, a high-flying executive, has made public appearances with leading City figures for at least 15 years in his role as treasurer for the telecoms giant and he is currently registered as a director of BT's property and investment arms. Mrs Winnister's body was found at 9.15pm by the partner of one of her nieces. He drove to the address after Mrs Winnister, who did not have any children, failed to respond to repeated attempts to contact her. Police were called to the couple's home at around 9.15pm last Tuesday. The London Ambulance Service pronounced Mrs Winnister dead at the scene. A post-mortem examination held the next day gave cause of death as severe head and neck injuries, the Old Bailey heard. Winnister, of Becketts Close, Bexley, was remanded in custody ahead of a plea and trial preparation hearing on November 30. WASHINGTON Actions by police officers, including witness tampering, violent interrogations and falsifying evidence, account for the majority of the misconduct that lead to wrongful convictions, according to a study released Tuesday by the National Registry of Exonerations that focused on the role police and prosecutors play in false convictions in the U.S. Researchers studied 2,400 convictions of defendants who were later found innocent over a 30-year period and found that 35% of these cases involved some type of misconduct by police. More than half 54% involved misconduct by police or prosecutors. The findings by the National Registry of Exonerations, a project that collects data on wrongful convictions, come as protests over racial injustice and police brutality spread across many cities for several months following the May 25 death of George Floyd in police custody. Tarnished brass investigation: Fired for a felony, again for perjury. Meet the new police chief. Misconduct that leads to wrongful convictions rarely comes to light and doesn't usually lead to mass protests and a racial reckoning, although they involve the same reliance on secrecy and deception, said Samuel Gross, a University of Michigan law professor and one of the authors of the study. Nathan Myers, left, embraces his uncle, Clifford Williams, during a news conference after their 1976 murder convictions were overturned Thursday, March 28, 2019. "The basic underlying truth is if you're innocent of a crime and you were convicted of it, the chances of it ever coming to light are, first, not great and, second, get worse and worse the less serious a crime it is," Gross said. "If you're convicted of a misdemeanor and you're innocent of it ... the chance of anybody caring is very low." But, Gross said, "We're not talking about all police officers or most police officers. What's disturbing is it happens at all and it happens with some regularity." Researchers found that misconduct by police and prosecutors is among the leading causes of disproportionate false conviction of Black defendants. For example, 78% of Black defendants who were wrongly accused of murder were convicted because of some type of misconduct. That number is 64% for white defendants, according to the study. An even wider gap: 87% of Black defendants later found innocent who were sentenced to death were victims of official misconduct vs. 68% for white defendants. Story continues As of Monday, the National Registry of Exonerations had nearly 2,670 people who have been exonerated since 1989, and the list grows regularly. Hiding evidence The study found that hiding evidence that is favorable to defendants is the most common type of misconduct. Researchers cite five murder trials in which prosecutors concealed evidence about the cause of death. In one case, a woman was convicted of killing her boyfriend, but prosecutors did not disclose a medical report that found he had died of suicide. "In a few rape exonerations, the authorities concealed evidence that the complainants had a history of making false rape allegations," according to the study. "And in at least a dozen child sex abuse cases, police, prosecutors and child welfare workers concealed statements by the supposed victims that they had not in fact been molested." In some cases, police officers falsely claimed they were victims of assaults by defendants. In one such case, police officers from Chattanooga, Tennessee, beat a defendant at a reentry facility because he defended himself. Adam Tatum was sentenced to two years in prison for assaulting officers but was later exonerated after video showed that officers attacked him without provocation. Tatum sued and later settled for $125,000. Read their records: We found 85,000 cops whove been investigated for misconduct Consequences are rare Police officers were disciplined or convicted of crimes in only 19% of exonerations that involved some type of misconduct, according to the study. That's a rate five times higher than those for prosecutors, whose misconduct account for 30% of the cases. Perhaps most infamous is former Chicago Police Commander Jon Burge who was convicted of perjury for lying about his role as the leader of a group of officers who tortured suspects into confessing. Former Chicago Police Department commander Jon Burge was released from custody in Tampa in 2008. Still, reforms have happened in recent years. Violent interrogations have become less common in the past 15 to 20 years as more states began requiring police departments to record interrogations. In 2013, the Justice Department and the International Association of Chiefs of Police called for investigative reforms meant to prevent wrongful convictions, including new guidelines on recording police interviews and greater scrutiny of eyewitness identifications. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Police misconduct among the leading causes of false convictions Researchers at HSC Fort Worth were awarded a grant expected to total $45 million from the National Institute on Aging, part of the National Institutes of Health, to expand innovative research into Alzheimer's disease and the biological differences that cause the disease to disproportionately afflict Mexican Americans. The 5-year research grant, awarded to Sid O'Bryant, PhD, Professor and Executive Director of the Institute for Translational Research, and Leigh Johnson, PhD, Associate Professor and Associate Director, is the largest research award ever received by The University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth. This is a transformative award for our university. HSC is recognized as a national leader in the quest to unlock the mysteries of Alzheimer's disease and to discover new interventions to help prevent this deadly disease." Dr. Michael Williams, HSC President Drs. O'Bryant and Johnson seek to understand the biological framework of Alzheimer's disease in multi-ethnic populations and how it differs from that of non-Latino whites. For example, Mexican Americans develop Alzheimer's disease 10 years earlier than whites. However, most of the Alzheimer's research focuses on Non-Latino whites. The new funding will build off the HABLE study, a five-year project at HSC that Dr. O'Bryant started in 2017 and is funded by a $12 million National Institutes of Health grant. Almost 1,000 Mexican Americans and 1,000 non-Latino whites over 50 from North Texas have enrolled in the study into how different biological causes relate to Alzheimer's disease across ethnicities. HABLE participants undergo free comprehensive interviews, functional exams, clinical laboratory tests, a brain MRI and more. With the new funding HSC will create a state-of-the-art imaging center in the Institute for Translational Research where the ITR team will perform two PET Scans on every HABLE participant to look for beta amyloid or tau proteins, which are biomarkers for Alzheimer's. Two years later, each participant will undergo two more PET Scans for comparison of how the proteins have progressed. The scans will allow researchers to observe the differences in Mexican Americans and non-Latino whites. Preliminary data suggests that beta amyloid protein differs significantly in prevalence between the two ethnicities, Dr. O'Bryant said. "This is the first of its kind, large-scale, longitudinal study of the biological framework of Alzheimer's in community-dwelling and multi-ethnic populations," Dr. O'Bryant said. "We know from looking at new treatments for cancer and diabetes that understanding the biology of the disease is critically important to the development of novel, effective therapeutic interventions." Mexican Americans represent the fastest growing aging population in the country. It is estimated that 1 million Mexican Americans will be diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease by 2030. While novel interventions may be years away, HABLE program participants may benefit immediately from medical information gathered. Participants can request the results of the comprehensive medical exams are shared with their health care providers to help guide their current medical decisions. Because the new imaging center where participants will undergo PET scans is on the HSC campus, the HABLE project team won't have to refer participants out to private imaging centers for the valuable but costly scans. "Very few laboratories in the county will have the imaging capability that the Institute for Translational Research will have at HSC," Dr. O'Bryant said. All data recorded through the study will be shared publicly with the scientific community throughout the duration of the project to aid other investigators in their quest for Alzheimer's breakthroughs, Dr. Johnson said. Dr. O'Bryant also is overseeing the first study of a blood test to detect Alzheimer's disease within a primary care setting. That study underway at HSC, is funded by a separate $6.5 million study funded by NIA. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Moch. Fiqih Prawira Adjie (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Tue, September 15, 2020 19:00 493 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c44f84cf 1 National National-Police,Idham-Azis,security-guard,pam-swakarsa,satpam,uniform,security,neighborhood,siskamling Free The National Police now require civilian security guards (Satpam) to wear brown uniforms with a rank badge in order to "honor the profession", in a move an activist says creates the potential for abuse of power. National Police chief Gen. Idham Azis signed the regulation on private security guards (Pam Swakarsa) on Aug 5, stipulating the uniform change. Private security guards, who previously wore white uniforms for day guards and navy blue uniforms for night guards, will be required to wear five kinds of brown uniform. In accordance with National Police Chief Regulation No. 4/2020 on private security, there will be a change in the color of the guards uniforms, National Police spokesperson Brig. Gen. Awi Setiyono told tempo.co on Monday. The regulation also adds badges to the shoulder part of the uniform to display the officer's rank. The badges will display white triangles for officers, red for managers and yellow for supervisors, with the number of triangles ranging from one to three depending on their rank. Awi said changing the uniforms color to brown, similar to that of the police, was meant to symbolize closeness between private security officers and police officers. [This is to] honor the security guard profession and ignite their pride as those who carry out the limited function of the police," he said. The regulation states that private security companies will have one year to implement the uniform change. Officers that violate the uniform provisions will receive a warning letter from the police and will have their license revoked if they are found to have violated the regulation three times. Read also: Jokowi calls on National Police to uphold humanity, professionalism amid pandemic The title of the regulation is not to be confused with the Pam Swakarsa paramilitary security forces established by the Indonesian Military (TNI) in 1998 to break up demonstrations. The National Polices new regulation on Pam Swakarsa only stipulates private security guards such as Satpam or the neighborhood watch (Siskamling). Responding to the regulation, the Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) raised concerns that security guards wearing similar uniforms to police officers might trigger abuse of power. There will be groups thinking that as they are legitimized by the police, they feel as if they have more authority than regular citizens, YLBHI chair Asfinawati told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday. She further lambasted the move saying that the new uniform for private security guards was a tactic to strengthen the polices legitimacy. Because they resemble the police and can even be more dangerous because they are indistinguishable. Asfinawati pointed out that the National Police chiefs regulation itself further risked abuse of power as it stipulated that the private security officers and other groups sanctioned by the police would possess partial police functions, allowing them to carry out public security activities. She also raised concerns that the regulation would allow police to have a wider scope of authority with the private security groups as their extensions. Officials have pulled a hissy fit after denouncing a man spotted wearing a huge snake instead of a face mask while riding a bus in Salford yesterday. The man used the large reptile, which hung around his neck, as a face covering while boarding the Swinton to Manchester service at Salford precinct. Shocked passengers stared in astonishment as the man - clearly making fun of coronavirus restrictions including the compulsory wearing of coverings on public transport in England - removed the snake from around his neck. The reptile then wrapped itself around the hand rails as fellow bus riders described the surreal scene as 'definitely entertaining'. One passenger, who asked not to be named, said she initially thought the man was wearing a 'funky mask' before she spotted it slithering over the hand rails. She said she found the incident 'really funny' and that the animal did not seem to be bothering any of her fellow pas-sengers, telling PA: 'No-one batted a eyelid.' The public stunt was swiftly condemned by local authorities today as they insisted that snakes are not replacements for face coverings. Photos confirm the man was not wearing a mask under the large snake. Bus passengers nearly had a hissy fit after spotting a man wearing a huge snake instead of a face mask while riding a bus in Salford yesterday The man used the large reptile, which hung around his neck, as a face covering while boarding the Swinton to Manchester service at Salford precinct Using a face covering on public transport is currently mandatory, except for those who are exempt for reasons of age, health or disability. A Transport for Greater Manchester spokesman said: 'Government guidance clearly states that this needn't be a surgical mask, and that passengers can make their own or wear something suitable, such as a scarf or bandana. While there is a small degree of interpretation that can be applied to this, we do not believe it extends to the use of snakeskin - especially when still attached to the snake.' A 46-year-old woman told the Manchester Evening News: 'He had it wrapped around his face like a mask getting on the bus. 'At first I thought he had a really funky mask on, then he let it crawl around the hand rails. No one was really bothered on the bus but a man behind took a video. 'It was definitely entertaining.' While some people are stretching the definition of 'face covering' to include reptilian creatures, others are being attacked for banning face masks in shops. Michael Schneider, 57, is being investigated by police for putting up a sign banning customers from wearing coverings inside his vintage tearoom in Chichester. The shopkeeper has also admitted that he will penalise mask-wearers by charging them if they put on a face mask 'of their own volition'. A red doormat with white footprints also instructs customers to 'stand here until you realise your Government is brainwashing you (You May Be Here Sometime)'. Mr Schneider alleges that the British public are 'consenting to Government control' by following Boris Johnson's coronavirus restrictions, including the new draconian Rule of Six which came into force in England yesterday. Shocked passengers stared in astonishment as the man removed the snake from around his neck. The reptile then wrapped itself around the hand rails Police are now investigating shopkeeper Mr Schneider after Chichester District Council was inundated with complaints about his sign. Mr Schneider claims council officers has 'threatened to shut down his shop' if he does not take the sign down - though the Council denies making such threats. Speaking to Metro, Mr Schneider said: 'What's happening now, where you can't get more than six people in one place without having the police on you, that violates Article 20 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. 'I've had the police around, I've had the Council round twice and they all want me to take my poster down and I'm not going to do it because it's the truth.' ***Do you know this man? Email jack.wright@mailonline.co.uk*** Around 1,500 taxi drivers are protesting in Dublin today for a lifebuoy from the Government to help the industry stay afloat. The drivers are travelling from Parkgate Street, down the Quays, as far as Beresford Place and on over to Merrion Square. Jim Waldron, from the National Private Hire and Taxi Association, told Pat Kenny on Newstalk: We need a lifebuoy to help the industry stay afloat, so people in the industry can keep working in the community. We are disappointed the Department of Transport had no provision for us, no thought for us. We want them to remember us, as they have not up to now. Mr Waldron said the taxi industry employs 26,000 and it's falling apart at the seams. Read More Taxi drivers had to be recognised as people, he added - stating that some were suffering with mental health issues, while also dealing with passengers who were struggling mentally. While many had already left the industry, he added, due to the lack of work currently during the pandemic. The Government had to be more creative he urged - stating it could help create work for drivers. There had been a shortage of transport for schools and the HSE, he added, yet the Government had not thought to organise taxi drivers to take over this work. Some drivers wanted to leave the industry but had been unable to due to financial commitments, he added. He called on the Government to introduce a financial package for taxi drivers to help keep the industry operational. And for a more stable wage subsidy package, as drivers were facing a dilemma whether to stay on the payment or go back to work, where they would try to make more. The Government should stop issuing new driver plates, Mr Waldron added and help the industry instead. While he also aired concerns the Green Party were seeking to have taxis removed from bus lanes. That put into question whether stricter lockdowns, such as Melbourne's current stage four restrictions, were necessary, she said. Loading "Should we remain at that level of lockdown? No. I don't think the numbers justify it." But the study also has significant limitations. Its sample size is too small to make a confident estimate about the true level of infection around Australia: only 2991 people were tested, about two-thirds of them from Victoria and NSW. Of those 2991, 41 had antibodies to COVID-19. Professor Brendan Crabb, an antibody-testing expert and director of the Burnet Institute who was not involved in the study, said the estimate of 71,400 infections was "on the high side of likelihood, but not out of the realms of possibility". The antibody test used was developed by a team of researchers at the Australian National University and has a false positive rate of 1.09 per cent. "There is still much margin for error here," Professor Crabb said. The study's lead author, Associate Professor Ian Cockburn, said it would "not be too surprising" that many infections had not been picked up. In the early stages of Australia's pandemic, many people were turned away from testing stations; it is estimated about 40 per cent of people with the coronavirus do not show any symptoms. Associate Professor Ian Cockburn Credit:Jamie Kidston/ANU The low number of overall infections "tells you the restrictions work", Professor Cockburn said. If Australia's restrictions had been less strict, there would have been more confirmed cases but more unconfirmed cases too, stressing healthcare systems, he said. Professor Kristine Macartney, director of the National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance, said coronavirus cases were probably missed in the first weeks and months of the pandemic in Australia when there were greater restrictions on who could access testing. "What we probably now appreciate is that the virus was infecting people who may not have been eligible for testing at that time," she said. "It does indicate that Australia ... has kept control of the spread of the virus." Antibody blood testing for COVID-19. Other countries that have conducted similar antibody surveys, such as Iceland, also discovered their testing programs were missing many infections. A separate antibody survey in NSW, being run by the Kirby Institute, is expected to release results later this week. Based on early data, NSW Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant estimated in July the true prevalence of coronavirus cases was between 1 and 2 per cent of the state's population. Infection control expert Professor Mary-Louise McLaws said most other countries had reported rates of coronavirus infections in their communities of between 1 and 10 per cent of the population much higher than the 0.28 per cent rate reported in the Australian survey. Professor McLaws said while it was encouraging to see these low numbers of infection relative to the rest of the world, it would be great to see more testing. MIDDLETOWN Middlesex Community College is hosting a series of information sessions for students interested in a studying for a career in the manufacturing industry. The virtual events will occur Sept. 22, Oct. 20, Nov. 17 and Dec. 15, according to a press release. The Tuesday sessions will run from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m., and be moderated by Tracy Ariel, director of advanced manufacturing programs at the college. The MxCC manufacturing programs provide a solid foundation in manufacturing skills for employment as a computer numerical control machine operator, inspection or logistics. The classes are geared to support students who are currently working in the industry as well as those who want to gain access to Connecticuts robust and high-tech manufacturing field, Ariel said in a prepared statement. The sessions will cover the manufacturing industry in the state, Middlesex manufacturing program information including goals, degrees and certificates, as well as the application process, assessment testing, and how to pay. Classes are running now and include on-ground, hands-on manufacturing machining skills as well as online theory courses, the release said. Middlesex student Elizabeth Moag, a manufacturing machine technology major from Berlin, said she always wanted to pursue a career in manufacturing. I want to show that women are intelligent and strategic, and have what it takes to succeed in the manufacturing world, she said in the release. Her goal is to help break barriers for women in this field and become a manufacturing engineer. The college also received a $10,000 grant for student scholarships from the Gene Haas Foundation last year. Haas Automation is a leading national builder of CNC machine tools. Moag earned one of the scholarships. Manufacturers in Connecticut are looking to replace thousands of aging workers in the next 10 years as companies work with students to mentor and transition them into this growing and challenging field. Prospective students can register for the online events at mxcc.edu. To learn more about the programs, visit mxcc.edu/academics. The Taxpayer Assistance Center in Albuquerque has moved to a new location. The Internal Revenue Service announced Tuesday that the Albuquerque center designed to provide free tax help has moved to 6200 Jefferson NE, not far from its former location at 5338 Montgomery NE, according to a news release from the IRS. All Taxpayer Assistance Centers operate by appointment. To schedule an appointment at the Albuquerque TAC, call 844-545-5640 weekdays between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. A variety of services, including Direct Pay and Free File, are also available on www.irs.gov, the release said. A local defense attorney on Tuesday accused the Harris County District Attorneys Office of knowingly prosecuting an innocent man in his now-dismissed criminal case over a Crosby plants emission of toxic chemicals during Hurricane Harvey. The district attorneys office last week dismissed two charges in the prosecution, one against chemical company Arkema and the single charge against its then-vice president for logistics Michael Keough. It was a win-at-all-costs prosecution and it disgusts me that we had to sit through it, Keoughs attorney, Dan Cogdell, said during a news conference held over Zoom. The case alleged that Keough and the company misrepresented to authorities their ability to monitor the temperature of dangerous chemicals on site, which combusted and ultimately caused two sheriffs deputies to become ill. Separate charges against the company and two other executives are still pending. The trial is set to resume on Monday second floor of NRG Arena after a hiatus prompted by the coronavirus pandemic Prosecutors claim that employees failed to move the chemicals off their plant as the facility became inundated with floodwater. The organic peroxides on site combusted as the property flooded, causing 23 people to be briefly hospitalized and more than 200 nearby residents to be evacuated. Cogdell on Tuesday said that the state had evidence of Keoughs innocence from at least two meetings with David Wade, the industrial liaison for the Harris County Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management. Prosecutors gained that knowledge prior to presenting the case to a grand jury in April 2019, Cogdell said. Prosecutors said they believed they had probable cause by dismissed the charges - both for assault on a public servant - because they did not feel there was enough evidence to convince a jury beyond a reasonable doubt. Wade testified Monday in a separate hearing over prosecutorial misconduct, related to three remaining charges of reckless emission of toxic chemicals against the company itself, its CEO, Richard Rowe, and plant manager Leslie Comardelle. That hearing centered over whether prosecutors lied about another chemical companys response to Hurricane Harvey. During the hearing, Wade refuted the states allegations that Keough misrepresented Arkemas ability to monitor the temperatures of the chemicals, Cogdell said. Wade backed up Keoughs statements, telling Judge Belinda Hill that he was aware the chemicals temperatures couldnt be monitored remotely, according to Codgell. Wades testimony was similar to statements he made prior to the trial, which led to a delayed start date and undermined his reliability as the prosecutions key witness. Wades testimony on Monday points to prosecutorial misconduct, Cogdell said. Hill has not ruled on the issue. The district attorneys office did not directly respond to several written questions detailing Cogdells allegations, but instead repeated its explanation for dismissing the case. Prosecutors are obligated to seek justice; in this case, a prosecutor felt that there was enough evidence for a criminal charge, but that he could not prove that charge beyond a reasonable doubt at this time, so he requested it be dismissed, said Dane Schiller, spokesman for the Harris County District Attorneys Office. Keough became emotional when he spoke about Wades testimony. To watch Mr. Wade yesterday tell everybody what happened, to tell the truth, it was a huge relief, he said. Its been hard on me and my family. samantha.ketterer@chron.com A man stands next to the logo of Verizon at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona (Reuters) - Verizon Communications Inc said on Monday it will buy pre-paid mobile phones provider Tracfone, a unit of Mexican telecoms giant America Movil , in a $6.25 billion cash and stock deal. Tracfone, which serves about 21 million subscribers through more than 90,000 retail locations across the United States, said more than 13 million of its subscribers rely on Verizon's network under an existing agreement. Verizon is the largest U.S. wireless carrier by subscribers. The U.S. wireless industry is concentrated in the hands of three mobile carriers due to several mergers in recent years: T-Mobile , which in April completed its $23 billion merger with Sprint Corp to solidify its position in the United States; AT&T Inc , and Verizon. America Movil, which was created from a state monopoly, is Mexico's largest telecoms operator by far and is controlled by the family of Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim, the Latin American nation's richest man. Verizon has not historically invested in prepaid compared with its rivals, such as T-Mobile, which revamped its MetroPCS prepaid brand and bought Sprint, which had a large prepaid business. Verizons purchase of Tracfone comes at a time when the pandemic has ravaged the economy and Americans are cutting back on spending. Tracfone had become popular with the lower end of the ultra-competitive U.S. telecoms consumer market and Verizon plans to provide new products for that segment after this "strategic acquisition," said Hans Vestberg, chairman and chief executive of Verizon. "This transaction firmly establishes Verizon, through the Tracfone brands, as the provider of choice in the value segment, which complements our clear leadership in the premium segment," added Ronan Dunne, executive vice president and group CEO, Verizon Consumer Group. Shares of Verizon were up more than 1% in morning trading. American Movil shares jumped more than 3.5% when the Mexican market opened. Story continues The deal includes $3.125 billion in cash and $3.125 billion in Verizon stock. Credit Suisse is acting as financial adviser to Verizon on the deal, which is expected to close in the second half of 2021. (Reporting by Ayanti Bera in Bengaluru and Drazen Jorgic in Mexico City; Additional reporting by Sheila Dang; Editing by Vinay Dwivedi, Will Dunham and Dan Grebler) The wife of disgraced ex-Tory MP Charlie Elphicke stood by him today as he was jailed for two years after being found guilty of three sexual assaults on two younger women. Elphicke, whose wife Natalie accompanied him to court throughout the trial, was not in court today for his sentencing after announcing she would divorce him less than an hour after his conviction in July. The shamed former MP showed no emotion as he heard his fate at Southwark Crown Court and collected a small holdall before being taken from the dock into custody. Former Conservative MP Charlie Elphicke arriving at Southwark Crown Court in London to be sentenced for three counts of sexual assault Mrs Elphicke announced the end of her 25-year marriage on Twitter as she sat in a taxi leaving court less than an hour after the verdicts were returned in July Judge Mrs Justice Whipple told him: 'You made your victims come to court. They told the truth, and you told a pack of lies - not only to the jury, but your wife, the whips and the police.' The judge said she 'considered carefully' whether the sentence should be suspended. But she told Elphicke: 'Bearing in mind the gross breach of your position of power... I am satisfied that appropriate punishment can only be achieved by immediate custody.' He was told he would likely serve up to half that term in prison before being released on licence. Prosecutor Eloise Marshall QC, read statements from the victims. 'Naughty Tory' Charlie Elphicke MP's victims are left 'crushed' and unable to trust men as he begins two years in jail for sexual assaults The victims of disgraced ex-Tory MP Charlie Elphicke were left 'crushed' and unable to trust men, a court heard. Elphicke - a self-proclaimed 'naughty Tory' - was today jailed for two years after being found guilty of three sexual assaults on two younger women. One of his victims said she 'used to freeze' whenever she was 'left alone with him' and cited the 'emotional and psychological turmoil' he put her through. Another said she was left with a 'significantly increased sense of anxiety and caution when meeting and working with any man'. Speaking at Southwark Crown Court, prosecutor Eloise Marshall QC, read statements from the victims. Reading the the first victim's statement Ms Marshall QC said: 'The effect of what he did to me has had a lasting impact. 'I have found that I have a significantly increased sense of anxiety and caution when meeting and working with any man. 'I feel like things I once enjoyed have been taken away from me. 'It was not easily recovered from. It took me a long time to get back on my feet and to be able to be stable in my home and job again.' Reading the second statement, she added: 'I remember feeling trapped, frightened and constantly on edge. 'I used to freeze every time that door would open or every time I was left alone with him. 'My mental health suffered because of the emotional and psychological turmoil that he put me through. 'When he did what he was found guilty for and abused his position of authority, I was incredibly vulnerable; left with feelings of complete powerlessness and inferiority. 'Because of his acts, he stole a large part of my self-worth and my self-esteem, and he crushed a part of my spirit.' Speaking after the hearing, Detective Sergeant Michael McInerney, from the Met Police, said: 'Elphicke was persistent in his sexual advances and showed a lack of self-restraint and regard for the two women who he assaulted. 'Their emotional wellbeing and professional lives have been deeply affected by what happened. 'These were alarming, distressing incidents for both women and I would like to acknowledge their courage in reporting the incidents and co-operating with the police investigation. 'Victims of non-recent sexual offences should not be deterred from reporting what happened to them to police. 'Specially trained investigators will investigate the claims and seek prosecutions where possible, whilst providing all the necessary support for victims.' Advertisement Reading the the first victim's statement she said: 'The effect of what he did to me has had a lasting impact. 'I have found that I have a significantly increased sense of anxiety and caution when meeting and working with any man. 'I feel like things I once enjoyed have been taken away from me. 'It was not easily recovered from. It took me a long time to get back on my feet and to be able to be stable in my home and job again.' Reading the second statement, she added: 'I remember feeling trapped, frightened and constantly on edge. 'I used to freeze every time that door would open or every time I was left alone with him. 'My mental health suffered because of the emotional and psychological turmoil that he put me through. 'When he did what he was found guilty for and abused his position of authority, I was incredibly vulnerable; left with feelings of complete powerlessness and inferiority. 'Because of his acts, he stole a large part of my self-worth and my self-esteem, and he crushed a part of my spirit.' The 49-year-old former MP for Dover, who appeared in court alone, immediately released a statement following the verdict, announcing his intention to appeal and insisting he was innocent. Elphick's statement, released by a spokesperson, said: 'Two weeks ago, my legal team sought leave to appeal my conviction to the Court of Appeal. That application is made on a number of grounds which demonstrate that my trial was unfair and my conviction unsafe. 'I know that I am innocent of any criminal wrongdoing and will continue to fight to clear my name.' His wife and successor as Dover MP Natalie Elphicke also defended him and said: 'I fully support Charlie in his appeal against both his convictions and today's excessive sentence. 'The court seems to be on a bit of a mission, it entirely ignored the report of a highly experienced probation officer as well as sentencing guidelines. 'There is no doubt that Charlie behaved badly. However, everyone, Charlie included, has the right to a fair trial, and I don't believe that he has had one.' Speaking after the hearing, Detective Sergeant Michael McInerney, from the Met Police, said: 'Elphicke was persistent in his sexual advances and showed a lack of self-restraint and regard for the two women who he assaulted. 'Their emotional wellbeing and professional lives have been deeply affected by what happened. 'These were alarming, distressing incidents for both women and I would like to acknowledge their courage in reporting the incidents and co-operating with the police investigation. 'Victims of non-recent sexual offences should not be deterred from reporting what happened to them to police. 'Specially trained investigators will investigate the claims and seek prosecutions where possible, whilst providing all the necessary support for victims.' Previously, the court heard how Elphicke declared himself a 'naughty Tory' as he chased his first victim around his central London family home in summer 2007, moments after groping her while they shared a bottle of wine. He also groped a second woman, a parliamentary worker in her early 20s with whom he was 'besotted', twice in a month while Dover MP in 2016. In her sentencing remarks following a 30-minute adjournment at Southwark Crown Court, Mrs Justice Whipple told Elphicke the first victim suffered a 'terrifying episode' when he chased her around his home chanting 'I'm a naughty Tory' after assaulting her. The judge said of the two offences against the second victim, the Parliamentary worker: 'This was a campaign of harassment, it required planning to get her alone with you.' The court heard Elphicke, a father of two and qualified lawyer, lied to police, senior colleagues and his own wife about what happened. Wife Natalie only learned of his emotional attachment to the parliamentary worker when she looked over case files during lockdown. Mrs Elphicke announced the end of her 25-year marriage on Twitter as she sat in a taxi leaving court less than an hour after the verdicts were returned. She broke the news to Elphicke and their young son earlier, and later said she found the court ordeal 'horrible, humiliating'. Elphicke also kept an affair with a third woman between 2015 and 2017 secret from his wife until his arrest in 2018. Neither the victims, or the third woman, can be identified for legal reasons. Prosecutor Eloise Marshall QC, reading a statement from the first victim ahead of the sentencing today, said the effect of what Elphicke did 'had a lasting impact', and said she had a 'significantly increased sense of caution' when coming into contact with men, including taxi drivers and butchers. Natalie Elphicke tweeted that her marriage to the 'only man I have ever loved' was over after 25 years after he was convicted on July 30 Disgraced ex-Tory MP Charlie Elphicke announces intention to appeal verdict as estranged wife slams court Charlie Elphicke immediately released a statement following his sentencing to two years in prison for three sex attacks, announcing his intention to appeal and insisting he was innocent. Elphick's statement, released by a spokesperson after the verdict, said: 'Two weeks ago, my legal team sought leave to appeal my conviction to the Court of Appeal. That application is made on a number of grounds which demonstrate that my trial was unfair and my conviction unsafe. 'I know that I am innocent of any criminal wrongdoing and will continue to fight to clear my name.' His wife and successor as Dover MP Natalie Elphicke also defended him and said: 'I fully support Charlie in his appeal against both his convictions and today's excessive sentence. 'The court seems to be on a bit of a mission, it entirely ignored the report of a highly experienced probation officer as well as sentencing guidelines. 'There is no doubt that Charlie behaved badly. However, everyone, Charlie included, has the right to a fair trial, and I don't believe that he has had one.' Advertisement She said: 'The logical part of my brain is telling me to be polite to them but the emotional side is making me stressed.' Ms Marshall said: 'Even to the extent that when the (police) officers came to take an account from her, she found it difficult to be alone with them. 'She says she avoided being alone with men in general.' The statement added: 'It took me a long time to get back on my feet (following the assault).' Concluding with her thoughts on the verdict, the woman - who cannot be named - said: 'I feel heard. Thank you.' The second victim, a former Parliamentary worker in her 20s, said in her impact statement, sections of which were read before the court: 'I still remember how he made me feel, I still know those feelings of fear and helplessness. 'I do believe as a result of what happened, it changed how I perceived myself. 'Because of his acts, he stole a large part of my self-worth and self-esteem.' Prosecutor Eloise Marshall said Elphicke 'affected her dreams', with the victim - who cannot be named - adding: 'My inner scars will always be there.' Ian Winter QC, defending Charlie Elphicke, urged the judge not to jail his client and said he was now the primary carer for his teenage son. He told the judge: 'Shortly, Mr Elphicke's descent into total disgrace will be complete. 'He has lost his wife, his daughter of 20 years is estranged from him as a direct result of his conviction, and his son, aged 13, has received sustained and quite vicious bullying at his school.' He said the boy was taunted by people calling his father 'a rapist', prompting him to 'collapse academically', and he is 'extremely psychologically vulnerable'. Mr Winter added of his client: 'A lesson has been fully and completely learned.' He added that the pre-sentence report found that the risk of re-offending was 'extremely low'. Mr Winter said: 'I can assure you on his behalf that it will never happen again. 'When one steps back and looks at the man you are sentencing today, you do have somebody who is essentially a good man.' Speaking after the verdict, Dover MP Natalie Elphicke expressed her support for her estranged husband He said there were 34 character witnesses supporting Charlie Elphicke, including 'serving Members of Parliament', but did not disclose their names. A statement from Elphicke's estranged wife described how one of the 'green shoots' of the circumstances was his improved bond with his 13-year-old son, saying they enjoyed activities such as gardening, baking, sailing, chess and Scrabble. Mr Winter said how Mrs Elphicke praised her estranged husband's 'careful and gentle way' of helping their son. Mr Winter said of the son: 'He's been cut off from people he thought were his friends... he has suffered in an academic way.' Mr Winter said the Elphickes' daughter, now 20, no longer spoke to her family. The fall from grace of 'naughty Tory' Charlie Elphicke Former MP Charlie Elphicke's fall from grace was steady - though it sank from one low point to another within the space of 30 minutes inside Southwark Crown Court on July 30. Shortly before lunchtime, the jury foreman returned guilty verdicts in each count of sexual assault the 49-year-old faced, leaving any prospect of a swift return to politics doomed. Minutes later, in the drab setting of a court side room, he was dumped by the wife who accompanied him hand-in-hand into the building throughout the trial yet was absent from the courtroom itself. Natalie Elphicke, who was her husband's political successor as Dover MP, then left the court alone and climbed into a waiting cab, announcing to the world on social media that their 25-year marriage was over. It left a stony-faced Elphicke to face the thronging cameras outside without his hitherto closest confidante. Some time later, in what has become a totem of shame in the digital age, his website and Twitter pages disappeared. It was a far cry from the summer of 2016, when Elphicke was entrusted within Parliament to ensure discipline among the Conservative Party's MPs. Yet, while Elphicke was whipping junior colleagues as the Lord Commissioner of the Treasury, privately he was himself falling well short of party standards - and committing crimes. The father-of-two told jurors that not only was he cheating on his wife by having an affair with a woman in her 20s, he was also inundating a parliamentary worker in her early 20s with messages as he sought to woo her. 'I felt very strongly about her,' Elphicke told the court. 'She was really lovely and I lost my head over her.' However, jurors decided it was much more than that, convicting Elphicke not of infidelity but of sexual offences - three counts of assault on two women, the younger of whom was two decades his junior. Elphicke was a member of the Class of 2010 intake of Tory MPs alongside the likes of Sajid Javid, Dominic Raab and Priti Patel. He had been selected as the party's candidate for Dover three years earlier, while a tax lawyer in his mid-30s, living with his wife and two young children just off Sloane Square in central London. Elphicke became a Government whip under David Cameron's premiership in 2015, but returned to the back benches when Theresa May came to power the following year. The parliamentary worker, who met up with Elphicke to challenge him about groping her in Westminster earlier that year, later confided in friends that the demotion 'really hit him hard'. Elphicke had the party whip suspended in November 2017 as the sexual assault allegations were passed to police, although it was controversially reinstated a year later when Mrs May faced a confidence vote, only to be removed again. Elphicke admitted lying to party bosses, the police and to his wife about various elements of the case, with Mrs Elphicke only discovering his desire for an affair with the parliamentary worker when she pored over case details during lockdown. Elphicke said his accusers were lying - he admitted kissing the first complainant, a woman in her early 30s who he said he did not find attractive, but denied groping her and chasing her round his London home chanting 'I'm a naughty Tory'. And he denied sexually assaulting the parliamentary worker he had fallen for, apparently declaring his love of Abba to her in the hope they were on mutual ground before he launched himself on her. Elphicke's barrister told jurors it was likely his client was guilty of being a bad husband and behaving foolishly. The jury considered that behaviour to be criminal. Advertisement He added: 'She was heading to Oxbridge but she can't because her grades were so poor.' Mr Winter said his client had 'no assets to his name', saying that the Kent family home was 'on the market, though not selling and not viewing'. He said Elphicke had 'a fair bit of debt', adding that his estranged wife loaned him 100,000 to pay for legal bills, but that he owes his lawyers 'more than that'. Mr Winter said Elphicke applied for legal aid but was refused on means grounds. He said Elphicke was currently unemployed. The hearing was adjourned for 20 minutes for the judge, Mrs Justice Whipple, to consider the verdicts. Elphicke, whose official Twitter account and website disappeared following his conviction, was told by judge Mrs Justice Whipple there was 'a very real possibility' he will be jailed ahead of today's sentencing. The court heard how the first offence took place when Elphicke invited a woman in her early 30s to share a drink with him while his children were asleep and his wife was up country with work - the first time she had been away since the birth of their son. The woman said Elphicke asked her about bondage and sex, then kissed her and groped her breast before chasing her around his home. Breaking down in court, she told jurors: 'I was just shocked - really, really shocked. 'He was saying really bizarre things that are embarrassing, like 'I'm a naughty Tory'. 'He was trying to grope me and trying to grab my bum.' The second complainant said Elphicke also tried to kiss her and then groped her when they met for a drink in Westminster in April 2016. He then told her: 'I'm so naughty sometimes.' The victim said: 'He had his mouth open, continually trying to kiss me. 'It was like a disgusting, slobbery mess.' She said she spurned Elphicke's sexual advances, telling jurors she was physically repulsed by him, and that Elphicke told her he had 'not been happy for years' in his marriage. She said he assaulted her again the following month when he ran his hand up her thigh towards her groin. Elphicke said he kissed the first victim because he initially felt it was something they both wanted. He told jurors he was 'besotted' with the second complainant, but denied assaulting either of them. The court heard Elphicke initially denied any knowledge of the allegations against the parliamentary worker when he was summoned before Tory party whips in January 2017. He later called on his 'friend', the former attorney general Dominic Grieve, to accompany him to a second meeting, although he failed to mention to Mr Grieve that he had strong feelings for the woman. Elphicke also admitted lying to police about the same issue, banking on him not being prosecuted and therefore being able to keep it from his wife. Elphicke wept as he admitted lying to police and admitted not telling the truth to police when they asked him about the parliamentary worker in her 20s he is accused of sexually assaulting in 2016. He said he didn't want to 'put my marriage in jeopardy' and that it would 'cause chaos'. He later added: 'I should not have lied to the police, I should have just fronted it up.' Elphicke broke down again as he described to the court how his marriage 'hangs by a thread' after keeping from his wife that he had propositioned the second complainant. It was only when his wife - a trained solicitor - went through material in the case in March this year that the full extent of his feelings for the complainant became clear to her, the court heard. Elphicke said: 'She (Mrs Elphicke) became very cross with me because she thought I had an affair. 'She said she thought I had an affair and she had it out with me. 'I said I had not had an affair but I propositioned (the second complainant). 'She (Mrs Elphicke) was very upset. It was very, very difficult.' Describing the status of his marriage, Elphicke said: 'She (Mrs Elphicke) comes into court with me every day. 'She's supporting me throughout proceedings. But things are not good. It hangs by a thread. 'I've got a lot of work to do. She's most upset that I didn't tell her at the outset.' He added: 'I've made a complete mess of everything.' Mrs Elphicke announced she was leaving her husband after he was convicted for the sex attacks. Elphicke became a government whip under David Cameron's premiership in 2015, but returned to the back benches when Theresa May came to power the following year. Elphicke had the party whip suspended in 2017 when allegations of sexual assault first emerged, but it was controversially reinstated a year later for a crucial confidence vote in then-prime minister Mrs May. The Conservative Party is facing serious questions over its handling of allegations against Elphicke after he had the whip restored while he was being investigated by police. Mrs May was facing what was expected to be a knife-edge vote tabled by hardline Brexit Conservatives angry at her withdrawal policy. The move to bring him back into the fold during Mrs May's tenure has been described as 'appalling' by Anna Soubry, who was a Tory MP at the time. Miss Soubry said: 'If she did know about it, it's quite remarkable that she let it happen.' The whip was withdrawn again the following summer when the Crown Prosecution Service announced its decision to charge Elphicke. Last month, police arrested an unnamed Conservative former minister on suspicion of rape. He was released on bail until November. Earlier this month, it was revealed that Elphicke's home has gone up for sale for 1.4million as he faces jail following his sexual assault convictions - and ahead of his impending divorce. The disgraced Conservative politician has listed his 1.4million property in Dover, Kent, for sale following his three-week trial and conviction on July 30. He shared the four-bedroom property The Edge with his wife Natalie, who succeeded him as MP for the area in 2019. The St Margaret's Bay property is thought to be the most valuable in its area. The announcement of the sale comes following Ms Elphicke's announcement that she is filing for divorce despite standing by her husband's side for three-and-a-half weeks in court. Three Indian Army personnel, including an officer, were injured on Tuesday after Pakistani troops violated ceasefire by using heavy fire and mortar shells along the Line of Control in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir, officials said. The Indian Army launched a befitting retaliation to the Pakistani firing and shelling in Sunderbani sector, they said. Pakistan initiated the unprovoked ceasefire violation by firing with small arms and intense shelling with mortars. Some injuries have been reported (on our side), a defence spokesman said, based on preliminary information. However, official sources said three army personnel including an officer, who were manning a forward post, were injured in the incident. The Pakistani army has also suffered casualties in the retaliatory action but the details are awaited, the sources said. All three have been shifted to the Army Hospital for treatment. Yoshihide Suga charted an unlikely course to the cusp of Japans premiership. While most leading Japanese lawmakers come from elite political families, Suga is the son of a strawberry farmer and a schoolteacher from the countrys rural north. He is known more for expressionless recitations of government policy than flashes of charisma. And at 71, he is even older than Shinzo Abe, who suddenly announced in late August that he was resigning as prime minister because of ill health. Yet on Monday, Suga, the longtime chief Cabinet secretary to Abe, was overwhelmingly elected as leader of the conservative Liberal Democratic Party during a conclave at a luxury Tokyo hotel. The party has governed Japan for all but four years since World War II and controls Parliament, virtually assuring that Suga will be elected prime minister during a special session this week. He will have to hit the ground running. Suga will take office in the middle of a pandemic that has devastated Japans economy, effectively erasing years of growth under Abe. Japan also is facing deepening pressure from China and North Korea. And it is losing a prime minister who built his foreign policy legacy partly on successful management of President Donald Trump, the mercurial leader of Japans most important strategic ally. While Suga has vowed to pick up where Abe left off, he has never clearly articulated his own vision for Japan, the worlds third-largest economy. Generally, politicians have at least a facade of expressing ideals, said Megumi Naoi, an associate professor of political science at the University of California, San Diego, who said she would usually expect policy statements about the type of world that I want to see. Despite nearly a quarter-century in national politics, Suga, who served essentially as Abes chief of staff and as the main government spokesman, hasnt really come out with very strong policies, Naoi said. Still, news of his ascendance appeared to have reassured the nation after a string of revolving-door prime ministers. And in Japan, where stability often outweighs ideology, Suga appealed to a tradition-bound political establishment that resists change. In many ways, Suga seems like yet another in a long line of dour Japanese politicians. The most exciting nugget to emerge in recent news reports is the revelation that Suga, a teetotaler with a sweet tooth, starts and ends each day with 100 situps. On his website he says he likes river fishing and karate. Suga, who declined a request for an interview, has promised to pursue some of the departing prime ministers most cherished goals. He is expected to further push for a revision of Japans pacifist Constitution and the return of Japanese citizens kidnapped by North Korea. He has also said he would roughly stick to Abes signature economic formula, known as Abenomics, combining easy monetary policy, government spending and structural changes of industries like agriculture. After showing a tiny sign that he might stake out new policy a potential increase in a tax that has hampered consumer spending Suga quickly backtracked. With global turbulence from the coronavirus pandemic and rising geopolitical threats in Asia, many Japanese may feel that a successor who stays the course may be just what the country needs. Japan is not a country with revolutionary reform taking place very often, said Christina L. Davis, director of the Program on U.S.-Japan Relations at Harvard University. Especially in times of crisis and uncertainty, being seen as a stable crisis manager could be an asset. Suga may epitomize the status quo, but he has been a catalyst for significant change. He is credited with helping Abe push through contentious security laws that allow Japans military to join overseas combat missions alongside allies. He was also considered a strong proponent of a bill, passed two years ago, authorizing a sharp increase in the number of foreign workers permitted in Japan. Some glimpses of his political hand have raised concerns. Critics say Suga was the architect behind some of Abes more authoritarian impulses, including his consolidation of power over Japans extensive bureaucracy and tactics to silence criticism in the news media. I think Mr. Suga is more dangerous than Mr. Abe, Kihei Maekawa, a former vice education minister, told The Sunday Mainichi, a weekly magazine. With Suga as prime minister, Maekawa predicted, bureaucrats will be servants or act as a private military. But perhaps the biggest question which arose after Suga became the front-runner is just how long he might last. The answer may hinge on, among other things, his handling of the pandemic, the postponed Tokyo Olympics and the increasing tensions with China. There are suggestions that Suga might call a snap election soon after he takes over. If successful, he could strengthen his hold on power. If not, said Ken Hijino, a professor of law at Kyoto University, maybe this is just an interim leader, and they will come up with some surprise younger, more attractive face to go into the general election. But for now, Suga appears to enjoy considerable public support, with more than 50% of those surveyed in a national poll last week backing him to be prime minister. While voters see Suga and Abe as something of a pair, their family backgrounds could hardly be more different. Abe is a third-generation politician and the grandson of a prime minister; Suga had an unremarkable upbringing in rural Akita prefecture, along with two older sisters and a younger brother. He was so quiet that no one paid attention to him, said Hiroshi Kawai, a high school classmate who works as a tour guide in Sugas hometown, Yuzawa City. We have such proverbs as great talents are slow to mature and a wise falcon hides its talons, Kawai said in a telephone interview. Now, I realized that those words were created for Mr. Suga. Motoko Rich and Makiko Inoue c.2020 The New York Times Company US President Donald Trump said he wanted to assassinate Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad, contradicting his earlier denial that hed sought to kill him. I would have rather taken him out, Trump said Tuesday on Fox News. I had him all set, Mattis didnt want to do it. Trump said on Fox News Tuesday that he doesnt regret his decision not to move forward with the killing, but faulted former Defense Secretary James James Mattis. The former defense secretary, who left the administration in January 2019, has been critical of Trump. To me he was a terrible general, he was a bad leader, Trump said of Mattis. A book written by Journalist Bob Woodward in 2018 said Trump urged Mattis to come up with a plan to kill Assad, but that the then-Defense secretary did not go along with the presidents demands. That came after a chemical attack on civilians in 2017 that was blamed on the Syrian government. After the book was released, Trump denied that hed sought Assads death. Chinese PLA troops participating in the Kavkaz-2020 strategic exercise arrive at a military airport in the Astrakhan Region, Russia, on September 14, 2020. By Luo Shunyu, Yang Xiaobo and Li Hui ASTRAKHAN, Russia, Sept. 15 -- All Chinese troops and equipment to participate in Kavkaz-2020 strategic exercise have arrived at exercise venues in Russia in two batches by long-range air delivery. The troops and hardware are from the Western Theater Command of the Chinese Peoples Liberation Army. Three Y-20 transport planes landed at a military airport in the Astrakhan Region, Russia on Sunday. This is the first time that the Y-20 transport aircraft formation have performed transnational airlift for heavy equipment along a brand-new route, covering a one-way flight distance of nearly 5,000 kilometers with the flight duration exceeding seven hours. The Chinese participating troops consist of a exercise directing team, a joint operations commanding team, a combined battle group, a commanding support team, a logistics and equipment support team, and a medical support team. The first batch of Chinese participating troops arrived at the exercise venue on Sept. 11. They were entrusted to make preparation work including arrangement of camping area, epidemic control, decontamination and disinfection, receiving equipment from the Russian side and exercise-related consultations. The Kavkaz-2020 strategic exercise is a major training exercise for Russian military this year. The exercise is themed with maintaining regional peace and stability by using multinational joint forces, and focuses on the drills of mobile defense and battle group attack operations. The wheeled equipment of the Chinese troops to participate in the Kavkaz-2020 strategic exercise gets unloaded from the Y-20 transport aircraft at a military airport in the Astrakhan Region, Russia, on September 14, 2020. A politically-sophisticated attempt to influence the Delhi elections in February played out on Facebook before it was taken down silently, a recently fired employee of the social media company has said in a memo. Former Facebook data scientist Sophie Zhang has also cited examples in the memo of how the company has failed to act on time or with transparency in tackling attempts to undermine democratic processes around the world. American digital media outlet BuzzFeed News accessed the memo and reported about it late on Monday. The memo cites instances of alleged influence operations by political parties in Azerbaijan and Honduras, and similar but unattributed campaigns in Ukraine, Spain, Brazil, Bolivia, and Ecuador, in addition to India. Also Read: Hate speech complaints: Delhi Assembly panel summons Facebook official I worked through sickness to take down a politically-sophisticated network of more than a thousand actors working to influence the election, Zhang wrote in the 6,600-word memo, according to the BuzzFeed report. It added Facebook did not report the takedown officially. Zhang, who did not specify who was behind the attempt, was with Facebooks Site Integrity fake engagement team. In the three years Ive spent at Facebook, Ive found multiple blatant attempts by foreign national governments to abuse our platform on vast scales to mislead their own citizenry, and caused international news on multiple occasions, she wrote in the memo. Also Read: Plea in Supreme Court over data protection in UPI platforms The disclosure adds to questions of transparency in how the social media company acts on problematic content, which includes hate speech and fake information that has been proven to succeed in influencing elections. It also spotlights the problem of who takes these calls, which in Zhangs case appeared to be a mid-level employee. There was so much violating behaviour worldwide that it was left to my personal assessment of which cases to further investigate, to file tasks, and escalate for prioritization afterwards, she wrote in the memo. The BuzzFeed News report is the third since the August 14 story by the Wall Street Journal that first detailed how Facebook struggles to manage content on its website, especially those involving politicians. Facebook Indias policy team members personally intervened to halt action against a Telangana Bharatiya Janata Party leader, citing a potential risk to the companys commercial interests in the country, the first report said. Facebook has since banned the politician and denied that it acted in a biased manner. The company is being investigated by a parliamentary and Delhi legislative assembly committees. Zhang suggested Facebook has a pattern of prioritising such problems only when they turn into a publicity issue for the company. Its why Ive seen priorities of escalations shoot up when others start threatening to go to the press, and why I was informed by a leader in my organization that my civic work was not impactful under the rationale that if the problems were meaningful they would have attracted attention, became a press fire, and convinced the company to devote more attention to space. It was not clear why Zhang was fired, but the report noted that she had turned down a $64,000 severance to avoid a no-disparagement deal. The Buzzfeed News report did not carry a reaction from the company. The misinformation campaigns in Honduras and Azerbaijan appeared to be the most serious Zhang was involved in responding to. Facebook took nine months to act on the Honduras attempt, and responded close to a year after the Azerbaijan campaign was flagged, the report added. A Facebook company spokesperson said they have built specialised teams, working with leading experts, to stop bad actors from abusing their systems. [The teams have resulted] in the removal of more than 100 networks for coordinated inauthentic behaviour. The spokesperson said it is a highly involved work that these teams do as their full-time remit. Working against coordinated inauthentic behaviour is our priority, but we are also addressing the problems of spam and fake engagement. We investigate each issue carefully, including those that Ms Zhang raises, before we take action or go out and make claims publicly as a company. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The cost of delivering electricity is exorbitant and increasingly unreliable in Connecticut. On Aug. 4 Hurricane Isaias made landfall, leaving over 800,000 customers powerless for 10 days. Utilities failure to respond, poor planning and lack of information to customers and municipalities, and crews standing idle without direction enraged ratepayers. Deplorable storm responses and a vacuum of leadership could be somewhat understandable if it were a one-time event. But no. Extreme weather events occurred with Tropical Storm Irene in 2011 (767,000 customers powerless) and in 2012 with Sandy (600,000 outages). Outrage over woefully inadequate response to these weather events led to 2012 legislation that addressed much of what legislators are proposing today: additional performance and customer service standards, grid upgrade, tree maintenance, and reform of the states Public Utility Regulatory Agency (PURA). Other elected officials are now demanding the complete state takeover of electric companies. Electric companies are not just responsible for keeping the lights on, but also for tracking weather events and preparing for rapid response. They could certainly improve if funds were redirected to tree trimming, upgrade of power lines and augmentation of infrastructure. Instead, Eversource cut critical response staff by 20 percent and paid excessive bonuses of up to $40 million. At the same time, a startlingly PURA-approved rate hike shot up three-fold! The questionable relationship between the Connecticut Energy Regulatory Authority and the public utility companies is over 100 years old. Throughout that time, there have been a significant number of patches and reworkings of the processes and procedures for delivery of power to the public: all a smoke screen that reliability had been improved. In fact, their bureaucracy has grown exponentially and continues to do so. Currently it is a regulatory, delivery and pricing nightmare. Connecticut charges the highest rates in the U.S. What is driving up the cost? It is not only utility costs and administrative overhead, but also layers of mandated regulations imposed by the state. There are also pass through fees to cover the states own shortfalls. This has made electric rate making so complex people feel they need a CPA to decipher their monthly bills. You would think by 2020 our aging transmission infrastructure would have improved, and reliability of the regions bulk power system would be dependable. These multiple power outages however have exposed its weaknesses. It is time to design a new, streamlined, focused public utility industry for Connecticut. A top down strategic plan should be developed to reduce the risk of future power outages that includes continual tree trimming and burying power lines; thus, eliminating special interests and state budget charges. But top down energy delivery is inherently inefficient and will worsen with congestion. Systems today that generate 650 MKW of power through largely centralized plants require moving that power down to 25 KV for residential power. Development of user level generation could take pressure off the grid. Putting power in the hands of the customer is gaining ground. More people are installing backup generators. Investment in making these generators more efficient is a wise use of capital. Conservation will help, but we must also develop new technologies for homes and businesses. There are a lot of smart, experienced, talented, and committed people in our state. They need to get in a room, leave their egos and personal biases at the door, and help bring Connecticut into a new era of power delivery. While we work to develop decentralized solutions, we must address todays critical problems of an aging and increasingly ineffective and unreliable system for electricity delivery. Although legislators enacted a myriad of rules in 2012 that are once again being proposed, none of them helped to improve response time in 2020. Trees keep falling across power lines. Connecticut placed 69 miles of high voltage transmission lines underground from 2006 to 2009. A continuous program of moving lines underground that is more impervious to damage is imperative. It has been nine years since Irene as we wring our hands about the cost of burying the power lines. But how much did the last storm cost us? They say that repeating the same thing over and over while expecting different results is the definition of insanity. It is time for a change before the next storm once again leaves us powerless. Toni Boucher, a resident of Wilton, is a businesswoman and former state senator and state representative. IBAC Commissioner Robert Redlich said the community was "rightfully concerned" if someone was injured during an interaction with police. "Given the potentially serious nature of this incident, IBAC has determined it is in the public interest to independently investigate this matter," he said. Police said on Tuesday that a senior constable from the Critical Incident Response Team was suspended on Monday night following his involvement in a "protracted incident" which began at Epping's Northern Hospital on Sunday. The arrest in Epping on Sunday afternoon has been referred Victoria Police Professional Standards Command for oversight. "Professional Standards Command continue to investigate the matter and are currently assessing all available information," a police spokeswoman said. The officer will receive full pay as is standard practice while the incident is investigated. Jeremy King, lawyer at Robinson Gill, is acting for the man's family, who are planning to take legal action against Victoria Police. "They are relieved that something is happening," he said on Tuesday morning, following news an officer had been suspended. "Relieved it's been taken seriously, it's being investigated properly and action has been taken." He said the man was no longer in an induced coma on Tuesday but was being closely monitored in hospital. Loading Mr Paterson said that the man arrested had attended the Northern Hospital seeking treatment about 9pm on Saturday. About 4pm on Sunday, while he was still waiting to receive treatment, there was an incident where the glass entry doors were broken by the man. Videos from witnesses show the man walking in the middle of the road, waving his arms in front of a police car. As he turns around and walks away from the vehicle, the police car speeds up and hits the man in the back. Another video shows six officers surrounding the man while he is face down on the ground on the median strip. When the man attempts to get up, a male officer stomps the back of the mans head, forcing it into the ground. All six officers then pin the man down while he is arrested. A police spokeswoman said officers had been called to reports that a man "behaving erratically". "Upon arrival, the male allegedly became aggressive and damaged a police vehicle whilst attempting to avoid arrest," she said. The spokeswoman described the incident as "highly dynamic" and said that a police officer was assaulted and capsicum spray used on the man before he was arrested and taken to hospital for assessment. On Monday night, police said the man remained in hospital for assessment and had not been "deemed fit for interview at this stage". The man's father, Glenn, said his son has bipolar disorder and had been seeking treatment at the Northern Hospital while waiting for a bed to become available in the psychiatric ward on Sunday. He had left the hospital and staff called police. Glenn's son was at the centre of a dramatic arrest in Epping on Sunday. Credit:Nine News Glenn said his son, a young father who runs his own business, had not had an episode in nine years. "I spoke to him on Saturday, he was crying and wanted me to come in and I can't because of the COVID thing. You hear your son crying on the phone, it's not very nice," the emotional father told Nine News on Monday. "Then you see what police did to him." "They could have killed him. These people need to be held to justice and accountable." Premier Daniel Andrews said on Tuesday he had seen the footage and sent his best wishes to the family. Loading "It needs to be investigated. I think the officer being stood down is the appropriate step to take," he said. "I'll leave Victoria Police to comment in further detail. They'll work out what should and shouldn't be said in order to make sure we have a process that's fair and that family members get answers. Mr Edwards, who filmed the arrest, told The Age he was driving down Cooper Street in Epping when he saw a man on the road. "Within two seconds a police car rammed into him the man then got up and a foot chase continued," he said. "They pepper-sprayed him, there were multiple kicks to the head and then they tackled him to the ground." He said that while the man was on the ground restrained by five or six officers, one of them "stomped on his head". Police are asking anyone who may have witnessed the incident or has dashcam or mobile footage to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or www.crimestoppersvic.com.au. Leaders of ECOWAS met heads of Malis military in the latest attempt to quicken the transition from military leadership. West African mediators have failed to persuade leaders of a military coup in Mali to immediately hand over power to a civilian government. On Tuesday, leaders of the 15-member Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) met the heads of a military government that, on August 18, overthrew President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, in the blocs latest attempt to quicken the transition from military leadership. ECOWAS imposed economic sanctions after the coup, and said a new president should be appointed by Tuesday. 200912191004885 But those actions, and multiple diplomatic interventions, appear to have had little effect, reinforcing the difficulty regional powers face in shaping events inside the turbulent country. We have not reached any agreement with the military junta, said Ghana President Nana Akufo-Addo, acting ECOWAS chair, after the talks. He said that a mediating mission would return to Mali next week to try to resolve outstanding issues. We need a civilian leadership of the transition and we have also made it clear that the minute that leadership input is in place the sanctions would be lifted, he said. Regional leaders fear the coup could set a dangerous precedent in West Africa and undermine a fight in Mali and neighbouring countries in the Sahel region against armed fighters with links to al Qaeda and ISIL (ISIS). On Saturday, the military governors pushed through a charter that said the interim president can be a soldier or a civilian and has not yet indicated when the new government would be named. West African leaders have not said what the consequences would be for failing to meet the deadline. The sanctions include border closures and the suspension of financial flows, though these were eased so they did not hit civilians. The leaders said they would be willing to allow a transitional government to stand for 18 months, longer than the original year it asked for, Akufo-Addo said. The partnership gives Molson Coors, whose North American headquarters is in Chicago, a popular brand at a time when beer sales have gone flat. Beer sales fell 2% in the U.S. last year, with canned cocktails and hard seltzers gaining popularity, according to the Brewers Association, a trade group. Ever since she was young, Cheshire teenager Neve Stanziale has felt a special energy in acting and singing on stage. While she admits to being nervous before every audition or activity, Stanziale quickly loses herself in the performance and focuses on her passion. Being on camera or stage has the same affect on me. It makes me feel alive, explained Stanziale. People clap for you and I like that I can make them feel happy doing something that I love. After participating in multiple musicals and plays, the incoming Cheshire High School sophomore has added a new career to her resume this year. Instead of speaking to audiences, Stanziale is now letting her photos do the talking as a professional model. You dont need to speak to model and that is my favorite part. You can express yourself with your face, makeup, and hair, said Stanziale. A lot of modeling comes from acting. You need to have so much emotion in your pictures. Back on April 26, Stanziale, age 15, signed her first contract with MMG-New York, a model, talent, celebrity, and influencer management company. For a while, Ive been trying to figure out if I wanted to do musicals or go into commercials and modeling, reflected Stanziale. When I heard about modeling growing up, I thought about (walking on) runways. I didnt know about print modeling such as appearing in ads, commercials, and photo shoots. She feels that her performing background has made for a smooth transition to in front of the camera. After first taking voice lessons at age 7, she sang with the United Girls Choir for five years in Connecticut. Over the years, my musical tastes have changed. Ive done a lot of jazz and lyrical, reflected Stanziale, who has performed in two musicals a year since she was 8. When I was younger, I liked to sing what I was acting in the theatre. In one of her memorable performances at age 10, she acted as the only youngster in a show called Enron at Hole in the Wall Theatre in New Britain. The play was based on the controversy surrounding the fall of the Enron Corporation. Attending CHS as a freshman, Stanziale acted in a performance of Antigione in Munich last fall. In the spring of this year, she was cast in Beauty and the Beast, but the musical was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic. English Teacher Dawn DeMeo, who worked on both shows, liked how Stanziale used her experience to take on a leadership role during rehearsals. She is super-positive, said DeMeo. She is really good at taking feedback. Along with her passion for acting, Stanziales interest in modeling and commercials has grown over the years. Back in 2018, she went to Boston to participate in a performance bootcamp. They tried to put you on the spot to see what you could do, recalled Stanziale. They asked, for example, Can you sing? and then had you sing to show that you have the talent. In one of the activities, people were given 15 minutes to learn a script and then film a commercial spot. We watched it back and got tips on if we needed to speak louder, for instance, explained Stanziale. It was a growing experience. She also got to work with two instructors who helped with poise and acting. A photographer told us what to wear and took the shots, added Stanziale. At the beginning, Stanziale was nervous because half of the participants had already done commercials before and were just looking to hone their craft. After my first practice, I knew that I loved it and wanted to keep going, recalled Stanziale. From that experience, she transitioned to her big break this year. While scrolling through the internet in March, she saw an ad from MMG and decided to contact them. In her submission, she sent head shots that she had taken last September by Staci Miller Photography in Cheshire. I was ecstatic when I heard back that they (MMG) wanted to work with me, recalled Stanziale. I thought that modeling was something that I couldnt do. First, the agency asked her to take digital shots for them. I wore a black top and jeans with no makeup, reflected Stanziale. My mom and I took the photos in our front yard. In signing with MMG in April, she met her agent Talia Sperandio over a Zoom call. After making a connection quickly, Stanziale trusts her new friend to book events, photographers, and stylists. She is amazing and super-nice, stated Stanziale. She explains everything as many times as you want. On June 23, Stanziale went to New York City for her first project. The photo shoot was four hours and, when you love something, the time flies by, explained Stanziale. I enjoyed building my portfolio. Stanziale feels that it will be important for her to be able to adjust to a rapidly changing schedule. The models are asked to be on a 24-hour call, said Stanziale. You need to be ready to take a job unless something crazy comes up. If you are booking out, such as taking vacation for a week, you need to let them (management) know that you are going away. Stanziale is happy that her agency still wants her to attend high school in Cheshire. MMG wants to make sure that you are a well-rounded kid, explained Stanziale. They will book things around normal school hours. Recently, Stanziale was also pleased to see her personal page added to the MMG website. When she added the news to her story on Instagram, other MMG models congratulated her on joining the team. It is great, said Stanziale. It (my page) has my measurements and shots up there. It (my new career) feels official now. With the coronavirus pandemic still ongoing, Stanziale hasnt been asked to travel beyond NYC yet, but she expects her schedule to pick up this month. During a Zoom call with Sperandio, she learned how bookings will be set up and how to ask for time off. When everything opens back up, I want to do commercials and ad work, said Stanziale. Id love to be in a movie or magazine one day. In going back to school this fall, she isnt sure if she will continue to perform in the theatre. We are going to play it by ear, stated Stanziale. If I find myself super-busy with bookings, Ill just do modeling. If jobs get to be every three months, I may do musicals, too. I feel great for her, stated DeMeo, of Stanziale taking on a new career. She is super-poised and mature. I think she can handle managing her responsibilities. The Trump administration wants to expand its ban on funding foreign nonprofits performing or promoting abortions, a move that, according to critics, could further restrict the healthcare access across the world. The Department of Defense, President Donald Trump's base, is pleased to move that the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and General Services Administration released the proposed rule on Monday. The move aims to extend the "Protecting Life in Global Health Assistance." This policy encompasses global health grants and cooperative agreements to apply to contracts, as per CNN. The rule applies to the Health and Human Services, State Department, the Department of Defense, and the U.S. Agency for International Development. After the Election day, the proposed rule will end as it now faces a 60day comment period. The deadline marks another appeal by the Trump administration to abortion rights opponents in the run-up till the general election. Trump highlighted his anti-abortion stance in recent weeks. In President Trump's judicial nominees and vice presidential running mate Mike Pence, Trump appeared with anti-abortion groups in different swing states. A month after a State Department review, the rule also found that the policy as it stands hurt efforts to treat HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis and deliver nutritional assistance. Among other programs, the rule has a significant impact in sub-Saharan Africa. Through contracts, global health funding could account for almost 40% of all budget affected by the rule, based on data from 2013 through 2015. On Monday, the provision expanding the policy should take effect, said Jen Kates, director and senior vice president of global health and HIV policy at the Kaiser Family Foundation. Kate told CNN, "This is that step that (the administration) had not yet taken. I think the goal is for the policy to apply to as much global health funding as possible." The Trump administration reinstates the "Mexico City Policy" that previously impacted family planning assistance through presidential memorandum and extended the policy to all applicable health funding under the "Protecting Life in Global Health Assistance." For some time, plans for the additional requirement had been underway. According to the Government Accountability Office, organizations that continue promoting or performing abortions stood to lose U.S.health aid under the policy, affecting more than 1,300 global health projects. In 2017-2018, an estimated $12 billion in the U.S.assistance. The Government Accountability Office is an independent, nonpartisan agency that works for Congress. From the beginning, the policy targets to apply grants, contracts, and cooperative agreements. The USAID and the State Department pursued applying the policy to contracts required to create new rules by 2018. In a statement on Monday, Monica Kerrigan, executive director of Planned Parenthood Global, slammed the proposed rule. "As COVID-19 continues to take lives and devastate communities, the administration is knowingly moving to expand this policy," Kerrigan said. For Kerrigan, there is no excuse for the bold disregard of people's health and rights. The federal assistance money foe abortion has had restrictions since 1973. The ban was extended to foreign groups receiving federal aid in 1985. Check these out: Trump Signs Executive Order to Give Americans Lower Drug Costs Trump Aims to Court Latino voters in Las Vegas COVID-19 Response: Trump Defends His Earlier Comments Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Ghina Ghaliya (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Tue, September 15 2020 The National Polices plan to involve community leaders and local gang leaders to help authorities raise awareness about COVID-19 health protocols has been met with strong objections. Deputy National Police chief Comr. Gen. Gatot Eddy Pramono said the proposed move was due to the limited number of police and Indonesian Military (TNI) personnel. The assistance of community and gang leaders, he argued, was needed as part of the efforts to discipline the public amid the ongoing pandemic, especially regarding mask-wearing and physical-distancing measures. In Indonesia, local gangs are linked to security protection in areas such as traditional markets and parking spots, which they protect in exchange for money. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,000/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Facebook and Its CEO Emerge as Powerful Influence on 2020 Elections Facebook and its CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, are ramping up an unprecedented involvement in the 2020 election. Zuckerberg recently said Facebook as well as media organizations should brace Americans for delayed election results. Hes also announced new election-related content rules, signaling that Facebook will be deciding what information on its platform will be picked as legitimate if the election results get contentious. Zuckerberg and his wife earlier this month announced they made a $300 million donation to two nonprofits to promote safe and reliable voting in states and localities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Meanwhile, Facebook is already running the largest voting information campaign in American history, Zuckerberg said in a Sept. 3 online post announcing Facebooks election plan. Election Player Facebook was leveraged to major effect by both the Obama and Trump campaigns to help them win elections. This cycle, the Democratic candidate, former Vice President Joe Biden, and his running mate, Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), have so far spent nearly $58 million on Facebook ads since January 2019. President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence have spent almost $95 million on Facebook on their reelection bid. Facebook has also been exploited by Russian, Iranian, and Chinese actors to advance their agendas among Americans. In response, the company has adopted several transparency measures in recent years. People advertising on political or social issues need to register their identity with Facebook, and their ads are archived for the public to see. Facebook also reveals where a page is run from to prevent foreigners from pretending theyre Americans. For this election, Facebook is going much further, making itself an active player in the election. We may not know the final result on election night, Zuckerberg said in a recent Axios interview. One of the things that I think we and other media need to start doing is preparing the American people that theres nothing illegitimate about this election taking additional days or even weeks to make sure that all of the votes are counted. In fact, that might be important to make sure that this is a legitimate and fair election. So were going to do a bunch of different messaging around that just to make sure that people know that thats normal. This was a red flag for Logan Churchwell, communications and research director at the Public Interest Legal Foundation, a conservative election watchdog. For Facebook to already play the managing expectations game, thats incredibly concerning, he told The Epoch Times. Zuckerberg isnt just talking, though. $300 Million Zuckerberg and his wife announced on Sept. 1 that theyll donate $300 million to two nonprofits that will in turn disburse the money to local and state election offices. These donations will help to provide local and state officials across the country with the resources, training and infrastructure necessary to ensure that every voter who intends to cast a ballot is able to, and ultimately, to preserve the integrity of our elections, they said in a release. They described the nonprofits as non-partisan. Most of the money ($250 million) went to the Center for Tech and Civic Life (CTCL), which specializes in collecting data on candidates and races across the nation and on training poll workers. It was founded by former managers and staff at the New Organizing Institute, a progressive nonprofit that was training Democrat digital organizers. CTCL, which already partners with Facebook, says it will disburse the funds as grants to local election offices to cover expenses related to the COVID-19 pandemic, such as drive-thru voting sites, personal protective equipment, and expansion of mail-in voting. Election offices are indeed strapped for cash due to the expectation of COVID-related expenses. However, according to Churchwell, the question will be whether Zuckerbergs money comes with strings attached. He summed up the idea as, We will give you X number of dollars if you perform an election this way. CTCL says on its website that grant amount eligibility will be based on a formula that considers the citizen voting age population and other demographic data of your jurisdiction. Its not clear what other demographic data will play a role. The organization doesnt appear to provide data on whos receiving the grants and how much. It didnt respond to a request for comment. The disbursement targeting can skew one way or the other depending on whether the money goes to demographic groups that particularly favor either Trump or Biden. Giving this amount of money directly to government election officials is legal, but unprecedented, opening up uncharted territory, Churchwell said. Last-Minute Ads Facebook also announced it will ban new political and issue ads in the last week before the election. Candidates will still be allowed to run existing ads and target them to specific audiences, but no new ones will be accepted. The Trump campaign objected. Samantha Zager, the campaigns deputy national press secretary, said via email: In the last seven days of the most important election in our history, President Trump will be banned from defending himself on the largest platform in America. When millions of voters will be making their decisions, the President will be silenced by the Silicon Valley Mafia, who will at the same time allow corporate media to run their biased ads to swing voters in key states. If Democrats drop another fake Russian disinformation dossier on the President, the media will run wild with it, launching targeted ads at swing voters, and the President will be unable to respond. We know Big Tech hates Donald Trump, we know some of their employees have engaged in the leftist riots staged by Joe Bidens supporters, and now we know they are silencing the President at the most important time of all. Facebook and the Biden campaign didnt respond to requests for comment. Voting Drives Robert Epstein, senior research psychologist at the American Institute for Behavioral Research and Technology, called the ad restrictions meaningless in light of what he considers a much broader effort by Facebook to influence the election. The company will be manipulating voters on a large scale this year, sending them in just one direction, he told The Epoch Times in an email. The companys stated policies are just distractionsmisdirection. They held back in 2016; theyre not holding back this year. They know exactly who the undecided voters are, and they have multiple tools at their disposal for shifting the voting preferences of millions of those voters. Epstein has focused his research on the ability of online platforms to influence voters. His results showed that just by sorting search results, for instance, its possible to shift a major portion of undecided voters. In his QZ op-ed last year, he warned that Facebook has no less than five avenues to surreptitiously sway the electorate, including through selective voter registration and go out and vote reminders. Right on cue, Zuckerberg said he wants to help 4 million people to register and vote this year. In just three days, we already drove almost 24 million clicks to voter registration websites, he said. Theres no way to verify whether the effort favors one party over the other, Epstein said. However, with its overwhelmingly Democrat workforce and management, he said theres also no way Facebook would undertake this effort if there was a chance it could help Trumps reelection. Content Policing Zuckerberg said the company will remove false claims about polling conditions in consultation with state election authorities. Facebook is also removing explicit misrepresentations about how or when to vote and even implicit misrepresentations about voting. Facebook will attach an informational label to content that seeks to delegitimize the outcome of the election or discuss the legitimacy of voting methods, for example, by claiming that lawful methods of voting will lead to fraud, Zuckerberg said. While the steps appear as a public service, it remains to be seen how theyll be put in practice, said Churchwell. Facebooks content rules are in major part enforced by an army of tens of thousands of moderators who manually review individual posts. The moderators are guided by an internal rulebook that is much more detailed than the content policy released publicly, former Facebook moderator Ryan Hartwig previously told The Epoch Times. In practice, the rules sometimes have caveats the public isnt aware of, such as allowing hate speech or even threats against some individuals or groups, but not others. Some contracted moderators were caught on hidden camera saying they were removing or not removing posts based on their own political preferences, regardless of what Facebook policies prescribed. How the moderators will implement the new election-related rules is anybodys guess. It could become very difficult to share genuine information about the election process on their platform, and thats a shame, Churchwell said. Much of his concern boiled down to whether Facebook will allow criticism of universal mail-in voting, which has become a controversial issue. Mail-In Voting Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a record number of Americans are expected to vote by mail this year. A major part of that shift, however, appears to stem from politics rather than health concerns. Public health officials have assured that voting in person is safe as long as basic precautions are taken, such as keeping ones distance from others. Only people who are at a high risk of suffering from serious effects from COVID-19, such as the elderly and those with underlying health problems, are encouraged to vote by absentee ballot. Facebook appears to have acknowledged this point, saying in a Sept. 3 release that it will remove posts that claim that people will get COVID-19 if they take part in voting. Prominent Democrats, meanwhile, have emphasized calls for universal mail-in voting amid the pandemic, while President Donald Trump has come out against it, saying it will lead to widespread voter fraud. As a result, it appears mail-in voting has become a political statement, with the majority of Democrats saying they will vote by mail and a majority of Republicans saying they will vote in person, polls have shown. Theres a difference between absentee voting and universal mail-in voting. In the former case, a registered voter formally requests a ballot from the election authorities and is then mailed one. In the latter case, ballots are automatically sent to all registered voters. Democrats are generally saying universal mail-in voting has been used in several states with no major issues and it will allow more people to vote by making the process more convenient. Republicans generally argue mass mail-in voting is ripe for fraud, such as via ballot destruction, ballot stealing, and ballot harvesting. Theres anecdotal evidence of fraud in mail voting. Criminal cases have popped up across the nation in the past years. But comprehensive data on the phenomenon doesnt exist. Trump tried to collect the data through his election integrity task force, but Democrat states have blocked it, citing impermissible federal intrusion. The Public Interest Legal Foundation falls on the Republican side of the argument. We are critics, generally speaking, of mass mail voting, Churchwell said. He pointed to the foundations report last month on the June 2020 primaries in some Nevada counties, where a significant portion of mail-in ballots were returned undeliverable by the U.S. Postal Service. Will a censor at Facebook see that we are critiquing the mail voting system in Washoe County in Reno, Nevada, and say that were trying to delegitimize the concept of voting by mail because were raising alarm to how many ballots are being rejected? he asked. And fraud concerns are not the only issue. Many states are just not equipped to handle a massive influx of mail-in ballots, Churchwell said. Some states, such as Oregon and Washington, have spent years working out mail voting for their residents. Its not reasonable to expect states that have relied mostly on in-person voting to be able to make the switch in months, he said. States like Texas, Virginia, and New York, where people largely vote in person, are now having to learn whole new skill set, contracts, logistics for said skill set, and then hope and pray that everything goes swimmingly on election night, because if not, they face a dearth of manpower that youre going to need to get through extended counts and recounts, he said. States cant expect to have armies of volunteers to stand side by side all day in close quarters to manually count and recount ballots, especially if another wave of COVID-19 hits. If the primaries are any indication, Americans can expect delays, mistakes, and even disenfranchisement as a portion of the mailed ballots get lost, damaged, or mishandled. This is setting the country on a dangerous path, Churchwell said. The U.S. election system, it rests so much on the honor system among U.S. citizens that as soon as U.S. citizens start to in a critical mass question each other, their motives, and their actions inside the election system, and they do that because the elections keep taking longer and longer to resolve and announce the winner, youre going to lose trust in that system and youre going to lose future participation in that system, he said. A senior Chinese official accused the US, which forced the sale of TikTok on national security grounds, of economic bullying," while lambasting European Union restrictions on Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., in comments highlighting Beijings increasing assertiveness against what it sees as unfair treatment from Western governments. What has happened with TikTok in the United States is a typical act of coercive possession," the head of the Chinese Mission to the EU, Zhang Ming, said. Some American politicians are trying to build a so-called clean network under the cover of fairness and reciprocity and blah, blah, blah," Ambassador Zhang said in an interview with Bloomberg TV. This is nothing but economic bullying." The Bytedance Ltd.-owned company has come under pressure in the US, where President Donald Trumps ban has forced a sale of TikToks American operations. TikTok submitted a proposal to the Treasury Department over the weekend in which Oracle Corp. will serve as the trusted technology provider," the software company said. Zhangs comments represent an oft-repeated refrain from Beijing, which has accused Washington of targeting Huawei without evidence and called the forced sale of TikTok US state-sanctioned theft." Oracles closely watched bid will have to pass a US national security review as well as win the blessing of President Trump. Instead of buying the business outright, Oracle will make an investment in a newly restructured TikTok, and at least two shareholders in TikToks Chinese parent company, General Atlantic and Sequoia Capital, would take stakes in the new business, Bloomberg reported Monday, citing people familiar with the proposal. The terms of the deal, which would also require sign-off from China, are still evolving. Zhang said that the exclusion of Chinese companies from European and American markets on national security grounds isnt based on any concrete evidence. The envoy said an EU toolbox" that allows the blocs governments to exclude Chinese companies, such as Huawei, from critical components of 5th generation telecom networks is unjustified. Well, Im so sorry, this box is a dark box," Zhang said. Nobody knows the criteria for high-risk suppliers," the ambassador said, adding that the EU rules run against the principles of free trade, multilateralism and non-discrimination." In a set of commonly agreed guidelines on how to mitigate risks stemming from the roll-out of next-generation telecom networks earlier this year, the EU said companies based in non-democratic countries could be excluded from the procurement of certain core components, following assessments by security agencies. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - September 15, 2020) - Northway Resources Corp. (TSXV: NTW) (the "Company") and Kenorland Minerals Ltd. ("Kenorland") jointly announce that further to their press release dated July 29,2020, they have entered into a definitive amalgamation agreement dated September 14, 2020 (the "Amalgamation Agreement"). The transaction contemplated by the Amalgamation Agreement (the "Transaction") will result in a reverse takeover of the Company by Kenorland in accordance with the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange (the "TSXV"). Upon completion of the Transaction, it is anticipated that the Company will be listed as a Tier 2 Mining issuer and will carry on the combined business of the Company and Kenorland (the "Resulting Issuer"). As Kenorland is the holder of 6,000,000 common shares of the Company, representing 14.50% of the issued and outstanding shares (18.44% on a partially diluted basis), the Transaction constitutes a 'business combination as defined in Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"). As a result, the completion of the Transaction will be subject to the minority approval requirements of MI 61-101. The Transaction is exempt from the valuation requirements of MI 61-101 pursuant to section 4.4(1)(a) of MI 61-101 as the Company is listed on the TSXV. The Transaction was approved by the Board of Directors of the Company, with Zachary Flood abstaining, following a receipt of a fairness opinion from Stephen Semeniuk, CFA and a unanimous recommendation from the Company's special committee which is comprised of three independent directors. Amalgamation Agreement Prior to the closing of the Transaction, the outstanding common shares of the Company ("NTW Shares") will be consolidated on the basis of one (1) new NTW Share for every seven (7) existing NTW Shares (the "Consolidation"). Under the terms of the Amalgamation Agreement, the Transaction will be completed by way of a three corned amalgamation under the Business Corporations Act (British Columbia), whereby: (a) 1265114 B.C. Ltd. ("Subco"), a subsidiary created for the purposes of completing the Transaction, will amalgamate with and into Kenorland, with the amalgamated entity ("Amalco") becoming a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company; (b) each outstanding share of Kenorland shall be converted into the right to receive two (2) post-Consolidation NTW Shares; (c) all NTW Shares held by Kenorland will be canceled without any repayment of capital;; and (d) Amalco will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company. Concurrently with closing of the Transaction, the Company is expected to change its name to "Kenorland Minerals Ltd." or such other name as the parties may determine. In connection with the Transaction, Kenorland plans to complete a concurrent financing of 12,000,000 subscription receipts to raise aggregate gross proceeds of $12,000,000 (the "Private Placement"), with each subscription receipt converted into shares of Kenorland immediately prior to the completion of the Transaction. Not including shares issuable pursuant to the Private Placement, an aggregate of 35,473,144 common shares of the Resulting Issuer (the "Resulting Issuer Shares") will be issued and outstanding, of which (i) the current shareholders of the Company (excluding Kenorland whose NTW Shares will be cancelled) will hold 5,055,143 Resulting Issuer Shares, representing approximately 14.25% of the outstanding Resulting Issuer Shares; and (ii) the current shareholders of Kenorland will hold 30,418,002 Resulting Issuer Shares, representing approximately 85.75% of the outstanding Resulting Issuer Shares. Pursuant to the terms of the Amalgamation Agreement, completion of the Transaction will be subject to a number of conditions, including but not limited to, closing conditions customary to transactions of the nature of the Transaction, including the completion of the Consolidation, the completion of the Private Placement, approval of the shareholders of the Company and Kenorland, approvals of all regulatory bodies having jurisdiction in connection with the Transaction and approval of the TSXV including the satisfaction of its initial listing requirements. There can be no assurance that the Transaction will be completed as proposed or at all. Shareholder Meeting The Company and Kenorland anticipate holding shareholder meetings in the third quarter of 2020 to seek shareholder approval for the Transaction. A joint management information circular of the Company and Kenorland containing additional details about the Transaction will be mailed to shareholders in advance of the meetings. Trading Halt Trading in the NTW Shares will remain halted pending the satisfaction of all applicable requirements of Policy 2.4 of the TSX-V. There can be no assurance that trading of NTW Shares will resume prior to the completion of the Transaction. Information Concerning Kenorland Kenorland is a private exploration company incorporated under the laws of the Province of British Columbia and based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Kenorland's business model is project generation focused on early to advanced stage exploration assets. The company currently holds three properties where work is being completed under an earn-in agreement from third parties. The Frotet and Chicobi Projects, which are both located in Quebec, Canada, are optioned to Sumitomo Metal Mining Canada Ltd. and the Chebistuan Project, also located in Quebec, is optioned to Newmont Mining. The company also owns 100% of the advanced stage Tanacross porphyry Cu, Au, Mo project in Alaska, USA. Additional information concerning Kenorland is available at www.kenorlandminerals.com. Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains certain "forward looking statements" including, for example, statements relating to the completion of the Transaction and Private Placement and the Resulting Issuer's anticipated share capital. Such forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, both known and unknown. The results or events depicted in these forward-looking statements may differ materially from actual results or events. In addition to other factors and assumptions which may be identified herein, assumptions have been made regarding and are implicit in, among other things: receipt of regulatory approvals, the Company's ability to complete the Transaction and Private Placement, the state of the capital markets, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the ability of the Resulting Issuer to successfully manage the risks inherent in pursuing business opportunities in the mining industry, and the ability of the Resulting Issuer to obtain qualified staff, equipment and services in a timely and cost efficient manner to develop its business. Any forward-looking statement reflects information available to the Company as of the date of this news release and, except as may be required by applicable securities laws, the Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise. For more information visit our website www.northwayresources.com On behalf of the Board of Directors Zachary Flood President and Chief Executive Officer Telephone: (604) 363-1779 Completion of the Transaction is subject to a number of conditions, including but not limited to, TSX-V acceptance and if applicable pursuant to TSX-V requirements, disinterested shareholder approval. Where applicable, the Transaction cannot close until the required shareholder approval is obtained. There can be no assurance that the Transaction will be completed as proposed or at all. Investors are cautioned that, except as disclosed in the management information circular or filing statement to be prepared in connection with the Transaction, any information released or received with respect to the Transaction may not be accurate or complete and should not be relied upon. Trading in the securities of the Company should be considered highly speculative. The TSX-V has in no way passed upon the merits of the Transaction and has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/63796 New Delhi, Sep 15 : : The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday approved establishment of an All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) at Darbhanga in Bihar. The apex institute will be established under the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY). The Cabinet also approved the creation of a post of Director for this AIIMS. The total cost for the project will be around Rs. 1264 crore and is likely to be completed within a period of 48 months from the date of the approval by the Government of India. The Central government said that the new AIIMS will add 100 under-graduate MBBS seats and 60 B.Sc. Nursing seats to the pool of health care professionals in the country. It will also have 15-20 super specialty departments and 750 hospital beds. The new AIIMS is expected to cater to 2,000 OPD patients every day and around 1,000 IPD patients per month. Establishment of new AIIMS involves creation of a hospital, teaching block for medical and nursing courses, residential complex and allied facilities and services, broadly on the pattern of AIIMS, New Delhi and other six new AIIMS taken up under Phase-I of PMSSY. The objective is to establish the new AIIMS as Institution of National Importance for providing quality tertiary healthcare, medical education, nursing education and research in the Region. The proposed institution shall have a hospital with capacity of 750 beds which will include Emergency and Trauma beds, ICU beds, AYUSH beds, Private beds and Specialty and Super Specialty beds. Plus, there will be a Medical College, AYUSH Block, auditorium, night shelter, guest house, hostels and residential facilities. The establishment of the new AIIMS will create capital assets for which requisite specialised manpower will be created, based on the pattern of the six new AIIMS, for their operations and maintenance. The recurring cost on these Institutions shall be met through Grant-in-Aid to them from the Plan Budget Head of PMSSY of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. "Setting up of new AIIMS would not only transform health education and training but also address the shortfall of health care professionals in the region," the government said in a statement. The establishment of new AIIMS will serve the dual purpose of providing super specialty health care to the population while also help create a large pool of doctors and other health workers in this region that can be available for primary and secondary level institutions and facilities being created under the National Health Mission (NHM). "Setting up a new AIIMS in the state will lead to employment-generation for nearly 3,000 persons in various faculty and non-faculty posts. Further, indirect employment generation will take place due to facilities and services such as shopping centres, canteens, etc. coming in the vicinity of the new AIIMS," added the statement. The construction activity involved for creation of the physical infrastructure for the AIIMS Darbhanga is also expected to generate substantial employment during the construction phase as well. This will fill the gaps in tertiary health-care infrastructure as well as facilities for quality medical education in the State and adjoining areas. A more recent publication of this set of statistics is available. Latest publication: Index of turnover in industry 2021, November Published: 15 September 2020 Turnover in industry decreased by 10.3 per cent in July According to Statistics Finland, working day adjusted turnover in industry (TOL BCD) decreased in July by 10.3 per cent year-on-year. Of the main industries, turnover declined most in the forest industry, by 19.2 per cent from one year earlier. Seasonally adjusted turnover in industry (TOL BCD) fell by 1.5 per cent compared with June. The exceptional situation caused by coronavirus had an effect on the development of some of the industrial activities. Annual change in working day adjusted turnover in manufacturing (BCD), % (TOL 2008) Turnover decreased in July in all main industries. After the forest industry, turnover decreased most in electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply, by 16.7 per cent, in the electrical and electronics industry, by 14.8 per cent, and in the chemical industry, by 12.4 per cent from one year earlier. Among the main industries, turnover in the food industry was closest to the level one year ago and decreased by 0.1 per cent. Annual change in working day adjusted turnover in manufacturing by industry, July 2020, % (TOL 2008) Export turnover and domestic turnover decreased strongest in the chemical industry in June Among the main industries, export turnover adjusted for working days fell in June most in the chemical industry, by 25.6 per cent from one year ago. Export turnover decreased in the forest industry by 22.8 per cent and in the textile, clothing and leather industry by 16.7 per cent. By contrast, the growth was strongest in mining and quarrying, where export turnover was 150.4 per cent higher than one year earlier. Large variations are typical in mining and quarrying, and in both May and June the development was affected by maintenance shutdowns last year. Annual change in working day adjusted export turnover and domestic turnover in manufacturing by industry, June 2020, % (TOL 2008) Domestic turnover declined in June most in the chemical industry, by 23.4 per cent from one year earlier. Domestic turnover in the forest industry was 12.2 per cent lower and in the metal industry 6.1 per cent lower than one year earlier. Domestic turnover decreased by 2.6 per cent in the textile, clothing and leather industry. By contrast, domestic turnover grew in the electrical and electronics industry, by 3.6 per cent, and in the food industry, by 2.0 per cent. Domestic turnover in mining and quarrying remained on level with the previous year in June. Trend series of turnover, export turnover and domestic turnover in manufacturing (BC), January 2007 to June-July 2020, % (TOL 2008) The index of turnover in industry describes enterprises whose main industry is manufacturing. The calculation of the indices is based on the Tax Administrations self-assessed tax data which are supplemented with data obtained with Statistics Finlands sales inquiry. The monthly turnovers of manufacturing enterprises can vary considerably, especially in the metal industries. The variation is mainly due to invoicing practices. The final invoice for major machinery deliveries and projects may be recorded in the sales of one month, even if the delivery had required the work of several months or years. The factors caused by the variation in the number of weekdays are taken into account in adjustment for working days. This means taking into consideration the lengths of months, different weekdays and holidays. In addition, seasonal variation is eliminated from seasonally adjusted series, on account of which it makes sense to compare observations of two successive months as well. In terms of turnover, data for the latest month are preliminary and are released at a delay of around six weeks. The data may become significantly revised particularly on more detailed industry levels in coming months. Export turnover and domestic turnover are, for the time being, still released at a delay of two and a half months. Source: Index of turnover in industry 2020, July, Statistics Finland Inquiries: Maija Sappinen 029 551 3348, Heli Suonio 029 551 2481, myynti.teollisuus@stat.fi Head of Department in charge: Mari Yla-Jarkko Publication in pdf-format (342.4 kB) Updated 15.9.2020 Referencing instructions: Official Statistics of Finland (OSF): Index of turnover in industry [e-publication]. ISSN=1798-596X. July 2020. Helsinki: Statistics Finland [referred: 21.1.2022]. Access method: http://www.stat.fi/til/tlv/2020/07/tlv_2020_07_2020-09-15_tie_001_en.html The special cell arrested Khalid on Sunday night, after 11 hours of interrogation. NEW DELHI: Former Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) student Umar Khalid has been arrested by the Delhi Polices special cell for his alleged role in the riots in north-east Delhi in February this year. The FIR against Khalid alleges that he made provocative speeches at two different places and appealed to citizens to come out on streets and block roads during Donald Trumps visit to India. The special cell arrested Khalid on Sunday night, after 11 hours of interrogation. Earlier, police had also seized his mobile phone. While seeking Khalids police custody, Delhi Police stated in the Karkadooma court that their computer team has extracted 40 GB of data from Khalids mobile phone and they want to question him about it. It runs into 11 lakh pages. Delhi Police was granted 10 days custody to interrogate him. In Khailds speech against the Citizenship Amendment Act in Amravati, that went viral on social media, and one of the two that the police is focusing on, he can be heard as saying when Donald Trump comes to India on February 24, we will say that the Prime Minister and the government of India are trying to divide the country They are destroying the values of Mahatma Gandhi, and the people of India are fighting against them. If those in power want to divide India, the people of India are ready to unite the country. We wont respond to violence with violence. We wont respond to hate with hate. If they spread hate, we will respond to it with love. If they thrash us with lathis, we keep holding the tricolor, Khalid can be heard saying in his speech. In the FIR filed against Mr Khalid, Delhi Police has claimed that the communal violence that broke out was a premeditated conspiracy, allegedly carried out by Khalid and two others, short film producer Rahul Roy and documentary filmmaker Saba Dewan. The trio have been booked for offences of sedition, murder, attempt to murder, promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion and rioting. Khalid was earlier charged under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in another case related to the riots. Roys name appeared in the supplementary chargesheet filed by the police in connection with the riots. Though Dewan has not mentioned in the chargesheet, the two were part of a WhatsApp group called Delhi Protests Support Group, said a police source. The police has also summoned Mr Roy and Ms Dewan for questioning in connection with the riots. Communal clashes broke out in Northeast Delhi on February 23 this year. The riots left 53 people dead and around 200 injured. Two Delhi police personnel also lost their lives. According to Anil Mittal, the additional public relations officer of Delhi Police, A total of 751 FIRs have been registered in connection with the riots cases so far. So far, 1,575 people have been arrested, out of which 1,153 accused have been charge-sheeted, with 250 chargesheets having been filed so far. Numerous human rights groups have accused the Delhi Police of carrying out a biased investigation. COLUMBIA South Carolina police shot an out-of-state fugitive suspected of murdering his pregnant girlfriend and her daughter. The man threatened officers at a Columbia-area hotel with what he said was a rifle, but turned out to be a BB gun, authorities said. Renard Lydell Carter, 29, barricaded himself in his hotel room Sunday night and threatened to shoot officers gathered outside the door, Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott said. When Carter opened the door just after 10 p.m. at the Aloft hotel in Harbison, officers spotted his gun. Two deputies with the Lexington County Sheriffs Department and an agent with the State Law Enforcement Division opened fire. Carter was struck multiple times in the torso and survived, authorities said. It was unclear Monday exactly how many shots police fired, or how many wounds Carter suffered. He is recovering at a local hospital. Law enforcement was flagged to Carters presence at the Columbia hotel after police in Rochester, Minn., sent word that Carter was a wanted murder suspect involving the slaying of his 23-year-old pregnant ex-girlfriend, Kiona Sade Foote, and her 2-year-old daughter Miyona Zayla Miller. Authorities found their bodies earlier Sunday. Minnesota police relayed that Carter was believed to be in the Columbia area, where authorities said another ex-girlfriend of his was staying. She was located safe, Lott said. Carter livestreamed the incident in the hotel on social media, Lott said. The video, a portion of which was reviewed by The Post and Courier, captures a man across the room. He stands by the door, with a long dark object in his left hand. He cracks the door open, and officers yell, Put it down! They repeat the command four times. The man yells Shoot! twice. Then he brings the object over the threshold of the doorway. Thats when police open fire. At a news conference Monday, Lott wondered aloud if Carter intended to provoke a lethal response from officers. I dont know if its suicide-by-cop or whatever, but he made statements that he had a gun and was going to kill the officers, Lott said. In the portion of the video reviewed by the newspaper, less than a minute long, the man cannot be heard threatening to shoot officers. Lott said he had reviewed body camera footage, which he said backed up the officers accounts. The department declined to release the footage, pending its investigation. The Lexington sheriffs department placed its two deputies on leave Aaron Poole, a sergeant with 14 years of experience, and Frank Ramunni, a five-year deputy. SLED placed Salvatore Cirencione, a five-year agent, on leave. SLED, the agency typically brought in to investigate police shootings, requested Lotts department review the incident involving one of the agencys agents. Lott on Monday held up the object that officers recovered from Carter a Red Ryder BB gun, with the popular models classic black and tan finish. I think its important for people to see this and know what these officers encountered, Lott said. He said his departments review had not yet confirmed if Carter actually pointed the BB gun at officers before they opened fire, and police found no other weapons. JAKARTA: Indonesia will increase maritime security operations near some of its islands in the South China Sea after a Chinese coastguard vessel was spotted nearby, raising suspicions about its intentions, a senior security official said on Tuesday. The vessel entered Indonesias 200-mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ) off the northern Natuna islands on Saturday and left on Monday after radio challenges over jurisdiction, Aan Kurnia, chief of the maritime security agency, Bakamla, told Reuters. Under international law, innocent passage is permitted through another countrys EEZ, but Aan said the vessel was lingering too long. Because this one floated, then went circling, we became suspicious, we approached it and learned that it was a Chinese coastguard vessel," he said, adding the navy and coastguard would boost operations in the area. While China has made no claim to the archipelago, the presence of its coastguard so far from the mainland has concerned Indonesia, aware of numerous encounters that Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam have had with Chinese vessels inside their EEZs, which have disrupted fishing and energy activities. A weeks-long standoff occurred in December and January when a Chinese coastguard vessel and accompanying fishing boats entered the northern Natuna Sea, prompting Indonesia to send fighter jets and mobilise its own fishermen. Chinas coastguard fleet includes converted navy frigates and often operates alongside fishing boats described by experts as state-backed militia. China says its coastguard operations are legitimate. The nine-dash line" that Beijing uses on maps denoting its claim to 90% of the South China Sea includes waters off the Natuna islands. An international arbitration panel in 2016 invalidated that line. Foreign ministry spokesman Teuku Faizasyah reiterated that Indonesia does not recognise the line and has no overlapping claims. Chinas defense and foreign ministries did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment. Disclaimer: This post has been auto-published from an agency feed without any modifications to the text and has not been reviewed by an editor Pottsville, PA (17901) Today Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low 4F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low 4F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph. EU leaders expressed cautious optimism about concluding protracted talks on easing European investors' access to Chinese markets after a virtual summit with China's president, Xi Jinping, on Monday. "The political will must be there to have this investment agreement. And that political will is there on both sides," German Chancellor Angela Merkel said. Xi agreed with the EU leaders that the pace of the talks would be "expedited" so the negotiations could be concluded by the end of December, state media Xinhua reported. Get the latest insights and analysis from our Global Impact newsletter on the big stories originating in China. But there remains "a lot to do" on market access and sustainable development standards before the self-imposed end-of-year deadline, said Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, which is handling the EU-China investment deal negotiations. "China has to convince us that it is worth having a comprehensive agreement on investment," von der Leyen said. The negotiations are aimed at removing Chinese barriers for EU investors, including expanding market access in areas reserved for Chinese enterprises, addressing forced technology transfers and levelling the playing field with China's state-owned enterprises. In the meeting on Monday, Xi also called on the EU to adhere to peaceful coexistence, dialogue, openness and multilateralism, pitting the more conciliatory Sino-EU relations against the hostility between China and the United States. However, Xi also faced fresh calls from the EU on human rights issues, with Brussels demanding that international observers be allowed to visit Xinjiang and EU officials be given access to Tibet - two vast areas where China is suspected of human rights violations against ethnic minorities. EU leaders also criticised China's approach to Hong Kong. "The national security law for Hong Kong continues to raise grave concerns," said European Council President Charles Michel. Story continues "The EU and our member states have responded with one clear voice. Democratic voices in Hong Kong should be heard, rights protected and autonomy preserved," Michel said. "We called on China to keep their promises to the people of Hong Kong and the international community." Michel also urged Xi to release detained bookseller Gui Minhai, a Swedish passport holder, and two Canadians detained by China after Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou's arrest in Canada in December 2018. "We reiterated our concerns over China's ... treatment of human rights defenders and journalists," Michel said. "We also called on China to refrain from unilateral actions in the South China Sea, to respect international law and to avoid escalation." European Council President Charles Michel arrives for a digital press conference after the EU-China summit. Photo: AP alt=European Council President Charles Michel arrives for a digital press conference after the EU-China summit. Photo: AP On the investment talks, Merkel said China has raised "difficult" issues for the EU, but added that there had recently been a "political impulse" to get away from earlier "periods of stagnation" in the talks. "We sometimes say China needs to move on certain points," she said. "But the Chinese are clever negotiators; they know where we have constraints. So we need to take a balanced approach." She added that an agreement would not affect EU relations with the US, which is dealing with similar trade concerns with Beijing. "The US has been negotiating an agreement with China for a long time. They have agreed on part of it. They are talking about very similar topics. I don't see that this would be a problem with the US," Merkel said. But in Brussels, there is a more obvious sense of caution over the negotiations, with von der Leyen highlighting the still unresolved "famous joint venture equity cap restrictions" that she said China had to lift. "[There are] fields we are advancing now - but I must say there is still a lot to do," von der Leyen said. "There's a real interest to step up, to change things for the better," she said. "So it's not a matter of time but a matter of substance." The negotiations have already lasted seven years, and China elevated the level of negotiators - with Xi's trusted aide, Vice-Premier Liu He, partly in charge - amid the strained ties between Beijing and Washington. This article originally appeared in the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the most authoritative voice reporting on China and Asia for more than a century. For more SCMP stories, please explore the SCMP app or visit the SCMP's Facebook and Twitter pages. Copyright 2020 South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Copyright (c) 2020. South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. (Bloomberg Opinion) -- During two decades as Russias leader, Vladimir Putin has rarely concealed his contempt for Western-style democracy and the rule of law. The poisoning of Russian political activist Alexei Navalny, amid a widening Russia-supported crackdown on opposition leaders in Belarus, indicates the lengths to which Putin and his cronies will go to silence their enemies and maintain power. Russias forthright challenge to international norms demands a forceful Western response. It wont come from the Trump administration, whose mild rebukes are consistently undercut by the presidents evident regard for Putin. In Americas absence, European leaders should develop a coordinated strategy to counter Russias threat to the continents stability and impose steeper costs for its misconduct. The crisis in Belarus is the most immediate test. Five weeks since a fraudulent election sparked mass protests against President Alexander Lukashenko, the government has begun arresting and deporting leading opposition figures and opening criminal prosecutions against them. Putin has reportedly dispatched Russian operatives to assume control of Belarusian state media outlets and hinted at more forceful intervention if anti-government protests grow violent. Putin and Lukashenko, who met face-to-face on Monday, also seem to be exploring moves toward political integration a form of soft annexation long sought by Putin, allowing him to extend Russian influence deeper into the heart of Europe. The West has limited influence over events in Belarus, but European leaders should do what they can to bolster its democracy. The EU should impose travel and asset bans on members of Lukashenkos regime involved in abducting and imprisoning opposition leaders. It should suspend economic and political cooperation until all political prisoners are released and a new election is held under international supervision. Collectively and individually, Europes governments should support pro-democracy groups with money, professional and educational exchanges, and technical help for social-media channels that Belarusians rely on to counter Russian-backed disinformation. Story continues Confronting Putin also requires Europe to wean itself off Russias most potent geopolitical weapon: natural gas. The obvious target is Nord Stream 2, the pipeline built under the Baltic Sea to carry gas directly from Russia to Germany. The attack on Navalny, who remains hospitalized in Berlin after being poisoned with the nerve agent novichok, has raised pressure on Chancellor Angela Merkel to halt the pipeline project. Having previously insisted on completing construction, Merkels position has shifted. She now says it would be wrong to rule anything out until Putin provides an explanation for Navalnys poisoning. Germany ought to scrap Nord Stream 2 immediately. Its dependence on gas imports from Russia is already too high and, with prices falling due to soft global demand, this is a good time to diversify. Germany could import more gas from the U.S. and Gulf states, and from reserves in the eastern Mediterranean if tensions between Greece and Turkey can be eased. Ending German dependence on Russian energy would reduce Putins leverage over Europe and weaken the Russian economy, undermining Putins support at home. Hard power counts as well. Europes governments must work together to upgrade their military capacity, with modern weapons, joint training and stronger cyber defenses. With luck, a new U.S. administration can help, by restoring Americas commitment to the transatlantic alliance. But whoever wins the White House in November, containing Putins Russia is a job Europe needs to face more squarely. Editorials are written by the Bloomberg Opinion editorial board. For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com/opinion Subscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source. 2020 Bloomberg L.P. . : , ... CALGARY, Alberta, Sept. 15, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Due to the travel restrictions of the current global pandemic, Eavor Technologies addresses increasing client demand for tours of its facilities through a scalable, innovative, technologically clever solution. Utilizing virtual reality, Eavor can now showcase their demonstration project (Eavor-Lite) located near Rocky Mountain House, Alberta to any potential client from anywhere in the world. Eavor Technologies Inc . is a closed loop geothermal technology company based in Calgary, Alberta. They're currently in the process of expanding their Eavor-Loop technology to produce clean, scalable, baseload power around the globe. The patented Eavor-Loop provides a zero-emission, clean energy alternative, free of the shortcomings experienced by existing renewables and traditional geothermal solutions today. By relying on conduction rather than a geothermal aquifer, an Eavor-Loop can supply reliable, baseload energy from almost anywhere in the world. Guided by your friendly tour guide Jen, alongside Eavor's Lead Engineer, Bailey Schwarz, and Chief Technology Officer Matt Toews, the experience can last minutes or hours, allowing participants to gain an increased understanding of Eavor and their game-changing technology. "The cost savings are incredibly attractive in a scenario where we generally have multiple staff tied up conducting tours, the travel, and everything related with flights, hotels," begins Paul Cairns, Eavor's Chief Business Development Officer and Director, "this virtual tour is like Eavor itself, clean and scalable." According to Business on Camera, Eavor's Agency of Record, and Dekogon Studios, leader in the gaming industry, "During the simulation, the user will experience a virtual transformation, being encapsulated into Eavor's facilities with the ability to explore the artificial world. Using the latest in virtual reality technology, the Oculus Quest, consumers will journey through an immersive 3D reconstruction of the Eavor-Lite demonstration project where they can move around while interacting with specified objects to learn more." Virtual Reality has been identified as a massive growth industry expected to reach USD 34.08 billion by 2023. You can view the tour online on Eavor's websitehere or contact Eavor to see if you qualify for an Oculus Quest package. About Eavor Technologies: Eavor Please find Eavor Technologies Inc. Media Kit here . If you have any questions or would like to schedule a Zoom meeting, please contact: Eavor Technologies Inc. John Redfern President & CEO 650-269-2501 press@eavor.com Eavor.com A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/456abf0f-5604-4ada-948e-32417945b50c Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Tue, September 15, 2020 14:50 493 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c44ee891 4 City murder,tortures,abuse,Banten,Lebak,police,investigation,burial,home-schooling,homeschooling,school Free The police have arrested a couple in Cijaku district, Lebak, Banten over the death of their 8-year-old daughter, who was allegedly beaten to death by the mother. The incident was discovered after the Cijaku Police received a report from local residents about a suspicious grave that had appeared in Gunung Keneng public cemetery in the district. The grave aroused the suspicion of the residents as there had been no recent information on a death or funeral in the area. When the authorities and residents dug up the grave on Saturday, they found the body of a girl, still fully clothed. Police then opened an investigation and found that the mother, identified only as LH, 26 and her husband IS, 27 were alleged to be behind the girls death. The Lebak Polices criminal investigation unit head, Adj. Comr. David Adhi Kusuma, said LH had tortured her daughter when she was assisting her with her online schoolwork. She was frustrated. She felt her daughter was difficult to teach, so she lost control, David told kompas.com on Monday. LH tortured her daughter, initially by pinching her and hitting her on the head with a broom, David said. When IS found out about the violence carried out by his wife, David continued, IS scolded LH and decided to take his daughter, who was showing signs of breathing trouble, outside for fresh air. His daughter, however, died on the way. The parents then allegedly took her body to the cemetery and buried her. David said the police were able to track the case to the parents after a local resident said IS had borrowed his hoe, claiming that he was going to use it to bury a cat. The police have named both LH and IS as suspects in the case. They were charged with violating Article 80 of the 2014 Child Protection Law on child murder, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years' imprisonment and a Rp 200 million (US$13,459) fine. The police also accused them of violating Article 388 of the Criminal Code on attempted murder, which carries a maximum sentence of 15 years' imprisonment. (mfp) President Trump received an endorsement from a group of more than 200 retired military leaders in an open letter Monday. The military leaders said Trump was committed to a "strong America." They also criticized Joe Biden's record when he was vice president. "At present, our country is now confronted with enemies here and abroad, as well as a once in a century pandemic," the 235 retired military leaders wrote. They also said they believe Trump has proven himself a "leader to confront these dangers," Newsweek said in a report. Fox News said in a report that the military men who took part were retired Air Force generals and Navy admirals. In the letter they wrote, they said the U.S.'s "historic way of life is at stake." They also accused the Democratic Party of being home to left-wing radicals, reported The Hill. The military leaders said the Democratic Party was "welcoming...socialists and Marxists" into its ranks. They said the Democrats' position on border security, the Iran nuclear deal, and policing could also threaten U.S. national security. A Strong AdvocateThey also noted that military budget cuts were made when Biden was vice president. The military leaders warned that "Democrats have once again pledged to cut defense spending." They claimed that the Democrats were "undermining our military strength. They also said the military was neglected under the Obama-Biden administration, but they had found a strong advocate in Trump. There was even a comparison between Trump and Biden. With Trump, they noted that he "rebuilt the military." He "completely overhauled the Department of Veterans Affairs" as well, among other things. In contrast, they found Biden's record with the military riddled with budget cuts and failed foreign policy decisions. They added that Biden also had "an inability to provide our nation's heroes with the quality health care they deserve." Some of the military men who signed Monday's letter included leaders who had also endorsed Trump in the past. They also supported him in the same fashion. These include Ronny Jackson (R), the former White House physician, and current GOP candidate for the U.S. House in Texas. Trump's campaign touted the letter in a statement. It pointed out the president's record with veterans' issues. It also swiped at his Democratic opponent, former Vice President Biden. Most Important ElectionIn the letter, the retired officers also said that the coming election is the "most important election since our country was founded." Support from the armed forces came at a critical time for Trump. Reports came that alleging him of calling soldiers killed in combat as "losers" and "suckers." First reports on the comments went from The Atlantic. Trump denied saying such comments about the military. He said, "Only an animal would say a thing like that." Several officials also rejected the accusations. Meanwhile, Reuters/Ipsos conducted a poll on the candidates' relationship with the armed forces. They released the results on Sunday. In its results, they found that most believe Biden holds members of the armed forces in higher regard than Trump does. Check these out! Trump Gets Second Nobel Peace Prize Nomination Following Historic Deal Trump Nominee to Head Latin America Development Bank Trump Calls for Death Penalty for LA Police Shooter Chennai, Sep 15 : Acting on a tip off, Chennai Air Customs seized 3,440 tablets of psychotropic drugs being sent to the US from the Foreign Post Office here and arrested one person in this connection. In a statement on Tuesday, the Customs said it intercepted some postal parcels suspected to contain psychotropic drugs destined to the US at the Foreign Post Office. On opening the parcels, 234 strips of Addwize 10 mg (Methylphenidate) totalling 2,340 tablets, 50 strips of Lonazep 1 mg (Clonazepam) (500 tablets) and 40 strips of Zolfresh 10 mg (Zolpidem) (600 tablets) were recovered. The parcels were addressed to Florida, and were booked by a Chennai-based person engaged in pharmaceutical wholesale business. Follow-up searches were carried out and he was arrested. Methylphenidate is a central nervous system stimulant and used to treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and narcolepsy. Zolpidem is a sedative, and is used to treat Insomnia, while Clonazepam, a type of anti-epileptic drug, is used to treat certain seizure disorders. Vice President Joe Biden speaks in St. Paul, Minn., on Feb. 18. (Glen Stubbe ) To the editor: Endorsing Joe Biden was certainly no surprise from your merry band of editorial board members. You refer to Biden as a 77-year-old centrist as if those were credentials to be admired. The only thing centrist about him is that he will go in any direction his handlers point him. He has a zero record of accomplishments in 48 years of feeding from the public trough. And barely a mention of his choice for vice president? This was the clearest indication of his lack of accountability. My memories of Kamala Harris harassing Brett Kavanaugh told me all I need to hear about her character. If Biden does get elected, let's hope he makes it to 2024 and the country can come to its senses. Tom Bond, Studio City .. To the editor: The Times endorsing Joe Biden wasnt exactly a surprise since for the last three months there have been nothing but positive articles about him. The timing is interesting since the election is over 50 days away and there haven't been any debates yet. Also, isnt The Times concerned about the state of Biden's health? To many observers he seems to have lost quite a bit of his cognitive senses. I guess that The Times would even endorse a mannequin over Donald Trump, such is their disdain for him! Marcus Kourtjian, Northridge .. To the editor: There are ample reasons to pull the lever for Biden on Nov. 3. Everything from expanding healthcare coverage to ALL Americans, to combating both climate change and the devastation from the current COVID-19 pandemic. Not to mention the necessity of making the American Dream available for every U.S. citizen. But even more important is the imperative to have a patriot once again occupy the Oval Office. Our democratic republic has been critically wounded by the criminal malfeasance and morally depraved incumbent we now suffer. If this nation's adherence to the "rule of law" means anything at all, Joe Biden must take the oath of office to "preserve and protect" the Constitution of the U.S. on Jan. 20, 2021. Story continues Bob Teigan, Santa Susana .. To the editor: Our beautiful state of California is being overwhelmed. Apocalyptic fires are destroying our forests with no end in sight. The pandemic has crippled our economy. Our streets are loaded with homeless people sleeping in tents. Help from the federal government? Not forthcoming. The sooner we accept this the better. There's very little we can do except demand change at the top. We need leadership. We need someone at the top who is thinking of all of us, not just his or her "followers." We need leadership in the form of Joe Biden, a man who listens to expert advice and doesn't just go on a personal whim. He has plenty of experience wading through the difficult reality of politics in Washington. We can't make a mistake now. Joe Biden is the change we need. Thank you for your endorsement. Peter Marquard, Northridge Preckwinkle said Toomin, who oversees the Juvenile Justice Division, was not rejected over the Smollett decision. She said he was not recommended because of his handling of juvenile cases. One in particular involved two 12-year-olds whom Toomin ruled in 2018 needed to be kept confined in the juvenile detention center. They had been arrested on armed robbery suspicion, released on electronic monitoring and then repeatedly tore off their monitoring devices and ran away. For the publics safety and theirs, Toomin wanted them kept confined. At least two other judges who handled the boys' cases recognized they were a particularly worrisome pair. State law, and an appellate court, backed Toomins decision. Ed Miliband accused Boris Johnson of seeking to "get Brexit undone" during a widely-praised speech against the controversial UK Internal Market Bill. The former Labour leader-turned shadow business secretary warned MPs that passing the legislation would "equip the government with the power to break the law" and was a matter of "right versus wrong" rather than "Leave versus Remain". However the most-widely shared parts of his 25-minute oration the text of which was released in full by the Labour Party involved his attack on the prime minister sitting just a few feet away. He variously accused Mr Johnson of incompetence, "legislative hooliganism" and seeking to blame others for his own Brexit 'mess'. Mr Miliband said: "Let's just get this straight for a minute, because I think it is important to take a step back, what the Prime Minister is coming to the House to tell us today is that his flagship achievement, the deal he told us was a triumph, the deal he said, as I said, was oven ready, the deal on which he fought and won the general election is now contradictory and ambiguous. "What incompetence. What failure of governance. And how dare he try and blame everyone else. "Can I say to the Prime Minister, this time he can't blame (Theresa May), he can't blame John Major, he can't blame the judges, he can't blame the civil servants, he can't sack the Cabinet secretary again. "There's only one person responsible for it, and that is him. This is his deal, it's his mess, it's his failure." Mr Miliband continued: "For the first time in his life, it is time to take responsibility, it is time to fess up. "Either he wasn't straight with the country about the deal in the first place or he didn't understand it. "Because a competent government would never have entered into a binding agreement with provisions it could not live with. "And if such a government somehow missed the point but woke up later, it would have done what any competent business would do after it realised it can't live with the terms of a contract, it would negotiate a way out in good faith. "And that's why this is all so unnecessary because there is a mechanism designed for exactly this purpose in the agreement, the Joint Committee on the Northern Ireland Protocol." The Labour MP went on to say that the Internal Market Bill, which has been criticised by former prime ministers Theresa May, David Cameron, Gordon Brown, Tony Blair and John Major, was trashing the UKs reputation around the world. Mr Miliband joked: The PM has said he wants to bring unity to the country ... I therefore congratulate him on having in one short year united his five predecessors." In a reference to the Northern Ireland secretary Brandon Lewis' admission that the bill broke international law, Mr Miliband suggested the government wanted to create the "Johnson defence", explaining: "You can break the law in a specific and limited way." And in a swipe at Mr Johnsons election slogan, Mr Miliband added: "From a man who says he wanted to get Brexit done and won an election on it, this bill gets Brexit undone." Commentators on social media quickly described the speech as a "humiliation" and an "annihilation" of Mr Johnson in front of his own MPs. Others pointed out the prime minister's facial expression at one point during the speech, or criticised the prime minister's decision to spend part of it looking at his mobile phone while Mr Miliband continued speaking. The bill eventually passed its second reading by 340 votes to 263, after most Tory rebels abstained rather than voted against it. Mr Johnson had opened the debate by insisting the Bill is "essential for guaranteeing the economic and political integrity of the United Kingdom". After accusing the EU of "holding out the possibility of blockading food and agriculture transports within our own country", he said: "Let us seize the opportunity presented by this Bill and send a message of unity and resolve. Let's say together to our European friends that we want a great future relationship and a fantastic free trade deal." Additional reporting by Press Association NEWARK, N.J., Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Walter F. Timpone, who retired last month as an Associate Justice with the New Jersey Supreme Court, has been named Senior Counsel with Calcagni & Kanefsky. Justice Timpone, a veteran trial lawyer who also served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in Newark for more than a decade and in private practice for 20 years, brings to the firm not only his judicial experience, but also extensive experience in government investigations, corporate compliance and governance, complex regulatory matters, crisis management, and white collar criminal defense. "Justice Timpone is the consummate attorney. He is superbly talented, he is dedicated to excellence, and he is a dear friend," said Thomas R. Calcagni, Co-Founding Senior Partner at the firm. "We are thrilled to have him join our team." Calcagni first worked with Timpone when Timpone served as the first federal election monitor in Passaic County, charged with ensuring the voting rights of the county's Hispanic citizens. "CK is a perfect fit for me," stated Timpone. "With its unique makeup of former Federal and State prosecutors and extraordinary litigators, it has swiftly risen to the top in terms of reputation and results. I am looking forward to my return to private practice, having found great synergy with the other attorneys at CK, many of whom I have known, worked with, and respected for years. I also relish the opportunity to help mentor the firm's younger lawyers." Co-Founding Senior Partner Eric Kanefsky echoed Timpone's sentiment. "We are honored to welcome Justice Timpone to our ranks. We all stand to benefit from his wealth of experience he is truly one of the finest attorneys I know." Timpone, who was appointed to the high court by Governor Christopher J. Christie in 2016. Timpone resigned his seat on August 31, two months ahead of his mandatory retirement date, in order to allow his replacement to be seated before the start of the Court's September term. During his time on the Supreme Court, Timpone wrote 30 majority opinions, several in high profile cases that are often cited in legal briefs. In one case between the City of Hoboken and Shipyard Associates, Timpone, writing for the majority, found that the city did not have a right to change zoning ordinances after a development project was approved. In another high-profile case involving police brutality, Timpone led the court in upholding a guilty verdict against Orlando Trinidad, a Bloomfield police officer who was caught on video beating a black man during a police stop. In a dissenting opinion in State v. Michael Ross II, Timpone wrote that a trial judge's extensive cross examination of witnesses "crossed that fine line that separates advocacy from impartiality." Timpone, who graduated from Seton Hall Law School, began his legal career as a law clerk for the late U.S. District Court Judge Vincent P. Biunno in New Jersey. He served in the U.S. Attorney's Office in Newark from 1984-94 and was elevated to Chief of the Special Prosecutions Division, leading the Office's investigations and prosecutions of public corruption and fraud. Many of CK's attorneys also distinguished themselves in the U.S. Attorney's Office, including Senior Counsel Ralph J. Marra, who served with Timpone and later led the Office as Acting U.S. Attorney. During his career, Timpone served in a variety of high-profile roles with state and federal agencies. In the late 1990s, Timpone served, at the appointment of New Jersey Attorney General John Farmer, on the panel charged by Governor Christine Todd Whitman with investigating the state's troubled auto inspection program. In 2005, he served as Acting General Counsel to University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, negotiating a deferred prosecution agreement for the then-troubled institution and working with the federal monitor to correct the school's deficiencies in practices and procedures. He also served as ombudsman to the U.S. Department of Defense, overseeing a contractor who entered a guilty plea concerning failed parts prepared for inclusion in Patriot missiles. From 2010 until his appointment to the Supreme Court, Timpone served on the State's Election Law Enforcement Commission, overseeing breaches of campaign finance laws and regulations. Among his high-profile roles in private practice, Timpone served as Associate General Executive Board Attorney for Laborers International Union of North American (LIUNA), rooting out organized crime and investigating, charging, and taking to hearing union members for violations of the union's constitution and ethics procedures. "Having had the privilege of serving on the Supreme Court was the highlight of my legal career," Timpone said. "However, it's not my last chapter." Calcagni & Kanefsky LLP is a Newark- and New York City-based boutique law firm of former Federal and State prosecutors, who bring their exceptional litigation experience to bear for clients with critical matters. CK attorneys are known and respected for their tenacious advocacy, superior credibility, and inside knowledge allowing them to manage, navigate, and favorably resolve government investigations and other high-stakes disputes. SOURCE Calcagni & Kanefsky LLP CHICAGO, Aug. 20, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- CME Group, the world's leading and most diverse derivatives marketplace, today announced it will launch South American Soybean (Platts) Futures on September 21, 2020, pending all relevant regulatory review periods. This contract will offer market participants a new tool to directly manage exposure to the Brazilian soybean market. "As Brazil has emerged as a leading producer and exporter of soybeans, regional pricing alternatives have become increasingly important for risk management," said Tim Andriesen, CME Group Managing Director of Agricultural Products. "Customers have been using our benchmark grain and oilseed products to hedge their global soybean positions for over 80 years, and these new contracts will enhance those products with contracts that reflect Brazilian export prices." The new South American Soybean (Platts) futures were jointly developed with B3, one of the world's largest financial market infrastructure companies. Brazilian Soybean (Platts) futures will be financially-settled based on the SOYBEX price assessment published daily since July 2018 by S&P Global Platts, reflecting the FOB value of Soybeans from the port of Santos in Brazil. The contract will simultaneously track the export price and the basis to U.S. soybeans, offering market participants the ability to trade the spread between these key commodity regions. "To B3, the launch of this contract is a collective success and another major step in our strategic relationship with CME Group," points out Louis Gourbin, Head of Commodities at B3. "We are working to make the B3 contract available to the market as soon as possible," he adds. Ian Dudden, Global Pricing Director, Metals & Agriculture at S&P Global Platts, said, "We are pleased that CME Group and their customers recognize the important role our independent Brazil FOB Santos Soybean price assessment plays in creating price transparency, which in turn provides opportunities for the provision of risk management tools that bring greater efficiency to the global agriculture markets." South American Soybean futures will be quoted in U.S. dollars and cents per metric ton and have a contract size of 136 metric tons. The minimum price fluctuation will be $0.20 per metric ton, with the final settlement price rounded to the nearest $0.01. The new futures contract will be available for trading on CME Globex or through block trades via CME ClearPort, and will be listed by and subject to the rules and regulations of CBOT. For more information on CME Group's grain and oilseed product suite, please visit: www.cmegroup.com/soybeans. For more information about S&P Global Platts agriculture price assessments, please visit: https://www.spglobal.com/platts/en/our-methodology/methodology-specifications/agriculture. CME-G SOURCE CME Group Related Links http://www.cmegroup.com Former campaign manager for Raila Odinga, Eliud Owalo, has joined the DP-Ruto-led Hustler bandwagon ahead of the 2022 poll. Owalo, who ditched Railas Orange Party to join Musalia Mudavadis Amani National Congress (ANC) in 2019, announced his new political alignment on Monday after a meeting with DP Ruto at his Karen residence in Nairobi. In a statement sent to newsrooms, the former Kibra MP aspirant said the Kenyans need a decisive, responsive, all-inclusive and participatory leadership anchored on people-centric values and social justice. Based on the foregoing and informed by a contextual analysis of all the probable 2022 Presidential candidates, I have with effect from today made a deliberate and conscious decision to stand with Kenyans by pursuing my political interests and aspirations within the ambit of the Hustler Political Matrix. Im also going the full-hog with Bill Ruto 2022, he said. The management consultant who run Odingas presidential campaigns in 2013 and 2017 alleged there is a worrying scheme by a few select and privileged families to unilaterally decide the leadership of Kenyans. My honest opinion is that our problem really is not a bad constitution but lack of enforcement and political goodwill and capture of the state by a few individuals in total disregard to the interests of the Kenyan majority. More worryingly, there are concerted efforts by the same clique of people to put together ethnic congrolemations as an avenue of attaining political power, he said. Owalo added: Personally, Im vehemently opposed to and do not subscribe to the school of thought that two or three families should selfishly scheme to rotate the leadership of this country among themselves as a means of perpetuating themselves in power and serving their egocentric economic interests. According to the politician, Kenyans need to adopt issue-based politics devoid of personality cults to save the country from the current economic morass and political quagmire Owalos move comes a month after he resigned from the ANC party saying he felt it was imperative to create ample space within the Party. He said the move will allow ANC to strategically position itself effectively in the operational environment and craft a suitable road map moving forward without feeling suffocated by my views and suggestions. Owalo added: I also want to create a reasonable leg-room between myself and Mudavadi to safeguard and sustain our personal friendship, respect and positive professional engagements that has been in existence over a span of 25 years. The oldest profession in the world has to play by new rules. Condoms were mandatory in the brothels of Punes Budhwar Peth area, but in the time of the novel coronavirus now masks and gloves are also a must during any acts of intimacy. Clients have been asked to use hand sanitisers and disinfectants. Some of the sex workers have bought thermal scanners and foot-operated sanitiser dispensers and placed them outside their premises. Also, the women here have been advised to ask patrons to take a shower before any sexual activity and not to entertain any client having a cough or fever. Budhwar Peth, known as the red-light district of Pune, supports the livelihood of around 3,000 sex workers. Pune has rapidly risen up the corona chart with more than one lakh eighty thousand patients. Like the rest of the world, the pandemic has changed the lifestyle of the people living here. The charm of the city is all but gone, say some locals. Changes are visible everywhere, including in Budhwar Peth. Necessary precautions are being taken by the administration, NGOs and sex workers living here to prevent spread of the infection. Not a single case was reported for 4 months after the lockdown. But, in the last few days, more than 40 cases have been identified. However, now only 15 active cases are left. Thankfully, no one has died yet. Precautions during lockdown The locality was declared a restricted area as soon as the lockdown took place. Authorities blocked every road leading to the red-light area. A team of police was stationed here 24/7. Prostitution that took place here was completely stopped. Along with this, sanitation was done from house to house. Most of the women living here and their family members were screened. If any symptoms were found, they were given medicines. Arrangements were made to bring the women who wanted to go home from Budhwar Peth. The process that started in March still continues. In view of the regular crowds in the area, it has been made mandatory for the residents to wear masks. In order to strictly follow the rules, the municipal corporations team raids the area and imposes fines on those who roam around without masks. As a result, despite being a crowded neighbourhood, so far there are very few cases here. Just after Unlock-1, business here resumed with rules in place. However, it had to be closed for 15 days around the last week of July after 5 positive cases were reported. Now things are back to normal, somewhat. According to a survey by NGO Saheli Sangh, which works here, most of the sex workers are back to work. The NGO together with the corporation officials has prepared a standard operating procedure (SOP). SOP for sex workers The SOP for sex workers includes things like identifying primary Covid-19 symptoms, to use of sanitisers, masks and gloves, which are now as mandatory as condoms. There are steps to be taken before and after the visit of a customer. Some brothels have also purchased temperature guns. A few are gearing up to resume work and are even ready to explore options of services like phone sex. (With inputs from Vaibhav Sonawane) A bipartisan group of 13 U.S. senators has introduced a resolution calling for targeted sanctions on Belarusian officials responsible for a crackdown on peaceful protesters in the country. U.S. Senator Jim Risch (Republican-Idaho), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said in a news release on September 14 that the continued violence and repression against the opposition in Belarus is unconscionable. The resolution declares the August 9 election that gave President Alyaksandr Lukashenka a sixth term in office neither free nor fair and declares the results announced by the Central Election Commission invalid. It also demands the release of all political prisoners and those detained for peacefully protesting, including those arrested before the election. The sanctions would be carried out in coordination with the European Union and other international partners, according to the resolution, which Risch described as a strong symbol of the United States support for the people of Belarus and their right to freedom of assembly, freedom of expression, free elections, and the rule of law. Senator Bob Menendez (Democrat-New Jersey) said he is in awe of the courage shown by the people of Belarus. He also called on the international community to stand in full support of their aspirations for a free and democratic future. Mr. Lukashenka does not have a shred of legitimacy left and must step down, said Menendez, the highest-ranking Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. The U.S. and our partners in Europe must move with urgency to hold him and his henchman accountable for crimes against the people of Belarus. Further delay only welcomes deeper entrenchment by the regime. The resolution says more than 7,000 Belarusian citizens have been detained by government authorities, mostly for taking part in or observing peaceful protests, with many of these arrests followed by beatings and torture at the hands of Belarusian law enforcement. It also says authorities in Belarus have consistently restricted press freedom as part of the crackdown, including the arrest of dozens of journalists, six of whom report for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. In addition, more than 50 news websites that were covering the protests have been blocked, two independent newspapers have been kept from publishing, and the accreditation of journalists working for foreign news outlets have been stripped. The move came as Human Rights Watch (HRW) called on the UN Human Rights Council and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) to promptly open inquiries into the postelection crackdown in Belarus. Security forces arbitrarily detained thousands of people and systematically subjected hundreds to torture and other ill- treatment in the days following the August 9 election, the New York-based human rights watchdog said in a statement on September 15. HRW said it interviewed former detainees who described beatings, prolonged stress positions, electric shocks, and in at least one case, rape. They had serious injuries, including broken bones, cracked teeth, skin wounds, electrical burns, and mild traumatic brain injuries. Some had kidney damage. The sweeping brutality of the crackdown shows the lengths to which the Belarusian authorities will go to silence people, but tens of thousands of peaceful protesters continue to demand fair elections and justice for abuses, said Hugh Williamson, Europe and Central Asia director at HRW. The Permanent Electoral Authority (AEP) concluded On Tuesday a partnership agreement with the League of Romanian Students Abroad (LSRS). The provisions of the agreement aim at carrying out actions and projects developed for the benefit of Romanian students abroad, consultations on topics of common interest, as well as setting up working groups aimed at promoting electoral rights among this category of voters, informs AEP in a press release sent to AGERPRES. The document was signed by the president of AEP, Constantin-Florin Mituletu-Buica, and the president of LSRS, Robert Stredie. "I think it is very important for young people to understand the mechanisms of the Romanian electoral system, because in this way they will gain a more nuanced, broader and deeper perspective on the principles of democracy," the AEP official said in a statement. The president of LSRS presented the projects that the League has in progress, as well as those that are being developed, which aim at collaborating with institutions in order to carry out programs for the benefit of Romanian students abroad. He expressed his readiness to support AEP, through the community of students he represents, in the efforts to inform Romanians abroad about the voting methods available to them, the release further shows. The Union labour ministry on Monday, September 14, told Parliament that the government has no data on the deaths of the migrants, so no compensation will be provided. More than 10 million migrants made their way back to their home states from various parts of the country after the prime minister announced a national lockdown with barely three-and-a-half- hours notice to the Indian people. Decrying the government's bizarre response, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi tweeted, 'The Modi government does not know how many migrant workers died and how many jobs were lost during the lockdown. If you didn't count, did the deaths not occur?' 'The pain is in the fact that it had no effect on the government, the world saw their deaths, it's only the Modi government which didn't get the news.' Dominic Xavier is puzzled by the government revelation that it has no idea how many migrants died during the long and dangerous march home. Minimum governance, maximum ignorance? Republicans Unveil Plan for Restoring the Economy In Run-Up to Election With less than 2 months before the November elections, Republicans on Tuesday unveiled their plan for the upcoming Congress in an effort to set themselves apart from their Democratic rivals who Republicans say are out to destroy American history and values and defund law enforcement. Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), the House Minority Leader hopes to win over voters with the new GOP agenda for which members offered over 150 policy proposals. This is why were announcing a commitment to America with three specific objectives. First, restore our way of life. Second, rebuild the greatest economy. And third, renew the American dream, said McCarthy. McCarthy said the first order of business is to get a vaccine out to citizens so the economy can begin to grow and flourish, with employment returning to pre-pandemic numbers. House Republicans have to have a plan. How can we work to help this country move forward? McCarthy told reporters in a telephone interview on Monday. He said the foundation to success is defeating the virus and getting people healthy. House GOP members have been calling for increasing rapid testing for the CCP virus by three-fold and make a vaccine available as soon as safely possible. The Trump administration initiated Operation Warp Speed with the goal of making a vaccine available by the end of 2020 and according to the programs fact-sheet, on May 21: HHS announced up to $1.2 billion in support for AstraZenecas candidate vaccine, developed in conjunction with the University of Oxford. The agreement is to make available at least 300 million doses of the vaccine for the United States. Small bottles labeled with a Vaccine COVID-19 sticker and a medical syringe are seen in this illustration taken taken April 10, 2020. (Dado Ruvic/Illustration/Reuters) McCarthy stressed that securing the Nations cities and towns is another top priority for Republicans and that with their agenda there will be increased funding for police departments throughout the United States, not defunding them as with Democrats agenda. Despite calls from progressive Democrats to defund police departments, in cities like Seattle, Portland Oregon, and Minneapolis Democrat presidential nominee Joe Biden says he does not want to defund the police. I dont want to defund police, Biden said. I want to get police more money in order to deal with the things they badly need, from making sure they have access to community policing, that they have also in the departments social workers, psychologists, people who in fact can handle those god-awful problems that a cop has to have four degrees to handle, Biden said in a recent interview. However, Biden did not comment on any of the looting and rioting happening in cities until recently, when it was reported that his poll numbers were decreasing because of the issue. Meanwhile, Republicans have been consistently opposed to any rioting and violence during protests for racial justice. Police disperse rioters in Portland, Ore., Sept. 5, 2020. (Carlos Barria/Reuters) And we will ensure the safety and security of all communities and uphold the constitutional liberties of every single American, said McCarthy. A former police lieutenant and Minnesota Congressman Pete Stauber (R-Minn.) said that under the GOP agenda police departments throughout the nation will be supported with additional funding and focus on the departments policing with their communities, and not policing their community. We will not abolish or defund the police. Policing is a noble and honorable profession, and we will increase funding by $1.7 billion for better police training, the implementation of community policing and purchasing equipment, 500,000 more body cameras, said Stauber. Echoing similar themes from Trumps convention speech, The House Republicans agenda will also prioritize, school choice for children and allot $200 billion in forgivable loans for small business through the Paycheck Protection Program. McCarthy said the GOP plan will add 10 million new jobs and bring manufacturing back to the United States. McCarthy said, Specifically, we will add 10 million good-paying jobs with investments in distressed communities and support for American small businesses. And while democrats choose to ignore the threat from China. We will increase American manufacturing and supply chain resilience by ending Americas dependence on China. We should no longer be reliant on China for the things that are vital to Americas national security we need to bring that manufacturing and those jobs back to America, and thats our commitment, said Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La.). Under the previous administration, great jobs and great companies going to foreign countries, and we finally put an end to that with smart effective policy, Scalise continued. Congressman Kevin Brady (R-Texas) said, Well make the republican tax cuts permanent. Well make President Trumps tax cuts permanent, because the proven way to rebuild local communities, is to let families and businesses keep more of what they work so hard to earn. Brady also emphasized bringing manufacturing back to the United States, especially Americas dependence on China for crucial medicines, medical supplies, and technology. (We) will rebuild and anchor that manufacturing here in America with American workers and American know-how, said Brady. President Donald Trump speaks to workers at a Whirlpool manufacturing facility in Clyde, Ohio, on Aug. 6, 2020. (Scott Olson/Getty Images) Another key agenda item on the GOP list for the new Congress is to teach the history of the United States so children and adults understand the value of the Constitution. Republicans have called out Democrats for staying largely silent on rioting and destruction being caused by violent protestors, and the taking down of not only Confederate monuments but others like Christopher Columbuss and Abraham Lincoln statues that depict a part of American history. First-generation American, former Navy pilot, a businessman, and first-term Congressman Mike Garcia (R-Calif.) said we need to instill pride in our children for being Americans. As Americans, we need to take pride in our nation, and make our children proud and teach our kids, our nations history with pride. We need to reinvigorate and renew the American dream. I am that American dream, Garcia said. Republican Conference Chair Liz Cheney (R-Wy.) said, The Democrats tell us what they would do in as Kamala Harris put it yesterday, quote a Harris administration with Joe Biden. They would defund our police, dismantle our freedom, destroy our history, and abandon our founding values. The GOP agenda also covers policies, such as protecting the unborn, supporting veterans, upholding free speech, protecting religious liberties, and safeguarding the Second Amendment. The 1856 painting Washington at Constitutional Convention of 1787, signing of U.S. Constitution by Junius Brutus Stearns. (TeachingAmericanHistory.org via Wikimedia Commons) Scalise said, America is worth fighting for. Thats what this commitment is all about. We know we have challenges. We know weve been through great challenges before as a nation and we know as we pulled together, were going to get through these challenges. Now we need to double down on a commitment to God, the constitution, capitalism, and competition to reward hard work and be proud of our successes, rather than being penalized for our achievements, or being ashamed of our awards, said Garcia. This years shortlist includes four debut novelists Doshi, Cook, Stuart and Taylor and omits high-profile books including Anne Tylers Redhead by the Side of the Road and The Mirror and the Light, the conclusion of Hilary Mantels acclaimed Tudor trilogy. Mantel won the Booker for both its predecessors, Wolf Hall and Bring up the Bodies and had been widely tipped for a third victory. Washington D.C.--(Newsfile Corp. - September 15, 2020) - The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced charges against Unikrn Inc., an operator of an online eSports gaming and gambling platform headquartered in Seattle, Washington, for conducting an unregistered initial coin offering (ICO) of digital asset securities. Unikrn agreed to settle the charges by paying a $6.1 million penalty, substantially all of the company's assets, to be distributed to investors through a Fair Fund. According to the SEC's order, between June and October 2017, Unikrn raised approximately $31 million through its offering of the UnikoinGold (UKG) token. The order finds that Unikrn planned to use the offering proceeds to make more features available on the gaming platform and to develop additional applications for the UKG tokens. Unikrn promised investors that it would facilitate a secondary trading market for the tokens and that its efforts to increase the usages for the UKG token would increase demand for and in turn, the value of, the tokens. The order finds that Unikrn offered and sold UKG as investment contracts, which constituted securities, yet failed to register the offering or qualify for an exemption. "The securities registration and exemption framework is designed to ensure investor protection and access to material information, while also facilitating capital formation. Failure to follow this framework harms investors and our markets," said Kristina Littman, Chief of the SEC Enforcement Division's Cyber Unit. "This resolution allows us to return substantially all of Unikrn's assets to already-harmed investors and includes measures to prevent future sales to retail investors, including the disabling of the tokens." The SEC's order finds that Unikrn violated the registration provisions of the federal securities laws. Without admitting or denying the SEC's findings, Unikrn agreed to pay a penalty of $6.1 million. The order establishes a Fair Fund to return this money to injured investors. Unikrn also agreed to disable the UKG, publish notice of the order, and request removal of UKG from all digital asset trading platforms. According to the order, the Commission considered these undertakings, as well as Unikrn's financial condition and the fact that the penalty represents substantially all of Unikrn's assets, in accepting Unikrn's offer of settlement. In a related proceeding, the Washington State Department of Financial Institution announced a settlement with Unikrn for violations of state registration provisions in connection with Unikrn's offering. The SEC's investigation was conducted by Edward Reilly and Marc E. Johnson and was supervised by Amy Friedman, Carolyn Welshhans, and Ms. Littman, with the assistance of trial counsel James Carlson, supervised by Stephan Schlegelmilch. The SEC appreciates the assistance of the Washington State Department of Financial Institutions. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 14) Easing the physical distancing measures in public transport may only contribute to a rise in COVID-19 cases in the country, a group of physicians warned on Monday. Dr. Mario Panaligan, president of Philippine College of Physicians, told CNN Philippines that the medical sector is "worried and concerned" about the implementation of the new government directive, saying this can increase the chances of transmitting and acquiring the coronavirus. "There is really a chance for the number to increase further," Panaligan said in an interview with The Source. "Just remember that's still high up to now. We have not yet really controlled the virus. That number can further increase by of course decreasing the distance." "Just remember that this infection is droplet-based, and therefore, there is a minimum distance required for us to avoid any form of transmission," he added. From the one-meter distance recommended by the World Health Organization, the Transportation Department reduced the distance between commuters inside mass transit to 0.75 meter starting Monday to accommodate more riders. The distance will then be further reduced to 0.5 meter by Sept. 28, and will decrease to 0.3 meter by Oct. 12. Panaligan argued that the initial 0.25-meter reduction already spells a huge difference for commuters. He said that due to the nature of the virus, the risk of transmission may further spike because of limited airflow and poor ventilation in some public vehicles. The Healthcare Professionals Alliance Against COVID-19, likewise, is asking the government to reverse its decision to ease the physical distance in mass transport that may contribute to an increase in COVID-19 cases. Dr. Antonio Dans, a clinical epidemiologist from HPAAC, said it is still too soon to relax the social distancing measures in public utility vehicles. "Hindi ang tanong, babawasan ba natin ang social distancing o hindi, ang tanong kailan natin ito pwede gawin. Sa tingin namin, pag titingnan natin ang curve ng pandemic na ito, masyadong maaga pa at malamang dumami lalo ang kaso at bumagal ang recovery kung gawin natin ito ngayon," he said. [Translation: The question isn't whether we should reduce physical distancing, the question is when should this be done. We think, looking at the curve of the pandemic, it's too early and cases are likely to rise and recovery to slow if we do this now.] He said they presented a model to the IATF showing how many more people would get infected based on the latest data including the number of cases and transmission rate of the virus, hoping it would guide their decision on the matter. Health Secretary Francisco Duque III brought up HPAAC's model during a televised meeting with President Rodrigo Duterte late Monday evening. Duque said he would bring this up at the IATF meeting on Tuesday adding other goups might bring forth other studies with varied results. The move to ease the physical distancing rules in public transport has raised questions from various sectors, including health experts and netizens alike. Dans said studies show physical distancing may reduce transmission by 82 percent, for face masks, 85 percent and for face shield, 78 percent. "According to the studies kasi the mimimum distance is one meter kasi that's how far a droplet travels e," Dans said. "Basta less than one meter ka na, para ka nang magkatabi." [Translation: According to the studies, the minimum distance is one meter because that's how far a droplet travels.] Mayors of the National Capital Region where a bulk of COVID-19 cases had been recorded also expressed alarm over this, saying they were not consulted before the guidelines were issued. In line with this, Metro Manila Council Chairman and Paranaque Mayor Edwin Olivarez told CNN Philippines separately that the COVID-19 Inter-Agency Task Force has already vowed to review the latest order. To date, coronavirus infections in the Philippines have surpassed the 260,000 mark. Tamil Nadu, which is due to hold assembly elections in the first quarter of next year, may be headed for a change in its political scenario with V K Sasikala Natarajan, a close associate of late chief minister J Jayalalithaa, likely to walk out of prison before the polls. Sasikala is currently serving a four-year prison term in Bengalurus Parapanna Agrahara after being convicted of possessing assets disproportionate to her income by the Supreme Court in February 2017. Jayalalithaa, who died in December 2016, was also convicted but in her case the ruling was infructuous. According to a reply furnished by the office of the chief superintendent of Parapanna Agrahara to a question posed under the Right To Information Act, the probable date of Sasikalas release is January 27, 2021 if she pays the court-ordered fine of 10 crore. In the event that she fails to pay the fine, she is likely to be released on February 27, 2022. What is interesting is that in the RTI response by R Latha, the public information officer of the prison, Sasikala maybe released even earlier than 27 January 2021 if she utilises her parole facility. Sasikala had entered the prison on February 15, 2015; she had served 35 days in prison in 1997 and 2004 as well. According to Sasikalas lawyer Raja Sendur Pandian, Sasikala is eligible to be released as early as by end of this month although this could not be independently confirmed by HT with prison authorities. Pandian claims that Sasikala is entitled to the ordinary remission given to all prisoners which would enable her to walk out of prison as early as by the end of September. He also said arrangements had already been made to pay the 10 crore fine to facilitate Sasikalas early release. Her reentry into Tamil Nadus political landscape is likely to have a significant impact in the state where she was elected as general secretary of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) and the leader of its legislature party; she was all set to be sworn in as chief minister before the law closed in on her. Then Tamil Nadu governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao waited for the Supreme Court to deliver its judgement in the disproportionate assets case against Jayalalithaa and Sasikala. Both of them, along with two others, were found guilty, quashing her hopes of becoming the CM. After Sasikalas arrest, Edappadi Palanswami, then seen as Sasikalas proxy and a key lieutenant of hers, was elected as leader of the legislature party, and became the CM. After Palanswami fell out with Sasikalas nephew, TTV Dhinakaran, she was expelled from the AIADMK and removed from the general secretarys post. Dhinakaran formed a new party, Amma Makkal Munnettra Kazagam ( AMMK), which has not had much electoral success. If she can project herself as the wronged woman who had to go to jail to defend the honour of thalaivi Jayalalithaa, then she might still emerge as a significant force. Specially as the Palanswami and the O.Panneerselvam (deputy CM) factions are yet to fully reconcile with each other. Also she belongs to the powerful Thevar community, which could also be a factor in her favour. AIADMK is yet to react officially on the likely early release of Sasikala. In the past, fisheries minister D Jayakumar dismissed the possibility of readmitting her and ruled out the possibility of her re-entry into the states political scene having any impact on the partys fortunes. PUNE: A man and his friend were arrested for killing a 28-year-old man with whom he had found his wife chatting over Facebook and WhatsApp. The murder took place on Aundh hospital premises at 12:30pm on Sunday. The deceased was identified as Saurabh Vyankat Jadhav (28), a resident of Sanjaynagar in Aundh. He was a delivery executive at a private automobile spare parts dealership shop. The accused were identified as Ayaj Shaikh and his friend Sonya Barathe. The duo is 23-25 years old. Barathe has a history of assault case against him, according to Sangvi police station officials. A complaint was lodged by the deceaseds younger brother Sushant Vyankat Jadhav (24). He told the police that the deceased knew the woman who later married Shaikh. The two were arrested by Unit 4 of Pimpri-Chinchwad crime branch on Monday. One of them was arrested from Pune and another from Pimpri- Chinchwad area, said senior police inspector Mohan Shinde of Unit 4. The deceaseds brother said that the woman and his brother knew each other before she got married two years ago. However, it is yet to be confirmed. The woman said that she used to chat with Saurabh over Facebook, but has never met him, said inspector Ranganath Unde who is investigating the case. Saurabh was taken to the premises of Aundh hospital where he was attacked with sharp weapons on his neck, hands and near the right ear, according to the complaint in the matter. A case under Sections 302 (murder) and 34 (common intention) of Indian Penal Code was registered at Sangvi police station against the two. Ukraine is counting on cooperation with the United Kingdom in the development of green energy, in particular, the implementation of Energy Storage and green hydrogen projects, as well as the transformation of the coal industry, the Ministry of Energy has said following an online conference between Energy Minister Olha Buslavets and Minister of State of the United Kingdom at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Kwasi Kwarteng. "It would be very important for us to help the British government in the implementation of Energy Storage projects, which are important for our energy system and the further development of green generation," Buslavets, quoted in a ministry statement on Tuesday, said. Pointing to the significant potential of Ukraine in the development of green hydrogen, the energy minister expressed hope for effective cooperation with the United Kingdom in the implementation of key steps to develop and integrate hydrogen technologies, in particular, the implementation of pilot projects. When discussing the issue of transforming coal regions, Buslavets said that Ukraine is considering the possibility of participating in the Powering Past Coal Alliance to attract investments in the implementation of new projects in the territories of coal mono-cities. She also confirmed to the British minister that Ukraine is engaged in a dialog with the EU within the framework of the implementation of the European Green Deal, and, intending to update the goals and vectors of development in this direction, the country began the process of updating the Energy Strategy of Ukraine until 2035 with a prospect until 2050. The life of a trial lawyer is intense -- high stress, long hours and the bitterness of defeat when the sporadic case is, inevitably, lost. Four four decades, Ed Walsh practiced law in Chicago, arguing on behalf of injured clients and battling infringements to the health of the environment. However, after cutting down his case intake in recent years, Walsh was ready to shift some of his determination and focus to a new challenge: the rearing of wild Spanish mustangs. The majestic horses, relatively small in stature and known for their intelligence and agility, come with a rich history dating back to the 1500s, when Spanish explorers introduced them to the New World. By the late 1800s, the breed had largely been extinguished as Native American lands were infiltrated and their herds killed in U.S. government attacks, according to the Spanish Mustang Foundation. Though European breeds were later imported, today there are only about 3,000 Spanish mustangs, also known as Colonial Spanish horses, in existence. Walsh, 72, grew up in Chicago and thrived in the city, but in 1996 decided to purchase a farm in La Crescent for him and wife Bobbi to retreat from the hustle and bustle. A conservationist, respected for his dedication to the banning of frac sand mining in Winona and other environmental/legal issues, Walsh's farm house is eco-friendly, with solar paneling, and the couple are practicing reforestation. "It's one of the prettiest geological locations in the world, really," says Walsh. "We were attracted to the Driftless area, and knew we would retire here." Being in La Crescent only part time, the Walshes invited a neighbor to keep her horses in their stable and watch over the farm in their absence. Walsh enjoyed getting acquainted with the horses on weekends, and notes, "Once my practice started settling down, I started looking at Mustangs." Bobbi, who herself has an affinity for equines, was on board. Walsh was drawn to the Spanish Mustang breed, he says, due to their genetic makeup, self sufficiency and beauty. "Each one is absolutely stunning in physical appearance in their own way ... long manes, large eyes. They are extremely friendly, very alert," Walsh says. In late summer 2019, two years after moving to his farm full time, Walsh traveled to the Wyoming ranch of the late Bob Brislawn, who founded the Spanish Mustang Registry and bred horses "to be sure that what he had were pure old blood from the Spanish arrival in America," according to Houston History Magazine. The horses Walsh met, which are distinctly different from the feral mustangs managed by the Bureau of Land Management, were wild as of the previous January and in need of intensive, consistent training and handling to become sociable and rideable. Walsh was up for the task. Walsh selected five of the horses, and brought three to his winter home in Colorado to work on training with a professional. In May, he brought them back to La Crescent, and transported the remaining two to his farm in August. Ranging in age from 18 months to 3 years, the horses, four females and one male, were bestowed with meaningful monikers by the Walshes. Survivor was the runt of the herd, but "kept coming back and fighting for water or hay," Walsh says. Blue Feather has a blue-gray colored coat, and there is a "long history of horses with the name 'feather' in them," Walsh notes. Auburn was named for her reddish coloring, while Chief, the male horse, has three cowlicks that look like feathers below a horizontal scar, reminiscent of the Cheyenne symbol for chief. Dulce's name means sweet in Spanish, fitting given the horse's disposition. "In their own way, I just love all five of them. They're all special," Walsh says. Walsh spends a few hours each day working with the horses, who needed time to become comfortable with donning halters and being led around. Inherently vulnerable to coyotes, the Spanish mustangs are cautious by nature and Walsh has acclimated them to being startled with a technique called "spook busting" and covering them in nylon sheets to familiarize them with distractions and unexpected activity. He has begun preparing them for riding by placing a pair of sand-and-hay-filled jeans on their backs to mimic a rider, and hopes to have them fully rideable by next summer. "I actually enjoy the ground training with them more than the actual riding experience," Walsh says. "(The process) adds to the meaning and purpose in my life. I take great satisfaction in seeing them develop." Attentive and known to check on the horses several times a day, Walsh says Bobbi likens him to "a mother with a new baby, always worried about how they are doing, are they safe?'" His devotion has left one of his other four legged children, a Border Collie, prone to jealousy, walking off to sulk. The younger Border Collie, however, is fascinated by the long-legged creatures, while the family pug is filled with bravado despite being miniscule by comparison. "The little pug is fearless," Walsh says. "He keeps his distance, but he loves to watch me working with them." While the settings couldn't be more different -- a solemn courtroom packed with people versus a serene sprawl of land -- Walsh says there are similarities between practicing law and taking on a team of wild horses. "I found working with the horses very consistent, with tedious attention to detail similar to my trial practice," says Walsh, who has tackled cases lasting up to five years. "(Both) require an extreme amount of patience." Between his part-time legal work, land conservation efforts and horse rearing, Walsh has nary a free moment. But when he fully retires, he hopes to raise a foal. Says Walsh, "I really enjoy giving (my animals) a wonderful place to live." Emily Pyrek can be reached at emily.pyrek@lee.net. Love 2 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Parents from one central Pennsylvania school district are calling on administrators to repeal the hybrid school model rolled out this fall amid the prolonged coronavirus and return their children to five-days a week in-classroom instruction. About a dozen parents from Central Dauphin School District on Monday staged a quiet protest in the parking lot just ahead of tonights school board meeting, with the hopes that the board will take up the issue and scrap the hybrid model. Teresa Fortney, who organized the gathering, said scores of parents are reporting what she has experienced herself first-hand as a parent of a child in the district: that the children are not learning in the hybrid model. I can tell you hands down that the kids in the hybrid learning are taking a huge loss in what they are learning, she said. There is no instruction. There is zero instruction. The district like scores of others across Pennsylvania in August announced it was re-open schools on a hybrid model that staggers the number of students in schools at one time. Students attend in-classroom instruction two days a week and the other three days learn remotely from home. Nothing is being handed in, Fortney said. I dont know how they are tracking whether things are right or wrong. She said her son has severe reading comprehension problem but is getting no special attention. Nothing has been brought to the attention of any kids that need further assistance, Fortney said. PennLive on Monday reached out to administration officials in the district but did not immediately hear back from anyone. At the school board meeting following the rally, Superintendent Dr. Norman Miller said they are tentatively planning to resume full-time in-person instruction in mid-October. The parents who gathered in the parking lot were hoping that members of the school board will put on the table a proposal to scrap the hybrid model and return to five-days a week in-class instruction. My son is very social, said Elisa Scharf whose son attends Central Dauphin East High School The lack of socialization is just tearing him up. Hes lost his motivation to do work. He is very depressed. The majority of school districts in central Pennsylvania have chosen to begin school with a hybrid model, but there are districts that are back to school full-time, just as there are districts that have gone to 100% online instruction. More: Middletown Area School District reports positive COVID-19 case Central Pa. school closes temporarily after 2 positive COVID-19 cases Harrisburg High School student-athletes rally to save their fall season Over the six months to, the average discount to net asset value (cum income) (NAV) was 4.58%. The Board has therefore concluded that it is not in the interests of shareholders as a whole to implement a semi-annual tender offer inDuring this six-month period the Company has not bought back any shares. The Board will continue to monitor the Company's discount to NAV and will look to buy back shares and/or operate six monthly tender offers if it is deemed to be in the interests of shareholders as a whole.For further information, please contact:- 020 7743 3893BlackRock Investment Management (UK) Limited- 020 7397 1920Cenkos Securities plc Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. THERE ARE calls for a "crisis intervention" at University Hospital Limerick after nearly 70 patients were recorded on trolleys in the emergency department and wards this Tuesday morning. According to figures published by the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation, there were 69 patients on trolleys. This is an increase of seven on Mondays levels, and is the highest level of overcrowding since the pandemic began. This was the highest trolley count in the country, and made up 26.2% of the country's overcrowding. Meanwhile, there are three confirmed cases and four suspected cases in UHL, which serves a population of 400,000 people in the Mid-West region. There are no confirmed cases in the intensive care unit, but there are two suspected cases in ICU. Labour councillor Conor Sheehan said that Government action is needed to tackle trolley numbers at the hospital in Dooradoyle. If there are 69 people on trolleys in mild mid September, I dread to think what the situation will be like in the middle of the winter flu season. Warm words and promises from Ministers and Government TDs will not solve this crisis. We need a crisis intervention from the Government. The Minister needs to publish the winter plan soon and the plan needs to contain measures specific to UHL which has frequently twice the numbers on trolleys as the nearest acute hospital. UHL needs a 40 million investment to bring it level with Beaumont a hospital that serves a similar population to meaningfully tackle the over crowding crisis and years of under resourcing," he stated this Tuesday afternoon. The City North councillor suggested that offering the flu vaccine free-of-charge to everyone could slow the spread of the winter flu, and would free up beds during the busy winter period. UHL needs emergency funding to tackle the worsening trolley crisis, in the midst of the worst health crisis in a generation we cannot allow the situation to continue of sick people piling up on corridors and in the emergency department." Meanwhile, a new 24-bed block at UHL has been open for the past four weeks, to help assuage hospital pressures. The Ward 6B comprises patients from the smaller 4B ward for haemotology and oncology patients, and now have access to single room, ensuite accommodation. An additional three beds have opened on the ward last week. As additional staff are recruited, we expect we will increase occupancy on Ward 6B from 16 currently to 24 in the coming weeks, a spokesperson for the UL Hospitals Group has said. TOKYO - United Airlines said Monday that it will close its Narita Airport flight attendant base due to a downturn in revenue caused by the spread of the novel coronavirus. In addition to Narita, the company has also decided to close its bases in Hong Kong and Frankfurt. South Korean chip exports to China are feared to take a hit from U.S. sanctions on Chinese telecom giant Huawei Technologies Co. due to their heavy dependence on the neighboring country, sources said Tuesday. The new sanctions, which ban the supply of semiconductors made with U.S. equipment, software and design to Huawei without prior approval from Washington, became effective the same day. The U.S. move forces Samsung Electronics, the world's top memory chip maker, and SK hynix Inc. to stop semiconductor shipments to the Chinese company. Huawei is known as one of Samsung's top five customers. SK hynix reportedly depends on Huawei for some 10 percent of its sales. Industry sources said the sanctions on Huawei will likely hit South Korea's semiconductor exports to China, given their huge dependence on the world's second-largest economy. According to data from the Korea International Trade Association (KITA), China accounted for about 41 percent of South Korea's chip exports in the first seven months of this year. The value of South Korea's chip exports stood at US$54.74 billion in the seven-month period, of which $22.49 billion came from China. Hong Kong came in second with 20.8 percent, or $11.38 billion. During the same period, South Korean exports of flat panel displays and sensors reached $3.82 billion, or 43.7 percent of total shipments of those products. Vietnam ranked first with 44.5 percent. Industry watchers said South Korean chipmakers may suffer 10 trillion won ($8.45 billion) in lost exports should the U.S. sanctions remain in place for one year. The estimated loss amounts to about one-tenth of South Korea's overall chip exports in 2019, which came to $93.93 billion. The U.S. sanctions come as Washington has increasingly sought to ban the use of Chinese technology, citing national security concerns. (Yonhap) By Ayya Lmahamad Azerbaijans water supply company Azersu is implementing a number of projects in the country to improve drinking water supply in villages and settlements around Baku. The company is completing the construction of new water reservoirs in Goby settlements and adjacent residential areas of Absheron region, Azersus website reported on September 15. Although drinking water supply network was established in most part of Gobu settlement, regulation of water supply to villages appeared due to lack of distribution tank. Thus, it is planned to build four reservoirs with a total capacity of 10,000 cubic meters in Gobu settlement on high relief area. At the initial stage, two reservoirs with a capacity of 2,500 cubic meters each were constructed. Two more reservoirs with a total capacity of 5,000 cubic meters will also be built. The new reservoir will be supplied via a 280 mm diameter pipeline, separated from the Oguz-Gabala-Baku main water pipeline. Due to high water pressure on this line, regulating reservoirs with the capacity of 50 cubic meters were built on the main pipeline that supplies the residential area of Gobu Park. The newly-built water supply systems will ensure stability of drinking water supply to population in the settlement. It should be noted that in order to improve drinking water supply to Gobu Park residential complex in May this year, a 5.4 km long main water pipeline with 225 mm diameter pipes was laid and connected to the reservoirs of the residential complex. Thus, along with the Kura-Baku main water pipeline, the Oguz-Gabala-Baku water pipeline provided the complex with drinking water. It should be noted that President Ilham Aliyev has approved the "Action Plan for 2020-2022 on ensuring efficient use of water resources", according to which, 10 reservoirs, 22 collectors and irrigation canals, 24 sub-artesian wells will be built across the country. Azersu OJSC was allocated $445,000 (AZN 756,000) from the state budget in order to implement these projects. Water reserves in Azerbaijan are estimated at 30.9 billion cubic meters, out of which 33 percent are local inland waters and 66 percent are transboundary rivers, meaning that access to fresh water requires large investments. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Under Abe's first administration in 2006, Suga headed the internal affairs ministry, where he introduced a hometown tax programme, offering tax deductions for those who donate money to local municipalities Japans longest-serving Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga is set to be named the countrys prime minister on 16 September, succeeding Shinzo Abe who resigned from the position citing health reasons. Suga will serve for Abes remaining tenure until September 2021. Described as Abes right hand man, Suga was born in 1948 to a strawberry farmer and school teacher and worked in the fields as a child. According to a biography by Isao Mori, Sugas father told him to work on the family strawberry farm, but he decided to move to Tokyo at a young age. He later studied a bachelors degree in law at the Hosei University in 1969. He also worked odd jobs in Tokyo first with a cardboard company and then driving turret trucks at a fish market. According to reports, when Suga decided to pursue politics, lacking family connections, he asked the career services center for an introduction to a member of Parliament. In 1975, Suga took a job as secretary to Hikosaburo Okonogi, a member of the House of Representatives from Yokohama, Japans second-largest city. His duties included buying cigarettes and parking cars. He also quickly learned how to cater to a constituency. At Sugas wedding to his wife, Mariko, in 1980, according to Moris biography, a supporter of Okonogi said he had bought shoes for Suga because he quickly wore them down going door to door to visit voters in the district. The Sugas have three sons, but in a debate last week, Suga admitted that he had rarely been home as they were growing up. In 1987, he ran for a seat on the City Council in Yokohama, where he became known as a shadow Yokohama mayor. He helped develop transportation links to the port and pushed to reduce waiting lists at city day care centers. In 1996, Suga leapt to national politics, winning a seat in the lower house of Parliament. Under Abe's first administration in 2006, Suga headed the internal affairs ministry, where he introduced a hometown tax programme, offering tax deductions for those who donate money to local municipalities. Even after Abe left office following a series of scandals, Suga remained loyal. Suga has also trumpeted his brainchild, a system that allows citizens to donate money to local governments in exchange for locally sourced gifts, according a report by The New York Times. Many small-town governments, however, have lost money by spending more on gifts like marbled wagyu beef or shipments of fresh lobsters than they raised in donations. On foreign policy, Suga has worked to fill holes in his portfolio. He visited Washington last year, the first chief Cabinet secretary to make such a trip in three decades. Eventually, when Abe rose to power in 2012, he selected Suga as the chief cabinet secretary, acting as Abe's spokesperson, coordinating policies and keeping bureaucrats in line. Suga's closeness to Abe meant he was seen as someone able to speak frankly to the prime minister. He notably advised him against a controversial 2013 visit to Tokyo's Yasukuni shrine, which is viewed by neighbouring countries as a symbol of Japan's past militarism, AFP reported. Suga repeatedly has praised Abes diplomacy and economic policies when asked about what he would like to accomplish as prime minister. He also has defended scores of favoritism and cronyism scandals, saying that investigations into the cases were properly handled. Suga, whose portfolio also included a ministerial role as head of Okinawa issues in the Abe-led government, has offended local leaders with his high-handed approach to a disputed relocation of a US Marine air station on the southern island, according to The Associated Press. He also sparked criticism last year over his hostile responses to a female reporter asking tough questions about Abes policies and scandals. Hailing from the Akita prefecture and known as a leader not belonging to a dynasty or a political family, he was named Uncle Reiwa after unveiling the name of the new Japanese era during the transformation from Emperor Akihito to his son Naruhito in 2019. "He was very quiet," said Hiroshi Kawai, a former high school classmate who still lives in Suga's hometown of Yuzawa and works as a local tour guide, told Al Jazeera. "He was someone you wouldn't notice if he was there or not." I will devote all of myself to work for the nation and the people," he said in his victory speech after the Liberal Democratic Party vote, which virtually guarantees his election in a parliamentary vote because of the majority held by the LDP's ruling coalition. Suga will take office in the middle of a pandemic that has devastated Japans economy, effectively erasing years of growth under Abe. Japan also is facing deepening pressure from China and North Korea. He is expected to further push for a revision of Japans pacifist Constitution and the return of Japanese citizens kidnapped by North Korea. He has also said he would roughly stick to Abes signature economic formula, known as Abenomics, combining easy monetary policy, government spending and structural changes of industries like agriculture. He has also said he will confront longer-term issues such as Japans ageing population and low birth rate. Suga, a known strong opponent to a bill passed two years ago to sharply increase the number of foreign workers permitted in Japan, has been credited with helping Abe push through contentious security laws that allow Japans military to join overseas combat missions alongside allies. Speaking to the Associated Press, Suga said that he is a reformist and that he has worked to achieve policies by breaking territorial barriers of bureaucracy. He has credited himself for those efforts in achieving a booming foreign tourism industry in Japan, lowering cellphone bills and bolstering agricultural exports. On Monday, he pledged to crack into vested interests and rules hampering reforms. Suga has said he wants to maintain communication and develop strategic ties with China and South Korea despite rocky relations with them. News reports also revealed that Suga, a teetotaler with a sweet tooth, starts and ends each day with 100 situps. On his website he says he likes river fishing and karate. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Tuesday a new US-brokered peace drive has the potential to end the Arab-Israeli conflict for good, as he prepared to seal a landmark accord normalizing ties with the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. "This day is a pivot of history, it heralds a new dawn of peace," Netanyahu told hundreds of attendees at a White House signing ceremony. "This peace will eventually expand to include other Arab states. And ultimately, it can end the Arab-Israeli conflict, once and for all," he said. Addressing the gathering, UAE Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al-Nahyan personally thanked Netanyahu for "choosing peace and for halting the annexation of Palestinian territories." Search Keywords: Short link: From Gandhi to Lincoln to Camus, prominent personalities over the ages have extolled on the virtues of democracy while attempting to define it Every year, the member countries of the United Nations observe 15 September as the International Day of Democracy to reflect and take account of the condition of the democracies around the world. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in his message on International Day of Democracy Tuesday said, "As the world confronts COVID-19, democracy is crucial in ensuring the free flow of information, participation in decision-making and accountability for the response to the pandemic." Well before #COVID19, frustration was rising & trust in public authorities was declining. Governments must do more to listen to people demanding change. On this #DemocracyDay, lets seize this moment to build a more equal & inclusive world, with full respect for human rights. pic.twitter.com/slLcYefHep Antonio Guterres (@antonioguterres) September 15, 2020 Several leaders across the world, including the Indian vice president M Venkaiah Naidu, stressed on the need to strengthen the foundations of democracy. India has been a democracy since its independence in 1947. As per the Merriam-Webster dictionary, democracy is a type of government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised by them directly or indirectly through a system of representation usually involving periodically held free elections. Over centuries, many revolutionary figures have defined democracy, highlighting its important aspects and stressed on the need to adapt this form of government. Here are the top ten quotes on democracy: Small toy figures are seen in front of a "COVID-19 Vaccine" logo in this illustration taken, Sept. 9, 2020. Reuters A group of scientists sent a formal letter to the Lancet on Monday outlining doubts about the accuracy of early data on Russia's COVID-19 vaccine, one of the authors said, adding further fuel to a dispute surrounding the "Sputnik-V" shot. Fifteen scientists from five countries signed the letter presenting their concerns to the international medical journal, Enrico Bucci, biologist adjunct professor at Philadelphia's Temple University, told Reuters. Reuters did not see the contents of the letter. The move nonetheless highlights growing concern among scientists about the safety and efficacy of the Sputnik-V vaccine, which the government approved for use before completing full human trials. The official letter came days after a larger group of scientists - including the 15 - signed an open letter to the Lancet's editor, published on Bucci's personal blog, after the journal published the early-stage trial results from Moscow's Gamaleya Institute. They said they found patterns in the Phase I/II data, which was peer-reviewed in the journal, that looked "highly unlikely", with multiple participants reporting identical antibody levels. The Gamaleya Institute did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the formal letter sent on Monday. Last week the institute rejected the critique contained in the open letter, which was initially signed by 26 scientists but now has 38 signatories. "The published results are authentic and accurate and were examined by five reviewers at The Lancet," Denis Logunov, a deputy director at the institute, said in a statement. He said his institute submitted the entire body of raw data on the trial results to The Lancet. The Lancet said it had invited the authors of the Russian vaccine study to respond to the questions raised in the open letter by Bucci. "We continue to follow the situation closely," it added. Alexey Kuznetsov, Russian assistant health minister, told the Interfax news agency on Sept. 10 that the Gamaleya Institute had already sent detailed answers to the Lancet's editor. 'RESULTS ARE PLAUSIBLE' Bucci said the blog published last week had drawn wide international support. "We started with about a dozen of us and now we have reached three times the signatures, with colleagues from the United States, Switzerland, Australia, India, Russia, Great Britain, Japan, Germany, Canada," Bucci said. He said the formal letter to the Lancet was signed only by 15 scientists with expertise in virology, immunology, pharmaceutical development, research integrity and statistical analysis. Most were Italian, but they also included scientists from Sweden, Britain, the United States and Japan, he added. "The journal's editor wrote asking us to send him our points of objections and inviting the authors of Russian vaccine's study to respond to our points," said Bucci. Naor Bar-Zeev, deputy director at John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, who peer-reviewed the Russian data, last week defended his analysis of the research following the publication of the blog. "The results are plausible, and not very different to those seen with other AdV vectored products," he said. The researchers had provided more detail than was needed for the review and responded to his questions "intelligently and in a matter-of-fact and confident but understated manner". The results of the Russian Phase I/II trials, which involved 76 participants and was conducted in June-July, were published in the Lancet on Sept. 4. They showed that participants developed a positive immune response and no serious side effects, the study's authors said. A Phase III trial, involving 40,000 participants, was launched on Aug. 26. Around 31,000 people have already subscribed to take part, Health Minister Mikhail Murashko said. (Reuters) The work- and school-week got off to an inauspicious start when it came to new COVID-19 cases in Ontario. On Monday, the provinces public health units reported 371 cases in the past 24 hours, a level not seen since early June. I dont think theres anyone who understands infectious diseases in epidemiology who isnt concerned because the number of cases are pretty high. And theyre almost certainly a substantial undercount of how many cases there really are, said Andrew Morris, an infectious disease specialist at Sinai Health and University Health Network, and a professor of medicine at the University of Toronto. Other areas of the country, particularly the east coast, are faring better. In the west, cases continue to climb. Here, the Star takes stock of the current state of affairs across the country and asks three experts to weigh in on what is happening and what we might see in the coming days and weeks. Did the gamble of bubbling in the eastern provinces pay off? Nova Scotia hasnt reported a new case of the virus in nearly a week and New Brunswick has had similar success, with one new case of the virus reported on Monday. The two provinces entered into an Atlantic bubble with Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland on July 3, allowing people in the provinces to travel freely without the 14-day isolation requirement. Cases have remained low. The region had a natural advantage with no large international airports and low population density, said Colin Furness, an infection-control epidemiologist and assistant professor at the University of Toronto. Despite the perceived advantage, he said the provincial governments intervened early to restrict visitors to the provinces, although Nova Scotia never implemented the same restrictions and remained open with the 14-day isolation requirement. But the province did ask its residents to remain within their household bubble until the middle of May, when they allowed families to double bubble. Furness said residents in the Atlantic Provinces seem to have a strong cultural orientation to community safety: the discourse out there is not demanding that things reopen rapidly, but an overriding concern about safety and not rushing. In June, the province broke up the bubbles, allowing groups of 10 without social distancing, and groups of up to 50 at events when social distancing could be maintained. Its hard to parse what is responsible for their success public attitudes or early interventions but both were really well oriented to great outcomes, said Furness. They get an A+ from me across the board not just the government and the public health authorities, but the citizens themselves. I think they set a world-class example for an effective response. Cases continue to climb out west British Columbia is nearing the 7,000 mark for cumulative cases of COVID-19 and active cases in the province are at 1,476 double what they were at their height in late April. There are 49 people in hospital, the highest number since the middle of May, and 10 of those in the ICU, according to media reports. Dr. Bonnie Henry, the provinces health officer, has asked people to maintain social bubbles of no more than six and to physically distance in public or wear a mask when thats not possible. Furness said the province intervened early and rigorously, and active cases began to drop in early May. The problem there is the risk of complacency in thinking that they had avoided COVID, rather than that they have avoided it so far, said Furness. B.C. has a lot of risk factors that the Atlantic Provinces dont, and they opened up more aggressively too. Im betting that B.C. will weather this rise in cases effectively over the winter and not be overwhelmed, he added. Alberta too had success early on and new cases reported each day were on the decline by the end of April. But a month later they started to creep up again and have risen from a low of 13 on May 25 to more than 100 in recent days. Ontario: Do we need to take a step back? In what could be an ominous sign, new lab-confirmed cases of COVID-19 reached 371 Monday, according to the Stars count of cases reported by local public health units. The new cases come just as schoolchildren across the province headed back to the classroom in staggered starts Monday. Over the last week, Ontario has seen an average of 228 new cases reported each day the highest seven-day average the province has seen since mid-June. Nearly 60 per cent of Mondays newly reported cases were in Toronto, Peel and Ottawa. Todd Coleman, an epidemiologist and assistant professor in health sciences at Wilfrid Laurier University, said the recent upward trend of new cases reinforces the need for public health messaging to continue to emphasize the three pillars of prevention: mask wearing, hand washing and social distancing. I have a feeling that were seeing people potentially making risk compensation decisions where theyre saying, I can social distance but I wont wear a mask or something along those lines, Coleman said. Theyre not really enacting all three of the pillars of prevention that we know are helping to reduce numbers. Sinai Healths Morris noted that there is mixed messaging coming from the provincial government in terms of the size of gatherings allowed. (Currently indoor gatherings are limited to a maximum of 50 people, while outdoors the limit is 100 people). Citizens in Brampton recently complained to the city about a crowded backyard party, but because there were fewer than 100 people in attendance, bylaw officers couldnt break it up. Were allowing larger gatherings, but on the other hand were telling people not to have larger gatherings, he said. If we believe that large gatherings are a problem, then we do need to do everything in our power to reduce those gatherings. Coleman also pointed out that more than six months into the pandemic, people might be experiencing social-distancing fatigue, especially in light of the fact that new infections went down over the summer compared to earlier in the year. It was a sentiment echoed by Health Minister Christine Elliott speaking to reporters Monday. That leads people to think maybe its not so bad, maybe my chances of getting infected arent so great so Ill go out and do some of the little things that I havent been able to do for the past few months, Coleman said. The problem there though is that this is an easy virus to transmit once you are in contact with someone ... it just takes one to infect a whole bunch of people and to lead to really large chains of infection. In Toronto alone Monday, there were 108 new cases reported a number that just a few weeks ago was closer to what was being reported provincewide. In Ottawa, another region helping to drive Ontario-wide numbers of new coronavirus cases, the citys public health unit Monday reported 61 new cases of the virus and one new death. Ottawa Public Health reports that there are currently 11 hospitalizations due to the virus with one case in intensive care. To date, the region has had 3,335 cases and 268 deaths attributed to COVID-19. Public health units in Peel Region and York Region reported 51 and 21 new infections, respectively, on Monday. Already in York Region, a staff member at the before-and-after school program at Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Elementary School in Woodbridge has tested positive for the virus. Students and staff in the program have been asked to self-isolate for 14 days. Coleman noted that with students in Kindergarten to Grade 12 returning to class this week, as well as university and college students, more outbreaks are likely in the cards in the coming weeks. The trajectory doesnt look positive. With files from Ed Tubb and Breanna Xavier-Carter Kenyon Wallace is a Toronto-based investigative reporter for the Star. Follow him on Twitter: @KenyonWallace or reach him via email: kwallace@thestar.ca Chick-fil-A scraps plan to open at San Antonio airport despite citys reversal amid FAA intervention Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Chick-fil-A confirmed this week that the company has canceled plans to open a restaurant at San Antonio International Airport in Texas. On Monday, a spokesperson for the Christian-owned fast-food chain said the company wont pursue plans at this time to open a restaurant in the airport after city officials last year blocked its plans do so, prompting complaints from the states attorney general, the passing of new state law, and an FAA investigation. "While we are not pursuing a location in the San Antonio airport at this time, we are grateful for the opportunity to serve San Antonians in our 32 existing restaurants, Chick-fil-A said in a statement Monday, according to The Associated Press. "We are always evaluating potential new locations in the hopes of serving existing and new customers great food with remarkable service. In March 2019, the San Antonio City Council voted to remove Chick-fil-A from a concession agreement with San Antonio International Airport amid unproven accusations of anti-LGBT behavior. The citys move came as the Chick-fil-A Foundation received media scrutiny for donating to Christian organizations, including the Salvation Army and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, which uphold biblical teachings on marriage a union between one man and one woman. Additionally, the companys head, Dan Cathy, has in the past stated his opposition to same-sex marriage, which has, over the years, led to Democrat politicians and far-left groups calling for boycotts against the restaurant chain. The city councils decision drew the ire of Texas Attorney Gen. Ken Paxton, who last March asked U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao to look into whether city officials had unlawfully discriminated against the company "due to the expression of the owner's religious beliefs." Paxton asked for a determination as to whether city officials broke federal law and department regulations. On Monday, Paxtons office announced that the FAA reached an information resolution with the city of San Antonio. A statement from the state attorney generals office said San Antonio International Airport will offer Chick-fil-A a lease opportunity for space in Terminal A. Paxton praised the resolution, saying it was a win for religious liberty in Texas." The FAA formally announced the resolution in a letter to Paxton on Sept. 10. The letter from the FAA explained that within 45 days, Chick-fil-A was to be offered a lease opportunity in Terminal A and that the new offer will be consistent with customary business practices. In addition, the FAA will continue to monitor the Citys implementation of the above steps to ensure that they are completed in a timely, reasonable, and fair manner, the letter reads. In the event that they are not, FAA will reopen its complaint investigation, which may result in the finding of a violation of relevant nondiscrimination authorities. The city was quick to shoot down the attorney general's announcement that included the headline: "City of San Antonio Ordered to Lift Ban on Chick-filA at International Airport," arguing that the city was not ordered to lift [its] ban on Chick-fil-A at the airport. In a statement provided to local news outlet KSAT, the city argued that the FAA has not ordered the City of San Antonio to have Chick-Fil-A at its airport. The City itself offered to resolve the FAA investigation informally following Chick-Fil-As publicly stated change-of-position on its charitable giving policy, the city stated, referring to Chick-fil-As decision last year to change its charitable giving structure to no longer give to the Salvation Army and Fellowship of Christian Athletes. The City maintains that at no point did it discriminate against Chick-Fil-A. Any placement of Chick-Fil-A at the San Antonio Airport is ultimately contingent on Chick-Fil-As continued interest and approval by the City Council. The citys statement also called Paxtons comments inaccurate and said that he has not been involved in the conversations between the City and the FAA. Unfortunately, and ironically, AG Paxtons false declaration of victory significantly jeopardizes the potential for a mutually beneficial and amicable resolution, the citys statement contends. Last July, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed the Save Chick-fil-A bill into law, legislation that bans local governments from taking adverse actions against companies or individuals based on their religious beliefs or donations to religious groups. City Council has awarded a bid to improve the boat ramp at Lake Mauvaisterre. The city accepted the $229,229 low bid Monday from Jacksonville-based Rouland Construction and Trucking. The bid was more than the $200,000 grant the city received from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources in January to improve boat access at the lake. Jim Burke, senior vice president of Hutchinson Engineering and the engineer in charge of the project, said it meets the requirements for the grant. The project consists of building a concrete ramp and a dock to allow boat access on the lake. A sidewalk will be built by the lake, and the new boat access point will be handicap-accessible. The ramp was initially planned for the south side of the lake, but had to be moved to the east. Additional excavation added to the cost. Burke said it was unlikely re-bidding the project or waiting would produce a lower bid. Alderman Steve Warmowski said offering more recreational opportunities at Lake Mauvaisterre and promoting the lake would be good for residents. We have a lake in town and I dont think we pay much attention to it, he said. The Department of Natural Resources was impressed with the lakes development potential, Burke said, and only one other lake received full grant funding. Alderman Brandon Adams said having the city chip in nearly $30,000 would still be a good deal for the city. Burke said he expects the project to start around Oct. 1 and be finished by mid-November. Dublin, Sept. 15, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Turkey Hotel Market & Volume, Budget & Star Rated Hotel ( 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th) Star, City, Province, Chain Hotel (International, Domestic), Company (Hilton, Marriott, Radisson, Accor) & Forecast" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. It is anticipated that Turkey Hotel Market will be US$ 11.6 Billion by the end of the year 2026 Around the world, COVID-19 has impacted almost every economy, mostly tourism, hotel, and the airlines' industry. Turkey is a part of an interconnected globally, and this new crisis hits at the center of globalization. So, we expect the coronavirus will affect the Turkey hotel market severely in the year 2020. The year 2021 will see some growth on the back of domestic tourists. Read the complete analysis of Cornonavirus's impact on the hotel industry of Turkey in the report. In recent years, Turkey has been considered as one of the most attractive destinations for travel across the world as a variety of options is available at affordable prices. Besides, the country classic sun & sea vacation, apart from that it is also known for its historical, heritage as well as cultural attractions among tourists. In the year 2019, Turkey has named the 6th most visited country across the globe hosted a large number of tourists. Foreign visitors have risen dramatically in the last few years in Turkey. Countries like Germany, Bulgaria, United Kingdom, Iran, and Russia are the country from where many tourists arrive in Turkey. Star rated hotel has the most significant market share in Turkey due to numbers of the facility given by star-rated hotels. Besides, visitors also prefer star rated over a budget hotel. Antalya is one of the most preferred cities in Turkey and has 4-star and 5-star hotels in its center and surrounding towns such as Kemer, Belek, and Ka. Star rated hotel occupancy is increasing year on year. Turkey's lucrative tourism industry souring and its top destination for Halal Tourism tend to drive Turkey hotel market in the future. Key Topics Covered: 1. Introduction 2. Research Methodology 3. Executive Summary 4. Market Dynamics 4.1 Growth Drivers 4.2 Challenges 5. Turkey Hotel Market 6. Market Share - Turkey Hotel 6.1 Budget Hotel vs. Star Rated Hotel 6.2 Star rated Hotel 7. Market & Volume - Star Rated Hotel 7.1 1 Star 7.1.1 Market 7.1.2 Volume 8. City Volume - Star Rated Hotel 8.1 Antalya 8.2 Istanbul 8.3 Mugla 8.4 Izmir 8.5 Aydin 8.6 Ankara 8.7 Mersin 8.8 Busra 8.9 Afyonkarahisar 8.10 Balikesir 9. Market & Volume - by Province Budget Hotel 9.1 Istanbul 9.1.1 Market 9.1.2 Volume (No of Hotel, No of Rooms & No of Beds) 9.2 Marmara 9.2.1 East & West Market 9.2.2 East & West Volume (No of Hotel, No of Rooms & No of Beds) 9.3 Aegean 9.3.1 Aegean & Mediterranean Market 9.3.2 Aegean & Mediterranean Volume (No of Hotel, No of Rooms & No of Beds) 9.4 Black Sea 9.4.1 West & East Market 9.4.2 West & East Volume (No of Hotel, No of Rooms & No of Beds) 9.5 West Anatolia 9.5.1 Market 9.5.2 Volume (No of Hotel, No of Rooms & No of Beds) 9.6 Central Anatolia 9.6.1 Market 9.6.2 Volume (No of Hotel, No of Rooms & No of Beds) 9.7 Northeast Anatolia 9.7.1 Market 9.7.2 Volume (No of Hotel, No of Rooms & No of Beds) 9.8 Central-East Anatolia 9.8.1 Market 9.8.2 Volume (No of Hotel, No of Rooms & No of Beds) 9.9 Southeast Anatolia 9.9.1 Market 9.9.2 Volume (No of Hotel, No of Rooms & No of Beds) 10. Chain Hotel in Turkey 10.1 Top 10 International Chain Groups 10.2 Top 10 Domestic Chain Groups 10.3 Top 10 International Brand 10.4 Top 9 Domestic Brand 10.5 Chain Hotel by Category 11. Turkey Hospitality Sector: Merger & Acquisition Deals 12. Top Five Countries People Visited in Turkey 12.1 Distribution of Arriving Foreign Visitors 12.2 Distribution of Arriving Foreign Visitors 13. Company Analysis 13.1 Radisson Hotels 13.1.1 Overview 13.1.2 Recent Development 13.1.3 Revenue 13.2 Hilton 13.3 Accor 13.4 Marriott For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/8jgtbi Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research. The multi-crore online gaming fraud which was busted last month Hyderabad: Sources told Deccan Chronicle that close to thirty lakh bank accounts across India are beneficiaries of the companies involved in the online gaming fraud, headquartered in China, to which payments, ranging from a few thousands to lakhs of rupees were made, after defrauding them of 10 times more than the money they had invested by placing bets on the companies. Transactions of Rs 1 crore and more have been found in each of the nearly 100 accounts, suspected to have been used for hawala transactions. It is suspected that around 20 lakh people would have actually placed bets while the remaining were receiving payments through hawala. After investigation into the multi-crore online gaming fraud which was busted last month, investigators have now begun to write to all the banks to immediately freeze those 100 accounts while the remaining accounts are being scrutinised. An amount of Rs 9 crore was parked with Razorpay, a payment gateway. The detectives had stumbled upon a Hyderabad-based merchant dealing in human hair who was receiving payments through hawala and there were many more like him who were using the same route to receive payments. It was found that another gaming company, "Aoke Club", established by the Chinese company had an account with Cashfree, through which an amount of Rs 80 lakh was deposited into the bank account of the local merchant. This way, both parties do business, evade taxes and import duty, among other charges in both countries. The merchant had been a regular supplier of human hair to a Kolkata-based exporter, who in turn was exporting tonnes of hair to China over the last many years. Senior executives of Razorpay were summoned by the CCS who explained in detail the transactions. The money was parked by Aoke Club, which is one of the many companies floated by the Chinese company. Razorpay has shut down the companys account. CMU Completes Voluntary Review of Sustainable Development Goals The report is a first-of-its kind by any university September 15, 2020 Carnegie Mellon University's commitment to equity, justice and the environment is reflected in a new report released this week that catalogues activities by students, faculty and staff to advance the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Voluntary University Review is a first-of-its-kind report. The goals are 17 global objectives designed to create a more equitable and sustainable planet by 2030. Millions of people around the world provided input on the goals, which were adopted by the international community in 2015. The commitments are reflected in CMU's own longstanding efforts on sustainability and addressing society's most pressing needs. Provost and Chief Academic Officer James H. Garrett Jr. launched CMU's Sustainability Initiative during the UN General Assembly last September, and he made a commitment to present the Voluntary University Review during this year's gathering. "We recognize that sustainability goes beyond environmental topics to include critical issues of equity and inclusion," Garrett said. "By using the common language of the SDGs, we can link our education, research and practices to help shape a more sustainable and equitable future for all." Garrett will be among the speakers at a Zoom event from 1 to 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 16, discussing American leadership in advancing the goals. The event, which builds on last year's session in which Garrett also participated, will be hosted by the Brookings Institution and the United Nations Foundation. Tony Pipa, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, congratulated CMU on its leadership. "This work reflects the seriousness with which this institution approaches the SDGs and offers a model for its counterparts," Pipa said. "It places the global goals at the center of what it takes to be a leading university, explicitly laying out the university's strengths and opportunities for educating the world's next generation of leaders, and engaging in research and practice that contributes to solving the world's toughest problems. Kudos." Having the Voluntary University Review issued during the opening of the 75th U.N. General Assembly session signals that universities are critical partners in achieving the 17 goals by 2030. "A unique contribution of universities is that we are educating many young people who will carry forward our mission, so incorporating the SDGs now will help ensure they are prepared to address the world's greatest challenges," Garrett said. The United Nations Foundation works to build constituencies of support across countries and communities. "This first-ever Voluntary University Review of the Sustainable Development Goals by CMU is as inspiring as it is inclusive and methodologically rigorous," said Kaysie Brown, vice president for policy and strategic initiatives at the UN Foundation. "It is a model that should excite and motivate other universities, educational centers, and students who are similarly dedicated to advancing sustainable development, climate action, and equitable environments and societies in the United States and globally." Some of the additional speakers at the Brookings-United Nations Foundation event include Majestic Lane, the chief equity officer and deputy chief of staff for the City of Pittsburgh; the Honorable Eric Garcetti, mayor of Los Angeles; Kathleen McLaughlin, president of the Walmart Foundation; the Honorable David Y. Ige, governor of Hawaii; and Sen. Brian Schartz of Hawaii, where the latter two will present Hawaii's Voluntary Local Review. Los Angeles presented its last year. Alexandra Hiniker created the concept of the voluntary review at the city level, which she termed a Voluntary Local Review, and oversaw the process for New York City in 2018 and 2019 prior to joining CMU as the executive fellow for Sustainability Initiatives in 2020. "One of the main points we want to emphasize is that this is not a comprehensive review of everything that's happened. It is really the start of an ongoing process," Hiniker said. "In this first phase, we're figuring out what's happening across the 17 goals. The next step is to determine how we can amplify existing activities and identify opportunities to enhance collaboration." Carnegie Mellon is committed to the future of education and knowledge generation and is using the SDGs as guideposts. Its leadership in this realm is helping to advance collective action by universities through a number of networks related to sustainable development, including the University Global Coalition that includes higher education institutions working together and in partnership with the United Nations in support of the goals. "Leading research universities are instrumental in developing talent and advancing solutions to help us achieve the Sustainable Development Goals," said Angel Cabrera, president of the Georgia Institute of Technology. "I commend Carnegie Mellon University our partner in the University Global Coalition on accepting its responsibility, intentionally seeking ways to support the goals, and making an unequivocal public statement about its commitment to make a difference. This 2020 Voluntary University Review will set an example for others to follow." The team reviewed education, research and practice activities to develop a snapshot of current and recent SDG-related activities. To analyze CMU's curricular offerings, the team reviewed 2,938 courses offered in spring 2020 as a one-semester sample. The research activity evaluation was based on 995 CMU publications in archival literature from 2018 to 2020 with the aid of a bibliographic tool. The practice category includes activities undertaken by the university that are not directly related to coursework or research, which the team identified through existing reports, support centers and policies. Additionally, the team analyzed articles published by CMU's Division of Marketing & Communications and the activites of hundreds of student organizations. Hiniker works with a three-member steering committee plus a 20-member advisory council which has been charged with growing awareness of the 17 goals, elevating and advising on CMU's engagement with them and communicating the university's progress and commitments both internally and beyond. Seven students in a summer project course supported the research. Next steps for the steering committee include gathering feedback on the report and looking for solutions to help address the goals by tapping into CMU's community and its ability to take unconventional approaches to research, education and practices. "We have all sorts of things we'd like to see developed over the next year," said Sarah Mendelson, a steering committee co-chair, a distinguished service professor of public policy, head of the Heinz College's Washington, D.C. program and former ambassador to the United Nations with expertise in the SDGs and in human rights. "We're in the beginning of the 'decade of action.' We need staff, students, faculty everybody engaged. Everyone has responsibility for this and that's both a huge opportunity and a challenge." Additional activities could be wide ranging and include creating policy advocacy toolkits to help people take action on topics they are passionate about. Stimulating personal action and leadership is one of the goals, said Steve Guenther, university engineer and assistant vice president of Facilities Management and Campus Services and another steering committee co-chair. He added that the work is an evolution in how we talk about universities. "It's a healthy shift in practices in the role we play in advancing sustainability on college campuses," Guenther said. David Dzombak, Hamerschlag University Professor and head of the College of Engineering's Civil and Environmental Engineering Department, is one of the steering committee co-chairs. He said they found current activity occurring at CMU for each of the 17 goals. "Some of the SDGs have activity more than others, but we wouldn't have predicted that when we started," Dzombak said. Tensions have been rising in recent months amid Turkeys claims to drilling rights in the region Egypt and Greece have agreed to push ahead with a rejection of what they described as " provocative actions" that destabilise and agitate the Eastern Mediterranean region, by developing their bilateral relations and contacting the concerned international parties. Tensions have been rising in the Eastern Mediterranean in recent months amid Turkeys claims to drilling rights in the region. During a meeting in Athens on Tuesday, Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry and his Greek counterpart Nikos Dendias stressed the importance of working side-by-side to make the Eastern Mediterranean a zone of prosperity, cooperation, and support for regional and international stability. Shoukry was in Athens to take part in the 24th roundtable with the government of Greece, which covered several regional and international topics. The two ministers cited the need for peaceful solutions for all outstanding issues in the region, including in Libya, Syria, and Palestine, given their effect on the stability of Egypt and Greece, according to a statement released by the Egyptian foreign ministry following the meeting. During the meeting, Shoukry expressed his hope that the recent Israeli agreements with the UAE and Bahrain will open the way for more stability in the region and uphold the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, as well as establishing their independent state based on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital. Israel has agreed to suspend the planned annexation of areas of the occupied West Bank under the recent deals, a move that Egypt has repeatedly called for, along with the revival of the peace process. The Egyptian minister also referred to the maritime demarcation deal signed by Cairo and Athens last month as an example of the mutual understanding between the two countries to achieve the stability in the region. On 7 August, Egypt and Greece signed an agreement establishing an exclusive economic zone (EEZ) between the two countries' borders for oil and gas drilling rights. Shoukry stressed that the agreement is in line with international law and the law of the sea. "This is evidence clarifying to the extent to which the two countries adhere to these rules governing international relations and also the mutual rights that must be maintained and defended to guard the interests of the two countries," he added. The Egyptian-Greek deal came after a similar agreement between Turkey and Libyas Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA) on maritime boundaries in the Mediterranean was signed last year. That accord was described by Egypt, Greece, and Cyprus as illegal, a violation of international law, and an infringement on their economic rights. Tuesdays meeting also tackled developments related to the establishment of the Eastern Mediterranean Gas Forum (EMGF), which will pave the way for fruitful cooperation between member states to make the best use of energy resources in the region and extract the returns in a manner commensurate with international law, the statement read. Shoukry said the meeting also included detailed discussions on bilateral relations, including cooperation at the political, economic and cultural levels. Meetings with top officials The meeting was preceded by talks with Greek President Katerina Sakellaropoulou at the presidential palace in Athens, with discussion of a number of regional issues of common interest, including the crisis in Libya, the Palestinian cause, and the situation in the Eastern Mediterranean. Shoukry highlighted the Egyptian efforts to resolve these issues in the interests of regional peace and stability. He also held talks with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, expressing the Egyptian government desire to increase Greek investments and tourist flows amid the "strict" anti-coronavirus precautions adopted in Egypt. The talks also covered the trilateral cooperation between Egypt, Greece, and Cyprus, as a mechanism to continue political coordination and cooperation to enhance security and stability in the Eastern Mediterranean. Both sides emphasised their eagerness to pursue a number of regional ventures, particularly power linkage projects, and cooperation in the energy field, the statement by the ministry read. Search Keywords: Short link: School districts have been established as part of the education management system in the Arctic parts of Yakutia under the Arctic Teacher project launched this year. There are 95 schools in the Arctic zone of Yakutia where over 10,000 children are taught by about 1,900 teachers. Several Arctic regions comprise one school district, in which education quality indicators are monitored, and teacher exchanges and regional Olympiads are held. Each district has one of Yakutias teacher training colleges assigned to it, explained Mikhail Prisyazhny, First Deputy Minister of Education and Science of the region, noting that the use of school districts is also a widespread practice in Alaska. According to experts, school districts help form a talent pool of teachers of various subjects and heads of educational institutions. Teaching teams are created in each district, which helps enhance the capabilities of the teaching personnel there. A teaching team includes experienced teachers who are also interested in doing research or project work, participants in the federal program Country Teacher and the Teacher of the Arctic program, as well as young, creatively minded teachers who show interest in addressing a specific problem, trailblazers, Prisyazhny added. Furthermore, teacher training classes and scholarships will be established to stimulate interest in this profession among schoolchildren. Teacher training classes or groups are created at teacher training colleges in Yakutia to provide targeted career counselling for students, and foster a lasting interest in the teaching profession. Such groups accept students in grades 9-11. There was a period when Russia had a career placement system, which included privileges and higher salaries for those working in northern regions to encourage highly qualified teachers to go to the Arctic. In recent years, this nationwide system has been inactive. Support measures have moved to the regional level. The Country Teacher program and targeted training of teachers still cannot fully compensate for the shortage of teachers in the Arctic, Prysyazhny says. Friends of the couple quizzed by police over the death of a 12 day old baby mauled by a cross-breed dog said this morning it was 'nothing more than a tragedy'. The man, 35, and woman, 27, were defended after they were arrested by officers probing the newborn's death on Sunday. They were arrested on suspicion gross negligence manslaughter and have been bailed pending further inquires. Samantha Foulds, who claims to be a close friend of the pair, posted to Facebook: 'I know these people well and I tell you it's nothing more than a tragedy. 'You have no idea what that family have gone through. 'RIP little one, my love to you both and little ones at this heart wrenching time.' A 12-day-old baby boy has died in Doncaster after he was mauled to death by a dog. Pictured: The property where the baby was bitten The baby was rushed to hospital with serious injuries after the attack in the village of Woodlands on Sunday - but he tragically died a short time later. Sally Hooley, who saw the dog being taken away by police, said, according to The Mirror: 'The dog was a big fluffy golden dog, it looked harmless at first glance. I couldn't tell you the breed but three police officers were struggling to control it to get it into the dog van. 'The dog was strong enough to be dragging three officers into the road. It's so, so sad.' 'It looked like a big fluffy harmless dog. At the end of the day the parents will never get over the loss of their child.' It has also been revealed that the baby's 'brilliant' mother lost her partner - and father of her three children - to sepsis a year and a half ago. A neighbour told The Sun: 'She was a brilliant mum but her whole life fell apart when he died. 'She lost everything.' South Yorkshire Police rushed to a property in Woodlands at 3.30pm on Sunday afternoon following reports that a child had been attacked. South Yorkshire Police rushed to a property (pictured centre) in the village of Woodlands in Doncaster on Sunday afternoon following reports that a child had been attacked The baby was rushed to Doncaster Royal Infirmary with serious injuries after being bitten by the dog but died a short time later. A man, 35, and woman, 27, have since been arrested on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter. Both have been bailed pending further inquires. A South Yorkshire Police spokesman said police were called to an address around 3.30pm on Sunday following reports that a dog had attacked a child. 'On arrival at the property, emergency services discovered a 12-day-old baby boy had been bitten by a dog and suffered serious injuries. 'The child was taken to hospital, but sadly died a short time later. Floral tributes have also been left outside the Doncaster property where the child was bitten 'A 35-year-old man and a 27-year-old woman have been arrested on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter. They have now been bailed while enquiries continue.' The dog has been removed from the address, the force added. Floral tributes have also been left outside the Doncaster property where the child was bitten. A neighbour, who wished to remain anonymous, said: 'I saw at least three police cars turn up, there was just lots of commotion, and more turned up. 'Then someone came for the dog in a van and I saw forensic officers taking pictures of the scene. 'That was when I knew it was serious.' The neighbour said that they didn't know the breed of the dog but that it was 'very big' and 'not something you'd want around small children'. They also said that the dog had a habit of running into other people's gardens. The medium is as important as the message. People consider letters meaningful, because so much effort goes into sending them. It takes time to find the right stationery, think about what to write, buy postage stamps, look up the persons address and find a postbox. It requires a kind of deliberation that is so lacking in our time of fast-paced messaging and media, Lee says. When you receive a handwritten letter, you reflexively start imagining the author sitting down and reflecting, thinking about you. . . . Thats why its so very effective at showing someone does care about you. New model suggests climate change may increase the areas in the US with optimal temperatures for West Nile virus transmission West Nile virus spreads most efficiently in the US at temperatures between 24-25 degrees Celsius (75.2-77 degrees Fahrenheit), a new study published today in eLife shows. The results suggest that climate change could lead to the increased spread of West Nile virus in some places, while potentially causing a decrease in others, and provide insight on where and when these changes might occur. "As the climate warms, it is critical to understand how temperature changes will affect the transmission of mosquito-borne diseases," says lead author Marta Shocket, who was a Postdoctoral Fellow at Stanford University, California, US, at the time the study was carried out, and is now a Postdoctoral Researcher at the University of California, Los Angeles, US. To do this, Shocket and her colleagues developed models to assess the impact of temperature on six mosquito-borne viruses, four of which occur in the US. These viruses - the West Nile, St. Louis Encephalitis, Eastern and Western Equine Encephalitis, Sindbis, and Rift Valley fever viruses - were grouped together for this study as they share some of the same species of mosquito carriers. The models used laboratory experiments that measured how different temperatures affect the mosquitoes' survival, biting rate, reproduction, development and ability to transmit the virus. The team validated their West Nile model using data on human virus transmission in the US. They found that West Nile virus is transmitted most readily at moderate temperatures, while extreme temperatures limit where its mosquito carriers could live and successfully transmit the virus. "Most of the viruses covered in this work are from more temperate areas than more commonly studied tropical diseases," Shocket explains. "We compared these results to those of tropical diseases like malaria and dengue and found that the optimal temperatures and cold thermal limits for virus spread are cooler. This means the viruses spread more efficiently at cooler temperatures compared to more tropical diseases, as you would expect." The results suggest that mosquito-borne diseases could take a greater toll in the US as temperatures rise, especially as most of the population (70%) lives in places that are currently below the optimal temperature and will likely see increased transmission with climate warming. This is compared to 30% of the population who live in places where summer temperatures are above the optimal temperature, meaning transmission will likely decrease with climate warming. Temperature increases could also extend virus transmission seasons earlier into the Spring and later into the Fall. "Climate change is poised to increase the transmission of West Nile and other mosquito-borne viruses in much of the US," concludes senior author Erin Mordecai, Assistant Professor of Biology at Stanford University. "But these diseases also depend on human contact with mosquitoes that also contact wildlife, so factors like human land use, mosquito control, mosquito and virus adaptations, and the emergence of new viruses make predicting the future of mosquito-borne disease a challenge." ### Reference The paper 'Transmission of West Nile and five other temperate mosquito-borne viruses peaks at temperatures between 23-26C' can be freely accessed online at https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.58511. Contents, including text, figures and data, are free to reuse under a CC BY 4.0 license. Media contact Emily Packer, Media Relations Manager eLife e.packer@elifesciences.org 01223 855373 About eLife eLife is a non-profit organisation created by funders and led by researchers. Our mission is to accelerate discovery by operating a platform for research communication that encourages and recognises the most responsible behaviours. We work across three major areas: publishing, technology and research culture. We aim to publish work of the highest standards and importance in all areas of biology and medicine, including Ecology and Epidemiology and Global Health, while exploring creative new ways to improve how research is assessed and published. We also invest in open-source technology innovation to modernise the infrastructure for science publishing and improve online tools for sharing, using and interacting with new results. eLife receives financial support and strategic guidance from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation, the Max Planck Society and Wellcome. Learn more at https://elifesciences.org/about. To read the latest Ecology research published in eLife, visit https://elifesciences.org/subjects/ecology. And for the latest in Epidemiology and Global Health, see https://elifesciences.org/subjects/epidemiology-global-health. The premier of Catalonia, Quim Torra, announced on Monday a raft of new restrictions aimed at curbing the spread of coronavirus cases in the region before students return to school on September 14. In these three weeks, we are staking everything that could happen in the fall and the winter, he said. The toughest restriction announced by Torra is a ban on social gatherings of more than 10 people across the region, with the exception of work meetings and when traveling. The regional government in Murcia also announced on Monday that social gatherings would be limited to a maximum of six people if they do not live together, Virginia Vadillo reports. We are facing a health, economic and social problem, and now we are also facing an education emergency Catalan premier Quim Torra For the past week, the regional government in Catalonia has been warning that a great collective effort is needed to slow the transmission of the virus. After stabilizing for a few weeks, the number of cases is once again on the rise in the northeastern region. We are no longer in a stable position, [cases] are persistently rising, said Torra. The spike in contagion is of concern to the regional government, which wants to guarantee that schools will reopen in September and that workers will be able to return to their jobs. The risk of a Covid-19 outbreak in Catalonia, according to the growth potential index (EPG) and regional figures, is at 180.13 20 points higher than at the beginning of August, and much higher than the 100-point threshold used to classify high risk. The rate of transmission (Rt) is at 1.12, meaning one case will infect an average of 1.12 people. There are currently 672 coronavirus patients in hospital and 134 in intensive care an increase from the figures reported two weeks ago. This month, regional health authorities have carried out more than 21,000 PCR tests in different neighborhoods and communities in a bid to identify asymptomatic cases and break the chain of transmission. Of these tests, 512 asymptomatic cases have been detected, representing 2.4% of the total. There are currently 672 coronavirus patients in hospital and 134 in intensive care in Catalonia However the mass testing and restrictions announced up till now have not been enough to curb the rising number of cases. We have to ask again for a new effort. We are facing a health, economic and social problem, and now we are also facing an education emergency. We need our children and young people to return to school. If this doesnt happen, the country will not work, said Torra. The premier explained that 70% of the cases currently detected in Catalonia happened at social gatherings with friends and family. In a bid to cut this rate, the Catalan regional government has banned social gatherings of more than 10 people a measure that was already introduced last week in the city of Reus in Tarragona province. Social distancing measures, the mandatory use of face masks, the ban on smoking and drinking in public spaces, the closure of nighttime venues and reduced hours for bars and restaurants will also be maintained in the region. Torra also revealed on Monday the protocol for the reopening of schools, which have been closed to most students since the Spanish government declared a state of alarm in mid-March. The guidelines, which will be formally announced tomorrow, include reduced class sizes and the mandatory use of face masks. Without going into details, the premier said that classes will be reduced to 20 students in primary school and much smaller groups in secondary school and Bachillerato, which is prior to university. With respect to face masks, the safety measure will be mandatory for students over the age of 12 and over the age of six, if the pupil is in an at-risk category. Torra also called on Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez to immediately approve a subsidy to help families manage if a student tests positive for Covid-19 and has to quarantine at home. Madrid awaiting ruling on restrictions The regional government of Madrid has for now rejected reintroducing confinement measures that would limit economic activity and instead called on residents to avoid non-essential social interactions. Speaking during an interview on Monday with radio station Cadena SER, justice department chief Enrique Lopez said: Its not about returning to confinement that restricts economic activity to the point of suspending it or work. Its about avoiding as much as possible unnecessary social interaction. The Madrid government has, however, ordered all bars and restaurants in the municipality of Tielmes (2,700 residents) to close for 14 days. The order was published on Sunday in Madrids Official State Gazette after a rise in coronavirus cases was detected in the area. Lopez said that there is a risk of community contagion in Tielmes, which is the first municipality in Madrid to be subject to such restrictions. In the meantime, regional authorities continue to await the ruling from Madrids High Court on whether it is allowed to ban smoking in public when two-meter distance cannot be respected, and close nighttime bars and nightclubs. These orders were annulled on Friday by the administrative court in Madrid on the grounds that they referenced a Health Ministry order that had not yet been published in the Official State Gazette. English version by Melissa Kitson. Speedcast Files Motion Related to Refinanced DIP Facility London, Sep 15, 2020 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Speedcast International Limited ( ASX:SDA ) ( FRA:7SC ) ( OTCMKTS:SPPDQ ), announced that the company has filed a motion to replace its debtor-in-possession (DIP) financing in an aggregate amount of US$285 million, to be funded by Centerbridge Partners. The motion was filed with the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas on September 11, 2020. The motion follows a filing by Black Diamond, a majority pre-petition lender and the current DIP financing provider, of a notice of default on the original DIP facility, which occurred following Speedcast's entry into a proposed equity commitment agreement with Centerbridge.The proposed refinanced DIP facility is an increase of US$100 million over previous DIP financing and would fund the company's path from Chapter 11 with maximum flexibility. The new DIP financing would equip Speedcast to continue its normal-course of operations, including serving customers and supporting business continuity while the company progresses negotiations with its largest lenders. Speedcast is currently evaluating revised recapitalisation proposals with a view to maximising value for all creditors and certainty of outcome for all stakeholders.Speedcast announced its decision to recapitalise its business through voluntary Chapter 11 proceedings on April 23, 2020. More information about Speedcast's Chapter 11 case can be found at http://www.kccllc.net/speedcast Speedcast is advised by Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP as global legal counsel and Herbert Smith Freehills as co-counsel. Michael Healy of FTI Consulting, Inc. is Speedcast's Chief Restructuring Officer, and FTI Consulting, Inc. is Speedcast's financial and operational advisor. Moelis Australia Advisory Pty Ltd and Moelis & Company LLC are Speedcast's investment bankers. KCC is Speedcast's claims and noticing agent.About Speedcast International Ltd Speedcast International Ltd (ASX:SDA) is the world's most trusted communications and IT services provider, delivering critical communications solutions to the Maritime, Energy, Mining, Media, Telecom, Cruise, NGO, Government, and Enterprise sectors. With more satellite capacity than any other provider, Speedcast enables faster, seamless pole-to-pole coverage from a global hybrid satellite, fiber, cellular, microwave, MPLS, and IP transport network with direct access to public cloud platforms. The company also integrates differentiated technology offerings that provide smarter ways to communicate and distribute content, manage network and remote operations, protect and secure investments, and improve the crew and guest experience. With a passionate customer focus and a strong safety culture, Speedcast serves more than 3,200 customers in over 140 countries. Learn more at www.speedcast.com. To the Times: Despite my limited reading of Chris Freinds articles, its fair to say we dont agree on much, but thats perfectly fine. I appreciate reading opposing opinions and I applaud the Times for frequently featuring Mr. Freind and Ms. Christine Flowers. Everyone should have the right to express their thoughts (freedom of speech and all that). Plus, their inclusion counters the rights beloved notion that they are being silenced. Yes, people often fight the right on their beliefs, but expressing dissenting opinions is not silencing anyone. Thats simply healthy debate. One way healthy debate falls apart is when people start to mislead, as I have seen Chris do twice in reference to the toppling of a Frederick Douglass statue in Rochester, N.Y. In his July 29 piece entitled Federal agents In Portland: Americas protectors, Mr. Freind attributes the act of vandalism to the Floyd protests, and in his Sept. 2 piece about Lou Holtz, he writes about the lefts gleeful penchant for tearing down statues even monuments of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass have been desecrated. While Mr. Freind structured the sentence in such a way that he does not explicitly say that members of the left tore down the Douglass statue, this is undoubtedly his intent. However, according to multiple sources, including the New York Times, the police identified no suspects, no groups (left- or right-wing) have claimed responsibility, and there is simply no evidence that the statue was destroyed by members of the left. In fact, it would be more reasonable to accuse right-wing extremists, likely responding to the destruction of Confederate and other statues. However, I acknowledge that there is no hard evidence supporting this, the same way Chris should acknowledge that his claim is backed by zero evidence. As to the Abraham Lincoln claim, I must assume Chris is referring to one of two recent incidents. The first possibility is the vandalism in Sioux City, in which a Lincoln statue was painted red and a Trump flag was wrapped around its neck. In this case, much like the Douglass statue, it is unclear who is responsible for the vandalism and these actions would be condemned almost universally by the left. The other possibility is the controversy surrounding a Lincoln statue in Washington, D.C. An important piece of context missing from Mr. Freinds article, if he was in fact referring to this, is that this is not simply a statue of Lincoln. The monument portrays Lincoln standing with his hand extended over a kneeling freed slave. Many took issue with the scene on display, not with Lincoln. There seems to be no evidence that the statue was desecrated. Rather there was a significant effort through protests and petitions to have it legally taken down. The Boston Art Commission voted to remove a replica of the statue from Bostons Park Square. Either way, it seems Chris was being misleading about both statues, and this needed to be called out. Tommy White, Wallingford On Monday American Airlines announced that it will open its much-anticipated new Admiral's Club in the Harvey Milk Terminal 1 at San Francisco International Airport on October 6. SFO opened the first phase of the $2.4 billion Harvey Milk terminal in July 2019 with flights from only Southwest and JetBlue. American moved in after the terminal's second phase opened in May, delayed three months due to COVID-19. However, when American moved into its gates at the new terminal, it used the nearby 11,634-sq.-ft. Admirals Club space as a "passenger service center" --not as a lounge. Starting Oct. 6, the new 208-seat lounge will operate at 50-percent capacity and offer the club's famously popular avocado toast in the morning, and guacamole with chips in the afternoon. However, lounge staff members will prepare individual servings of these dishes behind acrylic screens -- no more self-service "avocado toast bars" as in pre-COVID days. Staff will also pre-package all other food items such as cheese cubes, hummus, hard-boiled eggs, fruit and several food-for-purchase items. At SFO, United is currently operating only one United Club (The Rotunda in Terminal 3), according to its website. Delta's Sky Club is open in Terminal 1, Boarding Area C. Alaska Airlines told SFGATE that it has pushed plans for a new lounge on the roof of Terminal 2, originally scheduled to open in October 2020, into 2021, due to COVID-19 related delays. The American Express Centurion lounge in SFO's Terminal 3 remains closed. Other changes passengers will notice at Admirals Clubs include new face covering requirements at all times except when eating or drinking, glass shields at reception and service desks, foot-operated door openers at restrooms, and digital versions of periodicals. Don't miss a shred of important travel news! Sign up for our FREE weekly email alerts. In October, six additional Admirals Clubs will reopen at airports in Austin, Boston, Denver, Houston, Nashville and Orlando, in addition to the clubs already open at American's big hub airports. Read all recent TravelSkills posts here. Chris McGinnis is SFGATE's senior travel correspondent. You can reach him via email or follow him on Twitter or Facebook. Don't miss a shred of important travel news by signing up for his FREE weekly email updates! SFGATE participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. Jennifer Ferro, president of KCRW, stands inside the KCRW Media Center in Santa Monica in 2018. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) In the latest blow to the Los Angeles media landscape, Santa Monica-based NPR affiliate KCRW-FM (89.9) has extended buyout offers to members of its staff, and so far 24 have accepted. According to a statement shared on social media Monday evening by We Make KCRW, which posts on behalf of the radio station's SAG-AFTRA-affiliated content creators, KCRW management has come to the table to present voluntary buyout options to staff as a first step to address a budget shortfall. Among those who have accepted buyouts, according to a staff-wide email that KCRW President Jennifer Ferro sent Monday, are DJs Liza Richardson, Mario Cotto and Mathieu Schreyer, as well as "Morning Becomes Eclectic" producer Mary Chellamy. Six members of the programming staff, including longtime producer Frances Anderton, have also taken the offer. Of the departing 24 staff members, Ferro wrote in the email: Each one has made an indelible mark here. Some have been here for more than 20 years and Im sure the decision to do this was as hard for them as it is for us to say goodbye. She added that a few of those who have accepted buyouts will be leaving as soon as this week. Through a KCRW spokeperson, Ferro declined The Times' request for further comment. Like most media outlets, the popular station, which in 2018 moved into a new $38-million production facility on the campus of station owner Santa Monica Community College, has been hit hard by the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Best known for its flagship music show, Morning Becomes Eclectic, the long-running nonprofit stations offerings extend beyond the FM dial. But commuters across the region had long become accustomed to hearing what the station touts as its "handpicked music," to catch up on the news through the NPR-produced afternoon news show "All Things Considered" or get lost in hour-long narrative shows such as "This American Life." News of the station's buyouts also calls into question the hunt for a new "Morning Becomes Eclectic" host. When DJ Jason Bentley bid farewell at the end of 2019, music director Anne Litt took the reins of the show, which runs daily from 9 a.m. to noon. First on her agenda was to be hiring a permanent "Morning Becomes Eclectic" host so she could focus on overall music programming. More than 10 months later, Litt remains the show's host. KYODO NEWS - Sep 15, 2020 - 17:05 | All, World The United States reviewed and studied a plan "that could include the use of 80 nuclear weapons" in response to an attack by North Korea, according to U.S. journalist Bob Woodward in his book "Rage" published Tuesday. As tensions between the United States and North Korea heightened after Pyongyang test-fired an intercontinental ballistic missile in 2017, Washington had also been updating a plan for a leadership strike on Pyongyang, Woodward said in his book, based on interviews with U.S. President Donald Trump. Trump said in an interview with Woodward on Dec. 13, 2019 that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un "was totally prepared" to go to war with the United States but that it was averted because of their first-ever U.S.-North Korea summit in June 2018, according to the book. When Woodward asked whether Kim told Trump directly about his readiness to go to war, the president said, "Ah, yes, he did," according to the book. "And he expected to go (to war). But we met," Woodward quoted Trump as saying. Kim also told U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo that he was ready to go to war and Pompeo later told an associate he did not know whether it was real or a bluff, according to the book. Woodward also wrote that Trump had delegated authority to then-U.S. Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis to use a conventional interceptor missile to shoot down any North Korean missile that might be headed for the United States. Even when Mattis was moving in a car, he was followed by a communications team equipped with a geospatial map that would track the missile's anticipated flight path and he could issue from his location an order to shoot it down if it appeared to threaten South Korea, Japan or the United States, according to the book. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-15 16:39:50|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close MANILA, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- The number of COVID-19 cases in the Philippines surged to 269,407 after the Department of Health (DOH) reported 3,544 new daily cases on Tuesday. The DOH said the number of recoveries also rose to 207,352 after it reported 395 more patients have survived the disease, and 34 more patients have succumbed to the viral disease, bringing the death toll to 4,663. The Philippines' capital Metro Manila topped the regions with the highest number of 690 daily confirmed cases reported on Tuesday. The department reported 259 deaths on Monday, the highest so far since the disease emerged in the country in January. The DOH pegged the county's fatality rate or the proportion of people who die from COVID-19 among all individuals diagnosed with the disease over a certain period at 1.74 percent. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte appealed to private hospitals to allot more beds to COVID-19 patients amid the rising number of cases in the country, saying that their help "will go a long way." The DOH said the country has a utilization rate of 46 percent of COVID-19 beds. COVID-19 National Task Force chief implementer Carlito Galvez said over 1,000 additional dedicated beds for the COVID-19 patients will be available by November. Enditem Iraqi commandos killed a suspected Islamic State (IS) financier and captured an IS leader in an operation in western Anbar province on Monday, according to Iraqs Defense Ministry. Soldiers of Iraqs Counter-Terrorism Service (CTS) were dropped in al-Rutba district by helicopters of the US-led coalition, coalition spokesperson Capt. Jose Uriarte told Al-Monitor via email. Iraqs Security Media Cell described the killed suspect as a major financier of IS in the predominantly Sunni Anbar province. Neither a spokesperson for Iraqs Defense Ministry nor one for Iraqs CTS returned requests for comment. Iraqs security forces have arrested more than a dozen suspected IS operatives across the country over the past several days. The CTS said today its soldiers thwarted an attempted bombing in a Baqubah market. Earlier this week, Iraqs Defense Minister Juma Inad Saadoun visited the Anbar Operations Room to discuss continuing operations against IS cells in the western desert. On Saturday, Iraqi forces got into a skirmish in the Anbar desert with suspected IS militants, the Defense Ministry said. Iraqs military also continues to uncover weapons stashes in the desert near the Syrian border, the Defense Ministry said. IS lost control of western Anbar in 2017, but a recent United Nations report said as many as 10,000 IS fighters remain at large in Iraq and Syria. US-led international coalition troops rarely accompany Iraqi forces on joint ground operations anymore. The coalition, which underwent a routine change-of-command ceremony in Baghdad last week, has consolidated in the Iraqi capital and withdrawn from smaller bases around the country as it transitions to focus on advising and mentoring Iraqi commanders. The transition earlier this year was hastened by the impending coronavirus pandemic and rocket attacks by suspected Iran-linked militias. The Trump administration says it will withdraw more than a third of its coalition military personnel from Iraq before the 2020 US presidential election, which is scheduled for November. In March of last year, Syrian Kurdish-led forces backed by the US-led coalition captured ISs last redoubt, a town called Baghouz on the Syrian side of the Syria-Iraq border. Thousands of foreign suspected IS fighters and their family members remain in makeshift prisons and detention camps in northeast Syria, with little prospect of trial or extradition. Thank you for reading! Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue. White House adviser Jared Kushner voiced strong support for Oracle Corp.'s bid for TikTok, even though the proposal could still fall short of President Donald Trump's demands that any deal protect national security and include a payout for the U.S. government. Kushner, Trump's son-in-law and a key adviser to the president, said Tuesday he had spoken earlier in the day with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, who has played a central role in brokering a deal that would shift the Chinese-owned video app's U.S. operations over to an American company. Mnuchin has promised to give Trump his recommendation later this week. While details of the agreement between Oracle and China's ByteDance Ltd. remain under wraps, Kushner expressed optimism that it would clear the administration's key hurdles. "Hopefully the application qualifies on the merits for what we're trying to accomplish from a national security point of view," Kushner said early Tuesday in an interview with CNBC. "America's interest in that is really national security -- we want to make sure that people's data is protected." The deal unveiled Monday by Oracle seeks to address the national-security concerns raised by Trump last month when he ordered the sale of TikTok's U.S. business. The administration says that Chinese ownership of the app poses a risk to American users' security and that Beijing could use the service to deliver disinformation and propaganda to the service's 100 million active users in the U.S. Based on what's been revealed so far about the deal, national security experts say the arrangement doesn't satisfy those concerns, which the Trump administration laid out in executive orders and public statements. "It's not clear the first goal has been met and the second goal is even more difficult," said Stewart Baker, a national security lawyer at Steptoe & Johnson and a former assistant secretary with the Homeland Security Department. "There could still be a lot of negotiating to do." The proposal, unveiled in part, doesn't call for Oracle to buy the business outright. Instead, the company would invest in a newly restructured global TikTok, with operations based in the U.S., according to people familiar with the proposal. Bytedance would maintain majority ownership and at least two shareholders in TikTok's Chinese parent company, General Atlantic and Sequoia Capital, would take stakes in the new business, said the people, all of whom asked not to be identified because the terms aren't finalized. The companies haven't disclosed plans to make a payment to the U.S. government that Trump has repeatedly demanded, without explaining his reasoning. "I said the United States has to be compensated, well compensated," he reiterated earlier this month, a demand that has confounded security experts. The U.S. is undertaking a two-track national security review of Oracle's TikTok proposal this week and any sale still requires sign-offs from both the U.S. and China. The Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S., or Cfius, is meeting this week to review the proposal. The Commerce Department is overseeing a separate review. Even if security officials recommend Trump block the deal, the president has the final say and he can overrule their recommendation. Trump has until Sept. 20 to make a decision. The deal, if finalized, would create what Mnuchin called "TikTok Global." The unit would have its headquarters in the U.S. and create 20,000 jobs, he said, without offering details. It's unclear how a new subsidiary would create that many U.S.-based jobs. TikTok has hundreds of open jobs listed right now, from content moderation to advertising sales. Snapchat Inc., which operates a social media app similar to TikTok, employs 3,000. By comparison, Facebook Inc. and Instagram Inc. each have 45,000 workers. TikTok declined to comment. Representatives for Oracle and Treasury didn't immediately reply to requests for comment. Cfius is led by the Treasury secretary and includes members from the State, Defense, Justice, Commerce, Energy and Homeland Security departments. The panel assesses deals for national security implications by looking at factors that include: U.S. business's contracts and ties with the federal government; as well as whether the deal involves critical infrastructure, such as transport systems, data networks and other communication systems. Bytedance has been working with Cfius since October 2019 on addressing the committee's concerns, according to a person familiar with the matter, and for months has been trying to separate somewhat from China, including hiring a new CEO and giving autonomy to U.S. executives for the app's bug fixes and product changes. The company had already began moving data and content moderation to the U.S., where it stores its data with firms like Amazon.com Inc. and Alphabet Inc.'s Google, with backup servers in Singapore. If Cfius accepts these remedies, it could allow Bytedance to keep control of one of its prized assets, the person said. Even if TikTok's data is stored by Oracle in the U.S., that could still leave ByteDance with some control over the computer code behind how the app chooses which videos are shown to users. If TikTok's algorithms remain in ByteDance's hands, security experts say, the code could be manipulated by Beijing to run information campaigns or deliberately show video to American users, perhaps even to influence the U.S. elections. With ByteDance controlling the company, it will in theory be able to control what users watch. James Lewis, senior vice president of the Center for Strategic & International Studies, a Washington think tank, said Oracle and ByteDance will have to convince Cfius there is a firewall between them when it comes to the algorithm. "The algorithm could be a channel to pump in spyware and that was a risk before," Lewis said. "It's a fixable risk, but Oracle has to explain how they will fix it. If they can prove they can do that to the satisfaction of the committee, this is a workable deal." Kushner said earlier Tuesday that if the TikTok-Oracle deal doesn't meet Cfius' requirements, "then it won't be accepted," he said, adding, "I don't believe a final decision has been made yet as to whether it qualifies." Gov. Kate Brown on Monday notified Oregon legislative leaders that based in part on the wildfire emergency, she plans to line-item veto provisions in budget rebalance bills from the August special session that she hopes will increase the cushion in the current two-year budget by $65 million. In the second special session of the year, lawmakers reconvened to patch a more than $1 billion shortfall created by the coronavirus recession. Given the advent of the wildfires, which occurred since the adjournment of the second special session, I am writing to you today to outline vetoes that I intend to make to ensure that state agencies fighting wildfires have necessary resources in place to respond to the ongoing statewide wildfires state of emergency, the governor wrote. In addition to those vetoes, I am also serving notice of my intention to veto a small number of single items in these appropriation bills that will ensure that the state budget remains in balance. The governors proposed line-item vetos to two measures, Senate Bill 5723 and House Bill 4304, would preserve nearly $17 million in state funding or authority to spend federal money for the Oregon Department of Forestry, Oregon Military Department and Oregon State Police, which houses the Office of the State Fire Marshal and Medical Examiner Division. Brown also wants to keep Oregons dedicated account to cover housing relief for people whose homes were damaged or destroyed by wildfires, which lawmakers voted to abolish to free up money to rebalance the budget. It appears to contain less than $200,000, according to a legislative document, but could be added to by the Legislaturess Joint Emergency Board. The governor wants to free up additional money to cover some wildfire-related expenses and bolster the states 2019-2021 budget reserves by canceling lawmakers' plan to set aid $100 million to help the states two main safety net agencies handle rising case loads. The Legislature allocated that money to the Emergency Board to be dispensed as needed to the Oregon Health Authority and Department of Human Services between legislative sessions for caseload costs or other budget challenges ... The governor wants to cancel a couple other spending cuts passed by lawmakers, including a $9 million reduction to the Oregon Educator Advancement Fund. Brown also plans to preserve some but not all of the windfall funds deposited or anticipated in accounts she created to incentivize school districts and other governments to increase their contributions to the states severely underfunded public pension fund. -- Hillary Borrud; hborrud@oregonian.com; @hborrud Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories. - The Electoral Commission chair, Jean Adukwei Mensa, announced that the presidential candidates are expected to pay GH100,000 as filing fees with respect to the 2020 elections. - The amount has astronomically shot up from the GH50,000 the candidates paid four years ago - Some presidential aspirants do not agree with the directive from the EC - The Electoral Commission has however given the reason for the increase in filing fees Our manifesto: This is what YEN.com.gh believes in Have you ever wondered why the Electoral Commission of Ghana has astronomically increased their filing fees by a whopping 100 percent? Well, it seems that our democracy in Ghana has become expensive and each election year comes with its own figure quoted for candidates wanting to stand for an election in Ghana. Yesterday, September 14, 2020, the Electoral Commission of Ghana held a presser to announce the date when candidates would submit their nomination forms as well as the money to be paid. Interestingly, and to the surprise of many Ghanaians, especially some presidential aspirants, the amount had astronomically shot up from the GH50,000 they paid four years ago. As announced by the commission's chair, Jean Adukwei Mensa, presidential candidates are expected to pay GH100,000.00 each. The amount is a 100 percent increase, compared to what was paid four years ago. Electoral Commission chairperson, Jean Adukwei Mensa Source: Graphic.com.gh Source: Original READ ALSO: My integrity and hatred for corruption has sustained me this far - Rawlings Presidential candidate for the All People's Congress(APC), Hassan Ayariga, registered his displeasure with regard to the amount quoted by the EC, saying it is quite outrageous. According to him, the filing fees announced by the EC is too much and even costs more than the monthly salary attached to the position he and a host of others are vying for. Another presidential aspirant, Jacob Osei Yeboah(JOY), who is an independent candidate, also registered his displeasure about the figure quoted by the EC. Speaking in an interview monitored by YEN.com.gh, JOY said the Commission should have considered the fact that COVID-19 had made it hard for money to come by. Explaining the astronomical increment in the filing fees for the presidential aspirants, the EC said the nomination fees have been increased as a result of the adjustment done every four years. In a news report filed by Primenewsghana, the EC said the value of GH50,000 in 2016, cannot be compared in 2020. It went on to say that comparing the value of the amount quoted, it would be noticed that the commission hasn't increased it that much. "Those of you who know the value of money know that in each particular year, its important that you look at the value of 50,000 in 2016 and compare to GH50,000 in 2020. Youll notice that the commission hasnt increased it that much," the EC noted READ ALSO: All NABCo beneficiaries will be permanently employed if we win the elections - NDC In other news, the PPP has chosen and outdoored Madam Bridgitte Dogbenuku as the partys flagbearer on Saturday, September 12, 2020. She was the running mate of Dr. Papa Kwesi Ndoum in the 2016 elections. Accepting her new role at the congress over the weekend, Madam Dogbenuku said the PPP is ready to wrestle power from the NPP in December. READ ALSO: Filing fees: Presidential aspirants to pay 100k, parliamentary aspirants pay 10k John Mahama's emotional moment on stage at the NDC's manifesto launch | #Yencomgh Share your stories and news by getting interactive on our Facebook page! Source: YEN.com.gh Ukraine officials offer a clear plan of action to achieve peace with specific dates for the implementation of all agreements that were fixed during the last meeting of the Normandy format's leaders in Paris on December 2019, Head of the President's Office of Ukraine Andriy Yermak said at a meeting with the G7 Ambassadors. "We are grateful for your support and we want to convey to you Ukraine's position and the algorithm by which we are moving towards a peaceful settlement of the military conflict in Donbas as transparently and in detail as possible," he said at the beginning of the meeting on Monday. Yermak said that every achievement on the path to ending the war, in particular the ceasefire regime, became possible due to the support of the G7 countries. He also said that the Normandy Four's advisers had agreed to hold the next meeting of advisers in the near future, which, according to Yermak, will bring closer the summit of the Normandy Four's leaders. Yermak said that in order to inform Ukrainians about the details of the negotiations and the implementation of the action plan for achieving peace, communication will be strengthened, the participants of the meetings at the level of advisers and in the Trilateral Contact Group (TCG) will conduct explanatory work, "to convey information about what is happening and what needs to be done to everyone together to reach peace in the shortest possible time." "We understand that communication, including with the media, is very necessary and important," the head of the President's Office said. The meeting was also attended by Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories Oleksiy Reznikov, Defense Minister Andriy Taran, First Deputy Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Ruslan Demchenko, Ukraine's representative in the TCG working subgroup on political issues, MP Andriy Kostin. Shortly after unveiling the high-end, video-oriented A7S III, Sony has gone in a completely different direction with its latest full frame mirrorless camera. The A7C has an all-new compact body with an electronic viewfinder in the corner, so it looks more like the APS-C sensor A6600 model than any other A7-series camera to date. Its also cheaper though not by a lot than any recent A7 full-frame camera so far. Sony designed the A7C for vloggers and YouTubers, so it has some nice video-oriented features. Its small and light, weighing in at just 509 grams with a battery and memory card, compared to 650 grams for the A7 III and 503 grams for the A6600. It also has a 3-inch, 950K dot fully-articulating flip-out display (touch for focus but not menus) and five axis in-body stabilization with five stops of shake reduction. With all that, itll be easy to carry around or vlog and still take relatively smooth video. You can shoot full-frame 4K video at up to 30 fps with a full pixel readout, or 1080p at up to 120 fps with all video limited to 4:2:0 8-bit and 100Mbps bit rates. You also get both S-Log2 and S-Log3 recording to maximize dynamic range. Thats not bad, but for $200 more, Panasonics full-frame S5 shoots 4K at 60 fps and has 10-bit internal recording for 4K (with S-Log) at up to 30 fps. Gallery: Sony A7C full-frame mirrorless camera with a new compact body | 15 Photos /15 Gallery: Sony A7C full-frame mirrorless camera with a new compact body | 15 Photos /15 The autofocus is a strong point, as youd expect from Sony. It uses Sonys ultra-fast hybrid phase-detection AF, with 693 phase-detection points in full-frame mode. You also get Sonys latest AI smarts ad features, including human and animal eye-tracking (for both photos and video), object tracking, predictive control and adjustable AF transition speeds in movie mode. If it works like Sonys other recent cameras, it should offer fast and near-flawless autofocus both in movie and photo modes. For photos, the A7C isnt quite as fast as the A6600 (11 fps), but it matches the A7 III with burst speeds of up to 10 fps with continuous autofocus (14-bit RAW and JPEG). Low-light performance should also match the A7 III with 100-51,200 ISO range expandable to 50-204,800. The EVF, however, is not as nice as youll find on the A7 III, with a 2.36 million dot OLED viewfinder compared to 3.6 million dots. Considering the camera is designed more for video, however, that shouldnt be an issue for most users. With the same NP-FZ100 battery as the A6600, you get up to 680 shots with the viewfinder or 740 shots using the LCD monitor close to the A6600 and excellent for a full-frame camera. Theres just a single card slot, but thankfully it supports fast UHS-II cards. That means you can capture up to 45 uncompressed RAW frames, 115 compressed RAW or 215 JPEGs in a burst. The A7C also has a USB-C Type 3.2 port that can charge the battery, along with an HDMI micro and both headphone and microphone ports. It has the same multi-interface hotshoe found on the A7R IV with a digital interface, so you can use Sonys ECM-B1M shotgun mic or the XLR-K3M XLR adapter kit for high-quality audio. All told, the A7C is an interesting, unexpected member of the A7 family. It looks like the A6600, but has the sensor and many features from the A7 III, while adding in the A7S IIIs fully-articulating display for vloggers. At $1,800, it is $200 cheaper than the A7 III was at launch, but its still not exactly what Id call entry-level like the $1,400 Nikon Z5. The A7C will cost $1,800 for the body only, or $2,100 in a kit with Sonys new, very compact FE 28-60mm f/4-5.6 lens (the lens will be sold separately in early 2021 for $500). Pre-orders start at 10AM ET today, and the body only and kit models will start shipping in late October. Seoul, Tokyo should strive to mend ties Japan will have a new leader Wednesday after Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga won a landslide victory in the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's (LDP) leadership election Monday. Suga is certain to be elected prime minister in a parliamentary vote. His imminent election follows the exit of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe who is stepping down due to ill health. Yet the leadership change is unlikely to bring about any significant shifts because Suga, Abe's right-hand man, has promised to continue his predecessor's policies. Japan's diplomatic policies in particular will not change much. Suga, who has little foreign policy experience, is expected to inherit Abe's legacy. That is probably why Suga is described as "Little Abe." It remains to be seen if he can inject fresh air into Japanese politics which has tilted further toward the right. In this context, it is hard to predict that Suga will make any tangible efforts to mend ties with South Korea which are at an all-time low due to history-related disputes. For this reason, many political experts are skeptical about any quick breakthrough in the strained bilateral relationship. But this does not mean that Seoul and Tokyo should do little to nothing to have better ties. Both countries need to take Abe's resignation and his successor's installation as an opportunity to end their animosity and move toward friendship and partnership. They should not burn all their bridges. More than anything else, both sides must make all-out efforts to narrow their differences over the modern history of Japan's aggression and colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula. The new leadership should first reflect on its shameful past and then make a sincere apology for atrocities it inflicted on Koreans and other Asians before and during World War II. Under Abe's nearly eight-year rule, Seoul-Tokyo relations have been aggravated over Imperial Japan's wartime sex slavery and forced labor. President Moon Jae-in, who took power in May 2017, nullified a contentious bilateral agreement over the sex slavery issue. Bilateral ties hit their lowest after the Supreme Court here ruled in 2018 that Japanese firms must pay compensation to surviving South Korean victims of wartime forced labor. The Abe administration imposed restrictions on exports of key materials essential for Korean firms to produce semiconductors and display panels. It also excluded Korea from its list of favored trading partners in apparent retaliation to the ruling. Tokyo has argued that all reparation issues were settled by the 1965 treaty that normalized diplomatic ties between the two countries. However, the Korean side has maintained that individuals are still eligible to file compensation claims against the Japanese companies. If they keep sticking to their positions, they cannot resolve the problem. Now both sides should resume high-level talks. They also need to consider holding a summit. Their top leaders can meet face-to-face at a trilateral summit with China which Korea is scheduled to host in November. Through dialogue, Seoul and Tokyo can restore their lost trust. We hope they will bridge differences, improve ties and forge a forward-looking partnership. German health minister Jens Spahn, right, with education minister Anja Karliczek, on their way to attend a press conference in Berlin, Germany. Photo: Hayoung Jeon/Getty Images Berlin has selected three different German biotech companies to support in their development of potential COVID-19 vaccines, and has earmarked up to 750m (690m, $891m)to help fund their research, development and, if successful, production. Education and research minister Anja Karliczek said that BioNTech (BNTX), which has partnered with US pharma company Pfizer (PFE), will receive 375m from the government. It is currently working on developing three different mRNA vaccine candidates. CureVac (CVAC), focused on one potential mRNA vaccine candidate, will get 230m of funding. The government is finalising talks with a third company, IDT Biologika. READ MORE: CureVac races for 100 million COVID-19 vaccine doses by end of 2020 Karliczek told reporters in Berlin on Tuesday that the companies will not get the money in a lump sum, but in stages, based on achieving certain milestones. The agreement with the three domestic companies would guarantee Germany 40 million doses of vaccine. The country will also have access to the 400 million doses of the EU-procured vaccine from AstraZeneca (AZN.L) if it turns out to be successful. It is not about being the first or the fastest, but about having a safe vaccine, said health minister Jens Spahn at a press conference in Berlin, adding that it was essential to keep peoples trust. He reckons a vaccine will be ready in the first half of 2021, but that the logistics of how it will be distributed, who should get it first and so on still need to be worked out. READ MORE: Pfizer and BioNTech 'on track' for COVID-19 vaccine review in October Spahn added it was important to keep vaccination voluntary, and that the government is confident that about 55% of people will accept the vaccine, which would result in herd immunity. The health minister said that Germany was well prepared for autumn and winter, and well-equipped with intensive care beds. He said that Germanys relatively low number of infections compared with many of its EU neighbours has a lot to do with the fact that the most citizens have integrated the rules on social distancing, hand washing, and wearing mask into their daily lives. According to Johns Hopkins University data, Germany has had 264,375 confirmed COVID-19 cases to date, and 9,366 deaths from the virus. However, like most EU countries, it experienced a surge in cases in August. BioNtech and Pfizer, AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford, Moderna (MRNA), Novavax (NVAX), Johnson&Johnson (JNJ), and CureVac (CVAC) are the forerunners in the vaccine-development so far. The provincial government discouraged Manitoba Hydro from bidding on a lucrative data network contract that was slated for tender this year, a decision that came as a blow to small, local internet service providers who were hoping to piggyback on the Crown corporation's bid. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 14/9/2020 (493 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. The provincial government discouraged Manitoba Hydro from bidding on a lucrative data network contract that was slated for tender this year, a decision that came as a blow to small, local internet service providers who were hoping to piggyback on the Crown corporation's bid. According to documents obtained through freedom of information legislation, the government made it known to Hydro president and CEO Jay Grewal in early January that company subsidiary Manitoba Hydro Telecom (MHT) was not to participate in a planned request for proposals. The prize was a data network contract that provides inter-office data connectivity to more than 600 provincial offices, A 10-year agreement between the government and Bell MTS was set to expire this year. According to Hydro documents, the contract was worth between $12 million and $14 million annually. Correspondence between senior Hydro officials reveals that provincial Treasury Board secretary Paul Beauregard, a former executive with both Manitoba Telecom Service Inc. and BCE/Bell Canada, was the senior government official who delivered the news. Local small and medium telecommunications and internet service providers are worried that the provincial government appears to be shutting them out of business opportunities. (Simon Dawson / Bloomberg files) In an email from Grewal to two of her senior officials dated Jan. 4 , the Hydro boss said she "tested" the idea of participating in the RFP with Treasury Board (a sub-committee of the provincial cabinet responsible for fiscal management) and "as anticipated, Paul B confirmed that we are not to participate." Three days later, Sharon Harrald, a Hydro vice-president, passed on the news to Chris Mankewich, managing director of MHT, a business unit of Manitoba Hydro International Ltd. "Paul Beauregard confirmed to (Grewal) that we (MHT) are not to participate in the Manitoba Network RFP (directly or indirectly as a 3rd party)," she wrote in an email. As it turned out, the RFP was never issued. The government exercised an option in its agreement with Bell MTS to extend the contract for 30 months from July 1, 2020 to Dec. 31, 2022. Local small and medium telecommunications and internet service providers are worried that the provincial government appears to be shutting them out of business opportunities. A chance to receive spinoff business through the Manitoba Network contract never materialized. More recently, another door seemingly closed as Hydro declared that MHT would not be taking on new business while an RFP is underway to find a third-party manager for it. "They (the Pallister government) obviously had a long-term policy or plan to implement a more private footprint for internet service provision in Manitoba that did not include Manitoba Hydro Telecom as the steward or gatekeeper of data services and fibre asset control," said David MacKay, executive director of the recently formed Coalition of Manitoba Internet Service Providers (C-MISP). The government appears to be establishing an environment of "anti-competitive business behaviour," MacKay said. Manitoba Hydro CEO Jay Grewal sent an email to two of her senior officials on Jan. 4 telling them that hydro was not to participate in a planned request for proposals for a data network contract. (Mike Deal / Winnipeg Free Press files) "Competition keeps pricing down and it keeps service levels up. Without the competition we move more towards an environment of either privatization or, worse yet, complete monopoly," he said. Manitoba Hydro did not respond to a request for comment before deadline. Blake Robert, director of media relations and issues management for the provincial cabinet, said "it is incorrect to state that Manitoba Hydro was 'forbidden' from bidding" on the Manitoba Network contract. "The reason for extending the Manitoba Network agreement was strictly due to timing and the fundamental change in what Manitoba may need from the Manitoba Network in the wake of the COVID pandemic," he said in an email. "Cabinet determined that government needed more time to rethink Manitobas future needs with respect to the Manitoba Network, and that issuing and awarding an RFP in the middle of this pandemic would have resulted in not properly scoping our future needs." Robert said there is "no relationship" between the government's "request" that Manitoba Hydro Telecom pause entering into new deals and the decision to extend the current agreement for the Manitoba Network with Bell MTS. He also denied that Beauregard, as a secretary to a committee of cabinet, is in any conflict of interest because of his past connections to Bell and MTS. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. "Mr. Beauregards role in this instance was not in a decision-making capacity, it was to remind the CEO of (a) Crown Corporation of a previous decision of cabinet and was the subject of a cooperative process between central government and Hydro. Simply conveying the information presents no conflict of interest and in fact is a part of the expectations of Mr. Beauregards role," Robert wrote. NDP MLA Adrien Sala, the party's Hydro critic, called the message from Beauregard to Grewal "a really ugly example of political interference in Manitoba Hydro by one of (Premier Brian) Pallister's hand-picked staff." He said under the Crown Corporations Governance and Accountability Act, in effect since 2018, the government is required to make any directive to Hydro public within 30 days of issuing it, but it has apparently failed to do that. In 2017, the same year Beauregard joined the government after serving as corporate secretary at MTS, Pallister told a legislative committee hearing that his new appointee would recuse himself on issues relating to his former employer, Sala said. "The premier said on the record that Mr. Beauregard would not be involved in any decisions regarding Bell MTS, and now we know it's not true," the critic said. larry.kusch@freepress.mb.ca OPEC Hits 60 This article was first published on Rigzone here Following its creation at the Baghdad Conference back in September 1960, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) has now turned 60 years old. Few would have foreseen six decades ago that the organization would have risen to the heights it has today in the global energy arena, OPEC said in a statement posted on its website. The 60th anniversary is a time to reflect and appreciate the efforts of all those who have worked so hard throughout our history to make OPEC the resounding success it has become, OPEC added. Looking ahead, the organization stands ready to meet the many challenges we shall face as we enter the next 60 years of our history, OPEC went on to say. In the statement, the organization noted that it remains focused on a balanced and stable oil market in the interests of both producers and consumers. Commenting on OPECs latest milestone, the organizations secretary general, Mohammad Sanusi Barkindo, said, I often think back to that day in 1960, the mood in Baghdad, how those visionaries envisaged the future of OPEC and the oil industry. What is clear is that what was set in motion has stood the test of time; OPEC still has the same core objectives, of order and stability in global oil markets, but its role has also broadened considerably, in terms of deeper cooperation with other producers, dialogue with a host of industry stakeholders, and an embrace of human concerns such as sustainable development, the environment and energy poverty eradication, he added. OPEC received congratulatory messages on its 60th anniversary from several people and organizations, including the chairman of Indian Oil, the Russian energy minister and the gas exporting countries forum. Take control of your future. Search THOUSANDS of Oil & Gas jobs on Rigzone.com Search Now >> Story continues Focusing on OPECs 60th anniversary, IHS Markit oil consultant and analyst, Spencer Welch, said, OPEC remains as relevant as 60 years ago. OPECs role as the oil industry confronts the energy transition will remain important and challenging for many more years, he added. Welch highlighted that in its history, OPEC has faced many challenges, including wars and revolutions, but outlined that probably none were more challenging than this years pandemic, when 25 percent of the worlds oil demand disappeared in a matter of weeks. The fact that it has stabilized oil markets through 2020 is pretty remarkable, he added. Following the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, the OPEC+ group agreed a production cut agreement of near 10 million barrels of oil per day (MMbopd). This has since been cut to 7.7MMbopd, a figure which is set to last until December 31, according to the groups latest agreement. OPECs five founding members comprise the Islamic Republic of Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Venezuela. The group now has a total of 13 members, including Algeria, Angola, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Libya, Nigeria and the United Arab Emirates. To contact the author, email andreas.exarheas@rigzone.com More From Rigzone.com, The Leading Energy Platform: >> Find the latest oil and gas jobs on Rigzone.com << In early May, most Americans (55 percent) said they would get vaccinated for COVID-19 if and when a vaccine becomes available. Now, four months later, less than a third of Americans (32 percent) say they plan to get vaccinated, according to the latest Yahoo News/YouGov poll a stunning 23-point decline that reflects rising concern about the politicization of the vaccine process and underscores how challenging it will be to stop the pandemic through vaccination alone. The survey, which was conducted from Sept. 9 to 11, found for the first time that more Americans say they would not get vaccinated (33 percent) or that theyre not sure (34 percent) than say they would. As recently as late July, 42 percent of Americans had said they planned to get vaccinated, meaning 10 percent of the public has moved into the no or not sure column over the last month or so. The question is why. The data shows that the accelerated pace of President Trumps Operation Warp Speed vaccine program combined with fears that the safety of the vaccine could be compromised if politics takes precedence over science have served to transform many of those previously willing to get vaccinated against COVID-19 into skeptics. These newer skeptics tend to be Democrats. The Yahoo News/YouGov poll has consistently found a hard-line group of anti-vaccination Americans who say they will not get vaccinated for COVID-19 no matter what. They make up about 20 percent of the population, and they are far more concentrated on the right (where 39 percent of Trump supporters say they will never get vaccinated) than on the left (where just 6 percent of Biden supporters say the same). Yet while the number of Republicans who say they would get vaccinated has declined 14 points since May (from 47 percent to 33 percent), the corresponding number of Democrats has plummeted by twice as much (from 70 percent to 42 percent) over the same period of time. The latest Yahoo News/YouGov poll suggests Democrats are being turned against COVID-19 vaccination by Trumps increasingly public push to unveil a vaccine before Election Day in order to boost his chances of winning a second term. According to administration officials who spoke to the Washington Post, The president is so fixated on finding a vaccine ... that in meetings about the U.S. pandemic response, little else captures his attention. Last week, Trump predicted that were going to have a vaccine very soon, maybe even before a very special date. You know what date Im talking about. Privately, Trump campaign advisers have called a pre-election vaccine the holy grail. Story continues As a result of Trumps Election Day timeline, what could have been seen as a revolutionary breakthrough a vaccine developed four times faster than ever before is instead coming to be seen as an untrustworthy, politically motivated stunt. A majority of Americans say Trump wants a vaccine to be released quickly for political reasons (57 percent) rather than health reasons (24 percent); 82 percent of Democrats and 61 percent of independents agree with that assessment. In turn, a similar majority of Americans (55 percent) believe the vaccine would not be safe if released before Election Day. Just 14 percent say the opposite 9 percent of Democrats and 27 percent of Republicans. A participant in clinical trials for a COVID-19 vaccine at a clinic in Hollywood, Fla. (Eva Marie Uzcategui/Bloomberg via Getty Images) The question was also posed with a preface explaining that the fastest previous approval for a vaccine took four years. But that tweak didnt alter the results significantly, indicating that the concern for most Americans isnt speed as such, but the Election Day deadline and the suspicion it fosters that Trump would sacrifice Americans safety to help himself at the ballot box. Thats likely why only 16 percent of Americans think its a good idea for Trump to push health officials to release a COVID-19 vaccine before Election Day, and why most (57 percent) think its a bad idea. Even more Republicans think its a bad idea (34 percent) than good (31 percent). Among undecided voters or voters who plan to vote for someone other than Trump, a mere 7 percent say a pre-election vaccine would make them more likely to vote for the president. Five times as many (34 percent) say it would make them less likely to vote for Trump. The fact that only 27 percent of Republicans believe a vaccine released before Nov. 3 would be safe is telling. All along, Republicans have been less open to vaccination than Democrats. They remain so today, with fully half of those who intend to vote for Trump (50 percent) saying they would not get vaccinated compared with just 29 percent who say they would. Among Biden supporters, those numbers are reversed: 42 percent yes and 21 percent no. The problem now is that all those numbers are heading in the wrong direction. If only 32 percent of Americans get vaccinated, it will not create enough herd immunity to stop the pandemic. For that to happen, scientists estimate that at least 60 percent of the population and probably more like 75 or 80 percent would need to sign up, a number that depends on many factors, including the efficacy of the vaccine itself and how widely the virus has already spread. Its possible that could still happen. Experts are hopeful that uptake i.e., the percentage of the population that agrees to get vaccinated in the near term will far exceed the 32 percent who already say theyre on board. It seems likely to me that many activities will require a vaccine, including many schools and some employers, data journalist Nate Silver recently predicted. If people see a vaccine as a ticket back to normal life, not just for society but also in a more literal way for themselves personally, that could encourage more vaccination. Theres some reason for hope. Asked how soon they would want to be vaccinated against COVID-19, 12 percent of Americans say as soon as a vaccine is available; 51 percent say after waiting and seeing what happens when others take it; 21 percent say never; and 16 percent say theyre not sure. That means 79 percent of Americans are at least open to getting vaccinated depending on what happens next. And so what happens next is critical. Trust is low and anxiety is high on both sides of the political divide. A plurality of Trump supporters (45 percent) dont trust the CDC and public health authorities to judge the risks of vaccines. Nearly all Biden supporters (91 percent) believe Trumps motivations are political, not medical. And despite Trumps Election Day push, his own supporters are no more likely to want to get vaccinated as soon as the vaccine is available (14 percent) than Biden supporters (14 percent). Meanwhile, a record number of Americans (75 percent) say theyre either very or somewhat concerned about the safety of COVID-19 vaccines fast-tracked through the approval process. Ninety percent say it is either very or somewhat likely that other vaccines may cause side effects like the one that recently halted the global trials of AstraZenecas candidate vaccine (which have since resumed, without much transparency). And the share of the public (35 percent) that thinks drugmakers will live up to their promise to resist political pressure and refuse to release an unsafe or ineffective vaccine is outweighed by the combined share that says theyre not sure (39 percent) or predicts these corporations will cave (26 percent). In other words, Americas reluctance to get vaccinated against COVID-19 is becoming more bipartisan, not less. If any vaccine is going to work, politicians and public health officials will have to overcome this growing skepticism in the months ahead. _____________ The Yahoo News survey was conducted by YouGov using a nationally representative sample of 1,577 U.S. adult residents interviewed online Sept. 9 to 11, 2020. This sample was weighted according to gender, age, race and education based on the American Community Survey, conducted by the U.S. Bureau of the Census, as well as 2016 presidential vote, registration status, geographic region and news interest. Respondents were selected from YouGovs opt-in panel to be representative of all U.S residents. The margin of error is approximately 3.3 percent. _____ Read more from Yahoo News: An 'unprecedented' number of birds have been dropping dead out of the sky at an alarming rate in New Mexico and some experts suspect the wildfires raging across the West Coast might be to blame. The mystery first started on August 20 when hundreds of dead birds were discovered at the US Army White Sands Missile Range and White Sands National Monument, New Mexico State University Professor Martha Desmond told CNN. But what at first was believed to be an isolated incident has turned out to be a widespread problem. In the weeks that followed, a countless number of birds believed to be in the 'hundreds of thousands, if not millions' range have been found dead all over the state, including in Dona Ana County, Jemez Pueblo, Roswell and Socorro. 'We started receiving calls a week ago on Tuesday the 8th [Sept.], and they haven't really stopped since then from all across the state,' New Mexico Game & Fish Department spokeswoman Tristanna Bickford told the Santa Fe New Mexican. 'We can't say any official cause at this time. That would be pure speculation.' Scroll down for video An 'unprecedented' number of birds have been dropping dead out of the sky at an alarming rate in New Mexico and some researchers suspect the wildfires raging across the West Coast might be to blame Journalist Austin Fisher spotted a cluster of dozens of dead birds during a hike in northern Rio Arriba County on September 13 WHAT IS CAUSING THE BIRDS' DEATHS? Experts have so far been unable to determine a definitive cause for the mass die-off, though some biologists believe the West Coast wildfires are to blame. The blazes may have forced the birds into early migration for the winter before they were ready, meaning some may have not had enough body fat to survive the effort. Plummeting temperatures as part of a historic cold snap in New Mexico may have killed off insects for the birds to eat, making food scarce. Other theories suggest the fires may have forced the birds to deviate from their usual migration route, forcing them into a longer journey that they weren't ready for. Gail Garber, executive director of Hawks Aloft Inc, suggested the birds may have been affected by toxins from the residual smoke of the fires, though little is currently known about the effects wildfires have on birds. Advertisement Professor Desmond called the phenomenon 'terribly frightening' to the Les Crucas Sun News. 'We've never seen anything like this,' the biologist said. 'We're losing probably hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of migratory birds.' In a video posted to Twitter by journalist Austin Fisher, footage shows a cluster of dozens of dead birds he discovered while on a hike on September 13 in northern Rio Arriba County. 'I have no idea,' a stunned Fisher says in the video, before panning the camera to reveal what appears to be dozens of birds laying dead on the ground. Similarly to New Mexico, dead birds - including species such as warblers, bluebirds, sparrows and blackbirds are also being found in abundance in Colorado, Texas and Mexico. They all appear to all be insectivores, with both migratory and year-round species found among the deceased. Experts haven't been able to quantify the exact number of fatalities or pinpoint an exact cause of the mass die-off. But one of the most likely contributing factors, biologists say, is the wildfires currently burning in California and other Western states, which may have forced the birds into early migration. 'Birds who migrated before they were ready because of the weather might have not had enough fat to survive,' Desmond said. 'Some birds might have not even had the reserves to start migrating so they died in place.' I just recorded this up in Velarde, N.M. I've never seen anything like it. I'm told of other dead migratory birds found in Hernandez, Ojo Sarco and El Valle de Arroyo Seco. https://t.co/GpeFZbyuW7 pic.twitter.com/XXVM4AZrDu austin fisher (@austieJFish) September 14, 2020 A countless number of birds believed to be in the 'hundreds of thousands' region have been found dead all over the state, including in Dona Ana County, Jemez Pueblo, Roswell and Socorro One of the most likely contributing factors, biologists say, is the wildfires currently burning in California and other Western states, which may have forced the birds into early migration Gail Garber, executive director of Hawks Aloft Inc, shared the same theory, saying migrations maps show a large amount of birds leaving the Pacific Northwest on September 8 and 9 and flying southwest toward Mexico through the Rocky Mountains. Typically, she said, the birds would fly south via California but the fires have likely disrupted their route. Those dates also correspond with a cold snap that sent temperatures in New Mexico plunging to a record low last week. 'They could have been affected by toxins from those fires,' Garber told the New Mexican. 'They could have been forced to leave early without enough reserves. They could have been forced into a longer journey they weren't ready for. The cold front might have killed off insects to eat.' 'I've seen it suggested that millions of birds have died,' she said. 'At this point, [it] will take more research to determine what happened, but it seems like it could be a perfect storm of a couple factors.' There are currently 87 large wildfires burning in 10 states, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. Firefighters have battled hundreds of wildfires across the West Coast since the middle of August. Since the beginning of the year, wildfires have burned over 4.5 million acres of land, an area about he size of the entire state of Connecticut. Smoke from the latest spate of devastating fires has blown thousands of miles across the country covering the Midwest, Canada and even reaching as fair as New York. At least 35 people have died - including 24 in California, 10 in Oregon and a child in Washington state - and more than 42,000 structures destroyed. In a tweet on Monday, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife said on Twitter than 'not much is known about the impacts of smoke and wildfires on birds.' However, residents and biologists have reported seeing birds acting strangely before they died, since the fires have begun. Gail Garber, executive director of Hawks Aloft Inc, shared the same theory, saying migrations maps show a large amount of birds leaving the Pacific Northwest on September 8 and 9 and flying southwest toward Mexico through the Rocky Mountains. Typically, she said, the birds would fly south via California but the fires have likely disrupted their route (map of fires and smoke shown above) Experts haven't been able to quantify the exact number of fatalities or pinpoint an exact cause of the mass die-off, but expect the wildfires are at least a contributing factor In one example cited by CNN, birds that are normally spotted in shrubs and trees were seen on the ground, looking for food and chasing after bugs. Professor Desmond said a number of other birds observed were lethargic and unresponsive, causing them to be hit by cars in numbers 'larger than ever seen before'. At the White Sands Missile Range, swallows - aerial insectivores that don't walk - were also seen sitting on the ground and letting people approach them, she added. But while the fires and dry weather may have been an amplifying factor in the deaths and strange behavior, Desmond says a number of questions still remain. 'We began seeing isolated mortalities in August, so something else has been going on aside the weather events and we don't know what it is. So that in itself is really troubling,' she said. Desmond's department has been collecting samples of the birds that will eventually be sent to the US Fish and Wildlife Service Forensics Laboratory in Oregon, however that examination could take up to three months to complete. 'This is devastating. Climate charge is playing a role in this.' Desmond said. 'We lost 3 billion birds in the US since 1970 and we've also seen a tremendous decline in insects, so an event like this is terrifying to these populations and it's devastating to see.' Investors are racing to insure themselves against a plunge in sterling as fractious Brexit trade talks with the European Union threaten to collapse. The pound has endured its worst week since the onset of the coronavirus crisis in March, falling 3.5 per cent amid fears of a cliff-edge end to the transition period, which expires on December 31. Currency experts said the biggest moves had been seen in sterling options expiring at the end of the year after a potential failure to agree a deal before October's summit or any last-ditch effort in November. The pound has been falling as investors fear a 'hard Brexit'. Credit:Matt Cardy Jordan Rochester, a currency analyst at Nomura, said the price of hedging against the pound moving in either direction, known as implied volatility, "has risen to levels only seen during periods of Brexit stress or COVID-19 market madness". He added the market focus had "shifted very much to hedging in the event of further falls in the pound", with the price of options to sell at a guaranteed price now at levels seen in previous periods of Brexit turmoil in late 2018 and October 2019. Erik Norland, the chief economist at derivatives exchange CME, said data from the group's $US82 billion ($113 billion) a day currency options market signalled traders hunting "downside protection" in November and December. Vidana brings to the position a wealth of knowledge and an array of experiences in diverse entrepreneurial communities from his more than 30 years of experience. Innovation Studio will continue to offer all of its programs virtually and hybrid, however, in his role as President, Vidana will lead Innovation Studio's mission to democratize innovation by cultivating relationships and providing free resources and spaces for anyone to successfully launch and grow a business. "At a time marked by the disruption of the pandemic and when there is dramatically increased attention on the issue of racial justice, Innovation Studio is even more energized and our team is excited to double down on our mission to significantly increase the diversity of the innovation community," said Daniel Vidana, President. "We do this today in Roxbury, Providence, Boston and Cambridge; first by meeting the entrepreneur or small business where they are, working with them to provide a pathway and ongoing resource engagement points in addition to providing access to community activated spaces for innovators, thus we are encouraged and seek to align and partner with like-minded organizations to help build and rebuild creative economic communities." The rebranding of Innovation Studio solidifies its commitment to building inclusive, accessible and innovative communities in New England. The new mark combines a pair of activated forward pointed chevrons, with accent points that create the illusion of an X. X has a history of being used to symbolize an unknown quantity, therefore If X can stand for anything or anybody, then nothing and nobody is excluded by it. Innovation Studio looks to serve as the "Studio" for individuals to iron out a business idea, develop that concept, and execute their plan - in the same way an artist imagines a piece of music, visual art, drama, and then has to develop it through consistent effort and focus. Only then is it brought out of the "studio". Innovation Studio looks to expand its free equity+innovation programming, such as its recent success in collaboration with the State of Rhode Island on the Small Business Tech Support Program to drive further economic development in the Gateway Cities of Massachusetts, and other communities in New England; explore partnerships to create and activate community spaces, in addition to offering creative storytelling studio space to increase innovation output. Over the years Innovation Studio has run 5,000+ program sessions, held 2800 office hour sessions, welcomed 250,000+ public lounge users and 265,000+ program attendees, and a social reach 67,000+. "Daniel's leadership came after joining as the Director of District Hall Boston in 2018. There is no doubt that his vision and passion for building Venture Cafe the past two years has been an integral part leading to the rebranding to Innovation Studio," said Mitch Tyson, Chair of the Board of Directors. "It has been an honor working alongside Daniel as he continues to redefine the organization's approach in support of its mission." Free programs and virtual events such as Innovation Studio's Pitch Nights, which are held four times a year, afford small business owners and budding entrepreneurs in Greater Boston the opportunity to compete for funding. Gaining momentum from #BlackoutTuesday, all of the Pitch Night winners since September 2019 have been 100% women and 90% BIPOC. According to a recent Forbes article, women-led businesses in general only receive less than 3% of venture capital funding. COVID-19 has complicated this challenge even further for women-owned businesses given the fact that they are more likely to start product and service-based businesses in areas such as food, fitness, beauty and retail all which have experienced a major downturn since the start of the pandemic. In addition to its membership in the Venture Cafe Global Institute (VCGI), Innovation Studio will continue its longstanding relationship with CIC (Cambridge Innovation Center) as its Founding Partner. Through this network of spaces within Venture Cafe Cambridge, District Hall Boston, Roxbury Innovation Center, District Hall Providence, and Venture Cafe Providence a variety of programming is available. These resources are not limited to helping entrepreneurs connect with key experts and resources, access to the fundamentals of starting and growing a business, sharing knowledge with the community, and launching successfully. We invite small businesses and entrepreneurs to join us for our virtual pitch night on September 29th at 5 p.m. EST. About Innovation Studio: Based in New England, Innovation Studio is an inclusive 501(c)(3) non-profit and the leader in offering free innovation services, through a constellation of virtual and physical community spaces. Innovation Studio has operated Venture Cafe Cambridge Thursday Gatherings since 2010, which began as an experiment by CIC(Cambridge Innovation Center) to connect innovators and entrepreneurs. In addition to our signature Thursday Gathering programming, we have operated community spaces such as District Hall Boston, which opened in 2013 as the world's first free-standing civic innovation center and public workspace, and the Roxbury Innovation Center, which opened in 2015 as a landmark project for the City of Boston and first urban innovation center with a mission to foster local economic development in the heart of Nubian Square. And since August 2019, Innovation Studio has operated Venture Cafe Providence and District Hall Providence, which was the result of a collaborative public-private partnership with the State of Rhode Island, Wexford Science & Technology and CIC, to create a gathering space and programming space to connect innovators to increase Rhode Island's innovation output. All of these spaces and programs will be run under the branding of Activated by Innovation Studio. About Daniel Enriquez Vidana Daniel Vidana is President and a Member of the Board of Directors for Innovation Studio overseeing the programs and spaces operating in Boston, Cambridge, and Providence. Daniel joined Innovation Studio formerly Venture Cafe New England in 2018 as Director of District Hall Boston and also led the Roxbury Innovation Center team since January 2019. Prior to that, Daniel served as Vice President of Program Operations for Boston based Cradles to Crayons, in addition to a successful supply chain operations career with Apple, Inc. Daniel brings a true passion for engaging diverse entrepreneurial communities along with thirty years of experience merging leadership, creativity, and business insight with solid non-profit, start-up consulting, and corporate organizations. Website : www.innovationstudio.org PR Contact : Innovation Studio Nikki Claudine Email: [email protected] SOURCE Innovation Studio Related Links http://www.innovationstudio.org DENVER/September 14, 2020 A genetic mutation might be the reason dogs with hypothyroidism are less likely to develop T-zone lymphoma (TZL). Thats the finding from Morris Animal Foundation-funded researchers at Colorado State University who tried to identify genetic risk factors for TZL using a genome-wide association study (GWAS) and subsequent targeted sequencing. They recently published their results in the journal BMC Genomics. Golden retrievers are predisposed to so many cancers, said Dr. Julia Labadie, Morris Animal Foundation epidemiologist, who conducted the study as part of her doctoral work. Any piece of the puzzle we can solve to help us understand why, can really help this breed. Of course, golden retrievers arent the only dogs getting this cancer, so what we learn has implications for all dogs at risk for TZL. The published study is a follow up to a 2019 publication from the same team that examined associations of environment and health history among golden retrievers with TZL. The team found that both hypothyroidism and omega-3 supplementation are associated with decreased risk of TZL and suggested a genetic predisposition for TZL. This gives us one more piece of information which we can add to future studies to ultimately help us understand why dogs get this and other cancers, said Dr. Janet Patterson-Kane, Morris Animal Foundation Chief Scientific Officer. With continued research, we are making progress toward the development of preventive measures, earlier diagnosis and successful treatments. The team used a subset of banked blood samples from the original study to look more closely for a genetic explanation for their initial findings. The samples used were from 95 dogs that were positive for TZL, 142 from dogs that possessed T-zone like cells that may have been precancerous, and 101 from a control group of dogs that were at least 9 years old and did not have the disease. Researchers extracted DNA from each sample and genotyped them to identify areas in the dogs chromosomes that were associated with having or not having the disease. One region of interest was found in chromosome 8, which has an association with thyroid hormone regulation. While variation in the genes associated with thyroid function has not yet been confirmed, identifying the region containing thyroid hormone genes in the genetic risk factor study as well as hypothyroidism in the environmental risk factor study strongly suggests that this area of the dogs genome is an important clue to the underlying causes of T-zone lymphoma. This study illustrates the value of combined genetic and environmental risk factor analysis, because identifying hypothyroidism in the environmental study, as well as a genetic region that governs thyroid function in the genetic study, highlights the importance of this part of the dog genome in this disease, said Dr. Anne Avery, Professor, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology at Colorado State University. The relevant genes may be the thyroid function genes themselves, or other genes in the region, but the strong evidence from the combined studies about the importance of this genetic region means that we can be confident that further focus on this area will be fruitful. The CSU team also found four variants on chromosome 14 that were associated with an increased risk of TZL. These same variants were previously found to be associated with risk for mast cell tumors among golden retrievers, which could suggest a shared mechanism underlying development of the two cancers. This unrelated study from the Broad Institute used similar genotyping methods. The CSU team didnt find that dogs with the chromosomal variants were likely to have both tumors, though. T-zone lymphoma is a slowly progressive form of the cancer that usually develops in older dogs, comprising about 12% of canine lymphoma cases. It is far more prevalent in golden retrievers than any other breed, with golden retrievers representing over 40% of all reported cases. Most of the golden retrievers in this studys control group were drawn from Morris Animal Foundations Canine Lifetime Health Project. This is a registry of dogs whose owners are interested in participating in clinical trials and other studies to improve canine health. Many of the dogs entered into the registry during the recruitment phase of Morris Animal Foundations Golden Retriever Lifetime Study, but were too old to participate in the Study at the time of their enrollment. About Morris Animal Foundation Morris Animal Foundations mission is to bridge science and resources to advance the health of animals. Founded by a veterinarian in 1948, we fund and conduct critical health studies for the benefit of all animals. Learn more at morrisanimalfoundation.org. South Korea aims to secure a supply of novel coronavirus vaccines for 30 million people, or 60% of its population, Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said on Tuesday. While authorities would like to inoculate the entire population of 52 million, uncertainty around any vaccine`s safety, efficacy and development was limiting South Korea`s investment, Chung told a cabinet meeting. Global vaccine makers are racing to develop an effective vaccine against the virus that has killed more than 925,000 people since it emerged in China late last year. Chung said the government would negotiate with relevant international organisations and vaccine makers to secure the supply and would buy more as developments unfolded. In August, South Korea said it planned to join the COVAX facility, a global novel coronavirus vaccine allocation plan co-led by the World Health Organization (WHO), which aims to help buy and fairly distribute the shots. South Korea will buy 20 million doses of vaccine from the COVAX scheme, enough for 10 million people, and 40 million doses from private drug-makers, health authorities said in a statement. The government has prepared 172 billion won ($146 million) to pay for vaccines, including $70 million for the 20 million doses from the COVAX facility. "We will prepare to secure the safest and proven-effective vaccines as of now to inoculate as many as possible," a Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) official, Kwon Jun-wook, told a briefing. South Korea has been one of the worlds coronavirus mitigation success stories, with an aggressive testing and tracing strategy, but it has nevertheless been battling persistent spikes in infections. The KDCA reported 106 new coronavirus cases as of Monday, bringing its total number of infections to 22,391 with 367 deaths. South Koreas SK Bioscience in July agreed to manufacture AstraZenecas experimental vaccine, which has shown promise, to help the British company build global supplies. Novavax Inc last month separately said SK Bioscience, a unit of SK Chemicals, would manufacture a component of the US drug developer`s experimental coronavirus vaccine in a bid to boost its supply. Supporters of Julian Assange say he should not be sent to the US (Getty) Wikileaks founder Julian Assange faces effective life imprisonment if convicted in the US, a British court has been told. Appearing by video leak to give evidence on Mr Assanges behalf at an extradition hearing at the Old Bailey in London, Eric Lewis said if the 49-year-old was found guilty of the charges he faces he could be sentenced to up to 175 years. We are looking at a sentence somewhere between 20 years, if everything goes brilliantly, to 175 years which the government could easily ask for, he said on Monday. Mr Lewis, a senior partner at DC law firm Lewis Baach Kaufmann Middlemiss in Washington DC, added: All signs point to a very long sentence, measured in many decades. Mr Assange has been charged with 18 counts in the US, most gravely of plotting to hack computers and conspiring to obtain and disclose national defence information. It is alleged he plotted with then army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning to crack a scrambled password to a classified US Department of Defence computer. Mr Assanges defence has claimed that his prosecution is politically motivated and his supporters say should be given the same protection as a journalist. Among the most notable of the information he and his organisation made public was video footage filmed in Iraq in 2007 that showed US helicopters attacking and killing a group of unarmed civilians, among them two Reuters employees, Namir Noor-Eldeen and Saeed Chmagh. A dozen people were killed. Ms Manning served seven years in jail between 20102017 after being charged with more than a dozen crimes, after leaking 750,000 classified, or unclassified but sensitive documents to WikiLeaks. She was originally sentenced to 35 years, but that was commuted by Barack Obama shortly before he left office. Mr Assange was arrested on April 11 last year at the Ecuadorean Embassy in London, after US prosecutors in the Eastern District of Virginia unsealed a criminal case against him, alleging he conspired with Ms Manning to commit computer intrusion. Story continues He was sentenced to 50 weeks in prison for breaching his bail conditions when he took refuge in the Ecuadorian Embassy in 2012 to avoid extradition to Sweden over sexual assault allegations, allegations he denied Mr Lewis claimed it had been assumed the Department of Justice would not prosecute Mr Assange, but that changed under the Trump administration. Mr Lewis suggested attorney general William Barr was directing from the top down from his office to the Eastern District of Virginia to be much tougher on leakers, including Mr Assange. He said the later addition of multiple espionage charges was an abuse of the federal law enforcement authority. It meant if convicted, Mr Assange would face an effective life sentence. Judge Vanessa Baraitser adjourned the case until Tuesday. Additional reporting by agencies Read more Julian Assange extradition hearing paused over fears lawyer exposed to coronavirus Julian Assange is not on trial for his personality but heres how the US government made you focus on it Julian Assange in court to face 18 new charges as he fights US extradition AllianceBlock TopTech AllianceBlock & TopJuan Tech Corporation partner up for globally compliant digital assets access in the Philippines AllianceBlock & TopJuan Tech Corporation partner up for globally compliant digital assets access in the Philippines Utrecht, The Netherlands, Sept. 15, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- AllianceBlock is excited to announce a strategic partnership with TopJuan Tech Corporation to fast-track the development of a globally compliant digital asset ecosystem in the Philippines. AllianceBlock is building a decentralized, blockchain-agnostic layer two protocol that automates the process of turning any digital asset, or crypto product, into bankable security with an internationally recognized Individual Securities Identification Number (ISIN). TopJuan Tech Corporation (TTC) is a financial technology company endorsed by the Central Bank of the Philippines (BSP) to incorporate as an E-money provider, remittance agent, and a virtual currency platform operator. TTC is an institutional gateway for digital banking and solutions for financial inclusion services. The TTC mobile application, Top Wallet, functions as a payment solution, digital asset wallet, and a partner gateway to the TTC ecosystem. Together, AllianceBlock and TTC are joining forces to usher in a new era of compliant digital asset access to the 106+ million Filipino population. Core to the partnership is the development of a regulated sandbox in the Philippines to facilitate the creation of a range of compliant crypto structured products. Our partnership will allow regulated access to the Philippines for AllianceBlock to fulfill the growing demand for access to compliant digital asset investments in the Philippines through the AllianceBlock Protocol, said TTC President Jose Clifford Ramos. AllianceBlock CEO Rachid Ajaja said, We are excited about our partnership with TTC and this real use case bridging decentralized and traditional finance. This is only the first step of our journey in the Philippines, and we look forward to providing in-depth liquidity solutions through our network and positive outcomes for Filipino capital market innovation and financial inclusion. Story continues About TopTech TopJuan Tech Corporation is a financial technology company that provides B2B and B2C financial services and solutions. TTCs suite of financial solutions provides the latest in digital banking technology for fiat and digital assets within a regulated framework. TTC is part of a group of companies with interests in security, financial consultancy, collection services, immigration, travel and leisure, logistics, and real estate. About AllianceBlock AllianceBlock is building the first globally compliant decentralized capital market. Incubated by three of Europes most prestigious incubators: Station F, L39, and Kickstart Innovation in Zurich, and led by a heavily experienced team of ex-JP Morgan, Barclays, BNP Paribas, Goldman Sachs investment bankers, and quants, AllianceBlock is on the path to disrupt the $100 trillion securities market with its state-of-the-art and globally compliant decentralized capital market. Related Links Website: www.allianceblock.io Telegram: https://t.me/allianceblock Discord: https://discord.gg/hF7AGgt Contact: Robert@thronepr.com Phone: +1.917.477.7881 By: KISS PR Story https://story.kisspr.com Attachment New Delhi: German auto giant Volkswagen has set sight on providing over four lakh new energy cars for the Chinese market by 2020 to address its environmental protection needs, a top official said today. The number will increase to 1.5 million by 2025, Professor Jochem Heizmann, CEO of Volkswagen Group China, was quoted as saying by state-run Xinhua news agency. The company announced earlier that it would introduce 15 models of new energy vehicles in China in the next three or four years, to address the environmental protection needs of the Chinese market, as well as 10 models worldwide in the next decade. New energy vehicles sales of the company are expected to reach 2 million to 3 million in 2025, 20 to 25 percent of its total sales. China is Volkswagen's largest market. Volkswagen Group China and its two joint ventures delivered 3.98 million automobiles to the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong in 2016, up 12.2 per cent year on year. For all the Latest Business News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. As a goodwill gesture, Bangladesh government has allowed export of 1450 Metric Tonnes of Padma Hilsa to India on the occasion of Durga Puja. The first consignment of quintessential Bengali delicacy - Padma Hilsa arrived in several fish markets of West Bengal on Tuesday (September 15). People thronged in huge numbers this morning to buy their favourite fish. The entire quantity of 1450 MT of Padma Hilsa will arrive in batches over a month and each fish will weigh approximately 1 kg or 1.2 kg. The prices will soar around Rs1,000 to Rs1,200. However, the first consignment of Hilsa was sold at Kolkatas fish markets at around Rs 1,400. Fish traders claimed that since this is the first batch the prices will gradually decrease. Since this is the first consignment that has arrived, the prices are a little higher. We are expecting a dip in the prices as we are told that the fish will arrive almost everyday till the first week of October. However, despite the high prices, people are still buying the Hilsa today, said Shiba Mondal, fish trader. Hilsa, a sea-water fish makes its way into the fresh waters traveling up to 1300-km during the mating season. This feature gives Padma Hilsa a distinct taste compared to Hilsa of other regions. Bangladesh also produces almost 75% worlds total Hilsa fish production. Last year, the Bangladesh Government allowed exports of 500 MTs of Padma Hilsa on the occasion of Durga puja. Bangladesh Government imposed a ban on export of Hilsa to India in 2012 after the West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee opposed the Teesta water sharing pact. Disney will likely postpone the release of Avengers spin-off Black Widow for the second time in another sign audiences are not yet comfortable sitting in movie theaters in the age of COVID-19. The original May release for the MCU flick was previously moved to October/November, and 'multiple individuals with knowledge of the situation' told Variety it will be delayed again. Several studios are avoiding releasing their big-budget tentpole pictures with delays happening for movies like Wonder Woman 1984, Greenland, Candyman, and Top Gun: Maverick. Ominous sign: Disney will likely postpone the release of Avengers spin-off Black Widow for the second time in another sign audiences are not yet comfortable sitting in movie theaters in the age of COVID-19 Around 70% of US cinemas have reopened, but movie theaters in big cities Los Angeles, New York City, and San Francisco remain closed. As of Tuesday, there have reportedly been 29.4M confirmed coronavirus cases globally (6.59M in the States), leading to 931K deaths. The report comes weeks after the two-time Oscar nominee Scarlett Johansson - who plays Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow - revealed the plot about the former KGB assassin will reflect the #MeToo movement. 'I think this film in particular is very much reflective of what's going on in regards to the Time's Up movement and the #MeToo movement,' the 35-year-old native New Yorker told Empire earlier this month. 'It would be such a miss if we didn't address that stuff': The report comes weeks after the two-time Oscar nominee Scarlett Johansson - who plays Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow - revealed the plot about the former KGB assassin will reflect the #MeToo movement Sisters: Cate Shortland's feminist action flick - set after the events of Captain America: Civil War (2016) - also features Robert Downey Jr., Rachel Weisz, William Hurt, David Harbour, Ray Winstone, and Florence Pugh (L) 'It would be such a miss if we didn't address that stuff, if this film didn't take that head-on. I think, particularly for Cate [Shortland], it was so important for her to make a movie about women who are helping other women, who lift other women up out of a very difficulty situation. 'Someone asked me if Natasha was a feminist. Of course she is, it's obvious. It's kinda an asinine question.' Cate Shortland's feminist action flick - set after the events of Captain America: Civil War (2016) - also features Robert Downey Jr., Rachel Weisz, William Hurt, David Harbour, Ray Winstone, and Florence Pugh. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-16 05:10:13|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Photo taken on Sept. 15, 2020 shows the signing ceremony of normalization agreements between the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain with Israel at the White House in Washington, D.C., the United States. (Photo by Ting Shen/Xinhua) The signing also demonstrated that the Trump administration is eager to showcase its foreign policy achievement and gain support among pro-Israel evangelical Christians with the upcoming presidential election. WASHINGTON, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Israel signed agreements to normalize diplomatic ties with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain at the White House on Tuesday. U.S. President Donald Trump joined Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nahyan and Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani in signing the three-way agreements. The signing ceremony, which was held in the South Lawn at the White House, formally makes the UAE and Bahrain the third and the fourth Arab nation to establish diplomatic ties with Israel. Egypt and Jordan signed their peace deals with Israel in 1979 and 1994, respectively. The signing also demonstrated that the Trump administration is eager to showcase its foreign policy achievement and gain support among pro-Israel evangelical Christians with the upcoming presidential election. Trump touted the historical significance of the agreements by calling them "peace deals." Combo photo shows Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (M), the UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nahyan (R) and Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani attending their respective events on different occasions. (Xinhua) The UAE and Bahrain have never fought a war against Israel in history, and the unofficial relationship between Israel and the two Arab states have developed for years. Netanyahu hailed the normalization agreements as "a pivot of history" that heralds new dawn of peace, saying Israel, the UAE and Bahrain are eager to invest in a future of partnership, prosperity and peace. Bahrain's foreign minister noted that the agreement is an important first step, while emphasizing the two-state solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. "Today's agreement is an important first step and it is now incumbent on us to work urgently and actively to bring about the lasting peace and security our peoples deserve a just, comprehensive, and enduring two-state solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict will be the foundation, the bedrock of such peace," he said. The Tel Aviv Municipality Hall is illuminated with the colors of the national flag of the United Arab Emirates in the central Israeli city of Tel Aviv on Aug. 13, 2020. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. President Donald Trump announced separately on Thursday that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Israel have reached an agreement that establishes full diplomatic ties. (Gideon Markowicz/JINI via Xinhua) Sheikh Abdullah of the UAE in his remarks expressed thanks to Netanyahu for halting the annexation of Palestinian territories, calling it "a decision that reinforces our shared will to achieve a better future for generations to come." According to the Israel-UAE deal announced on Aug. 13, Israel agrees to suspend its plan to annex parts of the occupied Palestinian territories in the West Bank. The Palestinian leadership, which has long accused the Trump administration of being biased in favor of Israel, condemned the deals. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas called on all Arab countries to abide by the Arab Peace Initiative, launched in 2002, which stipulates that the Arabs can only normalize relations with Israel after the Palestinian issue is resolved. Joan Ortiz, the mother of 2-year-old Nikolette Rivera who was shot and killed last year, at a candlelight vigil held in her honor on Oct. 21, 2019. Read more Little Nikolette Rivera should be here with us for what would have been her third birthday on Friday. The bright-eyed baby with the big smile should be toddling around and enjoying a big slice of birthday cake. Yes, her mother still plans to have a cake and do something special in memory of her daughter. It will start at 2 p.m. in front of the house where Nikolette lived in the 3300 block of Water Street. The theme will be Coco, a 2017 Disney animated film about a little boy who visits the land of the dead and meets his great-great-grandfather. That movie is the reason why I have so much faith," Joan Ortiz, 25, told me last week. "There was a reason for that movie to be her favorite movie. Its about the land of the dead and the land of the living. That movie has helped my son understand. Whats been hard for her 5-year-old son so hard for many of us adults to understand is that Nikolette is gone and that she had to die the way she did. It happened nearly a year ago, on Oct. 20, 2019, after a carpet cleaner stopped by to clean a rug. I opened the door. I had her in my arms. He came in and told me that there was no parking in front of my house, so he wasnt going to be able to do it, she recalled. I was walking to let him out of the house when shots [rang out]. I didnt know what it was. It sounded like someone hitting something with a hammer. I saw him fly across the room. I reached down to help him, not realizing what was going on. When I bent down, I saw the bullet rip through my babys head," she said. READ MORE: Rifle that killed 2-year-old Nikolette Rivera in Kensington is recovered in Camden, officials say Arik Enatayev, the carpet cleaner, survived, but Nikolette was pronounced dead on the scene. Philadelphia police quickly arrested two suspects, Freddie Perez and Tayvon Thomas, who confessed, saying they had been targeting the babys father. Reporters, politicians, and community members contacted Ortiz, all wanting to help. Then almost everyone moved on, leaving her to comfort her son and her 1-year-old daughter by herself. Unable to work, she sells T-shirts with her daughters face on her Instagram page @nikolettsworld918. READ MORE: Mother recounts shooting of 2-year-old Nikolette Rivera as accused killer is held for trial In the beginning everybody was contacting me," Ortiz pointed out. "Once it isnt on the news, once the story isnt hot, people stop reaching out. So many leaders came out in the beginning but none after. She and I talked about that last week. Terry Starks, founder of the Express Urself Urban Crisis Response Center, put together a group call of people whose lives had been impacted by gun violence to discuss resources they needed but werent getting. He calls the fledgling grassroots organization the Philadelphia City Affairs Coalition. Its many mothers besides Joan thats dealing with the same issue," Starks said. Some of the women on the call promised to attend Ortizs remembrance to provide emotional support. Im glad because we need to do more to help victims of violent crimes. I cant imagine what shes going through and Im deeply concerned that in a city with as many resources for victims of crime that shes not more connected. Granted, Ortiz hasnt had the mental strength to optimize all of her options. Victim-support groups should be monitoring her to make sure that she is getting the resources that she needs, not just financially but in terms of emotional and mental health support, said Darin Toliver, a cofounder of Black Men at Penn School of Social Work. Who is there to help her get through these challenging times? Who is there, indeed? So far, Ortizs answer has been No one. " It shouldnt be. Maybe after being reminded of the tragedy, a social service organization will reach out to her. The price of the Sony PlayStation 5 has been a topic of debate for months now. And most of that is likely due to the fact that the launch is probably under two months away at this point and no one knows how much the console will cost. But, a new rumor suggests that Sony may price the PlayStation 5 in a way that beats out the price of the Xbox Series X. Microsoft officially announced the price of both consoles earlier this month. And has revealed that they will be launching on November 10. With next-gen Xbox pricing now out of the way, Sony has the floor all to itself. And it may finally be revealing the pricing tomorrow during the PlayStation showcase event. Advertisement Sony rumored to price the PlayStation 5 below $400 Early on rumors speculated that Sony may charge quite a premium for the PlayStation 5. With some suggesting that it may end up releasing at a cost of $599. This is what Sony charged for the PlayStation 3 the year that it was released. At least initially (It was eventually lowered). And while the console didnt bomb, sales were not good compared to the Xbox 360. And a far cry from the sales of the PlayStation and PlayStation 2. With that in mind it just seemed unlikely that the PlayStation 5 would be released at $600. It seems that the most recent reports agree. A report from Bloomberg notes that Sony could launch the console for under $400, specifically $399 for the digital version, while the disc version may end up costing $449. Advertisement That would put Sony right in the middle of this generations console costs. With its presumably more powerful disc version being $50 less than the Xbox Series X thats retailing for $499. Priced to sell Sony will doubtless have trouble selling the PlayStation 5. Whether it be during the first few months of launch or a couple of years down the road. But if the new pricing rumor is accurate itll certainly have a much easier time moving units off the shelf. With the new Xbox consoles and new 30 series cards from NVIDIA being priced fairly competitively, those who may not have purchased an early version of Sonys upcoming next-gen console may change their minds. Advertisement There are some exciting exclusive titles on the horizon for launch and beyond. And a lower entry point on the cost front will make it much easier to get into those games. Keep an eye out for Sonys PlayStation showcase tomorrow at 1PM PST for potential pricing and availability reveals. An Amnesty International billboard is shown along 12th Street, north of the Vine Expressway, in Philadelphia. The billboards were going up in several American cities to urge ICE to free detained immigrant families. Read more Billboards urging ICE to stop detaining immigrant families fleeing dangerous homelands and to free those already being held during the worst pandemic in a century have gone up in Philadelphia and other American cities. Amnesty International USA erected the signs as part of a campaign, launched Tuesday morning, that urges federal immigration authorities to use their discretion and release both parents and children an action theyve long declined to take and to end a crackdown on migrants seeking asylum in the United States. The local billboard stands on the north side of the Vine Expressway near 12th Street, about seven blocks from the Philadelphia office of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. It bears a stark, black-and-white image of a childs hands clutching a chain-link fence and the words We were searching for safety and they locked us away. Demand ICE free the families. Each link of chain in the picture bears the names of immigrant children and parents being held at one of the nations three family detention centers, two of them in Texas and the third in Berks County, Pa. The number of families detained at Berks can rise or fall dramatically depending on what occurs elsewhere in the immigration-enforcement system. Currently about eight families are being held at the center. Other billboards were going up in Texas, Virginia, and the Washington, D.C., area, directed at both ICE and its parent agency, the Department of Homeland Security. The federal government runs the largest immigration-detention system in the world, with ICE holding about 21,000 people in nearly 200 facilities across the country. Asked about the billboards, an ICE spokesperson said Tuesday that the agency respects peoples rights to peacefully voice their opinions. The Berks center is a safe and humane environment for families, subject to inspections by the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services and compliant with federal laws, mandates, and court orders, the spokesperson said. No resident or staff member there has tested positive for COVID-19, he said, due to staff health-and-safety efforts to lessen the risk of exposure to the virus. Amnesty spokesperson Mariya Parodi said the global human-rights advocate had several reasons for sending its message through an old-fashioned, low-tech medium. Amnesty already reaches supporters via texts, websites, and emails, but what we wanted to do with the billboards is also target the people responsible for these detention facilities offline. People like [acting Secretary of Homeland Security] Chad Wolf and [Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Director] Tony Pham, Parodi said. In addition to targeting states that have detention centers, we wanted those responsible for them to be physically confronted near their homes, their families, and their communities. The Philadelphia ICE office ranks among the most aggressive in the nation, arresting more undocumented immigrants without criminal convictions than any of the 23 other offices, according to an investigation published in 2018 by The Inquirer and ProPublica. The agencys North Eighth Street headquarters in Center City has been the regular site of protests and prayer vigils. The office commonly handles the detention of families sent to the Berks lockup in Leesport, about 75 miles northwest of Philadelphia. Formally known as the Berks County Residential Center, the 96-bed facility has long been assailed by critics as a baby jail and has faced multiple lawsuits seeking its closure. Amnesty International has condemned Berks and similar facilities as inhumane and expensive, saying they undermine our countrys long history as a beacon of hope for people seeking safety. Ciara Macmullen, a 16-year-old Amnesty activist who attends Owen J. Roberts High School in Pottstown, believes the billboards will make a difference. You cant miss them, she said. The more people that see it, the more people take action. This puts more pressure on ICE to release these families. Theres nothing stopping ICE but their disregard for the health of asylum-seekers and refugees. During September and October, she and other Amnesty members intend to call, write letters, and email ICE offices, and to place yard signs in front of their homes to demonstrate solidarity with detained families. The site of the Philadelphia billboard was chosen for its proximity to not only ICE but also to City Hall and historically important sites of freedom such as the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall. Another billboard was placed in San Antonio, about a mile from the ICE office responsible for the families detained in the South Texas Residential Center in Dilley and about five miles from the Karnes County Residential Center in Karnes City. Those two facilities are much larger than Berks, and generally hold a few hundred parents and children. Additional billboards have been posted on expressways leading to the Dilley and Karnes facilities. Trucks bearing artwork similar to the billboards are expected to soon drive past the White House, DHS and ICE headquarters, and the homes of Wolf and Pham. During the coronavirus pandemic, the U.S. government has at times offered to release detained children but generally not their parents, which advocates charge is merely a different form of family separation. Immigration authorities have the power to release both, and to monitor them while free, but have declined to do so. Kids belong with their families in safe homes and conditions, not locked away without their freedom for months or years on end, especially as a pandemic threatens their very lives, said Denise Bell, who researches refugee and migrant rights at Amnesty International USA. Were using the tool we all have at our disposal: shining a light on this dangerous injustice and letting detained families know that we will not give up. A judge has said it is "not within his pay grade to explore political agendas" after convicting a farmer for breaches of animal welfare regulations. Judge Seamus Hughes said there was a cross border "issue" to be dealt with in terms of combating alleged illegal activity in the farming sector after fining a man at Longford District Court for procuring five bottles of Imozol, a remedy which is used to treat redwater in cattle. Fifty-four-year-old Fred Wright, Barratogher, Rathowen, Co Westmeath pleaded guilty to three charges of breaching EC Regulations following incidents between May 18 and May 31. At a previous court sitting in June, Department of Agriculture veterinary surgeon Louis O'Riordan alleged there was an element of "don't look, don't find" within the sector to deal with alleged contraventions of illegal activity within the farming industry. At that sitting, Judge Hughes asked then Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed to attend today's hearing to answer questions and concerns raised by the Department official. A representative acting on behalf of sitting Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue was in court to hear the case's finalisation. A statement on behalf of the minister was read out revealing how Mr O'Riordan had been reassigned and how additional staff as well as resources were being assigned to the department's investigations division. In mitigation, Mr Wright's defence solicitor said his client had asked a friend he had met at a mart to travel to Enniskillen to purchase Imozol in an attempt to treat two of his 65 strong herd of cattle and avert an outbreak among his remaining stock. That came after it emerged Mr Wright had "googled" and found Imozol could be obtained north of the border on foot of bring told by a vet he would require a "certain amount of product" to rid his cattle of the infection. Upon treating the cattle with the Imozol obtained from Enniskillen, the court was told Mr Wright,after realising the error of his ways was forced to treat his herd twice more in adherence to existing legislation. It was also revealed Mr Wright faced having to plough and re-seed his farmland to ward off the infection. Judge Hughes imposed fines totalling 1250 on two of the charges while taking into consideration the third offence. He also awarded 1750 in costs against Mr Wright. Barber Anthony Fiore, owner of Caravelli's Barber Shop on Kings Hwy. in Haddonfield. CURT HUDSON / For the Inquirer Read more When a local businessman wanted to show his appreciation to essential workers during the coronavirus pandemic, he sought out Anthony Fiore, owner of Caravellis Barbershop in Haddonfield. He handed Fiore $5,000 with just one stipulation: It be used to fund free haircuts for essential workers. The donor insisted that he himself not be identified to recipients. And he wanted Fiore to be the sole judge of whod receive gratis services. All I can say is that he is a young, successful business person who said he helped other Haddonfield businesses as well, said Fiore of the donor. He kind of left it up to me and trusted I would do the right thing. The free cuts started on June 22, and the $5,000 has since been entirely dispensed, paying for free clips for doctors, nurses, firefighters, police, EMT workers, and supermarket employees, among others. It was quite a list of people, said Fiore. He waited until the money was exhausted before going public about the donors gift, he said, because he wanted the free haircuts to go to regular patrons of the barbershop. One of them is Phil Gatti, a nurse with the Veterans Administration in Philadelphia who lives in Haddonfield. When it was first mentioned to me, I was taken aback, Gatti said. It was really a nice gesture. So nice, in fact, that Gatti was skeptical when he was told it was on the house. I thought he was joking, said Gatti, who moved from New York six years ago and immediately became a customer at Caravellis Barbershop. It is always very friendly there, he said. Another regular, Fred Shindle, a nurse at Cooper University Hospital who lives in Mount Ephraim, was overwhelmed when he learned that his haircut was already paid for. I was kind of blown away, Shindle said. I do my job because I want to help others, and I am happy to do it. For somebody to go out of their way in return made me feel special. The pulse of Haddonfield and surrounding South Jersey communities can be taken at this barbershop, which was founded in 1902 (even though the pole in front of the shop dates only to 1947). Anthony Fiores father, Mike Fiore, purchased the place in 1998. Anthony Fiore hadnt originally intended to go into the business. After graduating from Rutgers University-Camden in 2003, he took an insurance job. I realized it wasnt for me, he said. My dad said, Go get your barbers license. Fiore, now 39, joined the shop in 2005, making him a fourth-generation barber, and bought the shop in 2012. His father still comes in and occasionally helps out. Fiore loves the barbering business because it puts him in contact with so many extraordinary people, many of whom he missed during the three months and three days his shop was closed because of COVID-19. Before the pandemic, Caravellis was a walk-in barbershop. Now, to ensure social distancing, appointments are needed, and Fiore has had to downsize from four work stations to three. (The best way to book a service is at caravellisbarbershop.com.) Business has slowly begun to pickup, he said. Some of the old faces are showing up, but generally people are waiting a longer time between haircuts because they arent going out as much, he said. So, much has changed but not the spirit that pervades the 118-year-old business. As happy customer Fred Shindle noted, You definitely feel the camaraderie. And that, said Fiore, is what he strives for at his barbershop. He wants everybody to feel at home, whether theyve received a free haircut or not. Golden Globe winner Drew Barrymore celebrated the premiere of her daytime talk show The Drew Barrymore Show by lighting the Empire State Building in Midtown Manhattan on Monday evening. 'How excited am I to see the Empire State Building light up in the Drew Barrymore Show signature yellow?' the 45-year-old host asked at the event. 'I'm freaking out!' Drew called the Big Apple publicity stunt a 'true New York moment' of her life and a 'memory to keep forever.' Ta-dah! Golden Globe winner Drew Barrymore celebrated the premiere of her daytime talk show The Drew Barrymore Show by lighting the Empire State Building in Midtown Manhattan on Monday evening Barrymore - turning up her own effervescent charm to the max - even pretended to embrace a statue of the 102-story Art Deco skyscraper inside the lobby. The former child star's syndicated CBS talk show had secretly been in the works for 13 months. Drew then took the elevator up 86 flights to the observation deck for a look at the incredible view of the city. Barrymore looked conservative in a yellow silk blouse tucked into a high-waisted grey midi-skirt and brown suede boots selected by stylist Lee Harris. The 45-year-old host said at the event: 'How excited am I to see the Empire State Building light up in the Drew Barrymore Show signature yellow? I'm freaking out!' 'It happened last night!' Drew called the Big Apple publicity stunt a 'true New York moment' of her life and a 'memory to keep forever' Excited: Barrymore - turning up her own effervescent charm to the max - even pretended to embrace a statue of the 102-story Art Deco skyscraper inside the lobby Freaking out! The former child star's syndicated CBS talk show had secretly been in the works for 13 months Hairstylist Daniel Howell coiffed the thrice-divorced mother-of-two's brunette waves and make-up artist Robin Fredriksz made sure she was ready for her close-up. Howell shared a cute behind-the-scenes snap of the trio wearing mandatory masks right before the cameras started rolling. As of Tuesday, there have reportedly been over 243K confirmed COVID-19 cases in New York City leading to 23,750 deaths. Drew's inaugural show featured interviews with her Charlie's Angels castmates Lucy Liu and Cameron Diaz, as well as her three-time onscreen leading man Adam Sandler. No more binocular tower viewers: Drew then took the elevator up 86 flights to the observation deck for a look at the incredible view of the city Appealing to housewives: Barrymore looked conservative in a yellow silk blouse tucked into a high-waisted grey midi-skirt and brown suede boots selected by stylist Lee Harris Peace! Hairstylist Daniel Howell coiffed the thrice-divorced mother-of-two's brunette waves and make-up artist Robin Fredriksz made sure she was ready for her close-up 'Today was a great day!' Howell (L) shared a cute behind-the-scenes snap of the trio wearing mandatory masks right before the cameras started rolling On Tuesday, Barrymore talked motherhood with Oscar winner Reese Witherspoon, played a game with comedian Billy Eichner, and learned how to make The Defined Dish foodie Alex Snodgrass' white bean soup. The Sherman Oaks native also has her hands full raising two daughters - Olive, turning 8 on September 26; and Frankie, 6 - from her four-year third marriage to art consultant Will Kopelman, which ended in 2016. In July, Saban Films secured the North American distribution rights to Jamie Babbit's comedy The Stand-In starring Drew, Ellie Kemper, Holland Taylor, T.J. Miller, Andrew Rannells, and Lena Dunham. Reunited: Drew's inaugural show featured interviews with her Charlie's Angels castmates Lucy Liu (M) and Cameron Diaz (R), as well as her three-time onscreen leading man Adam Sandler Ready for more? On Tuesday, Barrymore talked motherhood with Oscar winner Reese Witherspoon (pictured), played a game with comedian Billy Eichner, and learned how to make The Defined Dish foodie Alex Snodgrass' white bean soup New Delhi: Zee News has got access to the questions the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) asked actress Rhea Chakraborty during its three-day interrogation in a drug case linked to actor Sushant Singh Rajput's death. Rhea and Sushant were in a relationship. She was arrested last week in connection with the case. The below-mentioned questions were asked by the NCB officials on September 6, when Rhea was called for questioning for the first time. She was arrested on September 8. Rhea, tell us about yourself and your family Tell us your mobile number and since when are you using it Do you know Zaid Vilatra? If yes, tell us about him Do you know Kaizan? If yes, tell us about him Do you know Abdul Basit Parihar? If yes, tell us about him Do you know Samuel Miranda? If yes, tell us about him Do you know Dipesh Sawant? If yes, tell us about him How was your understanding with brother Showik? How much did you know about his personal life? Who introduced Showik to Sushant and why? Did you, your father, Shovik and Sushant used to take drugs like bud? Tell us about your Pavana trip which you did with Sushant many times. Tell us about the sequence of events there, like drug consumption Who used to buy and sell drugs? Who supplied drugs to you? Give us all the information When and how did you first meet Samuel Miranda? How many times have you visited Sushant's Capri Heights residence and how many times did you stay there? And what have you seen about drugs there? According to Samuel Miranda, you were looking after all the expenses at Sushant's flat. Explain it to us. If you say that Sushant Singh Rajput used to take drugs, then why did you arrange drugs for Sushant, why did you get involved in it? It has happened many times that you have also used your card to buy drugs. Explain it and tell your card details. Why had you fired Samuel Miranda from his job at Sushant's behest? In his statement, Samuel Miranda has said - He told you that Sushant's cook Ashok was buying cheap quality drugs at a higher price and then, you took it up Sushant. After which, you fired Ashok and took control on the purchase of drugs. Why did you take Showik along with you and Sushant to Goa, Ladakh, Delhi and Europe? Why did he join a week later, and why did he leave earlier? According to Showik's statement, you asked him to provide drugs to Sushant. What would you like to tell us What was your intention behind your chats with Showik and Samuel Miranda on April 15 to 17. In one of the chats, you asked Showik to give some money on his behalf to buy drugs as well. Why? Why did you ask Samuel Miranda to buy drugs from your card? Do you consume Bud, Hash and weed? According to your chats, you used to manage stock of drugs for Sushant. Explain it. On April 17, Samuel Miranda bought a consignment of weed through Zaid. He was asked by Showik to take it. Tell us about your bank account and your source of income Explain to us the contect of your chats with Showik from April 16 to April 17, 2020. How many times did Sushant consume drugs and how many times did you help him in getting the substance? On April 17, hash was purchased for Sushant. Showing you your chats about it. Can you explain it? On April 16 and 17, you asked Showik to find out about the drugs stock talk to Samuel Miranda and Dipesh Sawant about it and then arranged hash through Basit and Kaizan. And then when the drugs were delivered, Dipesh collected it on your request. Expand it in detail. Why did you agree for hash when Sushant only used to take bud and weed? Who gave the money to buy drugs and how - Cash, card or UPI? Have you ever seen Wasid taking drugs whenever he visited you? During Sushant's stay at your place in 2019, how many times was he provided drugs? Who purchased drugs for you and how did it reach your house? After returning from the Europe tour, Sushant stayed at your place and then moved to Waterstone resort and was then admitted to Hinduja Hospital. After his stay at the hospital, he came to your home. Was Sushant's family informed about it? During this time, drugs were delivered to your house. It has happened many times that Samuel Miranda took supply of drugs for Sushant at your home for Sushant. So why did you allow it to happen? In September and November 2019, drugs was supplied to Waterstone resort where you and Sushant were staying. Explain. Is it true that you and Sushant used to keep drugs joint in your respective cars? Do you know about Jaya Saha as your chats with her are regarding bud. Explain it Tell us about Jaya Saha, her email How many bank accounts do you have? How many debit and credit cards, how many email ids? How did you purchase drugs for Sushant? When you and Sushant came back to India from Europe trip, the car that came to pick you up at the airport had weed joints. They were consumed by Sushant on the way from the airport to your home. Explain it in detail. Why was Samuel Miranda coming to your home when Sushant was with you after the Europe tour? You started buying drugs with your brother Showik so that he can benefit in drug dealing? Why did Suryadeep Malhotra come to your house when Sushant was at your place? KJ aka Karamjit had delivered narcotics substances at a restaurant near your apartment. Then, the same substances were given to Showik by Samuel Miranda. Did you know about it? Did you allow your brother to do so and why? According to Dipesh, you knew about drugs supply and payments. Did you know Samuel Haokip, Neeraj Singh? What did they do at Sushant's home? Do you know Siddharth Pithani, Ayush Sharma, Anandi Dhawan, Rohini Iyer, Shruti Modi, Rajat Mewati, Sahil Sagar, Kesha and Ashok? What do you have to say about the use of drugs by Sushant and his friends? Do you know that Sushant used to organise his parties? what do you know about drugs consumption at the parties? Don't you know that it is illegal to buy and sell drugs? Is it anything that you want to tell the agency? Sushant was found dead at his apartment in Mumbai on June 14. Apart from Rhea, Showik, Samuel Miranda, Dipesh Sawant and a few drug peddlers have also been arrested. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (Agence France-Presse) Berlin Tue, September 15, 2020 07:00 493 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c44ccd2e 2 World lesbos-island,migrants,Greek,Germany,GermanyChancellorAngelaMerkel Free The German government said Monday it was in talks to take in families with children left homeless after a huge fire devastated the Moria migrant camp on the Greek island of Lesbos. Germany has already signed up to a European scheme to host unaccompanied minors from the camp, promising to take in around 150 of the 400 arrivals. Speaking to reporters in Berlin, Chancellor Angela Merkel's spokesman Steffen Seibert called the help for the minors "a first step" but said more needed to be done to alleviate the suffering of some 12,000 migrants sleeping rough since last week's blaze. "Talks are now ongoing in the federal government about how else Germany can help, what other substantial contribution our country can make," he said. A "second step" would focus on families with children from the camp, Seibert said, echoing earlier comments by Interior Minister Horst Seehofer. The spokesman declined to put a number on how many families Germany might take in. Germany's top-selling Bild daily, citing government sources, said Merkel was willing to welcome "hundreds of children and their families, perhaps even thousands". German media reported that a deal could be agreed as early as Wednesday, when Merkel holds her regular cabinet meeting. Foreign Minister Heiko Maas told a press conference he expected Germany's left-right coalition government to reach an agreement "in the next two days". Finance Minister and Vice Chancellor Olaf Scholz separately said that Germany, as the bloc's biggest country and economic powerhouse, "must take a substantial second step" when it comes to helping the Moria migrants and refugees. "I want to clearly convey... that we will come to an agreement," he said. He reiterated however that the European Union must finally come up with a joint response to the continent's migrant issues. Germans are still deeply polarised by Merkel's 2015 decision to keep the borders open to allow in hundreds of thousands of asylum seekers, and plans to take in more people from Moria are likely to stir debate. At the same time, a string of German cities and regions have said they are prepared to house migrants from Moria, piling pressure on the federal government to take further action. Seibert on Monday called the destruction of the Moria camp, in an apparent arson attack, a "humanitarian emergency, a one-off emergency situation". Lesbos is the main port of entry for arrivals in EU member state Greece because of its close proximity to Turkey. The Moria camp was several times over its official capacity, leaving residents living in dire conditions. New Delhi: Linking of the Aadhaar card most important being financial ones like filing of ITR, obtaining PAN card lets you access to several services in a hassle free and easy manner. In the above context, it is very important to know if your Aadhaar card number genuine one or not. By using Aadhaar Verify services, you can check if your Aadhaar or Aadhaar submitted to you is a genuine one or not. Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) says that resident are also using this service to verify the identity of their workers. Go to the following UIDAI official website. https://resident.uidai.gov.in/offlineaadhaar. Enter your Aadhaar Number or VID and mentioned Security Code in screen. Now click on Send OTP or Enter TOTP. The OTP will be sent to the registered Mobile Number for the given Aadhaar number or VID. If your Aadhaar Number is correct then a new page will open wherein you will get the message stating your Aadhaar number (For eg 1907XXXXXXXX). It will also state below your specifics like your name, state, age, gender etc. This is how you can verify your Aadhaar card number. It must be noted that registered mobile number is very essential to obtain online services related to Aadhaar. "You can verify your email address and mobile number that has been declared at the time of enrolment or during latest Aadhaar detail update. Registered Mobile Number is essential to avail Aadhaar Online services. In case your mobile number is not registered with your Aadhaar, visit the nearest Permanent Aadhaar Centre(PAC)," the UIDAI website says. That release could not be found. WASHINGTONMore than ever, Eric Harris is mindful of the elected officials around him: The school board members deciding whether his children will go back to the classroom, the sheriff influencing how officers interact with people like him, and the U.S. president steering the countrys coronavirus response. This year has given Harris lots of reasons to vote. And this year, he can. With three felonies on his record, the 41-year-old had been barred from voting in Iowa the last state that had permanently banned people convicted of felonies from voting without the governors approval until an executive order from Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds in early August changed that. It means a lot to me, Harris said. In every state except Maine and Vermont, people convicted of felonies are stripped of their voting rights while in prison. In most states, that ban extends to those on probation or parole, while some states have additional time and fee requirements, disenfranchising millions of people. Reynolds restored automatic voting rights to most people with felony records after they complete their sentence, including parole or probation; the exceptions are people with homicide convictions, who must file an application. Under the order, an estimated 60,000 additional people now are eligible to vote in the Hawkeye State. They join the ranks of hundreds of thousands of others with felony convictions who are newly eligible to vote in the general election this year. Since the 2016 election, Colorado, Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, Nevada, New Jersey, New York and Virginia also have implemented or expanded voting rights for some people convicted of felonies. The political stakes are up for debate. Roughly 630,000 people with felony convictions can vote this year in Florida, nearly six times the 113,000 vote-margin by which Donald Trump beat Hillary Clinton in the state. But research has shown that like other voters, people convicted of felonies who are registered dont necessarily vote. Still, groups ranging from liberal political organizations to the non-partisan League of Women Voters are working furiously to find these newly eligible voters as registration deadlines approach. But the pandemic is complicating in-person registration drives, as are the uncertainties around mail-in voting. And eight states explicitly require people with felony records to pay some form of court costs and fees before registering. In 2016, an estimated 6.1 million people, or 1 in 40 adults, were unable to vote because of a felony conviction, according to the Sentencing Project, a Washington, D.C.-based research and advocacy organization. The project found that Black people were the most likely to be disenfranchised: More than seven per cent of the adult African American population, or 1 in 13 people, could not vote because of a felony conviction. The burden of disenfranchisement falls on poor folks and people of colour. All of that skews our democracy, said Blair Bowie, who leads the Restore Your Vote project at the Campaign Legal Center, a Washington, D.C.-based non-profit that advocates for voting rights. Youre cutting out voices that are important. That makes it harder for our government to reflect the will of the people. Voting rights advocates consider Reynolds order in Iowa a victory, but say the goal is to make the voting rights part of the states constitution. Advocates also want to expand voting rights in every state to include people on probation and parole, people who havent paid court costs and people in prison. But ongoing legal disputes show how complicated the issue is. Veronica Fowler, communications director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa, feels the pressure. Shes glad for the governors executive order but cognizant of the ticking clock leading up to Election Day. Its a heavy lift. There isnt a lot of time, Fowler said of getting people registered to vote. This population is especially challenging to reach out to and motivate, she said. If you have been recently incarcerated, you have a lot going on in your life. The Iowa Department of Corrections has started including a handout in discharge packets that explains the terms of the governors order, according to spokesperson Cord Overton. But to reach those who are already out of prison, the ACLU is relying on flyers, social media posts and word-of-mouth communication through people including Harris. In addition to working at a restaurant, he cooks part time at a homeless shelter. I know a lot of people who are disenfranchised. In Kentucky, an estimated 170,000 people with felony records were given voting rights in December under an order from Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear. As in Iowa, the order doesnt automatically apply to people convicted of certain violent offences. Grassroots advocacy organization Kentuckians for the Commonwealth has been working for years on expanding voting rights. Since Beshears order, and with the help of other organizations, it has put together a list of more than 60,000 names and contact information for people who now can register to vote. Although Debra Graner, 69, has been staying at home because of the pandemic, shes helping with texting outreach. The work is personal. She has a felony on her record and registered to vote as soon as she could after Beshears order. When I got my rights to vote back, I said, Look, there are other people who dont have a right. Its a core principle, she said. I have a voice, and I need to have it heard these days. National groups are helping too. The Campaign Legal Center has helped restore voting rights to nearly 10,000 people with felony convictions and trained 5,000 community leaders since it started the Restore Your Vote program three years ago, according to Bowie. Community leaders troubleshoot registration problems, often at the local registrar level. And when centre officials think a states law isnt right, they file lawsuits, Bowie said. The centre is one of the groups involved in the ongoing legal battle in Florida. In 2018, 65 per cent of Florida voters supported a constitutional amendment to give voting rights to people with felony records who had completed parole or probation, with the exception of those convicted of murder or sexual offences. But the GOP-controlled legislature last year passed a measure to require that restitution, fines and fees be paid before voting rights are restored. Over half of the estimated 1.4 million people convicted of felonies in the state have outstanding court costs or restitution, according to the Brennan Center for Justice at the New York University Law School. Lawsuits have ensued over the constitutionality of the law, which opponents liken to a poll tax. A federal judge in May found the requirement to be unconstitutional. But Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis appealed to the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which ruled in his favour. Voting rights groups asked the U.S. Supreme Court to weigh in; the court in July left in place the appeals courts order. The issue remained before the appeals court, which heard arguments in the case Aug. 18. On Sept. 11, the 11th Circuit determined that the fines and fees placed on felons are not a poll tax. Florida is known for close elections, and some political observers think a majority of the new voters would vote Democratic. But Sean Morales-Doyle, deputy director of voting rights and elections in the Brennan Centers Democracy Project, dismisses the notion that politics drive enfranchisement efforts. The decisions about who has the right to vote should never be based on an assessment of how we think someone is going to vote, he said. We should be for or against voting rights restoration because of the merits of the policy, not the politics. The parties to the lawsuit have agreed to expedite the case with the pending election. Meanwhile, Florida activists want to get as many people registered to vote as they can. The League of Women Voters of Florida is trying to reach residents on a list of about 68,000 people who dont have outstanding fines, according to the groups president, Patricia Brigham. Volunteers have called about 20,000 people and reached slightly more than 1,000 on the first try. Theyre going to keep running through the list, look into a texting option and start sending postcards, she said. All of the others are in limbo, Brigham said. They may not know if they have fines. There are some who cant afford it. You cant hold that against an American citizen when it comes to voting. Thats a modern-day poll tax. Its a form of voter suppression. Another group working on outreach is the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition, which has raised $4 million to cover fees and restitution costs that might keep people from voting. We will walk every step of the way with every one of the 1.4 million people, said Desmond Meade the groups president. We are here for them. Beyond the push toward the November elections, voting rights activists eventually want to extend voting to people on probation or parole and people in prison. Residents who are required to pay taxes, be good citizens, they should also have a role in determining who governs them, said Nicole Porter, advocacy director of state and local policy for the Sentencing Project. A referendum on the ballot in California in November would give parolees voting rights. Efforts are ongoing in other states, including Connecticut, where legislation proposed by Secretary of the State Denise Merrill, a Democrat, to extend voting rights to people on parole died this year. Denise will make the proposal again at the next legislative session, and as many times as is necessary until it passes, said Gabe Rosenberg, communications director. Gov. Ned Lamont, also a Democrat, has supported similar legislation. The city council in Washington, D.C., this summer passed emergency legislation to allow people convicted of a felony to vote while incarcerated and could approve a permanent measure. Indeed, research from the Sentencing Project shows that changes through executive action and legislation from 1997-2018 in 23 states restored voting rights to an estimated 1.4 million people. In 17 states, people convicted of felonies automatically are eligible to vote after being released from prison, according to the Brennan Center. In 17 others, voting rights are restored after prison, parole and probation. In 11 states, at least some people are permanently ineligible to vote under certain convictions without government-approved restoration. In three, voting rights are regained after prison and parole, and people on probation can vote. Hans von Spakovsky, a senior scholar at the Heritage Foundation and former member of the Federal Election Commission under President George W. Bush, in an interview criticized the executive order in Iowa, calling it harmful to victims. When you are sentenced for a felony, everything that you were ordered to do by a judge is part of that sentence, he said, including restitution. To restore the right to vote when you havent completed all of the terms of the sentence is fundamentally unfair. Von Spakovsky also said he thinks if voting rights are restored, the move should be done in conjunction with the restoration of other civil rights, such as being able to carry a gun, run for office or sit on a jury. If the state believes that your very important right to vote should be restored, why would all those other rights not be restored? he said. Some advocates take issue with executive orders like Iowas but for a different reason: They can easily be overturned by a new governor. Thats just what happened in Iowa: Reynolds restored rights this year after Republican Gov. Terry Branstad took them away in 2011. Branstad had reversed a 2005 order from Democratic Gov. Tom Vilsack that gave voting rights to people with felony convictions. Council Bluffs, Iowa, resident Jamie Achenbaugh, who finished probation two years ago for a felony conviction, hopes the legislature will consider passing an amendment that would make her voting rights permanent. Achenbaugh, 37, petitioned the governor for voting access earlier this year and was told she had to set up a payment plan for the $3,000 she owes in court costs. Under Reynolds executive order, shes able to vote again. Its the kind of thing you dont think about until you dont have that right, she said. It makes you feel like a part of society. The signature of normalisation agreements between Israel, the UAE and Bahrain this week will lead to further tensions in the region In historic scenes in Washington this week, the UAE and Bahrain signed normalisation agreements with Israel after US sponsorship. US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hailed the deals as a historic breakthrough, and those supporting normalisation say they will open the way to peace and prosperity in the Middle East. However, sceptics warn that the deals complicate matters for the Palestinians. The principle of peace for peace put forward in the agreements removes the incentive for Israeli governments to work for a just solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, they say. For bilateral relations between Israel, the UAE and Bahrain, this is a good day, but in terms of peace there is no conflict that is being resolved here, Chris Doyle, director of the Council for Arab-British Understanding (CAABU) in London, told Al-Ahram Weekly. What enthusiasts and sceptics do not disagree about is that the signing of the normalisation agreements between Israel, the UAE and Bahrain will change regional dynamics. States neighbouring Israel have expressed concerns over the move, with the foremost of them, Jordan, saying that necessary steps to achieve a just solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict should have come from Israel first. Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said in a statement that Israel should stop undermining the two-state solution in historic Palestine and end the illegal occupation of Palestinian land. For many Jordanians, the diminishing chances of a two-state solution based on UN Resolutions constitute an existential threat. Israeli officials have long repeated the idea of an alternative homeland for the Palestinians in countries in which they have taken refuge and population exchanges to protect the notion of a Jewish state. Jordan is not the only country in the region to be troubled by the shrinking chances of a solution based on two states, as Iran will be worried too. The US administration has not hidden its desire for the normalisation agreements to turn into a regional alliance against Iran. Although the UAE and Bahrain deny that their normalisation with Israel is related to the establishment of such an alliance, officials in Tehran are concerned. Contrary to the US-Israeli view that normalisation will help bring stability and prosperity to the region, Tehran believes that it will most likely exacerbate regional tensions. Among the agreements to be discussed between the UAE, Bahrain and Israel are ones related to security and intelligence cooperation. The normalisation deal also opens the door for the UAE to purchase advanced weapons from the US, including the F-35 fighter and EA-18G Growler electronic warfare aircraft. This also poses a challenge to Iran, which is strengthening its security and military cooperation with countries including Russia and China. Irans leaders have warned against targeting the country or encircling it with new alliances in the region, but the countrys options are limited. It is facing difficult economic conditions, an outbreak of the Covid-19, and mounting problems among its regional allies in Lebanon, Iraq and Syria. However, no one will be as worried by the normalisation agreements as the Palestinians. For Palestinians under Israeli occupation, who have long relied on Arab backing, the agreements are seen as a setback to their attempts to increase international pressure on Israel. Palestinian Prime Minister Mohamed Shtayyeh said that Tuesdays signature of the agreements in Washington was a black day and added to the calendar of Palestinian pain. The main question after these deals is: does it make it easier or harder to resolve the conflict between the Israelis and the Palestinians? I think it will possibly make it harder because the Israeli right-wing in power will see this as a get-out from ever having to make a genuine deal with the Palestinians. Israel now can enjoy the end of its diplomatic isolation in the region without paying any price, Doyle said. Trump and Netanyahu pushed hard for the signing of the agreements to ease pressure on Netanyahu at home and to help Trump in his re-election campaign. But there are few indications that their signing will change public opinion in America and Israel in the way they hoped for. We now have two historic peace agreements, with two Arab countries, which were established in one month, Netanyahu said at a cabinet meeting on Sunday before departing for the United States. We are at the threshold of a new era. But opinion polls in Israel indicate that the issue of normalisation with the Gulf states is not of central importance to Israeli voters. The vast majority are preoccupied with the resurgence of the new coronavirus, which has forced the authorities to impose a second national lockdown in Israel. Israeli academics and journalists such as Avi Shlaim, Gideon Levy, Amira Hass and Chemi Shalev, among others, say that Trump and Netanyahu have inflated the significance of the agreements to aggrandise themselves and draw attention away from their monumental failures in the battle against the coronavirus. Shalev called the deals a shameless propaganda ploy in the Israeli newspaper Haaretz. Nonetheless, the peace for peace doctrine is undeniably a diplomatic breakthrough for Netanyahu, others say. For Netanyahu, it is win-win. For Trump, it is win-win as he tries to look like a great deal-maker. He is definitely exaggerating what this means for the region, Doyle said. Many European diplomats fear that the peace for peace slogan might complicate their ability to continue policies based on the two-state solution, along with their refusal to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, Israels annexation of the Golan Heights, and its annexation of parts of the West Bank. The European Union has been on the side-lines since Trump came to office. The EU nations have a different approach to the Palestinian issue. Also, the EU has different views on Iran. These differences continue, but the EU is not in a position to change the reality on the ground in Palestine. Having said that, pressure from the EU clearly played a role in halting, for the moment, the Israel annexation of parts of the West Bank, Doyle said. Netanyahu, in trouble domestically, will continue to play up the normalisation deals. Trump sees the signing ceremony at the White House as a blow against the land for peace doctrine that was the starting point for earlier Arab-Israeli talks. He will also see them as a boost for his strategy of maximum pressure on Iran. But few Americans are likely to see the deals as something that concerns them. The focus of American voters is on the economy and the response to the coronavirus. Should Democratic Party candidate Joe Biden be elected president in the November elections to replace Trump, he will also not change all aspects of Trumps Middle East policy, Doyle said. Biden will not change the decision to move the US embassy to Jerusalem, but there will be changes in tune and approach. He will resort to traditional diplomacy and will open up talks with the Palestinian Authority, which of course does not talk to the Trump administration at the moment. Biden will also resume funding for a lot of UN programmes, including [the Palestinian refugee agency] UNRWA. But all that does not mean Biden will side completely with the Palestinians. He will try to navigate between both parties, but his record is very pro-Israel. *A version of this article appears in print in the 17 September, 2020 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly Search Keywords: Short link: Aerospace firm Chemring Group has said it expects profits to be at the upper end of its forecast after receiving higher orders for products in its sensors and information division. Chemring said the unit, which provides electronic warfare, counter explosive hazards, and biological detection technology, saw orders increase by a third in the ten months up to August 31. Just over 450million in orders was received by the Romsey-based business, a 4 per cent rise on last year. It now believes annual operating profits will be between 47million and 53million. Chemring received a $21million first delivery order for the US Department of Defense's Husky Mounted Detection System (pictured above), which helps to detect landmines It highlighted the strong performance of its Roke subsidiary 'in the national security domain,' which gained orders from the United States and elsewhere for the 'Resolve Light' Electronic Warfare system. Further progress was made in its US Sensors operations thanks to a $21million first delivery order for the US Department of Defense's Husky Mounted Detection System (HMDS), which helps to detect landmines. Chemring's chief executive Michael Ord remarked today: 'This has been a busy period in which the resilience of the Group has been demonstrated as we continue to make good progress despite the challenges presented by COVID-19. He added: 'We have good momentum as we near the end of FY20 and move into FY21 and, despite the near-term uncertainty that COVID-19 presents.' Chemring's equipment includes the 'Resolve Light' Electronic Warfare system and the Aerosol and Vapor Chemical Agent Detector, better known as AVCAD 'I remain confident that our leading technologies, deep long-term customer relationships and sole-source or market-leading positions mean Chemring's long-term prospects remain strong.' Chemring's trading update comes three months after it published its highly-impressive six-month interim results showing revenues had risen 37 per cent to 191million while statutory operating profits climbed more than 200 per cent compared to the same period in 2019. The company declared it had remained open for business despite issues arising from the Covid-19 pandemic and that its performance had exceeded expectations. Chemring said 'excellent progress' had been made in the Australian division due to the shipment of countermeasure machinery for the US's F-35 stealth fighter programme It borrowed at least 50million from the Covid Corporate Financing Facility that was introduced by the government in March to help enhance the liquidity of large firms. Other defence companies to borrow from the scheme include Meggitt, which provides parts for the Typhoon fighter jet and Rolls Royce, who manufacture military aircraft engines and reactor cores for submarines. The company also said its Energetics was 'performing well' and had augmented its position in the US space market by getting its devices to 'play critical roles' on two NASA missions; the latest Mars mission, and the Crew Dragon mission to the International Space Station. It added that 'excellent progress' had been made in the Australian division due to the shipment of countermeasure machinery for the US's F-35 stealth fighter programme. Aerospace business Rolls Royce revealed in June that 3,000 positions would go in the UK Countermeasure equipment covers material that is designed to protect planes and ships from missile threats. This includes infrared decoys, advanced flares, chaff radar technology and the Centurion missile system. Closer to home, Chemring said its UK business was 'meeting its manufacturing volume objectives and is now focused on driving improved operational efficiency.' The group has not announced any job cuts in the UK, unlike other defence businesses such as Rolls Royce, which revealed in June that 3,000 positions would go, and Meggitt, which confirmed 1,800 job losses in April. Shares in Chemring were up 3.6 per cent to 260p by late morning. Navalny allies claim symbolic win in Russian regional vote Official results are expected to be announced at the Central Elections Committee Monday Russia's political opposition Monday claimed a symbolic victory in regional elections that were dominated by pro-Kremlin candidates and marred by allegations of fraud. The vote was overshadowed by the alleged poisoning of opposition leader Alexei Navalny in the Siberian city of Tomsk during a trip to promote opposition candidates ahead of the ballot. Germany said Monday that lab tests in France and Sweden confirmed the Kremlin critic was attacked with a Novichok nerve agent in an incident French President Emmanuel Marcon described as "attempted murder" during a call with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The elections came a year ahead of a parliamentary ballot and were seen as a test for Putin as the ruling United Russia party faces sinking popularity and public anger over economic woes. Russians in dozens of the country's 85 regions voted from Friday to Sunday for governors and lawmakers in regional and city legislatures as well as in several by-elections for national MPs. Candidates from the ruling United Russia party that dominates the country's political landscape despite declining popularity claimed a majority of the seats. But Navalny's allies made unprecedented gains in highly anticipated city council votes in Siberian cities of Novosibirsk and Tomsk. In an effort to fight Putin's electoral machine, Navalny had urged voters back candidates against the ruling party. The 44-year-old lawyer and Kremlin critic was in Siberia promoting a "smart voting" campaign when he fell ill last month. His supporters believe the use of the banned chemical weapon shows that only the Russian state could be responsible. Putin on Monday condemned "unsubstantiated" accusations over Navalny's poisoning during a call with Macron and said Germany should hand over biological materials and coordinate with Russian doctors. Two allies of the opposition leader won parliament seats in Tomsk, the city where Navalny's allies say he drank tea that was laced with the nerve agent before a flight to Moscow. Story continues United Russia suffered heavy losses in the city of some 500,000, winning just 24.46 percent of the overall vote compared to 52.27 percent in 2015. - 'Big blow' to United Russia - Ksenia Fadeyeva, the 28-year-old head of Navalny's Tomsk office who won a city council seat, put her success down to the opposition leader's voting strategy saying, "we really campaigned under the Navalny brand". The result was "a big blow" to United Russia ahead of legislative elections of next year, she told AFP, and also disproved the myth that the opposition only has 2 or 3 percent support. "But the work continues. No time to rest yet," she said. In Russia's third-largest city of Novosibirsk, which Navalny also visited before the vote, his ally Sergei Boyko won a seat on the local council beating out a veteran Communist Party candidate. United Russia lost 11 seats and their majority on the city council securing 22 places out of 50, with Navalny-backed candidates picking up five spots. United Russia chairman Dmitry Medvedev, however, praised Sunday the party's electoral successes, saying that exit polls showed it was heading for victory. Of 18 regions that voted for governors, 12 elected candidates from United Russia and the remainder chose figures aligned with traditionally Kremlin-friendly opposition parties. Vote organisers said they held the ballot between Friday and Sunday to limit new coronavirus infections. But the opposition countered that the move was a ploy to make it easier for the results to be fabricated. The independent election monitor group Golos said it had registered ballot stuffing complaints and received a "stream of reports" that observers were barred from viewing documents and submitting complaints, with conflicts sometimes ending in "fisticuffs". Chairwoman of the Central Election Commission Ella Pamfilova however said Monday "there were no major violations" and that the vote had seen "fewer flaws than ever," according to the TASS news agency. bur-jbr/pma Map Project Image Project Organization Structure TOKYO, Sept 15, 2020 - (JCN Newswire) - Mitsubishi Corporation (MC) has announced today that its joint venture company with Surbana Jurong (SJ), "Mitbana Pte Ltd" (Mitbana), has formed a significant partnership with leading Indonesian property developer Sinar Mas Land (SML) to advance smart and sustainable Transit-Oriented Developments (TODs) in BSD City, Indonesia.BSD City, located in South Tangerang, Greater Jakarta, is SML's flagship town development that had started its development in the mid-1980s. Building on BSD City's track record, Mitbana will work with SML to transform over 100 hectares of greenfield land into TODs comprising residential units, commercial properties, living amenities and public transport nodes. This undertaking will enlarge BSD City's existing development footprint and expand on its current population of 200,000 residents.Drawing on best practices from Japan and Singapore, Mitbana aims to develop first-of-its-kind integrated TODs in Indonesia that will address major trends in today's urban development landscape including master planning in a post-pandemic world, and adoption of smart and sustainable technological solutions. The development also supports the Indonesian government's focus on infrastructure development in Jakarta, which will result in better connectivity for commuters and residents.The partnership is envisaged to harness the complementary expertise of all parties. Mitbana will leverage Mitsubishi Corporation's global experience in real estate developments including integrated developments and technology implementation in diversified industry as well as SJ's technical capabilities in master planning, urban, residential and industrial development. As one of Indonesia's largest and most established conglomerates, SML will offer its strong local knowledge and track record in growing BSD City.On the other note, MC has also signed a MOU with SML back in March 2020 in order to have a broader discussion for the strategic partnership with regards to town management and the implementation of the smart and digital solutions for overall BSD area of circa 6,000ha. This partnership between MC and SML aims to increase the value of BSD city by the implementation of the smart and digital solutions, such as AI/IoT platform, City portal, mobility and energy technologies etc. through the various business groups of MC.Source: Mitsubishi CorporationCopyright 2020 JCN Newswire . All rights reserved. Three children cheated death after a 13-year-old boy stole his stepfather's car for a 125mph nighttime joyride. A video shows Russian traffic police giving chase to the Toyota amry on the outskirts of Moscow. The high speed spin lasted around three hours before the vehicle crashed into a highway barrier at 5:30am. A 13-year-old took the keys to his father's car, leading police on a high-speed chase for around three hours, before finally crashing into a barrier on the motorway, wrecking the car (pictured) Schoolboy Lev, a go-karting fanatic, was the one to take the keys, and picked up two friends - girl Polina, 12, and boy Zakhar, 13. All three suffered injuries and required treatment in hospital, but miraculously survived the crash Schoolboy Lev, a go-karting fanatic, took the keys of the Toyota and picked up two friends, girl Polina, 12, and boy Zakhar, 13. Police tailed the trio after Lev refused to stop at a police checkpoint in Krasnogorsk. Officers said the Toyota's speed reached 200 kilometres an hour - or 125 mph - with the driver 'deftly' overtaking while well exceeding the speed limit. But Lev finally lost control, ramming a barrier on the busy Minsk highway, a motorway that runs between Moscow and Minsk in Belarus. He suffered multiple injuries but escaped the smoking car. Zakhar crashed through the windscreen but fortunately only suffered minor wounds, while Polina broke several ribs. All three required hospital treatment. One report said it was 'miraculous' the children had survived with the car severely damaged. Lev, 13, pictured in a go-kart. In a video shared of the chase, he can be seen weaving the car in and out of traffic while exceeding the speed limit as police give chase Lev took his father's car to pick up two friends - Polina, 12 (left) and Zakhar, 13 (right). Zakhar crashed through the windscreen but fortunately only suffered minor wounds, while Polina broke several ribs. And all three required hospital treatment The children's parents have not commented, but Zakhar's grandmother Irina said: 'The traffic police noticed them and gave chase. 'But how did they turn to be on the Minsk motorway? I don't know how they got there. I don't know. They were scared, they had to stop.' A spokesman for the Russian Investigative Committee said the action of the police in staging a high speed chase will be investigated amid fears it encouraged the teenage driver to go even faster. Lev, pictured on a quad-bike, refused to stop at a police checkpoint in Krasnogorsk, taking the police on a chase that lasted almost three hours 'One of the accident victims took his stepfather's car without his knowledge and called two of his friends to drive around Moscow,' the spokesman said. 'During the trip, due to a violation of traffic rules, the children's car was pursued by a crew of traffic police officers. 'The teenager lost control of the steering wheel and crashed into a barrier. A check will provide a legal assessment of the actions of the police officers.' The lockdown from March 25 to May 31 successfully controlled the aggressive progression of COVID-19 in India but there has been a steady rise in the number of cases in the post-lockdown phase, minister of state for health and family welfare Ashwini Choubey said on Tuesday. IMAGE: Bourbon road flyover wears a deserted kook during weekly lockdown in Kolkata. Photograph: ANI Photo However, 3,328 cases and 55 deaths per million population in the country are one of the lowest in the world, Choubey said, replying to a question in Rajya Sabha. He also said the health ministry followed a graded approach for expanding COVID-19 dedicated hospital infrastructure and enough beds are available for any contingency. "The lockdown from March 25 to May 31 successfully controlled the aggressive progression of COVID-19 in India. In the post-lockdown phase, cases have shown a steady increase," Choubey said. "Outbreaks of COVID-19 are still largely restricted to urban and peri-urban areas. However, there has been reporting from rural areas in the proximity of major cities," he said. To a question on whether the government is planning to increase intensive care beds and the capacity of hospitals in remote areas to cope with a large-scale outbreak of COVID-19, Choubey said the health ministry followed a graded approach for expanding COVID-19 dedicated hospital infrastructure. The states were advised to plan for the requisite number of isolation, oxygen supported and ICU beds based on the prevalent and expected case growth rate. the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare is also monitoring the COVID-19 hospital infrastructure, he said. As of now, there are enough beds available to face any contingency, he added. On the number of ICU beds and ventilators available and operational in different government-run hospitals in states and union territories, the minister said such details are not maintained centrally. According to the information provided by the states and UTs on the COVID-19 portal, there were 62,979 ICU beds and 32,862 ventilators available in the country as of September 14. The ministry has instructed the states that they may indicate the number of ventilators required so that the same can be supplied to them. "So far, 32,109 ventilators have been allocated to various states and a total of 20,916 ventilators have been installed at the facilities," Choubey said. A total amount of Rs 898.93 crore has been released from the PM Cares Fund towards the provision of ventilators. The ministry of health had placed an order for supply, installation and commissioning of 30,000 ICU ventilators from Bharat Electronics Limited, a public sector enterprise of the ministry of defence, he said. "All states are going to be equally benefitted as the ventilators are being allocated to states based on the numbers of case(s), the trend of pandemic and the requirement posed by them," he said. Sweden has recorded its fewest daily cases of Covid-19 since the pandemic's peak in March. The Scandinavian country, which was initially criticised for not implementing a lockdown, is now seeing significantly fewer cases than other European hotspots. Its rolling seven-day average stood at 108 on Tuesday, its lowest number since March 13. Sweden has recorded its fewest daily cases of Covid-19 since the pandemic's peak in March Stockholm, pictured in May when the rest of Europe was in the grips of lockdown, opted for a light approach Its seven-day average for coronavirus-related deaths is zero. Only 1.2 per cent of Sweden's 120,000 tests last week came back positive, date from their national health agency shows, according to The Guardian. Their 14-day accumulative total of new cases is 22.2 for every 100,000 inhabitants, compared to 279 in Spain, 158.5 in France, 118 in the Czech Republic, 77 in Belgium and 59 in the UK. All those countries imposed lockdowns in the grips of the pandemic in March but Sweden opted for a lighter approach which now appears to be paying off. It is even outperforming its Scandinavian neighbours, Norway and Denmark, suggesting their approach may have helped them in the long term. The Scandinavian country, which was initially criticised for not implementing a lockdown, is now seeing significantly fewer cases than other European hotspots Sweden kept open schools for children under 16, banned gatherings of more than 50 people and told over-70s and vulnerable groups to self-isolate. Shops, bars and restaurants stayed open throughout the pandemic and the wearing of masks has not been advised by the government. In Sweden, the death rate has been falling steadily since April despite a peak of cases in the summer - with the country's top epidemiologist saying that deaths can be kept low without drastic lockdown measures. France recorded its highest-ever spike in cases with more than 10,000 on Saturday, but deaths are nowhere near the mid-April peak and the country's PM says it must 'succeed in living with this virus' without going back into lockdown. Current infection rates in Europe according to the European Centre for Disease Control (ECDC), with Spain and France among the worst-affected countries in the recent rebound In the United States, cases surged to record levels in July and August after the first wave had receded - but death rates in summer hotspots such as Texas and Florida were well below those in New York City where the virus hit hardest in the spring. Cases reached their height in Sweden in the second half of June, when some days saw more than 1,000 infections - but the death toll continued to fall regardless. Sweden's state epidemiologist Anders Tegnell, who has become the face of the no-lockdown strategy, said in a recent interview that voluntary hygiene measures had been 'just as effective' as complete shutdowns. 'The rapidly declining cases we see in Sweden right now is another indication that you can get the number of cases down quite a lot in a country without having a complete lockdown,' he told Unherd. Tegnell added that 'deaths are not so closely connected to the amount of cases you have in a country', saying the death rate was more closely linked to whether older people are being infected and how well the health system can cope. 'Those things will influence mortality a lot more, I think, than the actual spread of the disease,' he said. Meanwhile, Swedish economic activity has started to pick up and the effects of the downturn look less severe than previously feared. Donald Trump on Tuesday hailed a peace accord his administration helped broker among Israel and two Arab states, calling it peace without blood all over the sand as he and Benjamin Netanyahu openly taunted Iranian leaders. As US Democratic leaders demanded to learn more about the peace agreements Israel has inked with the UAE and Bahrain, Mr Netanyahu said the Jewish State does not feel isolated within the chaotic region. It is the tyrants of Tehran who should feel isolated as Israel normalizes relations with its rivals. During a one-on-one meeting in the Oval Office with his counterpart from the UAE, Mr Trump appeared to warn Iran, calling the United Arab Emirates a great warring nation and saying again he would sell it the US-made F-25 fighter jet. In a lighter moment during their bilateral meeting, Mr Trump said even the hawkish Mr Netanyahu tires of conflict and war. The US president at times during the Oval Office sessions appeared to, almost all at once, issue warnings and court Palestinian leaders. If theyre not going to respect us, we're not going to be involved, he said, accusing the Palestinian side of not saying nice things about the United States. He sent a reminder that he stopped payment" on American aid to the Palestinians over such remarks. But a few moments later, he said weve been given very strong signals that Palestinian officials want to join the two pacts being signed at the White House on Tuesday. Mr Trump also said a lot of other Arab countries soon would sign their own pacts with the Jewish State. During a ceremony on the White Houses South Portico and Lawn, the leaders of the four countries hailed the agreements and suggested their mark a turning point for the entire region. But US Democrats and regional experts say a true chance at peace must include the Palestinians. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said she welcomes the agreements, but said Democrats need more detailsIt is critically important that we fully understand the agreements details regarding the announced freeze of efforts by Israel to annex portions of the West Bank," she said in a statement," adding: The House continues to support a real and lasting peace between Israel and the Palestinians which must, as House Resolution 326 states, expressly endorse a two-state solution as its objective and discourage steps by either side that would put a peaceful end to the conflict further out of reach, including unilateral annexation of territory or efforts to achieve Palestinian statehood status outside the framework of negotiations with Israel. As the Democratic-run House prepares to dig into the peace pacts, including one the US signed with all three countries, Mr Trump and the leaders of each were all smiles as they signed the so-called Abraham Accords. Rush Limbaugh told millions of his radio listeners to set aside any suggestion that climate change was the culprit for the frightening spate of wildfires ravaging California and the Pacific Northwest. Man-made global warming is not a scientific certainty; it cannot be proven, nor has it ever been, Mr. Limbaugh declared on his Friday show, disregarding the mountains of empirical evidence to the contrary. He then pivoted to a popular right-wing talking point: that policies meant to curtail climate change are, in fact, an assault on freedom. Environmentalist wackos Mr. Limbaughs phrase want man to be responsible for it because they want to control your behavior, the conservative host said on the show. He added that they want to convince you that your lifestyle choices are the reason why all these fires are firing up out on the Left Coast. Hours later, that message leapt to prime time on Fox News, where the host Tucker Carlson said those who blamed climate change for the fires were merely reciting a partisan talking point. US President Donald Trump in the White House, where the historic deal will be signed on Tuesday - AFP Israel, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates will today sign peace agreements in Washington, heralding a new era of friendship between wealthy Gulf nations and the Jewish state. Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, has flown to Washington to attend the ceremony in the White House, along with his Emirati and Bahraini counterparts. Donald Trump, the US president, who oversaw the negotiations, has hailed a historic breakthrough for his great friends in the region, which he hopes will enhance his foreign policy credentials ahead of elections in November. But other Middle Eastern countries, notably Iran and Turkey, have strongly condemned the agreement, which they believe spells disaster for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and could harm their own regional ambitions. Here we look at how the so-called Abraham Accord will change the Middle East, and who will emerge from the historic deal as the key winners and losers. Israel Israel is likely to emerge as the biggest winner of this deal, as it will help build a US-led alliance against Iran, strengthen security ties with wealthy new allies, and potentially save the career of the country's embattled prime minister. For starters, they unlock dozens of trade deals in aviation, tourism, and the countrys advanced tech industry, with direct flights due to start running from Tel Aviv to Abu Dhabi. The Abraham Accords should also improve Mr Netanyahus reputation at home, as he faces mass protests against his leadership, a lengthy corruption trial and a severe second wave of coronavirus. But more importantly, the prestige of securing peace with two Arab nations, following similar accords in the past with Egypt and Jordan, leaves Israel far less isolated in a hostile region. Israeli protesters take part in an anti-government demonstration outside the Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv - Jack Guez For some time now, Israel has cooperated on security issues with Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates, but largely under the radar. Now that security relationship can continue in public, with concerns about the growing regional influence of Iran being a key area of common ground. Story continues In a recent interview with the Telegraph, one former Israeli diplomat predicted that the peace deal could eventually lead to a Nato-like alliance being forged against Iran. United Arab Emirates and Bahrain A small, oil-rich nation in the Persian Gulf, the UAE has grand ambitions of becoming a key political power in the Middle East. This deal will lend credibility to that goal, but Emirati officials stress that they also secured a big concession from Israel in regard to the Palestinian issue. Earlier this year, Israel had announced it would annex up to 30 per cent of the West Bank, prompting a storm of criticism from Palestinians and world leaders, including Boris Johnson. But the UAE says it managed to convince Israel to postpone that move by several years, in return for a full diplomatic relationship and enhanced trade. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu , left, and King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa of Bahrain - AFP The Telegraph understands that Bahrain feels it also deserves credit for persuading Israel to postpone annexation, and that this was one of the main factors in bringing Gulf states to the negotiating table. Iranian influence is of particular concern for Bahrain, as until 1969 the regime claimed it was part of their territory. And while Bahrain has a Sunni Muslim leadership, there are fears that the populations Shia majority could be used as pawns by Iran to destabilise the country. The UAE also hopes that this deal will dispel the notion that its foreign policy is controlled by Saudi Arabia, which has said it is not ready to normalise relations with Israel. Analysts suspect, however, that the UAE sought Saudi Arabias permission in private before it took the bold and - in some quarters -controversial step of embracing Israel. It also appears, now the ink on the agreement is dry, that President Trump is willing to sell advanced F-35 fighter jets to the UAE, granting them a military prowess that could rival key ally Saudi Arabia. United States With the US election just a few weeks away, President Trump is looking for any opportunity to present himself as a genius in foreign policy. As the deal stands to hugely benefit Israel, it should go down well with the Republican Right and Mr Trumps base of evangelical Christians, who regard Israel as the guardian of the Holy Land. Last weeks joint announcement with Bahrain was the third time that the president has acted as peacemaker in the past month. In addition to the UAE accord in August, he also secured a deal between former Balkan foes Kosovo and Serbia, who have agreed to normalise their trading relationship. The gift of normalisation with Arab states will also deepen the presidents friendship with Mr Netanyahu, his most treasured security partner in the region, along with Saudi Arabias King Salman. And if that wasnt enough, the Abraham Accord has also led to Mr Trump being nominated for the Nobel peace prize. The Palestinian Authority One of the Palestinian leaderships strongest demands is that Arab peace with Israel should only take place after the creation of an independent, Palestinian state. By normalising ties with Israel now, both the UAE and Bahrain have upended that strategy and infuriated Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinians 84-year-old leader. The UAEs announcement in August and the subsequent Bahraini accord last week led to protests in the West Bank and Gaza, where the UAE's flag was burned and the leaders of both states were condemned. Pictures depicting U.S. President Donald Trump, Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are burnt by Palestinians during a protest against the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain's deal with Israel to normalise relations, in Gaza City - Reuters From the Palestinian perspective, Mr Trumps latest deal has undermined their negotiating position in the Arab world, with the UAE and Bahrain now signalling they want to take a completely different path to securing peace. There is already despair among Palestinians about ever securing their own state, especially after the annexation bid was announced at the start of the year. But while its leaders knew that they were unlikely to ever win over President Trump, the perceived loss of support from the UAE and Bahrain has wounded them deeply. For their part, both Gulf states insist that their support for the Palestinian cause remains as strong as ever, and point to the annexation delay as a key benefit for Palestinians which could only be delivered through talks with Israel. Iran Crippled by sanctions and a growing protest movement, Irans leaders must now contend with an emerging alliance of the United States, arch-enemy Israel and increasingly powerful Gulf nations. Iran has condemned the peace accords with Israel as an act of strategic stupidity. The rhetoric is strong, but it has not yet been followed by retaliation against the UAE, such as severing diplomatic ties. Irans leadership has always favoured peace and not tension, particularly with its neighbours, a senior Iranian official told Reuters news agency in August. We always act based on Irans national interests. Tehran will not take any aggressive measure as long as its interests are not endangered. Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkeys pugnacious president, likes to see himself as the main champion of the Palestinian cause, as reflected in his warm relationship with Ismail Haniyeh, the leader of the Hamas. So it came as no surprise when he too condemned the UAEs decision and threatened to recall his ambassador in Abu Dhabi. The deal, Mr Erdogan said, was a stab in the back for Palestinians, adding: "The move against Palestine is not a step that can be stomached. Turkeys relationship with the United States is less hostile than Irans, but there are severe tensions over the Nato members recent decision to buy Russian S-400 fighter jets. Now, as the United States, Israel, the UAE and Bahrain grow ever closer - with Saudi Arabia possibly set to formally join that alliance in the future - the Turkish leader may be feeling isolated. New Delhi, Sep 15 : The Supreme Court on Tuesday granted interim protection from arrest for three weeks to retired Punjab DGP Sumedh Singh Saini in connection with the 1991 kidnapping-murder case of Balwant Singh Multani. A bench comprising Justices Ashok Bhushan, R Subhash Reddy and MR Shah asked the Punjab government to file its reply on the anticipatory bail plea of Saini, while asking him to cooperate in the investigation. The bench issued notice on Saini's plea, returnable by three weeks. Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi, representing Saini, submitted before the bench that his client was a decorated police office and the Punjab government was after him since he had got filed two charge sheets naming present Chief Minister Amarinder Singh. Rohatgi said Saini had risen through the ranks, when Sikh militancy was raging in Punjab. Senior Advocate Siddharth Luthra, opposing Saini's bail plea, contended that Multani was picked up from his residence in SAS Nagar (adjoining Chandigarh) in 1991 and Rohatgi was attributing motives to a Judge who had declined to entertain Saini's bail plea in the case. Luthra pointed out that the Punjab and Haryana High Court had noted that former Director General of Police Saini had "misused" his powers. The bench asked what was the hurry in arresting the retired IPS officer in a 1991 case, after nearly 30 years. Luthra insisted that the court had noted that a person (Multani) had succumbed to injuries after inhuman treatment by Saini, and that even after his retirement, the accused officer had power to have some official files in his control. Senior Advocate KV Viswanathan, representing Multani's brother, argued that Saini was a "notorious police officer" and alleged that his client's brother was killed at the hands of the petitioner. The top court said that no arrest can take place before Punjab's reply is heard on the matter. The bench also gave one week thereafter to Saini to file his rejoinder. The case is likely to come up after three weeks. Multani, a Junior Engineer with Chandigarh Industrial and Tourism Corporation, was allegedly picked up by police in December 1991, after a terror attack on Saini (then SSP of Chandigarh) left three policemen dead. On September 7, the Punjab and Haryana High Court declined to entertain his anticipatory bail plea in the case. "In the light of the seriousness of offences that have come about, there being every likelihood of petitioner stifling fair investigations and trial and for which custodial interrogation of the petitioner is very much essential to piece together this unfortunate incident, necessitates dismissal of the instant bail application," the court had said. In May, Saini was booked at a police station in SAS Nagar (Mohali) along with six others in the case. In August, a murder charge was added after two of the accused policemen gave details of the crime. A trial court in SAS Nagar in Punjab had on September 12 issued an arrest warrant against Saini in the case and directed the police to present Saini before it by September 25. Earlier, the Punjab and Haryana High Court had dismissed the retired police officer's anticipatory bail plea, following which he moved the Supreme Court. Saini is also facing trial in a special CBI court in Delhi in the alleged abduction of automobile businessman Vinod Kumar, his brother-in-law Ashok Kumar, and their driver Mukhtiyar Singh. Photo: The Canadian Press Donald Trump is a "climate arsonist" bent on watching the country burn, his Democratic challenger said Monday as climate change and presidential politics collided on the campaign trail. Joe Biden chose to exploit Trump's contempt for the climate crisis on a day when the U.S. president was en route to California for an update on the deadly blazes ravaging tinder-dry parkland up and down the U.S. west coast. For Biden, the arrival of a category-1 hurricane churning in the Gulf of Mexico just off the Florida panhandle a queue of other tropical cyclones lining up in the Atlantic Ocean behind it couldn't have come at a better time. "Donald Trump's climate denial may not have caused these fires and record floods and record hurricanes, but if he gets a second term, these hellish events will continue to become more common, more devastating and more deadly," Biden said from his home state of Delaware. "If we give a climate arsonist four more years in the White House, why would anyone be surprised if we have more of America ablaze? If we give a climate denier four more years in the White House, why would anyone be surprised if more of America is under water?" Trump, who famously tried to blame California wildfires two years ago on the state's failure to conduct proper "raking and cleaning" of its forest floors, doubled down on that remark prior to Monday's briefing. Wildfires are also terrorizing residents of Oregon and Washington state. There are 60 firefighters from Quebec who are currently helping battle the North Complex fire in California, and federal officials in Ottawa say they don't anticipate sending more unless asked. But in an update on the fire Monday, Jake Cagle of the U.S. Forest Service sounded an anxious note. "We are getting stretched thin," Cagle said during his daily update. Smoke from the fires is already having an impact on the other side of the Canada-U.S. border, said Environment and Climate Change Minister Jonathan Wilkinson, who represents the riding of North Vancouver. "The air quality in Vancouver is as bad as any air quality in the world," Wilkinson said as some of his cabinet colleagues gathered in Ottawa for a two-day meeting prior to next week's throne speech. "It's an important lesson for all of us that we need to think forward about the crisis that looms on the horizon. And that is the crisis of climate change." The wildfires and the resulting smoke has at least helped to drive home the importance and the urgency of the climate crisis particularly in Canada, where the variations in seasonal temperatures can make people complacent, said Kyla Tienhaara, a School of Environmental Studies professor at Queen's University in Kingston, Ont. "In Canada, I think we've often felt sort of sheltered, not only in terms of time, like this is something that's going to happen in the future, but also in terms of our location," Tienhaara said. "If you're on the west coast of Canada right now where, for example, my family lives you're experiencing really terrible air quality." A catastrophic wildfire season in Australia just prior to the COVID-19 pandemic claimed at least 34 lives, destroyed nearly 6,000 buildings and razed more than 18 million hectares. In the end, the smoke claimed more lives than the flames did, Tienhaara said. For years, activists have struggled to convince people to make environmental concerns a priority, particularly in times of high unemployment or fiscal uncertainty, which invariably end up pulling public and policy focus. But the sheer scale of the fires, the fear of a coming historic barrage of hurricanes, the flooding that swamped the upper midwest last spring all of it appears to be adding up to a paradigm shift. "California's climate apocalypse," the Los Angeles Times declared Sunday in its banner front-page headline. "Fires, heat, air pollution: The calamity is no longer in the future it's here, now." Trump nodded politely as Gov. Gavin Newsom, who does not shy away from linking the fires to climate change, spelled out the scale of the disaster for the president on Monday. "The hots are getting hotter, dries are getting drier," said Newsom, who acknowledged the state has more to do when it comes to forest management. He also noted more than half of the state's forests are federally managed. "Something's happened to the plumbing of the world ... humbly, we submit that the science is in, and the observed evidence is self-evident that climate change is real, and that is exacerbating this." In an exchange with someone else at the table who blamed climate change, Trump pushed back: "It will start getting cooler," he said, eliciting chuckles from elsewhere in the group. "Just watch." When the official tried to point to scientific evidence, the president said: "I don't think science knows, actually." Biden sought to put the climate emergency on the same tier as the other three crises roiling the U.S. and the world: the pandemic, the ensuing economic collapse and the racial upheaval sparked in May by the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Trump, who also spent part of Monday bestowing honours on a group of National Guard pilots who rescued trapped residents from the wildfires last week, is likely to try to do the opposite, particularly given how much an economic recovery is likely to mean for his re-election chances. "The government has sort of taken advantage of the COVID crisis in order to try to push a gas-led recovery, which is catastrophic in environmental terms," Tienhaara said of the Australian aftermath. "I hope to God that they don't have anything catastrophic happen again this season, but you know, the timing is important because things do fade from people's memory very quickly, unfortunately, when they have so much to deal with." Advertisement Mr Miyagi from The Karate Kid, Professor Keating from Dead Poets Society, Dumbledore there have been many great on-screen teachers. Now an octopus joins their ranks, thanks to a new Netflix documentary My Octopus Teacher. Its a fascinating, beautifully scored and at times deeply moving account of how filmmaker Craig Foster formed a bond during daily swims with an octopus living in a kelp forest off the Cape of Storms in South Africa. And how the amazing creature went on to become, he told MailOnline Travel, his ultimate teacher changing how he relates to nature. New Netflix documentary My Octopus Teacher is an extraordinary account of a never-before-seen bond between filmmaker Craig Foster and a common octopus. This picture of Craig with the octopus was taken by his son, Tom Viewers will see the octopus star of My Octopus Teacher (pictured) exhibiting behaviour never recorded by science or on film In the documentary, before the octopuss lessons become apparent, we learn that Craig, 52, began free-diving without a wetsuit in the frigid kelp forest at the tip of Africa - part of the 800-mile long Great African Sea Forest - to re-energise himself after suffering burnout. And we then join him at the beginning of his friendship journey with an animal that he discovers day by day is truly remarkable. We'll see the creature cunningly riding the back of a shark thats hunting it, camouflaging itself almost magically with its surroundings and greeting Craig with the affection of a pet dog. We'll also behold the common octopus showing him things that have never been recorded by science or on film. How she uses tools to defend herself against attack and 'walks' - bipedally, tripedally, and quadrupedally - to navigate the seafloor. Craig first spotted the unusually curious octopus, pictured, in a calm 200-metre section of kelp forest an incredible place holding on to multiple shells in a bid to protect itself from an unseen predator She even displays what may be the first recorded case of play behaviour in wild cephalopods. He first spotted the unusually curious octopus in a calm 200-metre section of kelp forest an incredible place holding on to multiple shells in a bid to protect itself from an unseen predator. This ball of shells was such a strange sight that even nearby fish seemed bewildered by it. Then the octopus darted away - and Craig was mesmerised. He tracked the octopus to its den and says on the documentary shot over a full year - that he feels there is something to learn from this creature. And then he has this crazy idea 'what if I visit the octopus every day?' Craig revealed that the octopus showed definite signs that she recognised him Craig, who lives in Cape Town, described to MailOnline Travel the moment when he realised that the octopus was showing signs of friendship. He said: The big moment was when she comes out and makes herself completely vulnerable to me. Then you realise that she trusts a human and shes prepared to come out and go about her hunting and daily activity and thats a huge moment, because The Great African Sea Forest is just teeming with predators. These animals are very, very wary. When an animal knows you as an individual, knows you just like your cat or dog knows you and then trusts you because youve been there so many times its a huge moment that will always stay as one of my great memories. Craig revealed that on subsequent visits, the octopus would continue to show definite signs that she recognised him. He said: Octopuses spend most of their time in their den, because thats the safest place. They spend 80 to 90 per cent of their time there. And then they go out on their forays. In My Octopus Teacher we learn that Craig, 52, began free-diving without a wetsuit in the frigid kelp forest at the tip of Africa (pictured) - part of the 800-mile long Great African Sea Forest - to re-energise himself after suffering burnout What happens with octopuses is that when you come near them, they shrink back, but she was doing exactly the opposite. She would come out and her eyes would sort of come forward. And then shed often reach out to make contact. They have a whole body language and a skin language you can tell how theyre feeling. She would have a normal colour and she would just come out and approach me. It was very, very clear. Craig dived to the kelp forest partly to 'teach himself underwater tracking to the highest level possible' The father-of-one found that his daily swims rebooted his desire to film and take photographs again, but revealed that he never intended to make a film about The Great African Sea Forest no one is going to commission a film about a kelp forest, he said. However, then along came the encounter with the octopus, which proved to be irresistibly powerful. He continued: I decided to dive every day, not only to know her but to know the environment, to immerse myself in it and teach myself [underwater] tracking to the highest level I possibly could. There wasnt an initial intention to make a film at all. Filming was part of my learning process. I would go home every day and watch the material and draw maps the camera was used as a tool to understand the environment and to really embed myself in this wild place. And then only much later when extraordinary things started to unfold [did the documentary take shape] and you must realise that when youre going in every day, Im seeing many other species as well and having incredible encounters, with otters, with extraordinary exotic fish. The kelp forest is home to many types of shark, including great whites, but Craig, pictured here during filming, said that the drive to the coast is a bigger danger than apex marine predators Mistress of disguise: The octopus displays incredible shape-shifting abilities - her skin able to blend into any environment and even produce little horns Mollusc mentor: Craig explained that he didn't name the octopus as he didn't want her to become a curiosity or a pet - that she stood as a 'real teacher'. This is a behind-the-scenes image, taken in the kelp forest Was Craig worried about getting up close and personal with powerful predators during his swims, such as great white sharks? Not a bit. I have dived on a number of occasions with white sharks. Ive dived with five white sharks in open water and none of them threatened me at all Craig Foster They and other sharks - are the least of your worries, he explained. In your psyche, of course, especially in the beginning, youre a bit worried. But in real terms theyre the least of your worries. Driving to the dive site by car is far more dangerous. But what is a real danger is the Cape of Storms [also known as the Cape of Good Hope] its one of the wildest most powerful ocean areas on our planet. The danger you come up against, in fact, is diving through caves repeatedly, enormous waves crashing over rocks if you hit your head and get knocked unconscious, thats it. Thats the danger the big powerful ocean. When youre going every day, there are days when its very, very rough. The big predators are surprisingly wary of humans. I have dived on a number of occasions with white sharks. Ive dived with five white sharks in open water and none of them threatened me at all. Theyre not overly aggressive to humans, especially if you relax. They dont see humans as natural prey. When they scan us, humans dont come up as a prey item. Its a very rare and mysterious occurrence when somebody gets bitten by a shark. Craig said: 'We as human beings are completely part of nature, we are designed and made wild' MY AMAZING SWIM WITH CRAIG FOSTER IN THE KELP FOREST Deborah Calmeyer, founder and CEO of luxury holiday firm Roar Africa, swum with Craig in the kelp forests that My Octopus Teacher was filmed in and wrote in a blog about the experience that it was a 'big moment'. She says: 'My Octopus Teacher has to be seen to be believed. Southern Africa's kelp forest [is a] wonderland of abundance and biodiversity [that's] home to many creatures that are found nowhere else on earth. 'About 10 months ago I had the great fortune of not only meeting Craig for his work with seachangeproject.com, but going swimming with him in these very kelp forests. 'It was a big moment for me not least because I opted for no wetsuit as Craig does but because I had been following Craig's career for 20 years prior, from when he and his brother Damon spent three years living in the central Kalahari of Botswana filming the award-winning 'The Great Dance', a documentary about the role of hunting in Bushmen psyche and society. And how by reading the tracks of animals, hunters were drawn into an intimate relationship with the animal they were hunting. Also revealing how in the natural world, the bushmen were completely in it, versus us who are outside of it.' Advertisement After dozens of encounters with the unnamed octopus, the teacher-student relationship crystalised. Craig said: What was incredible was to realise oh my goodness, this animal is the ultimate teacher for me. 'I didnt name her because I didn't want to make her into a curiosity or a pet. She stands as a real teacher and Im proud of her. She taught me octopus language. She used her body to communicate how shes feeling, and how she used her body to communicate to predators to confuse them you see some of that in the film. 'And she allowed me to put my miniature octopus camera inside her den and we then discovered a number of new species, crustaceans, living inside her den. Then she taught me how she moves in the water in a way that doesnt disturb other animals. Very smooth. Moving in a way that you dont create pressure waves. That allows you to get close to other animals and not disturb them. In her case avoid animals. And what does Craig hope viewers will learn from the documentary? He said: Mostly, what I hope the viewers will get out of it... she taught me that we are inseparable from nature. 'We as human beings are completely part of nature, we are designed and made wild. 'We are still, just underneath our skin, completely connected to the wild environment. And we are totally reliant on the natural system for every single breath we take, for every mouthful of food we put in our stomachs. We are woven of the same thread. Were made of the same stuff. If the natural system suffers, we suffer. 'So its absolutely critical that if we want to stay on the planet as a species, that we get together and figure out how to regenerate that wild system thats keeping us alive every second. The trailer for the documentary, which won Best Feature at the 2020 EarthxFilm Festival, can be seen here www.netflix.com/za/title/81045007. The film is a collaboration between the Sea Change Project, Off the Fence Productions based in the Netherlands and Netflix. To learn more about the work of the Sea Change Project - 'a community of scientists, storytellers, journalists and filmmakers who are dedicated to the ocean' - visit stories.seachangeproject.com/my-octopus-teacher. To buy Craig Foster's book, Sea Change, which showcases his work and reveals the art of underwater tracking, visit seachangeproject.com/buy-book/. VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Sept. 14, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Almadex Minerals Ltd. ("Almadex" or the "Company") (TSX-V: DEX) is pleased to announce that it has optioned 60% of its Davis project and the adjoining Paradise Valley project (collectively, the Project) to Makara Mining Corp. (CSE: MAKA, the Optionee). Under the terms of the agreement, Optionee can acquire a 60% interest in the Project by: Paying Almadex US$25,000 on the Effective Date of the Agreement and assuming all underlying obligations in relation to the Project; Incurring not less than an aggregate US$250,000 in exploration expenditures on or before the 1st Anniversary Date, and incurring not less than an aggregate US$250,000 in exploration expenditures on or before each successive Anniversary Date and not less than an aggregate US$3,500,000 in exploration on or before the 5th Anniversary Date; and Issuing to Almadex an aggregate 3,500,000 Common Shares over the five year option period. Upon completion of the 60% earn-in, Almadex and the Optionee have agreed to form a 40/60 joint venture for the purpose of carrying out further exploration work on the Project with Optionee as operator and straight line dilution in the event of failure to participate in work programs. If either partys participating interest falls below 10%, their interest will be converted into a 2% net smelter returns royalty. J. Duane Poliquin, Chairman of Almadex, stated We have been accumulating mineral rights in the area of this Project for several years, and with this large cohesive and prospective package now in place we are excited to work with Makara to advance the exploration programs. About Almadex Almadex Minerals Ltd. is an exploration company that holds a large mineral portfolio consisting of projects and NSR royalties in Canada, the U.S., and Mexico. This portfolio is the direct result of over 35 years of prospecting and deal-making by Almadex's management team. The Company owns a number of portable diamond drill rigs, enabling it to conduct cost effective first pass exploration drilling in house. Story continues On behalf of the Board of Directors, J. Duane Poliquin J. Duane Poliquin Chairman Almadex Minerals Ltd. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release includes forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties. All statements within it, other than statements of historical fact, are to be considered forward looking. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include market prices, exploitation and exploration successes, permitting, continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market or business conditions. There can be no assurances that such statements will prove accurate and, therefore, readers are advised to rely on their own evaluation of such uncertainties. The Company does not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, other than as required pursuant to applicable securities laws. Contact Information: Almadex Minerals Ltd. Tel. 604.689.7644 Email: info@almadexminerals.com http://www.almadexminerals.com/ The meeting to resolve issues in investment agreement between China and the European Union. EU: We want an agreement, but only if it's worth it. The Union presses on respect for human rights. Chinese President: We don't accept lessons from Europeans. Brussels (AsiaNews) - There has been progress, but much still needs to be done in Sino-European relations. In short, this is the result of yesterdays virtual leaders summit between the European Union and Chinese President Xi Jinping. The meeting, the continuation of a previous one last June, was aimed primarily at smoothing out the differences that hinder the signing of a major investment agreement between the EU and China by the end of the year. Xi promised to increase food imports from the Union, which was appreciated by EU leaders, but the distance on issues such as the full opening of the Chinese market to European companies, an end to the forced transfer of technology imposed by Beijing on EU investors and socio-environmental sustainability remains wide. The EU is in favour of multilateralism, as is China, but wants it to be promoted in compliance with the rules. In short: The Chinese must guarantee equal treatment to European companies operating in China, reduce the weight of large state-owned enterprises and stop subsidizing exports. "The negotiations [for the signing of the investment agreement] have been going on for a considerable length of time," an EU official familiar with the dossier told AsiaNews. "Although there is an effort not only to speed up the negotiations, but to try to conclude them by the end of the year, it has been repeated at every level by the EU Commission that we will only agree to them if there is something worth having". The EU source notes that EU leaders believe China understands the importance of having an agreement with the Union, both to ensure that Chinese companies continue to access to the internal market, and because in the current geopolitical context they need to be clearly seen as capable of cooperating and engaging with Europe. With renewed insistence, compared to the past, the German chancellor Angela Merkel (current EU president), the president of the European Council Charles Michel and Ursula von der Leyen, head of the EU Commission, have been raising the issue of human rights in China. The European leaders said they were concerned about the Chinese authorities repression of Uyghurs in Xinjiang and Tibetans, calling for the admission of an international team the two regions; they condemned the treatment of Chinese human rights lawyers and journalists; they called for the release of Hong Kong editor Gui Minhai (of Swedish nationality) and two Canadian citizens, whose detention the Union considers arbitrary. On Hong Kong, European leaders demanded respect for the autonomy of the former British colony. Chinese media reports claim that Xi responded in kind to European complaints. The Beijing leader said that his country does not accept lessons on respect for human rights, and that the EU must look to its own internal affairs. A school in Lancaster County has closed temporarily after two people tested positive for COVID-19. Two people at Donegal Intermediate School tested positive for COVID-19, the district announced over the weekend. The Donegal School District said that two individuals in our DIS school community tested positive for COVID-19. The school district did not further identify the individuals but said that one of the individuals was present in multiple locations throughout the building. We have notified the Pennsylvania Department of Health and our local Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health contacts, the school district said in an announcement on its website. Individuals who may have been in close contact with the person testing positive have been notified and instructed to quarantine, following the Pennsylvania Department of Health guidelines. Donegal Intermediate School closed on Saturday and will be closed until Sunday, Sept. 20. Regular classes will resume virtually for all students at the school on Tuesday. Our thoughts are with these people, who are isolating at home, the school district said. To preserve each individuals right to privacy, no further details are able to be provided. Please know that the district is taking every possible step to mitigate the risk to our school community. More: Central Dauphin parents demand return to in-classroom instruction, say hybrid learning is not working Harrisburg High School student-athletes rally to save their fall season Middletown Area School District reports positive COVID-19 case Borsa Italiana non ha responsabilita per il contenuto del sito a cui sta per accedere e non ha responsabilita per le informazioni contenute. Accedendo a questo link, Borsa Italiana non intende sollecitare acquisti o offerte in alcun paese da parte di nessuno. Sarai automaticamente diretto al link in cinque secondi. Britain has issued new a travel advisory for China, warning that its nationals may be at risk of arbitrary detention, after several foreigners were held on various charges including cases involving state secrets and national security. Chinas authorities have under certain circumstances detained foreigners citing endangering national security, the British Foreign Office said in its latest advice posted on its website. There is also a risk of arbitrary detention, including of British Nationals, it said. British advice previously contained no reference to the risk of arbitrary detention. RELATED NEWS UK Government All Set to Ban Huawei From Its 5G Network in Major Policy U-turn A spokesman for the British embassy in Beijing said the advice had been updated to clearly and factually reflect recent incidents. But the level of our advice has not changed, the spokesman said. The British warning comes after several foreigners were detained in China on national security charges, including Canadians, Australians, Japanese and at least one American. Some of them remain in detention. In one of the latest high-profile cases, Cheng Lei, an Australian citizen and anchor on Chinese state television, was detained in August for carrying out criminal activities endangering Chinas national security, according to Chinas foreign ministry. Her detention follows a period of strained relations between China and Australia. With the COVID crisis passing the half-year mark, special districts are assessing the impact of new virtual services, adapting technologies and project schedules to cope with the new environment, and focusing on the staff impacts of long-term remote work.More than 200 special district officials joined the Special District Programs West Region Virtual Summit , which brought together special district leaders from across the western U.S. The Aug. 25 event featured speakers from special districts that provide public transportation, library services, water, electric power, and parks and recreation. Panelists offered a real-life look at how they are adapting to the post-COVID world.Virtual programs, events and meetings, and public hearings in some cases are reaching larger audiences than the in-person activities they are replacing, special district leaders say.For example, the Cordova Recreation & Park District in Sacramento, Calif., shifted traditional community planning events to virtual with impressive results.The district typically holds these meetings in person, where citizens can review park plans, choose various playground options and give other input.When COVID hit, the district developed digital versions featuring videos of architects and planners describing park features and showing design options.Citizens submitted their preferences online.We actually received the most input we have ever received, says Cady Nagy-Chow, marketing communications specialist for the district.The Meridian Library District in Idaho is seeing similar results. When COVID forced closure of traditional library services, the district experienced a 60 percent increase in demand for digital materials such as ebooks and streaming content, says Library Director Gretchen Caserotti, adding the district has reallocated funding to expand access to its digital collections.The library also repurposed idle equipment to help the community. 3D printers from the librarys maker-space were used to print plastic face shields and facilitys vehicles hit the road to deliver library materials to residents.Although districts werent planning for a global pandemic, many had existing resources that were repurposed to support the COVID response.At the Orange County Transportation Authority in southern California, an emergency operations plan developed and practiced well before the virus arrived proved invaluable when offices were shut down.We had spent a significant amount of time over the past five or six years really strengthening our continuity of operations and crisis planning, says Darrell E. Johnson, chief executive officer for the authority. We really thought at some point wed have to use it for a flood, a fire or an earthquake. We didnt think wed use the plan for a public health crisis.Johnson says drills conducted around operating without accessing the authoritys headquarters as well as a work-from-home pilot launched last year -- positioned the organization to transition 500 staff members to remote work.A big part of that shift was technology, of course, says Johnson, noting that about 100 staff members were issued tablet computers to support the move.But the bigger part of that was the drills and exercises that forced our people to do their jobs and interactions from a remote location.Another southern California transit district, the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transit District (LA Metro) is beefing up cybersecurity to protect remote workers and potentially using sensor networks to support social distancing in LA Metro rail cars.The latter initiative originally was conceived as a way to improve passenger convenience by using onboard sensors to alert riders when a rail car is full before they board. That information now can be used to support social distancing requirements.We can tell when certain rail cars are full or not full, and direct passengers to cars that are open, says LA Metro CIO Bryan Sastokas.And the Contra Costa Transportation Authority in Californias San Francisco Bay area took advantage of lighter traffic on a critical stretch of freeway to shave time and cost from an important construction project. The authority recently opened a new 25-mile express lane on Interstate 680, a busy north/south stretch of highway east of San Francisco, a full year earlier than planned.When a project is done early, you save taxpayers a lot of money, says Randell Iwasaki, executive director of the authority. This means our contractor doesnt need to be out there another year, and the taxpayers get the benefit of the lane a year earlier, which means your rate of return is that much greater. We were able to leverage a bad situation to our advantage.Leaders say theyre striving to support employees who are experiencing financial hardships, childcare struggles and mental health challenges due to COVID and the resulting economic downturn.Avoiding employee burnout and maintaining a sense of connection are two of the biggest worries as districts manage remote workforces.Its hard to stare at a monitor 10 hours a day without getting up and having some sort of physical engagement, says LA Metros Sastokas. When youre at home, you lose that cultural perspective of being part of an agency.He says the authority is offering more internal content designed to keep employees active and connected. Its also increasing educational programs for supervisors and staff.The Meridian Library District is adding new support for employees, as well. Caserotti says the library has begun to offer resources to help staff cope with isolation, stress, finances, childcare issues and other hardships.Were in a place today where were really needing to focus on healthcare and mental health because of the issues we know our staff are experiencing, she says. Weve been regularly surveying employees and giving them an opportunity to connect with HR or their supervisors confidentially if they need help.Multiple district leaders also emphasized the importance of clear and constant communication with staff even if they dont have all the answers.We keep pushing back the start date for return to work, says Johnson at the Orange County Transportation Authority. I keep telling employees, I dont know whats going to happen, but heres how Im approaching it, and Ill keep in touch with you every step of the way. Im doing that personally. I think thats important.To join us at an upcoming Virtual Summit, visit our event page to register The Wisconsin Supreme Court on Monday ruled against the Green Party's presidential candidate who wanted to get on the state's November ballot. The state's elections commission did not include the candidate, Howie Hawkins, and his running mate, Angela Walker, on the ballot due to discrepancies in their paperwork, and Wisconsin's top court ruled that Hawkins waited too long to challenge this decision. Had the court ruled in favor of Hawkins, tens of thousands of ballots that have been mailed to voters would have been invalidated. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, more voters are expected to mail in their ballots across the country, and Wisconsin election officials said they weren't sure if they would even be able to reprint more than one million ballots with Hawkins' name before the election. "Election chaos averted," Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul (D) said in a statement, adding that the ruling "helped safeguard the smooth functioning of the upcoming election." Robert Smith, a spokesman for Hawkins, said the court's decision set a "dangerous precedent where a major party can effectively decide which minor parties can participate in elections by conjuring up arbitrary requirements on the fly to remove its opposition." The Green Party's legal team has ties to the Republican Party, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports. More stories from theweek.com Japan's parliament elects Yoshihide Suga prime minister Trump says he'll be on Fox & Friends every week but host Steve Doocy doesn't agree to have him Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers, and Trevor Noah ponder why Trump superfans still trust him with their lives A 21-year-old theme park worker who fell almost 200 feet from the StarFlyer swing ride in Orlando, Florida, has died. Jacob David Kaminsky was conducting a routine safety check on Monday morning when he fell from halfway up the 450-foot-tall ride, advertised as the worlds tallest. According to local media reports, the ICON Park worker was taken to Orlando Regional Medical Centre shortly after 7.40am, where he was pronounced dead. Orange County officials named the victim on Monday afternoon, following notification of his next of kin. Its a shock. were saddened by it. Any time there is an injury or something of this nature, its extremely sad, said John Stine, ICONs director of sales and marketing, to Fox 35. He added: But we're holding up and supporting each other". The ride is now closed whilst authorities investigate the incident, said ICON Park officials. Ashley Gipson, a spokesperson for Orange County Fire Rescue, was reported to have said that "there are some discrepancies in how far the fall was. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the Orange County Sheriff's Office are conducting the investigation. The StarFlyer ride opened at the Orlando theme park in 2018, where it is billed as sky high safety combined with 450-feet thrills. Over 100 immigration pathways are available for economic-class immigrants to come to Canada. How to immigrate to Canada from Cameroon Over 100 immigration pathways are available for economic-class immigrants to come to Canada. How to immigrate to Canada from Cameroon Over 100 immigration pathways are available for economic-class immigrants to come to Canada. How to immigrate to Canada from Cameroon Over 100 immigration pathways are available for economic-class immigrants to come to Canada. Shelby Thevenot Aa Accessibility Font Style Serif Sans Font Size A A Pour lire cet article en francais, cliquez ici. Before the pandemic, the number of Canadian immigrants who came from Cameroon was growing every year. Between 2015 and 2019 the number of Cameroonian immigrants grew 45 per cent up to 2,950 new permanent residents. Coronavirus has affected these numbers significantly, as only 780 immigrants came to Canada from Cameroon by the end of the second quarter of 2020. Statistics Canada reports that in 2016 there were at least 10,265 Cameroonians in Canada. Cameroon was also one of the top birth countries of Black newcomers through economic-class immigration between 2011 and 2016. Find out if you are eligible for any Canadian immigration program With over 100 economic-class immigration programs to choose from it can be daunting to know where to start. Here are just some of the pathways to Canadian permanent residence that Cameroonians can take. Express Entry: The most common route Most economic-class immigrants get permanent residence through Express Entry. Express Entry is the system that manages the applications of the following three federal immigration programs: the Federal Skilled Worker Program, the Federal Skilled Trades Program, and the Canadian Experience Class. Eligible candidates are then given a score based on their work experience, education, age, and language proficiency in English or French. These points are commonly referred to as Express Entry points but they are officially called Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points. The maximum number of CRS points that a person can get is 1,200 but most people fall somewhere under 500 without a provincial nomination, which will be explained later. Canada then issues invitations called Invitations to Apply (ITAs) to the highest-scoring Express Entry candidates. Once they receive their ITA, candidates can apply for permanent residence. Provincial Nominee Programs: Tailored to immigrants who match regional labour market needs Though the federal government has the final say in who gets to immigrate to Canada, the provinces are able to vouch for certain candidates through their Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs). With the exception of Nunavut and Quebec, which has its own immigration program, all other Canadian provinces have a PNP. They may be enhanced programs where candidates need an Express Entry profile to qualify, or they may be base programs and deal directly with the provincial government. Enhanced PNPs can be an option for Express Entry candidates who have lower CRS scores. Express Entry candidates who get a provincial nomination automatically receive 600 extra CRS points and are effectively guaranteed to receive an ITA. Some PNPs, like Ontarios Human Capital Category, do not necessarily require candidates to be in Canada in order to receive the nomination but will ask that candidates have work experience in certain occupations that fill gaps in the labour market. Having French-language skills opens up doors to Canada The province of Quebec is primarily French-speaking and offers its own immigration program that is tailored for francophones and bilingual candidates with high French-language proficiency. Some PNPs also target French-speaking applicants, Ontarios French-Speaking Skilled Worker Stream, for example. Nova Scotia has also invited French-speaking candidates through its Labour Market Priorities Stream. Express Entry candidates can get up to 30 bonus points for speaking both English and French, even if French is your second language. Find out if you are eligible for any Canadian immigration program 2020 CIC News All Rights Reserved MONTREAL - Conservative Leader Erin OToole said following a meeting Monday with Quebec Premier Francois Legault that he supports the provinces right to pass legislation banning religious symbols and he wouldnt challenge it in court. Canada is facing a national unity crisis, OToole told reporters after his first in-person meeting with a premier since winning the leadership race in late August. The federal government, therefore, shouldnt be interfering with the independence of provincial legislatures, he said. We have a national unity crisis at the moment particularly in Western Canada and I did speak to the premier about that, OToole said. We need a government that respects provincial autonomy and provincial legislatures. OToole said he served in the military with practising Sikhs who wore turbans, and I understand its a difficult question. But as a leader, we have to respect the Constitution and the partnerships we have in Canada. Quebecs secularism law, commonly known as Bill 21, bans certain public sector workers from wearing religious symbols on the job. It is currently being contested before the courts and the federal Liberals have criticized the bill. OToole also said large, federally regulated companies such as banks as well as airports should be forced to adhere to Quebecs strict language laws. Quebecs minister for the French language recently signalled he plans to subject federal companies such as Via Rail to the provinces language law known as Bill 101 which would require them to operate in French. I told (Legault) personally I think large federal institutions should respect the French-language provisions in Quebec, OToole said. I think its a question of respect and I understand the priority of protecting a language, culture and identity. OToole said much of the discussion with Legault centred on relaunching the countrys economy following the COVID-19 pandemic induced shutdowns. That included what he termed a frank discussion on pipelines which the Quebec government is opposed to building on its territory. Legault said last year there is no social acceptability for an additional oil pipeline in the province. In 2017, TransCanada abandoned the cross-Canada pipeline dubbed Energy East after protests in Quebec and after changes to the environmental assessment process. The Conservative leader said he spoke with Legault of the importance of pipelines in Western Canada, acknowledging that Energy East is not on the table but that the two men did discuss a proposed liquefied natural gas project in Quebecs Saguenay region. There are projects that will help us get a better price for Canadian resources, OToole said. This is a resource that is important to our national interest, wed better get the best world price we can. We had a good, frank conversation and he knows my priority is to get Canadian goods to market and the pipelines will help do that. OToole also said it was important for him to hold his first meeting in Quebec the Conservative leader was born in Montreal and has high hopes for increasing the Tory footprint in the province. Weve got a great caucus from Quebec right now, he said. I want to double or triple that caucus so were going to work very hard to earn the trust of Quebecers. Daniel Beland, director of the McGill Institute for the Study of Canada, said meeting with Legault first has important symbolism attached to it. Legaults Coalition Avenir Quebec party has strong support in rural and suburban Quebec the same pool of voters OToole will want to target, Beland said in an interview Monday. The big challenge, he added, will come from the Bloc Quebecois, who also draw from the nationalist voter pool who support Legaults party. Beland said tripling the number of MPs might be ambitious but it wouldnt be hard for OToole to do better than his predecessor, Andrew Scheer. Will it succeed? A lot will depend on whether Quebecers will want to bet again on the Bloc as the main opposition party to go after the Liberals or, if they dont like the Liberals, if they will be tempted by the Conservative message, Beland said. The Conservatives can do better in Quebec and especially outside Quebec City, which is their stronghold. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 14, 2020. Note to readers: This is a corrected story. A previous version said OToole supports Quebecs ban on religious symbols; what he supports is the provinces right to legislate on the issue. Read more about: Ambassador Branstad to leave Beijing, fails to soothe strained China-US ties Global Times By Zhang Han and Zhang Hui Source: Global Times Published: 2020/9/14 19:00:51 The US Embassy to China on Monday confirmed to the Global Times that Ambassador Terry Branstad will retire and leave Beijing in October after three years as the US envoy to China, when China-US relations underwent unprecedented tensions and confrontations. Chinese analysts said Branstad's departure shows that despite his personal intention to soothe tensions, he failed to repair the increasingly rocky ties. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo thanked Branstad for his contributions on Monday on Twitter, saying Branstad was chosen for his decades-long experience dealing with China, which made him the best person to "represent the Administration, and to defend American interests and ideals in this important relationship." The US Embassy to China confirmed with the Global Times on Monday via an email that Branstad would retire. At an embassy internal event, the ambassador said he was "proudest of our work in getting the Phase One trade deal." "We have made significant progress and we will not stop pressing for more," the embassy's email said. Branstad also noted that during his tenure, he visited 26 Chinese provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions, and would have visited all of them if it were not for the coronavirus. Branstad confirmed his decision with President Donal Trump last week. Chinese analysts believe as the move is a personal protest against the Trump administration's China strategy that frustrated him because he wanted to repair and push forward bilateral ties. One of the most recent interactions he had with China was an article in his name being rejected by the People's Daily, which found the article "seriously inconsistent with the facts." The rejection was hyped by Pompeo, who maliciously attacked Chinese media organizations. Analysts said the article was more likely sent upon orders from the US government, and Branstad did not want to be manipulated by hawkish politicians like Pompeo, or be the scapegoat of the row. The article incident might be the blasting fuse of Branstad's retirement, analysts said. In August, Branstad visited Shanghai and met with Mayor Gong Zheng, discussing a range of economic and trade issues. The meeting drew wide attention as a sign of China and US exploring positive channels to communicate despite escalating disputes in trade, technology, diplomacy, and even education. Media reported that Branstad's home state of Iowa has close links with China. He reportedly had a long-term friendship with Chinese President Xi Jinping that dates back to 1985. Branstad was called "an old friend of China" by the Chinese Foreign Ministry when he was nominated in 2016. But analysts noted that as US ambassador, Branstad's personal connections with China could not help him overcome the broader trends that have been shaking China-US relations over the past years. When Washington uses a hawkish strategy toward China, he is at the forefront of all conflicts. A Chinese analyst who had talked to Branstad in person spoke highly of Branstad, calling him modest and mild, and respects the people and culture of the country he is stationed in. "My impression was he wanted to push forward exchanges of the two peoples and lubricate bilateral relations. But as the US government representative in China, the ambassador's words and activities are inevitably restrained by Washington," Li Haidong, a professor at the Institute of International Relations of the China Foreign Affairs University, told the Global Times on Monday. The unprecedentedly strained China-US relations also frustrated the ambassador, prompting him to seek another path in his political career, Li said, noting as an influential figure locally, it's possible that Branstad will run for senator or governor. Changing ambassadors amid bilateral difficulty and uncertainty suggests the US' passive attitude in this diplomatic relationship, Li said. Considering uncertainties in the bilateral relationship and the US election in November, it could take some time before his successor is chosen, Li said. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address A man who entered a medical clinic before pacing around a suburban shopping centre car park brandishing a large knife is recovering in hospital after he was shot by police following a lengthy stand-off in Melbourne's outer east. Police said two officers fired shots at the man about 9.10am on Tuesday after he refused to drop his weapon outside the shopping centre in Lilydale. Emergency services were called to the scene on Hutchinson Street about 8.30am, where officers tried to negotiate with the man. He had been seen earlier filling out a new patient form at the medical clinic. "The man did not back off from police after quite a period of negotiation, then rushed the police members, where I can say that a number of shots were fired by two separate police members," Victoria Police Deputy Commissioner Neil Paterson said. A recently fired Facebook data scientist wrote a lengthy memo detailing the tech giant's failures to stop election interference in countries around the world, per a BuzzFeed report. The employee, whose job was to find "inauthentic activity," wrote that the company was slow to take action against fake accounts used to manipulate political outcomes in nations including India, Ukraine, and Bolivia. Sophie Zhang wrote that Facebook instead prioritized its public image in choosing which fake networks to investigate, even if the "disproportionate impact" of real-world problems would go ignored. Facebook has long struggled to stop the spread of misinformation and election interference. Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. A recently fired Facebook employee wrote a memo on her last day at the company accusing the tech giant of routinely ignoring or otherwise not prioritizing fake accounts' efforts to manipulate elections and political climates around the world, according to a Monday BuzzFeed report. The 6,600-word memo was written by Sophie Zhang, a data scientist whose job at the company was to identify fake accounts attempting to manipulate political outcomes. The mid-level employee said she was tasked with exercising her own judgment without managerial support while choosing which crucial matters to prioritize that pertained to Iraq, Indonesia, Italy, India, El Salvador, and countless more nations. Zhang described a monumental workload that she said resulted in many such fake networks slipping through the cracks in what appears to be more evidence of Facebook struggling to stem the spread of misinformation and election interference on its platform. Facebook did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider. Zhang said she found a series of inauthentic accounts a term used to describe engagement on the site involving bot accounts used in an opposition campaign to promote Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. Zhang said in the memo that Facebook did not launch an investigation into the activity until more than a year after she first reported it. She also said it took the company nine months to take action on a coordinated inauthentic campaign to influence public opinion and promote Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez. Zhang said a similar pattern occurred in Bolivia and Ecuador. Story continues Overall, Zhang wrote that she and her team removed "10.5 million fake reactions and fans from high-profile politicians in Brazil and the US in the 2018 elections," according to BuzzFeed. She said she had "blood on my hands by now," blaming herself at least in part for some of the political strife that erupted in many of these nations. She described her role as highly stressful, a common characterization among content moderators for large tech firms. Zhang wrote in her memo that Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg prioritized networks concerning the US and Western Europe and that other nations took a back seat on the company's radar. Zhang described an indifference attributed to "slapdash and haphazard accidents" rather than malicious intent, per the report. She did say, however, that Facebook routinely prioritized the company's public image and "PR fires" over world issues, even if the "disproportionate impact" of those real-world problems would go ignored. She said, per the outlet, that a NATO researcher brought to Facebook's attention evidence of Russian inauthentic activity on a "high-profile US political figure that we didn't catch." It took that researcher saying they were planning on disclosing the evidence to Congress the next day for the company to prompt Zhang to investigate. She also wrote that to receive approval from higher-ups to investigate a matter, she would post about world issues in internal employee message boards to incentivize management. As BuzzFeed notes, the kinds of operations outlined in Zhang's memo are similar to one conducted by Russia in 2016 in an attempt to influence the outcome of that year's US presidential election. Read the original article on Business Insider Chemists, biologists and mathematicians from the University of Bath have received funding to monitor wastewater in cities in the UK and Africa, to provide an early warning of the potential spread of COVID-19. The majority of people infected with SARS-CoV-2- the virus that causes COVID-19 - are believed to shed the virus in their faces, even if they are asymptomatic, so sewage surveillance is widely seen as a promising way of rapidly identifying emerging disease hotspots before an outbreak spreads more widely. A new project will consider the challenges of monitoring wastewater in African cities including Lagos and Cape Town where sewage systems are typically informal and decentralized. The project, entitled Building an Early Warning System for community-wide infectious disease spread: SARS-Cov2 tracking in Africa via environment fingerprinting has received 436,000 from the Government via UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). It builds on Baths water science expertise and a similar UK-based wastewater monitoring project that began in July. The work will initially see researchers from Baths Centre for Sustainable and Circular Technologies, Water Innovation Research Group, the Milner Centre for Evolution and the Institute for Mathematical Innovation collaborate with colleagues from Stellenbosch University, South Africa, the University of Lagos, Nigeria, and other local partners to set up a monitoring system comprising regular sampling and analysis of wastewater to track RNA of SARS-Cov2. Professor Barbara Kasprzyk-Hordern, who is the overall project co-ordinator, says: The coronavirus has had an unprecedented global impact on humanity. Within weeks it disabled the functioning of whole countries and exposed global vulnerability to this natural disaster. It also exposed the acute inability to rapidly identify, contain and manage a virus due to the lack of an early warning system (EWS) focused on rapid identification of SARS-Cov2 hotspots and response. With this project, we are planning to introduce an EWS that will provide information on public health status and disease outbreaks in real time. Dr Temilola Oluseyi, of the University of Lagos Department of Chemistry, will lead the work in Nigeria. Lagos is the epicenter of COVID-19 in Nigeria, having an estimated population of over 20 million people with many residents living in slums and informal settlements scattered across the city. With EWS put in place in Lagos, timely intervention and evidence-based decision making will provide key recommendations that other developing countries can adopt in terms of preparedness for infectious disease outbreaks. We expect that the outcome of this research will assist the government and other organisations provide comprehensive interventions to improve the health and quality of life of the vulnerable population in developing countries." Dr Temilola Oluseyi, Department of Chemistry, University of Lagos The project will be led in South Africa by Prof Gideon Wolfaardt of Stellenbosch University. The work is one of 20 new COVID-19 projects announced by UKRI, funded through the Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) and the Newton Fund, focused on understanding and developing solutions to mitigate the short and long-term health, social and economic consequences of COVID-19 for some of the worlds most disadvantaged people. COVID-19 is demonstrating just how interconnected our world is and how our biggest challenges transcend rich and poor countries. To find lasting, sustainable solutions to the current pandemic and its aftermath, as well as to make us more resilient for the future, we require global thinking, the mobilization of global expertise and a global response. That is exactly what these new projects provide. Working together, researchers across the UK and the Global South are combining their knowledge and experience to develop innovative solutions to empower local communities to overcome the wide-ranging challenges created by COVID. Professor Andrew Thompson, UKRIs International Champion UKRI launched its Agile Covid-19 GCRF and Newton Fund call to address the urgent need to understand the specific challenges faced by some of the worlds poorest people in the face of this global crisis. These new awards build on the multidisciplinary partnerships formed through the two global funds over the past four years enabling rapid new partnerships between the international development research community, other academics, policy makers, governments and community groups across the UK and over 20 developing countries. The projects, totaling around 7.5 million, will be carried out over the next 18 months. The position of the speaker of Ukrainian delegation in Trilateral Contact Group (TCG) will be introduced, Deputy Prime Minister for Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories of Ukraine Oleksiy Reznikov said. "Earlier, if you remember how the Trilateral Contact Group worked, we knew little about its work, there were quite limited informational messages, and that's all. Therefore, a decision has been made, I will inform the respected studio about this, that now there is a selection, a post of the speaker of the Ukrainian delegation in Trilateral Contact Group will be introduced, whose task will be to focus all the signals, 'one voice' on behalf of Ukrainian delegation. This is the conclusion that we have made, and we will now improve," Reznikov said on air of the program "Svoboda Slova" (Freedom of Speech) on the ICTV channel on Monday, September 14. When asked about the statements of the deputy head of the Ukrainian delegation to the TCG, Vitold Fokin, Reznikov said that they had a conversation with Fokin, and he showed a draft interview where he said that "it is necessary to accept amnesty, except for those who have blood on their hands". "This 'respected' edition crossed out his full answer, and wrote as they wanted. Therefore, we had a serious conversation with Vitold Pavlovych, he honestly admitted that 'my friends, I have been retired for 25 years, I was out of the information field, I perceive the world a little differently". We drew conclusions from this. I will tell you for sure that all members of the Ukrainian delegation take a pro-Ukrainian position," Reznikov said. Earlier, Fokin said in an interview to the ezine strana.ua, "Many crimes were committed on both sides, which should ultimately be investigated, and let the perpetrators be punished. But today, in order to end the war and save life of fighters and commanders, my position is that it is necessary to declare a general amnesty, hold elections, resolve the issue of the special status of certain regions, and best of all, the whole Donbas." NEW YORK, Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Nearly two dozen A-list Hollywood celebrities have signed on to the call by Stop Hate for Profit, a coalition of civil rights organizations and advocacy groups, that was issued yesterday, asking a one-day moratorium from posting on Instagram in protest of Facebook's repeated failures to address hate speech and election disinformation on their platforms. Leading artists such as Sacha Baron Cohen, Katy Perry, Naomi Campbell, Jennifer Lawrence, Judd Apatow, Ashton Kutcher, Amy Schumer, Sarah Silverman, Jason Alexander, Kate Hudson, Jamie Foxx, Leonardo DiCaprio, Michael B. Jordan, Rosario Dawson, Ed Helmes, Isla Fisher, Mark Ruffalo, Kim Kardashian and Scooter Braun all have posted and shared the call for the Instagram Freeze issued by Stop Hate for Profit. And more are expected to sign on before the action begins on Wednesday. The total estimated reach of celebrity and organizational sharing of the campaign's messages on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter so far is nearly 524 million people and accounts. And that number is growing exponentially by the hour. Nonprofits and individuals are following the call and joining the freeze. Members of the Stop Hate for Profit coalition and its network of tens of thousands of supporters across the country are joining in a coordinated week of action on Instagram this week, demanding parent company Facebook take action to address hate, extremism, and disinformation on its platforms. This initiative follows a high profile action by Stop Hate for Profit earlier this summer when more than 1,200 businesses and nonprofits stopped advertising on Facebook for one month to protest the company's failure to address hate on the platform, a problem that still persists today. "We are overwhelmed by the outpouring of support for Stop Hate for Profit," said Jonathan A. Greenblatt, CEO of ADL, one of the civil rights groups spearheading the effort. "Public figures to ordinary people, society clearly is just as incensed as members of the civil rights community about Facebook's repeated failure to address the spread of hate speech and disinformation on their platforms." "It speaks volumes that there is now widespread concern about Facebook's complacency. The calls for Facebook to make meaningful changes to prevent the proliferation of hate and extremism on the platform are growing louder. It's time for Facebook to act," added Derrick Johnson, President and CEO of the NAACP. The actions include a one-day freeze on Instagram sharing and a series of posts over the subsequent days, calling out Facebook for its role in inciting violence, spreading racism and hate, and contributing to electoral disinformation. Members of the public, corporations, nonprofits and social influencers are expected to join in the effort. The week of action is the latest effort by the Stop Hate for Profit coalition, which was started by nine civil rights and advocacy organizations, including ADL, Color of Change, Common Sense, Free Press, LULAC, Mozilla, NAACP, National Hispanic Media Coalition (NHMC) and Sleeping Giants. The celebrities and influencers will demonstrate solidarity with #StopHateforProfit by freezing their Instagram account on Wednesday, Sept. 16. Throughout the week, the participants will post messages each day, focusing attention on Facebook's failures and highlighting a list of steps the social media giant could take to more proactively address hate. As we approach possibly the most consequential election in American history, the Stop Hate for Profit coalition is demanding that Facebook adopt the following changes: Racism, Violence and Hate Remove Facebook Groups and other specific content promoting white supremacy, militia, hate, and violent conspiracies; Increase resources focused on monitoring groups for hate speech and violence; Change platform policy to forbid any event page with a call to arms, as recommended by the Change the Terms coalition; and Commit 5% of their annual revenue to an independently administered fund to support initiatives, research and organizations doing the work to fight against racism, hate and division enabled in part by Facebook's inaction Election Protection and Misinformation Ensure accuracy in political and voting matters by eliminating the politician exemption; Remove misinformation related to voting that has been debunked by credible fact checkers; Prohibit calls to violence by politicians in any format. Learn more at https://www.stophateforprofit.org/ SOURCE Anti-Defamation League Related Links http://www.adl.org Courtesy photo /Bexar County Sheriffs Office A Bexar County sheriffs deputy was fired last week, accused of making an inappropriate comment on Facebook, the law enforcement agency said. Jackie Farmer was fired on Thursday after posting an offensive Facebook comment that incited violence, a Bexar County Sheriffs Office spokeswoman said. She noted the comment does not represent the views of the sheriffs office. California Criminal Defense Attorney Allen Sawyer The Law Offices of Allen Sawyer My client is relieved to serve the remainder of his sentence in a safe setting where he can also help his daughter with her homeschooling. Jim A. Meron had served about a third of his 33-month federal prison sentence for two counts of wire fraud (Case # 2:18-cr-00209-KJM) when Allen Sawyers efforts led Chief District Judge Kimberly J. Mueller to grant Merons compassionate release from incarceration and admittance to home confinement. As his criminal defense attorney, Sawyer informed the court that Meron, a cancer survivor who currently suffers from psoriasis, is required to take certain medications that act to suppress his immune system. In conjunction with the increased risk for contracting COVID that prisoners in communal settings face, argued Sawyer, Merons continued health issues further put him at risk not only for becoming infected with the coronavirus while incarcerated, but for suffering serious complications and severe illness. As a result, the court modified Merons sentence as having fulfilled his time in prison. Merons original sentence imposed 36 months of supervised release; this time will be fulfilled as home confinement with his wife in Granite Bay, CA. Were pleased with the courts decision, said Sawyer. My client is relieved to serve the remainder of his sentence in a safe setting where he can also help his daughter with her homeschooling. About California Criminal Defense Attorney Allen Sawyer Equipped with more than 20 years of experience as an attorney in Californiaincluding time spent as a prosecutorcriminal defense lawyer Allen Sawyer provides unparalleled defense to people charged with serious crimes throughout the state. With a focus on high profile cases that draw considerable media attention, Sawyer defends persons charged with serious crimes throughout California. His extensive legal experience and his impassioned commitment uniquely position him to provide criminal defense to clients in Stockton, Sacramento, San Francisco, Northern California, Los Angeles, and San Diego. Misdemeanors and felonies, Allen Sawyer litigates California criminal defense cases including, but not limited to, the following categories: The Law Offices of Allen Sawyer are located in Stockton, California. For more information, please directly contact Allen Sawyer at (209) 645-0556 or visit http://www.allensawyer.com. Press release writing by WebSiteText and Proofreading Services by The Proofreaders. There is currently no interest from airlines to introduce new services between the United States and Croatia after American Airlines announced earlier this year it was terminating its seasonal flights between Philadelphia and Dubrovnik after one season. Despite the success of the summer flights, the route was discontinued due to the coronavirus pandemic and an expected lack of demand for overseas leisure travel in the coming years from the US market. Last years service launch marked the resumption of scheduled nonstop flights between the United Stated and Croatia after more than 25 years. American carried 17.782 passengers during its four-month run to Dubrovnik, with an average cabin load factor of 83%. Speaking to the Dubrovnik Times, the head of the Croatian National Tourist Office in New York, Ina Rodin, said, We were very disappointed to find out that American Airlines had cancelled their seasonal direct flights from Philadelphia to Dubrovnik this year and for 2021. Airline companies were hit hard by the Covid-19 crisis, and in spite of government aid, their recovery will be long and difficult. As per my knowledge, at the moment, there is no interest from US carriers in direct flights from the States to Croatia. In my opinion, the initiative, as well as government support and subsidies, should come from us once things go back to normal. In the meantime, we should build and maintain good air connectivity with major European hubs to which Americans can fly to and catch a connecting flight to Croatia. After Covid-19 disrupted air travel across the world earlier this year, American Airlines initially scheduled the resumption of its Philadelphia to Dubrovnik service for June 2021 with the Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft, before shelving the route. The companys Vice President of Network Planning, Brian Znotins, said, A flight such as the one from Philadelphia to Dubrovnik saw a huge increase in traffic in recent years. Airlines ramped up flights to those types of destinations partially because traditional launching point airports in Europe and Asia were full. Until traffic recovers, international travellers will likely have to make a stop in London, Madrid, Rome or Milan before continuing on to Dubrovnik. Last May, the Croatian Minister for Tourism at the time, Gari Cappelli, said that nonstop services between the United States and Zagreb would likely commence during the 2020 summer season, noting the flights would most likely be seasonal from New York during their first year of operation, while year-round services could commence as early as the second year. New Jersey Hospital Cited for Failing to Protect Workers Amid Coronavirus Pandemic The hospital was cited for failing to test tight-fitting face piece respirators on employees required to use them, as well as failing to train employees on proper respirator use. Bergen New Bridge Medical Center in Paramus, New Jersey was cited by OSHA on September 11, 2020 for violation of respiratory protection standards during a specialized coronavirus inspection. The hospital was cited for failing to test tight-fitting face piece respirators on employees required to use them, as well as failing to train employees on proper respirator use. These two violations add up to a penalty of $9,639. Employers must take action to protect their employees during the pandemic, including implementing effective respiratory protection programs, said Lisa Levy, OSHA Hasbrouck Heights Area Office Director. OSHA standards require healthcare workers to be fit-tested to ensure the respirators they use provide adequate protection. Bergen New Bridge Medical Center is required to respond to the citations and penalties within 15 business days from receipt. Proper responses include compliance, requesting an informal conference with OSHAs area director or contest the findings before the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. Resources for those with questions about OSHA standards during the coronavirus pandemic can be found on the departments COVID-19 response webpage, or visit osha.gov. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has "no intention" of discussing peace with the Palestinians, opposition leader Yair Lapid told AFP ahead of the signing of landmark deals with the UAE and Bahrain. US President Donald Trump will host a ceremony on Tuesday at which Netanyahu will sign normalisation deals with the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, the first Israel has agreed with an Arab state since the 1990s. While centrist leader Lapid welcomed the Gulf deals, he argued Israel should also resume peace negotiations with the Palestinians. "The current government is saying we have achieved agreements with moderate Sunni countries without paying the price of negotiating with the Palestinians. What I say is it's not a price. It's an Israeli interest," he told AFP at his parliamentary office. The Palestinian leadership has slammed the Gulf deals for going against decades of consensus among Arab states that a Palestinian peace deal is a prerequisite for ties with Israel. Lapid, who heads the Yesh Atid party, criticised the Palestinians for waiting for the Arab world and the international community to "do the job for them". "They need to be proactive instead of victimising themselves forever, instead of complaining all the time," said Lapid, arguing the Palestinians' fundamental demands were unrealistic. Palestinians have called for an independent state based on the borders that existed before the Six-Day War of 1967, when Israel seized swathes of territory including east Jerusalem and the West Bank. They have also called for refugees displaced since the creation of Israel in 1948 to be allowed to return along with their descendants. "This is not going to work," said Lapid. "They need to go back to the table. We need to go back to the table." - 'Two-state solution' - The last round of peace talks dates back to the presidency of Barack Obama and collapsed in 2014. Story continues The Palestinians have broken off all contacts with the Trump administration in protest at its unabashed support for Israel. A controversial peace blueprint unveiled by Trump in January promised US blessing for Israel to annex swathes of the occupied West Bank, including the strategic Jordan Valley and all Jewish settlements. Israel has since agreed to delay any West Bank annexations in return for normalisation with the UAE and the Palestinians have expressed willingness to resume negotiations, provided they are not on the basis of the Trump plan. Lapid's office is decorated with photos of him with world leaders, including Germany's Angela Merkel and US presidential candidate Joe Biden, but Trump is notably absent. "I think we need to move forward and discuss this with the Palestinians under the two-state solution, and I don't think this government is going to do anything about it," he said. Lapid pointed to the legal woes of the prime minister, who is currently on trial for corruption, as a further reason peace talks were off the agenda. A former finance minister under Netanyahu, Lapid stood firm in opposition to Netanyahu following March elections. His former allies Benny Gantz and Gabi Ashkenazi defected to join Netanyahu's government and now serve as defence and foreign ministers respectively. Pointing to the Gulf deals, Lapid said it was clear both ministers "have no influence whatsoever" in government. Netanyahu "signed the deal with the Emirates and yet later with Bahrain without telling them. It's not only that he didn't consult with them. They didn't even know," Lapid said. - Virus 'failure' - Netanyahu flew to the US just moments after announcing a second nationwide lockdown to tackle the coronavirus, a sign according to Lapid of the government's "complete failure" to address the health crisis. "It's a very aggressive move. It's devastating for the economy and it's not that helpful in terms of stopping the epidemic," Lapid said. According to an AFP tally over the past fortnight, Israel is second behind Bahrain for the world's highest coronavirus infection rate. "The only reason our government has decided to go into the second lockdown is because they're completely lost," Lapid said. Tens of thousands of Israelis have demonstrated in recent weeks, calling for Netanyahu to resign over the graft allegations and his handling of the pandemic and its economic fallout. gl/rsc/kir A campaign ad for President Donald Trumps reelection urges Americans to support our troops with a photo of Russian-made planes and weapons. Military experts tell Politico that a digital ad made by the Trump Make America Great Again Committee used a stock photo showing a silhouette of Russian soldiers standing beneath Soviet fighter jets. Underneath, the ad says Support Our Troops and encourages people to click and show your support. Pierre Sprey, who helped design both the F-16 and A-10 planes for the U.S. Air Force, told the publication that the jet in the ad was definitely a MiG-29. The MiG-29 is a twin-engine air-to-air fighter developed by the Soviet Union during the Cold War. Ruslan Pukhov of the Centre for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies in Moscow, confirmed to Politico that the planes are Russian MiG-29s and said the soldier on the far right carries a Russian-designed AK-74 assault rifle. The Hill reports the ad ran from Sept. 8 to Sept. 12 for the Trump Make America Great Again Committee, which is run by the Trump campaign and the Republican National Committee (RNC). The Trump campaign and the RNC have not commented on the ad. According to Politico, the image used in the ad came from Shutterstock under the description Military silhouettes of soldiers and airforce against the backdrop of sunset sky. The creator of the image, Arthur Zakirov, confirmed to the publication that the photo shows Russian models and MiG 29s against a composite of three different countries: Russian sky, Greek mountains and French ground. Russia interfered in the 2016 election to benefit Trump, the U.S. Senate intelligence committee concluded last month, echoing the findings of special counsel Robert Muellers investigation. The bipartisan panel also said the Trump campaigns interactions with Russian intelligence services posed a grave counterintelligence threat. U.S. intelligence officials said in August that the Kremlin is similarly supporting Trump in the 2020 election and using a variety of measures to denigrate Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden. Senate Panel to Examine Claims Google Monopolizes Online Advertising A Senate subcommittee continued its investigation Tuesday of recurring claims that Google, the $1 trillion Silicon Valley hi-tech giant, is monopolizing the digital advertising market, driving up costs to businesses and consumers alike. Online advertising is an incredibly complex business, and one that touches every single person on the internet, Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) said at the opening of the hearing of the Senate Judiciary Committees Subcommittee on Anti-trust, Competition and Consumer Rights. Online advertising equals more than $162 billion annually and is growing rapidly as older media formats, including print and broadcast television, lose audiences and marketing value. Tuesdays hearing comes amid growing bipartisan concerns in Congress that Google and other digital tech giants like Apple, Microsoft, and Amazon are so huge and have acquired such power through the internet that anti-trust laws originally conceived and passed in the 19th Century are no longer able to ensure competitive markets and consumer choice. The Department of Justice (DOJ) is also reportedly conducting an extensive investigation focused on anti-trust concerns about Googles commanding position in the digital ad market. Earlier this year, Rep. David Cicilline (D-R.I.) told a House subcommittee hearing that he believes the tech giants have become too powerful. Whether they control access to information or to a marketplace, these platforms have the incentive and ability to exploit this power. They can charge exorbitant fees, impose oppressive contracts, and extract valuable data from the people and businesses that rely on them, Cicilline said. Lee opened Tuesdays Senate hearing by noting the rapid expansion of internet advertising and publishing in the past decade. The technologies involved in connecting advertisers and publishers have evolved rapidly in the last decade, and the expansion of online advertising has facilitated an explosion of online content by allowing even the smallest website owners to monetize their content. Small and local businesses have also benefited from being able to quickly and easily promote their businesses, Lee continued. At the same time, this growth and expansion has been largely consolidated onto a single platform: Googles online ad business. As that business has grown, so too have complaints that Google which both operates the ad selling and buying platforms, and sells its own inventory through those platforms has conflicts of interest and has manipulated or rigged online ad technologies and auctions to favor its own interest and protect its market share. Whether this is true or not matters because so many businesses depend upon digital advertising to market their products or monetize their content. Web users, in turn, benefit both from free online content and being connected to relevant businesses in a way that helps them make optimal economic choices, Lee added. Google officials insist that digital advertising is an intensely competitive market, thanks to the immense marketing power of rivals like Facebook and Amazon. But a recent study for the British government estimated that Google receives from 40 to 90 percent of the revenues generated at the five levels of the process by digital ad sales. Congressional aides believe the results of the UK study closely mirror those of the United States. Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), the subcommittees ranking minority member, sounded similar concerns in her opening statement, saying we arent having this hearing today because Google is successful, we are having it because even successful companies are subject to the law, including the anti-trust law. The Minnesota Democrat noted that the five tech giants were collectively worth 25 percent of the entire value of the Fortune 500 a couple of weeks ago. Klobuchar said she supports reviewing existing anti-trust law to ensure that it is able to match our situation. At what point do you cross the line to stifle competition and innovation? Klobuchar alluded to the UK study in pointing out that Google dominates each level of what is known in the digital industry as the advertising stack, beginning with publishers selling advertising space among the content on their sites, to the advertisers seeking to create and sell ads. Don Harrison, Googles President for Global Partnerships and Corporate Development, was scheduled to appear before the panel during the hearing. Contact Mark Tapscott at Mark.Tapscott@epochtimes.nyc She's one of three daughters that Demi Moore shares with ex-husband Bruce Willis. And on Monday, Scout Willis was spotted running some errands in LA with her beloved rescue pup Grandma. The 28-year-old went low-key casual in a loose-fitting black long-sleeve top and black tailored pants. Doggie mom: Scout Willis, the 28-year-old daughter of Bruce Willis and Demi Moore, was spotted running errands in LA Monday with beloved rescue pup Grandma in a large beige sling She stepped out in a pair of tan slip-on sandals and carried a large red cloth bag over one shoulder. Scout left her long hair loose and styled with a center parting, and she wore a disposable face mask as required under COVOD-19 regulations in California. At one point, she carried her pup in a large beige sling and then dumped it to carry the Chihuahua mix in one hand as she walked. Errands: Scout went low-key casual in a black long-sleeve top and black tailored pants. She stepped out in a pair of tan slip-on sandals and carried a red cloth bag over one shoulder Siblings: Scout has an older sister Rumer, 32, and a younger sister Tallulah, 26, pictured together at the Willis family compound in Hailey, Idaho, over the summer Scout's mom and dad: The siblings were born during their famous parents' marriage which lasted from 1987 to 2007. Bruce and Demi are pictured together in LA in 1997 Scout has an older sister Rumer, 32, and a younger sister Tallulah, 26. The siblings were born during their famous parents' marriage which lasted from 1987 to 2007. In late August, Scout posted a sweet snap of her beloved pup Grandma to her Instagram and alongside it, she gushed about what the dog means to her. 'This dog...I cannot even begin to put words together to accurately describe my devotion to this magical, mystical creature that I have the sacred privilege of caring for,' she wrote. 'I consider Grandma one of my closest friends and despite the fact that I when I found her I wasnt even interested in having a dog, she is the absolute dog love of my life! GRANDMAAAAAAAA I just love her so much.' New Delhi, Sep 15 : Sounding a note of caution, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Tuesday told the Rajya Sabha that the battle against Covid-19 is far from over, at a time when India's total tally has neared the five million-mark. "I would urge all Members of Parliament that the coronavirus battle is still far from over. On one hand, when we are in an Unlock stage to revive the Indian economy, and have a balanced approach, it is important that sustained community support is ensured to control the spread of the virus and break its chain of transmission," Vardhan said in the Upper House. India on Tuesday reported a spike of 83,000 new cases in the last 24 hours, taking the country's total tally past 49-lakh mark to 49,30,237, including 9,90,061 active cases. "COVID-19 fatality and recovery rates stand at 1.67% and 77.65% respectively. Maximum cases and deaths have primarily been reported from Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, West Bengal, Bihar, Telangana, Odisha, Assam, Kerala, and Gujarat," the Minister said. He said about 40 lakh persons were under surveillance. "Extensive contact tracing of all positive cases is being undertaken regularly through disease surveillance network so as to break the chain of transmission," he added. Vardhan also spoke about the clinical management of coronavirus, pointing out that no specific antiviral drugs have proved effective so far while the symptomatic treatment for fever and cough, appropriate rehydration, and supplemental oxygen therapy remained the mainstay of treatment. The Minister, however, said that in India, drug hydroxychloroquine has been re-purposed for mild and moderate cases. In addition, provisions for investigational therapies have also been made through the use of Remdesivir, convalescent plasma, and Tocilizumab for managing severe cases under close medical supervision. India has been able to limit its cases and deaths to 3,320 cases per million and 55 deaths per million which is one of the lowest in the world, he added. On Monday, Vardhan had said that lockdown helped prevent approximately 14 lakh to 29 lakh cases and 37,000 to 78,000 deaths. These four months were utilised to create additional health infrastructure, enhance human resources, and produce within Indian critical elements such as PPE kits, N95 masks and ventilators. "A case in point is the increase in isolation beds 36.3 times and dedicating ICU beds above 24.6 times to what existed in March 2020. We are now self-sufficient and in position to even export PPEs," he had added. PITTSBURGH, Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- RealX, America's first and largest online property rights exchange, and The Land Broker Co-op (the "Co-op"), have agreed to provide a turnkey solution for transacting property rights for the Co-op's 16,000 land-focused real estate agents. Property rights include leasing land for solar, wind, oil & gas, timber, cellular towers, and more. Luke Glass is CEO of RealX. RealX is an independent national exchange that brings buyers and sellers together in a technology-driven marketplace that facilitates property rights transactions. "Our agent members are the best-of-the-best when it comes to providing land services to their clients. RealX provides our members with a transparent online exchange to help landowners generate income from their land by easily connecting them with the leading companies in energy (solar/wind/oil & gas), communications (cellular towers), building materials (timber), and many others," said David Light, CDO for the Co-op. "RealX has organized and modernized a highly-fragmented multi-billion-dollar marketplace," said Dan Murphy, President of the Co-op. "They are providing a vehicle for agents and their landowner clients to proactively market their properties directly to the buyers within each vertical, giving themselves the best opportunity to unlock additional income. No longer are landowners stuck waiting for a deal to come to them without professional assistance. Co-op agents and their clients will be the best positioned to lease their land for renewable energy as the boom continues." RealX is an independent national exchange that brings buyers and sellers together in a technology-driven marketplace that facilitates property rights transactions. "Our goal is to unlock the value of every property for both the landowner and the company leasing the property. Energy companies on the exchange can search, compare, and connect to landowners and their agents in just a few clicks - no more cold calls, postcards, or knocks on the door. We build trust, transparency and control into what was once a complicated and opaque process," said Luke Glass, CEO of RealX. RealX has experienced an average month-over-month user growth rate of 51% this year, achieved throughout the pandemic. In addition, the Co-op's website, landbrokermls.com has been the land industry's fastest-growing land website since the Co-op was founded in 2018. Glass expects Co-op agents will register millions of acres across the U.S. in the RealX exchange, becoming the top agents in the country transacting property rights. About The Land Broker Co-op (www.landbrokermls.com) The Co-op was established in 2018 by a proactive group of brokers across the United States as an industry movement for all licensed real estate professionals to join together to combat steep increases in digital advertising prices, losses of privacy and control of data, and other factors which continue to burden all participants in the rural real estate industry. The Co-op is wholly-owned by real estate professionals and offers equal ownership and voting rights to all Members and group-buying power. About RealX (www.realx.io) RealX, America's first and largest property rights online exchange, is revolutionizing the way surface and subsurface property rights are bought, sold, and leased. By leveraging digitization, globalization, and virtualization across all marketplaces, RealX unlocks the value of property, empowering each party to maximize the return on their investment. Through organizing and modernizing a highly-fragmented marketplace, RealX connects buyers and sellers, providing real estate professionals the opportunity to generate online commissions by marketing landowner property rights to companies in energy (solar/wind/oil/gas), communications (cellular towers), building materials (timber), agriculture (farming) and many others. Discover more at realx.io. Media contact: David Light (207) 449-2918 [email protected] Luke Glass (304) 685-9093 l[email protected] Related Images luke-glass.jpg Luke Glass Luke Glass is CEO of RealX. RealX is an independent national exchange that brings buyers and sellers together in a technology-driven marketplace that facilitates property rights transactions. david-light.jpg David Light David Light is CDO (Chief Development Officer) of The Land Broker Co-op, which operates landbrokermls.com, the land industry's fastest-growing land website since the Co-op was founded in 2018. dan-murphy.jpg Dan Murphy Dan Murphy is President of The Land Broker Co-op, which operates landbrokermls.com, the land industry's fastest-growing land website since the Co-op was founded in 2018. Related Links RealX Land Broker MLS SOURCE RealX Ventures, Inc. By Michael Hogan and Nigel Hunt HAMBURG/LONDON (Reuters) - An outbreak of African Swine Fever threatens to keep German pork locked in the European Union with China, South Korea and Japan all banning shipments, a major setback in an already challenging year for meat producers following COVID-19 outbreaks at plants. German wholesale pig prices fell 14% on Friday after a case of ASF was found in a wild boar in the east of the country and major buyers on the international market quickly responded by banning shipments from the EU's top producer in what was due to be a big sales year. In China, the world's biggest pork producer, the disease caused hundreds of millions of pigs to be culled and raised imports of protein from other sources. German pork exports to China are worth around 1 billion euros ($1.2 billion) annually, and volumes had doubled in the first four months of this year on soaring demand after Chinese output shrank around 20%. "The Chinese export stop is a hard blow for farmers and for industry in Germany," said Andre Vielstaedte, spokesman for Germany's largest meatpacker and exporter Toennies. African swine fever spreads through contact with infected animals and can also be spread by people and trucks. It is almost always fatal in pigs but does not harm people. Germany has sought a limited, regional ban on exports as the outbreak near the Polish border is hundreds of kilometres from the major producing region in north-west Germany. Whereas the concept of a regional ban exists in intra-EU trade, China has so far stuck to a national ban. German exports included large tonnages of pig parts such as ears, noses and feet which are regarded as delicacies in Asia but are unwanted in Europe. Sellers will struggle to make similar margins on products normally sold to Asia. "If supermarkets use this as an opportunity to keep prices low then the future of many pig farmers is in doubt and many could close," said Matthias Quaing of German pig farmers' association ISN. Story continues COVID-19 has already made this is a difficult year with the virus causing major problems at meat plants. The Toennies plant in Rheda-Wiedenbrueck closed in mid-June after about 1,500 workers tested positive. "For Germany there are no real alternative pork export markets visible the size of China and others in Asia," said Tim Koch, meat analyst at German independent market consultancy AMI. "In the short term downward price pressure is likely in Germany after pig price falls on Friday," he said. EU RIVALS China's pork imports surged by 75% in 2019 and have continued to climb in 2020. The ban of German shipments should, therefore, provide major opportunity for rival exporters and CME lean hog futures have risen to a six-month high. "I think Germany's pork sales to China will be replaced by a series of other exporters such as the United States, Spain, Canada and Brazil. Some EU exporters are also likely to seek extra sales such as the Netherlands and Denmark," said Rabobank analyst Justin Sherrard. U.S. exporters seem particularly well placed to pick-up sales. "With the COVID-19 interruptions in slaughter more or less behind us, the U.S. would be well positioned to move more pork in the last four months of the year, whether it's to China or to other markets," said Joe Schuele, spokesman for the U.S. Meat Export Federation, an industry group. Smithfield Foods, the largest U.S. pork producer, is owned by China's WH Group Ltd <0288.HK> while other major players who could benefit include JBS USA [JBS.UL] and Tyson Foods . The ban should also provide a boost to already rising shipments of pork from Brazil to China. In August, Brazil sold 50,700 tonnes of pork to China, up 168% from the same month a year ago and accounting for more than half of total export sales of 98,500 tonnes, according to ABPA, the association representing pork and poultry processors. Canada, another major pork exporter, has limited room to increase volumes with China which already accounts for nearly half of Canada's pork exports, said Richard Davies, Executive Vice-President of Sales at Olymel lp, one of Canada's biggest pork shippers. The country's other big pork processor, Maple Leaf Foods , is suspended from shipping to China from its Brandon, Manitoba plant after a COVID-19 outbreak there. EUROPEAN OPTIONS The EU industry will be hoping, however, that as much business as possible will be won by Spain, Denmark and the Netherlands to prevent oversupply within the trading bloc. A spokesman for Danish Crown said in the short term the company did not have the capacity to expand sales to China. China's top supplier Spain, however, should see an increase in sales following the ban on exports from Germany. "While Spanish pork production has slowed slightly as a result of heightened safety measures this should not affect the capacity to supply domestic markets or meet export demands, according to the Interporc industry association. Spain's top producers include Jorge Group and Vall Companys. (Additional reporting by Nathan Allen in Madrid, Julie Ingwersen and Tom Polansek in Chicago, Rod Nickel in Winnipeg, Ana Mano in Sao Paulo and Jacob Gronholt-Pedersen in Copenhagen; Editing by Veronica Brown and David Evans) An immigrant from Lagos, Nigeria, Adefeso worked three jobs to self-fund his Harvard MBA, yet still had significant loans to repay. His passion to make college debt-free, especially for underserved students, inspired him to develop Sootchyan AI-powered digital platform to help families maximize 529 plans to pay education costs from K-12 to college. To highlight his mission and the importance of diversity and inclusion in tech, Adefeso formally announced the $40K sweepstakes and the upcoming launch of Sootchy during TechCrunch Disrupt 2020. He sponsored the inaugural Include Reception at the conference, the first Include event as TechCrunch launches the program to promote diversity in the tech world. During the virtual Include Reception, Adefeso spoke to the existing disparity in wealth, and lack of education funds, for underserved communities, and led a roundtable discussion on diversity in the tech industry. With the Sootchy Sweepstakes, Adefeso hopes to make a lasting and life-changing impact in one student's life. To enter the Sootchy Sweepstakes, visit www.sootchy.com/sweepstakes. Follow two simple steps to enter the Sweepstakes*: Sign up for the Sweepstakes by entering general contact info. Refer friends to increase chances of winning. Each referral earns another contest entry. * NO PURCHASE OR PAYMENT OF MONEY IS NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN THIS SWEEPSTAKES. A PURCHASE OR PAYMENT OF MONEY WILL NOT IMPROVE THE CHANCES OF WINNING. The "Sootchy College Tuition Giveaway" Sweepstakes (the "Sweepstakes") is intended for legal residents of the United States of America ("USA") (excluding residents of Florida & New York) and shall only be construed and evaluated according to U.S. law and applicable state law. For additional Sweepstakes rules, visit the website. About Sootchy: Sootchy is a simple, user-friendly fintech app that allows families to save money for their children's education by opening 529 college savings plans, within minutes, right through the app. With a built-in, enhanced gifting platform that lets family and friends contribute to children's 529 college savings plans and maximize them further, it can be especially helpful in underserved communities. Less than 30% of Americans know what a 529 plan is, and only 13% use them because they have traditionally been difficult to setup and manage, recent studies show. Sootchy's five-minute set up and easy-access money management tools simplify the process and make tech-enhanced financial planning, the power of community and tax-efficient incentives to combat student debt, now at a historic high of almost $1.7 trillion, accessible to all. Sootchy is a fully accredited and registered advisor with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA). Learn more at Sootchy.com. Get social and follow @sootchyapp on Instagram and Twitter, facebook.com/sootchyapp and linkedIn.com/company/sootchyinc. Media Contact: Tanner Culbertson Purpose Brand 620-213-2448 [email protected] SOURCE Sootchy GREENVILLE, Wis., Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- School Specialty, Inc., a leading provider of educational products and services to the Pre-K- 12th grade market in the U.S. and Canada., today announced that substantially all its assets have been acquired by SSI Acquisition, LLC, an entity formed by TCW Asset Management Company, LLC, Cerberus Capital Management, and Lantern Capital Partners. Post-closing, the company will operate as School Specialty, LLC. In conjunction with the transaction, Ryan M. Bohr was named President and Chief Executive Officer having served as the Company's Chief Operating Officer since 2017 and Chief Financial Officer from 2014 to 2017. Ryan M. Bohr stated, "While it has certainly been a challenging road to get to this point, this transaction is the best outcome we could have expected, particularly in the face of the challenging market conditions brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic." Mr. Bohr further stated, "The transaction not only keeps our business fully intact but restructures our balance sheet in a manner that materially reduces our debt and greatly increases the capital resources available to our Company. The investment groups sponsoring this transaction have been involved in our business since 2017 and have a strong appreciation for not only the uniqueness of School Specialty's value proposition, but also our strong market position and growth potential. Our entire organization appreciates the support they have provided, and we look forward to working with them as we pursue our strategic growth initiatives." The TCW Group's Mark Gertzof commented, "TCW and our investment partners look forward to working with the School Specialty team and seeing the business operate from a position of strength as a well-capitalized company." Mr. Gertzof continued, "We strongly support the management team's vision for the future of School Specialty and are excited to be their partner as they make that vision a reality." Mr. Bohr concluded, "With the transaction behind us, we can intensify our focus on finishing 2020 strong and supporting our customers as the new school year begins. After weathering a sharp pull-back in March and April as school systems rapidly switched to remote learning, we have seen our order volumes steadily improve as schools finalized their back-to-school plans and gained a better understanding of the unique requirements they would have to support those plans. Fortunately, our strong customer relationships, subject matter expertise and deep product assortment and capabilities have enabled us to support administrators and educators across the country during these unique times. As we enter the final months of 2020, while the mix of product and curriculum sales may be different, sales have generally returned to normal levels for this time of year." About School Specialty School Specialty is a leading provider of educational products and services to the Pre-K- 12th grade market in the U.S. and Canada. The company designs, manufactures and distributes a broad assortment of furniture & equipment, educational technology, general and specialty classroom supplies, facility supplies, safety and security products, and core and supplemental curriculum for science, math and English language arts. These include trusted national brands, as well as well-recognized proprietary brands, like Sax art products, Childcraft furniture and FOSS Science Curriculum. School Specialty also provides expert guidance, design services and professional development within the categories it supports. At its core, School Specialty is a purpose-driven organization. Everything offered, from crayons to curriculum to complete learning environments, is designed to support educators, raise student outcomes and ultimately, transform more than classrooms. School Specialty serves the U.S. and Canada through a comprehensive network of distribution centers powered by a multi-channel approach. For more information, visit https://corporate.schoolspecialty.com/ or connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest. Find ideas, resources and inspiration by visiting our blog: https://blog.schoolspecialty.com/. About The TCW Group, Inc. TCW is a leading global asset management firm with a broad range of products across fixed income, equities, emerging markets and alternative investments. With more than four decades of investment experience, TCW today manages approximately $225 billion in client assets. Through the MetWest Funds and TCW Funds families, TCW manages one of the largest mutual fund complexes in the U.S. TCW's clients include many of the world's largest corporate and public pension plans, financial institutions, endowments and foundations, as well as financial advisors and high net worth individuals. For more information, please visit www.tcw.com. About Cerberus Founded in 1992, Cerberus is a global leader in alternative investing with over $45 billion in assets across complementary credit, private equity, and real estate strategies. We invest across the capital structure where our integrated investment platforms and proprietary operating capabilities create an edge to improve performance and drive long-term value. Our tenured teams have experience working collaboratively across asset classes, sectors, and geographies to seek strong risk-adjusted returns for our investors. For more information about our people and platforms, visit us at www.cerberus.com. About Lantern Capital Partners Lantern is a special situations merchant bank that provides a combination of tailored capital solutions and restructuring expertise to companies and their stakeholders in times of distress across all market conditions. Our reputation and brand are based on a passion and commitment to leaving companies better than we found them as a constructive partner of choice for more than 20 years. For more information, please visit www.lanternam.com. Additional Information School Specialty, Inc. was advised on the transaction by Mayer Brown LLP and Godfrey & Kahn, S.C. The wind-down and dissolution of School Specialty, Inc., to address any assets not acquired or liabilities not assumed as part of the transaction described above, will be managed by Ocean Ridge Capital Advisors. Any inquiries relating thereto should be directed to Mr. Brad Scher at (914) 235-1075. Contact: Stacey Rubin, SVP Marketing [email protected] SOURCE School Specialty WATERLOO REGION As students are welcomed back to class online and in person, a cloud of uncertainty hangs over the start of this school year. Union leaders say teachers are excited for the return of students and that everyones doing their best to deal with the constraints imposed by COVID-19, but many have concerns about schools potentially shutting down all over again. This is a massive system with a huge number of moving parts, said Rob Gascho, president of district 24 of the Ontario Secondary School Teachers Federation. So much work went into planning this years return to classrooms, and under very tight deadlines, he said. The uncertainty with everything this year the added safety precautions, cramming courses into quadmesters, trusting in the technology that allows students to learn from home brings an added level of anxiety to the job, Gascho said. School boards are doing all they can to work within the parameters laid out by the Ministry of Education, he said. With all the restrictions and time constraints, it has been an almost impossible task. Over the weekend, parents in the Peel Region were told the start of online classes would be delayed by another week after thousands of students switched over to virtual learning at the last minute. Were hoping we dont see that kind of change or demand here because that kind of thing brings the system to its knees. You have to stop and completely reorganize, he said. Both public and Catholic school boards are still looking to hire teachers to help with online courses. Patrick Etmanski, president of the Ontario English Catholic Teachers Association, said theres been a teacher shortage for years in the region, but with the launch of the virtual school and other changes related to the pandemic, staffing classrooms has become much more challenging. The boards been put in this really difficult position where theyve had to pivot and try and find people to do these jobs, with really, very little notice, he said. With so many changes and new restrictions to follow, all coming down at the last minute, the level of anxiety is very high. The province should have started planning for what the return to school could look like back in the spring, he said. That was a huge ball they dropped there. Greg Weiler, President of ETFO Waterloo Region, said everyone was trying their best but the governments plan released at the end of July didnt leave school boards a lot of time to get everything done, he said. The fact that parents had the ability to choose distance learning or in-class learning up until the end of August meant that everything was happening last minute, he said. When new teachers are hired to cover virtual schools, theyll have to start from scratch to prepare what theyre going to teach. Everything is very chaotic, he said. RELATED STORIES Waterloo Region Waterloo Region school boards scrambling to hire teachers As far as communicating all these changes to the public, the board has done a good job, but he suggested a bit of tempered reality needed to be added into the messaging to help people adjust their expectations for this year. It wont be a regular year. Nothing about this is regular right now, and its going to take time for people to get up to speed, he said. Usually teachers would be made aware in June of the courses theyll be teaching in September so they can prepare over the summer months, but that hasnt happened this year. He said some people are finding out what theyll be teaching days before the start of classes, he said. The system was never set up to handle having parents choose whether their child attends school in person or online. Thats causing all kinds of challenges, especially in the time that was provided, he said. I think its going to require a lot of patience and understanding on everybodys part, because I think there will be a level of disruption and change that doesnt go away. Georgia Tech settles with pro-life student group, revises policies on student organizations Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment The Georgia Institute of Technology has reached a settlement with a pro-life student group that sued the school and others for denying funding for a speaking event that would have featured pro-life activist Dr. Alveda King. As part of the settlement, announced Thursday, Georgia Tech agreed to clarify its policies regarding the treatment of student organizations to prevent viewpoint discrimination and pay $50,000 in damages and attorneys fees. Georgia Tech outlined its policy changes in its new Registered Students Organization Policy, which became effective in August. Approval or denial of a Groups Charter application, or a determination by the Center for Student Engagement that a Groups Chartering application is not complete, will not be based on the mission, goals, or beliefs of the Group or any other content- or viewpoint-based determination, the policy stresses. In April, Students for Life at Georgia Tech filed a lawsuit against Georgia Tech officials, the schools Student Government Association and the regents of the University System of Georgia after their funding request for the event featuring King, the niece of late civil rights icon Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., was denied. The students were represented by Alliance Defending Freedom, a legal institute specializing in religious liberty cases. In the summer of last year, Students for Life at Georgia Tech submitted a request to the Student Government Association for funding the King event out of the pool of mandatory student activity fees available for such events. Such requests are routinely fast tracked without any discussion, ADF explained. According to ADF, members of the Student Government Association expressed concern about the content and viewpoints that Students for Life and King would present at the event. Citing Kings inherently religious lifestyle and concerns that some students would be offended by her point of view, the SGA denied the request. Tyson Langhofer, director of the ADF Center for Academic Freedom, described the SGAs refusal to fund the King event as an example of hostility toward the First Amendment. He cheered Georgia Techs decision to revise their policies to treat all student organizations fairly, regardless of view point. Its so important that public colleges and universities exemplify the First Amendment values they are supposed to be teaching to students. Thankfully, Georgia Tech has shown its renewed commitment to these principles by taking quick corrective action, Langhofer said. Kristan Hawkins, president of Students for Life of America, also issued a statement praising Georgia Tech for establishing the Registered Students Organization Policy. We are hopeful that Georgia Techs decisive policy changes will set an example for universities around the country, she said. Now that Georgia Tech has agreed to implement the Registered Students Organization Policy, ADF attorneys have dismissed the lawsuit. Georgia Tech is not the only college in the United States to face accusations of suppressing students First Amendment rights. Just two months after the Georgia Tech Students for Life filed their lawsuit, the student senate at Florida State University removed its president, Jack Denton, after his text messages proclaiming that groups like Black Lives Matter and the American Civil Liberties Union have taken positions that contradict with the teachings of the Catholic Church became public. Two weeks ago, Denton filed a lawsuit against FSU, claiming that the student senate ousted him from his position in retaliation for his private religious speech. The ADF is representing Denton as he seeks reinstatement, compensation, and the expungement of all records relating to the Senates retaliatory and discriminatory actions against him. Jerri-Lynn here. This is a really important piece, focusing on the legitimacy of COVI-19 vaccine trials. The writers seem to talk around the key point: that AstraZeneca not sharing the data is a bad sign. So please bear that point in mind as you read. I post this on the same day am also linking to an article questioning whether political pressure is distorting trials for the Russian COVID-19 vaccine candidate. Readers wont be surprised to find that political pressure may be brought to bear on U.S. and British trials as well. I should also mention that this isnt the only bad behaviour for which AstroZenaca stands accused. As reported Monday by Common Dreams in, Outrageous: Sanders Blasts AstraZeneca for Raising Drug Prices Despite $1.2 Billion From Taxpayers for Covid-19 Vaccine: Bernie Sanders on Monday was among critics denouncing AstraZenecaone of the worlds biggest and most profitable pharmaceutical corporationsfor aggressively raising the prices of some of its best-selling drugs in recent months, even after it secured a more than $1 billion taxpayer handout for the development of a Covid-19 vaccine. The Los Angeles Times reports AstraZeneca has implemented two rounds of price hikes for some of its most popular medications in 2020. In January, the U.K.-based company announced it would modestly raise prices on 13 different products. Shortly after the companys January announcement, the coronavirus pandemic accelerated around the world. AstraZeneca subsequently instituted price hikes that were much steeper than some of its top competitors. Its outrageous for Big Pharma to use the pandemic as an opportunity to raise prices on life-saving medicine. Sen. Bernie Sanders The price of some AstraZeneca drugs has increased by up to 6%, according to an investigation by the Times and 46brookyln Research, a nonprofit group focusing on the pharmaceutical industry. According to Pharm Exec, AstraZeneca is the worlds 11th-largest pharmaceutical company by 2019 sales. The Times reports it enjoyed over $3.6 billion in operating profits over the first half of 2020. News of the price hikes sparked condemnation from progressive leaders and activists. Its outrageous for Big Pharma to use the pandemic as an opportunity to raise prices on life-saving medicine, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), who made Medicare for Allincluding prescription drugsa pillar of his near-miss 2020 presidential run, tweeted on Monday. Big drug companies dont need more subsidies. We need to end their greed. *** Jerri-Lynn again. But the purpose of this crosspost is to share the important story penned by Arthur Allan and Liz Szabo, who write regularly for Kaiser Health News, and not to produce yet another jeremiad against Big Pharma. By Arthur Allan and Liz Szabo. Originally published at Kaiser Health News The Food and Drug Administration is weighing whether to follow British regulators in resuming a coronavirus vaccine trial that was halted when a participant suffered spinal cord damage, even as the National Institutes of Health has launched an investigation of the case. The highest levels of NIH are very concerned, said Dr. Avindra Nath, intramural clinical director and a leader of viral research at the National Institute for Neurological Disorders and Stroke, an NIH division. Everyones hopes are on a vaccine, and if you have a major complication the whole thing could get derailed. A great deal of uncertainty remains about what happened to the unnamed patient, to the frustration of those avidly following the progress of vaccine testing. AstraZeneca, which is running the global trial of the vaccine it produced with Oxford University, said the trial volunteer recovered from a severe inflammation of the spinal cord and is no longer hospitalized. AstraZeneca has not confirmed that the patient was afflicted with transverse myelitis, but Nath and another neurologist said they understood this to be the case. Transverse myelitis produces a set of symptoms involving inflammation along the spinal cord that can cause pain, muscle weakness and paralysis. Britains regulatory body, the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency, reviewed the case and has allowed the trial to resume in the United Kingdom. AstraZeneca need[s] to be more forthcoming with a potential complication of a vaccine which will eventually be given to millions of people, said Nath. We would like to see how we can help, but the lack of information makes it difficult to do so. Any decision about whether to continue the trial is complex because its difficult to assess the cause of a rare injury that occurs during a vaccine trial and because scientists and authorities have to weigh the risk of uncommon side effects against a vaccine that might curb the pandemic. So many factors go into these decisions, Nath said. Im sure everything is on the table. The last thing you want to do is hurt healthy people. The NIH has yet to get tissue or blood samples from the British patient, and its investigation is in the planning stages, Nath said. U.S. scientists could look at samples from other vaccinated patients to see whether any of the antibodies they generated in response to the coronavirus also attack brain or spinal cord tissue. Such studies might take a month or two, he said. The FDA declined to comment on how long it would take before it decides whether to move forward. Dr. Jesse Goodman, a Georgetown University professor and physician who was chief scientist and lead vaccine regulator at the FDA during the Obama administration, said the agency will review the data and possibly consult with British regulators before allowing resumption of the U.S. study, which had just begun when the injury was reported. Two other coronavirus vaccines are also in late-stage trials in the U.S. If it determines the injury in the British trial was caused by the vaccine, the FDA could pause the trial. If it allows it to resume, regulators and scientists surely will be on the watch for similar symptoms in other trial participants. A volunteer in an earlier phase of the AstraZeneca trial experienced a similar side effect, but investigators discovered she had multiple sclerosis that was unrelated to the vaccination, according to Dr. Elliot Frohman, director of the Multiple Sclerosis & Neuroimmunology Center at the University of Texas. Neurologists who study illnesses like transverse myelitis say they are rare occurring at a rate of perhaps 1 in 250,000 people and strike most often as a result of the bodys immune response to a virus. Less frequently, such episodes have also been linked to vaccines. The precise cause of the disease is key to the decision by authorities whether to resume the trial. Sometimes an underlying medical condition is unmasked by a persons immune response to the vaccine, leading to illness, as happened with the MS patient. In that case, the trial might be continued without fear, because the illness was not specific to the vaccine. More worrisome is a phenomenon called molecular mimicry. In such cases, some small piece of the vaccine may be similar to tissue in the brain or spinal cord, resulting in an immune attack on that tissue in response to a vaccine component. Should that be the case, another occurrence of transverse myelitis would be likely if the trial resumed, said Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious disease specialist at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. A second case would shut down the trial, he said. In 1976, a massive swine flu vaccination program was halted when doctors began diagnosing a similar disorder, Guillain-Barre syndrome, in people who received the vaccine. At the time no one knew how common GBS was, so it was difficult to tell whether the episodes were related to the vaccine. Eventually, scientists found that the vaccine increased the risk of the disorder by an additional one case among every 100,000 vaccinated patients. Typical seasonal flu vaccination raises the risk of GBS in about one additional case in every 1 million people. Its very, very hard to determine if one rare event was caused by a vaccine, Schaffner said. How do you attribute an increased risk for something that occurs in one in a million people? Before allowing U.S. trials to restart, the FDA will want to see why the company and an independent data and safety monitoring board (DSMB) in the U.K. felt it was safe to continue, Goodman said. The AstraZeneca trial in the United States has a separate safety board. FDA officials will need to review full details of the case and may request more information about the affected study volunteer before deciding whether to allow the U.S. trial to continue, Goodman said. They may also require AstraZeneca to update the safety information it provides to study participants. Its possible that the volunteers health problem was a coincidence unrelated to the vaccine, said Dr. Amesh Adalja, a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security. Studies arent usually stopped over a single health problem, even if its serious. Yet many health leaders have expressed frustration that AstraZeneca hasnt released more information about the health problem that led it to halt its U.K. trial. There is just so little information about this that its impossible to understand what the diagnosis was or why the DSMB and sponsor were reassured that it was safe to continue, Goodman said. AstraZeneca has said its unable to provide more information about the health problem, saying this would violate patient privacy, although it didnt say how. But theres an exceptional need for transparency in a political climate rife with vaccine hesitancy and mistrust of the Trump administrations handling of the COVID-19 response, leading scientists say. While I respect the critical need for patient confidentiality, I think it would be really helpful to know what their assessment of these issues was, Goodman said. What was the diagnosis? If there wasnt a clear diagnosis, what is it that led them to feel the trial could be restarted? There is so much interest and potential concern about a COVID-19 vaccine that the more information that can be provided, the more reassuring that would be. The FDA will need to balance any possible risks from an experimental vaccine with the danger posed by COVID-19, which has killed nearly 200,000 Americans. There are also potential consequences if you stop a study, Goodman said. If the AstraZeneca vaccine fails, the U.S. government is supporting six other COVID vaccines in the hope at least one will succeed. The potential problems with the AstraZeneca vaccine show this to be a wise investment, Adalja said. This is part of the idea of not having just one vaccine candidate going forward, he said. It gives you a little more insurance. Schaffner said researchers need to remember that vaccine research is unpredictable. The investigators have inadvisedly been hyping their own vaccine, Schaffner said. The Oxford investigators were out there this summer saying, Were going to get there first. But this is exactly the sort of reason Dr. [Anthony] Fauci and the rest of us have been saying, You never know what will happen once you get into large-scale human trials. Riley Vetterkind, The Wisconsin State Journal (TNS) The Wisconsin Supreme Court on Monday denied the Green Partys presidential and vice-presidential candidates ballot access, clearing the way for municipal clerks to begin sending absentee ballots to voters. Less than a week ago, the high court abruptly halted the delivery of absentee ballots across the state in order to consider granting Green Party presidential candidate Howie Hawkins and vice presidential candidate Angela Walker ballot access after the Elections Commission denied them. In the 4-3 unsigned decision, the court ruled it was simply too late into election season to grant any relief. Conservative-backed justices Patience Roggensack, Annette Ziegler and Rebecca Bradley dissented. We conclude that the petitioners delayed in seeking relief in a situation with very short deadlines and that under the circumstances, including the fact that the 2020 fall general election has essentially begun, it is too late to grant petitioners any form of relief that would be feasible and that would not cause confusion and undue damage to both the Wisconsin electors who want to vote and the other candidates in all of the various races on the general election ballot, the opinion states. The order further expressed concern that voter confusion would arise if ballots have already been mailed to voters. In that case, adding names to the ballot through a reprinting would sow confusion among those voters who would need to return a new ballot different from the original. The court didnt address the core legal issues presented in the case, with the courts opinion stating there simply wasnt enough time for it to do so without upending the election. In this case the court realistically does not have even a precious little amount of time to reach a decision and potentially grant any form of relief that would be feasible, the opinion states. Local clerks in charge of elections have hoped the court-imposed delay didnt last long enough to prevent them from delivering nearly 1 million ballots on time. The court should have made a decision by now, Syracuses Hawkins said in a statement. We want a decision today to put us on the ballot. We want the absentee ballot process to proceed without further delay. On Thursday, the state Supreme Court temporarily suspended the mailing of absentee ballots as the court weighs whether to order the Green Party presidential ticket be added to the ballot. The court wanted to gather more information before it decides what to do next. Municipal clerks in charge of administering elections will soon be running up against Thursdays state deadline to send out requested absentee ballots to registered voters and Saturdays federal deadline for ballots to be mailed to military and overseas voters. Clerks, who last week were in the midst of preparing hundreds of thousands of ballots to send out, are now barred from the final step in the process: placing ballots in envelopes, sealing them and sending them on their way. The Supreme Court could eventually rule to allow them to proceed with sending the original ballots, or it could order new ballots to be printed to accommodate new presidential tickets. Some clerks, particularly those in large municipalities, already say theyll have difficulty meeting state and federally imposed deadlines to send out ballots with the current court-imposed delay in place. If a reprinting of ballots is ordered, however, some clerks say meeting that deadline will be virtually impossible. Hawkins wants the court to place him on the ballot after his request was rejected by the Wisconsin Elections Commission. He and running mate Angela Walker were kept off the ballot due to a complaint alleging Walker listed an incorrect address on thousands of her nominating signatures, bringing her number of valid signatures below the required threshold to secure a spot on the ballot. A motion to place the Green Party presidential ticket on the November ballot failed by a 3-3 party line vote during an Aug. 20 meeting of the Wisconsin Elections Commission. Democrats on the commission said they could not accept hearsay evidence showing Walker had moved during the nomination process, but Republicans defended the Green Party ticket, saying it was fair to give them ballot access and clear Walker had moved during the nomination process. Rapper Kanye West is also attempting to be placed on the presidential ballot in a separate lawsuit. A Brown County judge rejected his request on Friday, but West may appeal to the Wisconsin Court of Appeals or Supreme Court. West was denied ballot access because he turned in his nominating signatures moments too late. In Wests case, Brown County Circuit Judge John Zakowski ruled that the state elections commission was correct in determining that the musician narrowly missed a 5 p.m. filing deadline to get on the presidential ballot. The unfortunate fact is this dispute could have been avoided had the West representatives simply arrived earlier, the judge said. Candidates need to plan ahead and arrive in time to get into the building and file the papers in the office of the commission prior to the deadline, there are no exceptions under the statute or the relevant case law. West had argued that the deadline did not expire until 5:01 p.m. and regardless of the timing, commission staffers still accepted the papers. The commission voted that West had missed the deadline either by a few seconds or several minutes. According to the lawsuit, commission staff should have unlocked the buildings doors at 4:30 p.m. to accommodate late-arriving filers. But the commissions building has been locked since the coronavirus pandemic began. Wests campaign workers had to call the commission shortly before 5 p.m. to get them to unlock the doors. A commission staff member said Wests representatives didnt place the nomination papers on the counter until 5:01 p.m. By the time the papers were organized and officially accepted, it was several minutes past the 5 p.m. deadline. West announced a presidential bid in July, saying hes seeking the nations highest office on a ticket he calls the Birthday Party. Democrats claim Republicans are pushing Wests candidacy in swing states to siphon the Black vote from Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden. This story will be updated. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-15 17:22:54|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close MACAO, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Macao is to hold three exhibitions late October to help exhibitors and participants expand their online businesses and explore opportunities, Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute said here on Tuesday. The 25th Macao International Trade and Investment Fair (25th MIF), Macao Franchise Expo 2020 (2020MFE), and 2020 Portuguese-Speaking Countries Products and Services Exhibition (Macao) (2020PLPEX) will be held concurrently at the Venetian Macao from Oct. 22 to Oct. 24, organizers said. The three exhibitions aim to provide professional networking and matching services to participants. Merchants can register on the online business matching service platform to arrange meetings in advance. For the first time, the online matching service will be provided for merchants who are not able to attend the exhibitions in person. The MIF, MFE and PLPEX taking place at the same time are expected to facilitate the cross-border movement of goods despite COVID-19 pandemic, organizers said. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-15 17:55:53|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- Governor Kate Brown of the U.S. state of Oregon on Monday said she will veto several line-item appropriations in order to preserve funding for the state's ongoing emergency wildfire response efforts and maintain a balanced budget. Combined, the vetoes will preserve over 65 million U.S. dollars. In order to expedite an immediate relief package by the Legislature's Emergency Board, Brown also requested that legislators reserve at least 150 million U.S. dollars in the state's emergency fund for upcoming requests relating to the wildfires. According to Brown, Oregon faces several unprecedented challenges simultaneously, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, structural racism, widespread unemployment, budget shortfall, and "now the worst wildfire season in our lifetimes." So far, over 1 million acres have burned across Oregon, which has reported at least eight deaths from the wildfires and another 22 missing as of Monday, according to the Oregon Office of Emergency Management. Oregon State Police have opened the first-ever mobile morgue in response to historic wildfires that are expected to result in dozens of deaths, a report by the OregonLive said. Enditem The national leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) Bola Tinubu, has released a video attacking the governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki. In his response, the Edo governor pledged to help end godfatherism in Edo and Lagos states. Mr Tinubu, a former Lagos governor, in a sponsored broadcast on TVC on Tuesday called on Edo residents to vote out Mr Obaseki and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Saturdays election. I want to appeal to you to reject Godwin Obaseki in this coming election. I have suffered with many others to bring about this democratic regime that today we are enjoying in the country. Then, Godwin Obaseki didnt participate in any aspect of the struggle to enshrine democracy in the country. Therefore, he could not understand the value and the pains associated with this democratic struggle. He does not deserve any democratic ballot paper. Dont vote for him, I appeal to all of you. Mr Tinubu also accused Mr Obaseki of using his office to impede over 14 assembly members. READ ALSO: He (Obaseki) demonstrated the act of dictatorship, lack of respect for rule of law, lack of respect for you the people who voted for those legislators prevented from being sworn-in. Today, he now comes back as a democrat wanting you to vote for him. Please, I appeal to you, reject him. Several institutions and leaders of our country appealed to him to respect constitutional democracy but he rejected all entreaties. He rejected the appeal of the National Assembly. When the Attorney-General of the Federal Republic of Nigeria enumerated the path of honour and the constitution of the country. He also accused Mr Obaseki of destroying Edo House of Assembly by removing the roofs, burning gravels and rocks at the entrance of the assembly. Now, he is asking for our votes, your votes, our dear people. Is he a democrat? No, he is not. In his reaction to the video, Mr Obaseki, governorship candidate of the PDP in the September 19 election in Edo, said his party will end godfatherism in the state and proceed to Lagos to do the same. Mr Obaseki said democracy is not a government of godfathers but a government of the people. Mr Obaseki, speaking at the final re-election campaign rally of the PDP in Benin City, said that godfatherism was hindering Nigerias progress. He said, Democracy is not a government of godfathers but a government of the people, by the people and for the people. In Edo, we have been fighting godfatherism and by Saturday we will put an end to it, and after that go to Lagos and put an end to godfatherism in Nigeria. The godfather disturbing Nigeria came up this morning, he is afraid because he knows when we finish that of Edo, we will come for him in Lagos and finally end godfatherism in Nigeria. Mr Obaseki urged eligible voters in the state to come out en masse to vote for the PDP to enable him to consolidate on the achievements recorded in his first term and put an end to godfatherism in the state. He said with the support of the Edo people and endorsements by over 100 groups in the state, he is certain of victory in Saturdays gubernatorial election in the state. Present at the rally were Peter Obi, former vice presidential candidate of the PDP in the 2019 general elections; as well as Aminu Tambuwal, Ifeanyi Okowa, Nyesom Wike, Ben Ayade, Duoye Diri, Victor Ikpeazu, Udom Emmanuel and Seyi Makinde, governors of Sokoto, Delta, Rivers, Cross River, Bayelsa, Abia, Akwa Ibom, and Oyo states respectively, among other dignitaries. Mr Obaseki said, I dont have anything to say to you my Edo people but to thank you; you have been wonderful especially as we went through the 192 wards to seek your support for reelection. We will win this election because so far over 100 groups have endorsed me for the race. With groups like the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Trade Union Congress (TUC) Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), and other groups in the state behind me, tell me how we will lose the election? Also in another reaction to the video, Mr Obaseki in a statement by his special adviser on media and communication strategy, Crusoe Osagie, asked Mr Tinubu not to extend your political empire to Edo. It has become obvious that the spirited fight which Edo people have put up against godfatherism has sent tremors beyond the shores of Edo to the likes of Tinubu, who has for years sustained a stranglehold on Lagos and other states in South-Western Nigeria, hence this desperate, last-ditch effort to rescue the unproductive political instrument, now popularly referred to as godfatherism, with which he has feathered his nest and built his political empire at the expense of the people. Advertisements Tinubu knows clearly that come September 19, when godfatherism would have been dismantled in Edo State, the people of Lagos may just have found the recipe and formula for removing the chokehold placed on their collective destinies for decades by Tinubu, hence the inciting television broadcast, Mr Obaseki said. New Delhi: Members of the Left parties on Tuesday (September 15, 2020) staged a protest inside the Parliament premises over their demand for the withdrawal of `anti-farmer policies`. According to the reports, the Left MPs staged the protest near the Mahatma Gandhi statue and raised slogans in favour of the farmers of the country. They were demanding the withdrawal of `anti-farmers policies` brought by the Centre through ordinances. The protest comes a day after Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar introduced the Farmers` Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020 for the creation of an ecosystem where the farmers and traders enjoy the freedom of choice relating to the sale and purchase of farmers` produce. Live TV The Agriculture Minister also introduced the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020 to provide for a national framework on farming agreements. It protects and empowers farmers to engage with agribusiness firms, processors, wholesalers, exporters or large retailers for farm services and sale of future farm produce at a mutually agreed remunerative price framework in a fair and transparent manner. - Local experts concur that the country appears to have flattened the coronavirus curve - The experts, however, warn that social distancing, washing of hands and wearing of masks must continue - At the end of August, President Kenyatta announced that Kenya was flattening the curve For six months now, Kenyans have had their lives turned upside down as they battled the coronavirus pandemic, a devastating unseen enemy that impacted every aspect of their lives. Fortunately, they can now breathe a sigh of relief as experts agree that the country appears to have flattened the COVID-curve and that the worst of the pandemic that has claimed nearly a million lives globally is now behind us. READ ALSO: Karen Nyamu: Nairobi lawyer endorses William Ruto for 2022 presidency: "Katambe sana" A MOH official testing a woman of coronavirus. Experts now opined Kenya's curve is flattening. Photo: MOH. Source: Facebook READ ALSO: Pretty Mutave: 12 photos of late Aziza, Maza actress that show film industry has lost a gem The optimism, however, comes with a warning that Kenyans will have to continue embracing the new normal way of life for the foreseeable future. The experts say existing containment measures such as social distancing, sanitising, washing of hands and wearing of masks must continue to be observed. Githinji Gitahi, the Amref Africa Group CEO, opined that Kenya has finally emerged from the pandemic and it is now safe for President Uhuru Kenyatta to lift all restrictions in the country. The CEO noted that COVID-19 has been a game-changer that will transform our future forever. READ ALSO: Mother inspires many as she carries out paintwork with baby on her back Amref's CEO Githinji said it was safe for Uhuru to reopen the country. Photo: Amref Health Africa. Source: UGC Githinjis observation was echoed by the University of Nairobi don, Omu Anzala, who doubles up as a member of the National Emergency Response Committee on Coronavirus. Kenya is now safe. We have overcome the virus. But Kenyans must now brace themselves to deal with the aftermaths of the virus, Prof Anzala said. At the end of last month, the president announced that Kenya was flattening the curve, with the infection rate having dropped significantly from a high of 13% to 8% in August. READ ALSO: Vera Sidika says she used KSh 2 million to get fake boobies Uhuru said the country's curve was flattening. Photo: State House. Source: Facebook He, however, cautioned against celebrating too early or dropping the guard despite the huge strides made since the disease still posed a threat to Kenyans. READ ALSO: David Mbiyu Waiganjo: 8 photos of Jeff Koinange's late big brother The growing confidence that the country has already overcome the virus is fast reverberating across the various sectors, with all pointers particularly showing that schools could reopen before the end of 2020, which was earlier declared a lost year. Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha on Monday, September 14, signalled that the earlier proposal to reopen schools in January 2021 could be shelved as he gave the COVID-19 Education Emergency Response Committee 10 days to propose an earlier date, citing the progress made in the fight against the virus. He directed the committee to prepare a new proposal that will be presented to a national education conference scheduled for next week. READ ALSO: Govt invites bids from jua kali artisans for supply of KSh 1.9B school desks CS Magoha signalled schools could reopen before the end of the year. Photo: The Standard. Source: UGC Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiangi and his Health counterpart Mutahi Kagwe will co-chair the crucial national consultative conference to chart the countrys post-COVID-19 future. Uhuru directed the CSs to convene the conference whose deliberations will inform his next address to the nation at the end of the month. Expectations are high that the president will lift the remaining restrictions in his address, ushering in the full return to normalcy in the country. Kenya has since March recorded a total of 36,305 COVID-19 cases with 624 deaths and 23,243 recoveries. Globally, over 29.2 million people have been infected with over 927,000 deaths and 19.8 million recoveries. Do you have a groundbreaking story you would like us to publish? Please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690. Contact Tuko.co.ke instantly. My husband, my pain - Violet Andisi | Tuko TV. Source: TUKO.co.ke KEY FACTS 12:35 p.m. Provinces look to expand COVID-19 testing as people face long lines 10 a.m. Ontario reports 251 new infections Tuesday 7:56 a.m. Canadian International AutoShow postponed until 2022 4 a.m.: TDSB elementary schools begin staggered reopening The latest coronavirus news from Canada and around the world Tuesday. This file is no longer updating. Click here to read the latest. Web links to longer stories if available. 11:57 p.m.: India coronavirus confirmed cases crossed 5 million on Wednesday, still soaring and testing the countrys feeble health care system in tens of thousands of impoverished towns and villages. The Health Ministry reported 90,123 new cases in the past 24 hours, raising the nations confirmed total to 5,020,359, about 0.35% of its nearly 1.4 billion population. It said 1,290 more people died in the past 24 hours, for a total of 82,066. Indias total coronavirus caseload is closing in on the United States highest tally of more than 6.6 million cases and expected to surpass it within weeks. 7:55 p.m.: The threat of a federal election seems to be easing as the Liberal government prepares for a return to Parliament next week amid concerns Canada could already be heading into a dreaded second wave of the novel coronavirus. Fears of a COVID-19 resurgence hung over a cabinet retreat Tuesday as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his ministers met behind closed doors for a second straight day to plot a path through and eventually beyond the pandemic. Yet politics were also heavy in the air as talk moved to the return of Parliament with a throne speech on Sept. 23 that Trudeau had previously suggested would lay out a bold plan for rebuilding Canadas economy. The government now says it will largely focus on containing the effect of the illness. There had been questions in the past few weeks about whether the throne speech would serve as the catalyst for a fall election, as the minority Liberal government would need the support of at least one opposition party to survive a confidence vote in the House of Commons. There was also speculation the Liberals wanted an election, and were planning to use the throne speech as an excuse for launching a campaign in the hopes of winning a majority government. Such talk was emboldened by Mondays election results in New Brunswick, where the Progressive Conservatives under Blaine Higgs went from a minority to a majority government by riding a wave of support for its handling of the COVID-19 crisis. NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh appeared to take the wind out of federal election speculation on Tuesday, suggesting his party would hold its nose and give the government a pass on the throne speech and then hold the Liberals to account on the budget or future legislation. What they say in the throne speech really doesnt have that much impact. It doesnt really matter when it comes down to it because theyve said a lot of things in the last throne speech that they havent followed through on, Singh said. I want to see implementation, perhaps in the budget. The budget bill might be a way for us to really gauge if the government is serious about following through. The throne speech is expected to include some commitments that would align with NDP priorities, such as on child care. This increases the likelihood, although does not guarantee, that Singhs party will find a way to support it. Singh added he is scheduled to speak to Trudeau by telephone later this week, in which the NDP leader planned to push the government not to reduce the $2,000-per-month Canada Emergency Response Benefit. Trudeau is also scheduled to speak to Conservative Leader Erin OToole, Bloc Quebecois Leader Yves-Francois Blanchet and Green party Leader Elizabeth May about the throne speech later this week, according to the Prime Ministers Office. The theme of congeniality emerged as fears of a second wave of COVID-19 were heightened after another increase in the number of positive cases in Canada. That continues a troubling trend in recent weeks that has hijacked the Liberals talk of setting a bold new post-pandemic course for Canada. Health Minister Patty Hajdu was unable to say Tuesday whether the trend is a temporary blip or a cause for larger concerns, saying: Its hard to speculate because we still have time to actually keep these numbers under control if we all work together as governments and as individuals. But listen, we cant rule that out. We cant rule out that we could continue to see these numbers rise across the country. And that is the real risk of COVID-19. 7 p.m.: WestJet Airlines Ltd. is offering refunds to customers with European flights cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Travellers with flights to or from Europe and scheduled to depart between March 1 and Oct. 31 of this year can be reimbursed within four weeks, according to an update sent by WestJet to travel agents this month and obtained by The Canadian Press. The policy marks a shift from the airlines previous stance that offered flight credit or no-fee rebooking rather than reimbursement for trips that were cancelled as airlines halted the majority of their flights amid border shutdowns, quarantines and a collapse in travel demand. 6:50 p.m.: The Manitoba government went looking for a way to quickly set up exterior visitation rooms at personal care homes across the province something that could keep residents and their loved ones safe during the COVID-19 pandemic but also comfortable during the frigid winter. On Tuesday, the government revealed the result: repurposed shipping containers, complete with insulation, heat and even interior finishings to make the boxy structures feel a little homey. This is going to make a difference for all those Manitobans who need to have that contact with their family and their friends and their loved ones, no matter what is happening outside of their personal care home, Health Minister Cameron Friesen said. He said the system is believed to be the first of its kind in Canada and other jurisdictions are looking at the idea. PCL Constructors Canada Inc. came up with the design. The company plans to refurbish 90 containers and set them up in locations across the province by late fall. The province is paying $17.9 million. The aim is to ensure that even if COVID-19 numbers grow and restrictions are put in place inside nursing homes, residents and their relatives can continue to meet in a separate space that is safe and cleaned between each visit. The 13-metre-long units will be connected directly to the exterior of the homes, so that residents are sheltered as they move back and forth. Visitors are to enter from a separate door. And if COVID-19 numbers climb and more protection is needed, a small divider can be put in place between residents and visitors. 3:36 p.m. The latest numbers on COVID-19 in Canada for Sept. 15, via The Canadian Press: There are 138,582 confirmed cases in Canada. Quebec: 65,554 confirmed (including 5,785 deaths, 57,628 resolved) Ontario: 45,068 confirmed (including 2,820 deaths, 40,091 resolved) Alberta: 15,833 confirmed (including 254 deaths, 14,041 resolved) British Columbia: 7,279 confirmed (including 219 deaths, 5,446 resolved) Saskatchewan: 1,741 confirmed (including 24 deaths, 1,616 resolved) Manitoba: 1,466 confirmed (including 16 deaths, 1,181 resolved) Nova Scotia: 1,086 confirmed (including 65 deaths, 1,020 resolved) Newfoundland and Labrador: 271 confirmed (including 3 deaths, 266 resolved) New Brunswick: 194 confirmed (including 2 deaths, 189 resolved) Prince Edward Island: 57 confirmed (including 56 resolved) Yukon: 15 confirmed (including 15 resolved) Repatriated Canadians: 13 confirmed (including 13 resolved) Northwest Territories: 5 confirmed (including 5 resolved) Nunavut: No confirmed cases Total: 138,582 (0 presumptive, 138,582 confirmed including 9,188 deaths, 121,567 resolved) 2 p.m. Coronavirus is disproportionately killing minority children in the U.S., especially those with other underlying health conditions, according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that shows how devastation from COVID-19 among Black and Hispanic adults has carried down to their offspring. Children are much less likely than adults to contract coronavirus or fall seriously ill because of the infection, health records show, though vulnerability varies based on demographics. Of the 190,000 deaths attributed to COVID-19 in the U.S., 121 of those who died by July 31 were under the age of 21, according to the CDCs Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. Three of every four were of Hispanic, Black, American Indian or Alaskan descent, the agency said. Hispanics accounted for 45 per cent of deaths overall, while Black people accounted for 29 per cent. Deaths were more common among males, particularly at the older end of the spectrum, with young adults age 18 to 20 accounting for nearly half, the agency found. The next highest risk was in infants under the age of 1. Underlying medical conditions were also common among the young patients, with 75 per cent having at least one other health concern. 1:52 p.m. American Airlines is cutting the number of flight attendants on many of its larger planes and longer trips starting in October, coinciding with upcoming furloughs and layoffs for more than 19,000 employees. American has already told flight attendants that the job will have to change starting Oct. 1 when federal stimulus aid runs out and the carrier tries to find a path back to profitability despite the COVID-19 pandemic. American will drop two flight attendants from its three-class Boeing 777-300 jets, giving it 11 flight attendants for the plane with about 304 seats. Americans Boeing 777-200 and 787-900 jets will go from 10 to nine flight attendants. Meanwhile, transcontinental service on Airbus A321 planes will lose one of its six flight attendants. 1:50 p.m. Authorities in southern Germany said Tuesday they have recorded three more cases of COVID-19 in people who frequented bars visited by a 26-year-old American woman suspected of flouting quarantine rules in the Alpine resort town of Garmisch-Partenkirchen. The latest cases take the total number of recent infections there to 59, including 25 staff at a hotel resort that caters to U.S. military personnel and at which the woman worked. Anton Speer, who heads the county administration, told reporters that authorities are still waiting for the results of about 300 tests conducted on Monday and it was too soon to give the all-clear. The three new cases emerged from 740 tests conducted over the weekend. Bavarias governor, Markus Soeder, called the outbreak in Garmisch-Partenkirchen a model case of stupidity because the 26-year-old had gone partying despite having COVID-19 symptoms and awaiting a test result. Soeder said Monday that such recklessness must have consequences and suggested the woman, who hasnt been named, could receive a stiff fine. 1:11 p.m. The Ontario government is spending $2.5 million to help Guelph-based Linamar Corp. retool to make 10,000 e700 ventilators. There are 11 COVID-19 patients on ventilators in Ontario hospitals. 12:35 p.m. Provinces are looking to expand COVID-19 testing as Canadians in many provinces wait long hours to be swabbed or cant get in for testing at all. Demand for testing surged in much of the country in recent days, as schools and universities reopened and the number of positive cases began to surge, raising fears that a second wave of the pandemic has arrived. Ottawa health officials say they are experiencing record lineups for testing and are extending testing site hours to try to accommodate the demand. One testing site in Ottawas west end closed its doors to new arrivals for the second day in a row as the line had already grown to the sites daily capacity before noon. In London, Ont., a testing site at Western University hit capacity only two hours after opening Monday, after word spread that five students on campus had tested positive. Ontario chief medical officer of health Dr. David Williams says Ontario is looking ahead to managing long testing lines as the weather gets cooler by adding new sites and figuring out how to have people wait indoors safely despite the pandemic. 10:55 a.m. (updated) For the fifth day in a row Ontario is reporting more than 200 new cases of COVID-19. There were four additional deaths reported, but the provinces tally of 251 new infections Tuesday was an almost 20 per cent drop from Mondays headline-grabbing 313 new cases. Locally, 24 public health units are reporting five or fewer cases with 14 reporting no new cases, Health Minister Christine Elliott said on Twitter, noting there are three main hot spots in the province. Toronto is reporting 73 new cases, with 51 in Ottawa and 42 in Peel, said Elliott. Read the full story from the Stars Robert Benzie 9:40 a.m. The number of Canadians who expect to buy a home within the next year grew this summer, particularly among renters looking for more outdoor space and distance, says the second of a four-part survey by Mortgage Professionals Canada (MPC). But the associations chief economist Will Dunning said there are still too many unknowns to predict whether the summers hot housing market will continue through the fall. The survey found that the number of nonhomeowners who want to buy in the next 12 months increased to 16 per cent in August. Thats a slight bump from 14 per cent in the first instalment of the survey in June-July. But it is more than double the 7 per cent who said they were expecting to get into the market last fall before COVID-19 shut down the economy. That doesnt mean all those people will necessarily get a mortgage or move ahead to buy, said a report on the findings on Monday. Although consumer attitudes are moving in a helpful direction, its still not a full recovery by any stretch of the imagination, Dunning told the Star. Read the full story from the Stars Tess Kalinowski 9:26 a.m. The Canadian Real Estate Association says home sales in August climbed 6.2 per cent compared with July to hit an all-time record for the month with gains led by the Greater Toronto Area and B.C.s Lower Mainland. Compared with a year ago, sales in August were up 33.5 per cent. Home sales in Canada came to a near halt in the spring due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but have surged through the summer, helped by pent up demand and low mortgage rates. CREA says in addition to a record for August it was the sixth-highest monthly sales figure of any month. Sales through the first eight months of the year have totalled 341,463 homes, up 0.8 per cent compared with the first eight months of 2019. The national average home price also set another record in August at more than $586,000, up 18.5 per cent compared with a year ago. Excluding Greater Vancouver and the Greater Toronto Area, two of Canadas most active and expensive housing markets, lowers the national average price by about $122,000. 8:16 a.m. Premier Doug Fords governing Progressive Conservatives are changing the rules of the legislature in a move the opposition New Democrats charge is a pandemic power grab. As MPPs returned to Queens Park for the fall session, government house leader Paul Calandra announced amendments to the Legislative Assemblys standing orders designed to streamline proceedings. We are proposing a number of permanent and provisional amendments to the rules of the legislature to further enhance the ability of all members of provincial parliament to represent their constituents, Calandra said Monday. The changes proposed are fair and balanced updates that will enhance democracy in our legislature, he said. Under the proposal, which should pass this fall because the Conservatives have a majority with 72 MPPs in the 124-member chamber, there will be greater focus on private members legislation by considering one bill per day Tuesdays through Thursdays. That will help Tory backbenchers as well as opposition MPPs pushing their own legislative initiatives. Read more from the Stars Robert Benzie 7:56 a.m. The Canadian International AutoShow, the largest annual consumer show in the country thats been held in Toronto every February for years, has been postponed until 2022, to be replaced by a virtual exhibition. The Trillium Automobile Dealers Association (TADA), promoters of the annual event that attracts more than 330,000 people to the downtown Metro Toronto Convention Centre, made the decision to cancel the in-person event next February because of the COVID-19 pandemic. In its place, the AutoShow will present an immersive automotive showcase on a virtual platform. The health and safety of AutoShow consumers, and all of those who work within the automotive industry, are of primary concern and the main reason behind the decision to go virtual next February, Jason Campbell, the shows general manager, said early Tuesday in a release. The AutoShow has become a must-visit showcase for both new car buyers and automotive enthusiasts alike, Campbell said. Were still committed to ensuring that the hundreds of thousands who would normally visit the show in person will continue to be able to engage with this great event just in a new, more widely accessible way. Read more from Norris McDonald 7:21 a.m. Loblaw Companies Ltd. has signed a deal to buy a minority stake in telemedicine company Maple Corp. for $75 million. The company says the investment will be made through its Shoppers Drug Mart Inc. subsidiary. Maple helps people connect with doctors and medical specialists using a smartphone or computer and also provides technology for employers, insurers, hospitals and clinics. Loblaw says Shoppers Drug Mart has been working with Maple and its virtual care is available in more than 160 Shoppers Drug Mart locations in B.C. The two companies also worked together early in the pandemic to help enable virtual care visits. 6:41 a.m.: Ten positive cases of COVID-19 were reported in schools across the GTA on Monday, as some students headed back for their first day of in-person classes. Among the newly added is John Fraser Secondary School in Mississauga, which a provincial database confirmed had one case of a student who tested positive. The database is being used to track COVID-19 in schools and shows overall five additional cases in the Peel and Halton region have also been reported. Read the full story from the Stars Breanna Xavier-Carter. 6:30 a.m.: Millions of Pakistani schoolchildren have returned to their classrooms as education institutions reopen after a closure of about six months to fight COVID-19. Students in wearing masks were seen entering school buildings Tuesday, greeting each other from a reasonable distance instead of shaking hands or hugging. The government has asked teachers, school staff and students to wear masks and regularly use sanitizers. 6:15 a.m.: Nearly 1.8 million Hong Kong residents took voluntary coronavirus tests as part of a massive community testing program, resulting in 42 cases being identified, the government said Tuesday. The two-week testing program, which ended Monday, was aimed at identifying silent carriers of the coronavirus to cut the transmission chain in a wave of cases that began in July. Although the total number of people tested fell short of the governments initial estimate of four to five million, officials say the program met its objectives. The program ended smoothly, we have met the policy objective, Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam said at a news conference. We have identified confirmed cases, weve isolated them and given them treatment to cut the transmission chain. 5:31 a.m.: Unemployment in the U.K. edged up in July even though large sections of the British economy reopened after the coronavirus lockdown, a clear signal that the jobless rate is set to spike sharply higher when a government salary-support scheme comes to an end in the autumn. The 104,000 rise in the number of people unemployed during the three-month period to July took the total to 1.4 million, and raised the unemployment rate by 0.2 percentage points to 4.1% the biggest increase since the pandemic began. The increase in unemployment came even after the reopening of the hospitality sector in early July, following on from the reopening of shops selling items deemed as non-essential, such as clothes and books. 5:21 a.m.: South Koreas daily coronavirus tally has stayed in the low 100s for a third consecutive day, maintaining a downward trajectory. The 106 cases added Tuesday brought the countrys total to 22,391, including 367 deaths. South Koreas daily jump has remained in triple digits for more than a month, but its caseload has recently gradually slowed down in the wake of stringent social distancing rules. 5:19 a.m.: China has reported eight new coronavirus cases, all from people who entered the country, including two Myanmar nationals who had crossed the land border at the Chinese city of Ruili. Myanmar has seen a surge in new coronavirus cases. On Friday, the country reimposed tough measures to control the spread of the disease. Ruili was placed under lockdown on Monday evening, with people banned from leaving the city and residents quarantined at home for a week. 5:15 a.m.: India confirmed more than 83,000 new coronavirus cases on Tuesday, bringing its total caseload to nearly 5 million. The Health Ministry also reported 1,054 new deaths, driving total fatalities up to 80,776. With 4.93 million confirmed cases, India has the second-highest total in the world after the U.S. Infections have maintained an upward surge amid an ease in coronavirus restrictions nationwide. More than 600,000 new cases have been confirmed in the last week alone. 5:10 a.m.: Momcilo Krajisnik, a former top wartime Bosnian Serb official who was convicted of war crimes by a U.N. court, has died after contracting the new coronavirus. He was 75. The hospital in the northern Bosnian town of Banja Luka said that Krajisnik died early Tuesday from consequences of infection with the new coronavirus. 5:07 a.m.: Voters in New Brunswick delivered a majority win to Premier Blaine Higgs on Monday, effectively endorsing his decision to call a snap election in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic a move described as unsafe and unneeded by his political rivals. The closely watched campaign was the first in the country since COVID-19 hit, and though it looked much different than previous electoral races, elections officials reported few problems during the past four weeks or on voting day. 5:05 a.m.: The looming prospect of a second wave of COVID-19 this fall has governments cautiously monitoring daily infection rates as economies restart and students return to school. A widespread return of economic and social restrictions that closed businesses and schools and cancelled public events in March is not the preferred option, but there may be no choice, say politicians and health officials. The last thing that anyone wants is to have to once again shut down our economies and suspend our lives to try and counter a massive second wave, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said last week. He stressed public vigilance to fight the pandemic, frequent hand washing, mask wearing and physical distancing, because as were seeing with cases rising across the country, we are not out of the woods. Winnipeg epidemiologist Cynthia Carr said Canadians should brace for more restrictions and shutdowns if COVID-19 cases continue to rise, even without the arrival of a second wave. British Columbia ordered the immediate closure of nightclubs and banquet halls last week after daily COVID-19 case numbers were consistently above 100, with many infections traced to young people out socializing at events where alcohol was served. Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry also ordered bars, pubs, lounges and restaurants to cut off alcohol sales at 10 p.m. and close by 11 p.m., unless serving only food. Tuesday 4 a.m.: The Toronto District School Board will begin welcoming students back to elementary schools this morning. Canadas largest school board is spreading the return to class over three days as part of a staggered reopening plan. The model will see different grades come back to school on different days, with specifics varying by school. The board says the drawn-out reopening plan is designed to help children get used to the new safety protocols in place to slow the spread of COVID-19. Intensive support programs will begin at all Toronto public schools today, including high schools. The board announced Monday that it was pushing back the start of e-learning courses for all students until next Tuesday, citing a massive spike in enrolment numbers. Monday 5:47 p.m.: A House subcommittee examining President Donald Trumps response to the coronavirus pandemic is launching an investigation into reports that political appointees have meddled with routine government scientific data to better align with Trumps public statements. The Democrat-led subcommittee said Monday that it is requesting transcribed interviews with seven officials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Department of Health and Human Services, including communications aide Michael Caputo. Caputo has often publicly pushed back on CDC statements about the coronavirus and said falsely in a Facebook video on Sunday that the CDC has a resistance unit to undermine Trump, according to The New York Times. His page has since been made private. Click here for more of Mondays coverage. Read more about: A Texas Tech University student who was partying when she claimed to have coronavirus in a video that went viral last week has resigned from her sorority. The video showed an unidentified female bragging about her party life despite testing positive for COVID. Since the incident, the university has launched an investigation into the video and her sorority, Alpha Phi, condemned her behavior. 'The behavior in that video is appalling. When chapter leadership learned of this members behavior, the chapter immediately initiated judicial proceedings. The member has since chosen to resign outright,' a sorority spokeswoman told KWTX. A Texas Tech University student who claimed to have coronavirus in a video that went viral last week has resigned from her sorority Alpha Phi The Office of the Dean of Students and Student Conduct shared in a tweet on September 6 that they were aware of the video and were addressing the matter The spokeswoman said that the chapter will 'cooperate fully with university officials and do all we can to support contract tracing to protect other students and ensure any members who may have been exposed are quarantined immediately pursuant to our COVID protocols'. The Office of the Dean of Students and Student Conduct shared in a tweet on September 6 that they were aware of the video and were addressing the matter. A DailyMail.com request for comment to the university was not immediately returned. In the brief clip, the young woman sits with friends and pans the camera to show the party she's attending in what appears to be a yard. 'Yes I have COVID, the whole f**king world has COVID,' she asserts in the clip. 'All of these people have COVID. So stop getting on my tip, stop getting on my tip. Like, I'm having a good time.' It is unknown whether others in attendance at the party are affiliated. 'Yes I have COVID, the whole f**king world has COVID,' the unidentified woman says in the clip. 'All of these people have COVID. So stop getting on my tip, stop getting on my tip. Like, I'm having a good time' In the brief clip, the girl sits with friends and pans to show the party she's attending in what appears to be a yard On Monday, the university reported an additional 189 new cases. Of those new cases, 173 were students and 16 were employees. There are now 1,280 total confirmed cases. Of those, 1,152 are students and 128 are employees. No deaths have been reported. In a letter released on September 8, Texas Techs President Lawrence Schovanec said that the university had been met with a series of 'challenges' since resuming classes. 'The first two weeks of classes have presented its share of challenges. Our plans have been tested, but I am very proud of your resilience and your focus on the well-being of our students,' Schovanec said in the release. 'I know that further challenges await us as we continue to work through this pandemic. I am proud of our university community and the way you have supported one another. I deeply appreciate all that you are doing.' (Photo : (Photo by Lisa Maree Williams/Getty Images)) SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - AUGUST 19: A general view of AstraZeneca is seen during Prime Minister Scott Morrison's visit on August 19, 2020 in Sydney, Australia. The Australian government has announced an agreement with the British pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca to secure at least 25 million doses of a COVID-19 vaccine if it passes clinical trials. The University of Oxford COVID-19 vaccine is currently in phase-three testing. If the vaccine proves to be successful, Australia will manufacture and supply vaccines and will be made available for free. The project could deliver the first vaccines by the end of this year or by early 2021. (Photo : (Photo by Nick Moir - Pool/Getty Images)) SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - AUGUST 19: Prime Minister Scott Morrison takes a tour at the AstraZeneca laboratories in Macquarie Park, on August 19, 2020 in Sydney, Australia. The Australian government has announced an agreement with the British pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca to secure at least 25 million doses of a COVID-19 vaccine if it passes clinical trials. The University of Oxford COVID-19 vaccine is currently in phase-three testing. If the vaccine proves to be successful, Australia will manufacture and supply vaccines and will be made available for free. The project could deliver the first vaccines by the end of this year or by early 2021. (Photo : (Photo by David Greedy/Getty Images)) IOWA CITY, IA - AUGUST 11: Marisa Grunder, 27 of Wilton, Iowa, is given a shot during trials of an H1N1 vaccine, developed by CSL of Australia, at University of Iowa Health Care, the University's medical center, on August 11, 2009 in Iowa City, Iowa. The university's medical center is one of 8 trial sites across the nation conducting human studies on the new vaccine which is looking at optimal dosage levels for a variety of age groups. The United States' Department of Health and Human Services' agency, Food and Drug Administration (FDA), will conduct its trial that postpones the country's leg in AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine trial red flag side effect on a person's spinal cord. The US FDA will begin to investigate on its own, postponing the trials to midweek. British biopharmaceutical company, AstraZeneca, recently began its Phase Three Clinical Trials in the United States. Still, after more than just a week, it was halted by the company due to a significant side effect affecting a patient's spinal cord. Over the weekend, the company ruled out the postponement and announced that it would resume vaccine trials, primarily in the United Kingdom. However, the US FDA will hold its separate investigation to identify the vaccine's major red flags that prevailed to a patient. According to Reuters, the patient who had side effects is only an individual and resides in the United Kingdom under the UK's testing procedures. AstraZeneca and Oxford's joint vaccine procurement faces major red flags but resumes its Phase Three clinical trials after its safety panel deemed so. The Food and Drug Administration would ensure the safety on their own, to launch a separate investigation that postpones the US testing until the middle of the week. FDA's probe did not say how long it would take, along with its US vaccine sign-up, which was put on pause on September 6. The sign-up for the clinical trials in the US would only resume with FDA's go-signal and approval. ALSO READ: Health Experts Show Skeptism with COVID-19 Vaccine Timelines, Urge the Public to Take Pharma Company's Claims "with a Grain of Salt" AstraZeneca's COVID-19 Vaccine Side Effect AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine produced a concerning side effect to one British patient, which halted the trials across all of the company's testing facilities scattered worldwide. According to Daily Mail, the solo patient who showed side effects presents a concerning spinal cord inflammation that is now brushed off as trials resume. The trial patient was only thought to be showing signs of a rare spinal cord inflammation called 'transverse myelitis.' The spinal cord disorder is a rare sighting and an alarming case due to its harmful nature, damages the insulating material covering the nerve cell fibers. Transverse Myelitis interrupts the spinal cord's function to send signals throughout the body. Despite the COVID-19 Vaccine side effect from the trial is an isolated case and a misconception, the US FDA will continue its probe and perform an exclusive and extensive study about AstraZeneca's vaccine. AstraZeneca's Vaccine Trial Resumes Several countries have AstraZeneca's approval and go-signal that urges the safe return of the immunization trials. The United Kingdom is the first country to go forth and continue from the postponement, along with Brazil, who currently confirms its return. Tests in South Africa and India are still unconfirmed and are waiting for official announcements from its respective governments. The US' clinical trial sign-up listing received a whopping 30,000 interested participants, but the country did not reveal how much it will include on the actual participants. The country's postponement of the vaccine means falling behind the rest of the world in receiving AstraZeneca's immunity shots. AstraZeneca is the World Health Organization's top candidate for the vaccine race in the world. This postponement now raises concern against the company and its work on the vaccine. ALSO READ: New Theory Suggests Face Mask to Produce Immunity Against COVID-19-Weakens the Virus and Worst-Case Leads To Asymptomatic This article is owned by Tech Times Written by Isaiah Alonzo 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. A major advocate for ALS research and finding a cure, Venture Construction Group of Florida (VCGFL) sponsored the Walk Your Way virtual event hosted by the ALS Association Florida Chapter. The fundraiser was held on August 1 and featured virtual opening and closing ceremonies which were broadcast live across the state. Participants throughout the state chose where to walk and the length of the walk, while practicing social distancing due to COVID-19. The 2020 theme, Hometown Heroes, celebrates heroes battling ALS; their caregivers; local emergency responders; medical personnel; grocery clerks; farmers, and essential personnel. VCGFL exhibited virtually in an online booth, along with other sponsors, offering promotional specials, tips, live Q&A, and expertise. To prioritize the safety of all involved, we gave every participant the tools to host their own ALS Walk Your Way experience that fit their needs, health directives, and abilities, said Cal Brooks, vice president of development, ALS Association Florida Chapter. We created a custom, virtual portal for sponsors to exhibit and participate just as they would with a table at a live event. Were so appreciative of the ongoing generosity and support of businesses like Venture Construction Group of Florida. The Walk Your Way virtual event replaced seven previously scheduled Walk to Defeat ALS events throughout Florida. The pre-COVID events sponsored by VCGFL included the Palm Beach Walk to Defeat ALS; the Central Florida Walk to Defeat ALS in Orlando; the Broward Walk to Defeat ALS in Davie; the Jacksonville Walk to Defeat ALS; the Southwest Walk to Defeat ALS; the Sarasota Walk to Defeat ALS; and the Greater Tampa Bay Walk to Defeat ALS. Were impressed that the ALS Association Florida Chapter was able to modify these walks and adapt so everyone could still participate in the COVID environment. What a testament to their strength as an organization dedicated to defeating ALS. Were honored to sponsor these events and the amazing work the ALS Association is doing to find a cure, said Stephen Shanton, president and CEO of Venture Construction Group of Florida, founder of the Shanton ALS Foundation. VCGFL will be sponsoring and exhibiting at the upcoming ALS Association Florida Chapter Hope and Health Symposium on Aug. 29 from 8 a.m.- 5 p.m. The virtual event includes keynote speakers, informative demonstrations and sessions for people living with ALS, caregivers, healthcare professionals, and supporters of the ALS community, as well as a vendor fair and learning lab. About Venture Construction Group of Florida Founded in 1998, Venture Construction Group of Florida (VCGFL) is an award-winning leader in construction, restoration, renovations, roofing, storm damage repairs, and 24/7 emergency services throughout Florida, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Bahamas and the Caribbean. Specializing in industrial/ commercial projects, VCGFL assists property managers, condominium boards, homeowner associations, association boards, hotels, and business complexes with general contractor services, roofing, specialty construction, historical restoration, water and flood mitigation, and property repairs due to fire, flood, water, wind and hurricanes. With offices in Boca Raton, Ft. Myers, Naples, Panama City Beach, Orlando, Stuart, Tampa, San Juan, and Nassau, VCGFL is committed to operational excellence and exceptional customer service. VCGFL takes care of the details every step of the way including roofing, siding, windows, drywall, flooring, paint, gutters to rebuilding properties after major storm events from hurricanes, tornadoes, and hailstorms. VCGFL has earned leading industry awards including the Gold Coast Builders Association (GCBA) Silver PRISM Award for Safety Team of the Year, GCBA Gold PRISM Award for Craftsmanship- Commercial Exterior, GCBA Silver PRISM Award for Craftsmanship- Commercial Exterior, Owens Corning Pinnacle Award for Safety, Construction Business Owner Award, Roofing Alliance MVP Award, Coatings Pro Contractor Award, Pro Remodeler Forty Under 40 Award, Qualified Remodeler Top 500 Remodelers Award, Qualified Remodeler Master Design Award, Florida Roofing and Sheet Metal Contractors Association S.T.A.R. Spotlight Trophy for the Advancement of Roofing Awards in Sustainability and Community Service. CEO Stephen Shanton is an esteemed member of the prestigious Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC). Entrepreneur Magazine hails YEC Consists of Some of the Most Well-Respected Minds in Entrepreneurship. Shanton is a certified member of the WindStorm Insurance Network and is a WIND Certified Umpire, WIND Certified Appraiser, and WIND Certified Fellow. VCGFL carries advanced accreditations and is an exclusive certified National Storm Damage Center Preferred Contractor and Certified Member of the United Association of Storm Restoration Contractors. VCGFL is a proud member of Exterior Insulation and Finish Systems (EIFS) Industry Members Association (EIMA); Florida Roofing and Sheet Metal Contractors Association (FRSA); Gold Coast Builders Association (GCBA); Insurance Appraisal and Umpire Association (IAUA); National Association of Environmentally Responsible Mold Contractors (NAERMC); National Association of Home Builders (NAHB); National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA); NRCA Qualified Trainer; Property Liability and Resource Bureau (PLRB); Restoration Industry Association (RIA). VCGFL is a registered U.S. Federal Government Contractor and holds leading manufacturer certifications including Owens Corning Platinum Preferred Contractor, Mule-Hide Legacy Contractor, Certified CertainTeed Contractor, and Duro-Last Certified Contractor status. VCGFL credentials have been vetted and screened through independent third-party Global Risk Management Solutions. For more information, call 866-459-8351 or visit us online at http://www.VCGFL.com. #VCGFLGivesBack About ALS Association Florida Chapter Established in 1987, The ALS Association Florida Chapter is fighting Lou Gehrigs Disease on all fronts, or as we like to say, Covering all the bases for people living with ALS in Florida." We provide patient programs, advocate on behalf of patients with our government leaders, create awareness of the disease, and fund research. In addition, the Chapter provides financial support to our statewide multidisciplinary ALS clinics and research facilities, enabling them to increase patient care. Learn more at http://www.alsafl.org. #ALSAwareness Media Inquiries: Sarah Barrett Elev8 Consulting Group Ph: 386-243-5388 Em: info@elev8cg.com Web: http://www.elev8cg.com 'We don't want another Moria', say Lesvos migrants Homeless refugees lament being forced to stay on Greek island (ANSAMed) - ATHENS, SEPTEMBER 14 - Thousands of refugees and migrants who were left homeless last week by huge fires which destroyed the Moria reception center where they were staying are pleading for an alternative solution to staying on the island. Over 12,000 people, including families with small children, have been living in makeshift tents on the side of busy roads and in nearby fields for five days following the devastating blazes which ripped through the Moria facility. Greece's Prime Minister has promised that "a new, permanent migrant reception centre on Lesvos" will replace the overcrowded and squalid refugee camp destroyed last week - calling for closer European involvement, while Migration Minister Notis Mitarakis has also ruled out the transfer of people to the mainland, indicating that such a move could spark unrest at camps on other islands. A temporary camp has already been set up on an army firing range to provide shelter for those sleeping rough, with the priority given to families with children, while the government continues to plan to build a new reception and identification center, one where residents will not be allowed to come and go freely, thus bolstering the sense of security among locals on Lesvos. But, for all of these efforts in the wake of a truly miserable situation, the answer on the ground from refugees in Lesvos is that they would rather be anywhere else but there. "We do not have food, we do not have much water, but we prefer the road to the camp," said a group of Afghans, quoted by Greek national newspaper EFSYN. The migrants added that they "do not trust the police". "I have been in Lesvos for two years, now I finally want to go to Athens or Thessaloniki, where there are jobs and we can find a house," EFSYN quoted a 30-year-old Afghan man named Sahram as saying. Miserable scenes of babies and toddlers sleeping on the side of the streets have shocked the world and brought Lesvos and Greece into the spotlight once more concerning the ongoing migrant crisis. And the situation is not changing quickly. The army are handing out food and water but there is also a heavy police presence with skirmishes breaking out between groups of migrants and riot forces. The police continue to stop migrants from moving towards the main town of Mytilene, even using tear gas over the weekend. Until late on Sunday night, approximately 350 tents with a capacity of 6-8 people each were set up in the new center with the assistance of the army, from a total of 600 tents which were donated by the UNHCR. In parallel, there's also the troublesome situation with positive Covid-19 cases - the cause of the initial trouble and fires. Before the fires broke out, 35 positive cases had been confirmed, and then when restrictive measures were put in place, the camp was set on fire. Up until Sunday evening, there were 12 fresh positive Covid-19 cases confirmed, and all of the people have been quarantined.(ANSAmed). (ANSA). Marin County got the green light Tuesday to move from the states purple tier to red, and is moving forward with some of the Bay Areas most expansive reopening plans for businesses. After getting bumped up to the second-worst label among the states four-color-tiered reopening framework, Marin County is immediately opening indoor fitness, movies, personal care, restaurants and places of worship on a limited scale and expanding indoor retail and malls from 25% to 50% capacity. San Francisco and Santa Clara County have already been in the red indicating substantial spread of the coronavirus but they have chosen not to include movie theaters or restaurants in their reopening plans. As we reopen, it gives us more freedom to make more choices, but with that, comes more responsibility, said Dr. Matt Willis, Marin Countys public health officer. We definitely dont want for our community to see this movement from purple to red as: The coast is clear. Were much closer to purple than we are to orange. The next couple of weeks are going to be important. Were at a critical juncture. Joining Inyo and Tehama, Marin was one of three counties in the state boosted from the worst to the second-worst tier among the states framework. As it stands, 30 of the states counties are in purple (widespread; 17 are in red; nine are in orange (moderate); and two are in yellow (minimal). The state updates the tiers every Tuesday based on coronavirus cases, positive test rates and the amount of testing. If a county stays in a tier for at least three weeks, it is eligible to advance. If its metrics worsen for two consecutive weeks, it could be assigned a more restrictive tier. Josh Edelson / Special to The Chronicle Marin actually thought it would make this jump last week, but a last-minute decision by the state kept the county in the purple tier. Many of the tests performed by the county were initially undercounted by the state, skewing last weeks results, according to Dr. Willis. He said that daily updates with regards to tier status will be given in the future as the state and counties try to align with the new blueprint. But some arent waiting around for the health departments to fix the process. Sonoma Fit owner Adam Kovacs cannot open his two Sonoma County gyms, but he opened his Novato gym at 10% capacity on Sept. 8 as he was advised to do by county officials. When the state reversed course eight hours before he was scheduled to open at 6 a.m., Kovacs went forward and has stayed open for a week. We are some real rule-followers, but enough is enough, Kovacs said. Weve got San Francisco officials (going) into gyms and Nancy Pelosi getting a haircut inside. Many business owners are now like: Who cares, anymore? This makes no fing sense. Kovacs gym in Novato was open for one day before the mid-March shelter-in-place order. The 400-plus max-occupancy fitness center is following 10% capacity state protocol and has been creative with adding outdoor space to make room for 150 check-ins a day. Im happy that something is finally happening, but its been six months, Kovacs said. Im upset, and I continue to worry. I dont want to live this way, but Im living in fear. Willis chose the word caution over fear, but he gets it. Air Quality Tracker Check levels down to the neighborhood Ratings for the Bay Area and California, updated every 10 minutes Marin County has been one of the Bay Areas leaders with its site-specific protection plans, which have to be approved by the Public Health Department and posted at each business. Willis has led initiatives with 19 different business sectors to define specific safety practices. Willis said hell use precise contact tracing with gyms, movie theaters, restaurants and places of worship to create a local-evidence-based approach to continuing or cutting those industries considered to have a higher risk of transmission. I think one of the challenges for this is: Youre able to reopen because youre containing the virus, and that progress allows us to reopen more, but that reopening itself can threaten further progress, he said. Theres risk associated with different openings for indoor activities. Its a delicate process. We want to be able to reopen, and we know that we can take the steps only because weve made progress. But, if were not careful, we could easily slip backward. Rusty Simmons is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: rsimmons@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @Rusty_SFChron Senior sources in all three smaller Executive parties at Stromont have accused the DUP of engaging in bogus briefings about their position on Covid-19. The Ulster Unionists, Alliance and SDLP claimed that Arlene Fosters party was pretending that they had proposed sweeping coronvairus restrictions at last Thursdays Executive meeting, which the DUP had successfully opposed. They said that this was a totally inaccurate narrative. A UUP source claimed that the DUP was creating a fictional account to appease its own backwoodsmen. Earlier DUP MP Sammy Wilson told the BBCs Good Morning Ulster: If the technocrats in the Department of Health and if some of the ministers in the Executive had had their way, these restrictions would be far more severe and many businesses would be experiencing far, far greater difficulties as a result of them. Other ministers wanted far, far more widespread restrictions and those were opposed by our party, and quite rightly so. But a senior Ulster Unionist source dismissed this claim as absurd. He said: It is incorrect on all fronts and it has no standing in the facts. Robin Swann never proposed sweeping lockdown restrictions. What Robin asked for at Thursdays Executive meeting, he got. The DUP and every other party at the Executive table supported everything proposed by Robin. There was no opposition. Mr Swann himself strongly denied that he had been reined in by the DUP. He said: In light to what is being alleged this morning, I am not going to breach the confidentiality of Executive discussions to comment on ill-informed and bogus claims. Our public health messaging is too important to play games with. Radio Ulsters Stephen Nolan Show reported claims that Justice Minister Naomi Long and Infrastructure Minister Nichola Mallon wanted a full lockdown imposed across Northern Ireland, as opposed to the localised restrictions that the Executive put in place. Ms Mallon tweeted: Deeply regrettable that, in the middle of a public health crisis, energies are being spent on giving misleading briefings. An SDLP spokesman said Mr Wilsons comments had no basis in reality. He said that his party had argued for clarification on the restrictions, not further restrictions. He called on the DUP to explain why one of its MPs was relating inaccurate reports from Executive meetings. Mr Wilson could not be contacted for comment. Alliance leader Mrs Long also challenged the claims. I would suggest that whoever is commenting should at least try to be more accurate in future, she tweeted. An Alliance source added: We dont discuss the ins and outs of Execcutive business. Those who do should make the effort to be more accurate. At last Thursdays meeting, the Executive decided to impose localised limitations on people socialising in Belfast, Ballymena and other areas with high infection rates. Asked for a response to the UUP, SDLP and Alliance claims that the DUP was engaging in bogus briefings about the stance of the smaller parties, a DUP spokesman said: Too many parties are worried about playing politics and positioning themselves. They should focus on working together rather than briefing out the contents of every Executive meeting. Its a five-party Executive, there will always be differences of opinion, but we must focus on protecting lives and livelihoods. Meanwhile, Mrs Foster urged her Stormont political colleagues to wise up and end hostile briefings about coronavirus. She told the Assembly: Everybody should wise up. We are dealing with huge issues in the Executive. She said that Northern Ireland had reached a tipping point in the battle against Covid-19. People should stop briefing against each other, she continued. We are supposed to be in a five-party coalition dealing with all of these issues and that is what I hope we do moving forward. Mr Swann said that he enjoyed the full support of Mrs Foster and Deputy First Minister Michelle ONeill in a concerted approach to fighting Covid-19. Two further deaths from coronavirus were reported over the weekend in Northern Ireland, the Department of Health said. There have been 109 new confirmed cases in the last 24-hour reporting period as health chiefs grapple to contain rising rates. Im responding to Lou Kauffmans Sept. 7 letter, about Adolf Hitlers If you tell a big enough lie and tell it frequently enough, it will be believed. Donald Trump has done this from day one. He tells nothing but lies, and too many people cannot get their heads out of the sand long enough to see the truth. Hitler was going to make Germany great again. So is Trump with the USA. Hitler divided the country. So does Trump. Hitler said, Work will set you free, but only the concentration camps and gas chambers set certain people free. Trump will do this to us by destroying our Social Security, Medicare and health care. Hitler destroyed churches and synagogues. Trump will hold a Bible upside down for a photo op while he is allowed to break every commandment. Trump is just like Hitler a liar, a cheat and an egotistic maniac who will leave this country in shambles, just like Hitler left Germany. If enough people believe his lies and give him four more years in office, he might even surpass Hitlers record of deaths attributed to his reign of terror, deceit and lies. John Repsher Pen Argyl Jammu/New Delhi, Sep 15 : The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is conducting searches at nine locations in Jammu and Kashmir, including premises of former state Minister Choudhary Lal Singh's wife Kamta Singh, in a case of illegal encroachment of forest land in Kathua district, an official said on Tuesday. On June 25, the CBI had registered a preliminary enquiry (PE) to probe the land encroachment allegations. The agency said it found existence of prima facie material to move ahead with formal registration of a case, known as a Regular Case or FIR, to start investigation. A CBI spokesperson said in Delhi: "Multiple CBI teams are conducting searches at nine locations, three in Jammu and six in Kathua, including at RB Educational Trust office, the residence of its chairperson Kamta Singh and other accused." The official said that the agency also carried out searches at the premises of Ajay Singh Jamwal, then District Collector of Kathua; Avtar Singh, then Tehsildar of Marheen area; Desh Raj, then Naib Tehsildar, Ramphal, then Girdawar; and Sudesh Kumar, then Patwari. The official said that the CBI had registered a case against RB Educational Trust, (through its Chairperson Kamta), above-mentioned officials, and unknown persons on the charges of facilitating possession of land by the Trust much beyond the permissible limit and submission of a false affidavit in Trust's support, thereby causing loss to the exchequer. According to a CBI official, RB Educational Trust continues to be in possession of huge tracts of land in gross violation of the cealing prescribed under the J&K Agrarian Reforms Act, 1976. It was also alleged that an affidavit was filed in the Jammu and Kashmir High Court on June 6, 2015 in which false information was submitted by public servants serving in Kathua. The official said the writ petition was filed in Jammu so as to favour the RB Educational Trust, a family trust of former Member of Parliament Choudhary Lal Singh. The official said that in lieu of illegal consideration, the Revenue and Forest department officials in Kathua allowed the sale and purchase of government/public/forest land by certain persons on the basis of false certificates that such land falls under exempted category as per law. The official said that such encroachment is still continuing and vast tracts of state land is in illegal possession of encroachers due to the connivance of Revenue officials in Kathua. Choudhary Lal SIngh had quit the BJP following a row over rape-murder of an 8-year-old girl in Kathua in 2018. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-16 05:21:15|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close A Palestinian boy takes part in a protest against the Arab-Israeli normalization agreements in Gaza City, on Sept. 15, 2020. Palestine on Tuesday said that the signing of the normalization agreements between Israel, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain in Washington will not achieve peace in the Middle East region. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua) RAMALLAH, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Palestine on Tuesday said that the signing of the normalization agreements between Israel, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain in Washington will not achieve peace in the Middle East region. In a press statement, the Palestinian presidency said that the Palestinians will not accept the consequences of the agreements as long as the United States and Israel do not recognize the Palestinian people's right to establish their independent state on the borders of 1967 with East Jerusalem as its capital. Besides, the Palestinian refugee issue must be resolved under UN Resolution 194, said the statement. "No one has the right to speak on behalf of the Palestinian people or the Palestine Liberation Organization," the statement added. "All attempts to bypass the Palestinian people and their leadership will have serious consequences," the statement explained, stressing that the U.S. administration and the Israeli authorities will bear the responsibility. Israel signed agreements to normalize diplomatic ties with the UAE and Bahrain at the White House on Tuesday. U.S. President Donald Trump joined Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nahyan and Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani in signing the three-way agreements. The signing ceremony, which was held in the South Lawn at the White House, formally makes the UAE and Bahrain the third and the fourth Arab nation to establish diplomatic ties with Israel. Egypt and Jordan signed their peace deals with Israel in 1979 and 1994 respectively. The Electoral Commission of 1877 holds a secret session by candlelight in Washington, DC to resolve the 1876 presidential election. Photo: MPI/Getty Images When nervous political activists and journalists alike anticipate the horrors of a contested 2020 election outcome (particularly now that the Red Mirage scenario of Trump claiming a premature victory on Election Night is becoming plausible), they usually think back twenty years to when no one knew the identity of the 43rd president until the U.S. Supreme Court forced an end to the Florida recount and awarded the presidency to George W. Bush on December 11, 2000. For all the consequences of that outcome and its contribution to the partisan polarization that still dominates our politics today, there wasnt much sense at the time that the choice between Bush and Al Gore was some sort of historical turning point. According to a Pew survey asking Americans if it really matters who wins the presidential election, or things will be pretty much the same regardless of who wins, only 46 percent of Democrats and 56 percent of Republicans said it really mattered in 2000. At this point in the 2020 cycle, by contrast, 85 percent of Democrats and 86 percent of Republicans think the outcome really matters. Al Gore accepted the highly dubious SCOTUS decision in Bush v. Gore quickly, and with words it would be hard to imagine a major-party candidate uttering in similar circumstances today: President-elect Bush inherits a nation whose citizens will be ready to assist him in the conduct of his large responsibilities. I, personally, will be at his disposal, and I call on all Americans I particularly urge all who stood with us to unite behind our next president. This is America. Just as we fight hard when the stakes are high, we close ranks and come together when the contest is done. But if you want an example of a real nation-rending, Constitution-bending contested presidential election that might have conceivably led to a second Civil War, you have to go back to the U.S. Centennial Year of 1876, when Republican Rutherford B. Hayes defeated Democrat Samuel Tilden by a single electoral vote after a dispute that wasnt resolved until the eve of Hayess inauguration in March of 1877. The tense run-up to the 1876 election The solid popular majority (including ex-slaves in the South protected by the actual or threatened presence of federal troops) that had reelected Civil War hero Ulysses S. Grant in 1872 had been weakened by a sustained economic depression, systemic corruption, and southern white resistance to (and northern white fatigue with) Reconstruction. The midterm elections of 1874 produced an epochal 94-seat swing in House seats (there were only 293 seats at the time) towards Democrats, who won the chamber, even as redemption movements aimed at restoring white political power (often behind ex-Confederate leaders) made big gains in the South. By the time voters went to the polls to elect a successor to Grant, he had all but despaired of continuing Reconstruction, with federal courts undermining civil rights enforcement powers and Congress no longer interested in restoring them. Mississippi was redeemed for Democrats in 1875 amid widespread white terrorism, leaving just three southern states (Florida, Louisiana, and South Carolina) under Republican control, with another (North Carolina) closely contested. When Ohio Governor Rutherford B. Hayes won the GOP nomination in 1876, he was mainly known as a hard-money champion and a mild supporter of civil service reform. Privately he had expressed a not-uncommon disinterest in using federal power to defend Black voting and other political rights, though Republicans did wave the bloody shirt by accusing his Democratic rival Samuel Tilden (a New Yorker mostly renowned for fighting Tammany Hall corruption) of being a puppet of ex-Confederates. Much of the South was conceded to Tilden, though as Reconstruction historian Eric Foner has explained, in the four unredeemed states, local Republicans waged a desperate struggle for survival knowing that a restoration of Democratic control would lead to a restoration of white supremacy. Engagement was high everywhere in the country, as reflected in the 1876 elections record-high voter turnout of 82 percent a level which has never again been equaled. The Hayes-Tilden deadlock With the economy being the main public preoccupation in the north, Tilden won the key swing states of Indiana, New Jersey, and his own New York, as well as a clear plurality of the national popular vote (at least as reported widespread violent voter suppression in the South cast considerable doubt on Tildens margin). Late on Election Night, Tilden was one electoral vote short of a majority, with three of the unredeemed southern states (Florida, Louisiana, and South Carolina) plus Oregon still unresolved. Subsequently, legal battles broke out in the three southern states over both the presidential contest and partisan control of state governments, with competing slates of electors being sent to Washington by all three. In Oregon, where Hayess popular vote win was not disputed, the Democratic governor claimed one of the three Republican electors was legally unqualified, and appointed a Democratic replacement. At this point, rarely-consulted and not terribly clear constitutional provisions governing congressional certification of electoral votes came into play. Republicans claimed the President of the Senate (a member of their party) had the power to determine which slates of electors to accept, and Democrats claimed the full Congress had to concur, which might mean the House (which it controlled) would resolve the election if no electoral college majority was recognized. As the time neared in January 1877 for this fateful decision to be made, tensions rose around the country and in Washington. Democrats were particularly motivated given their candidates apparent popular vote margin (ultimately judged to be three percent) and threatened Tilden or War. Southern Blacks feared that a Democratic administration might reinstate slavery. As Ohio Republican congressman James Monroe recalled in 1893, there was no obvious scenario for resolving the crisis: It was repeatedly stated on the floor of the House of Representatives, and apparently believed by the majority, that if the Republican party should proceed, through the President of the Senate, to count the, votes of the disputed States, and declare them for General Hayes, the House would then proceed to elect Mr. Tilden, or to count the vote and declare him elected by the nation. There would then have been a dual presidency, a divided army and navy, a divided people, and probably civil war. What plan could be devised to save the country from the evils that threatened it? The Electoral Commission of 1877 Eventually, President Grant and other Republicans proposed a special bipartisan commission to deal with the situation created by the ambiguous constitutional language on counting and certifying electoral votes, and after some hesitation Democrats accepted it. The commission would be composed of five U.S. Representatives (three Democrats and two Republicans), five U.S. Senators (three Republicans and two Democrats), and five Justices of the U.S. Supreme Court (two appointed by Republican presidents, two by Democratic presidents, and one assumed to be Justice David Davis reputed to be independent. But a ploy by Democrats to curry favor with David backfired horribly, as history professor Ari Hoogenboom explains: [Davis] disqualified himself after a monumental miscalculation by Tildens corrupt nephew, Colonel William T. Pelton, who assumed that electing Davis as senator from Illinois with Democratic votes would purchase his support for Tilden on the Electoral Commission. Davis was replaced by a Republican, Joseph P. Bradley, giving Hayess party an 8:7 edge. Bradley did have an independent streak, but in strict party votes Hayes was awarded the disputed states. The Wormley Conference and the Compromise of 1877 The obvious partisanship of the commission vote and continuing sentiment among Democrats that Tilden had been robbed led to resistance, via a rare filibuster, in the Democratic-controlled House to a final certification of the electoral vote. This was the situation as the March 3 Inaugural Day approached. But in a series of very secret meetings in Washington, what was later known as the Compromise of 1877 was hammered out, as Nicholas E. Hollis later summarized: After months of stalemate and rising tensions over the contested Election of 1876, emissaries from the Hayes-Tilden camps privately met several times at the Wormley Hotel and negotiated a settlementarguably one of the most important in our Nations history which remains shrouded in denials to the present. The secret deal was formulated only days before the end of the Grant Administration under threat of filibuster and violence on Monday evening, February 26, 1877, chiefly, in the rooms of W.M. Evarts (a key Hayes backer who served as counsel to the Electoral Commission and later became as Secretary of State in the Hayes Administration). The Wormley Agreement paved the way for the end of the Reconstruction Era, providing assurances for the early withdrawal of remaining Federal troops in three southern states (Louisiana, South Carolina and Florida) and the right of these states to control their own affairs. The written pledge provided by trusted Hayes aide (Charles Foster) to John Young Brown (D-KY) of the Tilden group cemented a strange alliance between Hayes Ohio Republicans and Tildens southern Democrats. Soon thereafter the House filibuster ended, Hayess electoral vote victory was certified, and he was peacefully inaugurated. The price of compromise There are varying accounts of why the Compromise of 1877 worked, with some historians claiming there was a broader commitment made by the Wormley Conference participants to federal support for capitalist development of the South. But in any event, Hayes kept his end of the bargain on Reconstruction: Within two months of taking office, Hayes ordered federal troops surrounding the South Carolina and Louisiana statehouses, where [Republicans] Chamberlain and Packard still claimed the office of governor, to return to their barracks. (Hayes did not, as legend has it, remove the last federal troops from the South, but his action implicitly meant that the few remaining soldiers would no longer play a role in political affairs.) [Democrats] Hampton and Nicholls peacefully assumed office, marking the final triumph of Redemption. The whole Southevery state in the South, lamented black Louisianan Henry Adams, had got into the hands of the very men that held us as slaves. Perhaps Reconstruction would have ended in any event, but the acceptance by a Republican administration of home rule in the South which soon meant self-government by white people paved the way to the steady disenfranchisement of Black citizens and eventually the imposition of Jim Crow. The Compromise of 1877 was long regarded in conventional histories as a huge step towards peace and regional reconciliation, but it was hardly a harbinger of good feelings. Soon the nation was convulsed in labor strife in the second-most famous development of the year, the Great Strike of 1877, in which the underside of capitalist development and the political power of railroads became evident. An estimated 100,000 workers participated in the strike and around 100 people died in clashes between strikers and troops called to the aid of employers. Nor did the Compromise or the Electoral Commission precedents create a clear future path to the resolution of disputed presidential elections, as we may learn later this year. The Electoral Count Act of 1887 did provide that the electors whose appointment shall have been certified by the executive of the State will be deemed official unless both Houses of Congress agree otherwise. But its not clear how this statute is to be reconciled with state laws providing a more collaborative system for choosing electors, or indeed whether the statute as a whole is constitutional given the unique role arguably provided in the Constitution to state legislatures, and also the autonomy afforded to each congressional chamber. Lessons of 1876 So what does the 1876 experience teach us about a potentially contested 2020 election outcome? The first lesson is that the two main safeguards of the integrity of our presidential elections are the right to vote without intimidation or ballot-tampering and the clear and uncontested certification of a winner. Both were lacking in 1876, and both could be lacking this year as well if Republican threats of wholesale challenges to mail ballots are realized and Republican governors and/or legislators use them to try to disqualify Democratic electors and choose their own slates. The temptation to go in that dangerous direction was significantly reduced in 2018 when Democratic governors were elected offsetting Republican legislatures in the battleground states of Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin (a Democratic governor was also elected in North Carolina in 2016), though GOP trifectas in Arizona, Florida, and Georgia could yet be significant in a contested election. The second lesson is how hazy the system remains for resolution of Electoral College disputes. The federal courts, and the same kind of majority-Republican-appointed SCOTUS that proved decisive in 2000, might ultimately be brought in to adjudicate dispute resolution procedures with unpredictable consequences. The third lesson is how useful it is to have a Chief Magistrate in place during presidential election disputes who is committed to due process and bipartisan input. Yes, President Grant wanted Hayes to win in 1876, but not if it risked violence, and in fact, many of Grants Stalwart Republican backers preferred a Democratic administration and a 1880 comeback to a Hayes presidency. This year, of course, the president is one of the contending parties and the one vastly more likely to produce a constitutional crisis by challenging perfectly valid mail ballots and a perfectly reasonable (if extended) count. Whos going to be a fair arbiter in that scenario? The fourth and arguably most important lesson of 1876 is that a compromise resolution of a contested election requires, well, a potential compromise. Yes, southern Black voters and some Democrats starved for office had reason to oppose the Compromise of 1877, but partially because the wounds of the Civil War were so recent, and partially because powerful economic interests wanted an end to the struggle for and against racial justice, the powers that be in both parties found it easy to make a deal. It offered Republicans four more years in power and Democrats long-term hegemony in the South (though some Republicans, including Hayes, erroneously believed they could build a southern GOP based on support from reasonable white southerners). This year, its unclear the two parties have enough they can offer each other to overcome a contested election. Will those in Trumps evangelical super-base be willing to support any action that forfeits the judicial appointments they think are necessary to end an abortion holocaust? Will Democratic voters who fear an imminent national descent into fascism be willing under any circumstances to go along with a second Trump term? Could there really be a Compromise of 2021 that doesnt risk triggering civil conflict as much as any deadlock? Perhaps we wont have to find out. Maybe one candidate (more likely Joe Biden) will win in a landslide. And its possible Trump is bluffing about refusing to accept a defeat in an election rigged by mail ballots; God willing, the Red Mirage may be just that. But there is precedent for the worst outcome, and its worth taking a long look back at the Centennial Election and its consequences. Less than a week after Orleans Parish prosecutors filed charges against his two alleged accomplices, authorities on Monday jailed a young man in connection with a triple shooting in Algiers last May that left a toddler and an adult dead. Razaq Adekunle, 19, faces two counts of second-degree murder as well as one count each of attempted second-degree murder and second-degree kidnapping in the May 11 shooting that left Isaha Adams, 3, and his older brother, James Estem, 23, dead. The mother of Adams and Estem also sustained a leg wound as she tried to run to safety with her toddler during the shooting in the 2000 block of Lebouef Street. According to investigators, Adekunle and brothers Rodney and Ronjae Steadman, 23 and 19, were in the white GMC truck from which the gunshots were fired. Estem died at the scene while Isaha died after being taken to a hospital. Ronjae Steadman crashed the truck into a nearby utility pole after the shooting. He and the others bailed from the vehicle and stole another mans car at gunpoint with that driver still inside, police said. Police arrested Ronjae Steadman in Algiers later that night, and investigators allege that he confessed to firing a gun at the scene of the Lebouef Street killings. Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up Authorities captured Rodney Steadman in Houston days later. Rodney and Ronjae Steadman were still in jail on Sept. 10 when an Orleans Parish grand jury handed up indictments against each charging them with two counts of first-degree murder, one count of attempted first-degree murder, one count of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder and count of second-degree kidnapping. +9 Incriminating statement leads to arrest in triple shooting that killed toddler, NOPD says A Terrytown man is behind bars after admitting he fired his gun during a triple shooting that killed a 3-year-old boy in Algiers on Monday nig First-degree murder can carry the death penalty. But Orleans Parish District Attorney Leon Cannizzaros office said it will not seek that punishment, meaning the Steadman brothers face mandatory life imprisonment if convicted of murder. Adekunle was at large until Monday. His bail had not been set as of Tuesday morning. The DAs Office said it anticipates that grand jurors will eventually file charges against Adekunle that are similar to those of the Steadman brothers. On July 13, nine weeks after the slayings of Isaha and Estem, 9-year-old Devante Bryant was shot dead in the 2100 block of Pauger Street amid gunfire that also wounded two others. Police have not arrested any suspects in connection with Devantes slaying. NEW YORK, Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Starting today the U.S. observes National Hispanic Heritage Month, a month-long celebration that honors the culture and contributions of Hispanic and Latinx Americans. CheapOair, the travel experience experts, is starting this celebratory month by highlighting the vibrant country of Mexico with their top picks for a culturally immersive vacation experience. Travel Advisory: As of September 13th, the U.S. State Department has lowered Mexico's travel advisory to a Level 3 ahead of September 21st which is when the U.S.-Mexico border closure expires. For more information please click here. Mexico City, Mexico Mexico's capital is a bustling metropolis filled with art, culture, music, and mouthwatering cuisine. A good starting point for any first-time tourist would be to visit Zocalo - the Plaza de la Constitucion. This historic plaza offers exciting concerts, events, markets, and fantastic people watching. It is also right in the middle of Mexico City's three biggest attractions: The National Palace, the Metropolitan Cathedral, and the Templo Mayor. Nearest airport: Mexico City Juarez International Airport Zacatecas, Mexico A city that rose to prominence during the region's mining boom, Zacatecas is known for its breathtaking pink limestone architecture which has earned it the nickname Ciudad Rosada. Considered an underrated gem, this unique city offers old-world charm, in-depth history, and jaw-dropping mountain views. Nearest airport: General Leobardo C. Ruiz International Airport Oaxaca, Mexico A true meeting of the ancient and modern, the colonial architecture stands in sharp contrast to the pre-Hispanic ruins from Mexico's past. Located in the Southwest region, the city is close to gorgeous coastal views. For spirit lovers, Oaxaca is the home to Mezcal, the smokier and richer cousin of tequila. Nearest airport: Puerto Escondido Airport About CheapOair CheapOair is an online travel agency that specializes in providing cheap flights and great last-minute flight deals for travelers worldwide. Consumers can book online, on mobile apps for iOS and Android, by phone (1-646-738-4820) or live chat. Part of Fareportal's family of travel brands, CheapOair bridges the gap between an online travel agency and a traditional agency with certified travel agents available to help find discount flight tickets to global destinations on over 600 airlines, a million hotels, and 100s of car rental companies. Follow CheapOair on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest to learn how to travel the world for less. SOURCE CheapOair Related Links http://www.cheapoair.com Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 15) Foreign Affairs Sec. Teodoro Locsin, Jr. said he is looking into reopening the department's bureau that will remind the world of the country's claim and mainly focus on handling issues related to Sabah. During the House of Representatives budget hearing for the department's 2021 budget, Locsin said he has decided to revive the North Borneo Affairs office after realizing that the world has seemed to forgot the Philippines' claim over Sabah. "I have decided to reactivate the North Borneo Bureau after realizing that the rest of the world has forgotten our Sabah claim, casually designating it as another country's territory when we have not forgotten," he said. "This is one of several international disagreements we can afford to conduct in our best interest without any risk of loss of any kind for our country," he added. The North Borneo Affairs office, which has been inactive for years now, mainly deals with the country's claim over Sabah. A statement from the US Embassy recently triggered the dispute over Sabah claims after they referred to the area as "Sabah, Malaysia." Both the Philippines and Malaysia summoned each other's envoy regarding the issue. Locsin has also stood his ground that the country will not abandon territorial claims over Sabah despite financial offers. Since 1963, Malaysia has considered Sabah its territory after it joined the Malaysian Federation. On the other hand, Manila points out that Sabah was only on lease to Malaysia by the Sultanate of Sulu, who signed a lease agreement with a now defunct private firm on January 22, 1878. READ: Dont even dream of it: Foreign Affairs chief unfazed by alleged financial offers to drop Sabah claim US President Donald Trump hosts the signing of historic diplomatic accords between Israel and two Gulf Arab states, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, in Washington on Tuesday. Hundreds of guests are due to attend the ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House as Trump presides over the inking of the deals. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the foreign ministers of the UAE and Bahrain will represent their nations at the ceremony with the agreements being dubbed the "Abraham Accords". The deals, poised to normalise relations between Israel and the two Gulf countries, are a distinct shift from the status quo in the Middle East but they have been met with scepticism in some quarters with questions over their relative impact and their ostensible neglect of the Palestinian issue. For Trump, the accords also represent an occasion to appear statesmanlike with the November 3 presidential election in the United States just 50 days away. Boris Johnsons plan to break international law by breaching parts of the Brexit divorce treaty faces its first vote in parliament on Monday, amid growing opposition from within the Conservative party. MPs get the chance to debate the Internal Market Bill which overrides key parts of the Withdrawal Agreement already agreed with the EU last year at the second reading stage this afternoon. With a majority of 80 in the House of Commons, the prime minister is expected to comfortably win an initial vote on the bills principles later this evening. However, he faces a growing rebellion from Tory backbenchers willing to thwart his plan by adding a parliamentary lock amendment onto the bill next week. It would give MPs the power to veto any changes to the Withdrawal Agreement. Up to 30 Conservative MPs are thought to be ready to back the amendment, expected to be put to a vote next Tuesday (22 September). Bob Neill, the Tory MP and justice committee chairman leading the rebellion, said: Im confident that support is growing. It comes as Mr Johnsons former attorney general Geoffrey Cox spoke out against the governments plan, saying it would be unconscionable for the UK to override an international treaty. No British minister should solemnly undertake to observe treaty obligations with his fingers crossed behind his back, Mr Cox wrote in The Times. The newspaper reports that more than a dozen Tory MPs had been waiting for the respected legal figures verdict before deciding whether to rebel against the government. Former attorney general Geoffrey Cox (Reuters) David Cameron joined other former prime ministers to express his misgivings at Mr Johnsons plan to break international law on Monday. Passing an act of parliament and then going on to break an international treaty obligation is the very, very last thing you should contemplate. It should be an absolute final resort, said the former Tory leader. So I do have misgivings about what is being proposed. Tory MP Tobias Ellwood, chair of the defence select committee, who is backing Mr Neills amendment, has compared No 10s strategy to Nixonian madman theory. He said on Sunday: Britain is one of the founding fathers of modern democracy and international law and at a time when the rules-based order is eroding, we should be seen to defend it rather than undermine it. The controversial bill would give UK ministers powers to override the provisions of his own Brexit divorce deal on tariffs, state aid and customs procedures for Northern Ireland. Mr Johnsons willingness to explicitly break international law has plunged negotiations with the EU back into crisis less than four months before the post-Brexit transition period ends in December. No 10 has dismissed an ultimatum from Brussels to ditch the bill by the end of September or risk the possibility that trade deal talks would have to be scrapped. The rift appeared to widen over the weekend when Mr Johnson accused Brussels of threatening to impose a trade border in the Irish Sea which would destroy the economic and territorial integrity of the UK. EU negotiator Michel Barnier rejected his claim insisting there was no threat to withholding the third country licence granted to nations outside the bloc. Chinese military launches campaign on cybersecurity PLA Daily Source: Xinhuanet Editor: Huang Panyue 2020-09-14 22:01:59 BEIJING -- The Chinese military on Monday kicked off its maiden campaign aimed at raising awareness on cybersecurity. The campaign, slated to last until Sunday, highlighted the need to gain cutting-edge knowledge of network technology development, as well as learn theories and basic skills related to network security. It also urged a profound understanding of risks and challenges in the field. Combining online and offline activities, the campaign aims at creating a favorable cyberspace environment for strengthening and revitalizing the armed forces, as well as advancing military preparedness. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Kwanika 2020 Exploration Drillholes Kwanika 2020 Exploration Drillholes Kwanika 2020 Exploration Drillholes Kwanika 2020 Exploration Drillholes - Section Kwanika 2020 Exploration Drillholes - Section Kwanika 2020 Exploration Drillholes - Section VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Sept. 15, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Serengeti Resources Inc. (SIR: TSX-V) ("Serengeti" or "the Company") is pleased to report that the drilling program at Kwanika is now progressing well with the addition of a second drilling rig due to start on September 16th in order to expedite completion of the program by late September. Serengeti expects that the total program will include up to 4,300m of drilling in eight to nine drill holes testing a number of exploration targets and resource expansion opportunities. Two holes have been completed to date with the third currently underway. Initial core samples have been submitted to the analytical laboratory and initial results are expected in late September or early October. The advanced resource-stage Kwanika project is ~26,000 hectares, held by Kwanika Copper Corporation (KCC)* and is located in the northern Quesnel Trough of British Columbia which hosts numerous porphyry copper-gold deposits. Highlights: DDH K-196 (860.5 m; 268/-60) Completed Central Zone / Central Fault North Target Drilled to follow up on a broad halo of anomalous gold from 2016 drilling above a deep geophysical target. Intersected two intervals of strong potassic alteration in intrusive rocks with presence of copper sulphides confirmed by XRF, including within a new interval at depth. A follow-up under-cut hole is planned for 2020 (K-20-O1) which will test for continuation of the eastward-directed mineralization vector observed between K123,178 and 196 and seek to extend the mineralized envelope, shown on the attached cross-section , below. DDH K-197 (419.0m; 268/-70) Completed Central Zone / Central Fault South Target Drilled to follow up on near-surface mineralized intrusives intersected in K23 and K190. Intersected an interval of strong potassic alteration in intrusive rocks with the presence of disseminated and vein-hosted copper-sulphides confirmed by XRF, extending Central zone style mineralization. A follow-up hole is planned in the current program and will drill from the pad of K190 toward the south along the mineralized trend to seek extend the mineralization further in that direction. Story continues DDH K-198 (Target depth: 1000m; 240/-55) In Progress Central Zone West Deep Extraction Level Target In progress: Designed to drill through the known zone and test for grade and continuity of mineralization beneath the proposed underground extraction level at 465m RL elevation, westward to the Pinchi Fault. Will scissor K-62 which intersected 610 metres grading 0.74% Cu and 0.78 g/t Au from 2008 drilling (see press release dated March 28, 2008 available at Sedar.com). David Moore, President and CEO of Serengeti commented, "I look forward to getting the results on these new mineralized intervals and the information gained so far is showing a larger target at depth to the north of the deposit as well as potential extension towards the south. The current drilling is starting to demonstrate the full potential of the property and positive results should add blue sky potential and value to an already advanced copper gold resource on the Kwanika Project." As a result of geological observations made in the course of the current program, Serengeti has modified the drill plan to follow up on both holes completed to date as well as testing a number of other targets as outlined below. The location of completed and planned holes for the balance of the program is shown on the attached plan map . K-20-O1: Drill a follow-up hole from the same pad as K-196, with a steeper dip, to seek to expand mineralized envelope toward the east; K-20-C10: Drill a follow-up south-directed hole from the K-190 site in order to expand the mineralized envelope toward the south; K-20-G3: Drill a short hole on the west edge of the South Zone mineralized envelope in order to test for the continuity of better grade mineralization observed in prior holes in this area; K-20-N1: Test an area south-southeast of prior hole K-122 which intersected 76 metres grading 0.64% Cu and 0.08 g/t Au (see press release dated October 15, 2008 available at Sedar.com); K-20-L1: Test a geological and geophysical target/fault-offset concept developed by recently completed deep penetrating IP and interpretation of prior airborne surveying; the target lies 600m southwest of the Central Zone; K-20-M2: Designed to drill west from prior K08-88 across the southern extension of the Central Fault beneath an interpreted sedimentary basin with similar characteristics to those observed adjacent to the Central Zone. *Serengeti is sole funding this years Kwanika program. As a consequence, the Companys ownership of KCC will increase to approximately 67%, with POSCO International Corp. holding ~33%. Prior to the commencement of field activities in June, Serengetis and its majority owned subsidiary Kwanika Copper Corporations (KCC) combined cash position was in excess of $2.3 million. These funds are sufficient to fund the planned 2020 program, along with general and administrative expenses for the balance of the year. Qualified person The field and analytical programs described herein were supervised by Serengeti Resources staff and the technical information in this news release has been prepared in accordance with Canadian regulatory requirements as set out in National Instrument 43-101, and reviewed by the company's qualified person, Quinn Harper, P.Geo., Chief Geologist of Serengeti Resources, who has supervised the preparation of, and approved the scientific and technical information in the news release. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD David W. Moore, P. Geo. President, CEO and Director About Serengeti Resources Inc. Serengeti is a mineral exploration company managed by an experienced team of professionals with a solid track record of exploration success. The Company is currently advancing its majority-owned, advanced Kwanika copper-gold project and exploring its extensive portfolio of properties in north-central British Columbia. A number of these other projects are available for option or joint venture and additional information can be found on the Companys website at www.serengetiresources.com . Cautionary Statement This document contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities regulations. All statements other than statements of historical fact herein, including, without limitation, statements regarding exploration plans and other future plans and objectives, are forward-looking statements that involve various risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and future events and actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from our expectations as well as a comprehensive list of risk factors are disclosed in the Companys documents filed from time to time via SEDAR with the Canadian regulatory agencies to whose policies we are bound. Forward-looking statements are based on the estimates and opinions of management on the date the statements are made, and we do not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking statements should conditions or our estimates change, other than as required by law and readers are further advised not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. For further information, please contact: Serengeti Resources Inc. Suite 520 800 West Pender St., Vancouver, BC, V6C 2V6 Tel: 604-605-1300 / Email: info@serengetiresources.com / Website: www.serengetiresources.com Photos accompanying this announcement are available at: https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/18b49e45-58e2-45d8-b67b-531b7f7c6da8 https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/cf964223-f712-4e6c-bd50-d99b736698ea In response to a request from the Royal Malaysian Customs Department, the World Customs Organization (WCO) participated in a National Workshop on the Time Release Study (TRS) data analysis from 3rd to 4th September 2020, with the aim of supporting Malaysia in concluding its current TRS cycle. The Workshop was attended by more than 20 officials from the Customs Department. During the two-day Workshop, a WCO TRS expert gave a presentation on the specifics of the WCO TRS methodology. He also highlighted for participants the important biosafety measures that the WCO now recommends for Customs Administrations to introduce when they are carrying out a TRS in the current COVID-19 environment. Furthermore, following directives presented in the WCO TRS Guide Version 3, the WCO expert underscored different aspects that Customs Administrations should consider when collecting and analyzing TRS data, and he listed key elements to be incorporated in an ordinary TRS national report, including information concerning possible findings and necessary measures to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of border procedures. The participants appreciated the information provided by the WCO and shared essential documents that the national TRS Working Group had drafted to support the accomplishment of the TRS cycle in Malaysia, predominantly the national TRS Action plan, which indicates that the country started the TRS cycle this year and is likely to conclude it by the end of year. Malaysia is currently carrying out a TRS in 5 five major Customs ports in cooperation with other cross border regulatory agencies and the private sector under the leadership of the Royal Malaysian Customs Department. The result of the TRS will be used by the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia to conduct a further study on trade transaction costs in the region. The WCO would like to highlight that the TRS is specifically referenced in Article 7.6 of the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) as a tool for Members to measure and publish the average release time of goods. The TRS is increasingly being used by Members with respect to strategic planning and the proper sequencing of TFA measures in accordance with their National Committees on Trade Facilitation (NCTF). But more than 100 people, a majority of them not wearing masks, packed into a hotel ballroom in Arizona for an event on Monday that was billed as a modest round table with the president. Officials said they never considered simply scrapping rallies altogether when their efforts to find an outdoor location failed. For the president, the quiet return of the classic Trumpian political event has been a way to give himself a sense of control during a time when he has little control over events or news cycles. Longtime advisers said they were as important for managing a candidate who needed the cheering crowds to feel energized as they were for energizing the supporters themselves. Still, the return of the rallies was a reversal for the Trump campaign. The president told the radio host Hugh Hewitt last month that he did not plan to hold campaign rallies at all because of concerns about the pandemic. Id love to do the rallies. We cant because of the Covid, Mr. Trump said. You know, you cant have people sitting next to each other. His critics said the recent rallies in battleground states were more a sign of desperation than of strength. The president is eager to generate news coverage; with 50 days until Election Day, he trails former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr., the Democratic candidate, in battleground state polls and his campaign has pulled down ads as its cash advantage has evaporated. Cable channels have cut back on live coverage of Mr. Trumps rallies, but local affiliates still often carry them in full. Tim Murtaugh, a campaign spokesman, defended the decision to carry on with an indoor rally in the middle of a pandemic. People are eager to see their president, and our first preference for venues are places like airplane hangars, he said. But the fact remains that no one bats an eye at people gambling in casinos or tens of thousands of people protesting shoulder to shoulder. People should be able to gather peacefully under the First Amendment to hear from the president of the United States. But the decision to forge ahead created a wave of internal backlash, including from a top Trump adviser who said the president was playing a game of Russian roulette in holding the indoor rally. The adviser, who requested anonymity so as not to anger Mr. Trump, said the campaign was taking a cavalier approach to the pandemic that could backfire politically. Some of the presidents most vocal defenders outside of the administration agreed. ORLANDO, Fla., Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- With the COVID-19 pandemic still prevalent, the approaching cold and flu season, year-round allergies, and indoor air pollution, top quality personal air space is essential. RIA, the flagship product from Orlando-based start-up GoSee Global, packs the power of a whole home air purifier into a personal air purification device purpose-built to be worn directly around the neck. Designed to give wearers independent control over the air they breathe, RIA is engineered to provide a clean air safety zone (with or without a mask) around the nose and mouth by combining two levels of scientifically-proven air purification technologies with the therapeutic benefits of diffused aromatherapy, dubbed Aromafication Mask up, socially distance, and hold the air we breathe to a higher standard. RIA is your personal Aromafication , go-anywhere clean air safety zone. Packed with HEPA to filter and negative ionization to purify, RIA adds a critical layer of personal protection between toxic air and your nose and mouth. Coupled with the added wellness benefits of aromatherapy, you're in complete control of your personal air quality and experience. With RIA you don't have to share your air, just enjoy it. Air purification + Aromatherapy = Aromafication. With RIA you gain complete control of your personal air quality AND your scent-experience. Armed with 2-layers of air purification, RIA adds a second layer of protection to your mask by piping clean air directly to your nose and mouth. Choose an essential oil to fit your mood and you'll instantly surround yourself with all the health and wellness benefits that come with clean-air plus aromatherapy. Your (clean) air. Your scent. That's all RIA! The scientific principals behind Aromafication pave the way to a new gold-standard of wearable wellness. RIA wearers gain the mental and physical benefits of purified air, on the go. And with the added benefit of aromatherapy, wearers have complete control of their personal air quality and experience to feel better, more relaxed, happier, and/or focused. The first wearable device of its kind to be armed with two layers of air purification, RIA's first layer of defense comes in the form of HEPA filtration with activated carbon. Considered the workhorse of any air purification device, HEPA is designed to capture over 99 percent of airborne particles, such as viruses, pollutants, allergens and pathogens. Negative ion generation is RIA's second layer of defense; designed to further purify the air of harmful bacteria, viruses, mold species, dust, smoke, pollen, as well as common odors. A form of holistic therapy, research indicates the act of breathing-in the aroma of essential oils, or Aromatherapy, can activate the brain's limbic system triggering a variety of chemical actions within the body, including the release of specific chemicals that relax, calm, or stimulate both body, and mind. "These days it has become even more important to have personal control over the air we're breathing," said James Kane, CEO and Founder of GoSee Global. "Wearing RIA offers a passive, always-on layer of personal protection in the form of clean air-- that goes with you. It's ideal for those times when wearing a mask just isn't possible, like eating or drinking. And when you can choose your own personal scent-zone, that's a total game-changer! During this critical time, better personal air in quality and scent-- is something I think we all can benefit from!" RIA strikes an ideal balance between powerful technology, and comfort. Independently third-party tested and verified, RIA is adjustable, lightweight, whisper-quiet, USB-rechargeable and travel, office, and back-to-school ready. The introductory price for RIA is $199. The limited-time promotion includes travel case, bonus HEPA filters and free priority shipping. For more information on the RIA wearable personal air purification device, please visit https://www.itsallria.com, and sign-up to stay informed about any developments surrounding RIA and new product releases. About GoSee Global, LLC An Orlando-based start-up, GoSee Global LLC, has over 20 years of experience in the business of introducing game-changing products and services. The company specializes in innovative, adaptable, and versatile technology solutions that help consumers, businesses, and brands live better, operate more efficiently, and stand-out from the crowd. For details on GoSee Global's Affiliate program or options designed to help businesses grow faster, feel free to visit their Partner Program page. Media Contact Heather Dunwoody [email protected] (407) 614-7584 SOURCE GoSee Labs Related Links https://www.itsallria.com JEFFERSON CITY A 79-page memorandum released Monday says there are credible allegations Gov. Mike Parsons administration interfered with a House investigation into the states medical marijuana program, without detailing specific instances of interference. The memo, prepared by counsel for the House Democrats, said that beginning in May, credible allegations emerged concerning executive branch interference in the Special Committee on Government Oversights investigation of the Republican administrations medical marijuana program. Casey Millburg, the staffer who wrote the memo to House Minority Leader Crystal Quade and the three Democrats on the investigative panel, said in the memo that she wouldnt detail the allegations because the Special Committee on Government Oversight had yet to meet to discuss them. Kelli Jones, spokeswoman for the governors office, did not immediately respond to a request for comment late Monday. The nugget on potential Parson administration interference is just one piece of the memo, which is based on records the committee obtained this summer from the Department of Health and Senior Services. The House requested the documents in early May, the same month as the possible interference, the memo noted. The memo makes the case that the Special Committee on Government Oversight should continue its work digging into the program, which has so far spent $1.3 million in court to defend its licensing decisions. But, less than two months before Election Day, it is unclear whether the Republican-controlled committee has the political will to publicly reopen the probe, which could cast Parson in a negative light. Lawmakers meet back in Jefferson City this week for their annual veto session. The Post-Dispatch obtained the memo Monday from House Democrats. Leaders of the states medical marijuana program fielded heavy criticism early this year over the states handling of marijuana business licenses, including the states hiring of a third-party scorer, Nevada-based Wise Health Solutions, to grade applications. Rejected applicants have complained of scoring discrepancies and possible conflicts of interests by Wise, a joint venture between the marijuana business training school Oaksterdam University and the Nevada-based company Veracious Investigative & Compliance Solutions. The memo says that emails show the first connection between Wise and DHSS was in December 2018 a connection which department officials have not previously disclosed to the committee. The memo says that shortly after voters approved Amendment 2, legalizing medical marijuana in November 2018, a member of the Missouri Medical Cannabis Trade Association, Jack Mitchell, introduced via email Dr. Randall Williams, director of the state health department, to Rebecca Gasca, who was involved in Nevadas marijuana legalization effort. Gasca, according to the memo, informs the director that she is responding to Mr. Mitchells request to connect the director to a person whose resume description is an exact match to that of Mr. Chad Warren Westom, head of Veracious. The memo says there were no other records of communications between Williams, Gasca and Westom. The committee is entitled to question why Director Williams did not disclose to it this early connection to the individual whose company was selected to score applications, the memo says. It is further justified in inquiring whether Mr. Westom was connected with any other DHSS officials earlier than has previously been shared with SCOGO (the Special Committee on Government Oversight), as well as the nature and timing of any such communications, the memo says. Williams did not immediately respond to a request for comment late Monday. The memo says that while officials have denied having any basis for concern over Wises impartiality or conflicts of interest, the House identified records that detail such concerns. In these, the individuals allege in detail conflicts of interest and other appearances of impropriety on the part of WHS (Wise Health Solutions), the memo says. The committee also obtained status reports from Wise that mention problems during the scoring process; however, the memo said the updates were vague and said the committee should ask the company and state for more information. The memo also says Parsons office had unique opportunities to weigh in on scoring regulations, including the awarding of bonus points, and a market study that DHSS has used to justify its cap on the number of medical marijuana businesses. [I]t should be stated that it is not at all unusual for a governors office to be apprised of rulemaking developments within its administration, the memo says. But, the memo says, The governors office twice had unique opportunities to review advance information and help shape matters that ultimately proved influential to the licensure process and its outcomes. The committee ... may also want to ask which staff in the governors office had access to this advance information, the memo says, and whether the office had policies in place to ensure it was not shared or discussed outside of necessary staff. The memo also blasts the departments handling of its information request, saying that in violation of the Sunshine Law, the department didnt detail which records it withheld, and didnt attempt to separate open portions of records from portions deemed closed. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (Agence France-Presse) Singapore Tue, September 15, 2020 16:40 493 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c44f5253 2 Business tech-hub,tencent,Singapore,Southeast-Asia,expansion,China Free Chinese tech giant Tencent said Tuesday it was opening a new Singapore office to serve as a Southeast Asia hub, as the firm reels from setbacks in the US and India. The firm is the latest Chinese tech leader to expand in the region of 650 million with a rapidly growing middle class, and using the city-state as a base. Tencent announced the new office in a statement, and said it was "expanding its business presence in Singapore to support our growing business in Southeast Asia and beyond". The company, which already has offices in Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia, said it was recruiting for various positions. Bloomberg News, citing anonymous sources, reported the company's plans for establishing a regional hub in Singapore had been accelerated by geopolitical tensions. In the US, President Donald Trump has announced a ban from mid-September on Tencent's social media platform WeChat, as well as TikTok, which is owned by Chinese tech giant ByteDance. India has banned scores of Chinese apps, including Tencent's hit games PUBG Mobile and Arena of Valor, after troops engaged in a series of clashes at the neighbours' disputed Himalayan border. Other firms looking to bolster their presence in the city-state include ByteDance, which plans to spend billions of dollars to expand its presence there, while Alibaba is in talks to invest in Singapore-based ride-hailing firm Grab, Bloomberg reported. Many international companies have chosen to base their regional headquarters in Singapore, and observers believe instability in long-time rival Hong Kong could give it a boost in attracting firms. Leaders in Singapore, which is majority ethnic Chinese, have been careful to maintain good ties with both the US and China. Elevate Coalition This partnership is one of only a few that have successfully come together to put such an important initiative forwardeconomic mobility through workforce training. Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA) is partnering with the City of Manassas, Prince William County, Virginia Career Works and the SkillSource Group to ensure that community members affected by COVID-19 are able to get back to work by receiving free education and workforce supportive services. The City of Manassas and Prince William Countys leadership forged this strategic partnership with a combined $1,900,000 in funding from the CARES Act to launch the ELEVATE program to provide free resources for those displaced workers. Additionally, this funding supports businesses in upskilling their workforce. ELEVATE enhances the capacity of SkillSource, the City of Manassas, Prince William County and NOVAs to provide jobseeker and employer services that are focused on the needs of individuals. Participants can start their training at NOVA in areas such as information technology, healthcare, professional education and English language skills (ESL), at no cost to the participant. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, most courses will be offered virtually; however, for courses in areas such as healthcare, in-person training options may be offered in heavily-monitored and sanitized settings at NOVA Manassas campus This unique partnership offers participants a complete range of services from obtaining free education and certification, to support services such as transportation and stipends, and ends with job placement services, and in some programs guaranteed interview with a local employer. The benefit to the participants includes that these educational programs can be completed in a short few weeks, so interested participants need to act now to receive the full benefit of Elevates workforce program. The grant cycle will run from September until the end of December. The earlier a participant can go through the application process; the more resources will be available. Funds for the program will continue until exhausted. We already have one of the strongest, most innovative, and productive workforces in the country, said Christina Winn, executive director of the Prince William County Department of Economic Development. These resources will not only help residents get back to work, but also return to the workforce armed with new skills and abilities that will help them advance in their careers, be more productive, and help make our economy more resilient." COVID has affected many Northern Virginians, but not all in the same way, said Steve Partridge, Vice President of Strategic Partnerships and Workforce Innovation. NOVA is excited to work with SkillSource, Prince William County, and the City of Manassas in an effort to ensure that our community members can find solutions for employment opportunities right now, and right in their own backyard. This partnership is one of only a few that have successfully come together to put such an important initiative forwardeconomic mobility through workforce training. This local partnership will help to ensure the success of many Prince William County and City of Manassas community members in this ongoing time of need. By removing cost as a barrier and adding supportive services, the City can best help residents get jobs, said Economic Development Director Patrick Small. By helping people get jobs we help businesses meet their workforce needs. Further, program participants will also have access to interview preparation and job placement assistance after the completion of their training at NOVA. This wraparound workforce program enhances the opportunity for participant success with support from start to finish. From the first step of applying for funding through completion of the program, the workforce grant program is designed to be accessible, streamlined and results driven. The Chairman of the Virginia Career Works Northern Region Board of Directors, Christopher Rieley (a Senior Vice President at The Bank of Clarke County) noted that the new County and City funding will be critically important as we align local jobseekers with new skills development opportunities at NOVA. Our Virginia Career Works Center staff will also work closely with County and City business owners to help them fill available jobs and to strengthen their existing workforce through targeted training programs. NOVA has used CARES Act funds to ensure that students affected by the pandemic are able to receive emergency funds. To date, NOVA has dispersed $5,393,350 to 8,819 students. The City of Manassas also used CARES Act funds to make small business grants. The City awarded 140 small businesses $2,500 each to help offset revenue losses. Prince William County also funded 462 businesses with $3.6m using Cares Act funding for a small business relief micro-grant. Programming Contacts: Melanie Stover, Director of Corporate & Workforce Engagement, NOVA, mstover@nvcc.edu Nicole Smith, Assistant Director, City of Manassas, nsmith@manassasva.gov Seema Jain, Vice President of Operations, The Skillsource Group, seema.jain@vcwnorthern.com Michele Weatherly, Director of Existing Business Engagement, PWC, mweatherly@pwcgov.org Media Contacts: Patrick J. Small, Economic Development Director, City of Manassas, psmall@manassasva.gov Hoang Nguyen, Public Information Officer, NOVA, hdnguyen@nvcc.edu Trevor Johnson, Marketing and Communications Director, PWC, TJohnson@pwcgov.org ### Northern Virginia Community College is the largest institution of higher education in the Commonwealth of Virginia and one of America's largest community colleges. NOVA enrolls more than 75,000 students at its six campuses in Alexandria, Annandale, Loudoun, Manassas, Springfield and Woodbridge, and through NOVA Online. For more information about NOVA and its programs or services, call 703-323-3000 or visit the College's Web site, http://www.nvcc.edu. ELEVATE is a unique workforce development solution demonstrating our commitment to helping residents and businesses in Manassas and Prince William County. The strength of our communities is in the businesses that locate here and the people they employ. A skilled workforce ensures companies can attract the talent they need and that their employees earn the wages they deserve. https://vcwnorthern.com/elevate The Skillsource Group, Inc. is the non-profit fiscal agent of Virginia Career Works Northern (VCWN), and is responsible for administering public workforce services to the over 2 million residents and tens of thousands of businesses in Northern Virginias Area #11, which includes the counties of Fairfax, Loudoun, and Prince William and the cities of Fairfax, Falls Church, Manassas and Manassas Park. For more information, please call (703) 827-3782 or visit http://www.vcwnorthern.com. Skillsource is a proud partner of the American Job Center Network. Find all of the most important pandemic education news on Educating N.J., a special resource guide created for parents, students and educators. As schools reopen across N.J., we want to know what is and isnt working. Tell us about it here. Officials from Rowan University and Glassboro are inviting the public to participate in another online meeting Wednesday after the number of school-related cases rose sharply last week. An additional 93 people associated with Rowan tested positive for COVID-19 last week to push the universitys cumulative total of cases to 190 as of Saturday. A faculty member who has long since recovered is the only one of the 190 who had to be hospitalized. Borough Mayor John E. Wallace will take part in the meeting along with other school and borough officials. It begins at 7 p.m. with information on how to access the meeting and ask questions available here. The meeting is billed as a panel discussion to answer community concerns with students back on campus for the fall semester. A similar meeting was held two weeks ago as the semester got underway. Of the 190 cases, 131 are active with 39 students in isolation in a residence hall set aside for those who tested positive, university spokesman Joe Cardona said Monday. Of the 93 new cases, 42 are characterized as on campus meaning the person who tested positive either lives or works on campus or spent a significant amount of time on campus during their infectious period. Off campus means people who tested positive but have not been on Rowans campuses, the schools website says. Rowan had 53 cases from March 15 to Aug. 25 before 23 tested positive the week of Aug. 25 and 74 more were infected the following week. Rowan is one of about a dozen colleges in New Jersey that is voluntarily sharing COVID-19 figures on its website. Providing that data publicly is not one of the mandatory requirements laid out in the Office of the Secretary of Higher Educations 27-page document of standards for colleges to resume, called The Road Back. One reason Rowan might be seeing such high numbers of cases is that it has more students living on campus 4,088 as of Monday than any other college in the state, Cardona said. There have been no mass gatherings on campus since the semester began, the spokesman said. An estimated 1,000-1,500 students are living off-campus in Glassboro and the immediate area. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JeffSGoldman. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Top Trump administration health official Michael Caputo has apologised to his staff at an emergency meeting for spreading conspiracy theories over the weekend about the Centres for Disease Control and Preventions work on the coronavirus pandemic and urging supporters of the president to arm themselves in case Joe Biden does not concede a potential Election Night loss. Mr Caputo, the Health and Human Services Departments assistant secretary for public affairs, expressed remorse at the meeting for attracting negative coverage of Donald Trumps Covid-19 response due to his controversial comments on a Facebook Live broadcast on Sunday, Politico has reported. He suggested he might even resign due to ongoing physical ailments and the stress caused by death threats against him and his family. Both factors contributed to his controversial remarks on Facebook Live over the weekend, he told staff, per the Politico report. Mr Caputo has been one of the most influential advisers to Mr Trump on the coronavirus crisis, shaping the White Houses public messaging campaign about the disease and the emergence of a possible vaccine. In a statement on Monday, HHS called Mr Caputo a critical, integral part of the president's coronavirus response, leading on public messaging as Americans need public health information to defeat the Covid-19 pandemic. During his Facebook Live broadcast, Mr Caputo alleged, without providing any evidence, that career health experts at the CDC had formed a "resistance unit" against Mr Trump. Those scientists haven't gotten out of their sweatpants except for meetings at coffee shops to plot how they're going to attack Donald Trump, Mr Caputo alleged. There are scientists who work for this government who do not want America to get well, not until after Joe Biden is president, he added, accusing these experts of sedition. Mr Caupto also predicted during his Facebook Live that Mr Trump would win the presidential election in November but that Mr Biden, the Democratic candidate, would be unlikely to concede. When Donald Trump refuses to stand down at the inauguration, the shooting will begin, Mr Caputo said. If you carry guns, buy ammunition, ladies and gentlemen, because it's going to be hard to get. Besides claiming officials in the CDC were working against the president, Mr Caupto also said his family's safety was at risk. You understand that they're going to have to kill me, and, unfortunately, I think that's where this is going, he said. Although he has no background in health care, Mr Caputo was installed at HHS in April to impose a tighter grip on the public information about Covid-19 that was more in line with Mr Trumps public statements. A former lobbyist and political adviser, Mr Caputo served on Mr Trumps 2016 campaign team in a senior communications role. At HHS, he has sought to either change, hold, or outright kill weekly reports from the CDC that he believes have undercut the presidents messaging about the virus. Mr Caputos conspiracy theory about the resistance unit of US doctors and health officials closely mirrors rhetoric from the Oval Office, where Mr Trump has spouted baseless accusations of his own about a deep state conspiracy to prevent the rapid production of a Covid-19 vaccine. The president has provided no proof for his claims."The deep state, or whoever, over at the FDA is making it very difficult for drug companies to get people in order to test the vaccines and therapeutics," Mr Trump tweeted in August. "Obviously, they are hoping to delay the answer until after November 3rd. Must focus on speed, and saving lives!" the president wrote at the time. The US government has committed billions of dollars for widespread manufacturing of vaccine candidates that have not yet been proven safe or effective so that if they are approved, Americans can receive them en masse right away. If a vaccine candidate is deemed ineffective, doses will be destroyed. The programme, nicknamed Operation Warp Speed, aims to inoculate hundreds of millions of Americans by early next year. The Food and Drug Administration is currently testing six vaccine candidates for their effectiveness, including three that are already being tested on humans. Senate Democrats sought assurances last week from National Institutes of Health Director Francis S Collins and US Surgeon General Jerome Adams about the safety of a future vaccine after Mr Trump last month accused "deep state" officials at the FDA of intentionally holding up vaccine testing until after the 3 November presidential election to hamper his election odds, a claim for which, again, he has provided no proof. "We need vaccine confidence, and political interference can be a huge detriment to that. So can misinformation," said Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee ranking member Patty Murray of Washington. Danielle Zoellner contributed to this report. Etihad Airways, the national carrier of the UAE, has signed an agreement with MCI Middle East, a provider of live and event services, to be the official travel and destination management partner of its key events in 2021 and 2022. Etihad will offer speaker and travel management services for all conferences serviced by MCI in Abu Dhabi, reported Emirates news agency Wam. This new agreement allows exhibitors, speakers and visitors to purchase Etihads full conference package at a special rate, which includes event entrance, flights, hotel accommodation and ground transportation. Hareb Al Muhairy, Senior Vice President Destination and Leisure Management, Etihad Aviation Group, said: "2020 has been a year like no other, and many conferences and events have turned to virtual formats over in-person conferences. Were looking forward to working with MCI over the next two years as COVID-19 restrictions are eased and we begin to see events taking place on the ground in our home, Abu Dhabi. "Abu Dhabi has rapidly grown its reputation as a world-class leader in the MICE industry and we will ensure a warm welcome, enriching experience and the very best of Arabian hospitality to all MCI visitors and participants as events resume." Ajay Bhojwani, Managing Director, MCI Middle East, said: "Over the years, Abu Dhabi has strengthened its position as a world-class MICE destination globally. And with several events being managed by us every year, we feel it is time for us to push harder to bring in more audiences to Abu Dhabi and have them experience Abu Dhabi in the best possible manner. "As economies open globally, we think we need to put forward a new offering that will help travellers choose to visit Abu Dhabi before any other destination. And to make this happen, there cannot be a better partner than Etihad Airways who will look after our guests right from when they board the aircraft till they head back home." (Newser) President Trump slammed former Defense Secretary James Mattis Tuesdaybut also backed up a report he had criticized Bob Woodward for writing in 2018. Trump told Fox & Friends that he wanted to assassinate Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in 2017, but Mattis objected. "I would have rather taken him out. I had him all set. Mattis didn't want to do it," Trump said. "Mattis was against most of that stuff." Trump said, however, that he doesn't regret not killing Assad. Politico reports that after Woodward described a similar exchange in 2018 book Fear, Trump called the book "total fiction" and said the killing of Assad was "never discussed" and "never even contemplated, nor would it be contemplated." story continues below In Fear, Woodward wrote that after Assad's regime killed civilians in a chemical attack in 2017, Trump told Mattis: "Lets f----ing kill him! Lets go in. Lets kill the f---ing lot of them." Trump said Tuesday that Mattis, who has publicly criticized him in recent months, was "overrated" and a "terrible general." The Washington Post notes that there a few problems with Trump's argument, beyond him directly contradicting himself: "Trump is disparaging Mattis for opposing something that Trump doesnt even say he regrets," and since Trump is commander-in-chief, Mattis would not have been able to block a plan to assassinate Assad if Trump had been determined to put one in motion. (Read more President Trump stories.) Changmiania liaoningensis, an ornithopod dinosaur from the Lower Cretaceous of Lujiatun (Liaoning Province, China). (A) Holotype PMOL AD00114 in dorsal view; (B) anterior part of the holotype PMOL AD00114 in caudolateral view; (C) referred specimen PMOL LFV022 in dorsal view. Red arrows indicate the emplacement of the gastrolith clusters. Credit: PeerJ (2020). DOI: 10.7717/peerj.9832 A team of researchers affiliated with several institutions in China, one in Argentina and one in Belgium has identified the fossilized remains of two previously unknown dinosaurs in China. In their paper published in the journal Peerj, the group describes the fossils, provide the name of the new dinosaur and illustrate possible clues to explain their excellent preservation. The new dinosaur was actually discovered by farmers working in Liaoning province in northeastern China. They found the remains of two of the same new species, which the researchers have named Changmiania liaoningensis. Both were in nearly pristine condition. The name means "eternal sleeper" in Chinese, because both of the dinosaurs appeared to have been buried while alive with their eyes closed, looking as though they were asleep. The researchers suggest the reason for the quick demise and nearly pristine condition was likely due to a volcanic eruption catching them both as they slumbered in their burrow. The area where the dinosaurs were discovered was part of the plain that had been covered in debris from an ancient massive volcanic eruption, which had also covered many other creatures. The area is a well-known archeological dig site. Both of the dinosaurs would have been just over a meter in length when alive, with long, nearly inflexible tails. They were an early ornithopod, a kind of dinosaur that walked upright on its large hind legs and burrowed in the ground like rabbits. They also had had shovel-shaped snouts, which would have helped with digging swiftly and efficiently. The neck and forearm were short but strong, and its shoulder blades resembled those of modern burrowing animals. The researchers suggest that the burrows in which the dinosaurs had been sleeping likely collapsed under the weight of the debris from the volcano, giving the dinosaurs no chance to dig themselves out. They note also that the tails of the dinosaurs had been stretched out due to stiffness. They also found a small cluster of rocks near the stomach area of one of the specimensa sign that the dinosaur swallowed them like modern birds to help digest food. Skull of PMOL AD00114 in right lateral view. (A) Photograph; (B) line drawing. Credit: PeerJ (2020). DOI: 10.7717/peerj.9832 Explore further Sacisaurus helps to fill the hole in the evolution of ornithischians More information: Yuqing Yang et al. A new basal ornithopod dinosaur from the Lower Cretaceous of China, PeerJ (2020). Journal information: PeerJ Yuqing Yang et al. A new basal ornithopod dinosaur from the Lower Cretaceous of China,(2020). DOI: 10.7717/peerj.9832 Provided by Science X Network 2020 Science X Network Police in Anambra State have rescued eight children suspected to have been stolen from different states of Nigeria. Also rescued from the den of the suspected human traffickers is a 15-year-old girl who is pregnant. Spokesperson for Anambra State Police Command, SP Haruna Mohammed who disclosed this to journalists on Tuesday, said the suspected human trafficking syndicate, consisting two women and three men were also arrested. Haruna said, On the 13/9/2020 following intelligence report, Police detectives attached to Onisha Area Command in collaboration with the Command State intelligence Bureu(SIB) arrested Five members of a Child Stealing/Trafficking syndicate as follows: They are; Mrs Joy Lazarus f aged 40years of NO. 138 Urata area Aba, Abia State, Janet Gideon f aged 22years of No. 12 Irete Street Owerri, Imo State, Gideon Bobby Godspower m aged 26 years of Port Harcourt in River State, Wisdom Ndubuisi m aged 26yrs of Chokosho Village PH, Rivers State and Chukwudima C. Nwogu m aged 29 years of No. 138 urata area Aba, Abia State. He said the suspects specialise in child-snatching, child-stealing and trafficking from different parts of the country especially South East and South South Geo political zones. Preliminary investigation revealed that the children (five boys and three girls) were stolen from Rivers Bayelsa, Imo, Abia and Anambra States both at gun points and through stealing after which they were sold to the kingpin in Abia State. Consequently, upon interrogation the suspects voluntarily confessed that they usually steal the children and bring to their sponsor one Mrs Joy Lazarus f of Urata in Abia State who allegedly buys the children at the rate of between two hundred and four hundred thousand (#200-400,000) naira depending on their age and gender. He added that further investigation revealed that in addition to child-stealing and trafficking, the same sponsor, Mrs Joy Lazarus also lured underage girls into having pregnancy after which she will buy the children from them immediately after delivery. So far eight children of various age brackets were rescued from the syndicates including a year-and-half old baby recently snatched from the parent at gun point in Orlu, Imo State as well as a 15-year-old pregnant girl. Investigation is still ongoing after which all the suspects would be brought to book, he said Follow Us on Facebook @LadunLiadi; Instagram @LadunLiadi; Twitter @LadunLiadi; Youtube @LadunLiadiTV for updates KANSAS CITY, Mo. - KC Water is warning customers that they may notice some taste and odor changes in their drinking water; however, the water is still safe to use. The possible taste and odor changes are due to weather conditions, including rain, temperature, river water levels and runoff from snow melt. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-15 09:39:33|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close A woman works at a shoe-making factory in Lashkar Gah, capital of Helmand province, southern Afghanistan, Sept. 2, 2020. (Photo by Abdul Aziz Safdari/Xinhua) LASHKAR GAH, Afghanistan, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- "For the past several years it was my dream to help poor widows and needy women by providing them with job opportunities and today 300 women are working in my factory," Nasima Ishaqzai, 40, said joyfully. Having established a small shoemaking factory in Lashkar Gah, the capital of the southern Helmand province, one year ago, the ambitious lady said that 300 women and girls had been employed to work here and the number would go up gradually, depending on the development of the plant. Once a hotbed for Taliban militants, the militancy-plagued and poppy-growing Helmand province has been regarded as the most insecure area in war-battered Afghanistan. Investment in the restive Helmand province especially by a woman is risky, Ishaqzai explained. However, she said that by overlooking all the threats she could achieve her noble goal. "Sitting idly by at home under the excuse of security threats won't help you to materialize your dreams," said the brave entrepreneur, who empowers women against the odds. "A firm determination to work, ignoring security threats and overlooking old-fashioned traditions and cultural barriers would enable you to achieve your goals," she asserted. She also said that the factory was originally designed to produce shoes, but has since been developed and has opened embroidery, tailoring and sandal-making facilities. "I am happy with the income I am earning from here," one female worker, Shafia, told Xinhua recently inside the factory compound. Shafia also admitted that she is the only female in her family working outside home to support her six-member family including four widows. Praising her boss for establishing a plant to provide job opportunities for women in the restive province, Shafia explained that investment by a woman and hiring women to work outside home is a risky business model, but Ishaqzai had dared to do it. While busy tailoring and embroidering, Shafia said that she receives a reasonable wage, but declined to disclose the figure, saying the "monthly wage I earn is enough to support my family." Another female working in the factory, Firoza, also expressed satisfaction at her income, saying that all her fellow workers were happy to have paying jobs there. "Women have the right to work, have the right to earn a livelihood and have the right to contribute in building the country's economy," said Firoza. "We have the right to empower our own status in society," she added. Enditem Shanghai (Gasgoo)- Beijing Idriverplus Technology Co.,Ltd. (called IdriverPlus for short), a Chinese autonomous driving solution and product provider, announced on September 14 it has closed a C+ financing round with hundreds of millions of yuan raised in total. The latest fundraising round involves such investors as Xinding Capital and Yuzhou Huaxia Weiming Health Industry Fund (L.P.), said IdriverPlus. Proceeds from the financing will be deployed to strengthen the company's technologies for autonomous driving products, speed up the establishment of the fleet consisting of level 4 autonomous passenger vehicles, roll out the projects for Robotaxi commercial applications under diversified scenarios, and quicken the introduction of self-driving technologies into mass-produced special vehicles. (WOXIAOBAI autonmous driving sweeper, photo source: IdriverPlus) Additionally, the money raised will be used to recruit top talents from autonomous driving domain and expand overseas market as well, according to IdriverPlus. IdriverPlus, founded in 2015, is one of the first enterprises in China to mass produce and commercialize the autonomous driving vehicles. Currently, its solutions and products are mainly deployed in the fields like parcel delivery and street cleaning. For logistics business, the startup has launched the self-driving vehicle WOBIDA, which has developed into the volume production phase and been deployed in parks and geofenced industrial parks. In sanitation area, the autonomous driving sweeper WOXIAOBAI S100N rolled off the production line in August 2018. Integrated with LiDAR, cameras, ultrasonic sensor, and other sensors, WOXIAOBAI has realized the goal of freeing itself from manual operation and undertaking cleaning, watering, and garbage collection on road surfaces automatically. Earlier this month, IdriverPlus launched at the China International Fair For Trade In Services 2020 a floor scrubber dubbed WOXIAOBAI AS80 that is able to clean the floor of shopping malls, warehouses, hospitals and airports at a speed of 4,000 square meters per hour. Workers anger is mounting at the political establishment and the unions in India, which with 4.8 million COVID-19 cases is currently second only to the United States in terms of severity of the pandemic. With the complicity of the trade unions, the Indian government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is ordering workers back to work amid a raging pandemic. According to the Ministry of Health, India saw a single-day spike of 95,735 cases, while the total number infected exceeds 4.6 million. More than 75,000 have died. The Indian Medical Association, representing 350,000 doctors across India, estimates nearly 200 doctors have died of COVID-19. Yet the Modi government is steadily relaxing lockdown rules, and metro trains and road bus transport are running again in major cities across India. As a result, the pandemic is spreading and public hospitals are increasingly overwhelmed. World Socialist Web Site reporters interviewed workers in the south Indian state of Tamil Nadu, where the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK)-led state government is abandoning measures to contain the virus. The state has seen nearly a half-million confirmed cases and over 8,000 deaths from COVID-19. Sivakumar, who is 50, told the WSWS: I work as a permanent worker in a railway carriage. I also go to work facing the coronavirus risk. There are Hindi-speaking contract workers in my workplace who were not even provided with face masks; we permanent workers received free masks from the administration. Sivakumar denounced the Indian regimes herd immunity policy and its drive to further enrich the corporations: Modi has already written off 600 billion rupees [US$8.2 billion] in corporate debts. But this has done nothing to help people affected by COVID-19. People over the age of 55 were told not to come to work for two months because of the impact of the coronavirus. But now everyone is told to come to work. Sivakumar also criticized the unions complicity in Modis policies and the corrupt role of the Southern Railway Mazdoor Union (SRMU). He said, The SRMU is the main union here. Its general secretary is Kannaiya. He will make demagogic threats now and then, that if workers problems are not solved, there will be strikes and the trains wont run. Nevertheless, strikes do not happen, because he has accumulated huge assets. Thats why hes scared. Sivakumar charged the SRMU with blocking workers attempts to strike against the murderous official handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. He said, Workers want a strike. But the union gave notice and then withdrew it. In the unions public statements, it threatens that rail wheels will not spin in the south if workers grievances are not addressed. But such talk is only to contain the workers. About 12 million Indian workers lost their jobs in the April-May lockdown, including 1.89 million regular workers. The remaining 10 million belong to the informal sector. The Modi government calls to end social distancing, cynically claiming that people are tired of staying in small spaces during lockdowns, and that the people want a return to normal. And so the AIADMK has adopted a murderous back-to-work policy in the interest of the banks, without any opposition from the Stalinist Communist Party of India or the Maoist Communist Party of IndiaMarxist. Last April, Tamil Nadu state Chief Minister Edappadi Palanisamy claimed COVID-19 impacts only the rich, not the poor. He asked: Where are the poor people affected by coronavirus? Only the rich get infected. He then claimed, If you see the poor, you can speak freely, but you are scared to see the rich. This only highlights that the ruling elite and its political servants live in another political world from hundreds of millions of Indian workers struggling to avoid infection. Saravanan, 35, works as a security guard. He told the WSWS: They pay me only 7,000 rupees a month for security work. If you want to rent out a small house in Chennai, you need 10,000 rupees. Three people like me work on daily basis at work sites without renting a house, relaxing in the parks at night. We were not provided with a face mask and sanitizer to stay safe. Some apartments do not even have toilet facilities. You cant keep your hands clean in homes like that. Saravanan, who comes from a smaller city, spoke of conditions facing workers in Indian villages and towns: Jobs are hard to come by. We are angry about the way Edappadi handled the issues faced by the workers during the pandemic. Edappadi says he is proud to have brought the disease under control. But the severity of the disease has increased in the villages. Visalam, 50, is a domestic worker. She told the WSWS, We went to work even during this coronavirus pandemic. I was not even given a mask at homes. I am scared that I might be infected when I go to work in four households. Visalam stressed the lack of basic equipment and facilities that she faces: Four of us live in a small room in the slums of Otteri. We are not even able to keep our hands clean due to lack of running water. Corporation officials came to our homes but did not provide us with the sanitizer and masks needed to keep our homes clean. Politicians come only when they want to campaign for electoral votes. In fact, the official pandemic response in India and internationally amounts to a conspiracy against the workers. Washington Post reporter Bob Woodwards reporting has revealed US President Donald Trump deliberately misled the public about the pandemic. He told Woodward on February 7 that he was playing it down despite receiving dire warnings from Chinese President Xi Jinping and from US intelligence briefings stating that COVID-19 is the biggest national security threat. Trump visited India on February 2425, met with Modi and doubtless discussed COVID-19. However, Trump, Modi, and broad layers of Indian officials have relentlessly sought since then to downplay the virus, force workers back to work and minimize the deadliness of the pandemic. Gajendran, 45, is a day labourer. He stressed workers deep disillusionment with the political establishment: I cant tell you the hardships I endured from May to today. I buy and eat food parcels given by food pantries, charities and others. I know the DMK, AIADMK, Communist parties and other parties. I dont have a home, no matter who comes to power. There are no permanent jobs, not even ration cards. I have been doing paint work, load lifting work. He added, Parties like the DMK, AIADMK, etc., come to hit me when I complain about the parties, so I keep in mind not to say anything out loud. Speaking of workers desire for a political alternative, Gajendran said, Now no one is talking about socialism. Im glad you said that. This comes from the communist parties themselves. They also did not talk about socialism. Showing his face mask to WSWS reporters, he said, They did not even provide a good mask, you see? That in itself is dirty. It would be nice if the workers came to power, as you say. I have told you about my worries: If coronavirus is not eliminated but the government lifts restrictions, I dont know what will happen. The US State Department has issued a warning to Americans considering visiting Mainland China and Hong Kong. In a travel advisory issued on Tuesday, Americans were told that it may be dangerous and there is a risk of arbitrary and wrongful detentions and exit bans on US citizens without due process of law. Individuals may find they are interrogated and compelled to participate in government investigations. The inclusion of Hong Kong is due to the enforcement of the strict new national security laws imposed by the Chinese Communist Party in June. Previously, Americans in Hong Kong were considered outside of the reach of the authorities of Beijing. The UK also issued a travel advisory to the territory this week that similarly mentioned the threat of arbitrary detention. Under the new laws, China intends to target a broad range of activities it defines as acts of secession, subversion, terrorism, and collusion with foreign countries. The new legislation also covers offences committed by non-Hong Kong residents or organizations outside of Hong Kong. This could mean individuals who have been publicly critical of China face a heightened risk of arrest, detention, expulsion, or prosecution. Chinese security forces, including the new Office for Safeguarding National Security, now operate in Hong Kong. Americans in Hong Kong are advised to avoid demonstrations and to keep a low profile. The US has already suspended an extradition treaty with Hong Kong and imposed sanctions on Hong Kong officials for their part in restricting democratic freedoms. He made his new relationship Instagram official on Sunday, by sharing loved-up pictures with stunning brunette beauty Lili Newman. And on Tuesday, Jonethen Musulin shared another adorable image of the couple to Instagram. The lovebirds posed together in disposable face masks, as the former reality star joked he has tested 'positive for cooties'. Modern romance: Jonethen Musulin (left) and his new girlfriend Lilli Newman (right) posed together in disposable face masks on Tuesday, as the reality star joked he had tested 'positive for cooties' 'Negative for Covid. Positive for Cooties,' the 28-year-old captioned the photo. Urban Dictionary defines cooties as a 'diseases that the opposite sex has that gives you a reason to not be around them'. In the image, Jonethen is sporting a grey T-shirt emblazoned with an american flag design, a gold necklace and sunglasses. Lilli wore a pair of tortoiseshell sunglasses and had her brunette locks pulled up into a bun. 'She's my perfect match': Last week, Jonethen revealed his romance with his stunning new girlfriend Lilli Newman was EIGHT YEARS in the making Last week, Jonethen revealed he was grateful to have found his 'perfect match' - this time without the help of MAFS' resident relationship 'experts'. 'She's beautiful, funny, what more could I want? She's the perfect match for me,' he told Daily Mail Australia. The Queensland-based FIFO worker explained that his romance with Lilli had been almost a decade in the making. Winning her heart: Jonethen (pictured) had the opportunity to court Lilli when she returned home amid the coronavirus pandemic 'Weve known each other for about eight years, but Lilli has always worked away,' he said of his professional dancer girlfriend. However, Jonethen said she returned home amid the coronavirus pandemic, which gave him the opportunity to court her. 'It gave me the chance to finally take her on a date, eight years in the making. The date went amazing, and since then weve been basically inseparable,' he said. Jonethen was 'married' to Connie Crayden on MAFS, but the couple chose to leave the social experiment single when they filmed their final vows last December. AGL intends to shut the Liddell coal-fired power station in April 2022 and has outlined plans to replace it with renewable energy and battery storage, but the government policy will back a plan to build a gas-fired power station nearby. Loading The government will set a "dispatchable capacity investment target" of 1000 megawatts of electricity in NSW by the end of April 2021, requiring this amount of additional energy to come online by the end of 2023. "If the energy companies step up to deliver on the target, the government will step back," says one of the Commonwealth documents. Snowy Hydro, which is wholly owned by the Commonwealth, is studying whether to build a new gas-fired power station at Kurri Kurri in the Hunter Valley. A key objective is to guarantee electricity supply to the nearby Tomago smelter, which makes about 25 per cent of Australia's aluminium. The energy statement canvasses changes to national energy laws so that Tomago and other large industrial loads can be "appropriately compensated" for the role they play in providing stability to the east-coast electricity grid. Behind the wider gas plan is the concern that Australian customers are paying as much as 25 per cent more for gas than international customers, leading to soaring energy costs for manufacturers at the same time gas is pumped onto tankers for export. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission estimated last month that prices range from $8 to $10 per gigajoule for domestic customers, about $2 more than the LNG price. Loading A key part of the policy is the development of a National Gas Infrastructure Plan that will support a more active role for the government by forecasting future gas demand and identifying gaps that require intervention. It warns that several Victorian gas fields including Bass Strait will decline over time and lead to supply gaps during peak winter demand from 2024 unless new supplies are found. The government will negotiate new Heads of Agreement with the three major liquefied natural gas exporters in Queensland to insist they make more gas available to the domestic market. In a significant intervention to name new gas supplies, the government will deliver five Strategic Basin Plans that will start with the Beetaloo Basin in the Northern Territory, followed by the North Bowen and Galilee fields in Queensland. Loading The North Bowen and Galilee basins are seen as "priority" developments but the new policy also names the Cooper Basin in Queensland, the Gunnedah Basin in NSW and the Perth Basin in Western Australia as targets for strategic plans. It will consider a "potential gas reservation" regime to set some of the future gas aside for the Australian market, learning the lessons of the past decade when new fields were developed for export and the boost in supplies failed to lead to lower domestic prices. But the priority is expected to be the Narrabri gas field in northern NSW, which is being developed by Santos and is awaiting a state regulatory decision by the end of this month, after which it will require federal environmental approval. The alternative to the Santos project is a plan to build an import terminal on the east coast. If private sector investment in the priority projects does not occur, the government will raise the option of streamlining approvals, underwriting projects or supporting "special purpose vehicles" to ensure they go ahead. One source said the government's message to industry was: "If you don't fix it, we will." Throwing the full weight of the Commonwealth behind more gas exploration and extraction, the plan will even specify the best way to set a transparent price for the domestic market by using a gas hub at Wallumbilla, near the Queensland town of Roma. The location is significant because Wallumbilla is regarded as a key point in a potential gas pipeline south to NSW and on to Victoria, bringing more supply to the southern states. Loading While private companies are considering whether to build the new pipelines to carry more gas supplies to Sydney and Melbourne, the government is open to underwriting the pipelines. This acts on a proposal from the chair of the federal government's COVID-19 Commission Advisory Board, business executive Nev Power, who aired the idea of an underwriting approach last month. Labor energy spokesman Mark Butler has questioned the need for underwriting new gas projects but the opposition's resources spokesman, Joel Fitzgibbon, has lent provisional support to the concept. The Greens and the environmental movement have slammed the idea of expanding the use of fossil fuels rather than renewable energy supplies, but the government is arguing Australia's emissions will fall by using gas to shift away from coal. A man in his 60s has been stabbed to death at a block of flats in Wembley, northwest London. The victim was found injured at Priestley House, Wembley, shortly after 10am on Saturday morning. He had suffered multiple stab wounds and was pronounced dead at the scene. Police said that a man believed to be the suspect barricaded himself into an address while attempts were made to save the victims life. After attempting to negotiate, officers used a Taser when the suspect refused to comply with their instructions. The man, aged 45, was detained safely and arrested on suspicion of murder, the Metropolitan Police said in a statement. It is believed the victim and suspect were known to each other. The force also said that its Directorate of Professional Standards had been informed because officers had attended the address three hours earlier. Police were called to the same location at 6.53am to reports of a noise complaint and a smoke alarm having been activated, the Met added. Officers attended along with colleagues from London Fire Brigade. A man inside the property was spoken to and officers left the address. Detectives have launched a murder investigation and officers are in the process of informing the victims family. The United States Small Business Association will host a two-part QuickBooks Desktop webinar this week. The first session is set for Tuesday and the second will be on Thursday. Both sessions will be from 2-4 p.m. and seating will be limited. Press Release September 15, 2020 NO MORE! - GORDON SAYS ON NON-IMPLEMENTATION OR CAPRICIOUS, ARBITRARY IMPLEMENTATION OF LAWS Voicing his indignation over the failure to implement laws or the capricious, arbitrary implementation of laws that are painstakingly crafted by Congress, Senator Richard J. Gordon yesterday called on the Senate to stand up and stomp anybody who tries to violate the law through its implementing rules and regulations. Gordon lamented that the whole process of crafting bills and getting them passed on third and final reading takes a lot of time and hard work yet when they are finally enacted into law, majority of them are not implemented or their IRRs deviate from the spirit of the law. "We work really, really hard. We consume so many hours and even days to craft bills and debate them. And when they're approved and go to the Executive branch, they do not implement them, majority of them are not implemented. And it's as if we've won a Pyrrhic victory all the time when nothing is implemented. We make laws and the men who implement them stick their tongues out, laugh at us and simply do whatever they please and they get away with it," he said in a privilege speech interpellation. Gordon cited as example Republic Act 9369 or the Amended Automated Elections System Law, which he authored. He filed charges against the Commission on Elections before the Supreme Court twice for the poll body's failure to properly implement the provisions of the law requiring safeguards such as digital signatures, source-code review, random manual audit, and voter verifiable paper audit trail, among others. In 2016, following a vote of 15 - 0, the Supreme Court ordered the Comelec to implement the VVPAT provision, which would allow the voter to verify if the choices on the paper record (or receipt spewed out by the VCM) match the choices that he or she actually made on the ballot. Through the VVPAT, the voter can confirm whether the machine had actually read the ballot correctly. Another example cited by the senator was RA 11235 or the Motorcycle Crime Prevention Act, which was enacted into law on March 8, 2019. Despite the non-extendable period provided by the law for the Land Transportation Office to promulgate an IRR, it was only last May that the agency finally issued an IRR. Gordon stressed that it is time that the Senate goes after agencies that mangle the law thru the IRRs they issue and file charges against them for causing injury and damage to the people. "We cannot just stand idly by and keel over and die and let them, by way of impunity, try to ignore our bills and our laws that have been crafted here with so much pain, so much work. These people are engaged in capricious, arbitrary and gross violation of the law. It's about time to say, no more! We cannot allow them to get away with it," the senator stressed. "I think it's important that we show that we are going to stand up and stomp anybody who tries to violate the law. We ought to investigate every one of these agencies and have the Senate Council file cases against these people. Isn't it about time that we get together in a caucus and get all these documents together and during the budget deliberations, it can now be brought out to them? And when they cannot explain it, they can learn that we can tell them 'no budget for you' because if you cannot implement the laws, how can you implement all the appropriations that are going to be given to you? We should be very serious in letting them know that if they violate, they get it. They get their next cut-off," Gordon added. In a move that epitomises a new openness towards Cairo on the part of western Libyan political leaders a delegation of members of the Tripoli-based Higher Council of State (HCS) and House of Representatives arrived to Egypt on a three-day visit last week. They met with members of the Egyptian Committee on Libya and participated in a workshop organised by the Egyptian Centre for Strategic Studies. In a statement issued at the end of the visit the Libyan delegation stressed the need to establish mechanisms to uphold the ceasefire under UN supervision and in accordance with UN Security Council resolutions. The statement also urged that the comprehensive political settlement process in Geneva be accelerated, called for elections to be held no later than October 2021 and for a constitutional framework for this purpose to be finalised. The delegation, in its statement, supported the restructuring of the Presidency Council to include three members, a president and two vice presidents, and the formation of a new interim cabinet. The delegation also affirmed the underlying principles of the Libyan dialogue, especially those pertaining to the equitable distribution of power and wealth. Finally, they expressed their appreciation of Cairos efforts to promote a political solution to the Libyan crisis. According to an HoR member of the Libyan delegation, Egypt officially notified them that it would lower the minimum age for visa-free entry to Egypt for Libyans from 45 to 40 and that Egypt would open its airports to flights from both east and west Libya. HCS delegation member Saad bin Sharada noted the ties between the Egyptian and Libyan peoples date back thousands of years and accused the international Muslim Brotherhood of distorting Egypts role in Libya. He stressed that the delegations members wanted Egypt to intensify its contacts with Libyans in the west as part of its efforts to promote a political solution to the Libyan conflict. Underscoring Egypts economic, political and social interests in Libya, he said: We would like Egypt to play a bigger role in securing the ceasefire and the resumption of oil exports. It is noteworthy that the HoR members of the delegation were among a group of western-based MPs who initiated a boycott of HoR sessions in Tobruk not long after the legislative elections of 2014. Their participation in this delegation is an important sign of a growing desire among western-based politicians to reunify the Libyan legislature. According to one source, Egypt may host a Cairo-3 dialogue to reunify the Libyan parliament in response to a request from the western-based HoR members of the delegation. After all, he said, it makes little practical sense, now, for the parliamentary fissure to continue. Cairo is currently focused on the long-awaited Libyan National Dialogue conference which will hopefully inaugurate a new interim phase, and is coordinating with the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) over individuals who could best represent recognised political entities, such as the HoR, in that conference. Cairo believes that any reservations and positions regarding the principles and formulas for the interim phase are best worked out in the framework of the dialogue. The substance of the recent visit by the delegation from western Libya is an indication of an emerging consensus on central issues related to this track as well as the other tracks of the Geneva process. In the same context, a source who is a member of Libyas delegation to Geneva said that real progress is being made in Geneva in the UN sponsored talks between the delegations of the Tobruk-based HoR and the Presidency Council. He said the consultative meeting hosted by UNSMIL (the third of its kind) succeeded in overcoming differences, bringing an agreement on the framework for the Libyan National Dialogue conference within reach. He added that other committees with specialised technical, political, security and economic functions may emerge from the consultative meeting in advance of the anticipated national dialogue. The committees will serve as a means to sustain work on these issues on the basis of what was accomplished during the conference in Geneva. Sources stressed that the fact Cairo hosted this meeting with the delegation from western Libya underscores the Egyptian governments impartiality and openness to all Libyan parties. Cairo has no objection to hosting any Libyan delegation regardless of its orientation. It welcomes all sides and all points of view, a source said, noting that Cairos basic rule on Libya is to restore stability in the framework of a political solution, and that this commitment is enshrined in the Cairo Declaration, based on the outputs of the Berlin Conference in January 2020. In a related context, the Egyptian National Committee on Libya held separate meetings with Khalifa Haftar, commander of the Libyan National Army (LNA), and Speaker of the HoR Aguila Saleh in Benghazi on Monday. According to press reports, the two sets of discussions addressed issues of mutual concern to Egypt and Libya, and recent local and international developments. The meetings took place the day after the consultative meeting in Geneva in which participants agreed to resume the comprehensive political dialogue, and in light of developments related to the resumption of Libyan oil exports. The LNA General Command announced that it would resume pumping oil within the framework of guarantees that address concerns over the marginalisation of eastern Libya in the management of oil revenues and the lack of oversight on how oil revenues are spent. Eastern Libyans claim that authorities affiliated with the Government of National Accord (GNA) are using oil revenues to promote their factional interests. In particular, they accuse them of diverting the revenues to finance the GNAs military agreements with Ankara, funnelling millions of dollars to Turkey in return for heavy weaponry from Turkish arms manufacturers and the foreign mercenaries Turkey has introduced into Libya. *A version of this article appears in print in the 17 September, 2020 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly Search Keywords: Short link: Cookie Preferences Cookie List Cookie List A cookie is a small piece of data (text file) that a website when visited by a user asks your browser to store on your device in order to remember information about you, such as your language preference or login information. Those cookies are set by us and called first-party cookies. We also use third-party cookies which are cookies from a domain different than the domain of the website you are visiting for our advertising and marketing efforts. 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Britain's coronavirus lockdown led to an extra 3,600 deaths from preventable heart conditions and strokes, a top expert warned today. Dr Sonya Babu-Narayan, associate medical director at the British Heart Foundation, revealed the chilling figures in a virtual House of Lords meeting. The cardiologist claimed 700 Britons unexpectedly died, from a cardiac event or condition, such as heart attacks and strokes, each week at the height of the pandemic. In a desperate attempt to prevent another wave of avoidable deaths in the event of a second wave, she has begged the public not to delay getting help out of fear they will add pressure to an already over-stretched NHS. Speaking to the Lords Science and Tech committee, she said: 'Patients need clarity about which things they should not delay, so the health service can protect them, rather than them protecting the health service.' Admissions for heart attacks, strokes and heart failure dropped drastically during the pandemic, as the government's 'Stay at Home, Protect the NHS' message was driven hard. Experts say patients were reluctant to seek hospital care in fear of both putting strain on the NHS and picking up the coronavirus. Dr Sonya Babu-Narayan, associate medical director at the British Heart Foundation, told a Science and Technology Committee this morning that people should not delay care in fear of putting pressure on the NHS ahead of a potential second wave of Covid-19 Dr Babu-Narayan told Lords today the result was at least 3,600 'excess deaths' from heart and circulatory conditions in the UK during the crisis, 700 of which were recorded in just one week during the peak. Pictured: Figures for excess deaths over the course of the pandemic, according to each countries' statistical agency Pictured: Figures for excess deaths over the course of the pandemic, according to each countries' statistical agency. 'Excess deaths' is one way to measure the impact that Covid-19 has had. It highlights how many people died that were not expected to, either as a result of the virus either directly or indirectly due to barriers in getting healthcare Dr Babu-Narayan said: 'We are seeing the tragic effect of Covid-19 in statistics related to deaths. 'Whilst Covid explained 90 per cent of the excess mortality weve seen at the peak of the pandemic, it doesnt explain all. 'It does seem some of this excess mortality is driven by patients with heart and circulatory diseases. 'During the peak of the pandemic, in just one week there were more than 700 excess deaths from heart and circulatory diseases, including around 300 from coronary heart disease, and nearly 200 from stroke. 'Across the whole pandemic, there have been 3,600 excess deaths from heart and circulatory diseases. ONE IN 50 NHS PATIENTS HAVE WAITED MORE THAN A YEAR FOR PLANNED SURGERY One in 50 NHS patients have now been waiting a year or more for planned surgery due to treatment delays caused by coronavirus. NHS England data released on September 10 showed 83,000 patients (2.1 per cent of the total) referred for routine operations have still not been treated 52 weeks later. Those affected are patients waiting for planned, non-urgent surgery such as hip and knee replacements, cataract surgery or kidney stone removal. Statistics also show the number of those waiting for ops for more than 18 weeks the NHS target time is at a 12-year high, with more than two million Britons now overdue. Hospitals are struggling to get through the slog of patients waiting for ops because they shut down all non-emergency treatment for months during the crisis. They are still only running at a fraction of their usual capacity. There are currently four million people on waiting lists for elective surgery but NHS bosses expect that number to grow to a record 10million by the end of the year. The NHS data shows that there were 3,097 people waiting a year or more for routine surgeries at the start of March. This figure had spiked to 83,203 by July after doubling every month since March and is likely to have risen further in the month-and-a-half since. And the number of patients who have waited more than four months is the highest since modern records began, with more than half not being treated in that time. A total of 2.15million Britons still had not been treated after 18 weeks by July this year, after rising from 1.85million in July. It is the biggest 18-week waiting list since August 2007, when the figure was 1.8million. Advertisement 'This raises concern that perceived or real barriers in access to care potentially caused avoidable harm. And this should not be repeated.' 'Excess deaths' is one way to measure the impact that Covid-19 has had. It highlights how many people died that were not expected to, either as a result of the virus either directly or indirectly due to barriers in getting healthcare. Figures from the statistical bodies of each of the home nations suggests the true toll of the virus is around 60,000 much higher than the 41,000 laboratory-confirmed deaths. Dr Babu-Narayan said: 'There are indirect effects of the pandemic that are putting people with cardiac diseases at increased risk. 'Some of this is illness behaviour; We have seen very clearly that fewer people sought emergency treatment for heart attack or stroke because of fear of coronavirus infection, or not wanting to be a burden on the NHS.' Dr Babu-Narayan, a consultant cardiologist at Royal Brompton and Harefield NHS Foundation Trust, reeled off statistics that showed the significant drop in the number of people attending NHS sites for care during the pandemic. For example in March, there was a 50 per cent drop in emergency attendances for myocardial ischemia, from 300 per day at the beginning of March, to around 150 per day recorded by the end of March, according to Public Health England data. According to the BHF, this is the equivalent to approximately 5,000 people every month, or more than 1,100 people every week, not being seen in emergency departments. The condition, which has symptoms such as chest pain, occurs when blood flow to the heart muscle is blocked by plaques. If these plaques rupture, it can cause a heart attack. Dr Babu-Narayan said: 'We know in London at the end of March and in April there was a reduction of 38 per cent in attendance in hospital for the most severe type of heart attack, recognised by its electrocardiogram in the ambulance and requiring the paramedics taking the patient directly to the cardiac department for immediate procedure. 'Theses reductions in heart attack attendances, stroke presentation and heart failure admission started at the same time of the first cases of Covid in the UK, and before the full lockdown, implying these effects are behaviour, not just a true change in prevalence.' Witnesses at the meeting were asked by Lord Clive Hollick what needed to be done in the potential event of a second wave this winter. Dr Babu-Narayan warned against a repeat of the drastic reduction in healthcare to people with illnesses other than Covid-19, particularly those with heart and circulatory conditions, which affect 7.4million people in the UK. She said: 'Patients need clarity about which things they should not delay, so the health service can protect them, rather than them protecting the health service. 'They need to know which symptoms or change in symptoms are red flags meaning they should seek medical advice, but also call up if their care has been postponed. We need very clear messaging for that. 'These heart and circulatory patients, the ones I know about, mustnt stay at home for fear of putting pressure on NHS, because delaying their care may actually exacerbate pressures later down the line. 'They need confidence that the healthcare system is in a good place to treat them safely.' University of Oxford found NHS hospital admissions for any 'acute coronary syndrome' a sudden reduction of blood to the heart dropped from a monthly average of 13,075 during the pandemic. Overall between January and May, there had been around 8,000 fewer admissions for acute coronary syndromes than would be expected. Some 5,000 of these were for heart attacks specifically The BHF has previously warned a round 190,000 people in England missed out on crucial heart ultrasounds during the Covid-19 lockdown. In February, the number was at the expected level. Only 87,902 echo tests were carried out across England in April and May, compared to 274,235 completed in the same months last year (a difference of almost 190,000) 5,000 HEART ATTACKS DIDN'T GET CARE IN LOCKDOWN Five-thousands heart attack sufferers in England missed out on life-saving hospital treatment due to the Covid-19 pandemic, a study claimed in July. A University of Oxford team used data regularly collected by NHS Digital from hospital trusts in England to get up-to-date information about admissions. They found admissions for any 'acute coronary syndrome' a sudden reduction of blood to the heart dropped from a monthly average of 13,075 to 10,118 in March. They plummeted to 8,739 in April before slightly increasing to 9,756 in May, findings in the Lancet revealed. Overall between January and May, there had been around 8,000 fewer admissions for acute coronary syndromes than would be expected. Some 5,000 of these were for heart attacks specifically, which is medically known as a myocardial infarction. The researchers looked at a certain window, March 23 to March 30, and found hospital admissions for heart attacks fell 35 per cent. Up to a quarter of people who suffered the most severe heart attack a complete blockage of an artery did not seek help, figures suggest. Admissions are now picking back up again because the coronavirus is fizzling out, according to researchers at the University of Oxford. But patient confidence is nowhere near pre-Covid levels as Brits still fear catching the coronavirus if they go to hospital. Experts warned the risk of death from delaying heart attack treatment is higher than picking up Covid-19 at hospital. Advertisement She said the strain of waiting lists coupled with newly diagnosed heart conditions could spell a 'catastrophe' for the NHS. On top of the 180,0000 people on the waiting list for an investigation or treatment at the end of July, and an estimated 28,000 delayed heart procedures in England, there will be more patients coming forward for heart conditions caused by Covid-19. Dr Babu-Narayan said: 'The reduced availability of heart services, that may also need to additionally address heart care for patients with newly diagnosed heart disease post Covid 19, could result in significant morbidity and mortality at risk of exceeding that due to Covid-19 directly. This could be a catastrophe.' Since a major shift towards Covid-19 care in March and April, analysis of figures has shown the impact on patients with other health conditions. One of the most staggering studies, by Oxford University, found 5,000 heart attack sufferers in England missed out on life-saving hospital treatment due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Senior author Professor Colin Baigent said: 'Some people may still be worried about going to hospital because they fear encountering the coronavirus. 'But the truth is that, by delaying or not going to hospital, people with heart attacks are at much greater risk of dying from their heart attack than catching the virus.' Another analysis by University of Leeds experts found hospital admissions for heart attacks plummeted by 50 per cent in April and May in England. The data also suggested that deaths rose from the most mild form of heart attack, which is usually treatable if patients are given quick medical attention. Deaths from the most common type of heart attack soared by almost 40 per cent during the coronavirus lockdown. Experts estimated around 2,000 fewer patients were treated for heart attacks during lockdown despite them being classed as a medical emergency by the NHS. It may have been an unintended consequence of the government's 'Stay at Home' messaging, according to lead author of the study, statistician Dr Jianhua Wu. The BHF has previously warned around 190,000 people in England missed out on crucial heart ultrasounds during the Covid-19 lockdown, which will 'ultimately lead to deaths'. Echocardiograms, also known as echo tests, are ultrasound scans that look at the structure of the heart to see if it is working properly. They help doctors spot or follow the progression of heart conditions, such as heart failure, heart disease and damage from a heart attack. In the NHS broadly, there are warnings the post-Covid backlog could double to a staggering 10million by Christmas. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 16) - The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) on Tuesday assured that it will continuously assess the soon-to-be installed cell towers by China-backed Dito Telecommunity inside military camps. Continuous po ito (This is continuous). This is not a one-time performance audit or security assessment, said DICT Secretary Gringo Honasan II during the deliberation of the House of Representatives on the proposed budget by the agency for 2021. By law, your department is required to submit periodic reports to congress about the status of our cybersecurity efforts, he added. Concerns on possible security breaches and spying were raised by some after the Department of National Defense signed a deal allowing Dito to put up cell towers inside military camps. Meanwhile, Armed Forces of the Philippines Spokesperson MGen. Edgard Arevalo allayed the concerns saying that possible security risk by the towers is very low. Honasan added that DICT has considered the security, transfer of power, and safety in the said deal between the government and the telecommunication company. So let me make an unconditional guarantee that DICT will exercise its due diligence in looking at these variables para naman protected yung public and national interests (so that the public and national interests are protected), he said. Last month, House approved on third and final reading the bill granting Dito a 25-year franchise as the countrys third major telco player. Dito is expected to start its commercial services in March 2021. WASHINGTON It's 50 days until voters cast their ballots for president, and Americans are on edge. It's not just that they have been cooped up at home to avoid a deadly contagion. Or that some downtown areas have been wracked with unrest fueled by protests over police violence and racism. Or that Americans are facing financial hardships because of the pandemic. Many voters view the White House race between President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden as crucial to America's future. But while the president's supporters are more enthusiastic than Biden's, many voters grappling with multiple crises are unimpressed and uninspired by the choice they will face on Nov. 3. Voters cast their ballots at the Miami-Dade County West Sunset Fire Rescue Station, during the Florida primary election, Aug. 28, 2018, in Miami. Theyre anxious, fearful, angry, and frustrated," Rich Thau, who runs the Swing Voter Project, told USA TODAY when asked to describe voter sentiment. Thau's group has held focus groups since March 2019 with dozens of "change voters" in seven battleground states Florida, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin who supported former President Barack Obama in 2012 and switched to Trump in 2016. He said the moods of these voters shifted six months ago when COVID-19 upended the lives of millions. "It caused people who thought things were generally going pretty well to think they were not going as well," Thau said. "And those emotions I just listed are new feelings about how their own lives are going. Acting like 'spoiled teenagers' The Republican president and Biden, his Democratic rival, have two main tasks: to motivate supporters to cast ballots and to win over the dwindling pocket of undecided voters. Yes, there are still hundreds of thousands of Americans unsure whom theyll support or even if theyre going to vote. Given how narrowly Trump won four years ago in battleground states, those on-the-fence voters are likely to decide who sits in the White House next year. Democrat Cari Mercer, 42, a professional photographer who lives in Mechanicsburg, a small borough of fewer than 9,000 in central Pennsylvania, voted for former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton four years ago. She said she won't vote for Trump this year, but the retired Air Force veteran isn't sure if she'll pull the lever for Biden. Story continues Are the polls wrong? Polls show Trump is losing to Joe Biden. They said the same thing 4 years ago against Hillary Clinton "The problem that Im having is that I feel like both parties right now are being spoiled teenagers," Mercer said. "And its very hard for me to vote with a conscience for either side when it doesnt feel like theyre working for the people." Polls show Biden maintaining a roughly 7-point lead nationally over Trump, according to the Real Clear Politics average. But the lead has narrowed, even more so in the swing states including Pennsylvania that are expected to decide the presidency. That means both campaigns have a lot riding on voters like Mercer who have yet to make up their minds. Like several undecided voters USA TODAY interviewed, Mercer said she wants to see the upcoming debates three presidential and one vice presidential before making up her mind. The undecideds Republican Vincent Ballantoni, 58, lives in Clearwater, Florida, and voted for Obama in 2012. But he went for Trump four years ago because he viewed the real estate mogul as someone who represented "new blood" and who would fight for Americans still struggling economically. "I figured, 'Oh he'll come in and shake it up a little bit and turn the world upside down' because if you watch 'The Apprentice' that's what he has the tendency to do," Ballantoni said. "He doesn't take slack from anybody. Unfortunately, I wish he'd get off Twitter." Former Vice President Joe Biden has increased his lead over President Donald Trump in a new poll. After four years of Trump's presidency, Ballantoni said he remains undecided about this election and is torn between his distaste for the president's bombastic style and anxiety about the rising voices on the Democratic side, such as liberal firebrand Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y. "I think Biden has his heart is in the right spot but he's too soft and is going to get pushed," he said. "I think Trump has his heart in the right spot, but he needs to realize he needs to tone down this stuff and don't just go off to the right and spout off stuff that isn't true." Annie Thieman, 36, an independent from the Pittsburgh suburb of South Fayette, is also uncertain. The catering manager backed Trump in 2016, after voting for Obama in 2008 and 2012. She likes Trump's policies on the economy, prescription drug pricing and tax cuts but is bothered by the president's personality and penchant for diving into unnecessary fights. Where do Americans stand on election issues? Let them tell you how they feel about this policy Thieman calls the president "arrogant," "conceited," and "selfish" but Biden's nearly 50 years in public office has her worried he might not be willing to embrace a new approach to tackle the country's long-term problems. Most of all, she can't stand the bickering. Im frustrated that were not getting true answers," Thieman said. "As a voter, I pride myself on trying to make educated decisions as much as I can. And I cant with good conscience say that I have an educated enough decision to vote either way. You constantly have to filter through the fighting to hear what theyre actually trying to say. 'Here we go again' "Lesser of two evils" is a phrase used by many voters, especially the shrinking band of undecided ones. Democrat Heather Maluke, 41, a cleaner from Mogadore, Ohio, near Akron supported progressive Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., in the primary. Now, she's holding her nose again. Trump makes her "angry" whereas Biden comes off as "creepy," she said. In 2016, she wrote in Sanders' name because neither Trump nor Clinton inspired her. She's considering doing that again. "Here we go again. So this time, I'm going to pencil in Mickey Mouse or something," Maluke said with a chuckle. President Donald Trump speaks during a news briefing at the White House, Thursday, July 2, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Just 8% of registered voters agreed with the statement that their choice for president this fall will be difficult "because either one would make a good president," according to an August poll by the Pew Research Center. That is the lowest response to that question the organization has received since it first began asking back in 2000. About 11% said the same thing during the matchup between Clinton and Trump, which polls identified as the two most unpopular presidential nominees in history. And voters have fewer legitimate choices this time compared to four years ago. More: Joe Biden outraises President Donald Trump by more than $150M in August Former GOP New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson's run as a libertarian and physician Jill Stein's bid under the Green Party banner in 2016 gave reluctant voters an alternative. Johnson, for instance, polled as high as 10% before finishing Election Day with nearly 4.5 million votes, or about 3.3% of the national vote, the best showing for a third-party candidate since Ross Perot in 1996. Hip-hop mogul Kanye West has applied to be on several ballots this year but does not qualify for enough state ballots to receive the needed 270 electoral votes. Libertarians and Greens have nominated candidates as well but neither is well known or have registered much in polling. Voter motivation 101 Persuading a voter to support you is one step. Convincing them to actually cast a ballot in person or by mail remains a challenge in a country where about 61% of the voting-age population turns out to vote in a typical election without a pandemic. Melissa Michelson, a political scientist at Menlo College and co-author of the 2012 book, "Mobilizing Inclusion: Transforming the Electorate Through Get-out-the-Vote Campaigns," said undecided voters often respond to a more subtle or specific type of messaging on topics they care about. She said research shows political campaigns have learned to approach those voters by emphasizing an issue or group they care about such as gun rights or immigration. "You might think of yourself as undecided, but maybe you're very concerned about health care and then they're going to reach out to you with information on where the candidates stand on the health care," Michelson said. "They want to guide you toward deciding for yourself that you support one or the other candidates based on what they've done on that issue." Register to Vote in 2020 Elections | USA TODAY Michelson said undecided voters are especially resistant to campaign messaging that feels like persuasion. She said that's why the parties and presidential campaigns have learned to come at those voters sideways. "People are very resistant at being told what to think or what to do, and they don't like to feel like they're being used," she said. "But they do like to express their support for their community or for people they feel an attachment with." Ballantoni said one thing he worries about besides the coronavirus and its impact on the economy, is how Trump's behavior is changing U.S. institutions. Trump "talks too much from the hip sometimes," he said. "And can we live another four years with that?" Joe Biden accused President Trump of playing a role in the unrest by refusing to acknowledge racial injustice during a speech delivered in Pittsburgh. But Thau, the swing voter analyst, said many Trump voters who don't always like his rhetoric are sticking by him because they believe he will fight for them. "You buy a Rottweiler for a reason. And even though it snaps a lot and might take your hand off if youre not careful, its defending your domain," he said. "They would prefer that Trump didnt tweet so much. I hear endlessly they dont like the way Trump comports himself. But they wanted a fighter and they got a fighter. Fewer people left to persuade Four years ago, Trump ran as an outsider vowing to shake up Washington and push his "America First" agenda on trade and immigration. The message resonated strongly with white working-class voters. And many voters including several million Obama voters disliked Clinton. USA TODAY/Suffolk Poll: More Americans predict Trump will win the presidential debates than Biden Political analysts predict that the number of voters unable to make up their minds until the last minute will be smaller in 2020 than four years ago. In 2016, the historic unpopularity of Trump and Clinton had many hemming and hawing up to the end. Ultimately, that group swung heavily for Trump. In a Monmouth University poll in early September, 81% of voters nationally said they had made a choice in the presidential race and were certain about it. Another 11% have picked a candidate but could still change their mind. And 8% were undecided. Four years ago in late August, the survey found that 66% were sure about who they were backing, 16% were leaning toward a candidate but not locked in, and 18% were undecided. Doubting the results There's also widespread anxiety about whether to trust the election results. A Monmouth University poll released Thursday found that about 4 in 10 voters are not confident that the election will be conducted "fairly and accurately." The poll also finds that most voters 52% thought the Trump campaign would try to cheat if necessary to win in November while 39% say the same about the Biden campaign. Trump's frequent but unsubstantiated claim that mail-in voting is riddled with fraud and can't be trusted has fed into voter concerns. Absentee ballot election workers on Sept. 4, 2020, in Charlotte, North Carolina. We have voters on both sides who are becoming more inclined to distrust a result they wont agree with," said Patrick Murray, director of the Monmouth University Polling Institute. Meanwhile, undecided swing-state voters like Ballantoni from Florida and Thieman from Pennsylvania hope the debates will quell the anxiety of the election a bit and offer some guidance. Hopefully, we'll hear more about what they actually plan on doing," she said. "And less about how much they hate each other." This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Election 2020: At 50-day mark, voters are anxious about Trump and Biden ATLANTA, Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- LexisNexis Risk Solutions today released its biannual Cybercrime Report, which tracks global cybercrime activity from January through June 2020. The report dives deep into how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the global digital economy, regional economies, industries, businesses and consumer behavior. The period has seen strong transaction volume growth compared to 2019 but an overall decline in global attack volume. This is likely linked to growth in genuine customer activity due to changing consumer habits. The LexisNexis Risk Solutions Cybercrime Report analyzes data from more than 22.5 billion transactions processed by the LexisNexis Digital Identity Network, a 37% growth year over year. Mobile device transactions also continue to rise, with 66% of all transactions coming from mobile devices in the first half of 2020, up from 20% in early 2015. The Digital Identity Network also noted an uptick in transactions from new devices and new digital identities. We can attribute this to many new-to-digital consumers moving online to procure goods and services that were no longer available in person or harder to access via a physical store during the pandemic. The United States (U.S.) and Canada encountered lower overall attack rates in comparison to other global regions from January through June 2020. This is true across both desktop and mobile browser channels. The U.S. does contribute the highest volume of human-initiated and automated bot attacks globally. There are also pockets of attack growth across specific industries and use cases. These include upticks in attack rates targeting all use cases in the media industry, as well as financial services new account creations. There is a clear pattern of networked fraud recorded across the region, highlighted by large, interconnected e-commerce fraud networks in the U.S. This network saw at least $27.9 million exposed to fraud across five online retailers and one online marketplace. This network alone consisted of 850 devices, 134,000 email addresses and 61,000 telephone numbers. Additional Key Findings from the LexisNexis Risk Solutions Cybercrime Report: Decline in Attack Rate The overall human-initiated attack rate across the Digital Identity Network fell through the first half of 2020, showing a 33% decline year over year. The breakdown by sector shows a 23% decline in financial services and a 55% decline in e-commerce attack rates. Latin America experienced the highest attack rates of all regions globally and realized consistent growth in attack rates from March to June 2020 . The attack patterns in U.S., Canada and EMEA had less volatility and fewer spikes in attack rates during the six-month period observed. The overall human-initiated attack rate across the Digital Identity Network fell through the first half of 2020, showing a 33% decline year over year. The breakdown by sector shows a 23% decline in financial services and a 55% decline in e-commerce attack rates. experienced the highest attack rates of all regions globally and realized consistent growth in attack rates from March to . The attack patterns in U.S., and EMEA had less volatility and fewer spikes in attack rates during the six-month period observed. Attack Vector Global View - Media is the only industry that recorded an overall year over year growth in human-initiated cyberattacks. The Digital Identity Network recorded the 3% increase solely across mobile browser transactions Globally, automated bots remain a key attack vector in the Digital Identity Network. Financial services organizations experienced a surge in automated bot attacks and continue to experience more bot attacks than any other industry. - Media is the only industry that recorded an overall year over year growth in human-initiated cyberattacks. The Digital Identity Network recorded the 3% increase solely across mobile browser transactions Globally, automated bots remain a key attack vector in the Digital Identity Network. Financial services organizations experienced a surge in automated bot attacks and continue to experience more bot attacks than any other industry. Across the Customer Journey - New account creations see attacks at a higher rate than any other transaction type in the digital customer journey. However, the largest volume of attacks targeted online payment transactions. Login transactions have seen the biggest drop in attack rate in comparison to other use cases. Analysis across new customer touchpoints in the online journey is included in this report for the first time, providing additional context on key points of risk such as money transfers and password resets. - New account creations see attacks at a higher rate than any other transaction type in the digital customer journey. However, the largest volume of attacks targeted online payment transactions. Login transactions have seen the biggest drop in attack rate in comparison to other use cases. Analysis across new customer touchpoints in the online journey is included in this report for the first time, providing additional context on key points of risk such as money transfers and password resets. During COVID-19 - All industries have felt the impact of COVID-19. There are clear peaks and troughs in transaction volumes coinciding with global lockdown periods. Financial services organizations realized a growth in new-to-digital banking users, a changing geographical footprint from previously well-traveled consumers and a reduction in the number of devices used per customer. There have also been several attacks targeting banks offering COVID-19-related loans. E-commerce merchants have seen an increase in digital payments and several other key attack typologies that coincide with the lockdown period. These included account takeover attacks using identity spoofing and more first-party chargeback fraud. "This is the first LexisNexis Risk Solutions Cybercrime Report to include data on the new reality of conducting business during a pandemic," said Rebekah Moody, director of fraud and identity at LexisNexis Risk Solutions. "The move to digital, for both businesses and consumers, has been significant. Yet with this change comes opportunity for exploitation. Fraudsters look for easy targets: whether government support packages, new lines of credit or media companies with fewer barriers to entry. We need to ensure that all consumers, especially those who might be new to digital, are protected. Businesses must arm themselves with a layered defense that can detect the full spectrum of possible attacks and is future-proofed against evolving threats." "In our recent True Cost of Fraud report, which surveyed retail and e-commerce merchants, respondents reported an overall increase in fraud attempts and confirmed fraud. This is contrary to what the Digital Identity Network identified, with a 61% decline in the attack rate for U.S. e-commerce merchants," added Kimberly Sutherland, vice president of fraud and identity strategy at LexisNexis Risk Solutions. "This suggests that customers that are part of the Digital Identity Network may benefit from the protection this layered defense affords, with the additional benefit of access to global shared intelligence relating to fraud detection helping to keep fraud rates low." Download a copy of the LexisNexis Risk Solutions Cybercrime Report, January through June 2020. Join Rebekah Moody, director of fraud and identity at LexisNexis Risk Solutions, for an overview of the latest Cybercrime Report on Tuesday, September 15 at 10:00am ET. About LexisNexis Risk Solutions LexisNexis Risk Solutions harnesses the power of data and advanced analytics to provide insights that help businesses and governmental entities reduce risk and improve decisions to benefit people around the globe. We provide data and technology solutions for a wide range of industries including insurance, financial services, healthcare and government. Headquartered in metro Atlanta, Georgia, we have offices throughout the world and are part of RELX (LSE: REL/NYSE: RELX), a global provider of information-based analytics and decision tools for professional and business customers across industries. For more information, please visit www.risk.lexisnexis.com and www.relx.com. Media Contact: Marcy Theobald 678.694.6681 [email protected] SOURCE LexisNexis Risk Solutions Related Links http://www.lexisnexis.com After the trucks dumped the bodies into the ditches, the man drove back to his office in Damascus and opened a large notebook with neatly arranged lists. With the help of a security officer, he wrote down the number of corpses, and the names and numbers of the secret service branches they came from. He sent copies to his superiors and stored the notebook in a safe. Then he waited for the next delivery, which usually came at the crack of dawn, about four times per week. The more bodies they brought, the more ditches they dug, said the man, who testified last week in the Al-Khatib trial in Koblenz. In the German city of Koblenz, two former Syrian secret service officers stand accused of crimes against humanity: Anwar Raslan, who allegedly headed the investigations unit of the general secret service branch 251 in Damascus, and Eyad Al-Gharib, who allegedly arrested protesters and took them to the branchs prison. According to the indictment, they are responsible for 58 killings, 4.000 cases of torture and two cases of rape or sexual assault in 2011 and 2012. Since the beginning of the trial in April, survivors of branch 251, or Al-Khatib branch, have described systematic torture in prison. The witness, on day 30 in court, a sturdy middle-aged man in a track suit, had requested to testify anonymously. During his interrogations with the German Federal Police (BKA) last year, he had reported threats against his family members in Syria. In court, he appeared under the abbreviation Z30/07/19 and was allowed to keep his face mask on, despite objections from the defence. He said he had worked for the Damascus burial authority, until he and his colleagues were approached in 2011 by two security officers, who recruited them to work on the mass graves in Najha and Al-Qutaifah, near Damascus. They gave me a car, so that I would not be stopped at the military checkpoints. It was a van with 14 seats, and pictures of Bashar Al-Assad in the front and back, he explained. Around 700 bodies per truck, 4 times a week His task was to drive his team from the office to the graves and to keep lists of the corpses that were delivered by security officers. The numbers had to be registered and I helped with that. I had my own office in the government administration where I worked, he said. His colleagues had to do the dirty work: A truck would arrive and the doors would be opened. Some employees would go inside and push the bodies out with their hands. Then an excavator would close up the ditch, the witness recounted. The number of the dead varied, he said, but one truck usually carried around 700 bodies. The trenches were up to one hundred meters long and six meters deep, he said, adding that the burial grounds spread out over several thousand square meters. Twice a week the corpses came from Saydnaya (prison), and once or twice a week from the military hospitals Tishreen and Harasta, he explains adding that these in turn collected bodies from security branches throughout the city, among them branch 251. The corpses from Saydnaya were executed during the night and had to be buried the same day, he said. Therefore, they did not smell. On these bodies, he said he saw traces on their necks where they had been hung. He described bruises, missing fingernails and marks of electric shocks. From the corpses that came from the military hospitals, however, he tried to keep a distance. The smell was so strong that it stayed in my nose, even after we left, he remembered. As soon as the doors opened, the smell spread out over hundred meters. There were streams of blood and maggots. The first time we went, I could not eat for days afterwards. Counting dead bodies for six years Though the witness stayed calm during most of his testimony, he said he still suffered from nightmares after what he had experienced. Some memories were especially hard to bear, he testified: the time when he and his colleagues noticed a person still breathing among the dead. An officer ordered the excavator to drive over him, the witness recounted. Or another time, when he almost collapsed after seeing a woman hugging a child in the pile of corpses, both dead. And yet, he would stay on the job for six years, counting dead bodies until 2017. Why he left and how he came to Germany was not disclosed in the courtroom. Z30/07/19 was not the first witness in the Al-Khatib trial to describe mass graves and lists of corpses. At the end of June, a secret service insider gave similar accounts of the Najha cemetery, where it had been his job to document the amount and origin of the corpses buried. He did not testify anonymously, even though his family, too, had been threatened. In court, he mentioned an early morning encounter with defendant Eyad Al-Gharib, who had been accompanying a delivery convoy headed for the mass graves. The latest witness in Koblenz, however, did not recognize Al-Gharib or Anwar Raslan. He did remember the names of the officers who recruited him, but was too scared to mention them in public. A functioning bureaucracy Even so, his testimony was meant to prove the widespread and systematic nature of the crimes committed, a necessary requirement for defining them as crimes against humanity. Someone who worked on mass graves is a very important witness to establish this requirement, says a civil party lawyer, Sebastian Scharmer. The incredibly high number of corpses and the dimensions of the graves he mentioned are crucial. In addition, witness Z30/07/19 gave the court an estimation of the number of deaths that occurred in the Al-Khatib branch from April 2011 till the end of 2012 when Raslan was in charge. In his police interrogation, the witness had estimated 10.000 corpses per year coming from the Al-Khatib branch, with the number rising after 2013. In his statement, Raslan claimed that nobody died in the branch while he was working there, recalls Scharmer. The lists mentioned by the witness clearly contradict that. From the Caesar photos, that registered each dead inmate with a picture and numbering system, to the lists that recorded the amount of corpses buried in mass graves, the Syrian regime hasnt done itself any favours by precisely documenting its mass atrocity crimes. One would think that a regime that tortures and forcibly disappears its citizens is not interested in documenting these crimes anywhere, says Scharmer. But this is how secret services operate: they always need to keep up the appearance that they are working within a functioning bureaucracy. However, if the Assad regimes intention was to give the crimes a legal framework, it may have instead contributed to exposing their systematic nature. MEXICO CITY - Archaeologists in Mexico said Tuesday they have identified a ship that carried Mayan people into virtual slavery in the 1850s, the first time such a ship has been found. The wreck of the Cuban-based paddle-wheel steamboat was found in 2017, but wasnt identified until researchers from the National Institute of Anthropology and History checked contemporary documents and found evidence it was the ship La Union. The ship had been used to take Mayas captured during an 1847-1901 rebellion known as The War of the Castes to work in sugarcane fields in Cuba. Slavery was illegal in Mexico at the time, but operators of similar ships had reportedly bought seized captured combatants, or deceived Mayas left landless by the conflict to sign on as contract workers, often in Cuba, where they were treated like slaves. The La Union was on a trip to Havana in September 1861 when its boilers exploded and it sank off the once-important Yucatan port of Sisal. Institute archaeologist Helena Barba Meinecke said the inhabitants of Sisal had passed down through generations the account of the slave ship, and one of them led researchers to it. The grandparents and great-grandparents of the inhabitants of Sisal told them about a steam ship that took away Mayas during the War of the Castes, Barba Meinecke said. And one of the people in Sisal who saw how they led the Mayas away as slaves, told his son and then he told his grandson, and it was that person who led us to the general area of the shipwreck. The identification was based on the physical remains of the wooden-hulled side-wheeler, whose timbers bore signs of fire and whose boilers had exploded. The location of the wreck also coincides with contemporary accounts of the accident, which killed half of the 80 crew members and 60 passengers aboard. The team also found silverware with the emblem of the company that operated the ship. In October 1860, a ship had been caught in neighbouring Campeche state taking aboard 29 Mayas, including children as young as 7. Authorities prevented the ship from leaving, but clearly that didnt keep the trade from continuing. Mayas were often transported on ships which were taking sisal fiber and paying passengers to Cuba. Sisal and henequen were fibers used in making rope, and were usually harvested by Mayas working in serf-like conditions on large plantations in the Yucatan. It was unclear if there were any Maya aboard on the ships last voyage. The records are unclear because the Mayas would probably have been listed as cargo, not as passengers, or the ship may have tried to conceal their presence. Barba Meinecke noted that captured Mayan combatants were frequently sent to Cuba, from where many never returned. Each slave was sold to a middleman for 25 pesos, and they resold them in Havana for as much as 160 pesos, for men, and 120 pesos for women, she said. But she said the next stage of research would involve trying to find their descendants. Researchers plan to travel to Havana, where there is a neighbourhood called Campeche, These people, or some of them, could be descendants of the Mayas who were taken by force or deception, she said. Research has to be done so these (Mayan) people can know where their grandparents or great-grandparents are. The Maya launched one of North Americas last Indigenous revolts in the lower Yucatan Peninsula in 1847, fighting against domination by white and mixed-race Mexicans who exploited them. The Mexican government fought the bloody rebellion with brutal repression, but couldnt wipe out the last resistance until 1901. The ship was found about 2 miles (3.7 kilometres) off the port of Sisal in about 22 feet (7 metres) of water, after a local fisherman led archaeologists to the wreck. A few wrecks of African slave ships have been found in waters in the United States and elsewhere, but no Maya slaving ship had been identified. Read more about: An aircraft at Vinh International Airport, 70 km from an area that Ha Tinh Province has proposed to build into another international airport. Photo by VnExpress/Nguyen Hai. Authorities in north-central Ha Tinh Province proposed building an international airport that could operate flights to Taiwan and South Korea. The Ministry of Transport said Monday that Ha Tinh authorities had petitioned it and the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam to add Ha Tinh International Airport to national airport network planning. The airport will be built on an area of 300 to 450 ha in Thach Ha and Cam Xuyen districts, only around 70 km from Vinh International Airport in Nghe An Province to the north, and 150 km from Dong Hoi Airport of Quang Binh Province to the south. The airport would have two runways spanning over 1,800 m and is expected to operate flights to top tourist destinations like Hanoi, HCMC and Phu Quoc Island in southern Vietnam, as well as Pleiku and Buon Ma Thuot in the Central Highlands, according to the proposal. It would have an annual capacity of 500,000 passengers until 2030 and two million until 2050. The airport is expected to be built after 2020. Ha Tinh has reserved land funds for the airport for more than 20 years. This is a sparsely populated area, which is relatively close to the province's administrative center and could be easily connected to Vung Ang Economic Zone. Under the development plan of air transport until 2020 with a vision until 2030 approved by the government in 2018, the northern and central regions have 18 airports including nine international ones. Ha Tinh Airport has not yet been included in the planning. Authorities in Ha Tinh said some investors have showed interest in building Ha Tinh Airport but nothing has been confirmed due to a lack of planning. Ha Tinh, one of the poorest provinces in Vietnam, reported economic growth of 11 percent last year against the country's 7 percent. It plans to work toward becoming an industrial province and also hopes to be one of the top 20 localities in terms of per capita income by 2030. The country currently has 22 civilian airports, including 10 international air hubs. Tan Son Nhat in HCMC and Noi Bai in Hanoi are the countrys two biggest airports. Pupils wearing facemasks arrive to attend classes at Moor End Academy in Huddersfield, northern England on September 11, 2020. OLI SCARFF | AFP | Getty Images LONDON After months out of school, children around the world are returning to the classroom. And while parents feel it's best for their kids, shaking those first-day nerves has been a challenge. Homeschooling has been the norm for many families over the last five months, as a lot of schools only stayed open to the children of key workers, due to the coronavirus pandemic. Gillian Harvey, a writer who lives in a small town near Limoges in France, said that she was initially nervous about her five children returning to school. "I made sure I told them all the facts properly before they went back, but also that they are human and there may well be a time when they forget a hygiene measure (e.g. forget to wash their hands properly) and that it's OK and human and they must just do their best and follow the rules to the best of their ability," Harvey told CNBC via email. She's started to feel better about the situation since their return. "I think the schools are handling it well," she said, with the use of social bubbles for younger children, along with social distancing and hand gel for older students. Children in France returned to schools at the beginning of September. But by the end of the first week, French Education Minister Jean-Michel Blanquer said 22 schools had closed across the country and in its territories due to virus cases. On Mondayafter the sixteenth straight day of rising hospitalizations school trips and student parties were suspended in Marseille. To date, France has reported 425,870 cases of Covid-19 and 30,958 related deaths, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. "I always thought there would be a couple of cases at first people are returning from holidays and I wish there'd been some sort of encouragement for families to stay at home the week before term started," Harvey said. But she added that it was "a horrible time for parents you feel the risk of your decision no matter what it is." Another mother in London, who preferred to remain anonymous, told CNBC over the phone that she felt her son's school had gone beyond the average measures to ensure a safe return to the classroom. She welcomed her son's return to school, not only as a parent balancing childcare with working from home these past months, but also for his mental health. U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has emphasized this repeatedly in recent weeks, saying it is "vitally important" for children to return to school in September, with British parents possibly facing fines if they refuse to comply. The mother CNBC spoke to, however, did indicate that she was concerned about rising infections among the wider public and how transmission could then filter through schools, referring to the reported coronavirus outbreaks in 339 schools in England and Wales last week. In the U.K., 373,559 people have contracted Covid-19 and 41,726 have died from the virus. She felt that the U.K.'s contact tracing system was "not sufficient." "I advocate for a strong local contract tracing and informing system, like what (South) Korea has put in the place," she said. Knowing about an outbreak in a local school, restaurant or supermarket would keep people better informed and help manage community transmission more efficiently, she argued. Schools risk 'getting the blame' Children appear to be less severely affected by the coronavirus, however, the role they play in spreading the virus is less certain. The World Health Organization recently warned that an increasing body of evidence suggests children do play a role in the spread of Covid-19, but classrooms are not thought to be a "main contributor" to the pandemic. Transitional kindergartner Caleb Simon, 4, waits with fellow students outside Weaver Elementary School on the first day of in-person learning in Rossmoor, CA, on Tuesday, September 8, 2020. Jeff Gritchen | Getty Images Indeed, experts have highlighted some points that might be reassuring to parents. Mike Tildesley, an associate professor who specializes in infectious disease control at the University of Warwick in the U.K., told CNBC that the highest risk of transmission was actually "probably within households" with "unregulated mixing" between groups. He said this was the reason behind a lot of the localized restrictions that have been imposed in the north of England in recent weeks, clamping down on meetings between different households, due to rising cases. The U.K. government announced measures last week that meant from Monday, people were unable to meet socially in groups from other households of more than six people. Tildesley said that one of the difficulties is that schools are one of the last public areas to re-open. He said it was "unfortunate timing" with the "R" number the virus' reproduction rate hovering around one, which is when it is considered dangerous. He referred back to research Warwick University published in June that suggested the re-opening of schools alone was unlikely to lead to a second wave of coronavirus cases. "My real worry is that schools could end up getting the blame for cases starting to rise, because all this other stuff has happened, but actually there's an awful lot that's happened to get to this point," Tildesley added. 'Reassuring' study Olivia Swann, a clinical lecturer in pediatric infectious disease at the University of Edinburgh, told CNBC via email that she had worked on a study of 138 hospitals across England, Scotland and Wales, looking at children admitted with the coronavirus. Admissions for children under 19 years' old accounted for less than 1% of those across all age groups. And, of those 651 children that were admitted, six died from the virus all of which had "complex health issues." What's more, more than 40% of children in that study had one or more underlying health conditions, some which were very complex. But Swann added that most did not need intensive care input and made good recoveries. "As a parent, a children's doctor, and a scientist, I find our study very reassuring at a time when children are returning to school," Swann said. However, she stressed that she was not suggesting people become complacent, but carry on with practices such as physical-distancing and hand washing. School absence rate significantly higher year-on-year Signed by Marlene Schiappa, the ministry official in charge of citizenship issues, the circular says foreigners who are eligible can be naturalized after just two years of residency in France, instead of the usual minimum of at least five years, because of the important services they rendered. It specifically mentioned health care workers. New Delhi, Sep 16 : Delhi High Court's division bench of Justice Vipin Sanghi and Justice Rajnish Bhatnagar adjourned the hearing on the appeal filed by Brajesh Thakur, who was senteced to life term by a trial court in the Muzaffarpur shelter home case, till October 1. Challenging the decision of the trial court, Thakur in his plea before the High Court said the trial court has failed to appreciate that a case relating to rape the prosecution must first and foremost establish that an accused is potent and thereby capable of committing the alleged act. "The said fact needs to be established by the prosecution as a foundational fact without which the entire case of the prosecution will collapse," the plea said. "...the hurried manner in which the trial was conducted by the trial court was a violation of inter alia the right of the appellant to a free and fair trial guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution of India," the plea further said. Thakur for sentenced life imprisonment by a Delhi Court in February this year after he was held guilty under Section 376 (rape), 376D (gangrape), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 324 (causing hurt by dangerous weapons or means), 120B (criminal conspiracy), and 109 (abetment) of the Indian Penal Code. Thakur, a former Bihar People's Party legislator, was also found guilty under Section 6 and 17 of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and Section 75 of Juvenile Justice Act. The court, however, acquitted one accused. The case pertains to the allegations that several girl inmates of the shelter home were sexually assaulted. Thakur heads an state-funded NGO named Sewa Sankalp Evam Vikas Samiti which ran the shelter home. The matter came to light following a audit report by the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS). Thakur was the prime accused in the case while others were employees of his shelter home and Bihar Social Welfare Department officials. The case was transferred from Bihar Police to the CBI in July 2018. The court had on March 20, 2019, framed charges against the accused for offences of criminal conspiracy to commit rape and penetrative sexual assault against minors. The case was, however, transferred from a local court in Muzaffarpur to the POCSO court at Saket here last year on the Supreme Court's directions. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text DALLAS, Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE: LUV) this week re-launched its well-known and much-LUVed "Wanna Get Away" campaign for fall and winter travel. As Customers consider a return to travel, Southwest is giving them a reason to smile in the carrier's advertising. With a little bit of humor, famous low fares, and generous offers to reward loyalty through Rapid Rewardsthere's something for everyone! "Southwest is world-famous for showcasing a sense of humor, humanity, and Heart. We've all had those 'Wanna Get Away' moments in our lifetime, and we want to capture relatable moments and share some much-needed humor with our Customersalong with some really low fares and savings," said Ryan Green, Southwest Airlines Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer. "Our Employees stand ready to welcome Customers with our legendary Hospitality, enhanced cleaning through our Southwest Promise, and our Customer-friendly policies." Southwest Launches Fare Sale Today through Oct. 22, 2020 Customers may take advantage of fares starting as low as $49 one-way to select Continental U.S. destinations. Seats, days, and markets are limited. Blackout dates and advance purchase requirements apply. See full fare rules and terms and conditions at Southwest.com. Examples of one-way low fares include: As low as $49 one-way nonstop between Las Vegas and Salt Lake City , one-way nonstop between and , As low as $59 one-way nonstop between Nashville and Jacksonville , one-way nonstop between and , As low as $59 one-way nonstop between Baltimore/Washington and Raleigh/Durham , one-way nonstop between and , As low as $79 one-way nonstop between Chicago (MDW) and Washington (Reagan) , one-way nonstop between and , As low as $79 one-way nonstop between Atlanta and Milwaukee , and one-way nonstop between and , and As low as $99 one-way nonstop between Austin and Tampa . Rapid Rewards Members Can Save 20 Percent Now more than ever, Rapid Rewards points can take Customers even further! Rapid Rewards Members can book a flight with Rapid Rewards points today through Sept. 17, 2020, and save 20 percent off all bookings with points (domestic and international) when you fly between Sept. 15 through Oct. 31, 2020. Rapid Rewards Members should use the code: SAVE20NOW to receive the discount. See full terms and conditions at Southwest.com. New Look for My Account Customers may notice a new look when they sign into their Southwest Airlines account online. The new design creates a highly functional and visually appealing experience that was designed directly from Customer feedback. It offers easier access to unused travel fund information, including an integrated user experience across Southwest.com and SWABIZ.com. Visit your Southwest Airlines account online to learn more. SOUTHWEST AIRLINES FARE RULES A 21-day advance purchase is required. Purchase from Sept. 15 through Oct. 22, 2020, 11:59 p.m. Central Time. Continental U.S. travel valid Oct. 6, 2020, through March 4, 2021. Travel to/from San Juan, Puerto Rico valid Oct. 6, 2020, through Dec. 3, 2020, and Jan. 11, 2021 through March 4, 2021. International travel valid Oct. 6, 2020, through Dec. 9, 2020, and Jan. 11, 2021 through March 4, 2021. Continental U.S. travel blacked out Nov. 28-30, Dec. 18-19, Dec. 23, Dec. 26-27, 2020, and Jan. 2-3, 2021. Except as otherwise specified, Continental U.S. travel is not valid on Fridays and Sundays. Travel to Ft. Myers/ Naples, Ft. Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, Tampa, Orlando, Steamboat Springs/Hayden, CO, and Las Vegas and from Ft. Myers/Naples, Ft. Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, Tampa, Orlando, and Steamboat Springs/Hayden, CO to Las Vegas is valid only on Sundays through Wednesdays. Travel from Ft. Myers/Naples, Ft. Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, Tampa, Orlando, Steamboat Springs/Hayden, CO, and Las Vegas and from Las Vegas to Ft. Myers/Naples, Ft. Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, Tampa, Orlando, and Steamboat Springs/Hayden, CO is valid only on Tuesdays through Fridays. Travel to/from San Juan, Puerto Rico is valid Monday through Thursday. International travel is valid Monday through Thursday. Travel to Mexico is valid only on Sundays through Wednesdays. Travel from Mexico is valid only on Tuesdays through Fridays. Fares valid on nonstop service where indicated; if not indicated, fares are valid on single connecting service. Displayed prices include all U.S. and international government taxes and fees. Points bookings do not include taxes, fees, and other government/airport charges of at least $5.60 per one-way flight. Fares are not available to/from Continental U.S. to/from Hawaii. Seats and days are limited. Fares may vary by destination, flight, and day of the week and won't be available on some flights that operate during very busy travel times and holiday periods. Travel is available for one-way Wanna Get Away fares. Fares may be combined with other Southwest Airlines combinable fares. If combining with other fares, the most restrictive fare's rules apply. Sale fares may be available on other days of the week, but that's not guaranteed. Fares are nonrefundable but may be applied toward future travel on Southwest Airlines, as long as reservations are canceled at least ten minutes prior to the scheduled departure. Failure to cancel prior to departure will result in forfeiture of remaining funds on the reservation. Any change in itinerary may result in an increase in fare. Standby travel may require an upgrade to the Anytime fare depending on Rapid Rewards tier status. Fares are subject to change until ticketed. Offer applies only to published, scheduled service. Book a Southwest flight on Southwest.com and swabiz.com using your Rapid Rewards points from Sept. 15, 2020 through Sept. 17, 2020, and receive 20% off when you fly between Sept. 15, 2020, through Oct. 31, 2020 ("Promotion Period"). Enter code SAVE20NOW in the promo code box when booking. ABOUT SOUTHWEST AIRLINES CO. In its 50th year of service, Dallas-based Southwest Airlines Co. continues to differentiate itself from other air carriers with exemplary Customer Service delivered by more than 60,000 Employees to a Customer base topping 130 million passengers in 2019. Southwest became the nation's largest domestic air carrier in 2003 and maintains that ranking based on the U.S. Department of Transportation's most recent reporting of domestic originating passengers boarded. In peak travel seasons during 2019, Southwest operated more than 4,000 weekday departures among a network of 103 destinations in the United States and 10 additional countries. Southwest will begin service to Steamboat Springs, Colo. on Dec. 19, 2020, and also recently announced intention to serve Palm Springs, Calif. and Miami, Fla. The carrier issued its Southwest Promise in May 2020 to highlight new and round-the-clock efforts to support its Customers and Employees wellbeing and comfort. Among the changes are enhanced cleaning efforts at airports and onboard aircraft, facemask requirements for Customers and Employees, and capping the number of passengers on every flight to allow middle seats to remain open through Oct. 31, 2020. Additional details about the Southwest Promise are available at Southwest.com/Promise. Southwest coined Transfarency to describe its purposed philosophy of treating Customers honestly and fairly, and low fares actually staying low. Southwest is the only major U.S. airline to offer bags fly free to everyone (first and second checked pieces of luggage, size and weight limits apply, some carriers offer free checked bags on select routes or in qualified circumstances). Southwest does not charge change fees, though fare differences might apply. Southwest is one of the most honored airlines in the world, known for a triple bottom line approach that contributes to the carrier's performance and productivity, the importance of its People and the communities they serve, and an overall commitment to efficiency and the planet. Learn more about how the carrier gives back to communities across the world by visiting Southwest.com/citizenship. Book Southwest Airlines' low fares online at Southwest.com or by phone at 800-I-FLY-SWA. SOURCE Southwest Airlines Co. Related Links http://www.southwest.com As some Nova Scotia high school students gather unmasked in big groups outside of their schools, the province's top medical official says he wants to stick with an enforcement-light approach for COVID-19 rules, but that tickets could be issued. Dr. Robert Strang said Public Health recommends wearing masks indoors for Grade 4 and up, and for all students on buses, but it doesn't require masks when students are outside. However, students are supposed to practice physical distancing when in big groups, as are all Nova Scotians. He said he's seen images of high school students gathering outside schools in large groups without masks and little social distancing. "This will be an ongoing challenge, but like with university students, our high school students we really need them to understand that they're part of a wider community and they need to take the same steps as everybody else to keep not just themselves safe, but to keep everyone safe," he said Friday. He noted that gathering in big groups is "technically" not permitted by the public health order. "But it's actually just not a smart thing to do during COVID." Strang said if it becomes a problem in the fight against COVID-19, authorities could start ticketing high school students, as they've done with some university students who arrived from outside Atlantic Canada but didn't self-isolate for 14 days. "We always have the ability to work with our local law enforcement, like we've done with the universities. We can lay tickets under the public health order. But we want to take an education and co-operation approach first," he said. Schools ask families to reinforce distancing message No COVID-19 cases have been reported at Nova Scotian schools, which resumed last week after a six-month hiatus caused by the pandemic. Doug Hadley, spokesperson for the Halifax Regional Centre for Education, said the first week of school has gone well. Story continues "Generally speaking, students are doing a tremendous job adjusting to the public health measures that are in place to support the return to school," he said Tuesday. He said school staff are reminding students about the public health directives such as social distancing, wearing masks and avoiding big gatherings. "Schools have been communicating with families to reinforce these expectations, especially when students are out of school before school, at lunchtime and at the end of the day," Hadley said. "We believe asking families to take a few minutes to remind students that they have an important role to play in keeping our communities and schools safe will go a long way." Deanna Gillis, spokesperson for the Strait Regional Centre for Education, said the return to school has gone well so far. "As with any changes to school routines, there is a transition period and our staff are working with students to remind them about all of the public health measures that are in place," she said. "We will continue to educate and communicate with students and their families about the importance of following the public health measures, including the importance of wearing a mask." MORE TOP STORIES BELLEVUE, Wash., and BETHESDA, Md., Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- TerraPower announced today its plans to team with Centrus Energy Corp. (NYSE American: LEU) to establish commercial-scale, domestic production capabilities for high-assay, low-enriched uranium (HALEU), which will be needed to fuel many next-generation reactor designs including the recently announced Natrium Power Storage System designed by TerraPower and GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy. The proposed investment is part of the TerraPower-led proposal for the U.S. Department of Energy's Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program (ARDP), which is intended to support the deployment of two first-of-a-kind advanced reactor designs in the next five to seven years. The ARDP requires applicants to "establish a plan by which they would obtain the fuel/special nuclear material needed for their projects." The TerraPower application proposes that, if selected for ARDP, the company would work with Centrus to build commercial-scale capacity to produce HALEU and fabricate it into metal fuel assemblies. HALEU, which is not commercially available today, offers improved reactor economics, greater fuel efficiency, enhanced safety and proliferation resistance, lower volumes of waste and other advantages. The first year of scope initiates the facility's design and licensing and involves detailed planning and cost estimating for implementation of the new infrastructure and production. The Natrium reactor technology employs a metal fuel form that is not currently available from any U.S. commercial nuclear fuel supplier. This contract will close the gap in metal-specific fabrication infrastructure and meet growing HALEU needs. "We are investing in American capability because it offers advantages related to assured domestic supply for the Natrium technology's long-term commercialization prospects," said Chris Levesque, TerraPower President and CEO. "We are pleased that this effort supports broader Department of Energy goals with regard to HALEU production and market deployment of domestic advanced reactor technology." "By catalyzing commercial-scale HALEU production, the proposed investment would put America in the leadership position when it comes to fueling the advanced reactors of tomorrow," said Daniel B. Poneman, Centrus President and CEO. "This partnership with TerraPower would enable us to expand beyond demonstration scale and we have more than enough room at the Ohio plant to continue expanding uranium enrichment and fuel fabrication capability as demand grows and the market matures." Centrus Energy is currently working under a three-year, $115 million cost-shared contract with the Department of Energy to deploy 16 of its AC-100M centrifuges at its Piketon, Ohio, facility to demonstrate HALEU production. Once the demonstration is complete in mid-2022, TerraPower would work with Centrus to expand the plant to meet the fuel requirements of the Natrium demonstration reactor. In a survey of America's advanced reactor developers conducted by the U.S. Nuclear Industry Council, the availability of HALEU was cited as the number one issue that "keeps you up at night." The Department of Energy's U.S. Nuclear Fuel Working Group report also identified HALEU production capability as a key priority in restoring U.S. leadership in nuclear technologies, and bills supporting HALEU have passed the House of Representatives and received bipartisan support in the Senate. To ensure that both the reactor can be commercialized within five to seven years and that new HALEU production capacity can be built, the Natrium proposal includes additional private investment levels, beyond the 50% cost share minimum required by the Department of Energy for ARDP demonstration reactors. This additional investment will be used to build HALEU infrastructure that can benefit the large number of advanced reactor developers planning on using HALEU. In addition to creating HALEU production capacity, TerraPower and its partners plan to establish a new Category II metal fuel fabrication facility that is scaled to meet the needs of the Natrium demonstration program. The facility will include the capability to manufacture the Natrium technology's advanced metal fuel forms that will be included as lead test assemblies in the demonstration plant. Specific terms of the agreement have not been disclosed. About TerraPower TerraPower is a leading nuclear innovation company that strives to improve the world through nuclear energy and science. Since it was founded by Bill Gates and a group of like-minded visionaries, TerraPower has emerged as an incubator and developer of ideas and technologies that offer energy independence, environmental sustainability, medical advancement and other cutting-edge opportunities. It accepts and tackles some of the world's most difficult challenges. Behind each of its innovations and programs, TerraPower actively works to bring together the strengths and experiences of the world's public and private sectors to use advanced nuclear to answer pressing global needs. Learn more at https://terrapower.com/. About Centrus Energy Centrus is a trusted supplier of nuclear fuel and services for the nuclear power industry. Centrus provides value to its utility customers through the reliability and diversity of its supply sources helping them meet the growing need for clean, affordable, carbon-free electricity. Since 1998, the Company has provided its utility customers with more than 1,750 reactor years of fuel, which is equivalent to 7 billion tons of coal. With world-class technical capabilities, Centrus offers turnkey engineering and advanced manufacturing solutions to its customers. The Company is also advancing the next generation of centrifuge technologies so that America can restore its domestic uranium enrichment capability in the future. Find out more at www.centrusenergy.com. Forward Looking Statements: This news release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that is, statements related to future events. In this context, forward-looking statements may address our expected future business and financial performance, and often contain words such as "expects", "anticipates", "intends", "plans", "believes", "will", "should", "could", "would" or "may" and other words of similar meaning. Forward-looking statements by their nature address matters that are, to different degrees, uncertain. For Centrus Energy Corp., particular risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual future results to differ materially from those expressed in our forward-looking statements include: risks associated with our reliance on third-party suppliers to provide essential products and services to us; the impact of government regulation including by DOE and the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission; uncertainty regarding our ability to commercially deploy competitive enrichment technology; risks and uncertainties regarding funding for the American Centrifuge project and our ability to perform under our agreement with DOE to demonstrate the capability to produce HALEU; the potential for further demobilization or termination of the American Centrifuge project; risks related to our ability to perform and receive timely payment under agreements with the DOE, including risk and uncertainties related to the ongoing funding of the government and potential audits; the competitive bidding process associated with obtaining a federal contract; risks related to our ability to perform fixed-price contracts, including the risk that costs could be higher than expected; risks that we will be unable to obtain new business opportunities, achieve market acceptance of our products and services or that products or services provided by others will render our goods or services obsolete or noncompetitive; risks that we will not be able to timely complete the work that we are obligated to perform; the competitive environment for our products and services; changes in the nuclear energy industry; the impact of financial market conditions on our business, liquidity, prospects, pension assets and insurance facilities; the risks of revenue and operating results fluctuating significantly from quarter to quarter, and in some cases, year to year; and other risks and uncertainties discussed in this and our other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including under Part 1. Item1A "Risk Factors" in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019 and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. TerraPower Contact: [email protected] Centrus Contacts: Media -- Lindsey Geisler (301) 564-3392 or [email protected] Investors -- Dan Leistikow (301) 564-3399 or [email protected] SOURCE Centrus Energy Corp. Related Links www.centrusenergy.com SAG-AFTRA STATEMENT ON THE ARREST OF JOSIE HUANG LOS ANGELES (September 14, 2020) SAG-AFTRA today released the following statement regarding the arrest of KPCC journalist Josie Huang on Saturday: This past Saturday, Los Angeles Sheriffs Department deputies tackled, held down, handcuffed and arrested SAG-AFTRA member Josie Huang, a public media journalist with radio station KPCC. Huang was visibly credentialed as a working journalist and verbally identified herself as a member of the press. She had done nothing to warrant questioning much less arrest. This is another deeply troubling interaction in a string of police arrests and often violent attacks on working journalists who are abiding by the law and simply trying to do their jobs. ADVERTISEMENT SAG-AFTRA President Gabrielle Carteris said, These unconstitutional attacks on the rights of a free press are appalling and must stop now. SAG-AFTRA champions the U. S. Constitution and the work of our journalist members, whose primary role is to provide citizens with the information they need to effectively govern a democracy. The peoples right to a free press is guaranteed by the First Amendment to the Constitution, which establishes that the press shall be free from government interference in the dissemination of information, ideas and opinions, Carteris added. SAG-AFTRA National Vice President, Broadcasters and journalist Bob Butler said, Reporters cover the news so that the public is informed. It is outrageous that sheriffs deputies arrested Huang, whose station identification was clearly displayed while she identified herself as a journalist several times. SAG-AFTRA and our members, journalists and non-journalists alike, support a free and unencumbered press and stand with any journalist who might find his or her ability to report on our government challenged or compromised. SAG-AFTRA is calling on the Los Angeles Sheriffs Department to drop all charges and apologize to Josie Huang. We also share the statement issued by our member journalists at KPCC: ADVERTISEMENT We offer condolences to the two sheriff deputies who were shot Saturday evening. These are challenging and stressful times for everyone, but Josie was arrested while doing her job. The charges should be dropped. Her arrest is the latest in a series of troubling interactions between our reporters and some local law enforcement officers. Journalists provide an essential service, providing fair, accurate and timely journalism and without them, our democracy is at risk. We unreservedly condemn the vicious attack on the deputies in Compton Saturday night and hope that their assailant is caught and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. We send our heartfelt wishes for the deputies full and complete recoveries, and express our deep gratitude to them and to their colleagues who work to keep our communities safe while respecting our rights as citizens in a democratic society. For firsthand reporting on Huangs arrest, visit: https://twitter.com/josie_huang/status/1305331513592967168 To find out more about the First Amendment and the rights of a free press, visit: https://www.sagaftra.org/importance-free-press and https://www.spj.org/ ABOUT SAG-AFTRA SAG-AFTRA represents approximately 160,000 actors, announcers, broadcast journalists, dancers, DJs, news writers, news editors, program hosts, puppeteers, recording artists, singers, stunt performers, voiceover artists and other entertainment and media professionals. SAG-AFTRA members are the faces and voices that entertain and inform America and the world. A proud affiliate of the AFL-CIO, SAG-AFTRA has national offices in Los Angeles and New York and local offices nationwide representing members working together to secure the strongest protections for entertainment and media artists into the 21st century and beyond. Visit SAG-AFTRA online at sagaftra.org. Almost one in five young white non-Muslims believe British culture is under threat from invasion, research suggests, amid warnings over the spread of extremist conspiracy theories. Experts said the research, which compared beliefs held by British Muslims and white non-Muslims (WNMs), showed that Islamist and far-right ideas are resonating with young people in the UK. Polling by Savanta ComRes found that one in five young people in both groups think there is an unresolvable conflict between Islam and the west, with WNMs feeling threatened and Muslims feeling victimised. Thirteen per cent of both groups said violent action was sometimes justified to achieve change, and 15 per cent of Muslims and 9 per cent of WNMs agreed that people should be prepared to go out to fight to defend their religion or culture with force. Fourteen per cent of WNM 18- to 30-year-olds were found to believe the myth of no-go areas where Sharia law operates, and a similar proportion claimed that Islam promotes violence. Despite the most recent census showing the population of England and Wales was 86 per cent white, more than one in 10 WNMs said white people were a minority in Britain. The report, by the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, said two fifths of WNMs had negative attitudes to Islam, and a small minority stray into clear white supremacist views such as that all Brits should strive to ensure our country is white [7 per cent] and that you are not truly British unless you are white [6 per cent]. The findings come amid concern over the increase of overt racism among the British far right, and the spread of a conspiracy that white people are being replaced in western nations. Researchers said the results suggested that dominant far-right sentiments in Britain are framed around culture rather than race, but there is a potential to develop more racialised views. The polling was carried out last year and author Cristina Ariza said the coronavirus pandemic, rising English Channel crossings and the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement may have caused shifts in opinions. Ms Ariza, an analyst at the institute, told The Independent: We have new groups emerging and mobilising as a response to BLM but it takes time for those views to permeate through the public. Black Lives Matter protesters stage marches around the world The anti-Muslim branch of the far right has been banging the drum on this for a decade. One-fifth of both groups surveyed consistently agree with extreme positions across themes depicting Islam and the west in conflict, the report said. A third of British Muslim participants thought Muslims were systematically targeted in the UK and globally, while 18 per cent said British society was intrinsically anti-Muslim. The report said that discrimination against Muslims was prevalent in the UK, and that extremist groups can exploit this to promote their worldviews. Polling results suggested Muslims and non-Muslims were more likely to agree with extremist statements if they do not mix socially with people from different religions and races, feel discriminated against or perceive a lack of agency in their lives. Around a quarter of both groups said that democracy was broken and the government should be boycotted, while one in 10 Muslim respondents said engaging with non-Muslim institutions like UK politics undermines the Muslim community. A further 9 per cent said Muslims who did engage were not true believers or were traitors to Islam. But overall, WNMs were more likely to feel detached from politics, with a quarter feeling there was little value in engaging with the political system, compared with 17 per cent of Muslims. UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 15 January 2022 Demonstrators outside Downing Street during a Kill The Bill protest against The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill in London. PA UK news in pictures 14 January 2022 Ecologist Emma Smart (left) and retired GP Dr Diana Warner outside HMP Bronzefield, in Surrey, following their release from the prison where Emma undertook a 26-day hunger strike during her incarceration. Ms Smart was sentenced in November, along with other members of Insulate Britain, to serve four months for breaking a High Court injunction by taking part in a blockade at junction 25 of the M25 motorway during the morning rush hour on 8 October last year PA UK news in pictures 13 January 2022 A TV presenter holds a copy of a newspaper outside 10 Downing Streetafter the Prime Minister apologised for attending a gathering of colleagues in the Number Ten garden in May 2020, while the UK was in strict lockdown due to the Coronavirus pandemic Getty UK news in pictures 12 January 2022 Fitness guru Derrick Evans after receiving an MBE during an investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 11 January 2022 A couple walk underneath an umbrella during wet weather on Westminster Bridge in central London PA UK news in pictures 10 January 2022 A jogger passes the Covid Memorial Wall in London AP UK news in pictures 9 January 2021 The sun rises over horses at Seaton Sluice in Northumberland PA UK news in pictures 8 January 2022 Riders compete during the Veterans Men's race at the UK Cyclo-Cross National Championships 2022 in Ardingly, south of London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 7 January 2022 A dog looks out of a car window at the wintry conditions in Killeshin, Co. Laois PA UK news in pictures 6 January 2022 People walk through frost and mist alongside a frozen lake during sunrise in Bushy Park, London REUTERS UK news in pictures 5 January 2022 A skier jumps on the slopes at Allenheads in the Pennines to the north of Weardale in Northumberland PA UK news in pictures 4 January 2022 Freshly-fallen snow covers houses in Corbridge, near Hexham in Northumberland PA UK news in pictures 3 January 2022 Dean Morrison, 13, receives his Covid-19 vaccine from student nurse Anthony McLaughlin during a vaccination clinic at the Glasgow Central Mosque PA UK news in pictures 2 January 2022 Konastantinos Tsimikas of Liverpool with Chelseas Mason Mount during the Premier League match at Stamfrod Bridge Liverpool FC/Getty UK news in pictures 1 January 2022 New Years Eve Lasers, drones and fireworks illuminate the sky in front of the Royal Naval College in Greenwich shortly after midnight in London EPA UK news in pictures 31 December 2021 Competitors in fancy dress run across the Pennine tops near Haworth, West Yorkshire, in the annual Auld Lang Syne Fell race which attracts hundreds of runners every year PA UK news in pictures 30 December 2021 Sunrise at Bamburgh Castle in Northumberland PA UK news in pictures 29 December 2021 The Very Revd Dr Robert Willis, Dean of Canterbury Cathedral, looks at Becket, a six month old red-billed chough as he visits Wildwood Wildlife Park in Kent on the anniversary of the murder of Thomas Becket PA UK news in pictures 28 December 2021 Troops of the Household Cavalry are seen reflected in a puddle during the changing of the Queens Life Guard, on Horse Guards Parade, in central London PA UK news in pictures 27 December 2021 A pedestrian walks past a winter sale sign outside a John Lewis store on Oxford street in London Getty UK news in pictures 26 December 2021 Riders take their bikes through the snow near Castleside, County Durham PA UK news in pictures 25 December 2021 Patrick Corkery wears a santa hat and beard as waves crash over him at Forty Foot near Dublin during a Christmas Day dip PA UK news in pictures 24 December 2021 People stand inside Kings Cross Station on Christmas Eve in London Reuters UK news in pictures 23 December 2021 Christmas shoppers fill the car park at Fosse Shopping Park in Leicester PA UK news in pictures 22 December 2021 The sun rises behind the stones as people gather for the winter solstice at Stonehenge. Getty UK news in pictures 21 December 2021 People take part in a winter solstice swim at Portobello Beach in Edinburgh to mark the solstice and to witness the dawn after the longest night of the year PA UK news in pictures 20 December 2021 An auction employee displays poultry to buyers and sellers attending the Christmas Poultry Sale at York Auction Centre in Murton PA UK news in pictures 19 December 2021 Joao Moutinho of Wolverhampton Wanderers looks on during the Premier League match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Chelsea at Molineux Getty Images UK news in pictures 18 December 2021 Freight lorries queuing at the port of Dover in Kent PA UK news in pictures 17 December 2021 Newly elected Liberal Democrat MP Helen Morgan, bursts 'Boris' bubble' held by colleague Tim Farron, as she celebrates following her victory in the North Shropshire by-election PA UK news in pictures 16 December 2021 Brussels sprouts are harvested by workers as they prepare for the busy Christmas period near Boston in Lincolnshire PA UK news in pictures 15 December 2021 Lewis Hamilton is made a Knight Bachelor by the Prince of Wales at Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 14 December 2021 The Royal Liver Buildings surrounded by early morning fog in Liverpool PA UK news in pictures 13 December 2021 People queue outside a walk-in Covid-19 vaccination centre at St Thomas's Hospital in Westminster Getty Images UK news in pictures 12 December 2021 People take part in the Big Leeds Santa Dash in Roundhay Park, Leeds PA UK news in pictures 11 December 2021 People arrive at a Covid-19 vaccination centre at Elland Road in Leeds, PA UK news in pictures 10 December 2021 Stella Moris speaks to the media after the US Government won its High Court bid to overturn a judges decision not to extradite WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange PA UK news in pictures 9 December 2021 Camels are lead around Salisbury Cathedral during a rehearsal for the Christmas Eve Service PA UK news in pictures 8 December 2021 Margaret Keenan and Nurse May Parsons, a year after Margaret was the first person in the UK to receive the Pfizer vaccine PA UK news in pictures 7 December 2021 Snowfall in Leadhills, South Lanarkshire as Storm Barra hits the UK with disruptive winds, heavy rain and snow PA UK news in pictures 6 December 2021 A person tries to avoid sea spray on New Brighton promenade in Wallasey as the UK readies for the arrival of Storm Barra Getty UK news in pictures 5 December 2021 People release balloons during a tribute to six-year-old Arthur Labinjo-Hughes outside Emma Tustin's former address in Solihull, West Midlands, where he was murdered by his stepmother PA UK news in pictures 4 December 2021 People walk through a Christmas market in Trafalgar Square Reuters UK news in pictures 3 December 2021 A pedestrian carries a dog as they dodge shoppers on Oxford Street in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 2 December 2021 Duchess of Cambridge inspects a Faberge egg at the Victoria and Albert Museum Getty UK news in pictures 1 December 2021 Meerkats at London Zoo with an advent calendar PA UK news in pictures 30 November 2021 Workers put the finishing touches to the Trafalgar Square Christmas Tree ahead of the lighting ceremony later in the week PA UK news in pictures 29 November 2021 Home Secretary Priti Patel is greeted by a police dog at a special memorial service for Met Police Sergeant Matiu Ratana Getty UK news in pictures 28 November 2021 Riyad Mahrez of Manchester City battles for possession with Aaron Cresswell of West Ham United during a match at the Etihad during snow Manchester City/Getty UK news in pictures 27 November 2021 Residents clear branches from a fallen tree in Birkenhead, north west England as Storm Arwen triggered a rare red weather warning AFP via Getty Images The report called for the government to promote initiatives that teach young people how to talk about difficult issues and make them feel more engaged with politics. It criticised a lack of change since the 2016 Casey Review on integration, saying Brexit had made progress difficult, and called for an updated government counter-extremism strategy. Ms Ariza said the government needed to acknowledge the scale of the problem and deal with non-violent extremism, as well as terrorism. The problem is not just the violence, its the ideas underpinning it, she added. This will be critical with Covid-19 and it cant slip off the agenda. Some of the conditions emerging in the pandemic provide an environment when extremists thrive a lack of trust in government, unemployment, trauma where people have lost loved ones. We have a lot of push factors of radicalisation and Islamists and far-right extremists have seen this, looking at Covid as an opportunity to promote their ideas. Savanta ComRes carried out a poll of 1,011 Muslims and 1,011 WNMs aged 18 to 30 in May 2019, then convened two online research groups with 57 participants in total in October. A government spokesperson said it was committed to confronting extremism in all its forms, including strengthening communities so they can resist extremist narratives and protecting vulnerable people from being drawn into terrorism. A statement added: Our Integrated Communities Action Plan set out an ambitious programme of 70 cross-government commitments to promote better integration, greater opportunities and stronger communities in England by tackling the key causes of poor integration. In addition to this, we launched the Educate Against Hate website to provide teachers, school leaders and parents with guidance and support they need to protect children from radicalisation and extremism. Chinas insects and other invertebrates are spoilt for choice with the countrys array of deserts, rainforests, mountains and tropical coastlines. The winning photographs of the Wild China Biodiversity Photography Contest hosted by Wild China Film present the countrys sweeping lands and rare plants from unexpected perspectives. Here is a pick of the crop Jan 21, 2022 06:20 PM Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-15 18:25:21|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close JERUSALEM, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi on Tuesday called on the Palestinians to get back to the negotiation table. The remark was made during a rare interview by an Israeli politician to the daily United Arab Emirates (UAE) newspaper Al-Ittihad. "I call on the Palestinian leadership to recognize reality and show responsibility and leadership as did the UAE leaders, by returning to the negotiating table," Ashkenazi said, according to a Hebrew translation of the interview issued by the Israeli foreign ministry. Speaking ahead of a White House ceremony to sign a normalization deal between Israel and the UAE, Ashkenazi said he believes the agreement will "significantly contribute to achieving peace, stability and security in the region." According to Ashkenazi, the agreement strengthens the understanding that the time has come to move forward and that "one must not remain stuck in the past." The Palestinian leadership, which has long accused the Trump administration of being biased in favor of Israel, condemned the deals. According to Palestinian officials, the deals betrayal the Palestinian cause of ending the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip, which were first seized by Israel during a 1967 war. Later on Tuesday, U.S. President Donald Trump will host a ceremony to sign agreements to form official ties between Israel and the UAE and Bahrain. The UAE and Bahrain became the first Gulf countries to agree to establish official relations with Israel. Previously, only two Arab countries, Egypt and Jordan, had signed peace agreements with Israel. Enditem Photo: Sonny Sellars. What?s left of Stuart Sellars home in Malott Washington I have never been so stressed in my life, reads an email from Sonny Sellars, a Secwepemc and Colville member currently living on the Colville Reservation East of Omak, Washington. The Cold Springs Fire ignited without forgiveness the evening of Sunday, Sept. 6, fueled by low humidity and high winds the fire grew quickly to 187,689 acres (75955 hectares). With 290 fire personnel now battling the fire the fire is now 25 per cent contained, with much more work to be done. The fire has largely impacted the Colville Reservation with the Northwest area of the Reservation being most affected by the fires. The fires have claimed many homes and tragically the life of one person. Making difficult decisions When Sellars woke up on Monday morning, he logged into Facebook and says he couldnt believe what had happened when he slept. The fire was deceptive. he says.The smoke went due south, giving the false impression it was already passed, but the fire would come down the hill into the valley from where it started. With the fire continuing, Sellars went to check on his family and make sure his 18-year-old son was safe. As the sun went down, Sellars says power went out on the reserve and it was a hectic situation. Sirens were going off like crazy and fire trucks, ambulances, and police vehicles were running up and down the highway behind the house, he says. After falling asleep late in the evening Sellars recalls being awoken at four in the morning by his sister who came to his home because she was evacuated. He asked her to stay with him but he soon too was to be evacuated. Photo: Sonny Sellars She said we would be under evac real soon too. That caught me off guardI told my son we needed to get our stuff together and leave, Sellars says. I tried my neighbors door to tell him, but no answer. I told my other neighbor and he said he heard on the scanner. I told him not to waste time and get going. After packing up his car, his sons car, and his truck Sellars and his son left to go to the Visitor Centre where he and his sister decided to meet. He gave her his blankets to keep them warm and began to wait until a safe hour to return home. The family tried to find food but Sellars says that restaurants were beginning to close and with no power or cellular service cash was the only option. Once Sellar and his son returned home the evening drew on and they went to bed. Again, I thought it was safe to go to sleep, he says. Not long after I went to sleep, my brother woke me up and said he lost his home in Malott, he and three neighbors. Several parts of the Colville Reservation which borders Malott, Washington caught ablaze late on Tuesday evening, the amount of homes lost in the area is unknown. I got up and felt horrible because we were safe, but now my brother had nothing. Immediately after hearing the news Sellars opened his home up to his brother, sister in-law, and their two grandchildren. Sellars began to prepare his home for his family when reality began to set in. They packed, but only one bag for the night, fully expecting to get home the next day, shares Sellars. It was hard because I dont think we knew where to start to get his life back on track. How to help After news began to spread of his brothers home, offers of support started to come in from generous donors and family members, says Sellars. In the meantime, Sellars brother is staying at a cabin in a nearby town that has opened its doors to evacuees and folks from both the Okanagan Nation and Colville Tribes have offered support in the way of clothing and small furnishings. The family has setup a GoFundMe to support Sellars in rebuilding. The Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation has also set up a page for general donations. The Okanagan Nation Alliance (ONA) is currently working with the Colville Tribes to get non-perishable donations across the border to their southern relatives in need. In the future ONA will also be supporting the nation members to rebuild their homes with necessities when things have settled according to Jennifer Lewis, Manager of Wellness for ONA. Lewis suggests folks keep an eye on the ONA Facebook page for updates, drop-off times, locations and as well as the list of needs from the Colville Confederated Tribes. Currently, ONA will be setting up donation drop-off spots throughout the nation and will be also accepting documented monetary donations as well. Lewis at ONA shares her thoughts on how important it has been for the Okanagan Nation to support relatives in the south as the border dissects the nation. The border was never there historically and we do have a lot of family down there, all of our communities are interrelated and our people we struggle. They were really hit hard with COVID-19 and now with these fires, its really about doing what we can to support our relatives. Its remembering that we are all one, and we are all related. Refugees and migrants from the destroyed Moria camp are sheltered near a new temporary camp, on the island of Lesbos LESBOS, Greece (Reuters) - Thousands of migrants stranded on Lesbos since a fire destroyed their camp last week refused to move into a new facility set up to house them on Tuesday, demanding instead that they be allowed to leave the Greek island. More than 12,000 people, mostly refugees from Afghanistan, Africa and Syria, were left without shelter, proper sanitation or access to food and water after a fire tore through the overcrowded Moria migrant camp last Wednesday. At a temporary camp in the Kara Tepe area with 5,000 beds available, only about 1,000 people had moved in so far, according to a government official, adding that more space was being made available. Migrants wearing masks as a precaution against the coronavirus queued outside the camp gates to receive water, food and blankets from aid workers before they entered. COVID-19 tests were also carried out, and at least 25 people tested positive, further complicating attempts to resettle asylum seekers. But many thousands more were reluctant to enter the tent camp, a police official said, fearing that life there would be no better than the squalid conditions they endured in Moria and hoping to be allowed to leave the island. Thousands of people, including women and children, spent the night in makeshift tents on a road outside the temporary camp. "We have informed them that they must come into the facility, but they have refused," the police official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. "They want to leave the island." Germany could take in up to 1,500 people stranded by the Moria fire, government sources said on Tuesday, in addition to 100-150 Berlin has already agreed to take in. Only a few hundred migrants, mainly unaccompanied minors, have been moved off Lesbos. Greek officials have said there will be no mass transfers and all asylum seekers will have to go into the new shelter. "No one will leave Lesbos without having first entered the temporary camp," Citizen Protection Minister Michalis Chrisohoidis told Skai radio. Story continues Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on Saturday that no matter what, a permanent migrant reception centre would be set up on Lesbos to replace the overcrowded refugee camp destroyed last week's blaze. [L8N2GA0DV] European Council President Charles Michel, who arrived in Athens on Tuesday, was expected to visit Lesbos in the evening. (Reporting by Angeliki Koutantou and Vassilis Triandafyllou; Writing by Renee Maltezou; Editing by Mike Collett-White) A Civil Guard helicopter, several ground patrols and multiple volunteers from Spains Civil Protection agency are searching for a black panther in Ventas de Huelma, a small village in the southern province of Granada in Andalusia that is home to 600 people. Local authorities warned about the animals alleged presence after several residents reported seeing it last Friday. A spokesperson from Spains Civil Guard, however, has said they cannot yet confirm whether the panther really exists, as no law enforcement officer on the case has either seen or heard it. The first alert, according to Luis Miguel Ortiz, the mayor of Ventas de Huelma and Acula, came at around 8pm on Friday, when a married couple spotted a large black animal that they identified as a panther as they were walking just 300 meters from the village. The mayor was warned of the sighting on Saturday morning, and immediately issued a statement informing the public of what had happened. That evening, according to Ortiz, the couple saw the animal again at the same spot and the same time. No trace of it On Sunday morning, the Civil Guards nature protection service (Seprona) organized a ground team and a helicopter search. But by Monday afternoon, nothing had turned up. We have statements from people saying they have seen the animal, but we have not found a single trace of it, said a spokesperson from the Civil Guard. An aerial view of Ventas de Huelma in Granada province. Europa Press On Monday, Civil Guard officers were preparing to search the area again using the helicopter and night vision equipment. The goal was to start the search at dusk, when black panthers are most active, explained the Civil Guard spokesperson. According to the mayor, a member of the Civil Protection force also saw the animal around one kilometer from the village. Little by little we are corroborating that what the couple saw was true. We have also found some tracks that could belong to the animal, said Ortiz. Some residents claim they heard panther-like sounds. Indeed, the owner of a bar in Escuzar, a village six kilometers from Ventas de Huelma, said he heard roars on Monday. Protected species Panthers are protected animals and ownership requires a special license. Sources at Sepronas Granada department said they are not aware of any panther owner living in the province no private individuals, institutions or even zoos or circuses have applied for a license at any time. If a panther were really out there, it would also be a case of illegal possession of a protected species. For the time being, villagers have been advised to stay away from the fields outside town, and if they do see a panther, to call the emergency services at once without trying to approach the animal. In 2016, Seprona officials found a black panther inside a rural property in Arboleas, in the Andalusian province of Almeria. In that case, the site was illegally keeping exotic animals. English version by Melissa Kitson and Susana Urra. A police officer in Texas was indicted on Monday in the fatal shooting of a Black woman outside her apartment complex just over a year ago in a case that has garnered national attention. The episode during which the woman, Pamela Turner, 44, was shot was partially captured on video, and she was among the victims mentioned at the funeral service in Houston for George Floyd, whose death in police custody in Minneapolis this spring touched off protests for police reform across the country. The officer, Juan Delacruz of the Baytown Police Department, was indicted by a grand jury in Harris County, Texas, on one count of aggravated assault by a public servant, a first-degree felony, officials said. He could face five years to life in prison if convicted, according to the district attorneys office. Police officials described a violent encounter on May 13, 2019, between Officer Delacruz and Ms. Turner, whom he was trying to arrest on outstanding warrants. A police spokesman said the officer shot Ms. Turner after she took his Taser and shot him with it; a lawyer for Ms. Turners family said she didnt use the Taser on him. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-16 06:41:32|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close LOS ANGELES, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- U.S. firefighters worked hard on Tuesday to protect the famed Mount Wilson Observatory in Los Angeles County, California, as a massive wildfire is approaching. The blaze, dubbed Bobcat Fire, is within 500 feet (152.4 meters) of the observatory and crews are in place ready to receive the fire, said Angeles National Forest officials in a tweet Tuesday noon, adding that strategic firing is taking place in the south where air operations are strengthening dozerlines. The astronomical observatory is located on Mount Wilson, a 1,740-meter peak in the San Gabriel Mountains near Pasadena, northeast of downtown Los Angeles. "For the first half of the 20th Century, Mount Wilson was the most famous observatory in the world. The biggest telescopes were here, and their new designs were changing the way astronomy was done," wrote the observatory about its history on its website. "The Bobcat Fire is knocking on our door. Fire officials predicted that the fire would approach Mt. Wilson from Echo Rock. It looks like they are correct," the observatory tweeted Monday night, adding that all observatory personnel have been evacuated. The observatory tweeted Tuesday morning that its boundaries were "still secure at this time" and they have 12 companies of professionals from the Los Angeles County Fire Department to provide assistance. Infrastructure in the area, such as broadcast towers, is worth over a billion U.S. dollars, local news outlet KABC-TV reported. The Bobcat Fire, which started on Sept. 6, scorched 41,231 acres (around 166.8 square km) with only 3 percent containment as of Tuesday morning, according to InciWeb, an interagency all-risk incident web information management system. "An increase in resources is allowing us to expand our efforts to reduce the fire's growth. Today's primary focus remains at keeping the fire from reaching Mt. Wilson and the foothill communities," said officials in an incident overview on Tuesday. More than 1,000 firefighters are battling the blaze. Evacuation orders are still in place for residents in parts of the City of Arcadia and City of Sierra Madre, which are close to the fire area. Authorities said a smoke advisory will remain in effect through Tuesday due to the Bobcat Fire and the El Dorado Fire, another major wildfire in Southern California. "It is heartbreaking to see the wildfires destroying properties, taking away people's lives and people have to evacuate their homes," tweeted Chinese Consul General in Los Angeles Zhang Ping Monday night on California wildfires. "As the wildfires are closing in, we wish our communities stay safe. Salute to the brave firefighters and our sympathy to those families affected," he added, posting photos of firefighters battling the Bobcat Fire. Enditem President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky says that he is against the status of a "frozen" conflict in Donbas following the example of Transnistria or Abkhazia. "Yes, I know that there are some who would say that Donbas should become a kind of Transnistria or Abkhazia. However, it is much larger. Three million Ukrainians live there, that is, more citizens than in some European countries. Many of these people are sick with coronavirus [COVID-19], we are dealing with a humanitarian disaster there. People who live in the occupied part of Donbas can see how Ukrainians live on the other side of the front, namely, better. The miners in occupied Donbas have a bad situation: they do not receive normal wages and have to pay high prices for water and electricity. If the patience of the people there at some point fail, there may also be unrest," he said in an interview with the Wiener Zeitung Austrian newspaper, answering a question whether it would be easier to "freeze" the conflict on Donbas. Zelensky would not want such a development of events, since, according to him, the emergence of an internal conflict in the occupied territory of Donbas may have too high price. "There are many people there who are Ukrainians at heart. I do not want them to die. It is not easy for these people, many disappear in prisons, because they celebrate holidays such as the Independence Day of Ukraine. Our soldiers, whom we released, said that they were in prison along with pro-Ukrainian citizens. There are many people who think in the pro-Ukrainian way," he said. Zelensky said that his promise to achieve an end to the war in Donbas and the return of Ukrainian territories are "not just fluent phrases," but his main priority. "These are not romantic promises. Certainly, it is not easy. However, we have already achieved a lot. We have returned 140 people from captivity. We have carried out a withdrawal of troops. There is no more shooting, almost no one dies. With the exception of one death, there were no casualties for seven weeks. Everyone sees this, and Europe also observes it. Sometimes there are shots from the separatists, but we do not respond to them, and this is good," he said. GREENWICH Hawk watchers have been out in socially distant, masked groups since the beginning of September to count the raptors as they pass over the Greenwich Audubon Center and migrate south for the winter. Hawk migration is expected to peak in the next few weeks, with thousands of hawks commonly spotted on clear days with northwest winds. In his presidential nomination acceptance speech, Democrat Joe Biden cited systemic racism as an established fact, despite that evidence does not support that sweeping notion most significantly, not in policing. Such loose talk is incendiary. In July, the same talk raged inside The Wall Street Journal, eventually spilling into public view. Almost 300 members of the News division signed a letter to Journal CEO Almar Latour alleging lack of fact-checking and transparency and apparent disregard of evidence in the Opinion division, primarily concerning an early June op-ed by Heather Mac Donald titled The Myth of Systemic Police Racism. In the interest of full disclosure, the Journals Opinion section has published several of my opinion columns. Each word in the headline of Mac Donalds op-ed is important. The title does not call police racism a myth, just systemic police racism. It does not say there are no racial differences, or disparities, in policing. The headline frames assertively, but fairly and accurately, the columns central statement that a solid body of evidence finds no structural bias. The News department accused Mac Donald of cherry picking a study by Harvard economist Roland G. Fryer, Jr. by referencing only Fryers finding of no racial disparities much less racism in fatal officer-involved shootings (FOIS), while making no mention of Fryers finding of substantial racial disparities in police use of non-lethal force. Well, in mid-June, Opinion ran an op-ed by Fryer, giving him an opportunity to outline his findings on FOIS versus use of non-lethal force and to say People who invoke our work to argue that systemic racism is a myth conveniently ignore these (non-lethal force) statistics. Yet, in his next sentence, Fryer said Racism may explain the findings, but statistical evidence doesnt prove it. As economists, we dont get to label unexplained racial disparities racism. Sure sounds like Mac Donald, whom Fryer had just criticized. The News department also complained that Mac Donald mischaracterized a 2019 study (Johnson and Cesario) which found that minority victims were not more likely to have been shot by White officers. In April 2020, the authors reconfirmed their findings but corrected an overreaching sentence in the studys significance statement, changing White officers are not more likely to shoot minority civilians ... to say a White officers victim was not more likely to be of a racial minority. The authors change recognized that likelihood, or probability, of being shot must include data about shots and non-shots, just as coin toss probability requires data for both heads and tails, and, since the studys database was comprised only of fatal shots (not even including non-fatal shots) they couldnt speak to probability of possible FOIS outcomes, but only about the characteristics of actual FOIS outcomes. Nevertheless, this more accurate and limited portrayal of their findings did not alter that the authors did not find racial bias. Confoundingly, the authors retracted their study (whatever that means) in July, because our work has continued to be cited as providing support for the idea that there are no racial biases in fatal shootings, or in policing in general. Except that, as a study that did not find racial bias in FOIS outcomes, inevitably, their work supports previous studies (including Fryers) not finding racial biases in FOIS. Now, what did Johnson and Cesario find? They confirmed previous studies establishing that FOIS victim race varies with crime committed by that race: as the proportion of violent crime committed by Black civilians increased, a person fatally shot was more likely to be Black ... The authors found this factor to be the predominant predictor, explaining 44% of the variance in the race of a person fatally shot. This is significant: logically, to the extent that something other than racial bias explains racial disparities in FOIS, it lessens the likelihood that, or at least the degree to which, as-yet unproven racial bias may explain it. Contrary to The Journal News division allegations about the Opinion section, it is the signers of the News divisions letter who have misread and misinterpreted the Mac Donald column and the studies cited therein, whose authors have not helped with their confusing and contradictory statements about their own work and the overall issue. What to do about bad policing? As the subtitle of Mac Donalds column says, Hold officers accountable who use excessive force. This is not just a semantic or technical debate. Discrediting Mac Donalds argument that systemic police racism has not been proven suggests that it has. This inflames anti-police emotions, endangering everyone. Fryer worries that aggressive pattern-and-practice investigations of possible bias in police departments after major incidents can lead to de-policing and a stark increase in crime. He cites the example of Chicago, where de-policing mainly endangers Black citizens. Delegitimizing the police endangers all citizens, as has become clear since early June as violent crime rates have soared in major U.S. urban centers, and protests have become increasingly violent, now, with civilians killing civilians in Kenosha, Wisconsin and Portland, Oregon. Mac Donald spotlighted the danger to police, saying The false narrative of systemic police bias resulted in targeted killings of officers during the Obama presidency. Her reference is to the five police officers slain in Dallas in 2015. She warned The pattern may be repeating itself, an eerie foretelling of this summers attacks on police, including the ambush of two cops in Compton, California, last weekend. It is worth remembering what then President Obama said at the memorial service for the Dallas officers, We know that the overwhelming majority of police officers do an incredible job fairly and professionally, even though he went on to discuss the greater likelihood of Blacks experiencing police confrontations. Red Jahncke, a Greenwich resident, is president of The Townsend Group Intl. The Prime Minister leaves a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday - Chris J. Ratcliffe/Bloomberg Boris Johnson has signalled a possible compromise with Tory rebels after a minister suggested that elements of the Brexit legislation that triggered a revolt could be rewritten. The Prime Minister met senior MPs shortly before a vote on the Internal Market Bill on Monday evening (see video below), during which he assured them that he would act on their concerns. Among them was Sir Bob Neill, the chairman of the Commons justice committee, who has tabled an amendment that seeks to bar the Government from breaching international law without Parliaments support. With more Conservatives threatening to join the 20-strong group who defied the whip to abstain on the legislation, Mr Johnson is said to have engaged in "constructive talks", raising hopes of a Government climbdown. It comes amid growing optimism that, despite the fallout over the legislation, a trade deal with Brussels is still possible. On Wednesday, the president of the European Commission is expected to extend an olive branch to Mr Johnson by declaring that the EU still wants a trade deal with the UK. Ursula von der Leyen is expected to use her State of the Union address in the European Parliament in Brussels to insist that the bloc will do all it can to avoid a damaging no deal at the end of the year but not at any price. However, she is likely to reiterate her warning that Britain must drop plans to alter Withdrawal Agreement by passing the Internal Market Bill in the flagship speech. In a sign that the Government's approach is softening, Priti Patel, the Home Secretary (see video below), and Lord Keen, a justice minister, appeared to row back on suggestions that the legislation would breach the UK's treaty obligations with the EU. While Brandon Lewis, the Northern Ireland Secretary, last week told MPs that certain clauses relating to Northern Ireland could break international law in a "very specific and limited way", Ms Patel told Sky News on Tuesday: "We are absolutely not going to do that." Story continues Lord Keen, the Scottish advocate general, went further, signalling to peers that the wording of some parts of the Bill could be tweaked and adding that complaints over controversial elements were a "matter of drafting and can be addressed in due course if it is required to be addressed". Separately, it emerged that junior civil servants working on Brexit policy that they fear might break the law have been told to inform their managers. The BBC reported that email advice sent by senior mandarins at one Whitehall department advised staff to raise their concerns with their superiors. It comes as senior US politicians warned Mr Johnson that Washington will not support any free trade pact with the UK if Britain fails to uphold its commitments to Northern Ireland. Four US congressmen, led by chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee Eliot Engel, have written to Mr Johnson telling him to respect an open border and peace process with Northern Ireland. They wrote: "Many in the United States and in Congress consider the issues of the Good Friday Agreement and a potential US-UK Free Trade Agreement inextricably linked. "With the issues raised in this letter in mind, we therefore urge you to abandon any and all legally questionable and unfair efforts to flout the Northern Ireland protocol of the Withdrawal Agreement and look to ensure that Brexit negotiations do not undermine the decades of progress to bring peace to Northern Ireland and future options for the bilateral relationship between our two countries." On Tuesday night, Tory rebels involved in the discussions with Mr Johnson claimed he had privately conceded the decision to admit breaking international law had been a bad one. One told The Telegraph: "It's early days, but it feels as if we are edging towards a compromise being reached." A senior Government source said they were "engaging" with MPs, but insisted that the official position on the Bill remained unchanged. Should Mr Johnson refuse to compromise, the rebels claimed that up to 20 Conservatives who voted with the Government on Monday could consider supporting Sir Bob's amendment. Addressing concerns over the Bill, Lord Keen, one of the Government's law officers, insisted he did not believe it to be in breach of international law. He claimed the Northern Ireland Secretary had "answered the wrong question" when speaking to MPs (see video below), and "as a consequence the whole matter has been taken out of context". Lord Keen added that, under Article 16 of the Northern Ireland protocol designed to prevent a hard border on the island of Ireland the Government would be entitled to take the actions set out in the Bill if it believed the European Union had acted in bad faith. However, he added that complaints over the provisions of the Bill being "widely drawn" were a "matter of drafting" that could be rectified later if necessary. His comments suggest the Government could rework the controversial clauses on Northern Ireland to make clear that ministers would not use the powers given to them unless they believed the EU to be in breach of Article 16. Hitting back on Tuesday night, a Whitehall source said of Lord Keen's remarks: "The comments by [Brandon Lewis] reflected the legal statement the Government published last week on the Withdrawal Agreement and the provisions in the UKIM Bill. Every single word of which was agreed by all three law officers." A Government spokesman added: "Last week the Attorney General wrote to Select Committee chairs to set out the Government's legal position on the Withdrawal Agreement and the provisions in the UKIM Bill. "This position has not changed. This is about creating a legal safety net and taking the powers in reserve whereby ministers can act to guarantee the integrity of the UK and protect the peace process." President Donald Trump delivers a commencement address at the 2020 United States Military Academy Graduation Ceremony at West Point, New York. REUTERS/Mike Segar Recent reporting that the president disparaged US troops have had little affect on his favorability among registered voters, according to two separate polls. A Monmouth University poll found 55% of registered voters believed President Donald Trump respected military troops and veterans at least somewhat. Meanwhile, 71% of registered voters thought the same of former Vice President Joe Biden. The polling comes on the heels of a report from The Atlantic, in which Trump was alleged to have described US troops as "suckers" and "losers" for serving in the military. "Biden has an edge on the question of respecting those who serve in our armed forces, but it doesn't really look like recent allegations of Trump allegedly disparaging them have created any notable change in the campaign's trajectory," Patrick Murray, director of the Monmouth University Polling Institute, said in a statement. A Democratic strategist told Insider that she expected Trump to weather the latest scandal, and that Democrats ought to look for other opportunities ahead of the 2020 US presidential election. Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. The recent reporting of derogatory comments alleged to have been made by the president has had little affect on his favorability among registered voters and their decision to vote for him, according to a series of polls. According to a September 3 report by The Atlantic's editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg, President Donald Trump previously described Marines who died during World War I as "losers" and "suckers," and did not want injured veterans to appear at a military parade because he believed it would make spectators uneasy. Goldberg's article prompted speculation on who his anonymous sources were, and was widely cited and circulated by different news agencies for several days. The following week, a Monmouth University poll found 55% of registered voters believed Trump respected military troops and veterans at least somewhat; while at least 45% believed he respected them very little or not at all. Story continues By comparison, 71% of registered voters viewed former vice president and 2020 Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden as someone who respected military troops and veterans at least somewhat; while at least 25% believed he did not or did very little to indicate that he did. The two presidential candidates have maintained similar support levels among registered voters in August, with Biden's 9-percentage point lead with 51% of support from registered voters, according to Monmouth University. "Biden has an edge on the question of respecting those who serve in our armed forces, but it doesn't really look like recent allegations of Trump allegedly disparaging them have created any notable change in the campaign's trajectory," Patrick Murray, director of the Monmouth University Polling Institute, said in a statement. President Donald Trump steps out of Marine One. Evan Vucci/AP The Monmouth University poll, which surveyed 758 registered voters from Sept. 3-8 and has a margin of error of 3.6%, comes on the heels of The Atlantic's report. In addition to the disparaging comments towards US troops, Trump, according to multiple sources, reportedly continued to disparage Republican Sen. John McCain of Arizona after he died from an aggressive form of brain cancer. After McCain's death in 2018, Trump was reportedly angry when the senator received half-staff flag honors. He told his staff of McCain, "We're not going to support that loser's funeral," sources with knowledge of the conversations told The Atlantic. Trump and his surrogates vehemently denied the claims. White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany characterized The Atlantic staff as "liberal activists," and provided emails as evidence that refuted some of the allegations made in the report. But as the White House attempted to throw cold water on The Atlantic's reporting, some of the claims were corroborated by multiple news outlets, including Fox News. A separate Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted days after the report's publication indicated that half of American adults believed the claims were credible. Thirty-seven percent of adults polled said they doubted the allegations, while the remaining 13% of adults were unsure. Despite half of respondents finding the claims credible, 58% of Republicans or Republican-leaning independents said the allegations had no impact on them voting for Trump, according to Reuters. Meanwhile, 18% of the Republicans reportedly said they were more likely to vote for the incumbent after reading the report, while 14% said they were less likely. The findings echo the sentiment of voters "who don't care" about the latest series of unflattering allegations against Trump, according to Democratic strategist Rebecca Katz. "The thing about Trump is that he keeps saying these ridiculously horrific statements and everybody thinks, 'That's it, that's the one that's going to tank him,'" Katz said. "But nothing ever does." Democrats need to talk about ambitious, idea-driven goals ahead of the 2020 US presidential election, Katz said, adding that it "can't just be another referendum on Donald Trump; because we did that last time and we lost." "What's the definition of insanity? It's doing the same thing and expecting different results," Katz said. Then-Democratic Rep. Tammy Duckworth of Illinois walks off the stage after addressing the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, July 28, 2016. Toni L. Sandys/The Washington Post via Getty Images Reaction to the report from congressional lawmakers fell mostly on party lines with Republicans demurring or questioning the legitimacy of Goldberg's anonymous sources, while Democrats pointed to the Trump administration's history of controversies relating to the military and the similarity from the comments he allegedly made in the past. "Perhaps my presence here is uncomfortable for him," Democratic Sen. Tammy Duckworth of Illinois, a US Army veteran and Purple Heart recipient, said on the Senate floor Wednesday. "After all, according to a number of reports, he thinks 'nobody wants to see' wounded warriors like me who lost limbs fighting to keep other Americans safe." "But unfortunately for him, I am here," she added. "And I'm here because the ethos of the United States military is the exact opposite of the selfish, craven, me-first mentality that Trump has shown every hour of every day of his life." Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, an Air Force veteran and an outspoken Trump ally, said he doubted the veracity of The Atlantic's reporting. "This came out two months before an election," Graham said in a CBS interview. "I've been critical of the president at times. But I want him to be successful. I think he's done a good job as commander-in-chief. And I want the anonymous person to come forward, because I don't buy this. I don't buy that the president has disparaged war dead. I just don't believe that." Read the original article on Business Insider NOT FOR PUBLICATION, RELEASE OR DISTRIBUTION, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES, AUSTRALIA, CANADA, JAPAN, SOUTH AFRICA OR ANY OTHER JURISDICTION IN WHICH IT WOULD BE UNLAWFUL TO DO SO. PLEASE SEE THE IMPORTANT NOTICE AT THE END OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT. IMCD announces the launch of an accelerated bookbuild offering of new shares ROTTERDAM, The Netherlands (15 September 2020, 17:42 CET) IMCD N.V. (IMCD or the Company), a leading distributor of speciality chemicals and food ingredients, today announces its intention to proceed with an accelerated bookbuild offering of shares (the Offering). The Offering will consist of up to approximately EUR 400 million worth of ordinary shares (the New Shares). The Company intends to use the net proceeds of the Offering for general corporate purposes and to finance the acquisition of Signet Excipients Private Limited (Signet), one of the leading distributors of excipients in India, as announced today in a separate press release. The Offering will be executed by way of an accelerated bookbuild offering of the New Shares (the Placement). The New Shares will be issued on a non-pre-emptive basis, under the existing mandate by the Companys shareholders provided at the most recent AGM on 30 June 2020. The Placement is being made (1) outside the United States, exclusively to institutional investors in the European Economic Area or the United Kingdom and to certain institutional investors in other jurisdictions, and (2) in the United States, in transactions pursuant to an exemption from, or in transactions not subject to, the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the Securities Act) to qualified institutional buyers (as defined in Rule 144A under the Securities Act). The bookbuilding procedure will commence with immediate effect following the release of this announcement. Details of the offer price and the final number of New Shares will be announced as soon as practicable after the books are closed, in a subsequent press release, which is expected to be published before markets open on Euronext Amsterdam on 16 September 2020, subject to acceleration. In relation to the Offering, the Company is subject to a market customary lock-up ending 90 days after the issue date, subject to customary exceptions and waivable by the Sole Global Coordinator. No prospectus will be published in connection with the Offering. Settlement of the transaction and admission to listing and trading of the New Shares on Euronext Amsterdam are expected to take place on 18 September 2020. The New Shares will rank parri passu in all respects with the outstanding ordinary shares of the Company. J.P. Morgan Securities plc is acting as Sole Global Coordinator and, together with BNP Paribas and HSBC, as Joint Bookrunners in the Placement. This press release contains information that qualifies as inside information within the meaning of Article 7(1) of the EU Market Abuse Regulation. For further information, please see www.imcdgroup.com or contact ir@imcdgroup.com . Attached, please find the press release in pdf format. DISCLAIMER The securities referred to herein have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act") or with any securities regulatory authority of any state or other jurisdiction of the United States and may not be offered, sold, pledged, taken up, exercised, resold, renounced, transferred or delivered, directly or indirectly, in or into the United States, except pursuant to an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the Securities Act and in compliance with any applicable securities laws of any state or other jurisdiction of the United States. Subject to certain limited exceptions, the New Shares may not be offered or sold in the United States, Australia, Japan, South Africa. No public offering of securities is being or will be made in the United States. This announcement and the materials herein are for information purposes only and are not intended to constitute, and should not be construed as, an offer to sell or subscribe for, or the announcement of a forthcoming offer to sell or subscribe for, or a solicitation of any offer to buy or subscribe for, or the announcement of a forthcoming solicitation of any offer to buy or subscribe for New Shares and/or ordinary shares in the share capital of IMCD (such New Shares and/or ordinary shares, the "Securities") in the United States or in any other jurisdiction. No offer to sell or subscribe for Securities, or announcement of a forthcoming offer to sell or subscribe for Securities, or solicitation of any offer to buy or subscribe for Securities, or announcement of a forthcoming solicitation of any offer to buy or subscribe for, Securities will be made in the United States, Australia, Japan, South Africa or in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration, exemption from registration or qualification under the securities laws of such jurisdiction. Neither this press release nor any copy of it may be taken or transmitted, directly or indirectly, into the United States, Australia, Canada, Japan or South Africa. This press release does not constitute or form part of any offer or invitation to sell, or any solicitation of any offer to purchase or subscribe nor shall it (or any part of it) or the fact of its distribution, form the basis of, or be relied on in connection with, any contract therefore. The release, publication or distribution of the information contained in this press release and other information in connection with the Offering may, in certain jurisdictions, be restricted by law. Persons into whose possession this press release or any document or other information referred to herein comes should inform themselves about and observe any such restrictions. Any failure to comply with these restrictions may constitute a violation of the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. The Company has not authorized any offer to the public of Securities in any Member State of the European Economic Area or the United Kingdom. With respect to any Member State of the European Economic Area and the United Kingdom (each a Relevant State), no action has been undertaken or will be undertaken to make an offer to the public of Securities requiring publication of a prospectus in any Relevant State. As a result, the Securities may only be offered in Relevant States: (i) to any legal entity which is a "qualified investor" as defined in the Prospectus Regulation; or (ii) in any other circumstances falling within Article 1(4) of the Prospectus Regulation; provided that no such offer of Securities shall result in a requirement for the publication by the Company of a prospectus pursuant to Article 3 of the Prospectus Regulation and each person who initially acquires Securities or to whom any offer is made will be deemed to have represented, warranted and agreed to and with the Company that it is a qualified investor within the meaning of the Prospectus Regulation. For the purpose of this paragraph, the expression "offer of securities to the public" means the communication in any form and by any means of sufficient information on the terms of the offer and the Securities to be offered so as to enable the investor to decide to exercise, purchase or subscribe for the Securities and the expression "Prospectus Regulation" means Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 and amendments thereto and includes any relevant delegated regulations. Any such investor will also be deemed to have represented and agreed that any Securities acquired by it in the contemplated offering of Securities have not been acquired on behalf of persons other than such investor. This announcement is not an advertisement within the meaning of the Prospectus Regulation and does not constitute a prospectus. Any investor will be deemed to have represented and agreed that any Securities acquired by it in the contemplated offering of Securities have not been acquired on behalf of persons other than such investor. This announcement is not an advertisement within the meaning of the Prospectus Regulation and does not constitute a prospectus. In the United Kingdom, this press release and any other materials in relation to the Securities is only being distributed to, and is only directed at, and any investment or investment activity to which this press release relates is available only to, and will be engaged in only with, persons who are "qualified investors" (as defined in section 86(7) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000) and who are (i) persons having professional experience in matters relating to investments who fall within the definition of "investment professionals" in Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 ("Financial Promotion") Order 2005 (the "Order"); or (ii) high net worth entities falling within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) of the Order (all such persons together being referred to as "relevant persons"). Persons who are not relevant persons should not take any action on the basis of this press release and should not act or rely on it. No action has been taken by the Company that would permit an offer of Securities or the possession or distribution of these materials or any other offering or publicity material relating to such Securities in any jurisdiction where action for that purpose is required. Statements included in this press release that are not historical facts (including any statements concerning investment objectives, other plans and objectives of management for future operations or economic performance, or assumptions or forecasts related thereto) are forward looking statements. These statements are only predictions and are not guarantees. Actual events or the results of the Companys operations could differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward looking statements. Forward looking statements are typically identified by the use of terms such as may, will, should, expect, could, intend, plan, anticipate, estimate, believe, continue, predict, potential or the negative of such terms and other comparable terminology. The forward looking statements are based upon the Companys current expectations, plans, estimates, assumptions and beliefs that involve numerous risks and uncertainties. Assumptions relating to the foregoing involve judgments with respect to, among other things, future economic, competitive and market conditions and future business decisions, all of which are difficult or impossible to predict accurately and many of which are beyond the Companys control. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in such forward looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, the Companys actual results and performance could differ materially from those set forth in the forward looking statements. The Joint Bookrunners are acting exclusively for the Company and no-one else in connection with any offering of Securities and will not regard any other person as their clients in relation to such offering and will not be responsible to anyone other than the Company for providing the protections afforded to their respective clients, nor for providing advice in relation to the transactions, the contents of this announcement or any other matter referred to herein. None of the Joint Bookrunners or any of their respective affiliates or any of its respective directors, personally liable partners, officers, employees, advisers or agents accepts any responsibility or liability whatsoever for or makes any representation or warranty, express or implied, as to the truth, accuracy or completeness of the information in this announcement (or whether any information has been omitted) or any other information relating to the Company or its subsidiaries or associated companies, whether written, oral or in a visual or electronic form, and howsoever transmitted or made available or for any loss howsoever arising from any use of this announcement or its contents or otherwise arising in connection therewith. 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Solely for the purposes of the product governance requirements contained within: (a) EU Directive 2014/65/EU on markets in financial instruments, as amended (MiFID II); (b) Articles 9 and 10 of Commission Delegated Directive (EU) 2017/593 supplementing MiFID II; and (c) local implementing measures (together, the MiFID II Product Governance Requirements), and disclaiming all and any liability, whether arising in tort, contract or otherwise, which any manufacturer (for the purposes of the MiFID II Product Governance Requirements) may otherwise have with respect thereto, the New Shares subject of the Offering have been subject to a product approval process, which has determined that such New Shares are: (i) compatible with an end target market of retail investors and investors who meet the criteria of professional clients and eligible counterparties, each as defined in MiFID II; and (ii) eligible for distribution through all distribution channels as are permitted by MiFID II (the Target Market Assessment). Notwithstanding the Target Market Assessment, distributors (for the purposes of the MiFID II Product Governance Requirements) should note that: the price of the New Shares may decline and investors could lose all or part of their investment; the New Shares offer no guaranteed income and no capital protection; and an investment in the New Shares is compatible only with investors who do not need a guaranteed income or capital protection, who (either alone or in conjunction with an appropriate financial or other adviser) are capable of evaluating the merits and risks of such an investment and who have sufficient resources to be able to bear any losses that may result therefrom. The Target Market Assessment is without prejudice to the requirements of any contractual, legal or regulatory selling restrictions in relation to the Offering. For the avoidance of doubt, the Target Market Assessment does not constitute: (a) an assessment of suitability or appropriateness for the purposes of MiFID II; or (b) a recommendation to any investor or group of investors to invest in, or purchase, or take any other action whatsoever with respect to the New Shares. Each distributor is responsible for undertaking its own target market assessment in respect of the New Shares and determining appropriate distribution channels. Attachment Transmission electron micrograph of SARS-CoV-2 virus particles, isolated from a patient. Image captured and color-enhanced at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Integrated Research Facility in Fort Detrick, Maryland. Credit: NIAID The age-old idiom finding a needle in a haystack pales in comparison with finding a virus in the air. At least you can see a needle. Breakthrough work by UF professors Chang-Yu Wu and John Lednicky recently made international headlines when they successfully collected viable novel coronaviruses those capable of infecting people from air in a hospital room occupied by a patient ill with COVID-19. Genetic testing matched the SARS-CoV-2 virus they found in the air with virus obtained from the patient. Further testing failed to find the virus in the hospitals hallways, common areas or waiting rooms; this indicated that the hospitals infection-control protocols worked as planned. Hospital administrators viewed the follow-up results as a confidence-booster that the testing was accurate and also as a source of comfort about the ambient air quality. Finding the virus at all was a remarkable feat in large part because its so technically challenging to collect viable viruses from air. But it didnt happen by accident. Wu and Lednickys latest work, which is published in the International Journal of Infectious Diseases followed a decade of interdisciplinary collaboration between the engineer and virologist who were laser-focused on improving air sampling methods to conserve viruses which are fragile, protein-coated bits of DNA or RNA at the point of collection. When someone coughs, sneezes, talks, shouts or sings, they emit different kinds of respiratory droplets. Some are large enough to fall to the ground, while others are small enough that they float as aerosols. These droplets are often rich in bacteria, fungi or viruses. Large respiratory droplets tend to fall downward after being coughed, sneezed or exhaled while smaller droplets may float in the air. Image courtesy of John Lednicky and Chang-Yu Wu. Its the aerosols that intrigued Lednicky, who is a virologist in the department of environmental and global health at the UF College of Public Health and Health Professions. Could virus-laden aerosols cause infections in people? If they could, what were the public health implications? Beginning around 2002, Lednicky began using conventional air samplers to search for airborne viruses. But the samplers tended to damage the viruses. In fact, the sampling process was so inhospitable to viruses that while he could often find viral genomic material which proved only that pieces of viruses float around it was harder to capture an intact viable virus, one that was whole and infective. Lednicky wasnt alone: The challenges and lack of findings were similar for others trying to test air for viruses. Did this lack of evidence mean that infectious viruses arent present in air? Or did problems inherent to the conventional sampling methods prevent researchers from finding them? The uncertain reliability of collection methods made it hard to know whats really floating around. And not knowing that made it hard to know whether the transmission of highly infectious respiratory illnesses, such as seasonal flu, were driven more by direct contact via large respiratory droplets or airborne routes via aerosolized droplets. While most public health experts interpreted the lack of evidence for large amounts of viable viruses in air to mean that there just werent a bunch floating around, Lednickys instinct led him in a different direction. Looking for aerial viruses The air we breathe is full of viral particles, Lednicky says. Bacterial viruses, plant viruses, fungal viruses, you name it. But we only worry about those that can cause infections in humans, the ones that result in disease. Those are the ones we are trying to find. More specifically, he trained his sights on infective aerosolized viruses or those that ride upon the tiny unseen respiratory droplets light enough to waft around in air currents and stay aloft for hours. Conventional wisdom holds that few viruses can remain viable for long in aerosols before they dry out and become inactivated. Therefore, airborne transmission is a dead end. Lednicky was unconvinced. He was deeply interested in viruses that become suspended in the air column as aerosols, riding tiny particles that measure roughly five to 20 nanometers. But to study these potentially infectious specks, he first needed a reliable method to collect them. Unfortunately, he suspected most air samplers at that time smashed viruses to bits or dried them out and rendered them uninfectious during the collection process. While these samplers could find parts of viruses, or uninfectious virus, they didnt fully answer his questions about whether active, infectious, intact viruses could stay aloft in aerosols. In 2010, Lednicky was experimenting with a standard air sampler when disappointed with its poor ability to collect airborne viruses he began tweaking it to lower the airflow in ways that countered the manufacturer's guidelines. Curious to know if others were trouble-shooting the same issue, he turned to Google and the first search result to pop up was a scientific poster about the exact same problem by someone named Chang-Yu Wu. Lednicky looked him up. Out of all the aerovirology researchers in the entire world, Wu was just a few buildings over in UFs Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering. Partnering on particles Wu had also long puzzled over aerovirology; his interest stretched back to 2006. His lab, located in the department of environmental engineering sciences, was focused upon measuring particles in the air, but to measure them properly in the engineering field, each individual particle must be counted. Wu was also fascinated by aerosolized viruses and he suspected that this was a greater transmission route than was recognized. But to test this idea, he needed to sample viruses from aerosols. He was thrilled when Lednicky reached out. It is rare that someone so thoroughly understands and appreciates your research, Wu says. Knowing John is the best thing that happened to me during my second 10 years at UF. He changed my life. He was the single person who understood what I was doing. Few people cared about the virus aerosol sampling that I tried to do 10 years ago, but lightning struck when I talked to him. Wus lab had been studying the problem of how to count aerosolized particles when he was inspired to make the particles larger by condensing water upon them. Bigger particles are easier to count. Plumping the particles up turned out to be the perfect solution to Lednickys problem of capturing viruses from the air. Instead of blowing floating viruses through a collector and slamming them into petri dishes, as conventional samplers did, Wu's method of condensing water over the particles and growing them larger, then dripping them into petri dishes, was a nearly perfect solution. While a single virion may be as small as 20 nanometers, most wild viruses are often bundled with bits of cellular debris, or covered in mucus, salt, or various globs of bodily goo. To ensure they were not missing bits of anything, Wu and Lednicky focused on capturing particles from a few nanometers up to 20 micrometers. Together, the pair began testing out the best methods for collecting viruses from the air, and then isolating them in a lab a process that tests whether the collected viruses are capable of entering cells and replicating, which are conditions necessary to cause infection in people. I like to joke that virologists have problems that need to be solved, Lednicky says. And engineers have solutions in need of a problem. And thats why our collaboration is so useful. A decade together After working together for a decade, Lednicky and Wu have two pending patents that stem from their 13 co-authored peer-reviewed papers, which focus on improving ways to collect aerial viruses. Their first major advancement in fine-tuning aerosolized virus sampling methods came when they tested a novel commercially available sampler head-to-head against a conventional type. The novel sampler was based on the same principle that Wus lab focuses upon, which is to gently plump each particle up with water as it moves along a moist tube designed on a warming temperature gradient. (Warm air holds more moisture.) The design is based, in part, upon nature. When you inhale, the air moves through your nose past these baffles and into warmer and warmer spaces. Compounded with water vapor in the respiratory system, this action humidifies the air before it hits your lungs, Lednicky says. The conventional sampler relied upon forced air to slam particles onto filters on petri dishes or hard surfaces. Lednicky and Wu used a wild-type H1N1 influenza virus, cultured from the 2009 swine flu pandemic, to create virus-laden aerosols with a nebulizer. Using the wild-type virus was key to rule out any biochemical or biophysical differences between human respiratory viruses and the surrogate viruses often used in sampling studies. Wild type influenza viruses tend to be rod-shaped and up to 1 micrometer in length, they are far longer than the 20 to 300 nanometer, circular viruses that are grown in ideal lab conditions specifically for lab experiments. The water-based novel sampler collected 74% of the viruses from the air that moved through it, while the conventional sampler collected only 5.6% (plus or minus 3%). It was proof that the moisture method was light years beyond conventional methods. Their results were published in 2016 in the Journal of Aerosol Science & Technology. This graph shows that the novel sampler captured more infectious particles than the conventional sampler, and that both samplers captured more infectious viruses as they sampled greater volumes of air. Image courtesy of John Lednicky and Chang-Yu Wu. They have continued to pursue the water-based particle growth method in subsequent studies that plucked all kinds of human flu and cold viruses from the air. Last April, Wu and Lednicky published a review paper that evaluated various types of air samplers available, and the strengths and weaknesses of each. Despite the many different sampling options, they both agree that the process of condensing water onto the particles works best because it reliably captures the most viable viruses. This one has received a lot of attention for a review paper, Lednicky says. There's been a high degree of interest in this paper since the pandemic began." A diagram of the water-based growth tube collector, far right, that Wus lab has built to condense water directly onto particles in the air that may carry viruses. Image courtesy of John Lednicky and Chang-Yu Wu. More recently, in a paper published this spring, Wu and Lednicky worked directly with the novel air samplers manufacturer to improve its performance. After the COVID-19 pandemic arrived to Florida, they networked connections from the EPI to place the sampler in a student health care center. They sampled air where people walked and also several meters from main foot-traffic routes. They found evidence of coronavirus OC43, a cause of common colds, and two types of viruses that cause flu. But they also found the genetic signature of SARS-CoV-2, although attempts to isolate it in a lab were not fruitful. This means that they were unable to determine if the virus found in the air was infectious, or inactive. They inferred that the SARS-CoV-2 virus was aerosolized because it was found in a sample more than 2 meters away from the nearest patient walkways. The work helped to guide mitigation measures, and follow-up air samples found no evidence of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. They also posited that proactively testing environmental air samples may be more useful for tracking the contagions spread than human samples. The work laid the foundation for their latest study that successfully isolated SARS-CoV-2 from aerosols in a patients hospital room. We are not limited only to medical facilities in our sampling though, Wu says. We also work with athletes, fitness centers, restaurants, customer service centers and other groups where there is a concern about transmission." Aerosolized virus sampling in the future What weve shown is that the way you do the air sampling is very important. If you do what everybody else does, you make the same mistakes, Lednicky says. Our critics say that if you dont find anything, then there is nothing in the air. But if you sample differently than everyone else and find something, then theyll say you contaminated your samples or are doing something wrong. The pair have fended off their share of critics over the years, and they recognize that turning the tide on conventional thinking takes time. But they are also driven by the evidence of what theyve found. It's a matter of understanding the science and the engineering, Lednicky says. The engineering is especially important because if you have the tools to test the science, then you have an advantage. That is where Wus machine is really the best there is. Wu envisions adapting his current sampler design to be lighter weight and more compact for broader applications. Right now, it is 40 pounds, and 2 feet by 1 foot by 1 foot. It is really for research purposes, Wu says. But nowadays you have these air quality sensors that can plug into your cell phone and you can get the measurements instantly. That is my vision for the future. A low cost, lightweight, virus detector or monitor that could be used by anyone and give real-time results. Lednicky hopes that their work will help advance public health interventions not only for the current pandemic but also in terms of how authorities conceive of transmission routes for viral respiratory infections. Investing in work like this, which bridges disciplines and offers a new perspective for addressing how to study and solve problems involving novel and reemerging diseases, is what makes the EPI unique at the University of Florida. Personal Insights Q&A: How did you become interested in collecting viruses from air? Lednicky: I was experimenting with methods to detect human respiratory viruses in spaces shared with sick people, and these two important viruses that shaped my interest. First, mouse hepatitis virus (a type of coronavirus) in rodent breeding facilities, and second, canine distemper virus. I was trying to understand how canine distemper virus was being transmitted in a zoo setting. Animals at a zoo were developing canine distemper from raccoons. But the zookeepers insisted that the raccoons were not going into the cages of the animals that were getting distemper, so I assumed the infections were airborne. Unfortunately, most small animal veterinarians would not accept that notion of aerosol or airborne transmission, instead preferring to believe that contact was needed between a raccoon and another animal. Because textbooks claim that. Also, most veterinarians argued that the virus was fragile and would not survive for more than a few minutes outside its host. But canine distemper virus is highly related to the measles virus, considered by many to be the virus easiest to spread through aerosols, so once again, like for SARS-CoV-1 versus SARS-CoV-2, there was a great hesitancy by many experts to believe the virus can be transmitted through aerosols, but that was based on book learning, not research. Wu: We started out not far from each other. My beginning point was in 2006 trying to determine the inactivation efficiency of a biocidal filter, and we relied on a commercial sampler that was standard in the industry at the time. But it gave a very large variation in the testing results, which forced us to ponder why. Before I met John, I was involved in an Air Force Research Laboratory project for the swine flu in 2009. They were looking for new technologies to prevent the spread and protect their soldiers. I was helping them to evaluate an iodinated filter to inactivate virus aerosols, so they can protect their fighters. But the issue is, in order to prove that, you have to aerosolize the virus and capture it on a filter, and then evaluate if it is inactivated or not. So we used a conventional sampler to do that, because that was what everybody used at the time. But the result was like noise, you are not sure what you get. So, we started to ask: Is the conventional sampler in fact a good device for sampling virus aerosols? And if not, why has everybody used it for such a long time? Acknowledgments This story focuses on the collaboration between John Lednicky and Chang-Yu Wu. Many other researchers and close colleagues at UF and beyond contributed to this research. They are too numerous to name in all, but Lednicky and Wu wish to acknowledge: Z. Hugh Fan, Jay Clugston, Julia C. Loeb, Maohua Pan, Trevor Tilly, J. Glenn Morris, Michael Lauzardo, Arantzazu Eiguren-Fernandez, Tania Bonny, Xiao Jiang, Sripriya Shankar, Susanne Hering, Joseph Wander, Antarpreet Jutla, Myung-Heui Woo, and Kevin Fennelly. Creator credits Written by DeLene Beeland, all graphs and diagrams courtesy of Chang-Yu Wu and John Lednicky from their published works. Note: an earlier version of this article stated, "Wu and Lednickys latest work, published on the MedRxiv pre-print server and awaiting journal acceptance," but this was updated upon publication of their aerosols paper in the International Journal of Infectious Diseases. Women-Led Protests in Belarus Met with Violence On September 13th tens of thousands marched in Minsk on the eve of Alexander Lukashenkos visit to Russia to meet with Vladimir Putin. This protest is one of many that has occurred in the last month where the women-lead Belarusian protest group called The Women in White takes a leadership role. These women-led protests continue to flood the streets of Minsk and other Belarusian cities in opposition to the unfair election of Lukashenko and continued police brutality. The United Nations has reported that an estimated 6,000 people have been subjected to detention because of these protests, and in some cases, torture by Belarusian security agents. ADVERTISEMENT Belarus police grabbing women out of churches https://t.co/9OU0qKE3iX Anne Applebaum (@anneapplebaum) September 11, 2020 According to rferl.org, an independent European news source, heavily armored vehicles accompanied by troops were seen parked along some central streets in Minsk; The Interior Ministry claimed they were a violence prevention measure. However, riot police were seen in Minsk knocking peaceful demonstrators to the ground and dragging them away into police vans. The Interior Ministry reported that more than 400 people had been detained by nightfall. 36 days of protests in #Belarus. When a picture is worth a thousand words. pic.twitter.com/qeMvvVUt1l Pauline (@tlnlndn) September 13, 2020 To further push the clear and uncensored sexism of the Belarusian government, the Interior Ministry commented, Its a shame to watch: screams, screeching Such behavior is unfeminine. Despite these laughable and unfortunate comments, the most prominent oppositional figures to this government continue to be women, including exiled Presidential candidate Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya, Maria Kolesnikova, and Veronika Tsepkalo. There is still hope among the protestors that are often echoed in international media. The Atlantic reported on the protests, affirming, The moment demonstrates a trend in global mass movements: Protests that feature women are typically larger, less violent, and more versatile than those that do not. Most important, they are also more likely to succeed. Header image by Artem Podrez via pexels More from BUST Who Are Belarus' "Women In White"? Why Native Activists Are Decolonizing COVID Relief on Reservations Denmark's New Law Against Sexual Violence Is A Huge Step Brazil Announces Equal Pay For Women and Men Soccer Players Veronica Ashworth (she/they) is a writer, avid napper, and a Pisces. She attends Pratt Institute as a creative writing student. Their work often focuses on politics, identity, and art. You can follow her on Instagram @veronicxrenee A Chinese virologist who alleges the coronavirus was cooked up in a military lab has published a report which she claims backs up her theory. Li-Meng Yan, who alleges to be a former researcher at the Hong Kong School of Public Health, says the virus was built by merging the genetic material of two bat coronaviruses. She claims its spike protein a structure on the surface of the virus which it uses to bind with cells was edited to make it easier for the virus to latch on to human cells. But scientists have slammed her report which she promised she would release in an interview last week as 'unsubstantiated' and said it 'cannot be given any credibility'. Research papers have already determined the origin of the virus as bats, leading to top experts dismissing suggestions the virus was created by humans as having 'zero evidence'. SARS-CoV-2 the scientific name of the pathogen is the seventh coronavirus known to infect humans and jumped to people after an earlier version of it mutated. The previous virus is thought to be one that infected bats and then reached humans via another animal. Ms Yan's report has not been published in a scientific journal and has not been peer-reviewed, meaning it has not been checked and approved by scientists. But it has gained widespread public attention, being viewed more than 150,000 times since it was posted yesterday on the website Zenodo, which is operated by the European Organisation for Nuclear Research. Ms Yan posted the report online alleging that the coronavirus was designed. But scientists have previously dismissed her claims and said there is 'exactly zero evidence' Donald Trump has previously said he has been told that the virus appeared to have been genetically engineered Ms Yan writes that her research discounts the theory that coronavirus evolved in the wild and was then transferred to humans, claiming it 'lacks substantial support'. 'SARS-CoV-2 shows biological characteristics that are inconsistent with a naturally occurring virus,' she wrote. 'The evidence shows that [the virus] should be a laboratory product created by using bat coronaviruses ZC45 and/or ZXC21 as a template and/or backbone.' She alleges the virus 'should' have been built using stores of these bat viruses, of which she claims samples are kept in Hong Kong and China. Donald Trump says he has seen evidence that the coronavirus started in Wuhan virology laboratory President Donald Trump said he has seen evidence that coronavirus started in the Wuhan virology laboratory, as he warned he could impose tariffs of $1 trillion on China in retribution for the pandemic. The president made the explosive charge that the coronavirus that has caused millions of infections and wreaked havoc on the global economy may have been created in the Chinese lab during his coronavirus press briefing Thursday. He also suggested the federal government is exploring ways to punish China for triggering the outbreak by imposing tariffs but he stopped short of saying he would refuse to pay back US debts. 'Yes I have. Yes I have,' Trump said when asked if he had seen proof the virus originated in the Wuhan Institute of Technology. The lab is located near a wet market that has been identified as the likely epicenter of the outbreak that took place late last year. However, the president would not divulge what the evidence was that confirmed his suspicions, when asked by a reporter. 'I can't tell you that. I am not allowed to tell you that,' he responded. Advertisement Ms Yan also alleges that her work shows the virus could be built in just six months in the report's abstract, but she does not return to the subject later in the paper. Dr Andrew Preston, an expert in microbial pathogenesis at the University of Bath, blasted her report as being 'reminiscent of a conspiracy theory'. 'The author's affiliation is the Rule of Law Society and Rule of Law Foundation, New York,' he said. 'On their website the vision of this organisation is "to permit the people of China to live under a national system based on the rule of law, independent of the political system of the People's Republic of China" and its mission is "to expose corruption, obstruction, illegality, brutality, false imprisonment, excessive sentencing, harassment, and inhumanity pervasive in the political, legal, business and financial systems of China". 'Given the unsubstantiated claims in the publication, which has not been peer reviewed, the report cannot be viewed with any credibility as it stands.' Dr Michael Head, a global health expert at the University of Southampton, said the conspiracy theory peddled by the report has been 'doing the rounds throughout the pandemic'. 'Ultimately, it could be damaging to public health if reported non-critically without looking at the wider evidence,' he said. 'If people are exposed to and then believe conspiracy theories, this will likely have a negative impact on efforts to keep Covid-19 cases low and thus there will be more deaths and illness than there needs to be. 'The genomics of the virus have been disentangled previously, for example a Nature peer-reviewed paper where they state "Our analyses clearly show that SARS-CoV-2 is not a laboratory constructed or a purposefully manipulated virus". 'Other evidence also shows that this type of coronavirus has existed in bats for decades. 'This new manuscript is not peer reviewed and does not obviously offer any data that overrides previous research.' Her allegations have not been backed up by any scientific papers or scientists, with reports suggesting the virus was created previously condemned as conspiracy theories. Writing in the respected journal Nature Medicine in March, scientists from the Scripps Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, and other universities, said that SARS-CoV-2 is the seventh coronavirus known to infect humans. 'It is improbable that SARS-CoV-2 emerged through laboratory manipulation of a related SARS-CoV-like coronavirus,' they said. 'The genetic data irrefutably shows that SARS-CoV-2 is not derived from any previously used virus backbone.' Why did China build a virus lab in Wuhan? A worker is seen inside in Wuhan on February 23, 2017 Chinese officials decided to build the Wuhan Institute of Virology after the country was ravaged by an outbreak of SARS in 2002 and 2003. SARS, another kind of coronavirus, killed 775 people and infected more than 8,000 globally in an epidemic that lasted about eight months. It took the Chinese 15 years to fully complete the project, which cost a total of 300million yuan (34million). The French helped design the building. Its crown jewel is a four-storey lab with the highest biosafety level of P4. It's the most advanced laboratory of its type in China. Construction of the lab was finished in 2015 and it officially opened on January 5, 2018, after passing various safety inspections. Describing the significance of the P4 lab, China Youth Online billed it as the 'aircraft carrier of China's virology'. The state-run newspaper said it 'is capable of researching the deadliest pathogens'. One researcher, Zhou Peng, told state news agency Xinhua in 2018: 'We are proud to say that we are already at the forefront in the field of studying the immunity mechanism of bats, which carry viruses for a long time. 'Bats carry viruses but are not infected [by them]. [They] provide hope for mankind to study how to fight viruses.' Advertisement Dr Kristian Andersen, from the Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, California, said the genetic material clearly pointed to a natural origin of the virus. 'There are lots of data and lots of evidence, as well as previous examples of this coming from nature,' he said. 'We have exactly zero evidence or data of this having any connection to a lab.' Dr Angela Rasmussen, an infection and immunity expert at Columbia University, New York, said the site at which the virus binds to human cells has a 'sub-optimal' fit, suggesting it was not designed. 'Furthermore, there are no genetic similarities with other virus backbones used in any of the known (virus engineering systems),' she said. 'This suggest that this virus was not engineered.' Also rubbishing claims the virus was built, Trevor Bedford, of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, told the American Association for the Advancement of Science in February: 'There is no evidence whatsoever of genetic engineering that we can find. 'The evidence we have is that the mutations (in the virus) are completely consistent with natural evolution.' At the time more than 100 genetic sequences of the virus had already been published. A more widely acceptable theory suggests that the virus came from bats before jumping to humans via a second intermediate source. Ms Yan wrote in her paper that theories the virus is from nature and the meat market in Wuhan are a 'smoke screen', alleging she was told this by CDC scientists working in China. She has previously accused Beijing of lying about when it learned of the killer infection and engaging in an extensive cover-up. Ms Yan claims she fled to Hong Kong and escaped to America in April to 'raise awareness' of the pandemic. She claims she was working at the Hong Kong School of Public Health, a reference laboratory for the World Health Organisation, but she was cut off after trying to alert people to human-to-human transmission of the virus in December. She also claims that before leaving China her information was wiped from the Government database. The lab has denied that Ms Yan ever 'conducted any research on human-to-human transmission' and said her assertions have 'no scientific basis'. It has been alleged that the Wuhan lab in China, pictured above, is where the coronavirus was developed. However, there is no evidence to back this claim In April incumbent US president Donald Trump claimed he had seen evidence that the coronavirus was built in a laboratory in Wuhan as he suggested the Government may impose sanctions on China in response. 'Yes I have. Yes I have,' Trump said when asked if he had seen proof the virus originated in the Wuhan Institute of Technology. However, the president would not divulge what the evidence was that confirmed his suspicions, when asked by a reporter. 'I can't tell you that. I am not allowed to tell you that,' he responded. The lab in question is located near the wet market in Wuhan, which is thought to have been the centre of the outbreak. Smartphone with Tik Tok logo is seen in front of displayed Oracle logo in this illustration By Echo Wang and Greg Roumeliotis (Reuters) - Oracle Corp said on Monday it would team up with China's ByteDance to keep TikTok operating in the United States, beating Microsoft Corp in a deal structured as a partnership rather than an outright sale. ByteDance, TikTok's Beijing-based owner, had been in talks to divest the U.S. business of its hugely popular short-video app to Oracle or Microsoft after U.S. President Donald Trump ordered the sale last month and said he might otherwise shut it down. While TikTok is best known for dancing videos that go viral among teenagers, U.S. officials are concerned user information could be passed to China's Communist Party government. TikTok, which has as many as 100 million U.S. users, has said it would never share such data with Chinese authorities. Sale negotiations were upended when China updated its export control rules last month, giving it a say over the transfer of TikTok's algorithm to a foreign buyer. Reuters reported last week that China would rather see TikTok shut down in the United States than allow a forced sale. Oracle said it was part of a proposal submitted by ByteDance to the U.S. Treasury Department over the weekend in which Oracle would serve as TikTok's "trusted technology provider." Oracle shares were up 6.3%. Under ByteDance's latest proposal, Oracle would assume management of TikTok's U.S. user data, sources told Reuters on Sunday. Oracle is also negotiating taking a stake in TikTok's U.S. operations, the sources added. The TikTok user data is currently stored in Alphabet Inc's cloud, with a backup in Singapore. Some of ByteDance's top investors, including General Atlantic and Sequoia, will also be given minority stakes in those operations, one of the sources said. PRECEDENT It is unclear whether Trump, who wants a U.S. technology company to own most of TikTok in the United States, will approve the deal. U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin told CNBC on Monday the administration would review it this week. Story continues "I will just say from our standpoint, we'll need to make sure that the code is, one, secure, Americans' data is secure, that the phones are secure and we'll be looking to have discussions with Oracle over the next few days with our technical teams," he said. Mnuchin said the deadline to approve a deal was Sept. 20 and that the current proposal included a commitment to create a U.S.-headquartered company with 20,000 new jobs. The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), which reviews deals for national security risk, is overseeing the ByteDance-Oracle talks, and Mnuchin said there would also be a separate national security review by the Trump administration. "User data protection and assurances around how the company's algorithms push content to U.S. users are thoughtful components of a substantive solution, but whether they can change political outcomes is a much more difficult question," said regulatory lawyer John Kabealo, who is not involved in the talks. ByteDance plans to argue that CFIUS' approval two years ago of China Oceanwide Holdings Group Co Ltd's purchase of U.S. insurer Genworth Financial Inc offers a precedent for its proposal with Oracle, the sources said. In that deal, China Oceanwide agreed to use a U.S.-based, third-party service to manage Genworth's U.S. policyholder data. ByteDance will argue a similar arrangement with Oracle can safeguard TikTok's U.S. user data, the sources said. "We can confirm that we've submitted a proposal to the Treasury Department which we believe would resolve the Administration's security concerns," TikTok said in a statement, without disclosing further details. ByteDance and Oracle did not respond to requests for comment. The White House declined to comment. China's foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin declined to comment on Monday when asked at a press conference about the TikTok deal, but said TikTok was being "encircled" and "coerced" in the United States into a transaction. "We urge the U.S. government to provide an open, fair, just and non-discriminatory environment for foreign firms operating and investing in the United States," he said. ELLISON AND TRUMP Oracle's chairman Larry Ellison is one of the tech world's few Trump supporters. His firm has significant technological prowess in handling and safeguarding data, but no social media experience as its clientele comprises companies, rather than consumers. On Sunday, Microsoft said it had been informed by ByteDance that the Chinese firm would not be selling it TikTok's U.S. operations. Walmart Inc , which had joined Microsoft's bid, said it was still interested in investing, and that it would talk further with ByteDance and other parties. As Sino-U.S. relations deteriorate over trade, Hong Kong's autonomy, cybersecurity and the spread of the coronavirus, TikTok has emerged as a flashpoint. As many as 40% of Americans back Trump's threat to ban TikTok if it is not sold to a U.S. buyer, a Reuters/Ipsos national poll found last month. Among Republicans - Trump's party - 69% said they supported the order, though only 32% expressed familiarity with the app. The White House has stepped up efforts to purge what it deems "untrusted" Chinese apps from U.S. digital networks. Beyond TikTok, Trump has also issued an order prohibiting transactions with Tencent Holding Ltd's <0700.HK> messenger app WeChat. Earlier this year, Chinese gaming company Beijing Kunlun Tech Co Ltd <300418.SZ> sold gay dating app Grindr, bought in 2016, for $620 million after CFIUS ordered its divestment. ByteDance acquired Shanghai-based video app Musical.ly - whose user base was largely American - for $1 billion in 2017 without seeking CFIUS approval, relaunching it as TikTok the following year. Reuters reported last year that CFIUS was investigating TikTok. (Reporting by Echo Wang and Greg Roumeliotis in New York; Additional reporting by David Shepardson and David Lawder in Washington, Melissa Fares in New York, Stephen Nellis in San Fransisco, Yingzhi Yang and Gabriel Crossley in Beijing; Writing by Joshua Franklin and Brenda Goh; Editing by Mark Potter, Nick Zieminski and Jonathan Oatis) Before Abe, Gus and Rudy Penas' beloved mother died of complications due to diabetes and kidney failure, she made her sons promise her that they would lead healthier lives. Nearly five years later, all three brothers have each lost at least 100 pounds and started their own business delivering healthy food to people in their hometown of Houston. "That really opened my eyes, that I needed to get it together," Abe Pena, 35, the oldest brother, told "Good Morning America" of his mother's death. "She always told me to take care of myself and I couldnt let her down." PHOTO: Abe, Gus and Rudy Pena pose with their mother before her death, in this undated photo. (Courtesy Abe Pena) Abe Pena took the lead of caring for his brothers, who were in their early 20s and late teens when their mom died. Their father had left the family a few years earlier, so the brothers were on their own after their mother's death when it came to taking care of themselves financially as well as physically and emotionally. "We lost our family house about a year after our mom died," he said. "We slept on friends couches and in our car until we could get back on our feet again." MORE: Brothers complete remarkable weight transformation to win $150K bet The brothers were helped by a complete stranger who heard about their situation and gave them $4,000 to put toward a house. From there, they each worked through the depression and shock of losing their mom to start to fulfill the promises they'd made to her. PHOTO: Abe Pena, of Texas, has lost more than 100 pounds. (Courtesy Abe Pena) "My mom was in her early 50s when she passed away, and I thought I didnt want to be in my moms predicament," said Gus Pena. "If I have kids, I want to see them grow. I want to know my grandchildren. I want to live life to the fullest." PHOTO: Gus Pena, of Texas, has lost more than 100 pounds. (Courtesy Abe Pena) The brothers motivated each other to exercise and to eat healthy, along with supporting Abe Pena's dream to open a healthy food delivery business, an idea he first put in action when he started cooking healthier meals for their ailing mother. "She gave me a list of what she was supposed to eat and I would cook for her and try to make her healthy foods taste better," said Abe Pena. "I started reading labels and getting into macronutrition and then I started meal prepping." Story continues MORE: A New Year's challenge at work kick-started this woman's 105-pound weight loss He started a business, Abe's Fitty Foods, that offers homemade, pre-packaged meals. As he and his brothers continued to lose weight, they also continued to grow the business, which their mom encouraged before her death. "She told me, Dont give up. Keep at it in life. Take care of your brothers for me. Your idea of Abes Fitty Foods is going somewhere,'" recalled Abe Pena. "She made me promise, and I did." PHOTO: Abe Pena, from left, and his brothers Gustavo Pena and Rudy Pena pose for a portrait, Aug. 6, 2020, at Texas Elite Fitness in Houston. (Jon Shapley/Houston Chronicle via AP) Rudy Pena, 24, the youngest brother, said his memory of his mom always encouraging him is what continues to push him to be his best today. He went from around 320 pounds at the time of her death to 215 pounds today. PHOTO: Rudy Pena, of Texas, has lost more than 100 pounds. (Courtesy Abe Pena) "I think most people dont understand a weight loss journey is a journey," he said. "You go up and down, not straight down." "My piece of advice is to keep trying," he added. 3 brothers lose 100 pounds each, launch healthy food business after mother's death originally appeared on goodmorningamerica.com It seems Venus has divulged one of its secrets in its clouds as traces of Phosphine were detected for the first time, implying that some unknown alien life form might be the source of the chemical. Besides Mars, Venus might be another planet that holds the promise of life. The reason for the speculation is that on the third planet from the sun, some microbes can exist in an environment with zero oxygen. Phosphine is composed of three hydrogen atoms but is not safe for humans. In 2017, the chemical was identified by scientists using telescopes based in Chile and Hawaii. To be exact, the chemical was detected at 33 to 39 miles above the Venusian surface, with intense heat and extreme pressure that is more than the earth, reported CNET. Findings of the existence of the chemical in another planet besides earth is a breakthrough. Despite some temperature and pressure variations, Venus is still the closest to an Earthian environment. Still, an acidic cloud of sulfur can run counter to the existence of life and might annihilate traces of Phosphine as well. According to Brendan Burn, an astrobiologist said that such conditions will not foster an environment that supports life despite the possibility of it on Venus, reported MSN. A group of scientists led by Jane Greaves from Cardiff University and the University of Cambridge discussed the find that was published by Nature Astronomy. One of the objectives of the study is to understand why the PH3 clouds are in Venus, which runs contrary to most observations here on Earth. Overall, it is an anomaly that needs to be given answers to how it even occurs. Also read: Perseverance Rover on Mars Will Deploy a Host of Technologies for Future Robotic Explorers The study explains why Venus has PH3 in its upper atmosphere, which might be unique to the planet or some yet undiscovered aspect of photochemistry or geochemistry, or possibly life that has not been identified yet. For the record, tracing the PH3 is only a conjecture with no solid evidence. Scientists on earth have not to encounter eccentric aspects of such bizarre interplanetary chemistry. One of the proposed solutions is sending robotic probes or any spacecraft to go to Venus and conduct sampling with experiments. Astronomers realize that it will hold many possibilities for science, noted Seattle Pi. David Grinspoon of the Planetary Science Institute said that it is very exciting with indications that it is a candidate biosignature that might signal life on another planet. One of the best bets yet cited WNREAL. He was not in a part of the discovery but is wrote about a cloud biosphere on Venus in 1997 and a proponent since. One of his statements is that Phosphine is will be common on rocky planets, this find reinforces his hypothesis. Based on the heat and pressure that is found there, the chemical should not even be detectible because it will be annihilated. Something is emitting it actively on Venus. Logically it will not be a non-living, but a biological source, confirmed Stamfordadvocate. Another scientist, Astronomer Stephen R. Kane at the University of California-Riverside, added as an observation that Venus might have alien life during any of its past epochs, saying that it might have been a billion years rolled back. Phosphine detected may be the last traces of an ancient atmosphere. Related article: Lava Tubes on the Moon and Mars Are Useful Shelters to Astronauts @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Credit: CC0 Public Domain Housing markets are preferred destinations for foreign investors looking for yields, vacation homes or safe havens, or for those dodging tax restraints and corruption crackdowns in their home countries. But demand for U.S. homes from foreign investors, especially Chinese, pushes up home prices, exacerbating concerns over housing affordability, according to new research from Wharton. House prices grew 8 percentage points more in U.S. zip codes with high foreign-born Chinese populations from 2012 to 2018, according to a paper titled "Global Capital and Local Assets: House Prices, Quantities, and Elasticities," authored by Wharton doctoral student Caitlin Gorback and Wharton real estate professor Benjamin Keys. "The big picture is we have an affordability crisis for housing in the cities where the jobs are," Keys said. "One of the real tensions in the U.S. housing market is that the places that are seeing sharp job growth are not creating new housing quickly enough to accommodate that job growth." The starkest example of disconnects between job growth and housing is the San Francisco Bay Area and specifically San Mateo County, said Keys. Since 2012, that region has had about a 30% increase in employment, but less than a 10% increase in housing units, he added. Keys blamed those housing shortages on zoning restrictions that deter new homebuilding, and rising construction costs. "There are about six times as many new jobs as there are new housing permits," he said. "There are a lot of hoops to jump through to get anything built in these places, especially to build in a way that is dense." Foreigners buying U.S. homes potentially exacerbate that problem of affordability, Keys continued. Chinese buyers have led foreign investments in U.S. homes for the past seven years. In 2019-2020, they bought U.S. home properties worth $11.5 billion, or little more than a sixth of the total, according to a report from the National Association of Realtors (NAR). Other investors in the top five came from Canada, Mexico, India and Colombia, in that order. (Colombia last year replaced the U.K. as the fifth-largest country of origin of foreign buyers). Foreign buyer purchases made up 4% of the $1.7 trillion existing-home sales last year, the NAR report noted. The research by Gorback and Keys also shows that house prices and rents have risen in places that have seen large doses of foreign investment. "That is in large part because the places where you see foreign buyers are those same places that have more dynamic economies and have more jobs." About half of the homes that foreigners buy are used as primary residences; the others serve as vacation homes, second homes or a pied-a-terre they visit occasionally, said Keys. "For example, a lot of the Canadian investment in U.S. homes is from snowbirds buying Florida houses." The Reach of a 'Demand Shock' Using foreign investment as a "demand shock," the paper also looks at how responsive housing development is to changes in price. "If prices rise in a market, does that spur construction? Does that lead to shovels in the ground?" asked Keys. Different markets respond differently to those triggers, and much depends on the availability of alternative locations nearby, he noted. The study found that housing markets are relatively inelastic to price changes in the short run of about 10 years. "Housing prices can move around much more rapidly than housing construction can," said Keys. He added that "coastal markets and markets that have had historically tighter zoning requirements appear to be more inelastic over this period," adding that this finding is consistent with prior research. Keys noted that their research provides "a new empirical estimate of these elasticities that hasn't been estimated using this approach or over this time period." It makes it possible "to compare and contrast and hopefully to calibrate urban economics models related to how responsive we would expect housing markets to be to different types of shocks," he added. The "demand shock" of foreign investment also triggers ripple effects in housing markets, the study found, citing Seattle as a case example. "In the case of Seattle, when you drill down geographically, you see this pattern of differential house price growth, not just in the high foreign-born neighborhoods, but in the neighborhoods that border those neighborhoods," said Keys. The Seattle example is part of the study's computation of the impact foreign capital flows have on house prices and supply for the largest 100 markets in the U.S. It found that local housing markets are price inelastic in the short run, but that is heterogeneous (or varies) across markets. Seattle displayed "a spillover effect" where investment in foreign-born Chinese neighborhoods pushes up housing prices in the nearby neighborhoods as well, Keys continued. Seattle also absorbs some of the demand redirected from Canada, where cities like Vancouver deter foreign ownership of homes through taxes, including on ownership of vacant homes, he added. Redirected Foreign Demand, Volatility The U.S. housing market is also particularly sensitive to tax restraints many countries impose on foreigners buying residential properties in their jurisdictions, the paper found. Some of the investors turned away from those countries head to the U.S., which does not have those tax restraints. Chinese investments in U.S. housing reflect in part a flight of capital from China in recent years, said Keys. "A big part of that was about wealthier Chinese citizens moving their money abroad to avoid taxes and to avoid scrutiny," he added. In fact, China in 2016 experienced "the greatest episode of capital flight in history," according to a Wall Street Journal report at the time. As those investors turned their attention to the U.S., its housing markets turned out to be more sensitive than previously thought, said Keys. "One surprising finding in our study is how responsive foreign investment is to tax policies imposed abroad," he added. "The takeaway for us is that these policies that are being imposed in countries like Singapore, Australia, Canada and New Zealand have a direct effect on the U.S. housing market." Several countries consciously regulate foreign investments in residential properties, recognizing the undesirable effects some of that could have, especially with speculation. The paper documents 10 policy events in five countries between 2011 and 2018 that made the U.S. housing market "relatively cheaper to invest in." The governments in those countries used tax policy to deter foreigners from buying housing properties and to curb speculation. Singapore was the first to introduce a foreign buyer tax in 2011 in the form of a stamp duty; it progressively increased that to 20% by July 2018. Hong Kong levies stamp duties of 30% on nonresident home buyers, which includes a duty on those who are not first-time buyers, including residents. Others that levy taxes on foreign buyers of residential properties include the governments of British Columbia and Ontario in Canada; Victoria in Australia; and New Zealand. British Columbia also levied a speculation and vacancy tax in certain communities. Many countries impose such "foreign real estate buyer taxes" in order to deter foreign capital inflows and stabilize housing prices in their markets, the paper's authors noted. While foreign investments have lifted home prices in select U.S. markets, they have declined in the last three years. Foreign inflows had been steadily increasing from $66 billion in 2009-2010 to $153 billion in 2016-2017, but have since dropped to $74 billion last year (2019-2020), according to the NAR report cited earlier. Chinese investments in U.S. housing have followed that pattern, falling from nearly $32 billion in 2016-2017 to $11.5 billion last year. Keys attributed that to China's capital controls in recent years and pressure on its citizens to unwind their investments abroad in order to shore up its domestic economy, as the Wall Street Journal reported. The U.S.-China trade war, U.S. controls on immigration and unfavorable exchange rates have also dampened Chinese investments in U.S. housing, he noted. What's Next for U.S. Housing? Keys said his study is timely now because "there's a big question about how the housing market will come back after COVID-19." He noted that several housing submarkets in the U.S. have seen "huge inflows of foreign investment" over the last 10 years. "If that dries up, it would represent an opportunity for domestic buyers and put downward pressure on prices, but that may be a bad thing for existing home owners." If the pandemic persists, foreign investments in U.S. homes would continue their decline, and cause home prices to fall, Keys predicted. In that setting, "clearly, there would be an advantage for domestic homebuyers," said Keys. "[Also], a decline in foreign investment may relax some of the affordability constraints to a modest degree in cities where the jobs are more plentiful than the housing in them." Some of the space vacated by Chinese and Canadian investors could be filled by those from Mexico, India and Colombia, which have shown rising appetites for U.S. homes. But such demand is "highly dependent" on U.S. federal policies, said Keys. U.S. policies on combating COVID-19 is the first factor, he added. "Relative to the alternative markets where foreign buyers may be considering, we as a country have done the worst job managing the COVID crisis. Investors who are deliberating between the other megacities of the world and are concerned about public health will steer their investments away from the U.S. at the moment." The outcome of the forthcoming U.S. presidential election could change some of those stakes. "At the moment, it feels like a difficult time for immigrants to feel welcome in this country, given the set of federal policies in place and the barriers to immigrate," said Keys. "So, a change in administration that is attached to a change in those policies could certainly reinvigorate investment in the U.S. housing market." Policy Prescriptions Could the U.S. do something to protect its housing markets from unfavorable foreign investment? Policy makers could weigh the speed and magnitude at which foreign capital flows would decline, if the U.S. were to impose "a large foreign buyer tax" to deter foreign investments in housing, said Keys. Such investments "appear to be quite elastic" to the imposition of a foreign-buyer tax, he added. "My concern is largely one of unused housing units, especially in expensive areas," said Keys. A vacancy tax similar to that in Vancouver is "worth considering," he added. "One of the things that rapid flows of investment could do is they can distort construction efforts and put additional resources towards building properties that foreign investors may want only in the short term, but then that housing stock will last a very long time." Keys also urged state and local governments to re-examine zoning and height restrictions, and the time delays that permitting for new construction entails. "The number of hurdles to jump through makes it so challenging to develop affordable housing in the U.S.," he added. Some states like California have already begun taking legislative action to push local communities to change their zoning rules, he noted. Explore further Empty homes tax may be more effective than new builds at making housing more affordable More information: Caitlin Gorback et al. Global Capital and Local Assets: House Prices, Quantities, and Elasticities, (2020). Caitlin Gorback et al. Global Capital and Local Assets: House Prices, Quantities, and Elasticities,(2020). DOI: 10.3386/w27370 Medical referral kickback is a leading cause of why a majority of Nigerians who pay for medical bills out of pocket are increasingly finding it difficult affording treatment for illness as well as the main cause of misdiagnosis and other medical complications, medical laboratory scientists and physicians told PREMIUM TIMES. The experts also identified lax regulation as the reason the fraudulent referral kickback scheme has become entrenched. Describing fee-splitting and the payment of kickbacks to doctors as racketeering, criminal, and unethical, the Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria (AMLSN), the professional association of medical laboratory practitioners in the country, told PREMIUM TIMES that the practice is not only entrenched but one of the banes of the health sector in Nigeria. Any place that relies on a referral laboratory service, you can be sure that they are doing fee-splitting, Casimir Ifeanyi, the national publicity secretary of AMLSN told PREMIUM TIMES. It is racketeering. It is destroying the system. Mr Ifeanyi added that the practice of fee-splitting ultimately affects the quality of diagnoses conducted by laboratories. They pay from 20 to sometimes 30 and 40 per cent, he said. If I have to pay that much to someone else, what will happen is that such operator will clandestinely cut corners and compromise the system because I do not see you following standard operating procedure to analyse samples using the requisite material and all the inputs and break-even so much so that you can part with up to 35 per cent. Medical misdiagnosis is one of the leading causes of deaths in the country. In a 2018 publication, a former president of AMLSN, Toyosi Raheem, told the Nation newspaper that misdiagnosis results in administering the wrong treatment on patients and prolong hospital stay. It may also cause further damage, prolonged hospital stay, unnecessary financial burden and may cause death. This will also lead to relative poor rating of Nigerian healthcare services when compared to other countries of the world, he reportedly told the newspaper. Mr Raheem blamed the incidence of misdiagnosis in the country on the use of substandard reagent and equipment by medical laboratory services providers, and on regulatory failure. Fake or substandard medical diagnostic devices/equipment and their accessories find their ways into the Nigerian market through the porous Nigerian borders. Inadequate regulatory activities of health regulatory bodies e.g. Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria, Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria etc. These health regulatory bodies statutorily regulate the activities, equipment and work environments of the respective health professionals. When the regulatory activities of the health regulatory bodies are absent, inadequate or frustrated, medical misdiagnoses will increase and sanctions on offenders will be slowed down or impossible, Mr Raheem said. Paschal Achunine of Health Emergency Initiative (HEI), a not-for-profit organisation that provides medical assistance for people who are financially distressed, said this kickback arrangement does not only lead to a hike in the cost of medical diagnosis, doctors are enticed to send patients for unnecessary tests knowing that the higher the volume of the referral they make the more money that will accrue to them. It means that the patient potentially pays out of his pocket. Because the doctor has a cut, there are three things that would happen, the patient will pay more for that lab, there might even be some tests that are not required but in order to increase the cumulative income of the doctor he could add those tests, it is percentage based and the doctor will have more money accrued to him, he said. Because Nigerians dont have recourse to the law, people feel they are helpless because the legal system is not effective. The goldmine of the healthcare sector Although there are no official data of the actual revenue of hospitals and diagnostic centres in the country, a group of Nigerian doctors, who are opposed to the unethical referral kickback scheme, in 2018 estimated that at least N4.8 billion naira is stolen annually from poor Nigerians, majority of who pay for medical bills out of pocket. The doctors, who asked not to be identified because they fear they would be blacklisted by their colleagues and diagnostic centres, explained that they arrived at the estimate by computing the monthly revenue of some leading diagnostics firms in the country. The doctors also estimated that another $50 million (being 5 per cent of the $1 billion Nigerians spend on medical tourism yearly, according to a Nigerian Ministry of Health estimate) is paid to doctors and others for referral for treatment abroad. If one considers the large number of unregistered diagnostic centres in the country and the estimated 8.5 per cent compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of the sector, the annual amount lost to this cut arrangement is several times the value of the estimate arrived at by the doctors. Also, the Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria (AMLSN), the professional body of medical laboratory practitioners in the country, said medical laboratory services are the goldmine of the health sector. If a hospital, private or public, turns in N1 billion in a year, 70 per cent of that N1 billion gross earnings are earned from laboratory testing, Mr Ifeanyi, the spokesperson for AMLSN told PREMIUM TIMES. He said the earnings from the pharmaceutical and hospital consulting sub-sector of the healthcare sector do not come close to what accrued from medical laboratories. There is no drug that you will buy, there is no consultation fee you will pay, that will be several hundred per cents the cost of rendering that service. So, the goldmine in the health sector is the medical laboratory science profession, Mr Ifeanyi added. Loose regulation In spite of how entrenched this illicit practice is, the regulators who should be protecting the public seems to be doing nothing about it. Advertisements PREMIUM TIMES sent an email to the Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria asking what it is doing to stop the practice but weeks after the email was sent the council neither acknowledged nor replied. When a reporter from this newspaper visited the head office of the council in Abuja, an official of its Corporate Affairs and Public Relations unit, who refused to say her name, swore she has never heard of fee-splitting between hospitals and diagnostic centres before. We have not had any case of medical laboratories paying doctors since we started. It is unheard of and it is impossible for medical lab scientists to pay doctors a percentage of their fee, she said. When reached for comment, the Medical and Dental Council of Nigerian (MDCN) said doctors reported for such misconducts are prosecuted by its disciplinary tribunal. It, however, added that its disciplinary tribunal only reconvened in 2019 after four years of inactivity following the Nigerian governments dissolution of the boards of agencies and parastatals in 2015. The council added that after it reconvened in 2019, its disciplinary tribunal has, however, prosecuted two cases of fee-splitting. The Tribunal has tried the concerned doctors, Enejo Abdu, an assistant registrar in charge of professional discipline, said in an email. One was found guilty and suspended from practising Medicine in Nigeria for six months. However, Mr Abdu did not reveal the identity of the doctor that was sanctioned. Innocent Ujah, the President of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), said he was unaware doctors receive kickbacks from medical laboratory service providers. But when pressed further, he suggested that there was nothing wrong with the practice and compared it with the commission earned by beer suppliers from breweries. Mr Ujah made his shocking and ludicrous comparison despite the Nigerian Code of Medical Ethics expressly prohibiting doctors from earning commissions from referrals and other services provided. I am not aware of that as the NMA president, he said. You said anybody. So, it doesnt have to be a doctor. If you say they claim (to be doctors), then I dont agree with you. If you say you are a doctor and they (diagnostic centres) dont verify, then it is their own business. If I am doing business with you, lets say a carton of beer and I say if I sell to you, I need a commission, that is a commission actually. Is that not what you are saying? And it is not about doctors alone, it is about anybody who refers a patient to them. There must be an understanding; an MoU, he said. When asked if the practice wont ultimately lead to an increase in the cost of diagnosis, Mr Ujah initially said he was not in a position to comment but admitted that that was the case when pressed further. Mr Ujah, however, became furious when told that the diagnostic centres that were the subject of this investigation made no attempt to verify if this reporter, posing as a doctor, was indeed a doctor. You went as a private doctor and was not identified by anybody? Then that person is a fool. That shows how porous Nigeria is. That means anybody who goes anywhere and says I am a doctor people do not bother. That is why many people are being killed anyhow. If you come to me and say you are a doctor, you must show evidence that you are a doctor before I will talk to you. The greed in us as people. That means our patients are not protected, he said. But while Nigerian regulators snore away, ethical watchdogs elsewhere are wielding the big stick against doctors and laboratories involved in fraudulent practices. In 2014, Nigerian-born Chikezie Onyenso, a certified paediatrician was sentenced to 20 months in prison for soliciting and taking cash and rental payments as kickbacks for his patients diagnostic testing referrals, the United States Department of Justice announced in a statement. Onyenso was a licensed and board-certified paediatrician and internist who owned his own medical practice, Total Support Medical Group, in Irvington, N.J. From the summer of 2010 through December 2011 he conspired to take illegal kickbacks in exchange for sending his patients to Orange MRI. Onyenso sought and accepted thousands of dollars of cash in envelopes in exchange for referring his Medicare and Medicaid patients to Orange MRI for MRIs and CAT scans. For his ultrasound referrals, Onyenso received from Orange MRI more than $25,000 in kickback payments disguised as rental payments and documented by a bogus, $1,000-per-square-foot lease. He was recorded taking cash kickbacks in his Irvington office on Oct. 11, 2011, and Nov. 22, 2011, the statement stated. The judge ordered Mr Onyenso to pay a fine of $40,000 and ordered him to forfeit $42,176. Similarly, Ashokkumar Babaria, an Indian American radiologist was sentenced to 46 months in prison for a referral scam and ordered to forfeit $2 million. Not done in Patients best interest Ike Anya, a London-based doctor, said the practice of paying kickbacks to doctors for referrals is not a recent occurrence. He said the practice was very much in play in the 1990s when he was a young doctor in Nigeria. Dr Anya, who also teaches Ethics at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), said the practice is one hitting at the core of medical ethics. If a doctor is benefitting from a referral how are the patients convinced that the referral is in their own best interest and not motivated by the doctors benefits. There is no way of telling that, he said. That is why medical ethics states that you are always making decisions in the patients best interest and not any other considerations and certainly not for financial benefits to yourself. Dr Anya said although the practice of paying and collecting kickbacks in the health industry is not unique to Nigeria, in other places where it occurs, regulators are quick to put it in check, unlike Nigeria. It has been shown to happen even in the US and in the UK in various forms private hospitals having some form of formal arrangements where they try to steer patients towards each other, he said. The challenge, particularly in Nigeria, is where is the regulator in all of these? He said in a situation where the statutory regulator in Nigeria was without a board for four years makes regulation even more porous. He said doctors and other medical practitioners need constant reminders of the ethics of their professions. He also said campaigns to enlighten the public about possible unethical practices and their rights may help to dissuade some medical practitioners from indulging in unethical practices. There is the question of the educators of doctors and medical laboratory scientists. Medical ethics is something that is not emphasis much in our training in Nigeria, Dr Anya added. In terms of solutions, regulators need to up their game. There is a need for constant education about ethics to doctors and medical practitioners. Public awareness but what is the patient going to do? When a patient is going to the doctor there is what the economists call asymmetry of information. The doctor is the one who knows what tests you need. It is the doctor that knows that. And if they say to you go to this lab, you are not in a position to say I dont want to go to that lab. Also, when you are ill, it automatically puts you in a vulnerable position, no matter how powerful or how rich you are when you are ill, you just want to get better. You just want to do whatever it is to get better. In spite of that, there should be public awareness and campaign to tell patients that this is what is going on, maybe if more patients start asking questions, it might turn some people to stop. We will investigate laboratories if presented with evidence of wrongdoing Consumer Agency The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) said it is neither aware of the rebate arrangement between diagnostic centres and doctor nor has it received any complaint of that nature. It, however, vowed to intervene, using the appropriate legislations, if presented with evidence of such unethical practices. A key and flagship initiative of the FCCPC is the Patients Bill of Rights (PBoR), which requires transparency in billing and full disclosure of necessary procedures and cost of such procedures by the relevant facility. As such, under the PBoR, this would be wrong, the director-general of the commission, Tunde Irukera, told PREMIUM TIMES. In addition, S.17(g) and (s) prohibit unfair, unconscionable, obnoxious and deceptive marketing, trading and business practices as well as unscrupulous exploitation of consumers. With respect to direct provisions on pricing S.115, 127 prohibit unclear and well as unreasonable or manifestly unjust pricing (gouging or profiteering), while S.124 prohibits unfair dealings such as using unfair tactics to take advantage of consumers, or anyones vulnerability. With the combination of these provisions, if the FCCPC has probable cause or receives credible allegations or intelligence, the Commission will certainly proceed to open an investigation into the operations of the target of the investigation, and to the extent that evidence leads further, broaden the investigation to address an expanded scope if its an industry-wide practice. In addition, the FCCPC will coordinate and collaborate with the relevant professional disciplinary regulator and provide the outcome of its investigation to see any professional disciplinary action required, where applicable, he said. He said the outcome of its investigation and consequences will result in a behavioural modification and a regulatory tool that prevents continuing abuse. Mr Irukera also said consumer education about the existence of the practice will help in addressing it. Further, consumer education about the existence of such a problem, and advice to consumers about their rights in the circumstances will assist in addressing the problem. Finally, engagement and advocacy with the relevant trade or professional associations about enforcing their ethics or other behavioural codes will be helpful, he said. ====== ====== CHICAGO, Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- As the pandemic continues to grip the US, the nation's top emergency physicians will gather virtually next month. The American College of Osteopathic Emergency Physicians' (ACOEP) fall virtual conference, Scientific Assembly: ReimaginED, will take place October 11th 14th. The event will feature some of the greatest minds and biggest names in the emergency medicine field including Dr. Salim Rezaie, Dr. K. Kay Moody, Dr. Jaime Hope and Dr. Steve Aks among others. The event will be only the second time the group has met virtually in its over 40-year history. But as flu season sets to kick off, and with the pandemic showing no signs of slowing down, the move to a virtual format provides intensely busy physicians flexibility to hone their skills from anywhere in the country. "Undoubtedly, this fall will we see an increase in not only cases of COVID-19 but also the flu. It is important we as physicians set an example both for our patients as well as the community," says Dr. Chris Colbert, chair of continuing medical education for the ACOEP and Assistant Program Director of the emergency medicine residency program at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Disaster medicine, risk management and COVID-19 will be among the hot topics of discussion, specifically what doctors have learned since the pandemic began, the rising spread in children and how emergency rooms will handle a "Twindemic," both the flu and COVID combined, in the coming weeks. "It is a scary time as physicians, we have been fighting this battle on the front lines for months and we are exhausted. But now more than ever it is important for our field to stay on top of the latest medical advancements to give our patients the absolute best outcome," adds Dr. Colbert. Pandemic or not, physicians are required by law to fulfill their academic requirement of obtaining CME credits annually, and ACOEP is proud to offer ample credits for both MD and DO physicians through dual accreditation. This virtual seminar is open to physicians, residents, and medical students, as well as allied health professionals. To learn more about ACOEP or to sign up for the 2020 Scientific Assembly: ReimaginED click here. SOURCE The American College of Osteopathic Emergency Physicians Related Links https://acoep.org Police exhume a mass grave linked to a religious cult in remote Panama. (Panama Public Prosecutor) Authorities in Panama have discovered a mass grave they believe contains the bodies of people tortured and killed by a religious cult. Investigators had to hike through the mountains for 10 hours to reach the grave in a remote indigenous province in the countrys north-west. Skeletal remains are being removed from the grave where they will later be forensically examined. The discovery comes after another grave containing seven bodies was exhumed in January. Police alleged an indigenous-run religious sect performed exorcisms on victims to make them repent for their sins. The deceased victims included a pregnant mother and her five children, and the familys teenage neighbour. A further 15 people were being held captive in a makeshift church and forced to participate in bizarre rituals which included the sacrifice of a goat. Public prosecutor Azael Tugri said they believe a different sect is responsible for the new mass grave. At this time it is not possible to determine either the sex or the number of people [found in the grave], he told local media. The grave is located about 210 miles west of Panama City on the jungle-clad Caribbean coast. All the remains will be sent to a morgue where a forensic examination will be carried out. Earlier this week, police arrested the alleged leader of the New Light of God over Januarys mass grave discovery. Authorities were alerted to the cult after three villagers managed to escape to a hospital and raise the alarm. They told police their torturers tried to remove the demons by attacking them with machetes, sticks and bibles. The cult had reportedly been preying on local villagers for three months before police got to them. Authorities believe the 15 survivors would have also been killed if they werent found in time. Read more Mass grave discovered in Japan with bodies buried in circular holes Sudan uncovers mass grave likely connected to thwarted 1990 coup Skeletons of 21 children found in mass grave in Sri Lanka with 'signs of torture' Cult anointed by God killed pregnant woman and five of her children in Panama by forcing them to walk through fire, locals say ALBUQUERQUE, N.M., Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Montessori ONE Academy, an internationally accredited (Association Montessori Internationale) school has taken a unique approach to serving parents and children looking for consistent, quality education during the pandemic. Montessori ONE Academy offers two full-time programs: On-campus, in-classroom learning to residents in the Albuquerque area and Distance Learning to students ages 4-12 living anywhere in the continental United States. "We recognized a need in our community for safe, quality education on a consistent schedule that would allow parents and teachers to continue to work; meet children's emotional, social, and intellectual needs; and give everyone peace of mind during an incredibly stressful time. We knew that if our community was looking for these solutions, so were other communities in the United States. Our response was to provide parents and children with exactly what they were asking for." Tina Patel, Founder/Director, Montessori ONE Academy The full-time On Campus Learning programs serve infant, preschool, and elementary students, ages six weeks to 12 years. To ensure the safety of students and staff, the school conducted extensive research, collaborated with the state health department, and consulted with educational and national health institutions. Their Covid-19 Safety Protocols rolled out on June 3, 2020 for the Summer program. Protocols include: Access restricted to students and staff Mobile app to manage arrivals and departures Daily health questionnaire and temperature check Sanitation stations at entrance and exit Sanitation stations in each classroom Dedicated kitchenettes and restrooms Frequent hand washing Independent workstations and supplies Small class sizes Designated pick-up areas for each class Daily UV and disinfectant fogging Mask requirements The school's safety protocols rely on what they refer to as a "Pod System". "Each classroom is a Pod. The students and teachers operate exclusively within their pod. They eat together, recess together, and have access to a dedicated restroom and kitchenette. Because mixed age groups are a hallmark of Montessori practice, we have grouped siblings together where possible. To maintain the integrity of each Pod and ensure minimum risk of exposure to Covid-19, the Pods are smallno more than 10 individuals per current state mandates-- and the individuals within don't cross with those in another Pod." Tina Patel, Founder/Director Montessori ONE Academy Montessori ONE Academy parents whose children are enrolled in the On Campus Learning Program universally agree that its safety protocols, full-time schedule, nurturing environment, and quality academics have set the bar extremely high. "We felt that if our children could return to school with an exceptional measure of safety, it would not only be in their emotional and intellectual best interests, but in ours as working parents. Montessori ONE is going above and beyond to ensure student and staff safety. Our children are loving school and, as parents, we feel extremely confident that risks are minimized." Danielle W., Parent In March, Montessori ONE piloted their full-time Distance Learning Program for existing students in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. Feedback was so positive, the program is now being offered to students ages 412 living anywhere in the continental United States. Montessori ONE's Distance Learning Program offers an authentic Montessori curriculum, including: Mixed age group lessons Individualized attention Montessori materials Virtual social interaction Spanish language lessons Science experiments Parents are required to provide: A laptop or tablet Internet connection Basic school supplies Dedicated workspace Organized storage "My son is in First Grade and he is excelling academically while learning real life skills such as time management, public speaking, and presentations. He is taking enormous pride in his work. He has mentors within the classroom he can lean into and has a close, nurturing rapport with his teacher. While most of us just hope we can weather this new normal, my son is excelling at school and in life right now." -- Anonymous, Parent Montessori ONE is partnering with other private Montessori schools around the country to provide those students with authentic Montessori distance learning until their schools can reopen. "The pandemic created a need for Montessori institutions to adapt quickly, but not every school had the resources to do what we did. Currently, not every school can reopen whether it is due to resources or health and safety concerns. We want to support Montessori schools and help their communities remain intact. We want Montessori parents to know that there is a safe, high-quality, Montessori distance learning option for preschool and elementary children until our partner schools can reopen." Tina Patel, Founder/Director of Montessori ONE Academy Both Montessori ONE programs are currently accepting applications for the 2020-2021 school year. Montessori ONE Academy is offering students a free trial day to experience the Distance Learning program before enrolling. Albuquerque-area parents interested in the On Campus Learning option can schedule a personal virtual tour to learn more. Photos: https://www.prlog.org/12837887 Press release distributed by PRLog SOURCE Montessori ONE Academy 15.09.2020 LISTEN The National Commission on Civic Education is demanding urgent action to halt the severe effects of human activity on Ghanas environment as degradation, deforestation; unregulated mining and unsafe environmental practices assume an alarming state. The Commission is rallying around the media on a behavioural-change campaign to educate the nation on the imminent dangers while pushing for changes in Ghanas Environmental governance policies. Jolting journalists to reality at a days workshop held by the NCCE in Kumasi, Executive Secretary of the Media Foundation for West Africa Suleman Braima relayed the urgency needed to put environmental hazards on the front burners of national discussions. He instructed, It doesnt matter whether you are an advocate, a civil servant or journalist, this should be an important issue to you. We are witnessing severe droughts with devastating famine conditions. In Accra this year, we have not experienced rains over July and August and we are in September and that is strange, He pointed out. Per results released by multiple environmental studies on Ghana; by the year 2050, Cocoa will no longer be Ghanas highest-earning cash crop as the Western region which produces the mass of Ghanas cocoa will no longer be fertile for cocoa production. Ghana might be forced to begin importing drinking water as 60% of all Ghanas freshwater bodies are already polluted as a result of galamsey and dumping of waste into water bodies. Research also points to a high possibility that in the next ten years, the once green country will lose its forest cover to illegal lumbering. Deputy Commissioner for the NCCE, Kathleen Addie would give no excuse to the media on its concentration on politics and sensationalism in an election year. She warned it will be too late to remedy the consequences if the nation is not alerted on the lapses of environmental governance in Ghana. She stressed, The role of the media is to craft the story in such a way that people pause and ask it is really the case that we want to live in a city that has no trees, cities that do not have parks, where coastal areas are filthy, where there is deforestation, the concretization of every space, where galamsey is affecting all our water bodies. Ashanti Region director for the NCCE Raphael Arthur Wilson called on the media in Kumasi to support it to tackle the problems of indiscriminate tree felling and improper disposal of plastic waste. The people know what they are doing is wrong but when the media crafts it in a better way, it will appeal to them to halt their actions, he insisted. Media practitioners took pledges to join the fight to save Ghanas environment as part of their duty towards the nation. I am encouraged to design a program to highlight the effects of Illegal logging and sand winning which is a problem for our area at Wenchi and Tachiman and if even I dont get awarded for this, I know I have done my bit to protect the natural resources in my area, Yaw Omono Asamoah of K.FM in Tachiman resolved. When it comes to environmental degradation in my area since I am in a farming community, I will want to focus on the improper use of agrochemicals for farming because thats our major problem aside dumping of waste into water bodies, Agyenkwa FM's Koo Gyamfi told reporter Ivan Heathcote Fumador. The European Union-funded engagements that forms part of the Accountability, Rule of Law, and Anticorruption Program (ARAP) is expected to affect advocacy and policy change in Environmental governance and anticorruption in Ghana. Flagbearer of the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama, remains a big obstacle or hindrance likely to impede the progress and development of Ghanaian youth according to NPP National Organizer, Sammi Awuku. Sammi Awuku indicated that John Dramani Mahama and his party failed to implement formidable policies and programmes aimed at promoting youth development. Speaking on Citi TV's Current Affairs programme, The Point of View, Sammi Awuku charged Ghanaians to reject the opposition NDC because the party has little to offer. Mr. Mahama remains the biggest obstacle to the advancement of our youth development. In 2008, the NDC did promise that they will legalize Galamsey activities so there was a mad rush for people to go into that venture yet the government at the time stayed aloof. They did not regulate these activities and this led to the pollution of our environment. Mr. Awuku also criticized Mahama for promising to legalize Okada if elected. The NDC under Mr. Mahama, for the avoidance of doubt, declared Okada business illegal. It was under him [Mr. Mahama]. So now, is it one of the mistakes he wants to come and correct? He said the party intends introducing policies that will not put the lives of the youth at risk Our plan is not to put lives on the streets and put them at risk. If we need to support these young ones, we surely will. --CitinewsRoom Democrat Sara Gideon's campaign is knocking on voters doors in her close Senate race in Maine. So is Steve Bullock in Montana, another one of the nations most competitive Senate contests. Democratic candidates in state legislative races in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Louisiana are doing the same. For months, down-ballot Democrats followed Joe Bidens lead and stopped door-to-door campaigning in an effort to prevent people from catching Covid-19 and appear more socially responsible than Republicans. President Donald Trumps campaign and other GOP candidates, by contrast, have downplayed the pandemic and been knocking on voters doors for months. But with anxiety growing in the final sprint before Election Day, an increasing number of Democrats up and down the ballot are making the call to stop ceding voters doors to the GOP a decision that could increase pressure on Bidens campaign to restart the traditional election-year practice. Democratic candidates who have returned to canvassing said they are adhering to strict safety protocols, as well as asking voters if they are comfortable with their presence. The campaign is knocking, but its entirely volunteer for staff and volunteers, said Matt McKenna, a spokesperson for Bullocks campaign. Everyone is wearing masks and taking every precaution. Fearful that they might be out-organized by Trumps campaign aides to the president have bragged that they are knocking on 1 million doors a week nationwide some outside groups have pressed Bidens campaign to hit doors again. But if the campaign resumed, Biden could open himself up to criticism: It would be an implicit admission that he thinks the public health crisis has eased after making Trumps mishandling of the coronavirus the centerpiece of his campaign. "While you might hear our opponent spend a lot of time talking about the millions of door knocks or attempts that they're making week to week, those metrics actually don't have any impact on reaching voters," Jen O'Malley Dillon, Biden's campaign manager, said during a call with reporters earlier this month. "Our metric of success, the numbers we look at and use, are conversations [with voters]." Story continues Even so, canvassing has been a constant topic of debate among Democrats in recent weeks. In calls between the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and its frontline candidates those vying for the most competitive seats in the country some campaigns are bringing up door-knocking nearly every week, said a person familiar with the talks. The candidates have expressed concerns about the DCCCs decision to avoid door-knocking, the source said. Some campaigns are looking to restart canvassing in the final stretch regardless of what the Biden campaign does, according to one Democratic campaign official. The DCCC told POLITICO that resuming door-knocking requires an approach that you can replicate everywhere, from the suburbs of Cincinnati to a Native American reservation in Montana. Democratic presidential candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden departs after speaking about climate change and wildfires affecting western states, Monday, Sept. 14, 2020, in Wilmington, Del. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky) In-person campaigning was one of the subjects of a private call last week in Pennsylvania between Biden campaign officials and state party leaders. In a sign of the partys mounting anxiety over the issue, Democrats in the critical battleground state left the call with wildly different interpretations of the conversation. Some top state party officials told POLITICO after the call that the Biden team discussed the possibility of a return to door-knocking, though it had not made any final decisions. But Biden aides insisted they are not considering that and that there must have been a misunderstanding: They said they only talked about plans to begin door-to-door literature drops essentially canvassing, but with more limited, if any, human contact and open distribution centers where people can pick up signs and other campaign materials. If you asked anybody off the record from the Biden campaign, I think theyd be like Yeah, we want to be on doors. The reality is we still have a pandemic going on, said Jason Henry, executive director of the Pennsylvania Democratic Party, afterward. Those conversations are still being had because we want to make sure we do this safely. Some Pennsylvania Democrats are not waiting for Bidens imprimatur and have taken matters into their own hands. The Democratic Party in Erie County, Pa. a key area that Trump won in 2016 after former President Barack Obama carried it four years earlier said it has engaged in what it calls soft talk with voters while dropping off literature and materials at their homes. Folks will come out and talk to us and I feel like its a more fruitful conversation, said Jim Wertz, chair of the Erie County Democrats. They come out and talk to us about Joe Biden and how do I get signs." The Maine Democratic Party field staff is also doing some limited door-knocking with public health precautions in place, including masks, gloves, hand sanitizer and keeping more than six feet of distance from the doors after knocking, said a spokesperson for Gideon's campaign, which, by tradition, coordinates its field program through the state party. The Montana Democratic Party is doing door-to-door campaigning as well. Julie Slomski, a state Senate candidate seeking to flip a red seat in Pennsylvania, said she wears a mask, uses hand sanitizer, rings doorbells with her knuckles and stays 12 steps away while door-knocking. She said she always asks voters if they are comfortable with her being there when she greets them. I havent had anybody say no yet, she said. I start off with, How have you been during the pandemic? Is there anything we can do to help connect some dots? Some folks say they might need some masks and I purchase them masks. Ryan Bizzarro, a state representative running for reelection in an Erie County, Pa., district that Trump won in 2016, said his campaign resumed door-knocking with multiple safety precautions more than a month ago. I think running a virtual campaign is important, he said. But on Nov. 3, I dont want there to be a, 'What if? What if I would have been on the ground? What if? I dont want that. In the swing state of Wisconsin, Lee Snodgrass one of the state party's vice chairs also running for the state assembly has also been knocking on doors herself. "Voter contact is how you get votes," she told her local NPR affiliate. For many Democrats, though, door-knocking remains a fraught topic. The Pennsylvania Democratic Party did not respond to repeated questions about whether its coordinated campaign supporting Biden and down-ballot candidates is discussing the possibility of door-knocking again. Some congressional candidates likewise did not respond to inquiries about their plans. The Trump campaign and Republican National Committee said they knocked on 150,000 doors in Pennsylvania last week alone, for a total of 1 million since it restarted canvassing there in mid-June. The campaign also claims to have knocked on 14 million doors in targeted states since that period amid the pandemic, with many volunteers posting pictures of themselves with the hashtag #leadright. Some media reports have raised questions about the veracity of the Trump teams ground game strength, however. Republicans have criticized Biden as hypocritical for supporting Black Lives Matter protests amid the pandemic. In June, a Biden aide argued that there was no evidence that a spike in Covid-19 cases was the result of protests, and that the campaign was following guidelines from public health officials. The RNC declined to say whether any field staffers or volunteers have tested positive for Covid-19, but said every staff member is provided an eight-page document of health protocols, including guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The committee said it provides canvassers with masks and encourages them to take a few steps back after knocking on doors. A spokesperson added that the committee has spent over $100,000 on personal protective equipment and office cleaning. David Siders contributed to this report. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-15 22:38:17|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close CAIRO, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- The Egyptian supreme court upheld on Tuesday a three-year sentence in prison against Safwat el-Sherif, former information minister under late President Hosni Mubarak, over charges of illicit gains. The court also confirmed a fine of 6.3 million U.S. dollars against el-Sherif, who was also secretary general of Mubarak's then ruling National Democratic Party. His sons were acquitted of similar charges in 2018. El-Sherif and several other Mubarak-era figures either have been jailed or are still on trial over corruption, embezzlement and inciting violence against protesters who toppled Mubarak in 2011. Enditem Bexar County surpassed 50,000 confirmed coronavirus infections on Monday but reported no new deaths for the first time in more than a month. The county recorded 101 new cases, bringing its cumulative case count to 50,016. About 2.5 percent of the countys 2 million residents have now contracted the virus since the first local case was detected March 13. On Sunday, local health officials confirmed that 1,016 residents have died of COVID-19 since the first death was recorded later in March. The vast majority of those deaths came from a dramatic surge of infections over the summer following the reopening of businesses and other public facilities statewide. Monday was the first time since July 27 that officials reported no new fatalities, which lag behind other measures of the pandemic. On ExpressNews.com: Bexar Countys verified coronavirus death toll breaks 1,000 as Metro Health seeks to erase backlog We are very thankful that we have no new deaths to report from COVID-19, Mayor Ron Nirenberg said during the daily coronavirus briefing. Thats a great thing. San Antonios other metrics for measuring coronavirus transmission continue to show that the virus is loosening its grip on the area. COVID hospitalizations, which have been trending steadily downward since their peak of more than 1,200 in mid-July, stood at 248 patients on Monday, with 18 new admissions from the previous day. Of those in the hospital, 105 were critically ill and 51 were on ventilators. Officials said the pandemics stress on area hospitals remains in the yellow steady zone. Four of the seven warning indicators they are relying on to gauge the severity of the local coronavirus epidemic are in the green safe zone. Overall, we remain in the high end of the safe risk level, so please continue to be vigilant and follow the safety protocols when you leave your house, Nirenberg said. On ExpressNews.com: What if we pull the plug too early?: In the age of COVID-19, decisions about death are fraught. The positivity rate, or percentage of tests identifying an infection, dropped to 6 percent, down from 6.7 percent the previous week. It continues to inch its way toward health officials goal of 5 percent or lower. The doubling time time for cumulative case counts to double has risen to 90 days. The seven-day average of new cases has dropped to 128 per day, Nirenberg said. That figure still remains far higher than the case counts the San Antonio area was recording before the surge began in early June. The numbers do look a lot, lot better, said Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff. But he noted that it will still be some time before the data will indicate whether new infections were seeded over the Labor Day weekend or as a result of partial school reopenings that began last week across Bexar County. As local conditions have improved, officials have cautioned the public that the virus could enjoy a resurgence if masking and physical distancing measures are relaxed. Even with tens of thousands of infections, the metropolitan area is far from herd immunity, leaving it vulnerable to COVID-19. The positivity rate has a good chance of continuing to drop, Wolff said, as long as there is not a big blowup from the holidays. As the flu season approaches, Nirenberg urged residents to get vaccinated to protect themselves from potentially contracting influenza and the coronavirus at the same time. Lauren Caruba covers health care and medicine in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. To read more from Lauren, become a subscriber. lcaruba@express-news.net | Twitter: @LaurenCaruba The new 2020-2021 academic year began one week ago, but many parents in HCM City and Dong Nai province complain that they still cannot buy textbooks for their children. Nguyen Minh Nguyet, a parent in district 2, HCM City, sighed with relief as she finally managed to buy a set of textbooks for her child. I ran high and low all the day today, traveled no less than 50 kilometers, to buy a set of textbooks for ninth grade, she told reporters. Nguyet believes that textbook shortages only occurred during the subsidy period and is surprised at the current situation. She went to book publishing houses on Nguyen Thi Minh Khai street, Van Lang, Thang Long, Nguyen Van Cu and a storehouse in district 2. But she could find what she wanted. After three hours of looking, a man told her to go to the bookstore on Nguyen Tri Phuong street in district 5. She bought the last set of textbooks there. Bui Ngoc Anh, a parent in Dong Nai, whose twins are first graders, also complained that she had to go to many bookstores to buy two sets of textbooks. The school where her children attend informed parents one month ago that the school would use textbooks named Cung hoc de phat trien nang luc (learning together to develop competencies) and told parents to buy these textbooks. In the 2020-2021 academic year, Vietnamese students are following the new general education program and using new textbooks. There are many different sets of textbooks written by different authors, and schools have the right to choose which textbooks to use. The new academic year began one week ago, but VietNamNet reporters still saw parents going to the Nguyen Van Cu Book House on To Ngoc Van street in Thu Duc district to buy textbooks. A saleswoman there said the book house has been crowded for the last month. In HCM City, most of the primary schools have chosen Chan troi sang tao (Creative Horizon), the textbooks written by the HCM City Education and Training Department and the Vietnam Education Publishing House, for first graders. Chan troi sang tao is a set of 10 textbooks for eight subjects. The second favorite textbooks are Canh Dieu (Kite). Nguyen Thanh Thuy, head of the Go Vap districts education sub-department, said he has not heard about complaints from parents that they could not buy textbooks. All the schools in the district chose Chan Troi Sang Tao. Meanwhile, schools in Binh Tan district chose four different sets of textbooks and the district ordered textbooks based on the estimates of students. According to Ngo Van Tuyen, head of the districts education department, some local schools may lack books because the number of first graders is higher than estimated. Thuy Nga HCMC publicizes new textbooks for academic year 2020-2021 The HCMC Department of Education and Training has announced that textbook set Inventive horizon" compiled by the Vietnam Education Publishing House was chosen to be official textbooks for first graders in the academic year 2020-2021. African Rainbow Capital (ARC) currently values Rain at R15.03 billion, which makes the company far more valuable than Telkom. ARC was launched by billionaire Patrice Motsepe in 2016 and the company listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) on 7 September 2017. Armed with strong empowerment credentials and excellent leaders, ARC invested in a diverse range of companies in financial services, agriculture, property, telecoms, BPO, and mining. ARCs investment portfolio includes many prominent companies, like Alexander Forbes, A2X, TymeBank, EOH, Metrofibre, Rain, Afrimat, and Val de Vie. In its financial results for the year ended 30 June 2020, ARC said its investments had an intrinsic portfolio value of R11.139 billion. A big contributor to this valuation 27.9% of ARC funds total value is Rain, in which it has a 20.7% stake. ARC values its 20.7% stake in Rain at R3.111 billion, which means it the mobile operators total valuation is R15.03 billion. It is also interesting to note that ARCs valuation for its shareholding in Rain in worth more than ARCs market cap of R2.96 billion. This valuation is creeping up all the time. The table below provides an overview of Rains valuation since ARC bought a 20% stake in the operator in July 2017. Rain Valuation by ARC Date ARC Shareholding in Rain ARCs Shareholding Value Rains Valuation December 2017 20.0% R1.892 billion R9.460 billion June 2018 20.0% R2.114 billion R10.570 billion December 2018 20.0% R2.330 billion R11.650 billion June 2019 20.6% R2.508 billion R12.175 billion December 2019 20.7% R2.712 billion R13.101 billion June 2020 20.7% R3.111 billion R15.029 billion Rains assets As South Africas fifth mobile operator, Rain aims to be a full-service mobile provider, focused on data. Rains key assets are spectrum licenses with an allocation in the 1,800MHz and 2,600Mhz bands, a rapidly expanding mobile network, and a growing subscriber base. Rain had 5,500 active 4G and 447 active 5G sites in South Africa as of the end of April 2020, with plans to increase its footprint to 1,500 sites by December 2021. Ultimately more than 2,000 5G towers in larger metro areas throughout South Africa are planned. The company is generating income through its roaming agreement with Vodacom, 4G fixed and mobile subscriptions, and 5G fixed subscriptions. Neither ARC nor Rain is disclosing subscriber numbers. The latest figure comes from October 2019 when Rain had around 100,000 4G mobile data subscribers. ARC did say that the national lockdown required more people to work remotely, which significantly increased the demand for affordable internet connectivity. Rain experienced a surge in subscriber numbers during the COVID-19 period and managed to grow its subscribers base far excess of forecast growth. Although this growth is encouraging, Rains ability to control customer churn will be critical, ARC said. Rain versus Cell C and Telkom Rains lack of legacy revenue streams places it in a great position for the future, and it definitely has many valuable assets. There are, however, questions about its valuation in relation to its financial performance and subscriber growth. Unlike other companies with investments in unlisted telecoms businesses, like Remgro with SEACOM and Blue Label with Cell C, ARC does not release Rains financials or subscriber numbers. Without financial data or an asset register, it makes it impossible for analysts to accurately calculate the value of Rain. This uncertainty has created speculation among industry players who spoke to MyBroadband that the operator is over-valued. They highlighted that Liquid Telecom which has more valuable spectrum assets, a national fibre network, and excellent corporate clients was acquired for R6.55 billion in 2016. Rains R15-billion valuation also exceeds Telkoms current market cap of R12.4 billion, which, in comparison, has some of the most valuable telecoms assets in South Africa. Telkoms assets include millions of subscribers, the countrys largest fibre network, and an extensive mobile network. Telkom also has more spectrum than Rain, it owns properties across the country worth billions, and it has a strong foothold in the corporate telecoms market. ARC is, however, not looking to change its reporting on Rain. It said it only holds a 20.7% interest in Rain, which means it is a minority shareholder. Coupled with the fact that Rain is a privately held company, it means ARC is not in a position to release information to the market at liberty, ARC spokesperson Ainsley Moos told MyBroadband. He added that they have released key information to market, which they have also agreed on with the Rain leadership. The table below provides an overview of how Rain compares to Telkom and Cell C in terms of assets and valuation. Mobile Operator Comparison Company Telkom Cell C Rain Subscribers 12.0 million 11.8 million 0.4 million Mobile data Yes Yes Yes Fixed wireless data Yes No Yes Voice services Yes Yes No Fixed-line broadband Yes Yes No National mobile network Yes Yes Yes National fixed-line network Yes No No Mobile spectrum 900MHz 22MHz 1,800MHz 24MHz 24MHz 34MHz 2,100MHz 30MHz 30MHz 2,300MHz 68MHz 2,600MHz 15MHz 3,500MHz 28MHz 142MHz Valuation R12.4 billion R0.0 billion R15.0 billion Rain valuation The table below provides an overview of Rains valuation. Now read: Rain explains why it does not offer mobile 5G Xi urges sound ties with Europe Global Times By Yang Sheng, Wang Cong and Deng Xiaoci Source: Global Times Published: 2020/9/14 23:43:40 Last Updated: 2020/9/14 23:56:21 Virtual summit shows China, EU to focus on cooperation over differences Chinese, German and EU leaders reaffirmed that they will further strengthen cooperation from trade to epidemic control during a virtual summit on Monday, sending what experts call a resounding signal that the parties remain committed to pursuing pragmatic engagement rather than differences, as some ill-advised officials and pundits in the US are actively pushing for. During the meeting with German and EU leaders, Chinese President Xi Jinping stressed that China and the EU must adhere to four commitments, namely peaceful coexistence, open cooperation, multilateralism, as well as dialogue and consultation, in order to push for the sound development of bilateral ties. The Chinese and EU leaders stated their commitment to speed up the negotiations of the China-EU Bilateral Investment Treaty to achieve the goal of concluding the negotiations within this year. The leaders announced the official signing of the China-EU agreement on geographical indications. They also decided to establish a China-EU High Level Environment and Climate Dialogue and a China-EU High Level Digital Cooperation Dialogue, and to forge China-EU green and digital partnerships. The virtual meeting is set to inject impetus to China-Europe cooperation, particularly in economic and trade, and provide desperately needed confidence into a global economy battered by not only a global pandemic but also geopolitical and trade tensions created by an increasingly destructive US government, Chinese experts said. Cooperation over differences Xi met with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, President of the European Council Charles Michel and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen via video link. The meeting was the second such high-level meeting between China and Europe in three months, and also followed a series of diplomatic engagements between the two sides since the outbreak of the COVID-19. Xi met Michel and von der Leyen on June 22 via video link. Among the significant outcomes of the summit was a reaffirmation from the leaders that they will complete negotiations for a bilateral investment treaty (BIT) by the end of the year. The deal, once signed, is expected to greatly expand each other's market and provide greater protection. They also agreed to set up high-level dialogues for environment and climate as well as the digital field, signaling that the two sides are further expanding their areas of cooperation, as the US withdrew from the Paris Agreement on climate change and is constantly pushing for clashes in the digital field with crackdowns on Chinese tech firms. During the meeting, Xi noted that the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the once-in-a-century transformations unfolding in the world and placed humanity at a new crossroads. It is important that China and the EU remain steadfast in pursuit of sound and steady growth of their comprehensive strategic partnership. While China and the EU have been maintaining close diplomatic interactions during the raging pandemic, they also have had differences on several fronts, including Hong Kong, Xinjiang and 5G. During the virtual summit, Xi clarified China's stance on Hong Kong and Xinjiang affairs, saying that such affairs are China's right to defend its sovereignty, security and unity, and that China firmly opposes anyone and any force that sows instability, secession and unrest in China, and interferes in China's internal affairs. Regarding human rights, Xi stressed that there was no unified path of development and there is no best protection of human rights but only better protection, and that all countries should take care of their own matters first. China does not accept a "preacher of human rights" and opposes double standards. On the economic front, Xi said that China closely monitors recent trends in the EU regarding 5G, foreign investment reviews, government procurement and other areas, and hopes that the EU maintains an open investment and trade market. Wang Yiwei, director of the Center for European Studies at Renmin University of China in Beijing, told the Global Times on Monday that many of China's investments and increasing economic influence in Europe made some conservative forces in the EU say that China and the EU will have conflict, so China has to stress the sincerity and importance of "peaceful coexistence." "Rising protectionism and unilateralism, especially in the US, are threatening the stability of the international situation and world economic recovery. China and the EU, as the major powers to stabilize the international situation, share common interests to uphold opening-up and cooperation, as well as multilateralism," Wang said. The EU and China also have differences over some sensitive topics, like Xinjiang and Hong Kong affairs. So, both sides should insist on dialogue and consultations, rather than confrontation which would amplify these differences and disrupt cooperation, Wang noted. During the virtual summit on Monday, China and the EU also moved into a landmark agreement on protecting the Geographical Indications of 100 of each other's products, the first major agreement between the two sides. Set to take effect at the beginning of 2012, the agreement will be expanded to cover 175 additional GI names from both sides within four years. "The signing of the agreement is of great significance and marks strides made in China-EU trade cooperation, as such an agreement shows an enhanced awareness of intellectual property protection and mutual acknowledgement of cultural and historical values behind the GIs," Cui Hongjian, director of EU Studies at the China Institute of International Studies, told the Global Times on Monday. Rejection of US meddling The timing of this China-EU summit - only weeks ahead of the US election - shows that policymakers from both Beijing and Brussels are determined to strike deals independently, and the specific persistent problems during the negotiations only proves the genuine sincerity from the two, Cui noted. It is yet to rule out the possibility that some US-endearing politicians in the EU are waiting on Joe Biden winning the election, and preparing to align with the new Biden administration on handling China, and they tend to float unreasonable requests and deliberately delay negotiations, Cui warned. Even as it picks up fights with Europe on multiple fronts, from trade to the military, and its president repeatedly scolds Europe in a wide range of areas, from immigration to energy supply, the US is also seeking to meddle in China-Europe relations. Last month, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo traveled to Europe on what some Chinese experts called a trip of lies and fear-mongering over China. Chinese experts said China and the EU are the victims of US unilateralism, and this is why the leaders of both sides agreed to jointly build the partnership on the issues of environmental protection and climate change, as well as digital cooperation. While the US is mired in a series of crises from the worst outbreak of the COVID-19, to constant social unrest, to a teetering economy, China and the EU are keen to accelerate the recovery process from the pandemic and jump-start their own economies - another common interest that experts say could bring the two sides to cooperate. In the first eight months of the year, China's trade with the EU grew by 1.4 percent year-on-year to 2.81 trillion yuan ($411.95 billion), according to official Chinese data. Though that is lower than trade between China and ASEAN, which grew 7 percent to 2.93 trillion, it still is higher than trade between China and the US, which fell 0.4 percent to 2.42 trillion yuan. Also, in the second quarter of the year, China overtook the US as Germany's largest export market, with German exports to China reaching 23 billion euros ($27.25 billion). Chinese analysts said that the interdependency and complementarity of China-EU trade ties would be significant for both sides to realize economic recovery in the post-pandemic era. But the differences between the two sides could also impact the cooperation, and the EU continues to monitor China's development, so China also needs to be prepared for changes in China-EU relations, said analysts. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Free webinar series sponsored by College of Education center explores challenging issues Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2020 MANHATTAN The Kansas State University College of Education's Center for Social Studies Education is co-sponsoring a seven-week "Power to the People" webinar series beginning Thursday, Sept. 17. The series offers experts addressing some of the most challenging issues in American society. Topics include voting rights, monuments and flags, the Nineteenth Amendment, free speech, Supreme Court cases, social movements for change and Indian sovereignty. The series is designed for civics, government and U.S. history teachers who want to better understand these issues; however, the public is invited to attend. Advance registration is required. Thomas Vontz, professor and director of the Center for Social Studies Education, said these topics are both timely and relevant. "These webinars provide teachers, students and citizens opportunities to consider important public issues in a nonpartisan environment," Vontz said. "We also hope to help citizens understand that political power may be exerted by average citizens through exercising their rights of speech, association and voting. Democracy works best when citizens are informed, engaged and motivated to make their community, state, nation and world a little better." Webinar sessions are open to the public and will last 90 minutes. Each session starts at 6:30 p.m. CDT and registration is required at civiced.org/power-series-webinars. The schedule: "The Power of People and the Courts," Sept. 17. Christopher Riano and U.S. District Judge Mae Avila D'Agostino will review selected Supreme Court cases from 2019-2020. "The Power of Indian Sovereignty," Thursday, Sept. 24. David E. Wilkins, professor and E. Clairborne Robins distinguished professor of leadership studies at the University of Richmond, will address Native American sovereignty in the American constitutional system. Wilkins asserts this subject is not sufficiently covered in most schools. He wrote about it in depth in his book "Blood Struggle: The Rise of Modern Indian Nations." "The Power of Movements: The Struggle to Pass the Nineteenth Amendment and Beyond," Thursday, Oct. 1. Lisa Tetrault, associate professor of history at Carnegie Mellon University, will explain how the power of movements, focusing particularly on the struggle to pass the Nineteenth Amendment, which gave women the right to vote. This year marks the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment. "The Power of Symbols: Monuments and Flags," Thursday, Oct. 8. Brandon Hasbrouck, assistant professor of law at the Washington and Lee University School of Law, will explain why symbols, such as monuments and flags, illicit powerful emotions in many Americans. "The Power of the Criminal Justice System," Thursday, Oct. 15. Hernandez Stroud, counsel for the Justice Program of the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law, will address the power of the American criminal justice system. With more than 2 million people incarcerated, the U.S. leads the world with the highest prison population rate in the world, surpassing Iran, Cuba, China and Russia. "The Power of Free Speech," Thursday, Oct. 22. David Hudson, visiting associate professor of legal practice at Belmont University and First Amendment ombudsman for the Freedom Forum Institute's First Amendment Center, will address the power of free speech. "The Power of Voting: The Electoral College, Gerrymandering and Suppression," Thursday, Oct. 29. Michael Li, senior counsel at the Brennan Center's Democracy Program, will address the ongoing struggle to exercise the right to vote. This Power to the People webinar series is co-sponsored by the Center for Civic Education, Kansas State University and the Indiana Bar Foundation. Radio hams monitor Hurricanes Sally and Paulette The Hurricane Watch Net (HWN) said it will continue to gather any reports from Bermuda in the wake of Hurricane Paulette, which made landfall on the resort island on Monday, September 14 The ARRL report: Paulette is slowly moving away from Bermuda, a British overseas territory. The HWN is currently active on 14.325 MHz, seeking damage and storm surge reports. The Atlantic Basin is very busy today, HWN Manager Bobby Graves, KB5HAV, said. This morning, the National Hurricane Center began issuing advisories on five tropical cyclones located over the Atlantic Basin. This ties a record set in September 1971. Sally now is a category 1 hurricane. Graves said the HWN switched its focus to Sally at 1600 UTC [Monday]. We will work to line up report stations along the eastern coast of Louisiana and the coasts of Mississippi and Alabama, Graves said. In its 1800 UTC update, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) said that Sally was "meandering over the north-central Gulf of Mexico, expected to resume a slow west-northwestward motion." Hurricane warnings have already been issued for the coast of Alabama. Read the full ARRL story at http://www.arrl.org/news/attention-turns-to-tropical-storm-sally-after-hurricane-paulette-hits-bermuda Japanese Ambassador to Pakistan Kuninori Matsuda on Thursday called on Minister for Aviation Ghulam Sarwar Khan and discussed matters pertaining to mutual interests ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 10th Sep, 2020 ) :Japanese Ambassador to Pakistan Kuninori Matsuda on Thursday called on Minister for Aviation Ghulam Sarwar Khan and discussed matters pertaining to mutual interests. The envoy expressed grief and sorrow over the tragic plane crash incident on May 22, which had claimed 97 lives, a news release said. The minister highlighted historical close ties between Pakistan and Japan. He said increased number of flights between the two countries would provide more opportunities to business communities in Pakistan and Japan to come closer to each other for mutual economic benefits. The two sides emphasized the need to further expand the mutual cooperation in the field of aviation. Ghulam Sarwar informed the ambassador about the capabilities of Airport Security Force (ASF) and sought help in exploring the possibilities of cooperation in this sector. He said up-gradation of Lai-Nullah Flood Forecasting under Government of Japan's grant-in-aid was under process and would be submitted to the Japan Embassy after completion of codal formalities. Both the dignitaries held wide-ranging discussions on Pakistan-Japan relations and ways to further strengthen Tokyo and Islamabad's growing partnership in Aviation Sector. Both sides agreed to enhance number of flights between both the countries. California Secretary of Health and Human Services Dr. Mark Ghaly announced Tuesday three counties Marin, Tehama and Inyo have moved from the purple tier to the less restrictive red tier in the state's new reopening structure, allowing more businesses and schools to reopen. For a county to move into the red tier, it must report fewer than seven daily cases per 100,000 residents and a test positivity under 8% for 14 consecutive days. Analysis from SFGATE showed that Marin County did not appear to meet the case requirement for the red tier, but in a Tuesday press release, county officials wrote that the health department "successfully appealed" to the state to let the county move out of the purple tier. Last week, Marin County health officer Dr. Matt Willis said that smaller counties can be negatively impacted by the the reopening system's strict criteria. One cluster of cases in a facility leads to a clear spike in countywide case rates," he said. "These are some of the factors well be discussing with the state. Ghaly gave an update on how counties are faring in the third week of the state's new reopening structure and applauded counties for improving their numbers. "Were happy to see the fruits of our labor," he said. "Counties do move." The state's color-coded system sorts counties into four tiers "purple" (widespread), "red" (substantial) "orange" (moderate) or "yellow" (minimal) that measure the spread of COVID-19 and dictate what types of businesses and activities are allowed to open. Each county will be assigned its tier every Tuesday, and a county must remain in a tier for 21 consecutive days before moving to the next one. To move forward, a county must meet the next tier's criteria for 14 consecutive days. On each day of assessment, the case counts are calculated by taking a seven-day average of daily cases per capita lagged an additional seven days to account for reporting delays. A county can move backward by failing to meet the criteria for two consecutive weeks, or if state officials see a rapid rise in hospitalizations. When the new plan went into effect on Aug. 31, there were 38 counties in the purple tier, nine in red, nine in orange and two in yellow. Now, there are 30 counties in purple, 17 in red, nine in orange and two in yellow. In the nine-county Bay Area, San Francisco, Marin, Napa, and now Santa Clara are red. All others are purple. (See a map showing the status of all counties at covid19.ca.gov.) Early reports indicated Marin County was set to move from purple to red status last week, but Marin health officials announced Sept. 8 the state reversed its decision. We want to move carefully and base our decisions on local data, said Dr. Matt Willis, the Countys Health Officer. Were well prepared to move forward, but ultimately this is the states decision. In the new framework the state has a lot more control about what moves and what doesnt. As of 12:45 p.m., Marin County had yet to release a statement on how it will proceed under with its official move from purple to red on Tuesday, under the state public health order the county can open several sectors, including indoor personal care services, museums at 25% capacity, indoor gyms with 10% capacity, restaurants with indoor operations at 25% capacity (see the full list). Newsom's plan allows counties to be more restrictive than the state, and some counties such as San Francisco have opted to reopen businesses on a slower timeline than the state's. MORE CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE: Sign up for 'The Daily' newsletter for the latest on coronavirus here. Whats an R0? Everything to know about the most important coronavirus indicator Coronavirus update: 5 Calif. counties move from purple to red tier Lawyers explain how to cross-examine coronavirus deniers The coronavirus may have been in California before China announced outbreak, study suggests These are the riskiest activities to do during the coronavirus pandemic Amy Graff is the news editor for SFGATE. Email her: agraff@sfgate.com. (Alliance News) - Mkango Resources Ltd on Tuesday reported new rutile and ilmenite discoveries from its Mchinji licence in Malawi. Mkango said results from shallow soil sampling of the asset confirmed "interesting grades of rutile plus anatase" as well as ilmenite grades between 1.30% and 3.40%. "Mkango is focused on developing the Songwe rare earth deposit in Phalombe district in Malawi and is looking forward to completing the feasibility study. We are very pleased to add this new rutile and ilmenite discovery to our portfolio of projects in Malawi," Mkango President & Co-Founder Alexander Lemon said. Mkango shares were 8.3% higher at 6.39 pence each in London on Tuesday morning. By Eric Cunha; ericcunha@alliancenews.com Copyright 2020 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved. WABC-TVBY: BILL HUTCHINSON, ABC NEWS (NEW YORK) All it took was 15 seconds for four gunmen to kill two people and injure seven others at a house party near Rutgers University, a surveillance video of the attack shows. New Brunswick police released the video of the shooting that unfolded early Sunday outside a house party just two blocks from the south side of the Rutgers campus. The footage shows a car pulling up to a house at 1:18 a.m. and four gunmen jumping out with guns blazing and aimed at about 100 people gathered outside the residence, where a birthday party was taking place for one of the men who was killed. In just 15 seconds, more than two dozen shots were fired before the team of gun-wielding perpetrators got back in the car and sped off. The two men mortally wounded in the shooting were taken to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, where they were pronounced dead. The six other people who suffered bullet wounds were taken to multiple hospitals in the area. A ninth victim who suffered minor injuries in the shooting and did not require hospitalization later contacted authorities, Middlesex County Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone and Anthony A. Caputo, director of the New Brunswick Police Department, said in a joint statement on Monday. They identified the two men killed in the shooting as Lionel Macauley, 28, of Somerset, N.J., and Anthony Robinson 23, of New Brunswick. Macauley was an aspiring actor, spoken-word poet and a professional dancer, who recently appeared in a short film titled "Color Blind" about best friends, one white the other Black, facing modern-day racism, his father told ABC News on Monday. The film ends with one of the friends being fatally shot by a police officer. "He was a good kid," Macauley's father, Cyril Macauley, said. "I've just been lying in bed crying all day, thinking about him." He said his son was a member of Signdance Collective International and traveled throughout Europe with the group last year. Cyril Macauley said Lionel was looking forward to traveling with the group to perform in Croatia later this year. Macauley's bio on the Signdance Collective International website says he has been acting and dancing since he was 11 years old. "Lionel's career has also afforded him the opportunity to travel to Europe with Signdance Collective International performing before audiences in places like Italy, Austria, Slovenia, Turkey, and London," the group's website says, adding that Macauley performed his spoken-word poetry at major events at Rutgers University. Cyril Macauley told ABC News that his son just returned last week from a vacation to Aruba. "We have lost a great soul," Cyril Macauley said. Both Macauley and Robinson were graduates of Franklin High School in Somerset. A GoFundMe page established by relatives of Robinson, the father of a 2-year-old girl, says the birthday party being celebrated when he was killed was for him. "He would do anything for his family and his friends," relatives wrote on the GoFundMe page. "He didnt have any problems with anyone. Always energetic with a rare personality. While many Rutgers students live in off-campus housing in the neighborhood where the shooting occurred, authorities said the investigation shows that no students or staff affiliated with Rutgers were injured in the shooting or had any affiliation with the targeted house party. Police are asking for the public's help in identifying the gunmen, who left the street littered with shell casings and casualties. As of Monday evening, no arrests had been made. Witnesses told ABC News station WABC-TV in New York that prior to the shooting a fight broke out at the house the gunman appeared to target. Jacob Beacher, a Rutgers University student, who lives nearby, told WABC that following the eruption of gunfire, he rushed out of his residence to see wounded victims lying in the street. "I ran up to one young man and I'm saying, 'I'm here man,' and he's gargling blood, so I flipped him over so he won't choke or suffocate, checked for a pulse," Beacher said. Copyright 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved. New Delhi, Sep 16 : In a relief to a couple serving in the Indian Army, the Delhi High Court on Tuesday stopped to the force's decision to post the two officers to different parts of the country. The order was passed by a division bench of Justices Rajiv Sahai Endlaw and Justice Asha Menon on a petition filed by the husband, Col Amit Kumar, said advocate Sunil J. Mathews who appeared for him. Senior advocate Rana Mukherjee argued the matter for the petitioner. Mathews said that the court has asked the Indian Army to consider the said petition as a representation and take a decision on the request of the couple for a posting at the same location, or geographically close locations. The bench has also asked the Army to inform it about the decision on the representation after four weeks when the matter will be taken up. The plea filed by Colonel Amit Kumar said that vide the Posting Order dated May 15, not only the posting of his and his wife been done four months in advance but also there was complete violation of the Standard Operating Procedure followed by the Indian Army, that is while issuing the posting order for officers of the rank of colonel and above, the order of preference submitted by the officer concerned ought to be considered before issuing the posting orders whereas in the present case, no such recommendation was sought from him. "...the posting order dated May 15, 2020 was so arbitrary in nature that even the basic criteria of spouse posting, especially in case where both husband and wife happen to be serving officers, was not taken into consideration which is in complete breach of the norms followed in all the three wings of defence," the plea said. The petitioner further said that aggrieved by the disregard of the SOP in the release of the Posting Order and with trepidations of foul play and bias, he wrote a demi- official letter dated June 8, 2020 to the Colonel, Military Services, informing the officer concerned of his apprehensions regarding injustice in planning and deviation from the laid-down policy regarding posting of senior officers. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday hit out at the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the India Against Corruption (IAC) movement and blamed them as a proxy for the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its ideological mentor, Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS), in their bid to subvert democracy and bring down the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government. Gandhi endorsed the remarks of AAP founder-member and civil rights lawyer Prashant Bhushan, who in an interview to a private TV news channel, has claimed that the IAC movement was propped up by the BJP and the RSS to bring down the Congress-led UPA government, whose rule had come to an end following the victory of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) dispensation in 2014 parliamentary elections. What was known to us has been confirmed by a founding AAP member. The IAC movement and the AAP were propped up by the BJP and the RSS to subvert democracy and bring down the UPA government, Gandhi tweeted. Gandhi is in the United States of America (USA), where his mother Sonia Gandhi is undergoing her medical check-up. Bhushan was expelled from the AAP in 2015 following his differences with Arvind Kejriwal, who became the chief minister of Delhi five years ago and now in his second term as the CM. The AAP had won a landslide victory in Delhi assembly polls in 2015 after it had bagged 67 out of 70 seats. The BJP had won the remaining three seats. While the Congress had drawn a blank. Five years on, the AAP retained its supremacy, as it won 62 seats in Delhi assembly polls held in February this year. The BJP wrested the remaining eight seats. Bhushan has cited two specific regrets in the interview. In hindsight, there are two things that I do regret. One is not seeing that the movement (IAC), to a large extent, was supported and propped up by the BJP and the RSS for their own political purposes to bring down the UPA government and get themselves in power. He added: I have no doubt about their (RSS and BJP) role today. He (Anna Hazare) was also probably not aware of it. But Kejriwal was aware of it and I have little doubt about it. The second regret is that I had failed to understand Kejriwals character. I understood it too late by which time we had created another Frankenstein-like monster. Besides Bhushan, another founder-member of the AAP and pollster Yogendra Yadav was also expelled allegedly over anti-party activities. The IAC movement was dominated by strong anti-corruption protests against the UPA government in 2011 and 2012. NEW YORK CITYIt's hard to believe that it's been two whole decades that the Romantic Depot brand has been servicing the NYC/Tri-state area with quality products and service. Created by managing member Glen Buzzetti and CEO Scott Johnston, as well as other family members and friends, the Romantic Depot brand offers customers an adult shopping experience like few othersand to help celebrate the Romantic Depot brands 20-year anniversary, all in-store orders at its New York brick and mortar stores, between September 15 and 30, will receive 50 percent off any selected item. (Limit one item per person.) All that's necessary to receive the discount is to mention code "20 YEARS" at checkout. With thousands of toys, gifts, body products and lingerie in stock, shoppers are likely to find the perfect item to fit their needs and fantasies. With eight convenient locations, customers can enjoy a discreet, in-person shopping experience. Romantic Depots brand's knowledgeable and professional staff are always on-hand to assist you with any questions you may have and to make recommendations. For those not local to the area (or who prefer an even more private shopping experience), you can take advantage of Romantic Depots fast, discreet online ordering and delivery. As the legend goes, just over 20 years ago, Glen Buzzetti, to better not only his life but those living in the local community, decided to open a line of upscale brand sex shops. A lover of adult products and leading a healthy, safe sex life filled with variety and adventure, Mr. Buzzetti knew there was a market for luxury sex shops in the local area. Born in the Bronx and raised in Rockland County, Buzzetti is a tri-state native. Mr. Scott Johnson and his brother Kent run and own the Romantic Depot NJ locations. When Romantic Depot started nearly 21 years ago, none of these entrepreneurs had any idea that the brand would take off the way it has. Now, RomanticDepot.com is the second-most-visited sex shop brand in the United States as well as a popular international website. The anniversary special of 50 percent off is only one example of how Buzzetti gives back to the community. Romantic Depot was the first sex shop nationwide to offer free gifts and credits or refunds to customers experiencing issues with their purchases. Buzzetti and his experienced staff live by the motto, The customer is always right, which is one reason why Romantic Depot is now one of the most successful adult sex stores in the country. Buzzetti himself said, We are so humbled by and grateful to our loyal customers. Theyve been great to us. Guests enjoy our employees' top-notch customer service and we love providing a memorable experience. Our belief is that if we give back to our customers they will return and come again and again (literally)! After hitting the 20-year mark, the success of Romantic Depot isnt slowing down. Mara Youngblood, GM of its sex toy store location in Yonkers which brands itself as a lingerie superstore, has been with the brand for 20 years. Youngblood promises much more to come, including new store locations in Brooklyn and Queens. Residents of Long Island and Connecticut may also welcome their own local Romantic Depot stores in the coming months. Other future plans include a Romantic Depot "Prime Program" which gives customers 20 percent off all online orders, a free Romance Kit, and free FedEx or UPS shipping, all for a nominal fee. Romantic Depot's website has more information on this offer and much more. The customer experience is the number one priority of all staff members, according to Lencia Bella Appleton, Romantic Depot's GM of its Bronx location. Romantic Depot store employees are gracious, knowledgeable and will never impose on customers' privacy or comfort when browsing the store, but are always available to answer questions or offer advice. Romantic Depots display tables allow experienced staff members to unbox certain toys and explain the operation and features so customers can make an informed purchase. Discreet shopping starts with a knowledgeable staff that gives customers personal space to browse and explore the inventoryand they'll also receive a black bag upon arrival, which allows them to browse and purchase whatever items spark their interest without worry or judgment. Kristen Shepard, the GM of its West Nyack sex shop location stated, The Romantic Depot staff love giving away free gifts and goodies so be sure to ask what we have to offer before you leave!" Corine Lew, GM of the Manhattan flagship location, stated, Without our customers, Romantic Depot wouldnt be the success that it is. Even though the recent COVID-19 pandemic forced Romantic Depot to close its brick and mortar stores for nearly six months, Buzzetti offered free health and wellness kits and fast, discreet same day delivery. Crystal Irizzary, the GM of the company's new VIP store in Elmsford located in Westchester County , stated, We continue to strive each day to create a memorable, one-of-a-kind experience for our loyal customers. Those who've only shopped online at RomanticDepot.com or are new to the local area may come to the Elmsford store and for a discreet and enjoyable shopping experience. Irizarry added, Ive been with the company for 17 years and look forward to another 17 years at Romantic Depot. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and the White House sought to pile pressure on Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for the stalled talks on the new coronavirus stimulus package. The White House is still optimistic that a new stimulus bill will be passed before the election. Mnuchin said after Democratic members in the Senate rejected the GOP's proposal, he will seek to pile pressure towards Pelosi. Pelosi keeps on rejecting the stimulus package that Republican lawmakers offered in the past few months. Mnuchin said that he is ready to meet the House Speaker to discuss a new round of stimulus package without preconditions. Mnuchin told the CNBC: "I think there is a compromise if the speaker is willing to move forward. I am somewhat concerned that she's afraid that any deal will be good for the president and obviously, we have politics that are getting in the way." The Treasury Secretary firmly believed that one of the reasons why Pelosi continues to decline and reject the stimulus because it will boost Trump's reelection bid. There are rumors that Pelosi wants to discuss the new stimulus bill after the election because they are already confident that their party's candidate will win. However, Pelosi's political intention and continuous rejection on the proposal are hurting millions of Americans. The targeted bill that Republicans offered last week included an extension of unemployment benefits, PPP loans, funds for schools, and more. Even though the White House and Pelosi agreed to sign the continuing resolution that allows the federal government to operate and avoid a government shut down, Americans are still appealing to Congress to act on a new stimulus immediately. Meanwhile, Pelosi said she is only open for another stimulus package if it will include help for hard-pressed renters. However, the Trump administration has already released the National Eviction Moratorium that protects tenants from not getting evicted if they can no longer pay their rent due to pandemic-related problems. The CDC has released the moratorium and is applicable across the country. Tenants should make sure that they fill-up the form and declare their reason for not paying the rent. It must be related to the pandemic like job loss and only depends on their daily needs to charities. President Donald Trump has been making efforts to help millions of Americans despite the criticisms he received. In fact, he extended the unemployment benefits a day after the targeted stimulus bill was rejected. Right now, his administration is planning for legal executive actions. The White House is still open to negotiating with the Democrats and even said that Trump is willing to sign a stimulus package up to $1.3 trillion. The White House wants to deliver Americans' needs before the presidential election and before government operations shut down. Congress has 12 days to discuss the new stimulus, and if ever that both parties will come up with an agreement at the end of this month, Trump will sign it a day after to make it into law. The stimulus aid should be given at least until the end of this year. Check these out! Every tree, even an evergreen, can be an air quality monitor. That's the conclusion of researchers at the University of Utah who measured the magnetism of particulate matter on the needles of evergreen trees on the U campus. That measurement, they found, correlated to general air quality, suggesting that analysis of the needles--a relatively simple and low-cost process--could provide a high-resolution, year-round picture of air quality. "Wherever you have a tree you have a data point," says Grant Rea-Downing, a doctoral student in geology and geophysics. "A tree doesn't cost $250 to deploy. We'll be able to map particulate matter distributions at a very high resolution for very little cost." The results are published in GeoHealth. How magnetic particles end up on leaves Rea-Downing and his colleagues--associate professor Pete Lippert and fellow graduate students Courtney Wagner and Brendon Quirk--are all geoscientists in the Department of Geology and Geophysics whose regular research is on a much different scale than pine needles. "Day to day," Lippert says, "we move mountains and close ocean basins by using the magnetism of rocks to figure out the geography of former continents." In a course titled "The Magnetic Earth," Lippert introduced Rea-Downing, Wagner and Quirk to papers by U.K. researchers who measured the magnetism of deciduous leaves to assess air quality. "I knew the students would kind of have their minds blown by what the study showed, and what the implications of the findings were," Lippert says. Particulate matter in the air comes from many sources, including natural windblown dust, brake dust and the byproduct of burning solid or fossil fuel. "That's stuff in the air," Lippert says, "and it's got to come out sometime." When it falls out of the air some of it, of course, falls on tree leaves and evergreen needles. Some of the particles contain iron, with enough to be detectable by the kind of high-precision magnetometers that Lippert uses in his geological work. The iron-bearing particulate matter in the air can be too small to see, but magnetism, he says, is a way to see the unseen. The papers made an impression on Rea-Downing, who saw Salt Lake City's air quality in stark contrast to the normally clean air of his native coastal California. He could easily apply the method in Lippert's research lab. "The kind of hill to climb to do this was actually quite flat," he says. "We have trees outside, we have seasonally bad air quality and we have a fully equipped paleomagnetic lab, which means that I literally just had to walk outside and pull some leaves off some trees and stick them in a magnetometer." "We're not the first to explore the magnetism of pine needles to monitor air quality," Lippert says, "but no one had tried this to study winter inversions in the basins of the American West." With financial support from the U's Global Change and Sustainability Center, the researchers went to work. Sylvan sentinels The team selected four Austrian pine trees on the U campus to sample. Three of the trees were in a line perpendicular to North Campus Drive, a heavily used campus artery, with each tree successively farther from the roadway. The fourth was near the Union building, away from traffic. They collected pine needles twice: once in June 2017 after a summer of relatively good air and again in December 2017 during some of that winter's worst air quality. With her particulate-matter-filtering dust mask on, Wagner collected the December samples in what she described as a "freezing death fog," as a temperature inversion throughout the valley had led to a thick yellowish fog and frost on the pine needles. Back in the lab, the team carefully cut the needles into short segments using ceramic scissors to avoid any metals contamination and put them in the magnetometers. One of their experiments revealed that the magnetization of the December needles was nearly three times higher than the June needles. Another magnetic experiment, conducted at superlow temperatures, suggested the iron-bearing particles deposited during the inversion are extremely small (some as small as 1/5000 the width of a human hair) and found that they're composed of magnetite, an iron mineral that, as its name suggests, is naturally magnetic. The team also examined the needles under an electron microscope and confirmed that the December needles were significantly dirtier. The concentration, size and composition of the particles have all been linked by other studies to the health risks of air pollution. They also looked at the elements present in the particulates. The amounts of iron in the dust correlated with amounts of other elements like titanium, vanadium and zirconium, "and a variety of other things that are associated with brake dust or fossil fuel combustion," Lippert says. Other elements in the particulates were associated with catalytic converters, he says, which use chemical catalysts to detoxify exhaust. "And those concentrations, no surprise, are highest near the roadside." Comparing the trees at various distances from the roadway showed a drop-off in the concentration of magnetic particles over a distance of 50 to 150 feet. That may be due to distance from the cars, the researchers say, but also possibly to elevation, as the transect of trees went up a slight hill. Artificial pine Now the team has joined forces with atmospheric scientist Gannet Hallar and chemical engineer Kerry Kelly to explore other questions that the study raised. They developed a new kind of passive air monitor--a 3-D printed, artificial pine branch with needles to catch particulates. The artificial needles are installed alongside natural needles and can serve as an experimental platform to more clearly understand how and when particles settle on evergreen needles, results they can compare directly to measurements of particle distributions measured by equipment in Hallar's and Kelly's labs. "If we get a strong rain we can go and collect before and after that rain and see if this signal is just being washed away every time you have a rain event," Rea-Downing says. "Or are the biological needles actually absorbing material and actually holding onto that signal for longer than the synthetic needles?" With every tree as a potential data point, pine needle analysis could give a more comprehensive insight into the what, when and why of air pollution in urban areas, showing variation in air quality on the scale of tens of feet. The analysis is straightforward and inexpensive, Lippert says. "We have a lot of trees out on the landscape already," Lippert says. "They're a pretty low cost. So this democratizes our ability to monitor air pollution across the valley. This is easily exportable to any community. It allows us to do more with less, or that's our hope." ### Find the full study here. Hyderabad: Education Minister Sabitha Indra Reddy on Monday refuted the allegation of Congress MLA D Sridhar Babu that the state government has permitted a few TRS men to establish private universities in the state. While replying to the discussion on the Telangana State Private Universities (Establishment and Regulation) (Amendment) Bill 2020, which paves way for setting up Private Universities in the state. Participating in the debate, Sridhar Babu pointed out that instead of strengthening the Government Universities, the state government is focusing on establishing the private universities. When he tried to take the names of certain leaders of the ruling party who have got approval from the state government to set up universities in the state, the Speaker Pocharam Srinivas Reddy asked the member to refrain from taking the names. Pointing out that a Cabinet Minister also got approval to start the University, he asked how a member in the Cabinet got the approval. He alleged that the state government has not taken any steps to fill vacancies of teaching and non-teaching staff in universities and vice chancellors of many varsities in the state. He stressed the need for the government to consider fee reimbursement for poor students opting courses in the private varsities. Replying to the debate the minister said that the sponsoring bodies of the universities which have got approval complied with the conditions of letter of intent and the expert committee constituted to examine them also submitted its recommendations. She said the process for appointment of vice-chancellors to different universities in the state has been initiated and it will be completed soon. She told the House that the appointment of vice chancellors and recruitment to other posts were delayed because of the legal issues and the committee constituted by the government had resolved a majority of these issues. Referring to regulating the fee structure of the private universities, the minister said the governments representative would be there in the governing councils of these private universities to oversee the courses and fee structure. She said these universities should obtain accreditation of NAAC and other bodies while 25 % quota to Telangana youth in the admissions was mandatory. The minister said the rule of reservation for older students would continue in the brownfield universities, institutions that were functioning in the past and upgraded as universities, while the decision on implementing the rule of reservation in the greenfield universities, the newly developed ones, was left to the managements concerned. The House passed the Legislation after the ministers reply. A South Miami-Dade candidate hoping to flip a competitive Senate seat has become the latest target of a GOP-backed political mailer that criticizes the Florida Democratic Party and by association, its candidates, for taking $780,000 in federal coronavirus stimulus funds for small businesses earlier this year. A mailer that reached voters in Senate District 39, which encompasses parts of southern Miami-Dade and Monroe counties, reads: Javier Fernandez has our tax dollars in his war chest! It calls on Fernandez, a Democrat who early on criticized the partys decision to take the money, to return the money now! The mailers quote Politico and Washington Post stories about the Florida Democratic Party receiving the money in Paycheck Protection Program, or PPP, loans earlier this year. They also pull quotes from Democrats Sen. Jason Pizzo, of Miami Beach, and Rep. Anna Eskamani, of Orlando, who were critical of the partys decision to apply for the loan, meant for small businesses hurt by an economic slowdown related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Nearly identical mailers funded by a mysterious political group, Economic Improvement Fund, were sent to voters in District 9 in Seminole County and parts of Volusia County where Patricia Sigman is running in a competitive race to flip the seat blue. Another batch of similar mailers were sent in District 3, where Tallahassee Rep. Loranne Ausley is looking to make the jump from the House to the Senate. District 3 encompasses Calhoun, Franklin, Gadsden, Gulf, Hamilton, Jefferson, Leon, Liberty, Madison, Taylor and Wakulla counties in North Florida. Fernandez, who was critical of the partys decision to apply for the loan, denies that any of the money he received in his campaign account is associated with the PPP money. Fernandez is competing with Republican opponent and fellow House member Rep. Ana Maria Rodriguez to replace term-limited Republican incumbent Anitere Flores on Nov. 3. I joined the call to have [FDP chair] Terry Rizzo and [FDP Executive Director] Juan Penalosa return that money. I firmly believe it was a mistake. I was very happy to see them reverse course and return that money, he said. Story continues Rep. Javier Fernandez, who hopes to flip a competitive seat in Senate District 39, has become the latest target of a GOP-backed political mailer that criticizes the Florida Democratic Party and by association, their candidates, for taking $780,000 in small-business loans earlier this year. The party said it returned the money in July after receiving criticism from both Republicans and Democrats like Fernandez, Pizzo and Eskamani. The party, however, never answered questions about how and whether the money intended to help small businesses make payroll was spent before it was repaid. At the time, a party spokeswoman blamed the Small Business Administration for granting the loan, one of thousands disbursed as part of the program in the roughly $2 trillion CARES Act coronavirus relief package. Calls for the party to return the money began after the federal government released information in July detailing grants worth $150,000 or more. The list showed that the Florida Democratic Party Building Fund, Inc. accepted between $350,000 and $1 million. The money saved 100 jobs, according to the SBA. The lender was listed as Newtek Small Business Finance. State records show the party formed the not-for-profit corporation in April of last year as an entity to construct, own or operate the headquarters of the state executive committee of the Florida Democratic Party and related political organizations. Pizzo and Eskamani said their quotes on the mailer are a symptom of GOP leadership manipulating story lines to its benefit and deny that Fernandez took any money once associated with the PPP loan. What I find to be most apparent for all of this is how scared Republican leadership is in losing these competitive races, Eskamani said. They have turned to outright lies to distract from the issues around us. Erin Isaac, a spokeswoman for the Florida Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee, which sent the mailer, said the message is meant to reach voters who are sick and tired of politicians who think the rules dont apply to them. Javier Fernandez has benefited from the Florida Democrats ill-gotten PPP money, money that should have gone to small businesses struggling to pay employees, and money they have yet to prove has been returned to the taxpayers, she said. The last check Fernandez accepted from the Florida Democratic Party was in January, before the party received the PPP loan. However, he accepted a number of in-kind contributions from the Florida Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee between April and July. He defended the contributions, noting that they are not cash. Senate Victory, the Democrat-affiliated political committee that has backed Fernandez and other candidates, says it did not receive any money from the state party, a legally separate entity. Anders Croy, a spokesman for the committee, said the mailers are backed by Republicans who campaign on distractions and that the PPP argument is not relevant with regard to Senate Victory. Just like Donald Trump, Tallahassee Republicans are telling outright lies to cover up for their own failed and disastrous policies, Croy said. He said no PPP money ever reached Fernandezs campaign or the FDLCC. A bank staff counts Chinese currency renminbi banknotes at a bank in Linyi, East China's Shandong province. [Photo/Xinhua] China will accelerate the process for the inclusion of credit information about online lending in its credit reference system to improve the institutions of joint punishment for dishonest borrowers, a regulatory official said. By the end of August, more than 200 online lending platforms had been connected to systems of the Credit Reference Center of the People's Bank of China, the central bank, and Baihang Credit, China's first licensed personal credit agency, said Feng Yan, deputy director of the China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission's Financial Inclusion Department, on Monday. The CBIRC has made remarkable achievements through special rectification of risks associated with internet finance. The number of online lending platforms that are still operating was 15 at the end of August, down 99 percent from the beginning of 2019. During the same period, the outstanding balance of this type of loans fell by 84 percent, while the number of lenders declined 88 percent, and the number of borrowers went down 73 percent, Feng said. The regulator will cooperate with local authorities to speed up the implementation of a pilot program, which pushes online lending platforms to transform into microlending companies. In the mean time, relevant departments of the central government and local authorities will also jointly establish institutions for early detection, early warning and early disposal of online lending risks and illegal financial business, she said. China has stepped up efforts to prevent and control financial risks in various aspects since 2017. In the last three years, the CBIRC has effectively contained the wild growth of shadow banking, reducing its volume by nearly 16 trillion yuan ($2.35 trillion) from a record high in 2017. The volume of cross-sector shadow banking business nestled in multiple layers has decreased significantly. It is a result of China's efforts to prevent funds leaving the real economy, the part of the economy that produces goods and services, for the virtual economy, said Liu Zhongrui, an inspector of the CBIRC's Statistics, IT and Risk Surveillance Department. The volume of inter-institutional "channeling business" of trust companies decreased by more than 5 trillion yuan over the last three years. In channeling, banks, companies and inpiduals invest customers' deposits or their own money in high-yield products via "channels", which are usually nonbank vehicles such as trusts, to achieve higher returns. In the first half of this year, the volume of interbank wealth management dropped to 660 billion yuan, down from a high of 6.8 trillion yuan, Liu said. "We will keep improving the regulations and the risk monitoring system of shadow banking, persevere in dismantling high-risk shadow banking, and take precautions against a rebound in this type of business," he said. China's banking sector has maintained a relatively strong risk resistance capacity by increasing the appropriation of impairment losses on loans. Banks appropriated 1.4 trillion yuan of impairment losses on loans during the first eight months, up by 261.5 billion yuan year-on-year. The level of allowance for loan impairment losses to nonperforming loans of the banking sector stood at 176.5 percent, while its NPL ratio rose by 0.11 percentage point from the beginning of this year to 2.14 percent at the end of August, according to data from the CBIRC. BAKU, Azerbaijan, Sept. 15 Trend: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has sent a letter to President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev. Mr. President, Dear Brother, on the 102nd anniversary of the liberation of Baku by the Caucasian Islamic Army together with our Azerbaijani brothers under the command of Nuru Pasha, I pay tribute to our heroic soldiers who fell in this battle, and remember our veterans, the letter said. The Caucasian Islamic Army, which laid the historical foundation of "One nation, two states" slogan, became a source of our common pride and a symbol of our eternal brotherhood, the letter said. Our brotherhood inherited from our ancestors who fought shoulder to shoulder during the battle of Canakkale as they did in Baku, today constitutes the spiritual basis of our common destiny. Thanks to Your Excellency's efforts and contributions to our brotherhood, Turkish-Azerbaijani relations are today perfectly developing in the political, economic, and military areas, the letter said. With the inspiration, we have drawn from our history and the strength we have gained from our unshakable ties, our countries have become the guarantors of stability in our region. I do infinitely believe that the Turkish-Azerbaijani brotherhood will last forever, and our countries will stand by each other in good and difficult times, as they have done so far, the letter said. Availing myself of this opportunity, I once again express to Your Excellency my best wishes for your good health and happiness, and for the continuation of beautiful days and high prosperity of the friendly and brotherly people of Azerbaijan, the letter said. T he long-term health effects of Covid-19 could cause a "cycle of illness" and strain care systems, researchers have warned. Many coronavirus patients have reported debilitating symptoms months after initially falling ill, with common "long Covid" symptoms including breathlessness, chronic fatigue and brain fog. The reasons behind them are still unknown, scientists said. Dr Rachael Evans, a co-investigator on a UK-wide investigation into the long-term effects of Covid-19 for patients admitted to hospital, said: "At the moment it is just so unknown. We're still very much at the point where we're learning what the after-effects are, he added. "It has become very apparent that the long-term effects can happen to people that were young and fit before and perhaps had a fairly mild acute illness... enough to bring them to hospital but maybe only a day or two." Jade Townsend, 22, was active and sociable before she caught coronavirus, but has been left unable to work or walk more than 10 minutes from her home since symptoms began in mid-March. Five weeks into contracting the illness, Ms Townsend was taken to hospital due to a high fever and difficulties breathing, for which she stayed overnight with antibiotics for the early stages of pneumonia. Six months on, Ms Townsend is still suffering chronic fatigue, fevers, nausea and a fluctuating fast heart rate. Before Covid she had been working Monday-Friday at a nursery, often waking up at 5.30am, and staying out late on weekends "doing all the typical young person things". "I can't actually imagine doing that now... I'm now nearly needing more hours of sleep than time awake," Ms Townsend, from Witney, Oxfordshire, said. "It worries me at 22 I'll be stuck with some of these symptoms and I won't ever be able to get back to my normal self." Ms Townsend had no pre-existing conditions except a benign brain tumour which did not require her to shield and doctors have not identified as a factor in her condition. Dr Evans, a respiratory consultant, said pneumonia patients can take up to three months to fully recover in rare cases - but Covid patients still have symptoms six months on. "I've been a qualified doctor in the NHS for 23 years and I've not seen anything like it in respiratory medicine," she said. Dr Evans said understanding long Covid will ease future strains on healthcare services and wider society due to people being unable to return to work or fulfil their caring roles. "Like with any condition, if people are left to deal with it themselves there can often become a real cycle of illness where the symptoms continue," she added. Dr Evans said PHOSP-Covid investigation will interview patients and assess their physical function and mental health, also taking samples to analyse their genes and immune system. It aims to recruit 10,000 people, following them for a year in the first instance, with permission to follow them for a further 25 years from their healthcare records. It hopes to provide an initial report from 1,000 participants' health records within the next few months, with 4,000 more assessed through interviews and samples by the end of the year. The ultimate goal of the research, funded through UK Research and Innovation and the National Institute for Health Research, is to find prevention and treatment methods. "I always want to also say that there are plenty of people making a full recovery because we don't want to cause too much concern either," Dr Evans added. Hyderabad : A US citizen working with a multi-national law firm in Hyderabad has been arrested by the Cyber Crime Wing of Telangana Police, for allegedly downloading and uploading child pornography in the form of videos and images. The accused has been identified as James Kirk Jones, a release issued by the CID said. The action was taken after police received Interpol input of an IP address from which child pornography was being shared. The accused was arrested on Tuesday, said the release. A case under relevant section of Information Technology Act, 2000, was registered and the investigation was taken up, it said. During the course of the investigation, the IP address was traced to the address of accused at Madhapur. Immediately his premises were searched and police seized a laptop containing 29,288 items of child pornographic videos and images among others, said the release. Jones has confessed that from childhood he developed the habit of watching child pornography and has been downloading, watching and sharing such material ever since it said. Further investigation about his activities in India is going on, the police said. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. A young Swiss teacher obsessed with the color pink has been wearing nothing but her favorite color for over a decade and has decked out her apartment pink as well. 32-year-old Yasmin Charlotte has loved the color pink ever since she was a child, but instead of growing out of it, Yasmin only became more obsessed with pink as she grew up. 13 years ago she started wearing pink exclusively, and ever since she moved into her own apartment last year, she has created her very own pink paradise. She used to live with her boyfriend, and had turned half the place pink, but now that she has all the space to herself, she has gone all out. Despite attracting a lot of attention and even some abuse because of her obsession with pink Yasmin says she would never put on any other color, not even for her wedding. Photo: Jason Leung/Unsplash When I was a kid, I would dress in pink like any little girl, Yasmin told PA Real Life. Then when I was 12 my mum bought me a pink cardigan and some trousers. I loved them, but I felt embarrassed. I thought pink was for little girls, not nearly teenagers. But at 16, I started to wear more and more pink, and grow my collection. I had blue jeans and a black skirt but everything else was pink. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Yasmin (@yasi_pinkarella) on Sep 12, 2020 at 3:51am PDT Yasmin threw away her last pair of blue jeans, the only non-pink piece of clothing in her wardrobe and has been faithful to her favorite color ever since. Her friends and family initially thought it was just a phase, but they have come to accept that she is never giving up on pink and support her in everything she does. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Yasmin (@yasi_pinkarella) on Aug 23, 2020 at 2:42am PDT The 32-year-old teacher has an entire wardrobe consisting of various shades of pink, as well as a collection of over 100 pairs of pink shoes. Luckily she has had no complaints at her school, and say she would never accept a job that doesnt allow her to wear pink. Her students reportedly call her Miss Pink. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Yasmin (@yasi_pinkarella) on Aug 23, 2020 at 6:56am PDT Before I became a teacher, I did an apprenticeship as a dressmaker so I do make some of my own clothes, but I mostly buy online and in shops, Yasmin said. I have never had to wear a uniform for work and I would never chose a job where I couldnt wear pink. For the last 13 years, Ive worn nothing but pink. On occasion, I have had to go to a funeral or something like that, but if that happens, I borrow clothes. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Yasmin (@yasi_pinkarella) on Aug 19, 2020 at 3:06am PDT Ever since she moved into her own rented flat last year, Yasmin Charlotte painted all the walls pink and filled it up with pink things that she had been collecting for years. Now its her own pink paradise, her comfort blanket after a stressful day. From the walls and the furniture to the carpet and chandeliers, everything in her home is pink, and every time she finds something she likes that doesnt come in pink, she will simply paint it pink first. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Yasmin (@yasi_pinkarella) on Jul 26, 2020 at 1:57am PDT I would love it if everybody had the strength to wear individual stuff, if it really makes you happy, Yasmin said. There are a lot of people who say to me, You are strong because you wear what you want to, thats so impressive and I always say, You can do this too. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Yasmin (@yasi_pinkarella) on Jul 5, 2020 at 12:24am PDT Color obsession is really not that unusual, really. Over the years, weve featured unique characters like the Green Lady of Brooklyn, Miss Sunshine, a woman obsessed with the color yellow, or Zorica Rebernik, the Red Lady of Bosnia. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Yasmin (@yasi_pinkarella) on Jan 12, 2020 at 2:52am PST Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (Reuters) Santiago, Chile Tue, September 15, 2020 20:05 493 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c44fa12f 2 Environment Chile,zoo,animals,coronavirus,COVID-19 Free Oliver the rhinoceros, King Julien the lemur, Chilly Willy the penguin and their friends are urgently seeking sponsors for their bed and board in a Chilean zoo as visitors have dwindled to zero with the arrival of coronavirus. Buin Zoo, on the outskirts of the capital Santiago, is ordinarily one of the city's top attractions but it is struggling to stay afloat in an extraordinary year. Visitor numbers dropped off during widespread social protests over inequality that started in October with looting and arson attacks at their fringes. The coronavirus outbreak in March shut down the zoo, capping a "bleak" year, Ignacio Idalsoaga, the zoo's director, said in an interview. The home to 2,500 animals from around the world with massive appetites is struggling to find its $400,000 - $500,000 monthly operating costs, he said. Its residents consume 400 kilos of apples and 1,000 kilos of fish each week, 2,500 kilos of meat each month, and 7,200 bales of oats and alfalfa annually. "The amounts are quite breathtaking. There are many mouths to feed," said Idalsoaga. Read also: David Attenborough in appeal to save charity behind London Zoo The zoo, which will reopen on Sept. 29 with new health protocols, has turned to habitual visitors for help. "Godparents" can pay $2,500 ($3) to $90,000 ($118) to receive photos, certificates, educational files and cuddly toys of 15 "emblematic" animals, as well as entry passes for when it reopens. Carlos Casanova, a local teacher with three kids, is now godfather to several animals as well. "It's a nice institution which does a lot of good for children and treats its animals well, so it made us sad to see them struggling," he said. Chile is gradually lifting its lockdowns after hitting the peak of infections in June and July. So far, the country has had more than 430,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus and more than 11,800 deaths. President Donald Trump freaked out over a sneeze in April, a new tape from Rage author Bob Woodward revealed Monday. The legendary Watergate journalist played a new audio recording of Trump on The Late Show during an interview with Stephen Colbert, where the president told Woodward a story about someone sneezing in the Oval Office during a meeting with advisers. Trump and others quickly left due to concerns about the coronavirus. Bob, its so easily transmissible, you wouldnt even believe it, Trump said in the clip, recorded April 13, 2020. I was in the White House a couple of days ago, meeting of 10 people in the Oval Office and a guy sneezed, innocently, Trump continued. Not a horrible just a sneeze. The entire room bailed out, OK? Including me, by the way. The audio of Trump begins at the 7:40 mark: Colbert said Trump, who has a reputation for being a germaphobe, appeared to be making light of the incident, "but at the heart of that is something extraordinarily shocking. Woodward agreed, adding that if someone sneezed at Trumps large indoor rally in Nevada on Sunday he could "bail out again and get out of the way. Last week, Woodward released a recording of Trump from early February admitting he knew Covid-19 was deadlier than the flu despite downplaying the threat to the American public. The president didnt declare a national emergency until more than a month later, and days later told Woodward he wanted to always play it down. I still like playing it down, Trump said March 19, because I dont want to create a panic. The Daily Beast notes that Trump also gave different messages in public and private on April 13, the day he told reporters that the president had total authority to reopen the economy and threatened governors of Democratic-led states where businesses had shut down to slow the spread of Covid-19. Trump defended his comments to Woodward, telling reporters Wednesday that hes a cheerleader for this country." I dont want people to be frightened, I dont want to create panic, Trump said. "And certainly Im not going to drive this country or the world into a frenzy. We want to show confidence, we want to show strength, we want to show strength as a nation, and thats what Ive done and weve done very well by any standards... its been an amazing job that weve done. Trump has frequently been criticized for his response to the coronavirus, which has led to 6.5 million cases and 194,545 deaths as of Tuesday. The U.S. death toll is more than 20% of the global count, which is nearing 1 million deaths from Covid-19. I once asked [Trump] Whats the job of the president? Woodward told Colbert. And he said the job is to protect the people. I agree. I think most people in this country would. And he failed to protect the people. He failed to find a way to tell the truth. But in the Gaza Strip, Palestinian militants fired two rockets into Israel, apparently meant to coincide with the ceremony. The Israeli military said the rockets were fired from Gaza and one was intercepted by air defenses. Earlier in the day, Palestinian activists held small demonstrations in the West Bank and in Gaza, where they trampled and set fire to pictures of Trump, Netanyahu and the leaders of the UAE and Bahrain. Activists of the Bhartiya Kisan Union (Ekta-Ugrahan) started a six-day-long dharna outside the residence of former chief minister Parkash Singh Badal at Muktsar districts Badal village. BKU leader Shingara Singh Mann said the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) will face electoral consequences for supporting the three farm ordinances introduced by the Centre. He said the farmer organisations have united to oppose any move to weaken the agriculture sector by the BJP-led government at the Centre. Initially, the Muktsar police stopped the agitating farmers at Kalcharani near Badal village, but later the farmers were given passage. Also, activists of farmer associations blocked the Bathinda-Patiala road on the issue. Different farmer outfits raised slogans against the Centre for bringing the anti-farmer ordinances at Bhai Ghanhya Chowk and demanded their rollback. At both protest venues, a large number of activists were found violating Covid-19 guidelines by not following physical distancing or had their faces uncovered. On Monday, Bathinda police had released a detailed traffic diversion plan in view of the farmers protest. But in a press release issued on Tuesday, deputy commissioner B Srinivasan said there was a complete prohibition on any large gathering. He said the violators will face legal action. However, no police action was initiated till the time of filing the report. Quantum technology holds great promise: Just a few years from now, quantum computers are expected to revolutionize database searches, AI systems, and computational simulations. Today already, quantum cryptography can guarantee absolutely secure data transfer, albeit with limitations. The greatest possible compatibility with our current silicon-based electronics will be a key advantage. And that is precisely where physicists from the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR) and TU Dresden have made remarkable progress: The team has designed a silicon-based light source to generate single photons that propagate well in glass fibers (DOI: 10.1364/OE.397377). Quantum technology relies on the ability to control the behavior of quantum particles as precisely as possible, for example by locking individual atoms in magnetic traps or by sending individual light particles - called photons - through glass fibers. The latter is the basis of quantum cryptography, a communication method that is, in principle, tap-proof: Any would-be data thief intercepting the photons unavoidably destroys their quantum properties. The senders and receivers of the message will notice that and can stop the compromised transmission in time. This requires light sources that deliver single photons. Such systems already exist, especially based on diamonds, but they have one flaw: "These diamond sources can only generate photons at frequencies that are not suitable for fiber optic transmission," explains HZDR physicist Dr. Georgy Astakhov. "Which is a significant limitation for practical use." So Astakhov and his team decided to use a different material - the tried and tested electronic base material silicon. 100,000 single photons per second To make the material generate the infrared photons required for fiber optic communication, the experts subjected it to a special treatment, selectively shooting carbon into the silicon with an accelerator at the HZDR Ion Beam Center. This created what is called G-centers in the material - two adjacent carbon atoms coupled to a silicon atom forming a sort of artificial atom. When radiated with red laser light, this artificial atom emits the desired infrared photons at a wavelength of 1.3 micrometers, a frequency excellently suited for fiber optic transmission. "Our prototype can produce 100,000 single photons per second," Astakhov reports. "And it is stable. Even after several days of continuous operation, we haven't observed any deterioration." However, the system only works in extremely cold conditions - the physicists use liquid helium to cool it down to a temperature of minus 268 degrees Celsius. "We were able to show for the first time that a silicon-based single-photon source is possible," Astakhov's colleague Dr. Yonder Berencen is happy to report. "This basically makes it possible to integrate such sources with other optical components on a chip." Among other things, it would be of interest to couple the new light source with a resonator to solve the problem that infrared photons largely emerge from the source randomly. For use in quantum communication, however, it would be necessary to generate photons on demand. Light source on a chip This resonator could be tuned to exactly hit the wavelength of the light source, which would make it possible to increase the number of generated photons to the point that they are available at any given time. "It has already been proven that such resonators can be built in silicon," reports Berencen. "The missing link was a silicon-based source for single photons. And that's exactly what we've now been able to create." But before they can consider practical applications, the HZDR researchers still have to solve some problems - such as a more systematic production of the new telecom single-photon sources. "We will try to implant the carbon into silicon with greater precision," explains Georgy Astakhov. "HZDR with its Ion Beam Center provides an ideal infrastructure for realizing ideas like this." ### Publication: M. Hollenbach, Y. Berencen, U. Kentsch, M. Helm, G. Astakhov: Isolation of telecom single-photon emitters in silicon for scalable quantum photonics, in Optics Express, 2020 (DOI: 10.1364/OE.397377) Additional information: Dr. Georgy Astakhov Institute of Ion Beam Physics and Materials Research at HZDR Phone: +49 351 260 3894 | Email: g.astakhov@hzdr.de Media contact: Simon Schmitt | Science editor Phone: +49 351 260-3400 | Email: s.schmitt@hzdr.de Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf | Bautzner Landstr. 400 | 01328 Dresden / Germany | http://www.hzdr.de The Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR) performs - as an independent German research center - research in the fields of energy, health, and matter. We focus on answering the following questions: * How can energy and resources be utilized in an efficient, safe, and sustainable way? * How can malignant tumors be more precisely visualized, characterized, and more effectively treated? * How do matter and materials behave under the influence of strong fields and in smallest dimensions? To help answer these research questions, HZDR operates large-scale facilities, which are also used by visiting researchers: the Ion Beam Center, the High-Magnetic Field Laboratory Dresden, and the ELBE Center for High-Power Radiation Sources. HZDR is a member of the Helmholtz Association and has six sites (Dresden, Freiberg, Grenoble, Leipzig, Schenefeld near Hamburg) with almost 1,200 members of staff, of whom about 500 are scientists, including 170 Ph.D. candidates. Sept 14 (Reuters) - Units of Glenfarne Group LLC and Kinder Morgan Inc asked federal regulators for five more years to complete the Magnolia LNG export plant and associated gas pipeline expansions, according to filings made available on Monday. The U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) approved construction of Magnolia LNG and related pipeline expansions in April 2016. That approval required the companies to complete the project within five years, by April 2021. Glenfarne, which acquired the Magnolia project from LNG Ltd of Australia in May 2020, said "unforeseeable developments in the global LNG market have affected Magnolia LNGs ability to enter into long-term LNG offtake contracts ... critical to securing project financing and achieving (final investment decision)," referring to purchase agreements for gas. Those "unforeseeable developments" included global energy demand destruction from government lockdowns to stop the spread of coronavirus and disruptions caused by the U.S.-China trade war. Glenfarne has said it expects to decide late next year whether to build the Magnolia plant and the Texas LNG facility it is developing in Texas. If the company decides to build the projects, they could enter service around 2025. Several developers have put off decisions to build LNG projects in North America over the past year due to uncertainty about demand as the pandemic and other factors have cut energy consumption. Even before the pandemic, gas prices were already trading at their lowest in years, making customers hesitant to sign long-term deals needed to finance multibillion-dollar LNG projects because the world was already awash in gas after a record number of export plants entered service in 2019. Magnolia is designed to produce 8.8 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) of LNG or 1.2 billion cubic feet per day of natural gas. One billion cubic feet is enough gas to supply about 5 million U.S. homes for a day. (Reporting by Scott DiSavino; Editing by Dan Grebler) Tariffs imposed on China during Donald Trumps trade war violated international trade rules, a World Trade Organisation panel ruled on Tuesday. The WTO panel said tariffs on $200bn worth of goods were illegal because they only applied to products from China and the US had not shown the products benefited from unfair practices including intellectual property theft and technology transfer, according to the Associated Press. While the decision would theoretically allow China to impose tariffs on US goods in retaliation, in practice they would be unable to respond as the ruling could be appealed to a court that is not currently operating. The Trump administration has blocked new appointments the WTOs appeals court, rendering it unfunctional, so it cant make the final ruling required for the panels decision to be binding. Robert E Lighthizer, the United States Trade Representative, said the US must be allowed to defend itself against unfair trade practices that take advantage of American workers, businesses, farmers and ranchers. This panel report confirms what the Trump administration has been saying for four years: the WTO is completely inadequate to stop Chinas harmful technology practices, Mr Lighthizer said in a statement. Although the panel did not dispute the extensive evidence submitted by the United States of intellectual property theft by China, its decision shows that the WTO provides no remedy for such misconduct. In September 2018, the US imposed duties of 10 per cent on $200bn worth goods before increasing them to 25 per cent eight months later. In June 2018, 25 per cent duties were imposed on Chinese goods worth $34bn, the AP reported. They were justified under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, with the US arguing Chinas actions were a form of state-sanctioned theft and misappropriation of technology, intellectual property and commercial secrets. The Shiv Sena on Tuesday claimed social media platforms are being used systematically to defame Mumbai and Maharashtra. Since the last five to six years, disparaging comments are being made on social media in the name of gossiping and there is no restriction on it, the Shiv Sena said in an editorial in party mouthpiece Saamana. Maharashtra and the Marathis are experiencing such a situation for the past some days, it said. Social media is being used systematically to defame Mumbai and Maharashtra. But if anyone retorts to such gossiping in their own style, then concerns are raised about ones (the users) freedom of speech, the Marathi daily said without mentioning any incident. It also referred to Supreme Court judge N V Ramanas recent comment where he said judges are now becoming victims of juicy gossip and slanderous social media postings as they restrain themselves from speaking in their own defence. The Uddhav Thackeray-led party said what Justice Ramana said is true and applies to almost all sectors with its degree varying. The Shiv Senas remarks came against the backdrop of its workers recently roughing up a retired Navy officer in Mumbai for circulating on social media a cartoon lampooning Maharashtra Chief Minister and Sena president Uddhav Thackeray. The party was also recently engaged in a war of words with Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut, who in a Twitter post likened Mumbai to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). The Shiv Sena, which is in power in Maharashtra along with the NCP and Congress, also said some machineries have to face false criticism helplessly due to government obligation, but that does not mean social media users take disadvantage of it. The party also wondered if social media users will show the maturity of understanding what Justice Ramana said. File image The countrywide lockdown imposed by the Centre in March helped prevent an estimated 14-29 Lakh COVID-19 cases and 37,000-78,000 deaths in the country, Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan told the Lok Sabha on Monday. India recorded 3,328 cases per million and 55 deaths per million population, which the minister said was the lowest in the world among similarly-affected countries. The government took the COVID-19 challenge with the highest level of political commitment and successfully managed to prevent aggressive progression, he added. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had imposed a nationwide lockdown since March 24 to combat the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. "It has been estimated that this decision prevented approximately 14-29 lakh cases and 37,000 to 78,000 deaths, Dr Harsh Vardhan said in his statement in the Lok Sabha on the first day of the Monsoon Session. The restrictions were gradually relaxed from June onwards. Dr Harsh Vardhan said that the maximum cases and deaths have been primarily reported from Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, West Bengal, Bihar, Telangana, Odisha, Assam, Kerala and Gujarat. All these states have reported at least 100,000 cases, he said. The Monsoon Session is being held amid unprecedented precautionary measures against COVID-19 due to a continuing spike in cases. The last session - the Budget Session - was held in March and had to be cut short because of the pandemic. India reported 92,0761 fresh COVID-19 cases and 1,136 deaths in the last 24 hours, according to the Union Health Ministry. The rate of infection was low in the country and approximately 77.65 % patients have recovered, so far, the minister said. In India, about 92% of the cases are reported to have mild disease. In only about 5.8% of cases where oxygen therapy is required and the disease may be severe enough to require intensive care in only 1.7% cases," he told the Parliament. Dr Vardhan said that a major focus in India has been on facilitating the development of a COVID-19 vaccine. More than 30 vaccine candidates have been supported which are in different stages of development. Three candidates are in advanced stage of Phase I/2/3 trials and more than four in advanced pre-clinical development stage," he said on the floor of the House. Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas said Monday only an Israeli withdrawal from occupied territories can bring peace to the Middle East, as the UAE and Bahrain signed normalisation accords with the Jewish state. "Peace, security and stability will not be achieved in the region until the Israeli occupation ends," he said in a statement after the signing in Washington of the deals, condemned by the Palestinians as a "betrayal" of their cause. Search Keywords: Short link: As Donald Trump on Monday toured parts of California that have been ravaged by wildfires and then reiterated his scepticism of climate change, Joe Biden, his Democratic challenger for the White House race, slammed the US president, calling him a climate arsonist. Trump visited California, one of 10 states where wildfires have burnt down nearly 5 million acres of land, killed dozens of people and displaced millions, after weeks of criticism of his indifference towards the crisis and after blaming it on negligent forest management practices. Local officials of Democrat-ruled California accepted the importance of forest management during their interactions with the US president, but argued that climate change should be accepted as having played a role in the devastating West Coast fires. Itll start getting cooler, you just watch, the American president said dismissively after a short presentation by a California official who argued that climate change should be recognised as the real cause of the fires. The state official then told the US president, I wish science agreed with you, to which Trump responded, saying, I dont think science knows, actually. The exchange of words went viral on social media as yet another instance of climate crisis denial by the US president. Trump had been downplaying the climate crisis right from his pre-presidency days, when he had claimed that climate change was a hoax fanned by China to slow down the growth of industrialised countries. Since taking office in January 2017, Trump has pulled the US out of the Paris Accord, claiming it had given India and China a sweeter deal, and has decidedly rolled back all clean air and water orders issued by his predecessor, Barack Obama. Donald Trumps climate denial may not have caused these fires, record floods and record hurricanes, former vice-president Biden said in a speech in Wilmington, Delaware, tying the catastrophic natural events to the climate crisis. But if he gets a second term, these hellish events will become more common, more devastating and more deadly. Bided added, If you give a climate arsonist four more years in the White House, why would anyone be surprised if we have more of America ablaze? The Democratic presidential candidate promised to take the US back to the Paris Accord that Obama as president had brokered with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping, leaders of the worlds top polluters after America. While he (Trump) turns us against our allies, I will bring us back into the Paris Agreement, Biden said. I will put us back in the business of leading the world on climate change. And I will challenge everyone to up the ante on their climate commitments. Christina Anstead knows that couples don't always agreeon home decor or otherwise. (Remember all of her arguments with her ex-husband and flipping partner Tarek El Moussa on "Flip or Flop"?) And on her new show, Christina on the Coast," we see that plenty of her clients can't see eye to eye, either. In the latest episode, A Clash of Style, Anstead helps newlyweds Montana and Liz update their home in Long Beach, CA. Its a big design job, which is made more challenging when these clients cant agree on how their house should look. Read on to find out how Anstead helps them compromise, and how they both end up pleasantly surprised by their new surroundings. Perhaps you can avoid your own domestic design battles, too! Get a sample before you decide These homeowners made the right choice when they picked blue over black cabinets. HGTV When the three of them discuss the kitchen, it's clear that Montana is set on having black cabinets, while Liz wants blue. Neither is willing to compromise, and things are tense between the newlyweds. It's clear that Anstead will have to act as the tie-breaker. To help, Anstead brings the newlyweds a sample for blue shaker cabinets. Upon seeing it in real life, Montana warms up to the hue, and allows Liz to get her way. And by the end of renovation, theyre both happy they went with blue. The cabinets bring a sophistication to the kitchen without making it look too harsh. Wow, it looks really, really good, Montana says of the kitchen. I cannot believe how it turned out. Light flooring is a must-have in a home with pets Christina Anstead's flooring choice looks beautiful! HGTV Since Montana had to compromise on the cabinet color, he's hopeful that he can call the shots when it comes to flooring. However, he and Liz butt heads once again. While Montana likes the idea of a dramatic, dark floor, Liz prefers a lighter shade. Once again, Anstead acts as the tie-breaker and explains that the lighter floors won't just work better with the rest of the homes design, but will be more practical with their three dogs. All the fur those pooches shed would show up on a dark floor, but blend in better on a lighter one, she explains. Montana eventually agrees to medium-gray laminate flooring, and while it may seem like another compromise, he ends up liking it a lot. Extend your fireplace up Anstead knew this fireplace was due for a makeover. HGTV Montana finally gets his way with the fireplace. Anstead wants to take the small fireplace in the living room and make it a grand statement piece by extending it all the way to the ceiling. Montana is happy that the fireplace will feature the matte black tile he loves. The fireplace now goes all the way to the ceiling. HGTV When the fireplace is finally finished, the couple love the look. As it turns out, Montanas dark style finally found a perfect place in the house. Its just black and Gothic, Montana says of the fireplace. Its so cool, its awesome. Pay attention to the ceiling This wood-tone ceiling made the house look charming but dated. HGTV If there's one thing Liz and Montana agree on, it's that the house needs a fresh coat of paintparticularly on the drab wood-tone ceiling. So Anstead is happy to break out a new color, and explains that they can't go wrong with white. This white ceiling looks much more modern. HGTV Once done, the new color alters the look of the home in a big way. With the clean, white look, this home seems like a better fit for this young couple. It felt before like a country cabin, Anstead explains. "And now it feels like this really chic, modern, industrial space." Dog rooms don't have to look drab This space was cluttered and messy. HGTV After a long renovation and lots of hard design choices, Anstead wants to surprise the couple with an upgrade to their dogs' space, too. Montana and Liz use their mudroom as a doggie area. It's a functional space, but not very stylish. Anstead decides to take out the large, imposing cabinets and replace them with cozy dog beds. Along with a fresh coat of white paint, Anstead creates a light, relaxing spot for this couple's canines. This doggie space looks so much cleaner now. HGTV While Montana may still be a fan of darker colors, he likes the bright look of this doggie space. Its really, really cute, he says. Is Christina Ansteads latest home design up to snuff? Anstead has $75,000 to make this home feel new for her newlywed clients. While this seems like a healthy budget, Liz and Montana make the renovation more challenging with their various style feuds. It takes Anstead 15 weeks, an added $500 to the budget, and a whole lot of design negotiations, but in the end she's able to give Liz and Montana a beautiful home they both adoreand some lessons on living together in harmony. The post Christina Anstead's Advice for Couples Who Just Can't Agree on Decor appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com. An investment in the Offered Shares involves substantial risks and uncertainties. Prospective investors should read the entire prospectus, and, in particular, should see "Risk Factors" for a discussion of certain factors that should be considered in connection with an investment in the Offered Shares, including the risks that (i) even though the Company has obtained regulatory approval (CE-mark) in Europe for the Genio system based on first positive clinical trial results, this does not imply that clinical efficacy has been demonstrated and there is no guarantee that ongoing and future clinical trials intended to support further marketing authorizations (such as in the US) will be successful and that the Genio system will perform as intended, (ii) the Company's future financial performance will depend on the results of ongoing and future clinical studies and the commercial acceptance (including reimbursement) of the Genio system (the Company's only commercial-stage product at the date hereof), (iii) the Company has incurred operating losses, negative operating cash flows and an accumulated deficit since inception and may not be able to achieve or subsequently maintain profitability, (iv) the Company will likely require additional funds in the future in order to meet its capital and expenditure needs and further financing may not be available when required or could significantly limit the Company's access to additional capital. Not taking into account any proceeds of the Offering, the Company does not have sufficient working capital to meet its working capital needs for a period of at least 12 months from the date of the prospectus. All of these factors should be considered before investing in the Offered Shares. Prospective investors must be able to bear the economic risk of an investment in shares in the Company and should be able to sustain a partial or total loss of their investment. A picture containing clock, light, drawing Description automatically generated ADVERTISEMENT Story continues Nyxoah Initial Public Offering Multiple Times Over Subscribed and Early Closing Announced Mont-Saint-Guibert, Belgium 14 September 2020 Nyxoah S.A. (Nyxoah or the Company) a health-technology company focused on the development and commercialization of innovative solutions and services to treat sleep disordered breathing conditions, today announces that its initial public offering of new shares (the Offered Shares) with admission to listing on the regulated market of Euronext Brussels (the "Offering") in its maximum size, is multiple times oversubscribed at the upper end of the price range. Consequently, the Offering will close ahead of schedule at 4:00 pm (CEST) on Wednesday, 16 September 2020. A press release with the final results of the Offering will be published on Thursday, 17 September 2020. Offering The Offering was announced on Wednesday, 9 September 2020 and relates to an offering of up to 3,871,000 Offered Shares of the Company, which number may be increased by up to 15% (the Increase Option). Any decision to exercise the Increase Option will be communicated, at the latest, on the date of the announcement of the final results of the Offering, including the final offer price per Offered Share (the "Offering Price"). The price range of the Offering is between 14,00 and 17,00 per Offered Share. The initial offering period of the Offering started on Wednesday, 9 September 2020 and was scheduled to run until 4:00 pm (CEST) on Tuesday, 22 September 2020 subject to early closing, possible as of Wednesday, 16 September. The initial offering period of the Offering will be closed earlier on 4:00 pm (CEST) on Wednesday, 16 September, in application of the possibility provided for in the section "The Offering" of the Prospectus (as defined below). Conditional trading is expected to start on Friday, 18 September (the "Listing Date") and settlement of the Offering is expected to take place on Monday, 21 September. Belfius Bank NV/SA will, on the Underwriters behalf (as defined below), act as stabilization manager (the Stabilization Manager). The Stabilization Manager will be able to over-allot Offered Shares in the Offering in order to facilitate stabilization. The Stabilization Manager is expected to be granted a warrant to subscribe for additional new shares in the Company in a number equal to up to 15% of the number of Offered Shares subscribed for in the Offering at the Offering Price (as defined above) (the Over-allotment Option). The Over-allotment Option will be exercisable for a period of 30 calendar days following the Listing Date (as defined above) (the Stabilization Period). The Stabilization Manager may engage in transactions that stabilize, maintain or otherwise affect the price of the Company's shares during the Stabilization Period. These activities may support the market price of the Company's shares at a level higher than that which might otherwise prevail. Stabilization will not be executed above the Offering Price. Such transactions may be effected on the regulated market of Euronext Brussels, in the over-the-counter markets or otherwise. The Stabilization Manager and its agents are not required to engage in any of these activities and, as such, there is no assurance that these activities will be undertaken; if undertaken, the Stabilization Manager or its agents may discontinue any of these activities at any time and they must terminate at the end of the 30-calendar day period mentioned above. Prospectus and other information A prospectus and a supplement to this prospectus have been approved by the Belgian Financial Services and Markets Authority, respectively on 8 and 10 September 2020 (the "Prospectus"). The FSMA only approved the Prospectus (including the summary of the Prospectus, the Summary) as meeting the standards of completeness, comprehensibility and consistency imposed by the Prospectus Regulation. Such approval should not be considered as an endorsement of the Company or the quality of the Offered Shares that are the subject of the Prospectus. Investors should make their own assessment as to the suitability of investing in the Offered Shares. The full Prospectus is available to prospective investors in Belgium in English and French with a summary in Dutch. The Prospectus is available to investors free of charge at the registered office of the Company (Nyxoah SA, Rue Edouard Belin 12, 1435, Mont-Saint-Guibert, Belgium) and on the websites of Nyxoah ( www.nyxoah.com ) and of the Joint Global Coordinators ( www.belfius.be and www.degroofpetercam.be/en/news/nyxoah_2020 ). The Prospectus and the Summary are also made available free of charge to investors (i) upon request by phone: +32 2 287 95 52 (Bank Degroof Petercam NV/SA) and +32 222 12 01 and +32 222 12 02 (Dutch) (Belfius Bank NV/SA), and (ii) on the following websites: www.nyxoah.com , www.degroofpetercam.be/en/news/nyxoah_2020 and www.belfius.be/Nyxoah2020 . The Prospectus can also be consulted on the website of the Company ( www.nyxoah.com ), whereby the access on the aforementioned websites is each time subject to the usual limitations. An investment in the Offered Shares involves substantial risks and uncertainties. Prospective investors need to base their investment decision on the entire Prospectus and particularly, the risk factors, as described in the Prospectus. Prospective investors must be able to bear the economic risk of an investment in the Offered Shares and should be able to sustain a partial or total loss of their investment. The Offering is subject to Belgian law and the courts of Brussels are exclusively competent to adjudicate any and all disputes with investors arising out of or in connection with the Offering and/or the Offered Shares. - ENDS - For further information, please contact: Nyxoah Remi Renard, VP Therapy Development and Education remi.renard@nyxoah.com +32 472 12 64 40 For media enquiries, please contact: Consilium Strategic Communications Amber Fennell, Ashley Tapp, Lindsey Neville, Taiana De Ruyck Soares Nyxoah@consilium-comms.com +44 (0)20 3709 5700 About Nyxoah Nyxoah is a healthtech company focused on the development and commercialization of innovative solutions and services for sleep disordered breathing conditions. Nyxoahs lead solution is the Genio system, a CE-validated, user-centered, next generation hypoglossal neurostimulation therapy for OSA, the worlds most common sleep disordered breathing condition that is associated with increased mortality risk1 and comorbidities including cardiovascular diseases, depression and stroke. Following successful completion of the BLAST OSA study in patients with moderate to severe OSA, the Genio system received its European CE Mark in March 2019. The Company is currently conducting the BETTER SLEEP study in Australia and New Zealand for therapy indication expansion, and a post-marketing EliSA study in Europe to confirm the long-term safety and efficacy of the Genio system. For more information, please visit www.nyxoah.com . Caution CE marked since 2019. Investigational device in the United States. Limited by U.S. federal law to investigational use in the United States. Important Notice Any purchase of, subscription for or application for, shares to be issued by Nyxoah (the "Company") in connection with the intended offering should only be made on the basis of information contained in the prospectus in connection with the intended offering and any supplements thereto, as the case may be (the "Prospectus"). This announcement is not a prospectus. The information contained in this announcement is for informational purposes only and does not purport to be full or complete. Investors should not subscribe for any securities referred to in this document except on the basis of information contained in the Prospectus. The Prospectus contains detailed information about the Company and its business, management, risks associated with investing in the Company, as well as financial statements and other financial data. This announcement cannot be used as basis for any investment agreement or decision. The date of completion of listing on the regulated market of Euronext Brussels may be influenced by things such as market conditions. There is no guarantee that such listing will occur and investors should not base their financial decisions on the Company's intentions in relation to such listing at this stage. This communication is directed only at persons (i) who are outside the United Kingdom or (ii) who have professional experience in matters relating to investments and who fall within article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (as amended) (the Order) or (iii) who are high net worth entities or other persons who fall within article 49(2)(a) to (d) of the Order (all such persons together being referred to as Relevant Persons). Any investment or investment activity to which this communication relates is available only to Relevant Persons and will be engaged in only with Relevant Persons. Any person who is not a Relevant Person must not act or rely on this communication or any of its contents. This announcement is not for publication or distribution, directly or indirectly, in or into the United States of America. This announcement is not an offer of securities for sale into the United States. The securities referred to herein have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), and may not be offered or sold in the United States, except pursuant to an applicable exemption from registration. No public offering of securities is being made in the United States. These materials do not constitute, nor form part of, an offer to purchase or sell or solicitation to purchase or subscribe for securities, and there shall not be any sale of the securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to its registration or qualification under the laws of such jurisdiction. A prospectus for purposes of Regulation 2017/1129, as amended (together with any applicable implementing measures in any Member State of the European Economic Area and the United Kingdom (each a "Relevant State"), the Prospectus Regulation) and a supplement to the prospectus have been approved by the Belgian Financial Services and Markets Authority. The Prospectus and its supplement are made available to investors free of charge at the registered office of the Company (Nyxoah SA, Rue Edouard Belin 12, 1435, Mont-Saint-Guibert, Belgium) and on the websites of Nyxoah ( www.nyxoah.com ) and of the Joint Global Coordinators ( www.belfius.be and www.degroofpetercam.be/en/news/nyxoah_2020 ). The Prospectus shall also be made available free of charge to investors (i) upon request by phone: +32 2 287 95 52 (Bank Degroof Petercam NV/SA) and +32 222 12 01 and +32 222 12 02 (Dutch) (Belfius Bank NV/SA), and (ii) on the following websites: www.nyxoah.com , www.degroofpetercam.be/en/news/nyxoah_2020 and www.belfius.be/Nyxoah2020 . Access on the aforementioned websites is each time subject to the usual limitations. Investors are invited to consult section 2 of the Prospectus which contains specific information about risk factors. The distribution of this press release may be restricted by law or regulation in certain countries. Accordingly, persons who come into possession of this press release should inform themselves of and observe such restrictions. The securities referred to in this press release will not be publicly offered, and will not be registered, in any jurisdiction other than Belgium. In any Relevant State other than Belgium that has implemented the Prospectus Regulation, this communication is only addressed to and is only directed at qualified investors in that Relevant State within the meaning of the Prospectus Regulation. This announcement and the information contained herein do not constitute an offer to sell nor a solicitation to buy securities of the Company, and are not for publication, distribution or release in, or into the United States of America, Australia, South Africa, Israel, Canada, Japan or any other jurisdiction where to do so would be prohibited by applicable law. Acquiring investments to which this announcement relates may expose an investor to a significant risk of losing the entire amount invested. Persons considering such investments should consult an authorized person specializing in advising on such investments. This announcement does not constitute a recommendation concerning the intended offering. The value of the shares can decrease as well as increase. Potential investors should consult a professional advisor as to the suitability of the intended offering for the person concerned. No action has been taken by the Company that would permit an offer of Company's shares or the possession or distribution of these materials or any other offering or publicity material relating to such shares in any jurisdiction outside of Belgium where action for that purpose is required. The release, publication or distribution of these materials in certain jurisdictions may be restricted by law and therefore persons in such jurisdictions into which they are released, published or distributed, should inform themselves about, and observe, such restrictions. The issue, the subscription for or purchase of shares of the Company can be subject to special legal or statutory restrictions in certain jurisdictions. The Company is not liable if the aforementioned restrictions are not complied with by any person. The contents of this announcement include statements that are, or may be deemed to be, "forward-looking statements". In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology, including the words "believes", "estimates," "anticipates", "expects", "intends", "may", "will", "plans", "continue", "ongoing", "potential", "predict", "project", "target", "seek" or "should" or, in each case, their negative or other variations or comparable terminology or by discussions of strategies, plans, objectives, targets, goals, future events or intentions. Forward-looking statements include statements regarding the Company's intentions, beliefs or current expectations concerning, among other things, its results of operations, prospects, growth, strategies and dividend policy and the industry in which the Company operates. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties. New risks can emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for the Company to predict all such risks, nor can the Company assess the impact of all such risks on its business or the extent to which any risks, or combination of risks and other factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. Given these risks and uncertainties, the reader should not rely on forward-looking statements as a prediction of actual results. Without prejudice to the Company's obligations under applicable law in relation to disclosure and ongoing information, the Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update forward-looking statements. Bank Degroof Petercam NV/SA and Belfius Bank NV/SA (the "Underwriters") are acting for the Company and no one else in relation to the intended offering, and will not be responsible to anyone other than the Company for providing the protections offered to their respective clients nor for providing advice in relation to the intended offering. The Company assumes responsibility for the information contained in this announcement. None of the Underwriters or any of their respective affiliates or any of their respective directors, officers, employees, advisers or agents accepts any responsibility or liability whatsoever for or makes any representation or warranty, express or implied, as to the truth, accuracy or completeness of the information in this announcement (or whether any information has been omitted from the announcement) or any other information relating to the Company, whether written, oral or in a visual or electronic form, and howsoever transmitted or made avail-able or for any loss howsoever arising from any use of this announcement or its contents or otherwise arising in connection therewith. Each of the Underwriters and each of their respective affiliates accordingly disclaim, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, all and any liability whether arising in tort, contract or otherwise which they might otherwise be found to have in respect of this announcement or any such statement or information. No representation or warranty express or implied, is made by any of the Underwriters or any of their respective affiliates as to the accuracy, completeness, verification or sufficiency of the information set out in this announcement, and nothing in this announcement will be relied upon as a promise or representation in this respect, whether or not to the past or future. 1 Young T. et al: Sleep Disordered Breathing and Mortality: Eighteen-Year Follow-up of the Wisconsin Sleep Cohort, Sleep. 2008 Aug 1; 31(8): 10711078. Political economy is a discipline in which rigorous empirical testing is difficult. Scholars are rarely presented with the kind of naturally occurring experiments which crop up in other fields of economic inquiry, such as when one state increases its minimum wage while its neighbours do not. Covid-19 is different. Though it is quite the cloud, for political economists the silver lining is that it provides an opportunity to look, in real time, at how different models of governance react to a simultaneous shock. Various taxonomies are used to categorise models of capitalism. A prominent one was set out in 2001 in Varieties of Capitalism, a book edited by Peter Hall, a political scientist, and David Soskice, an economist. It distinguished between liberal market economies (lmes) such as America, Britain and Canada, and co-ordinated market economies (cmes) such as Germany, the Nordic countries, Austria and the Netherlands. lmes capitalism is red-blooded, relying on market mechanisms to allocate resources and determine wages, and on financial markets to allocate capital. cmes, though still capitalist, are fonder of social organisations such as trade unions, and of bank finance. Western economies tend to sit on a continuum between these two models. In recent years scholars have also tried to account for the authoritarian, state-driven capitalism found in China and some other countries. Branko Milanovic of the City University of New York calls this model political capitalism. These frameworks are surprisingly good at parsing countries responses to the pandemic. Consider innovation. Scholars distinguish between incremental innovation, the continuous process of making marginal improvements to products and processes, and radical innovation, which may involve the launch of entirely new goods and services. Whereas cmes, with their emphasis on specific skills and long-term thinking, should be better at incremental innovation, they are at a disadvantage when it comes to radical innovation. They are constrained by the structures they have erected to steer the economy, which are slow to adapt to wholesale change. During the pandemic, cmes such as Germany have generally had a more coherent strategy for containing the spread of the virus. Lockdowns may not seem like incremental change, but reducing working hours to limit social contact, apportioning the costs across society and gaining public consent for restrictive measures are all easier when there are already institutions in place which allow collective action. Success may be generated more by unity and consistency than by the strength of the intervention that is chosen. For instance, Sweden was able to muster high levels of public support for its unorthodoxbut incrementally innovativestrategy of avoiding lockdowns entirely and relying on voluntary social distancing. Co-ordinated economies are well equipped to handle co-ordination problems, such as promoting public health. By contrast, Americas and Britains virus-containment strategies can seem disjointed and occasionally chaotic. As swashbuckling lmes, however, they are more likely to be the source of the most transformative innovations in the pandemic: treatments and vaccines. Of 34 vaccine candidates tracked by the World Health Organisation, only four are in cmes; lmes have 13 (AstraZeneca, an Anglo-Swedish drugmaker working with Oxford University, straddles both categories). It was British researchers who discovered the effectiveness of dexamethasone, a cheap drug, in treating covid-19 patients who are admitted to hospital. The other leading candidate for effective drug treatment, remdesivir, is American. In a provocative Bloomberg column earlier this year Tyler Cowen, an economist at George Mason University, argued that Britain, despite its high death count, had done more than any other country to stop the spread of the virus. What about China? Mr Milanovic argues that a key feature of political capitalism is the zone of lawlessness that allows the state to suppress and ignore private-sector interest groups. This is reflected in the extreme lockdowns China implemented to suppress the virus. China is also innovative. It has ten different vaccines at varying stages of development. However, political capitalism suffers from endemic corruption, self-dealing and lack of trustworthiness. There might have been no pandemic at all had local officials in China not at first tried to cover up the original outbreak in Wuhan. It also seems doubtful that outsiders would take Chinas word that a vaccine it had produced was safe and effective, especially given how much of a propaganda coup it would be for the Communist Party to claim that it had saved the world. Vaxx factor The differences between models of capitalism are also apparent in economic trends. To the extent that the pandemic brings about permanent structural change, lmes seem better placed to adapt. Anglo-Saxon firms have embraced a move towards more home working; France and Germany seem more resistant (see article). The shift to online retail has been faster in liberal economies, too. And while both lmes and cmes have taken action to prop up household incomes, China has shown that under political capitalism the states lack of accountability to the public can lead to a disregard for individual welfare in the short term. Its stimulus has been focused on promoting investment and construction; poor households have been mostly left to fend for themselves, especially the migrant workers who often slip through local safety-nets. After the pandemic, it is likely that every system will have some basis on which to claim victory. cmes are on course to have lower death counts. China is enjoying a rapid economic rebound. But it is likely to be an lme behind the ultimate defeat of the virus. Life under the liberal model of capitalism can be risky and scary; its failures no doubt cause suffering. But the rewards when things go well can be immense. : economist.com The Uttar Pradesh government on Tuesday notified the creation of a special force empowered to search any premises or arrest any person without any warrant or orders of a court, said an official. The move prompted a strong reaction from the Congress, with its state unit chief Ajay Kumar Lallu equating it with the 1919 Rowlatt Act or Black Act and saying that the party will explore legal options to challenge it. The new force, named UP Special Security Force, will cater to the security of metro railways, courts, airports, banks and other vital installations in the state. The UP SSF will work on the lines of the Central Industrial Security Force, said Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Awanish Awasthi in a statement. The force has been created under the provisions of the Uttar Pradesh Vishesh Surakash Bal Adhiniyam (Uttar Pradesh Special Security Force Act), 2020, said Awasthi, adding the Force has been vested with powers akin to those of the CISF. "Under the Act, any member of the Force can arrest a person without any warrant or orders of a magistrate if there is an attack to members of the Force, the threat of, the use of criminal force or obstruction in the discharge of duty," said the additional chief secretary. "If a crime is committed, the members of the Force can frisk any suspect without any search warrant without giving him any chance to escape or hide the evidence. On being convinced that the person has committed the crime, the person can be arrested," Awasthi said, adding, the Force will also be empowered to search any suspect's premises without any search warrant. Briefing reporters on Sunday, Awasthi had said, "The state government has given orders for the constitution of a special security force. A roadmap in this regard has been sought from the UP DGP." "This is a dream project of the UP chief minister. The basis of this force is an order of the High Court, which had directed for creation of a specialised force for civil courts. In all, there will be 9,919 personnel in the Force," he had said. Later, 1,913 additional posts will be created for it, he had said. Awasthi said five battalions would be constituted in the first phase and it will be headed by an ADG-rank officer. "Expenses incurred in the first phase will be around Rs 1,747 crore," Awasthi had said. The force was constituted on the order of the Allahabad High Court, which had expressed displeasure last December over the lack of security at civil courts, said Awasthi. On December 18, 2019, the Allahabad High Court had pulled up the Uttar Pradesh government over a shootout in a Bijnor courtroom. Three assailants had opened fire in the court of the Bijnor chief judicial magistrate on December 17, 2019, killing a murder accused and injuring three others two policemen and a court employee. The Muzaffarnagar court had witnessed a similar incident in 2015, when an armed man entered the courtroom masquerading as a lawyer and shot dead Vicky Tyagi, an alleged gangster. In another incident, Uttar Pradesh Bar Council chairperson Darvesh Kumari Yadav, 36, was shot dead by a colleague in her chamber on the civil court premises in Agra on June 13, 2019. A two-judge HC bench had said that most incompetent police personnel are being posted at the courts, adding that it will seek the deployment of central forces if the state government is not up to the task. Meanwhile, reacting to the constitution of the UP SSF, state Congress chief Lallu told PTI, "It is like the Rowlatt Act. It is unconstitutional, illegal and black law. There will be no 'daleel' (arguments), no 'vakeel' (advocate) against this new force. The Government wants to stifle the voices of democratic forces, including those of politicians, social activists and media through this black law. We will protest against this on the streets and also inside the assembly," he said. Asked if the Congress will move the court to challenge this law, Lallu said, "We will explore the legal options too The Anarchical and Revolutionary Crimes Act of 1919, popularly known as the Rowlatt Act or Black Act, was a legislative council act passed by the Imperial Legislative Council in Delhi on March 18, 1919. The National Institute of Building Sciences stands ready with research and science to help residents and business owners protect their homes and properties. The Natural Hazards Mitigation Saves 2019 Report represents the most comprehensive benefit-cost analysis of natural hazard mitigation, from adopting up-to-date building codes to the upgrade of utility and transportation infrastructure. "U.S. disaster losses from wind, floods, earthquakes, and fires now average $100 billion per year," says Lakisha A. Woods, CAE, President and CEO of NIBS. "Millions of Americans are exposed to these disasters. We have to do a better job. The nation could invest over $500 billion to retrofit existing buildings and, in the process, save more than $2.2 trillion." The Battle for the West Coast Wildfires in California have burned more than 3.2 million acres an area larger than the size of Connecticut. According to CalFire, nearly 16,500 firefighters continue working to contain 28 major wildfires across California. Twenty-five fatalities have been reported, and more than 4,200 structures have been destroyed. In Oregon, firefighters are battling wildfires that have claimed one million acres and 10 lives across the state. At least 500,000 people in Oregonor 12 percent of the state's populationhave been told to evacuate, said the Oregon Office of Emergency Management. Nearly the entire state of Washington is covered by a cloud of smoke, and the fires there have burned more than 412,500 acres. Many towns have been destroyed. These include Berry Creek, California, and Malden, Washington. Also, several towns in Oregon have been "substantially destroyed," including Phoenix, Talent, Detroit, and Blue River. Studying Mitigation for More Than Two Decades Mitigation Saves looks closely at: Building code requirements. Model building codes serve as the baseline to protect our built environment, setting minimum safety requirements to protect lives. Compared with 1990s-era codes, modern codes improve building resilience to natural disasters and save $11 for every $1 invested. Above-code design could save $4 per $1 cost, boosting safety and expediting functional recovery. for every invested. Above-code design could save per cost, boosting safety and expediting functional recovery. Federal grants. Federally funded grants to study mitigation have resulted in a national average benefit of $6 to every $1 invested in upfront mitigation costs. Every state in the nation is estimated to experience $10 million in benefits from federal grants to mitigate flood, wind, earthquake, or fire. The majority of states experience at least $1 billion in benefits. to every invested in upfront mitigation costs. Every state in the nation is estimated to experience in benefits from federal grants to mitigate flood, wind, earthquake, or fire. The majority of states experience at least in benefits. Retrofit. Updating utilities, transportation facilities, and existing buildings is a critical component of mitigation. Water, wastewater, electricity, rail, roads, highways, telecommunications, and existing building stock must be better positioned to resist future disasters. The goal of Mitigation Saves is to help communities, building owners, and representatives in the private finance, insurance, and real estate industries initiate a greater mitigation dialogue. Visit the Mitigation Saves report to view comprehensive two-pagers on various kinds of natural hazards and the costs associated with mitigation. To view more projects of the NIBS Multi-Hazard Mitigation Council, visit https://www.nibs.org/page/mmc_projects. About NIBS National Institute of Building Sciences brings together labor and consumer interests, government representatives, regulatory agencies, and members of the building industry to identify and resolve problems and potential problems around the construction of housing and commercial buildings. NIBS is a nonprofit, non-governmental organization. It was established by Congress in 1974. For more information, visit nibs.org or follow @bldgsciences on Twitter and Facebook. SOURCE National Institute of Building Sciences Related Links https://www.nibs.org Boris Johnson is planning to opt out of parts of the Human Rights Act, according to reports. The prime minister is said be considering ways to prevent the legislation being used to stop deportations of asylum seekers and prosecutions of British soldiers. A review of human rights laws has been carried out across Whitehall and its findings will be announced in the coming weeks, the Daily Telegraph reported. The move comes after Mr Johnson sparked fury in Europe with the Internal Market Bill to override part of the Brexit deal he signed in October. Ministers have admitted that it would break international law but the prime minister claims it is necessary to prevent the EU carving up our country. However he is facing mounting criticism from across the political spectrum, including rebel Tory MPs and former prime ministers John Major and Tony Blair. Brussels wants the UK to commit to the European Convention on Human Rights as part of the terms of a Brexit trade agreement. However UK negotiators have refused, claiming that the issue is a matter of sovereignty. The possibility of opting out of the Human Rights Act once Britain had left the EU was raised when Theresa May was prime minister. She said during her leadership campaign in 2016 that the ECHR had made it harder to deport terror suspects and criminals. Mr Johnsons chief adviser Dominic Cummings is also a critic, saying in 2018 that a referendum on the ECHR would be high on the agenda . The Tory election manifesto last year pledged to "update" the act after Brexit and in February it was reported that ministers were also looking at potentially suspending the ECHR. Then in May Michael Gove admitted that the UK was refusing to sign up to human rights safeguards as part of a trade deal so that the government has the option of changing the Human Rights Act. The "Spain Gift Card and Incentive Card Market Intelligence and Future Growth Dynamics (Databook) Market Size and Forecast (2015-2024) Covid-19 Update Q2 2020" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. This report details the impact of economic slowdown along with change in business and consumer sentiment due to disruption caused by Covid-19 outbreak on gift card industry in Spain. Historically, the gift card market in Spain has recorded a steady growth with a CAGR of 12.2% during 2015-2019. However, According to the Q2 2020 Global Gift Card Survey, gift card market in Spain is expected to be impacted across retail and corporate segments due to disruption caused by Covid-19 outbreak. Though growth of gift card industry will be impacted due to pandemic, there are certain segments such as self-use which will gain significant market share. Adoption of e-Gift cards is also expected to increase significantly over the next 4-6 quarters. There are interesting trends emerging across various segments, which are expected to fundamentally reshape gift card industry dynamics. Despite near-term challenges, medium to long term growth story of gift cards in Spain remains strong. The gift card industry in Spain will continue to grow over the forecast period and is expected to record a CAGR of 8.0% during 2020-2024. The gift card market in the country will increase from US$ 3,388.8 million in 2019 to reach US$ 4,205.2 million by 2024. This report provides a detailed data centric analysis of gift cards and corporate incentive cards market along with consumer behaviour and retail spend dynamics in Spain. With over 200 KPIs at country level, this report provides comprehensive understanding of gift and incentive card market dynamics. The report includes raw data along with structured dashboards, charts, and tables in an interactive Excel format. Below is a summary of country level trend analyses covered across gift card segments: Total gift market: This report provides detailed view of overall spend on gifts, broken down by retail and consumer segments. For both retail and consumer segments, this report provides a breakdown of spend on gifts by product categories (13 segments) and retail sectors (7 segments). Gift cards: Drawing from proprietary survey results, this report provides in-depth analysis of opportunities in both open loop and closed loop prepaid gift card categories. Assesses consumer behaviour by type of consumer (retail and corporate SMB, Mid-Tier, Large Enterprise), gifting occasion, digital gift card (e-gift card), and market share by retail sectors. Details six essential KPIs: number of cards in circulation, load value, unused value, average purchase value, average value per transaction, and value of transactions. Corporate incentive loyalty cards: This report provides detailed market dynamics of corporate incentive cards, broadly segmented in three categories consumer incentive card, employee incentive card, and sales/partner incentive card. It details market size and forecast at category level, by functional attribute (open loop and closed loop), and by corporate consumer segments (small scale business, mid-size business, and enterprise business). Digital gift card (e-gift card) analysis: Provides market size and forecast for digital gift cards, broken down by retail and corporate buyers. It also includes gift card spend by occasion (retail festivals special celebration days, milestone celebration, self-use, other; Corporate incentive cards -consumer incentive card, employee incentive card, and sales/partner incentive card). The report also includes digital gift card adoption by company size. Open loop and closed loop: Provides market estimates and forecasts to assess opportunities in open loop and closed loop gift and incentive card segments across consumer segments. Consumer attitude and behaviour: Drawing from proprietary survey results, this report identifies and interprets key KPIs related to gift card dynamics including spend by age, gender, and income level. Retail spend: Breaks down retail spend across retail sectors (7 segments) to provide detailed insights on consumer behaviour and changing dynamics of gift card spend. Market share by retailer: Provides market share of closed loop gift cards by key retailers in Spain. Distribution channel analysis: Provides market share by distribution channel online vs offline sales and 1st party vs 3rd party sales (sales through outlet of other retailers). Companies Mentioned El Corte Ingls SA Carrefour SA Eroski Grupo Auchan Group SA Inditex, Industria de Diseo Textil SA Schwarz Beteiligungs GmbH Adeo Groupe Consum, Sociedad Cooperative Ltda Oxylane Group Inter Ikea Systems BV Associated British Foods Plc Condis Supermercats SA Cortefiel SA Bon Preu SA (Grupo) H&M Hennes Mauritz AB For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/gezut9 View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200915005756/en/ Contacts: ResearchAndMarkets.com Laura Wood, Senior Press Manager press@researchandmarkets.com For E.S.T Office Hours Call 1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call 1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 Majority of Americans Support Trump's Deal With Taliban to End Afghan War By Ayaz Gul September 14, 2020 A new U.S. public survey has found that two-thirds of supporters of President Donald Trump "strongly" or "somewhat" support his deal with the Islamist Taliban to extricate the United States from the 19-year war in Afghanistan. Nearly 60% of supporters of Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden also favor the landmark U.S. agreement with the Afghan insurgent group, according to a poll conducted by New York-based Eurasia Group Foundation. "Ending the war in Afghanistan is extremely popular, and Americans of all political persuasions want to honor the recent agreement," the foundation noted in its findings released Monday. The deal signed in February 2020 commits all U.S. troops to leave the South Asian country within 14 months, ending what has become America's longest war. In return, the Taliban have agreed to disallow terrorist groups such as al-Qaida to operate in the country and begin peace talks with rival Afghan factions to end decades of hostilities in the country. Fewer than 10% of those surveyed opposed the accord, while one-third remained neutral. "Since last year, the portion of respondents who believe the U.S. should stay in Afghanistan until all enemies are defeated has dropped by half from 30% to 15%," the survey noted. The U.S.-Taliban agreement led to the start of much-awaited peace talks on Saturday between insurgent negotiators and interlocutors of the Afghan government. The dialogue, officially known as intra-Afghan negotiations, is being hosted by Doha, the capital of the gulf state of Qatar, where U.S. and Taliban negotiators sealed their deal. The dialogue was supposed to start in early March, but disputes over the exchange of thousands of prisoners between the Taliban and the Kabul government, and continued insurgent battlefield attacks, had hampered efforts to push the two sides to the negotiating table. The United States has reduced its forces in Afghanistan to around 8,600 since signing the deal with the Taliban. The Trump administration has announced the U.S. military presence in the country would be cut to 4,500 by November. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in an interview published Sunday that the military was on track to completely withdraw all troops from Afghanistan by spring of 2021. "So, 19 years after 9/11, we finally have the Afghans prepared to sit down and have a serious conversation about taking their country forward without all the violence," Pompeo told Breitbart News. Former U.S. Vice President Biden supports the withdrawal plan, but he wants the Pentagon to leave a small military force in Afghanistan to counter any threat of terrorism in post-war Afghanistan. "As we enter the 20th year of the conflict in Afghanistan, the American people appear to have lost patience with an interminable war which has drifted from its original mission, and which appears all but unwinnable," Mark Hannah, a co-author of the survey, told VOA. "I think they wisely understand that all the military might in the world can't easily vanquish amorphous, non-state adversaries, and that America's continued presence in Afghanistan is neither making Americans safe nor serving some vital national interest," said Hannah. Trump has been pushing to close what he describes as America's "crazy endless wars" to fulfill one of his key campaign promises to bring U.S. soldiers back home. The U.S. and its allies invaded Afghanistan days after the Sept. 11, 2001, terror strikes against the United States that al-Qaida plotted from sanctuaries in Afghanistan being ruled by the Taliban at the time. The punitive military action dislodged the Taliban from power within a few months, but the group has since waged a deadly insurgency. The Taliban has reestablished control over many Afghan districts and killed tens of thousands of U.S.-backed Afghan forces. It is estimated that the conflict has killed nearly 160,000 people as of 2019, including combatants from both sides, and Afghan civilians. More than 2,400 U.S. soldiers have lost their lives, and more than 20,000 have been wounded. The war has cost Washington nearly a trillion dollars. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Six months into the Covid-19 pandemic, it can be hard to remember life before the novel coronavirus. So when might the pandemic end so that things can return to normal? Billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates has an idea about what the best-case timeline looks like for Americans. "In the very best case, two years from now, you would be, for some of the health things in particular, ideally back at where you were at the beginning of 2020," Gates said in an interview with New York Magazine's Intelligencer. In other words, by 2022, life in rich countries could be back to how things were pre-pandemic. And what would it take to achieve this kind of progress? "If we're lucky enough that several of these vaccines work, including the ones that are low cost enough that we can scale the manufacturing," Gates said. And if the vaccines can be mass-produced to "for the entire world," then there is hope, he said. "I do think once you get into, say, December or January, the chances are that at least two or three will [seek approval] if the effectiveness is there," Gates told CNBC via video conference last week. "In that case, during 2021, the pandemic is going down, and in 2022, the global pandemic comes to an end," he told Intelligencer. Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's leading infectious disease expert, has slightly shorter timeline. "By the time you mobilize the distribution of the vaccine and get a majority or more of the population vaccinated and protected, that's likely not going to happen until the end of 2021," he said in an interview on MSNBC's "Andrea Mitchell Reports" Friday. "If you're talking about getting back to a degree of normality prior to Covid, it's going to be well into 2021, towards the end of 2021," Fauci said. From NBC News and Shop TODAY: Best hand sanitizers meeting CDC guidance, according to doctors Coronavirus shopping: PhoneSoap UV sanitizers are back in stock Fauci also said during a recent Harvard Medical School panel discussion that in regard to the pandemic Americans will need to "hunker down and get through this fall and winter because it's not going to be easy." Currently there are more than 170 vaccines being developed worldwide, with at least 31 in clinical trials, according to the World Health Organization. Gates told reporters that Pfizer's vaccine is the only one that could theoretically get emergency use license by the end of October. President Donald Trump suggested that there could be a vaccine before Election Day on Nov. 3 in a press conference on Sept. 7. However, Fauci said that it's "unlikely we'll have a definitive answer" at that time. Gates said in the new interview that he thinks distributing vaccines to everyone in the world will "stretch" into 2022. "Unless you get herd immunity at really surprising levels, like 20 or 30 percent, you've got 7 billion people, each of them needing two doses," Gates told Intelligencer. (Many of the vaccines in development will require an initial dose plus a booster in order to be effective, and even then it is still unclear how long any immunity will last.) "That's 14 billion doses to administer," Gates said. "We don't make anything at that volume. So even if 80 percent of all the vaccines get approved and we get all this capacity, to get the eradication it stretches into 2022. "You hope it doesn't stretch past 2022," he said. Check out: Americans spend over $5,000 a year on groceriessave hundreds at supermarkets with these cards Don't miss: A four-year-old Vietnamese boy who had been missing for nine days was found dead on Tuesday morning in a stream near his house in the southern province of Dong Nai. The victim was T.V.D.K, who hailed from Dong Nais Xuan Loc District. His mother initiated a search for K. after finding the boy missing from home with the houses front gate wide open on September 6. Local authorities later deployed personnel to search for the missing boy for over a week. On Tuesday morning, a local resident discovered the decomposing body of a boy in a stream one kilometer from the missing boys house. K.s family was able to identify the body thanks to a bracelet he wore before going missing. Upon receiving a report on the finding, Dong Nai authorities came to examine the scene and perform an autopsy to investigate the cause of his death. At noon the same day, the boys body was handed over to his family to arrange funerals rites. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Sensentia , a leading-edge healthtech company focused on artificial intelligence, is exhibiting at the AHIP National Conference on Medicare, Medicaid and Dual Eligibles hosted virtually from September 14th to 17th. Driving their presence at the conference are the release of a benefits comparison feature and new accumulator functionality to enhance the service experience for health plan members. Sensentia's artificial intelligence platform returns detailed, comparative responses from complex data such as health insurance plans with near-perfect accuracy. The Sensentia solution transforms intricate structured and unstructured data into actionable intelligence for a range of users, and helps members understand their benefits and enjoy greater transparency on coverage. At the AHIP conference, Sensentia is revealing enhanced capabilities that improve coordination of benefits for the nation's 11 million individuals dually-eligible for Medicare and Medicaid often the highest-need populations in either program. Sensentia supports Dual Eligible Special Needs Plans (D-SNPs) and their members by helping them resolve operational challenges for navigating disjointed benefit systems. This elevates standards of coordinated care and reduces costs and fragmentation within the care system. Sensentia is launching an AI-powered benefits comparison solution in partnership with a large national payer that will visually display side-by-side benefits for the plan's Customer Service Representatives (CSRs). With this benefits comparison solution, plans can resolve member calls more quickly and accurately, improve their readiness and capacity, and better coordinate and integrate Medicare and Medicaid benefits. Sensentia's new functionality also displays user-friendly accumulators, which highlight the running total of members' healthcare costs, as well as progress towards their deductible and out-of-pocket maximum. This broader digital experience gives seniors and other plan members simple, accurate data so they can make informed healthcare decisions and gain peace of mind around their financial liability. Jan Jungclaus, CEO of Sensentia, shared, "Our health plan clients focus on leveraging every member touchpoint, whether in the call center or through self-service tools, to improve engagement, increase satisfaction, and positively impact health outcomes. Our newest capabilities not only deliver a more seamless experience for Dual Eligibles, but also enhance the overall service experience for seniors and other plan members." In tandem with the release of the accumulator feature, Sensentia is also refreshing its online presence with the launch of a new corporate website that includes a value-determination tool for healthcare payers a ROI calculator (Return on Investment). Prospects considering Sensentia can enter a few simple KPIs into the online tool and calculate their estimated ROI from deploying the solution. Lynn Poulos, Senior Vice President of Sales at Sensentia, said, "Implementation data trends validate that our clients have achieved significant measurable returns with our AI solution for example, increasing satisfaction scores by 10% and improving service accuracy by 15%. Our AI solution reduces resolution time and decreases errors, so call center representatives and members can communicate more easily." At the virtual Sensentia booth at AHIP's upcoming National Conference, visitors can learn more about its solutions for Medicare and Dual Eligibles, as well as other new features and functionality in the development pipeline. Website visitors to sensentia.com are invited to try out the new ROI calculator . To schedule an appointment with a member of the Sensentia team at AHIP, or to book a demo, please set up a meeting. About Sensentia Sensentia, Inc., is a California-based healthtech company leveraging AI to distill intelligence from complex structured and unstructured data. For healthcare payers, Sensentia provides members with easy, accurate, and immediate access to information, delivering time and cost savings, improving member satisfaction and optimizing benefit utilization, positively impacting health and wellbeing one interaction at a time. To learn more about Sensentia or schedule a platform demo, visit www.sensentia.com . Contact: Trish Thomas [email protected] +1 720.224.4923 SOURCE Sensentia, Inc. Related Links http://www.sensentia.com A teacher greets students at an elementary school in the southwestern city of Gwangju after the school reopened Monday. It had previously implemented online classes amid fears over the spread of COVID-19. / Yonhap By Bahk Eun-ji Schools, particularly those in provincial areas, are struggling to implement quarantine measures ahead of the second semester as they are short of money and staff, according to data presented by Rep. Sim Sang-jung, leader of the minor progressive opposition Justice Party, Tuesday. A total of 39,182 workers were performing the role of quarantine officials in schools across the country for the last semester as of June 22. This amounted to 0.65 people per 100 students, meaning one staff member was in charge of 153 students, the data showed. In some cities and provinces, one person was responsible for 300 to 400 students due to the shortage of workers. In addition, the government's budget to pay their wages was not approved until about 40 days after the start of school. The school quarantine support system project, which was implemented in May before the physical opening for the semester was intended to provide personnel who can perform the role of quarantine officials such as checking the temperature of students and ensuring they practice social distancing to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in their classrooms. The workers sent to schools included after-school instructors, retired teachers and volunteers. If a school hires such workers through an official job posting, the education authorities pay their salaries. By region, Daejeon had the most workers with 1.18 per 100 students, while Gyeonggi Province had the fewest at 0.22, a five-fold gap between cities and provinces. Calculating the number of students overseen by each worker, Gyeonggi Province had 448.4; South Jeolla Province, 327.7; and North Gyeongsang Province, 260.7. The gap between regions widened due to the different budget allocations for regional education offices as the education ministry covers 30 percent of the budget and the regional education authorities pay 70 percent. In addition, the education ministry's budget for the project was not finalized until June 30 41 days after the school opened physically and 54 days after the project was announced on May 7. Rep. Sim said the budget was tied to the Ministry of Strategy and Finance's "frequent allocation" system. Some schools had difficulties hiring workers for quarantine work who were willing to take risk of virus infection. A middle school in Gyeonggi Province spent the spring semester without any personnel to perform quarantine work. A teacher pointed out. "It is an increased workload for teachers to directly hire such workers especially when they are already occupied with preparing remote classes." In the second semester, the education ministry said it would utilize the regional education offices' own budgets without government support and push ahead with them in connection with job projects by local governments. "The support project for schools' quarantine workers should be made into an official system or set up in a manual so that it can be automatically carried out in emergency situations such as outbreak of infectious diseases," Rep. Sim said. "The education authorities should resolve these regional gaps by providing as much support as schools want, and allocate a timely budget." New Delhi, Sep 16 : The Delhi High Court on Tuesday directed the Delhi University to issue letters to principals of all its affiliated colleges, apprising them of the need for accelerating the evaluation process and declaring the results of the online Open Book Examination (OBE) conducted by it for the final year students. A division bench of Justices Hima Kohli and Subramonium Prasad asked the varsity to declare the results, preferably, by the first week of October. It also asked the varsity to issue a circular that the last date for applying for comfort (assurance) letter by postgraduate and undergraduate students, who are seeking admission in foreign universities, is September 18. The results of postgraduate students who are seeking to travel abroad for higher studies shall be declared on before September 28, the bench said while adding that the results be uploaded on the Delhi University's portal the same day on the letterhead of the varsity along with digital signature by the official concerned without a rider that the result is provisional. As far as the undergraduate final year students who are seeking admission abroad are concerned, the varsity assured the court that the letter finalised by them for them with provisional results shall be directly sent to the foreign university well within the cut-off date. The bench further added that after sending the said letters to foreign universities, the varsity will intimate the student concerned about this to enable them to apply for visas. The court was hearing various difficulties being faced by the students of the Delhi University who are moving abroad for higher education. The issue came up while the two judge bench was hearing a batch of petitions concerning the online OBE for the final year undergraduate students. Previously, the DU had submitted before the high court that the results will be declared at the end of October. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text With the Arab-Israeli normalisation train on track, the illusion that Israel could give up land for peace has finally come to an end For over 18 years, Arab nations have repeated their proposal to end decades of conflict at the heart of Middle East problems, advocating peace with Israel hinged upon its withdrawal to pre-1967 borders. Similar terms in the Arab Peace Initiative (API) made at an Arab leadership summit in March 2002 suggested that an independent Palestinian state would be established in the West Bank, Gaza and Jerusalem if Israel gives up the occupied territories. Since then Arab leaders have revived the land-for-peace offer to Israel at their annual summits seeking an end to one of the worlds longest-running and costly conflicts despite Israels repeated rejection of the formula. Now that mantra seems to have been cast aside in favour of a more down-to-earth approach that accepts the status quo and dashes hopes to end the Israeli occupation and create an independent Palestinian state. Whether discovering that the API was only a faff to operate or it is a matter of setting new priorities, the Arab world seems to be on transition towards managing rapid changes in the regions dynamics that led many regimes to prioritise regional and local threats over that coming from Israel. An Arab League ministerial gathering in Cairo last week was perhaps the venue for ushering in a new era in the Middle East and opening the door for the Arab world to reappraise its entire strategy towards Israel. The meeting of the 22-member council came on the heels of a landmark decision by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to normalise relations with Israel, described by the two countries and the US sponsor as a peace agreement. The UAE-Israel accord was the first such accommodation between an Arab country and Israel in more than two decades and it promises to establish normal relations between the two countries, including full diplomatic ties and business cooperation. Palestinians were outraged by the UAEs move, fearing it would undermine efforts of the Palestine Authority (PA) to negotiate an agreement for Israeli withdrawal from the occupied territories and establishing a Palestinian state. But at a video conference of Arab foreign ministers 9 September, the Palestinian leadership failed to persuade the Arab League to condemn the Israeli-UEA normalisation deal, a move that is expected to pave the way for more Arab countries to follow suit. It didnt take long. On Friday, Bahrain followed in the footsteps of the UAE and became the second Arab country to make peace with Israel in 30 days. Bahrains attraction to peace with Israel will now add more weight to the Abraham Accords the name given by the Trump administration to the new peace deals to be signed this week at the White House. In his desperate speech at the Arab League meeting, Palestinian Minister of Foreign Affairs Riyadh Al-Maliki called on his Arab counterparts to reject the UAE-Israel normalisation deal. Otherwise, our meeting will be considered a blessing to the move, or a cover-up, Al-Maliki said. The PA had originally called for an emergency meeting of the pan-Arab body against the Israeli-UAE deal, but the request was deferred to the scheduled 9 September meeting. There was no condemnation by Arab ministers of the UAEs move and the Arab League faltered in reaffirming its historic rhetoric on the Palestinian cause. While it was unlikely that Arab nations such as Egypt and Jordan, which have formal peace treaties with Israel, would denounce the UAEs move, several other states have expressed public or tacit support for the deal. Moreover, some Arab countries, including Oman and Sudan, have been repeatedly mentioned as soon following the UAE lead and normalising relations with Israel in the coming weeks. Noticeably, however, in contrast to Al-Malikis tough talk and Palestinian officials initial harsh criticism of the Israeli-UAE deal, the PAs reaction remained generally mild. Having seen that the Leagues members remained deaf to their calls to rally to their defence, the PA ditched plans to present a draft resolution condemning the Israel-UAE deal and urging Arab governments to act against it. The soft side of the Palestinians hard stance, which initially labelled the Israeli-UAE accord as a stab in the back of the Palestinian cause, underlines the drastic shift in the regional balance of power that has made the deal possible. But to avoid a diplomatic explosion and probably a backlash by a furious Palestinian public, Arab ministers announced that the Arab peace plan of 2002 is still on the table. A final resolution issued by the ministers called for the reaffirmation of the fact that the two-state solution on 1967 borders is the only way to achieve peace in the Middle East. Staying onside, key Arab powerhouses such Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia have said they stand firmly behind Palestinian efforts to establish a Palestinian state based on the borders in place before the 1967 Middle East war, with East Jerusalem as its capital. On the face of it this looks like the Arab League has succeeded in striking a balance between attempts to override the UAE deal with Israel and the traditional stated policy of supporting Palestinian statehood. That meant a decision by member states to establish normal ties with Israel in the words of the Leagues Secretary General Ahmed Abul Gheit, was a matter of sovereignty while the Arab organisation will remain supportive of the Palestinians goal of statehood. Practically speaking, however, main challenging areas remain and divergences on some are still significant. Essentially, the new Arab Leagues stance reads that what happens in one area does not affect progress in others. Yet, on the ground, reaching a normalisation swap by any given Arab country unilaterally with Israel means that minimum Arab unity over Palestine has raptured and theres no chance left for a collective bargaining for a peace for land agreement. Also, right now, the chances of stopping Israels annexation of parts of the occupied West Bank killing the two-state solution, which the API meant to support have become slim to none. The API plan was announced by then Saudi crown prince Abdullah at the Beirut Arab League Summit in March 2002. The initiative was initially endorsed by the Leagues 22 member states and later by the 57 member states of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation. Considering the perpetual stalemate in the Arab-Israeli conflict, the API was a historic move with a flexible approach to concluding the Israeli-Palestinian struggle, and a novel step towards peace and security. The initiative crowned a series of Arab efforts to encourage peace with Israel that started with Arabs and the Palestinians accepting UN Security Council Resolution 242 of 1967 and making several other peace gestures. More practically, while Egypt signed the Camp David Treaty with Israel in 1979, the Palestinians signed the Oslo Peace Accords in 1993 and Jordan concluded its peace agreement with Israel a year later. Israeli prime minister at the time Ariel Sharon rejected the Arab proposal of 2002 and since then successive Israeli governments, unwilling to seize on the historic offer to end the conflict, have shunned the API. Instead, they continued the illegal grab of Palestinian land while seeking US pressure on the rest of the Arab states, or directly courting them, to quietly come to terms with Israel. Undoubtedly, the API is overambitious, and some even say naive. But given the new Arab stance, or maybe the lack of it, the question now is whether flouting the API will plunge the prospects of a final Palestinian-Israeli peace deal. Until last week the argument had been whether all parties have missed a genuine opportunity to advance the peace process through a viable framework for negotiation offered by the API. The remaining debate will be if a comprehensive peace can ever be achieved in the Middle East with the Palestinians returning to their land. The Palestinian quest for return and establishing an independent Palestinian state remain at the core of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which could only be resolved through a bilateral track between the Israelis and Palestinians and not through one-sided deals with Arabs. The demise of the API, combined with the Trumps Deal of the Century plan, could be the Palestinians worst nightmare. But that wont change the fact that new generations of Palestinians will remain committed to their right to a sovereign state. *A version of this article appears in print in the 17 September, 2020 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly Search Keywords: Short link: All the Australian women and children captured after the fall of Islamic State in Syria last year have now been taken out of the squalid al-Hawl camp, with local authorities saying they have been moved to another camp. A group was removed from the camp last week, but overnight the 15 remaining Australian women and 28 children were also taken away by authorities, said family advocate Kamalle Dabboussy after speaking to several sources inside the camp. It appears to be part of a broader move of women to another detention camp, Roj, which is about 100 kilometres away. A young male sits outside a tent in the foreign annex in al-Hawl camp in north-east Syria last year. Credit:Kate Geraghty Mr Dabboussy said his daughter, Mariam, and her three children were among those who were moved overnight (Australian time) though he had not heard directly from her. Last week, five women and 14 children were taken to Roj camp after being taken out of their beds at midnight, some in handcuffs, according to reports. The Syrian Kurdish media agency said that after reports in the Australian press of the first move, the Australian government had made contact with Kurdish authorities to find out what had happened to its citizens. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-15 11:16:04|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Chinese President Xi Jinping co-hosts a China-Germany-EU leaders' meeting in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 14, 2020, via video link with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, whose country currently holds the EU's rotating presidency, European Council President Charles Michel and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. (Xinhua/Pang Xinglei) "Today's meeting represents another step forward in forging a more balanced relationship with China": European Council President Charles Michel "... We acknowledge the importance of multilateralism and the importance of rules": German Chancellor Angela Merkel "It is very important to engage in the global framework (on COVID-19 pandemic)...": European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen BRUSSELS, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Top European Union (EU) officials commented positively on their video meeting with Chinese leadership on Monday, which reaffirmed the commitment to maintain common interests and address differences. The China-Germany-EU leaders' meeting was co-hosted by Chinese President Xi Jinping, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, European Council President Charles Michel and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen via video link. At a press conference after the meeting, Michel said that they had discussed topics including climate change, economic and trade issues, international affairs and human rights, as well as COVID-19 and economic recovery. "Europe needs to be a player, not a playing field. Today's meeting represents another step forward in forging a more balanced relationship with China," Michel said. "We made it clear where we stand, where we agree, and where we disagree ... But we are ready to engage, ready to cooperate where we can, and ready to roll up our sleeves to find concrete solutions ... We want a relationship with China that is based on reciprocity, responsibility, and basic fairness," said Michel. Chinese President Xi Jinping co-hosts a China-Germany-EU leaders' meeting in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 14, 2020, via video link with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, European Council President Charles Michel and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. (Xinhua/Li Xiang) Merkel, whose country currently holds the EU's rotating presidency, also emphasized the principles of reciprocity and fair competition. "We are different societies. We have different social systems, but we acknowledge the importance of multilateralism and the importance of rules," she said. She named the agreement on geographical indications (GI) as "a practical step when it comes to the economic and trade issues." The official signing of the China-EU agreement on GI was announced before the meeting. Merkel said during the press briefing that both the EU and China welcome the Paris Agreement on climate change, and that the EU has particular interest in the emission trading system which China is creating. On the EU-China investment agreement, EU officials emphasized that more work is needed on the issue of rebalancing market access and on sustainable development. The two sides reaffirmed their objective of closing the remaining gaps before the end of the year. Von der Leyen, who also attended the press briefing, emphasized the discussion on COVID-19 pandemic. "We discussed the need to continue to act in global solidarity and cooperation on this matter. It is very important to engage in the global framework, not only to find a vaccine, but also to make it accessible to low and medium income countries," said the European Commission president. Georgian leads round with participation from Bessemer Venture Partners and Insight Partners; Marc van Zadelhoff tapped to accelerate security analytics market leadership CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Sept. 15, 2020led the oversubscribed round, with Bessemer Venture Partners and existing investor Insight Partners also participating. Following a record-setting quarter , the funding and executive moves will drive all aspects of the business to sustain an aggressive pace of growth and accelerate the company's expanding leadership in the security analytics market. The round and associated activities also change the composition of the company's Board of Directors, which Van Zadelhoff joined in August 2020. With the appointment of Van Zadelhoff to CEO, the company's current CEO, Walter Scott, will become Chairman of the Board. As part of the funding, Justin LaFayette of Georgian will join the Board. Also joining the Board is Tom Schodorf , who brings more than 35 years of operating experience in sales and executive management at IBM, BMC, and most recently, Splunk. "Walter has done an outstanding job leading Devo, building an exceptional customer base, and solidifying the company's competitive advantage," said Van Zadelhoff. "With Devo, organizations implementing security analytics and log management platforms no longer have to make compromises on speed, or struggle with scalability limitations or price constraints. Devo is cloud native, affordable, scalable, cloud agnostic and fast as hell. These are advantages that customers are dying to have and it made me want to be part of Devo. I know we have the team and the technology in place to build a company for the history books." Evidence of Devo's momentum and strength can be seen in the recent contract award from the U.S. Air Force, which calls for Devo to serve as the central security hub for protection, detection, and response across the U.S. Air Force worldwide for enterprise defense. Devo experienced 80% year-over-year growth in the first half of 2020, increasing headcount in the U.S. by more than 50%, and has set a goal of growing the team by an additional 25% by the end of 2020. "Devo fits perfectly into Georgian's thesis-led approach to investing, which identifies the companies best positioned to 'ride the wave' of major trends in software, services and businesses - in this case AI and cybersecurity," said LaFayette. "We look forward to partnering with Marc and the Devo team, as well as Insight Partners and Bessemer Venture Partners, to further accelerate Devo's growth and market leadership." About Devo Devo unlocks the full value of machine data for the world's most instrumented enterprises, putting more data to work-now. Only the cloud-native Devo Data Analytics Platform addresses both the explosion in volume of machine data and the new, crushing demands of algorithms and automation. This enables IT operations and security teams to realize the full transformational promise of machine data to move businesses forward. Headquartered in Cambridge, Mass., Devo is privately held and backed by Insight Partners, Georgian, and Bessemer Venture Partners. Learn more at www.devo.com . PR Contacts: Devo Technology Shannon Todesca shannon.todesca@devo.com (508) 494-4607 CHEN PR for Devo Technology Jennifer Torode jtorode@chenpr.com (781) 672-3119 A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/3534bb5b-2a25-4edf-b179-7a01ea83757d The Royal Thai Army yesterday denied rumors that it has prepared for Saturdays mass rally expected to draw thousands challenging its power to Thammasat University by stocking up on riot control gear. Spokesman Col. Winthai Suvaree dismissed a credible-looking document said to be a leaked purchase order for the First Army Area which covers the capital detailing acquisition of tear gas grenades, batons, rubber bullets, shields and riot helmets. Specifically: 1,200 rubber bullets and 80 tear gas canisters among various acquisitions. The document is dated September 2020 and bears the signature of Lt. Gen. Thana Promchan of the First Army Area. Those details notwithstanding, Winthai said it lacked a specific date of issue and signature of a higher-ranking commander. The leaked document circulated online shows riot gear ordered by the First Army Area. The army denial did not assuage doubts that the authorities who have held near-absolute power since the 2014 coup are not to be trusted. When they say somethings fake from my experience it is true. If they admit that they ordered the gear, they would be fucked then. Like the heroin that can be just flour, wrote Tomo Tang on Facebook, referring to deputy agriculture minister Thammanat Prompaos claims the heroin he spent four years in prison for was actually just flour. Saturdays mass rally is set to take place on Thammasat Universitys Tha Prachan campus in the old quarter. Since resuming in July, anti-government rallies have spread nationwide to demand the government step down, an end to the harassment of critics and a rewrite of the constitution. Some have also called for reining in the monarchys power, drawing sharp warnings from top military brass. Related Democracy demands will damage Thailands recovery: labor minister This article, Thai army denies stockpiling tear gas, rubber bullets for Saturdays protest, originally appeared on Coconuts, Asia's leading alternative media company. With this new partnership, Sony/ATV will provide publishing and administration services to Divo Music's extensive community of songwriters, composers and lyricists and deliver new opportunities for their musical works on a global scale. Guy Henderson, Sony/ATV President, International, stated, "Sony/ATV India takes great pleasure in welcoming Shahir and his great stable of artists and songwriters to the Sony/ATV global family. We are very excited at expanding our Indian repertoire by adding Divo's new and exciting talent to our global roster and we look forward to being part of their international success both now and the in the years to come." Dinraj Shetty, Director, Sony/ATV India said, "We are thrilled to welcome Divo Music to the Sony/ATV Music Publishing family. We look forward to giving Divo Music and its artists transparent and efficient monetization opportunities for their works across multiple platforms, and I'm confident we will achieve great success together in this partnership." Shahir Muneer, Director & Founder, Divo Music said, "We are glad to partner with Sony/ATV to help us with our music monetization on the publishing side of the business. Using their strong tech capabilities and our operational and content strengths we will be able to effectively generate a more streamlined approach to collecting our royalties from outside India. And the major benefactor won't be just our organization but all the music directors and lyricists who are part of those musical works, as they will effectively get royalties faster and more comprehensively which otherwise may have been not reaching them. The digital music industry is booming and publishing royalties from digital is a very key factor and there is great scope to innovate and bring in new offerings. We look forward to our association with Sony/ATV in helping our music business journey." About Divo Music: Divo is one of India's leading digital media and music companies based out of South India. In less than a decade, Divo Digital has now become one of India's largest multi-platform online video networks working as enterprise content partners with 50+ digital platforms like YouTube, Facebook, Amazon Prime Video, amongst other platforms, worldwide. Their online video content partners include leading TV channels, movie rights holders, film studios, music labels, artists and various digital content creators and YouTubers across South India. SOURCE Sony/ATV Related Links sonyatv.com A startup called Vibe, launching today at TechCrunch Disrupt Startup Battlefield, wants to make it easier for businesses to collaborate remotely. Its system, which combines a large interactive digital whiteboard and cloud service, allows users to host remote brainstorming sessions, client presentations, virtual trainings and more. Vibe also works with a large ecosystem of popular workplace apps, like Slack, Dropbox, Teams, Zoom, OneDrive, Chrome, Asana, and many others, allowing businesses to continue to use the tools they're already invested in, instead of having to learn an entirely new workflow or switch apps. The Bellevue, Washington-headquartered startup was founded in 2016 by a team looking for the ideal remote collaboration solution. Initially, they believed this would mean VR devices with headsets, but later came to realize that what they really wanted was a single tool that would serve as a platform for real-time collaboration. Today, the Vibe system includes a 55-inch, 4K touchscreen device that integrates with third-party apps in full-screen or split-screen modes, allowing customers to videoconference, chat or use the apps while whiteboarding. Users can also annotate on top of presentations, pictures and files from other apps, then save them into whiteboard projects. Vibe's high-resolution rendering engine offers an unlimited canvas, low latency, and a cross-app annotation experience, the company says. The Vibe board can also function as a second screen via screencasting or an HDMI cable while supporting annotation. The company's cloud service for Vibe, meanwhile, is based on AWS. Vibe promises low latency drawing response time of fewer than 7 milliseconds for sketching and writing, as well as a collaboration experience that lets participants collaborate across devices, including via their web browser, iPad or Android tablet, in addition to the Vibe board itself. The product stealth-launched in late 2019 and has sold to over 400 customers so far. Vibe is officially launching to the public at TechCrunch Disrupt's Startup Battlefield. The company says many of its existing customers opted for Vibe so they can continue to use apps like Zoom and Slack, which aren't integrated with Microsoft's Surface Board, Google's Jamboard, Samsung's Flip, or Cisco's WebEx brand boards. Story continues This is an important feature for customers who need to work with clients over the apps their clients use, the company notes. It also helps Vibe sell to school system I.T. departments, as its open ecosystem means it's easier for teachers, students, and admins to adopt its technology. The board itself is $2,999 and doesn't have any ongoing monthly or annual service fees. That significantly undercuts the competition. Google Jamboard today is $4,999, plus a $600 annual subscription; Cisco WebEx Board is $4,990, plus a $199 monthly subscription); and Microsofts Surface Hub is $8,999, plus an Office 365 Subscription. The company tells TechCrunch it got to the lower price point by using an IR touch sensor instead of a P-CAP touch sensor to reduce 20% of the cost. The trade-off here is Vibe has worse palm rejection, but they believe it will satisfy most collaboration scenarios. In addition, the company customizes its OS and rendering engine to work on an all-in-one ARM chip instead of Intel-based Windows. The trade in this case is that users won't need to buy an extra mini PC for Vibe to work with, but the performance could be worse in some scenarios. The Vibe co-founding team has backgrounds in engineering, image processing, computer vision and supply chain logistics. Vibe CEO Charles Yang is a serial entrepreneur who studied Computer Science at Zhejiang University, where he met his co-founders. Vibe VP Jian Zhao has a background in image processing, computer vision, multimedia, and machine learning, and spent five years at Microsoft as a software engineer after completing his PhD in computer and electrical engineering at the University of Kentucky. Vibe CTO Jiulong Wang brings experience in distributed systems, architecting, debugging and performance tuning, and has spent time at Microsoft and Twitter as a developer. Vibe COO Susie Deng, who spent 11 years at BYD, utilizes her background in international economics and trade to tackle the supply chain and financial challenges to help bring the price of the Vibe whiteboard down. Today, the company has offices in Hangzhou, Shenzhen, and Shanghai, China, in addition to its Bellevue HQ. Vibe has raised funding from Cherubic Ventures, Unity Ventures, InnoLink Ventures, and Challengers Capital. The Los Angeles Public Library and Dynasty United Youth Association Team Up for A New Virtual Tutoring and Job Preparation Program for South L.A. Students Affected by COVID School Closures Los Angeles (Sept. 8, 2020) The Los Angeles Public Library (LAPL) and the Dynasty United Youth Association (DUYA) come together to launch the virtual Accelerated Learning Program Service for South L.A. students in grades K-12. Students can access the free educational support program, Monday through Friday, noon to 8:00 p.m through June 5, 2021. Space is limited and on a first-come, first-serve basis. The virtual tutoring program offers support to students affected by school closures related to the COVID-19 pandemic and will feature services that include: 1-on-1 Tutoring Support, Homework Assistance, Mental Health Counseling, Mentoring Sessions, STEM group educational services and other supportive services for students in underserved communities. Public libraries are part of the village it takes to raise a child, said Jene Brown, Principal Librarian and Racial Equity Officer, Los Angeles Public Library. The DUYA program supports the librarys goals to educate, enrich and empower individuals in our citys diverse communities. Now that students have pivoted to an online learning environment, parents are seeking assistance for their children and we are proud to continue this partnership with DUYA to provide educational equity and eradicate barriers to marginalized students in our community. ADVERTISEMENT As a community partner of the Los Angeles Public Library since 2017, the Virtual Accelerated Learning program is the latest offering from the LAPL and DUYA partnership. The new virtual program allows LAPL and DUYA to continue to provide the students of South Los Angeles with critical educational and career preparedness support. Prior to the pandemic, the group operated the popular General Library Programming Support service inside five LAPL branch locations that included: the Baldwin Hills, Hyde Park, Jefferson, Mark Twain, and the Washington Irving Branch libraries. The general library and virtual support program are both led by college-aged tutors from diverse ethnicities and in most cases, the same communities of the students they are supporting. There is nothing more important than the development of our communitys young people, said Los Angeles City Council President Emeritus, Herb J. Wesson. Making sure our students are getting the education they deserve has become much harder in this era of remote learning due to COVID-19. Thats why Im so proud to sponsor this virtual program via the operational grant provided to the Dynasty United Youth Association. The support allows the group to continue providing individual support to students citywide via the groups partnership with the Los Angeles Public Library. The program is funded through a grant provided by the Council District 10 Office, which was awarded after the COVID-19 virus forced schools and libraries to temporarily close throughout the city. Space is limited and on a first-come, first-serve basis. The funding was a COVID-19 initiative that helped students who were severely being impacted academically and emotionally in the classroom to continue getting educational support. We are so grateful to be in a position to serve the community with this partnership, said Dynasty Taylor, Founder and Executive Director, Dynasty United Youth Association. The pandemic has been a trying time for everyone, but this virtual program allows us to continue to assist with the development of young minds during this critical time. Space is limited and on a first-come, first-serve basis, so register your student today. For more information or to complete registration for the program, please visit www.lapl.org/dynasty-tutoring and click on the Student Application link. A recipient of the nations highest honor for library servicethe National Medal from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the Los Angeles Public Library serves the largest and most diverse urban population of any library in the nation. Its Central Library, 72 branch libraries, collection of more than 6 million books, state-of-the-art technology accessible at lapl.org, and more than 18,000 public programs a year provide everyone with free and easy access to information and the opportunity for life-long learning. YEREVAN. There will be no destabilization in the world with the establishment of this committee; of course, if you have nothing to hide or something to avoid or have a reason to be afraid of in that case. Iveta Tonoyan, a member of the opposition Prosperous Armenia faction, stated this addressed the members of the majority My Step faction at Tuesdays session of the National Assembly during the debates on the respective initiative submitted by the opposition Bright Armenia faction in parliament. In particular, she noted that the majority of the votes of this committee will go to My Step, and the authorities, using it, will be able to raise any issue that interests them. Tonoyan added that the campaign for the referendum which the authorities had launched to resolve the crisis over the Constitutional Court should also be discussed from the point of view of studying the reasons for the spread of the coronavirus in Armenia. Kanu Sarda By Express News Service NEW DELHI: Same-sex marriages are neither part of Indian culture nor a part of the law, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the Delhi High Court on Monday while opposing a public interest litigation (PIL) demanding marriage rights for the gay community under the Hindu Marriage Act. The court was hearing a PIL filed by four members of the LGBTQ community Abhijit Iyer Mitra, Gopi Shankar M, Giti Thadani and G Oorvasi contending that even after the Supreme Court decriminalised consensual homosexual acts, marriages between same-sex couples is still not possible. The submission by Mehta was made during a hearing before a bench comprising Delhi High Court Chief Justice D N Patel and Justice Prateek Jalan. Mehta challenged the petitioners contention that the Hindu Marriage Act does not distinguish between heterosexual and homosexual marriage since it doesnt describe marriage as a union between man and woman, but only two Hindus. He said the relief sought by the petitioners cannot be granted unless several laws of the land are altered. Justice Jalan said changes have taken place across the world and when two men marry in a foreign country, neither is considered a wife. The court has asked the petitioners to file affidavits from members of the community who are aggrieved by the refusal of authorities to register same-sex marriages and slated the hearing for October 21. Personal opinion? Solicitor General Tushar Mehta clarified in his submission that he hasnt received any instructions but was merely pointing out legal provisions to show that the law does not permit same-sex marriages. He said he will file a detailed note on the same The UAEs agreement enables it to develop commercial, diplomatic and security ties with Israel while arguing it helped the Palestinians by getting Israel to halt annexation. It helps the UAE clean up an image tarnished in the U.S. by its role in the devastating Yemen war. The accords could give the Gulf states access to previously off-limits U.S. weaponry, just as Egypt was able to secure better American arms after its peace deal with Israel. However, Israel has publicly objected to the UAEs request for F-35 combat planes. It gives both Arab countries an opportunity to collaborate on technology and health care with Israel, a leader in both, at a time when combating Covid-19 is every countrys chief concern. UAE-based APEX National Investment said it agreed to conduct research on the coronavirus with Israels TeraGroup. The mysterious death of yet another regime officer has been announced, without revealing the circumstance writes Shaam News. Pro-regime pages mourned a brigadier general pilot in the regimes army, saying that he was killed in the city of Homs, central Syria, without revealing the circumstances of his death, in what seems to have become a pattern recently, especially with the incidents of the officers and leaders of the Shabiha militia. An obituary circulated by pro-regime accounts confirmed the killing of officer Haseeb Khattar Kasouha, who died in mysterious circumstances. The obituary mentioned that the funeral had taken place two days prior in the Mar Elias al-Hayy Church, in the city of al-Qusayr, in the southern countryside of Homs. Moreover, pro-regime media sources revealed the death of an assistant in the regimes army, Qahtan Gerges Kulthum, saying that he was killed yesterday in the city of Palmyra in the eastern countryside of Homs. His obituary did not reveal the circumstances of his death. Kulthum hails from the village of Jabriya in the countryside of Homs. Among the pro-regime pages that reported the news of his death was a militia page by the name of The Desert Lions, which indicated that the assistant was leading a combat group, and officers called him the uncle, according to what was reported. Pro-regime sources had previously revealed the death of Col. Ahmed Jamil Balloul, who is originally from Ayn Shiqaq in the city of Jableh in the province of Lattakia, after health complications they said were caused by a heart attack. A photo of him circulated on pro-regime pages. On Aug. 25, 2020, the Shaam News Network reported the death of an officer by the name of Adeeb Khalil Jabour, 60, who is a major general in the regimes army. He is originally from the village of Kfardabil in the Jableh countryside in the Governorate of Lattakia. Cause of death was a health complication, as described by the network. This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author. French President Emmanuel Macron has gathered leaders from the world of high technology and the digital economy at the Elysee palace ahead of this year's France Digitale Day summit, which starts on Tuesday. This year's theme is the role of start-ups in exploring new ways of living in a turbulent world. There were fewer visitors at the Elysee's "French Tech" gala on Monday night to mark the opening of France Digitale Day. One hundred entrepreneurs joined President Emmanuel Macron to hear about technology's role in navigating the pandemic. Macron highlighted the digital sector's robust health and strong recruitment power, saying that it was responsible for creating up to 30 percent of new jobs, even during the lockdown. This, in part, was due to the rise in home deliveries, virtual meetings and teleworking, using new digital tools. Supporting tech sector In the first half of 2020, the technology sector has secured investment superior to the amount it had attracted at the same time last year. Aware of its potential, the French government has also stepped in to invest. Earlier this month, authorities unveiled a 7-billion-euro stimulus package for tech companies out of its 100-billion-euro pandemic reboot rescue plan. The money is intended for start-up infrastructure investment and digital transformation. Alternative living Monday's event saw presentations by three of the companies that performed especially well during the health crisis: Mobile video game publisher Voodoo, the marketplace start-up Mirakl, and biotech company Innovafeed that uses proteins from insects to produce animal feed. The French president also flagged up new areas where the state is keen to invest, such as cybersecurity, artificial intelligence and digital health. In addition, funds will be invested in online services that ensure the continuity of education, the Elysee said. The event set the tone for Tuesday's Digitale Day summit in Paris where the theme of this eighth edition is "Alternatives", exploring new ways of living in a turbulent world. A team of researchers led by Mayo Clinic and the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen), an affiliate of City of Hope, has identified specific potential therapeutic targets for the most aggressive and lethal form of pancreatic cancer. In what is believed to be the most comprehensive analysis of adenosquamous cancer of the pancreas (ASCP), the Mayo Clinic and TGen team identified, in preclinical models, therapeutic targets for this extremely fast-moving and deadly form of pancreatic cancer, and identified already available cancer inhibitors originally designed for other types of cancer, according to a study published today in Cancer Research, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR). "The rarity of ASCP, the scarcity of tissue samples suitable for high resolution genomic analyses, and the lack of validated preclinical models, has limited the study of this particularly deadly subtype of pancreatic cancer," said Dr. Daniel Von Hoff, Distinguished Professor and TGen's Physician-In-Chief, considered one of the nation's foremost authorities on pancreatic cancer, and one of the study's authors. "We need entirely new possible approaches for our patients with ASCP." Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is the most common form of pancreatic cancer, which this year is projected to kill nearly 57,600 Americans, making it the nation's third leading cause of cancer-related death, according to the American Cancer Society. Among pancreatic cancer patients, a small percentage (less than 4%) are diagnosed with ASCP, a particularly aggressive form of pancreatic cancer. "ASCP currently has no effective therapies. Unlike PDAC, ASCP is defined by the presence of more than 30% squamous (skin-like) epithelial cells in the tumor. The normal pancreas does not contain squamous cells," said the study's senior author, Michael Barrett, Ph.D., who holds a joint research appointment at Mayo Clinic and TGEN. Our study has shown that ASCPs have novel 'hits' (mutations and deletions) in genes that regulate tissue development and growth superimposed on the common mutational 'landscape' of a typical PDAC. As a consequence, cells within the tumor have the ability to revert to a stem-cell-like state that includes changes in cell types and appearance, and the activation of signaling pathways that drive the aggressive nature of ASCP." Michael Barrett, PhD, Study Senior Author, Translational Genomics Research Institute While this activated aggressive stem-cell-like state is very resistant to current therapies for pancreatic cancer, Dr. Barrett said, the study has shown that ASCP can be targeted by drugs currently in clinical use for other cancers as well as non-cancer related conditions. Using multiple cancer analysis methods and platforms -- including: flow cytometry, copy number analysis, whole exome sequencing, variant calling and annotation, ATAC-seq, immunofluorescence, immunohistochemistry, single cell sequencing, and organoid cultures and treatments -- the Mayo Clinic and TGen research team conducted what is believed to be the most in-depth analysis of ASCP tissue samples. Researchers identified multiple mutations and genomic variants that are common to both PDAC and the more aggressive ASCP. "Of significant interest," the study says, the team also identified two potential therapeutic targets unique to ASCP genomes: FGFR signaling, including an FGFR1-ERLIN2 gene fusion, and a pancreatic cancer stem cell regulator known as RORC. These data provide a unique description of the ASCP genomic and epigenomic landscape and identify candidate therapeutic targets for this lethal cancer, the study says. Using organoids, which are laboratory cultures derived from samples of patient tumors, researchers tested the activity and functional significance of candidate therapeutic targets. According to the study: "Specifically, organoids carrying the FGFR1-ERLIN2 fusion show a significant response to pharmacological FGFR inhibition," providing new candidate targets for developing therapies for patients with ASCP. In addition, the study says, "To our knowledge, this is the first study to apply DNA content sorting to the genomic analysis of ASCP," a method that purifies the cancer DNA from other cells and parts of cells, thereby eliminating any biological "noise" that might impede the precision of the analysis. Using an interrogation tool known as ATAC-seq, researchers also identified RORC as another distinguishing feature of ASCP. "Of significant interest will be clinical trials with FGFR and RORC inhibitors that include correlative studies of genomic and epigenomic lesions in both ASCP and PDAC," the study concludes. COQUITLAM, BC, Sept. 14, 2020 /CNW/ - Canada Silver Cobalt Works Inc. (TSXV: CCW) (OTC: CCWOF) (Frankfurt: 4T9B) (the "Company" or "Canada Silver Cobalt") announces that it has terminated its Investor Relations Agreement dated July 24, 2020 with GRA Enterprises LLC. About Canada Silver Cobalt Works Inc. Canada Silver Cobalt's flagship Castle mine and 78 sq. km Castle Property features strong exploration upside for silver, cobalt, nickel, gold and copper in the prolific past producing Gowganda high-grade Silver-Cobalt District of Northern Ontario. With an important new discovery at Castle East, underground access at the Castle mine, a processing facility (TTL Laboratories) in the nearby town of Cobalt, a proprietary hydrometallurgical process known as Re-2OX, and the Beaver and Violet properties, CCW is strategically positioned to become a Canadian leader in the silver-cobalt space. "Frank J. Basa" Frank J. Basa, P. Eng. Chief Executive Officer Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Service Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release may contain forward-looking statements including but not limited to comments regarding the timing and content of upcoming work programs, geological interpretations, receipt of property titles, potential mineral recovery processes, etc. Forward-looking statements address future events and conditions and therefore, involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements. SOURCE Canada Silver Cobalt Works Inc. For further information: Frank J. Basa, P.Eng., CEO, 1-416-625-2342; Wayne Cheveldayoff, Corporate Communications, [email protected], 1-416-710-2410 Related Links http://www.canadacobaltworks.com/ NEW YORK Federal prosecutors in Brooklyn asked a judge Monday to sentence Seagrams heiress Clare Bronfman to five years in prison, saying the longtime NXIVM executive intimidated sex-trafficking victims, exploited immigrants and remains personally and financially committed to disgraced personal growth guru Keith Raniere. By all accounts, Bronfman has spent a fortune supporting Raniere and NXIVM, prosecutors in the Eastern District of New York said in their submission to Senior U.S. District Judge Nicholas Garaufis, who will sentence Bronfman on Sept. 30. Bronfman has continued to wire funds to a KAR 2018 Trust -- named for Raniere's initials -- that she created for the benefit of Raniere and a son he has with a longtime girlfriend. In a testament of the so-called "Vanguard's" continued influence over Bronfman, prosecutors included excerpts of jailhouse conversations in which the 60-year-old Raniere boasted about Bronfmans undying loyalty to him well after his legal downfall. "How is Clare ...Shes good?" Raniere asked the longtime girlfriend, who visited him at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn last Nov. 8. " It was way more emotional than the year before," the woman responded.. "Caught off guard. Shes very good, shes very good with you." I dont think her view of me has changed at all. If anything its gotten stronger, Raniere replied. Raniere enthusiastically wanted Bronfman to be part of a group of "close friends" to review his plan for an opinion editorial about his formerly secret "master/slave" club known as Dominus Sororium Obsequious or DOS. Women in the group, also known as "The Vow," agreed to a lifetime of obedience as "slaves" to their "masters," and agreed to live on 500-calorie-a-day diets, respond to texts at all hours of the night and, at times, to sexually please Raniere. Some women were branded with his initials. "Can I share it with, with Clare or no?" the girlfriend asked Raniere. "Yeah, Oh, absolutely," Raniere responded. "Yeah. Anything with Clare." The girlfriend, still loyal to Raniere, has two younger sisters who were victimized by Raniere and his cult-like organization after they moved to the Capital Region from Mexico. All three became sexual partners of Raniere the youngest being 15 at the time. All were impregnated and had multiple abortions; one, the middle sister, was ordered kept in a room because she dared to kiss another man. Raniere, formerly of Halfmoon, was convicted of sex trafficking, forced labor and racketeering charges last year following a nearly two-month trial in Brooklyn. The 41-year-old Bronfman faces 21 to 27 months in prison based on her guilty plea in 2019 to conspiracy to conceal and harbor illegal aliens for financial gain, and fraudulent use of identification. Bronfman told the judge in a letter last month that NXIVM and Raniere greatly changed my life for the better and that she would not disavow them. Her attorney, Ronald S. Sullivan Jr., asked for three years of probation. In their recommendation to the judge, Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tanya Hajjar and Mark Lesko told the judge that Bronfman -- while not a member of DOS later tried to intimidate slaves from turning on Raniere by aggressively threatening legal action and criminal charges against them. In 2017, Bronfman contacted police in Vancouver and New York City trying to get criminal charges pressed against DOS whistleblower Sarah Edmondson. Edmondson told the judge in a victim impact statement that Bronfmans willingness to go to Vancouver to get [her] arrested was beyond terrifying. Edmondson said she will always look over [her] shouldereven if [Bronfman] is behind bars," adding, "Her money can buy anything and I believe she is vengeful enough to hurt anyone who stands in her way. India Oxenberg, a former DOS slave, told the judge in a letter that Bronfman tried to pit her against her mother, actress Catherine Oxenberg. Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years. Keith and Clare put a lot of pressure on me to sue my mother because she was publicly speaking out about NXIVM and they wanted to silence her, she said . . . . [T]hey put a lot of pressure on me to try and silence and discredit her. Another former DOS slave told the judge she was shaken "to my core" when she received letters from a Mexican law firm threatening legal action -- and possible charges -- if she continued to communicate with people who had spoken out publicly and contacted authorities. . . . . . It had been more than a year since I left DOS and NXIVM, and I felt violated once again, wondering if they would ever just let me go and allow me to move on with my life, she told the court. If Clare never had anything to do with DOS, and if DOS had nothing to do with NXIVM, why did she deploy such an underhanded intimidation tactic to scare me into remaining silent? When I was at my most vulnerable, Clare Bronfman traumatized me. I would like her to accept responsibility and show some kind of remorse for her actions. If she is capable of doing so. Prosecutors said Bronfman used her wealth to recruit immigrants usually women into NXIVM-linked groups under the claim they would get a scholarship or employment, but Bronfman instead secured a work-force of individuals desperate to earn a living and dependent on her and on NXIVM and Raniere for their continued legal status in the United States. Bronfman, they added, displayed an astonishing lack of empathy for the financial struggles of others. Prosecutors said she would steer the immigrants to take classes at NXIVM when they were barely able to make money. They paid me just enough to have food, one person, who was not identified, said in a victim impact statement. I had to work any side job I could find within the community just to survive. I was also told that as long as I was working with Keith, I needed to take the highest levels of NXIVM curriculum. Programs that costs tens of thousands of dollars that I couldnt afford. So, I was given administration jobs to do for the companies, in exchange for which they would permit me to take this. Bronfman and her older sister, Sara Bronfman-Igtet, the daughters of late Seagrams liquor tycoon Edgar Bronfman, have long been considered significant financial supporters of NXIVM. The older sister has not been charged in the case. Prosecutors said Clare Bronfman did not commit crimes out of need. "She is likely one of the most privileged and wealthy defendants to ever appear before this court for sentencing," the memo said. "Bronfman committed these crimes to promote and support her co-defendant Keith Raniere and in doing so, she caused significant harm to others." They also asked that Bronfman, who has a Clifton Park home, pay a $500,000 fine. She is now in her Manhattan home on $100 million bond. Sandra Bracken was the last person to hear Ricardo Hibi's voice before he died. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 14/9/2020 (493 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Sandra Bracken was the last person to hear Ricardo Hibi's voice before he died. Jurors on Monday heard the criminal defence lawyer was on the phone with the group home manager as he was being stabbed to death. FACEBOOK Ricardo Hibi with his son. Kane Ashley Antonio Moar, 22, is on trial for second-degree murder in the Dec. 17, 2018 killing. Bracken, at the time a legal aid lawyer who worked exclusively with youth, testified Monday she had been on the phone talking with Hibi about one of her clients for two to three minutes "when suddenly he wasnt talking to me anymore, he was talking to somebody else." Bracken said she heard Hibi say, "Hey man, this isnt your house, get out of this house," followed by four or five "very loud bangs" and a different voice saying "Oh, f---." Bracken said she heard no more talking after that, only a "wet, jagged sound, as if somebody was trying to breath. "It was clear to me Ricardo was hurt," Bracken said. "I asked Are you OK? Are you OK?" Bracken stayed on the line with Hibi and called 911, telling an operator she thought Hibi had been shot. After ending the call with 911, Bracken continued trying to speak to Hibi. WINNIPEG POLICE SERVICE HANDOUT Kane Ashley Antonio Moar, 22, is on trial for second-degree murder in the Dec. 17, 2018 killing. "He didnt answer," she said. "I just heard him struggle and struggle to breathe." In an opening address, Crown attorney Nick Reeves told jurors Hibi, 34, was stabbed three times in the arm, hip and chest, just 20 seconds after answering the door to his McGee Street group home. Winnipeg Police Service constables Justin Wieringa and Nicholas Willsie arrived on scene minutes later and found fresh blood on the front door handle and the door blocked shut. After forcing the door open, they found "a male lying on the ground, his eyes wide open, in a large pool of blood," Wieringa told court. After calling for backup, Wieringa and another officer searched the house, finding no one there, while Willsie performed CPR on Hibi until paramedics arrived. GOFUNDME Ricardo Hibi with his fiancee and six-year-old son. Hibi was taken to Health Sciences Centre where he was pronounced dead. A now 18-year-old man, who was living at the group home at the time of the slaying, testified he was at his then girlfriends Toronto Street home later that day when he heard Moar, his girlfriends brother, at the front door laughing and saying he had "stabbed up an Asian guy." But on cross examination, the man provided inconsistent testimony about seeing Kane with a bloody knife. He admitted he made no mention of a knife to police, but in a text told a cousin who also lived at the group home that he had seen Kane with one. In that same text, the man told his cousin he believed it had been Hibi who had been stabbed and told his cousin to delete the text. Moars trial was one of two murder trials to begin before a jury in Winnipeg Monday, the first in Manitoba since the COVID-19 pandemic induced a shutdown of all jury trial proceedings last March. Only four jurors sat in the jury box, with the remaining eight seated in the body of the courtroom, to satisfy social distancing requirements. In between witnesses, a court clerk sprayed sanitizer on the witness box and a Bible used to swear-in witnesses. While giving jurors their opening instructions, Justice Vic Toews made just one reference to the pandemic when he recommended they choose a foreperson "sooner, rather than later." dean.pritchard@freepress.mb.ca Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. on Tuesday gifted over 2,000 vials of Remdesivir medicine for the treatment of patients in as part of the ongoing assistance to the Himalayan nation's fight against the pandemic, the Indian embassy said here. Indian Ambassador to Vinay Mohan Kwatra, on behalf of the Indian government, handed over 2,000 vials of Remdesivir to Minister of Foreign Affairs Pradeep Kumar Gyawali on Tuesday, a press release issued by the Indian embassy in Kathmandu said. The medicines are a part of the Indian government's ongoing assistance to in meeting the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Earlier on August 9, the Indian embassy extended ICU ventilators to the Nepal government. has also provided anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine to Nepal to treat corona-infected patients. Meanwhile, the Nepal government has decided to resume domestic flights from September 21. The government had suspended the domestic and international flights in March. A meeting of the Council of Ministers on Monday took the decision to allow domestic flights and inter-district vehicular movement from September 21. The government has already resumed international flights from September 1, though on a limited basis. The government has allowed private and public vehicles to operate on the basis of odd and even numbers. he country's tally of cases on Tuesday reached 56,788 after 1,459 new cases were detected in the last 24 hours. Jageshwar Gautam, spokesperson for the health ministry, said 10,375 tests were conducted at various laboratories across the country in the past 24 hours. A total of 861,780 tests have been conducted so far. There are currently 15,779 COVID-19 active people undergoing treatment at various health facilities. Kathmandu recorded 676 new cases of COVID-19 in a single day on Tuesday. As many as 1,062 people, who had earlier tested positive for the coronavirus were discharged after full recovery during the period, he said. With this, the number of people discharged after recovery across the country has climbed to 40,638, Gautam said. Eleven COVID-19 deaths were recorded in various parts of the country on Tuesday, taking the total number of fatalities to 371. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Chinese academic has countered US-backed allegations that China is using forced sterilisation against Muslims in Xinjiang, saying the claims were based on "fabricated facts" and "falsified data". In the most detailed response to emerge from China over findings that US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo described as "shocking" and disturbing", Xinjiang University associate professor Lin Fangfei said the claims of forced sterilisation were seriously inconsistent with China's official data. Lin's assessment, published on the university's website on Monday, comes as China faces mounting pressure from the international community over human rights issues from Hong Kong to the far western region of Xinjiang. Get the latest insights and analysis from our Global Impact newsletter on the big stories originating in China. It focuses on conclusions made in a report by German researcher Adrian Zenz and published by the Washington-based Jamestown Foundation think tank in June. Pompeo cited Zenz's report - "Sterilisations, IUDs and coercive birth prevention: The CCP's campaign to suppress Uygur birth rates in Xinjiang" - in a statement on June 29, calling all nations to "join the US in demanding an end to these dehumanising abuses". China's foreign ministry rejected the report's findings the next day and called Pompeo a "brazen liar". In her assessment, Lin, from the university's school of politics and public administration, listed six "lies" in Zenz's report, from population growth rates to intrauterine device checks. She disputed Zenz's finding that the natural population growth rate in Xinjiang had dropped dramatically since 2015, falling to just 0.258 per cent in Hotan and Kashgar prefectures in 2018. Instead, Lin said, the growth rate that year was 0.296 per cent in Hotan and 0.693 per cent in Kashgar. Zenz said the Kizilsu Kirgiz prefecture government had set an unprecedented near-zero birth rate target for 2020, but Lin said the target was 1.05 per cent, instead of the 0.105 per cent cited by Zenz. Story continues She also rejected allegations that ethnic minority women who violated family planning policies were sent to "re-education camps". The United States and a United Nations human rights panel have said that up to a million people have been held in forced labour internment camps. China says the camps for Uygurs and other ethnic minority groups in Xinjiang are to contain terrorism and for vocational education. Lin went on to dispute a conclusion that 80 per cent of IUD operations in China in 2018 were performed in Xinjiang, saying the proportion should be 8.7 per cent, based on official data. She also dismissed as "groundless" allegations that Chinese authorities had forced Uygur women to have birth control operations and that Beijing was doubling down on a policy of Han settler colonialism. "Xinjiang's natural population growth rate has indeed declined since 2015. However, the decline is by no means sharp," she said. "Xinjiang's natural growth rate in 2018 was 0.613 per cent, higher than the nation's population growth rate of 0.381 per cent." She said the change in the fertility of ethnic minority women in Xinjiang was the result of the women's changing attitudes and not the result of government policy. "This change is the significant achievement of China's gender and ethnic equality, achieved by the long-term measures of protecting women's rights and interests, and the policies of minority preferential treatment that the Chinese government has unremittingly promoted, and also closely related to the prosperous and stable social atmosphere in Xinjiang," she said. This article originally appeared in the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the most authoritative voice reporting on China and Asia for more than a century. For more SCMP stories, please explore the SCMP app or visit the SCMP's Facebook and Twitter pages. Copyright 2020 South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Copyright (c) 2020. South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, an Oklahoma native who frequently butts heads with Sen. Jim Inhofe, has endorsed Abby Broyles, Inhofes Democratic opponent in the Nov. 3 general election. Broyles campaign announced the endorsement Tuesday. Abby and I have quite a bit in common, Warren said in a statement released by Broyles. We are both born and raised Oklahoma women who put ourselves through law school and have fought for accountability and transparency. I know shell carry that same determination and grit into the United States Senate. Inhofes campaign then mocked the endorsement, saying he would be happy to publicize it himself. If Abby Broyles believes Sen. Warrens endorsement is something Oklahomans value, the Inhofe campaign would happily cut an ad helping her share the news, said Evan Handy, Inhofes campaign manager. Abby would make a great senator for Massachusetts. This endorsement proves she doesnt represent Oklahoma values. Broyles, 30, is a heavy underdog against the 85-year-old Inhofe, who is seeking a fifth full term in the Senate and entered Congress four years before Broyles was born. By Express News Service KOCHI: The state government on Monday informed the Kerala High Court that it has decided to hand over the investigation into the case relating to cheating of investors by Konni-based Popular Finance to the CBI. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan also told the media on Monday that the government has decided to hand over the case to CBI as the money siphoned off by the accused has been diverted to other states and abroad. The state made the submission in response to a petition filed by the Popular Group Investors Association (PGIA) Kerala, Mathew Varghese of Konni and others seeking an inquiry by a central agency. The petitioners alleged that the police investigation in the alleged `2,000-crore fraud is going on in a shabby and shady manner. The firm has diverted the fund for purchasing land at various places in India and abroad. The petitioners also challenged the polices decision to register only one FIR. They alleged that non-registration of separate FIRs on separate complaints is illegal. Senior Public Prosecutor Suman Chakravarthy submitted that the police are conducting effective investigation and more than 500 documents have been recovered. The allegations regarding lethargy in the investigation are without any basis. Justice V G Arun asked the prosecutor why separate FIRs have not been registered when complaints have been filed across the state. The court also asked whether a special court under the relevant Act has been constituted. The petitioners sought to initiate urgent action under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002 and Fugitive Economic Offenders Act, 2018 and secure the proceeds of the crime involved in the scam.The prosecutor submitted that a comprehensive investigation has to be carried out as the company has about 238 branches and various shell companies. A special team has been constituted and the investigation is progressing. Remand of accused extended till Sept 28 Pathanamthitta:The remand period of managing director of Popular Finance Thomas Daniel, wife and two daughters was extended till September 28. The remand period was extended by the court here on Monday, following objection raised by police on a bail petition moved by the accused. Meanwhile, district superintendent police K G Simon said that the investigation team collected documents connected with the land deals of the Popular Finance proprietors in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra after visiting the states along with the accused. Police also received evidence of the investments in other countries, including Australia, he said. Search operations are on to locate the fifth accused, Riya Thomas, said Simon. UK chancellor Rishi Sunak visiting a Jobcentre as new official ONS figures reveal the state of unemployment and the labour market in the UK. Photo: Anthony Upton/Pool via REUTERS UK employers have slashed 695,000 jobs since March when the coronavirus first sent Britain into national lockdown. Britains official unemployment rate also increased as expected by analysts to 4.1% between May and July, from 3.9% a month earlier, according to new data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) published on Tuesday. The claimant count, which includes unemployed and low-paid workers receiving work-related benefits, stood at 2.7 million last month, up 120.8% since March. New estimates also show the total number of jobs in Britain has fallen by 354,000 to 35.4 million between March and June, the steepest fall in almost three decades. Watch: Unemployment rate climbs as pandemic takes toll Chancellor Rishi Sunak said it was a difficult time for many, but said protecting jobs and supporting people back into work was his number one priority. READ MORE: UK firms warn on triple threat: Local lockdowns, furlough wind-up, and Brexit disruption But vacancies have begun to rise more recently, reaching 434,000 between June and August. Unemployment statistics have become increasingly controversial in recent months, however. A constant flurry of high-profile job losses have not been fully borne out in the governments official figures. The employment rate even increased to 76.5%. Watch: Why have job losses risen despite the economy reopening? Yahoo Finance UKs reporter, Tom Belger, explains The figures definition follows International Labour Organisation rules, but critics highlight a large timelag in the data, the need to be actively job-hunting to count as unemployed, and the labelling of furloughed workers as employed. Michael Hewson, chief market analyst at CMC Markets UK, called the official rate not fit for purpose in a note last week. Weve already seen swathes of job losses announced over the summer from airlines, aerospace and the retail sectors which will eventually start to show up in the headline numbers. Story continues READ MORE: UK faces 450,000 job cuts and soaring foodbank use by Christmas It comes amid a clamour of warnings that unemployment will continue to rise later this year, and pressure for new government support for employers as the furlough scheme is wound down. More than five million workers were classed as temporarily away from work in July by the ONS, including many on subsidised furlough leave, while an estimated 250,000 workers had jobs on hold, receiving no pay at all. New analysis by the National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR) on Monday predicted that unemployment could hit 9.8% in the final three months of the year. The number of employees on organisations' payrolls has plummeted. Chart: ONS Another think tank, the Institute of Employment Studies, predicted around 450,000 workers would have lost their jobs by the end of the autumn, after analysing official data on redundancies. Meanwhile Trades Union Congress (TUC) general secretary Frances OGrady told the union bodys annual conference on Monday Britain faced a tsunami of job cuts as support for employers was wound down by chancellor Rishi Sunak. Ruby McGregor Smith, president of the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), also announced on Tuesday she had written to prime minister Boris Johnson on Tuesday warning of a difficult winter ahead. READ MORE: Millions of UK households face 1,000 cliff edge next year If the government wishes to avoid mass unemployment, significant levels of business failure, and long-term economic scarring in our communities, we urge you and your colleagues to act now, she wrote. The BCC echoed the IES call for the government to slash the cost of keeping staff for employers by raising the thresholds for their national insurance contributions. Sunak said in a statement: Weve taken decisive action throughout this crisis, introducing the furlough scheme and outlining a comprehensive Plan for Jobs to support, protect and create opportunities. And well continue to do that through the autumn, including by supporting people back to work through policies such as our Job Retention Bonus worth up to 9bn. This tool was built to meet the urgent challenges of the wildfire crisis in California and surrounding states. Fire season has just begun and four of the largest wildfires in state history are burning simultaneously. California has entered an unprecedented wildfire season. Each year, the frequency and intensity of such catastrophic wildfires increases due to a dangerous combination of historical fire suppression, aging utility infrastructure, rapid wildland-urban interface development and climate change. Wildfire scientists, indigenous communities, and conservation groups all agree we should be prioritizing active management through forest restoration. But the organizations and agencies responsible for forest and fire managementthe state, the USFS, private landownersrequire better tools to assess and mitigate wildfire risk at scale. "Governor Newsom's recently signed Shared Stewardship Agreement between the State of California and the US Forest Service commits to an ambitious 1 million acres of wildfire hazard treatments annually," said Dr. David Marvin, co-founder of Salo Sciences. "We built the Forest Observatory to support exactly these kinds of large-scale efforts to improve forest management and build resilience to wildfire among our communities and natural resources." The Forest Observatory maps forest structure in 3D, producing detailed data on vegetation fuels. These data, combined with weather, topography and infrastructure, will allow land managers to better plan, execute, and monitor hazardous fuels removal. Emergency wildfire operations can use these data to create more realistic wildfire spread models and update evacuation plans. Forest Observatory data are free for non-commercial research use by academics, government agencies and nonprofits. "The California Forest Observatory uses disruptive technology to quantify forest vegetation structure at the scale and with the precision needed to inform management," says Dr. John Battles, Professor of Forest Ecology at UC Berkeley. "For researchers, these data provide a valuable and novel resource that supports ongoing efforts to develop strategies that promote the sustainability of California's forests." In addition to revealing potential wildfire drivers, the platform's tree-level view of both vegetation structure and fuel loads can inform private land management operations, carbon offset markets, regulators, and utility-related vegetation management. Contact: [email protected]. SOURCE California Forest Observatory Helping newcomers find employment is a matter of working with both job-seekers and employers, Toronto employment service says. Employment services help newcomers adapt to what Canadian employers expect Helping newcomers find employment is a matter of working with both job-seekers and employers, Toronto employment service says. Employment services help newcomers adapt to what Canadian employers expect Helping newcomers find employment is a matter of working with both job-seekers and employers, Toronto employment service says. Employment services help newcomers adapt to what Canadian employers expect Helping newcomers find employment is a matter of working with both job-seekers and employers, Toronto employment service says. Shelby Thevenot Aa Accessibility Font Style Serif Sans Font Size A A Though Canada still names immigration as a priority in helping the economy recover from coronavirus, barriers still remain between newcomers and job opportunities. New immigrants entering the job market may be faced with credential recognition issues. Language or cultural barriers may affect newcomers confidence or their ability to communicate with their employers and colleagues. They may also face discrimination. Despite the need for new Canadians there are still some employers who have a bit of a bias towards Canadian-born [workers], said Tim Lang, president and CEO of Torontos Youth Employment Services, also known as YES for short. Find out if you are eligible for Canadian immigration YES is one of several employment centers in Toronto that helps unemployed and underemployed immigrants get jobs in their field. They work with thousands of employers across the city to help them understand the benefits of hiring immigrants. New Canadians bring a whole set of new experiences and new ideas that can really benefit [a] company, Lang told CIC News. And although they may be learning English or learning French [newcomers] can get over those minor barriers and be very, very productive long-lasting employees that help the company grow. Most Canadians already see the benefits of immigration, even during the pandemic. Immigrants fill gaps in the labour market, and are a major source of population growth in Canada. So, it is important that immigrants have the same access to jobs in order to ensure their long-term success, and in turn, Canadas long-term success. The Ontario Human Rights Council recognized this in 2013, and created the Policy on Removing the Canadian experience barrier, which outlines the human rights issues stemmed from unequal access to job opportunities based on foreign experience. It also offers a list of best practices for employers. In terms of what immigrants can do to improve their own job-search outcomes, Lang says the first step is to adapt to what employers expect. So, what DO employers expect in Canada? Have a Canadian-style resume The Canadian governments webpage outlines a complete list of the dos and donts of resume writing. To sumarize: keep resumes clear and concise. Make sure there are no spelling errors, and keep the page count down to two pages. Quantify achievements by using firm numbers that employers will understand. Write in the third person, so do not use I, my, or me. Include basic contact information such as an email or phone number, but never attach a photo, or include personal details such as age, marital status, or religious beliefs. Never include Social Insurance Numbers on the CV, as that should be reserved for after the job has been secured. And finally be honest. Never lie on a resume. Prepare to address credential recognition in the interview Employers want to understand job applicants education levels in terms that they are familiar with. If getting a Canadian education is not an option during their job-search, immigrants with foreign education can get a credential evaluation. They can then use the results to show employers the Canadian equivalent of the degree, diploma, or certificate that they obtained abroad. Some immigrants may have already completed an educational credential assessment as a requirement for their immigration program. These are only a few general ideas to help immigrants start hunting for jobs. For more information on getting jobs in Toronto, Lang says foreigners abroad can take advantage of YESs free online workshops for resume writing job interviews and others, however, immigrants need to be in Toronto in order to get help with job placement. Find out if you are eligible for Canadian immigration 2020 CIC News All Rights Reserved Four men have been arrested by officers of Ogun Police Command for allegedly beating a police constable, Agada Akoh. to death at Dalemo, in Sango Ota area of the State on 13, September 2020. The suspects, Jelili Ismailas, Amidu Bankole, Elijah Samson and Moses Proboye, were arrested after a report at Sango division at about 9:30pm on that day that a policeman has been beaten to coma by some hoodlums at Dalemo bus stop. Following the report, the Divisional Police Officer at the station, CSP Godwin Idehai led his men to the scene where he met the policeman in a pool of his own blood. Though the Constable was quickly taken to the hospital, it was gathered that he gave up the ghost while receiving treatment. Preliminary investigation of the circumstances that led to the incident revealed that the Constable and one other officer were escorting an unidentified principal from Idah in Kogi state to Lagos State. The Police, however, said while passing through Sango Ota, a truck driver, Jelili Ismaila drove dangerously and almost push their vehicle off road. The Police claimed that while trying to avoid hitting the vehicle conveying the officers, the truck entered a pothole as a result of which one of its tyres got punctured. The two policemen came down from their vehicle to caution the truck driver. But the driver of the truck accused the driver of the vehicle conveying the policemen of of being responsible for the accident. He reportedly mobilised hoodlums who attacked the officers and their principal with dangerous weapons and beat the deceased to coma. Having realized that the policeman may not survive the attack, the driver and his hired hoodlums took to their heels, but the DPO and his men, acting on a tip off, stormed their hideout and got them arrested. However, four others suspected to be among those who beat up the Constable escaped. The remains of the deceased officer has been deposited at the general hospital Ota mortuary. Ogun Commissioner of Police, CP Edward Awolowo Ajogun, who described the incident as barbaric and act of lawlessness has ordered a massive manhunt for the remaining suspects. He also warned that unwarranted attack on his men is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. The CP therefore directed that the arrested suspects be transferred to the homicide section of the state criminal investigation and intelligence department for an in-depth investigation and diligent prosecution. Follow Us on Facebook @LadunLiadi; Instagram @LadunLiadi; Twitter @LadunLiadi; Youtube @LadunLiadiTV for updates A brave little Laois boy who lives with multiple health problems, got a special Holy Communion Day all to himself last week. Jim Sheils aged 9 from Portlaoise received the sacrament at St Peter & Paul's Church, Portlaoise, from Fr David Vard, the very first child this year to receive it from Portlaoise Parish. It was a special day all to himself because Jim finds it difficult to cope with being in a large group. His mother Emma Sheils told the Leinster Express about his biggest health challenges. "Jim has Prader Willi Syndrome. It means he never feels full. He also has epilepsy, scoliosis and obstructive sleep apnea so he is on a CPAP machine every night. He has Obsessive Compulsive Disorder as well," she said. Prader Willi Syndrome is a genetic disorder that as well as making Jim feel constantly hungry, causes low muscle tone, short stature, disturbed sleep, learning disabilities and behavioural problems. His epilepsy causes frequent seizures. Jim's parents Emma and Conor must inject him with a growth hormone every night. He is on multiple medications that take three hours in the morning, and three and a quarter hours at night to administer, because there must be 15 minutes between each dose. "This year he had a very bad year due to seizures, he was in Crumlin in July for two weeks, he had two very bad seizures and had to be resuscitated. They transferred him to Portlaoise then for a few days to give us a break from travelling up and down to Dublin, they were fantastic in Portlaoise," she said. In their home they must keep locks on the fridge and presses, and keep Jim distracted from his pangs of hunger with jigsaws, colouring books and showers several times a day. "He has low energy so getting him to do exercise is a struggle. He has a lot going on. But he is a great little boy. He's so funny and witty and friendly and caring," she said. Emma has recently begun a two year break from her job in St Fintan's Hospital to care for Jim, taking over from her parents Paula and Michael Feehan who had been doing the childminding up to now. Jim moved from Scoil Bhride NS in Knockmay this year to start in St Francis Special School where his complex needs can be better addressed. "It is brilliant, he is getting the bus there, he loves giving us a wave from it and when he gets home he is telling me everything that's happened. We are looking forward to him being in the new school soon. There are only six in his class with an SNA and a teacher. It makes our life so much easier because he comes home in great form," she said. He also gets early intervention support at the Spraoi Centre at St Fintan's campus. The Holy Communion Day was perfect for Jim and his family, including his big brother Mikey, 14 and little sister Anna May, 5. "Portlaoise parish helped us make Jim's day so special. We decided it was best to have him make his communion on his own, so on September 9 at 11am Fr David did the ceremony, he was absolutely fantastic, it made it so much more personal. He wouldn't have been able for the big crowds. "We had a small meal after in the Bay Tree in Portlaoise and they knew to bring limited food to the table. If we go out to eat we all have to get our meal at the same time, with no extras on the table, or Jim would become too frustrated. That day we were home by 1.30 and Jim was in his happy place, not upset at all," Emma said. His class in St Francis School even followed up with a little celebration for him. Emma wants the community to be aware of Jim's condition. "I would like to raise more awareness of Prader-Willi, and what Jim is going through. As he gets older it will be harder, but the more people that know him the easier it will be," she said. Over 100 people in Ireland live with PWS. The PSW Association of Ireland describes the disorder as follows: Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) is a complex genetic disorder, usually not hereditary. It can occur in any family and, in most cases, only one child will have it. It is not an illness or a disease. It is typically characterized by low muscle tone, short stature (when not treated with growth hormone), incomplete sexual development, disturbed sleep patterns, cognitive disabilities, behavioural problems, and a chronic feeling of insatiable hunger that can lead to excessive eating and life-threatening obesity. See https://pwsai.ie/ While most dads were unwrapping socks and Worlds Best Dad mugs, it was a Fathers Day to remember for a Bay of Plenty man who scratched his way to $100,000 on an Instant Kiwi ticket he received as a gift on the day. Already overjoyed to be celebrating his first ever Fathers Day, the man, who wishes to remain anonymous, received his favourite Texas Hold em Double Down ticket as a treat from his partner. This really set the bar high itll be a hard one to beat next year, thats for sure! says the winner. Sitting down to scratch his ticket that morning, the man couldnt believe that he had won. Ive been close before but I couldnt believe it, I definitely said a couple of colourful words! said the man. The man decided to hold off claiming his prize until a little later in the week, and set about finding a good, safe hiding place for his lucky ticket. I thought where is the safest place I can keep it? So I put it in my boxer drawer as nobody is ever going to look in there! laughed the man. With the prize now safely in his bank account, the man knows exactly how hes going to spend his winnings. Were dairy farmers so were going to use this to set ourselves up for the future weve got to buy the equipment, buy some cows, all those good things. The winning $5 Texas Hold em Double Down ticket was sold at Te Puke New World in Te Puke. NASA satellite monitoring data has shown that the carbon monoxide released by California wildfires is 10 times the normal amount. The satellite in Earth orbit observed that the gas had high-altitude concentrations at abnormally increased levels. (Photo : NASA Jet Propulsion) NASA satellite monitoring data has shown that the carbon monoxide released by California wildfires is ten times the normal amount. The satellite in Earth orbit observed that the gas had high-altitude concentrations at abnormally increased levels. These carbon monoxide plumes were captured by NASA's AIRS or Atmospheric Infrared Sounder, which is carried by the Aqua Earth-observing satellite. They were from the wildfires in California last week at an average altitude of about 18,000 feet. READ: US Wildfires: Death Toll Reaches 15, West Coast Air Quality Ranks Worst in the World Record Number and Intensity of Wildfires As of September 14, there were a staggering number of major wildfires that is burning in the state, which totalled 28. Among its most dangerous is the so-called August Complex Fire. This began last August 17, and it has so far burned 875,059 acres. This makes it the most extensive California fire ever recorded. A Massive Release of Carbon Monoxide The fires released the carbon monoxide along with ash and smoke. This pollutant can persist and linger in our atmosphere for approximately a month. It can also be easily transported and spread to vast distances by the wind. The satellite's mapped observations were conducted at such a high altitude that the compound can hardly affect the air we are breathing. Unfortunately, it is easy enough for strong winds to bring it to much lower altitudes to affect the quality of the air we inhale significantly. Carbon monoxide is a critical player in air pollution as well as climate change. READ ALSO: US Wildfires: An Unprecedented Devastation in California, Oregon, and Washington Detecting Carbon Monoxide The carbon monoxide has been brought high up in altitude due to the intense heat of the wildfires. At such a height, it was already detectable by NASA's AIRS instrument. Afterwards, the jet stream brought the plume to the east over the US and then on to the Atlantic Ocean. AIRS was able to detect the carbon monoxide through its conjunction with AMSU or Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit. Through them, the microwave and infrared radiations being emitted from the Earth can be sensed, providing three-dimensional animated imagery and enabling researchers and weather forecasters to study and observe the Earth's climate and weather. These two NASA instruments work in tandem and conduct simultaneous orbiting observations of the surface of the Earth. Over 2,000 channels are sensing various regions of our planet's atmosphere, enabling us to create a three-dimensional, worldwide map of the atmosphere's parameters, such as temperature; humidity; amounts, types, and height of clouds; concentrations of greenhouse gases; and various other phenomena in our atmosphere. NASA Instruments Assist Weather and Disaster Preparedness The AMSU and AIRS instruments were launched by NASA into orbit around the Earth in the year 2002. They are flown on board the Aqua spacecraft also owned by the space agency. They are being managed by the JPL or Jet Propulsion Laboratory of NASA located in Pasadena in California. The JPL is under the California Institute of Technology and is contracted for operation by NASA. NASA also helps weather agencies in monitoring real-time events during times of disaster, such as hurricanes and tropical storms. Interactive, Real-time Carbon Monoxide Monitoring The latest data on the carbon monoxide levels above the Earth and other information provided by the Earth-observing satellite NASA missions may be seen at the fully interactive Eyes of the Earth website. You may go to the feature Latest Events to see satellite images of events that are currently unfolding as monitored by NASA satellite observations, including California wildfires, the carbon monoxide they released, and even algal blooms. READ NEXT: Emergency Declared in Marion County as Wildfires Rage Across Oregon Check out more news and information on US Wildfires on Nature World News. A face-tattooed murderer who was handcuffed to a security guard while being escorted to her prison has escaped from custody and is on the run. Katrina Epiha managed to free herself from two prison guards while being taken back to Auckland Women's Corrections Facility from Middlemore Hospital on Friday morning. The 22-year-old was handcuffed to a corrections officer and flanked by another when she broke free and was last seen near Gray Avenue in Mangere about 12.30pm. Katrina Epiha (pictured) escaped custody from two corrections officers in Auckland on Friday 'The prisoner required off-site medical treatment for an injury that could not be carried out at the prison,' Department of Corrections Regional Commissioner Lynette Cave told NZ Herald. 'She was accompanied by two Corrections Officers. The prisoner was handcuffed to one of those Corrections Officers. 'A full operational review into the circumstances of the incident is being carried out.' Ms Cave said police have been searching for the fugitive since her escape and was unable to provide any further details on Epiha's getaway. Police have appealed for anyone with information on Epiha's whereabouts to contact them. 'Katrina is considered dangerous and should not be approached by the public,' a New Zealand police media release reads. Epiha was handcuffed to one officer and flanked by another when she escaped from Middlemore Hospital (pictured) Epiha was last seen on Gray Avenue in Mangere after fleeing from security guards on Friday Anyone helping Epiha evade law enforcement will also face charges. Epiha was last seen wearing a black long-sleeved top with a white shirt underneath, grey track pants and light pink running shoes. She has large distinctive tattoos on both sides of her face. Epiha killed mother Alicia Maree Nathan after an argument about music at a house party in Avonhead, Christchurch in August 2017. She was only 18 when she stabbed the 32-year-old several times with a kitchen knife in an alcohol-fuelled rage. Epiha also threatened to kill another woman before fleeing the party after telling others not to call for help. The murder was described as a 'senseless impulsive act of extreme violence' by Crown Prosecutor Mitch McClenaghan during her trial. While Justice Gerald Nation acknowledged her troubled upbringing among gangs with repeated violence and neglect had led to a pattern of violent behaviour. Epiha was sentenced to at least ten years in prison in May 2019, as part of a life sentence over the murder charge. She is facing another five year charge for escaping custody - on top of her existing prison sentence. Liza Harvey says she expects tradition state political battle ground issues such hospital ramping to be in focus as the election draws closer Credit: "There's no point in being thin-skinned if you're going into politics, it's just part of the job," she says. "The reality in politics is that you're never going to keep everybody happy and a lot of people get into politics because they want the leadership position. "So you're always going to get a disaffected group of people who think that they should be the leader and they could do a better job and that's just politics. "The important thing for me is to have a functional professional working relationship with all of my team, which I do have, knowing there are political aspirants that want my job. And that's the reality of being the leader in politics." But she is frustrated at the difficulty she faces in getting out a message with the intense community focus on Labor's response to the pandemic. "There are genuine issues with the way the government is conducting itself and unfortunately the community don't want to hear any of that criticism at the moment," she said. "That makes my job fairly difficult, but things can change so quickly in politics and I look at the last election in South Australia, for example. At 6.30pm, all of the media in South Australia were calling it a Labor victory and (Liberal leader) Steven Marshall won in a landslide." Before the pandemic, the opposition was getting traction until coronavirus subsumed almost every other news story, Ms Harvey says. She claims credit for a series of stimulus packages released by the government in the face of a sluggish housing and construction sector, higher unemployment than any other state and stagnant or negative wage growth. People were struggling with bread-and-butter issues, such as the cost of the living and government fees and charges. Loading Ms Harvey says those issues are still there, which means her campaign will be fought on the ground, locally. "But when I'm out in marginal seats, and I've been doing marginal seats campaigning since the winter recess, people are coming out with their local issues," she says. She cites community forums where 70 people show up to talk about issues ranging from schools to the cost of electricity. "People only get to vote for Mark McGowan in Rockingham, every other seat has a different name on the ballot paper, so all elections are won locally and I'm not just saying that in this environment, that's from day one," she says. "It's about being known locally. "I went out there with Scott Edwardes in Kingsley on a Saturday to watch the women's footy team play and everybody comes up to him and says, 'Hi Scott, how're you going, how's the campaign going?' That's how you win. You get known locally." Neither party has a firm grasp on what people are thinking in the all-important northern suburbs mortgage belt, where WA state elections are won or lost. But Ms Harvey says businesses in suburbs like Clarkson are concerned about issues like crime, while tradies are concerned about what happens when the sugar hit of stimulus spending runs out. "They've got a lot of mortgage stress up there, a lot of people who want to sell up but they can't because they've got negative in their homes," she says. Loading "They want certainty around employment, that's the really big thing up there. And cost living is pretty big as well." Local issues campaigning parish pump politics, as it used to be known is only one part of the story. Ms Harvey will have to run a convincing statewide campaign around a set of policies. The opposition is already under heat in Parliament because they haven't been rolling out policies. Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung Vietnam has never had the strength and position as good as it has now to rise up. We need to have a mindset of going ahead. Only when we carry that mindset will we be able to seize the opportunity. VietNamNet introduces the last part of the presentation by Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung. Focus on transport infrastructure, energy Three North - South expressway projects will start this September. In terms of investment, Vietnam needs to focus on major transport infrastructure and energy projects to improve the competitiveness of the economy, and build the North-South expressway soon. No country can develop without expressways. South Korea, under President Park Chung Hees time, built a 460 km highway within 2.5 years, which was considered a 'miracle'. In Vietnam, what exists besides the 500kV power transmission line and the Ho Chi Minh trail? Why have we not made miracles like other countries? Since 2010, we have just built 400km of expressway and we will have to build more than 1,300km. It takes up to 5-6 hours to travel from Hanoi to Nghe An (around 330km). It is planned that the expressway will not be completed until 2030. Meanwhile, the system of seaports, airlines, digital infrastructure and roads, among others, all need to be upgraded. Preserving land and forests in the northern mountainous regions and Central Highlands instead of setting unrealistic economic development goals I want to emphasize the need to build a system of reservoirs, from the Central Highlands to the central part of the central region, to the Mekong Delta. The Mekong River has been blocked to build hydroelectricity plants, which has reduced the amount of water to Vietnam, causing rising sea levels and saltwater intrusion, affecting production and the life of the people. If we have reservoirs and interconnected channels, we can both store and transfer water to the Mekong Delta, An Giang from the Southwestern region, and the Tien and Hau River. Without reservoirs, up to 85% of fresh water will flow to the sea. Some localities in the Northern mountainous provinces and the Central Highlands find it difficult to attract investment because of their remote location, lack of seaports and lack of human resources. Should we set a high GDP growth target for these regions? Not being able to attract investment, including FDI, how can they realize economic transformation and high GDP growth. In my opinion, it is necessary to keep the land, the people and the forests, as well as solidarity and stability, instead of setting too high economic development goals in these areas. If every locality builds airports, highways and industrial zones, it will be very expensive but less effective. That money instead can be invested in areas that are driving forces to help them grow faster and contribute more to the budget, and healthcare and education services, security and defense can be regulated in other regions. Change the national management and governance mindset Changing the national management and governance mindset is a real necessity. Instead of pre-checking, lets switch to post-checking. If something is difficult to do, it should be trialed first and if the trial is successful, then it will be replicated. In management, if there are problems with documents, it is necessary to handle them flexibly and dynamically for common purposes, not to criminalize economic relationships. In terms of agricultural development, we support the development of a more highly efficient agriculture, not a high-tech agriculture. "High efficiency" is associated with processing and consumption markets, while "high technology" is to accelerate output. Speeding up production without knowing to whom we should sell products always leads to the situation of having good crops but a drop in prices of agricultural products. Agriculture should be oriented towards organic and clean production. Human, material, financial resources To develop any field, there must be human, material and financial resources. Which kind of resources, how to manage them, and how to use them must be calculated from the perspective of efficiency. Our human resources are of low quality; the proportion of skilled workers is very low. We call for investment in high-tech projects, but it is difficult as the quality of human resources is still low. We talk about welcoming the new FDI wave, but how will it occur without high-quality human resources? Intel previously invited students from five universities in Vietnam to test their English skills, and only 40% passed. Human resources include overseas Vietnamese. We have a skilled workforce in localities, but we cannot build a database on this workforce so that when businesses need it, they can mobilize it immediately. 3.8 million hectares of land for agricultural development, not just for rice cultivation The use of land in many localities is still subjective and wasteful. Many provinces continue to focus on selling land to contribute to the budget, which is very worrying because land is a resource that cannot expand. Some localities use land very wastefully. They are willing to provide as much land as investors request, regardless of whether they know the investors are doing it right or not, whether they need 500 hectares or 1,000 hectares. Many localities do not verify and do not appraise, and have no land allocation norms. There are projects in which investors had not invested a coin for 17 years, but then sold land to other investors to earn hundreds of billion VND. They earned money on the backs of other investors, on the back of the state. After selling all the land, what will happen to our descendants? I think it is impossible to use the criteria of selling land to contribute to the state budget as a criteria for achievement. We have 3.8 million hectares of rice. If we keep the paddy land, there will be no land to develop industry and services. Rice production yields low added value, with VND10 million per hectare, while other products result in VND100 million or billions of VND. This means that rice production is of very low value, while the farmers work hard. Foreigners say Vietnam takes care of food security for the world, while our farmers are poor. This is a matter for thinking and this must certainly be discussed. Around 3.8 million hectares of land is for agricultural development, not just for rice cultivation. Vision is needed 3.8 million hectares of land for agricultural development, not just for rice cultivation The use of resources is currently wasted. Many works only need to be small, but they are built on a big scale and have not been fully exploited. In some places, roads 70m wide are built but there are no vehicles running on them. There are many provinces that build very big things such as headquarters, monuments, squares, highways ... I have advised officials of a province to build high-speed roads only, not expressways. They should build a large separator so when they expand the road in the future, they will not need to clear the ground. However, there must be a vision. While visiting the central province of Quang Tri, I advised local authorities to build a key road of 12km, where each side can expand 100m, connecting to the coastal area to create an administrative center axis. With 12km of road, there will be 240ha, which is extremely valuable for development. Vietnam is at a time, once in a thousand years, of rapid and sustainable development. If we do not take advantage of the opportunity quickly, we will lag far behind and the development gap with other countries will widen, and we will stuck in the middle-income trap, and the goal of becoming a developed country will be more difficult. This is a time that requires us to actively plan and decide for the future of the country. Never before have we been as strong and powerful as we are now to rise up. Vietnam has signed 12 free trade agreements, including EVFTA and CPTPP, and we are facing the 4.0 industry revolution with many opportunities for rapid transformation and resurgence. Therefore, in some developmental issues, we need to have a mindset of going ahead, going first, not following or going after others. Only when we carry that mindset we will seize the opportunity to catch up and progress with the development of the progressive and civilized world. Tu Giang There are many talented Vietnamese, but they have not become the country's resources Where are the talents now? Are they abroad? Many talented people only work as experts and researchers, and their capabilities are not maximized, Minister Nguyen Chi Dung has said. SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Breakthrough Initiatives, the privately-funded space science programs founded by science and technology investor and philanthropist Yuri Milner, are funding a research study into the possibility of primitive life in the clouds of Venus. The study is inspired by the discovery, announced yesterday, of the gas phosphine, considered a potential biosignature, in the planet's atmosphere. The science team undertaking the research will comprise world-class physicists, astronomers, astrobiologists, chemists and engineers, led by Dr. Sara Seager, Professor of Planetary Science, Physics and Aerospace Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The group will investigate the scientific case for life and analyze the technical challenges of an exploratory mission in the event that such evidence proves compelling. Discovery of phosphine The new paper, from lead author Dr. Jane Greaves of Cardiff University, Dr. Seager and their collaborators, demonstrates the presence of phosphine (PH 3 ) in the Venusian atmosphere via an analysis of millimeter-waveband observations by the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) in Chile, with additional evidence from the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope (JCMT in Hawai'i). The level of phosphine detected in the clouds of Venusabout 20 parts per billionis completely unexpected for a gas susceptible to destruction by ultraviolet radiation, either directly or by ultraviolet-induced radicals. This suggests that some process is replenishing the gas. But what process? Phosphine is a "biogenic" chemical: all samples encountered on Earth have been produced by biological or human-made processes requiring considerable energy inputs. Although the precise biological mechanisms generating phosphine are unknown, they are associated with the breakdown of organic matter by bacteria, with the gas being found in oxygen-free environments such as marshlands and swamps, as well as the guts of animals. While the presence of phosphine on Venus may turn out to stem from a non-living process, no such process on a terrestrial planet is currently known to science. "The discovery of phosphine is an exciting development," said S. Pete Worden, Executive Director of the Breakthrough Initiatives. "We have what could be a biosignature, and a plausible story about how it got there. The next step is to do the basic science needed to thoroughly investigate the evidence and consider how best to confirm and expand on the possibility of life." "Finding life anywhere beyond Earth would be truly momentous," said Yuri Milner, founder of the Breakthrough Initiatives. "And if there's a non-negligible chance that it's right next door on Venus, exploring that possibility is an urgent priority for our civilization." "We were stunned to find a molecule in Venus's atmosphere that could come from organisms," said Dr. Greaves. "We will continue to monitor and hunt for more clues, to pinpoint where exactly on the planet the phosphine is coming from." And Dr. Seager commented, "We are thrilled to push the envelope to try to understand what kind of life could exist in the very harsh Venus atmosphere and what further evidence for life a mission to Venus could search for." Project Leadership Dr. Sara Seager MIT Principal Investigator Dr. Janusz Petkowski MIT Deputy PI Dr. Chris Carr Georgia Tech Dr. Bethany Ehlmann Caltech Dr. David Grinspoon Planetary Science Institute Dr. Pete Klupar Breakthrough Initiatives Chief Engineer The Breakthrough Initiatives are a suite of space science programs investigating the fundamental questions of life in the Universe. In July 2015, together with Stephen Hawking, Yuri Milner announced the launch of the $100 million astronomical program Breakthrough Listen, to reinvigorate the search for extraterrestrial intelligence in the universe; and in April 2016 they launched Breakthrough Starshot, a $100 million research and engineering program seeking to develop a new technology for uncrewed interstellar travel. Breakthrough Watch is astronomical program to develop Earth- and space-based technologies that can find evidence of primitive life on Earth-like planets in our cosmic neighborhood. All these philanthropic initiatives are funded by Breakthrough Foundation established by Yuri and Julia Milner. SOURCE Breakthrough Initiatives ROCHESTER, N.Y. It was early June, days after the death of George Floyd, and cities around the country were erupting in protests against police brutality. In Rochester, the streets were relatively calm, but behind closed doors, police and city officials were growing anxious. A Black man, Daniel Prude, had died of suffocation in March after police officers had placed his head in a hood and pinned him to the ground. The public had never been told about the death, but that would change if police body camera footage of the encounter got out. We certainly do not want people to misinterpret the officers actions and conflate this incident with any recent killings of unarmed Black men by law enforcement nationally, a deputy Rochester police chief wrote in an email to his boss. That would simply be a false narrative, and could create animosity and potentially violent blowback in this community as a result. Image Daniel Prude was in Rochester visiting his brother when he was detained by the police. Credit... Roth and Roth LLP, via Associated Press His advice was clear: Dont release the body camera footage to the Prude familys lawyer. The police chief replied minutes later: I totally agree. DOWNERS GROVE, Ill., Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Roadrunner Freight, the LTL division of Roadrunner Transportation Systems, Inc. (PINK: RRTS), is proud to celebrate National Truck Driver Appreciation Week (NTDAW) and present deserving drivers with its prestigious Driver of the Year Award. This year's winners are Brenda Kyle (linehaul driver) from Lawton, Oklahoma, Kenneth Bell (local driver) from Memphis, Tennessee, and Angelo Culotta (Expedited Freight Systems company driver) from Fisher, Illinois. NTDAW is an annual industry celebration dedicated to recognizing the vital and dedicated work performed by truck drivers, being celebrated September 13-19, 2020. "More than ever before, it is important that we recognize the dedicated Independent Contractors and drivers who work around the clock transporting goods safely and reliably across the country," said Frank Hurst, President of Roadrunner Transportation Systems, Inc. "Professional truck drivers are the heartbeat of our industry. We are honored to celebrate all of the women and men who keep America moving and truly 'Ship It Like They Own It!'" This year's Driver of the Year honorees were nominated by a cross-functional team that included Roadrunner leadership, service center managers and the contractor relations team. Nominees were evaluated on safety, operational performance and professionalism. "It was a difficult decision to narrow the extensive list of nominees down to only three Driver of the Year recipients," said Adam Diercks, Senior Vice President of Operations & Transportation for Roadrunner Freight. "This year's winners truly reflect what it means to be a professional driver and continue to demonstrate their dedication to providing great service while maintaining the highest levels of safety. We are especially proud to recognize these individuals for their stand-out performance." In addition to the Driver of the Year Awards, Roadrunner Freight will be recognizing drivers with tokens of appreciation at service centers throughout the network for all Roadrunner Freight Independent Contractors, Owner Operators and company drivers. "With our continued focus on improving the driver experience and becoming the destination company of choice for Independent Contractors and Owner Operators, there is no better time to recognize our amazing team than during National Truck Driver Appreciation Week," Diercks added. Independent Contractors and drivers interested in OTR or local driving positions should reach out to [email protected] or call 800.560.3758. About Roadrunner Freight Roadrunner Freight, the less-than-truckload division of Roadrunner Transportation Systems, Inc. (PINK: RRTS), is a leading provider of high-quality, reliable LTL service. Roadrunner's "Ship It Like You Own It" commitment guides the company to deliver unparalleled service and reliable LTL solutions for customers. With 31 service centers and strategic partnerships across the country, Roadrunner delivers expansive long haul, regional and next day service in all major US markets. For more information, please visit www.rrts.com/freight-ltl/. SOURCE Roadrunner Freight Related Links http://www.rrts.com/freight-ltl DENVER, Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ -- WorldRemit, a leading digital payments platform, has launched the inaugural List of Influential Latinos in the United States, in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month this year. This year's celebrations will not include in-person activities, due to the country still taking precautions from the coronavirus pandemic. The inaugural List of Influential Latinos in the United States was compiled in recognition of the successes and contributions made by Latinos from various backgrounds, in their communities and in their chosen fields. Latinos have recently defied predictions of steady remittance declines during the pandemic and have recovered during the months of May and June, according to a new study from Pew Research . Additionally, The Washington Post recently reported that Mexico remittances have even increased year-over-year in five of the first six months of 2020. "At a time when our whole world is impacted by this pandemic, Latinos migrants have been disproportionately affected," said Jorge Godinez, Head of LATAM at WorldRemit. "However, this new data has proven how resilient the Latin community is and we wanted to celebrate this by highlighting these bright and shining stars' positive impact on their communities." Here is the 2020 WorldRemit List of Influential Latinos in the United States: Angela Elo-Rivera Angela Elo-Rivera is a communications strategist with a heart for nonprofits and socially conscious businesses. A proven leader in the branding and marketing realm, Elo-Rivera finds joy in developing strategic communications plans that build brand awareness, increase ROI, and make a tangible impact on the community and world. Ashley Frangie Ashley Frangie is a Mexican photographer currently living in Los Angeles . Her first solo exhibition, called 'Las horas que me tomo', took place at Casa Paraiso, in 2015 and, since then, Frangie has made several exhibitions in different cities of the United States , Mexico and Germany . Julio Rocha Rocha, of Ecuadorian descent, is an entrepreneur, connector and advisor in the field of business, entrepreneurship and politics. He believes in giving back his time, talent and treasure to his community and is a champion for Prospanica , the association of Hispanic MBAs and business professionals. Madelyn Tavarez Tavarez is a Dominican-American software engineer at Pinterest on the Shopping Product team and is the founder of Scholar Ahead, the most comprehensive free online educational opportunity platform with over 1,000 summer enrichment programs, internships, and research opportunities for middle and high school students across the country. Manuel Orozco Manuel Orozco is the Director at Creative Associates International which focuses on finding ingenious solutions for populations most-at risk of migrating, often missed by traditional economic growth programs with a special emphasis given to informal economies, youth and women. Mario Arevalo Mario Arevalo is an upcoming tenor in both recital and opera stages. Recently making his debut with Hawaii Opera Theater performing the role of Gastone and covering the role of Alfredo. As an El Salvadoran Community representative he has received honors from United States Senators, Proclamations from The Mayor and Council of New Jersey , Los Angeles and New York . Shantall Lacayo As a Nicaraguan designer, Lacayo has made a name for herself by specializing in womenswear haute couture and pret-a-porter. As a personal mark she reinterprets indigenous elements aiming to promote and retake Latin-American cultural roots. To mark the launch of the List of Influential Latinos and in celebration to Hispanic Heritage Month, WorldRemit is waiving its transaction service fees for new customers on their first 3 money transfer transactions through its 3FREE promotion. For more details about how to take advantage of the 3FREE promotion, please visit: www.worldremit.com/3free . Terms and conditions apply. To learn more, please visit: www.worldremit.com About WorldRemit: WorldRemit was founded in 2010 and serves over 6 million customers. Through our digital services customers can send money from more than 50 countries to 150 destinations. Recipients benefit from one of the widest ranges of money-out options including bank deposit, mobile money, and cash pickup. Our investors include Accel, TCV and Leapfrog. Accel and TCV are long-term investors in well-known brands including AirBnB, Facebook, Spotify and Expedia. SOURCE WorldRemit Related Links worldremit.com Oregon is making progress fighting huge wildfires thanks to better weather and national firefighting resources but faces challenges in coming days with a forecast for wind and lightning, state officials said Monday. Almost every state has some sort of response to the state of Oregon and we cant thank them enough as we now begin to look towards recovery, State Fire Marshal Mariana Ruiz-Temple said during an afternoon briefing. Doug Grafe, chief of fire protection at the Oregon Department of Forestry, said firefighters were also hoping to start the week with rain that at one point was predicted for Monday. But it looks like currently the latest forecast puts that rain out in the Wednesday, Thursday range, Grafe said. And the unfortunate part of the forecast is that rain may come with some lightning and thunderstorms, particularly on the east side of the state which could cause new fire starts. Winds are also expected to pick up again in central and southern Oregon, although not nearly as strongly as the deadly dry winds that drove fires down the slopes of the Cascades last week, Grafe said. With eight people now confirmed by the state to have died in the wildfires, Gov. Kate Brown said she was at a loss for words over these deaths. Dan and I are holding these families in our hearts during this extremely difficult time, the governor said, referring to her husband and Oregons first gentleman, Dan Little. The governor said she expects firefighting teams from North Dakota and Michigan to arrive in Oregon this week, and Michigan, California and Washington have supplied emergency coordination support. We are incredibly grateful that our calls for assistance are also being answered, with crews from all over the country and Canada coming to help, Brown said. Adjutant General Michael Stencel said National Guard teams are coming from Idaho and likely Montana and Florida, to join the approximately 700 Oregon National Guard soldiers and airmen and airwomen already mobilized to help with traffic control and fighting fires. By the end of this week, Stencel said he expects 1,000 Oregon National Guard members to be mobilized with 250 heading to Camp Rilea in Warrenton for firefighting training. Smoke has prevented National Guard members from using aircraft to fight the fires, because visibility is so poor. As you can imagine, our pilots are pretty frustrated waiting for this weather to lift, Stencel said, although he said pilots were hoping to fly in the Lakeview area within 24 hours. Civilian drones could also interfere with the effort to fight fires from the air: Any time a drone is detected, all aircraft fighting fires must be grounded, Grafe said. Only firefighting aircraft are currently allowed in the airspace over Oregon wildfires. Brown said there are also 30 Oregon inmate firefighting teams working the fires and scores of Federal Emergency Management Agency personnel on the ground. She sent a letter to President Donald Trump on Monday underscoring the need for him to declare a major disaster in Oregon. That would start the flow of significantly more federal aid, including direct assistance to people who lost their homes in the wildfires. There are now approximately 5,600 firefighters working on wildfires around the state, Grafe said, up from 3,000 last week but slightly less than the 6,000 he would like to have. I think well need to add more resources and those continue to roll in as Governor Brown highlighted, from across the country and Canada. That number does not include approximately 600 seasonal firefighters the Oregon Department of Forestry hired to handle the initial attack on fires that will continue to pop up, Grafe said. Grafe said one of the fires he is most concerned about in the coming days as winds could pick up is the Brattain fire near Paisley which is just over 30,000 acres. Also at the top of Grafes list is the 14,000-acre Two Four Two fire at Chiloquin, which he said is completely surrounded by containment lines. The wind will test those lines, but I continue to grow confidence well be able to hold those, Grafe said. The Thielsen fire near Diamond Lake could also prove challenging, with 6,000 acres burning in heavy timber on federal lands, he said. Winds could fuel the 30,000-acre South Obenchain fire near Medford and the east side of the 168,000-acre Lionshead fire burning west of Warm Springs. Crews have been making good progress on the Almeda Drive fire between Ashland and Medford, the 120,000-acre Archie Creek fire in the Umpqua drainage, the 165,000-acre Holiday Farm fire along the McKenzie River and the 450,000-acre complex of the Riverside, Beachie and Lionshead fires in the Santiam River canyon and up in Clackamas County, Grafe said. Last week, Grafe said the Riverside fire might merge with the Lionshead and Beachie fires. But on Monday he said fire crews are now doing their best to maintain a 30,000-acre finger of timber between them. Thats a really important piece of ground now. The Slater fire that burned into Oregon from northern California is around 30,000 acres and several fires along the coast have had containment lines hold for several days now, Grafe said. Firefighters are still working to get solid containment on fires near Gaston and Newberg, he said. State officials acknowledged Monday the dangerous levels of smoke blanketing the entire state are another clear sign Oregon has a ways to go to gain control of the situation. Gabriela Goldfarb, environmental public health section manager at the Oregon Health Authority, said approximately 10 percent of visits to emergency rooms around the state right now are for respiratory symptoms such as asthma. Everyone who can should stay indoors, and pregnant women, children, older people and those with heart or respiratory conditions are at higher risk of adverse effects, Goldfarb said. State officials urged people who want to help to donate funds directly to organizations responding to the devastation. The governor suggested the Red Cross, Oregon Food Bank and local relief agencies around the state. She also said three philanthropic organizations the Ford Foundation, Meyer Memorial Trust and Oregon Community Foundation are partnering to create a 2020 community rebuilding fund to invest in long-term recovery, particularly for our most vulnerable communities. The governor praised Oregonians around the state doing what they can to help in the crisis, whether that be fighting fires, following guidelines from local officials or donating time and money. She told the story of Upper McKenzie Fire Chief Christiana Rainbow Plews who, along with her crew, stayed on the fire lines even as the flames burned homes belonging to her and several volunteer firefighters. She and her team remind us of why we love this state, Brown said. This is just what we do here in Oregon. We care for each other no matter what. The only way out of this crisis is through it and well only get through it together, Brown said. Correction: This story has been updated to reflect the name of the fire in the area of Ashland, Phoenix and Talent is the Almeda Drive fire, not the Alameda fire as originally reported. -- Hillary Borrud: hborrud@oregonian.com; @hborrud Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories. (CNN) TikTok is making the corporate technology company Oracle its business partner in the United States. It's a deal that would tick a lot of boxes for the beleaguered short-form video app, including what is potentially its biggest hurdle of all: getting President Donald Trump on its side. There are still a lot of unknowns about the agreement. TikTok declined to comment about the deal, while Oracle and TikTok's Chinese parent company ByteDance have not responded to requests for comment. A source familiar with the matter told CNN Business that the partnership was meant to satisfy the Trump administration's national security concerns about TikTok Trump has demanded the app be sold, or else shut down in the United States and it was not described as an outright sale. But California-based Oracle is a notable partner, given cofounder Larry Ellison's ties to the Trump administration. He's one of the few Silicon Valley tech moguls to back Trump. The billionaire hosted a campaign fundraiser for Trump in February and in April joined a White House advisory group working to revive America's economy. The US president has already indicated he would support a deal between Oracle and TikTok. "I think Oracle is a great company and I think its owner is a tremendous guy, a tremendous person," Trump said late last month after the Financial Times reported that Ellison was "seriously considering" a deal with TikTok. "I think that Oracle would be certainly somebody that could handle it." 'Political considerations' TikTok resorted to Oracle "mainly out of political considerations," said Shirley Yu, visiting fellow at the London School of Economics and founder of an eponymous company that assesses strategy, business, and political risk for companies working in China. "Oracle's Ellison is a much closer ally to President Trump than Microsoft [cofounder] Bill Gates. In order for a no-sale option to be considered by the White House, Oracle stands the best chance," she said. James Lewis, a senior vice president at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington think tank, pushed back against the notion that Oracle's apparent victory was driven by Ellison's cozy ties to Trump. (The frontrunner, Microsoft, said Sunday that it lost its bid for the app.) "Oracle has done a good job lobbying the White House on cloud and their record in security. That probably helped them. I don't think it's Trump rewarding his friends," said Lewis. Instead, Oracle might win by default. The deal on the table does not appear to involve TikTok's coveted artificial intelligence algorithm, according to Chinese state-run media CGTN, who cited anonymous sources saying that ByteDance will not give the app's "source code" to any US buyers. The broadcaster also pointedly mentioned that ByteDance was not selling TikTok's US operations. ByteDance's ability to retain the app's technology could make the tie-up more palatable to Beijing regulators, according to Cameron Johnson, adjunct faculty instructor at New York University in Shanghai and partner at consulting firm Tidal Wave Solutions. But that may have killed the Microsoft deal, according to Dan Ives, analyst at Wedbush Securities. "We believe Microsoft would only buy TikTok with its core algorithm which the Chinese government and ByteDance was not willing to budge," he said in a note to investors Monday morning. Last month, Beijing introduced new rules governing the sale of certain kinds of technology to foreign buyers. Government officials updated an export control list to include data processing, speech and text recognition the kind of tech that is used by TikTok. China might see the Oracle partnership "as a win-win," said Johnson. "They won't give up the key ingredients [of TikTok], they're not forced to give everything away and they get an infusion of cash for a big Chinese tech company." Hosting TikTok's US data Like Microsoft, TikTok could be a big get for Oracle, depending on how the terms of the partnership shake out. "Microsoft, they have games and LinkedIn, but Oracle has nothing in the social space," Johnson said. Oracle's chops when it comes data and cloud security could also help allay fears in Washington. The 43-year-old company is a major player in cloud infrastructure and data storage solutions. Cloud services accounted for 74% of the company's $9.4 billion in revenue for the three months that ended in August. The Trump administration alleges that TikTok poses a national security concern because it gathers vast swaths of data from American users, which could be accessed by the Chinese Communist Party. TikTok has denied those allegations. The company has said its data centers are located outside of China and that none of that data is subject to Chinese law. Reporting suggests that Oracle won't be able to buy TikTok outright, but given its expertise in data and cloud security, it could become the US host of TikTok data. "Oracle has incredible data and cloud security," said Johnson, so the US national security establishment may determine that "as long as [US data] is here, it's fine." "Based on early reports and how they are characterizing this as not an 'outright sale' and calling Oracle a 'trusted tech partner,' this has likely turned into a deal about Oracle's cloud, and storing US-based TikTok users' data in Oracle's data center," said Brad Haller, a director in the mergers and acquisitions practice at national consulting firm West Monroe. The deal still needs to gain approval from the Trump administration. This story was first published on CNN.com, "How Oracle ended up with TikTok." By PTI NEW DELHI: Delhi Police chief S N Shrivastava Tuesday said the force is serving its oath and the Constitution with conviction and integrity, asserting its investigations in criminal cases are guided by facts and evidence not by reputations and personalities. Responding to former IPS officer Julio Ribeiro's recent letter in which he had questioned the police's investigation in the Delhi riots, Shrivastava said there are several entities who have their reasons to weave a "web of deception" and push a "false narrative of bias and insensitivity" on the part of the police. "The Delhi Police is serving the oath and the Constitution with conviction, integrity and sensitivity, without fear of any self-proclaimed 'true patriots' or favour towards any class, creed or community," Shrivastava said in an e-mail reply to Riberio. The Delhi Police Commissioner said the force has so far arrested 1,571 people in connection with the riots without differentiating on the basis of caste or religion, and they are almost equally distributed among both the communities. The police investigations in criminal cases are guided by facts and evidence, not by reputations and personalities, he said. Shrivastava said Ribeiro in his letter has correctly mentioned registration of 751 FIRs into the northeast riots, adding the very fact of registering of such a large number of FIRs signals the Delhi Police's intention of a fair dealing. "While we do not differentiate a complainant on the basis of caste or religion, it may be mentioned solely for the purpose of clearing any doubt in the minds of people questioning our probe, that more than 410 FIRs were registered on the complaints of minority community," Shrivastava said. ALSO READ | Delhi riots: Court sends ex-JNU student leader Umar Khalid to 10-day police custody The other community accounted for over 190 FIRs, he said, adding the remaining were registered on the basis of Daily Diary entries. "It is best that the criminal justice system, with its inherent checks and balances may be allowed to work, lest lending one's name inadvertently imparts a false aura of credibility and authenticity to these concocted and motivated stories," he said. Also, anybody aggrieved with the investigation can always seek judicial remedies, he said. The Delhi Police has examined a large majority of persons who either have a role in the northeast Delhi riots or have information that will help arrive at the truth, Shrivastava said, adding the police have questioned persons without regard to their religion and party affiliation. "It has collected documentary evidence, including scientific evidence, to support its case. The specific details, understandably, cannot be shared at this stage," he said. "Chargesheets in many cases have been filed while investigation is continuing in many others. The above details have been given to dispel any impression that one may harbour," he said. Ribeiro, a former Mumbai Police chief, has been among a select group of eminent citizens who have been raising various issues concerning law and justice. "As a career police officer who has held numerous responsible positions, you (Ribeiro) are aware of the false perceptions that are often created by interested groups," Shrivastava added. On Monday, Shrivastava had said a charge sheet will be filed by Thursday in connection with a conspiracy case in the northeast Delhi riots as the force is approaching towards the final league of investigation. Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) Pramod Singh Kushwaha had also said the riots were result of a "planned conspiracy" because during the investigation, the police found a common pattern the anti-CAA protesters followed: block the road traffic. "It was the first indicator that there was a conspiracy due to which it all started," he had said. The Police chief had also said the some people with "good social media presence" were trying to "take away the sheen from the investigation". "As we are approaching towards the final end of investigation, Umar Khalid (former JNU student) has also been arrested. So, there is more and more sort of a cry, especially in the social media and also on the TV channels. (They) are trying to take away the sheen from the investigation." "You know that people whom we are investigating, many (of them) have a very good social media presence," the Commissioner had said. Danielle Armstrong criticised High Street clothing brand Zara for its 'small' sizing in a candid Instagram clip shared on Tuesday. The former TOWIE star, 32, blasted the retailer for categorising sizes 12-14 as 'large', after she initially struggled to fit into jeans from the company. Six weeks on, the new mother, who welcomed her daughter Orla with fiance Tom Edney in May, enthused she 'feels like her old self' as she managed to slip into the same pair of denim bottoms. 'It's not good': Danielle Armstrong criticised High Street clothing brand Zara for its 'small' sizing in a candid Instagram clip shared on Tuesday The reality star started from her walk-in wardrobe: 'I'm excited. So six weeks ago, I went shopping. After you have a baby, it's so hard. 'You don't know what fashion suits you in your body that doesn't even feel like you're body as you had a baby in there.' The media personality went on to discuss her frustration at Zara's sizes running small as she said: 'I went to Zara and bought loads of stuff and I put these UK size 12 jeans on. I was a size 14-16 after having Orla, and we all know Zara, they are not very good with their sizing! 'Anyone that is in Zara that watches this head office wise, I don't think it's good that a large is 12-14, as if that's a large! 'As if that's a large!' The former TOWIE star, 32, blasted the retailer for categorising sizes 12-14 as 'large', after she initially struggled to fit into jeans from the company In good spirits: Six weeks on, the new mother enthused she 'feels like her old self' as she managed to slip into the same pair of denim bottoms after giving birth 'It feels so good': Danielle ended her clip by sharing her delight at finally managing to squeeze into the items after losing some weight (pictured R in late July) Impressive: Last month, the blonde showcased the incredible results of her second 21-day health challenge after gaining 4 stone while pregnant with daughter Orla Happy family: The influencer welcomed her daughter Orla with fiance Tom Edney in May 'I came home and tried all my stuff on and it was a disaster. I could not get these jeans up six weeks ago, it was impossible. Tom told me to keep them and I refused, but ended up losing the receipt.' Danielle ended her clip by sharing her delight at finally managing to squeeze into the items after losing some weight. The TV star said: 'I woke up this morning and thought I'm starting to feel a little bit like I did before I was pregnant, so I thought I'm going to give them jeans a try. 'It just feels nice wearing a little vest and high-waisted jeans. It's been so long, I'm feeling good.'MailOnline has reached out to a Zara representative for comment. Danielle's post came just a few months after Jacqueline Jossa blasted Zara for its 'offensive' sizing, claiming being forced to wear an 'extra large' caused her to have a 'mental breakdown'. 'Offensive': Danielle's post came just a few months after Jacqueline Jossa blasted Zara for its sizing, claiming being forced to wear an 'extra large' caused her to have a 'mental breakdown' The former EastEnders star, 27, took to Instagram to hit out at the fashion giant after she was left unable to fit into a pair of large shorts, despite being a size 12. The mum-of-two said at the time: 'Loads of people asked me about my Zara haul because I went shopping the other night. 'To be honest, I had a mental breakdown yesterday basically because the sizing in Zara is offensive. Just not having it really. So I had to take a whole load of stuff back.' Jacqueline gave In The Style - the brand she recently launched a collection with - a plug and claimed it was much better at offering inclusive sizes, ranging from a 6 to a 24. Speaking out: The former EastEnders star, 27, took to Instagram to hit out at the fashion giant after she was left unable to fit into a pair of large shorts, despite being a size 12 The video continued: 'Do you know what? I haven't shopped in for so long for anything but in the sale and it just goes to show me really that the sizing for InTheStyle is so good. That is what it is meant to be.' With the average dress size for women in the UK a size 16, the TV personality said she was worried about the impact on people shopping at the store who are over size 12. Jacqueline said: 'I was shocked when I got home yesterday honestly. I'm a size 12 and the large wouldn't fit me from Zara. 'I had to get the extra large which is not a problem but you know people who are over a size 14, size 16, size 18, do they just not shop in Zara? 'I didn't know that, I wasn't aware of that and I haven't shopped in Zara for years. So I kind of remember why I don't shop in there anymore. 'I love it but I think the sizing is really off. I did get some nice bits which I will show you. 'But you should have seen me yesterday trying to squeeze into a pair of shorts and stuff. Should have filmed it but it wasn't a pretty sight.' The actress parents two daughters, Ella, five, and Mia, two, with her husband Dan Osborne, 29. There is room to expand testing capacity, or at least dole out resources more efficiently. More mobile laboratories and drive-thru options would help. Testing teams should target populations that need them most such as symptomatic cases or care workers while reserving a more bazooka approach to cluster zones or high-incidence areas. Clear and simple rules on when testing is actually necessary might prevent a too-hasty rush to test in schools or offices.There could also be more experimentation with pooling multiple samples that are tested at the same time in order to save resources or alternative types of testing methods, such as using saliva samples, though theres a risk of more false negatives. By Lee Seong-hyon While the U.S. is putting pressure on China in terms of trade, technology, Hong Kong and Taiwan, attention is being drawn to the latest development. China's Politburo member Yang Jiechi, State Councilor Wang Yi and Chinese Ambassador to the U.S. Cui Tiankai, all have expressed a common desire to get the world's most consequential relationship back on track. This warrants a closer look. On Aug. 7, Yang Jiechi published an article on U.S.-China relations via the state-run Xinhua News Agency. What's eye-catching is that it is a long piece 6,400 words. The usual length of a final exam paper at Tsinghua University, the alma mater of President Xi Jinping, is 6,000 words. Yang's article received great attention as it was as informative was it is long. Above all, it was written by a person who directly reports to Xi. Yang is a member of the powerful Politburo of the Communist Party of China. He is also director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs, which is the highest decision-making body on foreign policy in China. This is why Yang is referred to as the "general manager of Chinese diplomacy" by some media outlets. Some China watchers still remember the organization by its previous name, the Foreign Affairs Leading Small Group (FALSG). Yang's article stands to represent the most authoritative deliberation on China's foreign policy toward the U.S. at a time when the U.S.-China conflict, which began with a trade war in 2018, is stretching beyond two years and heading into what some call "a new Cold War." Yang began by reflecting on the historic meeting between Richard Nixon and Mao Zedong that opened 41 years of diplomatic relations between the U.S. and China to date, and recounted the relationship between the U.S. and China in a historical context. The key points are as follows. First, since the very beginning of normalizing Sino-American relations in the 1970s, the bilateral ties have been built on mutual understanding that both sides "recognize and respect different social systems." According to Yang, Nixon said in Beijing: "You believe in your system, and we believe in our system. We have gathered here not because we share a common faith, but because we share common interests We have no reason to be enemies." In other words, the U.S. presumably accepted and embraced from the very outset, that China is a communist-controlled socialist country, and according to this logic. U.S.-China relations were going well. But then, why did the U.S. suddenly take issue with China's political system after Trump became president? This line of complaint is repeated in the remarks by other senior Chinese diplomatic officials. Second, Yang explained in detail the increase in bilateral trade exchanges. The trade volume has increased more than 200-fold over the past 41 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the U.S. and China. It means to underscore that economic exchange benefits both countries. So, why the trade war? Third, according to Yang, the American attempt to deprive the Chinese people of their right to economic development is "wishful thinking" (bai ri zuo meng) that cannot succeed. That means China's rise is an unstoppable trend and the U.S. cannot restrain China. Yang also argues that the fact that the Chinese economy is recovering better than expected in the aftermath of the COVID-19 crisis has fully demonstrated the strength of the Chinese economy. Yang argues that this is thanks to the leadership of the Communist Party of China and Chinese-style socialism, and that China has achieved great economic progress through its choice of development model, which is different from the Western development model. Fourth, Yang says the United States should respect China's core interests. He lists Taiwan, Hong Kong, Tibet, Xinjiang, for instance. He also stressed that the Chinese government is "determined" to protect the interests of China's national sovereignty, safety and development. When it comes to "core interests," Xi Jinping also often stresses that China will not yield or make concessions no matter what. Yang argues that there is no reason for the U.S. and China to become "enemies," that China wants to normalize bilateral relations, and that doing so is in the national interest of the U.S. (To be continued) Lee Seong-hyon (sunnybbsfs@gmail.com), Ph.D., is director of the Center for Chinese Studies at the Sejong Institute. Egypt extends detention of Coptic Christian activist, delays court hearing Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Authorities in Egypt have again delayed the court hearing for a Coptic Christian activist jailed last November on preposterous charges, according to a persecution watchdog group. It's been over two months since plainclothes police officers in Cairo raided the home of Christian activist Rami Kamil during the early hours of the morning. He was taken into custody and reportedly accused of joining a terror group as well as broadcasting false information. However, advocates contend that Kamil was targeted because of his advocacy for human rights and religious freedom. Kamil is part of the Maspero Youth Union, an activist group fighting for equality and civil rights for the Coptic community. He has also written about the mistreatment suffered by Christians in Egypt. Christian Solidarity Worldwide, a United Nations-recognized NGO that works in several countries to assist persecuted communities, reports that Kamil was slated to appear before the Supreme State Security Prosecution on Jan. 19. But on the day of his hearing, Kamils lawyers waited several hours before being informed that the Ministry of Interior did not bring Kamil from Torra prison to the SSSP office for the hearing. According to CSW, this is not the first time that the government ministry failed to transfer Kamil from the prison to the hearing. Sources who spoke with the nonprofit agency believe that failure to bring Kamil to his scheduled hearings are an attempt to prolong his legal process as well as increase psychological pressure. There have been several procedural irregularities in Kamils case. According to CSW, Kamils detention was extended by 15 days after an interrogation by prosecutors. Defense attorneys were informed that Kamils detention would be extended again even though he has not been formally charged with a crime. It is not yet clear when the next hearing is scheduled. Mr. Kamils detention increasingly appears to be an effort to punish him for his work as a human rights defender, CSW Chief Executive Mervyn Thomas said in a statement. We call for his immediate and unconditional release, and for due process to be observed. SSSP officials are accused of preventing Kamils lawyers from gaining full access to documents related to their clients case while the request for Kamils release remains unanswered. Mr. Kamils lawyers must be permitted to access every document and testimony related to this case to mount an appropriate defense, Thomas added. The Egyptian government must ensure that it upholds its constitutional obligation under article 53 to ensure equality before the law without discrimination. Egypt ranks as the 16th worst country in the world when it comes to Christian persecution, according to Open Doors USAs World Watch List. According to the U.S.-based advocacy group Coptic Solidarity, political detentions in Egypt are common as the state utilizes a variety of tools to censor free speech. Since President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi rose to power in 2014, the group reports that restrictions of free speech, free assembly and freedom of the press have been well documented. Crushing political dissent, imprisoning journalists and censoring the press are rarely discussed in relation to church building permits, discriminatory practices and violence against Copts in Egypt, writes Amy Fallas of The Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy. The arrest of a prominent Christian activist who works to document sectarian attacks alongside the targeting of an independent media outlet should challenge policymakers to consider issues of religious freedom in tandem with the protection of other civil liberties in Egypt. Although Sisis government has promoted initiatives to support religious freedom for Coptic Christians and fight radical Islamic extremism, Fallas fears that U.S. leaders have celebrated Sisis initiatives without assessing if these efforts actually improved conditions for Christians in Egypt. In response to the opening of the cathedral in January 2019, President Donald Trump interpreted the inauguration as Sisis effort to move his country to a more inclusive future! she wrote. Yet analysts in Egypt and abroad pointed to how this gesture obscured the fact that the Church Construction Law passed in 2016 was slow to approve construction and renovation permits for thousands of churches across the country. Although Egypt has legalized some churches, thousands of churches await government recognition. As Open Doors USA notes, many Egyptian Christians face substantial roadblocks when it comes to living out their faith and that religious freedom for Christians is not fully guaranteed. Egyptian Christians are often victims of social exclusion and face constant discrimination in areas such as justice, education and basic social services, Open Doors USA warned in a fact sheet. In rural areas, Christian women have been targeted for abduction and forced marriage. Migrants: UNHCR thanks Italy, calls for more EU solidarity UN agency thanks cabinet for letting 27 disembark from ship (ANSAmed) - ROMA, 15 SET - The UN Refugee Agency UNHCR has launched a new appeal for the redistribution of migrants at a European level after Italy allowed 27 migrants to disembark from migrant rescue ship Mare Jonio. The migrants had been stranded at sea for over a month, first aboard the oil tanker Maersk Etienne and then on the Mare Jonio. They landed in Pozzallo, Sicily, on September 12. ROME - The UNHCR has thanked Italy for allowing 27 migrants to disembark from the Mare Jonio on September 12. The group was first rescued by Danish tanker Maersk Etienne off Libya on August 5. They remained stranded on the tanker until the Mare Jonio, which is run by NGO Mediterranea Saving Humans, took the migrants on board on September 11. The UN agency on September 13 urged European countries to show more solidarity for the redistribution of migrants. End of five-week-long crisis A team of the UN agency was present when the migrants rescued by the Maersk - mainly citizens of Sudan, Chad, Cameroon, Libya, Eritrea and Egypt - disembarked in Pozzallo, Sicily. The group reportedly included several minors, some of whom were travelling alone. ''We express appreciation for Italian authorities for welcoming these people who are extremely vulnerable'', said the representative in Italy of the UN Refugee Agency, Chiara Cardoletti. ''With this decision Italy has ended a humanitarian crisis that lasted five weeks, showing once again its human face, respecting the significance and spirit of international law. We hope this can be an example for other European States''. 'A clear mechanism is necessary' UNHCR urged other countries ''to abandon the current approach that provides for the adoption of specific agreements and to set a mechanism of disembarkation that is clear, safe and structured so that coastal States take equal responsibility in ensuring a safe port to people rescued at sea and which other EU member States follow, showing solidarity''. In the absence of such a mechanism, concluded the UNHCR, ''human lives will continue to be in danger in the central Mediterranean''. (This picture provided by the NGO Mediterranea shows 27 migrants who disembarked in the port of Pozzallo, Sicily, from the ship Mare Jonio, September 13, 2020. ANSA/Mediterranea) (ANSA). So that month, Mr. Sharpe began regular P.C.R. testing for members of his sales and engineering teams, who typically travel to customers work sites. Workers are also tested before and after they travel to a hot state for work, which could otherwise require isolating themselves for several days upon returning. Mr. Sharpe said Cameron employees received test results through a website within 36 hours and could use the information to establish their health status to customers. The company that built the site, Atlas ID, connected Cameron with a lab in Washington State that analyzed its tests. Atlas was founded in 2018 to give workers secure access to employment and income verification data, so they could share it easily with lenders and property managers. When the pandemic hit, it shifted its focus to employers in need of testing while building a network of labs to serve them. Chip Luman, a co-founder of Atlas ID and its chief operating officer, said those relationships benefited smaller labs by offering steadier demand. If Im bringing in this partner that can guarantee me 100 tests every Monday from this employer, 500 from that one, they can look at capacity and plan business around that, Mr. Luman said. US BioTek, the lab near Seattle that handles Camerons tests, previously focused on allergy testing, among other services, but invested in new testing equipment during the pandemic. Jack Frausing, US BioTeks chief executive, said in an email that he had contacted Atlas on LinkedIn after reading about the company in the press. Mr. Frausing said US BioTek was able to provide results for over 95 percent of the samples it received within 24 hours and had the capacity to more than triple its test processing. Other employers have begun regular testing of asymptomatic workers for similar reasons. Some, like the meat processors Tyson Foods and JBS, have done so after outbreaks forced them to shut down facilities temporarily, and in the face of pressure from the United Food and Commercial Workers union. Representatives of both companies said they had begun testing to help protect workers. New Delhi: Minister of Railways and Commerce & Industry Piyush Goyal on Tuesday (September 15, 2020) stated that there has been double-digit growth in exports in the last week that has proven to be a rapid recovery. Goyal said that in the week from September 8 to 14, the value of exports is $6.88 billion, up by 10.73% over the same period of the previous year. The Union Minister while addressing the inaugural session of CIIs India-UK Annual Conference virtually also called for aiming for the target of $500 billion of service exports and opined that this is imminently doable. It is time we leverage on this and aim for the target of $500 billion of service exports. This is imminently doable: @PiyushGoyal Piyush Goyal Office (@PiyushGoyalOffc) September 15, 2020 We are all confident that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, India will get back to our 5 trillion economy target, and it is time we leverage on this. This is indicative that India is in a move to get back, our resilience is showing, our confidence is emerging, our can-do spirit is reflected in all these numbers, he added. Goyal expressed the belief that the time is opportune and ripe to have an early harvest between India and the United Kingdom. The Union Minister said, We should start an engagement on FTA. It is the need of the hour. We should look at the preferential trade agreement so that we can demonstrate to the whole world sincerity and seriousness of the UK-India engagement. In bilateral agreements between 2 nations, we give some and get some. We are able to benefit businesses & create jobs on both sides of the table. We must look at taking it forward expeditiously. I do believe the time is opportune & ripe to have an early harvest between India & UK. We must look at taking it forward expeditiously: @PiyushGoyal Piyush Goyal Office (@PiyushGoyalOffc) September 15, 2020 Talking about the initiative between Japan, Australia and India towards Resilient Supply Chains, he said that it holds good potential for us to take forward with other countries like the UK, Europe, the US, along with certain Latin American and African countries. The Minister said that there are many industries which have huge potential to work with businesses in the UK, where the UK is a net importer in a big way, where India has a competitive and comparative advantage to be able to serve the UK's requirements. He said, We have had a very good dialogue in terms of considering how we can prepare before January to see if engagement with the UK can be taken to the next level. He said that the UK certainly can benefit significantly from India's healthcare offerings. "India offers a huge potential to give quality medical support at affordable prices and at a speed which they will not get in the UK," he opined. The Minister expressed that the confidence that CII has demonstrated in terms of India's ability to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic, has truly been remarkable. We will rapidly recover, ensure businesses come back on track and we will back to the growth trajectory. We believe our manufacturing ecosystem will grow by $300 billion in the next 5 years. For boosting the domestic consumption and exports, we are focusing on the 24 industry sub-sectors. Goyal stated that India ensured all its international commitments were met during the pandemic and said, This is the trusted partnership India offers to the world which has been recognized. All through the pandemic, our services exports were at 90% of last year's level of the corresponding period. This has added to the credibility of India as a trusted partner world over. Under the leadership of Narendra Modi, we have been able to earn the goodwill, friendship, trust of world leaders and countries. Under the leadership of PM @NarendraModi ji, we have been able to earn the: - Goodwill - Friendship - Trust of world leaders & countries: @PiyushGoyal Piyush Goyal Office (@PiyushGoyalOffc) September 15, 2020 Expressing happiness over the rapid financial recovery in India, Goyal said that Railways freight loading has increased by 4% in August 2020, as compared to the corresponding period last year. In the first 13 days of September, Railways has carried 12% more freight compared to the same period last year. Talking about the digitalisation, Goyal said that we have been given a task by the Prime Minister to take Wi-Fi to every corner, every village of the country in the next 1000 days. I am certain that the partnership between the government and industry will ensure that we make this a grand success. It is extremely important in a post-COVID world. India has been a beneficiary of huge investments made in the last 6 years in several such initiatives. All these have held India in good stead during the pandemic, the Minister said. He added that in fact, India is currently witnessed to a revelation about how certain countries are indulging in a lot of data management, data crunching which is not in India's national security interest. NEW BERLIN, WIHunger is not confined to a specific location and demographic. As the pandemic rages on, many families in all walks of life are finding themselves in need of a helping hand. The New Berlin Food Pantry, 14750 W Cleveland Ave., serves New Berlin, Brookfield, and Elm Grove, residents. The pantry is open on Wednesdays from noon to 5:15 p.m. Barbara Jacob, the food pantry's assistant director, has been with the organization since 2007. She told Patch there are not only young families coming in but many senior widows who rely on Social Security. The pantry also sees single parents with several children who are working low-paying jobs. Another reason people come to the pantry is if a person was ill or had surgery and had no income coming in. "Medical bills throw people into financial disparity," Jacob said. Jacob said the pantry was able to give temporary help to people who lost their jobs during the pandemic get back on their feet. The number of clients has increased since last March. In August, 135 families came to the pantry, an increase from 110 families. Jacob said the pantry has a very kind group of volunteers. Often clients feel embarrassed they are there and are overwhelmed with the amount of food the pantry can give them on a visit. For Jacob, she enjoys helping people through a tough time and seeing their smiles. "We brighten up a person's day with something as simple as food and we do that all the time," Jacob said. Drive-thru pantry The pandemic has not only impacted residents but how the pantry operates. In mid-March, the pantry developed a contactless method of food delivery. Clients are not allowed inside but are asked to go through a drive-thru, similar to how restaurants were operating. Unfortunately, during the pandemic, it means no choices in food selection. Before clients could choose perishables such as bakery, fruits, and vegetables and also get pre-packaged foods. The food is pre-packaged and clients take a number and pull their car up. Food is loaded into the car and they are on their way. Story continues Often there are children in the car and pantry staff will give them something special like a cookie to bring a smile to their faces. Residents must show identification and do minimum paperwork. If the pantry had a resident in dire need from outside the service areas, they would help them and direct them to 211 for pantries in their area. "We still were able to serve them and not close our doors," she said. Helping hands The community has stepped up during a time of uncertainty. Through cash donations, Jacob said pantry staff has been able to replenish supplies such as buying paper bags. They are no longer allowed to reuse plastic bags and the paper bags are a new item in the pantry's budget. The pantry also supplies personal products such as toothpaste, soap and toilet paper. In March, people were panic buying toilet paper and other supplies. Jacob said she was unable to buy those items as it was not available. Normally she tries to pick up a pallet of toilet paper but stores implemented a quantity limit. Thankfully, there have been donations coming into the pantry. Donations can be dropped off at the pantry or Pick N' Save has barrels for the New Berlin Food Pantry. A check in the mail is also appreciated. Jacob told Patch it has been incredible the way businesses and individuals have been generous with cash donations. "Some people have donated their stimulus checks since they didn't need the money," Jacob said. Big and small businesses have held food drives along with local churches. "It was overwhelming especially for people who never donated to us before or didn't know we existed," she said. For more information on the New Berlin Food Pantry visit the Facebook page or the city's website. Patch has partnered with Feeding America to help raise awareness on behalf of the millions of Americans facing hunger. Feeding America, which supports 200 food banks across the country, estimates that in 2020, more than 54 million Americans will not have enough nutritious food to eat due to the effects of the coronavirus pandemic. This is a Patch social good project; Feeding America receives 100 percent of donations. Find out how you can donate in your community or find a food pantry near you. This article originally appeared on the New Berlin Patch The movie Huang Wenxiu in memory of young CPC member Huang Wenxiu, who died while carrying out poverty alleviation work in South China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, is released nationwide on September 6. [People's Daily] Huang Wenxiu is a movie made in memory of a young member of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Huang Wenxiu, who died when serving as a village official in the poverty alleviation work in South China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. The movie tells Huang's touching stories of dedicating herself on the front line of poverty alleviation efforts and is designed to salute the officials like Huang who are fighting on the front line of poverty reduction and contributing to the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects. The movie also aims to encourage CPC members, cadres and young people to learn from Huang, keep their original aspirations and mission in mind, be brave to take responsibility and work hard to build a magnificent Guangxi and to realize the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation. After graduating from Beijing Normal University in 2016, Huang returned to her hometown, Baise City, where she served as an official with the publicity department of the Baise CPC Municipal Committee. She was appointed as the first secretary of Baini village to help with poverty alleviation in March 2018. She worked day and night to help villagers increase their income and escape poverty. Under Huang's leadership, 418 people from 88 impoverished households in the village have emerged from poverty and now live better lives. Tragically, she died in an accident in mountain torrents on her way back to the village in Leye County from Baise City in June, 2019. She was only 30. Directed by Miao Yue, the movie fully demonstrates that Huang, as a CPC Member, always stayed true to her original aspiration and kept her mission firmly in mind. In order to better depict Huang's excellence and nobility, the team and local writers in Guangxi visited the places where Huang had lived and worked to capture every heart-warming detail, and carefully polish the script. The premiere was held on August 23 in Nanning, capital city of the autonomous region, and was released nationwide on September 6. (Source: People's Daily/Translated and edited by Women of China) Hurricane Harvey set up a rare natural experiment to study the effects of fishing. Credit: NOAA via Wikipedia Fishing has a strong impact on coastal marine food webs, but it's a hard effect to measure. When Hurricane Harvey hit Texas in 2017, it temporarily halted fishing in one area of the Gulf Coast and set up a natural experiment for our team. We found that when the hurricane halted recreational fishing, populations of sport fish rebounded almost immediately, causing a cascade of effects throughout marine food webs in the area. In August 2017, Hurricane Harvey made landfall in Aransas Bay, Texas. The high winds and storm surge destroyed docks, piers and boats in addition to homes and businesses. With fishing infrastructure destroyed, fishing in this area declined significantly the following year. The storm then moved north, dropping record setting rainfall near Houston, Texas, in the Galveston Bay watershed. In both Aransas and Galveston bays, rainfall significantly reduced salinity and altered water quality. But, Galveston Bay was spared from the worst wind damage and fishing continued as normal. This set up a natural experiment: Fishing was reduced in one areaAransas Baybut not in anotherGalveston Bayallowing us to assess how the ecosystems recovered under high or low fishing pressure. After the storm reduced fishing in Aransas Bay, populations of sport fishmany of which are top predatorsboomed the next year and we saw a trophic cascade throughout the food web. With more predators around, populations of shrimp, crabs and smaller fish that sport fish commonly eat, all declined. On oyster reefs, mud crabs that commonly eat small oysters were hard to find because of higher predation by fish. Credit: Map: The Conversation, CC BY-ND Get the data Although Galveston Bay experienced similar rainfall and water conditions, very little fishing infrastructure was damaged, and fishing continued as normal after the storm passed. Sport fish populations remained steady, and we didn't see any serious changes to the food webs of Galveston Bay. The hurricane, by curtailing fishing, showed just how much of an effect fishing has not only on the targeted species, but on entire food webs. Why it matters Researchers know that humans are important components of food webs, but measuring these effects is challenging. The hurricane occurred in the midst of ongoing studies on fish populations and afforded us a unique opportunity to measure its effects, including reduction of fishing. In Texas, fish populations bounced back quickly after fishing activity ceased, suggesting that these fisheries are well managed and that fishing regulations are being followed. This is in stark contrast to many fish stocks that have been historically overfished, leading to collapse of coastal ecosystems. The results highlight that science-based fishing regulations and conservation planning need to be maintained, as well as how important it is for fishermen to follow the rules. Harvey destroyed docks and boats and fishing infrastructure in Aransas Bay, but not Galveston Bay. Credit: U.S. Department of Defense via Wikipedia Oyster reefs are important habitats for a variety of species in the Gulf of Mexico and the food webs found on these reefs changed dramatically after fishing was reduced. Credit: Dr. Lee Smee, CC BY-ND What still isn't known The oceans face many challenges from fishing, pollution and climate change. Food webs are inherently complex and difficult to studyespecially when the conditions that affect them are constantly changingand there is a lot scientists don't yet know about how they might change with so many variables in flux. Understanding these relationships is critical if conservationists want to better protect marine resources. What's next Studies that examine how multiple factors affect individual species and the food webs they are a part of will improve conservation planning. We believe these studies should also investigate how changes to one species can affect not only other animals but plants and nonliving systems too. It is also important to study how these changes affect humans and vice versa. Finding the right balance between the needs of people and the needs of healthy ecosystems is difficult but important work. Hurricane Harvey was destructive, but it gave us an opportunity to learn valuable information about these complicated systems. Explore further Overfishing increases fluctuations in aquatic ecosystems This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. One of Oregons most beloved resorts is still standing, even as the surrounding forest and roughly half of its buildings were burned to the ground in the wildfires that have torn across Oregon. The historic lodge, commercial kitchen, office buildings and critical infrastructure at Breitenbush Hot Springs all survived as the Lionshead fire burned through last week. However, all 42 guest cabins, the sanctuary and healing arts buildings, some staff housing and several workshops were destroyed. Its a miracle, business director Peter Moore said. Were still here. Thats thanks to two community members who stayed behind to protect Breitenbush, even as everyone else evacuated, as well as a group of three local firefighters who joined in their efforts, Moore said. Together, the small band of men spent two tireless days protecting what they could. They spent the next 48 hours from Tuesday into Thursday just defending the place, keeping it alive, Moore said. These guys, theyre our heroes for sure. Posted by Erik Wennstrom on Sunday, September 13, 2020 The Breitenbush Fire Department or, a BFD, if youre a local is a small, remote, nonprofit fire company of about 20 people that serves an area about nines miles northeast of Detroit. The department serves the hot springs resort and neighboring Breitenbush and Devils Creek summer homes community of about 80 residents, only a handful of which are occupied full time. About 80 to 100 people live full time at the hot springs community, said Fire Chief Jordan Pollack, which is a self-sufficient resort with a conference center, saunas and its own power and geo-thermal heat. The Hot Springs retreat center has a long history and a lot of followers, Pollack said Its one of the long standing historic lodges on the West Coast that has not been lost to fire. And, it remains so, even as the Lionshead fire, which officials say was caused by lightning, roared around it. Lionshead fire came in from Warm Springs reservation, came around Mount Jefferson, and in one afternoon, ran 12 miles and basically took out our two communities. We were in the path, Pollack said. Pollack evacuated nearly everyone from the two communities Monday night. We left 6 to 8 of our firefighters there to protect, and at 11 p.m. that night they all departed but one because it was getting too tenuous to be in there, he said. "One firefighter stayed, who was joined by another summer homes owner who previously ran emergency services for the Hot Springs for many years, and the two worked closely together. Three more firefighters cut their way through massive fallen trees to reach Breitenbush midday Tuesday. And when we got there we realized conditions were a lot worse than we thought, said firefighter Neil Clasen. A number of resort buildings were fully involved in fire when they arrived, and the footbridge that connects the hot springs and summer homes over the Breitenbush River was partially ablaze. The men went to work. Day and night, were hearing propane tanks exploding every five or 10 minutes, Pollack said. There was one night where I was up and saw the sky turn red at about 4 in the morning and thought, Oh good, the suns finally coming up, oh wait, thats not the sun, thats the fire making more runs. And then Id hear the roar of a freight train of a fire making a run up the hill through timber. Fighting the blaze for days on end, without cell reception or electricity, the men didnt realize how devastating the fire had been to other communities until they came down from Breitenbush. We didnt know what the outside world looked like, Clasen said. It wasnt until I got out and saw Detroit, obviously, it was heartbreaking, and still no cell reception, and I drove down, and Gates was gone, and I got to Mills City and got some cell reception. I got ahold of my wife and found out how bad it was. Those firefighting efforts arent over. The Lionshead and neighboring Beachie Creek and Riverside fires continue to burn, fire officials said Monday. Crews are currently focused on establishing fire lines and assessing damaged buildings in areas that have already burned. The danger to buildings of falling trees remains. I think the main thing is that we made a difference, Pollack said, before breaking down a bit from the weight of it all. We gave it our best, without getting anyone hurt, which is the bottom line. At Breitenbush, where firefighters are still containing spot fires, the community is already beginning to look to the future. On Monday, Breitenbush Hot Springs began soliciting donations online to help rebuild the resort and offer financial support their community members who lost jobs and homes to the fire. Moore said he has no idea how much money it will take to rebuild and reopen, but that any amount helps. Donations can be made at Breitenbush.com. Right now, the hope is to reopen Breitenbush sometime around fall of 2021, he said, using next spring and summer to rebuild cabins and housing. It could reopen for day use sooner than that. Until then, the resort will be focused on keeping the rest of the buildings and infrastructure safe amid potential floods and landslides that could follow the fires this winter. It will also focus on supporting the small community of people who have spent generations working and living at Breitenbush. If not for the efforts of the men who stayed behind to protect the resort, the entire resort would be gone, Moore said. The fact that they hope to reopen at all is nothing short of incredible. Even when something like this happens, were going to maintain, were going to support, were going to flourish, Moore said. Were here to stay, and were going to do what we need to do to rebuild and continue. --Jamie Hale; jhale@oregonian.com; 503-294-4077; @HaleJamesB Busy developer Goldfields Group is close to putting its foot on a strategic Punt Road property in Melbourne owned by Jewish Care Victoria in a deal worth around $35 million. Goldfields, which has a major commercial office under way in nearby South Yarra, is in due diligence to purchase Jewish Care's old four-level aged care home on the corner of Punt Road and Raleigh Street in Windsor. The four-level aged care home on the corner of Punt Road and Raleigh Street in Windsor. Credit: The aged care organisation moved to sell the property in late June despite intense disruption from the coronavirus pandemic. Uncertainty from COVID-19 and Melbourne's lockdown is squeezing activity in the commercial real estate market, but a surge of deals is expected towards the end of the year as suppressed buyer demand from easing restrictions meets a flood of listings. New Delhi: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday filed an official complaint against Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi for allegedly violating model code of conduct by co-relating Congress party symbol hand with Hindu symbol of holy blessing. "In the recent Supreme Court judgement, no religious figures can be used for the political purposes, here he (Rahul Gandhi) has blatantly misused the column," BJP leader S Prakash told media. Prakash said the party symbol is not allowed into the poling both but the 'hand' will always be with the voters, so when they enter the polling both their hands will be visible and which is a violation of the code of conduct. A co-signatory on the complaint Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi revealed that Election Commission has said that they have taken it very seriously and that they'll take necessary steps. By their statement they're (Rahul Gandhi/Congress) trying to say that if you're voting for their symbol, you are voting for your religion, Naqvi said. He added, This is a case of corrupt practices and a clear violation of model code of conduct. Their symbol (Congress) must be seized. Also read: Akhilesh Yadav gets Samajwadi Party and Cycle symbol EC order on cycle symbol to change dynamics of UP assembly elections 2017 For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. City Hall will be open for voting Oct. 19 to Oct. 23 from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Oct. 24, Oct. 25, Oct. 31 and Nov. 1 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Oct. 26 through Oct. 30, from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.; and Nov. 2 from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thousands, including many Bollywood celebrities, have signed an open letter addressed to the media, condemning its coverage of the Sushant Singh Rajput death case, particularly in relation to the vilification of Rhea Chakraborty. After weeks of sustained scrutiny, Rhea was arrested for allegedly procuring drugs for Sushant, who died on June 14. Published on a blog called Feminist Voices, the letter counts among its signatories directors Anurag Kashyap, Gauri Shinde and Zoya Akhtar, actor Sonam Kapoor, and approximately 2500 others. 60 organisations have also endorsed the letter. Hunt news, not women, the letter says, noting how this could have been an opportunity to highlight the importance of mental health awareness. We write to ask you, the news media, to stop this unfair witch hunt of Rhea Chakraborty and to stop fuelling moral polarities of good women to be deified and bad women to be crucified which endangers all women. Rhea, along with her brother Showik and four other associates of Sushants were arrested on drugs-related charges by the Narcotics Control Bureau. Rhea is currently lodged at the Byculla Jail. She has also been accused of abetting Sushants suicide and misappropriating his funds -- both allegations that she has denied. The negative coverage of Rhea has been partially fuelled by Sushants family, who celebrated her arrest, despite the fact that it happened on grounds unrelated to the FIR filed by Sushants father. Rhea has filed a counter-FIR against two of Sushants sisters. The letter pointed out how the media had given clean chits to both Sanjay Dutt and Salman Khan -- two actors with a long rap sheet. The letter read: We know you can be different because we have seen you be kind and respectful to the Salman Khans and Sanjay Dutts of this world, urging us to think of their families, fans and careers. But, when it comes to a young woman who has not even been proven to commit any crime, you have assassinated her character, egged an online mob on demonise her and her family, fuelled wrongful demands and called her arrest your victory. Victory over what? Young women daring to make their own lives in a society that grudges them their freedoms? Heres the full letter: Dear News Media of India We, are worried about you. Are you feeling ok? Because, as we watch your witch-hunt of Rhea Chakraborty, we cannot understand why you have abandoned every professional ethic of journalism, every tenet of human decency and dignity and chosen instead to physically assault a young woman with your camera crews, endlessly violate her privacy and work overtime on false accusations and moralistic innuendo for a drama of Rhea ko phasao. You have been obsessed with creating only one narrative: a young woman who makes her own decisions, who lives with her boyfriend without marriage and who speaks up for herself instead of acting like a damsel in distress, has a morally dubious character, and is to be considered a criminal at any cost, without investigation, without the process of law and respect for her rights. We know you can be different because we have seen you be kind and respectful to the Salman Khans and Sanjay Dutts of this world, urging us to think of their families, fans and careers. But, when it comes to a young woman who has not even been proven to commit any crime, you have assassinated her character, egged an online mob on demonise her and her family, fuelled wrongful demands and called her arrest your victory. Victory over what? Young women daring to make their own lives in a society that grudges them their freedoms? There is so much in this world that prevents young women from even dreaming little dreams, let alone achieving them. Their laughs are too loud for everyone, their freedom too free for families and communities and apparently for television news channels their sadness not real, their questions, their concerns, their ambitions, their clothes choices, all scrutinised, trivialised, dismissed, persecuted. It is easy to victimise a young woman because there are so many people who already disbelieve, slut-shame and abuse women, for their smallest freedoms. It is certainly cheaper than doing actual stories about a host of issues from GDP to health, currently confronting us. In a pandemic which has seen a disturbing rise in domestic violence, in a society where women dont report sexual violence to the police, because they are likely to be told they were somehow asking for it it being assault, rape, harassment is promoting damaging stereotypes of vishkanyas and dayans, which have endangered women for decades, the best role you found to play? In a pandemic which has seen Indias already alarming mental health crisis intensify, and suicide rates go up, you could have taken the chance to make a difference to the understanding of mental health, bringing compassion and information to the table. Instead you chose to trivialise depression and perpetuate the most regressive stereotypes about mental health. Why? Just because Rhea Chakraborty took her boyfriends mental health seriously? Why dont you want to look at it seriously? Why do you not want to acknowledge that India accounts for one third of female suicides in the world and that family violence and social ostracism is a major reason for their suicide attempts? What are you hiding, news media, who are you protecting when you dont confront these real truths of our society? Is it the callousness inside our simple families and the cruelty of our society to anyone who is different, which you have enacted yourself in your character assassination of a young woman? We see which side you are on it is not the side of a neutral viewpoint, not the side of fairness and justice, but the side of social violence and control. Your pulp fictions have threatened both, the vulnerabilities of women and the fragility of mental health. And you have sent out a message to every woman in this country and to their potential attackers that if she does not stay within the most restrictive limits she is fair game for abuse, molestation and violence. Spare us your tired hypocrisies of Beti Bachao and respecting women. It is not being someones beti that makes a women worthy of respect. It is being an equal citizen of the country that accords us the rights all citizens deserve: due process in law, protection from violence, a fair listening ear, respect for choice and privacy. We write to ask you, the news media, to stop this unfair witch hunt of Rhea Chakraborty and to stop fuelling moral polarities of good women to be deified and bad women to be crucified which endangers all women. We write to ask you to do the right and responsible thing. Your jobs. Hunt news, not women. Also read: Kangana Ranaut hits back at Jaya Bachchan, asks if her stance would change if Shweta, Abhishek were targeted instead After Rheas bail application was rejected by a sessions court, her lawyer said that they will move the Bombay High Court on the matter. Follow @htshowbiz for more SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Company to Focus on Expanding Fenelon Gold System Figure 1 Regional Map of Wallbridges Land Package on the Detour-Fenelon Gold Trend Regional Map of Wallbridges Land Package on the Detour-Fenelon Gold Trend TORONTO, Sept. 14, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Wallbridge Mining Company Limited (TSX:WM) (Wallbridge or the Company) today announced that it has entered into a non-binding term sheet (the Term Sheet) with respect to a joint venture of its Detour East gold property (Detour East or the Property) with Kirkland Lake Gold Ltd. (TSX:KL) (Kirkland). Under terms of this joint venture, Kirkland can earn a 75% interest in Detour East by making expenditures totalling $35 million on the Property, as described below. This Term Sheet, and ultimate joint venture agreement, is strategic for Wallbridge as it allows the Company to focus on fully-defining the size potential of our 100% owned Fenelon Gold property (Fenelon) while at the same time advancing exploration on Detour East located at the far west end of the very large land position Wallbridge acquired through its acquisition of Balmoral Resources Ltd. (Balmoral), stated Marz Kord, President & CEO of Wallbridge. The acquisition of Balmoral was primarily motivated by our belief that the Fenelon Gold system was larger than had been defined at that time, and that it extended onto Balmorals ground immediately adjacent to our original Fenelon Gold property. This belief has now been confirmed by our initial drill results west and south of Fenelon (see press release dated September 8, 2020 ) and will be our immediate exploration focus. In addition, numerous other high priority targets on other areas of the recently acquired Balmoral ground, including the area around the Martiniere deposit, also deserve exploration which Wallbridge will evaluate over the coming months. Entering into a joint venture with Kirkland on the Detour East will allow us to focus on the Fenelon gold system, and will bring us a high-quality partner with excellent knowledge of the regional geology through its Detour Lake operations, located adjacent to Detour East. Story continues Under the terms of the Term Sheet, Wallbridge will grant Kirkland the option to acquire up to an undivided 50% interest in the Property by funding phase 1 expenditures of $7.5 million over five (5) years (the Phase 1 Expenditures) with a minimum commitment of $2.0 million in the first two years ($0.5 million by the first anniversary and $1.5 million by the second anniversary of entering into a definitive joint venture agreement) (the Option). During the Option period, Kirkland shall have the right to act as Operator of the Property. Upon satisfaction of the Option, Wallbridge and Kirkland shall have formed a joint venture (the Joint Venture) on Detour East with Kirkland acting as the operator of the Joint Venture (the Operator) to carry on operations with respect to the Property. Upon the formation of the Joint Venture, Kirkland will hold the right to acquire an additional 25% interest in the Property by incurring additional expenditures of $27.5 million within the first five (5) years of the formation of the Joint Venture (Second Stage Option Period). Upon Kirkland having incurred additional expenditures of $27.5 million during the Second Stage Option Period, Kirkland shall have earned an undivided 75% interest in the Property. The deemed expenditures on the property shall be Kirkland ($35,000,000) and Wallbridge ($11,666,667). Following the completion of the Second Stage Option Period, any additional funds required will be contributed by the Joint Venture parties based on their then proportional joint venture interests. Should either Wallbridge or Kirkland (each a Party and collectively the Parties) elect not to fund a program, its Joint Venture interest will be diluted pro-rata. If a Party commits to fund a program, and fails to contribute its share of the funding, that Partys Joint Venture interest will be diluted at three times the pro-rata rate. If either Partys Joint Venture interest is reduced to 5% or less, that Partys Joint Venture interest shall be automatically converted to a 1% net smelter return royalty (the NSR) and the Joint Venture shall be automatically terminated. The surviving Party shall have a right of first offer with respect to the purchase or sale of the NSR by the non-surviving party. Prior to September 30, 2020, the Parties shall diligently and in good faith negotiate and enter into a definitive option agreement including customary representations, warranties and conditions. In addition to the entering into of definitive agreements, completion of the transaction is conditional upon receipt of all required consents and regulatory approvals including the approval of the respective Board of Directors of each party. Figure 1. Regional Map of Wallbridges Land Package on the Detour-Fenelon Gold Trend is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/337e108a-5a74-4a36-8bd8-a1baea792b37 About Wallbridge Mining Wallbridge is establishing a pipeline of projects that will support sustainable 100,000 ounce-plus annual gold production as well as organic growth through exploration and scalability. Wallbridge is currently advancing the exploration and development of its 100%-owned Fenelon Gold Property, which is located along the Detour-Fenelon Gold Trend, an emerging gold belt in northwestern Quebec with an ongoing, fully funded 100,000-metre exploration drill program in 2020. As announced on May 22, 2020, Wallbridge has completed the Plan of Arrangement whereby Wallbridge acquired all of the issued and outstanding shares of Balmoral, in an all-stock transaction. The Balmoral transaction secures for Wallbridge a buffer of several kilometres surrounding its rapidly expanding Fenelon discovery providing room for growth, as well as future mine development flexibility. The transaction, along with a recent option agreement signed with Midland Exploration, also significantly expands Wallbridge's land holdings in Quebec along the Detour-Fenelon Gold Trend (from 10.5 km2 to over 900.0 km2), improving Wallbridge's potential for further discoveries in this under-explored belt. Wallbridge is also pursuing additional advanced-stage projects which would add to Wallbridge's near-term project pipeline. Wallbridge is also the operator of, and a 17.8% shareholder in, Lonmin Canada Inc., a privately-held company with a large portfolio of nickel, copper, and platinum-group metals (PGM) projects in Ontario's Sudbury Basin. For further information please visit Wallbridge's website at www.wallbridgemining.com or contact: Wallbridge Mining Company Limited Marz Kord, P. Eng., M. Sc., MBA President & CEO Tel: (705) 682-9297 ext. 251 Email: mkord@wallbridgemining.com Victoria Vargas, B.Sc. (Hon.) Economics, MBA Investor Relations Advisor Email: vvargas@wallbridgemining.com This press release may contain forward-looking statements (including "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the US Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995) relating to, among other things, the operations of Wallbridge and the environment in which it operates. Generally, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". Wallbridge has relied on a number of assumptions and estimates in making such forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, the costs associated with the development and operation of its properties. Such assumptions and estimates are made in light of the trends and conditions that are considered to be relevant and reasonable based on information available and the circumstances existing at this time. A number of risk factors may cause actual results, level of activity, performance or outcomes of such exploration and/or mine development to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements including, without limitation, whether such discoveries will result in commercially viable quantities of such mineralized materials, the possibility of changes to project parameters as plans continue to be refined, the ability to execute planned exploration and future drilling programs, the need for additional funding to continue exploration and development efforts, changes in general economic, market and business conditions, and those other risks set forth in Wallbridge's most recent annual information form under the heading "Risk Factors" and in its other public filings. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and such information is inherently subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that are difficult to predict and may be beyond the control of Wallbridge. Although Wallbridge has attempted to identify important risks and factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors and risks that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Consequently, undue reliance should not be placed on such forward-looking statements. In addition, all forward-looking statements in this press release are given as of the date hereof. Wallbridge disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, save and except as may be required by applicable securities laws. The forward-looking statements contained herein are expressly qualified by this disclaimer. PARIS Hennes & Mauritz AB recorded a 16 percent decline in third-quarter sales in local currencies and said it expects to post a profit for the period, as business bounced back faster than it had expected. As a result of appreciated collections together with rapid and decisive actions, the H&M Groups recovery is better than expected, said the Swedish fast fashion retailer in a statement. More from WWD Net sales for the three months ending Aug. 31 were 50.87 billion Swedish kronor, or $5.81 billion, a decline of 19 percent when converted to Swedish kronor. The retailer started out the quarter with the closures of 900 stores out of a network of 5,000; by the end of the period, 200 were shut. H&M is forecasting third-quarter pre-tax profit of 2 billion Swedish kronor, which it will report on Oct. 1, thanks to more full-priced sales and strong cost control efforts, according to the group. The retailer reported a loss in the first half as the coronavirus crisis weighed heavily on business, and outlined plans to focus on digital channels and speed store closures. Sales at re-opened stores recovered faster than the group had expected. Fast-fashion retailers customarily revisit their global retail networks, culling underperforming stores and opening new ones, but H&M has increased the pace of closures and reduced planned openings, and in June projected a net decrease of around 40 locations. Rival Inditex has focused on its digital prowess to navigate the choppy environment and is investing nearly 3 billion euros over the next two years to beef up its digital platforms and integrate store and online stock. The Spanish retailer is also sticking to its strategy of culling smaller stores to focus on larger, spruced-up flagships. COVID-19 disruptions have not called for a revision of this approach, executives have said. The lockdown period boosted online business at both Inditex and H&M. Inditex expects the online channel to account for over a quarter of total sales in 2022, compared to 14 percent last year. A teenager who was chased and killed in a "senseless" knife attack in north London has been named by police. Police found 18-year-old Kamal Nuur suffering from knife wounds at 8pm on Monday in North Road, Islington. Despite the efforts of paramedics, the teenager was pronounced dead at the scene. Police said Kamal was chased and attacked in Goodinge Close, just off North Road, by two male suspects who then fled in the direction of York Way. A witness described how she tried to save the teenagers life after he was stabbed following a chase and fight lasting less than a minute. The woman told the Standard: "I heard a ruckus then a cry of help me help me. There was a young man laying on the ground. I went out with other neighbours, he was still breathing. We tried to comfort him. His friend was with him shouting raise your hand if you can hear me. He was not conscious. The paramedics arrived very quickly then loads of police. "There had been a bit of arguing then the boy shouting help me help me then footsteps running away, all in the space of 30 seconds. "I cant get the image of the boy laying there. The neighbours did their best. Its heartbreaking, our thoughts are with his family." Another resident said they heard "a desperate cry" after the victim was chased through the estate, near Caledonian Park, by a group of men. Kamal's death is Londons fifth murder in five days. DCI Andy Partridge, from the Metropolitan Police, said: "Another senseless knife attack has left a family mourning the loss of their loved one. "At this early stage we believe that Kamal was chased a short distance and attacked, resulting in him being fatally wounded. "I am confident there are people out there who would have seen something which could well assist with our investigation. "I would appeal to those individuals to please come forward and help us find those responsible." No arrests have been made, police said. Any witnesses or those with information are asked to call 101 ref CAD 7154/14 Sept. Hamilton hospitals are getting an influx of nearly $10 million in provincial cash for upgrades. According to a Monday release from the office of Donna Skelly, MPP for Flamborough-Glanbrook, Hamilton Health Sciences will receive just over $7 million and St. Josephs Healthcare will receive just over $2 million for upgrades and repairs, both COVID-19-related and not. The handouts are slices of a $175-million pie the province is serving up to 129 hospitals. The money is for upgrades, repairs and maintenance. More than one-quarter of the total funding $50 million is to be spent on COVID-19-related and urgent projects. Through the Health Infrastructure Renewal Fund, this funding will help hospitals maintain their infrastructure and ensure a safe and comfortable environment for patients to receive care, read the release. Health Minister Christine Elliott said in the release the investment will support essential projects like roof and window repairs. It will also go toward COVID-19-necessitated projects, such as updating HVAC systems and creating more isolation spaces and negative air-pressure flow rooms. Its part of our plan to build the capacity we need to end hallway health care in Ontario, Elliott said. HOLBROOK, N.Y., Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Airgle, a world-class provider of air purification systems, today announces its partnership with nine outstanding manufacturer's representative companies, establishing a dedicated U.S. sales force. Airgle's representative network covers all 50 States and Washington DC through partnerships with: Morley Associates, Inc. in New England CK Sales in the Mid-Atlantic; Leone Green in the South in the South BTU Sales in Florida TJ Finnegan HVAC in the Midwest Central States Marketing in the Central and Texas Reps in the South-Central regions Cascade Products, Inc. in the Pacific Northwest Western Component Sales in the West "Physical Distancing removes people from where the virus is. We offer Mechanical Distancing to remove the virus from where people are. In the current environment, we want to make pure air as easy and accessible as possible," emphasized Ralph Rathburn, Vice President of Airgle. "By uniting with these teams across the nation, we have established an all-encompassing support system for our customers to help them meet the rapidly growing demand." This is a pivotal moment for Airgle, as it enables the manufacturer to address customers' needs locally in each region. Airgle products can remove more than 99.9% of viruses in single pass through their filters and Airgle sees this as beneficial to organizations in various industries struggling to find the best ways to safely operate. About Airgle Airgle's dedication to purifying air with a great level of efficiency for the past 21 years, has made the company a world-class provider of air purification systems. Airgle has aimed to fulfill its mission to improve the health and well-being of customers by designing and manufacturing the safest, most reliable, and most effective air purification systems on the market. The company has expanded from New York City to numerous locations throughout the world. Internationally, Airgle Holdings includes businesses in Hong Kong, South Korea, India, the Middle East, and major cities throughout China. Airgle is also leading the way in air quality education, with Vice President Ralph Rathburn being a recent key speaker at the National Association of County and City Health Officials annual conference, educating attendees on mitigating airborne transmission. Learn more at www.airgle.com. Media Contact Samantha Lins [email protected] 732-212-0823 SOURCE Airgle Related Links https://www.airgle.com SPRINGFIELD The U.S. attorneys office told state lawmakers probing the conduct of House Speaker Michael Madigan it had no objections to the panel calling on Madigan or others to testify, a Republican lawmaker who was on the call said Monday. The state House special investigative committee launched its investigation of Madigan over the federal Commonwealth Edison bribery case last week. Three Republican committee members submitted a voluntary witness list that included Madigan and several other people who have been implicated in the federal investigation, including former ComEd executives and lobbyists. We wanted to check with the U.S. attorneys office about whether they would have any objection to us calling Speaker Madigan to testify, or calling any of those other individuals who are part of that deferred prosecution agreement, said state Rep. Tom Demmer, a Republican from Dixon. And they informed us today that they have no objection to us calling those individuals. A deferred prosecution agreement made public in July alleged the utility undertook a yearslong bribery scheme in an effort to gain favor with Madigan. ComEd is paying a $200 million fine as part of the deal. The speaker has not been charged, and he has denied wrongdoing. The bipartisan six-member committee is seeking to determine whether there are grounds to discipline the powerful, long-serving speaker, who is also the chairman of the Illinois Democratic Party. Rep. Emanuel Chris Welch, the Democrat from Hillside who is chairing the committee, said during last weeks meeting that before going any further in its probe, the committee needed to consult with the U.S. attorneys office to ensure the legislators work wouldnt interfere with the feds work. Welch was on the call with the prosecutors office, but declined to specify what was discussed. I thought it went well, I thought it was great, Welch said Monday of the call. Im glad we did it, its exactly what I needed, and we agreed to give him a follow-up letter to memorialize the call and he agreed to respond quickly. And then well go from there. Welch said the follow-up letter will be shared with the rest of the committee members and be made public. A spokesman for the U.S. attorneys office did not immediately respond to a request seeking comment Monday evening. Welch has said hes trying to follow the precedent that was set by the special investigating committee in 2012 that examined ex-lawmaker Derrick Smiths conduct after he was indicted on charges he accepted a $7,000 bribe. Once the U.S. attorneys office issues its response letter as a follow-up to Mondays phone call, the committee will schedule its second meeting, Welch said. Demmer said the U.S. attorneys office acknowledged that each of us have distinct duties and responsibilities: they in the criminal justice system and we through the House rules. One of the things they were clear about is that they dont think it would be appropriate for them to turn over their investigation files, for example, or witness interview transcripts, Demmer said. The committees disciplinary proceeding was triggered by a petition filed by House Republican Leader Jim Durkin. The committee is being asked to weigh whether there are grounds to discipline Madigan for engaging in conduct unbecoming to a legislator, or which constitutes a breach of public trust including engaging in a bribery scheme and extortion scheme, conspiracy to violate federal and state laws, among other misconduct and misuse of the office. The committee would need the support of at least one of the Democratic members to authorize the charge. If it were to do so, another bipartisan committee would decide whether to recommend disciplining Madigan to the full House of Representatives. Welch said Monday he was unclear what level of participation Madigan planned to take in the process, but that the speaker will be invited to participate every step of the way. MANISTEE There is a new development project coming to Manistee to create a business incubator, hotel, marketplace and welcome center on River Street. But the upcoming project means some existing businesses at the proposed parcels are looking to operate elsewhere. CL Real Estate presented the Spirit of the Woods Gateway Project to Manistee City Council last week detailing the goals of how leaders wanted to develop a group of parcels on River Street. Presenters said the first step in the process is to submit applications for permits and approval from the city this year before beginning construction later next year. Little River Holdings is also leading the project. Little River Holdings' role in the overarching project has mostly been with land acquisition as well as financing, while CL Real Estate is focused on the development aspects. Development will take place on five parcels of land, all owned by Little River Holdings, according to Marc Miller, Manistee Area Chamber of Commerce economic development director. One parcel owned by Little River Holdings on the northern block of River Street is where House of Flavors had been until it closed on Sunday. The project also has four parcels planned for development on the southern block of River Street in that area. Brant Cohen, Michigan development associate with CL Real Estate, presented to council last week and said the project is still in the conceptual stage. The renderings presented at the meeting show the former American Cleaners site at the corner of River Street and U.S. 31 is expected to be turned into a welcome center on the first floor and an office space area on the second floor. The renderings also showed an area that would be a 97,000 square foot upscale boutique hotel with 100 units overlooking Manistee River with a rooftop bar, outdoor public plaza, indoor and outdoor pool and underground parking. The project also includes what it calls a business incubator aspect for new startup businesses in a way that is low barrier to give them an opportunity to try out new ideas short term. Cohen said this will be "a series of small booths, a little opportunity with little barrier to entry for creating a business to try something out for a summer into winter so they can understand and create a business plan, a marketing plan, finances, Cohen had explained. Heres what is expected to happen to the businesses currently at each location: 283/285 River St. former American Cleaners site The site of what was American Cleaners was transferred to Little River Holdings in March by the Manistee Downtown Development Authority. 284 River St. House of Flavors House of Flavors announced Sunday that it would close a month earlier than planned. Owner Barry Neal does not plan to open another location in Manistee and will be focusing on the existing Ludington location of the same business. 294 River St. Edward Jones, Financial Advisor: Jeff Reau Edward Jones Financial Advising directed all comments on relocation to the Manistee Area Chamber of Commerce. 289, 295 River St. Cadillac Plumbing, Heating & Electrical Supply Cadillac's owner was not immediately available for comment by press time Tuesday evening. 305 River St. Memory Lane Detailing Memory Lane Detailing will be relocating to 480 E. Parkdale Ave., Owner Lane King told the News Advocate. King said he is not yet sure when he is going to start the moving process. RELATED: Initial stages of Gateway project unveiled RELATED: Manistee House of Flavors says goodbye after 44 years The CEO of TikTok's parent company was reportedly upset Microsoft said the social media platform posed a 'security risk' that it could 'fix' before talks over a sale of the app collapsed in favor of a partnership with Oracle. ByteDance founder and CEO Zhang Yiming's decision to drop his pursuit of a sale of TikTok's US operations to Microsoft in favor of a partnership with Oracle was the culmination of weeks of pressure from China's government and the Beijing-based firm's investors, according to people familiar with the deliberations. China's opposition to a forced sale of TikTok, as well as concerns by major ByteDance backers such as Sequoia and General Atlantic over the financial hit of selling the popular short-video app in the United States for less than what it is worth, led Zhang to opt for the sale of only a stake to Oracle, rather than an outright divestment, the sources said. It is a risky strategy. President Donald Trump has made it clear he wants to see an outright sale of TikTok to a US technology company, amid concerns by national security officials that US user data could be passed on to China's Communist Party government. Zhang Yiming (left), the founder and CEO of TikTok's parent company ByteDance, was reportedly upset when prospective TikTok buyer Microsoft (led by CEO Satya Nadella, right) called the app a 'security risk' that can be 'fixed' TikTok spurned Microsoft, instead opting to enter negotiations with Oracle on a partnership He has threatened to ban TikTok in the United States as early as September 20 if ByteDance does not comply. Microsoft executives grew frustrated over the course of the past week as ByteDance became unresponsive to the Redmond, Washington-based company's $20billion-plus bid for TikTok's US business, three of the sources said. The bid also allowed for future payments based on TikTok's performance, one of the sources added. This offer fell short of ByteDance investors' expectations, the sources said. In arguing for its bid with the Trump administration and US lawmakers, Microsoft upset Zhang, because it referred to TikTok as a security risk it could fix, the sources added. ByteDance has maintained that its ownership of TikTok presents no such risk. All the while, Sequoia and General Atlantic were working with Oracle on an alternative deal that would avert an outright sale, according to the sources. On Sunday, Microsoft announced ByteDance had rejected its bid to acquire TikTok's US business. This account of how ByteDance picked Oracle as its partner for the TikTok deal is based on interviews with six people with knowledge of the discussions who requested anonymity to disclose details. ByteDance and Microsoft did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Oracle declined to comment and pointed to its statement earlier on Monday that confirmed its participation in the proposed deal. General Atlantic and Sequoia also declined to comment. ByteDance has worked feverishly in the last few days on a deal proposal that would allow the Chinese company to retain a minority stake in TikTok while addressing US security concerns, the sources said. Zhang is referring to this deal in discussions with other ByteDance executives as a restructuring, the sources said. One of the sources called the proposed arrangement akin to a joint venture. Oracle is in negotiations to take a sizable minority stake in TikTok's US business, with the remainder owned by some large ByteDance investors, including General Atlantic and Sequoia, the sources said. Oracle would also take over the management of TikTok's user data and be responsible for its safety, according to the sources. Oracle is in negotiations to take a sizable minority stake in TikTok's US business, with the remainder owned by some large ByteDance investors, including General Atlantic and Sequoia, it has been reported. Oracle CEO Mark Hurd is seen above in October 2017 It is not clear what valuation this deal would infer on TikTok's US business, which has as many as 100 million users. The proposal calls for the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), the US government panel overseeing the deal talks, to approve board directors at TikTok, as well as relationships with major vendors, the sources added. The arrangements would be similar to those CFIUS put in place when Lenovo acquired IBM's personal computer business in 2005 and SoftBank Group Corp acquired US wireless carrier Sprint in 2013, according to the sources. ByteDance also plans to argue that CFIUS's approval two years ago of China Oceanwide Holdings Group Co Ltd's purchase of US insurer Genworth Financial Inc offers a precedent for its proposal with Oracle, Reuters reported on Sunday. In that deal, China Oceanwide agreed to use a US-based, third-party service to manage Genworth's US policyholder data. ByteDance will argue a similar arrangement with Oracle can safeguard TikTok's US user data. ByteDance has also made other concessions to appeal to Trump, the sources said. It has offered for TikTok to create 25,000 US jobs, up from a little over 1,000 employees in the United States currently, according to the sources. ByteDance is hoping that Oracle founder Larry Ellison's fundraising for Trump, as well as Oracle CEO Safra Catz's backing of Trump's transition team four years ago, will also boost its chances, the sources said. So far, the White House has been noncommittal in its discussions with ByteDance, and it remains unclear whether the proposed deal will go ahead, the sources said. On Monday, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said CFIUS would review the deal this week and make a recommendation to Trump. The White House did not respond to a request for comment. Reuters reported last week that China's government would rather see TikTok shut down in the United States than see it be part of a forced sale. It would need to approve the transfer of TikTok's algorithm to a foreign buyer. The proposed deal with Oracle would not require ByteDance to apply to Chinese authorities for an export license for TikTok's algorithm, the sources said. Mumbai police have arrested a disinfectant spraying worker (20) at a coronavirus disease (Covid-19) quarantine centre in Mankhurd for allegedly molesting a minor (17), who is suffering from the contagion. The girl has been lodged at the quarantine facility in Mankhurd after she tested Covid-19 positive on September 9. The accused, Dipesh Salvi, visited the centre on Monday morning. Salvi allegedly tried to molest her and after she resisted he slapped her, said a police officer. Soon, the minor informed her family members, who lodged a complaint at Mankhurd police station. Prakash Chowgule, a senior inspector at Mankhurd police station, said there were two eyewitnesses to Salvis alleged crime. Pushkar Banakar By Express News Service NEW DELHI: India on Tuesday walked out of a virtual meeting of the National Security Advisers (NSAs) of the SCO in protest against Pakistans depiction of sovereign Indian territories in its fictitious map. New Delhi said Islamabads move was in blatant disregard to host Russias advisory. At the meeting of National Security Advisers of member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation today, hosted by the Chair of the SCO (Russia), the Pakistani NSA deliberately projected a fictitious map that Pakistan has recently been propagating. This was in blatant disregard to the advisory by the host against it and in violation of the norms of the meeting. After consultation with the host, the Indian side left the meeting in protest at that juncture. Pakistan then went on to present a misleading view of this meeting, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said. On August 4, Pakistan had released a new political map depicting the union territories of J&K, Ladakh and parts of Gujarat to be its territories. India had termed the move to be without any legal basis and an exercise in political absurdity. Commenting on the walkout, government sources said that Islamabads move was provocative and added that Moscow in, anyway, does not support it. Nikolai Patrushev, secretary of the National Security Council of the Russian Federation, has conveyed that Russia does not support what Pakistan has done. Russia hopes Pakistans provocative act will not affect Indias participation in SCO and not cast any shadow on Patrushevs warm ties with NSA Ajit Doval. Patrushev hopes to see the NSA at forthcoming events, sources said. Depicting J&K, Ladakh as Pakistan territories On August 4, Pakistan had released a new political map depicting the union territories of Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh and parts of Gujarat to be its territories. India had termed the move to be without any legal basis and an exercise in political absurdity.

Meanwhile, coronavirus is spreading fast in Spain and France, and we are once again hearing dreadful stories about hospitals being overwhelmed with cases in certain hotspots.

It feels a lot like the miserable days of March when the disease was first spreading around the country - so should we be panicking all over again?

The short answer is no.

We should be cautious and careful and we should brace ourselves for more cases and, alas, more deaths.

But so far the data is pointing towards an outbreak of a markedly different nature from the one we endured in the spring. And that's (cautiously) good news.

There are two crucial lessons from last time that we need to remember.

The first is that we tend to follow in others' footsteps.

It might seem implausible but back in March many people were sceptical that Britain could follow in the footsteps of Spain and Italy.

Yet we did, with infections and deaths rising on more or less the same trajectory - only with a two or three week delay.

The same is happening this time around.

Cases in the UK seem to be following precisely the same path as we're seeing in France and Spain.

They too rose from having 1,000 to 3,000 cases in about 30 days (actually, Spain was a little quicker, but the rate was pretty similar).

And in much the same way as France and Spain were at 3,000 cases a few weeks ago, the chances are that the UK will be at 10,000 or so cases, as Spain is today, within a few weeks.

That, after all, is what happened last time around and, so far at least, the data suggests we are following a similar path.

But think for a moment about those numbers. They are rising, yes, but they are not multiplying at quite the same speed as in the spring.

Back then, deaths (the best metric for the spread of the disease back then) were doubling every three or four days. This time around cases are doubling roughly every 10 days - perhaps every 15.

Those differences matter enormously, and this brings us to the second lesson: don't forget the power of exponential growth.

Both of the above growth rates are types of exponential growth, yet even small differences like this very quickly add up.

Put it this way: it's akin to the difference between the spread of the disease in Germany during the spring and the spread of the disease in Britain and Italy.

And right now what we're seeing in Spain, France and the UK looks a lot more like the former than the latter.

Now it is early days and it's worth being cautious - very cautious - since these numbers may soon change.

It's possible that cases may yet accelerate in Spain and France.

But actually the more recent news from Spain - on cases at least - is tentatively encouraging.

Some 9,437 cases in the past 24 hours, and the running daily average has actually been around that 9,000-10,000 level for the past week or so.

Indeed, on the basis of their own modelling, the Spanish health ministry reckons the reproduction rate in their country - that key R number showing how many people each infected person is passing the disease to - is not only below 1 but is below 0.5%.

If this is to be relied upon, it is very good news.

For, at the risk of repeating myself, look at the data and you'll see that we are following in Spain's footsteps and need to keep a very close eye on how the disease evolves there.

Hospitalisations are on the rise, as are deaths.

In some parts, including the Spanish capital, the health system is under strain.

Yet while admissions are indeed rising, the evidence suggests that thus far they are rising at a slower rate than in the spring.

Some conclusions:

  • UK cases of COVID-19 will continue to rise in the coming weeks. They will plausibly hit 10,000 within a few weeks
  • Hospitalisations will rise
  • Deaths will rise
  • But the increases should, if it's anything like Spain/France, be gradual
  • These are ingredients for caution - but not panic

There are crucial provisos. Spain's cases seem to be coming under control not in the absence of action but following measures imposed by the government.

In Spain, they have limited gatherings much like the UK via the "rule of six" (their rule is 10). They are not "letting it rip".

And while it has been criticised domestically, the Spanish testing and tracking system appears to have remained resilient in the face of the disease.

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Here in the UK, similar rules have been put in place but there are already concerns about the robustness of the testing system, which is creaking under increased demand.

Insiders say that's not a critical problem for the UK, since they hope the "rule of six" will be all-important in keeping the spread of the disease down. But we shall see.

The next few weeks will be both crucial and nerve-wracking.

The disease will spread and so will concern.

The testing system is likely to be unable to meet demand for some weeks as extra capacity is still some weeks off.

But so far at least, there is a crucial difference with the first wave of the disease.

So far, this is not the same as what we faced last time around. Let's hope we can keep saying that for many more weeks to come.

U.S. President Donald President Trump faces reporters after it was announced Bahrain has joined the United Arab Emirates in striking an agreement to normalize relations with Israel during a brief appearance in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, U.S., September 11, 2020. And 86% of the 37 respondents fund managers, strategists and economists said a contested election is a current risk to the stock market. The September CNBC Fed Survey finds 47% of respondents think the winner of the presidential election won't be known for a week after Election Day. More than a third 36% said it could take a month or longer. Just 6% believe the winner will be known on election night and another 6% think it will be known within two days. "To me, the balance of the year's market activity will depend more on what happens in the congressional elections vs. the presidential election," said Kevin Giddis, chief fixed income strategist at Raymond James Financial. "Look for volatility in both stocks and bonds to significantly increase by the end of October." Respondents to the survey have a curious take on the presidential election: 60% say Democratic nominee Joe Biden has the best policies for the nation. But 61% say President Donald Trump has the best policies for the stock market and Trump has a 50%-47% edge over Biden on who has the best policies for the economy. On specific issues, Trump has a strong lead among respondents on taxes and business regulation, but Biden has a growing lead on the issues of trade, job creation and reviving the economy from the virus shutdown. Trump's economic approval rating among respondents which had been strongly positive for the first three years of his presidency is now deeply underwater at a record -17 points, with 56% disapproving and 39% approving. Seventy-two percent disapprove of Trump's handling of the coronavirus. The probability that Trump will be reelected is put at 44%, up 3 points from the July survey. It had been 58% in January. The survey finds 89% of respondents continue to believe that stock prices are too high relative to their outlooks for earnings and economic growth, up from 78% in July. As a result, they see the S&P 500 falling to 3,322 by year-end, compared with Monday's close of 3,383.54. The index is seen rising to 3,566 by December 2021, for a gain of about 6%. "Stocks are attracting investors as the best choice for the long term," said Richard I. Sichel, senior investment strategist at The Philadelphia Trust Co. "However, short-term traders have driven a small group of exciting companies too high and too quickly." A separate political risk to the market comes from the lack of an additional phase four stimulus plan. Forty-seven percent of respondents lowered their full-year growth forecasts because of the absence of a new relief measure from Congress, while 39% did not. Just 8% think a new bill is not necessary. The 92% others prefer a bill of around $1.3 trillion. "Odds are about even that lawmakers will pass another meaningful rescue package," said Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody's Analytics. "Odds are better than even that the economy will backslide into recession if they don't." TOWN OF IXONIA We Energies is in the process of proposing a liquid natural gas storage fac MECOSTA COUNTY -- Mecosta County health officials confirmed four new cases of the coronavirus Tuesday. The four new cases brings Mecosta County's total to 160 confirmed cases, according to the District Health Department No. 10. A total of 67 individuals have recovered. As of Tuesday, Mecosta County has administered 10,498 diagnostic tests and 405 serology -- looking for antibodies -- tests, totaling 10,903 tests, according to michigan.gov. The DHD No. 10 serves residents in Mecosta, Crawford, Kalkaska, Lake, Manistee, Mason, Missaukee, Newaygo, Oceana and Wexford counties. This is Tuesday's breakdown of coronavirus numbers in the health department's jurisdiction: Cumulative total: 1,469 positive COVID-19 cases in the DHD No. 10's jurisdiction. 109 positive cases in Crawford County 64 positive cases in Kalkaska County 31 positive cases in Lake County 65 positive cases in Manistee County 116 positive cases in Mason County 40 positive cases in Missaukee County 303 positive cases in Newaygo County 479 positive cases in Oceana County 102 positive cases in Wexford County Deaths: 25 deaths from COVID-19 in the DHD No. 10's jurisdiction. Deaths are included in the positive cases listed above. 5 deaths in Crawford County 4 deaths in Kalkaska County 2 deaths in Manistee County 2 deaths in Mecosta County 1 death in Missaukee County 1 death in Newaygo County 6 deaths in Oceana County 4 deaths in Wexford County Recoveries: 1,142 recoveries from from COVID-19 in the DHD No. 10's jurisdiction (based on whether individuals are still alive 30 days past the confirmed date). 94 recoveries in Crawford County 37 recoveries in Kalkaska County 21 recoveries in Lake County 37 recoveries in Manistee County 93 recoveries in Mason County 67 recoveries in Mecosta County 27 recoveries in Missaukee County 250 recoveries in Newaygo County 455 recoveries in Oceana County 56 recoveries in Wexford County As of Tuesday, there are 113,183 confirmed cases and 6,612 confirmed deaths in Michigan. Evangelicals for Social Action, the justice-focused group founded by Ron Sider, has called itself a different kind of evangelical. As of today, its the kind that doesnt call itself evangelical. After nearly 50 years, the organization has changed its name to Christians for Social Action, becoming the latest and most prominent example of a move away from the evangelical label in the US. Executive director Nikki Toyama-Szeto cited the shift in identity among the younger, more racially diverse generation of leaders as well as examples of how the historic name had begun to distract from its work. Honestly, the name change is an act in hospitality. In some ways, it reflects a change in our audience of what theyre calling themselves. Our audience is still evangelical, its post-evangelical, and its evangelical-adjacent, said Toyama-Szeto, who has led the ministry since 2017. When you have a name like Evangelicals for Social Action, youre limiting yourself to those who self-describe. Because of growing political baggage around the name, that pool has become narrower. Plenty of people believe in the core convictions of the faithand are motivated by them to pursue justicewithout calling themselves evangelical anymore. The election of President Donald Trump, who embraced his white evangelical backing, represents an inflection point for evangelical identity in the US. Fifteen percent of those who considered themselves evangelical or born again in 2016 had stopped using either label by the following year, according to one voter survey, even though the overall number of evangelicals had held steady. Princeton Universitys longstanding evangelical student ministry dropped the name in 2017, saying its increasingly either confusing, or unknown, or misunderstood to students, and a growing number of Christian colleges, churches, and charities have been forced to think strategically about when and how to employ their evangelical identity. With the current roiling semantics over the world evangelical, [Evangelicals for Social Actions former name] can lead to confusion over what this organization is or isnt affirming, said Mark Labberton. The Fuller Theological Seminary president edited the 2018 book Still Evangelical?and wrote about how the term evolved into a theo-political brand. In a statement, he said the groups name change made sense and offered more clarity. Evangelical carried a political connotation beyond the work of the organization, which focuses on issues like racial justice, poverty, immigration, political engagement, LGBT dialogue, and the environment. Having the name has been distracting in our partnership conversations and in our bridge-building within the Christian realm, said Toyama-Szeto. What was once a provocative label drawing attention to the fact that evangelicals indeed stood up for justice causes has in recent years become a complicating factor. She recalled how a black church leader got pushback for supporting a group with evangelical in its name. And living in the Washington, DC, area, Toyama-Szeto said acquaintances would conflate Evangelicals for Social Action with other causes deemed evangelical, asking her about its involvement in Israel, even though Evangelicals for Social Action had no work there. For Toyama-Szeto, the decision to change the name to Christians for Social Actionmade after months of prayer, discernment, and discussiondoes not represent a rejection of evangelicalism or its evangelical partners. The organization remains committed to a high view of Scripture and bearing witness to the gospel, she said. Instead, the new name offers a chance for the group to focus and work more effectively on their cause and calling around faith-fueled justice work. She brought up a question that came up in their discussion, one that others might consider as they wrestle with their own evangelical names or identity statements: What was the invitation from God to their organization? I think for some it will be to stand and bear witness to a rich history of church tradition and to stir the imagination to show what evangelical really means, said Toyama-Szeto. For us, we felt like if we did that, it would be the one conversation we had with everyone. We were wrestling with, Is that the justice conversation God has for us? It felt like overwhelmingly, that was not our invitation. Evangelicals for Social Action grew out of the 1973 Chicago Declaration of Evangelical Social Concern, which challenged evangelicals to emphasize social sins and institutionalized evils as vigorously as they do personal sins. For the past 30 years, Evangelicals for Social Action has been headquartered at Eastern University, which is affiliated with the mainline American Baptist Churches USA and the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities. Image: Courtesy of Christians for Social Action Even Sider, the organizations founder and president emeritus, stood by the evangelical label in the weeks after Trumps election. In a piece for CT, he argued that the history of the term overcame any modern qualms and was worth clinging to. Popular media learned that evangelical has often meant unjust and unbiblical, said the author of Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger. Over time, we can help the larger society come to a better understanding of what an evangelical is. But he also wrote then that Christians must focus first on faithfulness to Jesus and the Scriptures, not some label, and has come around in the past four years to believe its time for a change. It was the right namefor a time. But the social environment is so different, Sider says now. The question, Can you be evangelical without calling yourself evangelical? isnt uncommon these days. Fellow Christians, organizations, and churches have also had to grapple with the changing social environment where evangelical, in some circles, has lost its reputation as a robust, wide-reaching missional movement. About a quarter of Americans are evangelical Protestants, according to Pew Research. People of color and young people in particular have increasingly grown uncomfortable identifying with a movement some assume is exclusively white, Republican, and fundamentalist. Questions continued to stir around how to define evangelicals and, if evangelicals were not going to use that term, how else they might signal their belief. From sociologists and historians to ministry leaders, plenty of Christians are discussing those questions in public and working hard to bring evangelicals togetherperhaps none as much as the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE), which represents more than 40 denominations and is now led by an Asian American president and African American board chair. Some who hold evangelical beliefs may distance themselves from the name due to cultural misunderstanding and confusion. Others may find the term provides an opportunity to explain what evangelical means and to share the good news with others, said Walter Kim, NAE president. How people identify themselves or their organizations is not theimportant thing. What is important is believing in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, taking the Bible seriously and serving him in word and deed. Toyama-Szeto said she continues to support the work of the NAE and others working diligently to reclaim the evangelical label. Through Christians for Social Action, she will let her work define what kind of Christian she is. In this day and age, she said, justice is one of the ways you testify to the character of God. A copy of "The Room Where It Happened," by former national security adviser John Bolton is staged by a television crew at the White House on Thursday, June 18, 2020 in Washington, DC. The Department of Justice has opened a criminal inquiry related to the publication of former national security advisor John Bolton's highly critical tell-all book about his time working for President Donald Trump, multiple outlets reported Tuesday. The Justice Department convened a grand jury and has subpoenaed publisher Simon & Schuster for documents as it investigates whether Bolton, author of "The Room Where it Happened," mishandled classified information, according to reports from The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal. The DOJ has also reportedly subpoenaed Javelin, Bolton's literary agency, for documents. The subpoenas seek all communications between Bolton and the two companies, the Journal reported. Bolton has not been hit with a subpoena, according to the outlet. Charles Cooper, an attorney for Bolton, told CNBC in a statement that he had seen the reports of the grand jury subpoenas. "Ambassador Bolton emphatically rejects any claim that he acted improperly, let alone criminally, in connection with the publication of his book, and he will cooperate fully, as he has throughout, with any official inquiry into his conduct," Cooper said. The book was released in June, after a federal judge denied the DOJ's request to block its publication. The Justice Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the reports. Simon & Schuster declined to comment. The criminal inquiry was made public just seven weeks before Trump will face reelection against Democratic rival Joe Biden. Trump, who has faced allegations of mismanagement and worse from a number of former close advisors, has said that Bolton's book contains lies "all intended to make me look bad." Attorneys for the National Security Council and the Justice Department debated whether opening the investigation would come across as political, according to Times, which cited unnamed officials. But some of the lawyers, according to the Times, pointed to comments from a federal judge in June, who said that the Justice Department's case seeking to halt the publication of Bolton's book made some valid points. U.S. District Court Judge Royce Lamberth wrote in a June ruling against the DOJ that, while he would not stop the presses on Bolton's tell-all, Bolton had nonetheless "gambled with the national security of the United States" and "exposed his country to harm and himself to civil (and potentially criminal) liability." Bolton since publishing the memoir has defended himself from criticism from across the political spectrum. Democrats have excoriated Bolton for accusing them in the book of "impeachment malpractice" when he had refused to testify as part of the impeachment proceedings against Trump. The president was impeached in the House on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress but was acquitted in the Senate. Republicans, meanwhile, have attacked Bolton as a disgruntled ex-employee who was merely trying to profit off his position in power. "The Room Where it Happened" made a slew of damning allegations about Trump, including that he asked Chinese President Xi Jinping to help him win reelection. The book was listed among Amazon's bestsellers even before its release and reportedly sold 780,000 copies in its first week. Trump on June 23 tweeted that Bolton "is a lowlife who should be in jail, money seized, for disseminating, for profit, highly Classified information." Trump in April 2018 had tapped Bolton to succeed H.R. McMaster as national security advisor. The president's first pick for the role, Michael Flynn, had been fired less than a month into Trump's presidency. Bolton had served until September 2019. Trump tweeted at the time that he had fired Bolton, "I disagreed strongly with many of his suggestions." Bolton, however, said he had "offered to resign." Earlier this month, Bolton continued to criticize his former boss, telling CNBC that the administration's "utter lack of strategy" in handling the coronavirus pandemic "made it much worse than it could have been and could foreshadow even more damage." NEWARK, N.J., Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Ellavoz Impact Capital, the management company for the Ellavoz Shared Values Opportunity Fund and the Ellavoz Impact Angel Network, announces a new asset class for direct investment in community development. Don't just make an investment, make an impact - with Ellavoz Impact Capital. By using Qualified Opportunity Zone (QOZ) funds and community development tax-incentive financing, in partnership with New Jersey Community Capital and Community Asset Preservation Corporation, Ellavoz is able to bring value to both investors and neighborhoods. Ellavoz Impact Capital Logo "We're proud to be able to provide opportunities for investors to make sound financial decisions while directly contributing to their local communities," says Robert Hutchins, Managing Director at Ellavoz Impact Capital. "There's a tremendous amount of opportunity when focusing on the social impact and development of areas of great need, for both the investor and the community." Benefits of Becoming an Impact Angel Investor: Diversify portfolio with a social impact investment class Preferred access to tax-advantaged Opportunity Zone investment pipeline Opportunity for Angels to present impact investment deals to the network Premier invitation to all Ellavoz Impact Capital events Access to selected entrepreneur pitch sessions Learn more about the difference the Impact Angel Network makes. About Ellavoz Impact Capital Ellavoz Impact Capital is the management company for the Ellavoz Shared Values Opportunity Fund, the Ellavoz Neighborhood Homes Fund, and the Impact Angel Network. The Angel Network represents high-net-worth individuals, family offices, and businesses that believe innovative opportunity fund investing in underserved communities will result in positive financial and social impact returns. CONTACT INFORMATION: Tiffany Kayar [email protected] Related Images logo.png Logo Logo SOURCE Ellavoz Impact Capital TANZANIA, Tanzania - The U.N. humanitarian chief warned Tuesday that the spectre of famine has returned to conflict-torn Yemen and for the first time singled out Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait for giving nothing to this years $3.4 billion appeal. Mark Lowcock told the U.N. Security Council that famine in Yemen, the Arab worlds poorest country, was averted two years ago because donors swiftly met 90% of the U.N.s funding requirements, enabling humanitarian agencies to increase monthly aid from 8 million to 12 million people and save millions of lives. Today, he said, the U.N. appeal has received only 30%, about $1 billion, leaving 9 million Yemenis to cope with deepening cuts to aid programs including food, water and health care. Lowcock said Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Kuwait who have a particular responsibility, which they have discharged in recent years, have so far given nothing to this years U.N. plan. The U.N. humanitarian office said Saudi Arabia pledged $300 million to the U.N. and $200 million for other humanitarian activities in Yemen. Neither the UAE nor Kuwait made a pledge in 2020, it said. Alluding to financial pledges that have not been turned into actual contributions, Lowcock said, it is particularly reprehensible to promise money, which gives people hope that help may be on the way, and then to dash those hopes by simply failing to fulfil the promise. Continuing to hold back money from the humanitarian response now will be a death sentence for many families, Lowcock said. So yet again, I call on all donors to pay their pledges now and increase their support. Yemens conflict has killed more than 100,000 people and created the worlds worst humanitarian disaster, with more than 3 million people internally displaced and two-thirds of the population relying on food aid for survival. Some 24 million Yemenis, or 80% of the countrys population, require some form of assistance or protection, according to the U.N. U.N. special envoy Martin Griffiths told the council that increased fighting, greater humanitarian needs and the COVID-19 pandemic have taken their toll. Lowcock said the situation has been made worse by escalating conflict in recent weeks, especially in central Yemen. In August, more civilians were killed across the country than any other month this year, he said. Both Griffiths and Lowcock singled out the worrying situation in the province of Marib, where more than 1 million people have sought refuge since 2015. Griffiths said a battle there would not only force those who sought refuge there to flee again but would have political implications, undermining prospects of convening an inclusive political process that brings about a transition based on partnership and plurality. Lowcock condemned the closure of the airport in Yemens capital, Sanaa, to U.N. and humanitarian flights by the rebel Houthis, who control the city and the countrys north, on the grounds of fuel shortages. The shortages are having severe humanitarian consequences, but that doesnt justify closing the airport, he said. Lowcock urged a rapid solution if aid workers are to remain safely in the north, and the U.N. is to maintain operations, including the scheduled delivery of 100 tons of humanitarian cargo by plane to Sanaa in the coming weeks. President Trump responded late Monday to reports that Iran plans to avenge the January killing in an American airstrike of a top general, Gen. Qasem Soleimani. What he's saying: "Any attack by Iran, in any form, against the United States will be met with an attack on Iran that will be 1,000 times greater in magnitude!" Trump tweeted. Driving the news: Trump noted news reports this week that said Iran "may be planning an assassination, or other attack, against the United States in retaliation" for killing Soleimani. Politico first reported on Monday night that the Iranian government was considering an assassination attempt on Lana Marks, the U.S. ambassador to South Africa, citing U.S. intelligence officials. The State Department's Bureau of Global Public Affairs declined to comment when contacted by Axios, but an intelligence source told Fox News the threat is being taken seriously and that Marks is among "several U.S. officials that American intelligence agencies believe Tehran is considering for retaliation for the killing of Soleimani." Iran denies the reports. The big picture: Soleimani was the revered leader of the elite Quds force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which the U.S. designated as a terrorist group last year, with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo saying that Soleimani would be regarded as a terrorist leader on par with then-ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. In April, Trump tweeted that he had instructed the U.S. Navy to "shoot down and destroy any and all Iranian gunboats if they harass our ships at sea," after the American military reported that 11 small IRGC vessels had surrounded and harassed six U.S. Navy and Coast Guard ships in international waters in the northern Gulf. That flash-point subsided, and the Trump administration has more recently focused on a campaign to have international sanctions imposed again on Iran after they were lifted under the 2015 nuclear deal that the president withdrew the U.S. from. Flashback: Inside Trump's obsession with Iranian gunboats Editor's note: This article has been updated with new details throughout. Ah, the glory of a snow day! Every child dreams of this serendipitous holiday from school, the wondrous morning when you wake up and the world is white, and your parents pull their hair in frustration because SCHOOL IS CANCELED! Eventually youll go sledding and drink hot chocolate, but first you lounge around in your pajamas just reveling in your own sloth. It doesnt matter how lazy you are, because today is a SNOW DAY! Well, kiss that joy goodbye, kids. In his letter to families on Monday, New York City schools chancellor Richard Carranza revealed the new school year calendar and added: On snow daysor days in which school buildings are closed due to an emergencyall students and families should plan on participating in remote learning. This follows other jurisdictions where school has moved online, like Winchester, Virginia and Montgomery County, Maryland, announcing or strongly hinting that even if kids return to physical school, snow days are off the table for their 202021 school year as well. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It makes sense. Because of the pandemic, many school districts have invested enormous time, money, and energy in systems that allow children to attend their classes from home, wearing those very snow day pajamas (unless their mean parents have instituted a No PJs Rule). Even once in-person school resumes, theres no reason children couldnt learn from home on days that the roads are too icy for buses to run. My childrens school system in Arlington, Virginia, hasnt made any official decision, according to Frank Bellavia, a spokesperson for the school district. If I were to guess, he added, Id say that snow days are a thing of the past now that school divisions have invested so much into distance learning. Advertisement I asked some actual New York City children how they felt about this development. Heres what they said: Well, that sucks. Barnaby, ninth grade Great! With climate change we have more and more snow days so its an even worse loss. Augie, eighth grade, who stresses that the Great! was sarcastic I hope they dont give us too much work so we can still go roll around in the snow. Marlena, fifth grade Im disappointed. Then again, I also dont have the correct mittens to make snowballs. Dominic, fourth grade Boo! Will we have Spring Break?! Ellie, fifth grade Good question, Ellie. Will you? Now that New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio seems dead set on alienating all that remains of his base (kids who associate him with snow days), all bets are off. Advertisement Advertisement In truth, there are a few reasons snow days might survive. New York has historically worked to avoid school closures for snow, so not all districts will necessarily follow their lead. Snowstorms have a tendency to cause power outages and broadband problems, and schools might find its too hard to get kids online on those days. And given budget crunches, its entirely possible that some districts wont be able to maintain their remote technology once full-time in-person school returns. After all, if you commit to ending snow days, youre also committing to providing devices and hot spots to your students in perpetuity (or else declaring that equity is no longer a concern). Nonetheless, this school year, a lot of kids are about to discover that a beautiful snowy morning now means just another day of logging on and getting to work. So in this way, at least, schools will truly be preparing our children for adulthood. TAIPEI, Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- STARLUX Airlines, Taiwan's newest luxury carrier, has deployed IBS Software's iCargo platform to manage business and operational functions for its entire cargo business. The iCargo management platform was implemented ahead of STARLUX Airlines' launch in January 2020, which saw maiden flights to Macau, Penang and Da Nang with three A321neo aircraft. Although COVID-19 has significantly impacted flights, STARLUX's cargo operations have been ramping up quickly during this difficult time. After a rigorous evaluation process, STARLUX Airlines chose IBS Software's iCargo SaaS-based cargo platform to provide a single, unified platform for all critical functions. iCargo now manages all aspects of STARLUX's cargo business, including sales, airline operations, US customs, mail, Unit Load Device, cashiering, claims, cargo and mail revenue accounting, portal services, data warehousing and business intelligence modules. "We chose the industry-leading iCargo management platform to achieve our goal of providing the best and seamless cargo service to our customers," said Glenn Chai, CEO, STARLUX Airlines. "So far, iCargo has proved itself to be well worth the investment. It is an advanced digital solution featuring advanced and user-friendly functions. STARLUX is very glad to have made the right choice." "We were proud to have been selected as a launch partner for STARLUX Airlines, our first iCargo customer in Taiwan. As a startup airline, STARLUX had strict timelines for implementation and regulatory requirements, and extremely high expectations for the technology and its support of their business model. In IBS Software they found a partner with deep expertise, total commitment to driving business value, and a strong delivery track record. We're thrilled to welcome STARLUX to the iCargo family and to continue our partnership as the airline continues to thrive," said Ashok Rajan, Head of Cargo & Logistics Solutions, IBS Software. STARLUX plans to expand its network with additional A321neo aircraft scheduled for delivery, plus wide-body A350 XWB aircraft. iCargo is fully enabled to support this future growth and continue to empower STARLUX to deliver on its brand promise to customers. Over the last 24 months demand for iCargo has gained significant momentum around the world, with 18 implementations going live over this period - including eight new customers. About IBS Software IBS Software is a leading SaaS solutions provider to the travel industry globally, managing mission-critical operations for customers in the aviation, tour & cruise and hospitality industries. IBS's solutions for the aviation industry cover fleet and crew operations, aircraft maintenance, passenger services, loyalty programs, staff travel & air-cargo management. IBS Software also runs a real time b2b and b2c distribution platform providing hotel room inventory, rates and availability to a global network of hospitality companies and channels. For the tour and cruise industry, IBS provides a comprehensive customer-centric, digital platform that covers onshore online and on-board solutions. IBS Software is a Blackstone portfolio company and operates from 11 offices across the world. Further information can be found at https://www.ibsplc.com/ About STARLUX Airlines STARLUX Airlines was founded in May 2018. Out of his passion for aviation and determination to cultivate the aviation industry, the founder, K.W Chang, established a luxury boutique airline. Taking safety and quality of aviation service into account to provide travelers the safest and most luxurious flying experience. STARLUX Airlines is introducing all 10 A321neos-and three are already in place. The delivery of the 17 A350 XWBs is expected to begin next year. The fleet is planned to have a total of 27 aircraft by the end of 2024 and 50 by the end of 2030. STARLUX Airlines officially launched its first flight on 23rd January to Macau, Penang and Danang. With its hub at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, STARLUX Airlines will initially fly routes in Southeast Asia and Northeast Asia, gradually developing its trans-oceanic routes to North America. Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1273313/STARLUX_Cargo_runs_on_iCargo.jpg Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1169353/IBS_Software_Logo.jpg A 16-year-old boy has been remanded in custody and will face a psychiatric evaluation after he was charged with the murder of a homeless man in Dublin. Gardai were alerted after the discovery of a body at about 1.30am on Monday, in a lane-way off Madison Road, at the South Circular Road, in Kilmainham, Dublin 8. The man, who had suffered serious injuries, was believed to have been in his 40s. The 16-year-old boy, who cannot be named because he is a juvenile, was arrested and held at Kevin Street Garda Station on Monday. He was charged at 2.52am and brought before Judge Treasa Kelly at the Dublin Childrens Court this morning. He is accused of the murder of a named man, at the lane-way, to the rear of a house on Madison Road, contrary to common law. Dressed in a T-shirt, jeans and runners, the youth did not address the court. There has been no indication yet as to how he will plead. Detective Sergeant Brian Hoey told the court the boy, made no reply to the charge after caution. The Childrens Court does not have jurisdiction to consider a bail application for a defendant on a murder charge. Judge Kelly said she had no option but to remand the boy in custody to the Oberstown detention centre. The case will go to the Central Criminal Court but a book of evidence has to be prepared by the Director of Public Prosecutions before a trial order can be made. Defence solicitor Wayne Kenny said while his client was detained, a number of comments were made by the teen which gave rise to great concerns for his mental health. Judge Kelly ordered a psychiatric evaluation of the boy in custody. The teen will appear again next Tuesday at Childrens Court. In relation to media attention, reporting restrictions obviously applied, the solicitor said, but he added that an article had been published which gave some details about where the boy lived. Detective Sergeant Hoey also sought an order to restrict the naming the deceased as gardai were still trying to verify his identity. Judge Kelly directed that the deceased mans name should not be revealed at this time. Nothing should be published that directly or indirectly identified the boy, his family, where he lived, she also ordered. Legal aid was granted. Section 93 of the Children Act states that no report shall be published or included in a broadcast which reveals the name, address or school of any child concerned in the proceedings or includes any particulars likely to lead to the identification of any child concerned in the proceedings. Chezzi Denyer has been left outraged after receiving rude comments from strangers about her decision to have a child at 40. Taking to Instagram on Tuesday, the wife of Channel 10 presenter Grant Denyer shared several examples of the disgraceful comments she's received from strangers in her hometown of Bathurst since announcing her third pregnancy last month. She wrote: 'I am 40 years old and having a baby... I live in country NSW and get comments like... "Why would you at your age?" "Was it an accident?" "Are you worried something will be wrong with the baby?"' Unkind: Chezzi Denyer has been left outraged after receiving rude comments from strangers about her decision to have a child at 40. Pictured with her husband, Channel 10 presenter Grant Denyer, and their daughters, Scout, four, and Sailor, eight A former schoolmate had even told her: 'I went to school with you, and my second grandchild is due the same month as you!' Former TV producer Chezzi, who shares daughters Scout, four, and Sailor, eight, with her husband, explained that despite the negativity in her local area, she has received plenty of positive messages from friends living in other parts of Australia. 'But on the flip side, many of my friends 40+ living in Sydney or Melbourne are only now trying to have their first child,' she explained. 'Was it an accident?' Posting to Instagram on Tuesday, Chezzi shared examples of the disgraceful she's received from strangers in her hometown of Bathurst, New South Wales 'We endured 3 miscarriages': Chezzi explained she'd tried to fall pregnant before turning 40, before three tragic miscarriages made this goal impossible 'I hear comments from them like, "You're so young to have three children!" "How did you manage to have a baby at 30 years of age?" "I just wouldn't have been ready!"' Chezzi explained that she had tried to fall pregnant before turning 40, but three miscarriages made this goal impossible. 'We tried for over 12 months to fall pregnant, and we endured three miscarriages throughout that period. It was the first month we stopped trying that we actually fell pregnant this time, she said. 'I have that sexy label - "geriatric mother!" In true Chezzi style, she concluded her post with a touch of humour In true Chezzi style, she concluded her post with a touch of humour. 'When I had Scout five years ago I was labelled a "geriatric mother" in the medical profession. And again this time I have that sexy label - "geriatric mother"!' she wrote. 'But I'm pretty calm and confident this time around.. there's something you don't have when you're really young and that is wisdom.. and my ripe old age of 40 I feel I have plenty.' Grant and Chezzi's baby is due on March 1, 2021. Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment This is an excerpt from The Maker Versus the Takers: What Jesus Really Said About Social Justice and Economics by Jerry Bowyer (New York, Fidelis Books, Post Hill Press, 2020.) Jesuss confrontation with the rich young ruler is probably the most cited episode in the Gospels on the topic of wealth. Unfortunately, it is often cited by people who want to use it as a cudgel in their own ideological war against the market economy and in favor of centralizing more power in the state. As I mentioned in the introduction to this book, years ago when I hosted a daily radio program, a leftist listener called my show and tried to use this passage from the Gospels to attack me for my free-market views. She quoted (actually misquoted) that passage as saying, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to go to heaven. That is a common misquote. The passage doesnt say anything about going to heaven. It mentions entering the kingdom of heaven, which is a different matter. But aside from that quibble, the use of that passage as an ideological weapon in the leftist cause is a serious misreading of the passage. Jesus offered that statement as a commentary on a confrontation He had with a man of the state, a rich young ruler. Right off the bat, it seems quite unlikely Jesus intended His words to be used to grow the power of the state when the man He had just confronted lived off his access to the power of the state. Lets take a closer look at the encounter: And rising up, He went from there to the region of Judea.He was setting out on a journey, a man ran up to Him and knelt before Him, and began asking Him, Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?Mark 10:1, 17 Did you notice where this took place? It occurred almost immediately after Jesus entered Judea. Anyone who has read this far in the book will find it almost impossible to ignore the importance of this detail. Jesus (as well as Mary and, well see later, Jesuss brother and Marys son James) conforms with a clearly discernible pattern when it comes to offering economic commentary when in Judea, particularly in the environs of Jerusalem. As Ive said, Jesus does not confront wealthy individuals over their wealth while in His native Galilee (although He does confront His neighbors over other issues there). But as we see in this passage, almost immediately upon entering Judea, all that changes, and not coincidentally. This new tone toward the wealthy expressed while in the seat of political power is employed against a man who is explicitly revealed to be connected with that political power. Lets look at Lukes account: And a certain ruler questioned Him, saying, Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? Luke 18:18 What does ruler mean in this context? The original Greek says archon, which is the word used to describe a member of a government council. In this particular instance, it implies he was a member of the Sanhedrin. The Sanhedrin was the center of political, religious, and economic power. Sanhedrin members were typically from wealthy and influential families, often priestly, and during Jesuss time, increasingly Pharisaical. Quite often seats were passed down through the generations, which explains a small and seemingly irrelevant detail of the text: The young man said to Him,Matthew 19:20 He was young and a Sanhedrin member, which points to his having inherited his fathers seat on the council along with his land-based (well see that below) income stream. Lets take a moment to look at the different emphases in the accounts of the three synoptic Gospels (synoptic refers to the three Gospels Matthew, Mark, and Luke as opposed to John) describing this event. Marks account does not tell us this man was a ruler. This is probably because that Gospel is considerably less lengthy with less room for detail. In addition, because Mark is almost certainly an early Gospel and written when the Christian movement was more Jewish, it would, consequently, be more Jewish itself. Which implies the man probably was recognizable and therefore needed no introduction. This fits with the fact that Matthew also does not mention the man is a ruler. Matthew is undoubtedly initially aimed at a Jewish audience and so, once again, the man would be a recognizable social stereotype. This works in the converse case, in which Luke does mention the man was an archon[SB1] . Luke was a Gentile, and his intended audience was also Gentile. They would be less familiar with the socioeconomic environment of Israel and less able to intuit that this man was a politically connected member of the ruling class; therefore, this audience would need to be explicitly told about his political office. For more insight into the economic aspects of this encounter, lets take a closer look at the details of Marks account: And as He was setting out on a journey, a man ran up to Him and knelt before Him, and began asking Him, Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? And Jesus said to him, Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone. You know the commandments, Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother. And he said to Him, Teacher, I have kept all these things from my youth up. And looking at him, Jesus felt a love for him, and said to him, One thing you lack: go and sell all you possess, and give to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me. But at these words his face fell, and he went away grieved, for he was one who owned much property. And Jesus, looking around, said to His disciples, How hard it will be for those who are wealthy to enter the kingdom of God! Mark 10:1723 (emphases mine) Carefully notice the words and phrases that have been emphasized. Remember how I mentioned that the enter the kingdom of God phrasing is often misquoted? It is not enter heaven; its enter the kingdom of. Matthews version used the Hebraism (remember I said Matthew was written for a Jewish audience) kingdom of heaven, but Luke used the more universal kingdom of God. Whats the difference? You enter the Kingdom of Heaven/God when you repent and follow God and His heavenly ways. Entering the kingdom does not refer to the moment when you die. You enter heaven when you die. In other words, this observation is about conversion, not the afterlife. It does not in any way imply a rich person who is a follower of Jesus will find it difficult to go to heaven when he dies. Moralists, leftists, and manipulative ecclesiastical money raisers should stop implying that it does. Now lets take a closer look at the use of the word translated as defraud. At first glance it appears to be a quote from the second half of the Ten Commandments. But when the reader pays closer attention, it becomes obvious this is a variation on the texts of the Ten Commandments. Defrauding is not mentioned in either version of the Decalogue. This means Jesus added a commandment. Did He mess up His Bible memory verses? Probably not. What makes more sense by far is He was making a point: This ruler, like most of the rest of the ruling class, was indeed defrauding. Whom were they defrauding? The poor, who were powerless and therefore ill-equipped to protect themselves from being defrauded. Thats why Jesus commands him to give his wealth to the poor: it was taken from the poor. Subscriber content preview SEATTLE Goldman Sachs named John Burpee its new Seattle region head for Private Wealth Management, covering the Pacific Northwest, effective Oct. 1. Burpee currently heads a PWM team as a private wealth advisor in the Dallas office, a role he has held since 2002. He has also worked with the regional management team to spearhead strategic initiatives and has overseen recruiting, training and diversity initiatives. . . . Debut Bio Debut Bios platform will provide AFRL with the ability to effectively and efficiently biomanufacture specialty ingredients needed for aerospace applications. In doing so, Debut Bio expects to reduce aerospace material costs and improve vehicle maintenance processes by extending service lifetimes. Debut Biotechnology, a UC-Irvine spinout advancing scalable cell-free biomanufacturing, today announced that it has been awarded $1M from the Air Force Research Labs Biotechnology Grand Challenge. Debut Bio is the inaugural recipient of the award, which honors the companys proposal on biosynthesis of monomers for aerospace applications. In the proposal, Debut Bio details its ability to leverage the companys scalable biomanufacturing platform for bio- and metal-free synthesis of polymer precursors relevant for the aerospace industry. Debut Bios platform will provide AFRL with the ability to effectively and efficiently biomanufacture specialty ingredients needed for aerospace applications. In doing so, Debut Bio expects to reduce aerospace material costs and improve vehicle maintenance processes by extending service lifetimes. The Air Force Research Lab has a well-documented history in discovering and leveraging breakthrough technologies. By offering a cell-free, continuous biomanufacturing process, we are excited to continue that legacy of innovation through our work with them, said Dr. Joshua Britton, CEO and Founder of Debut Biotechnology. Cell-free biomanufacturing enables the quality manufacturing of high-value molecules at a price point that scales far beyond what is possible today. In bringing this approach to the AFRL, we hope to usher in a new era of biomanufacturing for high-value molecules that is scalable, economically viable, and results in solutions that are efficient and effective. Debut Bio has applied its technology to the pharmaceutical and specialty ingredient industries, allowing customers to manufacture high-value molecules by combining custom-designed immobilized enzymes with continuous biomanufacturing processes. Through the utilization of plug-and-play enzyme cartridges, the companys cell-free platform has the ability to transform low-value bio-renewable materials into high-value specialty chemicals. The Debut Biotechnology proposal provides a path to a scalable, bio- and metal free synthesis of key aerospace polymer precursors, explained Dr. Davide Simone, AFRLs technology advisor for biosynthesis of monomers for aerospace thermosets and senior research chemist. Expected benefits for the Air Force include a significant savings in composite aerospace structural material costs and the elimination of oxidation promoting metal catalysts from structural components, extending service lifetimes. Debut Bios enzyme cartridges are sequentially arranged in a manner which mimics pathways found in plants and other organisms. Each cartridge is finely-tuned to provide the ideal temperature, pH, concentration, solvent, and reaction time for each individual step to maximize enzymatic productivity and product titer levels. The platform requires far fewer steps than traditional materials manufacturing and avoids the use of environmentally harmful chemical synthesis. Importantly, it overcomes many challenges typically associated with relying on cells for biomanufacturing or extraction of ingredients from plants and other sources. In Debut Bios system, materials are passed from one enzyme reactor to another to build in-vitro or cell-free biosynthetic pathways. The companys platform uses a sustainable approach by leveraging advanced enzymes outside of the cell to maximize performance and avoid issues with cell-based fermentation systems. The platform technology operates under a continuous manufacturing regime, allowing Debut Bio to scale beyond the capabilities of other manufacturing processes currently on the market, which are constrained by the precipitation of enzymes, the need for multiple large reactors, and the specific requirements of enzymes. By leveraging continuous manufacturing, Debut Bio is able to drive down the cost of cell-free manufacturing to provide scale, consistency, novelty, and ultimately the ability to produce a biomolecule with the click of a button. Debut Bio serves organizations across the defense and specialty ingredient industries, with commitments from several large scale manufacturers to integrate its platform into their existing pipelines. To learn more, please visit: https://debutbiotech.com. About Debut Biotechnology Debut Biotechnology is commercializing cell-free biomanufacturing solutions by creating advanced enzyme-based manufacturing processes for high-value molecules. Our platform combines immobilized enzymes with highly controlled and automated continuous manufacturing systems for the pharmaceutical and specialty chemical industries. Debut Biotechnology was founded by Joshua Britton, Greg Weiss, and Brady Beauchamp and is based in sunny San Diego. To learn more, please visit: https://debutbiotech.com/. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Gisela Swaragita (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Tue, September 15, 2020 14:28 493 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c44ecef4 1 Food david-rocco,david-rocco-dolce-southeast-asia,food,series Free Italian-Canadian chef and TV personality David Rocco is back with a new series, David Roccos Dolce Southeast Asia, which premiered on National Geographic on Monday. In the program, Rocco explores the beauty of the region, meets inspiring people and devours mouthwatering local cuisine in Singapore, Malaysia, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam. The entire region is very appealing to us and there are a lot of places to go, and certainly we couldnt do it all in one season of 14 episodes, Rocco told The Jakarta Post during a phone interview earlier this month. Vietnam and Cambodia were really fascinating to me. I kind of missed that, [a] backpacking [trip], when I finished university, because I was in Milan, working. I was modeling at the time, so all my buddies went and I kind of missed out, the 50-year-old celebrity chef said, laughing. Rocco said the dishes he ate for the program, from those served at fine dining restaurants to those prepared at hawker stalls, came with their own unique twists and rich cultural influences. But what he found most fascinating was meeting people from all walks of life: artists, musicians, activists, hawkers and street food vendors. These meetings left him with a deeper understanding of the distinct flavors from each of the Southeast Asian countries he visited. In Malaysia, he enjoyed the Peranakan cuisine, an array of dishes born from the tasty crossover between Chinese and Muslim Malay cooking. He also visited Syrian refugees in their safe house and tasted recipes they brought after fleeing the war-torn country. He traveled back in time to the Saigons days of Vietnam and the Khmer Rouge days of Cambodia and witnessed how the two countries raised from the wars became the busiest tourist destinations in the region. Consequently, they burst out with unique flavors to offer. Rocco said he was surprised to find that all people in the region he met during filming had been very open. Prior to filming, some concerned friends had warned him that people in the region would not be too friendly. In all the countries [I visited], the people were wonderful. Even when we heard stories like, Oh Cambodia, be careful, because, you know, they dont really open up', obviously because of the history they are really closed. But we found people really opened up to us. In Vietnam, [it was] the same thing, he said. Read also: Local taste, global palate: Indonesian cuisine as gastronomic diplomacy In Malaysia, people [were] talking about their experiences, from womens rights [activism] [] to activism in so many different causes. People in the area were so resilient, and [they] opened up to us. Rocco said the film crew had been lucky to have a seamless production experience, as they wrapped up in the summer of 2019, just before the pandemic hit. For the time being, he said, he enjoyed taking a pause from traveling and being at home, though perhaps not for long. Rocco and his team will film a new program, called Dolce Homemade, from his house starting this week. Its a good time, its a good time to be with family and friends and cook and just be at home. In most years, I traveled 22 weeks of the year, so the fact that I am able to stay this long at home is I'm okay, he said. Rocco promised to go back to Southeast Asia and film a second season that will include Indonesia. They [Roccos friends in Jakarta] have enticed me with certain dishes and [told me] how they were really invented in Jakarta or Indonesia. So yeah, absolutely, I promise to be back, he said. David Roccos Dolce Southeast Asia is shown every Monday at 9 p.m. Western Indonesia Time on National Geographic. The series is part of a spinoff of his breakthrough series David Rocco's Dolce Vita, which aired in 2004 on the Food Network Canada, Telelatino, BBC Food, Discovery Travel and Nat Geo Adventure Channel. After four seasons of the successful Italian food show, the spinoff shows focused on eating and traveling in India and Africa. (wng) (Bloomberg Opinion) -- In the winter of 1977, a month after former Egyptian President Anwar Sadat's historic trip to Israel, I went to Cairo as a member of the first Israeli peace delegation. This was a heady time, especially for me. I was optimistic that peace with the Arab world was now at hand. I expressed this optimism to General Abrasha Tamir, a fellow delegate and one of Israel's most senior strategic planners. "Israel will always need at least one enemy in the Middle East," he snorted in reply. I put this down to Tamirs well-known contrarian streak. But the remark struck with me and I eventually came to understand its wisdom. I recall it today as Israel sits down, for the first time in a quarter century, to sign peace agreements with two Arab states, this time at the White House. The Middle East is a famously contentious place. There is hardly a country that hasn't been at war with its Muslim neighbors. Egypt and Saudi Arabia fought over Yemen in the 60s. Syria invaded Jordan in the early 70s and threatened the Hashemite regime. Iran and Iraq waged a brutal war during the 80s and later Iraq invaded Kuwait. Today the Saudis and Gulf states are at war with Iran and Egypt is fighting Islamic State forces in the Sinai. Countries survive in this region by playing power games. For many years, while Israel was officially non grata in the Middle East, it played behind the scenes. Jerusalem supported Turkish dissidents in Iraq and Syria, propped up Jordan against Syria and, more recently, supported Saudi Arabia and the Gulf States in their fight with Shiite Iran. Sharing a mutual enemy is the way you make friends in the Middle East. Tuesdays signing ceremony in Washington affirms that. It is not a display of mutual admiration. It is not about the shared economic and technological benefits that peace may bring. It is not even about the looming American election. It is, from Israels point of view, the public ratification of Jerusalems alliance with a necessary friend against a necessary enemy. Story continues General Tamir's insight is on display in Washington. And so is its domestic corollary back in Israel. It turns out that at least one serious regional threat is indeed necessary to maintain Israels precarious internal stability. Israel is not the melting pot that its Zionist, socialist founding fathers envisioned. It is a federation of polarized tribes that live together uneasily. The Arabs of Israel do not share the Zionist vision. Neither do the ultra-orthodox Jews, who live in a self-segregated world of their own and accept as a final authority only their own rabbis. The frequent flouting of government corona restrictions by both communities has sharpened resentment among mainstream Israelis. The Zionist mainstream is fractured and polarized along interlocking ethnic, class and political lines. Large communities of second-generation Jewish immigrants from North Africa and Asia, mostly Likud voters, struggle for cultural and economic dominance against a left-leaning European secular elite. A million immigrants from the Soviet Union and more than a 150,000 from Ethiopia have yet to establish their place in Israeli society. Politics are in disarray. Right-wing settlers, traditionally among Bibis main supporters, are furious over his decision to freeze the annexation of West Bank territory in return for treaties with distant Arab states. Bibis left-wing opponents are grudgingly willing to go along with the peace deal, but that hasnt weakened their determination to continue an increasingly intense street campaign to force the prime ministers resignation over indictments on charges of fraud and corruption. On the day before his departure for Washington, Netanyahu announced that Israel -- which, along with Bahrain leads the world in per-capita Covid 19 cases -- is going into its second national shutdown. Some in the business sector, which has yet to recover from the first national shutdown, is threatening to emulate the non-compliance of the Arab and Ultra-Orthodox communities. Fortunately for Israeli cohesion, the country has been able to keep some enemies. The Sunni Arabs of Gaza, who are pledged to Israels destruction, routinely fire incendiary balloons and occasional rockets at Israeli civilians along the southern border. Hezbollah has amassed a large arsenal of Iranian missiles supplied through Bashar Al-Assad's Syria. In Washington, Netanyahu will thank his friend Donald Trump for putting the peace deal together. But he also owes a debt of gratitude to the threats and aggression of Iranian leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and his proxies. They are General Tamirs necessary enemy. And, for now, they are also the glue holding the country together. This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners. Zev Chafets is a journalist and author of 14 books. He was a senior aide to Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin and the founding managing editor of the Jerusalem Report Magazine. For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com/opinion Subscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source. 2020 Bloomberg L.P. As carriers race to build out their 5G networks, options for buying the gear they need are fewer in the U.S. than in other countries thanks to federal pressure, which could be slowing deployments. China-based Huawei and ZTE were both banned from providing equipment to the government itself in the Defense Authorization Act of 2018, and a general import ban followed shortly thereafter. That has changed the competitive landscape considerably, and raises questions about how the shape of 5G in America could change as a consequence. Michael Porowski , a Gartner analyst, said its possible, though not completely clear, that the restriction on where carriers can buy their 5G equipment is slowing deployment. Theres still an ample number of suppliers Ericsson, Nokia, Samsung, he said. Both ZTE and Huawei are more economical options, he said, and if they were available, you might see a bit faster adoption. Theres a sense in the industry that Huawei equipment is both sophisticated and priced to move, according to Christian Renaud, research director at 451 Research, but theres also no clear alternative that carriers will gravitate to in the absence of Huawei. Here, youll have carriers that have standardized on Nokia or Ericsson, he said. [And] its too soon to tell whos most sophisticated because deployments are so limited. That contention is borne out by coverage maps from the carriers themselves. While they have been quick to trumpet the presence of 5G service in many U.S. markets, the actual geographic coverage is mostly restricted to public spaces in the urban cores of major cities. The lions share of 5G deployment, in short, is yet to come. There are good reasons for slow deployment. 5G access points have to be deployed far more densely than earlier generation wireless technology, making the process more involved and time-consuming. Theres also the issue that the number of currently available 5G user devices is vanishingly small. Its like saying Ive got this eight-lane superhighway, before someone has invented cars, said Renaud. Part of the current goal for equipment vendors is demonstrating the potentials of 5G through private deployments that use the technology for backhaul, supporting IoT and other link use cases specific to a single enterprise. [The equipment vendors] are all pushing hard on the private piece, and then they can use that to say, Look, Im working the Brooklyn dockyards or something in a private 5G network, so if I can do that I can run peoples YouTube connections, Renaud said. An unfortunate result of the China ban might be a splintering of the specifications that vendors follow to meet 5G requirements. If non-China vendors have to make one version for markets where Huawei and ZTE are allowed and a different version for places they are not, it could create a new headache for them, according to Renaud. Thatll shift the burden of costs to the device makers to try to support the different carrier implementations," he said. Well have created nontechnical barriers. And those, in turn, could cause customer experience to suffer. But 5G has embraced a move toward greater interoperability with open radio access network technology that standardizes the software interfaces between layers of the 5G stack. The push is embraced by carriers and equipment vendors alike, making interoperability more likely, which could draw in even more players in the future. Of course, even with pervasive interoperability, equipment makers will still try to build customer dependency. Theres always going to be a tug of war between vendors trying to lock in customers and customers trying to stay vendor-neutral, he said. Thats not going to change a lot. [But] weve obviously seen a move toward trying to be more open. Jammu and Kashmir: No more sale of fish at Govt sale outlets September 15,2020 | Source: Kashmir Observer Principal Secretary, Animal, Sheep Husbandry and Fisheries Department, Navin K. Choudhary, reviewed implementation of Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) here today. The meeting was attended by Director Fisheries, Mohammad Amin, Director Finance, Imtiyaz Ahmad Wani, Director Planning, Girdhari Lal and all Joint Directors of Fisheries Department. Navin Choudhary asked the officers to give wide publicity to Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana to build entrepreneurship in the sector besides addressing critical gaps in fish production, productivity, quality, technology, post harvest infrastructure management, modernization and strengthening of value chain and traceability. The scheme focuses on doubling fish farmers income and fish production, sustain growth of 9% in fisheries sector, increase fish productivity from 3 tons to 5 tons per hectare in addition to introduction of new technologies like Recirculatory AquaCulture System and Biofloc Aquaponics, he added. The Principal Secretary asked Director Fisheries to seek more funds under beneficiary-oriented components of the scheme besides laying focus on creation of market infrastructure and fish packaging especially value addition to promote trout exports. The Principal Secretary asked the officers to provide benefits to maximum farmers and entrepreneurs besides focusing on establishment of Fisheries FPOs to promote collaborative cooperative models in the Fisheries Sector. He said the District Level Committee constituted under the scheme shall dispose of cases in a limited timeframe and the benefits shall be extended on a first come first serve basis. He also asked the officers to extend the KCC facility to 100 per cent fish farmers before the end of September 2020. Principal Secretary directed officers to stop sale of fish at Departmental sale outlets and promote marketing of fish through private entrepreneurs after following all financial norms in vogue as the primary mandate of the Fisheries Department is genetic up gradation of local fish, socio economic development of fish farmers and building of entrepreneurship in the sector. It was also informed in the meeting that financial assistance for construction of 1563 low cost houses has already been approved by GoI and shall be extended to Fishermen of UT of J&K soon. It was informed in the meeting that Rs. 50 crore Action Plan has been framed by the Fisheries department for submission to Government of India after approval by UT Level Approval and Monitoring Committee. It was also apprised that scheme envisages Financial Assistance to Fish farmers, Fishers, SHGs, JLGs, FPOs Private entrepreneurs/Firms and can be implemented in convergence with other schemes like RKVY, PMKSY, MNREGA, NRLM and KCC. Regarding several complaints received about irregularities in price fixation of trout fish by the Fisheries Department for private entrepreneurs, the Director clarified that price fixation is only for Departmental sale centres and private entrepreneurs are free to sell their produce as per market forces of demand and supply. Actor Gaurav Chopra announced on Monday that his wife Hitisha has given birth to their son. Both his parent died within days of each other recently, and Gaurav described the situation as enlightenment in three dates. Taking to Instagram to share pictures of a door sign revealing that theyd become parents to a baby boy, Gaurav wrote in his caption, 19-08-2020, 29-08-2020, 14-09-2020. Enlightenment in three dates. . The meaning of life , explained in this short span of time .. a roller coaster ride , a cycle ... never ending...an emotional and physical test .. and then divine intervention and a bountiful blessing today ... Between the morning and the afternoon, between two placards on the door .. everything changed ! thank you for your love and blessings..its been my strength... His fans and friends offered their congratulations in the comments section. Congratulations GC ! Loads of love to baby ..mom & you, one person wrote. Yaaaayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy !!!!!! So so Special !!! Lots of love and hugs and truckloads cuddles for the little prince, wrote another. Also read: Gaurav Chopra on losing parents in space of 10 days: When I see their door, it feels someone has stabbed me in the heart The actors parents died of Covid-19, within 10 days of each other. In an interview, he had likened the experience to being stabbed in the heart. He told Mumbai Mirror, My mother died while my father was on the ventilator. So, he didnt hear the news. Their last conversations were about each other. For the last three-and-a-half years, my father was taking care of my mother and thats how they left, together. My mother was doing fine till she learnt about dad. The day she stopped speaking to him, her condition deteriorated, day by day. Hitisha, who has done her MBA in luxury fashion from Paris, met Gaurav at an event in Mumbai. They tied the knot in a secret ceremony in Delhi in 2018. Follow @htshowbiz for more SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON A lock of President Abraham Lincoln's hair and a telegram smeared with his blood sold for more than $81,000 at auction. The historic items sold at an auction that ended Saturday, according to Boston-based RR Auction. The buyer has chosen to remain anonymous, a spokesman for the auction house said. A 2-inch lock of the president's hair was clipped during a postmortem examination a day after he was assassinated at Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C., by John Wilkes Booth on April 14, 1865. The hair was given to Dr. Lyman Beecher Todd, a cousin of first lady Mary Todd Lincoln, according to the auction house. Having nothing to wrap the lock of hair with, Todd reached into his pocket and used a War Department telegram sent soon after the president was shot. "He wrapped the lock, stained with blood or brain fluid, in this telegram and hastily wrote on it in pencil: 'Hair of A. Lincoln,'" Todd's son wrote in a caption. Todd's son, James A. Todd, outlined the details of the hair and the telegram in a letter dated Feb. 12, 1945. "The lock of Abraham Lincoln's hair ... was cut from his head and given to my father during the performance of the postmortem and has remained entirely in the custody of our family since that time," Todd's son wrote in the 1945 letter. RR Auction verified the authenticity of the hair. The telegram was received at 11 p.m. the night Lincoln was shot. "When you are dealing with samples of Lincoln's hair, provenance is everything and in this case, we know that this came from a family member who was at the President's bedside," said RR Auction Executive Vice President Bobby Livingston. Todd was more than just a cousin of the president's wife. He and President Lincoln got to know each other when the Lincolns visited Lexington, Kentucky, before the Civil War. Todd was appointed the postmaster in Lexington in 1861 after Lincoln became president. He made history when he stayed at Lincoln's bedside in the president's final hours at the Petersen House across the street from Ford's Theatre. "My father went with Col. Vincent to the President's bedside and they remained there until his death next morning," Todd's son wrote in the letter. Todd was there for the postmortem examination and accompanied the president's body to the White House, the letter said. Todd was at Lincoln's funeral and burial in Springfield, Illinois. More Lincoln memorabilia is up for auction through Oct. 7, RR Auction said. The items include a document signed by Lincoln appointing a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps and a one-page signed letter sent to Sen. Charles Sumner. The-CNN-Wire & 2020 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved. Lawyers for the United States on Monday asked judges at the United Nations highest court to dismiss a case brought by Iran seeking to lift sanctions, Reuters reported. Lawyer Marik String said Iran had wrongly introduced a subject uncovered by a 1955 bilateral pact, the Treaty of Amity, which Tehran cites as the basis for going to the International Court of Justice (ICJ), also known as the World Court. It was an inescapable reality, he added, that the real aim of Irans legal suit is to restore a 2015 nuclear pact opposed by the administration of President Donald Trump. The measures Iran challenges remain critical to the United States efforts to address national security threats posed by Iran including the current threat posed by its nuclear program, String added. Washington imposed the measures when it abandoned the 2015 pact aimed at stopping Tehran developing nuclear weapons. Hearings this week in The Hague will only deal with the preliminary matter of whether the court has jurisdiction. The Iranian side is to argue its case on Wednesday, and a decision is expected by the end of the year. Amidst raging social media debates on nepotism in the Hindi film industry, Akshay Kumar got candid about his son Aarav, and revealed that he prefers staying away from the limelight. When Akshay recently featured on Bear Grylls' Into The Wild, the two had a conversation about family. Akshay shared that Aarav is a unique person and that he wants to have his own identity, and not be known only as Akshay Kumar's son. "My son is very different. He just doesn't want to tell anyone that he's my son. He wants to be away from the limelight. He wants to have his own identity. That's what the whole thing and I understand it. So, I let him be the way he wants to. My father was the only influence I have in my life and I've followed all his rules and all his things that he has taught me. And I hope my son gets that," he was quoted as saying by Pinkvilla. Aarav is rarely photographed by the paparazzi and is not very prominent on social media either. He does feature on his mother Twinkle Khanna and dad Akshay's Instagram handles once in a while. When the Khiladi of Bollywood was asked if Aarav is interested in Bollywood during an earlier interview, Akshay had said that his son is too young and is only focused on studies for now. He added that he doesn't know if his children will get into the industry but he isn't going to be pushing them, and wants them to decide things for themselves. Akshay is currently in Scotland shooting for his upcoming film Bell Bottom. He was reportedly joined by Twinkle, Aarav, and daughter Nitara. Bell Bottom also stars Huma Qureshi, Vaani Kapoor and Lara Dutta, and is scheduled for release in April, 2021. ALSO READ: Bell Bottom: Akshay Kumar's Retro Look From Scotland Shoot Goes Viral ALSO READ: Akshay Kumar Says He Will Remember The Mad Adventure With Bear Grylls For Life Omar has helped students of different cultural backgrounds learn more about Omaha, Visit Omaha says. Some local districts have used Omars book to introduce parts of the city to students who dont speak English. Three signs on the bridge have codes that link to existing videos that feature the troll. Visit Omaha recently translated those videos into Spanish. Officials estimate that in 2019, about 1 million people used the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge. That figure is based on a count by the citys Parks and Recreation Department, Ward said. Snapchat users can pull up a special filter that will give them spiky blue hair and a scruffy beard to match Omars look. In the first three months of Omars existence, about 3,300 Snapchat users shared a snap with the filter, Visit Omaha said. Omar greets visitors from a grassy area near one of the bridges pillars north of the National Park Service building. He sits atop a concrete cottage designed by Michael Torres, who also is designing the walking stick. The bronze troll was sculpted by John Lajba. Boris Johnson is opposed to partition, he let the House of Commons know. The partition of the United Kingdom, that is, as he conjured notions of an EU fleet of warships enforcing a 'blockade' in the Irish Sea that would cut off Northern Ireland. Channelling an inner Eamon de Valera, but while beating a 'no surrender' drum, the British Prime Minister insisted he was defending the territorial integrity of the UK. He claimed the EU had secretly threatened to stymie any British agricultural exports to Northern Ireland "if we fail to reach an agreement to their satisfaction" on the wider relationship. The man who wrote stories about EU rules making for square tomatoes and straight bananas during his days as a Brussels correspondent for the Daily Telegraph had clearly moved to a higher plane of scaremongering. The evil outsiders had threatened prohibition of animal exports from Great Britain to Northern Ireland, he insisted - without producing any evidence to back the assertion. "Absurd and self-defeating as it would be, the EU had not taken that particular revolver off the table," he said. No-one could see the invisible gun supposedly pointing from the despatch box, and he might as well have said Michel Barnier planned to personally cut off all their heads to stare them in the face. Every good was at risk and therefore liable to tariffs - which could get as high as 90pc for Scottish beef, though it was "travelling not to Dublin, but to Belfast" Mr Johnson claimed. The same with Welsh lamb travelling, in a rhythmically sounding way, from Anglesey to Antrim. The EU was proposing to "divide our own land" and to ride roughshod over its own commitment to respect the UK customs territory, he thundered. "No British prime minister, no government, no parliament could ever accept such a provision. These threats reveal the spirit in which some of our friends are minded to conduct these negotiations. "We must now take a package of protective powers in this bill." Mr Johnson gave way occasionally to Tory stooges and plants who attempted to assist with set-up questions about reprehensible EU provocation. But a reckoning was coming. Keir Starmer wasn't there. The Labour Party leader was self-isolating, just as Britain is doing, judging from world reaction to the Internal Market Bill. Instead, Ed Miliband stepped out of the past, and promptly reached into it for a replacement firearm. There was a "blunderbuss approach" from Westminster, he charged. From a man who said he wanted to get Brexit done, and won an election on it, "this bill gets Brexit undone." Worse was the deliberate breaching of international law, said Mr Miliband. "This is not an argument about Remain versus Leave, it is about Right versus Wrong." He particularly accused Boris of "legislative hooliganism" on the supreme sensitivity of the Northern Ireland settlement. The PM had promised to unite the country and had succeeded in uniting his five predecessors - May, Cameron, Brown, Blair and Major - in telling him that what he was doing was wrong. "He is trashing the reputation of this country." Johnson slumped a little lower at the onslaught, arms folded defensively. Had he really only now discovered that his "oven-ready" deal was half-baked, pursued Miliband, denouncing the PM as "cavalier and reckless." Ian Blackford of the SNP pointed out that the proroguing of Parliament a year ago had been found by the courts to be illegal. Johnson has form. Preliminary talks in Bouznika and Montreux reportedly succeeded in removing many obstacles to a comprehensive settlement to the Libyan civil war. But can Libyas headline players take the next step? Last week, members of the Tubruk parliament and the Supreme State Council (SSC) in Tripoli met with a number of politicians in the Moroccan city of Bouznika and in the Swiss city of Montreux, under the auspices of the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), after the Security Council renewed the agencys mandate on Tuesday for another year until 15 September 2021. UNSMIL was restructured according to a US vision that separated mediation in the Libyan peace process from daily activities and the agencys support mission in Libya, alongside intense diplomatic efforts by those in charge of the Libyan portfolio in countries interested in Libya, especially Egypt and France. At Bouznika, five MPs from Tubruk met with five members of the SSC throughout last week, declaring at the end of their talks that they reached comprehensive agreement on the transparent and objective standards and mechanisms for assuming key government positions. They also agreed to continue this dialogue and meet again in the last week of September to continue necessary steps to ensure these agreements are enforced and implemented. In a joint statement, participants said the preparatory meetings at Bouznika aimed to reach consensus between the two bodies about key sovereign posts... amid an atmosphere of understanding, brotherhood and agreement. The talks comply with Article 15 of the Skhirat Agreement signed in 2015, and confirmed the outcome of the Berlin Summit which supports a political solution, as well as Security Council resolutions. Participants urged the UN and global community to support Moroccan efforts to create the necessary climate to reach a comprehensive political settlement in Libya. In Montreux, several key Libyan figures met under the sponsorship of the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue in Geneva, which is partnering with UNSMIL to prepare the Libyan dialogue. The talks were attended by UNSMIL head Stephanie Williams whose tenure ends later this month. A final communique included seven recommendations for the political dialogue committee that is planning to meet soon, under UN auspices in Geneva, and described the Montreux talks as paving the way for relaunching political dialogue as part of the Berlin Process to reach a preliminary stage ahead of a comprehensive solution in Libya. This would require amendments in the current political agreement document and restructuring the executive authority it created, namely the Presidential Council (PC) and Government of National Accord (GNA). Participants in the political dialogue will cut down the number of members of the PC to three representatives from the countrys historical regions, separating the GNA from the PC and appointing a prime minister. An interim government will work for 18 months to prepare suitable conditions to hold parliamentary and presidential elections based on agreed upon constitutional foundations. Participants also agreed that PC members and the prime minister will be chosen by the Political Dialogue Committee (PDC), and the prime minister will form a government with an eye on protecting Libyas unity, geographic, political and social diversity. The cabinet will then be put to a confidence vote. The PDC will be in charge of evaluating and monitoring the Executive Authority to ascertain it is on task, and call on parliament and the SSC to reach agreement on key political posts and the electoral track within a reasonable time. Also, for the relocation of executive institutions and parliament to Sirte during the interim phase to take over powers, as soon as security and logistical conditions are ready. The talks at Bouznika and Montreux were praised by the US, France, German, UNSMIL, EU, Arab League and African Union, since they are seen as a critical turning point in the long journey to find a comprehensive solution in Libya. The meetings came at a time when there is growing public anger inside Libya due to dilapidated living conditions and rampant corruption. Also, international and regional discontent with Libyan leaders and their political performance, which allowed certain global and regional powers to become involved in the conflict, especially Russia and Turkey which are strengthening their foothold on the ground at the expense of other traditional influencers in Libya. The atmosphere at Bouznika and Montreux was similar to conditions in Libya during the autumn and winter of 2014 when former UN envoy Bernardino Leon launched a dialogue in Ghadames, which later moved to Geneva and then Skhirat in Morocco. This track was finally crowned with the signing of a political agreement which is still in place. In recent years, UNSMIL, led by German diplomat Martin Kobler followed by Lebanons Ghassan Salame, tried to facilitate dialogue between the parliament in Tubruk and the SSC in Tripoli to agree on amending the political agreement and review the appointment of key political positions, but these efforts failed to jumpstart the political stalemate that pertains until today. Participants in earlier meetings, before Bouznika and Montreux, had agreed to move forward on the political process, but none of them honoured their promises during these talks that were either sponsored by UNSMIL or international and regional players. So far, UNSMIL has not set a date to relaunch the troubled Berlin Process despite overwhelming international praise for the preliminary meetings in Bouznika and Montreux in anticipation of what decisions the Security Council will take, to decide the mandate of UNSMIL inside Libya and the new envoys role in the Libyan peace process. To promote the Libyan peace process, next month the EU plans to lift sanctions on Parliament Speaker Aguila Saleh, former chairman of the General National Congress Nouri Abusahmain, and former head of the salvation government Khalifa Al-Ghweil, which were placed in 2016. This would boost Europes role in Libya to counter Turkish and Russian influence. France is also becoming more involved. The website Africa Intelligence, which is close to the French intelligence community, reported Monday that Paris is preparing to host a Libyan summit next week to include Saleh, the commander of the Libyan National Army Khalifa Haftar, and PC chairman and GNA head Fayez Al-Sarraj. This would crown the Bouznika talks under UNSMIL auspices, according to a French diplomatic source. France wants German and Italian support for this move, as Paris tries to undercut growing Turkish influence in West Libya and East of the Mediterranean. The French initiative proposes talks among Libyan leaders without having them meet in one place, in order to decide the most prominent players. Three new senior advisers at the Elysee are working on the issue, and recently Army General Thomas Pierre was appointed as defence attache in West Tripoli, after he was transferred from the French Embassy in Berlin. Cairo hosted a delegation from West Libya that included members of the SSC, parliament and key political and military figures from Misrata to open channels of communication with Egypt. The delegation met with the Egyptian Committee on Libya headed by its new chairman, General Ayman Badie. *A version of this article appears in print in the 17 September, 2020 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly Search Keywords: Short link: City police are looking for an injured man believed to have left a Chamberlain Street location after a shooting early Tuesday morning. The incident happened at about 6 a.m., police say. Officers are still at the scene. Police encourage the injured man to get medical attention. Anyone with information can call 705-876-1122, or contact Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or online at http://stopcrimehere.ca/ There is still a lot we dont know about the killing, early this month, of Michael Forest Reinoehl. Reinoehl, a self-described antifa supporter, was a suspect in the shooting of Aaron J. Danielson, a backer of the far-right group Patriot Prayer, during an August street confrontation in Portland, Ore. Prosecutors charged him with murder. Reinoehl, speaking to Vice News, said he acted in self-defense. There will be no trial to sort out what happened, because the federal marshals sent to arrest him gunned him down. Federal authorities claimed that Reinoehl had a gun. The Olympian newspaper quoted two witnesses who said Reinoehl fired at the police, but one later said his remarks had been misconstrued and he wasnt sure if Reinoehl had a weapon. A third witness said that Reinoehl was carrying only a cellphone, and that the marshals started shooting at him without announcing themselves. Even if Reinoehls killing was justified, in a country where the rule of law held, the government would have treated it as regrettable. For Donald Trumps administration, Reinoehls death was cause for celebration. Calling Reinoehl a dangerous fugitive, admitted antifa member, and suspected murderer, Attorney General William P. Barr said in a statement, The streets of our cities are safer with this violent agitator removed. Trump, in a Fox News interview on Saturday, said of the killing, Thats the way it has to be. There has to be retribution when you have crime like this. (Perhaps needless to say, law enforcement is not permitted to kill suspects in retribution.) Trump continued the theme at his Nevada rally Sunday night, saying to cheers, We sent in the U.S. marshals, it was taken care of in 15 minutes. - Pretty Mutave's death was confirmed by Lulu Hassan through a post on Facebook on Tuesday, September 15 - According to reports, the Aziza actress breathed her last on her way to the Coast General Hospital - Her family said the talented thespian has been ailing since March this year - Mutave is known for her roles in Aziza, Maza, Moyo, Kijakazi among others PAY ATTENTION: Click 'See First' under 'Follow' Tab to see Tuko.co.ke news on your FB Feed The Kenyan film industry is in mourning after the loss of talented actress Pretty Mutave. News of her death was announced by Citizen TV news anchor Lulu Hassan on the morning of Tuesday, September 15. READ ALSO: Men fall in love with lady's hot 45-year-old mum who looks nothing like her age READ ALSO: Brighton vs Chelsea: Jorginho, James and Zouma all score as Blues win 3-1 In her post, Lulu eulogised Mutave saying they had great plans together but God's will had to prevail. "We had plans but God had better plans...Rest well. Rest with the Angels pretty. Inallilahi wa ina illayhi Rajiun," wrote Lulu. READ ALSO: Mpinzani wa Magufuli ataka wagombea wa urais washiriki mdahalo kabla ya uchaguzi Pretty Mutave is said to have died on her way to the hospital. Photo: Pretty Mutave. Source: Instagram According to a post on Facebook by Frank254, the Aziza actress breathed her last while she was on her way to the Coast General Hospital. In his post, Frank said the family disclosed that the beauty had been ailing since March this year. READ ALSO: Akothee gushes over beautiful daughter Fancy Makadia, laments not seeing her since December Mutave is known for her roles in various TV programmes which include Moyo (Waridi), Aziza (Dee), Maza ( Zari), Arosto (Zelda), Udhalimu ( Ashina) and Kijakazi (Lena). In another post on Instagram, Rashid Abdalla and Lulu recalled how excited Mutave was five days ago while they were on set working on a project. "Five days ago we were on set working on a project that was tailor-made for you by @iamibrachi . You were so excited about the project. I guess this was a way of calling it a wrap. The industry will surely miss you. You gave more than a 100% while on set. Fare thee well pretty," wrote Rashid. READ ALSO: Muigai wa Njoroge warms hearts with photo of himself sandwiched between 2 wives Mutave's death comes a month after the death of talented actor Charles Bukeko commonly known as Papa Shirandula. Shirandula passed away on Saturday, July 18, at Karen Hospital where he had been rushed to after feeling unwell. It was said the veteran entertainer was among employees of Royal Media Services who had tested positive for coronavirus. He then proceeded to self-isolate at home but soon developed breathing difficulties which prompted the family to seek medical attention. He breathed his last aged 58. Do you have a groundbreaking story you would like us to publish? Please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690. Contact Tuko.co.ke instantly. My husband, my pain - Violet Andisi | Tuko TV Source: TUKO.co.ke Gavin Williamson has been warned the government could face legal action for exposing teachers to coronavirus, after an online survey found less than a quarter (23 per cent) believe that sufficient measures have been put in place to make schools safe. The warning came as the Department for Education announced that more than 99 per cent of state schools in England have reopened to some or all students for the autumn term and 88 per cent of pupils - more than 7 million young people - were back in the classroom last week. The general secretary of teaching union NASUWT wrote to Mr Williamson to demand better resourcing and monitoring of Covid-secure measures, after a straw poll of almost 1,000 school teachers found that 55 per cent did not regard the protections in place at their schools as sufficient and effective. The snapshot survey was self-selecting and does not meet the scientific standards of mainstream polls, but the union nonetheless believes it reflects a level of concern among teachers. Patrick Roach told the education secretary that the union was expressly reserving our members legal rights in the case of a claim for breach of duty of care or personal injury due to foreseeable risks resulting from the governments decision to tell schools to reopen to all pupils in September after five months of lockdown when only vulnerable students and the children of key workers were attending. Dr Roach wrote: With rising numbers of confirmed Covid-19 cases in the wider community, our members are deeply concerned that, in the absence of effective control measures, there is increased risk of Covid-19 transmission within schools. UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 18 January 2022 Surfers enter the sea as the sun rises over Tynemouth on the North East coast PA UK news in pictures 17 January 2022 Bonhams Danny McIlwraith holds a Nigerian polycrome carved wood mask during a photocall for the sale of the Jim Lennon Collection at Bonhams in Edinburgh PA UK news in pictures 16 January 2022 The moon rises above the Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth, Hampshire PA UK news in pictures 15 January 2022 Demonstrators outside Downing Street during a Kill The Bill protest against The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill in London PA UK news in pictures 14 January 2022 Ecologist Emma Smart (left) and retired GP Dr Diana Warner outside HMP Bronzefield, in Surrey, following their release from the prison where Emma undertook a 26-day hunger strike during her incarceration. Ms Smart was sentenced in November, along with other members of Insulate Britain, to serve four months for breaking a High Court injunction by taking part in a blockade at junction 25 of the M25 motorway during the morning rush hour on 8 October last year PA UK news in pictures 13 January 2022 A TV presenter holds a copy of a newspaper outside 10 Downing Streetafter the Prime Minister apologised for attending a gathering of colleagues in the Number Ten garden in May 2020, while the UK was in strict lockdown due to the Coronavirus pandemic Getty UK news in pictures 12 January 2022 Fitness guru Derrick Evans after receiving an MBE during an investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 11 January 2022 A couple walk underneath an umbrella during wet weather on Westminster Bridge in central London PA UK news in pictures 10 January 2022 A jogger passes the Covid Memorial Wall in London AP UK news in pictures 9 January 2021 The sun rises over horses at Seaton Sluice in Northumberland PA UK news in pictures 8 January 2022 Riders compete during the Veterans Men's race at the UK Cyclo-Cross National Championships 2022 in Ardingly, south of London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 7 January 2022 A dog looks out of a car window at the wintry conditions in Killeshin, Co. Laois PA UK news in pictures 6 January 2022 People walk through frost and mist alongside a frozen lake during sunrise in Bushy Park, London REUTERS UK news in pictures 5 January 2022 A skier jumps on the slopes at Allenheads in the Pennines to the north of Weardale in Northumberland PA UK news in pictures 4 January 2022 Freshly-fallen snow covers houses in Corbridge, near Hexham in Northumberland PA UK news in pictures 3 January 2022 Dean Morrison, 13, receives his Covid-19 vaccine from student nurse Anthony McLaughlin during a vaccination clinic at the Glasgow Central Mosque PA UK news in pictures 2 January 2022 Konastantinos Tsimikas of Liverpool with Chelseas Mason Mount during the Premier League match at Stamfrod Bridge Liverpool FC/Getty UK news in pictures 1 January 2022 New Years Eve Lasers, drones and fireworks illuminate the sky in front of the Royal Naval College in Greenwich shortly after midnight in London EPA UK news in pictures 31 December 2021 Competitors in fancy dress run across the Pennine tops near Haworth, West Yorkshire, in the annual Auld Lang Syne Fell race which attracts hundreds of runners every year PA UK news in pictures 30 December 2021 Sunrise at Bamburgh Castle in Northumberland PA UK news in pictures 29 December 2021 The Very Revd Dr Robert Willis, Dean of Canterbury Cathedral, looks at Becket, a six month old red-billed chough as he visits Wildwood Wildlife Park in Kent on the anniversary of the murder of Thomas Becket PA UK news in pictures 28 December 2021 Troops of the Household Cavalry are seen reflected in a puddle during the changing of the Queens Life Guard, on Horse Guards Parade, in central London PA UK news in pictures 27 December 2021 A pedestrian walks past a winter sale sign outside a John Lewis store on Oxford street in London Getty UK news in pictures 26 December 2021 Riders take their bikes through the snow near Castleside, County Durham PA UK news in pictures 25 December 2021 Patrick Corkery wears a santa hat and beard as waves crash over him at Forty Foot near Dublin during a Christmas Day dip PA UK news in pictures 24 December 2021 People stand inside Kings Cross Station on Christmas Eve in London Reuters UK news in pictures 23 December 2021 Christmas shoppers fill the car park at Fosse Shopping Park in Leicester PA UK news in pictures 22 December 2021 The sun rises behind the stones as people gather for the winter solstice at Stonehenge. Getty UK news in pictures 21 December 2021 People take part in a winter solstice swim at Portobello Beach in Edinburgh to mark the solstice and to witness the dawn after the longest night of the year PA UK news in pictures 20 December 2021 An auction employee displays poultry to buyers and sellers attending the Christmas Poultry Sale at York Auction Centre in Murton PA UK news in pictures 19 December 2021 Joao Moutinho of Wolverhampton Wanderers looks on during the Premier League match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Chelsea at Molineux Getty Images UK news in pictures 18 December 2021 Freight lorries queuing at the port of Dover in Kent PA UK news in pictures 17 December 2021 Newly elected Liberal Democrat MP Helen Morgan, bursts 'Boris' bubble' held by colleague Tim Farron, as she celebrates following her victory in the North Shropshire by-election PA UK news in pictures 16 December 2021 Brussels sprouts are harvested by workers as they prepare for the busy Christmas period near Boston in Lincolnshire PA UK news in pictures 15 December 2021 Lewis Hamilton is made a Knight Bachelor by the Prince of Wales at Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 14 December 2021 The Royal Liver Buildings surrounded by early morning fog in Liverpool PA UK news in pictures 13 December 2021 People queue outside a walk-in Covid-19 vaccination centre at St Thomas's Hospital in Westminster Getty Images UK news in pictures 12 December 2021 People take part in the Big Leeds Santa Dash in Roundhay Park, Leeds PA UK news in pictures 11 December 2021 People arrive at a Covid-19 vaccination centre at Elland Road in Leeds, PA UK news in pictures 10 December 2021 Stella Moris speaks to the media after the US Government won its High Court bid to overturn a judges decision not to extradite WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange PA UK news in pictures 9 December 2021 Camels are lead around Salisbury Cathedral during a rehearsal for the Christmas Eve Service PA UK news in pictures 8 December 2021 Margaret Keenan and Nurse May Parsons, a year after Margaret was the first person in the UK to receive the Pfizer vaccine PA UK news in pictures 7 December 2021 Snowfall in Leadhills, South Lanarkshire as Storm Barra hits the UK with disruptive winds, heavy rain and snow PA UK news in pictures 6 December 2021 A person tries to avoid sea spray on New Brighton promenade in Wallasey as the UK readies for the arrival of Storm Barra Getty UK news in pictures 5 December 2021 People release balloons during a tribute to six-year-old Arthur Labinjo-Hughes outside Emma Tustin's former address in Solihull, West Midlands, where he was murdered by his stepmother PA UK news in pictures 4 December 2021 People walk through a Christmas market in Trafalgar Square Reuters UK news in pictures 3 December 2021 A pedestrian carries a dog as they dodge shoppers on Oxford Street in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 2 December 2021 Duchess of Cambridge inspects a Faberge egg at the Victoria and Albert Museum Getty UK news in pictures 1 December 2021 Meerkats at London Zoo with an advent calendar PA UK news in pictures 30 November 2021 Workers put the finishing touches to the Trafalgar Square Christmas Tree ahead of the lighting ceremony later in the week PA We further note with concern that your department is unable to provide any evidence on the effectiveness of the risk control measures recommended in your guidance to schools. Furthermore, you will be aware of the increasing number of schools where pupils and staff have tested positive for Covid-19 or are required to self-isolate. Statistics produced by the DFE showed that, as of last Thursday, only 1 per cent of schools were unable to open fully because of coronavirus, while the disease had forced the complete closure of just 0.1 per cent. Closures have so far involved unusual cases, such as infections among staff at very small schools. Current guidance requires schools to send pupils showing symptoms of coronavirus home to get tested, with a positive result leading to those who have been in close contact with the infected child being asked to self-isolate for 14 days. Only in cases of wider outbreaks have year-groups or in extreme circumstances whole schools been sent home. Head teachers have been given discretion to develop tailored measures to make their schools Covid-secure, in line with the practical realities of the premises. The NASUWT survey found that 67 per cent of teachers taking part reported social distancing measures being in place at their schools, with 70 per cent saying cleaning had been stepped up, 69 per cent that pupils and teachers had been given better access to soap and water, 82 per cent that hand sanitiser had been put in every classroom and 76 per cent that movements were controlled through systems such as staggered start times. Just 11 per cent said that more use was being made of outside space for lessons, and 25 per cent that ventilation had been enhanced. Only 23 per cent of those questioned regarded their own schools measures as sufficient and effective, against 55 per cent who said they were not. And 57 per cent said the measures in place were not being consistently applied, compared to just 29 per cent who said they were. Dr Roach said concerns had been raised about the heightened risk for vulnerable teachers - including those with underlying health conditions and members of ethnic minorities shown to be at greater risk from Covid - as well as a lack of additional funding forcing schools to take decisions on cleaning and the provision of protective equipment on cost rather than health grounds. And he said depleted staffing numbers due to illness and self-isolation was resulting in serious operational difficulties for schools in maintaining safe working practices at all times. The evidence from our preliminary polling raises further concerns about the urgent need for stronger protections to be introduced to ensure the Covid-secure working practices that the government has promised, he told Mr Williamson. In accordance with the prime ministers commitments on behalf of the government, our members have the right to the same considerations and protections in their workplaces that are being applied to other groups of workers. The NASUWTs expectation is that your department will have conducted appropriate checks on the compliance by schools with your guidance and that you will have made provision for suitable ongoing monitoring and compliance arrangements. Unveiling todays statistics on school reopening, Mr Williamson said: The best place for children and young people to learn is in the classroom, and its encouraging to see that last week more than seven million pupils were back with their classmates and teachers at schools around the country. I do not underestimate the work staff have done to put in place the protective measures required to reduce the risk of transmission. But as the UKs chief medical officers have already made clear, the risk of catching coronavirus at school is low, meaning that the wider risks to children being out of school is, in fact, far greater. The fact that the vast majority of our schools are fully open is testament to the hard work of staff throughout the summer holidays in preparing for a safe return. I cannot thank them enough for all that they have done, and for the tremendous resilience they have shown and continue to show every day. Well also continue to work with schools, local authorities and parents to make sure as many children as possible attend school. - The NASUWT carried out a self-selecting online snapshot survey of members on its website, to which 929 teachers responded between 3 and 13 September Authorities are planning to rescue a stricken humpback whale stranded in crocodile-infested waters in the Northern Territory. Wildlife officers at the Kakadu National Park will use special whale calls and underwater noise pollution to try and rescue the whale from the East Alligator River. A pod of three whales was spotted by marine ecologist Jason Fowler while sailing with friends on September 2. Experts believe one of the whales is still in the river, but they have lost track of two of the group due to the murkiness of the water. 'It's so murky you can't see them until they're up out of the water,' Mr Fowler said on Tuesday. Wildlife officers at the Kakadu National Park are continuing to explore intervention options with experts to save a humpback whale from crocodile-infested waters (pictured) after it ventured up the East Alligator River with two others It is understood to be the first time a humpback has been spotted so far up the waterway, with one report placing it 30km inland. Park staff and scientists have blocked off the area to boats and are hoping the whale will swim back out to sea but may have to intervene, if required. Kakadu National Park zoologist Feach Moyle said: 'The highest tide of the year will take place in a few weeks so there is a window of opportunity for it to be able to head out to sea.' Northern Territory Government scientist Dr Carol Palmer, who is part of the emergency response guide to get the whales out of the 'unusual' situation, told ABC Radio Darwin the team was looking at using whale calls to lure it out to sea. An exclusion zone (pictured) to stop boats entering has now been put in place from the mouth of the East Alligator River to a point approximately 30km upstream The team was also looking at using underwater noise pollution to encourage the mammals to move on, she said. 'There have been examples of whale calls being used before to influence where a whale goes. We are also looking at loud sounds to discourage the whale from heading further [upriver],' she said, ABC reported. The team will attempt to tag one of the whales to monitor its movement better in coming days before making a decision on what to do. 'Then, I think, based on that information, the next step will be to try and see if we can, from a 100 per cent safety perspective, move the whale out into Van Diemen's Gulf,' Dr Palmer said. Parks Australia said in a statement the sighting of whales in the river was 'a very unusual event'. 'As far as we're aware, this is the first time this has happened,' the statement read. 'The (remaining) whale is not in distress at the moment and it is not an emergency situation. The best case scenario is for the whale to make its way back out to sea.' An exclusion zone to stop boats entering remains in place from the mouth of the East Alligator River to a point approximately 30km upstream. The whale is pictured swimming in the river, which Parks Australia said is 'a very unusual event' and the 'first time this has happened' 'The last thing we want is a collision between a boat and whale in waters where crocodiles are prevalent and visibility underwater is zero,' the statement read. 'We also don't want boats to inadvertently force the whale further up the river.' Kakadu National Park staff are monitoring the remaining whale and gathering data. 'Kakadu National Park and NT Government scientists will continue to monitor the whale in the coming days,' the statement read. 'We appreciate that this is a very unusual and exciting event, however, our priority at present is to ensure the safety and wellbeing of visitors and the whale.' Many aides, the report said, spiraled into significant mental and/or physical illness. Mr. Elphicke, 49, was suspended from the Conservative Party in 2017 when allegations of abuse were first reported to the police. He was reinstated in 2018, but suspended again last year when the Crown Prosecution Service charged him. Mr. Elphickes wife, Natalie Elphicke, was elected to fill her husbands seat in an election held in December. She announced after her husband was found guilty in July that the couple would be divorcing. Mr. Elphicke has denied the charges and his representatives said he would appeal the verdict. The women, whose identities were not made public because they were victims of sex crimes, both offered testimony during the trial. The nanny, then in her 30s, told the court that she was working in the familys home in 2007 when she found herself alone with Mr. Elphicke. Mr. Elphicke offered her a drink and tried to kiss her, before he groped her breast, she testified. When she escaped to her room in the basement, Mr. Elphicke ran after her, slapped her bottom and chanted Im a naughty Tory, using the colloquial name for the Conservative Party in England. She quickly quit her job, and was left without a home. Judge Whipple said the episode left the woman horrified and terrified. The woman agreed not to tell Mr. Elphickes wife and did not report the assault to the police until November 2017, when she heard his name on the radio after a second woman filed a complaint against him. UPDATE: Police said Timothy Gunnells was found Wednesday in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. Authorities from multiple counties and the state have been extensively searching for a Lebanon County man who has not been seen or heard from since Sunday evening. Cornwall Borough police believe Timothy E. Gunnells, 31, of Quentin, is suicidal and dealing with other mental health issues. They said he is not dangerous or a threat to others, but he would likely run if approached. Gunnells was last seen around 7:15 p.m. Sunday at the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire grounds along Route 72 in Manheim. Numerous law enforcement agencies searched for Gunnells for eight hours late Monday afternoon and into the night, Cornwall police said. The search included the area between Elstonville, Lancaster County to south of Quentin in Lebanon County. Gunnells is 6 feet, 1 inch tall; 150 pounds, with green eyes and short brown hair. He was last seen wearing a black long-sleeved pullover shirt and camouflage shorts. Cornwall Borough police, Manheim Borough police, Pennsylvania State Police, Lebanon County Special Unit 66 Search & Rescue, Pennsylvania Wilderness Search & Rescue, Pennsylvania Canine Search & Rescue and Lancaster County Haz-Mat were involved with Mondays search. Anyone with information on Gunnells' whereabouts is asked to contact Cornwall Borough police at 717-274-2071. READ MORE: Were not silent anymore: Lancaster protests stay peaceful amid anger, rage They didnt have to kill him: mother says son shot by Lancaster officer was mentally ill Couple accused of beating, starving child held party the day before body found, neighbor says 'Evidence suggests COVID spreads through saliva, respiratory secretions of infected people' India pti-Madhuri Adnal New Delhi, Sep 15: Minister of State for Health Ashiwni Choubey on Tuesday informed the Rajya Sabha that current evidence, according to WHO, suggests that transmission of coronavirus occurs primarily through direct, indirect, or close contact with infected people through saliva and respiratory secretions. "Airborne transmission of the virus can occur in healthcare settings where specific medical procedures, called aerosol generating procedures, generate very small droplets called aerosols," the minister said in a written reply. 'Excellent safety' of 2 indigenous COVID candidate vaccines revealed during Phase-I trials: Minister According to World Health Organization (WHO), the current evidence suggests that transmission of coronavirus occurs primarily between people through direct, indirect, or close contact with infected people through infected secretions such as saliva and respiratory secretions, or through their respiratory droplets, which are expelled when an infected person coughs, sneezes, talks or sings, he explained. Government of India in its guidelines on rational use of Personal Protective Equipment issued on March 24 has accounted for the possibility of airborne transmission in aerosol generating procedures and has recommended appropriate PPEs for all such settings, Choubey said. India has reported large outbreaks in certain districts indicating spread of infection in those districts. Only 10 states --Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu , Chhattisgarh, Telengana , Odisha , Assam and Kerala -- are currently contributing to 77 per cent of active cases in the country, he said. Jack Grealish has signed a new five-year deal worth about 135,000 per week to give Aston Villa a huge boost for the new season. The Villa captain was admired by Manchester United but has now accepted a huge pay rise an increase of about 55,000 per week on his previous salary with his current club. Once Grealish, 25, had helped Villa stay in the Premier League with a goal in the 1-1 draw at West Ham on the final day of last season, it was always going to be hugely difficult to prise him away this summer. Aston Villa captain Jack Grealish has signed a new five-year contract at Villa Park Grealish had been heavily linked with a summer transfer window move to Manchester United Villa had no interest in discussing a deal for their homegrown star at anything below 80million a fee only a handful of clubs could contemplate after the coronavirus pandemic reshaped the financial landscape of football. Grealish's haul of eight goals and six assists in the league last term underlined his importance to the team and his decision to re-sign will delight manager Dean Smith, with whom Grealish shares a very close relationship. Grealish said: 'The owners have made it very clear to me how ambitious they are and how they want to build Aston Villa. There are exciting times ahead and I am very glad to be part of it.' United are believed to have tested the water for Grealish in January but their priority during this window has been Jadon Sancho, with Borussia Dortmund holding firm on their asking price in excess of 100m. The 25-year-old will earn 135,000 a week and announced the new deal on the club's Twitter Grealish's ambition is to play in the Champions League but he has recently forced his way into Gareth Southgate's England squad, making his senior debut in the Nations League clash in Denmark earlier this month. With Grealish's immediate future secured, Villa will be aiming for better progress this season after they stayed up last term by a single point. They have already broken their transfer record to sign Brentford striker Ollie Watkins in a deal that could be worth 33m, as well as signing right-back Matty Cash for 16m from Nottingham Forest. Goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez is poised to join from Arsenal, along with Lyon winger Bertrand Traore, who had a medical on Monday. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and United are believed to have tested the waters for Grealish in January Villa could take their spending beyond 100m for the second successive summer if they can agree a deal for Werder Bremen attacker Milot Rashica, and sign another centre-forward. The club will listen to offers for a number of players who signed permanently after promotion in 2019, including Frederic Guilbert, Bjorn Engels, Marvelous Nakamba, Anwar El Ghazi and Mbwana Samatta, along with winger Jota, midfielder Henri Lansbury and goalkeepers Orjan Nyland and Lovre Kalinic. Villa chief executive Christian Purslow added: 'We are determined to build a top team around him and are delighted that he is extending his contract and committing himself to the club he loves.' Technavio has been monitoring the bare metal cloud market and it is poised to grow by USD 7.89 billion during 2020-2024. The report offers an up-to-date analysis regarding the current market scenario, latest trends and drivers, and the overall market environment. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200915005566/en/ Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global Bare Metal Cloud Market 2020-2024 (Graphic: Business Wire) Technavio suggests three forecast scenarios (optimistic, probable, and pessimistic) considering the impact of COVID-19. Please Request Free Sample Report on COVID-19 Impact Frequently Asked Questions- What is the key factor driving the market? Rise in popularity of SOA is one of the key factors driving the market growth. Who are the top players in the market? CenturyLink Inc., Dell Technologies Inc., International Business Machines Corp., Joyent Inc., Internap Corp., Limestone Networks Inc., Oracle Corp., Packet Host Inc., Rackspace US Inc., and ONLINE SAS are some of the major market participants. Which region is expected to hold the highest market share? North America What is a major trend in the market? Rise in the adoption of hybrid bare metal cloud storage systems is a major trend driving the market growth. What is the year-over-year growth rate of the global market? The year-over-year growth rate for 2020 is estimated at 41.59%. The market is fragmented, and the degree of fragmentation will decelerate during the forecast period. CenturyLink Inc., Dell Technologies Inc., International Business Machines Corp., Joyent Inc., Internap Corp., Limestone Networks Inc., Oracle Corp., Packet Host Inc., Rackspace US Inc., and ONLINE SAS are some of the major market participants. To make most of the opportunities, market vendors should focus more on the growth prospects in the fast-growing segments, while maintaining their positions in the slow-growing segments. Bare Metal Cloud Market 2020-2024: Segmentation Bare Metal Cloud Market is segmented as below: End-user BFSI Government IT And Telecom Healthcare Others Geography North America Europe APAC South America MEA To learn more about the global trends impacting the future of market research, download a free sample: https://www.technavio.com/talk-to-us?report=IRTNTR44029 Bare Metal Cloud Market 2020-2024: Scope Technavio presents a detailed picture of the market by the way of study, synthesis, and summation of data from multiple sources. Our bare metal cloud market report covers the following areas: Bare Metal Cloud Market size Bare Metal Cloud Market trends Bare Metal Cloud Market analysis This study identifies a rise in adoption of hybrid bare metal cloud storage systems as one of the prime reasons driving the bare metal cloud market growth during the next few years. Bare Metal Cloud Market 2020-2024: Vendor Analysis We provide a detailed analysis of vendors operating in the bare metal cloud market, including some of the vendors such as CenturyLink Inc., Dell Technologies Inc., International Business Machines Corp., Joyent Inc., Internap Corp., Limestone Networks Inc., Oracle Corp., Packet Host Inc., Rackspace US Inc., and ONLINE SAS. Backed with competitive intelligence and benchmarking, our research reports on the bare metal cloud market are designed to provide entry support, customer profile and M&As as well as go-to-market strategy support. Register for a free trial today and gain instant access to 17,000+ market research reports. Technavio's SUBSCRIPTION platform Bare Metal Cloud Market 2020-2024: Key Highlights CAGR of the market during the forecast period 2020-2024 Detailed information on factors that will assist bare metal cloud market growth during the next five years Estimation of the bare metal cloud market size and its contribution to the parent market Predictions on upcoming trends and changes in consumer behavior The growth of the bare metal cloud market Analysis of the market's competitive landscape and detailed information on vendors Comprehensive details of factors that will challenge the growth of bare metal cloud market vendors Table of Contents: Executive Summary Market Landscape Market ecosystem Market characteristics Value chain analysis Market Sizing Market definition Market segment analysis Market size 2019 Market outlook: Forecast for 2019 2024 Five Forces Analysis Five forces summary Bargaining power of buyers Bargaining power of suppliers Threat of new entrants Threat of substitutes Threat of rivalry Market condition Market Segmentation by End-user Market segments Comparison by End-user BFSI Market size and forecast 2019-2024 Government Market size and forecast 2019-2024 IT and telecom Market size and forecast 2019-2024 Healthcare Market size and forecast 2019-2024 Others Market size and forecast 2019-2024 Market opportunity by End-user Customer Landscape Geographic Landscape Geographic segmentation Geographic comparison North America Market size and forecast 2019-2024 Europe Market size and forecast 2019-2024 APAC Market size and forecast 2019-2024 South America Market size and forecast 2019-2024 MEA Market size and forecast 2019-2024 Key leading countries Market opportunity by geography Market drivers Market challenges Market trends Vendor Landscape Vendor landscape Landscape disruption Vendor Analysis Vendors covered Market positioning of vendors CenturyLink Inc. Dell Technologies Inc. International Business Machines Corp. Joyent Inc. Internap Corp. Limestone Networks Inc. Oracle Corp. Packet Host Inc. Rackspace US Inc. ONLINE SAS Appendix Scope of the report Currency conversion rates for US$ Research methodology List of abbreviations About Us Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focuses on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200915005566/en/ Contacts: Technavio Research Jesse Maida Media Marketing Executive US: +1 844 364 1100 UK: +44 203 893 3200 Email: media@technavio.com Website: www.technavio.com/ By PTI MUMBAI: Actor Kangana Ranaut has amended her petition before the Bombay High Court to seek a compensation of Rs 2 crore from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) for "illegal" demolition at her bungalow. After the BMC demolished what it termed as illegal alterations at the "Queen" actor's bungalow at Pali Hill in suburban Bandra on September 9, Ranaut moved the high court. A division bench led by Justice S J Kathawalla had stayed the demolition, saying that the civic body's actions seemed "malafide" (having dubious intentions). In her amended plea, Ranaut alleged that the BMC's decision to demolish her property was a direct consequence of her comments against the Maharashtra government. Recently she has been "at loggerheads with the Government of Maharashtra regarding herviews over the handling of certain issues which impact the public in general," it added. "The expression used by her has displeased certain quarters and caused angst in certain quarters particularly a political party which is a part of the government in Maharashtra," Ranaut's amended petition said. "In view of various threats been given to the petitioner, including threats of harm if she entered Mumbai, thepetitioner was compelled to seek the assistance/security and was givenprotection by the Central Government in nature Y-plus category of CRPF security and the petitioner could only come to Mumbai under protection," it said. The "same party" is also the ruling party in the BMC, the petition said, without naming the Shiv Sena. The petition also contended that the Bollywood actor had sought the BMC's permission to carry out structural repairs at her bungalow, and the same was granted in 2018. The BMC sent her a demolition notice on September 7 and gave her just 24 hours to respond, the petition said, adding that while she did respond in time, it was quick to reject her reply and on the very next day, BMC and police officers were "already present outside the bungalow". Photos of the day showed that the BMC was ready with demolition equipmentearly in the morning, which proves that the civic body had malafide intentions and ulterior motives to demolish the bungalow, the petition claimed. The plea urged the court to declare the BMC's action as illegal and direct the civic body and its "concerned officials" to pay her Rs 2 crore in damages. The court is slated to hear the matter on September 22. The demolition at Ranaut's bungalow had followed her public spat with the Shiv Sena over her statement comparing Mumbai to Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir. A Los Angeles county city manager who used Malcolm X's controversial 'chickens come home to roost' quote to describe the shooting of two officers in Compton may face discipline - including his possible dismissal. Lynwood Councilman Salvador Alatorre said he will introduce a motion to either discipline or fire Lynwood city manager Jose Ometeotl at a special meeting on Tuesday. Lynwood, California's city manager Jose Ometeotl (pictured), used Malcolm X's 'chickens come home to roost' quote to describe the shooting of two Compton cops Lynwood City Councilman Salvador Alatorre will introduce a motion to discipline or dismiss Ometeotl from his post 'For some reason, he decided to go beyond his authority,' Alatorre said. The Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department deputies - one the 31-year-old mother of a six-year-old boy, the other a 24-year-old man - were ambushed by an unknown man at 7pm on Saturday night while they sat in their patrol car at the Metro Blue Line station at Willowbrook Avenue and Oak Street. Both officers were shot in the head and underwent surgery. Both are currently in stable condition. Police are still hunting the gunman and have offered $100,000 reward for information leading to his arrest. In response to the shootings, Ometeotl, posted an image with the words 'chickens come home to roost' accompanied by a photo of Malcolm X. In 1963, Malcolm X used the phrase to describe John F Kennedy's assassination in response to what he said was the president's lack of action against violence. Ometeotl then used the phrase to describe the Compton cops, saying that the neighborhood had been 'plagued by deputy gangs that inflict fear and violence in the community'. 'These deputies murdered, framed and stole from the community just because they could,' he said. 'Good deputies never turned on bad deputies for fear of retaliation and when caught most of these bad deputies kept their jobs and continued on their criminal career.' Ometeotl shared a meme of Malcolm X in his post, reading 'chickens come home to roost' Video released by the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department shows the moment that male suspect opened fire on two deputies at a Compton bus station After shooting multiple rounds at the deputies, the male ran away Los Angeles Sheriff's Department 'plagued by gang of deputies' The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department has been plagued by a gang of deputies who sport tattoos with Nazi imagery and have infiltrated a station to enact civil rights abuses against the public, according to a claim made by a whistleblower. In a claim filed in June against Los Angeles County, Deputy Sheriff Austreberto Gonzalez details that roughly a fifth of the 100 deputies at the Compton Station (CPT) are a part of the gang - called the Executioners. Another 20 deputies are considered to be 'prospects' or close associates of the gang, the filing states. Nearly all the members have a matching tattoo to symbolize their status in the gang - comprised of a skull with Nazi imagery and an AK-47. The firearm is heavily associated with gang activity and not with law enforcement, the claim states. 'Members become inked as 'Executioners' after executing members of the public, or otherwise committing acts of violence in furtherance of the gang,' the claim alleges. Those involved in fatal shootings are 'immediately' tatted during one of the many 'inking parties.' African-American deputies and women are not allowed to join the Executioners. Advertisement The reference to 'deputy gangs' refers to a group of 100 deputies at the Compton Station who are part of a gang called 'The Executioners'. A whistleblower complaint filed with LA County claims that nearly all members have a matching tattoo to symbolize their status in the gang - comprised of a skull with Nazi imagery and an AK-47. African American deputies and women are not allowed to join the 'gang', according to the complaint filed in June. After he posted the comment on Instagram, Ometeotl appeared to apologize, saying: 'The shooting of anyone is a wholly unacceptable occurrence in society. I do not condone the type of violence seen in the shooting of the deputies yesterday in Compton.' He finished the post with a demand for justice for people who were killed by police. 'The fact that someone randomly opened fire on deputies is to be expected in the society we live in today,' Ometeotl added. 'The political climate and leadership of Sheriff Villanueva has only sowed the seeds of anger and frustration in the community. I pray for the deputies and their families while still demanding justice for Andres Guardado, Breona Taylor, Tamir Rice, Ahmaud Arbery' Ometeotl's social media post made his personal Instagram page private shortly after the image was shared online. Alatorre said Ometeotl has put the city of Lynwood in an untenable position. "He's not an elected official. He represents the city of Lynwood 24/7. He cannot make statements while he's employed by our city, especially when he jeopardizes public safety. 'Now what's going to happen? We have the top administrator against public safety, then what do they expect from the rest of us,' Alatorre said. The City of Lynwood - which is near Compton - had issued a statement clarifying that Ometeotl's post didn't reflect the city council's thoughts. 'There have been comments made today (Sunday) by our City Manager on his personal social media that are his personal opinions and dont reflect the position of the Lynwood City Council,' according to the City of Lynwood statement posted on Twitter Sunday. The city then said that the 'hard-working families,' city employees and elected officials were sending 'heartfelt prayers' to the families of the deputies and praying for their recovery. A petition has been started urging him to resign. The city of Lynwood issued a statement saying Ometeotl's views were personal and didn't reflect those of the city council The shooting was caught on CCTV. The gunman is seen walking up to the police car and firing straight into the vehicle. A still from the video showed the female deputy with what looked like blood on her shirt. According to Fox 8, authorities said the female deputy was 'shot through jaw, still radioed for help & applied tourniquet to male deputys wounds.' Police have now released a description of the shooting suspect, who fled the scene. He is being described as a 'male Black, 28 to 30-years-old, wearing dark clothing.' Police said that he was last seen 'heading northbound on Willowbrook Avenue in a black four-door sedan.' Authorities are also searching for the driver of the sedan, which could be a black Mercedes, MyNewsLA reported. Bystanders filmed as the officers rushed to the aid of their injured colleagues, shot by a gunman in an unprovoked attack The smiling man narrates to the camera. 'Compton. N***** just aired the police out,' he says. That's crazy. Damn. It goes down in Compton' Video taken from the incident showed the enormous police response to the shooting, as well as reactions of crowds of people looking on as, sirens blazing, officers raced to help their wounded colleagues. A bystander narrated the action, saying 'Compton. N***** just aired the police out' and added 'That's crazy. Damn. It goes down in Compton.' The smiling cameraman also said: 'It's going up. Somebody bust on their a**. Somebody bust on the police. Two sheriffs shot in the face. Two sheriffs shot in the face - they tripping. 'Somebody just ran up on the corner and bust on their a**, right through the window' He then concludes, grinning: 'It's a wrap.' On Sunday the Los Angeles Times reported that one of the two officers had managed to radio for help. Moments after the gunman runs away, the passenger door of the patrol car opens and a deputy stumbles out, hand on head. The driver's-side door opens soon after. On the radio, according to footage reviewed by the paper, a shaky voice mutters: '998 Compton Pax.' Recognizing the code for a deputy-involved shooting, a dispatcher asks: 'Just happened?' 'Compton Pax, deputies down,' the voice says, almost unintelligibly. 'Compton Pax 998.' Heavily-armed police officers were seen arriving on the scene in Compton The two officers were shot as they sat in their patrol car shortly before 7pm on Saturday Detectives are pictured arriving at the scene of Saturday night's shooting in Compton Donald Trump on Sunday said the man who opened fire should face a 'fast trial death penalty' if the deputies die. Speaking at a rally in Nevada on Sunday night, he said: 'If you murder a police officer, you should receive the death penalty.' To loud cheers, he continued: 'I just saw a video of that animal who went up to the car. They were unsuspecting, fine people - very fine people.' A large group of detectives arrived to inspect the scene of the shooting, near the bus terminal Detectives are pictured arriving at the scene of Saturday's shooting in Compton He earlier called the shooter an 'animal' who needed to be 'hit hard' as the FBI was called in to help investigate. The president tweeted: 'If they die, fast trial death penalty for the killer. Only way to stop this!' He had retweeted his son Donald Jr. who shared the footage, writing: 'Please pray for these two Sheriff Deputies. Their lives matter!!! #BlueLivesMatter.' Joe Biden said: 'This cold-blooded shooting is unconscionable and the perpetrator must be brought to justice. Violence of any kind is wrong; those who commit it should be caught and punished. Jill and I are keeping the deputies and their loved ones in our hearts and praying for a full recovery.' Kamala Harris added: 'Doug and I are keeping the two Los Angeles County Sheriff's deputies in our hearts as they currently fight for their lives after a horrific attack last night. The perpetrator must be brought to justice.' The Los Angeles County board of supervisors has offered a $100,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the gunman. Shameful footage said to have been taken outside St. Francis Medical Center in Lynwood on Saturday night shows one protester yelling: 'I want to deliver a message to the family of the pigs, I hope they f***ing die.' The protesters had been connected to the Black Lives Matter movement on Twitter but that has not been officially confirmed. Another demonstrator tells police: 'Y'all gonna die one by one. This ain't gonna stop.' On Sunday the LA county sheriffs office tweeted: 'To the protesters blocking the entrance & exit of the HOSPITAL EMERGENCY ROOM yelling 'We hope they die' referring to 2 LA Sheriff's ambushed today in #Compton: DO NOT BLOCK EMERGENCY ENTRIES & EXITS TO THE HOSPITAL. On Sunday the LA county sheriffs office tweeted about the protests outside the hospital 'People's lives are at stake when ambulances can't get through.' One local faith leader had told KABC: 'They were saying "Death to the police" and "Kill the police," and these are sheriffs, but the message is still the same. They were using all types of curse words and derogatory terms. Unacceptable behavior, because a hospital should be a sanctuary.' A radio reporter who was near the protest scene was taken into custody, KABC-TV reported. The sheriff's department later tweeted that the reporter interfered with the arrest of a male protester Video released by the sheriff's department Saturday shows the suspect walking up to the car and immediately opening fire on the male and female officers before running off. 'The gunman walked up on the deputies and opened fire without warning or provocation,' the department said in a post. Both deputies sustained multiple gunshot wounds and are in critical condition, according to the department's Twitter account. Both graduated from the academy 14 months ago. Neither have been officially named. During the press conference, Sheriff Villanueva said that the two deputies initiated radio contact after they were shot. They were transported with the assistance of other deputies,' he shared. 'That was a cowardly act,' Villanueva added. 'The two deputies were doing their job, minding their own business, watching out for the safety of the people on the train.' 'Seeing somebody just walk up and start shooting on them. It p***es me off. It dismays me at the same time. There's no pretty way to say it.' Footage of the protesters surrounding the hospital where they are being treated sparked outrage online. @themetskipper wrote: 'This is the result of the anti police narrative.' Capt. Kent Wegner said: 'He walked along the passenger side of the car. He acted as if he was going to walk past the car and then he made a left turn directly toward the car, raised a pistol and fired several rounds inside of the vehicle, striking both of the sheriff's deputies.' The attorney general said in a statement Monday night that he and the local sheriff searched a crash scene after he thought he hit a deer Saturday night but they both missed spotting the pedestrian he had hit and killed. Jason Ravnsborg said he used Hyde County Sheriff Mike Voleks personal vehicle to drive home to Pierre and then returned it to Highmore the next day. As he passed by the crash scene Sunday morning, Ravnsborg said he stopped to look for the deer but instead found the body of Joe Boever, a 55-year-old man from Highmore. Instead of calling 911 Ravnsborg drove to Voleks house to report the discovery, leaving Boever on the side of the highway where he had been since 10:30 p.m. the night before. Ravnsborg shared this information and other details in a statement written on the letterhead of the Office of Attorney General and sent from his campaign email address. Ravnsborg sent the email at 10:07 p.m. Central Time without the knowledge of his offices chief of staff/spokesman. I have not seen what you are talking about, Tim Bormann said Monday evening. I have not prepared a press release. Bormann who answered questions earlier Monday about the incident said Monday night that hes no longer issuing any statements about it and that Ravnsborg is working with a new spokesman on this issue. Mike Deaver, who lives in Salt Lake City, said hes a friend of Jasons" and also did not know about Ravnsborg's statement. Deaver said he works for the Strategies 360, a Seattle-based communications firm. He said he has discussed the incident with Ravnsborg, but they have not yet talked about payment for his services. Ravnsborg said he wrote the statement to address the many rumors and stories being told and reported which do not represent a full and factual account of what happened. The attorney general said he arrived at the Spink County Lincoln Day Dinner in Redfield around 4:45 p.m. Saturday and left around 9:15 p.m. The event was held at Roosters Bar and Grill, according to the website of the South Dakota Republican Party. I consumed no alcoholic beverages before, during or after the event, Ravnsborg wrote. He said he called 911 after he hit something that he believed to be a large animal (likely a deer) shortly after passing through Highmore. The crash occurred around 10:30 p.m. on U.S. Highway 14 just west of the town, according to the Highway Patrol. I looked around the vehicle in the dark and saw nothing to indicate what I had hit, Ravnsborg wrote. Ravnsborg said he only saw pieces of his vehicle lying around the road and he used the flashlight on his cell phone to look in the ditch. He said Volek arrived, inspected his car and the area, filled out accident paperwork, and gave him a tag required to get his vehicle repaired. At no time did either of us suspect that I had been involved in an accident with a person, Ravnsborg said. Ravnsborg said his vehicle was too damaged to drive home so he called the nearest tow service, which is in Pierre. Volek graciously offered to loan me his personal vehicle so I could drive back to Pierre after saying it would take more than an hour for the tow truck to arrive, Ravnsborg wrote. Ravnsborg was driving his personal vehicle, Deaver said. The attorney general said he called Bormann to tell him about the crash and that he was driving Voleks car back home. Ravnsborg said he arrived in Pierre around midnight. Ravnsborg said he drove Voleks car back Sunday morning and Bormann went with him. He said he noticed debris was still present at the crash site so he and Bormann stopped to see if they could find what he hit. I discovered the body of Mr. Boever in the grass just off the roadway, Ravnsborg wrote. The attorney general said he and Bormann checked on Boever and it was obvious he was dead. I immediately drove to Sheriff Voleks home to report the discovery and he accompanied me back to the scene, Ravnsborg wrote. He said Volek said he would handle the investigation and told him to return to Pierre. Ravnsborg said hes cooperated with the investigation by providing a blood sample, letting officials search his two cell phones, and sharing the names of people at the dinner who could confirm that he didnt drink alcohol. He said he was also interviewed about the incident. The South Dakota Highway Patrol is leading the investigation and receiving assistance from the North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation. BCI was called in to take over the role of the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation which is under Ravnsborg's office to avoid any conflict of interest, Bormann said. I am deeply saddened by the tragic nature of these events and my heartfelt condolences go out to the Boever family, Ravnsborg said. The attorney general said he would not be answering any questions from the media until the investigation is complete. Contact Arielle Zionts at arielle.zionts@rapidcityjournal.com. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 2 Sad 4 Angry 3 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. KILN, Miss. Hurricane Sally intensified again to a Category 2 storm early Wednesday on its lumbering journey to the Gulf Coast, threatening to bring heavy rains and "historic life-threatening flooding" from southeastern Louisiana to Florida's Panhandle. Tropical-storm-force winds arrived onshore along the Gulf Coast on Tuesday afternoon, the National Hurricane Center said, adding that the center of the storm would "make landfall in the hurricane warning area early Wednesday." The National Weather Service office in Mobile, Alabama, projected late Tuesday night that Sally would come ashore around 7 a.m. Wednesday near Orange Beach, on Alabama's eastern Gulf Coast between Mobile and Pensacola, Fla. Sally, which was downgraded to Category 1 on Tuesday before strengthening again as it moved closer to landfall, was 60 miles south-southeast of Mobile and 55 miles southwest of Pensacola at 1 a.m. CDT. The storm, traveling at just 2 mph, had maximum sustained winds of 100 mph. Its going to be a huge rainmaker, said Phil Klotzbach, a research scientist and meteorologist at Colorado State University. Its not going to be pretty. There's only one name left on the 2020 list of hurricane names. Next up: The Greek alphabet. Sally will be the eighth named storm to make landfall in the continental U.S. this year the most through Sept. 16 in recorded history, surpassing the seven storms of 1916, Klotzbach said Tuesday night on Twitter. The record for most continental U.S. landfalls in a single Atlantic season is nine, also set in 1916. The storms's dangers will be felt for miles with hurricane warnings in effect from east of Bay St. Louis, Louisiana, to Navarre, Florida. There is going to be historic flooding along with the historic rainfall, Stacy Stewart, a senior specialist with the Hurricane Center, said Tuesday. If people live near rivers, small streams and creeks, they need to evacuate and go somewhere else. Story continues Waves crash near a pier on Tuesday at Gulf State Park in Gulf Shores, Alabama, ahead of the arrival of Hurricane Sally in the northern Gulf Coast. The Hurricane Center said the storm's center will continue to move slowly to the northwest and north on Tuesday as it nears the coast of southeastern Louisiana. It will then turn northeast as it comes ashore and continues to trudge across the Southeast later in the week. Forecasters say Sally could bring 10 to 20 inches of rain from the Florida Panhandle to southeast Mississippi, with some isolated pockets of rain up to 30 inches. The rain along and just inland of the coast could bring "historic life-threatening flash flooding" through Wednesday, the Hurricane Center said. Up to seven feet of storm surge was also forecast across Alabama's coastline from the Mississippi border to Florida border, forecasters said. Isolated tornadoes could also occur Wednesday across portions of the Florida Panhandle and southern Alabama, according to the Hurricane Center. Hurricane Sally travel issues: United, Delta, American, Southwest, Spirit, JetBlue issue flight waivers As it moves inland, Sally could also dump up to a foot of rain along pockets of southeastern Mississippi, southern and central Alabama, northern Georgia and the western Carolinas. President Donald Trump issued emergency declarations for parts of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama on Monday. "Be ready and listen to State and Local Leaders!" Trump tweeted. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties, along the western part of the Panhandle, which already was being pummeled with rain from Sally's outer bands. Outside Pensacola, Quietwater Beach was completely underwater and county public works employees could be seen wading through knee-high water to secure trash cans and other items. The Pensacola Bay Bridge also closed Tuesday morning amid wind and rain, and over the course of the day, it is likely that more and more routes to coastal communities will be cut off. In Alabama, Gov. Kay Ivey also issued a state of an emergency closing Alabama's beaches. The causeway to Dauphin Island, which was already flooding, was closed, and downtown Mobile was nearly deserted. Ivey warned residents living along the Gulf, especially south of Interstate 10 or in low-lying areas, to evacuate if conditions permit. This is not worth risking your life, Ivey said during a news conference Tuesday. Waves crash against the Okaloosa Island Fishing pier Monday evening as wind and waves from Hurricane Sally begin to brush the Emerald Coast. Sally had threatened to batter New Orleans, where thousands of evacuees from Hurricane Laura were staying, but turned east over the past day. Laura devastated much of southwestern Louisiana after it roared ashore as a Category 4 storm, the first major hurricane of the 2020 season. In Mississippi, Hurricane Katrina was on the minds of some residents preparing for Sally's deluge. Sabrina Young of Bay St. Louis was at the Kiln shelter Monday. It was the first of several to open around the region as evacuations of low-lying areas began. (The people will) be coming but it will be too late," she said. "Theyll have the bare necessities. I did that with Katrina the clothes on our backs and that was it. I dont want to be in that situation again. Others appeared unsure what to do and planned to ride out the storm at home. Kenneth Belcher of Ocean Springs said he's worried about the storm but has little choice other than to stay at his apartment. "They say it's going to be a bad one," Belcher said. "They said 15, 20, 30 inches are going to fall. We got lucky with (Hurricane) Laura, but this one looks like it's coming to us." Some Gulf Coast residents in Mississippi were taking Sallys approach in stride. Im from here, said Kristen Gard of Gulfport. Weve been through it all. Well, I have not them, she said, referring to her two children playing on the beach in Gulfport. Seven houses from the beach, the Bourgeois home is 30 feet above sea level and 12 feet off the ground. We love it here," Sue Bourgeois said. "We didn't leave for Katrina. It's God's will." The storms are part of a particularly active hurricane season in the Atlantic, with Monday marking the second time ever that forecasters tracked five tropical cyclones simultaneously in the Atlantic basin. None other than Sally were forecast to hit the continental U.S. this week. Scientists say human-caused climate change has made hurricanes stronger and rainier in recent years with warmer air and water in the oceans. Rising sea levels from climate change also can make storm surge higher and more damaging. Contributing: Dinah Voyles Pulver and Steve Kiggins, USA TODAY; Annie Blanks and Kevin Robinson, Pensacola News Journal; Chanukah Christie and Sarah Ann Duenas, Montgomery Advertiser; Lici Beveridge, Luke Ramseth, Alissa Zhu, Mississippi Clarion Ledger; and The Associated Press This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Hurricane Sally threatens to bring 'historic' flooding to Gulf Coast ALBANY Officials at the state Department of Labor on Monday terminated a fugitive with a lengthy criminal history, including arrests for identification theft, who had been among hundreds of clerks hired since March to help process unemployment claims. The 46-year-old fired clerk was hired as a $17.61-per-hour "senior employment security clerk" on July 20 and had been working in the department's telephone call center at the Harriman office complex, according to records on file with the state comptroller's office. The termination of someone employed by a government agency is a matter of public record under state law. Still, Peter Brancato, a spokesman for the Department of Labor declined to comment, saying the department "does not comment on any personnel matters." The former clerk could not be reached for comment. His termination, which was confirmed by sources in the department, came a day after the Times Union published a story revealing his criminal history and that highlighted what employees in the department characterized as a loosening of the verification process to approve more than 3 million unemployment claims since the coronavirus pandemic struck New York earlier this year. The story also noted that no background checks were conducted on the hastily hired clerks and vendors who were given access to applicants' personal financial information. Brancato cast the employees' concerns as "baseless allegations ... rooted in fantasy." The Labor Department's contracts with 2,500 vendors was augmented with the hiring of an additional 400 senior employment security clerks who were hired as the pandemic peaked in April. A Times Union review of the employees hired by the state found some with felony criminal records, even though they are in jobs with access to sensitive personal information that includes Social Security numbers, dates of birth and other personal information. The clerk who was terminated, according to court records and law enforcement officials, is a fugitive in Leon County, Fla., where he failed to show up in court after a 2017 arrest on charges of larceny and offering a forged instrument. He also was arrested in the 1990s in Florida on charges of passing worthless checks. His criminal history extends to Syracuse, where he pleaded guilty to grand larceny in 2015 to settle more than 30 felony counts that he faced, including forgery and identity theft, according to the Onondaga County district attorney's office. At the time of his arrest in the town of DeWitt, near Syracuse, he was also a suspect in nearly two dozen other cases involving stolen credit cards in Vermont, Virginia, Pennsylvania and New Jersey, according to published reports at the time. After his release from jail in 2015, he was arrested again for allegedly stealing a winter jacket from a Syracuse clothing store. Five months later, police were summoned to a Subway store in Syracuse after the owner claimed the man stole $660 from the register while working a weekend shift. He agreed to pay the owner back, and police closed the case as a "civil settlement," according to prosecutors. In building 12 at the Harriman complex, which is a main office for the Department of Labor, the clerk received accolades for his hard work and flagging applications that appeared to be fraudulent, according to workers. There is no indication that he had engaged in any misconduct in the job. Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years. Another call center worker hired this year by the Labor Department was a 26-year-old Albany woman who pleaded guilty to felony drug charges five years ago for her role in a cocaine distribution ring. She was hired in April but fired in June, her co-workers said, because of issues with her remote work that had nothing to do with her criminal history. A Troy man hired as a call center worker in December, three months after his arrest on charges of stealing a check from his landlord and forging it to pay himself $3,500, was fired in March for falsely saying that he had contacted a claimant before processing their benefits. Brancato, the Labor Department's spokesman, had declined to say whether background checks are conducted on the people they have retained to process claims, including third-party vendors. In response to that question, he stated: "All agents hired through vendors received confidentiality training and were required to sign non-disclosure agreements regarding confidential UI (unemployment insurance) information/data. All contracts also included language on background checks/security clearance." The job applications used by the Labor Department say that a criminal record is not always an impediment to being hired, "depending upon the nature of the criminal offense, its relationship to the position sought, and other factors that must be considered before employment may lawfully be denied based upon prior convictions." The clerks and other employees interviewed for the Times Union's story published on Sunday said that for people working at home, especially out of state or those with criminal records, the agency has no way of knowing whether confidential information is being protected or if others in those households have access to it. They noted that while the state reported more than 42,000 fraud cases to law enforcement authorities this year, that number doesn't reflect the fraud cases that may have slipped by undetected, or the benefits potentially paid to recipients who are not entitled to receive them. Tens of thousands of former students at ITT Technical Institute, a for-profit chain that collapsed four years ago, will not have to repay $330 million in private student loans that prosecutors called reckless and deceptive, under a settlement deal announced on Tuesday. The agreement, involving a federal regulator and attorneys general from 47 states, covers debts incurred through ITTs Peaks loan program, which was often used by students who had maxed out their federal student loans. The programs loans carried high interest rates and trapped borrowers in debts that ITT knew they would be unable to repay, according to a complaint filed by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. In some cases, financial aid officers sometimes signed loan documents without the borrowers knowledge or permission. Many students were pushed into Peaks Loans, did not understand the terms of their Peaks Loans, or did not realize they had taken out loans at all, the bureau wrote in its filing in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana. Russia's most notorious female gangster and her criminal ring are facing allegations of up to 'three dozen' more murders. Matriarch mobster Inessa Tarverdieva and three of her relatives were jailed for a total of 76 years in 2018 for a reign of terror which included ten 'horrible and bloody' killings. Now a new trial has begun over more alleged murders by the so-called Amazon gang which held Russia's Rostov region in fear. Newspaper Komsomolskaya Pravda reported the new criminal case includes 'three dozen murders', ten robberies and 60 thefts. Russian mob boss Inessa Tarverdieva and her husband's brother-in-law Sergey Sinelnik listening to the verdict when the Amazon gang was sent to prison in 2018 Inessa Tarverdieva gives evidence to police during a crime re-enactment where she demonstrated her gun-handling skills to detectives In one of the new cases, two young policemen were allegedly lured to a dental surgery after the gang staged a break in. The gangsters are accused of shooting sergeant Vladimir Mandrik, 26, and police driver Vasily Kamforin, 22, to steal their Kalashnikov assault rifle and Makarov pistols. One of the pistols was later used to shoot dead a taxi driver, according to the prosecution. In another new case the gang shot at two policemen, killing one, in 2013, it is alleged. Tarverdieva, 52, a former nursery school teacher, her daughter Viktoria, 31, her husband's brother-in-law Sergei Sinelnik and his wife Anastasia, both 33, were all jailed two years ago. When she was convicted over 10 'horrible and bloody' murders, Tarverdieva said as she left court in handcuffs: 'The verdict is fair, I won't appeal against it.' She had schooled her daughter Viktoria in murder, the court was told. Anastasia Sinelnikova, the wife of Sergey Sinelnik, in court when the Amazon gang was put on trial for their reign of terror Sergey and Anastasia Sinelnik with their son. Both were jailed in 2018 The gang's earlier victims included half a dozen policemen - and her own 12 year old goddaughter Lera Klochko, who was fatally shot through the eye when a burglary went wrong and the girl saw the identity of the criminals. Tarverdieva, dressed in black to hear her sentence, was compared to US 1930s female mobster 'Ma' Barker. She earlier appeared in court wearing bright red with Louboutin shoes, and expensive make-up - even though it was banned in the grim detention centre in Rostov-on-Don where she was held. She was jailed for 21 years in a strict labour colony regime while her daughter Viktoria was sent down for 16 years. The gang had included the crime queen's lover, Roman Podkopaev - a 36 year old dentist described by a relative as 'weak and obedient' to her. He died in a 2013 shoot out when the other gang members were arrested and is seen by police as being directly involved in 20 murders. The gang included the crime queen's lover, Roman Podkopaev (pictured), a 36-year-old dentist described by a relative as 'weak and obedient' to her. Pictured left: victims Lera Klochko (left) and Tanya Cherednikova (right); right: another victim, Lera Klochko, in the coffin The family, including younger daughter Anastasiya, now 17, were seen as 'dull and normal', fond of camping trips. At night they morphed into ruthless killers, the earlier trial was told. Tarverdieva admitted that the crime family saw murder and robbery like 'going to the office for a day's work', while she also confessed to loathing police, boasting: 'I'm a gangster by nature.' Killing was a 'means of earning money', she said, before demonstrating her gun handling skills to detectives during a crime reenactment. Both the middle-class criminal godmother and her dentist partner had good higher education qualifications. She gave up work in a nursery school and 'switched completely to their robbery and murder business', said a police source. She carried a knife engraved 'to my beloved Amazon warriors'. Searches of her family's homes revealed an 'arsenal' of 20 firearms, including automatic rifles, grenades, shotguns, silencers and ammunition, as well as items stolen from their victims. A billboard advertisement with a cryptic but controversial message Used-Mexicans was removed Monday after it spurred complaints from passing motorists on Interstate 35 near New Braunfels and from civil rights leaders. New Braunfels City Manager Robert Camareno said in a statement posted to Facebook that the advertising company that owns the billboard removed the sign Monday afternoon after learning of its content. The League of United Latin American Citizens said the company, Turner Outdoor Advertising, had donated the billboard space to the organization effective immediately for placement of a positive message. Camareno said New Braunfels officials received complaints about the sign over the weekend and throughout Monday. The billboard is not located within the New Braunfels city limits or within the extraterritorial jurisdiction of the city of New Braunfels, Camarenos statement said. However, we do acknowledge that the billboard is offensive and not representative of our communitys values. We worked to locate the owner of the billboard and contacted them. They were unaware of the billboard and said it had not been approved. Once they were notified of its offensive messaging, they worked swiftly to address the issue. The billboard, located just north of a truck stop at the York Creek exit off I-35 in Comal County, displayed Used-Mexicans followed by the website suffixes .org, .com and .info. Those visiting the websites found a message saying: Used (Yoozd) Adj.; a) deceptively led into a relationship to gain something of worth. b) no longer of value, depleted. In bold letters, the sites define Mexicans as people of heritage that are good at what they do and adds, You are being Yoozd! The man who put up the billboard, Charles Abernathy, said its message was that Hispanics have been used by the Democratic Party, are conservative at heart and ought to vote for President Donald Trump. Its meant to be inflammatory, but, I mean, if I put up a sign and it said, Hispanics for Trump, everybody would have just driven past it and gone on about their business, Abernathy, 55, of Houston, said in an interview. If I put up what my true intentions are, which is showing the Hispanic population of this country are being used, then I think it has much more impact in driving traffic to the site, he said. Im going to be called a racist anyway. Abernathy transports oversized equipment for the oil and gas industry in Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Wyoming and other states. LULAC spokesman David Cruz said those behind the sign had a right to their views, but not at our expense. He added: This was a billboard that was on its face offensive. It constitutes hate speech because it denigrates a community. In this day and time when people are facing a pandemic, and theyre trying to make ends meet and survive and going into an election, this is the last thing our country needs right now. Abernathy said the billboard had been up for about a month and generated a few thousand hits on the website used-mexicans.org. He said he chose the location because its a corridor for freight out of Laredo. Truckers and other motorists, close to 70,000 a day in some cases, pass by the billboard en route to Dallas and beyond, he said. The sign only recently drew attention from locals, including a resident who said she has mixed-race children and is hyper-sensitive to what is going on in our town. She asked not to be identified, saying she feared retribution. Why spend money on a billboard here? she asked. Some saw the billboard as especially concerning in light of recent tensions over motorcades staged by Trump supporters in New Braunfels. The weekly motorized demonstrations by a group called Trump Train NB have grown to hundreds of vehicles. Some residents have complained about threatening conduct during the vehicle parades and menacing social media posts. Residents complained that one pro-Trump motorist yelled a racial epithet at an African American. They also pointed to a YouTube video that showed a white pickup dragging a Black Lives Matter banner. New Braunfels Mayor Rusty Brockman last week issued a call for peace and good behavior. An organizer of the pro-Trump rallies, Randi Ceh, said participants have been asked not to honk their horns but that she wasnt aware of anyone using racial insults. In a statement, her group said, Anyone that joins this organization with the purpose of spreading a message of hate is not welcome. Comal County Judge Sherman Krause said he hadnt seen the billboard but did receive a call Monday from someone worried about it. He said local law enforcement authorities and others had examined social media posts and potential threats that might be out there and were ready to respond. Rodolfo Rosales, a LULAC state director, said his organization reached out to officials in New Braunfels. The organization said the billboard denigrated Mexicans along one of the nations busiest highways, the San Antonio-to-Austin corridor. The sign referred to Mexicans as used and was clearly meant as a racial slur against our community, Rosales said. He applauded Camereno, Brockman and Mike Turner of Turner Outdoor Advertising for acting swiftly to resolve the issue. It wasnt the first time Abernathy has used shock billboards to put a spotlight on a hot-button issue. He said he put up another provocative billboard in 2012 in Clovis, N.M., in response to the federal governments Fast and Furious gun sting operation on the southern border, which he said resulted in the deaths of hundreds of Mexicans. A photo of the billboard published in the Eastern New Mexico News shows its message: Who cares about a few hundred MurderedMexicans.org. Told his latest sign was also provocative and would get attention, he replied, Its what we want. Murdered Mexicans was inflammatory, too. I was called a racist after that. Sig Christenson covers the military and its impact in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. To read more from Sig, become a subscriber. sigc@express-news.net | Twitter: @saddamscribe MEXICO CITY - Leona Vicario defied convention. A financier and intelligence gatherer for Mexicos independence struggle two centuries ago, she broke gender barriers and publicly refuted an allegation that she made sacrifices for her country to win the man she loved. As Mexico marks its independence holiday on Wednesday, the anniversary of revolutionary leader Miguel Hidalgos 1810 call for freedom from Spanish colonizers, some academics and activists think Mexico has yet to fully embrace Vicario and her forward-thinking positions on equality. She didnt command rebel armies or die by execution like Hidalgo and successor Jose Maria Morelos. But Vicario challenged not just foreign rule, but also a society that deemed women unworthy of public roles. This year, Vicario is in the official spotlight, even as Mexico endures high rates of violence against women and other contemporary afflictions. On Aug. 21, a bronze statue of Vicario, fists on hips, was unveiled on the Paseo de la Reforma, a major Mexico City avenue. While Vicario also got a state funeral in 1842, her name is inscribed in Mexicos congress building and a town is named after her, some say more is needed. Incorporate her into textbooks, make her story reach young people by every means possible, said Celia del Palacio, author of the historical novel Leona and a researcher at the communications and cultural studies centre at the Universidad Veracruzana, a Mexican university. Vicario was born in Mexico City in 1789. She studied widely at a time when such an education was mostly denied to women, including those of means. Her parents died in 1807, leaving her a fortune with which she funded rebel activities. Spanish authorities discovered her secret role. Vicario fled, ended up on trial, escaped, had her property confiscated, married independence figure Andres Quintana Roo and had children, and returned to Mexico City in 1820 as crown authority crumbled. After independence, a newspaper published her rebuttal to politician Lucas Alaman, who suggested Vicario campaigned against Spain to win the affection of Quintana Roo. Love is not the only motive for the actions of women,? she wrote in 1831. Vicario said her actions and opinions have always been very free, absolutely nobody has influenced them, Ive always operated with total independence on that point, and without catering to the opinions of people I have respected. She continued: I think all women are like that, except for the very ignorant, or those who have become subservient because of their education. In both those groups, there are also a lot of men. Historical documents testify to her spunk and downright defiance in the face of authorities attempts to control her or to tarnish her image, said Amy Wright, an associate professor of Hispanic studies at Saint Louis University in the United States. In standing up for herself, Vicario was perhaps considered unworthy of emulation, and that dynamic circulates in many societies today, according to Wright. How accepted is it for a woman to be openly defiant, to speak back loudly to authority? she said. Mexicos official tributes to Vicario coincide with continuing anguish. Activists occupied the office of Mexicos Human Rights Commission this month to call for more investigations and prosecutions in cases of abused and missing women. President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador says he welcomes legitimate concerns, but that political opponents are behind some protests. Beatriz Gutierrez Muller, the presidents wife and a promoter of national culture, joined Mexico City Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum in unveiling Vicarios statue. Gutierrez Muller said Vicario risked everything for national independence. She also compared Vicarios donations to rebels with recently released videos showing a brother of Lopez Obrador receiving money years ago from an official. The president says the money was for his political movement and there was no corruption. Vicario also gave money and she wasnt recorded, said Gutierrez Muller, implying her brother-in-law had done nothing wrong. Activist Veronica Cruz, who has helped women imprisoned for having abortions, said the government is hostile toward some female campaigners and that its showcasing of Vicario is politically correct.? In a progressive 1910 biography marking Mexicos independence centennial, intellectual Genaro Garcia countered perceptions of Vicario as an accessory to male independence leaders and said Mexico had not sufficiently honoured her. The new statue inscription describes Vicario as a journalist, though there is little evidence to support that. Del Palacio, the historical novelist, said Vicario is known to have sent information to insurgents, but that she could not find a trace of Vicario in the eras insurgent publications, which tended not to carry bylines on articles. Del Palacio speculated it was difficult for conservative generations to embrace the roving, outspoken Vicario. She said another defiant figure, Josefa Ortiz, has been widely presented as a woman who performed a heroic act from a domestic space, warning rebel conspirators, led by Hidalgo, from her home about a colonial crackdown. Leona has a lot to keep teaching women and men, said del Palacio, listing three things: Dont conform, dont give up during adversity and confront power. Read more about: New Delhi: RBI Governor Urjit Patel will on Wednesday brief a parliamentary panel in New Delhi on demonetisation and its impact on the economy and the steps taken by the central bank to deal with the cash crunch. Besides, representatives of the Finance Ministry, including from the department of Economic Affairs, Financial Services and Revenue will brief the members of the Standing Committee on Finance headed by former Union Minister and senior Congress leader Veerappa Moily. Also, representatives of Indian Banks Association (IBA), State Bank of India (SBI), Punjab National Bank (PNB) and Oriental Bank of Commerce (OBC) are scheduled to be present in the meeting. The meeting will discuss the demonetisation of Indian currency notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 and the impact thereof. The RBI Governor is also scheduled to appear before the Public Accounts Committee of Parliament on the same issue on January 20. In a surprise move on November 8, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced the demonetisation of old Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes. Following the decision, the RBI had put restrictions on withdrawal of cash from ATMs as well as from banks to deal with shortage of new high denomination currency notes. This led to long queues at ATMs and bank branches. The cash situation has improved gradually with supply of new Rs 500 and Rs 2,000 notes. Yesterday, the RBI increased the daily withdrawal limit from ATMs to Rs 10,000, though it kept the weekly ceiling at Rs 24,000. All over the country, the banks had to deal with huge rush of people who thronged their branches to deposit the junked notes. The deadline for depositing old notes with banks ended on December 30. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Cuba releases journalist imprisoned at labor camp for covering arrest of Christian homeschool parents Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment A Cuban journalist who was imprisoned for nearly a year for reporting on the arrest, jailing and trial of Christian pastors and homeschool parents has been released and reunited with his family. Roberto Quinones Haces, a journalist for CubaNet, confirmed his Sept. 4 release in Guantanamo by phone to the news outlet. The 63 year old had been imprisoned since Sept. 11, 2019. He was convicted of crimes related to disobedience and resistance as he covered the trial of Ramon Rigal and his wife, Adya Exposito, members of the Church of God. They were arrested in April 2019 for homeschooling their children due to concerns about the Cuban public school systems promotion of socialism and atheism. Quinones was sentenced to one year in a labor camp, according to the U.S. State Department. Throughout their imprisonment, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, as well as other international human rights watchdogs, called for the release of the couple and Quinones. The married couple were released at separate times earlier this year. In a statement, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called Quinones release overdue, adding that the charges against the journalist were dubious. Throughout Quinones' imprisonment, human rights groups including Amnesty International, PEN International and Christian Solidarity Worldwide demanded his release. His detention and trial were marked by the flagrant disregard for legal norms, which is typical of the Cuban regime, Pompeo said. Cuban authorities did not inform Quinones of the charges against him until minutes before the trial and did not permit him legal representation in the courtroom. As Cuba was added to the State Departments special watch list of countries that engaged in or tolerated severe violations of religious freedom last December, Pompeo said its disgraceful that the Cuban regime incarcerated a journalist whose only crime is working for a more transparent society. It is also unsurprising, the top U.S. diplomat asserted. The regime uses any excuse to silence its critics and to violate human rights, including the rights to freedom of expression and to fair trial guarantees. According to the USCIRF, Cubas new Constitution adopted last April changed religious freedom protections. It was followed by the regime's aggressive targeting of religious leaders who opposed the changes. Tactics used to pressure religious leaders included repeated police summons, interrogations, threats of detention, and labeling religious leaders as counterrevolutionaries. While gathering information on religious freedom conditions in Cuba remains a challenge, a nongovernmental organization documented 260 cases of violations of freedom of religion or belief in Cuba in 2019, including harassments, arrests, and travel bans, up from 151 in 2018, the USCIRF annual report reads. Religious leaders who raised concern that the new constitution weakened religious freedom protections faced severe hostility and pressure leading up to the constitutional referendum in February. Cuban authorities have also in the past been accused of preventing religious leaders and activists from traveling to the U.S. to testify about the repression of religious freedom in Cuba. Last year, it was reported that regime officials banned at least four evangelical leaders who spoke out about the constitutional changes from traveling to the U.S. to participate in the State Department's second Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom. (Bloomberg) -- Stripe Inc. plans to make a one-time payment of $20,000 to employees who opt to move out of San Francisco, New York or Seattle, but also cut their base salary by as much as 10%, according to a person familiar with the matter. The payments processor will make the offer available to workers who choose to relocate before the end of the year, said the person, who asked to remain anonymous to discuss private details. But employees opting to move may have to relinquish some of their base pay. The new policy adds Stripe to the list of technology companies that have expanded opportunities for employees to work remotely while also signaling they may implement pay cuts if workers move to less-expensive cities. VMware Inc. told Bloomberg News on Friday it had instituted such a policy, and Facebook Inc., Twitter Inc. and ServiceNow Inc. have all considered similar measures. Mike Manning, a spokesman for Stripe, declined to comment. For many Americans, the Covid-19 crisis has upended the cost-benefit balance of living in expensive metropolitan areas, which for months have been devoid of their usual flair. With corporate campuses and office buildings still closed or only partially staffed, many companies have given workers more leeway than ever to decide where and how they want to work. Thats led scores of white-collar workers to move closer to loved ones or to more sparsely populated areas with less punishing living costs. Pay cuts and a lesser need for pricey office space offer companies ways to save money. But a migration of workers from downtown headquarters also pose challenges for bosses who worry that remote work over the long term could stifle innovation or hamper productivity. It will also be financially challenging for coastal hubs that have long attracted large companies and their highly paid employees. Also read: Dimon Sees Lasting Damage If Workers Dont Return to Offices For tax reasons, companies must know where employees reside, but any decisions to cut pay is at their discretion. Story continues San Francisco-based Stripe, which employs around 2,800 people, has for years relied on remote work. Last year it formed a remote engineering hub in addition to its hubs in the Bay area, Seattle, Dublin and Singapore, and vowed to hire 100 new fully remote engineers and other staff. Doing so has brought its workers closer to customers and businesses, and tailor products to fit local needs and limitations, Jay Shirley, who is the site lead for Stripes remote engineering hub, wrote in a May blog post. The company was valued at $36 billion in it latest funding round, making it one of the countrys most valuable closely held startups. The San Francisco Bay area had the highest prices for goods and services, including rent, among large metropolitan areas in the country in 2018, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. New York was in second place. Among areas of all sizes, the California cities of San Jose, Sunnyvale and Santa Clara, in the heart of Silicon Valley, had the nations highest rents. In a recent poll on Blind, a professional network where users can remain anonymous, 49% of the 5,900 respondents said a relocation shouldnt prompt a pay cut as long as theyre doing the same work. About 44% said they were willing to make that trade, with the remainder saying they were indifferent. (Updates with Blind survey in final paragraph.) For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com Subscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source. 2020 Bloomberg L.P. New Delhi: A Delhi court on Friday convicted nine operatives of terror outfit ISIS for hatching a criminal conspiracy to establish its base in India by recruiting Muslims carry out acts of terrorism in the country. Special judge Parveen Singh convicted accused Abu Anas, Nafees Khan, Najmul Huda, Mohd Afzal, Suhail Ahamed, Obedullah Khan, Mohd Aleem, Mufti Abdul Sami Qasmi and Amjad Khan after they pleaded guilty. Their advocate Qausar Khan said the court convicted them under sections 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC, and various sections of the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and Explosive Substances Act. The judge accepted their application pleading guilty and posted the matter for September 22, when he will hear the arguments on quantum of sentence. On the next date of hearing, the court will also hear arguments on the quantum of sentence of six others Mudabbir Mushtaq Sheikh, Mohammad Shareef Moinudeen Khan, Asif Ali, Mohammad Hussain Khan, Syed Mujahid and Mohammad Azhar Khan who were earlier convicted after they pleaded guilty. The court have directed the jail authorities to file reports regarding their conduct and asked the defence counsel to inform about their background and familys condition. While pleading guilty, the accused told the court that they were remorseful for the acts alleged against them, and undertook not to indulge in similar acts and activities in future. Advocate Khan further told the court that the accused wanted to return to the mainstream society and rehabilitate themselves. The accused are having clean antecedents, even their conduct in jail are satisfactory and there is nothing adverse against them... the accused are pleading guilty voluntarily without any pressure, threat, coercion, inducement or undue influence and he that he understands the consequences, their plea had said. The advocate said though the maximum punishment for the offences in which the accused persons are convicted after pleading guilty is life imprisonment, the court may consider all other aspects mentioned before it while pronouncing quantum of punishment. The case, registered by the NIA on December 9, 2015 under relevant sections of the IPC and the UA(P) Act, pertains to the larger criminal conspiracy hatched by the ISIS to establish its base in India by recruiting Muslim youths for the proscribed terror group through different social media platforms, the NIA said. The accused had formed Junood-ul-Khilafa-Fil-Hind organisation, seeking to establish a caliphate in India and pledging allegiance to ISIS, to recruit Muslim youths to work for the ISIS and commit acts of terrorism in India at the behest of Syria-based Yusuf-Al-Hindi who is purportedly the media chief of ISIS, the NIA said. The NIA filed chargesheets against the accused persons in 2016-2017. This case was first of its kind in which terrorist conspiracy of this magnitude involving online radicalisation was effected on cyber space in the aftermath of declaration of Islamic Caliphate by ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in 2014, the NIA had said. FLINT TWP, MI -- Two women were hospitalized after a crash Monday afternoon in Flint Township involving a Michigan State Police cruiser. The state police cruiser was headed south on Linden Road, near Lennon Road, shortly before 5:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 14. One of the two troopers inside the cruiser spotted a vehicle headed north on Linden Road commit a traffic violation, per a Michigan State Police news release. According to a preliminary investigation by Michigan State Police, troopers began to turn around to conduct a traffic stop when the cruiser entered the path of a 2018 Chevrolet Malibu, which struck the MSP cruiser on the drivers side. The driver of the Malibu, a 28-year-old Mt. Morris woman, was transported to a local hospital and released. The front-seat passenger, a 38-year-old Flint woman, was also transported to a local hospital for treatment. An update on the front-seat passengers condition was not immediately available. She is pregnant, police said. A rear-seat passenger, an 18-year-old Mt. Morris woman, did not require medical treatment. The driver of police cruiser was transported to a local hospital for treatment and was released a short time later. The passenger in the cruiser was not injured. The trooper who was driving the cruiser was placed on paid suspension, per department policy, pending review of the crash investigation. Upon completion of the investigation, the information will be presented to the Genesee County Prosecutors Office for review. K'taka drugs case: Congress targets BJP after pictures of Minister with accused surface India oi-Ajay Joseph Raj P Bengaluru, Sep 15: Sharing pictures of Revenue Minister R Ashoka with an accused in the drugs case, the Congress in Karnataka on Tuesday said there was a need for leaders from the ruling BJP, who are making allegations against those from other parties, to face the inquiry first. In a tweet, the state Congress said, "The pictures of R Ashoka with drugs scandal kingpin Rahul Thonshe suggests that it was not a casual meeting, but a close association. There is a need for leaders from the ruling BJP, who are making allegations against those from other parties to cover up their scandals, to be made to face inquiry first." Kangana Ranaut faces Congress fire on PoK barb, not sharing 'drugs info' In the pictures shared along with the tweet, Ashoka can be seen posing for a picture with Rahul along with others at some function. There are also pictures showing the two feeding each other sweets. On Monday, the Minister had denied any links with Rahul. "I had gone to a naming ceremony function relating to a party worker in my constituency, when a celebrity goes to such events normally several people take such pictures.... it is common such pictures are taken during public functions, so can we be linked? If I had gone to his house it is a different thing," he said. Explained: What is Aircraft (Amendment) Bill, 2020, how does it work? India elected as the member of the United Nations Commission on Status of Women | Oneindia News Ashoka in response to a question said the photo might have been taken some four years ago and since the coronavirus outbreak, he had not attended any such events recently. Earlier, Congress MLA Zameer Ahmed Khan's name has been linked to the drugs case, following his photos with one Shaik Fazil, who is linked to a casino in Colombo where allegedly such activities take place, emerged. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Tuesday, September 15, 2020, 14:35 [IST] HARRISBURG, Pa., Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Today AARP Pennsylvania released full survey results that show 50-plus Pennsylvania voters are not a lock for either presidential candidate. Former Vice President Joe Biden has a 4 point lead over President Donald Trump with 50-plus voters (50% - 46%) driven by voters 65-plus who favor Biden by 11 points (53% - 42%). The survey finds that support for Social Security and Medicare unifies voters from both parties. A significant majority of voters from both parties say that they are more likely to vote for a candidate who will protect Social Security (87%), strengthen Medicare (88%), lower drug costs (90%) and increase protections for nursing homes (82%). "This survey shows that candidates who want to win this year must address voting safely from home or in-person, preventing cuts to Social Security and Medicare, lowering prescription drug prices and other issues important to 50-plus voters," said AARP Pennsylvania State President Joanne Grossi. The Pennsylvania poll findings include: 55% of voters 50-plus are worried about getting coronavirus and 22% know someone who has passed away from coronavirus. More 50-plus voters are concerned about getting infected with coronavirus (64%) than getting a vaccine for it (32%). 44% of voters 50-plus are worried about not being able to afford to retire. Benenson Strategy Group and GS Strategy Group conducted 1600 interviews by phone, using registered voter lists with likely 2020 voters in Pennsylvania from August 30th to September 8th. 79% of interviews were conducted via cell phone; 21% via landline. Overall margin of error 2.5% at 95% level of confidence. About AARP AARP has 1.8 million members in Pennsylvania. Follow AARP Pennsylvania on Facebook at AARPPA and on Twitter @AARPPA. AARP is the nation's largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to empowering people 50 and older to choose how they live as they age. With a nationwide presence and nearly 38 million members, AARP strengthens communities and advocates for what matters most to families: health security, financial stability and personal fulfillment. AARP also produces the nation's largest circulation publications: AARP The Magazine and AARP Bulletin. To learn more, visit www.aarp.org or follow @AARP and @AARPadvocates on social media. CONTACT: Steve Gardner, AARP PA (717) 319-5484 or [email protected] Or Jacklyn Isasi, AARP PA (609) 902-6242 or [email protected] SOURCE AARP Pennsylvania Related Links http://www.aarp.org The country's 'frightening' cancer backlog will only clear if treatments run at 135 per cent capacity for six months. The chairmen of four cancer-related all-party parliamentary groups wrote to the Health Secretary over concerns that an estimated 55,000 cancer patients could die without urgent action. Research from charity Action Radiotherapy calculated that cancer services would have to run at 135 per cent capacity for six months to clear the backlog caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Founder Professor Pat Price has warned the UK is 'past the point of no return' and it is inevitable patients will die unnecessarily. A letter co-signed by Tim Farron has raised concerns that an estimated 55,000 cancer patients could die without urgent action The letter was signed by former Liberal Democrats leader Tim Farron, Conservative MP Henry Smith and Labour MPs Tonia Antoniazzi and Mark Tami. It read: 'The reality of the situation is that without an urgent boost to services to catch up, the only way the backlog disappears is through patients dying. 'Stories left on the campaign website make harrowing reading and show the individual suffering, particularly of those dying without access to any treatment. 'We are concerned that we are nowhere near being halfway to clearing this overall backlog.' 'That is why we are exceptionally keen that every avenue to boost, rather than to just reinstate, cancer services is explored.' Speaking in the House of Commons on September 8, Mr Hancock said the cancer backlog had come down by half. But campaigners and politicians believe the overall cancer backlog is much greater than initially thought. They claim the government estimates do not include people with cancer who have relapsed or those undiagnosed and still waiting to be diagnosed. Charity Action Radiotherapy calculated that cancer treatments would have to run at 135% for six months to clear the backlog caused by the coronavirus pandemic (file photo) Action for Radiotherapy analysed the latest figures from Cancer Research to calculate the expected number of new cancer patients needing treatment in the UK each year, as well those who have relapsed and need treatment. A total of 213,622 cancer patients are expected to have needed treatment between March and August 2020, according to the charity. Action Radiotherapy claim the UK's true cancer backlog is 86,122 after the total number of patients was subtracted from the number thought to have started treatment between the same period. It said cancer services would have to run at 135 per cent capacity over six months for the UK to catch up and treat these patients. Professor Price said: 'We are past the point of no return for this cancer crisis. It's no longer a question of 'will cancer patients die unnecessarily' but 'how many will die unnecessarily?'. 'There is so much suffering. Unless a massive effort is deployed right now, the only way the cancer backlog goes away is if people don't get the diagnosis and treatment they need. Matt Hancock, speaking in the House of Commons on September 8, said the cancer backlog had come down by half but campaigners say the backlog is greater than initially thought 'This is a shocking state of affairs. We know that in order to halt this cancer catastrophe we need cancer services running at 135%.' Mr Farron said: 'The government need to step up to the plate otherwise tens of thousands will die unnecessarily. 'Mr Hancock's answer risks giving people a false sense of security. He is failing to take seriously what is a serious problem 'Every day we leave it, the cancer crisis grows. 'My sense is that we genuinely run the risk of losing more people to cancer unnecessarily than Covid.' 'There is not the attempt to clear the backlog and make it a national mission.' And Ms Antoniazzi said: 'We cannot be in denial about the numbers anymore. The only way this backlog goes away is with action and resources deployed to tackle it otherwise we will lose more people to cancer than the coronavirus itself.' A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman added: 'Cancer diagnosis and treatment has remained an absolute priority. 'The NHS has adapted how it runs its cancer services to ensure the safety of both patients and staff this includes establishing dedicated cancer hubs for urgent treatment and diagnosis which are separate from hospitals dealing with Covid-19. 'Patients continued to be referred for urgent cancer checks and to start treatment throughout the peak, with numbers now increasing to near pre-pandemic levels. 'We have announced an additional 3billion for winter preparations, committed 300million capital funding to upgrade A&Es to expand waiting areas and treatment cubicles. 'This is on a record cash funding boost of 33.9billion extra by 2023/24 for the NHS.' Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu finds himself simultaneously confronting two events of historic magnitude. The first is a tremendous diplomatic achievement with the signing of peace agreements between Israel and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as well as Bahrain. The second is a colossal failure in the handling of the coronavirus crisis. Under Netanyahu, Israel has reached a health and economic crisis and become the first Western state to impose a second national lockdown at the height of the Jewish high holiday season. As always, Netanyahu is trying to reap the benefits while depriving his partners and rivals of any credit and leveraging US President Donald Trumps achievement. In the coronavirus arena, he is trying to spread the blame in every direction, accusing the political left and the news media, trying to embellish his own actions and promising Israelis full economic compensation and a bright future. His incredible political skills have convinced a significant number of Israelis of this alternate reality. However, as Netanyahu knows, the coming months will likely vanquish even his well-oiled spin machine. The second nationwide lockdown, set for three weeks starting Sept. 18, will destroy what is left of Israels previously thriving economy. It is forecast to send tens of thousands of small and medium-sized enterprises into insolvency and dig Israel further into a hole. If Netanyahu can make someone else pay for the downturn, he is a certified genius. Netanyahu arrived in Washington on Sept. 14 with his wife Sara and sons Yair and Avner. He did not bring Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi, Defense Minister Benny Gantz, nor any other government ministers or Knesset members. Unlike the late Prime Ministers Menachem Begin and Yitzhak Rabin when they signed peace agreements with Israels Arab neighbors, he did not honor members of the Knesset opposition, the bereaved families of fallen soldiers or public figures representative of Israeli society with invitations to the event. Netanyahu set a record for insensitivity when he tried to arrange for his family to fly to Washington on a private plane rather than on the plane chartered for his entourage, to minimize the chances of exposure to the coronavirus during the long flight. The plan was jettisoned in the face of harsh public criticism of Netanyahu and his family. The fact that no one in the prime ministers residence identified the problem of flying off on a private plane to celebrate in Washington while millions of people prepare for a lengthy lockdown and fear economic ruin is very troubling, a Likud source told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity. None of the Likud lawmakers dared criticize their leader publicly. Netanyahu and his family still hold absolute control over the party despite Netanyahus corruption trial and the economic and health crisis. This article is being written hours before the historic Sept. 15 White House ceremony, which Netanyahu will attend himself even though his Gulf counterparts sent their foreign ministers. He is making the event his own one-man show in hopes of dimming the glaring mismanagement of the epidemic. The extent to which the fanfare in Washington will help him preserve public support is unclear. Right now, the Likud is polling at about 30 of 120 Knesset seats. However, all bets are off once the lockdown begins and Israelis spend their second major holiday of the year (following the Passover lockdown in April) without their extended families, stuck at home and gazing with frustration and yearning at other countries where life has long returned to a kind of normal. The Israeli failure is even more egregious given the advantageous conditions it enjoyed going into the epidemic, with its highly skilled and experienced emergency services, a population used to weathering trauma, the youngest demographics in the West and easily controlled borders. Nonetheless, seven months into the crisis, Israel has still not deployed an effective system for disrupting chains of infection since the health services failed and handed the task over to the military at considerable delay. Government decisions on handling the crisis are blatantly influenced by political considerations and Netanyahu is unable to admit the truth to his strategically important ultra-Orthodox allies: that the rate of infection in ultra-Orthodox towns and neighborhoods is the highest in the land and these areas are the ones that require a lockdown. Ultimately, the need for a second overall lockdown stems from the governments failure, due to political pressure, to deal with the epidemic where it has hit hardest, and Netanyahu knows it even as he tries to flee to Washington. The agreements between Israel and the Gulf States being signed this week and those still to come are bolstering the alliance between Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu. For Trump, Israeli-Arab peace is an achievement he badly needs in his tight race against Joe Biden, and his name is being mentioned for a Nobel Peace Prize. Netanyahu owes Trump for keeping his head above water. The change of US policy in the Mideast the clear choice of the Sunni axis over the Shiite enemy paved the way for the UAE and Bahrain to make a public, strategic alliance with Israel under an American umbrella. Netanyahu and Trump are now clutching each other for dear life, and according to hints from Netanyahus inner circles, they may have further surprises for the Middle East before November. In the area of the village of Shumy in Donbas, as a result of the explosion of an RGD-5 type grenade, probably installed in the form of a trip wire, two Ukrainian servicemen have been wounded - a colonel and a press secretary of one of the brigades, the press center of the Joint Forces Operation (JFO) headquarters reported. "Today, at about 11:40 on September 15, in the area of the village of Shumy of Donetsk region, as a result of the explosion of an RGD-5 type grenade, installed, probably in the form of a tripwire, two servicemen were injured - Colonel A. Apolonov and press secretary of one of the brigades V. Zalevsky. Both wounded were taken to a hospital in the town of Toretske, their condition is stable, satisfactory," the message posted on Facebook says. CALGARY, AB / ACCESSWIRE / September 14, 2020 / This press release is being disseminated as required by National Instrument 62-103 - The Early Warning System and Take over Bid and Insider Reporting Issues regarding the disposition and acquisition of securities of CanadaBis Capital Inc. ("CanadaBis"). On September 14, 2020, 2011939 Alberta Ltd. ("2011939"), purchased pursuant to a private placement, a total of 3,333,333 Common Shares or 2.46% of the issued and outstanding shares of CanadaBis for cash consideration of $499,999.95 or $0.15 per Common Share. Following the share purchase 2011939 will beneficially own, control or have direction over, directly or indirectly, an aggregate of 18,751,048 Common Shares representing 13.87% of the issued and outstanding Common Shares. The Common Shares are being acquired for investment purposes and in the future, 2011939 may further decrease or increase their beneficial ownership of the securities of CanadaBis. A copy of the early warning report will be available on CanadaBis Capital Corp.'s Sedar profile at www.sedar.com. SOURCE: CanadaBis Capital Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/606106/Early-Warning-Report-Shares-of-Canadabis-Capital-Corp Scarane did not attract the endorsements or fundraising numbers of the years major left-wing campaigns, such as New York congressional candidate Jamaal Bowman, who won his Democratic primary race. But her campaign said Monday that it had made more than 900,000 voter contact attempts, reaching most of Delawares Democratic voters. It returned to in-person canvassing last month, while Coonss campaign did not. City of Ruili to test all residents after authorities report two new coronavirus cases imported from Myanmar. China has locked down a city on the border with Myanmar and announced plans to launch a mass coronavirus testing programme after authorities detected two new coronavirus cases there. The cases were found in the city of Ruili in western Yunnan province, an important land border crossing point with neighbouring Myanmar. City officials said in a statement on Tuesday that residents were being told to stay home and people had been forbidden from entering or leaving the city from Monday evening. They said every resident would be tested for the virus in Ruili, which is home to more than 210,000 people. Businesses have been closed except for supermarkets, pharmacies and food markets. The Global Times, a state-run tabloid, said authorities in Ruili and several other border areas had entered wartime status to enhance anti-epidemic measures and border management. The infections were brought in from Myanmar and Chinese authorities would crack down on illegal immigrants, officials said. One of them was a 32-year-old woman who was initially asymptomatic, and the other was a 16-year-old girl, according to the Global Times. City officials have also advised anyone who travelled out of Ruili on or after September 12 to get tested. Ruili is separated by a shallow river from the border town of Muse, Myanmars main gateway to China and known for sleazy streets, weapons, casinos and drugs. Yang Bianqiang, vice mayor of Ruili, told a press conference on Monday that the city would repatriate those who cannot verify their time of arrival into China, have no fixed residence and have no fixed place to work. China has largely controlled the spread of the virus through a series of travel restrictions and strict lockdowns, starting with the central city of Wuhan where the virus first emerged late last year. However, there have been several localised outbreaks in recent months including in the capital, Beijing. The countrys borders remain closed to most foreigners, and the majority of infections in recent months have been among nationals returning from overseas. Seven other cases were reported around China on Tuesday all brought in from other countries, the National Health Commission said. John Boyega shared Zoe Hsu's illustration of him and Nathalie Emmanuel as Rose and Jack in Titanic. (Image: Courtesy of Zoe Hsu) A young artists illustrations reimagining period dramas and other famed films with queer, Asian and Black performers in the lead roles have been given a boost by John Boyega whom she recast in one drawing to replace Leonardo DiCaprio as tragic Titanic heartthrob Jack. Boyega appears in white tie opposite former Game of Thrones actress Nathalie Emmanuel (replacing Kate Winslet as Rose) in artist Zoe Hsus version of the Oscar-winning films memorable grand staircase scene. My kind of night, the British actor said of Hsus work, which he shared with his 2.4 million Instagram followers. As an Asian-American, I have always been interested in promoting diversity within art, since I myself know what its like to not see yourself in media and theres been a movement within the art community of redrawing popular characters as people of color, says Hsu, who calls Boyegas recognition of her work honestly unexpected but amazing. But Hsus now-viral series all started with a different alternative leading man entirely: Dev Patel, currently defying conventional casting as the title character in Armando Iannuccis latest film, The Personal History of David Copperfield. Hsu envisions the English actor of Indian descent as another waistcoated literary fixture: Mr. Darcy. Dev Patel and Letitia Wright as Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet in Pride and Prejudice. (Image: Courtesy of Zoe Hsu) I had seen a tweet suggesting that Pride and Prejudice be recast with Dev Patel and [Black Panther star] Letitia Wright as the leads and as a person with a deep love of period films and the two actors, I just really latched onto the idea and knew I wanted to create visuals for the idea, she tells Yahoo Entertainment of the inspiration for her new art series. This then led to me thinking, I wonder what it would look like if other period films were casted with minorities? A scene from Greta Gerwigs 2019 adaptation of Little Women, meanwhile, now sees Hunter Schafer, the trans actress who stars in Euphoria, as Jo, while Filipino-American Spider-Man: Homecoming actor Jacob Batalon portrays Laurie. Saoirse Ronan and Timothee Chalamet play the characters in the film. Story continues I felt that Schafer could capture the same wispy free-spirited energy of Jo March as Saoirse had done, says Hsu. I also had wanted to cast Schafer because it's often implied that Jo March is a queer character and I thought it would've been fitting to have a queer actress play her. For Laurie, Batalon had shown with his work in the Spider-Man films that he could embody the same gentle and carefree energy as Timothee Chalamets performance. I also wanted to show not only a POC [person of color] but a plus-size POC as the male lead love interest since Hollywood tends to typecast fat actors as sidekicks or comic relief. Hunter Schafer and Jacob Batalon as Little Women's Jo and Laurie. (Image: Courtesy of Zoe Hsu) Moving to horror films following her period piece miniseries, Hsu replaced Shelley Duvall with Lupita Nyongo as The Shinings Wendy Torrance; the swap felt fitting given the latters critically acclaimed turn in Jordan Peeles Us last year. To me, representation is everything, says Hsu. Our world is so diverse, yet Hollywood just keeps producing the same white stories with the same white actors and it's frankly embarrassing that theyre still so behind in diversity. The period genre especially has been almost exclusively white and when there are POC periods, the POC characters always have to play either subservient or traumatic roles and Im just tired of seeing that. People of color shouldn't have to be traumatized every time they see themselves on the big screen; they should be able to see themselves joyful, falling in love, being the heroes and all the other cliches of those classic period romances. She also resists the argument that casting, say, a Black actress as the lead in a Jane Austen adaptation, or Patel as a Victorian-era riches-to-rags protagonist, shouldnt be done because it doesnt accurately reflect the history of that period. Lupita Nyong'o takes over for Shelley Duvall as The Shining's Wendy Torrance. (Image: Courtesy of Zoe Hsu) My series isn't about historical accuracy or the logic of the situation, she says. Its about having minorities occupy spaces in the film industry that were only meant for the cis straight white. Genres like period romance, horror, fantasy, et cetera, have been practically untouchable for people of color and I want to illustrate how we can change that. Many people have problems with putting POC in these roles because its not historically accurate, but half of these movies aren't historically accurate anyway, she points out. Costumes are often inaccurate in order to make them more visually appealing, but nobody is throwing a fit over that because those people don't really care about the history, they just dont like seeing POC in the places of white people. You cant just nitpick at what things have to be accurate for your own benefit. If were already willing to allow historical inaccuracies already, then why not just lean into it? In many cases the characters are fictional anyway why should it matter if they are played by a Black person, an Asian person, a Latinx person?POC actors deserve to be presented with the same opportunities that their white peers are handed. She adds that her drawings arent saying that a Black or queer performer would automatically improve on a role, or that classic films need to be remade. The drawings are more like suggestions for what could be possible, Hsu says. I want to see POC being cast in sweeping love stories like Titanic, I want to see queer people telling queer stories, I want to see minorities taking back their power and saving the day instead of just being there to aid the white leads. Of her reimagined Titanic starring Boyega and Emmanuel, she says, I can only hope some Hollywood casting director sees it and gets inspired. Read more from Yahoo Entertainment: Main streets were less crowded Monday as Jakarta began two weeks of social restrictions to slow a rise of coronavirus cases. The rising number has pushed critical-care hospital services in Indonesias capital to unsafe levels. Police officers took steps to punish bicycle riders who did not wear face masks in public. But businesses did not seem to know what to do under the new restrictions. And workers said supporting the healthcare system should be the top goal. The Governor of Jakarta, Anies Baswedan, announced Sunday that the restrictions were to last from Monday until September 27. He said the move was part of an emergency decision to control a rapid expansion in coronavirus cases in the city. Under the order, social, economic, religious, cultural, and school activities are to be restricted. The order identifies food services, banking and nine other industries as essential. They are permitted to operate, but under special health safety measures and with half the usual number of workers. Schools, public recreation areas and wedding party venues must stay closed until the restrictions are lifted. Restaurants and eateries are limited to takeaway and delivery service. Shopping centers must limit the number of visitors and their hours. Only religious centers in residential areas are permitted to open. Jakartas government had ordered large-scale social restrictions from April to June, then slowly eased the restrictions with businesses reopening and obeying health safety protocols. But the virus has spread to many areas since June, and medical centers are filling with sick patients. Seven of 67 COVID-19 referral hospitals in Jakarta are 100 percent occupied, while 46 are more than 60 percent full. Indonesias coronavirus task force reports that more than 54,000 of the nations 218,000 cases of COVID-19 are in Jakarta. The nation has over 8,800 deaths from the disease. About 15 percent of those patients lived in Jakarta. A task force spokesperson said Jakarta has had the most COVID infections nationwide over the past five weeks. We should do these restrictions earlier, so we can control the positive case numbers and the death rate, the spokesperson said. While residents are hoping the restrictions reduce the spread of the virus, they are worrying about the effect on businesses. Sumaidi operates a printing business and photography studio in Jakarta. He told The Associated Press that the city needs the social restrictions. But he was not sure whether to open his business or totally close it. We can see how effective it is so far, we need more self-awareness too. But the economic activities cannot be stuck, Sumaidi said. Sigit Ardianto works for a public company in Jakarta. He said that in addition to the new restrictions and punishing those who violate them, the government should fix medical services. He appealed for more rooms and better service at hospitals, since the reason we have high case numbers is because of our health facility issues. Im Jonathan Evans. Edna Tarigan reported on this story for the Associated Press. George Grow adapted it for VOA Learning English. Mario Ritter, Jr. was the editor. ____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story critical adj. very serious, involving great danger bicycle n. a vehicle powered by two wheels, one behind the other essential - adj. necessary or important venue n. the place where something happens delivery n. the action of transporting goods or other objects shopping - adj. related to the activity of buying goods from stores residential adj. occupied by or relating to private homes referral n. the action of directing a patient to a medical specialist studio n. the workplace of a painter or photographer awareness n. knowledge of a fact or situation We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section. Full disclosure: Ive never gone camping. Like almost everyone, I crave time in nature, but I prefer snoozing among a cloud of cotton and down in a cozy hotel bed to slumbering under the stars in a sleeping bag. For travelers like me who long for the great outdoors but prefer modern conveniences, glampinga portmanteau of glamorous and campingis a viable option to escape a hectic lifestyle and slip into the country for a few days. Be it the mountains, desert, or near one of Americans national parks, fresh air and quietude allow us to clear our heads and reconnect to the environment. From Ithaca, New York, to Dayton, Oregon, these glamping properties tucked in remote areas of the country promise the allure of nature without sacrificing comfort. Acadia Yurts & Wellness Center, Southwest Harbor, Maine A yurt or circular tent sounds primitive, but at Acadia Yurts & Wellness Center on Mount Desert Island, its quite the opposite. These yurts come furnished with electricity, kitchenettes, bathrooms, and comfy beds. Since the locale is less than a five-minute drive from Acadia National Park, the campsite makes for an ideal base. On this stunning island, outdoor adventurers reap the benefits as they immerse themselves in the Pine Tree States rugged terrain. Though yoga classes are on pause during the pandemic, the Wellness Center offers massage therapy, a flotation room, and an infrared sauna. Firelight Camps, Ithaca, New York Located in the Finger Lakes region, an area of upstate New York beloved for its burgeoning culinary scene and award-winning wines, Firelight Camps is where natural beauty meets luxe accommodations. The property sits on the grounds of La Tourelle Hotel and Spa so that guests can have the best of two worlds: the idyllic surroundings and access to John Thomas Steakhouse and August Moon Spa. Breakfast is complimentary, and the property pours wine every night around the campfireanother rare perk. Firelight Camps is also in a fantastic location: minutes from Buttermilk Falls State Park, Ithacas vibrant downtown, and the Cornell University campus. Starry night over Firelight Camps in Ithaca, N.Y. (Kaylyn Leighton and Joe Sinthavong) Firelight Camps. (Rita Kapoor Wojick) A view of the tents at Firelight Camps. (Sean Stalteri) Locally sourced breakfast at Firelight Camps. (Kaylyn Leighton & Joe Sinthavong) Little Arrow Outdoor Resort, Townsend, Tennessee Glamp here, and youll have the Great Smoky Mountains outside your door. Choose from luxury tents, RVs, cabins, and airstreams at this picturesque spot in Tennessees vast wilderness. Room features include cable/satellite TV, fireplaces, bathrobes, and expansive mountain views. Whether you prefer activities (theres a swimming pool, river access, and tubing) or relaxation with a soak in the hot tub, Little Arrow offers an optimal getaway from Knoxville, Nashville, or Asheville, North Carolina. The Mohicans Treehouse, Glenmont, Ohio If youve dreamed of spending a night tucked in a tree while staring at the stars, then this Ohio property should rank high on your list. The Mohicans features several hideaways such as the Little Red Treehouse, a lofty space for two guests with a five-foot-tall stained glass window, and the roomy White Oak Treehouse, which sleeps up to six people. Both homes and several others are the work of master treehouse builder Pete Nelson, star of the Discovery Channels show, Treehouse Masters, so you can count on well-thought-out details paired with creature comforts in a stunning setting. A view from Little Red Treehouse at The Mohicans. (Courtesy of The Mohicans) Creature comforts among the tree tops at The Mohicans. (Courtesy of The Mohicans) (Courtesy of The Mohicans) White Oak Treehouse at The Mohicans. (Courtesy of The Mohicans) A sign at the White Oak Treehouse at The Mohicans. (Courtesy of The Mohicans) The Resort at Paws Up, Greenough, Montana Are you looking for a national park experience sans all the people? Then, this Montana resort could fit the bill. Its set among 37,000 acres of untouched wilderness, with 100 miles of trails among the rippling sounds of the Blackfoot River. While Paws Up provides luxury homes, it also has six campsites. Glampers can opt for a one or two-bedroom luxury tent, or larger groups can lease the entire property. Beyond all the high-end amenities, there are several on-site dining establishments and a slew of activities, be it horseback riding, hiking, whitewater rafting, or helicopter tours. The stunning view at Paws Up in Montana. (Courtesy of Paws Up) Kids relaxing at Paws Up. (Courtesy of Paws Up) Participating in a cattle drive is one of the many activities offered at Paws Up. (Courtesy of Paws Up) Tent site at The Resort at Paws Up. (Courtesy of Paws Up) Inside a luxury tent at Paws Up in Greenough, Montana. (Courtesy of Paws Up) Under Canvas Grand Canyon, Valle, Arizona Who says you cant go on safari in style? The concept for Sarah and Jacob Duseks Under Canvas Grand Canyon was spurred by the safari culture of Africa, but resembles a hotelthe campsite features spacious tents with king-size beds and en suite bathrooms. While guests enjoy live music fireside in the evenings, the Southwests ethereal landscape and stargazing nights are the best reasons to stay in this mystical setting. Plus, since the camp is just 25 miles from the South Rim, the Grand Canyon is less than a half-hour away. Sequoia High Sierra Camp, Sequoia National Park, California Designed for more intrepid travelers, this hike-in campguests trek a mile-long trail to access the resortis an excellent base for the national park experience. Perched on a mountain overlooking Kings Canyon, Sequoia High Sierra Camp positions folks on the edge of High Sierra wilderness, a 2-million-acre tract stretching from Sequoia to Yosemite. The camp consists of 30 tented cabins, an outdoor dining pavilion with a fireplace, and a shared bathhouse with flush toilets and hot showers. Guests only need to bring personal belongings, as the resort provides anything youd need, even breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The Vintages Trailer Resort, Dayton, Oregon If you can imagine staying in a vintage trailer, look no further than this resort in Oregons Willamette Valley. Youll have several perks in your hotel on wheels, including a flatscreen TV, bathrobes, and gourmet coffeeprobably not so common while glamping, but you are in Oregon, after all. Surrounded by acres of vineyards, the backdrop is magical here. With more than 300 wineries in the region, a wealth of restaurants, the Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum, and miles of verdant countryside in the valley, youll never run out of things to see and do. From tiny houses to tipis, cabins, and tents, accommodations run the gamut. If youve never glamped, pack the necessitiesinsect repellent, sunblock, and your camerathen hit the road and revel in the natural environment. While you may have access to Wi-Fi, to reap the rewards of your time in the great outdoors, unplug the electronics. Tracy Kaler is a travel writer based in New York. Shes written for The Telegraph, Barrons Penta, amNewYork, and other publications. When shes not glued to her laptop, shes wandering the city she loves or off discovering another part of the planet. New Delhi: A crucial meeting of Parliament's standing committee on finance over the demonetisation issue is underway in New Delhi with Reserve Bank of India Governor Urjit Patel expected to brief it on the matter. Senior bureaucrats, including Department of Economic Affairs Secretary Shaktikant Das, Banking Secretary Anjuly Chib Duggal and Revenue Secretary Hasmukh Adhia, and top bank honchos like Chanda Kochhar of ICICI Bank and Usha Ananthasubramanian of Punjab National Bank are also to appear before the committee headed by Congress leader Veerappa Moily. Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is one of its members. Patel will brief the parliamentary panel about demonetisation and its impact on the economy and the steps taken by the central bank to deal with the cash crunch post withdrawal of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes. The meeting will discuss the "demonetisation of Indian currency notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 and the impact thereof". The RBI Governor is also scheduled to appear before the Public Accounts Committee of Parliament on the same issue onJanuary 20. For all the Latest Business News, Economy News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. This initial look has shown what so many have suspected, that we have a pervasive problem in the Rochester Police Department, Warren said. One that views everything through the eyes of the badge and not the citizens we serve. It shows that Mr. Prudes death was not taken as seriously as it should have been by those who reviewed the case throughout City government at every level. - President Akufo-Addo has held his first meeting as the chairman of ECOWAS - He held a consultative meeting on the political situation in Mali - Present at the meeting were Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS Our manifesto: This is what YEN.com.gh believes in President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has held his first meeting as the chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). On Tuesday, September 15, 2020, he held a consultative meeting on the political situation in Mali to help finality to the deliberations on Mali Present at the meeting were Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS. In a Facebook sighted by YEN.com.gh, president Akufo-Addo shared lovely photos from the colorful meeting. READ ALSO: Gabby Otchere-Darkos law firm pocketed US$103,000 from Agyapa deal - Kweku Baako blows alarm The meeting which was held in Ghana, has drawn a lot of reaction from a lot of people. Abdul-aziz Kanyiti showered praises on the president Thank you Mr. President for your industrialisation drive towards Ghana beyond aid agenda. Those with myopic vision think governance is brick and mortar but we Ghanaians believe in you and your second term is assured for you to take. Tekolibe Collins prayed the deliberations turns out well May the deliberations be successful. And may it the last of its kind on the African continent, we need to unite to give true meaning to the lives of our respective citizens. Lydiah Namayengo also prayed that the deliberations go well Well done. May these deliberations open a new dawn of discussion of the way forward of democracy on the African continent and beyond! Barrie Aob Omar said help is needed in Conakry We need your help in Guinea Conakry. Because Guinea president is killing us. Damaging our property. Corruption is too much. He going for third terms again with all this suffering. He change our constitution by force just to do what he want. Please we need help Nana Osei Kwabena Risarp praised the president for his great conflict resolution skills Congratulations Mr. Chairman. You've always been that great icon of dispute resolutions! I trust you can, in this Mali issue!! At the 57th ECOWAS Summit, which was held in Niamey, the capital of Niger, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo was elected as the new Chairman of the ECOWAS. President Akufo-Addo took over from the President of Niger, Mahamadou Issoufou who was elected on June 29, 2019. His election makes him the 35th President to chair ECOWAS since its inception in 1975. He would have a years mandate within which he would run the affairs of the Regional body. READ ALSO: President Akufo-Addo has been elected new chairman of ECOWAS President Akufo-Addo who has conflict resolution at heart in an earlier report pledged to do whatever is necessary to strengthen the already-strong relations between Ghana and Nigeria. According to President Akufo-Addo, it is important for the progress of West Africa and, indeed, Africa, Ghana and Nigeria are seen to be working together. The President made this known on Thursday, September 3, 2020, when the Speaker of the House of Representatives of Nigeria, Femi Gbajabiamila, paid a courtesy call on him at Jubilee House, Ghanaian Times reported. READ ALSO: Woman gives reasons why Akufo-Addo deserves 4 more years (Video) APC flagbearer Hassan Ayariga has vowed to end corruption if voted into power | #Yencomgh Got a story you think we should know about? Get interactive via our Facebook page! Source: YEN.com.gh While attention relative to the Libyan conflict focuses on the bifurcation between east and west, the south is ignored despite its festering and growing security challenges, writes Khaled Okasha In Libya, which is customarily treated one-dimensionally as a case of sharp polarisation between the eastern and western parts of the country (a reductionism that is perhaps intentional on the part of some stakeholders), the south has reared its head as a bundle of threats with major security implications. These will inevitably work their way northwards with potentially destructive repercussions if the south remains ignored and if Libyans and their allies continue to lack the political resolve to incorporate that region in a concrete and integral way in the concept of the sovereign Libyan state. Today, there are signs that Libyans can reach a genuine consensus that will offer a glimmer of hope. This development was preceded by an unprecedented comprehensive vision that includes a fair and equitable consideration of the south which has paid dearly for the decade of turmoil that has mostly unfolded in the north since the beginning of the Libyan crisis. This vision was framed in an initiative proposed by Aguila Saleh, speaker of the Libyan Parliament, although the Libyans sometimes refer to it as the Egyptian initiative. However, the challenges remain formidable and it will take serious and concerted efforts to overcome them and ensure that the south does not become a hole that drains all progress achieved. Armed militias and terrorist organisations remain the most serious challenge in the south and among them the Islamic State (IS) group is the gravest threat. The terrorist organisation has been in Libya for years. After shifting locations for a while, it attempted to set up a base in the strategic city of Sirte near the petroleum crescent. After its defeat in Sirte, it turned southwards to the Fezzan region, out of range from much of the turmoil in the north, and there its members hooked up with assorted militias and smuggling gangs. IS operatives now range virtually unimpeded across much of Fezzan, a far flung region (roughly 220 square miles) inhabited by less than half a million people. If that sparse expanse is an additional security headache, it is a great advantage for armed groups. It should be added that the south contains strategic arteries that supply both oil and water to both the eastern and western regions in the north. This could become a major source of political and economic pressure should these arteries come under threat from outlaw militia groups regardless of their affiliation and aims. According to Libyan sources in Fezzan and investigators for AFRICOM who have been tracking the movements of IS fighters after their flight from Sirte, IS has formed a desert army consisting of three brigades. Units from these brigades were responsible for the extensive assault against the Great Man-Made River in 2017, followed by the destruction a large number of electricity pylons over an area of about 100 square kilometres. The brigades also frequently dispatch small contingents to carry out ambushes and raids as a means to maintain a high level of security tension, intimidate and wreak attrition on any formal national police or military entity, regardless of whether it is affiliated with the east, the west or the Libyan National Army. As this small IS army grew, it weaved its way into the weft and warp of the tribal, ethnic and factional disputes in the region. Trade and smuggling routes between the south and Libyas Sub-Saharan neighbours have long been the object of local and cross border tribal and ethnic disputes in the vicinity of the long, porous and purely secured borders. Tensions in the region increased, frequently flaring into armed skirmishes, as rivalries intensified since the onset of the Libyan crisis. Another major challenge stems from another demographic component, which involves the transborder tribal and ethnic affiliations of important segments of the southern Libyan population and the mounting tensions and conflicts along such divides since the collapse of the Libyan state which had sustained a controlling presence before the February Revolution of 2011. Until that point, there was general respect for tribal agreements that granted the Touareg control over the passes between southern Libya and Niger and Toubou control over the passes between southern Libya and Chad and other portions of Niger. These agreements broke down in 2014, setting into motion a long chain of violent clashes between these two major ethnic components whose circles of influence and control stretch across vast tracts of the south, as well as over a significant amount of both legal and illegal trade. In addition, there are strong links, common interests and occasional division of labour between them and armed opposition factions and separatist movements opposed to the regimes in some of Libyas southern neighbours. During the early years of the Libyan crisis, those border regions and the passes in particular were monitored from a French base in Madama in northeast Niger near the borders with Libya and Chad. The area became a hub of convergence between local militants and newcomers from terrorist organisations that sought to take advantage of the abovementioned surge in anarchy and fluidity. In mid-2018, after at least 10 terrorist attacks against US forces in the vicinity between 2015 and 2017, AFRICOM also established a large and sophisticated base in Niger, north of Niamey. From there, AFRICOM carries out comprehensive aerial monitoring missions, using MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aerial vehicles to track terrorist movements and fortifications with a particular focus on IS and its affiliates. US forces have also carried out several strikes against leaders or contingents of the IS desert army, which has helped contained its expansion inside Libya, reduced its ability to infiltrate across borders and hampered its communications with armed factions in Chad and Mali. Nevertheless, despite AFRICOMs surveillance and patrols, IS operatives still have the ability, albeit somewhat restricted, to establish lines of communication with local elements that support it or share common interests, and conclude deals and arrangements that strengthen its influence and reinforce its capacities for expansion. The challenges posed by southern Libya extend beyond the security questions, as grave as they are. Standards of living in the south testify to severe deficiencies and shortages in infrastructure and public services which compounds the challenges, especially given how terrorist groups feed off such deficiencies. The interweave of such factors create situations that become impossible to remedy without comprehensive strategies that include a major security component, of course, but not exclusively. In short, a new approach has to be brought to the question of southern Libya and that approach needs to be backed by a will of steel on the part of the Libyan people and their allies in neighbouring countries. *The writer is the general manager of the Egyptian Centre for Straregic Studies. *A version of this article appears in print in the 17 September, 2020 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly Search Keywords: Short link: Rethink in-store traffic flow: Retailers are already making smart choices to ensure that people who do shop in person feel safe when they are doing so. TJX Cos., for example, has removed some fixtures to free up space, while At Home Group Inc. has made its aisles one-way. Big chains could go a step further during the entire holiday season, temporarily repurposing less busy parts of the store. I imagine department stores wont be selling as many cocktail dresses or mens suits this November and December as in previous years, so some of that square footage could be used for racks of lounge wear or workout gear, allowing visitors to be more spread out while they trawl those items. Victorias Secret has said it is exploring mobile checkout set-ups to prevent clumps of people forming near its cash registers, a move other retailers would be wise to embrace. Also, stores such as Target Corp. that have both in-store counters and curbside pickup for online orders should nudge customers at checkout to opt for the curbside option. That will reduce the number of people queuing in stores but offer much the same convenience. Burma Civil Servants Among COVID-19 Patients as Cases Spread Through Myanmar Capital A health worker checks temperatures at a COVID-19 inspection gate in Naypyitaw. / Thiha Lwin / The Irrawaddy Naypyitaw Myanmars capital has reported over 40 COVID-19 cases, with civil servants and their relatives accounting for half of the infections, according to its public health department. Officials at the Presidents Office, State Counselors Office, Ministry of Religious Affairs and Culture, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation and Ministry of Information and their relatives have tested positive for coronavirus. Civil servants and their relatives account for around half of the cases. Most of them tested positive while in quarantine, deputy director-general at Naypyitaw Health Department, Dr. Myat Wunna Soe, told The Irrawaddy. Those who had direct contact with the infected people are being kept in hospital quarantine, while other staff are being told to isolate at home. An anesthesiologist, a physician and lab technician at a public hospital in Naypyitaw have contracted coronavirus, and health workers who had contact with them have been quarantined, according to Dr. Myat Wunna Soe. A State Counselors Office staff member tested positive on Friday. He is the personal staff officer (PSO) to U Khin Maung Tin, the deputy minister at the State Counselors Office, but the deputy minister himself tested negative, said U Zaw Htay, the director-general of the Presidents Office. He told reporters on Monday that the deputy minister is in quarantine at a hotel and will be tested again within days. The PSO had close contact with the Presidents Office assistant director, who tested positive on Sept. 9. Meanwhile, COVID-19 cases have been reported at the National Reconciliation and Peace Center and the office of the military-appointed Vice-President Myint Swe. Travel into the capital has been restricted since Sept. 2, following a spike in COVID-19 cases but the numbers keep increasing. Dr. Myat Wunna Soe said: As Naypyitaw houses departments that engage with the whole country, there is much contact. Infected people from other areas come to Naypyitaw, leading to further infections. Ministries are working in shifts to ensure physical distancing with restrictions on staff in their offices and during their leisure time. None of Naypyitaws eight townships are under lockdown. When COVID-19 was first reported in Myanmar in March, a 58-year-old Swiss woman, who works for the United Nations, was the first COVID-19 patient in the capital. And the other few who were infected were military personnel who returned from foreign studies. Despite travel restrictions in Naypyitaw, restaurants and teashops are still allowed to operate. As of Tuesday morning, Myanmar has reported 3,299 COVID-19 confirmed cases with 32 deaths. Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko You may also like these stories: Despite Current Economic Fallout in Myanmar, ADB Forecasts a Bounce Myanmar Officials to Prosecute Owner of Nightspot Responsible for Yangons Biggest COVID-19 Cluster Myanmar Official in Suu Kyis Office Tests Positive for COVID-19 Today, Scott Morrison has promised a gas-led recovery from the coronavirus recession by ensuring Australian manufacturers can gain access to the energy they need to compete with overseas rivals. The mammoth new plan canvasses Commonwealth support for five new gas fields and pipelines to transport gas to Sydney, Melbourne, and other areas facing possible shortages in the coming winters. Although environmental groups have intensified their opposition to the fossil fuel in recent years as renewable energy becomes more available, affordable and reliable, the government sees gas as the best way to transition away from coal. In this episode, national editor Tory Maguire is joined by chief political correspondent David Crowe to talk us through how the government's new gas plan is supposed to bring Australia out of the coronavirus recession. Becoming a subscriber also gets you exclusive behind-the-scenes content and invitations to special events. Click on the links to subscribe to The Sydney Morning Herald or The Age. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - September 14, 2020) - Lions Bay Capital Inc. (TSXV: LBI) ("Lions Bay" or the "Company") announces that it has entered into a heads of agreement with Salamander Mining International Limited ("Salamander") under which LBI will have the right, subject to various conditions, to acquire an interest in a South African gold mine and milling complex. The companies that currently own the mines and mills are under bankruptcy protection and Salamander is a major creditor. Salamander has submitted a proposal to the administrator under which operations would resume and Salamander would acquire the assets. The operations were put into protection following an accident in 2016. The mines were operating profitably at the time at a gold price of USD $1,300 an ounce. Salamander Mining is an unlisted company based in Mauritius. The co-founder and CEO of Salamander, Lloyd Birrell, is a veteran of the South African gold mining industry. Mr Birrell has been a key member of management teams that has successfully acquired, restructured and recommissioned gold assets and restored them to profitability. These include: Ergo (the world's largest tailings operation) Agnes Mines now known as Galaxy Mines Transvaal Gold Mining Estates Bosveld Mines The other co-founder and CFO of Salamander, Deon Robbertze, has more than 20 years of experience at senior management levels including Financial and Commercial Manager at Kumba Base Metals and Chief Financial Officer at Xtrata South Africa (now part of Glencore). Under the heads of agreement, LBI will be mandated to arrange the funding required to acquire and restart the mines. It is anticipated that the amount required over 6 months will be less than USD $5 million. To secure the funding mandate, LBI will be obliged to arrange a USD $1 million loan. This is conditional on Salamander reaching an agreement with the Business Rescue Practitioner and certain other creditors. Story continues Lions Bay has been actively seeking gold opportunities over the past six months. During the period it has significantly increased its holding in Fidelity Minerals Corp. (TSX-V: FMN) which has been restructured and holds a number of very promising gold assets in Peru. The executive chairman of Lions Bay, Mr. John Byrne commented: "The Salamander transaction represents an extraordinary opportunity to join with a team that has the potential to build a major gold production enterprise in a very short space of time. As soon as the conditions precedent are satisfied an independent expert report will be completed. It is anticipated this could be completed in six weeks." About Lions Bay Capital Inc. Lions Bay Capital Inc. is a TSX-V listed Investment Issuer that is focused on high return investment opportunities, principally in the mining, clean energy and clean technology sectors, where it provides public and private companies with strategic and financial support. On behalf of the Board of Lions Bay. John Byrne Executive Chairman Tel: +61 3 9236 2800 Email: jbyrne@lionsbaycapital.com For more information, please visit the corporate website at www.lionsbaycapital.com or contact the above. NEITHER THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS NEWS RELEASE. Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information This press release contains "forward-looking statements" or "forward-looking information" (collectively referred to herein as "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. Such forward-looking statements include, without limitation, forecasts, estimates, expectations and objectives for future operations that are subject to a number of assumptions, risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the control of the Company. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "will", "plan", "intends", "may", "will", "could", "expects", "anticipates" and similar expressions. Further disclosure of the risks and uncertainties facing Lions Bay and other forward-looking statements are discussed in Lions Bay's Management's Discussion and Analysis which is available under the Company's profile on www.sedar.com. Forward-looking statements are based on assumptions made by and information currently available to the Company. Although management considers these assumptions to be reasonable based on information currently available to it, they may prove to be incorrect. By their very nature, forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties and readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these statements as a number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from the beliefs, plans, objectives, expectations, estimates and intentions expressed in such forward-looking statements. These factors include, for the Company and the companies it is invested in, but are not limited to, commodity prices, fluctuations in revenues and expenses, need for additional funding, availability of such additional funding and that funding will be on acceptable terms, retention of key employees, economic conditions, currency fluctuations, competition and regulations, legal proceedings and risks related to operations in foreign countries. The forward-looking statements in this press release are made as of the date they are given and, except as required by applicable securities laws, the Company disclaims any intention or obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/63785 Help.org, a trusted online resource for individuals who struggle with addiction and their loved ones, has announced the Best Rehab Facilities in Lafayette, Louisiana for 2020. The informational guide recognizes the top 8 rehab facilities based on cost, treatment options, location, accompanying services and more. According to recent studies, drug overdose is the leading cause of death among people under age 50. In Lafayette, deaths related to opioid abuse increased significantly from 2011 to 2015. Substance abuse among adolescents is also escalating in Lafayette with 55 percent of high school students reported using alcohol, 38 percent reported using marijuana, 8 percent reported using prescription drugs without a valid prescription, and 2 percent reported using heroin. With the growing need for accessible and high-quality rehab programs, Help.org has developed a unique ranking process to help connect individuals with treatment providers that meet their needs. The Help.org research team analyzed thousands of facilities across the country and then identified the most cost-effective and highest rated programs in larger cities like Lafayette. Each facility was evaluated based on rehabilitation services, treatment approaches, cost, special programs for unique demographics and ancillary services. The website also provides information about drug use and side effects as well as educational articles. For a detailed listing of the Best Rehab Facilities in Lafayette, Louisiana please visit https://www.help.org/drug-and-alcohol-rehab-centers-in-lafayette-la 2020 Best Rehab Facilities in Lafayette, Louisiana (in alphabetical order) Acadiana Recovery Center 401 West Vermilion Street Lafayette, LA 70501 337-524-1415 Acadiana Treatment Center 156 Choctaw Road Sunset, LA 70584 337-284-4047 Alternative Outpatient Services 341 Doucet Road Suite A Lafayette, LA 70503 337-234-0830 Opiate Replacement Therapy Center 648 Latiolais Drive Breaux Bridge, LA 70517 337-332-4878 St. Christophers Addiction Wellness Center 150 Cora Drive Baton Rouge, LA 70815 225-387-1611 Townsend Treatment Center 4540 Ambassador Caffery Pkwy Ste C110 Lafayette, LA 70508 888-498-1426 Victory Addiction Recovery 111 Liberty Avenue Lafayette, LA 70508 337-456-9111 Woodlake Addiction Recovery Center 3015 Highway 956 Ethel, LA, 70730 225-924-1910 ABOUT HELP.ORG Help.org is an online resource for individuals who struggle with addiction and their loved ones. The website provides the latest research through scientifically proven methods, community recovery resources as well as information about local financial assistance. Help.orgs team of researchers, activists and writers work together with addiction counselors and other professionals to offer useful and accurate resources to help individuals seeking recovery. To learn more, visit https://www.help.org/. Egan's Irish Whiskey Fortitude won Irish Whiskey of the Year at the recent New York International Spirits Competition at the end of August, the only Irish whiskey to receive a double gold, at 96 points. This was only one of an impressive run of awards secured by Egan's Irish Whiskey in the past month. Centenary, a blend of meticulously selected single malt and single grain finished in XO Cognac casks of French Limousin Oak, was awarded Double Gold at the 2020 Sip Awards in August, well as Gold Best in Class at the 2020 Whiskies of the World Awards the same month. Egans has also just secured an exclusive distribution deal with Total Wine in the United States, meaning that it will increase its US market footprint significantly before the end of the year, bringing its award winning Irish whiskeys to a wider audience worldwide. Egans Irish Whiskey continues to craft ground-breaking, innovative expressions with the latest release in its limited edition Legacy series, Legacy Reserve III. The third volume in this exceptional single malt series is hand-selected by the Egan family, aged for 17 years in American Bourbon casks and finished in French Cadillac AOC casks. Limited to just 1000 bottles worldwide and less than 100 for the Irish market, the Cadillac cask finish adds a beautiful vanilla nose with hints of honey, acacia, honeysuckle, vanilla, citrus and apricot and a buttery mouthfeel, with baked peaches, pears, and honeyed apricots giving way to a nectar aftertaste. Cadillac is a French appellation dorigine controlee (AOC) for a sweet white wine made from Biturica vines on the hillsides of the Entre-Deux-Mers subregion of Bordeaux, taking its name from the town of Cadillac (not the car!) The Egan family name is synonymous with some of the best Irish whiskeys in the world, as P.&H. Egan, Ltd was established in 1852 in Tullamore, becoming one of Irelands largest merchant houses, bonders and bottlers for 116 years. Reimagined in 2013 by the fifth and sixth generation Maurice and Jonathan Egan, today Egans Irish Whiskey is recognised for its exceptional single malt and single grain Irish whiskey, and dedicated to crafting ground-breaking, innovative expressions in the spirit of its forefathers. Legacy Reserve III is non chill-filtered to retain its unique characteristics, and bottled at 46% ABV. RRP is 170 and it is available to pre-order now from Celtic Whiskey Shop (https://www.celticwhiskeyshop.com/Egans-17-Year-Old-Single-Malt-Legacy-Volume-3) and leading independent retailers at the end of September. Egans Irish Whiskey is distributed by Intrepid Spirits through Celtic Whiskey Shop, Classic Drinks, Drinks Genius and MCM Spirits and is available at Celtic Whiskey Shop, James Fox, Deveneys Dundrum, and all leading independent retailers. For more information visit www.eganswhiskey.com or connect on Instagram @egansirishwhiskey. Tasting Notes Nose: An unmistakable Irish Single Malt with hints of honey, acacia, honeysuckle, vanilla, citrus and apricot. Palate: Full bodied and incredibly smooth. Baked peaches, pears and apricots with honey and a buttery mouthfeel. Finish: Notes of nectar with a long, nectar-like, and incredibly satisfying finish. A puppy was found alive by emergency services after it was buried under rubble and ash during the California wildlfires. The state is battling some of the worst wildfires in history, which have killed at least 31 people. But last week, Butte County Sheriff's Office found the little dog hiding in a destroyed home as they searched a burnt-out area. The Butte County Sheriff's Office wrote on Facebook: "As BCSO deputies and members of BCSO Search and Rescue were searching through properties impacted by the fire, they made an unexpected and welcomed discovery on a large property in Berry Creek, this adorable puppy. Butte County Sheriff's Office found the little dog hiding in a destroyed home as they searched a burnt-out area / Butte County Sheriff "The puppy had some minor burns and was picked up by Animal Control and taken to Valley Oaks Veterinary Center in Chico to be checked out. "After doing some investigating, we found out that the owner of the property has several dogs and was not able to locate them all before needing to evacuate. Our deputies decided to give this sweet puppy a name, Trooper." California Wildfires: August/September 2020 - In pictures 1 /90 California Wildfires: August/September 2020 - In pictures The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area Noah Berger/AP The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area Getty Images A man pulls out a garden hose as he helps Fire Fighters with Cal Fire protect the St. Helena Water Treatment Plant from the Glass Fire in Napa Valley, California AFP via Getty Images An air tanker drops retardant on the Glass Fire burning in Calistoga AP Firefighters knock down flames on a dog house while battling the Glass Fire burning in St. Helena AP Cal Fire Capt. Jesse Campbell works to save the Louis Stralla Water Treatment Plant as the Glass Fire burns in St. Helena, AP The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California Getty Images Embers fly from a tree as the Glass Fire burns in St. Helena AP Grape vines at Chateau Boswell Winery burn as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California Getty Images An air tanker drops retardant as the LNU Lightning Complex fires tear through the Spanish Flat community in unincorporated Napa County AP Chula Vista firefighter Rudy Diaz monitors the LNU Lightning Complex Fire REUTERS Following the LNU Lightning Complex fires, a scorched VW Microbus rests in a driveway of the Spanish Flat community in Napa County AP Fire consumes land recently deforested by cattle farmers near Novo Progresso AP Smoke rises from the LNU Lightning Complex wildfires as seen from an AlertWildfire camera looking east from Mount St. Helena, north of Calistoga, California via REUTERS Firefighters Cody Nordstrom, Kyle Harp and Robert Gonzalez, from left, of the North Central Fire station out of Kerman AP Fire consumes land recently deforested by cattle farmers near Novo Progresso AP Flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires leap above Butts Canyon Road AP A charred vehicle is parked in front of a home after the CZU Lightning Complex AP Resident Alyssa Medina reacts after finding an intact cup amidst the burned remains of her home AFP via Getty Images Flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires leap above Butts Canyon Road AP Howard Forest Helitack firefighters return to their helicopter after battling the LNU Lightning Complex AP Vehicles and homes have been burned by the CZU Lightning Complex Fir AP AP A vehicle drives along Knoxville Road, with flames from the LNU Lightning Complex in the background in Napa County AP Firefighters take refuge in their trucks in a cleared field as a wildfire also known as the Hennessey Fire jumped Knoxville Berryessa Road, west of Sacramento AP A resident hoses down a burning bicycle and tree as flames from the Hennessey approach a property in the Spanish Flat area of Napa, California AFP via Getty Images An outbuilding burns as the LNU Lightning Complex fires tear through the Spanish Flat area of unincorporated Napa County AP Bill Nichols, 84, works to save his home as the LNU Lightning Complex fires tear through Vacaville AP Residents extinguish spot fires while protecting their property as the LNU Lightning Complex fire burns through the area in Fairfield, California Getty Images A bicycle and palm tree burn at a residence during the LNU Lightning Complex fire in the Spanish Flat area of Napa, California AFP via Getty Images Mobile homes burn at the Spanish Flat Mobile Villa as the LNU Lightning Complex Fire burns through the area in Napa, California Getty Images Firefighters monitor flames as they approach a residence in the valley area of Vacaville, northern California during the LNU Lightning Complex fire AFP via Getty Images Horses stand in an enclosure as the LNU Lightning Complex fires tear through the Spanish Flats community in unincorporated Napa County AP A CalFire crew from Coulterville takes a break while fighting the River Fire near Salinas AP A massive column of smoke rises above Highway 1 just north of the Santa Cruz County line as a section of the CZU August Lightning Complex burns above Waddell Beac AP Debris piles burn as the LNU Lightning Complex fire burns through the area in Fairfield, California Getty Images Fire burns along the closed Interstate 80 Getty Images In this long exposure photograph, flames consumes both sides of a segment of Lake Berryessa during the Hennessey fire in the Spanish Flat area of Napa AFP via Getty Images In this long exposure photograph, embers fly off a burning tree during the Hennessey fire in the Spanish Flat area of Napa, California AFP via Getty Images Mobile homes burn at the Spanish Flat Mobile Villa as the LNU Lightning Complex Fire burns through the area in Napa, California Getty Images Fire crews maintain a backburn to control the River Fire near the Las Palmas neighborhood in Salinas AP Flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires burn in unincorporated Napa County AP A pickup truck drives on a freeway overpass as flames from the LNU Lighting Complex Fire approach Interstate 80 on the outskirts of Vacaville, California REUTERS Mobile homes burn at the Spanish Flat Mobile Villa as the LNU Lightning Complex Fire burns through the area in Napa, California Getty Images Firefighter David Widaman directs water onto a tree that had exploded in flame as a fire crew defends a house northwest of Santa Cruz AP A home burns as the LNU Lightning Complex fires tear through the Spanish Flats community in unincorporated Napa County AP Flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires lick above a fire truck in unincorporated Napa County AP A flag flies as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires crest a ridge in Napa County AP Flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires jump Interstate 80 in Vacaville AP Fire crews maintain a backburn to control the River Fire near the Las Palmas neighborhood in Salina AP Flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires jump Interstate 80 in Vacaville AP AP AP AP AP AP AP AP Douglas Forest Protective Association AFP via Getty Images AP AFP via Getty Images Getty Images AP Butte County Sheriff Butte County Sheriff Butte County Sheriff Butte County Sheriff It comes after firefighters save a calf from an inferno in the area of blueberry bush. The Douglas Forest Protective Association said on social media: "This has definitely been a hectic week with many stories to tell...some good and others not so good. But this morning, we're focusing on the positive. Butte County Sheriff's Office found the little dog hiding in a destroyed home as they searched a burnt-out area / Butte County Sheriff "This picture was taken during the initial attack of the French Creek Fire which burned 495 acres about a mile northwest of Glide. "While our crews were working on the fire, five cows and this calf were in a bad spot with fire advancing their way. In the chaos of the moment, this little guy got stuck in a patch of blackberries that were on fire! "Luckily, we had an engine crew in the area that were able to keep the flames back while our firefighters went in and pulled the calf out of harm's way! It was one small victory but we'll take it." The total damage across several western states is estimated to be around 4.6 million acres. Fires have been recorded in California, Washington state, Oregon, Idaho, Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming. A Pakistani soldier was killed and three others wounded when their vehicle hit an improvised explosive device in the northwestern South Waziristan tribal district. District police officer Shaukat Ali told RFE/RL that the soldiers were on routine patrol when the attack occurred in the Makeen area on September 14. The military launched a search operation following the incident, but no arrests have been made so far, said Ali. No group has immediately claimed responsibility. In early September, at least four Pakistani soldiers were killed and four others wounded in two different attacks in South Waziristan that were claimed by the Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan, also known as the Pakistani Taliban. The latest incident comes a day after the Pakistani military said it had killed a terrorist commander and three other militants near the boundaries of the North and South Waziristan districts. The Pakistani military has claimed it cleared the two districts, located in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, of the TTP and other militant groups following a major offensive that was launched in 2014. However, the region has been the scene of an increasing number of attacks on security forces and the targeted killing of civilians. Ecommerce Re-Establishes International Consumer Reach for First Time since 2018 LOS ANGELES, Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- ModCloth, the ecommerce retailer offering modern vintage-Inspired, versatile, inclusive apparel and accessories, announces today their highly-anticipated return to Europe. The brand stopped shipping to the European markets in May 2018, as the GDPR program launched. Go Global Retail, which acquired the company at the start of the year, has supported the ModCloth team to become GDPR compliant allowing the brand to once again be available to shop across the continent. "As new owners, our first priority for ModCloth was to reconnect with consumers, listen and continue those relationships in a more personal way which is core to the DNA of this brand," said Jeff Streader, Co-CEO of ModCloth, "Modcloth has always been a brand for women and vocal in its support of women's issues, size inclusivity and creating conversation. Now that we are back to being independent, we can revitalize those aspects of the brand that our customers really loved." Prior to leaving Europe, ModCloth's international relationships represented 20 percent of their total revenue. The relaunch into the market contributes to the overall, healthy growth plans put in place by Go Global and with this re-established international reach, ModCloth is poised to become the shopping destination for European customers who seek unique style and colorful, playful pieces in their wardrobe. "One of our key initiatives was to expand our online shopping experience to our European customers," said Streader, "They've been asking for our return for years, and we couldn't be more excited to truly 'Go Global' with a brand as beloved as ModCloth." ModCloth will be available to shop across Europe at ModCloth.com starting September 15, 2020. About ModCloth ModCloth is an independently owned, online retailer known for their vintage-inspired, versatile and inclusive styles that make shoppers look good, and more importantly, feel good. But, ModCloth isn't just a shopping destination, it's a company dedicated to the women that run the world - from teachers to moms, librarians to artists, healthcare workers to CEOs. Through partnering with brands such as Collectif, Princess Highway, and small, female-owned businesses, engaging promotions and flexible payment options, collaborating with charitable organizations including the National Domestic Violence Hotline, Planet Bee and The Trevor Project, ModCloth focuses on supporting and empowering their customer community. At ModCloth, getting dressed is fun. For more information, visit ModCloth.com Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1274049/ModCloth_1.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1274050/ModCloth_Logo.jpg Former Donald Trump campaign official Michael Caputo, left, joined by his attorney Dennis C. Vacco, leaves after being interviewed by Senate Intelligence Committee staff investigating Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, May 1, 2018. AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite Michael Caputo, assistant secretary for public affairs at the Department of Health and Human Services, reportedly promoted a conspiracy theory of an armed left-wing revolt if President Donald Trump were to be re-elected in November, The New York Times reported Monday. "When Donald Trump refuses to stand down at the inauguration, the shooting will begin," he said, citing The Times report. "The drills that you've seen are nothing. If you carry guns, buy ammunition, ladies and gentlemen, because it's going to be hard to get." Caputo also made a baseless accusation against CDC scientists of "sedition" assembling a "resistance unit" to undermine the president. Caputo pushed the conspiracy theories during a Facebook Live event streamed on Sunday, and he confirmed the remarks to The Washington Post on Monday. Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. A top communications official at the Department of Health and Human Services, pushed a bizarre conspiracy theory warning of a left-wing revolt if President Donald Trump is re-elected. Michael Caputo, assistant secretary for public affairs at the HHS, made the remarks in a 26-minute Facebook Live chat over the weekend, The New York Times first reported on Monday. Caputo said without evidence that he believes Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden would refuse to concede if Trump is re-elected, which he predicts would spark violence. "And when Donald Trump refuses to stand down at the inauguration, the shooting will begin," he said, without evidence, The Times reported. "The drills that you've seen are nothing." Caputo also accused federal scientists at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of "sedition" against Trump, claiming that the CDC has a "resistance unit" aimed against Trump, according to The Times report. The Washington Post reported that Caputo said the scientists have given up on science and became "political animals." Story continues They "haven't gotten out of their sweatpants except for meetings at coffee shops" to plot "how they're going to attack Donald Trump next," he said in the video, according to The Post. "There are scientists who work for this government who do not want America to get well, not until after Joe Biden is president." Caputo, who has no known health care background, was appointed to the HHS position in April by the president, putting him in charge of the communications for a department overseeing the CDC, the Food and Drug Administration, and the National Institutes of Health. He was recently criticized after allegations that his team was interfering with weekly COVID-19 reports from career scientists in the CDC, first reported by Politico. In the livestream video, he also alluded to his mental health, saying it had "definitely failed." "I don't like being alone in Washington," Mr. Caputo said, according to The Times. Also saying, "You are not waking up every morning and talking about dead Americans." At least 194,000 Americans have died from the COVID-19 pandemic. In a statement to The Times, the HHS described Caputo as a "critical, integral part of the president's coronavirus response, leading on public messaging as Americans need public health information to defeat the COVID-19 pandemic." On Monday, Democratic lawmakers, Rep. Rosa DeLauro and Sen. Patty Murray, called on HHS Sec. Alex Azar to fire Caputo. "Secretary Azar has a basic responsibility to ensure our public health experts are able to do their jobs, our COVID-19 response is not undermined by misinformation or conspiracy theories, and the data used to inform our efforts is free of political interference," Murray said in a statement to The Post. Read the original article on Business Insider Retirement did not last long for Associate Justice Walter Timpone. After stepping down from the New Jersey Supreme Court last month, Timpone, 69, is heading back to work as a lawyer at the Newark- and New York City-based firm of Calcagni & Kanefsky, where he will serve as senior counsel. While he actually does not reach the courts mandatory retirement age of 70 in November, Timpone decided to leave early because he did not want to start a new term with the court and begin hearing oral arguments, only to step down in November before it began issuing opinions on those cases. It was the right thing to do, he said. He was replaced by Fabiana Pierre-Louis, who was sworn in earlier this month as the newest member of the New Jersey Supreme Court, officially becoming the first Black female justice in the states 224-year history. Before he was nominated to the court by Gov. Chris Christie in 2016, Timpone was a partner in the Morristown office of the law firm of McElroy, Deutsch, Mulvaney & Carpenter. Timpone who spent more than a decade as an assistant U.S. attorney said he will be reuniting at his new firm with a number of former federal and state prosecutors he has known for years. Working with friends is really important to me, he said. These are people Ive worked for ages and ages and Im going to work with them again. Thomas Calcagni, a co-founding senior partner at the firm and a former assistant U.S. attorney, said Timpone had been a longtime friend and mentor. The opportunity to work with him again seemed to be a circle completed, he said. The firms work includes white collar defense cases, compliance and government investigations, employment litigation and healthcare law. A graduate of Seton Hall Law School, Timpone worked at the U.S. Attorneys office in Newark from 1984 to 1994, ultimately serving as chief of special prosecutions in its public corruption unit where he oversaw investigations that resulted in the convictions of former Essex County Executive Thomas DAlessio, former Parsippany Mayor Frank Priore and former Jersey City Mayor Gerald McCann. From 2010 until his appointment to the Supreme Court, Timpone served on the States Election Law Enforcement Commission. While on the states high court, Timpone wrote 30 majority opinions, including the City of Hoboken and Shipyard Associates, where the court found that the city did not have a right to change zoning ordinances after a development project was approved, and the upholding of a guilty verdict against a Bloomfield police officer who was caught on video beating a black man during a police stop. Often speaking about his nomination to the Supreme Court as a magical day, Timpone also said it was somewhat of a monastic experience, where he would spend days preparing for oral arguments. You had to be ready. You had to be prepared, he said. I really didnt see a weekend in four and a half years. Returning to the practice of law, he said I can leave the monastery and go back to what Im used to doing. I always drew a lot of energy from sitting around and talking with others about whats best for our client. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Ted Sherman may be reached at tsherman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TedShermanSL. Lawmakers introduced legislation Tuesday that would streamline the process for veterans to receive disability benefits for diseases that may be related to exposure to burn pits and other battlefield pollutants. Bolstered by the support of advocate and comedian Jon Stewart, who successfully led the effort to continue financial support for victims of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., and Rep. Raul Ruiz, D-Calif., announced a bill to remove a Department of Veterans Affairs requirement that veterans prove a link between a dozen diseases and exposure to burn pits and other toxins. Read Next: Court Argument Seeks Reversal of HIV Policies Instead, former service members would only have to provide documentation to the VA that they served at least 15 days in one of 33 countries listed in the proposed legislation. "This is a moral outrage. It's also a looming crisis that must be addressed. Burn pits are so dangerous that they are outlawed on U.S. soil, but they were used all over the world. ... Many of our veterans have no time to spare," Gillibrand said during a press conference in front of the U.S. Capitol. "Service members are coming home from the battlefield only to become delayed casualties of war ... drawing parallels to Agent Orange and 9/11 exposures," said Ruiz, who serves as co-chair of the Congressional Burn Pit Caucus. The monumental proposal could have an impact on more than 3 million veterans who have served since Aug. 2, 1990, in one of the countries and have a listed illness, similar to the landmark Agent Orange Act of 1991, which designated more than a dozen diseases as presumed to be caused by exposure to toxic herbicides used in Vietnam. The illnesses include: asthma diagnosed after deployment to a listed country or territory; any type of cancer; chronic bronchitis; chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; constrictive bronchiolitis; emphysema; granulomatous disease; interstitial lung disease; lymphoma; pleuritis; pulmonary fibrosis; and sarcoidosis. The countries and territories listed include Afghanistan, Bahrain, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Diego Garcia, Djibouti, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Iraq, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Libya, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Tajikistan, Tunisia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan and Yemen. Danielle Robinson's husband, Army Sgt. 1st Class Heath Robinson, deployed with the Ohio National Guard to Iraq in 2006, where he worked at Camp Liberty, nicknamed "Camp Trashcan" for its large burn pit. Robinson later developed a rare type of lung cancer that his doctor said "could only be due to toxic exposure." He died in May. Robinson said she was denied by the VA caregiver program even though she needed to quit her job as a physical therapist to care for her husband as he struggled with his illnesses. "My husband is dead because America has poisoned its soldiers," Robinson said during the press conference. More than 250 burn pits operated at U.S. military bases in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere, used to dispose of all types of garbage, including plastics, batteries, tires, computers, office equipment, animal carcasses, household trash and hospital waste. Concern over the health threat they posed initially arose in 2006, when Air Force Lt. Col. Darrin Curtis, a bioenvironmental flight commander for Joint Base Balad, Iraq, noted that the 10-acre-wide burn pit there posed a "acute health hazard for individuals" and the "possibility for chronic health hazards associated with the smoke." But troops and military contractors weren't made aware of the potential hazard until Army Times journalist Kelly Kennedy first began reporting on the issue in 2008. In addition to respiratory illnesses, young service members have developed cancers and other illnesses not usually seen in people their age. After years of silence on the issue of his son Beau Biden's death from glioblastoma, a brain cancer, presidential candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden told PBS reporter Judy Woodruff in 2018 that burn pits may have a "carcinogenic impact on the body." The National Academy of Sciences released a report Friday concluding that, while there is scientific evidence to link chronic respiratory symptoms like wheezing and coughing to burn pits, few studies exist that could conclusively connect exposure to burn pits and other airborne pollutants to diseases seen in veterans. An 11-member advisory panel said their conclusions did not mean there is no link, only that the research or data did not exist to prove one. The VA also has consistently cited a 2011 report by the same scientific advisory body that there is insufficient evidence to draw conclusions on the long-term health effects of burn pits. Stewart called the arguments "bull----." "The only difference between the first responders at Ground Zero who are dying of toxic exposures is that was caused as a result of a terrorist attack. Veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan are suffering from the same illnesses and same exposures as the result of the actions of our own government," Stewart said. More than 212,000 veterans have enrolled in VA's Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry, a congressionally mandated database for veterans to self-report their deployments and any health-related consequences. In addition to airborne exposures, the bill would cover former service members affected by contact to chemical weapons, nerve agents or other battlefield toxins, such as those encountered by troops assigned to Karshi-Khanabad Air Base in Uzbekistan, according to Gillibrand. The bill, the Presumptive Benefits for War Fighters Exposed to Burn Pits and Other Toxins Act, has little chance of passing in the last 24 days of the legislative year. But Stewart said that he, along with advocate John Feal and numerous veterans service organizations, will continue fighting. "We always have money for the war. We never have money for the warfighter," Stewart said. "Today, we plant the flag, and we are going to exhibit the relentlessness of the warfighter." -- Patricia Kime can be reached at Patricia.Kime@Monster.com. Follow her on Twitter @patriciakime. Related: Lawmakers Call for Action on Burn Pit Exposure As we gradually open the economy, we need to remember that we are doing this, while taking all necessary precautions to fight the invisible enemy, Covid-19. The easing of lockdown restrictions is not an indication that we have defeated this pandemic, but we are a nation seeking to balance between our economic interests and the protection of life, she said. Butterfly by Huang Binhong [Collection of Zhejiang Provincial Museum] Qi Baishi and Huang Binhong are often hailed as two great reformers of art in early 20th-century China. They played an important role in a movement formed to breathe new life into the creation of classic Chinese ink painting, when the genre of art fell by the wayside as Western art became more popular among city dwellers. Zhejiang Art Museum, Beijing Fine Art Academy and Zhejiang Provincial Museum have come together to present an exhibition that surveys the experimental work by the two master artists. Titled Floral Aroma in Fall, the show, which runs through Oct 18 at the Zhejiang Art Museum, juxtaposes the flower-and-bird paintings a major genre of classic Chinese art by Qi and Huang, from the collections of the Beijing Fine Art Academy and Zhejiang Provincial Museum. It compares the approaches adopted by Qi and Huang to imbue the traditional style with a modern context. Their renovations in palette and brushwork retain a scholarly elegance, which stands at the heart of the Chinese artistic spirit. Meanwhile, their works deliver figurative vigor to address the varying tastes of common people, rather than agreeing with a limited population of high-end art lovers. Crab by Qi Baishi [Collection of Beijing Fine Art Academy] Eagle on a Pine Tree by Qi Baishi [Collection of Beijing Fine Art Academy] Floral Aroma in Fall juxtaposes the flower-and-bird paintings by Qi and Huang, comparing their each approaches to usher traditions into a modern context. [For China Daily] Hibiscus by Huang Binhong [Collection of Zhejiang Provincial Museum] (Source: chinadaily.com.cn) Nov. 6 was the last time Imperial Beach City Council elections will be city-wide affairs. The city will adopt a district election system for 2020 and beyond. That means City Council candidates will have to live in the districts they seek to represent and voters tasked with electing them will only be able to cast ballots for candidates in their own districts. District elections will have a significant impact on future elections because multiple sitting council members live in the same district. So in the 2020 election, if two members decide to run for re-election in the same district, only one will win. Advertisement Imperial Beach made the decision to switch in September when they received a letter from Kevin Shenkman, a Malibu-based lawyer. They will formally finish the process at the Dec. 5 council meeting. Shenkman has threatened to sue dozens of cities throughout the state for possible violations of the California Voting Rights Act. That law prohibits at-large elections if they reduce the ability of a protected class to elect candidates of their choice or if they limit their ability to influence an elections outcome. Shenkman argued that Imperial Beach violated the law by pointing out that even though 48 percent of the citys population is Latino, there has never been a Latino council member. The letter was written months before Paloma Aguirre made history by becoming the citys first elected Latina council member. But even with her victory, the council is still not entirely representative of the community it serves, said Councilmember Mark West. Imperial Beach hosted three community meetings where members of the public could present their own district maps. The council considered maps made by the professional consultants as well as residents. During the Oct. 17 meeting, the council narrowed it down to two maps and, on Nov. 7, it made a final decision. Ultimately, they decided to go with the Rose B map, named after its creator, former Imperial Beach Mayor Denise Rose. Roses district map features two coastal and two inland districts. Most of the citys Latino population live in the north and east neighborhoods. But council members historically come from the west part of Imperial Beach. The maps sought to correct this imbalance, dividing the city into four districts. District One includes the northeast portion of the city; everything north of Highway 75 and east of 12th Street until Imperial Beach Boulevard. District Two contains a small coastal area north of Palm Avenue and most of the central part of the city, including everything between Third and 12th streets and north of Imperial Beach Boulevard. District Three is made up of the entire coastal region south of Palm Avenue and west of Third Street. The district also contains the central part of the city south of Imperial Beach Boulevard. District Four includes the southeastern part of Imperial Beach; neighborhoods south of Imperial Beach Boulevard and east of Essex Street. Once Aguirre begins her term, every council member in Imperial Beach will live in district two or three. That dynamic could set up interesting elections that pit incumbents against each other in 2020 and 2022. Districts two and four will be up in 2020. Council members West and Robert Patton both live in District Two. If they both run for re-election, voters in their district will have to choose one over the other. The same situation could play out in 2022, when districts one and three are up for grabs. Council members Ed Spriggs and Aguirre live in District Three. Contact Gustavo Solis via Email or Twitter With 18 kids, two grandkids, four wives, plenty of in-laws, and just one husband and dadKody Brownits no secret that the polygamist Brown family of TLCs Sister Wives has had some conflicts over the years. The relationships between Kody and each of his wives (Meri, Janelle, Christine, and Robyn Brown) have always been complex. The relationships between the sister wives have, of course, had their own struggles as well. But one major conflictthe tumultuous relationship between Kodys first wife, Meri, and his second wife, Janellebegan early on in the Browns polygamous, or plural, marriage, and persisted for many years. In their 2012 memoir, Becoming Sister Wives: The Story of an Unconventional Marriage, Meri and Janelle opened up about the roots of their long-lasting difficulties with each other. One incident stuck out in Janelles mind as a particularly devastating blow. Janelle, Meri, Kody, and Christine Brown | Ethan Miller/Getty Images for AEG Live Meri and Janelle immediately clashed after Janelle joined the family Janelle was actually married to Meris brother, Adam Barber, for a brief time before she joined the Brown family. Janelle, Kody, and Meri became close friends after Janelles divorce. What started off as a friendship eventually turned romantic, and Janelle became Kodys second wife in 1993 (three years after Kody married Meri). Being friends with Meri and Kody was one thing. But, Janelle admitted, the transition to becoming Kodys wife and Meris sister wife was rough from the start. In Becoming Sister Wives, Janelle explained that she moved into the guest bedroom of Kody and Meris home in Wyoming after marrying Kody. She and Meri immediately found that they didnt get along too welland Janelle often felt left out of the family. Immediately after moving in with Meri and Kody, I began to lose my sense of self, Janelle wrote, adding: In no time, I came to feel like a guest who had overstayed her welcome. Meri and Janelle went from cordial to frosty overnight, according to the latter. The Sister Wives star felt like she couldnt do anything right in Meris eyes, even household chores like laundry and cooking. RELATED: Sister Wives: Kody Brown Says Meri Brown Mistreats Her Sister Wives and Wont Be Happy Until She Has Them Bowing At Her Feet Janelle revealed that she often felt excluded by Kodys first wife In Becoming Sister Wives, Janelle revealed that Kody and Meri didnt exactly know how to navigate the shift in their relationship at first. Kody and his first wife had an affectionate marriage, and Janelle wasnt sure what to do after she was added to the equation. Kody didnt know how to behave as my husband in Meris house, Janelle lamented in the Brown familys memoir. When we watched a movie together at night, Kody and Meri would sit together on the couch while I felt left out in the cold. So I learned to separate myself. Kodys second wife revealed that her husband would even take Meri on his business trips to other stateswhile leaving Janelle home alone. RELATED: Sister Wives: Janelle Brown Talks About Considering Divorce From Kody Brown Meri experienced separation anxiety after Janelle was added to the family As for Meri, she also felt the sting of the major differences in her marriage when she was no longer Kodys only wife. Explaining that she had separation anxiety after Janelle married Kody, Meri wrote in Becoming Sister Wives, I missed the privacy of our old situationthe luxury of making a romantic dinner for just Kody and myself whenever I wanted, or renting a good movie and curling up on the couch together. These are things you simply cant do when another wife enters the picture and is living in the same house. Kodys first wife also admitted that she and Janelle were often at odds because of their differences in personality. Meri argued that Janelle could be passive aggressive and sometimes had a hard time being honest with herself, or others, about her feelings. Meanwhile, Meri confessed, she could sometimes be aggressive in how she spoke to others. I didnt know how to hold back or temper my opinions, the Sister Wives star wrote of those early days with Janelle. I am a very direct person, and when I have a strong opinion about something, I can be a little bit harsh. RELATED: Sister Wives: Meri and Kody Browns Therapist Calls Them Both Exceptionally Controlling People Kodys second wife claimed Meri insulted her makeup one fateful day When she was pregnant with the Brown familys first child, Logan Brown, Janelle explained that her relationship with Meri reached an all-time low. Pregnancy hormones and the physical exhaustion of carrying a child left her feeling vulnerable and less able to deal with Meris snide remarks. Once, when Kody headed off yet again with his first wife and left Janelle behind, she and Meri had a harsh interaction that left her feeling raw and more alone than ever. Kody had taken a new job logging on a mountain, and I was upset to learn that he was again taking Meri with him, Janelle wrote in Becoming Sister Wives. Meri took advantage of the situation to be exceptionally brutal. The Sister Wives star claimed that Meri mocked her makeup while she was pregnant and in tears over her husband leaving her behind for yet another trip. One of my friends and I had experimented with my makeup, Janelle wrote. As I was crying that I was being left behind, Meri began to ridicule the makeup I was wearing. This was the final straw after all the passive-aggressive behavior and snide remarks I had been dealing with for so many months. Kodys second wife admitted that she completely lost it and felt as if [she] was on the verge of a complete nervous breakdown after Meris taunts. With tears running down her face, Janelle reached out to Kody for reassurance in a desperate moment. I just need to know that you love me, she told her husband. Janelle said Kody responded that of course he loved herand looked relieved that such a simple, straightforward profession of his love could cure Janelles ills, at least for a moment. Meri and Janelle took many years to sort out their problems and learn to appreciate each other as sister wives. Eventually, they headed to counseling together to try to achieve a reconciliation. It is a business, complete with an address and posted hours of operation like any other. It even has reviews ("They do not answer phone calls for emergencies. Family member in there and we haven't heard from her, the money we placed in her account has not reached her") on Google Maps, averaging around two stars. But it does not sell products or offer services to customers; it locks them up. I wish I could say that I was even remotely surprised by reports that emerged on Monday of horrifying abuses at a privately run Immigration and Customs Enforcement "detention center" in Georgia. According to whistleblowers, women at the facility are being given hysterectomies at astonishing rates. One person who has come forward compared the facility to an "experimental concentration camp." There are dark reports of a gynecologist who seems to be performing these procedures for no reason or rather for some unspeakably twisted and private purpose of his own: "We've questioned among ourselves like goodness he's taking everybody's stuff out... That's his specialty, he's the uterus collector. I know that's ugly... is he collecting these things or something... Everybody he sees, he's taking all their uteruses out or he's taken their tubes out. What in the world." These surgeries are alleged to have taken place largely without the consent of the women upon whom they were performed, many of whom cannot speak English and say that they were not told why the procedures were being done. Monolingual nurses at the facility allegedly relied upon Google Translate in some cases. There are many reasons why these reports, which ICE has dismissed as "anonymous, unproven allegations, made without any fact-checkable specifics," are worth taking seriously. The first is simply that they will not be shocking to anyone who has experienced the reality of how poor women perhaps especially those who cannot speak English are treated by the medical establishment in this country. Just before Labor Day my wife, a certified birth assistant, spoke to the sister of a young Hispanic woman who was giving birth for the first time at a hospital in Indiana. Due to absurd COVID-19 restrictions, the woman, who had reached the end of a routine healthy pregnancy, was prevented from bringing her sister or a third party to advocate on her behalf. For no discernible medical reason her water was forcibly broken and she was told that she would have to undergo an "emergency" caesarean section. After she refused the latter, she was given a heavy dose of pitocin. The cycle of unnecessary but (for the hospital anyway) convenient and lucrative interventions ended with a unilateral oophorectomy. Story continues Situations like the one I have just described are distressingly common, if unfortunately underreported, in this country. They are the result of two factors: the treatment of pregnancy and delivery as some kind of assembly line process in American hospitals, and the unworkable public-private hybrid that is our health-care system. Even women with ostensibly decent private insurance routinely find themselves misled into accepting scheduled inductions, epidurals, and C-sections that are wholly unnecessary and would be unthinkable in most European countries, where midwifery is the norm for healthy pregnancies. These interventions make complications in future pregnancies vastly more likely. I do not think it is an accident that women like those alleged to have had their uteruses removed in Georgia are treated this way. Undergirding the assembly-line attitude toward pregnancy is the widely held but rarely articulated view that poor women, especially those who are racial minorities, are subhuman, that this country and the world do not need more of their children, that their pregnancies are the unfortunate and wholly unnecessary result of the failure of their mothers to render themselves infertile, which is now apparently the default condition of the female sex. When I say "rarely articulated" I do not mean never. This vision was laid out with horrifying clarity some years ago in a report by the Congressional Budget Office on the consequences of eliminating federal funding for Planned Parenthood. Forgive the bureaucratese: To the extent that there would be reductions in access to care under the legislation, they would affect services that help women avert pregnancies. The people most likely to experience reduced access to care would probably reside in areas without other health care clinics or medical practitioners who serve low-income populations. CBO projects that about 15 percent of those people would lose access to care. The government would incur some costs for Medicaid beneficiaries currently served by affected entities because the costs of about 45 percent of all births are paid for by the Medicaid program. CBO estimates that the additional births stemming from the reduced access under the legislation would add to federal spending for Medicaid. In addition, some of those children would themselves qualify for Medicaid and possibly for other federal programs. This is what they call saying the quiet part out loud. Here the very possibility that poor women might become pregnant becomes a danger that they or others working on their behalf must "avert"; their children are inhumanly dismissed as "additional births," as if they were tumors or bulbs, and damnably expensive too. In case the fundamentally anti-human logic were not obvious enough from the report itself, a write-up in the Washington Post provided a helpful gloss on the hideous consequences of defunding Planned Parenthood under the headline "Defunding Planned Parenthood would lead to thousands more births, CBO says": "Anti-abortion advocates zeroed in on the expectation that more babies would be born, which struck them as reason to celebrate." How should it strike us, the arrival of new human lives? We know what the answer seems to have been at Irwin County Detention Center in Georgia. More stories from theweek.com How a productivity phenomenon explains the unraveling of America How the Trump-Russia story was buried The conservatives who want to undo the Enlightenment COVID-19 relief package remains uncertain. However, families could get as much as $6,000 if lawmakers finally made a deal. On Friday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said that she is feeling optimistic when asked about Congress' ability to pass a more massive stimulus bill or carry out an executive order to release COVID-19 relief funds for eligible Americans. Meaning, Americans could still have a second round of stimulus check soon, but Congress can start discussing it left on the table in August. Pelosi also said, "I do think that we should have an agreement. That's what we all want." The House Speaker again slams Republican's $500 billion proposals on Thursday, which was rejected in the Senate. Pelosi's remarks came on the contrary to Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. Senator McConnell said that he doesn't see any agreement to both parties before the November election. On the other hand, President Donald Trump said that the rejected bill was Democrat's way to hurt him at the polls in November. According to The Sun, the CARES act does not limit the number of children that could be included as dependents, so for as long as they were under 17-years-old, families could receive $500 per dependent. The full amount possible to receive for a family of six kids under 17 and two adults would be $5,400. Meanwhile, the two proposed acts in Congress change the eligible amount for families. Families of five or more could have $6,000 depending on which legislation is passed, which is a considerable increase from the CARES Act passed in March. Discussions were left by Congress in August when deciding between the Democrat-led Heroes Act and Republican-led HEALS Act. The Heroes Act placed a $6,000 stimulus check on households of five or more and proposed providing a $1,200 check for every individual in the family with up to three dependents per family. On the other hand, the HEALS Act does not offer a cap on the amount that families can receive, and it also doesn't limit dependents. Both parties agreed the second round of stimulus checks is warranted despite their differences, as coronavirus pandemic continues that impacts the economy and the unemployment rate in the U.S.hovers at around 8.5%. Republicans and Democratic lawmakers also agree that the next round of stimulus checks should overreach Americans than the first round. The more significant proposed amount will enable even larger percent of the U.S.population to receive checks. The stats presented by CNET showed more than half (52%) of Americans paid down debt through their first stimulus checks. Besides, 15% of Americans said they spent the $1,200 stimulus check they received, while a third said they would save mostly their checks. Check these out: Republicans' "Skinny" Relief Bill Failed: What are the Alternative Possibilities to Happen Next? Stimulus Check 2: Is It Possible to Receive a $4,000 Check? New Stimulus Bill Could Fix These Problems If Lawmakers Agree Clerks in communities with at least 25,000 residents are a step closer to being able to process absentee ballots before Election Day. The Michigan Senate voted 34-2 on Tuesday to approve a bill that would allow election officials to open absentee ballots on Nov. 2, one day early, with a sunset clause that makes it a one-time accommodation. The bill, SB757 sponsored by Sen. Ruth Johnson, R-Holly, is meant to give clerks more time to process an expected influx of absentee ballots amid the coronavirus pandemic. More than 2.1 million absentee ballots have already been requested for Novembers general election, according to Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson. The bill requires a report to determine how many municipalities participate in pre-processing absentee ballots. The Michigan House of Representatives will now have to vote on the bill. Amber McCann, spokesperson for Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey, R-Clark Lake, said Republican leaders are hopeful the bill will assist clerks in November. Senator Shirkey hopes this will be a helpful change to assist local clerks in processing ballots while still protecting the integrity of the election, McCann said. Clerks will only allowed to prepare ballots to be counted before Election Day, not to count them. Related: Michigan clerks to state lawmakers: We need more time to count November ballots Seventeen clerks across the state signed a letter urging the Michigan Senate to pass a bill that would allow clerks a week before the election to process absentee ballots. While even one day of pre-processing before Election Day would provide some help, many clerks are busy preparing for the logistics of the next days in-person voting, the clerks letter states. We believe that allowing clerks to have seven days of pre-processing before Election Day is the wisest policy and would give overwhelmed jurisdictions the ability to conduct the election in the (safest) and secure manner possible. Fortunately, bipartisan legislation to give clerks more time stands ready for you to move in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. The clerks are asking for a week to complete time-intensive steps like opening envelopes and sorting and flattening ballots. The reforms we request would not even permit a vote count to be created before Election Day, much less for them to be shared surreptitiously. Legislative reform allowing clerks to take the time they need is an essential pre-condition for the November election to be as safe, secure, and reliable as all of us want," clerks in the letter stated. Related: 2.1 million voters have requested absentee ballots, says Michigan Secretary of State Ottawa County Clerk Justin Roebuck, who signed the letter, said the Senate passage of SB 757 is a great start and will give election administrators an opportunity to see whether more time is needed. Its about the accuracy in counting the ballots and taking additional time will reduce the element of human error thats a factor for any election when staff is working late hours, Roebuck said. Another issue is timeliness and the trust factor thats associated with timely results. The longer results take to produce, the more distrust people have toward the system. More than 1.6 million absentee ballots were received and counted by clerks in Michigans August primary election. Some communities, like Livonia, saw four times more absentee ballots cast in the primary election than in the 2016 general election. Some of our jurisdictions were not able to finish counting absent voter ballots and submit results until 1 a.m., 2 a.m., or even 7 a.m. on Wednesday morning, clerks in the letter state. Mandating this state of affairs through statutory restrictions is not just cruel to the workers who dedicate their time to our most sacred democratic processit is a threat to the publics faith in the security and accuracy of our elections. The International Energy Agency (IEA) trimmed its 2020 oil demand forecast on Tuesday, citing caution about the pace of economic recovery from the pandemic. The Paris-based IEA cut its 2020 outlook by 200,000 barrels per day (bpd) to 91.7 million bpd in its second downgrade in as many months. "We expect the recovery in oil demand to decelerate markedly in the second half of 2020, with most of the easy gains already achieved," the IEA said in its monthly report. "The economic slowdown will take months to reverse completely ... in addition, there is the potential that a second wave of the virus (already visible in Europe) could cut mobility once again." Renewed rises in COVID-19 cases in many countries and related lockdown measures, continued remote working and a still weak aviation sector are all hurting demand, the IEA said. Increasing oil output and the downgraded demand outlook also mean a slower draw on crude oil stocks which piled up at the height of lockdown measures, it added. The agency now predicts implied stock draws in the second half of the year of about 3.4 million barrels per day, nearly one million bpd less than it predicted last month, with July storage levels in developed countries again reaching record highs. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-16 02:40:41|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close JERUSALEM, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Two people were wounded as rockets fired by Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip hit southern Israel on Tuesday evening, Israeli police said. Two rockets were fired at the southern Israeli cities of Ashdod and Ashkelon, Israeli police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said on Twitter. In Ashdod, a rocket exploded near a mall, causing damage to some stores and cars and two men were wounded by the glass shrapnel. One 62-year-old man was taken to a hospital in moderate condition while a 28-year-old man sustained light injuries during the attack. An Israeli military spokesperson confirmed in a statement that two rockets were fired from the Gaza Strip, adding that one of them was intercepted by Israel's Iron Dome anti-rocket system. No group immediately assumed reasonability for the attacks, which came as Israel signed peace deals with two Arab countries, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), in Washington on Tuesday. The Islamic Hamas movement, which runs Gaza Strip, issued a statement denouncing the normalization agreements as "not worth the ink spilled on it." The group said it does not recognize the deals, vowing that the Palestinians will continue "the struggle to regain all their rights." The Palestinian leadership, which has long accused the U.S. administration under President Donald Trump of being biased in favor of Israel, has condemned the deals as betrayal of the Palestinian cause of ending the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip. With the addition of the UAE and Bahrain, the number of Arab countries having signed peace deals with Israel has increased to four, including Egypt and Jordan. Enditem He's the handsome design judge on The Block who never seems to age a day. And it appears fans of Darren Palmer are questioning if the popular judge has undergone a renovation of his own to maintain his youthful visage. According to Woman's Day, fans of the interior designer, 42, have commented on his fresh face on social media, including one who wrote: 'What has Darren done to his face!? He looks so strange.' Something different? The Block's Darren Palmer has sparked speculation he has 'gone under the knife' ' Darren pictured left, in 2017, and right, last month Another said of his complexion: 'He's impossibly shiny and smooth.' While a third commented on his new hairstyle: 'Black dyed perms look ridiculous on any man.' Meanwhile, other fans are gushing about his look, including one who recently commented: 'I know you're a happily married family man, Darren Palmer, but damn you are looking fine this season.' 'What has Darren done to his face!? He looks so strange': Fans have taken note, commenting alongside a recent Instagram selfie he took alongside his co-judges Shayanna Blaze (right) and Neale Whitaker (centre) 'Loving the I Claudius hair style on Darren,' one commented on an Instagram selfie Darren took while posing alongside co-judges Shayanna Blaze and Neale Whitaker. Daily Mail Australia has contacted Darren's management for comment. Last year, Darren talked to GQ magazine about being conflicted about his sexuality. Youthful: Meanwhile, many are also gushing about his look, including one who recently commented: 'I know you're a happily married family man, Darren Palmer, but damn you are looking fine this season' 'I used to sit in bed and pray that no one would be gay because that was easier for me than accepting that I was': Last year, Darren talked to GQ magazine about being conflicted about his sexuality 'I used to sit in bed and pray that no one would be gay because that was easier for me than accepting that I was,' he said. 'I just didn't want [being gay] to exist because then it wouldn't apply to me and then I wasn't one of 'those' people.' In the interview, which is part of the fashion bible's Men Who Raised Us podcast, the ruggedly handsome interior designer also spoke about the heartfelt moment his dad accepted him for who he is - in fact, even encouraged it. Loved up: Darren is married to his cosmetic expert Olivier Duvillard, 46 (left). The couple married eight years ago in Cape Town, South Africa It happened one day when Darren overheard his dad talking to one of his mates on the phone, assuring him that his gay son was still his son. 'I know he said that so I could hear it... he was letting me know it was okay for me to tell him when I was ready,' added Darren. Darren is married to his cosmetic expert Olivier Duvillard, 46. The couple married eight years ago in Cape Town, South Africa. They share a nine-year old son. Over US$21 bln to be spent on public debt payments in 2021 finance minister 14:40, 15.09.20 823 Some US$15.7 billion will be spent to pay off the public debt, while US$5.7 billion will be spent on debt servicing. U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, right, with Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin, has pushed for tough trade sanctions against China. (Andy Wong / AFP/Getty Images) A World Trade Organization panel ruled Tuesday the Trump administration violated international trade rules by trying to stop China's blatant violations of international trade rules. The ruling probably won't make a whit of difference in the ongoing trade fight between the two countries, however, because the administration has undermined the WTO's enforcement powers to such a degree the body won't be able to impose any sanctions. The outcome of the two-plus years spent in the dispute resolution process will only affirm the administration's hostility toward the WTO. But it highlights the need to overhaul the body's rules to make them relevant again, an effort that the United States could and should be leading. There is more than a little irony when you dive into the details of the dispute. China, which was admitted to the WTO late in 2001, regularly draws accusations of being a trade cheat. Among other things, critics say China's state-owned enterprises benefit from both subsidies and barriers to competition by foreign firms, and that foreign companies are forced to give up intellectual property by the Chinese partners they are required to take on. Oh and yes, state-backed hackers steal copious amounts of trade secrets. The United States, meanwhile, has been one of the world's foremost champions of a globalized system of rules that was supposed to end tit-for-tat tariff battles like the ones President Trump has waged with just about all of our trading partners. Previous U.S. administrations have tried to pressure China to change its ways. When those efforts were unavailing, President Obama sought to assemble a trading bloc among Pacific nations that would raise competitive standards. President Trump abandoned the Trans-Pacific Partnership in favor of unilateral, blunt-force action in 2018, levying tariffs of 10% to 25% on a broad swath of Chinese goods and prompting China's complaint to the WTO. Story continues In particular, the WTO panel noted, the administration was seeking to end China's "state-sanctioned theft and misappropriation of U.S. technology, intellectual property, and commercial secrets." The point was to inflict enough pain on the Chinese economy that Beijing would finally amend its ways and compete fairly. The tariffs helped bring China to the negotiating table, yielding a modest deal that called for increased Chinese purchases of U.S. exports (a commitment that China is not living up to, at least not yet) and better protection of U.S. intellectual property. That's a promise China has made before; this time, however, it comes with enforcement mechanisms that could actually make a difference. Even as it was negotiating a deal, however, China was also pursuing the WTO's help in lifting the U.S. tariffs, which led to Tuesday's ruling. While the U.S. had the right to impose tariffs to protect against intellectual property theft, the panel found, it couldn't simply try to coerce China into submission. The tariffs had to fall on products and services related to the industries affected by China's improper behavior. And the Trump administration failed to show "that there is a genuine relationship of 'ends and means,'" the panel concluded. You could practically hear U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer smack himself in the forehead. "Although the panel did not dispute the extensive evidence submitted by the United States of intellectual property theft by China," Lighthizer said, "its decision shows that the WTO provides no remedy for such misconduct. The United States must be allowed to defend itself against unfair trade practices, and the Trump administration will not let China use the WTO to take advantage of American workers, businesses, farmers, and ranchers." Jeffrey Schott, a senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics and a former trade negotiator for the U.S., is no fan of Trump's tariffs. But he agreed with Lighthizer on that point, saying, "the WTO rules are inadequate to address the Chinese practices that distort trade and investment." The U.S. would have been within its rights to retaliate against China by using measures not governed by international trade rules for example, by negotiating a multilateral free-trade deal that gives China's trading partners more incentive to buy from other countries. "But because President Trump is so enamored with tariffs and he believes his supporters will understand [them] the U.S. response has focused primarily on tariff retaliations," Schott said. By the way, the U.S. also could have filed a complaint with the WTO challenging the tariffs China imposed on U.S. goods in retaliation, making the same argument about "ends and means" that China made. It did not. Still, the U.S. was really in a no-lose position here. By blocking appointments to the WTO panel that hears appeals, the United States has ensured that it or any other country facing sanctions by the WTO merely has to appeal an adverse decision, where it will be stuck in limbo, Schott said. As a result, countries are left to pound each other with tariffs and other protectionist policies just like the old days that the U.S., prior to Trump, had worked diligently to end. The globalization of the economy and the rise of India and China as manufacturing powerhouses within the developing world has changed the playing field dramatically. But updating the WTO rules will require China and India to buy into them, and the path there is unclear. WASHINGTON - Black people have been overrepresented on death rows across the United States and killers of Black people are less likely to face the death penalty than people who kill white people, a new report found. The report from the Death Penalty Information Center is a history lesson in how lynchings and executions have been used in America and how discrimination bleeds into the entire criminal justice system. It traces a line from lynchings of old killings outside the law where Black people were killed in an effort to assert social control during slavery and Jim Crow, and how that eventually translated into state-ordered executions. It comes as the U.S. grapples with criminal justice and police reform following George Floyds death and the deaths of other Black people at the hands of police and in the wake of mass protest. Across the country, 30 states have the death penalty but executions occur mostly in Southern states. And the federal government this year began carrying out executions again after a 17-year hiatus despite waning public support for the death penalty. The centre, a think-tank that studies both state and federal capital cases, wrote that capital punishment must be included in the discussion of the past. I think what the data tells us and what history tells us is that theyre all part of the same phenomenon. The death penalty is inextricably linked to our history of slavery, of lynching, and Jim Crow segregation, and we wanted to put what is happening today in its appropriate context, said Robert Dunham, who leads the Death Penalty Information Center. The report found that throughout the modern era, people of colour have been overrepresented on death row in 2019, 52% of the death row inmates were Black, but that number has dropped to 42% this year, when approximately 60% of the population is white. But it also showed that the killers of white people were more likely than the killers of Black people to face the death penalty, and cases with white victims were more likely to be investigated. Since the death penalty resumed in 1977, 295 Black defendants were executed for killing a white victim, but only 21 white defendants were executed for the killing of a Black victim even though Black people are disproportionately the victims of crime. If youre thinking about Black victims of crime, they are more likely to be the victims of homicide, but weve created this system where Black victims of crime are less likely to get the services they need, the clearance rate for those crimes is much lower, said Ngozi Ndulue, author of the study. Instead what we have is what is seen as the worst of the worst being executed, and that means in many cases the person killed was white. The report also details several case studies in which race may be playing a role today, including a man named Pervis Payne, accused of the 1987 stabbing deaths of Charisse Christopher and her 2-year-old daughter, Lacie Jo. Payne told police he was at Christophers apartment building in Millington, Tennessee, to meet his girlfriend when he saw a man in bloody clothes run past him. Payne, who is African American, has said he found and tried to help the victims, who were white, but panicked when he saw a white policeman and ran away. Payne is sentenced to die Dec. 3, but he has asked a judge to order DNA testing. At the time of his trial, DNA testing of evidence was unavailable, and no testing has ever been done in his case. A request for DNA testing, in 2006, was refused based on a Tennessee Supreme Court ruling that has since been overturned. His recent petition said police focused almost exclusively on him as a suspect, although nothing in his history suggested he would commit such a crime. He was a ministers son who never caused problems either as a child or a teenager. But prosecutors alleged Payne was high on cocaine and looking for sex when he killed Christopher and her daughter in a drug-induced frenzy. The town of Millington is in Shelby County, which has the most death sentences and lynchings of any county in the state. The report also takes aim at the federal governments scheduling of executions. The first set were all white men, a move critics argue was a political calculation to avoid uproar. The federal death penalty suffers the same racial bias, according to the report. Of the 57 people on federal death row, 34 are people of colour, including 26 Black men, some convicted by all-white juries, the report found. Christopher Vialva, the first Black inmate on federal death row set to die this year, is scheduled to be executed next week. ___ Associated Press writer Travis Loller in Nashville, Tennessee, contributed to this report. MaidPro Franchise "Lynn has been an amazing part of our MaidPro family. Her kind heart and intellect have made an amazing business owner and philanthropic leader. She has personally improved the lives of many not only in her community but around the world." MaidPro is proud to announce that franchisee, Lynn Given of MaidPro Parker has received Franchise Business Review's annual Franchisee Rock Star Award for 2020. Each year, Franchise Business Review honors franchise owners who set exceptional examples of achieving success within the franchise model. This years Franchise Rock Stars were selected from over 28,000 franchisees, representing more than 300 brands that participated in Franchise Business Reviews research in the past 18 months. Lynn Given has received the Franchisee Rock Star 2020 award in the Giving Back category. Lynn has been a MaidPro franchisee for the past decade during which time she has been an active part of the supportive community and has taken the lead with MaidPro's 501(c)3 nonprofit MaidPro Cares. The nonprofit strives to make a difference for orphaned and high-risk children living in underfunded childrens homes around the world. "Lynn has been an amazing part of our MaidPro family. Her kind heart and intellect have made an amazing business owner and philanthropic leader. She has personally improved the lives of many in her community and around the world," says Richard Sparacio, MaidPro co-founder and president. Franchise Business Review, the leading research firm serving the franchise sector, provides ratings of franchise opportunities based solely on survey research that measures franchisee satisfaction and performance. Franchise Business Review publishes rankings of the top franchises in its annual Guide to Todays Top Franchises, as well as guides throughout the year ranking the top franchises in specific sectors. There are so many success stories out there and thousands of inspiring franchise owners who are living their dreams of business ownership that it was incredibly difficult to narrow down the list, said Eric Stites, CEO of Franchise Business Review. In the end, we chose individuals who are exceptional examples of achieving success through the franchise model and exemplify a strong work ethic and a real commitment to their business and community. We are thrilled to recognize these individuals as Franchise Rock Stars. Visit FranchiseBusinessReview.com to see the full list of 2020 Rock Star Franchise Owners. About MaidPro MaidPro is a Boston-based franchisor of house cleaning services with over 285 locations in 38 states, the District of Columbia, and Canada. The company, which began franchising in 1997, takes pride in its strong owner community, cutting-edge technology, and creative marketing. It has been honored with the Franchise Business Reviews Four-Star Rating and Franchise 50 awards every year from 2006 to 2020 for owner satisfaction. MaidPro was named one of the Top 50 Franchises for Minorities by USA Todays Franchising Today. MaidPro is also a proud member of the International Franchise Association, Canadian Franchise Association, and the New England Franchise Association. - One of the unique candidates for this year's BECE has had her story highlighted in Ghana's media space - The rather ripe-in-age woman is still working hard to complete JHS as she sits for her final year exam - Her sheer determination to be called a graduate has won many hearts on social media Our manifesto: This is what YEN.com.gh believes in This year's edition of the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) start in Ghana on Monday, September 14, 2020. Among the 531, 705 candidates to be sitting for the final year exam in the country, one of them has caught the eye of Ghana's media and has had her story highlighted. The student, Madam Elizabeth Yamoah, 60, who at a first glance would be looking to be playing 'dress-up' in her granddaughter's school uniform, is actually not playing a prank. A cross-section of students writing an exam. Source: Daily Graphic Source: UGC READ ALSO: Tracey Boakye's daughter Nhyira laughs and speaks for the 1st time; fans amazed Madam Elizabeth Yamoah is a student of Agona Odoben Presby Junior High School (JHS). She happens to be actually a real JHS student and is also writing for honours in the 2020 BECE. The 60-year-old student is reported to be Ghana's oldest BECE candidate for the 2020 batch of students and is really looking to gain access to secondary education through the Free SHS programme. At her age, she still has the hope of bearing the flaming torch of higher education that was probably not chalked by her parents. Her story went viral after she was captured in a photo on the first day of the nationwide exams looking sharply dressed and braving the odds of sitting in the same class of kids young enough to be her grandchildren. READ ALSO: Trending topics on the go: How we write news at YEN.com.gh Indeed, Madam Yamoah's story throws more light on the phenomenon that "its never too late to have an education." We wish her all the best and we hope that she comes out with flying colors. Meanwhile, Mr Benjamin Sedem Ehlah has etched his name in the history books of the University of Winneba- Kumasi Campus after he was adjudged the best graduating student in his year group. Benjamin Sedem Ehlah, who graduated in 2020, managed to defy all the odds and brac=ved the storms of the rigorous education system in Ghana to achieve the feat. READ ALSO: Pamela Watara shows off her real boyfriend for the 1st time; chops love in new video The 27-year-old young record-setter studied Information Technology and managed to top all students on his campus with a CGPA that was only a few decimal points short of distinction. Have national and human interest issues to discuss? Know someone who is extremely talented and needs recognition? Your stories and photos are always welcome. Get interactive via our Facebook page. Source: YEN.com.gh Latin America's newest Unicorn receives continued funding from General Atlantic and welcomes Addition as a new investor dLocal, a leading cross-border payment platform connecting global merchants to emerging markets, today announced up to $200 million in new investment, led by existing investor General Atlantic, a leading global growth equity firm with a presence across North and South America, Europe and Asia. dLocal also secured investment from Addition, a recently launched investment firm focused on early and growth stage companies. Following this new growth equity investment, dLocal is now valued at $1.2 billion, becoming not only Uruguay's first unicorn, but also one of the highest-valued Latin American financial technology companies supporting global merchants' growth in emerging markets. dLocal has established itself as a trusted cross-border payment processor since its inception in Uruguay in 2016. The company has been profitable every year, achieving over 100% annual organic growth over the past four years and now serving 450 merchants in 20 countries, with connectivity to more than 300 alternative payment methods. dLocal's recent momentum is underscored by successful new business wins in additional high-growth markets, including India, Morocco, Nigeria, and South Africa. Its global customers include Amazon, DiDi, Gearbest, Nike, Shopify, Spotify, Uber, Visa/Earthport, Zara, and many others. "I am extremely proud of what the team at dLocal has achieved since we started serving global ecommerce players four years ago," said Sebastian Kanovich, CEO of dLocal. "Beyond securing unicorn status and becoming one of the highest-valued Latin American financial technology companies supporting global merchants, we are expanding access and helping those in emerging markets connect to ecommerce, building reliable payment technology tailored to specific local needs, constantly improving our products and growing our global footprint." dLocal will use its new funding to accelerate global expansion, targeting 13 new markets over the next 18 months, including Central America, Africa, and Southeast Asia countries. It will also further build and refine its product set to solve critical pain points for global merchants seeking to serve emerging market consumers. dLocal has been working to expand its current customer relationships and has made a number of recent announcements with major ecommerce brands, including: A September 1 announcement that Spotify Premium is now leveraging dLocal's 360 payment platform to give customers in Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Peru, and Mexico the ability to pay for their subscriptions through popular methods such as cash and bank transfers. An August 26 announcement that dLocal is supporting Zara's payments platform in Uruguay and Paraguay, allowing Zara to accept local credit card payments with the option of monthly installments. This has enabled customers to pay with both international and locally issued credit cards from Mastercard, Visa and American Express, as well as other domestic cards such as OCA in Uruguay. An April 28 announcement that Google Pay is now fully compatible with dLocal's payments solution, meaning merchants can accept the popular digital wallet immediately with minimal effort on their part. "We are excited to support dLocal as it continues to develop innovative local-payment solutions in the emerging markets," said Martin Escobari, Co-President, Managing Director, and Head of Latin America at General Atlantic. "From our previous work with leading global fintechs, we know the payment solutions sector well and can bring deep, hands-on experience as dLocal establishes itself as a partner of choice for global merchants seeking bespoke solutions tailored specifically to their needs in a range of unique geographies. We believe strongly in dLocal's potential as a transformative company in the emerging markets space." General Atlantic has a 40-year track record of growth equity investing, helping innovative fintech companies including Adyen, Ant Group, Clip, Neon Pagamentos, Network International, Qontigo, Santander Asset Management, and XP Inc. scale and expand internationally. Addition is an early and growth stage investment firm founded in 2020 to support visionary entrepreneurs on their journey to build impactful and enduring businesses. Luiz Ribeiro, Principal at General Atlantic, will join the dLocal Board of Directors. "Adding new investors of Addition's caliber is a testament to dLocal's long-term potential," added Kanovich. "We're excited to welcome them to our team and look forward to their support as we drive new product development and market expansion." The transaction is subject to customary regulatory approvals. Additional terms of the deal were not disclosed. About dLocal dLocal is a leading cross-border payment platform founded upon the mission of closing the payments innovation gap that exists between developed countries and emerging economies. Its 360, single-API platform is designed to handle and facilitate mass online payments across Latin America, APAC, the Middle East, and Africa. By operating as a merchant's local payments processor in each country, dLocal empowers global merchants to reach billions of customers, accept payments, send payouts, and settle funds globally. More than 450 global e-commerce retailers, SaaS companies, online travel providers, and marketplaces rely on dLocal to accept over 300 locally relevant payment methods, as well as issue millions of payments to their contractors, agents, and sellers in growth markets around the world. dLocal's customers include Amazon, Avast, Banggood, Booking.com, Constant Contact, Didi, DropBox, GoDaddy, MailChimp, TripAdvisor, Uber, Wikimedia, and Zara, among others. Please visit https://dlocal.com/ for more information. About General Atlantic General Atlantic is a leading global growth equity firm providing capital and strategic support for growth companies. Established in 1980, General Atlantic combines a collaborative global approach, sector specific expertise, a long-term investment horizon and a deep understanding of growth drivers to partner with great entrepreneurs and management teams to build exceptional businesses worldwide. General Atlantic has more than 150 investment professionals based in New York, Amsterdam, Beijing, Greenwich, Hong Kong, Jakarta, London, Mexico City, Mumbai, Munich, Palo Alto, Sao Paulo, Shanghai, and Singapore. For more information on General Atlantic, please visit: www.generalatlantic.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200915005302/en/ Contacts: Media dLocal Paula Villamarin pvillamarin@dlocal.com General Atlantic Mary Armstrong Emily Japlon media@generalatlantic.com There was protest in Osogbo, the Osun State capital, as police attached to the Osun Joint Task Force chased a suspected internet fraudster (yahoo boy) to his death. PREMIUM TIMES learnt that the suspected internet fraudster, simply identified as Remi, was pursued alongside three others, leading to an accident on Tuesday evening at an area called East bypass. The Toyota Corolla with registration number KUJ 553 LY Abuja, conveying the internet fraudster, ran into an electric pole and the car turned over. Eyewitnesses told PREMIUM TIMES that while Remi died on the spot, three others who were severely injured were immediately rushed to hospital. There is a riot ongoing in my street. Police had chased yahoo boy to deaths and the youth are protesting against them, a witness, Fawole Isreal, told our correspondent. Another resident told this newspaper that the police were shooting sporadically into the air to escape being mobbed by youth as of the time of this report. ALSO READ: Popular pornstar remanded for recording sex movie in Osun shrine The police are currently shooting into the air to scare people away and many have already (been) injured in the process, the witness who pleaded anonymity said. The Incident scene The Incident scene Some youth have taken the deceased body to the entrance of the state governors house in Oke-fia while they also damaged the vehicle of the Nigeria police in the area. When contacted, Yemisi Opalola, the spokesperson of the police, said: the report is true but we are on top of the matter. OTTAWACommon sense prevailed. Thats what Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland says turned the tide in the latest Canada-U.S. trade dispute over Canadian aluminum exports to the south. The last thing that Canadians and Americans need in the middle of this pandemic is another trade war. The United States said Tuesday it would drop 10 per cent tariffs on $3.6 billion worth of imported Canadian aluminum products, just two hours before Canada was set to unveil its own tit-for-tat list of retaliatory penalties against American imports to this country. In a statement U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer walked back tariffs the Trump administration had slapped on non-alloyed Canadian aluminum in August, saying he expects that surging Canadian imports are likely to normalize or level out in the second half of this year and through the first part of next year. Trumps tariffs had taken effect in August. Their withdrawal is retroactive to Sept. 1, meaning U.S. buyers of Canadian aluminum were on the hook for about three weeks of tariff payments money that went to the U.S. treasury. Canadian producers argued the whole dispute was wrong-headed from the beginning, and took focus off a common problem for Canada and U.S. aluminum producers: cheaper Chinese imports. The U.S. left a threat hanging in the air. Lighthizer said Washington would retroactively reimpose another 10 per cent tariff if Canadian imports exceeded monthly levels the U.S. trade office set out, or if it detected a future imbalance in aluminum trade between the two countries in 2021. Canada issued a threat of its own. Freeland and Export Promotion and International Trade Minister Mary Ng told reporters there was no deal and Canada did not accept any American quotas. Canada has not conceded anything, said Ng. Freeland said the American withdrawal of tariffs was a unilateral move and Canada would not hesitate to retaliate in the future. This is not a negotiated deal between Canada and the United States, said Freeland. We have not negotiated an agreement with the U.S. on quotas. We have been clear with USTR (United States Trade Representative) that were tariffs to be imposed in the future on Canadian aluminum, we will retaliate with a reciprocal, dollar-for-dollar retaliation. Its up to the U.S. whether it chooses again to go down that path. Freeland said she arrived for a cabinet retreat in the morning fully expecting to unveil the final list of U.S. aluminum products that Ottawa would target. She wouldnt say what those would have been had Ottawa proceeded. Trump announced tariffs Aug. 6 at a Whirlpool washing machine factory in Ohio. He said, Canada was taking advantage of us as usual. In response the Liberal government drafted a long preliminary list of American products in the crosshairs. It included American raw aluminum products but also value-added products like refrigerators, washing machines and golf clubs taking direct aim at Trump. Our pressure worked, said a Canadian official. It was a very smart approach, agreed Jean Simard, head of the Canadian Aluminum Association, which represents eight of the largest industrial producers employing over 8,700 workers. He expressed relief at the U.S. announcement in an interview with the Star. The Canadian government and aluminum producers argued the shifting export levels were simply a function of two things: the need for smelters in Canada and worldwide to switch production to unalloyed aluminum ingots in order to keep their factories in working order while the pandemic crisis played out and demand from manufacturing industries dropped. And the usual trade dynamics in an economic crisis, which occurred during the 2008-09 financial crisis too. Thats when the only thing that kept going was the market for aluminum in its raw form, with commodities traders buying up supplies for when the manufacturing sector, particularly the auto industry, got back up and running. Simard said. Canadian producers always intended to, and have, switched back to producing higher quality, value-added aluminum products as soon as the economic reopening got underway. It helped that most U.S. producers and importers were onside with the Canadian government and industry arguments, and that as the U.S. election draws near, the chorus of complaints against the punitive tariffs was noise that the Trump administration did not need, he said. Freeland called Trumps decision a mistake from the beginning. The U.S. tariffs were imposed using the same national security provision used in 2018 against steel and aluminum. Ng said they were unjustified and unacceptable, adding Canadian aluminum exports were never a threat but contributed to the national security of both countries. Simard said the U.S. produces 1 million metric tons a year of primary metal, but consumes six times that amount, and tariffs raised costs for U.S. consumers and businesses in the middle of economic recovery efforts. Mark Agnew, with the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, welcomed the end of the latest tariff dispute but said the United States has not unconditionally lifted its tariffs on Canadian aluminum and continues to seek to restrict market-driven trade flows. We call on the United States to fully and without precondition remove the threat that tariffs could be reimposed in the future, he said in a written release. Read more about: (Natural News) It is now being reported that Oregon Fire Marshal Jim Walker has officially resigned from his post after being placed on administrative leave due to the states alleged mishandling of the wildfires. We have since learned that Walker will be succeeded by Chief Deputy Mariana Ruiz-Temple, who will oversee what some state officials are ominously warning is soon to become a mass fatality event. Walker submitted his resignation to the Oregon State Police superintendents office, though no specific reason for it has been disclosed. Meanwhile, Oregon is scrambling to prepare for widespread deaths across the state as the wildfires, which have already consumed more than one million acres of terrain, continue to spread. [Ruiz-Temple] is assuming this position as Oregon is in an unprecedented crisis which demands an urgent response, indicated Oregon State Police Superintendent Travis Hampton. This response and the circumstances necessitated a leadership change. I have absolute confidence in [Ruiz-Temple] to lead OSFM operations through this critical time. She is tested, trusted, and respected having the rare combination of technical aptitude in field operations and administration. According to Commissioner John Lindsey, an official in Linn County, there has thus far been a lack of coordination from the state in responding to the fires, which is part of the reason why they continue to destroy property, take lives and spread smoke all across the West Coast and now even into the Midwest. The one consistent denominator missing was the state, he reportedly told OregonLive. While evidence does exist to suggest that arsonists are to blame for at least some of the fires, many of the larger ones appear to be occurring along fault lines and above magma chambers, which also points to supernatural phenomena. [Ruiz-Temple] has led with grace, transparency, and courage, added Oregon Gov. Kate Brown in a statement. She embodies the experience Oregon needs to face this crisis, in this moment. Brown says Oregon is experiencing a once-in-a-generation event Andrew Phelps, the director of Oregons Office of Emergency Management, told the media that he and other state officials are bracing for potential mass fatality incidents, which we can only speculate is an indicator that the wildfires are not going away anytime soon. Gov. Brown also added that the wildfires represent a once-in-a-generation event in terms of their severity, especially since many people across the state will not know that they need to evacuate until it is already too late. Thousands of structures have already been destroyed, not to mention the vast swaths of dry-as-a-bone forest and brush that have been consumed over the past several weeks. In time, many more acres are expected to succumb to the blazes, which have created hazardous air conditions as far north as Canada and as far east as Oklahoma and Missouri, according to some first-hand accounts. Many on the left are blaming right-wing extremists for igniting these fires, while many on the right are blaming Black Lives Matter (BLM) and Antifa. Almost nobody is considering the changes taking place to our earth that while they might seem like global warming or climate change are actually end times events being fulfilled. FBI Portland and local law enforcement agencies have been receiving reports that extremists are responsible for setting wildfires in Oregon, the FBIs Portland Division indicated in a statement, suggesting that the wildfires are all a natural phenomenon, even though there is some evidence to suggest that arsonists have played a role in some of the blazes. With our state and local partners, the FBI has investigated several such reports and found them to be untrue. More of the latest news about the West Coast wildfires can be found at Collapse.news. Sources for this article include: TheEpochTimes.com NaturalNews.com YouTu.be Richard Caines covers business and courts in Horry and Georgetown County for The Post and Courier. He graduated from the Cronkite School at Arizona State University and is a huge Philadelphia sports fan. Thiruvananthapuram/Delhi, Sep 15 : Even after the Enforcement Directorate having questioned State Higher Education Minister K.T. Jaleel, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) is all set to question him in the next two days. Still, a confident Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan gave a clean chit to his cabinet colleague on Tuesday. Speaking to the media here, Vijayan said one failed to understand what the allegation against Jaleel was. "Jaleel has done no wrong and the society also knows about this. What's happening is a concerted attempt to tarnish him as there are vested interests who are after him. He quit a political party (the Indian Union Muslim League) and joined us. This is what some people are unable to digest," said Vijayan. After the ED questioned him, which was kept a closely-guarded secret and he was caught lying, he went on record to say he has no clue of if he will be questioned. But since the news surfaced, the two principal opposition fronts in the state have been demanding his resignation. Also, numerous protests have broken out, with the police clashing with opposition activists. "The questioning of ED is not a big deal. Is he the first minister to be questioned? As far as the Left is concerned he is the first. The questioning was to ascertain facts after complaints surfaced against him. The case is that he distributed the Holy Quran. You should note that he never asked for it, instead his help was sought to distribute it and he did it. What wrong has he done?" added Vijayan. Incidentally, Vijayan's strong defence comes at a time, when the NIA as part of widening its probe into the Kerala gold smuggling case, they are all set to question Jaleel in the next two days, officials said on Tuesday. "We will record the statement of Jaleel in the Kerala gold smuggling case," a senior NIA official told IANS. The official clarified that he is not named in the case, but the agency wants to question him to know if there was any gold smuggling activity under the guise of distribution of religious texts. The gold smuggling case was unearthed when P.S. Sarith, a former employee of the UAE Consulate in Thiruvananthapuram, was arrested by the Customs on July 5 when he was facilitating smuggling of 30 kg gold in diplomatic baggage to the state capital from Dubai. Things turned murkier when the name of Swapna Suresh, a former employee of the consulate and later employed with the IT Department, surfaced. Later, her links with now-suspended IAS officer M. Sivasankar, then posted as Principal secretary to Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan and also the IT Secretary, came to light. So far, the NIA has zeroed in on 25 accused, of which 20 have been arrested. By PTI JAMMU: An army jawan was killed and two others, including an officer, were injured on Tuesday after Pakistani troops fired with small arms and shelled mortars along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district, officials said. The Indian Army launched a befitting retaliation to the Pakistani firing and shelling in Sunderbani sector, they said. "Pakistan initiated the unprovoked ceasefire violation by firing with small arms and intense shelling with mortars. Some injuries have been reported (on our side)," a defence spokesperson said based on preliminary information. However, official sources said three army personnel, including an officer, were injured in the incident and later one of the soldiers succumbed to the injuries. The officer, along with another soldier, is undergoing treatment at the military hospital, the sources said. The Pakistani army has also suffered casualties in the retaliatory action but details are awaited, the sources said. Meanwhile, the army on Tuesday said it has foiled an infiltration bid along the Line of Control (LoC) in Gurez sector of Bandipora district in Jammu and Kashmir and recovered a cache of arms and ammunition. "Acting on specific @JmuKmrPolice inputs, suspicious movement was detected by alert troops along LoC on 14 September. Contact was established & the suspected terrorists were fired upon by Security forces. Aggressive & timely action by SF foiled an infiltration bid," Srinagar-based Chinar Corps of the army said in a tweet. The army said a cache of arms and ammunition were recovered from the scene of the operation. "During the joint search operation, War like stores were recovered. These included one assault rifle, three pistols one GPS and four rucksacks," it added. The Trump administration can end temporary legal status of hundreds of thousands of immigrants, an appeals court has ruled Monday. Immigrants from El Salvador, Nicaragua, Haiti, and Sudan face deportation as the protections that allowed them to stay in the U.S. will likely end. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Monday lifted the injunction that blocked the Trump admin from ending Temporary Protected Status, or TPS, for the four counties. Since 1990, the policy allowed a temporary legal status to immigrants from countries hit by natural disasters or conflicts. The legal status had often been extended, but the White House decided to end it for the four countries. They argued that extending the TPS, again and again, runs against its purpose, said a CNN report. Politico noted that there would be at least 300,000 affected immigrants. People from these countries enjoyed the TPS for about two decades already. In a report from Al Jazeera, they noted that the most affected group would be El Salvador immigrants. Court Sides with Trump, 2-1 The ruling was a 2-1 decision from the panel of the 9th Circuit. It said that a federal judge in San Francisco erred when he blocked the government's move to end the TPS in 2018. In the majority opinion, Judge Consuelo Callahan said the decision to give TPS to any foreign country "begins and ends with the Secretary." They added that so long as the criteria that apply are met. Callahan was referring to the secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Judge Ryan Nelson joined the decision and said the secretary's discretion to end TPS is "broad and unique in nature." Dan Hetlage, US Citizenship and Immigration Services spokesman, said they are "reviewing the decision." He added that updates would be announced as they are made available. Callahan was appointed by former President George Bush, while Trump appointed Nelson. Trump has made moves to restrict other humanitarian statuses in the U.S. He sharply limited the number of refugees allowed to resettle in the U.S. and took measures to curb access to asylum. TPS Holders Push Back Some TPS holders and their children, who are U.S. citizens, challenged the plan to end the TPS. They argued that the decision was fueled by racism. But the court panel's majority concluded that there is still not proof that the decision was "motivated by racial animus." In her dissent, Circuit Judge Morgan Christen said the TPS terminations needed to be reviewed. Christen also claimed that they violated federal administrative law, CBS News reported. She added that the ruling had "monumental" consequences, which were "deeply flawed." "The importance of the interests at stake makes the argument in favor of reviewability even more compelling," she said. She added that, with the terminations, the lives of 300,000 non-citizens and 200,000 U.S. citizen children would be forever changed. Christen was appointed by President Barack Obama. Last year, the DHS announced the extension of the validity of work permits for El Salvadorans with TPS through January 4, 2021. Check these out! Trump Gets Second Nobel Peace Prize Nomination Following Historic Deal Trump Calls for Death Penalty for LA Police Shooter More Than 200 Retired Military Leaders Endorse Trump for Reelection TAIPEI, Sept. 14, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- D-Link Corporation has announced three new ranges of switches; The DXS-1210, DGS-1520 and DGS-2000 series. With advanced central management, Layer 3 features, and support for 10G Ethernet, DXS-1210 and DGS-1520 Smart Managed Switches are specifically engineered for small-to-medium business and enterprise networks. The entry-level DGS-2000 series managed switches are suitable for medium to large businesses that require high reliability and security in addition to a central management network. DXS-1210 Series 10 Gigabit Ethernet Smart Managed Switches With support for a combination of 10GBASE-T and SFP ports, the cost-effective DXS-1210 Series services a range of network needs for any business. D-Link's new additions to this series, models DXS-1210-28T and DXS-1210-28S, are 28-port switches equipped with four 10G/25G copper or fiber ports which allow for low latency, high efficiency, and flexibility for easier network integration. With Layer 3 features and expandable capacity, the DXS-1210-28T can serve as either an aggregation/access switch in large Enterprise environments or as the core of an SMB network. DGS-1520 Layer 3 Stackable Smart Managed Switch D-Link's DGS-1520 Series is the successor to the DGS-1510 series and the first of D-Link's smart managed switches to support 10G Base-T ports for uplinks/stacking. This series includes a range of 28 and 52 port switches with a choice of 2.5GBASE-T PoE, 10GBASE-T and SFP+ uplink ports. High bandwidth uplinks eliminate network bottlenecks and provide low-latency connections to core networks and servers, while multi-Gigabit PoE ports eliminate potential network bottleneck when connecting to high-bandwidth 802.11ac/ax access points. With zero-touch provisioning, multi-site network deployments are effortless, and there is no need for onsite IT personnel. These switches are designed to provide maximum uptime as well as high security, multiple management options and flexible stacking configurations with a powerful 80-Gigabit stacking bandwidth using fiber, copper, or hybrid mode. Additionally, the DGS-1520 is compatible with D-Link's latest DPS-520 PoE Redundant Power System which can connect up to 4 non-PoE models of DGS-1520 for a more resilient and reliable network. DGS-2000 Series Managed Access Switches The DGS-2000 Series accommodates various needs of enterprise access layer connectivity by offering advanced Layer 2 features and support for Power over Ethernet (PoE). With a full line of switches between 8 to 48 Gigabit Ethernet ports, all models feature an additional 2 or 4 SFP ports either as standalone or combo GbE/SFP ports. DGS-2000 provides 104 Gbps total switching capacity, and up to 30W per port with 370W total PoE budget. Optional SFP ports can link multiple remote networks across extended distances. About D-Link D-Link is a global leader in connecting people, businesses, and cities with our computer networking solutions and technology. Our innovative products and services meet the needs of digital home consumers, small to medium sized businesses, enterprise environments, and service providers. D-Link implements and supports unified network solutions that integrate capabilities in switching, wireless, broadband, IP surveillance, and cloud-based network management. An award-winning designer, developer, and manufacturer for over 30 years, D-Link has grown from a group of friends in Taiwan into a global brand with over 2,000 employees in 60 countries. SOURCE D-Link More than a century before hashtags and messaging apps, the era of political bosses and patronage made New Jersey the punch line of jokes about voter fraud. Provincial anecdotes in Democrat county strongholds about the dead still voting and voting early and often have long come to epitomize the machine politics of a dark blue state where Democrat voters outnumber Republicans two to one and control 15 of 21 counties. Standalone electronic voting booths have been used in the state for decades. Unconnected to the internet, they are paperless and store votes until the polls close, after which the results are downloaded and passed along to county and state election officials. There are no hanging chads or hand counts by half-sighted retirees. Voting improprieties are thwarted by the convenience, simplicity, and efficiency of in-person e-voting. But in a presidential election already being contested before a single vote is cast, COVID is offering the Democrat machine ample opportunity to subvert election integrity. Since early March, New Jersey governor Phil Murphy has besieged Jerseyans with more than 70 pandemic-related diktats restricting the freedom of movement, commerce, and the practice of religion. Some have loosely followed science; others appear to be triggered by mere hunches, random predictions, and temper tantrums. Many were handed down with a blind eye to the Bill of Rights, a document the governor openly called "above my pay grade." On August 14, Murphy once again skirted convention, subverting federal election laws, breaking the protected custody of an e-vote, and evoking pandemic fears by issuing Executive Order 177. E.O. 177 writes off COVID downtrends by implying that in-person voting in a general election is a viral super-spreader. The governor has dusted off the state's voter rolls and will soon mail unrequested November ballots to six million registered voters still presumed to be alive and living at their last known addresses. Murphy's actions rely upon premonition, an intuition he apparently lacked in late March, when he approved his administration's resettlement of infected seniors from hospital beds back to nursing homes. He continues to widen the gap separating gubernatorial policy, science, and medical authority. Eminent medical advice tells us that the customary protections masks, sanitizers and social distancing make in-person voting as safe as going to the grocery store. There was np observable hike in cases after hundreds of thousands voted in the Wisconsin state primary in April. On its face, E.O. 177 smacks of the same disparate logic and treatment that allows some businesses to thrive and others to suffer without explanation. Have you seen the lines at New Jersey DMV offices, Mr. Murphy? If one is not deterred from in-person voting, E.O. 177 puts another obstacle in one's path. The decree empowers municipalities to open only one voting location and as few as fifty across counties. This creates hardships in the cities that will force otherwise in-person voters to submit their ballots by mail. Fraud is often perpetrated in the final days leading up to an election, clogging the mail system and reducing scrutiny by way of third-party collection schemes or the sweeping and bundling of loose ballots. New Jersey offers many examples, at least one of which overturned a recent city council election in Paterson and brought about an indictment from the state attorney's office. Murphy abets these scams by showing great empathy toward eleventh-hour voters, extending the vote for two days after the election by accepting ballots received without a postmark. If the past is prologue, consider the four federal elections between 2012 and 2018, during which federal election officials claim that more than 28 million ballots went missing. The go-between in the upcoming presidential election is the U.S. Postal Service. This is not a reflection on our favorite neighborhood letter carrier or a familiar and friendly postal clerk. It's about having faith in relying on a two-and-a-half-century-old system that is a slow-moving juggernaut, is easily overwhelmed, operates year to year with a net loss, is technically primitive, and is far less automated compared to its express mail competitors. Prior to 2020, almost 14 million voters in five states were casting their ballots by mail. Cracks were beginning to appear in the postal system when a half-million ballots were disqualified in the 2020 primaries as either improperly completed or delivered too late. Since then, Democrat governors in California, Nevada, New Jersey, and Vermont, by act of a Democrat-controlled Legislature, all citing the pandemic to implement mail-in voting in the November election, have brought the prospective postal workload to nearly 50 million. The National Association of Letter Carriers, a labor union representing more than 300,000 postal workers, has thrown its political support and war chest behind the Joe Biden candidacy. We can only hope that mail-in ballots are deemed sacrosanct, as troubling security camera and cell phone videos have captured postal employees discarding GOP campaign fliers in Texas and Wisconsin, among other incidents of illegal vote alteration. By pushing back the goalposts on election returns, the outcome of the presidential vote in New Jersey and the fate of the state's 14 electoral votes could remain unknown for weeks, even months if peremptory legal challenges are brought to bear. Murphy has pained to excuse this last-minute electioneering. Sweating through his makeup on a recent Chris Wallace interview on Fox, Murphy boasted of his hybrid voting model, curiously omitting any mention of the pandemic typed 22 times into E.O. 177 as a pretext to alter the November voting process. On August 14, during an interview with CNN's John Berman, Murphy claimed, "I'm pretty sure we have a higher probability of being hit by lightning than we do uncovering voter fraud." He may be right, given a disjointed state voting process and the sheer volume of additional ballots heaped upon a national postal system shown inadequate to the task. Besides, it's a lot more difficult to uncover election fraud when you refuse to acknowledge that it even exists. At best, Murphy is being willfully obtuse. At worst, he's adding a new chapter to the state's sordid history of corruption. Colonel Rick Fuentes (retired) is a forty-year veteran of the New Jersey State Police, serving fifteen years as superintendent under three Democrat and one Republican governors. Image: Phil Murphy via Flickr, CC BY 2.0. Land prices in Da Nang have dropped significantly after peaking in a land fever at the beginning of this year, resulting in heavy losses and debts for many investors. Prices of land plots in the central city, especially at the Hoa Xuan ecological urban area in Cam Le District, the Nam Hoa Xuan area in Ngu Hanh Son District, and the Golden Hills urban area in Lien Chieu and Hoa Vang Districts, have been plummeting due to the impact of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. Many land owners have lowered their prices by 30-40 percent, but are still unable to close any deal, said Nguyen Van Huyen, an investor at the Golden Hills urban area. At Hoa Xuan and Nam Hoa Xuan, many transaction offices for land traders have been shuttered while the cost of each land plot has dropped by about VND1 billion (US$43,100) compared to last year. Land prices have also decreased sharply along such streets as Nguyen Tat Thanh, Tan Tra, and Son Thuy. D.V.H., director of a real estate firm in Da Nang, said that his company was still able to secure several land sale deals following the wave of COVID-19 infections in Vietnam in March and April. However, no clients have contacted the firm since a new wave broke out in late July, H. continued, adding that he has had to cut the salary of new employees and collaborators by 50-100 percent due to financial difficulties. Da Nang was the countrys largest epicenter during the new wave, linked to most of the 551 local cases reported nationwide since July 25. The virus is now kept at bay in Vietnam and the coastal city, as the country has recorded zero additional domestic infections for nearly two weeks. The present situation is more serious as it follows a land fever that occurred in the resort city in early 2020, during which prices of local land plots were jacked up to be much higher than their real value, according to Nguyen Van Lan, director of Da Nang-based Minh Lan Real Estate Company. During the land fever, many speculators purchased a lot of land plots and expected to resell them at an even higher price in the future. These speculators now have no choice but to slash their prices to avoid further losses and debts, Lan elaborated. Despite the price drop, demand for land in Da Nang is still very low due to the pandemic. To support realty businesses, local banks need to provide support policies such as freezing or rescheduling loans that are related to real estate, said Vo Van Cuong, chairman of the Da Nang Real Estate Association. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! D isgraced former Conservative MP Charlie Elphicke has arrived at court to be sentenced for three sexual assaults on two younger women. The 49-year-old declared himself a naughty Tory as he chased his first victim around his central London family home in summer 2007 after groping her while they shared a bottle of wine, his trial heard in July heard. While Dover MP in 2016, he also groped a second woman, a parliamentary worker in her early 20s with whom he was besotted. The court heard Elphicke, a father of two and qualified lawyer, lied to police, senior colleagues and his own wife about what happened. In fact, wife Natalie Elphicke his successor as Dover MP last year only learned of his emotional attachment to the parliamentary worker when she pored over case files during lockdown. Elphicke, who was warned when he was convicted he may be jailed, arrived at Southwark Crown Court on Tuesday to be sentenced. Former Conservative MP Charlie Elphicke alongside MP for Dover Natalie Elphicke / PA Elphicke also kept an affair with a third woman between 2015 and 2017 secret from his wife until his arrest in 2018. Neither the victims, or the third woman, can be identified for legal reasons. Mrs Elphicke announced the end of her 25-year marriage on Twitter as she sat in a taxi leaving court less than an hour after the verdicts were returned. She broke the news to Elphicke and their young son earlier, and later said she found the court ordeal horrible, humiliating. Elphicke, whose official Twitter account and website disappeared following his conviction, was told by judge Mrs Justice Whipple there was a very real possibility he will be jailed. Elphicke also kept an affair with a third woman between 2015 and 2017 secret from his wife until his arrest in 2018 / PA The court heard how the first offence took place when Elphicke invited a woman in her early 30s to share a drink with him while his children were asleep and his wife was up country with work the first time she had been away since the birth of their son. The woman said Elphicke asked her about bondage and sex, then kissed her and groped her breast before chasing her around his home. Breaking down in court, she told jurors: I was just shocked really, really shocked. He was saying really bizarre things that are embarrassing, like Im a naughty Tory. He was trying to grope me and trying to grab my bum. The second complainant said Elphicke also tried to kiss her and then groped her when they met for a drink in Westminster in April 2016. He then told her: Im so naughty sometimes. The victim said: He had his mouth open, continually trying to kiss me. It was like a disgusting, slobbery mess. She said she spurned Elphickes sexual advances, telling jurors she was physically repulsed by him, and that Elphicke told her he had not been happy for years in his marriage. She said he assaulted her again the following month when he ran his hand up her thigh towards her groin. Elphicke said he kissed the first victim because he initially felt it was something they both wanted. He told jurors he was besotted with the second complainant, but denied assaulting either of them. The court heard Elphicke initially denied any knowledge of the allegations against the parliamentary worker when he was summoned before Tory party whips in January 2017. He later called on his friend, the former attorney general Dominic Grieve, to accompany him to a second meeting, although he failed to mention to Mr Grieve that he had strong feelings for the woman. Elphicke also admitted lying to police about the same issue, banking on him not being prosecuted and therefore being able to keep it from his wife. He became a government whip under David Camerons premiership in 2015, but returned to the back benches when Theresa May came to power the following year. Elphicke had the party whip suspended in 2017 when allegations of sexual assault first emerged, but it was controversially reinstated a year later for a crucial confidence vote in then-prime minister Mrs May. The whip was withdrawn again the following summer when the Crown Prosecution Service announced its decision to charge Elphicke. A social distancing sign is seen on a table to help curb the spread of the coronavirus at No Brand Burger in Seoul, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2020. AP South Korea is on alert to rein in new coronavirus cases during an upcoming major holiday when tens of millions of people usually travel across the country to reunite with their families and relatives. This year, South Koreans are set to enjoy five days off including the three-day Chuseok holiday that falls from Sept. 30 to Oct. 2. Chuseok is one of the country's biggest traditional holidays, during which families hold traditional rituals thanking their ancestors. While the number of people who travel to their hometowns is expected to decline amid lingering concerns over the new coronavirus, health authorities view the holiday as a critical event that could easily lead to a spike in infections. "The holiday period, spanning Chuseok and Hangeul Day, is expected to be the biggest challenge against antivirus efforts in the second half of the year," Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said on Sunday, announcing the government's plan to designate the two weeks starting from Sept. 28 as a "special period" for strong nationwide antivirus efforts. In efforts to prevent cases from ballooning during the holiday, the government and local offices are encouraging people to spend the holiday with only close family and refrain from long-distance travel. The state rail operator is selling just window seats half of all available seats to prevent trains from getting crowded, while highway toll fees that are usually eliminated during Chuseok will be collected this year. Few days back, Sudha Murthy, author, philanthropist and chairperson of Infosys Foundation hit headlines with a viral image, that claimed she sells vegetables once every year in front of a temple to get rid of her ego. The image was first shared by IRS officer Surbhi, who took to Twitter to say, Every year Sudha Murthy, wife of founder Infosys, spends one year selling vegetables to get rid of Ego. How one doesnt let money change their values. Every year Sudha Murthy, wife of founder Infosys, spends one year selling vegetables to get rid of Ego.How one doesnt let money change their values. pic.twitter.com/9MbkpZcVoc Surbhi (@surbhig_) September 12, 2020 The tweet had garnered over 4,000 retweets and nearly 24,000 likes. Since then the image was all over social media with netizens singing praises for the philanthropist and further propagating what turned out to be fake news. #DidYouKnowSudha Murti (Wife of #Infosys founder Narayan Murthy whose wealth is over 2500cr) sells vegetables in front of Venkateshwar Temple for 1 day every year to get rid of any kind of EGO pic.twitter.com/PWknpJxXmD Raghav Chaudhary (@MrRChaudhary) September 12, 2020 Every year Sudha Murthy, wife of founder Infosys, spends one year selling vegetables to get rid of Ego.How one doesnt let money change their values. pic.twitter.com/PRZLEze5m7 https://t.co/0toW90AlzU Chandan Singh Rajput (@Chandankumarsi8) September 14, 2020 Touched by your simplicity Maam.#SudhaMurthy Ji, whose wealth is around Rs. 2,480 crores, is having a great influence on the Sikh philosophy of Kar Seva. https://t.co/KhEqjI9WZo CoralSapphire (@CoralSapphire) September 14, 2020 Pls make vegetable vendor become founder if Infosys for one day to boost ego thanks. https://t.co/ouf2eZJGLU Sumukhi Suresh (@sumukhisuresh) September 13, 2020 Indians have such a guilty conscience about being rich that they have to do routinely such stunts to clear their conscience https://t.co/hb5M0wIQHD UrbanPixel (@UrbanPixxel) September 13, 2020 The viral trend was also covered by many publications and shared extensively. In a recent interview with IANS, Murthy took a serious view of the photograph, in which she is sitting amidst heaps of vegetables, going viral and said that she was not happy with the way she was portrayed on social media sites as she was sitting there for a pious work and not for a publicity event Murthy said she despised being in the limelight for such fake news. I am not sitting there to sell vegetables. It pains me to hear such stories. I am sitting there as a devotee not as a vendor. This ritual is very close to my heart. I am sitting in the middle of assorted vegetables to pick good ones to prepare meals during the three-day annual ritual - Ragahvendra Rayara Samaradhane - that takes place in Ragavendra Matha in Bengalurus Jayanagara 5th Block near my house," she said to IANS. Murthy has been doing this since a very young age, when she would visit the holy place with her grandmother. My grandmother used to do this and I used to accompany her and take part in this ritual. Since then I have strictly followed it even to this date," she said. Murthy visits the kitchen for three days a year, where she sorts and cleans vegetables. A Bangalore Mirror report from 2013 stated that she cleans the kitchen and the adjoining rooms and then washes the dirty utensils. She also dusts the shelves, chops vegetables, takes inventory of stock, sweeps the yard and empties the trash cans. In a later tweet, Surbhi shared Bangalore Mirrors article to acquaint her followers with the lesser known facts. (With inputs from IANS) 12 people are reportedly feared dead and over 50 injured in a horrific accident involving two buses and a cargo truck at Kyekyewere on the Accra-Kumasi Highway in the Eastern Region around 5:30 am, Tuesday. In a report filed by Peace FM's Eastern Regional correspondent, Michael Akrofi, the Cargo truck which was heading towards Kumasi direction from Accra burst a tyre causing the driver to veer off his lane into the lane of an oncoming STC bus followed by another bus. The buses involved in the accident were an STC bus with registration number GE 8131-16 and another Bus with registration number GT 4997-20. Nana Akomea reacting to this described the accident as unfortunate and said the police need to be empowered to check the tyres and other essential parts of these trucks to avoid some of these accidents. Personnel from the Ghana Police Service and the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) were called to the scene to help control the situation. Sources say some of the victims involved in the accident have been sent to the Nsawam and Suhum Government Hospitals. Listen to Michael Akrofi's report in the video below Source: Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Axial CT image with i.v. contrast. Macrocystic adenocarcinoma of the pancreatic head. Credit: public domain A team of researchers led by Mayo Clinic and the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen), an affiliate of City of Hope, has identified specific potential therapeutic targets for the most aggressive and lethal form of pancreatic cancer. In what is believed to be the most comprehensive analysis of adenosquamous cancer of the pancreas (ASCP), the Mayo Clinic and TGen team identified, in preclinical models, therapeutic targets for this extremely fast-moving and deadly form of pancreatic cancer, and identified already available cancer inhibitors originally designed for other types of cancer, according to a study published today in Cancer Research, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR). "The rarity of ASCP, the scarcity of tissue samples suitable for high resolution genomic analyses, and the lack of validated preclinical models, has limited the study of this particularly deadly subtype of pancreatic cancer," said Dr. Daniel Von Hoff, Distinguished Professor and TGen's Physician-In-Chief, considered one of the nation's foremost authorities on pancreatic cancer, and one of the study's authors. "We need entirely new possible approaches for our patients with ASCP." Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is the most common form of pancreatic cancer, which this year is projected to kill nearly 57,600 Americans, making it the nation's third leading cause of cancer-related death, according to the American Cancer Society. Among pancreatic cancer patients, a small percentage (less than 4%) are diagnosed with ASCP, a particularly aggressive form of pancreatic cancer. "ASCP currently has no effective therapies. Unlike PDAC, ASCP is defined by the presence of more than 30% squamous (skin-like) epithelial cells in the tumor. The normal pancreas does not contain squamous cells," said the study's senior author, Michael Barrett, Ph.D., who holds a joint research appointment at Mayo Clinic and TGEN. "Our study has shown that ASCPs have novel 'hits' (mutations and deletions) in genes that regulate tissue development and growth superimposed on the common mutational 'landscape' of a typical PDAC. As a consequence, cells within the tumor have the ability to revert to a stem-cell-like state that includes changes in cell types and appearance, and the activation of signaling pathways that drive the aggressive nature of ASCP,' said Dr. Barrett. While this activated aggressive stem-cell-like state is very resistant to current therapies for pancreatic cancer, Dr. Barrett said, the study has shown that ASCP can be targeted by drugs currently in clinical use for other cancers as well as non-cancer related conditions. Using multiple cancer analysis methods and platformsincluding: flow cytometry, copy number analysis, whole exome sequencing, variant calling and annotation, ATAC-seq, immunofluorescence, immunohistochemistry, single cell sequencing, and organoid cultures and treatmentsthe Mayo Clinic and TGen research team conducted what is believed to be the most in-depth analysis of ASCP tissue samples. Researchers identified multiple mutations and genomic variants that are common to both PDAC and the more aggressive ASCP. "Of significant interest," the study says, the team also identified two potential therapeutic targets unique to ASCP genomes: FGFR signaling, including an FGFR1-ERLIN2 gene fusion, and a pancreatic cancer stem cell regulator known as RORC. These data provide a unique description of the ASCP genomic and epigenomic landscape and identify candidate therapeutic targets for this lethal cancer, the study says. Using organoids, which are laboratory cultures derived from samples of patient tumors, researchers tested the activity and functional significance of candidate therapeutic targets. According to the study: "Specifically, organoids carrying the FGFR1-ERLIN2 fusion show a significant response to pharmacological FGFR inhibition," providing new candidate targets for developing therapies for patients with ASCP. In addition, the study says, "To our knowledge, this is the first study to apply DNA content sorting to the genomic analysis of ASCP," a method that purifies the cancer DNA from other cells and parts of cells, thereby eliminating any biological "noise" that might impede the precision of the analysis. Using an interrogation tool known as ATAC-seq, researchers also identified RORC as another distinguishing feature of ASCP. "Of significant interest will be clinical trials with FGFR and RORC inhibitors that include correlative studies of genomic and epigenomic lesions in both ASCP and PDAC," the study concludes. Also contributing to this studyGenomic and Epigenomic Landscaping Defines New Therapeutic Targets for Adenosquamous Carcinoma of the Pancreaswere: Virginia G Piper Cancer Center at HonorHealth; University of California, San Diego School of Medicine; Salk Institute for Biological Studies; Memorial Sloan Kettering Institute; and University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC). Explore further The first mouse model of human pancreas cancer subtypes More information: Elizabeth Lenkiewicz et al, Genomic and Epigenomic Landscaping Defines New Therapeutic Targets for Adenosquamous Carcinoma of the Pancreas, Cancer Research (2020). Journal information: Cancer Research Elizabeth Lenkiewicz et al, Genomic and Epigenomic Landscaping Defines New Therapeutic Targets for Adenosquamous Carcinoma of the Pancreas,(2020). DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-20-0078 Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said the NDA government in Bihar was striving to usher in inclusive growth in the state by ensuring basic amenities to its people and setting the stage for a self-reliant Bihar (Atmanirbar Bihar). Bihar suffered a lot in the past due to misplaced priorities, vested interest and scams of the past governments. As a result, rural areas were put on backward trend, while urban infrastructure became irrelevant for want of upgrade as per the growing population, Modi said in an apparent swipe at the RJD-led dispensation. The PM was speaking after inaugurating and launching work infra projects worth 541 crore, which included operationalisation of two sewerage treatment plants (STPs) along with network at Beur and Karmalichal in Patna, costing Rs 152 crore, through video conferencing. He also laid the foundation stone of river front development in Muzaffarpur and unveiled water supply schemes at Chapra and Siwan. He said that the joint efforts of the Centre and the state government had resulted in qualitative change in urban infrastructure to ensure basic amenities to all. The PM said that about two crore houses were to be connected with tap water supply under the Centres Jal Jivan mission in last one year. In Bihar, about 12 lakh households would get supply water once the undergoing schemes are complete. Currently, 6 lakh families have tap water supply in their houses under AMRUT scheme. Unlike the previous government, the Nitish Kumar government worked with commitment and finished the projects on time, said Modi, adding that the dolphin conservation project being developed from Patna to Bhagalpur stretch of Ganga would benefit the state in many ways. During his address, Modi sought to connect the people by invoking the most popular Chhath puja saying that renovated Ghat at Muzaffapur would let women celebrate the festival in its traditional spirit. He also lauded role of migrant workers, who returned to Bihar due to Covid outbreak, saying they contributed a lot for timely completion of water supply schemes in Bihar. This is third time in the last one week that the Prime Minister laid foundation stones of or inaugurated various schemes in the state in the run-up to the elections. On Sunday, he launched three petroleum projects in Bihar, costing Rs 900 crore. He had on Thursday unveiled projects worth 294.53 crores related to agriculture and animal husbandry in the poll-bound state. Chief minister Nitish Kumar said the water resources department was devising plans to use treated water from the SPTs for agriculture purposes, instead of releasing it in Punpun river. While welcoming the Centres gesture to help the state government achieve a holistic growth, Kumar urged the people to abstain from misusing supply water and put avoidable strain on ecology. Earlier, deputy CM Sushil Modi said the operation of STPs under Namami Gange project would help the governments drive to stop discharge of untreated wasted in Ganga, which is currently highly polluted. Efforts are on to check flow of waste water, chemical and industrial affluent in the river to make it pure, said the Dy CM. Reacting to the string of launching events lined up for the PM in Bihar, Congress leader Prem Chandra Mishra said Modi had stepped in steer the poll campaign after he realised that Nitish Kumar alone would not be able to counter the burgeoning anti-incumbency against the ruling dispensation. BJPs internal survey also hints at serious depletion of credibility of Nitish Kumar, he said. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON (UPDATED 4:35 p.m. Sept. 15) WASHTENAW COUNTY, MI An investigation by the Michigan Attorney Generals Office found that a deputy with the Washtenaw County Sheriffs Office was justified to punch a woman resisting arrest. The AGs office will instead be filing felony charges against the woman. Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel announced during a press conference Tuesday, Sept. 15 that Deputy Austin Pearson acted appropriately in using force against ShaTeina Grady El who was punched three times by the deputy while she was biting him hard enough to draw blood. Following the review of video footage of the incident and other evidence, the Attorney Generals office determined Pearsons use of force was justified and appropriate given the suspects level of resistance, and that he committed no criminal offense in his interactions with (ShaTeina Grady El), Nessel said. AG Nessel Holds News Conference to Announce Findings in Police Misconduct Investigations The Attorney General's office was asked to investigate three cases -- in Jackson, Washtenaw, and Saginaw counties -- involving the actions of law enforcement officers to ensure objectivity and remove any perceived conflicts of interest by local authorities. Posted by Michigan Department of Attorney General on Tuesday, September 15, 2020 The case stems from a May 26 incident where sheriffs deputies ordered ShaTeina Grady El and her husband Daniyal to leave the scene of a potential shooting in Ypsilanti Townships Appleridge neighborhood. You cant do that. Ypsilanti woman shown being punched by Washtenaw deputy speaks about altercation After the pair were repeatedly told to back away from the scene, where a suspected shooter was still on the loose, deputies tried to physically remove the two from the area by arresting them. Evidence showed ShaTeina Grady El bit the deputy on both his arm, hard enough to draw blood in one arm, and dug her nails into his head during the arrest, only releasing her jaw from him after being hit three times, Nessel said. She continued to resist arrest, kicking off a piece of paneling on a patrol car door while she was being secured inside, Nessel said. At the time of the incident, the Grady Els were trying to film police who were forming a perimeter near their daughter Jaquisy Diggins home in the 2000 block of Peachcrest Street, Daniyal Grady El said previously. The police didnt explain the shooting situation to them before springing into action, he said. The Attorney Generals Office is charging ShaTeina Grady El with three felony counts of resisting and obstructing an officer, one count of resisting and obstructing an officer causing injury and one county malicious destruction of police property. Daniyal Grady was also charged with two counts of resisting and obstructing an officer. I am disgusted. I feel (the Washtenaw County Prosecutors Office) have encouraged a culture of racial profiling and Dana Nessel empowered that kind of behavior in our community today," said the Grady Els' attorney, William Amadeo. Its an utter disgrace to prosecute victims, this is the type of prosecution that Donald Trump would be proud of. The pair have not yet been arraigned and no court dates have been scheduled as of yet. Following the completion of the attorney generals investigation of the incident, which was requested by the sheriffs office, an internal investigation has begun by the offices Professional Responsibility division, according to a statement from the Washtenaw County Sheriffs Office. Michigan Attorney General reviewing case where Washtenaw deputy punched womans head The deputy remains on administrative leave while this internal administrative review is conducted. We recognize that cases of excessive force are always sensitive and of great concern to the public but that is particularly so because of the terrible tragedies involving aggressive acts by law enforcement across the country this summer, Nessel said. The incident sparked several days of protests in Washtenaw County. Protesters called for a change in the departments use of force policy and for the release of ShaTeina Grady El, who was previously detained in the Washtenaw County Jail. Video of Washtenaw County deputy punching woman sparks outrage in Ypsilanti Township Nessels office stated it will not be releasing any video or images used in the investigation while the cases against the couple are open. More from The Ann Arbor News: University of Michigan dance building closes, more than 10% of department in quarantine Two swatting incidents under investigation in Washtenaw County Full complaint details University of Michigans battle with graduate employees on strike For Patrick Dupuis, preparing to reopen his downtown restaurant after a six-month closure felt like starting another business from scratch. Dupuis didn't know in mid-March when he closed Pat's Downtown, 107 E. Main St., that he wouldn't reopen the plate lunch destination until mid-September. He never imagined in the interim that the novel coronavirus would threaten not only his livelihood but also the lives of his parents. "It was horrible. It felt like I would be closed forever," Dupuis said. "And then Daddy went in the hospital with COVID and Mamma went in the next morning. It was a miracle they came out, just a blessing. When they were going in there, we didn't think they were coming out again." Against all odds, Dupuis welcomed customers back into the restaurant Monday with his 82-year-old father at his side. Dale Dupuis was admitted on June 26 to Lafayette General Medical Center. His wife, Jeannel, would be admitted the next day. "She really didn't think she was coming back," said their daughter, Toni Castille. "When I told my mom I was calling the ambulance, she said 'No, no, give me a little while.' And what she was doing was getting her papers in order, everything in order. She told me that when she got back. She says 'Toni, I didn't think I was coming back.'" Castille, Dupuis and their five siblings struggled knowing both of their parents were in the hospital, and there was little they could do to comfort them. Normally, their close-knit family would ensure someone was by their bedsides around the clock. Instead, they relied on hospital staff to provide updates and connect them via video calls because of visitation restrictions. Jeannel Dupuis turned 82 during her hospital stay, and her team at Lafayette General surprised her with a birthday cake, videoing in her seven children so they could sing to her with the doctor and nurses. "That was so amazing for the family," Castille said. "And we didn't ask them to do that. They did it by themselves. The COVID floor at Lafayette General was amazing to our family." Jeannel Dupuis was discharged three days later, on July 8, after a week and a half in the hospital. Her husband stayed a few weeks more. Both Jeannel and Dale Dupuis were at high risk for complications of the coronavirus because of their ages and underlying medical conditions. She has a chronic lung condition, and he has a history of heart disease. "My mom came home on oxygen, and she could not walk," Castille said. "She went into the hospital with a walker, and she came out in a wheelchair. She was in tremendous pain." Jeannel Dupuis has since recovered and begun walking again. Dale Dupuis suffered from pneumonia in both lungs during his hospital stay, and his medical team asked the family for permission to put him on a ventilator. Inside info on doing business in Acadiana We'll keep you posted on the Acadiana economy. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up "He was ready to give up," Castille said. "And you know, I think a lot of the older people are passing away not really just because of the sickness but because they can't have their loved ones with them." Ultimately, he recovered without a ventilator and was released from the hospital after more than a month. He spent two more weeks at a rehabilitation facility before returning home Aug. 7, just five days before his 82nd birthday. Dale and Jeannel Dupuis have slowly regained their strength in their Lafayette home with help from their family and a health aide. "It was just a bad time," Patrick Dupuis said. "My parents almost died of COVID, and then I couldn't even be with my customers and my team downtown. I mean, we're kind of like one big family down there." Patrick Dupuis, who opened Pat's 26 years ago and once had a second location on Kaliste Saloom Road, said this week's experience has been like opening a third location of the restaurant. "It's like starting from scratch," Patrick Dupuis said. "We had just thrown everything into coolers and canceled all our orders when we closed, and we've had to throw everything out and try to get everything back in here. It's just like a brand new restaurant. We know what to do, but it's just stressful." Patrick Dupuis employs about a dozen people, and he said all of them returned when the restaurant reopened this week. "That's another small miracle," Patrick Dupuis said. "They've all been pretty faithful. Some of them have been with me for 20 years." He opted to close his restaurant on March 16 when Gov. John Bel Edwards ordered restaurants to close their dining rooms to slow the spread of the coronavirus. His restaurant is a go-to for people who work downtown, not for to-go orders and deliveries. He decided last week to reopen Pat's when the governor announced the state would move into Phase 3. The restaurant owner expects more people to return to office environments, bringing more foot traffic back downtown. He's expecting more customers to utilize his restaurant's outdoor seating as coronavirus cases remain high in Acadiana, and he's also created a curbside option for those who would prefer takeout. "When the courthouse closed and all the Chase bank employees were working from home, there was no traffic downtown," he said. "There was nobody walking around. Now I'm starting to see a little change, and I'm ready to tackle it. I'm very nervous, but I'm ready." RICHMOND, Va., Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Genworth Mortgage Insurance, an operating segment of Genworth Financial, Inc. (NYSE: GNW), today released the 13th edition of the First-Time Homebuyer Market Report, authored by its Chief Economist, Tian Liu, for the second quarter of 2020. The report aggregates all publicly available government data and proprietary mortgage industry data into one digestible report. The full analysis can be viewed at https://miblog.genworth.com/first-time-homebuyer-market-report/. Overview First-time homebuyer activity decreased largely due to economic shutdown, but remained the most active segment: 2Q'20: 539,000 single-family homes were purchased by first-time homebuyers, down 4.6% from a year ago 539,000 single-family homes were purchased by first-time homebuyers, down 4.6% from a year ago The number of first-time homebuyers decreased by 18 percent from the previous quarter to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.86 million in Q2, the slowest pace since 2016 First-time homebuyers represented 40 percent of single-family home sale and 57 percent of all purchase mortgages Slower pace in first-time homebuyer activity still yielded just over 1 million Americans becoming first-time homebuyers in the first half of 2020, which was four percent higher than a year ago First-time homebuyers out-performed repeat buyers in Q2; repeat buyer market decreased by 19 percent from a year ago to 793,000 units Lower rates helped to ease housing affordability: Mortgage rates for first-time homebuyers fell to 3.36% in June, the lowest point since 2012, reducing the monthly principal and interest cost by two percent from Q1 First-time homebuyers more dependent on low-down payment mortgages during the pandemic: Overall, 449,000 first-time homebuyers used some form of low-down payment mortgage products to finance their home purchase in Q2, or a record 83 percent of all first-time homebuyers PMI: Low-down payment conventional mortgages, enabled by the private mortgage insurance industry, helped 207,000 first-time homebuyers in Q2; PMI financed 38 percent of first-time homebuyers, up from 30 percent in the first quarter, and a new record for the industry Low-down payment conventional mortgages, enabled by the private mortgage insurance industry, helped 207,000 first-time homebuyers in Q2; PMI financed 38 percent of first-time homebuyers, up from 30 percent in the first quarter, and a new record for the industry FHA: The FHA market financed 30 percent of first-time homebuyers, down from 35 percent in the first quarter State-by-State COVID-19 Impact: Housing market staged a strong recovery in May and June that exceeded all expectations Nationally, the number of rate locks by first-time homebuyers increased by 55 percent between April and June; No states reported negative growth during this period New York , Pennsylvania , New Jersey and Michigan saw recoveries in first-time homebuyer rate locks of over 100 percent between April and June , , and saw recoveries in first-time homebuyer rate locks of over 100 percent between April and June A total of 35 states and Puerto Rico reported fewer first-time homebuyers compared to the same period a year ago, but 15 states and the District of Columbia reported more first-time homebuyers "The COVID-19 pandemic pushed the U.S. economy into the sharpest recession on record in March. The housing market also began correcting in April, resulting in an 18 percent decrease in the number of first-time homebuyers in the second quarter compared to the first quarter. A quick rebound in May moderated the market decline," said Tian Liu, Chief Economist, Genworth Mortgage Insurance. "Overall, the housing finance system was able to maintain credit availability for first-time homebuyers during the COVID-19 pandemic given the enormous challenges. The percentage of home sales to first-time homebuyers did not decrease from its pre-COVID-19 levels, and the percentage of first-time homebuyers using low-down payment mortgages increased to 83 percent, which is higher than the historical average. The private mortgage insurance industry played a significant role in maintaining credit availability, financing over 200,000 first-time homebuyers, or almost four out of every ten first-time homebuyers. Credit availability did contract more noticeably for FHA loans and conventional loans not backed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. This may have had a bigger impact on borrowers with weaker credit histories. The main reasons that the housing finance system has largely maintained credit availability to date include a focus on prudent underwriting, having adequate capital in the financial system, a significant presence for the agency market that will take credit risk during periods of market stress, and continued investment in technology to make the industry capacity more elastic." "The stronger rebound in repeat buyers suggests that homeowners may be reassessing their housing needs to take into account the likelihood of a continued work from home arrangement, online education for children, and more attractive home prices. Growth slowed among both first-time homebuyers and repeat buyers in July, resulting in a seven percent decline in the number of first-time homebuyers and a seven percent increase in the number of repeat buyers between June and July. The initial strong growth may have benefited from more affordable home prices, as housing demand recovered, and average loan sizes. By implication, home prices also have rebounded so the overall affordability has become less favorable compared to earlier in the year." About Genworth's First-Time Homebuyer Market Report The First-Time Homebuyer Market Report is the only economic series measuring the number of home sales and mortgages to first-time homebuyers covering the entire housing market. This report provides quarterly estimates of the first-time homebuyer market since the first quarter of 1994spanning two housing cycles and 24 years. It provides a historical perspective necessary to understand today's first-time homebuyer market. It is based on a sample size of 23.2 million first-time homebuyers from government reports and industry data. By capturing the entire market over a long period, and providing the latest market snapshot, this report makes the first-time homebuyer market more visible to housing industry participants and policymakers. For access to the full report and charts, visit: https://miblog.genworth.com/first-time-homebuyer-market-report/ About Genworth Mortgage Insurance Genworth Mortgage Insurance, an operating segment of Genworth Financial, Inc. (NYSE: GNW), is headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina, and operates in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Genworth Mortgage Insurance works with lenders and other partners to help people responsibly achieve and maintain the dream of homeownership by ensuring the broad availability of affordable low down payment mortgage loans. Genworth has been providing mortgage insurance products and services in the U.S. since 1981. Disclaimer Opinions, analyses, estimates, forecasts, and other views included in these materials are those of Tian Liu, are based on current market conditions and are subject to change without notice, do not necessarily represent the views of Genworth or its management, and should not be construed as indicating Genworth's business prospects or expected results. Neither Tian Liu nor Genworth guarantees that the information provided in these materials is accurate, current, or suitable for any particular purpose. Forward looking statements should not be considered as guarantees or predictions of future events. SOURCE Genworth Mortgage Insurance Oregon construction sites went quiet Monday, shopping boulevards were deserted, trash pickup stopped in many places and Alaska Airlines shut down all flights out of Portland as another day of wildfire smoke blanketed the state. Health authorities urged businesses that operate outdoors to send their workers home, and many did. But some farm laborers, postal workers, utility crews and factory workers, among others stayed on the job in atrocious atmospheric conditions. People are still choosing to come because theyre afraid of losing that day of work, said Reyna Lopez, director of Pineros y Campesinos Unidos del Noroeste (PCUN), Oregons largest farmworker union. She said the wildfires, arriving in the middle of harvest season, create an impossible conundrum for farmers and laborers alike. Theyre still out there right now, making sure Oregonians have food on their tables, Lopez said. She sent a letter to Gov. Kate Brown and other public officials Friday, urging them to speak out about protecting workers. Oregon Occupational Safety and Health, Oregon OSHA, issued a notice at the end of the day Friday urging employers to stop or delay outdoor work activity while the air remains hazardous and in places where wildfire evacuation orders are in effect. But the state stopped short of issuing an order, and OSHA said Monday it is unlikely to do so this week. Mary Sawyers, spokeswoman for Washington County Public Health, said her agency has been urging workers to stay home but acknowledged there are some people who may not have a choice. We have no enforcement power over that, she said. But thats what weve been telling people. Oregons Department of Environmental Quality again rated air across much of the state as hazardous Monday, with air quality scores among the very worst in the world after last weeks wildfires incinerated more than 1 million acres. The state warned unhealthy air will persist at least through Thursday. The air quality index in the Portland area was near 400 Monday afternoon, well above hazardous levels. In parts of the state, such as the town of Mill City close to the wildfires, the index topped 500. We are really urging people to stop work outdoors when the air quality index reaches unhealthy levels, the Oregon Health Authoritys Gabriela Goldfarb said on the governors daily wildfire briefing Monday. Brown said the Oregon National Guard will distribute 250,000 KN95 masks to agricultural workers and tribes across the state. (The governor initially said the state would provide N95 masks, which use a more exacting U.S. filtration standard; her office corrected that information Tuesday.) Its not clear how many businesses are continuing to operate outdoors , or in settings where they are exposed to bad air. Outdoor construction has been largely shut down in the Portland area, according to Wayne Chow, political director for the Oregon State Building and Construction Trades Council. We definitely dont want our members to be working in these conditions at all. With the air quality levels so high, its just dangerous, Chow said. Construction workers typically arent paid when theyre not working, though. So Chou said the smoke shutdowns are straining families who were already suffering from the coronavirus recession , or who had fled their homes when authorities issued wildfire evacuation notices last week. Its a tragedy and its impacting us all across the board, Chow said. Portland's Southeast Division Street was blanketed with wildfire smoke and nearly deserted Monday afternoon -- except for Shawn Wallace, whose construction site was shut down because of bad air quality. He shared a treat with his dog at Salt & Straw.Mike Rogoway/The Oregonian Construction job sites on Southeast Division Street in Portland were vacant Monday afternoon and the normally bustling street was nearly deserted amid the smokey gloom. One couple sat outside the PDX Sliders restaurant, enjoying a late lunch. Further up the street, construction manager Shawn Wallace shared some ice cream with his dog after the smoke shut down his job site at Portland International Airport. Wallace said the operation follows state guidelines. But he said he spends a lot of time around campfires in the outdoors and didnt mind the smoke. This doesnt even register for me. I see it in a different light, Wallace said. I would not put me in the normal category. Correction: The name of Reyna Lopezs organization, PCUN, has been corrected. -- Mike Rogoway | mrogoway@oregonian.com | twitter: @rogoway | WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Crude oil futures ended sharply higher on Tuesday as news about stoppage of energy operations in the Gulf of Mexico due to Hurricane Sally outweighed concerns about outlook for energy demand. The hurricane is reportedly approaching the northern U.S. Gulf Coast, causing disruption to oil and natural gas production. According to reports, the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement estimates nearly 27% of Gulf oil production and about 28% of natural gas production have been shut as of now. That's about 5.3% and 2.7% more than Monday's levels. West Texas Intermediate Crude oil futures for October ended up $1.02 or about 2.7% at $38.28 a barrel, after being down at $37.06 a barrel earlier in the day. Brent crude futures were up more than $0.90 or about 2.5% at $40.59 a barrel. Strong industrial production and retail sales data from China, and a report showing an improvement in German business confidence also appeared to be pushing up crude oil prices. After OPEC lowered the energy demand forecast for the current year and 2021 on Monday, the International Energy Agency (IEA) has now trimmed its outlook for energy demand for the year. The IEA, in his report, has trimmed its outlook by 200,000 barrels per day to 91.7 million barrels per day, citing uncertainty about the pace of economic recovery. OPEC had lowered its oil demand forecast for the year, saying demand will fall by about 9.46 million barrels per day. In July, OPEC had said it expects demand to fall by 9.06 million barrels per day. Traders were also looking ahead to weekly inventory reports from American Petroleum Institute (API) and U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). While the API'weekly oil report is due later today, the EIA's is scheduled to release its inventory data Wednesday morning. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de As students nationwide kick off fall classes in a new virtual environment, one Black seventh grader in Colorado is waiting to find out if he will attend school again this fall at all. What started off as a normal day of virtual learning ended with the police being called on the 12-year-old boy because he was playing with a toy gun during virtual art class. Now the boy, Isaiah, has a record with the El Paso County Sheriffs Office, and received a five-day suspension from the school and a mark on his school disciplinary paperwork saying he brought a facsimile of a firearm to school even though he never left his house. The toy gun was painted black and green with the words Zombie hunter on the side. Isaiahs mom, Dani Elliott, believes that if anyone did anything wrong, it was the school. There were several issues that I felt were very inappropriate and illegal [on its part], Elliott said in an interview with Yahoo News. It was just a gross overreach of their authority. It happened on Aug. 27, the third day of distance learning at Grand Mountain School in Colorado Springs. An art teacher noticed Isaiah, who has attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, playing with something on the virtual screen and sent Elliott an email at 10:17 a.m. notifying her that Isaiah had been distracted during class by an assumed toy gun, Elliott says. Elliott immediately responded, assuring the teacher that it was, in fact, a toy gun and that she would speak with her son about the incident. But police were summoned to the school at around noon, according to a police report, and at 1:41 p.m., Elliott, who was at her job as a contractor for the military, was notified that police were going to her home for a health and wellness check. Isaiah's toy gun. (Dani Elliott) At that point I then called my son immediately, and I told him to stay away from the windows, to lock the doors, to not open the doors, because the cops are on their way, Elliott said. And I told him to go down into the basement. I know that may sound extreme to some, but with the cultural climate of whats going on in America today, specifically with Tamir Rice, the 12-year-old boy killed for playing with a toy gun, thats a very real reality for a lot of parents across the world right now. So his exact words were Mommy, youre scaring me, and for a mother, its heartbreaking to hear something like that. Story continues Elliott then called her husband, Curtis, who is in the Air Force, and asked him to go to the house, where he met police when they arrived an hour later. Police told Isaiah and his father that if the toy gun had been brought into a school, the boy could have faced criminal charges. But the recording that Curtis viewed did not show a toy gun pointed at the camera screen, as the art teacher alleged. Instead, it showed Isaiah moving the toy gun from one side of the couch to the other. Elliott and her husband spent the next few days speaking with school administrators to better understand why her son was recorded, why the parents werent called before police were dispatched to the house and why her son was threatened with charges. But for Elliott, the school never gave adequate responses to her concerns. I think going forward, there needs to be clear-cut policy in regards to whats appropriate in a school setting and whats appropriate at home, Elliott said. Something that may not be appropriate at school, such as toy guns or chewing gum or profanity and things like that, [may be fine at home]. Who is the school to tell us what we can and cant have in our homes, especially when they are perfectly legal? Elliott added that the school doesnt understand the severity of its actions involving law enforcement with a young Black boy and how badly this situation could have turned out. Isaiah with his toy gun collection. (Family photos) I could have been easily burying my son today, she said. I could be planning a funeral for my son because of their negligent actions. And when we tried to explain those factors to them, the principal, Brian Pohl, told me that he doesnt see race. Yahoo News reached out to Grand Mountain School and Pohl several times, but they did not return our requests for comment. In a statement on its Facebook page, which it has since made inactive, the Grand Mountain School acknowledged that the digital platform the school uses for virtual teaching has a recording function. During our first week of school, we were still becoming familiar with the platform, the statement said. It is not our current practice to record classes at this time. Parents will be notified if that changes. Elliott pulled her son out of the school after not feeling comfortable with the way the situation was handled. Isaiah is now on the wait list at a number of nearby private and charter schools. Elliott adds that her family has received a great deal of support from people reaching out, and some have even offered to tutor Isaiah until he is enrolled in another school. The incident has shaken the Elliott family in a new kind of way, but data shows that the criminalization of Black youth in schools is real. Apart from the strains imposed by remote learning, Black students are disciplined and arrested at school at disproportionately high levels, an analysis of federal data from 2017 by the Education Week Research Center finds. In 28 states, the share of arrested students who are Black is at least 10% higher than their share of enrollment in schools with at least one arrest, the report found. In 10 of those states, that gap is at least 20%. According to a 2018 report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office, Black youth are 15.5% of all public school students, but represented about 39% of students suspended from school. Black children come to realize at a young age that the world may view them as a threat. Elliott and her husband began discussing with Isaiah what it means to be Black in America when he was just 6 years old. Weve had to start these conversations with my son very early on, Elliott said. As much as I want to keep him sheltered, I also want to prepare him for the ugliness of the world. At age 6, he went to a trampoline park and he had a Caucasian worker there tell him that no coloreds were allowed. He used to love going to that place, and he never wanted to go back because of what they told him. Dani Elliott and her son Isaiah. (Family photo) She continued: At age 7, he got his ears pierced and he thought he was so cool and happy. He went to school, and then he came back and he wanted to take them out because, he said, people were like, Oh, are you a thug? Are you a pimp? Are you a gangster? And he didnt want to wear them anymore. Age 8, he wore a poop emoji shirt. It said something funny on it. He loved the shirt and he used to wear it all the time. He came home one day and I was picking out his clothes and hes like, Mom, I dont want to wear that shirt anymore. And Im like, why? And he said that one of the teachers in district three, his music teacher, called him out and was like, Hey, poop boy. And then all the class, they start laughing and theyre like, Oh, you have the same color skin as the poop on your shirt. Youre a poop skin. And then age 9, he had somebody tell him that God left him in the oven too long. So for me, as a parent, I have to explain these things starting at the age of 6, it literally breaks my heart to where I have to tell him the privileges that he does and doesnt have. I have to do what I have to do as a mother to protect my son and to ensure his future and to make sure hes not the next body in the news. I refuse to let this be my sons narrative. The school-to-prison pipeline has been well documented as a reality for many young students of color, particularly Black students. A National Juvenile Justice Network report notes that students find themselves on a fast track to jail due to school policies such as zero-tolerance disciplinary policies, in which many youth are pushed out of school (suspended or expelled) as well as sent to the juvenile justice system for petty disciplinary matters. Black students are three times more likely to be suspended or expelled than white students, according to the Education Department's Office for Civil Rights. While standing up for her son, Elliott says she now feels a responsibility to fight for others in the same situation. My ultimate goal would be to see some policies changed, to see criminalization of children decrease, to see discrimination of children with disabilities decrease and to provide more resources for children instead of them just getting labeled as bad seeds, she said. I want to advocate for my son and get him the apology that he deserves and to get his records cleared. I [also] want to spread awareness of the parents so that something like this doesnt occur to them, and hopefully maybe even save a life. Elliott adds: Im by no means a subject matter expert. Im just a mother who loves the hell out of her child and Im going to do whatever it takes to be heard. _____ Read more from Yahoo News: Statement by dozens of countries highlighted a wide range of serious human rights violations in the kingdom. Dozens of nations condemned Saudi Arabia before the UN Human Rights Council on Tuesday over serious violations and demanded accountability for the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. In a relatively rare rebuke of the oil-rich kingdom before the UNs top rights body, Denmarks Ambassador Carsten Staur read a statement on behalf of 29 states demanding justice for Khashoggi, a Washington Post columnist who was killed in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in 2018 by an assassination team. In the third joint statement to the council targeting Riyadh since the killing, the mainly European countries renewed a call for transparency and holding all those responsible accountable. We stress the need for full accountability and transparent prosecution of those involved in the killing of Jamal Khashoggi, said Germanys Ambassador Michael Freiherr von Ungern-Sternberg. The Saudi journalist was lured into the Saudi consulate to handle marriage paperwork. Within minutes, the one-time royal insider turned critic was strangled and his body dismembered, according to Turkish and US officials. A Saudi court this month handed lengthy jail terms to eight unnamed defendants and overturned five death sentences, in a ruling harshly condemned by Khashoggis fiancee and UN rights expert Agnes Callamard, the special rapporteur on extrajudicial killings. Callamard, who like the CIA had previously linked Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) to the killing, decried that top officials who allegedly ordered the murder walked free. Torture, disappearances Tuesdays statement, which was hailed by several human rights groups, also highlighted a wide range of other serious rights violations in Saudi Arabia. We remain deeply concerned by reports of torture, arbitrary detention, enforced disappearances, and detainees being denied access to essential medical treatment and contact with their families, it said. Staur said the countries welcomed recent reforms such as restricting flogging and the death penalty against minors, but stressed journalists, activists, and others still face persecution, detention and intimidation. The statement also echoed the criticism voiced by UN rights chief Michelle Bachelet over the arbitrary detention of a number of women human rights activists in the country. She told the opening of the council session on Monday the detained women simply requested to be empowered to make their own choices, as equals to men, insisting they should be released without delay. Saudi Arabias representative hit back on Tuesday insisting the detention of any women has nothing to do with their right to exercise the freedom of expression, but for violations of the standing laws. Their rights are fully respected as detainees, he said, adding they were guaranteed a fair trial. Tortured and sexually harassed Saudi Arabia has detained and put on trial a dozen female activists who long campaigned for the right to drive, which was finally granted in the kingdom two years ago. Some of the activists allege they were tortured and sexually harassed by interrogators. Staur highlighted that at least five womens human rights defenders arrested in 2018 remain in detention. We reiterate our call for the release of all political detainees and are particularly concerned about the use of the counterterrorism law and other security provisions against individuals peacefully exercising their rights, he said. Tuesdays statement also urged dramatic improvements as Saudi Arabia strives to obtain a seat on the 47-member Human Rights Council. Council membership comes with an expectation of upholding the highest standards in the promotion and protection of human rights, Staur said. Germany, speaking on behalf of the European Union at the United Nations Human Rights Council, decried Saudi Arabias prolonged detentions of women rights defenders, including Loujain al-Hathloul. John Fisher of Human Rights Watch denounced Saudi Arabias brutal targeting of defenders and dissidents and urged the release of the female activists and others arbitrarily detained. HOUSTON A judge on Monday dismissed two of the charges a chemical manufacturer and one of its former executives were facing during an ongoing trial over a fire at the companys suburban Houston plant during Hurricane Harvey that sent toxic smoke into the air in 2017. Harveys historic flooding overwhelmed power systems at Arkema Inc.s chemical plant in Crosby, northeast of Houston, eventually causing organic peroxides made at the facility to catch fire and explode. The blaze forced the evacuation of more than 200 residents from the area and sent 21 people, including first responders, to the hospital. Arkema said the fire was caused by an act of God, Harvey, which dumped nearly 50 inches (127 centimeters) of rain in parts of the Houston area and caused 36 deaths locally. But prosecutors say Arkema bears criminal responsibility for the toxic blaze because it failed to properly prepare for the storm. Arkema, a subsidiary of a French chemical manufacturer, and its now retired vice president of logistics, Michael Keough, each faced a felony assault charge related to two injured deputies for allegedly misrepresenting the danger that the unstable chemicals at the plant posed to the community. But prosecutors last week filed motions to dismiss the assault charges. State Judge Belinda Hill accepted the motions on Monday. Prosecutors always have a duty to seek justice; in this case, a prosecutor felt that there was enough evidence for a criminal charge, but that he could not prove that charge beyond a reasonable doubt at this time, so he requested it be dismissed, Dane Schiller, a spokesman for the Harris County District Attorneys Office said in a statement. Dan Cogdell, an attorney for Keough, said the case against his client should have never been filed. And for him to have to suffer through weeks of trial and a ton of expenses and the angst and the worry of a possible conviction is outrageous He was an innocent man that should have never been prosecuted, Cogdell said. Rusty Hardin, an attorney for Arkema, declined to comment. If convicted of the assault charge, Keough could have faced up to 10 years in prison and the company could have been fined up to $10,000. Arkema, CEO Richard Rowe and ex-plant manager Leslie Comardelle are still being tried on charges of reckless emission of an air contaminant. If convicted, Arkema faces up to a $1 million fine while Rowe and Comardelle each faces up to five years in prison. The trial, which began in February but has been on hold since March due to the coronavirus pandemic, was set to resume Sept. 21. The U.S Chemical Safety Board said Arkema worked to keep equipment that stabilized its organic peroxides, used to make such things as plastic resins, from losing power. But Arkema didnt consider flooding of safety systems a credible risk, even though the plant was inside flood zones. Ahead of next weeks resumption of the trial, a hearing was held Monday over claims by Arkemas attorneys prosecutors have continued to withhold evidence that could benefit the defense. Prosecutors have denied such claims. The hearing was set to continue later this week. Opening statements in February were delayed after Hill sanctioned prosecutors for withholding some evidence. ___ Follow Juan A. Lozano on Twitter: https://twitter.com/juanlozano70 T he world is still at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic and the situation in Europe is getting "nastier", an expert has told MPs. David Nabarro, one of the World Health Organisations special envoys on Covid-19, told the Foreign Affairs Committee the present situation is "horrible and grotesque". He said the outbreak is worse than any science fiction movie, and appears to be getting nastier as cases reemerge in Europe, adding that it will take some time to work out how to deal with it. "Its awful. And we really, really are, all of us, deeply saddened and troubled by it," told MPs. "But that applies to most people in our world who are all having to make sense of something that they couldnt imagine. "Its much worse than any of the science fiction about pandemics. "This is really serious were not even in the middle of it yet. Were still at the beginning of it. "And were beginning to see what damage its going to cause the world. "And its getting nastier as we go into this particular phase in Europe of watching the thing come back again." London's empty network continues during Coronavirus 1 /32 London's empty network continues during Coronavirus Daniel Hambury Jeremy Selwyn Daniel Hambury Daniel Hambury Daniel Hambury Jeremy Selwyn Daniel Hambury Daniel Hambury Daniel Hambury Jeremy Selwyn Jeremy Selwyn Jeremy Selwyn PA PA PA PA PA PA PA PA Jeremy Selwyn Jeremy Selwyn Jeremy Selwyn Jeremy Selwyn Dr Nabarro added: "None of us find the present situation, anything other than horrible, grotesque, really embarrassing. "Its a terrible situation, a health issue has got so out of control its knocking the world into, not just a recession, but a huge economic contraction which would probably double the number of poor people, double the number of malnourished, lead to hundreds of millions of small businesses going bankrupt." There is also a risk of the pandemic ruining educational opportunities for a lot of children around the world, he said. His comments came in response to a question from Labour MP Chris Bryant, who asked what he should tell his constituents who believe Covid-19 is just a big conspiracy. Coronavirus: Weekend Round-up before New Rule of Six - In pictures 1 /30 Coronavirus: Weekend Round-up before New Rule of Six - In pictures People sing and dance as they watch a street performer in Leicester Square PA General view of people enjoying a night out in Soho PA People have been warned against having a "party weekend" PA A former chief scientific adviser said the UK is "on the edge of losing control" of coronavirus PA People sing and dance as they watch a street performer in Leicester Square PA A group of friends enjoy the Autumn sunshine at a bar in Brighton PA Beachgoers pack the beach in Brighton AFP via Getty Images General view of people enjoying a night out in Soho PA General view of people enjoying a night out in Soho PA People sing and dance in Leicester Square REUTERS People gather in the Soho area REUTERS People dance in Leicester Square REUTERS People sing and dance in Leicester Square REUTERS People sing and dance in Leicester Square REUTERS Beachgoers pack the beach in Brighton i AFP via Getty Images People gather on Primrose Hill AFP via Getty Images People gather in the food market in Camden AFP via Getty Images People gather on Primrose Hill AFP via Getty Images People drink and dine at restaurants and cafes on Northcote Road Getty Images People gather on Primrose Hill AFP via Getty Images People drink and dine at restaurants and cafes on Northcote Road Getty Images People drink and dine at restaurants and cafes on Northcote Road Getty Images People attend a busking show in Leicester AP Dr Nabarro said that he understood why people thought such things, and that everyone would love to find a convenient explanation for the virus. He said: "I think weve got to entertain the fact that everybody everywhere is looking for an explanation, and we need to level with them and say we quite understand it. "We know how absolutely awful this is for so many hundreds of millions of people. Loading.... "Based on my understanding this virus was visited on us at the very end of last year, and weve been learning to live with it for this year, and we will make sense of it, and we will be able to work out how to do it, but its going to take us quite a bit longer." M embers of the Irish cabinet were restricting their movements after the Health Minister reported feeling unwell. It was initially announced that parliament had been suspended indefinitely, however Taoiseach Micheal Martin later told RTE the Dail, the Irish parliament, that it will be reconvened at 8pm. Health minister Stephen Donnelly reported feeling unwell on Tuesday, however he has since confirmed that he has tested negative for coronavirus. Ceann Comhairle (speaker) Sean O Fearghail told ministers: I have very serious information. Im told that arising out of events today, the cabinet must now self-isolate. Therefore the possibility of proceeding with business does not arise and the house stands adjourned, I suspect, until Tuesday next. Or until Im directed by the Taoiseach to reconvene the house. So Dail adjourned until further notice. Mr Donnelly took part in the cabinet meeting on Tuesday morning, before later attending a press conference announcing the governments latest coronavirus plan to move forward over the next six months. Taoiseach Micheal Martin speaking in Dublin at the unveiling of the Irish Government's blueprint for living with Covid-19 / PA Sinn Fein president Mary-Lou McDonald described the developments at the Irish Parliament on Tuesday as a bad turn of events. She said she wishes Mr Donnelly well after he indicated he planned to take a test for Covid-19, but cautioned against closing government down. If anyone needs to be tested, of course they need to be tested. But we have to avoid, if at all possible, closing down Government business, she told RTE. Parliament adjourned just hours after ministers announced a new Covid-19 blueprint to further reopen the countrys economic, social and cultural life. The latest coronavirus figures released by the National Public Health Emergency Team on Tuesday evening revealed three further deaths with Covid-19. Tui closes 166 high street stores in UK and Ireland There have been 357 new cases of the virus confirmed in the last 24-hour reporting period, 218 of which were in Dublin. The fatalities take Irelands coronavirus death toll to 1,787. There have been a total of 31,549 confirmed cases of Covid-19. Meanwhile the medium-term six-month plan for living with coronavirus is structured around five different levels of restrictions, numbered from one to five. Every county in Ireland has been given a status two risk level, but several additional restrictions are being applied to Dublin which stop short of level three status. Irelands capital has seen a marked increase in Covid-19 cases in recent weeks. The added restrictions in the city and wider Dublin county will see pubs that do not serve food having to remain closed when those in the rest of the country open next week. Shops reopen during Coronavirus lockdown ease 1 /45 Shops reopen during Coronavirus lockdown ease Primark in Oxford Street Jeremy Selwyn A member of staff prepares to open a branch of H&M in Canterbury, Kent, PA Primark in Birmingham PA NikeTown Oxford Street Jeremy Selwyn Primark in Oxford Street Jeremy Selwyn Shop staff in face masks give a round of applause to the first customers through the doors at the Fenwick store in Newcastle PA Oxford Street Jeremy Selwyn Oxford Street Jeremy Selwyn A doorman in a face mask waits to welcome back customers to the Fenwick store in Northumberland Street, Newcastle PA People queue for outside shops in Canterbury, Ken PA People queue for outside shops in Canterbury, Kent PA Primark in Oxford Street Jeremy Selwyn A customer dressed in personal protective equipment (PPE) in line to shop at Primark, Birmingham PA Primark in Birmingham PA Primark in Birmingham PA NikeTown Oxford Street Jeremy Selwyn Selfridges Matt Writtle/Selfridges Selfridges Matt Writtle/Selfridges A Harrod's 'Green Man' welcomes customers back to Harrods store in Knightsbridge, London PA Customers wait outside Harrods store in Knightsbridge, London PA Primark in Birmingham PA Primark in Oxford Street Jeremy Selwyn Kathryn Stanczyszyn Kathryn Stanczyszyn/BBC People queue ahead of the opening of Primark in Leeds PA Selfridges Matt Writtle/Selfridges A customer dressed in personal protective equipment (PPE) in line to shop at Primark, Birmingham PA A customer carrying bags of shopping leaves Primark in Birmingham PA Primark Oxford Street Jeremy Selwyn Primark Oxford Street Jeremy Selwyn Shoppers in line outside John Lewis in Kingston PA Shops and businesses in Chelsea, West London prepare to re-open to customers Daniel Hambury REUTERS REUTERS REUTERS Unveiling the plan, Mr Martin said: We must continue to live with the reality that Covid-19 is potentially deadly, causes long-term illness, and we must limit the spread. When the vaccine is available, we will move quickly to implement a widespread vaccination programme, however I want people to understand that even before then, we can go much further in opening up economic, social and cultural life in our country. We can do this if we work together in implementing the comprehensive plan, which were launching today. In the capital, the six-person gatherings in homes and gardens can only involve a maximum of two households. This is a plan which gives clarity about each of our responsibilities and how different situations and sectors will be handled, the Taoiseach added. Deputy First Minister Michelle O'Neill, Taoiseach Micheal Martin and First Minister Arlene Foster / PA It includes concrete measures which address both well established and emerging issues. It shows how we can limit the impact of the virus while keeping our schools open, protecting and expanding employment, reopening services and supporting social and cultural activity. Mr Martin said the current Covid-19 cases in Dublin are very worrying. Appealing to residents in the city, he said: Rising rates of infection can be reversed by concerted public action, and by all this adhering to the guidance and taking personal responsibility. In other developments, Mr Martin announced an additional 600 million euro funding package to help the countrys health service cope with the winter pressures. He also said the government had decided to broadly support the European Commission proposals on travel. Mr Martin also announced a new governmental group, chaired by the secretary general of the Taoiseachs department, to oversee the implementation of public health advice given by the National Public Health Emergency Team. Additional reporting by PA Media. Council leader responds to prom lights petition The leader of Douglas Borough Council has questioned the timing of a petition criticising the removal of festoon lighting along the towns promenade. Its as more than a thousand people have backed the Save Douglas Lights campaign, calling for the 1940s fairy lights to be re-installed. Councillors unanimously voted to fit a new 830,000 LED system to go with wider refurbishment of the area, claiming it would improve the promenade and save ratepayers money. David Christian says information about the new lights has been in the public domain for more than three years and there has been no strong opposition to the decision until now. Save Douglas Lights founder Adam Kaye has accused the council of vandalising Douglas promenade by removing the Victorian-era lights, before adding the behaviour of Mr Christian over the issue had been dictatorial. Those comments were dismissed by Mr Christian, however, who hit back at what he described as nonsense from keyboard warriors. If it was something where we were still in the planning stage, if we were still talking to the suppliers about these lights and there was a groundswell of opinion that people felt [the festoon lights] should be kept, then wed have a chance to revisit [the issue], the council leader said. He continued: That date has well and truly gone. Mr Christan spoke to Local Democracy Reporter Chris Cave: Media David Christian Festoon Lights How To Behave When Arrested With the added stress of the coronavirus pandemic, its important that if arrested, a person is bonded out of jail as quickly as possible to stay safe. Do not remain behind bars longer than you need to be. Call Central Florida Bonding at (407) 841-3646. Central Florida Bonding announces their newest blog entitled How To Handle Yourself If You Get Arrested. This Orlando based bail bonds agency has been providing fast, confidential, and professional bail bond services for over 40 years. 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For more information about how to handle yourself if you are arrested or how a bail bond works, contact Central Florida Bonding at 407-841-3646 or visit their website. It was an admission that stunned MPs, enraged Brussels and left Boris Johnson facing the biggest Tory rebellion since the election. Brandon Lewis was making a workmanlike defence of the new Internal Market Bill following reports that it would clash with obligations made by the Prime Minister in last years Brexit deal. But, asked whether the legislation would break the law, he did not obfuscate, stating simply: Yes, this does break international law in a very specific and limited way. Cue pandemonium, with the EU threatening legal action against the UK and Mr Johnson facing criticism from all five living former prime ministers. It was an admission that stunned MPs, enraged Brussels and left Boris Johnson (pictured) facing the biggest Tory rebellion since the election The admission was not a gaffe. The Northern Ireland Secretary read his answer off a script which had been cleared by No 10. So what was the Government playing at? The genesis of the controversial measures came in July, when the EUs chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier leaned across the table and casually suggested to his British counterpart David Frost that British food exports to the EU could be blocked in the event of No Deal. According to British negotiators that was the moment they realised that the EU was threatening to take a maximalist position towards the interpretation of the Brexit deal. The British side was already worried that ambiguous sections of the deal could allow the EU to drive a wedge between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK. If he was willing to contemplate UK food exports to the EU, potentially preventing British food being sent to Northern Ireland, what else might he be willing to do? The genesis of the controversial measures came in July, when the EUs chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier (pictured) leaned across the table and casually suggested to his British counterpart David Frost that British food exports to the EU could be blocked in the event of No Deal Mr Barniers threat has apparently been repeated several times in the intervening weeks and was finally made public at the end of last week. In the meantime, officials led by Lord Frost and Dominic Cummings secretly drafted a string of measures designed to limit EU interference in the UK. Everyone involved knew the measures would break the Brexit treaty signed by the PM last year, but felt it was justified because of the EUs absurd negotiating position. Ministers finally signed off the measures last Thursday. But before they could lay the groundwork for the extraordinary changes they were leaked by officials to an anti-Brexit newspaper. The following day, the Governments top lawyer resigned in protest and No 10 was on the back foot. Many Tory MPs believe the move was a negotiating tactic designed to provoke a crisis in negotiations that were going nowhere. Everyone involved knew the measures would break the Brexit treaty signed by the PM last year, but felt it was justified because of the EUs absurd negotiating position Tobias Ellwood, Tory chairman of the Commons defence committee, suggested the Governments move was driven by Nixonian madman theory convince the other side that you are mad enough to do anything and they will back off. Ministers flatly deny that the incendiary move was designed to increase pressure on the EU to cut a deal. Sources insist that the provisions are needed to provide a safety net to protect the integrity of the UK should talks on a deal fail. But it is hard to escape the conclusion that the timing of the move was designed to influence the moribund negotiations. The PM has set a deadline of mid-October for clinching a deal. If ministers had wanted to they could easily have pushed through the legislation after that rather than detonating a row at a critical stage. Tobias Ellwood, Tory chairman of the Commons defence committee, (pictured) suggested the Governments move was driven by Nixonian madman theory convince the other side that you are mad enough to do anything and they will back off Mr Johnson even admitted last night that the Bill does not actually tackle the threat of a food blockade of Northern Ireland. But, whether by accident or design, there are tentative signs that the row might just have jolted the negotiations into life. For all the sound and fury, Brussels has not walked away from the negotiations. In fact, additional informal talks are taking place this week. Lord Frost has been complaining for weeks about the EUs refusal to move on from the vexed issues of fishing and state aid. UK sources say that, despite the row, last weeks negotiations were the best for months, with Mr Barnier finally relenting and allowing discussion of some of the easier-to-solve issues. In the eyes of many, the threat to break the law is a step too far. But there is just a chance that it might pay off and deliver a deal that could resolve the Northern Ireland issue once and for all. She's a glamour model known for her jaw-dropping curves. And Bianca Gascoigne put on an eye-popping display in a green cut-out swimsuit during a sexy photoshoot on Tuesday. The blonde beauty, 33, flaunted her ample assets in the plunging barely-there emerald number as she posed up a storm. Wow! Bianca Gascoigne put on an eye-popping display in a barely-there green swimsuit during a sexy photoshoot on Tuesday She showed off her toned legs in a pair of knee-high white leather cowboy boots for the sizzling photographs taken on the porch of a white house. Bianca wore her trademark blonde tresses in flirty curls round her shoulders and opted for a typically glamorous makeup look. She looked as confident as ever as she worked her best angles for the sultry new shots. Work it! She showed off her toned legs in a pair of knee-high white leather cowboy boots for the sizzling photographs taken on the porch of a white house Bianca's shoot comes after she returned from Croatia on her first holiday with her beau Kris Boyson earlier this month. The reality star recently revealed she moved in with her personal trainer boyfriend after their first date in a interview. The couple took their relationship to the next level as they spent the UK's nationwide lockdown together just weeks after embarking on a romance. Asset: Glamour model Bianca keeps her Instagram full of sexy bikini snaps and recently jetted off to Croatia with her beau Kris Boyson Despite dating for only five months, the reality stars admitted they'd definitely want to get married and start a family in the future as they 'completely trust' each other. Katie Price's ex told new! magazine: 'We've spent every single day together practically since we met. 'You wouldn't lock down with someone for 100 days if it was a showmance.' Bianca and Kris were introduced to each other three years ago when he provided her with healthy meals in preparation of a charity fight, which got cancelled when her opponent, his ex Katie Price, pulled out. They lost contact for a while, before fitness enthusiast Kris slid into her Instagram DMs earlier this year. The couple currently reside in Kent and are renovating their pad with a cinema room and a new bar. When asked about the prospect of marriage and kids, influencer Bianca admitted their future looks 'very promising' and her mother Sheryl Gascoigne is 'desperate for grandchildren'. Lets take Mr. Newsom first. He is the governor of the state that has been at the vanguard of the resistance to President Trump from his first day in office. Mr. Newsom is well aware of how unpopular Mr. Trump is, but also how distressed many Californians are with Mr. Trumps denial of climate change and needed to convey that sentiment in their meeting. He had two big complications. The first was this: California, reeling from the fires and the economic devastation of the coronavirus, needs the help of the federal government and the president in getting millions of dollars in federal aid. Mr. Trump has threatened repeatedly to cut off funding to the state, and said it was at fault for the devastating wildfires. I asked Jerry Brown, who was Mr. Newsoms predecessor and one of Mr. Trumps biggest critics on the environment, whether he would tell the president of his criticism if he were still governor and greeting the president on his visit to California. [Read the full interview with Jerry Brown.] Mr. Brown said yes but taking note of the billions of dollars California needs, said hed probably wait a few days. So we saw Mr. Newsom noting their difference on climate change, and suggesting he respected the fact that there was a difference of opinion. It will be interesting to see how thats going to play in the next few days. And the second complication? Mr. Newsom was clearly mindful not to say something that could show up in a Trump campaign commercial or promotional video which happened the last time the two men met and Mr. Newsom was effusive in his thanks of the president, remarks the president highlighted in a video at the Republican convention. On one hand, it might have seemed that Mr. Newsom had been played a bit by the president but on the other, this is a state in crisis and it needs the help from Washington. We used to fix up our homes for guests. Now we're fixing up our homes for ourselves. (Future Shock / For The Times) In West Hollywood, Flora Garamvolgyi is reconsidering her couch. When she and her husband moved here from Budapest a year ago, they wanted to take their time carefully selecting each piece of new furniture. She wanted to see everything in person before making a purchase. After all, why rush? The couch they picked turns into a pullout bed. And "as a bed, it's perfect and cute and comfortable," she said. "As a couch, it's horrible. We bought it because we thought we'd have guests all the time, but we don't have any." A lot has been written about how schools , workplaces , theme parks and movie theaters will have to change in response to coronavirus. But one place has already changed and is still changing: our homes. The spots where we slept and relaxed now have to do double and triple duty supporting every aspect of our lives. What we once called living rooms, garages, guest bedrooms and kitchen tables are now our offices, home-schooling zones, gym setups and curated Zoom backgrounds. Our entryways are dedicated mask-and-hand-sanitizer stations. Spaces that were previously "for guests" or "for entertaining" are now entirely, completely, 100% of the time for us. Historically, this is something of a return to form for humans, said Darby Saxbe, an associate professor of psychology at USC and the director of the USC Center for the Changing Family . Back when we were hunter-gatherers and then subsistence farmers, the area where you roamed or tended wasn't very far from where you slept and lived the rest of your life. Then again, hunters never needed to worry about a leaf blower interrupting a quarterly shareholder presentation. The trend toward open-plan everything in both the workplace and the home was intended to lend itself to collaboration and togetherness. Now, we're all desperate for a little separation. When Saxbe's family bought their current home, they immediately started tearing out walls to create that desirable open-concept atmosphere. It has become less desirable as the pandemic has worn on. Story continues "When I have a meeting, everyone in my house can hear it," Saxbe said. "All of a sudden separate isolated spaces are at a premium." In Palms, Deaton Pigot's quest for separate space involved something that can feel like a Herculean effort during a pandemic: moving. He runs his own business, Tectonic Coffee Co., and his wife is an actress who teaches musical theater at AMDA College of the Performing Arts. The pandemic found both of them working from home around the clock in their one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment, with her teaching virtual dance classes from the living room while he worked from their bed, then switching so he could use that area to film video content for his company. Without dedicated working space, the whole apartment became the office, and they were working from 7 a.m. until 10 p.m., eating meals on the couch with their laptops still open. By June, with no end to work-from-home in sight, they were ready for something new. They happened to see another apartment for rent while they were on a walk in their neighborhood a two-bed, two-bath. The timing of the stimulus checks meant they had enough for the deposit. Moving was tricky: They did it themselves over four days, in masks, in sweltering summer heat. But it was worth it, he said, to get that extra space and reclaim some semblance of work/life separation. "I really find it like an office, where I can schedule. 'OK, I'm gonna go in there at 9 o'clock, I might have a break around 11 a.m. and then a lunch, and then I try to wrap up by 6, 6:30,' and I've really tried to stick to that schedule since moving into my new place," Pigot said. In Chino Hills, Morgan Christ had to give up a space for togetherness so her spouse could have a place to work. She and her husband are roleplaying and board game hobbyists and invested in a vaulted game table to go in their second bedroom along with a basic daybed. But now her husband needs that space to teach virtual theater tech and stagecraft classes to college students the type of work that requires space for drafting boards and paint studios. When they moved in, "Having a board-game-slash-guest-room was always a temporary setup," Christ said. They planned to expand their family while they were living there, although with the pandemic, she's not sure about their timetable for that. One thing is certain, though: "We just really didn't think it was going to be home-office-slash-classroom." In Venice Beach, the pandemic has led Breegan Jane to reclaim her kitchen. "I'm not throwing dinner parties right now," said the interior designer, who's helped redesign houses on "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition." She purged her excess mugs and plates and Tupperware containers, cutting down to the bare minimum. "The dishes will multiply less if you only have a few drinking glasses and each one has a purpose. This is my coffee mug, this is my drinking glass, these are for the kids' juices." Now, instead of washing dishes every time her 4- and 6-year-old sons eat, she has them use disposable ones that disappear as soon as the meal has ended. "I'd love to be good at everything, and I would prefer to environmentally wash a plate every day, but when it comes to my sanity and their happiness, it's like an extra investment for the week that they can just throw their plates away," she said. "Especially as a single mom, that sink full of dishes can kill you." In downtown Los Angeles, C.C. Boyce said the pandemic gave her a chance to finally invest in her home. The small-business owner previously spent most of her time out of the apartment where she lives alone: She was usually working in her woodshop or at her second job at a restaurant. But she was let go from the restaurant, and COVID-19 restrictions limited how much time she could spend in the shop. With her outlets for her free time also curtailed no bars or restaurants means no spending money on drinks and meals out with friends she decided it was time to put that money into her private space. She bought a new comforter and designer sheets and replaced the old rug in the area she now uses to do yoga or Pilates workouts. Incense and fabric spray from P.F. Candle Co. and casual basics from Uniqlo rounded out her upgrades. "It used to be that you would make your house nice for other people, because you had other people over," Boyce said. "Now you're making it nice for yourself." One of the issues that came up repeatedly was trouble maintaining work/life balance when work and life happen in the same place. Experts recommend creating both mental and physical barriers to give your brain a chance to transition between "I'm at work" and "I'm at home," even if your commute lasts 10 seconds. Bridgid Coulter, the principal designer and owner of Bridgid Coulter Design, said she recently did a consult along with a professional organizer for a client struggling to maintain any kind of separation while working full-time and home-schooling a child in a one-bedroom apartment. The dining room table had become the central command area. The solution they came up with: When the table is being used for eating, clear off work and school stuff. When people are working or learning, clear off the food items. For parents of younger children, distractions during the workday seem inevitable. But Jane, the HGTV designer, came up with strategies to help her young sons gain some independence. A back-to-school splurge was buying them their own headphones and iPads so she wouldn't have to deal with the inevitable fallout of sharing. They learned how to interact with smart devices to ask questions and set timers. And they came up with a nonverbal signal for when they want her attention while she's on a video call. "I see them coming toward me. I put out my hand, my arm, I stretch it out really far, they then walk over, put their hand on top of my arm, and I put my hand on top of theirs," Jane said. "That says, 'I see you, I hear you, I'm not going to answer you right now, but I'm going to come find you when I get off this call.'" To avoid the monotony of feeling like you're sitting in the same spot all day every day, vary your surfaces. Jane said the humble TV tray was due for a renaissance. Brigette Romanek, the owner and principal of Romanek Design Studio, said one of the most affordable things people can do is to buy oversize throw pillows that can double as seating space around a coffee table. In larger rooms, dividing the space into smaller areas, or "vignettes," can help differentiate the space. For instance, Coulter suggested rearranging a living area so you have a separate spot in one corner with a chair and lamp. "Calling it your 'reading zone' can make a big difference when you're looking for a place to read or put your laptop on and not feel like you're in the office," Coulter said. A lot of the changes we're making to personalize our space will likely last after the pandemic ends. Coulter says that isn't necessarily a bad thing: Times change, people change, houses change. Rethinking how we use our space and reworking it to accommodate our changed lives makes sense. "It's an epic time. It's profound," she said. "If we don't come out of this differently, it would be sad, because we should." This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. The Texas Supreme Court on Tuesday blocked Harris County from sending mail ballot applications to all registered voters in the county, granting Attorney General Ken Paxtons request hours earlier for the high court to step in before a different order halting the mailout was set to expire. Paxton, a Republican, has argued that Harris County Clerk Chris Hollins plan to send applications to each of the countys 2.4 million registered voters would confuse voters and lead to potential fraud. A state district judge rejected that argument Friday, and Paxton swiftly appealed to Texas 14th Court of Appeals. The appellate court denied Paxtons request for an order blocking the mailout, deciding instead to speed up the trial by ordering Hollins and Paxton to submit arguments by Wednesday afternoon. Under an agreement between the state and county offices, Hollins was barred from sending out mail ballot applications until 11:59 p.m. Wednesday. Paxton, who noted that the appeals court offered no assurance it would issue a ruling by then, argued in a court filing Tuesday afternoon that the Texas Supreme Court should prevent Hollins from sending out applications once the clock strikes midnight Thursday morning. The court granted Paxtons request, ordering Hollins not to send unsolicited applications until further order of this court. The state Supreme Court already had blocked Hollins from mailing out applications to voters under 65 through a similar lawsuit filed by the Harris County Republican Party and conservative activist Steven Hotze. However, Paxton noted, the courts stay order will expire before the state and county agreement is up Wednesday evening. The clerks office already has mailed applications to voters who are 65 and older, all of whom are eligible to vote by mail under Texas law. The state election code also allows voters to cast mail ballots if they are disabled, imprisoned or out of their home county during the voting period. Hollins said his office is prepared to send applications to the remaining voters at the conclusion of this baseless litigation. With the November election less than 50 days out, it is disheartening to witness the attorney general engage in childish antics rather than safeguard the voting rights of Texans, but I know the law is on our side, Hollins said in a text. Paxton said Hollins knowingly chose to violate Texas election law and undermine election security. I strongly commend the Texas Supreme Court for stopping the Harris County Clerk from sending millions of mail-in ballot applications, which would create voter confusion and jeopardize the integrity and security of our elections, Paxton said in a statement. Texas officials have sparred repeatedly over mail ballots during the COVID-19 pandemic as Republicans have fought Democrats efforts to expand eligibility requirements. The Texas Supreme Court ruled in May that fear of the virus alone does not qualify as a disability but could be one of several factors a voter may consider. "We agree, of course, that a voter can take into consideration aspects of his health and his health history that are physical conditions in deciding whether, under the circumstances, to apply to vote by mail because of disability," the court said in its May ruling. Texas is one of seven states in which all voters are not eligible for mail ballots, while nine states and Washington, D.C. mail ballots directly to voters. Hollins has noted in court arguments that his office also plans to send a document to voters explaining who qualifies to vote by mail. jasper.scherer@chron.com President Donald Trump attacked Joe Biden as being 'on drugs' again Tuesday after retweeting a meme calling the Democrat a 'pedo.' Trump used an appearance on Fox and Friends to once again level unsubstantiated allegations about his rival's drug use. I think he should take a drug test,' Trump said, when prompted to repeat his past accusation against Biden. 'I would take one, too, yeah,' Trump said. 'You look at Biden hes reading notes and hes reading teleprompters all the time and he doesnt read them well,' Trump said. 'And during interviews, hes doing an interview and hes reading the credits. I saw two to three weeks ago, I said, "I think hes reading a teleprompter."' Just before he appeared on the show, he retweeted a meme from a supporter with the hashtag 'PedoBiden' over a GIF appearing to show him touching Stephanie Carter inappropriately as her husband was sworn in as Defense Secretary in 2014. She has said she welcomed Biden's show of support. Trump had leveled the teleprompter accusation on Twitter Monday, citing conspiracy theories about a Biden appearance on the 'Late Late Show' in April. But the show's executive producer has said a reflection that appeared on some glass during the interview was actually the lead-in teleprompter language for host James Corden. Tweeted by the president: This was the meme pushed by the president on Tuesday morning President Donald Trump called in to 'Fox & Friends' Tuesday and said he had agreed to do a once a week appearance The president also said during a call-in interview he will appear on Fox News each Monday on a weekly basis although TV co-hosts cautioned during a live interview that it is only on a 'case-by-case basis. Trump gushed about his new weekly gig on the network during a 47-minute call-in interview, where he was able to talk at length while firing his typical blasts at rival Joe Biden and predecessor Barack Obama. 'Great to be with my friends. I think we're going to do this, we've agreed to do it once a week in the morning, and I look forward to it like the old days,' Trump said on 'Fox and Friends.' He may have been referencing a weekly gig, also on Mondays, that he scored back in 2011, back when he was contemplating a run for president. He also called into the program repeatedly during his 2016 campaign. But Trump's statement prompted an immediate response from cohost Steve Doocy. 'I haven't heard that. Well that's an exclusive right there!' he proclaimed. Trump heaped praise on the program at the top of the interview, while laying out the terms of what he described as an agreement. 'You have great people working for you, you don't even have to get involved, you have the best people,' before adding, 'We've agreed to do it probably mostly on Monday, we're going to do it mostly on Monday, and if we have to, Tuesday. Like yesterday we were out in a different part of the world.' Megyn Kelly (R) and Donald Trump (L) during the FOX special 'MEGYN KELLY presents' airing Tuesday, May 17 (8:00-9:01 PM ET/PT) on FOX. Trump used call-ins to Fox, CNN and MSNBC to his advantage in the 2016 campaign Trump used his call-ins in 2015 and 2016 to bash his Republican rivals on his path to the nomination Co-host Brian Kilmeade seemed to agree with Trump's statement, saying at one point: 'We're going to do it every week.' 'We're going to do it every week,' said co-host Brian Kilmeade. Another co-host, Ainsley Earhardt, described the arrangement as 'we're goign to see how that goes' and said the network has invited Trump rival Joe Biden on the show as well. Doocy said the Biden camp hadn't called back. Trump showed some flexibility on the dates, but left no doubt about his commitment. 'I look forward to it, yeah we're doing it every Monday I think and if we can't do it on a Monday we'll do it on a Tuesday like we did today Doocy cautioned at the end of the broadcast: 'You may want to do it every week, but Fox is not committed to that we'll take it on a case-by-case basis, and Joe Biden as well, is always welcome to join us for 47 minutes like we just did with the president. All right Donald Trump, president of the United States.' A FOX News spokesperson confirmed Doocey's statement that no agreement was made. The White House did not immediately respond to requests for information about the nature of the arrangement and whether there was a deal. Trump has long-favored the call-in format provided by morning news shows, which he used to his benefit during the 2016 campaign, getting out his unfiltered message without having to pay for TV ads. He reached an agreement with the network back in 2011 when he was contemplating a run for president. The slot was called 'Monday Mornings with Trump.' 'Bold, brash and never bashful, the Donald now makes his voice loud and clear every Monday on Fox,' said an announcer plugging the appearances at the time, with Trump saying: 'my message is a better message than anybody else's.' New Delhi: The lockdown from March 25 to May 31 successfully controlled the aggressive progression of Covid-19 in India but there has been a steady rise in the number of cases in the post-lockdown phase, Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Ashwini Choubey said on Tuesday. However, 3,328 cases and 55 deaths per million population in the country are one of the lowest in the world, Choubey said, replying to a question in Rajya Sabha. He also said the health ministry followed a graded approach for expanding Covid-19 dedicated hospital infrastructure and enough beds are available for any contingency. The lockdown from March 25 to May 31 successfully controlled the aggressive progression of Covid-19 in India. In the post-lockdown phase, cases have shown a steady increase, Choubey said. Outbreaks of Covid-19 are still largely restricted to urban and peri-urban areas. However, there has been reporting from rural areas in the proximity of major cities, he said. To a question on whether the government is planning to increase intensive care beds and the capacity of hospitals in remote areas to cope with a large-scale outbreak of Covid-19, Choubey said the health ministry followed a graded approach for expanding Covid-19 dedicated hospital infrastructure. The states were advised to plan for the requisite number of isolation, oxygen supported and ICU beds based on the prevalent and expected case growth rate. the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare is also monitoring the Covid-19 hospital infrastructure, he said. As of now, there are enough beds available to face any contingency, he added. On the number of ICU beds and ventilators available and operational in different government-run hospitals in states and union territories, the minister said such details are not maintained centrally. According to the information provided by the states and UTs on the Covid-19 portal, there were 62,979 ICU beds and 32,862 ventilators available in the country as of September 14. The ministry has instructed the states that they may indicate the number of ventilators required so that the same can be supplied to them. So far, 32,109 ventilators have been allocated to various states and a total of 20,916 ventilators have been installed at the facilities, Choubey said. A total amount of Rs 898.93 crore has been released from the PM Cares Fund towards the provision of ventilators. The Ministry of Health had placed an order for supply, installation and commissioning of 30,000 ICU ventilators from Bharat Electronics Limited, a public sector enterprise of the Ministry of Defence, he said. All states are going to be equally benefitted as the ventilators are being allocated to states based on the numbers of case(s), the trend of pandemic and the requirement posed by them, he said. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-15 15:55:02|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIJING, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Chinese researchers have found that daytime naps lasting more than 60 minutes may raise the risk of heart disease and death. Researchers from Guangzhou Medical University analyzed more than 313,000 participants from more than 20 studies to examine the link between napping and potential health risks. About 39 percent of participants took naps. The results found that compared to those who did not nap, people who regularly napped for more than 60 minutes each day had a 34 percent higher chance of developing cardiovascular disease, and a 30 percent higher risk of all-cause death. According to the study, naps, regardless of length, were linked with a 19 percent increased risk of death. The connection was more pronounced among women, with nappers seeing a 22 percent higher risk of death than non-nappers, and older participants, whose risk rose by 17 percent with naps. The results suggest that shorter naps, especially those less than 45 minutes in length, might improve heart health in people who sleep insufficiently at night, said the researchers. They said the reasons why snoozing affects the body are still uncertain, but some studies have suggested that long naps are linked with higher levels of inflammation, a risk factor for heart health. Other research also connected napping with high blood pressure, diabetes, and poor overall physical health. The study has been published in the journal Sleep Medicine and presented at the European Society of Cardiology Congress 2020 digital conference. Enditem Monday, September 14, 2020 A loss by suicide is like no other and survivors are especially vulnerable in grief because they often feel they are to blame for not having seen the often-subtle signs. Friends and family members feel helpless and dont know how to respond or what to do. Anne Moss Rogers, Emotionally Naked speaker and author Recently, I spoke with Anne Moss Rogers about suicide. Rogers is a TEDx speaker, storyteller, writer, and certified suicide prevention trainer who helps people foster connection to prevent suicide, reduce substance misuse and find life after loss. Among the topics we discussed: What is suicide and why do people kill themselves? What to say or do that will support a friend/family member. What is the wrong thing to say to a friend/family member who has lost someone to suicide. How to sit with someone in their pain. How to spot a suicide loss survivor who may be at risk of suicide themselves. Anne Moss Rogers lost her 20-year-old son, Charles Aubrey Rogers, to suicide on June 5, 2015. He struggled with anxiety, depression, and ultimately a heroin addiction. Her blog, Emotionally Naked, reached over a half million in its first three years on subjects that have often been shoved to the back of the closetsuicide and that which triggers this cause of death, addiction and mental illness and grief. Her book, Diary of a Broken Mind, is an International Book Award Finalist and a nominee for the 2020 Library of Virginia Literary Award. Watch the video, recorded as part of the Reimagine: Life, Loss, & Love virtual festival. Some excerpts are highlighted below. [embedded content] Why is the term committed suicide out of favor? Anne Moss Rogers: You can use the phrases killed himself, died by suicide, he suicided. The reason we want to remove commit is it comes from the 1400s in England, when suicide was actually a crime. Youre probably thinking, well, they punish somebody for committing a crime. What they did is they punished the family. They would actually tie the body to a horse and drag it through town as an example. They would shame the family for the suicide. And then, all their worldly goods were donated to the crown. The family wasnt allowed to have that inheritance. And they were also denied the right to a funeral and a burial in the cemetery. In many states, suicide is still on the books as a crime, even though you cant charge anybody for a suicide. We are trying to get it off the books because it is very stigmatizing. Its going to take a while since its been in our language for such a long time. Suicide is a public health issue, not unlike diabetes or heart disease. What are some of the wrong things people say in response to a suicide? Anne Moss Rogers: Hes in a better place, because theres nowhere better for my son than right next to me on Thanksgiving Day and not in heaven. I will admit that I was angry, and at times, I wanted to lash out and say, I tell you what, I will send all your loved ones to a better place and see how you like it. If somebody says something to you, give them credit for having the courage to say anything at all. Theres a lot of stigma around suicide and it takes the other person a whole lot of courage to say anything. What offended me the most is when they said nothing at all, or they looked physically ill when they ran into me, or they would purposely avoid me. Im a very social person and it made me feel like such a pariah to get up the nerve to go in the grocery store or the drugstore again and be avoided. I wanted to be hugged, I wanted to talk about my child. And then I would run into people. I would talk about my child. And people would cut me off mid-sentence, and start talking about something else. It made me feel like they were erasing my child from our family tree and I didnt like that. What are some helpful things people can do or say? Anne Moss Rogers: If you hear people saying, Im a burden. I cant do this anymore. Things would be better if I just werent here anymore. You stop for a minute and you will feel something in your gut. Grieving people are at higher risk for suicide. And parents whove lost a child to any cause of death, usually 33% of them are considering suicide. The first thing to say to the person who is struggling is, You know, that sounds serious. Tell me more. And ask questions. And what do you say to bereaved parents? I have no idea what to say. Im just HEARTBROKEN FOR YOU. That was really nice, even some of the cliche phrases of, You have my condolences. Because like I said, it takes a lot of courage for people to say anything. The best things are intentional like, I dont know what to say. But your grass is tall, I have a lawn mower, and I could be over at 10 a.m. on Saturday to cut your grass. Is that a good time for you? We wonder why the world has the audacity to keep spinning on its axis with our without our loved one in it. But the world keeps going forward and people need to pick up prescriptions. That intentional work is very helpful because I remember when I could barely take a shower. I would get out of bed and I couldnt remember the order. I almost got in the shower with my glasses and pajamas on, remembering the steps was just really difficult. You have a kind of grief brain, of grief fog. It was so, so devastating, because I was also struggling with all those coulda, woulda, shouldas, which is part of the process with any death, but more pronounced with suicide death. Learn more in Anne Moss Rogers book, Diary of a Broken Mind. You can also visit her Emotionally Naked Blog. Share this: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has "no intention" of discussing peace with the Palestinians, opposition leader Yair Lapid told AFP ahead of the signing of landmark deals with the UAE and Bahrain. "This government has no intention of discussing anything with the Palestinians," said Lapid, who pushed for the resumption of peace talks. The opposition chief spoke to AFP ahead of a signing ceremony hosted by US President Donald Trump at which Netanyahu will sign normalisation deals with the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, the first Israel has agreed with an Arab state since the 1990s. While centrist leader Lapid welcomed the Gulf deals, he argued Israel should also resume peace negotiations with the Palestinians. "The current government is saying we have achieved agreements with moderate Sunni countries without paying the price of negotiating with the Palestinians. What I say is it's not a price. It's an Israeli interest," he told AFP at his parliamentary office. Netanyahu flew to Washington just moments after telling Israelis a second nationwide lockdown will be imposed to tackle the coronavirus. For Lapid, the move showed the government's "complete failure" to tackle the pandemic. "It's a very aggressive move. It's devastating for the economy and it's not that helpful in terms of stopping the epidemic," Lapid said. According to an AFP tally over the past fortnight, Israel is second behind Bahrain for the world's highest coronavirus infection rate. "The only reason our government has decided to go into the second lockdown is because they're completely lost," Lapid said. Search Keywords: Short link: Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-15 18:40:16|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIJING, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Beijing Zoo has reassured worried fans that the "baldness" of its star panda Fu Xing was just a result of too much playful rolling on the ground. Panda lovers recently noticed a tonsure on the head of the 3-year-old panda, which resembled spot baldness. It quickly developed into a hot topic on China's social media. Zhang Chenglin, the deputy curator of the zoo, said zoologists and dentists have examined the endangered bear and concluded that the loss of hair was not caused by injuries or infections. Instead, the frisky bear has developed a habit of rolling since June this year. The bald spot is a protruded point of the panda skull, which is prone to abrading, according to Zhang. The zoo has planned to add facilities and training as distractions for the black-and-white star, and keepers will increase interaction to wean Fu Xing off the rolling habit. The good news at present is that the hair has started to grow again on the bald part of the panda, Zhang said. Enditem A New York state senator issued a warning to residents of suburban Nassau County about a letter that falsely claims the government is looking for "minorities to experiment on" with the coronavirus vaccines. The letter was taped to the doors of dozens of homes on the North Shore of Long Island on Saturday, state Sen. Anna Kaplan said in a press release that included a redacted copy of the full letter. "Parents who will be sending their children to school this fall should be mindful of any and all documents or waivers they're asked to sign," the top portion of the letter reads. "In a rush to find a vaccine for the COVID-19 or Corona Virus, the government is looking for minorities to experiment on." Image: The letter was found taped to the front doors of dozens of residents in Nassau County. The bottom half of the letter falsely claims that by participating in certain programs for children, parents could be signing their child up "for something that will be extremely harmful to them." Kaplan slammed the misinformation in the letter as dangerous. "I'm absolutely disgusted that some coward would spend their time trying to scare parents with anonymous notes like this full of lies and conspiracy theories," she said in a statement. "There is absolutely no excuse for spreading misinformation and fear here in our community at a time when Nassau residents are doing their best just to get by during these incredibly challenging times. Residents in Manhasset said the letter appears to be targeting low-income parents, according to NBC New York. "It's unfortunate because theyre probably going through a lot right now so I think as a community as a unit we all need to come together," resident Lexie Peterka told the outlet. Police are looking into the letters but, so far, have no leads, NBC New York reported. The Nassau County Police Department did not immediately return a request for comment Tuesday morning. Find all of the most important pandemic education news on Educating N.J., a special resource guide created for parents, students and educators. As schools open across New Jersey, the Trump administration is sending the state 2.4 million cloth face coverings. At the same time, however, a Federal Emergency Management Agency policy change has federal lawmakers concerned that school districts wont get reimbursed going forward for costs designed to address the coronavirus pandemic. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced plans to send the face coverings, half of them sized for children and half for adults, beginning this month at no cost. The allocation is based on share of students coming from low-income families. Nationally, as many as 125 million masks will go to the states. The effort is designed to help schools continue to be have in-person learning, HHS said. New Jerseys schools have reopened in person under specific guidelines, reopened remotely, or reopened with a combination of both. The pandemic already has forced at least six districts to change plans. The state Department of Education will decide how and where to distribute the masks. Members of the states congressional delegation, meanwhile, said Monday that the new FEMA policy will end federal reimbursement to school districts and local governments for thermometers, personal protective equipment, physical barriers and efforts to disinfect classrooms and offices. We have fewer dollars, revenues are down, said Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-5th Dist. Youre putting a lot more burden on the school districts. Gottheimer and the rest of the states congressional delegation except for Rep. Jeff Van Drew, R-2nd Dist., have asked FEMA Administrator Peter Gaynor to restore the funding. As many students and teachers across our state and our country head back to school, FEMAs policy will likely make it harder for state and local governments," the lawmakers wrote. "This will hamstring efforts to slow the spread of the virus and prolong this pandemic. FEMA, which has approved more than $35 billion to respond to the coronavirus since March, said in a statement that it was not authorized to support the day to day operations and operational expenses of facilities. The agency still would continue to pay the pandemic costs incurred until Tuesday, no matter when the bills are submitted, according to Laura Connolly, a spokeswoman for the New Jersey State Police Emergency Management Section. Connolly said it was not unusual for FEMA to end funding once the immediate emergency had passed. She said other federal programs like the $2 trillion stimulus law known as the CARES Act can be tapped to cover future costs no longer covered by FEMA. Congress remains deadlocked on whether to provide more federal aid. House Democrats voted in May to provide $875 billion in assistance to states and localities, but President Donald Trump and Senate Republicans have refused to approve any additional support. Thats been a major stumbling block in negotiations over a new stimulus package. We are overwhelmingly in need of more federal support, Gov. Phil Murphy said Monday during his regular coronavirus briefing. Theres an overwhelming view that were short and were meaningfully short and that needs to get addressed and corrected sooner rather than later. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com. Matt Arco may be reached at marco@njadvancemedia.com. H igh Street retailer Next has agreed a joint venture deal for the Victorias Secret UK business, in a move set to help safeguard hundreds of jobs at the lingerie chain. US beauty and fashion company L Brands, behind the Victorias Secret group which is known for its fashion shows, said it has formed a joint venture with Next which will acquire the majority of the assets of the lingerie brands UK business that is currently in administration. Next will own 51% of the venture, while Victorias Secret will have 49%. No financial terms were given and the deal is subject to regulatory clearance. The newly formed partnership will operate all of the firms stores in the UK and Ireland, subject to agreeing to terms with landlords. Gigi Hadid (Getty Images) / Getty Images for Victoria's Secr Victorias Secret UK fell into administration in June, hurt by disruption from the Covid-19 pandemic. Administrator Deloitte said at the time it would be necessary to either restructure the lease terms across the portfolio, and, or, achieve a sale of the companys assets to a third party. At that point Victorias Secret UK has 25 leasehold sites and employed over 800 people. Most of the staff were on furlough as at the time of the administration and no redundancies were announced. Lord Simon Wolfson, chief executive of Next said his company is very pleased at the prospect of working in partnership to expand the lingerie brand. Martin Waters, the boss of L Brands International, said: We are pleased to take this next step in our profit improvement plan for Victorias Secret. Nexts capabilities and experience in the UK. market are substantial, and our partnership will provide meaningful growth opportunities for the business. The UK online arm, currently operated by Victorias Secret in the US, will be folded into the joint venture in Spring 2021. Rob Harding, administrator at Deloitte, said: This is an ideal way to secure the future of more than 500 employees in the UK. Like rival retailers, the chain had to shut sites in March when the Covid-19 lockdown started. China warned US not to interfere with its relations with India With no sign of disengagement along LAC by China, Delhi pins hopes on diplomacy Situation at friction points in Eastern Ladakh remains tense India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, Sep 15: The overall situation at friction points in eastern Ladakh remains unchanged and continues to be tense, four days after foreign ministers of India and China agreed on a five-point plan to resolve the prolonged border standoff, government sources said on Monday. The sources also said both the Indian and Chinese troops are firmly holding onto their respective positions at the Line of Actual Control (LAC). They said while the situation in the region continues to be tense no fresh movement of Chinese troops was witnessed. The Indian Army will not lower its guard and will maintain the current state of very high-level of combat readiness in eastern Ladakh till there are visible changes in the ground situation, the sources added. Expansionist China now tests its might in Bhutan The sources said the date for the much-anticipated Corps commander-level talks between the two armies is yet to be firmed up but it is likely to take place in the next few days. The military talks are expected to focus on implementation of certain provisions of the five-point consensus to ease tensions. India and China reached an agreement to resolve their border row at a meeting between External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in Moscow last Thursday on the sidelines of a Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meet. The agreement included measures like quick disengagement of troops, avoiding action that could escalate tensions, adherence to all agreements and protocols on border management and steps to restore peace along the LAC. It also mentioned that the two sides should expedite work to conclude "new confidence building measures" to enhance peace and tranquillity in the border areas. However, the agreement has not mentioned any timeline for disengagement of troops. Meanwhile, Chinese envoy Sun Weidong, referring to consensus reached during previous talks between leaders of the two countries, said both sides should "pursue win-win cooperation" instead of "zero-sum game". Aggressive PLA behaviour along LAC shows complete disregard for protocols: India tells China "I hope and believe that as long as the two sides earnestly implement the consensus reached by the two foreign ministers to the front-line troops and adhere to the correct means of dialogue and negotiation, the two sides will find a way to overcome the current difficulties," Sun was quoted as saying by the Chinese embassy. He was commenting on the Jaishankar-Wang talks. India elected as the member of the United Nations Commission on Status of Women | Oneindia News The envoy further said: "As long as the two sides keep moving the relationship in the right direction building on the previous achievements, there will be no difficulty or challenge that can't be overcome." The five-point consensus at the Jaishankar-Wang talks came days after a fresh confrontation between the two armies early last week in eastern Ladakh that triggered a massive military build up by both sides in almost all friction points along the LAC. The Indian Army and the Chinese People's Liberation Army(PLA) have been locked in a tense standoff in multiple areas along the LAC in eastern Ladakh since early May. Shots were fired across the LAC on Monday last for the first time in 45 years with the two sides accusing each other of firing in the air. In the five rounds of the Corps commander-level talks, the Indian side has been insisting on immediate restoration of status quo ante in all areas of eastern Ladakh prior to April. The face-off in eastern Ladakh erupted on May 6. At the Jaishankar-Wang talks, the Indian delegation highlighted its strong concern over amassing of troops and military equipment by China along the LAC besides referring to "provocative behaviour" by Chinese army personnel at numerous incidents of friction. What China is trying to do by sending representatives linked to UFWD The Indian side clearly conveyed that it expected full adherence to all agreements on management of border areas and would not countenance any attempt to change the status quo unilaterally, according to the Ministry of External Affairs(MEA). Last week, the Army further bolstered its dominance over a number of strategic heights overlooking key Chinese-held positions around the Pangong lake area in eastern Ladakh Can you react to whole posts? I just want to react with the emoji Reply Thread Link GOOD FOR HIM i had honestly never even heard of jo malone london (should i have??) before yesterday's post but they've just ensured i'll never buy shit from them so \_()_/ i just feel so fucking awful that he keeps having to put up with all this Reply Thread Link Youre missing nothing. Theyre very simple blends that barely last and are vastly over-priced. White boho chicks on Instagram love them. Reply Parent Thread Link Theyre like British Diptyque. Their candles were used in William and Kates wedding. The scents are ok Reply Parent Thread Link Like fancy soap tbh, you're not missing anything Reply Parent Thread Link They have nice packaging but thats about it imo. Their shit is so full of alcohol, thats all you can smell after half an hour. As the user above said, a Diptyque wannabe. Reply Parent Thread Link Good for him! This was some absolute BULLSHIT from this company. Reply Thread Link wow fuck them Reply Thread Link damnn. way to stay firm in your values over your coins. Reply Thread Link Honestly, good. I am so glad that he has shored up things for himself and given himself options to do what he feels is right. He's a serious talent and deserves better. Reply Thread Link Hope whoever Jo Malone is - Hope their stock drops. Reply Thread Link Good for him. I've received quite a few of their perfumes as gifts but will never repurchase. I like and wear the scents. Any recommendations for other perfume brands to try? Especially any black owned brands! Reply Thread Link i'm not sure if you like their cleaner scents or more floral scents... i love their clean scents like wood sage & sea salt, and also love "myth" by ellis brooklyn. i am not sure about the creator(s) behind ellis brooklyn, however. eta: creator or ellis brooklyn is bee shapiro. while not a black woman, she is a woman of color. Edited at 2020-09-15 12:47 am (UTC) Reply Parent Thread Link Imaginary Authors has a lot of stuff in the same clean/warm and/or aquatic as Jo Malone. Reply Parent Thread Link Id be interested in some suggestions too. Ive always like grapefruit scent, and the pomegranate. I do know of a dupe for the pomegranate, which is tricky to get in the US from Yorkshire Soap Company, I think its called Night Night Sweetheart. Reply Parent Thread Link Not Black owned but you can try Jenny Glow. It's the dupe brand of Jo Malone, they're UK based but ship internationally. Most of their perfurmes smell just like Jo Malone's and also last longer lmao They also cost 7 to 15. Reply Parent Thread Link Not to be confused with JLo's Glow like i just did? Reply Parent Thread Expand Link FREDERIC MALLE - it's too expensive for my blood so I've hoarded their samples and just walking by the corner where I keep them is like heaven. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Not a great day for assholes named Jo Reply Thread Link Yeah screw them. As John said it's one thing when a brand uses a local ambassador (which happens all the time and makes sense) but they really fucking tried it by stealing the entire concept. Reply Thread Link This guy just can't catch a break, huh. The copycat ad isn't even anywhere near as good! How ridiculous. Reply Thread Link Poor John. I feel so bad for him. Reply Thread Link Good for him. If they had said "Hey, we want to capture what you did for England but for China; can you help?" and had him be an active participant on the direction and who was hired and the look that would have been a solid collaboration; instead, they took this man's ideas and tried to pigeonhole them into another market without his input or consent. Fuck them, never buying their perfume again. Reply Thread Link Ikr it would have been so easy to include him in the making of the Chinese ad. Reply Parent Thread Link so many companies accept racism as part of keeping their companies afloat. happens globally, usually directed at black people. Reply Thread Link The K9 site is located on Da Chong hill, Ba Vi district, on the outskirts of Hanoi with the historical relic is associated with President Ho Chi Minh as it is where the great leader worked and his body was preserved. President Ho Chi Minh's working space in the 1960s (Photo: hanoi.gov.vn) In May, 1957, President Ho Chi Minh visited a military training session at Da Chong Hill on the Da River. He stopped for lunch on the hilltop, where three sharp rocks pointed toward the sky. Approving the cool climate, terrain, and scenery, the President suggested this location be the provisional base of the government. Two years later, when American air attacks against north Vietnam appeared imminent, a military base called Construction Site No. 5 took shape at Da Chong. In March, 1960, a two-story stilt house called K9 became the venue for important meetings. Luu Thi Thuy Nga, a tour guide of the site, told VOV, President Ho Chi Minh chose the direction, erected the pillars, and modified the design himself. He replaced the hinged doors with sliding doors to make the meeting room airier. The corridor was enlarged to match the width of the house and stairs, making it easier to receive guests. The corridor was large enough for host and guest to walk side by side while talking. The K9 site served as a workplace for President Ho Chi Minh, the Politburo, and the Party Central Committee numerous times between 1960 and 1969. Here, President Ho once hosted the spouse of Chinas Premier Zhou Enlai, a Chinese Ambassador to Vietnam, and a Soviet Union military delegation led by cosmonaut hero Gherman Titov. When President Ho Chi Minh passed away on September 2, 1969, his body was kept for a time at K9, where the government installed equipment to preserve the body, overseen by a joint Soviet UnionVietnam committee. Annual memorial services were held for Ho Chi Minh at K9 from 1969 to 1975. In July, 1975, a convoy carried his body from K9 to a mausoleum overlooking Ba Dinh square in Hanoi. In 1995, an altar for President Ho Chi Minh was installed at K9, which often receives large crowds, who come to pay tribute to President Ho and attend political events. A memorial house was inaugurated here on September 2, 2015 to promote the great leaders moral example and ideology, which are deemed vital to Vietnams national construction and defense. Students tour the K9 relic site. (Photo: nhandan.com.vn) The altar is positioned at the center of the memorial house. On the altar is the Presidents bronze statue and behind it is the national flag and a carved quotation from his teaching. There are a pair of parallel sentences, which say that Vietnamese spirit and wisdom, which President Ho vividly embodied, shine from here throughout the Vietnamese sky, Nga added. Le Quoc Bao, a university student from Hanoi, said he was very grateful to President Ho Chi Minh for his enormous sacrifice for Vietnam. As a young man, he's inspired to study and work harder to contribute to Vietnams development. The K9 relic site has been preserved and repeatedly upgraded for six decades. It welcomes a steadily increasing number of visitors. Tributes to President Ho Chi Minh at K9 demonstrate the Vietnamese tradition of Drinking the water, remember the source. VOV5 Vladimir Putin's ruling United Russia party has retained its control in regional elections - but the opposition has made gains in some areas in a challenge to the Russian president. Voters in dozens of regions cast their votes on Sunday to elect regional governors, members of provincial governments and city councils. They come weeks after the Kremlin's most prominent critic, Alexei Navalny, was poisoned with Soviet-era nerve agent Novichok. The elections were an important test for his supporters, who were campaigning to win seats in several regional legislatures. In the city of Novosibirsk, which Mr Navalny visited days before falling ill on August 20, the head of his regional headquarters, Sergei Boiko, won a seat in the city council. The main Kremlin party, United Russia, which Mr Navalny has contemptuously dubbed a "party of crooks and thieves", lost its majority, according to the preliminary returns. In Tomsk, the Siberian city Mr Navalny was leaving when he collapsed on the plane to Moscow, his representative Ksenia Fadeyeva also secured a city council seat. She thanked voters for their support, tweeting "it was important to win after what happened". "Navalny was poisoned in Tomsk, and this is the best counter-blow from our headquarters," associate Ivan Zhdanov said on Twitter. In many regional races, Mr Navalny's supporters have pushed a "smart voting" strategy, urging voters to support the candidates who have the best chance of defeating United Russia, irrespective of their political affiliation. That approach seemed to work in some of the races, with candidates for the Communist Party, socialist-oriented Just Russia and the nationalist Liberal Democratic Party posting gains. The regional elections were a key test for the Kremlin after the July 1 constitutional vote that could allow Mr Putin to stay in power until 2036. His popularity reached a peak after Russia's 2014 annexation of Crimea but dwindled steadily in the following years under the impact of economic woes and the government's unpopular decision to raise the retirement age. Plummeting incomes and rising unemployment during the coronavirus outbreak further dented his approval ratings. In a challenge to the Kremlin, residents of the city of Khabarovsk on the border with China have staged regular protests for two months against the arrest of the local governor Sergei Furgal. Toyota Kirloskar will invest Rs 2,000 crore in developing vehicle technology and electric components in India, a top official said hours after a news article claimed the carmaker was bringing all new investments in the country to a halt. Absolutely! We are investing 2000+ crs in electric components and technology for the domestic customer and export. We are committed to the future of India and will continue to put all effort in society, environment, skilling and technology. Vikram Kirloskar (@vikramkirloskar) September 15, 2020 We are investing Rs 2,000+ crore in electric components and technology for the domestic customer and exports. We are committed to the future of India and will continue to put all effort in society, environment, skilling and technology," Vikram Kirloskar, vice-chairman, Toyota Kirloskar Motor, aid in a tweet. Kirloskars tweet was in response to a tweet from the Union minister Prakash Javadekar. The news that Toyota Company will stop investing in India is incorrect. @vikramkirloskar has clarified that Toyota will invest more than Rs 2000 crore in next 12 months," Javadekar had tweeted. The news that Toyota Company will stop investing in India is incorrect. @vikramkirloskar has clarified that Toyota will invest more than Rs 2000 crore in next 12 months.@PIB_India Prakash Javadekar (@PrakashJavdekar) September 15, 2020 Quoting Toyota Kirloskar vice-chairman Shekar Viswanathan, a Bloomberg article stated that Toyota Kirloskar Motor had decided to halt expansion in India, blaming the high taxes levied on automobiles in the country. Vishwanathan also made it clear that if reforms are not made to the current situation, Toyota may not exit India, but they do not plan to expand either. The Indo-Japanese joint venture sent a clarification a few hours after the article was published. It stated: We continue to be committed to the Indian market and our operations in the country are an integral part of our global strategy." Toyota has tied up with Suzuki to jointly develop electric and hybrid vehicle technology at affordable costs. The two companies have been working since the last two years on several projects. Toyota even got access to Suzuki-developed vehicles such as the Brezza and Baleno. While Baleno has been rebadged as Glanza, the Brezza has been named Urban Cruiser and will be launched on September 24. Despite running operations in India for more than 23 years, Toyota has a market share of just 2.57 percent, whereas Kia Motor which entered India in 2019 has managed to grab 5 percent share of Indias passenger vehicle market as per data supplied by the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers. The man accused of fatally bashing a Perth grandfather outside his East Cannington home has had his charge upgraded to murder. Quade Karsum Jones is accused of bashing Emiliano Lombardi. Credit:Facebook Quade Jones, 28, is accused of initiating a "cowardly, unprovoked and disgusting" attack on Emiliano Lombardi on August 16. The 84-year-old was assaulted after going outside his house to investigate a noise, before unknowingly coming into the path of two men on a random and violent crime spree. He was attacked with a car mirror on his front lawn and was in the intensive care unit at Royal Perth Hospital, surrounded by his devastated family, for two weeks before passing away on August 31. The technology group Wartsila has successfully delivered its brand-new Cloud Simulation solution to Abu Dhabi Maritime Academy. Comprising a combination of cloud-based solutions, including navigational, engine room and liquid cargo handling simulators, Wartsila is the first company to offer class-approved cloud-based simulation technology to the maritime industry. The online installation was deployed in early July, allowing the Academy to continue providing its training despite ongoing social distancing and travel restrictions. Abu Dhabi Maritime Academy is the leading maritime training provider in the region, which is now powered by Wartsila Voyage technology. The addition of the online installations of NTPro and TechSim will broaden the simulation-based training offering available at the Academy. Cloud Simulation technology takes simulation beyond the boundaries of the physical classroom, to provide location and device independence, and to deliver simulation-based training wherever, whenever, and however it is needed by the user. Remote access to training allows students and instructors to reach various Wartsila Voyage simulation models on their personal devices, away from the classroom and without the need for specific Wartsila software. Both the TechSim and NTPRO platforms in the cloud provide a classroom configuration with trainer and multiple student stations for familiar instructor-led training. We are excited to be at the leading edge of this technology in the maritime industry and enable trainees to acquire a wide range of navigational and engineering skills, without the need to physically attend the training centre. By having remote access to the simulation library and any classroom-based exercise, instructors can easily manage the application and deliver the training, says Torsten Bussow, Director, Wartsila Voyage. We are very pleased to have this next-generation of blended-learning solutions delivered by Wartsila Voyage. The bespoke training that this solution allows to deliver will undeniably enhance the training experience of our students. The Wartsila Voyage distance learning application will surely open up many new training opportunities inside and outside the physical classroom, comments Capt Clive Hotham, Head of Marine Short Courses and Simulator, Abu Dhabi Maritime Academy. -- Tradearabia News Service Twelve Hongkongers who fled the city amid an ongoing crackdown on participants in last year's protest movement weren't "democracy activists being oppressed," the city's leader Carrie Lam told journalists on Tuesday. While Lam said her government would provide the detainees and their families with the "needed and feasible" assistance, she said their treatment by the mainland authorities was entirely appropriate. "Twelve Hong Kong residents were suspected of illegally entering mainland China ... and so they were detained by mainland Chinese law enforcement," Lam told a regular news briefing. "It is obvious that this case falls within mainland China's jurisdiction." She added, in comments reported by Reuters: "The reason for them leaving Hong Kong seems to be that they were running away from legal responsibility." "I want to set the record straight, because certain local and overseas individuals tried to shift the attention, describing them as democracy activists being oppressed," she said. While the Hong Kong authorities have called on other jurisdictions not to "harbor" people wanted on criminal charges in Hong Kong, they have repeatedly said they won't "interfere" in the cases of the 12 Shenzhen detainees." All 12 are suspected of committing crimes in Hong Kong, according to the city's security bureau, with 10 of them wanted for manufacturing or possessing explosives, arson, rioting, assaulting police officers, or possession of offensive weapons. Hong Kong arrests, prosecutions Authorities in the city are bringing hundreds of protest-related prosecutions dating from the anti-extradition and pro-democracy protests that began in June 2019 on a range of charges including unlawful assembly, assault, arson, and rioting. Thousands of people have been arrested since the movement began. A U.S. State Department report warned in March that the prosecutions of activists had infringed on the rights of Hongkongers to peaceful assembly and protest. The 12 Hongkongers are aged 16 to 33, and are being held on suspicion of "illegal immigration" at the Yantian Detention Center in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen, which borders Hong Kong. They were intercepted by the China Coast Guard after they tried to escape by speedboat to the democratic island of Taiwan last month. Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying, who referred to the 12 on Twitter as "elements attempting to separate Hong Kong from China," said on Tuesday that only one is suspected of "colluding with foreign powers" under a draconian national security law imposed by the ruling Chinese Communist Party on Hong Kong from July 1. The family members of six of the detainees held a press conference on Saturday, calling on the Hong Kong authorities to bring them back to the city as soon as possible. Growing concerns Concerns are growing over the lack of access to lawyers hired by their families and to adequate medical care. Pro-democracy lawmaker James To accused Lam's administration of operating a "double standard" when it came to Hong Kong detainees overseas. "If the Hong Kong government believes that these 12 people have broken Hong Kong laws, shouldn't they be requesting that mainland China return them?" To said. "[They] have already said that the five Hongkongers held in Taiwan [for illegal immigration] should be returned." He called on the Hong Kong authorities to do more to support the 12 detainees. "The family members would like the Hong Kong government to show more concern, and to protect their rights and interests," To said. Reported by Gigi Lee for RFA's Cantonese Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie. TORRINGTON Friendly Hands Food Bank is busier than ever these days, with families struggling with the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic seeking help and food, officials said. Families are signing up every week, said Executive Director Karen Thomas, who took the food banks lead role not long after the death of founder Maureen Mo Hubert earlier this year. Typically were seeing eight to 10 families coming here for the first time, looking for help. They dont know when theyre going back to work, and theyre worried, Thomas said. According to Thomas, the food bank is providing food for 23,000 meals a month, and has close to 900 clients, mostly families, more than doubling the number of people they were feeding before the pandemic hit Connecticut in March. When Hubert died, a new director was ready to take over, but she also died unexpectedly, and the food bank was about to close. But Thomas, a longtime volunteer, didnt want that to happen. She, board president Danny Hartnett and other members and volunteers focused their energies on keeping the doors open and improving the food banks presence in the community. When I saw the need, I wanted to keep Friendly Hands going, Thomas said. And its going strong. Our business here has thrived, because we are recognized by so many people, and that brings more donations, Hartnett said. Branding is important ... Were showcasing the positive things were doing, and what we can do for the entire community. That has made a big difference, and its also brought us more families to feed. Throughout the spring and summer, Friendly Hands families received boxes of fresh produce almost weekly through the Farmers to Families program, a USDA effort that is being conducted nationwide. Thomas brought it to Connecticut. Another round of Farmers to Families food box distributions is starting in October. I wanted to help the whole state, not just Torrington, Thomas said. We got on the distribution list in May, after we signed up for a USDA grant. So far weve had nine visits, and 37 other trucks have gone to other cities in Connecticut. Weve given out close to a million pounds of fresh produce, and in October, theyre doing boxes with meat, dairy and produce, that will feed a family of four for close to two weeks. State Rep. Michelle Cook (D-Torrington) came to every one of those, to hand out food, Thomas said. Shes been right with us through this whole thing. She never missed one. I give Karen many accolades for getting this program set up in Connecticut, Hartnett said. Shes tireless ... She makes sure Connecticut gets as much food as it can from the Farmers to Families. Without it, there would have been just one truck for Torrington. Now they drive all over, delivering that food to people, Hartnett said. Hartnett hopes to start delivering Farmers to Families food boxes to shut-in residents, such as the elderly and disabled, who may not want to or, are unable to, come to the usual drive-through food distribution events. This summer they were held at Torrington High School, the library and Torrington Middle School. We encourage people to come, but sometimes they just cant get there, he said. Hopefully we can change that. Thomas is proud of the success of the Farmers to Families effort, but she also is aware of the many people in Torrington who constantly provide their support to Friendly Hands every week, all year. For many local churches, non-profit groups and volunteer organizations, annual fundraisers that support their missions have been canceled. Weve usually had two or three already, and we havent been able to raise money that way this year, Thomas said. So many things have been canceled. We depend on those, as well as our donations from businesses and private donors. Hartnett said one of organizations biggest heroes and there are many of them is Michael Patterson and his wife Janet, who own Doyles Medical Supply. Hes come through for us, with anything we need, Hartnett said. He sets up locations for food drives, he provides us with boxes, his employees provide us with labor to do the work. He says, Whatever you need, whenever you need it. And he means it. Hes a true hero, Thomas said. And hes been that way for a lot of years. Without him, we wouldnt have that support every day. Its nice to have people like Mike, whos a friend and an advocate. He believes in us and what were doing. Hartnett said the ongoing survival of Friendly Hands is because of a new approach. We operate as a business now, he said. Weve reached a level of sustainability, and its working, for now at least. If a business is sustainable, it can make such a difference. It also takes a whole community to make that happen, Thomas said. When we believe in the community, it believes in us. Its taken all of us to help each other. Just before school began, the food bank held a backpack drive for local children, another annual tradition to help families in need. Everything was donated by supporters. We gave away about 250 packpacks, with masks for the children, a lanyard to keep them on, and school supplies, Thomas said. It was a fabulous success, helping all those kids. Friendly Hands, located on King Street, is open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and can be reached by calling 860-482-3338, or visit https://friendlyhandsfoodbanknwct.org/ Back in 1999, Anthony Hopkins was ready to quit acting after playing the demanding title role in Julie Taymors Titus. I put it behind me, the 82-year-old actor said on a recent phone call from his home in Santa Monica. Most of the time, things have been pretty good. When I was younger, I had a healthy ego and ambition and I was insecure. The great thing about getting older is that it falls away. I look in the mirror at myself, and say, Whats the big deal? Come on! Thank you very much! I dont know what Im doing half the time. Methinks he doth protest too much. At the moment, the 82-year-old Hopkins is on a roll. Last year he was nominated for Best Supporting Actor as Pope Benedict in The Two Popes, opposite fellow Welshman Jonathan Pryce as Pope Francis. I didnt know Jonathan, he said. I was relieved to discover that he had a great sense of fun and humor about it all. He does what I try to do, which is not take it too seriously. Keep it simple and laugh and do it! On September 15, Sony Pictures Classics relaunches Sundance premiere The Father at the Toronto International Film Festival, heading toward a December 18 award-season release. And Hopkins is back in the Oscar fray. He took home Best Actor back in 1992 for his first nomination, as iconic Hannibal Lecter in The Silence of the Lambs, followed by nods for his repressed butler in Merchant/Ivorys The Remains of the Day, the title role in Oliver Stones Nixon, and John Quincy Adams in Steven Spielbergs Amistad. The Father marks the feature directing debut of French playwright Florian Zeller, who after taking his popular Paris stage drama to the West End and Broadway (where Frank Langella won the Tony Award), collaborated with Oscar-winning screenwriter Christopher Hampton (Dangerous Liaisons) on a film adaptation. Hopkins gives a moving tour-de-force performance as a grumpy octogenarian fighting against the dying of the light, driving away a long line of caretakers as he struggles with his frustrated daughter (The Favourite Oscar-winner Olivia Colman). Story continues Of the past five years, Hopkins said, Ive had the most fortunate run. On the set of the late great Ronald Harwoods The Dresser, director Richard Eyre suggested that I have another go at Lear. I was too young when I did it before. I did it with Emma Thompson, and then landed The Two Popes which was a wonderful surprise. Zeller sent Hopkins The Father back in 2017. It was one of those scripts that grabbed hold of you, Hopkins said, compact, very moving, and the writing was distinct, clear and concise. It was one of those that come along only once in a while. Florian and Chris came out to California. They waited for me. I had to start The Two Popes, in Rome, then I went off to England. The actor enjoyed Colmans off-the-cuff approach. Were both the same, he said. She doesnt do any method prep. She learns her lines, and does it. She finds it easy to act, gets emotional within the scene in the context of the play. She was so easy, a lot of fun, and chatty. For Hopkins, its all on the page. I see whats in front of me, whats there, he said. The object is to empty your brain of all analysis and overthinking, use your creative intuitive intelligence to prep and learn the text, and apply that common sense: Make your marks, say your lines, and go home. That meant not overdoing with research. Hopkins didnt have to face dementia with his own parents, but he drew on their ways of coping with aging. The film is dealing with a universal subject at this very moment in our lives, he said, with loneliness, dementia, and mental illness, and suicide rates going up. On the first day, when Colman comes into the apartment and says, Hello, Dad, He doesnt know who she is, he said. He doesnt know who he is, hes trying to hold on, he puts on good front. Im the same age. It doesnt take a genius to figure that out. You go along with it. The actor understands how to keep the audience on its toes. I dig under the lines, like sifting through the sand, he said. Maybe I dont need to play it that way, as indicated. So I play it from the opposite direction, and suddenly play clarity instead of demented, and surprise the audience. One minute Im lost, and the next Im bright and breezy and fooling around. When his mother was dying, said Hopkins, She didnt want any fuss, Leave me alone. I think its stark fear. My father was like that, hed be deeply depressed and tearful. He just wanted to be left alone to die. In this case, if youre looking at somebody, and you think theyre a stranger: Whos this man in my flat? Of course you get angry. My grandmother swore people were stealing from her. Its common. The film plays with the old mans perceptions of reality, using a single set in Elstree that is subtly altered scene to scene, shot by cinematographer Ben Smithard with depressing sultry afternoon light in a London suburb, said Hopkins, who admires Michael Hanekes apartment-bound Amour. The Father is a French film with English-speaking actors, he said. No embellishment. A few months before he filmed The Father, at an Artists Forum workshop Hopkins found himself getting weepy. Its a tough business, you have to be prepared for it, he told the young students. Be positive. Dont let anger and resentment embitter you. Next up: Zeller has asked him to play the father role in his follow-up, The Son. More from IndieWire Best of IndieWire Sign up for Indiewire's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Hansford County Farm Bureau joins Texas Farm Bureau (TFB) to assist those who are in need of food, as well as those who provide that food, in an effort to keep local organizations alive in these unprecedented times. Pictured: Hansford County Farm Bureau Agency Manager, Dana Schneider Presenting $1,000 to HCHD Meals on Wheels Nutritionist, Tish Sumner and HCHD CEO, Jonathan Bailey. Hansford County Board President, James Connelly said the Farm Bureau Feeding Texas Co-op Contribution Program, established by TFB, aims to pair food banks with other food-relief entities with local restaurants and caterers.County Farm Bureaus across the state are working with community organizations, businesses, restaurants and similar entities to help provide meals to those in need. TFB is matching a county Farm Bureau donation of up to $1,000 to any food-related project.Hansford County Farm Bureau is working with Snak Pack 4 Kids as well as Meals on Wheels, Connelly said. Hansford County Farm Bureau has donated $1,000 to each organization.The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has created real food hardships for many in our community, said Connelly. These programs have seen increases in need as well. We are proud to be a part of the Farm Bureau Feeding Texas Program and doing what we can to help those in our community.For more information on the Farm Bureau Feeding Texas Program, contact Hansford County Farm Bureau at (806) 659-3133.Pictured: Hansford County Farm Bureau Agency Manager, Dana Schneider Presenting $1,000 to Snak Pack 4 Kids Committee Representatives (L-R) Sheryl Meek, Gabby Ruiz, Rosi Martinez, Kim Vera and Norlan Winegarner. Culture war: Inner Mongolia seethes as China presses Mandarin at school Students arrive at the Tongliao Mongolian Middle School in Tongliao, China's northern Inner Mongolia region, following recent protests over a new bilingual education policy by the Chinese government As his son returned to school under the watchful eye of plainclothes police, an ethnic Mongolian father admitted defeat after days of fighting against a curriculum imposed by the Chinese state, which he fears will suffocate his culture. "The spirit (of resistance) is still there, but we are scared," said the man, requesting anonymity as he watched other students lugging their suitcases back into Tongliao Mongolian Middle School after a week-long boycott. "Little by little, parents are sending their kids back." Tens of thousands took part in demonstrations and school boycotts in Inner Mongolia -- a vast expanse of northern China where herders marshall livestock across grasslands -- to protest against an edict mandating Mandarin-language teaching, over fears it will wipe out their language. The rare mass rallies held by ethnic Mongolians were the largest China has seen for decades, where authorities under Chinese President Xi Jinping brook no dissent. But then the crackdown came. Armoured vehicles moved in to surround schools in Tongliao, a stronghold of resistance where ethnic Mongolians make up almost half of the population. The clampdown echoes Beijing's moves in Xinjiang and Tibet, where similar policies to assimilate local minorities into the dominant Han population were implemented in line with Xi's vision of national and ideological unity through cultural identity. Police offered cash bounties for leads on ringleaders and publicised the arrests of dozens of suspects accused of gathering signatures and sharing dissenting messages on WeChat. Parents who refused to send their children back to school were threatened with layoffs, fines and students' expulsion. In one district, officials offered cash to students who convinced their peers to return, according to official notices. The dragnet has cowed the most outspoken. Petitions that circulated in early September and other outward signs of dissent have evaporated, as fear silences many Inner Mongolians. Story continues During a recent trip to the region, AFP reporters were tailed by a convoy of propaganda officials and unidentified men, leaving contacts jittery and afraid to be named. - In the footsteps of Xinjiang, Tibet - Hastily imposed for the start of term on September 1, the new rules say Mandarin must be taught from first grade -- one year earlier than before -- across the region's bilingual boarding schools. History, politics and literature will also be taught in Mandarin now instead of Mongolian. Similar education policies have been introduced in Xinjiang and Tibet, other border regions that have faced government repression and extensive campaigns to rein in their minority education, religions and cultures. "This is something we cannot accept," the father told AFP. "For young children who are now around seven or eight years old, in a decade or two they will not be able to speak with grandparents in their own language." - Assimilation drive -- Ethnic Mongolians count for less than a fifth of the regions 25.3 million population, and are vastly outnumbered by Han Chinese. But they are fiercely proud of a heritage that they share with Mongolia to the north, and fear Beijing is ramping up an assimilation drive. "Schools are in some ways to the Mongol ethnic identity what monasteries are to Tibetan identity, and what Islamic holidays and shrines are to Uighur identity," said Chris Atwood, professor of Mongolian and Chinese studies at the University of Pennsylvania. The interference in the curriculum aligns with remarks by Xi that Mandarin language ability leads to greater prosperity and social mobility for ethnic minorities across China. That carries with it "hints that there's something inadequate about minority language education," Atwood added. Authorities show no signs of backing down. Regional governor Bu Xiaolin has declared that implementing the Mandarin policy is an "important political task". The Inner Mongolia Education Bureau did not respond to a faxed request for comment. Bainuu, the sole Mongolian-language social media app available in China, was pulled by authorities in August. - Homeschoolers threatened - In neighbouring Mongolia, which has close economic ties with China, the move caused a huge public uproar -- although politicians have yet to challenge China on the issue. But protests greeted Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi at a visit to Ulaanbator on Tuesday, with around a hundred Mongolians gathered in the capital city's main square to speak out against the Chinese government and its new language policy. Despite increasing pressure from authorities in Inner Mongolia, a small minority continues to defy the local government's orders. A Tongliao parent told AFP via phone that his toddler is currently being homeschooled, despite repeated threats from local police. "My child's thinking is still like a traditional Mongolian, but if they enter the (Mandarin) school environment, they will lose that identity," said the father who withheld his name for his safety. The curriculum change shows that China is determined to "wipe out Mongolian language, culture and identity," says Enghebatu Togochog, Director of the Southern Mongolian Human Rights Information Center, based in New York City. "Mongolians really dont want to lose their language. If they lose this, they lose everything." lxc/apj/rma/hg For the past five years, the National World WWII Museum has helped Lawrence Brooks celebrate his birthday, and they kept the tradition alive for 2020. Born on Sept. 12, 1909, Brooks turned 111 years old on Saturday. The New Orleans resident is the oldest known living U.S. veteran of World War II, serving in the predominantly Black 91st Engineer Battalion, which was stationed in New Guinea and later the Philippines. The great-grandfather's birthday celebrations are usually at the museum, but because of the pandemic, a party with social distancing was held in his front yard. As Brooks and his family watched from the porch, the museum's vocal trio, the Victory Belles, sang several songs, and the Aeroshell Aerobatic Team and The Big Easy Wing did a military flyover. Brooks also received a cake and 10,000 birthday cards that had been sent to the museum. Amber Mitchell, assistant director of public engagement at the National WWII Museum, said in a statement that it was "meaningful for us to continue to celebrate Lawrence Brooks and his incredible life in a safe manner this year." More stories from theweek.com Japan's parliament elects Yoshihide Suga prime minister Trump says he'll be on Fox & Friends every week but host Steve Doocy doesn't agree to have him Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers, and Trevor Noah ponder why Trump superfans still trust him with their lives The campaign draws on the spam-like behavior of bots and trolls, with the same or similar language posted repeatedly across social media. But it is carried out, at least in part, by humans paid to use their own accounts, though nowhere disclosing their relationship with Turning Point Action or the digital firm brought in to oversee the day-to-day activity. One user included a link to Turning Point USAs website in his Twitter profile until The Washington Post began asking questions about the activity. Ever Morales-Lopez, 26, was released from prison for five days on September 3 New York prison officials mistakenly released an MS-13 gang member facing a federal murder charge and it took five days to get him back behind bars last week. Ever Morales-Lopez, 26, was granted early parole on September 3 for a 2018 conspiracy conviction that came with a three-and-a-half to 10-and-a-half year sentence. However Washington Correctional Facility in Comstock, Nassau County were apparently unaware of a July federal indictment where he and seven other MS-13 gang members are accused of racketeering in six murders, two attempted murders and a kidnapping conspiracy. Morales-Lopez is accused of keeping watch for cops while his fellow gang members hacked 20-year-old rival Kerin Pineda to death with a machete on May 21, 2016. Pineda was believed to be a member of the 18th Street gang. On that federal arrest warrant for murder in aid of racketeering, he could face either life in prison or the death penalty. However instead of being transferred to federal custody to await trial, he was let go, the New York Post reported on Tuesday. It was only on September 8 that the FBI realized that he had been let go and it took them 12 hours to track him down and get him back into jail. He left Washington Correctional Facility in Comstock but should have been transferred directly into federal custody to await trial Morales-Lopez appeared in Central Islip federal court on Thursday and is being held without bail. He is accused of organizing a place for Pineda to be killed in New Jersey where the gang would not be caught on surveillance. In July he was indicted in a federal case over the 2016 murder of rival gang member 20-year-old Kerin Pineda (pictured) It's also claimed Morales-Lopez who goes by 'White Boy' and 'Lenky' - was involved in talks of where and how deep to bury Pineda's body. Eight gang members are accused in the murder which took place after they allegedly lured Pineda to a wooded area near the Merrick-Freeport border and violently hacked at him with machetes. They then burned his body in a hole that they had made the day before. It took a year for authorities to recover Pineda's body. On Thursday a judge said Morales-Lopez is a 'danger to the community' and a 'serious risk' when it comes to fleeing. In August, Jose Jonathan Guevara-Castro - also known as Suspechoso - was arrested in Acajutla, Sonsonate. Guvara-Casto is believed to have been a part of the Hollywood clique. 'Guevara's arrest more than 2,000 miles away from Long Island where he allegedly participated in the brutal murder of a young man more than four years ago, is a testament to the commitment of this Office and our law enforcement partners to bringing members of the MS-13 gang to justice for their crimes,' Acting United States Attorney DuCharme said last month. 'There is no place to hide, here or abroad, and neither distance nor the passage of time will offer any safe harbor to criminals from our mission to eradicate violent gangs from the Eastern District of New York.' The ministry of home affairs (MHA) told the Lok Sabha on Tuesday that the exodus of migrant workers from the cities to the countryside in their home states was triggered by fake news on the duration of the lockdown imposed in the aftermath of the coronavirus disease pandemic (Covid-19). Migrant workers were also concerned about the availability of basic necessities like food, drinking water, access to health services and shelter during the lockdown enforced on March 25, it said. Responding to a query posed in the Lok Sabha, minister of state for home Nityanand Rai said the central government had been fully conscious of the concerns of migrant workers , and taken measures to ensure that during the inevitable lockdown that followed the outbreak of the pandemic, no citizen is deprived of the basic amenities of food, drinking water, medical facilities and so on. Also read: Lok Sabha nod to bill for 30% salary cut of MPs for a year due to Covid crisis Speculation, including in the media, on how long the lockdown would last and loss of livelihoods after the closure of factories and business establishments to curb the spread of the disease contributed to the reverse migration of workers to their home states such as Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Odisha and Jharkhand. The total lockdown lasted 68 days before government started easing the restrictions. An estimated 10.4 million migrants travelled back home during the lockdown, the government informed Parliament on Monday, saying it had no data on job losses among migrant workers since the outbreak. To mitigate the problems faced by migrant workers, the Centre set up control rooms in the home ministry under the supervision of senior officers of the level of joint secretary and comprising representatives of key central ministries, MHA said on Tuesday. These control rooms, inter alia, attended to the grievances of stranded persons including migrant workers and promptly resolved these grievances relating to food, transport, shelter, etc. States and Union Territories were also advised to set up control rooms with helplines and to appoint nodal officers, Rai said in his written reply. The minister of state added that the Centre also allowed state governments to tap the state disaster response fund (SDRF) for arranging temporary accommodation and providing food, clothing and medical care to migrant workers as well as the homeless. To augment the funds with the states, Central government released an advance Rs 11, 092 crores from the SDRF to the states on April 3, 2020, he added. To a query from Congress MP Manish Tewari on why the nationwide lockdown was imposed with a notice of just four hours, the minister said the decision was taken to forestall any mass movement. Covid-19 is a highly infectious disease. Any mass movement of people would have spread the disease very fast amongst people in all parts of the country, said Rai. By imposing the countrywide lockdown, India successfully blunted the aggressive spread of Covid-19, he added. The lockdown period also helped the nation reinforce its health infrastructure to tackle Covid-19, according to the minister, who cited efforts to sharply increase the number of dedicated isolation and intensive care unit (ICU) beds for patients of the viral infection, and develop local capabilities to manufacture personal protection equipment, masks and ventilators. According to the government, the lockdown, by slowing the progress of the pandemic, has prevented an estimated 1.4 to 2.9 million Covid-19 cases and 37,000 to 78,000 deaths. SAN DIEGO, Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Voxox, a global leader in cloud-based communication solutions for businesses, today announced the appointment of Cleve Adams as Chief Executive Officer. Adams brings over 20 years of experience in founding and leading global organizations towards success. He has successfully achieved five exits as CEO with an average 21x ROI to investors and spearheaded an astounding $1.1B IPO as co-founder of WebSense (now Forcepoint). His appointment coincides with the rollout of 5G technology which will signal a massive shift in the way that companies and employees work; an analysis from Greensill estimates the total investment for the 5G rollout throughout the global supply chain is likely to top $2.7 trillion by the end of 2020. Adams takes over for current standing CEO and co-founder Bryan Hertz, who will remain Chairman of the Board and take on a new role as Executive Chairman. Adams replaces the current standing CEO and co-founder Bryan Hertz, who will remain Chairman of the Board and take on a new role as Executive Chairman. Voxox, a global leader in cloud-based 5G-enabled communication solutions for businesses, today announced the appointment of Cleve Adams as Chief Executive Officer. Adams brings over 20 years of experience in founding and leading global organizations towards success. "It's been a tremendous honor to serve as the CEO of Voxox since co-founding the company in 2006. I am incredibly proud of everything our team has accomplished together in our fourteen years," said Bryan Hertz, Executive Chairman, "Cleve is the right leader to step in and spearhead bringing the business to the next level," said Bryan Hertz, Executive Chairman. "His extensive background and acumen around smart business development will help Voxox solidify new partnerships, develop strategic alliances, raise capital, and expand our international sales presence while delivering value to stakeholders. Cleve brings a wealth of experience in securing capital for brands around the world and his connections in the SaaS sector will be invaluable. I speak for our entire executive team when saying just how thrilled we are to have him on board." Throughout his tenure in the technology sector, Cleve Adams has built a successful sales channel of over 1100 resellers and distributors in 82 countries. Most notably, he was the driving force behind the creation of security titan Websense (now Forcepoint) - spearheading their growth of the company from pre-revenue to a $1.1 Billion IPO in less than three years. On average he presents an impressive 21X ROI to investors. "I am excited to have the opportunity to push forward the mission of Voxox," said Cleve Adams. "Voxox has an excellent business model, a superior unified communications platform, and a talented management team that positions it to capitalize on the changing telecommunications environment. As the industry evolves post-pandemic, the tools that Voxox can bring to small business owners are more critical than ever before. I'm humbled to be able to lead a team that provides a much needed and cost-effective communications platform to help small business owners scale their company vision and make deeper, more meaningful connections with their customers." This appointment is just one of the exciting milestones the company has achieved in recent years. Voxox's offerings include an award-winning unified communications Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS), which enables the company and its customers to build powerful, scalable applications and services. Vox Direct, the company's small business solution, is a communications platform that unifies powerful voice and mass texting capabilities for small businesses in a single service. With wholesale revenue up significantly, VoxDirect has begun to penetrate the market in very exciting ways and their mobile operator partnerships have taken on a new trajectory. Adams joins the Voxox team at a time when the brand is working to onboard some of the largest companies in the world as white-label distributors. The brand plans to accelerate revenue generation and to evolve experientially as an organization to reduce friction, remove barriers, and accelerate their goals towards new funding and growth. About Voxox Voxox is an innovator in cloud-based communication solutions for businesses. The foundation of the company's offerings is its award-winning unified communications Platform as a Service, which enables the company and its customers to build powerful, scalable applications and services. For end-users, Voxox provides an extensive suite of carrier-grade business phone solutions, including Vox Direct, Cloud Phone, as well as SIP Trunking, hosted PBX, and a wide array of wholesale services, such as high volume SMS. For service provider partners, Voxox delivers cutting-edge phone and text message marketing apps and services, including white-label versions of VoxDirect, a small business solution for global mobile operators. Voxox is headquartered in San Diego. For more information, please visit http://www.voxox.com . Media Contact: Nicole Boyd Firecracker PR [email protected] 1-888-317-4687 ext. 705 SOURCE Voxox Pakistan's Parliament has passed a bill aimed at bringing more control and transparency in the registration and regulations of cooperative societies to check terror financing as part of the country's efforts to escape from being blacklisted by the global money laundering and terrorist financing watchdog. The Paris-based Financial Action Task Force (FATF) put Pakistan on the grey list in June 2018 and asked Islamabad to implement a plan of action to avoid being blacklisted. The Cooperative Societies (Amendment) Bill, 2020 was moved in the National Assembly on Monday by the Adviser to the Prime Minister on Parliamentary Affairs, Babar Awan. The lower house suspended the rules to pass the bill without sending it to the relevant standing committee. The bill will amend the Cooperative Societies Act, 1925. Also Read: NIA arrests key ISI aide in Visakhapatnam espionage case The National Assembly also adopted motions, seeking to refer two bills related to the tough conditions set by the FATF, which were passed by the lower house but rejected by the upper house last month, to the joint sitting of Parliament for consideration and passage. The Anti-Money Laundering (Second Amendment) Bill and the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) Waqf Properties Bill, were rejected by Pakistans Opposition-dominated Senate last month, jeopardising the government's efforts to escape from being blacklisted by the global money laundering and terrorist financing watchdog. The move drew a strong reaction from Prime Minister Imran Khan who accused the Opposition leaders of trying to save their illegal money. The legislations were part of efforts by Pakistan to move from the FATF'S grey list to the white list. The FATF put Pakistan on the grey list in June 2018 and asked Islamabad to implement a plan of action by the end of 2019 but the deadline was extended later on due to Covid-19 pandemic. A joint sitting of both houses is convened if there is difference between the National Assembly and the Senate over a piece of legislation. LOS ANGELES A federal appeals court ruled on Monday that the Trump administration acted within its authority in terminating legal protections that have allowed hundreds of thousands of immigrants to live and work legally in the United States, sometimes for decades, after fleeing conflict or natural disasters in their home countries. The 2-1 ruling by the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit effectively strips legal immigration status from some 400,000 people, rendering them deportable if they do not voluntarily leave the country. The decision affects the overwhelming majority of beneficiaries of a program offering what is known as temporary protected status, which has permitted them to remain in the United States after being uprooted from their unstable homelands. The Trump administration has argued that the emergency conditions that existed when people were invited to come to the United States earthquakes, hurricanes, civil war had occurred long ago. The program, it said, had inadvertently conferred permanent immigration status for people from places like El Salvador, Haiti and Sudan, most of whom it said no longer needed safe haven. The long-awaited decision does not immediately end the protections. The Trump administration has agreed to maintain them until at least March 5, 2021, for people from five of the affected countries and until November 2021 for people from El Salvador. The top communications official at the powerful cabinet department in charge of combating the coronavirus made outlandish and false accusations on Sunday that career government scientists were engaging in sedition in their handling of the pandemic and that left-wing hit squads were preparing for armed insurrection after the election. Michael R. Caputo, the assistant secretary of public affairs at the Department of Health and Human Services, accused the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of harboring a resistance unit determined to undermine President ... Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - September 15, 2020) - Bam Bam Resources Corp. (CSE: BBR) (OTC Pink: NPEZD) (FSE: 4NPB) ("Bam Bam" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that the Company's common shares traded on the OTC Markets Group Inc.'s Pink Sheets in the United States, under the symbol " NPEZD", are now "DTC eligible" with The Depository Trust Company ("DTC"). David Greenway, Chief Executive Officer of Bam Bam, commented: "We are pleased that we have achieved DTC eligibility to simplify the trading of our common stock in the United States. The Company's securities can now be efficiently cleared and settled electronically which will accelerate the settlement of trades and the exchange of stock and cash for our shareholders in the USA." DTC is a New York company known as a trust company which performs the functions of a Central Securities Depository as part of the US National Market System and is a subsidiary of the Depository Trust & Clearing Corp., which manages the electronic clearing and settlement of share transactions for publicly-traded companies. Investors in the United States can find current financial disclosure and the full depth of book with Real-Time Level 2 Quotes for Bam Bam at otcmarkets.com. In addition to the OTC, shares of Bam Bam continue to trade on the Canadian Securities Exchange ("BBR") and Frankfurt Stock Exchanges ("4NPB"). About Bam Bam Resources Corp. Bam Bam Resources Corp. (CSE: BBR) (OTC Pink: NPEZF) (FSE: 4NPA) is engaged in the identification, review and acquisition of latter stage copper and copper/gold assets. With its flagship project being Majuba Hill copper gold project located 156 miles outside Reno, Nevada, USA. Management has been mandated to focus on safe, mining friendly jurisdictions and government regulations supportive of mining operations. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Story continues On Behalf of the Board of Bam Bam Resources Corp. "David Greenway" David C. Greenway President & CEO For further information, please contact: E: info@bambamresources.com P: (604) 318-0114 Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking" statements. Forward looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects", "plans", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "projects", "potential" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "could" or "should" occur. Although Bam Bam Resources Corp. believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results may differ materially from those in forward looking statements. Forward looking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of Bam Bam Resources Corp. management on the date the statements are made. Except as required by law, Bam Bam Resources Corp. undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements in the event that management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change. ### To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/63812 TikTok: President Donald Trump wants Treasury to get a cut of the deal Oracle's closely watched bid for TikTok's US operations will not only have to pass a US national security review, it's also going to need to win the blessing of President Donald Trump. The US government will undertake a two-track national security review of Oracle's TikTok proposal this week, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said yesterday. The deal, if finalised, would create what Mr Mnuchin called "TikTok Global". He added that the unit would have its headquarters and create 20,000 jobs - potentially a move to sweeten the deal as Mr Trump faces what promises to be a hotly contested presidential election in November. The sale of TikTok - forced by a Trump administration ban on grounds of national security due to TikTok's Chinese ownership - is one of the issues at the heart of the fraying Washington-Beijing relationship. Any deal still requires signoffs from both the US and China. TikTok confirmed it had submitted Oracle's proposal to the US Treasury, saying it "would resolve the administration's security concerns", according to a spokesperson. Mr Mnuchin said the deadline for a deal, according to Trump's executive order, is September 20. Mr Trump has also insisted that any sale of the TikTok video app include a cut for the federal government. That demand - which is more akin to a high-stakes real estate deal than a government-ordered divestiture - has baffled policy experts and lawyers who say such a payment would stretch his authority underUS law. A Treasury spokeswoman declined to comment on whether a deal with Oracle will include the fee that Trump has talked about. Oracle confirmed in a statement that it is part of the proposal submitted by TikTok's owner ByteDance to the Treasury Department over the weekend in which Oracle will serve as the "trusted technology provider". Oracle edged out rival Microsoft, which had been working with Walmart, and had been seen as the frontrunner, but those talks had cooled in recent days. Oracle shares rose 5.76pc to $60.29 (50.81) in New York. "We need to make sure that the code is, one, secure, Americans' data is secure, phones are secure, and we'll be looking to have discussions with Oracle over the next few days with our technical team," Mr Mnuchin told CNBC during an interview. Oracle has nurtured a relationship with Trump since before his administration began. Oracle's Co-founder and Chairman Larry Ellison is one of the few Silicon Valley moguls to openly support Trump, who has called him a "great guy", and voiced support for Oracle's TikTok bid. Ellison let Mr Trump use one of his California estates to hold a fundraiser in February. Chief Executive Officer Safra Catz has contributed to Mr Trump's re-election campaign, served on the president's transition team and has dined with him at the White House. LONDON, Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Jungle Bay, an award-winning adventure and wellness resort, is set to open for business in October this year. Located on the Commonwealth of Dominica, the eco-luxury project is part of the Nature Isle's Citizenship by Investment (CBI) Programme which allows investors and their family to become Dominican citizens after making an economic contribution. On his radio talk show recently, Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit praised Jungle Bay's efforts to keep its workers employed during the COVID-19 period. The Prime Minister said that he was pleased that Sam Raphael, Dominican born entrepreneur and the CEO of Jungle Bay, had not made any employees redundant. He said Raphael reassigned people to different aspects of the construction which the Prime Minister believes was "a great initiative" to retain employment during a difficult period. "I can tell you with regards to Jungle Bay what the proprietor [Raphael] did during the COVID period was to use this period to complete the construction of the additional villas, residences there and that was done, and so we now have more rooms at the Jungle Bay now that we had at the start of COVID in February," Prime Minister Skerrit said. "It is a wonderful property, and I have been told by the proprietor that he will open his doors for business in October this year." On an episode of CS Global Partners' podcast, Raphael said that CBI investments in Jungle Bay from the country's real estate channel are going towards the completion of Phase 2, which is expected to be complete and fully operational by the start of 2021. "The Citizenship by Investment Programme has been a means to fund the development of the project financially. CBI resources became a tool to improve the lives of the people, and the people recognise it," Raphael said. Persons who wish to be a citizen of Dominica can apply to the island's CBI Programme which allows for visa-free travel to nearly 140 destinations and the security of being able to work and study in a safe environment. Vetted persons who invest in real estate can be a part-owner of the development and obtain their citizenship, and later get a return on investment. After three years, one has the option to resell their investment to a non-CBI applicant and still retain their citizenship. Contact: [email protected] www.csglobalpartners.com SOURCE CS Global Partners Related Links https://csglobalpartners.com Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-15 16:22:54|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close KUALA LUMPUR, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Crude palm oil (CPO) prices are likely to decline in the next few months as yields and output increase due to gradual realization from better weather conditions and seasonality, Fitch Ratings said in a note on Tuesday. Yields of fresh fruit bunches per unit of mature plantation area fell by an average of 10 percent in the first half of 2020, said the rating agency, based on data from seven companies. However, yields are gradually picking up due to better rainfall since late last year, it said. According to the rating agency, a majority of the companies analyzed had higher yields in the second quarter year-on-year and month-on-month, and the improvement is likely to strengthen in the second half. "CPO prices may continue to be strong, contrary to our expectations, if the La Nina weather pattern exacerbates the dry conditions in the Americas, affecting soybean yields," it said. According to the rating agency, another factor is the labor crunch in Malaysia, which relies on foreign workers for the majority of its plantation workforce. Enditem 15.09.2020 LISTEN The National Chairman of the Progressive Peoples Party (PPP), Nana Ofori Owusu, has queried the rationale behind the Electoral Commission (ECs) decision to charge GHC 100,000 as filing fees for the 2020 elections. The Electoral Commission (EC) has announced filing fees for both presidential and parliamentary candidates ahead of the December 7 elections. Addressing the press in Accra, EC boss, Jean Mensah said presidential candidates will pay GH100,000 as filing fees while parliamentary candidates pay GH10,000. After the ECs announcement, the opposition as well as smaller parties have criticized the decision of the commission to peg the filing fees for the 2020 general elections at GH100,000 and GH10,000 as filing fees for Presidential and parliamentary candidates respectively. Commenting on this on Amasaman FM monitored by GhanaNewsPage.Com, Nana Ofori Owusu said he has failed to understand the logic behind the ECs decision. To him, the decision is at variance with the harsh economic conditions in Ghana brought about by the COVID-19. This new EC Filing Fee is at variance with the economic condition of Ghana in the face of COVID 19is the EC not part of the Economy? The EC is not a money-making machine, he said. He further described the EC as an institution that seeks to prevent people from achieving their vision of leading Ghana. The EC is an institution of station for conducting electionsit should not be a prohibition institution to prohibit people to run for the office of President, he said. ---GhanaNewsPage A teenage schoolgirl has been electrocuted in Thailand as she listened to music on he phone with headphones while the device was charging. Thanyaluck Fai Phadasri, 16, was found dead on her bed at her parents' home in Roi Et, northeastern Thailand, on September 10. The teenager had been studying in her room when her phone malfunctioned, giving her a fatal electric shock, police said. Thanyaluck Fai Phadasri, 16, was electrocuted in Thailand as she listened to music on her phone with headphones while it was plugged in an charging The schoolgirl was discovered by grandmother Nookrai (centre) as she called the girl down for dinner at her parents' home on September 10 Thanyaluck was discovered lying next to her schoolbooks by her parents who had come to her room to call her for dinner. They found the charred phone in the unconscious girl's hand, with burn marks around her neck and on her arms. Father Thongchai Phadasri, 39, said he performed CPR on his daughter as paramedics were called. Despite their best efforts, Thanyaluck could not be revived and she was pronounced dead at the scene. 'I am heartbroken. She loved school and went to her room to do homework every day as soon as she came home,' he said. Sobbing grandparent Nookrai Phadasri, 65, said she had arrived at the family home on the day in question and had started cooking dinner. Nookrai had then called up to Thanyaluck's room. When there was no reply, the family forced their way inside and found the girl dead. Nookrai added: 'We are so sad that the died alone and there was nothing we could do to help her.' The devastated family found Thanyaluck in her bedroom (pictured) with the charred phone in one hand and a schoolbook in the other Police Lieutenant Colonel Ning Supavit said: 'The young schoolgirl suffered an electric shock that was so powerful, she could not survive. 'From the initial investigation at the scene, we identified the smartphone as being the cause of death. 'She was holding it while it was charging and also she had earphones in to listen to something.' Police said that Thanyaluck's smartphone was charred and no longer functioning, so they were unable to determine what she was browsing at the time. Thanyaluck's funeral was held on Saturday at the local Buddhist temple where family and friends gathered. One person at Middletown Area High School has tested positive for COVID-19, the district announced Monday. The Middletown Area School District said a high school support staff employee tested positive for COVID-19 but said that the employee works in an office and didnt have any direct contact with students or other staff members. This morning the district was notified that a high school support staff employee who is asymptomatic has tested positive for COVID-19, Lori A. Suski, superintendent of schools said in a statement on the districts website. The employee was sent home immediately to self-isolate. Direct or close contact is defined by the CDC as any individual who was within six feet of an infected person for at least 15 minutes starting from two days before illness onset (or, for asymptomatic patients, two days prior to positive specimen collection) until the time the patient is isolated. The school district said that the area where the employee worked has been thoroughly cleaned and sanitized. The school will remain open. The Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO) and the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) sent a draft report to the Prosecutor General about the suspicion of the current MP, a participant in a corruption scheme, but remained unanswered as of the state of the letter, the press service of NABU reports. "As part of the investigation of a corruption scheme for obtaining unlawful benefits through the use of the powers of the deputy of Ukraine, NABU and SAPO sent a draft report of suspicion to the current MP to the Prosecutor General. However, as of September 15, 2020, the letters remained unanswered, which makes it impossible to prosecute all participants of the crime," said the message says. It is noted that in the summer of this year, NABU received information about the existence of an organized group, whose members receive unlawful benefits for using the legal powers and duties of Ukrainian deputies. Thus, in order to identify all the members of the criminal group and promptly document their activities, the Bureau has developed a special operation to include an undercover NABU detective in it, who, as a representative of an industrial company, met one of the members of the group. The detective told him that the condition for investing in Ukraine is the creation of the necessary legal grounds for the processing of solid household waste. For this purpose, the participant in the crime introduces the detective to the deputy, who in a veiled form asked to provide him through an intermediary with an unlawful benefit in the amount of $13,000 for making proposals to the bill and in the future another $200,000 - for the members of the committee. In mid-August, the NABU detective transferred the first part of the illegal benefit to an intermediary, and at the end of the month the accomplices planned to receive another part of the funds. "Under the circumstances, which are now being investigated by the investigation, the National Bureau was forced to stop further execution of a special task," the message reads. As part of the investigation, evidence was collected to report the deputy of suspicion of committing crimes under Article 368 of the Criminal Code and Part 4 of Article 27, Part 4 of Article 369 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. It is noted that since the suspicion can only be signed by the Prosecutor General, NABU detectives, in agreement with the SAPO prosecutors, by prior agreement with the leadership of the Prosecutor General's Office, they arrived at the Prosecutor General's Office on September 10 in order to enter information into the Unified Register of Pretrial Investigations and sign a number of requests for investigative actions against the deputy. They also provided a draft report of suspicion, a certificate of the collected evidence and materials of criminal proceedings confirming the validity of the suspicion. However, the head of the department of the Prosecutor General's Office said that he did not see sufficient grounds for a report to the Prosecutor General about the need to enter information about the possible commission of a criminal offense by a deputy in the register. According to NABU, in the evening, a meeting was held with the participation of the Prosecutor General, as a result of which a decision on entering information into the register was not made. On September 10, the intermediary person (an unofficial assistant of the current MP) was informed of the suspicion under Part 5 of Article 27, Part 4 of Article 368 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. Also, a draft suspicion regarding the actions of the deputy was sent to the Prosecutor General. On September 11, NABU again sent a letter to the Office of the Prosecutor General about the need to enter information in the register regarding the actions of the MP, but no response was provided. PALO ALTO, Calif., Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), along with the Gas Technology Institute (GTI), Oregon State University, Purdue University, and the University of Delaware, has been awarded a $2 million U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) contract to spearhead the Hydrogen Education for a Decarbonized Global Economy (H 2 EDGE), a workforce development initiative. H 2 EDGE is designed to develop and grow the emerging industry workforce to advance hydrogen technologies and end-use applications. The project is funded through DOE's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy's (EERE) Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office (HFTO), with an additional cost-share funding from the Low-Carbon Resources Initiative (LCRI), jointly led by EPRI and GTI, as well as participating universities. H 2 EDGE has a dual focus on developing newly trained personnel and enabling the existing labor force to migrate into the hydrogen field by way of enhanced industry coordination and workforce readiness initiatives. "EPRI is proud to lead the charge training tomorrow's energy workforce in this emerging technology area," said Rob Chapman, Vice President of EPRI's Electrification and Sustainable Energy Strategy. "To more broadly enable low-carbon resource applications across the economy, EPRI will apply a variety of existing and emerging approaches to safe and economic hydrogen technology production, transportation, storage, and use." H 2 EDGE is an addition to EPRI's broader workforce development project known as GridEd (The Center for Grid Engineering Education), through which DOE and EERE funds the GREAT with Data Workforce Development Initiative. H 2 EDGE expands the bandwidth of GridEd by adding hydrogen to the technical agenda where power systems, distributed resources, and digital systems are brought together. These efforts will lay the foundation for a robust hydrogen workforce in the United States by addressing workforce development skills in four key technical areas: production, delivery, storage, and use. The area of safety will underpin each of these four pillars. This effort is an integral part of LCRI, a five-year R&D commitment to build a risk-informed understanding of options and technologies for deep, economy-wide decarbonization. The initiative will consider application and acceleration of technologies that will be needed to support decarbonization goals, which will benefit the environment and general public. "The LCRI is a global collaborative for advancing R&D around low-carbon resources, including hydrogen, by developing promising and affordable technologies for the 2030-2050 timeframe," said Neva Espinoza, EPRI Director of R&D. "Workforce development and training are essential as we prepare to deploy advanced technologies." Using content created through the LCRI and other partners, the H 2 EDGE initiative will design, develop, and deliver professional training materials. These materials will important as the industry begins to recruit and train hydrogen industry workers. They will also be useful in creating college and university curricula. EPRI has built a strong and diverse industry support team for H 2 EDGE. Participants include utilities, companies in the electric, gas, and hydrogen markets and local government agencies, including: Air Liquide, American Electric Power, Arizona Public Service, Cavendish Energy, LLC, Chemours Company, LLC, Con Edison, Dominion Energy, Duke Energy, HydroStar USA, Los Angeles Department of Water & Power, New York Power Authority, Salt River Project, South Coast Air Quality Management District, Southern Company, Tennessee Valley Authority, W. L. Gore & Associates, and Xergy Inc. To learn more about this project, visit https://GridEd.epri.com. About EPRI The Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. (EPRI, www.epri.com) is a tax-exempt, non-profit organization, that conducts research and development relating to the generation, delivery and use of electricity for the benefit of the public, on a non-discriminatory basis. An independent organization, EPRI brings together its scientists and engineers as well as experts from academia and industry to help address challenges in electricity, including reliability, efficiency, health, safety and the environment. EPRI's members represent more than 90 percent of the electricity generated and delivered in the United States, and international participation extends to nearly 40 countries. EPRI's principal offices and laboratories are located in Palo Alto, Calif.; Charlotte, N.C.; Knoxville, Tenn.; and Lenox, Mass. CONTACT: Samantha Gilman, 980-348-8783, [email protected] SOURCE Electric Power Research Institute Related Links www.epri.com Should gig workers, such as Uber drivers, be classified as employees? This is a question that Supreme Courts around the world, including ours in Canada, are currently debating. Its a case that all Canadians should be paying attention to. By the year 2027, up to 60 per cent of the workforce could be a part of the gig economy as a result of technological disruptions, such as artificial intelligence, to the workforce. The verdict in this case could set a precedent for the future of work in Canada. In Ontario, gig workers are classified as independent contractors, which means they work for themselves. They have the flexibility to set their own schedule and work as much or as little as they choose, but they are ineligible for standard employment protections, such as the Employment Standards Act (ESA). This act guarantees all employees a minimum wage, vacation pay, overtime pay and so on. But gig workers in Ontario are challenging this classification. David Heller, a former Uber and Uber Eats driver in Ontario, filed a class-action lawsuit against Uber Technologies Inc, claiming the company misclassifies its drivers as independent contractors to avoid obligations under the ESA. Hellers legal action was prompted after he received a text message from Uber to accept new compensation policies, to which he had no bargaining power to refuse. In support of his claim, Heller relies on laws in Ontario that state that a worker will be an employee if some of the factors on a checklist of requirements are met, which include: a) the worker is integral to the business of the employer, not just some side accessory; b) the worker does not have the power to bargain with the employer; and c) the worker cannot control the method of doing the work. Based on this understanding of employee, Uber drivers seem to be employees. However, there are aspects of being an Uber driver that are consistent with being an independent contractor. As stated in Ubers 2019 S-1 public offering, we believe that drivers are independent contractors because, among other things, they can choose whether, when, and where to provide services on our platform, are free to provide services on our competitors platforms, and provide a vehicle to perform services on our platform. This is consistent with the Ontario Employment Standards Act, which states that a worker may be considered an independent contractor if they have the opportunity to make a profit and a risk of losing money from the work, and can determine how, when or where the work is performed. Moreover, Tony West, chief legal counsel at Uber, stated that if drivers were to be classified as employees, they would lose a significant amount of the freedom and flexibility they have now. This freedom includes the freedom for Uber drivers to work for multiple ride-sharing platforms and set their own schedules. But, perhaps we are asking the wrong questions. The world of work is changing, and so too should the labour laws and policies that govern it. Trying to classify newer forms of work into categories and policies that were written in the 1950s is not only challenging, but potentially limiting to all stakeholders. Therefore, I pose the following questions: Why should a worker have to be classified as an employee to be eligible for protections that we deem so vital to our working economy that they are written into law? i.e., minimum wage. What does it mean to be a protected worker in Canada in 2020 and beyond? Government shouldnt just be reactively stepping in to settle disputes in the name of protecting working Canadians, but proactively redesigning our policies to reposition working Canadians for success in a changing world of work. For example, in gig work, such as driving for Uber, where you dont have the opportunity to negotiate the price of your work, workers should be guaranteed at least minimum wage, the opportunity to accrue paid time off consistent with the ESA, and legitimate remediation processes. Undoubtedly, crafting new labour policies that both protect Canadian workers while also allowing for the growth of a new workforce ecosystem will be challenging, but the priorities are not mutually exclusive. If gig work is to become foundational for the future of work in Canada, we need to prepare accordingly. Though Nicole Nafziger has not been on 90 Day Fiance for a number of seasons, fans have not lost interest in her story. From the moment she and Azan Tefou appeared on the show, fans doubted that the two could last. Now, Nafziger may be coming back to the franchise. Nicole Nafziger and Azan Tefou | Instagram via alwayssnicole Nicole Nafzigers time on 90 Day Fiance Tefou and Nafziger appeared on seasons 4 and 5 of 90 Day Fiance and then later appeared on 90 Day Fiance: Happily Ever After? as well. The entire time they were on the show, fans criticized their relationship, claiming that Tefou didnt seem to have any real interest in Nafziger. Eventually, the two decided not to return to 90 Day Fiance. Theyre tired of being harassed, an insider told RadarOnline when they decided to quit. It was Nicoles decision. They have no intention right now of going back on the program. In addition to not returning to reality tv, the two also called off their wedding. They have no plans for a wedding, a source told the outlet. He cant get a visa. Shes talked about going back to Morocco, but she doesnt have money. She has to save. Nicoles recent trip to Morocco After years without seeing one another in person, Nafziger finally made it back to Morocco. Unfortunately, she got there right before the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic made traveling much harder. She ended up staying in Morocco for months, leaving her daughter May to be cared for by her mom. RELATED: 90 Day Fiance: Nicole Nafzigers Mom Says Theres A Lot More to the Story of Nicole Abandoning May When it was clear that Nafziger would be spending longer than a few weeks in Morocco, fans urged her to return to her daughter. Even former 90 Day Fiance star Laura Jallali told her to forget Tefou and go back home to her family. Being a cast member, you should know more than anyone to not believe rumors told by liars, Nafziger snapped back at Jallali in Instagram comments. I miss my daughter more than anyone can know and no one knows how much me and her call each other. Ill be back to my daughter as soon as I can when the right moment comes. My daughter and my family know Ill be home for her soon, she continued. Ive never left my daughter behind because she knows Im still with her no matter what. Everyone can judge me for being a bad mom and think what you want. But I know my life and how it is. And when the time is right Ill show more of it. Thanks. Will Nicole Nafziger be back on 90 Day Fiance? Nafziger loves to bait fans with her possible return to reality tv. When fans commented, urging her to get a flight home, she teased a possible return to television. RELATED: 90 Day Fiance: Why Nicole Has No Plans to Marry Azan Stop judging my [life] and decisions, she wrote in an Instagram comment. Just an idea. I know you wont listen because its easier to pin me as a bad mom and gossip about the drama. Soon enough, yall can take a [peek] into my real life. Maybe. And then, recently she teased the possibility of her return during an Instagram Q&A. When a fan asked Can we expect to continue following your love story on 90 Day in the future? she replied, Possibly. PALM BEACH, Fla., Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- History shows that during a global crisis, gold and silver become the safest and maybe the only metals to possess. A recent report from Statista said that the global supply of silver presently stands at around one billion ounces. Nearly half of all the silver supplied worldwide is used for industrial applications. Other sizable segments go into investment, coinage, and the jewelry industry. Looking at the last four decades, the price of silver has shown a steady increase, reaching new record highs since 2010. The price of gold has also risen in this pandemic, but some experts even see silver outperforming gold. A recent article by CNBC said that this year, gold prices have shot to record highs, as investors fled to safe havens with the pandemic showing no signs of abating and a crashing economy. Silver prices have followed suit. The articled added: "Michael Hsueh, a commodities and foreign exchange strategist at Deutsche Bank, told CNBC he expects silver to outperform gold." Active mining companies in the markets this week include: MAG Silver Corp. (NYSE: MAG) (TSX: MAG), Aftermath Silver Ltd. (OTCQB: AAGFF) (TSX-V: AAG), Endeavour Silver Corp. (NYSE: EKX) (TSX: EDR), Fortuna Silver Mines, Inc. (NYSE: FSM) (TSX: FVI), Hecla Mining Company (NYSE: HL). According to the article, experts expect that silver is set to outshine gold, even as prices of both precious metals soar in the midst of a faltering global economy and a weakening U.S. dollar. It commented: "Gold prices hit a new record close of $2,021 per ounce (recently) settling above $2,000 for the first time Geopolitical unrest likely added to the spike. The blasts in Beirut, which killed dozens and wounded thousands, "probably (added) to the shine of Gold above $2020," said a note from Mizuho Bank. Spot gold prices have spiked more than 32% so far this year and are on track for the best year since 1979. Meanwhile, silver prices have also followed suit, shooting up more than 30% year to date." Aftermath Silver Ltd. (TSX-V: AAG.V) (OTCQB: AAGFF) BREAKING NEWS: Aftermath Silver Closes $17.1M Non-Brokered Private Placement And Eric Sprott Announces Holdings in Aftermath Silver - Aftermath Silver is pleased to announce that it has closed its previously announced non-brokered private placement of 26,362,442 shares for gross proceeds of $17,135,587 (the "Private Placement"). Mr. Eric Sprott has increased his investment in order to maintain 19.61% of Aftermath's issued and outstanding Common Shares. All securities issued in connection with the Private Placement are subject to a hold period and may not be traded until January 15, 2021, except as permitted by applicable securities legislation and the rules and policies of the TSX Venture Exchange. An aggregate amount of $494,567.44 in cash and 290,360 common shares were paid as finders' fees in connection with the Private Placement. The Company intends to use the net proceeds for drilling and other technical studies on the Berenguela Silver-Copper project in Peru, and the Challacollo and Cachinal Silver-Gold projects in Chile, and for general working capital purposes. In additional news, Eric Sprott announced this week that, 2176423 Ontario Ltd., a corporation that is beneficially held by him, acquired 9,200,000 common shares of Aftermath Silver Ltd., pursuant to a private placement at a price of $0.65 per share for aggregated consideration of $5,980,000. As a result of the Acquisition, Mr. Sprott now beneficially owns and controls 24,079,796 common shares and 7,439,898 common share purchase warrants (warrants) representing approximately 19.3% of the outstanding common shares on a non-diluted basis and approximately 23.8% on a partially diluted basis assuming the exercise of all such warrants. Prior to the acquisition of these Shares, Mr. Sprott beneficially owned and controlled 14,879,796 common shares and 7,439,898 warrants representing approximately 15.1% of the outstanding common shares on a non-diluted basis and approximately 21.1% on a partially diluted basis assuming the exercise of all such warrants. The Acquisition (together with Aftermath Silver's intervening common share issuances from treasury) resulted in a partially diluted beneficial ownership decrease of approximately 2.9% of the outstanding common shares from the date of the last early warning report and, therefore, the filing of an update to the early warning report. Read the entire releases and more news for Aftermath Silver at: https://www.financialnewsmedia.com/news-aag/ Other recent developments in the mining industry include: MAG Silver Corp. (NYSE: MAG) (TSX: MAG) recently announced an Agreement to consolidate and acquire 100% of the silver-rich Deer Trail Carbonate Replacement Deposit "CRD" project in Piute County, Utah (the "Deer Trail Project" or "Project"). The Project includes 111 patented and 682 unpatented claims (approximately 5,600 Ha) encompassing the historic Deer Trail Mine and the adjoining Alunite Ridge area. This is the first time since the early 1980s that these properties have been consolidated, allowing MAG to apply an integrated district-scale exploration approach based on the continuum of mineralization styles from CRD through Skarn to Porphyry Copper-Molybdenum shown by many related systems worldwide. This model suggests that the high-grade silver, gold, lead, zinc and copper CRD sulfides of the Deer Trail mine are linked by kilometres of continuous mineralization to a Porphyry Copper-Molybdenum centre lying to the west near Alunite Ridge. "Deer Trail has been on my exploration radar since 1982, as it displays the most important characteristics of a large Porphyry-related CRD system. Consolidating the property lets us apply our integrated exploration model and apply new technology to the search for the entire suite of mineralization styles that we expect to occur on the property," said Dr. Peter Megaw, MAG Silver's Chief Exploration Officer. "Our experienced CRD exploration team is excited to see what unfolds over the next few months as we begin drilling for more extensive high-grade silver-gold-lead-zinc CRD and skarn mineralization below the historic mine." Fortuna Silver Mines, Inc. (NYSE: FSM) (TSX: FVI) recently announced the start of irrigation and leaching of ore placed on the heap leach pad at the Lindero gold Project, located in the Province of Salta, Argentina. First gold pour is expected in early October 2020. Jorge A. Ganoza, President, CEO and Director, commented, "In spite of all the restrictions and challenges brought by the COVID-19 pandemic, we are managing to successfully advance Lindero in a safe and secure manner for our personnel and neighbours." Mr. Ganoza continued, "With the start of irrigation, we achieved one more key milestone in the pre-production phase as we prepare for what follows, the first gold pour at our third producing mine." Construction and commissioning activities at Lindero are advancing according to the plan outlined in the Company's news release dated May 8, 2020. Fortuna is a growth oriented, precious metals producer focused on mining opportunities in Latin America. Our primary assets are the Caylloma silver Mine in southern Peru, the San Jose silver-gold Mine in Mexico and the Lindero gold Project, currently under construction, in Argentina. The Company is selectively pursuing acquisition opportunities throughout the Americas and in select other areas. Hecla Mining Company (NYSE: HL) recently announced that its Board of Directors has increased the quarterly dividend 50% and lowered the realized price threshold for the silver-linked dividend. Since 2012, Hecla's minimum quarterly dividend has been an annualized one cent per share in addition to a silver-linked dividend. Today, Hecla is announcing that the Board is increasing the expected minimum quarterly dividend 50% to an annualized one and one-half cents per share and lowering the silver-linked dividend threshold price. If Hecla's average realized silver price for a quarter is $25.00 per ounce, the new silver-linked quarterly dividend policy provides an annualized two cents per share, while at $30 and above, the realized silver-linked dividend per quarter is unchanged. "Our Board's adoption of this improved dividend policy reflects Hecla's position as the United States' largest silver producer with mines that have strong operating performance and high silver margins," said Hecla's President and Chief Executive Officer, Phillips S. Baker, Jr. "Our long-standing dividend policy has been enhanced with a larger base dividend and a lower price trigger for the silver-linked dividend. As prices rise, shareholders should get more of the company's cash flow which imposes continued strong operating and capital cost discipline." Endeavour Silver Corp. (NYSE: EXK) (TSX: EDR) recently announced it has filed an updated prefeasibility study technical report entitled "Endeavour Silver Corp Terronera Project NI 43-101 Technical Report ("Technical Report"), independently prepared by Ausenco Engineering Canada Inc. and dated July 31, 2020 with an effective date of July 14, 2020. The report was prepared in compliance with National Instrument 43-101 and filed on SEDAR and EDGAR today. The report can be viewed on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and on the Company's website, under the Mining Assets, Development section. The results of the Technical Report were previously announced in the Company's news release dated July 14, 2020. Endeavour Silver Corp. is a mid-tier precious metals mining company that owns and operates three high-grade, underground, silver-gold mines in Mexico. Endeavour is currently advancing the Terronera Mine Project towards a development decision and exploring its portfolio of exploration and development projects in Mexico and Chile to facilitate its goal to become a premier senior silver producer. Our philosophy of corporate social integrity creates value for all stakeholders. DISCLAIMER: FN Media Group LLC (FNM), which owns and operates FinancialNewsMedia.com and MarketNewsUpdates.com, is a third party publisher and news dissemination service provider, which disseminates electronic information through multiple online media channels. FNM is NOT affiliated in any manner with any company mentioned herein. FNM and its affiliated companies are a news dissemination solutions provider and are NOT a registered broker/dealer/analyst/adviser, holds no investment licenses and may NOT sell, offer to sell or offer to buy any security. 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As per reports, he collapsed on the location of his upcoming awareness movie in Kochi. The actor was apparently shooting for the YouTube channel Cochin College, when he collapsed and was brought dead by a nearby hospital. As revealed by his friends, the actor finished his schedule, clicked a few pictures with them, after which he fell on the floor. According to a few reports, Prabheesh's colleague tried to take him to a hospital but could not arrange for a vehicle on time. Talking about his work, the actor was best known for his work in telefilms. He had also worked as a dubbing artiste for many popular films including Abrid Shine's The Kung Fu Master (last film). He was an employee of JSW Cements Limited and also a Christian Service Society state committee member. Prabeesh is survived by his father Joseph, wife Jansy and daughter Taniya. Kunchacko Boban Opens Up About OTT Films: They Are Not A Competition For Theatrical Releases Drishyam 2: The Mohanlal-Jeethu Joseph Project Is Delayed Again! LOS ANGELES, Sept. 15, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Portnoy Law Firm advises Nikola Corporation ("Nikola" or the "Company") (NYSE: NKLA) investors that the firm has initiated an investigation into possible securities fraud, and may file a class action on behalf of investors. Investors are encouraged to contact attorney Lesley F. Portnoy , by phone 310-692-8883 or email : lesley@portnoylaw.com, to discuss their legal rights, or click here to join the case via www.portnoylaw.com . The Portnoy Law Firm can provide a complimentary case evaluation and discuss investors options for pursuing claims to recover their losses. On September 10, 2020, Hindenburg Research, an investment analyst, issued a report on Nikola Corporation entitled Nikola: How to Parlay An Ocean of Lies Into a Partnership With the Largest Auto OEM in America[.] It is alleged in the Hindenburg report that Nikola is an intricate fraud built on dozens of lies . . . It is also alleged in this report report, among other things, that Nikola claims to design[] all key components in house, but they appear to simply be buying or licensing them from third-parties. . . . [W]e found that Nikola actually buys inverters from a company called Cascadia. In a video showing off its in-house inverters, Nikola concealed the Cascadia label with a piece of masking tape. It is further asserted by Hindenburg that investors were misled by Nikola with regard to its battery and hydrogen fuel cell claims, as well as its purported multi-billion-dollar order book, which Hindenburg asserts is filled with fluff. Then on September 15, 2020, Nikola shares fell further during intraday trading after a story from Bloomberg News revealed that the SEC examining the electric-truck maker to assess the merits of a short-sellers report last week raising questions about its business practices. Please visit our website to review more information and submit your transaction information. The Portnoy Law Firm represents investors in pursuing claims arising from corporate wrongdoing. The Firms founding partner has recovered over $5.5 billion for aggrieved investors. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes. Lesley F. Portnoy, Esq. Admitted CA and NY Bar lesley@portnoylaw.com 310-692-8883 www.portnoylaw.com Attorney Advertising Alluding to financial pledges that have not been turned into actual contributions, Lowcock said, it is particularly reprehensible to promise money, which gives people hope that help may be on the way, and then to dash those hopes by simply failing to fulfill the promise. Two Indian officials said Chinese troops were laying a network of fibre optic cables at a western Himalayan flashpoint with India, suggesting they were digging in for the long haul despite high-level talks aimed at resolving a standoff there. Such cables, which would provide forward troops with secure lines of communication to bases in the rear, have recently been spotted to the south of Pangong Tso lake in the Himalayan region of Ladakh, a senior government official said. Thousands of Indian and Chinese troops backed by tanks and aircraft are locked in an uneasy stalemate along a 70 km-long front to the south of the lake. The two sides have accused each other of escalating the most serious confrontation on the border between the nuclear-armed neighbours in decades. A third Indian official said on Monday that there had been no significant withdrawals or reinforcements on either side since the foreign ministers of the two countries met last week. "It is as tense as earlier," he said. Also read: Parliament Monsoon Session live: Rajnath Singh says India-China border tension remains unsolved A spokesman for China's foreign ministry cast doubt on the report of the cable network. "As far as I know, the relevant report is not true," the spokesman, Wang Wenbin, said when asked on Tuesday. China and India would remain in communication through diplomatic and military channels, the ministry spokesman, Wang Wenbin, told a news briefing in Beijing. Chinese defence officials could not immediately be reached for comment. In June, 20 Indian soldiers were killed in hand-to-hand fighting with Chinese troops in the area. Both sides had agreed to pull back after that clash, but the Indian army has accused Chinese forces of violating that accord SECURE COMMUNICATIONS Above Leh, Ladakh's main city, Indian fighter planes flew throughout the morning on Monday, their engines booming and echoing across the valley surrounded by brown, barren mountains. "Our biggest worry is that they have laid optical fibre cables for high-speed communications," the first official said, referring to the lake's southern bank, where Indian and Chinese troops are only a few hundred metres apart at some points. "They have been laying optical fibre cables on the southern bank at breakneck speed," he said. Indian intelligence agencies noted similar cables to the north of the Pangong Tso lake about a month ago, the second government official said. Also read: Xi Jinping's aggressive moves against India 'unexpectedly flopped', says US magazine The first Indian official said authorities were alerted to the activity when satellite imagery showed unusual lines in the sand of the high-altitude deserts to the south of Pangong Tso. The lines were judged by Indian experts - and corroborated by foreign intelligence agencies - to be communication cables laid in trenches, he said, including near the Spanggur gap, among hilltops where soldiers fired in the air recently for the first time in decades. Indian officials say a build-up in border infrastructure on their side is also likely to have played a part in the confrontation. The Chinese have complained about India building roads and air strips in the area and Beijing says this triggered the tension. Also read: Economic output in 'Developing Asia' to contract for first time in nearly six decades: ADB A former Indian military intelligence official, who declined to be identified because of the sensitivity of the matter, said fibre optic cables offered communications security as well as the ability to send data such as pictures and documents. "If you speak on radio, it can get caught. Communications on optical fibre cables is secure," he said. The Indian military still depends on radio communications, the first official said, although he said it was encrypted. Old Glory Harley-Davidson in Laurel, Maryland It was an honor and privilege to advise Hendrick Automotive Group in selling their dealership to Paul Veracka." Performance Brokerage Services, North Americas highest volume new car and Harley-Davidson dealership broker, is pleased to announce the sale of Old Glory Harley-Davidson of Laurel, Maryland from Hendrick Automotive Group to Paul Veracka. Old Glory Harley-Davidson of Laurel, Maryland located off of Route 197 and the Baltimore-Washington Parkway opened in February 2007 as the 2nd Harley-Davidson dealership in Prince Georges County. The owners wanted to be a service for the community. Displays of the dealership's commitment and their strong support of the local police and first responders has been memorialized throughout the store.The access road into Old Glory Harley-Davidson was even renamed to Steven F. Gaughan Drive, a Prince Georges police officer who was killed in 2005 near the dealership. The dealership was operated by co-owner Bob Supler, Jr. for many years. He was an honorary member of the Nam Knights, H.O.G. chapter member and participated in many charity events serving the community. Bob passed away in 2019 and the dealership came under management of Randy Voltin, who was the controller for the dealership. Over the last 5 years, Performance Brokerage Services has represented for sale over 250 automotive and motorcycle dealerships making it the highest volume automotive and motorcycle dealership brokerage firm in North America. George C. Chaconas, the exclusive advisor for this transaction and the head of the National Harley-Davidson and Powersports Division for Performance Brokerage Services commented, It was an honor and privilege to advise Hendrick Automotive Group sell their only Harley-Davidson dealership to Paul Veracka. It was a pleasure working with Paul Veracka again, after selling him Six Bends Harley-Davidson in Fort Myers and Naples Harley-Davidson in Florida from Scott Fischer. Thank you very much to the Hendrick Automotive Group and Courtney Bernhard from my Tampa office of Performance Brokerage Services for assisting in this transaction. I sincerely appreciate the opportunity to be of service and wish Paul great success in carrying on the legacy of Old Glory Harley-Davidson in Laurel, Maryland. New owner and well-seasoned Harley-Davidson dealership owner, Paul Veracka, adds his 7th dealership to his group of stores. He is the current Owner/Operator of High Octane Harley-Davidson of North Billerica, Massachusetts, Palm Beach Harley-Davidson of West Palm Beach, Florida, Rockstar Harley-Davidson of Ft. Myers, Florida, Motown Harley-Davidson of Taylor, Michigan, Alligator Alley Harley-Davidson of Sunrise, Florida, and Manchester Harley-Davidson of Manchester, New Hampshire. The dealership will retain the name Old Glory Harley-Davidson and remain at its current location at 11800 Laurel Bowie Road, Laurel, MD. About Performance Brokerage Services Performance Brokerage Services, Inc. is the nations highest volume dealership brokerage firm, specializing in intermediary services to buyers and sellers of automotive, commercial truck, motorcycle, RV and equipment dealerships. Performance Brokerage Services offers a unique approach by providing complimentary dealership assessments, no upfront fees, no reimbursement of costs and is paid a success fee only after the transaction closes. Clients benefit from utilizing an extensive network of industry related accountants, attorneys, hundreds of registered buyers and longstanding relationships with most of the automotive and powersports manufacturers. With corporate offices in Irvine, California, and 5 regional offices in Utah, Florida, Texas, Virginia and New Jersey, Performance Brokerage Services provides its clients national exposure with local representation. After 25 years, 700 transactions and with a 90% closing rate, the companys reputation is unmatched and governed by the utmost ethical conduct, integrity and transparency. For more information about the services offered by Performance Brokerage Services, visit https://performancebrokerageservices.com. Emaar Misr was the only company whose second quarter profit increased, gaining nearly 13% to 365.7 million pounds Egypts five biggest listed real estate firms reported a combined profit fall of nearly 31% in the second quarter of 2020 as property sales slowed during the coronavirus crisis. But the sector could recover by the end of 2020 or during next year if Egypt can avoid a second wave of COVID-19 infections, three sector analysts told Reuters. The coronavirus has led to a slowdown in initial sales and delayed deliveries, which affected real estate developers further Nemat Choucri, head of equity research and the real-estate sector team at HC Brokerage, said. Talaat Mostafa, Palm Hills Developments, Sixth Of October Development and Investment (SODIC), Emaar Misr for Development and Madinet Nasr for Housing and Development fell to a combined profit of 1.018 billion Egyptian pounds ($65 million) in the second quarter from 1.47 billion pounds a year earlier, company results showed. Emaar Misr was the only company whose second quarter profit increased, gaining nearly 13% to 365.7 million pounds. Revenue of the five firms for the period were 4.795 billion pounds, down by 18.5% year-on-year, the data showed. Sales in Egypt declined by 30-40% in the first half of the year due to the impact of the coronavirus and customers fears of buying, said Tarek Shoukry, head of the Real Estate Development Chamber at the Federation of Egyptian Industries. SODIC, Egypts third biggest enlisted real estate company, was the most affected as its profit fell around 77% to 40 million pounds in second quarter, after dropping nearly 83% in the first quarter. ($1 = 15.7600 Egyptian pounds) Search Keywords: Short link: BEIJING, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping's virtual meeting with German and European Union (EU) leaders Monday is poised to send a signal of certainty as China and the EU are committed to enhancing communication and cooperation and defending multilateralism and free trade. China and the EU represent two major forces, markets and civilizations. The elevated communication and cooperation between the two sides is crucial to safeguarding world peace, stability and prosperity, especially when the world is entering a period of turbulence and change with the rise of protectionism, unilateralism and bullying. Certain countries and political forces keep playing the blame game, clamoring for "decoupling," and pulling out of international organizations and agreements. What they are doing is sabotaging international cooperation, stoking confrontation between ideologies and social systems, and putting the world in jeopardy. Such moves notwithstanding, peace and development remain the theme of the times. The trend toward a multipolar world remains unchanged, and continuous globalization endures despite twists and turns. It is high time China and the EU should strengthen mutual political trust, promote cooperation and advance relations. Economic and trade interests are the most important common factors in China-EU relations. The EU has been China's largest trading partner for a long time. The two sides have great potential to expand the scale of bilateral trade and investment, advance green development and cooperation on digital economy, and deepen cooperation in combating the COVID-19 outbreak. Such cooperation will not only make the pie of common interests bigger but also help stabilize global industrial and supply chains. China-EU cooperation is mutually beneficial and does not target a third party. It is worth noting that both China and the EU are keen to reach a comprehensive, balanced and high-level investment agreement, which will help resolve some outstanding issues in bilateral economic relations. This requires both sides to meet halfway and exert political influence in the final stage of the negotiations. China has decided to build a new development pattern known as "dual circulation," which takes the domestic market as the mainstay while allowing domestic and foreign markets to boost each other. This is a good opportunity for EU companies to share China's development dividends. Chinese companies are also trying to access the EU market on a more balanced and reciprocal basis, which would eventually benefit the bloc itself. As two major driving forces for peaceful development, China and the EU can also strengthen communication on improving global governance, promote sustainable development, resolve global and regional hotspot issues and jointly safeguard and practice multilateralism. Cooperation is, and will continue to be, the mainstay of China-EU relations despite some false accusations against China in Europe. History will remember how China-EU relations have withstood tests at critical moments. More than 10 years ago, China offered assistance to an EU suffering from the international financial crisis followed by the European debt crisis. Five years ago, China supported Europe in promoting the conclusion of the Paris Agreement and the comprehensive agreement on the Iranian nuclear issue. This year, China and the EU have carried out effective anti-epidemic cooperation amid an unprecedented public health crisis rarely seen in a century. It is time for China and the EU to enhance communication and cooperation, find common ground and resolve differences, to demonstrate to the world that at a time of uncertainty, multilateralism, openness and cooperation will prevail. With the number of Ontario COVID-19 cases spiking to the most reported in a single day since early June, the question now is what the public should do (or not do) to in order to keep transmission rates low. Dr. Barry Pakes, a public health and preventive medicine doctor at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health, said we dont quite need to revert back to living in Stage 1 just yet. He says a range of reported infections between 200 to 400 isnt surprising since restrictions were lifted in Stage 3 and theres usually a lag of a few weeks for the virus to incubate. But, he said, we do need to take count of everything weve learned in the past seven months about how the virus spreads and that means those big social gatherings have to go. Whats popped up more recently are the congregations such as parties, weddings and funerals. Those have been restricted in April to June and are increasing again. If public health has to dial back on something, those are probably the first things to restrict. If that works, we can keep schools open and workplaces going, he said. The reason is that in those settings, people tend to forget about physical distancing or wearing masks. Its why bars have been in such a hot-button issue since they were allowed to reopen. Conversely, in a retail store for example, enforced mask-wearing policies and distance markers are implemented help maintain some sort of structure in place, which is why there havent been as many cases reported in the retail sector. Aside from the parties, its still best to stay home whenever possible and be prepared to be extra cautious when visiting family and friends, Pakes said. We probably shouldnt be going back to theatres. The gym is a structured environment, but for many its a discretionary outing you can avoid, he said. Going to the mall just to walk around rather than having the intention to buy something is probably not a great idea. As for schools, Pakes has children returning to school and says he is confident that theyll be fine (at least, for now). People have asked me about going back to school and what to do when the social bubbles get bigger. Maybe well have to dial it back when visiting the grandparents. We need to do the two-metre distancing and wear a mask again. Those are the things we need to do even with those in our social bubble, or at least be prepared to do so again. If cases do continue to rise, Pakes said there is a possibility that regions in the province that are reporting higher case numbers may be moved back into Stage 2. But for now, he says most people already know what to do to slow down community spread. Theres no magic formula, he said. Hand washing, distancing, masking and not gathering in the first place. Be vigilant and more vigilant when there are vulnerable and marginalized folks around. We have a low number of ICU cases and thats a good thing. We cant afford to go that much higher. Error. Page cannot be displayed. Please contact your service provider for more details. (17) In the northeast (mainly Borno state) corruption and continued Boko Haram violence have crippled the educational system, as well as the economy and much else. In the last decade Boko Haram has destroyed or damaged over a thousand schools and caused more than 1,500 schools to be closed in Borno. This has crippled efforts to educate about four million students. Efforts to repair the damage are crippled by corruption and continued Boko Haram violence. The Islamic terrorists are finding that the local refugee camps are a valuable resource. There are always some armed gangs in these camps, where the usual local leadership of elders or elected officials is lacking. Boko Haram has become the most powerful gang in many camps, although they do not publicize their Boko Haram affiliation because the army will enter the camp to deal with extraordinary circumstances. The usual poverty, unemployment and lack of schools is considered normal and Boko Haram exploits it to recruit supporters. For uneducated and unemployed teenage boys, joining Boko Haram to be a fighter seems attractive because there is the prospect of loot and sex. Teenage girls are often coerced to be suicide bombers. A growing portion of Boko Haram income is from extortion payments. In many parts of northern Borno state Boko Haram can make use of the roads impossible for personal and commercial traffic, unless these drivers pay a fee to get past the Boko Haram roadblock. Sharing control of the roads with the military makes it possible for Boko Haram assassins to go after local leaders who are usually tribal chiefs or government officials. In the aftermath of these deaths the replacement leaders tend to be more accommodating to Boko Haram demands. Captured civilians are used as slave labor as well as hostages for ransom. Few families in northern Borno can afford a ransom so the captives are gone until they die, escape or are rescued by the army. The objective of all this mayhem is to enable Boko Haram to slowly take control of the population and government in the north. Boko Haram violence in 2014-15 resulted in Boko Haram taking control of many parts of northern Borno. That control was broken by 2017 because of a massive army offensive. Boko Haram was diminished and scattered but not destroyed and the Islamic terrorists changed their tactics, rebuilt their numbers and sought to make a comeback. Boko Haram has been more successful at that than the army has been at destroying them. The Boko Haram violence has caused nearly 300,000 Nigerians to seek refuge in Cameroon, Chad and Niger. Most of these refugees live in refugee camps, which have become a refuge for Boko Haram members. Back in Nigeria (mainly Borno state) there are still over two million internal refugees from Islamic terrorist and tribal violence in northern Nigeria. Despite years of efforts by the army, Boko Haram has become a permanent presence in northern Borno state and able to regularly carry out attacks in Cameroon and Niger as well. Northern neighbors Chad, Cameroon and Niger criticize Nigeria for not maintaining discipline in the army and making Nigeria as inhospitable for Boko Haram as Chad, Cameroon and Niger. These three countries are raided by Boko Haram based in Nigeria and the Islamic terrorists have had a much more difficult time establishing bases in these nations. Cameroon has had the most trouble with Boko Haram in part because it shares a long border with eastern Nigeria. Northern Cameroon is less populous and developed as neighboring Nigeria but the Cameroonian military is more effective. Cameroon civilians have the most problems with Boko Haram in areas where refugee camps for Nigerians are located. There is a growing popular demand in Cameroon for the Nigerian refugees to be forced back into Nigeria because of the way Boko Haram uses the camps as a refuge and source of support. Since the 2010 Boko Haram violence along Lake Chad, the borders with Niger and Chad have been a major battleground. In that decade there were nearly 30,000 dead and three million refugees. Over 80 percent Most of the dead and refugees from Boko Haram violence have been in this Nigerian border zone. While the Boko Haram violence is coordinated in an effort to control territory, that is complicated because there are two separate factions of Boko Haram. The larger faction is also called ISWAP (Islamic State West Africa Province) and it is the cause of most of the violence near Lake Chad. ISWAP was once a faction of Boko Haram that declared its allegiance to ISIL (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant) in 2016. Many of these new ISIL members had been with Boko Haram since 2004. ISWAP personnel are mainly in northeastern Nigeria with smaller numbers in Chad, Niger and northern Cameroon. What remains of the original Boko Haram is about half the size of ISWAP and operates in northern Borno state areas that are not near Lake Chad. The two factions have fought each other in the past, but in the last two years appear to have established some form of ceasefire and an effort to stay out of each others way. Boko Haram also tends to stay away from the tribe-based violence in northern and central Nigeria. This conflict is between nomadic herders and farmers over who controls land and water resources. This conflict was a growing source of violence even before Boko Haram violence appeared in 2004. For a few years (2015-17) Boko Haram was killing more people but since 2018 Boko Haram has declined while the farmer-herder violence has increased. Overall Nigeria has been suffering 400-500 deaths a month from the Islamic terrorists and tribal violence. Most of the dead are civilians. Because of all this violence in the north local and national government is losing control of much of the Moslem north. While that loss of control is seen as a national crisis, it is not as important as the oil fields in the far south, in the Niger River Delta. Security in the oil producing states gets far more attention than anywhere in the north. The semi-desert north has long been less prosperous than the moister south, with its oil, more rainfall and access to the sea. September 1, 2020: In the northeast (Borno state) Boko Haram gunmen ambushed some soldiers while another Boko Haram group attacked an army base in the same area (Magumeri) near Lake Chad. At least twenty soldiers died plus a number of Islamic terrorists. Boko Haram was able to take their dead and wounded with them when they withdrew. There have been several Boko Haram attacks in the area in the last month. The army is vulnerable to these attacks but is also able to bring in reinforcements quickly. Often the air force has armed aircraft aloft in the area and these are directed to site of the Boko Haram clash and often cause the Islamic terrorists a lot of casualties and destroy vehicles Boko Haram uses to move around with and especially to get away from airstrikes. Neighboring Chad has encouraged Nigeria to use its air force more aggressively and effectively to find Boko Haram camps and go after them and keep going after these Islamic terrorist bases until the Islamic terrorists move somewhere else or fall apart because of the lack of base areas. Chad attributes the chronic and widespread corruption in the Nigerian security forces (military and police) for the inability to emulate Chad. August 18, 2020: In the northeast (Borno state) soldiers escorted a convoy of trucks taking 1,200 refugees back to their homes in Kukawa (near Lake Chad) on August 2nd. Today Boko Haram raided the reoccupied town and kidnapped several hundred of the returned refugees and stole whatever they could find. Another Boko Haram group attacked the nearby army base that had been established to keep Boko Haram out of the areas. News of this attack gets back to the refugee camps in southern Borno state and discourage refugees from returning to their abandoned homes, businesses and farms in the north, especially near Lake Chad where Boko Haram is still present in sufficient numbers to keep the army on the defensive much of the time. ARVADA, CO Over the past two weeks, 57 new coronavirus cases have been confirmed in Arvada, according to the latest public health data. Since early August, the city has seen a decrease in the number of bi-weekly cases reported. As of Monday, there have been 990 cases on the Jeffco side of Arvada since the outbreak began, and at least 24 cases on the Adams County side, public health agencies confirmed. The rate of infection per 1,000 residents in Arvada is 8.44, up from 8.29 a week ago, according to Jeffco Public Health. Coronavirus cases in neighboring areas: New cases reported over the past two weeks Cases since the outbreak began Rate of infection per 1,000 people Lakewood 117 1,811 11.57 Westminster 17 362 8.19 Wheat Ridge 22 449 14.31 Fairmount 10 64 7.35 Since the COVID-19 outbreak began, there have been 8,103 cases of the coronavirus in Adams County, and 5,146 cases in Jefferson County. New cases reported since Wednesday COVID-19 Cases since outbreak began COVID-19 Deaths Adams County 280 8,103 211 Jefferson County 175 5,146 245 Don't miss the latest coronavirus updates from health and government officials in Arvada: Free Newsletters and Email Alerts | Facebook | Twitter Between July 5 and July 18, 486 cases were confirmed in Jefferson County, and the state warned Jeffco officials that they were at risk of losing the variance. But since then, coronavirus case rates have gone down in the county, public health data shows. When the county's first variance request was approved in early June, officials were given a threshold limit of 580 cases for a two-week period. "We are hopeful that as long as cases continue to decline or stabilize we may be able to hold on to our Jefferson County variance," county officials said in mid-August. A variance is a leniency granted to businesses and churches that eases restrictions if the county proves that cases are under a certain level. If Jeffco loses its variance, some businesses would be forced to scale back their services, and others may have to close. The current variance allows more lenient capacity limits for group gatherings, event centers, places of worship, malls, brewpubs, distilleries and other venues. Story continues Over the past week, 2,212 new cases have been reported in Colorado. The state has seen a small uptick in cases over the past two weeks, which is partly due to college students returning to campuses, Gov. Jared Polis said in a news conference Tuesday. "The worry is that the college transmission leads to community transmission," Polis said. As of Monday, 61,699 people have been infected with the coronavirus in Colorado among 786,511 people who have been tested since the outbreak began, health officials confirmed. Around 7,240 people have been hospitalized, and the death toll has reached 1,894 after 28 people died over the past week. Graph courtesy of Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment. Data reported Monday, and may differ from Jeffco Public Health numbers due to delayed reporting. This article originally appeared on the Arvada Patch Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 15) A lawmaker is urging the government to refrain from borrowing more from China, as he warned of a debt trap that other nations had experienced when they were unable to pay back their loans to the economic powerhouse. Speaking to CNN Philippines on Tuesday, Senator Ralph Recto said he had filed a resolution asking the executive department to avoid increasing the countrys debt exposure to the East Asian giant. I think that we should not be incurring more debts from China, Recto said in interview with The Source. I dont think we should be borrowing more from China considering everything thats happening." Because of the pandemic, our revenues have gone down and we will be borrowing more. China already has a track record of lending out money to many countries, and weve seen what has happened to many countries. There is what you call a debt trap as well, he warned. Some sectors and officials had also earlier expressed concern that what happened to countries like Sri Lanka might be repeated in the Philippines. In December 2017, Sri Lanka handed over to China its Hambantota port after failing to pay a loan to Beijing which funded the construction of the facility. Earlier, Recto likewise called for the blacklisting of foreign companies involved in reclamation activities in the West Philippine Sea which only create tension in the region. Im not against the Chinese. Its just unfortunate that they have taken the position of creating instability in the region by putting up all of these facilities in the West Philippine Sea, the lawmaker explained. In 2018, both the Foreign Affairs Department and China itself had assured that the Philippines would not be falling into a so-called debt trap. The Chinese Foreign Ministry had said this was impossible as its loans to the country accounted for only a limited portion of the Philippines foreign debt. Data from the Budget Department as of August show that the Philippines debt would spike to over 10 trillion by December amid the coronavirus pandemic. Amid rising tensions at the contested Himalayan border between China and India, both sides' foreign ministers have agreed to a ceasefire and will disengage their troops stationed in the region. A ceasefire between conflicting nations The meeting and joint statement between the two parties come after several months of heightened conflicts between the two militaries, including a brutal brawl in June that is considered to be the deadliest confrontation between the two sides since 1962. According to the Wall Street Journal, this week marked another incident where the two countries' governments accused each other of firing their weapons towards the other side for the first time in decades. Commanders of both the Chinese and Indian military and their diplomats have personally met several dozen times after the clash in June. The officials repeatedly called for mutual disengagement of troops and withdrawing from the border. However, both sides continued to reinforce their territories and have moved to support their forces deployed along the Himalayan border. The two governments argued that their decision to increase their presence in the area is due to the other side violating agreements set forth during discussions. The incident this week saw both countries accuse each other of invading territory that they controlled. Both Chinese and Indian governments claimed that the other side fired warning shots, which were direct violations of a previous agreement. The continuous dispute is also a result of the two sides not having a clear and precise border where each of their territories end. The military of both countries periodically sends troops to patrol along the border. Also Read: Mysterious Death of Indian Soldier Along Disputed Border Prompts India to Ban 118 Chinese-Based Apps Easing of tensions The joint statement wrote that both foreign ministers have agreed that the situation in the disputed Himalayan border areas was a disadvantage for both sides. The agreement has both countries recall their troops from the region, quickly disengage, and maintain sufficient distance from each other to east tensions, as reported by Aljazeera. A former leader from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Chering Dorjay Lakrook, told reporters that the easing of tensions at the Himalayan borders is good for both sides. However, Lakrook remained cautiously optimistic because of China's notorious untrustworthiness. Lakrook said that China is going along with the proposition to buy itself time to fortify its position along the line of actual control. The official added the agreement is only a facade before the Chinese government decides to go back to its April 2020 position. Several Indian defense analysts shared similar worries, citing previous agreements that have been made during military-level talks between the two countries that ended in failure to de-escalate the most brutal conflicts along the border in the last five decades. According to The New York Times, a strategic studies professor at the Center for Policy Research, Brahma Chellaney from New Delhi, said the statement was nothing new. He noted a similar pledge both sides announced in June, which directly addressed the Indian government's accusations that China has moved to seize new territory within the region. Related Article: India-China Out-Build Each Other at Highly Disputed Himalayan Border, Constructs Roads, Rail Links @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Roughly 1 in 10 patients diagnosed with COVID-19 needed to return to the hospital within a week of discharge from an emergency department visit, according to data from the first three months of the COVID-19 outbreak in the Philadelphia region--March, April and May 2020. Researchers in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania also found that factors like lower pulse oximetry levels and fever were some of the most telling symptoms that resulted in return trips that resulted in admission. This information, published in Academic Emergency Medicine, could prove invaluable to clinicians working to fight a disease. "We hope this study helps emergency clinicians have more informed conversations with patients suspected to have COVID-19," said the study's lead author Austin Kilaru, MD, an Emergency Medicine physician at Penn Medicine. "It can be difficult to make this diagnosis and send patients home without knowing if they will get sick in the coming days. This study gives clinicians a few signposts to know how often and when patients may need to return, and what risk factors to pay attention to." The study looked at 1,419 patients who went to an emergency department (ED) between March 1 and May 28, 2020, were discharged, and tested positive for COVID-19 in the seven days surrounding that visit. Data showed that 4.7 percent of the patients returned to the hospital and were admitted within just three days for their initial ED visit, and an additional 3.9 percent were hospitalized within a week. In total, that meant that 8.6 percent of patients were coming back to the hospital after their first ED visit due to COVID-19. "We were surprised with the overall rate that patients return and need admission, which is twice that of other illnesses," Kilaru explained. "The concern is not that emergency physicians are making wrong decisions, but rather that COVID can be unpredictable and turn severe rather quickly." A population that the study showed was particularly vulnerable were patients over 60 years old. Compared to patients in the 18 to 39 years of age range, those over 60 were more than five times as likely to require hospitalization after being discharged from their initial emergency department visit. Those in the 40 to 59 age range were found to be three times as likely to require hospitalization than the younger group. When it came to individual symptoms, the study showed that patients of any age with low pulse oximetry readings were about four times as likely to require hospitalization upon return as compared to those with higher readings, while patients with fevers were more than three times as likely as compared to those without. "If the patient had other factors such as an abnormal chest x-ray, the likelihood of needing to come back to be hospitalized goes up even more," said the study's senior author, M. Kit Delgado, MD, an assistant professor of Emergency Medicine and Epidemiology. The study collected demographic data for patients, which showed no signs of differences along racial or gender lines. "This further contributes to the evidence that the known racial disparities in COVID mortality are not related to differences in care and outcomes among patients once treated in the same hospital system. Rather, the disparities are structural related to the higher rates of infection and access to care in low-income communities, which are disproportionately Black and Hispanic." With the hope that their findings can better inform doctors on who is most appropriate for home recovery, the researchers called out remote monitoring as a useful tool for looking after COVID-19 patients. An example of this is Penn Medicine's COVID Watch system, a text-message-based system that sends daily check-ups on known COVID-19 patients recuperating at home to make sure their symptoms aren't worsening. To date, more than 5,500 patients have been enrolled in the system, which is the subject of a new Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) study for which Delgado, Kilaru amd the other researchers on this study are also serving as investigators. "We are eagerly awaiting the result of this study, which focuses specifically on pulse oximetry," Delgado said. Other authors on the completed hospital readmission study included Kathleen Lee, MD; Christopher K. Snider; Zachary F. Meisel, MD; David A. Asch, MD; and Nandita Mitra, PhD; all of Penn. ### ALEXANDRIA, Va., Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- United Way Worldwide today announced that a dozen local relief funds have been established in California, Oregon and Washington State to provide immediate support to individuals, families and communities impacted by the deadly wildfires that continue to burn throughout the west. Additionally, United Way is encouraging those in need of support with immediate needs or evacuation route information to dial 211 or visit 211.org for help. United Ways across the affected states also are working closely with community leaders, rescue and relief organizations to provide support for those impacted by the wildfires. United Way's local West Coast wildfire relief funds coupled with the 211 network will continue to provide immediate relief and long-term recovery to those who have been impacted. "United Way and the 211 network will be there through the rescue and long-term recovery for every individual, family and business in the communities impacted by the West Coast wildfires," said Suzanne McCormick, U.S. President, United Way Worldwide. "We know that crises and disasters can compound COVID-19 risks, leaving people more compromised and vulnerable. It has never been more critical for us to continue work with community partners and other relief organizations to help the region come back more resilient." Those who would like to contribute to United Way's response may donate to the local funds listed below. To see the most up to date list of funds, please visit https://www.unitedway.org/recovery/west-coast-wildfire-relief West Coast Wildfire Relief Funds United Ways of the Pacific Northwest launched the Pacific Northwest Wildfire Relief & Recovery Fund in response to the wildfires devastating parts of Oregon, Idaho and Washington. Contribute here California Inland Southern California United Way started a fund to provide relief for victims of the El Dorado Fire in Oak Glen and surrounding communities. Contribute here United Way Bay Area, United Way of the Wine Country, United Way Monterey County, and United Way of Santa Cruz County launched the Greater Bay Area Central Coast Wildfire Relief Fund. Donations collected will benefit immediate and long-term recovery assistance for residents in 15 counties affected by the wildfires in the region. Contribute here United Way of Northern California, covering nine fire-stricken, largely rural counties in the state's far northern region, is accepting donations, offering help and supporting programs to assist with relief and long-term recovery operations. Contribute here Oregon Greater Douglas United Way has established a Fire Relief Fund to assist those who have been displaced by the fires in Douglas County. Contribute here United Way of the Columbia-Willamette is working with nonprofit partners to prioritize families of color and low-income families affected by the fires. Contribute here United Way of Jackson County is helping those impacted by the Jackson County Fires. Contribute here United Way of Lane County is investing in organizations directly serving individuals and families most impacted by fires in Lane County. Contribute here United Way of Linn, Benton & Lincoln Counties Emergency Fund will provide flexible resources to non-profit partner organizations in the region working directly with those who have been impacted or displaced. Contribute here United Way of the Mid-Willamette Valley is collecting critical supplies and resources for those in need and started the Mid-Valley Wildfire Relief Fund. Contribute here United Way of Southwestern Oregon is accepting donations to support Coos County and Curry County nonprofits and community organizations helping local residents and neighboring Oregonians who have been impacted by the wildfires. Contribute here Washington United Way of Benton & Franklin Counties is collecting funds to help hundreds of people left without shelter and basic supplies due to recent wildfires. Contribute here United Way of Whitman County's Fire Community Relief Fund will prioritize support to the families and individuals displaced by the fires. Contribute here About United Way United Way fights for the health, education and financial stability of every person in every community. Supported by 2.9 million volunteers, 8.1 million donors worldwide and $4.8 billion raised, United Way is the world's largest privately funded nonprofit. We're engaged in nearly 1,800 communities across more than 40 countries and territories worldwide to create sustainable solutions to the challenges facing our communities. United Way partners include global, national and local businesses, nonprofits, government, civic and faith-based organizations, along with educators, labor leaders, health providers, senior citizens, students and more. For more information about United Way, please visit UnitedWay.org. Follow us on Twitter: @UnitedWay and #LiveUnited. About 211 211 is a vital service leveraged by millions of people across North America, funded and run by United Way. Every day, clients contact 211 to access free and confidential crisis and emergency counseling, disaster assistance, food, health care and insurance assistance, stable housing and utilities payment assistance, employment services, veteran services and childcare and family services. Last year, 211 responded to over 12 million requests for assistance across the United States. The service is available to over 95% of the U.S. population, including in Puerto Rico and Washington, DC, and is also available in most of Canada. Individuals in need or who are looking for information for someone else can call 211 from a cell phone or landline or visit 211.org for more contact options. Media Contact Southerlyn Reisig Director of Public Relations United Way Worldwide [email protected] SOURCE United Way Worldwide Related Links www.unitedway.org President Donald Trump has warned Iran that any attack against the US would be retaliated with "1,000 times greater in magnitude" after media reports that Tehran is planning to avenge the killing of top general Qasem Soleimani in January. The death of Gen Soleimani, head of Iran's elite Quds Force, in a US airstrike near Baghdad's airport marks a major escalation in the standoff between Washington and Tehran, since US President Trump withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal and imposed crippling sanctions. Iran had vowed to seek revenge for Gen Soleimani's killing. Any attack by Iran, in any form, against the United States will be met with an attack on Iran that will be 1,000 times greater in magnitude! Trump said in a tweet after news reports emerged that Iran is planning some kind of attack against the US. "Iran may be planning an assassination or other attack, against the US in retaliation for the killing of terrorist leader Soleimani, which was carried out for his planning a future attack, murdering US Troops, and the death & suffering caused over so many years, Trump wrote. In a news report based on unnamed intelligence sources, the Politico said the Iranian government is weighing an assassination attempt against the American ambassador to South Africa Lana Marks. If carried out, it could dramatically ratchet up already serious tensions between the US and Iran and create enormous pressure on Trump to strike back possibly in the middle of a tense election season, the American news outlet said. An intelligence source told Fox News that the intel community is taking the threat against the ambassador seriously and believe the Iranian regime potentially has the ability to act on an assassination plot. Iran has in the past planned assassinations of American ambassadors -- which is partly why the intelligence community is taking this particular threat assessment seriously, the news channel said. Iran has denied the allegations. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said in a statement that the assassination allegations were part of ongoing anti-Iranian propaganda by the Americans ahead of the elections scheduled for November 3. Meanwhile, reacting on the reports South Africa's State Security Agency (SSA) said that it has "noted the rising public interest on the matter and would like to assure all South African citizens and interested parties that the matter is receiving the necessary attention." The agency is interacting with all relevant partners both in the country and abroad, to ensure that no harm will be suffered by the US Ambassador, including any other Diplomatic Officials inside the borders of our country, it said in a statement. The Minister of State Security, Ayanda Dlodlo has affirmed that South Africa has a duty to protect maximally, all diplomatic officials who are on state duty in the country. Marks, 66, who was sworn in as U.S. ambassador in October last year, has been a close associate of President Trump for almost two decades. She was born in South Africa. Also read: US Presidential Polls 2020: Mike Pompeo supports Trump's re-election bid from Jerusalem Also read: US biggest threat to international order, world peace: China India's third Covid wave likely to peak on Jan 23, daily cases to stay below 4 lakh: IIT Kanpur scientist India logs over 3.17 lakh new Covid cases in last 24 hours; daily positivity rate up at 16.41 per cent India becomes member of UNs ECOSOC, while China fails to secure a seat India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, Sep 15: India and Afghanistan beat China in the elections to the United Nation's Commission of Status of Women Economic (UNCSW), a body of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). Out of the 54 ballots, India secured 38, while Afghanistan polled 39. China on the other hand managed just 27 votes. "India wins seat in prestigious ECOSOC body! India elected member of Commission on Status of Women (CSW). It's a ringing endorsement of our commitment to promote gender equality and women's empowerment in all our endeavours. We thank member states for their support," Ambassador, T S Tirumurti said in a tweet. Modi's speech at High-Level Segment of UN ECOSOC: Key points India elected as the member of the United Nations Commission on Status of Women | Oneindia News India will be a member of the United Nation's Commission on Status for Women for four years- 2021 to 2025. It may be recalled that in June, India was elected as one of the non-permanent members to the United Nations Security Council. India won with an overwhelming majority of 184 votes of the 192. The minimum number of votes required was 128. India-China relations have always attracted Parliament's attention and there have always been useful and constructive discussions as how to engage with China, notes Rup Narayan Das. IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Damodardas Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and other MPs pay tribute to the late President Pranab Mukherjee, legendary Indian classical vocalist Pandit Jasraj and others who passed away this year, on the opening day of Parliament's Monsoon Session, September 14, 2020. Photograph: LSTV/PTI Photo The demand for a discussion on India-China relations, particularly on the situation in the Line of Actual Control continues and the government is obliged to take a call on the Opposition's demand. Prime Minister Narendra Damodardas Modi had briefed Opposition leaders on the situation at the LAC. Opposition parties, particularly the Congress and its leader Rahul Gandhi have been demanding more clarity on Prime Minister Modi's articulation. This is nothing more than hair-splitting. When the country is faced with a real threat to its territorial integrity and national sovereignty, there is nothing more sacrosanct than a firm resolve to face the threat. There was also some mention in the political spectrum that the PMO has not spoken on the issue and the adversary has not been mentioned by name. It is an established diplomatic norm not to name a country by a head of State or government in adversarial relations. That doesn't help any way, rather belittles the dignity and stature of the high office. When actions are louder than words, where is the need for words? The fact that the situation at the LAC has not spiralled into war or even a limited war is precisely due to India's advance defence preparedness, combat-readiness, meticulous troops deployment, punitive economic measures including banning certain Chinese apps and putting restrictions on Chinese FDI in certain sectors, diplomatic mobilisation, military and diplomatic dialogue and finally boosting the morale of defence personnel. A multi-pronged strategy has not only prevented China from further advancement, but has also put India in an advantageous position on the border. A war, even if a limited one, is in nobody's interest -- neither India's nor China's. It is always better to win a war without fighting one. A major factor which has presumably deterred Chinese adventurism is the speedy beefing up of India's combat capability which was neglected over the years in spite of the persistent security dilemma emanating from India's northern neighbour and the neglect of the construction of sensitive broader roads so essential for India's country's security. India completed the 225 kilometre strategic Dabruk-Shyok-Daulat Beg Oldie Road in the LAC in the Galwan Valley area, the site of the June 15 clash between the two armies, in July this year notwithstanding the tense situation prevalent in the border. This is something unprecedented in the Border Road Organisation's history. The strategic road will greatly facilitate troop movement to the forward areas very fast. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh's visit in June to Russia to participate in the Victory Day parade was a smart diplomatic move, which not only fast tracked the purchase of the fighter jets , but also in acquainting Moscow India's tested and trusted ally and securing Russia's support for facing the challenge across India's border. Amid the tension on the border, the Defence Acquisition Council approved deals worth Rs 38,900 crore (Rs 389 billion). This included procurement of 21 MiG-29 fighter jets, upgrading of 59 of them and acquisition of 12 Su-30MKI aircrafts for the Indian Air Force. While both deals were in the pipeline for some time the approval came a week after the defence minister's visit to Russia to grace the Victory Day parade. The acquisition and induction of the 'game changer' Rafale aircraft from France was a loud message to the adversary. France was also co-opted with the strategic edifice of the Indo-Pacific, a riposte to China's foray into the Indian Ocean. Similarly, the acquisition of strategic assets such as the Apache and Chinook helicopters from the US has added sinews to the defence capability of the air force in the very difficult terrain of the India-China border. While Prime Minister Modi reached out to world leaders including US President J Trump and Russian President Vladmir Putin, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, National Security Adviser Ajit Kumar Doval and External Affairs Minister Dr Subrahmanyam Jaishankar exerted all efforts to prevail up on their counterparts to explain India's stance and position in no uncertain words. India's exposition in all these diplomatic engagements was firm and yet dignified. The unequivocal support of democratic countries particularly USA also produced the desired effect on China. Although India is fighting its own battle, the fact remains China at this point of time is isolated because of its belligerence. Overtures from China to reset ties with India are discernable. The return of the five persons from Arunachal Pradesh by the Chinese army is suggestive of its overtures. Secondly, Beijing in a very clear message mourned the passing away of former President Pranab Mukherjee. The late President in his capacity as external affairs minister, defence minister and President had dealt with China very deftly. He visited China in May 2016 towards the end of his Presidential tenure. In yet another subtle message, Beijing reported to unveil a bronze statue of the legendary Dr Dwarkanath Kotnis who is held in high esteem in China for his yeoman service during the Sino-Japanese war in 1938. These overtures from China should not be taken as mere optic deception, but also as overtures. Any discussion in Parliament should take into account these developments. Discussion and parleys with China has to be from a position of strength. Parliament is the highest forum and discussion there has to be dignified and the message has to be clear. India-China relations have always attracted Parliament's attention and there have always been useful and productive and constructive discussions as how to engage with China. It has to be borne in mind that one can't choose one's neighbour. Members of Parliament have already been briefed by the Standing Committees on Defence and External Affairs and if need be, there can be more such meetings including the respective consultative committees of Parliament which are held in camera. The discussions in the House have to be nuanced and constructive. National interest should be the top-most priority, and not political point scoring. Rup Narayan Das, PhD, is a China scholar and currently a senior fellow at the Indian Council of Social Science Research at the Indian Institute of Public Administration, New Delhi. Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff.com Petrobras is resuming oil trade with the worlds top commodity trading houses Vitol, Trafigura, and Glencore, after nearly two years of suspension amid a bribery investigation into the oil trading giants, Brazils state-held oil firm told Reuters late on Monday. In December 2018, Brazilian authorities opened an investigation into Vitol, Trafigura, and Glencore over alleged bribery in which traders had allegedly paid bribes of at least US$31 million to Petrobras insiders, traders, and employees in exchange for oil deals. Just after the investigation was announced, Petrobras said it was suspending oil and fuel trade with the three major commodity traders. As part of the so-called Operation Car Wash probe, the major scandal that shook Petrobras over the past half a decade, Swiss authorities searched offices of Vitol and Trafigura in Geneva in November 2019, as part of the investigation which alleges that the top management of the oil traders were aware of the scheme. The oil trading firms have always said that they have zero tolerance toward corruption and bribery and are cooperating with authorities. Nearly two years after Petrobras suspended oil and fuel trade with three of the largest commodity traders in the world, the Brazilian company is now resuming deals with Vitol, Trafigura, and Glencore after boosting its compliance procedures, instituting know-your-customer due diligence, and having integrity checks carried out on its traders, Petrobras told Reuters in a statement. After a temporary suspension period with the companies cited, the company re-initiated business after adopting and perfecting a series of specific measures meant to bring more security to the commercial relationship, Petrobras said. The temporary suspension of dealings with the oil traders was lifted some three months ago, a source with knowledge of the issue told Reuters. The Operation Car Wash scandal was the biggest in Brazils history and led to the impeachment of President Dilma Rousseff and prison sentences for high-ranking business executives from various industries. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: The Instagram post was the first image of the 44-year-old released since he was taken to Berlins Charite hospital two days after falling ill on a domestic flight in Russia on August 20. Hi, this is Navalny, he wrote in the Russian-language post. I have been missing you. I still cant do almost anything on my own, but yesterday I managed to breathe on my own for the entire day. He had been kept in an induced coma for more than two weeks as he was treated with an antidote before hospital officials said on September 7 that his condition had improved enough for him to be brought out of it. On Monday, the hospital said he had been removed from mechanical ventilation and was able to leave his bed for short periods of time. Advertisement In the photo, Mr Navalny is being given a hug by his wife Yulia and is flanked by his two children as he sits upright in his bed in a hospital gown. His statement even had the ring of his well-known sarcastic humour. Just on my own, no extra help, I didnt even use the simplest valve in my throat, he said of being able to breathe without ventilation. I liked it very much. Its a remarkable process that is underestimated by many. Strongly recommended. Despite his recovery, doctors have said they cannot rule out long-term health issues associated with the poisoning. Mr Navalnys spokeswoman, Kira Yarmysh, tweeted that once he has recovered, he plans to return to Russia, adding: No other option has ever been considered. A German military lab has determined that Mr Navalny was poisoned with Novichok, the same class of Soviet-era agent that Britain said was used on former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter in Salisbury in 2018. On Monday, the German government said independent tests by labs in France and Sweden backed up its findings. The Hague-based Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons also is taking steps to have samples from Mr Navalny tested at its designated labs, Germany has said. Advertisement The Kremlin has bristled at calls from German Chancellor Angela Merkel and other leaders to answer questions about the poisoning, denying any official involvement. French President Emmanuel Macrons office said he had expressed deep concern over the criminal act that targeted Mr Navalny directly with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday. The Kremlin said Mr Putin in the call underlined the impropriety of unfounded accusations against the Russian side and emphasised Russias demand for Germany to hand over analyses and samples. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters Russia is puzzled by the German refusal to share Mr Navalnys analyses and other medical data, or compare notes with the Russian doctors who found no trace of poison in his system while he was at a hospital in the Siberian city of Omsk. Russia has been absolutely open for co-operation in determining what happened, he said. Russia needs co-operation with the German side in getting the patients biological samples to be able to advance. Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov, who has cancelled a scheduled trip to Berlin, said Russian authorities have conducted a preliminary inquiry and documented the meetings Mr Navalny had before falling ill, but he emphasised they need to see evidence of poisoning to launch a full criminal investigation. Mr Lavrov said Mr Navalnys life was saved by the pilots of the plane who quickly landed in Omsk when he collapsed on board and by the rapid action of doctors there. He accused the West of trying to smear Russia and use the incident as a pretext for new sanctions against Moscow. Berlin has rejected suggestions from Moscow that it is dragging its heels on sharing evidence. With Germanys findings corroborated by labs abroad, we do not expect the bringer of the bad news namely us to be attacked further, but rather that they should deal with the news itself, German foreign minister Heiko Maas said. Asked why no samples from Mr Navalny had been given to Russia, his spokeswoman noted: Mr Navalny was in Russian treatment in a hospital for 48 hours. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-16 00:42:31|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Chinese Premier Li Keqiang attends the Special Virtual Dialogue with Global Business Leaders hosted by the World Economic Forum (WEF) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 15, 2020. (Xinhua/Zhai Jianlan) BEIJING, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said here Tuesday that peace and development, cooperation and exchange remain the theme and trend of our time. Li made the remarks when speaking at the Special Virtual Dialogue with Global Business Leaders hosted by the World Economic Forum, attended by more than 500 business leaders. Li noted that despite the profound and complex changes in the international environment, peace and development are still the theme of our time, and exchange and cooperation remain the trend of the world. "Without a peaceful and stable environment, nothing would be possible," he said, adding that the international system and order centered on the UN must be safeguarded. All parties are duty-bound to preserve the global environment for peace and development, support multilateralism, uphold the international order, and bring hope and confidence to people across the world, he said. Noting that COVID-19 has compounded the difficulties faced by the world economy, Li said international trade came under the first wave of impact and the industrial and supply chains became disrupted. "Against such a backdrop, it would be neither wise nor practical to go after technological or industrial decoupling, " he said. "We need to jointly uphold trade and investment liberalization and facilitation, expeditiously restore the global industrial and supply chains and people-to-people exchanges to reinvigorate the world economy," the premier said. Saying that the Chinese economy has been deeply integrated into the global economy, Li stressed that China cannot develop in isolation from the rest of the world, and the world needs China for further development. "No matter how the external environment may evolve, China will only open wider to the world; China will move forward, not backward, in all areas of opening-up," Li said. Enditem Alphabets GOOGL division Google is steadily moving toward attaining its zero carbon goals by 2030. Reportedly, the company is planning to run its offices and data centers fully on carbon-free electricity by 2030. It aims to achieve the goal by utilizing renewable energy solely. The company is considering utilizing batteries stored with solar energy and geothermal reservoirs among others to meet its aim. Notably, Googles 61% of global hourly electricity consumption was generated from solar, wind and other renewable energies in 2019. Google has been shifting focus to clean energy for quite some time now. The shift to clean energy sources is anticipated to reduce costs in the near term, which remains a major positive. Googles Zero Carbon Drive Google, which has been carbon-neutral since 2007, is leaving no stone unturned to become carbon-free company. The search giant has been making huge investments in wind energy, and planted several trees. It has also purchased carbon credits. Notably, the companys current goals include proactively funding more tree planting initiatives, bringing five gigawatts of renewable energy, and building partnerships with around 500 government worldwide in an effort to reduce one gigaton of carbon emissions per year by 2030. Alphabet Inc. Price and Consensus Alphabet Inc. Price and Consensus Alphabet Inc. price-consensus-chart | Alphabet Inc. Quote Carbon Neutrality Gaining Steam We believe Google's latest move is expected to provide it competitive edge in the carbon neutral race, which is constantly gaining steam. Apart from Google, tech giants like Amazon AMZN, Microsoft MSFT and Apple AAPL are also taking initiatives to adopt alternative energy sources to lower overall carbon emissions and cut energy bills substantially. Amazons carbon neutrality endeavors remain noteworthy. It is constantly infusing resources into renewable energy projects in a bid to fuel its carbon neutrality drive. Moreover, the companys rapidly growing number of renewable energy projects worldwide and improving efforts to expand its delivery fleet of electric vehicles are major positives. The company aims at utilizing 80% and 100% renewable energy by 2024 and 2030, respectively. It is also aiming to reach net zero carbon by 2040. Further, Microsoft is gathering steam to become carbon negative by 2030. Its two power purchase agreements with EDP Renewables North America LLC to work on a wind energy project based out of Paulding County, OH remain noteworthy. Meanwhile, Apple, which is already carbon neutral for its global corporate operations, has recently committed to become 100% carbon neutral across its entire business, manufacturing supply chain and product life cycle by 2030. Nevertheless, Googles aggressive three-fold strategy, which includes energy efficiency, renewable energy procurement and carbon offsets, is a testament to its strong commitment toward zero carbon footprint. This is likely to put it slightly ahead of the pack in the carbon neutral race. Currently, Alphabet carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. Story continues Biggest Tech Breakthrough in a Generation Be among the early investors in the new type of device that experts say could impact society as much as the discovery of electricity. Current technology will soon be outdated and replaced by these new devices. In the process, its expected to create 22 million jobs and generate $12.3 trillion in activity. A select few stocks could skyrocket the most as rollout accelerates for this new tech. Early investors could see gains similar to buying Microsoft in the 1990s. Zacks just-released special report reveals 8 stocks to watch. The report is only available for a limited time. See 8 breakthrough stocks now>> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Microsoft Corporation (MSFT) : Free Stock Analysis Report Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN) : Free Stock Analysis Report Apple Inc. (AAPL) : Free Stock Analysis Report Alphabet Inc. (GOOGL) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research To hear more audio stories from publishers like The New York Times, download Audm for iPhone or Android. On Sunday, Michael Caputo, the assistant secretary for public affairs at the Department of Health and Human Services, warned of left-wing insurrectionists and sedition within the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention during a video he hosted live on his Facebook page. After predicting victory for President Trump in the upcoming election, Caputo warned that Joe Biden wouldnt concede. And when Donald Trump refuses to stand down at the inauguration, the shooting will begin, he said. The drills that youve seen are nothing. Ordinarily, in a presidential election year, the main story of American politics is the election its twists and turns, its ups and downs. This year, that story is hard to convey. Part of the reason for this is that the race itself is unremarkable, despite everything else thats happening around it. Biden is ahead, most voters have made up their minds and Trump has a narrow path to re-election, with few opportunities to recover lost ground. The larger, more important factor is that Trump isnt actually running for re-election or at least, not running in the traditional manner. He has a campaign, yes, but it is not a campaign to win votes or persuade the public outside of a few, select slivers of the electorate. Instead, its a campaign to hold on to power by any means necessary, using every tool available to him as president of the United States. Caputo, in that sense, is only taking cues from his boss. Uttar Pradeshs deputy chief minister Dinesh Sharma on Tuesday said chances of the partial reopening of schools in the Uttar Pradesh from September 21 were very bleak due to the rising number of corona cases in the state. The Centre in its unlock 4 guidelines had issued SOP (standard operating procedures) for a partial reopening of schools for students of classes 9 to 12 on a voluntary basis to seek guidance from teachers. But Uttar Pradesh government has no such plans to allow schools for partial reopening. It is very unlikely that schools can be allowed to function partially. It is not possible to run school even partially at least for this month. Safety of the students is a big issue and it cannot be compromised, Sharma said. Uttar Pradeshs Covid infection tally rose to 3,17,195 with 5,208 fresh cases while the death toll reached 4,491 with 62 more fatalities on Monday. Many city schools have already junked the idea of partial reopening. La Martiniere College, La Martiniere Girls College, St Agnes Loreto Day School, St Teresas Day School, Hoerner College, and a few other institutions have decided to stay closed and carry on with online classes. In 2012, the IMF suspended its aid to the country under former president Joseph Kabila because of concerns about corruption in the mining sector. The International Monetary Fund said Tuesday the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo needed to be fully transparent with its mining contracts in order to access any new aid programme. The comments by the IMF's representative in Kinshasa, Philippe Egoume, was the latest development in a long-running dispute over the corruption-plagued mining industry which is overseen by a public company. "We have a disagreement with the authorities, who prefer to publish recent contracts but not the old ones," Egoume said during an online news conference. "In our of view, all the contracts should be published." DR Congo is one of the main producers globally of valuable minerals such as copper, gold, coltan and cassiterite. Their extraction and export is handled by joint-venture contracts between the state company Gecamines and around 15 foreign businesses. In 2012, the IMF suspended its programme with the country under former president Joseph Kabila because of what it said was a lack of transparency in Gecamines's contracts. One of Gecamines' foreign partners, the Israeli billionaire Dan Gertler, has been under US sanctions since December 2017 for contracts which Washington says were obtained through "corruption and misconduct". The IMF also called on Kinshasa to provide a "realistic budget" for 2021. The government under new President Felix Tshisekedi has forecast a budget of 11 billion dollars in 2020, twice the amount set for the previous year. Even before the coronavirus pandemic hit the world's economies, the IMF had described those figures as unrealistic. Egoume said it was too early to say how much money the next IMF aid programme would involve. He said the IMF had paid out 360 million dollars in December and 363 million dollars in April to help Congo cope with the coronavirus outbreak. st/jj/adp British Prime Minister Boris Johnson shakes hands with U.S. President Donald Trump onstage during the annual NATO heads of government summit on December 4, 2019. Steve Parsons-WPA Pool | Getty Images LONDON As the U.K. enters its fourth round of trade talks with the U.S. this week, Washington will be looking to push its own regulatory standards on the country, and drive it away from EU's, an international trade policy expert has told CNBC. Negotiators meet at a pivotal point in the U.K.'s path to establishing its post-Brexit trading relationship with the European Union. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's government has proposed an Internal Market Bill which will see it breach international law by violating Britain's Withdrawal Agreement with the bloc. The controversial legislation has led to divisions between the U.K. and Europe, and could provide an opportunity for the U.S. to push its own agenda. Brian Pomper, international trade expert, lobbyist and partner at Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, said the overarching aim for the U.S. will be to pull the U.K. closer to its own regulatory worldview. "To that end, a lot of the U.S. priorities go beyond just getting market access into the U.K., but rather are about setting a standard on issues where both countries are already high level, like on intellectual property, digital trade, and financial services. Ideally, the United States could then use this FTA model to pressure the EU," Pomper told CNBC via email on Friday. Brexit and the Northern Ireland dispute In the context of concurrent Brexit tensions, the U.K. could find itself in the center of a tug of war, with the EU and the U.S. both trying to pull it closer to their respective orbit on regulatory policy. Pomper suggested that far from merely being a pawn here, the U.K. is "smartly using that as leverage in negotiating with the United States." "On the other hand, the fact of Brexit means the U.K. really wants a deal (with the U.S.). A key question for the United States is going to be how much regulatory flexibility the U.K. provides itself," he said. "The U.K.'s actions vis-a-vis customs checks on the Irish border also could have a very adverse effect on U.S. congressional consideration of the implementing bill." House Democrats have voiced staunch opposition to the Internal Market Bill's changes to the Northern Ireland Protocol, an aspect of the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement designed to prevent a hard border in Ireland. As well as broad regulatory alignment, the U.S. will be seeking key concessions on digital taxes against American firms, food standards and agriculture, all of which Pomper suggested have bipartisan support in Congress. Core demands In February 2019, the Office of the United States Trade Representative set out some of the White House's priorities ahead of talks. These included wider market access for remanufactured goods, comprehensive market access for U.S. agricultural goods and full market access for U.S. pharmaceutical products, among others. The British government has long insisted that its National Health Services is "not on the table" in discussions, not least because of how deeply unpopular such a move would be domestically. Johnson will also face staunch opposition on food standards, as evidenced in the British outcry over chlorinated chicken. "I expect that the U.K. will ultimately 'deal' on digital services taxes and try to trade it off for certain of its priorities," Pomper suggested. "I think that food standards and agriculture more generally could be a true sticking point." Election crossroads L.A. City Council candidate Grace Yoo, center, seated with her opponent, Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, left, says ethics commissioners should not be selected by politicians. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) As candidates face off this fall for two seats on the Los Angeles City Council, a debate has entered both campaigns: What's the best way to root out corruption at City Hall? Federal investigators have alleged that real estate developers bribed city officials in exchange for help with their projects. The probe has cemented long-standing suspicions for many about pay-to-play practices at City Hall and spurred the candidates in the Nov. 3 election to offer new proposals for tackling corruption. Behind those proposals lie some thorny questions: Should L.A. take big, bold strokes, like expanding the size of the City Council? Should it reform the institutions it already has, like the Ethics Commission, created decades ago as an in-house watchdog? And can any reform really stop someone bent on breaking the law? The issue has taken on added urgency in recent months, with authorities arresting Councilman Jose Huizar and securing a guilty plea from former Councilman Mitchell Englander. The probe is ongoing. Councilman David Ryu, who is fighting to keep his seat in a district stretching from Silver Lake to Sherman Oaks, has called for a new office of anti-corruption an inspector general to watch over the city's planning and development decisions. He wants to scale back the power of council members to override decisions by planning commissioners. And he is pushing to prevent council members from voting on issues involving their own campaign contributors. "It's unfortunate that it had to take FBI probes and investigations and arrests to get this far," said Ryu, who is running for his second term. The corruption probe, he added, is giving the city "a real opportunity for change." Councilman David Ryu, seen here in 2015 when he was sworn in, is fighting to keep his seat representing a district that stretches from Sherman Oaks to Silver Lake. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) Ryu says his record on reform makes him the best positioned to fight corruption. In December, after years of delays, he prodded his colleagues to grudgingly pass restrictions on political donations from developers, who are among the biggest contributors to city politicians. Story continues His opponent, former nonprofit executive Nithya Raman, contends that Ryu has not been effective at pushing through more meaningful proposals to fight corruption, including one that would prohibit any contributor that is not a human being such as corporations, labor unions and other groups from making donations to candidates for mayor, council and other city offices. Ryu has failed to mobilize the public to pressure his colleagues to enact such changes, she argued. "When he cites his record on these issues, he's often citing a record of failure," Raman said, arguing that the restrictions on developer donations passed by the council were "riddled with loopholes." Ryu argued that criticism of his efforts was a sign of progress. When he first called for fundraising restrictions, "people laughed and said that it was impossible," he said. Going from that to "'it doesn't go far enough' is a tremendous step forward," Ryu said. Both Raman and Ryu want taxpayers to fully finance the campaigns of eligible city candidates, a proposal that has previously stalled at City Hall. And Raman, like Ryu, has pledged not to accept donations from real estate developers. Los Angeles City Council candidate Nithya Raman is seeking to unseat Councilman David Ryu. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) But Raman has also sworn off donations from corporations and other groups and said Ryu isn't "walking the walk" by doing the same. Raman has also criticized Ryu's proposal to create a new anti-corruption office, arguing that Los Angeles already has an Ethics Commission with a similar mission but city leaders have failed to fund it properly. "L.A. is notorious for offices not talking to each other and not functioning well," she said. "There's a danger of a proliferation of departments tasked with the same outcome." Those concerns are shared by attorney Grace Yoo, who is running to replace Councilman Herb Wesson in a district that stretches from Koreatown to the Crenshaw Corridor. Yoo, who unveiled an anti-corruption platform in July, argues that an inspector general's office for planning decisions would simply create more bureaucracy. A better strategy, Yoo said, is to give the agencies charged with finding fraud and corruption the Ethics Commission and the City Controller's office the funding and independence they need. Yoo, who is waging an underdog campaign against County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, said that for decades, the mayor and City Council have controlled how much money goes to those agencies, leaving them at the mercy of those politicians. To make each office truly autonomous, voters should establish minimum funding levels for those offices that the mayor and council cannot cut, she said. Yoo, who ran unsuccessfully for the seat in 2015, said the mayor and other L.A. city politicians should no longer have the power to choose the people who sit on the five-member Ethics Commission. The job of selecting those commissioners should be assigned to a panel of retired judges, she said. L.A. City Hall has allowed the fox to watch the hen house, Yoo said in a statement. Thats why weve had two councilmen arrested in the last six months, after years of corrupt and illegal acts." L.A. County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas attends a candidate forum in January 2020. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) Ridley-Thomas, who is looking to return to the council after nearly 20 years, is also calling for changes at the Ethics Commission, saying the agency should have its own independent lawyer and the power to send reform proposals directly to the ballot. Under the current system, any ballot measure proposed by the commission cannot be sent to voters without the council's sign-off. "Providing this power to the commission would reduce potential political influence so that those making the decisions at City Hall are not the ones also creating the rules," he said in an email. Ridley-Thomas, who has spent nearly three decades in city, county and state offices, also supports Ryu's idea of a new anti-corruption office. But he cautioned that it needs "serious staffing, independence, broad authority, and the ability to trigger prosecutions." One reason that previous reforms have failed to root out the kind of corruption outlined in the ongoing federal probe, he said, is that laws were "irrelevant" to public officials who attempted to profit from their positions. "What we need to do is increase the risk of getting caught," he said. Another idea that has gained attention among candidates and watchdog groups is expanding the council. Rob Quan, an organizer with the advocacy group Unrig LA, argued that smaller council districts would lead to more competitive elections, which he described as the city's "best check against corruption. Ryu supports increasing the size of the council from 15 members to at least 25, while Raman wants the council to have at least 30 members. Yoo said she would favor such a move if the council's costs remained the same and it resulted in better representation. But Ridley-Thomas has been deeply skeptical, saying voters aren't interested in having more politicians. LOS ANGELES, Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Broadvoice today announced it has launched Broadvoice B-hive for Salesforce on Salesforce AppExchange, providing new ways to deliver a more personalized experience to customers by connecting B-hive's cloud communications, collaboration and call center tools with Salesforce customer databases and workflows. Broadvoice B-hive for Salesforce empowers small and medium businesses (SMBs) to more effectively manage and communicate with their customers on the Salesforce platform. Built on the Salesforce Platform, Broadvoice B-hive for Salesforce is currently available on the Salesforce AppExchange. Broadvoice B-hive for Salesforce Available with Broadvoice B-hive Pro Seats, the app supports a range of Salesforce subscriptions, including Professional, Enterprise, Unlimited and Performance plans. Key feature benefits include: Streamlining the customer experience with inbound record matching, triggering screen pops with key customer information Monitoring customer interactions with automated call recordings Speeding up data entry with new record creation on demand Connecting with customers more quickly and dependably with click to call Improving efficiency with automated call logging Comments on the News "With our new Salesforce integration, Broadvoice is building on its promise to provide SMBs with enterprise-class cloud communications," said George Mitsopoulos , Chief Product Officer at Broadvoice. "SMBs now can leverage many of the capabilities that big brands use to streamline and improve customer experience with B-hive for Salesforce." , Chief Product Officer at Broadvoice. "SMBs now can leverage many of the capabilities that big brands use to streamline and improve customer experience with B-hive for Salesforce." "The ability to log calls inbound and outbound is really great," said Broadvoice customer Josh Pratt , Vice President of Technology for Veritas Funding. , Vice President of Technology for Veritas Funding. "We are excited that Broadvoice is innovating on AppExchange as they give businesses access to communications and call center features directly in Salesforce," said Woodson Martin , General Manager of Salesforce AppExchange. "AppExchange is constantly evolving to meet the needs of our customers, and we love watching our partners evolve alongside us." About Salesforce AppExchange Salesforce AppExchange, the world's leading enterprise cloud marketplace, empowers companies to sell, service, market and engage in entirely new ways. With more than 5,000 solutions, 7.5 million customer installs and 90,000 peer reviews, it is the most comprehensive source of cloud, mobile, social, IoT, analytics and artificial intelligence technologies for businesses. Additional Resources Like Salesforce on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/salesforce Follow Salesforce on Twitter: https://twitter.com/salesforce Become a fan of Broadvoice: https://www.facebook.com/Broadvoice/ Follow Broadvoice on Twitter: https://twitter.com/broadvoice Salesforce, AppExchange and others are among the trademarks of salesforce.com, inc. About Broadvoice Broadvoice simplifies communications for small and medium businesses (SMBs) by combining powerful cloud PBX, UC and collaboration features with virtual call center in one award-winning Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) platform that delivers enterprise-class features at affordable rates. The platform is connected to Broadvoice's secure, redundant network and hosting infrastructure, enabling SMBs to connect with customers securely anytime, anywhere and with any device. Broadvoice is ranked in the Deloitte Technology Fast 500 and Inc. 500 Fastest-Growing Private Companies in America. Media Contact: Jacob Burridge Media Relations Manager Broadvoice 949.205.1103 [email protected] SOURCE Broadvoice Category 2 Hurricane Sally threatens the Gulf Coast with heavy rains, howling winds, and dangerous storm surge from Louisiana to Florida. Hurricane Sally comes after Hurricane Laura brought destruction that left over a third of Louisiana a disaster zone. As per The National Hurricane Center, the upcoming hurricane might bring life-threatening storm surge and strong winds. The Hurricane Center said hurricane warnings are raised from Morgan City, Louisiana, to Navarre, Florida, including New Orleans. Meanwhile, Hurricane Sally is seen to make landfall in southern Mississippi or southern Alabama on Tuesday. The Hurricane Center said it was too early to determine the move on Sally's center Hurricane Sally could bring eight to 16 inches of rain and up to two feet to some areas. Forecasters also said that life-threatening flash flooding is possible. "In addition, this rainfall will likely lead to widespread minor to isolated major flooding on area rivers," forecasters at the Hurricane Center was quoted in a report. Sally is the seventh hurricane of this year's Atlantic hurricane season. Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards said he warned people to prepare for the storm immediately. Louisiana is already sheltering around 13,000 Hurricane Laura evacuees, mostly in New Orleans hotels. Edwards said that New Orleans is better prepared for a hurricane that she's ever been before. He added that he is concerned but not paralyzed by it. After Hurricane Sally makes landfall, it is expected to move slowly over Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida's Panhandle on Tuesday until Wednesday. South Florida took the early effects of Sally's power over the weekend. Nine to 12 inches of rain fell Saturday morning to Sunday morning, which pushed a flood advisory in the Keys. Key West reported a little over nine inches at midnight, which is its fifth-highest daily total. In the Panhandle, weather expert Jack Cullen said that the rain will be the main threat, along with the beaches, which will see lots of large, surface-breaking waves and a high risk of rip currents. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency for Escambia and Santa Rosa counties in Panhandle. Voluntary evacuations were issued for parts of Escambia County, which includes Perdido Key and Pensacola Beach. The Pensacola Bay Center was being opened to shelter evacuees. Santa Rosa and Escambia County schools closed on Monday as preparation for Hurricane Sally. The University of West Florida announced all of its in-person classes are either going fully remote or canceled from Monday noon through Tuesday. Weeks ago, Hurricane Laura left six people dead in Louisiana. Laura was categorized as a Category 4. The state of Texas was also affected by Hurricane Laura, with Orange County being the worst hit. "You saw more rooftops ripped off. You saw more shingles missing. You saw more trees down. You saw big pieces of steel framing wrapped around some trees. You saw some roads that were still inundated, underwater, impassable at this particular time," Texas Gov. Greg Abbott was quoted in a report. Check these out! Air Pollution Contributes to Higher COVID-19 Deaths in Some States La Nina Arrives in the Pacific: What Can Be Its Effects on Hurricanes and Wildfires Oregon Wildfire: Boy With Dog on His Lap Found Dead Inside Car Thousands of asylum seekers spent a night sleeping in the open on the island of Lesbos, after successive fires destroyed a notoriously overcrowded migrant camp. While some men, women and children slept in shelters made from cane sticks, blankets and tents that were saved from the fires, others were not so lucky. Moria - a refugee camp - was built to house around 2,750 people, but it was so crowded that this week's fires left more than 12,000 people in need of emergency shelter on Lesbos in Greece. Scientists are in a race to save one of the world's rarest - and most deadly - amphibians from a devastating 'superfungus' that threatens wildlife across Central and South America. Panamanian golden frogs, whose skin secretes a deadly toxin, have been decimated by chytrid fungus, which causes chytridiomycosis, an infectious disease with symptoms including convulsions, lack of muscle control and loss of appetite. Eventually the victim's skin thickens to the point where it can't absorb nutrients from the environment anymore and it dies. 'It's a pretty dramatic and painful disease,' Angie Estrada, a biologist at Virginia Tech University, told Agency France-Presse. 'Anywhere in the world where there are amphibians, the fungus is already there.' Scroll down for video Only about 1,500 Panamanian golden frogs are believed to exist, all in zoos and research centers. They've all but been killed off in the wild by chytridiomycosis, a disease caused by a waterborne fungus. Smithsonian conservationists are trying to breed them in captivity to keep the species from extinction Chytridiomycosis has been tied to the decline of 30 percent of amphibian species worldwide. Outbreaks were reported in Central America in 1987 but the disease has also appeared in Australia, Asia, Europe, and the United States. For years scientists weren't sure if the waterborne fungus - known scientifically as Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) - was introduced or grew naturally around the world. After analyzing the genomes from hundreds of samples, an international team concluded in 2018 that the fungus likely emerged from Korea in the 1950s and was spread by humans during in the Korean War. The golden frog is native to the cloud forests of west-central Panama. Scientists believe the deadly fungus originated in Korea in the early 20th century and was spread worldwide by humans during the Korean War Epidemiologist Matthew Fisher of Imperial College London, who co-authored the report in the journal Science, said culturing Bd in the lab was 'fantastically difficult.' 'We'd go to the French Guiana rainforest and spend a couple of weeks crawling through the undergrowth catching poison dart frogs and taking biopsies, and in that particular trip I think we sampled 450 animals and got three isolates of the fungus,' Fisher told The Scientist. Chytridiomycosis was first recognized in Panama in the early 1990s and has devastated native wildlife, even non-amphibians, ever since. Deforestation and pollution have only worsened the situation. The International Union for Conservation of Nature lists the golden frog as 'critically endangered.' The tiny toad - which only grows to about 2.5 inches - traditionally lives in the streams along the cloud forests of west-central Panama. But it hasn't been seen in its natural habitat since 2009 - only 1,500 currently live in captivity. A pair of Panamanian golden frogs mating in the wild in 2009. According to the National Zoo in DC, one frog has enough poison in its skin to kill 1,200 mice. It's bright yellow skin is intended to warn off potential predators According to the National Zoo in DC, one frog has enough poison in its skin to kill 1,200 mice. It's bright yellow skin is intended to warn potential predators of its toxicity. Currently there's no effective treatment for chytridiomycosis, though conservationists are investigating why some species, like bullfrogs, haven't declined after being exposed to Bd. For now they're focusing on captive breeding programs to keep the golden frog extant. The Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute outside Panama City maintains nearly 2,000 specimens from 12 frog species. 'The idea is not to keep these animals in captivity forever,' STRI scientist Roberto Ibanez told AFP. 'We want to be able to reestablish populations in their natural habitat.' Chennai, Sep 15 : The National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) - the entrance exam for medical colleges - generated heated debate in the Tamil Nadu Assembly on Tuesday. Chief Minister K. Palaniswami replying to a Special Call Attention motion said NEET was brought by the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government in which DMK was a partner. Palaniswami said it was late Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa who had moved the apex court to get NEET cancelled. But it was the UPA government which brought it back. He also said it was the DMK which is responsible for the death of 13 medical college aspirants in the state. Members of Congress objected when AIADMK lawmaker Inbadurai said it was advocate Nalini Chidambaram, wife of former Finance Minister P. Chidambaram, who had argued in favour of NEET in the court. Inbadurai also said DMK was part of UPA when NEET was introduced. Palaniswami said it was not wrong information. Congress members demanded the Speaker expunge Inbadurai's remarks which the latter refused. With the Congress lawmakers continuing to disrupt proceedings, Speaker P. Dhanapal ordered the marshals to evict them. On his part DMK President and Leader of the Opposition M.K. Stalin, speaking on the motion, said NEET was not there in the state till late M. Karunanidhi was Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. Stalin said the central government was silent on the two resolutions unanimously passed by the Assembly to exempt Tamil Nadu from NEET. Stalin assured of DMK's support for the government to take necessary action so that admissions of medical colleges are made based on the marks secured by the students in their plus two exams. He also urged the state government to pass a resolution condemning the central government for not scrapping NEET and not respecting the students' sentiments. President Donald Trump claimed that he is "delivered for Hispanic Americans more than any other President." At the event with Latino supporters in Nevada, President Trump claims his importance to the Hispanic Americans. Trump and Democrat Joe Biden intensify efforts to court the Latino voters, which is the critical voting bloc. According to Bloomberg, Trump warned of Mexican "rapists" and "criminals" in a Sunday roundtable at the Treasure Island casino in Las Vegas. The event includes attendees who defended Trump against racist suggestions that dogged the Republican President since his 2016 campaign. Trump praised Latin Americans and said that they have strong business acumen, as per MSN. He said that from his personal experience, Latino people are excellent businessmen and women. Later in the evening, President Trump declared at a rally in Henderson, Nevada: "I love the Hispanics," and he's fighting for issues Hispanic voters care about, including lower taxes and school choice. President Trump and the former Vice President, Joe Biden sought the backing of Latino voters. They knew the voters' group as a crucial and growing portion of the electorate in swing states such as Nevada, Arizona, Florida, Texas, and elsewhere. During the Democratic primary season, Trump's challenger Biden struggled to attract Latino voters. With Senator Bernie Sanders, an influential Democrat, the party was alarmed about their needs for greater outreach to Latinos. Latinos praised Trump The roundtable participants, including a fourth-generation Mexican American, David Mendez, praised Trump for speaking without "filters." Mendez said that he believes everything President Trump was doing was "perfect," but Mendez hoped that Trump would consider helping so-called Dreamers who came to the country illegally as children. A member of the Las Vegas City Council, Victoria Seaman, also praised Trump for his support for the law enforcement and said that she would work against any efforts to defund the police department in Las Vegas. Meanwhile, Jesus Marquez, a Republican political consultant, expressed concern that Joe Biden may end funding for charter schools like the one Marquez's daughter attends. Marquez said, "She loves her school, we love her school, and it is vital we save our schools and neighborhoods." On the other hand, the Biden campaign released new Spanish-language ads in Florida on Saturday. The ads criticize President Trump's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In Arizona, Bidens, vice presidential nominee Kama Harris held a virtual roundtable with Latino voters. On Sunday, the former Democratic presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg pledged $100 million of spending in Florida to help Biden. The donation is mainly for better communication of Biden with Hispanic voters. For the "Hispanic Heritage Month" event and a veterans roundtable, Biden's campaign announced on late Sunday that Biden would travel to Florida on Tuesday According to the Pew Research Center, there are 3.1 million eligible Latino voters in Florida and 1.2 million Latino voters in Arizona, nearly a quarter of the state's voting population. President Trump predicted that he would win the demographic as he depicted Biden as influenced by his party's left-wing. The President advocates policies reminiscent of repressive regimes such as those in Cuba and Venezuela. Trump also said that his policies are pushing for constructing a more expansive wall that would benefit him with those who immigrated to the U.S. legally. "Hispanics like tough people," Trump said. "They like people who are going to produce jobs. They like, and by the way, the Hispanics understand the border better than anybody else." Check these out: COVID-19 Response: Trump Defends His Earlier Comments US Army Veteran Claims He Was Used in Anti-Trump Propaganda by Democrats Stimulus Checks: Trump Urges Democrats to Release $300 Billion Unspent COVID-19 Relief Money to Americans The man who died at the weekend following an alleged one-punch attack was Jason Kearney from Dundalk. Mr Kearney died in hospital on Saturday, 10 days after he was allegedly assaulted in a one-punch attack. The father-of-four, who was originally from Coxs Demesne in the town, sustained severe head injuries when he was confronted by a man at Seville Place in Dublin's north inner city at 2.50am on Wednesday September 2. The 49-year-old local man was rushed to the Mater Hospital following the alleged attack, where he was pronounced dead on Saturday morning. Mr Kearney is predeceased by his father Hubert (Boo) and his brother John. He is survived by his heartbroken mother Attracta, daughter Nadene, sons Jake, Dillen, Brodie, grandchildren Evie, Nancy, brothers Fra and Dean, sisters Lorriaine, Julie, Michelle and Smantha. He passed away peacefully, surrounded by his loving family, at the Mater Hospital Dublin on Saturday, according to website rip.ie. Gardai investigating the alleged assault believe he may have been injured by someone who mistook the victim for a burglar. The man in a house in Dublin was awoken by noise in the early hours of Wednesday September 2 and suspected a burglary. Mr Kearney received a blow to the head, fell and hit his head on the ground. The householder called emergency services and subsequently presented himself to the gardai for interview. Gardai said they are investigating all the circumstances surrounding the incident. They have not made any arrests but are following a definite line of inquiry. A post-mortem examination was carried out, but the results have not been released for operational reasons. Gardai have appealed to anyone with information to contact Store Street Garda Station on 01-6668000, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111 or any garda station. First Lady Mrs Rebecca Akufo-Addo has been appointed as a principal Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET) Ambassador, charged with the responsibility of promoting the preference of TVET among Ghanaian youth. The First Lady would be supported in her ambassadorial work by Ghanaian media personalities, Kwami Sefa Kayi, a broadcast journalist, and Ms Belinda Addardey, popularly known as Bella Mundi. Other personalities include Kwame Nsiah-Apau popularly known as Okyeame Kwame, a musician, songwriter, creative director and entrepreneur, Ms Martha Ankoma, a film actress, Ms Rebecca Donkor, Founder and Chief Executive O of Makeup Ghana, and Mr Daniel McKorley, a Ghanaian business magnate and founder and Chief Executive Officer of McDan Group of Companies. The First Lady, together with the other TVET Ambassadors, are expected to hold various activities within their various platforms to change the negative perception about TVET and to help increase enrolment in Technical and Vocational Institutions. They are also, expected to inspire world-class excellence in skills development and introduce the youth to a variety of skilled careers. At a short ceremony to outdoor the Ambassadors in Accra, Mrs. Akufo-Addo lauded the initiative, saying, apart from the fact that technical and vocational education is the heart of every nations development, it had always served as a conduit for many to unearth and develop their God-given skills, which they subsequently applied, to make a living. She, therefore, expressed her readiness to supporting TVET and making the sector attractive for the teeming youth. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video By Ayya Lmahamad Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan have discussed the prospects of cooperation in all directions of oil and gas industry. The discussing took place during the meeting of SOCAR President Rovnag Abdullayev with the Chairman of the national company of Kazakhstan KazMunayGas Alik Aidarbayev. During the meeting, prospects of wide cooperation between the companies were discussed, including possibilities of joint study of geological and geophysical materials for geological exploration in the Caspian Sea and exploration of hydrocarbons. It should be noted that SOCAR is carrying out modernization works on Satti floating drilling rig owned by KazMunayGas. In addition, drilling will be carried out in the Azerbaijani sector of the Caspian Sea using the Satti floating drilling rig. The facility will be operated by SOCAR. The State Oil Company of the Azerbaijan Republic is involved in exploring oil and gas fields, producing, processing, and transporting oil, gas, and gas condensate, marketing petroleum and petrochemical products in domestic and international markets, and supplying natural gas to industry and the public in Azerbaijan. The company owns two refineries in Azerbaijan, one in Turkey, as well as networks of petrol stations in Azerbaijan, Turkey, Georgia, Romania and Switzerland. The National Company "KazMunayGas" is a national operator representing the interests of the state of Kazakhstan in the oil and gas industry, engaged in exploration, production, processing and transportation of hydrocarbons. The company was established in 2002 and includes over 190 organizations. -- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz OTTAWA - The threat of a federal election seems to be easing as the Liberal government prepares for a return to Parliament next week amid concerns Canada could already be heading into a dreaded second wave of the novel coronavirus. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 15/9/2020 (493 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks with the media before the first day of a Liberal cabinet retreat in Ottawa, Monday September 14, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld OTTAWA - The threat of a federal election seems to be easing as the Liberal government prepares for a return to Parliament next week amid concerns Canada could already be heading into a dreaded second wave of the novel coronavirus. Fears of a COVID-19 resurgence hung over a cabinet retreat Tuesday as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his ministers met behind closed doors for a second straight day to plot a path through and eventually beyond the pandemic. Yet politics were also heavy in the air as talk moved to the return of Parliament with a throne speech on Sept. 23 that Trudeau had previously suggested would lay out a bold plan for rebuilding Canada's economy. The government now says it will largely focus on containing the effect of the illness. There had been questions in the past few weeks about whether the throne speech would serve as the catalyst for a fall election, as the minority Liberal government would need the support of at least one opposition party to survive a confidence vote in the House of Commons. There was also speculation the Liberals wanted an election, and were planning to use the throne speech as an excuse for launching a campaign in the hopes of winning a majority government. Such talk was emboldened by Monday's election results in New Brunswick, where the Progressive Conservatives under Blaine Higgs went from a minority to a majority government by riding a wave of support for its handling of the COVID-19 crisis. NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh appeared to take the wind out of federal election speculation on Tuesday, suggesting his party would hold its nose and give the government a pass on the throne speech and then hold the Liberals to account on the budget or future legislation. "We can't rule out that we could continue to see these numbers rise across the country. And that is the real risk of COVID19." Health Minister Patty Hajdu What they say in the throne speech really doesnt have that much impact. It doesnt really matter when it comes down to it because theyve said a lot of things in the last throne speech that they havent followed through on, Singh said. I want to see implementation, perhaps in the budget. The budget bill might be a way for us to really gauge if the government is serious about following through. The throne speech is expected to include some commitments that would align with NDP priorities, such as on child care. This increases the likelihood, although does not guarantee, that Singh's party will find a way to support it. Singh added he is scheduled to speak to Trudeau by telephone later this week, in which the NDP leader planned to push the government not to reduce the $2,000-per-month Canada Emergency Response Benefit. Trudeau is also scheduled to speak to Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole, Bloc Quebecois Leader Yves-Francois Blanchet and Green party Leader Elizabeth May about the throne speech later this week, according to the Prime Minister's Office. The theme of congeniality emerged as fears of a second wave of COVID-19 were heightened after another increase in the number of positive cases in Canada. That continues a troubling trend in recent weeks that has hijacked the Liberals' talk of setting a bold new post-pandemic course for Canada. Health Minister Patty Hajdu was unable to say Tuesday whether the trend is a temporary blip or a cause for larger concerns, saying: "It's hard to speculate because we still have time to actually keep these numbers under control if we all work together as governments and as individuals. "But listen, we can't rule that out. We can't rule out that we could continue to see these numbers rise across the country. And that is the real risk of COVID-19." The threat posed by COVID-19 was underscored on Monday when the Bloc Quebecois announced that Blanchet and the rest of his caucus were self-isolating after a staff member tested positive for the illness. The positive test came after an in-person caucus meeting. The Bloc's experience focused attention on the pending return of Parliament next week, including the question of how many members of Parliament would be allowed to sit in the House of Commons and how voting will be conducted. The Conservatives remain opposed to allowing electronic voting, insisting there are safe ways to allow all 338 MPs to vote on motions and bills. But the Liberals, NDP and Bloc support having only a small number of MPs in the chamber, with most participating virtually, including voting remotely. Government House leader Pablo Rodriguez on Tuesday suggested the hybrid model was the only answer to ensure all MPs have their voices heard in the House while remaining safe. Heritage Minister Steven Guilbeault urged the Conservatives to agree to such a measure. "We believe that the return of the House should continue on the basis of the hybrid model that we have so that there's not 338 people packed into a very small room where we could really contaminate each other," Guilbeault said. "And I really hope the Conservative party will come around and understand that safety is a very important thing for Canadians." The throne speech is expected to include three main priorities: measures needed to protect Canadians' health and avoid another national lockdown; economic supports needed to help keep Canadians financially afloat while the pandemic continues; and longer-term measures to eventually rebuild the economy. In particular, it is expected to promise more funding for health care, including long-term care homes, which have borne the brunt of the more than 9,000 deaths from COVID-19 in Canada. It is also expected to promise money for child care so that parents especially women, hardest hit by the shutdown can go back to work. Details on the longer-term recovery measures won't be revealed until an economic statement later in the fall. The COVID-19 resurgence has forced the government to focus on the immediate challenge it poses, pushing its previous priority the climate change crisis to the sidelines. "Sure, we're concerned about climate change, but I'm a mother, I'm concerned about my kids going to school, I'm concerned about the numbers that I'm seeing in Ottawa and across Canada that are going up," said Infrastructure Minister Catherine McKenna, who previously held the environment post. Still, she argued that the government can do more than one thing at a time. "When the pandemic is over, and we will get through this, we still have another crisis. It's called climate change," McKenna said. "We have to tackle climate change." Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Emergency aid to help Canadians weather the pandemic has already pushed the federal deficit for this year up to an unheard-of $343 billion. With the government operating on the assumption that the pandemic will continue to plague the globe for at least two more years, unprecedented amounts of red ink seem destined to continue flowing. Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland said she's "well aware" some people are concerned about the amount of debt the government is piling up. But she defended it, arguing "the best thing we can do for our economy is to keep coronavirus under control. I can't emphasize that too much." She pointed out that 1.8 million Canadians are still unemployed or under-employed as a result of the pandemic and said the government is committed to getting them all back to work. That said, Freeland said the government understands "the value of wise and prudent fiscal management." She added that she has been talking "a lot" to Paul Martin, the former Liberal prime minister who tamed the federal deficit when he was finance minister in the 1990s. Sept. 15, 2020. PARIS (Reuters) - France's independent analysis has concluded that Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny was poisoned with the Soviet-style nerve agent Novichok in an attempted assassination, the presidency said on Monday. "The president expressed his deep concern over the criminal act perpetrated against Alexei Navalany and the imperative that all light be shed, without delay, on the circumstances and responsibilities of this attempted assassination," Emmanuel Macron's office said in a statement after holding a telephone call with President Vladimir Putin. Germany said earlier that laboratories in Sweden and France had independently corroborated German results from earlier this month. Neither Macron or his office had made any statement on the findings until now, although his foreign and defence ministers postponed a planned joint meeting with their Russian counterparts which had been scheduled for today. "He (Macron) expressed his full solidarity with Germany on the steps to be taken and the consequences to be drawn from the situation," the presidency said. "Clarification is needed from Russia in the context of a credible and transparent investigation." Macron has tried to reduce distrust between Russia and the West, hoping to enlist Russian help in solving the worlds most intractable crises. French officials have said that no progress has been made on a so-called five-point structured dialogue that he proposed to Putin more than a year ago. (Reporting by John Irish and Michel Rose; Editing by Kevin Liffey and Toby Chopra) TORONTO, Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Epilogue , an innovative digital estate planning platform, has recently launched its affiliate program in partnership with Fintel Connect . Epilogue is on a mission to make estate planning accessible and cost-effective for all Canadians. The company's platform offers a fast, simple, and affordable solution for Canadians to create a basic Will and Powers of Attorney online. The solution is currently available to Canadians in Ontario and Alberta, with plans to expand to British Columbia this fall and more broadly by the end of 2020. Fintel Connect Epilogue Will creation is a key part of a Canadian's financial journey that is often overlooked. In partnering with Fintel Connect, Epilogue will be able to reach Canadians across the country and help educate them on the importance of creating a Will. "We are pleased to partner with Fintel Connect to help expand our message and inform Canadians of an easier way to approach Will-making," states Daniel Goldgut, Co-Founder and CEO of Epilogue. "Fintel Connect provides us the opportunity to scale our affiliate marketing efforts and partner with targeted influencers in the space that can help share our story." The Fintel Connect and Epilogue partnership also brings the opportunity to promote a new product set for publishers in the Fintel Connect Network. Epilogue is the first product of its kind to join Fintel Connect's growing network of fintech, banking, and insurance brands. CEO of Fintel Connect, Nicky Senyard, remarks, "Fintel Connect is on a mission to help innovative brands in the financial services space grow their reach in a targeted, cost-effective way. We're thrilled to partner with Epilogue and help their important message reach more Canadians." Epilogue's affiliate program covers all product purchases on the Epilogue website, which includes single and couple's Wills and single and couple's Wills and Powers of Attorney. The team at Epilogue welcomes new publishers to join now . About Epilogue Epilogue was founded by two experienced estate planning lawyers as an alternative for Canadians who require a basic Will and Powers of Attorney. Epilogue is a straightforward, fast, and affordable way to make a legal Will and Powers of Attorney online. By answering a series of simple questions, anyone can create a legally binding will within 20-minutes without leaving their home or having to visit a lawyer's office. Epilogue is currently available to all Ontario and Alberta residents with plans to launch in B.C. in Fall of 2020, with additional provinces to follow by the end of 2020. About Fintel Connect Fintel Connect is an innovative performance marketing company committed to serving the financial services and fintech space. Based in Vancouver, Canada, the team at Fintel Connect guide a wide range of tier one banks, community banks and financial technology companies through its vast network of publishers and fully scalable tracking and reporting technology. If you are Press and would like to connect, please contact Julia Wild, Director of Business Development, at [email protected] , 206-809-1349 For merchants who would like more information, visit https://fintelconnect.com/merchants. For publishers who would like to join our network, visit https://fintelconnect.com/publishers SOURCE Fintel Connect Related Links https://www.fintelconnect.com/ The Justice Department has launched a probe into Roger Stone's sentencing after a prosecutor claimed his office came under 'heavy pressure form the highest levels of the department' to ease the Trump ally's jail term. 'We welcome the review,' Justice Department spokeswoman Kerri Kupec said today. The long-time friend of the president, 67, was convicted of obstruction, witness tampering and lying to Congress during its investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. The DoJ's review comes after Aaron Zelinsky, a career prosecutor, told lawmakers during a congressional hearing in June that his office was 'receiving heavy pressure from the highest levels of the Department of Justice to cut Stone a break, and that the U.S. Attorney's sentencing instructions to us were based on political considerations.' Roger Stone preaching at Global Vision Bible Church Global Vision Bible Church, Nashville last month President Donald Trump commuted Stone's sentence in July and proclaimed that his long-time friend had been targeted by an 'illegal witch hunt' (pictured: Trump acknowledges the crowd after participating in a Latinos for Trump Coalition roundtable on Monday in Phoenix) 'Roger Stone was being treated differently from every other defendant. He received breaks that are, in my experience, unheard of,' Zelinsky told the House Judiciary Committee during his testimony. He and three other prosecutors withdrew from the case after senior department officials filed a new sentencing memo that backed away from the original recommendation of seven to nine years in prison. The lawyers had been recommending a longer jail term as per the policy put forward by Trump's former Attorney General Jeff Sessions in 2017, which requires that prosecutors seek the maximum sentence unless there are significant extenuating factors. In July, Trump commuted Stone's 40 month sentence and proclaimed that Stone had been targeted by 'an illegal witch hunt.' The inspector general's inquiry into Stone's sentencing was reported earlier on Monday by NBC News. According to that report, the review was triggered by Zelinsky's testimony. A spokeswoman for the Justice Department's Office of the Inspector General said she can neither confirm nor deny the existence of an investigation. Giving evidence to the House Judiciary Committee in July, Attorney General Bill Barr (pictured) defended the sentence handed down to Roger Stone Stone did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the news. Giving evidence to the House Judiciary Committee on July 28, Attorney General Bill Barr said that Stone's age made a long sentence unfair because he had not committed a violent crime. Barr told Representatives: 'I agree the president's friends don't deserve special breaks, but they also don't deserve to be treated more harshly than other people.' RUGBY legend Peter Clohessy has been unveiled as an ambassador for a suicide prevention group in the city. The former Munster prop is lending his support to Corbett Suicide Prevention Limerick (CSPL), which provides patrols along the banks of the River Shannon to prevent people from taking their own lives. He becomes the second rugby star to back the charity, with Keith Earls being named as an ambassador two years ago. Mr Clohessy said he first learned of CSPLs work when running his now-closed bar at Howleys Quay. I was proud to be asked. Its an absolutely fabulous cause. We all know suicide has affected a lot of people around the country. The work these guys do is unbelievable, he said. The former Ireland international also urged people who are experiencing mental health problems to speak out, saying: Nobody knows what you are thinking if you keep your feelings to youeself. If you talk to people, you can perhaps take a different path in life. His main goal will be to raise as much money as possible for CSPL. The work these guys do is unbelievable. People walking the rivers may feel down, and if they meet someone to talk to, things can turn out for the better, he explained. Louraine Tomlinson, CSPL, said having someone like the Claw as an ambassador may persuade more people to speak out on their mental health problems. Ireland's acting Chief Medical Officer has called for solidarity in the fight against the coronavirus as Laois features again on the daily Covid-19 pandemic figure which reveals a dramatic spike in the number of new cases and more deaths from the diseases. A statement from the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) confirmed that the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HSPC) has today, September 15, been informed that three people with coronavirus have died. There has now been a total of 1,787 COVID-19 related deaths in Ireland. It was also confirmed that as of midnight Monday, September 14, the HPSC has been notified of 357 confirmed cases of COVID-19. There is now a total of 31,549* confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ireland. Nearly all counties are represented in the list new cases notified today. Dublin continues to dominate with more than 60% of cases but this is the same proportion of the total has in recent days when the total number of cases was smaller. 218 in Dublin, 18 in Louth, 12 in Waterford. 11 in Kildare, 9 in Cork, 8 in Kerry, 8 in Limerick, 8 in Meath, 7 in Westmeath, 6 in Wicklow, 5 in Offaly, 5 in Roscommon, 5 in Mayo, 5 in Tipperary. The remaining 32 cases are located in Carlow, Cavan, Clare, Donegal, Galway, Kilkenny, Laois, Leitrim, Monaghan, Sligo and Wexford. Other features: 185 are men / 172 are women 63% are under 45 years of age 38% are confirmed to be associated with outbreaks or are close contacts of a confirmed case 60 cases have been identified as community transmission Dr. Ronan Glynn, Acting Chief Medical Officer, Department of Health, said; In the first half of 2020, Ireland responded swiftly to a new and unpredictable pandemic. Our collective response suppressed the curve, saved lives and put us on a solid foundation to deal with COVID-19 going forward. Now, we must focus on our response to the pandemic in the medium term. Today, the Government launched a 5-Level framework," he said. He outlined three core messages at the framework's heart. 1. Simple measures taken by everyone are our best defence against COVID-19. 2. No single measure will work in isolation, what matters is combination prevention. 3. Continued cooperation and solidarity across society remains central to our response. The basic preventions against the spread of COVID-19 remain unchanged; wash your hands regularly, physically distance from others including friends and family, wear a face covering, know the symptoms and what to do if you experience them, he said. Detailed county by county figures for new Covid-19 cases are published two days after the daily briefing. Data measured at midnight on Sunday 13 September shows that Laois is showing had more new cases of Covid-19 than all the counties it borders except Kildare which has a much bigger population. Laois 420 - up 4. Offaly 668 - no change. Kildare 2384 up 9. Kilkennny 429 - up 1. Carlow 259 - up 1. Tipperary 743 - up 2. Dublin - 14665 - up 109. The HSE is working to identify any contacts the patients may have had to provide them with information and advice to prevent further spread. The COVID-19 Dashboard provides up-to-date information on the key indicators of COVID-19 in the community. *Validation of data at the HPSC has resulted in the denotification of 2 confirmed cases. The figure of 31,549 confirmed cases reflects this. Outdoor sporting goods retailer REI surprised the real estate world last month when it put its never-been-used headquarters in a Seattle suburb up for sale, a striking example of how the pandemic is reshaping office demand. The property didnt sit around long. On Monday, Facebook Inc. bought it for $368 million, delivering a profit to REI and adding to a trio of buildings the social media giant has already leased nearby. The quick listing and sale highlights the topsy-turvy nature of commercial-property markets six months after COVID-19 forced people to work from home, leaving skyscrapers and office parks vacant from New York to San Francisco. It also shows the wide variation among employers as they weigh their future real estate needs, said Greg Johnson, chief executive officer of Wright Runstad & Co., which developed the headquarters as part of its Spring District in Bellevue. Wright Runstad bought an undeveloped two acres from REI as part of the deal for $22 million. While REI chose to scatter workers across multiple sites, Facebook has said were hiring like crazy and we want to have places for people to sit in close proximity, Johnson said. Everything in between is going on, as well. Facebook Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg projected earlier this year that as much as half his companys employees would work remotely in the next decade, which many real estate investors took as a bearish omen for the industry. But since then, Facebook announced a major lease in New York, a clear sign that it still wants physical offices for employees to gather and collaborate. Johnson remains bullish about office demand, especially in the Seattle area where large, expanding companies like Amazon.com Inc. and Microsoft Corp. are based. Facebook, which first opened a Seattle office in 2010 with three engineers, now has more than 3 million square feet of commercial space in the greater Puget Sound area. There are growing employers in this region and they continue hiring, said Johnson. And, with hiring, that drives demand for residential and office space. Read more about: In a recent article, Reader's Digest said Fredericksburg is one of America's hidden gems. On Sept. 4, the family and lifestyle magazine released a list of small towns in the country readers should visit or move to during the coronavirus pandemic. The Texas Hill Country town was the only Texas city mentioned in the article, which highlighted 25 small towns. READ ALSO: Big Bend campground recently named the best in Texas reopens Tuesday The magazine encouraged its readers to visit the Enchanted Rock Natural State Area while in the Texas town, writing that the park features a dramatic 425-foot pink granite monolith, a wilderness area for hiking, climbing, camping and some of the best stargazing in the state. Additionally, Reader's Digest also noted Fredericksburg as one of the best towns to grab peaches during the summer. Fredericksburg sits at the epicenter of Texas Wine Country with more than 50 wineries and tasting rooms nearby. The town has been called "the prettiest town in Texas" by Southern Living magazine and has received many other accolades, including "The Best Wine Region" in USA Today's 10 Best Readers' Choice Awards. Fredericksburg was founded in 1846 by German immigrants, leaving it filled with rich German history, culture, architecture, and authentic German breweries and restaurants. Priscilla Aguirre is a general assignment reporter for MySA.com | priscilla.aguirre@express-news.net | @CillaAguirre Former Arsenal star, Ian Wright, has urged Manchester United to battle Manchester City for 80m rated Napoli defender, Kalidou Koulibaly. ... Former Arsenal star, Ian Wright, has urged Manchester United to battle Manchester City for 80m rated Napoli defender, Kalidou Koulibaly. Wright said that Man Uniteds current backline is weak. He added that they need to improve their defence, if they are to stand any chance of challenging for this seasons Premier League title, by signing Koulibaly before the transfer window closes next month. We saw with the one signing in [Bruno] Fernandes that it all changed for Manchester United, Wright told Premier League Productions. But for me in the defensive point of view, they are still very weak. We hear [Manchester] City might get Koulibaly, but they have [United] got to be going in there trying to do that, they have got to be trying to do that deal. Aaron Wan-Bissaka is a fantastic defender but [Victor] Lindelof and [Harry] Maguire, and the left side [Luke Shaw] those three are there for the taking. If you are to challenge those teams [Liverpool & Manchester City] they have got to be a lot stronger. it is not strong enough for me at the moment. Man United have made just one signing so far this summer after signing Donny van de Beek from Ajax. Scientists reported that climate change has caused an ice chunk larger than Paris to break off from the only remaining and the largest glacier in Greenland and shatter to pieces. The chunk measured about 42.3 square miles, and according to Greenpeace, this is another warning of the current climate crisis. Researchers from the GEUS or Geological Survey of Denmark & Greenland examined satellite ice shelf images captured for the last 30 years. They say that the rising temperatures are the cause of its disintegration. The chunk came from the Nioghalvfjerds fjord or Nioghalvfjerdsfjorden. READ: What You Need to Know About Shishper's Glacial Lake Outburst Floods Rising Temperatures The average temperature readings in this region already increased by 5.4 F since the year 1980. The highest recorded summer temperatures in this area were taken last 2019 and this year. Laure Meller, the spokesperson of Greenpeace, said that the findings were another alarm of the Arctic's rapid heating. The Nioghalvfjerds Fjord Nioghalvfjerdsfjorden is also called 79N. It measured 50 miles in length and 12 miles in width. Now, it has shattered into small pieces. Jason Box, GEUS professor, is concerned with the apparent progression of the largest remaining Arctic ice shelf's disintegration. 79N's leading-edge split in two and an offshoot went north. The offshoot is known as the Spalte Glacier, which has disintegrated since. READ ALSO: Threat of Mont Blanc Glacier Collapse Causes Red Zone Imposition and Evacuation on Valley Hot Summers Increase Sea Level According to Box, if the coming summers will be as hot as the past two, this will contribute to the rise in global sea levels. Researchers have claimed that the melting of the ice sheet in Greenland has added 0.4 inches to the sea level worldwide from 1992 to 2018. GEUS researcher Dr. Niels Korsgaard says that the reduction or collapse of the ice shelf thins the glaciers and accelerates their destruction. Korsgaard says that Arctic temperatures are increasing more than the average increase worldwide. There is more heat from the ocean and the air that melts the surface and the bottom of the ice shelves, thinning them and making them more vulnerable to disintegration. He adds that they have already seen this in many other areas, including the Zachariae Glacier and Canada's Milne Ice Shelf. Now, he says, Nioghalvfjerdsfjorden is suffering the same fate. Worst Case Scenario According to Copenhagen Danish Meteorological Institute's Ruth Mottram, this year, further loss of the ice sheet occurred again, more than the ice that was added which came from snowfall. According to Mottram, if this melting occurred three decades ago, it would have been considered an extreme phenomenon. In recent years, however, she says they already became used to the rapid melting. She also added that the worst-case predictions made before are now simply considered normal. A New Study Last August, researchers conducted a study that found the loss of ice in Greenland in 2019 was massive enough to cover the entire state of California in water higher than four feet. The research team, which included GE US' Anne Solgaard, used images from satellites to compute the rapidity of the glaciers and ice shelf disintegration. According to Solgaard, they used satellite data spanning three decades. They saw that the melting speeded up in the last decade, wrought by climate change and that the ice chunk that disintegrated from the largest glacier in Greenland was also a part of this. READ NEXT: NASA Satellites Show Two Canadian Arctic Polar Ice Caps Gone as Predicted in 2017 Check out more news and information on Glaciology on Nature World News. John Boyega attends "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker" European Premiere, 2019. (Photo by Samir Hussein/WireImage) John Boyega has stepped down from his role as a global ambassador for perfume brand Jo Malone after the company cut the black actor from the Chinese version of an aftershave advert he helped create. The British star, 28, said Jo Malones decision was wrong, writing on Twitter that while he accepted companies use different representatives around the world, dismissively trading out ones culture this way is not something I can condone. Jo Malone had earlier apologised after removing Boyega, best known for playing Finn in the Star Wars films, from the advert, which has since been removed. Their decision to replace my campaign in China by using my concepts and substituting a local brand ambassador for me, without either my consent or prior notice, was wrong. The film celebrated my personal story showcasing my hometown, including my friends and featuring my family. John Boyega (@JohnBoyega) September 14, 2020 In a statement announcing he was stepping down from his ambassadorial role, Boyega said: Their decision to replace my campaign in China by using my concepts and substituting a local brand ambassador for me, without either my consent or prior notice, was wrong. The film celebrated my personal story showcasing my hometown, including my friends and featuring my family. While many brands understandably use a variety of global and local ambassadors , dismissively trading out ones culture this way is not something I can condone. Read more: John Boyega says he's already 'moved on' from the 'Star Wars' saga The London-born actor added: Its back to back but I assure you this will be dealt with swiftly. I dont have time for nonsense. We press on and strong. Stay blessed people. Its back to back but I assure you this will be dealt with swiftly. I dont have time for nonsense. We press on and strong. Stay blessed people John Boyega (@JohnBoyega) September 14, 2020 The recreated advert had replaced Boyega with Chinese star Liu Haoran. Story continues Boyega has been praised for speaking out in support of the Black Lives Matter movement since it was reinvigorated following the death of George Floyd. In June he stood with protesters in London and delivered an emotional speech in Hyde Park, saying he did not care if speaking out harmed his career. LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM - 2020/08/22: Jo Malone London designer store close to Covent Garden in Central London. (Photo by Keith Mayhew/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images) Figures from across Hollywood were quick to publicly support Boyega, who earlier this month accused Disney of marketing his character in Star Wars as an important figure before pushing him aside. Speaking to British GQ, Boyega said Disney had given more nuance to his co-stars and suggested the company did not know how to treat him as a black actor. Jo Malones parent company Estee Lauder has been contacted for comment. Watch the latest movie star interviews below... The last thing I want to do is to kill sales, but I should warn you: its all about me. Dogs and jars of honey feature quite a lot too. I was all ready to feel betrayed by my friends. Instead Im a little nonplussed. Whats the fuss about? Ive been keeping a diary myself of the last few days (also only loosely based on real events). September 12 Greg and George text me late. Have I seen Ss diary? No I havent. Extracts have appeared on a news website. Its going to be ugly. Dave wont like it, they say. Too much about his lovely family. Oh god, how embarrassing. September 13 Need to find out what S says about my 40th birthday party at Dorneywood. Her account confirms my worst fears. Apparently all my friends had a good time, including H. September 14 Dave texts. WTF!!! I call back. Shes never forgiven you for not putting Hugo in the Cabinet. After all, he was an Etonian and hung out on Polzeath beach with you. Huge error of judgment. Flick through Lady Swires account and two things should strike you. The first is friendship. Yes there was banter and stupid jokes. Find me a workplace in Britain with none of those things. Of course, normally the people you work with arent sneaking off home to write it all down. But there was something else much more important that shines through we liked each other. It wasnt some school or university dining club that brought us together; we met each other in our twenties through a shared belief that the Tory party had to change. From then on we had each others back. Most of us still do. It made for a more rational, collegiate and engaged government than anything weve seen since. A second lesson from the book is this. Friendship didnt tip into cronyism. The author believes that ministers are promoted over her husband because they are Muslim or a Woman. There is another explanation. Perhaps we just thought the likes of Sajid Javid and Justine Greening could do an even better job than Hugo could. Surely the best argument against the charge of chumocracy is that so many chums felt left out? Need to find out what S says about my 40th. Her account confirms my worst fears. All my friends had a good time The diary also tells us that the Cameron government did lots of things that werent very popular. Yes, we knew that at the time when we made the decisions. We raised VAT and cut spending to fix the finances; we shook up education and reformed welfare. The diary is full of grumblings among activists and teeth-sucking backbenchers. But we didnt set out to be Tory crowd-pleasers. We set out to do what we thought was right for the country and then persuade our party and voters with the results. It worked. The entry for 8 May, 2015 reports our re-election, apparently despite the fact our campaign was appalling. You dont have to remind me that it all fell apart after the referendum a year later. Thats because we had forgotten the lessons of friendship and not trying to appease the Tory base. There are same lessons for the Johnson Government in all this. A spirit of friendship wouldnt go amiss in the Cabinet. Instead of the routine briefing of ministerial meetings to put individuals in a bad light, or sniggering when the Speaker ticks a colleague off, how about being a team? A front-bench pecking order determined by whether or not you were in Vote Leave four years ago isnt going to impress today. Leaders dont fear talent; they promote it. Prime Ministers earn respect when they choose between choices rather than try to pick all of them. That means making the compromises required to reach a deal with the EU, not sabre-rattling with the rule of law. It will mean backing the Chancellors tough decisions on the public finances rather than leaving it to successors to sort out the mess. It requires levelling with the public about the long hard road ahead on Covid rather than promising it will all be over by Christmas. Boris Johnson is capable of doing all these things. There will be a diary too someday of this Government. Its being written as we speak. There will be no shortage of prep school jokes and Benny Hill innuendo. That much we already know. The question is whether we will also read of the friendship, meritocracy and tough decision-making recorded in this account of the Cameron years. Narrative being created that pro-CAA protestors were behind Northeast Delhi riots India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, Sep 15: Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) Pramod Singh Kushwaha said that they had found no evidence to suggest that the pro citizenship law protesters were involved in the northeast Delhi riots. Speaking at a webinar organised by the Delhi Police Gazetted Officers Association, he said that when they began the probe, they saw all the sites and found a common pattern that traffic jam was started at all the sites simultaneously. It was the first indicator that there was a conspiracy due to which it all started. "A narrative is being created that pro-CAA/NRC people were involved in it, but it has not come into the investigation yet," he further added. Delhi riots: Charge sheet in 'conspiracy case will be filed by Sept 17, says police chief On Monday, the police got 10 days custody of former JNU student, Umar Khalid in connection with the Northeast Delhi riots case. He was arrested under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. The special cell of the Delhi Police which is probing the case is also looking into the larger conspiracy angle. 53 persons had died in the riots that took place in February. Khalid has been interrogated twice for his alleged role in the riots. He was called in for questioning on Sunday. An officer who did not wish to be named told OneIndia that the police arrested him on Sunday night. Investigation is on and we cannot reveal anything further at this stage, the officer also said. The police had told a court last month that Khalid along with other accused, former AAP councillor, Tahir Hussain and activist Khalid Saifi had hatched a conspiracy to orchestrate the riots just before the visit of US President Donald Trump in February. Recently the Delhi Police had filed two chargesheets against Hussain. The two chargesheets were filed in connection with two separate incidents of violence. The first related to arson and rioting at a parking lot in Chand Bagh, while the second related to arson and robbery at godown in Karawal Nagar. Along with his Hussain, his brother, Shah Alam and 10 others have been charged. Earlier the police had said that Hussain instigated the mob into killing IB staffer, Ankit Sharma as he was trying to pacify the mobs of both sides. It may be recalled that during the riots, Sharma had gone missing on February 25. His body was recovered from a drain in the Chand Bagh the next day. The chargesheet described the killing as cold blooded. It said that there were 51 injuries on Sharma's body and he was brutally killed. Hussain had gathered a mob based on religious sentiments and had also provided to logistic support to the rioters, whom he knew before hand. Citing witnesses, the chargesheet said that Hussain led the mob at Chand Bagh. The witnesses also told the police Hussain was very much present at his house, from where the mob was pelting stones. Hussain also provoked the mob based on religious sentiments and he was urging the mob against the Hindus/Kafirs to kill them, the chargesheet also said. Sharma on the other hand was trying to pacify both sides. However a mob of 25 equipped with rods, knives and stones attacked him. He was attacked after being instigated by Hussain. Sharma was dragged to the Chand Bagh areas and was beaten to death. The mob also inflicted injuries with knives, thus causing his death in a brutal fashion, the chargesheet further said. The chargesheet also said that Hussain had said a month before the riots that something big would happen. Northeast Delhi riots: Cops seeks 10 custody of Umar Khalid Be prepared for something big when Donald Trump visits India, suspended AAP councillor, Tahir Hussain had said at a January meeting, a good one month before the northeast Delhi riots. The chargesheet against Hussain says that on January 8, a month before the riots, the suspended councillor had met with former JNU student, Umar Khalid at Shaheen Bagh, where the anti citizenship law protests were being held. Hussain also met with Khalid Saifi of the United Against Hate at Shaheen Bagh and said that be prepared for something big or riots at the time of Trump's visit to India. During hiss questioning, Hussain said that Saifi had given him money for the preparations. This was given from the account of the companies that he owned and an amount of Rs 1.10 crore was transferred to fake companies in the second week of January. India elected as the member of the United Nations Commission on Status of Women | Oneindia News The amount was later received by him in cash, following a chain of transactions, after which the preparations began, the chargesheet, while citing Hussain's questioning and call records also stated. Delhi riots: Schools of minority children vacated under premeditated conspiracy Hussain is then alleged to have distributed cash among the protestors and he further told his supporters to prepare for the big action. It was during this time that Hussain got wind of the pro-citizenship law protests. He went to the Khajuri Khas police station and got his licensed pistol released. He is alleged to have said that this he did to teach them a lesson. A man has been arrested after a bomb was posted to a home in north London. Counter-terrorism police detained the man, in his 20s, in Cambridge on Saturday morning. He was arrested on suspicion of attempting to cause an explosion, or making or keeping explosives with intent to endanger life or property, the Metropolitan Police said. Armed officers from Cambridgeshire Constabulary's armed response unit were deployed during the arrest "as a precautionary measure". The man is in custody in south London and officers are searching two homes in Cambridge, the Met added. UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 17 January 2022 Bonhams Danny McIlwraith holds a Nigerian polycrome carved wood mask during a photocall for the sale of the Jim Lennon Collection at Bonhams in Edinburgh PA UK news in pictures 16 January 2022 The moon rises above the Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth, Hampshire PA UK news in pictures 15 January 2022 Demonstrators outside Downing Street during a Kill The Bill protest against The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill in London PA UK news in pictures 14 January 2022 Ecologist Emma Smart (left) and retired GP Dr Diana Warner outside HMP Bronzefield, in Surrey, following their release from the prison where Emma undertook a 26-day hunger strike during her incarceration. Ms Smart was sentenced in November, along with other members of Insulate Britain, to serve four months for breaking a High Court injunction by taking part in a blockade at junction 25 of the M25 motorway during the morning rush hour on 8 October last year PA UK news in pictures 13 January 2022 A TV presenter holds a copy of a newspaper outside 10 Downing Streetafter the Prime Minister apologised for attending a gathering of colleagues in the Number Ten garden in May 2020, while the UK was in strict lockdown due to the Coronavirus pandemic Getty UK news in pictures 12 January 2022 Fitness guru Derrick Evans after receiving an MBE during an investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 11 January 2022 A couple walk underneath an umbrella during wet weather on Westminster Bridge in central London PA UK news in pictures 10 January 2022 A jogger passes the Covid Memorial Wall in London AP UK news in pictures 9 January 2021 The sun rises over horses at Seaton Sluice in Northumberland PA UK news in pictures 8 January 2022 Riders compete during the Veterans Men's race at the UK Cyclo-Cross National Championships 2022 in Ardingly, south of London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 7 January 2022 A dog looks out of a car window at the wintry conditions in Killeshin, Co. Laois PA UK news in pictures 6 January 2022 People walk through frost and mist alongside a frozen lake during sunrise in Bushy Park, London REUTERS UK news in pictures 5 January 2022 A skier jumps on the slopes at Allenheads in the Pennines to the north of Weardale in Northumberland PA UK news in pictures 4 January 2022 Freshly-fallen snow covers houses in Corbridge, near Hexham in Northumberland PA UK news in pictures 3 January 2022 Dean Morrison, 13, receives his Covid-19 vaccine from student nurse Anthony McLaughlin during a vaccination clinic at the Glasgow Central Mosque PA UK news in pictures 2 January 2022 Konastantinos Tsimikas of Liverpool with Chelseas Mason Mount during the Premier League match at Stamfrod Bridge Liverpool FC/Getty UK news in pictures 1 January 2022 New Years Eve Lasers, drones and fireworks illuminate the sky in front of the Royal Naval College in Greenwich shortly after midnight in London EPA UK news in pictures 31 December 2021 Competitors in fancy dress run across the Pennine tops near Haworth, West Yorkshire, in the annual Auld Lang Syne Fell race which attracts hundreds of runners every year PA UK news in pictures 30 December 2021 Sunrise at Bamburgh Castle in Northumberland PA UK news in pictures 29 December 2021 The Very Revd Dr Robert Willis, Dean of Canterbury Cathedral, looks at Becket, a six month old red-billed chough as he visits Wildwood Wildlife Park in Kent on the anniversary of the murder of Thomas Becket PA UK news in pictures 28 December 2021 Troops of the Household Cavalry are seen reflected in a puddle during the changing of the Queens Life Guard, on Horse Guards Parade, in central London PA UK news in pictures 27 December 2021 A pedestrian walks past a winter sale sign outside a John Lewis store on Oxford street in London Getty UK news in pictures 26 December 2021 Riders take their bikes through the snow near Castleside, County Durham PA UK news in pictures 25 December 2021 Patrick Corkery wears a santa hat and beard as waves crash over him at Forty Foot near Dublin during a Christmas Day dip PA UK news in pictures 24 December 2021 People stand inside Kings Cross Station on Christmas Eve in London Reuters UK news in pictures 23 December 2021 Christmas shoppers fill the car park at Fosse Shopping Park in Leicester PA UK news in pictures 22 December 2021 The sun rises behind the stones as people gather for the winter solstice at Stonehenge. Getty UK news in pictures 21 December 2021 People take part in a winter solstice swim at Portobello Beach in Edinburgh to mark the solstice and to witness the dawn after the longest night of the year PA UK news in pictures 20 December 2021 An auction employee displays poultry to buyers and sellers attending the Christmas Poultry Sale at York Auction Centre in Murton PA UK news in pictures 19 December 2021 Joao Moutinho of Wolverhampton Wanderers looks on during the Premier League match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Chelsea at Molineux Getty Images UK news in pictures 18 December 2021 Freight lorries queuing at the port of Dover in Kent PA UK news in pictures 17 December 2021 Newly elected Liberal Democrat MP Helen Morgan, bursts 'Boris' bubble' held by colleague Tim Farron, as she celebrates following her victory in the North Shropshire by-election PA UK news in pictures 16 December 2021 Brussels sprouts are harvested by workers as they prepare for the busy Christmas period near Boston in Lincolnshire PA UK news in pictures 15 December 2021 Lewis Hamilton is made a Knight Bachelor by the Prince of Wales at Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 14 December 2021 The Royal Liver Buildings surrounded by early morning fog in Liverpool PA UK news in pictures 13 December 2021 People queue outside a walk-in Covid-19 vaccination centre at St Thomas's Hospital in Westminster Getty Images UK news in pictures 12 December 2021 People take part in the Big Leeds Santa Dash in Roundhay Park, Leeds PA UK news in pictures 11 December 2021 People arrive at a Covid-19 vaccination centre at Elland Road in Leeds, PA UK news in pictures 10 December 2021 Stella Moris speaks to the media after the US Government won its High Court bid to overturn a judges decision not to extradite WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange PA UK news in pictures 9 December 2021 Camels are lead around Salisbury Cathedral during a rehearsal for the Christmas Eve Service PA UK news in pictures 8 December 2021 Margaret Keenan and Nurse May Parsons, a year after Margaret was the first person in the UK to receive the Pfizer vaccine PA UK news in pictures 7 December 2021 Snowfall in Leadhills, South Lanarkshire as Storm Barra hits the UK with disruptive winds, heavy rain and snow PA UK news in pictures 6 December 2021 A person tries to avoid sea spray on New Brighton promenade in Wallasey as the UK readies for the arrival of Storm Barra Getty UK news in pictures 5 December 2021 People release balloons during a tribute to six-year-old Arthur Labinjo-Hughes outside Emma Tustin's former address in Solihull, West Midlands, where he was murdered by his stepmother PA UK news in pictures 4 December 2021 People walk through a Christmas market in Trafalgar Square Reuters UK news in pictures 3 December 2021 A pedestrian carries a dog as they dodge shoppers on Oxford Street in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 2 December 2021 Duchess of Cambridge inspects a Faberge egg at the Victoria and Albert Museum Getty UK news in pictures 1 December 2021 Meerkats at London Zoo with an advent calendar PA UK news in pictures 30 November 2021 Workers put the finishing touches to the Trafalgar Square Christmas Tree ahead of the lighting ceremony later in the week PA UK news in pictures 29 November 2021 Home Secretary Priti Patel is greeted by a police dog at a special memorial service for Met Police Sergeant Matiu Ratana Getty In a statement, the force said: "The arrest relates to a suspicious package received via post at a residential address in north London. "Police were called shortly after 9.10am on Thursday to reports of a suspicious package in Cricklewood. "Specialist officers attended and made safe what was assessed to be a small improvised explosive device." Additional reporting by Press Association CHICAGO, Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- iPresident of the United States, the #1 platform powered by the voices of the next generation announced the nationwide search for the first iPresident of the United States. The online search gives aspiring candidates a shot at history, that unique person that can become the voice that connects a divided country. This exciting opportunity for ages 15+ is a pathway for anyone with a dream to inspire, engage and encourage with a voice of hope for the next generation. The online platform features future leaders using real auditions, iVotes, and an online election. America has 350 Million Voices, but there will be only one iPresident to impact the world. According to a spokesperson for iPresident, "There is no better time than right now to host a nationwide casting call for the FIRST iPresident of the United States, an alternative reality platform powered by the voice of the next generation, where humanity intersects with technology, driving positive change." The spokesperson added, "We are searching for iPresident candidates nationwide. Interested and passionate candidates ages 15+ can start the process by filling out a form on the iPresident website. The potential candidate will be given a short script to use for their audition. The candidates will be introduced to the public who will get a chance to iVote for the candidate that says something worth saying in a way that is worth listening to." The first ever nationwide search for the iPresident of the United States allows candidates ages 15+ to demonstrate by their speech that "there is good in the world and it is worth fighting for. Goodness is the deepest truth about the human story." iPresidential candidates showcase their message and ideas from anywhere in America. The search for the iPresident of the United States declares, "A beating heart is a voice. A voice that can and should be heard. A voice can be a bandage to heal a nation's wounds." Every global decision made impacts the future, and iPresident wants to create an alternative platform for voices to communicate real issues, real people. iPresident auditions are ongoing during September. Auditioning is a simple process that allows potential candidates to give a quick speech that inspires the public. For more information: www.iPresidentoftheunitedstates.com/auditions/ or YouTube Video Contact: MARK RICE Chief of Staff iPresident of the United States 770-844-5678 [email protected] SOURCE iPresident Related Links http://www.ipresidentoftheunitedstates.com The Stormont finance minister has been accused of sitting on 33 million of Covid relief funding for the arts as the sector is crumbling. Co Antrim born actor Liam Neeson earlier described the funding as a lifeline for theatres and venues in an appeal for the Executive to step in. Northern Ireland received the 33 million in June as part of a UK government package for theatres, arts and music venues and museums. Expand Close A socially distanced audience at the Playhouse Theatre in Londonderry this week. (PlayhouseTheatre/PA) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A socially distanced audience at the Playhouse Theatre in Londonderry this week. (PlayhouseTheatre/PA) Mr Neeson said funding support was needed to help secure the livelihoods of almost 8,000 people working in the arts and creative industries. Speaking in the Assembly on Tuesday, Ulster Unionist MLA Mike Nesbitt accused Conor Murphy of sitting on the funding for two-and-a-half months as the sector is crumbling. Mr Murphy responded, saying money that comes via the Barnett Formula is not ringfenced for any particular area, adding that 4 million was allocated to the arts. I see it very much as economic support as well because arts venues are very much part of our tourism product and economic product so I am very sympathetic to the arguments that were made and I intend to bring a proposition to the Executive on Thursday in relation to that, he said. Pressed further, Mr Murphy added: I have said that I want to allocate the remaining money because we have a limited remaining pot of Covid money, the Treasury have made it very clear thats it as far as this financial year is concerned. I wanted to make sure it was allocated against economic recovery proposals that the Executive had endorsed, we hadnt got those over the course of the summer, we now have those and I am in a position to an allocation this week and I will bringing proposals to the Executive on Thursday. TUV MLA Jim Allister queried how much of the 2.2 billion funding from the Treasury for the Covid-19 response remains unspent, asking was 800 million the total remaining money. Mr Murphy responded saying the remaining funding was in the region of what Mr Allister suggested, adding that 600 million is with the department of health. Its my intention to bring a paper to the Executive on Thursday which will allocate the bulk of the remaining money, he told the Assembly. He said some of the funding will be held to support sectors that have not yet received support. Expand Close Copies of the published report from Sir Patrick Coghlins Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) public inquiry outside Stormont in Belfast (Liam McBurney/PA) PA / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Copies of the published report from Sir Patrick Coghlins Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) public inquiry outside Stormont in Belfast (Liam McBurney/PA) The Finance Minister was also questioned about the implementation of recommendations made following the inquiry into the RHI botched green energy scheme. Mr Murphy said the executive has accepted in principle the recommendations of the report and has established a sub-committee which met in July and is next due to meet in October. He said it will bring a full report before the Christmas recess. He added: We want to ensure confidence is restored in the working of this institution. Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on September 14 introduced the Banking Regulation (Amendment) Bill, 2020 in the Lok Sabha. The Lok Sabha is expected to take up the bill for consideration and passing on September 15. The bill proposes amendments to the Banking Regulation Act, 1949, and will replace the the Banking Regulation (Amendment) Ordinance, 2020. The bill aims to bring co-operative banks under the supervision of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). The bill will also permit the RBI to initiate a scheme for reconstruction or amalgamation of a stressed lender without imposing a moratorium. The Union Cabinet had on June 26, 2020 approved the ordinance, when the Parliament was not in session. Follow our blog for live updates on the Parliament's monsoon session According to the statement of reasons and objectives mentioned in the bill, "As the economic situation arising from the COVID-19 pandemic had increased the stress in both co-operative banks and banking companies, there was an immediate need for legislation in this regard." Sitharaman on September 14 withdrew an earlier version of the bill, which was tabled in March before the COVID-19 pandemic. The bill was criticised by Opposition members, such as Congress leader Shashi Tharoor and Saugata Roy of the Trinamool Congress, who accused the Centre of encroaching on the rights of states. According to the latest version of the bill, the Banking Regulation Act shall not apply to primary agricultural credit societies and co-operative societies whose primary object and principal business is of providing long term finance for agricultural development. The bill also states that if a co-operative bank is registered with the Registrar of Co-operative Societies of a state, the central bank may supersede the lender's board after consultation with the concerned state government. Here are a few other points mentioned in the bill: > A co-operative bank may issue equity, preference, or special shares on face value or at a premium to its members, via a public issue or private placement > The RBI has the authority to exempt a co-operative bank or a class of co-operative banks from certain provisions of the Act. > The RBI may supersede the board of a multi-state co-operative bank for up to five years under certain conditions. On Sept. 16, Warren Binford, professor of law and director of the Clinical Law Program, will be honored with the Justice Hans A. Linde Award by the Oregon chapter of the American Constitution Society (ACS). Alum Jackie Sandmeyer, founder and principal of TIX Education Specialist, LLC, will also receive the Rising Star Award. Both awards honor Oregonians who promote and embody ACS values and will be presented at the ACS Annual Dinner virtual fundraiser on Sept. 16. The Justice Hans A. Linde Award was established in 2006, and its namesake was its first recipient. Justice Hans A. Linde served on the Oregon Supreme Court from 1977 to 1990. After his career on the bench, he was a distinguished scholar in residence at Willamette Law (previously, he was a professor of law at the University of Oregon). He also spent time as a visiting law professor at Stanford, UC Berkeley, UCLA and NYU while lecturing both domestically and abroad. Justice Linde was one of the most influential state court judges in the country, with numerous law reviews highlighting his ground-breaking work on state constitutional interpretation. He passed away on Sept. 7. The ACS will memorialize Justice Linde and Judge David Schuman, the 2017 Hans A. Linde Award recipient, at the event. Other notable recipients of the award are Hon. Rocky Barilla (2019), a former representative in the Oregon House and author of Oregon's sanctuary law; Jennifer Middleton (2018), partner at Johnson Johnson Lucas & Middleton and co-lead counsel on the 2014 right-to-marry for same-sex couples case; Julie Stevens (2016), longtime advocate at Legal Aid Services of Oregon; D. Michael Dale (2015), longtime worker advocate, founder and Executive Director of Northwest Workers' Justice Project; Barbara Roberts (2013), former governor; and Steven Wax (2013), legal director of the Oregon Innocence Project and former federal public defender for the District of Oregon. This years recipient, Warren Binford, is an internationally recognized childrens rights scholar and advocate. Binford was selected to receive the Hans A. Linde Award in large part because of her outstanding public interest work. Shelby Smith, JD18, ACS Oregon lawyer chapter board member and staff attorney at Legal Aid Services of Oregon, commented, This year we selected Professor Binford in recognition of her extensive work in Oregon and nationally with children, her tireless advocacy on behalf of children and families at the border, and her efforts to elevate and amplify the voices of the most vulnerable. For Binford, the award is personally significant. Hans Linde was one of the first people to reach out and welcome me when I arrived in Oregon in 2005, Binford said. He became a mentor and an inspiration for both his intellectual and moral courage. To be honored with the award that was created in his name is incredibly humbling, especially in such a tumultuous time when so many attorneys are fighting so hard on so many fronts to defend democracy and the rights of so many. Brian Gallini, dean of the Willamette University College of Law, added, Its rewarding to see Professor Binfords work honored. Her efforts represent the best of our Willamette community and I applaud the American Constitution Society for selecting her to receive this award. Binford will be introduced for the Hans A. Linde award by U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley of Oregon. Former U.S. Senator Russell Feingold will provide opening remarks, and Portland City Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty will present the keynote address. The Rising Star Award, which was established in 2019, will be presented to Jackie Sandmeyer. The award recognizes legal advocates who make dynamic contributions to the law and the lives of people in Oregon and beyond during their first five to ten years of practice. Shelby Smith said Sandmeyer is being recognized for extensive and innovative work helping to shape the conversation around sexual harassment and assault in the wake of #metoo, by consulting with the Oregon Legislature, as well as K-12 and higher education institutions around Title IX and state sexual harassment and assault laws. Previous recipients of this award include Nadia Dahab, senior staff attorney at Innovation Law Lab, and Leland Baxter-Neal, staff attorney at the ACLU of Oregon, for their work on behalf of immigrants held in detention at the Sheridan facility in eastern Oregon. Sandmeyer will be introduced by Michele Ronald-Schwartz, Executive Director of the Oregon Attorney Generals Sexual Assault Taskforce. ACS was founded in 2001 to promote the spirit of the U.S. Constitution and its fundamental values, including individual rights and freedoms, access to justice, genuine equality, democracy, and the rule of law. It believes that the rule of law should be a force to improve the lives of all people and works to bring together leaders, lawyers, law students, judges and policymakers who are committed to making a difference in the legal, public policy and constitutional debates that shape our democracy. About Willamette University College of Law Willamette University College of Law was the first law school to open in the Pacific Northwest. Building on deep historic roots, we focus with pride on educating the next generation of problem-solving lawyers and leaders. Our location in Salem, Oregon, directly across the street from the Oregon State Capitol and Supreme Court, cannot be matched in the region. Our thought-leading scholars advance and promote our shared responsibility to make a difference in society, placing justice, fairness, and equality at the heart of everything we do. The College of Law produces the best problem solvers, community leaders, legal dealmakers, and changemakers in the most innovative region of the country. We have had several years of remarkable growth in academic achievement, as our bar passage rates and employment outcomes reflect. We also consistently have the highest graduate employment rates among all Oregon law schools, and are among the best on the entire West Coast. We are a dynamic force within our universitys vision of an Only at Willamette education and have worked to develop one of the most forward-thinking and creative legal education programs in the country. Our student-centric approach manifests in the robust experiential learning opportunities we provide alongside curricular strengths in public service, business law, advocacy, international law, and health law. Infused with magical realism, the haunting vastness of the California landscape and the tragic wanderings of two orphaned siblings, C Pam Zhang's debut novel How Much of These Hills Is Gold renders a powerful narrative of the Chinese-American immigrant experience. C Pam Zhangs How Much of These Hills Is Gold is the tale of Lucy and Sam, which begins with the siblings aged 11 and 12 dragging their father's corpse through the rough hills of northern California in search of two silver coins and a place to bury him. Their mother is already gone and the children must now set forth on a quest for survival in a land which, as Zhangs epigraph poignantly states, is not theirs. For Lucy and Sam are Chinese immigrants, whose parents like thousands of others crossed the seas to land on the west coast during the frenzy of the Gold Rush in the United States of America. They arrived in the second half of the 19th century to strike gold, hoping for a better life than what they had left behind. But this was a period which largely refused to historicise their story. Zhangs novel, long-listed for the 2020 Booker Prize, seeks to correct this. Infused with magical realism, the haunting vastness of the Californian landscape and the tragic wanderings of the two orphaned siblings, her book makes for a fascinating debut, whilst rendering a powerful narrative of the Chinese-American immigrant experience. The characters of the novel and its sprawling landscape announced themselves one morning without any connection to a particular time period, says Zhang, it was only as I wrote that I realised I was working with a fever-dream version of California. She states that for her, the first spark of inspiration can never come from research, so the first draft of the novel was written from her memory of California. Zhang was living in Thailand when she wrote the story and what made it possible, she opines, is that very distance from the physical reality of northern California. She notes, My goal was an impressionist painting of the hills and shimmering heat, not a photograph. The feeling and mythos of the landscape that emerged in the subsequent drafts lined up the setting (the madness of the Gold Rush), dates and events. Of significance was to give primacy to the emotional lives of her characters and the finished work produces a stark expression of grief and longing. During her childhood, the author and her younger sister moved through 13 cities, across four countries with their parents, experiencing the alienation and instability that often arises from making a home out of a new place every few years. This element of loneliness is constant through the novel, so too the bonds of family, all of which make up the influences she grew up around. Now, the author lives in San Francisco with her partner, their dog, and cat, but when asked if she has settled at last, she exclaims, Im not sure if Ill ever settleI just moved again! Notably, Westerns like Laura Ingalls Wilders Little House on the Prairie, John Steinbecks The Grapes of Wrath and Larry McMurtrys Lonesome Dove led the author to see a bit of herself in their themes of families moving around and settling in a new place. So it is no surprise that the historical setting of her book chose her up until then Zhang was writing short stories set in the contemporary world and it is to these narratives that she attributes the inspiration to write this novel. But none of those stories featured people who looked like me, and never quite captured the nuances of my familys experience of finding a place to fit in. My novel is a corrective to that. Characteristic of a debut, Zhangs book thus encapsulates many of her experiences that explore the complexities of an immigrant identity even as her prose emerges as a thought provoking insight into a chapter of Americas buried history. Talking about her move from holding down a full-time job to turning novelist, the author very pragmatically notes that while she always wanted write, the issue was making it a financial reality. There are no guarantees and no health insurance, making entry into this field a desperate upward scrabble for anyone without a safety net of family wealth or property ownership, which I lack. But after four years of working in a tech start-up, she took a year off, using her savings to buy time to write. She continues to work part-time even now because the psychological duress of lacking a stable income takes a toll on her writing but back then, I told myself that if I could not write in that year and prove myself to myself, I would drop this notion. I wrote my novel in that year, and here we are. Also read Novelist Sophie Ward on being long-listed for the Booker Prize, thought experiments, nuances in relationships Now, nominated for one of the most prestigious and coveted literary awards, part of a list dominated by many debut novelists such as herself, she feels vindicated and thrilled for her novel but funnily enough it doesnt help in her writing practice, she concedes. Whatever happens to my book or to me as a published author is diametrically opposed to being a writer, to the life lived with the page. When I write, she says, I need to believe that no one will read my words or have an opinion about them. Writers such as Annie Proulx and Angela Carter are among Zhangs constant inspirations, but Toni Morrison ranks as one of her greatest influences, Beloved being an absolute favourite. What strikes the author is Morrisons way of drawing from a historical incident and going deeper. Zhang elaborates, She incorporates elements of the surreal to embroider a narrative whose details are lost from the annals of history. She is not afraid to push the boundaries of the world outward and make emotional truths as vivid and electric as conventional realism. This device is employed in How Much of These Hills Is Gold, particularly to draw attention to broader questions around gender fluidity, poverty and the struggle for identity. An episode which stands out is Lucy's realisation of the underrepresentation of her people when she sees history being written in a photograph of white people celebrating the completion of the first Transcontinental Railroad built in California. Missing from the story are the lives of 15,000 Chinese-American labourers who worked on the construction of this route and were later barred from obtaining citizenship. Ruefully, Zhangs narrative has never been more prominent than the present, when the tussle between immigrants and those in power has become a global concern. She states: When I first wrote this book in 2015, I worried that its depictions of naked racism and brutality would feel unrealistic and histrionic. Now Im reminded, again, that these issues are systemically baked into the fabric of the United State, and that we cannot simply hope that they will disappear over time. Drawing attention to the rise of anti-Asian violence following the COVID-19 pandemic, she adds that while it has been troubling to see, what is more disturbing is how it eerily mirrors some of the violence in my book. The fictional account of Lucy and Sams quest to lay down roots for themselves in a place which refuses to recognise them then sustains as a universal story which the author hopes can become a foundation for other young ones, children of immigrants, Asian-Americans, lonely girls. It is an assertion that their lived experiences of loneliness, of being made a perpetual outsider, of confusion and conflict, are real ones, and have been real for centuries. I hope that that gives them strength to be braver, bolder, push for more. C Pam Zhangs How Much of these Hills is Gold has been published by Virago Press MIDTOWN MANHATTAN, NY The newest addition to New York City's skyline officially opened to the public Monday: One Vanderbilt, which towers 1,401 feet above next-door Grand Central Terminal and marks the latest supertall structure to be built in Midtown. Officials at Monday's ribbon-cutting ceremony framed the opening as the beginning of New York's rebound following the lowest points of the coronavirus crisis, and a signal of the eventual return of office work. "This is one of the first and most tangible signs of the rebirth of New York City, right here today," Mayor Bill de Blasio said. The ceremony came four years after construction began on the $3.3 billion skyscraper, and about 20 years after developer SL Green began to lay the groundwork by purchasing buildings on the block, which is bounded by Vanderbilt and Madison avenues, and 42nd and 43rd streets. Before work began, the developers had to purchase air rights from the area above Grand Central, and pledged to preserve views of the historic train station. SL Green also spent $220 million making improvements to the Grand Central subway platforms underneath it, including building two new street-level subway entrances and reopening a passageway connecting Grand Central to a new entrance on the corner of 42nd and Lexington. The skyscraper's construction was also made possible by the rezoning of Midtown East, which was approved by the City Council in 2017, allowing a 70-block stretch of the neighborhood to upgrade its aging office building stock. (Raimund Koch/Kohn Pedersen Fox). The improvements will reduce congestion on the subway platforms, allowing an additional train to pass through each hour, according to SL Green. The skyscraper's construction was also made possible by the rezoning of Midtown East, which was approved by the City Council in 2017, allowing a 70-block stretch of the neighborhood to upgrade its aging office building stock. Almost 70 percent of the space inside One Vanderbilt has already been leased, according to SL Green, with major tenants including TD Securities (the parent company of TD Bank), as well as several private equity and law firms. The building was designed by architecture firm Kohn Pedersen Fox. Plans for One Vanderbilt received a positive writeup in 2016 by New York Magazine architecture critic Justin Davidson, who praised its original design, including its terra-cotta facade that imitates the ceiling tiles at Grand Central. This article originally appeared on the Midtown-Hell's Kitchen Patch US President Donald Trump (R) meets with UAE Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al-Nahyanin (L) in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, September 15, 2020, prior to the signing of the Abraham Accords, where Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates will recognize Israel. SAUL LOEB | AFP | Getty Images The United Arab Emirates will foster relations with Israel irrespective of a change in American leadership, UAE minister of state for foreign affairs Anwar Gargash said on Tuesday, as top officials gather to sign the so-called Abraham Accord with Israel at the White House. "There is no reason why we cannot move faster and establish embassies and consulates very soon," Gargash said, adding the new agreement "frames the type of relations that the two states will try to strive for." The Abraham Accord, signed on August 13 by the UAE and Israel, marks the normalization of diplomatic relations between the two countries. Bahrain recently became the fourth nation in the Middle East to normalize diplomatic ties with Israel, after Jordan, Egypt and the UAE. President Donald Trump will be joined by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and foreign ministers from the UAE and Bahrain for the ceremony. Presidential race could shift regional dynamic The signing comes as the race for the White House intensifies. With just 49 days until the November vote, President Trump is seeking to bolster his dealmaking credentials as a peacemaker in the Middle East, a foreign policy win that eluded previous administrations. Jared Kushner, White House senior advisor and the U.S. president's son-in-law, led an Israeli delegation on the first ever direct flight from Tel Aviv to Abu Dhabi last month. "We have, over the years, every four to eight years adjusted to the change of administrations in Washington," Gargash said, playing down suggestions that a Biden presidency could negate the deal. "I feel that we have no issue really adjusting to really any changes, whether we see four more years of President Trump or we see a Biden Administration," he said. The Obama administration's nuclear agreement with Iran unnerved America's Gulf Arab allies and Israel, and was seen as a pivot away from traditional partnerships in the region. Democratic candidate Joe Biden's foreign policy team includes those who worked on the nuclear accord and, pending Tehran's compliance, Biden has pledged to re-enter the agreement if elected president. Biden has expressed support for the Abraham Accord, calling the deal a "historic step to bridge the deep divides of the Middle East." "His enthusiasm for it made this, from the current administration's policy - to an American policy," Gargash said. Tech, business, military opportunity eyed as ties normalize Importers of logs from Germany have been warned of the danger of introducing damaging bark beetles into Ireland. As supplies of Irish lumber run down due to felling licence appeals, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine has confirmed that it is currently dealing with a number of queries concerning logs from Germany, and said it regards this trade as a potential high-risk pathway for the introduction of Ips typographus (eight-toothed spruce bark beetle) and other damaging bark beetles into Ireland. Ips typographus is endemic to mainland Europe, and if left uncontrolled, the beetle could cause significant damage to the spruce-based forestry and timber industries. Irelands natural protection as an island has helped to ensure so far that this beetle and many others have been kept out. However, experience continues to demonstrate that bark beetles can be found even under a very small piece of bark on a log in a consignment of any size, which is why we need to be vigilant, said Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue in the Dail last week. He said debarking is not an acceptable import standard. Instead, there is a bark-free requirement, meaning that the logs must be 100% free of bark, except ingrown bark around knots and bark pockets between rings of annual growth. Any prospective importer is reminded to engage fully with the Department for guidance on import requirements and for Departmental inspection arrangements, said the Minister. Increased timber imports from Europe are likely, with Taoiseach Micheal Martin warning in the Dail last week that the Irish industry will be short of timber by November, if legislation is not passed to streamline the forestry appeals process, and a new system brought in. He said, It is no exaggeration to say that the forestry sector is in crisis. It is in crisis because the planning system as it exists has been overwhelmed by a very high volume of appeals to decisions taken by the forestry appeals committee. He said the Government has published legislation to deal with this by streamlining the appeals process to make it fit for purpose, environmentally sustainable, and administratively efficient, to deal with an appeals backlog. It is no exaggeration to say that thousands of jobs are at risk if this is not dealt with firmly and resolutely by the Oireachtas, and the Government will bring forward this legislation. He revealed that during the legislation consultation period, the volume of objections or appeals went up dramatically, "perhaps in anticipation of the legislation that was about to come in." "This has exacerbated the situation somewhat further. The rate of appeals on Coilltes licences increased from 30% to 80% in August, and it is likely to be 100% in September. These are not just appeals on commercial felling. Some of Coillte Natures new non-profit tree planting proposals, such as the Dublin mountains transformation, have also been appealed. Huge amounts of trees in the ground cannot be felled, and it is very serious. We have to deal with it and we will deal with it. There is a significant backlog. Forestry is a significant employer with 12,000 people directly employed in rural and regional areas, said the Taoiseach, responding to a Dail question from Kerry Independent TD Michael Healy-Rae. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae warned that the timber crisis threatens the forestry sector, the haulage sector, the sawmills, and the construction industry. Bringing in timber from abroad is ridiculous, as prices have reached record peaks in the US driven by the pandemic crisis, which has resulted in a DIY boom. Meanwhile, Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue has warned timber importers it is their responsibility to ensure imported material meets the bark-free standards required, and the Department will closely inspect consignments on arrival at quaysides. Non-compliant loads will not be allowed to discharge. He gave the information in the Dail in reply to a question from Cork East Labour TD Sean Sherlock. President Donald Trump salutes as he arrives at the 2020 U.S. Military Academy graduation ceremony in West Point, New York, on June 13, 2020. (Timothy A. Clary/AFP via Getty Images) 235 Former Military Leaders Support Trump, Say Democrats Will Leave US More Vulnerable More than 200 retired senior military leaders formally endorsed President Donald Trump for reelection on Monday, saying that the president is committed to a strong America, while warning Americans against the policies of the current Democratic Party and Joe Biden. The 235 former leaders in an open letter (pdf) urged Americans to support Trump, saying the 2020 election presents an urgently needed opportunity for Americans to affirm their devotion to the Constitution of the United States and to the American way of life. We believe that President Donald Trump is committed to a strong America, they wrote. As president, he will continue to secure our borders, defeat our adversaries, and restore law and order domestically. The group began their letter saying that the president is the proven leader to confront the domestic and foreign threats currently testing the nations security, as well as the demands of the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus pandemic that was allowed to spread around the world by China. It can be argued that this is the most important election since our country was founded, they continued. With the Democratic Party welcoming to socialists and Marxists, our historic way of life is at stake. The letter proceeded by pointing out what the military endured under the previous Obama administration when Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden served as Vice President. During the Obama/Biden administration, Americas armed forces were subjected to a series of ill-considered and debilitating budget cuts. The Democrats have once again pledged to cut defense spending, undermining our military strength, the letter read. The Democrats opposition to border security, their pledge to return to the disastrous Iran nuclear deal, their antagonism towards the police and planned cuts to military spending will leave the United States more vulnerable to foreign enemies. President Trumps resolute stands have deterred our enemies from aggression against us and our allies. The proposed defense cuts by the Democrats will, in our professional judgment, create a potentially perilous situation for the United States during a time of great external and internal threats to our Nation. The Trump campaign said in a statement that U.S. service members faced neglect under the Obama-Biden Administration and have finally found a strong advocate in President Trump. The Trump Administration has rebuilt the military, completely overhauled the Department of Veterans Affairs, and launched groundbreaking initiatives to assist military families and prevent veteran suicide, it said. In contrast, Joe Bidens record on the military and veterans is one of failure: debilitating budget cuts, failed foreign policy decisions, and an inability to provide our nations heroes with the quality healthcare they deserve. The Epoch Times has reached out to the Biden campaign for comment. Last month, 75 former national security officials and Republican Members of Congress who served under Republican administrations published a statement endorsing Biden and condemning Trump, listing 10 reasons why they believe Trump had failed the country and why they think Biden should be elected. An investigation into corruption at Fremantle Ports has uncovered more than $5 million of tax payers' money allegedly transferred overseas through a fake invoicing scheme five times the amount initially thought. Former manager at the port authority, Giacomo Merolla, his wife Daniela and two children Paola, 23, and Tiziana, 28, were charged with money laundering in June following a probe by WA Polices financial crimes squad. Daniela and Giacomo Merolla with their daughter Tiziana (left). Credit:Facebook The parents allegedly fled overseas to South Africa in March after realising auditors hired by the port authority had uncovered the scam. Their children remain in Perth and intend to fight the charges. The original rort was estimated to be around $1 million, but ongoing investigations have allegedly uncovered about $5.2 million siphoned out of the authority into overseas bank accounts linked to shelf companies allegedly created by Giacomo Merolla. The project further includes structures for culture and sport. During the presentation of the development concept for Place de l'Etoile on Tuesday morning, Luxembourg City's mayor, Lydie Polfer, stated that "for decades" the square stood for something the municipality did not want. Instead, the area is now expected to become a "beautiful gateway" to the capital. Housing will be the key element of the new project, with at least 600 new dwellings planned, some of them at moderate cost. It is also planned that 45% of the total surface area will be occupied by offices. Shops and leisure activities will also have their place in this new space. A tunnel will divert part of the traffic away from the Route d'Arlon bypass. The Route d'Arlon will give way to a more lively vision of the city, dedicated to soft mobility and the tramway. / Luxembourg City The space will be more oriented towards pedestrians and residents. / Luxembourg City Luxembourg City A new tramway line will complete the project and redefine the neighbourhood. / Luxembourg City The current view of Place de l'Etoile. / Domingos Oliveira The current view of Place de l'Etoile. / Domingos Oliveira The photos published on this site are subject to copyright and may not be copied, modified, or sold without the prior permission of the owner of the site in question. The future district is still in the planning stage: the PAG - the general development plan - and the PAP - the special development plan - are still pending. Construction is therefore not expected to begin before 2022. The project, which will be carried out on a three-hectare site, is supported by the municipality of Luxembourg City, the State and a private developer. The investor is an investment fund from Abu Dhabi. A Ukrainian serviceman was blown up by an unknown explosive device in Donbas near Vodiane, a press group of the the Skhid (East) task force said. "Today, September 15, in the area of the settlement of Vodiane, during engineering work, one serviceman from the Joint Forces was blown up by an unknown explosive device. The seviceman was moderately wounded," the group said in a statement on the Facebook page on Tuesday. It is noted that he was promptly provided with first aid, the wounded serviceman was evacuated to a hospital. Senior officers of the military unit and a working group of the military law enforcement service are working on the spot. The circumstances are being investigated," the group said. United Nations, Sep 15 : The Covid-19 and the resulting multifaceted crisis have unmasked the strong link between race, ethnicity, socio-economic status and health outcomes, and the pre-existing inequalities should be effectively addressed to build a better world, the UN human rights chief said. Speaking at the first day of the 45th regular session of UN Human Rights Council on Monday, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet said it would discuss how human rights-based policies could help to shape the impact of this pandemic, reports Xinhua news agency. "A number of states have been able to count on adaptable human rights-based systems for key services, such as healthcare and social protections. The importance of these pre-existing systems for the delivery of fundamental rights could not be overstated," she said. In today's context, the UN rights chief added, social protection represented a critical tool for facilitating access to health care, protecting people against poverty and ensuring the satisfaction of basic economic and social rights. Martha E. Newton, deputy director-general for policy at the International Labor Organization (ILO), said at the session that the right to equality and non-discrimination, to work, to social security, to safe and healthy working conditions, and to just and favourable conditions of work must be at the centre of the socio-economic response to the pandemic. According to Newton, women had been and continued to be impacted disproportionately by the pandemic. Mike Ryan, executive director of the World Health Organization Health Emergencies Program, said that the needs of older generations should be seen as a rights issue, and the international community could not leave behind women, migrants, older people, refugees and children. The Human Rights Council on Monday opened its 45th regular session here at the UN's Geneva headquarters. The session will last for over three weeks until October 6. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Daisley Kramer helps her kindergarten daughter, Meg, with schoolwork at home in San Anselmo, Calif., on March 18, 2020. (Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) California Parents Sue Governor Over In-Person School Ban A group of California parents who claim their children are being harmed by the states pandemic-related restrictions on in-person educational instruction are suing Gov. Gavin Newsom over the ban. The new lawsuit, cited as Looney v. Newsom, was filed in the Shasta County office of the Superior Court of the State of California. Shasta County is north of Sacramento, the state capital. The parents claim in the legal proceeding that Democrat Newsoms policies unjustifiably prevent schools in Shasta County from fully reopening, and that students require services and resources that cannot be delivered remotely. They claim the states response to the CCP virus, which causes the disease COVID-19, prevents students, especially the disadvantaged, from accessing a quality education, and that students are being denied their constitutional right to a quality education as enshrined in the California Constitution. These policies not only violate this constitutional right but impair students ability to acquire the knowledge and skills necessary for success in our competitive economy, and to be informed citizens and productive members of society. Beth Watt, a parent and plaintiff in the lawsuit, spelled out her concerns in a statement provided by the Freedom Foundation, which is representing the parents. Formerly known as the Evergreen Freedom Foundation, the Freedom Foundation describes itself as a non-profit think and action tank with offices in Washington, Oregon, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and California. It describes its mission as working to reverse the stranglehold government unions have on our state and local policymaking. All three of my children have experienced adverse effects from the current distance learning model that has been mandated by our local schools, Watt said. All of my children were straight-A students before distance learning began. This spring, my children received a P for all subjects, causing them to lose all motivation and desire to excel in school. (P refers to Pass in a Pass-Fail grading system.) They are frustrated to tears over the lack of instruction, she said. They are upset trying to navigate poor connectivity to get through their assigned online curriculum. My son is on anxiety medication for the first time in his life. Online education is causing serious mental health issues, along with an academic crisis the students find themselves in. Our children deserve better than this; our tax-funded education system is failing students. Attorney Mariah Gondeiro, who is acting in the case, weighed in. Governor Newsom has repeatedly told us to trust the science, she said. It is time for Newsom to take his own advice. Thousands of educators, parents, and even the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and American Academy of Pediatrics say students need to be in school. The fact situation upon which the lawsuit rests dates back to springtime. On May 4, Newsom issued Executive Order N-60-20, requiring Californians to obey all state and local public health directives and orders, including the California Department of Public Healths guidance for schools. Then, on July 17, Newsom unveiled a framework for when and how schools should reopen for in-person instruction during the current pandemic. In California, health data will determine when a school can be physically openand when it must closebut learning should never stop, he said at the time. Students, staff, and parents all prefer in-classroom instruction, but only if it can be done safely. All schoolsboth public and privatein counties with increasing numbers of CCP virus cases arent allowed to conduct in-person classes, and must meet strict criteria before being allowed to reopen. California reportedly has 6.7 million students in its 1,000 school districts. Officials in Newsoms office didnt immediately respond to requests by The Epoch Times for comment about the lawsuit. At least one other suit has been filed against the governor in response to the policy. One, called Brach v. Newsom, was filed in U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, on July 29. The negative effects of keeping schools closed far outweigh the risks of opening them, said Jesse Petrilla, a father of two boys and a plaintiff in the suit, as reported by NBC News. Prominent attorney Harmeet K. Dhillon, founder and CEO of The Center for American Liberty, is representing the parents. The last several years have seen an influx of powerful nonfiction films examining the turmoil in the Middle East and the refugee crisis that has spread from there around the world. But Italian director Gianfranco Rosi has an eye that sets him apart from other filmmakers working in that arena and his new film, Notturno, is another portrait of life in the region that manages to be simultaneously devastating and lyrical. Notturno, which was selected by the Venice, Telluride and New York Film Festivals, and which screens at the Toronto International Film Festival on Sept. 15, is similar in some ways to Rosis masterful, Oscar-nominated 2016 documentary Fire at Sea. But while that film zeroed in on life on the Sicilian island of Lampedusa, tracing the impact of the refugee crisis in the way it impacted the lives of the islands permanent residents, Notturno goes wide, incorporating footage that Rosi shot over the course of three years along the borders of Iraq, Kurdistan, Syria and Lebanon. But dont expect titles to tell you where you are or who youre watching. Rosi simply gives you images, people and vignettes that play out in front of his camera without explanation. Several groups of soldiers run down a road in the early-morning light; women in black robes walk through a prison, mourning the son who died there; horses stand in the street at night while military trucks drive by; a man paddles through a body of water thats lit not by moonlight but by distant fires. Also Read: 'Nomadland' Film Review: Frances McDormand Hits the Road in Quiet, Lyrical Drama The film begins with three sentences, and theyre all the context youll get and all the context youll need: After the fall of the Ottoman Empire and the end of the First World War, the colonial powers sketched new borders for the Middle East. Over the following decades, greed and ambition for power gave rise to military coups, corrupt regimes, authoritarian leaders and foreign interference. Tyranny, invasions and terrorism fed off each other in a vicious circle, to the detriment of the civilian populations. Story continues Notturno is a film about that civilian population, about the men, women and children who live in lands of constant strife, and about the soldiers who fight on both sides in the conflicts that wrack the region. It shows everything from people trying to go about their daily lives to ISIS prisoners to a young couple smoking from a hookah, the water bubbles oddly echoing the sound of distant gunfire that often reverberates in the movie. There is no narrative and the people we see are never identified, but these scenes add up to a haunting portrait of a ravaged region. Rosi has an exquisite eye for composition, which is clear in one of the opening scenes: a woman with her back to the wall in a prison cell, a shaft of light from above catching the white scarf around her head while she reaches back to the wall and gropes for a sense of her son, who may have lived and died in that cell. Also Read: 'Enemies of the State' Film Review: Powerful Documentary Cuts to the Heart of Internet-Era Persecution and Paranoia Apart from the occasional slow pan, the camera doesnt move; Rosi simply sets it up and lets the action or, sometimes, the lack of action play out in front of it, often as not accompanied by silence. Theres an elegance to the look of the film, and a stillness that makes this one of the most meditative works youll ever see about war and strife. We dont necessarily know whats going on in every scene; sometimes we figure it out, sometimes we dont. But we feel it, and we hear what the movie says, wordlessly, with each new composition: This is the world weve created. I expected a wonderful spring, says one man rehearsing a play bemoaning the state of the region. But it became a spring of rubble and darkness. Also Read: 'The Way I See It' Review: Pete Souza Documentary Throws Major Shade at Donald Trump But Notturno finds an awful poetry in that rubble and darkness, though at times its hard to watch. Theres an absolutely wrenching sequence in the middle of the film, as children display the drawings theyve made to a woman they call teacher, but who seems to be serving as a counselor or therapist of sorts. This is when ISIS started exterminating us, one young boy says matter-of-factly, showing off a harrowing sketch and kicking off a powerfully disturbing sequence in which one child after another shows drawings that detail the horrors theyve seen. Later, another sequence is almost as horrifying, when a mother listens to a string of messages left by her daughter, who says the ISIS fighters who kidnapped her will sell her back to her family for $500. But if those moments capture the toll that has been taken across the Middle East, they are only part of an expansive portrait of humans trying to survive in an inhuman world. Its hard to watch Notturno at times, but to the directors credit its also impossible to look away. Read original story Notturno Film Review: Middle East Doc Finds Poetry in Rubble and Darkness At TheWrap New dates for Maghreb Pharma Expo have been announced by Easyfairs Northeral, the organiser of the annual international tradeshow for the pharmaceutical industry in North Africa. According to a statement, the largest pharmaceutical technology tradeshow in Africa will now be held from February 9 to 11, 2021 at Algiers International Conference Center in Algiers, Algeria. Over 2800 professionals and decision makers from North Africa will meet over 200 exhibitors at a venue spread across 9000 sq m and will be able to attend more than 30 conferences, the statement added. In this context, the Algerian Pharmaceutical Industry Minister, Lotfi Benbahmed, announced last month that Algeria plans to export the equivalent of $5 billion worth of locally produced drugs. An approach that will be based on local producers and even on foreign pharmaceutical companies present in Algeria: "By 2025, Algeria, through the capacities of its pharmaceutical industry, plans to export quantities of drugs equal to that which it imports, to rebalance its accounts," he indicated. Olivier-Hicham Allard, the organiser of the expo, explained: "This mission-driven event has been supporting the development of the local pharmaceutical manufacturing capacities in North Africa for 8 years and contributed actively to switch the drug importation costs into local manufacturing investments. We are observing an exciting evolution where local manufacturers focused in the beginning on pure generic products but are now increasingly looking to extend their portfolio by exploring biotechnology manufacturing equipment, OTC products ingredients, food supplement formulas, innovative packaging, medical device and even dermocosmetics. We are deeply convinced that Algeria and the whole Maghreb region, thanks to its strategic position between Africa and Europe can become one of the largest pharmaceutical manufacturing hub in the world. Our mission as organisers of this event is to support the local pharmaceutical industry as much as we can to achieve this objective." Gathering over 200 international exhibitors from 25 countries, this tradeshow brings all ingredients, packaging, production lines, clean room, turnkey project and laboratory equipment suppliers at the same place to contribute to the acceleration of the local manufacturing capacities, the organisers said.TradeArabia News Service KYODO NEWS - Sep 15, 2020 - 20:00 | World, All, Coronavirus Educational institutions in Pakistan on Tuesday welcomed back the first batch of students in a phased reopening after a six-month break due to COVID-19 pandemic. Students of secondary and higher classes returned to school under the stage-wise plan for resumption of educational activities. In the next phase, lower secondary school students will return from Sept. 23, while primary classes will resume from Sept. 30. The educational institutions were closed on March 13 at the start of the outbreak initially for three weeks. However, the closure was extended in view of the worsening pandemic situation. The resumption of classes is taking place amid fears of a second wave of the pandemic and concerns about adherence to the precautionary measures by the students, especially younger ones. Prime Minister Imran Khan took to Twitter to reassure the worried parents that government would ensure their safety. "It is our priority & collective responsibility to ensure that every child can go to school safely to learn. We have worked to ensure that school operations are aligned with public health safety rules on #COVID19," Khan tweeted. The government has issued a 27-page document containing guidelines for the return of the students. The measures include social distancing, handwashing, face coverings and improved ventilation. The guidelines also call for screening, testing and continuous monitoring in educational institutes. Students and their parents have also been advised to do self-screening and remain at home if they feel sick or have symptoms. On the first day, good attendance was noticed with most students observing the safety protocols and schools conducting temperature screening of them. Education Minister Shafqat Mahmood visited schools in Islamabad to monitor adherence to safety measures. In a video message, he urged cooperation of everyone to ensure students' safety and warned that disregard for the protocols could lead to resurgence of the disease. Pakistan has so far recorded 302,424 COVID-19 cases, with 6,389 deaths. But the pandemic situation has been improving, with the number of daily new cases at below 1,000 since the start of the month and mostly under 500 for the past fortnight. A total of 404 new cases were reported on Monday. The number of active cases in the country has dropped below 6,000. Faisal Sultan, the special assistant for the prime minister on health, had last week said the trends were closely monitored before taking this very important decision about reopening schools. "In view of the very low positivity rates, we are confident that the schools can be opened stage-wise," he had maintained. A black woman has hit back at racist trolls who told her to 'go back to her own country' - by setting up a GoFundMe page so they can pay for her 5,000 plane ticket to Jamaica. Jordene Phillips, 20, from Barking in east London, said she has suffered years of racist abuse despite living with her family in the UK all her life. She finally snapped after a call centre worker accused her of being aggressive as she negotiated her phone contract. Now she has set up a GoFundMe campaign for the racists themselves to pay the 5000 for her plane ticket to Jamaica, her country of descent. Jordene Phillips (pictured), 20, from Barking in east London, said she has suffered years of racist abuse despite living with her family in the UK all her life She said: 'There are people who are giving me their money and calling me the N-word so they're supporting me without supporting me. 'They've clearly got so much hate for my race. Someone actually donated me fifty pounds and called me the N word. 'I'm crying but I'm crying all the way to the bank. It does show the mindset of these people. They are so filled with hate but they are bettering my life and I'm laughing at them.' The page has raised more than 277. The product design student said: 'A lot of people think it's the most intelligent thing that anyone has done in 2020, playing on the minds of racists.' A number of the donations are 'anonymous' and most have given either 5 or 10. She has set up a GoFundMe campaign for the racists themselves to pay the plane ticket Comments underneath the page included: 'Don't use the money to leave your home country. F**k the racists. Go on holiday;' 'Girl get out of that cursed country ASAP before Brexit happens;' 'Listen mate I aint racist I got black friends but please leave this country.' A description on her page blasted racists who 'see my island as a holiday destination but tell my people it is violent and evil'. It added: 'I am a black woman who hates living in London due to the racist idiots who tell me to go back to my country. 'This GoFundMe is for them. They want me to go. I will happily leave. The British Government brought my ancestors here and lied to them. 'Now I'm born into this crap. They have convinced young British born Jamaicans that there's no opportunities there. Listen, I'm done talking init. Pay for my ticket den since yuh bad.' (sic) Miss Phillips, whose grandparents were of the Windrush generation, says she has suffered so much abuse she now feels 'alien' in the UK and wants to leave the country as a result. She added: 'I do intend to leave because I like to be around people I feel I can relate to. I feel like an alien here sometimes. 'Sometimes the racism is just blatant and sometimes it's institutionalised because people get opportunities that I wouldn't get. 'The anger has been built up over the time, I see other people getting racist abuse and it hurts because I know that's how they'd treat me. She finally snapped after a call centre worker accused her of being aggressive as she negotiated her phone contract 'My grandparents were of the Windrush generation.' She said her family 'couldn't get jobs and were subjected to racism' after arriving in the UK with the expectation they would be able to enjoy a better quality of life. 'A lot of my family members did return to Jamaica because they couldn't handle it but my mum is still here,' she added. 'A lot of people think racism is disappearing but its not, it's in a different form. 'Racists don't need to call you the N-word to your face, they can message you online.' Miss Phillips set up the page on Friday after a call centre worker was 'really rude and disrespectful' to her. She said: 'I was quite angry, it's anger that's built up over time. 'I was on the phone to someone trying to sort my phone bill and although he couldn't see me, I knew he could tell I was black by the way I was speaking and he was really rude and disrespectful to me. A description on her page (pictured) blasted racists who 'see my island as a holiday destination but tell my people it is violent and evil' 'He called me aggressive and that gets pinned on black woman a lot. I'd had enough, I was riled up so I set up the fundraising page. 'I'm not talking about white people, I'm talking about racist people but I just thought, anyone who wants me to leave this country can pay for it themselves.' The page has gone viral on social media with Miss Phillips, who described herself as 'very controversial, defiant and not afraid to speak up' receiving messages of support from all over the world. She said: 'I didn't expect it to sky rocket so much. I can't believe how viral it's gone. 'I didn't have Twitter but I had to set up an account to see what's going on. 'There's been a mixed reaction, some negative and some positive. 'I've had people from America, Canada and France getting in touch and most of the response has been positive. 'It's a political statement, if you want us to leave then you have to pay. I am very controversial, defiant and I'm not afraid to speak up.' From Digital Spy Hollyoaks spoilers follow. Juliet Quinn and Sid Sumner have been given a terrifying warning by drug boss Victor in Hollyoaks. In Tuesday's first-look episode (September 15), Juliet (Niamh Blackshaw) was determined to "have it out" with Jordan (Connor Calland) after catching him two-timing Peri (Ruby O'Donnell) with her own mum Leela (Kirsty-Leigh Porter). With Sid (Billy Price) trailing behind and trying to stop her, Juliet shouted angrily at Jordan when she spotted him approaching a vehicle. Photo credit: Lime Pictures "Your little games end now because I'm going to tell Peri exactly what you've been up to," she threatened. The car door opened during her tirade, revealing that Jordan had been meeting with evil drugs boss Victor Brothers (Benjamin O'Mahony). "Don't ever speak to him like that again, alright? Especially when he's talking to me," Victor warned. Photo credit: Lime Pictures Victor sent shivers down the spines of both teens by revealing that he was aware of their drug deal-gone-wrong at the seaside earlier in the year. "What you both need to understand is your actions have consequences for my operation," he insisted. "I'm a man who gets angry when things don't run smoothly." Victor then demanded that Jordan's "tangled little love life" remain a secret between the four of them, leaving Juliet with no choice but to agree. Terrified, Juliet tried to get back in Victor's good graces by pitching selling drugs to the Hollyoaks High kids during their exams, whereas Sid messed up by confessing he'd turned down an offer to join a band. Photo credit: Lime Pictures Sid contradicted his cousin Jordan, who'd tried to cover for him to Victor by insisting that the band had turned him down after a bad audition. "Jordan has just made a mistake and he's about to pay for it," Victor seethed. "You know I don't like liars." Back at the house later on, Jordan showed up with a massive bruise on his ribs and lambasted Sid for blowing their cover. Story continues "This is what happens when things don't go his way," Jordan explained. Photo credit: Lime Pictures As a consequence, Jordan gave Sid and Juliet a massive bag filled with drug packets to sell before the end of the following night. "Knowing Victor as well as I do, it won't just be a couple of bruised ribs the pair of you get," he warned. The teens would be left with no choice but to sell the drugs at their friend Imran's party Hollyoaks airs first-look episodes Mondays through Thursdays at 7pm on E4, with repeats airing the following night on Channel 4 at 6.30pm. Digital Spy now has a newsletter sign up to get it sent straight to your inbox. Read more Hollyoaks spoilers on our dedicated homepage Want up-to-the-minute soaps news, spoilers and gossip on your social feeds? Just hit 'Like' on our Digital Spy Soaps Facebook page and 'Follow' on our @soapscoop Twitter account. You Might Also Like Millions of students returned to class on Tuesday as Pakistan reopened some higher education institutions, ending a six-month-long break due to the Coronavirus pandemic. In the first phase, all higher education institutions - from class IX to XII and above - resumed classes from Tuesday, the education ministry announced. Secondary schools will reopen in the second phase and primary schools will resume in the third phase. Masks are mandatory for all students and teachers, according to the standard operating procedures (SOPs) issued by the government. The administration must ensure the availability of sanitisers at the gate, the governments guidelines said. There will be no morning assembly and the temperature of the students will be checked before entering the classrooms. In addition, students must ensure a safe distance between chairs in classrooms. Federal education minister Shafqat Mehmood, during a visit to a college in Islamabads G-6/3 area, hailed the reopening of schools amid the pandemic. He was hopeful that SOPs will be implemented and warned that institutions that do not follow the governments guidelines will be closed for non-compliance. Pakistan had closed schools in March when the government enforced a nationwide lockdown to contain the spread of coronavirus. Authorities lifted curbs on most businesses in May, but schools remained closed across the country. On Tuesday, Pakistan reported six new deaths from Covid-19 in the past 24 hours, one of the lowest number tolls in more than five months. Pakistan has reported 302,424 infections and 6,389 deaths since the pandemic began. (With inputs from agencies) SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Demonstrators protest restrictions on businesses in Pennsylvania due to the coronavirus in May 2020 A federal judge in Pennsylvania ruled Monday that orders by the state's Democratic governor to shut down businesses and limit gatherings to tackle Covid-19 were "unconstitutional." The lockdown measures, announced at the start of the coronavirus in March, were challenged in court by several Republican lawmakers and small business owners, including the proprietor of a hair salon and of a racehorse stable, who said the restrictions put their enterprises at risk. Judge William Stickman ruled in their favor, and said that even if the governor acted with "good intention of addressing a public health emergency," he did not have the right to infringe on citizens' fundamental freedoms. "There is no question that this country has faced, and will face, emergencies of every sort," the judge wrote. "But the solution to a national crisis can never be permitted to supersede the commitment to individual liberty that stands as the foundation of the American experiment." He slammed what he called "arbitrary" distinctions over which businesses were deemed essential or non-essential and said no objective definition had been provided. "The Constitution sets certain lines that may not be crossed, even in an emergency. Actions of the defendants crossed those lines. It is the duty of the Court to declare those actions unconstitutional," said the judge, appointed by President Donald Trump in 2019. Governor Tom Wolf has since lifted a large number of the restrictions after the virus, which killed 7,800 people in the state, appeared to be coming under control. But some restrictions remain, including the limitation on bars and restaurants having more than 25 clients indoors or 250 outside. Since the outbreak of the pandemic, US courts have been swamped with lawsuits challenging restrictions, with mixed results: in May a judge overruled an extension of the lockdown orders in Wisconsin while a Michigan court ruled in its favor. Story continues The virus has killed 194,000 people in the country. Wolf's office was not immediately available to comment on the ruling. Pennsylvania, which narrowly backed Trump in the 2016 election, is seen by Democrats as one of the states they need to regain in November's elections. In spring, there were numerous protests against lockdown orders. cat/seb/jh/bgs The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) will hold its first virtual Advocates for Arthritis event on Tuesday, Sept. 15, where more than 120 rheumatologists, rheumatology health professionals, and patient advocates will meet with lawmakers via video to discuss the healthcare challenges they are facing in the midst of COVID-19. During the event, advocates will urge lawmakers to adopt legislation that ensures continued delivery of accessible, safe and affordable care throughout this public health emergency and beyond. The pandemic has altered almost every aspect of our rheumatology practices. It has impacted our patients' lives significantly and required us to create new ways of delivering care through improved telehealth and other adaptations." Ellen Gravallese, MD, ACR President Rheumatology providers face significant resource challenges as a result of the current climate. As providers work to balance patient safety and continued access to care, many have been forced to retool their operations, move a significant portion of visits to telehealth, source their own personal protective equipment (PPE), and help patients navigate drug supply challenges - while in many cases operating with less staff due to social distancing protocols, furloughs and layoffs. Meanwhile, patients are concerned about their ability to access rheumatic care while avoiding exposure to the SARS-CoV-2 virus. A recent national patient survey conducted by the ACR found a 52 percent decline since 2019 among patients who say they are currently being treated by a rheumatology provider. Further, 66 percent of respondents reported using telehealth for rheumatology visits, with COVID-19 cited as the most common reason. While telehealth has been a welcome option for providers and patients alike, some visits - such as those involving biologic therapy infusions - must be conducted in-person via an office visit. Additionally, the rheumatology workforce shortage has made it increasingly difficult for patients in rural areas to find a practicing rheumatologist. According to the latest federal estimates, 54 million Americans have a doctor-diagnosed rheumatic disease. A recent academic study suggests that number that could be as high as 91 million when taking into account symptoms reported by undiagnosed individuals. Even though as many as one-quarter to one-third of U.S. adults may be living with a rheumatic disease, there is an average of only one practicing rheumatologist for every 40,000 people, while it is estimated that the U.S. will need thousands more adult rheumatologists by 2030 to meet the challenges caused by a rapidly aging population and a fast-retiring workforce. To address these challenges and ensure the continued delivery of high-quality care, rheumatology providers and patients are encouraging Congressional leaders to adopt the following legislative solutions: Health Care at Home Act (H.R. 6644/S. 3741) - This legislation would require all employer-sponsored ERISA-regulated health insurance plans to provide reimbursement for telehealth visits (including audio-only visits) at the same rate as in-office visits for the duration of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency. The Creating Opportunities Now for Necessary and Effective Care Technologies (CONNECT) for Health Act (H.R. 4932/S. 2741) - This legislation would expand telehealth services through Medicare and make it easier for patients to connect with their providers. The Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act (H.R. 1763/S. 348) would better prepare the nation for its next health care crisis by increasing the number of residency positions eligible for Medicare support by 15,000 slots over five years. Further, the legislation requires that at least 50% of the additional 3,000 slots added each fiscal year be directed to a "shortage specialty" residency program as identified by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), like rheumatology. Funding for the Pediatric Subspecialty Loan Repayment Program (PSLRP). This program supports loan repayment and pediatric provider training experiences for primary care and dentistry providers who serve rural and underserved areas or community-based settings. Reauthorization of this program was included in the CARES Act but has not been funded. The Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act (H.R. 6788/S. 3599) reallocates to healthcare workers visas that were previously authorized by Congress and have not been used. Of these, 15,000 visas would be reallocated for international medical graduates and 25,000 visas for international nurses to ensure durable immigration status for our vital workforce. Noting the precarious financial state of cognitive care specialists who treat complex conditions, rheumatology leaders are also urging lawmakers to support the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' important updates to the Physician Fee Schedule slated to take effect in January 2021. Established in concert with the American Medical Association, these updated reimbursements for complex office visits - also known as "Evaluation and Management" (E/M) visits - are critical to ensuring specialties on the front lines of treating chronic illness can continue serving patients in need. "While the rheumatology community has adapted to meet these challenges head-on, there is serious concern about the long-term sustainability of this new practice landscape without additional, targeted federal interventions and funding support from lawmakers," said Gravallese. President Donald Trump on Monday vowed that any attack by Iran would be met with a response '1,000 times greater in magnitude,' after reports that Iran planned to avenge the killing of top general Qasem Soleimani. A US media report, quoting unnamed officials, said that an alleged Iranian plot to assassinate the US ambassador to South Africa was planned before the presidential election in November. 'According to press reports, Iran may be planning an assassination, or other attack, against the United States in retaliation for the killing of terrorist leader Soleimani,' Trump tweeted. 'Any attack by Iran, in any form, against the United States will be met with an attack on Iran that will be 1,000 times greater in magnitude!' Trump says Iran will be met with retaliation '1,000 times greater in magnitude' if it attacks the US He referenced press reports of an alleged Iranian plot to assassinate the US ambassador to South Africa was planned before the presidential election in November US ambassador to South Africa Lana Marks was a fashion designer and longtime friend of Trump's who has a home in Palm Beach and is a member of Mar-a-Lago The plot against Marks is believed to be in retaliation for a U.S. airstrike that killed Iranian General Qassem Soleimani, pictured, as he was visiting Baghdad in January Iran warned the US not to make a 'strategic error' on Tuesday following the president's remarks. 'We hope that they do not make a new strategic mistake and certainly in the case of any strategic mistake, they will witness Iran's decisive response,' government spokesman Ali Rabiei said. The alleged plot to attack the US has been detailed in intelligence papers which have been seen by US intelligence and government officials. American officials said they had been made aware of threats towards ambassador, Lana Marks, 66, since the spring but the intelligence detail has suddenly become more specific in recent weeks. The Iranian embassy in South Africa's capital, Pretoria, is said to be involved in the plot according to Politico. In January, a US drone strike killed Soleimani in Baghdad. At the time, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the US killed Soleimani to re-establish a deterrent against Iran. Soleimani led the Quds Force, a unit of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps that oversees much of the country's military activities outside its borders. Americans blame him for the death of numerous US troops in the region. After Soleimani's killing, Trump noted that the general had been plotting to attack American diplomatic missions. 'They were looking to blow up our embassy,' Trump said in January, later revealing, 'I can reveal I believe it probably would've been four embassies.' Lana Marks is pictured in Soweto, South Africa on June 6 when the USA donated the ventilators to assist in the fight against the COVID-19 The Iranian embassy in South Africa's capital, Pretoria, is said to be involved in the plot according to Politico Relations between Washington and Tehran have been tense since the Iranian revolution, and have spiraled since Trump unilaterally pulled out of a landmark international nuclear deal with Iran in May 2018. Additionally, Washington is pushing to extend an arms embargo on Iran that starts to progressively expire in October as well as reimposing UN sanctions on the Islamic republic. The Iranian navy last week said it drove off American aircraft that flew close to an area where military exercises were underway near the Strait of Hormuz. The military said three US aircraft were detected by Iran's air force radars after they entered the country's air defense identification zone. General Kenneth McKenzie, the head of U.S. Central Command, has said that he had been expecting a 'response' from Iran over the US's presence in Iraq. 'I do not know what the nature of that response will be, but we will certainly be ready for it, should it occur,' he said. Last Wednesday, McKenzie confirmed plans to cut the U.S. troop presence in Iraq from 5,200 to 3,000 by the end of September. It's not known why the Iranians would want to target Marks but it is likely her long-standing friendship with Trump is a reason and would make the attack on her life all the more personal. Marks, who has known Trump for more than 20 years and is a member of his Mar-a-Lago, became the US ambassador last October. Before becoming a diplomat, Marks was best known for her six-figure handbags, clutched by A-list celebrities like Charlize Theron, Angelina Jolie and Kate Winslett. Intelligence officials have also suggested that carrying out an attack in South Africa could be easier than targeting American diplomats in other parts of the world where improved relationships between the US and local police and national intelligence services could see an attack foiled. The U.S. Treasury Secretary announced that Trump's administration and Congress could agree and come up with another round of stimulus package. Congress has already returned Monday in a chance to discuss a new stimulus package that will help millions of Americans who are financially impacted by the global pandemic. Congress has 12 days left to draft the bill and deliver the stimulus package that Americans needed before the election. Democrats are likely going to draft a new bill because they are getting pressures from the voters after the Democratic members in Senate rejected the Republican-led targeted bill. People or qualified voters might blame them for failing to deliver help to millions of Americans and businesses. This time it is not only Trump's administration who is pushing for a new stimulus package but also the leaders of the 26-member Blue Dog Coalition of moderates who told the Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi that they want a new bill on a stimulus package. As Congress returns Monday after a recess, it seems that the Democratic lawmakers are divided. Budget Chairman John Yarmuth of Kentucky said that he wants a vote on a new stimulus bill that includes an extension of unemployment benefits. Yarmuth said, "We should pass a targeted bill with our top immediate priorities -- UI, food support, state and local aid, maybe some small business help. Republicans have been able to battle us to a draw by claiming we're unreasonable. We should show the country we're serious and responsible." He said this after a series of a report blaming the Democrats and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for blocking the proposed targeted bill of the Republicans and the failure to release the $300 billion to be used for $1,200 direct stimulus package and other financial aids. Representative Derek Kilmer, chair of the centrist New Democrat Coalition, also raised an idea to vote for a new stimulus package during a Thursday evening caucus call. However, Pelosi rejected the idea and said that the Democrats should be firm in the negotiations. Moreover, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi continues to reject the proposed relief package of Trump's administration because she knew that once she lets it happen, it will help Pres. Trump boost his Presidential bid. Meanwhile, voters also blame Pelosi for not acting on the new bill. House Progressive Caucus co-chair Pramila Jayapal of Washington state also said, "There are many of us, all of us, who want a deal. The negotiation is more important than just the symbolism of passing something," This just means that many Congress members want to have a new bill. The only problem is Pelosi's stand not to have it. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, an Iowa Republican, also added and said, "It looks like they don't want to get to an agreement. And if they don't want to sit down and talk, I think they think they're going to have a political victory." Pres. Trump's administration has long been emphasizing support for the second stimulus package. There were a series of negotiations made, but the Top Democrat negotiators continued to reject. Overall, Trump's administration has offered five times and rejected five times also. Check these out! Russia is one of the few countries in the world supporting Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, while the 66-year-old authoritarian leader faces increasing pressure to resign by civil society groups and opponents over the disputed August 9 election. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Lukashenko recently met in Sochi, where the former granted a $1.5 billion loan to Belarus in a gesture of support. The two leaders met on September 14 in Russia's largest resort city, where Lukashenko thanked Putin for his support after the presidential election. "You've acted very decently and humanly. This is why I personally thank you and all the Russians, who've contributed to support for us in this post-election period," Lukashenko was quoted as saying by Belarusian state media BelTA. Read: Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko Confirms Plan To Change Constitution: Kremlin The meeting must not have been smooth sailing for Lukashenko because of his anti-Russian stance in the build-up to the 2020 election. Belarus had detained 32 Russian citizens alleging that they were mercenaries sent to destabilise the country. However, on Monday, Lukashenko was all praise for his Russian counterpart and the Federation as a whole. Lukashenko said that he is "very grateful" to Putin and Russia adding that it's a lesson for him. Meanwhile, Russia, which is in favour of allowing Belarusians to resolve the situation on their own, said that a part of the recent loan will be used to refinance the previously provided loans, while the rest will serve as new money resources for Belarus. Read: Belarus Leader Visits Russia To Secure Support Amid Protests Belarus unrest Alexander Lukashenko was declared the winner in the August poll as authorities said he had secured over 80 percent of the votes. The result was challenged by Belarusian opposition leaders, who called the election rigged in favour of Lukashenko. People took to streets in large number to protest against the election result and demanded Lukashenko's resignation. Belarusian authorities started to crack down on protesters and clashes between the police and people began. Read: Tsikhanouskaya: Belarus Govt Doesn't Care About Its People Main challengers Svetlana Tikhanovskaya fled the country on August 11 to neighbouring Lithuania, from where she has been issuing video messages for the people of Belarus. Svetlana also urged the United Nations to interfere and halt the crackdown and impose sanctions on everyone close to Lukashenko. The international community, including the European Union and the United States, have condemned the action by Belarusian authorities and have demanded peoples' human rights be respected. Read: Belarus President Lukashenko Set To Meet Putin To Seek Support Amid Protests Facebook has been ignoring evidence that fake accounts on its platform have been disrupting political events across the world, alleges a former data scientist who was fired by the company. In her 6,600-word report, mid-level employee Sophie Zhang also claims to have had power over world events, making decisions that affected national presidents. In the three years Ive spent at Facebook, Ive found multiple blatant attempts by foreign national governments to abuse our platform on vast scales to mislead their own citizenry, and caused international news on multiple occasions, wrote Zhang, as reported by BuzzFeed News. I know that I have blood on my hands by now. The post documents a number of alleged scandals, including a politically sophisticated network of more than a thousand actors attempting to influence local elections in Delhi this year. She said Facebook removed the network without public disclosure. Other alleged scandals involved inauthentic scripted activity to promote certain Ukrainian politicians, an ongoing investigation into inauthentic accounts used by the ruling party in Azerbaijan, and a coordinated campaign to boost President Hernandez of Honduras which is still allegedly happening. It is claimed the company took months to act on evidence that an administrator of the Honduran presidents Facebook page was running hundreds of fake accounts to boost engagement on the presidents posts. Despite taking down the network in July 2019, the operation was quickly restarted a fact Facebook reportedly did not disclose. A year after our takedown, the activity is still live and well, Zhang wrote. In Azerbaijan, a network of inauthentic accounts were used to attack opponents of president Ilham Aliyev and the New Azerbaijan Party, in activities similar to the Russian troll farm which attempted to influence the 2016 US election. The data scientist said that Facebook has not disclosed this influence campaign. In Bolivia, there was inauthentic activity supporting the opposition presidential candidate in 2019 but the engineer claimed her workload meant this was not a priority. Later that year, the country was rocked by mass protests leading to dozens of deaths and the removal of socialist president Evo Morales. Zhang also said she worked to take down the inauthentic scripted activity in Ukraine that supported Yulia Tymoshenko, leader of the All-Ukrainian Union Fatherland political party, as well as former prime minister Volodymyr Groysman. However, Facebooks priorities were allegedly more focused on news that would harm the company itself. The memo claims that Facebook does not prioritise the protection of the democratic process in smaller countries, instead focusing on the US and western Europe. With no oversight whatsoever, I was left in a situation where I was trusted with immense influence in my spare time, the scientist wrote. She says that a colleague said that most of the world outside the west was effectively the Wild West with myself as the part-time dictator he meant the statement as a compliment, but it illustrated the immense pressures upon me. Facebook projects an image of strength and competence to the outside world that can lend itself to such theories, but the reality is that many of our actions are slapdash and haphazard accidents, she continued. Its an open secret within the civic integrity space that Facebooks short-term decisions are largely motivated by PR and the potential for negative attention. Scandals published in the New York Times or Washington Post would have a higher priority than those not, the engineer was reportedly told directly at a Facebook summit this year. Its why Ive seen priorities of escalations shoot up when others start threatening to go to the press, and why I was informed by a leader in my organisation that my civic work was not impactful under the rationale that if the problems were meaningful they would have attracted attention, became a press fire, and convinced the company to devote more attention to the space. The report alleges that viewpoints werent respected unless [the engineer] acted like an arrogant asshole, and was told that human resources are limited when stopping malicious activity related to election interference. Weve built specialised teams, working with leading experts, to stop bad actors from abusing our systems, resulting in the removal of more than 100 networks for coordinated inauthentic behaviour, a Facebook spokesperson said in a statement to The Independent. Its highly involved work that these teams do as their full-time remit. Working against coordinated inauthentic behaviour is our priority, but were also addressing the problems of spam and fake engagement. We investigate each issue carefully, including those that [the data scientist] raises, before we take action or go out and make claims publicly as a company. Replying to BuzzFeed reporter Ryan Mac on Twitter, Facebooks vice president of integrity Guy Rosen said that what the engineer was describing were fake likes which we routinely remove using automated detection. Like any team in the industry or government, we prioritise stopping the most urgent and harmful threats globally. Fake likes is not one of them, he continued. It is unclear exactly what Rosen was referring to in this tweet, due to the multiple reports of Facebooks inaction in the piece. Facebook did not comment on Rosens tweet when asked by The Independent. This is not the only recent instance of an ex-Facebook employee criticising the company. A Facebook engineer resigned a week ago saying the social media giant was profiting off hate in the US and globally. Another Facebook engineer quit in June, accusing the company of lying about the policy regarding Donald Trumps tweets. Facebook the same month reportedly fired a worker who criticised CEO Mark Zuckerbergs decision not to challenge the presidents inflammatory posts. And a senior Facebook engineer who collected evidence of the company providing preferential treatment to right-wing pages was also reportedly fired recently for breaking its respectful communication policy. Researchers at the Babraham Institute have used their understanding of cellular signalling to highlight a pitfall in an emerging treatment for cancer and inflammation. A new review just published in Biochemical Society Transactions summarises the researchers' current knowledge, which includes details of their research published in Nature Communications earlier this year. Developing awareness around these findings will prevent wasted effort and resource being spent on further drug discovery research relating to this drug target by commercial pharmaceutical companies. The research study focused on an emerging drug target in cancer and inflammation, and the use of small-molecule inhibitors to develop a new precision medicine - one that is matched to patients based on a genetic understanding of their disease. In this case, the compounds being investigated targeted a protein involved in cell signalling called ERK5. ERK5 is known to play an important role in some diseases, most notably in inflammation and cancer, and is thought to promote cell proliferation. Inhibiting this protein is an attractive strategy to develop novel anti-inflammatory or anti-cancer therapeutics and various large pharma have commercial research programmes to explore this for therapeutic purposes (for example, Bayer AG, Boehringer Ingelheim and AstraZeneca). While conducting research using some potential ERK5 inhibitors, the research team of Drs Pamela Lochhead and Simon Cook at the Babraham Institute along with collaborators at Newcastle University, University of York in the UK, and Harvard Medical School in the USA, noticed an unusual effect; the inhibitors acted in the opposite way what to was expected and activated ERK5 instead of blocking it. The team applied their knowledge of the ERK5 signalling pathway to dissect the molecular basis of this. As summarised in their latest review, the team found that the unintended activation of ERK5 was due to the binding location of the inhibitors. ERK5 inhibitors that bound to the kinase domain of the protein led to the protein being shuttled to the cell nucleus and activated. Blocking ERK5 has therapeutic potential, but activating it could have undesirable consequences in terms of stimulated unwanted cell growth. Similar observations have been seen before with a precision medicine developed to treat melanoma (a form of skin cancer) where it unintentionally caused another type of skin cancer, cutaneous squamous-cell carcinoma. These research findings and improved understanding will prevent this situation being repeated. Dr Pamela Lochhead, a senior postdoctoral researcher in the Cook lab and first author on the research paper and the review, said "It was surprising that the inhibitors we tested caused activation of ERK5, but we knew that by working out how this happened, we would be able to inform drug discovery efforts in developing new, safer medicines". ### Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagicThe Just Vote campaign, which gives fans the chance to win rewards and experiences by checking their voter registration status, has just added a bunch more stars to its lineup. Shawn Mendes, Meghan Trainor, Dave Matthews, Lenny Kravitz and more have all donated either their time or their possessions to the non-partisan campaign, whose goal is to get 50,000 young people registered to vote this November. Among the rewards now available: an autographed Shawn Mendes Foundation signature Fender electric guitar, a "private virtual hangout" with Meghan, an exclusive, never-before-seen live performance from Dave Matthews, a virtual hang with Lenny and more. Designer Donna Karan, Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder, actress Dove Cameron and YouTube personality and actor King Bach are among the celebs who've also donated experiences or items to the cause. If you check your registration, you'll be registered to win; the winners will be announced next month. There are also previously announced rewards available from Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish, Billy Porter, Julianne Hough and more. By Andrea Dresdale Copyright 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved. The history of Hispanics in America is long and rich, one that began with Spanish explorers invading the continent in the 1500s and has continued with the movement of people from Latin America and the Caribbean. In recognition of Hispanic Heritage Month, here are five little-known facts of Hispanic American history. 1. Hispanics Have Served in Congress Since the 1800s Some 300 years after Spanish explorers became the first non-Native Americans to view the Mississippi River and, later, the Grand Canyon, Joseph Marion Hernandez helped smooth the transfer of the territory of Florida into U.S. rule. Florida was still part of Spain when Hernandez was born in St. Augustine in 1784, but that changed when was selected to serve in the House of Representatives and was sworn into duty in 1823 as the first Hispanic to serve in Congress. Advertisement In historical context, the slave-owning Hernandez is somewhat controversial. Still, he remains the first of 128 Hispanics to serve in the Congress of the U.S. Maybe of more relevance today is the first senator elected to a full term in Congress, New Mexico's Dennis Chavez, in 1935. "In addition to being the first [American-born Hispanic senator], he's critical for the time we live in because he fought on behalf of all working class, equally," Ortiz says. "He fought for higher wages legislation. He fought for people to have the right to organize a union. He fought for more progress in U.S. foreign policy for Latin America. He organized with NAACP leaders against Jim Crow segregation. Dennis Chavez is one of those people we can use Hispanic Heritage Month to talk about our connection to other people's democratic struggles." Today's Congress, the 116th (2019-2021), has 47 members of Hispanic heritage. " " (From left) Joseph Marion Hernandez was the first Hispanic to serve in Congress; the first Senator elected to a full term in Congress, New Mexico's Dennis Chavez, in 1935. Library of Congress 2. Hispanics Fought in the Civil War The American Civil War was not only a struggle between the Union and Confederacy. It was not just whites fighting over slavery. The conflict involved at least 20,000 Hispanics, too. Many in the Southeast portion of the country sided with the Confederacy. From the National Park Service: Many of Spanish ancestry lived in the Gulf Coast region of Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana lands that had once been Spanish West Florida and Louisiana ... These "Creoles" were often well-to-do planters with plantations or established merchants with homes in the bustling ports of New Orleans and Mobile. Many held slaves. Others made their money through the cotton trade that relied on the "peculiar institution" of slavery. Part of the aristocracy of the region, these citizens joined their like-minded southern neighbors and actively fought to preserve their way of life. But more Hispanics supported the Union. "A lot of Mexican American soldiers fought on the side of the Union Army in the Southwest and actually helped defeat the Confederacy in the Southwest," Ortiz says. Hispanics in the West backed the Mexican government, too, and celebrated that country's defeat of the French at the Battle of Puebla May 5, 1862, Cinco de Mayo in a victory that may have helped prevent the French from siding with the Confederacy. " " Hispanics defeated the French at the Battle of Puebla May 5, 1862, Cinco de Mayo. The victory may have helped prevent the French from siding with the Confederacy in the Civil War. Library of Congress 3. The Zoot Suit Riots In late May and early June 1943, Los Angeles was rocked by what came to be known as the Zoot Suit Riots, a series of racist attacks on Mexican American youths by white U.S. servicemen and largely allowed by a racist police presence. The riots were the culmination of years of animosity in the area, fueled by: When the dapperly dressed zoot-suited young men mixed with soldiers on their way to the war in the Pacific, violence finally erupted. During the height of the riots, in a week in June, soldiers used makeshift weapons and marched into neighborhoods looking for anyone wearing a zoot suit. No one was killed, but the pictures of beaten young men in the streets, stripped of their clothing, and the like violence that spilled into other cities forced the nation to face the reality of racism at home. " " The Zoot Suit Riots broke out in 1943 Los Angeles as tensions rose between between servicemen stationed in the city and Latino youths, amongst whom zoot suits were the latest fashion. Anthony Potter Collection/Hulton Archive/Getty Images 4. Mendez v. Westminster Desegregated Schools in California Almost eight years before the U.S. Supreme Court ruled (in Brown v. Board of Education) segregation in public schools unconstitutional, a Hispanic schoolgirl showed the way. Sylvia Mendez, of Puerto Rican and Mexican heritage, was just 8 years old when she and her brothers were denied enrollment into the white-only Westminster School District in Orange County in 1943. At the time, about 80 percent of California school districts were segregated. Her parents, Gonzalo and Felicita Mendez, enlisted other parents to fight the decision, and they took the school board to court, Mendez v. Westminster was launched. After appeals that were abandoned short of the U.S. Supreme Court, Mendez v. Westminster became the first successful federal school desegregation case in the nation. That was in 1947. The case was important in arguing that segregation itself, even if schools were "separate but equal," was harmful and unconstitutional under the 14th Amendment (specifically, the clause that calls for "equal protection of the laws" for all citizens). In appeals, Sylvia's case was argued (in an amicus curiae brief) by Thurgood Marshall, who was to argue for the plaintiff in the Brown v. Board of Education case, too, and later would become a Supreme Court justice. Felicitas died in 1998, but Sylvia has continued to tell her family's story. In 2007, a U.S. Postage stamp marked the 60th anniversary of the case and on Feb. 15, 2011, President Barack Obama presented Sylvia with the Presidential Medal of Freedom. " " Sylvia Mendez is being honored by the Los Angeles District U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for her tireless work promoting her family's legacy. U.S. Army 5. The Chicano Blowouts Even after Mendez v. Westminster helped desegregate schools in Orange County, things were not great in the schools. Students in Los Angeles in the '60s were tired of soaring number of dropouts, low graduation rates and a counselor-to-student ratio of 1:4,000. So they planned a mass walkout in March 1968 about 22,000 high school students in Los Angeles left their classrooms and took to the streets. The incident was dubbed The Chicano Blowouts and the leaders made 26 demands of a school system that was badly failing them, including more studies of Mexican American history and more Mexican Americans in the administration. The Blowouts were not entirely peaceful. Teachers blocked exits. Police clashed with the students in often brutal showdowns. Arrests were made. But the protests became "a crucial flashpoint in the movement to achieve equality for Chicano students in the L.A. Unified School District," according to the United Way of Greater Los Angeles. And they paved the way for more, better education for Hispanics in California. "Those high school students who graduated from, say Garfield High School in Los Angeles, they go to college three, four, five years later, they're at San Francisco State University, they're at UC Berkeley," Ortiz says, "and now they demand the implementation of Chicano history on the college level." Those kinds of protests, Ortiz says, are what slowly bend the arc of history toward justice and equality for Hispanics and Latinos, in education and elsewhere. Hispanic Heritage Month celebrates those moments, and helps to demonstrate how much has been achieved, and how much remains. "I want us to be proud of our parents and our grandparents. I want us to be proud of where we came from," says Ortiz. "And I want us to remember that all the privileges and benefits, and all the advances that we've enjoyed in this country, we have fought for. Or our parents and grandparents have fought for and, in some cases, lived and died for. My gosh, we have so many things to be proud of as people in terms of contributions that we've made to the society." NOW THAT'S INTERESTING Hispanic Heritage Month, which officially began as Hispanic Heritage Week in 1968, always starts on Sept. 15. Why in the middle of the month? Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua all celebrate their Independence Day Sept. 15; Mexico's is on Sept. 16; Chile's is Sept. 18; and Belize Independence Day is Sept. 21. The month stretches into October to include Dia de la Raza, Oct. 12, which is a kind of rejection of Columbus Day (because of Christopher Columbus' many crimes against humanity) and instead celebrates the melding of Hispanic races (raza) and cultures. An exploitation film that proceeds as if it were a solemn memorial, The Secrets We Keep doesnt do right by the Holocaust history it invokes or much else. In small-town America around the turn of the 1960s, Maja (Noomi Rapace), a Romanian housewife, spots a stranger whom she believes participated in the assault and murder of a group of women that included her and her sister near the end of World War II. But after kidnapping the man and holding him at gunpoint, with plans to execute him in a pre-dug grave, Maja loses her nerve and brings him home. There, she imprisons him in the basement and demands a confession. The man (Joel Kinnaman) says his name is Thomas, that he is Swiss, and that Maja must be confused about his identity. (North by Northwest, in which Cary Grant is mistaken for someone he is not, is one of two titles glimpsed on a marquee, in what may be the movies idea of a thematically relevant shout-out.) English has some nouns and adjectives that apply strictly to one gender, but the languages descended from Latin are full of them, especially when referring to occupations. Heres how some queer activists and linguists are trying to address that issue in Spanish (notably in Argentina), Portuguese, French, Italian, Catalan, and (trickiest of all) Romanian. Global Voices For two days, I have been seething at the presidents action in withholding life and death information from the public about the pandemic. Trump calls it downplaying. Another word is lying. I wondered how many lives could have been saved had the commander in chief been worthy of that chair behind the Resolute Desk. This morning sipping coffee and thinking about this morass, I began to reflect on another key question of morals and obligations to fellow man. Those of Bob Woodward and his journalistic obligation to the public. As a former investigative journalist in my 20s, I considered Bob Woodward a hero and beacon of the best of the Fourth Estate: honor ethics and sweat. As a First Amendment and Transparency lawyer, Ive strived for the same tenacity he and Carl Bernstein wrote about in All the Presidents Men (a book I read every June). I even drew on that tireless inspiration and laser focus when I took on the Herculean task of creating the Office of Open Records. As an author of a best-selling book, I admire how Woodward just pumps out these works of art. It is awe inspiring. In short, Woodward has been an American hero, and treasure, to me. When I learned that Trump sat for interviews with him, I had to laugh. I covered Donald Trump and his casino empire in 1991 as an investigative reporter for The Associated Press and was banned from his casinos several times for my reporting. I chortle regularly at how little the man has grown and how little his lack of press savvy changed did he seriously expect to charm the worlds most famous journalist when Woodstein toppled a presidency? So today, it was hard to come to terms with what Woodward did and didnt do. As I thought about his reporting lore, a moral question hit me like a ton of bricks: Did Bob Woodward as a journalist, not to mention fellow human, have an obligation to report what he knew when he knew it February 7, 2020. I believe he did. Initially, maybe he thought it OK to save that bombshell presidential quote about how deadly COVID-19 is for his book. But, as the deadly scenes unfolded in New York City and the gruesomeness mounted I believe that my journalistic hero failed the very people he serves the public by not reporting in real time what the president said. Even if one argues that he isnt a journalist for The Washington Post, but now just an author, the fact remains he enjoys huge public trust as an elder statement. He had proof that the president lied. On tape. He is one of the few people who can pick up the phone and be on any major news network in minutes. He has that kind of heft. He should have shared it. If his book contract precluded early revelations, that too needs to come into the public light and questions posed as to why this protected. 200,000 people are dead. Yes the president has the paramount obligation to keep Americans safe and to tell the truth about what he knew. That should and must be the focus, and for me will be one of countless reasons I will vote against him. But in my view this preeminent journalist, and notable American, had a premier paramount obligation to report in real time the fact that he knew the president failed his duty and was lying to the American people, and the world. Sadly, Woodward failed us with each American that was felled by the pandemic. Isnt that also rage? _________________ Terry Mutchler is a First Amendment and transparency lawyer and the founding executive director of the Office of Open Records. She is a partner with the firm at Dilworth Paxson, and author of the book Under This Beautiful Dome. By Stephen Farrell JERUSALEM (Reuters) - The diplomatic accords the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain are due to sign with Israel on Tuesday in a ceremony hosted by U.S. President Donald Trump have been subject to intense spin and partisan scrutiny. They are the first public rapprochements with Israel by Gulf Arab states and come decades after it signed peace deals with Egypt and Jordan, countries that, unlike the UAE and Bahrain, had faced Israel on the battlefield. The countries involved have hailed the new "Abraham Accords" as groundbreaking. But Palestinians say there can be no resolution of the core Israeli-Palestinian conflict unless they are involved. Here are some of the points of controversy and uncertainty. "ROUGHLY COMPLETE" On Monday Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu signalled that the agreements may be works in progress, while a senior Trump administration official briefed that they were "roughly complete or complete" for the ceremony, without giving specifics. The official said the UAE document, announced on Aug. 13, would be more detailed than the Bahrain one unveiled a month later because of the time elapsed, but that the documents would not be released until after the ceremony. NORMALISATION The word "normalisation" features prominently in Israeli and American comments, but it has very different connotations on opposing sides of the Middle East conflict. For Israel, the United States and other western countries it signifies a welcome public thawing of relations in a region from which Israel has long been isolated and where some even question its right to exist and want no dealings with it. "Normalisation is about giving everybody an opportunity, respecting each others faith and having a more stable region," Jared Kushner, Trumps son-in-law, told the Emirates News Agency, WAM, in August. "If you are against normalisation then what are you standing for? You are standing for extremism, division, intolerance." Story continues But for many Palestinians and Arabs the word has overwhelmingly negative associations. The trilateral statement issued by the United States, Israel, and the UAE on Aug. 13 spoke of the "full normalisation of relations" while the nearly-but-not-quite Bahraini equivalent on Sept. 11 instead opted for the establishment of full diplomatic relations. There was some domestic opposition - Bahraini political and civil society associations issued a statement saying: What results from normalisation will not enjoy popular backing." A campaign also circulated on Arabic social media asking people to sign up to the Charter of the State of Palestine, and declaring "normalisation in all its forms is treason." "Normalisation is a bad word for the Palestinians because it means power for Israel," Palestinian political analyst Khalil Shahin said. "The Palestinians are suffering an imbalance in all fields... normalisation means deepening such imbalance." PEACE Israeli and U.S. officials have both talked of "peace" deals, Netanyahu consistently favouring the phrase "peace for peace." That wording pointedly contrasts the new deals with the old "land for peace" formula that long underpinned decades of Israeli-Palestinian negotiations but which is detested by many of Netanyahus right-wing voter base because they oppose land concessions to Palestinians. Netanyahus Likud Party made the contrast explicit, saying: "For the first time in history, Prime Minister Netanyahu broke the 'land for peace paradigm,' securing a 'peace for peace' deal." But Palestine Liberation Organization Secretary General Saeb Erekat said the Emirati and Bahrain deals were really about Peace For Protection Kushner told them you either normalize with Israel or lose U.S. protection." On Tuesday, ahead of the ceremony, he referenced the Biblical prophet Jeremiah, tweeting: They have treated the wound of my people carelessly, saying, 'Peace, peace,' when there is no peace. STOP, SUSPEND A discrepancy between the English and Arabic versions of a trilateral UAE, Israel and U.S. statement last month was seized upon by Palestinians to suggest that the UAE overstated Israeli readiness to drop West Bank annexation plans. The English version of a joint communique said the accord "led to the suspension of Israels plans to extend its sovereignty". But the Arabic version read: "the agreement ... has led to Israels plans to annex Palestinian lands being stopped". The UAE has portrayed the accord as a means to halt Israeli annexation of occupied West Bank lands, where Palestinians hope to build a future state. An Emirati official said the difference in wording was merely a translation issue. But Hanan Ashrawi, a senior PLO official, claimed that was disingenuous. "The Arabic translation is a way of misleading Arab public opinion by saying they have succeeded in stopping the annexation, while actually they suspended it," she told Reuters. (Additional reporting by Lisa Barrington, Aziz El Yaakoubi, Nidal al-Mughrabi, Ali Sawafta, Rami Ayyub, Dan Williams and Matt Spetalnick, Editing by William Maclean) Turkey Condemns US-Cyprus Agreement on Building New Training Facility, Foreign Ministry Says Sputnik News 00:18 GMT 14.09.2020 MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The US-Cyprus agreement to construct a new regional border security training center on the island will not contribute to peace and stability in the Eastern Mediterranean, Spokesperson of the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs Hami Aksoy said. "The steps taken by the US, such as lifting the arms embargo on the Greek Cypriot Administration and including the Greek side in the military training program disrupt the balance between the two peoples on the island and increase tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean," Aksoy said. The spokesperson said that the US actions will not contribute to reaching a compromise on the Cyprus issue and the agreement on the construction of the new training center will not contribute to regional peace and stability. Aksoy said that Turkey was urging the US to return to the policy of neutrality that it had pursued in Cyprus and to contribute to efforts to resolve the Cyprus issue. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced during his Saturday visit to Cyprus that he had signed a memorandum of understanding with Cypriot Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides on the construction of a new training center (Cyprus Center for Land, Open-seas, and Port Security, or CYCLOPS) to be funded by the US and built in Cyprus. According to the State Department, the US will provide equipment, trainers and other support for the new training center, which will help provide assistance in areas related to security and safety, including customs and exports control, as well as port and maritime security, and cybersecurity. Aksoy pointed out that Pompeo did not meet with the Turkish Cypriot community during his Saturday visit to Cyprus. Cyprus and Turkey have been engaged in a prolonged dispute over offshore drilling rights since the discovery of the first gas deposits off the coast of the island in 2011. Cyprus has been split into the Greek Cypriot-run south and the Turkish Cypriot government in the north since 1974. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address TAKE Solutions announced on 14 September 2020 that the management of the Company has taken into consideration the impact of known internal and external events arising from COVID-19 pandemic in the assessment of recoverability of trade receivables, contract assets and certain investments in subsidiaries. The liquidity and business constraints, consequent to impact of COVID 19 pandemic, have significantly hampered the operations of a step-down subsidiary viz. Navitas Life Sciences GmbH, Germany (a direct subsidiary of Ecron Acunova and a step- down subsidiary of TAKE Solutions). After assessing the current situation and considering the local requirements, the liquidation process of Navitas Life Sciences GmbH, Germany has been initiated as per the requirements of local laws. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Actor Pankaj Tripathi is undoubtedly one of the most exciting actors in Bollywood today. With a range as vast as his - his rise was inevitable. He has worked in hard-hitting Netflix drama such as Sacred Games, films such as Newton to doing light-hearted films like Bareilly Ki Barfi. The actor has single-handedly made supporting roles mainstream. The actor says that while he did see such experiences in the industry, his own story has been different. Nepotism have never really bothered me in any way. I have been busy working on my craft. People might think I am lying when I say that I have never felt uncomfortable in the industry. But this journey and experience have been mine so I only can say how it was so far. My truth is that I have had my share of struggles. I have worked immensely hard to bag roles in films. I have struggled for eight long years before people started recognizing me, he said in a new interview. Although I have never had any such experiences, I would not deny that I have seen these things happening in the industry with others. Star kids do get opportunities quicker than others because they belong to a certain family. I never got opportunities so easily. However, nobody stopped me too. No matter if you become a recognised actor after eight years of struggle or just a mere eight days if you do not have the talent; you will not survive in this industry. The audience is very smart. They know who is talented and who is not, he told Times of India in the interview. Also read: Sorry Sara, Sorry Rakul: Samantha Akkineni shares post as internet apologises to Sara Ali Khan, Rakul Preet Singh Pankaj hails from a rather humble background in Bihar. While he has been doing small roles for a while, his first brush with recognition came in Anurag Kashyaps Gangs of Wasseypur, where he played Sultan Qureshi. However, after a string of successful roles in films like Fukrey (2013, Masaan (2015), Bareilly Ki Barfi (2017), Newton (2017) and Stree (2018), there has been no looking back. Follow @htshowbiz for more September 15 is celebrated as National Engineers day in India. Engineers contribution to a countrys development is obvious; from civil to mechanical, they build the backbone of infrastructure. The computers we use to the buildings we live in everything has an engineer behind it. The day is a homage to commemorate one of Indias finest engineers, Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya. In a small village called Muddenahalli in Karnataka, Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya was born on September 15, 1861. Due to his various contributions to the field and being a pioneer of education, he is also called as VM Sir. VM Sir was born to two Sanskrit Scholars as parents. After his primary education in the village, he moved on to Bangalore for higher studies, pursuing a bachelors in arts. But he always knew he was an innovator. From Pune College of Engineering, he received a degree in civil engineering. His expertise was in the fields of irrigation and flood disaster management. His claim to fame was his ground-breaking works in these fields with modern irrigation techniques as well as flood control and mitigation. He designed the automatic barrier water floodgates which was installed in Pune in 1903 at Khadakvasla reservoir. He would later become the architect behind Krishanasagar dam, the largest dam in India. After serving as an engineer for four decades, he established the famous Government Engineering College, now known as University Visvesvaraya College of Engineering, in 1917. This was the fifth engineering college in India. He was an engineer and educator, but he was also industrious. He was a member of the Governing Council of the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore. Later, he became a member of Tata Iron and Steel governing board. He also founded Mysore soap factory. Sir VM has been referred as precursor of economic planning in India, according to the Institution of Engineers India (IEI). Hes written two books Reconstructing India and Planned Economy of India. In his later stages, he served as the Diwan of Mysore, where he was also knighted in 1915. In 1955, he was awarded Bharat Ratna. The legend left the world in 1962, but his legacy is still a part of the countrys machinery. Nine people have died and thousands have been detained as the authorities launched a region-wide crackdown on ethnic Mongolians protesting an end to Mongolian-medium education with class boycotts and street protests, a New York-based rights group reported on Monday. "As the nationwide school boycott enters its third week ... the Chinese government is turning the entire region into a police state," the Southern Mongolian Human Rights Information Center (SMHRIC) said in a statement on its website. "At least nine Mongolians have lost their lives, and thousands have been arrested in protest of Chinas latest cultural genocide campaign," it said. An estimated 300,000 students have boycotted class across Inner Mongolia since the end of August, in protest at a new language policy for schools, which will see Chinese used as the language of instruction in schools that once offered Mongolian-medium education. The authorities claim the move is towards "bilingual education," but ethnic Mongolians say it is a form of cultural genocide aimed at cutting off their remaining connection to their culture and heritage. As parents broke into schools to free their children at the start of the semester, gathering in protest outside the gates, the authorities dispatched SWAT teams, plainclothes state security police, and volunteers to strong-arm families into sending their children back to school. Japan-based ethnic Mongolian Khubis said police in Inner Mongolia's Chifeng city and Heshigten Banner had arrested at least 12 members of herding communities, while armed police had come looking for school-age children in those areas. "The police have been forcing their way into people's homes and snatching away their children [to go to school]," Khubis said. According to SMHRIC, between 4,000 and 5,000 ethnic Mongolians -- who include prominent dissidents, writers, herders, protesting parents, and online activists -- have been subjected to "arbitrary arrest, extrajudicial detention, forced disappearance, and house arrest" since the crackdown began. Parents who fail to enroll their children in school will see them expelled, after hundreds of ethnic Mongolians have been forced to resign from public office after they resisted the changes to the curriculum, which were kept under wraps until the start of the new semester at the end of August. Massive student hunts are sweeping the region. Even in the remotest rural communities, police presence is so heavy," SMHRIC quoted an audio statement from a Mongolian parent as saying. "The whole [region] is a police state now." Another parent said in an audio message that they were reminded of the persecution of ethnic Mongolians during the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976). "This is nothing but a second round of ethnic cleansing," the statement said. Teachers, officials suspended U.S.-based ethnic Mongolian Nomin said three teachers in East Ujimqin Banner and five officials in Abag Banner have been suspended in recent days for failing to enroll their children in school or for otherwise opposing the language policy. "A directive has been sent to local governments requiring all parents to present their children at schools within a specified time," Nomin said. "Those who don't will have their kids expelled from school." Notices circulating on social media and sent to RFA showed such warnings issued by the education bureau in Abag Banner to a local high school, and by the education bureau in Bairin Right Banner to a local kindergarten. He cited the case of a factory boss in the region's capital, Hohhot, whose factory was damaged by officials in a bid to put pressure on him to send his children to school. "One kid fled to the hills, and the parents only found him after a few days of searching for him," Nomin said, also citing the case of rights defender Dulma Yang Jin who organized local herding communities to stand up for their rights. "She only just got married, but now both of them are behind bars ... they were detained once, then redetained a few days ago, and there has been no news of them since," he said. In the border town of Erenhot, school principal Ulaan was fired after she refused to implement the new language policy, and later committed suicide, he said. "More than 100 police officers intercepted some people on their way to mourn her," Nomin said. "They wouldn't let them go any further." Crisis mode Police, ruling Chinese Communist Party committees, education bureaus, departments of discipline and inspection, courts, procuratorates, and schools are in crisis mode, with fresh directives and orders issued daily, SMHRIC said. "The entire Mongolian population has been notified of arrests and detention of disobedient individuals and sackings of those who refuse to implement orders," the group said. It cited an official statement from the Ar-Horchin Banner Peoples Court, state prosecutor, police department, and education and justice bureaus as saying that parents who do not comply will be sent for "legal education," and possibly fined or prosecuted. Another ethnic Mongolian parent told SMHRIC: "This is a matter of dignity. When an undignified life is not worth living, brave ones take their lives to end their earthly suffering." According to an Excel spreadsheet received by the SMHRIC, by Sept. 11, only 18 percent of students were showing up for class at Zaruud Banner's No. 2 Mongolian Middle School. A similar report from Uzumchin Right Banner shows that as of Sept. 13, the percentage of ethnic Mongolian students attending was just 12.6 percent. Video clips and other communications showed students fleeing schools to join the boycott, while others sat in classrooms weeping and refusing to cooperate with attempts to teach them, SMHRIC said. The group said attempts by the Chinese government to play down the extent of the changes to the curriculum should be ignored, adding that the crackdown is a "cultural genocide." "Those documents issued by the authorities are intended to fool the Mongolians and mislead the international community," SMHRIC director Enghebatu Togochog said, adding that the authorities are targeting anything linked to Mongolian culture, including artifacts, traditional dwellings, and books in bookstores. The group said ethnic Mongolians in China face a total ban on the use of the Mongolian language in schools. "Reports confirm that the Mongolian language is completely banned in schools," it said in a statement. "Students are banned from speaking Mongolian during any school activities." It cited an audio message from a parent in Otog Banner, who said students taken away to school by the authorities were now "banned from speaking in Mongolian." "No question, this is a cultural genocide, Enghebatu said in a written statement. China is not hesitating to carry out the genocide, one after another, in front of the eyes of the world." Reported by Qiao Long for RFA's Mandarin Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie. The investigation is a significant escalation in the fraught publication of the book. The Trump administration had sought to stop its publication, accusing Bolton in a lawsuit of moving forward with publication without receiving final notice that a prepublication review to scrub out classified information was complete. The director of national intelligence referred the matter to the Justice Department last month, two of the people said. John Demers, head of the departments national security division, then opened the criminal investigation, according to a person briefed on the case. Find all of the most important pandemic education news on Educating N.J., a special resource guide created for parents, students and educators. As schools reopen across N.J., we want to know what is and isnt working. Tell us about it here. Its less than two weeks into the school year and already several New Jersey school districts that hoped to do a mix of in-person and remote learning have had to go fully remote because of confirmed cases of the coronavirus. AKRON, Ohio The first meeting of City Councils special committee about reforming the police department included a heated exchange between council members and police Chief Ken Ball. Ball spoke during a virtual meeting of the so-called Reimagining Public Safety Committee, and began his remarks by saying, I would say Im thankful to be here, but Im not. In a speech that Council President Margo Sommerville and At Large Councilwoman Linda Omobien called shocking, Ball expressed his displeasure with the formation of the committee, calling the renewed calls for scrutiny and transparency a knee-jerk reaction to the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Im frustrated, Ball said. I think this department is an exceptional police department, and I know that you all feel like theres a bigger role for law enforcement and other places that are not getting things right, but its not this place, and its disappointing to me that this council doesnt know more about who we are and what we do and how we develop policies and what our recent history has been. Ball said he realized his remarks were likely unexpected, but said he was at his tipping point. He referenced a piece of legislation to outlaw chokeholds the tactic Minneapolis police used that resulted in Floyds death and said councils decision to pass it in June without input from the department was shortsighted and that it likely will lead to the loss of life thats completely unnecessary. Sommerville, who led the meeting, said each of the committees four working groups personnel and culture, accountability and transparency, prevention, and technology and equipment will begin their research by discussing current policies and practices with police department liaisons, selected by Ball. All discussions are set to be held during public meetings. We have an institution in the Akron Police Department thats full of decent public servants who are working hard to do their job, said Ward 8 Councilman Shammas Malik. But, at the end of the day, this is an institution that we delegate the power to use deadly force, and with that power comes along with scrutiny. Malik said that while some hostility toward police has generated as a result of brutality cases that gained nationwide attention, distrust exists within the city that needs to be addressed. He noted that Balls predecessor, Chief James Nice, stepped down in part because he made racial comments about another city employee. We have a discipline system that does not, in some cases, adequately hold folks accountable when they have issues, although I know thats something we have all tried to work on, Malik said. We have an opportunity here to really dig into these issues, and Ill be the first one to tell you that Im trying my best to learn as much as I can. Other council members also spoke about their interest to learn more about the police department, including Sommerville, Omobien, Rich Swirsky of Ward 1, Russ Neal of Ward 4, Ginger Baylor and Jeff Fusco, both at large. This is not an attack, but an opportunity for us to work together to see what is it that we are doing, Sommerville said. Are there some things that we can do better? Can council be a better support to the Akron Police Department? Those are the types of conversations that we want to have. After the 45-minute meeting, Mayor Dan Horrigan wrote a letter to council, thanking Sommerville for her leadership and stating his support for the committees objectives. Here is his full message, including an emphasis in bold: Dear Council members, I wanted to follow up after todays Reimaging Public Safety working committee meeting. As a former ward Council person, I have the utmost respect for the job you do and the work required to balance the needs of your constituents. Government leaders, including police, are directly accountable to the people we serve. City leaders can be both supportive of City safety staff and supportive of efforts to bring new information, ideas and voices to the conversation around creating healthy, safe neighborhoods for all people. In fact, that is exactly what we as elected leaders are called upon to do. The Reimagining Public Safety working groups are not an attack on police, in fact, they are a collaborative, thoughtful and informed approach to addressing targeted issues and building community trust through transparency and sincerity. I want to personally thank President Sommerville for her leadership and insight on this important task. Racism is real, and its influence exists in every structure of society, including government. We must remain open to understanding this reality, and to our own responsibility for ending and undoing this harm. You are fulfilling your public duty to listen to, engage and respond to the needs of your constituents, and to oversee and shape the public safety environment in our City. I fully support Councils work and I know that we can do more to build a safer, more inclusive, and collaborative relationship between our public safety forces with the residents we serve. This is the philosophy that my administration and public safety leadership will bring to conversations about these issues. I look forward to continuing to engage in these challenging and important conversations going forward. Respectfully, Daniel Horrigan, Mayor YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 15, ARMENPRESS. Minister of territorial administration and infrastructures of Armenia Suren Papikyan today chaired a working consultation with the participation of governors of provinces, the ministry told Armenpress. At the beginning of the meeting the minister said such consultations with the governors will be held regularly as all obstacles caused by the coronavirus are now eliminated. During the consultations the governors reported the minister on the implementation process of subvention programs aimed at the communities social-economic infrastructure development. 65 out of 700 approved subvention programs are already over, the rest is in process. The consultation participants discussed the results of the projects, the existing problems, and the minister gave respective tasks for solving these problems. Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan By Cara Luddy, Communications Assistant at Central Library Sept. 30 is the last day you will be able to respond to the 2020 Census. As of Sept. 13, the self-response rate for Onondaga County was 69.2% and the city of Syracuse was 53.3%. There are still many people that need to be counted. While census takers go door-to-door to try to make up the difference, as a community we need to step up to ensure a complete count. This means checking in on your family, friends, and neighbors to make sure they have responded. You may be wondering, why is the 2020 Census so important? Why do I keep hearing about this government mandated population count? It really comes down to money and representation. Results from the 2020 Census will decide how hundreds of billions of dollars are distributed to communities around the country for the next 10 years. This means money for hospitals, schools, roads, and other critical public works and services. Do you want an underfunded fire department? I dont. An accurate count determines how many seats are in the House of Representatives and how congressional and state legislative districts are drawn. Populations that are undercounted could possibly lose important political representation. This could be devastating for communities that are already underserved. Some households may not have responded yet due to privacy concerns about how their data will be shared by the Census Bureau. Its important to note that for the 2020 Census, you will never be asked to provide your social security number or bank and credit card information. The Census Bureau will never request money, donations, or anything on behalf of a political party. The 2020 Census will ask how many people were living or staying at your residence on April 1, 2020 and if you rent or own. You will also be asked to provide your name, age, date of birth, sex, phone number, and race/origin. You would then list the name, relation, and demographic information for each additional person that was living with you on April 1, 2020. There is no citizenship question. The Census Bureau is bound by law to protect your answers and keep them confidential. Each employee takes an oath to protect your personal data for life. This means that the Census Bureau cannot release any identifiable information about you or anyone in your household to other entities, including law enforcement and I.C.E. Visit 2020census.gov to learn how to respond online or by mail. Call 844-330-2020 to respond on your phone. The 2020census.gov website also provides support for 59 non-English languages , including Spanish, Chinese, Arabic, and Somali. There are also guides available in large print, Braille, and American Sign Language. The clock is ticking. Take 10 minutes out of your day to respond and help secure 10 years of funding for our community. WASHINGTON Israel signed deals to normalize ties with the Gulf states of the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain on Tuesday that were brokered by President Donald Trump in what is described as a diplomatic breakthrough. The agreements called the Abraham Accords were signed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Emirati Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed al Nahyan and Bahrain Foreign Minister Abdullatif al-Zayani during a ceremony at the White House. "We're here this afternoon to change the course of history," Trump said, speaking on a balcony over looking the South Lawn where hundreds of attendees gathered. "After decades of division and conflict we mark the dawn of a new Middle East." These agreements prove that the nations of the region are breaking free of the failed approaches of the past, Trump continued. The people of the Middle East will no longer allow hatred of Israel to be fomented as an excuse for radicalism or extremism. The UAE and Bahrain are the third and fourth Arab states to normalize ties with Israel despite the country not having reached a resolution to the entrenched dispute with the Palestinians. The last peace treaties with Israel were signed by Egypt in 1979 and Jordan in 1994. While Netanyahu attended the signing ceremony on Tuesday, the UAE and Bahrain sent their foreign ministers rather than heads of state or government. Trump said during bilateral meetings before the signings that his administration was in talks with several additional nations on signing similar agreements, but he declined to name the countries when pressed by reporters. Image: Abraham Accords signing (Saul Loeb / AFP - Getty Images) "We'll have at least five or six countries coming along very quickly," Trump said, adding, "They want to see peace. They've been fighting for a long time." The leaders gathered during a global pandemic, which Netanyahu briefly mentioned. Like Trump, Netanyahu has also been criticized for his handling of the virus. Story continues "Long after the pandemic is gone, the peace we make today will endure," Netanyahu said. White House officials, congress members and other lawmakers gathered on the South Lawn did not keep at a social distance and only some wore face coverings, ignoring District of Columbia's coronavirus guidelines. An administration official said the White House initially did not realize 200 reporters had been credentialed for the event and complained about the crush of people flooding the grounds. White House senior adviser Jared Kushner, who helped negotiate the agreements, said in a statement late Monday, Instead of focusing on past conflicts, people are now focused on creating a vibrant future filled with endless possibilities." The new agreements will see Israel suspend its claim of sovereignty over areas outlined in the Trump administration's Mideast peace plan. While marking a diplomatic victory for Trump ahead of November's presidential election, the agreements have outraged Palestinians, sparking protests across the region. Image: Demonstrators protest against normalizing ties with Israel, in Baghdad (Khalid al-Mousily / Reuters) Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh condemned the move, saying on Twitter that it erodes unity between Arab states. "This day will be added to the calendar of Palestinian pain and the record of Arab fractures," he said. Critics warn the new deals also risk undermining the 2002 Arab peace initiative, which was proposed by Saudi Arabia and endorsed by the Arab League, which called for normalization of ties with Israel on the condition that Israeli forces were withdrawn from the West Bank, east Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip. "Peace which does not include the realization of the rights of all Palestinians will be one without justice," Shawan Jabarin, general director of the independent Palestinian human rights organization Al-Haq, said. Image: Israeli National Security Advisor Meir Ben-Shabbat, center left, elbow bumps with an Emirati official as he leaves Abu Dhabi, Arab Emirates (Nir Elias / AP) Still, the deals are a positive development for the region, setting the stage for increased trade, tourism and diplomacy, Yossi Mekelberg, professor of international relations at Regent's University London, told NBC News. "This is a big moment, it's an historic moment and we shouldn't underestimate how important it is," he said. The Gulf states could use the deals to push Israel toward more meaningful negotiations with the Palestinians, who had refused to take part in Trump's Middle East peace initiative, Mekelberg added. Israeli officials have previously said the country seeks to expand ties with other countries in the Arab and Muslim world. Such relations have quietly warmed in recent years as the countries have been pushed together by their common enemy, Iran. Reuters contributed to this report. The oldest-known American World War II veteran celebrated his 111th birthday recently on September 12, in New Orleans. Lawrence Brooks, who was born in 1909, received over 10,000 letters and wishes from all over the world. Although born at a time of a heavily desegregated America in the early 20th century, Brooks signed up for the Army after he turned 30, and was then swiftly drafted to serve in the predominantly-Black 91st Engineer Battalion in New Guinea and the Philippines during the Second World War. Although the US was fighting racism internally and Nazi forces outside, in an interview with National Geographic, commemorating the 75th anniversary of the end of the Second World War, Brooks reminisced that he felt more welcomed and remembered being treated more equally while stationed with the US Army in Australia, than anywhere else in the US at the time. 'I was treated so much better in Australia than I was by my own white people. I wondered about that. Thats what worried me so much,' he said. Read | Singapore: Seven nations observe 75th anniversary of end of World War II at a war memorial Oldest US WWII veteran celebrates 111th birthday It is worth noting that over 16 million Americans served in World War II in some capacity, of which, 1.2 million of them were Black or African Americans. Brooks recalled his treatment at the Army camps and in the country those days and saia, 'Even when I served th nation, I was treated like a second-class citizen. Every time I think about it, I'd get angry, so the best thing I'd do is just let it go.' Brooks retired from active combat after the war and went to work as a forklift operator and eventually settled down in New Orleans in the late 70's where he currently lives with his large family, (whom he calls his support system) of 5 children, 13 grandchildren and 22 great-grandchildren. Read | World War II veteran Giuseppe Paterno becomes Italys oldest student at 96 Happy 111th Birthday to Mr. Lawrence Brooks of New Orleans, LA! While we weren't able to have our usual birthday party at the Museum this year, we were able to host a socially distanced celebration that he could view safely from his porch. pic.twitter.com/DyzyWc0oCw National WWII Museum (@WWIImuseum) September 12, 2020 The Veterans' Network at @Chevron saw an article on @NOLAnews about our birthday card efforts for the oldest living World War II veteran Lawrence Brooks and wanted to contribute. Check out their special message for Mr. Brooks! pic.twitter.com/2ttELvPAh8 National WWII Museum (@WWIImuseum) September 14, 2020 Read | Putin uses World War II parade to boost support before vote Notably, the National World War II Museum in Louisiana has hosted Brooks; birthday parties for the past five years. Though each year it is celebrated with great pomp and fanfare, due to COVID-19 regulations, this year, the museum was not able to host his birthday party, so instead, the staff were asked to send him birthday cards. While his family hosted a private birthday for Brooks, the museum and the US Military took it upon themselves to arrange a socially distant celebration, complete with military aircraft flyovers. Big thanks to the Commemorative Air Force - Big Easy Wing and Honda Aeroshell Teams for helping us celebrate Lawrence Brooks' 111th birthday with a flyover in honor of Mr. Brooks! pic.twitter.com/Ro2rygerNA National WWII Museum (@WWIImuseum) September 12, 2020 In addition to flyovers, a cake, and a personal performance from the Victory Belles, The Museum was also able to deliver the nearly 10,000 birthday cards sent in from around the world. A celebration for the nations oldest WW2 vet on his 111th birthday. More of this please. MORE OF THIS. pic.twitter.com/sL6k5RQWI5 W M (R) (@wyntermitchell) September 13, 2020 Read | World War II forces sweetheart singer Vera Lynn dies at 103 Send to Email Address Your Name Your Email Address Post was not sent - check your email addresses! Email check failed, please try again Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. Airport privatisation a scam in name of PPP model, Centre favouring Adani Group: Congress India oi-Deepika S New Delhi, Sep 15: Congress on Tuesday in Parliament attacked the Centre and said the government is running a scam in the name of developing airports in a PPP model. Rajya Sabha MP KC Venugopal said, "Adani Group has won bids to operate and develop 6 airports. There's clear violation of norms in giving airports to a single private entity. The government ignored advice of some of its own ministries and departments. Changes in the norms were enabled for Adani Group to win all 6 bids." The Centre-run AAI owns and manages more than 100 airports across India, including the aforementioned six that have been privatised. In February 2019, Adani Enterprises was declared the winner for all six airports as it was the highest bidder. In July 2019, the Union Cabinet approved the proposal for leasing out three of them - Ahmedabad, Mangalore and Lucknow - to the Ahmedabad-based company. Parliament monsoon session: BJP slams Jaya Bachachan over 'conspiracy to defame film industry' India elected as the member of the United Nations Commission on Status of Women | Oneindia News Eight months after the Cabinet approval, Adani Enterprises signed the concessionaire agreement with the AAI on February 14 this year for operation, management and development of these three airports. In June this year, the AAI gave three more months to the Ahmedabad-based company to take over the management of these three airports due to the COVID-19 situation. This means the deadline for takeover has been pushed from August 12 to November 12. Ingham said teachers dont have a way to make new default settings, so every time they start a new session, they have to manually change each setting in order to secure their classroom. The main options are to add students individually or wait until everyone has joined the class and then change the meeting settings to restrict access, the method Ingham has been trying. Remote instruction is already more complicated without adding 28 students one at a time, she said. Brightstar Corp, a subsidiary of Softbank Group Corp. and the worlds leading mobile services company for managing devices and accessories across the wireless ecosystem appoints Ankur Agrawal as the Chief Financial Officer for Brightstar India. Ankur brings with him a wealth of experience from across key sectors, with an enviable industry reputation for helping businesses increase efficiencies, drive sustainable growth strategies, and build their presence across B2B and B2C markets. He has been involved in core operations, business & strategic finance, turnarounds and acquisitions. In a career spanning over more than 20 years, Agrawal has led Indian & International Businesses with 13 years of tenure at Jindal Stainless followed by GFG Alliance India and Livguard Energy, being his last stint. An engineer graduate from IIT Kharagpur with MBA from ISB Hyderabad, Ankur, throughout his career, has benchmarked a trajectory of growth, maximizing overall revenue for brands and identifying new business opportunities. Brightstar India which owns the Beetel brand is foraying into the $2 billion Mobile Accessories market in India through Flix Accessories powered by Beetel. With the appointment of Ankur Agrawal, Brightstar India has further strengthened its Leadership Team. Shortly after its plans to enter Indian Mobile Accessories Market, Flix has also appointed Puneet Gupta, as its Business Head for India. The new appointments are in sync with the Companys expansion and growth plans for the Indian Markets. Commenting on the appointment, Mr. Sanjeev Chhabra (Managing Director Brightstar India), said, We welcome him to Brightstar India family, and look forward to his many contributions as we expand and grow our business. He brings unprecedented knowledge and accomplishments to the Leadership Team. His dynamic and broad based experience will be highly valuable in optimizing and leading the operations, that continue to build as the company grows. With several new appointments, we are glad to build a Leadership team with complementary strengths and diversified Industry experience. Throughout the career, I have been associated with businesses across diverse cultural and growth stages and have been successful in leading cycles of growth. With this, I am glad to associate with Team Brightstar YEREVAN. Past daily of the Republic of Armenia (RA) writes: Experts and expert circles regularly voice that during the last 1.5 years, the national debt of the RA has already made about 60% of the GDP, which is considered the upper limit of the "red line." According to Past newspapers information, the authorities will take a new loan in October. In particular, it is planned to sign a loan agreement of about 200mn US dollars from the Asian Development Bank, which [the agreement] will again increase the debt. According to the information, the lion's share (about 150 million dollars) of the loan will be allocated to the Tranche 4 section of the North-South Road Corridor Investment Program, which [the section] includes the Kajaran-Agarak sectionabout 42 km. By the way, a simple study shows that the topic of this loan agreement was planned to be implemented in December 2016, which was delayed due to some circumstances, and after the change of power that took place in RA in 2018, this [loan agreement] was also was suspended due to a number of judicial processes and various criminal histories. And so, according to our source, at the current stage the authorities plan to resume the loan process, which is about 4 years old. According to the information, this is also conditioned by the current dire economic situation; this [loan agreement] will enable to inject some money into the economy [of Armenia] to ensure some activeness. After six months without school, everyone was happy for summer vacation to end. And that was the case for students in the Fort Edward, Hudson Falls, Salem and Hadley-Luzerne school districts on Monday. Teenagers eagerly gathered together on painted dots 6 feet apart outside Fort Edward school. Younger children waved excitedly as their friends walked past, looking for an open dot at the end of the very long line of students. Even kindergartners, being dropped off at an unfamiliar school for the first time, were looking forward to seeing other children at last. I miss my friends, said Amelia LaBarge-Ovitt, 6, as she waited to enter Fort Edward Elementary School. The entire school district kindergarten through 12th grade now has one principal: Sam Ratti. He was outside greeting students, reassuring parents, organizing staff and even collecting health forms at one point when there werent enough people on hand to do it. Some students were wearing masks with printed pictures of their favorite things. Noah McWherter, 5, had guitars on his mask because he loves the loud sounds they make when they are plugged into a speaker. He clung to his mothers hand, looking uncertainly as teachers circled, gathering health forms from parents and organizing children into multiple lines. I think its gonna be fun, he said. I think my teacher will be nice. In another line, Chloe Schuyler was introducing her little brother to her beloved school. Chloe, 8, is in fourth grade. Her brother Lucas, 5, is starting kindergarten, and she held his hand and adjusted his mask with the air of an adult. Im taking care of him. I dont care about anything else, she said firmly. A few students were reluctant. Ben VanVleet, 6, preferred learning at home when his kindergarten class went virtual in March. His mother, Colleen VanVleet, turned reading practice into a game and rewarding him every time he got a vocabulary word right. I would chase him and tickle him, she said. He wanted to stay home, but said he could look forward to going to the park at the end of the day. Some parents had to carry their kindergartners to the door, which made for a tricky transition since parents cannot enter the building now. But teachers stood in the doorway, welcoming each child and guiding them by hand. After Phineas Nall, 5, was led off to kindergarten, his mother said she was glad the school was open. I really have a lot of confidence in our teachers, Nicole Nall said. He did pre-K here last year. Hes just nervous because everythings different. And indeed it was. Some students tried to pull down their masks, only to be quickly told off by a parent. One parent, frustrated at the end of a long wait to get through the health screening, told her son bluntly that he had to keep his mask on. Get used to it, she said. Hudson Falls At Hudson Falls Intermediate School, Principal Mike McTague reminded students getting off the bus to keep their distance between the other classmates as they entered the building. Im excited to be back, because this is probably going to be one of the most challenging, but one of the best years we ever had, he said. McTague said the students are in smaller groups of at most 12 per classroom, depending on the footprint of the room. Students will remain in their classrooms throughout most of the day, and teachers of special subjects, such as art, will go to them for their class, according to McTague. McTague said some teachers have been assigned to new subject areas to accommodate the additional sections. The goal is to have familiar faces. Hudson Falls has some new faces. Jon Hunter is serving as interim superintendent following the retirement of Linda Goewey in August. In addition, former Abraham Wing School Superintendent John Godfrey is serving as interim principal of Hudson Falls Middle School. Former Principal Jordan Tezanos has taken a job as assistant principal of Schuylerville High School. Salem At Salem, the third Washington County school district to begin classes, Superintendent David Glover said the district has made tweaks to the drop-off procedures. Parents are dropping their children at the bus loop rather than park in the front of the building and walk them into the building. He said they wanted to reduce people congregating outside. The districts cleaning plans were implemented effectively, according to Glover. Were cleaning bathrooms, doorknobs, lockers every hour throughout the day, he said. The cafeteria gets special attention because the school is holding study halls in there as well. Glover said the district has been able undertake this expanded cleaning without hiring additional staff. Everyone is doing their part, and little extra to make sure everyones safe, he said. The district has divided its students into two groups dubbed purple and gold based on the school colors, according to Glover. The purple group attended classes in person Monday and will be there again on Tuesday. Then, they will be attending classes online for the next two days. Friday is a virtual day for everybody. In addition, he said the district changed the schedule at the high school to create 80-minute-long blocks so students are not changing classes every 42 minutes. Hadley-Luzerne Hadley-Luzerne Superintendent of Schools Beecher Baker said the first day was fantastic, better than he could have hoped, but with a few small glitches. One issue was it took a little longer to get students into the building. More parents are driving their children and, he said, some paused for first-day photos. That slowed things down a bit, he said. It also took a little longer to deliver lunches to classrooms, according to Baker. Also, the Google Classroom web service for remote learning was running slowly, which he attributed to the fact it is being used by students across the country. School staff is screening each student before they go into the building, according to Baker. Some have their temperature taken while they are on the bus. That was a little quicker than we anticipated, he said. All in all, Baker said it was a good first day. Kids have been wonderful no complaints on any of that very, very happy with the expectations being met and the safety protocols being met, he said. Staff seems ecstatic that things are going well. Well keep our fingers crossed, he added. Reach Michael Goot at 518-742-3320 or mgoot@poststar.com and follow his blog poststar.com/blogs/michael_goot/. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Michael Goot night and weekend editor Follow Michael Goot Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-15 18:33:56|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close TEHRAN, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Iran reported 2,705 new COVID-19 patients overnight on Tuesday, raising the total number in the country to 407,353, according to the health ministry. During the past 24 hours, 1,299 Iranians were hospitalized for complications from the novel coronavirus, said Sima Sadat Lari, spokeswoman for Iran's Ministry of Health and Medical Education, during her daily briefing. The pandemic has so far claimed 23,453 lives in Iran, up by 140 in the past 24 hours, she added. Besides, 349,984 people have recovered and been discharged from hospitals while 3,811 remain in intensive care units. As of Tuesday, 3,613,891 COVID-19 lab tests have been carried out in Iran, the spokeswoman noted. She said 13 Iranian provinces are still in high-risk condition. Iran announced its first cases of COVID-19 on Feb. 19. Iran and China have offered mutual help in combating the COVID-19 pandemic. In mid-February, at the early stage of the coronavirus outbreak in China, Iran lit up the Tehran Azadi (Liberty) Tower to show its solidarity with China, and donated 3 million masks to China. In return, China delivered several shipments of medical supplies to Iran. On Feb. 29, a five-member Chinese medical team visited Iran for a month-long mission to help Iran fight the pandemic. Enditem With Sevilla having signed Marcos Acuna, Sergio Reguilon's future now looks to be in the Premier League. Manchester United and Tottenham are the main contenders to land the left-back, who doesn't have a place at Real Madrid due to the presence of Marcelo and Ferland Mendy. Real Madrid would like to sell the 23-year-old, who impressed so much while on loan at Sevilla last term, but Los Blancos want to include some sort of buy-back clause in any deal. This insistence from Real Madrid has been met with scepticism by Manchester United and this has allowed Tottenham to really enter the race. Manchester United appeared willing to meet Real Madrid's asking price of 25 to 30 million euros, but are adamant that they don't want a buy-back option in the transaction. Negotiations between the directors at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu and at Old Trafford are continuing, but alternative options are being listened to. This is where Tottenham come in, with London now a potential landing spot for Reguilon. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - September 15, 2020) - Origen Resources Inc. (CSE: ORGN) (the "Company" or "Origen") is pleased to announce the identification of multiple distinct high grade gold occurrences from the initial reconnaissance conducted recently at the Rat prospect on the Wishbone Property (see Company news release dated August 19, 2020) and the mobilization of an exploration field crew to further define the target areas. Key Highlights - Rat Prospect Multiple distinct occurrences of gold mineralization identified; Schist Canyon: 300 metre long open mineralized trend reporting three high grade float grab samples grading 17.65, >25 and >25 g/t Au; South Bowl: Two talus fines samples returned 7.5 and 7.2 g/t Au only 50m from 1.23 g/t in outcrop indicates close proximity to bedrock source; Mid-Bowl: Two samples returned 10.98 and >25 g/t Au in float near newly exposed receding leading edge of glacier; and Field crew mobilizes to vector into source of gold mineralization and define drill targets. "We are thoroughly encouraged by the broad and high grade expression of gold mineralization at the Rat Prospect. This initial success has really set the stage for our next phase of work, not only advancing this target area, but in synergy with the other priority target areas on Origen's Wishbone property." states Blake Morgan, Company President. Rat Prospect Gold Target Areas The July 2020 reconnaissance exploration program collected 67 rock samples (i.e. float, outcrop and chip samples) covering an 800 x 900m area within a bowl hosting the Rat Prospect. Of these, eighteen (18) samples reported >0.5 g/t gold. Schist Canyon Traverse through the Schist Canyon area revealed a 300 metre long mineralized trend reporting twelve samples grading >0.5 g/t gold including three high grade float grab samples grading 17.65, >25 and >25 g/t Au. The concentration of mineralized samples along such a broad length strongly suggests a significant and local source of the gold. This area and areas to the north reporting historical high grade gold samples will be one of the main target areas that the field crew will focus on in the Company's 2020 Phase 2 exploration program. Table 1: Rat Prospect - Schist Canyon Select Gold Samples Sample ID Type Au g/t Ag g/t Note Length WJH27 Float >25.00 5.69 1,4 WSM-006 Float >25.00 12.62 1,4 WSM-007 Float 17.65 156.00 1,3 WJH24 Float 2.40 46.85 2 WJH25 Float 1.70 0.65 2 WJH26 Float 1.70 13.43 2 WJH21PD Float 1.20 0.97 2 WSM-017 Chip 1.00 51.30 2 0.10 WSM-011 Grab 0.73 2.52 1 WSM-012 Grab 0.62 1.10 1 WSM-014 Grab 0.58 1.29 1 WSM-013 Grab 0.55 1.14 1 Table Notes: Pending results for Fire Assay. Gold value is updated from Fire Assay result. Gold value is updated from ore grade assay result. Gold value exceeded maximum measurable limit (25 g/t Au) for analytical method. South Bowl Two talus fines samples returned 7.5 and 7.2 g/t Au (RATSM2020-009, 010) at the base of a ridge along the southern slope of the bowl encompassing the Rat Prospect. The talus fines are believed to have derived from the gossan visible upslope from the sample sites that was not accessible from the traverse. In addition, approximately 50m to the northeast two grab samples (WSM-004, 005) of quartz-Fe carbonate-pyrite veining in outcrop returned values of 0.47 and 1.23 g/t gold respectively. These four samples, all notably gold mineralized, in close proximity to a sizable gossan indicates the identification of a new mineralized zone with size potential. Further work is planned to investigate the style and structural control of this emerging target. Mid-Bowl Two samples collected mid-bowl in a newly exposed region by the receding leading edge of the glacier returned >25 and 10.98 g/t Au in quartz boulders; samples WMHR-007 and WMHR-008 respectively. Grab samples are by nature selective and should not be relied upon. They are collected during prospecting and reconnaissance work to characterize geological material and determine if metals of interest are present prior to more comprehensive sampling and investigation. They may not be representative of metal grades on The Property. Float samples are similar to grab samples but were not collected from bedrock and do not have a known source. The bedrock source of a float sample may not be on The Property. Prospecting and other geological, geochemical and geophysical methods are used to trace float samples back to their source. Float samples may not be representative of metal grades at their bedrock source. Gold values range from trace to >25 g/t Au in the samples. 2020 Phase 2 Exploration Program The Phase 1 exploration program at the Rat prospect has revealed multiple discrete occurrences of high grade and broad gold mineralization. The samples indicate a proximal source to the occurrences and the results strongly point to a significant mineralizing system at Rat. The Company has initiated a Phase 2 exploration program that is planning: 1.) additional reconnaissance and prospecting to locate the sources of the high grade gold found in float; 2.) determine the geological and structural controls on the mineralization; and 3.) refine drill targets The Company is awaiting the receipt of its drill permits and once received hope to include a drilling component to this phase. Sample Locations Table 2: Location Coordinates for Select Samples (NAD83 Zone 9N). Sample ID Type Easting Northing WJH21PD Float 381212 6335782 WJH24 Float 381017 6335750 WJH25 Float 381017 6335750 WJH26 Float 381017 6335750 WJH27 Float 381047 6335751 WMHR-007 Float 380918 6335458 WMHR-008 Float 380921 6335461 WSM-004 Grab 381286 6335448 WSM-005 Grab 381278 6335445 WSM-011 Grab 380951 6335728 WSM-012 Grab 380944 6335726 WSM-013 Grab 381040 6335709 WSM-014 Grab 381040 6335709 WSM-017 Chip 381042 6335723 RATSM2020-009 Talus Fine 381313 6335487 RATSM2020-010 Talus Fine 381310 6335479 Quality Assurance, Quality Control and Laboratory Methods Origen fieldwork followed industry standard practices and collected B horizon soil samples whenever possible or talus fines when soil development was too immature. No duplicate samples were included due to the small number of samples and no standards or blanks were inserted. MSALABS of Langley and Terrace British Columbia Canada is a certified analytical laboratory (ISO 9001 and ISO 17025) with experience in the chemical analysis of geological materials.) MSALABS is independent of the Company as defined by NI 43-101. Samples were delivered to the laboratory by an employee of Coast Mountain Geological who were contracted to implement the field program for the Company. Rock samples were processed by drying followed by crushing so 70% passed through a 2mm screen. A 250g split, was then pulverized so that 85% passed through a 75m screen. Digestion of a 20g cut was done by Aqua Regia and finished by 39 element ICP-AES/MS. Samples with >0.5 ppm gold were reanalysed using a 30g cut for digestions in a fire assay flux with a gravimetric finish. Soils samples were processed by drying, screening to <80 mesh, digestion of a 20g cut by Aqua Regia and finishing by 39 element ICP-AES/MS. John Harrop, P Geo., a Qualified Person as that term is defined in NI 43-101 has prepared, supervised the preparation or approved the scientific and technical disclosure in the news release. Mr. Harrop is employed by Coast Mountain Geological Ltd who was contracted by the Company to implement the 2020 fieldwork. He is not independent of the Company as defined in NI43-101. About Origen Origen is an exploration company engaged in generating, acquiring and advancing base and precious metal properties. The Company currently holds a property portfolio of four 100% owned precious and base metal projects in southern British Columbia and recently acquired a 100% interest in the 26,771 ha LGM project and an option to acquire a 100% interest in the 3,971 ha Wishbone property in the mineral rich Golden Triangle of British Columbia. On behalf of Origen, Blake Morgan President For further information, please contact Blake Morgan, President at 236-878-4938 or Gary Schellenberg, CEO at 604-681-0221. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/63845 The Sunday night gathering came as the pandemic has caused at least 190,000 deaths in the United States, with the number expected to pass 200,000 sometime before Trump holds his next official campaign events on Friday. The Nov. 3 election had already become a referendum on the presidents often dismissive approach to the pandemic before revelations last week that he had told Washington Post journalist Bob Woodward he knew the severity of the virus but preferred to play it down in public. PUNE: A 70-year-old woman was tricked into handing over her gold necklace worth Rs 9,000 to a woman who later made off with it in Sadashiv Peth area on Saturday. A similar incident was reported on September 8 in Pulgate area where a 65-year-old was duped by two women who tricked her into believing that they can multiply her gold. In the case of the 70-year-old woman, a betel leaf seller, she was approached by a woman in her 30s around 6:30pm to come with her to a ritualistic meal at her house, as it is the month in the Hindu calendar when the faithful pay tribute to ancestors by offering meals to people, according to her complaint. The elderly accompanied the younger woman to a lane near Mahalaxmi temple on Phadke road in Sadashiv peth area. She told us that the woman told her that the road they were walking on was not safe and took the necklace for safe-keeping. The complainant was wearing a 3-gramme necklace worth Rs 9,000. She offered the old woman a meal, grains, a sari and a better necklace in exchange of the one which she was wearing, said sub-inspector VV Jadhav of Vishrambaug police station who is investigating the case. As they were walking on a footpath after the older woman handed over the necklace, the younger woman crossed the street and disappeared into the alley, according to the complainant. A case under Sections 406 (criminal breach of trust) and 420 (cheating) of Indian Penal Code was registered at Vishrambaug police station. Home Business Nepals economic growth rate could be limited to 1.5% in 2021: ADB Kathmandu, September 15 Asian Development Bank has estimated that Nepals economic growth could be restricted to as low as 1.5 per cent in 2021 due to the economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. In its economic forecasts released today, the ADB decreased the rate of growth from its previous estimates. In the estimate launched in April, it had said Nepali could achieve a growth rate of 6.4 per cent, which was further reduced to 3.1 per cent in June. The governments target for this year stands at around 7 per cent. Meanwhile, the World Banks estimate stands at 2.1 per cent. Om Birla says it pained him that Lok Sabha did not run smoothly during Monsoon session Parliament monsoon session: BJP slams Jaya Bachachan over 'conspiracy to defame film industry' India oi-Ajay Joseph Raj P New Delhi, Sep 15: Samajwadi Party MP Jaya Bachchan has given Zero Hour notice in Rajya Sabha over an 'alleged conspiracy to defame the film industry'. Reacting to this, the BJP claimed that Jaya Bachchan has exhibited her irresponsibility as a parliamentarian. Speaking to OneIndia, Telangana BJP chief spokesperson, K Krishna Saagar Rao said, "She (Jaya Bachchan) hasn't condemned the drug menace, which is destroying the lives young people across India, including young actors and actresses in her own film industry. She hasn't condemnned drug dependence, addiction and peddling by young bollywood, tollywood, sandalwood actors, whose names were recently released by NCB and some are even arrested." Rajnath Singh likely to make statement in Parliament today over India-China standoff "It's shocking, that she is giving notice in Rajya Sabha over a conspiracy to defame Bollywood. Her statement and posturing is quite shallow and shameful," the BJP said. "MP Jaya Bachchan notice and statement in Rajya Sabha today, once again exposes the irresponsibility, prejudice and selfishness of even the senior block of bollywood actors, who otherwise act as gatekeepers of ethics, morals and values," he added. Monsoon Session Day 2: Film industry image being tarnished, says Jaya Bachchan India elected as the member of the United Nations Commission on Status of Women | Oneindia News In the ongoing controversy of Sushant Singh Rajput's suicide and the subsequent drug links case against his girlfriend Rhea Chakraborty, Jaya Bachchan, a veteran actor and Rajya Sabha MP has given a Zero Hour notice to discuss the issue of the film industry being defamed. MPs can raise issues of critical importance in the Zero Hour subject to approval by the Speaker. On the second day of Monsoon Session in Parliament, MP Jaya Bachchan has sought to raise the issue of an alleged "conspiracy to defame the film industry". For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Tuesday, September 15, 2020, 10:22 [IST] Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 1 anno fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili. Parisian fashion brand chooses Centric PLM to unleash creativity and strengthen synergies to deliver high-quality, timeless and elegant collections CAMPBELL, Calif., September 15, 2020 Sezane, the Parisian fashion brand, has selected Centric Softwares Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) solution. Centric Software provides the most innovative enterprise solutions to fashion, retail, footwear, outdoor, luxury, consumer goods and home decor companies to achieve strategic and operational digital transformation goals. Created in 2013 by Morgane Sezalory, Sezane is the first digitally native, vertical, French fashion brand. Sezane quickly conquered the most cutting-edge styles. Innovative and driven by eco-conscious values, Sezane offers original, timeless clothing, shoes and leather goods of excellent quality, designed to last but at affordable prices. Sezane distributes its products via its website and around ten apartment-boutiques, located in France, London and New York, and offers customer service worthy of the biggest luxury brands. The company, which today brings together almost 200 employees and maintains two-thirds of its production in Europe, offers four annual collections supplemented by the regular launch of capsule pieces. Committed to sustainability, the brand has met numerous ecological standards and uses 85% eco-friendly and sustainable materials. Sezane wanted to take a new step in their approach to quality and continuous improvement. However, the design teams for ready-to-wear, footwear, bags and accessories used different legacy tools for managing the product lifecycle and worked in different ways. As the number of employees grew, agility began to take precedence over process and organizational concerns. Sezane's objective is now to unify these heterogeneous and complex processes and to promote synergies between the different teams through a centralized product data repository that is synchronized with existing Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and Product Information Management (PIM) solutions. Centric PLM will allow us to focus the efforts, energy and skills of our design teams on collections rather than file management and data retrieval, says the Sezane team. Sezanes teams examined three potential solutions. In the end, Centric Fashion PLM proved to be the most complete solution that was best adapted to the needs of the company. Centrics customer references in the fashion sector also stood in its favor. We are delighted that Sezane has elected to partner with Centric, says Chris Groves, President and CEO of Centric Software. Synonymous with elegance and quality, this French fashion brand has spearheaded an innovative distribution model. We are proud to participate in this adventure by offering Sezane a robust solution capable of giving total control of products from design to distribution. With Centric PLM, Sezane marks a new stage in their quest for excellence and uniqueness. Learn more about Centric Fashion PLM Request a Demo Sezane (www.sezane.com) Founded in 2013 by Morgane Sezalory, Sezane is the first French fashion brand born online. Each month, Sezane offers the most beautiful leather goods, shoes, ready-to-wear & accessories at the fairest price. Made to last, each piece embodies the know-how of the brand's partner ateliers. Always guided by the desire to put actions before words, Sezane has set up a solidarity project through its DEMAIN program and is committed to an eco-friendly business model. Centric Software (www.centricsoftware.com) From its headquarters in Silicon Valley, Centric Software provides a Digital Transformation Platform for the most prestigious names in fashion, retail, footwear, luxury, outdoor, consumer goods and home decor. Centrics flagship Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) platform, Centric 8, delivers enterprise-class merchandise planning, product development, sourcing, quality and collection management functionality tailored for fast-moving consumer industries. Centric SMB provides innovative PLM technology and key industry learnings for emerging brands. Centric Visual Innovation Platform (VIP) offers a new fully visual and digital experience for collaboration and decision-making and includes the Centric Buying Board to transform internal buying sessions and maximize retail value and the Centric Concept Board for driving creativity and evolving product concepts. All Centric innovations shorten time to market, boost product innovation and reduce costs. Centric Software is majority-owned by Dassault Systemes (Euronext Paris: #13065, DSY.PA), the world leader in 3D design software, 3D Digital Mock Up and PLM solutions. Centric Software has received multiple industry awards and recognition, including being named by Red Herring to its Top 100 Global list in 2013, 2015 and 2016. Centric also received various excellence awards from Frost & Sullivan in 2012, 2016 and 2018. Centric Software is a registered trademark of Centric Software Inc. All other brands and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners. Media Contacts: Centric Software Americas: Jennifer Forsythe, jforsythe@centricsoftware.com EMEA: Kristen Salaun-Batby, ksalaun-batby@centricsoftware.com APAC: Lily Dong, lily.dong@centricsoftware.com Sezane: Presse@sezane.com GLENWILLOW, Ohio, Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- mDesign Home Decor, a multi-million-dollar marketplace seller and digitally native brand, has appointed Stacey Renfro as Chief Executive Officer. Renfro will be leading the brand through an aggressive global growth strategy as it continues to establish its lead in the industry as the go-to for stylish home storage and furnishing solutions to help organize life. Most recently, Renfro was Executive Vice President, Chief Digital and Customer Experience Officer at the Vitamin Shoppe. Renfro is a seasoned retail executive with over 25 years of progressive experience leading omni-channel and e-commerce platform strategies. Before her tenure at Vitamin Shoppe, she held several leadership roles at Pier 1 Imports including EVP, Planning & Allocation, and Senior Vice President of E-commerce. Renfro spearheaded the relaunch of Pier 1 Imports' online business in 2013, which drove its growth from $30M to over $450M in just five years. Stacey was been widely recognized as a leader in the retail and e-commerce space, named by Chain Store Age as Top Ten Women in Retail (2017) and Top Ten Women in Retail Technology (2016). Stacey also serves as the Co-Chair for The National Retail Federation's Digital Council, as well as on the Advisory Board's for both CNBC's Technology Executive Council and Women in Retail Leadership Circle. "We are confident that Stacey's leadership will be pivotal and essential to the tremendous growth we are projecting," said Robert Immerman, Founder and Chief Innovation Officer at mDesign. "Stacey's wealth of experience in E-commerce, marketing, planning and merchandising has driven impressive results for the companies she has led. She has a proven track record of leading highly successful teams, implementing game-changing strategies and managing complex growth initiatives across a variety of retailers. We are excited to have her on board for what will be an incredible and monumental journey for mDesign." "mDesign's growth to date has been phenomenal," said Stacey Renfro. "Since launching on Amazon five years ago, the business has become a Top 5 Marketplace seller and has now become global. The team and I share the same vision of the future for mDesign. I am proud to lead this company into the next phase of its growth." For more information about mDesign Home Decor, please visit https://mdesignhomedecor.com/ About mDesign mDesign is dedicated to creating a curated collection of products from around the world that will bring beauty and add function to your home. We offer exceptional value on unique solutions from bathroom accessories, to pantry storage, furniture and everything in between. We bring you products designed to organize and enhance your home with the goal of making every day living a little easier. mDesign - Solutions with Style Follow mDesign on blog, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Pinterest SOURCE mDesign Related Links https://mdesignhomedecor.com A Statement By The Prominent Civil Rights Advocacy Group; Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria on The Illegality of Dialoguing and Granting Amnesty To Armed Mass Killers and Terrorists on The Wake of The News That Katsina State of Nigeria Spends N4.2bn on War Against Bandits, Kidnappers. BACKGROUND: The political, economic and social systems of a country create the conditions for security and insecurity. Security remains a necessary pre-condition for the development of human beings and society. Therefore, security is the most basic need of human beings and societies. Recognizing the significance of security as the pre-condition for survival of the Nigerian people and nation, the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria provided in section 14 (1) (b) that the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government. The duty conferred on the government by this provision has not been substantially and substantively discharged as the prevailing high level of human insecurity in the country demonstrates. Sadly, the Federal government and some states of the Federation are actively promoting acts of terrorism by commission and ommision particularly through the illegality of granting AMNESTY to TERRORISTS who ought to face severe judicial sanctions for their acts of terror against the Nigerian people and Nigerian State. Since 2009, Nigeria has gradually slipped into a terrorist enclave where armed mass killings and terror acts have become the regular signature of the countrys social memoirs. Aside the complex permutations of socio-economic and political upheavals already facing the polity, the emergence of these supercilious army of armed mass killers and terror extremists has not only pose a threat to the budding democracy in place, it also may endanger efforts to achieve industrial development in the country. Nigeria has experienced pervasive violence since it returned to civilian rule in 1999 after more than 15 years of military dictatorship. Despite the brutal strategy followed by the state in response to public disorder, efforts to establish peace in Africas most populous and largest oil-producing nation have failed. Indeed, state repression has increased rather than reduced violence in many areas. While government plans amnesty and reintegration into the society as a means of curbing the spate of armed mass killings and terrorism, it seems to have spiraled out of control. FACTORS AT PLAY: The emergence of a former military ruler as president of Nigeria in 2015 created the expectation that the terror group could be brought under control, instead violence escalated and spread into mass killings and destruction of properties by armed Fulani herdsmen, bands and kidnap gangs. To be fair, there were some successes in rolling back the expansion of Boko Haram. Between mid-2015 and late 2016, the federal government moved the terror and counter-terror situation room to Maiduguri; the heart of the crisis. The military had halted the expansion of the Caliphate and took back the 14 local governments seized by the terror group. Flights and normal business returned to most parts of the northeast. Attacks stopped and the military could claim that Boko Haram had been technically defeated. But then, just when it seemed the menace of Boko Haram had been ended by sheer military force, the federal government suggested dialogue and ransoms. Aggression and violence returned in Northern Nigeria and still hasnt been completely controlled. For instance, apart from herders killing farmers in the North Central, for more than two years, north western Nigeria has faced devastating attacks from armed bandits, particularly in the states of Zamfara, Katsina, Kaduna, Niger, and Sokoto. Such attacks are driven by many overlapping factors, including cattle rustling, the proliferation of small arms and light weapons, illicit artisanal mining, youth unemployment, poverty, and inequality. It is estimated that many of the armed bandits are of Fulani origin. Banditry, which includes armed robbery, murder, rape, and cattle-rustling, is present in Nigeria, Niger, Chad, Cameroon, Senegal and Mali. According to a report from the West Africa Network of Peace building (WANEP), from January to December 2019, armed bandits were responsible for more than 1,000 civilian deaths in the Northwest. According to the Nigerian Security Tracker, this is greater than civilians killed by Boko Haram over the same period (though not greater than all those killed, which includes soldiers and Boko Haram members). The impact of these deaths has ripple effects across communities that will last generations. A committee set up to investigate the menace of armed banditry, headed by Mohammed Abubakar; a former inspector general of police, reported that in Zamfara state between June 2011 and May 2019, 4,983 women were widowed; 25,050 children were orphaned; and more than 190,000 people were displaced as a result of armed banditry. The Nigerian security forces initially responded to this issue by increasing the deployment of the military and police to the troubled zones. These deployments were under several code names such as "Operation Puff Adder," "Diran Mikiya," "Sharan Daji," "Hadarin Daji," "Thunder Strike," and "Exercise Harbin Kunama III." But these operations have produced mixed results. While the security forces have successfully pushed back bandit attacks, destroyed several hideouts, and killed or arrested hundreds of bandits, attacks have continued. Against this backdrop, the governors of Katsina, Sokoto, and Zamfara, agreed on a peace deal with the armed bandits in 2019. According to Governor Aminu Bello Masari of Katsina, negotiation was the best way to achieve lasting peace. The agreement involved disarmament, the release of kidnapped victims, and an amnesty for the bandits. But the agreements did not last. While there was a lull in attacks towards the end of 2019, attacks picked up again in 2020, reneging on the terms of their agreement. OUR STAND AND WAY FORWARD: The argument against negotiating with terrorists is simple: Democracies must never give in to violence, and terrorists must never be rewarded for using it. Negotiations give legitimacy to terrorists and their methods and undermine actors who have pursued political change through peaceful means. Talks can destabilize the negotiating governments' political systems, undercut international efforts to outlaw terrorism, and set a dangerous precedent. In the light of the ongoing, the will and dynamic approach in the fight against Boko Haram were short-lived, which wasted the success achieved in two years. When the government sought dialogue and negotiation and paid ransoms, it re-energised the terror group. The current administration was weakened when it began considering amnesty for repentant members of the group and swapping their prisoners for release of innocent Nigerian and foreign captives, hence, the protracted crisis. Dialoguing and Granting Amnesty to Armed and Mass Killers indicates that there are people in government who lack the will to fight because of religious and ethnic affiliations or connections. Some in government consider Boko Haram members as northerners or Muslims who should therefore be dealt with cautiously. The United States security agencies have been able to see to the end of Osama Bin Laden; a globally-acclaimed terrorist in Afghanistan years ago; also winning war against the ISIS activities in Syria in recently as a result of coordinated war on terror embarked upon (US White House Report, 2018). Coordinated war on terror is used to connote containment of conflict, terror, banditry and all forms of insecurity in a state. Coordinated efforts of all security agencies in Nigeria; National Intelligence Agency (NIA), State Security Service (SSS), Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Army (NA) as well as other para-military agencies would definitely go a long way in decimating and winning war on insecurity and terrorist activities in the country. Government therefore has the responsibility to provide genuine leadership in the war. Dialogue, negotiation, ransom payments, amnesty and integrations of repentant insurgents into the society are not the solution. They will only serve as the internal seeds of destruction in the efforts against terrorism. The recent rise in banditry and demonstrations, against it show that the people can no longer accept the circumstances. Boko Haram, Islamic State, bandits, armed Fulani herdsmen and kidnap gangs are threats to Nigerias peace, stability, security and economic prosperity. The resort to shallow and poorly conceived peace deals is an age-old failure of the Nigerian security and political establishment. To truly achieve peace, the government must start by building trust with local communities vulnerable to attacks by bandits. They should set up early warning and response systems, working with vigilantes and community leaders on the ground. And they should begin to address the structural inequalities that drive people to violence, like poverty, a lack of education and opportunity, and government mistreatment. The military in particular should redirect its attention to controlling the trafficking in small arms and light weapons, specifically by patrolling porous national borders. COMRADE EMMANUEL ONWUBIKO: NATIONAL COORDINATOR. Miss. Zainab Yusuf: Director; National Media Affairs. HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA). SEPTEMBER 15TH 2020. The Deputy Campaign Manager of the ruling New Patriotic Party, Dr. Abdul Mustapha Hamid has urged Ghanaians to reward President Nana Addo with a second term. He reminded Ghanaians of the exceptional leadership of President Nana Akufo-Addo, particularly in these trying times. At a press conference on Monday September 14, 2020, Dr. Mustapha Hamid said President Nana Akufo-Addo has proven to be a visionary and his administration is characterized with credibility and empathy; something that the previous Mahama administration lacked. the point I am making is that it takes bold, decisive and visionary leadership to turn around the fortunes of a country whose economy was in a ditch. It bears remembering that this NPP government came into office at a time when another government had thrown its hands up in despair and run to the IMF for a bail out and for what it called policy credibility. The first task of any government should be to establish credibility in itself and in its ability to manage the affairs of the country. It is a massive dent on the sovereignty of a country, if its government looks for credibility from external sources. We call on Ghanaians in this 2020 election cycle, to choose credibility over a lack of credibility. Indeed, this country had so lost its sense of credibility, that it had to import plantain to feed its people. It is the responsibility of governments to create the enabling environment for farmers to work to feed a nation. The visionary and far sighted leadership of Akufo-Addo through the planting for food and jobs programme, has turned Ghana around from a net importer of food to a net exporter of food. Presently, Ghana exports the following food items to other ECOWAS countries- cashew, plantain, yam, cassava, maize, banana, pineapple, soya beans, coffee, coconuts, palm oil, shea butter and palm oil, he said. He further highlighted the President's leadership in managing the COVID-19 pandemic saying President Akufo-Addos management of the COVID pandemic has been exemplary. Today, we are almost beginning to forget that the pandemic exists. Indeed, in many parts of the world today, the pandemic still rages. When the President started to put in systematic and well-thought out measures to contain the pandemic, and when he said that, we shall defeat COVID-19 together, many took it as political talk. But he knew what he was doing. From the partial imposition of a lock-down, to the easing of restrictions, to sending final year students to school, many Ghanaians were nervous and wanted us to copy other countries in the West Africa region who were hesitant to do same''. Indeed, some Ghanaians circulated videos of the Minister for Education of Nigeria, where he was saying that Nigeria will not let its final year students take their exit exams this year because it will be fool-hardy to so and called on our President to follow suit and recall our students to school. But our President of conviction stood his grounds. Today, Nigeria has followed Ghanas example in letting her final year students write their exams. A leadership of conviction is what it takes to steer a country out of troubled waters. While it is not yet uhuru, Ghanaians can see clearly, that there has been a leadership of purpose and conviction in the management of COVID-19. WE thank God that Akufo-Addo is President at this time'', he added. Source: Josephine Acheampomaa/[email protected] Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Error. Page cannot be displayed. Please contact your service provider for more details. (18) By Akbar Mammadov More than 2,000 civilians were killed in over 30 terrorist attacks committed by Armenia in Azerbaijan in the late 1980s and the early 1990s, the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry said in a statement issued on September 15. The ministry said that Armenia terror attacks included explosions in passenger buses, trains and the Baku metro. Armenia also recruited terrorist mercenaries from foreign countries, especially from the Middle East, during the occupation of Azerbaijans Nagorno-Karabakh and the seven adjacent regions, the ministry said. These mercenaries included members of ASALA terrorist group, such as Monte Melkonian, who was given the title of the hero in Armenia in the state level. It should be noted that ASALA has been recognized as a terrorist organization in the United and States and number of Western countries. The ministry reminded that between 1970-1980, ASALA and other Armenian terrorist organizations committed more than 235 terrorist acts in 22 countries and killed 24 Turkish diplomats. The ministry stressed that against the background of all of these, it is absurd that the Armenian Foreign Minister would talk about friendship and close cooperation with Muslim countries, regional and global security during his recent visit to Egypt. Armenian Foreign Minister Zohrab Mnatsakanyan's remarks during his visit to the Arab Republic of Egypt are a clear example of the hypocrisy of an official of the country that expelled hundreds of thousands of Muslim Azerbaijanis from their homes by subjecting them to bloody ethnic cleansing, brutally killed 613 civilians in Khojaly overnight because they were Azerbaijanis and Muslims, destroyed Muslim heritage in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan and looted mosques. Azerbaijan and Armenia are locked in a conflict over Azerbaijans Nagorno-Karabakh breakaway region, which along with seven adjacent regions was occupied by Armenian forces in a war in the early 1990s. More than 20,000 Azerbaijanis were killed and around one million were displaced as a result of the large-scale hostilities. The OSCE Minsk Group co-chaired by the United States, Russia and France has been mediating the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict since the signing of the volatile cease-fire agreement in 1994. The Minsk Groups efforts have resulted in no progress and to this date, Armenia has failed to abide by the UN Security Council resolutions (822, 853, 874 and 884) that demand the withdrawal of Armenian military forces from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan. --- Akbar Mammadov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @AkbarMammadov97 Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Myanmar & COVID-19 Myanmar Officials to Prosecute Owner of Nightspot Responsible for Yangon's Biggest COVID-19 Cluster The Music Zone KTV and Restaurant in Thingangyun Township, Yangon. / Kyo Tagoo Naing / Facebook YANGONLocal authorities in Yangons Thingangyun Township are planning to file a lawsuit against the owner of a KTV restaurant where more than 90 people contracted the coronavirus, making it the largest cluster found in the city. We are still planning to file a lawsuit. As there are large numbers of COVID-19 patients in our townships, [we are busy], but we will definitely open a case against him, said Zawana Ward administrator U Hla Than. The owner was allowed to operate the KTV after promising to reduce the number of tables at the establishment from 100 to 30 in line with social distancing measures, and to follow other COVID-19 health guidelines. But when authorities inspected the KTV, they found that 119 staff were employed for the 30 tables, said U Maung Maung Oo, a Yangon regional MP representing Thingangyun. Two female staff of the KTV tested positive for the virus after coming into contact with case No. 741 on Sept. 3. The staff members were placed in quarantine, and 90 more later tested positive. A lawsuit will be filed against the owner under the Disaster Management Law for failing to follow the instructions of the COVID-19 Prevention, Control and Treatment Committee, U Maung Maung Oo told The Irrawaddy. Currently, authorities are only planning to open a case against the owner, and will wait for the advice of law officers before deciding whether to charge the staff, he said. After local residents of the ward complained that they had observed a lot of activity at the KTV, the township COVID-19 committee made a surprise inspection. The committee found no guests, but saw large numbers of staff. And we decided to take punitive action, as 92 out of 119 staff tested positive for the virus, he added. There is speculation that the venue, Music Zone KTV, which employs 75 male staff and 44 female staff, is owned by a retired government official, but authorities refused to reveal the identity of the owner. The cluster at Music Zone KTV accounts for one-third of the COVID-19 cases in Thingangyun Township, which had reported 272 cases as of Tuesday morning, the highest number in Yangon Region. The Central Committee for COVID-19 Prevention, Control and Treatment announced on Aug. 15 that KTVs, bars and clubs were banned in coronavirus-vulnerable areas. The government has issued stay-at-home orders in almost all townships in Yangon, including Thingangyun. As of Tuesday morning, Myanmar had reported 3,299 COVID-19 patientsa significant jump from less than 400 cases exactly one month ago. The death toll has increased from six to 32 in that period. Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko You may also like these stories: NGO Activities Restricted in Myanmars Rakhine State Amid COVID-19 Spike Myanmars Suu Kyi Cancels First Campaign Trip as Health Minister Intervenes Over COVID-19 Concerns Myanmar Factories Ignoring COVID-19 Rules Face Prosecution: Suu Kyi Human rights organizations on Monday denounced the number of hysterectomies carried out at a migrant detention center in the United States after one detainee described it as like an experimental concentration camp." Information about the operations emerged after a whistleblower revealed practices at the privately run Irwin County Detention Center in Georgia, where some detainees are held under Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody. When I met all these women who had had surgeries, I thought this was like an experimental concentration camp. It was like theyre experimenting with our bodies," said one detainee interviewed by the Project South organization, which filed a complaint to the government. The complaint also alleged jarring medical neglect" during the Covid-19 pandemic, including a refusal to test detainees with symptoms and fabricating medical records. It said that evidence raised red flags regarding the rate at which hysterectomies are performed on immigrant women under ICE custody" at the center. The whistleblower, a nurse at the facility, said that detained women told her they did not fully understand why they had to get a hysterectomy an operation involving the removal of all or part of the uterus. Ive had several inmates tell me that theyve been to see the doctor and theyve had hysterectomies and they dont know why they went," she said. She alleged about one doctor that everybody he sees has a hysterectomy just about everybody," and that he removed the wrong ovary from one detainee. Project South, the Georgia Detention Watch, the Georgia Latino Alliance for Human Rights and South Georgia Immigrant Support Network filed the complaint on behalf of detained immigrants and the nurse. One Coast Living Room - Balcony The strong demand that we have experienced to date at One Coast is a testament to the fact that homebuyers in Southern California value an oceanfront lifestyle that cannot be found elsewhere in Los Angeles. etco Homes, a privately held homebuilding company with a focus on boutique urban infill condominium development, in collaboration with Taylor Morrison, has announced that One Coast is officially open. Californias premier coastal community, One Coast is comprised of 53 oceanfront townhomes and single-level flats elevated on the seaside cliffs of Pacific Palisades in Los Angeles. The guard-gated community offers residents an ultra-luxe coastal lifestyle characterized by breathtaking ocean views and surrounding natural beauty that includes canyons, mesas, mountains and parks. One Coast launched presales last year and will welcome its first residents in October. One Coast offers residents an unparalleled lifestyle and the culmination of everything that Southern California is famous for from iconic surf breaks and seaside parklands to mountain trails all within close reach, said Afshin Etebar, President of etco Homes. As buyers value the home as a sanctuary now more than ever, we have seen these spacious homes with nearby hiking amenities resonate extremely well with buyers. The strong demand that we have experienced to date at One Coast is a testament to the fact that homebuyers in Southern California value an oceanfront lifestyle that cannot be found elsewhere in Los Angeles. We are excited to welcome our new residents home to One Coast. Overlooking panoramic ocean to mountain vistas, the two- to five-bedroom residences range from 2,810 to 5,017 square feet and are priced from the high $2 millions. Floorplans are designed to maximize ocean views and capitalize on the natural beauty of the Pacific Palisades. One Coasts finishes and architectural style embrace a contemporary beach aesthetic while customized materials and finishes throughout evoke an earthy, yet sophisticated vibe in each home. Residence features include floor-to-ceiling windows, hardwood flooring throughout all living areas, expansive veranda decks that inspire outdoor living, direct access elevators opening to private or shared foyers for each home, oversized great rooms designed to accentuate views of the coastline, private garages and select homes are topped with rooftop decks ideal for entertaining and relaxing. Each kitchen is outfitted with Wolf appliances, ASKO dishwashers, Sub-Zero built-in refrigerator/freezer, and European-designed Linea Quattro cabinetry. Bathrooms are equipped with Waterworks freestanding tubs and bath fixtures and Waterworks Clara vanity sinks and wash closets. To inspire residents to embrace outdoor living, One Coast offers a stunning Observation Deck complete with lounge and dining areas, fire pits and telescope for stargazing. Through a partnership with Hello Alfred, One Coast offers residents a plethora of complimentary services designed to simplify everyday life including weekly in-home tidying, package pick-up, dry cleaning and laundry assistance and grocery shopping. Additional services that can be arranged by Hello Alfred include hiking and beach workouts, personal training, home organization utilizing the KonMari method, car wash and detail, in-home tasks including framing and mounting as well as planning of special experiences and getaways. Situated at the iconic intersection of Sunset Blvd. and Pacific Coast Highway, One Coast enjoys a prime location with the most acclaimed shopping, dining and cultural destinations within close reach from Santa Monica to Malibu. Located steps away from Los Liones Trail in Topanga State Park, One Coast places residents within steps of the most scenic hiking trails in Los Angeles. To schedule an appointment or for more information, contact onecoast@etcohomes.com, 310-230-0101 or visit https://liveonecoast.com/. About etco Homes etco Homes is a privately held, homebuilding company with a focus on boutique urban infill condominium development. With a proven track record spanning more than three decades, etco Homes prides itself on building communities that embrace the character of the neighborhood in sought-after locations from the Southern California coast to Pasadena, downtown Los Angeles to West Hollywood. Each etco Homes community features contemporary design, thoughtful floorplans and generous amenities and services. For more information, visit http://www.etcohomes.com. Media Contact Michael Altneu | Alyssa Lawrence | Brandon Muratalla Murphy OBrien Public Relations etcohomes@murphyobrien.com (310) 453-2539 After an epic rally to all-time highs, the stock market has been seesawing between the red and the green. The volatility that has ensued wasnt driven by overtly negative news; progress on a COVID-19 vaccine is being made and economic data has been better-than-expected. BTIGs Julian Emanuel argues that fewer upside surprises could be causing investor focus to shift to arguably extended valuations and uncertainties surrounding ongoing stimulus negotiations, the 2020 Election, and simmering U.S./China tensions. To this end, Emanuel suggests investors take advantage of any weakness and snap up healthcare stocks. "On Health Care, the sector is at an extremely attractive relative valuation, is a consistent outperformer in geopolitical turbulence and with the Pandemic, is now a strategically important industry for the U.S. government," Emanuel noted. Taking Emanuels outlook and turning it into concrete recommendations, the pros at BTIG are giving three penny stocks from the healthcare sector a thumbs up. The firms analysts project massive upside potential for all three of these tickers that trade for less than $5 per share. Opening up the TipRanks database, weve pulled the details on these names, to find out what makes them compelling despite their risky nature. Venus Concept (VERO) First up we have Venus Concept, which develops systems and services for minimally invasive and non-invasive medical aesthetics and hair restoration. With a price tag of $2.11 per share, BTIG believes that now is the time to pull the trigger. Firm analyst Marie Thibault points out that in Q2, customer reopening trends improved and sales of the company's hair restoration systems ,ARTAS and ARTAS iX, were strong. We had not expected ARTAS to start contributing to sales growth during the pandemic. We applaud the teams execution of the ARTAS commercial strategy, which focuses on a lower system price, increasing utilization on systems already in the field, and the ability to offer (with NeoGraft) a full range of hair restoration treatments, Thibault noted. Story continues Looking more closely at the recovery trajectory, it has been relatively steep. In April, only 5% of U.S. customers were open, with this figure growing to 65% in July. The international business also saw a sequential recovery throughout the quarter, but June sales were still 20% below the year-ago level. Thibault added, We note that VERO called out a ~$3 million bad debt provision in Q2; we think this is a reasonable, manageable level given the sudden, severe nature of the pandemic." Additionally, Thibault highlights the commercial teams focus on addressing the concerns of customers who had been underutilizing their systems. We like the companys focus on resolving the lagging utilization that it inherited from the merger and believe this could create revenue tailwinds in the quarters to come... We like VERO's execution on the hair restoration opportunity despite the tough environment, the analyst explained. If that wasnt enough, Venus Bliss, another higher-ASP system, had a solid rollout during Q2. Thibault is impressed with VEROs ability to sell its higher-ASP systems during this time, and believes that with ~65% of U.S. customers open for business again at the end of July, this sets the stage for a strong sequential recovery throughout the back half of 2020. Summing it all up, Thibault stated, In light of these positives, we believe VERO is undervalued. To this end, Thibault rates VERO a Buy along with a $7 price target. This target conveys the analysts confidence in VEROs ability to climb 231% higher from current levels. (To watch Thibaults track record, click here) So, thats BTIG's view, how does the rest of the Street see the next 12 months panning out for VERO? Based on 2 Buy ratings and 1 Hold, the analyst consensus rates the stock a Moderate Buy. The $7.50 average price target indicates shares could skyrocket 262% in the next year. (See VERO stock analysis ratings on TipRanks) Minerva Neurosciences (NERV) Developing new treatments for debilitating conditions in behavioral health, Minerva Neurosciences wants to improve the lives of patients from all over the world. Currently going for $3 apiece, its share price combined with its strong pipeline convinced BTIG to give it a thumbs up. Representing the firm, 5-star analyst Thomas Shrader points to one of its lead assets, MIN-101 (roluperidone), its therapy for negative symptoms associated with schizophrenia, as a key component of his bullish thesis. He reminds investors that additional analyses of the Phase 3 trial data remain ongoing. Weighing in on the trial, Shrader stated, Our overall read (based on historical trials) on the Phase 3 MIN-101 trial is that: the larger the trial in this area of medicine, the harder it is to control placebo effects and the more optimistic patients are concerning the likelihood of success, the larger the placebo effect. Our recent update with management suggests both these factors were at play in the recent Phase 3 trial. Shrader cites the fact that there appeared to be an increase in placebo effect as more sites were added to the trial. He also mentioned, Also driving this effect was the inclusion of U.S. sites that had not participated in the Phase 2b trial. As an example of this less trained site phenomenon, removing a single bad-actor site (our term, not managements) would have resulted in a positive topline readout at 64mg. Along similar lines, when the Phase 3 and prior Phase 2b datasets are pooled, roluperidones activity across both NSFS and PSP seems apparent. So, where does NERV go from here? The next step will be to come to an agreement on the path forward with the FDA. These discussions are slated for 2H20. If an additional Phase 3 is ultimately necessary, it will likely be smaller in size (and less sites) and only involve a single dose (64mg) The key takeaway is that management will approach the FDA with the idea of filing, hat in hand, with the current Phase 2b/Phase 3 trial data, Shrader said. Based on all of the above, Shrader rates NERV a Buy rating along with a $6 price target. Should his thesis play out, a potential twelve-month gain of 100% could be in the cards. (To watch Shraders track record, click here) What does the rest of the Street have to say? 2 Buy ratings and 1 Hold have been issued in the last three months. As a result, NERV receives a Moderate Buy consensus rating. In addition, the $9.50 average price target is more aggressive than Shraders and suggests 210% upside potential. (See NERV stock analysis on TipRanks) Senseonics Holdings (SENS) Using a cutting-edge approach, Senseonics develops innovative medical devices. Currently going for $0.41 apiece, BTIG argues that shares appear undervalued. BTIG's Marie Thibault is excited about Senseonics resolution to its exploration of strategic alternatives with a commercial collaboration with Ascensia Diabetes Care, a financing agreement with Ascensia parent PHC Holdings and an additional convertible preferred equity agreement. The agreements total $80 million, extending the companys cash runway through 2021, in the analysts opinion. This deal will see Ascensia, a Switzerland-based company that sells its blood glucose monitoring devices to more than 10 million patients in over 125 countries, become SENS commercial partner. Thibault added, As exclusive global distributor for five years (2021-2025), Ascensia will focus on selling and marketing Eversense while SENS will be able to reduce its operating spend and focus on R&D, the product pipeline, regulatory work, manufacturing, and branding. Ascensia will resume selling and marketing in the U.S. in Q4 of this year and will begin selling the 180-day Eversense XL following FDA approval, which is anticipated in Q1 2021. In Europe, Ascensia will replace SENS existing distributors as those distributor agreements expire in various countries throughout 2021. But what does this mean for SENS? Thibault opined, While hurdles remain, including the transition from one distributor to another, the success of commercial execution, regulatory approvals, and future financing needs, we believe this agreement should put SENS on a stronger commercial footing at a lower expense level. If all goes well, this could accelerate the companys path to profitability and allow the Eversense technology to reach more patients. Adding to the good news, Eversense, the company's ICGM system that consists of three parts: an implantable small sensor, a transmitting app that is worn outside the body above the implant and a receiver (mobile phone), was highlighted by CMS in its 2021 Physician Fee Schedule proposal. This includes three national CPT codes covering removal, insertion and combined removal-insertion for Eversense as a medical benefit. SENS already had Medicare coverage, but this was on a regional level and required negotiations with the various Medicare Administrative Contractors. With ~80% insurance coverage in the U.S. and the national payment codes set to go into effect January 2021, we believe SENS is far ahead of where it was two years ago at the time of the initial U.S. Eversense launch, Thibault commented. It should come as no surprise, then, that Thibault stayed with the bulls. To this end, the analyst kept a Buy rating and $1 price target on the stock, implying 142% upside potential. Turning now to the rest of the Street, opinions are split 50/50. 2 Buys and 2 Holds add up to a Moderate Buy consensus rating. At $0.80, the average price target suggests 92% upside potential. (See SENS stock analysis on TipRanks) To find good ideas for penny stocks trading at attractive valuations, visit TipRanks Best Stocks to Buy, a newly launched tool that unites all of TipRanks equity insights. Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the featured analysts. The content is intended to be used for informational purposes only. It is very important to do your own analysis before making any investment. This study looks at trends in out-of-pocket and total visit expenditures for visits to primary care physicians. Using the 2002-2017 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS), the authors described changes in out-of-pocket and total visit expenditures for primary care visits for Medicare, Medicaid and private insurance. Between 2002 and 2017, the proportion of primary care visits associated with private insurance or no insurance decreased, while Medicare- and Medicaid-associated visits increased. Total expenditure per visit increased for private insurance and Medicare visits. Out-of-pocket expenditures rose primarily from increases in private insurance visits with higher out-of-pocket expenditures, while Medicare and Medicaid changed minimally. If these current trends continue, the authors would expect increasing difficulty with primary care physician access, particularly for Medicaid patients. ### Trends in Total and Out-of-Pocket Expenditures for Visits to Primary Care Physicians, by Insurance Type, 2002-2017 Michael E. Johansen, MD, MS and Jonathan Doo Young Yun, MD, MPH OhioHealth, Columbus, Ohio, and Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine at Ohio University, Dublin and Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine at Ohio University, Dublin https://www.annfammed.org/content/18/5/430 In this article SIAL-SG Singapore Airlines is said to be considering a new route next month what media reports are calling a "flight to nowhere." Flights that take off and land from the same place in this case, Singapore Changi Airport may start as early as next month, according to a report in the local Straits Times and elsewhere. Singapore Airlines has not confirmed the flights and told CNBC that "none of these plans have been firmed up." But if it does debut destination-free flying, it will not be the only carrier in Asia that's doing it. No official announcement Such flights could be seen as a way to help the embattled national carrier of Singapore cope during a year of record losses caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, reports claim, while also allowing residents of the small nation a chance to leave the island if only for a few hours. Singapore Airlines, which is routinely ranked among the world's best, has been hit hard by the global pandemic, since it does not operate domestic flights. Most of Singapore's 5.7 million residents have been unable to travel since Singapore shut its borders in late March. Roslan Rahman | AFP | Getty Images Singapore Airlines told CNBC that it's considering "several initiatives" to engage the public. "We will make an announcement at the appropriate time if we go ahead with these initiatives," a Singapore Airline spokesperson told CNBC's Global Traveler. A cooped-up nation Most of Singapore's 5.7 million residents have been unable to travel since Singapore shut its borders in late March. Australian Leithen Francis, who has lived in Singapore since 2001, is interested in the no-destination flights should they become a reality. "I think it's a great idea and would be willing to go if [Singapore Airlines] goes ahead with the idea," he said. "Singapore is an island, and I am used to traveling so [I] definitely miss flying." It "would also be good to experience the ... business lounge at Changi too," he said. Singaporean Suzanna Low said she would pay for a ticket "if the amount is reasonable." "I would pay ... mainly because I miss traveling ... [and] the whole process of checking in, the airplane food and of course [flight attendants'] warmth and smiles," she said in a message to CNBC's Global Traveler. One idea: Start a staycation with a flight Stefan Wood, managing director of Singapore Air Charter, a private jet service, told CNBC's Global Traveler that he pitched the idea of a single flight to Singapore Airlines months ago. The idea evolved, he said, into a series of flights over 25 weeks that supported local businesses by providing local craft beer, limo transfers and luxury hotel stays to passengers too. The "Singapore Girl" has been a part of Singapore Airlines's advertising since 1972. MOHD RASFAN | AFP | Getty Images In the end, the airline decided to take on the venture by itself, Wood said. Singapore Airlines declined CNBC's request for comment on the pitch Wood described. Wood said he is still pursuing the idea of starting a staycation with a flight, though he is looking into using corporate jets rather than commercial flights. "The idea certainly wasn't a flight to nowhere it was a flight to Singapore," Wood said. "People pay for staycations, so the idea was to start one with a flight." A trend in other parts of Asia If Singapore Airlines launches destination-free flights, it wouldn't be the first Asia-based airline to do so. Media reports have buzzed about what they call "flights to nowhere." In late August, Japanese carrier All Nippon Airways flew a 90-minute scenic flight on one its "Flying Honu" Airbus A380 aircraft. Passengers were treated to a Hawaiian resort-style experience in the airport and onboard the plane, which normally flies between Tokyo and Honolulu. Japan's All Nippon Airways operates three "Flying Honu" Airbus A380 aircraft that are painted to resemble Hawaiian sea turtles, each with its own color and facial expression. JIJI PRESS | AFP | Getty Images Taiwanese air carrier Eva Air launched a sightseeing flight last month on one of its Hello Kitty jets. Departing from and landing at Taipei's Taoyuan International Airport, the 2-hour 45-minute flight traveled at an altitude of 20,000 to 25,000 feet to give passengers a closer view of Taiwan and Japan's Ryukyu Islands. Taiwan's national carrier, China Airlines, flew two flights that took off and landed in Taipei in August. A representative for China Airlines told CNBC that the initiative has received a positive response from the local market. Royal Brunei Airlines launched a no-destination flight last month. The national flag carrier for Brunei, a Southeast Asian country on the island of Borneo, flew an 85-minute "Dine & Fly" sightseeing tour along the coastline of Brunei and Malaysian Borneo. The flight, which included brunch and pilot commentary, sold out within 48 hours, and hundreds have registered interest for future flights. Why and where it works Though a flight for the thrill of flying isn't for everyone, no-destination flights may thrive in locations that have low Covid-19 infection rates and limited travel opportunities otherwise. Singapore has reported 57,454 cases to date, most of them among its migrant worker community, who live largely in dormitories. The number of new cases excluding people in dormitories and incoming travelers has steadily decreased from an average of two cases per day two weeks ago to one case per day last week. A man wears a protective mask at Singapore's Changi Airport on Jan. 29, 2020. Many Singapore residents began wearing masks long before the government required them to do so in mid-April. SOPA Images | LightRocket | Getty Images 1. Yes. Too many kids are staying home. They need a virtual learning option to keep up. 2. Yes. Teachers are out sick and subs cant handle the load. Online learning is needed. 3. No. Its too late in the school year to make a wholesale switch in teaching platforms. 4.No. Many parents arent in a position to stay home while their kids learn virtually. 5. Unsure. It may seem like a good idea from a health standpoint, but it has shortcomings. Vote View Results Cuts to JobSeeker and related payments will see the economy lose $31.3billion and 145,000 full-time jobs over the next two years, a report has found. The Deloitte Access Economics report released on Tuesday was commissioned by the Australian Council of Social Service. The old Newstart jobless payment rate was almost doubled when the federal government brought in the temporary coronavirus supplement of $550 in March and the name was changed to JobSeeker. The Morrison government is cutting the coronavirus supplement on September 25, reducing the JobSeeker payment by $300 per fortnight. The old Newstart jobless payment rate was almost doubled when the federal government brought in the temporary coronavirus supplement of $550 in March and the name was changed to JobSeeker. Pictured: People lining up for Centrelink in March after businesses were closed due to COVID-19 The Morrison government is cutting the coronavirus supplement on September 25, reducing the JobSeeker payment by $300 per fortnight. Pictured: Prime Minister Scott Morrison The supplement will be removed entirely by the end of the year, leaving people on JobSeeker on the old Newstart rate of $40 per day. If the cuts proceed as scheduled the economy would lose $31.3billion, an average of 145,000 full-time equivalent jobs would be lost in 2020/21 and 2021/22 and regional communities would be hit the hardest, the report found. ACOSS CEO Cassandra Goldie urged the government to extend the existing coronavirus supplement and legislate a permanent JobSeeker rate that allowed people to cover basic living costs. 'There are a lot of things that are not in our control in this pandemic but one thing that the government does have control over is ensuring that everyone has enough to cover the basics of life, including a safe place to live,' she said Deloitte Access Economics Partner Nicki Hutley said every dollar the government invested in JobSeeker generated a significant economic return. 'Providing people without paid work with enough to get by is highly effective economic stimulus, as they have little choice but to spend straight away on essentials,' she said. 'People on higher incomes have the option of saving, which many are doing right now given the uncertainty of the pandemic. 'This is why other measures, such as income tax cuts, would not be as effective in getting us out of this recession.' Have you ever cruised through a neighborhood on Google Street View and noticed a blurred house? And then wondered, is that because someone famous lives there and/or is my internet connection so bad Google Street View won't render all the way? Well, turns out, neither is likely true. According to the technology company, it allows users to submit a request to have a home, a car or even themselves obscured. And it's actually incredibly simple to submit: you click on the three stacked dots in the top left corner of the Street View image to find an option to "Report a Problem." You just might want to think long and hard before you report. "Once Google blurs an image, the effect is permanent," a Google spokesperson told SFGate in a statement. It's unclear how Google confirms the user submitting the request is the actual owner of a home or car (or is the person in the image), and the company wouldn't provide a comment on specifics. ALSO: Apps blamed for turning a tiny street in Glen Park into a traffic nightmare First launched in 2007 in the United States and later expanded to other countries, the feature delivers an almost virtual reality-experience through stitched-together panoramic images taken mainly by cameras mounted on the roofs of Google cars driving up and down streets. So you can check out the paint colors on Victorians in the Haight, the landscaped front yards of the mansions in Seacliff, or the exterior of a house for sale in Noe Valley without ever having to leave the comfort of your couch. While many love Google Street View, the technology has come under fire by privacy advocates who point to instances of images showing people engaged in activities they might not want made public, such as sunbathers in bikinis and men leaving strip clubs. In San Francisco, a man was photographed walking into an adult bookstore on Eddy Street in San Francisco and women were captured sunning themselves topless in a park at Stanford, the San Francisco Chronicle reported when the feature was first launched. Google has argued Street View only features what's visible from public streets and is therefore within the law. In some countries this reasoning hasn't flown. The feature was banned in Austria, Germany and India. Amy Graff is a news editor for SFGATE. Email her at agraff@sfgate.com. Labor's grassroots environmental network has thrown its support behind Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese's decision to leave out specific 2030 climate change targets from the party's preliminary draft platform. A fierce internal dispute over the ALP's climate messages including support for fossil fuel industries has spilled over since last year's election loss in an extended period of soul searching following a decade of poor electoral results. A spokesman for Labor leader Anthony Albanese said there were currently no targets in the preliminary platform but it was premature to say Labor would not take interim targets to the next election. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen A leaked copy of the ALP platform, first revealed by The Australian, commits to net-zero emissions by 2050 but makes no mention of medium-term targets for 2030 or 2035, nor renewable energy targets. LEAN, a membership-based internal agitator on environment and energy, said on Tuesday that committing to the targets in the document was "not the time and place". Excellencies, Distinguished partners and representatives of the Government of Kuwait and Kuwait Institutions, His Excellency Dr. Khaled Mahdi, Secretary General for the Supreme Council for Planning and Development, Ms. Maimunah Sharif, UN-Habitat Executive Director, and Mr. Tarek El-Skeikh, UN Resident Coordinator in Kuwait, Ladies and gentlemen, It is my pleasure to be here with you today for a constructive dialogue and exchange of ideas towards building a sustainable urbanization based on the Kuwait Vision 2035, as part of the UN75 TALK series. I want to thank the Government of Kuwait for their partnership and the United Nations in Kuwait for their invitation. COVID-19 has been largely an urban crisis. Nearly 90% of all cases and epicentres of the pandemic across countries are in cities. But population density does not necessarily correlate with high incidence of the pandemic, but poverty and deprivation, poor planning, inadequate infrastructure and weak governance structures do. Despite being hard hit by this pandemic, cities will continue to be engines of growth and opportunities, accounting for more than 80% of global GDP. In the next 20 years, about 70% of the worlds population will be living in cities. Therefore we must leverage sustainable urbanization as a transformative force for the COVID-19 building back better effort a force that can accelerate progress towards a healthier, greener, safer, and more inclusive and resilient future set out in the New Kuwait Vision 2035 and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. UNDP, in its technical lead role for the UN socio-economic response to COVID-19 at the country level, supporting the UN Resident Coordinator, is helping to leverage the wider UN system across 131 country teams. We have closely supported 83 countries to conduct a COVID-19 socio-economic impact assessment. Thus far, 120 countries have a socio-economic response plan supported by the UN country teams. Three encouraging patterns are emerging for a better recovery which are directly relevant for the future of cities: Firstly, there are a lot of willingness of countries to address pre-existing and underlying conditions of inequalities, which is a critical condition for sustained and sustainable recovery. Majority of the people pushed back into poverty due to COVID-19 are likely to be living in cities. So people-centered measures, contained in the response plans, to protect people either by saving lives with investments in health services, or by implementing cash transfers and restoring livelihoods, will be critical to secure social cohesion in urban areas. Secondly, cities are key players in the pursuit of a green, resilient and inclusive economic recovery. Recovery measures should steer cities local economic development towards a lower-carbon and more resilient pathway. At UNDP, we are supporting 100 countries to connect their enhanced Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and the Paris Agreement to COVID-19 longer-term recovery efforts. UNDP is also supporting SMEs to implement new business models linking to the achievement of SDGs. Some businesses have been successfully established for offering technologies and services for waste management, cleaning oceans, agriculture and sustainable energy. In this respect, I am pleased to announce that UNDP is supporting a SME initiative to overcome COVID-19 challenges in Kuwait. Thirdly, across the globe, the current pandemic is accelerating the speed of digitalization. This transition to digital life is an important element to future city infrastructure and buildings. UNDP, through its Global Policy Centre for Technology, Innovation and Sustainable Development, is supporting the Government of Singapores mission to become a reference for food sustainability through the application of technologies on digital agriculture and urban vertical farming. Last, access to finance is a major constraint to city and regional governments worldwide. On average, local authorities will have between 15% to 25% fewer revenues in 2021 due to a contraction of urban economies. We must encourage national governments stimulus packages to include dedicated urban recovery funds. As we move forward, at UNDP, we have been deepening our collaboration in the UN system, in particular with UN-Habitat, and with associations of city and regional governments to enhance our support to cities to spur an inclusive and green recovery. With UN-HABITAT, UNDP has successfully implemented joint projects on sustainable urbanization globally, and prominently in this region such as in Iraq, Syria, Saudi Arabia, and Bahrain. I thank you for your attention and I look forward to listening to the views from representatives from both public and private sectors of Kuwait. Hyderabad, Sep 15 (UNI) BJP Telangana unit on Tuesday said that Samajwadi Party member Jaya Bachchan has exhibited her irresponsibility as a Parliamentarian on drug menace in the upper house of Parliament. She sounded like a full blown hypocrite today in Rajya Sabha, the BJP said. In a statement here, BJP State Chief Spokesperson K Krishna Saagar Rao said, she hasn't condemned the drug menace, which is destroying the lives young people across India, including young actors & actresses in her own film industry. She also hasn't condemnned drug dependence, addiction and peddling by young bollywood, tollywood, sandalwood actors, whose names were recently released by NCB and some are even arrested, he said. " It's shocking, that she gave notice in Rajya Sabha over a conspiracy to defame Bollywood. Her statement and posturing is quite shallow and shameful", Mr Rao said. The BJP leader asked Ms Bachchan what & who is she trying to protect ? Is this what, the acclaimed member from the first family of Bollywood be doing ? Shouldn't she be instead seeking Central government support for completely demolishing the drug mafia in Bollywood ? The Samajwadi Party MP's notice and statement in Rajya Sabha once again exposes the irresponsibility, prejudice and selfishness of even the senior block of bollywood actors, who otherwise act as gatekeepers of ethics, morals and values, the BJP Chief Spokesperson added. UNI VV CS 1200 South Africa: UK government donates to SAs Solidarity Fund The South African government has received a donation of R50 million from the United Kingdom (UK), which will be channelled towards projects supporting and promoting women's empowerment. International Relations and Cooperation Deputy Minister Alvin Botes received the monetary donation and participated in a signing ceremony with the UK government on Monday. The donation is aimed at extending the Solidarity Funds ongoing efforts to counter the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in South Africa, with a particular focus on womens empowerment. The British High Commission has identified programmes responding to gender-based violence and womens economic empowerment, small and medium enterprises. The funding will be deployed to support two existing humanitarian pillar projects, namely the second intervention in gender-based violence support and farming input vouchers. We are elated the Solidarity Fund recognises that the COVID-19 pandemic has bestowed an additional burden on the marginalised women of South Africa. When jobs get lost, normally women are the first to face unemployment. When households endure strain because of a contracting economy, women bear the brunt of societal frustration. "It therefore holds true that to remedy a nation and to recover economic fortunes, we should invest in women. To the British people, we wish to say it is good to make new friends, but it is indeed better to keep old friends'," said Botes upon receiving the donation. The Deputy Minister said the COVID-19 pandemic has emphasised the need for increased international cooperation and a multilateral approach to solving the worlds biggest challenges. The COVID-19 pandemic has confirmed that the impact of transnational challenges may only be mitigated through multilateral responses, and through better interstate cooperation. "South Africa and the United Kingdom maintain such strategic partnership within the framework of our bilateral relations, and we regard the UK as a reliable persona within the plethora of multilateral fora, Botes said. With the next 10 years identified as the decade of advancing womens economic inclusion by the African Union under the stewardship of President Cyril Ramaphosa, the donation comes at an opportune time. This trilateral relationship between the South African government, the British High Commission and the Solidarity Fund serves as an important instrument to respond to the economic alienation of South Africas women. "Our trilateral relationship demonstrates a shared commitment to harness the repository of both sState and non-State actors in fighting gender-based violence, which is a product of gender inequalities and patriarchy. Gender-based violence is the highest manifestation of sexist domination and it exists because patriarchy gave men an enormous symbolic and material power. This violence is a consequence of the construction of masculinity in patriarchal societies, said the Deputy Minister. SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2020-09-15. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis alleged on Monday that those opposed to her run for Congress are slandering her in their campaign material that questions her response to the pandemic. When the debate is lost, slander becomes the tool of the loser, Malliotakis said in reference to her opponent Rep. Max Rose (D-Staten Island/South Brooklyn). Joined by supporters and campaign staffers, she made the claim during a press conference outside Richmond University Medical Center in West Brighton. A hospital spokesman said that RUMC has not endorsed either candidate. Rose has called into question Malliotakis' response to the coronavirus pandemic focusing on an edited photo published by the Conservative Party of New York State. The photo appeared as part of an ad published in early April that highlighted the work of right-leaning congressional candidates across New York in the early days of the pandemic. Malliotakis retweeted an April 7 post from the Kings County Conservative Party that featured the ad. The photo in question appears to show Malliotakis seated in a car trunk filled with sanitizer and personal protective equipment for first responders. It is accompanied by text that said the assemblywoman (c)ontinues delivering masks, gloves and supplies to nursing homes, sanitation workers and first responders across (the congressional district). NYS Conservative Party candidates making a difference. #CPNYS #NYS #NewYork Posted by NY State Conservative Party on Monday, April 6, 2020 In reality, the political organization edited an image of Malliotakis (R-East Shore/South Brooklyn), who was in Albany at the time, into the photo of one of her staffers' trunks. The staffer, Cara Buonincontri, attended Mondays press conference and confirmed the supplies went to those working on the frontlines. The photo faux-pas served as easy political fodder for the Rose campaign, which has sought to juxtapose Roses two-week National Guard deployment in April with Malliotakis' lack of publicized public appearances before the edited photo. The freshman congressmans deployment included work on an emergency field hospital at the South Beach Psychiatric Center when experts expected an overflow to New Yorks hospital capacity. ROSE CAMPAIGN RESPONDS While Max Rose deployed to the frontlines, Nicole photoshopped her way there and only started appearing in public after she was called out, a Rose campaign spokesman said on Monday. No one forced Nicole to share a photoshop picture of her delivering supplies, she did it herself. No amount of damage control is going to change the truth. Despite the Rose campaigns suggestions about Malliotakis' lack of work during the pandemic, several of her supporters at Mondays press conference attested to her efforts. Representatives from multiple organizations, including the GRACE Foundation and multiple police unions, thanked Malliotakis for helping them secure needed supplies, and her work throughout the pandemic. In addition to the represented organizations, Malliotakis and her team helped secure and deliver supplies to multiple organizations and small businesses across the congressional district. Huguenot resident Andreas Koutsoudakis used an August letter to the editor that appeared in the Advance/SILive.com to thank Malliotakis and her staff for helping distribute 10,000 face shields and 8,000 masks to frontline workers. A RUMC spokesman said she also helped facilitate a conversation between hospital president and CEO Dr. Dan Messina and New York Department of Health Commissioner Howard Zucker regarding ventilators. ITS DISGRACEFUL' My family name is being disparaged, my reputation as an elected official is being disparaged, and Im not going to accept this, because I believe that this community deserves better, the assemblywoman said. Its disgraceful that he would be putting out these lies to his constituents in a desperate attempt to keep his job. In their own efforts to question her opponents work, Malliotakis and her supporters have tried to link Rose with calls to defund the police and violence that has been linked to police brutality protests since the death of George Floyd in late May. Rose, who marched with protestors in early June, published an opinion piece about a month after that march titled Defunding the police is shortsighted and wrong. In it, he argues his position against defunding the police. Like all protests on Staten Island, the march Rose appeared in, which was organized by the Young Leaders of Staten Island (YLSI), remained peaceful, but some protestors did hold signs with anti-police messages like ACAB -- short for all cops are bastards. On Sept. 1, YLSI called for a conservative attack ad focused on Roses participation in the march to be taken down. YLSI member Isaiah Buffong, footage of whom is prominently featured in the ad paid for by the Congressional Leadership Fund, took issue with its portrayal of his group as akin to violent protesters and cop haters. He described the ad as racist. We have never advocated for violence and that is not who we are or what we stand for, Buffong said. Malliotakis' campaign, which has made similar claims about Roses participation in the march, tried to distance itself from the ad, but did not address the YLSIs calls for her to come out against it. On Monday, Malliotakis said public safety was the most important issue in the campaign ahead of the Nov. 3 election. Representatives from the Sergeants Benevolent Association and Detectives Endowment Association attended her press conference to also thank her for her help securing supplies. Their unions, along with the Police Benevolent Association, have endorsed Malliotakis' candidacy. DEA President Paul DiGiacomo, who was not at the press conference, issued a statement saying that Malliotakis "was there to support those on the frontline during the height of COVID-19 reaching out and providing the supplies she could, when the city didnt. No one should politicize this deadly pandemic. The attacks on the assemblywoman are disgusting and false, DiGiacomo said. Sheriff Deputies surround a home on Carlin Avenue in Lynwood. A manhunt continued today for the gunman who shot two Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times) A thick layer of blood covered her tan shirt, part of her Los Angeles County sheriff's uniform. She was bleeding from her face. Minutes before, she and her partner working transit security were sitting in their patrol car at the Compton Metro station when a gunman approached and opened fire. A bullet went through the 31-year-old deputy's mouth, and she was hit in the arms. Her male partner, 24, was more badly wounded, shot in the head as well as the arm and shoulder, according to a surveillance camera video of the attack and interviews. But the deputy, the mother of a 6-year-old boy, managed to get out of the cruiser and help her partner hide behind a concrete pillar for safety, not knowing if the gunman was still in the area. She then applied a tourniquet to her partner's arm, which was bleeding profusely. The video shows her partner collapsing to the ground, but she remained standing, looking out for the man who shot them. "These are some tough deputies," said L.A. County Sheriff Alex Villaneuva. Moments after the shooting Saturday at sundown, the female deputy called for help, her mouth so wounded her words came out garbled. "998 Compton Pax," she said, using the code for a deputy-involved shooting. "Compton Pax, deputies down." A second voice, the male deputy, is heard on the radio call: "Been shot in the head." Both deputies underwent surgery Saturday night and Sunday morning. They are expected to recover but will probably require additional surgeries, sheriff's officials said. Their names have not been released. Fourteen months before, in July 2019, the two deputies walked across a stage at East Los Angeles College and were presented with certificates as part of academy class 437. The class of 67 recruits reflected L.A. County's rich tapestry of cultures. Four were born outside the U.S.: in India, South Korea, China and Mexico. A video of the graduation shows the female deputy smiling as she walks across the stage to her family's cheers. Story continues Within the department, colleagues praised the deputies' tactics in response to the shooting. Sheriff's Lt. Brandon Dean, who is leading the shooting investigation, said it made sense for them to get out of the vehicle, where they were vulnerable, and move to a more secure location. "They moved to a position of advantage," he said. With a concrete wall behind them and pillars protecting them, they hunkered down. As the partners huddled behind the concrete barrier, more officers arrived. Deciding not to wait for paramedics, they took the wounded deputies to St. Francis Medical Center in Lynwood. The female deputy's husband rushed to the hospital, as did the male deputy's girlfriend and parents. The Sheriff's Department initially said both were fighting for their lives, and rumors swept the department that one had died. But after the surgeries, it became clear they would recover. Meanwhile, the search continues for the gunman. Officials have not identified a suspect or suggested a motive. On Monday, Villanueva challenged Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James to double a $175,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the assailant. The reward grew by $25,000 as L.A.'s Metropolitan Transportation Authority contributed to the fund for the arrest of the shooter. At the same time, there was growing scrutiny over sheriffs' decision to arrest a reporter for KPCC and LAist who was covering protests outside the hospital. Video showed the reporter, Josie Huang, pinned by several deputies. Huang received a citation for allegedly obstructing a peace officer. L.A. County Inspector Gen. Max Huntsman said Sunday he has opened an investigation into the arrest, as well as an incident Friday in which deputies forced people to leave a parking lot after a press conference by critics of the department. Those two incidents are of concern to us because 1st Amendment rights are absolutely critical to the publics respect of law enforcement, he said. And so we feel that requires immediate investigation. Times staff writers Alene Tchekmedyian and Laura Nelson contributed to this report Jairo Garcia, 29, and Marina Lara, 23, are the parents of Carlota, a four-year-old girl from Velez-Malaga who spent her birthday in August in Malagas Hospital Materno after contracting septicaemia from a streptococcus bacteria. The nightmare started on 4 August when Carlota started to experience bad gastroenteritis and a high temperature. How to help FacebookThe family has started a Facebook page, Ayuda para Carlota where they tell their story, update information and offer contact numbers. Bizum675 15 72 15 Bank accountES13 0237 0612 7191 7231 0881 Her parents took her to their local doctor, who sent them to the Axarquia hospital in Torre del Mar. From there Carlota was sent to the Materno hospital in Malaga, after being diagnosed with a blood infection. Carlota has since spent 40 days in the childrens hospital and doctors have said that she will have to have both feet and hands amputated because of the damage caused by microthrombus. Carlotas case is identical to that of Sarah Almagro, the teenager from Marbella who lost her hands and feet in 2018. However, Carlotas parents decided to seek a second opinion for their daughter. They sought the advice of Dr Ruano, who told the family that Carlota could wait a further 15 days from 4 September, the date that doctors at Malagas Materno hospital were initially planning to operate on the little girl. Jairo and Marina contacted the renowned Dr Pedro Cavadas, who is based in Valencia. In a medical report he told the family that that it would possible for Carlota to keep her four limbs. Here they tell us that they need to amputate her right arm and left leg completely, the right foot up to the heel and the fingers of her left hand. Dr Cavadas has explained that she could keep more limbs,said Jairo, who has a temporary contract at Velez-Malaga town hall. We dont have any money, we dont even know how much the operation in Valencia would cost, but just transporting her there would cost 6,000 euros. The stay in hospital would cost 200 euros per day while she is on the ward and in intensive care it would be 600 euros, he added. The family has created a Facebook page to raise funds for Carlota. However, they are racing against the clock. We need to be very mindful that the necrosis could advance towards her open wounds, which could become infected. If that becomes the case then they would have to operate, otherwise her life would be in danger,Jairo explained. We know its risky, but we want to try it,he admitted. Jairo pointed out that the care and attention the family is receiving from the Materno hospital is fantastic. He added that they havent left Carlotas side in the hospitals intensive care unit in the 40 days she has been there and have hardly slept. Jairo explained that at the moment Carlota is responding well to treatment and that her organs are working on their own. Earlier this week they published the bank account details on the Facebook page to receive donations. We are a humble family and the operation needs to take place in a private hospital with extremely high costs involved, which, as much as we want to, makes it impossible for us to cover the costs. Less than 24 hours after the family started the Facebook page they were inundated with support, not just from Malaga, but from across Spain and other countries. The Hospital Materno Infantil in Malaga has said that the family has been told that the operation can go ahead with all the guaranteesthere. In fact, the surgeons have already programmed a date for the operation. A spokesperson added that this type of intervention is common at the hospital and that it has an excellent reputation in this type of surgery. Despite this, the medical professionals and hospital management respect the fact that, as with any other patient, this child can go to a different centre to have the operation, which would be undergone under the same conditions as the Materno Infantil, the hospital went on to say. The Velez-Malaga branch of the Partido Popular (PP) political party has called on the towns residents as well as the town hall to help Carlotas family economically. PP spokesperson, Francisco Delgado Bonilla, said that in this type of case, Citizens cant be insensitive or indifferent and we all need to help out. And when I say everybody, Imean everybody, from neighbours to the town hall, of course. Nine schoolchildren sat at their desks wrapped in chunky layers of flannel, their feet resting on heated soapstones as the frigid New England air stung their faces. In January 1908, amid a tuberculosis epidemic, these Rhode Island students were part of a unique experiment to combat the infectious disease: America's first open-air school. More than a century later, educators are touting outdoor classes as a way to combat the spread of the novel coronavirus among America's schoolchildren. In the early 1900s, it was estimated that as many as 30% of school-age children in Providence carried tuberculosis, a bacterial infection that often attacked the lungs. Although many of the infected children showed no outward symptoms, the infection could lie dormant for years and ultimately contribute to death in adulthood. To combat this, medical experts urged the importance of plenty of sunshine and fresh air. Tuberculosis specialist Mary Packard - one of the first women to graduate from the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine - wrote to the Rhode Island state medical examiner in August of 1907 to propose a plan. Along with fellow Hopkins-educated physician Ellen Stone, Packard had overseen an open-air summer camp for tubercular children. The students who attended the camp were set to return to their cramped classrooms in the city at the start of the school year. The doctors feared that any progress that had been made over the summer would be lost. They suggested the creation of a new type of classroom. Work soon began on an unused schoolhouse on Providence's East Side. The large, open classroom on the second floor was painted a soft shade of green, save for the wall facing south. This was demolished and replaced with a row of large windows operated by pulleys. Despite the harsh winter temperatures, these windows remained open during class - filling the room with fresh air and sunlight. "It is not claimed that the school is in any way ideal, and, in fact, it has only been undertaken provisionally as an experiment," Stone wrote in the Journal of the Outdoor Life in 1908. "However, it does seem a step in the right direction, and if a number of open-air rooms could be established in various parts of the city . . . might they not be of some value in the suppression of tuberculosis?" The school's pupils varied in age and grade level, but they did share a similar set of characteristics: They were all underweight, anemic and weak. For some in attendance, it was their first opportunity to participate in an actual classroom due to a lifetime of poor health. Some had recently lost parents to tuberculosis. Each child was weighed and examined by a physician after arriving to class. Then the children would be wrapped in large flannel sacks lined with paper and cotton, many of which were donated by a local church's sewing circle. Each student's desk sat atop a movable platform that allowed for the pupils to be easily shuffled around during the day to chase the rays of direct sunlight. Students were led in breathing exercises and singing practice to strengthen their lungs. Owing to its former use as a cooking school, the classroom was outfitted with a cavernous oven that served as a source of warmth. News of the school quickly spread, with newspapers across the country running an identical report shortly after the school opened: "Little faces that were sallow and pinched a few weeks ago have a healthy flush, and children who were too tired to play are beginning to show some interest in life. All of this . . . is what the fresh-air school has accomplished." The Providence open-air experiment was viewed as a success by parents and educators. "After two years the school committee concluded that the experiment had more than met the expectations of its proponents," wrote historian Richard Meckel in a 1995 article in Rhode Island History. "Virtually all the children attending the school had gained weight and improved in general health, and even a few had been able to return to normal classrooms." But with this initial success came another challenge. The first open-air school had quickly reached its capacity. By 1912, Providence school officials estimated that at least nine additional open-air schools were needed to house the city's infected students. This was a problem that the initial school's creators had predicted. "In the light of the amount of tuberculosis found at autopsy in children dying of other diseases and from accident, we must recognize the fact that many school children are carrying about hidden foci of this disease, and is it not probable that those are who are suffering with anemia, debility, etc., are likely to be the ones?" Stone had written four years earlier. "At all events, any one familiar with the confining atmosphere of even our best city schools cannot but recognize that there are a great many children to whom lessons in the open air for awhile would do much towards increasing their resistance and thus preventing future breakdown from tuberculosis?" In 1913, Providence finally opened a second open-air school. That number reached 11 in 1926, and these special facilities would serve the city for another 31 years. By that time, the concept of an open-air classroom had spread to more than 150 American cities, aiding both the minds and bodies of thousands of students. But advancements in antibiotics in the 1940s allowed doctors to treat tuberculosis with drugs instead of fresh air. As children's health improved, the need for open-air classrooms in Providence became less urgent. Spanning five decades, the city's grand experiment with open-air learning came to an end in 1957, when the program's few remaining classrooms were closed. Students in Rhode Island return to school on Monday amid a very different health crisis. Many children will be able to attend classes in person instead of virtually, but members of the Providence Teachers Union are worried that some classrooms are not safe. One of the concerns, according to the Providence Journal, is ventilation and classroom windows that are unable to open. The likelihood that the COVID-19 pandemic will not subside anytime soon has sparked intensive research on its detection and treatment, to prevent onward transmission. A new paper by researchers at McMaster University and Hamilton Health Sciences, published on the preprint server medRxiv* in September 2020, reports on the development of a serologic assay that is suitable for sensitive high-throughput antibody testing for COVID-19. This transmission electron microscope image shows SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, isolated from a patient in the U.S. Virus particles are shown emerging from the surface of cells cultured in the lab. The spikes on the outer edge of the virus particles give coronaviruses their name, crown-like. Image captured and colorized at NIAID's Rocky Mountain Laboratories (RML) in Hamilton, Montana. Credit: NIAID Detecting Asymptomatic COVID-19 COVID-19 symptoms usually appear 2-14 days after being exposed to the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), but many people are asymptomatically infected in fact, up to 80% of cases do not display symptoms. Since such cases mediate viral spread in half of all known infections, serologic testing becomes vital to pick up actual infection rates. The diagnostic test used in COVID-19 is a real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT PCR) in which the viral RNA genome is amplified to allow detection. This viral nucleic acid is obtained typically from nasal or throat swabs. The chances of getting an accurate positive result from such swabs are highest in the four days before symptoms usually start. In fact, starting from the first day of symptoms, RNA detection is possible, peaking in the first week of infection. However, by week 3, PCR tests begin to revert to negative, unless in severe cases. A caveat is that PCR positivity indicates only the presence of viral RNA and not viable or infective virus. This test is about 80% sensitive but 100% specific. Serologic Testing It is evident that SARS-CoV-2 testing is essential for the containment of viral transmission, calling for highly accurate testing methods. One such option is serology, to detect an immune response and thus help pick up those who are infected among contacts, identify potential convalescent plasma donors and evaluate vaccine efficacy. Anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies indicate that the person has perhaps developed protective immunity directed against the large spike glycoprotein S, composed of two domains, S1 and S2. The first contains the receptor-binding domain (RBD), which is bound by the majority of neutralizing antibodies bind. The S protein exists in nature as a homotrimer, binding to the human cell receptor angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). Subsequently, virus-cell fusion is triggered, leading to the entry of the virus into the host cell. Earlier studies indicate lower titers of specific IgG antibodies in people with asymptomatic or mild infection but high levels in those who have recovered from severe COVID-19. Establishing a High-Throughput Assay The current study describes the results of a new testing method used on ten PCR-positive convalescent patients, 4 PCR-negative individuals, and 332 pre-COVID controls. All patient samples were obtained between day 23 and day 89 of infection. Of the controls, 26 were healthy, while 306 were thought to have low platelet counts, either immune in nature or due to heparin usage. The investigators then developed an ELISA test for the full-length S and RBD protein. They established the optimal concentrations of RBD and S to be 2 g/mL (Figure 1A) and S protein at 5 g/mL, in terms of characterizing positive and negative values. Similarly, the optimal serum dilution for a cut-off between positive and negative was found to be 1/100. Strongly Reactive and Reproducible ELISAs Convalescent samples were uniformly strongly reactive to both antigens, more against the full-length S than the RBD. Pre-COVID-19 samples were mostly non-reactive. They found that anti-S and anti-RBD IgM were least specific and IgA for both antigens, most specific among all antibodies. They also ensured the assay results were reproducible by repeating the test four or more times, with minimal variability between assays. Many methods are used to ensure safety while handling virus-contaminated samples, such as heat-treatment and Triton X-100. They found that heat treatment affected the detection rate for IgG and IgM. This could be due to denaturation and aggregation of the antigens on heating. IgM has heavy chain structures that make it more vulnerable to thermal instability. Treatment with Triton X-100 had no significant effect on sample reactivity in the patient samples. Antibody titers in the pre-COVID-19 titers became higher after treatment by either of these methods. Inhibition of IgG binding to RBD The COVID-19 patient samples were uniformly found to show inhibition of anti-RBD binding by about 80%, as was one control who tested positive for anti-RBD IgG. Validation of the assays was done using commercially available assays. The researchers say, We describe a high throughput, reproducible, semi-quantitative serological method to detect antibodies against SARS-CoV-2. The assay measures all three antibody types that are reactive to both S and RBD viral proteins. From earlier studies, it is apparent that all antibody isotypes increase steadily, with both IgA and IgM peaks at 1-3 weeks after infection, and subsequently IgG. The ability to measure all three isotypes, therefore, allows a broader visualization of the immune response with a lower risk of false-negative results. Moreover, the full-length S and RBD antigens were used in the current assay. The specificity of such tests depends on many factors, including the type of test and antigen, as well as other host autoantibodies such as rheumatoid factor and other heterophile antibodies. Cross-Reactivity with Other Coronaviruses Cross-reactivity with antigens from other coronaviruses is also a significant factor that has been identified in commercially available SARS-CoV-2 ELISA kits and in the current assay. IgAs appear to be the least specific among COVID-19 antibodies. Thus, the reason for positive test results in 19 pre-COVID-19 controls may be cross-reactivity. The researchers say, The pre-COVID-19 controls that had anti-RBD antibody were not false positive per se because antibody binding could be inhibited by excess RBD. This is most likely to be due to cross-reactive antibodies generated to other seasonal coronaviruses. The specificity is also a variable of the control population selected. The investigators found that with the optimized ELISA used here, the specificity was 94% or more based on the selected antibody class and antigen. These results are also in accordance with those reported using two commercial assays with sensitivity and specificity of 100% and 90%, respectively. In some earlier papers, however, the latter has been reported to have significantly lower sensitivity and specificity of 65% and 74%, respectively. Implications An advantage of the current ELISA testing approach is that it is rapid and straightforward, without the need for any specialized instruments. It is capable of being adapted to standard diagnostic laboratories and is highly reproducible between different assays when the tests are repeated. This sensitive, specific, and reproducible high-throughput ELISA is likely to be useful in detecting infection rates and the changes in immunological responses to the virus in longitudinal studies. It can also complement viral RNA testing to allow researchers to pick up recent infections and describe the antibody response to SARS-CoV-2 more accurately. It could also help screen convalescent plasma donors and healthcare workers, so as to select those at least risk to serve COVID-19 patients of different categories. The duration of immunity could also be better understood by longitudinal serological studies on both symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals. *Important Notice medRxiv publishes preliminary scientific reports that are not peer-reviewed and, therefore, should not be regarded as conclusive, guide clinical practice/health-related behavior, or treated as established information. LONDON and VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Sept. 15, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Mkango Resources Ltd. (AIM/TSX-V: MKA) (the "Company" or "Mkango") is pleased to announce the results of a reconnaissance shallow soil sampling and auger programme in its 869 square kilometre (sq km) Mchinji licence (EPL 0544/19) in Mchinji district, Malawi, held by Mkangos 100% owned subsidiary MKA Exploration Ltd. (see map https://mkango.ca/site/assets/files/4775/20200914_mchinji_sampling_on_topo.jpg ) The results demonstrate the presence of interesting grades of rutile plus anatase (both naturally occurring mineral forms of titanium dioxide: TiO 2 ) mineralisation of up to 1.07%, with overall TiO 2 grades in the range 0.51 to 4.10% in auger samples and 0.142.38% in soil samples; also ilmenite grades of 1.30 to 3.40% (average 1.85%) see table below. The grade of the TiO 2 -bearing minerals in the highest-grading auger hole are in the range of 0.63 to 1.07% rutile plus anatase (average 0.73%) and 1.30 to 3.40% ilmenite (average 1.85%), hosted in free-dig saprolite material from surface. Mkangos President Alexander Lemon commented: Mkango is focused on developing the Songwe rare earth deposit in Phalombe district in Malawi and is looking forward to completing the feasibility study. We are very pleased to add this new rutile and ilmenite discovery to our portfolio of projects in Malawi. These early stage results show similarities in terms of saprolite-hosted mineralisation to the recent rutile discoveries made on the adjoining Sovereign Metals Ltd licence to the east, and suggest the potential for discovering high-grade rutile deposits within Mkangos large licence area, in what could potentially be a new province of rutile mineralisation. Twelve vertical auger holes were drilled to depths of 0.45 to 9.40m, for a total of 35.8m, from which 41 samples were collected. Available equipment was not able to penetrate beneath a shallow ferricrete horizon in the Ludzi river channel to test the assumed river sands beneath, and eight holes failed to reach more than 2m depth; new auger exploration equipment with improved ground cutting capability has been purchased and is currently being shipped to Malawi. The other four holes were drilled in saprolite on higher ground between the Ludzis tributaries. Soil sampling was carried out in pits dug to 50cm (B horizon) on a 500m staggered grid in four areas of the licence, producing 134 samples. Sample preparation and analysis was provided by Scientific Services laboratory in Cape Town, employing two-acid microwave digestion and ICP-OES techniques suitable for multi-element determination and following strict internal QAQC procedures inserting blanks and standards. Internal laboratory QAQC was also completed to include blanks, standards and duplicates. The highest TiO 2 grades were returned by nine consecutive samples in a single auger hole (A6), drilled to a depth of 8.9m, that contain between 4.10 and 9.01% total heavy minerals (specific gravity > 2.95) and grade between 3.17 and 4.09% TiO 2 . These samples were processed by heavy mineral separation and magnetic separation and the separated fractions were sent to XRD Analytical and Consulting CC in Pretoria for quantitative determination of the heavy minerals by X-ray diffraction (XRD). Results are given in the table below for vertical auger hole A6 positioned at co-ordinates 507971E 8482591N in UTM Zone 36S: Auger hole A6 Total heavy minerals % TiO2 % Rutile + anatase % Ilmenite % 0 1 m 5.32 4.09 0.66 3.40 1 2 m 4.95 3.74 0.66 2.87 2 3 m 7.12 3.29 0.69 1.71 3 4 m 8.04 3.21 0.66 1.31 4 5 m 7.78 3.17 0.63 1.30 5 6 m 9.01 3.24 0.74 1.41 6 7 m 5.79 3.56 0.65 1.44 7 8 m 4.10 3.89 0.85 1.58 8 8.9 m 4.18 3.81 1.07 1.62 Weighted average 6.28 3.55 0.73 1.85 Geochemistry of the soil samples reveals anomalous TiO 2 values around auger holes A6 and A11, suggesting potential for follow-up and indicating that soil geochemistry may be a useful regional exploration tool. Mkango is planning an exploration programme of more extensive soil sampling, additional auger drilling, and mineralogical test work to identify rutile prospects across this potential new rutile province within the Mchinji licence. The exploration programme will be funded from the Company's existing working capital. Rutile, anatase and ilmenite are naturally occurring TiO2 minerals, whose main uses are 90% for pigments, 5% production of titanium metal and 5% welding. Sierra Rutile owned by Iluka is the only high grade, large scale operating primary source natural rutile mine globally. Scientific and technical information contained in this release has been approved and verified by Dr. Scott Swinden of Swinden Geoscience Consultants Ltd, who is a Qualified Person in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. About Mkango Mkango's primary business is exploration for rare earth elements and associated minerals in the Republic of Malawi, a country whose hospitable people have earned it a reputation as the warm heart of Africa. The Company holds interests in four exclusive prospecting licenses in Malawi: the Phalombe licence, the Thambani licence, the Chimimbe Hill licence and the Mchinji licence. The main exploration target in the 51% held Phalombe licence is the Songwe Hill rare earths deposit. This features carbonatite-hosted rare earth mineralisation and was subject to previous exploration in the late 1980s. Mkango completed an updated Pre-Feasibility Study for the project in November 2015 and a Feasibility Study is currently underway, the initial phases of which included a 10,900-metre drilling programme and an updated mineral resource estimate, announced in February 2019. In March 2019, the Company announced receipt of a 7 million (C$12.3 million) investment from Talaxis to fund completion of the Feasibility Study. Following completion of the Feasibility Study, Talaxis has an option to acquire a further 26% interest in Songwe by arranging financing for project development including funding the equity component thereof. The main exploration targets in Mkangos remaining three 100% held licences are, in the Thambani licence, uranium, niobium, tantalum and zircon, in the Chimimbe Hill licence, nickel, cobalt and chromite and in the Mchinji licence, rutile, gold, nickel, cobalt, base metals and graphite. Mkango also holds a 75.5% interest in Maginito with the balance owned by Talaxis. Maginito is focused on downstream opportunities relating to the rare earths supply chain, in particular, recycling and other innovative technologies for the production of neodymium alloy powders and magnets used in electric vehicles, wind turbines and other industries geared to decarbonisation of the economy. Market Abuse Regulation (MAR) Disclosure Certain information contained in this announcement may have been deemed inside information for the purposes of Article 7 of Regulation (EU) No 596/2014 until the release of this announcement. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking statements (within the meaning of that term under applicable securities laws) with respect to Mkango, its business and the Project. Generally, forward looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as plans, expects or is expected, scheduled, estimates intends, anticipates, believes, or variations of such words and phrases, or statements that certain actions, events or results can, may, could, would, should, might or will, occur or be achieved, or the negative connotations thereof. Forward looking statements in this news release include statements with respect to the completion of the feasibility study for Songwe, with respect to the Mchinji licence, the potential for discovering high-grade rutile deposits within the licence area, the potential for a new province of rutile mineralisation in the area of the licence and Mkangos plans for an exploration programme on the licence. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, as there can be no assurance that the plans, intentions or expectations upon which they are based will occur. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve numerous assumptions, known and unknown risks and uncertainties, both general and specific, that contribute to the possibility that the predictions, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will not occur, which may cause actual performance and results in future periods to differ materially from any estimates or projections of future performance or results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors and risks include, without limiting the foregoing, governmental action relating to COVID-19, market effects on global demand for the metals and associated downstream products for which Mkango is exploring, researching and developing, the positive results of a feasibility study on the Songwe Hill rare earths project and delays in obtaining financing or governmental or stock exchange approvals. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release. Except as required by law, the Company disclaims any intention and assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law. Additionally, the Company undertakes no obligation to comment on the expectations of, or statements made by, third parties in respect of the matters discussed above. The TSX Venture Exchange has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any equity or other securities of the Company in the United States. The securities of the Company will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act") and may not be offered or sold within the United States to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons except in certain transactions exempt from the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act. For further information on Mkango, please contact: Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Rachel Savage (Reuters) London, United Kingdom Tue, September 15, 2020 12:30 493 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c44e7bfe 2 Lifestyle Disney,Google,Microsoft,Britain,transgender,transgender-rights,debate,United-Kingdom,Boris-Johnson Free Dozens of organizations including Disney, Google and Microsoft weighed into a fierce debate over transgender rights in Britain on Monday, writing to Prime Minister Boris Johnson to ask him to support making it easier for people to legally change gender. Trans rights have become a contentious issue since the government launched a consultation into reforming the Gender Recognition Act in 2018, with opponents saying easing the rules could potentially let predatory men into women-only spaces. Multinational companies were joined by universities and trans advocacy groups in the open letter to Johnson, which drew 83 signatories. Dozens more, including BP and Unilever, pledged support for trans rights in an online statement. "We wanted to get this public statement out that says no matter what you're reading from certain sources, that's not reality," said Bobbi Pickard, a BP project manager who came out as trans in 2018 and who spearheaded the open letter initiative. "Being trans is something that's a naturally occurring form of human development," she said. "We all want our employees to flourish in their careers and their lives and trans people should be allowed to do that as well." Britain's government has repeatedly delayed its response to the trans law consultation, and in June local media reported that it was set to scrap plans to let trans people change their gender on birth certificates without a medical diagnosis. A spokesman for the government's Equalities Office said in an email that officials were working through the results of the consultation and "will be responding shortly". Read also: JK Rowling returns award over trans comments criticism Countries including Ireland, Norway and Argentina allow trans people to change their legal gender without a medical diagnosis, known as "self-ID". Prominent figures including Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling have expressed concern that "self-ID" could allow men into women-only spaces such as toilets and changing rooms, endangering women and girls. Monday's letter, which was initially sent privately in July with fewer signatories, pledged support for trans staff and urged the government to support the consultation's findings. "We all strive to be trans-inclusive organisations and believe that a diverse workforce, including trans employees, offers greater business success," it said. "Failing to honor the government's commitment to implement the consultation findings, and even increasing restrictions on trans people's ability to live authentically, benefits no one," the letter added. Robbie de Santos of Stonewall UK, an LGBT+ advocacy group that helped coordinate the campaign, said numerous companies had got in touch to say they wanted to show the British government that there was support for trans rights. "Actually that support is not being heard in the mix of the often very toxic social media environment," he told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. A man drowned in the ocean off Lavallette on Monday morning, according to published reports. Mayor Walter LaCicero told the Asbury Park Press the man, in his 60s, was with his son when they were reportedly pulled out by rough seas after they entered the water near Vance Avenue. Local officials did not immediately release more information on the drowning, which occurred amid a string of water rescues on Jersey Shore beaches. In less than three hours through Monday afternoon, emergency crews responded to rescue five people from the ocean, according to the Seaside Park Volunteer Fire Department. Some of the swimmers pulled from the water were reported in critical condition, officials said. Folks, in less than 3 hours weve answered no less than 5 water rescue calls on the barrier peninsula. Several people, some in critical condition, have been transported to the hospital. RED FLAG CONDITIONS. PLEASE STAY OUT OF THE OCEAN - THE CONDITIONS ARE EXTREMELY DANGEROUS! pic.twitter.com/ZiaEC9oZ0k Seaside Park Volunteer Fire Co #1 (@seaside_fire) September 14, 2020 Seaside Heights closed its beaches, the Shorebeat local news site reported. The National Weather Service warned of a high rip current risk as Hurricane Paulette, a Category 2 storm, churred off the East Coast. Although sensible weather will be pleasant today, swells from Hurricane #Paulette will result in a High risk for dangerous rip currents at ocean beaches today. The ocean will be nice to look at, but dangerous to swim in today! #NJwx #DEwx https://t.co/v5d32Qlb3L pic.twitter.com/VEgP6Bxgdi NWS Mount Holly (@NWS_MountHolly) September 14, 2020 Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Noah Cohen may be reached at ncohen@njadvancemedia.com. Over the last six months, many have wondered: how can governors issue executive orders closing businesses and directing us to remain in our homes, except as the government permits us occasional outings? What happened to the Constitution? Federal judge William Stickman addressed those questions today, as he ruled substantial portions of Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolfs shutdown orders unconstitutional: The declaratory judgment says (1) that the congregate gathering limits imposed by defendants mitigation orders violate the right of assembly enshrined in the First Amendment; (2) that the stay-at-home and business closure components of defendants orders violate the due process clause of the Fourteenth Amendment; and (3) that the business closure components of defendants orders violate the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. In his written opinion, Stickman noted that the Wolf administrations actions were undertaken with the good intention of addressing a public health emergency, but that even in an emergency, the authority of government is not unfettered. The liberties protected by the Constitution are not fair-weather freedoms in place when times are good but able to be cast aside in times of trouble, Stickman wrote. There is no question that this country has faced, and will face, emergencies of every sort. But the solution to a national crisis can never be permitted to supersede the commitment to individual liberty that stands as the foundation of the American experiment. The Constitution cannot accept the concept of a new normal where the basic liberties of the people can be subordinated to open-ended emergency mitigation measures. Rather, the Constitution sets certain lines that may not be crossed, even in an emergency. Actions taken by defendants crossed those lines. It is the duty of the court to declare those actions unconstitutional. The courts ruling addressed Wolfs original, highly draconian stay-home order, which has since been modified. Plaintiffs did not, in this case, challenge the occupancy restrictions in later orders, or the later order that purports to require wearing masks. He did, apparently, address the equal protection violation of closing some businesses (small ones, in most states) while allowing other businesses (big ones) to remain open. The constitutional status of the shutdown orders that have been issued in nearly all states will be debated, and litigated, for years to come. For now, at least, a blow in favor of freedom and the Constitution has been struck. The idea that the Constitution becomes a dead letter whenever there is an emergencyin this case, a pale excuse for an actual emergencymust be, and I hope will be, repudiated. Todays ruling is the first step in a long process. How that process ends may depend on who wins this years presidential election. It is hard to picture a Supreme Court with a majority of Democratic activists placing any meaningful restraints on governmental powers, regardless of what the Constitution says. Marissa Jaret Winokur debuted her dramatic 50lb quarantine weight loss to fans in an emotional and candid Instagram post on Monday. The 47-year-old Hairspray star shared images of her new physique on social media and admitted that her fear over being 'high risk' for catching the novel coronavirus is what prompted her to take a serious look at her health. And, even though she said she was 'scared to post photos', Marissa showed off some before and after shots wearing the same dress to really illustrate her new curves. Big change: Marissa Jaret Winokur debuted her dramatic 50lb quarantine weight loss to fans in an emotional and candid Instagram post on Monday Marissa said in a social media post that she's been working out via zoom classes with trainer Keith Anthony and eating healthy for the last six months to give herself a 'fighting chance' against COVID-19. 'Truth Covid scares me,' she wrote. 'I checked off all the boxes, I am HIGH RISK!' The mom of one went on to explain that she felt like she really needed to have a goal to focus her energy on during such a difficult time in the world. '6 months later I have lost almost 50 pounds,' she revealed. 'We have been here before. I was scared to post photos, its really one day at a time for me when it comes to food.' Honesty: Marissa said in a social media post that she's been working out via zoom classes with trainer Keith Anthony and eating healthy for the last six months to give herself a 'fighting chance' against COVID-19 '6 months later I have lost almost 50 pounds,' she revealed. 'We have been here before. I was scared to post photos, its really one day at a time for me when it comes to food.' (Pictured R in 2019) Ultimately, Winokur decided to go public with her journey in the hopes that she could inspire others who are in the same boat. Along with her post, Marissa showed off her figure in photos rocking a crimson V-neck wrap dress and a ruched navy dress. She truck a power pose with her hands on her hips and a bright ear-to-ear smile. Her signature curly locks were pulled up in a voluminous half-up-half-down style. The post also included side-by-side shots wearing the same dresses from before her weight loss to show off just how much her body has changed. Dedication: In her Instagram story, Marissa shared a video of one of grueling at home sweat sessions, using workout balls, TRX bands and resistance bands 'I havent had asthma in months,' Marissa explained. 'My anxiety is at an all time high, because you know the country is such a mess. The hour or two a day I focus on working out my sadness turns to productive energy, so that I dont watch the news and bury my head, but try to help our situation' 'Forget how amazing this dress looks ,' she continued on Instagram. 'I havent had asthma in months.' Along with the physical health benefits, the star explained that her daily workouts have been helping to manage her stress and anxiety levels. 'My anxiety is at an all time high, because you know the country is such a mess. The hour or two a day I focus on working out my sadness turns to productive energy, so that I dont watch the news and bury my head, but try to help our situation,' she explained. In her Instagram story, Marissa shared a video of one of grueling at home sweat sessions, using workout balls, TRX bands and resistance bands. Mask up! Winokur made sure to clarify for her followers that 'losing weight will not stop the spread' of COVID-19 She also made clear to her followers that 'losing weight will not stop the spread' of COVID-19. 'But getting my self as strong as possible to fight it at least makes me FEEL like I am doing something,' she said. 'It makes me FEEL like if I can kick cancers ass I can do this too.' Around the time she began working on the stage production of Hairspray in the early 2000s, Marissa was diagnosed with cervical cancer. She kept her illness under wraps while going through treatment and remained in the Broadway musical. She ended her inspiring post: 'I can only say Today I feel strong. Today I feel like I can do anything. Today I dont bury my head, I will workout and email our senators wear a mask and make sure Family and friends VOTE !!' 'But getting my self as strong as possible to fight it at least makes me FEEL like I am doing something,' she said. 'It makes me FEEL like if I can kick cancers ass I can do this too.' (Pictured in 2018) 'We have work to do on ourselves to save this nation , we need equality. We will need to FIGHT for EQUALITY. Do what you have to do personally to get in the fight . Ask for help. To be able to help others !' Following her breakout role as Tracy Turnblad on Broadway, Marissa went on to on to star in small roles in films like American Beauty and Scary Movie as well as a several television appearances. She was also one of the first co-hosts on CBS's The Talk but departed not long after the premiere. And, in 2018, Winokur one the very first season of Celebrity Big Brother. >>> No new COVID-19 cases recorded over last 12 hours >>> Quang Nam: Last citizens complete concentrated isolation As of this morning, the tally still stands at 1,063. Of the total, 691 were infected in the community, 926 have recovered fully, and 35 died from complications related to the disease. Among those still under treatment, 13 have tested negative for SARS-CoV-2 once, 13 others twice and 19 three times. Three patients are in severe conditions. There are 32,578 people that had close contact with confirmed cases or came from pandemic-hit regions who are under quarantine at present. As the pandemic has been gradually controlled, localities that have recorded COVID-19 infections, particularly Da Nang the epicentre of the second COVID-19 wave in Vietnam have basically returned to normal status after a series of days in medical blockade. However, as the risk of the epidemic remains permanent and new infection cases may appear in the community, especially when Vietnam reopens its borders in the near future, the Prime Minister and the Government have asked the concerned ministries, agencies and localities to continue thoroughly implementing measures set under the dual goals of both resuming socio-economic activities and fighting against COVID-19. Notably, the reopening of international flight routes is important to the nations economic activities but also poses potential risks regarding COVID-19 transmission. In order to ensure safety when reopening international commercial routes, the Ministry of Transport (MOT) and the relevant authorities have decided to delay the resumption, which was previously set to begin today. Yesterday afternoon, the MOT chaired a working session with the relevant ministries and agencies to discuss the plan to reopen international routes to destinations in countries that have put COVID-19 under control, as well as the routes with high transportation demand for Vietnamese airlines under the direction of the Prime Minister. The MOT and concerned authorities decided to halt the resumption and agreed to continue to clarify relevant conditions and factors to ensure the safety of the community, before submitting them to the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control on September 17 for a final decision, as announced by a representative from the MOT yesterday evening. Previously, at a cabinet meeting regarding COVID-19 prevention and control on September 11, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc asked the MOT to coordinate with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to gradually and cautiously increase the flight frequency from low-risk countries to bring foreign experts, investors and skilled workers to Vietnam, as well as to repatriate Vietnamese citizens back home. Specific flight schedules are considered and decided by Deputy PMs Pham Binh Minh and Vu Duc Dam. The PM also asked the local People's Committees to organise isolation for such groups of arrivals right after their entry at the local charging accommodations. The Ministry of Health was asked to focus on directing and coordinating other ministries and agencies in guiding the medical examination and monitoring as well as testing for those entering Vietnam upon the reopening of international commercial routes. * At an online meeting on COVID-10 prevention and control in Ho Chi Minh City on September 14, Le Thanh Liem, Vice Chairman of the City People's Committee asked the local authorities and units to regularly and strictly implement the prevention and control measures despite the pandemic is under control in Vietnam, saying that the city must always be ready to respond to new infections in the community, especially when Vietnam reopens international routes. Local residents in Mac Thi Buoi Street in Nam Sach Town, Hai Duong Province, celebrate following the removal of a medical blockade on the area in the early morning of September 14, 2020. (Photo: NDO/Quoc Vinh) * Hai Duong Province has decided to remove the medical blockade on four more residential clusters in Hai Duong City the provinces capital from 0:00 on September 15. Until today, seven out of eight blockaded residential areas in Hai Duong City have been cleared from the medical isolation order. * On September 14, the Health Department of the central province of Quang Nam reported that two recovered COVID-19 patients had recently tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 novel coronavirus during self-quarantine after treatment. They are Patients 549 and 550, both female and residing at Bao Thang Pagoda in Hoi An Citys Son Phong Ward. They tested positive for the first time on August 1. Both women did not leave their residence or interact with anyone during quarantine. They are now under quarantine at the Quang Nam General Hospital, with all people living at the pagoda being tested. The pagoda closed on August 1, and no related community transmissions have been recorded. Measuring body temperatures of Vietnamese citizens repatriated from Singapore. (Photo: NDO/Ba Dung) * On the same day, Vinh Long Province greeted 160 Vietnamese citizens repatriated from Singapore for 14-day isolation at a local camp in Loan My Commune, Tam Binh District. The citizens were brought home on a flight of Pacific Airlines landing at Can Tho International Airport in the Mekong Delta city of the same name that day. So far, Vinh Long has provided concentrated medical isolation for a total of 1,178 Vietnamese citizens returning from abroad. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-16 04:47:47|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close CARACAS, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Venezuela on Tuesday welcomed an assessment by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, who a day earlier acknowledged the Venezuelan government was making progress in technical cooperation with her office. Venezuela's permanent representative to the United Nations in Geneva, Jorge Valero, said his government was committed to continued collaboration with the UN agency "within the framework of constructive dialogue and cooperation." According to Valero, since the signing in September 2019 of a letter of understanding between Caracas and the UN human rights body, progress has been spotlighted in several areas, including Venezuelan detention centers and in the "establishment of the follow-up mechanism to the human rights recommendations of UN authorities." However, Valero warned, since then the U.S. government has stepped up its "siege" against the South American nation. Washington has continued "to impose new unilateral coercive measures that are causing death and suffering" in Venezuela, said Valero. Alena Douhan, the UN's special rapporteur on the negative impact of unilateral coercive measures on the enjoyment of human rights, is scheduled to visit Caracas in early 2021, the diplomat said. During the presentation of her office's annual report on Monday, Bachelet stressed that the validity of the letter of understanding with the Venezuelan government was renewed for a period of one year and could be extended further. That would allow "the number of human rights officers" in Venezuela to triple, said Bachelet. Enditem Global specialist captures highly successful channel leader to take over from founder Olivier Breittmayer Exclusive Networks ('Exclusive') today announced the appointment of Jesper Trolle as CEO with immediate effect. Trolle joins Exclusive from ECS Arrow Electronics, where he is currently President of the Americas, and will be responsible for driving the next phase of growth at the company and upscaling the business. Trolle takes over from Olivier Breittmayer who becomes a non-executive Board member of Exclusive. The move is part of a planned succession strategy and Trolle will work alongside Breittmayer for the next three months to ensure a smooth transition. Vastly experienced and recognised as an entrepreneurial business leader within the IT industry, Trolle has spent over 28 years working in the sector, initially within the reseller community, before moving into distribution. In 2001 he founded Next Denmark A/S which was acquired by DNS Denmark, which in turn was acquired by Arrow in 2005. Since then, Jesper has held a number of diverse positions in multiple locations within Arrow, seeing rapid success and progression, including stints in Germany running central and eastern Europe, and Paris, running north-west Europe. He took up the role as Arrow's President Americas in 2017, based out of Denver, Colorado, where he has successfully grown a double-digit $bn business. Speaking about the appointment, Breittmayer said, "Jesper was the standout choice following an intensive search and selection process these last six months or so. His cultural and international experience, obvious entrepreneurial DNA, knowledge of upscaling global businesses at pace and empathy with value-based distribution is impressive and refreshing. It is with confidence and a smile that we are getting such a capable person to take over the helm of the business we've grown by some 2,000% over the last 17 years." Talking of his appointment Trolle added, "Opportunities like this do not come around that often, but in distribution, Exclusive is at the top of the list if they do. I'm delighted to be joining such a successful company with a strong reputation for innovation and exceptional growth. Exclusive is renowned for its disruptive approach and relentless focus on value creation for its partners. When given the opportunity to become a part of the Exclusive family and next phase of its journey, it was an easy and fast decision to make. "Olivier's vision of creating the only specialist distributor on a global scale, focused on high performance cybersecurity infrastructure, was imaginative and disruptive and that vision has become reality. Exclusive continues to buck market trends, growing at pace organically, expanding geographically and still disrupting. The only thing that hasn't changed or been diluted is the obsession with value, services and specialism. This scale and specialist approach has never before been achieved. My job is clear: turn the global presence into a cybersecurity infrastructure powerhouse, at scale and speed, and it is a challenge I relish, feel qualified to do and very much look forward to," concluded Trolle. Michail Zekkos, Partner at Permira, and a member of Exclusive's Board of Directors, commented, "Olivier is a pioneer and a true inspiration in modern day value-based distribution. It was a hard task to find his natural replacement, but in Jesper we feel we have done just that. He's exceptionally talented and culturally very aligned to L'Esprit Exclusive. Olivier's vision of building the Exclusive 'Network' of value-based distribution businesses, globally guided but locally delivered, was unique. "The business has consistently outperformed market growth rates; expanded at breathtaking speed and delivered financial results that are exceptional for the sector. This is a great platform from which Jesper can continue the adventure and scale-out the business, and with his vision, multicultural background and experience of growth at scale we feel confident he is more than able to meet the challenge. "Myself and the rest of the Exclusive family thank Olivier wholeheartedly for his indelible impact on the company, and welcome him onto the Board of Directors." Breittmayer added finally, "It's not goodbye, it's plus tard." -ends- View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200915005084/en/ Contacts: Exclusive Networks Contact: Jon Bawden Cohesive +44 (0) 1291 626200 exclusivegroup@wearecohesive.com Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday reiterated his questions to Prime Minister Narendra Modi about the border standoff with China soon after defence minister Rajnath Singhs statement in Parliament on the situation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). It is clear from the statement of the defence minister that Modi ji misled the country on Chinese encroachment. Our country has always stood with and will remain with the Indian Army, Gandhi tweeted. But Modiji, when will you stand against China? When will we take back our countrys land from China? Do not be afraid to name China, the former Congress president added. , , ? ? Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) September 15, 2020 Singh had said in the Lok Sabha that India is committed to a peaceful resolution to the border stand-off with China and India and China have not arrived at a mutually acceptable solution until now. He said Indian forces are determined to protect the countrys security and sovereignty and inflicted heavy casualties on Chinese forces when they clashed with them in Ladakhs Galwan Valley on June 15. The defence minister said the violent conduct by the Chinese along the LAC have been in violation of all bilateral agreements including those signed in 1993 and 1996. China is not honouring the customary alignment of the boundary with India. The alignment has not only been defined by treaties but has been maintained historically. Also read | What Rajnath Singh said in Lok Sabha Members of the Congress party were not allowed to speak on the issue as Lok Sabha chairperson Om Birla referred to House rules. Congress Adhir Ranjan Chaudhary and Gaurav Gogoi said that they too have the right to speak. Congress members then walked out of the House in protest after being denied permission to speak. The Congress leader has repeatedly targeted Modi and his government over Chinese transgressions and said Prime Minister Modi isnt being transparent on the issue. His party has been demanding that status quo ante should be restored at the LAC and Chinese troops be pushed to their side. Before Tuesday, Gandhi had questioned the government on the issue of Chinese aggression on September 11. The Chinese have taken our land. When exactly is GOI planning to get it back? Or is that also going to be left to an Act of God? the former Congress president had asked on Twitter. There's more to Houston's Travis Scott than best-selling action figures, Fortnite dance moves and a McDonald's meal. The 29-year-old Grammy-nominated, multi-platinum-selling artist is a self-described "rager," and he's determined to use his platform to promote social change and leave behind a dominating legacy, especially within his own community. Houston, I got to tap in, know my officials, Scott told Ira Madison III of The Face magazine. That means we got a voice to try to make change. People are listening, you know what I mean? And we want to try to make sure they understand that Im a tool. Allow me to help in any way. Let me know where we got to go show up. Its a big picture. Its like a lot of groundwork we got to do. Scott has always looked to elevate his hometown through his work, hosting a massive Astroworld Festival (which also serves as the title behind his 2018 best-selling album) at the former amusement park. ASTROWORLD'S RETURN: Houston's Travis Scott tells GQ he dreams of bringing AstroWorld back. And that's just what we need. But it was the Memorial Day death of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody and subsequent protests that truly galvanized him. After Floyd's death, Scott immediately used his Instagram platform to make one thing clear: "The rage that we are all feeling is from direct personal experience and the constant pain of wanting our voices to be heard," Scott wrote. He added that he's going to do everything possible to make sure these [systemic racism] issues are addressed on a long-term basis." For many young people, Scott is seen as a leader. But he wants to be bigger, and better, for the Black community. And while he's on his way to being just that, he affirmed to Madison that his t-shirts (yes, the shirts) play a huge role in it too. "The shirts not pointless, he said. The shirt means something. For me, when I see somebody rocking a tee, I know OK you want to RAGE! BJP has 12 Covid+ MPs, YSRC 2, Sena, DMK, RLP one each The monsoon session of Parliament began on Monday with MPs wearing masks and seated behind glass partitions. This is Apna Dal (Sonelal) MP Anupriya Patel in the Lok Sabha. (PTI) New Delhi: On Monday, Parliament sat for its monsoon session of Parliament. The mood was considerably chastised since its previous sitting on the last day of the budget session back in March. On March 23, when Parliament wound up its budget season, there were 499 cases of coronavirus and 10 deaths in the country. By Monday, when MPs shuffled into their sanitised seating arrangement, the number had ballooned to 4.9 million cases and 80,000 deaths. The corona case load includes 25 MPs 17 of the Lok Sabha and 8 of the Rajya Sabha. Of the 17 Lok Sabha MPs, 12 are from the BJP, with prominent ones being Meenakshi Lekhi and Parvesh Verma (both from Delhi) and controversial MP Anant Kumar Hegde. Two YSR Congress MPs were positive, while the Shiv Sena, DMK and RLP have one MP each affected by Covid-19. About 200 MPs are above 65, including some in the 85-90 age bracket, most prominent among them being former prime minister Manmohan Singh, a Rajya Sabha member, who is 87. Incidentally, while briefing the Lok Sabha on the government's handling of the Covid situation by the Centre, health minister Harsh Vardhan said it had done very well. Interestingly, prime minister Narendra Modi, addressing the media prior to the start of the session, acknowledged it was being held under special circumstances as there is a corona pandemic on the one hand while our obligation towards fulfiling our duties lies on the other. He said several important decisions would be taken during the session, and the more diverse the discussion is in the House, the more beneficial it is for the country. Elaborate arrangements have been made by the Lok Sabha Secretariat as the session is being held while the pandemic seems to have peaked again across the country. It is estimated that 56 persons have tested positive within the entire Parliament House complex, which include MPs, personnel from the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha secretariats and also mediapersons. Sources said these people tested positive during the RT-PCR tests which were conducted in the Parliament complex prior to the sessions start. Earlier, at least seven Union ministers and around 25 MPs and MLAs had contracted the disease. Among them is home minister Amit Shah, who after undergoing the mandatory quarantine period last month, had to be admitted again to AIIMS a couple of days ago. He had earlier been admitted there on August 18 for post-corona care but was discharged on August 30-31. In a first, all MPs marked their attendance through an app called Attendance Register on the first day of the session, Lok Sabha secretariat sources said. Normally MPs sign the attendance register that is kept outside each House. Speaker Om Birla welcomed the MPs, saying it was an extraordinary occasion, and urged them to follow all arrangements and guidelines for safety during the Covid-19 pandemic. Campus News Surveillance testing up and running at UB By CHARLOTTE HSU Surveillance testing helps to provide us with an idea of the prevalence of COVID-19 in our UB community. That information will help us to track trends over time and look at how effective our control measures are. UB has launched surveillance testing for COVID-19, with the first testing site up and running in the Student Union on North Campus. The program a partnership with SUNY Upstate Medical University will include multiple rounds of testing throughout the semester, with randomly selected UB students, faculty and staff invited to participate in each round. The goal is to test a total of 837 asymptomatic people in each round. So far, the program has tested over 400 on-campus student residents, including students tested as part of a pilot on Sept. 4, and others tested last week as part of the first full-scale round of testing, says Joseph Raab, director of Environment, Health and Safety. Testing will continue this week with groups that include students who live off campus, and then faculty and staff. Surveillance testing helps to provide us with an idea of the prevalence of COVID-19 in our UB community, Raab says. That information will help us to track trends over time and look at how effective our control measures are. This testing is just one layer among many in UBs efforts to monitor and respond to COVID-19. Combined with evidence-based measures such as mask-wearing, social distancing, and symptom monitoring and reporting, surveillance testing will help us to understand the prevalence of asymptomatic individuals in our community, says Jean Wactawski-Wende, dean of the School of Public Health and Health Professions. Surveillance testing focuses on individuals who are not showing symptoms and allows us to monitor trends over time. We will hope to determine whether prevalence is higher in certain groups of people. This will help us to inform our prevention strategies and adapt accordingly. With the North Campus test site running smoothly, UB plans to open additional surveillance testing locations this week in Harriman Hall on the South Campus and at the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences downtown. Modi launches 7 urban projects worth Rs 541 cr in Bihar, praises Nitish govt India pti-Madhuri Adnal New Delhi, Sep 15: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday slammed previous governments in Bihar for indulging in "vote bank politics" and catering to their "selfish interests" over governance, and lauded Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's rule, as he launched seven urban infrastructure projects worth Rs 541 crore in the poll-bound state. Modi inaugurated four projects under 'Namami Gange' Yojana and 'Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation' (AMRUT) in the state, and laid foundation stones for water supply and riverfront projects at a virtual ceremony attended by Kumar, his deputy Sushil Modi and a number of Union ministers. Rahul Gandhi launches scathing attack on Modi govt over deaths of migrant workers The state had "politically, socially and economically strong cities" along the Ganga river once upon a time, but they were degraded during a long era of "slavery", the prime minister said. While the state had tall and visionary leaders for some decades after Independence but an era came when focus shifted from governance, he said. Either they were not tackling the basic problems in Bihar or the development-related works became part of various scams, Modi said in an apparent attack on Lalu Prasad's RJD, which ruled the state for 15 years, and some Congress governments preceding it. When "selfish interests" overtake governance and "vote bank politics" come into play, then it is the marginalised and deprived who are the worst affected, Modi said. People of Bihar have endured this pain for decades when the basic needs like water and sewerage were not met, he said, asserting that the Centre is working in coordination with the state government for the overall development of the state and boost ease of living by providing clean drinking water and launching sewerage treatment plants to clean the water of Ganga. He said in the last four to five years, lakhs of families in the state were provided access to clean drinking water. Noting that over 20 Bihar towns are situated near Ganga, Modi said more than 50 projects of over Rs 6,000 crore had been approved in the state to keep the holy river clean. Harivansh Narayan Singh made efforts to ensure productivity and positivity, says Modi Assembly polls in Bihar are likely to be held in October-November. Modi said 'Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyan' has played a big role in providing water connections to more than 57 lakh families in the rural areas in Bihar even in the last few months of the coronavirus pandemic due to the work of the migrant labourers. He said the work for providing clean water to 12 lakh families in urban areas is also fast progressing and out of this about six lakh families have already been provided connections. Noting that earlier development in urban sector meant upgrading a few aspects of life in some big cities, he said his government has taken a holistic view and is working to develop entire urban space. He added that the cities should be such that everyone, especially our youth, get new and limitless possibilities to move forward, and where every family can live life with prosperity and happiness. Fireworks are expected in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, the second day of Parliaments monsoon session as the government wants to push two contentious legislation to replace ordinances. Also, defence minister Rajnath Singh will make a statement on the developments on our borders in Ladakh, a key area of concern for the Opposition. It was not immediately clear if Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla would allow a debate on the issue after Singh makes the statement. The Congress and other Opposition parties have been critical of the governments stand on the border conflict that escalated after the clash in the Galwan Valley in June that left 20 Indian soldiers dead. Also Read: DMK MP raises NEET exam issue in Rajya Sabha Singh will make the statement as top Indian and Chinese military commanders are likely to meet along the contested Line of Actual Control this week to reduce tensions in Ladakh, where the situation remains tense after a series of recent manoeuvres by the two armies in the Pangong Tso area. Corps commander-ranked officers have so far met five times but failed to break the deadlock. The expected meeting this week will be their first after the Indian Army swiftly moved and occupied key heights to prevent the Peoples Liberation Army from grabbing Indian territory on the southern bank of Pangong Tso in a stealthy midnight move on August 29. Also Read: Rahul Gandhi attacks Modi govt over deaths of migrant workers The legislative business is likely to trigger protests over the two bills that have been brought to replace ordinances. The Salary, Allowances and Pension of Members of Parliament (Amendment) Bill seeks to replace an ordinance issued to reduce the salaries of lawmakers by 30% in view of the Covid-19 pandemic. The Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme fund, too, has been cancelled for two years (2020-2022). The Banking Regulation (Amendment) Bill to be introduced on Tuesday in the Lok Sabha is another bone of contention between the Opposition and the ruling side. The Congress has raised five major objections to the proposed law. It has said cooperative banks are part of the structure of cooperatives and ought to be regulated by the state governments, not by the Centre. If the ordinance becomes law, all key financial intermediaries will come under the control of the Central government, there will be more centralisation. Congress Party stands for decentralisation and for empowering states, the party said in a statement. Food minister Ram Vilas Paswan will introduce the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill. In Rajya Sabha, Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman will introduce a bill to amend the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016. In Rajya Sabha, Union health minister Harsh Vardhan will introduce a Bill to provide for regulation and maintenance of standards of education and services by allied and healthcare professionals, assessment of institutions, maintenance of a Central Register and State Register, and creation of a system to improve access, research and development and adoption of latest scientific advancement. The Aircraft (Amendment) Bill and the Institute of Teaching and Research in Ayurveda Bill are also expected to be passed in the Upper House on Tuesday along with the Homoeopathy Central Council (Amendment) Bill. An amateur boxer has been arrested after allegedly beating his five-month-pregnant girlfriend before leaving her to die at a hospital in Argentina. Micaela Zalazar, 27, was rushed in an ambulance to Julio de Vedia Hospital in Buenos Aires shortly past noon Sunday. Micaela, who was the mother of two children from two previous relationships, was with her partner Renzo Pancera, 25, and her father when paramedics arrived. Pancera allegedly left the hospital before Micaela passed away from internal hemorrhages. Her unborn baby also died. Her cousin Antonella Zalazar told Argentine news network Todo Noticias that Micaela was crying claiming 'that he had not done anything but he completely beat her, he killed her.' Micaela Zalazar died after she was rushed to a Buenos Aires, Argentina, hospital Sunday. The 27-year-old was five months into her pregnancy and suffered a miscarriage as a result of the injuries suffered after she was allegedly beaten by her boyfriend, boxer Renzo Pancera Renzo Pancera was taken into custody after he accompanied his girlfriend Micaela Zalazar on an ambulance to a Buenos Aires hospital Sunday before she died Doctors diagnosed Micaela with a ruptured spleen and abdominal bleeding, which led her to losing the baby. Micaela was placed in the intensive care unit before her conditioned worsened. Pancera allegedly abandoned Micaela at the hospital and returned to the couple's residence where police later arrested him after he was reported by the hospital staff, who suspected the boxer of having beaten the woman. Investigators found that Pancera had twice been reported in February and October 2019 for beating Micaela. Antonella also alleged that the couple had been involved a toxic relationship for two years and that Pancera rarely allowed Micaela to leave her home and prohibited her from owning a cellphone. 'She loved him and did not say that he hit her, she only said that they had discussions and that everything was going to be fine,' Antonella said. 'She was happy with the pregnancy. Now how do we explain to her 3-year-old daughter what happened to the mother? Justice has to be done.' Another cousin, Claudia Zalazar, even offered to come with her husband and pick up Micaela but that she rejected her offer. Authorities were waiting on a complete autopsy to charge Pancera with homicide. Investigators were also considering interviewing Micaela's 12-year-old son and three-year-old daughter. SAMARKAND, Uzbekistan -- Authorities in Uzbekistan's ancient city of Samarkand have torn down a historic building ahead of a visit by President Shavkat Mirziyoev despite an outcry by activists. An official with the Samarkand city administration who asked not to be named told RFE/RL on September 14 that the building was demolished on September 11 before a final court ruling regarding the legality of the decision to demolish the building constructed in 1904 by Russia's imperial authorities. "The president is scheduled to visit Samarkand in the coming days and may visit the construction site of the new Samarkand Medical Institute that should have been completed in February but wasn't. The administration of the Samarkand region decided to demolish the building that stood next to the site out of concern that the president could be irritated at the sight of an old construction overshadowing the unfinished new building," the official said. An expert from Uzbekistan's office for the protection of cultural heritage told RFE/RL that the decision to demolish the building considered for many years a UNESCO cultural landmark contradicted Uzbek legislation. In mid-October last year, Uzbekistan's Culture Ministry decided that the building in question was a historic site that must be preserved. However, two weeks after that decision, Samarkand's Mayor Bobumirza Oblakulov signed an order to demolish the building, which was supported by a subequent court decision. The buildings owner, Ilona Volova, who currently lives in Israel, was unable to attend a hearing into her case due to coronavirus restrictions and the court's ruling to demolish her property was made in her absence. Volova's lawyer Maqsud Abdujabbarov, who was barred from attending the hearing, formally appealed the ruling. "Our appeal was accepted and the hearing into it was scheduled for September 8 at the Samarkand regional court but it never took place. When I came to court to take part in the hearing, they gave me a letter, saying that the case was for unknown reasons returned to the city court. According to the law, the implementation of the initial court ruling had to be suspended before a final decision on the issue, but that was not the case," Abdujabbarov said. Farrukh Ibragimov, a judiciary official in Samarkand, told RFE/RL that the city authorities decided to pay $62,250 to Volova as compensation for her demolished property. Shuhrat Qilichev, the Samarkand region's cultural heritage chief, told RFE/RL that the demolished building was not included on the UNESCO World Heritage List, but was located in the city's historic district which has been under UNESCO's protection since 2001. Qilichev added that, according to the law, his office should have been consulted and invited to attend the hearing, but that did not happen. Tashkent-based architect and arts expert Abdumalik Turdiev accused the local authorities of "vandalism." "Despite the court ruling, the demolition was not legal since the building was in the part of the city that is under UNESCO protection," Turdiev said. Before 2010, it officially was under the Uzbek state's protection as well. In 2010, local authorities argued that after repair works the building had lost its historic significance and struck it off the protected sites list. "The Culture Ministry was planning to restore the protected status of the building, but, unfortunately, the vandals, using President [Shavkat Mirziyoev's] visit to Samarkand as an excuse, demolished it," Turdiev told RFE/RL. Volova has said that the building had been erected as a residence for the head of a carriage company in Samarkand. In 2018-2019, almost a dozen local officials in Samarkand were arrested and sentenced to various prison terms for approving and conducting construction works in the citys historic zone that is under UNESCO's protection. PHILADELPHIA--The Pew Charitable Trusts announced today the six pairs of researchers who will make up its 2020 class of Innovation Fund investigators. These investigators--alumni of Pew's biomedical programs in the United States and Latin America--will partner on interdisciplinary research to tackle some of the most complex questions in human biology and disease. The teams will combine their expertise, ranging from virology to neuroscience and from biophysics to computational biology, in their efforts to advance innovative research and improve human health. "By building research partnerships that bridge diverse scientific disciplines, the 2020 Innovation Fund collaborators will work to uncover unique solutions to some of biomedicine's toughest challenges," said Molly Irwin, vice president of research and science at The Pew Charitable Trusts. "We're proud to support these researchers as they partner to pursue novel therapies and cutting-edge discoveries." For 35 years, Pew has encouraged collaboration among its community of talented biomedical scientists, culminating in the launch of the Innovation Fund in 2017. The fund's award criteria were developed to promote working relationships among Pew biomedical program alumni and to motivate researchers to focus on proposals that combine their areas of expertise. All program alumni holding assistant professor positions or higher are eligible to apply for the award, which is supported by the Kathryn W. Davis Peace by Pieces Fund. This year's Innovation Fund teams and research projects are: Marco Contreras, Ph.D., 2013 Pew Latin American fellow; University of Chile in Santiago Jose Luis Valdes, Ph.D., 2006 Pew Latin American fellow; University of Chile in Santiago Contreras and Valdes will explore the neurological mechanisms behind psychopathy, a personality disorder that is characterized by anti-social behavior and a lack of empathy. Frank Alber, Ph.D., 2009 Pew biomedical scholar; University of California, Los Angeles Z. Hong Zhou, Ph.D., 1999 Pew biomedical scholar; University of California, Los Angeles Alber and Zhou will map the location of unknown identities and structures of protein complexes in Plasmodium falciparum, the parasite that causes malaria. Roberto Zoncu, Ph.D., 2014 Pew-Stewart scholar; University of California, Berkeley Shingo Kajimura, Ph.D., 2013 Pew biomedical scholar; Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Zoncu and Kajimura will explore the molecular basis of inter-organelle communication and energy maintenance in adipose tissues. Polina V. Lishko, Ph.D., 2015 Pew biomedical scholar; University of California, Berkeley, and Buck Institute for Research on Aging Ke Xu, Ph.D., 2015 Pew biomedical scholar; University of California, Berkeley Lishko and Xu will investigate steroid hormones' role in uncovering the underlying gender differences in Alzheimer's disease. Ekaterina Heldwein, Ph.D., 2007 Pew biomedical scholar; Tufts University School of Medicine Daniela Nicastro, Ph.D., 2007 Pew biomedical scholar; University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center Heldwein and Nicastro will investigate the assembly and trafficking of herpesviruses in host cells. Mark Andermann, Ph.D., 2013 Pew biomedical scholar; Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Viviana Gradinaru, Ph.D., 2013 Pew biomedical scholar; California Institute of Technology Andermann and Gradinaru will investigate how the brain's insular cortex perceives bodily signals from internal organs. ### The Pew Charitable Trusts is driven by the power of knowledge to solve today's most challenging problems. Learn more at pewtrusts.org. BAKU, Azerbaijan, Sept. 15 Trend: The ruling New Azerbaijan Party has appealed to the international community, international political party organizations and political partner parties in connection with illegal settlement of Armenians from Lebanon in the Nagorno-Karabakh region, Trend reports. In accordance with the appeal, Armenia, which occupied 20 percent of the internationally recognized territories of Azerbaijan, continues to develop its hostile policy towards Azerbaijan and take steps to aggravate the situation in the region. "Armenia, which committed a military provocation in July, which led to the death of one civilian and numerous military personnel, in the territory close to the region, where oil and gas pipelines that play a special role in ensuring the energy security of Europe stretch, on the state border between Armenia and Azerbaijan, shortly after this made an attempt to commit a military provocation on another section of the border, the appeal said. Moreover, the leadership of Armenia, increasing the intensity of military provocations, disrupts the peace negotiations by its destructive, irresponsible rhetoric, has now entered a new, even more aggressive stage of the policy of illegal settlement of people on the occupied Azerbaijani territories, the appeal said. When the countries, including Azerbaijan, made efforts to eliminate the consequences of the tragedy in Lebanon, were busy with rendering the humanitarian assistance to this country, Armenia is abusing this tragedy to change the demographic composition of the occupied territories, the appeal said. The appeal said that according to the Armenian sources, several Lebanese Armenian families have already settled in the occupied Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan and there are plans to continue this process. For many years, Armenia has been illegally populating the Nagorno-Karabakh region and adjacent districts of Azerbaijan with Armenians from certain Middle East countries, the appeal said. The fact of illegal settlement by Armenia has been also reflected in the relevant reports of the OSCE fact-finding missions. The appeal said that the illegal settlement of Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh is part of Armenia's policy of annexation under the pretext of "repatriation" and "humanitarian aid". The attempts of pursuing a policy of settlement and purposefully changing the demographic composition of the occupied territories are the gross violation of international humanitarian law, including the 1949 Geneva Conventions, the appeal said. Armenia uses displaced people from Syria and Lebanon as armed mercenaries in its adventurous policy, the appeal said. The so-called "regime" created and managed by Armenia in the occupied Azerbaijani lands has recently announced its intention to occupy other Azerbaijani territories and threatened to launch a missile strike on the densely populated city of Ganja, the appeal said. The Armenian political and military leadership, which in fact refuses to negotiate and voices openly provocative calls, takes actions aimed at the annexation of Azerbaijani territories, is responsible for the escalation of the situation and any possible provocations and armed incidents, the appeal says. Further, the document states that Azerbaijan, as always, is committed to the peaceful settlement of the conflict on the principles of respect for international law, territorial integrity and sovereignty, as well as on the basis of UN Security Councils resolutions # 822, 853, 874 and 884, demanding the unconditional withdrawal of the Armenian occupying forces from the Azerbaijani territories, the appeal said. "For the sake of ensuring peace, stability and justice in the region, the New Azerbaijan Party calls on the international community, international political party organizations and political parties-partners to condemn the provocative actions of Armenia and demand to put an end to the illegal settlement of the occupied Azerbaijani territories," the document says. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on the withdrawal of its armed forces from Nagorno Karabakh and the surrounding districts. According to the school resource officer agreement, the program at Maine South and Maine East High Schools is meant to foster a safe and supportive school environment. Officers are also responsible for investigating and responding to criminal misconduct at the schools, but are not allowed to use their police powers to address traditional school discipline issues, including non-violent disruptive behavior, unless directed by the principal or a designee of the principal, the agreement says. President and Chief Executive Officer of NVIDIA, Huang Jen-hsun speaks during the Computex Show in Taipei on May 30, 2017. (Sam Yeh/AFP via Getty Images) Nvidia to Buy UKs Arm, Sparking Fears of Chip Dominance LONDONU.S. graphics chip maker Nvidia said it plans to buy UK-based Arm Holdings in a deal worth up to $40 billion, in a move that would create a global powerhouse in the industry. The deal, announced late on Sept. 13 by Nvidia and Arms parent company, Japans SoftBank, raises concerns about the independence of Arm, one of Europes most important tech companies. The vast majority of the worlds smartphones run on Arms chip designs and its a vital supplier for companies such as Apple and Samsung. Its also an innovator in chip technology that can power artificial intelligence for connected devices such as medical sensors, known as the internet of things. The companys business centers on designing chips and licensing the intellectual property to customers, rather than chip manufacturing, for which it relies on partners. Being owned by a U.S. company could mean Arm is exposed to U.S. government export bans at a time when Washington is in a battle for technology supremacy with China. Under the terms of the deal, Santa Clara, California-based Nvidia will pay SoftBank $21.5 billion in stock and $12 billion in cash. SoftBank could earn a further $5 billion if Arm hits performance targets, while Arm employees will get $1.5 billion worth of Nvidia shares. Nvidia shares rose on news of the deal. SoftBank bought Arm for about $32 billion in 2016, in a deal that sparked fears one of Britains most successful tech companies would succumb to a foreign takeover. To allay the concerns, the British government got SoftBank to agree to keep Arms headquarters in the UK and double its British staff over five years. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said the U.S. company plans to keep Arm based at its headquarters in Cambridge, England, where it will also build an artificial intelligence research center. Together were going to create the worlds premier computing company for the age of AI, Huang told reporters. We want more great engineers, not fewer;, we want more R&D not less. And we want that work to be done in the UK, in Cambridge, Huang said, adding that it wasnt about consolidation or cost savings. However, Hermann Hauser, who helped set up Arm, called the deal an absolute disaster for Cambridge, the UK, and Europe. Hauser, now a technology investor, told the BBCs Radio 4 that his biggest concern was that it would degrade what he called the UKs economic sovereignty because Arm would end up falling under the jurisdiction of U.S. export controls. That means if hundreds of UK companies that incorporate Arms (technology) in their products, want to sell it, and export it to anywhere in the world including China, which is a major market, the decision on whether they will be allowed to export it will be made in the White House and not in Downing Street. Arm CEO Simon Segars shrugged off the concerns. He said whether the U.S. has jurisdiction is determined by how and where products were developed, not the parent companys ownership. The majority of our products are designed in the UK or outside the U.S. and the majority of our products dont fall under much of the U.S. export control set of rules, he said. The deal would also destroy Arms neutral business model, which has made it the Switzerland of the semiconductor industry, Hauser said. The arm has become successful by licensing its technology to more than 500 companies, many of which are rivals to Nvidia, and the sale would create a monopoly problem, he said. Nvidia plans to maintain its open licensing model and customer neutrality, Huang said. Regulators in the U.S., UK, China, and the European Union will need to approve the deal, which will need about 18 months to complete. The British government said it could intervene in the deal because of the vital role Arm plays in the UKs tech sector. The government monitors acquisitions and mergers closely and when a takeover may have a significant impact on the UK, we will not hesitate to investigate further and take appropriate action, said Prime Minister Boris Johnsons spokesman, James Slack. We are investigating this deal further and ministers are speaking to the relevant companies. By Kelvin Chan SACRAMENTO, Calif. - With the smell of California wildfires in the air, President Donald Trump on Monday ignored the scientific consensus that climate change is playing a central role in historic West Coast infernos and renewed his unfounded claim that failure to rake forest floors and clear dead timber is mostly to blame. The fires are threatening to become another front in Trumps reelection bid, which is already facing hurdles because of the coronavirus pandemic, joblessness and social unrest. His Democratic challenger, Joe Biden, in his own speech Monday said the destruction and mounting death toll across California, Oregon and Washington require stronger presidential leadership and labeled Trump a climate arsonist. Trump travelled to Northern California to be briefed by Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom and other state and federal officials. At one point, state Natural Resources Agency Secretary Wade Crowfoot urged the president to recognize the changing climate and what it means to our forests. If we ignore that science and sort of put our head in the sand and think its all about vegetation management, were not going to succeed together protecting Californians, Crowfoot added. Trump responded, It will start getting cooler, just you watch. Crowfoot politely pushed back that he wished the science agreed with the president. Trump countered, I dont think science knows, actually. That striking moment came on a day of dueling campaign events, with Trump and Biden dramatically contrasting their outlooks on climate change and the impact it has had on the record-setting fires ravaging the West Coast. Trumps suggestion that the planet is going to start to unexpectedly cool is at odds with reality, experts say. Maybe there is a parallel universe where a pot on the stove with the burner turned to high starts getting cooler. But that is not our universe, said Stanford University climate scientist Chris Field. Biden lashed at Trump, saying the moment requires leadership, not scapegoating and that its clear we are not safe in Donald Trumps America. This is another crisis, another crisis he wont take responsibility for, Biden said. He said that if voters give a climate denier another four years in the White House, why would we be surprised that we have more of America ablaze? Trump, who was briefed during a stop near Sacramento before a campaign visit to Phoenix, had been mostly quiet as the catastrophe on the West Coast has unfolded over the past few weeks. He tweeted appreciation of firefighters and emergency responders on Friday, the first public comments he had made in weeks about the fires that have killed dozens, burned millions of acres and forced thousands from their homes. The president arrived at at Sacramento McClellan Airport to the powerful scent of smoke from the fires burning some 90 miles away. He contended anew that Democratic state leaders are to blame for failing to rake leaves and clear dead timber from forest floors. Trump offered no evidence to support his claim, and wildfire experts and forest managers say raking leaves makes no sense for vast U.S. wilderness and forests. And many of the blazes have roared through coastal chaparral and grasslands, not forest. When you have years of leaves, dried leaves on the ground, it just sets it up, Trump said. Its really a fuel for a fire. So they have to do something about it. University of Colorado fire scientist Jennifer Balch called Trumps deflecting blame on forest managers infuriating. Its often hard to know what Trump means, Balch added. If by forest management he means clear-cutting, thats absolutely the wrong solution to this problem. ... Theres no way were going to log our way out of this fire problem. Biden, who gave his climate speech in Delaware on Monday, released a $2 trillion plan in July to boost investment in clean energy and stop all climate-damaging emissions from U.S. power plants by 2035. But as the wildfires rage, some climate activists have expressed frustration that Biden has not been more forceful on the issue. He has not embraced, for instance, some of the most progressive elements of the Green New Deal. To that end, Biden in his address did not wade into political and policy disagreements among Democrats, progressive activists and even some Republicans who acknowledge the climate crisis. As he has before, Biden sought to frame his energy proposals as an immediate necessity and a long-term economic boon focusing more on new jobs and a cleaner economy that would offset any initial costs. Donald Trumps climate denial may not have caused these fires and hurricanes, Biden said. But if he gets a second term, these hellish events will continue to become more common and more devastating and more deadly. Trump visited McClellan Park, a former U.S. Air Force Base about 10 miles outside Sacramento that is used by firefighters as a staging area for large aircraft used in combating blazes. Most of the largest firefighting aircraft have not been utilized in recent days due to heavy smoke limiting visibility. Bidens running mate, California Sen. Kamala Harris, will return to her home state Tuesday to meet with emergency service personnel to be briefed on the states wildfires. In 2015, Trump stated bluntly: Im not a believer in global warming, Im not a believer in man-made global warming. After the publication of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report concluded climate change would hurt the economy, Trump said he read it but didnt believe it. In September 2019, he falsely slammed the Green New Deal as an effort that would lead to No more cows. No more planes ... no more people, right? Climate scientists say rising heat and worsening droughts in California consistent with climate change have expanded what had been the states autumn wildfire season to year-round, sparking bigger, deadlier and more frequent fires. All five of the states largest fires in history have raged in the past three years, including the deadliest fire, a 2018 blaze that killed 85 people when it swept through the town of Paradise on the slopes of the Sierra Nevada. Trump during his Monday visit awarded seven members of the California National Guard the Distinguished Flying Cross for the rescue of dozens of Californians during the 2018 Paradise fires. An analysis out in August from Stanford climate and wildfire researcher Michael Goss and others found that a nearly 2-degree (1 Celsius) rise in autumn temperatures and 30 per cent drop in rainfall has more than doubled the number of autumn days with extreme fire weather over the past 40 years. ___ Weissert reported from Wilmington, Del., Knickmeyer from Oklahoma City and Madhani from Chicago. Associated Press writers Bill Barrow in Atlanta, Juliet Williams in San Francisco and Seth Borenstein in Kensington, Maryland, contributed reporting. Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. AustCham Briefing, Sundowners return to Phuket with TAT guest speaker PHUKET: The Australian-Thai Chamber of Commerce (AustCham Thailand) returns to Phuket this Friday (Sept 18) with its first special Joint Chambers Phuket Briefing and Sundowners since the country went into COVID-19 lockdown, with Kulpramote Wannalert, Deputy Executive Director ASEAN, South Asia and South Pacific Region, as guest speaker. tourismeconomics By The Phuket News Tuesday 15 September 2020, 09:24AM AustChams Phuket Briefing and Joint Chambers Sundowners returns to Phuket this Friday (Sept 18). Image: AustCham Ms Kulpramote will be speaking specifically on TATs Tourism Plan and Updates during the COVID-19 pandemic for Expats living in Thailand. The one-hour briefing, from 5pm to 6pm, will be held at the Kamala Room at Le Meridien Phuket Beach Resort south of Patong. Weve been talking with the TAT for quite a few weeks now and really trying to push on how the Australian-Thai Chamber of Commerce can contribute to their big push with domestic tourism, and naturally with so many of our members down in Phuket, how can we focus on that area as well, AustCham Thailand Executive Director Brendan Cunningham explained to The Phuket News. Ms Kulpramote is to deliver a briefing detailing the TATs plans, Mr Cunningham explained. And well be coming down, interacting with members to say that we are supporting you, he added. Before the briefing, members only will be invited to join a roundtable discussion from 3:30pm to 4:30pm, Mr Cunnigham also explained. There will be no specific agenda. Members can tell us exactly whats happening and how the Chamber can contribute in whatever way we can, he said. Mr Cunningham rates feedback gained through such discussions as vital. A previous roundtable held in Phuket several years ago, through which the Chamber listened to member feedback, created the platform for the strong membership representation AustCham has in Phuket, he said. With first event this Friday since the COVID lockdown began, AustCham is now planning more events to be held ni Phuket. We will be back on Nov 13. More details to come about that, Mr Cunningham said. Next thing will be Australia Day (Jan 26). Were definitely hoping to be there for around Australia Day to do that big event again, he added. Ideally the world will open up a bit more and well go back to our regular routine in 2021, with four to five events in Phuket a year, he said. The Phuket Briefing this Friday is free of charge for AustCham Members, partner Chambers members, and Australian Alumni Members. Following the briefing will be the popular Joint Chambers Phuket Sundowners hosted by AustCham, also held at the resort, from 6pm to 9pm. Entry to the Sundowners costs B500 for AustCham Members, partner Chambers members, and Australian Alumni Members, and B900 for non-members. Please note that due to COVID precautions, walk-ins are not allowed and cash is not accepted for either the briefing or the Sundowners events To register for the Phuket Briefing, click here. To register for the Joint Chambers Phuket Sundowners, click here. The Phuket News and Live 89.5 radio are proud media partners of the AustCHam and Jont Chambers Phuket Briefing and Sundowners series. Protesters remained peaceful in Lancaster, Pennsylvania last night after it was revealed that Ricardo Munoz - the man whose death they were demonstrating against - had previously stabbed four people. A small group of protesters could be seen gathered in Lancaster last night, holding 'Defund the Police' and 'Black Lives Matter' banners, but their numbers had dwindled since the previous day. Also in attendance were counter-protesters dressed in army fatigues, who told a DailyMail.com photographer they were there to support the police. The quiet night comes after it was revealed that 27-year-old Munoz - who was shot dead by police on Sunday - was awaiting trial for stabbing and seriously injuring four people. People attend protests in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, in the wake of the shooting of Ricardo Munoz, last night Police stand guard as people attend protests in Lancaster, Pennsylvania last night A man carrying an American flag speaks with a protesters during demonstrations in Lancaster, Pennsylvania last night Cops were called to a home in Lancaster at 4.15pm by Munoz's sister - who told the attending officers he had become aggressive toward their mother and was trying to break into her house. Body camera footage released by the Lancaster County District Attorney's Office shows the 27-year-old emerging from the house as soon as an officer arrived 10 minutes later. Bodycam video shows Ricardo Munoz, 27, pictured 'brandishing a knife over his head' in a threatening manner. He was shot dead Munoz could be seen charging at the officer while brandishing a knife above his head 'in clear view' and 'in a threatening manner' before the officer fired at him. He died at the scene. Sunday's shooting sparked protests in the city, with people marching from the scene of the shooting to the Lancaster Police Department while chanting 'this is what democracy looks like'. Eight individuals were arrested during the previous night's protests after demonstrators smashed in windows of police cars, caused damage to the police station and USPS building. They also upended trash cans and other items, setting them as a barricade to an intersection. They also started a dumpster fire, police said. The eight were arrested for arson, vandalism, and riot, among other charges. Munoz was awaiting criminal trial on four counts of aggravated assault before he was shot dead Sunday. He also had previous charges of stalking, harassment and criminal trespassing. Last year, Munoz stabbed and seriously injured four people, including a 16-year-old boy. Ricardo Munoz was fatally shot by an officer who authorities say was responding to a domestic disturbance call. He can be seen here holding a knife in his right hand The officer responding to the incident fired several shots at Munoz At the time, police said an argument between Munoz and several people became physical. He was punched and kicked by them before they walked away from the fight. Munoz then retreived a folding knife from his backpack and stabbed four other people. It's not clear if the four people stabbed were involved in the initial argument. When police arrived at the scene, they found Munoz standing outside a home holding a knife to his throat. He refused to drop the knife when commanded to by officers, and then tried to jump over a handrail. Cops then used a taser on him to subdue him, and he was taken into custody. A man dressed in army fatigues, who said he was in the U.S. Army, shows his support for the police during protests against the shooting of Ricardo Munoz in Lancaster, Pennsylvania last night A man open carries a handgun as people attend protests in Lancaster, Pennsylvania last night A man dressed in army fatigues who said he was in the U.S. Army shows his support for the police as people attend protests in Lancaster, Pennsylvania Police Chief Jarrad Berkihiser held a brief news conference but shared very few details of the shooting. He said that people could remain near the crime scene, but urged them to stay calm and peaceful. A 'final determination on the use of force' will be made by District Attorney Adams. 'We ask that acts of protest remain peaceful as violence and destruction of property will become headlines and serve no purpose for the safety and wellbeing of our citizens and neighborhoods,' the DA's office requested. In a statement, Lancaster Mayor Danene Sorace said: 'This has been a heartbreaking day for our city. I grieve for the loss of life and know that there are more questions to be answered as the investigation continues.' The Lancaster County District Attorney's Office is investigating the incident. Advertisement The number of new coronavirus cases across the United States have now fallen for eight straight weeks while deaths have remained on a downward trajectory for the past month. New cases are currently averaging at just over 34,000 per day, which is down from the peak in July when about 70,000 infections were being reported daily. In total, the number of new COVID-19 cases fell 15 percent last week compared to the previous seven days - marking the eighth straight week of declines. Deaths have now been declining nationally for four straight weeks. The average number of Americans dying per day from COVID-19 is averaging at about 740, which is down from the peak 2,000 deaths being reported per day back in April. More than 194,000 Americans have now died from COVID-19 and there has been over 6.5 million infections. New cases are currently averaging at just over 34,000 per day, which is down from the peak in July when about 70,000 infections were being reported daily The average number of Americans dying per day from COVID-19 is averaging at about 740, which is down from the peak 2,000 deaths being reported per day back in April Fatalities are continuing to decline in the summer hotspot states of California and Texas, while Florida's deaths are currently holding steady. Cases in all three of these populous US states have seen infections steadily decline since peaking in mid to late July. While the number of infections continue to decline nationally, nine states have seen cases rise for at least two weeks, according to a Reuters weekly tally of state and county reports. North Dakota and Wisconsin in the Midwest, New Hampshire and New Jersey in the Northeast and Arkansas, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Utah have all reported an uptick in cases in the last two weeks. Of those states, North Dakota, Wisconsin and South Carolina have reported single-day highs of new infections within the last week. North Dakota's cases spiked to a record 467 on September 12 and now total more than 15,800. Cases in Wisconsin surged to a single day high of 1,624 on September 13. Infections in the state have risen 38 per cent in the last week, bringing the total to more than 95,400. In total, the number of new COVID-19 cases fell 15 percent last week compared to the previous seven days - marking the eighth straight week of declines. While the number of infections continue to decline nationally, nine states have seen cases rise for at least two weeks. Of those states, North Dakota, Wisconsin and South Carolina have reported single-day highs of new infections within the last week Deaths have now been declining nationally for four straight weeks. Connecticut, New Hampshire, Nebraska and South Dakota saw the biggest increases in deaths last week compared to the previous seven days South Carolina's infection peaked at 2,454 on September 11 with the state now recording more than 132,600 cases. Nationally, the share of all tests that came back positive for COVID-19 fell for a sixth week to 5.4 percent, well below a recent peak of nearly 9 percent in mid-July, according to data from The COVID Tracking Project. However, 27 of the 50 states still have positive test rates above the 5 percent level that the World Health Organization considers concerning. In South Dakota, where a large motorcycle rally took place in August, 17 percent of tests came back positive last week. Idaho, Iowa, Kansas and Wisconsin had positive test rates around 15 percent. Health officials are looking for any signs of a surge following the Labor Day holiday weekend. They are now also warning Americans to be vigilant after President Donald Trump started holding indoor campaign rallies again. An indoor event in Henderson, Nevada drew thousands on Sunday despite the state restricting gatherings to 50 people based on White House reopening guidelines. Trump on Monday also drew hundreds of supporters to an indoor event in Phoenix, Arizona that his campaign advertised as a 'Latinos for Trump roundtable'. Cases in Wisconsin surged to a single day high of 1,624 on September 13. Infections in the state have risen 38 per cent in the last week, bringing the total to more than 95,400 North Dakota's cases spiked to a record 467 on September 12 and now total more than 15,800 South Carolina's infection peaked at 2,454 on September 11 with the state now recording more than 132,600 cases. Upcoming rallies in Wisconsin on Thursday and Minnesota on Friday will be held in open-air airplane hangars. Neither state caps attendance on outdoor events. Democratic governors and local leaders have urged Trump to reconsider campaign events, warning that he is putting lives at risk. But they have largely not tried to block the gatherings of thousands of people, which Trump and his team have deemed 'peaceful protests' protected by the First Amendment. Trump has made the case that if demonstrators can gather en masse for protests over racial injustice, so can his supporters. His campaign has insisted that it takes appropriate health precautions, including handing out masks and hand sanitizer and checking the temperatures of those in attendance. It comes after it emerged last week that Trump had referred to the virus as 'deadly stuff' in a private conversation with Bernstein's former reporting partner Bob Woodward. Trump, at the same time, was publicly downplaying the threat of COVID-19. Three days after delivering his 'deadly' assessment in a private call with Woodward, he told a New Hampshire rally on February 10 that 'it's going to be fine'. Trump's acknowledgment in Woodward's new book 'Rage' that he was minimizing the severity of the virus in public to avoid causing panic has triggered waves of criticism that he wasn't leveling with the American people. The president told Woodward on March 19 that he had deliberately minimized the danger. 'I wanted to always play it down,' the president said. 'I still like playing it down because I dont want to create a panic.' A Trump rally in in Henderson, Nevada, on Sunday night drew thousands of supporters. Nevada restricts gatherings to 50 people based on White House reopening guidelines Hes the cross-dressing artist whos the darling of the fashionable Left but still Grayson Perry confesses that he finds Right-wing people friendlier. Speaking ahead of his new series in which he explores both sides of the political and cultural divide in America, Mr Perry said: The Left is more venal and has more antipathy to the opposition than the other way round. 'I would say the Right on average are friendlier and more open. Grayson Perry, 60, explores both sides of the political and cultural divide in a new series, Big American Road Trip. He confesses that, on average, people on the Right are 'friendlier and more open During filming for the show he said he confronted a group of wealthy liberals he met at a dinner party in Marthas Vineyard, Massachusetts. He recalled asking whether they feared their lifestyle had fuelled the resentment which led to the election of Donald Trump as President, adding that this suggestion made them angry. Mr Perry, 60, told Radio Times: I really laid into them. I was well p*****, so I didnt quite have my full faculties, and they got hostile, but it all settled down. Speaking of the shame many white middle class people on the Left feel, he said: Its all part of the tribal culture to be guilty we do guilty in the same way that the Japanese do shame. While making the programme, which will be broadcast on Channel 4, he also filmed a group of bikers for Trump. Any concerns he had about their potential for hostility rapidly evaporated upon meeting them. He said: Some of them were a bit disappointed I didnt turn up in a dress. During filming he met a group of bikers for Trump. Some of them were a bit disappointed I didnt turn up in a dress, he said. Pictured: Bikers for Trump gather for a rally in North Carolina in August Mr Perry said he enjoyed making the show in the US because of the frank-talking attitudes he encountered. He added: America is a great place to make a documentary because people will give you their life story at the drop of a hat because I was an outsider. Mr Perry has become an iconic figure in the art world, celebrated for his ceramic vases and tapestries. He won the Turner Prize in 2003. He has become well known to the wider public as an occasional transvestite who good-humouredly expresses his outspoken views in his television programmes. Grayson Perrys Big American Road Trip begins on Channel 4 next Wednesday. A missing Alabama State University student has been found dead. Montgomery and ASU police about 2:45 p.m. Monday responded to the 800 block of Hutchinson Street after receiving a report of a possible body found. The body was transported to the Alabama Department of Forensic Science for an autopsy. After further investigation, the body was officially identified as Adam Dowdell Jr., said Montgomery police Capt. Saba Coleman. Dowdell graduated from Montevallo High School and his family lives in Alabaster. He was in his second year at ASU. Toya Cohill said she last spoke with her son, affectionately known as Belle, on Monday, and his siblings spoke with him on Tuesday. Early Wednesday, she started receiving messages from his friends that he had not returned to his dorm room and that no one had heard from him. She said shes learned that on Tuesday night that he left with another student saying he was going to get cash from the bank. He was last known to be wearing a white shirt, checkerboard pants and Air Jordan 12 sneakers. Dowdell did not have a car with him at school, and his mother said if he had been planning to be gone long, he would have taken his book bag and a phone charger with him. Both were left behind. Cohill and other family members rushed to Montgomery Wednesday and have been there since. She said theyve been unable to track his phone because the location has been turned off and the phone is dead. Friends and family had been searching and handing out flyers. Coleman said the circumstances of Dowdells death remain under investigation. No arrests have been made at this time and no additional information is being released. ASU President Quinton T. Ross Jr. released a statement Monday night about Dowdells death. He said Dowdell was a transfer student majoring in physical education. "We all had hoped for a different outcome,'' Ross said. Losing a student is always difficult, and the Hornet Nation is in mourning over his death. Our thoughts and prayers are certainly with Adams mother and the rest of his family and friends as they face this tragic loss. He reminded students that counseling is available to them through the Universitys Counseling Center at 334-229-4894. Police ask that anyone with information call Crime Stoppers at 334-215- STOP, Secret Witness at 334-625-4000 or Montgomery Police at 334-625-2831. NEW DELHI : India's second largest software services firm Infosys on Tuesday said it will announce its financial results for the July-September quarter on October 14. "...a meeting of the board of directors of the company will be held on Tuesday and Wednesday, October 13 and 14, 2020 inter alia to approve and take on record the audited consolidated financial results of the company and its subsidiaries as per Indian Accounting Standards (IND-AS) for the quarter and half year ending September 30, 2020," Infosys said in a regulatory filing. The financial results and proposal for interim dividend, if any, will be presented to the Board of Directors on October 14, 2020 for their approval, it added. The filing noted that Infosys will hold investor/analyst calls on the same day to discuss the financial results and business outlook. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Never miss a story! Stay connected and informed with Mint. Download our App Now!! When Meri Browns daughter, Mariah Brownher only child with Kody Brown of TLCs Sister Wivescame out as a lesbian in 2017, her large, polygamist family was surprisingly accepting. Many Sister Wives fans were concerned that the Brown family would be more wary about discussing Mariahs sexuality openly due to their fundamentalist Mormon beliefs. But Meri, Kody, and his three other wivesJanelle, Christine, and Robyn Brownwere extremely welcoming and open-minded in response to Mariahs announcement. Recently, Meri shared a gushing post about her 25-year-old daughter on Instagram. Sister Wives fans jumped to Mariahs defense when a few Instagram users made homophobic remarks. Christine, Janelle, Kody, Robyn, and Meri Brown | Marcel Thomas/FilmMagic Meri praised her daughter, Mariah, in a sweet Instagram post While Meri admitted to struggling to understand Mariahs sexual orientation at first, especially because Mariah had once expressed interest in being a sister wife herself, she ultimately welcomed her daughter and her future wife with open arms. In a recent Instagram post, Meri shared a gleeful photo of herself with Mariah at Lizzies Heritage Inn, the successful bed and breakfast Meri owns in Parowan, Utah. This kid of mine, Meri sweetly captioned the photo. Perfect and amazing and beautiful in every way. Her heart is huge. Her passion is fierce. Her love is real. She makes me smile on the daily! So honored and proud and blessed and lucky to be her mom!! Kodys first wife added hashtags like proud mom and strong women in honor of her daughter, as well as family and heritage to reflect the important history of Lizzies Heritage Inn in the Brown family. The Sister Wives star also added the pro-LGBT equality hashtag love is love in support of Mariahs sexual identity. RELATED: Sister Wives: Mariah Brown Says She Might Have Been a Polygamist If Her Family Had Stayed In Utah Sister Wives fans, and Mariahs wife-to-be, offered compliments to the mom-daughter duo While Meri and Mariah have had problems in their relationship in the pastespecially after Meris infamous catfishing incident in 2014it seems theyve put them behind them. Sister Wives fans praised Meri for fostering such a positive relationship with her daughter, who has helped to keep the B&B running during the COVID-19 crisis. Strong women raise strong women, one Sister Wives fan gushed in response to the post. Shes darling and rightfully so as shes from you, another Instagram user added. Yet another chimed in, Wonderful things to say about you. The apple does not fall far from the tree with you both. Mariahs future wife also wrote, Love this so much, to which Meri responded with a string of heart emojis. Mariah met her fiancee, Audrey Kriss, at Westminster College. The couple got engaged at the Womens March in early 2019 and moved to Chicago together so Mariah could pursue her masters degree in social work and social justice at Loyola University Chicago. Since then, Mariah, Meri, and Audrey have spent a great deal of time together and seem to have a close relationship as a trio. RELATED: Sister Wives: Meri Brown Explains Why She Felt Like The Worst Mom When Her Daughter Came Out As Gay Audrey and Meris fans jumped in to defend Mariah against homophobic comments Of course, although Mariah has received an overwhelming amount of support from Sister Wives fans since her coming-out announcement, there have always been some bigoted comments among the many supportive ones. Meris recent Instagram post was no exception. One critic warned Meri that Mariah was willfully choosing to live in rebellion of the Holy Spirit and advised her to teach [Mariah] the truth in order to avoid eternal damnation. Audrey jumped in immediately to defend her fiancee against the homophobic comment, responding sarcastically, Sign us up! Cant wait to be in flames with all the other gays! Other Sister Wives fans swarmed the comment to offer their support to Mariah as well. One supporter wrote to Audrey, Ill be there with you guys. Sounds like it would be more fun than being around someone like her. Others advised the harsh commenter not to judge lest they be judged and reminded her that love is love. Another retorted in response to the original critics anti-LGBT comment, Her daughter is a million times sweeter and better and more loving than you will ever be. While Mariah and Meri might have had their issues in the past, its clear that they have moved on and fostered a stronger relationship than ever. And its good to see that Sister Wives fans are, by and large, very supportive of Mariah and Audreys relationship. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-16 05:59:53|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Apple and the government of Singapore on Tuesday announced their partnership on the health initiative LumiHealth, a personalized program to encourage healthy activity and behaviors using Apple Watch. The program was designed by Singapore's Health Promotion Board in conjunction with Apple as part of the country's Smart Nation initiative, a national effort to leverage technology to deliver benefits to its citizens and businesses. The two-year program will be offered from late October 2020, Apple said in a statement. Within the app, users will travel through worlds with an intergalactic explorer who guides them through tasks that are personalized based on their age, gender, and weight, according to Apple. "Even as all of us around the world are dealing with the challenges of COVID-19, we must keep investing in our future. And there is no better investment than in our own personal health," said Heng Swee Keat, Singapore's deputy prime minister. "Singapore has one of the world's leading healthcare systems, and we are thrilled to be partnering with them to incorporate Apple Watch and LumiHealth into their holistic approach to well-being," said Jeff Williams, Apple's chief operating officer. Enditem By Erwin Seba HOUSTON (Reuters) - Energy companies, ports and refiners raced on Monday to shut down as Hurricane Sally grew stronger while lumbering toward the central U.S. Gulf Coast, the second significant hurricane to shutter oil and gas activity over the last month. The hurricane is disrupting oil imports and exports as the nation's sole offshore terminal, the Louisiana Offshore Oil Port (LOOP), stopped loading tanker ships on Sunday, while the port of New Orleans closed on Monday. The U.S. government said 21%, or nearly 396,000 barrels per day (bpd), of offshore crude ... "There are no material reliability concerns that would warrant this kind of interventionist approach, and there are already mechanisms in place to address any shortfall identified." Ms McNamara cited the Australian Energy Market Operator's estimate that NSW faced a potential shortfall of only 154MW, but Mr Taylor said the industry argument failed to consider the impact on prices. "AEMO only assesses reliability on very strict technical grounds they make no assessment of price impacts," Mr Taylor told The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age. "Our assessment is that there is a problem with reliability but the bigger problem is with price because prices will go up if you take 1000MW out of the market and you don't replace it. "More supply means lower prices that's Economics 101. Less supply means higher prices." Loading Behind the government argument is the suspicion that energy companies want Liddell to shut without a significant replacement so prices and profits will rise, as they did in Victoria after the closure of the Hazelwood power station in 2017. "What's obvious is those making money from the energy network are not interested in putting more supply into the market because it will affect price," Resources Minister Keith Pitt told the ABC. With energy companies frustrated at the new intervention as well as the ongoing uncertainty over long-term climate change policy, some industry insiders said the private sector may ignore the April deadline and leave the government to build the new power station. AGL has plans for a 250MW gas-fired power station at Tomago in the NSW Hunter Valley and said it was making "good progress" toward a final decision by early next year. Mr Broad said Snowy Hydro was willing to proceed with a bigger gas-fired power plant at nearby Kurri Kurri to increase competition. "The oligopoly prefers Liddell to close so they can capture the higher prices that follow, which is exactly what happened in Victoria," Mr Broad said. "The existing market needs more competition. I'm sick of hearing about the concerns from the generator side and not enough about the consumer side." The Kurri Kurri project is on the grounds of an old aluminium smelter near electricity transmission lines with a capacity of about 600MW. "It's certainly economic and we're working on the size of the project at the moment, but 350MW is the start," Mr Broad said of the project. "The idea would be that we should firm up some renewable sources as well, but we're waiting to see what happens by April." Loading While Snowy Hydro has taken on $3.5 billion in debt to fund the expansion of the Snowy Mountains hydro-electric scheme, it has government support to build Kurri Kurri as well. It also runs the Colongra gas-fired power plant on the NSW Central Coast, with a capacity of 657MW. The Australian Industry Group welcomed the government plan to boost gas supplies and power generation but the policy statement was panned by Greenpeace, the Australian Conservation Foundation and others. "Gas is a fossil fuel made up mainly of methane, a potent greenhouse gas it has no place in Australia's recovery from COVID-19," said ACF spokesman Gavan McFadzean. Loading "If fully unleashed, Australia's gas resources could be responsible for up to three times the annual climate emissions of the entire world." Former Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce said a coal-fired power station would make more sense in the coal fields of the Hunter Valley, a view also put by Nationals senator and former resources minister Matt Canavan. Labor leader Anthony Albanese accused the government of failing to secure gas supplies in the past but he and his colleagues did not reject the idea of a new gas-fired power station despite the concerns of the environmental movement. Labor energy spokesman Mark Butler said the plan would not create jobs fast enough, but Labor resources spokesman Joel Fitzgibbon welcomed the policy as a "capitulation" on the old idea of extending the Liddell power station. MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 16th September, 2020) The Netherlands praises negotiations between the United States and Russia on extending the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) and supports Washington's call to include China in the process, Dutch Foreign Minister Stef Blok said on Tuesday. "In this connection, I'd like to compliment the US on the first round of talks you just had with Russia on the New START Treaty. We fully support the American call to involve China in the process as well," Blok said during an online press conference, organized by the Washington-based Heritage Foundation. The Dutch top diplomat added that he discussed the issue with Beijing as well. New START is the only remaining legally binding Russian-US deal on nuclear arms control, and It expires in February 2021. Russian President Vladimir Putin has proposed extending the New START by five years with no pre-conditions. However, the US administration keeps insisting on getting China involved in negotiations, in order to reach a new trilateral nuclear deal. A gunman walks up to sheriff's deputies and opens fire without warning or provocation in Compton, Calif., on Sept. 12, 2020. (Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department via AP) Los Angeles Deputy Saved Partners Life After Ambush Shooting While Injured: Mayor A Los Angeles sheriffs deputy has been credited with saving her partners life after she was shot in the face over the weekend, officials said. Theres no other way to put it, theyre amazing, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti told CNN on Monday evening. Her partner was also shot in the head in what has been described as an ambush attack in Compton. Garcetti said both deputies were shot several times by an unknown assailant. They are both in critical yet stable condition at a nearby hospital, as Sheriff Alex Villanueva told news outlets they underwent surgery. This is just a somber reminder that this is a dangerous job, and actions and words have consequences. Our job does not get any easier because people do not like law enforcement, Villanueva said. Video footage from the incident appears to show a male approaching the officers, who were sitting in their vehicle, before opening fire and running away. But more footage surfaced on Monday, appearing to show the female deputy bleeding from the face taking cover behind a pillar and rendering aid to her partner. These are two brave individuals who put their lives on the line, Garcetti said, adding that the female deputy was identified as a 31-year-old mother. The other was identified as a 24-year-old male. Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department deputies stand outside St. Francis Medical Center hospital following the ambush shooting of two deputies in Compton, in Lynwood, Calif., on Sept. 13, 2020. (Patrick T. Fallon/Reuter) Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department deputies are seen outside St. Francis Medical Center hospital following the ambush shooting of two deputies in Compton, in Lynwood, Calif., on Sept. 13, 2020. (Patrick T. Fallon/Reuters) The deputies were shot while sitting in their patrol car at a Metro rail station, the sheriff said. Villanueva expressed frustration during his Saturday night briefing over anti-police sentiment as he urged people to pray for the deputies. Both Garcetti and Villanueva blasted apparent Black Lives Matter protesters who shouted threats at deputies and officers while the two were being treated at the hospital over the weekend. At one point, the department said the protesters tried to block entry. Unacceptable behavior. The hospital should be a sanctuary, we should leave hospitals alone, Bishop Juan Carlos Mendez with the Churches in Action group told TV station KABC. The video sparked a reaction from President Donald Trump who responded on Twitter, Animals that must be hit hard! This cold-blooded shooting is unconscionable and the perpetrator must be brought to justice, Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden also wrote over the weekend. Violence of any kind is wrong; those who commit it should be caught and punished. Israel approves construction of nearly 1,000 new settler units in West Bank Iran Press TV Monday, 14 September 2020 3:10 PM Israeli officials have approved plans for the construction of nearly one thousand new settler units in the West Bank in blatant defiance of international condemnation of the Tel Aviv regime's land grab and settlement expansion policies in the occupied Palestinian territories. Hasan Brijiyeh, a local anti-settlement and anti-apartheid activist, told Palestine's official Wafa news agency on Monday that the so-called Israeli ministry of construction and housing had given the green light for plans to build 980 units in Efrat settlement, located 12 kilometers (7.5 miles) south of Jerusalem al-Quds. He added that vast areas of Palestinian agricultural land will be seized as part of the plan. Earlier this month, Israel's Channel 12 television network reported that Israeli minister of military affairs and alternate prime minister, Benny Gantz, was apparently seeking to approve the construction of some 5,000 new settler units, after more than six months during which such construction had been frozen. The move is seen as a potential maneuver by Gantz to strengthen ties with settler leaders, who are currently fuming at Netanyahu, who purportedly suspended annexation plans and opted instead to normalize ties with the United Arab Emirates last month. Israel and the UAE agreed to a US-brokered deal to normalize relations on August 13. Under the agreement, the Tel Aviv regime has purportedly agreed to "temporarily" suspend applying its own rule to further areas in the occupied West Bank and the strategic Jordan Valley that Netanyahu had pledged to annex. While Emirati officials have described the normalization deal with the Tel Aviv regime as a successful means to stave off annexation and save the so-called two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Israeli leaders have lined up to reject the bluff of Abu Dhabi's crown prince and de facto ruler of the UAE, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, that Israel's annexation plans were off the table. Netanyahu has underlined that annexation is not off the table, but has simply been delayed. The Palestinians have vehemently censured the UAE-Israel deal, which runs counter to a long-standing Arab consensus that any normalization of ties with the Tel Aviv regime has to come in the context of the settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the establishment of a sovereign Palestinian state. They say the UAE, as an important Arab player in the region, has stabbed fellow Palestinians in the back. More than 600,000 Israelis live in over 230 settlements built since the 1967 Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories of the West Bank and East Jerusalem al-Quds. All Israeli settlements are illegal under international law. The UN Security Council has condemned Israel's settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian territories in several resolutions. Palestinians want the West Bank as part of a future independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem al-Quds as its capital. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. Purdue Universitys Division of Diversity and Inclusion will observe Hispanic Heritage Month with an inaugural keynote event featuring Dolores Huerta, Julian Castro and Maria Hinojosa. "We are excited for Purdues institutional commitment in observing Hispanic Heritage Month through the Division of Diversity and Inclusion," says Carina Olaru, director of the Latino Cultural Center. "The Hispanic Heritage Month committee has worked to provide numerous opportunities for students and the community to come together and learn of numerous ways Latinx communities are making giant leaps in communities, business, education, the arts and more." Hispanic Heritage Month starts Sept. 15 and runs through Oct. 15. Olaru encourages people to visit the Latino Cultural Center or the center's website to learn more about services, educational offerings and services provided to students and the community. During this time, visitors to the center will need to follow Protect Purdue requirements, including wearing masks and following social distancing guidelines. The Division of Diversity and Inclusion Hispanic Heritage Month Committee members who organized the keynote event and other initiatives to support Latino faculty, staff and students at Purdue University are Guadalupe Acosta Roberts, College of Liberal Arts; Rodrigo Banuelos, College of Science; Wilfrido Cruz, University Residences; Carina Olaru, Latino Cultural Center; Jesus Romero, Leadership Development and Latino Faculty and Staff Association co-chair; and Kamilah Valentin Diaz, a student in the College of Liberal Arts and social media chair for Purdue Immigrant Allies. To see the list of events the Latino Cultural Center has planned, visit its website. All events are free, but registration is required and can be done through the centers event website. Events are: Sept. 16, 7:30 p.m.: Division of Diversity and Inclusions Hispanic Heritage Month inaugural keynote event speakers Dolores Huerta and Julian Castro, moderated by Maria Hinojosa. Huerta is an activist who works on issues surrounding economic injustice and legislation that addresses equality and civil rights. She was instrumental in the enactment of the Agricultural Labor Relations Act of 1975. Castro recently ran in the Democratic presidential primaries. He served most recently as secretary of Housing and Urban Development from 2014-17. Hinojosa, who will serve as moderator, launched the Futuro Media Group in 2010 and is anchor and executive producer of NPRs Latino USA and anchor of Maria Hinojosa: One-on-One. This presentation is part of Purdues Pursuing Racial Justice Together series, which will be conducted virtually. Interested participants may visit the programs website for virtual tickets and admission instructions. presentation is part of Purdues Pursuing Racial Justice Together series, which will be conducted virtually. Interested participants may visit the programs website for virtual tickets and admission instructions. Sept. 29, 6 p.m.: Aint I Latina? A Fireside Chat with Janel Martinez. Martinez is a multimedia journalist who covers technology and entrepreneurship. She is the founder of Aint I Latina? , an online destination covering culture, identity, and the celebration of Afro-Latinas. The conversation will be facilitated by members of Purdues Black Student Union and the Latinx Student Union. This event is co-sponsored by Purdues Black Cultural Center, Black Student Union, Latinx Student Union and School of Interdisciplinary Studies. Aint I Latina? culture, identity, and the celebration of Afro-Latinas. The conversation will be facilitated by members of Purdues Black Student Union and the Latinx Student Union. This event is co-sponsored by Purdues Black Cultural Center, Black Student Union, Latinx Student Union and School of Interdisciplinary Studies. Sept. 30, 6 p.m. An Evening with Elizabeth Acevedo. Acevedo is a New York Times bestselling author of The Poet X, With the Fire on High and Clap When You Land. Her critically-acclaimed debut novel, The Poet X, won the 2018 National Book Award for Young Peoples Literature. This event is co-sponsored with La Casa Cultural Latina at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Latina/Latino Studies at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, La Casa Latino Cultural Center at Indiana University, and Purdues Black Cultural Center, Black Student Union, Creative Writing Center, Latinx Student Union and the School of Interdisciplinary Studies. Oct.5, 6 p.m. Latinx Identity and Blackness in the U.S. with Dr. Ariana Curtis. Ariana Curtis is the first curator of Latinx Studies at the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. In this role she leads museum research and collections related to U.S. Latinx, U.S. Afro-Latinx, African American and Latinx, the African Diaspora in Latin America, and African American migrations to and engagement with Latin America. Curtis has served as both author and editorial committee member for Smithsonian American Women: Remarkable Objects and Stories of Strength, Ingenuity and Vision from the National Collection. This event is co-sponsored by Purdues Black Cultural Center, Black Student Union, Latinx Student Union and the School of Interdisciplinary Studies. About Purdue University Purdue University is a top public research institution developing practical solutions to todays toughest challenges. Ranked the No. 5 Most Innovative University in the United States by U.S. News & World Report, Purdue delivers world-changing research and out-of-this-world discovery. Committed to hands-on and online, real-world learning, Purdue offers a transformative education to all. Committed to affordability and accessibility, Purdue has frozen tuition and most fees at 2012-13 levels, enabling more students than ever to graduate debt-free. See how Purdue never stops in the persistent pursuit of the next giant leap at https://purdue.edu/. Writer, Media contact: Matthew Oates, 765-586-7496 (cell), oatesw@purdue.edu, @mo_oates Source: Carina Olaru, colaru@purdue.edu Note to journalists : Journalists are invited to cover the events. Journalists can go online and secure a ticket. Registration for each event ends at 3 p.m. on the event day. Journalists are allowed to record the first 10 minutes for use on broadcasts, but the recording cannot be posted online with web stories. All events are virtual the speakers will not be on campus. For images of speakers and other media inquiries, visit the press website for the series at https://www.purdue.edu/diversity-inclusion/racial-justice-series/press/. Journalists visiting campus should follow visitor health guidelines. Journalists visiting campus : Journalists should follow Protect Purdue protocols and the following guidelines: As Ayushmann Khurrana turned a year older on Monday, his younger brother Aparshakti Khurana took a trip down memory lane to wish him a happy birthday. Aparshakti shared a picture from his first-ever photoshoot with Ayushmann and poked fun at their controversial hairstyles. In the picture, the brothers were seen in identical white outfits and brown beaded necklaces. Aparshakti said that he was always Ayushmanns first fan. Picture from our first photoshoot together. Our hairstyle might be a little controversial but my love for him was definite and remains so. Always his first fan. Happy birthday bhaiya! @ayushmannk, he captioned his Instagram post. Yeh Kahan se (where did you get this?).... lots of love, Ayushmann commented on the picture. His wife Tahira Kashyap and Aparshaktis wife Akriti Ahuja dropped heart emojis on the post. Fans also wished Ayushmann in the comments section. Tahira also shared a cute birthday wish for Ayushmann. She shared a picture in which she was seen licking smushed cake off his face. Having my cake and eating it too! @ayushmannk #happybirthdaysoulmate, she joked in her caption. Several Bollywood stars including Madhuri Dixit, Varun Dhawan, Anushka Sharma, Angad Bedi, Neha Dhupia and Sonali Bendre also took to social media to wish Ayushmann. Also read | Swara Bhasker says she is tired of being called outspoken: I am always lying to people at film screenings After spending the initial few months of the coronavirus pandemic in Mumbai, Ayushmann, Tahira and their children, Virajveer and Varushka, moved to Chandigarh. Aparshakti and Akriti are also in the city to be with their family. In Chandigarh, Ayushmann shot for a few projects. He told Mid-Day, I have shot multiple things while being in my hometown and it has been super smooth for me shooting with the crew who are also based out of Chandigarh. Its really refreshing to be on the sets and working after so many months. Ayushmann was last seen in Shoojit Sircars Gulabo Sitabo alongside Amitabh Bachchan. The film got a direct-to-digital release on Amazon Prime Video. He will reunite with his Article 15 director Anubhav Sinha for an action thriller. He has also signed Abhishek Kapoors next, in which he will play a cross-functional athlete. Follow @htshowbiz for more A Zimbabwean farmer who was evicted when war veterans took over his tobacco farm outside Harare is considering going back to assist the new owners. The Zimbabwean government, under President Emmerson Mnangagwa, recently approved compensation for commercial farmers whose farms had been handed over to war veterans. De Waal Viljoen, now an uMhlanga Rocks resident, was among the many farmers in Zimbabwe whose land had been confiscated. Viljoen, 63, said his heart and soul was with his former employees who now co-owned the 25-hectare tobacco farm. Viljoen was born in Marondera, a city about 70km east of Harare. He said it was difficult to part with his farm because it had been part of his family for generations. His family had several other farms, on which they grew vegetable and fruit and kept livestock. Two year ago, when he visited the farm he left in 2001, he was sad to find that his former employees, who were elated to see him, were living under deplorable conditions of poverty. Six people were still living there. Despite their poverty, the farm was in excellent condition. During the land invasions, Viljoen had his taken away by veterans who divided farms among themselves. But, he said, as a true Christian, he had forgiven them. When he relocated to Durban, he knew no one. He loaded the familys belongings on the back of his bakkie and drove down to the coast. Viljoen said he harboured no hard feelings after what happened and wanted to help because the people on his former farm were hungry and desperate to survive. Walking around with bitterness is like drinking poison and hoping that the next person is going die so, I am at peace with myself. I want to use part of the compensation to assist them with skills, he said. Despite its economic challenges, Zimbabwe had become the third biggest producer of tobacco in the world. The countrys tobacco farms were producing good crops. This year, tobacco yields have gone up to 265 million kilograms, which brings a lot of income to the country, Viljoen said. It is a wealthy country which has fertile soil and many natural resources. Most of the white farmers want to go back but on condition that their farms are returned. In their hearts, they want to go back but they want things back to what they were two decades ago, he said. The commercial farmers union had fought hard to have the compensation paid. Viljoen explained that the compensation to over 3 500 affected farmers was for improvements only, not for the land. He said the government had put aside about $3.5 billion (R58.7bn) for compensation. Viljoen warned that the expropriation of land, and the continual killing of farmers, in South Africa could lead to starvation and unemployment. The murder of Bertha Caceres in Honduras shows the dark Side of clean energy Tomas Ayuso for Bloomberg Green The words on Berta's tombstone echo her speech at the Goldman Prize ceremony: Humanity, wake up! We are running out of time. - Berta Caceres became an environmental martyr by fighting the powerful interests backing renewable energy in her country. By Monte Reel/Bloomberg TEGUCIGALPA Petroleumworld 09 15 2020 Berta Caceres campaigned to stop a renewable energy project, and the long fight turned her into one of Central America's most prominent environmentalists. She won a prestigious international prize known as the Green Nobel for protecting a river, using some of the award money to purchase a modest bungalow in La Esperanza, her hometown in central Honduras. Her activism is also what brought three gunmen to her back door. The men broke into her kitchen around 11:30 p.m. on March 2, 2016. Caceres heard a noise and called out from her bedroom: Who's out there? Within seconds, a gunman entered her room and shot her dead. A second intruder found Gustavo Castro, a fellow activist from Mexico who was staying in the guest bedroom. A close-range gunshot left him bleeding on the bedroom floor, but the bullet only grazed his hand and ear; Castro survived. ? Funeral procession for Berta Caceres. Audio excerpt from the Blood River podcast series, episode 1. The homicide investigation prompted related probes into the history of the hydroelectric dam project that Caceres and her organization had opposed. The consequences are still playing out in courts as far away as The Hague and inside banks that invest billions of dollars in development projects. Caceres's murder has thrown into public view telephone intercepts, witness testimony, and corporate paperwork, and prosecutors pursuing multiple cases say they provide an X-ray into how corruption and violence can sometimes shape the drive toward renewable energy. Reports of assaults against activists like Caceres have been rising sharply, with the spike most pronounced in developing countries. While these countries are ripe for renewable projects, they're also often plagued by weak regulatory oversight and corruptible law enforcement. In Honduras alone, at least 123 activists were killed as a result of environmental conflicts in the five years before Caceres's murder. That makes it the most dangerous place in the world for activists, according to human-rights group Global Witness, which compiled the statistics. The quest to punish those behind Caceres's murder represents a challenge against impunity for those who attack environmental defenders. The goal is accountabilitynot only for people who pull the trigger, but also for the government officials and bankers who are accused of allowing renewable projects to become flashpoints of violence and coercion. U.S. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi visited the Caceres family last year to pledge action, and other U.S. lawmakers have proposed withholding security aid to Honduras unless those who ordered her murder are convicted. I think this case, like so many others, would have just been swept under the rug, and the investigation would have been a sham without international pressure, says Tim Rieser, a senior aide to Democratic Senator Patrick Leahy of Vermont, who helped spearhead the U.S. effort to hold the Honduran justice system accountable. At the same time, Honduras has launched dozens of hydroelectric projects. Billy Kyte, the researcher who led the study for London-based Global Witness, says he believes jumps in violence and development are linked. A government-controlled utility assigned many of the projects to newly formed companies with no previous energy experience. They were able to corruptly get agreements with the Honduran state, Kyte says. You had government ministers in cahoots with these new developers. This created a culture of lawlessness in the local energy sector, he says, which led to violence against opponents. Of the activist killings in Honduras documented by Global Witness, almost none were successfully prosecuted. At the time of the Caceres murder, about 97% of all homicides in the country had been left unsolved. A Honduran court late last year sentenced seven men to prison for their roles in the killing of Caceres and the attempted murder of Castrofour hired hit men and three others convicted of helping plan the attack. Two had ties to the hydroelectric company behind the project Caceres had opposed. That company's chief executive officer is awaiting trial, accused of overseeing the murder plot. The story of the murder and the pursuit of that CEO is the subject of Blood River , an original podcast series released this summer by Bloomberg Green . There hasn't been true justice yet. They just put the pawns in jail, Castro says. Those who financed and approved the projectthey knew about the problems and the violence. They're responsible, too. Just a couple miles from the house where Caceres was killed sits a small hydroelectric dam that, in 2005, became the first energy project in the world to earn carbon offset credits under the Kyoto Protocol. The project also had the blessing of the town's mayor, Austra Bertha Flores Caceres. That's Berta Caceres's mother. The Caceres family for decades has been a community leader in campaigns for women's rights, indigenous people, and the environment. The family supported the initial hydro project as a valuable source of clean energy. It was located in a developed area, on the site of an abandoned electricity plant. Honduran energy officials recall virtually no local opposition. Over the next 15 years, annual investment in renewable energy worldwide quadrupled, to more than $363 billion, according to figures from BloombergNEF. Even though hydropower has been a small part of that boom, billions of dollars moved into dam projects. Global hydroelectric output has increased almost 48% since 2005, according to the International Energy Agency. Latin America has long been an enticing market for the hydroelectric sector, and significant investments have already been made in countries such as Brazil, where about three-quarters of all electric power comes from dams. But industry groups estimate that only about 20% of the region's total hydroelectric capacity has been filled, and IEA projects that $250 billion in new projects over the next 15 years will help plug that gap. Honduras, where only 72% of the rural population is electrified, has fully embraced investors looking to back hydropower. It's become Latin America's top investment destination for renewables as a share of gross domestic product, according to the International Renewable Energy Agency. Berta Caceres's view of hydropower had soured dramatically by 2010, when the government on a single day awarded concessions to dozens of new dams, including the Agua Zarca project. As some of the new projects were marked for rivers running through the country's most remote territories, she said they posed direct threats to indigenous people. Berta's mother, Austra, traces her daughter's activist roots to childhood trips they made to remote villages. In addition to serving as a local politician, Austra had been a midwife; young Berta assisted her with childbirths. She'd hold a little candle to give me light, because there was no electricity, and she'd bring me water, Austra says. She boiled it. And that's how she became aware that working on behalf of women was a necessity. At 22, Berta Caceres co-founded an indigenous-rights organization called Copinh. Her friends and colleagues describe her particularly effective protest style: A free smile and friendly charm allowed her to speak easily with poor farmers and Congress members, and in big moments she could summon fiery oratories. Caceres became a national figure while in her 30s. When a military coup toppled President Manuel Zelaya in 2009, she led rallies against the conservative National Party, which took control of the country. Within a few years she was publicly denouncing the push into remote territories; indigenous communities and not private companies, she argued, should determine how those areas were developed. She made one particular project her focus: the Agua Zarca dam, planned for the Gualcarque River near the community of Rio Blanco. The proposed dam was relatively small by industry standards, about 46 feet tall at its highest point, with a mile-long tunnel, reservoir, and power station. After construction workers arrived in 2013, Caceres helped organize a movement composed mostly of the local Lenca indigenous group. The protesters said that in addition to blocking the natural flow of the river, thereby degrading water quality and aquatic life, the reservoir would have drowned out land they used to grow crops. What's more, some locals viewed the arrival of a hydropower plant and its workers, who lived in dormitories built near the water, as spoiling the very character of a river that the Lenca labeled sacred. The protesters from Copinh marched in front of the work site, erected roadblocks, and dug trenches in dirt roads to prevent construction equipment from reaching the site. The company developing the dam reported vandalized construction equipment and facilities. Caceres lobbied government agencies to overturn the project on the grounds that it didn't have community support. She complained that the work site had a militarized, violent atmosphere, patrolled by security personnel drawn largely from the Honduran army. The state electrical utility had been placed under the control of the Honduran military in 2008. The company put in charge of the dam, Desarrollos Energeticos SA (commonly called DESA), signed a contract the following year for rights to develop a project on the Gualcarque River and to sell energy to the state utility. DESA was a new company, and Agua Zarca was its first and only development project. It didn't take long for the conflict over the dam to turn deadly. In July 2013 one of the soldiers guarding the site shot and killed a protester aligned with Copinh during a demonstration. Later the same day, a 14-year-old boy from a local family that supported the dam was also shot and killed; that family believes the boy's murder was an act of retaliation, though the killing was never prosecuted. ? The Gualcarque River; Audio excerpt from the Blood River podcast series, episode 2 . Video: Courtesy Oxfam Kyte, the researcher who conducted a tally of slain environmental activists in Honduras, met with Caceres and others like her in 2015. Every single person we spoke to had either a family member or a colleaguesomeone that they knewwho had been murdered because of their work, he says, referring to the protests. Shortly after this burst of deadly violence, the contractor hired by DESA to handle initial construction abandoned the work site and never returned. DESA redesigned the project and relocated the dam site 2 kilometers upriver. It would now be built as a run-of-the-river facility, a smaller project that diverts water via tunnels and then reroutes it back into the river downstream. Caceres continued to lead protests against Agua Zarca and won the 2015 Goldman Prize, an international honor given to grassroots environmental activists. She dedicated the award to all of the martyrs who'd lost their lives defending natural resources. Violence against activists like Caceres hasn't subsided since her death. There were more than 2,000 attacks on human-rights defenders worldwide from 2015 to 2019, according to a report earlier this year from the Business & Human Rights Resource Centre. Hondurasagaintopped a ranking of the most dangerous places for activists. That report also determined that renewable energy had joined mining and agribusiness as the most dangerous sectors for activists globally. Maria Santos Dominguez lost an index finger in an attempt on her life by machete-wielding assailants in 2013. She was targeted due to her vocal activism in the Rio Blanco area of Honduras. Some in Honduras's hydroelectric industry say their work has been unfairly smeared following Caceres's death. Elsia Paz has helped develop dams in the country for almost two decades, including that original hydro plant in La Esperanza. Honduras doesn't have sizable fossil fuel reserves, she points out, and its spotty energy grid exacerbates economic disparities, particularly in rural areas. One thing the country does have is rivers. To Paz, that makes hydro projects the best way to lift underserved communities out of poverty. She casts the anti-dam movement as paralyzing progress, saying it doesn't matter if a developer hires biologists and other experts to prove that the benefits of a project will outweigh the negatives. What's more important is who screams louder, Paz says. Who makes a big scene. On the two-year anniversary of Caceres's death, police arrested DESA CEO David Castillo. The case against him would focus on intercepted text messages that allegedly indicated he'd overseen a murder-for-hire scheme. Castillo has denied the charges. In August, a judge ordered his case to go to trial, and the date is pending. From a prison in Tegucigalpa, he says the text messages that allegedly implicate him have been misinterpreted by investigators. He and Caceres were actually friends, he says, and his company would never have risked its dam project by committing a crime. In an extensive interview in the Blood River podcast series, Castillo outlines his defense and offers a counternarrative of the events leading up to the murder, which he believes upends the prosecution's case. ? A COPINH protest; Audio excerpt from the Blood River podcast series, episode 5 . Video: Courtesy OxFam But while he's been locked in prison awaiting trial, the prosecution has only become more complicated. In a separate case, Castillo has also been charged with orchestrating a business built on corruption, with connections that reach into the Honduran government. What had begun as a relatively small protest movement against the local impacts of a dam is now something much larger: an expanding, international campaign against a development model that's been used to promote green energy. The Organization of American States, a regional coalition of 35 nations, formed a special investigatory body in 2016 to fight corruption and impunity in Honduras. Last year prosecutors with that group brought corruption charges against Castillo and 15 other people in a case they called Fraud on the Gualcarque. The investigators laid out the following scenario: In 2009, DESA was founded by two brothers in Tegucigalpa. At that time, Castillo was working for the government-run electrical utility. But investigators contendand Castillo deniesthat he was also secretly running DESA at the same time and that the two brothers were actually low-level employees working for him. So while DESA was negotiating contracts for rights to the Gualcarque River, prosecutors charge that Castillo was using proxies to effectively sit on both sides of the bargaining table. And the prosecutors say the deal allowed DESA to profit at the expense of the government. Officials in the Honduran environmental agency have also been accused of involvement in the alleged scam. Ana Maria Calderon, a prosecutor from Peru who spearheaded part of the investigation, said documents and witness statements cast doubt on the entire electricity industry in Honduras. Because the country had started numerous hydropower projects at the same time as Agua Zarcaand because many of the same officials were involved in those approvalsCalderon and others on the panel recommended that the Honduran government review all of its active energy deals, suggesting similar discrepancies might be found. It's possible that all the contracts tied to renewable sources were let in the same way, she said at a press conference last year in Tegucigalpa. Annie Bird, a human-rights activist who's been documenting irregularities surrounding DESA and the Agua Zarca project since 2013, says the separate cases against Castillo for murder and corruption together depict a fatally flawed system of development. The intercepted text messages and corporate documents show what she sees as a pattern: Company executives use administrative corruption to earn contracts; they team with military-trained security forces to overpower local opposition; and they exploit connections in local law enforcement and the judiciary to get away with it. Those three kinds of corruption play off of each other in a really important way, Bird says. They're sort of the three pillars of the criminal networks that perpetuate so much violence in Honduras. The corruption cases have been handed over to a Honduran tribunal. Three of the defendants, including the country's former undersecretary of natural resources, sought to dismiss the cases this year, citing a lack of action by the courts, and the government in August denied those requests. The court is expected to begin hearing evidence in the case on Sept. 28. The seven people already convicted in the Caceres murder case include two low-level employees of DESA accused of helping plan the logistics of the killing. Shortly after the sentencing last year, a Honduran government agency announced it was soliciting $1 billion for the construction of 54 new hydroelectric projects throughout the country. Caceres's daughter, Bertita Isabel Zuniga, describes the announcement as a slap in the face by Honduran authorities: They were saying, OK, you can have these seven guys and leave them in jail for 30 years, 50 years. But we have loads more projects on the way to profit from.' The words on Berta's tombstone echo her speech at the Goldman Prize ceremony: Humanity, wake up! We are running out of time. Zuniga, 29, has become the leader of Copinh. Like her mother, she often comes across as soft-spoken and warm in private but can quickly shift into a firebrand role in front of a crowd. She's dedicated a lot of energy to pursuing the people she believes fueled the violence that killed her mother: the investors who backed Agua Zarca. Much of the funding for the $64 million project came from three different international development banks: FMO, from the Netherlands; Finnfund, from Finland; and the Central American Bank for Economic Integration, from Honduras. Before she was murdered, Caceres spoke with Channa Samkalden, a lawyer from the Netherlands. Samkalden had been part of a legal team that sued Royal Dutch Shell Plc, claiming the company was complicit in the Nigerian government's execution of nine environmental protesters from the Niger Delta. Shell has denied that it was complicit in the deaths of the activists or that it violated their human rights. She wanted to see if I could help her in taking action toward FMO while that project was already pending, Samkalden says. They wanted to force FMO to stop their involvement in the Agua Zarca project. After the murder, Zuniga reached out to Samkalden as well. In 2018 the lawyer filed a lawsuit against the Dutch development bank, alleging it had disregarded warnings of human-rights abuses associated with the Agua Zarca project. Caceres herself had documented DESA's alleged abusesfrom death threats to assaults against protestersand Samkalden says she submitted the material to the bank. All three development banks eventually withdrew from the project following Caceres's murder. Samkalden blames the investors for ignoring the warning signs. Had FMO taken adequate and timely actions, she says, then her death probably would not have occurred. FMO declined to discuss the lawsuit, and according to Castillo it forgave DESA's debt. In earlier statements the bank said it believed DESA fulfilled its obligations to obtain consent of the communities near the Gualcarque River before starting construction. Copinh and some members of those communities insist that the process was rushed and that the company even forged signatures of residents to falsely claim community consent. The bank has submitted a lengthy response to the allegations in district court in The Hague, and both sides are awaiting further action. The Caceres family and Copinh are hoping for a judgment of wrongdoing against FMO. Such a verdict would make the bank liable for compensation. But lawyers for the family say their goal isn't financial; it's to set a precedent that might deter lenders from backing projects where complaintsparticularly those connected to suspected human-rights violations and corruptionhave been raised. Ron Rosenhart, who's working on the case as legal counsel, says he hopes a ruling might serve as a layer of protection for communities in undeveloped countries. Renewable energy projects might have the support of governments and investors, he points out, but the will of local communities is sometimes taken for granted. Construction debris remains near the former site of the Agua Zarca hydroelectric project. Samkalden agrees there are risks in the push to bring green investment to poor regions. When they get involved in these projects, the due diligence they're doing and the investigative work is much more than simply ticking-the-box work, she says. They're dealing with real people. They're dealing with real human rights. At the time of its withdrawal from Agua Zarca, FMO said it would adopt more intensive due diligence requirements for high-risk projects. And there's some evidence other development financiers have also attempted to address the issue, as reports of attacks against local activists proliferate. The International Finance Corp., which is the private-sector arm of the World Bank, announced in 2018 that it was revising internal protocols to ensure that complaints like those Caceres filed against DESA would be seriously considered. (In a statement, the bank said it does not tolerate any action by an IFC client that amounts to retaliation against opponents of projects.) Zuniga isn't stopping at banks: She and Copinh are also targeting private shareholders in DESA. The biggest investors are members of a prominent family of Honduran business leaders. In La Esperanza, the Atala Zablah family name is spray-painted on walls next to demands that they be locked in jail. Members of the family who served on DESA's board were involved in WhatsApp group chats that discussed Caceres, according to documents released by investigators. Zuniga and many of her mother's backers say the family is using political influence as protection from prosecution, and they've issued public calls for the indictment of Daniel Atala Midence, who served as DESA's chief financial officer at the time of Caceres's murder. He and his father, Jose Eduardo Atala Zablah, have denied any connection to the murder or any other alleged wrongdoing with which DESA has been associated. For the first time in our livesand this company is 60 years oldfor the first time somebody asked me, Who's your criminal lawyer?'?? Jose Eduardo says from the offices of a John Deere dealership he owns in Tegucigalpa. We don't have anything criminal over here. We never had a criminal lawyer. The family is often cited by Caceres's supporters as one of a small handful of wealthy families in Honduras who effectively control the country's institutionsa label the Atala Zablahs dismiss as blatant hyperbole. In fact, they say the barrage of legal actions against DESA's executives and employees, which they are helping to defend, have turned them into underdogs. The Caceres family has been lobbying U.S. lawmakers to pass the Berta Caceres Human Rights in Honduras Act. The proposal would cut U.S. funding to Honduran military and police until the country has pursued all legal avenues to reach verdicts in specified cases, including Caceres's murder. Before she was killed, Caceres herself had met with several U.S. lawmakers, including Pelosi. That sort of international pressure, the Atala Zablah family says, dwarfs whatever influence they can summon within Honduras, which they insist is minimal. Jose Eduardo argues that foreign politicians and international groups have distorted the picture of who holds the real power. It's amazing how they can coordinate all the information just to make it feel like we are the Empire and they are the Rebels in the Star Wars saga, he says. It's the other way around. They have the big lobbying capacity, they have the communications capacity. They're very well organized. Zuniga rejects the idea that the investors are powerless. But if there's any truth to the notion that the hydroelectric company and its investors are feeling besieged, it would prove a point she's been trying to make since her mother was murdered. At rallies that began just days after the killing, she began repeating a phrase that's become something of a slogan for Caceres supporters in Honduras and abroad. Berta wasn't killed, Zuniga says. She multiplied. More: https://www.bloomberg.com/features/blood-river/ By Monte Reel from Bloomberg bloomberg.com 09 15 2020 Copyright 1999-2020 Petroleumworld or respective author or news agency. All rights reserved. Petrole umworld.com Copyright 2020 Petroleumworld. Envie esta nota a un amigo Sus comentarios son importantes para nosotros! Invitamos a todos los lectores a enviarnos sus comentarios y opiniones sobre este articulo. Escriba a editor@petroleumworld.com Twitter:@petroleumworld1 Havas Formula is launching Safety Operations Support, or SOS, a new service offering that will help clients implement, evaluate, and improve COVID-19 protocols to safeguard employee and customer safety. The offering is being executed and managed by Havas Street, the agencys Los Angeles-based national activation and sampling practice. It will work with clients to create a custom field plan that ensures all protocols are implemented correctly, as well as educating and supporting store-level teams. Because policies and regulations vary state by state, and even market by market, the agency can tailor programming and reporting to fit the needs of each business sector. With Safety Operations Support, we can take the burden off the corporate teams so they can focus on moving business forward without having to worry about the safety of their employees and customers, said Havas Street president Adrienne Cadena. Claire Griffin London-based luxury travel and lifestyle agencies MMGY Grifco and MMGY Ophir are merging. Alexandra Delf, formerly associate director at Ophir, and former Grifco associate director Flora Beaumont will serve as managing directors of the combined agency. Delf will lead the organizations client and media relations efforts, while Beaumont will oversee financial management, growth, client strategy and team management. Grifco and Ophir founder Claire Griffin will remain an integral part of the Grifco business and assist in broader parent company initiatives as partner, MMGY Global. Combining the expertise of our two teams brings clients even greater knowledge, resources, partnership opportunities and experience in the luxury travel and lifestyle sector, said Griffin. Jason Lahita FiComm Partners founder Jason Lahita has launched StreetCred Communications, which will focus on the financial services sector. StreetCreds services include press release campaigns; financial copywriting; byline article development and placement; proactive media outreach and relationship management; media training and coaching; reporting, review and analysis. After selling his interest in FiComm Partners in 2018, Lahita served as chief communications officer at advisory firm Integrated Partners, which will be one of FiComm Partners first two clients, along with Potomac Fund Management, an asset manager and turnkey asset management program. Londons first digital-only London Fashion Week back in June saw designers swap real-life runways for podcasts, panel talks and fashion films. This weekend the event is set to return with a blend of physical and digital events, with 31 of the 81 designers taking part hosting some form of physical activation. But have Boriss recent six-person restrictions scuppered fashions attempts at a new normal? We speak to a host of Londons finest fashion talents some of whom are hosting IRL events, some digital activations, and some of whom have opted out entirely to discover how theyll be approaching the task of showing their spring/ summer 2021 collections, and the challenges they have faced in preparing to do so. Christopher Kane Christopher Kane I grew up watching the channel Fashion TV so for me the runway has always been the pinnacle of everything we do. However, physically not being able to have that moment has actually been a release. Without the pressures of a traditional show we've had time to rethink the way we do things. As much as I love showing at London Fashion Week, I've also really valued this time to reflect and reset. Anya Hindmarch Anya Hindmarch / Dave Benett/Getty Images for Moe The pandemic certainly hasnt all been doom and gloom. Fashion is all about responding, so its amazing how you do adapt. Importantly, people are stepping up and realising its a critical moment for the environment. Its about circularity of materials, trying to eliminate waste, looking at dead stock, how you can build zero waste into your supply chain. Fashion is a great barometer of mood and a great innovator, so I think itll be interesting to see what happens. I dont think this years London Fashion Week will actually be so weird at all. Rejina Pyo Rejina Pyo / Rejina Pyo At the beginning of the pandemic, there was a strong feeling across the industry that we could use this time as an opportunity to slow down and do things differently. It didnt feel right to me to stage a fashion show in the midst of such a difficult time for so many people. Instead we will share our new SS21 collection on our own social platforms when we feel its right. Eudon Choi Eudon Choi It has been a rollercoaster few months, and our priority has been to keep the business going. I was eager to return to London Fashion Week as creating content and telling stories is more important now than ever. Its just so important to drive the business forward and have an outlet to express our creativity and partnerships built over this time. Orlagh McCloskey, RIXO co-founder Orlagh McCloskey (L) and Henrietta Rix (R), co-founders of RIXO With our physical presentations being such a huge part of RIXO, its obviously sad but it has just forced us to be even more creative. There are always going to be challenges with a digital presentation and for us its the pressure to ensure the detail and design is captured correctly. Getting all the features and prints across perfectly is important. The reach is an added pressure as weve always had such a loyal and welcoming reaction and attendance at our shows. We want this years LFW to virtually entertain, inspire and bring joy to as many people as possible! Bora Aksu I decided to do a show as I believe that we all need to carry on dreaming. I feel as a designer and creative we need to be the light in this ever-changing dark tunnel. We have a duty to reflect on these times but also encourage, bring hope and imagination. Adapting to changes in such a short time span has been challenging. All of our stores have been affected and are only slowly getting back in the last month. The BFC have been very supportive from gathering the fashion community under one umbrella and updating designers through zoom meetings and creating a financial support system for many designers in difficult situations. Marco Capaldo and Kikka Cavenati, co-founders 16Arlington Marco Capaldo and Kikka Cavenati, co-founders of 16Arlington This season really felt like a restore to factory settings. For us it was a season of reflection, and there has been a real sense of stripping things back. The idea of excess didnt feel appropriate and we connected with the idea of presenting our vision through a collection of stills. The BFC has been our ultimate pillar of support. The Covid Crisis Fund is just one of the examples of the dedication and support given. London is a really special hub of creative talent and the BFC is an amazing support & sounding board to ensure we are looked after. Justine Tabak Like so many other big issues around the world, the pandemic has really given a space for people to think about their choices and what and where theyre buying. The whole slow fashion movement in a sense came to the fore because weve all had to slow down. Its made people think do I really need to be slavish to the trends? What do I need to buy? What sort of clothes do I want to wear? What is the fool-proof fashion kit that I need? Rather than being dictated to. Like so many other issues, the consumers are now the ones who are leading, rather than the designers. Every designer now has an online presence and if they didnt before the pandemic, theyve certainly had to now. Because of that, youre responding much more quickly and immediately and building relationships with customers. Its less about telling them what they should wear: often youll be communicating with them on a weekly or daily basis and theyre guiding you on the sorts of clothes they want to wear. The power of Instagram cannot be denied. A bestseller for me is something where the picture goes up and you sell 50 dresses overnight. Its not about waiting for somebody to present it at a show and waiting for another six months to see it. You get an immediate response. They want to be involved in products and involved in clothes and part of their story. Deadstock, batch-made and slow fashion have all become part of popular fashion language now. Initial findings reported by the Arizona COVID-19 Genomics Union (ACGU) suggest that following Arizona's first reported case of COVID-19 in late January, the state experienced no subsequent cases that went undetected and was COVID-free until at least 11 distinct incursions occurred between mid-February and early April. The published results appear in the scientific journal mBio. Faculty at Northern Arizona University (NAU), the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen), an affiliate of City of Hope, University of Arizona (UArizona) and Arizona State University (ASU) launched the ACGU in early April with the express purpose of tracking the causative agent of COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2: how it evolves and how it spreads into, within and out of Arizona. The ACGU sequenced the SARS-CoV-2 genomes in as many virus-positive patient samples in Arizona as possible, and working with Arizona's public health officials, applied the results toward statewide efforts to test and track patients, as well as provide guidance for Arizona public policy makers. Quick action by ASU and Maricopa County public health officials, ACGU scientists agree, likely kept the first identified COVID-19 patient in Arizona -- a student who had just returned from Hubei, the Chinese province where the disease originated -- from igniting an outbreak, and prevented Arizona from becoming an early epicenter for the contagion. "This is a great example of how a rapid and thorough public health response can be successful in preventing the spread of this disease," said Paul Keim, ACGU co-founder and director, NAU Regents' Professor of Biological Sciences and Cowden Endowed Chair in Microbiology and Executive Director of NAU's Pathogen and Microbiome Institute (PMI). Seven additional PMI scientists also contributed to this study as co-first authors or co-authors. "Similar steps could be taken when shaping future efforts to reopen businesses and schools, even though the virus continues to circulate and people remain susceptible," added Keim, who is also a Distinguished Professor and Co-Director of TGen's Pathogen and Microbiome Division. Michael Worobey, an ACGU co-founder and the head of University of Arizona's Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, agrees. "It's a combination of the patient doing the right things to isolate himself and be aware that he possibly had this disease, and public health officials doing all the right things. Stopping an incursion of COVID-19 was a victory for the state of Arizona," Worobey said. This bought Arizona valuable time for preparedness efforts. The first reported case of "community" transmission occurred in Arizona in early March descended from the Washington state outbreak that was discovered in February. More than 80 percent of the SARS-CoV-2 genome sequences from Arizona COVID-19 cases descended from at least 11 separate lineages that were initially circulating widely in Europe, and by travel have since dominated the outbreak throughout the U.S. None of the observed transmission clusters are epidemiologically linked to the original travel-related case in the Arizona, suggesting successful early isolation and quarantine. The ACGU uses state-of-the-art sequencers, custom computational analysis workflows and supercomputers to determine the sequence of the virus's RNA genome, which is just under 30,000 bases long. In contrast, there are nearly 3 billion bases in the human genome, which determine traits as simple as eye and hair color, and as complex as an individual's propensity for cancer and other disease. TGen has so far sequenced SARS-CoV-2 genomes from almost 3,000 COVID-19 positive samples for the ACGU, and additional sequencing was performed at ASU and UA, from among the more than 200,000 positive cases in Arizona, making it one of the most robust such efforts in the nation. ACGU receives Arizona samples collected by state, county, tribal and private healthcare systems. With the massive amount of data generated through the genomic sequencing, even the most advanced computing resources would not be able to keep pace; custom software was developed to support the ACGU work. Greg Caporaso, NAU Associate Professor of Biology and Director of PMI's Center for Applied Microbiome Science, observed, "Integrating the SARS-CoV-2 genomes sequenced from patients in Arizona with those sequenced around the world required us to work quickly to develop new software to support our work. Our new software allows us to identify a highly informative subset of the globally available genomes to analyze, which make the analysis more computationally tractable while retaining information that is essential for contextualizing the Arizona sequences." Caporaso's team has released the new software under an open source license, which is free for all use as a contribution to global coronavirus research; see this paper describing the software. ACGU scientists take advantage of small changes or mutations in the virus' genome, which naturally occur over time as the virus reproduces, to track the spread of the virus. By comparing mutations observed in Arizona to those present in strains circulating across the globe, they can determine when and from where the virus has been introduced to Arizona. Crystal Hepp, NAU Assistant Professor in the School of Informatics, Computing, and Cyber Systems and Assistant Director of PMI, noted, "The rate that mutations accumulate in the virus or viral population can be used as a 'molecular clock' to understand when it arrived in Arizona and to further estimate the magnitude of the outbreak." The ACGU researchers found that the majority of Arizona sequences are represented by two lineages -- and several sub-lineages -- most of which were likely introduced through domestic travel, but with some evidence for international importation. Jason Ladner, NAU Assistant Professor of Biology and Assistant Director of PMI, used similar analysis on the Ebola outbreak in West Africa. He said, "evolutionary analysis of disease outbreaks is one of the most important tools for understanding the origins of new viruses, like this novel coronavirus. Applying this technology to Arizona gives us local insights into how the disease has been spreading and what interventions will likely be most beneficial to control the spread of the virus." "Through the ACGU, we are harnessing expertise in virology, genomics, evolution and bioinformatics from throughout Arizona in order to rapidly distill these genomic data into actionable insights that can complement the state's public health response," Keim said. "These results demonstrate the power of public health contact tracing and self-isolation following a positive test for stemming the tide of infections moving forward." David Engelthaler, Director of TGen North in Flagstaff, which includes the institute's infectious disease branch, said the initial ACGU findings show how each community, each state is writing its own story for what is happening in the COVID-19 pandemic. "We need to understand all of those plot lines that have led to where we are now," said Engelthaler, an ACGU co-founder. "Once this disease was detected in Arizona on Jan. 26, public health immediately jumped in to make sure that all contacts were identified, samples were collected and the patient was watched very closely for the next couple of weeks to make sure there were not any more cases." In the coming months, he said, it will be necessary to track COVID-19 outbreaks and build epidemiological walls around each case, especially for those most at risk: persons older than 65, those in long-term care facilities, prisons and those with pre-existing health problems. "When you don't have eyes on this, when you don't have contact tracing, then it can really easily move from person-to-person," Engelthaler said. "It's really useful for public policy makers to be making locally-informed decisions." Efrem Lim, a virologist who leads the ASU team, said the SARS-CoV-2 genome sequence data can give health care providers and public policy makers an edge in fighting the pandemic. "Tracking the transmission of the virus and its mutations ensures that therapeutics and vaccines being developed are on the right course," said Lim, an assistant professor at ASU's Biodesign Institute. "We now have a handle on what the SARS-CoV-2 virus in our communities looks like at the sequence level." ### This study -- An Early Pandemic Analysis of SARS-CoV-2 Population Structure and Dynamics in Arizona -- was supported by The NARBHA Institute, Flinn Foundation, The Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Arizona, the National Institutes of Health, the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, the University of Arizona College of Science and Office of Research Innovation and Impact and BIO5 Institute. The authors acknowledge the critical role the Arizona Department of Health Services and multiple county and tribal health departments play in directing samples to the ACGU to be sequenced. Computational analyses were run on Northern Arizona University's Monsoon high-performance computing cluster, funded by Arizona's Technology and Research Initiative Fund. Software development efforts were funded in part by the Chan-Zuckerberg Initiative and the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. Additional analysis effort was funded under the State of Arizona Technology and Research Initiative Fund (TRIF), administered by the Arizona Board of Regents, through NAU. The Cowden Endowment for Microbiology provided funds to support salaries. About Northern Arizona University Northern Arizona University is a higher-research institution providing exceptional educational opportunities in Arizona and beyond. NAU delivers a student-centered experience to its 31,000 students in Flagstaff, statewide and online through rigorous academic programs in a supportive, inclusive and diverse environment. Dedicated, world-renowned faculty help ensure students achieve academic excellence, experience personal growth, have meaningful research opportunities and are positioned for personal and professional success. Media Contact: Diane Rechel Communications Officer 928-225-0483 Diane.Rechel@nau.edu About TGen, an affiliate of City of Hope Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) is a Phoenix, Arizona-based non-profit organization dedicated to conducting groundbreaking research with life-changing results. TGen is affiliated with City of Hope, a world-renowned independent research and treatment center for cancer, diabetes and other life-threatening diseases: http://www.cityofhope.org. This precision medicine affiliation enables both institutes to complement each other in research and patient care, with City of Hope providing a significant clinical setting to advance scientific discoveries made by TGen. TGen is focused on helping patients with neurological disorders, cancer, diabetes and infectious diseases through cutting-edge translational research (the process of rapidly moving research toward patient benefit). TGen physicians and scientists work to unravel the genetic components of both common and complex rare diseases in adults and children. Working with collaborators in the scientific and medical communities worldwide, TGen makes a substantial contribution to help our patients through efficiency and effectiveness of the translational process. For more information, visit: http://www.tgen.org. Follow TGen on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter @TGen. Media Contact: Steve Yozwiak TGen Senior Science Writer 602-343-8704 syozwiak@tgen.org About Arizona State University Arizona State University has developed a new model for the American Research University, creating an institution that is committed to access, excellence and impact. ASU measures itself by those it includes, not by those it excludes. As the prototype for a New American University, ASU pursues research that contributes to the public good, and ASU assumes major responsibility for the economic, social and cultural vitality of the communities that surround it. Media contact: Joe Caspermeyer Manager, Natural Sciences Media Relations & Strategic Communications 480-727-4858 Joseph.Caspermeyer@asu.edu It may well be that one group has the right vaccine but the wrong delivery method, and only trials such as this will be able to tell us that, said Robin Shattock, who is leading the development of Imperials vaccine. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 15) Washington respects President Rodrigo Duterte's refusal to follow the United States' move to sanction Chinese companies involved in the building and militarization of artificial islands in the disputed South China Sea, a US official said on Tuesday. "The President is free to decide as he chooses. And we just ask that those choices are made in ways that support Philippine sovereignty," David Stilwell, Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, told reporters in a telephone briefing. Duterte's spokesman earlier said Manila will not stop infrastructure projects involving the blacklisted Chinese firms, insisting the government will act on its own interests and not that of a foreign power. READ: PH to honor contracts with Chinese firms despite US blacklist Palace "The sovereign decisions, by the Philippine Government are yours to make, and youre not going to see the US getting involved," Stilwell said. But at the same time, he pointed out that Washington "fully supports" Manila's "consistent" actions against Beijing's expansive claims over South China Sea, including the 2013 arbitral case and its continuous "insistence on the sovereignty of (its) economic exclusion zones." "And (the) cooperation between the U.S. and the Philippines continues and its going quite well," Stilwell added. Stilwell's statements came just days after Chinese defense minister Wei Fenghe wrapped up a swing of four Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member nations, with Manila on its last leg of the tour. Aside from the Philippines, Wei also visited Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei, but skipped Vietnam. All are contending states against China's vast claims on the South China Sea. Wei's regional visit was seen to counter U.S. State Secretary Mike Pompeo's call to ASEAN allies to reject "most" of China's maritime claims in the disputed territory, labelling Beijing's aggressive assertions as "completely unlawful." READ: US declares 'most' of China's maritime claims in South China Sea illegal When asked to comment that Wei's ASEAN tour was aimed at strengthening defense ties with claimant countries that will invariably include joint military trainings and exchange visits with Beijing, Stilwell said the US sees nothing wrong with it "if that cooperation brings (regional) stability and it brings positive outcomes." "But (China's) track record is not good, and again, we can give you lots of examples of where those sovereign decisions have not been respected. Vietnam is a great one to start with," Stilwell pointed out. He added that Beijing's "bullying behavior" in the South China Sea is "forcing a choice" on other South China Sea claimants on which superpower to cooperate and work with. "The US, I dont think, has ever forced a choice. We are, though, insisting that countries be allowed to choose their own sovereignty, things that allow them to continue in ways that they see fit," Stilwell said. While the US does not claim any part of the South China Sea, it conducts freedom of navigation operations and calls out Beijing for militarizing the contested region. TOLEDO, Ohio, Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Marco's Franchising, LLC., one of the nation's fastest-growing pizza brands, appoints Chris Tussing as Vice President, Chief Marketing Officer. He starts Sept. 29. Tussing joins Marco's from full-service marketing agency MERGE, where he acted as both President of the Chicago office and Chief Marketing Officer of the entire agency network, while serving as a member of the MERGE Executive Committee. At MERGE, Chris led the strategy behind the Marco's Pizza brand assignment in July 2017. Since that time, he has played a crucial role helping lead the Marco's brand across all integrated communications as it has expanded its national marketing presence. "I'm honored to join the Marco's Pizza brand with its rich 40-year heritage of delighting people with an outstanding product, commitment to quality and a culture that puts people and communities first," said Tussing. "It's exactly what we need to connect to the hearts and minds of all pizza-loving Americans as we continue to expand our national presence and footprint." Tussing will be directly responsible for advertising, brand identity, media, customer relationship management (CRM), social media, web/app experience, promotions, multicultural marketing, field/regional marketing, and grand opening marketing. "Chris's leadership and strategy helped catapult the Marco's brand into the national spotlight. He's been a great advisor to me and the Marco's Executive Team as we evolve, expand and grow as a brand," said CEO Jack Butorac. Tussing's background includes more than 25 years of experience working with several major Fortune 500 brands, including Northwestern Mutual, Clorox, Wrigley, Mars, Kraft and Anheuser-Busch, as well as mid-sized companies and startups. He is an expert in brand positioning and strategy, having worked at several multi-national agency brands including DDB, BBDO and JWT. Tussing holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of Southern California and is a competitive runner and cyclist. "Chris is a passionate, agile and insightful brand leader," said Chief Experience Officer Steve Seyferth. "As a key player within the Marco's Marketing Team, Chris has provided vision, courage, and unbridled enthusiasm in helping drive results and new levels of customer engagement and relevancy to our brand." Opening a new store every three and a half days on average, Marco's Pizza projects to have 1,000 locations open by year-end. For more information on Marco's Pizza franchise opportunities, visit www.marcosfranchising.com or call 866-731-8209. ABOUT MARCO'S PIZZA Marco's Pizza is America's Most Loved and Most Trusted Pizza Brand, according to the 2019 Harris Poll EquiTrend Study. Headquartered in Toledo, Ohio, Marco's Pizza is one of the fastest-growing pizza companies in the United States. Marco's was founded in 1978 by Italian-born Pasquale ("Pat") Giammarco and thrives by making authentic Italian quality pizza with fresh ingredients. The company has grown from its roots as a beloved Ohio brand to operate 975 plus stores in over 34 states with locations in Puerto Rico and the Bahamas. Most recently, Marco's Pizza was ranked No. 2 in the Pizza category on Entrepreneur Magazine's 2020 "Franchise 500" ranking, No. 6 in the Largest Pizza Chain category on Restaurant Business' 2020 "Top 500 Chains" ranking, and made QSR's prestigious 2020 "Top 50 Chains" list. Other recent accolades include ranking No. 4 in Forbes 2019 "Best Franchises to Buy" Small/Medium Investment and ranking five consecutive years on Nation's Restaurant News' prestigious "Top 200" ranking. SOURCE Marcos Pizza Related Links https://www.marcosfranchising.com Labour leader Keir Starmer will miss his weekly face-off against Boris Johnson at Prime Minister's Questions because he is still awaiting the results of coronavirus tests, it was revealed tonight. The Opposition Leader, who went into self- isolation yesterday, was forced to pull out of the Wednesday lunchtime parliamentary showpiece because the test for a family member has taken more than 24 hours to be returned. Angela Rayner will deputise for him at the dispatch box against Mr Johnson himself with a spokesman for the Labour leader saying: 'Keir Starmer is still awaiting the test result for a member of his family. 'He is therefore remaining in self-isolation and will not participate in Prime Minister's Questions tomorrow. 'Angela Rayner, deputy leader and shadow first secretary of state, will be taking his place. We have informed Number 10.' Mr Starmer earlier today delivered a stinging attack on the government's testing shambles from home. Addressing the TUC conference via video link from his north London home, Sir Keir nsisted the only reason he had been able to be checked was that his wife Victoria works for the NHS, adding: 'for thousands up and down the country it is a very different story'. Angela Rayner (centre) will deputise for Sir Keir at the dispatch box against Mr Johnson tomorrow, Labour said Sir Keir turned his fire on Boris Johnson and Matt Hancock (pictured centre and left at the Cabinet meeting this morning) The intervention comes as a nationwide testing fiasco leaves doctors and nurses unable to work because they can't get checked for the illness. Sir Keir Starmer, who is awaiting the results of a test after a family member developed symptoms, told the TUC conference by video link that he had only been screened because his wife works for the NHS. And turning his fire on Boris Johnson and Matt Hancock, he said: 'It is not the British people that are to blame for these mistakes. It is not the civil service... 'It is the government that is holding Britain back.' Health service staff are having to leave the frontline to self-isolate because they or family members cannot book a test. NHS Providers says that if the shortage is not addressed soon it will wreak havoc on hospitals as virus cases continue to escalate. In another humiliating blow to the testing system, headteachers have warned that schools which were closed for months because of the pandemic will 'grind to a halt' if teachers can't get tested quickly. One in Preston said this morning that he already has two staff self-isolating at home and struggling to get tested, along with 10 children. Mr Johnson and Mr Hancock have both suggested that the system is under pressure because people are seeking tests when they don't have symptoms. Meanwhile, health officials have blamed the crisis which experts fear will rumble on for weeks on a staffing shortage in laboratories. Desperate bosses have now admitted they may have to hire students to plug gaps in the rota in the face of sky-high demand. But government sources say the actual cause of the crisis is a 'secret in Whitehall', while one leading scientist said labs appear to be fully staffed and working normally and that the Department of Health may be wrong about its maximum capacity. Backlog in the system means government ministers are reportedly considering restricting coronavirus tests and refusing 'frivolous' requests from people who don't need to be swabbed. Sir Keir announced he was going into self-isolation hours after taking a phone-in in the LBC radio studios yesterday. He lives with wife Victoria and their son and daughter, thought to be aged 10 and eight respectively, in north London. Boris Johnson tweeted his best wishes and said he had called Sir Keir. In his speech, Sir Keir also issued a fresh appeal to ministers to bring forward new measures to protect jobs when the coronavirus furlough scheme comes to an end. He warned that communities across the country will face the 'scarring effect of mass unemployment' if the Government fails to act. He offered to work with ministers to develop a 'genuine national plan' to protect jobs when the scheme closes at the end of October. The state has supported around 9.6 million jobs through the furlough scheme since the country went lockdown in March. While Labour has said it accepts the furlough scheme cannot continue indefinitely, Sir Keir said that with 'a bit of imagination' the Government could continue to help those most at risk of losing their jobs. He urged ministers to target sectors under the greatest pressure including aviation and retail, as well as businesses in areas hit by local lockdowns. Sir Keir also called for an expansion of part-time working rewarding employers who give people hours rather than cut jobs and the provision of training and support for those unable to return to work full-time. 'At this moment of national crisis we should take inspiration from our past,' he said. 'Be willing to put party differences aside and work together in the interest of the country. 'Imagine how powerful it would be if we could form a genuine national plan to protect jobs, create new ones and investing in skills and training? 'I'm making an open offer to the Prime Minister work with us to keep millions of people in work.' A HM Treasury spokesman said: 'We already have a national plan to not only protect jobs, but to create new ones and we are implementing it right now. 'Thousands of young people will take their first steps into work through our 2 billion Kickstart scheme this autumn and our up to 9 billion Job Retention Bonus will help companies bring those on furlough back to work. ' Riversand, a leading cloud-native SaaS Master Data Management (MDM) and Product Information Management (PIM) solution provider, and Wunderman Thompson Commerce, the leading global digital agency in commerce, announced today their alliance to help organizations deliver winning commerce capabilities across all digital touchpoints, including third-party marketplaces such as Amazon, online retail, direct to consumer (D2C) and social media. This partnership enables Wunderman Thompson Commerce to jointly offer consulting and system integration services with Riversand's market-leading MDM software. Riversand's customers will benefit from Wunderman Thompson Commerce's integrated consulting and implementation skills. "Collaborating with Riversand offers retailers, CPGs, and healthcare/pharmaceutical companies a forward-thinking and comprehensive cloud-native software, teamed with our proven record in successful implementation delivery," said Nils Kijkuit, director of Marketing and Sales EMEA at Wunderman Thompson Commerce. As companies transform their digital strategy and move to the cloud to improve the customer experience, implementing a robust system with quality data is the foundation for all eCommerce strategies. Wunderman Thompson Commerce has invested in building and training a number of business and technology consultants to deliver Riversand's MDM and PIM software solutions efficiently in DACH, Benelux and the UK. "Wunderman Thompson Commerce offers deep knowledge of MDM and PIM strategy, solution design, integration and implementation to help businesses improve their customer experience, product data, operational processes and profitability. We look forward to working together to optimize our customers' eCommerce strategies," said Ben Rund, vice president of Business Development in Europe at Riversand. About Wunderman Thompson Commerce Wunderman Thompson Commerce is a global eCommerce consultancy of 1500+ commerce experts across more than 20 offices, united in helping clients win through eCommerce. We define and deliver digital growth for ambitious brands, retailers and manufacturers. The cornerstone is inspiration and we seek and promote it in all that we do. Our global eCommerce consultancy offers strategic clarity, technology enablement and creative insight and delivers winning commerce capabilities across all major channels: marketplaces (including Amazon), online retailers, D2C and social commerce. We help brands increase results at scale on Amazon, deliver eCommerce strategy and optimise multichannel journeys. We inspire customer engagement and transactions at every touchpoint, while deploying and integrating world class technology from key strategic partners including Adobe, SAP, Salesforce, HCL and IBM. Clients include AkzoNobel, DFS, Halfords, Jumbo, RXBAR, Sainsbury's, Selfridges, Specialized, Tempur and Tiffany Co. Follow us on?Twitter,?Facebook, LinkedIn,?and?Instagram.?? About Riversand Riversand cloud-native master data management solutions are designed to support customers' digital transformation journeys through improved business agility, faster adoption and improved collaboration across the enterprise. Riversand has a vision of helping companies know their customers better, move products faster, automate processes, mitigate risk and run their businesses smarter. Visit https://Riversand.com for more information and follow us @RiversandMDM on Twitter and Riversand on LinkedIn. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200914005949/en/ Contacts: Riversand Contact: Ilana Friedman pr@riversand.com Wunderman Thompson Commerce Contact: Harvard PR WTC@harvard.co.uk tel:+44 (0)20 7861 2800 India's defence exports zoom 700% in two years to Rs10,745 cr Export of defence equipment from India rose from Rs1,521 crore in 2016-17 to Rs10,745 crore in 2018-19, a seven-fold increase in just two years, taking the country to 19th spot in the list of defence exporters in 2019. Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat on Wednesday said that India is currently ranked 19th in the list of top defence exporters in the world, as of 2019 data. We witnessed a staggering 700 per cent growth in defence exports from Rs1,521 crore in 2016-17 to Rs10,745 crore in 2018-19an all-time high ranking of 19th in the list of defence exporters in 2019, CDS Rawat said during an e-symposium on 'Catalysing Defence Exports' via video conferencing. In order to boost PM Modis clarion call for Atmanirbhar Bharat, the defence ministry in August formulated a draft Defence Production and Export Promotion Policy 2020 as an overarching guiding document to provide a focused, structured and significant thrust to defence production capabilities of the country for self-reliance and exports. The policy aims to achieve a turnover of Rs 1,75,000 crore, including export of Rs 35,000 core, in aerospace and defence goods and services by 2025, the Defence Ministry said in a statement on 3 August. The policy, announced by defence minister Rajnath Singh in August, proposes a phased reduction in imports along with stepped up exports. The government had, in August, imposed a ban on the import of 101 military weapons systems and platforms in order to promote the domestic defence industry. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has for long been making efforts to make India one of the leading exporters of defence equipment and as per latest information, the centre has indeed lived up to its promise on that front. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had in August announced a major policy decision about the imposition of a phase-wise ban on the import of 101 military weapons systems and platforms in order to promote the domestic defence industry. We cannot depend on foreign governments, foreign suppliers and foreign defence products to meet our defence needs. It is not compatible with the objectives and feelings of a strong and Atmanirbhar Bharat, he had said then. Particularly reprehensible to promise money for war-torn Yemen and then not pay up, UN official scolds Gulf countries. The UNs humanitarian chief warned on Tuesday the spectre of famine has returned to war-torn Yemen and for the first time singled out Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Kuwait for giving nothing to this years $3.4bn appeal for desperately needed aid. Mark Lowcock told the UN Security Council that famine in Yemen, the Arab worlds poorest country, was averted two years ago because donors swiftly met 90 percent of the UNs funding requirements, enabling humanitarian agencies to increase monthly aid from eight million to 12 million people and save millions of lives. Today, he said, the UN appeal has received only 30 percent, about $1bn, leaving nine million Yemenis to cope with deepening cuts to aid programmes including food, water, and healthcare. Lowcock said Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Kuwait who have a particular responsibility, which they have discharged in recent years, have so far given nothing to this years UN plan. Alluding to financial pledges that have not been turned into actual contributions, he said, It is particularly reprehensible to promise money, which gives people hope that help may be on the way, and then to dash those hopes by simply failing to fulfil the promise. Continuing to hold back money from the humanitarian response now will be a death sentence for many families, Lowcock said. So yet again, I call on all donors to pay their pledges now and increase their support. Increased fighting Yemens conflict has killed more than 100,000 people and created the worlds worst humanitarian disaster, with more than three million people internally displaced and two-thirds of the population relying on aid for survival. Some 24 million Yemenis, or 80 percent of the countrys population, require some form of assistance or protection, according to the United Nations. UN special envoy Martin Griffiths told the council increased fighting, greater humanitarian needs, and the COVID-19 pandemic have taken their toll. Lowcock said the situation has been made worse by escalating conflict in recent weeks, especially in central Yemen. In August, more civilians were killed across the country than any other month this year, he said. Griffiths told the Security Council that Yemen could slip back away from the road to peace. He said he sent all warring parties a draft of a joint declaration reflecting what had been said in previous rounds of talks. Now is the time for the parties to swiftly conclude the negotiations and finalise the Joint Declaration, he said. Inclusive political process Both Griffiths and Lowcock singled out the worrying situation in the province of Marib, where more than one million people have sought refuge since 2015. Griffiths said a battle there would not only force those who sought refuge to flee again, but would have political implications, undermining prospects of convening an inclusive political process that brings about a transition based on partnership and plurality. In a statement released on Tuesday by Oxfam, 31 Yemeni non-governmental organizations called on the international community and donors to exert more pressure on conflicting parties and their backers to immediately halt military operations across the country. Lowcock condemned the closure of the airport in Yemens capital, Sanaa, to UN and humanitarian flights by the rebel Houthis, who control the city and the countrys north, on the grounds of fuel shortages. The shortages are having severe humanitarian consequences but that doesnt justify closing the airport, he said. Lowcock urged a rapid solution if aid workers are to remain safely in the north and the UN is to maintain operations, including the scheduled delivery of 100 tonnes of humanitarian cargo by plane to Sanaa in the coming weeks. Neither Griffiths nor Lowcock offered an assessment of progress in the standoff with Houthis over a loaded oil storage tanker decaying off Yemens coast. The 45-year-old FSO Safer, abandoned near the port of Hodeidah since 2015, has 1.1 million barrels of crude on board, and a rupture or explosion would have catastrophic environmental and humanitarian consequences. The Houthis have blocked the UN from sending a team of inspectors to assess the vessel. Space News space history and artifacts articles Messages space history discussion forums Sightings worldwide astronaut appearances Resources selected space history documents advertisements 'Challenger: The Final Flight' recounts shuttle tragedy on Netflix September 15, 2020 Glen was in his algebra class at a middle school in New Jersey when a teacher ran in and said that everyone needed to get to the cafeteria because something terrible had just happened. Daniel was also in a math class, but at his high school in Wyoming, when word came to turn on the TV. Steven was at his elementary school in California and was watching the launch coverage live. For all three, like millions of other students across the nation, it was a moment that they would never forget. "It was a formative moment in my life," said Glen Zipper, who along with J.J. Abrams served as an executive producer on "Challenger: The Final Flight," a new, four-part docuseries premiering on Netflix Wednesday (Sept. 16). "If I look at the trajectory of my life from that point forward, it is sort of like everything tracks back to Challenger." Directed by Daniel Junge and Steven Leckart, "Challenger: The Final Flight" looks back at the Jan. 28, 1986, space shuttle tragedy that claimed the lives of five NASA astronauts, a payload specialist from a satellite manufacturer and a social studies teacher who was selected to be the first "normal person" to fly into space. Using archival footage and newly-conducted interviews with program officials, astronauts, journalists and the family members of the fallen crew, "Challenger" examines why the so-called accident occurred and how it impacted both NASA and the individuals directly involved. "From the beginning, we said that we only wanted to interview people who lived the history personally and had a firsthand experience," Leckart said in an interview with collectSPACE. "We knew that the power of a first-person story is such that you will wind up in the hallways of somebody's memory and what comes out in the room during an interview is sometimes completely unplanned and even then, they are not sure they meant to go there." "I think that ultimately is why this series feels as intimate and as personal as it is," Leckart said. "Challenger: The Final Flight" trailer. Click to enlarge and view video in pop-up window. (Netflix) Over the course of the four episodes, "Challenger" re-introduces or, in the case of anyone watching under the age of 35, perhaps introduces for the first time the members of the fallen STS-51L crew based on the recollections of their loved ones and colleagues. Led by commander Francis "Dick" Scobee, Challenger's final crew included pilot Michael Smith, mission specialists Ellison Onizuka, Judith Resnik and Ronald McNair, payload specialist Gregory Jarvis and first "Teacher in Space" Christa McAuliffe. "When I talked to people who said they remembered the incident and it left an indelible mark on them, I would ask, 'Do you remember the astronauts?' And they would go, 'The astronauts were Christa McAuliffe and...' If you don't remember the names of the astronauts, certainly you don't remember their stories and perhaps we never knew their stories," said Zipper. "They are all heroes and they all had families, and the loss of their lives affected everyone who loved them in profound and also surprising, inspired ways. I thought we needed to tell that story from their perspective," he said. Beyond their roles on the ill-fated mission, "Challenger" describes the paths that each crew member followed to be assigned to the shuttle, what they each valued in life and how they personally approached the risks associated with spaceflight. In retelling their stories, "Challenger" reveals who it was on the STS-51L crew who snuck out of quarantine to make one last visit with his family and shares seldom, if ever, publicly seen photos and home videos that provide a more personal insight into the astronauts' personalities. Equally intimate, though in a different way, are the interviews with some of the NASA managers who made the call to launch that cold January day and some of the engineers who worked at Morton-Thiokol (today part of Northrop Grumman) who warned of a pending disaster given their growing concerns over the performance of the shuttle's rocket boosters and, specifically, their rubber o-ring seals. Zipper and Leckart were inspired to make a documentary about Challenger after learning about the guilt that one of the engineers, the now-late Bob Ebeling, carried through the rest of his life. "It was at that moment when we started to peel back more of the onion, so to speak, about the fallout and who the players were. We spent a couple of years doing a tremendous amount of research to find out just how far back the problems of the o-rings were documented," said Leckart. Throughout their making the series, Leckart and Junge were careful to build the story around the people they interviewed and not focus on the tragedy alone. "When you're talking about Challenger, the emotions are right there. In some ways, the emotions around the 'explosion' are the low hanging fruits that all filmmakers are going to go for, and sometimes it is done gratuitously," Junge told collectSPACE. "So, we wanted to build a whole story where you get to know these people fully beforehand and you get to know the inevitability, in some ways, of this tragedy. And then, on the backend, to unwind that to the lessons learned and to project forward." "The one thing that we wanted to be mindful of was we didn't want to portray the families as victims, because they certainly don't see themselves as victims," said Zipper. "Obviously, they experienced the tragedy and they experienced pain, unfathomable pain, that no one else could ever, ever truly understand, they can only empathize with it." "But [the families have] taken the tragedy and turned it into something really special by creating the Challenger Center. To this day, the Challenger Centers are still out there, educating and inspiring kids," he said. With the 35th anniversary of the tragedy approaching this January, the filmmakers are hopeful "Challenger: The Final Flight" resonates with those, who like them, are old enough to remember where they were at the time. They also hope the series can engage an audience that shares no connection to the loss. "My daughter is 12 and she will watch it. I think it will probably be the first serious documentary she will watch, and certainly one that deals with death," said Junge. "I think that the series will speak to people who know nothing about Challenger, but will it also enlighten, or at least reinvigorate the interest of people in the space community? That will be interesting to see." "Challenger: The Final Flight," a new, four-part documentary series, is executive produced by J.J. Abrams and Glen Zipper and directed by Steven Leckart and Daniel Junge. (Netflix) June Scobee Rodgers shares memories of her husband, STS-51L commander Francis "Dick" Scobee, in the new documentary series "Challenger: The Final Flight." (Netflix) Marcia Jarvis remembers her husband, STS-51L payload specialist Gregory Jarvis, in "Challenger: The Final Flight." (Netflix) Leslie Ebeling recounts hearing her father, Morton Thiokol engineer Bob Ebeling, express increased concerns about the space shuttle's solid rocket boosters in "Challenger: The Final Flight." (Netflix) Brian Russell, Morton Thiokol's Manager of Systems Engineering, recalls his role in the decision to launch in "Challenger: The Final Flight" (Netflix) Barbara Morgan, back-up to STS-51L "Teacher in Space" Christa McAuliffe, describes training for the mission in "Challenger: The Final Flight." (Netflix) Students across the United States, including the future executive producer and directors of the Netflix docuseries "Challenger: The Final Flight," recall watching the loss of the NASA space shuttle and its crew of seven astronauts on Jan. 28, 1986. (Netflix) 2022 collectSPACE.com All rights reserved. Hitting out at Pakistan, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said that at the meeting of the National Security Advisers (NSAs) of member states of the SCO hosted by Russia, the chair of the SCO, the Pakistani NSA deliberately projected a fictitious map that Pakistan has recently been propagating. New Delhi, Sep 15 (IANS) National Security Advisor of the government, Ajit Doval on Tuesday walked out in protest from Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) virtual meeting where Islamabad projected a fictitious map showing Indian territories as part of Pakistan. Official sources told IANS that India issued its strong objection to the use of this illegal map by Pakistan. Russia as the chair, sources added, tried very hard to persuade Pakistan not to do so. Srivastava said Pakistan's action was in blatant disregard to the advisory by the host against it and in violation of the norms of the meeting. After consultation with the host, the Indian NSA left the meeting in protest at that juncture. "As was to be expected, Pakistan then went on to present a misleading view of this meeting," Srivastava said. Sources said Pakistan's use of a fictitious map as a backdrop for its representative depicting sovereign Indian territories as part of Pakistan is a blatant violation of the SCO Charter and against all its established norms of safeguarding the sovereignty and territorial integrity of SCO member states. Russia, sources said, conveyed to Doval that it does not support what Pakistan has done and hopes that Islamabad's provocative act will not affect India's participation in SCO. Nikolai Patrushev, the Secretary of the National Security Council of Russian Federation also conveyed to India that he was personally very grateful to Doval for attending the SCO Summit. He hoped to see the NSA at forthcoming events and definitely not let the episode "cast any shadow on Patrushev's warm personal relationship with the NSA for whom he has the highest regard." --IANS aaT/ash Much has been said about Australian hotel quarantine. From many tears reviews to articles detailing how Sydney hotels are blowing their chance to impress on a world stage, its been quite the sore spot (and thats before we get into whether Australias travel ban is even legal). The latest development in the saga? Qatar Airways has called for a luxury quarantine option and relaxed entry restrictions, The Australian reports. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Shangri-La Hotel, Sydney (@shangrilasydney) on Aug 15, 2020 at 4:16pm PDT This comes after public furore around the economy passenger bumping phenomenon (driven by government arrivals caps, introduced in July), which has seen a business booking frenzy and prices skyrocketing to up to $10,000 a seat for Australians looking to get home from places like Europe. It also comes after a public announcement where Qatar Airways GCEO HE Mr Akbar Al Baker spoke about the challenges caused by passenger number restrictions, which currently limit airlines to carrying between 25 and 60 passengers per flight (compared to the 850 odd youd normally fit on a Qatar Airways A380). Qatar Airways GCEO HE Mr Akbar Al Baker speaks on the importance of the Australian market and challenges caused by restrictions on passenger numbers.#QatarAirways #Australia pic.twitter.com/08ooklLL0Q Qatar Airways (@qatarairways) August 29, 2020 Since March 1 we have carried 180,000 passengers and over 15,000 tonnes of cargo to Australia, Mr. Akbar Al Baker said. Unfortunately due to the restrictions and the second spike of the pandemic in Australia the government has restricted us from carrying additional passengers we have very limited capacity that we can take into Australia and we have also a huge stress covering the cost of this very expensive flight. However, we are committing to continuing operating and increasing frequency to Australia. I am proud to say today we have over 35% of the Australian international market. Speaking to ABCs News Breakfast on Friday, Mr. Akbar Al Baker said the airline may need to withdraw its 16-hour flights from Doha to Australia if passenger caps arent relaxed. We have between 38 and 42 seats in our business class. And because we have such a limited number of passengers that we can carry, we have no other alternative but to maximise the yield that we get because you know very well Australia is at the end of the world, he told ABCs News Breakfast. It is a very long flight and when we carry limited numbers of passengers you can see that it puts a huge strain on our costs. Speaking to The Australian, Mr Al Baker has also encouraged Australia to consider giving arrivals the choice of paying for three, four or five star hotels for mandatory quarantine (rather than the lucky dip approach currently in place). View this post on Instagram A post shared by Allana Booth (@allanabooth) on Jul 28, 2020 at 12:59am PDT There are believed to be about 18,000 Australians stuck in various places around the world, news.com.au reports, who are still struggling to come home due to a scarcity of flights during the pandemic. The cashed-up among them will surely be hoping the pay to play [in luxury] approach will receive serious consideration by the Australian Federal government. Though some travellers have been lucking into some awesome accommodation as it is, as DMARGE recently reported, even when youre in nice digs, hotel quarantine throws up a lot of challenges (if not hidden horrors). Suffice to say, for those keen to guarantee a high end quarantine, if this pay to stay where you want option is introduced, Sydney has plenty of cool hotels to offer. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Shangri-La Hotel, Sydney (@shangrilasydney) on Jul 15, 2020 at 1:40am PDT Read Next Insurers are liable to pay out Covid-19 claims to small businesses, the High Court has ruled in a major victory for 370,000 firms. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) brought a test case over the wording of business interruption insurance policies, which some insurers argued did not cover the Covid-19 pandemic. The FCA previously said it was bringing the legal action following 'widespread concern' over 'the lack of clarity and certainty' for businesses seeking to cover substantial losses incurred by the pandemic and subsequent national lockdown. According to the watchdog, the value of policies likely to be affected by the test case is approximately 1.2billion. The Hiscox Action Group, which intervened in the High Court case, welcomed today's ruling which makes insurers liable to pay out Covid-19 claims to small businesses In a 150-page judgment, which was delivered remotely on Tuesday, Lord Justice Flaux and Mr Justice Butcher considered 21 'lead' insurance policies issued by eight separate insurers. In a statement after the ruling, the FCA said the court determined that the 'disease clauses' in most - but not all - of the policies in the test case provide cover to policyholders. But the regulator also said: 'Although the judgment will bring welcome news for many policyholders, the judgment did not say that the eight defendant insurers are liable across all of the 21 different types of policy wording in the representative sample considered by the court. 'Each policy needs to be considered against the detailed judgment to work out what it means for that policy.' The FCA's interim chief executive Christopher Woolard said: 'We brought the test case in order to resolve the lack of clarity and certainty that existed for many policyholders making business interruption claims and the wider market. 'We are pleased that the court has substantially found in favour of the arguments we presented on the majority of the key issues. 'Today's judgment is a significant step in resolving the uncertainty being faced by policyholders.' He added: 'Insurers should reflect on the clarity provided here and, irrespective of any possible appeals, consider the steps they can take now to progress claims of the type that the judgment says should be paid. 'They should also communicate directly and quickly with policyholders who have made claims affected by the judgment to explain next steps. 'If any parties do appeal the judgment, we would expect that to be done in as rapid a manner as possible in line with the agreement that we made with insurers at the start of this process. 'As we have recognised from the start of this case, thousands of small firms and potentially hundreds of thousands of jobs are relying on this.' The Hiscox Action Group, which has over 400 members and intervened in the High Court case, also welcomed Tuesday's ruling. FCA's interim chief executive Christopher Woolard, pictured above, said the judgement is a 'significant step in resolving the uncertainty being faced by policyholders' The group's solicitor, Richard Leedham from Mishcon de Reya, said: 'Today's judgment by the High Court is one of the most significant in recent years and will provide a lifeline for small businesses across the country. 'We joined the court case as we believed it was vital for businesses to have a voice in the proceedings and we are delighted they have finally been heard.' Mark Killick, a Hiscox Action Group steering committee member, said: 'Today's judgment represents a huge victory for the Hiscox Action Group.' He added: 'The most important thing now is that the insurers accept this ruling and start to pay out rather than embark on a fruitless appeals process that will just cause more suffering for the very policyholders they were meant to protect.' Huw Evans, Director-General of the Association of British Insurers (ABI), said: 'Insurers have supported this fast-track court process led by the FCA to help bring clarity for customers and we welcome the speed with which the court has delivered a ruling. 'The judgment divides evenly between insurers and policyholders on the main issues. The national lockdown was an unprecedented situation that posed understandable questions of interpretation for some business insurance contracts. 'Insurers always regret any contract dispute with their customers and will continue to reflect on feedback from recent events. We recognise this continues to be a difficult time for many businesses, small and large, and for society as a whole. 'That is why insurers have made a range of commitments to help both businesses and individual customers through the crisis and why the industry expects to pay out over 1.7bn in Covid-19 claims.' He added: 'This is a complex judgment spanning 162 pages and 19 policy wordings and it will take a little time for those involved in the court case to understand what it means and consider any appeals. 'Individual insurers will be analysing the judgment, engaging with the regulator, taking account of the appeal process and keeping their customers informed in the period ahead.' After the hearing, the FCA said the court, above, determined that the 'disease clauses' in most - but not all - of the policies in the test case provide cover to policyholders (file photo) Martin Chapman, Partner at accountancy firm Azets, commented: 'As a result of todays decision we can expect insurance companies to tighten future policy wording and increase premiums. 'This will no doubt make it more difficult for companies to get the business interruption insurance cover they want and increase the price of their insurance. 'The benefit of todays decision is it gives many struggling companies a lifeline that could potentially see them through the current crisis, which will support jobs and investment. 'Optioning for a test case was the only real option to settle the matter. It saved business and the courts vast amounts of time, as well as unnecessary cost, by avoiding the need for individual litigation. 'It has greatly accelerated the whole process, meaning any pay-out is achieved while the insured remains a going concern.' At an eight-day hearing in July, the FCA's barrister Colin Edelman QC said about 370,000 policyholders 'could potentially be affected by this litigation'. He suggested this 'ballpark figure' pointed to the importance of the case for businesses 'confronting the financial impact of the coronavirus epidemic'. The FCA said the Government's coronavirus public health controls had caused 'substantial loss and distress to businesses', particularly small and medium enterprises. It argued that, while some insurers had provided payouts to customers, many businesses had had claims 'rejected' under 'blanket denials of cover'. A witness statement by the FCA's director of general insurance and conduct specialists Matthew Brewis said that, up to early May, about 8,500 claims had policy wordings likely to be affected by the test case, with a value of approximately 1.2 billion. ALDE (Alliance of Liberals and Democrats) chairman Calin Popescu-Tariceanu proposes that the schools be closed, the educational process be reorganized, and the reopening of the school units after the local elections. "I saw the schedules for some grades! The children have at least 5-6 hours a day, during which time they are supposed to wear their mask, while they are not allowed to go out during breaks or even to get up from their chairs! "Has school turned into an institution of torture? In my opinion, the solution is to reduce the program, down to a maximum of 3 hours a day in classes of 15 children. Let's stop this children's prison and let's reorganise for the reopening of the schools after the local elections!," Tariceanu wrote on Facebook on Tuesday.He said the school started "in chaos like never before" and that, under these terms, the educational institutions will close after the local elections due to the increase in the number of SARS-CoV-2 infection Public input sessions scheduled for new MLK street proposal KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The public has two upcoming chances to weigh in on a proposal to rename a Kansas City, Missouri, thoroughfare in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. This time around there won't likely be as much fighting given the new East side proposal . . . Meanwhile, many advocates of citywide unity lament the 63rd East/West idea dismissed because of neighborhood leaders & politicos hoping to protect their fiefdoms.Read more: President Trump is set to take the stage in Philadelphia Tuesday night to field questions from voters, who will hear the president brand himself as the law-and-order leader we need to keep our cities safe. The president will undoubtedly seize on his hallmark strategy of using fear-mongering to distract and ultimately dispatch fear-driven narratives. But as he paints an alternate universe wherein far-left militants are triggering violent unrest and unraveling democracy in every corner of the Republic Pennsylvania voters will sense a familiarity, because weve seen this show before. We saw it in 2016 and in 2018. The headline then was immigration. In 2016, President Trump peddled unfounded fears around immigration as an immoral ploy to win swing voters and hes doing it again. On Tuesday, Pennsylvanias undecided voters cant let Trump distract with stories of cities overrun with unrest they must press him on the xenophobic and anti-immigration rhetoric he promotes to understand how hes still shamelessly seizing on the fears of voters to win reelection. Trumps priority is winning at all costs, and he knows that winning Pennsylvania isnt a sure thing this year. Its why Pennsylvanians will likely see him doubling down on his rhetoric around violent protesters, but well also likely see him reprise some of the darkest language he used around immigration in 2018. Hes already started reviving that rhetoric in other battleground states like Arizona where last month he once again warned of aliens with criminal records roaming the country, threatening Americans with violence and stealing their jobs. The problem for Trump is that while he hasnt turned the page on his old playbook, voters in Pennsylvania have and theyre moving away from him on immigration. In 2018, voters rejected his xenophobic rhetoric and handed anti-immigrant candidates Scott Wagner and Lou Barletta devastating losses in the midterms. Post-election analysis found that a majority of Pennsylvanians were not galvanized or convinced by rhetoric on the caravan or sanctuary cities and that voters found that Barlettas hard-line immigration positions were more of a reason to vote against him than for him. This election cycle already appears to be continuing that trend. A July poll of swing voters in 12 battleground states including Pennsylvania found that 51 percent of voters disapprove of the job President Trump is doing on immigration, and 43 percent said Trumps immigration policies are a reason to vote against him. A similar poll in June found that 72 percent of swing voters in battleground states support citizenship for Dreamers. And among Pennsylvanias swing voters, the climate is getting worse for President Trump. A new voter model released in July shows that nearly 10 percent of Pennsylvanias swing voters mostly white, non college-educated men move away from President Trump and toward Democrats when presented with values-based immigration content. Despite the warning signs and an electorate thats clearly shifting away from Trump, the president will stand firm on his strategy, continuing to demonize immigrants while simultaneously and more aggressively fueling false narratives around violent protesters running amok in our cities. Pennsylvanians know that Trumps baseless warnings of caravans of criminal immigrants holding our communities hostage never materialized, because they werent true his new threats of leftist militants torching our cities is rooted in the same trough of untruths. Pennsylvanias undecided voters have an opportunity to hold the president accountable, and derail his efforts to steer the electorate toward narratives that feed into his plan by using his claims in 2016 against him as a means to better understand how hes deploying the same fear-drenched strategy this year. So on Tuesday, lets welcome the president to Philadelphia and remind him why its known as the city of brotherly love and sisterly affection. And then ask him why instead of uniting us and lifting us up, he seeks to tear us apart by putting some of us down. Gabe Morgan is Vice President and the Pennsylvania/Delaware State Director for Service Employees International Union, Local 32BJ, which oversees 21,000 workers throughout Pennsylvania and Delaware. Tyler Moran is the Executive Director of the Immigration Hub and former policy advisor for the Obama Administration and former Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid. Winnipegs mayor said he welcomes a funding milestone for the first phases of the $1.8-billion upgrade of the city's largest sewage treatment plant, despite having to give up future cash for transit. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 15/9/2020 (492 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Winnipegs mayor said he welcomes a funding "milestone" for the first phases of the $1.8-billion upgrade of the city's largest sewage treatment plant, despite having to give up future cash for transit. Full provincial and federal funding of the north end plant upgrades has not yet been promised. "Since 2016, the City of Winnipeg has been alone in its efforts to upgrade the (plant) and today marks a milestone in those efforts to gain significant funding commitments from the provincial and federal governments," Mayor Brian Bowman told reporters Tuesday. The province has asked Winnipeg to transfer about $321 million of potential Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP) funds from a public transit stream to a green infrastructure category to accommodate the federal share of the projects, according to a city report. The mayor said hell support that change, as long as certain conditions are met. "(While) I wish the (transit) demand hadnt been made were trying to do our best to work with them to get those dollars," said Bowman. He noted the city could still claim up to $204 million of federal transit funds under the program, which could trigger about $534 million of total funding, should all three governments agree to an ICIP transit deal. Council will vote on a call to support that transfer, subject to a condition that the province commit $268 million for the sewage project, instead of the roughly $183 million it has promised so far. The city said the province must guarantee no further reductions to Winnipegs remaining ICIP public transit cash, and both senior governments must ensure the transfer doesnt delay the project. "Provided the provincial government can step up its commitment, wed be looking at over half-a-billion from provincial and federal governments to support (sewage upgrades), the No. 1 infrastructure priority of the City of Winnipeg," said Bowman. Under the city proposal, Ottawa must provide $321 million and the province must pay $268 million toward the $909-million tab for the first two phases of the sewage plant upgrades. The city would cover the rest. The city separately funded some additional power supply work for the project. The province also wants to explore how a public-private partnership could be used for the final two phases of the sewage plant project, though the citys public service warns that procurement change would delay the work. In a letter shared by the city, the province also notes "further discussion will be required in relation to flowing these funds within the City of Winnipegs annual strategic infrastructure basket" funding from the province. The letter doesnt state if that means the provinces sewage funding could at some point use up part or all of that annual grant. Funding for the $828-million third phase of the project wasnt part of the ICIP request. Thats the stage that will reduce the phosphorus and nitrogen in effluent released by the plant, which promotes algae growth on Lake Winnipeg. In a written statement, Manitoba Municipal Relations Minister Rochelle Squires did not commit to the citys terms. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. "We will review the City of Winnipegs proposals but also note that any proposed conditions are non-binding on the provincial and federal governments," she wrote. The minister stressed the provinces commitment to the sewage upgrades, promising to advance the project with the federal government, should council approve its proposal. Squires described strategic infrastructure basket funding as "currently separate from any provincial contribution under ICIP." She added that the province remains interested in a public-private partnership and believes it could "accelerate" the sewage upgrades. joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @joyanne_pursaga Nairobi, Kenya (PANA) One of Kenyas top-most human rights defenders has been hunted down and arbitrarily arrested after leading other human rights defenders in blocking the grabbing of a public asset in Nairobis iconic Jamhuri estate in the capital, Amnesty International said Tuesday If you were looking for the Charlestown Democratic Town Committee website and ended up here, try this Got news tips, gossip, suggestions, complaints?E-mail us: progressivecharlestown@gmail.com We strive to avoid errors in our articles. Our correction policy can be found here (Photo : Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) SAN CARLOS, CA - JUNE 30: A power cable is seen plugged into a Tesla Roadster after a news conference with California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger June 30, 2008 at Tesla Motors in San Carlos, California. Governor Schwarzenegger announced that electric car company Tesla Motors will build a new manufacturing facility in California to manufacture its all-electric Tesla Roadster. The $109,000 2009 Tesla Roadster zero emissions vehicle is capable of traveling nearly 250 miles on a single charge and is capable of going 0-60 miles per hour in 3.9 seconds. (Photo : Spencer Platt/Getty Images) NEW YORK, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 08: A Tesla showroom stands in Manhattan on September 08, 2020 in New York City. Shares of Tesla Inc. today suffered their biggest loss since going public as technology stocks suffered another day of losses. The electric vehicle and battery makers stock plunged more than 21 percent. Tesla CEO Elon Musk promised to bring major software updates that will extend its 12V battery pack. Yes, a Tesla car works with two batteries: a 12V battery that runs the car's ancillary systems and its huge main battery covered by an eight-year warranty. Unfortunately, most of the time, people overlook the 12V battery's health, which can run flat or fail, particularly when the car is left running for a long time. At the same time, the larger battery has already shifted to low energy mode. On Monday, Sept. 14, Twitter user @TeslaVibes told Musk in a tweet that Tesla users need to be warned when the "12V battery is going to die," adding that it needs to be implemented in future update. The billionaire replied: "Couldn't agree more - major software improvements are already in place to extend its life & more coming." Couldnt agree more major software improvements are already in place to extend its life & more coming Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 15, 2020 A Clean Technica report assumes "& more" part pertains to a better warning system when the 12V battery is already on the brink of dying. Not all Tesla owners are aware of the car's little battery secret, but worse is that there is no warning when the battery will be drained and die. The issue with a 12V battery is not unique to Tesla as it also happens in gas-powered vehicles that use the same battery pack. Well, the million Tesla vehicle owners and those who are planning to purchase musk's EV can soon enjoy a loner lasting 12V batteries, among other improvements included in the upcoming software updates. When this happens is yet to be announced. Many exciting things will be unveiled on Battery Day 9/22 Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 11, 2020 Perhaps, we will learn more about it during the Battery Day scheduled on September 22. After all, Musk also tweeted that "many exciting things will be unveiled" during this event. At least that is something to look forward to. Read also: Elon Musk Hypes up "Battery Day" on 9/22: Could Tesla have been Secretly Manufacturing Batteries As Well? What's does 12V flat battery in Tesla does? The Tesla 12V battery is in charge of keeping the ancillary systems working. While this is just a secondary battery, owners must ensure it has enough power supply otherwise, computers will not boot up, the doors will not open, and worse, the main battery will not charge. While Tesla charges the 12v battery from the main battery pack, the company also urges the owners to take care the 12V battery pack as much as they protect the main one. If the battery is totally drained, its lifetime is affected. Meanwhile, if the main battery switches to low power mode, the 12v battery can run flat within 24 hours as the larger one has stopped supplying power into it. In case the car stopped, but it is already near a charge port, car owners may provide a 12v jump start by following the steps below: Check the car manual to open the car's frunk to gain access to the 12v battery. Since the battery is flat, follow the emergency procedure in the manual. For instance, for old Model S, owners can easily get hold of the battery by removing the nose cone. Remove the towing eye cover to see the two wires and pull them forward. Connect the battery charger to these wires to boost the lock. However, if there are no wires, pull the emergency release cords behind the front wheel to pop the bonnet. Give the battery a 12v jump to trigger the systems to power up. This can be done by charging it for at least 5 minutes before trying to do anything with the car glitches. Then, connect the car to a car charger or the UMC for the meantime, not a rapid charger or supercharger since the charge rates will be slow in the beginning. Once the car is at a modest state, owners can switch charging it to a faster charger use. However, please take note that this is just for last resort as it is not advisable to run empty the main battery pack as it could have an adverse effect on the battery life and the car itself. Read also: Elon Musk on Developing Smartwatches: "Definitely Not" as It Is "Yesterday's Technology, Neuralinks are the Future" This is owned by Tech Times Written by CJ Robles 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. One of the campaign manifesto promises of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) according to Johnson Asiedu Nketia is to dedicate the cheaper source of electricity like the hydro to industries in order to make industrial production grow. According to him, the NDC's next government intends to provide cheaper electricity tariffs to the industries in order to help expand the economy and create more job opportunities for Ghanaians. Speaking on Okay FMs 'Ade Akye Abia' Morning Show, the NDC General Secretary insisted that the industries in the country should be made to use cheaper tariffs. "We can therefore dedicate the cheaper source of electricity like the hydro to the industry so that industrial production will grow and by the provision of cheaper electricity tariff, it will help expand the economy and create more job opportunities for Ghanaians." Elsewhere, those industries that use bulk electricity have cheaper tariffs because they enjoy the economic of scale than consumers. It is only in Ghana that consumers enjoy cheaper electricity tariffs than industries. He emphasized that under the leadership of John Dramani Mahama as President of Ghana, the NDC government will find a way of addressing that issue so that electricity cost to industry will be cheaper for job creation to increase. Commenting on the light-up Ghana in the NDC manifesto, Mr. Asiedu Nketia indicated that the street lights which Ghanaians are made to pay whenever they buy electricity from the ECG will go into taking care of the street lights challenge in the country. What it means is that we have seen that every Ghanaian that pays for the electricity, there is a certain percentage of the money that goes into the street lights. All these monies go to the ECG but we dont know how those monies go into the provision of street lights in the country, he said. He stressed that the NDC government will create a new institution where all those street light monies from the electricity bills will go to in order to focus on the provision and maintenance of street lights in the country We have to isolate those monies and use the monies for the purpose for which Ghanaians are being charged for," he stressed. He again said that the next NDC government led by former President John Mahama will ensure that there will be electricity at every corner of the country by 2025; adding that the government will provide electricity for all as well as ensure the provision of water for all. Source: Daniel Adu Darko/Peacefmonline.com/[email protected] Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Paris Hilton has revealed she's ready for motherhood as the heiress credits her boyfriend with helping her get through the abuse she endured as a teen in boarding school, she exclusively told DailyMail.com. The 39-year-old socialite and entrepreneur gives fans a much different look into her glamorized life in her new documentary This Is Paris, which premiered on Monday on YouTube. Hilton became so close with director Alexandra Dean while filming, she disclosed secrets she had never shared before about being mentally and verbally abused while at Provo Canyon School, a boarding school she attended in Utah. Hilton said she used to suffer from severe nightmares every night, but speaking out about her experience has helped release many of those painful emotions, as well as her relationship with boyfriend Carter Reum. Now Hilton said she's ready to focus on having a family with Reum, 39, saying: 'We have an incredible relationship which makes me feel so happy and safe that I don't have any nightmares anymore.' She added: 'I can't wait to have my baby daughter named London.' Paris Hilton has revealed she's ready for motherhood as the heiress credits her boyfriend Carter Reum with helping her get through the abuse she endured as a teen in boarding school, she exclusively told DailyMail.com Hilton said she used to suffer from severe nightmares every night, but speaking out about her experience has helped release many of those painful emotions, as well as her relationship with Reum Hilton disclosed secrets she had never shared before about being mentally and verbally abused while at Provo Canyon School, a boarding school she attended in Utah. Pictured: Hilton at boarding school as a teen Hilton said she never set out to expose her deepest darkest secret, but that changed when the film's director gained her trust. She explained: 'The premise of the film was about my life and being a businesswoman and all the hard work I've put into that and this just happened organically where I became so close to the director I started talking about traumatic experiences that happened in my life. 'All the memories that I tried to erase with my mind just started flooding back. I didn't want this in the film, even during the editing process I felt like it was too personal. I had never told anyone.' Hilton spent 11 months at Provo Canyon from 1998 to 1999, before leaving when she turned 18. She had ended up there after being sent to a series of boarding schools, following a rebellious phase while living at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City with her family. Provo Canyon, the last in a series of schools her parents enrolled her in, focused on behavioral and mental development. It has come under fire for questionable practices and ongoing claims of widespread emotional, verbal and physical abuse. Now Hilton said she's ready to focus on having a family with Reum (pictured together), saying: 'We have an incredible relationship which makes me feel so happy and safe that I don't have any nightmares anymore' Hilton left the school in 1999, after she turned 18, recalling: 'I was so grateful to be out of there, I didnt even want to bring it up again' (pictured in August, 2000) Hilton told People of her time at the boarding school: 'From the moment I woke up until I went to bed, it was all day screaming in my face, yelling at me, continuous torture. 'The staff would say terrible things. They were constantly making me feel bad about myself and bully me. I think it was their goal to break us down. 'And they were physically abusive, hitting and strangling us. They wanted to instill fear in the kids so we'd be too scared to disobey them.' The 39-year-old socialite and entrepreneur gives fans a much different look into her glamorized life in her new documentary This Is Paris She added: 'I was having panic attacks and crying every single day. I was just so miserable. I felt like a prisoner and I hated life.' Three of her former classmates from Provo Canyon also appear in the documentary, making similar allegations, including the use of restraints and being force-fed medication. Hilton, who paved the way for the influencer generation, said she now feels a sense of relief and purpose coming forward with her story, which shines a light on the billion-dollar troubled teen industry, which she knows all too well. She said: 'I can't go to sleep at night knowing this is still happening to children and if I don't say anything, I don't know who will. I am figuring out ways to help and talk to survivors.' 'I am using my voice and my platform to speak up for all of the children who have not been heard or have not been believed, and for anyone who was too scared to say anything because they felt ashamed.' 'We are not the ones who should feel ashamed. These adults who are abusing children, and people who are manipulating families into putting children into these places where they are not safe, these are the ones who should feel ashamed.' Hilton has also joined forces with the Breaking Code Silence movement aimed at supporting survivors and spreading awareness about the troubled teen industry. In addition to releasing her 28th fragrance, 19th product line and a third hotel property, the savvy businesswoman says she also has a new album coming out and is investing into a variety of new tech products. MONTREAL, QC / ACCESSWIRE / September 15, 2020 / Sunshine Biopharma Inc. (OTC PINK:SBFM), a pharmaceutical company focused on the research, development and commercialization of oncology and antiviral drugs, today announced that it has received the first tranche of $250,000 as part of a committed minimum financing of $2 Million with RB Capital Partners Inc. ("RB Capital"). Pursuant to the financing agreement entered into as of September 8, 2020, RB Capital has agreed to provide funding to the Company in the form of convertible promissory notes (the "Promissory Notes"). The Promissory Notes will bear interest at the rate of 5% per annum and will be fully convertible into shares of the Company's Common Stock at a conversion price equal to the market value of the Company's Common Stock on the applicable conversion date or $0.30 per share, whichever is greater. The Promissory Notes will have a maturity date of two years from the date of issuance and must be fully converted on or before the maturity date. Sunshine reserves the right to pay off any part or all of the Promissory Notes at any time without penalty. The minimum amount of funding that RB Capital has agreed to provide to the Company under these terms is $2,000,000, payable over the next three to six month period. The proceeds will be used for development of the Company's recently announced Coronavirus treatment on a priority basis and the clinical development of Adva-27a, the Company's flagship anticancer compound targeted for pancreatic cancer. Sunshine Biopharma's CFO, Camille Sebaaly stated, "We are extremely pleased to have forged a relationship with RB Capital and believe that this is the beginning of a successful funding partnership. We are now well positioned to continue with the development of our life saving treatments with a funding partner alongside of us who sees the long-term vision of the Company." About Sunshine Biopharma's Coronavirus Treatment Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome-Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the causative agent of COVID-19, the current ongoing pandemic that has claimed the lives of over 920,000 people worldwide since it first appeared in December 2019. There are currently no drugs that can effectively arrest replication of the virus in people who have contracted the illness. On May 22, 2020, Sunshine Biopharma filed a provisional patent application for several molecules which were designed by computer-aided modeling to inhibit the Coronavirus proteases, thus shutting down the ability of the virus to multiply. More recently, Sunshine Biopharma announced that it has completed the synthesis of four such molecules and is currently testing their inhibitory activity on SARS-Cov-2 proteases in order to identify a lead compound for further development as a specific drug for treatment of COVID-19. About Sunshine Biopharma's Adva-27a Anticancer Compound In addition, to working on the development of a treatment for COVID-19, Sunshine Biopharma is engaged in the development Adva-27a, a unique anticancer compound. Tests conducted to date have demonstrated the effectiveness of Adva-27a at destroying Multidrug Resistant Cancer Cells, including Pancreatic Cancer cells, Small-Cell Lung Cancer cells, Breast Cancer cells, and Uterine Sarcoma cells. Clinical trials for Pancreatic Cancer indication are planned to be conducted at McGill University's Jewish General Hospital in Montreal, Canada. Sunshine Biopharma is owner of all patents and intellectual property pertaining to Adva-27a. Safe Harbor Forward-Looking Statements This press release may contain forward looking statements which are based on current expectations, forecasts, and assumptions that involve risks as well as uncertainties that could cause actual outcomes and results to differ materially from those anticipated or expected, including statements related to the amount and timing of expected revenues statements related to our financial performance, expected income, distributions, and future growth for upcoming quarterly and annual periods. These risks and uncertainties are further defined in filings and reports by the Company with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Actual results and the timing of certain events could differ materially from those projected in or contemplated by the forward-looking statements due to a number of factors detailed from time to time in our filings with the SEC. Among other matters, the Company may not be able to sustain growth or achieve profitability based upon many factors including but not limited to general stock market conditions. Reference is hereby made to cautionary statements set forth in the Company's most recent SEC filings. We have incurred and will continue to incur significant expenses in our expansion of our existing as well as new service lines noting there is no assurance that we will generate enough revenues to offset those costs in both the near and long term. Additional service offerings may expose us to additional legal and regulatory costs and unknown exposure(s) based upon the various geopolitical locations we will be providing services in, the impact of which cannot be predicted at this time. For Additional Information Contact: Camille Sebaaly, CFO Sunshine Biopharma Inc. Direct Line: 514-814-0464 camille.sebaaly@sunshinebiopharma.com www.sunshinebiopharma.com SOURCE: Sunshine Biopharma Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/606111/Sunshine-Biopharma-Secures-2000000-Financing-for-Coronavirus-Treatment Extremist Memes and Calls for Violence Surge on Far-Left Social Media: Report Far-left groups are increasingly using memes and other online propaganda to instigate violence against members of the general public and the police, according to a new report by a nonprofit that studies the way hate-charged messages spread across social media. The Sept. 14 report by the Network Contagion Research Institute (NCRI) found that anarcho-socialist and violent anarchist online communities have had a growing influence in recent years, thanks to the widespread use of memes as propaganda, spread by means of sophisticated communication networks, and used to organize militias and inspire violence (pdf). In its article, Network-Enabled Anarchy: How Militant Anarcho-Socialist Networks Use Social Media to Instigate Widespread Violence Against Political Opponents and Law Enforcement, the institute found evidence that violent anarcho-socialist networks played an active online role in preparing for and coordinating real world riots nationwide and in real time. Noting the rapid growth of an online structure supporting anarcho-socialist extremism, the institute found that, during recent social justice protests, posts featuring anti-police outrage and/or memes and coded language spiked by over 1,000 percent on Twitter and 300 percent on Reddit. Extreme anarcho-socialist fringe online forums on Reddit use memes calling for the death of police and memes for stockpiling munitions to promote violent revolution, NCRI stated, noting a growth in membership in such groups during recent protests over COVID-19 lockdowns and for social justice. Groups such as the Socialist Rifle Association have more than doubled in membership since quarantine, the institute found. The report also noted evidence of innovative cyber strategies being deployed by anarchist networks, including spreading instructions for 3-D printed weapons, sharing insights on using lasers to blind targets, and real-time online coordination of offline rioting and anti-police violence such as setting fires, throwing projectiles, and using fireworks/munitions. The report features examples of memes with clear calls for violence, including an image of a member of law enforcement being shot in the head and a photo of a burning police car with the caption ACAB, AS CRISPY AS BACON. Another example featured in the report describes a post on Reddit, on the r/SocialistRA forum, that has a link to a 3D printable Soviet-era weapon along with a propagandistic video that features someone shooting an AKM-pattern receiver, with the on-screen caption Seize the means of production, in reference to the Marxist call to action for violent overthrow of capitalism. The report notes, however, that violence from far-left political actors has not yet become as widespread as ISIS, nor does it have the death toll or historical reach that right-leaning extremism has in the U.S. Still, it found that the growing use of online propaganda tactics, amplified by fringe communities, carries a mounting threat of violence by what the report called network-enabled mobs. The report comes at a politically sensitive time, when peaceful protests against police brutality have been marred by outbreaks of looting and violence. President Donald Trump and Attorney General William Barr have both blamed the violence on anarchists and agitators, with the president recently warning of a growing radical-left movement that seeks to fundamentally transform the face of America. Epoch Times contributor and expert on communist movements, Trevor Loudon, argued in an op-ed that the violence that erupted in the wake of the Floyds death was not a spontaneous outbreak of pent-up frustration with incidents of police brutality, but part of a revolutionary movement by brutal means. The recent surge of rioting, looting, arson, and violence in the aftermath of the May 25 death in police custody of George Floyd in Minneapolis wasnt peaceful protest hijacked by extremists, Loudon wrote. It was violent from day oneand it was always intended to be that way. In a separate op-ed, Loudon pointed to malign far-left influence behind previous outbreaks of violence amid broader calls for racial justice. Without the communists, there would still be occasional racially charged incidents. However, all the major city-burning race riots of the 1960s (Newark, Detroit, Chicago, Watts, and many others) and every single one since have been fanned into something bigger by communist forces, he wrote. The U.S. left now has the power to start race riots in nearly every major U.S. city. Beijing: At least nine workers have been killed and another rescued in a coal mine collapse in north China's Shanxi Province, rescuers said on Wednesday. The collapse occurred at 10:45 AM on Tuesday at the Danshuigou colliery in Shuozhou City, when workers were doing shaft maintenance work. In total there were ten people present at the time of the accident. The cause of the accident is under investigation, state-run Xinhua news agency reported. Earlier this month, 12 people were killed after a falling roof triggered a gas explosion at a coal mine in central China's Henan Province. The explosion took place at Xingyu Colliery in Xuzhuang Township in the city of Dengfeng. China is the world's largest producer and consumer of coal. Its mining industry has long been one of the world's deadliest. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. The deadly Almeda fire that raced through the towns of Talent and Phoenix has been 100% contained, fire officials said Tuesday. The known death toll from those southern Oregon fires has been reduced from five to three. The sheriffs office said Monday that two of the previously announced deaths were determined to be animal remains. The Jackson County Sheriffs Office reported that two bodies found at burned sites were confirmed to be animal bone fragments. Almeda Location: Ashland, Talent, Phoenix and Medford area Size: 3,200 acres Containment: 100% Cause: Being investigated as arson Evacuation resources: Jackson County The Almeda fire started on private land and raced through Phoenix and Talent south of Medford. -- Jim Ryan jryan@oregonian.com; 503-221-8005; @Jimryan015 'When I was beaten up, they had levelled allegations that I am with BJP- RSS. So I am with BJP-RSS from now on,' Madan Sharma, the retired officer, said Mumbai: Former Navy man Madan Sharma, who was recently attacked by Shiv Sena workers in Mumbai, on Tuesday said he is with the BJP and RSS now He was talking to reporters after meeting Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari at Raj Bhavan. "From today onwards, I am with BJP-RSS. When I was beaten up, they had levelled allegations that I am with BJP- RSS. So I am with BJP-RSS from now on," he said. Sharma (62) met Koshyari at the Raj Bhavan here. He was attacked after posting on his housing society's WhatsApp group a cartoon lampooning Chief Minister and Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray. After the attack in north Mumbai's Kandivli suburb, Sharma had demanded that the chief minister apologise to him and the country. He had also said that Thackeray should quit his post if he was unable to uphold law and order in the state. Six Shiv Sena workers have been arrested in connection with the incident. New Delhi: The tourism ministry has sanctioned two projects in Bihar and Kerala at a cost of Rs 125 crore under the Rural Circuit as part of its endeavour to take tourism to villages of the country. In a written reply to a question from BJP MP Rakesh Sinha in Rajya Sabha, Tourism Minister Prahlad Patel said the ministry has launched the Swadesh Darshan Scheme for Integrated Development of theme-based tourist circuits for development of tourism infrastructure, including last-mile connectivity. He said that recognising the potential of rural tourism in the country, the ministry has identified Rural Circuit as one of the 15 thematic circuits for development under this scheme. "The objectives of the Swadesh Darshan scheme include creating employment through active involvement of local communities and promoting community-based development and pro-poor tourism approach," Patel said. "Based on the above criteria, the ministry has sanctioned two projects total amounting to Rs 125.02 crore for development of Rural Circuits under the Swadesh Darshan Scheme which are under different stages of implementation," he said. Live TV Patel said one of the projects was sanctioned in Bihar during financial year 2017-18 and this was development of Bhitiharwa -Chandrahia -Turkaulia circuit, amounting to Rs 44.65 crore. The other was sanctioned in Kerala, during 2018-19 and this was development of Malanad Malabar Cruise Tourism, amounting to Rs 80.37 crore, he said. The ministry has also instituted a National Tourism Award in the category of 'Best Rural/Agri/Plantation Tourism Projects' to motivate the stakeholders in the tourism sector for implementing such projects. "The Ministry of Rural Development has informed us that their Shyama Prasad Mukherji Rurban Mission (SPMRM) follows the vision of development of a cluster of villages that preserve and nurture the essence of rural community life with focus on equity and inclusiveness without compromising with facilities perceived to be essentially urban in nature, thus creating a cluster of 'Rurban Villages'," he said. Under the mission, 300 clusters are being developed across 28 states and eight union territories. Tourism is one of the themes of Rurban cluster development. Tourism related activities and projects are among the 21 component categories under the SPMRM. Patel said the ministry of rural development has informed that a total 67 Rurban clusters have proposed tourism-related activities in gram panchayats across 26 states and union territories. The major objective of the Rural Tourism Circuit is to showcase rural life, art, culture and heritage in villages, that have core competence in art and craft, handloom, textiles, natural environment and other specialities. An old Arab proverb explains much about the Spygate strategy of infiltrating the Trump campaign and then administration. If a camel gets his nose in the tent, the body will soon follow. This is the proverbial foot in the door that allowed an in-power administration to use the full power of its judicial and intelligence agencies to spy on a political opponent, then to undermine a duly elected president. Image credit: NuBeat Music, YouTube screen grab Weaponizing the federal government was nothing new for the Obama administration. The Obama/Brennan CIA spied on Senate intelligence committee members and Obama/Lerner used the IRS to target conservative groups. So far no one has been punished for these abuses of power. Lady Justices scales of justice tilt in only one direction, favoring Democrats with a never expiring get out of jail free card. Spygate had one primary objective, to prevent Donald Trumps election. Failing that, they then had to cover their past transgressions of illegally spying on his campaign while at the same time undermining his administration, driving down his popularity to the point that he pulled a Nixon and resigned, or else be impeached and removed from office. What better way to disrupt a campaign than to spy on it? Trump Tower was probably not literally wiretapped as Trump claimed, but spying did occur against the campaign, according to Attorney General William Barr. Carter Page played a big role in covering up the spying. Carter Page was not the idiot the media portrayed him to be. He graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in the top 10 percent of his class, unlike John McCain who graduated solidly in the bottom 10 percent of his class. Page also has a masters degree from Georgetown and a PhD from SOAS in London. He worked as an investment banker for Merrill Lynch in London, Moscow, and New York. The Moscow connection was part of the camels nose. The bogus Steele dossier alleged that Page met with Russian energy officials and others in Putins orbit. As Page worked as an advisor for the Trump campaign, this made him a Russian agent in the eyes of the CIA and FBI. Ignored was the fact that Page actually worked with the CIA for decades, but his claims were dismissed by the media as rantings from a bumbling fool. The CIA provided documents to the FBI Crossfire Hurricane team that Page was an operational contact for the CIA. FBI lawyer Kevin Clinesmith changed the email from Page is working for the CIA to he is not. This kept the FISA warrants alive and the camels nose firmly under the Trump administration tent. How did the FBI first get their nose under the Trump tent? They used a FISA Title I warrant, reserved for an agent of a foreign power who is knowingly engaging in clandestine intelligence activities. Yet they knew he was not a Russian spy as he was a CIA asset. If he was a spy, he should have been arrested and imprisoned. Instead he is on Twitter and Fox News. Why was the FISA warrant so important? Remember this warrant was requested on Oct. 21, 2016, while the campaign was in its last critical weeks. It was then renewed three times, twice while Trump was president. This type of warrant allowed 2-hop spying, meaning the FBI could spy on Pages contacts in the Trump campaign, both past and present, even though Page was no longer with the campaign at the time of the initial warrant as the warrant is retroactive. The first hop was Pages direct contacts Steve Bannon, Corey Lewandowsky, Sam Clovis, Stephen Miller, and Hope Hicks. But the second hop was their contacts, meaning everyone else in the Trump campaign and family. The Obama/Comey FBI could now read emails, texts, and calls to or from everyone in the Trump campaign. While Trump Tower was not literally wiretapped, it was actually worse with all communications of the campaign, past and present, available to Obama, his FBI and DOJ, and almost certainly the Clinton campaign. Neat trick, although illegal. Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz found, at least 17 significant errors or omissions in the Carter Page FISA applications and many errors in the Woods Procedures during its investigation of the 2016 Trump campaign. FISA Judge James Boasberg agreed saying the FBI did not have probable cause to believe Page was an agent of a foreign power. But it worked, during the campaign and well into the Trump presidency, four FISA warrants were issued to spy on Trump and his inner circle, well into the first year of his administration. The fourth and final FISA renewal was in June 2017, a month after Special Counsel Muellers witch hunt began. The actual special counsel Andrew Weissman and his partisan Democrat goon squad had full access to any and all communications of Trump and his advisors, anyone within 2 hops of Carter Page. This was not just for June 2017 but going back as far as they wanted. Weissman and his thugs were the same group that conveniently erased the contents of their phones, destroying evidence, by implausibly entering their passwords incorrectly ten times in a row. Yet Clinesmith is the only individual to be indicted, taking a plea deal with no certainty of prison time, perhaps just a slap on the wrist. How likely will he face punishment like Paul Manafort, Michael Flynn, or George Papadopoulos? Will there ever be an accounting? A reckoning? Punishment for those breaking the law, obstructing justice and abusing their power? Taking it one step further, three FBI FISA applications were denied by the FISA court in 2016. Who were those for? Was one for Carter Page? What if the Obama FBI and CIA spied on Page anyway, without a warrant, and then cooked up the Steele dossier to get a FISA warrant eventually approved in October to legitimize their previous illegal and warrantless spying? Now take another step further back. What if the Obama administration was illegally spying on its political opponents during Obamas entire presidency, beginning in 2009, using an NSA surveillance tool called The Hammer? What if they realized in the summer of 2016, when Trump secured the GOP nomination for president, that he could win and expose the illegal spying? What if this fear led to the FISA warrant applications on Carter Page to throw a flimsy cloak of legitimacy over the past eight years of illegal spying? Was this the insurance policy Peter Strzok and Lisa Page discussed in August 2016, getting an approved FISA warrant two months later to cover up their illegal spying? Hopefully someone under AG Barr is asking these questions and investigating. Trump knows the score. In June he blasted, It was an attempted overthrow of the government of the United States of America and duly elected president. And we caught them. Trump summarized spygate with this description, Treason, treason its treason. He doubled down on the accusations during his Nevada rally on Sept. 12, saying, And Obama and Biden got caught spying on our campaign using the intelligence, I put that in quotes, using intelligence to spy on our campaign, and they got caught. They got caught. So far nothing from Barr and Durham other than conjecture and speculation. Will anything happen to the wrongdoers? Is pain coming? Is the storm coming? Q answered on Sept. 11, posting James Comey Treason and John Brennan Treason repeated almost 50 times. Thats obvious to those following this story but will there ever be a reckoning or justice? As Trump likes to say, Well see what happens. Brian C. Joondeph, M.D., is a Denver-based physician and freelance writer whose pieces have appeared in American Thinker, Daily Caller, Rasmussen Reports, and other publications. Follow him on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Parler, and QuodVerum. Tracey Currington Hydrostatic Painting Merit award: First time winner Tracey Curringtons experimental style includes encaustic (hot wax) painting but she says this abstract work was about exploring layering in acrylics. Susannah Law, Mokopuna, Figurative Merit award: Red Beach artist Sue Law says painting her husband Michael Murray and eldest granddaughter Indie took a long time she worked on it, on and off, for more than a year. I was very fussy about getting it right, she says. The one time she didnt work on it was during lockdown, when she says she painted the house instead! Lizzy Dickie, Octopus, Watercolour Merit award: This is the third time that Manly artist Lizzy Dickie has won this award. Octopus is part of the Isolation Series that she completed in the first lockdown. I felt like I was doing a million tasks at once, which was where the octopus and its many arms came in, she says. Lizzie also makes her own frames. Former Orewa College art teacher and artist Graeme Irving took a close look at the entrants in this years Members Merit Awards at Estuary Arts Centre over the recent lockdown. He was this years judge, and had 250 entries by 94 artists to assess something he describes as an enormous task. He says the quality was very high, and there was an impressive range of work not just the ones that won prizes. The Premier winner was Victoria Haldane of Torbay, with a landscape oil painting called Overcast. Three local artists also won Merit awards (see above). The exhibition of all the works is on until September 27 at the arts centre in Western Reserve, Orewa. NEW YORK and LONDON, Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. (NYSE: BR), a global Fintech leader, has announced an agreement to provide Smith & Williamson Group, a leading financial and professional services firm in the UK and Ireland, with its Shareholder Rights Directive (SRD II) solution for proxy voting. Smith & Williamson is using the Broadridge solution to support its discretionary and non-discretionary execution clients, spanning both institutional and retail investors. An existing user of Broadridge's shareholder communication solutions, Smith & Williamson has upgraded to Broadridge's enhanced end-to-end Global Proxy solution to fulfil its new responsibilities under SRD II, which had a regulatory readiness deadline of 3rd September 2020. This includes the distribution of meeting agendas within stricter timeframes, reconciling votes on a daily basis and processing votes "without delay." It also handles all aspects of vote confirmation, including timely electronic confirmation back to shareholders. "We take our regulatory obligations extremely seriously and it is important to us, and to our clients, that we are well-prepared for a smooth transition that mitigates compliance risk and delivers the combined benefits of greater process efficiency and higher governance standards," said Nick Murphy, Partner, at Smith & Williamson Investment Management LLP. "Broadridge, with its deep global domain expertise and strong investor communications governance model, has helped us to be well-positioned for delivering to our clients a unified service to manage proxy voting for their full portfolio of holdings." "We are delighted to continue to work with Smith & Williamson to meet its shareholder communications needs," said Demi Derem, general manager of Broadridge's International Investor Communication Solutions. "Smith & Williamson was one of the first brokers to recognise the implications of SRD II to its business and also understood why being ready for SRD II compliance would be so important to its clients." SRD II is global in its scope, insofar as it impacts any financial intermediary that holds or services European equities, irrespective of where the firm is located. It applies to all types of financial intermediaries, including banks and brokers, wealth managers and central securities depositaries (CSDs). About Broadridge Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. (NYSE: BR), a $4 billion global Fintech leader, is a leading provider of investor communications and technology-driven solutions to banks, broker-dealers, asset and wealth managers and corporate issuers. Broadridge's infrastructure underpins proxy voting services for over 50 percent of public companies and mutual funds globally, and processes on average more than U.S. $8 trillion in fixed income and equity securities trades per day. Broadridge is part of the S&P 500 Index and employs over 12,000 associates in 17 countries. For more information about Broadridge, please visit www.broadridge.com. About Smith & Williamson Smith & Williamson is a leading financial and professional services firm providing a comprehensive range of investment management, tax, financial advisory and accountancy services to private clients and their business interests. The firm's c1,800 people operate from a network of 12 offices: London, Belfast, Birmingham, Bristol, Cheltenham, Dublin (City and Sandyford), Glasgow, Guildford, Jersey, Salisbury and Southampton. Smith & Williamson Investment Management LLP is part of The Tilney Smith & Williamson Group. Risk Warning Investment does involve risk. The value of investments and the income from them can go down as well as up. The investor may not receive back, in total, the original amount invested. Smith & Williamson Investment Management LLP Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Registered No 580531 Tilney Smith & Williamson Limited 2020 Ref: 120420lw Broadridge Contacts: Investors: W. Edings Thibault Head of Investor Relations Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. +1 516-472-5129 [email protected] Media: North America: Matthew Luongo Prosek Partners +1 646-396-0966 [email protected] Europe: Charlie Morrow Cognito +44 (0) 20 7426 9400 [email protected] Smith & Williamson Contact: Nick Murphy Partner Smith & Williamson Investment Management LLP www.smithandwilliamson.com SOURCE Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. Related Links http://www.broadridge.com Boulder, Colo., USA: When early humans began to travel out of Africa and spread into Eurasia over a hundred thousand years ago, a fertile region around the eastern Mediterranean Sea called the Levant served as a critical gateway between northern Africa and Eurasia. A new study, published in Geology, shows that the existence of that oasis depended almost entirely on something we almost never think about: dust. Dr. Rivka Amit, at the Geological Survey of Israel, and her team initially set out with a simple question: why are some soils around the Mediterranean thin and why are some thick? Their investigation led them to discover not only that dust deposition played a critical role in forming thick soils in the Levant, but also that had the source of dust not changed 200,000 years ago, early humans might have had a much tougher time leaving Africa, and parts of the Fertile Crescent wouldn't have been so hospitable for civilization to take root. Thick soils tend to form in areas with wet, humid climates, and thin soils form in arid environments with lower weathering rates. But in the Mediterranean, where much of the bedrock is dissolvable carbonate, the opposite is true: wetter northern regions have thin, unproductive soils, and more arid southeastern regions have thick, productive soils. Some scientists have attributed these patterns to differences in the rates of erosion, driven by human activity. But for Amit, who has been studying the area for years, a high erosion rate alone didn't make sense. She challenged the existing hypotheses, reasoning that another factor--dust input--likely plays a critical role when weathering rates are too slow to form soils from bedrock. To assess the influence of dust on Mediterranean soils, Amit and her team needed to trace the dust back to its original source. They collected dust samples from soils in the region, as well as nearby and far-flung dust sources, and compared the samples' grain size distribution. The team identified a key difference between areas with thin and thick soils: thin soils comprised only the finest grain sizes sourced from distant deserts like the Sahara, whereas the thicker, more productive soils had coarser dust called loess, sourced from the nearby Negev desert and its massive dune fields. The thick soils in the eastern Mediterranean formed 200,000 years ago when glaciers covered large swaths of land, grinding up bedrock and creating an abundance of fine-grained sediments. "The whole planet was a lot dustier," Amit said, which allowed extensive dune fields like those in the Negev to build up, creating new sources of dust and ultimately, thicker soils in places like the Levant. Amit, then, had her answer: regions with thin soils simply hadn't received enough loess to form thick, agriculturally productive soils, whereas the southeastern Mediterranean had. "Erosion here is less important," she said. "What's important is whether you get an influx of coarse [dust] fractions. [Without that], you get thin, unproductive soils." Amit didn't stop there. She now knew that the thickest soils had received a large flux of coarse dust, leading to the area's designation as the "land of milk and honey" for its agricultural productivity. Her next question was, had it always been like this? She was surprised at what they found. Looking below the loess in the soil profile, they found a dearth of fine-grained sediments. "What was [deposited] before the loess were very thin soils," she said. "It was a big surprise... The landscape was totally different, so I'm not sure that people would [have chosen] this area to live in because it was a harsh environment and [an] almost bare landscape, without much soil." Without the changing winds and formation of the Negev dune field, then, the fertile area that served as a passage for early humans may have been too difficult to pass through and survive. In the modern Mediterranean, the soils aren't accumulating any more. "The dust source is cut off," Amit explained, since the glaciers retreated in the Holocene, "now we're only reworking the old loess." Even if there were a dust source, it would take tens of thousands of years to rebuild a soil there. That leaves these mountainous soils in a fragile state, and people living there must balance conservation and agricultural use. Employing responsible agricultural practices in the region, as terracing has been used for thousands of years, is critical for soil preservation if agriculture is to continue. ### FEATURED ARTICLE Quaternary influx of proximal coarse-grained dust altered 6 circum-Mediterranean soil productivity and impacted early 7 human culture AUTHORS: Rivka Amit, Yehouda Enzel, and Onn Crouvi CONTACT: Rivka Amit, rivka@gsi.gov.il URL: https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/gsa/geology/article/doi/10.1130/G47708.1/590794/Quaternary-influx-of-proximal-coarse-grained-dust GEOLOGY articles are online at http://geology.geoscienceworld.org/content/early/recent. Representatives of the media may obtain complimentary articles by contacting Kea Giles at the e-mail address above. Please discuss articles of interest with the authors before publishing stories on their work, and please make reference to GEOLOGY in articles published. Non-media requests for articles may be directed to GSA Sales and Service, gsaservice@geosociety.org. https://www.geosociety.org Yemeni Military Officers Killed in Clashes With Houthi Rebels in Marib, Source Says Sputnik News 07:51 GMT 14.09.2020 CAIRO (Sputnik) At least eight people, including Yemeni army officers and members of tribes loyal to it, were killed during clashes with the Houthi rebel Shia movement, also known as Ansar Allah, in the province of Marib, a local military source told Sputnik, adding that the movement had launched a massive attack on the military's positions. "As a result of clashes [which took place late on Sunday], 14 members of the Ansar Allah group with one of its leaders and eight army officers, including representatives of loyal tribes, were killed and more than 30 fighters from both sides were injured", the source said, adding that rebels launched a large-scale attack on positions of the Yemeni forces and several tribes that support it in the south of Marib. The military subsequently managed to repel the Houthis' attacks following clashes that lasted for over six hours with the use of different types of weapons, the source added. According to media reports, tensions between the central Yemeni authorities and the movement had seriously escalated, with the latter having intensified military actions in a bid to advance to Marib, which is controlled by the government and hosts thousands of internally displaced Yemenis. Tribesmen loyal to Houthi rebel raise their weapons during a gathering aimed at mobilizing more fighters for the Houthi movement, in Sanaa, Yemen. File photo. Along with these developments, UN Special Envoy to Yemen Martin Griffiths had paid a visit at the end of last week to Saudi Arabia, where he held talks with top Saudi and Yemeni officials on the implementation of the November Riyadh peace accord and implications of the military escalation in the vicinity of Marib. "Discussions further focused on the dire humanitarian consequences of the military escalation in&around #Marib which continues to be a safe haven for 100s of thousands of internally displaced Yemenis. Mr.Griffiths renewed his emphasis that the attack on #Marib must immediately cease", Griffiths' office wrote on Twitter on Monday. Yemen has been engulfed in an armed conflict between the government forces, led by President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi, and the Houthi rebels for over five years now. Hadi's forces work in the close cooperation with the Saudi-led coalition that has been conducting air, land and sea operations against the rebels since March 2015. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Its Hurricane Sally now, and its gotten a lot stronger. The National Hurricane Center said Sally was a Category 2 hurricane with 100 mph winds as of Monday night. Sally started the day as a 65 mph tropical storm. And Sally could get stronger, forecasters said, adding that Sally could approach Category 3 intensity (111 mph winds and higher) before hitting the Gulf Coast. Sallys center has also continued to shift and so has its forecast track, and a hurricane warning is in effect for the Alabama coast. Hurricane conditions will be possible there by late Tuesday. The latest forecast track from the hurricane center shows Sally moving slowly toward the coast and then turning more to the northeast near the time of landfall. The big question is when exactly will that turn happen. As of late Monday the forecast track showed the center moving onshore very close to the Alabama-Mississippi state line by late Tuesday or early Wednesday morning, which would put southwest Alabama in line for some of the roughest weather that Sally had to offer. Sallys forecast path was causing considerable headaches for forecasters late Monday. There continues to be a significant amount of uncertainty on exactly where and when Sally turns northward and makes landfall, with model solutions ranging from a landfall on the Florida panhandle to a landfall in extreme southeastern Louisiana, forecasters said. It should be emphasized that it is always challenging to forecast the track of hurricanes in weak steering currents, and in Sallys case the weak steering is occurring very near land. The hurricane center said the average forecast error at 36 hours from landfall is 60 miles, and some of Sallys worst weather will occur far from its center. Rain bands from the storm were moving onshore in Florida as of late Monday. As of 10 p.m. CDT Monday, Hurricane Sally was located 130 miles southeast of Biloxi, Miss., and was crawling to the west-northwest at only 3 mph. TROPICAL UPDATE: As the sun sets over the East Coast this evening, @NOAA's #GOES16 is tracking the bubbling clouds and #lightning from #HurricaneSally. As of 8 pm EDT, #Sally had sustained winds of 100 mph (Cat. 2) and was moving WNW at 5 mph. Latest: https://t.co/VTAp4gGkHs. pic.twitter.com/76TxykrVMM NOAA Satellites - Public Affairs (@NOAASatellitePA) September 15, 2020 Sally could bring damaging winds, storm surge and coastal flooding and heavy rain along with it. The hurricane center issued a storm surge warning for Alabamas coast and Mobile Bay late Sunday and increased the possible amount of surge that will be possible. Areas from Ocean Springs, Miss., to Dauphin Island and Mobile Bay could see 6 to 9 feet of surge. Areas from Dauphin Island to the Florida state line could see 4 to 7 feet (it was 2 to 4 feet). Sally is forecast to move inland and turn to the northeast, crossing over Alabama on Wednesday and Thursday as a tropical storm or depression. Forecasters are more and more concerned about the potential for what they called dangerous and potential historic inland flooding from Sally. Eight to 16 inches of rain will be possible closer to the coast, with isolated areas getting up to 2 feet of rain. The rest of Alabama could see up to 10 inches of rain from Sally as well, and flash flood watches have been issued as far inland as central Alabama. Southwest Alabama is in line to receive the most rain from Sally, but parts of central Alabama could get up to 10 inches as well. Here's the latest forecast from the National Weather Service. Heres a look at what to expect by region from Sally: SOUTH ALABAMA The National Weather Service is warning of potentially "historic" flooding from Sally. Alabamas coastal areas and southwest Alabama are in line to receive some of Sallys worst weather, and a hurricane watch was upgraded to a hurricane warning earlier Monday. The hurricane center said hurricane conditions could to begin in the hurricane warning area by late Tuesday. Coastal areas continue to be under a storm surge warning. Storm surge forecasts continue to increase as of Monday. Now 6 to 9 feet of surge will be possible on Dauphin Island and Mobile Bay and 4 to 7 feet will be possible from Dauphin Island eastward to the Florida state line: Forecasters keep increasing the amount of storm surge that will be possible for Alabama. Water is already rising along the coast as of Monday: Waters continue to rise along the coastline this morning. Expect to see similar scenes occurring along our coasts as #Sally approaches the coastline today and tomorrow. Always remember to turn around, don't drown! https://t.co/sxjOYzYrli NWS Mobile (@NWSMobile) September 14, 2020 The National Weather Service in Mobile is warning that there is the potential for historic flooding in southwest Alabama as Sally approaches the Gulf Coast and slows down. We are looking at a dangerous, potentially historic flooding rainfall event, forecasters said Monday. Ten to 20 inches of rain will be possible for parts of southwest Alabama, primarily along and southwest of a line from Toxey to Navarre Beach, Fla., forecasters said. Isolated areas could get up to 25 inches. A flash flood watch will be in effect through early Thursday morning for southwest and south-central Alabama. The weather service said the heaviest rain and greatest flooding potential will come on Tuesday and Wednesday. Storm surge, damaging winds up to hurricane force (74 mph or higher) and tornadoes will also be possible over the next several days. It is extremely important to stay vigilant and have an action plan in place as short term adjustments to track and intensity can still occur, the weather service said. Forecasters expect the weather in south Alabama to really go downhill on Tuesday and rain, high surf and dangerous rip currents will all be present through the middle of the week. CENTRAL ALABAMA Sally will make its presence felt the most for central Alabama on Tuesday through Thursday as the weakening storm, likely a tropical depression by that point, crosses the state from west to east. The National Weather Service in Birmingham is also concerned about flooding across central Alabama. A more significant flash flooding event is looking more probable for portions of Central (Alabama), forecasters said Monday. A flash flood watch will be in effect from 1 a.m. Wednesday through 7 a.m Thursday. Its been expanded to include more of central Alabama. Areas between Interstates 20 and 85 are in line right now to get the heaviest rain, which could range from 4 to 9 inches through Thursday, which is a decrease from earlier today. The rest of the region could expect to see 3 to 6 inches of rain through Thursday with locally higher amounts. The weather service said tornadoes will also be possible as Sally passes through, most likely in southern and southeastern parts of the region, though that may change depending on the environment and Sallys track. Gusty winds of 30-40 mph will also be possible on Wednesday and Thursday, the weather service said. The wind combined with the heavy rain could also bring down trees and knock out power. Sally is expected to move out of the region by Friday, and drier and cooler weather is expected this weekend. NORTH ALABAMA North Alabama will be on the receiving end of heavy rain from Sally as it tracks across the state on Wednesday and Thursday, likely as a tropical depression. The track has been shifted southward today, which will lessen some of the effects for north Alabama if it holds, forecasters said. The National Weather Service in Huntsville said 1 to 4 inches of rain will be possible from Wednesday through early Friday from Sally, with isolated areas possibly getting more. That much rain could cause flash flooding. If the current track forecast holds it would put the higher threat for tornadoes south of the region according to forecasters. Gusty winds will also be possible at times with tropical showers moving through. The rain and winds could combine to bring down a few trees and power lines through Friday, forecasters said. The rain is forecast to move out on Friday, setting the stage for what could be a really nice weekend with cooler and drier weather and a taste of fall, the weather service said. Sally is of the most concern to the U.S., but the tropical Atlantic is nearly full as of Monday, with a historic five storms: Paulette, Rene, Sally, Teddy and now Vicky: In addition to Sally forecasters are tracking Hurricane Paulette, Tropical Storms Teddy and Vicky, Tropical Depression Rene, and two other tropical waves. Paulette made landfall in Bermuda overnight but was moving away on Monday. None of the other systems is expected to affect land in the next few days. As heavy smoke from wildfires continued to cover much of Oregon Tuesday, some people were opting to leave the area, but many people seemed to be staying home, waiting for the air to clear. The air quality in the Portland area and through the Willamette Valley remained in the unhealthy to hazardous range Tuesday, but on some parts of the Oregon Coast, air quality was beginning to improve. The air quality and smoke has actually improved a lot along the coast this morning, Tyler Kranz, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Portland said Tuesday. And some people were definitely heading that way. Drove to the North Coast on Sunday for a day trip. It was wonderful, tweeted Paul Hoffman in response to a question from The Oregonian/OregonLive. Air quality much better at the coast. Judging by the traffic that was heading back to Portland, Id say a lot of people went to the coast on Saturday, he said. Reader board near Cannon Beach warned about heavy traffic. There was not heavy traffic on Sunday but must have been earlier in the week. But others said they opted to stay. We stayed here in Eugene, but I can understand fleeing, tweeted Bettina Cornwell. Most other places in Oregon are also suffering from air quality issues, Cornwell said, adding she would not want to put any more pressure on temporary accommodations for people who have been forced to evacuate. And while there were places farther afield where the air quality was substantially better, a Kama Simonds, a spokesperson for the Portland International Airport said while people might be dreaming of escaping the smoke by air, Were not seeing an uptick in travel numbers beyond the slow, gradual return to travel during the pandemic. Alaska Air canceled flights on Monday and Tuesday morning due to smoke, Simonds noted, but flights were scheduled to resume Tuesday afternoon and there had been no other changes to operations at the airport. The Portland area isnt done with smoky skies. The National Weather services predicted smoke would begin to clear Thursday night. -- Lizzy Acker 503-221-8052, lacker@oregonian.com, @lizzzyacker Vietnam has jailed four people for helping to smuggle 39 of the country's citizens to the UK - where they suffocated to death in the back of a lorry. Nguyen Quoc Thanh, 26, Nguyen Thi Thuy Hoa, 36, Tran Dinh Truong, 35, and Nguyen Xuan Trieu, 24, were sentenced to a total of 51 years in prison at a court in the city of Ha Tinh, in central Vietnam, on Monday. Three others - 53-year-old Vo Van Ky, 68-year-old Vo Van Ho, and 53-year-old Le Van Hue - were given suspended sentences totalling three and a half years. All seven defendants were charged with 'illegally sending people abroad'. It comes after 39 migrants - 29 men, eight women and two teenage boys, all from Vietnam - were found dead in the back of a refrigerated lorry in Grays, Essex, in October last year. Vietnam has sentenced four people - Nguyen Quoc Thanh (standing far left), Nguyen Xuan Trieu (seated second left) Nguyen Thi Thuy Hoa (standing second right) and Tran Dinh Truong (standing far right) to a total of 51 years in jail for people smuggling The sentences come after 39 Vietnamese migrants were found suffocated to death in the back of a refrigerated lorry in Essex, in the UK, in October last year Three other Vietnamese - including Vo Van Ho, 68 (pictured) - were also sentenced over the smuggling operation, but were given suspended sentences All seven defendants were sentenced for 'illegally sending people abroad' as part of an international smuggling ring that has also seen arrests in the UK, Belgium and France The migrants had been taken to the UK via Belgium, where they were lodaed inside a container that as driven to the port of Zeebrugge. Once at the port, the container was loaded on a ferry bound for Purfleet, in Essex. Police say the plan was then to take the container eight miles to Collingwood Farm, where the migrants would be unloaded and driven away in a 'fleet' of cars. But a short time later emergency services were called to an industrial park in nearby Grays after it was discovered that the migrants inside the container had died. Ronan Hughes, 40, has pleaded guilty to manslaughter of Vietnamese migrants who were found dead in a lorry container in Essex The driver of the lorry - 25-year-old Maurice Robinson, from Northern Ireland - was arrested and charged with murder, but has since pleaded guilty to manslaughter. Haulier Ronan Hughes, 40, pleaded guilty to the same charges last month. Both are awaiting sentencing Eamonn Harrison, 23, who is accused of driving the container through Belgium, has also appeared in court but pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiring to assist unlawful immigration. He is due to go on trial in October. Speaking after the verdict in Vietnam, Nguyen Dinh Gia - who lost his 20-year-old son Luong in the tragedy - said he believed the defendants should not have been given jail terms. 'The people involved were just trying to help and then the accident happened,' he said, adding that he had not known the trial was taking place. 'He was an adult who made his own decision and joined the trip voluntarily, with the aim to improve his life, earning money to alleviate our poverty.' Eamon Harrison, 23, from County Down, is the man believed to have delivered the ill-fated container to Zeebrugge, Belgium, and was charged with 39 counts of manslaughter today. Mo Robinson, 25, who picked it up, has already appeared in court accused of the same thing The victims including 10 teenagers have been identified as coming from various provinces of Vietnam with the youngest being two boys aged 15. Pictured: The industrial park in Grays, Essex where the 39 people were found It had been alleged that Hughes played a leading role in the operation, with his trailers (pictured, the truck which carried the migrants) and drivers used to transport migrants Gia said his son had wanted to travel to Britain from France, where he had been living illegally since 2018. The journey to Britain, where he aimed to look for work in a nail salon, would have cost him around 11,000 pounds ($14,000). 'It has been almost a year but whenever I think about this, it's still painful,' Gia said. Luong and the majority of the other migrants came from a handful of poor central provinces, hotspots for illegal migration to Europe. The lorry carrying the victims - including two 15-year-old boys - arrived on a ferry from the Belgian port of Zeebrugge in the early hours of October 23. They died from lack of oxygen and overheating, according to post-mortem examinations. A number of people have been arrested and charged in Britain, France and Belgium in connection with the case. The victims were were from five provinces in the central, coastal area of Vietnam and two provinces near Hanoi Donald Trump and three Middle East leaders were all smiles as they signed historic peace accords at the White House on Tuesday. But experts warn the agreements are missing their most important peace and could spawn further instability in the volatile region. The US president sat beside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the Oval Office and declared the "Abraham Accords" will deliver "peace without blood all over the sand" throughout the Middle East. Minutes earlier, he sat in the same place with Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, UAE's foreign affairs minister, and predicted "real peace" soon would break out across the region. Mr Trump, in his usually direct way, cut right to the chase during a ceremony on the White House's South Lawn where the three countries, along with Bahrain, inked the first Middle East peace pacts in decades. "We are here this afternoon to change the course of history. After decades of division and conflict we marked the dawn of a new Middle East," Mr Trump said from the executive mansion's Truman Balcony. "Thanks to the great courage of the leaders of these three countries we take a major stride toward a future in which people of all faiths and backgrounds live together in peace and prosperity." A few minutes later, Mr Al Nahyan was just as optimistic about the meaning of the accords. "I stand here today to extend a hand of peace and receive a hand of peace. In our faith, we say, 'Oh God, you are peace and from you comes peace.' The search for peace is an innate principle, yet principles are effectively realised when they are transformed into action," he said from behind the familiar blue US presidential lectern. "Today, we already ... are witnessing a change in the heart of the Middle East, a change that will send hope around the world." Even the normally hawkish Mr Netanyahu, who at times has frustrated Republican and Democratic administrations and lawmakers in Congress for decades with what they have seen as his overly aggressive actions, declared a new era. "This day is a pivot of history. It heralds a new dawn of peace. For thousands of years, the Jewish people have prayed for peace. For decades, the Jewish state has prayed for peace and this is why today we are filled with such profound gratitude," he said. "The blessings of the peace we make today will be enormous. First because this peace will eventually expand to include other Arab states, and ultimately, it can end the Arab-Israeli conflict once and for all." If only it was that simple. If only decades centuries, even of distrust and conflict could be washed away by three signatures on a handful of documents. Experts say there is much more work ahead and a myriad unresolved issues. Chief among them is the missing peace to a truly meaningful Middle Peace plan: the Palestinian question. "Supporters of the deal argue that the Arab states' declarations have overturned the historically held notion that a stable Arab world, in which Israel is fully accepted, would only occur after finding a solution to the Palestine question," HA Hellyer, of the Royal United Services Institute in London and the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in Washington, said. "But this new narrative overlooks a crucial set of issues that will not disappear, even if they may seem distant to those watching from thousands of miles away," he said. "Within the region, the siege of the Gaza Strip, the expansion of settlements in the West Bank, and the denial of a solution to the refugee issue remain an open wound for the Arab public." Buy the fighter jets All would require substantial reversals or concessions by Mr Netanyahu and the Israeli government. The Israeli leader has said he is open to talks, but Palestian officials counter that he has done little to convince them he is ready for serious talks that would fulfill enough of their demands. Mr Trump, who is hailing himself just months from Election Day as a once-in-a-generation peacemaker who deserves a second term to finish the Middle East peace push he started, has shown little interest or willingness to try forcing Mr Netanyahu to seriously meet Palestinian leaders at the negotiating table. One line of thinking behind the Abraham Accords is what they unlock including the freer flow of investment dollars and whether it will compel other Arab states to seek their own agreements with Israel. Another is that UAE and Bahraini officials could lean on their Palestinian counterparts to return to the table. But there are few reasons to expect that after just these two agreements. Experts say it likely would take a true regional heavyweight like Saudi Arabia to enter into normalisation talks with the Jewish state to amass that kind of influence. For now, each state had other reasons for making a deal now that was more about their own self-interests. "While Israel is largely driven by security interests and could deepen cooperation with the UAE to counter mutual threats including the Muslim Brotherhood, Iran's Axis of Resistance, and other Arab and African countries the UAE seeks to amplify its power projection across the Gulf of Aden, the Red Sea, and the eastern Mediterranean, enhancing its posture vis-a-vis Iran and Turkey, and bolstering the connectivity of its maritime assets for economic gains," according to Ibrahim Jalal of the Middle East Institute. "I would have no problem in selling them the F-35. I would have absolutely no problem," Mr Trump told the Fox News Channel's morning crew a few hours before the ceremony. Notably, he floated a carrot before other Middle Eastern countries as he tries to build upon the Abraham Accords. "They're very wealthy countries for the most part, like the UAE, and they would like to buy the fighter jets, and I personally would have no problem with it," Mr Trump said. "Some people do, they say, maybe they go to war." Less pan-Arab cooperation What's more, some regional analysts see the collective move by the UAE and Bahrain as one declaring their partial independence from the greater Arab world. Before Mr Trump might, if he is re-elected, get a chance to build on the deals signed on Tuesday, that splinternig could cause him new headaches. "Less pan-Arab cooperation, combined with a US determination to lighten its footprint in the region, is likely to create different regional dynamics," said Jon Alterman of Washington's Center for Strategic and International Studies. "It is worth pointing out that other regions have found regional cooperative organizations such as the European Union, Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Organization of American States, and African Union useful ways to deal with problems," he added. "The League of Arab States will go through a period of redefinition and refocus, and while some of that is overdue, some may be destabilizing." Mr Trump said before signing the accords that he "offered America's friendship, I offered America's help but I said clearly that the nations of the regions had to decide what kind of a future they wanted for their children and for their families and for their nation itself [because] no one could make that choice for them; they had to do that themselves." Agreement-signing ceremonies make for grand speeches with memorable rhetorical flourishes. But a second-term Mr Trump would quickly be a lameduck diplomat-in-chief with much less capital and sway at home and abroad. Then again, second-term US presidents often secure their biggest foreign policy achievements after being re-elected. If he wins in November, however, Mr Trump would learn Washington's "friendship" alone will not help foster Middle East peace. At some point, he would have to get directly involved with his alleged "Art of the Deal" negotiating skills that have gotten him little when working with Democrats at home. The Congress on Tuesday gave an adjournment motion notice in Parliament over a media report that claimed China is monitoring over 10,000 Indians including several political leaders. The notice was moved by two Congress MPs Manickam Tagore and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury demanding discussion over the issue. Tagore cited a news report published in a leading Indian daily which stated that the Chinese government and military are watching over thousands of Indians which include politicians, bureaucrats, journalists, and people belonging to fields of academics in its global database of foreign targets. Click here to follow Parliament live coverage Calling it a deep mining operation, Congress leader Shashi Tharoor also spoke about the issue yesterday. Chinese authorities looking at the details of 10,000 Indians is no small thing, he said. The Congress also urged the Centre to step up its efforts on cyber security for confronting Chinas intentions. The monsoon session of the Parliament began on Monday and is slated to conclude on October 1 without any day off. Both the Houses of Parliament will sit for four hours daily adhering to precautionary measures against Covid-19. (With inputs from agencies) Subscriber content preview YAKIMA (AP) A dispute between Washington state dairies and the Environmental Protection Agency over groundwater contamination is being argued in federal court. The Yakima Herald-Republic reported Sunday that a 2012 EPA study linked a handful of dairies near Granger and Sunnyside to groundwater pollution. . . . The Miss Ghana 2020 Beauty Pageant came to a successful end on the 21st of August 2020, with Miss Monique Mawulawe Agbedekpui being crowned the winner. Miss Monique, an alumna of the BlueCrest University College described her journey to becoming Miss Ghana 2020 as an exhilarating one even though it wasn't easy. She expressed her gratitude for this opportunity and shes ecstatic about representing Ghana at the Miss World 2020 Pageant set to take place in 2021. Alumni of Bluecrest University College wins Miss Ghana 2020 Source: Original Miss Monique Mawulawe Agbedekpui graduated from the BlueCrest University College in 2018 after attaining a Higher Diploma in Fashion & Design. We vividly remember her journey here as a student. Her willingness to participate in school activities, fashion shows, and many more. We remember how she would always model for her Predecessors during the schools fashion shows while she was a student and even after she completed her Diploma program. Its amazing to see her be an inspiration to other younger ladies and assuring them that they can be whoever they decide to be. Alumni of Bluecrest University College wins Miss Ghana 2020 Source: Original She made an impact in the lives of her colleagues during her time here, and shes remembered by her lecturers for her calm but strong personality, and her zeal to learn. Today, BlueCrest College celebrates Miss Moniques achievements by awarding her the BlueCrest Rectorial Scholarship. The Rector of the school, Dr. Anand Agrawal expressed how proud he was of Miss Monique, and her ability to exhibit attributes that are part of the BlueCrest pillars, Leadership, and Innovation. Alumni of Bluecrest University College wins Miss Ghana 2020 Source: Original Miss Monique expressed her appreciation to her alma mater for the love, and for also grooming her during her days as a student. She encouraged us never to look down on ourselves. The journey wasnt easy, I tried my best and God did the rest. If you have a dream or ambition never look down on yourself. Take a step, believe you can, and you surely will. It is true that when you come to BlueCrest University College with a dream we help you leave with a future. Congratulations once again Miss Monique Mawulawe Agbedekpui on being crowned Miss Ghana 2020. We are delighted to have you as a part of the BlueCrest College family and we wish you the best of luck in your future endeavors. Have national and human interest issues to discuss? Know someone who is extremely talented and needs recognition? Your stories and photos are always welcome. Get interactive via our Facebook page. Source: YEN.com.gh Oil prices appreciated Tuesday after the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) said that world oil demand would fall by 9.46 million barrels per day (bpd) in 2020. OPEC said there will be a decline in demand in its monthly report for September, released on Monday. In its previous forecast, the oil cartel put the decline at 9.06 million bpd. The global oil cartel said the crude oil production by the 13-member organisation increased by 760,000 bpd to an average 24.05 million bpd in August. Crude oil output increased mainly in Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, Algeria and Angola, while production decreased primarily in Iraq, OPEC said, in the report. Details of the report showed that 2021 oil demand is expected to rise by 6.62 million bpd, lower than previous forecast of 7.0 million bpd rise. Coronavirus impact remains challenging and requires coordinated policy action from all market participants including OPEC+, the cartel said. Forecast for global demand for its crude lowered by 700,000 bpd in 2020 and by 1.1 million bpd in 2021, due to higher non-OPEC supply view and lower global demand. August oil output rose by 760,000 bpd to 24.05 million bpd as OPEC+ eased supply cut; compliance rises to 103%. Price edges Crude oil prices edged slightly higher Tuesday afternoon after it recorded a fall Monday evening. As of press time Tuesday afternoon, PREMIUM TIMES check showed that the barrel of West Texas Intermediate (WTI) was trading at $37.86, gaining 1.61 per cent Tuesday. Brent Crude, against which Nigerias oil is benchmarked, was trading at $40.14, gaining 1.34 per cent. Britains armed forces will need to carry out some of the most radical and sweeping reforms in recent times to counter the threats from hostile states, jihadists and cyber warfare, according to the most senior people in the military. A state of permanent hostility has been created, with the lines between war and peace blurred through illicit actions by adversaries who have left the UK behind in some arenas of modern combat, said defence secretary Ben Wallace. Our enemies have studied our vulnerabilities and adapted far more quickly than us. The static concept of war versus peace no longer applies as we are contested on either side of the threshold of armed conflict on a regular basis. "Our values and interests are being challenged in the greyzone all over the world, he said. Speaking as the integrated review of defence, security and foreign policy gets underway, Mr Wallace stated that a future force must be one that maintains our leadership in Nato, but is more forward-deployed: deterring Russian activity in Europe; combating terror in the Middle East and the Sahel; and countering Chinese activity in the Asia Pacific. Talking on board the Royal Navys newest warship, HMS Tamar, Mr Wallace outlined his version of the future of conflict: This is the Swiss Army Knife of the Royal Navy, capable of everything from guarding our shores to anti-smuggling and counterterrorist operations. And it is the greenest ship in the Royal Navy to boot. The changes envisaged would mean that instead of mass and mobilisation, this future force will be about speed, readiness and resilience, operating much more in the newest domains of space, cyber and sub-sea, and working to prevent conflict, as well as winning it, said Mr Wallace. General Sir Nick Carter, the chief of defence staff, echoed the need for a new approach. But he also wanted to stress the essential facts of life and death in combat. While the character of conflict evolved continuously, the nature of war never changes. It will always be visceral, violent and about politics. "Ultimately, itll always require people to go head-to-head on the ground to seek a result and decision. It never changes, we should bear that in mind and history will underpin it, said Gen Carter. Britains military fight war if it happens, because that underpins the credibility and capability you need to operate. Gen Carter acknowledged there was a need for a new approach. These opponents no longer distinguish between peace and war, between foreign and domestic policy or for that matter between public or private. They now compete in all these different areas and they take great opportunity in blurring these distinctions." The defence secretary had claimed earlier that this review would be like no other. In the past, too many reviews were over-ambitious or underfunded or both. Too often the budget, not the threat, did the talking. "So we will pivot away from what we have become used to and instead reshape our armed forces to become a force fit for tomorrows battles, not fighting yesterdays, he said. Mr Wallace refused to be drawn on any possible cuts in numbers of personnel or any budgetary cuts. Julian Lewis, the chairman of the Commons Intelligence and Security Committee, has claimed that holding the review at a time of pandemic was "strategically illiterate. He said: For the medium- to long-term, they will be meaningless unless the government accepts, at the outset, that it cannot recover more than a fraction of the coronavirus expenditure by inflicting intolerable further cuts on defence, and should not try to do so. Albany, N.Y. Though Gov. Andrew Cuomo has repeatedly said he remains concerned the coronavirus could resurge in New York, he said today he wont ban trick-or-treating this year. Cuomo made the comments during an interview with News 12 Long Island. I dont think thats appropriate, Cuomo said, according to a transcript of the interview from his office. Im not going to tell you you cant take your child through the neighborhood. Im not going to do that. Cuomo said he would provide advice and guidance and then let parents make their own decisions. Whether Cuomo would weigh in on Halloween at all has been unclear. His office has only been willing to say that officials are monitoring data to guide any potential future decisions. Despite Cuomos comments, its still uncertain exactly what Halloween will look like. Some neighborhoods in Syracuse are already trying to figure out how to handle the holiday. Local experts are advising caution. Onondaga Countys health commissioner, Dr. Indu Gupta, doesnt plan to issue any policies on trick-or-treating, but she urged parents to think carefully before letting kids go door-to-door. Although the infection rate in the region remains low, its important to remain cautious, she said. Dr. Jana Shaw, a pediatric infectious disease specialist at Upstate Medical University, recommends kids stay home this Halloween. I would not want trick-or-treating to be an activity that would lead to an outbreak of Covid in our community and then kids wont be able to go to school, Shaw said in an interview with syracuse.com. For kids to stay in school is far more important to them and the community then getting candy. MORE ON CORONAVIRUS Coronavirus in NY: Cases, maps, charts and resources Should your kids go trick-or-treating in CNY during the coronavirus pandemic? Built to lead on indoor air, Syracuse Center of Excellence struggles for role in coronavirus fight Shaming the unmasked: McMahon says the heat on kids is tough, but could protect them Complete coronavirus coverage on syracuse.com Contact Kevin Tampone anytime: Email | Twitter | Facebook | 315-282-8598 Aleksandar Radovanov - Fotolia / Contributed Photo NEW HAVEN A city man faces up to a decade in federal prison after he was found in possession of a gun last year as a felon, according to federal authorities. Tyrell Cox-Henderson, 27, pleaded guilty Monday in Bridgeport federal court to unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. Amid the pandemic induced recession, a zoo in Chile has said that it was looking for Godparents who could adopt their animals. According to a Chilean news agency, Buin Zoo, on the outskirts of the capital Santiago, has urged people to sponsor the beds and boarding of animals like penguins, lemur and rhinos. The Buin Zoo is ordinarily one of the citys top attractions but it is struggling to stay afloat after getting hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the drop in the number of visitors started much before the pandemic. In October 2019, the country underwent massive demonstrations with protestors constantly engaged in looting and destroying the zoos property. Later in March, the entire zoo was shut due to corona, pushing the zoo further in recessions. Read: Good News: Zoo Successfully Clones DNA Of 40-year-old Horse, Shares Video Of Newborn Read: How To Add Visual Effects To Your Zoom Meeting? A Simple 4-step Guide Struggling to meet expenses Speaking to Chilean media reporters, Ignacio Idalsoage, the zoos director said that the home to 2,500 animals from around the world with massive appetites was struggling to find its $400,000 - $500,000 monthly operating costs. Elaborating further on the plight, he said that animals in the zoo consumed 400 kilos of apples and 1,000 kilos of fish each week, 2,500 kilos of meat each month, and 7,200 bales of oats and alfalfa annually. Talking about Godparents, he added that all those interested could pay $2,500 ($3) to $90,000 ($118) to receive photos, certificates, educational files and cuddly toys of 15 emblematic animals, as well as entry passes for when it reopens on September 29. Read: Good News: Pup Welcomed In 'K3G' Style; Zoo Successfully Clones DNA Of Horse; And More Read: Good News: Zoo Successfully Clones DNA Of 40-year-old Horse, Shares Video Of Newborn In related news, a 12-year-old boy adopted a Royal Bengal Tiger in Nehru Zoological Park, Telangana. Chinmay Siddharth Shah, who is a student of class 7th, visited the zoological park where he handed over a cheque of Rs 25,000 to zoo officials to formally adopt the beast named 'Sankalp. As per ANI, Sankalp has been adopted for a period of three months. Image credits: Pixabey Get the latest entertainment news from India & around the world. Now follow your favourite television celebs and telly updates. Republic World is your one-stop destination for trending Bollywood news. Tune in today to stay updated with all the latest news and headlines from the world of entertainment. HK informs families of violations of 12 residents, guarantees legal aid Global Times Source: Global Times Published: 2020/9/14 17:55:50 Hong Kong's Secretary for Security John Lee Ka-chiu stated that Hong Kong police and immigration authorities have contacted the families of 12 Hong Kong residents suspected of entering the Chinese mainland illegally and explained to them the related laws and regulations. He added that one of those arrested is suspected of violating the national security law for Hong Kong. In a signed article published on the official website of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) on Monday, Lee disclosed that the families of the 12 suspects will receive legal advisory services. The family of one of the suspects has received a certificate to appoint a lawyer, greatly reducing the usual 25-day procedure. Lee said the 12 suspects, 10 of whom were charged with making or possessing explosives and assault weapons, arson, riots and assaulting police, left Hong Kong illegally and were arrested in mainland waters on August 23 and are under criminal detention by the public security bureau. Lee said that one person among the 12 suspects was previously arrested on bail, surrendered his travel documents and was not allowed to leave the city after being charged with violating the national security law for HKSAR. Lee said that the case is under investigation, and that Hong Kong's public security authority protects the legitimate rights of criminal suspects in accordance with the law. Lee also stressed the principle that every person in any place must respect the laws of that place and be accountable for his or her actions. The HKSAR government will provide practical assistance for any Hong Kong resident suspected of breaking any law outside the city, in accordance with the actual situation and in accordance with the principle of respecting the local judicial systems of other places, said Lee. Lee pointed out that the HKSAR government does not want other jurisdictions to interfere in the law enforcement of the HKSAR and would therefore respect and not interfere in enforcement of other jurisdictions. Since last year, a number of people in Hong Kong, including politicians, have been arrested and prosecuted for glorifying, supporting and encouraging violence for their own political interests, colluding with foreign forces to harm national security, and advocating a sense of non-compliance, said Lee. He reiterated that anyone who breaks the law should bear legal responsibility and face up to it, which is better than a lifetime of absconding with the stigma of being guilty. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The probe would enter the atmosphere at about 6 miles per second, Mr. Beck said, falling through the skies of Venus with no parachute. As it travels through the region in the atmosphere where phosphine was discovered and airborne microbial life could be present, it would take readings and beam them back to Earth via the Photon spacecraft before being destroyed. Rocket Lab is working with scientists on which scientific instruments the probe and spacecraft might carry, including Sara Seager from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, one of the researchers involved in the discovery of phosphine. Although the probe could likely only carry a single instrument, there is a lot it could accomplish. Dr. Seager said they could likely put an infrared spectrometer or some kind of gas analyzer on board to confirm the presence of phosphine and measure other gases. Looking for other gases that arent expected could also be a sign of life, she said. Dr. Seager is also part of a team working with Breakthrough Initiatives, which is funded by Yuri Milner, the Russian investor. Over the next six months, her team will study what sort of small, medium and large missions could be sent to Venus in the near future to look for life. Rocket Labs modest mission is limited in what it can achieve. The probe will not survive long and it will likely not have a camera, meaning its scientific return will be brief even if meaningful. NASA is considering a pair of larger missions to Venus, one called DAVINCI+, the other VERITAS, and each would have many more capabilities. When you spend 100 times more on a payload, then you will get more science out of it, said Colin Wilson of the University of Oxford, who is part of a proposed European Venus orbiter called EnVision that aims to launch in 2032. A south Alabama substitute teacher was arrested Monday amid allegations of inappropriate contact with students. The Dale County Sheriffs Office announced the arrest 21-year-old Darius Salter of Midland City. Chief Deputy Mason Bynum said sheriffs investigators Monday morning were contacted by administrators with the Dale County Board of Education with information of a potential inappropriate relationship between a student and a substitute teacher who worked at South Dale Middle School and Dale County High School. Administrators promptly followed protocols and removed the substitute teacher from the classroom and notified the sheriffs office, Bynum said. By afternoon, sheriffs officials had charged Salter with two counts of possession of obscene matter. As the investigation developed, authorities identified multiple male student victims. Police and school investigators worked jointly to contact the victims' parents. "The investigation is still ongoing but based on our preliminary investigation all communication between the suspect and victims was done electronically,'' Bynum said. We do not believe any sexual contact was made between the victims and the suspect. As the investigation continues, we anticipate additional charges to be filed. Salter has been booked into the Dale County Jail. Hell have a first appearance hearing Tuesday morning. Here are todays top news, analysis and opinion. Know all about the latest news and other updates from Hindustan Times. Congress MP gives adjournment notice in Parliament over Chinese surveillance The Congress on Tuesday gave an adjournment motion notice in Parliament over a media report that claimed China is monitoring over 10,000 Indians including several political leaders. The notice was moved by Congress MP Manickam Tagore. Read more Rahul Gandhi attacks Modi govt over deaths of migrant workers Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday attacked the government for stating in Parliament on Monday -- the first day of the 18-day uninterrupted monsoon session -- that it did not know how many migrant workers had died during the coronavirus disease (Covid-19)-induced lockdown while returning to their native places. Read more CBI raids former J&K minister Lal Singhs premises in Rajbagh, Kathua The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Tuesday morning raided the residential premises of the former Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) minister and the founder of Dogra Swabhimaan Sanghthan (DSS), Choudhary Lal Singh, in Rajbagh and Kathua in Jammu, officials said. Read more Kangana Ranaut hits back at Jaya Bachchan, asks if her stance would change if Shweta, Abhishek were targeted Actor Kangana Ranaut has responded to Samajwadi Party MP Jaya Bachchans recent remarks against her and BJP MP Ravi Kishan, made during Tuesdays parliament session. Jaya had condemned comments made by Kangana, where shed compared the film industry to a gutter. Read more Toyota Urban Cruiser SUV to be launched on September 23 Toyota Motor has confirmed the launch date of its upcoming youngest urban SUV - the Urban Cruiser. Toyotas spin off on Maruti Vitara Brezza will be officially launched next week, on September 23. Read more Apples Time Flies event is today: No iPhones, brace yourselves for new iPads, Apple Watch After a tremendous amount of back and forth, and leaks and speculations, Apples Event is scheduled for later today. Apple had announced through a rather cryptic press release - Time Flies. Please join us for a special Apple Event from Apple Park. Watch it online at apple.com. This was followed by the time and date - September 15 and 10AM PDT (which converts to 10:30PM IST). Read more Pune Polices I can make it! post conveys an important message about road safety. Seen it yet? Some may recall the nursery rhyme on traffic lights thats taught to children. The classic, Green means go; yellow means slow; and red means stop! song is not just highly fun to sing, but also conveys a vital road safety message that is important in ensuring citizens safety. Now, the Pune Police has given a twist to this message with their haste makes waste post to remind adults how to correctly follow the traffic lights. Read more Covid-19: India at 80k deaths, cases move closer to 5 million Hindustan Times National Political Editor, Sunetra Choudhury brings you the top stories you need to know. Sunetra talks about the number of Covid-19 cases in India so far; 1000 daily deaths; Covid cloud on monsoon session as 29 MPs test positive; Manish Sisodia tests positive; Delhi govts special assembly ends in scare. Watch the full video for more details. Watch In January 2017, while walking to her familys house with her sister, Anishinaabe woman Barbara Kentner was struck in the stomach by a rusting trailer hitch thrown at her from a moving vehicle. I got one! she remembered hearing them say as they drove along. After a few months of struggling with her injuries, Barbara died on July 4, 2017 at 34 years of age in a Thunder Bay hospice. Three years later, the man criminally charged with throwing the trailer hitch, Brayden Bushby, is going to finally have his day in court. Until Friday, Bushby was to face a charge of second-degree murder during a three-week judge and jury trial in Thunder Bay, scheduled to start on Oct. 5. But on Friday, the Crown attorneys office announced Bushby would be getting a new judge-alone trial with the reduced first charge of manslaughter and a second charge of aggravated assault. The trial is to begin on Oct. 13 and last four days. Bushby was released on bail in November 2017 and pleaded not guilty to the second-degree murder charge last September. Kentners story has been a topic of national coverage over the past three years. Canadas biggest news outlets have written about it; it was the subject of an episode on CANADALANDs hit podcast, Thunder Bay, hosted by Ryan McMahon; and in Thunder Bay itself, it is a story most everyone knows. Despite this, Bushbys reduced charge was reported locally while the national media has still remained silent. I saw the news on Twitter retweeted by former columnist Tanya Talaga. I was immediately outraged, heartbroken, and maybe I shouldnt have been, but I also was shocked. For decades, insufficient sentencing for perpetrators of violence against Indigenous people, especially women, has been an issue. There have been hundreds of recommendations made by inquiries meant to transform the justice system over the years. The Calls For Justice issued in the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) Inquirys final report, for example, called for tougher sentencing when the crime involves violence toward Indigenous women. Perhaps it was naivete from hearing names like Colton Boushie and Tina Fontaine spoken about so often in the past few years making it feel like Canada had learned something from these cases. Maybe it is the constant talk of reconciliation and recent mass-protests of injustice that have taken place, but I really thought some level of change had been made in Canada. I didnt think I had to worry that Barbara Kentner and her family would not receive justice. Bushbys new trial on a manslaughter charge was a sharp reality-check that this is still not the case. No matter how upsetting this news is, I still feel Kentner can receive justice. On Friday I shared information on how to contact the Crown attorneys office in Thunder Bay, Patty Hajdu, MP for Thunder Bay-Superior North, and David Lametti, the minister of justice. I also provided simple email templates to make it easier for people to contact if they, too, felt the outrage and heartbreak. I strongly believe that even if it doesnt have any impact on Bushby's trial, it is important to let people in power know that we are angry, we are watching, and that there are people holding them accountable. Apparently, much of Thunder Bay felt the same way. In one day alone, over 1,700 people, both Indigenous and non-Indigenous, and mostly under the age of 34, have accessed the templates to email officials or have shared #JusticeforBarbara online and the numbers keep growing. Members of Kentners family have since reached out supporting this initiative. Having grown up as an Indigenous woman in Thunder Bay and knowing the racism that permeates the city so deeply, it was a response I didnt expect but one that makes me emotional to contemplate. Only a few years ago, I dont think the city would have had this response. And while it is clear to me that the courts and other institutions in the city are still far behind, perhaps, especially young people in the city, arent so. It makes me hopeful that people will continue to rally behind the Indigenous people who face violence in the city every day; that this momentum can continue and important voices will join the fight to seek justice for Barbara Kentner; that the violent racists of the city, those who we all went to school with and work alongside, will start to be held to account. New Delhi, Sep 15 : The tense relations between India and China has affected the investment of Chinese companies as the foreign direct investment (FDI) of Chinese companies in India has declined significantly in the last three years, Minister of State for Finance Anurag Thakur said in a reply to a question in the Lok Sabha. Thakur on Monday said, FDI from China in the last three years with FDI coming down to US $163.77 million in 2019-20 from US $350 million in 2017-18. Lok Sabha MPs AKP Chinaraj and S. Jagathrakshakan asked the Finance Minister about the total investment of Chinese companies in various sectors in India during the last three years. In response to this question, Minister of State for Finance Anurag Thakur shared the details of FDI of Chinese companies in the last three financial years. He told the Parliament that the total FDI inflow from Chinese companies in India in 2017-18 was US $350.22 million, while it declined to US $229 million in 2018-19 and further declined to US $163.77 million in 2019-20. Thakur denied about any intentions of not allowing any Chinese firm to invest in India. To curb opportunistic takeovers or acquisitions of Indian companies due to the current COVID-19 pandemic, the government issued Press Note 3 earlier this year, he said. A non-resident entity can invest in India under the FDI policy except those areas and activities which are prohibited, he said quoting Press Note 3. Chinese President Xi Jinping co-hosts a China-Germany-EU leaders' meeting in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 14, 2020, via video link with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, whose country currently holds the EU's rotating presidency, European Council President Charles Michel and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. (Xinhua/Li Tao) BEIJING, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- Leaders of China, Germany and European Union (EU) on Monday agreed to strengthen communication and cooperation to ensure the success of the upcoming series of major political agenda between China and the EU, enhance mutual trust, seek mutual benefits on a win-win basis and uphold multilateralism, vowing to bring the ties up to a higher level. That came as Chinese President Xi Jinping co-hosted a China-Germany-EU leaders' meeting Monday evening in Beijing via video link with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, whose country currently holds the EU's rotating presidency, European Council President Charles Michel and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. The leaders announced the official signing of the China-EU agreement on geographical indications (GI), stated their commitment to speeding up the negotiations of the China-EU Bilateral Investment Treaty to achieve the goal of concluding the negotiations within this year, decided to establish a China-EU High Level Environment and Climate Dialogue and a China-EU High Level Digital Cooperation Dialogue, and to forge China-EU green and digital partnerships. Xi pointed out the COVID-19 pandemic is accelerating changes unseen in a century, and mankind is standing at a new crossroad faced with multiple common challenges. It is only more imperative for China and the EU, as two major forces, markets and civilizations, to firmly grasp the general trend of mutual support and united cooperation in face of such situations, unswervingly promote the sound and stable development of the China-EU comprehensive strategic partnership, to inject more positive energy into COVID-19 response efforts, economic recovery and championing justice, Xi said. Xi proposed four principles the two sides should adhere to for developing China-EU relationship. First, China and the EU should adhere to peaceful coexistence. As there are no identical political systems in the world, the coexistence of multiple civilizations represents the normalcy. "The more firm the strength underpinning China-EU peaceful coexistence, the more guaranteed the world peace and prosperity," Xi said. Second, China and the EU should adhere to openness and cooperation. China is working toward the goal of fostering a new, dual-cycle development architecture with the domestic cycle as the mainstay and with domestic and international development reinforcing each other. "China will seek better interconnectivity and effectiveness between the two markets and resources on the two sides, to promote common development in a more robust and sustainable way," said Xi. Third, China and the EU should adhere to multilateralism. Xi stressed China is ready to work with the EU to step up dialogue and coordination at bilateral, regional and global levels, stay committed to a global governance outlook featuring consultation, contribution and shared benefit, defend the international order and system with the United Nations at the core, promote the political settlements of international and regional hot-spot issues. Fourth, China and the EU should adhere to dialogue and consultation. "China and the EU need to stay committed to the mainstream of cooperation, resolve misunderstanding through dialogue, overcome difficulties through development and properly manage differences." Noting China and Europe are important trade and investment partners to each other, Xi said the two sides should step up macro-policy coordination, take more measures and unleash more cooperation opportunities. Noting the agreement on GI was officially signed on Monday, Xi said the two sides should adopt a positive and pragmatic attitude, speed up negotiations on the China-EU investment agreement to achieve the goal of completing the negotiations by the end of this year, working to upgrade cooperation, facilitate the post-epidemic world economic recovery and jointly safeguard an open trade and investment environment. "The Chinese market remains open to the EU. More high-quality and safe EU agricultural products are welcome to enter China," Xi said. "The two sides should forge China-EU green partnerships," Xi said, adding that the two sides need to participate constructively in the global multilateral process of tackling climate change and protecting global biodiversity, support each other in running the UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow next year and promoting the 15th Conference of the Parties of the convention on biodiversity in Kunming to achieve positive results, and contribute to global sustainable development. The two sides need to forge China-EU digital partnerships, Xi said, adding that China has put forward its global initiative on data security, and hopes that the EU will work with China to formulate standards and rules of the global digital field and promote the sound development of global governance in digital economy. Xi said the two sides should properly address each other's legitimate concerns, adding that China follows closely the recent developments of the EU in 5G, foreign investment review, government procurement and competition policy. Xi expressed the hope that the EU will keep its trade and investment market open, foster an open, fair, just and non-discriminatory business environment and protect the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese companies. Since the outbreak of COVID-19, China and the EU have maintained close contacts in anti-pandemic and global health cooperation, demonstrating the significance and global impact of China-EU relations, Xi said. For the next step, the two sides should strengthen macroeconomic policy coordination and cooperation, maintain the stability of the global industrial chain and supply chain, and jointly promote the recovery of the world economy, Xi said. Xi called for strengthening vaccine research and development cooperation, to strive for making vaccines universally available global public goods, and fully accommodate the availability and affordability of the vaccines in developing countries. Personnel exchanges must be resumed in an orderly manner, and the cross-border movement of goods should be facilitated, Xi said. Xi urged actively carrying out tripartite cooperation with Africa on the basis of full respect for African countries' will, calling on the international community, especially multilateral financial institutions and commercial creditors, to take stronger actions on debt relief in Africa. Xi also clarified China's principled position on Hong Kong-related and Xinjiang-related issues, saying that the essence of the issues is to safeguard China's national sovereignty, security and unity, and to protect the rights of people of all ethnic groups to live and work in peace. "China firmly opposes any person or force creating instability, division and chaos in China, and meddling in China's internal affairs by any country," Xi stressed. "There is no one-size-fits-all path to human rights development in the world. There is no best way, only the better one," Xi stressed, adding that countries should priorly handle their own things. Chinese people will not accept "an instructor" on human rights and oppose "double standards". China is willing to strengthen exchanges with the European side based on the principle of mutual respect so that the two sides can both make progress, said Xi. For their parts, Merkel, Michel and von der Leyen said China is an important strategic partner respected by the EU. It is imperative for Europe and China to strengthen cooperation, jointly safeguard multilateralism, resist unilateralism and protectionism, and respond more effectively to various global challenges, which is in line with the common interests of both Europe and China and the international community. The EU is willing to work with China to strengthen dialogue, promote mutual trust, and push cooperation in the fields including economy and trade, investment, green economy, climate change, biodiversity, and sustainable development for more achievements. The European side was encouraged by the signing of the agreement on GI, welcomed China relaxing market access restrictions, expanding opening up, pledging to concluding the EU-China investment agreement negotiations within this year to inject new impetus into EU-China relations. The European side is willing to strengthen cooperation with China in international organizations, promote anti-pandemic international cooperation, maintain free trade, and promote the economic recovery in Europe, China as well as the world at an early date. On the human rights issue, the European side admitted its problems and expressed the hope to conduct dialogue with China based on the principles of equality and mutual respect to enhance mutual understanding and handle their differences properly. The leaders also exchanged views on international and regional issues including the Afghanistan and the Iranian nuclear issues, agreeing to strengthen communication and coordination and to make joint efforts in maintaining international and regional security and stability. WHO: European COVID-19 Mortality to Rise in October, November By VOA News September 14, 2020 The head of the World Health Organization's European branch says his organization expects a rising number of COVID-19 deaths in October and November. In an interview with the AFP news agency Monday, Hans Kluge said, "It's going to get tougher. In October, November, we are going to see more mortality." Kluge also warned that a vaccine would not herald the end of the pandemic. "I hear the whole time: 'the vaccine is going to be the end of the pandemic,' Of course not!" he said. "We don't even know if the vaccine is going to help all population groups. We are getting some signs now that it will help for one group and not for the other," he said. "And then if we have to order different vaccines, what a logistical nightmare." Kluge said the end of the pandemic will be "the moment that we as a community are going to learn how to live with this pandemic." There are more than 29 million COVID-19 cases worldwide and more than 924,000 global deaths from the virus, according to Johns Hopkins statistics as of early Monday. On Sunday, WHO reported a record one-day increase of 307,930 cases. The previous one-day new-case record was 306,857 on September 6, according to the WHO. The one-day record for deaths was 12,430 on April 17. The U.S. has more COVID-19 infections than anyplace else with over six million cases, followed by India with 4.8 million and Brazil with 4.3 million, according to Johns Hopkins statistics. An article in The New England Journal of Medicine suggests that universal face mask wearing "might help reduce the severity of disease and ensure that a greater proportion of new infections are asymptomatic." If that premise is correct, the article suggested, face mask wearing could become a form of inoculation "that would generate immunity and thereby slow the spread of the virus" during the global wait for the development of a vaccine. The daily number of new coronavirus cases reached an all-time high of 1,007 Saturday in the United Arab Emirates, surpassing levels during a May peak. Authorities warned residents last week to comply with preventive measures when daily infections jumped fivefold over a month ago. The British-Swedish pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca has resumed trials of its experimental COVID-19 vaccine after getting permission from safety monitors, the company announced Saturday. "Clinical trials for the AstraZeneca Oxford coronavirus vaccine, AZD1222, have resumed in the UK following confirmation by the Medicines Health Regulatory Authority that it was safe to do so," the company said in a statement. The pharmaceutical company paused the trials Tuesday because a volunteer participant became ill after receiving the experimental drug. The company issued a statement that day saying the pause in testing was a "routine action, which has to happen whenever there is a potentially unexplained illness in one of the trials, while it is investigated, ensuring we maintain the integrity of the trials." AstraZeneca's drug is one of nine vaccine candidates in late stage Phase 3 human trials around the world. The company began enrolling 30,000 volunteers August 31, and the vaccine was being tested in smaller groups in Brazil and in other South American countries before the trials were suspended. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (Agence France-Presse) Los Angeles, United States Tue, September 15, 2020 15:08 493 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c44f16f4 2 Entertainment Steven-Spielberg,Aaron-Sorkin,Netflix,The-Trial-of-The-Chicago-7,Toronto-Film-Festival Free When Steven Spielberg called up Aaron Sorkin and asked him to write a movie about the 1968 Chicago anti-war riots -- and the extraordinary trial that followed -- the "West Wing" creator had no idea it would launch in such divisive times. That meeting was in 2006, and the "The Trial of the Chicago 7" finally debuts on Netflix next month with a mouth-watering ensemble cast including Mark Rylance, Eddie Redmayne, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Sacha Baron Cohen. During that long stretch, "the world just kept more and more mirroring the events of the movie," said Sorkin, who took over directing duties after Spielberg dropped out. "This was before Breonna Taylor, Rayshard Brooks, George Floyd. This was before that. The similarities... are chilling," Sorkin told the Toronto film festival Monday, referring to African Americans killed by US police. "The movie was relevant when we were making it -- we didn't need it to get more relevant. But it did." The film depicts how in 1968 -- with opposition to the Vietnam War mounting, and Martin Luther King Jr. and Bobby Kennedy assassinated -- stone-throwing demonstrators clashed with club-wielding policemen as the stench of tear gas filled the air. In the ensuing trial, hippie defendants used humor, costumes and even song to condemn the political establishment, as a powerful judge ordered a Black Panther leader gagged and chained to his chair. "What we're seeing today, once again, is the demonization of dissent," Sorkin told an online talk. "We had been looking back at 1968... and saying, 'That was awful. But thank God we got through that. And we're better, we don't have to do that again'," he added. "It's like building a house, having it almost finished. And then a gust of wind comes and knocks it down." Hundreds were arrested in the 1968 Chicago riots that took place during the Democratic Party convention, overshadowing the doomed nomination of Hubert Humphrey and symbolizing a deep divide in the American people. A clip from Sorkin's movie shown at Toronto evoked demonstrators chanting: "The whole world is watching." This summer, the United States was gripped by massive nationwide protests over police killings of African Americans, with the "Black Lives Matter" message resonating around the world. In the extraordinary real-life trial that followed the 1968 Chicago protests, all seven defendants were acquitted of conspiracy but five were convicted of crossing state lines to incite riots and later won on appeal. They were also cited for contempt of court almost 200 times. The citations were thrown out. "The Trial of the Chicago 7" launches in select theaters September, and on Netflix from Oct. 16. Toronto, North America's biggest film festival, is taking place mainly online this year due to the coronavirus pandemic. It runs until Sunday. She spent the first year essentially in the audience, seeing art and music and making connections. Wherever I go, I look for where the artists are, said McKissick, whos now 33. I would look for flyers and things that were going on. I would go to shows and open mics and really just observe and talk with people about their work and get to know folks and whatnot. So I dont think I threw my first show until about a year after I moved here. Pilibhit, Sep 15 : The Superintendent of Police (SP) Pilibhit, Jai Prakash Yadav, has recommended suspension of the arms licence of BJP district vice-president, Amit Balmiki, following a report filed by Pilibhit police stattion SHO Shrikant Dwivedi. The SP has written to the District Magistrate Pulkit Khare to suspend the arms licence issued to Balmiki. The controversy began when Balmiki reportedly attempted to take unauthorised possession of a residential plot. The SHO said that in the 12-year-old dispute with one Dimple Gaur, over a 200 square metre plot in Dalchand locality, a Pilibhit civil court had ruled in favour of Gaur on February 19 this year. On August 31, when she began construction on the plot, located next to her residence, Balmiki arrived with 26 henchmen and obstructed work. After police booked both sides under sections 107/116(3) of CrPC, the Gaurs obtained bail against personal bonds, but Balmiki and his henchmen neither appeared before court nor sought bail, said the SHO. SP Yadav said based on Dwivedi's report, he recommended the suspension of Balmiki's pistol licence. Balmiki could not be contacted for his comment. Photo: The Canadian Press A WestJet flight from Calgary arrives at Halifax Stanfield International Airport in Enfield, N.S., Monday, July 6, 2020. WestJet Airlines Ltd. is now offering refunds to customers with European flights that it cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Andrew Vaughan WestJet Airlines Ltd. is offering refunds to customers with European flights that it cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A notification sent by the airline to travel agents states that travellers with flights to or from Europe that were scheduled to depart between March 1 and Oct. 31 of this year can be reimbursed within four weeks. The policy marks a shift from the airline's previous stance that offered flight credit or no-fee rebooking rather than reimbursement for trips that were cancelled as airlines halted the majority of their flights amid border shutdowns, quarantines and a collapse in travel demand. In June, WestJet adopted a similar approach to refunds for cancelled flights to or from the United States or United Kingdom. WestJet's policy stands in contrast to that of Air Canada, which has announced refund offers for travellers with flights departing from Europe but not for customers whose trips originated in Canada. WestJet did not say what prompted the change. The Calgary-based company said in its note to travel agents that clients with cancelled domestic flights or trips to Mexico or the Caribbean will receive information on refunds "at a later date." New Delhi: Regulator Trai on Monday ruled out any immediate regulatory intervention for OTT communication services like Whatsapp, Google Duo and Viber, and said time is not opportune to recommend a comprehensive regulatory framework for them -- dashing hopes of telcos that had been pushing for same rules to be applied to such players. The entire matter can be looked into afresh when more clarity emerges in international jurisdictions particularly the study undertaken by the ITU (International Telecommunication Union), Trai said outlining its views on the issue of regulatory framework for OTT (Over-The-Top) communication services. The move comes as a breather for OTT players, which have come under increasing scrutiny otherwise, but deals a blow to telcos' long-standing demand for parity and level-playing-field with such OTT services that cannibalise their own offerings. The Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) said it had been hopeful that the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) would address and rectify these "long pending market anomalies once and for all". The COAI rued that without a resolution of these issues, telecom service providers will continue to be at a "disadvantageous position" vis-a-vis OTT communication service providers, who are not subject to strict regulatory/ licensing framework as telecom companies are. OTT services refer to applications and services that are accessible over the internet and ride on an operator's network. Skype, Viber, WhatsApp and Hike are some of the popular and widely-used OTT services. In a statement, Trai said, "It is not an opportune moment to recommend a comprehensive regulatory framework for various aspects of services referred to as OTT services, beyond the extant laws and regulations prescribed presently." Trai further said that no regulatory interventions are needed for privacy and security related issues of OTT services for now. Trai said that market forces may be allowed to respond to the situation without prescribing any regulatory intervention. "However, developments shall be monitored and intervention as felt necessary shall be done at appropriate time," the regulator said. Trai had come out with a discussion paper on regulatory framework for such services in November 2018 where it had sought industry's views on multiple issues. These issues were similarity and substitutability of telecom service providers and OTT services, regulatory imbalance and non-level playing field between these two types of service providers, economic aspects, inter-operability, lawful interception of OTT services as well as access of emergency services from OTT. Telecom companies in India had long been demanding that OTT players be brought under the ambit of the regulatory framework, as they offer similar services without attached licencing obligations, conditions and levies (such as licence fee). However, OTTs argued back that a regulatory regime for them would stifle innovation. Of late, some of these platforms have come under increased scrutiny, and the government is seeking greater accountability from these firms. It is pertinent to mention that Trai had made it clear that the scope of its consultation paper would be regulatory issues and economic concerns pertaining to those OTT services that are ?same or similar? to the services provided by telecom service providers (TSPs). In a statement on Monday, the COAI said that while Trai's consultation paper two years back had posed various important issues like similarity and substitutability of TSPs and OTT communication services, regulatory imbalance and non-level playing field, "it appears none of these issues have been addressed by Trai in their current recommendations". "While, TSPs have to abide by a strict regulatory and licensing framework in order to provide the communication services, no regulatory/ licensing framework is applicable on those OTT players who offer similar communication services in the form of messaging, voice and video calls," COAI director general S P Kochhar said in a statement. "We are of the view that these OTT services are substitutable to the services provided by the TSPs and hence a case of non-level playing field exists," Kochhar said. He added that security issues, such as lawful interception which TSPs comply with, are not applicable on OTT providers "which remain a threat to the national security". "The same is true in case of the privacy and security norms which are applicable on telcos but not applicable on OTT CSPs who also offer messaging and voice/video communication services," he said. Trai, in its recommendations, said that various studies on appropriate business models are already under consideration in various jurisdictions and added that any regulatory prescription in haste could leave adverse impact on industry as a whole. On security and privacy issues, Trai noted that architecture of OTT communication service is evolving to protect the end users with encryption technology deployed in a manner which prevents intermediaries from getting the communication in a clear text or in an intelligible form. Trai felt that imposition of any requirements to cater to get the details of communication in an intelligible form or clear text would either lead to change in the entire architecture of such OTT services which might not provide the same level of protection as offered currently, or may require provisions which may make the agents involved in the communication vulnerable to unlawful actors. MONTCLAIR, N.J., Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Multi-platinum music icon Bret Michaels is named as the official 2020 Ambassador for the 10th Annual World College Radio Day, which is happening worldwide on Friday, October 2th, 2020. Bret Michaels is the Official Ambassador for the 10th Annual World College Radio Day on October 2nd, 2020 "In this difficult time, there has never been a more important year, or a better year, for the hope that college radio brings. It is the future of communications and, in a year like this, communication is key. Music itself is the soundtrack to life and helps drive us through these unprecedented times. When dorms and campuses may be quiet, this should be the time for college radio to be going strong," says Bret Michaels. His Life Rocks Foundation will be donating $10,000 in personal 'Bret Grants' to participating college radio stations around the world, matching the funds raised by the College Radio Foundation. Many college radio stations face severe financial difficulty and these grants will help them stay on the air. "Bret is a long-time supporter of college radio, someone whose extraordinary multi-faceted career and philanthropic efforts have already impacted so many people," says Anabella Poland, General Manager of WMSC FM at Montclair State University in New Jersey and President of CRD. "In their early days, Poison received airplay support from college stations that helped songs like 'Talk Dirty to Me' get momentum on radio. Bret's passion and authenticity is deeply inspirational to the students." "As an alumni of KCPR college radio and a prime example of college radio being a laboratory for students to learn business, communication and teamwork, I can't think of a better ambassador than Bret Michaels," said Bruce Flohr of Red Light Management, which manages Michaels and other artists such as Dave Matthews Band and Phish. "Bret's entrepreneurship, collaborative spirit and love of new music makes him uniquely qualified to help guide the next generation with his advice, personal stories and experience." Some of these early stories are retold in Bret Michaels' debut book, Auto-Scrap-Ography: Volume 1, which is now in its fourth print run. The book marries the feel of a hardcover book with the immersive engagement of the digital age, sharing untold stories and never-before-seen photos from his epic rollercoaster ride of a career and life. Giving back has always been at the forefront, though, as demonstrated by Michaels recently receiving Hollywood's Humanitarian of the Year Award. A lifelong Type 1 diabetic, Michaels is known for his unbroken fighting spirit since birth. With over a million injections over his lifetime, a myriad of blood tests and more, he has never let anything stop him. It's that "bet on yourself" attitude and creative entrepreneurship that made him retain over 90% of his publishing and release his mega-successful albums as an independent label distributed by a major when labels turned down hits like "Talk Dirty to Me" and "Every Rose Has Its Thorn." From the lessons he learned along the way, Bret will be inviting college radio students to #askBret life questions and advice so he can help them navigate the challenges of life and find the unseen benefits in all they do. Tag @bretmichaelsofficial and @collegeradioday, using the hashtags #askBret #WCRD2020 #collegeradioday #globalsolidarityrocks. This year marks the 10th annual World College Radio Day, founded by Dr. Rob Quicke, professor of communication at William Paterson University of New Jersey. "Obviously, we never could have imagined the circumstances for our tenth anniversary. However, the students are eager to celebrate and will be participating at over 500 college radio stations in any way they can because they want to remind everyone that now, more than ever, college radio is still such a vitally important medium," says Quicke. "Bret couldn't have been more passionate and excited about this project, with true concern for college students and how they'll be moving forward." Set for Friday, October 2nd, the celebration will unite college radio stations from over 30 countries around the world to bring awareness to the work and value they bring to the broadcasting medium. This year the theme is Global Solidarity Rocks, taking into account the global collaborations that we do each year, but also reflecting on current needs worldwide, from the streets of Beirut to the race to find a cure for Covid-19 to all the teachers and students returning to schools with much uncertainty. Campus radio stations stand in solidarity with new artists, providing a platform for voices that otherwise may not be heard. Furthermore, student radio also unites in solidarity on causes important to their own community, whether it is restocking the food pantry or running a toy drive to bring a bit of cheer to local elementary school children. About World College Radio Day: The mission of World College Radio Day is to harness the combined listenership of hundreds of thousands of college radio listeners throughout the world and celebrate the important contribution of college radio by uniting for one day. The College Radio Foundation, a 501(c) 3 non-profit based in New Jersey, organizes the yearly event. For more information about College Radio Day and the College Radio Foundation, please visit: www.collegeradio.org. For more information about Bret Michaels, please visit: https://www.bretmichaels.com/ Contact information: Anabella Poland, [email protected] (973) 655 3135 SOURCE College Radio Foundation Related Links http://www.collegeradio.org In yet another irritant for Beijing, the US banned five exports from China's troubled Xinjiang region in a bid to curb use of 'state-sponsored forced labour' in the region.US banned five exports, it believes are produced in Xinjiang-based internment camps In another crackdown on China, the United States has banned cotton, hair products, computer components, and some textiles from Chinas Xinjiang province which are made using forced labour.By taking this action, DHS is combating illegal and inhumane forced labor, a type of modern slavery, used to make goods that the Chinese government then tries to import into the United States. When China attempts to import these goods into our supply chains, it also disadvantages American workers and businesses, said Acting Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Deputy Secretary Ken Cuccinelli. President Trump and this Department have, and always will, put American workers and businesses first and protect American citizens from participating in these egregious human rights violations, Cuccinelli said. The Trump Administration will not stand idly by and allow foreign companies to subject vulnerable workers to forced labor while harming American businesses that respect human rights and the rule of law, said Acting CBP Commissioner Mark A. Morgan.Todays Withhold Release Orders send a clear message to the international community that we will not tolerate the illicit, inhumane, and exploitative practices of forced labor in U.S. supply chains.The list of Withhold Release Orders (WRO) issued by the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) include products made with labour from the Lop County No. 4 Vocational Skills Education and Training Center, hair products made in the Lop County Hair Product Industrial Park; apparel produced by Yili Zhuowan Garment Manufacturing Co. and Baoding LYSZD Trade and Business Co.; cotton produced and processed by Xinjiang Junggar Cotton and Linen Co. in Chinas Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. Besides, Computer parts made by Hefei Bitland Information Technology Co. in Anhui have also been banned as Hefei Bitland uses both prison and forced labor to produce electronics. The series of actions CBP has taken against imports from China demonstrates the pervasive use of unethical and inhumane labor conditions in China, and CBP will not turn a blind eye, said Brenda Smith, Executive Assistant Commissioner of CBPs Office of Trade.Allowing goods produced using forced labor into the US supply chain undermines the integrity of our imports. American consumers deserve and demand better, Smith added. ALSO READ: India beats China, becomes member of UNs ECOSOC body This comes days after a bipartisan group of US Senators asked the CEO of Disney, Bob Chapek, to explain the companys cooperation with the Chinese authorities in Xinjiang during the production of the Mulan live-action remake.China has been criticised globally for cracking down on the Uyghurs by sending them to mass detention camps, interfering in their religious activities and sending members of the community to undergo some form of forcible re-education or indoctrination. ALSO READ: India, Japan agree to advance defence cooperation to realise free, open India-Pacific ShareBar Comments must be on-topic and civil in tone (with no name calling or personal attacks). Any promotional language or urls will be removed immediately. Your comment may be edited for clarity and length. (CNN) A defining trait of Donald Trump's presidency is his incessant destruction of reason, evidence and science in the service of his personal whims, conspiratorial mindset and political requirements. On a day when Democratic nominee Joe Biden branded him a "climate arsonist" and global warming burst to the center of the campaign, Trump again ditched research and data for his own wild hunches and odd theories about California's wildfires. And his counter-factual tendencies, which are responsible for widespread harm but are nevertheless embraced by supporters as germane to Trump's political brand, were at work on multiple fronts Monday with America under assault from concurrent crises. As wildfires swept across the West, causing dozens of deaths, destroying property and polluting the air with smoke, Trump abruptly shut down an official who warned that climate change was fueling the flames by saying the weather would soon start "getting cooler." Even by his own standards, it was one of the President's most shocking comments on global warming which he has previously referred to as a "hoax." A hurricane barreling toward New Orleans, meanwhile, revived memories of Trump's reported Sharpie doctoring of a government weather map to back up his false claim that Hurricane Dorian was headed to Alabama. Reaction is also building to reports that the White House has put a global warming skeptic in a leadership role at the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration, which is responsible for much of the climate research produced by the government. New reports emerged, meanwhile, of the President's spinners trying to cook the facts on the pandemic, about which he misled the nation and which will soon claim its 200,000th American partly as a result. Trump continued to flout epidemiological guidelines by cramming people into indoor events that risked spreading Covid-19, exacerbating disbelief and extreme frustration among medical experts. At a Latino outreach event, the President was the only person in a packed room who was socially distanced granting himself protection that his campaign stops are denying attendees. 'I don't think the science knows' These were just the latest occasions when a President who harbors bizarre theories on health, the environment and other issues often distilled from conservative media conspiracy theorists has turned away from the world-leading science and expertise that solidified US global leadership. For years, Trump has rejected the counsel of his own intelligence services and preferred propaganda from US adversary Russia. He pushed discredited therapies for Covid-19, such as hydroxychloroquine, that federal regulators spurned. His Environmental Protection Agency has sent a wrecking ball through regulations meant to save the planet. He withdrew from the Paris climate accord to accommodate his embrace of fossil fuel polluters and has overturned fuel efficiency standards for cars. But Trump's visit to California for a briefing on the fires that have consumed more than 3 million acres in a record year and have also ravaged other Western states was perhaps his most stunning climate change intervention yet. Trump doubled down on his theory that a failure to rake forest floors was responsible for creating tinderbox conditions. He cited an unnamed foreign leader who he claimed said they had mitigated their "explosive trees" problem by managing forest floors. A consensus of scientific evidence has found that while forest management is important, longer dry seasons and warmer weather, including at night, are worsening forest fires in places like California. A study last year in the journal Earth's Future found that between 1972 and 2018, California saw "a fivefold increase in annual burned area" and that "increased summer forestfire area very likely occurred due to increased atmospheric aridity caused by warming." Trump has no time for such science. After Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom acknowledged there needed to be more brush clearance, he also asked the President to "respect" the scientific consensus that "climate change is real." When another local official told Trump it was time to take "our head out of the sand" by relying on the forest management excuse, the President pounced. "It'll start getting cooler. You just watch," Trump responded. "I wish science agreed with you," the official replied. "I don't think science knows, actually," Trump said, closing the official down. The exchange was a flagrant example of how the President simply dismisses any information that does not fit his preconceived idea of a problem. While many of Trump's opinions do seem uninformed and not shaped by the almost limitless resources of the federal government, there is also a clear political motivation underscoring his responses. The President has fixed priorities: For instance, promoting big oil companies. Accepting that climate change is real would require him to take some steps to address it. Since he is loath to do so, the President finds that ignoring the problem and using his propagandistic Twitter feed, which is a gusher of misinformation and falsehoods suits him better. Trump's dismissal of science is a power move Rejecting the advice of highly educated scientists and expert government bureaucrats also sits well with the President's political image as an outsider and scourge of elite political, academic and scientific establishments. It helps to solidify his bond with supporters, who prize that image and may themselves share Trump's reluctance to accept changes to traditional lifestyles which a national effort to combat global warming, for instance, might entail. As such, Trump's dismissal of science and fact is not just a personality trait, it's also a key factor in the method he uses to build, wield and cling to power. A similar sequence of events has played out during the pandemic a once-in-a-century disaster that, as Bob Woodward shows in his new book, Trump decided to downplay to Americans for his own personal reasons in an election year. Trump's longtime hostility to mask wearing which scientific experts say is critical to slowing the spread of the virus was clearly rooted in hostility to what many of his supporters see as an infringement of individual rights. Trump then ignored science when he pushed states to reopen before the pathogen had been suppressed a development that helped unleash a wave of sickness and death across the Sun Belt. Now, Trump's indoor campaign events, like a crammed rally in Nevada on Sunday, are a huge act of defiance against the scientific community and the counsel of experts another political play. "The nerve he has, to hold that kind of rally. I'm speechless." Dr. Peter Hotez, dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine, told CNN's Wolf Blitzer on Monday. A scientific 'bible' corrupted by politics In a fresh indication of how Trump's political allies appear to be working his will inside government agencies that once prided themselves on their political neutrality, The New York Times first reported an extraordinary outburst on Sunday by Health and Human Services spokesman Michael Caputo, a former Trump campaign official. Caputo, who confirmed to CNN the statements made during a live video hosted on his personal Facebook page, accused career government scientists of "sedition" in their response to the coronavirus. He also claimed without evidence in the video that the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention experts had become "political animals" and given up science. A federal health official told CNN on Saturday that Caputo's communications team pushed to change the language of weekly science reports released by the CDC in a story first reported by Politico. The news came as another body blow to scientists dealing with the pandemic. "I find it abhorrent that political influences are trying and perhaps successfully inserting themselves into the CDC communications, which have always been a model of science-based rectitude, very, very rigorous," Dr. William Schaffner, an internationally renowned infectious disease specialist at Vanderbilt University, said on CNN's "The Lead with Jake Tapper." "They are the bible that everybody in public health reads not only in this country but around the world. We can't have them contaminated with politics." On the pandemic, and many other issues for which the US government was once counted upon for reasoned, scientific problem solving, it's too late for that. CNN's Maegan Vazquez contributed to this report This story was first published on CNN.com "Another presidential assault on science as fires and pandemic rage" Press Release September 15, 2020 SPONSORSHIP SPEECH "Philippine Digital Workforce Competitiveness Act" By Senator Joel Villanueva Mr. President and distinguished colleagues: I am privileged and pleased to sponsor Senate Bill No. 1834 or the "Philippine Digital Workforce Competitiveness Act" under Committee Report No. 113. This representation gentleman from Aurora, our seatmate, Senator Sonny Angara, are the principal author of this measure, co-authore Sen. Bong Revilla. This bill is in line with the broad vision towards Tatak Pinoy industrialization. Filipino enterprises, entrepreneurs, and professionals are empowered to move up the value chain, to produce quality goods and services, and to innovate. We speak of the 4IR, or the fourth industrial revolution, refering to the growing utilization of new technologies such as artificial intelligence, cloud computing, augmented reality, robotics, the Internet of Things, and advanced wireless technologies[1] in the way we live, we work and relate with one another. We were already having conversations, Mr. President, at TESDA about the rise of digital careers amid the 4IR back in 2010. We eventually partnered with the Animation Council of the Philippines, Game Developers Association of the Philippines, Philippine Software Industry Association, and other IT-BPO industry associations for the development of training regulations on Game Programming, Animation, and Programming using Java and Oracle Database, among others. Right after the roll-out of these training programs, we have heard success stories on how our graduates landed freelance jobs immediately. One of them was Omar Kevin Mohammad of Paranaque City. At first, he was hesitant to take up tech-voc because he thought that TESDA courses are "jologs". After much convincing from a friend, Omar enrolled in a Visual Graphics Design course. After obtaining a National Certificate III, he began gaining clients who sought his services as web designer. Tor Sagud of Cabanatuan City was one of our pioneer trainees in 2D Digital Animation at the Cordillera School of Digital Arts. His certified skills gave him opportunities to get local and international clients. Tor, now based in Baguio City, is working as concept artist, comic illustrator, and animator for various local and international studios. Tor has also published the book "IGOROTAK - An Illustrated Guide" and also started his own art studio, the "Studio Sagud". Idagdag ko lang po, dahil alam kong matutuwa si Sen. Sonny para sa kanyang isinusulong na "Tatak Pinoy". Ang kwento sa atin ni Tor, huminto muna siya sa pagtanggap ng mga animation work abroad para makapag-focus siya sa paggawa ng mga original Filipino artwork. Co-Chairman din siya ng Gripo Comics which is devoted to reviving the Pinoy Comics Industry. I met Omar and Tor in 2014. They told me how their skills opened up doors of opportunities for them, now that we are all experiencing the raging rivers of change fueled by digitization, augmentation, automation, among others. Last year, Schneider Electric's "Industry Internet of Things" innovations transformed its Plant in Rosario, Cavite into the Philippines' first Smart Factory. Schneider Electric believes that digital transformation throughout the industrial value chain is critical and essential to global competitiveness. This transformation provided more than 1400 employees in Cavite with training, upskilling, and reskilling opportunities to help them take on higher-value jobs[2]. The IT and Business Process Association of the Philippines also set its eyes into the future global trends of the industry. Hence, most IT-BPM companies have began to pivot to digital enabled services and higher value jobs. Their target is by the year 2022, high skill jobs are performed by 27% of their talents from only 15% in 2016. This is equivalent to additional 309,000 highly skilled workers.[3] In fact, IT-BPM is moving up the value chain in all sectors: Contact Center and BPO, IT Services, Animation, Global In-House Centers, and Healthcare Information Management, among others. Mr. President and distinguished colleagues: On the foregoing context and for the following reasons, we seek approval of Senate Bill No 1834 or the "Philippine Digital Workforce Competitiveness Act": First, to ensure the development of the country's digital workforce by equipping Filipinos with digital skills and with the 21st century skills. This will ensure that that Filipino workforce will benefit from the job opportunities provided by digital technologies (Section 4). Our bill defines "digital workforce" as "any natural person who engages in remunerated activity through the use of digital skills and digital technology, regardless of work or employment arrangement, whether as a regular employee of a company or as a freelancer (Section 3d)". Marami pong nawalan ng trabaho ngayong pandemya pero marami ring oportunidad dahil sa digital technology. Kailangan po nating pagtuunan ng pansin ang pagbibigay ng added labor value sa ating mga kababayan sa pamamagitan ng upgrading ng kanilang skills para makakakuha sila ng oportunidad sa mga digital careers o ma-promote kung nasa digital jobs na. Sa pamamagitan ng panukalang batas na ito, maisasakatuparan o mahihigitan pa ng DICT ang target nitong 500,000 uneemployed Filipinos sa ating mga probinsya na maging globally-competitive digital workers sa taong 2022[4]. Second, to establish an Inter-Agency Council for Development and Competitiveness of the Philippine Digital Workforce. The council will be the primary planning, coordinating and implementing body in the promotion, development, enhancement, and competitiveness of the Philippine digital workforce (Section 5). Third, to empower all local government units together with the Public Employment Service Offices (PESOs). LGUs will create local policies supporting and promoting the growth and development of digital technology and digital careers and innovations in their respective communities. This includes [though not limited to] providing incentives for technological innovations for agri-fishery industries and hospital care or public health services (Section 7). Bibigyang mandato rin ng panukalang batas na ito ang ating mga PESO hindi lang para magsagawa ng mga virtual job fair, kundi para bumuo rin ng mga localized digital technology at digital skills registry sa ating mga munisipyo (Section 8). Fourth, to enter into public-private partnerships with experts, information technology-business process outsourcing (IT-BPO) industry associations, private companies, and other stakeholders in the formulation and implementation of training, skills development, and certification programs (Section 10). Some of the programs that we included in the proposed measure are web development, online teaching, animation, content creation, digital marketing graphic designing, 3D modelling and CAD, game development, mobile application development, virtual assistance, business intelligence and data analytics, and transcription and data entry, among others (Section 10). We received a proposal from "Connected Women"[5], a Filipino job-matching tech start-up which offers online skills development and remote work opportunities to women. The group was awarded as champion in the e-employment category in the World Summit for Information Society (WSIS) Forum held in Geneva, Switzerland. Connected Women has an interesting training program called AIDA, short for "Artificial Intelligence and Data Analytics". They sought TESDA's accreditation to train at least 1,000 women. They equipped them with data labelling skills to take on basic data annotation tasks like image identification, categorizing, and labelling. Halimbawa, sa picture pong ito (refer to the PPT slide), i-a-identify po ng data labeler na ito ay kotse, ito ay bahay, ito train, ito kalsada, etc. After the training, the women beneficiaries can work as digital freelancers through the Connected Women web platform. Napakagandang pagkakataon ang programang ito para mabigyan ng digital career ang mga kababaihan. Fifth, the designation of the third week of June as the Digital Workforce Week (Section 11). This will promote awareness on evolving jobs and skills requirements in an era of digital technology and innovations. This will help disseminate information on government assistance, trainings and certifications, and digital career and business opportunities. Lastly, to develop support mechanisms like digital libraries, learning hubs and co-working or shared service facilities. Mr. President and distinguished colleagues: The failure to recognize and capitalize on the 4IR opportunities will impose considerable risks on our competitiveness as a nation. We need to pass this measure so that we can move beyond existing models of innovation, entrepreneurship, and digital growth. We need a legal framework to promote and strengthen digital careers, to institutionalize employment standards for digital career workers, and to enhance competitiveness through access to necessary trainings, skills development, and scholarship programs. In closing, allow me to state that while we are pushing this measure that will greatly advance the utilization of digital technology like robotics and artificial intelligence in many spheres of our lives, especially in the ways we relate, work, and earn a living, we already have set the "directional arrows" through the the "GMRC and Values Education Act". Thanks to our senate president Sotto, Sen Migs, chairman Wyn Gatchalian. That is another good news. We are confident that our people will not lose the values they cherish as we navigate our path through this momentous and transformational event in our history. Maraming salamat po. God bless us all. A woman holds a small bottle labeled with a "Vaccine COVID-19" sticker and a medical syringe in this illustration taken on April 10, 2020. (Dado Ruvic/Illustration/Reuters) Democratic Senate Nominee Says Hed Hesitate to Take CCP Virus Vaccine The Democrat nominee for a U.S. Senate seat representing North Carolina said he would hesitate to take a vaccine against COVID-19, which is caused by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus. Yes, I would be hesitant, Cal Cunningham said during a debate Monday against incumbent Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.). But Im going to ask a lot of questions. I think that is incumbent on all of us right now, in this environment, with the way weve seen politics intervening in Washington, he added. Cunningham said he supports the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the agency in charge of approving vaccines, but added that hes seen an extraordinary corruption in Washington. Trump administration officials have said theyre not being pushed to develop a vaccine, including Dr. Anthony Fauci, the head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Tillis criticized his opponent. We just heard a candidate for the U.S. Senate look into the camera and tell 10 million North Carolinians he would be hesitant to take a vaccine. I think that thats irresponsible, he said. We are not going to release a vaccine that doesnt have the effectiveness and safety that the gold standard of the FDA requires. In a statement after the debate, he added, While Cal Cunningham is fueling conspiracy theories to disrupt public trust in our nations greatest weapon in fighting COVID-19a safe vaccinethousands of North Carolinians are asking: why would Cunningham play politics with a pandemic? Ben Williamson, aide to White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, also criticized Cunningham. There are scientists up and down the U.S. government who have put their name by this vaccine processone of whom is Dr. Fauci. This is indefensible, Williamson said on social media. Pressed on his stance by reporters, Cunningham told them: If public health professionals sign off, then I will not hesitate and I would encourage others to do so. Tillis said hed have no doubt that a vaccine that got approved would be safe. Cunninghams position reflects that of top Democrats. Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) suggested earlier this month that she wouldnt take a vaccine approved before the Nov. 3 election. A senior adviser to Democratic presidential nominee Joe Bidens campaign refused the next day to say Biden would take a vaccine if one became available. Biden later told a crowd that he would take a vaccine, if it was approved by scientists. President Donald Trump called on both to apologize for what he described as reckless anti-vaccine rhetoric. FDA head Stephen Hahn told the Financial Times last month that his agency could approve a vaccine before Phase Three clinical trials are completed, if officials believe the benefits outweighed the risks. It is up to the sponsor [vaccine developer] to apply for authorization or approval, and we make an adjudication of their application, the doctor said. If they do that before the end of Phase Three, we may find that appropriate. We may find that inappropriate, we will make a determination. Polls show a declining number of Americans willing to take a CCP virus vaccine. Just 51 percent told Morning Consult this month that theyd take a vaccine if one became available, a drop from 72 percent in April. More Democrats than Republicans said theyd take a vaccine, and more Americans older then 64 said they would do so, when compared to other age groups. The poll of 2,200 adults was conducted online from Sept. 2 to Sept. 6 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 2 percentage points. Indian-origin US Senator Kamala Harris said she thought of her mother immediately when former vice president Joe Biden offered her to be his running mate on the Democratic ticket for the November presidential elections. IMAGE: US Senator and the Democratic Party's vice presidential pick, Kamala Harris. Photograph: Kevin Lamarque/Reuters. Trailblazer Harris, 55, has scripted history in the American political system by becoming the first black, first African-American and Indian-American to be a vice presidential candidate for a major political party. Her mother Shyamala Gopalan Harris migrated to the US as a 19-year-old young graduate from India in 1957 for higher studies. In multiple interviews, Harris has reflected on the profound impact her mother, a renowned cancer specialist, had on where she is now. "I thought immediately of my mother and what she must be thinking as she looks down on us," Harris said in response to a question during a fund raiser. What was it like to get that Zoom call from Joe Biden (last month), she was asked. Harris recounted how she and her team got a call that Biden wanted to talk and then got another call where she was told Biden wanted to do a zoom call. She described how she went in "our little makeshift office" and then when the call started Biden immediately asked her to join the ticket. After referring to her mother, Harris also described how husband Doug Emhoff's ear was on the door outside the room listening in on the call. Eventually Jill Biden and Emhoff joined the call with Biden and Harris. When asked how she will present her and Biden's vision for the first 100 days, Harris said the first thing is to "get the virus under control." "Specifically, we will create a pandemic board that will oversee testing. So that's about distribution, it's about testing is happening in an efficient manner. It's also about making sure we are investing in the tests that are most relevant in the tests that we are trying to accomplish, so for example rapid testing," she said. Harris went on to tick off economic relief through a series of executive orders "to strengthen buy American rules so that tax payer dollars support American products and supply chains." "Again, day one, re-enter the Paris Climate agreements," Harris said. She pointed to California, Oregon and Washington and said "all of this is predictable." She continued, "Re-engage our NATO allies. And this is again a real strength of Joe's. He has the experience based on a long history of being in the Senate and being a leader on foreign affairs and then of course eight years of being vice president." Harris said that she will send a bill to congress immediately creating a pathway to citizenship for our dreamers and the 11 million undocumented immigrants" Harris said. She said the administration would push a bill to "deal with systemic racism." "People are marching in the streets. Minnesota of course are experiencing this and there are reforms that are important that can be put in place so we can do things like ban carotid chokeholds, which of course would've saved the life of George Floyd," she said. A Biden-Harris administration would also introduce a national standard for use of force and national police standard oversight commission. There seems to be no respite from the constant fights and arguments that Kangana Ranaut is having with her colleagues in the Hindi film industry. The latest to be picked on by the Manikarnika actress is actor and producer Nikhil Dwivedi, whom she accused of contributing to 'item numbers, sleazy films, drug culture, treason and terrorism'. It all started when Kangana hit out at political analyst Manish Agarwal with the tweet, "The industry is not created only by Karan Johar or his father. It has been created by every artist and labourer, from Baba Saheb Phalke, the military who saved the borders, the leader who protected the Constitution, the citizen who bought the ticket and the audience. The industry has been created by crores of Indians." It must be noted here that the fact that the industry is created and functions as a collaborative effort with innumerable participants and that it cannot be branded as a 'gutter' is an argument used against Kangana Ranaut whose recent statements which were dismissive and defamatory of the industry. Replying to Kangana, Nikhil tweeted, "We have also bought tickets for your films, but if you do something wrong or right tomorrow, we can neither blame the whole film industry nor can we praise them." Resorting to her usual style of attack, Kangana replied, "What did you build? Item Numbers? Most of the sleazy films? Of drugs culture? Treason and Terrorism?" She added in another tweet, "The world laughs at Bollywood. It is a mockery everywhere in the country. Dawood has also earned money and name, but if you want honour, then try to earn it, don't hide behind black tricks." To this, Nikhil questioned, "If this was such an absurd place, what attracted you? You stayed here even after suffering so much. You must have seen something here right? We see the same thing right?" Kangana replied, "Yes, I was attracted. But because of the mafia which is persecuting and oppressing people here. They are bound to get unmasked someday and they are." Nikhil called out Kangana by tweeting, "You also know this is not true." He continued that he was also "attracted by the same good" that she saw. "I too came from outside like you, but did not get as much success. The talent and hard work you put in was more than me. But nobody stopped me from being successful, and nobody will stop you either. That's why you are what you are," he wrote. Finally conceding, Kangana admitted that what he said "is the truth," and wrote, "We all live for ourselves, whatever we do, we do it for ourselves, but sometimes, some face so much difficulty in life that he is free from every fear. The aim changes, it happens, this is also true." ALSO READ: Rhea Chakraborty Says She Thinks About Suicide; Kangana Ranaut Continues To Mock, Calls Her Vulture ALSO READ: After Mocking Celebs' Mental Illness, Kangana Ranaut Asks Why No One Cared For SSR's Health Author JK Rowling is once again facing flak from feminists and the queer community after she released a new novel with a distinctly transphobic plotline. Troubled Blood" is the fifth of her Cormoran Strike detective novels written under her pen name Robert Galbraith. It features a queer serial killer at the centre of the plot who is trying to murder a woman. A review of the novel by The Telegraph noted that instead of using the more accurate transgender", Rowling used the word transvestite", which essentially just means a man who likes to dress up as a woman. The phrase has slowly been phased out of usage due to its derogatory connotations. Not just the Telegraph, Vanity Fair also mentioned her transphobic" narrative as a turn-off. As former fans of the author would remember, this isnt the first time Rowling has referred to transgender persons as men in dresses". In June, she ranted against the use of the more inclusive term persons who menstruate instead of women who menstruate. Her transphobic rants and anti Self ID stance which says allowing transgender persons the right to self-identity will endanger the safety of women in public toilets. As always, Rowling has no statistical proof to show for these claims and beliefs. The reverse though - meaning transgender persons getting harassed in public restrooms opposite to their identified gender - has been well documented. This is also not the first time that the author has used a transphobic angle in her books Robert Galbraith books. The British author had previously faced flak for her portrayal of a transgender woman in the second installment of the books. Rowlings tweets have earned her further disgrace and hate on social media. The queer community completely debunked the author, who was also met with outrage from her cisgender fans. Readers of Harry Potter even compared her to the infuriating Miss Dolores Umbridge from Harry Potter and the Order of the Pheonix, the fifth novel in the famed series. jk rowling is now just the most powerful troll there is kakie like jackie (@kakiep83) September 15, 2020 real life footage of @jk_rowling being chased across twitter by the queer community for perpetuating dangerous, evil, outdated & unnecessary stereotypes to stoke prejudice pic.twitter.com/PeNOnMgfQt leo kaLyan (@leokalyan) September 15, 2020 Since the release of the book, Rowling has been trending on social media with many posting under the #RIPJKRowling hashtag to mourn the so-called death" of Rowlings career, which was imminent if she kept up such commentary. Her constant anti-trans commentary has also earned her the tag of a TERF - a trans-exclusionary radical feminist. TRENTON Mired in allegations it violated state law by holding a secret meeting to sell a historic capital city building, council faces fresh allegations that it disqualified a firm from competing for the citys million-dollar IT contract over an illegal vendetta. Trenton-based FCC Consulting Services, which has been the citys IT provider since 2015, filed suit against the city in Mercer County state court accusing council members of bid rigging, which is barred by New Jerseys Local Public Contracts Law. The council made it clear that they were strictly [discounting] FCC on no other criteria than its identify, FCCs lawyer Larry Hardcastle II said in a phone interview. Its pretty egregious to my mind. That law permits the disqualification of an otherwise qualified contractor if certain conditions are met and the contractor is afforded due process protections, Hardcastle wrote in the complaint. The Councils conduct constituted a de facto disqualification of the Plaintiff from being awarded the Operative RFP. Mayor Reed Gusciora did not immediately respond to a phone call seeking comment on the filing, which comes as council faces an ethics probe and a separate MCPO-led probe into allegations that it violated the Open Public Meetings Act over the attempted sale of the historic Roebling Wire Works building. The prosecutors office confirmed its also investigating the bid-rigging claims, first brought to the offices attention by at-large councilman Jerell Blakeley. The inquiry appears to center on comments South Ward councilman George Muschal made during the Sept. 3 virtual meeting. The Chris Carothers-owned firm wants Superior Court Judge Mary Jacobson to block the city from moving forward with hiring Maestro Technologies, which is being selected as Trentons new IT provider. The $1.5 million contract is up for councils consideration this week, records show. During Tuesdays workshop meeting, council voted 4-2 against Blakeleys motion to table the contract until the MCPO investigation concludes. Hired by the city in 2015, FCC says council member George Muschal pushed around his weight in order to get the city to illegally disqualify the company from being considered among bidders who responded to the Request for Proposal (RFP). FCC was twice picked by the administration as the most advantageous proposal, but the council wouldnt approve the contract because of an illegal bias against the firm, according to the complaint. Following through on his threat to take legal action, Carothers told The Trentonian in a previous interview he felt the legislative body treated his firm unfairly. Were not some rogue organization that does whatever it wants, he said. Ms. Vaughn has been on some quest and Mr. George, hes never really liked us from the beginning. Council President Kathy McBride wrongly blamed FCC for troubles at the Trenton Police radio room, including a high-profile gaffe when the radios stopped working during a bank heist. MPS Communications was responsible for providing radio-room services. Additionally, West Ward councilwoman Robin Vaughn wrongly blamed FCC for apparent IT issues that the school district had during the pandemic, the complaint says. The firm doesnt provide IT services to the Trenton school district. In a stunning bit of hypocrisy, Councilwoman Vaughn admonished that FCC should compete for the projects in the open market and allow the fair and open process to take place,' Hardcastle wrote in court papers. But the fair and open process had twice selected FCC. It was only by the Councils bias that stopped the FCC from being awarded the contract. State law requires the city to show that it has had prior negative experience with a contractor to disqualify them from competing for contracts. That wasnt the case for FCC, Carothers said, as his firm never received performance complaints from the administration. Further, the company has never been debarred or defaulted on a contract, according to the complaint. It has never has been found, through either court adjudication, arbitration, mediation, or other contractually stipulated alternate dispute resolution mechanism, to have: failed to provide or perform goods or services; or failed to complete the contract in a timely manner; or otherwise performed unsatisfactorily under a prior contract with Trenton, Hardcastle wrote. Despite FCCs apparent sparkling track record, members of the legislative body wanted the firm out as the citys IT provider for whatever reason. Legislators rejected the firms $1.9 million contract in March. The administration retained FCCs services during the COVID-19 pandemic while searching for a new firm. FCC was the winning proposal in December 2019, the complaint says. It again was selected as the best firm when the contract was rebid once the administration changed contract terms to a two-year deal with a one-year extension from a three-year term with options for two one-year extensions, the complaints says. In March 2020, the evaluation committee once again selected FCC as the most advantageous proposal to provide the necessary IT Services. Once again, the Council withheld its approval simply because FCC had been selected, Hardcastle said. According to records obtained by The Trentonian, FCC was the highest bidder at $2.9 million for three years, with the third year as an extension. Other bidders included: VTech Solution ($2.04 million), NJIT Professionals LLC ($2.1 million), HHW Group LLC ($2.62 million), Cloud Scale 365 ($2.68 million) and Ocean Computer Group Inc ($2.7 million). The FCC contract came to a head at the Sept. 3 meeting. Some legislators were incensed that the administration allowed the firm to stay on as the emergency contractor for months after it voted down FCC. During a heated exchange at the meeting, city officials warned Muschal that he was veering dangerously into potential criminal conduct. He wanted business administrator Adam Cruz to assure him the city would not put forward FCC once the Sept. 1 bids were evaluated by the selection committee. Ill withdraw the motion if Mr. Cruz says that the FCC is NOT going to be back on that list to be put on there for us for council. On the record. On the record. If its not going to be on there, Ill withdraw, Muschal said, according to a recording of the meeting. Councilman, I cannot make that assertion, Cruz said. There you go. There you go, Muschal said. This has been going on long enough, Mr. Cruz. Long enough. Councilman, if I was to say that to you without the committee reviewing the packages, I would be in collusion with you, so thats why I cannot make that guarantee to you. Legally, councilman, I cannot guarantee that for you. The lawsuit accuses the administration of caving to councils illegal whims. The mayors offices attempt to accommodate the Councils overt bias has irretrievably damaged the fair and open process guaranteed to FCC by the Local Public Contracts Law, according to the complaint. Previous Litigation History is repeating itself on the city IT contract, which has been a constant source of controversy. In 2015, competitor Associated Data Processing Consultants (ADPC) twice sued the city, challenging then-Mayor Eric Jackson administrations decision to award the $2.4 million contract to FCC, then an unproven IT firm. Jacobson temporarily blocked the city from approving FCCs contract in 2015 but lifted the injunction Dec. 4, allowing the council to vote 5-2 in favor of awarding the contract to FCC. Muschal and councilwoman Marge Caldwell-Wilson voted against the contract then. In the lawsuits, ADPC, which held the city IT contract for 28 years, claimed the evaluation process favored FCC. One of the lawsuit accused city officials of bias and cronyism. leading to the initial injunction. Former Trenton business administrator Terry McEwen and Carothers, the FCC president, sat on Rider Universitys Board of Trustees at the time, according to Trentonian archives. FCCs website touts McEwens testimonial endorsement of its services. During the time that I have worked with FCC they have become a valuable part of our organization. To say they are experts in their disciplines is an understatement. More importantly to me, they have made experts of those around them by guiding the activities of both City employees and other consultants alike, he said. They have action oriented people who think out of the box and have developed solutions to resolve numerous problems. J. Drew Procaccino, who teaches database design at Rider University, was brought in to validate and review the proposal submitted by FCC Consulting Services and other competitors. The competitor also claimed FCCs second proposal was defective because it didnt provide a business registration certificate, and a political contribution disclosure form was unsigned, according to the lawsuit. Carothers had donated a combined $300 to then-Trenton Council President Zachary Chesters 2010 election bid. In January 2016, a city employee tipped off The Trentonian that FCC failed to renew licensing for anti-virus protection that left about 600 municipal computes vulnerable to hackers. Carothers told the newspaper at the time his company quickly fixed the issue. That was already taken care of as soon as we realized what the situation was, the IT leader told The Trentonian in January 2016. We meet internally with the business administration on a weekly basis to go over issues. We cover all issues: what we think is a problem, how are we going to solve it and then we move forward. Editors Note: This story has been updated with background on the citys IT strife Volney, N.Y. A man has been charged with exposing himself to a U.S. Census Bureau worker in Oswego County. Daniel T. Mason, 66, of Volney, was arrested Wednesday afternoon by the Oswego County Sheriffs Office. He was arrested after he exposed himself to a census worker who had stopped at his 427 Silk Road apartment, deputies said in a news release. Mason was charged with public lewdness, a misdemeanor. Hes due to appear in Volney Town Court on Sept. 24. Staff writer Samantha House covers breaking news, crime and public safety. Have a tip, a story idea, a question or a comment? Reach her at shouse@syracuse.com. GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- Residents may soon have a chance to weigh in on designating a downtown city street Breonna Taylor Way. Grand Rapids commissioners at their Community Development Committee meeting Tuesday morning, Sept. 15, gave initial approval to set a public hearing later this month to consider designating Monroe Center Street NW after Taylor. Taylor, who was killed by Louisville police in March, is a Grand Rapids native. The street that would be designated in Taylors honor is located next to Rosa Parks Circle. Final approval for setting the public hearing is expected to come at the commissions 7 p.m. meeting Tuesday via a sweeping consent agenda vote. If approved, the public hearing will take place at the commissions night meeting on Sept. 29. The commission would then vote to approve or deny the designation at the next meeting following the public hearing. Taylor was shot and killed in her home in March by Louisville police. Police entered Taylors apartment and shot her eight times during a drug investigation. Officers did not find any drugs in her apartment. The person targeted by the warrant did not live there and was already in police custody. No officers have been criminally charged in her death. Also on Tuesday, the Associated Press reported that Taylors family has settled a lawsuit against the city of Louisville for several million dollars. Related: Breonna Taylors family to settle lawsuit against Louisville for millions The 26-year-old Black womans death became a rallying cry for protests against police brutality and racial injustice in policing. Some protests over her death have taken place in Grand Rapids. Taylor moved to Kentucky more than a decade ago and worked as an emergency-medical technician. The move to designate Monroe Center between Monroe Avenue and Division Avenue as Breonna Taylor Way was put forward by Justice for Black Lives. In its request, the racial justice nonprofit stated Taylors ties to the city, that the designation would help her family heal and that the designation would also be a reminder of the progress made and yet to come. Many of Taylors family members still live in the city. The designation wouldnt change the streets actual name but would allow for signage to indicate the commemorative designation. Grand Rapids has at least nine other roadways with commemorative designations and associated signage. The designations are Roberta Hunter Memorial Way, Museum Row, Historic Cobblestone Hill, Dirk Vlug Way, Cesar Chavez Way, Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, Veterans Memorial Bridge, Officer Bob Kozminski Way and Medical Mile. Read more: Lost car ferry discovered 110 years after sinking in Lake Michigan Whitmer administration, Michigan lawmakers agree to state budget framework Lake Michigan sets record high water level for eighth month in a row A NSW Firearms registry official looked at a police record containing 18 entries of John Edwards history of assault, stalking, and AVOs, before giving the green light to allow him a permit that allowed him access to guns, an inquest had heard. Edwards was able to use the permit to train at gun clubs and, from there, he was granted a gun licence in 2017, despite having been refused one in 2010 because he already had an AVO against his record. On 5 July 2018, Edwards stalked his children to the West Pennant Hills home where they were living with their mother, Olga Edwards, and shot them to death. Jennifer and Jack Edwards were shot dead by their father at West Pennant Hills. He took his own life a few hours later. The Korea Fair Trade Commission (KFTC) Chairperson Joh Sung-wook speaks during a press conference at the government complex in Sejong, on Sept. 8. / Courtesy of KFTC By Kim Jae-heun The country's leading food delivery players Woowa Brothers and Delivery Hero said they will observe the government's plan to strengthen the law that aims to stem abuse of power over the restaurant owners who use their platforms. "If that is what the government plans to do, we have no option but to follow. We are in no position to argue against it," both Woowa Brothers and Delivery Hero officials said. The response came a day after the Korea Fair Trade Commission (KFTC), the country's top anti-trust regulator, confirmed its plan to possibly revise the current law to become much stricter so as to obligate local food delivery players to issue a binding contract with restaurant owners. This was in response to many platform users raising complaints that the food delivery platforms engaged in practices that resulted in verbal agreements being made without providing any supporting documentation. Another issue was that when restaurant owners pay to advertise on one of the online platforms, the delivery firms failed to clarify in detail where and how the store name would be displayed. The new regulations will ensure platforms provide small business owners using the delivery companies' platforms detailed information about their advertising systems. This was the case with the country's No.1 player Baemin in April when they adopted a fixed-rate system for advertisement fees coming from a flat rate system which they had been operating without seeking consent from restaurant owners. KFTC said it will announce its decision whether or not to approve a multi-billion dollar acquisition deal proposed by Delivery Hero for Woowa Brothers. The Korea Federation of Micro Enterprise instantly rose up against Woowa Brothers saying that they will boycott Baemin if it doesn't withdraw the new policy. Facing harsh criticism from the public, Woowa Brothers retracted the system less than a week after the announcement. "All restaurant owners using ad services have to know how their store name will be advertised on the platform and according to what standard. However, it does not mean the food delivery players have to reveal their computer algorithm," a government official said. The regulator says it is also considering issues related to sharing between platforms and restaurants of customer data collected when orders are received through food delivery services. Some restaurants argue that they have the right to receive customers' information including their mobile number or address. However, this was met with resistance from customers who have only agreed to share their personal information with the food delivery service platform. A number of restaurant owners, especially those of medium-sized franchises, want customers' personal information for use in strategic marketing. If the revised law is passed by the National Assembly it will come into effect from the first half of next year. Meanwhile, the KFTC has decided to insert a new clause in the revised law that will require related disputes to be handled via mediation under the antitrust watchdog. A man has been charged after an explosive device was posted to a home in London as part of an alleged scam to obtain refunds from retailers. Ovidijus Margelis, 26, is accused of three counts of attempting to cause an explosion, fraud by false representation, possession of an article for use in fraud, possession of a false identity document and money laundering. The student, who is Lithuanian, appeared at Westminster Magistrates Court on Monday. The hearing was told that Mr Margelis is accused of posting packages with an improvised explosive device attached, made to burn through the delivery labels. This would mean they could not be delivered and the vendor such as Amazon or PayPal would provide a refund. UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 16 January 2022 The moon rises above the Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth, Hampshire PA UK news in pictures 15 January 2022 Demonstrators outside Downing Street during a Kill The Bill protest against The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill in London. PA UK news in pictures 14 January 2022 Ecologist Emma Smart (left) and retired GP Dr Diana Warner outside HMP Bronzefield, in Surrey, following their release from the prison where Emma undertook a 26-day hunger strike during her incarceration. Ms Smart was sentenced in November, along with other members of Insulate Britain, to serve four months for breaking a High Court injunction by taking part in a blockade at junction 25 of the M25 motorway during the morning rush hour on 8 October last year PA UK news in pictures 13 January 2022 A TV presenter holds a copy of a newspaper outside 10 Downing Streetafter the Prime Minister apologised for attending a gathering of colleagues in the Number Ten garden in May 2020, while the UK was in strict lockdown due to the Coronavirus pandemic Getty UK news in pictures 12 January 2022 Fitness guru Derrick Evans after receiving an MBE during an investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 11 January 2022 A couple walk underneath an umbrella during wet weather on Westminster Bridge in central London PA UK news in pictures 10 January 2022 A jogger passes the Covid Memorial Wall in London AP UK news in pictures 9 January 2021 The sun rises over horses at Seaton Sluice in Northumberland PA UK news in pictures 8 January 2022 Riders compete during the Veterans Men's race at the UK Cyclo-Cross National Championships 2022 in Ardingly, south of London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 7 January 2022 A dog looks out of a car window at the wintry conditions in Killeshin, Co. Laois PA UK news in pictures 6 January 2022 People walk through frost and mist alongside a frozen lake during sunrise in Bushy Park, London REUTERS UK news in pictures 5 January 2022 A skier jumps on the slopes at Allenheads in the Pennines to the north of Weardale in Northumberland PA UK news in pictures 4 January 2022 Freshly-fallen snow covers houses in Corbridge, near Hexham in Northumberland PA UK news in pictures 3 January 2022 Dean Morrison, 13, receives his Covid-19 vaccine from student nurse Anthony McLaughlin during a vaccination clinic at the Glasgow Central Mosque PA UK news in pictures 2 January 2022 Konastantinos Tsimikas of Liverpool with Chelseas Mason Mount during the Premier League match at Stamfrod Bridge Liverpool FC/Getty UK news in pictures 1 January 2022 New Years Eve Lasers, drones and fireworks illuminate the sky in front of the Royal Naval College in Greenwich shortly after midnight in London EPA UK news in pictures 31 December 2021 Competitors in fancy dress run across the Pennine tops near Haworth, West Yorkshire, in the annual Auld Lang Syne Fell race which attracts hundreds of runners every year PA UK news in pictures 30 December 2021 Sunrise at Bamburgh Castle in Northumberland PA UK news in pictures 29 December 2021 The Very Revd Dr Robert Willis, Dean of Canterbury Cathedral, looks at Becket, a six month old red-billed chough as he visits Wildwood Wildlife Park in Kent on the anniversary of the murder of Thomas Becket PA UK news in pictures 28 December 2021 Troops of the Household Cavalry are seen reflected in a puddle during the changing of the Queens Life Guard, on Horse Guards Parade, in central London PA UK news in pictures 27 December 2021 A pedestrian walks past a winter sale sign outside a John Lewis store on Oxford street in London Getty UK news in pictures 26 December 2021 Riders take their bikes through the snow near Castleside, County Durham PA UK news in pictures 25 December 2021 Patrick Corkery wears a santa hat and beard as waves crash over him at Forty Foot near Dublin during a Christmas Day dip PA UK news in pictures 24 December 2021 People stand inside Kings Cross Station on Christmas Eve in London Reuters UK news in pictures 23 December 2021 Christmas shoppers fill the car park at Fosse Shopping Park in Leicester PA UK news in pictures 22 December 2021 The sun rises behind the stones as people gather for the winter solstice at Stonehenge. Getty UK news in pictures 21 December 2021 People take part in a winter solstice swim at Portobello Beach in Edinburgh to mark the solstice and to witness the dawn after the longest night of the year PA UK news in pictures 20 December 2021 An auction employee displays poultry to buyers and sellers attending the Christmas Poultry Sale at York Auction Centre in Murton PA UK news in pictures 19 December 2021 Joao Moutinho of Wolverhampton Wanderers looks on during the Premier League match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Chelsea at Molineux Getty Images UK news in pictures 18 December 2021 Freight lorries queuing at the port of Dover in Kent PA UK news in pictures 17 December 2021 Newly elected Liberal Democrat MP Helen Morgan, bursts 'Boris' bubble' held by colleague Tim Farron, as she celebrates following her victory in the North Shropshire by-election PA UK news in pictures 16 December 2021 Brussels sprouts are harvested by workers as they prepare for the busy Christmas period near Boston in Lincolnshire PA UK news in pictures 15 December 2021 Lewis Hamilton is made a Knight Bachelor by the Prince of Wales at Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 14 December 2021 The Royal Liver Buildings surrounded by early morning fog in Liverpool PA UK news in pictures 13 December 2021 People queue outside a walk-in Covid-19 vaccination centre at St Thomas's Hospital in Westminster Getty Images UK news in pictures 12 December 2021 People take part in the Big Leeds Santa Dash in Roundhay Park, Leeds PA UK news in pictures 11 December 2021 People arrive at a Covid-19 vaccination centre at Elland Road in Leeds, PA UK news in pictures 10 December 2021 Stella Moris speaks to the media after the US Government won its High Court bid to overturn a judges decision not to extradite WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange PA UK news in pictures 9 December 2021 Camels are lead around Salisbury Cathedral during a rehearsal for the Christmas Eve Service PA UK news in pictures 8 December 2021 Margaret Keenan and Nurse May Parsons, a year after Margaret was the first person in the UK to receive the Pfizer vaccine PA UK news in pictures 7 December 2021 Snowfall in Leadhills, South Lanarkshire as Storm Barra hits the UK with disruptive winds, heavy rain and snow PA UK news in pictures 6 December 2021 A person tries to avoid sea spray on New Brighton promenade in Wallasey as the UK readies for the arrival of Storm Barra Getty UK news in pictures 5 December 2021 People release balloons during a tribute to six-year-old Arthur Labinjo-Hughes outside Emma Tustin's former address in Solihull, West Midlands, where he was murdered by his stepmother PA UK news in pictures 4 December 2021 People walk through a Christmas market in Trafalgar Square Reuters UK news in pictures 3 December 2021 A pedestrian carries a dog as they dodge shoppers on Oxford Street in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 2 December 2021 Duchess of Cambridge inspects a Faberge egg at the Victoria and Albert Museum Getty UK news in pictures 1 December 2021 Meerkats at London Zoo with an advent calendar PA UK news in pictures 30 November 2021 Workers put the finishing touches to the Trafalgar Square Christmas Tree ahead of the lighting ceremony later in the week PA UK news in pictures 29 November 2021 Home Secretary Priti Patel is greeted by a police dog at a special memorial service for Met Police Sergeant Matiu Ratana Getty UK news in pictures 28 November 2021 Riyad Mahrez of Manchester City battles for possession with Aaron Cresswell of West Ham United during a match at the Etihad during snow Manchester City/Getty Mr Margelis was arrested by counter-terror police in Cambridge on Saturday. The Metropolitan Police said the arrest related to a suspicious package that was received via post at a residential address in Cricklewood on Thursday. Specialist officers made a small improvised explosive device safe and said there was no risk to the local community. Two other devices were later found. Margelis, a third year business management student at Anglia Ruskin University, is due to appear in the same court on 21 September. Apple has unveiled its brand new iPad Air alongside a new Apple Watch and the 8th Generation iPad at its virtual 'Time Flies' event. Apple CEO Tim Cook also announced at the end of talk that iOS 14 will be launching tomorrow. The all new iPad Air has thin bezels, a 12MP rear camera, a 10.9" liquid retina display (2360 x 1640) and a brand new chip, called the A14 Bionic. The screen comes fully laminated with True Tone support as well as an anti-reflective coating and the tablet will be powered by a USB-C cable. As a result of this jam-packed display, the TouchID sensor has merged with the power button and moved to the top of the device. The brand new iPad Air will be available next month and is set to retail for $599 in the US. In line with expectations, Apple did not mention a new iPhone, which will probably be announced in October due to delays caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. Apple announced its new range of iPad Air tablets, in five different colours, including rose gold (middle) Apple previously updated its iPad Pro, and is now bringing higher specifications to the rest of its range of tablets. Alongside the reinvented mid-range Air (pictured), Apple also unveiled the 8th Generation iPad which comes with its A12 bionic chip Apple previously updated its iPad Pro, and is now bringing higher specifications to the rest of its range of tablets. Alongside the reinvented mid-range Air, Apple also unveiled the 8th Generation iPad which comes with its A12 bionic chip and a 10.2" retina display. The tech giant claims the 8th Generation iPad is 40 per cent faster than its predecessor and twice as fast as the top selling Windows tablet. iPad 8th Generation will start at $299 for education users and is available to order today, with availability on Friday. Alongside the new hardware, Apple is also rolling out iOS 14 for the tablet which uses the device's computing power and pencil capability to detect handwritten text. Ru Bhikha, mobiles expert at Uswitch.com, syas of the launch: 'With the new 8th generation iPad featuring the A12 chip and the new midrange iPad Air's squared-off, bezel-free design, 2020 is shaping up to be the year of the iPad for Apple. 'Now, Apple fans can rely on these stylish new watches and iPads to countdown the days and hours until the anticipated launch of the iPhone 12, which now looks likely to appear in October. 'The phones are expected to include Apple's first 5G handset and improvements to its camera.' The firm's annual showcase was thrown into disarray following the disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. Instead of its usual in-person extravaganza, tech fanatics were invited to attend a virtual event streamed from Apple Park in Cupertino, California from 10am Pacific time (18:00 BST) today. Shortly after launching, the stream had more than one million concurrent viewers. Pictured, a graphic from Apple showing the major selling points of the brand new mid-range iPad, the Air While there is no iPhone reveal, the new Apple Watch is decked out with a host of upgrades, including the ability to track blood oxygen levels Apple pledges to be 100 per cent carbon neutral by 2030 Apple is investing in the construction of two of the world's largest onshore wind turbines, as part of its effort to become '100 per cent carbon neutral' by 2030. The 650-foot turbines, located near the Danish town of Esbjerg, are expected to produce 62 gigawatt hours each year enough to power almost 20,000 homes. The electricity produced at Esbjerg will be used to power Apple's 500,000-square-foot data center in Viborg, with all surplus energy going into the Danish grid. It will also act as a test site for powerful offshore wind turbines, the company said. Apple did not say how much it was investing in the project, which is being developed in partnership with European Energy. Apple is investing in the construction of two of the world's largest onshore wind turbines near the Danish town of Esbjerg Advertisement As well as the tablet upgrades, Apple announced a range of new Apple Watches, including the Series 6 which is decked out with a host of upgrades, including the ability to track blood oxygen levels. An in-built blood oxygen level sensor shines red and IR light onto the wrist and measures what is reflected back. Algorithms detect how much oxygen is present in the blood in just 15 seconds and Apple hopes this facility will provide key information for a range of scientific studies. S6 is up to 30 per cent faster than the previous generation due to a chip adapted from the A13 from the iPhone 11. The Apple Watch also comes with improved 'always-on' display and altimeter. S6 will also be available in blue aluminium, classic gold, grey/black and, for the first time, Product(RED). Apple also made a big deal of its new 'solo' strap, a band of continuous silicone without a clasp or buttons. Apple has also created dozens of new faces ranging from stripes to a tachymeter. While it has added one marquee new feature and a host of new faces, bands and gimmicks, Apple is also taking a leaf out of the iPhone playbook and is creating an Apple Watch SE. This uses the S5 chip and is a simplified version of the gadget. Series 6 Watch ($399) Apple Watch SE ($279) are available to order today with availability on Friday. The technology giant also confirmed it was to launch a new exercise subscription service called Fitness+, which is powered by the Apple Watch. The service, which will cost 9.99 a month, will enable users to stream fitness classes with professional trainers on their iPhone, iPad or Apple TV, with their exercise metrics automatically tracked by their Apple Watch while also being shown on-screen. The service will be linked with Apple Music, the tech giant's music streaming service, to provide playlists for each workout. A range of workouts, including walks and runs on a treadmill, yoga and HIIT sessions will be available when the service launches later in the year and will be seen as a direct competitor to platforms such as Peloton, which has had success with its own exercise bike and linked subscription service of associated workout classes. The new subscription service joins a growing number of similar products offered by Apple, which has increasingly turned to its services business in recent years as a key revenue source as hardware sales slowed. As part of that expansion, a new bundle of all its subscription services known as Apple One was announced, which at the top tier will include access to iCloud storage, Apple Music, TV+, Arcade, News+ and Fitness+ for 29.95 a month. 'Apple One is a masterstroke and represents a first step into bundles. A move to drive value from users and the untapped opportunity with families,' says industry expert Paolo Pescatore. 'Apple recognises the growing importance of services to its future growth. All of the building blocks are in place. Now it is all about strengthening its line of programming across the board. This will pave the way for a new service based business model. Apple kept quiet before the event and there was no mention of an iPhone in the run up to 'Time Flies'. Rumours were abound that it would be delayed due to supply chain issues brought about by the global pandemic. Production delays in China, travel restrictions worldwide and related issues linked to measures designed to slow the spread of coronavirus are behind the delay. With details of the new iPhone models likely delayed until next month, Apple is expected to spend today's event focusing on a range of other products. Court should commit to verifying allegations An icon in the movement to realize justice for women drafted for sexual slavery before and during World War II has been indicted for fraud and embezzlement. Prosecutors found evidence behind the allegations that Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker Youn Mee-hyang unlawfully took 360 million won ($304,000) from the government, and used 100 million won in donations and public funds for personal use when she was chief of the Korean Council for Justice and Remembrance for the Issue of Military Sexual Slavery by Japan. The prosecutors did not specify what the personal use was for, and she maintains that she will prove her innocence in court. The court process remains vital because the first-term lawmaker has vowed to take responsibility if there was any truth to the allegations initially alerted by a former elderly victim, Lee Yong-soo. Youn's work with the council and the women drafted for sexual slavery was pioneering. But the lawmaker should heed how the prosecution has pointed out the council's application to receive money from the government for a War and Women's Human Rights Museum was not in legal order when the museum did not have a curator. But it is the allegations of 100 million won that Youn reportedly collected in her personal bank accounts or transferred from the council's ones that invariably raises questions that could possibly raise questions of opaque financial management. These are allegations that Youn should do her best to clarify in court proceedings. In the meantime, there should be no rush to castigate, as every citizen has the right to a defense. Any shortfall unearthed should serve as profound opportunity for the civic movement to reorganize and succeed on more solid ground. Sumedh Saini New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday granted interim protection from arrest to former Punjab SGP Sumedh Singh Saini in the 1991 alleged murder case of a junior engineer Balwant Singh Multani. Sumedh Saini Advertisement A bench of Justices Ashok Bhushan, R S Reddy and M R Shah sought response from Punjab government on Sainis plea challenging the Punjab and Haryana High Court order refusing to grant him anticipatory bail in the case. During the hearing, the bench questioned the senior advocate Siddharth Luthra, appearing for the Punjab government that what is the hurry in arresting Saini after 29 years of the case. Sumedh Saini Advertisement Luthra replied that the former DGP having Z plus security is absconding. The bench posted the matter for hearing after four weeks and said that Saini is not to be arrested till further orders and he shall cooperate in the investigation. Subscriber content preview By MICHAEL BALSAMO and TOM KRISHER Associated Press WASHINGTON Automaker Daimler AG and subsidiary Mercedes-Benz USA have agreed to pay $1.5 billion to the U.S. government and California state regulators to resolve emissions cheating allegations, officials said Monday. The U.S. Department of Justice, Environmental Protection Agency and the California attorney general's office say Daimler violated environmental laws by using so-called defeat device software to circumvent emissions testing and sold about 250,000 cars and vans in the U.S. with diesel engines that didn't comply with state and federal laws. . . . Hurricane Sally churned slowly towards the coast of the southern US states of Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi on Monday as it intensified into Category 2 storm. The National Hurricane Center said the storm in the Gulf of Mexico was packing maximum sustained winds of around 100 miles (160 kilometers) per hour. At 2100 GMT, it was located 145 miles southeast of Biloxi, Mississippi, and heading in a west-northwesterly direction at six mph. It was expected to make landfall late Tuesday or early Wednesday. "Additional strengthening is forecast tonight and early Tuesday and Sally is expected to be a dangerous hurricane when it moves onshore," the NHC warned, using language that refers to a storm of Category 3 or higher at landfall. Governor John Bel Edwards of Louisiana, which is still recovering from Hurricane Laura, which made landfall as a Category 4 storm, told residents to be prepared. "Be smart and be safe," he tweeted. The governors of Alabama and Mississippi both declared a state of emergency ahead of the approaching storm. Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves said Hurricane Sally was expected to make landfall around Biloxi at 2:00 am (0600 GMT) on Wednesday. "The storm surge projections continue to be worrisome with anywhere from five to eight feet (1.5 to 2.4 meters) of coastal surge," Reeves said. "We are continuing to be very concerned about the amount of rainfall," he said, adding that some areas could be drenched in as much as 20 inches (50 cm) of rain. Sally is one of five active tropical cyclones in the Atlantic Ocean. The others are Hurricane Paulette, tropical storms Teddy and Vicky and tropical depression Rene. According to meteorologists, the only other time there were five active tropical cyclones in the Atlantic at the same time was in September 1971. Hurricane Paulette, a Category 2 storm, pounded the island of Bermuda on Monday with strong winds and heavy rains, according to the NHC. (AFP) Government building bonus grants have seen West Australian land sales surge from about 60 blocks per week to 500. Master Builders WA boss John Gelavis said in March his members were reporting a 40 per cent decline in work but since the bonus became available they had seen land and house sales triple. It has really turbocharged the industry, he said. Mr Gelavis said he had asked for the bonus to be extended further so the industry had more time to handle the work, which would need to be completed without the help of interstate workers. West Australians who build a new home can access $20,000 from the state government on top of $25,000 on the table as part of the Commonwealth's HomeBuilder scheme. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-15 21:56:30|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close JOHANNESBURG, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- African countries that respond with innovative ways and make structural changes to their economies will recover fast, said global risk and strategic consulting firm Control Risks on Tuesday. Barnaby Fletcher, associate director of Control Risks said this while launching the 2020 Africa Risk-Reward Index which examines the longer term implications of COVID-19 on Africa. "The COVID-19 pandemic is a global crisis, but Africa's recovery will be slower and more uneven than most. However, this recovery will be an opportunity for governments across the continent to address structural constraints and promote new solutions," Fletcher said. He called for African countries to diversify their economies. Fletcher believed that Africa will experience its first recession in 25 years while the economic recovery will be driven by private sector. Jacques Nel, head of Africa Macro at NKC African Economics, said individual countries' response will also determine how they recover from the pandemic. "The economic impact of COVID-19 will be varied but the recovery will be even more so. The optimists will hope to see a race to the top as governments undertake desperately needed reforms, while the pessimists will see a continent setback more than a decade," said Nel. He said South Africa will have to address the energy sector which is characterized by loadshedding. South Africa has to restore business and consumer confidence and restructure the economy. He pointed out that the government will have to come up with a recovery plan and convince the private sector about their plan, he said. Enditem Ridhima Gupta By Express News Service HYDERABAD: A constable, B Rajya, from Moghalpura police station, has been receiving a lot of praise after she went out of her way to feed a homeless, 19-year-old woman and took care of her 15-day-old daughter without a second thought. On Friday afternoon, Rajya, along with her team, rushed to the spot from where they had received information of a baby being abandoned. Along with the baby, they also found her young mother, Sana Banu, in a very poor condition. The team brought both of them to the police station, where Rajya nursed them. It looked like they had not eaten anything for days, Banu could not even walk or talk properly. Even when we offered her food, she could not eat and was not even in a state to feed her baby. I could not bear it. I am also a mother, of a 13-year-old daughter and a 10-year-old son. It felt like my children were in pain and I had to feed them. I fed milk power to the baby girl and proper food to her mother, who was very reluctant to eat, said 32-year-old Rajya. Rajyas heart-warming gesture went viral after Police Commissioner Anjani Kumar also lauded the Inspector on Twitter on Monday. Our lady constable officer could not resist herself and brought them to PS and fed them with her own hands. It was an emotional moment for many present there. Felt so proud of the colour khakhi, the Commissioner tweeted. On the appreciation coming her way, Rajya said, I did not expect this kind of love and affection from so many. I did what I felt as a woman and as a constable on duty. Police said Banu is an orphan whose husband died when she was two months pregnant. Since then, she has been homeless. The mother and child have now been sent to an orphanage. Srinagar, Sep 15 : An encounter has started between terrorists and security forces at Marwal in South Kashmir's Pulwama district on Tuesday, officials said. The firefight between terrorists and security forces took place after a joint team of the police and the army cordoned off the area and launched a search operation on the basis of specific information about presence of terrorists. As the security forces zeroed in on the spot where terrorists were hiding they came under a heavy volume of fire that triggered the encounter. "Encounter has started at Marwal area of Pulwama. Police and security forces are on the job," police said. OKLAHOMA CITY, Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Progentec, a leader in the development of diagnostic and digital technologies that support the proactive management of autoimmune diseases, today announces the launch of a novel blood test that can assess the likelihood of a systemic lupus erythematosus ("SLE" or more commonly "lupus") patient experiencing an immunologic disease flare in the ensuing 12 weeks. This new technology gives rheumatologists a new tool to improve the quality of care for the estimated 1.5 million Americans affected by this autoimmune disease. Laboratory technician and manager Daniele DeFreese works in Progentec's Oklahoma City-based laboratory. The aiSLE DX Flare Risk Index uses a set of blood-based biomarkers that are measurably altered before the onset of flare symptoms in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. The odds ratio (OR) indicates that a SLE patient with a positive aiSLE DX Flare Risk Index score is nearly five times more likely to experience a flare than a patient with a negative score. "The study of biomarkers continues to be an increasingly invaluable and precise tool in the diagnosis and treatment of disease, and our novel test for assessing the likelihood of lupus-related flares holds great promise for helping rheumatologists manage the often painful and debilitating symptoms of lupus," said Mohan Purushothaman, Ph.D., president, chairman and CEO of Oklahoma City-based Progentec. "This novel test quantifies in practical, numeric terms the risk that a patient will begin experiencing a flare within the ensuing three months important, actionable knowledge that can be applied to a patient's treatment regimen." The aiSLE DX Flare Risk Index uses the ELLA testing platform. As part of the development of the test, a total of 52 soluble immune mediators, including cytokines and chemokines, were examined in study participants for baseline and follow-up plasma levels. An algorithm using weighted levels of this immune panel was used to calculate a flare risk score, which reflects the risk of a study participant developing a disease-related flare within 12 weeks following the initial testing. aiSLE DX Flare Risk Index provides a risk score for the patient in addition to the individual biomarker readings. Subsequent patient samples and studies from the Centers of Excellence have demonstrated the ability to reduce the number of informative mediators to 11. "The management of lupus symptoms has traditionally involved a regimen of reactive protocols," said Chaim Putterman, MD, Professor of Medicine and Microbiology & Immunology at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and a member of Progentec's Scientific Advisory Board. "A test that assesses the likely risk of the onset of a flare is one of the first proactive measures available to the rheumatological community. The empirical data derived from such a test potentially has tremendous value in helping devise the right treatment and care for lupus patients." Proactive treatment strategies based on the aiSLE DX Flare Risk Index result may help clinicians and patients reduce the negative impacts of lupus flares, which include organ damage, hospitalizations, and reductions in patient quality of life. To learn more about the development of the aiSLE DX Flare Risk Index and to begin using it at your practice, visit the Progentec website: www.progentec.com/aisle-dx About Progentec Diagnostics, Inc. Progentec is committed to improving access and health outcomes for patients with autoimmune diseases by combining clinically validated diagnostic interventions with state-of-the-art digital technologies. Through collaborations with research institutions and health practitioners around the world, Progentec is working to reduce mortality and morbidity while improving care management and service delivery for chronic health conditions. Forward-Looking Statements: Statements contained herein that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements that represent management's beliefs and assumptions as of the date of this news release based on currently available information. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot assure that these expectations will prove to be correct. Such statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statements. Contact: Brett Adelman 405.216.4818, Ext. 105 [email protected] SOURCE Progentec Diagnostics, Inc. Related Links http://www.progentec.com India inflicted heavy casualties on Chinese Army, Rajnath says in Parliament India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, Sep 15: Our brave soldiers fought valiantly in Galwan Valley. The Indian soldiers inflicted casualties on the Chinese Army also, Defence Minister, Rajnath Singh said in Parliament. There was a face-off in Galwan Valley on June 15, in which the Indian forces inflicted heavy casualties on the Chinese forces, Rajnath Singh also said. The Indian forces will forcefully counter all Chinese aggressive actions along the border. Since April we have seen an increase in troops and weapon deployment along the LAC in Ladakh, Singh said. Expansionist China now tests its might in Bhutan Let no one have any doubt about our capabilities. We want peace and will continue to talk to China. Both sides should respect the Line of Actual Control Singh also said. All mutual agreements must be respected, he also said. China does not accept customary and peripheral alignment of Sino-India border, Singh also said. There has been a massive build-up by the Chinese along the LAC and this has led to several friction points, the Defence Minister also said. Our Armed Forces will successfully thwart all threats and protect the borders. We should be proud of our forces, he further said. These are challenging times and in the midst of the pandemic, our soldiers have protected our borders. This is also due to Border Infrastructure Management, Singh also said. Violent conduct of Chinese troops is a violation of all past agreements. Our troops have done counter deployments in the area to safeguard our borders, the Defence Minister also said. I have conveyed to the Chinese side that we want a peaceful resolution to the solution. I made it clear that we will not comprise on out territorial integrity. The External Affairs Minister, S Jaishankar during the meeting with his counterpart also conveyed the same message, Singh also said. China has mobilised a huge number of Army battalions and armaments along the LAC and inner areas. There are many friction points in Eastern Ladakh, Gogra, Pangong Lake's north and south banks. The Indian Army has made counter deployments in these areas, Singh also said. Singh further said that India is ready to peacefully resolve the border standoff with China. He also said that China is not honouring the customary alignment of the boundary with India. The alignment has not only been defined by treaties, but has been maintained historically. However, China believes that the border is not defined. (Natural News) Amazon has just appointed retired Gen. Keith B. Alexander to its board of directors. A former director of the National Security Agency (NSA) and commander of the U.S. Cyber Command, Alexander retired in 2013, but not before becoming the face of U.S. government surveillance during the Edward Snowden leaks. News of the appointment comes from a Securities and Exchange Commission filing made by Amazon on Sep. 9. Alexanders name has also been added to the company boards official site since then. Alexander was involved in the Snowden leaks Alexander remains a controversial figure within the tech community due to his involvement in the widespread surveillance systems revealed in the Snowden leak. Included in these is PRISM, a broad data collection program that collected private electronic data belonging to users of Facebook, Google, Microsoft and Yahoo but not at Amazon. More recently, another one of the NSAs programs under Alexanders tenure that involved mass surveillance of Americans telephone records, was found to be illegal by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. While Snowden blew the whistle on many surveillance programs that the NSA had during Alexanders tenure, it was the revelation the agency was spying on American phone records that was the most explosive. Prior to the reveal of that program, intelligence officials publicly insisted that the NSA never knowingly spied on Americans. Once the word got out, however, officials changed their tune and claimed that the spying had played a crucial role in keeping the country safe and fighting terrorism. (Related: Is the NSA actually Blackmail Inc. for the military industrial complex?) When all this was going on, Alexander not only defended the agencys actions, but he was also critical of reporting on the program and other surveillance efforts that were leaked. In one instance, he even suggested that reporters should be legally restrained from covering the leaks. I think its wrong that that newspaper reporters have all these documents, the 50,000-whatever they have and are selling them and giving them out as if these you know it just doesnt make sense, stated Alexander in a 2013 interview with the Verge. We ought to come up with a way of stopping it. I dont know how to do that. Thats more of the courts and the policymakers but, from my perspective, its wrong to allow this to go on. In the same interview, Alexander compared the publics negative reaction to the surveillance programs to a childs refusal to take a bath. Its like when you were younger well, this is for boys, he said. You know, when youre younger, you say, I dont want to take a bath. You say, No, Id never take a bath. Why would we want to take a bath? Well, youve got to take a bath, cleanliness, (et cetera). I said, But isnt there a better way? Well we dont, so we had to take baths, right, or showers. What about here, whats a better way to stop terrorists? Amazon could be looking to bolster government contracts by hiring Alexander Alexanders appointment to Amazons board of directors isnt the first time that the former general will be taking on a corporate role in a tech company. Following his retirement, Alexander founder IronNet Cybersecurity, a company whose stated goal was to defend companies, organizations, sectors and nations against highly organized cyber adversaries and sophisticated attacks. More recently, Alexander was also appointed as an inaugural member of the advisory board of Ashburn, Virginia-based security company Telos. Its likely that his experience in cybersecurity and surveillance, alongside his connections in the industry and in government, played a factor in Alexanders appointment to Amazons board. The company already oversees the Central Intelligence Agencys (CIA) Commercial Cloud Enterprise. The company, however, lost out to Microsoft in its bid to build the Joint Enterprise Defense Infrastructure (JEDI) cloud. With this in mind, Amazon could be looking to Alexander to make sure they dont miss out on future contracts beyond JEDI. In addition, Amazons ownership of the Washington Post also means that any future surveillance efforts Amazon gets into with or without the government will be somewhat shielded from press scrutiny. Beyond that, access to such a large outlet could allow Alexander and Amazon a degree of control over narrative if any future surveillance efforts on Americans become public. Follow Surveillance.news for more articles on U.S. companies and the government itself spying on Americans. Sources include: ZeroHedge.com TheVerge.com 1 TheVerge.com 2 GovConWire.com The city of Louisville, Ky., announced on Tuesday a $12 million settlement with the family of Breonna Taylor and a number of changes in how local officers obtain and execute search warrants, among the largest payouts for a police killing in the nation's history, according to a Taylor family attorney. Louisville police killed Breonna Taylor, 26, while executing a "no-knock" search warrant at her apartment during a drug raid in March that uncovered no illegal substances and has become a driving symbol in the Black Lives Matter movement. The settlement, which follows a wrongful-death lawsuit that Taylor's family filed in May, requires police commanders to approve all search warrant applications that are submitted to a judge, said Democratic Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer during a news conference Tuesday afternoon. Louisville police will also have to conduct extensive risk assessments before applying for a warrant. At least two officers now will be required to have their body cameras turned on when money seized during an investigation is impounded, being counted or processed, Fischer said. And in an effort to bolster the police department's ties to the community, officers will be given up to two hours per week of paid time for community service, and the department will explore incentives for officers to live within certain low-income areas of the city. The city also has agreed to hire more mental health experts and pair them up with officers who respond to calls, Fischer said. "This settlement is of mutual interest," said Sam Aguiar, an attorney for the Taylor family, in an interview Tuesday. "The city was able to afford this level of justice, and Breonna Taylor's mother has been adamant from day one that reform was needed to reduce the likelihood that no other family has to endure this type of tragedy." The settlement follows weeks of private talks between the two parties, Aguiar said. Photo for The Washington Post by Joshua Lott "This is probably the largest settlement for police misconduct in the history of Louisville and includes substantial police reform, as well," he said. The settlement does not include an admission of wrongdoing by the city or the police officers involved in the raid, Fischer said. Lonita Baker, another attorney for the Taylor family, said her clients did not plan to file additional lawsuits. "Today alone is not enough," said Jefferson County Attorney Mike O'Connell. "I hope this agreement is the next step in bringing a more just Louisville. A more just Louisville is the medicine we need to heal." Settlement amounts in fatal police shootings vary widely. In a 2015 Washington Post account of awards in civil lawsuits, payouts ranged from $7,500 to $8.5 million. The New York Times in 2018 reported settlements as low as $4 and as high as $18 million. Some of the highest-profile fatal police shootings in recent years have resulted in settlements around $6 million. New York City in 2015 resolved a lawsuit with the family of Eric Garner, an unarmed Black man who died after being put in a police chokehold, for $5.9 million. Baltimore agreed to pay $6.4 million to the family of Freddie Gray, whom authorities say died a week after suffering a severe spinal injury while handcuffed in a police van. And the city of Cleveland settled a lawsuit with the family of 12-year-old Tamir Rice, who was shot while playing with a toy gun in a park, for $6 million in 2016. Louisville's settlement with Taylor's family will not affect the ongoing investigation by Kentucky's Republican Attorney General Daniel Cameron of whether the officers who raided Taylor's apartment should face criminal charges stemming from her death.The Justice Department is also investigating the case. The Taylor family attorneys signaled they would continue their demands that criminal charges be filed. Attorney Benjamin Crump called on the state attorney general to charge the officers involved in the raid "immediately, this week" with, "at the very minimum, second-degree manslaughter charges." "Justice for Breonna Taylor is multilayered," Baker added. "What we were able to accomplish today through the civil settlement against the officers is tremendous, but it is only a portion of a single layer." Activists who have been protesting Taylor's death for months said they, too, would keep calling for criminal charges. "No amount of money will bring back Breonna Taylor. We see this settlement as the bare minimum that one can do " Until Freedom, a New York-based group that has been heavily involved in making Taylor's case a defining symbol of the racial justice movement, said in a statement. "True justice is not served with cash settlements. . . . We need accountability. We need justice." At the news conference, Until Freedom co-founder Tamika Mallory demanded that Fischer fire all of the officers involved in Taylor's killing if Cameron's office does not indict them. Fischer declined to make that promise. Experts, meanwhile, expressed skepticism that the announced policing overhauls were as significant as officials portrayed them to be. Geoffrey Alpert, a criminology professor at the University of South Carolina, said he was surprised that Louisville police did not already require commanders to approve warrants and provide incentives for officers to live in the city. Those policies are common practices in police departments across the country, he said. "If they've never had that in Louisville, this is going to be a big improvement," said Alpert, who is also a co-author of "Evaluating Police Uses of Force." "This is going to be meaningful. It's just shocking or a shame that this is new to Louisville." Eugene O'Donnell, a professor at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice, said he doubts that the changes in how search warrants are carried out will make people safer in police raids. He said the best solution is for police agencies to execute fewer search warrants, especially when they deal with nonviolent crimes such as drug investigations. "You can candidly have a conversation with the community and say, 'Those days are over, and we don't do that anymore,'" O'Donnell said. "Going into a stranger's home, who may have a firearm, is going to be dangerous, especially in this environment where policing is three times as hard." O'Donnell added that a reform-minded police department should be looking for ways to reduce "physical-force policing." He said the public, and increasingly police themselves, are seeking out solutions that involve fewer face-to-face encounters between officers and suspects. "People are demanding an end to violence . . . and a lot less policing," O'Donnell said. "If you know who these people are, you can identify them, you can submit evidence to court, you can ask them to surrender and seek their appearance." Taylor was killed March 13, when plainclothes police officers carried out a "no-knock" search warrant at her home shortly after midnight as part of a drug investigation. Taylor was asleep at the time, according to the family lawsuit. Her boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, 27, who was also at the apartment, fired a shot with a gun he legally owned and later said he thought the officers were intruders. The officers shot back, and Taylor was struck five times. The officers said they identified themselves before forcing in the door to Taylor's apartment with a battering ram, but Taylor's family disputes that claim in the lawsuit. Police did not find drugs at the home. Although Walker was initially charged with the attempted murder of a law enforcement officer, the charges were dropped. Louisville has since banned the use of no-knock warrants. Wall Street, the historic headquarters of some of the largest US brokerages and investment banks, however, as Africans we can recreate this and build our own "Wall Street" on the African continent. John Lombela Opportunities unearthed be a solution to the challenges being faced by the banking system and its shortcomings. reduced the red tape due to the credit crunch- hence the limitations Africa is at a pinnacle, and the next step as we progress is to adopt emerging technologies. And by being a collective and using technology, Africans will be able to unlock wealth because "we are, therefore I am" and through collaboration and collectiveness we will be a formidable force.The dream of creating an African "Wall Street" is possible if entities doing business on the African continent start working together so that they can succeed together. Ubuntu is who we are as Africans, and even though it is lagging technologically, as entrepreneurs operating on the African continent we need to use technology to help create solutions that speak to our needs and address our problems.In a recent interview with Derrick Hodge: Entrepreneur and CEO of Ubuntu Digital Corporation, John Lombela discovered the secret to success is that we need to work as a collective to address and find solutions to problems that are unique to us.Hodge pointed out that to move forward thre needs to be a mind shift because entrepreneurs need to understand and use technology to benefit humans first and chase profit after. He explained that building a decentralised trading platform will enable the world to get involved, integrate and invest in Africa which will lead to a global movement towards growing the African continent. And this can be achieved by using technology as a leverage.This further proves the importance of Blockchain in Africa, especially because blockchain birthed the biggest significant wealth distribution in history. And for a continent wanting to create wealth, but digital gold wealth, Africa needs to realise that Africa is wealthy. And it needs to pull itself up, and self-fund because entities have the resources, protocol, skills and technology needed to make this a reality.Africans are big on assets. And by creating asset-backed tokens, entities can use these tokens to benefit Africa and make their assets more valuable. With the Fourth Industrial Revolution, unlike other countries that are slowing down and constricting, opportunities on the African continent are being unearthed.So should Africa build more tokens or focus on the evolution of bitcoin?Its not black and white but for entrepreneurs to benefit they need to integrate and innovate, especially as banking gradually moving away from printed money. Fortunately digital currencies and assets address the red tape around the limited movement of money, by adopting digital currencies there is no red tape.Fortunately, blockchain and cryptocurrencies meet business needs and enable entities to adapt, grow and innovate but only if they open up and start accepting other forms of payments.Investment opportunities in Africa are huge. We need to stabilise Africa, monopolise and tokenise these assets to unlock the "dead capital" is through digitisation. This will create opportunities as entities look for alternatives.Reality is that there are large market opportunities especially when we look at minerals. So the mining sector is one of the biggest opportunities especially with the Fourth industrial Revolution.This shift will:The only way to regulate blockchain in Africa is by having a decentralised technology that isn't governed by any centralised body. This will allow Africa to create its regulations and expose it to the world by not necessarily going to the world. It will unlock opportunities within the content by people living on the continent.However, regulations are needed and its companies that need to be regulated. Mechanism and regulations need to be put in place for transparency and to cripple corruption.Building the "Wall Street of Africa" will require us to have a digital backbone or platform that is for the people by the people. This will allow companies in Africa to tokenise assets and their companies and be able to raise capital. Africans need to educate themselves and learn how they can create their wealth and break the cycle and be able to identify opportunities. White House Official JaRon Smith Talks Police and Criminal Justice Reform White House official JaRon Smith grew up in a low-income family in Cleveland, Ohio. His father shoveled snow and paved roads, while his mother worked at a gas station after struggling for years from an opioid addiction. Now Smith is Deputy Assistant to President Trump. And he sees himself as a voice for the kids he grew up withkids whose life trajectories turned out very different from his own. Smith has played a key role in advising President Trump on policies to help low-income communities, including opportunity zones, school choice, criminal justice and police reform, and increasing aid to Americas historically black colleges and universities. In this episode, we discuss his efforts to help uplift those who have long been neglected. This is American Thought Leaders , and Im Jan Jekielek. Jan Jekielek: JaRon Smith, such a pleasure to have you on American Thought Leaders. JaRon Smith: Thanks for having me. Mr. Jekielek: JaRon, I had a really interesting time watching you during the RNC [Republican National Convention] when you gave your speech and you said something that reminded me of something in my own life, which was, I think you said that you broke your leg and that gave you a moment to think about life and so forth. I popped my ACL ligament in my knee and in a similar situation, I really had a chance to think about my life. What happened then? Mr. Smith: It was a lot of different things. Going into my 10th grade year of high school, I had almost failed out of school the prior year even though I was probably an excellent athlete, I went to a private high school, and my father was really stern on me, like You need to really focus on your grades. You need to have a backup plan; always be prepared. You need to use your mind and focus on school, and so on. When I actually broke my leg and broke my femur in a freak accident on the last day of two-a-days, it just really struck me at my core, like that theres a possibility that I may not play football again, and what would I do after that? I remember coming home from the hospital, I was in a wheelchair for about a week, and I had to finish my summer reading. I hadnt touched it the whole summer. But I was stuck in the bed, so I didnt have anything to do, and so for the first time I read a book in a day, and I realized I could read a book so quickly if I just focused on it. After that, I got a lot more curious and one thing led to anotherafter reading one book, you read another oneand I ended up finishing high school with a 3.0 and thats what got me into Howard University. Now, thats remarkable what those moments of self reflection can give you. You also said something that I didnt really fully understand. I want you to tell me a little bit about it. You said that the media dont ever really show people, when theyre talking about people seeking opportunities, they dont show people like you or your parents. What did you mean by that exactly? Mr. Smith: Mostly when they talk about President Trump and the blue collar voters who helped elected him, theyre normally talking about rural white voters and not individuals who are African American or Hispanic Americans that live in the rust belt, and have been terribly impacted by bad trade deals or a system full of drugs and lack of access of education. Thats what I grew up around. I was lucky enough, but my parents had to scheme the system to send me to a Catholic school. What I mean by that, my parents werent together, and I was raised by my father who was a blue collar worker, but my mother, she still lived on public assistance. So I had to use my mothers financial records to afford to go to a Catholic school. My mothers social assistance allowed for my education costs for Catholic school to be reduced and that made it affordable for my dad to pay for. But I grew up in a neighborhood where there were a lot of young boys just like me who had talent, who were smart, but they were forced to go to a failing school, and as a result of it, I was the only one to go to college. Another friend went to the military, and that saved his life. But so many young boys with plenty of talent could be easily in my position if given the right opportunity to education. Mr. Jekielek: Its incredible. You obviously put a lot of importance on this issue of school choice which I know the administration has been championing, given what youve just told me. JaRon Smith: Thats exactly right. I think we have an education system on the higher ed level where you can go to any higher educational institution of your choice. I think we should just afford that to every parent because the current system gives lack of choice for a lot of parents who have to send their kids to failing schools. If they had the resources, they would choose the best school for their kid, or rather if its private, public, or if they wanted to homeschool. We notice now, especially during this pandemic, where so many schools, so many children, were forced to learn at home and didnt have resources to do so. So more than ever, we need to invest in that disparity because as I mentioned in the speeches, to create equalizers for the people to get access to education. Mr. Jekielek: After you went to a private school in Cleveland, you ended up at Howard? Mr. Smith: Correct. Mr. Jekielek: So how is that? Howard was great. I really, really enjoyed the friendships that I made at Howard and the stuff that you learn that you dont learn in the classroom. The culture there set up an atmosphere where a guy who comes from a blue collar city like Cleveland became a Republican. I became a Republican in college. Mr. Smith: I got to really find myself and my voice. I think thats a unique aspect of historically black colleges [and universities] in general for the African American experience, and the reason why is that theres no social pressure not to be yourself. Sometimes, in certain environments, we get put in a box, like if youre black, this is how you should act, this is how you should believe. I feel my experience at HBCU [Historically Black Colleges and Universities] allowed for me to have my own individuality. I learned that African American people are very diverse. Even if you just look at what part of the country they come from, just diverse all over the place. Most of my best friends are from Howard. I have a huge network from Howard and definitely a life-changing experience, so much so, I went back there for grad school. Mr. Jekielek: There are so many vantage points to follow up here. One of them is there seems to be a lot of pressure right now for a lot of Americans to conform to, lets call it, the Black Lives Matter narrative. What are your thoughts about this? Mr. Smith: This is interesting. I think the notion that black lives matter, is correct. I believe that. Mr. Jekielek: Who could argue? Mr. Smith: I think a lot of people believe that. But then theres also a movement that has Marxist leanings and thats certainly something I dont support just because I think the American system provides infrastructure so that anyone can get access to opportunity. That hasnt always been so for African Americans. This is why the president, at least a modern president, for my experience, has actually done things to try to contribute to disparities, from our investment in institutions like Howard and other HBCUs, to correcting unjust criminal justice system where mandatory minimums were enacted and people sent to prison for multiple decades for first time offense, like Alice Johnson, or even investing into opportunity zones which gives economic development dollars from the private sector to create jobs and to low income areas. Were working on a lot of different things to deal with health disparities and access to capital. These are real solutions to make sure that all Americans get access to the American dream. That hasnt always been true, so I can understand the frustration from a lot of communities, even like the community I came from. But the reality is, in order to get solutions, we need local leadership as well. It cant just be all federal. What youre seeing in many of the cities with the civil unrest is lack of leadership that has fallen short for decades, and not really being honest with the people on why things are working or why things are not working, and I think people are fed up with it. Youve been an advocate for peaceful protests from everything I could see. I think there was a report that talked about only 7 percent of the protests were violent. I think it was something like 500 of them. Then we saw one of those in front of the White House, actually, I think when you were here and Senator Rand Paulit was that camera footage. How do you distinguish here between the peaceful protesting and the violent protesting? Is it all the same? Is it different? Mr. Jekielek: I certainly have been involved in a couple peaceful protests. I was involved in Trayvon Martin. Organized Trayvon Martin Hoodies on the Hill peaceful protests with congressional Hill staffers. Also organized I Cant Breathe peaceful protests on the Hill. It made news and it really started us having this conversation on what reform looks like. Mr. Smith: However, if youre burning buildings and looting, or attacking police officers, thats not peaceful protests. I often think about Martin Luther King. Most of his protests were during the day, not at night. In fact, if there was any association with violent protesters, they left. So I think we want to protect that First Amendment right, but we also want community safety. The evidence has shown that many of these peaceful protests have been hijacked by individuals who were coming from out of the city or out of town and leveraging this peaceful protest to cause anarchy, and so I think these cities just cant afford to take steps back. Im from Cleveland, as I mentioned, and most of the community that Im familiar with has looked a certain type of way from remnants of the riots from the late 60s, early 70s. It was only up until now that they started to rebuild those sections of town, and so for us to reversethis is the saddest thing to go to a place like Kenosha and see boarded up buildings. These are businesses; this is peoples livelihood. And after any protests, we need to get the justice but return back to being civil and provide for our families. Its hard to do so if people tear our localities and our cities apart. Mr. Jekielek: One of the pushes of some of these protests at least is defunding the police, and you actually played a pretty significant role. Its the Executive Order on Safe Policing for Safe Communities. I guess I wanted to find out, one, theres a huge juxtaposition there. How has that gone, implementing that executive order? Mr. Smith: Were really close to finalizing some of the results of that executive order. Key aspects of it include creating accreditation standards in each state. I think were going to find out soon; theres going to be a number of different states, maybe a little more than 30 states that create these accreditation bodies. That will standardize police force on use of force, de-escalation training, how to create better police and community relationships. Prior to our executive order, only 1000 police departments across the country were accredited, out of 18,000, so its a major push to bring our policing into the 21st century. But thats always really been a focus of this administration, even before we signed an executive order. At the end of last year, we signed another executive order that created a police commission. And so police have wanted to modernize their police and update their standards. But what weve seen in many of the places where they have social unrest, they have a lack of standards. Like if you look at Minneapolis, they hadnt updated their standards in over 30 years, and that goes along with chokeholds and training related to de-escalation, and so you saw officers that werent trained. We had bad cops that probably, likely should have been fired years ago, still on the beat. Our executive order covers all the different aspects of that. In fact, through the presidents leadership, were able to leverage not only the police opinion on reform, but also individuals who represented some of the families who lost loved ones due to a police interaction. Thats the way that we fix some of the problems: we bring people together and figure out solutions, but we need the police. Theres so many different communities that have been [experiencing] violence and having individuals who dont feel safe. So to go the opposite way by defunding them puts a lot of lives at stake. Mr. Jekielek: Just recently, the whole Rochester police department, that might be an exaggeration, but including the police chief have basically retired and stepped out. What do you make of this sort of a situation? Mr. Smith: Thats exactly what you dont want. Let me give you an example: Just driving in the city in Washington D.C., my pregnant wifethe way people drive has changed; people are driving a little crazysaw like two accidents back to back. People do things when they know that no ones watching, so imagine if a whole city didnt have police. We wish we lived in a world where everyone was a good person, but you have some people who are bad guyspeople who commit heinous crimes such as rape and murder or stealing of ones property. So having a police force is a pillar to have any type of civil community because it allows for those who cant protect themselves to have proper protection from people who have that type of ill will. Mr. Jekielek: I just thought of this, but theres a book that is becoming popular. Its titled, In Defense of Looting, giving a pass to the people involved in that. Mr. Smith: Ive heard that from some people. We dont want to create a situation to get change in our country, [that] we have to do things like burn down peoples property. If we set that as a marker, were setting up anarchy. Were a civil society of laws. Weve seen leadership like Dr. Martin Luther King and the civil rights leaders do peaceful protests and change our country. Violent protests havent had that same effect. I think though, what people want is results, actual outcomes, from their elected leaders, and thats how reform used to happen. If individuals do not like their standard of living or dont like the way things are in their localities, their ability to vote, and they advocate for change and put accountability on those leaders, that is important more than ever. Unfortunately, many of these blue collar cities or major cities have been failed by many of their local elected leaders. Were even going to push for accountability from the president. Hes going to make sure everyones accountable. Even before we had the social unrest, I spent time in a number of different cities working on safe communities, working on economic development, working on entrepreneurship and educational workforce. Weve had many mayors not want to work with us just because we were the Trump administration. When it comes to certain issues with getting people access and fixing the disparities, it shouldnt be about politics. It has to be about outcomes because those are the things we agree upon. Im not a big fan of Bill Clinton, but he worked with Newt Gingrich and balanced the budget because it was about the people. They also worked with each other to reform the welfare system or tax reform in the 80s with Ronald Reagan and the Democratic congress of that time. Thats real leadership and we need to return back to that, especially now when people want opportunity and want access to the American dream. Mr. Jekielek: Lets talk about some of those results. You were important in at least two areas that Im thinking about. One was the First Step Act, of course, the criminal justice reform. I think the most bipartisan thing that has happened over the last however many years, at least to my eye. The other one is, of course, the [Opportunity and] Revitalization Council and Opportunity Zones. But lets talk about the impact of the First Step Act. Theres a lot of fanfare initially, a number of people that shouldnt have been in prison were let out of prison. Where are we at now in terms of the seeds of that? Mr. Smith: Its beautiful to see our country mature. We started out 30 years ago, when you were talking about criminal justice reform, you thought about, like heinous villains and things like that. Now were talking about nonviolent offenders, and the face of it is Alice Johnson, Alice Marie Johnson. It shows that weve moved from this whole mindset of a Willie Horton to Alice Johnson. We want to keep Willie Horton types in prison if theyre going to be violent offenders, but there are individuals who are deserving of a second chance like Alice Johnson. So what President Trump helped usher inwhich is what we learned from some states like Texas and Georgia, which is being smart on crimeis that we can invest in our prisons in a way that allows for individuals who really want to change their lives and be productive citizens, individuals whove made mistakes, to be able to leave prison after serving their time and become productive citizens by investing in education, mental health, drug rehabilitation, or even reconnecting with their families. We know where the next criminal has come from. Its usually from the person whos already in prison. So if we can drastically reduce the recidivism rates, reduce the amount of people who are leaving prison and coming back, thats going to contribute to public safety, and thats what the First Step Act did. The federal reentry recidivism rates were at 30 percent. Under the First Step Act, theyre at 11, because weve made that investment. You have 7000 individuals, nonviolent offenders, released because of all the general revisions of the First Step Act. Then another 7000 who are serving time in home confinement. So thats radically reducing or changing the way we do prison because its focused on individual accountability and helping them be successful on the outside. Theres more work to be done, of course, because most people who are in the prison system are in the state prisons and so were going to continue to work with the states to create that type of paradigm. Thats the right way to go. There is a wrong way to go. You cant just blanketly let anyone out. Weve seen that happen in certain states and localities, and that leads to increased crime. Some leftists mayors have gone a little further than they should on those types of reform efforts. What we want to focus on is public safety and fairness, and unfortunately, because of the crime bill of 1994 [Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act], it had a blanket approach towards criminal justice reform that created these mandatory minimums and it locked up a lot of African Americans. What we did is unravel that and so more African American fathers are home with their families, more mothers are home with their families. But not just home, but prepared to actually make a lasting impact by getting the tools they need to be successful on outside. Mr. Jekielek: Alice Marie Johnson, shes been a guest on the show, and actually, Jon Ponder, talking about recidivism rates going down. He started this interesting program in Las Vegas and recently was pardoned, of course. I was calling him the other day telling him congratulations. What do you think of this particular program, and is this something thats being looked [at] to expand? Mr. Smith: Yes. Hope for Prisoners is amazing. The president spoke at their graduation, I think it was at the beginning of this year. Its funny, so much has happened in 2020. It was at the beginning of this year, and its a shining example of whats possible. You have local police, local sheriffs, working with those who are formerly incarcerated and helping them be successful by helping them as mentors, and their recidivism rates are extremely low. We want to scale that around the country because policing is about one core aspect of community. We want the police to look more like that community. We want to recruit young boys and girls who live in a certain neighborhood to protect their community. We want those types of interactions to go well. Jon Ponder, what hes done with Hope For Prisoners is a model of what we can do if we all work together. Mr. Jekielek: Lets switch gears a little bit. Before we finish up, I wanted to talk about the impact of the work of the [Opportunity and] Revitalization Council and the development of these Opportunity Zones. If you could give us a picture again of where we are today? Mr. Smith: Opportunity Zones is a tax incentive that came about through the presidents tax cut and JOBS [Jumpstart Our Business Startups] Act. What it allowed for was for governors to designate 25 percent of their low income census tracts as opportunity zones. So governors around the country designated those areas, and it allows for those areas to have investors rollover capital gains and not have to pay capital gains in those areas if they invest in longer term projects and they got additional incentives for how long they kept that investment. The goal is threefold. One, to create access to capital into low income areas for small businesses and development projects. Two, to create an ecosystem for long term investment into those areas. And then three, to give more flexibility back to localities to help them figure out what local solution or what local problems theyre trying to solve. Its very unique to any other investment center that we ever had. Since weve done that, in the two years, we have about $75 billion worth of new capital invested into these low income census tracts. There are 3800 zones throughout the country thats created over a half million new jobs into those communities, and CEA [Council of Economic Advisers] estimates that it will lift over a million people out of poverty. What weve seen though, is the localities, the cities, the local jurisdictions that have devised the Opportunity Zone plan have been the ones that have shown the most success. The localities that havent [used the Opportunity Zone plan] havent seen the amount of success that they could have. We created the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council to show the federal governments commitment to making sure that the tools around these zones were available to those localities so that they can be successful. But it also was to encourage those localities to also leverage their tools. In the places that youre seeing, great success, you have the federal tools working in concert with the state tools, working in concert with the city tools, and then you have the private sector money, and so its creating a five-way partnership between the federal; state; local government; the private sector which includes businesses, individuals, churches, and nonprofits; and the most important stakeholders, the individuals who get access to affordable housing, will get a new job, the small business owner thats trying to expand on their business. Thats how you create change and thats what the [House Opportunity and] Revitalization Council is really focused on. Unfortunately, again, it goes back to local leadership. I may have mentioned earlier that some localities refused not to work with us, and thats where youre seeing the most difficulties in some of the major cities. Chicago is one of them, New York, a lot of the major metropolitan [areas] the New York Times may have written about. But if you see areas like Erie, Pennsylvania and Birmingham, or South Central, L.A., they have a number of different projects that were seeing [bear] a lot of different fruits. You can find all of this on opportunyzones.gov which gives the best practices, but the best part of it is about long term investment. Were only three years into Opportunity Zones and so we have about eight more years left of the incentive, and so I think over the long term, its really going to do what it was intended to do. Mr. Jekielek: Cleveland, I think, is also one of the beneficiaries, right? Mr. Smith: Yes, it is. It is. Mr. Jekielek: Coming full circle here. Mr. Smith: Very much so. Cleveland, Canton, weve spent some time in both localities to figure out how to help them be successful. I wish in Cleveland, certain areas were designated like East Cleveland or even the neighborhood I came from. Theres a lot of low income areas that need this help, and hopefully we can work with Congress and create the furtherance of more zones. Mr. Jekielek: So any final words before we finish up? Mr. Smith: What I would like to say is that most of this work is going to take a long term commitment. One thing Ive learned with working with this president is hes committed to helping create those outcomes and hes willing to do all he can within his power to create those partnerships. So its important to know that without any type of partnership or leadership on a local level, we cant solve some of these issues. America is a big country and people have to understand that in order to solve these big problems that we have, we have to work together and get a united strategy. Mr. Jekielek: JaRon Smith, such a pleasure to have you on. Mr. Smith: Thanks so much. This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity. American Thought Leaders is an Epoch Times show available on YouTube Facebook , and The Epoch Times website . It airs on Verizon Fios TV and Frontier Fios on Channel 158. President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has stated his government's unreserved commitment to give Zoomlion Ghana Limited the needed support to provide waste management infrastructure towards a lasting solution to Ghana's waste problems. "Zoomlion has proven beyond a reasonable doubt that it is the panacea to Ghana's waste management problems over the years and I will support them to succeed. And I am not ashamed that is why everywhere they go I make time to go there too" back them up". The president was cutting sod for the installation of a solid waste treatment plant at Goaso, the capital of the Ahafo Region. Nana Akufo-Addo had earlier on cut sods for similar facilities in one week at Techiman and Sunyani in the Bono East and Bono Regions respectively. He assured the chiefs and people of the Ahafo Region that there is no way his government will ignore them when distributing development projects from the national kitty as they too deserve development like others. The Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources, Mrs. Cecilia Abena Dapaah on her part said, the government is doing it's best in providing the needed infrastructure for the benefit of the people of Ghana including the Ahafo Region. She commended Zoomlion for their efforts and stated that all the waste the region generates on daily basis will be turned into compost for agrarian use and plastics for household and recreational purposes. The Executive Chairman of the Jospong Group of Companies (JGC) and Zoomlion Ghana Limited, Dr. Joseph Siaw Agyepong commended the president for making time this week to cud sod for three of the plants to be installed among other efforts the government is making to enable the group provide the best for the country. He said his company will make sure that it supports government policies to succeed. US President Donald Trump and Chinas Vice Premier Liu He, the country's top trade negotiator, hold a press conference before they sign a trade agreement with the US and China during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC on January 15, 2020. "The multilateral trading system with the WTO at its core is the cornerstone of international trade," a spokesperson for China's Ministry of Commerce told reporters during a news conference. "The United States has not met its burden of demonstrating that the measures are provisionally justified," the panel said in a report. The panel offered an additional observation, saying the group was "very much aware of the wider context in which the WTO system currently operates, which is one reflecting a range of unprecedented global trade tensions." A three-person panel of WTO trade experts said Washington broke with global regulations in 2018 when it slapped more than $200 billion in levies on a slew of Chinese goods. Since March 2018, the U.S. has imposed tariffs on $400 billion in Chinese exports. NEW YORK The World Trade Organization ruled Tuesday that additional tariffs imposed in 2018 by the United States on Chinese goods violated international trading rules, a blow to the Trump administration's trade war against the world's second-largest economy. "China has always firmly supported and maintained this cornerstone and respected WTO rules and rulings," the spokesperson said, adding that Beijing "hopes that the United States will fully respect the rulings of the expert panel and the rules-based multilateral trading system, take practical actions to meet China and other WTO members, jointly maintain the multilateral trading system, and promote the stable and healthy development of the world economy." The Trump administration has previously claimed that the tariffs on China were necessary to curb Beijing's unfair trading practices and intellectual property theft. The United States trade representative reiterated those claims Tuesday on the heels of the WTO's decision. "This panel report confirms what the Trump administration has been saying for four years: The WTO is completely inadequate to stop China's harmful technology practices," U.S. Trade Representative Ambassador Robert Lighthizer said in a statement. "The United States must be allowed to defend itself against unfair trade practices, and the Trump Administration will not let China use the WTO to take advantage of American workers, businesses, farmers, and ranchers." All told, Washington has 60 days to appeal the decision under WTO rules. The move could trigger Beijing to ask the organization to adjudicate which, could last over a period of several years. Nearly a year ago, in an address to the United Nations General Assembly in New York, President Donald Trump argued that the Geneva-based WTO needs "drastic change" to counter cheating from China and other nations. "For years these abuses were tolerated, ignored or even encouraged," Trump said in September 2019. He also said that the United States will not accept a "bad deal" in trade talks with China and that he did not need a deal before the 2020 election. "Hopefully we can reach an agreement that will be beneficial for both countries. But as I have made very clear I will not accept a bad deal for the American people," Trump said, prompting no reaction from the Chinese delegation watching. West African leaders met the head of Mali's military junta on Tuesday to press for the return to civilian rule nearly a month after rebel officers seized power in the fragile state. The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) slapped sanctions on Mali after the putsch, including closing borders and a ban on trade and financial flows, and has called for elections within 12 months. The 15-nation bloc also gave the new military rulers until Tuesday to name a civilian president and prime minister to head a transitional government. "My reason for this meeting is simple. We need to bring finality to our deliberations on Mali," Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo said in an opening statement at a lodge at Peduase, eastern Ghana. "That country can no longer afford any delay in putting a responsible government in place." Akufo-Addo, the current ECOWAS rotating chairman, reiterated that Tuesday was "supposed to be the day the military junta is supposed to put in place a government". "Closure should be brought to the matter now," he said. Junta leader Colonel Assimi Goita, who was appointed interim head of state, was attending the talks on his first trip abroad since his seizure of power. He was set to deliver a speech behind closed doors to the assembled leaders from across the region outlining his plans. Opposition criticism The military junta over the weekend backed an arrangement for an 18-month transition government in which the junta would be given the leading role in choosing the interim president. But the document was rejected by Mali's protest movement. It underscored its objections on Tuesday, while stressing it did not want to "break or get involved in a conflict" with the junta. The communique said that consultations about the transition -- which culminated in a document published on Saturday after a three-day forum -- were marked by "intimidation (and) anti-democratic and unfair practices" and "the desire to monopolise and confiscate power to the benefit of (the junta)." Story continues "Corrections must be able to be made to the national consultation documents," said Mountaga Tall, a leader of the so-called June 5 Movement, or M5, an alliance of political parties, trade unions, religious figures and NGOs. Mali's former president, Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, 75, was toppled after months of protests by the M5 demanding his resignation. He had been facing deep anger over an eight-year-old jihadist insurgency, economic problems and entrenched corruption. The M5 wants to be given equal status with the junta during the transition. Other criticism it has made of the junta-backed transition charter concerns the powers that would be given to the vice president, tasked with defence and security -- a job description considered to be tailor-made for Goita. Unstable past Mali's neighbours, who are anxious to avoid the fragile Sahel state spiralling into chaos, have not yet reacted to the transition roadmap. Last month's coup is Mali's fourth since gaining independence from France in 1960. A further reminder of its chronic instability came on Tuesday with the death on Tuesday of Moussa Traore, who led the country for 22 years. In 1968, Moussa Traore, then a lieutenant, was the main instigator of a coup that overthrew Modibo Keita, the country's first post-independence president. He stayed in power until he in turn was ousted in a coup in 1991. Traore died aged 83 in the capital Bamako, his nephew Mohamed Traore told AFP. (AFP) President Donald Trump celebrated a federal judges ruling that key coronavirus restrictions put in place by Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf are unconstitutional. Taking to Twitter Monday afternoon, Trump retweeted dozens of posts about the ruling, including a report from Spotlight PA shared by The Inquirer. He also shared a handful of memes celebrating the ruling, and wrote that he hopes similar rulings knock back restrictions in other states including Michigan and North Carolina. The ruling comes as the number of new coronavirus cases reported in the commonwealth has begun to level off. Pennsylvania is averaging 743 new coronavirus cases a day over the past seven days, according to an Inquirer analysis. Thats up from a mid-June low of 530 cases a day, but down from the 960 new cases daily Pennsylvania was averaging at the end of July. In a roundtable on Sept. 3 in Harrisburg, White House coronavirus task force coordinator Deborah Birx praised Pennsylvanias response to the pandemic, and specifically highlighted her approval of restrictions put in place by Wolf and his administration to slow the spread of the virus. I never give anyone an A, but I think theyre close to a B-plus, A-minus range, a really terrific job, Birx told reporters. READ MORE: Wolfs COVID-19 business closures, limit on gatherings unconstitutional, federal court rules Trump has repeatedly called Pennsylvania to loosen its coronavirus restrictions, at times contradicting the recommendations from his own administration. These governors dont want to open up, and they have to. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is great. Its got to be opened up. Its got to be opened up now, Trump told WPXI in Pittsburgh on Sept. 4 following a campaign stop in Latrobe, Pa. Trump will be in Philadelphia Tuesday for a town hall on ABC News, broadcast from the National Constitution Center. OTTAWA, Ontario, Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Giatec, world leader in concrete testing technologies, has announced that the re-design of its award-winning flagship product SmartRock, now available to pre-order, has been re-engineered with game-changing dual-temperature monitoring capabilities for mass concrete applications. World's most advanced wireless concrete sensor: SmartRock First announced in February of 2020 at World of Concrete, this latest generation of SmartRock takes concrete testing to a whole new level. In addition to an update in the sensor's design, activation, installation, and wireless signal range, "SmartRock 3" has been equipped with dual-temperature monitoring capabilities. This enables users to measure temperature values at two locations simultaneously. One temperature probe is located at the tip of the white temperature cable, another in the body of the sensor where the black transmitter is located. This function allows users to easily monitor temperature differentials between the concrete's core and surface for mass pour applications. "We are very happy with the new dual-temperature functionality of the SmartRock 3 sensor. The temperature readings are very precise, helping us to accurately monitor temperature differentials of our mass pours at the surface and center of the slab, which can vary based on several factors. The sensors are also fast and straightforward to install, sending real-time data to our phones immediately," says Walter Flood, Principal Engineer, Flood Testing Laboratories. SmartRock is helping top construction companies eliminate concrete testing delays and take back control of their schedules in over 6,200 projects across 45 countries. As the first truly wireless sensor introduced to the market in 2015, SmartRock is the leading concrete maturity sensor for accurate monitoring of concrete curing and hardening. Unlike time-consuming and error-prone break tests, or cumbersome wired sensors, Giatec's patented maturity sensor uses a highly accurate ASTM-approved testing method. Together with the Giatec 360 platform and SmartHub remote monitoring device, this has enabled faster, safer, and more economical concrete construction. ABOUT GIATEC Giatec Scientific Inc. is a global company revolutionizing the construction industry by bringing smart testing technologies and real-time data collection to the forefront of every jobsite. Giatec's suite of hardware and software products has leveraged advanced technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Internet of Things (IoT), including wireless concrete sensors, mobile apps, and advanced non-destructive technologies (NDT) to drive innovation throughout concrete's lifecycle. For more information, visit www.giatec.ca. Related Images newly-re-engineered-giatec.png Newly Re-Engineered Giatec SmartRock Sensor World's most advanced wireless concrete sensor: SmartRock Related Links SmartRock 3 Product Page MEDIA CONTACT Dobrila Moogk Vice President Marketing Tel: +1 (877) 497-6278 ext. 9280 [email protected] SOURCE Giatec Scientific Inc. Trent Valley Archives (TVA) is offering two walking tours, one of them brand new, at Little Lake Cemetery during the upcoming weeks. Ruth Kuchinad, a member of the TVA Events Committee thanks everyone for their support of these tours. All the funds go for keeping the TVA alive and well, she says. The new tour, Mark Your Spot, is scheduled for two Sundays, Sept. 20 and 27 from 1 until 2:30 p.m. This tour, guided by Don Willcox, will look at the architectural aspects of Little Lake Cemetery stones, mausoleums and the chapel. Participants will learn about the stones, their decorations and attributes. They will hear about the stones symbols including the various types of crosses, and the materials they are made from, including the unique use of Zinc. They will discover why granite rather than limestone is the preferred choice today. A visit to the Morrow Mausoleum and the chapel are also included with the tour. The second tour, Tragic Tales of Little Lake Cemetery, takes place the same days, but later in the afternoon, from 3 until 4:30 p.m. During this tour, participants will hear stories of grief and woe from days past. Learn about Little Freddie McMasters strange demise, Daniel McDonalds amazing career, and previously unknown details of the 1916 Quaker fire. COVID-19 safeguards will be in place. There will be screening prior to each tour with appropriate physical distancing maintained throughout each tour. You are encouraged to book with members of your circle and to wear a face mask. There is a limit of 18 persons, including the guide, for each tour. Tickets cost $20 and are available on the TVA website trentvalleyarchives.com/events or by contacting Heather at 705-745-4404 or emailing admin@trentvalleyarchives.com. Registration and payment in advance are required. Fundraising Raffle Peterborough Northumberland Crime Stoppers are holding a fundraising raffle. Buy your tickets now; the draw takes place Oct. 12. Peterborough Northumberland Crime Stoppers is a registered non-profit charitable organization. The grand prize, an outdoor package valued at over $20,000, is a 2019 Kawasaki Mule Pro MX side by side complete with Interco Aluminum Trailer. The runner-up prize, a value of $6,000, is a one-week stay at a beachfront penthouse (accommodation only) in Grace Bay, Turks and Caicos Islands. Tickets are $10 each or three for $25. Only 3,500 will be sold. They may be purchased online at stopcrimehere.ca (click on the events tab) or by calling 705-745-9000. Smile Cookies Tim Hortons Smile cookies are back, but they are just available until Sunday! All proceeds from the sale of cookies at Tim Horton locations in Peterborough, Lakefield, Bridgenorth, Curve Lake and Belleville will go to the YMCA of Central East Ontarios Strong Kids Campaign. The cookies cost just $1 each. This campaign provides financial support to local children and families for access to YMCA memberships, programming, lessons and camp, regardless of their financial situation. Dont want to miss out on the cookies? You can preorder them online and pick them up later at your specified date and time. You need to allow 48 hours for processing. For the preorder cookie form and further information on the Strong Kids Campaign visit ymcaofceo.ca. Blues Jam Deluxe Blues Jam, a fundraiser for the Peterborough Musicians Benevolent Association (PMBA), takes place Saturday from 2 until 5 p.m. at Dr. Js BBQ & Brews, 282 Aylmer St. N. Hosted by The Fabulous Tonemaster, the event takes place outside on the patio. Those participating must chose a table when they arrive and occupy that table for the events duration. Masks will be required inside, but not on the patio. The cost is $80 for a table for four or $120 for a table for six. For more information and to reserve a table email peterboroughmusiciansbenevolent@gmail.com. 15.09.2020 LISTEN The Vision for Alternative Development (VALD) joins Hundreds of civil society groups in Africa and across the globe today to demand that their governments hold Big Polluters liable for the harms of their extractive activities on man and the environment. The Global Make Big Polluters Pay campaign was first launched in September 2019 at the UN Secretary Generals Climate Summit in New York City. At COP25 in Madrid, over 200,000 people from more than 63 countries including Africa delivered a demand to the delegates present to make Big Polluters pay. Today, this demand is amplified with the release of a liability road map: a first-of-its-kind tool outlining guidelines on how governments can hold polluting industries liable for the impacts of their activities causing environmental degradation and climate change. The issue of liability has taken on new life as countries of the Global North shove climate justice demands to the back seat in favor of incentives and bail outs for Big Polluters in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving majorly grassroots and frontline communities more vulnerable. The Executive Director of Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa, Akinbode Oluwafemi said: The launch of the liability roadmap is timely. It presents an opportunity and pathway that African governments must seize to finally hold polluting industries accountable for the environmental and human rights abuses they have caused in communities across Africa and the world over. The Regional Director, Corporate Accountability Climate Campaign, Hellen Neima said: Liability presents an interesting prospect for communities that have for decades borne the brunt of Big Polluters assaults like oil spills in their rivers and farmlands and the noxious gas flares that contribute in large part to the climate change crisis. With these clear guidelines the day of justice seems to be nearer now The Programs Director of Vision for Alternative Development (VALD), Labram Musah said, The harm and damage caused by these big polluters including Shell and other polluting corporations is far worse than the benefit they purport bring to us. We cannot take further risk as the future of our planet is uncertain. Government must prioritize the adoption of the liability roadmap into its national development agendas. Industry liability is now a growing area of focus for climate justice experts, academics and governments alike as the industrys long history of denial and its link with emissions and climate impacts becomes more evidenced. From states in Nigeria, to the US, to Vanuatu and Peru, among others, elected officials and impacted people including frontline communities are exploring options of holding Big Polluters liable for their infractions. These efforts should inspire a great move in Ghana as well. On the global front, earlier this year, the European Parliament held a hearing investigating Exxons attempts to mislead the public. The Philippines commission on human rights is considering the fossil fuel industrys responsibility for human rights violations in connection to climate change. And in Peru, a farmer is suing a German utility for its role in the crisis harming his livelihood. Equally in Nigeria, many Niger Delta communities have explored the litigation option in confronting Shell and other oil multinationals for oil spills and other environmental infractions. With the emergence of oil fields in Ghana, it behooves on us as a nation to begin to follow and adhere to global best practices to ensure we protect our present and future generations from the devastating effects of big polluters. LIVONIA, Mich., Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- CIGNEX Datamatics, a leading provider of Digital Transformation through Open Source, Cloud and Automation technology solutions, announced the launch of an online RPA ROI Calculator, which can help organizations estimate the cost to automate & optimize their business processes. Though RPA bots can execute tasks at a much faster rate without any error while adhering to compliance, business owners are still skeptical regarding the cost advantage a RPA deployment can bring to them. According to sources, this calculator compares the current cost incurred in executing the process manually with the cost to automate & shares a cost benefit analysis. This analysis would allow users to understand how beneficial would it be to automate their current manual process. "As we navigate through unprecedented times, organizations need to stay one step ahead in the face of change. With the help of this ROI Calculator, organizations will be able to determine the dramatic cost savings they would make if they were to deploy robots to automate repetitive & routine tasks," said Harish Ramachandran, CEO, CIGNEX Datamatics. "The calculator can help them visualize the streamlining of redundant processes, without the disruption of the current business models they have in place," he added. The calculator is live and can be accessed here Having invested in RPA since 2016, CIGNEX Datamatics has built an RPA Center of Excellence (CoE) with certified RPA professionals (over 150+ certifications accomplished by 60+ RPA experts), who are helping customers achieve their automation goals with quality RPA solutions, RPA tools knowledge, and an ability to quantify the ROI. About CIGNEX Datamatics (www.cignex.com) CIGNEX Datamatics, a subsidiary of Datamatics Global Services Ltd., is a Michigan-based global consulting company offering solutions & services on Open Source, Cloud and Automation. Since 2000, CIGNEX Datamatics has been delivering enterprise class solutions built using leading platforms & tools, which can be integrated with existing systems to achieve unparalleled results. Media contact: Priyanka Sharma Head of Marketing CIGNEX Datamatics [email protected] +91-079 6701 0345 SOURCE CIGNEX Datamatics Inc. Presidente @MartinVizcarraC: Estamos aqui, juntos como Gobierno, unidos contra un enemigo invisible. En el ultimo mes, los indicadores de contagios, hospitalizados, de personas que fallecen por el virus, han ido disminuyendo gradualmente. Sin embargo, no debemos confiarnos. pic.twitter.com/fNXMSsZULi Union defence minister Rajnath Singh spoke in Parliament on Tuesday on the border standoff with China in Ladakh, saying that China is not honouring the customary alignment of the boundary with India. He said that the alignment has not only been defined by treaties, but has been maintained historically. However, China believes that the border is not defined, he added and warned that any serious situation on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) is bound to impact bilateral ties. The defence minister also paid tribute to the 20 Indian soldiers who lost their lives fighting the Chinese army in the Galwan clash on June 15. Watch | Army foiled Chinas transgression attempts: Rajnath Singh in Lok Sabha Terming the border issue a complex one, Singh said that both countries have agreed to resolve it peacefully. There are many agreements and protocols between both the countries to maintain peace and tranquility on the border, he added. Singhs statement comes amid rising tensions along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh after a series of recent maneuvers by the Chinese Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) and the Indian Army in the Pangong Tso area. Corps commander-ranked officers have already met five times to discuss the issue but failed to break the deadlock. Military officials are likely to meet again this week. This will be their first meeting after the Indian Army swiftly moved and occupied key heights to prevent the PLA from grabbing Indian territory on the southern bank of Pangong Tso in a stealthy midnight move on August 29. The defence ministers statement also assumes significance in the backdrop of demands made by the Opposition for a debate on the issue. ALGIERS, Algeria, Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --Easyfairs Northeral, the organizer of MAGHREB PHARMA Expo has announced new dates for its annual international tradeshow for the pharmaceutical industry in North Africa. In this context, the Algerian Pharmaceutical Industry Minister, Lotfi Benbahmed, announced end of August in Algiers that Algeria plans to export the equivalent of $ 5 billion worth of locally produced drugs. An approach that will be based on local producers and even on foreign pharmaceutical companies present in Algeria: "By 2025, Algeria, through the capacities of its pharmaceutical industry, plans to export quantities of drugs equal to that which it imports, to rebalance its accounts," he indicated. MAGHREB PHARMA Expo, the largest pharmaceutical technology tradeshow in Africa, will be organized from 9 to 11 February 2021 in Algiers International Conference Center. Gathering over 200 international exhibitors from 25 countries, this tradeshow brings all ingredients, packaging, production lines, clean room, turnkey project and laboratory equipment suppliers at the same place to contribute to the acceleration of the local manufacturing capacities. The organizer of MAGHREB PHARMA Expo, Olivier-Hicham Allard explains: "This mission-driven event has been supporting the development of the local pharmaceutical manufacturing capacities in North Africa for 8 years and contributed actively to switch the drug importation costs into local manufacturing investments. We are observing an exciting evolution where local manufacturers focused in the beginning on pure generic products but are now increasingly looking to extend their portfolio by exploring biotechnology manufacturing equipment, OTC products ingredients, food supplement formulas, innovative packaging, medical device and even dermocosmetics. We are deeply convinced that Algeria and the whole Maghreb region, thanks to its strategic position between Africa and Europe can become one of the largest pharmaceutical manufacturing hub in the world. Our mission as organizers of this event is to support the local pharmaceutical industry as much as we can to achieve this objective." MAGHREB PHARMA Expo is taking place from 9 to 11 February 2021 in Algiers International Conference Center. Over 2800 professionals and decision makers from North Africa will meet +200 exhibitors on 9000 m and will be able to attend +30 conferences. For detailed information about the event or to register online, please visit www.maghrebpharma.com Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1252194/MAGHREB_PHARMA_Expo_Logo.jpg Alaska Airlines resumed flying in and out of Portland on Tuesday afternoon, a day after it suspended service due to wildfire smoke. The airline continued operating a reduced schedule, though, canceling at least 20 afternoon and evening flights through PDX. The 24-hour suspension of flights allowed us time to implement a new safety protocol that directs our employees to work a reduced number of hours outside when theres poor air quality, Alaska said in a statement on its website Tuesday. Oregon has been inundated with wildfire smoke for several days after an unprecedented eruption of wildfires burned more than 1 million acres last week. Alaska Air said it met with medical professionals from the University of Washington to develop procedures to keep workers safe. Construction companies and many other Oregon businesses that operate outdoors shut down Monday amid abysmal air quality conditions. Air quality remained hazardous Tuesday throughout the region, moderating only slightly, and forecasters said poor conditions will continue until the weekend. Our employees' exposure over the course of their shifts will be limited to keep their air intake below unhealthy levels, Alaska said Monday. To help keep them safe, they will have access to personal protective equipment, such as N95 masks. Alaska and its sister airline, Horizon Air, are together the busiest carriers at PDX. They also suspended service in Spokane on Monday and has canceled many flights through Eugene, Medford, Redmond, Pasco and Walla Walla because of the wildfire smoke. The online flight tracker at Portland International Airport shows that other airlines have not taken similar steps, though all are operating on reduced schedules because of the coronavirus pandemic. -- Mike Rogoway | mrogoway@oregonian.com | twitter: @rogoway | 503-294-7699 The planned merger between Detroit-area Beaumont Health and the Chicago-Milwaukee-based Advocate-Aurora Health has been delayed amid growing opposition among Beaumont staff as well as a group of donors who are calling for the current management team to be fired. On Friday, Beckers Hospital Review reported that Mark Shaevsky, a former Beaumont Health board vice chair and trustee, sent a letter to Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel calling for the removal of CEO John Fox, COO Carolyn Wilson and CMO David Wood. Shaevsky, who was a board member at Beaumont for 17 years, said in an interview with Crains Detroit Business that patient safety concerns raised by staff had not been sufficiently addressed. Meanwhile, Beckers reported that a group of Beaumont donors met with the health system board of directors vice chair to express their views and that they are preparing a letter calling for more physicians and nurses to be added to the board. The letter will also call for a halt to the merger with Advocate-Aurora for at least one year and fire the system's CEO, COO and CMO and bring in an interim management team. The Beaumont board confirmed that a vote on the planned merger with Advocate-Aurora had been delayed pending a detailed review of the results of a staff survey that showed significant lack of confidence by doctors and nurses in the leadership of the eight-hospital system in the Detroit Metropolitan area. As reported by the WSWS in early August, a group of Beaumont doctors circulated a petition denouncing the elevation by management of financial considerations above patient care. The physicians no-confidence petition called on the 16-member Beaumont board of directors to remove CEO Fox and CMO Wood. In a cover letter that accompanied their petition, the Beaumont doctors described a continual erosion of the standard of patient care that we all have worked so hard to maintain, while noting, changes instituted by the current leadership have been done to increase the financial status of the organization. The letter also stated that the physicians and the community now face the imminent threat of a merger with a Chicago-based hospital system which would remove any local control of our hospitals. Many members of the Beaumont staff were reluctant to sign the petition or participate in the surveys given managements record of retaliation against employees who speak up. Doctors reported that Beaumont management had fired top doctors who objected to its decisions. According to a statement from the author of the petition, Employed doctors don't know what to do. They are worried about retaliation. So many private doctors now are sending their patients elsewhere, Henry Ford, Michigan Medicine, Cleveland Clinic. The feeling is Beaumont is more concerned with profits than quality. The doctors are opposed to a series of decisions by Beaumont management, including: a new physician contract as part of the Advocate-Aurora deal that would drastically cut salaries and implement an onerous non-compete clause in the Midwest; outsourcing of anesthesiology services to a third party vendor and the replacement of more than 100 certified registered staff nurses; and hundreds of layoffs to cut costs and make the deal more attractive. The mergers and consolidation of hospital networks are part of a corporate trend across the country and represents the subordination of critical health care services to the financial performance upon which the massive salaries of top executives are based. Beaumonts Fox has a $6 million annual salary, Wood garners $2 million and Advocate-Auroras CEO Jim Skogsbergh makes $11.7 million. These executive compensation programs are based on the intensification of the exploitation of doctors, nurses, technicians and hospital support staff, which is borne out by the details of the new salary program being pushed at Beaumont. According to the doctors, the CARTS 2.0 (Clinical, Administrative, Research, Teaching and Strategic) pay system would cut the income of 1,300 staff physicians by up to 50 percent. One doctor told Modern Healthcare, Beaumont is trying to wiggle out of what I think is fair compensation. They have all sorts of excuses to pay us at the 25th percentile instead of the 80th percentile where many of us are at based on our productivity. They are offering way below market value for us. Several doctors also said that Beaumont told them the salary cuts were due to the DOJ corporate integrity agreement, but they do not believe this explanation. The dramatic drop in compensation is far below any concerns that the DOJ would have over excessive pay. The non-compete clause that doctors are required to sign states that they cannot leave and go to another hospital system within a 35-mile radius for three years. Responding to the objections by doctors about the non-compete language, Fox said in typical corporate-speak, We have set the criteria for the non-compete that's where Beaumont is providing extensive value to employed doctors for their practice. Another cost-cutting measure that comes at the expense of the doctors is Beaumonts elimination of teaching stipends. One doctor told Modern Health, The employed clinical faculty had been told to help develop the medical school curriculum, provide teaching and serve on committees and support research with medical students all without any additional compensation. While the corporate executives at Beaumont are looking at every dime they spend and cutting costs for critical staff involved directly in providing patient care, the hospital spent a reported $1.8 million to hire labor consultants to prevent a union organizing effort among nurses by the Michigan Nurses Association (MNA) dating back to 2019. According to a report in the Guardian, Beaumont management hired the union-busting firm Kulture Consulting, which was co-founded by James Hulsizer, the former director of labor relations for Donald Trumps casino properties in Atlantic City, New Jersey. This strategy has turned out well for Beaumont as Trumps National Labor Relations Board worked with hospital management to whitewash the companys intimidation tactics and drive the MNA off of its premises. Beaumont doctors, nurses and staff must rely upon their own strength and not place any confidence in the politics of the official labor movement, which centers on making appeals to the Democrats in Lansing to protect their interests. Meanwhile, nothing that the corporate decision-makers say or offer, including the Beaumont Board of Directors, should be accepted. Their interests are incompatible with those of health care workers. Behind closed doors, the board is preoccupied with determining the size of the golden parachute for CEO Fox and his team, which has been estimated at as much as $20 million. The solution to the crisis of the health care system, which has been starkly revealed for all to see during the coronavirus pandemic, cannot be found within the capitalist system. The financialization of hospitals and other providers of medical serviceswhether they are in the for-profit or non-profit categoryis a demonstration of the way that societys critical infrastructure has been ever more converted into a money-making operation for the parasitic elite. The logo of Swedish payment provider Klarna. Photo: Thomas Trutschel/Photothek via Getty Swedish payment and shopping service Klarna has become Europes most valuable private fintech after raising $650m (505m) in its latest funding round for a valuation of $10.65bn. The round was led by Silver Lake, Singapores sovereign wealth fund GIC, and funds managed by BlackRock and HMI Capital. They join current investors including Sequoia Capital, Bestseller, Dragoneer, and Commonwealth Bank of Australia. Klarna said it will use the new funding to invest in its shopping service and grow its global presence, particularly targeting expansion in the US, where it said it now has more than 9 million customers. Klarna offers an app-based buy now pay later service, allowing users to shop online and pay in interest-free installments, while Klarna pays the seller. Its competitors include Revolut, Checkout, US-based Affirm, and Australias Afterpay. The shift to online retail is now truly supercharged and there is a very tangible change in the behaviour of consumers who are now actively seeking services which offer convenience, flexibility and control in how they pay, said Klarna CEO and co-founder Sebastian Siemiatkowski in the deal statement. READ MORE: COVID-19 will permanently change how we shop, says Klarna CEO The online lender, which has an EU banking licence and offers debit and savings accounts in Germany and Sweden, said it has more than 90 million global consumers and 12 million monthly active users of the app. Klarna is one of the most disruptive and promising fintech companies in the world, redefining the ecommerce experience for millions of consumers and global retailers, just as ecommerce growth is accelerating worldwide and rapidly shifting to mobile, Silver Lake chiefs Egon Durban and Jonathan Durham said in a statement. The company, which was founded in 2005, raised $460m in its previous round in August 2019, which valued it at $5.5bn. Chief executive Siemiatkowski told Reuters last month that the value of transactions on its payment platform surged by 44% in the first six months of the year the bulk of that in the US as the coronavirus pandemic pushed shoppers online. Siemiatkowski also told the news agency that the company was considering an IPO within one to two years, and would likely list in the US. Short seller Hindenburg Research has doubled down on allegations made last week that Nikola Motor Company (NKLA) spun an ocean of lies, calling the electric-truck startups response to the allegations a tacit admission of securities fraud. In a statement published Tuesday, Hindenburg rejected Nikolas response to the claims, saying they failed to dispel doubts about a deceptive video that made it seem as if its Nikola One semi-truck were traveling under its own power at a high rate of speed. Hindenburg Research Twitter post September 15, 2020 The short seller further criticized the company for purportedly answering just 10 of 53 questions that it said the company should answer for the sake of shareholders. In Mondays response, the company acknowledged that its vehicle was not functioning under its own power, and instead, was apparently simply showcasing the power of gravity, Hindenburg wrote. Beyond common sense The companys explanation that the truck in the video was merely as in motion, Hindenburg wrote, is beyond common sense. The short seller pointed to additional representations by Nikola in the description of the video that its Nikola One semi-truck had 1,000 horsepower, and zero-emissions. Obviously, the truck cant have 1,000 horsepower or even 1 horsepower if it doesnt power itself, Hindenburg wrote. Hindenburg also quoted the companys verified Facebook account responses to communications stating that the Nikola One had over 1,000 HP and over 2,000 ft. lbs. of torque and can handle a 7% grade, no problem. CEO and founder of U.S. Nikola, Trevor Milton speaks during presentation of its new full-electric and hydrogen fuel-cell battery trucks in partnership with CNH Industrial, at an event in Turin, Italy December 2, 2019. REUTERS/Massimo Pinca Nikola never stated its truck was driving under its own propulsion in the video, although the truck was designed to do just that, the Phoenix-based company admitted in a statement following Hindenburgs initial report that the truck featured in the video titled Nikola One Electric Semi Truck in Motion was not driving on its own power, and instead rolling down a hill. In its response, Nikola referenced a more recent 2019 video that it says shows its next generation model Two semi truck driving on its own power. Story continues In its statement published Monday, Nikola also said investors who invested during the period of the Nikola One video, released in 2017 before the company went public, knew the technical capability of the Nikola One at the time of their investment. However, the spokesperson left unclear whether all investors were made aware by Nikola of the technical capabilities of the Nikola One at the time of the Nikola One In Motion video. Asked whether all of Nikolas investors were made aware of the technical capability at that time, a Nikola spokesperson focused on its early partner, Bosch, stating in an email to Yahoo Finance that Bosch was Nikolas main partner at the time, and that the company was a board member, investor and partner in Nikolas technology. All of our investors were aware of the development and progress with the Nikola Two and how the lessons from [Nikola] One made it happen, the spokesperson said. At that point, technical capability was an incredibly successful proof of concept with the Nikola One, the spokesperson said. We pivoted from it to the Nikola Two but everything we learned from the Nikola One has underpinned the successful development of the next Gen trucks. Bosch knows every detail of our trucks and continues today as our partner in our truck development. Yahoo Finance reached out to Nikola to request response to Hindenburgs latest accusations and was assured that the company would issue a response. Based on the initial Hindenburg claims Nikola said the companys legal counsel contacted and briefed the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and intends to fully cooperate with the SEC regarding its inquiry into the matters. Nikola welcomes the SECs involvement in this matter, the company said. According to Bloomberg, the SEC has opened an official investigation into the matter. Alexis Keenan is a legal reporter for Yahoo Finance and former litigation attorney. Follow Alexis Keenan on Twitter @alexiskweed. Part of what kept the Jacob Blake frenzy alive on the left was the fact that he did not have a gun. The media and their paramilitary fighters on the street imply that the fact that Blake had a knife was inconsequential. To them, he was unarmed. The same thing is happening with Ricardo Munoz's death in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. A police officer shot Munoz when the latter came after him with a knife. In reality, close-contact knife attacks are horrific and are just as deadly as bullets from afar. The facts are uncontested: the police got a call from Munoz's family that he was off his schizophrenia medicines. They tried calling Crisis Intervention (i.e., the people leftists insist will take over future policing), only to have the Crisis Intervention people direct them to the police. Within seconds of the first police officer to arrive coming to the front door, Munoz, who had stabbed four people in 2019, rushed at him with a large knife. The police officer, while fleeing, shot him: This is the bodycam footage of the officer-involved shooting in Lancaster, PA that Black Lives Matter is rioting over. The perpetrator charged at the police officer with a knife over his head with clear intent to strike. pic.twitter.com/xD72TweQK4 Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) September 14, 2020 The incident happens so quickly that it's difficult to see the knife in Munoz's hand. Only a freeze-frame reveals that the knife had at least a five- or six-inch blade. Our grotesque, dishonest media promptly framed the story to have the police officer play a racially motivated, murderous role. Drew Holden has an excellent thread detailing this media malfeasance: Thread Were seeing a narrative evolve in real time in Lancaster, PA that omits the fact that the man who was shot & killed by police was actively trying to kill a police officer, even w/ bodycam evidence. Enormously irresponsible, especially given the current climate. pic.twitter.com/BYgToAfFfG Drew Holden (@DrewHolden360) September 14, 2020 Well start with @AP. They just so happened to leave out the reason why the officer was running away - a direct threat against his life - but managed to get the suspects race involved. pic.twitter.com/ZZ7XZyU4vm Drew Holden (@DrewHolden360) September 14, 2020 Reporting from @AP got picked up all over, as it does, and recycled through the same lens. Heres @usnews, who manage to scrub the knife detail and focus instead on the trendy topics: police shootings and protests. pic.twitter.com/yc3oOSZHxE Drew Holden (@DrewHolden360) September 14, 2020 You can read the rest of Drew Holden's thread about the media's disgraceful behavior here. One of the reasons the media can get away with shading the coverage as it does is the popular misconception that knives are less lethal than guns. They are not. As the fictional Lord Peter Wimsey accurately said, "A bullet, you see, may go anywhere, but steel's almost bound to go somewhere" (Sayers, Dorothy L., Gaudy Night, pp. 492493). If someone has gotten close enough to stab you, you're in deep trouble. This video gives some idea about the dangers associated with knife attacks (language warning): And this video makes the same point in a slightly more light-hearted way: If you have a strong stomach, do an image search for "knife wounds." Don't say I didn't warn you. Not only can a frenzied knife attack puncture you as effectively, if not more effectively, than someone firing at you from a distance, but knife attacks are also incredibly deadly. From 2015 to 2019, Palestinians stabbed 217 people in Israel, with dozens of people dying from their wounds. If the person gets close, guns very seldom prevent a knife attack. Once someone's been stabbed, the gun works only to disable or, perhaps, kill the attacker. Knife attacks can also be used for mass murder. In 2018, a man entered a middle school in China with a knife and killed at least nine students. The takeaway point from this blog post is that knife attacks are fast and deadly. When the Lancaster police officer saw a fast-moving schizophrenic coming after him while wielding a big knife, the officer had no choice but to shoot. It was a kill or be killed situation. But once again, the left has taken an unambiguously righteous shooting and turned it against the police and used it to justify destroying a community. In 2020, the Democrats, through their unwavering support for Black Lives Matter and Antifa, as well as their open contempt for the police, have proven themselves unfit to govern. Electing Biden will only increase the violence because the Democrats, having fomented the violence, will be incapable of stopping it. "Ward 4 really wants the change to be put in place. I've received multiple calls about how unfortunate it was that the majority of council wanted to make the change, but because of a technicality, a supermajority was needed," she said. "By having a first reading and second reading later, we are doing our due diligence to look at all aspects of this and to listen to all people of the city, because this affects the entire city. It is our city that is in the news all the time now." Kyle Peters, owner of Daiquiri Factory, 1809 2nd Ave., said the 3 a.m. closing time was one of the reasons he chose to open his business in Rock Island. "We've been able to operate our business successfully for 16 years with a 3 a.m. license," Peters said. "We do concerts with 3,000 people and have no issues. We put the resources in place to be safe and to be successful. I've said the numbers before on how much this impacts my business. I'm at the point again, should I stay here? I'm really torn on what to do. We need the city to meet us halfway." Toni Tipton-Martin, the longtime food editor and writer whose books The Jemima Code and Jubilee redefined the story of Black cooks in America, will become the new editor in chief of Cooks Country. The magazine and its public television show are part of the Americas Test Kitchen franchise, which includes Cooks Illustrated, cookbooks and a robust digital platform. Ms. Tipton-Martin will replace Tucker Shaw, who was the Cooks Country editor for nearly seven years. Mr. Shaw is leaving to complete a novel to be published by Henry Holt & Co. in 2021. Ms. Tipton-Martin, 61, started her newspaper career writing about nutrition for the Los Angeles Times in the 1980s. She became the first African-American editor of a major American newspaper food section when she took over the cooking pages at The Cleveland Plain Dealer in 1991. During her interviews for the Cooks Country job, I explained that my vision would be identical to my approach at The Plain Dealer, which was to investigate the cooking of every single, solitary culture in the city until we hit everybody, she said. We can begin to talk more about where a dish comes from, and talk more about its history. I think that will go a long way to building bridges using food. ADF (Australian Defence Force) personnel assist with a COVID-19 testing at Melbourne Showgrounds on June 29, 2020 in Melbourne, Australia. (Darrian Traynor/Getty Images) Victorian Authorities Rebuffed ADF Hotels Offer The Australian Defence Force (ADF) repeatedly offered to provide security for Victorias quarantine hotels, contradicting claims from Premier Daniel Andrews. Hundreds of defence force personnel were placed on standby across the country on March 27, after it was announced returned overseas travellers would be required to complete 14 days of hotel quarantine. A federal government submission to Victorias hotel quarantine inquiry on Sept. 15 said both NSW and Queensland accepted ADF support, taking on 360 and 100 members respectively. In Victoria, private security were hired to guard the quarantine hotels. The decision was made at a meeting chaired by Emergency Management Victoria Commissioner Andrew Crisp on March 27. Recordings of the meeting were played to the inquiry on Sept. 15. I suggest that at this stage we can manage this. The ADF will be just exactly what they are doing at the moment, helping us to plan for this particular operation, Crisp said in the recording. At this stage we dont see a need for boots on the ground, so to speak. He reiterated the decision in another meeting on March 28, following reports ADF personnel were patrolling quarantine hotels in NSW. Ive said it before but Ill say it again, at this particular point in time we certainly dont see the need for ADF boots on the ground, Crisp said. Returned travellers began arriving in Victoria the following day. Crisp told the inquiry it was Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Graham Ashtons preference to use private security guards and he wasnt opposed. Ive worked with a lot of private security and my thinking was, well-trained, well-supervised private security in this type of role would have been sufficient and effective, Crisp said. In his statement tendered to the inquiry, Crisp said he was aware of challenges with security staff as early as March 30. During a meeting on April 4, he learnt there had been reports security guards were not following good social distancing practices and that a few breaches involving physical distancing and infection control practices. On April 8, Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet secretary Philip Gaetjens emailed his Victorian counterpart Chris Eccles to again offer ADF assistance. Referencing how the ADF assisted with security in NSW, Gaetjens wrote: I am sure the Commonwealth would be willing to assist Victoria in a similar way if you wanted to reconsider your operating model. Eccles replied: Thanks Phil. By mid-May, an outbreak emerged among hotel staff and security guards at the Rydges on Swanston hotel. Another outbreak occurred at the Stamford Plaza in early June. About 99 percent of Victorias second COVID-19 wave, which has killed hundreds and led to the nations toughest lockdown, can be traced to the outbreaks. It wasnt until June 24 that Crisp made a request for 850 defence personnel to replace private security. The request was rescinded a day later after the Department of Justice and Community Safety took over the program. The federal governments submission also revealed Prime Minister Scott Morrison wrote to the premier three times, on July 4, 6 and 11, reaffirming the Commonwealths willingness to provide ADF support if needed. Andrews has repeatedly maintained the ADF never offered security for the quarantine hotels. [Its] fundamentally incorrect to assert that there were hundreds of ADF staff on offer and somehow, someone said no, he told a parliamentary committee in August. The premier told reporters on Sept. 15 he wasnt interested in having a debate with the prime minister. The prime ministers representations to the inquiryIll leave that to the inquiry to make recommendations and findings about that, he said. Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton, his deputy Annaliese van Diemen and their Department of Health and Human Services colleagues Jason Helps and Andrea Spiteri will give evidence when public hearings continue on Sept. 16. By Benita Kolovos Have we completely lost the sense of right and wrong? It is needless to say that we are going through a phase where various kinds of crises have surrounded us. The worlds second-largest force, the Chinese Army is creating trouble on our borders, and 20 of our soldiers have been martyred there. No one knows when this deadlock will end and at what cost. A virus that originated from China has engulfed India and the entire world. We have become one of the top two countries in terms of number of covid-19 cases. So far, more than 80,000 people have lost their lives due to this and about 100,000 people are falling prey to this deadly virus every day. This great disaster had a direct impact on the economy. We were already sliding down, but covid kicked us hard on the deep slope. We rolled down badly, as never before. As a result, the unemployment rate has reached catastrophic levels. In such a situation, Indian society had to seriously consider how we can overcome these crises. Are we doing this? Not at all. The entire country has been embroiled in the Sushant Singh Rajput and Rhea Chakraborty episode for the last three months. Did Sushant commit suicide? And why? How responsible was his beloved Rhea? Maharashtra Police was already investigating this incident, then Bihar Police also sent its team. Now the matter has taken a turn and became Bihar vs Maharashtra issue, and in the meantime, the central government also interfered. This is perhaps the only case in which the three top investigative agencies of the country are involved. Now actress Kangana Ranaut has made an entry on her own by comparing Maharashtra to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). For the Shiv Sena, which calls itself the champion of Maharashtra and Marathis, it was like opening a new frontier. The chief minister of Himachal Pradesh also saw an opportunity and entered the high voltage drama. He asked New Delhi to provide protection to this daughter of Himachal. Now Kangana is always surrounded by a dozen CRPF personnel. Overconfident, Kangana is now targeting Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray directly, instead of Shiv Sena. From PoK this discourse has already reached Babar and Babri. This is the first time a film star has dared to challenge the Thackeray family directly. Bal Thackeray spent more than four decades of his life in building this empire. It will be interesting to see how the Sena will deal with this problem. In the past, Shiv Sainiks were infamous for taking hard-hitting revenge. Isnt it disgusting that the untimely death of a young cine-star took a turn and became such a huge controversy that so many governments and political parties jumped into it? There are elections in Bihar and the Bhartiya Janata Party has also decided to make Sushants death an election issue. The posters have been printed Na Bhoolenge, Na Bhoolne Denge (neither will we forget, nor will we let it be forgotten). Should the issue of the election in Bihar be the death of an actor or the performance of coalition government? Congress leader in the Lok Sabha, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, has given the entire episode a new twist. He said that Rhea is a Bengali Brahmin woman. Her father, a retired army officer, also has the right to demand justice. He said that the issue is justice for Sushant Singh Rajput, it should not be made into an issue of justice for a Bihari. Will this matter also affect the election of West Bengal after Bihar? Kangana is a Rajput and Rhea is a Brahmin, Bollywood has never run like this. But politics can manufacture such idioms! It is unfortunate that elections now are not fought on grassroots issues of public interest, but on issues coined by some political leaders. Our Constitution makers had imagined that India would be a group of territories with different languages and values. Our federalism will be liberal, where the state and central governments will work together for the public interest. I still believe the wisdom of the country is not so frustrated that it would forget these values. However, in order to mislead people, despicable issues are being manufactured. I am also hurt by the death of a promising actor like Sushant, but it was unthinkable for me that politicians will try to make a fortune out of this unfortunate incident. It is expected that in the brief monsoon session of Parliament, the real issues will be replaced by misguided and inflammatory debates in the TRP-hungry TV studio. Needless to say, the job of Parliament is also to give the right direction to the country. I would like to quote words of B.R. Ambedkar. However good a Constitution may be, if those who are implementing it are not good, it will prove to be bad. However bad a Constitution may be, if those implementing it are good, it will prove to be good." Shashi Shekhar is editor-in-chief, Hindustan. His Twitter handle is @shekarkahin Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Never miss a story! Stay connected and informed with Mint. Download our App Now!! Topics The furniture market is expected to grow by USD 113.61 billion during 2020-2024. The report also provides the market impact and new opportunities created due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We expect the impact to be significant in the first quarter but gradually lessen in subsequent quarters with a limited impact on the full-year economic growth. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200915005527/en/ Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global Furniture Market 2020-2024 (Graphic: Business Wire) Request challenges and opportunities influenced by COVID-19 pandemic Request a Free Sample Report on COVID-19 Impacts The growth of the global real estate industry has increased the number of residential and commercial construction projects across the world. Many developed and developing countries are making significant investments in infrastructural development. For instance, in the US 2020 budget, the President has proposed a plan to invest USD 200 billion in infrastructural development. Similarly, in India, various government initiatives such as the Smart Cities Mission, Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY), and the Sardar Patel National Housing Mission are working on a number of construction projects across the country. Many such factors are expected to influence the growth of the global furniture market during the forecast period. To learn more about the global trends impacting the future of market research, download a free sample: https://www.technavio.com/talk-to-us?report=IRTNTR44836 As per Technavio, the increasing number of strategic alliances and partnerships will have a positive impact on the market and contribute to its growth significantly over the forecast period. This research report also analyzes other significant trends and market drivers that will influence market growth over 2020-2024. Furniture Market: Increasing Number of Strategic Alliances and Partnerships Over the years, the market has witnessed an increase in the number of strategic alliances and partnerships among vendors. Vendors are adopting this strategy to improve operational efficiency and offer a wide range of services such as home delivery, end-to-end furniture solutions, and emerge as global brands. For instance, in September 2018, Steelcase acquired Orangebox Group Limited, a UK-based manufacturer that offers furniture for workplaces. Similarly, in October 2019, Herman Miller acquired the remaining shares of the contemporary British furniture designer, naughtone. The acquisition helped the company expand its product design and development capabilities. Many such M&A activities are expected to positively influence the growth of the global furniture market during the forecast period. "Evolving consumer demographics in emerging economies and the growth of organized retail in the region will further boost market growth during the forecast period," says a senior analyst at Technavio. Register for a free trial today and gain instant access to 17,000+ market research reports Technavio's SUBSCRIPTION platform Furniture Market: Segmentation Analysis This market research report segments the furniture market by Product (Home, Office, and Others) and Geography (APAC, Europe, North America, South America, and MEA). The APAC region led the furniture market in 2019, followed by Europe, North America, South America, and MEA respectively. During the forecast period, APAC is expected to register the highest incremental growth due to factors such as rapid urbanization and increasing disposable incomes in the region. Technavio's sample reports are free of charge and contain multiple sections of the report, such as the market size and forecast, drivers, challenges, trends, and more. Request a free sample report Some of the key topics covered in the report include: Market Drivers Market Challenges Market Trends Vendor Landscape Vendors covered Vendor classification Market positioning of vendors Competitive scenario About Technavio Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focuses on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200915005527/en/ Contacts: Technavio Research Jesse Maida Media Marketing Executive US: +1 844 364 1100 UK: +44 203 893 3200 Email: media@technavio.com Website: www.technavio.com/ Shalina Abdulhussein, 39, was found slumped over a bathroom sink on the three-level Lady Rose catamaran on February 2 The captain of a party boat where a mother-of-two was likely killed by poisonous gas which leaked onto the ship from a faulty sewage system has been charged over the incident. Shalina Abdulhussein, 39, was discovered slumped over a bathroom sink on the three-level Lady Rose catamaran on Sydney Harbour on February 2, 2019. She had been celebrating at a birthday party on the ship before her body was discovered by a deckhand during the four-hour cruise. Rumours quickly began swirling that she had been died of a drug overdose but her family vehemently denied those claims. An investigation by the Office of Transport Safety has found a 'faulty waterless basin trap' within the sewage system led to the release of hydrogen sulphide into the cubicle. Hydrogen sulphide is a colourless gas, which smells like rotten eggs. High-level exposure of the poisonous gas can be deadly. The captain of the ship Paul Titze, 45, of Botany, has been charged with multiple offences by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) relating to the incident. Ms Abdulhussein had been on board the Lady Rose catamaran for a four-hour birthday party Partygoers were treated for shock after Ms Abdulhussein was found. Some reported a 'weird smell' on board the ship Titze has pleaded guilty to unreasonably placing the safety of another person at risk, court records show, the Daily Telegraph reported. However, he has pleaded not guilty to operating recklessly or negligently while master of the Lady Rose on February 2, 2019. The case has been adjourned and the matter will return for a hearing at a later date. The investigation into Ms Abdulhussein's death found she was likely overcome by the harmful gas before passing out and dying during the party, The Sydney Morning Herald reported. The investigation also found the crew lacked urgency in dealing with the gas as guests had reported a strong 'rotting egg' smell four hours before Ms Abdulhussein's body as found. The Lady Rose left Pyrmont at 12.30pm with the 27 party guests on board. Within half an hour of their trip passengers complained of a smell. Several passengers then began feeling unwell and began vomiting. The Lady Rose left Pyrmont at 12.30pm with the 27 party guests on board. Within half an hour of their trip passengers complained of a smell The master of the boat was informed of the issue at 2.50pm. He decided to dock at Baileys Marine, White Bay to empty the sewage system. Ms Abdulhussein had entered the cubicle at 3.30pm, before the ship had docked. She was later found slumped over a bathroom sink and could not be revived. Ms Abdulhussein's death has been referred to the coroner. P riti Patel has insisted that there are tests available in coronavirus hotspots during a tense exchange over apparent long delays in Bolton. It was reported on Monday that tests were not available in any of the ten local authorities in England with the worst infection rates, with people told to try again on Tuesday. Bolton currently has the highest infection rate in England. But speaking to BBC Breakfast presenter Dan Walker on Tuesday, the Home Secretary said: Well you've already heard me say that tests are available, particularly in local lockdown areas, Ive seen this myself, Ive seen the teams that have been working on this. Mobile testing is going in, capacity is going into local areas where lockdowns have been undertaken and are taking place." Priti Patel / AFP via Getty Images She added: I think it is wrong to say tests are not available, new book-in slots are being made available every single day, mobile testing units are being made available. And on top of that home testing kits are being issued across the country but specifically in local lockdown areas." LBC reported that people could not get walk-in, drive-through or home tests available in Bolton, Salford, Bradford, Blackburn, Oldham, Preston, Pendle, Rochdale, Tameside or Manchester, which are currently the worst coronavirus hotspots. Ms Patel admitted it was unacceptable that people have been unable to get tests, adding: Clearly there is much more work that needs to be undertaken with Public Health England and the actual public health bodies in those particular local areas. A coronavirus testing worker / REUTERS As a Government we work with Public Health England to surge where there is demand in local hotspot areas and we continue to do that. On access to testing, she said the majority of tests are available within a 10-mile radius. It seems to me therell be extreme cases where people cant get to test locations within that radius but that doesnt mean that Public Health England are not working night and day to boost capacity, she added. Her comments came after an NHS boss hit out at the Government for not being "open" about testing capacity. Chris Hopson, chief executive of NHS Providers, the membership group for NHS hospitals, told the BBC's Today programme: Part of the problem here is that the Government isnt being as open as trusts would like about how big this problem is, how widespread it is, and how long its going to last. So, its difficult to get full information. Loading.... Referring to general NHS activity, he added: We have now got cases where patients who should be being treated, we cant treat them because they cant get access to a test. So, for them thats a real problem. The Trump fundraising organisation ad that featured Russian fighter planes (Trump Make America Great Again Committee) A fundraising group working on behalf of Donald Trump has run into trouble for posting an ad featuring Russian warplanes. The Trump Make America Great Again committee, which serves as the fundraising arm of the presidents campaign, ran the offending digital ad for several days last week. It shows armed soldiers silhouetted below three fighter jets and above the words Support our Troops, with a link to donate to the groups coffers. However, according to an aeronautical engineer quoted by Politico, the planes flying overhead are Russian MiG-29s; one of the soldiers, meanwhile, carries an AK-47. The image is a stock photo taken from Shutterstock. Designed during the Soviet era and still in service, the MiG-29 has been widely exported over the decades and is still in use today, making it one of the worlds most recognisable fighter jets. Among the countries using it is Syria, a Russian ally that has benefited from modernisation to its ageing craft. The Trump committee ads Support Our Troops message comes at a fraught time in the presidents relationship with the military. After being accused earlier this year of ignoring intelligence that Russia may have offered bounties for American soldiers lives in Afghanistan, Mr Trump was reported in The Atlantic to have repeatedly mocked fallen troops as losers and suckers who were foolish to sacrifice themselves for their country. Among those quoted as disgusted with his views were various former generals. Separately, Jim Mattis, a retired four-star general who served as Mr Trumps first secretary of state, issued a blistering statement condemning Mr Trumps use of troops to quash Black Lives Matter protests outside the White House. Never did I dream that troops taking that same oath would be ordered under any circumstance to violate the Constitutional rights of their fellow citizens, he wrote, much less to provide a bizarre photo op for the elected commander-in-chief, with military leadership standing alongside. Read more Trump claims soldiers are in love with me after reports he called dead troops suckers (CNN) For weeks, Greece and Turkey have been facing off in the eastern Mediterranean Sea, raising fears that a dispute between two NATO allies could turn into a full-blown regional crisis. The problem, in a nutshell, is that Turkey claims rights to gas and oil exploration in an area that conflicts with Greece's own claims. Rather than resolving the disagreement through dialogue, Turkey sent its navy and research ships into disputed waters in August, and both countries held rival military exercises in the area in the ensuing days. Greece's first female president, Katerina Sakellaropoulou, confidently strode into this highly charged environment on Sunday, taking a high-powered military helicopter to Kastellorizo, a tiny Greek island in the eastern Mediterranean, on the 77th anniversary of its nationhood. The 6-kilometer long spit of harsh rock and scrub, one of Greece's easternmost islands, owes millennia of habitation to geographic good fortune. With its back to the Aegean and its mouth towards Turkey's looming landmass, Kastellorizo's bay turns ocean swells to mill pond tranquility, making it a prized harbor for many centuries of traders plying goods between Asia Minor and Europe. Today, Kastellorizo is at the center of the dispute over energy exploration in the eastern Mediterranean. Turkey says Greece is unfairly staking its claim to the area based on tiny islands like this one near its coast, cheating Ankara out of ocean floor to explore. Israel and Egypt have already found rich gas reserves under the Mediterranean, and there is plenty of reason to believe there is more to be discovered. On Sunday, President Sakellaropoulou told the island's residents that "the illegal actions of Turkey have caused tensions never seen before in the Aegean and the Eastern Mediterranean. Tensions aimed not only at Greece, but also the EU and NATO, threatening peace and stability in the region." She added that Greece was "open to dialogue" and that "immediate de-escalation on Turkey's part is a necessary prerequisite for political discussion." Only hours before she arrived, Greece's Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced he was beefing up the military, splashing out on 18 state-of-the-art French fighter jets, initiating a search for four new frigates for the navy, and adding 15,000 more troops to the army. When asked why these moves were being made now, Sakellaropoulou told CNN: "Not only to send a message, but if you want to have peace, you must always be better prepared for war some ancient Greek has said that, we have to be prepared for everything." The president's answer appeared to catch her entourage by surprise, but this is the harsh reality of the harsh place these two neighbors have reached. Neither side actually wants war, but neither are able to step away. The president's visit to Kastellorizo was criticized by Turkey's defense minister on Sunday. "As if there was no other island to go to for celebrations, they go there. Of course this bothers us," Hulusi Akar told state-run Anadolu news agency, though he added that Turkey was also in favor of "dialogue" and "political solutions." Greece says it will go into talks if Turkey stands its warships down, but for now its unclear if the Turks plan to comply for longer than a few days. A Turkish research vessel which had been escorted into disputed waters by Turkish military ships has now headed back to port in Turkey, a development described as a "positive step" by the Greek government on Sunday. When Greece and Turkey talk darkly to each other, it's unwise to turn your back to them. Rain often follows when their disputes cloud the horizon. It's barely two generations since Turkey dropped paratroopers onto Greece's neighbor Cyprus, dividing the island in two. Hundreds of thousands of refugees fled to Europe, a peace deal has yet to be signed, and the Turkish-controlled north still awaits international recognition. Only last week, Mitsotakis wrote an article published in several leading European newspapers about his great uncle's deal-making with Turkey's founder Kemal Ataturk in 1930. His point was that Greece and Turkey have a history of falling out and making up, and that there have been more good days than bad. But today the stakes are higher. The eastern Mediterranean has proven riches beneath the ocean floor as proxy wars erupt on its shores. Russia has vested interests in Syria and Libya, and Vladimir Putin is tightening his grip on the sea he views as vital to Russia's naval interests. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has tied up a maritime deal with Libya that cuts across Russia and the UAE's interests as well as disrupting a potential eastern Mediterranean gas pipeline to Europe. Israel has gas to export, Europe wants to diversify gas imports away from Russia, and French President Emmanuel Macron, who opposes Turkey in Libya, has taken a stand behind Greece. The United States is sympathetic to Greece's difficulties too. These layers of multinational complexity risk triggering a chain reaction and like the hydrocarbons Turkey and Greece want to extract, a mistake could be explosive. This story was first published on CNN.com "Greek president provokes Turkey by visiting tiny island at center of eastern Mediterranean dispute" Representative image A group of 15 scientists sent a formal letter to the Lancet on September 14 outlining doubts about the accuracy of early data on Russia's COVID-19 vaccine "Sputnik-V", one of the authors said, adding further fuel to a dispute surrounding the shot. Fifteen scientists from five countries signed the letter presenting their concerns to the international medical journal, Enrico Bucci, biologist adjunct professor at Philadelphia's Temple University, told Reuters. Reuters did not see the contents of the letter. The move nonetheless highlights growing concern among scientists about the safety and efficacy of the Sputnik-V vaccine, which the government approved for use before completing full human trials. The official letter came days after a larger group of scientists - including the 15 - signed an open letter to the Lancet's editor, published on Bucci's personal blog, after the journal published the early-stage trial results from Moscow's Gamaleya Institute. COVID-19 Vaccine Frequently Asked Questions View more How does a vaccine work? A vaccine works by mimicking a natural infection. A vaccine not only induces immune response to protect people from any future COVID-19 infection, but also helps quickly build herd immunity to put an end to the pandemic. Herd immunity occurs when a sufficient percentage of a population becomes immune to a disease, making the spread of disease from person to person unlikely. The good news is that SARS-CoV-2 virus has been fairly stable, which increases the viability of a vaccine. How many types of vaccines are there? There are broadly four types of vaccine one, a vaccine based on the whole virus (this could be either inactivated, or an attenuated [weakened] virus vaccine); two, a non-replicating viral vector vaccine that uses a benign virus as vector that carries the antigen of SARS-CoV; three, nucleic-acid vaccines that have genetic material like DNA and RNA of antigens like spike protein given to a person, helping human cells decode genetic material and produce the vaccine; and four, protein subunit vaccine wherein the recombinant proteins of SARS-COV-2 along with an adjuvant (booster) is given as a vaccine. What does it take to develop a vaccine of this kind? Vaccine development is a long, complex process. Unlike drugs that are given to people with a diseased, vaccines are given to healthy people and also vulnerable sections such as children, pregnant women and the elderly. So rigorous tests are compulsory. History says that the fastest time it took to develop a vaccine is five years, but it usually takes double or sometimes triple that time. View more Show They said they found patterns in the Phase I/II data, which was peer-reviewed in the journal, that looked "highly unlikely", with multiple participants reporting identical antibody levels. The Gamaleya Institute did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the formal letter sent on Monday. Last week, the institute rejected the critique contained in the open letter, which was initially signed by 26 scientists but now has 38 signatories. "The published results are authentic and accurate and were examined by five reviewers at The Lancet," Denis Logunov, a deputy director at the institute, said in a statement. He said his institute had submitted the entire body of raw data on the trial results to The Lancet. The Lancet said it had invited the authors of the Russian vaccine study to respond to the questions raised in the open letter by Bucci. "We continue to follow the situation closely," it added. Alexey Kuznetsov, Russian assistant health minister, told the Interfax news agency on Sept. 10 that the Gamaleya Institute had already sent detailed answers to the Lancet's editor. Bucci said the blog published last week had drawn wide international support. "We started with about a dozen of us and now we have reached three times the signatures, with colleagues from the United States, Switzerland, Australia, India, Russia, Great Britain, Japan, Germany, Canada," Bucci said. He said the formal letter to the Lancet was signed only by 15 scientists with expertise in virology, immunology, pharmaceutical development, research integrity and statistical analysis. Most were Italian, but they also included scientists from Sweden, Britain, the United States and Japan, he added. "The journal's editor wrote asking us to send him our points of objections and inviting the authors of Russian vaccine's study to respond to our points," said Bucci. Naor Bar-Zeev, deputy director at John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, who peer-reviewed the Russian data, last week defended his analysis of the research following the publication of the blog. "The results are plausible, and not very different to those seen with other AdV vectored products," he said. The researchers had provided more detail than was needed for the review and responded to his questions "intelligently and in a matter-of-fact and confident but understated manner". The results of the Russian Phase I/II trials, which involved 76 participants and was conducted in June-July, were published in the Lancet on Sept. 4. They showed that participants developed a positive immune response and no serious side effects, the study's authors said. A Phase III trial, involving 40,000 participants, was launched on Aug. 26. Around 31,000 people have already subscribed to take part, Health Minister Mikhail Murashko said. Follow our full coverage of the coronavirus pandemic here. (With inputs from Reuters) Officials in troubled Bornos local governments have been defrauding the state of billions of naira for the past ten years, a report has shown. Borno is the state most affected by the Boko Haram insurgency which has caused over 40,000 deaths since 2009 and displaced millions of Nigerians. The details of the Borno local government fraud were contained in an interim report by a salary verification committee set up by the state government. A PREMIUM TIMES reporter has seen a copy of the report submitted to the Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum. In the report, the committee said it has so far concluded the verification exercise in 19 of the 27 local governments in the state. The committee reported that it recovered the total sum of N150 million in June alone as unclaimed monies after it insisted that every local government worker in the state appear before the committee to update their employment status. The Commissioner for Local Government and Emirate Affairs, Sugun Mai-Mele, confirmed this to PREMIUM TIMES in an interview last week. He said the N150 million was a saving the committee was able to make after paying workers salary in the 19 local government areas so far verified. This 150 million was what we were able to save for government, in one month, after a workers verification exercise was conducted in 19 local government areas, he said. The N150 million monthly in a 12-month calendar is about N1.8 billion annually which is precisely the amount the Borno government budgeted in 2012 to provide water projects in all the 27 local government areas. Borno is one of the states in Nigeria that has not been able to implement the old N18,500 minimum wage (the new minimum wage is N30,000) due to what the government described as the lack of adequate funds to foot the bogus salary bills at the local government level. But N1.8 billion would have been enough to pay N18,500 (old minimum wage) to 8,108 junior local government workers for 12 years. Officials at the local government and chieftaincy affairs informed PREMIUM TIMES that the concerned 19 local government councils have been taking more than they require to pay their genuine workforce for over ten years. This, therefore, implies that those 19 local government councils alone may have taken about N18 billion as payment for ghost workers in the last ten years. The Borno State Government runs a joint state-local government account which has been described as illegal by the federal government. Also, even though the aim of the verification process is to check fraud and ensure transparency, its mode of operations puts the local governments at the total mercy of the state government for survival, something President Muhammadu Buhari and the federal government have repeatedly frowned at with the Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) repeatedly warning state governments not to tamper with federal allocations meant for local governments. However, the Borno government is proceeding with its method in its effort to check corruption in the local councils. The committee is yet to conclude its job which has left many officials of the state government imagining the scale of such theft that they may have been perpetrated in all the 27 local government councils. How the fraud was uncovered According to the Commissioner for Local Government and Emirate Affairs, the screening committee had at the beginning of its assignment issued verification forms to all workers which required them to provide their complete biodata, photographs, year of appointment and qualification. The commissioner said upon the issuance of the forms, many of those who collected the forms did not return them nor did they appear before the committee. The workers were given three months to fill and return the forms, but many did not show up again. So in the 19 local governments that was concluded, a total sum of N150 million was saved as unclaimed salaries of workers, he said. So, upon seeing the report and the money recovered, the state governor, Babagana Zulum, gave a directive that starting from June, monthly salaries of the concerned local governments should be released less N150 million. And after making payment of salaries for June, we did not receive any significant complaints from any of the 19 local councils concerning insufficiency of the fund to pay their workers, except some minor complaint bordering on the effect of gross deduction of the N150 million and net release of what they got. And this was mostly around the region of N1 million. Advertisements The Shani LG Example We have a peculiar case in Shani local government council where officials lamented that the gross deduction of supposed ghost workers salaries had rendered them incapable of paying the workers. We had to travel to Shani Local government to find out why they were unable to pay salaries, and they informed us that there was a shortage of N4 million. But looking at our records, we saw that the verification committee had withheld the sum of N19 million as unclaimed salaries of suspected ghost workers, the commissioner said Ordinarily, the commissioner said, it would have been an easy thing just to give the local government the balance of N4 million since they still had their deducted N19 million saved in the salary account. But the officials could not explain to us where the balance of N15 million that the committee saved usually goes to every month. So we refused to give in to their demand. Instead, we demanded to see the pay vouchers of all department in Shani local government. After hours of scrutiny, we noticed that there was a shortfall of only N1.2 million, while they were claiming N4 million. It was then that we decided to set up an emergency salary payment committee that will make a table payment, and all workers had to go and get their pay in cash. The table payment had since been concluded, even though the committee is yet to present its report; but we have not received a single complaint so far about anyone not getting his or her salary. We are all bemused with the fact that N19 million was deducted from the salary bills of Shani local government and no single worker has complained about not receiving their salary. We have discovered that a total of 5,811 ghost workers including under-age and over-age staffers take the sum of N150 million monthly in the 19 local government councils. Mr Mai-Mele said that in Kukawa local government, the committee uncovered 146 ghost workers and saved over N3 million; while in Gubio, 182 ghost workers were defrauding the government of N3 million monthly. In Guzamala, 69 ghost workers were taking N1.6 million, and Damboa had 348 ghost workers taking N5.8 million monthly. Gwoza had 715 ghost workers taking over N11 million. In Shani, 674 ghost workers were discovered to be taking N10 million. He said other categories of ghost workers include those that appeared before the committee but were found to be either under-age or over-age. We have persons who are yet to be 18 years old but have been on government payroll for the past six or seven years, he said. NULGE Reaction The National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) in Borno State has reacted to the interim report of the verification committee. Speaking with PREMIUM TIMES in Maiduguri on Friday, the Borno State chairman of NULGE, Mustapha Bulama, said the union does not quarrel with the process as long as it is genuinely meant to sanitise the system and bring better development to the grassroots. Mr Bulama noted that the verification of local government workers has recurred in almost all administrations that preceded the current government in the state. And each time government announced its intention of screening the local government workers, the NULGE gives its maximum cooperation, he said. But the good intention of government is one thing and ensuring that that good intention is carried out to the letter is entirely another different ball game. We know that even in the committee verifying the local governments workers, there are people who have vested interests and would do anything to frustrate a trustworthy and transparent verification process. When you are dealing with local government staffers, especially those in the lower cadre like cleaners, messengers or security men, you cannot treat with standard applicable to those of high or administrative cadre. For example, you cannot bring a cleaner before a committee and be speaking grammar to him; and when he fails to respond to you correctly, you immediately tag him as a ghost worker. Some staff of local government had never stood before a panel, and when you make them appear before a committee, they get agitated or disoriented. It is not fair to engage a labourer in English; when you know it was because he was not educated, that was why he opted to be a labourer. The NULGE chairman said the union would protest if such junior workers are included amongst the ghost workers. On the funds recovered by the committee, Mr Bulama confirmed that a total of N150 million has been saved by the committee, which he said was a good development. He, however, said the money also included those that were verified and found to be genuine workers of the local government but were erroneously listed among the ghost workers. Presently, there is a subcommittee that has been inaugurated to look into that issue and correct the mistakes made, he said. We are aware that on the erroneous list, we have heads of departments, directors and senior staffers that appeared before the committee for the verification, Mr Bulama said. He said that the union has always warned the local government officials to desist from sneaking in underage persons into the payroll of government. We welcome the idea of flushing out ghost workers, at least it will even create opportunities for others to get employment especially if overage and underage workers are sieved out. But we will resist any unkind treatment of a genuine worker if we found out that he or she had not received fair treatment from the committee, Mr Bulama said. While China is Japan's largest trading partner, Beijing increasing military aggression and the coronavirus pandemic have strained relations between the two countries Chinese media outlets have been guarded in their reaction to the news of Yoshihide Suga being set to succeed Shinzo Abe as Japan's prime minister. While the broad sentiment expressed by the media outlets has been that Japan's alliance with the United States is likely to remain its priority, they have also expressed hope that Japan, under Suga, will work towards ensuring cordial ties with Beijing. While China is Japan's largest trading partner, Beijing increasing military aggression and the coronavirus pandemic have strained relations between the two countries. Concern over 'hardline attitudes' The Global Times noted Suga's earlier assertions that "will not be afraid to express Japan's claims to China should he become prime minister" and expressed concern over 'rising hardline attitudes towards China'. The newspaper, which is a mouthpiece of the Chinese Communist Party, quoted analysts as saying that a worsening bilateral relationship will bring visible harm to Japan. However, it said that the hostile remarks made by Suga, as also the other candidates who were vying to succeed Abe, are likely "just a show to please conservative and pro-US forces in the party to win their support". The article quoted Da Zhigang, director and research fellow at the Heilongjiang Provincial Academy of Social Sciences, as saying, "On the one hand, China will retaliate against Japan if it makes provocations in the future. On the other, China will release friendly signals to encourage Japan to boost win-win cooperation." Another article in Global Times struck a somewhat less belligerent note, and quoted analysts as saying that Tokyo will continue to base itself on its alliance with the US, while also developing its relations with China to maximize its own interests. An article in South China Morning Post quoted Hu Lingyuan, director of Fudan Universitys Centre for Japanese Studies, as saying, "Abe has made significant contributions to the improvement in China and Japan relations. As someone picked by Abe to be the cabinet secretary, the most important cabinet role, his (Suga's) fundamental ideologies and attitude towards China should be similar. China Daily, another mouthpiece of the Chinese Communist Party, quoted Erbiao Dai, vice-president of the Asian Growth Research Institute, as expressing a different view. Dai was quoted as saying that while many expect that there will be continuity from Abe's regime, Suga may also seek a different path. "He has to face immediate challenges like the pandemic, and his performance will decide whether he ends up an interim leader or stays after a general election," Dai noted. Meanwhile, Wang Wenbin, a spokesman for China's Foreign Ministry, has responded to Suga being elected as the head of Japan's ruling party as saying, "China stands ready to work with Japan's newly elected party and government leader to continue to stay committed to the principles set out in the four political documents between the two countries, deepen cooperation on fighting the COVID-19 pandemic as well as promoting economic and social development, and to push forward the continuous improvement of bilateral ties." China-Japan ties in recent times As the New York Times points out, in recent years, Japan has sought to act as a counterbalance to the rising aggression of China, which has carried out provocative maritime activities in both the East and South China Seas and cracked down on Hong Kong. However, Japan is also facing significant domestic challenges, including addressing labour shortages and vulnerabilities due to climate change. The article quotes Jeffrey Hornung, an analyst at the RAND Corp, as saying, "China has shown that it takes advantage of situations and uncertainty...If you have somebody that they see as weak or green in the teeth or not very capable, we might see China step it up in a way that Japan hasnt experienced for a while." That said, Japan has pushed back against Chinese aggression in recent times. In July, its annual defence review accused China of pushing its territorial claims amid the coronavirus pandemic. The review also questioned whether Beijing was spreading propaganda and disinformation as it provided medical aid to nations fighting COVID-19. Before that, Japan's Economy Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura was quoted as saying by Reuters, "We have become dependent on China. We need to make supply chains more robust and diverse, broadening our supply sources and increasing domestic production." Despite many T-shirts boasting that their wearers are Female Body Inspectors, the actual FBI is an intelligence agency. But the people there are somewhat similar to the wearers of those T-shirts, in that they experience spectacular failures. Like how ... Advertisement 5 The FBI Never Managed To Solve A Dumbass Burglary Into Their Own Office Some of the shadiest stuff the FBI has ever done fell under a project called COINTELPRO. The feds cracked down a bunch of activist groups by surveilling them illegally, infiltrating them, fighting them with propaganda, and occasionally working to arrange their deaths. We don't know about COINTELPRO because a whistleblower spoke up or because after few years passed, the FBI finally shrugged and said, "Let's release this info. It's time to come clean." We know about it because a set of burglars broke into their office and stole a thousand documents. The gang called themselves the Citizens' Commission to Investigate the FBI -- unlike vaguely named groups like "Americans for Freedom" or whatever, these guys weren't screwing around when it came to defining their purpose. They'd had some success at pulling off smooth burglaries in the past. In 1970, they wanted to break into the local draft office and steal their selective service records. One of them just stuck a note on the door reading: "Please don't lock this door tonight." That night, sure enough, the door was unlocked, and they were able to slip right in. The following year was when they planned the break-in on the FBI's office in Media, Pennsylvania. Their strategy? They timed the burglary for the night Muhammad Ali was going to box Joe Frazier. via Wiki Commons via Wiki Commons Appropriate, since it they stole the FBI file on Ali that night. They figured that even if they made noise, no one near the office would pay attention because they'd all be glued to their screens. They were right. One burglar, Keith Forsyth, came prepared with the skills and picks to crack open the door's lock, but when a new lock proved too stubborn, a crowbar did the trick. Then the gang went in, looted the place of documents, and went on to release to the Washington Post the ones they figured Americans had the right to see. Even if their cause was just, the gang broke the law and so faced criminal charges if the FBI could identify them. But the FBI could not. This despite correctly guessing that one of the culprits had to be that strange young woman who'd entered the office recently, claiming to be a student reporter writing about jobs for women. The woman was actually Commission member Bonnie Raines casing the joint. They'd neglected to get her name before letting her tour the place, and she'd carefully kept her gloves on to avoid leaving prints. FBI FBI They released a sketch, but it just showed someone clearly in disguise. The FBI never solved the case. Which prompts the question, geez, if you agents can't even solve a break-in into your own office, how are we counting on you to solve anything else? You might have another question too: How do we know the names "Bonnie Raines" and "Keith Forsyth" if the FBI never tracked the culprits down? Well, the Commission members came forward and identified themselves ... once they could no longer be charged. Sorry, FBI, statutes of limitations are a bitch. 4 FBI Agents At A Rescue Took Orders From An Army Man (Who Was Really A Fraudster There To Steal) Interstate 40 passes over the Arkansas River in Oklahoma, thanks to that wondrous technology known as a "bridge." But on May 26, 2002, the interstate very much failed to pass over the river, thanks to a wondrous phenomenon known as a "bridge catastrophically collapsing." Over in the river was a tugboat dragging two barges. Piloting the boat was a man with the darkly prophetic name of Joe Dedmon, on that day, Captain Dedmon passed out thanks to a heart episode. His huge barges crashed into the pier beneath the bridge, which tore down the supports holding the bridge, which dumped the bridge into the water. Xpda/Wiki Commons Xpda/Wiki Commons This is either a photo of the disaster or a a tie-in Lego playset. Fourteen people died during the disaster. The FBI was soon on hand to handle rescue efforts along with other responders, and they immediately found themselves ordered around by the man in charge. He was William James Clark, who wore military fatigues and called himself a captain in the U.S. Army. Whether it was normal for the army to send a captain over to oversee such matters was not a question that occurred to any of the FBI to ask. In fact, Clark was not a captain and had previously been arrested multiple times for impersonating one. Now, if this was just some guy who donned a costume to take control and help everyone out, that might make him a superhero. A criminal, who the FBI should have caught on to, but a superhero all the same. But it looks like Clark had a little more on his mind than just assistance. For starters, he stopped over in the Army surplus store, picked up $400 in free goods and left, falsely saying the government would pay for it. Then he racked up $900 in hotel bills, again saying the government would pick up the tab. Then he borrowed a pickup truck, saying he needed it for the rescue effort, and just drove away in it. Figuring it was only a matter of time till his charade collapsed like a rickety interstate bridge, Clark fled to Canada, where he was caught by a group far more competent than the FBI: the Canadian Mounties. Despite the FBI's inability to spot what Clark was doing at the time, prosecutors eventually charged him, and he got 70 months. But that wasn't the end of Clark's adventures as a maybe-military man. In 2007, he phoned the Russian embassy. The US military was planning to assassinate Vladimir Putin in the coming days, he said, and he William James Clark was part of the team that would do it! The FBI investigated and found that while Clark admitted lying about being a part of the team, he had at some point really been convinced about the plot, having peered through a vent and spied on his coworkers seemingly discussing it. Clark was mentally ill, you see. Which explains why those FBI agents so easily mistook him for a superior. 3 They Butt-Dialed A Serial Killer, Tipping Him Off And Setting Him Free Michael McGowan worked undercover for the FBI for 30 years. When he finally retired and could talk about his years in the trenches, he was able to share all kinds of stories of exciting agent shenanigans. Like the time he posed as a gangster named El Viejo and met Mexican drug lord El Chapo's gang to arrange a cocaine sting. Or his years pretending to be a Boston mobster named Irish Mike. Or his going undercover as "The Walrus," a title that was a reference to his mustache. (Note: 90 percent of FBI resources go into thinking of cool nicknames.) But we aren't here to gush about how cool it is for FBI agents to play dress-up. We're here to give FBI agents a dressing down, and McGowan's bio also comes with candor about various screw-ups. He talks of how early in his career, he was sent into a mob meeting with hardly any training and was immediately thrown out. And you know how TV would have us believe detectives conduct interviews at strip clubs at least once every week? McGowan did go to a strip club on business at least once, with a fugitive's photo in his pocket. He left his coat behind as he got up from his seat, and when he returned, the photo had vanished from the coat and everyone was staring at him. He made no progress at getting closer to the fugitive that night. Fabio Bruna Fabio Bruna Did he get up to go to the bathroom like he claims, or for a private dance? Only McGowan knows. The biggest disaster he shares happened around 2009. His team's brushes with criminals had put them in touch with someone they suspected might be a serial killer. They seemingly didn't have enough to start an official investigation much less charge him with anything, but they stayed in contact with him, while claiming to be criminals themselves. Soon after talking to him on the phone one time, the team sat down and talked out what sort of approach they should next take. (We've included this video of him describing it just so you can see why they called him The Walrus.) Then one of the agents realized he'd just pocket dialed the guy they were talking about. He'd heard their whole conversation. That was the last time they managed to managed to speak with him, though he did leave them one last message telling them to stay away. "He's still on the street," says McGowan. "He's behind you in the grocery store." He might even be sitting in your chair right now. 2 They Spent Two Years Investigating An Anti-Goth Cult (Which Was Just A Satirical Website) The FBI keeps tabs on extremist groups online, because someone's got to be ready to respond the moment idle complaining gives way to gunning down your opponents. And in 2005, their attention turned to a posting on a Yahoo group called "Parents Against Goths," which linked to another group called GodHatesGoths. The name seemed to play on a famous anti-gay slogan and URL used by the Westboro Baptist Church, and this group seemed to go further than Fred Phelps and his family, claiming it was their mission to "kill homosexuals." That wasn't their only target, though. They also wanted to kill fortune tellers, nonbelievers, and "women who are not virgins on their wedding nights," among others. FBI FBI Their biggest target, of course, appeared to be goths, and the FBI got much of their info on the group from a goth who was in contact with them (i.e., a rando who also stumbled on a thread and argued back and forth with the poster). The group formally called themselves The Church of the Hammer, it seemed, a reference to a 15th-century book about fighting witchcraft. Witchcraft doesn't really exist, but that doesn't make those who want to kill witches any less dangerous. One Reverend Randy Green was said to lead the group. Green's followers had been caught for arson in Colorado and next came to Massachusetts, where Green was arrested and jailed briefly for assault. At least, that's what the internet said. The FBI tried looking into police records to find more information about this but were unable to. Strange. Maybe Green used multiple names. They had to find out for sure because this could be a cult with murder on their minds. Agents spent two and a half years investigating the group. Well, presumably, no one in the FBI was assigned to this case exclusively for the next two years, but that's how long the case lasted. Finally, it occurred to someone to read the entirety of the group's website. And they found there was no Reverend Green. There was no group. It was just satire. As indicated (if sections called "Nazi Goths" and "Vampire Goths" didn't give the game away) by text on the site, which read "This site is meant to be viewed as black humor, parody and satire on the very real people who DO think goth and metal is the devil's music." More than a decade later, of course, the internet's a very different place. If someone tried creating a satirical anti-gay, anti-sex group today, it would immediately be overrun by people who share those beliefs unironically. 1 They Put A Mole In Charge Of Finding The Mole In The FBI "Finding the mole" was just one of many roles Robert Hanssen held during over 20 years with the FBI. And throughout this time, he very much was a mole, secretly spying for the USSR and then Russia -- his tenure as a spy outlasted the nation he was spying for. FBI FBI When he began, red ties were a secret Communist symbol. Unlike many spies recruited by intelligence agencies overseas, Hansen made the first move himself, reaching out to the KGB in 1979. He'd heard about how the former anti-Soviet chief of MI6 turned out to be a Soviet spy, and while most people on his side of the Iron Curtain reacted to the news in horror, Hansen thought, "That sounds cool. I want to do that." He made contact with the Soviets, letting them know about the FBI bugging them and revealing names of agents who secretly worked for America. Throughout this, he kept his own identity secret from the Soviets, to make sure no spies the FBI had over there could find out what he was doing. Hanssen had started working for the FBI out of Indiana, but he now worked his way up to the New York office and then to D.C. As part of the Soviet analytical unit, he was tasked with finding who had leaking agent names to the Soviets, and he somehow never produced this man's identity. He continued telling the Soviets about double agents though, and he let them know that the FBI had built an eavesdropping tunnel beneath their embassy. When the USSR collapsed, he took a little break, but he resumed communications via a new Russian contact, using his old Soviet codename. He was finally caught in 2001, when most of us thought the Cold War was over. Over his decades as a mole, he passed along so much intelligence that once he was finally convicted, he was given life in prison without parole as part of his plea deal (otherwise, the death penalty for treason might have been on the table). It almost makes it seem like the whole thing wasn't worth getting paid $600,000 plus three diamonds. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-15 23:10:21|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Wang Yang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference National Committee, visits a herdsman's home at a poverty-relief resettlement site in Maqin County of Golog Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Qinghai Province, Sept. 14, 2020. Wang made an inspection tour in Qinghai Province from Monday to Tuesday. (Xinhua/Huang Jingwen) XINING, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- China's top political advisor Wang Yang has stressed the importance of efforts to grasp the guiding principles from a key meeting on work related to Tibet and putting the policies into action. Wang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference National Committee, made the comments during an inspection tour in northwest China's Qinghai Province from Monday to Tuesday. Wang called for efforts toward a profound understanding of the CPC's policies on governing Tibet for a new era, for people to be aware of the new situation and tasks facing work related to Tibet, and for the promotion of long-term peace and stability in Tibetan-inhabited areas. Various activities should be carried out to communicate the guiding principles from the seventh Central Symposium on Tibet Work, he noted. More efforts are also needed to handle deep-seated issues that have a bearing on enduring peace and stability, Wang said, adding that Tibetan Buddhism should be guided in adapting to the socialist society. Effective social governance measures should be summarized to form a modern governance system that conforms to actual local circumstances, he noted. Stressing high-quality development, Wang said that ecological protection should be put first when boosting agriculture, economy and tourism in Tibetan areas. Enditem There is sense in Hollywood that this is a year of transitions. Former fringe players Schitt's Creek (Pop TV) and What We Do in the Shadows (FX) have edged into the outstanding comedy category. And off-piste genre pieces The Mandalorian (Disney+) and Stranger Things (Netflix) into outstanding drama. Both are categories where last year's winners - Fleabag for comedy series and Game of Thrones for drama series - are no longer in contention, leaving the field wide open. Schitt's Creek - the breakout hit of 2020 and a strong Emmy contender. Credit:Pop TV And while it is easy to lean into "establishment" nominees such as The Marvelous Mrs Maisel and Curb Your Enthusiasm (in comedy) and The Crown and The Handmaid's Tale (in drama), there is a mood in Hollywood that something left of field could yet tilt the game. For the drama category, that edges The Mandalorian into a strong position. And in comedy, there is an even clearer favourite, Schitt's Creek, a somewhat modest comedy that finished its sixth season this year but became the breakout hit of the COVID-19 lockdown. In Australia, it airs on Netflix and the ABC. Loading All four of the show's leads - Eugene Levy, Catherine O'Hara, Dan Levy and Annie Murphy - are nominees in the acting categories and the series has secured a nomination for directing and two nominations for writing. At last week's Creative Arts Emmys it also had nominations for casting, contemporary costumes, hair-styling, makeup, picture editing and sound editing. Whether the show can pull off a clean sweep remains to be seen. Levy (senior) and O'Hara have clear shots at winning; neither of last year's lead comedy actor winners (Bill Hader and Phoebe Waller-Bridge) is in contention this year. Levy (junior) and Murphy have the hurdle that last years supporting comedy actor winners (Tony Shalhoub and Alex Borstein) still in play. Though this year's Emmys is something of an unpredictable beast, with few pre-taped packages according to the producers, by the time it airs on Monday it will have been substantially rehearsed, though not in the way you may think. Loading The Daytime Emmys, which were held in June, took a more cautious route and pre-recorded its hosting and presenting segments and acceptance speeches. But more recently the annual Sports Emmys delivered a telecast that more closely resembles what Monday night's audience might see, with home Wi-Fi-powered on-air live crosses to winners. In a sense, the notion of a "virtual" awards night chips away at the key foundation stones of such events, notably watching a parade of talent on the red carpet wearing designer clothes and answering inane questions. Telecast producer Ian Stewart says he hopes the winners will dress for the occasion but concedes that for 2020 the dress code has to be substantially more relaxed. "If [they] want to be in [their] sweats on the sofa that's also fine," Stewart told the trade publication Variety. "It will be much more casual, much more fun, as we're more in it together. It will go where it goes." What matters, says the show's host Kimmel, is that it delivers on the key promise of the Emmys: to honour the best work in the preceding year on the small screen. "I want to make sure that it's fulfilling and that they feel like they weren't cheated out of the full Emmy experience," Kimmel says. "We want to make it as special as it should be. "Everything is different. The key for me is to have fun with the limitations. Make the negatives into positives. Everyone says these award shows are all the same. And this one is definitely not going to be the same." Australia at the Emmys: The 2020 form guide Australia has put on a formidable showing for the 72nd annual Emmy Awards, with no fewer than eight Aussies nominated across 10 categories. Five of those awards come up in the Creative Arts Emmys, which are held in the week preceding the main telecast, and they include Hannah Gadsby, nominated for both outstanding variety special and outstanding writing for a variety special for Douglas. Our two other creative arts nominees are Justine Seymour, nominated for outstanding contemporary costumes, and Antonio Gambale, nominated for outstanding music composition for a limited series and outstanding original main title theme music. Both were nominated for their work on Netflix's Unorthodox. In Monday's primetime Emmys telecast, Australia has four actors nominated - Hugh Jackman, Cate Blanchett, Sarah Snook and Toni Collette - and writer Tony McNamara. Jackman is nominated in the outstanding lead actor in a limited series or movie category for the HBO film Bad Education, in a tough field that includes Jeremy Irons (Watchmen; HBO) and Mark Ruffalo (I Know This Much Is True; HBO). Blanchett is nominated in the outstanding lead actress in a limited series or movie category for her work on the FX series Mrs America, in the role of conservative personality Phyllis Schlafly. She is also up against a formidable field including Shira Haas (Unorthodox; Netflix), Octavia Spencer (Self Made; Netflix) and Kerry Washington (Little Fires Everywhere; Hulu) The Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) has rejected a request by the Coalition of Aggrieved Customers of Menzgold Ghana (CACM) to be included in the governments bailout fund set up to pay locked up funds of depositors of collapsed financial companies. The Commission, in response to the request, said that the target of the bailout was clearly defined and did not cover Menzgold customers. The SEC has noted with concern the plight of customers of Menzgold due to the companys failure to return clients funds. Unfortunately, your request for inclusion cannot be acceded to because the target of the bailout is clearly defined and does not cover Menzgold customers, it said in a statement signed by the Director-General of SEC, Reverend Daniel Ogbarmey Tetteh, and addressed to the Chairman of the Coalition, Mr. Isaac Nyarko. It added that: the SEC was implementing the bailout provided for in the Mid-Year Review of the Budget Statement and Economy Policy of the Government of Ghana and Supplementary Estimate for the 2020 Financial Year Section 239 of the Budget Statement approved by Parliament was very specific. It also noted that Menzgold was not an asset management company regulated by the SEC. Governments bailout Menzgold customers made the request after the SEC had announced that clients of collapsed fund management companies will start receiving their locked up funds before the end of the year. The decision, according to the industry regulator, followed a relief granted the Official Liquidator, the Registrar General, to liquidate 22 fund management companies (FMCs) whose licenses the SEC revoked in November last year. It said that the 22 are part of the 50 FMCs whose licences were revoked due to their inability to return clients funds, totaling GH8 billion, and significant breaches of applicable rules that created risks to financial stability, according to the SEC. Source: graphiconline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video ALBANY Albany health officials are questioning the way public colleges and universities are counting on-campus COVID-19 cases as dozens of new infections were confirmed in the county overnight Monday. Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo in August directed campuses to go "on pause" and transition to remote learning for at least two weeks after 100 members of the on-campus population test positive for COVID-19 within a 14-day period. On Monday, after cases at SUNY Oswego surpassed 100, it was revealed that the State University of New York had instructed campuses that this threshold only applies within static two-week time frames so Aug. 28 to Sept. 11, Sept. 12 to Sept. 25, and so on versus a rolling two-week window, which is the method the state has relied on for most other reopening metrics. This means that a campus could have 100 tests come back positive in the previous 14 days, but not be forced to close so long as those cases were diagnosed during two pre-determined 14-day periods. Albany County Health Commissioner Elizabeth Whalen on Tuesday said tracking cases this way makes no sense from an epidemiological point of view. The guidance talks about 100 cases on campus during a two-week time frame and from our perspective, we look at this as a rolling two weeks, she said. 'I know others ... (are) looking at that differently and looking at it from discrete time periods, she continued. Again, this is new, so well be reaching back to the state and other partners for their specific guidance on this, but from an epidemiological point of view and from a logic point of view, it really makes sense to look at this in a rolling time period. Whalen also clarified that the 100-case threshold applies to anyone who lives, works or studies on campus. So if an infected student lives off-campus and only takes remote classes, their case would not count toward the 100 that trigger a closure. University at Albany, which saw a sharp rise in infections this week, is using the same standard as SUNY Oswego, counting 100 cases over a stagnant two-week period when deciding whether to move classes online, a spokesman for the university has confirmed. "For the sake of transparency, we still report both the rolling 14-day number and the static 14-day-window number on our dashboard to help folks on campus and off-campus more fully understand the situation," UAlbany spokesman Jordan Carleo-Evangelist said. He noted that campus officials speak to Albany County health officials daily to discuss trends. "We are closely watching all the data, and no decisions are being made in a vacuum without close consultation with Albany County, SUNY and NYSDOH," he said. UAlbany has seen 65 cases on- and off-campus as of Tuesday and county officials warn that students socializing at college housing may be at the center of a cluster of infections in downtown Albany. The governor's executive order and the state's guidance does not specifically state that the 14-day review window should be a rolling or static period, but public health experts say it may be inferred. The state Department of Health typically assesses state and regional infection rates based on the percentage of tests that come back positive over a rolling 14-day period. Colleen McLaughlin, a former state Department of Health official and professor at the Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, said an epidemiologist would not have interpreted the governor's directive the way that SUNY has. "It's an arbitrary cut off point at the end of a 14-day period. (SUNY campuses) can just stop testing people on the 14th day when they are close to the threshold," McLaughlin told the Times Union on Monday. Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years. The outbreak at SUNY Oswego, where COVID-19 has sickened 145 students, exposes the ineffectiveness of this standard. College officials tracked 82 positive cases before the conclusion of the college's first 14-day period, which ended Sept. 11. Therefore, no change in instruction status was applied, college officials said. SUNY Oswego began its second 14-day period on Sept. 12, a period that runs through Sept. 25 and reported 34 new cases of COVID-19 during the second two-week window. SUNY did not respond to requests for comment on Whalen's remarks on Tuesday. Department of Health spokesperson Erin Silk in a statement defended the two-week static review period arguing that it "creates a clear and consistent measurement timeframe among all of New York's college campuses and provides an opportunity for frequent reevaluation of our public health response." "The static reporting metric doesnt diminish the epidemiological value of rolling data, which also provides a timely assessment of the current outbreak, and is also displayed publicly by SUNY," Silk said, noting that campuses may use discretion to take virus-containing action sooner if necessary. Officials also clarified that the 100-case threshold applies to anyone who lives, works or studies on campus. So if an infected student lives off campus and only takes remote classes, their case would not count toward the 100 that trigger a closure. A majority of the UAlbany cases so far have occurred in students who live off campus. And by off campus, that doesnt mean students live off campus and they attend classes, Whalen said. We have established the way that we at the health department look at this as off campus means you not only live off campus but you do not go to campus. So these are students that, in our data, we look at as being entirely remote learners that are not on campus for any reason. So it is the on-campus those that are learning on campus or attending on campus that number is the number that we are carefully watching. However, that may be little comfort to residents who live in neighborhoods dominated by off-campus housing. Albany County's 12203 ZIP code which encompasses the city's Pine Hills neighborhood and large stretches of off-campus housing has had the highest concentration of cases in the county to date. Albany City Councilmember Owusu Anane, who represents that neighborhood, told the Times Union last week that students continue to party and hold large gatherings. The fact that Pine Hills is experiencing a COVID outbreak after all the progress weve made is beyond frustrating these students are not only putting their semester at risk, they are putting our city at risk, he said. PUNE: A 45-year-old man was arrested by Pimpri-Chinchwad police for allegedly molesting his minor daughter and beating her up for asking him to pay for her education. The man was remanded to judicial custody by a local court on Tuesday. The girl was visiting her father at his office space in Pimpri area at 12 noon when they got into a fight, according to the complaint lodged by her. The girl told the police that she went to the office with her mother to ask him to pay for her education, according to her complaint. She is a 16-year-old and has entered Class 10 at school, she told us. The father works in the administration department of a construction company. The complainants parents are separated and he did not wish to pay for her school, said sub-inspector Amol Kamthe of Pimpri police station who is investigating the case. After the fight turned physical, the man started slapping and hitting the girl and, in the process, broke open a button on her shirt and touched her inappropriately, according to the girls complaint. He also allegedly abused her mother and said he would come to her workplace and jeopardise her job, according to the police. A case under Sections 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 506 (criminal intimidation) of Indian Penal Code along with Sections 8 and 12 of Protection of Children from Sexual Offence (POCOS) Act was registered at Pimpri police station against the man. This satellite image shows five tropical hurricanes churning in the Atlantic on Monday afternoon (NOAA/AP) Hurricane Sally one of four storms churning simultaneously in the Atlantic closed in on the US Gulf Coast on Monday as governors declared states of emergency. With Sally bringing rapidly strengthening winds of at least 100mph and heavy rain, forecasters have warned of potentially historic flooding. The slow-moving storm was forecast to brush the south-eastern tip of Louisiana and then blow ashore late on Tuesday or early Wednesday near the Mississippi-Alabama border, the National Hurricane Centre said. Hurricane warnings stretched from Morgan City, Louisiana, to Navarre, Florida a stretch of more than 300 miles. A Hurricane Katrina monument is surrounded by rising water in eastern St Bernard Parish, Louisiana, as residents evacuate for Hurricane Sally (Chris Granger/The Advocate/AP) President Donald Trump issued an emergency declaration for parts of Louisiana and Mississippi on Monday, an action that authorises federal emergency officials to coordinate disaster relief efforts and provide emergency assistance to the affected areas. Alabama governor Kay Ivey asked the president to do the same for her state after the National Weather Service in the city of Mobile warned of the increasing likelihood of dangerous and potentially historic flooding. The weather service forecast waters could rise as much as nine feet above ground in large parts of the Mobile metro area. With a population of 400,000 people, it is among the largest metro areas along the Gulf Coast between New Orleans and Tampa, Florida. Some businesses in Mobile placed sandbags at their entrances in preparation. Florida governor Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency in the Panhandles westernmost counties as the hurricanes outer bands began to lash the area. Expand Close Storm surge floods a parking lot in Pensacola Beach, Florida (Tony Giberson/Pensacola News Journal/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Storm surge floods a parking lot in Pensacola Beach, Florida (Tony Giberson/Pensacola News Journal/AP) Along the storm-weary Gulf Coast, residents rushed to buy bottled water and other supplies ahead of the hurricane, which powered up to Category 2 in the afternoon. Forecasters said sustained winds could reach 110mph, just less than Category 3 strength, by landfall. Seawater and sand swept onto roads on one end of Dauphin Island off the coast of Alabama, washing away several cars, Dauphin Island Mayor Jeff Collier said. He said around a dozen people had to be evacuated. In coastal Mississippi, water spilled onto roads, lawns and docks well before the storms arrival. All of the areas 12 casinos were ordered to shut down on Monday afternoon and governor Tate Reeves urged residents of low-lying areas to prepare to evacuate. This is the real deal, and it deserves your attention, Mr Reeves wrote on Twitter. Be smart. Prepare for worst. Pray for the best, he said. Hurricane Sally is headed straight for Mississippi and it is now a Category 2. Make plans to evacuate low-lying areas. Emergency operators are ready to respond. This is the real deal, and it deserves your attention. Be smart. Prepare for worst. Pray for the best. Tate Reeves (@tatereeves) September 14, 2020 Reeves said Sally could dump up to 20 inches of rain on the southern part of the state. Shelters opened, but officials urged people who are evacuating to stay with friends or relatives or in hotels, if possible, because of the coronavirus. The town of Kiln, Mississippi, where many homes sit high on stilts along the Jourdan River and its tributaries, was under a mandatory evacuation order, and it appeared most residents obeyed. For only the second time on record, forecasters said, five tropical cyclones swirled simultaneously in the Atlantic basin at one point on Monday. The last time that happened was in 1971. In addition to Sally were Hurricane Paulette, which passed over a well-fortified Bermuda on Monday and was expected to peel harmlessly out into the North Atlantic; and Tropical Storms Rene, Teddy and Vicky, all of them out at sea and unlikely to threaten land this week, if at all. Rene was downgraded to a trough of low pressure Monday evening. Sally was about 135 miles (217 kilometers) south of Biloxi, Mississippi, on Monday night, moving at 6 mph (9 kph). The hurricanes sluggish pace could give it more time to drench the Mississippi Delta with rain and storm surges. #Sally is expected to move slowly over the next several days. Life-threatening flash flooding and river flooding is likely over portions of the central Gulf Coast from the western Florida panhandle to southeastern Louisiana. @NWSWPC forecasts 8-16 of rain, isolated areas to 24. pic.twitter.com/PBpW2ja1E1 National Hurricane Center (@NHC_Atlantic) September 14, 2020 Sally was moving west-northwest Monday night but forecasters expected it to turn slightly east. The extraordinarily busy hurricane season like the catastrophic wildfire season on the West Coast has focused attention on the role of climate change. Scientists say global warming is making the strongest of hurricanes, those with wind speeds of 110 mph or more, even stronger. Also, warmer air holds more moisture, making storms rainier, and rising seas from global warming make storm surges higher and more damaging. In addition, scientists have been seeing tropical storms and hurricanes slow down once they hit the United States by about 17% since 1900, and that gives them the opportunity to unload more rain over one place, as 2017s Hurricane Harvey did in Houston. With a wave of fintech solutions challenging the legacy systems all over, the need to incorporate technology as an enabler to help enhance the customer experience, business profitability and the product portfolio in a secured environment, is a top priority for banks. This will be the focus of the New Age Banking Summit 2020 to be held on October 6 at Hotel Sheraton, Muscat. The summit will showcase the evolving financial eco-system in this digital age and how the banks can be future ready by adopting digital strategies, innovating in products and services offered and reaching customers on digital channels while proactively combating cyber risks. The summit will also focus on how new business models will make the banks relevant for next generation customers through adoption of new technology and what measures has to be taken today. The fifth edition of annual event will have Tahir bin Salim bin Abdullah Al Amri, Executive President, Central Bank of Oman as the chief guest and keynote speaker. The event is supported by Oman Banks Association. Oman Data Park is the Cloud Service Partner. PayMate is the Support Partner. Ubhar Capital is the Knowledge Partner. The one-day event will include presentations and discussions involving a cross-section of the industry experts from Oman, rest of the GCC and international market. Some of the subjects that will be covered include digital transformation, artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain, fintech, cyber security, Banking as a Platform, digital payment, mobile banking, enterprise data architecture and digital customer experience. The Oman Banking & Finance Awards will be co-located with the summit. The awards will felicitate the key industry leaders, organizations and products/solutions that are at the forefront of new age banking in the sultanate. The attendance of the event in person is by invitation only. Interested people can register to attend the event on Zoom at: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_dBdvVYsZTv6HhJuIHfhHtQ -TradeArabia News Service YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 15, ARMENPRESS. Most of the events dedicated to the 29th anniversary of Armenias Independence will be held online and will be shown on TV because of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). On September 21 festive programs will be broadcast on the First Channel, Armen Khachatryan, head of the department of Information and Public Relations at the PMs administration, told Armenpress. There will be numerous interesting archival videos, warm greetings by soldiers serving in the Army and performance by musicians in the beautiful sites of the country, and the annual award ceremony Hero of Our Times will take place in the Zvartnots historical-cultural museum-reserve. It will be held by keeping all anti-coronavirus rules, he said. On September 21, 2020, Armenia will celebrate the 29th anniversary of its Independence. Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan U.S. President Donald Trump delivers his acceptance speech during the 2020 Republican National Convention. (Xinhua/Liu Jie) US president Donald Trump recently cast doubts over the accuracy of Chinas COVID-19 death toll, while continuing to downplay the threat of the virus and turning a blind eye to the climbing casualty numbers domestically, a move that drew a quick backlash at home and abroad. On Sept. 1, President Donald Trump claimed during an interview with Fox Newss Laura Ingraham that thousands more people have died from the coronavirus in China than the Chinese government has acknowledged. When asked how he knew the number of virus deaths in China, he changed the subject, without citing any evidence, according to a Bloomberg report. Three days later at a press briefing, Trump touted his accomplishments by repeating his groundless assertion that China had far more deaths than the US did, but Chinas not reporting, adding that the US is rounding the corner on the COVID-19 pandemic. Trumps remarks came in response to a forecast by IHME at the University of Washington that the US will have 410,000 American deaths from coronavirus by Jan. 1 of next year. Many were quick to criticize his misleading information. Journalist Bob Woodward revealed in his new book, Rage, that Trump knew COVID-19 was deadlier than the flu before it hit the country but wanted to play down the crisis, US media reported. When asked by ABC correspondent Jonathan Karl last Thursday, Why did you lie to the American people? Trump lashed out at him and deflected the question. [Trump] did lie, does lie and he continues to lie, commented Los Angeles Times. According to Johns Hopkins University, as of Sept. 14, there were more than 6.52 million diagnosed cases and at least 194,036 deaths in the US, making it the worst-affected country in the world. While US politicians continue to defame China with lies in order to divert the blame domestically, life in most parts of China has returned to normal. No new locally transmitted COVID-19 cases have been reported across the Chinese mainland, the National Health Commission said last Sunday. China is now turning its attention to economic recovery, as demonstrated by a number of grand social and economic events. The port city of Qingdao held a beer festival in August that attracted 1.21 million visitors. In early September, about 6,000 companies and institutions from around the world joined the China International Fair for Trade in Service (CIFTIS) held in Beijing, a city where all COVID-19 cases had been cleared by Aug.25, just two months after a new outbreak emerged at a Beijing food market. Students take part in the opening ceremony of a new semester at Wuhan High School in Wuhan, capital of central China's Hubei Province, Sept. 1, 2020. (Xinhua/Xiao Yijiu) Even Wuhan, the city that first reported the outbreak, regained its vitality after months of lockdown: schools reopened on Sept. 1, restaurants and parks are packed, and night markets are bustling with life. As of Thursday, the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases on the Chinese mainland had reached 85,168; 4,634 had died of the disease, demonstrating a cure rate of over 94 percent. Behind the achievements in Chinas fight against the virus are the determined actions by the Chinese government. Under the Chinese central authorities principle of leaving no patients unattended, Chinas sweeping protection covers all men and women, children, the elderly, the disabled and the poor. Taking the elderly as an example, more than 3,000 patients over the age of 80, including seven centenarians, have been cured, with many of them brought back from the brink of death, according to a white paper on Chinas fight against COVID-19 issued by the State Council Information Office. Rise in companion animal ownership, surge in need for streamlining daily tasks in veterinary hospitals, and increase in spending on animal health drive the growth of the global veterinary software market. PORTLAND, Ore., Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Allied Market Research recently published a report, titled, "Veterinary Software Market by Product Type (Veterinary Practice Management Software, Veterinary Imaging Software and Others), Type (Integrated Software and Standalone Software), Deployment (On-premise and Cloud), Practice Type (Exclusive Small Animal Practices, Mixed Animal Practices, and Exclusive Large Animal Practices), and End User (Hospitals or Clinics, and Reference Laboratories): Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2020-2027". As per the report, the global veterinary software industry was pegged at $1.31 billion in 2019, and is projected to reach $2.08 billion by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 6.1% from 2020 to 2027. Drivers, restraints, and opportunities Rise in companion animal ownership, surge in need for streamlining daily tasks in veterinary hospitals, and increase in spending on animal health drive the growth of the global veterinary software market. However, lack of veterinary infrastructure facilities in underdeveloped countries hampers the market. On the contrary, surge in adoption of cloud-based technologies and potential opportunities in developing markets are expected to create opportunities for the market players in the future. Download Sample Report: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-sample/743 Covid-19 scenario: During the Covid-19 pandemic, the demand for companion animals has increased as most of the people are working from home and they have enough time to spend with their pets. This has been beneficial for the veterinary software industry. Moreover, veterinary practice management software would witness a significant boom post-Covid-19 pandemic owing to remote monitoring, telehealth solutions, and custom client communications offered by the software. Get detailed COVID-19 impact analysis on the Veterinary Software Market: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-for-customization/743?reqfor=covid The veterinary practice management software segment dominated the market By product type, the veterinary practice management software segment held the largest share in 2019, accounting for nearly two-fifths of the global veterinary software market, as it helps to deal with daily operations of veterinary practices such as scheduling appointments and capturing patient demographics. However, the veterinary imaging software segment is expected to register the highest CAGR of 7.7% during the forecast period, due to rise in need to maintain the digital image record for all the images, digital x-rays, videos, and image sequences of an animal. The cloud segment to portray the highest CAGR through 2027 By deployment, the cloud segment is expected to register the highest CAGR of 7.8% during the forecast period, as it demands less investment on hardware infrastructure and vendors often offer flexible plans according to the user's usage. However, the on premise segment held the lion's share in 2019, contributing to more than two-thirds of the global veterinary software market, as most of the organizations prefer deploying veterinary software on its own environment to offer optimal applications performance. For Purchase Inquiry: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/purchase-enquiry/743 North America held the largest share By region, the market across North America held the largest share in 2019, accounting for more than two-fifths of the market, owing to presence of major key players in the region and high ICT spending, and early adoption of advanced technologies across the healthcare industry. However, the global veterinary software market across Europe is anticipated to manifest the highest CAGR of 7.7% during the forecast period, due to surge in number of domestic & companion animals, rise in expenditure on animal health, and the presence of veterinary practitioners. Major market players Animal Intelligence Software, Inc. Covetrus Inc. ClienTrax IDEXX Laboratories Inc. Hippo Manager Software Inc. Patterson Companies Inc. MWI Animal Health Three Plus Group Petabyte Technology Vetspire Inc. Timeless Veterinary Systems VetZ GmbH Vetter Software Inc. VIA Information Systems Similar Reports: Physical Security Market Expected to Reach $153 Billion by 2023 Facility Management Market Expected to Reach $80,849 Mn by 2023 Hyper scale Data Center Market Expected to Reach $71.2 Billion by 2022 Robotics Technology Market Expected to Reach $82.7 Billion, Globally, by 2020 Smart Education and Learning Market to Reach $994 Billion by 2024 AVENUE- A Subscription-Based Library (Premium on-demand, subscription-based pricing model): AMR introduces its online premium subscription-based library Avenue, designed specifically to offer cost-effective, one-stop solution for enterprises, investors, and universities. With Avenue, subscribers can avail an entire repository of reports on more than 2,000 niche industries and more than 12,000 company profiles. Moreover, users can get an online access to quantitative and qualitative data in PDF and Excel formats along with analyst support, customization, and updated versions of reports. Get an access to the library of reports at any time from any device and anywhere. For more details, follow the link: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/library-access About Allied Market Research: Allied Market Research (AMR) is a full-service market research and business-consulting wing of Allied Analytics LLP based in Portland, Oregon. Allied Market Research provides global enterprises as well as medium and small businesses with unmatched quality of "Market Research Reports" and "Business Intelligence Solutions." AMR has a targeted view to provide business insights and consulting to assist its clients to make strategic business decisions and achieve sustainable growth in their respective market domains. AMR offers its services across 11 industry verticals including Life Sciences, Consumer Goods, Materials & Chemicals, Construction & Manufacturing, Food & Beverages, Energy & Power, Semiconductor & Electronics, Automotive & Transportation, ICT & Media, Aerospace & Defense, and BFSI. 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Contact: David Correa 5933 NE Win Sivers Drive #205, Portland, OR 97220 United States Toll Free: 1-800-792-5285 UK: +44-845-528-1300 Hong Kong: +852-301-84916 India (Pune): +91-20-66346060 Fax: +1-855-550-5975 help@alliedmarketresearch.com Web: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com Follow Us on: LinkedIn Twitter Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/636519/Allied_Market_Research_Logo.jpg External Article 15 September 2020 Online travel agency Booking.com is closing at least five of its offices around the world, in Bellevue, Washington [US], London and Cambridge [England], Toronto [Canada], and Split [Croatia]. Advertisements The company announced the redundancies and economic cutbacks on a live call with more than 800 employees on Thursday [10 September]. The layoffs are effective with immediate effect. It comes just a month after Booking.com, which is a subsidiary and flagship company of Booking Holdings, announced it would make up to 25 per cent of its global workforce redundant [around 4,000 employees] due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. In the last financial quarter, the brand reported a 91 per cent drop in gross travel bookings. Booking Holdings also owns brands such as Kayak, Priceline, and OpenTable, employing more than 17,000 people across its offices around the world. According to a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification sent by the Washington Employment Security Department, 235 employees are being let go by Booking.com at its Bellevue office. Defence minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday said India is committed to a peaceful resolution to the border stand-off with China even as it has conveyed to Beijing that attempts to forcibly alter the border between the two countries is unacceptable. He told Lok Sabha that until now, the two countries have not arrived at a mutually acceptable solution. Singh said Indian forces are determined to protect the countrys security and sovereignty and inflicted heavy casualties on Chinese forces when they clashed with them in Ladakhs Galwan Valley on June 15. Singh said the violent conduct by the Chinese along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), the de facto border between India and China, in violation of all bilateral agreements including those signed in 1993 and 1996. China is not honouring the customary alignment of the boundary with India. The alignment has not only been defined by treaties but has been maintained historically. He added China believes that the border is not defined and the issues between the two countries remain unresolved. Singh warned that any serious situation along the LAC is bound to impact bilateral ties. He said Indian forces will forcefully counter all Chinese aggressive action along the border and added there has been an increase in troops and weapons deployment along LAC in Ladakh since April. Singh added the Chinese side hindered the normal, traditional patrolling pattern of Indian troops in the Galwan Valley area. Singh said the Chinese made several attempts in mid-May to transgress the LAC into other parts of the Western Sector even as the ground commanders were addressing the situation as per the provisions of the bilateral agreements and protocol. This included Kongka La, Gogra and North Bank of Pangong Lake. These attempts were detected early and consequently responded to appropriately by our armed forces, he said. We made it clear to the Chinese side both through diplomatic and military channels that China was, by such actions, attempting to unilaterally alter the status quo. It was categorically conveyed that this was unacceptable. The Congress and other Opposition parties have been critical of the governments handling of the situation since 20 Indian soldiers were killed in the clash with Chinese troops in June and sought a debate on the issue. Congress lawmakers staged a walkout from the House after speaker Om Birla did not allow them to speak on the issue following Singhs statement. They later protested in front of the statue of Mahatma Gandhi in the Parliament complex. Also Read: Xi Jinping has risked his future with LAC incursions: Report on China border row Singh, who paid tributes to the 20 Indian soldiers killed in the Galwan Valley, said the border issue is complex. He added the two countries have agreed to resolve it peacefully. I want to assure you that we are ready to deal with any situation. I request this House to pass a resolution affirming that we stand shoulder to shoulder with our armed forces guarding our borders to safeguard Indias sovereignty and integrity. He said India has conveyed to China through diplomatic channels that any attempts to unilaterally alter the status quo were in violation of the bilateral agreements. Violent conduct of Chinese troops is a violation of all past agreements. Our troops have done counter deployments in the area to safeguard our borders. There has been a spike in tensions along the LAC after both countries amassed more troops in the Ladakh sector. There have been face-offs on the south bank of Pangong Lake after provocative Chinese movements to change the status quo during August 29-30. India said during the latest face-off on September 7, Chinese soldiers fired in the air after being prevented from closing in on an Indian forward position. This is the first time that guns have been used along the LAC since 1975. Both sides have strengthened their military presence along the LAC by moving in additional troops, tanks, and other weaponry. India has positioned its troops on several strategic heights to prevent further land grabs on the south bank of the Pangong Lake. India and China last week finalised a five-point road map to address the standoff that includes disengagement of troops and easing of tensions. The consensus on the five points was reached during talks between external affairs minister S Jaishankar and his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, on the sidelines of a Shanghai Cooperation Organisation meet in Moscow on Thursday last. Also Read: Indian, Chinese top military commanders likely to meet this week A joint statement issued on Friday said the ministers agreed that both sides should be guided by the consensus of the top leadership on developing India-China relations, including not allowing differences to become disputes. They agreed the situation on the LAC is not in the interest of either country. And therefore...the border troops of both sides should continue their dialogue, quickly disengage, maintain proper distance and ease tensions. The two countries agreed that both sides would abide by all existing agreements and protocols on boundary affairs, maintain peace and tranquillity in the border areas and avoid any action that could escalate matters. The two sides will continue communicating through the Special Representatives mechanism, and the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on border affairs. The ministers also agreed that as the situation eases, the two sides should expedite work to conclude new confidence-building measures to maintain and enhance peace and tranquillity. HT last week reported the Indian side highlighted its concern at the massing of Chinese troops and equipment along the LAC without any credible explanation, saying this violated the 1993 and 1996 agreements and created flashpoints. The five-point roadmap is a broad template for disengagement though differences remain on crucial issues such as how far the troops should be pulled back from the LAC. The Indian side has made it clear the ultimate goal should be to move forces back to their permanent posts, at least 20 km or more from the LAC. Than Htay (C), chairman of Myanmar's military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party, talks to journalists at the party's headquarters in Naypyidaw, Sept. 9, 2020. Myanmars main opposition party and other small parties have called for a postponement of nationwide elections in November, arguing that quarantine measures to combat a resurgence of COVID-19 have hobbled campaigning amid growing fear of the pandemic in a country that largely avoided the early 2020 wave. The number of coronavirus cases have spiked in the country of 54 million people this month, forcing political parties to deal with restrictions on rallies, stay-at-home-orders, and quarantines in the seven-week race for votes on Nov. 8. The opposition political parties say that 75-year-old Aung San Suu Kyis ruling National League for Democracy (NLD) will hold an advantage if the country proceeds with scheduled elections for national, state and regional legislatures. In appeals to the Union Electoral Commission (UEC), the parties said COVID-19 restrictions social-distancing rules and facial mask requirements have hamstrung campaigning, while the people of Myanmar fear contracting the deadly virus. The main opposition Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) on Monday issued a video message from party chairman Than Htay calling for a postponement. We have had an average of 200-something infections every day after September 10. he said. If one party cant contest the elections, it would be a huge loss, as the party who can exploit the situation would gain control of the country. I am broadcasting this video in an unhappy mood, he said. In a time like this, we dont want to selfishly ask you to vote for our partys candidates. Instead, we support what the best for the country and people. For the sake of the safety and lives of people, we will accept and cooperate if the election is postponed. Naing Than Shew of the Mon Unity Party told RFA that the governments restrictions on campaigning could aid the ruling party. The COVID-19 pandemic is getting worse. If this trend continues, the election should be postponed, he said. For now, those of us in the opposition parties face challenges in campaigning against the ruling NLD party he said. The COVID-19 restrictions give the ruling party advantages in coverage of the electoral districts. On Monday, Myanmar reported 3,195 coronavirus cases, including 263 new ones. The virus has claimed the lives of 32 people in Myanmar, including 12 new deaths reported Monday. Ko Ko Naing, secretary of the Union Betterment Party told RFAs Myanmar Service that it is impossible to conduct traditional campaigns under pandemic restrictions ordered by the authorities. In townships with stay-at-home orders, the parties are restricted from campaigning by going around the town on vehicles or going door-to-door. So, this leaves the parties with the option of campaigning on the internet only, he said. If the parties cannot campaign freely, it is difficult to say whether this election will be free and fair, Ko Ko Naing said. The UEC and the government should meet t he political parties and community leaders to relax the restrictions or they should just postpone the election to a later date. Think twice Like continental Southeast Asian neighbors Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam, Myanmar largely avoided widespread COVID-19 infections that spread around the globe through the first half of the year. But Myanmar has seen a deadly return of the virus since mid-August, with notable spikes in the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in populous areas and armed conflict zones in a country larger than France that is dotted with refugee camps. Mya Nandar Thin, a consultant from the New Myanmar Foundation, which monitors elections, told RFA that the parties statements show it is time for the election commission to consult with the political parties to decide whether to postpone the election. People might think twice about going out to vote if there are more infections," she said. If many people decide to sit out due to potential harm, it will affect the validity of the election. RFA attempted to contact the UEC by phone, but the commission said it would only reply to e-mail inquiries. The UEC says a total of 6,689 candidates from more than 90 political parties and 280 independent candidates are running for office in the 2020 election. If the pandemic drives the people towards more hardships and the authorities tighten restrictions, it will affect the quality of election as well as the safety of the voters, said Min Zeyar, vice chairman of Peoples Party, a relatively new political party set up by the 88 Generation student leaders from 1980s pro-democracy protests. Reported by Phyu Phyu Khine, Aung Theinkha, Wai Mar Tun, and Soe San Aung for RFAs Myanmar Service. Translated by Ye Kaung Myint Maung. Written in English by Eugene Whong. The stepsister of a woman who was denied permission to attend her father's funeral has accused Scott Morrison of turning a family tragedy into a media circus. Alexandra Prendergast is upset camera crews hid in bushes outside the Brisbane service for her late father Bernard Prendergast on Thursday. That morning, the Prime Minister had told Sydney radio 2GB broadcaster Ray Hadley a funeral would be held at 2pm in Mount Gravatt - following a tense phone call with Queensland's Labor Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk. 'I think the issue here has been his [Mr Morrison's] involvement of the media and how he has really rallied and I guess advertised the funeral which I don't think is appropriate,' Ms Prendergast told The Project on Network Ten on Monday. Alexandra Prendergast (pictured) is upset media crews hid in bushes outside the Brisbane service for her late father Bernard Prendergast on Thursday 'A funeral is a very private time. I'm grieving. 'I don't think it's appropriate at all for him to announce and kind of inform the media of the location and the time so that they could come and take photos. What Scott Morrison told a radio interview 'The only thing that matters today is that Sarah can be with her 11-year-old sister, Isobel, and her mother, Myrna, while they mourn the passing of their father and husband, Bernard, at Mount Gravatt today,' the Prime Minister told Sydney radio 2GB's Ray Hadley on September 10. 'I rang the Premier this morning and I hoped that she would form a different view. 'She hadn't at that time. I hope she'll reconsider before two o'clock today, Ray.' Advertisement 'It's very insensitive.' Alexandra Prendergast's stepsister Sarah Caisip, a 26-year-old Canberra nurse, was denied a permit from the Queensland government to enter the state to see her dying father, even though the Australian Capital Territory has been COVID-19-free since July 10. State health officials stopped Ms Caisip from leaving her Brisbane hotel quarantine to grieve with her 11-year-old sister Isobel Prendergast and her mother Myrna Prendergast. She was only allowed to view her father's body 20 minutes after the funeral dressed in personal protective equipment on RU OK? Day. Ms Caisip had earlier written a scathing open letter to Ms Palaszczuk after her government denied her permission to see her dying father or attend his funeral. 'My dad is dead and you made me fight to see him, but it was too late and now you won't let me go to his funeral or see my devastated 11-year-old sister,' she said. 'You won't listen and your government is destroying my life. 'My little sister is now without my support and I will never forgive you.' Despite that public criticism of the Queensland government from her stepsister, Alexandra Prendergast continued to blame Mr Morrison. That morning, the Prime Minister had told Sydney radio 2GB broadcaster Ray Hadley a funeral would be held at 2pm in Mount Gravatt. The late Bernard Prendergast's 11-year-old grieving daughter Isobel Prendegast is pictured far left with her mother Myrna Prendergast (second right) Ms Palaszczuk revealed to the Queensland Parliament on Thursday morning that Mr Morrison had called her pleading for Ms Caisip to be allowed to attend her father's funeral. 'I will not be bullied and nor will I be intimidated by the Prime Minister of this country who contacted me this morning,' she said. 'The Prime Minister said to me at the time that he had not gone public, but I knew that he would go public.' Asked about that, Ms Prendergast defended Ms Palaszczuk and said Opposition Leader Deb Frecklington was the one who told Parliament a funeral would be held at 2pm on Thursday. Alexandra Prendergast's stepsister Sarah Caisip, a 26-year-old Canberra nurse, was denied a permit from the Queensland government to enter the state to see her dying father, even though the Australian Capital Territory has been COVID-19-free since July 10. She is pictured wearing a face shield to view her father's body after the service 'I believe it was the Opposition Leader at the time that raised the time of the funeral,' she said. 'Annastacia Palaszczuk did respond but there were no further details mentioned of the location or the time of the funeral.' Ms Prendergast also revealed her grandmother also died suddenly on September 1, the day before her father lost an 11-week battle with cancer - with her sister and an aunt denied Queensland border passes without a media spotlight. In a separate interview on the ABC's 7.30 program, Alexandra Prendergast accused Mr Morrison of using the family tragedy to score political points against a Labor state government. Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk told the Queensland Parliament on Thursday morning, the day before the funeral, that Mr Morrison had called her pleading for Ms Caisip to be allowed to attend her father's funeral. She is pictured during a July session of question time 'It's quite clear that this was orchestrated in order to maximise media coverage and I guess provide Scott Morrison with a campaign against the Queensland Premier,' she said. In the Queensland Parliament on Thursday Ms Palaszczuk, facing an election on October 31, accused Ms Frecklington's Opposition Liberal National Party of co-ordinating a political attack with the Prime Minister's office. 'My question to the Leader of the Opposition is: did anyone from the Prime Minister's office contact the Leader of the Opposition? We know everything is coordinated these days. To use the personal tragedy of this family is disgusting,' she said. Leitrim like the rest of the country has been placed on Level 2 of the new Living with Covid Plan. All pubs will reopen in Leitrim next week and a limited number of spectators can return to sporting competitions this week. In Leitrim 200 spectators can attend a game in Pairc Sean MacDiarmada, which has capacity for over 5,000 seats, while up to 100 spectators can attend games at smaller pitches around the county. Visitors are still restricted to just six visitors from three other households and outdoor training to 15 people. Up to 50 people can attend a wedding ceremony and reception. Up to 50 patrons are also permitted and in pods or groups of up to 6 if appropriate, for arts, music and cultural indoor events. Up to 100 patrons are permitted for larger venues where strict 2 metre seated social distancing and one-way controls for entry and exit can be implemented. Funerals and church services are still limited to 50. There are a few further restrictions for those living in Dublin and people in Dublin are being advised to stay within the county and not travel to other counties. The new plan sets out five levels of restrictions which will be based on 14 days worth of cases per county. Level 5 of the plan would see a return to almost lockdown conditions experienced in March and April this year. Throughout each level schools, early learning and childcare services are a top priority. NPHET has decided to reduce the period of isolation from 14 to 10 days for confirmed cases from the onset of symptoms, based on advice received from the Expert Advisory Group following a review of the evidence. In addition, it has been agreed that nasal swabs are an acceptable alternative to nasopharyngeal swab for use in children in the community. Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly said this road map is about keeping schools and colleges open and to protect lives. He said Covid-19 is now costing more and taking longer to do less within the health service and because of that, this winter poses the biggest challenge to our healthcare services "in living memory". Minister Donnelly said details of the 600m winter support package for healthcare will be launched in the coming days. Taoiseach Michael Martin said The power to control this pandemic is still in our hands. Irish people have shown time and again that they will follow the public health advice in order to protect themselves, their families, and society as a whole. We need this co-operation and compassion to continue for the period ahead to continue fighting the disease, and to protect the most vulnerable people in society. Also read: Great kitten rescue in Ballinamore The central government on Tuesday said that the mass movement of migrant workers when the first coronavirus lockdown was announced in March had resulted from fake news". The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said this in response to a question by Trinamool Congress MP Mala Roy in Lok Sabha on what steps were taken to protect migrant labourers before the lockdown was announced. Roy also sought to know the reason behind thousand of labourers walking home, which resulted in several deaths, a report in NDTV said. The migration of a large number of migrant workers was triggered by panic created by fake news regarding duration of lockdown and people, especially migrant labourers, were worried about adequate supply of basic necessities like food, drinking water, health services and shelter," said Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai. More than one crore migrant workers returned to their respective home states during the lockdown, with Uttar Pradesh topping the list with 32.4 lakh workers, followed by Bihar (15 lakh) and Rajasthan (13 lakh), the minsitry informed the Parliament. More than 4,611 Shramik Special trains were run by the Railways since May 1 to ferry migrants and over 63.07 lakh were shifted to various destinations in UP, Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh and other states. Several migrant workers, who either walked or travelled in private vehicles, met with accidents throughout the lockdown. An analysis of news reports shows more than 100 of them were killed in accidents since the lockdown was initiated, while hundreds others sustained grave injuries. However, the central government was fully conscious of this, and took all necessary measures to ensure that during the period of the inevitable lockdown, no citizen should be deprived of basic amenities of food, drinking water, medical facilities etc," Rai told the Lower House. Rai said the Centre allowed the state governments to use the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) on March 28 itself" to provide temporary accommodation, food, clothing and medical care to the homeless as well as migrant workers. Rai said that to augment the funds with states, the Centre released Rs 11,092 crore in advance from the state disaster funds on April 3. Responding to a question seeking information on the state-wise details of the death toll of migrant workers who lost their lives while trying to return home, the Union Ministry of Labour and Employment had informed the Parliament on Monday that no data has been maintained by the government. An earlier report had said that these figures were based on accidents and incidents reported in the media and so the actual death toll could be higher than estimated. C oncerns grew today over Covid-19 spreading in care homes again as Matt Hancock revealed more than 100,000 tests a day are now being prioritised for social care. This allocation is around a third of the daily total, which the Government claims to be more than 300,000, and highlighted the scale of the potential problem in care homes as the epidemic has started spreading again in Britain. The Health Secretary also admitted it would take several weeks for the Government to meet the surging demand for tests as schools have re-opened and more people have returned to their workplace. He appeared to signal that restrictions may be imposed on access to tests so best use could be made of the stock available. MPs from both sides of the Commons urged the Government to swiftly boost testing to end the delays including a teacher who had to wait a week before she found it that she had tested positive for coronavirus. Ministers were warned that the failings in the system risked allowing outbreaks to spiral. Mr Hancock said there were operational challenges with testing which the Government is working hard to fix. He added: Weve seen a sharp rise in people coming forward for a test, including those who are not eligible. And throughout this pandemic we have prioritised testing according to need. The top priority is and always has been acute clinical care. The next priority is social care, where were now sending over 100,000 tests a day because weve all seen the risks this virus poses in care homes. Well set out in full an updated prioritisation and I do not rule out further steps to make sure our tests are used according to those priorities. Jeremy Hunt, Conservative chairman of the Commons health committee and a Surrey MP, questioned Mr Hancock over whether a recent pledge to swiftly improve the testing system would be met. He said: A week ago today the Secretary of State told the Health Select Committee that he expected to have this problem solved in two weeks. Since then in my constituency I have had two Farnham residents sent to Bristol for their tests, a councillor sent to the Isle of Wight for her test and a teacher who tested positive had to wait a week for her results. So is the Secretary of State, given the efforts that his department is making, still confident that in a weeks time we will have this problem solved? Mr Hancock seemed to admit the two-week goal would not be met. He replied: Well I think that we will be able to solve this problem in a matter of weeks and in his own constituency yesterday 194 people got their tests. So we are managing to deliver record capacity, but as he well knows demand is also high and the response to that is to make sure we have prioritisation so the people who most need it can get the tests that they need. Tory MP Tim Loughton, who represents East Worthing and Shoreham, warned of local test shortages in areas of Sussex with rising numbers of cases as supply had been diverted to hotspots in the North. Shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth asked why the Government did not foresee a rise in infections. He added: When schools reopen and people return to workplaces and social distancing becomes harder infections rise. So extra demand on the system was inevitable, so why didnt he use the summer to significantly expand NHS lab capacity and fix contact tracing? Responding, Mr Hancock said: I dont deny that it is an enormous challenge and when you have a free service its inevitable that demand rises. The challenge is to make sure that we prioritise the tests we have as a nation to those who most need it. He said that the average distance travelled to a test site is now 5.8 miles, down from 6.4 miles last week. However, more and more MPs told of reports of constituents unable to get tests or having to travel long distance to get them. GPs, doctors and nurses, as well as teachers and other workers are having to self-isolate as they await tests for themselves or their families, the Commons heard. The SNPs Dr Philippa Whitford stressed that with Covid cases doubling every week, it was clear that laboratory capacity for diagnostic testing is not keeping pace with demand. She added: With a reported backlog of 185,000 tests is he not concerned that results will not be received quickly enough to allow timely contact tracing and that the delay in data means new outbreaks wont be identified until they are out of control? Mr Hancock said: Yes, I think it is important that we expand the NHS labs and that we work across the whole of the UK to get the testing capacity thats needed. The Dracula or Count Dracula is the archetypal vampire created by the Irish writer Bram Stoker. The mythical creature had the power to turn other people into vampires by biting them. This creature has been the subject of many cult classics. As summer transitions into autumn, here are the best Dracula films for horror-supernatural fans to enjoy: Bram Stokers Dracula (1992) Francis Ford Coppolas classic film boasted of a glorious cast including Gary Oldman as the eponymous character with Winona Ryder, Keanu Reeves, Anthony Hopkins, Sadie Frost and Monica Belucci. A tribute to the book, the film tells the story of Vlad Dracula (Oldman), who after his return from battle realises his wife Elisabeta has died by suicide, as his enemies had told her that he had died. He swears vengeance and denounces God. Centuries later, he sights upon another girl Mina (Ryder) and believes she is Elisabetas reincarnation. This film also gives us a glimpse in Dracula turning into a werewolf. RELATED NEWS Francis Ford Coppola Denies Winona Ryder's Claims That He Hurled Abuses At Her Hammer Dracula Series (1958 - 1974) Hammer Productions Dracula series is a nine film series inspired by the original novel by Bram Stoker. It consists of Horror of Dracula (1958) starring Christopher Lee who rose to success playing the mythical character and Peter Cushing as Doctor Van Helsing. The series also includes The Brides of Dracula (1960), Dracula: Prince of Darkness (1966), Dracula Has Risen From the Grave (1968), Taste the Blood of Dracula (1970), Scars of Dracula (1970), Dracula AD 1972 (1972), The Satanic Rites of Dracula (1973) and The Legend of the 7 Golden Vampires (1974). While the first movie follows a similar storyline as Bram Stokers novel, the rest of the films deals with various citizens in Transylvania coming face to face with Count Dracula. Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror (1922) This highly acclaimed spine-chilling silent movie directed by FW Murnau, deserves a place on any such list. Even though the film is an adaptation of the book, it was unauthorised and hence many details were changed. Even the name of Count Dracula was changed to Count Orlok. A German property Thomas Hutter agent goes to Transylvania to meet his new client Count Orlok, but a series of mysterious events makes him think that there is more to his client than what appears. Dracula (1979) Directed by John Badham, this adaptation leaned into the romantic side of the mythical creature. Starring Frank Langella, Jan Francis, Kate Nelligen and Laurence Olivier, the 1979 film tells the story of Mina Van Helsing, who rescues a man washed ashore, who introduces himself as Count Dracula. The kind woman and her friend Lucy Seward help him nurse back to health. However, Mina soon turns up dead. Her father Professor Van Helsing thinks that there is a supernatural entity responsible for her death, and fears for Lucys life, who might be the next target. Nosferatu the Vampyre (1979) Released the same year as Dracula, Nosferatu the Vampyre directed by Werner Herzog, is a multi-lingual adaptation of the 1922 horror film. As most films are inspired by the origin story, here too Jonathan Harker meets Count Dracula to sell him a house, but the latter comes to Virna as he takes a liking towards Harkers wife Lucy. However, this film is a more brooding version of Dracula, who instead of enjoying his immortality, carries the burden of not being able to grow old and die. House of Dracula (1945) A sequel to super-successful House of Frankenstein, House of Dracula is a chaotic adaptation directed by Earle C Kenton. Starring John Carradine, Lon Chaney Jr, Onslow Stevens and Martha ODriscoll, the film tells the story of Count Dracula and Werewolf Lawrence Talbot, who are tired of their supernatural abilities and want a cure. They go to Dr Franz Edelmann, a madman who claims to have a cure for the curses. However, the doctor himself has lots of secrets buried which eventually lead to mayhem. The film also features Frankensteins monster and is one of the four films where the three mythical creatures are together. European Council President Charles Michel, right, speaks with China's President Xi Jinping, top left, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, bottom right, and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, bottom left, during a videoconference summit at the European Council building in Brussels, Monday, Sept. 14, 2020. The European Union on Monday called on China to allow independent observers to visit the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) to investigate treatment of the Uyghurs, amid growing concerns about the fate of the 1.8 million or more believed have been sent to internment camps. EUs Council President Charles Michel raised concerns about Xinjiang and Tibet , as well as Chinas imposition of national security laws on Hong in a video conference summit with Chinas President Xi Jinping, he said in a statement. "We reiterated our concerns over China's treatment of minorities in Xinjiang and Tibet, and the treatment of human rights defenders and journalists," Michel said. "We asked for access for independent observers to Xinjiang and we called for the release of the arbitrarily-detained Swedish citizen Gui Minhai and two Canadian citizens," Michel said after the meeting, which was originally scheduled as an in-person summit with all of the EUs 27 leaders, but was shifted online due to the coronavirus pandemic. Gui Minhai, a naturalized Swedish citizen, was sentenced in February to 10 years for illegally providing intelligence overseas after disappearing from his home in Thailand in 2015, resurfacing in China four months later. Canadians Michael Spavor and Michael Korvig have been detained in China since December 2018 on espionage charges believed to be in retaliation for the Canadian governments arrest of Meng Wanzhou, an official for Huawei. Authorities in the XUAR are believed to have held up to 1.8 million Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities in a vast network of camps since April 2017. Beginning in October 2018, China acknowledged the existence of the camps, but described them as voluntary vocational centers set up to combat radical Islamic terrorism. EU sharpens focus on XUAR abuses Reporting by RFAs Uyghur Service which has found that detainees are mostly held against their will and forced to endure inhumane treatment and political indoctrination. The EU, whose previous requests for access to the XUAR for its observers have been denied, has been less vocal in its criticism of the three-year-old Uyghur camp system than the United States, which is locked in a broad political and economic confrontation with China. Last week, however, French President Emmanuel Macron called the repression of the Uyghurs unacceptable and vowed to condemn it in the strongest possible terms after receiving to a letter expressing concerns over abuses in Xinjiang from a group of around 30 French MPs, according to a report by the news outlet EURACTIV. All these practices are unacceptable because they run counter to the universal principles enshrined in international human rights conventions, and we condemn them in the strongest possible terms, Macron said, adding that France will remain fully mobilized on the situation of the Uyghurs. And in early September, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yis five-nation tour of Europe was dogged by criticism of Xinjiang and other issues that have strained Beijings ties with Washington. At Wangs final stop, in Berlin, German counterpart Heiko Maas urged China to allow a UN mission to investigate the internment camps holding Uyghurs in the XUAR. Forced labor suspicions In Washington, the Trump administration announced new customs actions Monday to block imports of Chinese products believed to be produced with forced labor. The Withhold Release Orders, measures intended to prevent goods suspected to have been made with forced labor from entering the United States, targeted three entities from Xinjiang and one from Anhui province in eastern China. The banned items from XUAR firms are hair products made in the Lop County Hair Product Industrial Park; apparel produced by Yili Zhuowan Garment Manufacturing Co., Ltd. and Baoding LYSZD Trade and Business Co., Ltd; and cotton produced and processed by Xinjiang Junggar Cotton and Linen Co., Ltd. In addition, computer parts made by Hefei Bitland Information Technology Co., Ltd. in Anhui were flagged. Monday's order also covered all products made with labor from the Lop County No. 4 Vocational Skills Education Center in Xinjiang, the Department of Homeland Security said. "Information reasonably indicates that this re-education internment camp, which is often called a Vocational Skills Education and Training Center, is providing prison labor to nearby manufacturing entities in Xinjiang. CBP identified forced labor indicators including highly coercive/unfree recruitment, work and life under duress, and restriction of movement," said DHS, referring to the Customs and Border Protection agency. By taking this action, DHS is combating illegal and inhumane forced labor, a type of modern slavery, used to make goods that the Chinese government then tries to import into the United States. When China attempts to import these goods into our supply chains, it also disadvantages American workers and businesses, said acting DHS Deputy Secretary Ken Cuccinelli. The series of actions CBP has taken against imports from China demonstrates the pervasive use of unethical and inhumane labor conditions in China, and CBP will not turn a blind eye, said Brenda Smith, executive assistant commissioner of CBPs Office of Trade. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Monday that the new orders "demonstrate that the world will not stand for the PRCs human rights abuses against Uyghurs and members of other Muslim minority groups in Xinjiang, which include subjecting individuals to forced labor and stripping them of their freedom and agency to choose how and where they work, Pompeo said. From Germany, World Uyghur Congress President Dolkun Isa said the new customs measures will send a strong message to Beijing that Chinas continued use of Uyghur forced labor is unacceptable and must stop. He told RFAs Uyghur Service that the WUC urges the European Union, which is holding a summit with China over fair trade, to follow the suit and end Chinas treatment of Uyghurs as modern day slaves. Reporting by Alim Seytoff. In 20 years as a state trooper, Ed Benecchi participated in his fair share of stakeouts. He busted drug rings, sought evasive criminals and solved mysteries, all in the states biggest cities. Now, as a captain on his hometown police force in Plymouth a little-traveled, mostly rural, 22-square-mile town of 12,000 people between Waterbury and Bristol hes facing his greatest adversary: a 1,000-pound beefalo named Buddy who has captured the hearts, minds and imaginations of Connecticut. Its a tale that might have come straight out of the illustrated books of our youth, and feels destined for big screen animation. Buddy, headed for a near-certain demise at Plymouth Meats on August 3, saw a weak spot in the lineup of humans herding him toward his fate. He made a break for it. Surprisingly agile and stealthy for a hoofed creature of his stature, Buddy has since roamed the forested hills of the Litchfield County gateway town, evading Benecchi and anyone else who may seek to send him to the steakhouse. Buddy, a mix of bison and common bovine, seems to have found his paradise on the 800-acre property owned by the local water company theres plenty to eat and drink, and since its private property, he doesnt have to worry much about uninvited guests who might want to catch a glimpse of Plymouths own Sasquatch. At least thats how Benecchi imagines Buddys thought process. Benecchi has now spent more than a month trying to enter the mind of the beefalo. Its like fishing, Benecchi said. Youre trying to figure out when hes going to get here, you have have to have the right bait and you have to be patient. Its a lot of trial and error. The plan hes settled on after consulting with local bovine experts and after attempts to track and corral Buddy using a drone were unsuccessful is a little bit Pavlovian and a little bit Wile E. Coyote. Every day around 5 p.m., after hes clocked out from his shift as the police captain, Benecchi drives his truck to an undisclosed location where a local homeowner allows Benecchi to set his beefalo trap. The homeowner doesnt want to be identified until after Buddy is apprehended for fear of thwarting Benecchis efforts. After a quick honk of the horn to let Buddy know hes there, Benecchi pulls a bucket from his truck and scans the trees hoping to lock eyes with his quarry. Hes positive the bull is watching from afar, though its clear from video evidence that Buddy often waits several hours after Benecchi leaves to venture out of his hiding spot. Any snap of a twig or rustle of a tree branch causes Benecchi to go silent and scan again for Buddy. Usually, its just a squirrel. Benecchi has yet to see Buddy in the flesh, though hes captured footage of his Moby Dick on a trail camera he strapped to a tree facing the trap. Benecchi said Buddy has been staying in the same area, moving around in a circular pattern on trails. Plymouth polices first encounter with the bull was in mid-August when they attempted to capture Buddy, but it appeared he was preparing to charge. The officers and Buddy retreated from each other at that time, and the decision was made to come up with a new plan. Hence the trap. The trap consists of a cattle trailer and a few pen rails. Every evening Benecchi heaps an orange pan full of cow chow (mostly grain and corn) and opens the pen rails a little wider. He moves the bait about six inches closer to the open back door of the trailer. The homeowner, who is by now fully involved in the plot to capture Buddy, tosses out a few dozen apples from his orchard as a sweet alternative and fills a pair of plastic buckets with water. Hes also strewn hay in a sort of breadcrumb fashion into and out of the penned area. Eventually Buddy will be eating with his horns in the trailer, and then maybe the next day after that hell go all the way in the trailer to eat and well just close it up behind him, Benecchi said. On Friday, the food was still about eight feet from the back of the trailer. But according to the trail camera footage, Buddys visits to the feeding area are getting earlier and earlier and hes staying a little longer each time. That means the plot is working and hes warming up to Benecchi. On Friday though, Buddy never showed up, perhaps spooked by the scent of a new stranger and noticing that the fence around his food had been extended. It could take a while before Buddy is fully hoodwinked. Benecchi is OK with that. Buddy may be his greatest foe, but hes also rammed his way straight into Benecchis heart. I just want him to be safe, Benecchi said. Its an underdog story. Everyone is rooting for Buddy. It would be so terrible if a hunter got him or if he got hit by a car. A lot of hard work has gone into this and we want to see Buddy live out his life. I am doing this truly out of the joy in my heart to try to help this animal. I want the story to end positively. Buddy has become a local celebrity of sorts around Plymouth, a town once known across the new nation for its clockmaking by Eli Terry, Seth Thomas (who moved to what is now Thomaston) and others. Everybody in town seems to know the story of Buddy the Refugee Beefalo, and many local businesses have taken to showing support for Buddy through their signage. Support, that is, for the most part. Buddy may want to avoid the American Legion hall, which is advertising beefalo burgers coming soon to anyone driving by. Once hes caught, Buddy is headed for Critter Creek Farm Sanctuary in Florida where hell roam with other rescued cattle and exotic creatures. Benecchis department raised more than $8,000 through a GoFundMe to purchase Buddy from the owner he escaped from and send him to Critter Creek and announced the sponsored retirement last week. The homeowner, who has seen all manner of wildlife on his property, said the quest to capture Buddy has been one of the highlights of his year. Im glad hes going to go to a sanctuary to live out his life, said the owner, who is nearing 70 and has lived in Plymouth most of his life. This is bigger than the fame. This time were going through with so many bad things happening in the world, this is something positive. Its a story that makes people happy. Buddy is going to be OK. kkrasselt@hearstmediact.com; 203-842-2563; @kaitlynkrasselt Were thrilled to welcome Daya onto our advisory board to help us continue to grow in the categories that consumers love and to help our teams add new value to our partnerships. Netrush is pleased to announce the addition of Daya Fields to its corporate advisory board. Daya brings over a decade of experience producing award-winning marketing and communication plans for beauty and personal care brands. Im thrilled to support the important role Netrush plays in growing natural, clean, and premium brands on Amazon. The beauty category has exploded and digital capabilities with borderless reach are separating the winners from the rest of the pack, said Fields. Daya is currently the President for the Pipette and Purecane brands at Amyris, an ingredient manufacturing company and brand owner. Previously, she held senior-level marketing positions at Alaffia and Estee Lauder. During her tenure at Alaffia, Daya co-lead the brands expansion in Walmart from just one department to three. She also oversaw a PR based strategy that received several awards, including the 2018 US Secretary of State Business Award for Corporate Excellence, the 2018 Creativity International Awards for Product Packaging, and the 2019 Good Housekeeping Magazine Sustainability Product & Packaging Awards. In 2019, she was personally recognized by Conscious Company Magazine on their list of World Changing Women and by INNOCOS Global Cosmetics Summit on their Forces of Change list. Her new role on the Netrush advisory board will elevate the companys teams and further its mission to better serve impact-minded brands. Were thrilled to welcome Daya onto our advisory board to help us continue to grow in the categories that consumers love and to help our teams add new value to our partnerships, said Netrush CEO Brian Gonsalves. Netrush is an online retailer that partners with premium brands to provide the teams, technology, strategy, and infrastructure needed to thrive on Amazon and other e-commerce marketplaces. With headquarters in Vancouver, Washington, and processing facilities in Kentucky and Canada, Netrush provides a full suite of capabilities ranging from supply chain to creative services that make brands stand out across the shopping journey. If President Trump defies today's swing-state polls and pulls off another upset, what will we have missed that could have been a clue? Here's a big one: Trump flotillas ... Trump flags bigger than American flags ... Trump truck rallies ... Trump shirts ... Trump underwear ... lawns that don't have a Trump-Pence sign or two but 50 or even 100 a forest. Why it matters: To his diehard supporters, Trump isn't just a candidate. He's a lifestyle choice and a vehicle for self-expression a way to continually flip the middle finger at big media, big business, big government ... anything big. It's all part of one of the big Trump triumphs convincing his voters that an attack on him is actually an attack on them. A hat, popular in rural convenience stores this summer, says it all: "If You Don't Like Trump Then You Probably Won't Like Me." At rallies, you see people wearing Trump flags like a billowing robe. And a lot of this isn't official campaign merch people print these up themselves. At a Trumper classic-car rally in Michigan this weekend, one red, white and blue Trump flag in place of "Keep America Great" said, "NO MORE B.S.," with the last word spelled out. Nearby, a man wore a flag-bedecked t-shirt proclaiming: "JESUS IS MY SAVIOR / TRUMP IS MY PRESIDENT." Trump regattas are everywhere, from the solid South to the fancy waters of Mystic, Conn. (Bad metaphorical optics when five Trump boats, swamped by the wake from a massive lake rally, sank near Austin over Labor Day.) A Trump boat parade passes Mar-a-Lago on Labor Day. Photo: Joe Raedle/Getty Images "Axios on HBO" went to Lake of the Ozarks, Mo., to explore this phenomenon for a segment we call, "Trump on the lake." Axios CEO Jim VandeHei: "In your lifetime, do you ever remember a Ronald Reagan flag as big as the American flag in somebody's front yard? Do you ever remember someone spray painting 'Obama' on their boat?" "In your lifetime, do you ever remember a Ronald Reagan flag as big as the American flag in somebody's front yard? Do you ever remember someone spray painting 'Obama' on their boat?" White House editor Margaret Talev: "No, but there's never been a president whose brand was branding. ... They like the fact that he says things that you're not allowed to say that he says things that they feel that they can't say at work or in mixed company." Randy Kelly, a retired boat dealer who has lived at Lake of the Ozarks since moving down from Kansas City 43 years ago, told "Axios on HBO": "If you see someone that has on a Trump hat, there's a camaraderie: Hey, we got something in common." The bottom line: Trump touts a "silent majority," and pundits pundit about "shy Trump voters" who may be missed by pollsters. Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, and Prince Harry shook the world when they announced their mega-deal with Netflix. Though it is allowing them the financial independence and creativity theyd been seeking, working with Netflix was never their original plan. Though many people are scrutinizing the deal for the couples lack of producing experience and because many people dislike that theyve left the royal fold, this was never supposed to be the plan. In fact, Netflix only came into play when Queen Elizabeth II vetoed their original idea. Inside Meghan Markle and Prince Harrys Netflix deal There have been rumors that the Sussexes had something major in the works, but no one anticipated the massive Netflix deal. The production deal includes documentaries, docu-series, feature films, scripted shows, and childrens programming. In a statement via The New York Times, the Sussexes said, Our focus will be on creating content that informs but also gives hope. As new parents, making inspirational family programming is also important to us. Netflixs unprecedented reach will help us share impactful content that unlocks action. Quibi had a huge offer out to Meghan Markle that was in the tens of millions, the insider told Us Weekly. Netflix swooped in and their production deal is worth over 100 million. RELATED: Can Meghan Markle and Prince Harry Afford Their New House in Santa Barbara? Experts Are Concerned Prince Harry and Markle did not tell Queen Elizabeth about their Netflix deal When Meghan and Prince Harry signed their Netflix deal, they did not tell anyone in the British royal family. A royal insider told US Weekly, Harry did not inform the Queen about the Netflix deal. Her Majesty is all too aware of the pitfalls of when senior royals embark on lucrative projectsPrince Edwards production flop and some of the deals Sarah Ferguson has signed over the years to name a few. Her view is simple, the Royals are not for sale and danger surrounds high profile roles outside of the institution itself. But knowing her grandson Harry as she does, the Queen will know there would have been little chance of talking Harry and Meghan out of it. The Sussexes seem thrilled about their deal with has allowed them financial independence just six months after exiting the royal family. It also allowed them to repay the taxpayers funds for renovations on their UK estate Frogmore cottage. Netflix was the Sussexes backup plan Originally, Netflix wasnt even in the cards for Meghan and Prince Harry. They had other plans. They also had to pivot from their full plan, Rachel Bowie said on Royally Obsessed. They were going to do SussexRoyal, but the Queen put a stop to that. They really had a different idea in their heads in January of how this would all go. So Im curious how long the Netflix deal has been in discussions, but I feel like they have made things happen. Bowies co-host, royal expert Roberta Fiorito agreed that this was a major move for the Sussex. She said via Express, The run-down, paint-chipped Detroit house where U.S. civil rights icon Rosa Parks took refuge after her historic bus boycott is going on display in Italy in a setting that couldnt be more incongruous: the imposing central courtyard of the Royal Palace in Naples. Its the latest stop for the house in a years-long saga that began when Parks' niece saved the tiny two-story home from demolition in Detroit after the 2008 financial crisis. She donated it to an American artist who rebuilt it for public display in Germany, and now Italy, after failing to find a permanent resting place for it in the U.S. As racial tensions seethe across the Atlantic, the exhibition of the home starting Tuesday has taken on fresh relevance. The display is being accompanied by a repeating soundtrack entitled 8:46 and lasting that long. Its the time it took for a Black man, George Floyd, to be killed by white police officers in a May slaying that has fueled the Black Lives Matter movement and protests around the nation in a reckoning with Americas history of slavery and racial injustice. Artist Ryan Mendoza has been campaigning for more than five years to draw attention to the historic value of the home, where Parks lived for a short time after her 1955 defining act of defiance: refusing to give up her seat on a bus to a white passenger in Montgomery, Alabama. The yearlong refusal of African Americans to ride city buses that followed is regarded as the first major U.S. demonstration against segregation. In an interview ahead of the opening, Mendoza said he hoped the grandeur of the Naples debut of Almost Home would draw attention to Parks' legacy and help America remember a house it didnt know it had forgotten. Parks lived in the tiny house in Detroit with her brother and his family as she struggled to make a new life for herself in the northern U.S. after receiving death threats following the bus protest. The family says Parks, who died in 2005, lived there with 17 other relatives. The house was abandoned and slated for demolition after the financial crisis in 2008 and Detroits dramatic decline, but Parks' niece, Rhea McCauley, bought it from the city for $500 and donated it to Mendoza. After unsuccessful efforts to persuade the city to help save the building, Mendoza in 2016 dismantled it and moved it to the German capital, rebuilding it on the lot of his studio for public display. In 2018, Brown University announced it would feature the house as part of a planned exhibition on the civil rights movement organized by its Center for Slavery and Justice. But it backed out at the last minute, citing a legal dispute with the family. Earlier this year, Mendoza approached the Naples-based Morra Greco Foundation, where he had worked for a year in the 1990s. The Foundation agreed to help organize the exhibit with the backing of the Italian culture ministry and Campania regional government. For Mendoza, the house epitomizes the experience of many African Americans who migrated north in the first half of the last century, only to face redlining and other discrimination that has affected generations of black Americans. This house, in a word, is a way for people to understand why people in America are so enraged, he said. He takes particular satisfaction that the house, which is so fragile that you can almost blow it over, is being exhibited in the central courtyard of a royal palace, where it certainly would have never found welcome by the kings of the House of Bourbon. But now, instead of being rejected by the walls of the royal palace, its embraced and protected by these walls, he said. Potentially thanks to the showing of the house in this way, America will allow the house to have a home. GOLDEN, CO / ACCESSWIRE / September 15, 2020 / Theralink Technologies, Inc., a molecular profiling company (OTC PINK:OBMP), today announced a translational research collaborationwith BioMed Valley Discoveries (BVD). Through this collaboration, Theralink Technologies will provideLaser Capture Microdissection (LCM) and Reverse Phase Protein Array (RPPA) services to assist BVD with translational research pertaining to first-in-class and best-in-class ERK 1/2Inhibitor - Ulixertinib (BVD-523). Terms were not disclosed. Collaboration Services being provided to BVD: Phosphoproteomic profiling in Ulixertinib treated preclinical models. Evaluation of drug target inhibition within laser microdissected tumor samples. Interrogation of putative compensatory feedback mechanisms after drug target inhibition. The Theralink patented RPPA platform assists biopharmas in their drug discovery programs by comprehensively assessing the activity of proteins within a tumor. These proteins are the targets of precision therapeutics, and the data generated from Theralink's RPPA platform can evaluate cellular effects of a therapeutic and potentially predict therapeutic response. In the clinical setting, the information gathered through the measurement of developed biomarkers has the potential to help physicians make molecularly rationalized treatment decisions to help improve treatment outcomes and reduce side effects by foregoing ineffective therapy. "We are very proud to be a part of a much bigger mission that both BVD and Theralink share--to potentially improve treatment outcomes and quality of life for all cancer patients." said Mick Ruxin, M.D., President and CEO of Theralink Technologies."We look forward to a long and mutually beneficial relationship with BVD for years to come." Theralink's patented RPPA technology will enable biopharmasto obtain broad scale signaling analysis from microscopic quantities of cells from both preclinical and clinical samples. The Theralink platform will allow biopharmas to: Reduce drug failures and increase efficacy. Monitor on and off drug target effects. Verify whether the drug hits the intended target. Discover new predictive protein-based biomarkers. Facilitate development of companion diagnostics (CDx). Repurpose existing therapies for new indications and market expansion. Stratify patients entering clinical trials to substantially reduce trial costs. Generate key proteomic information missed by genomics and transcriptomic analyses. About Theralink Technologies, Inc. Theralink Technologies, Inc., is a molecular profiling company, located in Golden, Colorado, that specializes in patented, biomarker assay services that target multiple areas of oncology. Theralink provides precision oncology data through its Theralink assays to assist the biopharmaceutical industry and clinical oncologists in identifying likely responders and non-responders to both FDA-approved and investigational drug treatments. We intend to improve cancer outcomes for patients, reveal therapeutic options for oncologists, and support biopharmaceutical drug development by using a beyond-genomic approach to molecular profiling. For more information, please visit www.theralink.com. About BioMed Valley Discoveries (BVD) BioMed Valley Discoveries is a clinical stage biotechnology company focused on addressing unmet medical needs in a variety of therapeutic and diagnostic areas. In addition to the ERK inhibitor, BVD's portfolio includes an oncolytic-bacteria that has completed enrollment for a Phase 1 study, a selective phosphoinositide 3-kinase gamma inhibitor in late preclinical testing, and two early-stage antibodies targeting the tumor microenvironment. Operating since 2007, BioMed Valley Discoveries was established by Jim Stowers Jr, founder of the asset management firm American Century Investment, and his wife Virginia, to advance medical innovations to improve the lives of patients with difficult to treat diseases. BVD is owned by a supporting organization of the Stowers Institute for Medical Research, a non-profit, basic biomedical research organization. Since 2000, the endowment of the Stowers Institute has received over $1.5billion in dividend payments from American Century. The Institute has invested a portion of its endowment in BVD, whose profits accrue to the benefit of the Institute. Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements contained in this press release are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including, without limitation, anything relating or referring to future financial results and plans for future business development activities, and are thus prospective. Forward-looking statements are inherently subject to risks and uncertainties some of which cannot be predicted or quantified based on current expectations. Such risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, the risks and uncertainties set forth from time to time in reports filed by OncBioMune Pharmaceuticals with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We have based these forward-looking statements largely on our current expectations and projections about future events and financial trends affecting the financial condition of our business and although the company believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to have been correct. Consequently, future events and actual results could differ materially from those set forth in, contemplated by, or underlying the forward the forward-looking statements contained herein. The company undertakes no obligation to publicly release statements made to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof. Media and Investor Contact KCSA Strategic Communications Valter Pinto, Managing Director 212-896-1254 Valter@KCSA.com SOURCE: OncbioMune/Theralink View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/606146/OncBioMune-dba-TheralinkR-Technologies-Announces-Strategic-Translational-Research-Collaboration-with-BioMed-Valley-Discoveries Joe Biden has authored an op-ed at CNN about the failures of the Trump administrations Iran policy and the virtues of what would be his own approach if he takes office in January. It is as shapeless and illogical as his larger foreign-policy doctrine. Biden begins by blasting Trump and his State Department for failing to stop the United Nations arms embargo from expiring in October. Trump, Biden claims, could not rally a single one of Americas closest allies to support the extension of the embargo. What he neglects to mention is that the expiration date on the embargo was set by the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) negotiated by the Obama administration and described by Biden as a policy that was working to keep America safe. That policy was, per Biden, discarded by Trump in favor of one that has worsened the threat. So which is it: Did the Obama-Biden Iran policy keep America safe? Or is the best argument against the Trump administration that they have failed to successfully roll back Obama-era policies? Moreover, while Bidens critique of the U.S.s withdrawal from the JCPOA is not totally without basis as a strategic matter, he is wrong to assign the blame for France, Germany, and the United Kingdoms cowardice to Trump. It is the fault of Emmanuel Macron, Angela Merkel, and Boris Johnson that they refuse to enforce the Iran nuclear deal by keeping sanctions in place while Iran remains in contravention of it. Still, he chooses to blame America first for his own political benefit. The former vice president professes to have no illusions about the challenges the regime in Iran poses to Americas security interests, to our friends and partners and to its own people. Yet he fails entirely, in his op-ed ostensibly addressing the Iranian threat, to come even close to describing the full extent of how its regime has targeted U.S. forces in the Middle East, committed grievous human-rights violations against its own people , and funded terrorist organizations and plots around the globe. His failure to reckon fully with the evil of Ayatollah Khamenei seems indicative of not only his less serious estimation of the Iranian threat, but also the fact that he has made his peace with the current regime staying in power over the long term. He makes this belief explicit when he calls Trumps maximum pressure strategy a boon to the regime in Iran. He again avoids explaining how, probably because this claim is untrue by every available metric. Story continues Maximum pressure has effectively choked the Iranian economy. The JCPOA had helped Iran achieve GDP growth rates of 12.5 percent in 2016 and 3.7 percent in 2017. In 2018 the same year the U.S. exited the deal Irans economy contracted by 5.4 percent. 2019 was even worse, at -7.6 percent. Notably, this economic disaster has led to Iranians flooding into the streets many times over the last two years to protest not only pocketbook issues, but the regimes restriction of basic freedoms. While Biden may be content to leave the ayatollahs in power, the Iranian people appear to be far less willing. Furthermore, Irans regional position has been undermined by the Trump administrations successful efforts to strengthen Israels relationships with Arab nations, including the U.A.E., Saudi Arabia, and Bahrain. Instead of backing maximum pressure, Biden supports what he calls a smart way to be tough on Iran. Ignoring Irans flagrant violations of the JCPOA even before the U.S.s withdrawal, the sunset provisions on the agreement, and Israels discovery of documents detailing Irans nuclear program, Biden falsely asserts that the JCPOA had verifiably block[ed] Irans pathways to a nuclear weapon. Noticeably, Biden avoids using Qasem Soleimanis name in the piece, opting instead to use vague allusions to the successful U.S. strike that killed an Iranian terrorist and general responsible for the deaths of hundreds of Americans and thousands of people across the Middle East. For example, he says that when tensions spiked early this year . . . our European allies did not side with us and called for all parties to exercise utmost restraint and responsibility. This is a mischaracterization of a joint statement issued by the governments of the United Kingdom, Germany, and France that in no way condemns the U.S. for the strike and in fact focuses instead on condemning Iran for its destabilizing behavior and failure to comply with the JCPOA. Biden also warns that Trump has repeatedly brought America to the brink of a new war without citing any evidence that he has done so. He relies only upon the memory of the medias unfounded fearmongering in the wake of Soleimanis death to make people believe that America has been close to a shooting war with Iran. Bidens own plan consists of three tenets. The first is to make an unshakable commitment to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon. He does not expand upon this commitment. The second is to offer Tehran a credible path back to diplomacy. Biden says that he would rejoin the JCPOA if Iran returns to strict compliance with it. Since Iran was never in such strict compliance, the reader is left to wonder exactly what a Biden administrations criteria for rejoining would look like. Biden also says that he would work to help our partners reduce tensions and help end regional conflicts, including the disastrous war in Yemen. Apparently, he would favor the Iranians preferred resolution to that war. His campaign website calls it a Saudi-led conflict despite Irans support of radical Houthi rebels. Strikingly, this stands in contradiction with his third tenet, which is to push back against Irans destabilizing activities, which threaten our friends and partners in the region. If not in Yemen, where does Biden plan on pushing back against such activities? He doesnt say, excepting some vacuous language about supporting Israel. Americans should be alarmed by Bidens approach to the Iranian threat. His failure to acknowledge the Trump administrations successes reveals his own resignation to Ayatollah Khameneis permanence. And his own nebulous plan for confronting Khamenei should inspire little confidence. Like his broader foreign-policy agenda, Bidens plan relies too much on platitudes and too little on a clear-eyed assessment of the Middle East and a moral certainty in the U.S.s efforts to oppose Iranian aggression. More from National Review CLEVELAND, Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Brunswick, OH-based real estate investment company Sesa Properties LLP, who buys houses for cash in Greater Cleveland has pledged to donate 200 meals to the Greater Cleveland Food Bank for every property they sell. "One of the major goals of Sesa Properties from the start has been to improve the communities of Greater Cleveland," said Daniel Sarao, Co-Owner and Managing Partner. "Individuals in the local community are struggling and need some help." Sesa Properties offers sellers an alternative to the traditional home sales process. Sesa Properties buys houses for cash. Their 3 step cash buying process is straight-forward and easy. Because the company buys for cash there are no real estate agents involved. The sale is also much faster with no financing approval process involved. The company buys houses in as-is condition. They pay all the seller's closing costs and fees. There are no real estate commissions either. The Greater Cleveland Food Bank released a statement on August 13, 2020, urging Congress to increase the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefit by 15%. The statement came as The Greater Cleveland Food Bank struggles to meet the recent, unprecedented increase in local families that are depending on them for food. According to The Greater Cleveland Food Bank's August 13th, 2020 statement, "more than 1.5 million Ohioans have filed for unemployment since March." Further, "nearly 30,000 new families have visited [their] network of emergency food programs for the first time over the past five months." The number of households that visit the organization's drive-through event has reached over 2,200 households per week (at the time of the August press release). The food bank's call for help to Congress and businesses sparked Sesa Properties' owners to act. "We're not the largest company in Cleveland by any means, but we do want to help people who are struggling, especially for such a basic necessity. The Greater Cleveland Food Bank has stepped up to help the community during the pandemic, and we also want to do something to help," said Sarao. "We would love to see other local Cleveland businesses join in. Even if it's a small contribution. Anything will help," said Vince Senauskas, Co-Owner of Sesa Properties who is a Brunswick native and graduate of Cleveland State University. About Sesa Properties: Based in Brunswick, OH, Sesa Properties buys houses in Greater Cleveland direct from sellers who need to sell their house quickly for cash. The company purchases single-family homes, multifamily properties, and vacant land. Sesa Properties aims to do their part to help improve the communities of Greater Cleveland, OH. Through their efforts and in partnership with other local investors they do this by turning unlivable or undesirable properties into available, livable housing. They also do this by creating aesthetically improved properties. Media contact: Daniel Sarao [email protected] 216-877-8430 SOURCE Sesa Properties Related Links http://www.webuyhomescle.com In the past week, United Airlines UAL trimmed its third-quarter 2020 outlook with respect to capacity and passenger revenues as coronavirus continues to hurt air-travel demand. Due to the same headwind, Hawaiian Holdings HA, the parent company of Hawaiian Airlines, provided a tepid capacity outlook for the September quarter. Again due to a bleak demand scenario, Delta Air Lines DAL expects its system capacity for the September quarter to be down approximately 60% year over year. However, on a cheerful note, Latin American carrier Gol Linhas GOL announced that it expanded capacity to 190 flights daily, on average, last month owing to the gradual increase in travel demand. Notably, Gol Linhas domestic demand for August rose 19.8% from the July reading as mentioned in the previous weeks write-up. Summary of the Past Weeks Key Headlines 1 United Airlines anticipates capacity to decrease approximately 70% year over year in the third quarter. Previously, the carrier estimated capacity to decline almost 65%. Additionally, passenger revenues are predicted to fall approximately 85% year over year in the current quarter compared with the previous expectation of a plunge of nearly 83%. The company maintains its projection for average daily cash burn at roughly $25 million per day for the third quarter. 2. Hawaiian Holdings, currently carrying a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell), expects third-quarter capacity to slump 87% year over year (earlier outlook provided on Jul 28 projected an 86% deterioration). The guidance cut is due to ramped-down in services pertaining to the carriers North America and Neighbor Island networks following fresh restrictions imposed by the government after a spurt in coronavirus cases on the Hawaiian island of Oahu. However, the companys cash position as of Aug 31 improved to $997 million from $761 million at the June quarter-end. The company expects third-quarter daily cash burn of $3 million excluding the CARES Act and new financing. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. Story continues 3. Gol Linhas witnessed a 20% improvement in demand during August from the July levels. The carriers gross sales jumped 27% to R$523 million in August from July. Last month, the company re-opened four bases and increased flights between Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. Consequently, flight operations augmented 7% in August from July. With this, the carriers August capacity was 26% of the year-ago level. After peaking at 260 daily flights in August, Gol Linhas plans to boost capacity to approximately 300 flights per day in September. 4. At Azul AZUL, Augusts consolidated traffic (measured in revenue passenger kilometers) shot up 26.4% on a month-over-month basis. While international traffic declined 4.3%, the metric was up 29.8% on the domestic front. Consolidated capacity (measured in available seat kilometers) jumped 33.3% owing to 36.2% domestic expansion and 6.6% international expansion from the July reading. In August, the carrier flew more than 40% of domestic capacity compared with the level in the same period last year. During the month, Azul noticed an uptick in both booked average fares and revenues. 5. Due to the coronavirus-led fading demand scenario, Delta expects system capacity for the September quarter to be down approximately 60% on a year-over-year basis. Capacity on the international as well as domestic front is anticipated to be down roughly 80% and 50%, respectively, in the same time period. Moreover, coronavirus concerns are affecting the performance of Deltas SkyMiles loyalty program. Due to weak travel demand, total miles redeemed in the first six months of 2020 shrank 78%. Consequently, loyalty travel award revenues for Delta dwindled 59% in the same time frame. Management at Delta also announced that the company will not avail of federal loans under the CARES Act. Instead, the carrier has decided to borrow an additional $6.5 billion of debt, backed by its frequent flyer program, SkyMiles Performance The following table shows the price movement of major airline players over the past week and during the past six months. The table above shows that airline stocks exhibited a mixed trend with respect to price over the past week leading the NYSE ARCA Airline Index to rise marginally to $63.01. However, during the course of the past six months, the NYSE ARCA Airline Index has appreciated 4.5% owing to impressive gains at the likes of Gol Linhas, Spirit Airlines SAVE and Alaska Air Group ALK. Whats Next in the Airline Space? Investors will look forward to the updates on a second round of federal financial aid for the airlines. Biggest Tech Breakthrough in a Generation Be among the early investors in the new type of device that experts say could impact society as much as the discovery of electricity. Current technology will soon be outdated and replaced by these new devices. In the process, its expected to create 22 million jobs and generate $12.3 trillion in activity. A select few stocks could skyrocket the most as rollout accelerates for this new tech. Early investors could see gains similar to buying Microsoft in the 1990s. Zacks just-released special report reveals 8 stocks to watch. The report is only available for a limited time. See 8 breakthrough stocks now>> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Delta Air Lines, Inc. (DAL) : Free Stock Analysis Report Gol Linhas Aereas Inteligentes S.A. (GOL) : Free Stock Analysis Report United Airlines Holdings Inc (UAL) : Free Stock Analysis Report Alaska Air Group, Inc. (ALK) : Free Stock Analysis Report Spirit Airlines, Inc. (SAVE) : Free Stock Analysis Report Hawaiian Holdings, Inc. (HA) : Free Stock Analysis Report AZUL SA (AZUL) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research PHILADELPHIA President Donald Trump denied downplaying the threat from coronavirus, telling a town hall on Tuesday that he "up played it" despite his assertion in a recorded interview this year that he "wanted to always play it down." Trump made the remarks during a 90-minute town hall hosted by ABC News in the must win battleground of Pennsylvania, an event that served as something of a preview for the presidential debates that are set to begin later this month. "Well, I didn't downplay it. I actually, in many ways, I up played it terms of action," Trump said in response to a question about an interview with journalist Bob Woodward in which he said he knew the coronavirus was more deadly and contagious than the flu but continued to compare the two so that people would not panic. The town hall, which aired two weeks before Trump will take part in his first debate with Democratic nominee Joe Biden, featured an extended conversation about the president's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Trump defended his earlier assertion that the virus will eventually disappear even without a vaccine citing what he called "herd mentality," an apparent reference to "herd immunity." Herd immunity is the notion that the virus is eradicated after a high percentage of the population is infected, limiting its ability to spread. "And you'll develop, you'll develop herd -- like a herd mentality. It's going to be -- it's going to be herd developed - and that's going to happen," Trump said. "That will all happen." ABC described the event as being aimed at uncommitted voters, some of whom asked Trump questions about the coronavirus pandemic, the economy, climate change, and other issues. But the forum, which was prerecorded earlier Tuesday evening, also served as a preview of the presidential debates that begin Sept. 29. ABC's George Stephanopoulos anchored the town hall, and repeatedly attempted to push back on some of the claims that Trump has made at campaign rallies and at the White House in recent months. Asked why he had not produced a health care plan he has long promised will protect Americans with preexisting conditions, Trump said he has a plan "already" but declined to provide details about when it would be released. When he asserted "a lot of people" think masks are "not good" for managing the spread of the virus, Stephanopoulos pressed for an example of who was saying that. Story continues "Ill tell you who those people are: waiters," Trump said. "They come over and they serve you, and they have a mask....They're playing with the mask, so the mask is over, and they're touching it, and then they're touching the plate. That cant be good." The president dismissed the idea that he had downplayed the severity of the virus, despite recordings from Woodward's interviews in which he told the journalist he thought downplaying it would help avoid a panic. "I wanted to always play it down. I still like playing it down, because I dont want to create a panic," Trump told Woodward on March 19 in excerpts of audio interviews obtained by CNN. At the time, Trump frequently compared the coronavirus to the flu, arguing that "nothing is shut down, life & the economy go on" during even the most deadly flu seasons. The president's responses on the virus drew fire from Democrats. "This is the *current* PRESIDENT of the United States, whose charged with keeping the American people safe," Biden spokesman Andrew Bates said of Trump's response on herd immunity. "This would literally mean millions of deaths." "The Town Hall shows Trump for who he is. He isn't a challenger, he's an incumbent who can't defend his record," said Ronald Klain, a former Biden adviser. "People know that COVID is killing Americans and people don't have jobs. Trump can lie, but that doesn't mean that people believe his lies." In one particularly poignant moment, a Dominican woman who had recently become a U.S. citizen told the story of how her mother had recently died of cancer. She told Trump that he "made people closer" during the pandemic because they "learned how to love" their families. Trump responded to the woman's question about immigration before turning back to the coronavirus. "Well have it taken care of. Its going to get taken care of," he said. "The vaccines are going to make a big difference." More: Pelosi says House will stay in session until coronavirus stimulus deal is reached Trump recorded the town hall at the National Constitution Center, the lobby of which provides a picture window view of Independence Hall a few blocks distant, was the site of former President Barack Obama's high-profile speech on race during the 2008 presidential campaign. As he flew back from Philadelphia, Trump tweeted a photograph of himself on Air Force One with a large Philly cheesesteak sandwich on his desk. "Great to be back in Philadelphia," he wrote. Great to be back in Philadelphia. Thank you Pennsylvania, see you again soon! #MAGA pic.twitter.com/l82C4TdlAE Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 15, 2020 The first of three debates, set for Sept. 29, will come as some polls suggest a tightening race in some battlegrounds, including Florida and North Carolina. Trump carried Pennsylvania by less than 1 percentage point in 2016. The suburbs of Philadelphia are among the most competitive in the country, though Trump is also seeking to run up turnout in more reliably conservative parts of the state. "With the suburban voter, we're taking care of them it's safety, it's about safety, it's about law and order," Trump said as he left the White House, echoing what has become a central tenet of his bid for reelection. "We have a very strong, very powerful law and order campaign." Polls currently show Democratic nominee Joe Biden with a single-digit lead in the Keystone State. The town hall aired on a day when the president secured a historic foreign policy victory: A pair of agreements formalizing diplomatic relations between Israel and two Gulf Arab nations, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. The foreign ministers of those Arab states joined Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the South Lawn of the White House earlier Tuesday for a signing ceremony. More: Israel signs accords with UAE and Bahrain at White House ceremony President Donald Trump speaks during a Fox News Channel virtual town hall at the White House, Tuesday, March 24, 2020, in Washington. Contributing: Jeanine Santucci This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump answers voters questions in ABC town hall in Philadelphia Nokia is to provide Nigerian mobile operator Tizeti with an LTE fixed wireless access (FWA) solution for high-speed internet services in Nigeria. Tizeti is a fast-growing wireless internet service provider in Nigeria and Ghana, delivering high-speed unlimited Wi-Fi internet access to estates, offices and multi-tenant buildings using next-generation wireless technology. With the help of its Fastmile and LTE technology, Nokia says that Tizeti will be able to provide superior internet services to over one million subscribers in Port Harcourt, Edo and Ogun in Nigeria. Tizeti will deploy Nokia's AirScale base station TDD-LTE and Fastmile FWA gateways to deliver premium internet and virtual private network services to residences as well as small and medium enterprises. The solution will also enable the operator to deliver a more robust, high-speed internet service to subscribers and give Tizeti the flexibility to seamlessly evolve to 5G fixed wireless access when needed. Nokias FWA solution will, it says, enable Tizeti to fast-track broadband access and provide best-in-class broadband experience to its subscribers. Nokias AirScale base stations will also enable Tizeti to evolve the network in line with customer demand. Nokia explains that its Fastmile gateways connect wirelessly to the existing network to create a fast broadband connection and enhanced Wi-Fi experience in the home. The Nokia Network Services Platform will help Tizeti to simplify operations and quickly respond to changing market demands. This is the second broadband-related announcement from Nokia in as many days. Yesterday Nokia and Filipino broadband provider Converge ICT Solutions announced plans to deploy fibre-to-the-home ultra-broadband services on the island of Mindanao. "Marvalynn consistently demonstrates the qualities that define the corporate culture we have built at First Port City Bank with an unwavering commitment to supporting our customers, our employees and our community," said Scott Ewing, President and CEO of First Port City Bank. "We are especially pleased to recognize the significant contributions she has made to the bank, and equally as important, to our community." Marvalynn is celebrating over 39 years of service with First Port City Bank. During this time, she has held many titles within the organization, beginning as a Bookkeeper. Thereafter, she became a Teller, Loan Administrator, Compliance Officer/Auditor, and Operations Officer before her promotion to Chief Financial Officer in 2016. Outside of work, Marvalynn donates her time regularly to the Chamber of Commerce BOD, Hospital BOD, GYSTC BOD, and BHS Council, while also serving her Church as Secretary. Founded in 1974, First Port City Bank is approximately a $300 Million community bank offering a full line of financial services and solutions through 5 full-service banking offices, located in Bainbridge and Donalsonville, Georgia, and Yulee and Fernandina Beach, Florida. First Port City Bank is consistently ranked as one of the top community banks in the nation and continues to receive an "Excellent" financial rating from Bauer Financial, Inc., of Coral Gables, FL. First Port City Bank has been voted "Best Bank" in Decatur County for over 8 Years. For more information, visit www.firstportcity.com. Member FDIC and Equal Housing Lender. Follow FPCB on Twitter @portcity_bank, Instagram #firstportcitybank, Facebook @firstportcity, LinkedIn @First Port City Bank. SOURCE First Port City Bank Related Links firstportcity.com The Houston Arboretum & Nature Center is bringing in a new and extremely cute landscaping company for October: More than 120 goats. The Arboretum is teaming up with Rent-A-Ruminant Texas, who will provide the goats to "mow" overgrown vegetation around the North and South Woodway ponds. The goats are a first for the Arboretum, and their grazing is beneficial for the land and the goats themselves (free food!). The goats are especially adept at clearing out invasive species on the slopes due to their natural climbing abilities. HOMEWARD BOUND: Dog goes on two-day journey that includes swim across Lake Travis after escaping grandma's house Rent-A-Ruminant Texas "Eco-friendly solutions to managing our nature center are always the optimal choice in preserving and conserving our flora and fauna," Executive Director Debbie Markey said in a statement. "If this project is a success, we will invite the goats back next spring to do some work in our Meadow and savanna ecosystems." Electric fencing and a goat wrangler (where can I get this job...) will manage the animals while they're busy trimming down the grass. The herd heading to work includes several breeds of goats and comes mostly from rescues and adoptions. And, owners Kyle Carr and Carolyn Carr note, all the goats have names. I want a roster of this all star team of mowers immediately. Even better: You can go see the goats at work from 7 a.m. to dusk on Oct. 4 through Oct. 10. I don't know about you, but I will gladly watch some goats graze peacefully along the ponds. We are excited to have Centec representing us in Eastern Canada. Over the last twelve months, we have seen the Canadian market move to green machines for indoor demolition. Centec will help us get to all of our Canadian customers and prospect in a timely and efficient manner." Cratos Equipment, a leading supplier of high-quality, battery-powered construction equipment, recently announced their new partnership with Centec Corp for the manufacturing of battery-powered construction equipment throughout Canada. As an independent manufacturer representative sales group based in Exeter, Ontario, Centec Corp uses a portfolio of brands to differentiate its products and services in the rental, industrial and retail distribution channels. By partnering with Cratos Equipment, Centec Corp aims to be Ontarios most customer-centric representative group, where customers can rely on them for all rental, industrial and retail operational needs. We are excited to have Centec representing us in Eastern Canada," said Bob Maguire, VP of sales at Cratos Equipment. Over the last twelve months, we have seen the Canadian market move to green machines for indoor demolition. Centec will help us get to all of our Canadian customers and prospect in a timely and efficient manner." Jerry Elmquist, Founder at Centec Corp, is looking forward to a new relationship with Cratos and securing a prominent place for Cratos in the Ontario markets. Centec Corp provides many years of experience in the rental and equipment markets in Ontario. Centec Corp is very pleased to have the Cratos product lines including the Sherpa as part of our equipment offering to the Rental and Construction industries in Ontario," said Elmquist. There is a growing need for Green Energy equipment in the construction industry and the Cratos products meet those needs." About Cratos Equipment Founded in 2013, Cratos Equipment offers customers an eco-friendly product line of battery-powered construction equipment that is safer, cleaner, and more efficient. With virtually zero fuel costs than diesel-fuel equipment, their electric construction machinery is more cost-effective over time, quieter on the job, and releases no fumes allowing work in occupied spaces. Cratos Equipment makes work more productive. For more information, visit http://www.cratos.com or call (954) 978-3410. About Centec Corp Centec Corp is an independent manufacturer representative sales group based in Exeter, Ontario. They use a portfolio of brands to differentiate its products and services in the rental, industrial, and retail distribution channels. Centecs representatives leverage over 50 years of industry experience demonstrating ways to help you increase business, profit, or improve productivity. Hot spot: Study findings suggest microbes could be living high in the clouds above Venus. Photo: J Greaves/via AP Astronomers have found a potential sign of life high in the atmosphere of Venus with hints there may be bizarre microbes living in the sulphuric acid-laden clouds of the hothouse planet. Telescopes in Hawaii and Chile spotted the chemical signature of phosphine, a noxious gas that on Earth is only associated with life, according to a study in the scientific journal Nature Astronomy. Experts have said it is far from the first proof of life on another planet, pointing out it does not satisfy the standard established by the late astronomer Carl Sagan that "extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence". Mr Sagan speculated about the possibility of life in the clouds of Venus in 1967. "It's not a smoking gun," said study co-author David Clements, an Imperial College of London astrophysicist. "It's not even gunshot residue on the hands of your prime suspect, but there is a distinct whiff of cordite in the air which may be suggesting something." As astronomers plan searches for life on planets outside our solar system, a major method is to look for chemical signatures that can only be made by biological processes, called biosignatures. In the case of Venus, astronomers searched for phosphine, which is three hydrogen atoms and a phosphorous atom. On Earth, there are only two ways phosphine can be formed, study authors said. One is in an industrial process - the gas was produced for use as a chemical-warfare agent in World War I. The other is as part of a poorly understood function in animals and microbes. Some scientists consider it a waste product. Phosphine is found in "ooze at the bottom of ponds, the guts of some creatures like badgers and, perhaps most unpleasantly, it's associated with piles of penguin guano," Mr Clements said. Study co-author and MIT planetary scientist Sara Seager said researchers exhaustively went through every possibility and ruled all of them out, including volcanoes, lightning strikes and small meteorites falling into the atmosphere. "Not a single process we looked at could produce phosphine in high enough quantities to explain our team's findings," she said. The astronomers suggest life could exist on the inhospitable planet where temperatures on the surface are around 425C with no water. "Venus is hell. Venus is kind of Earth's evil twin," Mr Clements said. "Clearly something has gone wrong, very wrong, with Venus. "It's the victim of a runaway greenhouse effect." But that's on the surface. Seager said all the action may be 50 kilometres above ground in the thick carbon-dioxide layer cloud deck, where it's about room temperature or slightly warmer. It contains droplets with tiny amounts of water but mostly sulphuric acid that is a billion times more acidic than what's found on Earth. The phosphine could be coming from some kind of microbes - probably single-cell - inside those sulphuric acid droplets, living their entire lives in the 16-kilometre-deep clouds. When the droplets fall, the potential life probably dries out and could then get picked up in another drop and reanimate, they said. David Grinspoon, a Washington-based astrobiologist at the Planetary Science Institute who wrote a 1997 book suggesting Venus could harbour life, said the finding "almost seems too good to be true". "I'm excited, but I'm also cautious," he said. "We found an encouraging sign that demands we follow up." AUSTIN, TX Austin Public Health on Monday released a new dashboard illustrating the impact of COVID-19 on long-term care facilities, which includes nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and intermediate care facilities with one or more cases. The public can view the data on the COVID-19 Dashboards portal of the municipal website. The dashboard will be updated once per week on Fridays by 6 p.m., Austin Public Health officials said. The Long-Term Care Facility Dashboard includes the total number of cases and deaths associated with long-term care facilities, graphs showing cases for staff and residents by symptom onset date, demographic breakdowns of staff and resident cases and the list of facility names with associated cases. By clicking the name of a specific facility listed on the dashboard, cumulative case and death data will then display for that facility. Data are compiled in 14- and 28-day spans, with most of the facilities shown on the dashboard reporting single digits. The greatest number of cases in the last 28 days was at the Austin State-Supported Living Center, with 24 as seen on the dashboard. In the last two weeks, the data show three cases were reported in the facility. The Brookdale Lakeway 2 nursing home facility also had more positive cases than mot other counterparts in the last 28 days, with seven recorded. The site had a pair of cases within the last two days. Another statistical standout was the Windsor at Duval nursing home, with six cases reported withing the last 28 days, as the dashboard shows. There was only one case within the last two-week period, the dashboard data show. Desktop Version Mobile Version Health district officials said that as of Sept. 14, there were 167 deaths and 1,558 cases associated with long-term care facilities, with 21 new cases in the last 14 days and 86 cases within the last 28 days. In combating the scourge, city officials have provided 8,283 total COVID-19 tests to long-term care facilities, 308 strike team deployment days and 215 orders of personal protective equipment. Story continues Screenshot from the Austin Public Health dashboard. All cases reported by Austin Public Health have been verified to have laboratory results and/or case report details that meet the Texas Department of State Health Services COVID-19 case definition, officials noted. Long-term care facility data reported by other state and federal agencies may not be verified to the same extent, causing discrepancies in case numbers between agencies, officials added. "Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the City of Austin has been balancing the privacy and safety of individuals with the desire to provide as much information to the community as possible in order to slow the spread of the virus," officials wrote in their advisory. In terms of identifying the names of nursing homes and other long-term care facilities reporting cases, city officials said they consulted with the city's legal team. The aim is to present data for statistical purposes that follow state-established precedence for the release of information, officials said. For more, visit the COVID-19 Information portal of the municipal website. This article originally appeared on the Austin Patch UN peacekeeping chief outlines reforms needed to keep operations fit-for-purpose 14 September 2020 - Over the next 10 years, the world could well be transformed by potentially lethal new technologies, climate disruptions and disruption caused by expanding cities, the UN peacekeeping chief told the Security Council on Monday, outlining the adaptations required to keep the Organization's flagship enterprise fit-for-purpose as it confronts daunting new security threats. "We count on your support, as Council members, as well as that of other peacekeeping partners to strengthen our operations through Action for Peacekeeping (A4P) - and beyond", said Jean-Pierre Lacroix, Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, referring to the landmark 2018 initiative to make mandates more streamlined. Continued engagement Delivering his annual briefing, he said the Declaration of Shared Commitments adopted by Member States, the Secretariat and international and regional partners is the cornerstone of such work. "Our continued engagement for the implementation of these commitments remains indispensable", he stressed. All those involved must build on the progress made and shift into a second phase of A4P implementation, he said. The Secretariat has begun crafting overarching priorities. For the next phase - in 2021 and beyond the Department is drawing on analyses of the persistent challenges and needs facing its operations, pushing to complete tasks pending from the first phase. It is defining a limited number of global priorities for each A4P thematic area, Mr. Lacroix explained, which will provide strategic direction for reform efforts for the UN system, as well as for Member States and other partners. Priority areas Laying out eight cross-cutting issues, he called first for ensuring that all actions are coherent with and contribute to overarching political strategies that advance "positive" peace. "Aiming for short-term stability is not enough," he said. Missions will need to link particular mandate areas whether protection of civilians or institution-building back to politics. Indeed, the pandemic has laid bare the widespread nature of inequality, he said. Operations will need more substantive strategic integration with development and peacebuilding actors, on an ongoing basis. It will likewise be important to deepen integration within operations - among civilian and uniformed components - as well as with the UN country teams. In addition, focus will be maintained on enhancing Mission and Headquarters performance and accountability, he said, through regular evaluations and policy frameworks. Improving the safety and security of peacekeepers will be essential and the Department will continue the shift towards more agile operations, with improved situational awareness. Gender perspective not just 'about numbers' He also recommended strengthening the Department's strategic guidance and planning capacities by developing clear objectives that are known to all, deepening efforts to achieve a more robust and agile posture - including by using new technologies and crucially, applying a gender perspective across all areas of work. "Gender is not only about numbers," he said. "It is about the meaningful consideration of the gender differentiated impacts of our work and what we hope to achieve." Describing broad areas where gains have been made, the peacekeeping chief highlighted political efforts in Sudan, where the initialling of the peace accord between the Transitional Government and Darfur armed groups was facilitated by the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID). In the area of women, peace and security, he said the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) worked with women's groups and the Government to develop the first national action plan on resolution 1325 (2000), one of several examples of expanded political space for women's participation. And in terms of protection, he said the four large multidimensional missions have conducted major force transformations to shift their posture and presence, strengthening their strategic flexibility and operational adaptation. International solidarity key to progress The upcoming 2021 Peacekeeping Ministerial meeting due to take place in Seoul will be another opportunity to contribute, he said. As the UN celebrates its seventy-fifth anniversary, the need to "save succeeding generations from the scourge of war" remains as imperative as ever. "It is only through strengthened joint and collective international action and solidarity that we can ensure that progress continues to be made in the right direction", he stressed. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address PLANO, Texas, Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Vivify Health, the developer of the nation's leading connected care platform for remote patient care, today announced the release of a new white paper, "Aging in Place with Remote Patient Care." The paper examines the accelerated adoption of telemedicine and RPM during the COVID-19 pandemic and provides strategies to help some of the nation's largest health systems and providers create a new 'Golden Age' for Americans in their golden years. To download the white paper, click here. Up until the pandemic, virtual care played a minor role in the healthcare industry. This white paper explicates how the pandemic has created a good starting point for hospitals and health systems to broaden their use of telehealth and RPM for older Americans that should continue post-pandemic. The study also examines how the gains made from a health and reimbursement standpoint can be carried forward to benefit providers and patients. The core areas discussed in this paper include: How telehealth and RPM enable Americans to remain safely at home for longer periods. CMS reimbursement changes foster RPM acceptance. Scenarios where RPM supports and promotes aging in place. Strengthening hospital home care programs through telehealth and RPM solutions. COVID-19's dramatic death toll for senior citizens stands at nearly 52,000 residents of nursing homes or Long-Term Care (LTC) facilities. Vivify's research shows senior citizens overwhelmingly prefer to age at home if given the choice, but that desire may not always be practical. Factors that may contribute to aging Americans being forced into a facility include forgetting to take medications, risk of falling, lack of personal mobility, access to stores for food and other supplies, as well as the inability to show up to doctor's appointments. Refined and enhanced stay-at-home services can ameliorate these concerns. "Vivify's CMS experts see the June 2020, CMS proposed rule and requirements for value-based care programs, as a significant step in the acceptance of patient and caregiver protocols for remote care management for American seniors regardless of geography," explained Robin Hill, Chief Clinical Officer for Vivify. "The accelerated market timing and adoption of remote care is a game-changer for the entire marketallowing vulnerable populations to take advantage of the benefits of telehealth and RPM." The biggest benefit of these changes is for American seniors. The aging population accounts for the highest volume of chronic comorbid conditions and more than half of the U.S. spend on healthcare. Monitoring their conditions more carefully means the golden years for seniors will be spent at home with a higher quality of life. Vivify cites a case study with TRU Community Care, a medical facility that offers a continuum of care for individuals living with advanced illnesses. TRU's programs include TRU Hospice, TRU PACE (Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly), TRU Palliative Care, and TRU Grief Services. Working with Vivify to keep costs under control, TRU provides patients with affordable, off-the-shelf iPads, and Bluetooth-enabled technology to remotely monitor blood pressure, weight, heart rate, blood sugar, oxygen levels and more. The advent of affordable, easy-to-deploy, and easy-to-use telehealth and RPM technology is a game-changer for Americans who prefer to age at home. Vivify's mobile, cloud-based platform delivers a pathway to holistic remote care management. Partnering with healthcare organizations, Vivify empowers clinicians to efficiently and proactively manage the complex workflow of remote care for virtually any clinical condition. The dynamic landscape of digital health and Vivify's solutions is good news for the aging population. To learn more about Vivify solutions for RPM visit: https://www.vivifyhealth.com/solutions/ About Vivify Health Vivify Health is the innovative leader in connected healthcare delivery solutions. The company's mobile, cloud-based platform powers holistic remote care management through personalized care plans, biometric data monitoring, multi-channel patient education and functionality configured to each patient's unique needs. Vivify Health serves the nation's largest and most progressive health systems, healthcare organizations and employersempowering clinicians to proactively manage the complexities of remote care and catalyzing employee health and productivity with a single-platform solution for all device and digital health data. The comprehensive, content-rich platform and turnkey workflow services enable providers to intuitively scale and maximize value across populations. For more information about Vivify Health, visit www.vivifyhealth.com. Follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn. Visit our Company Blog to access case studies, thought leadership and news. Media Contact: [email protected] SOURCE Vivify Health Related Links https://www.vivifyhealth.com A New York woman who had just finished her shopping at the Walmart in Kearny Sunday evening was punched in the head and carjacked, authorities said. The 36-year-old Bronx woman told police she had just gotten into her car at 6:30 p.m. when a man who had been pushing a shopping cart struck her and pulled her out of the car after she had turned on the engine, Kearny Capt. Tim Wagner said. The assailant fled in the car, with the victim suffering scrapes and lacerations after she was dragged a short distance by the vehicle. At 1 a.m. Sunday, Newark police spotted the vehicle and pursued through Newark and Jersey City before the car crashed into a street light pole at Route 440 and 63rd Street in Bayonne, Wagner said. The driver, Eduardo Perez III, 28, of Rahway, was arrested and initially charged with eluding police. Perez has not been charged in the Kearny carjacking, but the investigation is ongoing, Wagner said. A middle-aged NSW woman has been awarded $115,000 after police pulled a gun on her and capsicum-sprayed her dog after a low-speed pursuit. Lydia Owlstara was arrested in 2013 for driving an unregistered and uninsured vehicle, while unlicensed, and failing to stop for police. She had been followed by a police car for about three kilometres in southwest Sydney until she turned into her driveway in Douglas Park, stopping in her garage. Lydia Owlstara was arrested in 2013 for driving an unregistered and uninsured vehicle, while unlicensed, and failing to stop for police The highway patrol officer, Senior Constable Christopher Hurtak, ran into the garage with his gun drawn, ordering her to leave her car, while knowing she was alone and 'neither young nor agile', NSW Court of Appeal Justice John Basten said in a judgment published on Tuesday. 'At his direction, she walked to the rear of her car, with him moving away from her backwards, with his gun pointed at her chest,' he added. 'He then told her to face the car whilst he handcuffed her hands behind her back.' Ms Owlstara was released on bail after about six hours in custody. During that time she was treated by an ambulance officer for vomiting which the appeal court found may have been contributed to by the officer directing capsicum spray at her dog. During court proceedings Sen Const Hurtak claimed he thought Ms Owlstara was holding a knife, but the appeal court found at least part of his account of events in the garage could not be correct. The highway patrol officer, Senior Constable Christopher Hurtak, ran into the garage with his gun drawn, ordering her to leave her car, while knowing she was alone and 'neither young nor agile', NSW Court of Appeal Justice John Basten said 'It is simply not possible to fit into 19 seconds all of the conversation which the constable said took place between him and the appellant after he opened the car door,' Justice Anthony Meagher said.. Justice Basten said the circumstances did not warrant pointing the gun at Ms Owlstara's chest or handcuffing her. Ms Owlstara, a nurse by training, had returned home the previous day after spending months caring for a terminally ill friend in Muswellbrook. She pleaded guilty in 2014 to driving an unregistered and uninsured vehicle, while unlicensed, and failing to stop when directed. A magistrate accepted her pleas but dismissed the charges. She later brought claims against the state for assault, battery and false imprisonment. The appeal court on Tuesday ordered the state government pay Ms Owlstara $115,000 in compensation, overturning an earlier decision in the District Court. VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / September 15, 2020 / Thoughtful Brands, Inc. (CSE:TBI)(FWB:1WZ1)(OTCQB:PEMTF) (the "Company" or "Thoughtful Brands"), a global natural health products and eCommerce technology company, is pleased to report its financial results for August, July and June 2020. Revenue for the month of August totaled Cdn$3,809,000 with related expenses of Cdn$3,652,000, revenue for the month of July totaled Cdn$2,340,000 with related expenses of Cdn$2,418,000, and revenue for the month of June totaled $2,712,000 with related expenses of Cdn$2,775,000. Revenues generated during the period of June to August 2020 represents an increase of 19%, over the same period in 2019. The Company's August 2020 financial results follow recent strategic acquisitions, expansions into new marketplaces and strong sales performances from established brands: In August 2020 Thoughtful Brands enhanced its portfolio in the nutraceutical and hemp-based CBD product space through the acquisition of Golden Path LLC and Wild Mariposa LLC, two direct-to-consumer eCommerce brands offering natural health products throughout the U.S. In July 2020, the Company announced a European expansion through a joint venture with Franchise Cannabis Corp. Thoughtful Brands will now sell and market Franchise-manufactured CBD, hemp and cosmetic products in the European Union, Switzerland, Norway and the UK, utilizing its well-established eCommerce platform. "By executing our meticulously planned growth strategy, the Company was positioned for a productive August and is poised to embark on even more new ventures for the remainder of 2020," said Thoughtful Brands CEO Ryan Hoggan. "With new consumer brands on our roster and new customers abroad, there are plenty of activities in the Thoughtful Brands pipeline to look forward to." In addition, in August 2020 Thoughtful Brands launched Ecommerce Tech LLC ("Ecommerce Tech"), a new wholly owned subsidiary of the Company in the United States. Going forward, Ecommerce Tech will serve as the comprehensive operational engine for all Thoughtful Brands eCommerce ventures, paving the way for the Company to capture previously unrealized value from the products it launches in the online natural health market and launch new products in the emerging natural health markets worldwide more efficiently than before. "Our powerful new software platform is another reason to eagerly anticipate what fall 2020 has in store for Thoughtful Brands," added Hoggan. The Company cautions that reported figures for revenue and expenses have not been audited and are based on calculations prepared by management. Actual results may differ from those reported in this release once these figures have been audited. These figures were translated from United States Dollars into Canadian Dollars using an exchange rate of $1.00 (US):$1.355 (Canadian) for June 2020, $1.00 (US):$1.3499 (Canadian) for July 2020, and $1.00 (US):$1.3222 (Canadian) for August 2020 . About Thoughtful Brands Inc. Thoughtful Brands Inc. is an eCommerce technology company that researches, develops, markets, and distributes natural health products through various brands in North America and Europe. Through continuous strategic acquisitions, the Company has a strong footprint in the CBD market, as well as the burgeoning psychedelic medicine sector. Thoughtful Brands owns and operates a 110,000 square foot pharmaceutical manufacturing facility in Radebeul, Germany, where its highly skilled team conducts clinical studies utilizing naturally occurring psilocybin and other compounds found in psychedelics for the treatment of opiate addiction, while planning for future opportunities to create proprietary psilocybin products. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS THOUGHTFUL BRANDS INC. Ryan Hoggan Chief Executive Officer For further information, readers are encouraged to contact Joel Shacker, President at +604.423.4733 or by email at info@thoughtful-brands.com Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release, which has been prepared by management. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statement All statements in this press release, other than statements of historical fact, are "forward-looking information" with respect to the Company within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including with respect to its plans to launch and distribute additional products utilizing its eCommerce technology platform. The Company provides forward-looking statements for the purpose of conveying information about current expectations and plans relating to the future and readers are cautioned that such statements may not be appropriate for other purposes. By its nature, this information is subject to inherent risks and uncertainties that may be general or specific and which give rise to the possibility that expectations, forecasts, predictions, projections or conclusions will not prove to be accurate, that assumptions may not be correct and that objectives, strategic goals and priorities will not be achieved. These risks and uncertainties include but are not limited those identified and reported in the Company's public filings under the Company's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise unless required by law. SOURCE: Thoughtful Brands Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/606113/Thoughtful-Brands-Reports-August-July-and-June-2020-Revenue-Totaling-of-CDN8861000-for-Natures-Exclusive-Representing-a-19-Increase-over-the-same-Period-in-2019 Help.org, a trusted online resource for individuals who struggle with addiction and their loved ones, has announced the Best Rehab Facilities in Knoxville, Tennessee for 2020. The informational guide recognizes the top 8 rehab facilities based on cost, treatment options, location, accompanying services and more. According to recent studies, drug overdose is the leading cause of death among people under age 50. In Knoxville, deaths related to opioid abuse increased significantly from 2011 to 2015. Substance abuse among adolescents is also escalating in Knoxville with 55 percent of high school students reported using alcohol, 38 percent reported using marijuana, 8 percent reported using prescription drugs without a valid prescription, and 2 percent reported using heroin. With the growing need for accessible and high-quality rehab programs, Help.org has developed a unique ranking process to help connect individuals with treatment providers that meet their needs. The Help.org research team analyzed thousands of facilities across the country and then identified the most cost-effective and highest rated programs in larger cities like Knoxville. Each facility was evaluated based on rehabilitation services, treatment approaches, cost, special programs for unique demographics and ancillary services. The website also provides information about drug use and side effects as well as educational articles. For a detailed listing of the Best Rehab Facilities in Knoxville, Tennessee please visit https://www.help.org/drug-and-alcohol-rehab-centers-in-knoxville-tn 2020 Best Rehab Facilities in Knoxville, Tennessee (in alphabetical order) Bradford Health Services- Knoxville 301 South Gallaher View Road Southwest, Suite 300 Knoxville, TN 37919 865-693-9326 Cornerstone of Recovery 4726 Airport Highway Louisville, TN 37777 866-865-3689 English Mountain Recovery 1096 Alpine Drive Sevierville, TN 37876 877-309-9963 Helen Ross McNabb Center 5310 Ball Camp Pike Knoxville, TN 37921 865-523-4704 Ridgeview Behavioral Health Services 240 West Tyrone Road Oak Ridge, TN 37830 865-482-1076 Victory Treatment Program 9051 Executive Park Drive, Suite 202 Knoxville, TN 37923 865-337-7812 Village Behavioral Health Treatment Center 2431 Jones Bend Road Louisville, TN 37777 855-433-2848 Hope of East Tennessee Inc. 188 Raleigh Road Oak Ridge, TN 37830 865-482-4826 ABOUT HELP.ORG Help.org is an online resource for individuals who struggle with addiction and their loved ones. The website provides the latest research through scientifically proven methods, community recovery resources as well as information about local financial assistance. Help.orgs team of researchers, activists and writers work together with addiction counselors and other professionals to offer useful and accurate resources to help individuals seeking recovery. To learn more, visit https://www.help.org/ - Focus on transforming digital experience, propel operational efficiencies and an agile operating model BENGALURU, India, Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Infosys (NYSE: INFY), the global leader in next-generation digital services and consulting, today announced that it has been selected by Essential Utilities, one of the largest publicly traded water, wastewater and natural gas providers in the U.S., as a strategic partner to drive its digital transformation. Infosys, along with SAP will implement SAP S/4HANA and the SAP Customer Relationship Management and Billing for Utilities package in an agile operating model to enable nimble and real-time decision making while transforming digital user experience and operations for Essential Utilities Infosys and SAP Services and Support will implement SAP S/4HANA, future-ready enterprise resource planning (ERP) system to co-design, bring innovation and provide early visibility into future product releases. It will help Essential Utilities unify data across multiple siloed sources. The industry-standard billing module will allow for newer billing mechanisms providing flexibility and insights on consumption patterns. As a digital transformation partner, Infosys will help Essential Utilities redefine user experience, enhance knowledge and operations assets, and reduce costs while delivering service excellence. Ruth DeLost-Wylie, SVP, Business Transformation, Essential Utilities, said, "I am excited to be working with Infosys and SAP on the implementation of SAP S/4HANA and SAP Customer Relationship Management and Billing for Utilities. Essential Utilities serves five million people across 10 states under the Aqua and Peoples brands. We are working hard to provide excellent customer service and look forward to another successful implementation." Ashiss Kumar Dash, SVP and Segment Head - Services, Utilities, Resources, Energy, Infosys, said, "This is an important phase for the utilities industry, as organizations work towards redefining customer experience. We are excited to partner with Essential Utilities in their digital transformation journey. With a comprehensive understanding of Essential Utilities business requirements and challenges, we hope to leverage our technological prowess and domain expertise to enable this transformation. The partnership also strengthens our relationship with SAP and highlights the potential this collaboration offers to the utilities industry in achieving their strategic business goals." Brian Boshart, General Manager of Regulated Industries Services, SAP, said, "This effort is building a foundation of credibility within SAP and in the broader Utilities market. This is a paragon of partnership in the ecosystem that leverages the core strengths of SAP Services and Support and our partner network. Essential Utilities has ambitious goals that it has set out to accomplish over the next several years based on a shared transformation vision enabled by the SAP platform." About Essential Utilities. Essential is one of the largest publicly traded water, wastewater and natural gas providers in the U.S., serving approximately 5 million people across 10 states under the Aqua and Peoples brands. Essential is committed to excellence in proactive infrastructure investment, regulatory expertise, operational efficiency and environmental stewardship. The company recognizes the importance water and natural gas play in everyday life and is proud to deliver safe, reliable services that contribute to the quality of life in the communities it serves. For more information, visit http://www.essential.co. About SAP SAP's strategy is to help every business run as an intelligent enterprise. As the market leader in enterprise application software, we help companies of all sizes and in all industries run at their best: 77% of the world's transaction revenue touches an SAP system. Our machine learning, Internet of Things (IoT), and advanced analytics technologies help turn customers' businesses into intelligent enterprises. SAP helps give people and organizations deep business insight and fosters collaboration that helps them stay ahead of their competition. We simplify technology for companies so they can consume our software the way they want without disruption. Our end-to-end suite of applications and services enables business and public customers across 25 industries globally to operate profitably, adapt continuously, and make a difference. With a global network of customers, partners, employees, and thought leaders, SAP helps the world run better and improve people's lives. For more information, visit www.sap.com. About Infosys Infosys is a global leader in next-generation digital services and consulting. We enable clients in 46 countries to navigate their digital transformation. With nearly four decades of experience in managing the systems and workings of global enterprises, we expertly steer our clients through their digital journey. We do it by enabling the enterprise with an AI-powered core that helps prioritize the execution of change. We also empower the business with agile digital at scale to deliver unprecedented levels of performance and customer delight. Our always-on learning agenda drives their continuous improvement through building and transferring digital skills, expertise, and ideas from our innovation ecosystem. Visit www.infosys.com to see how Infosys (NYSE: INFY) can help your enterprise navigate your next. Safe Harbor Certain statements in this release concerning our future growth prospects, financial expectations and plans for navigating the COVID-19 impact on our employees, clients and stakeholders are forward-looking statements intended to qualify for the 'safe harbor' under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements. The risks and uncertainties relating to these statements include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties regarding COVID-19 and the effects of government and other measures seeking to contain its spread, risks related to an economic downturn or recession in India, the United States and other countries around the world, changes in political, business, and economic conditions, fluctuations in earnings, fluctuations in foreign exchange rates, our ability to manage growth, intense competition in IT services including those factors which may affect our cost advantage, wage increases in India, our ability to attract and retain highly skilled professionals, time and cost overruns on fixed-price, fixed-time frame contracts, client concentration, restrictions on immigration, industry segment concentration, our ability to manage our international operations, reduced demand for technology in our key focus areas, disruptions in telecommunication networks or system failures, our ability to successfully complete and integrate potential acquisitions, liability for damages on our service contracts, the success of the companies in which Infosys has made strategic investments, withdrawal or expiration of governmental fiscal incentives, political instability and regional conflicts, legal restrictions on raising capital or acquiring companies outside India, unauthorized use of our intellectual property and general economic conditions affecting our industry and the outcome of pending litigation and government investigation. Additional risks that could affect our future operating results are more fully described in our United States Securities and Exchange Commission filings including our Annual Report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2020. These filings are available at www.sec.gov. Infosys may, from time to time, make additional written and oral forward-looking statements, including statements contained in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and our reports to shareholders. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements that may be made from time to time by or on behalf of the Company unless it is required by law. SOURCE Infosys New Delhi: Providing wider window period for customers. India's biggest lender State Bank of India (SBI) has announced extension of time for the OTP-based cash withdrawal from ATMs. SBI customers will now be able to make ATM withdrawal of Rs 10,000 and above after an OTP verification throughout the day. The bank had allowed this facility to customers during 8 PM to 8 AM in January. How does OTP-validated ATM transaction work? The OTP-validated ATM transaction was introduced to minimise the number of unauthorised transactions, State Bank of India had said. With the introduction of its OTP-based cash withdrawal facility, State Bank added another layer of security for cash withdrawals through its ATMs service. OTP would be received on the customer''s mobile number registered with the bank. This additional factor of authentication protects State Bank card holders from unauthorized ATM cash withdrawals Who can avail the services? This facility will not be applicable for transactions, where a State Bank card holder withdraws cash from another bank's ATM. It is because this functionality has not been developed in National Financial Switch (NFS), as per SBI. NFS is the largest interoperable ATM network in the country and it manages more than 95 per cent of the domestic interbank ATM transactions. How to withdraw cash based on SBI OTP Service? Once the cardholder enters the amount he/she wishes to withdraw, the ATM screen displays the OTP window. The customer has to enter the OTP received on the registered mobile number to complete the transaction. Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - September 15, 2020) - MinKap Resources Inc. (TSXV: KAP) ("MinKap" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that further to its press release of July 6, 2020, the Company has received final approval of the TSX Venture Exchange ("TSXV") in respect of the proposed acquisition of the Breccia Gold property (the "Breccia Gold Property") and the contiguous Lightning Tree property (the "Lightning Tree Property" and together with the Breccia Gold Property, the "Properties"), both of which are located in Lemhi County, Idaho, USA (the "Transaction"). The Transaction is being carried out in accordance with the terms of an arm's-length definitive mineral property acquisition agreement (the "Purchase Agreement") dated September 10, 2020, between the Company, DG Resource Management Ltd. ("DGRM") and Canarc Resource Corp. ("Canarc" and together with DGRM, the "Vendors") Pursuant to the Purchase Agreement, as consideration for acquiring a 100% interest and title in and to the Properties, MinKap will: (i) issue an aggregate of 2,500,000 common shares in the capital of the Company to each of the Vendors, issuable in tranches; (ii) issue an aggregate of 2,500,000 common share purchase warrants of the Company to each of the Vendors, issuable in tranches; (iiI) pay to the Vendors a cash payment equal to $275,000, payable over a period of three (3) years from the date on which the Company receives final approval from the TSXV in respect of the Transaction; (iv) grant in favour of DGRM a 2.5% net smelter returns royalty (the "Breccia NSR") in respect of the Breccia Gold Property, subject to the right and option of the Company to purchase 1% of the Breccia NSR for a price equal to $1,000,000; and (v) grant in favour of Canarc a 2.5% net smelter returns royalty (the "Lightning Tree NSR") in respect of the Lightning Tree Property, subject to the right and option of the Company to purchase 1% of the Lightning Tree NSR for a price equal to $1,000,000. Pursuant to the Purchase Agreement, MinKap shall, prior to the date (the "Expiry Date") that is thirty-six (36) months from the date on which MinKap receives an exploration drill permit in respect of the Properties (the "Permit Date"), incur aggregate exploration expenditures of at least $4,000,000 (the "Expenditure Commitment") in connection with the Properties (being the aggregate of incurring at least $2,000,00 with respect to each of the Lightning Tree Property and the Breccia Gold Property, respectively),provided that not less than $4,000,000 of such Expenditure Commitment shall be incurred in connection with the Property prior to the Expiry Date, such Expenditure Commitment to be made as follows: (i)Cumulative Exploration Expenditures of at least $300,000 within one (1) year from the Permit Date (with 50% of such amount to be spent of each of the Breccia Gold Property and the Lightning Tree Property); (ii)cumulative Exploration Expenditures of at least $2,000,000 within two (2) years from the Permit Date (with 50% of such amount to be spent of each of the Breccia Gold Property and the Lightning Tree Property); and (iii)cumulative exploration expenditures of at least $4,000,000 within three (3) years from the Permit Date (with 50% of such amount to be spent of each of the Breccia Gold Property and the Lightning Tree Property); In addition, pursuant to the terms of the Purchase Agreement, MinKap has agreed to grant to DGRM and Canarc, together, a one-time bonus payment (the "Bonus Payment") of $1.00 per ounce of gold or gold equivalent, up to a maximum of $1,000,000, upon the SEDAR filling of a resource of 1,000,000 ounces gold or gold equivalent that is compliant with National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects within Canada ("NI 43-101"). The Bonus Payment is payable to DGRM and Canarc on a pro rata basis based on the number of ounces of gold or gold equivalent from each of their respective claims relative to the 1,000,000 ounces as defined in the NI 43-101 technical report to be prepared in respect of the Properties. The Company also announces that it has been granted an extension with respect to the completion of the previously announced non-brokered private placement of up to 10,000,000 units (each, a "Unit") of the Company at a price of $0.075 per Unit for aggregate gross proceeds of up to $750,000 (the "Offering"). The Offering is expected to close on or before September 30, 2020. The closing of the Offering is subject to receipt of all necessary regulatory and other approvals, including the final approval of the TSXV. The Company may pay certain eligible persons a finder's fee in connection with the Offering. The Company has agreed to pay a certain eligible third party a finder's fee in connection with the Transaction as consideration for introducing the Company to the respective Vendors, payable through the issuance of an aggregate of 250,000 common shares in the capital of the Company. All securities issued in connection with the Transaction will be subject a statutory hold period of four months and one day from the date of issuance, in accordance with applicable securities legislation. On behalf of the Board of Directors "Jonathan Armes" MinKap Resources Inc. For further information, please contact: Jonathan Armes President & CEO Phone 1 (416) 708-0243 jarmes@bell.net Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Cautionary Note The information contained herein contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. Forward-looking statements relate to information that is based on assumptions of management, forecasts of future results, and estimates of amounts not yet determinable. Any statements that express predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance are not statements of historical fact and may be "forward-looking statements." Forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties which could cause actual events or results to differ from those reflected in the forward-looking statements, including, without limitation: risks related to the Proposed Transaction and the Offering, risk related to the failure to obtain adequate financing on a timely basis and on acceptable terms; risks related to the outcome of legal proceedings; political and regulatory risks associated with mining and exploration; risks related to the maintenance of stock exchange listings; risks related to environmental regulation and liability; the potential for delays in exploration or development activities or the completion of feasibility studies; the uncertainty of profitability; risks and uncertainties relating to the interpretation of drill results, the geology, grade and continuity of mineral deposits; risks related to the inherent uncertainty of production and cost estimates and the potential for unexpected costs and expenses; results of prefeasibility and feasibility studies, and the possibility that future exploration, development or mining results will not be consistent with the Company's expectations; risks related to commodity price fluctuations; and other risks and uncertainties related to the Company's prospects, properties and business detailed elsewhere in the Company's disclosure record. Should one or more of these risks and uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned against attributing undue certainty to forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof and the Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. Actual events or results could differ materially from the Company's expectations or projections. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/63871 By Associated Press MANILA: Developing economies in Asia will contract in 2020, the first such downturn in nearly 60 years, the Asian Development Bank said Tuesday in an update to its forecasts. The update of the ADB's outlook estimates the regional economy will contract 0.7 per cent this year, recovering to 6.8 per cent growth in 2021. The regional lender said that conditions could deteriorate further if the coronavirus pandemic worsens significantly. The update downgrades growth estimates for many countries in the region, where outbreaks of coronavirus have surged in some countries, such as the Philippines and Indonesia. The report said that China, where the pandemic began, has already begun to recover and will see its economy grow 1.8 per cent this year and 7.7 per cent in 2021. The 6.1 per cent growth for China's economy in 2019 was the slowest pace in decades. The report noted that Asia's status as a production base for many medical products, digital devices and optical equipment helped to cushion the blow to trade from the pandemic downturn. The report said that nonetheless, the downturn is the worst since the early 1960s. "This has set back efforts to life hundreds of millions of people in our region out of poverty," said ADB's chief economist Yasuyuki Sawada. Governments in many countries have imposed border controls, lockdowns and other restrictions to stem the spread of the coronavirus and prevent more outbreaks. But such measures come at a huge economic cost. To help compensate, regional governments have promised USD 3.6 trillion, equivalent to about 15 per cent of regional economic activity, in subsidies, loans and other support for individuals and businesses. "But small companies that account for most business in the region are short of capital to weather the crisis," the ADB said. It expects a recovery to be "L-shaped", or "swoosh-shaped" rather than V-shaped. Sawada said that even with a recovery, economies will be "substantially below expectations before COVID-19". The report said that a prolonged pandemic could put countries into debt crises or destabilize their financial markets. "Another risk would be worsening geopolitical tensions, most notably potential for US-PRC (China) friction over trade and technology to intensify," it said. South and Southeast Asian countries have seen some of the worst devastation from the pandemic, with Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand logging double-digit contractions in the April-June quarter from a year earlier. All of their economies are expected to shrink by 5 per cent or more this year. The report said that strong government spending will be crucial to support their recoveries. The ADB said that ensuring health systems are improved is also vital for sustained growth. "Physical and mental wellness has taken a battering during the crisis. A sound mind and a sound body, of course that's the first step to rebuilding the economy and the societ," said ADB economist Donghyung Park. A Florida husband and wife have been charged with lying about damage caused by Hurricane Irma. Christina Catalano, 38, and Joseph Catalano, 54, both of Holiday, were arrested Sept. 9, according to federal court records. Christina Catalano has been charged with disaster assistance fraud, and both have been charged with making false statements to federal agents. Christina Catalano faces up to 30 years in prison, and Joseph Catalano faces five years. According to an indictment, Christina Catalano falsified records in the fall of 2017 concerning the alleged destruction of a non-existent travel trailer, which she claimed as her primary residence in Citrus County. The records were part of a relief program application sent to the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Hurricane Irmas Last Gasp: 3-Year Claims Deadline Put to the Test With the storms 3-year anniversary comes a deadline that much of the industry hopes will put an end to the many purported frivolous and fraudulent Irma-related claims that have taken a significant toll on the states insurance market. The indictment further alleges that in January 2020, Christina and Joseph Catalano made false statements to Department of Homeland Security agents to conceal the fraudulent claims. Attorneys for Christina and Joseph Catalano did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment about the case. Hurricane Irma struck Florida in September 2017, causing about $50 billion in damage throughout the state. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Catastrophe Natural Disasters Florida Fraud Hurricane Stolen dogs are found by police in Nghe An Province, September 13, 2020. Photo by VnExpress/Quang Huy. Four men in north-central Nghe An Province have been arrested after stealing 50 dogs in one night. Nguyen Buu Loc, 38, Trinh Anh Tu, 52, Nguyen Huu Hieu, 18, and Vi Van Quyet, 44, were caught red-handed while trading in stolen dogs early on Sunday, police stated. The four resisted arrest, wielding weapons to stave off police, who impounded several vehicles and equipment, along with the stolen dogs, which weighed over a ton. The gang has been stealing 400-500 kg of dogs within a single night, selling them for up to VND30 million ($1,300), police said. The investigation remains ongoing. Vietnam consumes an estimated five million dogs a year, second only to China's 20 million. Many dogs found on restaurant menus are stolen pets sold to small, unregulated abattoirs. Dog theft is treated as a crime only when the number of dogs stolen is valued at more than VND2 million ($86). Vietnam has no law against trading in or consuming dog meat. Kingston Digital Europe, the Flash memory affiliate of Kingston Technology Company, a world leader in memory products and technology solutions, has announced the availability of the 128GB DataTraveler 2000 encrypted USB flash drive. DataTraveler 2000 features an alphanumeric keypad that allows users to lock the drive with a word or number combination for an easy-to-use PIN providing an extra layer of protection. For additional security, an auto-lock feature is activated when the drive is removed from the host device if not properly shut down before ejection. While lower capacity drives offer their own benefits, larger capacity encrypted drives have become a necessity with the need to transfer higher amounts of sensitive data files as more people work from home, said Oscar Escayola, Flash Business Manager, Kingston EMEA. The 128GB DT2000 joins Kingstons full line of high-capacity encrypted drives providing security options for consumers all the way up to military-grade. DataTraveler 2000 is FIPS 140-2 Level 3 certified and offers military-grade 256-bit AES hardware-based encryption. Designed with global security IT professionals, small-to-medium businesses and corporate end users in mind, DT2000 is perfect for those who require electronic data protection. Encryption is done on the drive with no trace of the PIN left on the system. The drive is OS independent, making it easily deployable in work environments where multiple devices and operating systems are in use. DataTraveler 2000 is available in capacities 4GB to 128GB 1 and is backed by a three-year warranty with free technical support. -- Tradearabia News Service LANSING, MI - More Michigan kids could spend their days in child care centers under legislation being discussed in Lansing. State lawmakers debated Tuesday afternoon how to improve the ratio of child care personnel to children and allow for better accommodation of children in need of care before and after normal hours. House Bill 5975, sponsored by Rep. Jack OMalley, R-Lake Ann, would allow for one child care worker for every seven children. family-care facilities would have to apply for permission to supervise one additional child beyond that ratio, while group-care facilities could apply for two additional minors. Allowance for the additional children would require approval of the state Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, or LARA. Part of the approval includes ensuring the building has at least 35 square feet for every school-age child and 50 feet per every infant, according to Michigan.gov. Some facilities may not be able to get immediate LARA approval due to zoning requirements, argued the committees Minority Vice Chair Rep. LaTanya Garrett, D-Detroit. Were passing legislation, but in certain areas, because we dont have the square footage and it doesnt meet zoning requirements... certain licenses will be denied, she said. Even if we increase the ratio, it doesnt help certain areas. OMalley said meeting space requirements is just one of LARAs stipulations for the legislation. If the home isnt big enough, they get denied, he said. In addition, the bill would allow care center operators and contracted employees to bring a child of less than six years old into the facility during working hours. House Bill 5976, sponsored by Rep. Pauline Wendzel, R-Watervliet, would also increase facility capacity outside of normal working hours. The early hours listed in the bill are from 5 a.m. to 9 a.m., and after hours are from 2:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. on normal school days. The bill would allow for 17 children in group-care centers outside normal working hours and 12 during normal operation. In family-care centers, nine total minors are allowed outside normal working hours with, six allowed during normal operation. Thats an increase of two in group-care centers and one in family-care facilities. LARA approval would be needed for these capacity increases, just like in Bill 5975. House Bill 5977, sponsored by Rep. Gregory Markkanen, R-Hancock, would require facilities to be in compliance with these changes within 90 days of its approval. Each bill passed by an 8-1 margin in the committee and were sent for review to the Committee of Ways and Means. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer addressed child care capacity concerns in June through Executive Order 2020-117, which ensured child care services are available for health care workers, first responders, and other essential workers. Related: Expanded Michigan child care service capacity extended as coronavirus pandemic continues The order authorized LARA to issue expedited provisional licenses to expand capacity for child care services. It also allowed hospitals to operate disaster relief child care centers for their employees. Public and nonpublic school facilities can also be utilized to host a disaster relief child care center focused on providing services for members of the essential workforce. The real heroes of this crisis are the medical workers, first responders and other essential workers who are putting their lives on the line for us every day, and its important to ensure they have child care services available to them, Whitmer said in a prepared statement. We owe it to them to do what we can to continue to stop the spread of the virus so we can safely reopen our economy. Read more from MLive: Michigan Senate passes bill to allow absentee ballot processing to begin one day early Bills would exempt Michigan businesses from paying state taxes on PPE Bill would establish minimum requirements for suing businesses over coronavirus exposure With successful business ventures spanning the US, Singapore and China, the EdTech giant Think Academy today announced the launch of their online maths tutoring service in the UK market in response to the country's ever-growing demand for online education services. Designed for primary school-aged students, Think Academy's interactive online maths courses are closely mapped to the UK national curriculum. The company hopes their technology powered online learning platform could help students in Key Stage 1 achieve a scaled score of 100-115 in their SATs tests, while supporting Key Stage 2 students achieve a scaled score of 100-120 in their Year 6 SATs. Think Academy's Year 4 and 5 courses also prepare students for the 11 Plus exam. Try one of Think Academy UK's online maths classes for FREE now! The UK recently saw around 4.5 million primary school students absent from school during the Coronavirus lockdown. Meanwhile, studies suggest students spent on average 5-hours a day in homeschooling, retaining 25-60% more knowledge when learning online as opposed to just 8-10% in the classroom. In response to this, Think Academy UK believes its face-to-face online maths tutoring courses provide a solid solution in helping students to regain their pre-pandemic numeracy abilities. The brand has purposely hired experienced tutors from Oxbridge and other top UK institutions to enhance the quality of the teaching service it provides. "Our interactive online maths courses are delivered in a safe and adaptive online learning environment, with students experiencing face-to-face real time interactions with their tutors and peers" says Oliver Demeger, Think Academy UK's Key Stage 2 Subject Manager. "In the context of today, we believe Think Academy offers a unique opportunity for children to fill gaps in their knowledge while taking their learning beyond the confines of the traditional classroom environment". Think Academy UK introduced a successful maths course over the summer of 2020, and the company now offers free online maths classes for KS1 and KS2 students, delivered by their most experienced maths tutors. From mid-September, Think Academy UK will launch its 12-week Autumn Maths course with six course levels for students in Year 1 through to Year 6; and is actively enrolling new students on an ongoing basis. About Think Academy UK Think Academy UK is a world leading e-learning enterprise based in London, United Kingdom, with operations in the US, China and Singapore. Think Academy UK delivers EdTech powered online education services for 5-11-year olds in Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 following the British National Curriculum. With 17 years tutoring experience and more than 4.6 million weekly active students globally, Think Academy seeks to utilise technology for education while creating better learning experiences for children. Visit the Think Academy UK website to book a FREE online maths class for KS1 and KS2 students this Autumn term. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200915005858/en/ Contacts: Jordan Boyle Senior Marketing Executive jordan.boyle@tal.com Small wireless cells can lead the way to 5G, but before 5G could possibly come to Columbus, there have to be small cells set up in the city. Small cells, according to Verizon, are wireless transmitters that can provide network coverage to smaller areas. But, the state legislature last year passed a law Columbus city officials say gives them very little control over small cells. The Small Wireless Facilities Deployment Act, known as LB 184, modernizes telecommunications statutes to allow for the installation of small cell antennas. Gov. Pete Ricketts signed it into law back in May 2019. Although current cellular data travels between towers and antennas, small cell antennas are roughly the size of a mini fridge, according to Verizon. This allows the hardware to be mounted on streetlights, buildings and utility poles, among other things. LB 184 will help build a new 5G network infrastructure, including small cells, which the telecommunications industry predicts would infuse more than $1.5 billion into Nebraskas economy, according to the Office of Gov. Pete Ricketts. Over the past few months, the City of Columbus has gone through the process of implementing new rules and regulations as a result of the law, the last of which was recently passed. "It's been a long road," City Administrator Tara Vasicek said at a July meeting of the Columbus City Council during a discussion of a change to a resolution. For over a year the City, our attorney and staff and other counsel that weve hired, we have been dealing with a new law that the state legislature here in Nebraska adopted, Vasicek said at an Aug. 3 City Council meeting. The legislature said we cannot really manage small cell in the right-of-way like we manage everything else thats on City property, in City right-of-way. Right-of-way means the area on, below or above a public land on which vehicles or persons can pass. This includes alleys, sidewalks, dedicated utilities or streets but does not include freeways. Essentially, theyre allowed to do whatever they want, Vasicek said, with limited City control. So the only way we could have any kind of control over aesthetics, placement is if we amended our wireless telecommunications siting ordinance to provide strictly for small cell in right of way, she said. And also to adopt a right of way occupancy rules and regulations. Now the City is in the process of implementing all these new rules and regulations for all users of the right of way, not just small cell facilities, she said. The law, LB 184, is called the Small Wireless Facilities Deployment Act and, again, its goal is to encourage the development of wireless communication networks, which is "integral to the state's economic competitiveness." Mayor Jim Bulkley in July said the City really does not want small cells going here, there and everywhere. Its a matter of what kind of control can we have over where these things get placed, Bulkley said. Were talking about the placement of the antennas that incorporate 5G and other things. Although he said 5G is important and is something many residents want since it can provide better and faster service, the City is not the vehicle that will bring 5G to town. But we encourage companies to look at the opportunities that Columbus offers and let these opportunities drive the growth of 5G, Bulkley wrote in a recent email to The Telegram. Bulkley said he shared Vasiceks concerns over the law that was passed. The cell tower people got behind the law and made it pretty much in favor of them, so theres only so much we can do to help keep things the way we might like to see them," Bulkley said. At the May 18 City Council meeting, John Palmtag spoke on behalf of himself and colleague Emily Milewski of Verizon Omaha, according to the meeting minutes. (He) noted for the record that they are supportive of creating a regulatory framework for small wireless cell technology and look forward to continuing dialog with Columbus as they build this technology throughout the country, the minutes read. At the July 6 meeting, the City adopted Ordinances Nos. 20-04 and 20-05, which amended Section 13 and Section 15 of the Land Development Ordinance. The amendments made by ordinance 20-04 to Article 13 include outlining an application process for permits and when the City can deny an application, including for design or aesthetic reasons. The amendments made by ordinance 20-05 to Article 15 include outlining permits and put in place aesthetic and design standards. These standards include the facilities reasonably matching the existing area. Also, facilities should be designed to camouflage. At the July 6 meeting, the City Council approved adding fees to occupy the right of way and allowing for some small wireless. Thats what part of these ordinances were (for), to give us at least a little bit of control over what we can do, Bulkley said in July. To generate revenue, the Columbus City Council recently approved a resolution to amend the city code to increase occupation tax rate on telephone companies from 3% to 5%. The only way the City is going to be able to cover our cost to implement this new state-mandated system is to raise this occupation tax, Vasicek said at an Aug. 3 City Council meeting. Theres no other revenue source for us and we will have significantly increased costs. The City does not have plans to adopt anything else related to right-of-way management, said Vasicek in an email. (There are) lots of things we can ask, but there are actually very limited things that we can stop, she said at the July Council meeting. We will try to do our best to make it aesthetically pleasing and not too intrusive to the surroundings Carolyn Komatsoulis is a reporter for the Columbus Telegram. Reach her via email at carolyn.komatsoulis@lee.net. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Oppo is launching its next phone, dubbed Reno4 SE. It looks a lot like the F17 Pro, sold on the global scene, but after further inspection, instead of having four shooters in a square setup, they are actually three with an LED flash in the fourth circle. The Oppo Reno4 SE is now listed on the company website, as well as appearing at some retailers, and will be launched on September 21. The phone will support 65W charging and have an OLED panel with a single punch hole in the upper left corner. There is a power key on the right side of the phone, the left is for the volume rocker, and on the bottom, theres room for a 3.5mm audio jack, USB-C port, and a speaker grille. The battery will be 4,300 mAh, split into two 2,150 mAh cells to enable the fast charging speeds. While all these features are official, the phone also appeared at China Telecom with its memory configurations - 8/128 GB and 8/256 GB. The chipset will be MT6853V, which is the model number of the Mediatek Dimensity 720 5G. The last unknown is how much will the Reno4 SE cost - China Telecom has two price offerings, but they are likely placeholders because CNY2,999 (nearly $450) seems steep given the specs. Source (in Chinese) | Via 1 Via 2 New Delhi, Sep 15 : The Central government has taken a series of actions to prevent, control and mitigate the impact of Covid-19, the Parliament was told on Tuesday. In a written reply in the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare), Ashwini Kumar Choubey, said that India followed a "whole of Government" and "whole of society" approach. The Prime Minister, a high-level Group of Ministers (GoM), Cabinet Secretary, Committee of Secretaries and senior officers in the Health Ministry continue to monitor the public health response to Covid-19 in the country. "The public health actions were taken in a pre-emptive, pro-active, graded manner based on the evolving scenario. A number of travel advisories were issued restricting inflow of international travellers, till such time, commercial flights were suspended on March 23, 2020," Choubey said. Till then, a total of 15,24,266 passengers on 14,154 flights had been screened at these airports. Screening was also done at 12 major and 65 minor ports and land border crossings. In the initial part of the pandemic, India evacuated a large number of stranded passengers from then Covid-affected countries like China, Italy, Iran, Japan, Malaysia and again in the un-lockdown phase, a total of 12,43,176 passengers have been brought back. Noting that health is a state subject, Choubey said that the responsibility of engaging private hospitals for treating Covid cases is that of the state government. The Union Health Secretary has written to all states and UTs to engage private hospitals through mutually agreeable arrangements. Rates under PM-JAY and CGHS packages have been advised. The minister also said that the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) is conducting contact tracing through community surveillance. "In the earlier part of the pandemic, this was done for travel related cases and subsequently for cases being reported from community as a part of containment strategy," he said, adding that as on September 10, a total of about 40 lakh persons have been kept under surveillance. There are 1,697 laboratories conducting Covid-19 testing and India is testing about one million samples a day. A total of 5.4 crore samples have been tested so far, as on September 10. As on September 10, a total of 15,290 Covid treatment facilities with 13,14,171 dedicated isolation beds without O2 support have been created. Also, a total of 2,31,269 oxygen supported isolation beds and 62,694 ICU beds (including 32,241 ventilator beds). Guidelines on clinical management of Covid-19 have been issued and are being updated regularly. States are being supported in terms of supply of logistics. So far 1.39 crore PPE Kits, 3.42 crore N-95 masks, 10.84 crore tablets of Hydroxychloroquine and 29,779 ventilators and 1,02,400 oxygen cylinders have been supplied to states, UTs, and Central government hospitals so far. More than 30 vaccine candidates have been supported which are in different stages of development, 3 candidates are in advanced stage of Phase I,II,III trials and more than four are in advanced pre-clinical development stage. A National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for Covid-19 has been constituted on August 7, under the NITI Aayog and 13 clinical trials of repurposed drugs have been undertaken to build a portfolio of therapeutic options for Covid-19 patients. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) Families of most of the men killed have objected to the police accounts, including relatives of Kay, who died when an officer fired at the same time or nearly the same time that the 18-year-old was throwing a gun. His aunt has maintained that Kay was unarmed when the officer pulled the trigger, and demonstrators have called for the officer and police chief to be fired. A team of scientists led by a researcher at the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine is making strides to fight deadly metastatic breast cancer by combining nanotechnology with immunotherapy. Efstathios "Stathis" Karathanasis, an associate professor of biomedical engineering, is directing the novel technique--sending nanoparticles into the body to wake up "cold" tumors so they can be located and neutralized by immune cells. The team also includes researchers from Cleveland Clinic and Duke University. Nanotechnology manipulates matter at the nanoscale--microscopically at dimensions measured by nanometers or one-billionth of a meter--to create structures, devices and systems for medical and other uses. Immunotherapy uses drugs to help a patient's immune system fight cancer, as opposed to chemotherapy, which uses drugs to directly kill cancer cells, according to the National Cancer Institute (NCI). The NCI recently awarded a five-year, $3 million grant to Karathanasis and his team to continue their research, initially on animal models with an eye toward human trials. Much of the groundwork behind the project is described in a paper published in Cancer Research, the official journal of the American Association for Cancer Research. We believe our work shows that this combination of nanotechnology with cancer immunotherapy encompasses an inherent promise to treat the most hard-treat metastatic cancers. Our work has been to design a nanoparticle that triggers an activation of antigen-presenting cells in the tumor. Within a few weeks, the patient can have adapted T cells that recognize and fight the cancer." Efstathios "Stathis" Karathanasis, Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering Metastatic cancer problem Breast cancer is the second-leading cause of death from cancer in women in the United States (behind skin cancer), killing more than 42,000 a year; metastatic breast cancer will cause the vast majority of those deaths. Also called Stage IV Cancer, it is breast cancer that has spread to another part of the body, most commonly the liver, brain, bones, or lungs. Metastatic cancer cells are often considered stealth killers, "ticking time bombs that remain dormant until they emerge as incurable tumors," Karathanasis said. That means one of the most difficult aspects of diagnosing and treating metastatic breast cancer is that the cells often cannot be found until it is too late for successful treatment. "They are just sitting there, without dividing, or doing it so slowly that they cannot be detected or treated by any current therapy," Karathanasis said. And immunotherapy, while offering cancer patients new hope as the science continues to develop, is only successful about 20% of the time. "When immunotherapy works, it's highly effective by using our most potent weapon, our own immune system. But cancer cells hijack and recruit the local immune cells in tumors making them dysfunctional, unfortunately," Karathanasis said. "If there are no danger signals from the body, the immune system doesn't know there is an enemy." Nanotechnology solution Karathanasis, an engineer by training who began to work on nanotechnology solutions to medical problems about two decades ago, has devised a way to get the tumor to notify the body's innate immune system--and the other immunotherapeutic interventions--of its presence. Initially, when a tumor appears in the body, our immune cells should recognize it and send out cells to try to "kill the enemy" and also "memorize" it, so they can come back and kill it again in the case of tumor recurrence, Karathanasis said. But then, the tumor adapts and essentially goes undercover, repressing any immune cells, so that it cannot be found by the standard surveillance of the immune system. Karathanasis and his team have engineered a nanoparticle to "trigger the antigen-presenting cells in the tumor to start generating fresh signals," he said. The research team also includes: William Schieman, the Goodman-Blum Professor in Cancer Research, Case Western Reserve School of Medicine; Li Lily Wang, associate staff, Cleveland Clinic Lerner Research Institute; and Christopher Hoimes (Duke University School of Medicine). "We are taking a cold tumor and making it 'hot' again," Karathanasis said. "We are unlocking the immune system, which has been repressed by the tumor. We regenerate the cycle of immunity." COVID-19 may have caused most businesses in the hospitality sector to close earlier in the year, but that didnt stop Offaly duo Conor Leen and Stephen Flynn from continuing their efforts to work with local coffee shops and restaurants to fight hunger in the developing world. Stampify (www.stampify.ie) is a non-profit that allows users to swap loyalty stamps for meal donations. Their goal is to work with coffee shops and restaurants to create a sustainable solution to hunger and help create a world where no one is unsure of where their next meal will come from. Stampify initially launched a prototype paper loyalty card for charity in 2018 to test their concept. Conor Leen, Co-Founder and CEO of Stampify, came up with the idea when he encountered a homeless man on a cycle home after receiving a free burrito from a loyalty card I was struck by the inequality of the situation, I could have paid for the burrito and to be honest didnt realise it was free until I checked my loyalty card. However, there are people out there who are not as fortunate as I am and for whom that meal could mean a lot more The loyalty card for charity Stampify created works very similarly to traditional loyalty systems, where you collect stamps with every purchase and after a certain amount of purchases you receive a complimentary gift, but it does have some key differences. Stampify can be used across different businesses, and when you complete the card instead of receiving a complimentary gift as you would normally, the partner businesses makes a donation to charity. For every stamp you collect the business donates two meals to children in their place of education in the developing world. Our model is simple Buy one. Feed two. We want to make changing lives as easy as ordering a coffee said Conor Leen. To make this impact possible, Stampify partner with international aid charity Marys Meals to deliver meals to 19 countries across Africa, Asia, Latin America, Eastern Europe and the Caribbean. The paper loyalty card was a hit with customers and businesses alike, but after growing to over 100 locations the team realised that they needed a more scalable product. They decided to build an app that uses QR technology to allow users to collect stamps by scanning codes, and launched the app on March 7 in 30 locations. However just the following week Ireland went into lockdown due to COVID-19 and all of their partner businesses were forced to shut their doors. COVID-19 disrupted the launch of our app, and of course meant the supply of meals from our amazing partners was reduced as their businesses were forced the close. The timing couldnt have been worse said Stephen Flynn, Head of Operations. The Stampify team remained determined to build towards a brighter future, and used the downtime to apply for charitable status, upgrade the interface of the app, and prepare to relaunch. With restrictions recently relaxing in Ireland, the team have set up 5 businesses in Offaly with the Stampify app Conway and Co, The Foxy Bean, The Square Cafe, The Hairy Barber and The Bridge House. Not deterred by the obstacles they have faced, they are excited to start growing their social enterprise again. We have donated over 120,000 meals to children in the developing world in a little under two years. That has acted as a big motivator for us in continuing to work on Stampify despite all the obstacles we have faced. said Conor Leen. The Stampify app is available to download for free on iOS and Android devices. If you are a business who is interested in working with Stampify you can email info@stampify.ie for more information. Supplier News 15 September 2020 MARKHAM, Ontario - If you were planning on attending a hospitality event in 2020, chances are high that it was cancelled due to the ongoing pandemic. While this disruption in show business has been devastating to event planners and convention facilities, the advent of virtual events is quickly proving to be a lucrative alternative for everyone involved. The recent BITAC Independent Connect Virtual 2020, produced online Sept. 1 by, Hotel Interactive, is receiving rave reviews. Maestro PMS, the leader in cloud and on-premise property-management system solutions for independent hotels and luxury resorts, conference centers, vacation rentals, and multi-property groups, participated in the inaugural affair and was impressed with the number of connections made among managers and executive-level decision makers. If the success of this virtual event is any indication of things to come, Maestro Vice President Audrey MacRae said she can't wait to participate in future online conferences and tradeshows, such as CYBER HITEC, produced by Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP), scheduled to be LIVE, October 27 to 29, and on demand October 27 to November 29. "Initially we were hesitant to try a virtual event, but based on the reputation of the BITAC Independent Virtual 2020 organizers, our relationship with the same, and the value proposition from past events we attended, we gave it a try and we are so glad we did," MacRae said. "Although it was Hotel Interactive's first virtual event, it was extremely well organized and provided a good opportunity for one on one conversations in a live meeting setting with key decision makers. We will definitely be participating in more virtual BITACs." Now that Maestro has had a successful experience engaging with online buyers interested in learning more the company's many PMS models, MacRae said she is especially eager for CYBER HITEC, the world's largest hospitality technology conference that will feature sessions led by industry peers and experts, and an unparalleled expo showcasing the latest industry products and services from hundreds of companies. "The hospitality industry needs to keep abreast of technology more than ever, and events like the BITAC Virtual Series and CYBER HITEC will bring all of the top tier vendors to one central place for the market to peruse and evaluate more effectively as they enter their opening seasons and consider new ways to satisfy guests," she said. "These forums are ideal for identifying strong, flexible vendor partners such as Maestro that offer the latest innovations, provide free upgrades, support investment protection, and deliver a host of PMS deployment options to satisfy the diverse needs of operators. With such demand among travelers for contactless technologies today, these online events are critical and they are making it possible for us to bring our personalized and touchless mobile guest service tools to the market and showcase how operators can enhance the guest experience and deliver a safer stay." "Hoteliers are a tenacious group and combining technology with hospitality to improve the guest experience (or tradeshow) is a testament to the tenacity and strength of our industry during these challenging times," MacRae said. "It's exciting to see. While there is nothing that can compare to an in-person event they will not be replaced we must adjust to this temporary 'new normal' for now and forge ahead together." Future Virtual BITAC events include BITAC Casino Connect Virtual 2020 held today; BITAC Symposium Connect Virtual 2020 will be held Oct. 6; and BITAC Operations Connect Virtual 2020 will be held Oct. 13. CYBER HITEC Sneak Peek Safety and security are top of mind for hotel operators and vendors alike as they strive to protect their staff amidst today's challenging and ever-changing travel landscape. At CYBER HITEC, MacRae said Maestro will be showcasing solutions that place safety at the core of hotel operations, via: A curbside check-in tool utilizing mobile tablet devices to streamline registration while properly socially distancing staff from guests, and guests from each other. Integration to web/mobile/kiosk/iPad self check-in with mobile key, express mobile check-out, electronic reg card with signature capture, mobile spa provider schedule, mobile intake and waiver forms, and eSignature document management to limit staff interaction with guests and remove high-touch physical documents. A mobile housekeeping app that protects staff by controlling the availability of rooms and setting a 48-hour time gap between the time a guest departs and the next guest arrives. POS integration enabling new, customizable, mobile tableside ordering and payment platform to extend social distancing procedures to dining areas. Restaurant patrons can scan a QR code at the table to upload a digital menu, order meals, split the check, add a tip, and pay via their personal mobile devices or post charges directly to the hotel room. A Guest Engagement Measurement (GEM) tool that provides seamless, real-time integration with instant access to relevant guest feedback, intelligence and insights to encourage operational excellence, meaningful differentiation, and a sustainable competitive advantage. A workorder management module that supports the operational activities of the teams responsible for maintenance and repair yet limits staff exposure by scheduling repairs at times that are optimal for social distancing. "Shows like BITAC Virtual 2020 and CYBER HITEC are designed to help hoteliers and vendors connect globally around topics of interest that will help them reopen their hotels more successfully and meet the changing demands of travelers," MacRae said. "These events will facilitate networking through virtual booths, live webinars and chatrooms to simulate the traditional conference or tradeshow experience. We are excited that our first virtual experience was so positive, and we look forward to connecting online with our customers and peers in the weeks and months ahead." For more information on Maestro PMS, visit maestropms.com. Wolf, the fifth secretary President Donald Trump has named in charge of Americas homeland security, was in his role unlawfully, a federal judge wrote. Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf speaks during a July press conference in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Samuel Corum/Getty Images) A federal judge has ruled that Chad Wolf, acting secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, is likely serving in the role unlawfully. As a result, new asylum restrictions issued by the agency on his watch have been blocked. Maryland Judge Paula Xinis opined that former Acting Homeland Security Secretary Kevin McAleenans appointment was invalid under the agencys applicable order of succession, and so he lacked the authority to amend the order of succession to ensure Wolfs installation as Acting Secretary. Wolf is the fifth homeland security secretary President Donald Trump has named to the position. Read More: Michael Cohen says Trumps dislike of Obama purely racial A coalition of 20 state attorneys general and 10 cities and counties challenged his asylum restrictions, which would have required asylum seekers to wait a year before applying for employment authorization and prevent many from obtaining that authorization at all. Substantially limiting approval of work authorization for bona fide asylees will inevitably affect their ability to afford the costs of seeking asylum, including hiring legal counsel, Xinis wrote. New York Attorney General Letitia James called the decision welcome news for asylum seekers who were unfairly targeted by the Trump Administration. Read More: Crowd yells Lock him up directed at Obama during Trump rally President Trump announced in August that he would officially appoint Wolf to take over the role permanently. He has been the acting secretary since November 2019. McAleenan was the previous acting secretary, who took over the role when former Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen resigned. It is unclear how fast the nomination will proceed, if at all, given the short timeframe before the 2020 presidential election. Story continues Read More: Trump says hed negotiate a third term as president in 2024 Under Wolfs leadership, the Department of Homeland Security has played an active role in immigration issues and civil unrest in cities like Portland, where DHS officers were deployed despite opposition from local officials. It has also played a prominent role in the coronavirus pandemic response. The Department of Homeland Security was founded in 2002 in the aftermath of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, a federal agency largely focused on federal preparations to deal with terrorism and additional duties that include border security, customs and emergency management. Have you subscribed to theGrios Dear Culture podcast? Download our newest episodes now! The post Judge rules Chad Wolf unlawfully serving as DHS secretary, blocks Trump asylum restrictions appeared first on TheGrio. Pakistans parliament has extended by four months an ordinance that enables Indian death row prisoner Kulbhushan Jadhav to appeal his conviction in a high court, in accordance with a ruling of the International Court of Justice. The International Court of Justice (Review and Reconsideration) Ordinance, issued in May, was set to expire on September 17. It allows Jadhav, sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court over alleged espionage, to file an appeal against his conviction in the Islamabad high court. In August, the court had directed the government to inform India to appoint a lawyer for the former Indian Navy officer in order to file a review petition. The court on September 3 heard the case for the second time, and directed the government to give India another opportunity to appoint a lawyer to represent Jadhav. The case will now be heard in October. The direction came after the Attorney General for Pakistan Khalid Javed Khan informed the high courts larger bench comprising Chief Justice Athar Minallah, justices Aamer Farooq and Miangul Hassan Aurangzaib, that the Pakistan government had not yet received a reply from India on the matter. He said Jadhav had maintained that he does not want to take the benefit of the ordinance for an effective review of the case, and requested that his mercy plea, already pending before the Pakistan Army chief, be considered instead. He added that despite the passage of a month since the high court directed the government to offer another chance of legal representation to New Delhi, no reply had been received. On August 6, the court formed a three-member larger bench at the governments request to appoint a lawyer for Jadhav for his appeal against the death penalty. A special bench headed by Chief Justice Athar Minallah and Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb had directed the Registrars Office to form a larger bench in a written order. The court had also directed the government to make another offer to India and Jadhav through the foreign office to hire a lawyer. The court said in its order that it was refraining from appointing a lawyer for Jadhav. It added that the government of Pakistan should inform Jadhav about his rights under Article 36 of the Vienna Convention. The court further observed that Jadhav be informed about the decision of the ICJ, adding that he be made aware of his rights under the ordinance. Pakistan should also inform India of this court order, it added. Jadhav was arrested on March 3, 2016 in Balochistan on charges of espionage, and condemned to death by a military court the following year. On July 16, Pakistan provided consular access to Jadhav, but the Indian government said the access was neither meaningful nor credible and he appeared visibly under stress. The Ministry of External Affairs said Pakistan is not only in violation of the judgment of ICJ, which called for an effective review and reconsideration of the conviction and sentencing of Jadhav, but also of its own ordinance. Ministry spokesperson Anurag Srivastava had said that Pakistan systematically blocked all of Indias attempts to seek remedies for Jadhav. India approached the ICJ against Pakistan for denial of consular access to Jadhav and challenging the death sentence. The Hague-based court ruled last July that Pakistan must undertake an effective review and reconsideration of the conviction and sentence of Jadhav and also to grant consular access to India without further delay. (With inputs from Agencies) Nanadie Well Copper Project Divestment Complete Perth, Sep 15, 2020 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Horizon Minerals Limited ( ASX:HRZ ) is pleased to advise that the divestment of Horizon's interest in the Nanadie Well Copper project in the Murchison District has been completed.As announced to the ASX on 14 July 2020, the Company agreed to divest its 100% interest in the projects to Cyprium Metals Limited ( ASX:CYM ) ("Cyprium") for a total consideration of A$1.5 million in cash and shares (20 day VWAP basis) on the following terms:- A cash payment of $250,000 and $400,000 in Cyprium shares on completion- $350,000 in Cyprium shares 12 months from completion- $300,000 in Cyprium shares 24 months from completion- $200,000 in Cyprium shares on a decision to mine from the tenureAll conditions precedent including provision of signed transfers, all mining information and statutory consents have now been completed and the completion payment and share issue received from Cyprium.About Horizon Minerals Limited Horizon Minerals Limited (ASX:HRZ) is a gold exploration and mining company focussed on the Kalgoorlie and Menzies areas of Western Australia which are host to some of Australia's richest gold deposits. The Company is developing a mining pipeline of projects to generate cash and self-fund aggressive exploration, mine developments and further acquisitions. The Teal gold mine has been recently completed. Horizon is aiming to significantly grow its JORC-Compliant Mineral Resources, complete definitive feasibility studies on core high grade open cut and underground projects and build a sustainable development pipeline. Horizon has a number of joint ventures in place across multiple commodities and regions of Australia providing exposure to Vanadium, Copper, PGE's, Gold and Nickel/Cobalt. Our quality joint venture partners are earning in to our project areas by spending over $20 million over 5 years enabling focus on the gold business while maintaining upside leverage. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The National Hurricane Center on Monday issued advisories for five named storms moving through the Atlantic Ocean, which ties the record for the most number of tropical cyclones in the area at one time last set in September 1971. Its a pretty significant event there to have that many storms all kind of turning around at the same time out there, said Accuweather Senior Meteorologist Carl Erickson. Hurricane Sally, currently a Category-1 storm in the northern Gulf of Mexico, is expected to intensify to a Category-2 as it makes landfall, likely tomorrow near the coast of Mississippi. The effects of that storm are already being felt along the Gulf Coast with gusty winds and rain, though the weather there will go downhill there over the next 12 to 24 hours, Erickson said. This years hurricane season has set numerous records, and AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Randy Adkins previously said this year is shaping up to be certainly a top-10 hurricane season with a good chance to be top-five. Hurricane Paulette did bring some strong winds and heavy rainfall to Bermuda last night and today; however, it is now turning the corner and will move to the north-Atlantic and is not a threat to the United States coast, according to Erickson. Rene, a tropical depression, is nearly stationary in the mid-Atlantic as of the National Hurricane Centers Monday morning forecast. Erickson said Rene is kind of falling apart and could dissipate later tonight bringing the number of storms in the Atlantic basin down to four. Moving off of the African coast, Tropical Storm Vicky is expected to be short lived, Erickson said, and will likely weaken over the next 24 hours. Tropical Storm Teddy, however, is expected to really ramp up and become a major hurricane, though its track is not likely to come into contact with much landfall. It may come close to Bermuda over the next five to seven days, Erickson said, but appears to be heading towards the open Atlantic. Even though theres five out there right now, the one thats the main concern is Sally the other four, they just totally missed the U.S.," Erickson said. Two other tropical disturbances one in the Gulf of Mexico and the other off the coast of Africa are also being monitored by the National Hurricane Center. We are issuing advisories on five tropical cyclones over the Atlantic basin. This ties the record for the most number of tropical cyclones in that basin at one time, last set in Sept 1971. See https://t.co/tW4KeFW0gB for the latest updates. #Paulette #Rene #Sally #Teddy #Vicky pic.twitter.com/K32RyJBqbo National Hurricane Center (@NHC_Atlantic) September 14, 2020 Forecasters and researchers previously predicted an active 2020 hurricane season, and this years season got off to a blistering pace, as the Atlantic saw about double the typical number of named storms by early August something researchers have not seen in recorded history, said Senior Meteorologist Dan Kottlowski at the time. Sea surface temperatures averaged across portions of the tropical Atlantic are somewhat above normal, a Colorado State University report said, while the subtropical Atlantic is much warmer than average contributing to favorable conditions for hurricanes. While the peak of the hurricane season is behind the Atlantic basin, Erickson said, the overall pattern at least over the next week or so still will allow for these storms to kind of generate and continue to blossom. However, as the calendar moves towards the fall months and wind shear increases over the Atlantic tearing apart potential formations the numbers of storms is expected to diminish. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will use his annual address to world leaders next week to push for a global ceasefire until the end of 2020 so countries can fight the coronavirus pandemic, but he said opportunities will be lost because presidents and prime ministers are not physically in New York. Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin had been expected to make rare appearances at U.N. headquarters to help mark the 75th anniversary of the 193-member world body. The pandemic means, however, that the two are among some 170 heads of state and government due to make video statements during the week-long meeting starting on September 22. US President Donald Trump is the only leader considering delivering his address in person on the first day, when Guterres will also deliver his address in person. The gathering to mark the start of a new session of the General Assembly has previously been dubbed diplomatic speed dating by some officials due to the hundreds of meetings that traditionally happen on the sidelines. "It is obvious that diplomacy depends a lot on human contact. And so we will have a loss because of that, especially for what is my first priority at the present moment ... the implementation of the global ceasefire," Guterres told Reuters on Monday at the United Nations. `SIGNALS OF HOPE` Since the first call for the ceasefire in March as the coronavirus spread, Guterres said there had already been some "positive signals" with peace deals in Sudan, the start of talks between Afghanistan`s government and the Taliban, a lull in violence in places like Syria, Libya and Ukraine and "intense negotiations" on a truce to lead to talks in Yemen. "There are signals of hope, but we need to mobilize the whole of the international community to make this global ceasefire be a reality until the end of the year," said Guterres, a former prime minister of Portugal who began a five-year term as U.N. chief in 2017. Guterres said a global ceasefire would boost efforts to contain COVID-19 and help create conditions for a coordinated, sustainable, inclusive recovery from the pandemic. He initially called for a global truce on March 23, but it took the 15-member U.N. Security Council more than three months to formally support his call because of a standoff between the United States and China. Washington did not want the resolution to reference the World Health Organization, while Beijing did. `MOMENT OF TRUTH` Simmering tensions between the United States and China have boiled over during the pandemic as Washington blames Beijing a lack of transparency that contributed to the global spread of COVID-19, which emerged in the Chinese city of Wuhan last year. Globally there have been nearly 30 million novel coronavirus infections and more than 900,000 deaths, according to a Reuters tally. As the United Nations marks 75 years since it was established after World War Two - to prevent a similar conflict from occurring again - Guterres said multilateralism needed to reform to better reflect the world today. "If ... in this moment of truth, we are able to do the reforms necessary to have a truly net-worth multilateralism and a truly inclusive multilateralism, I do believe that multilateralism will prevail and that nationalism, populism that is spreading will, in the end, fail," he said. He said the pandemic and issues such as climate change, lawlessness in cyberspace and renewed nuclear proliferation show "it is clear that the world is very fragile." Guterres added: "My hope is that, in the present moment, leaders will be humble enough to recognize our fragility and to understand that we need unity, solidarity and international cooperation." WASHINGTON - Democrat Joe Biden is assembling a team of top lawyers in anticipation of court challenges to the election process that could ultimately determine who wins the race for the White House. Bidens presidential campaign says the legal war room will work to ensure that elections are properly administered and votes correctly counted. It will also seek to combat voter suppression at the polls, identify foreign interference and misinformation, and educate voters on the different methods available for casting ballots. The effort, which the Biden campaign described as the largest election protection program in presidential campaign history, reflects the extent of the preparation underway for an already divisive presidential contest in November that could produce significant, perhaps even decisive, court cases over voter access and the legitimacy of mail ballots. Democrats and Republicans are locked in legal fights on election rules that could help shape the outcome of the vote, and President Donald Trumps campaign has its own attorneys handling cases on a variety of issues. Trump in recent months has sought to preemptively cast doubt on the election, warning that the expected surge in mail ballots because of the coronavirus pandemic will lead to massive fraud and could open the door to foreign countries to print their own fraudulent ballots. Notwithstanding Donald Trump and his Republican allies hollow threats and constant misinformation, election officials around the country are working tirelessly to hold a free and fair and election, and we have an extraordinary national team in place to ensure that every eligible voter is able to exercise their right to vote and have their vote counted, Bob Bauer, a senior adviser to the Biden campaign and former White House counsel to President Barack Obama, said in a statement. Bauer, who served as general counsel to the Obama campaigns of 2008 and 2012, will work with campaign general counsel Dana Remus on voter protection an issue that thousands of Democratic lawyers around the country are also engaged in, according to the Biden campaign. The campaign is also creating a special national litigation team involving hundreds of lawyers that will include as leaders Walter Dellinger, a solicitor general in the Clinton administration, and Donald Verrilli, a solicitor general under Obama. Democratic lawyer Marc Elias and a team of lawyers from his firm, Perkins Coie, will focus on protecting voter access and ensuring a fair and accurate vote count. Former Attorney General Eric Holder will also play an outreach role on the question of voting rights, according to the campaign. We can and will be able to hold a free and fair election this November and were putting in place an unprecedented voter protection effort with thousands of lawyers and volunteers around the country to ensure that voting goes smoothly, Remus said in a statement. The Trump campaign issued a statement from deputy manager Justin Clark saying that as Democrats continue their push to weaken reasonable rules preventing fraud like voter ID and signature matching President Trump and his campaign will continue to protect the integrity of the vote. Our team will continue to fight every day in the courtroom and on the ground to make sure that every eligible voter has the right to vote and that their vote is counted once, Clark said. The New York Times reported on the legal war room initiative earlier Monday. ___ Follow Eric Tucker on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/etuckerAP Watch: Duke and Duchess of Cambridge visit London Bridge Jobcentre to meet those impacted by COVID-19 Prince William and Kate took part in their first joint engagements since their summer break, donning masks and practicing social distancing in East London. The couple visited an iconic East London bagel shop at the end of a day of engagements in the capital, where they dropped into a job centre and a mosque. The duke and duchess first visited a job centre in London Bridge, where they spoke to people being helped back into work as lockdown eases. They then went to the East London Mosque and London Muslim Centre in Whitechapel where they heard about how volunteers had been helping to deliver warm meals, food and hygiene packs and medication to vulnerable members of the community. As they ended the day at Beigel Bake in Londons Brick Lane, William encountered a problem facing many Brits as he struggled to be understood and had to repeat himself as he chatted to the shops staff about supply chain issues through the pandemic. Royal editor Emily Andrews, who accompanied them on the trip, tweeted: It is quite difficult to have conversations through these masks, but Kate & William are definitely trying at the Beigel Bake Brick Lane Bakery! The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge during a visit to the East London Mosque where they chatted to volunteers who cooked and delivered meals to vulnerable members of the community during the pandemic. (PA) William has an animated chat during the visit to the job centre in London Bridge. (AFP) Kate laughs as William chats to the employers and customers about the impact of lockdown. (AFP) Read more: William and Kate share throwback photo to wish Prince Harry a happy birthday William and Kate, who have moved back down south from their home in Norfolk, also visited a job centre, and a mosque as they spoke to Londoners about how they had coped during the coronavirus lockdown. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge had been in Anmer Hall, their home on the Sandringham Estate, since March, but probably moved back when Prince George and Princess Charlotte were due back at school at Thomass Battersea. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge spoke to volunteers at the East London Mosque about the help they provided to the community. (PA) The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge made sure to follow social distancing rules where they didn't need to wear their coverings. (PA) Video: It is quite difficult to have conversations through these masks, but Kate & William are definitely trying at the Beigel Bake Brick Lane Bakery! pic.twitter.com/WAZvJ1Z6B3 Emily Andrews (@byEmilyAndrews) September 15, 2020 Read more: Prince William jokes about relief as Prince George and Princess Charlotte go back to school Story continues While at the Islamic Centre, they met people who have benefitted from funds from the National Emergencies Trust, of which William is a patron. It was through the NET that William, 38, made the first royal statement about the coronavirus pandemic in March. The final trip of the day was to Beigel Bake Brick Lane Bakery, a 24-hour bagel shop well known in East London. The couple helped shape and shift some of the dough for the iconic treat, and heard about how the shop had to reduce its hours during the pandemic, and how that impacted their staff. Watch: William and Kate visit famous East London bakery and help make bagels The duchess got stuck into helping to make the beigels. (AFP) William and Kate help make beigels during a visit to Beigel Bake Brick Lane Bakery in east London (AFP) They used hand sanitiser before they got stuck in. (AFP) Kate, 38, was wearing a red Beulah dress for the engagement, and tan heels. She and William also wore face coverings and observed social distancing. The dress has been worn on a couple of occasions recently by the duchess, including in May when she and William were part of the mental health minute, that saw them take over radio stations across the UK. William and Kate are beginning to step up in person visits after a summer carrying out engagements online because of restrictions on travel and the number of people allowed to gather. The Duchess of Cambridge wore a red Beulah dress which she has worn on a number of occasions. (PA) The Duchess of Cambridge wore her hair loose during the trip around the capital. (PA) The details of their engagements are being embargoed so that crowds dont gather to see them. William went to Belfast last week to meet some of Northern Irelands emergency workers, but Kate did not travel with him. This is their first joint in-person engagement since their summer break. Watch: How to wear a face covering comfortably Stock Market SPY Expectations For The Rest Of September RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: Over the past 28 years, the SPY has gained an average of 3.45% in 15 of those years; it has fallen by 6.42% in the other 13 years. The critical support level for SPY is 332.85. If the SPY finds support at this level then you can expect continued, moderate price increases. Prepare for a moderate increase in volatility for the rest of September watch the VIX. My research team and I have been pouring over the charts in an effort to attempt to identify any support or weakness related to the increase in volatility over the past 7+ trading days. The VIX is currently at 29.71 after reaching a high of 38.28. We believe the increased price volatility is here to stay at least through the end of 2020. This means skilled technical traders should prepare for some potentially large and aggressive price swings over the next few weeks and months. SEPTEMBER 11 AND HISTORICAL PRICE MODELING As we come to September 11, 2020, and reflect on the 9/11 terrorist attacks, we become more centered on what really matters in life for most of us family, friends, health, safety, and opportunity. Even though we near a potential rotation in the market, we must never lose focus on these most essential components of our lives. Money, trading, and investing are all things that can be regained and rebuilt. Time, family, friends, community, security, and health are either impossible or extremely difficult to recover, so always keep your eye on the true prize. Now, onto the technical analysis work September has traditionally been a moderately weak month of trading over the past 28 years. Over this span of time, 15 of the 28 years resulted in positive price activity on the SPY averaging +3.45%. The remaining 13 of these 28 years resulted in negative price activity on the SPY averaging -6.42%. This suggests that nearly 53% of the past 28 years have resulted in a moderate upside price move on the SPY while 47% of the time, the SPY moved lower by a greater magnitude. Our data mining application reported the following results for the month of September going back over 28 years of data: ========================================================= Largest Monthly gain: +8.819999999999993 Largest Monthly loss: -15.420000000000016 Total Monthly Gains: 51.75497000000003 across 15 bars Avg = 3.45 Total Monthly Losses: -83.43061999999998 across 13 bars Avg = -6.42 Total Monthly Sum: -31.675649999999948 across 28 bars ========================================================= Because the negative price activity is larger in scope than the positive price activity, we believe any downside price move in the month of September could be more aggressive, especially given the increased VIX/volatility we are currently seeing. Thus, any big breakdown in the SPY, below the recent lows near 332.85, could cascade into larger price declines. Before you continue, be sure to opt-in to our free-market trend signalsnow so you dont miss our next special report! The technicals show a bullish trend for the markets with current price weakness to be shallow and weak, however, we remain cautious and a deeper price breakdown could quickly change the trend and our forward expectations. We have been warning for months that 2020 and 2021 should be full of wild price swings and big trends yet we believe the current upside price trend is still intact and the recent downside price rotation is nothing more than a moderate price correction. The Daily SPY chart below highlights the current support levels near 332.85 that are critical to continued Fibonacci support. A breakdown below this 332.85 price level suggests deeper Fibonacci support levels may become new targets in the near future. These lower targets are currently near 270.40 and 234.85. Again, to be very clear, we are still technically in a Bullish price trend from a purely technical perspective. We are cautious of the fragility of this upside/Bullish price trend and believe some price volatility is warranted after the past 5+ months of an upside price rally. Currently, our Adaptive Fibonacci Price Modeling system is suggesting the 332.85 level is critical price support. We need to see this level hold in order for price to recover to the upside fairly quickly. In summary, be thankful for all that you do have in your life right now as we remember our fallen heros from 9/11. You must also be prepared for a potentially wild September month as historical price activity has shown that September can result in either a moderate upside price move or a much bigger downside price trend. Given the past price rally and the current start to September 2020, watch the support levels closely and be prepared for increased volatility. If you look back at my past research, you will see that my incredible team and our proprietary technical analysis tools have accurately shown you what to expect from the market days, weeks, and months down the road. Do you want to now learn how to profit from the expected volatility and the big moves that company volatility? If so, sign up for the Technical Trader to get my Active ETF Swing Trade Signals today! You should also make sure you protect your buy-and-hold or retirement account with our long-term technical bull/bear signals and alerts as to when to buy and sell equities, bonds, precious metals, or sit in cash. Subscribe to the Technical Investor to get my Passive Long-Term ETF Investing Signals to stay ahead of the market and protect your wealth! Chris Vermeulen www.TheTechnicalTraders.com Chris Vermeulen has been involved in the markets since 1997 and is the founder of Technical Traders Ltd. He is an internationally recognized technical analyst, trader, and is the author of the book: 7 Steps to Win With Logic Through years of research, trading and helping individual traders around the world. He learned that many traders have great trading ideas, but they lack one thing, they struggle to execute trades in a systematic way for consistent results. Chris helps educate traders with a three-hour video course that can change your trading results for the better. His mission is to help his clients boost their trading performance while reducing market exposure and portfolio volatility. He is a regular speaker on HoweStreet.com, and the FinancialSurvivorNetwork radio shows. Chris was also featured on the cover of AmalgaTrader Magazine, and contributes articles to several leading financial hubs like MarketOracle.co.uk Disclaimer: Nothing in this report should be construed as a solicitation to buy or sell any securities mentioned. Technical Traders Ltd., its owners and the author of this report are not registered broker-dealers or financial advisors. Before investing in any securities, you should consult with your financial advisor and a registered broker-dealer. Never make an investment based solely on what you read in an online or printed report, including this report, especially if the investment involves a small, thinly-traded company that isnt well known. Technical Traders Ltd. and the author of this report has been paid by Cardiff Energy Corp. In addition, the author owns shares of Cardiff Energy Corp. and would also benefit from volume and price appreciation of its stock. The information provided here within should not be construed as a financial analysis but rather as an advertisement. The authors views and opinions regarding the companies featured in reports are his own views and are based on information that he has researched independently and has received, which the author assumes to be reliable. Technical Traders Ltd. and the author of this report do not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any content of this report, nor its fitness for any particular purpose. Lastly, the author does not guarantee that any of the companies mentioned in the reports will perform as expected, and any comparisons made to other companies may not be valid or come into effect. Chris Vermeulen Archive 2005-2019 http://www.MarketOracle.co.uk - The Market Oracle is a FREE Daily Financial Markets Analysis & Forecasting online publication. The Indian government is reportedly planning to introduce a new law to ban trading in cryptocurrencies. Bloomberg reported the news on Tuesday, citing "people familiar with the development." India's union cabinet, or the council of ministers, is said to be discussing the crypto bill "shortly" before sending it to Parliament. Subramanian Swamy, a member of Parliament in Rajya Sabha, the Indian Parliament's upper house, told The Block that he has not heard of the crypto ban bill being introduced. "It will be madness if they do," said Swamy. Indian lawmakers have returned to Parliament for the first time since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. The Parliament's monsoon session began yesterday and will run through October 1. Today's report appears to be in line with news from June, which said India's finance ministry is said to be seeking inter-ministerial consultations on the crypto ban. Legal and regulatory experts told The Block at the time that if discussions happen, the process would be long and take time. Update (September 16): This story has been updated to include comments from Subramanian Swamy, a member of the Indian Parliament. 2020 The Block Crypto, Inc. All Rights Reserved. This article is provided for informational purposes only. It is not offered or intended to be used as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice. Schools across the country have been shut since March 24 when the lockdown was imposed in wake of Covid-19 spread. Since then, students have neither been able to step into their school premises nor many of them have access to infrastructures for online classes. As the distance teaching-learning is not that easy for all, it has hinted that the entire academic session might just go in vain. Today, everyone is concerned about how students could be encouraged to study, how they can save the session from going to waste, and how to make distance learning more effective. Recently, Onlinekhabar talked to Teach for Nepal co-founder Shishir Khanal to address such concerns. Khanals nonprofit organisation has been mobilising its staff at various government schools across the country to assist local teachers. Excerpts: How do you think students have been exposed to distance education amid the Covid-19 crisis? It cannot be denied that online classes with two-way communication are more effective. Teachers can give attention to weaker students and teach them accordingly. It is better in comparison to educating people via radio and television with their one-way approach. But online classes, even in private schools, are not as smooth as hyped in the media. When the lockdown was imposed, we conducted a survey and it did not support that online classes were possible. Interestingly, over 90 per cent of people had mobile phones whereas 50 per cent had a radio. But, only three to four per cent of students had internet access. Among the cities (as categorised by the government), in the Tulsipur sub-metropolitan city of Dang, 98/99 per cent of households had mobile phones, among which 50-55 per cent were smartphones. But, in a community school there, only six per cent had internet access. In comparison, we can imagine the state of rural villages and clearly see the disparity. Photo: Unsplash./ Nikhita S Even if we manage to get the pandemic in control immediately, it seems half the academic session will go to waste. If such a situation comes to be, what will be the results? At the policy level, a student letting a year go to waste means the state losing NRs nine million. The lockdown will directly affect our nations economy. There will be longer effects on academic activities too. For example, if a first grader has to repeat the class, there will be no seat for a new student. This will hinder the primary child development process of a student. There might even be a stage where schools might say they will not take admission until the Covid-19 situation is solved. However, we should take it as an opportunity rather than thinking it is a loss of the academic year, and work on our foundation. Can you elaborate on how we can capitalise on the pandemic to work on our foundation? In Tulsipur, we worked with 28,000 students and taught them numeracy and literacy. During that time, we analysed if the eighth graders could solve grade-three maths, English, and Nepali exercises. We found that only 20 per cent knew how to divide. And, their Nepali was good, but their base for English was weak. Students of 15-16 years of age were struggling to read stories from grade-three books. They lacked the vocabulary and an understanding of social studies. Because of these reasons, in comparison to private schools, community schools have poor SEE and grade 12 results. We found that the problems lie in their foundation. When we do not invest in their early years, the problems become evident later, for example failing classes and dropping out, regardless of the hard work we put in. It is a bitter truth that teachers lack teaching skills even in physical classes, not just online now. So, during this pandemic, we must focus on building a good foundation and work on their mathematical and language skills for a progressive future. We have to instil eagerness to learn in them and expand their imagination. It may be through stories, poems, or essays. Once the reading habit sets, one can read anything and understand their lessons accordingly. That seems like a theoretical idea. What can we do to increase the practical learning approach? I insist on theoretical and practical learning. With Covid-19, teachers should now reach the community level to teach. Because of Covid-19, colleges are closed and we can utilise college students time by making them busy in teaching their juniors in their community. I think they would be willing to do so. We can make use of patios, courtyards, temples, etc. and utilise it as a two-way learning approach which will be better than long-distance learning. We are now being overwhelmed about the nine million school students. So, why should not the local governments take initiative to work with the students locally? The federal system we have should be put to use. And if people are to teach 15-20 students in turns, it is possible and effective. Or, they can be called in a school as well with one student per bench, that means just 20 per cent of them at a time, and two/three days per week. Or, the same can be worked out in small groups based on their grades and levels of understanding. It is good for foundation building. Photo: Unsplash/ Jason Sung What are the possibilities that one can maintain precautionary measures in schools so as to protect everyone from the virus? There are many districts with zero infection. I only found out after I stepped out of Kathmandu that life is going on normally. It is unfair that only the schools are closed. I am also not saying that there is no threat, that we should open right away. But if the vaccine is not found, which may be another year or two, we cannot shut the schools till then. The suggested alternative teaching method already seems to be failing. We should open schools following the precautionary measures. Many ward leaders I have met say there is no infection in their wards. Any outsider is obligated to stay in quarantine for 14 days. I stayed in quarantine when I visited Nawalparasi; the family understood the risk and followed the guidelines strictly. So it is possible that we can manage community-level teaching-learning; we do not have to stop it completely. Along with the guidelines by the World Health Organisation, the schools have to sanitise the premises daily, maintain distance, and wear masks. If not the families, the schools and if not the schools, the municipalities have to take responsibility for managing soap, water, and sanitiser to resume schools. The government has paid for health workers insurance, and they should do the same for teachers as well. Tulsipur has set an example. What should be the role of the federal government to not let the academic session go to waste? The government has announced to mobilise 6,000 youth in various programmes this year. With our experience, we can say that youth mobilisation is more effective. But, we should select only the skilled youth to teach and train them properly to get the desired results. Teach for Nepal is ready to participate in the initiative as well and share our experiences. But, the government should come forward willingly for the purpose. Distance education is a better choice than sitting idle during the prohibitory period. But, our research shows there is limited access among students and the approach is ineffective. So, we should continue teaching locally. Along with Covid-19 response, the education sector has also been Kathmandu-centric. Out of 753 municipalities, the majority do not have any case or it is minimal. But, students are being deprived of education. To take the example of Tulsipur, there are 78 total cases with 65 recoveries. Because of the 13 active cases, about 40,000 students are being deprived of education. Why should not the teachers be allowed to go to villages? Should education in places like Dolpa, Humla, Jumla, Mugu, Mustang, or Solukhumbu be stopped based on the cases seen in Kathmandu, Birgunj, or Biratnagar? The decision of Taplejung should not be made in cubicles inside Singhadurbar. Education should resume in places where the infection is zero. In places where there is a low infection, resume education partially. If there is a risk, the municipalities can shut the schools immediately. Marion Moses, who as a trusted aide to the farm workers leader Cesar Chavez promoted a nationwide boycott of table grapes and helped create a health care system for impoverished grape pickers, died on Aug. 28 in San Francisco. She was 84. The cause was heart failure and renal failure, her brother Maron Moses said. Dr. Moses met Chavez in 1965 at a church near the University of California, Berkeley, where she was pursuing a masters degree in English, and was struck by what she described as his strong moral force. A month earlier, Chavez had led around 1,700 farm workers and their families in his fledgling union to strike against grape growers in California. Dr. Moses soon traveled to Chavezs headquarters in Delano, a small city in the heart of Californias table-grape region. At the time, farm workers wages in California averaged less than $1.20 an hour (less than $10 an hour in todays money). Dr. Moses found that the grape pickers lacked running water and toilets, were excluded from health safety labor laws, could be fired at will, and got no overtime or vacations. Union volunteers such as Dr. Moses, much like the workers, lived in impoverished circumstances, and they earned even less: $5 a week in addition to room and board. Dr. Moses started out sleeping on a farmworkers floor. By 5:30 a.m., she was on the picket line. A smartphone with the Tik Tok logo is seen in front of a displayed Oracle logo in this illustration taken, Septemeber 14, 2020. Approval of Oracle's deal to become a "trusted technology provider" for ByteDance's TikTok will be announced on Tuesday afternoon, CNBC's Jim Cramer reported. A source familiar with the matter later confirmed to CNBC's Eamon Javers that a decision could come Tuesday. Oracle confirmed Monday it had struck a deal with the popular video-sharing app's Chinese parent company. Oracle had been a dark horse in the competition over TikTok, with Microsoft emerging as the first known bidder with Walmart later joining its offer. But ByteDance rejected Microsoft's bid to buy TikTok's U.S. assets, Microsoft confirmed Sunday. Oracle's plans to become a "trusted technology provider" for TikTok falls short of President Donald Trump's demand for a full acquisition of the company's U.S. business. That could make the deal trickier to gain support from U.S. officials who still must approve it, though could assuage some concerns from Chinese officials about a forced sale. Oracle's leadership has maintained a close relationship with the Trump administration, however, with CEO Safra Catz previously taking part in Trump's transition team and Chairman Larry Ellison hosting a fundraiser for Trump's reelection campaign earlier this year. The president threatened to ban TikTok from the U.S. if it did not reach a deal to sell its U.S. business in a way that resolved national security concerns with the app. Government leaders across the political spectrum have expressed concern that Chinese officials could access data from U.S. users through the app's Chinese parent company, though TikTok has repeatedly denied this accusation and no evidence that such data has been accessed has been made public. An executive order that would effectively ban the TikTok app is set to go into effect on Sunday, though approval of the deal could resolve concerns before then. Subscribe to CNBC on YouTube. WATCH: Cramer on Oracle-TikTok partnership: 'I think there's a deal as soon as today' The global big data services market size is expected to grow by USD 64.27 billion during 2020-2024. The report also provides the market impact and new opportunities created due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We expect the impact to be significant in the first quarter but gradually lessen in subsequent quarters with a limited impact on the full-year economic growth. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200915005548/en/ Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global Big Data Services Market 2020-2024 (Graphic: Business Wire) Request challenges and opportunities influenced by COVID-19 pandemic Request a Free Sample Report on COVID-19 Impacts There is an explosion of data volumes with the creation of more data since 2014 than ever before in history. Enterprise applications are generating large volumes of data, and this will continue throughout the forecast period and beyond. Large volumes of data are also being generated from many other sources such as the Internet, mobile devices, and social media. This increasing volume of data through various channels and sources has compelled organizations to implement big data analytics. Big data analytics helps organizations transform unstructured and semi-structured data into structured and meaningful data while also resulting in cost-savings. Big data analytics retrieves and analyzes data to discover significant weaknesses, develop indicator patterns to identify opportunities and threats, and optimize business decisions. Thus, the growing volume of data is expected to drive the big data services market growth. To learn more about the global trends impacting the future of market research, download a free sample: https://www.technavio.com/talk-to-us?report=IRTNTR44961 As per Technavio, the increased importance for big data in social media marketing will have a positive impact on the market and contribute to its growth significantly over the forecast period. This research report also analyzes other significant trends and market drivers that will influence market growth over 2020-2024. Big Data Services Market: Increased Importance of Big Data in Social Media Marketing The intensifying competition and changing customer behavior has compelled organizations to rely on social media as an important tool for digital marketing and content strategy. Social media platforms and social networking sites are generating a huge volume of data, and this is expected to continue to grow in the future as well. The growth of social media has increased customer expectations. To meet customer expectations, companies should derive key insights on the generated data. This data is analyzed using big data technologies to make critical business decisions. Big data technologies also help organizations to optimize their business decisions, discover a noteworthy weakness, and develop patterns to identify opportunities and threats for businesses. Thus, the importance of big data in social media marketing is expected to drive the big data services market growth. "Other factors such as the growing demand for predictive analytics, and the increasing importance of big data in IoT will have a significant impact on the growth of the big data services market value during the forecast period," says a senior analyst at Technavio. Register for a free trial today and gain instant access to 17,000+ market research reports Technavio's SUBSCRIPTION platform Big Data Services Market: Segmentation Analysis This market research report segments the big data services market by end-user (BFSI, telecom, retail, and others) and geography (North America, Europe, APAC, South America, and MEA). The North American region led the big data services market share in 2019, followed by Europe, APAC, South America, and MEA respectively. During the forecast period, the North American region is expected to register the highest incremental growth due to the rise in data generation across various industries resulting from the recent digital transformation across industries. Technavio's sample reports are free of charge and contain multiple sections of the report, such as the market size and forecast, drivers, challenges, trends, and more. Request a free sample report Some of the key topics covered in the report include: Market Drivers Market Challenges Market Trends Vendor Landscape Vendors covered Vendor classification Market positioning of vendors Competitive scenario About Technavio Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focuses on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200915005548/en/ Contacts: Technavio Research Jesse Maida Media Marketing Executive US: +1 844 364 1100 UK: +44 203 893 3200 Email: media@technavio.com Website: www.technavio.com/ BAKU, Azerbaijan, Sept. 15 Trend: Message from President Ilham Aliyev on the start of a new school year and Knowledge Day: "Dear teachers and students! I sincerely congratulate you on the start of a new academic year. This year, the new school year begins in new conditions, during a pandemic. With this in mind, the new academic year will be organized in a new format. Our main goal is to protect the Azerbaijani people from this misfortune and all the decisions made pursue this very goal," the Azerbaijani president said. "I must note that Azerbaijan, having taken very prompt action from the first days of the pandemic, has been able to save our people from major troubles. As you know, since the beginning of March, all schools, universities and other educational institutions were closed and the main goal of that was to protect children and adolescents from illness. Naturally, this has had an adverse impact on the sphere of education. However, I believe that as a result of the measures taken, we have managed to prevent a significant part of the negative consequences of the pandemic in education. I am sure that the new academic year, which begins in the new circumstances, will be successful, that all our pupils and students will receive good knowledge and teachers will fulfill their official duties with dignity," President Ilham Aliyev said. "We are currently preparing for a post-pandemic period. Of course, after the vaccine is received, we will be able to say that this period is over. As you know, Azerbaijan is currently in talks with several companies in connection with the delivery of the vaccine to our country. Of course, the developed vaccine must pass all stages of testing and receive international certificates. After that, the vaccine will be delivered to Azerbaijan and then, I am sure, we will be able to return to normal, ordinary life, including the restoration of the traditional educational process in the field of education," the head of state said. "Despite the consequences of the pandemic, the economic downturn and the reduction of oil revenues, we continue to build schools and universities. This includes the fact that not a single social project has been cut. As you know, in 2019 and 2020 we provided citizens with a large social package. This year the state provided support to almost 5 million citizens of Azerbaijan, and this support continues to this day," the Azerbaijani president said. "As for the construction of schools, I can say that 147 schools are to be built this year. Most of them have already been built and made ready for the Day of Knowledge. Several schools are to be opened before the end of this year. I should also note that 45 out of 147 schools were built on the initiative of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation. For 17 years now, the Heydar Aliyev Foundation has been doing a lot of work in this area. As you know, the construction of new schools in Azerbaijan has gained momentum within the framework of the New School for a Renewing Azerbaijan program launched by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation," the head of state noted. "In the last two to three years, we have been building modular schools in small villages. This year, the construction of 60 modular schools will be provided. Thus, about 150 schools are being built and overhauled in just one year. I should also mention that over the past 17 years, almost 3,700 schools have been built and overhauled in Azerbaijan. This constitutes the overwhelming majority of our school fund, because there are currently about 4,500 schools in Azerbaijan, of which 3,700 have received a completely new appearance and have been rebuilt,"President Ilham Aliyev added. "At the same time, the construction of buildings for higher educational institutions was ensured this year. In June, I attended the commissioning of a new building for Ganja State Agrarian University in Ganja. The area of this building is 22,000 square meters. In September, a new building of the Azerbaijan State Economic University was put into operation. The area of this building is 13,000 square meters. Two new ADA buildings were commissioned and their area is 35,000 square meters. Thus, in just a year, new buildings of three universities with an area of 70,000 square meters have been built. This, of course, requires major funds, and we allocate them because the funds allocated for education are funds allocated for the future. Back in 2004, I said that we need to turn black gold into human capital, and we did this. Not only has the material and technical infrastructure of education been strengthened in Azerbaijan in recent years and all our higher educational institutions are based in renovated buildings today, but also the quality of education has improved. This is a very important issue and we see it in various areas. Our schools occupy high places in international Olympiads and become winners of the Olympiads. I can say that interest in the teaching profession has been restored and is growing, and this is manifested in numbers. Every year, more and more young people choose the teaching profession. Many of our young people scoring high results in entrance exams want to become teachers because the working conditions of teachers have improved, they work in excellent schools and universities, their salaries have been increased, and teachers passing a diagnostic evaluation receive high salaries. Of course, this justifies young peoples desire to become teachers," said the president. "In addition, the teaching profession has always been one of the most respected professions in Azerbaijan. I am very glad that we are revitalizing the authority of this profession. This will also contribute to an increase in the number of competent and knowledgeable people in Azerbaijan in the future because the successful development of any country of the modern world will certainly be determined by its intellectual potential. It would be enough to look at the experience of developed countries and ask why these countries are considered developed. It is due to knowledge, competence and technology. It is the developed countries that are now inventing and offering new technologies to the world. In fact, many of these countries do not have natural resources. Therefore, the development of any country is not measured by its natural resources. In the future, this will manifest itself even more clearly. So the funds invested in education are funds invested in the future, independence and security of each country," the head of state said. "It is no coincidence that the expenditure allocated for education in Azerbaijan is in second place among other budget expenses. If we were not at war, they would be in first place because our largest expenditure at present is related to defense. And this is only natural. In other words, this in itself serves as an indicator, a manifestation of our policy and reflects our intentions. I am glad that today our youth is attracted to knowledge. They must have knowledge and be competent in order to govern our country in the future. Our tomorrow will be in the hands of children, pupils and students going to schools and universities today. Their knowledge and competence will, of course, determine the future of our country," he said. "At the same time, I must specifically note that our youth and children should be brought up in the spirit of patriotism, in the national spirit, on the basis of national values traditional Azerbaijani values. Of course, the role of the family is of paramount importance. At the same time, teachers in all schools must educate students in the national spirit, in the spirit of traditional values," the head of state said. "Today, under the pretext of globalization, we see manifestations of big politics some external circles poison the minds of young people, lead them astray. People come across false information, slander and messages of a provocative nature. Sometimes young people cannot understand which information is true and which is false. Therefore, a lot depends on the teachers. We should protect our children and teenagers from the values that run counter to national customs and traditions. Our children should be attached to the Motherland and nation, value independence most of all, be brought up in the national spirit, in the spirit of patriotism, defend and preserve the national customs and traditions we have preserved for centuries. If this is the case, Azerbaijan will continue to follow the path of independence and development," Azerbaijani president noted. "As an independent country today, we have made great strides. In any sphere, the Azerbaijani people see what the advantages of independence are. Azerbaijan is a dignified country today. It acts with dignity in the international arena. Azerbaijan is a free country and our citizens live in freedom. In the economic sphere, Azerbaijan is a developing country with a powerful army. We have achieved all this during the period of independence. Today, Azerbaijan is one of a handful of countries that carry out a completely independent policy both external and internal. This policy enjoys the support of the Azerbaijani people. I feel it all the time, every day. This support gives me additional strength. Relying on it, we confidently lead Azerbaijan forward. Our children and youth need to lead the country along this path in the future the path of independence, so that the Azerbaijani people never depend on anyone in the future, so that we never fall under the influence of anyone. As I said, knowledge, competence, patriotism, national spirit and dignity play the main role here," the head of state said. "I am glad that today's Azerbaijani youth meets precisely these high criteria. I am sure that these positive tendencies will be continued and our children and youth, having acquired knowledge and become qualified professionals, will continue to serve the Motherland as worthy citizens and contribute to our common development," the Azerbaijani president said. "I congratulate you on the start of the new academic year again and wish you success!," the Azerbaijani president said. Nearly six months since the first COVID-19 case was reported in Charlottesville, the Thomas Jefferson Health District has redesigned its dashboard of case information and added more data points to help the public better understand the status of the pandemic locally. A big change in the districts new COVID-19 portal, unveiled Monday, is showing the dates when people tested positive or first developed symptoms, along with a seven-day moving average of new cases for the district by date of onset. Before, the district was reporting new cases based on when they were notified of a positive case. Information about cases based on the date of onset was only available at the statewide and health region levels. Thats really important and has never been shared before at a district level, said Guleer Shahab, a data analyst with the local health district who manages the data portal. We added [the cases by date of onset] to give us a better idea of what happens daily. We wanted something more reliable and accurate. The revamped data portal now has five dashboards detailing information about cases, outbreaks and testing in the localities the district serves, including at the Albemarle-Charlottesville Regional Jail. As it has since the beginning of the pandemic, the district will continue to report new cases by the date the Virginia Department of Health was notified of a positive case. Those numbers are located in the Localities dashboard. The Thomas Jefferson Health District includes the city of Charlottesville and the counties of Albemarle, Fluvanna, Greene, Louisa and Nelson. The district still counts its total cases using the report date data because data for the cases by onset date can be delayed for a day or two in order for the health district to gather the necessary information. Shahab said that though the community has closely followed the daily case totals, looking at the cases by date of onset is a more accurate representation of the trajectory of cases and better for reporting over time. As of Monday, the seven-day average for cases based on the date of onset, at 18.14, has declined in recent days. The average reached two high points over the summer in mid-July at 31.29 cases and on Aug. 31 at 29.71. Shahab said that when the daily-case spikes influence the moving average, thats cause for alarm. The seven-day moving average is helpful because we want to know where we stand and where the trajectory is heading, she said. The district also expanded the dashboard to include information about the type of facility reporting an outbreak, such as long-term care facilities and educational or other congregate settings. More detailed information about cases in long-term care facilities in the district including the number of cases, hospitalizations and facilities will continue to be included in the dashboard. Previously, as far as group residential settings, the dashboard only had information about cases in long-term care facilities. We appreciate feedback and listen to all of it, Shahab said. All of the health district data does include all University of Virginia-affiliated cases for people living in the area, even if the address the person lists is outside of the health district, according to a news release from the TJHD. On Monday, UVa reported an additional 45 positive cases among students, bringing the total to 321 and making up 86% of the cases identified by Student Health & Wellness or a UVa clinic, according to the universitys tracker. Eight percent of the universitys quarantine rooms are occupied, along with 1% of its isolation rooms. UVa updates its tracker at 4 p.m. on weekdays while TJHD is updating the data portal at 10 a.m. seven days a week. Other changes to the health district dashboard include broadening the races and ethnicities reported for different cases. In the district, white people make up about 44% of all positive cases, Latinos account for 23.1% and African Americans comprise 16.7%. Yet, African Americans continue to be hospitalized at a higher rate, making up 37.8% of the 180 local hospitalizations. Data on hospitalizations comes from a persons status at the time the case was investigated by the health department, so it underrepresents the total number of people hospitalized for COVID-19 in the district. Mondays update has been in the works for a long time, Shahab said. We continue to monitor data closely, she said. The dashboard is constantly under progress as we work to make it more user-friendly and share more accurate and insightful data. Shahab said its important for community members to not just look at one dataset but use all the information together. We know community transmission is happening, she said, adding that folks should wash their hands, wear a mask and stay six feet away from others. Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. A British Army sergeant who enlisted after serving a prison sentence for drug dealing has said the military could benefit from more ex-convicts in its ranks. Sgt Rhys Rutledge, 34, of 1st Batallion Welsh Guards is calling on top brass to ease tough rules preventing a smooth pathway for former inmates wanting to join up. When often asked if a criminal should be trusted with a gun, he replies: 'Yes. Look at me.' The Afghanistan veteran, who has also guarded the Queen, was locked up for around eight months aged 19 for possession of a Class A drug with intent to supply. Serving over four years in custody usually bars convicts from enrolling in the army, and anyone who is locked up has to wait two years before they can join. Sgt Rutledge has urged for these restrictions to be watered down to allow more convicts to join so they are not 'set up for failure'. Sgt Rhys Rutledge, 34, of 1st Batallion Welsh Guards is calling on top brass to ease tough rules preventing a smooth pathway for former inmates wanting to join up Sgt Rutledge, who has also served in the Falklands, Kenya and Belize, launched the Defeat Don't Repeat scheme to help steer other wayward teenagers from a life of crime He told the Telegraph: 'Why can't that individual be in a training establishment of some sort, where he is being supervised? 'The probation service can still travel to him. It's keeping his mind focussed, he or she will be on the straight and narrow. 'This is where taxpayers money can be spent wisely. Instead of setting these individuals up for failure, let's put them into something where they can give back to the country.' Sgt Rutledge, who has also served in the Falklands, Kenya and Belize, launched the Defeat Don't Repeat scheme to help steer other wayward teenagers from a life of crime. The programme draws on his own experiences. A former cocaine addict and drug dealer by 15, he served half of a 16-month sentence aged 19 - but resumed selling drugs within hours of his release. He credits the army with 'taking a chance' on him in 2009 and rescuing him from rock bottom - mounting debts and suicidal thoughts. He credits the army with 'taking a chance' on him in 2009 and rescuing him from rock bottom - mounting debts and suicidal thoughts When often asked if a criminal should be trusted with a gun, he replies: 'Yes. Look at me' While sitting on his cot during a tour of Afghanistan, Sgt Rutledge's mind went back to his former prison bed and life of crime, sparking the brainwave behind Defeat Don't Repeat to help other youngsters turn their lives around, according to The Times. The scheme was piloted for 13 pupils at London-based Pupil Referral Units last year at the Longmoor training camp in Hampshire. The youngsters were put through their paces on assault courses and team-building activities, as well as Sgt Rutledge chronicling his own journey into the military. He told The Times: 'When I get asked, would you trust an ex-convict with a weapon system in the British army, the answer to that is: yes, look at me. 'I'm a platoon sergeant, I'm in charge of 20-plus blokes, running the platoon, orchestrating it and looking after every individual in that platoon. 'Because I'm stood there in uniform, I give them the light at the end of the tunnel, that it is not all over.' "We are excited to deliver new, interactive and innovative treats from HERSHEY'S, REESE'S, KIT KAT and ICE BREAKERS brands this year, all dressed up for the holidays," said Michael Reese, senior brand manager, Hershey holiday team. "This portfolio is one of the largest holiday offerings we have ever created and we are excited to be introducing the 10 th limited edition holiday HERSHEY'S KISSES variety with the new HERSHEY'S KISSES Sugar Cookie candy, giving consumers the most exciting flavor profiles and festive options to choose from." More on the jolly-good new treats coming to shelves nationwide in October 2020: From HERSHEY'S: HERSHEY'S KISSES Sugar Cookie candy (Standard 7.5 oz. and 9 oz. bag, SRP: $3.49 ): The new melt-in-your-mouth HERSHEY'S KISSES Sugar Cookie candy embodies that soft, sweet taste that is delicately crafted into one delicious bite, but no baking needed! Made with sugar cookie flavored creme and real cookie pieces, these are great for a sweet treat, sharing with those you love or topping off your favorite holiday blossoms recipe! (Standard 7.5 oz. and 9 oz. bag, SRP: ): The new melt-in-your-mouth KISSES Sugar Cookie candy embodies that soft, sweet taste that is delicately crafted into one delicious bite, but no baking needed! Made with sugar cookie flavored creme and real cookie pieces, these are great for a sweet treat, sharing with those you love or topping off your favorite holiday blossoms recipe! HERSHEY'S Milk Chocolate Build-A-Santa (XL 4 oz. bar, SRP: $1.99 ): The classic HERSHEY'S Milk Chocolate Bar has been transformed this holiday season to break and build your own Santa! (XL 4 oz. bar, SRP: ): The classic Milk Chocolate Bar has been transformed this holiday season to break and build your own Santa! HERSHEY'S Cookies 'N' Creme Build-A-Snowman (XL 3.5oz. bar, SRP: $1.99 ): Do you want to build a snowman? We want you to build a snowman! New, HERSHEY'S Cookies 'N' Creme Build-A-Snowman lets your imagination run wild; just break the bar and build! From REESE'S: REESE'S Peanut Butter Nutcrackers (Standard 10 oz. bag, SRP: $3.49 ): Make room under your tree because the iconic REESE'S brand is bringing you a brand-new look. REESE'S Peanut Butter Nutcrackers are here! A fun new, festive take on the undeniably delicious peanut butter and chocolate duo. (Standard 10 oz. bag, SRP: ): Make room under your tree because the iconic REESE'S brand is bringing you a brand-new look. REESE'S Peanut Butter Nutcrackers are here! A fun new, festive take on the undeniably delicious peanut butter and chocolate duo. REESE'S White Elephant (6 oz. box, SRP: $4.99 ): There are no surprises here this is a White Elephant gift that everyone will vie for. This new REESE'S product takes the classic peanut butter filling you love, wraps it in white creme and molds it into an unmistakable shape perfect for any holiday party. (6 oz. box, SRP: ): There are no surprises here this is a White Elephant gift that everyone will vie for. This new REESE'S product takes the classic peanut butter filling you love, wraps it in white creme and molds it into an unmistakable shape perfect for any holiday party. REESE'S Miniatures Mega Cane (6.8 oz., SRP: $4.99 ): REESE'S brand is bringing you one of its longest holiday candies yet. Perfect for sharing or for enjoying all to yourself, this nearly 2-foot-long candy cane is packed with REESE'S Peanut Butter Miniatures, wrapped in gold, green and red foils! From KIT KAT: KIT KAT DUOS Mint + Dark Chocolate Snack Size (Standard 9.8 oz., SRP: $3.49 ): Now you can keep munching with the new snack size the perfect stocking stuffer this holiday season! Satisfy your sweet tooth with one (or two) refreshingly minty and rich chocolate-y snack size KIT KATs. From ICE BREAKERS: ICE BREAKERS Snowman Bottle Pack Gum (2.6oz. bottle, SRP: $3.79 ): Perfect for chewing in-between holiday (socially distant) parties, or when you need a deliciously refreshing pop of flavor just a shake of the bottle, and ICE BREAKERS gum always has your back. This season, ICE BREAKERS brand is refreshing their classic cubes with candy-cane flavored, sugar-free gum inside brand-new, adorably cute snowman packaging. REESE'S Peanut Butter Mystery Shapes, Hershey's top new innovative product from all of 2019, will be returning this holiday season at an SRP of $3.49. Also back for a second year is returning favorite HERSHEY'S KISSES Hot Cocoa with Marshmallow Creme (SRP: $3.49), also available nationwide in October 2020. *Pricing is at the sole discretion of the retailer, SRPs are based off of historical data averages at a total class of trade level.* About Hershey Hershey, which celebrated its 125th anniversary in 2019, is headquartered in Hershey, Pa., and is an industry-leading snacks company known for bringing goodness to the world through its iconic brands, remarkable people and enduring commitment to help children succeed. Hershey has approximately 16,500 employees around the world who work every day to deliver delicious, quality products. The company has more than 80 brands around the world that drive more than $7.8 billion in annual revenues, including such iconic brand names as Hershey's, Reese's, Kit Kat, Jolly Rancher, Ice Breakers, SkinnyPop, and Pirate's Booty. For over 125 years, Hershey has been committed to operating fairly, ethically, and sustainably. Hershey's founder, Milton Hershey, created the Milton Hershey School in 1909 and since then the company has focused on helping children succeed. To learn more visit: www.thehersheycompany.com Follow: https://twitter.com/hersheycompany https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-hershey-company/?trk=top_nav_home https://www.facebook.com/HersheyCompany/ https://www.youtube.com/hersheycompany https://www.instagram.com/hersheycompany/ SOURCE The Hershey Company Related Links http://www.hersheys.com Richmond Times-Dispatch RICHMOND Staffers at the Democratic Party of Virginia announced Monday they had successfully unionized into two bargaining units that party leaders are formally recognizing. A unit representing eight office staff members is undergoing contract negotiations, while a larger unit of 52 campaign staffers recently ratified its first contract, a party spokesman said. The Democratic Party has in recent years seen increased interest in unions among its campaign workers. During the partys presidential primary, at least five campaigns saw workers successfully unionize. Campaign workers and staff at DPVA have spent years working to elect pro-worker candidates who fight for organized labor. Its only right that we as a party live up to our values and recognize the right to join a union, said DPVA Chair Susan Swecker in a statement. The two bargaining units are affiliated with two different national labor groups. DPVA campaign workers, who work for the states coordinated campaign and assist with campaigns up and down the ballot, organized under the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 666. DPVA office staff are represented by the United Food & Commercial Workers, Local 400. Unionization among presidential campaign staffers attracted much attention last year. The campaign of Sen. Bernie Sanders, of Vermont, was the first to have a ratified contract. Other campaigns with unionized staffs included those of Sen. Elizabeth Warren, of Massachusetts, former Housing Secretary Julian Castro, Sen. Cory Booker, of New Jersey, and entrepreneur Andrew Yang. Former Vice President Joe Bidens campaign is the first of a major-party nominee with a ratified union contract. There is a national movement of campaign workers seeking representation and a voice in their workplace, and Virginia workers are leaders in that effort, said Charles Skelly, a union staffer at IBEW Local 666. Hillary Clinton, speaking candidly during an online fund-raiser Monday, counseled Kamala Harris to modulate her responses during her upcoming debate with Vice President Mike Pence to avoid a sexist double standard that portrays strong female leaders as frightening. Mrs. Clinton, who lost the 2016 election despite posting strong debate performances against Donald J. Trump, warned Ms. Harris that Mr. Pence would try to undermine her without bombast. Pence will somehow, subtly undercut Kamala you know, he will try to say, Well, thats not the way its done, Mrs. Clinton said, adding that Mr. Pence would seek to use the debate, scheduled for Oct. 7 at the University of Utah, to put her in the box of, you know, the inexperienced woman candidate. She has to modulate her responses because we know there still is a double standard, alive and well when it comes to women in politics, Mrs. Clinton added, so shes got to be firm and effective in rebutting any implication that comes from the other side but do it in a way that doesnt scare or alienate voters. NEW YORK CITY (dpa-AFX) - BioNTech (BNTX) said Tuesday that it will receive a grant of up to 375 million euros from an initiative by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research or BMBF to support the accelerated development of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines. BioNTech said it will use the milestone-based BMBF funding to support its contribution to the company's mRNA vaccine program BNT162 that is being co-developed with its partners Pfizer Inc. and Fosun Pharma respectively. The BNT162 vaccine program is one of three programs supported by the BMBF initiative, which will provide a total of up to 750 million euros to its funding recipients. Pfizer will continue to independently fund its share of development costs for BNT162 without use of this or other government funding. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. By Agustinus Beo Da Costa JAKARTA (Reuters) - Indonesia will increase maritime security operations near some of its islands in the South China Sea after a Chinese coastguard vessel was spotted nearby, raising suspicions about its intentions, a senior security official said on Tuesday. The vessel entered Indonesia's 200-mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ) off the northern Natuna islands on Saturday and left on Monday after radio challenges over jurisdiction, Aan Kurnia, chief of the maritime security agency, Bakamla, told Reuters. Under international law, innocent passage is permitted through another country's EEZ, but Aan said the vessel was lingering too long. "Because this one floated, then went circling, we became suspicious, we approached it and learned that it was a Chinese coastguard vessel," he said, adding the navy and coastguard would boost operations there. Wang Wenbin, China's foreign ministry spokesman, said the ship was undertaking "normal patrol duties in waters under Chinese jurisdiction". "China's rights and interests in the relevant waters in the South China Sea are clear," Wang told a news conference. Indonesia renamed the northern reaches of its EEZ in 2017 as the North Natuna Sea, pushing back against China's maritime territorial ambitions. While China has made no claim to islands, the presence of its coastguard nearly 2,000 km (1,243 miles) off its mainland has concerned Indonesia, after numerous encounters between Chinese vessels in the EEZs of Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam, which disrupted fishing and energy activities. A weeks-long standoff occurred 10 months ago when a Chinese coastguard vessel and accompanying fishing boats entered the northern Natuna Sea, prompting Indonesia to send fighter jets and mobilise its own fishermen. China's coastguard often operates alongside fishing boats described by experts as state-backed militia. The "nine-dash line" on Chinese maps denoting its vast maritime claims includes waters off the Natuna islands. An international arbitration panel in 2016 invalidated that line. Indonesia's foreign ministry spokesman Teuku Faizasyah reiterated that Jakarta does not recognise the line. (Additional reporting by Gabriel Crossley in Beijing; Writing by Stanley Widianto; Editing by Martin Petty) Daniel Walters was surprised to see an incoming call from Washington state Rep. Jenny Graham on Aug. 27. The Spokane, Wash., journalist wrote a story that day about Graham sharing false articles on Facebook, including a story claiming that thousands of missing children are kept in dungeons and raped by demons. But Walters was unable to pick up in time. When he called the Republican back, she unleashed a barrage of hateful insults. "You c---------!" Graham said twice. "Don't ever call me again." Before Walters could get some answers as to why Graham was upset, the line disconnected. For days following the phone call, Graham took to Facebook, posting attacks against the reporter and calling his story false. On Monday, Walters wrote a follow-up piece in the Inlander, an alt-weekly newspaper in Spokane, fact-checking his earlier story and including the full recording of his interview with Graham, as well as the audio from a threatening voice mail she left him. "What I was more concerned with was: Did we get anything wrong? Was there any sort of trust that we violated? Was there anything significantly unfair or inaccurate?" Walters said in an interview with The Washington Post. Walters began reporting the story about Graham last month, when he noticed she had shared several articles from websites publishing false information and promoting theories also pushed by QAnon, a baseless right-wing conspiracy theory that Satan-worshiping pedophiles are plotting against President Donald Trump and running a sex-trafficking ring. Among the stories Graham shared were one falsely connecting vaccinations to autism on a website that promotes QAnon conspiracies, and another from a blog that includes a video claiming that Democrats are "possessed by demons" and "hate humanity," Walters reported. Posts that Graham shared were twice flagged by Facebook as false, Walters reported. One was a video of a news conference from "America's Frontline Doctors," in which a doctor named Stella Immanuel falsely claimed that masks didn't work and made the unsubstantiated claim that hydroxychloroquine will cure the novel coronavirus. Walters had spent almost 80 minutes interviewing Graham, and informed the state legislator that many of the stories she shared on Facebook were published on conspiracy theory websites, a fact that Walters said Graham told him she was unaware of at the time. Graham told Walters that she didn't necessarily believe all these things but wanted her constituents to discuss them. "Our article wasn't making allegations that she was a conspiracy theorist," Walters said. Rather, the story was meant to show that local politicians in Washington state are promoting inaccurate articles on Facebook for their constituents to see. "A lot of people don't trust the general media, even local media," Walters said. "If they see elected officials bashing media and promoting some of these other sites as a good alternative, that is something that can put people on a dangerous path." Walters was also working on a piece about Rob Chase, a former Spokane County treasurer running for state legislature, who told Walters that he is intrigued by QAnon. Chase was endorsed by state Rep. Matt Shea, a Republican and a far-right figure who made national headlines last December after a report alleged that he intimidated and threatened political opponents and helped plan an armed occupation of a national park in Oregon in 2016. Shea is leaving his seat in the state legislature in November and recruited Chase to run. After the story was published on Aug. 27, Graham called Walters enraged. She left a voice mail, which Walters only heard after his brief call with the representative. "Daniel, you lying piece of s---," she said. "You've done it. You have started it. Don't you ever call me again. Do you understand? Don't you ever - and you tell your buddies not to call me either. It's on. If you think for one minute you're going to pull this crap and you're going to walk away from it, you're nuts." Graham did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Post late on Monday. Walters and his editor tried calling Graham back a few times, asking what about his story was inaccurate. He also texted her, offering to talk off the record. But the representative did not respond. Instead, she turned to her Facebook page, where she posted about Walters about 15 times, he said. She called the reporter "pathetic," "hateful," "disgusting," and a "lying piece of dung." "In one of her attacks on me she linked to another conspiracy site," Walters said. "That, to me, suggested that the core of our story was very much true and it was something that was still happening and still concerning." On Thursday, Walters published his follow-up piece explaining the fallout from the article and detailing the basis for his August article. As of early Tuesday, Graham has not responded publicly to the piece. Walters said he didn't write the story to shame Graham for cursing him out or posting about him on Facebook, rather to set the record straight. "If anyone says it's a lie, I take it incredibly seriously," Walters said. "All we have is trust in this profession." (Natural News) On Monday, Democratic nominee Joe Biden condemned President Donald Trump as a climate arsonist, predicting that if the president wins reelection in November, America will witness more hellish events like fires in the West, flooding in the Midwest, and hurricanes on the East Coast. He effectively promised that if he wins, America will suffer from fewer fires, fewer floods, and fewer hurricanes. (Article by Tyler ONeil republished from PJMedia.com) Although Biden excoriated Trump for ignoring the facts and denying reality, he focused his remarks on the wildfires ravaging California, Oregon, and Washington State fires exacerbated by bad forest management more than any sort of climate change. If you give a climate arsonist four more years in the White House, why would anyone be surprised if we have more of America ablaze? If you give a climate denier four more years in the White House, why would anyone be surprised when more of America is under water? Biden asked. Donald Trumps climate denial may not have caused these fires and record floods and record hurricanes, but if he gets a second term, these hellish events will continue to become more common, more devastating, and more deadly, the Democrat insisted. Meanwhile, Donald Trump warns that integration is threatening our suburbs, Biden said, referring to Trumps attack on Bidens plan to federalize local zoning (which poses a serious threat to local control of neighborhoods in the name of racial integration). Its ridiculous. But you know what is actually threatening our suburbs? Wildfires are burning the suburbs in the West, floods are wiping out suburban neighborhoods in the Midwest, hurricanes are imperiling suburban life along our coast, Biden said. If we have four more years of Trumps climate denial, how many suburbs will be burned from wildfires? How many suburban neighborhoods will have been flooded out? How many suburbs will have been blown away in superstorms? Climate change is the existential challenge that will define our future as a country. Tune in as I discuss the wildfires up and down the West Coast and how I'll tackle the climate crisis head-on and create millions of good-paying jobs: https://t.co/yMhodX8RYe Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) September 14, 2020 The truth about Californias wildfires Joe Bidens argument boils down to the idea that burning fossil fuels is the key cause behind all worsening of extreme weather events, other contributing factors be damned. Those who disagree are deniers of science. Nevermind the fact that claims of a climate change consensus are misleading and overblown, or the facts that climate alarmist predictions have proven wrong time and time again for 50 years. Biden opened his remarks with a discussion of the devastating wildfires in the West. He noted that the damage in the past two years has reached nearly $50 billion in California alone and that this year, nearly 5 million acres have burned across ten states. He said locals, living in the shadow of an orange sky are asking, Is doomsday here? The wildfires are indeed horrific, but climate change isnt the real story. When it comes to wildland fire mitigation, in particular, I learned the truth from my father, who has been a volunteer fireman for more than 30 years. I grew up in the foothills of dry Colorado, where the grass is not green but brown. My father sent my brother and me out to rake up dry leaves, pine trees, and other materials we termed duff matter from the forest floor that would go up in flames upon contact with the smallest spark. My father and later my brother and I would go out with a chainsaw to trim the lower-hanging pine branches and a weed-whacker to take care of the tall grasses. For my Eagle Scout project, I led a team of men and boys to clear out the forest floor and trim low-hanging branches near a large propane tank in order to prevent potential forest fires from spreading up the mountain to burn the houses nearby. Clearing the forest floor is thankless work, and it is far more efficient to set a small, controlled fire and let nature do the job for you. As Ars Technicas Scott Johnson reported, a Stanford research team found that about 20 percent of California 20 million acres would benefit from controlled burns. Climate activists have opposed the harvesting of dead trees and the aggressive clearing of brush, however. Gov. Jerry Brown (D-Calif.) vetoed forest management attempts in 2016. Californias forests dont get the work they need because private landowners fear liability for controlled burns, CAL FIRE doesnt have enough resources to prioritize controlled burns, and stringent climate regulations make it difficult for proposed burns to get approved. President Trump has encouraged California to use proper forest management to combat the wildfires. He noted that forest fires are starting again in California. I said, you gotta clean your floors, you gotta clean your forests there are many, many years of leaves and broken trees and theyre like, like, so flammable, you touch them and it goes up. Biden condemned Trump for his common-sense advice, suggesting that the president was blaming the victims. The West is literally on fire, and he blames the people whose homes and communities are burning, the Democrat said. He says, Youve got to clean your floors, youve got to clean your forests. Yes, Trump said that, and hes 100 percent right. Steve Milloy, a former Trump/Pence EPA transition team member and founder of JunkScience.com, noted that California has experienced megadroughts lasting as long as 220 years over the past 1,100 years a period before the advent of SUVs and fossil fuel power plants. Wildfires in California, like wildfires in my native Colorado, are nothing new. Poor forest management, not climate change, is the true culprit. If Joe Biden thinks merely talking about forest management constitutes blaming the victim, then it seems hes unlikely to champion the policies that would restrain the spread of wildfires in California. Floods and hurricanes Biden did not just promise fewer and less devastating fires if he wins in November. He also promised to cut down on the floods and hurricanes. He attributed these natural disasters to climate change, too, as if floods had never happened in the Midwest and hurricanes had never hit the East Coast before humans started burning fossil fuels. Although the Midwest did experience devastating floods last year, floods in that area are not exactly new. The Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 was the most destructive river flood in U.S. history, and it came only a few decades after the invention of the automobile. Midwest floods are not new, Milloy told PJ Media. Huge floods proved torrential in the 1920s, for example. Milloy argued that land use, specifically the use of concrete and poor stormwater management, can divert excess water into waterways, causing flooding. As for hurricanes, many peer-reviewed studies have disputed the notion that carbon emissions make hurricanes worse. Yet Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D-N.Y.) suggested that there were no hurricanes hitting New York before the devastating impacts of climate change. Yet analysis of sedimentary evidence from New Jersey showed that a major hurricane struck the New York/New Jersey area between 1278 to 1438, long before the internal combustion engine. To the hammer (and sickle?) of climate alarmism and government regulation, every natural disaster is a nail. Biden attacks Trump as a climate arsonist but hes the one using natural disasters as a rhetorical weapon against his opponent. There is no evidence that more stringent regulations on fossil fuels will prevent wildfires, floods, and hurricanes that have plagued these parts of America for centuries. However, Californias rolling blackouts provide concrete evidence that a forced transition to green energy makes energy more expensive and more scarce for a society. Bidens energy policies could bring Californias rolling blackouts to the rest of America. Far from preventing tragedies, his policies would actually create them. Read more at: PJMedia.com SCRANTON, PENNSYLVANIA - SEPTEMBER 11: A political poster favoring U.S. presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden and Senator Kamala Harris is placed on a front lawn September 11, 2020 in Scranton, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Robert Nickelsberg/Getty Images) A privacy bug in Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden's official campaign app allowed anyone to look up sensitive voter information on millions of Americans, a security researcher has found. The campaign app, Vote Joe, allows Biden supporters to encourage friends and family members to vote in the upcoming U.S. presidential election by uploading their phone's contact lists to see if their friends and family members are registered to vote. The app uploads and matches the user's contacts with voter data supplied from TargetSmart, a political marketing firm that claims to have files on more than 191 million Americans. When a match is found, the app displays the voter's name, age and birthday, and which recent election they voted in. This, the app says, helps users "find people you know and encourage them to get involved." While much of this data can already be public, the bug made it easy for anyone to access any voter's information by using the app. The App Analyst, a mobile expert who detailed his findings on his eponymous blog, found that he could trick the app into pulling in anyone's information by creating a contact on his phone with the voter's name. Worse, he told TechCrunch, the app pulls in a lot more data than it actually displays. By intercepting the data that flows in and out of the device, he saw far more detailed and private information, including the voter's home address, date of birth, gender, ethnicity and political party affiliation, such as Republican or Democrat. The Biden campaign fixed the bug and pushed out an app update on Friday. screenshot of Joe Biden's official iPhone app. A screenshot of Joe Biden's official campaign app, which uploads and matches a user's contacts with their existing voter file. But a bug allowed anyone to pull in any voter's information. (Image: TechCrunch) Story continues "We were made aware about how our third-party app developer was providing additional fields of information from commercially available data that was not needed," Matt Hill, a spokesperson for the Biden campaign, told TechCrunch. "We worked with our vendor quickly to fix the issue and remove the information. We are committed to protecting the privacy of our staff, volunteers and supporters will always work with our vendors to do so." After publication, Hill disputed the researcher's findings and and that the app returned gender, ethnicities, or home addresses Mike Czin, a spokesperson for TargetSmart said: "Due to a coding error by a progressive app developer, a limited amount of publicly or commercially available data was accessible to other users. The issue was quickly identified and fixed." A spokesperson for TargetSmart said a "limited amount of publicly or commercially available data" was accessible to other users. READ MORE Its not uncommon for political campaigns to trade and share large amounts of voter information, called voter files, which includes basic information like a voter's name, often their home address and contact information and which political parties they are registered with. Voter files can differ wildly state to state. Though a lot of this data can be publicly available, political firms also try to enrich their databases with additional data from other sources to help political campaigns identify and target key swing voters. But several security lapses involving these vast banks of data have questioned whether political firms can keep this data safe. It's not the first time TargetSmart data has been embroiled in a security lapse. In 2017, a voter file compiled by TargetSmart on close to 600,000 voters in Alaska was left on an exposed server without a password. In 2018, TechCrunch reported that close to 15 million records on Texas voters were found on an exposed and unsecured server, just months ahead of the U.S. midterm elections. Last week Microsoft warned that hackers backed by Russia, China and Iran are targeting both the 2020 presidential campaigns but also their political advisors. Reuters reported that one of those firms, Washington, DC-based SKDKnickerbocker, a political consultant to the Biden campaign, was targeted by Russian intelligence but that there was "no breach." Updated with Hill remarks. The mysterious disappearance of a mother who left behind her husband and eight children more than 60 years ago has been solved. Daphne Pearl Hampstead was 40 years old when she vanished from an old dairy farm on Cowpasture Road in Bossley Park, Sydney's western suburbs, in 1958. She left the family home before dawn on May 10 and the next day her husband and children received two letters which advised them to look after each other and to avoid finding her, The Australian reported. On Tuesday, the NSW Coroner's Court heard Hampstead ditched Sydney for a new life in Queensland, where she changed her name and age. The court was told Daphne Jones was born in Cootamundra, in the NSW Riverina, on July 13 1918 and she became Daphne Hampstead after marrying local boy Sidney Hampstead in 1936. The disappearance of Daphne Pearl Hampstead (pictured) has been solved more than 60 years after she vanished The couple were parents to eight children, Leslie, Patricia, Marcia, Daphne, twins Barry and Clifford, Helen, and Janet. The family settled on a property known as Crosby's dairy farm in Bossley Park in the mid-1950s. Sidney loved his wife to the 'point of obsession' and was known to get jealous. According to court documents, he would get angry and had assaulted her. Described as a loving mother, Hampstead cooked for workers on the farm but also held a job as a chef at Carl's Restaurant in the Sydney CBD. Nobody saw Hampstead leave the farm on May 10 but when her husband came in from milking the cows he noticed that most of her clothes were gone. A 2012 inquiry into Hampstead's disappearance found the mother-of-eight was likely dead but it could not be determined how she died or when. Donna, one of Hampstead's granddaughters, then decided to look into her disappearance and hired private investigator Luke Athens to assist. In a report, Mr Athens found Hampstead changed her name to Daphne Pearl Oswald and modified her date of birth to make herself six years younger. Hampstead was 40 years old when she vanished from an old dairy farm on Cowpasture Road in Bossley Park, Sydney's western suburbs, in 1958. Pictured: Cowpasture Road She moved to Queensland and lived as a woman in her 30s before falling in love with a plantation farmer called Roy Shaw. She then went by the name Daphne Shaw. Mr Shaw died in 1972 and Hampstead began a relationship with his close friend Raymond Charles Jones. Following a 'celebration' with Mr Jones in 1973, Hampstead became known as Daphne Jones. She became the step-mother of Mr Jones' children and maintained a relationship with them following his death. Diann and Tyrone Green were listed as Daphne Jones' next of kin when she died in 2007 aged 89. After receiving the report, Donna met with the pair. She was told her grandmother had a 'magnetic, charismatic personality' and 'disliked talking about her past'. The family compared the pictures and agreed it was the same woman. Detective Senior Constable Michael Romano of Fairfield police reviewed the file and told the court via Zoom he believed Hampstead had changed her identity upon moving to Queensland. 'I am of the opinion that Daphne Pearl Hampstead, born 1918, who went missing from NSW in 1958, is the same person as Daphne Pearl Jones, who used the birth date of 1924,' he said on Tuesday. The report was also reviewed by Deputy State Coroner Elaine Truscott, who is expected to make formal findings on Wednesday. Palestinians say only Israeli withdrawal from occupied territories can bring Middle East peace after Bahrain, UAE deals. Hundreds of Palestinians protested Tuesday in the occupied West Bank and the Gaza Strip, denouncing the Emirati and Bahraini normalisation agreements with Israel as rockets were fired into the country. The deals, brokered by the United States, were signed on Tuesday at the White House, where Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met Bahraini and Emirati officials. Clutching Palestinian flags and wearing face masks for protection against the coronavirus, demonstrators rallied in the West Bank cities of Nablus and Hebron and in Gaza. Dozens also took part in a demonstration in Ramallah, home of the Palestinian Authority (PA). Banners were displayed reading Treason, No to normalisation with the occupier, and The agreements of shame. Palestinian demonstrator Emad Essa from Gaza said if people walk through the coastal enclave youll see hundreds of Gazan youth who have lost their legs and got crippled for life for just for merely protesting against the Israeli blockade. And in the West Bank and Jerusalem, the Israeli bulldozers continue to demolish Palestinian homes and ethnically cleanse the Palestinians out of their villages and cities on a daily basis, Essa told Al Jazeera. Thats just the tip of the iceberg of Israeli crimes against the Palestinians, and the UAE and Bahrain somehow chose to reward Israel for these crimes by making agreements with it. The deals are stains of shame on the forehead of those leaders who sold the Palestinian cause for a very cheap price. Protesters trampled pictures of Netanyahu, US President Donald Trump, Bahrains King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, and Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan before they were burned. The ceremony in Washington, DC marked the first such significant agreement between Arab countries and Israel in a quarter-century. PA President Mahmoud Abbas said that only Israels withdrawal from occupied territories can bring peace to the Middle East. Peace, security, and stability will not be achieved in the region until the Israeli occupation ends, he said in a statement after the signing ceremony, condemned by Palestinians as a betrayal of their cause. Palestinians in Gaza City attend a protest against the agreement between Israel and the UAE and Bahrain [Mohammed Saber/EPA] The Palestinian Unified National Command of Popular Resistance called for protests to reject the normalisation deals. In a statement, it called for Friday to be considered a day of mourning in which black flags are raised in all squares, buildings and homes. Activists on social media launched the hashtag Black Day in Arabic to mark the two Gulf states official recognition of Israel. Pro-Palestine activists worldwide call today, 15 Sep., the day when UAE, Bahrain, and the Israeli occupation will sign the peace deal, the #Black_Day #_, calling for supporters of the Palestinian cause to condemn the deal on social media and through demonstrations. pic.twitter.com/pa14vsn79Y Days of Palestine (@DaysofPalestine) September 15, 2020 Sami Abu Zuhri, a Hamas spokesman, said the Bahrain and UAE agreements would not bring Israel peace in the region. Peoples of the region will continue to deal with this occupation as their true enemy, he said. In Ramallah, the de facto capital of the PA, there was a small protest at which 200 people gathered in a central square. Mohammad Mohanna, a Palestinian protester from Hebron, said: We call on the UAE and Bahrain to backtrack from the agreement with Israel and go back to being supportive of the Palestinians in the same way weve always known them to be, and we wish no other Arab country would ever make an agreement with Israel. At a time where companies in the West are boycotting Israel, two Arab countries are about to make trade agreements with it. The secretary of the central committee of the Fatah Party, Jibril Rajoub, told reporters what is happening today in Washington is a form of collapse of the official Arab order. #_ #__ ibtissam (@ibtissamalchami) September 15, 2020 Translation: On this black day, the traitors signatures on the agreements of shame and humiliation is not worth the ink they wrote in. Palestine is the cause of the free people and will remain the compass of revolutionaries. Rockets fired from Gaza Two rockets were fired from the Gaza Strip into Israel at the same time the ceremony was being held. Sirens sounded in the cities of Ashkelon and Ashdod just north of the Gaza Strip. The Magen David Adom emergency service said paramedics treated and evacuated two people with non-life-threatening wounds from shrapnel. No group claimed responsibility. Protesters burn mock coffins of the UAE and Bahraini agreements in front of the United Nations office in Gaza City [Adel Hana/AP] Osama Hasan, who took part in the protests in Hebron, called the normalisation agreement a stab in the back of the Palestinians. Despite the heartbreak over it, we have always known the road to freedom is long and hard, and needs patience and sacrifice, he said. We will keep walking that road and keep fighting until we earn our freedom and establish the Palestinian state. The Palestinian people are here to stay Our resolve, resilience, and steadfastness will not be affected by those who let us down and abandoned us. Demonstrator Ibrahim Ouda told Al Jazeera that the Palestinian people are uniting against all the conspiracies that are meant to undermine Palestinians rights. If Israel wants peace, then the only way real peace can happen in the region is through giving us our freedom and ending the occupation, Ouda said. Meanwhile, dozens of Bahrainis took to the streets to protest the deal the kingdom signed with Israel. There were at least two small demonstrations in northern areas of Bahrain, where protesters chanted anti-Israel slogans and stepped on Israeli flags amid a heavy police presence. The Bahraini opposition Al-Wefaq National Islamic Society wrote on Twitter: At the moment of treason and when they sign on the conspiracy against al-Quds [Jerusalem] and Palestine, we shout God is Great, God is Great. Ali Adam in Gaza City contributed to this report Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar on Tuesday opposed the Centres decision to ban export of onions across the country. He has requested the Central government to reconsider the decision and pointed out that the move will benefit exporters from Pakistan. The sudden decision is a major blow to Indias image as a reliable exporter of onions in the international market, he said. The veteran leader, who is in Delhi to attend the ongoing monsoon session of Parliament, has also met Union minister of commerce and industry Piyush Goyal in this regard. The Central government has abruptly announced a ban on onion exports. This has led to strong reactions from the onion growing belt in Maharashtra & therefore the representatives of various political parties contacted & requested me to convey their demands to the Central Government, Pawar said in a series of tweets. To address this issue, I met Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Shri Piyush Goyal today and apprised him of the plight of onion growers. I pointed out to him that these onion growers are mainly small land holders and Jirait (rain water dependent) farmers. I also brought to his notice that onions are in good demand internationally & we have been exporting onions consistently. But a sudden decision to this effect by the Central government is a major blow to Indias image as a reliable exporter of onions in the international market, he tweeted. I also emphasised on the fact that Pakistan and other onion exporters will benefit immensely from this situation. In view of all this, I urged Piyush Goyal ji to reconsider the ban on onion exports, the NCP chief added. Goyal told him that the ban on onion exports was proposed by the Union ministry of consumer protection on the basis of rising onion prices in the market and the decision will be reconsidered in consultation with the Union ministry of commerce, ministry of finance and ministry of consumer protection. The farmers organisations have also opposed the ban and warned of agitation. Dr Ajit Nawale, general secretary of All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS), condemned the ban and said, Recently, the Central government claimed that farmers have been given a big relief by making onions free from regulation and removing it from the list of essential commodities. This ban is a betrayal to the farmers. AIKS and other farmer organisations condemned the move and the Centre will have to face the consequences. Highlights Redmi 9i has been launched in India with a 6.53-inch display. Redmi 9i starts retail at Rs 8,299 in India. The Redmi 9i also gets a 13-megapixel AI camera. Redmi India has announced a new smartphone, the Redmi 9i in India. The phone joins the company's existing list of Redmi 9 series devices in India, which include the Redmi 9, Redmi 9A, and Redmi 9 Prime. The phone was launched by the company at a virtual launch event live-streamed via the company's YouTube page. This new phone comes with a waterdrop notch and features a big display and battery. However, the biggest talking point of the device is that it manages to bring a minimum of 4GB of RAM with itself at a very aggressive price. The device has been announced to go on retail via Flipkart, Mi.com, and offline stores starting September 18. As for the pricing, the phone is available at a starting price of Rs 8,299 for the entry-level 4GB RAM and 64GB storage variant, while the more expensive 4GB RAM+128GB storage variant will be available for Rs 9,299. Redmi 9i: Specifications The Redmi 9i is the latest smartphone from the company that's targeted at budget segment buyers. But for the price, Redmi has attempted to bring with the phone some powerful hardware. On the outside, we have a 6.53-inch display with support for up to HD+ resolution and an aspect ratio of 20:9. Underneath the display, the phone comes with a MediaTek Helio G25 SoC for powerful performance. This chipset has been paired to a minimum of 4GB of RAM and up to 128GB of storage depending on the variant of choice. For cameras, the device gets a 13-megapixel AI scene detection lens which brings support for up to 32 different scenes of which 5 are India specific. The phone also offers Portrait Mode which is also found on the 5-megapixel AI selfie lens. Keeping the lights on the device is a big 5000mAh battery pack with enhanced lifespan support. The phone also gets P2i coating to make it splash proof and is also TUV Rhineland certified. Computer systems design and related services added 13,000 jobs, according to the U.S. Department of Labors August jobs report. Technology-related jobs figures for August are not yet available, but net IT employment in July was up by more than 203,000 positions since the COVID-19 outbreak; and there were more than 235,000 job postings by U.S. employers, according to the Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA). CompTIA said the top five roles with openings in July were software and application developers; IT support specialists; systems engineers and architects; systems analysts; and IT project managers. The highest number of job postings by industry sector were professional, scientific and technical services; finance and insurance; manufacturing; information; and the retail trade. WFH Effect on Tech Jobs Market With the pandemic having forced enterprises to let their staff work from home, the emphasis is shifting to cloud-based solutions, remote tech services and security, Ray Wang, a principal analyst at Constellation Research, told TechNewsWorld. Were seeing a skillset shift away from hardware and network engineers to software, cloud, and artificial intelligence, Wang said. Digital skills are also important. Skills for the cloud that will be in demand are cloud engineering, development, integration and hybrid cloud management, according to Wang, who added that AI skills in demand are algorithmic library development, machine learning expertise, and the development of AI and learning models. Cybersecurity experts, cybersecurity command center operators, and threat analysts will also be in demand. This is not industry-specific, Wang pointed out. We see this demand across industries, though financial services and the public sector may have a good number of people in cybersecurity. The public sector is less on the cloud than other industries and AI is a competitive differentiator for all industries, Wang said. The Impact of AI As we look to the future, artificial intelligence has significant potential to disrupt the world, Congressman John Yarmuth (D-KY), Chairman of the House Budget Committee, stated at a Sept. 10 virtual hearing on the impact of AI on the workforce. A D V E R T I S E M E N T AI presents opportunities to improve lives, livelihoods, productivity, and equality, Yarmuth said. However, it also poses serious risks of large-scale economic changes. Like the arrival of the steam engine, electricity, and computers, AI will reshape a broad swath of industries and jobs, but old jobs will be eliminated, and some workers will be left behind, Yarmuth observed. Some areas in which AI might play a role are smart cities; smart buildings; autonomous vehicles; medical research; disease diagnosis; various areas of scientific research; sales and marketing; retail; and the military, which is funding research into how human intelligence analysts can work with AI. Hottest Categories for Tech Talent Artificial intelligence and blockchain are two key markets in IT that are expected to have continued year over year growth, Arran Stewart, Co-Founder and Chief Visionary Officer of Job.com, told TechNewsWorld. With AI predicted to have a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of over 42 percent up to 2027, and blockchain a CAGR of over 67 percent up to 2025, these two areas represent the biggest areas of growth in the IT space with over US$1 trillion in market value, Stewart said. There will be increased demand for data scientists, programmers and blockchain specialist programmers for the next three years, he predicted. Other areas are logistics, especially in the autonomous car and delivery sectors due to increased investment into the use of AI and machine learning to innovate, improve and renew the realm of transportation, noted Stewart. Theres also been a big shift in financial technology (Fintech) and privacy towards a blockchain future, so its likely that these industries will absorb a larger portion of talent in the next decade. Top Places for Tech Workers Austin, Tx., Atlanta, Ga., and Raleigh, N.C., are the top three cities that will see the greatest number of postings for high-tech jobs that are in demand for the next three to five years, Stewart said. Weve seen strong growth in terms of open job postings in tech in these cities over the last several years and their traction doesnt seem to be stalling at all. A D V E R T I S E M E N T Other areas that high-tech workers want to move to, according to Constellations Wang, are in Washington State around Seattle and Vancouver; Las Vegas, Lake Tahoe and Reno, in Nevada; Frisco, Tx., near Dallas; Nashville, Tenn.; Boise, Idaho; and Boulder, Colo. Florida is also high on the list. The shift to WFH will likely see an increased exodus to other less expensive but similarly appointed locales, Job.coms Stewart predicted. In addition to the many Android Auto issues introduced by Android 11 that we already discussed in the last few days, some are now complaining that not even the wired version of the app works correctly.And once again, the culprit appears to the latest Android release, as after installing the new operating system Android Auto just doesnt show up on the cars screen.Trying to connect pixel 3a xl via USB cable to Audi A3 (2018). The view inside the app changes to drive mode but I can no longer select "Android Auto" in my Audi menu. Theres just no entry for it (there are only radio, media etc). Worked fine for 1 year prior to the update, someone says on Google forums Google has already locked the thread, instead pointing users to a series of generic workarounds that can be used to resolve problems with the wired version of Android Auto.For example, the search giant recommends users to install the latest versions of Android Auto and Google apps and attempt to clear the storage and the cache. Doing this could sometime resolve various bugs, albeit this doesnt seem to be the case now after the update to Android 11.In the meantime, the good news is that Google has started looking into issues experienced on Android Auto after installing Android 11.Of course, theres no ETA as to when fixes could land, but as per Googles typical release calendar, a new Android Auto update should go live in just a few weeks in late September or early October. It remains to be seen if the next Android Auto version brings any fixes for all these problems reported lately. CLEVELAND, Ohio The coronavirus pandemic has fueled some crazy rumors and conspiracy theories, the most recent being that Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine is creating camps where children will be separated from their parents. Ohio Rep. Nino Vitale, a Republican from Urbana and vocal critic of the governor, even called them concentration camps. HMD Global is hosting a launch event later this month where it will unveil new Nokia smartphones. HMD Global has announced its new Nokia phone launch event that is scheduled for September 22. Here, the company will unveil a new chapter for Nokia phones. The launch invite doesnt reveal anything else but there have been quite a few Nokia phones showing up in leaks often. The Nokia launch event will be a virtual one, and it will be live streamed via the companys official YouTube page. It is scheduled to start at 4:00 PM BST (4:30 PM IST) on September 22. HMD Global also teased the presence of a special guest at the event. While we dont know who that special guest is we do have an idea on which Nokia phones to expect at the event. Based on multiple leaks and reports so far, HMD Global could launch the Nokia 2.4, and Nokia 3.4 at this event. Nokia 7.3 is also tipped to launch on this day but there's not much known about this phone. The flagship Nokia 9.3 PureView which was also spotted quite often will reportedly miss this launch, and will instead arrive by the end of this year. Nokia 2.4 which will most likely be an entry-level smartphone is expected to come with a 6.5-inch display, MediaTek Helio P22 processor, 2GB of RAM and 16GB of built-in storage. It will house two rear cameras and a fingerprint sensor as well. Nokia 3.4 will also have a rear fingerprint sensor along with a circular camera module. It could be offered in two variants with 3GB of RAM and up to 64GB of storage. Nokia 3.4 is also said to have a 6.52-inch HD+ display, Qualcomm Snapdragon 460 chipset, and a 4,000mAh battery. Everything is based on speculation as of now but new Nokia phones are confirmed, and it will most likely feature the recently leaked ones. HOUSTON Authorities in Texas have arrested an 18-year-old woman on a murder charge in the fatal shooting of a 20-year-old woman as she slept in her bed. Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said Emma Presler, 18, was charged Monday with murder in the death of Sierra Rhodd. Authorities have said dozens of gunshots were fired late Sunday outside Rhodds home near Houston, and she was struck by gunfire that went through her bedroom window. Her parents and younger brother were not injured. Multiple shooters were reported outside the home, and Gonzalez said the investigation was ongoing. He said investigators believe the shooting was related to a feud between a group of people and Rhodds 15-year-old brother, and that Rhodd was not the intended target. Court records do not list an attorney who could speak on Preslers behalf. For over two months, thousands of people have been marching in the streets of Bulgaria almost every day in opposition to Prime Minister Boyko Borisov. They are demanding the resignation of his right-wing government as well as new elections and fundamental reforms of the state apparatus. Bulgaria is viewed as the poorest and most corrupt country within the European Union. Last week, the protests reached their peak to date, as security personnel used significant force against protesters. One hundred twenty people were arrested and around 60 injured. At least 38 people had to be taken to hospital, according to press reports. This includes a number of journalists. The demonstrations in Bulgaria share many similarities with the protests against President Alexander Lukashenko in Belarus. Yet, unlike the latter case, they rarely get the attention of German and other European media outlets. The reason for this is simple: Borisovs GERB Party (Citizens for a European Development of Bulgaria) is a member of the European Peoples Party, to which Germanys Christian Democratic Chancellor Angela Merkel and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also belong. His politics are strictly pro-European, while President Rumen Radev, who supports the protests against the government, leans more toward Russia. Protest against the government in front of the new National Assembly building, demanding government resignation in Sofia, Bulgaria, Thursday, Sept. 10, 2020. (AP Photo/Valentina Petrova) Borisov, who began his political career in the Stalinist Communist Party of Bulgaria, has been in power since 2009. Since then, he has resigned twice in the wake of mass protests, but quickly came back into government on both occasions. Since the spring of 2017, he has been governing in a coalition with the United Patriots, (VP), an alliance of far-right and fascistic organizations. Borisov is viewed as the embodiment of a system characterized by a tight entanglement of oligarchs, politics and the state. The protests are the outbursts of long-standing indignation against the corruption and arrogance of the powerful, along with the fear of the coming of a terrible economic crisis, Hristo Ivanov, who himself used to be a minister in Borisovs cabinet, told Deutsche Welle . Ivanov had spectacularly sparked the protests, by breaking into the luxury home of Ahmed Dogan. It is located on public land and has been illegally sealed off by state security personnel. Dogan is known as one of the wealthiest and most politically influential men in the country. After Ivanov put a video about his stunt online, it received over a million views. The search of the workrooms of two advisers of President Radev also inspired the protests. Radev, a former general, is supported by the opposition Socialist Party, (BSP). Protesters also demand the resignation of Chief Public Prosecutor Ivan Geshev, who is viewed as an assistant of Borisov. Borisov systematically solidified his grip on power with the help of the police and the military. Most of the press and the judiciary are also under the control of the government and the oligarchs that are aligned with it. Borisov seeks a constitutional change that would limit the authority of the president, while continuing to strengthen the state apparatus. Supreme Court of Cassation President Lozan Panov, an opponent of Borisov, spoke of a captured state in der Spiegel. In our country, there is an oligarchic merger of the legislature, the executive as well as the judiciary, he told the German news magazine. He says, therefore, of media mogul Delyan Peevski that the latter is not formally, but a de facto co-prime minister, as key institutions and offices are under his influence. Panov accused the European Union of nourishing the cancer of corruption in Bulgaria with its grants. The protests are socially heterogenous and lack a clear perspective. Calls for a systemic change dominate along with those for an end to the corruption. The protesters consist largely of young, educated people from the major cities. The spectrum of participants in the protest marches through the inner cities every evening goes from the young climate activists and supporters of the former Communist Party, to the urban conservative middle class and the young Western overseas university students who are currently living in Bulgaria due to the coronavirus pandemic, Bulgarian broadcast moderator Vessela Vladkova told the MDR television station. The current protesters are especially young people who are in a less economically dire situation, but rather they are worried about the future of the country and the morality of the political elite, according to Vladkova. The government would have difficulties staying in power if those people who will become impoverished in the fall and winter through the economic crisis, caused by the coronavirus pandemic, join the protests. In truth, many workers have already started demonstrating against the government. A group of nurses have been protesting for weeks in front of the Ministry of Health in Sofia. The opposition parties, representing rival cliques within the countrys ruling class, are trying to dominate the protests. Among them is the PR man Arman Babikjan, one of the organizers of the protests, who has good contacts inside the Bulgarian elite. He is trying to use the protests to unite the discredited and feuding opposition parties into a bloc against Borisov. Babikjan said that he personally would welcome it if the citizens protest declared a leader. He is also willing to work together with the far-right. When it comes to the basis of democracy, there is no left or right, he explained. Like Judge Panov, Babikjan also appeals to the European Union to support the protest movement. Their political differences with Borisov are minimal. In the 30 years since the restoration of capitalism, many parties and cliques secured their interests on the backs of workers in Bulgaria. The EU is at fault for the horrible conditions in the country. Its austerity packages over the last decades pushed large portions of the population into abject poverty. The coronavirus pandemic exacerbates the social crisis. So far, there are almost 18,000 reported infections and 700 deaths in the country of 7 million people. There are no protective measures in schools or businesses anymore. The government has categorically ruled out any measures that could hurt economic interests in any way. The already rampant poverty in the country continued to rise during the coronavirus crisis. Workers with unstable employment have lost their jobs. Many of those who earn their paycheques overseas can no longer travel there. Even before the coronavirus crisis broke out, over a third of children in Bulgaria were at risk of poverty. ABUJA, NIGERIA / ACCESSWIRE / September 15, 2020 / Mrs. Temitope Mayegun is the CEO of Avila Naturalle Ltd, manufacturer of natural body care, foods and household brands, which combine a dynamic distribution network with a retail strategy as well as e-commerce with focus on encouraging the usage of natural, safe and quality products. In this interview with PLEASURES Magazine, Mrs Mayegun discussed the company's commitment to enrich lives and inspire a healthier and happier world by offering natural skincare solutions that deliver healthier, radiant, and glowing skin. The company is out to address the challenge of low esteem associated with the skin type and complexion by promoting naturally healthy and glowing skin using truly natural and safe products. Temitope Mayegun in brief Temitope Mayegun is the CEO of Avila Natural Limited, a leading manufacturer of genuinely NATURAL body care and household brands in Africa focused on encouraging the use of pure and natural body care (skincare, haircare, mouth care, foot care) products. Mayegun holds a B.Sc degree in Accounting from the University of Lagos. She also has other qualifications including International Masters in Business Administration (IMBA), Eaton Business School; Harvard Business School Executive Leadership course in Leading Difference and High-Performance Team; and Lagos Business School Leadership Program - Leading 21st century. She grew up in Lagos, schooled in Lagos, married in Lagos, and is blessed with four children. Optimistic Mayegun emulates the spirit of hard work from her father. The goal-oriented CEO does not give up easily even amidst challenges and doesn't believe in impossibilities. Trained to be independent, she believes that there are no limitations when an individual or group of people are success-driven. We are driven by the need to help Nigerians break free from toxic and harmful chemical-based body care products Avila Naturalle Ltd was incorporated in 2017, and our vision is to enrich lives and inspire a healthier and happier world. Avila Naturalle since inception has redefined the Nigerian body care space by promoting the health and safety of Nigerians through the encouragement of the adoption of all-natural body care solutions comprising skincare, haircare, mouth care and foot care. The overall vision of the company is driven by the need to help Nigerians break free from toxic and harmful chemical-based body care products by creating a culture and an enabling environment for natural body care solutions to thrive. Furthermore, the whole essence of Avila Naturalle is to right the wrong in the society; to get people to appreciate their skin, to get people to solve self-esteem issues. A lot of people have self-esteem issues caused by the belief that only fair people are beautiful, and that is why they use bleaching products. So, Avila Naturalle is here to let them know that whatever complexion they have, they are still beautiful. We are here to give them products that will make them glow naturally. We are here to give them a healthy approach to achieve glowing skin. Story continues We produce 100% natural skincare products At Avila, we believe that a body care company is only as good as the quality of its products. This is why we strive to ensure sustainable growth through continuous improvement on all our products to enrich the lives of our customers. Creating skin and hair care products that are 100 per cent natural would not feel right if we did not put all our passion into it. This is our secret to creating products that are not only pleasant but also powerful and effective in enhancing skin glow naturally or providing solutions to skin-related challenges. We believe in providing the best skincare products possible. Our products are 100 per cent natural, free of parabens, animal by-products, propylene glycol, sodium lauryl sulfates, mineral oils, colourant, petroleum and chemicals. While based on purely natural ingredients, our Research and Development team are well-equipped and constantly focused on the future. This allows us to stay ahead of trends, latest development and competition. We have premium quality products that cater to hair, face, body, mouth, foot, and other private needs. There is no exception to who uses our products. We have made it possible to meet the needs of all humanity both female, male and children. Divine inspiration and the need to solve low self-esteem issues led to the creation of Avila Natural I got the divine inspiration in 2017 to start working with natural ingredients to proffer solutions to thousands of people having skincare issues. So, I conducted research in which the result revealed that a lot of people are having skin issues like dark patches, sunburn, stretch marks. I also discovered that the beauty industry is filled with non-natural beauty products that have wreaked havoc on people's skin. Some of the products are produced with harmful substances that are used wrongly because of the desire to have fair skin. So, for Avila Naturalle, I got the inspiration to offer natural products that will have no side effects on users, products that will make them happier and will also make their skin healthier. I also explore the need to proffer solutions to people who have stretch marks, sunburn, skin discoloration and hair issues. So, bearing in mind with one of our core values which is Innovation, we strategise regularly, we try to ensure that we meet our customer expectations and we give them a pleasant experience. We started with just production of coconut oil When we started Avila Naturalle, the vision was clear, we started with just production of coconut oil because you know coconut oil is also natural oil from the coconut fruit. So, the number one challenge we had was that we did not have so many companies in this particular line of business at first and so it was really difficult to benchmark. Our primary focus also was organic products, and organic product starts by getting quality products from the farm. Also, all products used for production have to be organically grown. A carrot for instance may not be organically grown. They may apply fertilizer to it and if we use it, it will affect the overall production. We aim to promote the use of organic and natural products because of the dangers caused by inorganic products. Also, there is usually a transitioning stage when you are using natural products. If you have been using a kind of harmful chemical-based product that have been bleaching your skin or probably toning your skin before, when you switch to natural products there may be a kind of skin purging. People have to understand that these products are natural, and they cannot work within seven days or within five days the way chemical-based products will work. Another challenge was capital. Avila as a company runs a kind of system that is beyond just sitting down somewhere and mixing stuff up. We are structured. We have been structured from the beginning. We have a factory where we produce under a stringent process and compliance to GMP standards, we have professional and non-professional staff members, we have production unit. We started with producing 30,000 coconut oil and it was difficult at first because we have to buy machines too, we have to get a lot of things working and so, startup capital was an issue. The acceptance rate, on the other hand, was great because some people have been looking forward to switching to natural products. So by the time we were expanding, within three months or six months of starting Avila, it was like we needed to buy a lot of machines, set up an international standard factory, meet up with NAFDAC specifications or requirements and you know the whole thing was really challenging in the beginning but we have to maintain our focus and remain unwavering. This is a business we started with just 30,000 coconut oil and you know as we speak, now we have over 2,000 distributors across different cadres, we have like 150 staff strength and still counting and just last February we diversified into the food sector. The beginning is not easy I must tell you, getting the right staff to fit into the roles needed as well as getting the desired output was not that easy but at the end of the day, through consistency and hard work we are getting better by the day. We always go for quality raw materials People hardly believe that our products are natural because of the results achieved, they feel we infuse other components into our products but Integrity is one of our core values. We always go for quality raw materials too. We review our customers' experience and their feedback even the ones that are not pleasant. We analyze these feedback to come up with solutions that exceed their expectations. Avila is all about solutions. I must tell you that, we are proffering solutions to people's issues. We are trying to make people healthier and live a fulfilled life. Our distributors are also part of our stakeholders, I mean external stakeholders, apart from the margin they make, there is a shared value and clear understanding of the company's vision. It is not all about Temitope Mayegun, it is about the brand, the staff, the distributors, and the vision. The value chain is what we have been able to sustain over the years, and I must tell you, that is a unique selling point for us. We tailor our products to the needs and expectations of our customers. Innovation is one of the core values in Avila Naturalle. Our R&D team is always on ground to proffer solutions and provide a remedy. So, these are some of the things that is unique about us. Avila Naturalle will soon be a household name Avila is a natural skincare brand. Integrity is one of our core values here. We plan to grow our staff strength to 500 to 1000 in a few years to come, more distributors, more products, and we are optimistic that Avila would soon be a household name. Currently, Avila has over two thousand distributors of different cadres across Nigeria and other African countries like Ghana, Kenya, Egypt, Ivory Coast, South Africa, Republic of Benin and Zambia as well as in the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States of America. The company hopes to expand its distribution channels to more countries like the United Arab Emirates, Singapore, Sweden, the Middle East, European Countries and other countries in Africa. Our major distributors also buy our products in large quantities and sell it to the mini distributors who in turn sell it to the end-users. You can also get our product in the superstores as well as online stores like Jumia and Konga online. I believe in teamwork and collaboration I believe in collaboration. I believe in teamwork; the fact is you lead by example and you lead from the front. Late Nelson Mandela said you lead from the back' but it works for me in both ways. There are times I keep quiet and allow my staff to take decisions but sometimes I take the lead, but in all Avila Naturalle runs an all-inclusive model and I don't take decisions without carrying the board and the team along. I like to share my experiences and I just believe in collaboration and inclusion to achieve goals. Feedback from clients motivates me to do more When you have great feedback, it surely inspires you, so we have a lot of great feedback. A 50-year-old woman in Ondo state used our Black Seed Oil and she got pregnant. She has a baby boy. We speak quite often. I have seen some users using our products for cancer and say the cancer is no longer there. I have seen people coming back with feedback such as skin glow, beautiful skin, longer hair, the positive feedbacks keep us going and I must tell you that it motivates me a lot. Another thing is our customers have so much confidence in our brand because we have seen customers advertising for us and telling people how good the product is. A distributor once told me that a woman at a point came to advertise for her because she got the desired result, she was having a terrible condition that the doctors cannot treat at first. The government should provide more incentives to entrepreneurs The government can further encourage young entrepreneurs via incentives. Although the government is also trying in terms of creating a conducive environment for entrepreneurs by removing some bottlenecks and reducing the percentage of registration even at NAFDAC. I feel the intervention is not enough, they can do more. Also, the security needs in the country should be addressed so that farmers can go to work without thinking of being kidnapped. At the moment, some farmers cannot go to the farm anymore, and it is affecting the prices of raw materials and products. Young entrepreneurs should have a clear direction Young entrepreneurs should have a clear direction. For us in Avila we do not just do things because other people are doing it, we go above and beyond so that we can stand out in the market and add value to people's lives. We want people to eat healthily and be healthier. So, young entrepreneurs should emulate this concept. Young entrepreneurs should be goal-oriented and believe in their vision as well as trust God that the vision can be achieved. Also, I must say that young entrepreneurs should not give up on their dreams and be focused. We are here to meet our customers' expectations For us at Avila Naturalle, we believe the best is yet to come, and we are here to meet and exceed our customers' expectations. As a company, we will continue to give our customers the best and for all our customers worldwide, I must appreciate you all for the support, patronage and for trusting us. CONTACT DETAILS: Email: info@avilanaturalle.com Website: www.avilanaturalle.com Instagram: @avilanaturalle https://twitter.com/AvilaNaturalle/ Tel: +234 7001000070; +234 7002000070 SOURCE: Pleasures Magazine View source version on accesswire.com: https://www.accesswire.com/606241/AVILA-NATURALLE-Inspiring-a-Healthier-and-Happier-World-through-Natural-Products WASHINGTON - US President Donald Trump said in an interview Tuesday on Fox News that the Palestinians "will ultimately come in" to join the peace deal with Israel, after other Arab countries join. Trump's comments came ahead of the signing of the Abraham Accords to normalise relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. "And you're going to have peace in the Middle East, without being stupid and shooting everybody and killing everybody and having blood all over the sand," Trump said. The deal, to be signed Tuesday at the White House in Washington, DC, will mention the two-state solution as part of a reference to previous agreements, said Emirati Foreign Minister Anwar Gargash in a briefing via Zoom recorded by Israeli media. He said Israel's suspension of the annexation of parts of the West Bank will put an end to the dangers for this solution. I really don't get these big movies filming. NO WAY is a crew this big maintaining Covid rules. No way! Reply Thread Link I agree. If theres a COVID outbreak then Netflix and other Georgia productions will probably stay shut down for longer, but if one happens Im betting that Disney will try to cover it up Reply Parent Thread Link Hell no they aren't. Its why I also refuse to eat out even through curbside. You have no idea if the people preparing your food are being safe. Reply Parent Thread Link i hate how maligned emily van camp/sharon is in the MCU fandom. emily's great (watch the first season of revenge) and sharon's got a lot of potential. i hope this lets her shine. Reply Thread Link they shafted her character in favor of peggy :'( Reply Parent Thread Link i love her in the comics, but they didn't give emily anything to work with in the movies. i hope bucky and sharon become cat-custody-sharing-besties in this. it's basically my only MCU-related hope anymore Reply Parent Thread Link Because they a)downplayed her for Peggy b)threw away all her story/scenes and/or c) replaced her with Natasha or other randoms Reply Parent Thread Link ditto tbh Reply Parent Thread Link i read a post on tumblr on how originally she was supposed to be used in the mcu -she was supposed to be the agent who wakes up steve in that 1940s room -she was supposed to be the waitress who works at the cafe steve sits at in the avengers (though idk how they expected us to believe that steve wouldn't recognise her lmao) -she was supposed to have a heavier role in tws (basically nat's role but they changed it around so nat and steve's relationship deepened) - she was supposed to be involved in the airport fight in cw but they didn't (apparently one woman in tight leather is enough) there's concept art with her fighting on cap's side. she literally just pops up to give the boys their uniform and disappears Reply Parent Thread Link Emily is such a sweet person (from what I see on her IG at least) and I've had a soft spot for her for years, got into Revenge just for her and it's honestly just sad how she has been treated in the MCU (both by the fans and her constantly getting shafted in favor of someone else). I do hope this time the fans will let her be, maybe without the love connection to Steve they can let her be. Reply Parent Thread Link I hope Sharon has a big role in the series. Reply Thread Link Good luck to the crew. Not the most ideal time to be filming. Reply Thread Link He's going to be the only poc in this? Reply Thread Link Early this year they announced Carl Lumbly as part of the cast, rumored to be playing Isiah Bradley (and people are speculating this could lead to the introduction of Eli Bradley) https://ohnotheydidnt.livejournal.com/117230792.html Reply Parent Thread Link Well well. Reply Parent Thread Link I wonder if ScarJo will show up for a few scenes? My fave POC tree <3 <3 Reply Parent Thread Expand Link my girl Emily Vancamp, shining as always!! I'm sooo happy to see Sharon back. Sharon carter deserves to be well developed and have more chances to shine! Our Sharon Carter gc was going insane yesterday when the photos were released!! Reply Thread Link Haha mine too! Everyone was messaging me too lmao. Reply Parent Thread Link I cannot fucking wait. This was the MCU show I was most looking forward to. Reply Thread Link Emily looking stunning as per, SebStan and Anthony Mackie looking also cute as per! I am SO READY for this show tbh. Why don't I have a Bucky icon, brb time to make some ready. Reply Thread Link Wishing the cast and crew all the best and that they stay safe and healthy I'm glad to see Emily there, I like Sharon and they did her dirty in the movies :/ Hopefully they treat her better this time <3 Reply Thread Link i am READY for the buckysam fandom to finally THRIVE, but we all know it probably won't be as big as things like st*cky for very obvious reasons. Reply Thread Link Me too! We need some good stories to keep us going. It has bare lately. :( Reply Parent Thread Link Fuck Stucky lol 90% of their stans are the worst. I can't even enjoy the friendship moments between them because it's been ruined. I am so ready for BuckySam fics. I need my fix. Reply Parent Thread Link BuckySam has been the superior ship from day one Reply Parent Thread Link SAME!!! buckysam is an underrated ship and im ready to be eating good bc of this show. i also love anthony and sebastian's irl relationship too lmao theyre so fucking funny together Reply Parent Thread Link Steve fucked off to geriatric land, its time for SAMCAP and his side cube Bucky action Reply Parent Thread Link haaaay i've always had a chubby for GSP even though i tend to prefer men with dark hair and a tan. i didn't know he was acting. Reply Thread Link I truly do not understand workplaces forcing people to come back right now - the pandemic is getting worse, not better! jfc Reply Thread Link i am fully expecting a dogpile, but i've been back in the office since june. i work in quality assurance. it's impossible in my field to create products working from home and i am personally glad to be working again. this isn't a commentary on you necessarily, but capitalism has displayed for centuries/millennia that it values profit over ethics. i don't know what's not to understand. if the government isn't twisting arms, businesses are going to business. Reply Parent Thread Link if the government isn't twisting arms, businesses are going to business Pretty much. I've never stopped going into the office. Hopefully places that are just opening up take great precautions in keeping thier workers safe Reply Parent Thread Link I actually don't disagree with you at all, this is the harsh reality of the world and capitalism. The US government values business over lives and isn't going to take any measures that would allow people to both stay home and protect their livelihoods. I'm glad you're able to do your job safely on-site. I'm also extra salty because I have a desk job that can easily be done from home and yet they've made me come back in so that we can "collaborate" which means three people standing around a piece of paper while I try to scoot into a 6' distance. I value the routine and the transition in actually GOING to work, but I don't feel like I'm safe and I would much rather not have the anxiety of being in the office if I don't have to be. I just wish companies would let people work from home if they are able to do their jobs remotely, and with respect to the hollywood productions, I really don't see how they're able to keep the actors / crew / hair & makeup teams / etc safe on set. Obviously this isn't something that can be done remotely, but bubbles don't seem to be working for the pro sports teams because the players keep breaking it. And now seems like a bad time in particular, with flu season ramping up and the number of cases continuing to grow. The pandemic isn't managed at all, yet businesses are acting like it's totally fine and nobody is in danger. Reply Parent Thread Link i remember reading early on in, like, march that this was going to be a shitshow for twelve months+. i decided very early on that getting upset over public behavior, becoming exasperated at capitalism not giving af, and raging at governmental response were three areas i wasn't getting upset about for over a year. we know people suck. we been knew unfettered capitalism is cancer. we know governmental response is borderline useless. all you can control is yourself and your own behavior. Edited at 2020-09-15 11:20 pm (UTC) Reply Parent Thread Link but the economy Reply Parent Thread Link I was thinking about this show today and how we would have already gotten it had it not been for Covid. On one hand, I'm glad production has resumed because as dumb as it sounds, this show has been one of the few things I've been looking forward to and knowing we'll get it one day has been keeping me going most days, but on the other hand... It still isn't safe for stuff to start filming again. Reply Thread Link The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry has reopened the Burleigh Falls Crown land area to the public. The piece of property managed by the ministry was reopened on Thursday afternoon after closing in July due to issues including overcrowding, unsanitary conditions and safety concerns. Leah Bulger, a resident of Old Burleigh Road, said permanent no parking signs have been implemented by Selwyn Township on either side of the entire road in hopes of dealing with the parking congestion issue. So, the only parking thats available is that small parking lot, and when thats full, its full for the day, Bulger said. If individuals dont abide by the new signage, tickets will be given and vehicles will be towed. Despite the issue of parking congestion being tackled, Bulger said she fears the littering will continue. Its going to continue because there hasnt been anything put into place in regards to the littering, and if it becomes contaminated waste again, then the ministry is going to close it again, Bulger said. Although Bulger said she doesnt believe younger folks drinking in the area will be a problem any more, she thinks fishing will continue in full swing for another couple of months. Jennifer Craig, general manager of the Burleigh Falls Inn, said while shes hopeful with students going back to school and other green spaces being open that they wont see a resurgence, she still has concerns. Other than Selwyn Township putting in no parking along Old Burleigh Road, there still isnt garbage receptacles, there still isnt a defined limitation on numbers and use, there still isnt public washrooms at that location, so its still heavily relying on the local businesses or the Trent-Severn property at the locks to take that responsibility on, Craig said. In a recent post on the inns Facebook page, Craig said the business tried to reiterate the importance of respecting the area. Believe me, if we feel that its going in the wrong direction, I will be the first person to make the phone call to say, Go ahead and close it again. Whether they do that or not, its up to them, Craig said. With the area now reopen, she said she does hope it will bring more business to the inn. As we switched out of gears from summer into fall, we have certainly seen a decline in business, and that normally does happen past Labour Day, Craig said. But she said part of their traditional business of holding events and business meetings doesnt really exist now due to the virus. We do have to have some sort of attraction to have people come to the area, and the falls is our biggest attraction. It is the reason why people come to this area and tend to stay with the inn or go to other businesses, so there is a promotion side of it, Craig said. She said she encourages people coming to respectfully visit the falls who see others that arent following the rules, to report them. I think educating people is a great thing and thats part of the process, but I think really finding them and hitting them where it hurts in their wallets when they have to pay for their actions is the only way youll stop it, Craig said. Bulger said she really hopes that things dont go back to what they were. I hope that people respect the area, the people that live there and work there, and respect the people that are visiting there. We dont need to go back to the violence, we dont need to go back to the racism, we dont need to go back to all of those horrible things that were happening two months ago, she said. The global flagship store of Huawei Technologies Co in Shanghai. [Photo by Wang Gang/ For China Daily] "Stars shine through even the darkest night." Those are the words of Yu Chengdong, CEO of Huawei Technologies Co's consumer business group, as the Chinese tech giant faces arguably the darkest moment in its 30-year-plus history. After Monday, Huawei's semiconductor suppliers outside the United States have to halt shipments to the company of products containing US technologies. If they pursue that type of business with Huawei, they have to apply for a license from Washington, according to the latest US government restrictions. The tightened curbs will profoundly affect the business of the world's largest telecom equipment maker and the No 1 smartphone vendor by shipments, resulting in a shortage of processors Huawei needs to make its products, experts said. Yu, whose consumer business group is expected to suffer most from the chip restrictions, said many people thought that Huawei would have no choice but to press the pause or stop button on its phone businesses. The company, however, decided to step forward and hit the play button, Yu said at its annual developer conference in Dongguan, Guangdong province, last week. Yu, who led Huawei from a nobody in smartphones to an industry star, didn't directly disclose the company's answers to the latest curbs. But he announced on Thursday the second version of its in-house operating system HarmonyOS and showcased the progress it has made in tackling the restrictions on its use of the Google Android operating system. "One year ago, when Washington restricted Huawei's access to using Android in its smartphones, many had thought that Huawei's smartphone businesses would be destroyed," said Xiang Ligang, director-general of the Information Consumption Alliance, a telecom industry association. But instead, Huawei developed HarmonyOS and it even grew from the No 2 smartphone vendor in the world to No 1 in the second quarter of 2020, Xiang said. "The process showcased what Huawei was capable of doing amid intense pressure, and it offers a clue as to what Huawei can do to survive the latest chip restrictions, which are widely believed to have the potential to damage its smartphone business," Xiang added. Charlie Dai, principal analyst at market research company Forrester, said: "The US government's bans leave Huawei no choice but to accelerate research and development to build an open tech ecosystem of its own, from hardware to software for smartphones. It's a tough journey, but Huawei must go through it to survive and thrive." Wang Chenglu, president of the software department at Huawei's consumer business group, said, "The chip restrictions are a wake-up call to all industries in China." Wang said many Chinese high-tech companies have made their way onto lists of the world's top 500 companies in the past decade. "But such a seemingly booming scene of 'luxuriant foliage' is, in fact, very dangerous, and it can be upended in an instant, because it is not supported by 'deep roots' under the ground," he said, referring to the lack of homegrown core technologies such as high-end chip manufacturing techniques. "The chip curbs offer a good opportunity for Chinese companies to work together to reconstruct the semiconductor sector," Wang added. Huawei is rumored to have launched a project to partner with domestic companies to build a US-technology-free chip production line. Though Huawei has not commented, people familiar with the issue told China Daily that the company is seriously considering doing so. Analysts said Huawei still has a certain inventory level of chips, which will give it time to come up with contingency plans, as well as to assess the progress of domestic semiconductor companies. They estimate that Huawei has a stockpile of processors for smartphones and 5G base stations that could last at least until early 2021 and possibly through most of the year. My sense is the clock is running out, said Senate GOP Whip John Thune of South Dakota. I dont see any intention or desire on the part of the Democrat leadership at the moment regardless of what their members are saying to cooperate and to work together on a solution. I think they feel like theyve got the issue and they want to try and ride it in November. The Kerry Co-op board is understood to have made a formal decision to advance the purchase of a 60pc majority share in Kerry Groups primary dairy business. Unconfirmed reports put the value of the offer at 660-670 million, with the deal involving the purchase of Kerry Groups main milk processing and trading facilities at Listowel, Farranfore, Newmarket and Charleville, plus the companys dairy spreads business at Ossett in West Yorkshire. The board decision means the proposed purchase could now move to due diligence. It is understood that Kerry Co-ops 12.7pc shareholding in Kerry Group, which is valued at 2.4 billion, will be spun out to shareholders under the agreement. While the final details of the funding model have to be agreed, it is believed that milk suppliers will be encouraged to invest in a new farmers co-op to purchase the 60pc majority stake in Kerry Groups dairy business. A hair-cut on the share transaction, in addition to new borrowings, will complete the financing of the purchase. The proposed share transaction will be subject to capital gains tax, which will be more attractive to the co-ops dry (non-trading) shareholders than the current share redemption scheme which is subject to income tax. A spokesman for Kerry Co-op said the society was not in a position to comment on reports of a deal with Kerry Group. Meanwhile a Kerry Group spokesman said: Kerry Group as a matter of policy does not comment on speculation regarding any such matter. However, industry sources insisted that a deal is very close to being agreed and that the Kerry Co-op board has now committed to completing the negotiations and finalising the purchase. Dairy industry sources said that the manner in which the deal is structured means that Kerry Co-op will not need the approval of an extraordinary general meeting (EGM) to get shareholder approval for the purchase plan. However, it is still not clear whether or not an EGM will be called. The historic deal will leave Kerry Group with a 40pc stake in the business. However, it is envisaged that Kerry Co-op will buy out the remainder of the business over time. It is also believed that the existing management team will remain in place to lead the business under the new ownership structure. Kerry Groups milk processing business is valued at close to 1.2 billion and delivers profits of between 80-100 million each year. It is understood that the purchase also covers Kerry Groups animal feed mill in Farranfore, as well as its network of agri-stores. The deal if agreed will see Kerry Co-op, which was established in 1974, return to the big league of milk processors, with the business having a milk pool in excess of 1.2 billion litres. Along with Kerry Groups milk processing facilities in Listowel, Charleville and Newmarket, the purchase also includes the dairy spreads concern at Ossett outside Leeds, and the infant formula business at Charleville. Kerry Groups dairy division is a major producer of cheddar cheese and casein, as well as demineralised whey, skim milk powder and specialised protein ingredients. Relations between Kerry Co-op and Kerry Group have been severely strained over the last number of years due to conflicting interpretations of a commitment by Kerry Group management to pay Irelands leading milk price. There have also been differences within Kerry Co-op over the preferred manner in which shareholders could realise the value of the societys 2.4 billion shareholding in Kerry Group Plc. Supporters of Kerry Co-ops purchase proposal view it as workable compromise that goes some way to satisfy the differing aspirations of the various parties. An evacuation order that had been placed for large portions of St. John the Baptist Parish was lifted Tuesday morning after the track for Hurricane Sally shifted further east, officials said in a news release on social media. "Due to forecast track for Hurricane Sally, all previous evacuation orders are lifted," officials said. St. John Parish President Jaclyn Hotard had issued mandatory evacuations for areas north of Airline Highway, including the large neighborhoods of Cambridge, River Forest, Foxwood, LaPlace Park, Belle Terre, New Era and Sugar Ridge. Some of those areas had seen heavy flooding during Hurricane Isaac in 2012. The evacuation order had been issued as Sally was forecast to hit the metro New Orleans area, but the slow-moving storm now is expected land near the Mississippi/Alabama line early Wednesday. In neighboring St. Charles Parish, a parish-wide evacuation order was also lifted Tuesday morning, officials said. Plaquemines Parish lifted similar orders for just the west bank of the parish, keeping evacuations in place on the east bank. Advertisement Massive queues built-up outside coronavirus testing centres in England today as the government's shambolic swab system descended into further chaos and Matt Hancock was forced to admit the fiasco will last for several weeks. Long lines were pictured at sites in Southend, Bury, Birmingham and Manchester as the Health Secretary faced a grilling in Parliament over the system which has left doctors, nurses, care home residents and teachers all unable to get checked for the life-threatening disease. Outraged residents in some parts of the country have complained about being forced to drive hundreds of miles for Covid-19 testing. But frustrating images revealed some testing sites were deserted today, with workers left twiddling their thumbs and fighting their boredom on their phones. The Health Secretary admitted up to 250,000 Britons are waiting for their Covid-19 test result because of a mammoth backlog in Government laboratories, which has meant tens of thousands of swabs are being held up in a process that is only supposed to take 24 hours. In response to criticism from furious MPs today, he said there is a hold-up of 'less than a day's capacity' caused by 'operational challenges' in laboratories. The Department of Health claims it can process 245,000 swab tests per day. His system which ministers promised would be 'world-beating' and is crucial to keeping the pandemic at bay by squashing local outbreaks before they spiral out of control came under fire after an investigation revealed no swab tests were available for residents in England's 10 hotspots yesterday afternoon. Labour branded the service an 'utter farce' and 'a fiasco', with the shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth revealing NHS patients are now having their operations cancelled because of the testing crisis. Swabs have even had to be flown to Germany and Italy for analysis because of the hold-up in Britain. Furious MPs said their constituents have been directed to testing centres dozens or hundreds of miles away from their homes, and the Speaker of the House of Commons, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, said the issue was 'unacceptable' and pressured Mr Hancock and his ministers to get a grip and take 'urgent action'. Mr Hancock said demand for tests was now so high that the Government was having to 'prioritise' tests meaning ration how many can be given to the public with hospital patients and care home residents at the top of the list. Care homes are using up around half of the daily capacity at present, some 100,000 tests per day. In another humiliating blunder for the system, Mr Hancock acknowledged it will take 'a matter of weeks' to fix the testing system. He told MPs that the demand for tests is currently outstripping supply but officials don't reveal how many people attempt to book a swab each day. In a desperate bid to boost testing capacity in the labs, the Government is now appealing to science students at universities to staff the centres where swabs must be run through machines to spot the coronavirus. The backlog has reportedly been caused by staff finishing temporary contracts and surging demand as cases continue to increase across the UK and one scientist claimed the Government's claim of how many tests it can process may not actually be true. Whitehall sources say the actual cause of the crisis is a 'secret', while one leading scientist dismissed claims of a staffing shortage and said labs appear to have enough technicians. Here's how Britain's testing fiasco is unfolding: People in some of Britain's worst-affected areas, including Bolton and Greater Manchester, say they are unable to get access to coronavirus tests when they need them. People are being offered test slots dozens of miles away from home; Despite this, residents in Cambridge say their local testing site appears to be empty but they can't get an appointment there. Officials are now redirecting tests to more badly-affected areas; Members of the public trying to book tests online have been met with a 'service busy' page, and those turning up at testing sites have been turned away by staff; Care home bosses say their staff and residents who are allocated around half of the daily test capacity in the UK, some 100,000 tests per day are still not able to get tested regularly as officials promised they could; One care worker in Luton claimed that the testing has become 'worse' and that some results don't even come back, while others take at least five days to come back; Officials say the demand for tests is now so high that their laboratories cannot cope claimed capacity for swab tests is around 250,000, with around 200,000 being carried out per day. It is not clear how many people are attempting to book tests each day; Sir Lindsay Hoyle, Speaker of the House of Commons, today branded the situation 'unacceptable' and called for action from the Government; A headteacher warned schools are in for a 'really bumpy ride' if they can't get their staff and pupils tested, and at least 30 have already had to send home entire year groups or classes over virus scares; NHS doctors and nurses being forced to stay off work because they can't get tests will hinder the health service's attempt to return to full capacity after thousands of appointments and operations were cancelled. A huge queue of people is pictured outside a coronavirus testing centre at Southend-on-Sea, Essex, at 8am this morning. Many of the people reportedly turned up hoping they would be allowed in, but hadn't made appointments Members of the public are pictured queuing at a test centre in Bury, Greater Manchester A long queue outside a testing site in Gorton, Manchester People queue up to be let in to a walk-through test centre in Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham. Birmingham and nearby Solihull are among the latest places to be put under local lockdown rules A man is pictured being turned away from a coronavirus testing centre in Bolton today, which has the highest infection rate in the country Despite the increased demand of patients needing tests, two workers at a swabbing site in Cambridge were sat with nothing to do ENTIRE FAMILY IN ISOLATION BECAUSE OF TESTING DELAY The Jenkins family from Odiham, near Basingstoke, spent over 36 hours trying to get a Covid test after their teenage daughter came down with a cough and lost her sense of taste. Nathanael, 18, one of three children living at home with his parents, said: 'We were shocked at the uselessness of the government's test booking system. 'My sister, who is 15, had only been back at school for a week but there are 2,000 children there now and by Friday she had a cough which turned into a temperature over the weekend. She started trying to book a test on Sunday and tried numerous times without any luck. 'On Monday, we all took turns and tried all morning and every hour from midday - more than 40 attempts in total. We even tried putting in different postcodes but it made no difference. Either the page would not load or it would take you back to the page you'd already been on. 'It has meant that all of us have had to stay at home. My Mum has cancelled engagements, I've been unable to go to work in a supermarket stockroom and both my sisters have been missing more school. 'I thought being a key worker I could get a test through my employer but they told me that the government website was all there was. 'Late this morning, we did manage it. It felt like pure luck and it was only a few miles away. We're told the results could take up to 72 hours.' Advertisement Labour's Jonathan Ashworth accused Mr Hancock of 'losing control of the virus' and the Health Secretary was faced with the revelation of the Sunday Times that there was a backlog of 185,000 swab tests in the UK. Mr Hancock said: 'The backlog is actually falling and is less than one day's test processing capacity.' The Department of Health claims it can process 243,817 swab tests from the Pillar 1 and Pillar 2 programmes every day these are diagnostic swab tests performed in hospitals and on members of the public. The testing shortage has come days after Downing Street committed to 'Operation Moonshot', an ambitious plan to eventually carry out 10million tests a day to track the virus in real time. Matt Hancock has repeatedly spoken of 'ramping up' testing capacity and boasted that Britain now does more swab tests than many of its neighbours. But the system seems to be cracking under the pressure of carrying out the approximately 200,000 swabs per day before 'Moonshot' has even begun. People arriving for tests at a centre in Manchester today said they have struggled for days to get appointments, which are intended only for people who have symptoms themselves or have been officially referred by their boss. Businessman Mark Bowen, 43, said as he went to a test centre at the Etihad Stadium in the city: 'Booked one days ago as a workmate had symptoms. But my wife tried to book one yesterday and she was offered a test in Belfast. 'She's hardly going to nip on a plane or ferry to get a test.It's a joke. The government needs to get a grip before we have a second wave.' Mother-of-two Melissa Wood, 41, said: 'It took me three days to get a test. 'My partner thinks he's got it so I thought I'd better get one. I think too many people are having a test when they don't need one.' One plumber, who had a test in Bolton, said: 'I've tried to get a test for days. At first the only place they offered me was Doncaster which is miles away. But I managed to get one here. A lot of people have given up trying to get one in Bolton as they know everywhere booked up as we're a hotspot. It's a shambles.' Key workers in London have said they were unable to get tests at a walk-in centre in East Ham, despite the belief their jobs would give them priority. Primary school counsellor Melanie Bailey revealed that she had been forced to stop work and keep her son off school after he developed coronavirus symptoms. Ms Bailey, 49, from East Ham, told MailOnline: My son Adam has covid symptoms and I just want to get a test so I know I need to do. 'Hes had an upset stomach, aching limbs, a sore throat and he has started to develop a cough. I cant go to work if he has Covid as I could take it into the school. Adam cant go to school if he has Covid as he will infect others. But I cant get a test to find out if he has it or not.' Parents Steph Le Couteur and Ephraim Mwakandu told how they were offered a test for their two-year-old daughter Aurelia 175 miles away in Bolton, despite living around the corner from the East Ham walk-in test centre. Steph, 33, told MailOnline: 'Our daughter has a cough and they wont accept her at nursery unless she has a test to prove she does not have Covid. Weve been trying to get a test for days. I dont know how many times Ive been on the government website. We cant work or visit friends and relatives until we are sure that Aurelia does not have the virus.' Construction engineer Paul Campbell told how of his frustration at having to take time off work as he cannot get a test. The 33-year-old from Romford, Essex, told MailOnline: 'Ive got a mild cough. Its not terrible and I dont feel too bad but I want to the right thing and not spread the disease. But I cant get a test to find out if I have it or not. Ive tried to website so many times but I cant get an appointment. I finally got through on the phone they said you can only book a test on the government website. 'Its completely wrong. Theres no-one at the testing centre. Theyre not doing anything.' Health Secretary Matt Hancock was grilled in the Commons today over the 'farce' descending on Covid-19 tests in the UK (Pictured left: A woman taking a DIY test at a centre in Bolton) Sir Lindsay Hoyle, Speaker of the House of Commons and MP for Chorley, near virus-hit Bolton, said the current testing situation is 'unacceptable' and urged ministers to get a grip on it as soon as possible Boris Johnson talks during a Cabinet meeting at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London, alongside International Trade Secretary Liz Truss and Health Secretary Matt Hancock WHAT IS HAPPENING TO TESTING IN THE UK? What has gone wrong with coronavirus testing in the UK? People across England are struggling to get access for swab tests which are used to confirm whether or not they have Covid-19. These should be available on the day at drive/walk-through centres or by mail order but many have reported being unable to get them, and instead being met by a 'service busy' message on the booking website. This is even reportedly a problem in areas with local lockdowns, where testing is crucial and mobile test sites are set up to speed up the process. Why are tests not available for everyone who wants them? The Government's testing system is still not set up to cope with the surging demand now being placed on it. It was never advanced enough to offer everyone a test, which is why only people with symptoms are supposed to book the swabs. Numbers of people catching the virus are rising across the country and the number of people wanting tests is increasing as a result. Although the Department of Health claims it can process 243,817 swab tests per day, the system is stalling at a lower level 205,659 were done on Thursday, September 10, the most recent data. Health officials have blamed laboratory capacity for the shortage, and the testing chief at NHS Test & Trace apologised for this last week. Is a lack of staff in labs really to blame? One suggestion is that labs may not have enough technical staff able to operate the machines that process the swabs. More labs are being set up and more staff employed, but this could take weeks or months to translate to big gains in testing capacity. One of the scientists who helped set up the system, however, has rejected this and said labs are operating normally and 'there are problems elsewhere in the chain'. The University of Birmingham's Professor Alan McNally said on BBC Breakfast: 'The labs are still fully staffed, they are still churning through huge amounts of samples per day - the same number as they were a couple of months ago - so there are problems elsewhere in the chain... 'I think this is multi-factorial. I think you almost have a perfect storm of events that have come together to almost essentially crash the testing system. 'I think there is a surge in demand [and] I think our stated capacity is very different from actually how many tests can be run in a given day.' What is the impact of growing pressure on test labs? A large workload for testing labs around the UK means that people's results are taking longer to process many people have to wait more than the target 24 hours to find out their result. This means that the government is throttling the number of tests that are sent out, to avoid completely overwhelming the system, so people in some areas are finding it difficult to access swabs. There are concerns that a system that is frustrating or slow to use will put people off and members of the public will stop bothering to use it. Should people still be ordering tests? Yes, anyone who has symptoms of coronavirus (a cough, fever or lost sense of taste/smell) must order a test however they can. People who do not have symptoms, and have not been instructed by a medical professional to get tested, should not order a test. Advertisement Today NHS Providers an organisation which represents hospital staff warns that the backlog is hitting the health service's ability to get back to normal. Chief executive Chris Hopson said: 'It's clear there are capacity problems with the testing regime. 'Trust leaders from Bristol, Leeds and London have all raised concerns about the lack of testing availability, leading to greater levels of staff absence. 'NHS trusts are working in the dark they don't know why these shortages are occurring, how long they are likely to last, how geographically widespread they are likely to be and what priority will be given to healthcare workers and their families in accessing scarce tests.' Nurses, doctors and other vital hospital staff are being told to take time off work and self-isolate because they might have coronavirus but can't get tested. This is wasting NHS staff time, experts say, at a time when it is crucial that hospitals don't face any more problems. There are already tens of thousands of patients who are overdue medical procedures and appointments that had to be postponed or cancelled because of the lockdown, and hospitals are scrambling to get through a massive backlog of patients before winter hits. Chris Hopson added that the NHS 'simply cant spare members of staff waiting for tests, not being able to come into work'. Sir John Bell, himself a medicine professor and qualified doctor, said the Government was not properly prepared for another surge in suspected cases and tests. He said on BBC Radio 4 this morning: 'A month ago they had spare capacity in testing significant spare capacity but I think what has been underestimated was the speed at which the second wave would arrive. 'But also the pressure put on the system from children returning to school, and the testing demands associated with that, and people increasingly out and about. 'So, I think they are definitely behind the curve in terms of getting the necessary tests for what we need today.' A leading scientist who helped set up the lab testing system, however, has rejected claims that it is failing. Professor Alan McNally, a geneticist at the University of Birmingham, told BBC Breakfast there were 'clearly underlying issues which nobody wants to tell us about'. He said: 'The labs are still fully staffed, they are still churning through huge amounts of samples per day - the same number as they were a couple of months ago - so there are problems elsewhere in the chain... 'I think this is multi-factorial. I think you almost have a perfect storm of events that have come together to almost essentially crash the testing system. 'I think there is a surge in demand [and] I think our stated capacity is very different from actually how many tests can be run in a given day.' The NHS is not the only place struggling to get enough tests schools are also feeling the impact of delays in the nationwide system. The new school year in England started just last week for most children but there are already reports of staff, pupils and even entire classes going into isolation after Covid scares. One headteacher in Preston, Lancashire, said he has two staff and 10 children already stuck at home because of the virus. The staff, he said, struggled to get tested. Jim Blakely, head at Garstang St Thomas' School, told the Today programme: 'At the moment Ive got two members of staff not here. 'My Year 4 teacher was sent home last Wednesday due to Covid symptoms, a persistent cough, but there were no tests available on Wednesday. 'So he kept trying to book during the day and in the evening, and there was some test available in some strange places, and these are the same places that parents in my school have been directed to like Aberdeen and Llandudno. 'Not only are they miles away, but they are in Wales and Scotland. There is very little local testing.' Mr Blakely's account matches dozens of others which have seen people say the test booking system has tried to send them to centres tens or hundreds of miles from home. He added: 'This is going to be a really bumpy ride unless there is quick testing near schools. 'And I think thats what we need really urgently, and a 24 hour turnaround on tests ideally, so families can get back to work and children can get back to school.' Another man denied entry to the testing site in Bolton pleads his case with a member of staff More than 30 schools have told pupils to stay at home because of a confirmed Covid-19 case. FAMILIES' TORMENT AT INABILITY TO GET COVID-19 TESTS HOSPICE NURSE UNABLE TO WORK WHILE SON IS ILL A hospice nurse has been unable to return to work because she can't get a test for her unwell son. Samuel Austin, from Faversham, Kent, said he has been trying for 48 hours to book a Covid test, after his young son started showing symptoms on Sunday. The situation has meant Mr Austins son cannot return to nursery and left his wife, a nurse at a local hospice, unable to work. His wifes hospice is not part of the NHS so she does not receive priority testing. 'Everything we submit we get "This service is very busy. Please try later" or if we get through to finding a test site, we are told no site is available to see us,' the 35-year-old project manager told the Press Association. 'Ultimately my disappointment is for my son and my wife. I feel powerless to help them and it shouldnt be this way.' COUPLE IN THEIR 80s SLEEPING IN SEPARATE ROOMS A man known only as Matthew said his 80-year-old mother in Leicestershire has been unable to book a test for more than 48 hours, despite showing two of the Governments three key Covid-19 symptoms. She is the primary caregiver for Matthews father, 86, who is partially blind. Matthew said the couple have been sleeping in separate rooms and she has been administering her husbands eye drops wearing a mask, in an effort to protect him from potential coronavirus. 'I would have thought an 80-year-old woman with underlying health issues... should be made a priority,' said Matthew, who lives 150miles away from his parents. 'I even got close to clicking key worker on the online form for getting a test, because I thought, in a way, shes a key worker for my dad. 'And someone else said if she tells them shes got chest pains theyre obliged to send an ambulance... but you know, she doesnt want to tell lies.' DAUGHTER CANNOT GO TO SCHOOL WITHOUT TEST Moz Bulbeck Reynolds, from West Berkshire, said she has been unable to send her nine-year-old daughter Matilda to school this week due to the testing issues. Having stayed at home last Thursday and Friday with cold symptoms, Matilda was refused entry on Monday until she received a test, as per the local councils rules. However, Ms Bulbeck Reynolds said she could not book one despite trying 'almost constantly' since 9.30am on Monday through the Governments website. 'I feel sorry for my daughter, rejected at the school gate. It made me feel like a failure as a parent,' she said. The school has said Matilda either needs to be tested or quarantined for 10 days. Ms Bulbeck Reynolds has now been able to book a test for 5pm on Tuesday, but it is in Cardiff, more than 70 miles from her home. COUPLE MAKE 102-MILE TRIP WITH BABY FOR A TEST A young couple with a baby have described how they made a 102-mile round-trip to get a coronavirus test. Michelle Fryer and Bradley Richardson, both 25, travelled from Northwich, Cheshire, to Todmorden, West Yorkshire, with their daughter Rosie last Wednesday. A testing centre has been set up in Chester city centre - just 18 miles from Northwich - but Michelle said she couldnt book this online on the national portal. The arduous journey, which took one hour and 18 minutes each way, came after a disastrous booking process which first tried to send them to Telford and then the website crashed. Michelle Fryer and Bradley Richardson travelled 51 miles from Cheshire to Yorkshire to get a coronavirus test last week Ms Fryer said: 'It was ridiculous. We are shocked as to why we had to travel so far and potentially spread the virus across the country if we do have it. 'Luckily we didnt need a rest break as we would have had to use the service station even though we are having to self isolate... It just doesnt make sense.' The couple believe they both just have colds but wanted to be certain because Bradley has asthma. They are still awaiting the results. Advertisement Seven have shut completely because of a positive coronavirus test, while 21 have sent at least one entire year group home. And The Daily Telegraph's analysis of school closures revealed eight have sent a handful of pupils home because of a case. Government guidelines say teachers must send home any children who have been in 'close contact' with an infected case. Doctors, scientists and MPs have warned that the 'farcical' policy threatened to wreck the education for a generation of children who only returned to classrooms earlier this month after spending six months at home. It also threatens to set back efforts to return millions of workers to offices and workplaces because they have to stay at home to look after their children. The Mail on Sunday reported that all Year 7 and Year 10 pupils at 20,000-a-year North London Collegiate School, a top independent day school for girls aged 4-18, were told to isolate for two weeks after just two pupils fell ill last week. Care home bosses have also criticised ministers for failing to deliver on their promise to prioritise testing in the vulnerable sector ahead of the winter, amid fears it could be ravaged by a second wave of Covid-19. The Government had pledged that all care homes would get access to regular testing for staff and residents after the sector was caught off-guard and unprotected by the first wave in March, which has led to the deaths of at least 14,000 people. But chiefs in the sector say deliveries have been slow and tests aren't being processed quickly, adding that it would make sense for homes to have machines capable of processing tests on-site. The chief executive of Care England, Martin Green, told The Times: 'We were promised weekly testing for staff and 28-day testing for residents. That has not been delivered. There are delays in the couriers not coming to take swabs and problems with the labs getting the results back in time. 'It seems that the government makes an announcement first and then scrabbles around to see how it makes it happen. The testing regime needs a thorough root and branch review.' While one care home manager told ITV News today that the testing has become 'worse' over time. She said that some results are going missing, while others take at least five days to come back. Department of Health officials have already made a desperate appeal for staff to Britain's biomedical sector, admitting it needs 400 technicians immediately to help fix the testing fiasco. The appeal, written by Professor Dame Anna Dominiczak an expert in medicine at Glasgow University who was drafted in to help, revealed that bosses would hire 'recent graduates' with a biology degree to work in labs to analyse coronavirus test samples. But she also revealed that health chiefs would be open to hiring current students with 'some previous lab experience' to fill holes in rotas on a part-time basis, The Telegraph reports. Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon piled pressure on the Government yesterday by claiming the backlog was also affecting Scottish patients. Test results are processed in one of seven Lighthouse Labs across the country in areas including Milton Keynes in Buckinghamshire, Loughborough in Leicestershire, Cambridge and Glasgow. Miss Sturgeon is concerned that the backlog in England is having a knock-on effect in the Glasgow lab, leading to delays in Scotland. She said yesterday: 'We've been raising these concerns with the UK Government.' A senior Government source last night dismissed her claims as 'wrong', adding: 'It is disappointing the First Minister has decided to play politics with the pandemic. 'We have been working with the Scottish government through the weekend to ensure they have the support on testing they need. The First Minister should get her own house in order before blaming others.' Yesterday it was revealed that swabs are not available in Bolton, which is fighting the largest outbreak of the virus in the country with an infection rate of 122 cases for every 100,000 people. The Government website where testing slots are booked also shows there are no tests available in Salford, Bradford, Blackburn, Oldham, Preston, Pendle, Rochdale, Tameside and Manchester, according to LBC radio. When postcodes in each area are put into the testing system it allegedly comes up with the message: 'This service is currently very busy. More tests should be available later.' The leader of the council in Bolton, which has Britain's highest infection rate, said there were 'major flaws' with the online booking system and that it was out of the council's control because the Government runs it. He said the issue was 'unacceptable'. Sir Lindsay Hoyle, MP for nearby Chorley and the Speaker of the House of Commons, today slammed the situation on Twitter and said he had urged the Government to take action. Sir Lindsay said: 'I am receiving numerous complaints from residents unable to book a test after displaying Covid symptoms. This is completely unacceptable and totally undermines track and trace so I have raised my concerns with Ministers to push for action to be taken as a matter of urgency.' Home Secretary Priti Patel said it was 'wrong to say' that there were no tests available after she was quizzed about the long delays in trying to book a test in Bolton where the infection rate is the highest in England. Speaking on BBC Breakfast this morning, she said: 'Tests are available, youve heard me say, particularly in local lockdown areas, Ive seen this myself, Ive seen the teams that have been working on this. Coronavirus tests are currently unavailable in the ten centres of the UK's coronavirus outbreak, reports LBC. Pictured above is a testing centre in Bolton, northern England Those trying to get tests in the ten UK hotspots are being greeted with this message 'Mobile testing is going in, capacity is going into local areas where lockdowns have been undertaken and are taking place. MORE THAN 30 SCHOOLS HAVE SENT PUPILS HOME IN VIRUS SCARES More than 30 schools have told pupils to stay at home because of a confirmed Covid-19 case, it was revealed today. Seven have shut completely because of a positive coronavirus test, while 21 have sent at least one entire year group home. And The Daily Telegraph's analysis of school closures revealed eight have sent a handful of pupils home because of a case. Government guidelines say teachers must send home any children who have been in 'close contact' with an infected case. Doctors, scientists and MPs have warned that the 'farcical' policy threatened to wreck the education for a generation of children who only returned to classrooms earlier this month after spending six months at home. It also threatens to set back efforts to return millions of workers to offices and workplaces because they have to stay at home to look after their children. The Mail on Sunday reported that all Year 7 and Year 10 pupils at 20,000-a-year North London Collegiate School, a top independent day school for girls aged 4-18, were told to isolate for two weeks after just two pupils fell ill last week. Advertisement 'I think it is wrong to say tests are not available, new book-in slots are being made available every single day, mobile testing units are being made available. 'And on top of that home testing kits are being issued across the country but specifically in local lockdown areas.' But the Home Secretary added: 'Clearly there is much more work that needs to be undertaken with Public Health England and the actual public health bodies in those particular local areas. 'As a Government we work with Public Health England to surge where there is demand in local hotspot areas and we continue to do that.' On access to testing, she said the majority of tests are available within a 10-mile radius. 'It seems to me therell be extreme cases where people cant get to test locations within that radius but that doesnt mean that Public Health England are not working night and day to boost capacity,' she added. Head teachers have also warned schools will also be hit by staff being unable to get tested quickly. One primary head in Southampton told The Guardian how three self-isolating staff were unable to get swabs, adding: 'We will grind to a halt if the availability of tests does not improve rapidly.' Another primary school head in Sussex said test shortages will 'derail the reopening' and ensure instability for both staff and pupils. Labour MP Stella Creasy yesterday described the situation as an 'absolute farce'. She told BBC Radio 4's World At One: 'I've had lots of parents get in touch with me this morning because they've got children with symptoms that are listed who need to get a test who cannot book one online, who've been trying all over the weekend to book one. 'Our walk-in centre which is on their doorstep yesterday started turning people away if they didn't have an appointment, which would make sense if it was busy but I've been down there myself and there's nothing happening there. 'They don't know how many tests they need to do, they don't know how many scientists they need and they don't know what the demand is.' Priti Patel (left) denied that tests were unavailable in the country's worst-hit areas. The Home Secretary told BBC Breakfast today that she has seen with her own eyes that swabs are available in towns hit by local lockdown rules. Oxford University's Sir John Bell (right), who has been overseeing Number 10's antibody test programme and advising ministers, believes the fiasco has been caused by a 'second wave' of Covid-19 had led to a surge in demand for tests Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon piled pressure on the Government by claiming the backlog was also affecting Scottish patients PRITI PATEL DENIES THERE ARE A LACK OF TESTS IN BADLY-HIT AREAS Home Secretary Priti Patel said it was 'wrong to say' that there were no tests available after she was quizzed about the long delays in trying to book a test in Bolton where the infection rate is the highest in England. Speaking on BBC Breakfast, she said: 'Tests are available, youve heard me say, particularly in local lockdown areas, Ive seen this myself, Ive seen the teams that have been working on this. 'Mobile testing is going in, capacity is going into local areas where lockdowns have been undertaken and are taking place. 'I think it is wrong to say tests are not available, new book-in slots are being made available every single day, mobile testing units are being made available. 'And on top of that home testing kits are being issued across the country but specifically in local lockdown areas.' The Government is 'surging capacity' in local lockdown areas and tests are available within a 10-mile radius, she added. Ms Patel said: 'Clearly there is much more work that needs to be undertaken with Public Health England and the actual public health bodies in those particular local areas. 'As a Government we work with Public Health England to surge where there is demand in local hotspot areas and we continue to do that. On access to testing, she said the majority of tests are available within a 10-mile radius. 'It seems to me therell be extreme cases where people cant get to test locations within that radius but that doesnt mean that Public Health England are not working night and day to boost capacity,' she added. Advertisement Last week Boris Johnson said he wanted to carry out millions of tests a day as part of a highly ambitious strategy known as 'Operation Moonshot'. But scientists warned that the plans were 'fundamentally flawed' and even dangerous as the tests can wrongly tell people they are either positive or negative. The testing chief of NHS Test & Trace last week issued a public apology on Twitter and said lab capacity was to blame for slow turnaround times and people being unable to order swabs. It is not clear why labs are struggling to process the tests, which are the same as they have been throughout the pandemic. One Government source told The Times that Britain was in for a 'rough few weeks' until another lighthouse lab opens in Leicestershire. Lord Bethell of Romford, the testing minister, blamed the return of children to school for putting 'enormous pressure' on testing centres because youngsters are often joined by their parents and other household members. He told peers yesterday that Number 10 was 'throwing everything we can' at the system to make it work. On September 10, 227,465 tests were processed while the Department of Health claimed it had the capacity to cope with 364,917 in a day. Labour's Jonathan Ashworth, the shadow health secretary, claimed it 'beggars belief' that ministers didn't use the summer to ramp up testing capacity ahead of schools reopening. LBC's Westminster correspondent Ben Kentish said that when they tried to get tests in any of the ten areas, they were not offered one. 'The Government testing website simply says the service is very busy and people should come back in a few hours,' he said. 'We tried to get a test in the top ten areas. In all ten they were unable to get any sort of tests in any of the ten areas.' Coronavirus test appointments are uploaded on the Government's testing portal throughout the day, meaning those looking to book a test are advised to check back regularly. Once each test is booked the site shows there are none available in the area at present. All the ten areas that yesterday did not have tests available are listed by Public Health England as the areas of England with the biggest coronavirus outbreaks. Their latest report placed Bolton at the top of the list, followed by Bradford with 72 cases per 100,000, Oldham with 66 cases per 100,000 and Salford with 62 cases per 100,000. Testing shortages came to the fore last week when people revealed they were either being sent dozens of miles away from home to get a test, while others were unable to get any at all. Online booking systems were unable to process requests for tests meaning people who thought they might have the coronavirus had to go without. In response the chief of testing at NHS Test & Trace, Sarah-Jane Marsh, issued a 'heartfelt apology' last week. TESTING SITE SITS 'EMPTY' WHILE RESIDENTS CAN'T GET SWABS Residents in Cambridge have complained that their local coronavirus testing centre is not being used while people in the city cannot get tested. They say the centre at Milton Park & Ride appears unused as Cambridge MP Daniel Zeichner says he has received a 'flood of complaints' from residents who have been unable to get an appointment there. He told ITV that some of his constituents are having to wait eight hours to get a test, while others have been 'cut off on multiple occasions while waiting on the 119 phone line.' On Twitter, Liz Cole wrote: 'A friend told me has been refreshing the website for 13 hours trying to get a test appointment.' Cambridge residents have complained that a testing site there is unused (Pictured: Staff do not have any visitors to work with) but local people can't get tested there Sygma Security tweeted: 'In the end my friend decided to drive to the Milton Road Park and Ride testing site in Cambridge, which was empty, and they turned her away because she didnt have an appointment. Ludicrous.' Dr Liz Robin, director of public health for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, said: 'We know it may not always be as easy as the government would like it to be for people to access a test close to where they live. 'If you are in that situation, dont give up, please keep trying.' Advertisement Ms Marsh said there was capacity at testing sites but laboratories processing the tests are at a 'critical pinch-point'. She added that the system is doing 'all it can to expand quickly'. There have been reports of people being told there are no appointments available at test centres in England and that there are no home tests kits available to send out. Ms Marsh wrote on Twitter: 'Can I please offer my heartfelt apologies to anyone who cannot get a Covid test at present. 'All of our testing sites have capacity, which is why they don't look overcrowded; it's our laboratory processing that is the critical pinch-point. We are doing all we can to expand quickly. 'We have additional NHS, Lighthouse, University and Partner Labs all due to open up imminently and we are also expanding the use of non-Laboratory based tests. The testing team work on this 18 hours a day, seven days a week. We recognise the country is depending on us.' Embarrassingly, the problems come as Prime Minister Boris Johnson last week committed to his Operation Moonshot and to getting mass testing up and running in the UK by next year. He said a pilot programme will be launched in Salford next month which will see audiences at both indoor and outdoor venues tested on the day to see if they are infectious. Those who test positive for coronavirus will be sent home while those who test negative will be allowed in. The PM said if the pilot is successful the measures could be rolled out nationwide and that he wanted everybody in the UK to eventually have access to daily coronavirus testing, with pregnancy-style checks providing results in as little as 15 minutes. Mr Johnson told a Downing Street coronavirus press conference that negative tests would effectively provide people with a 'passport' which would allow them a 'freedom to mingle with everybody else who is similarly not infectious in a way that is currently impossible'. The Prime Minister said he hoped the mass testing approach will be 'widespread by the spring'. Mr Johnson told a press conference last week that up until now testing has been used primarily to identify people who have the disease so they can be isolated from the rest of society. The PM said that will continue to be the priority with a goal of increasing testing capacity to 500,000 a day by the end of October. But he said that 'in the near future we want to start using testing to identify people who are negative... so we can allow them to behave in a more normal way'. He said new types of coronavirus tests which are 'simple, quick and scalable will become available' allowing for results in 90 or even 20 minutes and for tests to be administered in their millions everyday. Mr Johnson said: 'That level of testing would allow people to lead more normal lives, without the need for social distancing.' Ms Marsh said there is capacity at testing sites but laboratories processing the tests are at a 'critical pinch-point' Bolton has been placed under strengthened lockdown restrictions following a surge in cases, and last week became the first place in England to be forced to move pubs back to a takeaway only service. NEARLY 500,000 PATIENTS HAVE BEEN WAITING AT LEAST SIX WEEKS FOR KEY TESTS Nearly half a million patients have been waiting six weeks or more for key diagnostic tests to detect cancer, heart attacks and other serious conditions. The figures have increased 12-fold in just a year as hospitals struggle with a post-Covid backlog. Charities fear the long waits will have a devastating impact on NHS patients, particularly those who have cancer which may become untreatable. Separate data shows that the number of patients having cancer treatment is down by a quarter on the same time last year. The total has fallen by 6,647 to 21,599. Yesterday the Mail revealed that hospital admissions had plummeted across seven serious illnesses. There is a growing backlog of patients who were unable to receive treatment at the height of the pandemic and who are now at risk of serious complications. This number is continuing to rise because social distancing and infection control measures mean hospitals can deal with only a limited number of patients. The latest NHS data shows that 489,647 patients had been waiting more than six weeks for one of 15 key diagnostic tests in July, the last month for which there are figures. A shocking 291,982 of them had been waiting at least 13 weeks. By comparison, in July 2019, just 40,099 had been waiting six weeks or more and 5,675 for at least 13 weeks. Michelle Mitchell of Cancer Research UK said: 'Sadly, the Covid-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on cancer services and the lives of cancer patients. There's still a lot of work that needs to be done to ensure that cancer screening, diagnosis and treatment will not be even more impacted by any future waves of Covid-19.' Alex Norris, a Labour health spokesman, said: 'Patients waiting for these tests cannot afford for the Government to be as slow as they have been in other areas. Some of these tests will be used to diagnose cancer, and for those patients, we know that early diagnosis leads to better treatment and survival.' An NHS spokesman said: 'Hospitals have been working round the clock throughout the pandemic so that patients can continue to receive vital tests and treatment while staying safe between March and July.' The backlog is also affecting routine surgery such as hip and knee operations and NHS figures last week showed that 2.1million patients had been waiting at least 18 weeks. Advertisement Other measures imposed include a limit on opening hours, with venues required to close from 10pm to 5am, and a law stating people cannot socialise outside of their household. A further 96 cases of people with coronavirus were confirmed yesterday in Bolton, bringing its cumulative total to 3,239. A spokesman for Bolton council said they are aware the Government is planning to open three new walk-in and drive-in test centres in their area so that more appointments will be available. Leader of the council, David Greenhalgh, said today: 'We completely understand how frustrating it is for people who are finding it difficult to book a test. 'This is an unacceptable situation, and myself and senior officers have escalated the issue to the highest levels. 'In our experience, there are major flaws with the online booking system, but this is a nationally run site, which is not locally run and is out of our control. 'We, as a local authority have done everything asked of us. Our teams have been working hard to increase testing capacity in Bolton two new test centres have opened in the borough and a third is due to open this week; and yet we know these two new sites are currently operating below capacity, and our own residents cannot access a local test. 'This is unacceptable and it needs to get sorted and the issues resolved, and I urge Government to treat this as a matter of the utmost priority. 'We would ask people to try booking an appointment in a few hours. Also, please only book a test if you have coronavirus symptoms or you have been asked to get tested.' Matt Hancock last week accused people of trying to get a coronavirus test when they didn't have symptoms of the virus, alleging they had seen a 25 per cent surge in demand for these cases. Guidance makes clear the tests are only for those who have symptoms, or who have been asked to get a test by authorities. Mr Hancock appealed for only those with symptoms to get a test, in response to a backlog caused by 'lab issues'. Ms Sturgeon has accused the UK government of trying to limit the number of tests available in Scotland while speaking at the Scottish Government's coronavirus briefing. 'We were concerned over the weekend that one of the ways the UK Government was trying to deal with the backlog was to restrict access to testing, and the Health Secretary managed to avoid that happening in Scotland,' she said. She also expressed 'serious concern' about the testing backlog and urged Mr Hancock to share the 'full scale and nature of issues they are facing' so her Government could help to try and fix the problem. She continued: 'There was a proposal over the weekend that the available slots at mobile testing units and regional testing centres in Scotland would be reduced and the Health Secretary managed to avoid that happening so that we retained full capacity for Scotland. 'We have no indication at the moment that there is any significant issue in Scotland with people accessing testing slots. A sign in Bolton orders those suffering coronavirus symptoms to get a test, despite a lack of testing capacity 'The issue that we do appear to be suffering some impacts from - and again it's a UK-wide issue - is a backlog in tests being processed that is then leading to a longer turnaround time.' Scotland's Health Secretary, Jeane Freeman, said she had 'constructive conversations' with Mr Hancock and her Welsh counterpart Vaughan Gething about the backlog, which she said was caused by rising demand and an 'issue with the speed and capacity of processing the tests'. She added: 'I was pleased that we managed not to have the restrictions on access to testing slots that were originally being proposed, but this is work that we need to continue because we need to try as best we can to work cooperatively and to resolve this situation.' Is YOUR school affected by a coronavirus outbreak? The 300 schools in England and Wales forced to close or send pupils home after positive Covid tests Thousands of students are having their return to school curtailed because of coronavirus outbreaks in the classroom amid a fiasco over testing. Headteachers have warned that schools which were closed for months because of the pandemic will 'grind to a halt' if teachers and pupils can't get tested quickly to avoid whole-school closure. At least 30 schools have closed completely already because of cases and one headteacher in Preston said this morning that he already has two staff self-isolating at home and struggling to get tested, along with 10 children. Another 300 in England and Wales have sent class groups home after receiving positive test results. Pupils in Scotland had all returned by August 12, and they are also dealing with a number of outbreaks. And Northern Ireland schools were back in classrooms on August 31, despite a survey from NI's largest teaching union saying a majority of staff 'feel anxious and stressed' about returning. Jim Blakely, head at Garstang St Thomas' School, told the Today programme: 'At the moment I've got two members of staff not here. 'My Year 4 teacher was sent home last Wednesday due to Covid symptoms, a persistent cough, but there were no tests available on Wednesday. 'So he kept trying to book during the day and in the evening, and there was some test available in some strange places, and these are the same places that parents in my school have been directed to like Aberdeen and Llandudno. 'Not only are they miles away, but they are in Wales and Scotland. There is very little local testing.' Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said disruption to pupils' education could worsen in the months to come. 'While only a small number of schools have had to close because of outbreaks, we are regularly hearing reports of groups of pupils and staff having to self-isolate in response to positive cases. More than 330 schools in England and Wales have either shut completely or sent some class groups home after receiving positive test results. Pictured: Blackfordby St Margaret's CE Primary School, Derbyshire is closed 'The concern is that this disruption will worsen as winter approaches.' He also warned that the work of schools and colleges in reopening to all students is being undermined by widespread problems in accessing Covid-19 tests. 'Even when tests have taken place this was not the end of the problems. Some leaders reported that it was taking three days or more for test results to be returned, and when there were positive Covid cases, a number said they had experienced difficulty in getting through to local health protection teams for guidance and support,' he said. Downing Street has said that the vast majority around 99 per cent of schools have reopened as planned this month. 'There is a very small number of schools which have asked some or all of their pupils to remain at home,' they said. 'Children who are self-isolating continue to receive remote education from home.' Here is a list of all schools in England and Wales known to have been affected by a positive coronavirus test: Downing Street have said that the vast majority - around 99 per cent - of schools have reopened as planned this month. Pictured: St Mark's Primary School, Swanage, Dorset which also closed due to an outbreak England NORTH WEST Accrington Mount Carmel RC High School told every Year 7 pupil to remain at home after a pupil in the year group tested positive for Covid-19. A pupil also caught the bug at Accrington Academy - students who were in 'very close and prolonged proximity' to the infected pupil were told they needed to quarantine for 14 days at home. St Christopher's CE High School confirmed on September 7 that two pupils had the disease, but said it would remain open. A class at St Anne's and St Joseph's school were told to self-isolate for two weeks following a case. It is not known if it is a pupil or member of staff that has been affeted. Barnoldswick Coates Lane Primary School confirmed a positive case Covid-19 - a number of individuals who may have been in close contact have been asked to isolate. Blackburn Two students and one teacher at Blackburn College tested positive for coronavirus. Students and staff who have been in direct contact with the teacher and two pupils are being asked to self-isolate at home for 14 days. At Blackburn High School three year groups have been sent home due to a coronavirus case in each - year 10, year 9 and year 7. Lammack Primary School contacted parents after positive cases of coronavirus were confirmed among pupils. A class at the Blackburn school has been advised to take precautionary measures and self-isolate following instructions from Public Health England. A year 9 pupil tested positive at Witton Park Academy and the whole year group were sent home. The parents of Year 7 students at Pleckgate High School were contacted following a positive case in that year group. 160 pupils at Two Mile Hill Primary School in Bristol are at home self-isolating following an outbreak Bolton Three schools in Bolton have had outbreaks. They are: St Bernard's RC, Bolton - (Year 5 bubble) Beaumont Primary, Bolton - (Reception) Clarendon Primary, Bolton - (Year 6 bubble) Burnley A Year 7 at Unity College caught the bug on the first day back to school. He had shown no symptoms but was immediately collected by his family and told to self-isolate. All other 25 students in the Year 7 'bubble' were sent home on Wednesday afternoon and will also self-isolate for 14 days. Bury Five schools in Bury have had coronavirus outbreaks. They are: Heaton Park Primary School, Bury - (Class 2W and Year 3) Lowercroft Primary School, Bury - (Year 6) Prestolee Primary School, Radcliffe St Bernadette's RC Primary, Whitefield - (Nursery, Years 1, 2, 5 and 6) St Gabriel's RC High School, Bury - (Year 11) Pictured: Royal Wootton Bassett Academy near Swindon, Wiltshire where 284 students are self isolating Cheshire 'Several' cases of coronavirus were reported in unspecified Cheshire West schools this week, Cheshire West and Chester Council said. All schools affected have successfully completed contact tracing, while all staff and pupils who have been in contact with those suffering symptoms have been advised to self-isolate for 14 days. Carlisle A pupil at Stanwix School tested positive for the bug, prompting some pupils there to self-isolate. Leyland An entire class of primary school pupils and their teacher was told to self-isolate after a pupil tested positive at Leyland Methodist Infant and Junior Schools. Parents of Year 1 pupils have been asked to keep their children at home after the school was notified of a positive Covid-19 case. Longridge St Cecilia's Roman Catholic High Schoo has asked 13 members of staff to self-isolate for 14 days after a teacher tested positive. Years 7, 8 and 9 will not return to school until September 17 and have been told to access learning from home. Manchester Twelve schools in Manchester have had coronavirus outbreaks. They are: Wilbraham Primary School, Fallowfield - (Year 3 and Year 4) Park View Community School, Miles Platting Manchester High School for Girls - (Year 5 Prep) Newall Green Primary School, Wythenshawe - (One class in Year 1) Old Hall Drive Academy, Gorton - (Year 6) Old Moat Primary School, Withington - (Year 6) St Aidan's Catholic Primary, Northern Moor - (Year 2) Chorlton High School South - (A Year 7 class) Green End Primary School, Burnage - (One Reception class) Oswald Road Primary School, Chorlton - (Year 3) Manchester Communication Academy, Harpurhey - (One bubble from Year 11) Inspire Academy, Ashton - (Year 1) Merseyside West Derby School was the first in the city to send children home after a confirmed case. A total of 56 pupils and three staff members will now spend 14 days self isolating at home following the positive test. Half of all pupils at Sudley Junior School were sent home after it recorded two positive coronavirus cases, with pupils in Years 3 and 5 now isolating. A member of "the school community" at Broad Square Primary School tested positive, meaning they are their bubble are in self-isolation. Pupils in Year 11 at Liverpool College have to isolate for two weeks after a positive coronavirus tests. In Everton Hunts Cross Primary School and Our Lady of Immaculate School had to send some pupils home after an outbreak. English Martyrs Catholic Primary Year 5 pupils have to spend a fortnight at home after a member of staff got the bug where as Litherland Moss shut entirely after Year 3 pupils tested positive. Woodchurch High School and Co-op Academy Bebington have collectively have to tell hundreds of students to self-isolate after pupils at the former and staff at the latter caught the disease. Ridgeway High School, Brackenwood Infant School and Bidston Village Primary School have been affected to an unknown extent after reported cases. Meadow Park School - a pupil referral unit - closed after an outbreak among staff. All Saints Catholic High School remains open despite two pupils testing positive for coronavirus last week. Parents of children at Longton Lane Primary School received an email on Tuesday morning informing them there had been a confirmed case of Covid-19 at Kidzone, the neighbouring private nursery that also provides Longton Lane's after-school club. Oldham Thirteen schools in Oldham have had coronavirus outbreaks. St Martin's CE Primary, Oldham - (One class) Yew Tree Community School, Chadderton - (Class 4 Red) Hey with Zion, Lees, Oldham - (Nursery) Whitegate End Primary and Nursery, Chadderton, Oldham - (One Year Sandbrook Community Primary School, Rochdale - (One bubble) Broadfield Primary School, Rochdale - (Three bubbles) Marland Hill Community Primary School, Rochdale - (Two bubbles) St Cuthbert's RC High School, Rochdale - (Year 11) Boarshaw Primary School, Middleton - (One bubble) Middleton Parish Church School Bowlee Park Community School, Middleton - (Year 1 Class 3 and Year 1 Class 4) St Luke's Primary, Heywood - (Year 2 and 3) St Anne's Academy, Middleton - (Small number of students) Penrith Ullswater Community College staff said one of its students has tested positive for the virus. Preston Dozens of students were sent home from Cardinal Newman College after a positive case of coronavirus on September 7. Students who share classes with the infected student must self-isolate for 14 days. Rochdale Ten schools in Rochdale have had coronavirus outbreaks. They are: Sandbrook Community Primary School, Rochdale - (One bubble) Broadfield Primary School, Rochdale - (Three bubbles) Marland Hill Community Primary School, Rochdale - (Two bubbles) St Cuthbert's RC High School, Rochdale - (Year 11) Boarshaw Primary School, Middleton - (One bubble) Middleton Parish Church School Bowlee Park Community School, Middleton - (Year 1 Class 3 and Year 1 Class 4) St Luke's Primary, Heywood - (Year 2 and 3) St Anne's Academy, Middleton - (Small number of students Meanwood Primary, Rochdale - (Year 2 and Year 4) Rossendale The Valley Leadership Academy sent home a group of pupils after a student in Year 11 tested positive for coronavirus. Salford Five schools in Salford have had coronavirus outbreaks. They are: Harrop Fold, Salford - (Year 11) Buile Hill Academy, Salford - (Year 7) Co-op Academy Swinton - (Year 7 and Year 10) Ellenbrook Primary School, Walkden, Salford - (One class from Year 3) Salford City Academy, Eccles - (Small number in Year 11) NORTH EAST Barnsley St Helen's Primary Academy confirmed that a teacher tested positive for the virus, meaning all students in that teacher's class must now self-isolate for two weeks. On September 6, Athersley South Primary School confirmed that a positive case of the virus had been identified at the school. Students in Year 8 and 9 only were advised to stay home for two weeks and have been told they can return to school on September 17. On September 8, Wellgate Primary School confirmed they had one confirmed case of the virus within the school. On September 7, Barugh Green Primary School closed two of its class bubbles after a child in each was confirmed to have the virus. On September 10, two departments at Barnsley College were closed after three members of staff tested positive for coronavirus. Consett Consett Academy told parents a child had tested positive on Tuesday. It said the school remains open however and that a small number of students are self-isolating. Darlington Four days after children returned to school Hummersknott Academy confirmed a Year 7 student had its first case of Covid-19. On Monday, Staindrop Academy told parents the school had a confirmed case. Durham Laurel Avenue Primary School told parents on Monday that a pupil had tested positive. The day after that Belmont School confirmed that a member of non-teaching staff had tested positive for Covid-19, with Coxhoe Primary School following closely behind. There has been a confirmed case of Covid-19 at Seaham Trinity Primary School in County Durham, meaning Year 1 pupils have to stay home. Gateshead St Thomas More Catholic School sent pupils home after a Year 9 student contracted the disease. Hartlepool St Aidan's primary school saw a pupil or staff member test positive. Head teacher Lynn Chambers told parents that after taking advice from Public Health England, there was no need to close parts of the school or ask any children to self-isolate. Houghton le Spring Shiney Row Primary School closed both Year 1 and Year 6 groups after a confirmed case within the school. Easington Lane Primary School shut its nursery after a member of staff tested positive for Covid-19 at the weekend. Lanchester The whole of Year 8 at St Bede's Catholic School and Sixth Form Centre were told to self-isolate after an infection was confirmed at the Lanchester school. North Shields Marden High School's headteacher said a pupil had tested positive for the virus. Ryhope St Patrick's Primary School is asking all children in reception to self-isolate for 14 days. YORKSHIRE AND HUMBER Bradford Dixons Academies Trust, which runs 12 academies in Bradford and Leeds, has confirmed that two staff members and one student have tested positive for the virus at three academies. While the Trust has not named the schools, two of them are understood to be Dixons Trinity Academy and Dixons Kings Academy. A small number of staff and students have been asked to self-isolate. On September 8 , Bradford Academy wrote to parents informing them that a member of staff had the bug. The school said that Public Health England's advice was to keep the bubble that the teacher taught in open, as he had socially distanced while teaching. On September 12, Parkside School closed after two members of staff tested positive for coronavirus. Cleethorpes A teacher at Cleethorpes Academy tested positive for Covid-19. However, because of the strict social distancing measures in place on the site, the school remains open to all other staff and pupils unless they fell unwell. Coulby Newham The King's Academy confirmed a positive test of a Year 7 pupil, prompting the entire year group to self-isolate. Keighley A staff member at Beckfoot Oakbank School tested positive for the virus and was asked to stay home for two weeks. Three other members of staff were also asked to self-isolate after coming into close contact with the staff member, though the school's head teacher said that no students have been affected. Leeds Bardsey Primary School will only welcome back Years 5 and 6 on September 8 after a member of staff tested positive. The rest of the school are now set for another week of home learning. On September 11, Castleton Primary School asked a small number of children to remain at home until September 21 after someone tested positive for the virus. Marsden A child in Year 6 at Lisle Marsden Church of England Primary Academy tested positive. Parents of other Year 6 children who have been in close proximity to the pupil have been contacted, but all other children are continuing to attend. Middlesborough Outwood Academy Ormesby school leaders said in a short statement that a confirmed case had been found within the school community earlier this week. The person who tested positive did not contract the virus at the secondary school. On Tuesday a Year 7 pupil had tested positive for the virus at Kings Academy. Their whole year group will now have to self-isolate. Nunthorpe Academy confirmed it had seen a Covid-19 case. All those with close contact to the affected pupil were told to self-isolate until September 22. Hemlington Hall Academy is to close for 14 days after five staff members tested positive for coronavirus. Ormesby Ormesby Primary School told its parents that all Year 5 pupils would need to self-isolate due to a confirmed case. Redcar A positive case had been recorded at St Benedicts RC primary school. Ings Farm Primary School has also seen a positive case, although it remains open to all but those directly in contact with the student. MIDLANDS Bicester Year 2 pupils and some staff at Five Acres Primary School were told to stay at home for 14 days following an outbreak. Bilborough Glenbrook Primary School partially closed after a member of staff tested positive. Bingham Robert Miles Junior School sent a Year 5 bubble home after a member of staff tested positive. Birmingham Pupils in Year 11 student at Greenwood Academy tested positive after showing symptoms of Covid-19, sparking a 14-day quarantine for classmates. A class of students at Erdington Academy have been sent home after a positive case. Year 8 and 11 bubbles at King Edward's Five Ways were told to self isolate after one pupil in each year group reported they had received a positive test result over the weekend. Hall Green Infant and Junior School sent home its Year 4 and 5s after positive cases, while a Year 1 class from Lakey Lane were sent home. All pupils and employees in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 at Prince Albert Primary School were told to stay home for 14 days. Yardley Primary School sent home pupils today after a positive case. Blaby Barlestone Primary School sent several pupils home after they came into contact with a student who tested positive for Covid-19. A Year 3 pupil caught the bug at Blaby Stone Primary, meaning everyone in the year had to self-isolate for 14 days. Blackfordby Blackfordby Church of England Primary has been shut for a deep clean after an outbreak. Blyth Newsham Primary School has sent its Year 1s home after a child tested positive. A reception class of 30 children at Bede Academy in Blyth have been advised to self-isolate until September 18 after a confirmed case. Braunstone A teacher tested positive at Fullhurst Community College, leading Year 10 pupils to a period of self-isolation. Bromford Pupils in Years 4 and 6 at Firs Primary Academy have been told to isolate for a fortnight following two confirmed cases at the school. Chapel Hill A member of staff at St Cecilia's RC High School tested positive on September 5. No pupils have been affected but 12 members of staff have been advised to self isolate for 14 days. Chesterfield Parents of Year 5 students at Newbold Church of England Primary School in Cranborne Road were told to collect children on Thursday. Coalville A school visited by Boris Johnson on August 26 temporarily shut after a member of staff caught the disease. The Castle Rock School hosted the Prime Minister as he went on a press tour when schools reopened after months of lockdown. Only those staff and students who came into direct contact with the person infected will be made to stay home for two weeks, with Castle Rock due to open its doors on September 15 to everyone else. Corby Studfall Junior Academy said a Year 4 pupil had tested positive for Covid-19. They are the only person that has had to self-isolate. A member of AYear 5 group at Hazel Leys Primary Academy tested positive, meaning their bubble has been told to home school for the next 14 days. Countesthorpe Four members of staff have had to isolate after a teacher caught the bug at Countesthorpe Leysland Community College. Coventry A child in Year 1 at Parkgate Primary School has caught the bug. Parents of all children in Year 1 at the school have been told that their child must self-isolate for 14 days as a precaution. Elsewhere in the city Longford Park Primary School, Foxford Community School, John Gulson Primary School, Park Hill Primary School and West Coventry Academy have reported cases. Before the weekend there were 23 confirmed cases in the city's school system. Croxton Kerrial Croxton Kerrial Primary School has been closed after a positive case was reported. Desford Last weekend at Bosworth Academy pupil found out they had the bug. They did not go to school on the Monday, meaning class can continue as normal. Dudley The Wordsley School confirmed there had been a positive case on September 8. Grantham All Year 7 pupils, along with four staff, have been sent home from Kings School. Groby Three members of staff at Brookdale Groby Learning Campus must self-isolate after catching the virus. Guildford Sandfield Primary School wrote to parents on September 7 to confirm it had sent the Year 3 bubble home after a positive case. Evington Judgemeadow Community College pupils in Year 10 and 11 have been sent home after a student got the bug. Harlow The Freshwaters Primary Academy closed on Tuesday after a number of students displayed coronavirus symptoms. The school announced it will stay shut until negative test results come back. Handsworth Wood Parents were told to pick their children up from school as soon as possible on September 10 after a case was confirmed in Year 2 at Cherry Orchard Primary School and Nursery. Heanor Senior staff at Heanor Gate Science College confirmed that a year 10 pupil had contracted the disease. But because the youngster had not been in lessons since last Friday, no other students need to self-isolate. Howitt Primary Community School sent a number of children home, who were in the same "bubble", after a Year 6 pupil also tested positive for coronavirus. Hucknall A member of staff at Holgate Primary and Nursery School tested positive, meaning they and 29 children were sent home. Humberstone A single pupil has tested positive at Merrydale Infants School. A teacher has been infected at Falcons Primary, leading Year 4 students to self-isolate. A Humberstone Junior Academy child also has the bug, meaning they and their bubble have to self-isolate. Kibworth A Year 10 student was sent home after one day back at Beauchamp College having tested positive. Kingshurst Tudor Grange Academy sent a letter to parents informing them that a Year 7 pupil had tested positive for Covid-19. The pupil was not in school whilst symptomatic but in accordance with guidelines, the pupils tutor and support bubble will be required to self-isolate. Leicester The Winstanley School has recorded a case. Parents have been urged to watch their children and get them to self-isolate if they begin showing symptoms. A member of staff and a teacher have tested positive for the bug at New College. A class bubble worth of pupils at English Martyrs School in Year 9 have been made to self-isolate after a pupil caught the disease. A single case at Wyvern Primary has seen several staff and pupils embark on a period of self-isolation, while a member of staff at Ellesmere College also has the bug. One student has been confirmed as having the virus at each of Orchard Mead Academy, Mowmacre Hill Primary, Catherine Infants School, Crown Hills Community College, City of Leicester College, Shenton Primary, Medway Primary, Overdale Infant School and Lancaster Academy. Loughborough Woodbrook Vale School has had to send several dozen pupils home for a fortnight after a single pupil caught the bug. Mansfield Two pupils at Berry Hill Primary School caught the bug, meaning two classes were put in self-isolation for two weeks. Market Harborough A pupil at Ridgeway Primary Academy has tested positive for the coronavirus. They have been asked to self-isolate for 10 days. Other pupils who were in close contact with the child have been asked to self-isolate for two weeks. Northampton Greenfields Specialist School for Communication has recorded a case. Because the school is separated into zones to stop everyone mixing, only limited numbers have been sent home. Northampton International Academy sent one bubble of students home after a teacher caught the bug. Nuneaton A pupil at Chetwynd Junior School tested positive. They have been told to self-isolate for 14 days along with people close to them. Nottingham Mellers Primary School has been forced to close after a teacher tested positive for coronavirus. The school confirmed a Year 1 teacher had tested positive for Covid-19 in a statement on its website. Oadby Brocks Hill Primary School has told two Year 3 classes worth of pupils to stay home for 14 days after two children tested positive. A Year 10 pupil at Gartree High School tested positive, prompting the rest of the year being told to stay home until September 21. Oldbury Pupils at Oldbury Academy were told they must self-isolate for 14 days on Friday, September 11. The rest of the school remains open, with children not directly affected by the case urged to attend as normal. Radford Mellers Primary School saw a Year 1 and Year 3 teacher test positive for coronavirus at the start of last week. All Year 1 and Year 3 pupils were been told to stay at home for 14 days and register for a test if they feel unwell. The school cannot currently reopen for the remaining pupils "for the time being" as too many staff members are either self-isolating or getting tested. Quinton Year 4 pupils at World's End Junior School have been ordered to remain at home. Retford A group of pupils from Carr Hill Primary School were sent home and told to self-isolate for 14 days after there was a positive case on-site. The school remains open. Rocester The JCB Academy confirmed a positive case after being one of the first schools in England to reopen in August. It was closed on Friday September 4 as a precaution but reopened the following on Monday with around 100 students self-isolating. Rothwell A Year 10 student in Montsaye Academy has caught the bug, meaning people in their bubble were told to self-isolate. Rugby St Matthews Bloxham Primary and Bilton High Schools have also both had positive cases. Neither of them have closed. Saltley Highfield Junior and Infant School in Saltley closed to pupils and staff in Year 4 and 5 after an unconfirmed number of cases. Sandwell Thirty students at Moat Farm Junior School were told to self-isolate on September 10, the day after Year 4 pupils and teachers from Ocker Hill Academy were sent home. Foxyards Primary School has had to send two year groups home after an outbreak. A bubble has been told to self-isolate following a case in Year 9 at Stuart Bathurst Catholic High School. Wodensborough Ormiston Academy confirmed a student had tested positive, leaving 27 students and one staff member in self-isolation. Sapcote A child tested positive at All Saints Church of England. Scampton Scampton C of E Primary School sent a class load of pupils and a teacher home after a student tested positve. EAST ANGLIA Beechdale Robert Shaw Primary and Nursery School has told Year 5s to self-isolate after a teacher caught the disease. Haverhill Five members of staff tested positive at Samuel Ward Academy. The school closed on Monday for a deep clean to be carried out and so the headteacher can establish who the staff members have been in contact with. It reopened on Wednesday. Hitchin Hitchin Boys' School closed after a member of staff tested positive. A 'significant number' of other staff are having to self isolate and a 'few cases' where pupils had closer contact with the staff member. Head teacher Fergal Moane confirmed the school is looking at a mixture of remote and on-site learning for the two week period. Kings Langley There has been a positive Covid-19 test of a Year 5 student at Kings Langley Primary School. The year five bubble were told to self-isolate for 14 days. Norwich A pupil or member of staff at George White Junior School was told to self-isolate for 14 days after testing positive for the coronavirus. Old Buckenham Old Buckenham High School closed last week after a member of staff tested positive. Radlett A 'small number of pupils' tested positive at the Hertsmere Jewish Primary School and three classes have been self-isolating as a result. SOUTH EAST Aylesford A Year 6 pupil from Valley Invicta Primary School tested positive and the whole year group were told to self isolate. Aylesbury A student at Aylesbury Grammar School has tested positive for Covid-19. One form group from Year 8 has been told to isolate as a result. Ashford There has been a case reported at Echelford Primary School. Battle Claverham Community College has had a confirmed case of Covid-19 but remains open. Bracknell Parents of students at Garth Hill College, Edgbarrow and The Brakenhale School have received letters warning that there have been outbreaks. Four students from Garth Hill's sixth form are in isolation as are an unspecified number from Brakenhale's Year 13. It is not known what year has been affected from Edgebarrow. Bromley Bromley College has been deep cleaned after a staff member tested positive for coronavirus - though students have been told to still attend. Red Hill Primary School confirmed an individual at the school has coronavirus and that everyone who was considered a 'close contact' has been asked to self-isolate for 14 days. Bushey Two members of staff tested positive at the Bushey Meads Academy and were sent home immediately. No students have been in close contact with the staff members. The headteacher says the school is safe and all necessary Public Health England advice is being followed. Chelmsford The head teacher of Great Baddow High School in Chelmsford confirmed that one of the pupils at the institution has received a positive diagnosis for Covid-19. Chesham An unknown number of pupils at Chesham Grammar School caught the virus last week. Most of them are said to have been infected abroad during the school holidays. The school had not reopened when the cases were confirmed. Chobham A pupil at Valley End C of E Infant School caught the bug. Croydon A staff member at Ridgeway Primary School and Nursery tested positive last Saturday - a couple of days before pupils returned for the new academic year. Dartford 'A number of staff' at Longfield Academy have been told to self-isolate after a member of support staff is unwell with a suspected case of Covid-19, a spokesman has said. Given the circumstances of the case it is being treated as a confirmed case. Didcot Hadden Hill Nursery was be closed until September Friday 11 following an outbreak. The nursery has not specified whether it is a child or a member of staff who has coronavirus. Enfield Wilbury Primary School welcomed back children on Monday but on Tuesday the school was forced to close a 'bubble class' after a child tested positive for the virus. Hersham Bell Farm Primary School sent letters to parents informing them that pupils in Year 1 have contracted the virus. Hove Six people have now tested positive for the coronavirus at Cardinal Newman Catholic School since the start of term. It is thought the cases are linked to an eighteenth birthday party, also attended by a Brighton, Hove And Sussex VI Form College student. A further three students at the college contracted the disease, with nine people in total now in isolation. Hounslow Heston Community School has suffered one positive case. The school has sent home one tutor group to self-isolate 'as a precautionary measure' but will remain open for everyone else. Cranford Community College announced a 'new female student' had received a positive test. A total of 27 students and two teachers who had been in contact with her have been told to self-isolate. Isle of Wight Cowes Primary School sent letters to parents saying an individual had coronavirus. The council said the school is following the advice of Public Health England and has asked the other children in that class bubble, the teacher and teaching assistant to self-isolate for 14 days. Maidenhead Manor Green School is the latest school to see positive test result. Headteacher Joolz Scarlett said: "Opening the school in an international pandemic is not without risk, and were a special school, so so some pupils have very complex special needs which make them vulnerable. So we have given parents the option to continue home schooling. Very few parents have taken us up on that offer and most pupils are in." Marlow There has been an outbreak amongst Sir William Borlase's Grammar School pupils. It is not known how many pupils were affected. Medway A Strood Academy employee and three other members of staff have been advised to self isolate after a positive case at the school. Oxford The Cherwell School advised pupils and parents that an unnamed employee had contracted Covid-19 and was self-isolating. Students are still expected to come to school. Reading A "class bubble" at Katesgrove Primary School, 30 pupils plus a teacher and an assistant, were sent home after a positive test this week. They must now self-isolate for a period of 14 days. Rayleigh A member of staff at Sweyne Park School tested positive for the virus. Any other staff member or pupil who came into close contact with the affected person has been sent home. SOUTH WEST Bristol One Year 6 child has been diagnosed with the bug at Shirehampton Primary School. The entire year group is self-isolating for 14 days. Two Mile Hill Primary School tested positive leading 160 students of mixed ages to self-isolate. John William Oasis Academy saw one confirmed case, leading all of Year 7 to isolate. Kings' Forest Primary School had one Year 1 pupil test positive, with the result being their 27 class mates being put in isolation. Calne St Margarets Preparatory School has asked all 27 pupils and three staff in Year 3 to self-isolate for 14 days. Plymouth A student at Plymouth College tested positive for coronavirus. The private school, located in Ford Park, confirmed a Year 11 day pupil has received a positive result for Covid-19 and the whole Year 11 "year group bubble" will isolate at home for a quarantine period of 14 days. What's REALLY behind Britain's testing fiasco? How over-stretched and 'under-staffed' laboratories designed to fight the pandemic are crippling the UK's response Twitter user Ian Spencer said he had been met with this message when trying to book a coronavirus test, echoing the experience of many others Public are being denied tests or told to travel cross-country People all over England are being denied access to coronavirus tests or told they must travel across the country, dozens or hundreds of miles, to get one. Members of the public must use the online booking system to arrange a coronavirus test to be sent to their home or to make an appointment at a drive- or walk-in centre. But many say they are simply being met with a page that says 'This service is currently very busy' and ends their attempt to book the test, advising them to try again later. Others say they have been told they can go for tests at centres in different towns, cities, counties or even countries which could take hours to drive to. Speaker of the House of Commons and MP for Chorley in Lancashire, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, this morning said the situation was 'unacceptable' in a tweet. MPs are furious that their constituents cannot get tested near to their home when the Government is so insistent that people should get a test if they feel ill. Bosses at hospitals, care homes and schools say their staff are having to stay home from work and self-isolate because they feel ill but can't get tested. In its most recent week of full data up to September 7 the Department of Health claimed it had capacity to carry out and process 243,817 tests per day in Pillars 1 & 2. But it was doing an average of 182,564 per day and still ended up overwhelmed. Capacity was drastically bolstered during April, as Mr Hancock pledged the UK would be able to test 100,000 people a day by May. It was ramped up again to around 200,000 by June but has barely changed since then, despite warnings that Britain would need more as it heads towards the winter and children go back to school. Access is even being restricted in Covid-19 hotspots Even people living in some of the worst-affected parts of England say they are struggling to get tested for Covid-19. These areas, which receive 'enhanced support' from Public Health England, are supposed to have extra testing facilities and mobile units set up. MPs said a mobile unit that was meant to set up in Oldham, Greater Manchester, never arrived. And shocking footage showed a huge queue reportedly five hours long outside a test centre in Bury, Manchester, last Thursday. Bury has one of the worst infection rates in the country, with 47 cases of coronavirus per 100,000 people, according to PHE. People were also struggling to get swabbed in other hard-hit places including Bolton (122 cases per 100k), Blackburn (62) and Pendle (58). A huge queue of people is pictured outside a coronavirus testing centre at Southend-on-Sea, Essex, at 8am this morning. Many of the people reportedly turned up hoping they would be allowed in, but hadn't made appointments Officials blame 'laboratory capacity' for shortcomings The crux of the problem is that the Government's laboratories can't process the coronavirus tests as quickly as people are taking them. Every test which uses a swab like a large cotton bud has first to be used by the person, then posted back to the lab, then processed in a specialised machine, then interpreted by a lab technician and the result put through a database and texted to the person who took the test. This is supposed to take 24 hours but often takes longer. The process inside the laboratory the swab running through the machine and the result being noted by a technician is the 'pinch-point', officials say. Director of testing at NHS Test & Trace last week said on Twitter: 'Can I please offer my heartfelt apologies to anyone who cannot get a Covid test at present. 'All of our testing sites have capacity, which is why they don't look overcrowded; it's our laboratory processing that is the critical pinch-point. We are doing all we can to expand quickly. 'We have additional NHS, Lighthouse, University and Partner Labs all due to open up imminently and we are also expanding the use of non-Laboratory based tests. The testing team work on this 18 hours a day, seven days a week. We recognise the country is depending on us.' Health Secretary Matt Hancock echoed this in Parliament today. He said the country has 'record levels' of lab capacity but admitted: 'It is in the labs that the constraint is'. A new giant lab is set to open near Loughborough by the end of this month. It is not clear by how much this will boost test capacity. Are test-processing labs short-staffed? Part of the reason for labs not being able to keep up, some have claimed, is that they may not have enough qualified staff to operate the test-processing machines. Jonathan Ashworth, Shadow Health Secretary for Labour, claimed the system was in difficulty because post-graduate science students who had been working in the labs over the summer were now leaving. He said in Parliament today: 'Extra demand on the system was inevitable. So why didn't [Matt Hancock] use the summer to significantly expand NHS capacity and fix contact tracing? 'And just as demand is increasing, the ability to process tests is diminishing. Post-grad students working in the Lighthouse Labs are returning to university, so why did we not plan for these inevitable staff shortages in the Lighthouse Labs?' An expert in the field said many technicians had been drafted in on intense short-term contracts during the crisis but were now going back to their everyday jobs. Doris-Ann Williams, chief executive of the British In Vitro Diagnostics Association (BIVDA), told The Telegraph: 'People worked really, really hard for the first three or four months. 'I think everyone just ran out of steam, needed to recharge their batteries. 'It could be that it's just getting back up to strength again after everyone has had a bit of a break in August.' But one leading scientist was not convinced that the problem was quite as simple as 'lab capacity'. Professor Alan McNally, a University of Birmingham expert who helped set up the Government's Milton Keynes Lighthouse Lab, said a 'perfect storm' of events have crashed the testing system. He told BBC Breakfast there were 'clearly underlying issues which nobody wants to tell us about'. He said: 'The labs are still fully staffed, they are still churning through huge amounts of samples per day - the same number as they were a couple of months ago - so there are problems elsewhere in the chain... 'I think this is multi-factorial. I think you almost have a perfect storm of events that have come together to almost essentially crash the testing system. 'I think there is a surge in demand [and] I think our stated capacity is very different from actually how many tests can be run in a given day.' What is the impact of growing pressure on test labs? A large workload for testing labs around the UK means that people's results are taking longer to process many people have to wait more than the target 24 hours to find out their result. This means that the government is throttling the number of tests that are sent out to avoid completely overwhelming the system. So people in some areas are finding it difficult to access swabs, and in lesser-affected areas the number of tests available may be cut so there are more to distribute in hotspots. The Health Secretary confirmed today that yesterday testing in the 10 worst affected areas accounted for 9,278 of the total. The total has not been published but this is likely to be around five per cent of all tests. There are concerns that a system that is frustrating or slow to use will put people off and members of the public will stop bothering to use it. Should people still be ordering tests? Yes, anyone who has symptoms of coronavirus (a cough, fever or lost sense of taste/smell) must order a test however they can. People who do not have symptoms, and have not been instructed by a medical professional to get tested, should not order a test. Matt Hancock last week vented frustration at 'ineligible' people ordering tests but this was a reference to those who were getting swabs just because they thought they might be at risk because their child had gone back to school or they had been on holiday. Tests are still reserved mainly for people with symptoms and essential workers who are officially referred by their employer. The rules are laid out here. ROCHELLE PARK, N.J., Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Michael J. Epstein of the Epstein Law Firm, P.A . is pleased to announce that he will be the moderator for the upcoming Tort Law Conference provided by the New Jersey Institute of Continuing Legal Education (NJICLE). The live broadcast will take place on Monday, October 12 from 9:00am - 3:00pm. This upcoming webinar will provide professionals with the opportunity to learn about the most significant tort cases of 2020, including the effect that the current Coronavirus pandemic has had on specific causes of action. The Tort Law Conference is one of the most popular seminars and has a fresh new take on how to help attorneys navigate our ever-changing world. Attendees will learn about solid strategies that can be implemented immediately. Attorney Michael Epstein is no stranger to these types of events, and is honored to return this year as the Moderator and a Speaker of this long-running program. For more than 50 years, the NJICLE has been a resource for the legal community. Countless attorneys, dignitaries, doctors and other professionals lend their time to author and lecture on the latest strategies and to provide expert advice and guidance to legal professionals throughout the state. This information is disseminated through live seminars, on-demand videos and legal manuals to help professionals at every stage of their legal career. To date, the NJICLE has provided more than 300 seminars, with the Tort Law Conference being one of many that will help shape our attorneys of tomorrow. To register for this "must attend" event, you can visit the NJICLE's website here . About Michael Epstein Michael J. Epstein was born in Paterson, New Jersey, in 1970. He was admitted to the New Jersey bar in 1996, and the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey, New York bar, and United States District Court for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York in 1997. Mr. Epstein received his B.A., summa cum laude, from Hamilton College in 1993, Phi Beta Kappa, and his J.D., cum laude, from Harvard University in 1996. After graduating from law school, he served as a law clerk to The Honorable Marie L. Garibaldi, New Jersey Supreme Court, from 1996-1997, and to The Honorable Alfred M. Wolin, United States District Court of New Jersey, from 1997-1998. His areas of practice include: Personal Injury, Medical Malpractice, Nursing Home Negligence, Legal Malpractice, Employment Law, Civil Litigation, and Commercial Litigation. Mr. Epstein was named to the Super Lawyers Rising Star list for the years 2006-2008 and has been named to the Super Lawyers List published by Thomson Reuters every year since 2009 and has been named to The Top 100 List for Super Lawyers since 2014. Media Contact: Janie Mackenzie NextLevel.com [email protected] / 215.607.8428 SOURCE The Epstein Lawfirm Related Links https://www.theepsteinlawfirm.com High-profile Perth mayoral candidate Basil Zempilas' plans to hike council rates for "greedy" landlords with vacant retail space have been slammed by Western Australia's influential Property Council. The Property Council of WA criticised the idea after a mayoral debate on Tuesday, saying rent increases for struggling owners were "poor policy" and "hardly an incentive". The Property Council of WA says the City of Perth needs to cut commercial property rates. Credit:Marta Pascual Juanola In a column titled If I ran for lord mayor, here are my 10 steps to improve Perths CBD, published last November, Mr Zempilas said he would increase the rate bills of landlords with "empty shops". "No tenant, higher rates," the sports commentator wrote. In this article we are going to estimate the intrinsic value of Tenet Healthcare Corporation (NYSE:THC) by taking the forecast future cash flows of the company and discounting them back to today's value. We will take advantage of the Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) model for this purpose. There's really not all that much to it, even though it might appear quite complex. Companies can be valued in a lot of ways, so we would point out that a DCF is not perfect for every situation. Anyone interested in learning a bit more about intrinsic value should have a read of the Simply Wall St analysis model. See our latest analysis for Tenet Healthcare The model We use what is known as a 2-stage model, which simply means we have two different periods of growth rates for the company's cash flows. Generally the first stage is higher growth, and the second stage is a lower growth phase. To start off with, we need to estimate the next ten years of cash flows. Where possible we use analyst estimates, but when these aren't available we extrapolate the previous free cash flow (FCF) from the last estimate or reported value. We assume companies with shrinking free cash flow will slow their rate of shrinkage, and that companies with growing free cash flow will see their growth rate slow, over this period. We do this to reflect that growth tends to slow more in the early years than it does in later years. Generally we assume that a dollar today is more valuable than a dollar in the future, so we need to discount the sum of these future cash flows to arrive at a present value estimate: 10-year free cash flow (FCF) forecast 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 Levered FCF ($, Millions) US$532.8m US$1.22b US$895.4m US$736.3m US$649.7m US$600.5m US$572.6m US$557.9m US$551.5m US$550.8m Growth Rate Estimate Source Analyst x4 Analyst x2 Est @ -26.33% Est @ -17.77% Est @ -11.77% Est @ -7.57% Est @ -4.64% Est @ -2.58% Est @ -1.14% Est @ -0.13% Present Value ($, Millions) Discounted @ 14% US$466 US$931 US$601 US$432 US$334 US$270 US$225 US$192 US$166 US$145 ("Est" = FCF growth rate estimated by Simply Wall St) Present Value of 10-year Cash Flow (PVCF) = US$3.8b Story continues We now need to calculate the Terminal Value, which accounts for all the future cash flows after this ten year period. For a number of reasons a very conservative growth rate is used that cannot exceed that of a country's GDP growth. In this case we have used the 5-year average of the 10-year government bond yield (2.2%) to estimate future growth. In the same way as with the 10-year 'growth' period, we discount future cash flows to today's value, using a cost of equity of 14%. Terminal Value (TV)= FCF 2030 (1 + g) (r g) = US$551m (1 + 2.2%) (14% 2.2%) = US$4.7b Present Value of Terminal Value (PVTV)= TV / (1 + r)10= US$4.7b ( 1 + 14%)10= US$1.2b The total value, or equity value, is then the sum of the present value of the future cash flows, which in this case is US$5.0b. To get the intrinsic value per share, we divide this by the total number of shares outstanding. Compared to the current share price of US$29.6, the company appears quite good value at a 38% discount to where the stock price trades currently. Valuations are imprecise instruments though, rather like a telescope - move a few degrees and end up in a different galaxy. Do keep this in mind. dcf Important assumptions We would point out that the most important inputs to a discounted cash flow are the discount rate and of course the actual cash flows. You don't have to agree with these inputs, I recommend redoing the calculations yourself and playing with them. The DCF also does not consider the possible cyclicality of an industry, or a company's future capital requirements, so it does not give a full picture of a company's potential performance. Given that we are looking at Tenet Healthcare as potential shareholders, the cost of equity is used as the discount rate, rather than the cost of capital (or weighted average cost of capital, WACC) which accounts for debt. In this calculation we've used 14%, which is based on a levered beta of 2.000. Beta is a measure of a stock's volatility, compared to the market as a whole. We get our beta from the industry average beta of globally comparable companies, with an imposed limit between 0.8 and 2.0, which is a reasonable range for a stable business. Next Steps: Valuation is only one side of the coin in terms of building your investment thesis, and it shouldn't be the only metric you look at when researching a company. The DCF model is not a perfect stock valuation tool. Instead the best use for a DCF model is to test certain assumptions and theories to see if they would lead to the company being undervalued or overvalued. If a company grows at a different rate, or if its cost of equity or risk free rate changes sharply, the output can look very different. Can we work out why the company is trading at a discount to intrinsic value? For Tenet Healthcare, we've put together three pertinent aspects you should consider: Risks: Every company has them, and we've spotted 1 warning sign for Tenet Healthcare you should know about. Future Earnings: How does THC's growth rate compare to its peers and the wider market? Dig deeper into the analyst consensus number for the upcoming years by interacting with our free analyst growth expectation chart. Other High Quality Alternatives: Do you like a good all-rounder? Explore our interactive list of high quality stocks to get an idea of what else is out there you may be missing! PS. The Simply Wall St app conducts a discounted cash flow valuation for every stock on the NYSE every day. If you want to find the calculation for other stocks just search here. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com. When you know, you know. At least, that seems to be the guiding theory North Carolina defensive tackle Curtis Neal ascribes to. This week, the class of 2022 defensive lineman announced that rather than trimming his list to a top 10 schools he is ready to set a commitment date. The 6-foot-1, 290-pound defensive tackle, out of William Amos Hough High School (Cornelius, North Carolina), will make his college decision December 10: I was thinking about dropping a top 10 but Ill just give yall a commitment date.. 12/10/20 Curtis Neal (@CurtisNeal97) September 15, 2020 While Neal is only listed as a three-star prospect his offer sheet speaks to an elite talent. He holds offers from Alabama, Auburn, Florida State, Georgia, LSU, Miami (Fla.), North Carolina, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas A&M, USC, Wisconsin and several others. Following Neals announcement of an upcoming decision, he had an interesting exchange with Oregon defensive line commit Keanu Williams: Still, Neal indicated Tuesday that he doesnt intend to visit Eugene before making his decision. I have 10 schools in mind, he said. Im just announcing my commitment date because Ill know where Im going by then. You get this gut feeling..." Oregon has landed a commitment from the state of North Carolina in four consecutive classes, but extending the streak into 2022 may take some luck. -- Andrew Nemec | anemec@oregonian.com | @AndrewNemec Defence minister Rajnath Singh said on Tuesday Indias armed forces have foiled the transgression attempts by China in Ladakh amid the standoff between the two countries at the Line of Actual Control (LAC). Singh said, while speaking in the Lok Sabha on the second day Monsoon Session of Parliament, that India is ready to handle any situation. He added that Indian soldiers have laid down their lives to ensure that Chinese designs are foiled pointing to the violent standoff at the Galwan Valley in eastern Ladakh earlier this year. They also sent a very strong message by imposing heavy casualties on the Chinese PLA, Singh said. China, the defence minister said, has not been honouring the customary alignment of its boundary with India and that New Delhi and Beijing have different perceptions about the border amid the standoff between the two countries at the LAC. Singh said India and China border issue remains unresolved and that there has been no mutually acceptable solution. Both India and China agree that to maintain peace and tranquillity in the India-China border areas, it is essential for the further development of bilateral relations... There are many agreements and protocols between both the countries to maintain peace and tranquillity on the border, Singh said. We have told China through diplomatic channels that the attempts to unilaterally alter the status quo were in violation of the bilateral agreements, Singh said. India and China have been engaged in a standoff since April-May over the transgressions by the Chinese army in multiple areas including the Finger area, Galwan Valley, Hot springs and Kongrung Nala. On September 11, both countries agreed on five points to guide their approach to the situation on the LAC. They included disengagement of troops and easing of tensions, following talks between external affairs minister S Jaishankar and his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, on the margins of a Shanghai Cooperation Organisation meet in Moscow on Thursday. On the Beach, the leading online travel agent, has resigned from the industrys main trade association, Abta. The firm, which also owns Sunshine.co.uk, left because of a disagreement over the status and effect of Foreign Office warnings. At present, the Foreign Office warns against non-essential travel to the vast majority of holiday destinations, including France, Portugal, Spain, Croatia, Malta and seven Greek islands. Its focus for these locations is the rate of new coronavirus infections. The level of the warning is in the same category as parts of Afghanistan and Somalia. Standard practice in the industry is for package holidays to be cancelled and refunds issued when the Foreign Office warns against travel to a destination. Recommended On The Beach defends decision not to refund flights to Spain after Foreign Office travel warning This policy has been confirmed by Abtas chief executive, Mark Tanzer, who said: The upholding of the protections of package holidays is in the long-term interest of members, notwithstanding the harsh trading conditions, and it will give reassurance to customers at a time when confidence is essential. But the financial implications for online travel agents are significant with airlines such as Ryanair and Wizz Air refusing to refund tickets if the flight still operates. Many carriers are continuing to fly from the UK to destinations that the Foreign Office regards as unacceptably high risk. Several online travel agents have questioned their legal obligation to refund passengers. On the Beach tells passengers: Unless we have communicated otherwise, were delighted to say that your holiday can still go ahead as planned and you can start looking forward to your beach break." Coronavirus: 'Rule of six' explained The Package Travel Regulations, which govern package holidays, are opaque about whether a Foreign Office warning automatically entitled customers to cancel and take a full refund. The law says a traveller can get their money back in the event of unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances occurring at the place of destination or its immediate vicinity and which significantly affect the performance of the package. The precise meaning has not yet been tested in court. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-15 21:00:32|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close WINDHOEK, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Three men from Namibia's #Goabeb area near Usakos, a town in the west Erongo region were attacked and mauled by a leopard, Namibia's Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism confirmed Tuesday. The ministry spokesperson Romeo Muyunda said the incident which occurred on Monday saw a leopard initially attack a goat, prompting a goat herder to attempt to rescue the small stock, which resulted in his attack. "We also understand that the herder later called for assistance. The two people that came to assist him were also attacked and injured by the same leopard," Muyunda added. According to Muyunda, the victims sustained minor to serious injuries and are currently being treated at the Usakos State Hospital, where it has been said they are in a stable condition. "The ministry has sent staff members to investigate the incidence and track the leopard. We have so far established that the leopard has two cubs and the ministry is considering capturing and translocating the leopards to an area where they are less likely to cause problems," he said. Muyunda said the ministry is also assisting the victims in administering payments through their self-reliance scheme of the revised policy on human-wildlife conflict management for injuries sustained. "The ministry regrets the incident and fully sympathizes with victims. We wish to appeal to members of the public to be cautious and avoid approaching dangerous predators in such a manner," he concluded. Enditem Chloe Green was seen enjoying a low-key stroll with her son Jayden Meeks-Green, two, and her new boyfriend Manuele Thiella, 34, in Corsica on Monday. The Topshop heiress, 29, looked radiant in a tiered floral maxi dress paired with comfortable trainers as she held her son on her hip. Jayden's father is 'Hot Felon' Jeremy Meeks, who Chloe split from in June 2019, before going public with Italian yacht broker Manuele earlier this year. Her love: Chloe Green was seen enjoying a low-key stroll with her son Jayden Meeks-Green, two, and her new boyfriend Manuele Thiella, 34, in Corsica on Monday Chloe looked stunning in her elegant dress as she walked along looking every inch the doting mother with Jayden poised on her hip. She opted for comfort for the outing as she rocked Converse style trainers which provided a contrasting style to the floaty dress. Wearing her long blonde locks in loose waves falling from a centre parting, she perfected her beach babe look on yet another sunny jaunt. Looking dashing as ever, Manuele was hot on her heels in a stylish summer look complete with yellow shorts and a loose-fitting white tee. Heading off: The Topshop heiress, 29, looked radiant in a tiered floral maxi dress paired with comfortable trainers as she held her son on her hip Off we go: Chloe looked stunning in her elegant dress as she walked along looking every inch the doting mother with Jayden poised on her hip It's over: Jayden's father is 'Hot Felon' Jeremy Meeks, who Chloe split from in June 2019, before going public with Italian yacht broker Manuele earlier this year A source said: 'Chloe has known Manuele for months and they have always been very close friends. They have a lot in common; they're both parents and are from similar worlds, Chloe is very happy with him. He's very much been accepted into her family.' The couple celebrated Chloe's birthday together in March, with Manuele pictured smiling alongside the heiress and her brother Brandon, 27. Chloe split from ex-fiance Jeremy, 36, nicknamed Hot Felon, in June 2019, following a two-year romance. Flirty and floaty: She opted for comfort for the outing as she rocked Converse style trainers which provided a contrasting style to the floaty dress Sweet: After her split from hot felon Jeremy, Chloe briefly dated Italian polo captain Rommy Gianni, who she was also spotted kissing on board her dad's super yacht Chloe's new boyfriend Manuele has a daughter from a previous relationship with a former partner. In a Facebook post that shows Manuele with his young daughter, he comments: 'The only woman I will love forever.' After her split from hot felon Jeremy, Chloe briefly dated Italian polo captain Rommy Gianni, who she was also spotted kissing on board her dad's super yacht. Chloe was photographed in Sardina with Rommy last August just two months after reports of her split from Jeremy. MailOnline contacted Chloe Green for comment at the time. Here is a list of resources for people who have been displaced by wildfires in our area and people who want to donate money, goods or services to help: Benton County Wildfire Response: Visit https://bentoncountywildfireresponse.recovers.org/ for resources for wildfire victims and for those who wish to help them. Distribution site: Items for wildfire evacuees are available at the Benton County Fairgrounds, 110 SW 53rd St., Corvallis. Donation site closed: The donation site for wildfire relief supplies at the Corvallis-Benton County Public Library closed as of 5 p.m. Monday. Benton County was overwhelmed by the outpouring of donations from the community to aid and support wildfire evacuees. Within the first two days of the site's being opened, the county had reached capacity on certain donated items, such as pet food and hay. Donations will be sorted, inventoried and transported to the Benton County Fairgrounds, where a distribution site is open to all wildfire evacuees. Surplus donations will be sent to other counties with an ongoing disaster response, and to relief organizations including Red Cross and United Way. Donations for victims: One way way to support fire-stricken communities is to provide financial donations to relief organizations actively responding to these disasters. For verified disaster relief organizations, refer to Oregon Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster at www.orvoad.org. Donations for victims: Those interested in helping those who have been displaced and severely impacted by the recent fires can contribute to the Linn County Wildland Fire Victims Fund. Contributions will be used for hotel vouchers and medical needs. Checks can be mailed to the fund in care of the Linn County Fair and Expo Center, 3700 Knox Butte Road E., Albany, OR 97322, or in care of the Linn County Treasurer, PO Box 100, Albany, OR 97321. Checks also can be dropped off at the expo center. Checks must include the words "Linn County." Find and reunite loved ones: Oregon Emergency Management urges the public to update information on their status with the American Red Cross. Let loved ones know you are safe at the American Red Cross Safe and Well Website. State emergency managers encourage people affected by the fires, whether or not they have evacuated, to register on the site. It is a helpful tool that can bring relief to people looking for loved ones during these fires, and help inform search efforts. Visit https://safeandwell.communityos.org/cms/index.php. Food and water for wildfire victims: To donate food, water and other items, reach out to your local food pantry to see if they are able to receive donations. Find food pantries at https://foodfinder.oregonfoodbank.org/. GoFundMe fundraisers for wildfire victims: More than 60 verified fundraisers have been started for Oregon residents affected by the fires. All of them have been added to GoFundMe's centralized hub: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/oregon-fires. Health Care Heroes Relief Fund: This fund supports Oregon hospital workers who are or become victims of the wildfires. All donations to the fund will be tax-deductible as allowed under law. To donate, visit www.orhealthfund.org. Information about donating, volunteering, packing and emergency response agency websites: Visit wildfire.oregon.gov. Meals for evacuees: Its On Us Corvallis is partnering with local restaurants, farmers and other producers to provide meals to displaced Oregon residents. Several local restaurant owners are showing community support to neighbors displaced by the fires. IOU is dedicated to reimbursing expenses to whatever extent possible, in an effort to help recoup some lost revenue from yet another economic blow. IOU is asking for donations to support the businesses and producers that participate in donating these meals to evacuees. Donations can be made at https://charity.gofundme.com/o/en/campaign/itsonuscorvallis. To stay up to date on meal distributions, follow Its On Us Corvallis on social media. Shelter for wildfire victims: The American Red Cross has temporary shelters available throughout Western Oregon, and those shelters have space available for more evacuees. For a list of temporary shelters, go to websitehttps://www.redcross.org/get-help/disaster-relief-and-recovery-services/find-an-open-shelter.html. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Patna: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday (September 15, 2020) inaugurated various projects under the 'Namami Gange' Yojana and the 'AMRUT' Yojana in Bihar. The four schemes inaugurated include sewerage treatment plants at Beur and Karam-Leechak in Patna city, as well as water-related projects in Siwan and Chhapra under the 'AMRUT' Yojana. Apart from this, foundation stones were also laid for water supply projects in Munger and Jamalpur and River Front Development Scheme under Namami Gange in Muzaffarpur. PM Modi said that even during the times of COVID-19, the work on various development projects progressed uninterrupted in Bihar. He referred to the projects worth hundreds of crores of rupees that were inaugurated in the recent past in the state which would benefit the farmers of Bihar along with the development of infrastructure. On the occasion, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was also present via video conference call and said that ensuring people get clean drinking water is a big task. Talking about himself, he said, "Where I was born in Bakhtiyarpur, only one or two wells had clean water. All of us have struggled a lot for clean water, so it is our responsibility to keep the water of river Ganga clean. For this, the establishment of Namami Gange sewerage plant is very important." CM Kumar stated that the Namami Gange Mission is working on several sewage treatment plans in Bihar, and we will complete them soon. The Prime Minister lauded the contribution of the engineers to the development of the country on the occasion of Engineers Day, which is celebrated in the memory of Indias pioneering modern civil engineer, Sir M Visvesvaraya. Modi expressed that Bihar also significantly contributed to the development of the country by producing millions of engineers. Prime Minister Modi said Bihar is the land of historical cities and has a rich heritage of thousands of years. "After independence, Bihar was led by visionary leaders who tried their best to remove the distortions which developed during the era of slavery," he said. PM Modi added there was a lopsided development with changed priorities which resulted in urban infrastructure degradation and collapse of the rural infrastructure in the state. The Prime Minister said when selfishness overtakes governance and the vote bank politics come into play then the already marginalised and deprived would be the most affected. PM Modi expressed people of Bihar have endured this pain for decades when the basic needs like water and sewerage are not met. He stated that people contract diseases by drinking dirty water under compulsion and a large part of his earnings goes to treatment. "Under these circumstances, a very large section in Bihar had accepted debt, disease, helplessness, illiteracy as their fate." The Prime Minister said for the past few years efforts are on to reverse the system and bring back the confidence to the most affected section of the society. "The way the education of daughters has been given priority, the participation of disadvantaged in local bodies including Panchayati Raj is increasing and their confidence is growing. Since 2014, almost complete control of infrastructure-related schemes has been given to Gram Panchayats or local bodies." PM Modi stated, "Now, from the planning to implementation, and the maintenance of the schemes, the local bodies are able to meet the local needs and this is the reason that there is a continuous improvement in the infrastructure of basic amenities like drinking water and sewer in the cities of Bihar." The Prime Minister said in the last 4-5 years, lakhs of families have been provided access to drinking water in the urban areas of Bihar under the Mission AMRUT and State Government schemes. "In the coming years, Bihar will be among those states of the country, where every house will have piped water supply. The people of Bihar have also worked continuously in this crisis of Corona to achieve this big goal." He added that the Prime Minister Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyan played a big role in providing water connections to more than 57 lakh families in the last few months, in rural areas of Bihar due to the work of the migrant labor, who returned to Bihar from other states. The Prime Minister said this Jal Jeevan Mission is dedicated to these hard-working colleagues of Bihar. "In the last one year, more than two crore water connections have been given all over the country under the Jal Jeevan Mission. Today, more than one lakh houses are being connected through pipes to new connections of water every day. Clean water not only improves the life of the poor but also protects them from many serious diseases." He opined that in urban areas also, the work for providing pure water to 12 lakh families in Bihar under AMRUT Yojana is fast progressing and out of this about 6 lakh families have already been provided connection. The Prime Minister said the number of urban settlements is fast increasing and urbanization has become a reality today but for many decades urbanization was considered as a hindrance. Quoting Baba Saheb Ambedkar who was a great supporter of urbanization, the Prime Minister said Ambedkar did not consider urbanization to be a problem, he had imagined cities where even the poorest of the poor get opportunities, opening the way for the betterment of life. He added that the cities should be such that everyone, especially our youth, gets new and limitless possibilities to move forward. "There should be cities where every family can live life with prosperity and happiness. Cities should be where everyone, poor, Dalit, backward, women get a respectable life." The Prime Minister said we are witnessing new urbanization in the country today and the cities are also making their presence felt today. "Until a few years ago urbanization meant developing a few areas in a few selected cities. But now this thinking is changing. And, the people of Bihar are making their full contribution to this new urbanization of India." He said it is very important to prepare the cities according to the needs of the future and not the present, to give impetus to the mission of Atma-Nirbhar Bihar, Atma-Nirbhar Bharat. "With this thinking, under the AMRUT Mission, the emphasis is being laid on the development of basic facilities in many cities of Bihar." PM Modi said in Bihar, over 4.5 lakh LED street lights have been installed in more than 100 municipal bodies. "Due to this, the lights in the streets and streets of our small cities are getting better, electricity is being saved for hundreds of crores and the lives of people are getting easier." He said about 20 big and important cities of the state are located on the banks of Ganga river. Cleanliness of Ganga river, cleanliness of Ganga water has a direct effect on crores of people living in these cities. Keeping in mind the cleanliness of Ganga river, PM said more than 50 projects worth more than Rs 6000 crores have been approved in Bihar. He stated that the government is making efforts to install many water treatment plants, in all the cities along the banks of the Ganges, to prevent the water of dirty drains from falling directly into the Ganges. He opined that the scheme of Beur and Karam-Lichchak inaugurated in Patna today will benefit millions of people of this region. Along with this, the villages on the banks of Ganga are also being developed as 'Ganga Gram'. We heard a lot of concern this summer in the education sector about learning loss, accelerating learning, and making sure some students do not fall further behind. Such fears are not new for Black, Indigenous, and Latinx students; students with disabilities; or students from low-income communities. These young people have always been subject to scrutiny in a system that keeps them at a disadvantage and then worries over their differences in performance. Even before the upheaval of the last several months, our education system was in dire need of a shift in how to define success for our young people. Our over-reliance on high-stakes, test-based accountability systems in the context of historical and contemporary injustices has left little room for students full humanity to be cultivated in American schools. Related Video Nicole Williams Beechum and a HBCU freshman discuss how educators can support students in the pursuit of success. We know from research that students can have more robust learning experiences when what happens in school is relevant to their lives, helps them connect to a larger purpose , and is grounded in a sense of belonging . This means that the system must be responsive to their goals, interests, and sense of self and community. If young people are not at the center of conversations about what constitutes success, we will not get school right. About This Project With the rise of the pandemic this spring and the national fight for racial justice, many young people are displaying inner reserve, resiliency, self-regulation, leadership, service, and citizenship in ways that no one could have anticipated. In this special Opinion project, educators and students explore how young people are carving their own paths. Read the full package. We often show students that we dont see them as experts about their own lives and astute observers of their surroundings. This is especially true when the conversation shifts to groups of students who have been marginalized by race, culture, language, family income, or disability. Insidious cultural beliefs seep in, and the real experts take over to tell students what is possible for their futures and then design policies, curricula, and professional development without their input. But students demonstrate daily that they can define and realize their own success, including the work of detoxifying their environment. At High Tech High Chula Vista in California, three studentsAna de Almeida Amara, Izadora McGawley, and Luz Victoria Simon Jassocreated an ongoing, student-run ethnic-studies course when they realized their school offered nothing about the cultural and historical background of its many Latinx and Filipino students. In the Bloomfield Hills, Mich., school district, students helped draft and win school board approval for a new equity policy. And in Oakland, Calif., members of the Kingmakers of Oakland Black male middle and high school studentsare learning to lead by centering their cultural wealth. What is the work of adults in supporting students to define and achieve success that is meaningful and motivating to them? A key is building relationships that make space for young people to articulate what they want and what they need. The Search Institute in Minneapolis has identified five features of such relationships . Young people want adults to express care, challenge them to grow, provide support, share power, and expand their potential by broadening their horizons and connecting them with others. In these ways, adults create the conditions for trust and agency. We often show students that we dont see them as experts about their own lives." At least as important, adults must know themselves and reject the oppressive systems they have been part of. Decisionmakers at all levels (classroom teachers to state and federal policymakers) have failed to interrogate their own identities, experiences, biases, pedagogy, and they have resisted analysis of racisms impact on school and life outcomes. The result is that, too often, we place the burden on young people to navigate oppressive structures on their own. Instead, an aim of education should be to help students build the capacity to critique and dismantle the parts of the system that dont work so they internalize that agency for themselves. In schools, it is, first of all, up to educators to create equitable learning environments, and groups such as the Building Equitable Learning Environments Network are compiling resources for teachers and school leaders to do just that. With sound strategies, educators can examine their current environments and shape opportunities for young people to define success for themselves and pursue it. As my own work has moved from research to the translation of research into practice, I have had the humbling opportunity of deeply listening to students. What stands out is that when young people are able to take agency, feel affirmed (their lived experiences, families, histories, cultures, communities), and share power with adults, they thrive. My biggest fear is that we adults dont actually want to hear what young people have to say. Taking them seriously disrupts our comfort and expertiseand threatens our sense of authority. The 2019-20 school year in Chicago, where I live, demonstrated the power and potential of young people. They stood beside their teachers during the falls labor strike. They have navigated a global pandemic. They took to the streets to protest police brutality and they have organized across the city to remove police from their schools. If we cannot connect the dots between these life-altering experiences and academic success for young people, then it is we who have failed. Two mosquito pools in Lincoln County tested positive for West Nile virus, the West Central District Health Department reported Tuesday. The end of the summer season is the most likely time of the year that positive West Nile samples are collected and reported, according to a WCDHD press release. According to the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, human West Nile infections follow in the wake of positive mosquito pools, with a peak around Labor Day and disappearing around mid-September. Symptoms of West Nile illness are usually mild, including fever, headache, body aches, fatigue, skin rash on the trunk of the body, swollen lymph glands and eye pain. However, the symptoms may be more severe, sometimes causing permanent neurological damage, and in some cases may result in death. WCDHD recommends that people avoid being outside at dusk and dawn when mosquitoes are most active and that they protect themselves from mosquito bites by wearing lightweight protective clothing, including long-sleeved shirts and long pants, and by using an insect repellent containing DEET, IR3535, oil of eucalyptus or picaridin. In the torrid final weeks of the long presidential campaign, the unique confluence of legal, procedural, and constitutional initiatives to alter the electoral process has been publicly glimpsed only occasionally. These are all activities undertaken by Democrats and Democratic state legislatures, presumably motivated by the uniform horror with which they endured Donald Trumps election as president. Though his promise to drain the swamp was intended to apply to offenders of both parties steeped in the complacency and bad habits of the governing political class, the Democrats naturally consider that they were the principal target of Trumps crusade. The substantial number of Republicans whom he was excoriating with the same rugged vocabulary as the Democrats were generally Never Trumpers who sped into informal alliance with the Democrats. Most of the old Bush-McCain-Romney Republicans, including the late John McCain and Mitt Romney himself; former secretary of state, chairman of the joint chiefs, and national-security adviser General Colin Powell; the third-place contender for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination race, former Ohio governor John Kasich; and a large number of other prominent former Republican officeholders are in this camp. At one level they may be taken as a bipartisan consensus in favor of legitimate reform, as has periodically arisen and effected orderly modifications to the Constitution for two centuries. It is also possible to construe this spontaneous enthusiasm for changes to the electoral system as a self-serving effort by the locked-arms bipartisan Washington political class to raise the drawbridge, pull down the blinds, and repel boarders, especially those who come snorting into Washington pawing the ground in anger at the evils of their long incumbency. The easiest and most plausible focal point for their activity is that permanent butt of discontent, the Electoral College. All but the smallest states send a number of pledged electors to choose the president that is equivalent to their share of the countrys population. The number of electors from each state is identical to the delegation it sends to both houses of Congress, and as each state has two senators, that does give the smaller states a slight leg up, but is not relevant to the comparative weighting of the larger states, especially the approximately 25 states that have from nearly ten electoral votes to the largest delegations, California (53) and Texas (38), of the total of 538. Complaints against the system normally arise after the winning candidate has received a smaller popular vote than the nominee of the other main party. This occurred in the 2016 election, when Hillary Clinton led Donald Trump by 2.9 million votes but lost in the Electoral College, 304227. She won large pluralities in California, New York, and Illinois but lost Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin by total of only 80,000 votes. (It has been little noted that even if 40,000 of those votes had been cast for her and she had won those states by a hair, if just 16,000 Clinton votes in New Hampshire and Nevada had gone to Trump, he would have won anyway, albeit by just two electoral votes this sword cuts both ways.) Story continues The Democrats assume that they are the habitual victims of these claimed shortcomings in the electoral system because the last previous occasion on which the winner lost the popular vote was also won by a Republican, George W. Bush, in 2000 against Al Gore. Gore won by 545,000 votes but was deemed by the United States Supreme Court to have lost the state of Florida by 497 votes out of 5.96 million cast, with a great many disputed ballots, and thus lost in the Electoral College by only four votes (which turned out officially to be five, as there was one abstention). In fact, when the votes cast in Alabama in 1960 for Dixiecrat candidate Harry Flood Byrd are attributed to him and not to the Democratic nominee, John F. Kennedy, Richard Nixon, who apparently lost the popular vote by 113,000 votes, would have won by about 40,000 but still would have lost in the Electoral College to Kennedy. In the 19th century, Andrew Jackson led in the popular vote and the Electoral College in 1824 in a four-candidate battle that did not produce an Electoral College majority, and John Quincy Adams was controversially elected in the House of Representatives. In 1876 Democratic New York governor Samuel Tilden defeated Republican governor of Ohio Rutherford B. Hayes, but three states submitted disputed tallies, and Hayes was elected in a straight partisan vote by an ad hoc commission appointed by Congress. In 1888, Benjamin Harrison defeated President Grover Cleveland although Cleveland received about 90,000 more votes. (Jackson and Cleveland won the succeeding elections against Adams and Harrison, and Hayes, as he had promised, retired after one term.) If the United States had the French system, which requires a runoff election between the top two candidates when no majority is achieved on the first ballot, in 2016 Trump would surely have taken almost all the 5.42 million Libertarian, Independent (Utah), and Constitution votes and won the popular vote over Clinton, even though she would have received most of the 1.53 million Green and Socialist Parties votes. Although it is not clear that an alteration of the system would change the balance between the parties, it would certainly reduce the importance of the smaller states in electoral terms, which makes any amendment of the Constitution on the subject impossible. Fifteen states and the District of Columbia have adopted the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact, in which they pledge to direct all of their electoral votes to the candidate who leads in the national popular vote, but this takes effect only when states representing a majority in the Electoral College have adopted it, and at that point it would be subject to judicial challenge. But on July 6, 2020, the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously ruled that states have the power to direct how their Electoral College votes will be cast. This clearly implies that state legislatures can overrule the federal presidential voters of their states, which, though it can be justified technically by the broad wording of the Constitution, invites constitutional challenge. It would be by any democratic criterion a retrograde step for the American popular electorate of approximately 250 million people to be deemed to have surrendered the right to choose the president and vice president to the legislatures of the states where they reside (and in Washington, the District of Columbia Council). This looming controversy, added to the comprehensive Democratic attempt to prevent the verification that those on the voters list are in fact citizens, and the Democrats drive to conduct as much of the election as possible on the basis of unsolicited mailings of ballots to the entire voters list, which is at all times partially obsolescent because of large numbers of people moving, dying, or coming of age every week, does constitute a broad effort to alter the nature of the system of presidential elections. If any or all of these initiatives succeed, the Republicans would adjust to it, there would be a backlash among some, and the spirit of democracy that has animated the United States from its earliest days would not be quenched. Indeed, that is probably not really the Democrats intention, though their motives are open to question. But these and other steps, including the elevation of the District of Columbia to statehood, ensuring another two Democratic senators (Clinton won 90.5 percent of the D.C. vote in 2016), add another contentious dimension to the already fierce electoral contest that should conclude on November 3 but may be continued into the courts. As there are only two serious candidates, it will not go to the House of Representatives (and the vice presidency to the Senate), but it might require determination by the Supreme Court, as occurred in 2000. Testing the Constitution will further envenom the atmosphere. Whatever happens, the system will produce a legally authentic result, but it is already one of the most tumultuous and momentous elections in the countrys history. More from National Review Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Sausan Atika (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Tue, September 15, 2020 08:39 493 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c44d214c 1 City PSBB,enforcement,offices,COVID-19-Jakarta,infection Free Indonesias capital Jakarta entered another period of large-scale social restrictions (PSBB) on Monday with most office workers forced to once again shelter in place, but some remain unconvinced that the curbs will be able to contribute much to their protection unless there is strict enforcement. Jasmine, 26, who works as an interpreter, said she did not feel protected enough while working in her clients office. She has personally tried to maintain personal hygiene and worn a mask whenever she could, but her workplace environment still undermined her efforts, as the institution she works for still receives guests very often. As a regular visitor, she doubted there was enough room for her to stay safe in her clients office, even if the company complied with prevailing regulations and limited the number of people working to half the capacity of the space, as was done when the first PSBB measures were enacted in April. There are still people smoking around the office building. Maintaining physical distance is also difficult. I sometimes reprimand people who sit in a chair [I was using] but they would get offended, she told The Jakarta Post. The new restrictions did not help her feel safe from COVID-19 transmission, due to the absence of strict enforcement. For Kartika, an employee at a government agency, enforcing health protocols within office spaces was not enough to contain transmission; each person must also take their own precautions. We can catch COVID-19 in a variety of situations and environments, so there is always going to be a risk of infection. It depends largely on our awareness and commitment, she told the Post. Sometimes it is the person that chooses to neglect [health protocols]. Under the current PSBB, workplaces in 11 essential sectors including health, food, energy, communications, logistics and basic needs retail are allowed to remain open at half the capacity of their respective office space. Activities outside these sectors, such as government offices, must have no more than 25 percent of employees working at the office at the same time. During the first PSBB that lasted from April to June 3, workplaces in nonessential sectors had to fully implement the work-from-home policy. When the economy gradually reopened, companies were allowed to have their office spaces filled at half capacity. During the first PSBB period, the Jakarta Manpower, Transmigration and Energy Agency recorded that 4,074 companies and institutions which together employed a total of 1.07 million workers had either enforced the work-from-home policy or slimmed down their operations. But it remains unclear how many workers were actually working remotely during that period. With the return to PSBB, agency head Andri Yansyah estimates that there could be over 600,000 employees still working in their office spaces. The agency said Jakarta had nearly 80,000 companies and institutions in total, together employing some 2.1 million people. Around 3.2 million Greater Jakarta residents are commuters, according to the 2019 Greater Jakarta Commuter Survey by Statistics Indonesia (BPS). Of that figure, 2.5 million are office workers who commute daily. On Monday morning, state-owned commuter line operator PT KCI reported a 19 percent decline in passenger numbers compared to last week. The decline in ridership was seen in several major railway stations including in the Bogor, Citayam and Bekasi stations in West Java. The Jakarta Polices traffic unit found that traffic density in the capital did not change much from last week, but the police said it was too early to say whether commuters were shifting from public to private transportation or whether the PSBB measures were failing. Jakarta Public Order Agency (Satpol PP) head Arifin recently said monitoring violations of health protocols in office areas was considered a challenge as the agency could not regularly enter nonpublic spaces. He encouraged employees to report violations using the citys smart mobile app Jakarta Kini (JAKI), which will keep their identity anonymous. The tighter curbs were reinstated albeit with some measure of leniency after the city administration announced it had to hit the emergency brake on Wednesday last week, giving employers a few days to prepare. Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan singled out commercial office spaces as a focus for restrictions on Sunday. Previously, the city saw up to 90 office clusters emerge as curbs were gradually eased. Tempo daily reported on Aug. 9 that at least 1,081 cases of COVID-19 transmission had originated in office clusters. Jakarta has recorded a daily average of over 1,000 new cases this month and registered at least 55,099 infections with 1,418 deaths from COVID-19 since the pandemic began, national COVID-19 task force data show, with its transmission rate seeing a continued rise since the city gradually relaxed curbs on specific sectors under a transitional phase two months after the initial PSBB period. With accurate data still a problem, the Jakarta administration reported 1,492 new cases and six deaths on Sunday, bringing the citys official tally to 54,864 confirmed cases, with 4,649 patients hospitalized. The PSBB announcement sparked concerns over the possible collapse of the countrys economy, with central government officials and the business community expressing various levels of displeasure at the PSBB policy. As the capital and the beating heart of the national economy, the primacy of Jakarta cannot be understated. The city continues to contribute the most to the Indonesian economy compared to other regions, with its regional domestic product accounting for 17.17 percent of the countrys gross domestic product (GDP) in the second quarter, according to Jakarta data from Statistics Indonesia (BPS). But Anies cited the increasing number of daily new cases and a decreasing number of free hospital beds as the main reasons for declaring a return to stricter curbs. Coordinating Economic Minister Airlangga Hartarto has said the police and the military will help monitor health protocols in office spaces. In response, Andri said the agency would cooperate with the police and military officers should its officials meet any resistance from any office management during spot-checks. He also encouraged companies or members of the public to report any violation of health protocols to his agency. In order to apply more effective PSBB, not only do we receive reports from companies but we also perform spot-checks and take reports from the general public, he said. Sometimes employees worry about the situation in their office. They can report to us directly or via an app, then we will follow up the report. A Liberal MP has accused activist group GetUp of importing aggressive American "bird-dogging" campaign tactics, leading to the intimidation of two female candidates during last year's federal election. One of those women targeted, Boothby MP Nicolle Flint, says she never felt so unsafe as during the five-month campaign against her. She has spoken out publicly since the election about the bullying, abuse and misogynistic vandalism she experienced during that time. Liberal MP Nicolle Flint on the campaign trail with Scott Morrison during the 2019 election, when she was subjected to a bullying campaign. Credit:Dominic Lorrimer But GetUp denies teaching volunteers the bird-dogging techniques and insists it had no connection to a man accused of stalking Ms Flint. South Australian Liberal Tony Pasin used a committee inquiry into the election to accuse GetUp of weaponising individuals to act against politicians the organisation disagreed with. 100 Years Ago 1920: Struck by the courtesy and general efficiency of the police department of London, Mayor William T. Ramsey, who recently returned from Europe, after completing some state work, told the members of the Chester Rotary Club last evening that is his ambition at least to place the Chester police department on a parity with the great London force and officers of other English towns. Traffic men answered all sorts of inquiries without as much as rising their voice to a higher pitch for the person making the inquiry to hear. They are real gentlemen and are respected by everyone, said the mayor. 75 Years Ago 1945: The Boys Fellowship Club of the Chester YMCA this week topped its goal of a half million pounds of waste paper to be collected by the end of the year with a total of 508,350 pounds since Jan. 18, 1944. During the past 21 months, the club has averaged over 5,000 pounds a week and 23,849 pounds a month through weekly curbstone drives and individual collections. 50 Years Ago 1970: The U.S. Army of Engineers has asked the Federal District Court in Philadelphia for an injunction to halt a landfill operation in the Tinicum Marsh. The Army charged the owner of the land, Folcroft Landfill Corp, is illegally filling land in Folcroft under corps jurisdiction without a federal permit. The company is presently operating a landfill site on 280 acres of tidal marsh along Darby Creek, parts of which are adjacent to the Tinicum Wildlife Preserve. 25 Years Ago 1995: The federal government told the borough of Colwyn, yesterday that its flood-damage prevention efforts were not up to speed. The Federal Emergency Management Association said the Delaware County borough will be placed on probation from the National Flood Insurance Program effective Nov. 15 if the town doesnt correct certain deficiencies. The principal problem is the placement of fill in the floodway of Darby Creek that has caused a rise in base flood elevations. 10 Years Ago 2010: Mad Rons Prevues From Hell, a campy horror/comedy compilation of trailers from some of the bloodiest, goriest movies of the 60s and 70s, will be shown this weekend at Cinema 16:9, benefitting the Historic Lansdowne Theater Corporation. I grew up in Lansdowne and went to movies there in the 60s, said Jim Murray Jr. of Springfield, one of the films co-writers and co-producers. The theater is dear to my heart. The film features shots of the Lansdowne Theater during the wrap-around sections of the movie between trailers. COLIN AINSWORTH Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said that the NDA government in Bihar was striving to usher in inclusive growth in the state by ensuring basic amenities to its people to set the stage for a self-reliant Bihar. Bihar suffered a lot in the past due to misplaced priorities, vested interest and scams of past governments. As a result, rural areas were put on backward trend, while urban infrastructure became irrelevant for want of upgrade as per the growing population, said PM Modi in an apparent swipe at the RJD-led dispensation. The PM was speaking after inaugurating and launching work on the Rs 541 crore infrastructure projects, which included operationalisation of two sewerage treatment plants (STPs) along with network at Beur and Karmalichal in Patna, costing Rs 152 crore, through video conferencing. He also laid the foundation stone of river front development in Muzaffarpur and unveiled water supply schemes at Chapra and Siwan. PM Modi said that the NDA government under Nitish Kumar and Sushil Modi had been working hard to revive self-confidence of the people by empowering them through a slew of initiatives like empowering girls through education and significant participation of deprived people in local bodies and panchayati raj system. Local bodies have been strengthened to plan and execute scheme as per local needs, he said. He said that the joint efforts of the Centre and the state government had resulted in qualitative change in urban infrastructure to ensure basic amenities to all. The government is committed to make Bihar self-reliant to achieve the objective of Atmanirbhar Bharat. Enhancement in urban infrastructure will ensure ease of living for the people and create an ambience suitable for ease of doing business, said Modi, adding that Bihar had been a land of inventions and innovations. The PM said that about 2 crore houses were connected with tap water supply under the Centres Jal Jivan mission in last one year. In Bihar, about 12 lakh households would get supply water once the undergoing schemes are complete. Currently, 6 lakh families have tap water supply in their houses under AMRUT scheme. Unlike the previous government, Nitish Kumars government work with commitment and finishes the projects on time, said Modi, adding that the dolphin conservation project being developed from Patna to Bhagalpur stretch of Ganga would benefit the state in many ways. During his address, Modi sought to connect the people by invoking the most popular Chhath puja saying that the renovated Ghat at Muzaffapur would let women celebrate the festival in its traditional spirit. He also lauded role of migrant workers, who returned to Bihar due to the Covid-19 outbreak, saying that they contributed a lot for timely completion of water supply schemes in Bihar. The PM also paid tribute to M Vishweshwaraya and said that engineers had played a crucial role in the development of Bihar. This is third time in the last one week that the Prime Minister laid foundation stones of or inaugurated various schemes in the state in the run up to the elections. On Sunday, he launched three petroleum projects in Bihar, costing Rs 900 crore. He had on Thursday unveiled projects worth Rs 294.53 crore related to agriculture and animal husbandry in the poll-bound state. Chief minister Nitish Kumar said that the water resources department was devising plans to use treated water from the SPTs for agriculture purposes, instead of releasing it in Punpun River. While welcoming the Centres gesture to help the state government achieve a holistic growth, Kumar urged the people to abstain from misusing supply water and put avoidable strain on ecology. Earlier deputy CM Sushil Modi said that the operation of the STPs under Namami Gange project would help the governments drive to stop discharge of untreated waste in Ganga, which is currently highly polluted. Efforts are on to check the flow of waste water, chemical and industrial affluent in the river to make it pure, said the Deputy CM. Governor Fagu Chauhan, Union ministers Gajenda Singh Shekhawat, Ravi Shankar Prasad and Hardeep Singh Puri also participated in the programme through video conferencing. Reacting to the string of launching events lined up for the PM in Bihar, Congress leader Prem Chandra Mishra said that Modi had stepped in steer the poll campaign after he realised that Nitish Kumar alone would not be able to counter the burgeoning anti-incumbency against the ruling dispensation. BJPs internal survey also hints at serious depletion of the credibility of Nitish Kumar, said the Congress leader. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Regional Victorias restrictions were further eased after it reached a 14-day average of 3.6 new daily COVID-19 cases. Melbournes 14-day average stands at 52.9 daily cases, with Mr Andrews confirming the city was on track to partially ease restrictions on September 28, although, even then, regional Victorians will still be enjoying far more freedoms. "I think, in a sense, what regional Victoria are doing now will be a dry run for what will happen in Melbourne," Mr Andrews said. "I expect that we'll be making the same sort of assessment, hopefully in a number of weeks' time, to say that it's safe for Melbourne to open up." The Premier also flagged measures to prevent people travelling to second homes in the Mornington Peninsula which is classified as part of metropolitan Melbourne during the school holidays and warmer weather. "That's simply not on. That puts everything at risk. It's unnecessary movement. It's unlawful movement. And it should not be happening," Mr Andrews said. Mornington Peninsula mayor Sam Hearn said the area was inundated with people rushing to their holiday homes earlier this year when stage three restrictions were announced. He said extensive road blocks would be required on arterial roads such as Peninsula Link to ensure Melburnians were following the ban on moving to second residences. Traffic backs up at a Bacchus Marsh police checkpoint on Tuesday. Credit:Nine News Under the eased restrictions in regional Victoria, households can select one other household to be in a so-called bubble. The households are then permitted to visit each other, with a maximum of five visitors. Outdoor sport can resume and there will be a staged return to school for all regional students in the first two weeks of term four. Restaurants and cafes will be able to seat up to 50 people outside and up to 20 people inside although the indoor seating must be separated into two spaces. Regional Cities Victoria chair Margaret ORourke said the reopening meant local economies and communities could begin to recover. "We really want to encourage people living in regional Victoria to visit other parts of regional Victoria from this Thursday," she said. Victorian Tourism Industry Council chief executive Felicia Mariani said many businesses would need until the weekend to reopen, after standing staff down, reducing stock and shutting down their operations. Businesses were also waiting for guidelines on how to resume their operations safely, she said. "People want to understand what they need to do to comply with the new rules," she said. "We need to be careful. Everyone, including consumers, has a responsibility here." Victorian Nationals leader Peter Walsh said families would still have to make painful choices about which loved ones could attend weddings, funerals and religious ceremonies "under severe restrictions on public gatherings". "Despite very low case numbers across regional Victoria, dining restrictions will force our local cafes and restaurants to make tough decisions on whether its viable to open after months of little to no income," he said. Greater Geelong mayor Stephanie Asher said she supported the government's promise to prevent people from rushing to their holiday homes, although she understood why Melburnians would want to enjoy the freedom in beachside communities. "We certainly dont want to end up in lockdown," she said. "It does need to be managed for the safety of all people." But Cr Asher said there had already been a substantial increase in people in Greater Geelong, which includes the seaside communities of Ocean Grove and Barwon Heads on the Bellarine Peninsula. Maggie Fooke, owner of the Northern Arts Hotel in Castlemaine, welcomed the chance to reopen but said her business was largely dependent on visitors from Melbourne. Ms Fooke said she was ready to reopen the accommodation at the hotel immediately and hoped to resume serving drinks in coming weeks. While New Zealanders are currently using masks and sanitiser to fortify themselves against the spread of Covid-19, earlier generations of Aucklanders were also facing threats but responding with quite different fortifications. As part of the Auckland Heritage Festival, which runs from September 26 to October 11, a researcher with the Royal New Zealand Navy National Museum will give a talk at Whangaparaoa Library about the coastal defences of the North Shore and Whangaparaoa. Michael Wynds talk is free and will be held on Saturday, September 26, at 2pm. From the 1880s to the 1950s there were coastal defences erected along the coastline from Devonport to Whangaparaoa, Michael says. These were built in response to perceived threats from Imperial Russia in the 19th Century and Japan in the World War II. The defences included minefields, spar-torpedo boats, and coastal artillery of all types and sizes. Michaels presentation will provide a broad overview of the coastal defences in the region and conclude with a focus on the defences constructed at Whangaparaoa. The talk is one of several Heritage Festival events that will be held on the Hibiscus Coast. Organisers say that Covid-19 protocols at the prevailing alert level will be followed, including any limits on mass gatherings. If a 10-person mass gathering limit remains in place, every endeavour will be made to move events online. The Silverdale Pioneer Village will host a talk in the old chapel at the village on Eccentric and Notorious People and Events of early Silverdale on September 26, from 11am to noon. Local historian Robin Grover, who is the author of Makers of the Wade and a former president of the Silverdale and Districts Historical Society, will be the presenter. A gold coin donation will be appreciated and bookings are essential. email pioneervillage1968@gmail.com or phone Sue, 021 630 520. On Sunday September 27, Whangaparaoa Library hosts a talk on Tiritiri Matangi Island 600 years of history from Maori settlement to farming, lighthouse construction, WWII military occupation, and a conservation success story of international significance. For the full festival programme, visit heritagefestival.co.nz ABUJA, NIGERIA / ACCESSWIRE / September 15, 2020 / Mrs. Temitope Mayegun is the CEO of Avila Naturalle Ltd, manufacturer of natural body care, foods and household brands, which combine a dynamic distribution network with a retail strategy as well as e-commerce with focus on encouraging the usage of natural, safe and quality products. In this interview with PLEASURES Magazine, Mrs Mayegun discussed the company's commitment to enrich lives and inspire a healthier and happier world by offering natural skincare solutions that deliver healthier, radiant, and glowing skin. The company is out to address the challenge of low esteem associated with the skin type and complexion by promoting naturally healthy and glowing skin using truly natural and safe products. Temitope Mayegun in brief Temitope Mayegun is the CEO of Avila Natural Limited, a leading manufacturer of genuinely NATURAL body care and household brands in Africa focused on encouraging the use of pure and natural body care (skincare, haircare, mouth care, foot care) products. Mayegun holds a B.Sc degree in Accounting from the University of Lagos. She also has other qualifications including International Masters in Business Administration (IMBA), Eaton Business School; Harvard Business School Executive Leadership course in Leading Difference and High-Performance Team; and Lagos Business School Leadership Program - Leading 21st century. She grew up in Lagos, schooled in Lagos, married in Lagos, and is blessed with four children. Optimistic Mayegun emulates the spirit of hard work from her father. The goal-oriented CEO does not give up easily even amidst challenges and doesn't believe in impossibilities. Trained to be independent, she believes that there are no limitations when an individual or group of people are success-driven. We are driven by the need to help Nigerians break free from toxic and harmful chemical-based body care products Avila Naturalle Ltd was incorporated in 2017, and our vision is to enrich lives and inspire a healthier and happier world. Avila Naturalle since inception has redefined the Nigerian body care space by promoting the health and safety of Nigerians through the encouragement of the adoption of all-natural body care solutions comprising skincare, haircare, mouth care and foot care. The overall vision of the company is driven by the need to help Nigerians break free from toxic and harmful chemical-based body care products by creating a culture and an enabling environment for natural body care solutions to thrive. Furthermore, the whole essence of Avila Naturalle is to right the wrong in the society; to get people to appreciate their skin, to get people to solve self-esteem issues. A lot of people have self-esteem issues caused by the belief that only fair people are beautiful, and that is why they use bleaching products. So, Avila Naturalle is here to let them know that whatever complexion they have, they are still beautiful. We are here to give them products that will make them glow naturally. We are here to give them a healthy approach to achieve glowing skin. We produce 100% natural skincare products At Avila, we believe that a body care company is only as good as the quality of its products. This is why we strive to ensure sustainable growth through continuous improvement on all our products to enrich the lives of our customers. Creating skin and hair care products that are 100 per cent natural would not feel right if we did not put all our passion into it. This is our secret to creating products that are not only pleasant but also powerful and effective in enhancing skin glow naturally or providing solutions to skin-related challenges. We believe in providing the best skincare products possible. Our products are 100 per cent natural, free of parabens, animal by-products, propylene glycol, sodium lauryl sulfates, mineral oils, colourant, petroleum and chemicals. While based on purely natural ingredients, our Research and Development team are well-equipped and constantly focused on the future. This allows us to stay ahead of trends, latest development and competition. We have premium quality products that cater to hair, face, body, mouth, foot, and other private needs. There is no exception to who uses our products. We have made it possible to meet the needs of all humanity both female, male and children. Divine inspiration and the need to solve low self-esteem issues led to the creation of Avila Natural I got the divine inspiration in 2017 to start working with natural ingredients to proffer solutions to thousands of people having skincare issues. So, I conducted research in which the result revealed that a lot of people are having skin issues like dark patches, sunburn, stretch marks. I also discovered that the beauty industry is filled with non-natural beauty products that have wreaked havoc on people's skin. Some of the products are produced with harmful substances that are used wrongly because of the desire to have fair skin. So, for Avila Naturalle, I got the inspiration to offer natural products that will have no side effects on users, products that will make them happier and will also make their skin healthier. I also explore the need to proffer solutions to people who have stretch marks, sunburn, skin discoloration and hair issues. So, bearing in mind with one of our core values which is Innovation, we strategise regularly, we try to ensure that we meet our customer expectations and we give them a pleasant experience. We started with just production of coconut oil When we started Avila Naturalle, the vision was clear, we started with just production of coconut oil because you know coconut oil is also natural oil from the coconut fruit. So, the number one challenge we had was that we did not have so many companies in this particular line of business at first and so it was really difficult to benchmark. Our primary focus also was organic products, and organic product starts by getting quality products from the farm. Also, all products used for production have to be organically grown. A carrot for instance may not be organically grown. They may apply fertilizer to it and if we use it, it will affect the overall production. We aim to promote the use of organic and natural products because of the dangers caused by inorganic products. Also, there is usually a transitioning stage when you are using natural products. If you have been using a kind of harmful chemical-based product that have been bleaching your skin or probably toning your skin before, when you switch to natural products there may be a kind of skin purging. People have to understand that these products are natural, and they cannot work within seven days or within five days the way chemical-based products will work. Another challenge was capital. Avila as a company runs a kind of system that is beyond just sitting down somewhere and mixing stuff up. We are structured. We have been structured from the beginning. We have a factory where we produce under a stringent process and compliance to GMP standards, we have professional and non-professional staff members, we have production unit. We started with producing 30,000 coconut oil and it was difficult at first because we have to buy machines too, we have to get a lot of things working and so, startup capital was an issue. The acceptance rate, on the other hand, was great because some people have been looking forward to switching to natural products. So by the time we were expanding, within three months or six months of starting Avila, it was like we needed to buy a lot of machines, set up an international standard factory, meet up with NAFDAC specifications or requirements and you know the whole thing was really challenging in the beginning but we have to maintain our focus and remain unwavering. This is a business we started with just 30,000 coconut oil and you know as we speak, now we have over 2,000 distributors across different cadres, we have like 150 staff strength and still counting and just last February we diversified into the food sector. The beginning is not easy I must tell you, getting the right staff to fit into the roles needed as well as getting the desired output was not that easy but at the end of the day, through consistency and hard work we are getting better by the day. We always go for quality raw materials People hardly believe that our products are natural because of the results achieved, they feel we infuse other components into our products but Integrity is one of our core values. We always go for quality raw materials too. We review our customers' experience and their feedback even the ones that are not pleasant. We analyze these feedback to come up with solutions that exceed their expectations. Avila is all about solutions. I must tell you that, we are proffering solutions to people's issues. We are trying to make people healthier and live a fulfilled life. Our distributors are also part of our stakeholders, I mean external stakeholders, apart from the margin they make, there is a shared value and clear understanding of the company's vision. It is not all about Temitope Mayegun, it is about the brand, the staff, the distributors, and the vision. The value chain is what we have been able to sustain over the years, and I must tell you, that is a unique selling point for us. We tailor our products to the needs and expectations of our customers. Innovation is one of the core values in Avila Naturalle. Our R&D team is always on ground to proffer solutions and provide a remedy. So, these are some of the things that is unique about us. Avila Naturalle will soon be a household name Avila is a natural skincare brand. Integrity is one of our core values here. We plan to grow our staff strength to 500 to 1000 in a few years to come, more distributors, more products, and we are optimistic that Avila would soon be a household name. Currently, Avila has over two thousand distributors of different cadres across Nigeria and other African countries like Ghana, Kenya, Egypt, Ivory Coast, South Africa, Republic of Benin and Zambia as well as in the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States of America. The company hopes to expand its distribution channels to more countries like the United Arab Emirates, Singapore, Sweden, the Middle East, European Countries and other countries in Africa. Our major distributors also buy our products in large quantities and sell it to the mini distributors who in turn sell it to the end-users. You can also get our product in the superstores as well as online stores like Jumia and Konga online. I believe in teamwork and collaboration I believe in collaboration. I believe in teamwork; the fact is you lead by example and you lead from the front. Late Nelson Mandela said 'you lead from the back' but it works for me in both ways. There are times I keep quiet and allow my staff to take decisions but sometimes I take the lead, but in all Avila Naturalle runs an all-inclusive model and I don't take decisions without carrying the board and the team along. I like to share my experiences and I just believe in collaboration and inclusion to achieve goals. Feedback from clients motivates me to do more When you have great feedback, it surely inspires you, so we have a lot of great feedback. A 50-year-old woman in Ondo state used our Black Seed Oil and she got pregnant. She has a baby boy. We speak quite often. I have seen some users using our products for cancer and say the cancer is no longer there. I have seen people coming back with feedback such as skin glow, beautiful skin, longer hair, the positive feedbacks keep us going and I must tell you that it motivates me a lot. Another thing is our customers have so much confidence in our brand because we have seen customers advertising for us and telling people how good the product is. A distributor once told me that a woman at a point came to advertise for her because she got the desired result, she was having a terrible condition that the doctors cannot treat at first. The government should provide more incentives to entrepreneurs The government can further encourage young entrepreneurs via incentives. Although the government is also trying in terms of creating a conducive environment for entrepreneurs by removing some bottlenecks and reducing the percentage of registration even at NAFDAC. I feel the intervention is not enough, they can do more. Also, the security needs in the country should be addressed so that farmers can go to work without thinking of being kidnapped. At the moment, some farmers cannot go to the farm anymore, and it is affecting the prices of raw materials and products. Young entrepreneurs should have a clear direction Young entrepreneurs should have a clear direction. For us in Avila we do not just do things because other people are doing it, we go above and beyond so that we can stand out in the market and add value to people's lives. We want people to eat healthily and be healthier. So, young entrepreneurs should emulate this concept. Young entrepreneurs should be goal-oriented and believe in their vision as well as trust God that the vision can be achieved. Also, I must say that young entrepreneurs should not give up on their dreams and be focused. We are here to meet our customers' expectations For us at Avila Naturalle, we believe the best is yet to come, and we are here to meet and exceed our customers' expectations. As a company, we will continue to give our customers the best and for all our customers worldwide, I must appreciate you all for the support, patronage and for trusting us. CONTACT DETAILS: Email: info@avilanaturalle.com Website: www.avilanaturalle.com Instagram: @avilanaturalle https://twitter.com/AvilaNaturalle/ Tel: +234 7001000070; +234 7002000070 SOURCE: Pleasures Magazine View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/606241/AVILA-NATURALLE-Inspiring-a-Healthier-and-Happier-World-through-Natural-Products With the business potentially at an important milestone, we thought we'd take a closer look at HRL Holdings Limited's (ASX:HRL) future prospects. HRL Holdings Limited provides various environmental and laboratory services in Australia and New Zealand. On 30 June 2020, the AU$52m market-cap company posted a loss of AU$2.5m for its most recent financial year. Many investors are wondering about the rate at which HRL Holdings will turn a profit, with the big question being when will the company breakeven? Below we will provide a high-level summary of the industry analysts expectations for the company. View our latest analysis for HRL Holdings HRL Holdings is bordering on breakeven, according to the 4 Australian Commercial Services analysts. They expect the company to post a final loss in 2020, before turning a profit of AU$1.3m in 2021. The company is therefore projected to breakeven around 12 months from now or less. We calculated the rate at which the company must grow to meet the consensus forecasts predicting breakeven within 12 months. It turns out an average annual growth rate of 82% is expected, which is rather optimistic! If this rate turns out to be too aggressive, the company may become profitable much later than analysts predict. Given this is a high-level overview, we wont go into details of HRL Holdings' upcoming projects, but, bear in mind that by and large a high growth rate is not out of the ordinary, particularly when a company is in a period of investment. One thing wed like to point out is that The company has managed its capital judiciously, with debt making up 11% of equity. This means that it has predominantly funded its operations from equity capital, and its low debt obligation reduces the risk around investing in the loss-making company. Next Steps: This article is not intended to be a comprehensive analysis on HRL Holdings, so if you are interested in understanding the company at a deeper level, take a look at HRL Holdings' company page on Simply Wall St. We've also compiled a list of key aspects you should further examine: Valuation: What is HRL Holdings worth today? Has the future growth potential already been factored into the price? The intrinsic value infographic in our free research report helps visualize whether HRL Holdings is currently mispriced by the market. Management Team: An experienced management team on the helm increases our confidence in the business take a look at who sits on HRL Holdingss board and the CEOs background. Other High-Performing Stocks: Are there other stocks that provide better prospects with proven track records? Explore our free list of these great stocks here. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com. Brian Friedman / Contributed photo Comedian Brian Regan, who has begun performing socially distanced stand-up gigs, is coming to Indian Ledge Park in Trumbull for a show on Sunday, Sept. 27, at 5 p.m. The Connecticut Comedy Festival is hosting Regans gig at the site on Indian Ledge Park Road. Organizers said this is an outdoor, socially distanced, picnic-style show, with attendees asked to bring their own food and non-alcoholic beverages. No alcohol will be allowed. Also, seating will not be provided, so guests are asked to bring their own chairs or blankets to sit on. Vancouver-area residents caught a glimmer of sunny blue sky Tuesday afternoon, but the reprieve from days of thick smoke is expected to be short-lived. Despite the sunnier skies, air quality remains at dangerously high levels in most of the Lower Mainland, Vancouver Island, Okanagan and the Kootenays, with a risk level of 10+, the highest level of risk, according to Environment Canada. A healthy dose of rain in some areas of B.C. on Monday night helped clear out some of the wildfire smoke hanging over the province. Although it helped improve air quality in Metro Vancouver somewhat, ground-level smoke remains and is expected to persist throughout the week, and an air quality advisory remains in effect for the area. Only the northern third of the province has escaped air quality advisories in recent days. The brief reprieve from wildfire smoke on Tuesday won't last long, meteorologists say. "There is so much smoke that half an hour, an hour of rain is just not enough to try to get us to clean levels," said Armel Castellan, warning preparedness meteorologist with Environment Canada. On the bright side, Castellan said, the direct flow of wind that brought smoke to B.C. has shifted, so the province is no longer in the smoke's path. "We're not adding more smoke currently, which is a really good thing," he said. But relief from the heavy, acrid air flowing from catastrophic wildfires in Washington state and Oregon likely won't arrive in full until at least the end of the week, the forecaster said. Submitted by Liana Zwick B.C. might see another blast of smoky air when that direct air flow returns on Thursday, but later that evening, clean, cool air from the Pacific and sustained rain should start washing over the province, leading to a clearer Friday. "It's not impossible that we actually get worse on Thursday before we get better," he said. "That will, hopefully, be mostly the end of this event," he added. "I don't want to say categorically that it'll be over because we could, again, see some of these incredibly big fires, particularly to the southern half of Oregon and California, still bring some flow all the way up to the [B.C.] South Coast." Story continues Environment Canada extended its air quality advisories for the majority of the province again on Tuesday. "The forecast indicates slight improvement in air quality today but ground-level smoke will remain, and possibly until later this week," the notice read. Smoke affecting Canada Post mail delivery Some measurements this week have ranked air quality in parts of B.C. among the worst in the world. In those conditions, those with pre-existing health conditions should be careful and the general public should avoid exercising outdoors. The B.C. Teachers' Federation and Greater Victoria Teachers Association have both called for schools to be shut down in the province because it is not safe for children to play outside in the smoke, nor is it ideal to have them cooped up in the classroom while they are supposed to be practising physical distancing due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Canada Post suspended mail delivery in central and southern B.C. on Monday, saying the smoke had made it unsafe for mail carriers. That suspension carried into Tuesday for the following communities: Castlegar. Cloverdale. Duncan. Ganges. Mayne Island. New Westminster. Okanagan Valley. Sooke. Trail. White Rock. The Crown corporation said mail delivery would not be cancelled but could be delayed for some other areas of central and southern B.C. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-15 18:15:54|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BERLN, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Europe-China partnership should be "further fostered and expanded," Petra Sigmund, director general for Asia and the Pacific at Germany's Foreign Office, said Monday. "From a European perspective, the partnership with China is indispensable in many areas, from the economy to tackling global challenges," said Sigmund in an interview published by the German government. Regarding economic competition between the European Union (EU) and China in recent years, Sigmund said such competition is a good thing as long as it takes place under fair rules. The EU and China have decided to speed up negotiations on the China-EU investment agreement to achieve the goal of completing the negotiations by the end of this year. According to Sigmund, the agreement intends to align framework conditions for investments in China with those in the EU by the end of 2020. During its EU Council Presidency, Germany hopes for more ambitious cooperation between the EU and China on climate protection and jointly making "an important contribution" to tackling COVID-19, according to Sigmund. Enditem David Ryder/Getty The wildfires engulfing the West Coast have become so dire in Oregon that state police have established a new type of emergency response: a mobile morgue. The state-run facility in Linn County, about two hours outside of Portland, will be operated by a 75-member regional response team that is searching incinerated properties for survivors and victims. While the wildfires have hit 10 states across the country, Oregon has been among the worst affected, with more than 30 active fires, at least 900,000 acres burned, eight deaths, and at least 50 people missing. More than 10 percent of the states population has been forced to evacuate, and state officials have begged for a presidential disaster declaration. Like a Bomb Went Off: An Oregon City Destroyed as Wildfires Devastate West Coast One week into this wildfire crisis, our state has been pushed to its limits, Oregon Gov. Kate Brown tweeted on Monday evening. The death toll is expected to rise as recovery efforts continue, prompting local officials to use out-of-state resources for a mobile morgue. The facility will quickly identify remains and a separate facility, expected to open this week, will use rapid DNA testing to aid in identification. The mobile morgueonce a symbol of the coronavirus pandemic still plaguing the countrywill give family members closure as soon as possible, Oregon State Police Capt. Tim Fox told The Oregonian. We understand this is a super tragic event. We understand this is hard, he added. Thousands of residents across the West Coast have lost homes to the destructive wildfires, and at least 36 people in three states have died. It took just 45 minutes for Angie Jacksons family in Talent, OR to have everything they own burn to a crisp last week. Entire streets in Talent, Oregon, were raised to the ground. David Ryder/Getty Jackson said her mother, Corlette, was sleeping on Tuesday after finishing a graveyard shift when she received a call from her other daughter about the Almeda Drive wildfire quickly moving toward the town of 6,641. Jacksons father, Brian, and brother, Josh, were hanging out on the other side of the Totem Pole trailer park, unaware of the wildfire about to wipe out the entire town on the southern edge of the state. Story continues When Corlette woke, all she could see was smoke. She told my sister, I think we are going to be fine, Jackson, 33, told The Daily Beast. But less than 10 minutes later, her mother and brother opened their front door to find the driveway of the trailer park alight, prompting Corlette to suggest fleeing the home theyd lived in forever. Seconds later, a sheriffs deputy loudly banged on their front door, telling them they had less than five minutes to get out of their home, Jackson said. They only took their pets and my dads diabetes medication. The only clothes they took were the ones on their backs. Just five minutes after they fled, the trailer parkand most of Talentwas completely scorched, Jackson said. Her family had already suffered hardship this year when Brian was laid off due to COVID-19, but Jackson said the most heartbreaking part of learning her parents home was destroyed was her mothers realization that she left her wedding ring behind. I Just Want My Sister Home: Searches for Wildfire Missing End in Triumph, Despair It was my great-grandmothers ring, Jackson said, while choking up. The family is staying at an aunts house and is anxious to go home and start their life again. Its heartbreaking to think about them going back home and finding the earth completely scorched. They thought they were going to go back. Now they have to start all over, she said. As of Tuesday afternoon, upwards of 30,000 emergency personnel continue to fight blazes that have burned more than 4.7 million acres in 10 states, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. Residents near 39 large fires in California, Oregon, Washington, and Colorado remain under evacuation orderswhile officials in Idaho have also issued evacuation orders. Six fires, however, have been contained as rain showers are expected to move into Oregon and humidity will trend across the Pacific Northwest, a development that may bring some relief. Even with the gradual upward trend of relative humidity, conditions will remain critically dry across much of eastern Oregon, California, the Great Basin, and western Montana, the National Interagency Fire Center added. Experts warned that unpredictable wind gusts of up to 25 mph, combined with dry weather, may fuel the ongoing disaster. In California, these La Nina winds that are coming are expected to be hotter and dryerwhich is the perfect conditions for these fires to continue, Maureen Kennedy, an assistant professor at the University of Washington, Tacoma, who specializes in forest management, told The Daily Beast. Washington State is about to enter the cooler season, so I think we are in a good spot to make progress for the fires. Winds have pushed smoke across the country and into Canada. On Tuesday, skies over the East Coast, including New York City and Baltimore, were engulfed in a milky haze from blazes thousands of miles away. Alaska Airlines suspended flights out of Portland and Spokane on Monday due to thick smoke and haze. Tweets by NWSWakefieldVA Relief for firefighters may be several days away, according to experts, who said winds may disperse smoke hanging over West Coast cities but will probably fan the fires. Right now, there is a lot of wind and fire weather that is too extremeforcing a lot of emergency personnel to have to wait until the weather changes before taking actionable steps, Meg Krawchuk, an associate professor at the Oregon State University College of Forestry, told The Daily Beast. But as the winds shift this week from west to east, this will allow people on the west side of the fire to start setting up their containment lines to get more help on that side that has been hit the hardest by these fires. State officials have scrambled to contain the domino effect caused by the West Coast fires, using emergency services already strained by the coronavirus pandemic and requesting help from neighboring states and the federal government. President Donald Trump met with California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday to discuss the wildfires, an issue the Democratic governor said was the latest example of catastrophic climate change. Trump, who has been openly skeptical of climate science, seemed to dismiss his pleas to accept the science behind global warming, instead blaming forest mismanagement as the main culprit. Following the meeting, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee wrote in an open letter to Trump, slamming the president for refusing to address climate change and saying it would accelerate devastating wildfires like those youre seeing today. The rules of fighting wildfires are changing because our climate is changing, Inslee wrote. There is no fire suppression plan on this planet that does anyone any good if it doesnt even acknowledge the role of climate change. In requesting a presidential disaster declaration on Monday, Oregon Gov. Kate Brown said, To fight fires of this scale, we need all the help we can get. While Trump last week approved emergency aid, a declaration would allow additional communications resources, damage assessment teams, and search and rescue support to be distributed. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now! Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more. Advertisement With millions around the world stuck at home due to the pandemic, 'plane cafes' in Thailand are offering customers the chance to pretend they are in the sky - and the idea seems to have taken off. On board a retired commercial airplane in the coastal city of Pattaya, coffee drinkers make themselves comfy on first-class-style seats and pose for photos by the overhead lockers. Boarding passes in hand, some 'passengers' even opt for a tour of the cockpit. At the headquarters of Thai Airways in Bangkok, pictured, diners appear to have missed plane food as they gobble up spaghetti carbonara served on plastic trays by cabin crew The food on offer at the Thai Airways plane cafe, which also includes Thai-style beef This picture shows visitors enjoying business-class seats in a retired Airbus A330 that's been transformed into a coffee shop at an attraction site outside Pattaya in Chonburi province 'With this cafe I can sit in first class and also mess around in the cockpit pretending to be the captain of the plane,' 26-year-old Thipsuda Faksaithong told AFP. 'It's a lot of fun.' Chalisa Chuensranoi, 25, said her visit was as good as any trip she had taken before the pandemic, which shuttered Thailand's borders in March. 'Sitting right here in the first-class section... really gives me the feeling of actually being on a plane, cruising through the air,' she said. In another cafe, at the headquarters of national carrier Thai Airways in Bangkok, hungry diners appear even to have missed plane food as they gobble up spaghetti carbonara and Thai-style beef served on plastic trays by cabin crew. The bar in the repurposed Airbus A330 in Chonburi province. Plane cafes have really taken off in Thailand In the Airbus A330 cafe, customers can even pose for photographs in the cockpit, as this image shows An exterior shot of the amazing A330 cafe. Thailand was the first country outside China to detect a coronavirus case, but it has since registered a low toll But for Intrawut Simapichet, 38, who came to the cafe with his wife and baby, the experience is about more than a meal. 'Normally I'm a person who travels very often, and when we are forced to stay at home... it's kind of depressing,' he said as fellow passengers posed with luggage by a fake airplane door. '(The cafe) relieves what's missing.' For some who visit the cafe, the experience is about more than the plane meals on offer Thailand was the first country outside China to detect a coronavirus case, but it has since registered a low toll, with about 3,400 infections and 58 deaths. Travel restrictions have nevertheless eviscerated the tourism-reliant economy, while Thais have founded themselves stuck due to quarantine requirements in other countries. The government is currently mulling travel bubbles with select countries that also have low tolls. DALLAS, Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The year 2020 is a certified dumpster fire. From the emergence of a mullet-donning king of tigers and the extinction of crowds, to swarms of murder hornets and finding true love in pods, this year has left people collectively wondering, "What could possibly be next?" SpaceX gave us the ultimate travel inspo earlier this summer when they suited up and said "see ya" to our planet. Which got us thinking maybe it's time we all start making plans to join them! Hotels.com announces it aims to be the first online travel site to offer future hotel bookings in space and reward Earthlings with the ultimate travel escape thats outta this world. Today, just in time for National Aerospace Week, Hotels.com announced it aims to be the first online travel site to offer future hotel bookings in space and reward Earthlings with the ultimate travel escape that's outta this world. Starting today, you can visit the company's new intergalactic booking page www.onesmallstepforhotels.com where travelers may be able to eventually make out-of-this-world vacation plans and book reservations well, as soon as those space hotels officially exist.* #HotelLife Goes Zero-Gravity A call for space properties is just the beginning of what this new site offers. We're calling all interstellar travel daydreamers who've ever wondered what the entire #HotelLife experience may look like when it takes a zero-gravity turn, from check-in to the stay itself, all at a hotel in space. The site design renderings include space-suit hotel robes with moon-boot slippers, artificial intelligent concierges, a meteor mini-bar, robot bellhops, an epic room service spread that even Neil Armstrong couldn't have dreamed up and more. How to GTFO Planet Earth Since the timeline for space tourism isn't exactly set in stone, we're rewarding travelers who are ready to make their great escape ASAP (#because2020), even if they may have to stay on the planet for a bit longer. If you can prove you have one of the eight planets in your legal first, middle or last name (lookin' at you, Venus Williams!), you can be among 20 galactic travelers to receive a $250 Hotels.com gift card to be used toward a future hotel stay. And, yes, for now these gift cards only apply to current Earth properties! Submit your name via the new site for easy entry, and get those fingers typing faster than the speed of light because once those 20 spots are snagged, they are gone like a black hole. "Hotels.com is proud to already offer the best properties on planet Earth. The way things are going in 2020 inspired us to see if we can extend that offering to the entire galaxy," shared Josh Belkin, Vice President of Global Brand at Hotels.com. "This announcement is our hope to encourage and move forward the concept of space tourism, while revving up excitement for that aspect for the travel industry that is sure to come sometime in the near future." To experience a glimpse into the future of out-of-this-world hotel stays and for the latest updates on the most rewarding travel experiences on planet Earth, visit www.onesmallstepforhotels.com and Hotels.com on Twitter. *Editor's note: if you're a company with plans to build hotels in space, Hotels.com wants to be your booking partner! Email us at [email protected] to learn more and get connected with us. And we're talking soon, because it's only a matter of time before a giant meteor makes its way to us About Hotels.com (or Hotels.com) Hotels.com is the most rewarding way to book a place to stay. We really love travel and we know you do too. That's why we make it really easy to book with us. With hundreds of thousands of places to stay around the world and 90 local websites in 41 languages, Hotels.com has it all. So, whether you're looking for value in Vegas, treehouses in Thailand or villas with views, it's all just a click away. And with our "Reward-winning" loyalty program you earn free* nights while you sleepwhat could be better? Booking just got smarter too. With over 25 million real guest reviews and an app so easy to use that it's been downloaded 70 million times, you can be sure to find the perfect place for you. *Exclusions apply. Reward night worth average price of previous 10. Taxes/fees payable on each Reward Night redeemed. A $5 fee is charged on each Reward Night redeemed, unless redeemed on the app. See T&Cs https://www.hotels.com/customer_care/terms_conditions.html?pos=HCOM_US&locale=en_US 2020Hotels.com, LP. All rights reserved. Hotels.com and the Hotels.com logo are trademarks of Hotels.com, LP. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners. CST #2083949-50 SOURCE Hotels.com (Natural News) An unnamed Sheriffs Deputy in Clackamas County, Oregon, has been put to pasture after he was caught on video commenting about the Pacific Northwest wildfires, some of which are not wild at all, he says, but rather the product of Antifa arson. A roughly five-minute video that quickly went viral showed this Sheriffs Deputy making some serious allegations, while on duty and in uniform, about members of Antifa out causing hell. This individual warned that a lot of lives (are) at stake and a lot of peoples property (is) at stake because these guys have some vendetta. There has been considerable speculation in recent days about the true cause of the so-called wildfires, some of which do, in fact, appear to be the product of various seismic and geologic phenomena. Others, however, clearly bear the markings of arson, and that is what this Sheriffs Deputy had tried to reveal before being silenced. This individual is now on administrative leave as his superiors investigate the situation further. It is apparently not okay to make statements like this on behalf of the county without permission, which had clearly not been granted at the time this Sheriffs Deputy spoke to a local cop-watch streamer about what he has been witnessing in recent days. As soon as I was made aware of this incident, I moved swiftly to place this deputy on leave while we investigate, stated Sheriff Craig Roberts about the incident. The Sheriffs Office mission is to provide calm and safety especially during unprecedented times such as these. I expect nothing less of our deputies, and apologize to all in our community. Are the fires an act of terrorism, an act of God, or both? As you may recall, some of the earliest fires were blamed on lightning, while another was attributed to a so-called gender reveal party, at which pyrotechnics in the color blue, to indicate a boy, were fired off near dry brush that had not seen moisture in several months. In the days and weeks that followed, it appears as though Antifa took the opportunity to start lighting its own fires on purpose, creating massive plumes of smoke that have since drifted across Oregon and Washington into Idaho, Montana, and the greater Midwest. Reports have also emerged check out the video below for more info about smoke drifting as far as Missouri and beyond as pyrolows of smoke and ash form their own weather systems. It is certainly understandable that the Clackamas County Sheriffs Department would want to review the statements made by this deputy before allowing him to continue making them and potentially spreading misinformation. On the other hand, we could be witnessing a cover-up in action as this Oregon county seeks to withhold the truth about Antifas role in starting at least some of the fires that continue to ravage the West Coast. The PT News Network, which reported on this through FreightBrokerLife.com, says it reached out to the Clackamas County Sheriffs Office for further clarification about this incident, but has yet to hear back. PT specifically wants to know what was inappropriate about this Sheriffs Deputys claims, but has yet to receive a response. Many commenters in the above video reported heavy smoke across central and eastern Washington and Oregon especially, with drifts moving through central and northern Idaho and into Montana. Others in the Midwest, including one commenter in Oklahoma, reported that it looked like a foggy day, but that the fog was actually smoke spreading east. For more related news about Antifa arson, be sure to check out Terrorism.news. Sources for this article include: FreightBrokerLive.com YouTu.be NaturalNews.com Zoos, says Montgomery, are the reason that California condors exist on this planet today. Scientists figured out that condors were harmed by eating lead and small pieces of trash. Despite the objections of some conservationists, the remaining condors in the wild were captured. They would be able to breed safely in captivity and then be released and monitored. It has not all gone smoothly, but the team has learned from past mistakes. Eddie Miller isn't one who likes to wait especially when he thinks he has a major contender in a race. Case in point: the $6,000 trot in the Great Lakes Amateur Drivers Association Series at Northfield Park on Monday night when Miller and Cowboy Country scored an impressive 1:57.2 victory. I got away third behind a horse who I thought was rather weak so when we headed to the half I moved off the pylons and set sights on gaining the lead, Miller related. Miller had the right idea and his trotter proved him correct .when Cowboy Country raced alongside the leader, Mesmerized (Larry Ferrari) at the three quarters, and the two were neck-and-neck as they rounded the final turn headed for paydirt. We came along way on the limb but when we headed down the homestretch I felt my horse was strong and he hung tough all the way to the wire, Miller added. The photo proved Miller correct as Cowboy Country was a gutsy head winner over Mesmerized. Three lengths farther back in third place was High Blue, driven by last years USHWA's National Amateur Driver of the Year, Jazmin Arnold. Sent off at odds of over 6-1 Cowboy Country paid $14.60 for win. He's trained by Miller for owners Rebecca Sugg and Steven Maas. The next leg in the GLADA Series will be on Sunday, Sept. 20 at Delaware, Ohio. (Great Lakes Amateur Drivers Association) Facebooks threat to block Australia from news on its platform comes at an opportune time. As social media-enabled chaos disrupts the political order of the US, Australia should think about the role it wants social media to play in forming political opinions at home. From Donald Trumps tweets, to anti-5G protests, to QAnon the rising trend of conspiracy theory is a cost imposed on society by social media different yet relevant to the financial consideration sought by Australia from the Big Tech platforms. If Facebook went dark for our news, how much would Australia suffer? Credit:AP Under the proposed reforms, technology platforms like Facebook and Google would be forced to reimburse Australia's media companies for use of their articles and allow their algorithms to be scrutinised for their effects on consumers and the market. The government hopes to pass the bill before the end of the year. Watch: Prince Harry receives birthday wishes from Royal Family as he turns 36 Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have celebrated his 36th birthday by donating $130,000 to a charity aimed at educating young girls in Africa. Supporters of the couple - known as the Sussex Squad - started fundraising on social media for pan-African organisation CAMFED under the hashtag #InspiredbyMeghan. The campaign closed at $129,926 on Tuesday, the dukes birthday - and Harry and Meghan have since announced that have decided to match it with $130,000 of their own money. The couple said: No better way to celebrate what really matters. Thank you to everyone who donated. Harry turned 36 on Tuesday, same age as his mother Diana when she was killed in a car crash in Paris in 1997. He, Meghan and their son Archie have recently moved into their new home in California, which they bought with their own money after becoming financially independent. Read more: William and Kate share throwback photo to wish Prince Harry a happy birthday Just in, a message from The Duke & Duchess of Sussex, who are matching your INSPIRING actions by making a $130,000 gift to CAMFED: No better way to celebrate what really matters. Thank you to everyone who donated, Harry and Meghan#TogetherWeCan!https://t.co/V8oOy2Z4BH pic.twitter.com/YWgziRnpYK CAMFED - Campaign for Female Education (@Camfed) September 15, 2020 Read more: Prince Harry the feminist father: The royal's sweetest dad moments as he turns 36 They recently secured a huge deal with Netflix to produce a series of documentaries and TV shows. The couple has had a connection with CAMFED for a number of years, supporting it through their work with the Queens Commonwealth Trust. Story continues The total raised will allow 113 African women to receive scholarships for higher education. Watch: As Prince Harry turns 36, Yahoo UK looks back at some of his most memorable moments A CAMFED statement on their website read: Many of you supported CAMFED when the Sussex Squad called on the generosity of its members and followers during the #GlobalSussexBabyShower campaign. You honored The Duke and Duchess of Sussex commitment to community-led change and social justice, and celebrated the imminent arrival of baby Archie by donating to causes that The Duke and Duchess care deeply about. Now we are thrilled to have been chosen to benefit from your generosity as the Sussex Squad celebrate Meghan Markle and Prince Harrys birthdays. On International Womens Day 2019, Meghan appeared on a panel alongside Angie Murimirwa, the Executive Director of CAMFED Africa. And when the couple was both in Africa in October 2019, Harry joined an event in Lilongwe, Malawi in person and Meghan called in via video link. U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Melech Friedman and White House senior adviser Jared Kushner flank President Trump. (Kevin Lamarque/Reuters) A top foreign policy adviser to Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden applauded the Trump administrations role in helping to broker the new peace agreement between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, saying the deal was a positive accomplishment for the presidents foreign policy. The rare note of limited praise for the president from the campaign of his rival came from Jake Sullivan, a leading foreign policy adviser to Biden, during an interview on the Yahoo News podcast Skullduggery. Its good for the region, its good for Israel, its good for peace, said Sullivan when asked about the peace deal that normalizes relations between the two countries in exchange for Israel agreeing to postpone plans to annex occupied territory in the West Bank. Even as Sullivan hailed the deal, which is due to be signed Tuesday at the White House, he was careful to quickly argue that Trump leveraged groundwork laid by the Obama administration. Youre going to see him tout this with a classic Trumpian oversell, so bottom line we should praise this deal for what it is but not for more than what it is, Sullivan said. Its been a long time coming. This is not a bolt out of the blue. Sullivan said Biden welcomed this step to formalize a deal, contending that momentum had been building for some time. Its been an open secret in the region that the Gulf countries and Israel have been getting closer and closer together, he said. Sullivan was a top aide to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in the Obama-era State Department. The interview covered a variety of foreign policy topics, including the mood in Iran since the death of Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani and the internment of the Uighurs in China. Asked how Biden would approach the relationship with Saudi Arabia given the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi nearly two years ago by agents of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Sullivan said the Biden administration would put values, human rights and human dignity on the agenda in this relationship in a way that has been completely taken off the table by Trump. Yet when pressed to take a position on sanctions against Mohammed, the countrys de facto ruler who the CIA has concluded was responsible for ordering Khashoggis assassination, Sullivan demurred. Story continues On the specific question of sanctions against MBS, I think the vice president would want to go through an intelligence-based assessment of who exactly is responsible up to what level, Sullivan said. Hes not going to prejudge or pre-commit on the specific issue of sanctions vis-a-vis MBS, but he will not take off the table sanctions against whomever he deems appropriate to pursue sanctions against. Download or subscribe on iTunes: Skullduggery from Yahoo News _____ Read more from Yahoo News: New Delhi, Sep 15 : The lines of The Breakup song, featuring Ranbir Kapoor and Anushka Sharma in Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, were an instant hit upon release, resonating with many who have been through heartbreak. In 2020, however, the groovy track would be of little relevance as the pandemic plays spoilsport for people who seem to be trying to re-build their lives after a breakup. Indeed, being locked in while tackling a breakup can be a nightmare. As hopelessness, anxiety and sadness loom over brokenhearted souls, what could be the solution? Actress Adah Sharma, who told IANS that she has had "lots of heartbreaks, from being dumped by boys to being dumped from a film", agrees that a breakup amid the lockdown can be tough. Image Source: IANS Actress Adah Sharma. "Breakups and heart breaks are common, but amid the lockdown when you can't go meet friends or take your mind off the person who left you, or try to sort out the issue, life can be tough!" Adah told IANS. She added: "I have the most amazing friends. I've had my heart broken in non corona times and had a friend who was shooting for a film in the other end of the world, but he did everything he could to take my mind off the gloominess, and made me laugh till my stomach hurt. My closest friends are funny, caring, and protective, and have a wicked sense of humour, and they make sure to cheer me up whenever I'm sad." Actress Celina Jaitly calls a heartbreak a "universal experience" that comes with intense emotional anguish and distress. Image Source: IANS News Celina told IANS: "I personally believe being locked in is a great opportunity for self introspection. Start an at-home exercise regimen. Take care of yourself. Use the phone, lead the way in letting people know what you need. Watch a emotional movie and have a good cry. Venting negative emotions is important. Read self-help books and listen to podcasts. Set aside time every day for doing something that feels positive, such as hobbies, comedies or playing with a pet." She stressed that people shouldn't waste energy on feeling ashamed or guilty about their feelings. Actress Ahana Kumra says that she is at an age where, if she has not had a heartbreak, she has not lived her life right. Calling a breakup "normal", the actress told IANS that lockdown surely takes a major emotional toll. Image Source: IANS News "Everybody goes through heartbreaks and that's how you learn, evolve and grow. Yes, the lockdown has been difficult for many. I know a lot of people who have broken up during the lockdown and, of course, it takes a major emotional toll on your mental wellbeing, because you can't go and meet the person to sort out an issue. What I learnt during the lockdown is that you really need to concentrate on yourself," she said. Ahana stressed that self love is important. "If things are not working out during the lockdown, maybe they are not meant to work at all, because this is the toughest phase of everyone's life and if you cannot handle this situation, then maybe it's not meant to be," she noted. The actress added breakups can be harder for the younger generation as social media plays a huge role. Actor Rahul Dev told IANS that the only tough time he has faced is when he lost his life partner Rina to cancer and that "life smiled yet again" as actress Mugdha Godse came into his life. Image Source: IANS Rahul Dev. "More often than not people suffer internally. A heartbreak can result in a feeling of low self esteem/rejection. People can tend to blame themselves, if they dwell in the feeling. Whereas it's good to smell the coffee, yet one needs to look at the positive side of life and the many gifts it offers," he said. "Sacred Games" famed actress Elnaaz Norouzi agrees that it is a very tough time to go through a breakup, no matter what the circumstances are. Image Source: IANS For Elnaaz Norouzi, athleisure is the way to go. "It's always better to be busy, work and have many people around you. During lockdown it is is almost impossible and that can definitely be bad for one's mental health. Falling into depression can be easy. I guess the only way to deal with that would be to find out hobbies that we love and can pursue at home. Do not hesitate to keep talking to friends or keeping dinner dates over FaceTime. I live alone in India and often want to talk to friends who are far away. I do it the same way," said Elnaaz. She added: "I've had heartbreaks too, really bad ones, but one thing I know for sure is that we can get over anything if our will to live and be happy is strong enough. Especially if I know that this person was not the person I'm going to be all my life with -- it gets easier" In the current scenario, Yo Yo Honey Singh's rap lines "dil se hai maine aaj usko nikala" and "uski photo bhi jalayi, phir flush me bahake thodi thandak si aayi" from his number "Breakup party" wouldn't seem all that extreme, perhaps, to many. (Durga Chakravarty can be contacted at durga.c@ians.in) -- Syndicated from IANS Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-15 21:55:49|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close LOS ANGELES, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Video-sharing social networking platform TikTok said Monday that it had submitted a proposal to the U.S. administration to resolve its "security concerns." Oracle, an American multinational computer technology corporation, also confirmed in a statement released on the same day that it had reached a deal with TikTok's Chinese parent, ByteDance, to be the company's trusted U.S. partner. Though details of the partnership remain unclear yet, Oracle's pairing with TikTok is widely viewed as "a marriage at gun-point" squeezed out of Washington's threat of banning TikTok's operation in the United States. The following is a timeline of the TikTok saga. On July 31, U.S. President Donald Trump said he planned to ban TikTok in the United States within 24 hours. On Aug. 3, American tech giant Microsoft revealed that it was in talks to buy parts of TikTok. Trump said he would give ByteDance 45 days to sell TikTok to a U.S. buyer. On Aug. 5, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson, commenting on the U.S.' deadline for the TikTok deal, said China firmly opposed the U.S. side's blatant bullying of certain non-U.S. enterprises in violation of market economy rules and the World Trade Organization's principles of openness, transparency and non-discrimination. On Aug. 6, Trump issued an executive order banning transactions with ByteDance and its affiliates in 45 days. On Aug. 7, the New York Times reported that even the Central Intelligence Agency assessed that there was no evidence showing China had intercepted TikTok's data or used the app to intrude into users' devices. On Aug. 14, the Trump administration issued another executive order that required ByteDance to divest its interest in TikTok's operations in the United States within 90 days. On Aug. 24, TikTok and ByteDance filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles federal court against Trump's executive order, arguing that the executive order was unconstitutional and a misuse of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. On Sept. 10, Trump said that the deadline set for ByteDance to sell TikTok's U.S. assets would not be extended, insisting on the Sept. 15 deadline. Enditem Mr. Ambassador, we would like to know your views on the potential of economic cooperation between Azerbaijan and Iran. I am very glad that my first interview with the Azerbaijani media was with Trend news agency during my short tenure as Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran to Baku. Undoubtedly, there are many historical, geographical, cultural, and religious partnerships between the friendly and brotherly peoples of Iran and Azerbaijan. Thats it made me feel no strangeness in this beautiful country and consider it my second home. I can say that there are no other two countries in the world that are so close to each other. Such valuable partnerships have created great potential for the development of bilateral cooperation in all areas, especially in the economic sphere. However, in my opinion, the potential for the development of economic relations has not been used enough. That is, these relations have not developed in parallel with the existing positive political relations. That is why one of my main goals as ambassador is to work for the further development of economic relations between Iran and Azerbaijan. Of course, before me, the staff of the Iranian Embassy to Azerbaijan has implemented important joint projects to strengthen economic relations between the two countries, and steps have been taken forward in this direction. Therefore, I thank everyone who contributed, especially the previous ambassadors. I would like to note that when presenting my credentials to President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, he touched upon the importance of Iran in economic relations, recalling the joint projects, for speedy implementation of which he stressed the importance of cooperation between the officials of the two countries. For this reason, taking into account the attention and strong political will of heads of both states in the direction of maximum development of bilateral economic relations, my and my dear friend's, the Ambassador of Azerbaijan to Iran, Bunyad Huseynov's, responsibility will increase to achieve the set goals. What is the level of trade relations between Iran and Azerbaijan and trade turnover between the two countries? What steps are planned to increase the level of trade turnover? As I mentioned, the trade turnover between the two countries is currently not at a reasonable level and is about $500 million a year. This is much lower than estimated. In my opinion, it is possible to increase trade turnover to $5 billion a year with close cooperation and the implementation of additional joint projects. Of course, the global spread of coronavirus infection over the past 7-8 months has led to a decline in trade between the two countries. I hope that the shortcomings will be eliminated based on well-thought-out steps and timelines. That is why we will try to eliminate possible problems and obstacles in the coming weeks, with the help and consultation of various economic sectors of Azerbaijan. What is the current level of work on the North-South International Transport Corridor and what steps have been taken to speed up construction? As known, the North-South International Transport Corridor is one of the most important regional and global corridors. On the one hand, this corridor connects the railway network of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Azerbaijan Republic on the other hand it is an infrastructure that allows for a wide range of cargo transportation from India to Russia and even from East Asia to Europe. This corridor is one of the main projects on the agenda of Iran and Azerbaijan, as it is one of the most profitable and safe transit routes. Currently, several steps are being taken to speed up the implementation of this project. These include the construction of the Rasht-Astara railway in the Gilan Province (northern Iran), the construction of a railway terminal in Irans Astara district, as well as the construction of 5 bridges over the border rivers of the two countries. Although the implementation of these projects has been postponed for several months due to the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, construction will resume soon with the agreements and consultations. The goods are transported from the Persian Gulf to the Astara railway terminal and back via trucks and railway. At the same time, I express my deep gratitude to the Azerbaijani officials who facilitated the transit of products during the first difficult periods of the pandemic. What joint projects are being implemented or planned to be implemented in the neighboring provinces of Iran with Azerbaijan? Before visiting Azerbaijan as an ambassador, I got acquainted with 4 provinces of Iran on the border with Azerbaijan. The construction of a railway terminal in Iran's Astara district is one of the border projects between the two countries. Of course, work in this direction must be accelerated. There is a plan to establish a joint industrial park between the Parsabad County of Ardabil Province (northwestern Iran) and the Imishli district of Azerbaijan. This plan is being studied by the technical committees of both countries for the regulation and signing of the final memorandum. Also, the construction of a road bridge over the Astarachay and the connection of Irans Ardabil railway to the Azerbaijan railway network are among the projects on the agenda of the two countries. I hope that we will soon see progress in this regard. How do you assess bilateral cooperation in the post-pandemic period? Unfortunately, the coronavirus pandemic has seriously affected the economic relations not only of Iran and Azerbaijan but also in most countries around the world and resulted in a decline in economic development. To reduce the negative impact of the coronavirus on trade relations between the two countries, several meetings were held between high-ranking officials of Iran and Azerbaijan via videoconference in recent months and ways were researched to prevent the pandemic from impacting economic relations. We are trying to get permission for some Iranian investors, as well as officials and non-officials in this area, to come to your country with the consent of the relevant authorities in Azerbaijan to continue work on joint projects that will strengthen trade relations between the two countries. How do you assess the contract for the purchase and sale of electricity between Azerbaijan's Azerenergy OJSC and Iran's TAVANIR Company? The cooperation between Iran and Azerbaijan in the electricity sector began in early 2000. The two countries continue to cooperate on the creation of the exchange and transport electricity infrastructure. The laying of the Imishli (Azerbaijan) -Parsabad (Iran) high-voltage power line is an example of this. The Iranian side appreciates this contract. Because every constructive contract that is signed between the two countries which are improving and developing the social welfare of our peoples is important. Undoubtedly, the cooperation between TAVANIR and Azerenergy is valued in this direction and Iran seeks to continue cooperation with friendly and brotherly Azerbaijan in various areas, including electricity. How will cooperation in this direction continue after the implementation of the contract? The contract was last extended on May 25, 2020, until the end of the year. According to the contract, Iran will import 160 megawatt-hours of electricity from Azerbaijan from June 6, 2020, in Parsabad County. Both sides are willing to extend this contract and want cooperation to continue. The discussions were held on the format of cooperation between the technical working groups of the two countries. Iran is interested in extending the contract, as well as the fact that the volume of imported electricity will be increased by more than 160 megawatt-hours. The Iranian side is also interested in bilateral exchanges in this area. Have any steps been taken to sign a new contract between the companies mentioned in the perspective of energy relations between the two countries? Yes. Positive discussions were held in this direction. The Iranian side is working to further increase energy exchanges and connect the two countries' electricity networks. At the same time, there is an opportunity to exchange 800 megawatt-hours of electricity with Azerbaijan. Besides, both sides agreed to build a 500-megawatt-hours thermal power plant in the Astara district of Azerbaijan. The gas needs of this station will be supplied by Iran, and the electricity generated will be sold to Iran or exported to a third country. Of course, discussions on the settlement of the agreement memorandum have been held and have not been completed yet. What steps have been taken or will be taken so far in connection with the synchronization of electricity between the two countries? Trilateral discussions are underway on the establishment of an energy corridor between Iran, Azerbaijan, and Russia. These discussions put forward for the synchronization of the electricity networks of the three countries. This project is very useful for all three countries. An agreement was reached to connect the electricity networks of the three countries and on the joint use of the produced products. If this project is implemented, the energy security and quality of Azerbaijan, Iran, and Russia will increase significantly. According to the technical discussions and agreements between the Deputy Ministers of Energy of Iran, Azerbaijan, and Russia, Monenco Iran Consulting Engineers Company will conduct technical researches and complete the construction of infrastructure to connect the three countries' power network. This operation has already begun and will be completed in the next few months. After that, it will enter the execution stage. With the implementation of this project, the seasonal electricity needs of all three countries will be eliminated. As known, the peak consumption period of electricity varies from country to country. For example, the peak electricity consumption in Iran is in the summer. However, in Russia, it occurs during the winter season. Based on this opportunity Iran can use the additional electricity of Russia during its peak consumption period, and to transport the same volume of electricity to Russia via the Azerbaijani electricity network during the non-peak consumption period. With such cooperation, the countries can save their money without building new facilities, and instead can use the additional electricity of the country connected to the network. What steps have been taken to establish the Azerbaijan-Iran-Turkey energy bridge? Technical discussions are underway between Iranian and Azerbaijani experts on the format of transmission of Azerbaijani electricity to Turkey via Iran. If these discussions are completed, Iran will be able to receive Azerbaijani electricity in the border areas and deliver it to the border with Turkey. I hope that these discussions will end as soon as possible and that cooperation between the three friendly and brotherly countries will increase. WASHINGTON - One tweet claimed coronavirus numbers were intentionally inflated, adding, "It's hard to know what to believe." Another warned, "Don't trust Dr. Fauci." A Facebook comment argued that mail-in ballots "will lead to fraud for this election," while an Instagram comment amplified the erroneous claim that 28 million ballots went missing in the past four elections. The messages have been emanating in recent months from the accounts of young people in Arizona seemingly expressing their own views - standing up for President Donald Trump in a battleground state and echoing talking points from his reelection campaign. Far from representing a genuine social media groundswell, however, the posts are the product of a sprawling yet secretive campaign that experts say evades the guardrails put in place by social media companies to limit online disinformation of the sort used by Russia during the 2016 campaign. Teenagers, some of them minors, are being paid to pump out the messages at the direction of Turning Point Action, an affiliate of Turning Point USA, a prominent conservative youth organization based in Phoenix, according to four people with independent knowledge of the effort. Their descriptions were confirmed by detailed notes from relatives of one of the teenagers who recorded conversations with him about the efforts. The campaign draws on the spam-like behavior of bots and trolls, with the same or similar language posted repeatedly across social media. But it is carried out, at least in part, by humans paid to use their own accounts, though nowhere disclosing their relationship with Turning Point Action or the digital firm brought in to oversee the day-to-day activity. One user included a link to Turning Point USA's website in his Twitter profile until The Washington Post began asking questions about the activity. In response to questions from The Post, Twitter on Tuesday suspended at least 20 accounts involved in the activity for "platform manipulation and spam." Facebook also deactivated a number of accounts as part of what the company said is an ongoing investigation. The effort generated thousands of posts this summer on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, according to an examination by The Post and an assessment by an independent specialist in data science. Nearly 4,500 tweets containing identical content that were identified in the analysis probably represent a fraction of the overall output. The months-long effort by the tax-exempt nonprofit is among the most ambitious domestic influence campaigns uncovered this election cycle, said experts tracking the evolution of deceptive online tactics. "In 2016, there were Macedonian teenagers interfering in the election by running a troll farm and writing salacious articles for money," said Graham Brookie, director of the Atlantic Council's Digital Forensic Research Lab. "In this election, the troll farm is in Phoenix." The effort, Brookie added, illustrates "that the scale and scope of domestic disinformation is far greater than anything a foreign adversary could do to us." Turning Point Action, whose 26-year-old leader, Charlie Kirk, delivered the opening speech at this year's Republican National Convention, issued a statement from the group's field director defending the social media campaign and saying any comparison to a troll farm was a "gross mischaracterization." "This is sincere political activism conducted by real people who passionately hold the beliefs they describe online, not an anonymous troll farm in Russia," the field director, Austin Smith, said in the statement. He said the operation reflected an attempt by Turning Point Action to maintain its advocacy despite the challenges presented by the coronavirus pandemic, which has curtailed many traditional political events. "Like everyone else, Turning Point Action's plans for nationwide in-person events and activities were completely disrupted by the pandemic," Smith said. "Many positions TPA had planned for in field work were going to be completely cut, but TPA managed to reimagine these roles and working with our marketing partners, transitioned some to a virtual and online activist model." The group declined to make Kirk available for an interview. The online salvo targeted prominent Democratic politicians and news organizations on social media. It mainly took the form of replies to their posts, part of a bid to reorient political conversation. The messages - some of them false and some simply partisan - were parceled out in precise increments as directed by the effort's leaders, according to the people with knowledge of the highly coordinated activity, most of whom spoke on the condition of anonymity to protect the privacy of minors carrying out the work. One parent of two teenagers involved in the effort, Robert Jason Noonan, said his 16- and 17-year-old daughters were being paid by Turning Point to push "conservative points of view and values" on social media. He said they have been working with the group since about June, adding in an interview, "The job is theirs until they want to quit or until the election." Four years ago, the Kremlin-backed Internet Research Agency amplified Turning Point's right-wing memes as part of Moscow's sweeping interference aimed at boosting Trump, according to expert assessments prepared for the Senate Intelligence Committee. One report pointed specifically to the use of Turning Point content as evidence of Russia's "deep knowledge of American culture, media, and influencers." Now, some technology industry experts contend that the effort this year by Turning Point shows how domestic groups are not just producing eye-catching online material but also increasingly using social media to spread it in disruptive or misleading ways. "It sounds like the Russians, but instead coming from Americans," said Jacob Ratkiewicz, a software engineer at Google whose academic research, as a PhD student at Indiana University at Bloomington, addressed the political abuse of social media. To some participants, the undertaking feels very different. Notes from the recorded conversation with a 16-year-old participant - the authenticity of which was confirmed by The Post - indicate that "He said it's really fun and he works with his friends." The participant, through family members, declined to comment. The users active in the campaign, some of whom were using their real names, identified themselves only as Trump supporters and young Republicans. One simply described herself as a high school sophomore interested in softball and cheerleading. Noonan, 46, said "some of the comments may go too far" but cast the activity as a response to similar exaggerations by Democrats. "Liberals say things that are way out there, and conservatives say things that are sometimes way out there, or don't have enough evidence." Those recruited to participate in the campaign were lifting the language from a shared online document, according to Noonan and other people familiar with the setup. They posted the same lines a limited number of times to avoid automated detection by the technology companies, these people said. They also were instructed to edit the beginning and ending of each snippet to differentiate the posts slightly, according to the notes from the recorded conversation with a participant. Noonan said his daughters sometimes work from an office in the Phoenix area and are classified as independent contractors, not earning "horrible money" but also not making minimum wage. Relatives of another person involved said the minor is paid an hourly rate and can score bonuses if his posts spur higher engagement. Smith, as part of written responses to The Post, deferred specific questions about the financial setup to a "marketing partner" called Rally Forge, which he said was running the program for Turning Point. Jake Hoffman, president and chief executive of the Phoenix-based digital marketing firm, confirmed that the online workers were classified as contractors but declined to comment further on "private employment matters." He did not respond to a question about the office setup. Addressing the use of centralized documents to prepare the messages, Hoffman said in written responses, "Every working team within my agency works out of dozens of collaborative documents every day, as is common with all dynamic marketing agencies or campaign phone banks for example." The messages have appeared mainly as replies to news articles about politics and public health posted on social media. They seek to cast doubt on the integrity of the electoral process, asserting that Democrats are using mail balloting to steal the election - "thwarting the will of the American people," they alleged. The posts also play down the threat from the novel coronavirus, which claimed the life of Turning Point's co-founder Bill Montgomery in July. One post, which was spread across social media dozens of times, suggested baselessly that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is inflating the death toll from the disease. (Most experts say deaths are probably undercounted.) Another pushed for schools to reopen, saying, "President Trump is not worried because younger people do very well while dealing with covid." Much of the blitz was aimed squarely at Joe Biden, the Democratic presidential nominee. The former vice president, asserted one message, "is being controlled by behind the scenes individuals who want to take America down the dangerous path towards socialism." By seeking to rebut mainstream news articles, the operation illustrates the extent to which some online political activism is designed to discredit the media. While Facebook and Twitter have pledged to crack down on what they have labeled coordinated inauthentic behavior, in Facebook's case, and platform manipulation and spam, as Twitter defines its rules, their efforts falter in the face of organizations willing to pay users to post on their own accounts, maintaining the appearance of independence and authenticity. In removing accounts Tuesday, Twitter pointed to policies specifying, "You can't artificially amplify or disrupt conversations through the use of multiple accounts." That includes "coordinating with or compensating others to engage in artificial engagement or amplification, even if the people involved use only one account," according to Twitter. On Twitter, the nearly verbatim language emanated from about two dozen accounts through the summer. The exact number of people posting the messages was not clear. Smith, the Turning Point field director, said, "The number fluctuates and many have gone back to school." Hoffman, in an email, said, "Dozens of young people have been excited to share their beliefs on social media." The Rally Forge leader is a city council member in Queen Creek, Ariz., and a candidate for the state legislature. Some of the users at points listed their location as Gilbert, Ariz., a suburb of Phoenix, according to screen shots reviewed by The Post. Some followed each other on Twitter, while most were following only a list of prominent politicians and media outlets. One was followed by a former member of Congress, Republican Tim Huelskamp of Kansas, who is on the Catholics for Trump advisory board. Huelskamp said he could not recall what led him to follow the account and was not familiar with the effort by Turning Point. But he praised the group for "doing a great job of messaging, particularly with younger folks." Several teenagers were using their real names or variations of their names, while other accounts active in posting the pro-Trump messaging appeared to be operating under pseudonyms. The Post's review found that some participants seem to maintain multiple accounts on Facebook, which is a violation of the company's policies. Explaining why the users do not disclose that they are being paid as political activists, Hoffman said they are "using their own personal profiles and sharing their content that reflects their values and beliefs." He pointed to the risk of online bullying, as well as physical harm, in explaining why "we've left how much personal and professional information they wish to share up to them." The accounts on Twitter posted 4,401 tweets with identical content, not including slight variations of the language, according to Pik-Mai Hui, a PhD student in informatics at Indiana University at Bloomington who performed an analysis of the content at the request of The Post. The analysis found characteristics strongly suggestive of bots - such as double commas and dangling commas that often appear with automatic scripts - though at least some of the accounts were being operated by humans. While the messaging appears designed to seed pro-Trump content across social media, said Kathleen Hall Jamieson, a professor of communication at the University of Pennsylvania's Annenberg School for Communication, the act of repeated posting also helps instill the ideas among those performing the activity. In addition, it familiarizes the users with the ways of online combat, she said, and makes their accounts valuable assets should different needs arise as the election nears. "There is a logic to having an army locally situated in a battleground state, having them up and online and ready to be deployed," Jamieson said. Turning Point Action debuted as a 501(c)(4) organization last year, with more leeway in undertaking political advocacy than is afforded to the original group, which is barred from campaign activity as a 501(c)(3). Both nonprofits are required only to disclose the salaries of directors, officers and key employees, said Marc Owens, a tax attorney with Loeb & Loeb. Turning Point dates to 2012, when Montgomery, retired from a career in marketing, heard Kirk, 18 at the time, deliver a speech in the Chicago suburbs at Benedictine University's "Youth Government Day." He called the address "practically Reaganesque," according to a 2015 profile in Crain's Chicago Business newspaper, and urged Kirk, a former Eagle Scout, to put off college in favor of full-time political activism. Kirk became the face of Turning Point, while Montgomery was "the old guy who keeps it all legal," he told the business weekly. The organization amassed prominent and wealthy conservative allies, including Richard Grenell, the former ambassador to Germany and acting director of national intelligence, and Foster Friess, who made a fortune in mutual funds and helps bankroll conservative and Christian causes. Both men sit on Turning Point's honorary board. Its standing rose significantly as Trump came to power. Turning Point USA brought in nearly $80,000 in contributions and other funds in the fiscal year ending June 2013, according to IRS filings, a fraction of the $8 million it reported for 2017 and $11 million for 2018. The group, which describes itself as the "largest and fastest-growing youth organization in America," claims to have a presence on more than 2,000 college and high school campuses. It hosts activist conferences and runs an alumni program. It also maintains a "Professor Watchlist" designed to expose instructors who "discriminate against conservative students, promote anti-American values and advance leftist propaganda in the classroom." Kirk, the group's president and co-founder, has been embraced and promoted by Trump and his family. Speaking at Turning Point USA's Teen Student Action Summit last year, Trump hailed Kirk for building a "movement unlike anything in the history of our nation." A quote attributed to Donald Trump Jr., who has appeared at numerous Turning Point events, features prominently on the group's website: "I'm convinced that the work by Turning Point USA and Charlie Kirk will win back the future of America." Kirk has returned the praise. In his speech at last month's Republican nominating convention, he extolled Trump as the "bodyguard of Western civilization." Equally impassioned rhetoric marked the campaign on social media, with posts asserting that Black Lives Matter protesters were "fascist groups . . . terrorizing American citizens" and decrying the "BLM Marxist agenda," among other incendiary language. Noonan said that his wife, a hairstylist, monitors the online activity of their daughters more closely than he does, and that their work is often a topic of conversation when the family convenes in the evening. "We are Trump supporters, but one of the things my wife and I have been very consistent on is to always understand both sides and make decisions from there," the father said. Oliver the rhinoceros, King Julien the lemur, Chilly Willy the penguin and their friends are urgently seeking sponsors for their bed and board in a Chilean zoo as visitors have dwindled to zero with the arrival of coronavirus. Buin Zoo, on the outskirts of the capital Santiago, is ordinarily one of the citys top attractions but it is struggling to stay afloat in an extraordinary year. Visitor numbers dropped off during widespread social protests over inequality that started in October with looting and arson attacks at their fringes. The coronavirus outbreak in March shut down the zoo, capping a bleak year, Ignacio Idalsoaga, the zoos director, said in an interview. The home to 2,500 animals from around the world with massive appetites is struggling to find its $400,000 - $500,000 monthly operating costs, he said. Its residents consume 400 kilos of apples and 1,000 kilos of fish each week, 2,500 kilos of meat each month, and 7,200 bales of oats and alfalfa annually. The amounts are quite breathtaking. There are many mouths to feed, said Idalsoaga. The zoo, which will reopen on Sept. 29 with new health protocols, has turned to habitual visitors for help. Godparents can pay $2,500 ($3) to $90,000 ($118) to receive photos, certificates, educational files and cuddly toys of 15 emblematic animals, as well as entry passes for when it reopens. Carlos Casanova, a local teacher with three kids, is now godfather to several animals as well. Its a nice institution which does a lot of good for children and treats its animals well, so it made us sad to see them struggling, he said. Chile is gradually lifting its lockdowns after hitting the peak of infections in June and July. So far, the country has had more than 430,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus and more than 11,800 deaths. Exclusive: AT&T considers cellphone plans subsidized by ads President and CEO of AT&T Operations Stankey responds to a question during a Reuters Global Technology Summit in New York By Sheila Dang, Helen Coster, Krystal Hu and Kenneth Li (Reuters) - AT&T Inc is considering offering wireless phone plans partially subsidized by advertising as soon as a year from now, Chief Executive John Stankey said in an interview on Tuesday. The consideration, which has not been previously disclosed, underscores AT&Ts commitment to the advertising business as the U.S. phone carrier reviews its portfolio to identify assets to sell in order to reduce its debt load. AT&T is considering selling its advertising-technology unit Xandr, sources familiar with the matter have told Reuters. I believe there's a segment of our customer base where given a choice, they would take some load of advertising for a $5 or $10 reduction in their mobile bill, Stankey said. Various companies including Amazon.com Inc, Virgin Mobile USA and Sprint's Boost Mobile have tested advertising supported phone services since the early 2000s but they have not caught on. AT&T is hoping that better advertising targeting could revive the idea. The planned launch of an ad-supported version of AT&Ts video-streaming service HBO Max next year will serve as a foundational element that will provide new advertising inventory, and would be key to new phone plans supported by ads, Stankey said without offering details. Stankey said ad-supported phone plans could be introduced in a year or two. AT&T engineers are creating unified customer identifiers, Stankey said. Such technology would allow marketers to identify users across multiple devices and serve them relevant advertising. The ability to fine tune ad targeting would allow AT&T to sell ads at higher rates, he said. AT&T has invested in developing targeted advertising on its own media properties using data from its phone, TV and internet customers, but the company has been slower in coming up the curve on expanding its marketplace that allows advertisers to use AT&T data to target other media companies audiences, Stankey said. In March, AT&T's Xandr struck a deal to partner with Walt Disney Co and AMC Networks to let advertisers buy TV commercials across the networks Story continues AT&T's advertising marketplace, which incorporates data from outside AT&T, could face privacy challenges as consumers express rising concern about tracking of their media use across platforms and laws such as the California Consumer Privacy Act have been passed. I don't know if we can count on it in perpetuity, Stankey said, referring to the use of non-AT&T-owned data. Stankey, who last week penned an op-ed for Politico stating that the U.S. government should provide subsidies to encourage companies to build fiber broadband networks in underserved areas, said in the Reuters interview that AT&T believes it could double its fiber footprint if it had the economic incentive. Fiber or fiber optics are thin cables often installed underground that allow companies to deliver internet services to homes. AT&T uses fiber to deliver internet to homes and businesses as well as to power its 5G network. AT&Ts fiber currently passes 18 million homes in the United States. The company could grow that number by 3 million to 5 million homes per year, he added. (Reporting by Sheila Dang in Dallas; Helen Coster, Krystal Hu and Kenneth Li in New York; Editing by Cynthia Osterman) Regional Victoria will open up in the next 24 hours, and move to step three in the government's road map after the Premier praised residents' efforts, saying they had done a "mighty job". So what does stage three look like? Below you'll find a list of what will change. Regional Victoria: third step Timing: Begins 11.59pm on September 16 Regional Victorians will still have to wear masks but the four reasons for leaving home will no longer apply. The will be permitted to travel within regional Victoria but not to metropolitan Melbourne, unless for work, study, care giving or for necessary goods or services. The Centre has said that there is no data available or maintained on migrant deaths, thus, the "question does not arise" of compensation. The labour ministry informed the Parliament in a written reply on Monday that the government does not have any data on the number of migrant labourers who lost their lives during the 68-day countrywide lockdown enforced from March 25 to stem the further spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. The ministry's response came to a question raised in the Lok Sabha seeking information on whether the Centre had compensated or provided any economic assistance to the families of the (migrant) workers who lost their lives while trying to reach their native places amid the coronavirus lockdown. Also Read: 23% migrant workers walked back to villages during coronavirus lockdown "No such data is maintained. Question does not arise in view of the above," Union labour minister Santosh Kumar Gangwar informed Lok Sabha in a written reply. The government's rejoinder on the first day of Parliament's monsoon session set off sharp anger and criticism from the opposition who was ready to corner it on a host of issues ranging from the ongoing India-China standoff in Ladakh to handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent economic downturn. Meanwhile, the Centre acknowledged that over 1 crore migrant workers made their way back to their native states from across the country. In the monsoon session of Parliament, the first since the nationwide lockdown was imposed to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, the ministry was asked a number of questions concerning the migrants. Also Read: Coronavirus crisis: Only 20 lakh out of 8 crore migrants got free food grains so far Following the startling comment by the government, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi attacked it stating that the Centre "does not know how many migrant labourers died and how many jobs were lost during the lockdown. If you haven't counted, has the deaths not taken place?" Taking to Twitter, he further stated, "it is sad that there has been no impact on the government. The world has seen their deaths. There is a Modi government which has no information." Expressing shock over the labour ministry's statement, Congress's Digvijaya Singh also said that "sometimes I feel we are blind or the government feels that it can take everyone for granted." Iran on Saturday strongly condemned Bahrain's plan to normalize relations with Israel, calling it a shameful and ignominious move by the Gulf Arab country. Bahrain's announcement Friday followed a similar normalization agreement last month by the United Arab Emirates, a fellow U.S. ally. The two Arab nations' establishment of full relations with Israel is part of a broader push by the Trump administration find common ground with countries that share U.S. wariness of Iran. Tehran's arch rival Saudi Arabia may also be close to a deal. In a statement, Iran's Foreign Ministry said Bahrain's normalization ``will remain in the historical memory of the oppressed and downtrodden people of Palestine and the world's free nations forever.'' Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard also denounced Bahrain's move using similar language, calling it a betrayal of the Palestinian people and a ``threat to security in West Asia and the Muslim world.'' The agreements by the UAE and now Bahrain are a setback for Palestinian leaders, who have urged Arab nations to withhold recognition until they have secured an independent state. The Palestinians have seen a steady erosion in once-unified Arab support _ one of the few cards they still held as leverage against Israel _ since President Donald Trump began pursuing an unabashedly pro-Israel agenda. The Foreign Ministry statement also said Bahrain's government and the other supporting governments would be held accountable for any act by Israel that causes insecurity in the Persian Gulf region. The island of Bahrain lies just off the coast of Saudi Arabia, and is among the world's smallest countries, only about 760 square kilometers (290 square miles). Bahrain's location in the Persian Gulf long has made it a trading stop and a naval defensive position. The island is home to the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet and a recently built British naval base. Like Iran, Bahrain's population is majority Shiite, and the country has been ruled since 1783 by the Sunni Al Khalifa family. Since Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution, Bahrain's rulers have blamed Iran for arming militants on the island. Iran denies the accusations. Bahrain's Shiite majority has accused the government of treating them like second-class citizens. The Shiites joined pro-democracy activists in demanding more political freedoms in 2011, as Arab Spring protests swept across the wider Middle East. Saudi and Emirati troops ultimately helped violently put down the demonstrations. Search Keywords: Short link: Montana University System officials said they feared enrollment could drop significantly this spring as students weighed their options during the COVID-19 pandemic, echoing similar calls around the nation. For Montana State University Billings, that has become reality. About 400 fewer students enrolled this semester than last fall, a roughly 10% drop by headcount. That's a smaller drop than university officials budgeted for, interim Chancellor Rolf Groseth said Tuesday. MUS officials told campuses to brace for up to a 15% enrollment decline, and some national experts warned of steeper drops. "I feel pretty good about where we're at," he said. "To be honest, I don't know that we were going to be able to estimate this." Montana's funding system allocates a large share of money on a per-student formula, making enrollment critical to schools' financial health. MSUB, which has struggled to reverse multi-year enrollment drops before traditional recruitment pipelines were knotted up by the pandemic, could still face some challenges. Neither of Montana's flagship universities in Bozeman and Missoula have given enrollment reports this fall. An MUS Board of Regents meeting is set for Wednesday. Full-time equivalent enrollment, which measures how many credits students are taking and is used in the university funding formula, had a similar drop, down about 9% from last year. MSUB reported 2,184 FTE students and City College reported about 583 FTE students. Headcount, which reflects the number of enrolled students regardless of how many classes they take, stood at about 2,500 for MSUB and 1,500 for City College. Money that's been given to public universities from the CARES Act and Gov. Steve Bullock's coronavirus relief fund is "probably not" enough to make up the gap left by falling enrollment and increased operational costs because of new safety measures, Groseth said. But, the money has helped the school stay afloat. "We couldn't have existed without the support from the governor, the CARES Act," Groseth said. "(But) I think we're left with some decisions to make about our budgets." Officials said they also believed an earlier start date for the fall semester could have deterred some students. The semester began several weeks earlier than usual so that it could end before Thanksgiving, hopefully avoiding a wave of student travel and increased exposure to the novel coronavirus. Other metrics Some bright spots did come out of the school's usual fall data release. The school had a larger share of last year's freshmen continue than in recent years and more students signed up for graduate programs. The retention metric, which is included in MSUB's performance funding formula, has been a multi-year focus. Provost Melinda Arnold ascribed the 4% increase to stronger efforts in areas like tutoring and academic support, and swift adaptation to offer services online when campuses shut down in-person instruction last spring. "We have made very intentional efforts," Arnold said. The university enrolled more graduate students than in the previous year, with a 6% overall increase. That follows an 8.5% increase in graduate student headcount last year. Dual enrollment, a program that allows high schoolers to take university courses, also dipped. The earlier fall start day knocked university schedules off kilter with high schools, and a statewide program that offered high schoolers two free courses expired. The headcount split between MSUB and City College shifted substantially. About 2,500 students enrolled at MSUB, and 1,500 at City College. That's a loss of about 200 students at each campus, and a reversal of an upward trend for City College. The 2-year campus had risen from 1,275 students in 2015 to 1,725 last fall. At least some of that increase had been driven by explosive growth in dual enrollment; it's so far unclear how much of the decrease reflects dual enrollment students or more traditional 2-year students. Retrospective: Eastern Montana College and MSU Billings Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 1 anno fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili. A recent market study published by FMI 'Onychomycosis Treatment Market: Global Industry Analysis 2013-2017 & Opportunity Assessment 2018-2028', consists of a comprehensive assessment of the most important market dynamics. On conducting a thorough research on the historic as well as current growth parameters of the onychomycosis treatment market, growth prospects of the market are obtained with maximum precision. The report features unique and salient factors that may have a huge impact on the development of the onychomycosis treatment market during the forecast period. It can help market players modify their manufacturing and marketing strategies to envisage maximum growth in the onychomycosis treatment market in the coming years. The report provides detailed information about the current and future growth prospects of the onychomycosis treatment market in the most comprehensive way for the better understanding of the readers. Chapter 1 Executive Summary The report commences with the executive summary of the onychomycosis treatment market, which includes the summary of the key findings and key statistics of the market. It also includes the market value (US$ million) estimates of the leading segments in the onychomycosis treatment market. Sample of Research Report @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-1279 Chapter 2 Market Introduction Readers can find a detailed taxonomy and the definition of the onychomycosis treatment market in this chapter, which helps them understand the basic information about onychomycosis treatment. This section also highlights the inclusions and exclusions, which helps readers understand the scope of the report. Chapter 3 Market Opportunity Analysis This chapter explains the key macro-economic factors that are influencing the growth of the onychomycosis treatment market over the forecast period. Along with macroeconomic factors, this section also highlights the opportunity analysis for the onychomycosis treatment market. This chapter helps readers understand the market opportunity that provides them leverage to plan their strategy accordingly. Chapter 4 Market Background This chapter highlights the key market dynamics, including the drivers, restraints, and trends. Both, supply-side drivers and demand-side drivers of the onychomycosis treatment market are explained well in this chapter. Readers can understand the factors that are propelling the growth of the onychomycosis treatment market, along with factors that may deter the growth of the market. Readers will also understand the key trends followed by leading manufacturers in the onychomycosis treatment market. Chapter 5 Key Inclusions This chapter highlights key inclusions of the report such as key regulations, reimbursement scenario, and pipeline assessment. Parent market analysis helps readers understand the share of the global onychomycosis treatment market in the overall dermatology market. The key regulations section of this chapter highlights the FDA and EMA regulatory process for the approval of drugs. The reimbursement scenario provides CPT codes used for onychomycosis treatment. Also, the detailed explanation about each CPT code is mentioned in this section. The pipeline assessment includes a list of clinical trials going on for onychomycosis treatment around the world. Chapter 6 Global Economic Outlook This section highlights the expenditure on health by the top countries in each region. It also explains the global and regional healthcare market outlook. The regional healthcare market focuses to explain deeply about the political, economic and business environment outlook of the respective region. Chapter 7 North America Onychomycosis Treatment Market Analysis 2013-2017 & Opportunity Assessment 2018-2028 This chapter includes detailed analysis of the growth of the North America onychomycosis treatment market, along with a country-wise assessment, including the U.S. and Canada. Readers can also find the key takeaways of this region, and market growth based on treatment type, indication, gender, age group, end user, and country of the onychomycosis treatment market in the North American region. Chapter 8 Latin America Onychomycosis Treatment Market Analysis 2013-2017 & Opportunity Assessment 2018-2028 Readers can find a snapshot of the Latin America onychomycosis treatment market in this chapter. This chapter includes the growth prospects of the onychomycosis treatment market in leading LATAM countries such as Brazil, Mexico, and the rest of the Latin American region. Chapter 9 Western Europe Onychomycosis Treatment Market Analysis 2013-2017 & Opportunity Assessment 2018-2028 Important growth prospects of the onychomycosis treatment market based on its treatment type, indication, gender, age group, and end user in several European countries such as the U.K., Germany, France, Italy, Spain, and the rest of the Western Europe are included in this chapter. Chapter 10 Eastern Europe Onychomycosis Treatment Market Analysis 2013-2017 & Opportunity Assessment 2018-2028 This chapter highlights the market growth of the onychomycosis treatment market in Eastern Europe by focusing on Russia and Poland. This section also helps readers understand the key factors that are responsible for the growth of the onychomycosis treatment market in Eastern Europe. Chapter 11 APECJ Onychomycosis Treatment Market Analysis 2013-2017 & Opportunity Assessment 2018-2028 Australia and New Zealand, India, China, and ASEAN are the leading countries/regions in the APECJ region that are the prime subject of assessment to obtain the growth prospects of the APECJ onychomycosis treatment market, in this chapter. Readers can find thorough information about the growth parameters of the APEJ onychomycosis treatment market during the period 2018-2028. Chapter 12 Japan Onychomycosis Treatment Market Analysis 2013-2017 & Opportunity Assessment 2018-2028 Readers can find important factors that can have a huge impact on the growth of the onychomycosis treatment market in Japan, based on the market segmentation, during the forecast period. This chapter highlights the key factors that are impacting the growth of the Japan onychomycosis treatment market over the forecast period. Chapter 13 MEA Onychomycosis Treatment Market Analysis 2013-2017 & Opportunity Assessment 2018-2028 This chapter provides information on how the onychomycosis treatment market will grow in major countries in MEA region, such as GCC Countries and South Africa, during the period 2018-2028. Chapter 14 Forecast Factors Relevance and Impact This chapter highlights the key factors taken into consideration while forecasting market value for the global onychomycosis treatment market. The impact of these forecast factors in different regions is also mentioned in this chapter. Chapter 15 Forecast Assumptions This section helps readers understand the assumptions taken into account while estimating and forecasting the market size of onychomycosis treatment. The relative weightage of these assumptions are also mentioned in this section. Chapter 16 Market Structure Analysis This section explains the tier structure of the global onychomycosis treatment market, which helps readers understand the percent share of market cover by tier 1, tier 2, and tier 3 players in this market. This section also explains company share analysis for the onychomycosis treatment market, which helps readers understand the market share taken by key players in the market. Chapter 17 Competition Landscape In this chapter, readers can find a comprehensive list of all the leading manufacturers in the onychomycosis treatment market, along with detailed information about each company, including company overview, revenue share, strategic overview, recent company developments, and SWOT analysis. Market players featured in the report include Valeant Pharmaceuticals Inc., Galderma S.A., Novartis AG, Pfizer, Inc., Moberg Pharma AB, Johnson & Johnson Services, Inc., Bayer AG, Dr. Reddys Laboratories Ltd., Cipla Ltd., Medimetriks Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Lumenis Ltd., Biofrontera AG, and Leo Pharma A/S. Chapter 18 Global Onychomycosis Treatment Market Analysis 2013-2017 & Opportunity Assessment 2018-2028 by Region This chapter explains how the onychomycosis treatment market will grow across various geographic regions such as North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia Pacific Excluding Japan (APEJ), Japan, and the Middle East & Africa (MEA). Chapter 19 Global Onychomycosis Treatment Market Analysis 2013-2017 & Opportunity Assessment 2018-2028 by Treatment Type Based on treatment type, the onychomycosis treatment market is segmented into drugs, lasers, and photodynamic therapy. In this chapter, readers can find detailed analysis of the market by different treatment types and their growth over the forecast period. Chapter 20 Global Onychomycosis Treatment Market Analysis 2013-2017 & Opportunity Assessment 2018-2028 by Indication Based on Indication, the onychomycosis treatment market is segmented into distal subungual onychomycosis, white superficial onychomycosis, proximal subungual onychomycosis, candidal onychomycosis, and total dystrophic onychomycosis. This section helps readers understand the different indications in the market over the forecast period. Chapter 21 Global Onychomycosis Treatment Market Analysis 2013-2017 & Opportunity Assessment 2018-2028 by Gender Based on gender, the onychomycosis treatment market is segmented into male and female. This section helps readers analyze the prevalence of onychomycosis among both genders. Chapter 22 Global Onychomycosis Treatment Market Analysis 2013-2017 & Opportunity Assessment 2018-2028 by Age Group Based on age group, the onychomycosis treatment market is segmented into 0-18 years, 18-39 years, 40-64 years, and 65 years and above. This section helps readers analyze the penetration of onychomycosis treatment among different age groups. To Buy This Research Report @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/checkout/1279 Chapter 23 Global Onychomycosis Treatment Market Analysis 2013-2017 & Opportunity Assessment 2018-2028 by End User Based on end user, the onychomycosis treatment market is segmented intoinstitutional sales and retail sales. In this chapter, readers can find information on market attractiveness analysis based on end users. Chapter 24 Global Onychomycosis Treatment Market Analysis 2013-2017 & Opportunity Assessment 2018-2028 This section explain the global market analysis and forecast for the onychomycosis treatment market. It also highlights the incremental opportunity for the onychomycosis market, along with absolute dollar opportunity for every year between the forecast period 2018-2028. Chapter 25 Assumptions and Acronyms This chapter includes a list of acronyms and assumptions that provide a base to the information and statistics included in the report. Chapter 26 Research Methodology This chapter helps readers understand the research methodology followed to obtain various conclusions, important qualitative in formation, and quantitative information about the onychomycosis treatment market. ABOUT US: Future Market Insights is the premier provider of market intelligence and consulting services, serving clients in over 150 countries. FMI is headquartered in London, the global financial capital, and has delivery centers in the U.S. and India. FMIs research and consulting services help businesses around the globe navigate the challenges in a rapidly evolving marketplace with confidence and clarity. Our customized and syndicated market research reports deliver actionable insights that drive sustainable growth. We continuously track emerging trends and events in a broad range of end industries to ensure our clients prepare for the evolving needs of their consumers. CONTACT US: Mr. Abhishek Budholiya Unit No: AU-01-H Gold Tower (AU), Plot No: JLT-PH1-I3A, Jumeirah Lakes Towers, Dubai, United Arab Emirates MARKET ACCESS DMCC Initiative For Sales Enquiries: sales@futuremarketinsights.com For Media Enquiries: press@futuremarketinsights.com Local nonprofit organizations and churches are banding together Wednesday to help feed the Kenosha areas older adults and homeless individuals and families. The community service efforts, which will take place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the grassy field next to the Regimen Barber Collective, 1345 52nd St., are being promoted as a day of healing while supporting Jacob Blake and his family. In addition to serving senior adults and homeless, volunteers will provide voter registration, community resources and family-friendly activities. Blake, a Black man, was shot seven times in the back by a Kenosha Police officer three weeks ago. The shooting touched off weeks of protests that were peaceful during the day but eventually led to violent unrest that resulted in massive destruction of property and the deaths of two protesters. The community service efforts are being held amid a scheduled appearance by Sean Feucht, an evangelical activist and musician whose Let Us Worship tour plans to start at 10 a.m. Wednesday on the steps of the Kenosha County Courthouse, the site of recent protests against police brutality and racism in the wake of Blakes shooting. Feucht, who has said he wants to promote unity while opposing racism, is touring Wisconsin with scheduled stops in Madison and Milwaukee on Monday and Tuesday. According to the tours Facebook page, 192 people have indicated they plan to attend in Kenosha. Feucht, who opposes the organization behind Black Lives Matter, was once a candidate for Congress, running as a Republican in California. A supporter of President Donald Trump, who visited Kenosha earlier this month to assess the National Guard response amid the rioting, Feucht did not advance in the spring primary this year. Tanya McLean, spokesperson for the Blake family, said the local organizations met Monday night at the Kenosha Urban League to plan the day of service which they are doing instead of protesting Feuchts visit. In lieu of a protest, what were going to do is were going to do something similar to what we did when Trump came. What were going to do is feed the seniors and the homeless population, McLean said following the meeting. Our goal is to reach 500 people. Volunteers will serve and deliver lunches from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and afterward the community will be invited to join in after-school activities, including a bouncy house and games along with a live DJ. Were going to continue to uplift the community and continue to support Jacob (Blake) and the Blake family. And the best way to do that is in a peaceful way, because theyre about giving back to the community, McLean said. McLean said while some in the community have called for a more direct protest, the majority of those meeting Monday night want to continue to move forward in peace, love and unity. And going over to confront people, wed just be feeding into that narrative, she said. Were not about that. We talked about moving forward: One message. One voice, she said. Obviously, we cant control what people choose to do. But wed rather them be with us and serve the community and be a part of the solution. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. The spread of the coronavirus in northern Syria is causing alarm among the authorities, and have called for assistance from the World Health Organisation writes SY 24. Head of the Syrian Interim Government, Abd al-Rahman Mustafa, warned, on Monday, of the seriousness of the situation in northern Syria, in light of the increase in daily coronavirus cases, calling on international organizations to assume their responsibilities. Mustafa said in a statement to SY 24 that, with the increase in the number of coronavirus cases in the liberated areas, we call on our fellow citizens to be extra cautious and to adhere to the recommendations included in statements as well as the decisions issued by the Syrian Interim Government, in addition to the instructions issued by the health authorities. We ask God to keep everyone safe. He added that, the existing health system is still able to accommodate all positive cases and those who were in contact with them, indicating that, the Syrian Interim Government is working to establishing a hospital to treat coronavirus patients, equipped with 25 ventilators and other medical equipment, as well as two community isolation centers to be based in the liberated north, funded by the Syria Recovery Trust Fund. Mustafa called on both, the World Health Organization and partner organizations that lead the response activities to assume their responsibilities and complete their plans of action quickly, noting the need for these organizations to be, fully aware of the seriousness of the situation in Syria due to the increasing number of daily positive cases. On Sunday, the Idleb Health Directorate announced that the number of cases in northern Syria has risen to 265, 94 of which are in Idleb and 171 in the Aleppo countryside. The Ministry of Health in the Interim Government announced that nine cases had recovered, five in the city of al-Bab, eastern Aleppo, and four in Idleb Governorate. This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author. Ayurveda and ayurvedic massages are often intertwined with Kerala tourism and for many tourists who visit the state, the trip is not complete without getting a rejuvenating body massage. Now due to COVID-19, there is an increasing demand for immunity boosters and alternative treatments like Ayurveda. thinkstock Kerala is hoping to pitch this as its USP, as the state, often referred to as God's Own Country is set to welcome tourists. Kerala is planning to open up the tourism sector by next month, despite the rise in COVID-19 cases there. According to Kerala Tourism Minister Kadakampally Surendran, the tourism department has prepared a report and plan for the same, with a very emphasis on safety and SOPs for the same. bccl The plan includes highlighting the importance of wellness and ayurveda for immunity. The file has been presented to the chief minister and health department for their advice, the minister has said. Revenue loss of over Rs 25,000 crore Tourism has been a key revenue generator in the state and the lockdown had resulted in a loss of Rs 25,000 crore. While several other states like Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Goa and Jammu and Kashmir had reopened their tourist sector in July, Kerala had held back. However, the government has been under increasing pressure from the industry and the business community to resume tourism at least partially. bccl More than 15 lakh people who depend on the tourism industry directly or indirectly have been left jobless due to the crisis. This ranges from tour operators to hotelier and roadside vendors. Many left jobless Arun Anand Jalasree, who is a houseboat owner in Kerala's Alappuzha said the sector has been left in shambles due to the lockdown and hoped that they are allowed to operate soon. "The boat has been left idle in the water from mid-March. I have suffered a loss of around 8-9 lakhs in the six months of lockdown. April-May is the peak season for us, but we could not operate this year. I had to let go of my three staff due to the crisis," Arun said. thinkstock With the tourism sector set to reopen, Arun said the boat owners are hoping for a good season from October to January. He however admitted that it won't be easy for many boat owners to resume services. There are around 1200 houseboats in Alappuzha alone, and most of them have been docked from moths. This has left many boats damaged. "Due to being left unattended many boats have suffered heavy damages. It will cost around Rs 2-3 lakhs to repair them and around the same amount to get all the necessary security clearances for the boat from the authorities," Arun said. 15.09.2020 LISTEN A vote for another four years for President Nana Akufo-Addo and the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) will advance the development of the country. According to the Ashanti Regional Minister, Simon Osei Mensah, who is wooing support for his party, Ghanaians should consider the development of the country coupled with better living standards and vote for the NPP. Speaking at the commissioning of the renovated house of chiefs, the Minister urged Ghanaians to give their power to the government that does not condone violence and will focus on them. I wish that Ghanaians will resolve not to vote for anybody that insults during political campaigns and give their power to the people who will pitch the gospel of development and that will enhance their wellbeing and their living standard. Simon Osei Mensah also stated that politics is not all about insults or violence instead the political parties are to work to gain the trust of the people. Afterall I have only said that politics which is not associated with the required level of development is not worth the say. So, we want to do politics that will bring development to the people. politics that will bring food on the table. Politics that would give us good water to drink. politics that will give us good health facility, politics that will give us good roads, politics that will give us a good environment to do our businesses. He also admonished the politicians to have respect for each other if their true aim is the development of Ghana. We should respect each other and if truly the ultimate objective of all the political parties is development then they don't need insults among ourselves. what we need is to inform the people what weve done for them and what we can do for them when were given the opportunity, the minister said. Speaking on behalf of the Finance minister, the Ashanti Regional Minister told the Chiefs informed the chiefs of governments intention to refund the amount used in the renovation of the House of Chiefs in Manhyia, Kumasi. Your Royal Majesty Otumfour Osei Tutu II, Nananom, as you have already been informed, the government is paying for all the expenses you made on this renovation work. I congratulate you on excellent work done, he said. ---CitiNewsRoom Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Ardila Syakriah (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Tue, September 15, 2020 18:01 493 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c44f77de 1 National #COVID19,COVID-19,self-isolation,COVID-19-patient,#Jakarta,East-Java,#East-Java,self-quarantine Free Staying home is considered key in suppressing COVID-19 transmission, but many Indonesians confirmed or suspected of having the disease cannot afford to self-isolate because of lack of space. Ambulance driver Bambang Siswoyo, 46, was suspected of having COVID-19 in July when he developed asthma so bad that his wife had to help him get up in the mornings. A chest X-ray showed white spots on his lungs. He was swab-tested, but the results never came back to him as "they were lost", he said quoting health authorities. Siswoyo, who since 2004 has been working for a community health center (Puskesmas) in Sidoarjo, East Java, one of Indonesia's epicenters of the outbreak, spent over two weeks, until August, isolating himself in his kost (rooming house). He lives in a 4 meter by 4 m room, which he rents for about Rp 250,000 (US$16.81) per month. It has one small bed that he shares with his wife and son who refused to take refuge at their relatives' houses while Siswanto was in isolation. "We couldn't keep a distance from each other and we slept on the same bed [...] I took up the space at the foot [of the bed]," Siswanto said, adding that he worried about infecting his family members. Before going into self-isolation, Siswoyo had been transporting confirmed or suspected COVID-19 patients to hospitals. He said he had to shower up to five times a day to make sure he did not transmit the virus to his family. "It was suggested that I isolate in a hospital, but I've heard from other people that I would have to pay [the medical bills]. I was afraid because I dont have any savings, so I rejected the suggestion, he said. I was afraid that if something came up, I would have to pay for photocopies [of administrative documents] because I didn't have money at all at the time. I had to borrow money even for food. Read also: Indonesia's latest official COVID-19 figures Jakarta is seeing a similar problem. When the novel coronavirus infected dozens in Muara Baru, North Jakarta, in May, some coming from the same families and households, residents and some advocacy groups did all they could to find a government-run quarantine facility. Self-imposed quarantine would not work because houses in the neighborhood are small and shared by many family members and are adjacent to one another, said resident Herdayati, who actively takes part in the Jakarta Urban Poor Network (JRMK). Letting confirmed patients stay at home could pose further transmission risks to other family members or residents in the neighborhood, she said. At the time, the local Puskesmas was still looking for a place to isolate them, but within two or three days after civil society groups stepped in, the infected residents were eventually taken to a government-run facility. "They're informal workers, so they couldn't go to work and earn money at all. It's a very unfortunate situation. We provided them with meals. Read also: COVID-19 creeps into Jakarta's kampungs In a country with cities that have house price-to-income ratios that are higher than those in New York in the United States, Singapore and Tokyo, according to a 2019 World Bank report, one-fifth of its urban dwellers or some 29 million Indonesians lived in slums in 2015. Their living conditions prevent them from accessing proper health services. Even by paying more, more living space is not necessarily guaranteed, the World Bank report said, with more than half of poor and vulnerable households residing in metro cores being overcrowded, defined as less than 8 square meters of floor area per person. Overcrowding is especially severe in Jakarta's core, with the share of households experiencing it rising from 28 percent to 35 percent in 2016, the report said. Meanwhile, to be eligible for self-quarantine at home, the Health Ministry's COVID-19 protocols require that houses have good air ventilation with restricted mobility of people and with shared rooms being kept to a minimum. Even if people in the households have to share rooms, they have to keep a 1 m distance from each other and sleep on different beds. Patients must wear masks around their family members and have separate cutlery that is washed with dish soap and warm water after use, according to the protocols. The surfaces of toilets must be routinely cleaned. Patients' clothes, bed sheets, towels and masks must be cleaned using hand gloves and dipped in 60-90 degrees Celsius water, with other family members required to avoid contact with these contaminated goods. Amid concerns that not everyone can follow these protocols and also over emerging household clusters, Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan announced on Sunday that all confirmed cases with mild to no symptoms must be isolated at government facilities instead of at home starting on Monday. The central government is now partnering with up to 15 two- and three-star hotels that can accommodate up to 3,000 guests each to provide self-quarantine facilities for Jakartas confirmed COVID-19 cases, on top of preparing two apartment towers of former Kemayoran Athletes Village to house nearly 5,000 mild to asymptomatic patients for isolation. Read also: Athletes village in Jakarta to house asymptomatic COVID-19 patients The hotel groups have also agreed to provide similar facilities outside the capital, the government said, with the Health Ministry planning to transform its training centers in Cianjur in West Java, Batam in Riau Islands, Semarang in Central Java and Makassar in South Sulawesi into self-isolation facilities. But experts said that facilitating only confirmed cases was not enough, and instead, similar facilities must be provided for suspected cases and close contacts of confirmed cases in order to effectively break the chains of transmission. Masdalina Pane of the Indonesian Epidemiologists Association (PAEI) said monitoring for suspected cases and close contacts remained very weak, adding that the government must also provide better assistance for those quarantined to fulfill their basic needs. Read also: Contact tracing the missing link in Indonesia's battle with COVID-19 Experts have also urged for the revision of the Health Ministry's protocols so that all close contacts must be tested right away instead of simply being suggested to self-isolate for 14 days. Isnani Dzuhrina, a lecturer in Malang, East Java, completed her self-isolation at home last week safely, but she recalled how she constantly feared about infecting her children while living in self-isolation with them. She said health authorities, who ordered her to go into self-isolation after she came into close contact with a confirmed case, should have tested her right away for clarity. The local Puskesmas didnt check on me daily, but I was asked to report if I developed symptoms because they said they had many cases to monitor. CNBC host Jim Cramer called Nancy Pelosi Crazy Nancy, while interviewing her on Tuesday, echoing president Donald Trump, who has repeatedly mocked the house speaker using that name. Cramer made the remark during an interview with the house speaker on Tuesday morning, while he questioned her about the likelihood of a new coronavirus relief package being approved soon. What deal can we have, Crazy Nancy? the host said, before he immediately told Ms Pelosi: I'm sorry, that was the president. I have such reverence for the office, I would never use that term. The house speaker briefly laughed and told Cramer: But you just did, but you just did, before she then agreed that she knew what the host meant with the remark. Ms Pelosi added: Let me just say this, anything the president says is a projection of his own insecurities. He calls other people crazy because he knows he is. So anytime he says something you say, Uh-oh, that's what he's thinking of himself. Cramer attempted to explain his comments again later on in the interview with Ms Pelosi, and said: You know, I was being facetious when I used the term involving you. I respect you. Anyone who gives their life to public service and is speaker of the House should not be called that name, and added: I don't even want to use it again. Ms Pelosi again attempted to move on from the remarks, and said: Don't worry about that, and added: Let that be your biggest problem today. President Trump has repeatedly attempted to mock the house speaker on Twitter by referring to her as Crazy Nancy, and the nickname has been copied by some of his followers. The host was criticised on social media for using the name, and former Democratic presidential candidate Howard Dean wrote on Twitter: This is the end of Jim Cramer as a serious finance commentator. He might as well hang it up and go to work for Fox. Tony Schwartz, who ghost wrote Mr Trumps book The Art of the Deal, but has been critical of his time in office, tweeted in reference to the presidents insult: Trump has decimated civility and dragged all of us down with him. Example: CNBC's awful Jim Cramer calls Speaker Pelosi Crazy Nancy to her face, as if that's OK to say to the Speaker of the House. After the backlash, Cramer tweeted about the exchange, and again attempted to explain why he used the term in the interview. It disgusts me that she is called Crazy Nancy. She has spent her whole life in public services. My critics didn't listen to why I mentioned it-because it is horrifying. In the interview on Tuesday morning, Ms Pelosi said that she will not call the president in an attempt to get the new coronavirus relief package through Congress, with negotiations between house Republicans and Democrats currently in a deadlock. Recommended Pelosi says House will remain in session until new corornavirus relief deal is struck The pair have not spoken for 11 months, since Ms Pelosi left a meeting with Mr Trump in the Oval Office, when he called her a third grade politician, according to CNN. What is the point?" Ms Pelosi said. The president has sent his representatives and if he has confidence in them, than I do too. Ms Pelosi added: If you're talking to him you're almost wasting your time. A sign notifies bus passengers about wearing masks. (Myung J. Chun/Los Angeles Times) Californias COVID-19 case count and hospitalizations are declining, but L.A. County's top public health official still isn't ready to ease up on restrictions. Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer on Tuesday warned that lifting restrictions before getting an accurate picture on infection rates following the Labor Day holiday weekend could prove detrimental. It would be foolish to start reopenings now, only to have to close down because our numbers are moving in the wrong direction, said Ferrer at the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors meeting. She was addressing questions from supervisors and the public regarding the ongoing closures of indoor malls and other businesses that, under state guidelines, are allowed to reopen with restrictions. The increasing pressure to reopen comes amid signs that the pandemic is in retreat. But the county has yet to show enough progress to lift most restrictions. The county, which has recorded more than 254,680 infections and 6,274 deaths, has a seven-day average for positive infections of 4.3%. While that number could move it from Tier 1 for widespread risk of transmission to Tier 2 for substantial risk, the daily case count is 8.1 per 100,000 people still too high to move from the states most restrictive tier. Additionally, county Health Services Director Dr. Christina Ghaly said that thousands of testing appointments have gone unfilled in recent weeks, all while the county is pushing for residents to get tested following the holiday. Ferrer noted that roughly 500,000 people visited L.A. County bars during the first week they were reopened on June 18. By July 1, the case count had jumped to 2,000 cases a day. That surge has also been connected to Memorial Day weekend and a blanket reopening strategy in the county that led to a major resurgence in activity. While wineries and breweries can open outdoor operations in counties in the states most restrictive level, L.A. County has not yet made the allowance. Ferrer said that places where drinking is a focal point often prompt co-mingling at a greater level than eateries, and pose a greater risk of increasing transmission. Story continues Once a county progresses from one tier to another, it can still move backwards, but its unclear how quickly. San Diego County, for example, is currently reporting a case count that doesnt meet its tier requirements. But state Health and Human Services Director Dr. Mark Ghaly said Tuesday that the county, which has been on Tier 2 for two weeks, has not yet moved back to Tier 1. State officials are working with San Diego County to understand what led to the increase, which appears to be driven in part by a surge in cases at San Diego State University, while taking concerns from local communities into consideration before making any changes. Certainly, as we see the ups and downs of transmission we should expect a county to move to a more restrictive tier, Mark Ghaly said. When the state launched its new reopening system, officials said that a county must hold steady with a tiers metrics which focus on a seven day average of positive infections and case count by population size for three consecutive weeks before progressing. But there is no clear timeline for how long it might take to move backwards through the tiered system if a county does not meet those required data points. Also, a county must remain on Tier 2 for at least two consecutive weeks before its allowed to reopen all schools. The states new system has prompted questions about why certain sectors are allowed to open before others. Most recently, the California Fitness Alliance, which represents nearly 300 businesses, filed a lawsuit against Gov. Gavin Newsoms measures, arguing that the fitness industry has been unfairly targeted. The states current rules allow fitness centers to begin opening indoor services at minimal capacity once a county reaches Tier 2. As is the case in L.A. County, a county can always choose to impose further restrictions beyond the states prohibitions. NEW DELHI: China has hatched a major espionage conspiracy against India and the communist nation is spying on over 10,000 eminent Indians, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Ram Nath Kovind. Many union ministers and leaders of the opposition are also being spied on by the neighbouring country, who has been locked in an aggressive melee and face-off with India at locations along the Sino-India border. Now, a fresh report from Indian Express claims that China has been spying on almost 30 prominent leaders, officers and bureaucrats from Kashmir Valley and Ladakh. Among those being monitored are former members of Parliament from Ladakh, leaders of PDP and National Conference in the Valley; state Congress President Ghulam Ahmad Mir; former Union Minister Saifuddin Soz; Karan Singh, son of Hari Singh, the last king of the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir, said the report. China has given this responsibility of monitoring to these Indians to a Shenzen-based company named Zhenhua Data Information Technology Co. Limited. China has also tried to spy on Zee News newsroom and is also monitoring Zee News Editor-in-Chief Sudhir Chaudhary. It is to be noted that Zee News had recently ran a 'Made in India' campaign appealing to the people of the country to stop using Chinese items and buy Indian products. The campaign proved hugely successful with over 1 crore people pledging to boycott Chinese products. Zee News has also reported relentlessly from Line of Actual Control and has been regularly exposing the nefarious plans of Beijing. According to reports, over 10,000 eminent Indians, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President Ram Nath Kovind, several Union ministers and opposition leaders are also being spied on. A report stated that the Chinese company is also keeping an eye on Congress interim President Sonia Gandhi and their families; west Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot, Punjab CM Amarinder Singh, Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray, Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik, Madhya Pradesh CMShivraj Singh Chouhan. Among the Cabinet ministers, Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Information Technology Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Textiles Minister Smriti Irani and Railway Minister Piyush Goyal are spied on. Chief of Defence Staff Bipin Singh Rawat to at least 15 former Chiefs of the Army, Navy and Air Force; Chief Justice of India Sharad Bobde and brother judge AM Khanwilkar to Lokpal Justice P C Ghose and Comptroller and Auditor General G C Murmu; start-up tech entrepreneurs like Nipun Mehra, founder of Bharat Pe (an Indian payment app), and Ajay Trehan of AuthBridge, an authentication technology firm, to top industrialists Ratan Tata and Gautam Adani are some of the prominent names from the list. The Chinese company is also monitoring bureaucrats in key positions; judges; scientists and academicians; journalists; actors and sportspersons; religious figures and activists, said a Indian Express report. Former Vice President Joe Biden is in Florida on Tuesday, his first trip to the key battleground state since officially securing the Democratic presidential nomination and a visit that coincides with a fresh slate of polling showing a tightening race in the state with President Donald Trump. A portion of Bidens visit to Sunshine State, a Hispanic heritage month event in Kissimmee, will be focused on courting Latino voters his campaign has identified as a key constituency needed for victory in November. Florida's 29 electoral votes, the third-largest prize in the nation, will be key to either a Trump and Biden victory, and the Latino vote, which comprised 18% of the state's electorate in 2016, according to exit polls, promises to again be a pivotal voting bloc in 2020. While recent national polling shows the former vice president leading Trump in support among Latino voters overall nationally, his support with the key voting group in Florida is weaker than Hillary Clinton's was in 2016, and a recent NBC News/Marist Florida poll showed Trump leading Biden in support with Latino voters in the state, 50% to 46%, with a sizable lead among Cuban voters. "We know we have work to do and we have said from the beginning...we're really working to earn every single vote in this country and we want to earn the votes of the Latino and Hispanic community and so we're doing the work," Biden Senior adviser Symone Sanders acknowledged to ABC News Chief Anchor George Stephanopoulos on "This Week Sunday. PHOTO: Democratic presidential nominee and former Vice President Joe Biden holds a roundtable discussion with veterans at Hillsborough Community College in Tampa, Florida, Sept. 15, 2020. (Leah Millis/Reuters) Biden stressed his intention to court the diverse voting group on his trip Tuesday. I will talk about how I am going to work like the devil to make sure I turn every Latino and Hispanic vote, Biden told reporters of his visits to Tampa and Kissimmee. Both the Biden and Trump campaigns have spent heavily on the airwaves to court both Latino voters and seniors, with the Biden team running ads specifically targeted toward Cuban voters in the Tampa and Miami areas and Puerto Ricans in the Orlando area -- a population that has grown in the state since Hurricane Maria devastated the island in 2017. Still, some Latino leaders have said Biden isn't doing enough outreach. Story continues MORE: Biden struggling to gain support of Latinos in key battleground state of Florida The Biden campaign has also run ads focused on protecting Social Security, a top issue for Florida seniors, that have drawn the direct ire of Trump. I will ALWAYS protect Seniors and your Social Security! Sleepy Joe Biden will do the opposite, he will raise your taxes and DESTROY our Country! Trump tweeted last week. The Biden campaign, as it did in most key battleground states in August, significantly outpaced the Trump team in terms of TV ad spending, according to data compiled by Kantar/CMAG. MORE: Historically red, this Orlando-area county is Florida's surprising new battleground In the month of August, Biden more than doubled Trumps spending on television ads in Florida, pouring in $13.4 million while Trump spent just under $6 million. Campaign spending on digital ads in Florida was roughly even, with Biden still slightly outspending Trump. PHOTO: President Donald Trump arrives onstage during a campaign stop at Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse and Museum in Jupiter, Fla., Sept. 8, 2020. (Jonathan Ernst/Reuters, FILE) With fewer than 50 days until Election Day and the coronavirus pandemic continuing to have a large impact across the country, Biden enters the final stretch of the 2020 campaign flush with cash after raising an eye-popping $364.5 million in August with the Democratic National committee but facing a campaigning crunch after COVID-19 sidelined Bidens travel for months. MORE: Harris and her husband court Black, Jewish voters in Miami Bidens team is still largely conducting the campaign in a virtual manner, investing $100 million in on-the-ground organizing that eschews the normal door-knocking and focuses almost entirely on digital and over-the-phone conversations with voters to win over support. But the campaign did not rule out the possibility of returning to the tried-and-true campaigning method. We've said that from day one, if we feel comfortable that it is safe for our volunteers, our staff and our voters, we will execute a program on the ground, Biden Campaign Manager Jen OMalley Dillon said as staff numbers have swelled to 2,500 across battleground states. We'll continue to monitor this as we go. There is no hard yes or hard no except for safety and ensuring that everyone is taking the appropriate...mechanisms to allow them to be safe. And that's really how we're building this program. Biden visits Florida looking to gain ground with Latino voters originally appeared on abcnews.go.com Enrolments for semester two were down further still, with some students choosing to return home and not come back. The forecast for 2021 enrolments is bleak. Professor Gardner, the acting chair of the Group of Eight universities and a former vice-chancellor of RMIT, spoke to The Age as part of a series of stories in which prominent Melburnians offer constructive ideas about Victorias way forward. She describes the international student market as having a long pipeline. In normal circumstances, many students intending to enrol in a university course next year would already be in Australia studying English, a year 12 equivalence course or another tertiary course. They arent doing that this year. "We really are talking substantial falls," she says. Professor Gardner says remote learning has kept some international students enrolled but this is a stopgap, not a solution. "The longer someone is at a distance, unable to have the full experience, how does that feed into peoples willingness to stay with us, to not go home or go somewhere else, or not come to us?" Loading She says that for universities to welcome international students back next year, the federal government must declare by the end of October a preparedness to let them in. It doesn't need to have a finalised plan; just clear intention to develop one. "The truth is we need to know quite soon," Professor Gardner says. "Education is going to be absolutely vital to working out of the situation we are in and I think we have got a good story. We have to be able to have a plan in place that says how well make it possible for you to get to this safe space and have the sort of education you were hoping for." Professor Gardner says loosening border restrictions would also help local students. At Monash, all bachelor of arts students are guaranteed an overseas study experience in their first year, with the cost built into their university fees. This can be a trip to one of the universitys campuses in Malaysia, China, India and Italy or its planned campus in Indonesia. Monash was working to expand the program when the pandemic hit. "We dont want to walk away from that either, but we need our international borders open to do it," Professor Gardner says. The Morrison government wants the states to open internal borders by Christmas, but so far has not indicated when Australia will open itself to the rest of the world. Professor Gardner says when this happens, first preference must necessarily be given to Australian citizens stuck overseas. Professor Gardners says that with the right message from Canberra, international education can rebound strongly. Although the Australian economy and particularly the Victorian economy have been tipped into recession, the economic impact has been milder here than in most developed nations. The virus has been relatively well controlled. At Monashs student residences, about 3000 students have lived in close quarters and shared communal facilities throughout the pandemic without triggering an outbreak. Surveys of students indicate that although many are under financial distress, they remain positive about their university experience here. In-person lectures and tutorials, when they return, will be combined with online classes to reduce the number of students on campus at any given time. Professor Gardner says this was already happening prior to the pandemic, with students asked to indicate a preference for how they want to study. Professor Gardner says that if nothing is done to save international education in Australia, the impact will go well beyond the bottom lines of universities and balance of trade. EDWARDSVILLE A presidential election is always a big deal and a busy time at the Madison County Clerks Office. But with all the changes because of the coronavirus pandemic, it is especially busy this fall. The office recently certified the Nov. 3 ballot and is getting ready to mail out military ballots on Friday. In the meantime, we are generating the mailing labels for the 26,000 vote-by-mail requests that have come in so far, Madison County Clerk Debra Ming Mendoza said Monday. A large number of mail-in ballots more than twice that of the 2016 election is expected to cause some uncertainty, especially on election night. The mail-in-ballots require three separate envelopes. Madison County will have more than 200 different ballot configurations. Theres just a lot of districts involved and the ballots have to coordinate with those, Ming-Mendoza said. On top of that are requirements put in place because of the pandemic ranging from limiting the size of meetings to prepare election judges to the need to change a number of polling places. The county clerks office has already taken some heat over buying individual pens to give voters. While not required, COVID-19 election guidelines emphasize the use of single-use items such as pens when possible. The cost of individual sanitizing wipes that would have been needed to sanitize each pen after it was used to vote would have cost more than the pens themselves. Ming-Mendoza expects vote-by-mail ballots to be mailed Sept. 24, the first day of early voting in the Madison County Administration Building atrium. Voting sites will be expanded beginning Oct. 19, with new sites in Madison and Highland. At the Administration Building, voters will be required to wear a mask and judges will have hand sanitizer, gloves, face shields and masks. Voters will receive their own individual pen and will have access to hand sanitizer both before and after voting. She said the county plans to sanitize the voting booths, but that may depend on the crowd. Were going to be doing our best, she said. If theres not a long line the judge sitting at the tabulator can do that. Procedures will be similar at the other voting sites. On Election Day, she said, many people will be voting at different locations this year. Polling places have been completely moved out of senior citizen centers or living centers. Instead, the county is working with local school districts to set up polling places in their buildings. Another concern is that some polling places are too small to allow for proper social distancing. People are canceling on us after theyve had an opportunity to think about it, Ming-Mendoza said. Were currently working with school districts to lock down voting locations. She said the county may have to cluster some precincts together, and the voter guide may or may not be complete with actual, confirmed polling locations. Another issue is training election judges, she said. Normally the county holds the training in large groups. But this year the county must limit training sessions to 25 people or less. With about 1,100 election judges needed, that is difficult. To allow for training, the office is preparing a video which will be available on the clerks website. Another big change may be election night results. While results are usually in by about 10 p.m., they are considered unofficial until the canvas 14 days later. Part of the reason is mail-in ballots must be postmarked, not received, by Nov. 3. During a normal election, a close race could change if even a handful of votes come in late. This year the county faces the possibility of hundreds, or even thousands, of votes coming in after election night. If I was a candidate, I would not be looking at celebrating or wondering what went wrong on election evening, she said. I would wait for the canvass. While Ming-Mendoza said they should be able to determine the number of mail-in ballots for a smaller race such as a county board seat the numbers for countywide races may be too large. Ming-Mendoza said another likely issue may be someone who shows up to vote but already has been issued a vote-by-mail ballot. Thats going to be an issue for the judges, she said. The solution will be for the voter to either return home and get that ballot and then surrender it to the judges, or vote a provisional ballot, she said. Provisional ballots are held and not counted until the issue regarding them is settled in this case, whether a mail-in ballot comes in. Ming-Mendoza said judges will determine which ballot to use, probably favoring the mail-in ballot. For current election information visit the Madison County Clerks Office website at https://www.co.madison.il.us/departments/county_clerk/index.php, or call 618-692-6290. Jacob Nohai sits in a machine all day long and moves dirt. Which is exactly what I want to do, he says. I love it. Nohai is a heavy equipment operator and works at a company thats just invested in a sand and gravel yard; hes in a field that he suspects most young people probably dont even know about. I think what a lot of people miss is that just because youre not making hundreds of thousands of dollars doing a white-collar job doesnt mean you cant do the same doing a blue-collar job, Nohai says. Theres no modern-day blue-collar representation. In my field, theres a gap in young men and women going into the field just because its not a very well talked about job, its blue-collar, its not what mainstream focuses on, Nohai says. Kids will see plenty of ads and even television programs about doctors and lawyers, but nothing like what he does. But for Nohai, it was an obvious choice. I came out with a hard hat on, pretty much, he says. Nohais father built the house they live in and owns his own home-inspection business, so Nohai pretty much grew up on a construction site. The heavy equipment outside used to move materials were like giant toys, and now he gets to work on and operate one for a living. From his experience, the opportunity is there. Skills and Work Ethic Arent Taboo In 2017, Nohai attended SUNY College of Technology at Alfred State in upstate New York and applied for a scholarship that judged applicants based on work ethic. Former Dirty Jobs host Mike Rowe started his foundation to address Americas aversion to skilled labor, and the foundation has since given away over $5 million in scholarships. With over $1.5 trillion in student loan debt in the United States, while tens of millions of trade jobs sit empty, there seems to be an obvious gap. Pop culture has glorified the corner office job while unintentionally belittling the jobs that helped build the corner office, reads the foundation website. As a result, our society has devalued any other path to success and happiness. Mike Rowes mikeroweWORKS Foundation has given over $5 million in scholarships. (MANDEL NGAN/AFP/GettyImages) In 2008, Rowe created the SWEAT Pledge (Skills and Work Ethic Arent Taboo), with 12 items all applicants must pledge to stick to. The ethos of it all appealed to Nohai, whose parents taught him these very lessons and instilled in him a professionalism thats stuck. Its something they called self reputation, Nohai says, and it meant showing up on time, being professional, and holding yourself to a standard thats being the best that you can be, and being proud of the job you do. You could be a simple broom sweeper, sweeping the shop all dayat least take pride in that; thats how you rank up, get promotions. Show that self-interest and pride in becoming more at any particular job, Nohai says. His parents held him to such expectations ever since he got his first job, and its served him well, so Nohai wants to encourage other young people to do the same, and to broaden what they think of as a good job. Its a well-rounded field, I think a lot of people misconstrue it as not being the easiest of things because it is a dirty job, and not a lot of people take pride in being dirty, Nohai says. Hes since graduated, done some traveling, and found a company that he thinks is a perfect fit. Opportunity The last item on the SWEAT pledge is: I believe that all people are created equal. I also believe that all people make choices. Some choose to be lazy. Some choose to sleep in. I choose to work my butt off. Tyler Thach immediately liked the SWEAT Pledge when he read it, and that last line in particular, because he felt it summed up his own approach. Yes, some individuals have the upper hand because of advancement from family or friends, but a strong-minded individual with less could turn their life around and end up doing better than the one with advancements. Life is made of choices from every individual that walks the earth, Thach says. Thach just graduated this summer from WSU Tech, where he studied aviation maintenance. He is about to get his airframe license, and will soon get his powerplant license as well. Hes had his career plan all scheduled out, working his way through school while taking care of his family, and timing his degrees and licenses so he can apply for the jobs that advance his career in the way he wants. Thach was paying for school out of pocket and decided to take his chances and apply for the mikeroweWORKS Foundations Work Ethic scholarshiphe decided to forego spring break and spent the week crafting his application instead, and was awarded $5,000 for his efforts. I wanted to get everything in line, to get everything done in time with the program, he says. Thach says hed considered studying business administration as well, but the path he chose instead would give him the opportunity to tackle interesting challenges in a literal hands-on manner. The aviation industry is big in Kansas, making up about a quarter of its economy. My family has been in aircraft; my dad and my grandma and grandpa all did avionics, Thach says. He knew there were opportunities in the field, but wanted to do something a little different than they did. I was interested to get my hands on the aircraft and actually build the new aspects of the aircraft. Its a fast-paced field, Thach says, and he enjoys the challenge. I love to challenge myself even when Im uncomfortable with a new task; I always push myself to do it and never live with the regret of not taking the risk, he says. I will always strive to do my best in life and stay dedicated to the lifestyle I want for myself and my family. For Immediate Release Chicago, IL September 15, 2020 Zacks.com announces the list of stocks featured in the Analyst Blog. Every day the Zacks Equity Research analysts discuss the latest news and events impacting stocks and the financial markets. Stocks recently featured in the blog include: Whirlpool Corporation WHR, Koninklijke Philips N.V. PHG, Johnson Controls International plc JCI and The Unilever Group UN. Here are highlights from Tuesdays Analyst Blog: Wildfires, Pandemic Boosts Air Purifier Demand: 4 Winners The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the market demand and value of a wide range of things that so long didnt have much significance in our lives. Aside from personal protective equipment like face masks, gloves and hand sanitizers, now air purifiers are in demand. However, COVID-19 isnt the only reason that is boosting sales of air purifiers. The massive wildfires in the West Coast have also escalated their demand. As massive wildfires ravage the West Coast, thousands of people from California to as far as Washington are experiencing smoke that's so severe that air quality index (AQI) is being impacted. Wildfires, COVID-19 Helping Air Purifier Sales Residents across West United States are being urged to stay indoors due to thick wildfire smoke blanketing the region. Air quality in several regions of California, Oregon, and Washington are listed as unhealthy or very unhealthy, according to AirNow, a partnership of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Park Service, NASA, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Staying indoors when the region has poor air quality due to wildfire smoke is important, but fine particles in the air can still make their way indoors. Thats why running an air purifier or air filter can be helpful. This has resulted in a surge in air purifier sales. Air pollution leads to about 6.5 million deaths each year, making it the worlds fourth-largest threat to human health, according to a 2016 report by the International Energy Agency. The threat has only grown since then, with this year becoming an exception. Story continues Air purifiers can, to a large extent, help people who are suffering from asthma, airborne allergies and other breathing disorders. And since COVID-19 is airborne, air purifiers have seen a surge in residential and commercial demand in the past few months as a preventive measure. Air Purifier Market Poised to Grow Moreover, air purifiers have almost become an indispensable part of our lives post the coronavirus outbreak. Coronavirus is primarily transmitted from an infected to a healthy person through respiratory droplets and contact routes. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, air purifiers can diminish airborne contaminants, which comprise viruses in any confined space. However, one would still need to use it along with other best practices recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for an ideal plan to protect oneself against the disease. Per a report from Research and Markets, the global portable air purifier market was valued at $8.27 billion in 2019 and is expected to reach $13.75 billion by 2027 at a CAGR of 12.1% from 2020 to 2027. According to a new market report published by Industry Research, the global air purifier market was valued at $19,232 million in 2017 and is expected to witness a CAGR of more than 32.4% from 2018 to 2024, reaching $182,101.1 million by the end of the forecast period. Our Choices Given the growing cases of coronavirus being reported in the United States since states started reopening, the importance of air purifiers will only grow from here. We have shortlisted four stocks in this space that are poised to grow in the near term due to the surging demand for air purifiers. Each of our picks carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. Whirlpool is one of the largest manufacturers of home appliances in the world. Besides, it also produces hermetic compressors for refrigeration systems and offers quality air purification solutions. According to Whirlpool, the companys HEPA purifiers are capable of removing as much as 99.97% of particles from air. The companys expected earnings growth rate for next year is 27.1%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for current-year earnings has improved 24.8% over the past 60 days. Koninklijke Philips operates as a health technology company worldwide. The company manufactures smart air purifiers and humidifiers. The products come with HEPA filters for increased protection. The companys expected earnings growth rate for the current year is 20.3%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for current-year earnings has improved 17.5% over the past 60 days. Johnson Controls offers a wide range of filtration products. From residential and commercial buildings, to clean room environments, the company is committed to offering best-in-class, reliable filtration products every time. The companys expected earnings growth rate for the current year is 12.4%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for current-year earnings has improved 14.6% over the past 60 days. Unilever entered the air purifier space with the acquisition of Sweden-based Blue-Air, which has been one of the market leaders in air purifying solutions with the leading edge of filtration technologies and design. The companys expected earnings growth rate for next year is 3.9%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for current-year earnings has improved 7.6% over the past 30 days. Breakout Biotech Stocks with Triple-Digit Profit Potential The biotech sector is projected to surge beyond $775 billion by 2024 as scientists develop treatments for thousands of diseases. Theyre also finding ways to edit the human genome to literally erase our vulnerability to these diseases. Zacks has just released Century of Biology: 7 Biotech Stocks to Buy Right Now to help investors profit from 7 stocks poised for outperformance. Our recent biotech recommendations have produced gains of +50%, +83% and +164% in as little as 2 months. The stocks in this report could perform even better. See these 7 breakthrough stocks now>> Media Contact Zacks Investment Research 800-767-3771 ext. 9339 support@zacks.com https://www.zacks.com Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Inherent in any investment is the potential for loss. This material is being provided for informational purposes only and nothing herein constitutes investment, legal, accounting or tax advice, or a recommendation to buy, sell or hold a security. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. It should not be assumed that any investments in securities, companies, sectors or markets identified and described were or will be profitable. All information is current as of the date of herein and is subject to change without notice. Any views or opinions expressed may not reflect those of the firm as a whole. Zacks Investment Research does not engage in investment banking, market making or asset management activities of any securities. These returns are from hypothetical portfolios consisting of stocks with Zacks Rank = 1 that were rebalanced monthly with zero transaction costs. These are not the returns of actual portfolios of stocks. The S&P 500 is an unmanaged index. Visit https://www.zacks.com/performancefor information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Koninklijke Philips N.V. (PHG) : Free Stock Analysis Report Whirlpool Corporation (WHR) : Free Stock Analysis Report Johnson Controls International plc (JCI) : Free Stock Analysis Report Unilever NV (UN) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Yes. Courts will sometimes hold that its even more unfair to make someone return money received in error, said David Pikus, co-leader of the bankruptcy practice at Bressler, Amery & Ross in New Jersey. If, for instance, a person reasonably believes funds were legitimately transferred and then uses the money to pay off a mortgage, a court may decide the burden rests on the bank even if the transfer was a mistake. If no one actually claims the money, different laws may apply. In New York, someone finding unclaimed money or property can usually keep it after a certain amount of time has passed -- as much as three months for something worth less than $100 or as many as three years for the equivalent of $5,000 or more -- provided theyve turned it over to the authorities within 10 days. (Natural News) The thing about the Democratic Left is, they will tell you exactly what they are planning to do, only they will never admit it directly. Rather, they will concoct some seemingly wild conspiracy theory and then claim that Republicans are the ones who are really up to no good. Case in point: Democrats for months have been claiming that President Donald Trump and his surrogates are planning to steal the 2020 election by claiming massive voter fraud via mail-in ballots. They have also claimed that Trump is a tyrant dictator in the making, and that after he loses badly in November, he will claim vote fraud due to mail-in balloting and refuse to leave the White House, thus making it necessary for Democrats and their Left-wing allies to forcibly remove him. It gets better. Democratic operatives posing as mainstream media journalists have, of late, begun threatening voters to cast a ballot for Biden or else Democrats may refuse to accept another Trump victory and begin large-scale rioting and disruption of society. (Related: You now have 49 days to get your rifles ready for self-defense, and theyre probably sighted in at the WRONG range see this important ballistics video from the Health Ranger.) In fact, all of these things are true with the notable exception of Trump having to steal the election. Hes very likely set to win it outright, otherwise Biden and his campaign would have not hired hundreds of lawyers to contest balloting in battleground states since, you know, all of the polls say Bidens walking away with the election (and doesnt that sound familiar?). NYT reports the Biden campaign is preparing for an extended legal battle over the election outcome, creating a new legal operation that includes two former solicitor generals and hundreds of lawyers: https://t.co/UvgMRLXdza (via @ShaneGoldmacher) Mary Catherine (@mcwellons) September 14, 2020 This is a lot to unpack, but theres more, and Michael Anton has done a lot of the heavy lifting. In a piece for The American Mind called The Coming Coup, Anton lays out step-by-step what Democrats are planing for the fall, and its not pretty. As if 2020 were not insane enough already, we now have Democrats and their ruling class masters openly talking about staging a coup. You might have missed it, what with the riots, lockdowns and other daily mayhem were forced to endure in this, the most wretched year of my lifetime. But its happening, he begins. We already know Democrats and their Marxist Leftist cadres in the Deep State have been trying to depose Trump since he was elected. They cant do to him what they did to John F. Kennedy and his brother, Robert Kennedy; times are much different now. The Trump-supporting public would no doubt go to war over the assassination of their president. So the deep state has had to work behind the scenes to fabricate events the fake Russian collusion scandal; the phony impeachment; the endless accusations of scandal and malfeasance and continually accusing Trump of being an authoritarian when, in fact, its the Democrat Left that is planning a violent revolution. Anton notes further: Over the summer, two former Army officers, both prominent in the Democrat-aligned national security think tank world, wrote an open letter to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs in which they urged him to deploy the 82nd Airborne Division to drag President Trump from the Oval Office at precisely 12:01 PM, January 20, 2021. About a month later, Hillary Clinton declared publicly that Joe Biden should not concede the election under any circumstances. The old English major in me interprets the word any to mean no, none, nada, niente, zero, zilch bupkisyou get the idea. This doesnt sound like the rhetoric of a political party confident it will win an upcoming election. Now why would Democrats talk so openly like this? Because, as Anton notes, in order for the coup to succeed, it must not look like one. They need to plant the idea in the public mind, now, that their unlawful and illegitimate removal of President Trump from office will somehow be his fault. Never mind the pesky detail that the president would refuse to leave only if he were convinced he legitimately won. Remember: Biden should not concede under any circumstances, he wrote. And dont think that the disgustingly dishonest media wont play a part in all of this. Those battle lines were drawn long ago: The American media has been in the tank for Democrats for decades. And on Election Night, their part of the coup will be to dispute the Trump victory and talk up all the incoming ballots that Democrats found in close states to make it appear as though Trump lost them (when he didnt). For the rest of us, the most important thing we can do is raise awareness. If there is a conspiracy to remove President Trump from office even if he wins, theyre telling you about it precisely to get you ready for it, so that when it happens you wont think it was a conspiracy; youll blame the president. Dont be fooled, Anton concluded. Sources include: AmericanMind.org NaturalNews.com The younger sister of Jaimi Kenny has shared her grief in a heart-wrenching tribute. Jaimi, the eldest daughter of Aussie sporting royalty Grant Kenny and Lisa Curry, died at the age of 33 on Monday after battling an eating disorder for years. Morgan Gruell remembered her 'beautiful big sister' on Tuesday in an emotional Instagram post, saying she will 'forever miss' her. 'It still doesn't feel real': Jaimi Kenny's (left) devastated sister Morgan Gruell (right) has broken her silence on her tragic death. The sisters are pictured here in an undated photo 'It still doesn't feel real that you are not here,' began Morgan. 'I am so grateful for the time that I had you as my big sister. I am grateful that Flynn [Morgan's son] got two and a half years with his aunty. 'I am grateful for you doing my hair and letting me borrow your clothes. I am grateful for you. There is no one like you. 'I love you so much and will forever miss you. Rest now beautiful sister. You will never be forgotten.' 'You will never be forgotten': Morgan remembered her 'beautiful big sister' on Tuesday in an emotional Instagram post (above), saying she will 'forever miss' her Morgan accompanied her touching post with a throwback photo of herself and Jaimi in happier times. The picture showed the sisters posing at a garden party in cocktail dresses while turning to smile at one another. Morgan is married to her high school sweetheart, Ryan Gruell, and the couple share a two-year-old son, Flynn. Jaimi was one of the bridesmaids at her sister's beachside wedding in Noosa, Queensland, in May 2016. Memories: Jaimi (far left) was a bridesmaid at her sister Morgan's (centre left) wedding to Ryan Gruell in May 2016. The beachside ceremony took place in Noosa, Queensland The Curry-Kenny family confirmed Jaimi's death in a statement on Monday afternoon. 'It is with a very heavy heart that Lisa and I confirm our beautiful daughter Jaimi has lost her battle with a long-term illness and passed away peacefully in hospital this morning in the company of loving family,' read the statement by Jaimi's father, Grant. 'Jaimi will forever be remembered as a caring, bright and loving soul who always put others before herself,' it continued. 'Our hearts are broken and the pain is immense but we must move forward cherishing every wonderful moment we got to share with our treasured first child. RIP: Jaimi (left), the eldest daughter of Aussie sporting royalty Grant Kenny (centre) and Lisa Curry (right), died at the age of 33 on Monday after battling an eating disorder for years. Pictured on the Sunshine Coast on April 3, 2008 Struggle: While the family's statement on Monday did not specify the nature of Jaimi's illness, it's understood she had long battled an eating disorder. Pictured: Lisa carrying Jaimi on her shoulders after winning gold at the 1990 Commonwealth Games in Auckland, New Zealand Infant: Jaimi is pictured as a baby with her father, Grant Kenny, in a family photo from 1987 'We thank the incredible team at the Sunshine Coast University Hospital for their tireless commitment to making her better and giving us the extra time we were able to spend with her. 'It goes without saying that this is a very difficult time for family and friends and we trust we will all be allowed to grieve in privacy.' While the family's statement did not specify the exact nature of Jaimi's illness, it's understood she had long battled an eating disorder. Her family had supported her through years of treatment at the End ED private clinic on the Sunshine Coast. Jaimi is survived her her sister Morgan, brother Jett, mother Lisa, father Grant and younger half-sister Trixie, from Grant's relationship with radio host Fifi Box. For free and confidential support, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or the Butterfly Foundation for eating disorder concerns on 1800 ED HOPE Family ties: Jaimi is survived her her sister Morgan, brother Jett, mother Lisa, father Grant and younger half-sister Trixie, from Grant's relationship with radio host Fifi Box. The Kenny-Curry family tree is explained in this graphic Micro-school shows need for reforms THAILAND: A group of parents dissatisfied with the quality of public education in Surat Thani have set up a micro-school, which an expert said reflects the urgent need to reform the education system. By Bangkok Post Tuesday 15 September 2020, 08:37AM Lessons and activities at the school are focused on improving the childrens critical thinking, decision-making and problem- solving capacities. Photo: Bangkok Post Sixteen families have taken their children out of school to enrol them at Little Unicorn House, a micro-school where students learn together in a shared space with only a tutor and/or a parent to supervise and assist the class. Niwat Hoteakim, adviser to the Youth Creative Group behind the school, said Little Unicorn House has 19 students. On his Facebook page, Mr Niwat said the school was founded by a group of parents who believe their duty is to educate their children, along with the schooling system. Parents do not worry about accreditation at the Little Unicorn House, as they are assured that teaching instructions are given out only by those devoted to their childrens education. Mr Niwat said the schools students learn by engaging in projects and activities based on their interests. Little Unicorn House, he said, does not consider national education standards relevant to the needs of children, so it seeks to develop a curriculum that inspires passion and learning by focusing on real-world knowledge. As such, lessons and activities at the school are focused on improving the childrens critical thinking, decision-making and problem- solving capacities. Students get to learn a variety of skills from these activities, which range from music, language, IT, as well as the importance of volunteerism and learning about other cultures, he said. The school, however, has also hired some professional teachers to ensure students have a well-rounded set of skills. Little Unicorn Houses goal is to develop students creativity, along with their life and social abilities, Mr Niwat added. Sompong Jitradub, a lecturer at Chulalongkorn Universitys Faculty of Education, said the concept of micro-schooling has taken off in many developed countries, where many complain about the quality of public schooling but cant afford the cost of private education. These parents sought a way to personalise their childrens education, so Im not surprised the concept has been taken up by Thai parents, he said. Its not surprising considering the quality of our school system and its constant failure to equip students with the skills needed for jobs in the 21st century, which will be dominated by automation, artificial intelligence and robotics. Mr Sompong said the emergence of micro-schools in Thailand reflects the urgent need to reform the education system, to allow students to better catch up with the fast-changing world. When parents start to think that they can do better than schools and professional teachers, something must be wrong. If the quality of our schools is not upgraded soon, I think we will see more micro-schools in the future, he said. Perhaps, this can lead to changes within our school system. Britain's house buyers have seemingly gone bonkers as prices soar to record highs while the economic bad news keeps coming. Estate agents have claimed that some 'frantic' buyers are battling over spacious family homes, coastal boltholes and rural retreats. They say the Chancellor's stamp duty holiday has 'turbocharged' a housing market that was already buoyant after lockdown ended. But should you be willing to pay over the asking price for your dream home or take all this with a pinch of salt? With rising unemployment forecast, and the stamp duty holiday on homes up to 500,000 to end in March next year, experts are urging buyers to think carefully before paying above the odds. In demand: Semi-detached properties in Newcastle are proving popular. The CEBR estimates 150,000 house moves were put on hold because of Covid and are now back in business House price wars despite warnings of a crash The Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR) has warned that after the house price boom, values could plummet by as much as 14 per cent next year. The number of buyers looking for a new home rose by 38 per cent in July compared with the same period last year, according to estate agent Hamptons International. This meant almost a third of homes sold had offers from three or more buyers with the average home achieving a record 98.6 per cent of the asking price. But some people are prepared to bid even more to beat the competition. The CEBR estimates 150,000 house moves were put on hold because of the pandemic and are now back in business. North-East-based estate agent Duncan Young, of Sanderson Young, held more than 40 viewings and received 28 offers on a 575,000 four-bedroom semi-detached home in Gosforth, Northumberland. It sold for well above the asking price after less than a month on the market. He says: 'The North-East coastline and historical villages in Northumberland were booming with price increases in excess of 20 per cent in July and August.' Meanwhile, buyers are queuing up to bag a new build near the North-East coastal town of Bamburgh. Mr Young says: 'A seller in the popular Beadnell Point development had accepted an offer of 378,000 in March, but after lockdown the buyer tried to lower their bid, saying a downturn was on the way. We advised the owner to decline and they have since sold it for 425,000.' Nick Withinshaw, of Jackson-Stops estate agency in Chester, says retirees and second-home owners are being lured to the beauty of the North Wales coast, causing homes to sell fast. He says: 'We put a four-bedroom waterfront property in Red Wharf Bay, Anglesey, on the market for 1.075 million. Within four days it had four viewings and a great offer, with another six viewings booked.' House hunting: The number of buyers looking for a new home rose by 38 per cent in July compared with the same period last year, according to estate agent Hamptons International The lure of small town and village life Smaller towns and villages are also now drawing buyers away from neighbouring cities and crowded locations. Experts say lockdown has driven buyers to want more green space. Analysis by property site Rightmove found villages made up more than half of 16 hotspots in England where sales between January and September have already beaten the whole of 2019. Estate agent Gascoigne Halman says between June and August it saw a 77 per cent year-on-year rise in the number of homes sold in Chapel-en-le-Frith, a small town on the Derbyshire-Cheshire border . Its managing director John Halman says: 'The countryside location and proximity to the Peak District National Park is attracting homebuyers who see the appeal of wide open spaces after the nationwide lockdown. The stamp duty holiday has turbocharged the market and prices are rising. 'Around a quarter of all the homes we're selling get multiple offers and achieve more than the asking price.' What's behind the UK property and US shares lockdown mini-booms? The property market in the UK and the stock market in the US appear to be pulling off gravity-defying feats. The coronavirus crisis is still here, waves of job losses keep on coming and almost everyone is agreed there is more bad news to come. Yet, shares in the US and house prices in the UK are on the up. Is there anything behind this other than cheap central bank money and the belief that it will keep flowing and propping up asset prices? On this podcast, Simon Lambert and Georgie Frost look at the parallels and differences between the British and American national obsessions of the property market and stock market. Press play above or listen (and please subscribe if you like the podcast) at Apple Podcasts, Acast, Spotify and Audioboom or visit our This is Money Podcast page Room to roam: Smaller towns and villages are drawing buyers away from neighbouring cities and crowded locations. Experts say lockdown has driven buyers to want more green space The bidding battles taking place Some properties are receiving so many offers that sellers have to run secret bidding auctions - known as sealed bids or sale by tender. If multiple buyers are interested in the same home, agents can ask them to all submit a sealed bid. The seller then chooses which bid to accept, or a shortlist of buyers is drawn up and they are invited to submit a final higher bid. The spike we have seen in enquiries since the rules were relaxed has overtaken any other peak I have experienced during my career Martin Walshe, Cheffins, Cambridge Martin Walshe, director of Cambridge-based Cheffins, says: 'In the past 100 days we have sold 160 homes. Demand is at such a level that we have had more than 25 properties go to sealed bids in the past four weeks. 'Lockdown made those who were already considering a house move almost frantic with anticipation for estate agents to reopen. 'And the spike we have seen in enquiries since the rules were relaxed has overtaken any other peak I have experienced during my career.' What about London? Even London is enjoying a busier-than-expected late summer, as buyers look to upsize to get more space and rush to beat the March 31 stamp duty deadline. Aside from a 1 per cent rise in house prices in the three months to March, London's housing market saw a decline in prices for the previous ten consecutive quarters, according to Nationwide. But despite reports that the capital's residents are fleeing the big smoke and heading for the hills, surveyors and agents are reporting a flat but stable market since lockdown restrictions were lifted. Harry Buchanan, Jackson-Stops's director of Pimlico and Westminster, says sales are up 55 per cent on the same period last year. Mover beware: warnings against paying too much Some agents expect the buying frenzy to cool off as we head into the winter months, while others predict it will last at least until the stamp duty holiday ends. But with job losses forecast and economists predicting house prices will fall next year, buyers are being warned not to lose the plot and risk making an offer that they cannot afford. If house prices fell quickly, some buyers could end up in negative equity if they sell their home and their mortgage loan is worth more than the value of the property. Mr Young, of Sanderson Young, says: 'Five to 10 per cent over the asking price could be forgiven - but 20 to 30 per cent over is a sign that people are getting carried away, because prices shouldn't be rising that quickly.' Paula Higgins, chief executive of the HomeOwners Alliance, warns buyers who are looking to escape to the country to 'go into it with their eyes open'. She says: 'Families must think long-term if considering a drastic lifestyle change. 'They could wind up in negative equity if country living is not for them and they need to sell up in two years' time when prices may have dropped. 'You might think now that you want to work from home for ever but the appeal may soon wear off and you could wish you were closer to the office again.' She advises buyers to do a practice commute during rush hour so that they know how long it will take to travel to the office. Broadband coverage can also be patchy in rural areas, so you may struggle to work from home. Its crunch time in Trenton, as New Jersey leaders have only 15 days left to negotiate a new, revised state budget including possible tax hikes and $4 billion in borrowing before the Sept. 30 deadline. But Gov. Phil Murphy said Tuesday he expects to meet that deadline and avoid a state government shutdown which has been a threat each of the last three years because of disagreements over tax increases between the governor and his fellow Democrats who lead the state Legislature. The spirit of the conversations have been really good with both chambers, with leadership, with teams, Murphy told NJ Advance Media during after an unrelated event in South Amboy. I fully expect well have a budget by Sept. 30. Wed be very disappointed and I think we all would be if it were to go beyond that. So hed be shocked if theres a government shutdown because leaders reach an impasse? Shocked is a pretty strong word, but I would sign on to that, Murphy said. I dont think any of us think thats in anyones interest right now. ... Even when were not all in the same place, the spirit is in as good a place as Ive seen it. State Sen. Paul Sarlo, chairman of the Senates budget committee, said lawmakers are also confident theyll have a balanced budget in the next 15 days. Any rumors out there that theres going to be an extension are unfounded, Sarlo, D-Bergen, said during a committee hearing Tuesday. We are moving forward by Sept. 30 to have a balanced budget. Last month, Murphy unveiled a $32.4 billion state budget that covers the nine months spanning Oct. 1 to June 30. He is calling to raise taxes by about $1 billion which includes his long-stalled proposal for a millionaires tax as well as borrowing $4 billion to offset slumping tax revenue because of the coronavirus pandemic. The top two leaders in the Legislature state Senate President Stephen Sweeney, D-Gloucester, and state Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin, D-Middlesex have once again expressed caution about tax increases. Lawmakers blocked Murphys millionaires tax plan each of the last two years. Murphys budget also recommends raising the tax on a pack of cigarettes from $2.70 to $4.35, making permanent a 2.5-percentage point tax increase on corporations with more than $1 million in income, hiking taxes on gun purchases, boat sales and limousine rides. Hes also proposed increasing a tax paid by HMOs from 3% to 5% and imposing a 5% surcharge on taxpayers with at least $1 million in qualified business income. Combined with the current $7.7 billion three-month spending plan that expires Sept. 30, Murphy plans to spend about $40.1 billion. But his administration is forecasting $36.4 billion in tax collections, which includes the $1 billion in proposed new revenue from tax increases. He wants to supplement that revenue with $4 billion in borrowing, something that will require approval from a special four-person legislative panel. The Legislatures own revenue analysts are projecting, however, that tax collections will come in at $37.8 billion about $1.4 billion higher than the administration predicted. Sarlo previously urged the state treasurer to meet with the nonpartisan Office of Legislative Services to reconcile the differing estimates. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Samantha Marcus may be reached at smarcus@njadvancemedia.com. Brent Johnson may be reached at bjohnson@njadvancemedia.com. Flash Palestinian minister of foreign affairs accused the United States on Monday of trying to pass its Mideast peace plan through Israeli normalization with Arab countries. Riyad al-Maliki said in a press statement that "Washington is trying to pass its Mideast peace deal throughout (Israeli) normalization relations with Arab countries." "The American administration is exploiting the normalization agreements between Israel and the Arab countries to win extremists' votes at the expense of the Palestinian cause," al-Maliki noted. He affirmed that the Palestinian position is "unchangeable and strict, which totally rejects normalization with Israel before the end of the Israeli military occupation of the Palestinian territories." Al-Maliki's remarks came one day before Washington sponsors the signing ceremony of peace agreements between the United Arab Emirates and Israel, Bahrain and Israel. The Palestinians rejected U.S. President Donald Trump's peace plan in the Middle East, also known as "the Deal of the Century," considering it as a conspiracy to eliminate the Palestinian cause. Chinese navy escorts Indian oil tanker in dangerous waters amid strained ties Global Times By Guo Yuandan Source: Global Times Published: 2020/9/14 23:25:16 The Chinese navy on Saturday successfully escorted an Indian oil tanker carrying 31 Indian crew members to a designated sea area in the Gulf of Aden and received a thank-you note from the tanker's captain, the Global Times learned on Monday. The escort came amid the recently strained diplomatic ties between China and India on the border dispute. The 35th fleet of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy successfully escorted three foreign merchant ships, including Indian Crude Oil Tanker "MT Desh Gaurav," Panamanian Chemical Tanker "Rabigh Sunshine" and Marshall Islands Bulk Carrier "Pan Clover," to their destinations on Saturday after a two-day journey. The Desh Gaurav left Ras Gharib port in Egypt, sailed eastward through the Gulf of Aden and returned to Vadinar in India. The ship had a safety capsule but no security personnel on board, forcing them to apply for an escort from the Chinese navy. The Gulf of Aden is known as the most dangerous waters in the world for pirate attacks. Yang Aibin, chief of staff of the escort taskforce, said that the Chinese navy sent guided-missile destroyer Taiyuan to escort foreign ships along the way, and the other two Chinese vessels Jingzhou and Chaohu were waiting in a certain sea area to provide regional escort for passing ships. "As the captain, this is the second time I have sailed through the Gulf of Aden. A few days ago, when I was sailing westwards, I applied for a Chinese naval escort for the first time, accompanied by the frigate named Jingzhou," the Indian captain told the naval escort translator Cai Lingong. The captain said that although he has never been to China, the Chinese naval escort taskforce has been providing "safe and efficient" escort operations year after year, which are admirable and trustworthy. Tensions have been high in the China-India border since June, when Chinese and Indian border troops clashed in the Galwan Valley. Qian Feng, director of the research department at the National Strategy Institute of Tsinghua University in Beijing, told the Global Times that the convoy fully demonstrates the magnanimity of the Chinese military toward India, regardless of past rifts and current disputes. It also shows that the scope of China-India ties is broad, not just on the border dispute. The two countries still have a lot of common interests and great space for cooperation, said Qian. I hope that Indians who see China as a threat will feel the goodwill of the Chinese military at this particular time, and take their political views from the high and cold lands of the Himalayas to the open ocean. Only this way can we understand the true meaning of the saying that "Asia and the world are large enough to accommodate the simultaneous rise of China and India," said Qian. As of Saturday local time, the Chinese naval escort taskforce had completed 1,331 convoy missions of 6,824 ships, 3,557 of which are ships from foreign merchant and international organizations. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Advertisement The Sony World Photography Awards 2021 is open for business. And the organisers have revealed some of the stunning early submissions. Now in its 14th year, the Sony World Photography Awards 'celebrates the best contemporary photography from the past year' and 'gives vast exposure and opportunity to photographers worldwide'. The awards are split into four competitions - one for professionals, an open contest, a student contest and one for youths aged 12 to 19. The winners, which will be announced in April 2021, are selected by a panel of judges led by independent curator Mike Trow. The images presented here have all been entered into the open contest and include a powerful black-and-white shot of a lion, a foggy scene near Deer Park in Pembrokeshire, Wales, and a breathtaking picture of the Vestrahorn mountain in Iceland. Scroll down to see some of the early entries - proof that best certainly isn't being saved until last. This incredible photo was taken at 2am in the Austrian Alps by Da Fa and shows the beautiful Hochkonig group of mountains, which are 9,514ft (2,900 metres) tall at their highest point. It is an entry in the open competition's landscape category Australian photographer Lance Morgan entered this jaw-dropping image into the lifestyle category. It shows surfer Mikey Brennan riding a wave off Ship Stern Bluff in Tasmania. Photographer Lance says that storms with intense force brew in the Southern Ocean, whipping up gigantic swells in the area This dramatic image, called Storm in the Field, was snapped by Hungarian photographer Vatja Laszlo. It has been entered in the landscape category Amish Chhgan is the photographer behind this powerful black-and-white image of a lion, which he has entered into the natural world and wildlife category. Amish said: 'Lions are symbols of power and strength. This photo clearly depicts this through his intense pose, his magnificent mane and the deliberate tensing of his deltoids (evidently for this photoshoot!)' British photographer Dan Gerard was driving to work one morning when he spotted a silhouette that caught his eye on top of a dead tree. When he returned to the spot, he found this owl staring back at him. He explained: 'I pulled up on the grass verge, and managed to capture the intent glare as our eyes met.' The image is entered in the natural world and wildlife category This charming image of a proud male emperor penguin was snapped by British photographer Jack Evans while on patrol with the British army on the island of South Georgia - a British Overseas Territory in the southern Atlantic Ocean. The photo is in the natural world and wildlife category Both of these images are by American photographer Stephen Bay. On the left is a mesmerising photo of a rare bloom of bioluminescent algae illuminating the waves by Scripps Pier in La Jolla, California. It is entered in the landscape category. On the right is a stunning image of a full moon rising over the California Tower in Balboa Park, San Diego, which is entered in the architecture category Viktor Einar Vilhelmsson has entered this epic image of Iceland's Vestrahorn mountain in the landscape category. The Icelandic photographer described Vestrahorn as a 'beautiful mountain that is just by the sea' This serene scene of a farmer taking a nap among the flowers in a park was captured by Chinese photographer Jiangli Lou and is entered in the street photography category On the left is a beautiful image by photographer Tariqur Shaha. It shows rolling fog lifting to reveal the stunning cliffs near Deer Park in Pembrokeshire, Wales. It is entered in the landscape category. On the right is a stunning image by Dominique Weiss that she took in the Swiss Alps during lockdown. She says it shows the 'oppressiveness, gloominess and uncertainty that affected life'. However, she adds that the photo also shows 'elements of hope that represent light at the end of the tunnel'. It is an entry in the landscape category American photographer Jamie Malcolm-Brown is behind this shot of Portland Head Lighthouse in Maine and said: 'The thick fog had a burst of colour come through as the last bit of sun set in the west. It only lasted a few moments but created a unique view of the often-photographed lighthouse.' It is an entry in the landscape category This incredible photo was snapped by Romanian photographer Agota Kadar and shows the view towards cranes at Hamburg's cargo terminal from a former vintage docklands building revitalized and today used for offices. It is an entry in the architecture category A mesmerising aerial shot of a woman drying fish at Long Hai fish market in Vietnam snapped by Khanh Phan. It is an entry in the travel category The World Health Organization (WHO) reported Monday a record one-day high of 307,930 new cases of COVID-19. According to all COVID-19 tracking dashboards, the globe is soon set to surpass 30 million infections. The United States, Brazil, and India have remained at the epicenter of the global pandemic for several weeks running, accounting for the majority of daily new cases. The Worldometer COVID-19 dashboard estimates there have been almost 930,000 deaths in little more than eight months since the first victim died on January 11 in Wuhan, a 61-year-old-man who was a regular customer at the now infamous wet market. The seven-day moving average of daily deaths has exceeded 5,000 since mid-July, meaning that in approximately two weeks, the total number of deaths worldwide will exceed one million. Nurses and physicians on a COVID-19 unit in Texas [Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr.] The crude global case fatality rate (total deaths divided by total cases) stands at an astounding 3.18 percent. However, this also doesnt account for the excess deaths that have been consistently reported in almost every country, which would put the mortality much higher. There is no legitimate debate either over the deadliness of this contagion or the warnings of epidemiologists and other medical scientists that societys resources must be fully mobilized to contain and suppress this pandemic. The predictions for the next several months are dire. If the working classes of every nation do not resist the policy of herd immunity that the ruling classes have thoroughly implemented to ensure the economy is operating at full speed, it will only accelerate the toll in lives and health. It is more than six months since President Trump admitted to Bob Woodward, the senior Washington Post reporter, after his conversation with Chinese President Xi Jinping, This is deadly stuff. Its also more deadly than even your strenuous flu this is five percent [case fatality rate] versus one percent and less than one percent. Global case fatality rate (Credit: Our World in Data) As the WSWS noted, this conspiracy to hide the deadly nature of the pandemic involved Trumps cabinet, the Democrats and Republicans in Congress, and the media establishment. It is obvious as well that China provided similar warnings to European leaders, whose deceptive rhetoric and malign actions are nearly identical with those of the United States. The US is poised to surpass 200,000 deaths before the week's end, which, in raw numbers, exceeds the number of American deaths in World War I, the Korean War and Vietnam combined. By the end of this year, according to a conservative projection by the University of Washington, that figure could reach 410,000, the equivalent of total US combat deaths in World War II. Despite these harrowing figures, Trump declares that the country has turned the corner on the pandemic, a remark that will find a place in history alongside light at the end of the tunnel during the Vietnam War, or George W. Bushs boast of Mission Accomplished, three months into the US invasion and occupation of Iraq. Cumulative global cases of COVID-19 (Credit: Our World in Data) As for the Democrats, their presidential candidate hopes to profit politically from Trumps colossal failure and obvious indifference. But Democratic governors are carrying out the same policies at the state level, promoting the reopening of factories and other workplaces, and the back-to-school campaign that has already touched off a new wave of illness and death. And in Congress, both capitalist parties demonstrate their callousness toward the tens of millions who have been thrown out of work by the impact of the pandemic. Federal supplemental unemployment benefits expired on July 31 for 20 million workers, and neither the Democrats nor the Republicans have lifted a finger to assist themafter they moved heaven and earth to pass legislation that gave a $3 trillion bailout to the big corporations and banks. The real concern of all sections of the political establishment is the mounting resistance among workers and youth to the policy of herd immunity, under which the majority of the population will be infected and millions will die or suffer major and potentially lifelong damage to their health. The focal point is now the struggle over the reopening of K-12 education and colleges, where strikes have broken out despite the effort of the unions to subordinate all actions of workers to the presidential campaign of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. Cumulative global deaths due to COVID-19 (Credit: Our World in Data) While the Democrats rely on the unions to suppress the working class, the Trump administration is turning to the open use of force. Trump himself has hailed the police execution of Michael Reinoehl, a left-wing protester against police violence, and defended the ultra-right gunman who killed two Black Lives Matter protesters in Kenosha, Wisconsin. He has repeatedly threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act of 1807 and call out the military against political opponents. In a further sign of the fascistic tendencies erupting from the Trump administration, a longtime political operative, Michael Caputo, recently installed as Assistant Secretary of Health and Human Services for Public Affairs, the top communications job in that department, claimed Sunday that there was a resistance unit of scientists inside the Centers for Disease Control and Preventionthe main federal disease-fighting organizationwho were engaged in sedition against President Trump. Caputos seemingly deranged remarks came in a video he hosted live on his personal Facebook page, reported by the New York Times and then confirmed by Caputo in an interview with the Washington Post. The diatribe was apparently set off by media criticism of Caputos role in doctoring reports by the CDC and HHS on the impact of the coronavirus pandemic to make Trumps role look better. A former Trump employee in various business ventures, Caputo had no background in health care when he was appointed in April, in the midst of the global pandemic, to oversee HHS communications about the public health crisis. In the course of his video, Caputo claimed that the shooting of a right-wing counterdemonstrator in Portland, Oregon last month was a drill in preparation for widespread left-wing violence against Trump and his supporters. He predicted that Trump would win the election, that his Democratic opponent Joe Biden would not concede, and that armed insurrection would be prepared. And when Donald Trump refuses to stand down at the inauguration, the shooting will begin, he said. If you carry guns, buy ammunition, ladies and gentlemen, because its going to be hard to get. He went on to say that he himself felt physically threatened, and that his mental health has definitely failed. Even before he was appointed to the top public relations job at HHS, Caputo had tweeted, on March 11, For the Democrat 2020 victory strategy to work, 100,000+ Americans have to die. It was the reopening of the US economy, promoted by Trump and carried out at the urging of governors of both parties, that drove the death toll well above that number before the end of May. The homicidal policy of the US ruling elite in the coronavirus pandemic and the emergence of fascistic tendencies within the Trump administration are interconnected phenomena. American capitalism is plunging into the abyss, facing intractable social, economic and political crises for which no section of the ruling elite has any solution. As the Socialist Equality Party declared in its recent statement on the COVID-19 crisis: India has been elected as a member of the United Nation's Commission on Status of Women, a body of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), said TS Tirumurti, permanent representative of India to the United Nations, on Monday (local time). Taking to Twitter, Tirumurti said, "India wins seat in prestigious ECOSOC body! India elected member of Commission on Status of Women (CSW). It's a ringing endorsement of our commitment to promote gender equality and women's empowerment in all our endeavours. We thank member states for their support." India, Afghanistan and China had contested the elections to the Commission on Status of Women. Even as India and Afghanistan won the ballot among the 54 members, China could not cross the half-way mark. This year is the 25th anniversary of the famous Beijing World Conference on Women (1995). India will be a member of United Nation's Commission on Status of Women for four years, 2021 to '25. (ANI) Also Read: Pakistan PM calls for public hanging, chemical castration of rapists 3. Jesus did not replace any of the old laws. Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them (Matthew 5:17). The Old Testament and the New Testament combined provide the complete story of our salvation. Jesus teaching seemed radical to the listening disciples, but He wasnt re-inventing the proverbial wheel. They were missing so much of the complete picture, it was hard for them to wrap their minds around what Jesus was saying. They were used to religion, and all of the rules they had learned to follow their entire lives in order to be counted worthy of God. Now Jesus was adding the rest of the story and it may have seemed too good to be true! The words of this sermon, wrote John Foster for Life, Hope and Truth, are as relevant today as they were when Christ spoke them! We submit the authority of our lives to Christ and let His goodness and love flow through us. In Christ we become new creations. 4. Jesus spoke directly to our anxious hearts. Do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? (Matthew 6:25). True form to the Author of our hearts, Jesus must have sensed the level of panic amidst His listeners. No one could live up to these standards! And that was His point. He points his followers beyond the basics of human existence that can consume the natural mind, especially when food and drink and clothing become scarce, wrote David Mathis for Desiring God. However, if we know the Father, we know how he cares for his creatures and, all the more, his image-bearers. In addition, regarding the things we worry about and compare our lives to at times our looks and our stuff, and even the more basic necessities like food and shelter He instructs us not to worry about these things. When we follow Jesus, we put our trust in who He is, not what we are capable of. God is our Provider, Defender, and Creator. He is faithful and compassionate. There is nothing we could ever do could lose His love. 5. The Sermon on the Mount revealed Jesus authority. And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes (Matthew 7:28-29). Jesus, God made flesh to dwell among us, undeniably revealed more of His identity as He preached the Sermon on the Mount. Matthew Henry explained in his commentary The multitudes were astonished at the wisdom and power of Christs doctrine. And this sermon, ever so often read over, is always new. Every word proves its Author to be Divine. Jesus spoke with an authority they had not previously witnessed. And to this day, when we hear or read this sermon, we can feel the authority by which Christ spoke, not just to those who sat in immediate proximity to Him at the time, but for generations to come. He spoke for us, too, rich wisdom to ease our minds and motivate our souls to action for the glory of God the Father. Christ, Himself, lived in obedience to the Father, to bring glory to the Father. We are created and purposed to do the same. Photo credit: Getty Images/Utah778 The United States has blocked four companies and a manufacturing facility in northwestern China from shipping their products to the country because of their alleged dependence on forced labour from Uighurs and other Muslim minorities detained in the Xinjiang region. US Customs and Border Protection issued orders on September 14 freezing imports from companies that produce cotton, clothing and computer parts in the Xinjiang region of northwestern China. In a statement, the US Customs and Border Protection said, "The products subject to the Withhold Release Orders (WRO) are produced with state-sponsored forced labour in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, where the Chinese government is engaged in systemic human rights abuses against the Uyghur people and other ethnic and religious minorities." CBP also halted imports of hair products made at a manufacturing facility where authorities believe Uighurs and other ethnic minorities are forced to work. Ken Cuccinelli, the acting deputy secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), said that the "re-education internment camp, which provides labour to manufacturing entities in Xinjiang, is portrayed as Vocational Skills Education and Training Center by Chinese authorities. By taking this action, DHS is combating illegal and inhumane forced labour, a type of modern slavery, used to make goods that the Chinese government then tries to import into the United States, said Cuccinelli. China is accused of mass detentions, religious persecution and forced sterilisation of Uighurs and others in the resource-rich northwestern province. The US issued the orders under the 1930 Tariff Act, which prohibits imports produced with prison or slave labour to ensure fair competition with US manufacturers and keep tainted products out of the supply chain. Acting CBP Commissioner Mark Morgan said US businesses need to do extreme diligence when acquiring goods from overseas, especially China and other places with a history of using forced labour. We will not stand idly by and allow foreign companies to subject vulnerable workers to forced labour while harming American businesses that respect human rights and the rule of law, Morgan said. In July, the US Commerce Department had added 11 Chinese companies implicated in connection with China's treatment of its Uighurs in Xinjiang in western China to the US economic blacklist. The department said the companies were involved in using forced labour by Uighurs and other Muslim minority groups. Uighurs are Turkic Muslims, who are an officially recognised as a minority community residing in Xinjiang region of China. The population of Uighurs is estimated at around 11 million, who have alleged that China is indulging in "Ethnic genocide" of the community in detention camps across the region. (With inputs from agencies) Stetson University, Carlton Union Building Multiple national recognitions are a testament to Stetsons innovation and the dedicated work of staff and faculty. Stetson University has moved up a notch to No. 4 on U.S. News & World Reports 2021 Best Colleges list of Best Regional Universities South, released today. In addition, Stetson appears on four additional lists in the same category: Best for Veterans, No. 2; Best Undergraduate Teaching, No. 8 (tie); Best Value Schools, No. 15; Most Innovative Universities, No. 16 (tie). There are 133 universities in this category and the overall ranking of No. 4 is a tie with Berry University in Georgia. Stetson emphasizes active learning with a low undergraduate student-teacher ratio of 13:1. Sixty-two percent of classes have fewer than 20 students and only one percent of classes have 50 or more students. Fifty-six percent of first-year students finished in the top quarter of their high school graduating class. Schools in the Regional Universities category are defined by U.S. News & World Report as offering a full range of undergraduate programs and some masters programs but few doctoral programs. Stetson offers masters degrees in business, education and counseling. In February, U.S. News & World Report ranked Stetson University College of Law No. 1 for Trial Advocacy, and No. 3 for Legal Writing in the United States. Stetson has been ranked the top law school for Trial Advocacy 22 times in 26 years, and has consistently ranked among the top six legal writing programs since the inception of the Legal Writing rankings in 2005. Multiple national recognitions are a testament to Stetsons innovation and the dedicated work of staff and faculty. Stetson University also has been named a top university by Princeton Reviews 2021 Top 386 Colleges, Moneys Best Colleges and Forbes Americas Top Colleges. About Stetson University Founded in 1883, Stetson University is the oldest private university in Central Florida. Stetson focuses on intense learning experiences in a supportive community that allows students to develop their voice in a connected, inclusive environment. Stetson University ranks No. 4 on U.S. News & World Reports 2021 list of Best Regional Universities (South), and has been recognized as one of The Princeton Reviews 386 Best Colleges, 2021 edition. Stay connected with Stetson on social media. LEUVEN, Belgium and STAMFORD, Conn., Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- LindaCare announces the appointment of Donald Deyo to Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the LindaCare NV. Deyo has served as Chairman of the Board for the Company since 2017. LindaCare is a digital health company specializing in integrated remote cardiac monitoring software and services. The Company offers Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) and Monitoring-as-a-Service (Maas) alternatives, based on its flagship OnePulse remote monitoring platform, to meet the needs of health systems, hospitals and private practices. This appointment reflects the Company's ongoing investment in the US in coordination with its expanding business in Europe, Australia and Africa. Deyo, a former Medtronic executive, brings extensive experience to lead the Company through this global growth stage. In addition to LindaCare, Deyo serves on the board of Nyxoah S.A., which recently announced an IPO on EuroNext Brussels. Departing CEO Shahram Sharif remains involved as Founder and Executive Board Director. Sharif will guide new business development and strategic initiatives that leverage the Company's platform. Deyo commented on the appointment saying, "The global pandemic has reinforced the urgent need for remote care of cardiac device patients. Convenient, accessible and cost-effective care is the expectation, not the exception. LindaCare is experiencing rapid growth as we step forward to meet this need. I thank Shahram for his leadership to bring the Company to this stage and am honored to be entrusted with taking it to the next level." Sharif added, "The founding team has realized our vision for creating a platform to care for millions of cardiac device patients around the world. From the beginning, we were determined to improve the professional lives of physicians and nurses, and the patients for whom they provide care. I am pleased to pass the baton to someone with the experience and connections of Don as we expand our reach around the globe." About LindaCare LindaCare NV and LindaCare, Inc specialize in developing and providing advanced remote digital health solutions for chronic disease. The initial focus of LindaCare is patients with heart failure (HF) and cardiac arrhythmia, equipped with Cardiac Implanted Electronic Devices (CIED) for Cardiac Rhythm Management (CRM). The solution will subsequently be extended to other chronic disease domains integrating a wide range of remotely monitored medical devices. www.LindaCare.com SOURCE LindaCare Related Links www.LindaCare.com Lok Sabha clears bill to amend Essential Commodities Act; NDA ally SAD opposes India pti-Madhuri Adnal New Delhi, Sep 15: The Lok Sabha on Tuesday passed the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill, 2020, which seeks to deregulate food items, including cereals, pulses and onion, with opposition parties describing the measure as anti-farmer and NDA ally Shiromani Akali Dal opposing changes in the law. The amendment is aimed at transforming the farm sector and raising farmers' income, the government has said. Responding to the debate, Minister of State for Consumer Affairs Raosaheb Patil Danve said the change in the law will help improve income of farmers and strengthen agriculture infrastructure in the country. It will also help in attracting private investment in the sector, he said, adding that it seeks to support the government's resolve to double farmers income by 2022. Lok Sabha passes bill to cut salaries of MPs by 30 per cent The minister said that there were apprehensions that food prices may go up during the COVID period due to lockdown and supply disruptions, but the government took several steps to keep prices in check. He cited measures like free foodgrain distribution to 80 crore poor people through the PDS system and procurement of grains by giving relaxations to mandis during the lockdown. Participating in the debate, Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal, an ally of the ruling BJP, spoke about "misgivings" and "doubts" among farmers on the bill and two other proposed legislations related to the farm sector. Badal said when these ordinances were discussed in the Union Cabinet, the partys representative, Harsimrat Kaur Badal, had raised objections and voiced concerns, and had requested that the measures put off. Harsimrat Kaur Badal is Union Food Processing Minister in the Modi government. "The party's legacy cannot and will not be compromised or diluted, no matter what price we have to pay," Badal said while speaking in Punjabi in Lok Sabha. He later opposed the bill which was passed by a voice vote. The Centre should withhold these legislations and work to address the concerns of farmers, he said. Govt introduces five bills in Rajya Sabha on first day of Monsoon session Farmers in many states, including Punjab and Haryana, have been protesting against these bills. The government has already brought ordinances, and the bills seek parliamentary nod for them. Amar Singh (Congress) called it anti-farmers and anti-poor. Trinamool Congress' Saugata Roy and Kalyan Banerjee also opposed the bill and accused the Centre of taking away the power of states. "I don't understand what was the hurry of bringing the ordinance," Roy said and claimed the legislation will benefit big traders, while farmers would be left in the lurch. "It will give big corporates entry into the space of farmers," the TMC leader said. D M Kathir Anand of the DMK also opposed the bill, while Kaushalendra Kumar of the JD(U) supported it, saying the proposed legislation will benefit farmers as they won't have to sell their agriculture produce at lower prices. BJP member P P Chaudhary said the legislation will not only benefit farmers but also consumers and described it as a visionary step and the biggest reform in the agriculture sector. Sanjeev Kumar Singari of the YSRCP welcomed the bill, saying farmers need better prices for their agriculture produce. BJD's Bhartruhari Mahtab was of the view that state interference in every stage is not a smart idea. "Agriculture markets are over-regulated by outdated laws. India has now become surplus in most agriculture commodities but still there is very less investment in cold storage facilities," Mahtab said. The government has to safeguard the interest of farmers, he noted. Mahtab also suggested that the government do away with export restrictions in the agriculture sector. Kunwar Danish Ali (BSP) termed the bill as anti-farmers, and said it will benefit the middle man. He alleged that the Modi government wants to privatise PSUs to benefit big industrialists. "This bill is intended to give licence to hoarders," Ali alleged. Michigan reported 1,088 new cases of coronavirus Monday, Sept. 14, which also includes numbers for Sunday, Sept. 13 The state reported 10 new deaths over the two-day period. In other coronavirus news, Ingham County ordered a mandatory quarantine for 23 Greek Life houses near Michigan State Universitys campus; Michigan school and college outbreaks have infected more than 1,400 students and staff so far; and Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos called online-only schooling a tragedy for kids and urged in-person learning. Heres the latest on how the coronavirus pandemic is impacting people across the state: Michigan reports 1,088 new coronavirus cases for Sunday and Monday, Sept. 13-14 Health officials recommend looking at seven-day moving averages to evaluate data trends during the pandemic. The state is now averaging 737 new cases, compared to an average of 699 a week ago. The seven-day average of deaths has stayed the same at eight deaths a day. Since the start of the pandemic, Michigan has confirmed 111,524 confirmed of COVID-19 and 6,591 deaths. There also are another 11,534 probable cases and 320 probable deaths. As of Sept. 14, there are 592 adult hospital in-patients with confirmed or suspected coronavirus, which includes 386 with confirmed COVID-19. There also are three children in pediatric units with confirmed coronavirus and five with suspected COVID. Of tests included in Mondays report, 794 -- or 2.5% -- of 31,619 came back positive for the virus. Twenty-two of the states 83 counties reported no new cases on Monday. Ingham County orders mandatory quarantine for 23 Greek houses near MSU campus Concerned about a potential crisis on campus, Ingham County has ordered a mandatory quarantine for people living in 23 fraternity and sorority houses and seven large rental houses near Michigan State University. The quarantine means no one living in those houses may leave for the next two weeks unless they are seeking medical care or supplies that cannot be delivered to the house. The order comes as the number of COVID-19 cases on college campuses across the state continues to rise. On Saturday, Ingham County Heath Officer Linda Vail urged all students living locally to self-quarantine for two weeks as MSU has seen a rise in cases recently. I do not take this lightly, but there is an outbreak centered on Michigan State University (MSU) and it is quickly becoming a crisis, Vail said in a statement. "The surge in cases we have seen over the past few weeks is alarming. I am disheartened to add that this outbreak is being fueled in part by a lack of cooperation and compliance from some MSU students, many residing in the properties now under mandatory quarantine. We must contain COVID-19 cases; however, within the MSU community we have been unable to do so with comprehensive contact tracing so other means of disease containment are necessary. Vail believes the surge has been caused by a lack of cooperation from students. All classes at the college are being held online in an effort to keep students from gathering together, but the virus is still spreading around campus. As of Saturday, at least 342 people affiliated with MSU have tested positive for COVID-19 since Aug. 24. That represents an increase in positive cases of 52% in that time. Michigan school and college outbreaks infect more than 1,400 students and staff so far, state reports More than 1,400 Michigan students and school staff have been infected by coronavirus so far through school-related outbreaks, according to data released Monday by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. That includes 33 students and staff at outbreaks in 11 schools serving preschoolers through high school. The bulk of the cases -- 1,379 -- involve outbreaks on or around 16 college campuses. A COVID-19 outbreak is defined as two or more cases with a link by place and time indicating a shared exposure outside of a household. The states report reflects numbers collected on Thursday, Sept. 10. It identified five clusters at K-12 schools and six in college communities newly identified last week. There were also six K-12 clusters and 10 college outbreaks identified earlier but that had at least one additional case last week. Betsy DeVos calls online-only schools a tragedy for kids, urges in-person learning U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos acknowledged there is no one size fits all approach when it comes to schools reopening amid the coronavirus pandemic but she believes its vital for all school leaders to come up with a plan to bring students back into the classroom for in-person learning. Schools should be prepared to go back to school in-person, and that should be an option because we know for many families, thats the right choice for their children, she said in a press conference following a visit Monday to a school in Grand Rapids. We know that for every community, for every school building, the exact template will look slightly different, so we will continue to provide support and urge local leaders to do what they need to do. What we have been doing from day one is supporting states and school districts with as much flexibility as were able to grant under law from the federal level. DeVos, who has been vocal in her support of schools reopening for face-to-face classes during the pandemic, met with teachers and students at Sacred Heart Academy in Grand Rapids Monday, Sept. 14, to learn how the school has been able to reopen safely, hoping other schools across the country will follow suit. COVID-19 PREVENTION TIPS In addition to washing hands regularly and not touching your face, officials recommend practicing social distancing, assuming anyone may be carrying the virus. Health officials say you should be staying at least 6 feet away from others and working from home, if possible. Use disinfecting wipes or disinfecting spray cleaners on frequently-touched surfaces in your home (door handles, faucets, countertops) and carry hand sanitizer with you when you go into places like stores. Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has also issued executive orders requiring people to wear face coverings over their mouth and nose while in public indoor and crowded outdoor spaces. See an explanation of what that means here. Additional information is available at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus and CDC.gov/Coronavirus. For more data on COVID-19 in Michigan, click here. Read more on MLive: Detroit to LA flight delayed after passenger refuses mask Look up the average salary for your job and 740 other jobs in Michigan Monday, Sept. 14, coronavirus data by Michigan county: Ingham, Houghton now red; Ferris outbreak pushes Mecosta to orange The Naked City podcast will take a journey into the dark depths of the Australian criminal underworld. In this series you will hear recordings of some of Australia's most dangerous criminals, all of whom have been remarkably frank in their recollections. If one moment marks the beginning of the time when police learnt their uniforms could make them a deadly target, it was the routine search for a factory burglar in the Melbourne suburb of Cheltenham. The offender was Bulgarian army deserter Pavel Vasilof Marinoff, who would soon be dubbed Mad Max. When he was pulled over by police for questioning, Marinoff had no intention of being arrested. He had built a firing range in his basement to prepare for just such a confrontation and planned to shoot his way out if he was ever cornered. Chinese investment in Australia almost halved in 2019, new data released Monday showed, as relations between the two countries deteriorated. Researchers from the Australian National University said Chinese investment Down Under plunged from Aus$4.8 billion (US$3.5 billion) to just Aus$2.5 billion last year. Professor Peter Drysdale, who led the data research, said the Aus$1.43 billion purchase of infant formula producer Bellamy's Australia by China's Mengniu Dairy accounted for more than half of that investment. It was the third consecutive year that Chinese investment in Australia dropped since peaking at Aus$15.8 billion in 2016. The steep fall far outpaced a global decline in China's overseas ventures of 9.8 percent last year, reflecting the bilateral political tensions, Drysdale said. "(In) the last few years, clearly Chinese investors have found the investment environment in Australia less certain and have been more cautious about undertaking investment in Australia," he told AFP. In June, Australia announced tougher measures to block or overturn new foreign investments deemed to compromise national security -- a move widely viewed as an effort to limit growing Chinese influence. The country has barred Chinese telecoms giant Huawei from being a major player in its 5G rollout owing to concerns about its relationship with state security agencies, a decision that riled Beijing. Drysdale said structural changes were also partly to blame, with Chinese investors retreating from mining and resources as the commodity boom weakened. While Chinese investment in Australian real estate and agriculture also fell in 2019, the ANU researchers found some "modest gains" in the construction, education and finance sectors. Drysdale said it was important for Australia to consider how to reverse the "continuing downward trend" due to the key role of foreign investment in supporting economic growth and trade. Story continues "Whether that can be changed quickly or not is another question altogether because it very much depends on how purposeful (an) approach there is to mending the relationship between the two countries," he said. Sino-Australian relations have nosedived in recent months after a series of diplomatic clashes. Beijing was particularly infuriated by Canberra's role in international calls for a probe into the origins of the coronavirus pandemic, which emerged in the Chinese city of Wuhan. China -- Australia's biggest trade partner -- has since imposed tariffs on Australian products from beef to barley and has discouraged Chinese students and tourists from heading Down Under. hr/dm/axn A top Trump administration health official has accused career government scientists of plotting against Donald Trump, as he encouraged the presidents supporters to arm themselves for the upcoming November election. Health and Human Services (HHS) Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Michael Caputo said without evidence that health experts with the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) were harbouring a resistance unit to the president during a Facebook Live on Sunday, The New York Times reported. In his Facebook Live, Mr Caputo claimed career scientists of "havent gotten out of their sweatpants except for meetings at coffee shops to plot how theyre going to attack Donald Trump, according to The New York Times. There are scientists who work for this government who do not want America to get well, not until after Joe Biden is president, he added, accusing these experts of sedition. The CDC typically runs as an apolitical organisation with experts whove worked under multiple administrations. Its headquarters, located in Atlanta, Georgia, help the organisation stay away from the political bubble that is Washington DC. No one with the organisation was mentioned by Mr Caputo except CDC Director Dr Robert Redfield. [Dr Redfield] is one of my closest friends in Washington, Mr Caputo said. Hes such a good man. Mr Caputos comments, which were made in a private event on his personal Facebook page to 5,000 friends, came after it was reported by Politico on Friday that top HHS appointees were interfering with the publication of CDC reports about the coronavirus pandemic. Top House Democrats have now launched an investigation into the claims. Mr Caupto also claimed during his Facebook Live that Mr Trump would win the presidential election in November but that Democratic candidate Joe Biden would be unlikely to concede. "When Donald Trump refuses to stand down at the inauguration, the shooting will begin, he said. If you carry guns, buy ammunition, ladies and gentlemen, because its going to be hard to get. Besides claiming officials in the CDC were working against the president, Mr Caupto also said his familys safety was at risk. You understand that theyre going to have to kill me, and unfortunately, I think thats where this is going, Mr. Caputo said. In a statement, HHS called Mr Caputo a critical, integral part of the presidents coronavirus response, leading on public messaging as Americans need public health information to defeat the Covid-19 pandemic. Mr Caputo is a 2016 Trump campaign veteran and loyalist who was then made an HHS spokesperson by the president in April. None of the claims the spokesperson made came with proof of actual sedition within the CDC, but it followed in the footsteps of claims the president has pushed in recent months. In August, the president accused members of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of being in the deep state and working against his administration on coronavirus therapeutics and vaccine development. FDA Commissioner Dr Stephen Hahn denied the accusations. Mr Caupto told The New York Times that he and his family have been continually threatened since joining the administration. This weighs heavily on us, and we deeply appreciate the friendship and support of President Trump as we address these matters and keep our children safe, he added. But he vowed to stay in his government position and assist the Trump administration. Im not going anywhere I swear to God, as God is my witness, I am not stopping. Syracuse, N.Y. The world is looking for answers on indoor air quality. Thanks to the coronavirus pandemic, nearly everyone has a newfound interest in how to make buildings safe from an invisible airborne menace. Thats a challenge tailor-made for the Syracuse Center of Excellence, a state-funded $41 million research facility where indoor air quality is a core mission. But the centers contributions to the war on coronavirus have been modest thus far. Despite its world-class labs, the center has fallen short of promises that it would make Syracuse a worldwide leader in indoor environmental technology. They built a beautiful building there,' said former U.S. Rep. James Walsh. But the output didnt register.' Walsh, who directed millions in federal research funds to the Center of Excellence before he retired in 2009, said he was disappointed the center has not made more of an impact. I wanted them to be world-beaters,' he said. Theres still time, say leaders at the Center of Excellence. They see the coronavirus pandemic as an opportunity to shine. The Syracuse center was launched in 2003 as part of former Gov. George Patakis program to build research-and-development centers attached to major universities. It operated virtually until its headquarters on East Washington Street was completed in 2010. This could change all of Central New York and indeed, all the globe, Pataki predicted in 2002 when he announced the plans for the Syracuse center. Patakis strategy was build-it-and-they-will-come. The state did not guarantee ongoing funding for research. Walshs federal earmarks for research projects stopped coming before the centers building was completed in 2010. After that, research money got scarce. Congress put an end to earmarks, and the research grants that were available increasingly favored energy research over indoor air quality. The coronavirus is likely to change that. Researchers and business leaders affiliated with the Center of Excellence say this could be the moment when Central New York starts building the reputation it has long sought as the Silicon Valley of indoor air quality. Vinny Lobdell, president of Oswego County-based HealthWay Family of Brands, is a believer. Sales of HealthWays air-cleaning equipment, some of which was tested at the Center of Excellence, have increased tenfold since the pandemic took hold last spring, Lobdell said. HealthWay just closed a deal to sell 10,000 air purifiers to the New York City school system. That overnight success' was 30 years in the making and was ignited by the pandemic, Lobdell said. Last year, before clean indoor air seemed like a life-and-death matter, building managers were reluctant to buy the same equipment that is now flying out of HealthWays plants. They would rather spend money on a new plasma TV or wrapping their bookshelf in mahogany than spending it on air quality,' Lobdell said. It simply moved from a nice thing to have to a must-have. He envisions a similar turnaround for the Center of Excellence. He said it has the facilities and the expertise to shape the technology for indoor environmental quality for years to come. And now the world is paying attention. The Center of Excellence was ahead of its time,' he said. Money for a building, but not for research The selection of Syracuse for a center of excellence one of the states first -- was influenced by the presence of air conditioning giant Carrier Corp. and other local companies with expertise in indoor environmental technology. On the academic side, the potential was enhanced by Syracuse University experts, especially engineering professor Jianshun Jensen Zhang, an expert on indoor air quality. The state spent hundreds of millions to build centers of excellence around the state there are now 14 but left it up to the local leaders to find money for research. The state budget typically includes about $1 million a year for the Syracuse center to pay staff salaries and other operating expenses. Money for research was supposed to come from a mix of federal and corporate grants. That went well at first. By 2007, Walsh had secured $32 million in federal grants for research and development connected to the Center of Excellence. But Walsh retired in 2009 after 20 years, and by 2011 Congress had effectively banned earmarks. Initially called the Center of Excellence in Environmental Systems, the center broadened its mandate in 2004 by adding Energy to its name. That increased grant opportunities. During the past decade, government funding for indoor air quality has receded, taking a backseat to concerns about energy efficiency and alternative fuels, said SU engineering professor Ed Bogucz, the founding director of the Syracuse center. Bogucz left the directors post last year to return to teaching. If you walk through the Center of Excellence today, youll see a wide range of research, little of which is focused on indoor air quality. In one lab, researchers are working to create building materials from mushrooms. In another, they test fuel cells. Nearby is a large space that is now devoted to drone research. Interim director Eric Schiff said the center has had to be opportunistic' about where to focus its attention. The facilitys anchor lab, the Carrier Total Indoor Environmental Quality (TIEQ) lab, has its own heating and ventilation system and takes up the better part of two floors in the five-story building. It is currently being used for a study aimed at finding more energy-efficient ways to control heating, lighting and ventilation. Zhang, the indoor air quality expert, said the Center of Excellence has world-class facilities that could be used to control the coronavirus. Besides the TIEQ lab, Syracuse has other unique facilities, including a cleanroom-type lab in Link Hall, that are ideal for learning about how small particles like viruses can be controlled. To date, those facilities have been underused because of a lack of funding and manpower, he said. But Syracuse University recently hired more faculty for indoor environmental systems. And the pandemic offers an opportunity to ramp up research, he said. Ten years ago, we already established a state-of-art research facility,' Zhang said. For the last 10 years, I think we havent had enough manpower faculty and students to make use of the full capacity of the facility. Now I think we are at the point, there are more opportunities open to us.' Something thats come back to life There are signs of change at the Center of Excellence spurred by the pandemic. One of the most promising, says Schiff, is the renewed interest from Carrier in doing research in Syracuse. Thats one example of something thats come back to life that were excited about,' Schiff said. Although Carrier paid $1.5 million to help build the TIEQ lab, it hasnt pursued many research projects there. (A notable exception was a 2014 study led by Harvard University on the effects that carbon dioxide levels in the office have on the cognitive performance of workers, paid for by Carriers parent company, United Technologies.) Carrier this year separated from United Technologies, becoming a stand-alone corporation for the first time in 41 years. Schiff said that is expected to increase the Center of Excellences opportunity to collaborate with Carrier, which still has research and development facilities in DeWitt. We havent been actively collaborating on too many projects with them,' Schiff said. There are now active collaborations that have been initiated in the last year.' Small steps in response to virus In several ways, the center has pivoted away from its routine to respond to the coronavirus. Twice a year the center offers small grants to startup companies, paid for out of fees from member companies. This year, the facility is offering a handful of grants of up to $10,000 each for companies to work on innovations that address Covid-19. Applications are due this month. The center typically hosts in-person academic research conferences. Instead, this year the center has begun hosting webinars aimed at non-specialists to provide tips on ventilation, air filtration and other technology that can reduce virus spread indoors. The center has begun publishing short research briefs' to give the public practical, science-based tips about preventing virus transmission indoors. The first, published Aug. 21, discussed ventilation and mask-wearing in classrooms. More are planned. Two startup companies that rent space at the center have shifted their research because of Covid-19. Acumen Detection received a $20,000 grant from the center in February to refine its rapid test for mastitis, a disease affecting dairy cattle. Acumen quickly pivoted to use the grant to manufacture a rapid coronavirus test for humans. M3 Innovation , an LED lighting company, has incorporated ultraviolet lights into its product line to disinfect potentially contaminated areas. Long term, Schiff and other leaders at the Center of Excellence say they have much more aggressive goals. Zhang said he is talking with colleagues about pushing for the Center of Excellence to develop national standards to assess indoor environments for coronavirus risk. The center did something similar years ago when it helped establish metrics for measuring volatile organic compound emissions for furniture. Those metrics are now industry standards, he said. Schiff, a physics professor with expertise in semiconductors, is working with building manager Paul McCarthy and others to design a device capable of detecting coronavirus in the air. Long term, Syracuse has an opportunity to become a "thought leader' in technologies that address the threat of pandemics, Schiff said. One strong possibility is to collaborate with the SU architecture school on building designs that inhibit the spread of infectious disease. He predicted that the pandemic will change architecture. I see a nice opportunity for trying to change the way people think about offices and classrooms,' Schiff said. This is a pivotal time The challenge from coronavirus comes at a time of change for the Center of Excellence. Founding director Bogucz left the Center of Excellence last year, after 16 years at the wheel, to return to teaching. His interim replacement, SU engineering professor Laura Steinberg, left eight months later for a job at Boston College. Schiff took over in May. He said the search for a permanent director has been put on hold for now because of the pandemic. Like Lobdell, the HealthWay entrepreneur, researchers at the Center of Excellence are confident that worldwide concerns about indoor air quality will live on after the coronavirus dies down. Whether that puts Syracuse on the map remains to be seen. The Center of Excellence brings together respected scientists like Zhang, world-class laboratories, and a significant cluster of Central New York companies with expertise and a commercial interest in indoor air quality. Bogucz said there are more than 50 CNY companies that design, sell or manufacture indoor-air products and services. Thats a greater concentration of expertise than most communities have. But it has not generated the level of innovation that Walsh and other early supporters had hoped for. Yet,' added Bogucz. News tips? Contact reporter Tim Knauss of syracuse.com/The Post-Standard: email | Twitter | | 315-470-3023 Rhea and Showik had sought bail on the ground that the alleged quantity of drugs mentioned by the prosecution are small Bollywood actress Rhea Chakrabortys lawyer on Monday stated that they are not in a hurry to approach the Bombay high court for bail. He stated that they would approach the HC only after studying the order and its implications. Even if we get a copy of the order today, we are not in a hurry and moving immediately. We will study the order, its implications and developments in the case at the NCB level and then decide. Once it is filed we will share a copy of the bail application, said advocate Satish Maneshinde adding that there is no room for speculation. Special judge G.B. Gurao, presiding over the Narcotics Control Bureau court, on Friday had rejected bail applications of six persons, including Rhea and her brother Showik, in the drugs case linked with Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput death case. Rhea and Showik had sought bail on the ground that the alleged quantity of drugs mentioned by the prosecution are small and do not invite any non-bailable offence. Hence they should be granted bail. On the other hand, special public prosecutor Atul Sarpande opposed their pleas saying that the investigation into the case was still on and the bail applications are premature. He had also said they have been arrested for financing and procuring drugs. After hearing the arguments, the judge rejected the bail applications. As per order copy of Showiks bail application, special judge G.B. Gurao noted that even though the accused has claimed that no drugs were seized from him, as per section 27A of the NDPS Act no particular quantity is required to prove the offence. According to the judge, the investigation is at a preliminary stage. Commercial quantity of contraband ie. LSD was recovered from accused Anuj Keshwani. Hence, at this stage, from available record, it cannot be said that there are no reasonable grounds to connect the accused with the alleged crime. Thus, there is a bar under section 37 of the NDPS Act to release the accused on bail, observed the judge. A Taiwan bird protection group has been ejected from a global body because it refused to sign a statement saying it would never advocate for the island's independence A Taiwan bird protection group said Tuesday it has been kicked out of BirdLife International -- a global conservation partnership -- after refusing to sign a statement saying it would never advocate for the island's independence from China. The incident is the latest illustration of how businesses, charities and other organisations in democratic Taiwan find themselves frozen out of international bodies because of pressure by Beijing. The Taipei-based Chinese Wild Bird Federation (CWBF) said BirdLife International voted last week to remove it, ending a partnership that had been in place since 1996. CWBF said it was informed that its Chinese name -- which contains Taiwan's official title the Republic of China -- "posed a risk" to the UK-based BirdLife. The group, which had previously changed its English name to satisfy BirdLife, said it had been willing to accommodate further amendments, but was told to sign a document "formally committing to not promote or advocate the legitimacy of the Republic of China or the independence of Taiwan from China". CWBF said it had no stance on the matter, but that signing such a document would itself be a political act. "Our removal... seems to be an example of politics getting in the way of good conservation," CWBF said in a statement. China's authoritarian leaders view Taiwan as their territory and Beijing has ramped up pressure since voters brought President Tsai Ing-wen to power in 2016. It has poached seven of its diplomatic allies and kept it locked out of major international bodies such as the World Health Organization. Major hotel chains and airlines have also been punished by Beijing in recent years for listing Taiwan as separate from the mainland on their websites. Taiwan's foreign ministry spokeswoman Joanne Ou condemned Beijing for "interfering in and suppressing even conservation activities that contain no political implications." Story continues BirdLife did not respond to requests for comment on the matter. Britain's Telegraph newspaper quoted a BirdLife representative as saying it would be "inappropriate for us to comment publically on matters relating to, and interactions with, partner organisations". Richard Foster, a British freelance bird guide working in Taiwan, said he feared other international charity networks may come under similar pressure to eject their Taiwan partners. "It is very sad that practical, out of the limelight, cross-strait relationships -- focused purely on conservation -- will be damaged by this geopolitical bullying," he told AFP. aw/jta/rma BAKU, Azerbaijan, Sept. 15 By Elchin Mehdiyev Trend: The beginning of a new phase is observed in the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Trend reports referring to the publication titled "Armenian provocations and the silence of the OSCE Minsk Group" made by Azerbaijani Deputy Prime Minister, Deputy Chairman and Executive Secretary of the ruling New Azerbaijan Party, Ali Ahmadov, posted on his official Facebook page. The steady expansion of the Armenian provocations gradually began to replace the relative stability that was preserved in the past, Ahmadov added. The clashes in the direction of Azerbaijans Tovuz district on the state border between Azerbaijan and Armenia two months ago as a result of Armenias military provocations, the subsequent exposure in connection with the supply of weapons to this country, the arrest of the Armenian saboteur in the direction of Azerbaijans Goranboy district are just a shortlist of Armenian provocations in the conflict zone and connect with the conflict, deputy prime minister said. The Armenian prime ministers frequent visits to the occupied territories and statements that fundamentally contradict the spirit of the settlement process have become an integral part of other Armenian provocations, Ahmadov said. The fact that the "appeals for peace" made by Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's wife in the first months of the Armenian prime minister's rule recently replaced the photographs with the Kalashnikov assault rifle, testifies to the vile nature of the Armenian provocation, deputy prime minister said. Ahmadov stressed that the Armenian provocations are observed not only in the countrys aggravation of the militaristic rhetoric and behavior. "The recent resettlement of the Armenians of Lebanese origin to the occupied Azerbaijani territories is nothing more than an unprecedented provocation, striking a crushing blow on the conflict settlement process, deputy prime minister added. The whole world witnesses a process of gross violation of international law - the settlement of the occupied territories, Ahmadov said. The Armenian adventurism will lead to dangerous prospects, for example, to repeat in the 21st century the policy of resettlement, which once changed the demographic situation in the South Caucasus. The history of the last 50-60 years of the Middle East is an instructive example of bitter consequences of such games, deputy prime minister said. The attempts of the Armenian politicians to turn the South Caucasus into a hotbed of constant conflicts and wars cannot be ignored. They must be condemned by international organizations and the world community as a whole. Amid Armenias growing provocations, the silence of the OSCE Minsk Group, which took upon itself the mission of settling the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, its transformation into an impartial observer, to put it mildly, cannot but cause surprise, Ahmadov added. In any case, the OSCE Minsk Group cannot evade responsibility because the conflict has dragged on and it has failed to find the correct formula for the settlement, deputy prime minister said. Presently, the OSCE Minsk Group witnesses that the Armenian side continues to commit another crime, which can lead to new, even regretful consequences. Azerbaijan stands for peaceful but just settlement of the conflict with the condition of withdrawal of the Armenian armed forces from all occupied territories, Ahmadov said. With a few exceptions, the ceasefire which has been valid since 1994 testifies to this. However, the fact that the conflict has not been resolved up till now, the growing Armenian provocations and the silence of the mediators limit the choice of Azerbaijan in ensuring its territorial integrity, deputy prime minister said. Azerbaijan must and will return its occupied lands. If mediators and diplomats do not cope with their work, the heroic Azerbaijani army will fulfill its noble mission, Ahmadov said. The battles in April 2016 and July 2020 showed what our army is capable of. There is no doubt that our servicemen will lead to the triumph of justice. ZURICH, SWITZERLAND, Sept 15, 2020 - (JCN Newswire) - Hitachi ABB Power Grids has introduced its new wireless communication solution with the launch of the next generation Tropos TRO600 portfolio. The business entity will introduce a hybrid wireless architecture, seamlessly integrating 2G, 3G and 4G LTE communication technologies, self-healing broadband mesh and select sub-GHz technologies from its eco-system partners into a single device.The new TRO600 series builds on the Tropos foundation of high availability, proven reliability, IP standards-based security, high throughput and low latency products. The solutions help to future-proof mission-critical operations in industrial and utility environments."Expanding applications require our customers to change the way they operate their communication networks. With Hitachi ABB Power Grids' new wireless portfolio, we are introducing a comprehensive hybrid network that addresses unique operating challenges of disparate, purpose-builtcommunication networks," said Massimo Danieli, Managing Director, Grid Automation business unit, Hitachi ABB Power Grids. "TRO600 is backward compatible for legacy investment protection and is future-proof for many years to come. Edge-compute capability will enable our customers' digital transformation journey to an increasing number of Industrial IoT applications," he added.The new TRO600 portfolio of wireless products offer the optimal combination of technologies to meet multiple use cases in mining, oil and gas, utilities and smart cities, and are configured to the customers' specification. The hybrid approach unifies communications to all devices, ensuring fast, secure, and reliable connectivity for each operational need. The solutions provide a combination of interoperable technologies on a single communication network, enabling applications for edge devices, mobile devices and field networks. This powerful hybrid combination will be fully factory integrated for increased reliability, ease of deployment and reduced total cost of ownership.Hitachi ABB Power Grids wireless solutions share Supros, a unified network management platform, enabling simpler and more efficient network deployment and operation. The Supros network management system, with powerful visualization tools, manages all the radios in the Tropos network from a single console.About the Tropos TRO600 portfolioThe Tropos TRO600 portfolio offers a mix of public and private communication technologies including 3GPP, 2G, 3G and 4G LTE and wireless mesh for high reliability and performance, supporting the widest range of operational requirements. TRO600 comes with dual-SIM configuration for an always-on, reliable mobile connection. Customers can reduce expenses by switching network traffic between 3GPP options and mesh for the lowest operating cost.The TRO600 family also supports feature upgrades to meet the needs of future applications, thereby reducing the risk of technology obsolescence and ensuring a long network lifecycle. Hitachi ABB Power Grids wireless technology roadmap will enable the smooth transition of industrial customers' communication infrastructure to robust, state-of-the-art networks based on 5G and Wi-Fi 6, in the future.The TRO600 provides the essential security needed for mission critical, industrial grade wireless networks. Advanced security features include secure storage of keys and credentials, device certificates and comprehensive options for encryption and authentication. The TRO600 is an all-in-one, factory-integrated, ruggedized router, designed for reliability, security and ease of deployment.About Hitachi ABB Power Grids Ltd.Hitachi ABB Power Grids is global technology leader with a combined heritage of almost 250 years, employing around 36,000 people in 90 countries. Headquartered in Switzerland, the business serves utility, industry and infrastructure customers across the value chain, and emerging areas like sustainable mobility, smart cities, energy storage and data centers. With a proven track record, global footprint and unparalleled installed base, Hitachi ABB Power Grids balances social, environmental and economic values. It is committed to powering good for a sustainable energy future, with pioneering and digital technologies, as the partner of choice for enabling a stronger, smarter and greener grid. https://www.hitachiabb-powergrids.com.Source: Hitachi, Ltd.Copyright 2020 JCN Newswire . All rights reserved. With polls indicating a tightening of the presidential race, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders gave an interview Friday in which he hinted at concerns that Democrat Joe Biden was conducting such a right-wing campaign he was in danger of losing to President Donald Trump. In the interview on the PBS Television program Firing Line, hosted by Margaret Hoover, Sanders made a feckless appeal for his good friend Biden to do a better job of packaging his right-wing program in more populist rhetoric about jobs, wages and health care. Subsequent media reports said Sanders has privately been urging the Biden team to bring onto the campaign trail so-called progressives such as Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in the hope of convincing workers and especially youth to turn out and vote for the long-time senator and former vice president. Vice President Biden congratulates Sen. Bernie Sanders during a re-enactment of the swearing-in ceremony for his second term in the U.S. Senate. (Credit: sanders.senate.gov) What we have got to do is gin up the enthusiasm by talking about what Biden will do for working families in America and do a better job in exposing to the working class of this country the degree to which Donald Trump has sold them out and in fact is a fraud, Sanders told Hoover. He made no substantive suggestions on policy questions, and when Hoover pointed out that the platform adopted at last months Democratic Party Convention omitted the key planks in his so-called political revolution, Sanders readily acknowledged the fact. Its not a great secret that Joe Biden is far more conservative than I am, he said. Joe Biden does not believe in Medicare for all. I do. I believe in the Green New Deal. Joe does not. If anything, Sanders seemed eager to establish Bidens conservative credentials in order to counter Trumps efforts to cast the Democratic Party and Biden as puppets of far-left and socialist forces. In reality, the nomination of the pro-war corporate shill Biden and the right-wing character of his campaign constitute a devastating refutation of the central claim of Sanders and the various pseudo-left organizations that support him: That the Democratic Party can be pushed to the left and transformed into an instrument of progressive change through pressure from below. Sanders acknowledgment of Bidens refusal to support even his mild reform proposals did not prevent him from affirming his full backing for the Democratic campaign. Since pulling out of the race for the Democratic nomination last April and endorsing Biden soon afterreprising his endorsement of Hillary Clinton in 2016Sanders has demanded that his supporters line up behind Biden and attacked those who criticize the Democratic ticket. He merely pleaded with Biden to do a better job in getting out his economic agenda. During the interview, Sanders twice repeated his pledge to work with conservative Republicans, independents or anybody who understands what a threat to the society Trump is. He explicitly articulated the central argument being used to attempt to channel rising working class opposition behind the Democratic Party, the organ of a faction of the same capitalist ruling elite that is represented by Trump. Citing the fact that this president does not believe in democracy, does not believe in the rule of law, does not in fact believe in the Constitution of the United States, he declared: So I would hope that while people will have strong disagreements with BidenI dofor the moment, put that aside. Thats what coalition politics is about. You come together for a common goal. The goal is to defeat Trump. Hoover showed a clip of Fred Halstead, the presidential candidate of the Socialist Workers Party in 1968, speaking on Firing Line and explaining that the Democratic Party is a capitalist party. In response, Sanders insisted that the Democratic Party can be transformed. I think were going to win those fights but were going to win it in the democratic way by rallying the American people and putting pressure on elected officials, he said. What are Sanders central concerns? Biden is so brazenly running a right-wing campaign and spurning any serious appeal to the social needs and grievances of the working class that Trump could win the election. This would be a devastating blow to the Democratic Party from which it would never recover, after the debacle in 2016. To lose an election in the midst of a pandemic which has already cost 200,000 lives, under conditions where the president has been caught lying to the public in order to play down the danger, protect the stock market and reopen businesses at the expense of workers lives, where there are Depression levels of unemployment, and where hunger, homelessness and poverty are soaring, would discredit the Democratic Party for all time. The greatest fear animating Sanders, and the Democratic Party as a whole, is the collapse of the party as an instrument to contain and divide working class opposition and protect capitalism from socialist revolution. Sanders gave his interview under conditions where Biden has lurched further to the right since the party conventions in August and the official start of the fall campaign on Labor Day. Last week Biden told Stars and Stripes that he would keep US troops in Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria indefinitely and would likely increase the military budget; he used an interview on CNN to attack Trump failing to uphold US national security and disrespecting the military by calling US troops killed in battle suckers and losers. And he gave an economic nationalist speech to United Auto Workers union officials in Michigan in which he attacked Trump for failing to keep his buy American promises. This followed his speech in Pittsburgh and subsequent campaign ad in which he denounces violent protesters and demands that they be criminally prosecuted. Neither Biden nor Sanders has said a word about the targeted assassination, directly ordered by Trump, of Portland, Oregon anti-fascist protester Michael Reinoehl, or the fascist murder of two anti-police violence protesters in Kenosha, Wisconsin. On the contrary, in his PBS interview, Sanders explicitly endorsed Bidens law-and-order appeal and stated, Burning down buildings, to my mind, has nothing to do with the fight for racial justice. These developments confirm the analysis made by the WSWS from the onset of Sanders presidential campaign in 2016. We wrote in February of that year: Sanders aim is not to create a revolution, as he asserts in his campaign speeches, but to prevent one. For workers to follow Sanders advice and subordinate their struggles to the election of Biden would be, as the World Socialist Web Site has explained, a fatal political error. As we explained in a September 9 Socialist Equality Party Political Committee statement titled The Civil War Election: Trump did not emerge from nowhere. He expresses in the most unvarnished form the essentially fascistic, anti-democratic impulse of the American ruling class as a whole. The working class must direct its opposition to the underlying disease of which Trump is an expression. Trumps fascistic rhetoric is an attempt to beat back a growing social movement of the working class against the policies of the corporate and financial oligarchy. The Democratic Party, however, represents another faction of the same oligarchy. Its appeal is to dominant factions of the military and the intelligence agencies as the arbiters of political power to whom it will turn if Trump refuses to leave office. Its main aim is to suppress any form of social opposition that threatens the interests of the ruling elite. If the Democrats were to lose on November 3, or even if they were to win, the response would be no different. They would immediately offer an olive branch to Trump and the Republican Party. History shows that all such policies of opposing fascism and war by subordinating the working class to democratic sections of the capitalist class end in catastrophe. In the 1930s, these policies, imposed by the Stalinist regime in the USSR and its satellite parties around the world, politically paralyzed the working class. They led to the victory of fascism in Spain and France and paved the way for World War II. The way forward for the working class lies in the expansion of the class struggle and the unification of all sections of workers and youth, both in the US and internationally, against social inequality, dictatorship and war through a conscious struggle to put an end to capitalism and establish socialism. This means a complete break with and implacable opposition to the Democratic Party and all of the political representatives of the capitalist ruling elite and the fight for workers power. This is the perspective fought for by the Socialist Equality Party and our candidates for US president and vice president, Joseph Kishore and Norissa Santa Cruz. Venezuela's chief prosecutor on Monday accused a U.S. citizen recently arrested in the Caribbean nation of spying and planning to sabotage oil refineries and electrical service in order to stir unrest and kill innocent people. The man, alleged to have CIA ties, had help from three Venezuelan conspirators, who were arrested last week near a pair of oil refineries on the north Caribbean coast, Venezuela's Chief Prosecutor Tarek William Saab said on state television. The office gave the US suspect's name as Matthew John Heath. The prosecutor showed pictures of equipment allegedly seized with the group, including a grenade launcher, plastic explosives, a satellite phone and a bag of US dollars. Authorities said cellphones taken from the men when they were arrested last week include images of a large bridge in Zulia state and oil refineries. Everything here could qualifies as a lethal weapon designed to cause harm and to promote assassinations, crimes against the people of Venezuela, said Saab, who also accused the man of planning to open a drug trafficking route through President Nicolas Maduro announced on Friday that an unnamed suspected U.S. spy had been captured, saying he was a Marine and former CIA operative in Iraq. US authorities have not commented on the case. The Associated Press was unable to make immediate contact with Heath, an attorney or a relative representing him for comment on the accusations. The arrest surfaced as this nation, once wealthy from oil, has been gripped by a deep gasoline shortage that has sparked mile-long lines to fuel up, even in the capital of Caracas. also struggles to provide electricity to residents, especially in Zulia state, once a major hub of the nation's vast oil production. Heath is accused of entering illegally, the prosecutor said, adding that he didn't have a passport but rather had a copy of it hidden in one of his shoes. The three Venezuelans accused of conspiring with Heath include a military officer, Saab said, adding that they helped him enter from Colombia. Saab said Heath had worked as a mercenary in Iraq for a private security contracting company. The arrest follows a failed beach incursion in early May that landed two ex-Green Beret soldiers in a Venezuelan jail for allegedly participating in a failed attempt to overthrow the socialist government. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Farmers' voices are needed to help shape the conversation on the direction of Welsh upland farming against the backdrop of Brexit and the Covid-19 crisis. With numerous challenges facing agriculture ahead, farmers have been encouraged to contribute to the 'important' new research. NFU Cymru's survey is open for five weeks and closes next week, on Friday 25 September. The union's LFA Board Chair, Kath Whitrow said Welsh uplands were of 'strategic importance' to Wales. Some 78% of land in Wales is designated as Less Favoured Area (LFA), proving the country a rich contribution to the environment and economy. "These areas also play a vital role in producing food to feed the nation," Ms Whitrow said. "With concerns around incoming changes to future agricultural policy in Wales, it is a time of significant change." She highlighted the UKs departure from the EU and the impact of the Covid-19 crisis as having big impacts on Welsh farming. It has never been more important for the Welsh farming industry to write its own narrative and shape the conversation about the future of Wales uplands. NFU Cymru President John Davies said it was important for the people who have worked the uplands for generations to lead the conversation. "There are people and polices that seek to earmark these areas we all hold so dear and change their purpose for large scale afforestation or rewilding, for example. "While of course farmers want to play an active role in helping to address the environmental challenges, this should not be done at the expense of all of the unique goods the Welsh uplands currently provide." He added: "Every farmer who submits a response to this important research makes our voice louder and stronger." The Vision for Welsh Upland Farming survey can be accessed on the NFU Cymru website. Farmers are also encouraged to use the #Vision4WelshUplands or #GweledigaethIUcheldirCymru hashtags on social media. DURHAM, N.C. - If human eyes came in a package, it would have to be labeled "Natural product. Some variation may occur." Because the million-plus retinal ganglion cells that send signals to the human brain for interpretation don't all perform exactly the same way. They are what an engineer would call 'noisy' -- there is variance between cells and from one moment to the next. And yet, when we see a photograph of a beautiful flower, it looks sharp and colorful and we know what it is. The brain's visual centers must be adept at filtering out the noise from the retinal cells to get to the true signal, and those filters have to constantly adapt to light conditions to keep the signal clear. Prosthetic retinas and neural implants are going to need this same kind of adaptive noise-filtering to succeed, new research suggests. "Neurons in the brain are noisy -- meaning that when the same stimulus is presented, the neurons do not produce the same response each time," said Greg Field, an assistant professor of neurobiology at Duke University, who has coauthored a new study in Nature Communications with a Canadian colleague on how the brain compensates for visual noise. "If brain-machine interfaces do not account for noise correlations among neurons, they are likely to perform poorly," Field said. Working in a special darkroom inside Field's laboratory, Duke graduate student Kiersten Ruda exposed small squares of living rat retina to patterns and videos under varying light conditions while an array of more than 500 tiny electrodes beneath the retinal cells recorded the signals that are normally sent down the optic nerve to the brain. "All of this is done in total darkness with the aid of night vision goggles, so that we can preserve the peak sensitivity of the retinas," Field said. The researchers ran those nerve impulses through software instead of a brain to see how variable and noisy the signals were, and to experiment with what kind of filtering the brain would need to achieve a clear signal under different light conditions, like moonlight versus sunlight. Sensory systems like the eyes, nose and ears work on populations of sensors, because each individual sensing cell is noisy. However, this noise is shared or 'correlated' across the cells, which presents a challenge for the brain to understand the original signal. At high light levels, the computer could improve decoding by about 20 percent by using the noise correlations, as opposed to just assuming each neuron was noisy in its own way. But at low light levels, this value increased to 100%. Indeed, earlier research by other groups has found that assuming uncorrected noise in the cortex of the brain can make decoding 30 percent worse. Field's research in the retina shows these assumptions lead to even larger losses of information. "It helps to understand this correlated noise if you think of an orchestra," Fields said in an email. "All the members of the orchestra are playing a little out of tune, that's the 'noise,' but how out-of-tune they are depends on their neighbors, that's the correlation. For example, all the violins are playing a little sharp, while the flutes are a little flat, and the cellos are very flat. A major question in neuroscience has been the extent to which this correlated noise corrupts the ability of the brain to figure out what song is being played." "We showed that to utilize the benefit of having lots of sensory cells, the brain must know how to filter out this correlated noise," Field said. But the problem is even more complex because the amount of correlated noise depends on the amount of light, with more noise at lower light levels like moonlight. Aside from being difficult and fascinating observations, Field said the study's findings point to the challenges ahead for engineers who would hope to replicate the retina in a prosthetic or in the sort of neural implant Elon Musk has announced. "To make an ideal retinal prosthetic (a bionic eye), it would probably need to incorporate these noise correlations for the brain to correctly interpret the signals it receives from the prosthetic," Field said. Similarly, computers that readout brain activity from neural implants will probably need to have a model of noise correlations among neurons. But it won't be easy. Field said the researchers have yet to understand the structure of these noise correlations across the brain. "If the brain were to assume that the noise is independent across neurons, instead of having an accurate model of how it is correlated, we show the brain would suffer from a catastrophic loss of information about the stimulus," Field said. ### This research was funded by the U.S. National Institutes of Health, the National Eye Institute, Whitehead Scholars Award, the A.P. Sloan Foundation, Canada Research Chairs program and the Natural Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada. CITATION: "Ignoring Correlated Activity Causes a Failure of Retinal Population Codes," Kiersten Ruda, Joel Zylberberg, Greg Field. Nature Communications, Sept. 14, 2020. DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-18436-2 Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-14 23:42:44|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close ADDIS ABABA, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases across the African continent has reached 1,353,283, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) said on Monday. The continental disease control and prevention agency said in a statement that the death toll related to the pandemic now stood at 32,625 as of Monday afternoon. A total of 1,090,676 people infected with COVID-19 have recovered across the continent, the Africa CDC said. The most affected African countries in terms of the number of positive cases include South Africa, Egypt, Morocco, Ethiopia and Nigeria. The continent's total COVID-19 cases represent about 5 percent of the global tally, according to the Africa CDC. Ten countries accounted for 81 percent of the new COVID-19 cases reported during the past week in Africa: South Africa at 22 percent, Morocco at 21 percent, Ethiopia at 14 percent, Libya at 10 percent, Algeria 4 percent, and Kenya, Nigeria, Namibia, Tunisia and Egypt each at 2 percent. In terms of reporting the highest cumulative incidence of COVID-19 cases per 100,000 population in Africa, South Africa placed first at 1,079, followed by Cabo Verde at 647 and Djibouti at 539. The Africa CDC called for stronger COVID-19 testing capacity to effectively contain the spread of the virus across the continent. "Testing is the cornerstone of response to this pandemic," said John Nkengasong, director of the Africa CDC. "Without testing we will be fighting blindly." "We need to scale up testing and we need to improve the turnaround time for testing so that we can quickly identify, isolate and treat positive cases," he said. Enditem A freight train loaded with cars at Hamburg Port on June 10, 2020. According to Germany's Federal Statistics Bureau total exports fell by 31% in April as compared to one year ago due to the pandemic. Photo: Morris MacMatzen/Getty Images German businesses are watching nervously as the clock ticks down on negotiations between the UK and the European Union to secure a trade deal, according to the director of Association of German Chambers of Industry and Commerce (DIHK). In an interview with the Augsburger Allgemeine newspaper published Monday, DIHK managing director Martin Wansleben said there is growing concern in the economy that the Brexit negotiations will fail. Wansleben said that the automotive industry would be badly affected if both sides cant agree on a deal, by tariffs as well as by "broken supply chains and long waiting times at the borders, as there is still no functioning infrastructure for customs clearance on the British side. "For the automotive industry alone which has the largest share of the trade volume between Germany and Great Britain there is a risk of tariffs of at least two billion euros in less than four months without an agreement," Wansleben said. His warning echoes the joint appeal by UK and European automotive industry leaders this weekend, urging negotiators to reach a free-trade deal, or risk sever repercussions for the sector, which employs 14.6 million. Watch: Yahoo UKs Finance Reporter, Edmund Heaphy explain what a no-deal Brexit actually means, and its potential consequences... READ MORE: UK car makers face 102bn 'no deal' Brexit cliff-edge The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders in the UK, the European Automobile Manufacturers Association and the German Automotive Association said in their joint statement that failure to seal a deal could results in trade loss worth up to 110bn (102bn, $130.2bn) over the next five years a bleak picture for an industry already devastated by the coronavirus pandemic. Wansleben noted that the years of Brexit uncertainly have already taken their toll on German exports to the UK. Since the referendum in 2016, German exports to the British island have fallen noticeably - from 89bn in 2015 to 79bn in 2019, he said. As a result, the United Kingdom has slipped from third to fifth most important export market in Germany. "The trend is continuing this year - and will be exacerbated by the Corona crisis," Wansleben added. READ MORE: Automotive industry no longer growth engine of German economy Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-15 00:09:11|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close NAIROBI, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- At the onset of COVID-19 in Kenya in March, Beatrice Nekesa, a banker in the capital Nairobi, was asked by her employer to work from home. Working in the asset financing department of the institution, Nekesa was handed a laptop and asked to do her duties from home. "I would occasionally go to the office but I did most of my job at home," she said on Sunday, noting the arrangement worked well because few people were also taking loans. On Sept. 7, however, Nekesa and several other workers of the institution were asked to return to the office. She is among tens of workers in the east African nation who embraced "work at home" measure, but are now trooping back to the office as COVID-19 cases in the east Africa nation fall and business picks up. Banks, media houses, government ministries, telecoms and insurance firms are some of the institutions in the east African nation, which are recalling their workers as the country flattens the COVID-19 curve. For some of the institutions, workers have for the last months been exclusively working from home, for others, the employees were working in shifts. As one group worked from home, another was in the office in a bid to congest the office space to curb the spread of COVID-19 at the workplace. The declining COVID-19 cases in the east African nation and high recoveries amid the resumption of most economic activities has given firms a signal that it is time to recall workers. Kenya on Monday recorded 48 cases, which pushed the total COVID-19 tally to 36,205 as recoveries hit 23,243. The Monday infection cases are the lowest in many months. The east African nation has been registering an average of 100 cases a day in the last three weeks from a high of 800 in July. President Uhuru Kenyatta noted that the country is flattening the COVID-19 curve, giving citizens hope that various restrictions that include the curfew may be lifted soon. However, the workers returning to offices are among the lucky ones. Up to a million Kenyans lost their jobs or were put in indefinite unpaid leave as companies struggled to stay afloat in the last six months. Before recalling the workers, a majority of companies have remodeled their offices to adhere to social distancing rules. "We have come back to a new environment where social distancing has been enforced and plastic shields placed on every desk to curb the spread of COVID-19 spread. We also wear masks and sanitize regularly," said Victoria Selima, a government auditor. Insurance agent Bernard Mutiso, who returned to office at the start of September, noted that working from the office would boost his work and targets. "I can now easily reach potential clients in the city center unlike when I was working from home where organizing meetings was harder," he said. Jacqueline Mugo, executive director of the Federation of Kenya Employers in a recent communication of employers, noted that all companies must have guidelines in managing safety and health at work as COVID-19 is also an occupational disease. "Employers are encouraged to ensure that the workplace is a safe environment by providing protective gear and putting in place safety measures," she writes. Ernest Manuyo of Pioneer Institute in Nairobi noted that the return of most workers to their workplaces shows that the office is still the most preferable place to work. He added that coming in the third quarter, it is an improvement to business activities and is likely to boost the east African nation's economic growth. Enditem The Block's Sarah and George Bragias recently spoke of the financial hardships they faced after losing their jobs to compete on the Channel Nine reality show. And on Tuesday's episode, the Sydney-based couple suffered even more heartbreak as Sarah revealed she wasn't going to travel to attend her grandmother's funeral. 'I had to make the decision of not attending my grandmother's funeral,' the 27-year-old explained in a piece to the camera. Family matters: The Block's Sarah and George Bragias revealed they will not be traveling to Sydney to attend Sarah's grandmother's funeral as a coronavirus safety precaution. Pictured together 'We were supposed to go to Sydney, but due to the world and coronavirus we actually chose to stay in Melbourne.' 'We had to take into consideration the fact that we're going to a funeral where there will be old people,' she added. Sarah explained that she and her long-time partner George didn't want to put her loved ones at risk or potentially put her work site at risk. Tough choice: 'I had to make the decision of not attending my grandmother's funeral,' she explained in a piece to the camera. 'We had to take into consideration the fact that we're going to a funeral where there will be old people,' she added George went on to reveal the couple have instead decided to take a few days off filming to mourn to celebrate Sarah's grandmother's life. Last week, Sarah revealed her mother had called her husband, George, and she 'could tell in his face something was wrong'. 'I got on the phone to my mum and straight away, I knew something was up,' she tearfully recounted. Devastating blow: Last week, the 27-year-old teacher revealed her mother had called her husband, George, and she 'could tell in his face something was wrong' Last thing: During last week's episode, Sarah confessed the possibility of her grandmother dying had been the furthest thing from her mind Unable to continue speaking, George, 33, stepped in and added: 'Sarah's grandmother passed away, so yeah, it wasn't good.' After taking a moment to regain her composure, Sarah confessed the possibility of her grandmother dying had been the furthest thing from her mind. 'When you're on The Block, you just don't think those things happen. You think that the world stops with you, but it doesn't,' she cried. It's the second death on the show in as many weeks, following the death of Daniel's grandfather just a week earlier. Tourist crashes drone in Colosseum after being told he wasn't allowed to fly device. A 40-year-old Polish tourist landed himself in trouble with Rome police after crashing his drone inside the Colosseum, where the flying of drones is expressly prohibited. The tourist had been warned on entry to the Colosseum that under no circumstances was he to operate the machine inside the ancient amphitheatre. However he chose to disregard the warning and flew the drone anyway, reports Rome daily newspaper Il Messaggero. The tourist reportedly lost control of his drone within seconds, with the device crashing into a set of steps inside the World Heritage Site. Luckily the impact did not cause any damage to the monument or its visitors, while the tourist was reported by police for failure to comply with the no-fly zone in force in the capital. Photo credit: Evgenii Iaroshevskii / Shutterstock.com. Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal on September 15 said India is open to importing scotch whiskey into the country from the UK in a larger measure. Goyal was speaking at the inaugural session of CII's India-UK Annual Conference. Addressing the inaugural session of @FollowCIIs India-UK Annual Conferencehttps://t.co/Jdzd2VIevO Piyush Goyal (@PiyushGoyal) September 15, 2020 Speaking at the virtual conference, the minister said, "Bilaterally always simpler to engage, open to discussing import of scotch whisky into India from the UK in a larger measure. Not that I drink scotch whisky but I want to put an end to spurious liquor being sold in India in the name of scotch whisky. As a bargain we are looking to create opportunities for our MSMEs, farmers, dairy, fishermen, handicrafts, textile industry, gems and jewellery industry." Goyal also urged the UK to pick up 40-50 items and look at an early harvest deal with India, which will be WTO compliant. "There are so many industries which have huge potential to work with businesses in the UK where the UK is a net importer in a big way where India has the competitive and comparative advantage to be able to serve the UK's requirements. I think a small give can give us a large get in favour of India and I do hope that we are able to take this dialogue forward in a staged and an expeditious manner," he added. Goyal also revealed that the central government had proposed to the UK that "we should start an engagement on FTA. It is the need of the hour. We should look at the preferential trade agreement so that we can demonstrate to the whole world sincerity and seriousness of UK-India engagement." Goyal also highlighted that the UK certainly can benefit significantly from India's healthcare offerings adding that a lot of the doctors in that country's national health service are Indians. I am thrilled to join Momenta's executive search practice, as their innovative platform is uniquely positioned to add long-term value to our clients as the digital convergence of products, services, and solutions continues to accelerate," said Mr. Atsalis. Momenta Partners, the leading global Executive Search, Advisory, and Ventures firm focused on Digital Industry, is pleased to announce the appointment of John Atsalis as Principal Partner of Executive Search. For more than five years, Mr. Atsalis served in progressively responsible roles with Polachi, Inc. a Boston-based retained executive search firm focused on technology, venture capital, and private equity clients. Since joining Polachi in 2015, John has executed an extensive portfolio of retained C-suite and VP searches for high growth technology companies ranging from venture to private equity and the Fortune 500. John specializes in recruiting impactful executives in all functional areas (CFO, CRO, CTO, CMO, and respective VP-level) for clients across the technology spectrum (enterprise, consumer, fintech, digital health, robotics, and aerospace). Prior to his time at Polachi, Mr. Atsalis serves as an Officer in the United States Air Force. Momenta delivers digital innovation, growth, and leadership across energy, manufacturing, smart spaces, and supply chain. Since 2012, the firm has advised over 125 clients, placed over 200 leaders, and invested behind 40+ innovators with 6 exits. With the addition of Mr. Atsalis, Momenta strengthens its offerings to Private Equity and Venture Capital clients and further expands its footprint in the technology-rich Boston ecosystem. I am thrilled to join Momenta's executive search practice, said Mr. Atsalis. Their innovative platform is uniquely positioned to add long-term value to our clients as the digital convergence of products, services, and solutions continues to accelerate. I look forward to leveraging my experiences and working alongside a rock star team to deliver exceptional results. "As the leading digital industry retained executive search firm delivering impactful leadership across several specialized technologies, we pride ourselves on identifying great talent and we believe we have done that with this newest addition to the Momenta Team, said Richard White, Managing Partner of Momentas Executive Search practice. Johns experience and relationships established during his time at Polachi will serve him well as we continue to grow our practice and expand our capabilities. About Momenta: Momenta is the leading Digital Industry retained executive search firm delivering impactful leadership across energy, manufacturing, smart spaces, and supply chain. Since 2012, we have placed more than 200 leaders globally in Fortune 100s and venture-backed startups, including digital leadership roles at Hitachi, United Technologies, and C3.ai. Led by deep industry practitioners, Momenta's global presence and sector focus provides our clients with first-class talent, insights, and leadership strategies. For more information, visit http://www.momenta.one, join the @MomentaPartners conversation or contact info@momenta.one. Rapid Trident-2020 multinational military exercises with participation of about four thousand military from ten countries start in Lviv region, local residents are asked to bypass the territory of the testing ground, the press service of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine reports. "On Wednesday, September 16, on the territory of central military town of the International Center for Peacekeeping and Security of Hetman Petro Sahaidachny National Ground Forces Academy (Yavoriv district of Lviv region), a solemn ceremony of raising the flags of Ukraine and the United States of America will take place, which will mark the start of large-scale international military exercises on the territory of our countries in 2020," the message says. The ministry reports that from September 16 to 25, about four thousand troops from ten countries will be in the region. So, during the training sessions at the training sites, armored vehicles will be involved and training fire from small arms will take place, and helicopter flights of army aviation will also be carried out. "The training leadership appeals to residents of settlements located around the International Center for Peacekeeping and Security, guests of Lviv region with an urgent request to limit visits to the training sites of the military training ground for reasons of security concerns," the Defense Ministry said. Addtionally raises Rs 522 crore through divestment of its stake in OakNorth Indiabulls Housing Finance announced the closure of its qualified institutions placement of equity shares on 14 September 2020 pursuant to receipt of application forms for an aggregate of 3,47,74,811 fully paid up Equity Shares of the Company and the funds in the escrow account from eligible qualified institutional buyers in accordance with the terms of the Issue, which opened on 09 September 2020. The company has approved the issue price of Rs 196.37 per Equity Share (including a premium of Rs 194.37 per Equity Share), which is at a discount of 5% (i.e. Rs 10.33 per Equity Share) to the floor price of Rs 206.70 per Equity Share. Further, the company has sold a portion of its stake in OakNorth Holding (the wholly owning parent company of OakNorth Bank) (OakNorth), to an existing sovereign shareholder of the Bank for Rs 82 crore. Additionally, on 10 September 2020, the company sold a partial stake in OakNorth for Rs 440 crore to private equity investors, thus taking the sale of partial stake in OakNorth for an aggregate amount of Rs 522 crore during the last one week. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Actor Kangana Ranaut has amended her petition before the Bombay high court to seek a compensation of Rs 2 crore from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation for "illegal" demolition at her bungalow. After the BMC demolished what it termed as illegal alterations at the Queen actor's bungalow at Pali Hill in suburban Bandra on September 9, Ranaut moved the high court. A division bench led by Justice S J Kathawalla had stayed the demolition, saying that the civic body's actions seemed "malafide" (having dubious intentions). In her amended plea, Ranaut alleged that the BMC's decision to demolish her property was a direct consequence of her comments against the Maharashtra government. Recently she has been "at loggerheads with the Government of Maharashtra regarding her views over the handling of certain issues which impact the public in general," it added. "The expression used by her has displeased certain quarters and caused angst in certain quarters particularly a political party which is a part of the government in Maharashtra," Ranaut's amended petition said. "In view of various threats been given to the petitioner, including threats of harm if she entered Mumbai, the petitioner was compelled to seek the assistance/security and was given protection by the Central Government in nature Y-plus category of CRPF security and the petitioner could only come to Mumbai under protection," it said. The "same party" is also the ruling party in the BMC, the petition said, without naming the Shiv Sena. The petition also contended that the Bollywood actor had sought the BMC's permission to carry out structural repairs at her bungalow, and the same was granted in 2018. The BMC sent her a demolition notice on September 7 and gave her just 24 hours to respond, the petition said, adding that while she did respond in time, it was quick to reject her reply and on the very next day, BMC and police officers were "already present outside the bungalow". Photos of the day showed that the BMC was ready with demolition equipmentearly in the morning, which proves that the civic body had malafide intentions and ulterior motives to demolish the bungalow, the petition claimed. The plea urged the court to declare the BMC's action as illegal and direct the civic body and its "concerned officials" to pay her Rs 2 crore in damages. The court is slated to hear the matter on September 22. The demolition at Ranaut's bungalow had followed her public spat with the Shiv Sena over her statement comparing Mumbai to Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir. The government has exempted grouse shooting and hunting from new coronavirus restrictions, as a sweeping ban comes in on meeting in groups of more than six. Groups of up to 30 hunters and shooters are specifically allowed under the restrictions, which also have exemptions for other "licensed outdoor activities". The Independent understands that some Tory MPs are angry about the exemption, regarding it as a mis-step. Guidance on the rules, published by Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs says that "shooting including hunting and paintball that requires a shotgun or firearms certificate licence" counts as a "sport or organised outdoor activity". The Huffington Post website reports that Michael Gove was set to chair a meeting of the Cabinet Office's Covid-19 operations committee this weekend, with an item on the agenda titled "Exemption: hunting and shooting". That meeting was however abruptly cancelled hours before it was due to take place, with ministers and officials told the issue would be discussed later via ministerial correspondence. Some insiders reportedly believe that the meeting was cancelled to avoid objections being raised. The regulations themselves were published on the government website just 20 minutes before they came into force a delay some prominent lawyers said represented a new record. Former minister Tracy Crouch told the website that the move amounted to "topsy-turvy prioritisation" when MPs were having to deal with queries about "choirs, community bands, and addiction therapy groups". Labour's shadow environment secretary Luke Pollard added: Across the country, people are struggling to get COVID-19 tests anywhere near their homes. But the Conservatives are distracted with trying to exempt the bloodsport passions of their big donors from coronavirus regulations. It shows where this governments priorities really lie. It is clear theres one rule for the cabinet and their mates and another for the rest of us. Coronavirus culture from rooftops, windows and balconies Show all 15 1 /15 Coronavirus culture from rooftops, windows and balconies Coronavirus culture from rooftops, windows and balconies A rose is delivered by drone to a woman on Mother's Day in Jounieh, Lebanon AFP/Getty Coronavirus culture from rooftops, windows and balconies Women dance on their balcony as a radio station plays music for a flash mob to raise spirits in Rome Reuters Coronavirus culture from rooftops, windows and balconies A skeleton stands on a balcony in Frankfurt, Germany AP Coronavirus culture from rooftops, windows and balconies The film Le ragazze di Piazza di Spagna is projected on a building in Rome AP Coronavirus culture from rooftops, windows and balconies A woman uses a basket tied to a rope to pull a delivery of groceries up to her balcony in Naples, Italy EPA Coronavirus culture from rooftops, windows and balconies DJ Francesco Cellini plays for his neighbours from the rooftop terrace of his flat block in Rome Reuters Coronavirus culture from rooftops, windows and balconies A woman gestures from her balcony in Barcelona EPA Coronavirus culture from rooftops, windows and balconies Cellist Karina Nunez performs for her neighbours at the balcony of her flat in Panama City Reuters Coronavirus culture from rooftops, windows and balconies DJ Nash Petrovic live streams a set from his roof in Brooklyn Reuters Coronavirus culture from rooftops, windows and balconies People applaud medical workers from their balconies in Modiin, Israel Reuters Coronavirus culture from rooftops, windows and balconies A Brooklyn resident relaxes in a hammock hung on their balcony Reuters Coronavirus culture from rooftops, windows and balconies Residents toast during a "safe distance" aperitif time between neighbours in Anderlecht, Belgium Reuters Coronavirus culture from rooftops, windows and balconies Musician Adam Moser plays for neighbours from his balcony in Budapest, Hungary Reuters Coronavirus culture from rooftops, windows and balconies A man and his son on their balcony in Brooklyn Reuters Coronavirus culture from rooftops, windows and balconies A man sits alone on a roof terrace in Rome Reuters The British Association for Shooting and Conservation said in a statement: The latest guidance says that there will be exceptions where groups can be larger than six, including work or voluntary services as well as outdoor sport and physical activity events. BASC continues to press ministers for further detail but believes that these exemptions encompass shooting where shoots operate in accordance with Covid secure guidance issued by representative shooting organisations, including BASC. "There is no... sound reason for the United States to continue sacrificing precious lives and treasure in a conflict not directly connected to our safety or other vital national interests." So said William Ruger about Afghanistan, our longest war. What makes this statement significant is that President Donald Trump has ordered a drawdown by mid-October of half of the 8,600 troops still in the country. And Ruger was just named U.S. ambassador to Kabul. The selection of Ruger to oversee the U.S. withdrawal came as Gen. Frank McKenzie of Central Command announced plans to cut the U.S. troop presence in Iraq from 5,200 to 3,000 by the end of September. Is America, at long last, really coming home from the forever wars? A foreign policy analyst at the libertarian Charles Koch Institute and a Naval officer decorated for his service in Afghanistan, Ruger has long championed a noninterventionist foreign policy. His nomination tends to confirm that, should Trump win a second term, his often-declared goal of extracting America from the forever wars of the Middle East, unachieved in his first term, would become a priority. Yet, we have been here before, bringing our troops home from Iraq and Afghanistan, only to send thousands back when our enemies seemed to be gaining the upper hand at the expense of the allies we left behind. Still, this time, Trump's withdrawals look to be irreversible. And with the U.S. deal with the Taliban producing peace negotiations between the Kabul government and the Taliban, America seems to be saying to both sides of this endless civil war: The destiny of Afghanistan is yours. The choice of war or peace is up to you. If talks collapse and a fight to the finish ensues, we Americans are not coming back, even to prevent a Taliban victory. Speaking in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Trump made a remarkable declaration: "We don't have to be in the Middle East, other than we want to protect Israel. ... There was a time we needed desperately oil, we don't need that anymore." If Trump means what he says, U.S. forces will be out of Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan early in his second term. But how to explain the continued presence of tens of thousands of U.S. troops in Kuwait, Bahrain, Jordan, Djibouti, Saudi Arabia, Oman and Diego Garcia? Another indication of where a Trump second term is pointing is the naming of retired Col. Douglas Macgregor as ambassador to Germany. The winner of a Bronze Star for valor in the 1991 Gulf War, Macgregor speaks German and is steeped in that country's history. He has been highly visible on cable TV, calling for the transfer to our allies of the primary responsibility for their own defenses, and elevating the security of America's Southern border to a far higher national imperative. In 2019, Macgregor was quoted: "The only solution is martial law on the border, putting the United States Army in charge of it and closing it off would take about 30, 40,000 troops. We're talking about the regular army. You need robust rules of engagement. That means that you can shoot people as required if your life is in danger." That Macgregor's priorities may be Trump's also became evident with the president's announcement this summer of the withdrawal of 12,000 of the 35,000 U.S. troops stationed in Germany. Yet, at the same time, there is seemingly contradictory evidence to the notion that Donald Trump wants our troops home. Currently, some 2,800 U.S., British, and French troops are conducting "Noble Partner" exercises with Georgian troops in that country in the Caucasus bordering Russia. In Trump's first term, his commitment to extricate America from the forever wars went unrealized, due in part to the resistance of hawks Trump himself appointed to carry out his foreign policy agenda. Clearly, with the cuts in troops in Germany, Iraq and Afghanistan, and the appointments of Ruger and Macgregor, Trump has signaled a new resolve to reconfigure U.S. foreign policy in an "America First" direction, if he wins a second term. Will he follow through? Since the end of the Cold War, the U.S. has been in an extended argument with itself over America's role, America's mission in the world. George H. W. Bush's New World Order is ancient history, as are the democracy crusades his son George W. Bush was persuaded to launch. But what will Trump's foreign policy legacy be, should he win? Joe Biden has signaled where he is headed -- straight back to Barack Obama: "First thing I'm going to have to do, and I'm not joking: if elected I'm going to have to get on the phone with the heads of state and say America's back," Biden said, saying NATO has been "worried as hell about our failure to confront Russia." Trump came to office pledging to establish a new relationship with the Kremlin of President Vladimir Putin. Is that still his goal, or have the Beltway Russophobes prevailed? Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-15 15:43:35|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close SEOUL, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- South Korea's export of the information and communications technology (ICT) products grew last month thanks to demand for semiconductor and computer, a government report showed Tuesday. The ICT export added 0.3 percent from a year earlier to 15.24 billion U.S. dollars in August, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. The daily average export advanced 7.1 percent last month. The ICT import went up 4.3 percent to 9.19 billion dollars in August, sending the trade surplus in the sector to 6.05 billion dollars. Computer shipment almost doubled in the month as people worked at home and attended online classes amid the fear of the COVID-19 outbreak. Chip export rose 2.6 percent, but those for display panels and mobile phones slumped 16.9 percent and 33 percent respectively. The ICT export to China, South Korea's biggest trading partner, amounted to 7.1 billion dollars, followed by export to Vietnam with 2.76 billion dollars, the United States with 1.75 billion dollars and the European Union (EU) with 860 million dollars each. Enditem Defence minister Rajnath Singh is expected to make a statement in Parliament on Tuesday on standoff between Indian and Chinese soldiers at the Line of Actual Control (LAC). The address is expected to take place at around 3 pm in the Lok Sabha. Also read | Xi Jinping has risked his future with LAC incursions: Report on China border row Singhs address comes amid the rising demands by the Opposition leaders for a debate on the matter. Parliament convened again on Monday after almost six months amid the Covid-19 pandemic. The tension between India and China escalated manifold along the LAC in eastern Ladakh after the Galwan Valley clashes on June 15 in which 20 Indian Army personnel were killed. The Chinese side also suffered casualties but it is yet to give out the details. Also read: China invokes 1962 war to put India on a defensive. It wont work | Analysis On September 11, both countries agreed on five points to guide their approach to the situation on the LAC, including the disengagement of troops and easing of tensions, following talks between external affairs minister S Jaishankar and his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, on the margins of a Shanghai Cooperation Organisation meet in Moscow on Thursday. The two sides will continue communications through the Special Representatives mechanism, and meetings of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination (WMCC) on border affairs will continue. The ministers agreed that as the situation eases, the two sides should expedite work to conclude new confidence-building measures to maintain and enhance peace and tranquillity in the border areas. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Experience doesnt appear to be an issue with Midland ISDs interim superintendent. That is what Ann Dixon does. Her resume shows 17 interim or consulting superintendent jobs since 2004. The districts include Montgomery ISD (June 2020 through August 2020), Red Oak ISD (July 2019-November 2019), Pettus ISD (December 2018-March 2019), Odem-Edroy ISD (July 2018-October 2018) and Hays CISD (August 2017-2018). Two other things pop out when looking at her resume. The first is that her stint with Midland ISD could be the longest interim assignment in her career. Board President Rick Davis previously stated the board expects the interim superintendent to remain with the district through the remainder of the school year. The second thing is that this is not the first time her path has crossed with Orlando Riddick, Midland ISDs outgoing superintendent who is currently on administrative leave. Dixon was interim superintendent at Cedar Hill ISD when that district hired Riddick in 2014. Her resume also lists participating in a superintendent search at Cedar Hill ISD. I am very impressed with the boards focus; they have a mission and will make sure all kids benefit from that vision, Dixon said in a press release. Midland ISD reported late Tuesday night that Dixons first day is expected to be Monday. Dr. Dixon has a demonstrated a track record of serving as a data-driven academic leader, with a concentrated focus on supporting principals, teachers, and students at the campus level," Davis said in the release. After meeting in closed session for more than 4 hours Monday, the board, by a 5-1 vote, approved a motion Monday to approve the appointment of Dixon as interim superintendent and authorize legal counsel to negotiate an agreement. Tommy Bishop was the lone vote against. John Trischitti III did not participate in the vote. We're very excited about Ms. Dixon, Davis said during the meeting. Ms. Dixon has a track record of success as an interim superintendent. She is a no-nonsense data analyzer that gets to the heart of the problem, is focused on academics, and were excited that she has expressed an interest, and now we look forward to her service. We also think that she will be a tremendous benefit in helping us find a permanent superintendent. Dixon would be the second interim superintendent in the last four years. Rod Schroder, the former superintendent of the Amarillo Independent School District, was the interim superintendent for the 2016-17 school year, before Riddicks arrival in Midland. We are not looking for merely a caretaker, but someone who will move us forward this school year much like Rod Schroder did for the 2016-17 school year, Davis said this weekend. We are interested in finding an academic leader like him who will focus on teaching and learning. The current acting superintendent is the districts chief financial officer, Darrell Dodds. Welcome Guest! You Are Here: Home Regional News East Taking a dig at the Yogi Adityanath-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government, Samajwadi Party claimed that the CM has been busy changing names instead of focusing on development work for the past three years of governance. SP attacked the incumbent government after Adityanath on Monday gave his approval to change the name of an under-construction museum dedicated to the Mughal empire in Agra after Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. I would like to ask BJP, during the past three and a half years of governance in Uttar Pradesh, how much work have you done? Or will people continue your name changing spree. BJP just knows the politics of caste and religion and has done zero development in the state. They cant name even one hospital, university or employment that they have given to people, Samajwadi Party Spokesperson Anurag Bhadauria said. The BJP might use the name of Chhatrapati Shivaji for its petty politics but it cannot walk on the footsteps of the great Chhatrapati Shivaji. His legacy was taken forward by the Congress. The mother group of BJP which is RSS is known for helping the Britishers and their heroes like Savarkar apologised from Britishers who also tried to weaken the fight for freedom by bringing in the communal angle. Nationalism is certainly not the cup of tea for BJP, they are indulging in petty politics of changing names," said UP Congress Spokesperson Anshu Awasthi. Meanwhile, BJP Spokesperson Manish Shukla congratulated CM Yogi Adityanath on the move and said, Shiva Ji was the first person to think in the direction of freeing Indian land from the hands of foreign invaders, his name is the synonym of Nationalism. While renaming the museums name on Monday, CM Adityanath said, there is a need to promote subjects which are the pride of the nation, except for the symbols of the mentality of slavery. The Mughals cannot be our role models. Ideas of nationalism need to be encouraged. Shivaji Maharaj is our hero. The museum which is being built on the eastern gate of the Taj Mahal at the cost of Rs 140 crore will showcase artefacts and documents related to Shivaji along with the history of the Mughal rule in India. The state government is also planning to build a center dedicated to zardozi and marble inlay art in the museum. US Blocks Goods Made in China's Xinjiang to Combat Forced Labor Sputnik News 21:19 GMT 14.09.2020 WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - The United States has moved to block the import of goods made in China's Xinjiang to combat alleged forced labor practices, the Department of Homeland Security said on Monday. "US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) issued five Withhold Release Orders today on products from the People's Republic of China", the department said in a statement. "The products subject to the WROs are produced with state-sponsored forced labor in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, where the Chinese government is engaged in systemic human rights abuses against the Uyghur people and other ethnic and religious minorities". Companies that ship clothing and other cotton goods, computer parts, and hair products from the Xinjiang region were named in the order issued by the CBP. "The series of actions CBP has taken against imports from China demonstrates the pervasive use of unethical and inhumane labor conditions in China, and CBP will not turn a blind eye", Brenda Smith, Executive Assistant Commissioner of CBP's Office of Trade, said. "Allowing goods produced using forced labor into the US supply chain undermines the integrity of our imports. American consumers deserve and demand better". The United States is considering a broader ban on cotton and textiles and tomatoes from Xinjiang, Ken Cuccinelli, the acting deputy secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, said. Human rights groups say Chinese authorities have detained more than a million people from mostly Muslim ethnic groups that include Uighurs, Kazakhs, and Kyrgyz in a vast network of detention centres as part of an assimilation campaign. China has denied the charges, saying the camps it built for Uighurs and other minorities were for vocational and Chinese language training and not for slave labour. A Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Uber makes London a 'safer place', a court has heard as the taxi app battles against TfL for its licence to be renewed. The ride hailing app, which first operated in London in 2012, has admitted 'mistakes were made' in the identity fraud scandal that allowed 24 bogus drivers to take 14,788 rides. It is appealing Transport for London's (TfL) decision not to renew its operating licence because of safety breaches that put passengers at risk. The company was awarded a five-year licence in 2012, but in September 2017 TfL refused to renew it - and the ride hailing app had to go to court where a judge handed it a 15-month licence in June 2018. It was then given a further two-month licence in September 2019, after which TfL rejected Uber's application for a new licence, citing 'several breaches that placed passengers and their safety at risk'. Uber, which first operated in London in 2012, has admitted 'mistakes were made' in the identity fraud scandal that allowed 24 bogus drivers to take thousands of rides (file image) Deputy chief magistrate Tan Ikram will now determine whether the ride-sharing app is 'fit and proper' to hold a private hire vehicle (PHV) licence after the four-day hearing this week. Tim Ward QC, representing Uber, said said Uber had 'striven through a process of constant change to address and to improve on concerns' and 'has also owned up to TfL whilst trying to fix matters'. 'Far from brushing things under the rug it has sought to bring them out,' he added. Marie Dimitriou, representing TfL, disagreed. She said: 'The question for the court is not really about whether the underlying breaches have been rectified, we can see that Uber has now belatedly addressed those issues.' TFL's November 2019 written decision to refuse their licence renewal gave them credit for their governance, communication with TFL and the police and recognised 'class-leading innovations which advance public safety', Uber said in their skeleton arguments submitted to the court. 'It is nevertheless the case that TfL has raised a number of detailed criticisms,' the skeleton argument admitted. 'The picture which consistently emerges is of an operator that, while it has made mistakes, is committed to compliance, responsive to feedback, and deeply concerned to meet its regulator's expectations.' Uber points out that there had been failures in its compliance with licence requirements but had now implemented Programme ZERO which aims to have no issues of breaches in licence conditions. Mr Ward told Westminster Magistrates' Court: 'It is a different business to that which existed in 2017, when TfL refused the licence extension. 'There have been far-reaching developments relevant to that question since that decision. We accept its past conduct is relevant to that question, but so is the progress it has made.' The court heard Uber has grown to around 45,000 drivers in the capital since launching in 2012. 'In a short space of time, the app has become integral to how Londoners and other people get around,' Mr Ward said. He said denying the company a licence would have a 'profound effect' on groups at risk of street harassment such as women and ethnic minorities, as well as disabled people. Tim Ward QC, representing Uber, told Westminster Magistrates' Court improvements had been made, including in the company's governance and document review systems (file image) 'London is a safer place with Uber in the market than without it,' Mr Ward said. Mr Ward told the court Uber London Ltd had made several improvements, including on document verification and governance. TfL's rejection of Uber referenced a vulnerability in its systems which allowed unauthorised people to upload their photographs to legitimate driver accounts, enabling them to pick up passengers. This was addressed by Mr Ward, who said 'powerful protections' had been implemented to prevent this after it was exploited by a gang. He said: 'This is a matter of immense regret that this happened and a large number of trips were taken by the drivers before the issue was detected.' Mr Ward said Uber had raised the issue with TfL of its own accord and had not attempted to conceal the issue. Ms Dimitrious, meanwhile, said a pattern of 'breaches' left open the possibility of 'future serious breaches'. 'You will have to look at the entire picture and ask yourself: is that good enough, or does that pattern of breaches reveal a problem, namely, an ongoing risk to passengers? 'At what point does one look at a pattern of breaches and reform and decide that this is not proper.' Ms Dimitriou said drivers often offer their services on more than one app so any driver issues need to be escalated quickly. 'It's not a matter of formality, it's really an intrinsic issue for keeping passengers safe,' she said. 'Where somebody has not been vetted there is simply no way of knowing whether this person is a safe person to be driving around. 'Passengers were exposed to that during a very very large number of trips.' She said once TfL were told about the number of bogus drivers it was 'extremely concerned', especially after further issues were uncovered. 'We say that that's not a minute thing, one case corresponded potentially to hundred journeys, any one of which could have exposed passengers to risk,' she added. 'TfL was extremely concerned that these breaches had occurred and that after the disclosure further breaches had been uncovered. 'Particularly in relation to three drivers who were subject to very serious complaints, they were not deactivated for one and half years, driving potentially thousands and thousands of drivers. 'It is very troubling that TfL found itself during the last appeal that it was confronted again by a series of serious regulatory branches.' She blasted Uber for not telling TfL about any problems in an 'adequate and timely manner'. Uber is appealing Transport for London's (TfL) decision to not renew its operating licence because of safety breaches that put passengers at risk (file image) 'Mr Ward accepts that mistakes were made, this is of very great importance not simply because it caused TfL to query whether Uber appreciated seriousness, in particular customer safety,' she said. 'They now say do but TfL wondered at the time. It's essential that there's very swift communication with TfL because any delay can unacceptably compromise passenger safety.' Helen Chapman, TfL's Director of Licensing, Regulation and Charging, said: 'We found Uber not fit and proper to hold a new private hire operator's licence on 25 November 2019. 'Uber has submitted an appeal and it will now be for a magistrate to determine if they are fit and proper.' Some 14,000 thousand trips were taken using bogus identities created by drivers deactivating their GPS location to seem as if they were in another country. Uber's written submissions say: 'The flaw was discovered by a gang of fraudsters and it lay in the fact that by turning off or 'spoofing' the app's GPS, a dishonest driver could hide the fact that they were located in the UK and thereby circumvent the block on uploading a profile photograph. 'The exploitation of this vulnerability resulted in drivers on the ULL app sharing their accounts with drivers and 14,788, journeys being taken on the affected accounts.' It has not been specified if the journey's were in London or the whole of the UK. Mr Ward said 'as far as Uber knows' they had identified 24 drivers who shared their identities with 20 drivers. 'It is a massive regret that this happened and a number of trips were taken,' he said. 'This has been resolved and there are a huge number of reasons Uber has tackled this to stop it from happening today. 'This is not an endemic or widespread problem, it is a specific fraud undertaken by a small group, a very small group among 45,000 drivers who use the app. 'It's now common ground that we meet the required standards and can provide assurance that this will not happen again. 'There is no question that mistakes were made, it was too slow to escalate to TFL. 'When one steps back, the overall picture is of sustained efforts not to repeat itself. 'LTDA's case is that Uber attempted to conceal this issue, those submissions are emphatically rejected. 'We told TFL of photo fraud issues of their own volition and sought to give full assurance that it has been resolved.' The root cause was identified by November 2018 and the issue was raised in an email to TFL 'at the highest level', said Mr Ward. The next time the identity fraud issue was outlined was in the appendix of the 268 page 'assurance report' provided to TFL in December 2018. Mr Ward said: 'There is a paradox here, Uber was doing the right thing in the interests of passenger safety, they reacted fast but having done that they did fail to escalate it. 'There's a lot of criticism of what happened here particularly from the Licensed Taxi Drivers Association. 'There was no intention to mislead by putting it in the annex, this was just the way it was chosen to be presented. 'This is just Uber grappling with a very difficult problem and possibly not communicating it in the best way.' 'There has been various efforts to combat driver identity fraud, they were maybe not perfect and free from error. 'We now know from subsequent reviews that other cases were picked up, if it has been appreciated what we know things would have gone very differently.' Mr Ward said of the 781 wrong driver complaints in 2019 only 16 lead to drivers access deactivated, 97-98 per cent of these cases were mistaken. Uber now requires a 'green light' photo backdrop for drivers' photos to be taken and drivers are suspended while investigations take place. A review of the photographs dubbed the 'Arizona Audit' by facial recognition experts found that from 80,000 photographs checked there were no further cases. Mr Ward outlined several measures that had been implemented, including a freeze on drivers who had not taken a trip for an extended period, real-time driver ID verification and new scrutiny teams and processes. Mr Ward told the court Uber had a strong commitment to complying with the regulations. Referring to one condition of its current licence, which is thought to be unique, Mr Ward said that within 48 hours of a safety-related complaint against a driver, Uber is required to decide whether to remove or suspend the driver and notify TfL. Giving an example of its compliance, he added the company had fixed a problem of premature insurance, where drivers would be allowed to take trips with valid insurance that would begin in the future, within three hours. Mr Ward also said the company is in regular contact with police forces and has been praised for its co-operation with authorities. The hearing continues. Dr K Srinath Reddy By Like the mythical Cupids arrow, the very real Covid virus seems to aim for the heart as it flies towards you through the air. The respiratory virus is not confined to the nose, throat and lungs that form the initial landing bay. It spreads soon thereafter via the blood vessels to reach different parts of the body. The heart, brain, pancreas and kidneys are among the many organs to be affected as the virus reaches every part of the body, with varied clinical manifestations and poor outcomes in those who are affected badly. The initial attention was on respiratory effects like dry cough, viral pneumonia and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). These effects were seen to be similar to, but less lethal than, the Serious Acute Respiratory Infection Syndrome of SARS-1 virus. Hence the name SARS-CoV-2 conferred on the new virus. The effects of the virus on the heart and blood vessels were recognised as the pandemic progressed, with autopsy evidence from Italy initially highlighting the extensive thrombosis or blood clotting along the blood vessels of the body. The recognition of myocarditis or inflammation of the heart muscle came soon thereafter. That there is injury to the heart was evident from the elevation of the blood levels of various enzymes and other chemical markers that are derived from the heart muscle or in response to cardiac muscle dysfunction. The question was whether this is a direct effect of the virus or a result of the immunologically mediated inflammation that arises in response to viral infection. That would have a bearing on the treatment, in deciding whether anti-inflammatory or immunosuppressive drugs would be beneficial or if antiviral drugs need to be used to target the virus itself. Initially, it was assumed to be an effect of the bodys immunological response going into overdrive, harming the heart muscle with toxic chemicals that are primarily intended to destroy the virus but surge to high levels in the circulating blood. Lung damage due to viral infection can also place stress on the heart, as do large blood clots that compromise blood circulation through the lungs. Falling blood oxygen levels themselves can cause heart muscle dysfunction. Blood clots in the coronary arteries, which supply the heart with blood, can lead to heart attacks. Thus, the cardiac problem was perceived to be a secondary phenomenon due to immunological injury or mechanical factors impeding blood circulation to the lungs or the heart. ALSO READ | A covidful of confusion and corrections However, recent evidence has emerged of direct viral assault on the heart muscle. Scientists at the San Francisco-based Gladstone Institutes attempted to study the effect of the virus on heart muscle fibres, independent of other factors that may cause heart muscle dysfunction. They added the SARS-CoV-2 virus to human heart cells grown in lab culture dishes. They were shocked to see the virus cleanly cut the heart muscle fibres (cardiomyocytes) into small bits. They said this type of dicing was unlike anything they had observed before in any other disease affecting the heart. There were also black holes in the nucleus of heart muscle cells where the DNA should have been, with the appearance of empty shells. Other human heart cells (cardiac fibroblasts and endothelial cells) were unaffected. Autopsy specimens of hearts from patients who died of Covid-19 also showed similar findings of cardiac muscle fibre carnage. Earlier, a cardiac MRI study in Germany showed evidence of heart muscle damage in relatively young people who had mild disease and whose average age was 49 years. This evidence of direct heart muscle damage by the virus is worrisome in terms of long-term effects and may explain the prolonged fatigue and low exercise capacity in many persons who have been clinically declared to have recovered from Covid-19. It raises the question of considering Covid-19 a chronic disease, rather than an acute infection that is transient in its effects on many in the population. Unfortunately, the heart does not have regenerative capacity like the liver. Will the islands of damage to the heart muscle, even if asymptomatic now, lead to problems when people move into old age? We do not know, but the question does argue for caution even among the young and middle aged who consider themselves protected from the debilitating effects of the virus. The relationship of pre-existing heart disease and high blood pressure to increased risk of experiencing severe disease or dying of Covid-19 is well established from reports of the pandemic from different countries. That poses the immediate threat. Whether fresh heart muscle damage caused by the virus itself aggravates cardiac dysfunction in persons with pre-existing disease or creates long-lasting cardiac disease in others who previously had healthy hearts needs to be examined. Either way, it is likely to be a contributory factor to adverse clinical outcomes. The message to protect ones heart from the SARS CoV-2 virus, whether previously diseased or pristine, comes as a clear one as we all observe the World Heart Day (WHD) on September 29. It is timely that the World Heart Federation, which initiated WHD along with the WHO, has recently initiated a large global study on the cardiovascular effects of Covid-19. (Dr Srinath Reddy is a cardiologist, epidemiologist and the President, Public Health Foundation of India. He is also the author of Make Health in India: Reaching a Billion Plus. He can be reached at ksrinath.reddy@phfi.org. Views are personal) UPDATE: Alaska Air resumes Portland flights after implementing new wildfire smoke protocols Alaska Airlines has suspended all flights in and out of Portland until 3 p.m. Tuesday as wildfire smoke inundates the region. Its also suspending operations in Spokane and canceling some flights in Eugene, Medford, Redmond, Pasco and Walla Walla. Across the West, fires are creating thick smoke and haze, causing very poor air quality conditions in the Portland and Spokane areas, Alaska said in a statement Monday. We made the difficult decision to stop our operation so that our employees and guests can remain safe. Alaska is the busiest airline serving PDX. The suspension also applies to sister airline Horizon Air. The Port of Portland, which runs the airport, said no other airline has taken a similar step yet. It said Alaska canceled 74 flights Monday. The coronavirus pandemic had already severely diminished travel through PDX. Alaskas decision Monday, though, underscores just how awful Oregons wildfire crisis has become. Wildfires that began last week burned more than 1 million acres across the state and created atrocious atmospheric conditions in Portland and many other cities. Oregon health authorities urged businesses to shut down outdoor operations and send their workers home. Oregons Department of Environmental Quality again rated air across much of the state as hazardous Monday, with air quality scores among the very worst in the world. The state warned unhealthy air will persist at least through Thursday. The air quality index in the Portland area was near 400 Monday afternoon, well above hazardous levels. In parts of the state closer to the wildfires, the index topped 500. Improving weather conditions in the coming days could begin to dissipate smoke in Portland and Spokane, Alaska said Monday. However, other airports in the West could be impacted by drifting smoke. -- Mike Rogoway | mrogoway@oregonian.com |503-294-7699 | twitter: @rogoway | A world-leading expert in theoretical chemistry from Dalhousie has been honoured by the Royal Society of Canada (RSC) for her outstanding achievements. Erin Johnson, a professor in Dalhousies Faculty of Science, has received the 2020 Rutherford Memorial Medal in Chemistry. This award was established in 1980 by the Royal Society of Canada in memory of Lord Rutherford of Nelson, a scientist and leader in nuclear research. It is awarded for outstanding research during the formative stage of a career in any branch of chemistry and in recognition of Lord Rutherfords own research carried out in Canada at a relatively young age. I am deeply honoured to receive the Rutherford Memorial Medal, says Dr. Johnson. The list of previous winners is extremely impressive and I am proud to join this distinguished group of researchers. Given some of the strong recent faculty hires in the Chemistry department, I hope and expect that there will soon be further Rutherford medalists at Dalhousie. A graduate of Carleton University in Ottawa, and Queens University in Kingston, Dr. Johnson is recognized internationally as a rapidly rising star in theoretical chemistry, where computational tools are used to model chemistry at the atomic level. With possible real-world applications, those computational models are rapidly gaining prominence with possible global benefits, including the design of new drugs, catalysts and materials for energy applications. 'Best young chemist' Dr. Johnson currently holds the Herzberg-Becke Chair in Theoretical Chemistry, established after Dalhousie Universitys Dr. Axel Becke was awarded NSERCs Gerhard Herzberg Canada Gold Medal for Science and Engineering. She has been referred to as not only the best young theoretical chemist in Canada, but perhaps the best young chemist (of any kind) in all of North America, and has published 122 scientific papers in peer-reviewed journals, which have received over 15,000 citations nearly tenfold what might be expected for someone at this stage of their career. Congratulations to Dr. Johnson on this well-deserved recognition from the Royal Society of Canada, says Alice Aiken, vice-president research and innovation at Dalhousie. Since arriving at Dalhousie, she has demonstrated unflagging scientific leadership, with astounding accomplishments to date. She is determined, dedicated and diligent, and is clearly having an exceptional impact on her field. No stranger to accolades, Dr. Johnson received the 2018 Tom Ziegler Award from the Canadian Society for Chemistry, the 2017-18 Faculty of Science Killam Prize from Dalhousie and the 2016 CMOA Promising Scientist Award from the Centre for Applied Wave Mechanics. Most notably, in 2018 she became only the second Canadian to receive the Dirac Medal. This is presented each year by the World Association of Theoretical and Computational Chemists to one outstanding theoretical and computational chemist under the age of 40. She is also one of six recipients of the 2019 NSERC E.W.R. Steacie Memorial Fellowships, which are awarded annually to enhance the career development of outstanding and highly promising scientists and engineers who are faculty members of Canadian universities. These are Canadas most prestigious national awards for early-career researchers across all science and engineering disciplines. Read: Rewarding Promise Dal Chemistry Prof Receives E.W.R Steacie Memorial Fellowship A first for Dal It is the first time ever that a researcher from Dalhousie is the recipient of the Rutherford Memorial Medal in Chemistry. Dr. Johnson will receive her award in November, during the Royal Society of Canada Celebration of Excellence and Engagement, which will be hosted by the University of Toronto. Founded in 1882, the Royal Society of Canada is comprised of established leaders across the Academies of Arts, Humanities and Sciences and well as emerging leaders in the College of New Scholars, Artists and Scientists. The objective of the RSC is to serve Canada and the world by recognizing Canadas leading scientists, scholars, and artists and mobilizing them in an open discussion to advance knowledge and understanding of critical issues with a view toward contributing to a better future. For more information, visit the Royal Society of Canada website. Rock-throwing teens A Cowlitz 911 caller in the 500 block of Dike Drive, Castle Rock reported Sunday that three teenage boys were throwing rocks at passersby from the dike. Burglary Longview police Sunday arrested Kenneth Eugene Cole, 63, of Kelso on suspicion of second-degree burglary and resisting arrest. Assault Longview police Sunday arrested Javier Roquez Jr., 37, of Longview on suspicion of second-degree domestic violence assault and fourth-degree domestic violence assault. Drugs Kalama police Saturday arrested Joseph Bernard Kalonji, 27, of Canby, Oregon on suspicion of a felony drug offense. Burglary Kelso police Friday arrested Sarah Lynne Cameron, 44, of Kelso on suspicion of second-degree burglary. Drugs Kelso police Friday arrested Joseph Wayne Gates, 44, of St. Helens on suspicion of a felony drug offense. Burglary Longview police Friday arrested Derek Eugene Hunt, 42, of Longview on suspicion of second-degree burglary, second-degree theft and two felony drug offenses. Theft Woodland police Friday arrested Casey Michael Pearson, 29, of Washougal on suspicion of attempted second-degree theft. Eluding Washington State Patrol troopers Friday arrested Justin Bryan Wall, 38, of Gresham on suspicion of eluding a police vehicle, obstructing a police officer, resisting arrest and third-degree driving with a suspended licensee. Burglary 2100 block of Cascade Way, Longview. Sunday. Tools taken from garage. 200 block of 20th Avenue, Longview. Friday. Garage door kicked in. No items taken. 600 block of 18th Avenue, Longview. Friday. Garage broken into. Theft 100 block of Beacon Hill Drive, Longview. Sunday. Political signs taken or vandalized. 5200 block of Meeker Drive, Kalama. Saturday. Yamaha boat motor. 1300 block of 12th Avenue, Longview. Saturday. Purse. Vandalism 2900 block of Rose Valley Road, Kelso. Sunday. T in a Trump sign painted over. 900 block of Washington Way, Longview. Sunday. Bathroom vandalized. 400 block of May Avenue, Castle Rock. Saturday. Slashed tires. 400 block of Rosewood Street, Kelso. Friday. Several cars in neighborhood damaged by BB or Airsoft gunshots. 1200 block of 11th Avenue, Longview. Friday. Slashed tires. Atlantic Avenue and Lewis River Road, Woodland. Friday. Political signs for Jay Inslee, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris vandalized. Love 0 Funny 6 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 2 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Tamil Nadu, which will face assembly polls in the first quarter of next year, may see some changes in its political landscape as VK Sasikala Natarajan, once a close confidant of former AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa is likely to walk out of prison in January. According to an RTI reply by the office of the Chief Superintendent of Prison, Parapanna Agrahara, where Sasikala is currently serving a four-year prison term after being convicted by the Supreme Court, the probable date of her release is January 27, 2021, if she pays the ordered fine of 10 crore. In case she fails to pay the fine, she is likely to be released on February 27, 2022. However, what is interesting is that in the RTI response by R Latha, Public Information Officer, Sasikala could be released earlier than January 27, 2021, if she utilises her parole facility. Sasikala had entered prison on February 15, 2015, but had served 35 days in prison earlier in 1997 and 2004. Also read: India walks out of SCO meet of NSAs over fictitious Pak map, says it violates norms According to Sasikalas lawyer Raja Sendur Pandian, she is eligible to be released as early as the end of this month, though this could not be independently confirmed by HT with the prison authorities. Pandian claims that Sasikala is entitled to ordinary remission given to all prisoners which would enable her to walk out of prison as early as the end of this month. He also said that arrangements have already been made to pay the 10 crore fine to facilitate her smooth and quick release. Sasikalas reentry into Tamil Nadus political landscape is likely to have a significant impact. Before surrendering, she had been elected as general secretary of the party and leader of the AIADMK legislature party and was all set to be sworn in as the chief minister. However, the then Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao waited for the Supreme Court judgement in the disproportionate case against Jayalalithaa and Sasikala. Both of them, along with Sasikalas nephew Sudhakaran and confidante J Ilavarsi, were found guilty, thus quashing her hopes of becoming the CM. The sentence against Jayalalithaa was infructuous because she had died two months earlier. After Sasikalas arrest, Edappadi Palanswami - then seen as her proxy and key lieutenant - was elected as the leader of the legislature party and took charge as the chief minister. Later, after falling out with Sasikalas nephew TTV Dhinakaran, she was expelled from the AIADMK and removed from the post general secretary. Dhinakaran formed an alternate party AMMK which has not had much electoral success. Now with Sasikalas imminent release, the political scene could see a churn in the state. Political Analysts L Manjunath says, If she can project herself as the wronged woman who had to go to jail to defend the honour of Thalivi Jayalalithaa, then she might still emerge as a significant force. Especially, as the Palanswami and the Paneerselvam (Deputy CM) factions are yet to fully reconcile with each other. Also, she belongs to the powerful Thevar community which could also be a factor in her favour. Also read: Rahul Gandhi takes a jibe after Rajnath Singhs LAC statement While the AIADMK is yet to react officially on the likely imminent release of Sasikala, fisheries minister D Jayakumar had dismissed the possibility of readmitting her or any likely impact on party fortunes because of her reentry into the state politics. However, Sasikala might still face some challenges as the IT department is looking to auction some of the properties seized in the disproportionate assets case. While the DMK-led alliance swept the Lok Sabha polls, assembly elections are a different challenge. If Sasikala can reunite all the erstwhile AIADMK factions, they can mount a serious challenge and it will not be a walkover like the parliamentary polls, says Manjunath. Adar Poonawalla, CEO of Serum Institute (SII) has alerted there won't be enough vaccines to combat the novel coronavirus for everyone in the world till 2024. "It is going to take four to five years until everyone gets the vaccine on this planet," Poonawalla told Financial Times in an interview. The head of the world's largest vaccine manufacturer said that the world will need 15 billion doses of the COVID-19 shot if it is a two-dose vaccine. He further added that the long wait was due to pharma companies not scaling up their production levels at a faster pace to vaccinate the global population. Pune-based pharma giant has partnered with five international pharmaceutical companies, including AstraZeneca and Novavax for developing a coronavirus vaccine and producing one billion doses. Of these one billion doses, half will be pledged to India. The company may also partner with Gamaleya Institute in Russia to produce the Sputnik V vaccine. On SII's commitment to produce a billion doses, he said that the commitment has surpassed the capacity of other vaccine producers. "I know the world wants to be optimistic on it... (but) I have not heard of anyone coming even close to that (level) right now," he told the business daily. Poonawalla's word of caution comes a day after the Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said even though no date was fixed for launching the coronavirus vaccine, it may be ready by Q1 of 2021. In the first episode of his Sunday Samvaad- a social media platform, Harsh Vardhan said, "It may be ready in the first quarter of 2021." Also read: 'Will volunteer to take COVID-19 vaccine first to end trust deficit': Harsh Vardhan Also read: Serum Institute needs nod from UK, India health authorities to resume COVID-19 trials A 26-year-old trader, Enoch Ofori who is being held for allegedly raping an 18-year-old female Porter aka 'Kayayei' at a spot near the Korle Lagoon in Accra has prayed the Adjabeng District Court to admit him to bail. Ofori who made his second appearance before the court claimed he wanted to go and see to the burial of his late father which would take place next week. The court presided over by Ms Felicia Amane Antwi however asked Ofori to seek bail at the High Court. Meanwhile prosecution informed the court the investigations into the matter was on-going. The court remanded Ofori into Police custody to reappear on October 12. Charged with rape, Ofori has had his plea preserved. The Prosecution led by Detective Inspector Simon Terkpor said the complainant (name withheld) was a porter at CMB Accra, but resided at Konkomba market also in Accra. He said the suspect resided at Kwahu Praso in the Eastern Region, but came to CMB to trade. Prosecution said on August 24, this year, the suspect saw the victim at about 0300 hours and sought her services to carry some belongings to where he sold the wares. Prosecution said afterwards, the suspect lured the victim to the Korley Lagoon at Korle Gonno to carry some fish for him. He said when they got there at about 0345 hours, the suspect had sex with her without her consent. The prosecution said after the act, the victim in tears run away to CMB where the suspect does was trading and took his laptop away. Prosecution said Ofori came back and when he realized that his laptop was missing, he traced her up, meanwhile some friends of the victim whom she narrated the incident, led her to report to the Railways Police, where the matter was transferred to the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit, Accra. Prosecution said a police medical report form was issued to the victim to attend hospital. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Microsoft has retrieved an underwater data centre from Scottish waters after two years of providing cloud services from the bottom of the ocean. The 40-foot cylinder, which descended into waters off the coast of Orkney in spring 2018, is powered by tidal turbines and wave energy converters. Marine specialists took just a day to retrieve the data centre, which was coated in algae, barnacles and sea anemones from the seafloor after being deployed 117 feet deep without affecting its operations. Throughout its test period, 'Project Natick', as it's known by the US firm, had a lower failure rate than a conventional data centres and reduced energy consumption. The on-board servers the physical electronic equipment that process data storage were protected from the surrounding water, supporting customers of its Azure cloud services. Microsoft Azure is now looking to serve customers who need to deploy and operate data centres anywhere in the world. Scroll down for video Pictured, the 40-foot cylinder being retrieved after spending two years underwater powered by tidal turbines and wave energy converters underwater The data centre was originally deployed at the European Marine Energy Centre, a test site for tidal turbines and wave energy converters, and stationed in waters, based in the Orkney Islands. Microsoft says the underwater data centre is as powerful as 'several thousand high end consumer PCs' and has enough storage for about 5 million movies. The US firm has been testing the feasibility of keeping data centres underwater in the long term, which helps to keep low and consistent temperatures. Project Natick has proved the concept of underwater data centres is 'logistically, environmentally and economically practical', it says. 'We had this theory that if the data centre was in a really stable environment with all the oxygen taken out and no one walking around bumping things then we would see better reliability,' said Spencer Fowers, principal researcher on Project Natick. 'We have got some good data on reliability and we have proven we can do this whole deployment process. 'We have been able to run really well on what most land-based data centers consider an unreliable grid.' The data centre was originally deployed at the European Marine Energy Centre, a test site for tidal turbines and wave energy converters The Project Natick team power washes the Northern Isles underwater data centre, which was retrieved from the seafloor off the Orkney Islands in Scotland When the Project Natick cylinder was hauled off the seabed around half a mile offshore, just eight out of the 855 servers on board had failed. Overall, the underwater data centre had one-eighth of the failure rate of a similar data centre on land. The container was gleaming white when deployed two years ago, but upon retrieval it had a thin coat of algae and barnacles. It was power-washed before being transported to Orkney for tests to be carried out on it and samples sent for analysis at Microsoft headquarters in Redmond, Washington, US. 'We were pretty impressed with how clean it was, actually,' said Fowers. 'It did not have a lot of hardened marine growth on it it was mostly sea scum.' Once analysis is finished, the steel pressure vessel, heat exchangers, servers, and all other components will be recycled. Microsoft researchers believe a sealed container on the ocean floor could provide ways to improve the overall reliability of data processing. Lessons learned from Project Natick are already informing conversations about how to make datacenters use energy more sustainably, Microsoft said Staff remove 12 racks of servers and related cooling system infrastructure from the underwater data centre On land, corrosion from oxygen and humidity, temperature fluctuations and bumps and jostles from people who replace broken components can contribute to equipment failure. Land-based data centres also need to be consistently maintained at cool temperatures, which racks up energy expenses. The sea floor, meanwhile, provides a secure location and chilly northern waters that help to cool the computers. Underwater data centres in remote locations could also help improve data processing for the nearest communities. Spencer Fowers, a member of technical staff for Microsoft, removes a server from the inside of the data centre Data would have a short distance to travel, leading to fast and smooth web surfing, video streaming and game playing. Half of the worlds population lives within 125 miles of the ocean, so placing datacenters offshore increases their proximity to the population. This dramatically reduces latency and providing better responsiveness for services like uploading a webpage, which both require data transfers. A gull enjoys Microsoft's services. The shipping-container sized cylinder was gleaming white when it was deployed Two years underwater provided time for a thin coat of algae and barnacles to form on the steel tube, and for sea anemones to grow to cantaloupe size in the sheltered nooks of its ballast-filled triangular base Underwater datacenters could eventually be ordered to size and deployed quickly, with the ability to operate underwater for years on end. The target lifespan of a Project Natick data centre is at least 20 years. After each five-year cycle, the vessel would be retrieved, reloaded with new computers and redeployed. 'Everybody uses the cloud, everybody needs data centres, that need isn't going to go away,' Fowers said. The data centre before it was dropped into the sea two years ago. It's successfully provided cloud services from the bottom of the ocean 'We are going to continue to build large data centres but how can we do it that's better for the environment and better for us as a people?' To originally get the data centre to the seafloor, Microsoft used winches, cranes, a gantry barge, and a remotely operated vehicle, ensuring it was all in place before the fibre optic cable was properly attached. Orkney was originally chosen for the trial because it is a centre for renewable energy research. Another image taken during deployment two years ago. Project Natick team selected the Orkney Islands for the Northern Isles deployment in part because the grid there is supplied 100 per cent by wind and solar The grid there is fully supplied by by wind, solar and other experimental green energy technologies under development at the European Marine Energy Centre, including wave energy converters, which utilises energy from tidal waves. The region is home to tidal currents that can hit up to nine miles per hour at their peak, with 10-foot waves that can climb to as high as 60 feet during a storm. We know if we can put something in here and it survives, we are good for just about any place we want to go, said Ben Culter, manager in Microsofts Special Projects research group who leads Project Natick, in 2018. 'At full capacity, the system runs on less than a quarter of a megawatt of power, obtained from Orkney Islands grid.' This Natick vessel was originally operated around half a mile off the Pacific coast of the US from August to November of 2015 as part of a initial test phase. The following post is by Walter Welch, who wont be attending any Trump rallies. Consider this presidents resemblance to another leader who loved large gatherings Hello Trumpsters, this is for you. Especially you guys that show up at his rallies these days. I am not a fan of the President. I hate what he has done to weaken the pillars of our American system defined the Constitution the free press, limited representative government, honest elections, and freedom of speech. I could go on and on, but I want to say what I admire about Donald Trump and you, his loyal supporters. I admire Trumps cult leadership and your unwavering loyalty to your leader. The Jonestown cult is a good example of what Im talking about. Jim Jones lead a cult in the 70s which claimed great oppression and fled to the Guyana jungle in 1977 to form Jonestown. In 1978, Jones ended up ordering mass suicide (by drinking Flavor-Aid laced with cyanide) resulting in his death (by gunshot) and the gruesome demise of some 900 men, women and children. I think it is not easy for any leader inspire followers like you and those who followed Jim Jones. It takes some talent. Jones did it by appealing to peoples desire to improve the world, then locking them in by convincing them that he shared their fears and desires. There was a personal connection. He was strong and decisive. Jones convinced his followers that he could not be replaced. Anyone who disagreed with anything Jones said would be shunned or drummed out. Eventually, Jones claimed to be God. And the only heterosexual man on the planet. He was charming and entertaining, but he was a psycho. Imagine the rush of gratification Jones must have felt on that day as he watched his loyal followers carry out his order, serving their young children what he knew to be deadly poison. Then the parents drank the poison. What a sense of power that must have given Jones, just before his own sick life ended. A few followers survived the mass suicide. Hyacinth Thrash hid under her bed, avoiding the tragedy. Years afterword, she told of watching the babies marching by her tent, wearing paper hats bright colored clothing, marching to their execution. Hyacinth was bitter toward Jones for years, but eventually forgave him. Trump must also feel a rush when he gazes out over a rally of you guys. Uncritical followers, bravely maskless, you are so loyal you risk your lives, your families lives and the lives of random strangers. Trump of course, is tested daily, as is every person who gets near him, so he is taking no chances. Ask yourself, if the virus is a big hoax, why all the testing for Trump himself? He knows how deadly the virus can be, but he still calls it a hoax and is happy when you do. He knows you are playing Russian roulette with the virus, but HE does not indulge. Do you ever wonder why? Today in Canada, the country a lot like us, they just passed 24 hours without a single death from COVID-19. Americans are dying from the virus at more than 2 times the rate of Canadians (597 per million vs. 243 per million). And 5 times the rate of Germans. When Trump says he is doing great, he never compares death rates, which is the most important statistic. Do you ever wonder why? OK, by now youve figured out that I really dont admire Trump or you for blindly following him. Sorry. I just wanted you to read about Jim Jones, and see how closely you resemble his followers. Now imagine another 4 years of Trump. I hope you are a survivor. And I hope you realize as the few survivors of Jonestown surely did, that you too were a sucker and loser for never questioning the charming and entertaining psycho that is our president. [Image by Gage Skidmore | Flickr] Deputy Chief Executive Officer of MASLOC, Alberta Afia Akoto Nixon has made a donation to the Royal Seed Orphanage at Awutu Senya West in the Central Region. The orphanage received bags of rice, water and other assorted items from the MASLOC Deputy CEO and her foundation, the AAN Humanitarian Foundation International. The donation, which was made to mark the birthday of Mrs. Afia Akoto, was also aimed at improving the lives of the children in the orphanage. Led by a procession of the orphanage's cadet, Mrs. Afia Akoto and her husband Chief Biney, the Deputy National Organizer of the National Democratic Congress, were given a warm reception and a rapturous applause for the donation. With the faces of the children beaming with smiles, Mrs. Afia Akoto used the opportunity to advise the children to live a good life and become great future leaders. AAN Humanitarian Foundation International is a non-profit making organization founded by MASLOC Deputy CEO, Afia Akoto and assisted by her husband, Chief Biney Nixon.The Foundation seeks to support and help children, youth, women and the less privileged in society discover their capabilities as well as resource them to become responsible leaders.It further pledges unwavering support for gender equality and women empowerment, reduce child mortality, increase access to primary education, drastically reduce violence and sexual exploitation among women, young girls and children.AAN Humanitarian Foundation was inaugurated at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital on Friday, September 4, 2020. Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video This year's Magnolia Park Dia de los Muertos celebration will look a little different than usual, with a short film marking the occasion. "The mission of Magnolia Park Dia de los Muertos has always been to celebrate our historic Latino neighborhood while honoring one of our most important cultural holidays," according to the website. RARE BLUE MOON TO RISE ON HALLOWEEN: Rare 'blue moon' will grace the sky on Halloween While concerns of COVID-19 may have altered their plans, organizers announced that instead of hosting the annual in-person festival held at Hidalgo Park, they would be filming families' altars for a film to premier at a later date. In its seventh year, the beloved festival was established in 2013 to bring communities together to celebrate the rich and vibrant culture of one of the oldest Hispanic neighborhoods in Houston. Over the years, the festival has drawn crowds in excess of 7,000 since its inception. The iconic event showcases beautifully decorated altars honoring loved ones who have passed away. Residents of Magnolia Park and the greater Houston area gather to admire the altars, many which include traditional items associated with Dia de los Muertossugar skulls, marigolds, along with the favorite dishes of the deceased, to name a few. While this year may be different, families can still celebrate the time-honored tradition by filling out a form online to have the organization film your altar for the feature. There are a few rules: The altar must be located in Magnolia Park. The loved one honored must have been a resident, business owner, or community member of Magnolia Park. According to the website, filming will take place Saturday and Sunday, October 3-4, and altars must be ready in advance. The deadline to submit your form to be included in the film is Monday, Sept. 21. She recently spoke out in defence of her Britain's Got Talent co-judge Ashley Banjo over his dance troupe Diversity's Black Lives Matter-inspired performance. But Amanda Holden appeared to put the ongoing controversy aside as she had a Marilyn Monroe moment while twirling into Tuesday donning a white midi dress. The Heart presenter, 49, flaunted her toned sun-kissed pins as she twisted in the broderie anglaise shirt dress at the Global Radio studios in central London. Fun: Amanda Holden, 49, had a Marilyn Monroe moment while twirling into Tuesday donning a white midi dress at Global Radio studios The mother-of-two looked radiant as she embraced the late summer heat in the chic ensemble which flattered her figure and highlighted her bronzed limbs. Amanda styled her caramel tresses into a centre parting which fell in loose waves over her shoulders. She accentuated her glowing complexion with a dash of highlighter over her cheekbones and a touch of mascara on her fluttery eyelashes. Sweet: The mother-of-two looked radiant as she embraced the late summer heat in a chic ensemble In keeping with her minimal look, the TV star opted for heeled nude sandals and simple studs ahead of her Heart Radio show. Captioning the gif to her Instagram, she penned: '#spinning into Tuesday #halo dress.' Her stylish post comes after she spoke about the BGT's Black Lives Matter controversy on Monday's episode of Good Morning Britain with Piers Morgan. Wow: In keeping with her minimal look, the TV star opted for heeled nude sandals and simple studs ahead of her Heart Radio show She said: 'It is extraordinary. I think the number of negative complaints means this conversation is right and fundamental and should continue to happen. 'What hasnt really been highlighted is the fact that we were inundated with overwhelming positive response, hundreds of thousands of them. 'As BGT family, and Diversity is very much part of that family, and Ashley is doing a phenomenal job on BGT, we stand by him and stand by that performance 100 per cent.' The star added of Ashley Banjo: 'He sends out positive vibes to both the haters and the lovers of the piece that they did. He is saddened by negativity.' Beauty: She accentuated her glowing complexion with a dash of highlighter over her cheekbones and a touch of mascara over her fluttery eyelashes Ofcom complaints have soared to 21,673 following the performance, which featured a portrayal of a policeman kneeling on Ashley Banjo's neck. On the show Piers reiterated his support for the routine saying: 'If you can't handle that without feeling the need to never watch BGT again or to complain to Ofcom, there's something wrong with you. 'You, you're the problem! You're part of the problem.' He added: 'By the way, if you don't like me saying this, then don't watch us either. Don't watch Good Morning Britain. Because I agree with Ashley Banjo and Diversity. And if you can't handle it Britain, wake up.' The bill aims to override parts of the Brexit deal and enable goods and services to flow freely across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland when the UK leaves the EU on 1 January London: UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson's controversial bill that aims to override parts of the Brexit divorce agreement struck with the European Union (EU) cleared its first parliamentary hurdle by winning the first House of Commons vote by 340 to 263 votes. The Internal Market Bill, which has faced strong criticism from the Opposition parties and senior members of Johnson's own Conservative Party, is set to see rebellions as it progresses through further stages in its parliamentary process despite Johnson's 80-seat majority in the Commons. The government says the bill contains vital safeguards to protect Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK if negotiations on a future trade deal with the EU break down. But critics warn that it risks damaging the UK by breaching international law. Two ruling Tory party members of the parliament Sir Roger Gale and Andrew Percy voted against the bill on Monday night, while a further 30 abstained, which includes general absences from the House. During a five-hour debate ahead of the vote on Monday evening, Johnson claimed the EU's current approach could lead to excessive checks and even tariffs on goods moving from Great Britain to Northern Ireland. He said the bill would ensure the UK's "economic and political integrity", accusing the EU of making unfair demands to "exert leverage" in the trade talks including a threat to block food exports. "Now that we have left the EU, and the transition period is about to elapse, we need the armature of our law once again to preserve the arrangements on which so many jobs and livelihoods depend. That is the fundamental purpose of this bill," he told the MPs. "I regret to have to tell the House that in recent months the EU has suggested that it is ready to go to extreme and unreasonable lengths using the Northern Ireland Protocol in a way that goes well beyond common sense, simply to exert leverage against the UK in our negotiations for a free trade agreement," he claimed. "I understand how some people will feel unease over the use of these powers. And I share that sentiment myself and I have absolutely no desire to use these measures. They are an insurance policy," he added. The prime minister also held a call with his Tory party members of the House of Lords on Monday night in anticipation of the bill eventually moving to the Lords. The Opposition Labour Party accused the government of reneging on a deal Johnson signed earlier this year, and on which Conservative members of the Parliament campaigned in the December 2019 General Election. The Commons also voted against a Labour amendment to reject the bill entirely by 349 votes to 213. The parliamentarians will now begin detailed scrutiny of the bill on Tuesday with Conservative members seeking further assurances that the UK will not betray its treaty obligations. The bill is designed to enable goods and services to flow freely across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland when the UK leaves the EU's single market and customs union on 1 January at the end of the current transition period. But, controversially, it gives the government the power to change aspects of the EU withdrawal agreement, a legally-binding deal governing the terms of the UK's exit from the EU earlier this year. (CNN) For Ha Sze-yuen, the sea surrounding Hong Kong is more than just a backdrop for sunsets and beaches. The 73-year old views the ocean as his route to freedom a means of escape from the oppression and poverty of communist China. On the night of April 16, 1975, Ha and a friend slipped past Chinese border guards and plunged their homemade, inflatable rubber dinghy into the dark water of Shenzhen Bay. They then started paddling toward the bright lights of Hong Kong, which at the time was still a British colony. Ha said he had already been caught and jailed three times during previous failed attempts to swim across the water. After the third attempt, he said, guards beat him so badly his mother cried when she saw his wounds. "I was fighting for my freedom," Ha said. "I was afraid, but compared to life in China, the fear was nothing." Ha said he and his mother, a school teacher, were persecuted during the Cultural Revolution, a period of political chaos and violence unleashed by Mao Zedong, due in part to the fact his father had been a Kuomintang military officer who fled Communist rule after his side lost the Chinese civil war. During the worst decades of Mao's rule, thousands of Chinese fled south into Hong Kong. In photos taken after Ha's final, successful attempt to make it to the city, the beaming 28-year-old stands looking over Hong Kong's Victoria Harbor, dressed in bell-bottom trousers and a fashionable striped shirt. But 45 years later, Ha no longer sees this historic port city as a sanctuary. "Now, I feel like freedom is being taken away gradually," he said, referring to an ongoing crackdown on political opposition in the city by the government and Chinese authorities, who recently imposed a national security law on Hong Kong, which has further limited space for dissent and left many activists fearing arrest. The arrests of close to 10,000 anti-government protesters over the past year and the increasing targeting of opposition politicians and activists have created a phenomenon that would have been considered unimaginable to many just a few years ago. Some Hong Kongers are now taking great risks to flee the city, even choosing to try to smuggle themselves out by sea. Motorboat to Taiwan Flies buzz around rabbitfish drying in the sun on a concrete pier emerging from the sleepy fishing village of Po Toi O. This was the origin point for an ultimately failed escape attempt from Hong Kong that began one evening in August. Several villagers none of whom want to be named to avoid possible reprisals said they saw a group of people loading fuel onto an open speedboat equipped with three outboard motors. The group then set out from the pier around sunset. A resident, who also asked not to be named, said the group made a mistake leaving after sunset, when there is not much activity on the water. He pointed out that smugglers, moving everything from frozen meat to people between Hong Kong and mainland China, typically operate in the light of day, when crowds of pleasure boats and fishermen provide better cover from authorities. Several days after the conspicuous departure from Po Toi O, the Coast Guard in China's coastal Guangdong province made an unusual announcement that its officers "seized a speedboat suspected of illegally crossing the sea border." Guangdong authorities provided coordinates for the seizure, roughly 50 kilometers (31 miles) off the eastern coast of Hong Kong. The Hong Kong government later confirmed that "12 local men and women aged between 16 and 33" had been arrested and were now in the custody of Chinese law enforcement. Shenzhen Yantian Police confirmed Sunday that the 12 have been placed under criminal detention for "illegal border crossing" and their legal rights are "protected by the police according to laws." US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement on Friday that he was "deeply concerned" that the group has been denied access to their lawyers, and called on the authorities to "ensure due process." In response, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying tweeted that the 12 were "not democratic activists, but elements attempting to separate Hong Kong from China." Court documents reveal most of the 12 arrested were facing charges in Hong Kong for alleged crimes such as arson, possession of firearms, and rioting. One of the group had been arrested under the national security law imposed on the city by Beijing on June 30. 'I don't even know if he is dead or alive' The families of the detainees gave an emotional press conference in Hong Kong on Saturday, calling for the Chinese authorities to transfer their relatives back to Hong Kong, to allow calls to the families and access to lawyers, and to provide necessary medication. "I can't sleep every day, I am very worried. Worried that (there is) no medicine for them," the mother of 30-year-old detainee Tang Kai-yin said during the press conference. "I hope Hong Kong can help them to come back, (then) at least we can see him. I don't even know if he is dead or alive." In an interview with CNN following the press conference, the wife of 29-year-old detainee Wong Wai-yin said she had made repeated calls to the Shenzhen Yantian Detention Center, but had received no information about her husband. "I want to tell my husband, don't worry, I will wait for your return, whether it will take 10 years, 20 years, or a lifetime," she said. "We will not give up on you." In preparation for their ill-fated escape, a source familiar with the failed attempt said the fugitives had taught themselves to drive the speedboat since no smugglers would risk the journey. The source did not want to be identified for fear of prosecution. The source said the goal of the fugitives was to reach the self-governing island of Taiwan, more than 700 kilometers (440 miles) away. Even on a calm summer day, the ocean swell off the east coast of Hong Kong bashes against the last, craggy uninhabited islands before the territory gives way to international waters. Veteran mariners who spoke to CNN estimate a non-stop sea crossing in an open motorboat at high speed to Taiwan would take more than 14 hours, amounting to an exhausting, bumpy ordeal, with the risk of being caught out in one of the region's frequent dangerous storms. Sailors would have to direct their craft using GPS and carry additional fuel to avoid being stranded at sea. While the boat carrying 12 passengers was intercepted, the source said two other boats carrying escapees successfully made the journey to Taiwan over the summer. The Taiwanese government would neither confirm nor deny reports of boats carrying Hong Kong runaways reaching its shores. "Our government has emphasized repeatedly that Taiwan supports Hong Kong's democracy and freedoms, but it is also a society under the rule of law," the island's Mainland Affairs Council told CNN. "Based on safety considerations we absolutely do not encourage (them) to come to Taiwan using illegal means." Hong Kong's government responded to an inquiry about the escapees with an appeal for the return of fugitives. "We urge other jurisdictions to take a clear position not to harbor any criminals who are involved in crimes in Hong Kong and to return them," the city's Security Bureau wrote in a statement to CNN. Island sanctuary Some Hong Kong activists are starting to see parallels between the current situation and the aftermath of the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre, when hundreds of mainland Chinese protesters were smuggled by land and sea to Hong Kong via an organized pipeline called Operation Yellowbird. At the time, Hong Kong authorities did not return dissidents to mainland China. "This time, the territory we need to escape from (includes) Hong Kong; and Taiwan becomes the destiny of people, the hope of Hong Kong people," said Eddie Chu, a pro-democracy lawmaker. Chu plans to resign his position in Hong Kong's Legislative Council, after the city's government recently postponed elections by at least a year on public health grounds. As authorities crack down on dissent in Hong Kong, a cottage industry of small businesses and organizations supporting the city's protest movement is springing up in Taipei. Aegis is a coffee shop decorated with giant murals depicting helmeted, goggled protesters as manga-style superheroes. Patrons are welcomed by a so-called Lennon Wall of Post-it notes with handwritten messages like "Stand with HK" and "Free HK," a once-ubiquitous sight in Hong Kong at the height of last year's protest movement. The business employs activists who have fled Hong Kong. According to the Taiwanese government, the number of Hong Kong residents settling in Taiwan more than doubled during the first six months of 2020, compared to the previous year. One of the most famous recent emigres is Lam Wing-kee. For years, he ran Causeway Bay Books, a small store in the heart of Hong Kong specializing in sensational works critical of the Chinese leadership. But in 2015, he and four of his colleagues disappeared from Hong Kong for months only to reappear on Chinese state TV in a televised confession admitting to "illegal book trading." In a 2016 interview with CNN, Lam accused Chinese security forces of kidnapping him to the Chinese mainland and forcing the confession. Three years later, Lam left Hong Kong for good, and started a new Causeway Bay Books in Taipei. "Taiwan is a lot safer than Hong Kong," Lam said. "I left a place where I may lose my freedom to a place where I have freedom." He spoke to CNN sitting beside the cash register in his shop, where he also sleeps at night to save rent. His desk is draped with a flag bearing the slogan "Liberate Hong Kong, Revolution of our Time." The term has since been declared "subversive" by Hong Kong authorities, and those who use it could be prosecuted. CNN has spoken to several frontline protesters who recently fled to Taipei to escape criminal charges in Hong Kong. One 19-year-old man, who asked not to be identified, said he boarded a commercial flight to Taiwan in January, before the coronavirus pandemic triggered a lockdown. "It's hard for me," said the teenage exile, adding he felt homesick and wanted to return. "I still want to (take part in) the political movement [....] (but) there's no room for that in Hong Kong right now." Other exiles in Taiwan said they had heard of fellow activists trying to escape by sea. "Right now, everyone somehow is trapped in Hong Kong," said an older activist, who flew to Taiwan in July 2019 after participating in the storming and vandalizing of Hong Kong's Legislative Council. "I can't think of how we should keep fighting, or what young protesters should be doing now," he added. "If we have a chance, we should escape." Advice from older generation On a particularly humid September morning in Hong Kong, Ha Sze Yuen strolled along Aberdeen harbor, not breaking a sweat. He pointed out a rubber dinghy on the back of a multi-million-dollar yacht, saying it was about the same size as the home-made boat he used to make the 1975 crossing from mainland China to Hong Kong. Forty-five years later, Ha says he is dismayed at the Chinese government's encroachment on Hong Kong's autonomy. "When I first came to Hong Kong, I felt so free," he said. "I still believed in the Sino-British Joint declaration, which promised Hong Kong would remain unchanged for 50 years," Ha added, referring to the agreement China made before the British handover of Hong Kong in 1997. Ha said he supports those young Hong Kongers now risking their lives to flee into exile. And he feels regret that he did not move on from the city to another location out of the reach of communist China when he had the chance. "I didn't expect life would change so fast here," he says. This story was first published on CNN.com "Hong Kong was once a safe haven from China. Now activists are fleeing the city by boat to Taiwan" TEL AVIV - Preliminary data from the Israeli Health Ministry on Tuesday showed 4,812 new coronavirus infections in the country over the past 24 hours, a new record. On Monday, a total of 47,000 tests were administered, revealing an infection rate of just over 10%. A total of 1,136 people have died of coronavirus in the country since the start of the pandemic. Starting this Friday, the country will enter a new total lockdown for three weeks, according to a recent government decision. There are currently over 40,000 people infected with Covid-19 in the country. Hebrew-language daily Israel Yahom said that in areas where orthodox Jews live, the percentage of infections is nearly three times higher than the national average. Other significant outbreaks were reported in Arab towns. Israel Yahom said the reopening of schools two weeks ago also contributed to the spike in infections. Meanwhile, various hospitals warned that their coronavirus wards are full and they cannot admit any more patients infected with the virus. Health authorities said that during the upcoming lockdown, Israelis will have to stay at home and will not be permitted to travel more than 500 metres from their residences. However, there will be exceptions for those who are travelling to work, for medical treatment, or to accompany children of divorced parents. Other exceptions were made for practicing orthodox Jews for Jewish New Year celebrations, which start Friday evening. Britons travelling to the European Union could soon face quarantine on arrival across the board as countries consider whether to adopt a standardised threshold for imposing self-isolation rules. The European Commission is pushing member states to adopt its recently published 'traffic light' quarantine system so that the entire bloc uses the same criteria for restricting travel. The EU's system would see quarantine measures applied to all arrivals from countries which have more than 50 coronavirus cases per 100,000 people over the previous two weeks and a positive test rate above three per cent. A recent surge in cases means the UK currently has an infection rate of 51.1 per 100,000 and a positive test rate of six per cent - both above the EU's threshold. Ireland is expected to announce its new quarantine rules today with reports suggesting Dublin will adopt the European Commission's approach. The European Commission wants European countries to adopt a standardised system for imposing quarantine on travellers. The threshold would be set at more than 50 cases per 100,000 people. A coronavirus test centre is pictured at Brussels Airport yesterday The current rate of coronavirus infection in European counties The EU is proposing to introduce a standardised system for quarantine. It would see arrivals from countries with a rate of more than 50 cases per 100,000 told to self-isolate. These are the current infection levels per 100,000 in European countries. Spain: 270.7 France: 153.9 Czechia: 111 Romania: 86 Belgium: 70.6 Netherlands: 69.2 Austria: 69.1 Portugal: 53.9 UK: 51.1 Ireland: 45.4 Italy: 32.4 Sweden: 22.7 Germany: 21.7 Poland: 19.2 Advertisement The Telegraph said France, Spain, Germany and the Netherlands are all in favour of a standardised system. However, it is thought they would want to retain the ability to act unilaterally on quarantine so they could alter restrictions when they see fit. The expected move by Ireland comes as Finland moves to roll out updated quarantine measures from this weekend. Its system will see arrivals from countries with 25 cases per 100,000 having to quarantine and get tested. The European Commission published its 'traffic light' plans at the start of September in a bid to harmonise rules across Europe. Its system would see countries with an infection rate above 50 per 100,000 added to a 'red list' while countries with a rate between 25 and 50 would be on the 'amber list'. Countries with an infection rate of lower than 25 per 100,000 would be added to the 'green list'. People travelling from countries on the 'red list' would be told to either quarantine or get tested. Under the European Commission's proposals, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control would publish a map every week with the latest colour codes applied to each country. The bloc said it wanted to introduce a 'well-coordinated, predictable and transparent approach to travel restrictions' which would replace the current 'kaleidoscope of individual measures'. Paul Charles, chief executive of the travel consultancy The PC Agency, said the idea of a consensus being struck on quarantine is 'good news' but 'bad news for travellers leaving the UK because our numbers are getting worse'. Denmark is at risk of being added to England's quarantine list this week following a rise in coronavirus infections. UK records 3,105 more Covid-19 cases and 27 new deaths The UK today recorded another 3,105 cases of the coronavirus as the outbreak continues to grow, while separate figures show the number of Covid-19 deaths has dropped to a six-month low. Government statistics show the UK's rolling seven-day average of daily infections has tipped 3,000, after doubling in a fortnight following a sudden spike in cases. Some 2,621 infections were recorded yesterday. Cases had dropped to record lows at the start of July when national restrictions were lifted, and slowly climbed throughout August. But they have rocketed in the past two weeks. For comparison, just 1,339 Britons were testing positive for the coronavirus every day at the start of September, on average. Health officials also announced 27 laboratory-confirmed deaths across all settings, up from the nine recorded yesterday but down on the 32 confirmed last Tuesday. It comes as separate figures released today revealed the number of people dying from coronavirus in England and Wales has plunged to the lowest level since mid-March, before the peak of the pandemic struck. Only 78 people died from Covid-19 in the week ending September 4, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The dip marks a 23 per cent drop from last week, when 101 deaths were recorded. Advertisement The UK Government currently uses a threshold of 20 cases per 100,000 when it makes decisions on whether to add or remove countries from its quarantine list. Downing Street remains under intense pressure to change the UK's travel quarantine rules amid growing fears for the future of the aviation and travel industries. Ministers have faced calls for months to replace the current 14 day self-isolation restrictions for people returning to the UK from high risk countries with a more nuanced system of airport testing. Advocates believe testing on arrival could open the door to significantly reducing the two week quarantine period to potentially less than seven days. A double testing approach would see travellers tested on arrival and then told to self-isolate for something like five days when they would then be tested for a second time. Two negative tests would be enough to allow people to end their period in quarantine and return to normal life. However, ministers have been reluctant to approve airport testing because of concerns that the approach could fail to identify some people who have the virus. This is because of the amount of time it can take for the virus to be detectable after the moment of infection. But many MPs believe the current blanket approach to travel quarantine cannot continue for much longer because of the damage it is doing to the aviation sector. Former prime minister Theresa May last week became the most senior figure to call for the Government to back airport testing as she said it 'has to be the way forward' so that quarantine can be eased. She said 'at the moment airports aren't even permitted to trial tests on passengers' and demanded that change as soon as possible, arguing that 'far from leading the world, the UK is lagging behind'. Mrs May also suggested the Government is split on the issue. She said the Department for Transport 'gets this' but Number 10, the Treasury and other departments do not. She said her message to the Government was 'if you want to get the economy moving, get planes flying again'. Ministers have announced changes to the UK's 'red list' on Thursday evenings in recent weeks. Speculation is growing that Denmark, Italy and mainland Greece could soon be added to England's quarantine list after increases in infection rates. Figures showed Denmark's cumulative number of cases over seven days was at 28.7 infections per 100,000 people at the start of this week, far above the UK threshold. Italy logged 16.5 cases per 100,000 residents while Greece recorded 15.4 per 100,000. Insiders said ministers could hold off on imposing blanket restrictions on Italy but may insist on quarantining arrivals from Sicily, which has seen a spike in infections. Cancer Support Community Central Ohio helps people manage the cancer journey, from point of diagnosis through long-term survivorship, through more than 85 monthly programs and services, to achieve better health outcomes and improve quality of life. Through this gift, Bob Evans Farms is directly helping central Ohioans access Cancer Support Community Central Ohio's high-quality, evidence-based services led by qualified mental health professionals and credentialed facilitators, at no cost, for all those impacted by a cancer diagnosis patients, survivors, family members and caregivers. It is only fitting that Bob Evans Farms, an outstanding corporate partner, would put its name on the building to welcome and support all who are impacted by cancer to the Bob Evans Farms Center. "Renowned for its corporate giving and philanthropic efforts, Bob Evans Farms is a company with so much heart. We are so very fortunate and honored to have them supporting Cancer Support Community Central Ohio to this extent. For many years, they have been a champion with numerous contributions to support our programming and events," said Bev Soult, president and CEO, Cancer Support Community Central Ohio. "It's only through the generosity of Bob Evans Farms, and other corporate donors, that we can continue to identify effective support solutions, create personalized wellness plans, offer meaningful education and resources, and deliver essential guidance so that no one faces cancer alone." "Supporting the communities where we live and work is a key pillar for Bob Evans Farms," Mark Delahanty, President and CEO of Bob Evans, said. "We're honored to have our long-standing partnership with Cancer Support Community Central Ohio represented through naming rights of the building. This will be a lasting legacy of our commitment to the important work and the difference this organization makes in our community." About Cancer Support Community Central Ohio Cancer Support Community Central Ohio is an affiliate of Cancer Support Community, the largest professionally led nonprofit network of cancer support worldwide. It is dedicated to ensuring all people impacted by cancer are empowered by knowledge, strengthened by action, and sustained by community. Cancer Support Community conducts cutting-edge research on the emotional, psychological, and financial journey of cancer patients and advocates at all levels of government for policies to help individuals whose lives have been affected by cancer. The organization is advancing innovations that are becoming the standard in complete cancer care so that no one faces cancer alone. Backed by evidence that the best cancer care includes emotional and social support, Cancer Support Community Central Ohio offers its services at no cost to all people living with any type or stage of cancer, from diagnosis though survivorship. The organization delivers a comprehensive menu of personalized and essential services including support groups, educational workshops, stress management, cooking and nutrition classes, and social activities for the entire family. During the current pandemic, all programs are being offered on a virtual platform without interruption, so cancer patients and their family members, friends and caregivers can continue to find the support and community they need during this challenging time. For more information, go to CancerSupportOhio.org. About Bob Evans Farms, Inc. Bob Evans Farms, Inc., is a brand born and raised on the promise of farm-fresh goodness. For more than 70 years, the company has been making delicious, quick-to-table farm-fresh food that is sold in grocery stores all over the country. Today, Bob Evans brand mashed potatoes and macaroni & cheese products are the #1 selling refrigerated side dishes in the United States*. Based in Columbus, Ohio, and owned by Post Holdings, Inc., a consumer-packaged goods holding company operating in the center-of-the-store, refrigerated, foodservice, food ingredient, and active nutrition food categories. Bob Evans Farms is also a leading producer and distributor in multiple categories including eggs, refrigerated potato, pasta, pork sausage, and a variety of refrigerated and frozen convenience food items under the Bob Evans, Owens and Pineland Farms brand names. For more information about Bob Evans Farms, Inc., visit http://www.bobevansgrocery.com. *Source: IRI Scan Sales Data Total U.S. 52 Weeks Ending 12/29/19. SOURCE Cancer Support Community Central Ohio Related Links http://cancersupportohio.org Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Ghina Ghaliya (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Tue, September 15, 2020 07:29 493 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c44ceb60 1 National KPK,Corruption-Eradication-Comission,Firli-Bahuri,Commission-III,house-of-representatives Free The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has made a request to the House of Representatives for an additional Rp 825 billion (US$55.48 million) for its 2021 budget to hire more graft-prevention agents, the agencys chief, Firli Bahuri, said on Monday. "[I requested] an additional Rp 825 billion for the 2021 budget and we will use it to increase the number of anticorruption counselors and integrity experts," Firli said during a hearing with House Commission III overseeing legal affairs at the House complex in Central Jakarta on Monday. Anticorruption counselors and integrity experts are part of the KPK's program to promote anticorruption education and awareness under Firli's leadership following its recent focus on prevention over enforcement. He argued the KPK needed more people in those positions to assist ministries and government agencies, as well as provincial, district and city administrations. The agency currently has 827 counselors and 28 experts. Corruption is caused by a lack of integrity. We are continuing to increase the number of integrity experts assigned to all ministries and institutions," he said. Read also: Which KPK leader has caught more suspects in their early days? Firli said the additional funds requested were meager figure compared to the Rp 90.5 trillion state funds the agency had saved through graft prevention The KPK initially requested Rp 1.881 trillion for its 2021 budget. However, the government agreed to allocate only Rp 1.055 trillion. "I think asking for Rp 1.8 trillion is fair considering our accomplishments. We have secured more money than we were asked for," Firli said. House Commission III approved the request for additional funds in the meeting and will pass the proposal on to the House budget committee (Banggar). United Development Party (PPP) lawmaker Arsul Sani expressed hope the additional funds could boost the KPKs prevention efforts, adding that some regional leaders and bureaucrats wanted the KPK's assistance in executing major programs, such as the village funds program. Arsul added that the KPK should also utilize the funds to make significant progress in major unsolved cases. Boris Johnson is scrambling to find a way to defuse a mounting Tory revolt on new Brexit laws today after Michael Gove admitted critics might be 'on to something'. The Internal Market Bill cleared its first hurdle in the Commons last night, but is facing a serious challenge next week when amendments are considered. A string of senior Conservatives - including former PM Theresa May and ex-Chancellor Sajid Javid - have made clear they will oppose the legislation in its current form. Many have voiced alarm that the Bill would breach international law by overriding key parts of the Brexit divorce terms in relation to Northern Ireland. Rebels are gathering behind an amendment from former minister Bob Neill, proposing a 'Parliamentary lock' so MPs would need to approve such action before it happens. Mr Gove sparked speculation over concessions by telling the House last night that those demanding changes might be 'on to something'. Meanwhile, the PM - who gathered his Cabinet today - has insisted Parliament will get a vote if he ever wants to invoke the unusual powers, designed to prevent Brussels from 'blockading' food exports to NI. However, that vote would be 'affirmative' - held after the action had been implemented. Mr Johnson held talks with some of the rebels including Mr Neill last night, with a source telling the BBC that the 'ball is rolling' on coming to a compromise. A potential way of easing concerns would be to offer a different kind of lock on deploying the powers. One MP involved in the mutiny told MailOnline that the government did not need to remove the clauses from the legislation altogether, and blamed much of the frustration on the refusal to exhaust other options, such as the dispute mechanisms in the WA. 'I don't think anyone seriously doubts the need to prepare for these circumstances,' the MP said. 'They might only need a caveat saying these clauses would only come into effect after the final ruling of the arbitration panel.' Boris Johnson gathered his Cabinet today, as he scrambles to find a way to defuse a mounting Tory revolt on new Brexit laws Michael Gove (pictured today) sparked speculation over concessions by telling the House that critics of the legislation might be 'on to something' A string of senior Conservatives - including former PM Theresa May (left) and ex-Chancellor Sajid Javid (right) - have made clear they will oppose the legislation in its current form What does the UK Internal Market Bill do, and how do rebels want to amend it? Former minister Bob Neill has tabled a key amendment to the Bill The UK Internal Market Bill is intended to be a 'safety net' in case the EU tries to impose an 'extreme' interpretation of the Withdrawal Agreement. If Brussels refused to list the UK as a 'third country', there would effectively be a blockade on food exports going from the mainland to Northern Ireland. In response, the legislation would give ministers powers to override key parts of the divorce terms - bypassing a joint committee that is means to thrash out key issues such as over customs. However, critics complain that the move would breach international law - something Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis admitted last week was the case. The PM insisted Parliament would get a vote if he ever want to invoke the unusual powers - designed to prevent Brussels from 'blockading' food exports to NI. But in fact it appears any vote would be 'affirmative' - held after the action had been implemented. Rebels are gathering behind an amendment from former minister Bob Neill, proposing a 'Parliamentary lock' so MPs would need to approve overriding the Withdrawal Agreement before it happens. A potential way of buying off some rebels would be to offer a less stringent lock, limiting the scope of ministers to deploy the controversial measures in the Bill while keeping the weapon in the arsenal if the EU refused to budge. One MP involved in the mutiny told MailOnline that the government did not need to remove the clauses from the legislation altogether, and part of the frustration was that other options, such as the dispute mechanisms in the WA, had not been exhausted. 'I don't think anyone should seriously doubt the need to prepare for these circumstances,' the MP said. 'They might only need a caveat saying these clauses would only come into effect after the final ruling of the arbitration panel.' Advertisement Home Secretary Priti Patel refused to comment this morning on whether an amendment being tabled by Mr Neill could be partially accepted by the government. But she insisted the principle behind the legislation was essential for the UK to 'stay true' to Northern Ireland. Meanwhile, Irish foreign minister Simon Coveney branded the Bill 'shocking' - but insisted he still had not given up hope of a trade deal that could do away with the need for tariffs. The UK Internal Market Bill passed its second reading by 340 to 263 a Government majority of 77. But Tories have continued to rally against the plans, which has now gone into line-by-line scrutiny. Government whips are bracing themselves for expected votes next week on amendments to the Northern Ireland provisions which some rebels may back. A number of Conservative former ministers have made clear they would not support any measure that breached international law, including Mr Javid, ex-Cabinet minister Andrew Mitchell, and two former attorney generals, Geoffrey Cox and Jeremy Wright. During the debate last night, Mr Gove said of Mr Neill: 'He is an old friend of mine and he is on to something here. He made the point that we need to show that we are operating in a constructive spirit, and I agree. 'That is why we want to secure agreement through the Joint Committee, which is why we met last week. It is why (EU commission vice president) Maros Sefcovic and I have been working, setting aside our differences, in order to achieve agreement. 'It is also why our first recourse will be to the arbitral panel if we do have problems.' Mr Gove agreed that there were provisions in the Withdrawal Agreement that could be triggered in the case of a dispute. 'We recognise, as my hon. Friend pointed out, that if we cannot secure agreement, under section 16 there are steps we can take in extremis, as a safety net, to ensure that our interests are protected,' he said. Despite the hints at movement, No10 engaged in sabre-rattling against peers who are threatening an attempt to sabotage the law. A spokesman for the PM said he believed the Bill is covered by the Salisbury convention, which states that the Lords should not block manifesto pledges. 'Guaranteeing the full economic benefit of leaving the EU to all parts of the United Kingdom and ensuring Northern Ireland's businesses and producers enjoy unfettered access to the rest of the UK were clear Conservative manifesto commitments which this legislation delivers,' the spokesman said. Mr Mitchell, speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today programme, said: 'The proposition that we should march through the Lobby as lawmakers and say that we are going to ignore and disavow a law that we have passed, to do with the rule of law, that is completely unacceptable.' The ex-international development secretary said the proposals were 'causing very considerable anxiety and worry' on the Government backbenches. During the vote on Monday two Tory MPs Sir Roger Gale and Andrew Percy voted against the Bill, while 30 did not cast a vote, although some may have been 'paired' with opposition MPs. The Government tally was bolstered by seven DUP MPs. Ms Patel defended the need for the legislation, telling broadcasters the Government was standing by the Union. 'When it comes to preserving the integrity of the UK and clearly delivering for the people of Northern Ireland when it comes to the Good Friday Agreement, we've said from day one that we would always stand by our word and not compromise when it comes to unfettered access in goods and services but also standing by the Good Friday Agreement,' she said on BBC Breakfast. 'We are ensuring the UK Internal Market Bill stays true to that principle, that is why we are bringing this Bill forward.' What have the five living former PMs said about Boris Johnson's Brexit plans? Theresa May: 'The United Kingdom Government signed the Withdrawal Agreement with the Northern Ireland protocol. This Parliament voted that Withdrawal Agreement into UK legislation. The Government is now changing the operation of that agreement. Given that, how can the Government reassure future international partners that the UK can be trusted to abide by the legal obligations of the agreements it signs?' David Cameron: 'Passing an Act of Parliament and then going on to break an international treaty obligation is the very, very last thing you should contemplate. It should be an absolute final resort. So, I do have misgivings about what's being proposed.' Gordon Brown: 'This is a huge act of self harm. We knew there was a debate over fishing and over state aid but then to explode the argument into breaking an international treaty has been condemned by so many people.' Tony Blair: 'As the world looks on aghast at the UK, the word of which was once accepted as inviolable, this government's action is shaming itself and embarrassing our nation.' Sir John Major: 'For generations, Britain's word solemnly given has been accepted by friend and foe. Our signature on any treaty or agreement has been sacrosanct. Over the last century, as our military strength has dwindled, our word has retained its power. If we lose our reputation for honouring the promises we make, we will have lost something beyond price that may never be regained.' Advertisement Mr Johnson who took the unusual step of opening the debate on the Bill himself yesterday said the legislation was necessary to prevent the EU taking an 'extreme and unreasonable' interpretation of the provisions in the Withdrawal Agreement relating to Northern Ireland. He said some in Brussels were threatening to block UK agri-food exports to the EU and to insist on tariffs on all goods moving to Northern Ireland from the rest of the UK. 'Absurd and self-defeating as that action would be even as we debate this matter, the EU still have not taken this revolver off the table,' he said. He said it could mean levies of 61 per cent on Welsh lamb, 90 per cent on Scottish beef and 100% on Devonshire clotted cream, and would 'carve tariff borders across our own country'. But during fiery exchanges with the Prime Minister, shadow business secretary Ed Miliband standing in for party leader Sir Keir Starmer, who is in coronavirus self-isolation said Mr Johnson had only himself to blame for signing up to the exit terms. 'Either he wasn't straight with the country about the deal in the first place or he didn't understand it,' Mr Miliband said. 'Because a competent government would never have entered into a binding agreement with provisions it could not live with.' Sir Bob Neill, chairman of the Commons Justice Committee who has tabled an amendment requiring a vote of Parliament before ministers can exercise the new powers in the Bill urged MPs to 'take the opportunity to change and improve these clauses'. Asked whether ministers were likely to accept Sir Bob's proposed changes, Ms Patel told the Today programme the Internal Market Bill 'delivers' on promises made to Northern Ireland, in terms of unfettered trade access, in the Conservative Party manifesto. 'I don't think right now it is even appropriate to comment on amendments that may or may not come forward,' she added. 'The fact of the matter is the Joint Committee was established to iron out the very clear inconsistencies in terms of the (Northern Ireland) Protocol. 'We want to reach an agreement still with the EU and we are going to concentrate as a Government to work to achieve that, but through this Bill right now we want to have the safeguards and mechanisms in place to ensure we stay true to the people of Northern Ireland.' Early Childhood Ireland wants all TDs in Laois to commit to ensuring investment in the childcare sector is increased in Budget 2021. Early Childhood Ireland supports 3,800 childcare members nationwide, who in turn support over 100,000 children and their families. There are 69 Early Childhood Ireland members across Co. Laois. Frances Byrne, Director of Policy with Early Childhood Ireland, set out what is needed. Substantially increased investment for early years and school-age childcare must be an immediate and sustained focus for the new Government. Budget 2021 will be the first test of how well they meet this challenge," she said. The organisation wants Minister of State Sean Fleming, Brian Stanley and Charlie Flanagan to back the campaign. We are calling on TDs in Laois to back our call for increased investment in childcare in Budget 2021. Our members in Laois and nationwide will continue to engage with local politicians on this issue between now and Budget Day on 13th October, she said. Ms Byrne said Ireland has a bad record when it comes to spending on childcare. "Ireland has consistently remained at the bottom of the class when it comes to investment in childcare. According to the OECD, we invest the least amount in early years of any developed country as a percentage of GDP. In Budget 2021, as well as increasing funding for childcare, the Government must also state how it plans to increase investment to 1% of GDP over the next four years. If the Government is serious about their commitments in the Programme for Government, then a multi-annual plan is needed," she said. Ms Byrne said an immediate focus for the coming year needs to be on ensuring the sustainability of childcare services in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. Initially, increased investment in childcare next year must focus on retaining the Employment Wage Support Scheme for the childcare sector, she said. This can act as a bridging measure to help stabilise early years and school-age provision, as settings need to adjust to working with the public health issues arising from Covid-19. It is unrealistic for the Government to expect the sector to resume a broken business as usual model of operation from 1st January next year. Additional Covid-19-specific supports will be necessary until a vaccine or treatment is widely available, she said. The organisation set out the consequences of Low Investment Levels in childcare. Low investment in childcare is bad for children because it leads to high levels of staff turnover and poor outcomes, continued Ms. Byrne. It is bad for parents because it leads to high fees and no guaranteed creche places. Its bad for staff because they receive low wages and have poor working conditions. Its bad for providers as theyre operating in a constant state of uncertainty and cant make any long-term plans. And, ultimately, its bad for society because for as long as the Government under-funds childcare we will have parents locked out of the workforce and children getting an unequal start in life. Budget 2021 is an opportunity for the Government to literally put its money where its mouth is. The Programme for Government and the election manifestoes of the parties that make up the Government contained promises about improving our childcare sector. Now, were calling for action and investment to make those promises come true, concluded Ms Byrne Early Childhood Ireland supports 3,800 childcare members, who in turn support over 100,000 children and their families through preschool, afterschool, and full day-care provision nationwide. Facebook on Tuesday asked Delhi assembly to withdraw a summon notice on alleged inaction in hate speech cases. The social media giant said that matter falls within Centres purview. The regulation of intermediaries like Facebook fall within exclusive authority of the Union of India. Given that the matters are under consideration by Parliament, we object to the Notice and request you recall it, Facebook India said in its reply to Delhi assembly. A Delhi Assembly committee on peace and harmony has issued a notice to Facebook India vice president and managing director Ajit Mohan asking him to appear before it on September 15 in connection with complaints about the social media platforms alleged deliberate and intentional inaction to contain hateful content in the country. The panel is headed by Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) legislator from Rajendra Nagar, Raghav Chadha. Facebooks letter is in disregard of committees privilege. Facebooks refusal to appear before the committee is an attempt to conceal crucial facts in relation to its role in Delhi riots. Fresh summons will be issued to it in line with principles of natural justice, said Chadha. The notice was issued after the committee said that prima facie, it has found that Facebook was allegedly complicit in aggravating the February riots in north-east Delhi that left 53 dead and at least 400 injured. These primarily have to do with posts on its platform ahead of and during the rites. Meanwhile, former employee of Facebook said that a politically-sophisticated attempt to influence the Delhi elections in February played out on the social media platform before it was taken down silently. Former Facebook data scientist Sophie Zhang also cited examples in the memo of how the company has failed to act on time or with transparency in tackling attempts to undermine democratic processes around the world. Karen Wharton, Jericho Project Board Member With Karen Wharton's extensive background in health care, management processes and advocacy, she will be an invaluable advisor as we work efficiently and effectively in serving vulnerable New Yorkers during the pandemic and beyond. -- Jericho Project Board President Miriam Boublik Jericho Project, a nationally-acclaimed nonprofit ending homelessness at its roots, has welcomed U.S. Air Force veteran Karen Wharton to its Board of Directors. An accomplished hospital administrator and former nurse with Masters Degrees in Emergency Management and International Relations, Wharton brings a wide range of executive skills, including veterans services and community outreach, to the organization. We are honored to have Karen Wharton join our Board. With her extensive background in health care, management processes and advocacy, she will be an invaluable advisor as we work efficiently and effectively in serving vulnerable New Yorkers during the pandemic and beyond, said Miriam Boublik, Jericho Project Board President. Jericho Project has been expanding its Board of Directors this year to ensure that the 37-year-old nonprofit continues to address the deepening needs of those hardest hit by the COVID health crisis. Among the 2,500 New Yorkers Jericho Project serves annually, its dedicated programs for veterans, young largely LGBTQ adults and families will be vital to the Citys ability to rebound. Wharton offers the added insights of having lived at Jerichos award-winning Kingsbridge Terrace Veterans Residence. While she was serving her country during Superstorm Sandy, her home was flooded rendering it uninhabitable. Jericho Project afforded her the chance to rebuild her life with employment and education after she returned to New York. Karen has contributed expertise, time and passion to Jericho over the last five years. We have been fortunate to have her as a persuasive voice on the transformative importance of her to government leaders, partners, donors and community members, said Tori Lyon, Jericho Project CEO. With nine supportive housing residences and apartments across the five boroughs, Jericho Projects comprehensive counseling services, include employment, mental health and family reunification, have enabled 95% of residents maintain stable housing, and 90% of those affected by substance abuse to maintain their sobriety. Wharton is a full time Administrator on Duty and Assistant Director of Nursing at Metropolitan Hospital Center in New York, while concurrently pursuing her Doctor of Education degree. She holds an M.P.A. in Emergency Management, majoring in Emergency and Disaster Management with a focus on Homeland Security, from Metropolitan College of New York (Summa Cum Laude), and an M.A. in International Relations Security and Intelligence from Webster University Athens, Greece (GPA 3.98), and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, from the College of New Rochelle. Prior to her current position, she worked for James J. Peters (JJP) VA Medical Center New York, where she was and Emergency Management Specialist; at New York City Health and Home Care as an Assistant Director, including training, recruitment and education, and as a critical care nurse in obstetric and neonatal care at New York-Presbyterian/Columbia. She was recruited by the United States Air Force as a Captain from 2010-2014, bringing years of clinical and administrative experience to the military. Over the course of her career, she has been a tireless advocate for fighting veterans homelessness and improving maternal/child health care. She successfully lobbied state legislators to increase the minimum wage and brought awareness to Veterans supportive housing programs. As a volunteer for the American Red Cross, she was part of the team that handled the Miracle on the Hudson. She participated in the New York City First Lady Chirlane McCrays initiative to combat mental health disparities, making it easier for New Yorkers to get treatment. She has been featured as a spokesperson for Jerichos Veterans Initiative in the New York Daily News, WINS-AM, Fox5 New York and News 12 Bronx among many. A traveling and humanitarian enthusiast, Wharton has visited 20 countries. A great idea will only prosper if the person who has it can inspire others to believe in it. Jericho Project showed me theres one sure way to do that join them! That is why I encourage corporate partners, volunteers and community partners to get involved in this important work, Wharton said. About Jericho Project: Inspired by the belief that transformation can occur in every individual, Jericho Project steadfastly works to end homelessness at its roots by creating a community that inspires individual change, fosters sustainable independence, and motivates men and women to reach their greatest potential. For 37 years, Jericho has provided supportive housing and counseling services to thousands of individuals experiencing chronic homelessness and substance abuse. Jericho Project employs rigorous fiscal discipline and works with valued public-private partnerships and a foundation of dedicated donors, to advance its mission. Jerichos housing and extended services cost $13,000 per person annually, compared to $32,000 for a single shelter, $50,000 for a family shelter, and $168,000 for a jail cell annually. For more information please see: jerichoproject.org | @jerichoproject1983 Tom Holland in the movie "The Devil All the Time." (Glen Wilson / Netflix) The sins of the fathers are passed down with both a solemn hand and a diabolical chuckle in The Devil All the Time, a viciously coiled study in the banality of evil, the abuse of power and the diminishing returns of screen violence. Cutting a bloody swath across Ohio and West Virginia in the 1940s, 50s and 60s, director Antonio Campos (Christine) weaves many tangled webs of lust, deceit, murder and suicide around a large ensemble of actors, including Tom Holland, Eliza Scanlen, Robert Pattinson and Riley Keough. You might say that sin is the movies true star: A cop serves his greed, a preacher indulges his lust and a young man unleashes his wrath. Im not sure how to classify the gun-toting creep with the cuckold fetish, except to note that is less an outlier than a standard bearer, the nastiest distillation of this movies relentlessly nasty worldview. That worldview arises from author Donald Ray Pollock, who not only wrote the 2011 novel that inspired the film (Campos and his brother Paulo Campos co-wrote the adaptation) but also lent his own voice as the films narrator. His observations about the residents of Knockemstiff a real-life southern Ohio town presented here as a den of iniquity and inbreeding give the proceedings a sardonic, down-home authenticity. They also provide a measure of withering satirical distance, especially whenever the story turns to the subject of religion, as it does often. Bill Skarsgard and Michael Banks Repeta in the movie "The Devil All the Time." (Glen Wilson / Netflix) It seemed to his son that his father fought the devil all the time, Pollock remarks dryly of Willard Russell (Bill Skarsgard), a family man with a dangerous belief in his ability to not only discern the will of God, but also to negotiate with it. Willard, a World War II veteran, is traumatized by his memory of seeing a captured U.S. Marine nailed to a wooden cross and left for dead by his Japanese captors. The crucified Christ may be a symbol of hope and human redemption, but it has left Willard with a view of the Lord that skews decidedly Old Testament, and a belief that happiness and holiness sometimes demand payment in blood. Story continues And so even as Willard forces his young son, Arvin (Michael Banks Repeta), to kneel alongside him in the dirt and pray before a makeshift cross near their Knockemstiff cottage, he also educates the boy on the finer points of violence, particularly when wielded in the defense of women. Some years later, after a series of events that finds him living hundreds of miles away in Coal Creek, W.Va., the teenage Arvin (now played by Holland) will prove himself to be very much his fathers son, doing his best and sometimes his worst to protect his sweet-souled stepsister, Lenora (Eliza Scanlen), from the harassment of high-school boors and bullies. They are just a few of the characters populating this densely plotted, quasi-Southern religio-gothic, many of whom are arranged in tight narrative and thematic counterpoint to one another. We see Willard first courting Arvins waitress mother, Charlotte (Haley Bennett), around the same time another waitress, Sandy (Riley Keough), marries Carl Henderson (Jason Clarke), whose interests include driving, nature photography and other, less commendable pursuits. Meanwhile, Willards strict fundamentalism finds an even darker echo in a traveling fire-and-brimstone preacher, Roy Laferty (Harry Melling), with an unhealthy belief in the superiority of his own spiritual gifts. Robert Pattinson in the movie "The Devil All the Time." (Glen Wilson / Netflix) Roy is mirrored in turn by the later appearance of another parson, Preston Teagardin, played by Robert Pattinson with the same lip-smacking comic flamboyance he recently brought to The King. In a cast full of English actors (Holland, Melling) and Australian actors (Scanlen, Clarke) seamlessly passing themselves off as Americans, Pattinson incarnates an inescapably European worldliness: To watch him smack his lips over chicken livers at a church potluck or warn his flock, in a hilarious Southern-fried accent, against the dangers of falling victim to a deluuuuuuuuuuusion! is to be momentarily transported into a different film completely, and one that looks even wilder, funnier and frankly a bit more fun than The Devil All the Time turns out to be in its sprawling 138-minute entirety. Fun, of course, isnt exactly being advertised. Certainly fun has never figured too prominently in the bone-chilling work of Antonio Campos, an independent filmmaker who made his name with realist horror films like Afterschool (2008) and Simon Killer (2012) and most recently directed the excellent psychological drama Christine (2016). Notably, all three of those earlier films functioned to varying degrees as commentaries on the addictive, manipulative properties of visual mass media. That element is absent from The Devil All the Time, which takes place in a world where Christianity is the dominant form of social control, with its unyielding grip on small towns and smaller minds. The reductiveness of that thesis is mitigated to some extent by the expansiveness of the storytelling or perhaps its the other way around. This is a movie that sits astride two conflicts, World War II and the Vietnam War, and treats the rituals of organized religion as a more local extension of their bloodlust. Self-professed men of God turn out to be showmen and charlatans at best, murderers and rapists at worst. They invite our scorn, which is not to say they are immune to our pity: Even the vilest character turns out to be in the grip of a deeply misguided longing for transcendence. Jason Clarke and Riley Keough in the movie "The Devil All the Time." (Glen Wilson/Netflix) Those who willingly follow, meanwhile, are shown to be naive to the point of blindness, especially if like the lonely Lenora or a hapless orphan named Helen (Mia Wasikowska) they are unfortunate enough to be women. Keoughs wily Susan is one of the few exceptions, the rare woman who, despite and perhaps because of her spectacularly poor choice of husband, decides to rebel against her assigned lot in life. Matching her for shrewdness and recklessness is Lee Bodecker (Sebastian Stan), a local sheriff whose various corrupt rackets by far the movies least interesting element suggest that secular authority figures are no more trustworthy than religious ones. How all these strands dovetail is a question that ultimately brings us back to Arvin, played by Holland as a kind of inspired flip side to his most famous role. Theres a streak of Peter Parkers boyish innocence to Arvin, but his own demons are all too frighteningly credible. His journey bears out the movies conviction that all children are destined to repeat the mistakes of their parents, but it also suggests that, with a bit of wisdom, calculation and sheer luck, the consequences of those mistakes can be curbed and perhaps even reversed. Arvin thus embodies the lone concession to optimism in a drama of all-consuming fatalism, and its fair to question whether that makes him the hero of the story or the punchline of a cosmic joke. I sensed a bit of the Coen brothers wicked irony in this movies backwoods-noir fatalism, and also a measure of their rigorous craft. You can reject the conclusions of Campos movie, particularly its unrelenting pileup of dead bodies, and still take pleasure in its atmospheric surface in the persuasiveness of its small-town environs (shot on 35-millimeter film by the gifted cinematographer Lol Crawley) and the vigor of its performances. He may not persuade you all the time, but the devil is very much in those details. Network Advertising, one of Indias leading independent advertising agencies has announced the appointment of Harish Shriyan and Amit Ray as Executive Directors. Shriyan was earlier Group CEO of Omnicom Media Group and has played a pivotal role in establishing Omnicom Media Group in India. Prior to that, he held leadership positions in MediaCom. He has managed portfolios of global giants like Renault, Nissan, HP, Volkswagen, Beiersdorf, Vivo, Sony Pictures, Johnson & Johnson among others. The Indian clients he has managed includes conglomerates like Tata Motors, Kotak Mahindra, Arvind Mills and Parle Agro. Shriyan is extremely adept at building teams and growing businesses and excels at adding a startup mentality to his teams. Ray ushers in an expansive mindset honed on multinationals like Unilever and Nestle and Indian corporations like ITCand Reliance Jio. He has headed the media function in agencies like Mudra and been on the client side holding a leadership position at Reliance Infocomm. Ray has been the longest-serving Chairman of the Technical Committee at the MRUC. Speaking about the appointments, Vinod Nair, Managing Director, Network Advertising said We feel fortunate to induct someone like Harish with such invaluable experience in running a large, multifaceted media company. Harish understands deeply what it takes to build organizations. His perspectives and values, both on business and people, match ours. This is a welcome addition to Network. On the other hand, Amit is very passionate when it comes to finding the optimum solution for clients. He has an extremely analytical mind, fantastic at spotting trends and decoding the stories behind numbers. Amit always dwells on what makes sense for the business first. That perspective is going to prove a preciousasset in our forward journey. These inclusions create a powerhouse of talent within Network. They allow us to design customized solutions for clients, regardless of investment side. They help us to truly provide an integrated, well rounded approach, when it comes to helping clients grow their business said Vinod. Commenting on the new role, Harish Shriyan, Executive Director, Network Advertising said, I am really looking forward to working in a truly Indian, completely independent agency; not limited in its capacity to do the right thing by global dictats. I aim to assist Network in growing to its true potential. I am also excited with the opportunity to work closely with brand strategy and creative teams because I feel this integration can truly provide a competitive edge to the clients business. I have been impressed with the rigour in Networks approach and am eager to add my effort and contribution. Amit Ray, Executive Director, Network Advertisingadded, I was drawn by Networks process of talking business first. Their holistic approach resonated with my beliefs. There was a feet-on-the-ground demeanor and a willingness to be utterly candid with the client. I have always believed in focusing on how the solution proposed works for the client at a business level, and at Network, I feel there has been a meeting of minds. Deepfakes are media often video but sometimes audio that were created, altered, or synthesized with the aid of deep learning to attempt to deceive some viewers or listeners into believing a false event or false message. The original example of a deepfake (by reddit user /u/deepfake) swapped the face of an actress onto the body of a porn performer in a video which was, of course, completely unethical, although not initially illegal. Other deepfakes have changed what famous people were saying, or the language they were speaking. Deepfakes extend the idea of video (or movie) compositing, which has been done for decades. Significant video skills, time, and equipment go into video compositing; video deepfakes require much less skill, time (assuming you have GPUs), and equipment, although they are often unconvincing to careful observers. How to create deepfakes Originally, deepfakes relied on autoencoders, a type of unsupervised neural network, and many still do. Some people have refined that technique using GANs (generative adversarial networks). Other machine learning methods have also been used for deepfakes, sometimes in combination with non-machine learning methods, with varying results. Autoencoders Essentially, autoencoders for deepfake faces in images run a two-step process. Step one is to use a neural network to extract a face from a source image and encode that into a set of features and possibly a mask, typically using several 2D convolution layers, a couple of dense layers, and a softmax layer. Step two is to use another neural network to decode the features, upscale the generated face, rotate and scale the face as needed, and apply the upscaled face to another image. Training an autoencoder for deepfake face generation requires a lot of images of the source and target faces from multiple points of view and in varied lighting conditions. Without a GPU, training can take weeks. With GPUs, it goes a lot faster. GANs Generative adversarial networks can refine the results of autoencoders, for example, by pitting two neural networks against each other. The generative network tries to create examples that have the same statistics as the original, while the discriminative network tries to detect deviations from the original data distribution. Training GANs is a time-consuming iterative technique that greatly increases the cost in compute time over autoencoders. Currently, GANs are more appropriate for generating realistic single image frames of imaginary people (e.g. StyleGAN) than for creating deepfake videos. That could change as deep learning hardware becomes faster. How to detect deepfakes Early in 2020, a consortium from AWS, Facebook, Microsoft, the Partnership on AIs Media Integrity Steering Committee, and academics built the Deepfake Detection Challenge (DFDC), which ran on Kaggle for four months. The contest included two well-documented prototype solutions: an introduction, and a starter kit. The winning solution, by Selim Seferbekov, also has a fairly good writeup. The details of the solutions will make your eyes cross if youre not into deep neural networks and image processing. Essentially, the winning solution did frame-by-frame face detection and extracted SSIM (Structural Similarity) index masks. The software extracted the detected faces plus a 30 percent margin, and used EfficientNet B7 pretrained on ImageNet for encoding (classification). The solution is now open source. Sadly, even the winning solution could only catch about two-thirds of the deepfakes in the DFDC test database. Deepfake creation and detection applications One of the best open source video deepfake creation applications is currently Faceswap, which builds on the original deepfake algorithm. It took Ars Technica writer Tim Lee two weeks, using Faceswap, to create a deepfake that swapped the face of Lieutenant Commander Data (Brent Spiner) from Star Trek: The Next Generation into a video of Mark Zuckerberg testifying before Congress. As is typical for deepfakes, the result doesnt pass the sniff test for anyone with significant graphics sophistication. So, the state of the art for deepfakes still isnt very good, with rare exceptions that depend more on the skill of the artist than the technology. Thats somewhat comforting, given that the winning DFDC detection solution isnt very good, either. Meanwhile, Microsoft has announced, but has not released as of this writing, Microsoft Video Authenticator. Microsoft says that Video Authenticator can analyze a still photo or video to provide a percentage chance, or confidence score, that the media is artificially manipulated. Video Authenticator was tested against the DFDC dataset; Microsoft hasnt yet reported how much better it is than Seferbekovs winning Kaggle solution. It would be typical for an AI contest sponsor to build on and improve on the winning solutions from the contest. Facebook is also promising a deepfake detector, but plans to keep the source code closed. One problem with open-sourcing deepfake detectors such as Seferbekovs is that deepfake generation developers can use the detector as the discriminator in a GAN to guarantee that the fake will pass that detector, eventually fueling an AI arms race between deepfake generators and deepfake detectors. On the audio front, Descript Overdub and Adobes demonstrated but as-yet-unreleased VoCo can make text-to-speech close to realistic. You train Overdub for about 10 minutes to create a synthetic version of your own voice; once trained, you can edit your voiceovers as text. A related technology is Google WaveNet. WaveNet-synthesized voices are more realistic than standard text-to-speech voices, although not quite at the level of natural voices, according to Googles own testing. Youve heard WaveNet voices if you have used voice output from Google Assistant, Google Search, or Google Translate recently. Deepfakes and non-consensual pornography As I mentioned earlier, the original deepfake swapped the face of an actress onto the body of a porn performer in a video. Reddit has since banned the /r/deepfake sub-Reddit that hosted that and other pornographic deepfakes, since most of the content was non-consensual pornography, which is now illegal, at least in some jurisdictions. Another sub-Reddit for non-pornographic deepfakes still exists at /r/SFWdeepfakes. While the denizens of that sub-Reddit claim theyre doing good work, youll have to judge for yourself whether, say, seeing Joe Bidens face badly faked into Rod Serlings body has any value and whether any of the deepfakes there pass the sniff test for credibility. In my opinion, some come close to selling themselves as real; most can charitably be described as crude. Banning /r/deepfake does not, of course, eliminate non-consensual pornography, which may have multiple motivations, including revenge porn, which is itself a crime in the US. Other sites that have banned non-consensual deepfakes include Gfycat, Twitter, Discord, Google, and Pornhub, and finally (after much foot-dragging) Facebook and Instagram. In California, individuals targeted by sexually explicit deepfake content made without their consent have a cause of action against the contents creator. Also in California, the distribution of malicious deepfake audio or visual media targeting a candidate running for public office within 60 days of their election is prohibited. China requires that deepfakes be clearly labeled as such. Deepfakes in politics Many other jurisdictions lack laws against political deepfakes. That can be troubling, especially when high-quality deepfakes of political figures make it into wide distribution. Would a deepfake of Nancy Pelosi be worse than the conventionally slowed-down video of Pelosi manipulated to make it sound like she was slurring her words? It could be, if produced well. For example, see this video from CNN, which concentrates on deepfakes relevant to the 2020 presidential campaign. Deepfakes as excuses Its a deepfake is also a possible excuse for politicians whose real, embarrassing videos have leaked out. That recently happened (or allegedly happened) in Malaysia when a gay sex tape was dismissed as a deepfake by the Minister of Economic Affairs, even though the other man shown in the tape swore it was real. On the flip side, the distribution of a probable amateur deepfake of the ailing President Ali Bongo of Gabon was a contributing factor to a subsequent military coup against Bongo. The deepfake video tipped off the military that something was wrong, even more than Bongos extended absence from the media. More deepfake examples A recent deepfake video of All Star, the 1999 Smash Mouth classic, is an example of manipulating video (in this case, a mashup from popular movies) to fake lip synching. The creator, YouTube user ontyj, notes he Got carried away testing out wav2lip and now this exists... Its amusing, although not convincing. Nevertheless, it demonstrates how much better faking lip motion has gotten. A few years ago, unnatural lip motion was usually a dead giveaway of a faked video. It could be worse. Have a look at this deepfake video of President Obama as the target and Jordan Peele as the driver. Now imagine that it didnt include any context revealing it as fake, and included an incendiary call to action. Are you terrified yet? Read more about machine learning and deep learning: Let's hear the bad news first. The country's second largest airline SpiceJet today posted heavy losses to the tune of Rs 593.4 crore on revenues of Rs 709.76 crore which dropped a whopping 77 per cent over the same quarter last year. The sharp dip in revenues and losses were largely expected as the entire aviation sector suffered a massive shock due to pandemic. SpiceJet also reported that it's operating capacity at 47 per cent of the pre-COVID schedule since flight services resumed on May 25. For instance, if the low-cost carrier previously had 570 flights daily, it's now taking about 268 flights. This is expected to rise as Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) has permitted 60 per cent operational capacity for airlines. Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri has suggested that passenger traffic would reach pre-COVID levels by the end of December. Even as the airline is struggling in the passenger segment, it claims to have emerged as the largest air cargo airline in the country, ahead of carriers like IndiGo and Air India who have bigger fleets. SpiceJet also claims that it's operating a fleet of 13 cargo aircraft, including wide-body Airbus A340 and A330 aircraft, Boeing 737s, and Bombardier Q-400s. ALSO READ: SpiceJet posts Rs 600.5 crore net loss in Q1 amid COVID-19 lockdown, finances deteriorate "SpiceJet established itself as country's largest cargo operator and operated more than 7,000 flights and transported around 50,000 tonnes of cargo since March 2020. Out of these flights, 40 per cent were to international destinations," the airline said in a statement adding that its cargo network spans over 63 domestic and 44 international destinations. This is in fact bigger than its passenger network of 54 domestic and 9 international destinations (as on March 2020). The size of SpiceJet's cargo operations is even bigger than dedicated freighter services. Blue Dart Aviation, for instance, has a fleet of six Boeing 757 with a network payload of 504 tonnes across 74 route connections each night, as per company's website. Even though the demand jump was unexpected and sudden, SpiceJet's has managed to design its cargo network in such a way that it can tap demand across markets. For example, Bombardier Q-400 cargo freighters, with capacity of 8.5 tonnes, can cover Tier II and III cities, remote and hilly areas in the North East, Jammu and Kashmir, and Himachal Pradesh. The widebody A330 and A340 aircraft cover long- and medium-haul international destinations in Europe, Africa and CIS (Russia, Ukraine, etc). Everything in between is covered by Boeing 737s. ALSO READ: Cap on flights shields SpiceJet, GoAir; delays recovery An aviation expert says that during the COVID-induced lockdown, domestic airlines converted passenger planes for cargo operations. This helped them mobilise essential materials such as medical and surgical supplies, sanitisers, face masks, rapid test kits, IR thermometers, etc. In the first quarter earnings call, IndiGo's CEO Ronojoy Dutta had said that the airline has witnessed a great deal of potential in its cargo business, and to explore this opportunity further, it has converted 10 aircraft to "all cargo airplanes". It's now believed that the trend which started in April is likely to continue for a long time. Why? As per global body International Air Transport Association (IATA), it would take equivalent of 8,000 Boeing 747s to airlift and deliver the coronavirus vaccine across the globe once it's ready. What does it mean for domestic carriers? "The market for freighters during and after the pandemic is going to be huge. Operators like SpiceJet can play a crucial role in micro-distributing the vaccine across parts of the country. The time for freighters has come," says Mark Martin, CEO, Martin Consulting. But some experts believe that the time for freighters was always there. One can recall times when Air India had 10 freighters in 1985 which were flying between India and Dubai, London, and New York. "The first big revival for freighters had come around seven-eight years ago when e-commerce companies started using them for logistics. The need to transport essential goods during COVID has further spiked the demand," says an aviation analyst. ALSO READ: Unlock 4.0: Domestic airlines allowed to operate at 60% capacity P riti Patel today contradicted Cabinet colleague Brandon Lewis by denying his dramatic Commons admission that the Government is ready to break international law in a very specific and limited way. Speaking after a major rebellion by around 20 senior Conservatives against the new Internal Market Bill , the Home Secretary appeared to signal a climbdown by declaring: We are absolutely not doing that. Ms Patels change of message came hours after Tory rebels fired a strong warning shot in a vote last night on the Bill, which could override parts of the Withdrawal Agreement that Boris Johnson signed in January. This morning the MPs warned that the rebellion would grow if the Prime Minister did not make concessions. Former Cabinet minister Andrew Mitchell vowed: Quite deliberately voting to breach international law is something which I cannot do. Another former minister told the Standard that many of last nights abstainers would vote against the Government in a week on an amendment put down by Sir Bob Neill, the Justice committee chair, to give Parliament a vote before any breach of international law. In the debate last night, Michael Gove hinted at a partial U-turn by telling Sir Bob he was onto something. Prime Minister Mr Johnson told MPs yesterday that powers would be held in reserve and only used as a last resort. Last week Mr Lewis, the Northern Ireland Secretary, told MPs the Bill would break international law in a very specific and limited way. But when asked about Mr Lewiss words on Sky News, Ms Patel declared: We are absolutely not doing that. The purpose of the Bill is to ensure we preserve the integrity of the UK. She added: Parliament is sovereign when it comes to how international treaties are not only interpreted but applied through Acts of Parliament. Ms Patel stressed later on BBC Radio 4s Today: This is a safety net. And that is why we have introduced this in this particular Bill. It follows a week of changes in the way ministers tried to explain the Bill, which was at first presented as merely tidying up loose ends. It passed its second reading with 340 votes to 263 a majority of 77. Kabul, Sep 15 : For the first time, Afghanistan has won a seat at the UN Commission on Status of Women (CSW) for a four-year term. The announcement was made by Adela Raz, Afghanistan's Permanent Representative to the UN, reports TOLO News. "AFG wining with the highest votes the competitive CSW election today, represents a victory for the process started 19 years ago when, along with our international partners, we committed to the empowerment of our women. This is of a critical importance during our PeaceTalks to demonstrate the new Afghanistan," she said in a tweet on Tuesday. India, Afghanistan and China were among the main contenders for winning the seat. Even as India and Afghanistan won the ballot among the 54 members, China could not cross the half-way mark. The CSW is the principal global intergovernmental body exclusively dedicated to the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women. A functional commission of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), it was established by June 21, 1946. The CSW is instrumental in promoting women's rights, documenting the reality of women's lives throughout the world, and shaping global standards on gender equality and the empowerment of women. How could such an egregious perversion of justice have come to pass? The answer is complicated, and it seems foolish to try to sum up in a sentence or two what Nasaw spends more than 600 pages charting so scrupulously. Suffice it to say that the fog of postwar allowed many collaborators to shed uniforms, destroy papers and slip quietly into D.P. camps. This was hardly a secret. As early as October 1945, in fact, this very newspaper printed an article that quoted a reliable source at United States military headquarters in Germany as saying that at least one-third and probably more of the Balts in the camps are former members of the Saulis, a Baltic Fascist Organization. Almost all of them prefer our enemy, Germany, to our ally, Russia. Later, the knotty domestic politics of multiple countries allowed this outrage to persist. So the need for cheap labor and experienced army personnel figured centrally in the determination of who would (or wouldnt) receive immigration papers. Other factors included mounting Western hostility to the Soviet Union, the tired conflation of Jews with Communists and plain old-fashioned anti-Semitism. (Nasaw lets us eavesdrop on Gen. George Patton, no less, fulminating into his diary about those who believe that the Displaced Person is a human being, which he is not, and this applies particularly to the Jews who are lower than animals.) The focus on utilitarian and political over humanitarian rationales for resettlement, Nasaw writes, didnt apply only to the situation at hand. It set the harsh Darwinian terms for how the developed world has dealt with subsequent refugee crises. Among the longest festering of those crises is, of course, Palestine/Israels. Nasaw handles deftly the international aspects of this part of the story, in which the fate of that small, troubled piece of land became a ball kicked between England and the United States. This too was complicated. Harry Trumans push for the open immigration of Jewish refugees to British-controlled Palestine and eventually for a Jewish state may have derived from his moral sense and lifelong reading of the Bible, though it involved other less lofty matters as well, including his need to secure the proverbial Jewish vote. Americas own immigration policies also played a role. Nasaw quotes the English foreign secretary Ernest Bevin as suggesting in 1946 that regarding the agitation in the United States, and particularly New York, for 100,000 Jews to be put into Palestine, he hoped it will not be misunderstood in America if I say, with the purest of motives, that that was because they did not want too many of them in New York. Purity seems not especially relevant to this conversation, but Bevin had a point. That said, his frank assessment of the situation got him into hot diplomatic water, whose temperature Nasaw does a typically astute job of gauging and putting in context. The authors account of the facts on the ground in Palestine/Israel produces the books only slight wobble an uncharacteristic loss of perspective. Its perhaps inevitable that if one views the violent history of the region so tightly through the lens of the desperate D.P.s, one will perceive the British Mandatory authorities strict post-1939 immigration quotas and refusal to simply open the gates as nothing but cruel and unusual. The quotas may indeed have been punishing, as Nasaw suggests, but they also derived from Britains (admittedly ruinous) attempts to referee an already 50-year-old struggle between two competing national movements whose origins had nothing whatsoever to do with Hitler. Nasaw acknowledges, if very much in passing, the bitter irony of the fact that many of the Jewish D.P.s who stumbled at last onto Israels shores wound up occupying houses, villages and neighborhoods that had recently belonged to Palestinian Arabs, who themselves became refugees in 1948, denied the right to return to their homes. He tries hard to be evenhanded. But its perplexing that a writer as alert to political and rhetorical nuance as he is would use stock, boosterish terms like nothing less than miraculous to refer to the rapid resettlement of Jewish D.P.s in Israel, or employ the word aliyah, as though it were perfectly neutral. (It means ascent in Hebrew, and colors the notion of Jewish immigration to Israel with a definite ideological tint.) The socio-political groups which last week held a meeting attended by a former president, Olusegun Obasanjo. have attacked the presidency over its comments against the event. The groups, Afenifere, Northern Elders Forum (NEF), Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) and Middle Belt Forum in a joint statement on Monday said the presidency is insensitive and should rather embrace Mr Obasanjos wake up call than condemning him. PREMIUM TIMES last week reported that Mr Obasanjo said Nigeria was becoming a failed state under President Muhammadu Buhari. In reaction, the president in a statement by his spokesperson, Garba Shehu, said Mr Obasanjo is fast descending from the lofty height of Commander-in-Chief to the lowly level of Divider-in-Chief. The presidency also condemned the five groups for meeting with Mr Obasanjo. But on Monday, the groups said they were happy to have met to discuss the way forward towards the development of the nation. The statement of the groups was signed by Isuwa Dogo, Middle Belt Forum; Yinka Odumakin, Afenifere; Guy Ikokwu; Ohanaeze, and Bassey Hensaw; PANDEF. Clearly, our current leaders are living in very deep denial, if they do not recognise that our current situation represents an existential danger to the nation, the groups said. We are alarmed at the insensitivity of the Presidency which will rather demolish patriotic and responsible action than take steps to address gaping holes in the manner it handles our national destiny, our security and our economy. Our fora is encouraged to pursue the time-tested strategy of engagement, dialogue and steadfast commitment to the future of our country as secure, united and just. We will continue to exercise our rights to meet and seek for solutions, and discharge our obligations to younger generations of Nigerians who deserve to live in a nation without its current frightening limitations. We believe that the Presidency, our legislators and all well-meaning Nigerians should be part of our initiative. If the Presidency chooses to stay out, Nigerians have the right to ask what it is doing to address our deeply-embedded problems itself. President Muhammadu Buhari should know that Nigerians can distinguish between Nigerians who care enough to do something, and those with responsibility who choose to do nothing. Our groups are not mouthpieces of President Obasanjo, and we will leave it to him to choose how he responds to the lamentable response of President Buhari to his initiative. Many believe that what started as a cry for a fair trial and finding the truth behind the sad passing of actor Sushant Singh Rajput, has now just become a scathing attack on each other in Bollywood. Actor Shriya Pilgoankar wants to keep an arms distance from all this chatter and advocates others to do the same. I dont watch the news. As people we have a responsibility towards how we consume our news, especially when the case is so sensitive and close to everybodys heart. The least we can do is be respectful about it. The sad part is that everybody is coming with their own agenda right now. What all of us somewhere everybody wants right now is for the right authorities to do their job, explains the actor. Pilgaonkar also feels that everyone is peddling their version of the story and spreading different narratives. But then there is the truth and then there is everyones version. So I am just somebody that does not participate in conversations which are on baseless information. Now we have the authorities handling the matter, they need to be given a chance to do the investigation in a fair manner, adds the Mirzapur actor. She also laments the hatred that is being spread by a section about the film industry. The hatred that is spewing, the wrong information that is being peddled I dont know how it is going to lead to anything, she wonders. Pilgaonkar also feels that in the lockdown, people have seen extreme human behavior, the best and the worst. At t a time when we need to operate from a place of empathy and kindness towards each other, people are choosing a convenient route behind their screen to just spew hatred without even understanding what the situation is. I feel very helpless right now. You just dont know what to do when you see people believing in anything and everything they hear without actual evidence and investigation. I dont indulge myself in that. It is difficult for me to not get mentally depressed about it, she concludes. The rise of home schooling has seen a spike in hacking attempts against educational institutions, said third-party security researchers Check Point. Its latest paper claims that the USA has seen the biggest increase, with academic sector attacks rising 30 percent from 468 per week to 608 per week. Europe and Asia have both seen a 24 percent and 21 percent increase, respectively, in the number of hacking attacks. Check Point says that the tactic of choice is DDoS attacks for both the US and Europe, while Asia has a preference for Remote Code Execution and Information Disclosure. Its likely that the combination of schools not having a particular focus on security, and a lack of resources, will exacerbate these issues. As usual, the researchers say that institutions should use a combination of proactive measures to reduce the vectors of attack and educate users on best practices. Former Wharton Dean Geoffrey Garrett and Yuri Milner. "My hope is that this scholarship will support talented individuals to look beyond the horizon [...] and that the state of Israel will benefit from the expertise in business and entrepreneurship that Wharton program graduates will bring back home. - Wharton MBA alumnus Yuri Milner Penn President Amy Gutmann and Wharton Dean Erika H. James are pleased to announce a $10 million commitment from the foundation established by Wharton MBA alumnus Yuri Milner and his wife Julia, to create the Friends of Israel MBA Fund. This new fellowship will provide full-tuition financial support to Israeli MBA students at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Yuris philanthropy has been as visionary as his distinguished business career. He is one of the founders of the acclaimed Breakthrough Prize, which recognizes pioneering achievements in the sciences, said Penn President Amy Gutmann. Now, with his exceptional gift creating the Friends of Israel MBA Fund, the foundation through Yuri and Julia has created another forward-looking philanthropic initiative. We are profoundly grateful to Yuri and to the foundation for supporting the graduate students who will become tomorrows global business leaders. The Friends of Israel MBA Fund will provide full tuition over the course of the two-year Wharton MBA program for a cohort of over sixty students over the next decade. The fellowship is dedicated to Israeli students including those who have completed Israeli military service, attended an Israeli undergraduate institution, or worked at an Israeli company. The term funding will provide immediate support, enabling the School to reach, welcome, and support exceptional international students through offering generous financial aid packages. Israel has become a global center of innovation and Wharton has long helped train the top entrepreneurs and business leaders across the world. This is a perfect match, said Ron Dermer, Israels Ambassador to the United States. As a Wharton alumnus, Im delighted that other Israelis will benefit from this unique experience. We are thrilled by the foundations commitment to supporting the best and brightest MBA candidates from the Israeli community, said Dean Erika James. As part of the Wharton family, Mr. Milners dedication to welcoming international talent advances the Schools mission to foster a diverse and inclusive student cohort benefitting the entire community. This commitment marks a historic investment in student aid, which is a main area of focus for the Wharton Schools More than Ever campaign. Fellowship funding provides the means for Wharton to provide competitive financial aid to the worlds best and brightest students, breaks down barriers toward their attendance, and enables their full immersion into the Wharton MBA experience. International students like those who will benefit from the Friends of Israel MBA Fund bring their global experience to enrich the student community and ultimately the Wharton alumni network and business community at large. As a former international student myself, I know the transformative impact that an education in America and at Wharton can have, said Mr. Milner. Israel, too, has been an important home for me and my family, and our bond with the country remains strong. My hope is that this scholarship will support talented individuals to look beyond the horizon and pursue their vision of what the world can be, and that the state of Israel will benefit from the expertise in business and entrepreneurship that Wharton program graduates will bring back home. Mr. Milner is an Israeli science and technology investor and philanthropist. He attended Wharton in the 1990s and went on to found DST Global, one of the worlds leading technology investors, with a portfolio that includes some of the most prominent internet companies. Yuri and his wife Julia partnered with Sergey Brin, Priscilla Chan and Mark Zuckerberg, and Anne Wojcicki to launch the Breakthrough Prizes - the worlds largest scientific awards, honoring important, primarily recent, achievements in Fundamental Physics, Life Sciences and Mathematics. In July 2015, together with Stephen Hawking, Yuri launched the $100 million Breakthrough Listen initiative to reinvigorate the search for extraterrestrial intelligence in the universe, and in April 2016 they launched Breakthrough Starshot - a $100 million research and engineering program seeking to develop a technology for interstellar travel. All these philanthropic initiatives are funded by the Breakthrough Foundation established by Yuri and Julia Milner. Mr. Milner was the keynote speaker at the 2017 Wharton MBA Graduation Ceremony. For more information visit http://www.yurimilner.com. About the Wharton School Founded in 1881 as the worlds first collegiate business school, the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania is shaping the future of business by incubating ideas, driving insights, and creating leaders who change the world. With a faculty of more than 235 renowned professors, Wharton has 5,000 undergraduate, MBA, executive MBA, and doctoral students. Each year 13,000 professionals from around the world advance their careers through Wharton Executive Educations individual, company-customized, and online programs. More than 99,000 Wharton alumni form a powerful global network of leaders who transform business every day. For more information, visit http://www.wharton.upenn.edu. About the University of Pennsylvania The University of Pennsylvania, founded in 1740, is an Ivy League institution with a distinctive past. Its12 undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools are located in Philadelphia on an attractive urban campus that serves a diverse community of more than 20,000 students from throughout the nation and around the world. Ranked consistently among the top universities in the nation, Penn has a longstanding reputation for excellence in graduate and professional education. BARRY COUNTY, MI -- A man in Barry County is being screened for the mosquito-borne illness Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE). If his test results come back positive, he will be the first human case in 2020 of the potentially fatal virus. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services is expecting confirmatory testing results by the end of the week, according to a press release. In Michigan, 22 horses have been diagnosed with EEE so far this year. Last year, 10 people in Michigan were infected and six died from the virus. People can be infected with EEE from one bite of a mosquito carrying the virus. The virus has a 33% fatality rate in people who become ill, according to MDHHS. The Barry County man was positive for EEE when he was tested by the Mayo Clinic. However, the MDHHS considers that test a screening, MDHHS spokesperson Lynn Sutfin said. Due to the type of antibodies the Mayo Clinic test detects, the test is potentially less accurate, Sutfin said. The protocols and methodology utilized at MDHHS labs are required to confirm the diagnosis of EEE infection in a person, per the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention. The confirmatory test can detect which virus created the antibodies present in the screening. This test is fairly labor intensive and requires specialized training and equipment, which is why the results wont be available until the end of the week, Sutfin said. Michigans health department is one of 11 public health labs providing the confirmatory test, Sutfin said. In partnership with the Michigan Department of Agricultural and Rural Development, the health department is supporting immediate aerial spraying for mosquito abatement. Ten counties that reported EEE cases in horses will be sprayed from dusk to dawn on Wednesday, Sept. 16. The counties include: Barry, Clare, Ionia, Isabella, Jackson, Kent, Mecosta, Montcalm, Newaygo and Oakland counties. On Monday, an emergency rule was issued temporarily amending the standard on notification and participation for community pesticide applications. The emergency rule outlines that normally a community mosquito control program takes weeks to provide notifications to residents and landowners in an impacted area, and allows additional time to establish a framework for individualized participation. The notification and opt-out process have been temporarily suspended due to the seriousness and swiftness of EEE, said Gary McDowell, director of Michigan Department of Agricultural and Rural Development. As recent history has shown us, EEE can strike fast and it can be deadly to humans and animals, McDowell said. MDARD fully supports the work and commitment of MDHHS to protect public health, which is why we have removed an obstacle that might have prevented them from taking action quickly. The health department continues to encourage residents to protect themselves from mosquito bites by doing the following: Avoid being outdoors from dusk to dawn when mosquitoes carrying the EEE virus are most active. Applying insect repellents containing the active ingredient DEET, or other U.S. Environmental Protection Agency-approved product, to exposed skin or clothing, and always follow the manufacturers directions for use. Wearing long-sleeved shirts and long pants when outdoors. Apply insect repellent to clothing to help prevent bites. Maintaining window and door screening to help keep mosquitoes outside. Emptying water from mosquito breeding sites around the home, such as buckets, unused kiddie pools, old tires or similar sites where mosquitoes may lay eggs. Using nets and/or fans over outdoor eating areas. More on MLive: Aerial mosquito spraying planned in 10 Michigan counties with no opt-out option Testing for mosquito-borne EEE in Kalamazoo County delayed by coronavirus pandemic Mosquito trapping starts in Kalamazoo County for EEE, zika surveillance Kalamazoo professor discusses ethics of mosquito spraying at statewide conference Almost 9,000 people could be prosecuted for failing to pay fines for allegedly violating coronavirus laws, official figures show. Statistics given by the attorney general to parliaments Justice Committee showed that by 25 August, under half of almost 19,200 penalties issued in England and Wales had been paid. In a letter to committee chair Sir Bob Neill, Suella Braverman said 8,930 fines had been paid but a further 8,954 (8,325 England and 629 in Wales) have not been paid and therefore fall to be considered for prosecution. Another 1,287 fines had not yet been paid but were not past the time limit that could trigger court action. Violations of the Health Protection Regulations, which have been updated numerous times and now cover restrictions on gatherings, wearing of face masks and quarantine after returning from abroad, are currently punished with default 100 fines. The penalty was increased from 60 in May, and repeat offenders can be fined up to 3,200 because the amount doubles for each repeat offence. Paying a fine, which is halved if settled within two weeks, prevents prosecution but people can be charged with violating the Health Protection Regulations after 28 days. Police forces admitted wrongly applying the law early in the outbreak and lawyers have raised concern that people may be paying fines for offences that they have not committed. There are also discrimination concerns after statistics showed that police were twice as likely to fine young black, Asian and ethnic minority men for breaking coronavirus laws compared to white men of the same age. There is no route to appeal a penalty apart from refusing to pay and risking prosecution, and the government has so far refused calls to review fines. Kirsty Brimelow QC, a human rights barrister, said the law unfairly and arbitrarily criminalises people. An ongoing review by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) found that by the end of July, 47 people had been unlawfully charged under the Health Protection Regulations in England and Wales. Coronavirus: 'Rule of six' explained A further 121 people were wrongly prosecuted under the separate Coronavirus Act, which was drawn up before lockdown and only applies to potentially infectious persons. Further charges will add to a backlog of more than 500,000 court cases in England and Wales, which has caused long days to proceedings and a controversial legal change to keep people in custody for longer before trial. Figures previously released by the National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC) show that the number of fines issued under the Health Protection Regulations dropped dramatically since lockdown was eased in May. Members of the Police Federation, which represents rank-and-file officers, have said they do not have the capacity to enforce new rule of six restrictions that came into force on Monday. Brian Booth, chair of the West Yorkshire Police Federation, told The Independent that officers simply cant enforce the law as crime returns to pre-lockdown levels. We just dont have the resources, the world has woken up again and its busy, he added. Were back to dealing with threat, risk and harm domestics, assaults, missing people, mental health incidents, road accidents and everything that comes under normal policing. UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 18 January 2022 Surfers enter the sea as the sun rises over Tynemouth on the North East coast PA UK news in pictures 17 January 2022 Bonhams Danny McIlwraith holds a Nigerian polycrome carved wood mask during a photocall for the sale of the Jim Lennon Collection at Bonhams in Edinburgh PA UK news in pictures 16 January 2022 The moon rises above the Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth, Hampshire PA UK news in pictures 15 January 2022 Demonstrators outside Downing Street during a Kill The Bill protest against The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill in London PA UK news in pictures 14 January 2022 Ecologist Emma Smart (left) and retired GP Dr Diana Warner outside HMP Bronzefield, in Surrey, following their release from the prison where Emma undertook a 26-day hunger strike during her incarceration. Ms Smart was sentenced in November, along with other members of Insulate Britain, to serve four months for breaking a High Court injunction by taking part in a blockade at junction 25 of the M25 motorway during the morning rush hour on 8 October last year PA UK news in pictures 13 January 2022 A TV presenter holds a copy of a newspaper outside 10 Downing Streetafter the Prime Minister apologised for attending a gathering of colleagues in the Number Ten garden in May 2020, while the UK was in strict lockdown due to the Coronavirus pandemic Getty UK news in pictures 12 January 2022 Fitness guru Derrick Evans after receiving an MBE during an investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 11 January 2022 A couple walk underneath an umbrella during wet weather on Westminster Bridge in central London PA UK news in pictures 10 January 2022 A jogger passes the Covid Memorial Wall in London AP UK news in pictures 9 January 2021 The sun rises over horses at Seaton Sluice in Northumberland PA UK news in pictures 8 January 2022 Riders compete during the Veterans Men's race at the UK Cyclo-Cross National Championships 2022 in Ardingly, south of London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 7 January 2022 A dog looks out of a car window at the wintry conditions in Killeshin, Co. Laois PA UK news in pictures 6 January 2022 People walk through frost and mist alongside a frozen lake during sunrise in Bushy Park, London REUTERS UK news in pictures 5 January 2022 A skier jumps on the slopes at Allenheads in the Pennines to the north of Weardale in Northumberland PA UK news in pictures 4 January 2022 Freshly-fallen snow covers houses in Corbridge, near Hexham in Northumberland PA UK news in pictures 3 January 2022 Dean Morrison, 13, receives his Covid-19 vaccine from student nurse Anthony McLaughlin during a vaccination clinic at the Glasgow Central Mosque PA UK news in pictures 2 January 2022 Konastantinos Tsimikas of Liverpool with Chelseas Mason Mount during the Premier League match at Stamfrod Bridge Liverpool FC/Getty UK news in pictures 1 January 2022 New Years Eve Lasers, drones and fireworks illuminate the sky in front of the Royal Naval College in Greenwich shortly after midnight in London EPA UK news in pictures 31 December 2021 Competitors in fancy dress run across the Pennine tops near Haworth, West Yorkshire, in the annual Auld Lang Syne Fell race which attracts hundreds of runners every year PA UK news in pictures 30 December 2021 Sunrise at Bamburgh Castle in Northumberland PA UK news in pictures 29 December 2021 The Very Revd Dr Robert Willis, Dean of Canterbury Cathedral, looks at Becket, a six month old red-billed chough as he visits Wildwood Wildlife Park in Kent on the anniversary of the murder of Thomas Becket PA UK news in pictures 28 December 2021 Troops of the Household Cavalry are seen reflected in a puddle during the changing of the Queens Life Guard, on Horse Guards Parade, in central London PA UK news in pictures 27 December 2021 A pedestrian walks past a winter sale sign outside a John Lewis store on Oxford street in London Getty UK news in pictures 26 December 2021 Riders take their bikes through the snow near Castleside, County Durham PA UK news in pictures 25 December 2021 Patrick Corkery wears a santa hat and beard as waves crash over him at Forty Foot near Dublin during a Christmas Day dip PA UK news in pictures 24 December 2021 People stand inside Kings Cross Station on Christmas Eve in London Reuters UK news in pictures 23 December 2021 Christmas shoppers fill the car park at Fosse Shopping Park in Leicester PA UK news in pictures 22 December 2021 The sun rises behind the stones as people gather for the winter solstice at Stonehenge. Getty UK news in pictures 21 December 2021 People take part in a winter solstice swim at Portobello Beach in Edinburgh to mark the solstice and to witness the dawn after the longest night of the year PA UK news in pictures 20 December 2021 An auction employee displays poultry to buyers and sellers attending the Christmas Poultry Sale at York Auction Centre in Murton PA UK news in pictures 19 December 2021 Joao Moutinho of Wolverhampton Wanderers looks on during the Premier League match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Chelsea at Molineux Getty Images UK news in pictures 18 December 2021 Freight lorries queuing at the port of Dover in Kent PA UK news in pictures 17 December 2021 Newly elected Liberal Democrat MP Helen Morgan, bursts 'Boris' bubble' held by colleague Tim Farron, as she celebrates following her victory in the North Shropshire by-election PA UK news in pictures 16 December 2021 Brussels sprouts are harvested by workers as they prepare for the busy Christmas period near Boston in Lincolnshire PA UK news in pictures 15 December 2021 Lewis Hamilton is made a Knight Bachelor by the Prince of Wales at Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 14 December 2021 The Royal Liver Buildings surrounded by early morning fog in Liverpool PA UK news in pictures 13 December 2021 People queue outside a walk-in Covid-19 vaccination centre at St Thomas's Hospital in Westminster Getty Images UK news in pictures 12 December 2021 People take part in the Big Leeds Santa Dash in Roundhay Park, Leeds PA UK news in pictures 11 December 2021 People arrive at a Covid-19 vaccination centre at Elland Road in Leeds, PA UK news in pictures 10 December 2021 Stella Moris speaks to the media after the US Government won its High Court bid to overturn a judges decision not to extradite WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange PA UK news in pictures 9 December 2021 Camels are lead around Salisbury Cathedral during a rehearsal for the Christmas Eve Service PA UK news in pictures 8 December 2021 Margaret Keenan and Nurse May Parsons, a year after Margaret was the first person in the UK to receive the Pfizer vaccine PA UK news in pictures 7 December 2021 Snowfall in Leadhills, South Lanarkshire as Storm Barra hits the UK with disruptive winds, heavy rain and snow PA UK news in pictures 6 December 2021 A person tries to avoid sea spray on New Brighton promenade in Wallasey as the UK readies for the arrival of Storm Barra Getty UK news in pictures 5 December 2021 People release balloons during a tribute to six-year-old Arthur Labinjo-Hughes outside Emma Tustin's former address in Solihull, West Midlands, where he was murdered by his stepmother PA UK news in pictures 4 December 2021 People walk through a Christmas market in Trafalgar Square Reuters UK news in pictures 3 December 2021 A pedestrian carries a dog as they dodge shoppers on Oxford Street in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 2 December 2021 Duchess of Cambridge inspects a Faberge egg at the Victoria and Albert Museum Getty UK news in pictures 1 December 2021 Meerkats at London Zoo with an advent calendar PA UK news in pictures 30 November 2021 Workers put the finishing touches to the Trafalgar Square Christmas Tree ahead of the lighting ceremony later in the week PA Resources are outstripped with that demand, never mind adding on Mrs Miggins reporting that seven people are having a barbecue next door. Boris Johnsons official spokesman said enforcement of the law was ultimately a decision for the police. I would expect that today they would be encouraging people to follow the rules, but if in the coming days people do continue to flout them, we would expect the police to issue fines, he said on Monday. They have adopted an approach throughout to engage, explain, encourage and then finally if necessary to enforce. I would expect that to happen here as well. The rules are in place to stop the spread of the virus and the public will expect them to be enforced, just as other laws are. The policing minister, Kit Malthouse, appeared to encourage concerned neighbours to alert police to potential violations and the Metropolitan Police said it was stepping up patrols in public spaces. Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 15 Trend: Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu shared pua post timed to the 102-nd anniversary of the liberation of Azerbaijans Baku, Trend reports on Sept.15. Cavusoglu honored the memory of the martyrs in his Twitter page. I honor with compassion a bright memory of the martyrs on the occasion of the 102th anniversary of Bakus liberation by the Islamic Army of Caucasus, commanded by Nuru Pasha, from occupation. With the same spirit and faith, today we stand shoulder to shoulder with Azerbaijan being dear to our soul. Long live, the Land of Fires! said the statement. On September 15, 2020, Azerbaijan has marked the 102-nd anniversary of the liberation of Baku from the Bolshevik-Dashnak occupation. On September 15, 1918, the Islamic Army of Caucasus, which included the Azerbaijani corps, entered Baku and liberated the city from the Bolshevik-Dashnak occupation. Liberation of Baku is an event of exceptional importance in the light of Azerbaijani-Turkish friendship and brotherhood. Up until about 18 months ago, Jed Zimmer felt his anxiety and depression were such "a sign of weakness" he chose not to tell those around him. He had visited a psychologist since about the age of 10, and had learnt to put his mental health "to the side". He could keep up a front however exhausting that may be. Jed Zimmer kept his mental health issues "to the side" and felt he could not talk about them for more than a decade. When he opened up 18 months ago it changed his life. Credit:Justin McManus "I didn't want to open up to family and friends because I saw it as a weakness and a vulnerability," said Mr Zimmer, a personal trainer, now 22. "Footy training, catching up with mates, everything was just a huge effort. I was constantly tired because I was putting on such a brave face, I was living in two different worlds." Prime Minister Trudeau and his ministers, gathering face-to-face for the first time since the pandemic struck Canada, were struggling on Monday to decide whether the government has to conquer COVID-19 first or start now on shaping the post-COVID era. It was a great question to wrestle with because there probably is no meaningful answer. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 14/9/2020 (493 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Prime Minister Trudeau and his ministers, gathering face-to-face for the first time since the pandemic struck Canada, were struggling on Monday to decide whether the government has to conquer COVID-19 first or start now on shaping the post-COVID era. It was a great question to wrestle with because there probably is no meaningful answer. Spread of the disease has been slowly accelerating in Canada, creeping toward or above 500 new cases a day nation-wide. This is a modest rate of spread compared to the United States and hard-hit countries in Europe, but it shows that Canadas people and their governments, in aggregate, are losing ground and not bringing the epidemic to an end. The experience of Australia and New Zealand suggests that Canada is not going to stamp this disease out soon. Australia seemed to be managing it well until an outbreak in Melbourne provoked a total lock-down across the state of Victoria in early July, which is only now being gradually relaxed. New Zealand appeared to have halted community transmission until an outbreak was seen in Auckland in early September. Even in those remote and isolated locations, the pandemic isnt over until its over, and its a long way from being over. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau arrives for the first day of a Liberal cabinet retreat in Ottawa on Monday. (Adrian Wyld / The Canadian Press) Even after a vaccine is developed, there is no assurance that it will provide total immunity. We already know that the influenza vaccine has to be re-invented every year because last years vaccine does not stop this years virus and because a minority of people refuse vaccination. The challenge for Canada therefore is not to conquer the virus and then move on but rather to find sustainable ways of keeping the damage to a minimum. The work of living our Canadian lives has to be carried on amid the continuing presence of the virus and the continued danger of outbreaks. Want more great journalism? Get our best news and features delivered in your inbox every weekday evening. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Families and businesses are already re-shaping themselves around these new realities. Abandoned restaurants that once flourished in the pre-pandemic economy are re-opening as food stores or suppliers of personal protective equipment. Downtown offices are re-calculating how many of their people should come to work and how many should work from home. Canadians are learning to live their lives in the time of COVID-19. Some of the new patterns may still apply a few years from now, others probably will not. Families and businesses have to respond to the conditions they actually face, not to hopes or fears for the future. The government needs to do the same. Among the 36 ministers who make up Mr. Trudeaus government, there must surely be enough leadership skill to achieve two things at once provide ordinary government services to the people and limit the damage inflicted by COVID-19. Government House Leader Pablo Rodriquez speaks with the media on the first day of a Liberal cabinet retreat in Ottawa. (Sean Kilpatrick / The Canadian Press) The whole-of-government approach which has been popular in Ottawa in recent years dictates that everybody in the capital must think about one thing until they are ordered to forget that and think about the next thing. At its worst, this system can lead to absurd struggles over whose pet project should pre-occupy the whole of government. The Throne Speech the government is preparing should set reasonable expectations for curbing the spread of COVID-19. It should reflect the needs that were brought into focus by the disease needs for reform of long-term nursing care, for expansion of child care, for health and safety of temporary foreign workers. It should chart a path to lower greenhouse gas emissions. It should reassure Canadians that the virus has not paralysed their government. Their unlikely friendship was revealed back in June. And on Tuesday, Married At First Sight star Aleks Markovic left her Reality Roundup co-hosts shocked with her claims about what Locky Gilbert got up to during his break from filming The Bachelor. 'I can tell you now that Locky wasn't just texting The Bachelor Girls. It was them and every other girl in WA,' she said. Hello! On Tuesday, Married At First Sight star Aleks Markovic (pictured) said Locky Gilbert was texting 'every other girl in WA' while filming The Bachelor in lockdown When asked by host Filip Odzak if Bella Varelis' recent behaviour on the Channel 10 dating show is her own undoing she replied: 'I can't comment much on this because, I was with Locky [during the COVID break].' The 27-year-old continued: 'I think those three girls need to have each other's backs, because at the end of the day they've only got each other at the end.' Aleks then explained that fans should be reminded that the reality show was filmed months ago, and Locky and the girls could have potentially parted ways. Revealing: 'I can tell you now that Locky wasn't just texting The Bachelor Girls. It was them and every other girl in WA,' she said. Pictured L-R: Filip Odzak, Chris Nicholls, Aleks, David Graham When asked by host Filip if Bella Varelis' recent behaviour on the Channel 10 dating show is her own undoing she replied: 'I can't comment much on this because, I was with Locky [during the COVID break].' Back in March, wild rumours surfaced about what happened behind the scenes after on-site production of The Bachelor was suspended in Sydney to prevent the spread of COVID-19. According to Woman's Day, Locky resumed his usual social life when he returned to Perth - and one night out in April apparently left some of the contestants unhappy. After being spotted together on social media, Aleks addressed the rumours about her and Locky on The Kyle and Jackie O Show on April 30. Response: After being spotted together on social media, Aleks told The Kyle and Jackie O Show on April 30 that Locky was a 'beautiful person', but clarified they were just friends Aleks said that Locky was a 'beautiful person', but clarified they were just friends. The Sydney-based real estate agent said she'd only met Locky the weekend prior when they were both visiting a mutual friend's house. 'I didn't even really know who he was,' she said of Locky. 'When he walked in the door, my friend was like, "He's The Bachelor!"' 'He's a lovely boy but for me, I think he's definitely got his eye on someone on The Bachelor,' she added. The background work of creating a suitable digital architecture of a website also remains unfinished as it has been a challenge to shortlist technology partners. More than a year after being announced, the governments proposal to create an online e-marketplace similar to Amazon, which would be open to all consumers, is yet to take off due to lack of a business plan, the unavailability of a technology partner, and shortage of funds. In August 2019, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Minister Nitin Gadkari had named the portal Bharat Craft, which was given the go ahead by the Prime Ministers Office. Officially set to be the governments first foray into the private sector, initial estimates had eyed Rs 10 trillion worth of revenue from the project over a period of 2-3 years. But subsequent studies have shown the real figures may be substantially lower, a senior official said. While the primary mandate remains an e-marketplace for showcasing products by tribal, rural, and small businesses, market surveys showed buyer interest may remain muted for such products. "Instead, online primary consumer activity remains focused on brands and bargain hunting, key attributes that products on the platform may not have, he said. To counter this, major publicity would need to be undertaken for the portal and the government would need to perform major hand-holding for sellers on the site to build their business, he said. Hurdles galore The background work of creating a suitable digital architecture of a website also remains unfinished as it has been a challenge to shortlist technology partners. After plans to opt for a private tech developer faced cost constraints, the ministry approached State Bank of India (SBI) to jointly design and run the portal. Recently, SBI announced it would take care of the banking side of operations. But while the bank has clarified its intentions of investing $100-150 million, it has placed its own conditions. Rather than a business-to-consumer model initially suggested by the ministry, the bank has pushed for a business-to-business (B2B) e-commerce marketplace overseen by it, where SBI customers can sell their products. Similar to other banks, SBI wants the portal to bring in more MSMEs as SBI customers and to leverage its banking app YONO, which already acts as an e-commerce platform, said a senior public policy advisor to the government. MSME ministry officials say while the SBI-led portal will be a B2B operation, plans for a standard B2C portal remain alive and kicking. But the ministry has found it difficult to get necessary funding for the portal, which has been called financially unsound by the finance ministry, according to sources. Too many portals There have also been suggestions to merge the proposed portal with the existing government e-marketplace (GeM) portal, which already has robust digital infrastructure and key technology in place, and has handled nearly Rs 62,000 crore transactions. Currently, all public sector agencies are mandated to directly purchase common-use goods and services through GeM. Inaugurated in August 2016, the portal has repeatedly been pushed by PM Modi directly as a means to reduce large scale corruption that plagues the estimated Rs 5 trillion worth of procurement the Centre does every year. But since, GeM exclusively caters to government bodies with a defined mechanism in place, the commerce and industry ministry is not in favour of merging the portal with the proposed one, it is learnt. Another reason may be that the Piyush Goyal-led commerce and industry ministry has its own plans to open up GeM to private entities for bulk purchases. In November, 2019, GeM chief executive officer Tallen Kumar had said the portal will subsequently be broadened to small-ticket buying as well, while government contractors will also get access. Subsequently, a cabinet note was floated but the proposal has not passed till now. As of Tuesday, GeM showcases 1.53 million separate products and has 489,000 sellers and service providers. Staff at a Coronavirus testing centre in Southwark, south London. (PA/Getty) A frustrated mother has spoken out after being told she has to drive 100 miles to get a coronavirus test for both herself and her young daughter. Moz Bulbeck Reynolds, from west Berkshire, said she has been unable to send her nine-year-old daughter Matilda to school this week because she has symptoms of a cold and has been unable to get a test. Having stayed at home last Thursday and Friday, Matilda was refused entry to the school on Monday until she received a test, as per the local councils rules. The school has said Matilda either needs to be tested or quarantined for 10 days. Watch: Britons told to travel as far as 500 miles for COVID-19 tests as system struggles to cope Stupid scenario Having initially being unable to book a test, despite trying almost constantly, Bulbeck Reynolds told Yahoo News UK that she has finally been given a slot at a testing centre in Cardiff, which is 100 miles from her home. When asked about her daughter, she said: She is perfectly fine. She was ready to go back to school yesterday. However I now have her schoolyard lurgy and have to drive a 200-mile round trip in peak hour traffic today. Bulbeck Reynolds said that both she and her daughter are to be tested, adding: I will be drinking coffee and keeping the window down. Its an entirely stupid scenario. My husband has to work so he cant drive me. The 100-mile drive to Cardiff is above the maximum 75 miles health secretary Matt Hancock said people should be driving for a test. Access to tests The case comes as people across England have reported struggling to access coronavirus tests. Dozens told the BBC that they were unable to book a swab test, while the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said testing capacity was being targeted at areas where coronavirus cases have risen. However, residents in Bolton, where the infection rate is the highest in England, have complained of long delays in trying to book a test and in some cases being offered appointments in other areas of the UK. Story continues Council chiefs have urged the government to treat major flaws with the online booking system for tests as a matter of the utmost priority. Yahoo News UK has contacted the DHSC for a comment. I am receiving numerous complaints from residents unable to book a test after displaying Covid symptoms. This is completely unacceptable and totally undermines track and trace so I have raised my concerns with Ministers to push for action to be taken as a matter of urgency. Lindsay Hoyle (@LindsayHoyle_MP) September 15, 2020 Hancock admitted last week that there had been challenges in access to tests but insisted that the vast majority of people get their tests rapidly and close to home. And on Tuesday, home secretary Priti Patel told BBC Breakfast it was unacceptable that some people were struggling to get tests, and much more work needs to be undertaken with Public Health England. She said more testing slots and home testing kits were being made available and the majority of tests were available within a 10-mile radius. Underlying issues which nobody wants to tell us about But Professor Alan McNally, director of the institute of microbiology and infection at the University of Birmingham, who helped set up the Milton Keynes Lighthouse Lab, told BBC Breakfast there were clearly underlying issues which nobody wants to tell us about, plus a surge in demand for tests. I think there is a surge in demand (and) I think our stated capacity is very different from actually how many tests can be run in a given day, he said. Watch: Yahoo UKs News Editor explains what the current UK government guidelines are on face coverings within schools Its very worrying that we seem to be in a situation before really weve come into autumn and winter where weve maxed out the number of tests we can do in the country, and that is very concerning. Meanwhile House of Commons speaker Lindsay Hoyle said he would speak to ministers after being told by constituents that they were unable to get tests. He tweeted: I am receiving numerous complaints from residents unable to book a test after displaying COVID symptoms. This is completely unacceptable and totally undermines track and trace so I have raised my concerns with ministers to push for action to be taken as a matter of urgency. Not fit for purpose Bulbeck Reynolds experience is not unique with another parent revealing he has been trying for 48 hours to book a COVID test after his young son started showing symptoms on Sunday. Samuel Austin, from Faversham, Kent, told the PA news agency: Everything we submit we get this service is very busy. Please try later or if we get through to finding a test site, we are told no site is available to see us. He described the testing process as not fit for purpose, adding: Ultimately my disappointment is for my son and my wife I feel powerless to help them and it shouldnt be this way. Year one pupils are taught at Willowpark Primary Academy in Oldham after schools reopened in September. (Getty) The situation has meant Austins son cannot return to nursery and left his wife, a nurse at a local hospice, unable to work. As this hospice isnt NHS she is not allowed to use the frontline channels for receiving a test, he added. Even though she has worked throughout the lockdown, covering extra shifts where needed due to her hospice having the disease. The entrance to the drive-through coronavirus test centre at Cardiff City Stadium. (Getty) Impact on NHS NHS Providers chief executive Chris Hopson said the health service in England had been hit by staff being off work who were unable to get a test. He said the health service simply cant spare members of staff waiting for tests, not being able to come into work and patients unable to be tested. There is a significant impact and a growing impact on the NHS, and that is a problem, he added. Nobody knows how widespread this problem is, nobody knows how long its going to go on for, nobody knows, for example, given that there are scarcities of tests, about whos going to be prioritised for those tests that are available. Hopson urged the government to be honest and open about what was going on, and said NHS staff and patients should be given priority for testing. Shambles Last week Labour MP for Dulwich and West Norwood Helen Hayes branded test and trace a shambles after saying her constituents were having difficulty accessing coronavirus tests. Her comments came after she was tweeted by a Twitter user who said the government website was saying no home tests were available. A DHSC last week told Yahoo News UK it had not run out of tests but that it could pause the booking portal for short periods during periods of high demand. Coronavirus: what happened today Click here to sign up to the latest news and information with our daily Catch-up newsletter President Donald Trump on Monday suggested global warming will reverse itself and dismissed climate change as a cause of ferocious fires engulfing swaths of the US West during a briefing with local officials in California. Trump, who flew into Sacramento in central California on the third day of a reelection campaign swing, pushed back against state leaders who said that climate change underlies the ever-stronger blazes. It will start getting cooler. You just watch," he insisted to Wade Crowfoot, the head of the California Natural Resources Agency. The official responded: I wish science agreed with you." This was Trumps first visit to California since the devastating blazes began there and in Washington and Oregon. Minutes earlier, Democratic challenger Joe Biden branded Trump a climate arsonist" whose policies are contributing to natural disasters. On arrival in McClellan Park, near Sacramento, Trump repeated his argument that the wildfires are due instead to insufficient maintenance of forest areas to make them less combustible. There has to be strong forest management," the Republican said. With regard to the forests, when trees fall down after a short period of time, about 18 months, they become very dry. They become really like a match stick," he said. They just explode." But at the briefing, California Governor Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, countered that the fires are driven mostly by global warming. Newsom acknowledged that we have not done justice on our forest management," though he pointed out that more than half of the land in California is under federal, not state control. But he said the overwhelming cause of the problem is far bigger. The hots are getting hotter, the dries are getting drier," he said. We submit the science is in and observed evidence is self-evident: that climate change is real and that is exacerbating this." After the briefing was over, Crowfoot sought to get the last word, tweeting: It actually wont get cooler, Mr. President" over a graph showing relentlessly rising temperatures in California since the 1980s. RIVERSIDE -- A mother who disappeared June 12 with her two young children is being returned to Northumberland County by federal marshals. Officials acknowledged Sawsan Hadidi, 39, is in their custody but will not say for security reasons when she will be back in Pennsylvania. Hadidi was arrested Aug. 20 in Niles, Ill., and placed in the Cook County Prison. She waived extradition. Riverside police, which charged Hadidi, is a small department and Chief Kerry J. Parkes said it did not have the officers to transport her from Illinois or the money to hire a private company. When Hadidi is returned, she will be arraigned on charges of interference with the custody of children, endangering the welfare of children and concealment of the whereabouts of children. Hadidi and her two children became objects of a search on June 11 when she did not return to a residence in Riverside where she was court-ordered to live. She was last seen prior to her arrest on June 12 at her former home in Shamokin. The safe return of her children, Danny and Dana, who were 4 and three months, respectively, when they disappeared, was the primary focus of the search, Parkes said. The children were found with their mother and after being evaluated at a hospital in Park Ridge, Ill., were returned to Pennsylvania. Katrina Gownley, director of county Children and Youth Services, previously said they were safe and in good condition. Parkes said he knows little about Hadidi because he has yet to interview her and nothing about the childrens father. It is known she came to the U.S. from Jordan, was driving a car with Virginia registration when she disappeared and reportedly has a California drivers license. There also have been reports she had traveled to Florida after leaving Pennsylvania. He married for the third time in April 2019. And fans of Idris Elba got all excited on Sunday when he called himself 'a father of two boys' while promoting his new movie at the Toronto International Film Festival. However, the London-born actor threw cold water on the speculation he'd welcomed a baby with third wife Sabrina, tweeting on Monday: 'Sab @Sabrinadhowre and i thank you for all the congratulations but we havent had a baby.. .. thats not true.' 'Dont believe everything you read,' he added. Set Twitter alight: He married for the third time in 2019. And fans of Idris Elba got all excited on Sunday when he called himself 'a father of two boys' while promoting his new movie 'Don't believe everything you read': However, the London-born actor threw cold water on speculation he'd welcomed a baby boy with wife Sabrina, tweeting on Monday: 'we havent had a baby.. .. thats not true' While promoting the drama Concrete Cowboy at a virtual press conference during the Toronto International Film Festival on Sunday, ET Canada reported that the Luther star let slip: 'I'm a father of two boys, and definitely I can't wait for my youngest to see this film.' Elba has a daughter Isan, 18, from his first marriage and a son Winston, six, from a previous relationship. Neither he nor third wife Sabrina Dhowre had confirmed a pregnancy nor the arrival of a child. The actor, 48, and the Somali-Canadian model, 30, started dating in 2017 and tied the knot in Marrakesh on April 26 last year. A source clarified to ET Canada that Elba has a godson and that is who he was referring to in his remarks. No baby: Elba, 48, married third wife Sabrina Dhowre in April 2019 (pictured December 2019). A source clarified Elba has a godson and that is who he was referring to in his remarks Father figure: The Luther star is dad to six-year-old son Winston, whom he shares with ex-girlfriend Naiyana Garth. Father and son are pictured in Paris in April 2018 Daddy's girl: Elba also has a daughter Isan, 18, from his first marriage to Hanne 'Kim' Nrgaard, which ended in 2003 In Concrete Cowboy, Elba plays the father of a troubled teen in North Philadelphia. The two are estranged but the teen, played by Caleb McLaughlin from Stranger Things, is torn between rebelling and pursuing a life of crime and his father's lifestyle as an 'urban cowboy,' who rides horses around the inner city neighborhood. Elba revealed that he had faced some challenges in portraying his character, revealing at the virtual press conference: 'I'm allergic to horses, OK. I couldn't see what I was doing, I couldn't breathe.' He added: 'It goes beyond just learning how to ride a horse. Very quickly, you have to have a bond with the horse.... They quickly understand who's riding on the back of them. And then you have to understand them.' The drama, written and directed by Ricky Staub, is based on the real-life Fletcher Street Urban Riding Club, an inner-city horse stable in Philly that helps at-risk youth turn their lives around, according to THR.com. The film is produced by Lee Daniels and has its world premiere in Toronto on Sunday night. Joe Biden Vice President Joe Biden departs after voting early in Delaware's state primary election at the New Castle County Board of Elections office in Wilmington, Del., Sept. 14, 2020. Credit - Patrick SemanskyAP Four years ago, Don Sabbe made what he calls a devastating mistake. Determined only to cast a vote for a candidate he believed in, he left the top of his ballot blank in the 2016 presidential election. This year, the 83-year old former Chrysler employee says hell definitely vote for Joe Biden, but hes getting concerned about Bidens campaign here in Michigan. I cant even find a sign, Sabbe says outside a Krogers in Sterling Heights, where surrounding cars fly massive Donald Trump flags that say No More Bullsh-t and fellow shoppers wear Trump T-shirts for their weekend grocery runs. Im looking for one of those storefronts. Im looking for a campaign office for Biden. And Im not finding one. The reason Sabbe cant find a dedicated Biden campaign field office is because there arent any around here. Not in Macomb County, the swing region where Sabbe lives. Its not even clear Biden has opened any new dedicated field offices in the state; because of the pandemic, theyve moved their field organizing effort online. The Biden campaign in Michigan refused to confirm the location of any physical field offices despite repeated requests; they say they have supply centers for handing out signs, but would not confirm those locations. The campaign also declined to say how many of their Michigan staff were physically located here. Bidens field operation in this all-important state is being run through the Michigan Democratic Partys One Campaign, which is also not doing physical canvassing or events at the moment. When I ask Biden campaign staffers and Democratic Party officials how many people they have on the ground in Michigan, one reply stuck out: What do you mean by on the ground?' Story continues Democratic presidential nominee and former Vice President Joe Biden walks out in between pickup trucks before delivering remarks in the parking lot outside the United Auto Workers Region 1 offices in Warren, Mich., on Sept. 09, 2020. Chip SomodevillaGetty Images All this means there are no young volunteers in Biden shirts pounding the pavement for their candidate, no clusters of posters marking the Biden field offices in various precincts, few bumper stickers on the highways. There are more Biden signs than Hillary Clinton had in 2016, locals say, but not enough to give the impression of an enthusiastic presidential campaign in a crucial swing state. When Biden visited Michigan last week, only a handful of supporters came to see him; his campaign didnt disclose the location of the event in advance, even to the local Democratic county chair, because it didnt want to attract a crowd that could spread COVID-19 or violate Michigans prohibition on gatherings of more than 100 people. In short, in one of the most important swing states in the country, Bidens campaign is all but invisible to the naked eye. His lack of a physical footprint is all the more striking because Trump flags festoon everything from pickup trucks to massive airplane parts being transported down the highway. Roughly 30 Trump supporters gathered to protest outside the Biden event last week, waving their flags and cheering as passing cars honked. (Roughly eight Biden supporters showed up.) After driving around some of the states swing districts for the past week, talking to dozens of voters, the only reason youd think Biden was up in Michigan is because the polls have consistently said so. Trying to evaluate the strength of the Biden campaign in Michigan is like trying to determine whether the Emperor has no clothes or is actually wearing an elaborate invisible suit. The Biden campaign says its swarming the state; you just cant see it. Bidens Michigan team says its campaign is significantly bigger than Clintons and may be the largest program in the states history. The campaign says it reached out to 1.4 million voters during the Democratic convention and the weekend that followed, with 500 digital-organizing events and 10,000 volunteer signups. In the week before Labor Day, the campaign sent 500,000 texts to Michigan votersone every half-second. It has just replaced the trappings of a traditional ground gamevolunteers knocking on doors, distributing literature, and so forthwith a digital field operation. This strategy makes sense during a global pandemic. The campaign is prioritizing public health at a moment when Trump is flagrantly disregarding it. But the juxtaposition of Trumps loud and proud campaign and Bidens invisible digital operation makes some Democrats increasingly anxious. We dont see the presence, says Lori Goldman, the founder of Fems for Dems, a grassroots political action group with nearly 9,000 members in Michigan. They should have people who are like Jehovas Witnesses, zealots, preaching the gospel of Joe Biden out there in the community. There needs to be someone out there Biden-izing. People dont even know where to volunteer for Biden. Goldman says she gets roughly 15 calls a week from women asking where they can canvass, and she doesnt know what to tell them. Meanwhile, she says, there are Trump signs that look like they should be on an expressway, theyre so big. Supporters of President Donald Trump gather across the street from the United Auto Workers Region 1 offices where Democratic presidential nominee and former Vice President Joe Biden is scheduled to speak in Warren, Mich., on Sept. 09, 2020. Chip SomodevillaGetty Images Democratic officials in Michigan and the Biden campaign say theyre confident that Biden will carry the state, where he has maintained a consistent lead by nearly every metric. The difference between now and four years ago is immeasurable, and Im very optimistic, says Ed Bruley, chair of the Macomb County Democrats, who says he sees a steady stream of supporters coming by to pick up yard signs. But after conversations with more than a dozen Democratic Members of Congress, state representatives, local party chairs and party operatives, a slightly more anxious picture emerged. Top Democrats believe the race is closer than the polls suggest, and some are privately urging the Biden campaign and state Democrats to reconsider physical canvassing. I think Biden could absolutely do more, says Michael Heitman, chair of the Democratic Party in Isabella County, a small county in central Michigan which voted for Barack Obama twice and then for Trump in 2016. Id really appreciate if the Biden campaign had someone specifically for his campaign here. Some top Democrats say that the visibility of Biden campaigning in Michigan is as important as the campaign itself. I think we need a more visible Biden campaign presence in the state, that is soup to nuts: from yard signs to surrogates to visits, says U.S. Congresswoman Elissa Slotkin, who represents Michigans 8th District. I would love to see a steady drumbeat that made clear, even to the most apolitical person, that Joe Biden cares about Michigan, and he has plan. Granted anonymity to share candid assessments of the campaign, other top Democrats are more pointed. Calling a telephone number isnt a connection, says one leading Michigan Democratic official. Some of the same people that said everything was okay four years ago are the same people saying everythings okay now. President Donald Trump speaks to supporters during a rally in Freeland, Mich., on Sept. 10, 2020. Scott OlsonGetty Images Since Clintons loss, Michigan Democrats have been terrified of repeating the mistakes that cost her the state by just over 10,000 votes and helped tip the election to Trump. And compared to Clinton, who took Michigan for granted and skimped on resources in the state, Biden is certainly doing a lot right. The Vice President visited last week to give a major speech about manufacturing and meet with union workers, while Dr. Jill Biden visited the state on Tuesday. Michigan officials, from members of Congress down to state representatives, say they have an open line of communication with the campaign, unlike in 2016. Democrats in Michigan have been organizing nonstop since 2017 without pausing in between election cycles, thanks to the One Campaigns unified field effort. In 2018 they flipped two House seats, kept a Senate seat, and elected a Democratic governor. Last year they knocked on more than 85,000 doors. In the August state primary, Democratic turnout was at a record high. The success has been beyond my wildest dreams here, says U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow of Michigan, who spearheaded the One Campaign. Then came Covid-19. Early in the pandemic, the Biden campaign and the One Campaign decided that mounting a traditional field operation, with canvassers knocking on doors, was not worth the public health risk. Instead, theyre running a digital field operation, recruiting volunteers to make phone calls and send text messages for Democrats. There is nothing better than that face-to-face contact, says Lavora Barnes, chair of the Michigan Democratic Party. But nobody I know of has ever tried to campaign in the middle of a global pandemic. Contact with people, if not done correctly, is dangerous. On a national call with reporters on Sept 4, campaign manager Jen OMalley Dillon said the Biden campaign had invested $100 million in on-the-ground organizing nationwide, but did not plan to focus on door-knocking. OMalley Dillon is a veteran organizer who was Obamas battleground states director in 2008. She calls this a new organizing model, and says the campaign had 2.6 million conversations with voters in battleground states in August. What matters about organizing is engaging with voters and having real conversations, OMalley Dillon said in a Politico forum on Tuesday. We spent so much time talking about tactics, but fundamentally, knocking on a door and not reaching anyone doesnt get you much except leaving a piece of lit behind. Still, Democrats are used to measuring their strength by their ground game, and without physical boots on the ground, the effect can be unsettling. It brings up uncomfortable questions about whether a digital field operation can really replace a traditional field operation without something being lost. Sure, it sounds like digital field organizing should work. But does it actually? Nobody knows, because its never been tried on this scale before. Goldman of Fems for Dems says shes ready to dispatch her army of women to knock on doors for Biden, if only the campaign would ask. The Biden campaign calls her for help finding Republican women who might be inclined to vote for Biden (you might as well ask me to find you a unicorn, she says), but not for help recruiting volunteers to knock doors. I want them to ask me, Give us a hundred womens names and let us send them out like soldiers into the neighborhoods. Shes worried that focusing entirely on phone calls and emails means ignoring voters who may not show up in the data. If youre not in the system, she says, Joe Biden doesnt even know how to reach you. Besides, she adds, Michigan is opening up. If youre allowed to go to Michaels, or youre allowed to go to Target, I dont see why they cant go to a campaign office, Goldman continues. Her voice starts to shake as she adds: Im afraid were losing. Im afraid were going to lose. Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden talks with journalists before departing the Detroit Metro area in Romulus, Mich., on Sept. 09, 2020. Biden was campaigning in Michigan, which President Donald Trump won in 2016 by less than 11,000 votes, the narrowest margin of victory in state's presidential election history. Chip SomodevillaGetty Images Even though Biden isnt knocking on doors in Michigan, other Democratic candidates are. Goldmans army of women is canvassing to flip the Michigan statehouse and elect Democrats to school boards and county commissions. Slotkin has been working doors in a socially distanced way, dropping off literature in her tight swing district in what she calls a contactless canvass. State Rep. Darrin Camilleris team has knocked on more than 15,000 doors for his re-election campaign this year. None of them have any Biden literature to hand out, because the state Democratic Party hasnt finished printing it. These candidates insist that canvassing, when done carefully, can be safe even amid a pandemic. I went door-knocking on Sunday with Camilleri in Gross Ile, Mich., and he had the choreography down: ring the doorbell, tuck his campaign literature into the door handle, take two big steps backwards, and wait 20 seconds. If the voter answerswhich they often do, since everyone is homehe waves and shouts to be heard through his mask. Camilerri, a 28-year old former high school social studies teacher, was first elected to represent a region called downriver in the Michigan House of Representatives in 2016 after personally knocking on 17,000 doors. Its an area full of the union workers and pocketbook voters that were once gettable for Democrats, but helped elect Trump that year. Door knocking is the only way, in my opinion, that any Democratic campaign can win in this area, he says, noting voters in this area voted for Trump and they voted for me. When Camilleri approaches a small house in a neat neighborhood, Mark Ferrera answers the door, takes Camilleris mailer, and stops to chat as his dog scratches at the screen door. A retired union autoworker, Ferrera says hes a lifelong Democrat who voted for Clinton in 2016. Camilleri will get his vote, but Ferreras still not sure whether hell vote for Biden. Right now, the way hes campaigningI want to hear what he can do, not just bashing Donald Trump, he says. I havent heard anything from Joe Biden yet. These are the conversations that Camilleri says have helped him keep his seatand which spell trouble for an all-digital campaign. Thats what Im worried about going forward, that weve got another presidential campaign that is taking votes for granted, says Camilleri. Theyre using data, and they say, Well, these people should vote for us. No ones gonna vote for you until you ask. On Camilleris canvassing route, some Democratic voters were still waiting to be contacted by Bidens campaign. Michelle Kirk, a 46-year old middle-school English teacher, was so excited to see Camilleri canvassing that she ran out of her house in her bare feet. Standing in her driveway without shoes or socks, Kirk said she planned vote for Biden in November. But had she heard anything from his campaign? I dont want to say no, she says. But not really. Aurigny Reports Losses of almost 10 Million The taxpayer-funded airline of Guernsey has reported losses of almost 10 million for 2019. Aurigny's accounts ending 31 December show it is now more than 19.8 million in debt following another 12 months where costs far outstripped its revenue. The company's now relying on an overdraft facility and tens of millions of pounds worth of loans. Any losses at the state-subsidised airline are a direct cost to the government and the taxpayer of the Channel Island. An air bridge was formed between the Isle of Man and Guernsey on 22 July as both jurisdictions were in similar positions in relation to the Covid-19 pandemic; which was operated by Aurigny. Greg Kelly, former representative director of Nissan Motor Co., arrives for the first trial hearing at the Tokyo District Court in Japan on Sept. 15, 2020. (Kiyoshi Ota/Pool via Reuters) Former Nissan Executive Kellys Trial Begins in Tokyo Without Ghosn TOKYOFormer Nissan Motor executive Greg Kelly denied charges he helped former boss Carlos Ghosn hide income as the American lawyers trial opened in Tokyo on Tuesday, almost 2 years after Japanese prosecutors arrested the pair. Kelly, who has been on bail in Japan since his release from jail in 2018, delivered his plea to the court without co-accused Ghosn, who fled to Lebanon in December following a dramatic escape from Japan. A representative from Nissan, which was also indicted, told the three judges the automaker did not contest the charges. Ghosn has denied wrongdoing and said he fled Japan because he would not have received a fair trial. Greg Kelly, former representative director of Nissan Motor Co., arrives for the first trial hearing at the Tokyo District Court in Japan on Sept. 15, 2020. (Kiyoshi Ota/Pool via Reuters) I deny the allegations. I was not involved in a criminal conspiracy, said Kelly, in a dark gray suit and red striped tie, according to a court pool report. Wearing a mask, he used an earphone to listen to an English translation of court proceedings. Mr. Ghosn was an extraordinary executive, added the former Nissan representative director. Kelly is charged with helping Ghosn hide 9.3 billion yen ($88 million) in compensation over 8 years through deferred payments. His trial could take about a year. If found guilty, Kelly, who turned 64 on Tuesday, could face up to 10 years in prison and a 10 million yen ($94,330) fine. The proceedings will include evidence and testimony from prominent company executives, including a former chief executive, Hiroto Saikawa, that could shine a light on the inner workings of the Japanese automaker as it tries to rein in losses and revamp its vehicle line-up after ousting Ghosn. The company, which is also struggling with a weak demand and disruptions in production caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, declined to comment. In their opening argument, prosecutors said Kelly and other Nissan officials had considered ways to reduce the amount of compensation Ghosn reported to financial authorities following the introduction of new executive pay disclosure rules in 2010. Those ideas included extending loans he would not have to repay, selling him discounted real estate, and payments deferred until he stepped down. Kellys lawyers countered that companies only have to report payments they have made. The defense team also said Kelly was only partially involved in the discussion about Ghosns compensation. Greg Kelly, former representative director of Nissan Motor Co., arrives for the first trial hearing at the Tokyo District Court in Japan on Sept. 15, 2020. (Kiyoshi Ota/Pool via Reuters) Judicial Practices The trial has also focused international attention on judicial practices that critics in Japan and overseas see as overly harsh. Prisoners on remand are sometimes kept in isolation and often refused bail if they deny their charges. Detainees are also interrogated without a lawyer present. The conviction rate in Japan is about 99 percent. Ghosn, who also ran French carmaker Renault SA, was smuggled out of Japan in a speaker case on a private jet as he awaited trial on charges he denies. After the disappearance of the once-feted executive, Japan said it guaranteed individuals rights and had dealt appropriately with him. In addition to the under-reporting case, Ghosn faces breach of trust charges that he enriched himself at Nissans expense through $5 million in payments to a Middle East car dealership, and that he temporarily transferred personal financial losses to his employers books. Ghosn said he was a victim of a boardroom coup by former colleagues worried he would push through a merger between Nissan and Renault, its largest shareholder. Today is Gregs birthday, probably not a great day to start this, Kellys wife Dee said at the Tokyo court, where she watched proceedings from the public gallery. The trial continues on Wednesday. By Tim Kelly DARIEN First Selectman Jayme Stevenson says the governors latest fines for COVID-19 violations are a tipping point of government overreach. There was an increase of more than 500 COVID-19 cases over the weekend with more than a dozen new hospitalizations due to the disease, Gov. Ned Lamonts office said. In Darien, there have been more than 250 total cases, with about a dozen cases reported since the beginning of August. Lamonts new fines include $100 for violating mask orders, $500 for organizing an event that exceeds size limits, and $250 for attending an event that exceeds size limits. Businesses are responsible for their employees, and individuals are responsible for their own actions, according to the announcement. Those who can issue the fines include law enforcement, local chief elected official designees and local public health officials. Lamont said the fines were in response to mayors and first selectmen who want teeth in the state coronavirus rules that have been, in effect, mostly suggestions on public use of masks and attendance at private events. Masks that cover mouths and noses are required to be worn when in public and a 6-foot distance whether outdoor or indoors, with the exception of a medical condition. Guidelines include a 25-person cap for indoor gatherings, 100 people for private outdoor gatherings, and outdoor organized gatherings such as fireworks or concerts in parks, with a cap of 500 people with 15 feet of space apart. Outdoor event venues, fairs, festivals and carnivals are allowed up to 25 percent of last years attendance. Stevenson said the governor has empowered local health departments to enforce actions related to establishments they oversee but other actions can be enforced by the chief elected official or their designee. Stevenson said she remains the enforcement authority in Darien and she would if the situation warranted ask for the assistance of the Darien Police Department. Enforcement is on an as needed basis based on complaints received. There will be no proactive enforcement of this mandate in Darien, she said. Stevenson said the towns asking for help from the state are largely those with colleges and universities. Stevenson said the governors executive order prohibits local CEOs from imposing targeted measures to address unique problems within certain municipalities, so as a result, these new one-size-fits-all mandates will apply to all municipalities. While Stevenson acknowledged that college and university towns face challenges, she said, I believe these new fines are a tipping point of government overreach for Connecticut residents who are, in large part, doing the best they can under very difficult circumstances. Stevenson said she also had a number of questions based on the new fines. Will the judicial system prosecute violators? Are protest organizers subject to infractions? Will the state or local governments collect the infraction revenue and how will it be used? she asked. She also added that given the recent police accountability legislation passed, the police in the state have been put in a very difficult position regarding enforcement of these nuisance type rules. Infractions will be given only if there is no other viable way to gain compliance with the governors mandates. The closing on the WuXi facilities expands Ensemble's Navy Yard Life Sciences footprint to a total of five properties that represent approximately 550,000 square feet and $155 million invested. Its other two Life Sciences properties are Adaptimmune Therapeutics' United States headquarters and the currently under-construction Iovance Biotherapeutics facility, where they are the co-developer. All five buildings house (or will soon house) manufacturing, laboratory, R&D, and office space to support clinical development and initial commercialization of novel engineered immunotherapies, including gene and cell therapy. These five buildings, coupled with Ensemble's previous investments in office and hotel properties, bring the company's Navy Yard portfolio to include over 1.1 million square feet and four pad-ready development sites representing $360 million of investment. "Ensemble is proud to partner with WuXi to support their important work in developing advanced and life-sustaining therapies in the years to come," said Mark Seltzer, Senior Vice President of Development for Ensemble. "The Navy Yard's proximity to the highway network and airport, along with its unique ability to accommodate large-format, low-rise buildings in an urban environment has made it incredibly attractive to WuXi and many other Life Sciences companies, positioning it as a critical component of our regional economy." AppTec, which was acquired by WuXi PharmaTech in 2008, was one of the very first companies to move to the Navy Yard in 2004, when it opened a 75,000-square-foot contract testing and manufacturing facility. Over the following 16 years, WuXi further expanded its Navy Yard presence to accommodate a growing demand for non-viral cell therapy manufacturing, GMP manufacturing of viral vectors, and in 2017 set up its Advanced Therapy Unit to enhance U.S.-based cell and gene therapies. Most recently, WuXi opened a new 140,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art advanced therapies testing facility at 400 Rouse Boulevard which more than doubles WuXi's testing capacity for gene and cell therapies in an effort to support the evolving demands of the company's clients, and which increases the company's Navy Yard footprint to over 400,000 square feet of lab and GMP space. The horizontal configuration of the building, which spans longer than a city block, is ideal for lab and GMP uses by providing for maximum flexibility to support critical building infrastructure required by these highly specialized users. 400 Rouse has also achieved LEED-CS Gold Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council making it one of the largest LEED Gold Life Science buildings in Philadelphia. In addition to its most recent investment, Ensemble has also added two former senior professionals from Liberty Property Trust, Brian Cohen and Mark Seltzer, to its team which further underscores Ensemble's commitment to Life Sciences, Philadelphia, and the Navy Yard. At Liberty, Seltzer served as Vice President of Leasing & Development, and Cohen as Vice President and Market Officer. They collectively oversaw the acquisition, development, and marketing of millions of square feet and over a billion dollars of commercial real estate including the development of multiple laboratory and GMP facilities. They will now use their expertise to lead Ensemble's East Coast operations with support from the company's national team. "Ensemble's decades-long track record of successfully executing development projects across all asset classes and their ability to effectively raise capital, creates a platform well positioned to achieve an aggressive growth strategy in Philadelphia and the region," said Brian Cohen, Senior Vice President and Regional Director for Ensemble. "These attributes, coupled with the team's vast experience envisioning and creating exceptional projects will serve to further attract leading-edge companies throughout our portfolio." The East Region of Ensemble will have the opportunity to continue to grow the company's presence at the Navy Yard, as Ensemble and its partner, Mosaic Development Partners, were recently selected to develop 109 acres at the Navy Yard by the PIDC. Together, Ensemble and Mosaic intend to invest over $2.5 billion to create a vibrant and robust mixed-use campus that will include office, residential, retail, and further expansion of the Life Sciences by creating a Life Sciences ecosystem with companies which produce necessary raw materials, contract manufacturers, and shared GMP manufacturing providers from around the country. About Ensemble Real Estate Investments Over the past 40 years, Ensemble has successfully invested and developed over $2 billion in real estate across the United States, offering state-of-the-art property solutions in the healthcare, hospitality, commercial, and urban multi-family and mixed-use sectors. A widely respected leader in its industry, Ensemble has revolutionized the art of master planning, delivering iconic and strategically engineered facilities and beautifully preserved historic buildingsall designed to transform and inspire the communities they serve. Headquartered in Long Beach, California, Ensemble also has offices in Phoenix, Las Vegas, Reno, and, most recently, Philadelphia. For more information, please visit www.ensemble.net. About WuXi Advanced Therapies, Inc. The advanced therapies business unit of WuXi AppTec is a Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO) that is reducing the complexities of manufacturing by providing integrated platforms that enable cell and gene therapies to be developed, manufactured, and released faster and with greater predictability. For more information, please visit: www.advancedtherapies.com About Philadelphia's Navy Yard The Navy Yard is considered the most successful redevelopment of a former military facility in the country. A thriving riverfront neighborhood, the Navy Yard currently features more than 7.5 million square feet of buildings housing more than 15,000 employees working at over 170 companies. PIDC, Philadelphia's public-private economic development corporation and master developer of the Navy Yard, announced in July the selection of a team comprised of Ensemble Real Estate Investments and Mosaic Development Partners as its development partner for 109 acres at the Philadelphia Navy Yard. The next phase of development will further establish the Navy Yard as a world-class business, manufacturing, R&D, and life sciences hub, and will include the creation of a vibrant mixed-use district including retail, makerspace, and residential. Home to both historic structures and new high-performance and LEED certified development, the Navy Yard offers diverse, flexible building choices with varying heights, vintages, and floorplates, all powered by a nationally recognized microgrid and oriented around miles of riverfront access and world-class open space. Future growth will support up to 10 million square feet of commercial and residential development. PIDC, Philadelphia's public-private economic development corporation, is the master developer of the Navy Yard. For more information, please visit www.navyyard.org. About Life Sciences at the Navy Yard The Navy Yard is home to one of the highest concentrations of privately leased Life Science space in the city of Philadelphia with more than 800,000 square feet. The tenants span a wide variety of specialties including a large cluster of leading-edge companies like WuXi Advanced Therapies, which is devoted to cell and gene therapy. As a result, the Navy Yard is a hub for attracting top talent in the Life Sciences fields with more than 2,500 employees in this sector working on the campus. The diversity among these companies encompasses large corporate offices (GSK), established and emerging companies (WuXi AppTec, Iovance Biotherapeutics, Adaptimmune, and Coriell Life Sciences), educational institutions (Vincera Institute, Jefferson Health), and related capital ventures (Ben Franklin Technology Partners) among others. SOURCE Ensemble Real Estate Investments Related Links http://www.ensemble.net Personal protective equipment and other materials purchased by businesses to comply with safety measures required during the COVID-19 pandemic could be exempt from state taxes under bills pending in the Michigan legislature. House Bills 6033, 6034 and 6035, sponsored by Reps. Michael Webber, R-Rochester Hills, Jim Lilly, R-Park Township, and Joe Tate, D-Detroit, would collectively include exemptions for PPE and disinfectant products like masks, gloves, hand sanitizer and wipes purchased by employers subject to new COVID-19 safety protocol, and allow employers meeting certain growth and retention targets to claim an income tax credit for PPE purchases. Changes made to the bills in the House Tax Policy Committee Tuesday would allow for retroactive sales and use tax exemptions on PPE dating back to March 10, the day the COVID-19 state of emergency began, and include a Dec. 31, 2021 sunset on the tax exemption. Webber told lawmakers the bills account for the added expenses of enhanced workplace cleaning and providing PPE to employees and customers that many employers didnt account for when planning their budgets for 2020 and beyond. State treasury officials and sales tax beneficiaries like local school districts are concerned the exemptions could mean a big hit to the states already depleted revenue levels. But proponents of the legislation argue any tax dollars generated from PPE sales wouldnt have happened without the pandemic and would benefit businesses hard hit by COVID-19 closures and increased costs associated with keeping customers safe. Reopening sectors of our economy that can do so safely means businesses should not be punished by taxes for simply and courageously doing what is needed to stay open, said Matt Patton of the Detroit Regional Chamber, one of several business groups backing the concept. Rachel Richards, director of legislative affairs at the Michigan Department of Treasury, said the department is currently opposed to the legislation in part because of the potentially significant revenue impact that could lead to spending cuts for state-funded services down the line. Richards also expressed concerns with the logistics of retroactively applying tax exemptions on PPE products and compliance with the Streamlined Sales and Use Tax Agreement, but noted the department is open to further discussion. The bills remain before the House Tax Policy Committee and would need to pass the House and Senate and be signed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to become law. COVID-19 PREVENTION TIPS: In addition to washing hands regularly and not touching your face, officials recommend practicing social distancing, assuming anyone may be carrying the virus. Health officials say you should be staying at least 6 feet away from others and working from home, if possible. Use disinfecting wipes or disinfecting spray cleaners on frequently-touched surfaces in your home (door handles, faucets, countertops) and carry hand sanitizer with you when you go into places like stores. Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has also issued executive orders requiring people to wear face coverings over their mouth and nose while in public indoor and crowded outdoor spaces. See an explanation of what that means here. Additional information is available at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus and CDC.gov/Coronavirus. For more data on COVID-19 in Michigan, visit https://www.mlive.com/coronavirus/data/. Read more on MLive: Six month ago, coronavirus changed everything: 11 peoples stories This week marks 6 months of coronavirus in Michigan. Heres whats happened by the numbers. 20 questions the gym industry has about Michigans new fitness center rules Free mask distribution set for 6 mid-Michigan counties to prevent spread of coronavirus Two mid-Michigan casinos prohibit use of certain masks Russian-born businessman and Internet investor Yuri Milner is donating $10 million to the Wharton School to create scholarships for Israeli MBA students, the University of Pennsylvania said Tuesday. Milner, who made his first Silicon Valley investments with money from a well-connected Russian oligarch, Alisher Usmanov, has become an internationally known venture capitalist. He co-founded Internet company Mail.ru, which went public in 2010. In 2011, Wired magazine called Milner the worlds most successful investor in social media. On Tuesday, Milner and his wife, Julia, made a $10 million commitment to create the Friends of Israel MBA Fund. This new fellowship will provide full-tuition financial support to Israeli MBA students at the Wharton School. Yuris philanthropy has been as visionary as his distinguished business career. He is one of the founders of the acclaimed Breakthrough Prize, which recognizes pioneering achievements in the sciences, Penn president Amy Gutmann said in a press release. The Friends of Israel MBA Fund will provide full tuition over the course of the two-year Wharton MBA program for more than 60 students over the next decade. The fellowship is eligible to those who have completed Israeli military service, attended an Israeli undergraduate institution, or worked at an Israeli company. We are thrilled by the foundations commitment to supporting the best and brightest MBA candidates from the Israeli community, Wharton Dean Erika James said. My hope is that this scholarship will support talented individuals to look beyond the horizon and pursue their vision of what the world can be, and that the state of Israel will benefit from the expertise in business and entrepreneurship that Wharton program graduates will bring back home," Milner said in the release. Born in Russia, Milner is an Israeli citizen living in the Bay Area in California. Now 58, he graduated from Moscow State University in 1985 with a degree in theoretical physics in 1985 before attending Wharton in the 1990s. He went on to invest in Silicon Valley through Digital Sky Technologies, and then DST Global, a leading technology investment firm, with a portfolio that included early stakes in Facebook, Twitter, Groupon and other prominent internet companies. After first founding Digital Sky Technologies in Russia, he then opened DST Global in London in 2009, and the firm is now based in Hong Kong, according to Brownstein, an outside PR firm for Milner. Those early investments in Facebook and Twitter were fueled by hundreds of millions of dollars from a Kremlin-backed bank and the investment firm of a major Russian natural gas company, the New York Times reported in 2017. VTB, a Russian state-controlled bank often used for politically strategic deals. and And a big investor in Mr. Milners Facebook deal received financing from Gazprom Investholding, another government-controlled financial institution, according to the documents. Milner was also a keynote speaker at the Wharton MBA graduation ceremony in 2017. In July 2015, together with physicist Stephen Hawking, Milner launched the $100 million Breakthrough Listen initiative to search for extraterrestrial intelligence, and, in April 2016, launched Breakthrough Starshot, a $100 million research and engineering program to develop space travel. All these initiatives were funded by the Breakthrough Foundation established by Yuri and Julia Milner. In 2017, the Paradise Papers disclosed that the Russian tycoon poured millions of dollars into social media websites Facebook and Twitter, helped by VTB, a Russian state-controlled bank. The documents also showed that Milner invested $850,000 in a real estate firm co-founded by Jared Kushner, President Donald Trumps son-in-law and senior adviser. By PTI INDORE: Questions about reservations, the victory of the BJP in consecutive general elections and people's "trust" in Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the postgraduate journalism course exam of Madhya Pradesh's Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya (DAVV) has irked the opposition Congress while the BJP said the objections were a non-issue. These questions were asked in the annual Master of Journalism open-book exams in a paper titled "Analysis of Diverse National and International Issues" which was uploaded on the DAVV website on September 14. The examinees were asked "is the BJP victory in 2019 general elections an endorsement of the common man's trust in the Narendra Modi government? Explain". Another question was "what may be the three reasons that the Congress could not get an expected victory in the 2014 and 2019 general elections? Explain in detail with examples". "Can a one-party system be implemented in the country? Explain in the backdrop of the present situation" and "how useful is reservation after seven decades of Independence and what will be the impact on increasing demand for reservation in society after 10 percent reservation to the poor of the general class" were some of the other questions in the paper. Questions on "nationalism versus development", the military surgical strikes, Pakistan's Hafiz Saeed being declared an international terrorist, demonetisation and GST and their effects on the economy, triple talaq were some of the other topics that students had to tackle. Demanding cancellation of the paper, MP Congress spokesperson Neelabh Shukla in a statement said, "It is highly objectionable that DAVV coloured the examination of important faculty like journalism in BJP's hues. The students of this subject should be taught party neutrality in a higher education institute. " Shukla demanded intervention of Governor Anandiben Patel, who is also university chancellor, in the matter. However, state BJP spokesperson Umesh Sharma said the "questions asked to journalism students are related to current and relevant topics" and the Congress was "making an issue out of nothing". Meanwhile, DAVV Examination Controller Ashesh Tiwari said anyone having objections to any question in the concerned paper can approach university authorities with a complain and an inquiry committee would probe it. The paper was uploaded on September 14 and students have to submit written answers by September 19. (ST. JOSEPH, Mo.) -- After a 1 1/2 hour closed session Monday afternoon, St. Joseph's city council has yet to make a decision on filling its open city manager position. Mayor Bill McMurray said more work needs to be done, including background checks, before a final selection will be made. He said that he and the council have an important decision to make. "This is a decision we'll live with we would hope for a few years down the road. We don't want to be hasty. We're going to reflect a great deal on it and make the right decision," he said. Four finalists for the job were in St. Joseph on Friday and went through a series of interviews with the council and other community leaders. They include public administration professionals from Florida, South Dakota, Kansas and Texas. Gary Edwards is currently the city manager of Aransas Pass, Texas. He has Missouri ties, getting both his undergraduate and graduate degrees in the state and has previously been an administrator and city manager in Sedalia and Moberly. Doug Gerber is currently the deputy city manager of Topeka and has served in city administrative positions in multiple Kansas communities. Thomas Hutka is currently director of public works from Broward County, Florida, and has a background in civil engineering and public administration.. Jeff Pederson has city administration experience in several communities, including his current position of city administrator of Flandreau, South Dakota. For the past couple months, police chief Chris Connally has been acting as interim city manager. He has said that he's ready to relenquish those duties and get back to heading up the police department. Last week, on the same day Morris canceled oil and gas leases on more than 300,000 acres of public lands in Montana and Wyoming, he ruled for the administration in a coal mining case brought by environmentalists and the Democratic attorneys general of California, New York, New Mexico and Washington. San Francisco small businesses are struggling to pay rent during the coronavirus pandemic, sparking fights that include four tenants clashing with the same landlord in the Castro neighborhood. On Tuesday, Supervisor Rafael Mandelman called for a hearing on bad landlord behavior by highlighting the owner of 2323-2335 Market St. in the Castro. Golden Pacific Properties LLC bought the five-unit commercial building in February for $5.8 million, according to property records. Its allegedly being unreasonable and demanding full rent dating to April 1, despite revenues plummeting for the small businesses during shelter-in-place orders and on-again-off-again reopenings, according to the buildings four tenants and Mandelman. The company did not return calls seeking comment. There is economic devastation happening across this city and across the world, Mandelman said before the meeting. The economic environment when this ends will be vastly different from pre-pandemic times. Why a property owner is acting like this is beyond me. Mandelman emphasized the issue was larger than just one bad actor. He plans to call a hearing on how widespread failed rent negotiations are in the city, and local actions that could aid small businesses. Liz Hafalia / The Chronicle The pandemic is exacerbating the retail sectors woes, which included falling foot traffic amid online competition and in San Francisco, high fees and long permit times. Shutdown orders have led to additional store closures. A survey of the Castro and Upper Market areas in January found more than 50 empty storefronts and a vacancy rate around 20%. Since March, at least 20 more small businesses have permanently closed in the Castro, including Ritual Coffee, barbershop Male Image, and childrens clothing store Mini-Chic. Mandelman and state Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, sent a letter to the 2323-2335 Market St. landlord on Sept. 2, on behalf of home goods store Kenneth Wingard, D&H Jewelers, furniture store Stag and Manor, and Crystal Way, sellers of crystals, gemstones, metaphysics books and tarot readings. The letter said Mandelman has unsuccessfully sought to meet with the owner all summer to mediate an agreement that would be fair to the landlord and the tenants at risk of displacement. Linda Amburgey, co-owner of Crystal Way, has operated there since 2003 and was forced to close abruptly along with all nonessential retailers in the spring, shortly after the new owner arrived. We made our first rent payment in March and then we got shut down. In an instant, we had zero revenue, Amburgey said. She reopened the store on June 15, and after sales resumed she made rent payments for July and August. She said she sought a rent abatement from the landlord for the months she was closed but to no avail. Amburgey said she owes about $12,000 in back rent. Shes also closed her Sunset location, laid off her employees and isnt in a position to hire them back, which means she cant receive forgiveness for her federal Paycheck Protection Program loan. I dont want to go into further debt. Im seriously considering bankruptcy, which is a shame because the store is a source of healing for the community, she said. Shawn Higgins and Lindsay Daunell, co-owners of D&H Jewelers, opened in 2011. They closed their store for three months beginning in March and took a 25% cut in revenue. Theyre now open three days a week instead of seven, and by appointment only as clientele shrinks. Its hard for us to look long term because we dont know whats going to happen, how long the pandemic is going to be around. To have a landlord that doesnt want to negotiate makes it very difficult, said Higgins. A landlord would be a partner, not just a person who takes your money. He said they have two-and-a-half more years left on their lease, and if they made it that far, they probably wont renew. Were good, long-term, viable tenants. All were asking for is to work something out, he said. The state regulates commercial rents. Gov. Gavin Newsom issued an executive order in March allowing local governments to offer eviction protections. Liz Hafalia / The Chronicle Air Quality Tracker Check levels down to the neighborhood Ratings for the Bay Area and California, updated every 10 minutes San Francisco first implemented a moratorium on commercial evictions on March 18, which is now set to expire on Sept. 30, along with Newsoms order. The moratorium prevents any small businesses from being evicted due to a loss of income or other economic impacts caused by the pandemic. Tenants have up to six months to pay outstanding rent, so rent due from April 1 can be due on Oct. 1, according the citys rules. Mayor London Breed called for an extension of the governors order on Tuesday. Our local commercial eviction moratorium has been critical in providing small businesses an assurance that they can navigate these really challenging times without fear that they will be evicted because they cant make rent, she said in a statement. Sen. Scott Wieners SB939, which allowed tenants who lost revenue because of the pandemic to renegotiate leases without penalties, died in committee in June. We anticipate there will be many permanent closures, and were concerned about that, said Andrea Aiello, executive director of the Castro Community Benefit District. Its a sad situation. There are stories of landlords not decreasing rent, but Ive heard more stories of landlords that are working it out with their tenants. One such landlord is Helen McClure, who owns a property at 545 Castro Street. She said she lowered her wellness spa tenants $3,800-per-month rent by $400 each month for three months. Another tenant, pet store Best in Show, closed in June after 18 years in business. She said she lowered the stores rent but the owners wanted to retire early and move on. Listen, I also have bills and mortgages to pay. Its hard. But the point is to work it out with your tenants. Its not like therell be retail tenants lining up to lease space after, McClure said. Shwanika Narayan is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: shwanika.narayan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @shwanika Instagram: @shwanika [Follow our live coverage of the Biden inauguration.] WASHINGTON With wildfires raging across the West, climate change took center stage in the race for the White House on Monday as former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. called President Trump a climate arsonist while the president said that I dont think science knows what is actually happening. A day of dueling appearances laid out the stark differences between the two candidates, an incumbent president who has long scorned climate change as a hoax and rolled back environmental regulations and a challenger who has called for an aggressive campaign to curb the greenhouse gases blamed for increasingly extreme weather. Mr. Trump flew to California after weeks of public silence about the flames that have forced hundreds of thousands of people from their homes, wiped out communities and forests, burned millions of acres, shrouded the region in smoke and left at least 27 people dead. But even when confronted by Californias governor and other state officials, the president insisted on attributing the crisis solely to poor forest management, not climate change. Mr. Biden, for his part, assailed Mr. Trumps record on the climate, asserting that the presidents inaction and denial had fed destruction, citing not just the current emergency on the West Coast but flooding in the Midwest and hurricanes along the Gulf Coast. In an outdoor speech at a museum in Wilmington, Del., the Democratic presidential nominee sought to paint a second Trump term as a danger to the nations suburbs, flipping an attack on him by the president. ADELPHI, Md -- Army research has extended the state-of-the-art in autonomy by providing a more complete picture of how actions and nonverbal signals contribute to promoting cooperation. Researchers suggested guidelines for designing autonomous machines such as robots, self-driving cars, drones and personal assistants that will effectively collaborate with Soldiers. Dr. Celso de Melo, computer scientist with the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command's Army Research Laboratory at CCDC ARL West in Playa Vista, California, in collaboration with Dr. Kazunori Teradafrom Gifu University in Japan, recently published a paper in Scientific Reports where they show that emotion expressions can shape cooperation. Autonomous machines that act on people's behalf are poised to become pervasive in society, de Melo said; however, for these machines to succeed and be adopted, it is essential that people are able to trust and cooperate with them. "Human cooperation is paradoxical," de Melo said. "An individual is better off being a free rider, while everyone else cooperates; however, if everyone thought like that, cooperation would never happen. Yet, humans often cooperate. This research aims to understand the mechanisms that promote cooperation with a particular focus on the influence of strategy and signaling." Strategy defines how individuals act in one-shot or repeated interaction. For instance, tit-for-tat is a simple strategy that specifies that the individual should act as his/her counterpart acted in the previous interaction. Signaling refers to communication that may occur between individuals, which could be verbal (e.g., natural language conversation) and nonverbal (e.g., emotion expressions). This research effort, which supports the Next Generation Combat Vehicle Army Modernization Priority and the Army Priority Research Area for Autonomy, aims to apply this insight in the development of intelligent autonomous systems that promote cooperation with Soldiers and successfully operate in hybrid teams to accomplish a mission. "We show that emotion expressions can shape cooperation," de Melo said. "For instance, smiling after mutual cooperation encourages more cooperation; however, smiling after exploiting others - which is the most profitable outcome for the self - hinders cooperation." The effect of emotion expressions is moderated by strategy, he said. People will only process and be influenced by emotion expressions if the counterpart's actions are insufficient to reveal the counterpart's intentions. For example, when the counterpart acts very competitively, people simply ignore-and even mistrust-the counterpart's emotion displays. "Our research provides novel insight into the combined effects of strategy and emotion expressions on cooperation," de Melo said. "It has important practical application for the design of autonomous systems, suggesting that a proper combination of action and emotion displays can maximize cooperation from Soldiers. Emotion expression in these systems could be implemented in a variety of ways, including via text, voice, and nonverbally through (virtual or robotic) bodies." According to de Melo, the team is very optimistic that future Soldiers will benefit from research such as this as it sheds light on the mechanisms of cooperation. "This insight will be critical for the development of socially intelligent autonomous machines, capable of acting and communicating nonverbally with the Soldier," he said. "As an Army researcher, I am excited to contribute to this research as I believe it has the potential to greatly enhance human-agent teaming in the Army of the future." The next steps for this research include pursuing further understanding of the role of nonverbal signaling and strategy in promoting cooperation and identifying creative ways to apply this insight on a variety of autonomous systems that have different affordances for acting and communicating with the Soldier. ### * The European Union and China signed a deal on Monday to protect each other's exported food and drinks items from feta cheese to Pixian bean paste ahead of challenging discussions on bilateral issues at an online summit. China was the third-largest destination for EU agricultural and food products in 2019, worth EUR14.5 billion (US$17.2 billion). * President Donald Trump signed a new executive order on Sunday (September 13) aimed at lowering drug prices in the United States by linking them to those of other nations and expanding the scope of a July action. The new order extends the mandate to prescription drugs available at a pharmacy, which are covered under Medicare Part D. The July version focused on drugs typically administered in doctors' offices and health clinics, covered by Medicare Part B. * French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said on Monday the French economy was on the right track, reiterating economic growth could do better than the 11 percent contraction currently forecast for 2020. Le Maire made the comments in an interview with France 2 television. * Turkey does not expect to face European Union sanctions over a dispute with Greece in the eastern Mediterranean, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Monday, a day after a Turkish survey ship pulled out of contested waters. The EU says it fully supports member states Greece and Cyprus in their dispute with Turkey and has said it is drawing up potential sanctions if dialogue does not begin. The bloc's leaders could make a decision at a summit on Sept. 24-25. * Bahrain's industry and trade minister and Israel's regional cooperation minister discussed trade, industry and tourism cooperation between the two countries who announced on Friday they would normalise relations, state news agency BNA said. Bahrain's Zayed bin Rashid Al Zayani and Israeli's Ofir Akunis spoke by phone. Normalization will "positively impact both countries' economies", the BNA statement said. * Tropical depression Twenty is forecast to strengthen into a "powerful hurricane" over the central Atlantic by the latter part of the week, US National Hurricane Center (NHC) said on Sunday. The system is located about 1,025 miles (1,645 kilometers) west of Cape Verde Islands, packing maximum winds of 35 miles per hour (55 km/h), and is moving west-northwest, the NHC said. * Shares of AstraZeneca rose 1% to 8,516 pence on Monday after the British drugmaker received the go-ahead from safety watchdogs over the weekend to resume clinical trials for its COVID-19 vaccine candidate in the United Kingdom. The resumption of the trials for the vaccine, one of the most advanced in development and regarded by governments and financial markets as one of the best bets to tackle the health crisis in the months ahead, buoyed stock markets around the world. * Amazon.com Inc on Monday said it is recruiting 100,000 more workers - the fourth hiring spree it has announced for the United States this year - to keep pace with e-commerce demand that jumped during the pandemic. The world's biggest online retailer said the positions are for full and part-time work in its home country and Canada, and these will include roles at 100 new warehouse and operations sites it is opening this month. The Seattle-based company employed 876,800 people as of June 30, excluding contractors and temporary personnel. * China on Monday reported 10 new coronavirus cases in the mainland for Sept. 13, the same as a day earlier, the health authority said. All of the new infections were imported, the National Health Commission said in a statement. There were no new deaths. As of Sunday, mainland China had a total of 85,194 confirmed infections of the coronavirus, it said. The COVID-19 death toll remained unchanged at 4,634. * The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Sunday reported 6,467,481 cases of the new coronavirus, an increase of 40,423 cases from its previous count, and said the number of deaths had risen by 807 to 193,195. * Mexico reported 4,408 new confirmed cases of coronavirus infection and 217 additional fatalities on Sunday, bringing its totals to 668,381 infections and 70,821 deaths, according to updated Health Ministry data. The government has said the real number of infected people is likely to be significantly higher than the confirmed cases * India said it was considering granting an emergency authorisation for a COVID-19 vaccine, particularly for the elderly and people in high-risk workplaces, as the country's number of reported infections passed 4.75 million. * Indonesia on Sunday reported its sixth consecutive day of over 3,000 new cases, just as its capital city prepares to re-impose social distancing restrictions. * Singapore is battling new clusters of infections in migrant dormitories that had won the all-clear from authorities. * Australia's second-most populous state, the epicentre of the country's coronavirus second wave, on Monday reported its lowest single-day rise in new infections in nearly three months. * New Zealand will lift restrictions across the country on Sept. 21, except in its biggest city, Auckland, which is the epicentre of a second wave of infections. New Zealand on Monday reported one new case of coronavirus in the community, taking the total number of cases to 1,447 and 24 deaths. * The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Germany increased by 927 to 260,355, data from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases showed on Monday. The reported death toll rose by one to 9,350, the tally showed. * The Czech Republic reported its biggest one-day increase in new infections for a third straight day on Sunday, recording 1,541 cases. * Ireland plans to replace its current system of travel quarantines with the European Union's proposed coordinated system as soon as it is ready, Prime Minister Micheal Martin told RTE television on Saturday. * Israel will enter a three-week nationwide lockdown starting on Friday after a second- wave surge of new cases, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said. * Saudi Arabia will partially lift its suspension of international flights as of Sept. 15 to allow "exceptional categories" of citizens and residents to travel, the state news agency SPA said. * The Czech Republic recorded 792 new cases of coronavirus on Sunday, a drop after five consecutive days with more than 1,000 cases each, Health Ministry's data showed on Monday. The overall number of confirmed cases rose to 36,188 in the country of 10.7 million. * The death toll in Turkey due to the novel coronavirus reached 7,056 on Sunday, rising by 57 people in the last 24 hours, data from the Health Ministry showed. The total number of cases in the country rose by 1,527 on Sunday, for a total of 291,162 cases, the data showed, with 258,833 people recovered from COVID-19. I like to track the ongoing development of the self-driving car - the "autonomous vehicle" that is promised to us any day now. That amazing technical engineer and entrepreneur Elon Musk says we could have the "Autopilot" self-driving car by the end of this year. The invention is promised to reduce accidents, improve environmental conditions and generally streamline road transport. You'll just get into the vehicle, programme its destination and then sit back while the algorithms pilot you wherever you wish to go. This concept fascinates me, because, to my great regret, my driving days in a conventional car are gradually drawing to a close - because of deteriorating eyesight. I still can drive short distances and in a good light: I can pass the crucial test of being able to decipher a vehicle registration at 20 metres (that's about five cars away). But I'm finding it harder to cope with longer-distance driving on unfamiliar roads. Can I read the overhead signs properly, sometimes half-hidden by foliage? Can I manage the merging motorways? It's a life-changing moment when you feel you may have to quit driving, because a car is an unparalleled symbol of freedom and independence. Few inventions have delivered more independence to women than the automobile. Having her own car and a driver's licence meant that a woman could go anywhere on her own, within the safety of her vehicle. Having a car at the door meant never having to depend on someone else - or on the limitations of public transport - for personal mobility. For women in the countryside, the car was, literally, the route out of isolation. You can see why feminists in Saudi Arabia fought for so long for the right to drive - defying the kingdom's religious and secular law. Saudi women finally won the right to get behind the steering wheel in 2018. Up to the 1960s, all over Europe, motorists were more usually men than women, while in America women had been driving almost from the start. The patron saint of American female drivers is Alice Huyler Ramsey, who, aged 22, drove a car across the United States in 1909, a distance of 3,800 miles, taking 59 days. She did this at a time when an automobile required an arm-wrenching gadget called a crank starter, many changes of tyres and constant minor repairs. By the 1930s, women in America were quite commonly driving - 37% of farm girls in the relatively poor state of Missouri were behind the wheel. By the 1950s, teenage American girls had their own pink Dodge model, tail-fins and all. The writer Anne Applebaum told me that her American mother had her own Chevrolet, aged 17, in the 1950s: it brought a tremendous sense of liberation for those young women whose families could afford to provide them with a car. On this side of the Atlantic, prejudice against women drivers could be discerned from the jokes that prevailed against the "lady driver", often depicted as absent-minded and bird-brained. Some men felt threatened by a female at the wheel - especially overtaking. When women began driving in greater numbers, they had a considerable influence on the motoring market. It was women who wanted cars to be safer: Volvo underlined the safety of their product with a view to marketing their vehicles to mothers. In Britain, it was a woman politician, the fiery Barbara Castle, who introduced the compulsory seat belt (much resisted at first by libertarians), speed limits and tougher rules against drink-driving. I was all of 43 before I passed (after three failed attempts) the driving test. But I quickly came to love driving, anywhere, at any time. It was rather thrilling to discover that there is no speed limit on German autobahns and, with glee, I watched the needle hitting 140kph on a German road. The car fell into disfavour with environmentalists in recent years: it was blamed for polluting the planet, snarling up cities in traffic jams, causing death and disability and making us all so fat. The pressure has been on to produce cleaner, electric vehicles - consequently the electric car company Tesla saw its share price quadrupled this year. Regrettably, Mr Musk seems a little over-optimistic about his driverless car, which is experiencing some teething troubles - its sensors can't always anticipate the unexpected - so it may be a few years yet before it's available to us. I'm not quite done with driving, but I can anticipate the end of the road. I'll have to let go of my dreams of driving a camper van across France, or the even dafter fantasy of doing a lap in a race-car. But what a great road trip it's been while it lasted. GLD, IAU Big Gold ETF Buying MIA The big gold-ETF buying that catapulted gold higher into early August has gone missing in action. Thats why gold stalled out since, drifting sideways flirting with a correction. To continue powering higher, gold needs these major stock-market-capital inflows via exchange-traded funds to resume. The near-term fortunes for the precious-metals complex are heavily dependent on how American traders position in gold ETFs. For better or worse, exchange-traded funds are increasingly dominating golds price trends. Their relative importance has been mounting for years, and cannot be overstated. Major gold ETFs are becoming the global gold market. Despite lingering concerns about gold ETFs physical bullion holdings, speculators and investors keep flocking to them. They are the easiest way to get gold portfolio exposure, quick and cheap. The World Gold Councils latest quarterly fundamental data on global gold supply and demand yet again revealed gold ETFs dominance. The WGCs Q220 Gold Demand Trends report showed global demand being gobbled up by gold ETFs like Pac-Man! Gold surged 12.9% in Q2, which enjoyed one of the most-bullish psychological backdrops ever. A worldwide pandemic raged, which had just spawned a stock panic. Last quarter uncertainty and worry were off the charts, as governments draconian national lockdowns to slow the spread of COVID-19 deeply scarred economies. Youd think gold demand would explode in that kind of extreme anomalous environment, right? According to the WGC, which gathers the best-available data on golds fundamentals, Q2 global demand was actually weak. It fell 10.7% YoY to 1015.7 metric tons! Every major demand category collapsed except for gold ETFs. Jewelry demand, which is normally about half of the world total, crashed 52.5% YoY to 251.5t! Even traditional investment demand for physical bars and coins plummeted 32.0% YoY to 148.8t. Central-bank demand cratered 50.5% YoY to 114.7t. And technology demand plunged 17.5% YoY to 66.6t. Make no mistake, Q2 gold demand was a total disaster. Added together these major demand categories imploded a mind-boggling 45.2% YoY to 581.6t! After accounting for 93% of total gold demand in Q219, they caved to just 57% in Q220. The sole bright spot in worldwide gold demand last quarter was gold-ETF buying. Stock traders demand for gold-ETF shares was so extreme that the physical gold bullion these ETFs had to buy skyrocketed 470.5% YoY to 434.1t! Those towering gold-ETF-demand levels shattered the previous record high of 341.1t in Q116. Theres no doubt gold prices wouldve fallen hard last quarter if it wasnt for that epic gold-ETF-share demand. And two American gold-ETF giants utterly dominate worldwide gold-ETF demand, the GLD SPDR Gold Shares and IAU iShares Gold Trust. Following their holdings is essential for gaming gold trends today. Every quarter the WGC ranks the worlds biggest physically-backed gold ETFs by their bullion holdings. At the end of Q2, GLD and IAU commanded 32.5% and 12.6% of all the gold held by all the worlds gold ETFs! Their next-largest competitor trading in the UK is a distant third at just 6.3%. And GLDs and IAUs combined 45.1% world share actually understates their importance, because they are so actively traded. From Q120 to Q220, total global gold-ETF holdings surged 13.7% sequentially to 3620.7 metric tons of physical gold bullion. That was a record 435.9t quarterly build. But the Q2 builds in GLD and IAU really outpaced the world total, seeing their holdings soar 21.9% or 211.9t and 16.6% or 64.9t. That massive 276.8t total from these two American behemoths was almost 64% of the entire global build in gold ETFs! So gold demand and thus gold prices wouldve collapsed if not crashed last quarter if not for epic gold-ETF demand, and together GLD and IAU accounted for nearly 2/3rds of that. So everyone interested in the price trends of gold, silver, and their miners stocks have to closely watch GLD and IAU. The precious metals cant materially rally without major inflows of stock-market capital into these increasingly-dominant ETFs. The gold-ETF dynamics behind this are simple yet not widely understood. The mission of gold ETFs is to track the underlying gold price. But the supply of and demand for gold-ETF shares is independent of golds own. So when gold-ETF-share buying or selling outpaces or lags that in gold, ETF-share prices will decouple from golds and fail their tracking missions. Theres just one way to maintain that critical link. Excess supply or demand of gold-ETF shares has to be directly shunted into underlying physical gold, on a near-real-time basis. That equalizes supply-demand differentials, synchronizing gold-ETF-share prices with golds. When ETF-share buying exceeds golds, share prices threaten to decouple from gold to the upside. Gold-ETF managers avert this by issuing enough new shares to offset that differential demand. They immediately plow the capital raised from selling those shares into buying more physical gold bullion. So when gold ETFs holdings are rising, stock-market capital is flowing into gold. Naturally that normally helps lift its price. The opposite is true when gold-ETF shares are being sold faster than gold, which soon breaks gold ETFs gold-price mirroring to the downside. Again gold-ETF managers have to act to prevent this. They sell enough gold bullion to raise sufficient money to buy back the excess gold-ETF-share supply. Thus when gold ETFs holdings are falling, stock-market capital is flowing back out of gold. Since GLD and IAU both report their physical-gold-bullion holdings daily, tracking their trends reveals whether American stock traders are buying or selling gold via these dominant ETFs. Thats the key to golds fortunes. As this first chart shows, differential GLD and IAU buying has gone missing in action since gold peaked in early August. The gold price in red is rendered under GLDs and IAUs total daily holdings shown in dark blue, GLDs daily holdings in light blue, and IAUs daily holdings in yellow. Since IAUs holdings are considerably smaller than GLDs at 515.2t this week, they arent visible with this charts lower bound at 700t. Since golds dazzling all-time-record high of $2062 on August 6th, it has drifted sideways to lower. At worst gold initially plunged 7.5% in a sharp correction. But that quickly stabilized into the trading range gold has been stuck in for the past 5 weeks, a high consolidation. Not surprisingly given GLDs and IAUs dominance over gold prices, their total holdings peaked at a record 1765.0t that same day gold crested. Gold stalled out when American stock traders stopped aggressively buying gold-ETF shares. And if they start materially selling, gold will certainly fall into a 10%+ correction. So far the differential gold-ETF-share selling has been trivial, with these combined GLD and IAU holdings only slumping 0.9% at worst to 1749.2t in mid-August. Interestingly they gradually recovered since to a new record high of 1768.1t this week. That masks a growing bifurcation in demand for GLD and IAU shares. As of the data cutoff for this essay at Wednesdays close, GLDs holdings are still down 1.2% from early Augusts 7.4-year secular high. As the pioneering gold ETF launched way back in November 2004, GLDs first-mover advantage has made it much more popular. In the middle of this week, GLDs holdings commanded 71% of the GLD-plus-IAU total. Lesser-hyped IAU wasnt born much later, starting in January 2005. But it languished deep in GLDs long shadow for much of its existence. When this secular gold bulls first upleg topped in July 2016, GLD had holdings running 4.6x as large as IAUs. But IAU has enjoyed superior growth since, compressing this ratio to just 2.4x this Wednesday. Since golds recent early-August peak, IAUs holdings actually climbed 3.7%! IAU is catching up with GLD because of a major selling point really appealing to institutional investors, a lower expense ratio. GLDs managers have always charged 0.4% of that ETFs assets annually to pay all the bills necessary to keep it running and earn profits. That includes salaries of the people as well as all the costs of physically moving and storing gold bullion. But IAU significantly undercut that charging only 0.25%. IAUs 15-basis-point-lower expense ratio doesnt sound like much, but saving 37.5% on yearly gold-ETF fees is important to professional money managers running tens of billions of dollars. That realm is so hyper-competitive that they have to squeeze out returns wherever they can. They increasingly seem to be preferring IAU over GLD, driving the formers holdings relentlessly higher with less volatility than the latter. Given the chronic underinvestment in gold by institutional investors, which collectively have under 1% of their capital in this ultimate portfolio diversifier, IAU might not see heavy differential selling when gold corrects. But GLD certainly will, as it is much more popular with speculators and retail traders. If they start dumping gold-ETF shares faster than gold is being sold, that will almost certainly force a bigger gold selloff. This secular gold bull has suffered three previous corrections, 17.3% into late 2016, 13.6% into mid-2018, and 12.1% into March 2020s pandemic stock panic. American stock traders selling both helped fuel and exacerbated all these corrections, with the combined GLD and IAU holdings falling 13.1% or 156.7t, 6.3% or 69.5t, and 3.3% or 44.5t. It doesnt take much gold-ETF differential selling to push gold sharply lower. Potential catalysts abound that could spook the legions of speculators that flooded into gold-ETF shares in late July and early August forcing gold parabolic. The euphoric US stock markets could keep rallying on extreme Fed money printing, retarding gold investment demand. The deeply-oversold US dollar could surge, driven by the overbought euro falling. That would motivate gold-futures speculators to dump gold. The US-presidential-election outcome could affect gold sentiment. Trumps surprise victory four years ago unleashed heavy gold selling as stock markets soared on tax-cut hopes. The hot-money Robinhood crowd that loves chasing momentum may simply lose interest with gold stalled for over a month now. The herd of millennial traders is chasing big and fast gains, and is quick to move on to the next surging thing. This gold bulls precedent shows that once heavy differential gold-ETF-share buying flags, it generally presages coming differential selling. Traders who greedily rush into gold-ETF shares at relatively-high prices when euphoria runs rampant late in major gold uplegs rapidly suffer serious losses when gold subsequently corrects. These weak hands frantically dump their gold-ETF shares, amplifying golds selloffs. But even if those late-to-the-party speculators hold, golds next major upleg cant start marching higher. This bulls precedent clearly proves gold now needs big stock-market-capital inflows via the dominant gold ETFs to fuel sustained gains! This gold bulls four major uplegs have seen 29.9% gains into mid-2016, 20.4% into early 2018, 42.7% into early 2020 before the stock panic, and 40.0% in just 4.6 months since that. Heavy differential demand for gold-ETF shares overwhelmingly drove this bulls three largest uplegs, and contributed to the fourth. Sequentially they saw big combined GLD and IAU holdings builds of 52.1% or 409.3t, 6.3% or 65.6t, 30.4% or 314.2t, and 35.3% or 460.5t! Gold isnt heading materially higher again until American stock traders resume buying gold-ETF shares much faster than gold itself is being bought. And that seems really unlikely so soon after gold shot parabolic to extraordinarily-overbought levels in early August. That overboughtness and the resulting greedy, euphoric sentiment needs to be worked off in a normal and healthy correction before golds next upleg can start running. That will require a major 10%+ gold selloff, and maybe even a deeper 200dma approach. Gold isnt out of the woods yet by any means. The big gold-ETF buying that catapulted gold higher before and after Marchs stock panic missing in action is also the reason gold-stock prices have stalled too. This next chart is updated from my essay last week explaining why the gold stocks remain in correction mode. Since their earnings greatly leverage gold prices, their stock prices tend to mirror and amplify golds. They havent made any headway since early August. The GDX VanEck Vectors Gold Miners ETF is the most-popular gold-stock index and trading vehicle. Like usual, GDXs price action so far this year looks just like golds but at a larger magnitude. Because of their total dependence on prevailing gold prices, gold stocks need differential gold-ETF-share buying just as much as gold does. Their massive post-panic upleg failed right when golds did on flagging gold-ETF buying. Gold-stock speculators and investors definitely need to closely follow GLDs and IAUs holdings, since they so powerfully drive gold price trends. As goes gold, so go the gold stocks! Whether GDX continues consolidating high, rolls over into a major correction, or resumes grinding higher totally depends on what American stock traders do with GLD and IAU. Their capital flows drive the entire precious-metals complex. And I suspect big differential gold-ETF-share selling is more likely in the near-term than a resumption of the huge buying into early August. Gold surged too far too fast to be sustainable, hitting extraordinary levels of overboughtness. Momentum-chasing millennial traders seemed to lead that charge, as reported in since-discontinued positioning data from their favorite brokerage Robinhood which pioneered free stock trading. Millennials were hit disproportionately hard by the widespread government lockdowns last spring as this pandemic mounted. A big fraction of them worked in the service industries, which ground to a halt. So they were stuck at home with nothing to do, collecting fat unemployment checks greatly boosted by huge pandemic stimulus spending. So many used that financial windfall to fund their first-ever forays into stock trading. Robinhood account openings skyrocketed, and young traders enjoyed big and fast gains with the stock markets soaring on extreme Fed money printing. In just 3.0 months into early June, the Feds balance sheet skyrocketed an astonishing 66.3% or $2.9t higher! Millennial traders rushed to pile in to the big winners, chasing their upside momentum. They found gold in mid-July, which helped force it parabolic. Golds post-panic upleg was normal and sustainable before that, climbing higher in a solid uptrend. But over the next several weeks into early August, gold soared a blistering 14.9% higher. That stretched it way up to 1.260x its 200dma, bull-slaying levels of overboughtness that killed its last secular bull! GLDs and IAUs holdings rocketed up 5.1% or 61.1t and 6.5% or 30.2t during that span, which is what forced gold higher. And Robinhood positioning data showed millennial traders led the way. In those same few weeks, the total number of Robinhood users owning GLD skyrocketed 58% higher! Their IAU ownership soared 33%. And it wasnt just those younger traders flooding in. The reason Robinhood doesnt charge users for stock trading is it instead sells their real-time order-flow data to high-frequency-trading firms, which front run it. So when millennial Robinhood traders were stampeding into gold via GLD and IAU, orders of magnitude more capital was rushing in from hedge funds milliseconds before those trades! That Robinhood data, from young new traders blindly chasing any momentum, was the tail wagging the vastly-larger hedge-fund dog. And once those millennials moved on from gold in early August, so did the hedge funds front running them. Until that millennial and more-broadly retail-trader zeal for gold returns, it is hard to imagine big differential gold-ETF-share demand spinning up again. And without that, gold is dead in the water for now. If the Robinhooders and all the professional capital aping them start dumping GLD and IAU en masse, gold and thus the gold stocks will fall into much-deeper corrections. That is a real risk given golds flagging momentum. Under heavy fire for the extreme speculative risks its young and naive users were taking, Robinhood ceased publishing its users collective positioning data soon after gold peaked! It is probably still selling it to hedge funds privately, but outside of those rarefied circles no one knows what the Robinhooders have done with their gold-ETF holdings. If they havent exited yet, big differential gold-ETF-share selling is still coming. So it seems prudent to be wary of gold here, at least until early Augusts epic overboughtness is mostly worked off. Again gold skyrocketed to 1.260x its 200dma at peak, and so far the lowest it has retreated is still way up at 1.143x its 200dma earlier this week. Incredibly that is still above the extremely-overbought upper resistance of golds relative trading range! Big gold-ETF-share selling is way more likely than big buying. All bull markets naturally flow then ebb, taking two steps forward before retreating one step back. Their price action gradually meanders around uptrends. This normal upleg-correction pattern keeps sentiment balanced, extending bull markets longevity. And it is a huge boon for traders, offering excellent mid-bull opportunities to buy relatively low before later selling relatively high. That greatly expands bulls potential gains! At Zeal we started aggressively buying and recommending fundamentally-superior gold and silver miners in our weekly and monthly subscription newsletters back in mid-March right after the stock-panic lows. We layered into dozens of new positions before gold stocks grew too overbought, which were stopped out recently at huge realized gains running as high as +199%! Our subscribers multiplied their wealth within months. To profitably trade high-potential gold stocks, you need to stay informed about whats driving gold. Our popular newsletters are a great way, easy to read and affordable. They draw on my vast experience, knowledge, wisdom, and ongoing research to explain whats going on in the markets, why, and how to trade them with specific stocks. Subscribe today and take advantage of our 20%-off sale! Corrections are the time to do your gold-stock homework, preparing to redeploy as they pass. The bottom line is the big gold-ETF buying that catapulted this metal higher into early August has gone missing in action since then. The major gold ETFs holdings have stalled out, explaining golds flagging momentum. With the global gold market increasingly dominated by GLD and IAU, gold cant advance without American stock traders shifting big capital into gold through these conduits. But their buying has vanished. This gold bulls precedent shows differential gold-ETF-share selling usually follows soon after big and fast holdings builds exhaust themselves. Compounding these risks after golds recent parabolic upleg are the young traders who heavily drove it. Their modus operandi is chasing upside momentum, and once that fails they are quick to abandon trades. They may still need to exit their frenziedly-acquired gold-ETF shares. Adam Hamilton, CPA So how can you profit from this information? We publish an acclaimed monthly newsletter, Zeal Intelligence , that details exactly what we are doing in terms of actual stock and options trading based on all the lessons we have learned in our market research. Please consider joining us each month for tactical trading details and more in our premium Zeal Intelligence service at www.zealllc.com/subscribe.htm Questions for Adam? I would be more than happy to address them through my private consulting business. Please visit www.zealllc.com/adam.htm for more information. Thoughts, comments, or flames? Fire away at zelotes@zealllc.com . Due to my staggering and perpetually increasing e-mail load, I regret that I am not able to respond to comments personally. I will read all messages though and really appreciate your feedback! Copyright 2000 - 2019 Zeal Research ( www.ZealLLC.com ) 2005-2019 http://www.MarketOracle.co.uk - The Market Oracle is a FREE Daily Financial Markets Analysis & Forecasting online publication. HELSINKI (dpa-AFX) - Finland's economic output fell at a softer rate, while industrial turnover declined at a faster pace in July, data from Statistics Finland showed on Tuesday. Output of the national economy fell a working-day adjusted 2.8 percent year-on-year in July, after a 4.2 percent decline in June, which was revised from a 4.8 percent fall. On a seasonally adjusted basis, output rose 0.9 percent monthly in July. Data showed that the primary production increased around 9.0 percent in July. Secondary and services production declined by about 5.0 percent and 3.0 percent, respectively, from the previous year. Separate data from the statistical office showed that the industrial production declined 10.3 percent annually in July, following a 7.9 percent fall in June. Turnover of forest industry declined the most, by 19.2 percent yearly in July, and that of electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply fell 16.7 percent. Manufacturing turnover decreased 9.2 percent and mining and quarrying declined 6.0 percent. On a monthly basis, industrial turnover fell a seasonally adjusted 1.5 percent in July, after a 1.0 percent rise in the prior month. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. Parts of the UK are set to bask in 29C heat as a blast of tropical air washes over the continent. Temperatures have steadily increased through the weekend, with highs of 25C expected in the southeast on Sunday. But the mercury should rise to its highest point on Monday, when London will experience 29C heat, described by one Met Office forecaster as a blast of summer. The warm weather is expected to remain well through the week, although some showers are possible, mainly in the west. The spell of hot weather is thanks to tropical continental air pushing up from a southerly direction in combination with light winds" and much of the continent will see balmy temperatures, the Met Offices Bonnie Diamond said on Friday. UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 14 January 2022 Ecologist Emma Smart (left) and retired GP Dr Diana Warner outside HMP Bronzefield, in Surrey, following their release from the prison where Emma undertook a 26-day hunger strike during her incarceration. Ms Smart was sentenced in November, along with other members of Insulate Britain, to serve four months for breaking a High Court injunction by taking part in a blockade at junction 25 of the M25 motorway during the morning rush hour on 8 October last year PA UK news in pictures 13 January 2022 A TV presenter holds a copy of a newspaper outside 10 Downing Streetafter the Prime Minister apologised for attending a gathering of colleagues in the Number Ten garden in May 2020, while the UK was in strict lockdown due to the Coronavirus pandemic Getty UK news in pictures 12 January 2022 Fitness guru Derrick Evans after receiving an MBE during an investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 11 January 2022 A couple walk underneath an umbrella during wet weather on Westminster Bridge in central London PA UK news in pictures 10 January 2022 A jogger passes the Covid Memorial Wall in London AP UK news in pictures 9 January 2021 The sun rises over horses at Seaton Sluice in Northumberland PA UK news in pictures 8 January 2022 Riders compete during the Veterans Men's race at the UK Cyclo-Cross National Championships 2022 in Ardingly, south of London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 7 January 2022 A dog looks out of a car window at the wintry conditions in Killeshin, Co. Laois PA UK news in pictures 6 January 2022 People walk through frost and mist alongside a frozen lake during sunrise in Bushy Park, London REUTERS UK news in pictures 5 January 2022 A skier jumps on the slopes at Allenheads in the Pennines to the north of Weardale in Northumberland PA UK news in pictures 4 January 2022 Freshly-fallen snow covers houses in Corbridge, near Hexham in Northumberland PA UK news in pictures 3 January 2022 Dean Morrison, 13, receives his Covid-19 vaccine from student nurse Anthony McLaughlin during a vaccination clinic at the Glasgow Central Mosque PA UK news in pictures 2 January 2022 Konastantinos Tsimikas of Liverpool with Chelseas Mason Mount during the Premier League match at Stamfrod Bridge Liverpool FC/Getty UK news in pictures 1 January 2022 New Years Eve Lasers, drones and fireworks illuminate the sky in front of the Royal Naval College in Greenwich shortly after midnight in London EPA UK news in pictures 31 December 2021 Competitors in fancy dress run across the Pennine tops near Haworth, West Yorkshire, in the annual Auld Lang Syne Fell race which attracts hundreds of runners every year PA UK news in pictures 30 December 2021 Sunrise at Bamburgh Castle in Northumberland PA UK news in pictures 29 December 2021 The Very Revd Dr Robert Willis, Dean of Canterbury Cathedral, looks at Becket, a six month old red-billed chough as he visits Wildwood Wildlife Park in Kent on the anniversary of the murder of Thomas Becket PA UK news in pictures 28 December 2021 Troops of the Household Cavalry are seen reflected in a puddle during the changing of the Queens Life Guard, on Horse Guards Parade, in central London PA UK news in pictures 27 December 2021 A pedestrian walks past a winter sale sign outside a John Lewis store on Oxford street in London Getty UK news in pictures 26 December 2021 Riders take their bikes through the snow near Castleside, County Durham PA UK news in pictures 25 December 2021 Patrick Corkery wears a santa hat and beard as waves crash over him at Forty Foot near Dublin during a Christmas Day dip PA UK news in pictures 24 December 2021 People stand inside Kings Cross Station on Christmas Eve in London Reuters UK news in pictures 23 December 2021 Christmas shoppers fill the car park at Fosse Shopping Park in Leicester PA UK news in pictures 22 December 2021 The sun rises behind the stones as people gather for the winter solstice at Stonehenge. Getty UK news in pictures 21 December 2021 People take part in a winter solstice swim at Portobello Beach in Edinburgh to mark the solstice and to witness the dawn after the longest night of the year PA UK news in pictures 20 December 2021 An auction employee displays poultry to buyers and sellers attending the Christmas Poultry Sale at York Auction Centre in Murton PA UK news in pictures 19 December 2021 Joao Moutinho of Wolverhampton Wanderers looks on during the Premier League match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Chelsea at Molineux Getty Images UK news in pictures 18 December 2021 Freight lorries queuing at the port of Dover in Kent PA UK news in pictures 17 December 2021 Newly elected Liberal Democrat MP Helen Morgan, bursts 'Boris' bubble' held by colleague Tim Farron, as she celebrates following her victory in the North Shropshire by-election PA UK news in pictures 16 December 2021 Brussels sprouts are harvested by workers as they prepare for the busy Christmas period near Boston in Lincolnshire PA UK news in pictures 15 December 2021 Lewis Hamilton is made a Knight Bachelor by the Prince of Wales at Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 14 December 2021 The Royal Liver Buildings surrounded by early morning fog in Liverpool PA UK news in pictures 13 December 2021 People queue outside a walk-in Covid-19 vaccination centre at St Thomas's Hospital in Westminster Getty Images UK news in pictures 12 December 2021 People take part in the Big Leeds Santa Dash in Roundhay Park, Leeds PA UK news in pictures 11 December 2021 People arrive at a Covid-19 vaccination centre at Elland Road in Leeds, PA UK news in pictures 10 December 2021 Stella Moris speaks to the media after the US Government won its High Court bid to overturn a judges decision not to extradite WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange PA UK news in pictures 9 December 2021 Camels are lead around Salisbury Cathedral during a rehearsal for the Christmas Eve Service PA UK news in pictures 8 December 2021 Margaret Keenan and Nurse May Parsons, a year after Margaret was the first person in the UK to receive the Pfizer vaccine PA UK news in pictures 7 December 2021 Snowfall in Leadhills, South Lanarkshire as Storm Barra hits the UK with disruptive winds, heavy rain and snow PA UK news in pictures 6 December 2021 A person tries to avoid sea spray on New Brighton promenade in Wallasey as the UK readies for the arrival of Storm Barra Getty UK news in pictures 5 December 2021 People release balloons during a tribute to six-year-old Arthur Labinjo-Hughes outside Emma Tustin's former address in Solihull, West Midlands, where he was murdered by his stepmother PA UK news in pictures 4 December 2021 People walk through a Christmas market in Trafalgar Square Reuters UK news in pictures 3 December 2021 A pedestrian carries a dog as they dodge shoppers on Oxford Street in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 2 December 2021 Duchess of Cambridge inspects a Faberge egg at the Victoria and Albert Museum Getty UK news in pictures 1 December 2021 Meerkats at London Zoo with an advent calendar PA UK news in pictures 30 November 2021 Workers put the finishing touches to the Trafalgar Square Christmas Tree ahead of the lighting ceremony later in the week PA UK news in pictures 29 November 2021 Home Secretary Priti Patel is greeted by a police dog at a special memorial service for Met Police Sergeant Matiu Ratana Getty UK news in pictures 28 November 2021 Riyad Mahrez of Manchester City battles for possession with Aaron Cresswell of West Ham United during a match at the Etihad during snow Manchester City/Getty UK news in pictures 27 November 2021 Residents clear branches from a fallen tree in Birkenhead, north west England as Storm Arwen triggered a rare red weather warning AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 26 November 2021 A killer whale (orca in the fjord of Skjervoy, northern Norway AFP/Getty While meteorologists had feared the wave of warm weather could bring thunderstorms on Tuesday, the current forecasts appear to show little sign of this coming to pass. However, parts of Scotland are currently grappling with a marked difference in weather than the rest of the UK. Weather warnings are in force all weekend down the west of Scotland and the Hebrides. Nearly a months-worth of rainfall has fallen in a single day, with more than 100mm having been recorded at Achnagart in less than 24 hours from Saturday evening. The Met Office warned disruption could continue on Sunday afternoon, at which point seven flood alerts were in force, in addition to three more severe flood warnings covering agriculture land at Ben Nevis, near Inverness, and further north at Strath Oykel. The good news for Scotland is that rain will finally have cleared by Monday and actually theyre going to enjoy a largely dry and sunny day there too, Ms Diamond said. Former President Jerry John Rawlings, has urged the current leadership of Guinea to exercise good leadership in discharging its responsibility, to ensure that the sanctity of the upcoming elections in the country is not compromised. The former President also urged the military and other security agencies in Guinea to uphold the values and ethics of the institution to discharge justice, maintain law and order and restore peace and cohesion. Former President Rawlings who made the call during a meeting on Monday with Cellou Darlein Diallo, a former Guinean Prime Minister and currently the leading opposition leader, also called on newly elected President of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Ghanas President Nana Akufo Addo, to exert his authority and values of integrity and the rule of law as the ECOWAS Chair, to intervene in the political situation in Guinea ahead of the October 18 elections. A framework should be put in place to look into the allegations of injustice, oppression and political victimisation in that country to pave way for a successful, transparent, inclusive and free and fair organization of the upcoming elections, former President Rawlings urged. The former Ghanaian leader also used the occasion to commend the President of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari for speaking out against the tendency of some leaders to amend their national constitutions to extend their stay in power. He urged African leaders to heed the counsel of the Nigerian leader. Constitutional amendment Earlier, Cellou Diallo who was accompanied by his Chief of Cabinet, Nadia Nahman, said Guinea was facing political challenges ahead of next months elections. Of particular concern was the fact that incumbent President Alpha Conde had supervised the amendment of the constitution to enable him contest a third term without consulting opposition parties, while using the military to intimidate the opposition. Mr. Condes candidacy was announced on national television on Monday August 31. This situation, along with many other social and political issues, is leading Guinea towards a very perilous path, Diallo stated. According to Diallo, even though Guinea is rich in natural resources poor governance had affected the peace and stability of the country. Mr. Diallo who is the leader of the Union of Democratic Forces of Guinea (UFDG), Regional and international partners such as the OIF (Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie), the EU, the UN, France, the United States, the United Kingdom and Germany, have reportedly denounced the arbitrary change of the constitution to perpetuate Condes stay. ECOWAS intervention Diallo appealed to former President Rawlings to use his office and his integrity as a highly respected statesman to intervene by urging the ECOWAS leadership to restore law and order in Guinea. He stressed the need to commence the dialogue decided by ECOWAS, whose preparatory meetings took place in July and August 2020 with a clear objective to iron out the differences between the political actors and to identify and implement all the actions that would make it possible to organize a peaceful, democratic and inclusive presidential election. Whiles the opposition continues to await the arrival of the ECOWAS mediator, Mr. Alpha Conde continues to roll out his agenda to organize at all cost the presidential election on October 18, 2020, when the conditions for a transparent election are far from being met. The opposition, during the preparatory meetings, had indicated that it was flexible on the date of the elections and was willing to postpone in order to guarantee the organization of a free and fair election to promote peace and security, Diallo stated. Issued By: Kobina Andoh Amoakwa (Communications Directorate) Source: graphiconline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video SAGINAW, MI In announcing criminal charges against a fired Saginaw police officer, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said the ex-cop punched a handcuffed women four total times in two incidents. Nessel described ex-officer Adam Colliers actions during a press conference held Tuesday, Sept. 15, and streamed live via her offices Facebook page. Nessel held the conference to address her offices findings in the investigation of alleged misconduct by Collier, as well as two unrelated matters involving police in Jackson and Washtenaw counties. Since Ive taken office [in] January of 2019, our office has taken a number of additional cases related to complaints of police misconduct, Nessel said. We recognize that cases involving use of excessive force are always very sensitive and of great concern to the public, and that is particularly so because of the many terrible tragedies that weve seen all across the country during the course of just this past summer. Nessel said the Saginaw County Prosecutors Office asked her office to handle the Collier matter. She said that on July 11, Collier was the responding officer to a Saginaw house where a 57-year-old Black woman had allegedly assaulted someone. Collier arrested the woman, Nessel said. AG Nessel Holds News Conference to Announce Findings in Police Misconduct Investigations The Attorney General's office was asked to investigate three cases -- in Jackson, Washtenaw, and Saginaw counties -- involving the actions of law enforcement officers to ensure objectivity and remove any perceived conflicts of interest by local authorities. Posted by Michigan Department of Attorney General on Tuesday, September 15, 2020 The criminal complaint that has now been filed by my office alleges that Mr. Collier physically assaulted the detainee not once, but twice, Nessel said. The first alleged assault took place after she had been handcuffed and was forcefully pushed into the backseat of the patrol car. When Mr. Collier was attempting to get her legs into the vehicle, while she resisted, he leaned into the backseat and with his right hand, struck the woman on the left side of her face with a closed fist. Collier took the woman to the Saginaw County Jail and the two were inside the jails sally port when the next assault occurred. After she spit at Mr. Collier, he moved closer to her and struck her with a closed fist three times, causing her to fall to the ground, hit her head, and lose consciousness, Nessel said. Again, she was handcuffed all through this time period. Video footage was recorded by cameras at the jail. Nessels office on Monday, Sept. 14, charged Collier with two counts of assault and battery and one count of common law offenses-misconduct while in office. The former is a 93-day misdemeanor, while the latter is a five-year felony. The work that were doing in our Public Integrity Unit is not easy, but it is incredibly essential to ensure that our public officials serve and protect the people they serve with integrity, Nessel said. Nessel said Saginaw Police Chief Robert M. Ruth suspended Collier on July 14 and fired him on July 17. She further said the evidence would have supported issuing criminal charges against the woman Collier arrested had she not already been charged by Saginaw County prosecutors with felonious assault and assaulting, resisting, or obstructing police. Prior to Nessels press conference, Collier on Tuesday morning appeared via Zoom before Saginaw County District Judge David D. Hoffman for arraignment on the charges. Attorney Douglas M. Gutscher, of the Police Officers Association of Michigan, also appeared via Zoom before Hoffman for Colliers arraignment. He asked the judge to free his client on a personal recognizance bond, citing his cooperation with investigators and lifelong residence in the area. Hoffman granted Collier a $7,500 personal recognizance bond. While on bond, Collier is not to possess any weapons or have contact with the alleged victim. We want to send a very strong message we will not tolerate excessive use of force, Chief Ruth said at the time of Colliers firing. Ruth declined to give additional comments on Colliers charges when contacted by MLive on Tuesday. Collier had been with the Saginaw Police Department since Jan. 9, 2017. Adam Collier receiving his Saginaw Police Department badge in 2017. The criminal investigation was conducted by the Michigan State Police. MSP investigators sent their reports to the Saginaw County Prosecutors Office on July 27. That office subsequently referred the case to the Michigan Attorney Generals Office for review and possible issuance of charges. Freedom of Information Act requests for investigative reports and video footage submitted by MLive have come back largely redacted. Nessel on Tuesday said it would be inappropriate for her office to release video footage of Colliers actions while the case is pending, though it may be admitted as evidence in court proceedings. Colliers next court date is pending. Everyone needs to abide by the law, law enforcement and civilians alike, said Nessel, adding her office currently has 21 cases involving allegations of police misconduct, some of which involve multiple officers. Read more: Fired Saginaw police officer charged by Michigan AG in jail assault State police release report on fired Saginaw police officer, but you cant read most of it Saginaw police swear in 5 new officers at awards and memorial ceremony Michigan Attorney General to review case of ex-Saginaw officer accused of punching woman Prosecutors expect to receive investigation of fired Saginaw police officer next week Saginaw Police Department back to full staff after recent officer shortage Saginaw police union says it is not coordinating staff shortage at the department Saginaw Police Department short staffed again, union official explains possible reason why Updated: 3.00pm The Government has announced Irelands new medium-term plan for dealing with coronavirus, Living with Covid-19, which will come into effect at midnight, Tuesday 15th. Taoiseach Micheal Martin has announced a new approach will be taken to manage the virus, including additional restrictions in Dublin. Keeping schools and childcare facilities open was also identified as a "top priority" of the plan. Speaking at a press briefing, he introduced the new framework, with five levels of response, with every county currently at level two. Level two will mean that current restrictions will remain in place until October 4th. Level one represents the lowest level of restrictions, while level five is a situation of complete lockdown. Despite increased levels of the virus, Dublin has been given the same status as the rest of the country. However additional restrictions will be placed on home visits, indoor gatherings and care home visits in the capital, as well as wet pubs remaining closed. Advertisement People in Dublin have been encouraged not to leave the county and if they do, they are being told to to limit their interactions to one household. Visits to households should also be limited to people from one household in the capital. Despite Ministers expressing serious concern over a dramatic increase in cases in Dublin in recent weeks, the Cabinet decided against moving Dublin to Level 3, instead tailoring the extra conditions for the capital without changing the level. "Current Covid numbers in Dublin are very worrying and the Government today has decided to introduce additional measures [for Dublin], said Mr Martin. Mr Martin said that the decision to give Dublin a '2.5 level' was due to advice from the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET), which was issued last week when the new framework was already being formulated. Elsewhere in the country, household visits of up to six people from up to three homes will continue to be permitted, and outside the household setting, groups of six people indoors, and 15 people outdoors from up to three homes will be allowed. Mr Martin also announced that the Winter Plan Budget would be worth 600 million to the healthcare sector, a eight-fold increase on last winter. Commenting on the plan, Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly said it has been "designed along Slaintecare guideline plans". Advertisement Tanasite Leo Varadkar confirmed that Pandemic Unemployment Payment will not be closed to new entrants, or those made unemployed for second time due to the pandemic, as was previously planned. Mr Varadkar reiterated that wet pubs in 25 counties, excluding Dublin, will reopen on September 21st. Indoor gatherings will be permitted to have 50 people in attendance, while 100 people will be permitted at outdoor events. In addition, 200 people will be permitted to attend events in large outdoor stadia, which have a minimum capacity of 5,000. The possibility of more spectators being permitted to attend games in venues such as Croke Park and the Aviva is also being considered. Mr Martin highlighted that the limit on crowds at sporting events was made following advice from public health experts and that spectators must ensure they uphold public health guidance "going to and from the venue and keeping your distance at the venue". He also announced the establishment of a new Covid-19 oversight group, which will aid the coordination of department approaches. Ireland will also adopt a traffic-light system for international travel, saying the a European-wide model proposed by the European Commission will be broadly supported, adding that countries with a 14-day incidence rate of 25 cases or less per 100,000 people will be included on the "Normal Precautions" (green) list. Advertisement Ireland's 14-day incidence rate is currently 48.5 according to the most recent data from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). According to the same data from the ECDC, which monitors incidence rates in EU and EEA counties and the UK, there are 10 countries in that area with an incidence rate of 25 or below: Germany, Sweden, Poland, Finland, Lithuania, Estonia, Iceland, Cyprus, Latvia and Liechtenstein. Under the EU travel plan, the Government will drop the 14-day period of quarantine for non green list countries and instead adopt a system of testing at airports and ports for incoming passengers. Commenting on the new approach, Mr Martin said: This is a plan which gives clarity of each of our responsibilities. It includes concrete measures and shows how we can limit impact of the virus while keeping schools open and protecting and expanding employment. The plan is broad and comprehensive. Protecting public health remains an absolute priority." The full outline of current guidelines can be viewed here. Reaction The plan has faced criticism in the Dail with Labour Party leader Alan Kelly saying that Dublin has been given a "yellow card" by being placed in level two despite additional restrictions being deemed necessary. Advertisement "We cannot have a situation where we have Dublin at two and a bit, that they sort of get a yellow card, but if they behave themselves in a short space of time they may do back to where all the rest of us are. "It's like something Orwellian, some of us are more equal than others. If you say that to the people in Laois, Offaly or Kildare, they won't agree with you." Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald also criticised the Government's plan, saying "today you promised clarity, but instead what we have had is further confusion". Ms McDonald also commented on the test and trace system, saying it needed to be improved in order to get the virus under control. @MaryLouMcDonald challenges government failure on testing and tracing "People are frustrated with your inability to see the most basic thing - get testing and tracing right and all else will follow" #covid19 pic.twitter.com/9lLFPaZrB7 Sinn Fein (@sinnfeinireland) September 15, 2020 Social Democrats joint leader Roisin Shortall branded the plan confusing. The new plan was supposed to provide clarity about the five levels of risk, yet on the first day of the announcement the Government decides to muddy the waters and to talk about a two-and-a-bit level, she said. Ms Shortall added: How can you blame people for being confused about what youre saying it is entirely confusing. She also questioned if it was appropriate to deal with an area the size of county Dublin as one homogeneous area, highlighting that there were varying rates of virus prevalence in different parts. TORONTO, Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- 7D Surgical, a Toronto based medical device company developing advanced optical and machine-vision technologies for surgical navigation, announced today the completion of its recent financing round. This investment follows its successful commercialization in the United States and its recent launch into Asia. The financing will provide 7D with the capital to grow existing operations, further develop new products, and continue its expansion into international markets. 7D Hero 2 Machine 7D Surgical "The latest investment into 7D Surgical clearly demonstrates the confidence in our strategic direction," said Beau Standish, Chief Executive Officer. "It will allow our team to meet the demand for our products as we aggressively scale our international footprint and continue the development of our strong innovation pipeline. We are thrilled to share our machine-vision surgical innovations with the global healthcare community." 7D Surgical has developed technology, similar to GPS navigation in self-driving vehicles, to create a three-dimensional image for surgical navigation in just seconds, resulting in shorter and more efficient spinal and cranial procedures. The FLASH Navigation System uses only visible light, eliminating the patient and staff exposure to intraoperative radiation. It is the only approved image guidance system that utilizes this novel and proprietary camera-based technology, coupled with machine-vision algorithms to eliminate the long-standing frustrations with legacy surgical navigation platforms. The speed, accuracy, and efficiency combined with a fundamentally streamlined surgical workflow provides significant economic value and harnesses the true potential of image guidance all while enabling a safe and radiation-free surgical environment. "We have been thrilled by the response from clinicians around the world who have implemented the FLASH System into their operating rooms," said Brian Stuart, Chief Revenue Officer at 7D Surgical. "The immediate and positive impact of the technology on surgical workflows and radiation reduction has strongly resonated with surgeons, hospitals, and operating room staff. We are extremely excited to introduce our technology to European customers later this year, as we continue to transform what medical imaging and navigation is and what it can do to improve patient outcomes and reduce healthcare costs." About 7D Surgical 7D Surgical is a privately-owned Toronto based company that develops advanced optical technologies and machine vision-based registration algorithms to improve surgical workflow and patient care. 7D Surgical's flagship FLASH Navigation System delivers profound improvement to surgical workflows in spine and cranial surgeries. The underlying technology provides the promise of similar future advancements for other surgical specialties. Visit www.7Dsurgical.com to learn more. Media Contact: Autumn Sutterlin 470-808-1885 [email protected] SOURCE 7D Surgical Related Links https://7dsurgical.com/ SANDUSKY, Ohio, Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- PAO Group, Inc. (USOTC: PAOG) Announces a multifold, international research initiative to advance its hemp derived cannabidiol (CBD) pharmaceutical treatment for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). The COPD treatment, RespRx, is derived from a patented cannabis extraction method - U.S. Patent No. 9,199,960 entitled "METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROCESSING HERBACEOUS PLANT MATERIALS INCLUDING THE CANNABIS PLANT." In an initial scientific evaluation as a treatment for COPD, RespRx has demonstrated effecting significant increases in respiration rate, tidal volume and inspiratory air flow rate. Overall data from the evaluation demonstrated that RespRx can significantly improve inspiratory lung functions in instances of moderate pulmonary fibrosis. This Friday, September 18, 2020, PAOG CEO James C. DiPrima will discuss in an interview with Donald Baillargeon of MoneyTV, PAOG's multifold international approach to engaging a Contract Research Organization (CRO) to advance an Investigational New Drug Application (IND) to ultimately achieve Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for PAOG's RespRx as a COPD treatment. Grand View Research projects that the cannabis pharmaceutical market will reach a size of $5.8 billion by 2027. On Friday, DiPrima will also discuss the recently published Goldman Small Cap Analyst Research Update on PAOG that includes target pricing. www.paogroupinc.com Forward-Looking Statements: Certain statements in this news release may contain forward-looking information within the meaning of Rule 175 under the Securities Act of 1933 and Rule 3b-6 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and are subject to the safe harbor created by those rules. All statements, other than statements of fact, included in this release, including, without limitation, statements regarding potential future plans and objectives of the company are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Technical complications, which may arise, could prevent the prompt implementation of any strategically significant plan(s) outlined above. The Company undertakes no duty to revise or update any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this release. Contact Us: Jim DiPrima 888-272-6472 [email protected] SOURCE PAO Group, Inc. Related Links http://www.paogroupinc.com/ Kate Winslet (Ammonite) might be one of Hollywoods biggest stars but it was her experience as an 18-year-old at the Venice Film Festival with Peter Jackson's Heavenly Creatures that made her really key into the fact that she was a film actor. At a press conference ahead of the Toronto International Film Festivals TIFF Tribute Awards on Tuesday night, Winslet explained that the films marketing budget back in 1994 didnt allow people to stay for any longer than was absolutely necessary. Winslet was in Venice for 24 hours while her publicist couldnt even get a hotel room and roamed the streets all night. It was seeing the film in that context that was a real revelation for her. It was...the moment the penny dropped for me, she said. Im really in a film. While all festivals hold a special place for actors and filmmakers, even the most A-list stars recognize that TIFF is a particularly unique festival in the industry. TIFFs thought provoking films and independent films and emerging talent...to still be here...contributing and sharing even in this strange platform, its just so important to keep connecting and sharing like this, Winslet said on Tuesday ahead of receiving the TIFF Tribute Actor Award. Famed actor Sir Anthony Hopkins (The Father), also receiving the TIFF Tribute Actor Award, described Torontos festival as an intimate event in a way that makes it feel like home. Mira Nair attends the Queen of Katwe premiere on day 3 of the Toronto International Film Festival at Roy Thomson Hall on Saturday, Sept. 10, 2016, in Toronto. (Photo by Jesse Herzog/Invision/AP) The world had changed in the space of two hours Director Mira Nair (A Suitable Boy), receiving the Jeff Skoll Award in Impact Media, experienced a particularly life-changing moment at TIFF back in 2001. Her film Monsoon Wedding received the coveted Golden Lion prize at the Venice Film Festival that year and was brought to Toronto just days later. During the Sept. 11 press screening for the film in the world changed. People came out dancing from the theatre and the world had changed in the space of two hours, Nair remembered. We all came together and we all stayed together. Story continues It was bewildering and comforting and confusing but we hung in there and that night when the premiere was supposed to be...we instead had this big Indian dinner and everybody came. That was a passionate time. The director went on to say that TIFF has the most worldly curation of films. which makes filmmakers from around the world feel like they matter and that there are audiences that can seen themselves on screen. This year, Chloe Zhao won the Golden Lion award at the Venice Film Festival with Nomadland, starring Frances McDormand. I was in a parking lot in Pasadena when that happened, Zhao revealed on Tuesday. Also screening at TIFF, Nomadland explores the world of modern-day nomads across the American West. McDormands intoxicating performance is set to be iconic. Adapted from Jessica Bruder's book Nomadland: Surviving America in the Twenty-First Century, Zhaos film features many real-life nomads and their stories are as compelling and thoughtful as McDormands role in the film. At Tuesdays press conference, the director went on to say that getting early support, in settings like festivals, can allow a filmmaker to not feel the need to conform and personally allowed her to explore what she wanted to say in her work. Canadian filmmaker on cloud nine While TIFF was praised for international film selections, Canadian filmmaker Tracey Deer is receiving the TIFF Emerging Talent Award on Tuesday for her film Beans. Deers film is certainly a highlight of the 2020 Toronto festival. It tells the story of the Oka Crisis, specifically the standoff between two Mohawk communities, and Quebec and Canadian officers and officials, between July and September 1990. The lead character Beans, played by Kiawentiio, is a bright, determined and charismatic 12-year-old and we see her face a number of challenges as she grapples with growing up during increasing tensions in her community. The filmmaker was part of TIFFs talent development program and said she is on cloud nine after receiving an award from the festival this year. Deer has been working on Beans for about a decade and she admitted she struggled with making sure she was doing the story justice. She credits TIFFs filmmaker lab in 2018, in particular, for enabling her to work through some of her vulnerabilities and doubts. Other award winners include composer Terence Blanchard, who is receiving the TIFF Variety Artisan Award. Blanchards score can be heard in two TIFFs most highly anticipated films, Halle Berrys Bruised and Regina Kings One Night in Miami. The TIFF Tribute Awards will air on Sept. 15 at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT on CTV. The broadcast will also be streamed internationally by Variety at 8:30pm ET/5:30pm PT. Shawn Mendes will perform while Olivia Colman, Regina King, Ava DuVernay, Colin Farrell, Jodie Foster and more present awards. JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. You should upgrade or use an You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.You should upgrade or use an alternative browser The benefit of these training grants is undeniable: our workforce gains new skills, our productivity and competitiveness continue to excel, and our customers gain new resources to draw on. Investing in the growth of our Caring Associates is a win for everyone. Cogmedix, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Coghlin Companies Inc. and provider of world-class medical device engineering, manufacturing and global fulfillment services, is proud to announce that it has been awarded a $244,000 grant through the Massachusetts Workforce Training Fund Program (WTFP). The program awards grants to companies for the creation of customized training that promotes job growth and retention, and increases opportunities for workers throughout the Commonwealth. Cogmedix received one of the largest grants the program has to offer. Our Caring Associates are our most important asset, and the driving force behind providing the personalized services that are the cornerstone of our business, said Coghlin Companies President and CEO, Chris Coghlin. The benefit of these training grants is undeniable: our workforce gains new skills, our productivity and competitiveness continue to excel, and our customers gain new resources to draw on. Investing in the growth of our Caring Associates is a win for everyone. The Workforce Training Fund was created by the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development and is administered by the quasi-public workforce development agency, Commonwealth Corporation. Since its inception, it has supported and empowered training programs that help create learning opportunities for careers that will last a lifetime. "The Workforce Training Fund is an exceptional opportunity for learning in action," said Gabor Hajos, Senior Vice President of Operations at Cogmedix. "As a medical device engineering and manufacturing services provider, our customers rely on us for our expertise in delivering the highest quality products to market. With these funds we'll be able to provide additional education to nearly 150 of our Caring Associates, helping them elevate their career growth potential while upholding our ongoing commitment to an exceptional customer experience." Classes will be held on a variety of topics including lean manufacturing, value stream mapping, supervisory skills, and ISO 13485:2016 internal auditing. ABOUT COGMEDIX Cogmedix is an FDA registered, ISO 13485 certified company that provides turnkey medical device engineering and manufacturing services to medical and dental OEMs through its Medical Technology Brought to Life mission. Cogmedix delivers high-quality finished devices to market with compliance, competence, and commitment. Cogmedix is a subsidiary of Coghlin Companies, Inc., a privately held Time to Market Services Company headquartered in Westborough, MA. Visit http://www.Cogmedix.com to learn more. I woke up one morning, like normal, to prepare breakfast for our familia. After breakfast, my copastor and husband, Rudy, offered to take our girls to school. I hugged and kissed them goodbye, then headed to the bathroom to finish applying my makeup. But as I put on my mascara, a sudden tidal wave of feelings flooded my bodya cross between dread and nauseaand almost knocked me off my feet. I called our church secretary to tell her that I wasnt feeling well and would come in around noon. But then, as though I was having an out-of-body experience, I saw myself hit redial. I mumbled, Im not coming in. Im not coming back. Im going to take a sabbatical or something, maybe a medical leave. Then I hung up the phone, crawled into bed, and proceeded to have what my grandmother surely would have called a nervous breakdown. I slept 18 to 20 hours a day for weeks and only awoke out of necessity; even with all that sleep, I still felt exhausted. After a week or so, my husband said, Baby, I think you need to see a doctor. So I made an appointment to see a psychiatrist. At the end of our first visit, she gave me a prescription and a diagnosis: major depressive episode. Then she said the dreaded words: In six weeks, you should begin to notice changes for the better. Six weeks? Oh God, can I live like this for another six weeks? When everything fell apart in my life, I had to learn for the first time how to bewith myself and with God. The tools and spiritual practices that Id always leaned on, like corporate worship, fasting, and prayer, were, in that state of mind, totally inaccessible to me. Id always enjoyed studying the Bible and used to do so for hours, but now I simply couldnt focus. I couldnt comprehend the words and I felt too exhausted to even try. Being a pastor made it no easier. Well-meaning people often said things to my family like Tell her to read the Word. I longed for the comfort, wisdom, and insight that the Scripture had always offered me, but in that deep darkness, I wasnt capable of reading itthe words meant nothing to me. Then, about six weeks into therapy, God spoke to me: Ill give you the treasures out of the darkness. That word from God gave me enormous hope. I didnt feel any different physicallyno chills or feelings of love flowed through me. But that word spoke into the depths of my being and became a lifeline for me. I felt as though God was present with me. I began to feel comfort after weeks of disorientation. When I felt discouraged by the formidable sense of being adrift, it was that word that gave me an anchor through the darkness and despair. Gods word spoken that day was now hidden in my heart. So I took God at his word. Nothing changed in any substantial way; I remained lethargic and physically and mentally depleted for months on endbut now I had an assignment. I was lucid enough to know that if there was treasure to be found, then I would need to live to mine it, to claim it as my own. As I slowly began to gain more energy, I decided to visit other churches and attend small retreats where I could simply be present without having the responsibilities of a leader. I went with no expectationsI just knew I wanted to be where the Scriptures were being read and meditated on. Those moments became part of my recovery. They gave my heart a quiet place to rest. I took baby steps and gradually became stronger. Within a year, I was able to read again. I started slowly by resuming my daily devotional. My long time away from the Word made returning to it sweeter than ever. Now, in addition to medication and therapy, I could count on the presence of Gods Word as a true friend and guide. Article continues below As I gradually returned to Scripture, I discovered that the lifeline God had given meIll give you the treasures out of the darknessechoes a passage of Gods Word: Isaiah 45:3. This wellspring of life in my dark trial transformed my thinking as I sat with it and with other bits of Scripture passages, listening in my heart for the messages that were gradually nourishing me, like the ravens feeding Elijah (1 Kings 17:6). During this time, I began to revisit a spiritual practice I had learned about before but had never fully experienced: lectio divina, an ancient practice of reading and contemplating Scripture. This practice was truly like mining for treasure. I revisited the truth that embracing even small portions of Scripture can help us see what God sees; it can cultivate within us courage, patience, wisdom, and love to respond to lifes difficulties, tragedies, and even celebrations in ways that promote the kingdom of God. During that season, the Word was marinating in meover time, it was changing the structure of my being; my ways of believing, thinking, feeling, and doing; and ultimately the way I would show up in the world as a believer after the devastation. But let me be clear: It took time. The long periods of silence and solitude I experienced, though painful, created space for God to speak to me and for me to hear God speak. Thankfully that period in my life has come and gone, but the one thing I can tell you for certain is that Gods Wordnow that I can read againremains a constant source of joy, hope, wisdom, comfort, and outright love for me. Since my recovery, my most fond approach to the Word today continues to be lectio divina. This practice helps me cultivate an ear to hear the heart of God, much like the day God spoke so clearly to me. This way of reading Scripture actually reads me in the light of Gods love. The darkness of depression became the gateway to many treasures in my life. One of the most lasting is my renewed and enduring love for the Word of God. Juanita Campbell Rasmus is the author of Learning to Be: Finding Your Center After the Bottom Falls Out. A spiritual director and member of the Renovare ministry team, she copastors the St. John's United Methodist Church in downtown Houston with her husband, Rudy. This article is part of Why Women Love the Bible, CTs special issue spotlighting womens voices on the topic of Scripture engagement. You can download a free pdf of the issue or order print copies for yourself at MoreCT.com/special-issue. [ This article is also available in espanol. ] Have something to add about this? See something we missed? Share your feedback here. The wildfires in Oregon, California and Washington in the United States have caused massive destruction of life and property. However, stories of rescuers going above and beyond to help those in need do work as a salve. Among such tales is this one shared on Facebook. The Butte County Sheriff in California have shared a post detailing how rescuers made an unexpected and welcomed discovery on a large property in Berry Creek, a tiny hamlet. The post opens by mentioning that the past few days have been extremely tough for people, and that is why they wanted to share a positive story. Yesterday, as BCSO deputies and members of BCSO Search and Rescue were searching through properties impacted by the fire, they made an unexpected and welcomed discovery on a large property in Berry Creek, this adorable puppy, says the post. They explained that the puppy had a few minor burns and was picked up by Animal Control to be checked at a veterinary centre. After doing some investigating, we found out that the owner of the property has several dogs and was not able to locate them all before needing to evacuate, says the post further. The post has been shared with several pictures of officials tending to the puppy who they eventually named Trooper. Take a look at the post below: In a similar post by the Douglas Forest Protective Association on Facebook, the team has shared a positive story of yet another animal rescue. The post details how rescuers managed to save a little calf stuck in a patch of blackberries that were on fire. It was one small victory but well take it, says the post. Both posts shared on September 13, have collected a ton of appreciative comments. People have praised both the teams for saving the lives of innocent animals. Great job, such a wonderful feeling it must have been to find a survivor. Thank you search and rescue for all you do, wrote a Facebook user. Thank you for sharing this! I truly have been thinking of the pets and praying for their safety as well, shared another. So grateful for all that keep us safe -- A THANK YOU isnt enough, wrote a third. My friends in Florida tell me President Trump will carry Florida. They cite intense Cuban, and now Venezuelan, support. I think that this is a consequence of Senator Bernie Sanders' statements about Cuba and Joe Biden's unwillingness to distance himself from those foolish pro-Castro remarks. So now we hear that Michael Bloomberg is investing in Florida to support Mr. Biden: Former New York mayor Mike Bloomberg plans to spend at least $100 million in Florida to help elect Democrat Joe Biden, a massive late-stage infusion of cash that could reshape the presidential contest in a costly toss-up state central to President Trump's reelection hopes. Bloomberg made the decision to focus his final election spending on Florida last week, after news reports that Trump had considered spending as much as $100 million of his own money in the final weeks of the campaign, Bloomberg's advisers said. Presented with several options on how to make good on an earlier promise to help elect Biden, Bloomberg decided that a narrow focus on Florida was the best use of his money. It won't work because this is not about money. Instead, this is about Cubans and Venezuelans who understand the dangers that the country faces from left-wing politics. As a Venezuelan friend told me yesterday, what we see in U.S. streets are mobs using Marxist-Leninist tactics. Speaking of mobs, I recall my late father always saying that the left wants chaos and will do whatever it takes to grab power. He saw that with his own eyes in Cuba. So Bloomberg's cash infusion won't work. I have never seen Cubans in the U.S. more concerned about the threat of the left since we came here. It's obvious that such concern will translate into a Trump win in Florida. PS: You can listen to my show (Canto Talk) and follow me on Twitter. Image: Gage Skidmore There is a well-known saying that Great leaders dont set out to be a leader, they set out to make a difference. One such leader in the Indian history, who hailed a revolution and become a voice to reckon with is, Baba Saheb Dr. Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar the founding father of the Indian Constitution. A leader par excellence who has etched a prominent place in millions of Indian hearts and whose legacy is unparalleled. Zee Telugu is proud to present a never told before life story in the Telugu GEC space of this extraordinary personality, his crusading spirit and how he became the precursor of united India, with its powerful socio-drama titled Mana Ambedkar. The show is an inspirational story of Indias first Minister of Law and Justice; and his journey from the tender age to be the messiah of the downtrodden and becoming the father of the Indian Constitution. The show will feature Sagar Deshmukh in the role of Ambedkar. Since the release of the title song and the promo, Telugu audiences welcomed the concept with open arms and are looking forward for the series. The show will premiere on September 21st, 2020 at 5:30 PM every Monday to Saturday only on Zee Telugu and Zee Telugu HD. The show will take the viewers on an empowering journey of a young lad who comes of age an gives his all for the for the motherland. Premiering on 21st September 2020, the show will air every Monday to Saturday at 5:30 PM only on Zee Telugu and Zee Telugu HD. As we welcome the new normal and further our entertainment proposition, we urge the audience to stay safe and continue enjoying their favorite shows at the comfort of their homes. To enjoy the show, subscribe to Zee Telugu, available in the Zee Prime Pack at Rs. 20 per month To ensure you do not miss out on your favorite Zee Telugu shows, choose the Zee Prime Pack that includes Zee Telugu, and Zee Cinemalu alongside 7 other top channels of the Zee Network that cater to the daily entertainment needs of your entire family at Rs. 20 per month only. For further information, contact your DTH or Cable operator. You can listen to the latest episode of Today in Pa at this link, or on your favorite app including Alexa, Apple, Google, Spotify and Stitcher. Episodes are available every weekday on PennLive. Subscribe/follow and rate the podcast via your favorite app. Today in Pa. Daily Podcast | Sept. 15, 2020 Pennsylvanias closure of nonessential businesses during the pandemic was unconstitutional, says federal judge. Meanwhile, the US Attorney for eastern Pennsylvania charges two Philadelphia men with federal crimes because of alleged lenient treatment from the citys DA. Roughly $2 billion is coming to Pennsylvania to help those facing eviction. Pitt scientists may have made a crucial discovery that could help treat and prevent COVID-19. Those are the stories we cover in the latest episode of Today in Pa, a daily weekday podcast from PennLive.com and hosted by Julia Hatmaker. Today in Pa is dedicated to sharing the most important and interesting stories in the state. Todays episode refers to the following articles: If you enjoy Today in Pa, consider leaving us a review on Apple Podcasts or on Amazon. Reviews help others find the show and, besides, we like to know what you think of the program. New Delhi, Sep 15 (UNI) The 50th Director General Level Border Co-ordination talk between the Border Security Force (BSF) and the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) will begin at Dhaka on Wednesday. While the BSF delegation will be led by DG Rakesh Asthana, the BGB delegation will be headed by BGD DG Md Shafeenul Islam. The four-day talk is being organised to discuss the border-related issues and for better coordination between the two border guarding forces, an official statement said here on Tuesday. After removing a number of items off its menu, Taco Bell is looking to add something different from its usual staples. The fast-food restaurant announced itll be selling a new custom wine called Jalapeno Noir. The rich taste and crunchy texture of the beloved Toasted Cheesy Chalupa complements notes of wild strawberry, cherry and beet root in this silky limited-edition red wine, the company stated in a release. The wine will be available for purchase by the bottle starting Wednesday at Taco Bell locations in Canada. It will be sold for $25 Canadian, about $19 in U.S. dollars. Taco Bell has been expanding its Cantina concept, selling margaritas and other boozy drinks since 2015, Food and Wine reported. It also released a beer in 2017. Now theyve partnered with Queenston Mile Vineyard to release a wine. Wine and cheese are simply meant to be together, so launching a new wine to go with the craveable, cheddary Toasted Cheesy Chalupa made perfect sense, Kat Garcia, the companys director of brand marketing, said in the announcement. At Taco Bell Canada, we love to raise our glass to big, bold ideas that elevate our menu items, and pairing our Toasted Cheesy Chalupa with this Jalapeno Noir is no exception. Other food brands have also been offering their own drinks. Kelloggs sold a combination of a boxed red wine and Cheez-Its snacks. And Busch created a Dog Brew beer for dogs made with bone broth. The new attention to at-home drinking from brands follows stay-at-home orders due to COVID-19. USA Today reported that sales of at-home alcohol have spiked about 27% since the start of the pandemic. One study even found about one-third of people in the U.S. said they were drinking while working from home, Healthline reported. Fans, however, have mixed feelings on the idea. all we want is potatoes back, not thishttps://t.co/yqW48MHv6C punk rock prom queen (@bettinamak) September 14, 2020 Taco Bell Canada is releasing a wine and you absolutely can't stop me from trying it. The Mana Leek (@themanaleek) September 14, 2020 All of a sudden Im a wino pic.twitter.com/aA7wMttLmI Vanessinator T-80085 (@ilovejohnkimble) September 14, 2020 Running out of reasons not to order Taco Bell and cheap bottles of wine for delivery every day cassper the ghost (@cassmarielang) September 6, 2020 Buying wine at a Taco Bell reminds me of buying lobster rolls at McDonald's in Maine. Edmund Smith (@kokadjo4444) September 15, 2020 Related Content: BARCELONA, Spain, Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Bossar, a global leader in design and production of horizontal form-fill-seal equipment for the manufacture of flexible packaging, has announced today a major rebranding to reflect the company's focused efforts on sustainable packaging and growing partnership with flexible packaging manufacturer, Scholle IPN. Jeroen van der Meer, CEO of Bossar and Managing Director of Scholle IPN EMEA, said of their brand launch, "Bossar has always been at the forefront of packaging equipment technologies and an invaluable resource for our customers as they create innovative new flexible packaging. As we continue to closely work with Scholle IPN to create turnkey, total packaging solutions for markets across the globe, it makes sense to align our visual branding. Our shared icon is a symbol of our continued alignment and investment in a united future." Jeroen van der Meer continued, "Our future focus will be on offering Total Packaging Solutions for film, fitments, and equipment to our customers and brand owners. Customers will benefit of high-performance packaging lines with vibrant images on distinguished consumer packaging designs. They will benefit from high overall equipment efficiencies guaranteed by Bossar and a competitive Total Cost of Ownership resulting from the product offering of Bossar and Scholle IPN, so a truly unique value proposition." Christopher Last, Marketing Director for Bossar, gave context for the company's re-brand in relation to the environment, "Packaging holds a crucial role in the circular economy as it's tasked with protecting and delivering products without fail, but must also do so with as little environmental impact as possible." Last continued, "Committed to sustainability and concerned about our ecosystem's carbon footprint, Bossar contributes to the preservation of the environment by installing in the machines the latest technology to reduce energy consumption and ?lm waste, and is actively engaged in the development of recyclable and sustainable packaging solutions." As part of the re-branding initiative, Bossar has launched a new website (www.bossar.com) which highlights the Company's capabilities for food, beverage, and chemical packaging applications. ABOUT BOSSAR Bossar is a global leader in horizontal form-fill-seal equipment for flexible packaging formats like pouches and bag-in-box. Utilizing leading-edge packaging components and equipment technologies, combined with an Industry 4.0 mindset, Bossar helps their customers maximize production and package performance by eliminating production waste, reducing raw material usage, optimizing lead times, and lowering carbon footprint. www.bossar.com Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1273678/Bossar_RGB_logo_Logo.jpg STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Over the weekend, Joyces Tavern saw its liquor license revoked after an inspector observed what appeared to be guests dining indoors. The official visit on the night of a well-broadcast 9/11-related fundraiser raised some eyebrows, as did the fact that the Eltingville restaurant recently became one of the lead plaintiffs in a lawsuit against the city and state. A spokesman for the State Liquor Authority said, New Yorkers deserve the facts: this restaurant was one of over 1,300 visited by inspectors on Friday through random patrols of all five boroughs and Long Island, and they violated rules that have been in place for nearly six months by allowing at least 10 patrons to eat indoors." For years, ABC consumer affairs program The Checkout pursued a rich variety of business identities for alleged deceptive and misleading conduct. Now, the program's executive producer, Julian Morrow, one of the founders of The Chaser, finds himself in court accused of . deceptive and misleading conduct. Morrow is locking horns with a former business partner, producer Nick Murray, whose company Cordell Jigsaw makes TV hits such as Gruen and Bondi Rescue. CJ used to jointly produce The Checkout with Morrow's Giant Dwarf production company. Julian Morrow and Nick Murray. Credit:Illustration: John Shakespeare Now both sides are fighting in the NSW Supreme Court over hundreds of thousands of dollars' worth of producer tax offsets. Giant Dwarf claims CJ breached its contract and stopped Giant Dwarf from getting two extra seasons of The Checkout made, and wants compensation. Last week in the NSW Supreme Court, Cordell Jigsaw had a loss, failing in its attempt to get a bank account frozen. The recent decision by the Supreme Court of British Columbia against a surgeon who was advocating for the rights of patients to pay for private medical care is being hailed as a victory for universal public health-care system. It is that, but it should be that, and more. Dr. Brian Day launched the court challenge of B.C.s Medicare Protection Act which outlaws extra billing and private insurance coverage for medically necessary procedures. It took four years for the case to be decided, but when it was Justice John Steeves ruled for the government. He said Day and other plaintiffs did not demonstrate that the act violated the rights of patients. He further ruled that allowing a parallel private system would not decrease wait times in the public system and there is expert evidence that wait times would actually increase ... This would further inequitable access to timely care. The crux of Days argument is that long wait-times for medically necessary procedures violate the rights of patients to timely care. Anyone who has been on one of those overly long waiting lists may agree with his contention, but the court ruling is clear those wait times do not justify more private health care. We have not heard the end of this, of course. Day promises to appeal the ruling right up to the Supreme Court of Canada. Now that a precedent has been set in one province, the chances of his success are hopefully reduced. Which brings us to why simply celebrating this ruling isnt enough. We, and especially our governments, need to do more. Part of the reason Days court challenge was worrisome is that it has some merit. Not in terms of patient rights being violated in a legal sense, but in terms of the fundamental premise of universal health care: that Canadians should have equal and equitable access to essential care. That hasnt been the case for a long time now. Care is uneven where you live can determine your ability to access care. And waiting lists continue to be too long, although there has been improvement in some key areas identified by various provincial governments. The B.C. court ruling should be seen as a call to action by provincial and federal governments. That means greater collaboration between provinces and Ottawa. It means recalibrating financial support for health care for a more fair sharing of costs between the feds and provinces. And there are two more critical areas that must be addressed: pharmacare and long-term care. Pharmacare has long been the missing link in our universal health-care system. It was always envisioned as being another plank in the system but successive governments have been reluctant to seize the opportunity either because of a philosophical aversion or because of the not inconsiderable front end cost of pharmacare. But research and best practices from around the developed world show that pharmacare can work and ultimately be both better for consumers and financially sustainable. It needs to happen and this is the right time for the Trudeau government to take the step. Long-term care is more complex since it is provincial jurisdiction, so any strategic direction is a shared responsibility between Ottawa and provinces. But that cant be allowed to stop the government from enacting a national set of standards that will prevent repeats of the COVID disaster. We know that successive Ontario governments knew about the risks facing vulnerable residents, and chose not to take action. That cannot happen again. The Canada Health Act should be amended to include long-term care, ensuring that residents and their families will have the comfort of federal oversight. This too important to leave a patchwork provincial system in place. The price for that was far too high. As of Monday, many of the wildfires that began burning in California on August 15 had yet to be fully contained and are contributing to a dramatic decline in air quality across the state. According to the latest tally, at least 35 people have been killed by the fires in California, Oregon and Washington. Tens of thousands have been forced to flee in the face of rapidly advancing flames which have destroyed entire communities. The SCU Lightning Complex that ignited nearly a month ago, affecting multiple locations east of the San Francisco Bay Area and Silicon Valley (397,000 acres burned), the LNU Lightning Complex in Californias wine counties (364,000 acres), the Lake Fire in Los Angeles National Forest (31,000 acres), and the Butte/Tehama/Glen Lightning Complex in the northern part of the state (20,000 acres) have been largely contained but are still active and involve hundreds of fire-fighting crews. Other fires have yet to be fully or even partially contained, including the North Complex Fire (261,000 acres), the Creek Fire in Fresno and Modesto Counties (213,000 acres), the Bobcat fire in Santa Cruz and San Mateo counties, south of San Francisco (36,000 acres) and the El Dorado Fire (14,000 acres) in San Bernardino and Riverside Counties east of Los Angeles. Crews have yet to be assigned to over a dozen major fires. Farm workers in the western US The nearly 500,000 field workers that labor in Californias Central Valley and in the wine region, picking lettuce, strawberries, citrus, grapes, and other crops are among the most severely affected as they have been displaced or continue to labor under adverse conditions. Workers are being choked by smoke and forced to crowd into emergency shelters in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic which, according to a Bloomberg count, has seen 100,000 confirmed coronavirus infections among the total of 3 million migratory and seasonal laborers in the US. There has been no serious effort to test, trace or even document all of the cases among this section of the working class. A majority of these workers are undocumented, others are migrant workers possessing H2 temporary visas. They pay exorbitant rents and are forced to live in crowded and unsanitary conditions. Hundreds of workers sleep in trailers and automobiles parked near the fields in which they work. While wages have improved since the militant struggles of the 1960s, with field workers typically receiving minimum wage (although often less), they face varying work schedules, and periods of unemployment. Many of the field workers are hired through contractors who extract their profits at the workers expense. While the state claims to have distributed millions of N95 masks to agricultural workers, various reports document that less than 10 percent have confirmed they received them. Since the fires begun, 27 days ago, readings on the Air Quality Index (AQI) have been consistently in the unhealthy and hazardous ranges, with some areas on the West Coast having readings which were off the charts. The AQI measures four pollutants: ground-level ozone, particle pollution, carbon monoxide, and sulfur dioxide using standard formulas developed by the federal Environmental Protection Agency and ranks them on a scale from 0 to 500. Farm workers are being forced to labor in those conditions, risking permanent lung damage and increased vulnerability to COVID-19 infections. Hundreds of thousands are working in hazardous conditions where the AQI is often well above 150 and in certain areas it even surpasses the dreadful 500 maximum. Farmworkers are so afraid of retaliation from their employers who threaten their immigration status that they have endured the unhealthiest conditions for very long. Carina, a farmworker near Bakersfield, told CalMatters that she could not breath at the end of August when the AQI exceeded 160. She was told that she would not get a mask unless an inspector visited the field. The United Farm Workers (UFW) union, elevated by the struggles of the 1965-1975 strike, at one time boasted a membership of 100,000 workers. Those struggles were betrayed in the 1970s and 1980s, as the UFW, under the leadership of Cesar Chavez, adopted a policy of labor-management cooperation and attachment to the Democratic Party. Currently it has about 10,000 members in California and the Pacific Northwest, not all of whom are farm workers. On its Facebook page, the UFW announced a limited campaign to distribute masks to field workers and suggested that the owners do the same. While the masks do help prevent COVID-19 infections among workers, they have no effect on the air that they breath, including the minute soot particles that penetrate deep into the lungs, making workers and their families even more vulnerable to the COVID-19 virus. Meanwhile, the UFW is actively supporting the Joe Biden- Kamala Harris presidential ticket, on the pretext that the Democratic Party supports the struggle of farmworkers and immigrants, a gross distortion of reality. Biden served as vice president for eight years in the Obama administration, which was responsible for deporting millions and building up the infrastructure which President Donald Trump is currently using to wage his own crackdown on immigrants and those opposed to police violence. The struggle of farm workers against the double impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and environmental catastrophe, in California and the Pacific Northwest, cannot be left in the hands of organizations such as the UFW. Farmworkers must organize independent health and safety committees across California and the Pacific Northwest and reach out to teachers, autoworkers, health workers and other sections of the working class across the US and internationally to prepare for joint strike action in defense of their health and livelihoods. The defense of health and safety, of immigrant rights, and of living standards cannot be left in the hands of the Republicans or Democrats. Only the Socialist Equality Party presidential candidates, Joseph Kishore and Norissa Santa Cruz, are fighting for the necessary socialist policies, for workers control of production and for a global solution to the climate crisis behind the disastrous fires in the West Coast and around the world. ATLANTA An attorney for Roderick Walker, a 26-year-old Black man who was repeatedly punched by a Georgia sheriff's deputy during a traffic stop just south of Atlanta, is demanding that authorities file criminal charges against the officers involved and conduct an independent investigation. The Friday incident in Clayton County, Georgia, went viral after it was recorded on camera by Walker's girlfriend, Juanita Davis. Shean Williams, the family's attorney, said deputies committed a "blatant assault" on Walker, who suffered bruises all over his face and body and a swollen left eye. This Saturday, Sept. 12, 2020, handout photo shows Roderick Walker at the Clayton County Jail in Jonesboro, Ga. A sheriff's office in Georgia said it fired the deputy seen on video repeatedly punching Walker during a traffic stop. Video of the incident shows two white sheriff's deputies pinning Walker to the ground and one punching him in the head at least three times. Williams likened the use of force to the death of George Floyd in May after a Minneapolis police officer kneeled on his neck for nearly nine minutes. The killing has inspired anti-racism protests across the nation in support of law enforcement reform and support for Black Americans. "They almost killed him," Williams said in an interview Monday with USA TODAY. "They committed an aggravated assault on this man and luckily I'm not talking to you about Mr. Walker's death." The deputy who punched Walker has been fired for excessive use of force, the Clayton County Sheriff's Office announced Sunday. Williams said the second deputy should also be terminated and both should face assault and battery charges. He wants the Georgia Bureau of Investigation to investigate the officers' conduct. The sheriff's office said it turned over the criminal investigation to Clayton County District Attorney Tasha Mosley. Mosley said in a statement that she had requested all materials related to the probe and would open the investigation upon receiving them. She noted that grand juries in Georgia remain suspended because of the COVID-19 pandemic. "If the final outcome of the investigation leads us to bring charges we are unsure at this time when it will come before a Grand Jury," Mosley said. Story continues According to Williams, Walker, Davis, their 5-month-old son, and Davis' 5-year-old son from a previous relationship, had dropped off a rental car and paid a man $10 to drive them home. Police stopped the vehicle they were in for a broken tail light. Pictured is Roderick Walker, who was punched repeatedly by a Georgia sheriff's deputy during a traffic stop. Williams said the deputies asked Walker, who was in the passenger seat, for his ID and Walker stated he did not have one and questioned why the police needed it. The deputies then demanded Walker get out of the vehicle and threw him to the ground as they struggled to handcuff him, Williams said. Davis is heard hysterically screaming in the video. Get off of him," she said. "Dont kill him. He said he cant breathe, officer." Her 5-year-old son is also heard yelling "daddy" in the background. Davis said witnessing the incident had traumatized her and her 5-year-old son. I was very scared and afraid for his life, honestly," Davis said. I was in shock for like three minutes before I actually pulled out my phone to start recording. She described Walker, a father of five, as a loving, caring person who was focused on raising his children. Pictured is Roderick Walker with his children. Walker was punched repeatedly by a Georgia sheriff's deputy during a traffic stop. Walker was released from the Clayton County Jail on Monday after the Clayton County District Attorney's Office granted him a $25,000 bond. He had been held there since Friday on a felony probation warrant out of Fulton County for cruelty to children and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and a failure to appear for a warrant out of Hapeville, Georgia, the Sheriff's Office said in a statement. Williams' office said Walker has been transferred to the Fulton County Jail to face his outstanding probation matters in Fulton. Williams said Walker was illegally arrested and police are using his warrants to "deflect from their horrendous acts." "Roderick Walker is in jail solely because he was illegally arrested after being assaulted by Clayton County Sheriff deputies, not because of anything he did during that incident or in the past," Williams said. "Mr. Walker would not be in jail if it were not for this unlawful arrest that violated his legal and constitutional rights." Williams said the U.S. has an unequal justice system for Black people. "The incident is just another example of the contrast that we see in this country when law enforcement deals with Black America," Williams said. "As a Black man, it's disappointing that we are treated differently because of the color of our skin." This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Roderick Walker video shows police beating Black man near Atlanta President Donald Trump attempted to rewrite the history of his early response to the coronavirus during a town hall in Philadelphia on Tuesday, saying he up-played the pandemic rather than downplaying it an assertion directly at odds with his own comments in public and on tape. I didnt downplay it; I actually, in many ways, I up-played it in terms of action, my action was very strong, Trump said at the National Constitution Center, where he took questions from undecided voters in an event hosted by ABC News. Several questioners pressed Trump on his handling of the pandemic, now one of the biggest liabilities he faces in his reelection bid. One voter asked Trump why he downplayed the virus which the president admitted to doing on purpose in a recorded interview in March with journalist Bob Woodward. Trump defended those comments Tuesday and his broader response to the pandemic, saying he didnt want to scare the country. He pointed to his travel restrictions on China as evidence he took it seriously, even though he publicly dismissed the virus' threat for months. I dont want to scare people. I dont want to make people panic and youre not going to go out and say, oh, this is going to be, This is death, death, death, Trump said. He later predicted, again, that the virus would disappear, a claim he has long made, even as the virus has continued to spread and kill almost 200,000 people in the United States. At one point, Trump said the virus would go away even without a vaccine, over a period of time. Trump said Americans would develop like a herd mentality garbling the phrase herd immunity, the threshold at which enough people have been infected that the virus spreads more slowly. ABC host George Stephanopoulos pointed out that that would also mean many deaths. Confronted by voters about his handling of policing and race relations, the president cited low unemployment figures to argue that early this year was the best single moment in the history of the African American people in this country. Much of the early portion of the event, staged in the largest media market in one of the most critical swing states in the country, focused on the coronavirus. With China I put a ban on, with Europe I put a ban on, and we would have lost thousands of more people had I not put the ban on," Trump said. That was called action, not with the mouth but in actual fact. Even as he imposed the travel limits, Trump for months compared the pandemic to the flu, falsely said it was under control, and predicted it would simply go away. He refused to develop a national strategy, leaving it to governors to create a patchwork of inconsistent rules and frequently criticized those for being too restrictive. And he urged the country to open as soon as Easter, even while the pandemic raged. On Jan. 31, Trump imposed restrictions on people arriving in the U.S. after visiting China, a move that some experts have praised as a helpful early intervention, but that others argue was less decisive than the president portrays. The restrictions had significant exceptions, and Trumps critics say he squandered the benefits by being slow to take other actions to contain the virus, such as ramping up testing and imposing a detailed nationwide plan to limit public activity and encourage social distancing. I wanted to always play it down, Trump told Woodward in a March 19 interview for the journalists new book, Rage. I still like playing it down, because I dont want to create a panic. Even Tuesday night, Trump questioned the value of wearing face masks, which he often refuses to do, even though public health experts say its one of the most important ways to slow the virus' spread. He frequently mocks his Democratic rival, Joe Biden, for wearing a mask. Were very proud of the job weve done, Trump said Tuesday, boasting about providing ventilators and other equipment to states that needed them, and repeatedly blaming China for the virus. The country has more than 20% of the worlds coronavirus deaths, with only 4% of the world population, Stephanopoulos noted. In a statement later, Biden said: American people are crying out for real leadership on this pandemic, but Trump just confirmed tonight, yet again, that even after 8 months of letting the worst public health crisis in 100 years spiral out of control that not only does he not have a plan he doesnt have a clue. A Philadelphia pastor, Carl Day, confronted Trump about his Make America Great Again slogan, asking when the country has been great for African Americans. Are you aware how tone deaf that comes off to African American communities? Day asked. Trump responded by pointing to Black unemployment statistics before the pandemic. You could just go back six or seven months from now, that was the best single moment in the history of the African American people in this country, I think, Trump said. The overwhelming majority of Black voters support Biden, polls show, and many believe Trump has encouraged racism or is racist himself, a charge the president denied Tuesday. Asked about police shootings, Trump briefly acknowledged the actions of bad apples and chokers, saying some police make mistakes under pressure. But he also said police are unfairly maligned and we have to give police back that strength that they had a short while ago. The event was filled with many of Trumps by now familiar falsehoods, misdirections, and exaggerations. Even before he spoke, Philadelphia Democrats took aim at Trumps response to the pandemic. State Sen. Sharif Street said Trump had shown little concern for the city and failed to provide the resources Philadelphia needs, all while trying to make it harder to vote with lawsuits attacking voting by mail and ballot drop boxes. He is attempting to frustrate the votes of folks, but especially the votes of Black and brown folks, Street said. Our communities have already been hit hardest by COVID-19 and he doesnt care. READ MORE: 5 questions that will help decide the presidential race in Pennsylvania Hundreds of chanting protesters gathered Tuesday afternoon outside the event, outnumbering Trump supporters who also descended on the area, in a city where he won only about 16% of the vote in 2016. Public polls have consistently shown Biden leading Trump in Pennsylvania, though some show a tight race and members of both parties expect the contest to be close throughout the election. The town hall came as the Trump campaign, having burned through a considerable financial advantage, returned to the television airwaves in Pennsylvania after going dark in the state for several weeks (some national spots still aired in the state). It also came amid a sharp back-and-forth between him and Gov. Tom Wolf, a Democrat, after a federal judge in Pittsburgh threw out some of the governors coronavirus restrictions shutting down thousands of non-life-sustaining businesses and limiting how many people can gather in one place. The judge ruled Monday that the limits were unconstitutional. Trump, on Twitter, shared supporters' angry posts, including one saying to Wolf, YOUR NOT GOING TO MURDER US!! READ MORE: What a group of Pensylvania voters thinks of Trump, Biden, protests, and looting Wolf, who had already softened many of the limits, said he plans to appeal. The pandemic has killed almost 8,000 Pennsylvanians and infected more than 146,000, and many experts worry another surge is looming in the fall. Earlier this month, Deborah Birx, Trumps coronavirus task force coordinator, said Pennsylvania has done a remarkable job combating the pandemic. The president could do nothing more than stare at his cellphone and send out tweets, share messages of hate, messages of division, messages of disinformation, Wolf said Tuesday. Biden has held numerous events in Pennsylvania, too, and both he and his running mate, California Sen. Kamala Harris, are scheduled to visit Thursday. Biden is scheduled to attend his own town hall, hosted by CNN, in Scranton. Harris will make her first Philadelphia stop since officially becoming the Democratic nominee for vice president. UNITED NATIONS The number of people affected by flooding in Sudan has jumped by 160,000 in just four days to nearly 720,000 with the number of flood-related deaths at 102, UN humanitarians said on Monday. More than 71,000 homes have been destroyed, another 72,000 damaged and more than 3,300 livestock killed, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said.The government, UN agencies and non-governmental organizations have reached about 200,000 people with health, food and other assistance, OCHA said. The Intergovernmental Authority on Development weather center has issued heavy rain and flooding alerts up to Tuesday, although monitoring stations on the Blue Nile River recorded a decrease of 3 mm in water levels over the weekend.The Humanitarian Response Plan for Sudan this year is seeking 1.6 billion U.S. dollars but is less than 45 percent funded. Related Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-15 20:36:54|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close WARSAW, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Ambassador to Poland Liu Guangyuan has said that literature is a bridge which helps people from both China and Poland get to know each other better and deepen the mutual understanding. Liu made the remarks at a Chinese-Polish literary translation and publishing seminar, held by the Chinese Embassy in Warsaw on Monday. Among the attendees were Malgorzata Religa, head of the Chinese Studies Department at Warsaw University; Andrzej Parzymies, general manager of Dialog Academic Publishing House; as well as other famous Polish sinologists and translators. The ambassador thanked Polish translators, sinologists and publishers for their efforts in promoting the Chinese culture in Poland and friendship between the two countries. He said the Chinese embassy is willing to cooperate with them to promote more Chinese literary works and make them available in Poland. He mentioned that two important Chinese works -- A History of Sino-Foreign Literary Exchange: China-Central and Eastern Europe Volume" and "Wolf Totem" -- were translated and published recently by Dialog Academic Publishing House. These achievements of Sino-Polish literary exchange are worth celebrating, especially considering the fact that they were launched during the COVID-19 pandemic, the ambassador said. At the seminar, participants discussed topics ranging from literary translation, experience of studying in China, to Chinese social development and cultural exchange. Polish experts expressed their expectations for China and Poland to strengthen cooperation in the fields of literature publishing and sinology. Enditem Joe Biden is leading President Donald Trump by double digits in Wisconsin , and the candidates are virtually tied in North Carolina , according to CNN/SRSS polls released on Tuesday. The polls, which counted likely and registered voters in both states as separate pools, echo a number of recent polls that have shown Biden leading or too close to call in a number of critical states. Wisconsin played a vital role in Trumps 2016 electoral victory, and North Carolina is likely to be a key state in Democrats efforts to take back the Senate. Among likely voters in North Carolina, 49 percent surveyed said they preferred Bidens ticket, while 46 percent opted for Trumps. That gap increased with registered voters in the state, with 44 percent supporting Trumps ticket and 49 percent for Bidens barely outside the margin of sampling error of plus or minus 4.1 percentage points. Among likely voters, the gap was within the 4.4-point margin. In Wisconsin, however, Bidens lead was clear. Among both registered and likely voters in the state, 52 percent of respondents said they supported Bidens ticket. Meanwhile, 41 percent of registered voters and 42 percent of likely voters supported Trumps. Both gaps are comfortably outside the 4-point margin of sampling error for registered voters and 4.2-point margin for likely voters. The polls were conducted Sept. 9-13 over landlines and cellphones after the publication of explosive excerpts from the journalist Bob Woodwards recorded interviews with Trump. Among total respondents in North Carolina, 51 percent said they disapproved of Trumps performance as president, while only 43 percent approved. The gap was even wider in Wisconsin, with 55 percent of all respondents disapproving of Trumps performance and only 40 percent approving. Advertisement Thousands of students are having their return to school curtailed because of coronavirus outbreaks in the classroom amid a fiasco over testing. Headteachers have warned that schools which were closed for months because of the pandemic will 'grind to a halt' if teachers and pupils can't get tested quickly to avoid whole-school closure. At least 30 schools have closed completely already because of cases and one headteacher in Preston said this morning that he already has two staff self-isolating at home and struggling to get tested, along with 10 children. Another 300 in England and Wales have sent class groups home after receiving positive test results. Pupils in Scotland had all returned by August 12, and they are also dealing with a number of outbreaks. And Northern Ireland schools were back in classrooms on August 31, despite a survey from NI's largest teaching union saying a majority of staff 'feel anxious and stressed' about returning. Jim Blakely, head at Garstang St Thomas' School, told the Today programme: 'At the moment I've got two members of staff not here. My Year 4 teacher was sent home last Wednesday due to Covid symptoms, a persistent cough, but there were no tests available on Wednesday. 'So he kept trying to book during the day and in the evening, and there was some test available in some strange places, and these are the same places that parents in my school have been directed to like Aberdeen and Llandudno. 'Not only are they miles away, but they are in Wales and Scotland. There is very little local testing.' Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said disruption to pupils' education could worsen in the months to come. 'While only a small number of schools have had to close because of outbreaks, we are regularly hearing reports of groups of pupils and staff having to self-isolate in response to positive cases. The concern is that this disruption will worsen as winter approaches.' Downing Street have said that the vast majority - around 99 per cent - of schools have reopened as planned this month. 'There is a very small number of schools which have asked some or all of their pupils to remain at home,' they said. 'Children who are self-isolating continue to receive remote education from home.' Here is a list of all schools in England and Wales known to have been affected by a positive coronavirus test: More than 330 schools in England and Wales have either shut completely or sent some class groups home after receiving positive test results. Pictured: Blackfordby St Margaret's CE Primary School, Derbyshire is closed England NORTH WEST Accrington Mount Carmel RC High School told every Year 7 pupil to remain at home after a pupil in the year group tested positive for Covid-19. A pupil also caught the bug at Accrington Academy - students who were in 'very close and prolonged proximity' to the infected pupil were told they needed to quarantine for 14 days at home. St Christopher's CE High School confirmed on September 7 that two pupils had the disease, but said it would remain open. A class at St Anne's and St Joseph's school were told to self-isolate for two weeks following a case. It is not known if it is a pupil or member of staff that has been affeted. Barnoldswick Coates Lane Primary School confirmed a positive case Covid-19 - a number of individuals who may have been in close contact have been asked to isolate. Blackburn Two students and one teacher at Blackburn College tested positive for coronavirus. Students and staff who have been in direct contact with the teacher and two pupils are being asked to self-isolate at home for 14 days. At Blackburn High School three year groups have been sent home due to a coronavirus case in each - year 10, year 9 and year 7. Lammack Primary School contacted parents after positive cases of coronavirus were confirmed among pupils. A class at the Blackburn school has been advised to take precautionary measures and self-isolate following instructions from Public Health England. A year 9 pupil tested positive at Witton Park Academy and the whole year group were sent home. The parents of Year 7 students at Pleckgate High School were contacted following a positive case in that year group. Bolton Three schools in Bolton have had outbreaks. They are: St Bernard's RC, Bolton - (Year 5 bubble) Beaumont Primary, Bolton - (Reception) Clarendon Primary, Bolton - (Year 6 bubble) Downing Street have said that the vast majority - around 99 per cent - of schools have reopened as planned this month. Pictured: St Mark's Primary School, Swanage, Dorset which also closed due to an outbreak Burnley A Year 7 at Unity College caught the bug on the first day back to school. He had shown no symptoms but was immediately collected by his family and told to self-isolate. All other 25 students in the Year 7 'bubble' were sent home on Wednesday afternoon and will also self-isolate for 14 days. Bury Five schools in Bury have had coronavirus outbreaks. They are: Heaton Park Primary School, Bury - (Class 2W and Year 3) Lowercroft Primary School, Bury - (Year 6) Prestolee Primary School, Radcliffe St Bernadette's RC Primary, Whitefield - (Nursery, Years 1, 2, 5 and 6) St Gabriel's RC High School, Bury - (Year 11) Cheshire 'Several' cases of coronavirus were reported in unspecified Cheshire West schools this week, Cheshire West and Chester Council said. All schools affected have successfully completed contact tracing, while all staff and pupils who have been in contact with those suffering symptoms have been advised to self-isolate for 14 days. Carlisle A pupil at Stanwix School tested positive for the bug, prompting some pupils there to self-isolate. Leyland An entire class of primary school pupils and their teacher was told to self-isolate after a pupil tested positive at Leyland Methodist Infant and Junior Schools. Parents of Year 1 pupils have been asked to keep their children at home after the school was notified of a positive Covid-19 case. Longridge St Cecilia's Roman Catholic High Schoo has asked 13 members of staff to self-isolate for 14 days after a teacher tested positive. Years 7, 8 and 9 will not return to school until September 17 and have been told to access learning from home. 160 pupils at Two Mile Hill Primary School in Bristol are at home self-isolating following an outbreak Manchester Twelve schools in Manchester have had coronavirus outbreaks. They are: Wilbraham Primary School, Fallowfield - (Year 3 and Year 4) Park View Community School, Miles Platting Manchester High School for Girls - (Year 5 Prep) Newall Green Primary School, Wythenshawe - (One class in Year 1) Old Hall Drive Academy, Gorton - (Year 6) Old Moat Primary School, Withington - (Year 6) St Aidan's Catholic Primary, Northern Moor - (Year 2) Chorlton High School South - (A Year 7 class) Green End Primary School, Burnage - (One Reception class) Oswald Road Primary School, Chorlton - (Year 3) Manchester Communication Academy, Harpurhey - (One bubble from Year 11) Inspire Academy, Ashton - (Year 1) WHAT IS HAPPENING TO TESTING IN THE UK? What has gone wrong with coronavirus testing in the UK? People across England are struggling to get access for swab tests which are used to confirm whether or not they have Covid-19. These should be available on the day at drive/walk-through centres or by mail order but many have reported being unable to get them, and instead being met by a 'service busy' message on the booking website. This is even reportedly a problem in areas with local lockdowns, where testing is crucial and mobile test sites are set up to speed up the process. Why are tests not available for everyone who wants them? The Government's testing system is still not set up to cope with the surging demand now being placed on it. It was never advanced enough to offer everyone a test, which is why only people with symptoms are supposed to book the swabs. Numbers of people catching the virus are rising across the country and the number of people wanting tests is increasing as a result. Although the Department of Health claims it can process 243,817 swab tests per day, the system is stalling at a lower level 205,659 were done on Thursday, September 10, the most recent data. Health officials have blamed laboratory capacity for the shortage, and the testing chief at NHS Test & Trace apologised for this last week. Is a lack of staff in labs really to blame? One suggestion is that labs may not have enough technical staff able to operate the machines that process the swabs. More labs are being set up and more staff employed, but this could take weeks or months to translate to big gains in testing capacity. One of the scientists who helped set up the system, however, has rejected this and said labs are operating normally and 'there are problems elsewhere in the chain'. The University of Birmingham's Professor Alan McNally said on BBC Breakfast: 'The labs are still fully staffed, they are still churning through huge amounts of samples per day - the same number as they were a couple of months ago - so there are problems elsewhere in the chain... 'I think this is multi-factorial. I think you almost have a perfect storm of events that have come together to almost essentially crash the testing system. 'I think there is a surge in demand [and] I think our stated capacity is very different from actually how many tests can be run in a given day.' What is the impact of growing pressure on test labs? A large workload for testing labs around the UK means that people's results are taking longer to process many people have to wait more than the target 24 hours to find out their result. This means that the government is throttling the number of tests that are sent out, to avoid completely overwhelming the system, so people in some areas are finding it difficult to access swabs. There are concerns that a system that is frustrating or slow to use will put people off and members of the public will stop bothering to use it. Should people still be ordering tests? Yes, anyone who has symptoms of coronavirus (a cough, fever or lost sense of taste/smell) must order a test however they can. People who do not have symptoms, and have not been instructed by a medical professional to get tested, should not order a test. Advertisement Merseyside West Derby School was the first in the city to send children home after a confirmed case. A total of 56 pupils and three staff members will now spend 14 days self isolating at home following the positive test. Half of all pupils at Sudley Junior School were sent home after it recorded two positive coronavirus cases, with pupils in Years 3 and 5 now isolating. A member of "the school community" at Broad Square Primary School tested positive, meaning they are their bubble are in self-isolation. Pupils in Year 11 at Liverpool College have to isolate for two weeks after a positive coronavirus tests. In Everton Hunts Cross Primary School and Our Lady of Immaculate School had to send some pupils home after an outbreak. English Martyrs Catholic Primary Year 5 pupils have to spend a fortnight at home after a member of staff got the bug where as Litherland Moss shut entirely after Year 3 pupils tested positive. Woodchurch High School and Co-op Academy Bebington have collectively have to tell hundreds of students to self-isolate after pupils at the former and staff at the latter caught the disease. Ridgeway High School, Brackenwood Infant School and Bidston Village Primary School have been affected to an unknown extent after reported cases. Meadow Park School - a pupil referral unit - closed after an outbreak among staff. All Saints Catholic High School remains open despite two pupils testing positive for coronavirus last week. Parents of children at Longton Lane Primary School received an email on Tuesday morning informing them there had been a confirmed case of Covid-19 at Kidzone, the neighbouring private nursery that also provides Longton Lane's after-school club. Holly Lodge Girls college in Liverpool has confirmed three cases of coronavirus, with those testing positive now self-isolating. A school manager told MailOnline that Public Health England was 'satisfied' there was no risk of an outbreak and the school could remain open. Oldham Thirteen schools in Oldham have had coronavirus outbreaks. St Martin's CE Primary, Oldham - (One class) Yew Tree Community School, Chadderton - (Class 4 Red) Hey with Zion, Lees, Oldham - (Nursery) Whitegate End Primary and Nursery, Chadderton, Oldham - (One Year Sandbrook Community Primary School, Rochdale - (One bubble) Broadfield Primary School, Rochdale - (Three bubbles) Marland Hill Community Primary School, Rochdale - (Two bubbles) St Cuthbert's RC High School, Rochdale - (Year 11) Boarshaw Primary School, Middleton - (One bubble) Middleton Parish Church School Bowlee Park Community School, Middleton - (Year 1 Class 3 and Year 1 Class 4) St Luke's Primary, Heywood - (Year 2 and 3) St Anne's Academy, Middleton - (Small number of students) Penrith Ullswater Community College staff said one of its students has tested positive for the virus. Preston Dozens of students were sent home from Cardinal Newman College after a positive case of coronavirus on September 7. Students who share classes with the infected student must self-isolate for 14 days. Rochdale Ten schools in Rochdale have had coronavirus outbreaks. They are: Sandbrook Community Primary School, Rochdale - (One bubble) Broadfield Primary School, Rochdale - (Three bubbles) Marland Hill Community Primary School, Rochdale - (Two bubbles) St Cuthbert's RC High School, Rochdale - (Year 11) Boarshaw Primary School, Middleton - (One bubble) Middleton Parish Church School Bowlee Park Community School, Middleton - (Year 1 Class 3 and Year 1 Class 4) St Luke's Primary, Heywood - (Year 2 and 3) St Anne's Academy, Middleton - (Small number of students Meanwood Primary, Rochdale - (Year 2 and Year 4) Rossendale The Valley Leadership Academy sent home a group of pupils after a student in Year 11 tested positive for coronavirus. Pictured: Royal Wootton Bassett Academy near Swindon, Wiltshire where 284 students are self isolating Salford Five schools in Salford have had coronavirus outbreaks. They are: Harrop Fold, Salford - (Year 11) Buile Hill Academy, Salford - (Year 7) Co-op Academy Swinton - (Year 7 and Year 10) Ellenbrook Primary School, Walkden, Salford - (One class from Year 3) Salford City Academy, Eccles - (Small number in Year 11) Skelmersdale A member of staff at Our Ladys Queen of Peace College tested positive for Covid-19, leaving them and four of their colleagues to self-isolate for 14 days. Stockport Three schools in Stockport have had coronavirus outbreaks. They are: St Winifreds RC Primary, Heaton Mersey Didsbury Road Primary School, Stockport - (Year 1) Adswood Primary, Stockport - (Year 1, Year 2, one class from Y5/6 Tameside Three schools in Tameside have had coronavirus outbreaks: Great Academy Ashton, Tameside - (part of Y10) St Stephen's RC Primary School, Droylsden - (Confirmed case in Key Stage 2) St Anne's Primary School, Denton - (One class in Year 5) Trafford Four schools in Trafford have had coronavirus outbreaks. They are: Gorse Hill Primary School, Stretford - (Year 1) Brooklands Primary School, Sale Seymour Park Community Primary, Old Trafford Urmston Grammar - (Part of Year 12) Wigan Six schools in Wigan have have coronavirus outbreaks. They are: St John Vianney RC School, Stretford - (Small number self-isolating) St Mary's Catholic High School, Astley, Wigan St Michael's CE Primary, Atherton, Wigan Westleigh Methodist Primary School, Leigh - (Year 3 and Year 4) Dean Trust Wigan - (Year 8) Hawkley Hall High, Wigan - (Small number in Year 7) Whitworth Although its identity is not currently known, a Rossendale Borough Councillor has confirmed that several cases have been traced back to one school in Whitworth. The latest case in Rossendale's coronavirus outbreak that has seen its infection rate spike to become one of the worst in all of England. NO TESTS AVAILABLE 'IN 10 OF ENGLAND'S COVID-19 HOTSPOTS' No walk-in, drive-in or postal coronavirus tests are available for people with symptoms of the disease in England's 10 outbreak hotspots, it was claimed yesterday. Swabs are not available in Bolton, which is fighting the largest outbreak of the virus in the country with an infection rate of 122 cases for every 100,000 people. The Government website where testing slots are booked also shows there are no tests available in Salford, Bradford, Blackburn, Oldham, Preston, Pendle, Rochdale, Tameside and Manchester, according to LBC radio. When postcodes in each area are put into the testing system it allegedly comes up with the message: 'This service is currently very busy. More tests should be available later.' The leader of the council in Bolton, which has Britain's highest infection rate, said there were 'major flaws' with the online booking system and that it was out of the council's control because the Government runs it. He said the issue was 'unacceptable'. Advertisement NORTH EAST Barnsley St Helen's Primary Academy confirmed that a teacher tested positive for the virus, meaning all students in that teacher's class must now self-isolate for two weeks. On September 6, Athersley South Primary School confirmed that a positive case of the virus had been identified at the school. Students in Year 8 and 9 only were advised to stay home for two weeks and have been told they can return to school on September 17. On September 8, Wellgate Primary School confirmed they had one confirmed case of the virus within the school. On September 7, Barugh Green Primary School closed two of its class bubbles after a child in each was confirmed to have the virus. On September 10, two departments at Barnsley College were closed after three members of staff tested positive for coronavirus. Consett Consett Academy told parents a child had tested positive on Tuesday. It said the school remains open however and that a small number of students are self-isolating. Darlington Four days after children returned to school Hummersknott Academy confirmed a Year 7 student had its first case of Covid-19. On Monday, Staindrop Academy told parents the school had a confirmed case. Durham Laurel Avenue Primary School told parents on Monday that a pupil had tested positive. The day after that Belmont School confirmed that a member of non-teaching staff had tested positive for Covid-19, with Coxhoe Primary School following closely behind. There has been a confirmed case of Covid-19 at Seaham Trinity Primary School in County Durham, meaning Year 1 pupils have to stay home. Gateshead St Thomas More Catholic School sent pupils home after a Year 9 student contracted the disease. Hartlepool St Aidan's primary school saw a pupil or staff member test positive. Head teacher Lynn Chambers told parents that after taking advice from Public Health England, there was no need to close parts of the school or ask any children to self-isolate. Houghton le Spring Shiney Row Primary School closed both Year 1 and Year 6 groups after a confirmed case within the school. Easington Lane Primary School shut its nursery after a member of staff tested positive for Covid-19 at the weekend. Lanchester The whole of Year 8 at St Bede's Catholic School and Sixth Form Centre were told to self-isolate after an infection was confirmed at the Lanchester school. North Shields Marden High School's headteacher said a pupil had tested positive for the virus. Ryhope St Patrick's Primary School is asking all children in reception to self-isolate for 14 days. Stockton Stockton Riverside College confirmed a member of non-teaching staff had tested positive for the virus last week. Their symptoms developed overnight and they did not come in the following day. On Wednesday Thornaby Primary School told parents a member of non-teaching staff had tested positive for the virus. Ian Ramsey CE Academy confirmed a second positive Covid-19 case within the school. All Year 8 pupils must self-isolate at home for 14 days. Whitley Bay Marine Park First School told children in some class to self-isolate on September 7 after a "small number" of coronavirus cases were detected in the primary school. Sunderland The following Sunderland schools have had outbreaks, with hundreds of students told to self-isolate: Academy 360 Year 5 only Dubmire Academy Nursery only Easington Lane Primary Nursery only Shiney Row Primary Year 1 and Year 6 St Patricks EYFS and Key Stage 1 Fatfield Academy Year 2 and Year 6 Barnwell Academy Year 4 only Gillas Lane Year 2 and Years 3&4 mixed class Washington St Robert of Newminster reported that its sixth form department has closed this week following a confirmed case. YORKSHIRE AND HUMBER Bradford Dixons Academies Trust, which runs 12 academies in Bradford and Leeds, has confirmed that two staff members and one student have tested positive for the virus at three academies. While the Trust has not named the schools, two of them are understood to be Dixons Trinity Academy and Dixons Kings Academy. A small number of staff and students have been asked to self-isolate. On September 8 , Bradford Academy wrote to parents informing them that a member of staff had the bug. The school said that Public Health England's advice was to keep the bubble that the teacher taught in open, as he had socially distanced while teaching. On September 12, Parkside School closed after two members of staff tested positive for coronavirus. Cleethorpes A teacher at Cleethorpes Academy tested positive for Covid-19. However, because of the strict social distancing measures in place on the site, the school remains open to all other staff and pupils unless they fell unwell. Coulby Newham The King's Academy confirmed a positive test of a Year 7 pupil, prompting the entire year group to self-isolate. Keighley A staff member at Beckfoot Oakbank School tested positive for the virus and was asked to stay home for two weeks. Three other members of staff were also asked to self-isolate after coming into close contact with the staff member, though the school's head teacher said that no students have been affected. Leeds Bardsey Primary School will only welcome back Years 5 and 6 on September 8 after a member of staff tested positive. The rest of the school are now set for another week of home learning. On September 11, Castleton Primary School asked a small number of children to remain at home until September 21 after someone tested positive for the virus. Marsden A child in Year 6 at Lisle Marsden Church of England Primary Academy tested positive. Parents of other Year 6 children who have been in close proximity to the pupil have been contacted, but all other children are continuing to attend. Middlesborough Outwood Academy Ormesby school leaders said in a short statement that a confirmed case had been found within the school community earlier this week. The person who tested positive did not contract the virus at the secondary school. On Tuesday a Year 7 pupil had tested positive for the virus at Kings Academy. Their whole year group will now have to self-isolate. Nunthorpe Academy confirmed it had seen a Covid-19 case. All those with close contact to the affected pupil were told to self-isolate until September 22. Hemlington Hall Academy is to close for 14 days after five staff members tested positive for coronavirus. Ormesby Ormesby Primary School told its parents that all Year 5 pupils would need to self-isolate due to a confirmed case. Redcar A positive case had been recorded at St Benedicts RC primary school. Ings Farm Primary School has also seen a positive case, although it remains open to all but those directly in contact with the student. Manchester's High School for Girls is one of 12 in the city to have had a coronavirus outbreak MIDLANDS Beechdale Robert Shaw Primary and Nursery School has told Year 5s to self-isolate after a teacher caught the disease. Bicester Year 2 pupils and some staff at Five Acres Primary School were told to stay at home for 14 days following an outbreak. Bilborough Glenbrook Primary School partially closed after a member of staff tested positive. Bingham Robert Miles Junior School sent a Year 5 bubble home after a member of staff tested positive. Birmingham Pupils in Year 11 student at Greenwood Academy tested positive after showing symptoms of Covid-19, sparking a 14-day quarantine for classmates. A class of students at Erdington Academy have been sent home after a positive case. Year 8 and 11 bubbles at King Edward's Five Ways were told to self isolate after one pupil in each year group reported they had received a positive test result over the weekend. Hall Green Infant and Junior School sent home its Year 4 and 5s after positive cases, while a Year 1 class from Lakey Lane were sent home. All pupils and employees in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 at Prince Albert Primary School were told to stay home for 14 days. Yardley Primary School sent home pupils today after a positive case. Blaby Barlestone Primary School sent several pupils home after they came into contact with a student who tested positive for Covid-19. A Year 3 pupil caught the bug at Blaby Stone Primary, meaning everyone in the year had to self-isolate for 14 days. Blackfordby Blackfordby Church of England Primary has been shut for a deep clean after an outbreak. A member of staff at St Cecilia's RC High School (pictured) tested positive on September 5. No pupils have been affected but 12 members of staff have been advised to self isolate for 14 days. Blyth Newsham Primary School has sent its Year 1s home after a child tested positive. A reception class of 30 children at Bede Academy in Blyth have been advised to self-isolate until September 18 after a confirmed case. Braunstone A teacher tested positive at Fullhurst Community College, leading Year 10 pupils to a period of self-isolation. Bromford Pupils in Years 4 and 6 at Firs Primary Academy have been told to isolate for a fortnight following two confirmed cases at the school. Chapel Hill A member of staff at St Cecilia's RC High School tested positive on September 5. No pupils have been affected but 12 members of staff have been advised to self isolate for 14 days. Chesterfield Parents of Year 5 students at Newbold Church of England Primary School in Cranborne Road were told to collect children on Thursday. Coalville A school visited by Boris Johnson on August 26 temporarily shut after a member of staff caught the disease. The Castle Rock School hosted the Prime Minister as he went on a press tour when schools reopened after months of lockdown. Only those staff and students who came into direct contact with the person infected will be made to stay home for two weeks, with Castle Rock due to open its doors on September 15 to everyone else. Corby Studfall Junior Academy said a Year 4 pupil had tested positive for Covid-19. They are the only person that has had to self-isolate. A member of AYear 5 group at Hazel Leys Primary Academy tested positive, meaning their bubble has been told to home school for the next 14 days. Countesthorpe Four members of staff have had to isolate after a teacher caught the bug at Countesthorpe Leysland Community College. Coventry A child in Year 1 at Parkgate Primary School has caught the bug. Parents of all children in Year 1 at the school have been told that their child must self-isolate for 14 days as a precaution. Elsewhere in the city Longford Park Primary School, Foxford Community School, John Gulson Primary School, Park Hill Primary School and West Coventry Academy have reported cases. Before the weekend there were 23 confirmed cases in the city's school system. Croxton Kerrial Croxton Kerrial Primary School has been closed after a positive case was reported. Desford Last weekend at Bosworth Academy pupil found out they had the bug. They did not go to school on the Monday, meaning class can continue as normal. Dudley The Wordsley School confirmed there had been a positive case on September 8. Grantham All Year 7 pupils, along with four staff, have been sent home from Kings School. Groby Three members of staff at Brookdale Groby Learning Campus must self-isolate after catching the virus. Evington Judgemeadow Community College pupils in Year 10 and 11 have been sent home after a student got the bug. Harlow The Freshwaters Primary Academy closed on Tuesday after a number of students displayed coronavirus symptoms. The school announced it will stay shut until negative test results come back. Handsworth Wood Parents were told to pick their children up from school as soon as possible on September 10 after a case was confirmed in Year 2 at Cherry Orchard Primary School and Nursery. Heanor Senior staff at Heanor Gate Science College confirmed that a year 10 pupil had contracted the disease. But because the youngster had not been in lessons since last Friday, no other students need to self-isolate. Howitt Primary Community School sent a number of children home, who were in the same "bubble", after a Year 6 pupil also tested positive for coronavirus. Robert Shaw Primary and Nursery School in Beechdale, near Nottingham has told Year 5s to self-isolate after a teacher caught the disease Hucknall A member of staff at Holgate Primary and Nursery School tested positive, meaning they and 29 children were sent home. Humberstone A single pupil has tested positive at Merrydale Infants School. A teacher has been infected at Falcons Primary, leading Year 4 students to self-isolate. A Humberstone Junior Academy child also has the bug, meaning they and their bubble have to self-isolate. Kibworth A Year 10 student was sent home after one day back at Beauchamp College having tested positive. Kingshurst Tudor Grange Academy sent a letter to parents informing them that a Year 7 pupil had tested positive for Covid-19. The pupil was not in school whilst symptomatic but in accordance with guidelines, the pupils tutor and support bubble will be required to self-isolate. Leicester The Winstanley School has recorded a case. Parents have been urged to watch their children and get them to self-isolate if they begin showing symptoms. A member of staff and a teacher have tested positive for the bug at New College. A class bubble worth of pupils at English Martyrs School in Year 9 have been made to self-isolate after a pupil caught the disease. A single case at Wyvern Primary has seen several staff and pupils embark on a period of self-isolation, while a member of staff at Ellesmere College also has the bug. One student has been confirmed as having the virus at each of Orchard Mead Academy, Mowmacre Hill Primary, Catherine Infants School, Crown Hills Community College, City of Leicester College, Shenton Primary, Medway Primary, Overdale Infant School and Lancaster Academy. Loughborough Woodbrook Vale School has had to send several dozen pupils home for a fortnight after a single pupil caught the bug. Mansfield Two pupils at Berry Hill Primary School caught the bug, meaning two classes were put in self-isolation for two weeks. Market Harborough A pupil at Ridgeway Primary Academy has tested positive for the coronavirus. They have been asked to self-isolate for 10 days. Other pupils who were in close contact with the child have been asked to self-isolate for two weeks. Northampton Greenfields Specialist School for Communication has recorded a case. Because the school is separated into zones to stop everyone mixing, only limited numbers have been sent home. Northampton International Academy sent one bubble of students home after a teacher caught the bug. Nuneaton A pupil at Chetwynd Junior School tested positive. They have been told to self-isolate for 14 days along with people close to them. Nottingham Mellers Primary School has been forced to close after a teacher tested positive for coronavirus. The school confirmed a Year 1 teacher had tested positive for Covid-19 in a statement on its website. Oadby Brocks Hill Primary School has told two Year 3 classes worth of pupils to stay home for 14 days after two children tested positive. A Year 10 pupil at Gartree High School tested positive, prompting the rest of the year being told to stay home until September 21. The whole of Year 8 at St Bede's Catholic School and Sixth Form Centre were told to self-isolate after an infection was confirmed at the Lanchester school Oldbury Pupils at Oldbury Academy were told they must self-isolate for 14 days on Friday, September 11. The rest of the school remains open, with children not directly affected by the case urged to attend as normal. Radford Mellers Primary School saw a Year 1 and Year 3 teacher test positive for coronavirus at the start of last week. All Year 1 and Year 3 pupils were been told to stay at home for 14 days and register for a test if they feel unwell. The school cannot currently reopen for the remaining pupils "for the time being" as too many staff members are either self-isolating or getting tested. Quinton Year 4 pupils at World's End Junior School have been ordered to remain at home. PRITI PATEL DENIES THERE ARE A LACK OF TESTS IN BADLY-HIT AREAS Home Secretary Priti Patel said it was 'wrong to say' that there were no tests available after she was quizzed about the long delays in trying to book a test in Bolton where the infection rate is the highest in England. Speaking on BBC Breakfast, she said: 'Tests are available, youve heard me say, particularly in local lockdown areas, Ive seen this myself, Ive seen the teams that have been working on this. 'Mobile testing is going in, capacity is going into local areas where lockdowns have been undertaken and are taking place. 'I think it is wrong to say tests are not available, new book-in slots are being made available every single day, mobile testing units are being made available. 'And on top of that home testing kits are being issued across the country but specifically in local lockdown areas.' The Government is 'surging capacity' in local lockdown areas and tests are available within a 10-mile radius, she added. Ms Patel said: 'Clearly there is much more work that needs to be undertaken with Public Health England and the actual public health bodies in those particular local areas. 'As a Government we work with Public Health England to surge where there is demand in local hotspot areas and we continue to do that. On access to testing, she said the majority of tests are available within a 10-mile radius. 'It seems to me therell be extreme cases where people cant get to test locations within that radius but that doesnt mean that Public Health England are not working night and day to boost capacity,' she added. Advertisement Retford A group of pupils from Carr Hill Primary School were sent home and told to self-isolate for 14 days after there was a positive case on-site. The school remains open. Rocester The JCB Academy confirmed a positive case after being one of the first schools in England to reopen in August. It was closed on Friday September 4 as a precaution but reopened the following on Monday with around 100 students self-isolating. Rothwell A Year 10 student in Montsaye Academy has caught the bug, meaning people in their bubble were told to self-isolate. Rugby St Matthews Bloxham Primary and Bilton High Schools have also both had positive cases. Neither of them have closed. Saltley Highfield Junior and Infant School in Saltley closed to pupils and staff in Year 4 and 5 after an unconfirmed number of cases. Sandwell Thirty students at Moat Farm Junior School were told to self-isolate on September 10, the day after Year 4 pupils and teachers from Ocker Hill Academy were sent home. Foxyards Primary School has had to send two year groups home after an outbreak. A bubble has been told to self-isolate following a case in Year 9 at Stuart Bathurst Catholic High School. Wodensborough Ormiston Academy confirmed a student had tested positive, leaving 27 students and one staff member in self-isolation. Sapcote A child tested positive at All Saints Church of England. Scampton Scampton C of E Primary School sent a class load of pupils and a teacher home after a student tested positive. Scunthorpe St Lawrence Academy took precautionary measures after a member of staff tested positive for coronavirus. Sheffield On September 6 Birkdale School confirmed that sixth form students would be staying at home for two weeks following one of them testing positive for the virus. The school's head teacher said that sixth formers were in a bubble and, as such, only came into contact with one another. On September 7, Chaucer School confirmed that there had been a positive case of the virus at their school. The school said that a small number of children will have been in prolonged contact with the person who tested positive and have been asked to stay home for two weeks. Sileby Highgate Primary has had one confirmed case, meaning a small number of their close contacts are now in isolation. Shepshed A pupil from Oxley Primary School caught the bug, meaning their classmates were sent home for two weeks. Shrewsbury A member of staff at Shrewsbury Academy tested postive for Covid 19 and has immediately isolated. The school has not shut, despite parents worried by reports on social media queueing outside the school in the middle of the day to collect their children. Four days after children returned to school, Hummersknott Academy in Darlington confirmed a Year 7 student had its first case of Covid-19 Skellingthorpe A member of staff at the Holt Primary School tested positive, meaning they, three colleagues and 30 children have to self-isolate. The school currently remains open to all other pupils. Solihull Coleshill Heath School informed parents of a positive case on September 9. It was not confirmed whether a pupil or staff member was the confirmed case and the affected class bubble has been shut. A person also tested positive for coronavirus at Light Hall School. SECOND WAVE TO BLAME FOR LACK OF TESTS, TOP EXPERT CLAIMS An Oxford University expert who has been overseeing the government's antibody testing programme and advising ministers blamed a second wave for the testing fiasco. Sir John Bell, regius professor of medicine at Oxford, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that a spike in Covid-19 cases had led to a surge in demand for tests. He said: 'I think what's going wrong is the second wave. 'A month ago they had spare capacity in testing - significant spare capacity - but I think what has been underestimated was the speed at which the second wave would arrive, but also the pressure put on the system from children returning to school, and the testing demands associated with that, and people increasingly out and about. 'So, I think they are definitely behind the curve in terms of getting the necessary tests for what we need today." Sir John said there would be a 'significant increase' in testing capacity over the next two weeks. 'But this will get worse because of course we haven't hit winter yet - we haven't all started to sniffle, get fevers, get colds, and that's going to add additional confusion to the problem,' he said. 'The demand will go up. The real question is whether they can get supply in a position where it can outpace demand, and that's the challenge at the moment.' Advertisement Southwell Lowe's Wong Junior School sent 31 children home following a positive case of coronavirus on site. Spalding A student tested positive at Spalding High School, leaving the establishment to undertake a deep clean. The school remains open as usual. Sparkbrook A Year 6 class is closed to pupils at Conway Primary School after a pupil tested positive for coronavirus. All pupils and staff in the affected class are now self-isolating for 14 days. Stamford Three cases of coronavirus affecting pupils at the Stamford Endowed Schools were confirmed. Stourport-on-Severn Some pupils at Burlish Park Primary School have been told to isolate after a coronavirus case was reported. Tamworth The Rawlett School said that the staff member and a Year 8 student are self-isolating along with all other pupils in the bubble. Approximately 200 pupils were being sent home last week. Telford A primary reception pupil at Hadley Learning Centre contracted the virus, meaning children in the same class must stay at home until further notice. Towcester One Year 9 pupil from Sponne School caught the bug, landing 15 of their classmates in self-isolation. Trowell A teacher at Trowell Church of England Primary School was sent to hospital but is said to be "in good spirits" having tested positive for coronavirus. Public Health England instructed that the school close for 14 days. Waingrove Blackthorns Primary School confirmed that 32 pupils and five members of staff were told to self-isolate on September 11. Walsall Grace Academy Darlaston had to send some Year 7 students home after an outbreak. A Year 7 student at Aldridge School also caught the bug, but they had not been in school. Wednesbury A total of 27 pupils at Wodensborough Ormiston Academy have been forced to self-isolate following a positive case. Parents of children in Year 9 attending Stuart Bathhurst Catholic High School in Wednesbury received a letter telling them to enforce isolation for 14 days after an outbreak. Wellingborough Sir Christopher Hatton Academy econdary school has confirmed a single case of coronavirus. All year groups remain open, with a small number of students self-isolating as a precaution. West Bridgford Heymann Primary and Nursery School has told several pupils to self-isolate after two confirmed cases. Wigston A Year 12 pupil tested positive at Wigston College, meaning the year must now isolate for two weeks. Wolverhampton Codsall Community High School confirmed that two students, one in Year 11 and one in the Football Academy, had tested positive for Covid and their classmates had been told to self-isolate. 'Following an in-depth analysis of our mitigation measures in school... we have been advised that the school can remain open and, providing your child remains well, they can continue to attend school as normal,' the headteacher said in a letter to pupils. One mother with a 15-year-old son at the school told MailOnline that he was 'terrified' of going back, but added that 'if you dont send your child to school they will fine you 80 per day'. Pupils at Springdale Primary School in Year 6 have been asked to self-isolate after a pupil tested positive for coronavirus, with Year 3s at Whitgreave Primary School also sent home. Thirty pupils in Woden Primary School's Year 6 were told to self-isolate after a student tested positive for coronavirus on September 8, three days before Codscall Community High School had a confirmed case. All Year 11 pupils at Highfields School have had to go home, as with Year 8s at Bilbrook Middle School Amethyst Sixth closed to its 250 students after a teacher tested positive for coronavirus, while East Park Academy sent home two different year groups after two students tested positive for coronavirus. A member of staff at Royal Primary School caught the bug, meaning around 100 people had to self-isolate. Two members of staff at Ormiston SWB Academy caught the disease. Wyre Forest Pupils in two reception classes at Burlish Park Primary School have been told to self-isolate following a positive case. Wythall A Year 7 class at Woodrush High School is self-isolating for 14 days after a pupil tested positive for coronavirus. EAST ANGLIA Haverhill Five members of staff tested positive at Samuel Ward Academy. The school closed on Monday for a deep clean to be carried out and so the headteacher can establish who the staff members have been in contact with. It reopened on Wednesday. Hitchin Hitchin Boys' School closed after a member of staff tested positive. A 'significant number' of other staff are having to self isolate and a 'few cases' where pupils had closer contact with the staff member. Head teacher Fergal Moane confirmed the school is looking at a mixture of remote and on-site learning for the two week period. Kings Langley There has been a positive Covid-19 test of a Year 5 student at Kings Langley Primary School. The year five bubble were told to self-isolate for 14 days. Norwich A pupil or member of staff at George White Junior School was told to self-isolate for 14 days after testing positive for the coronavirus. Old Buckenham Old Buckenham High School closed last week after a member of staff tested positive. Radlett A 'small number of pupils' tested positive at the Hertsmere Jewish Primary School and three classes have been self-isolating as a result. Welwyn Garden City A student at the Stanborough School tested positive for Covid-19. The whole year 8 cohort was told to self isolate for 14 days as a result. SOUTH EAST Aylesford A Year 6 pupil from Valley Invicta Primary School tested positive and the whole year group were told to self isolate. Aylesbury A student at Aylesbury Grammar School has tested positive for Covid-19. One form group from Year 8 has been told to isolate as a result. Ashford There has been a case reported at Echelford Primary School. Battle Claverham Community College has had a confirmed case of Covid-19 but remains open. Bracknell Parents of students at Garth Hill College, Edgbarrow and The Brakenhale School have received letters warning that there have been outbreaks. Four students from Garth Hill's sixth form are in isolation as are an unspecified number from Brakenhale's Year 13. It is not known what year has been affected from Edgebarrow. Bromley Bromley College has been deep cleaned after a staff member tested positive for coronavirus - though students have been told to still attend. Red Hill Primary School confirmed an individual at the school has coronavirus and that everyone who was considered a 'close contact' has been asked to self-isolate for 14 days. Bushey Two members of staff tested positive at the Bushey Meads Academy and were sent home immediately. No students have been in close contact with the staff members. The headteacher says the school is safe and all necessary Public Health England advice is being followed. Chelmsford The head teacher of Great Baddow High School in Chelmsford confirmed that one of the pupils at the institution has received a positive diagnosis for Covid-19. Chesham An unknown number of pupils at Chesham Grammar School caught the virus last week. Most of them are said to have been infected abroad during the school holidays. The school had not reopened when the cases were confirmed. Chobham A pupil at Valley End C of E Infant School caught the bug. Croydon A staff member at Ridgeway Primary School and Nursery tested positive last Saturday - a couple of days before pupils returned for the new academic year. Dartford 'A number of staff' at Longfield Academy have been told to self-isolate after a member of support staff is unwell with a suspected case of Covid-19, a spokesman has said. Given the circumstances of the case it is being treated as a confirmed case. Didcot Hadden Hill Nursery was be closed until September Friday 11 following an outbreak. The nursery has not specified whether it is a child or a member of staff who has coronavirus. Enfield Wilbury Primary School welcomed back children on Monday but on Tuesday the school was forced to close a 'bubble class' after a child tested positive for the virus. Guildford Sandfield Primary School wrote to parents on September 7 to confirm it had sent the Year 3 bubble home after a positive case. Hersham Bell Farm Primary School sent letters to parents informing them that pupils in Year 1 have contracted the virus. Hove Six people have now tested positive for the coronavirus at Cardinal Newman Catholic School since the start of term. It is thought the cases are linked to an eighteenth birthday party, also attended by a Brighton, Hove And Sussex VI Form College student. A further three students at the college contracted the disease, with nine people in total now in isolation. Hounslow Heston Community School has suffered one positive case. The school has sent home one tutor group to self-isolate 'as a precautionary measure' but will remain open for everyone else. Cranford Community College announced a 'new female student' had received a positive test. A total of 27 students and two teachers who had been in contact with her have been told to self-isolate. Isle of Wight Cowes Primary School sent letters to parents saying an individual had coronavirus. The council said the school is following the advice of Public Health England and has asked the other children in that class bubble, the teacher and teaching assistant to self-isolate for 14 days. Maidenhead Manor Green School is the latest school to see positive test result. Headteacher Joolz Scarlett said: "Opening the school in an international pandemic is not without risk, and were a special school, so so some pupils have very complex special needs which make them vulnerable. So we have given parents the option to continue home schooling. Very few parents have taken us up on that offer and most pupils are in." Marlow There has been an outbreak amongst Sir William Borlase's Grammar School pupils. It is not known how many pupils were affected. Medway A Strood Academy employee and three other members of staff have been advised to self isolate after a positive case at the school. Oxford The Cherwell School advised pupils and parents that an unnamed employee had contracted Covid-19 and was self-isolating. Students are still expected to come to school. Reading A "class bubble" at Katesgrove Primary School, 30 pupils plus a teacher and an assistant, were sent home after a positive test this week. They must now self-isolate for a period of 14 days. Rayleigh A member of staff at Sweyne Park School tested positive for the virus. Any other staff member or pupil who came into close contact with the affected person has been sent home. Sittingbourne Five schools in Sittingbourne have been hit with coronavirus outbreaks. Slough It has been confirmed Upton Court Grammar School in Slough has had a pupil test positive for the virus. Snodland An entire primary school class was sent home after several children fell ill with symptoms of coronavirus at St Katherine's School. An entire primary school class was sent home after several children fell ill with symptoms of coronavirus. Staines Ashford Park Primary School wrote to parents on September 4 saying: "We have been advised by Public Health England that there has been a confirmed case of COVID-19 within the school." It is not yet known whether the confirmed case was a pupil or member of staff at the school. There has also been a confirmed case at Laleham Primary School. Sutton The whole of Year 2 at Devonshire Primary School has been told to stay at home for two weeks following an infection. Sydenham Parents of pupils in Year 4 at Adamsrill Primary School received an email informing them of a positive Covid-19 test and were told to keep their children home. Thatcham Kennet School confirmed on September 10 that a student has contracted the virus just days after schools reopened. Tottenham A school in Tottenham has closed for two days after confirming two cases of coronavirus. The two positive cases at Duke's Aldridge Academy are in Year 7 and Year 8, and all pupils in those years have been sent home 'until further notice'. Virginia Water Trumps Green Infant School has had a positive case amongst either the students or teachers. Wandsworth St Michael's Primary School parents were told on Tuesday that a case had been recorded. Children in the bubbles affected were sent home and told to self-isolate for 14 days. Woking Winston Churchill School has had a teacher or student test positive. SOUTH WEST Bristol One Year 6 child has been diagnosed with the bug at Shirehampton Primary School. The entire year group is self-isolating for 14 days. Two Mile Hill Primary School tested positive leading 160 students of mixed ages to self-isolate. John William Oasis Academy saw one confirmed case, leading all of Year 7 to isolate. Kings' Forest Primary School had one Year 1 pupil test positive, with the result being their 27 class mates being put in isolation. Calne St Margarets Preparatory School has asked all 27 pupils and three staff in Year 3 to self-isolate for 14 days. Plymouth A student at Plymouth College tested positive for coronavirus. The private school, located in Ford Park, confirmed a Year 11 day pupil has received a positive result for Covid-19 and the whole Year 11 "year group bubble" will isolate at home for a quarantine period of 14 days. Sherborne The Gryphon School said that staff and students who had been in close contact with a Year 13 student who tested positive have been identified and advised to self-isolate. Sturminster Yewstock School is now undergoing a deep clean meaning classrooms are remaining shut to students. Swanage St Mark's Primary School said it would shut for two weeks after a staff member caught the bug. Swindon A pupil tested positive for Lainesmead Primary School, meaning their Year 5 bubble has been made to self-isolate. Trowbridge One pupil and four members of staff at St Augustine's Catholic College tested positive, landing 160 people with two weeks of self-isolation. Western-super-Mare Hans Price Academy will stay open after a teacher tested positive over the weekend. Winscombe Churchill Academy has asked 57 pupils to stay home for a fortnight after one student caught Covid-19. Wimborne Merley First School, near Bournemouth has reported confirmed cases. Queen Elizabeth school confirmed that two Year 9 students had contracted the virus, and two tutor groups would be isolating for 2 weeks. Royal Wootton Bassett A pupil at Royal Wootton Bassett Academy has tested positive for coronavirus, leaving 284 Year 9s to self isolate until 25 September. Wales Bridgend Bridgend council has confirmed a case at two schools this week. Both Ysgol Bryn Castell in Brynmenyn and Maesteg School have been affected by staff having tested positive. Pupils are to return as planned on Monday, aside from Key Stage 4 students at Ysgol Bryn Castell who will come back on September 21. Carmarthen There was one positive test recorded at Ysgol y Dderwen primary in Carmarthen. The council said the school were dealing with the case "in line with its test, trace and protect procedures". Cwmbran Torfaen council confirmed a staff case at Woodlands Community primary in Cwmbran. The member of staff did not come into contact with pupils. New Delhi, Sep 15 : Lauding the nation-wide lockdown, ICMR Director General Balram Bhargava on Tuesday said that the country distributed the Covid-19 curve in such a way that it did not have many deaths and did not witness a huge peak. The comments came against the backdrop of All India Institute of Medical Sciences Director Dr Randeep Guleria's statement that India is witnessing a second wave of coronavirus in some areas. "During the peak in Europe and the US, there were huge numbers of mortalities. We took learning from that and were able to distribute the curve in such a way that we did not have those deaths. This was attributed to the lockdown. We were able to distribute the curve and did not have a huge peak at all," said Bhargava, at a press conference, on being asked about the second wave. India on Tuesday reported a spike of 83,000 new coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours, taking the country's total case tally past 49 lakh. The country's overall Covid tally stands at 49,30,237 and 9,90,061 of them are active cases. As far as the vaccine is concerned, indigenous vaccines -- Cadila and Bharat Biotech have completed Phase-1 and Serum Institute of India's "wants to start the Phase-3 trial, which will commence after the clearance is given by the DCGI," the ICMR chief said. Union Health Ministry Secretary Rajesh Bhushan, who was also at the press conference, said no one has presently applied for the emergency authorisation of the vaccine. Emergency authorisation is not only for vaccines but for drugs, with an existing provision in the Drugs and Cosmetic Act for this. It is an accelerated process which permits the regulator to grant permission which is distinct from regular marketing authorisation. One example is the US FDA giving emergency authorisation to Remdesivir. Similarly, emergency authorisation to Remdesivir was given by the India regulator too. About the Sputnik vaccine, Bhushan said: "Russia has a good history of vaccine manufacturing and hence, we assume that this vaccine is also good. There is a dialogue going on between the high-level committee of the governments of India and Russia. We are trying to work out its mechanism." Sputnik V, an adenovirus vector-based vaccine, was developed by the Gamaleya Scientific Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology, along with the Russian Direct Investment Fund and was registered on August 11. Earlier, NITI Aayog member, Dr. V.K. Paul had said that the Russian government has sought India's help in manufacturing the Sputnik V vaccine and also to conduct Phase-3 trials or bridging studies in the country. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) The on Tuesday decided to resume at Donimalai in Bellari district, which had been stopped since 2018, and said it expected to earn revenue of Rs 647 crore a year from it. This was decided at a cabinet meeting here. Donimalai is rich in iron ore and was in the custody of state-owned for 50 years when its lease period ended in 2018, sources in the government privy to the issue said. Since then the renewal did not happen as Karnataka wanted a premium of 80 per cent, which did not agree to, the sources said, adding that the state was losing GST, royalty, premium, economic activities around Donimalai and employment opportunities to the people working there. "We have resolved that the impediment pertaining to mine lease is removed. Consent has been given to start mining at Donimalai in Sandur Taluk," law and parliamentary affairs minister J C Madhuswamy said at a media briefing after the cabinet meeting. The state had been losing revenue ever since the mining was stopped, he said, and recalled that Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa and Union Minister for Coal and Mines Pralhad Joshi had held a meeting last month and resolved to sort out the matter. "The expects to earn a revenue of Rs 647 crore a year from the mine," he said. Among other cabinet decisions taken were to demolish Karnataka Bhavan-1 in New Delhi and construct a new building. The Chief Minister would perform the groundbreaking ceremony on September 18, Madhuswamy said. Allowing electricity supply companies to obtain Rs 5,575 crore as long-term loans, grant of 87.31 acres in Belagavi district for Rani Chennamma University and a plan to install LED bulbs in Mysore at an estimated cost of 109.9 crore were some of the other decisions taken. If successful, then LED streetlights will be used in urban areas of the state. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Credit: CC0 Public Domain Roughly 1 in 10 patients diagnosed with COVID-19 needed to return to the hospital within a week of discharge from an emergency department visit, according to data from the first three months of the COVID-19 outbreak in the Philadelphia regionMarch, April and May 2020. Researchers in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania also found that factors like lower pulse oximetry levels and fever were some of the most telling symptoms that resulted in return trips that resulted in admission. This information, published in Academic Emergency Medicine, could prove invaluable to clinicians working to fight a disease. "We hope this study helps emergency clinicians have more informed conversations with patients suspected to have COVID-19," said the study's lead author Austin Kilaru, MD, an Emergency Medicine physician at Penn Medicine. "It can be difficult to make this diagnosis and send patients home without knowing if they will get sick in the coming days. This study gives clinicians a few signposts to know how often and when patients may need to return, and what risk factors to pay attention to." The study looked at 1,419 patients who went to an emergency department (ED) between March 1 and May 28, 2020, were discharged, and tested positive for COVID-19 in the seven days surrounding that visit. Data showed that 4.7 percent of the patients returned to the hospital and were admitted within just three days for their initial ED visit, and an additional 3.9 percent were hospitalized within a week. In total, that meant that 8.6 percent of patients were coming back to the hospital after their first ED visit due to COVID-19. "We were surprised with the overall rate that patients return and need admission, which is twice that of other illnesses," Kilaru explained. "The concern is not that emergency physicians are making wrong decisions, but rather that COVID can be unpredictable and turn severe rather quickly." A population that the study showed was particularly vulnerable were patients over 60 years old. Compared to patients in the 18 to 39 years of age range, those over 60 were more than five times as likely to require hospitalization after being discharged from their initial emergency department visit. Those in the 40 to 59 age range were found to be three times as likely to require hospitalization than the younger group. When it came to individual symptoms, the study showed that patients of any age with low pulse oximetry readings were about four times as likely to require hospitalization upon return as compared to those with higher readings, while patients with fevers were more than three times as likely as compared to those without. "If the patient had other factors such as an abnormal chest X-ray, the likelihood of needing to come back to be hospitalized goes up even more," said the study's senior author, M. Kit Delgado, MD, an assistant professor of Emergency Medicine and Epidemiology. The study collected demographic data for patients, which showed no signs of differences along racial or gender lines. "This further contributes to the evidence that the known racial disparities in COVID mortality are not related to differences in care and outcomes among patients once treated in the same hospital system. Rather, the disparities are structural related to the higher rates of infection and access to care in low-income communities, which are disproportionately Black and Hispanic." With the hope that their findings can better inform doctors on who is most appropriate for home recovery, the researchers called out remote monitoring as a useful tool for looking after COVID-19 patients. An example of this is Penn Medicine's COVID Watch system, a text-message-based system that sends daily check-ups on known COVID-19 patients recuperating at home to make sure their symptoms aren't worsening. To date, more than 5,500 patients have been enrolled in the system, which is the subject of a new Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) study for which Delgado, Kilaru amd the other researchers on this study are also serving as investigators. "We are eagerly awaiting the result of this study, which focuses specifically on pulse oximetry," Delgado said. Other authors on the completed hospital readmission study included Kathleen Lee, MD; Christopher K. Snider; Zachary F. Meisel, MD; David A. Asch, MD; and Nandita Mitra, Ph.D.; all of Penn. Explore further Follow the latest news on the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak More information: Austin S. Kilaru et al, Return Hospital Admissions Among 1419 Covid19 Patients Discharged from Five US Emergency Departments, Academic Emergency Medicine (2020). Journal information: Academic Emergency Medicine Austin S. Kilaru et al, Return Hospital Admissions Among 1419 Covid19 Patients Discharged from Five US Emergency Departments,(2020). DOI: 10.1111/acem.14117 LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / September 15, 2020 / Decision Diagnostics Corp. (OTC PINK:DECN) through its subsidiary Pharma Tech Solutions, Inc. the manufacturers and design specifiers for the :10.5 GenViro! Professional Swift Kit for testing Covid-19 testing, today announced that it has entered into agreement with a major investor for a six month 8% Promissory Note. Principal and interest will be due and payable in six months. Separately the company has announced that six existing Promissory Notes with the same investor have been extended for an additional four (4) months each. The new Note and the previous Notes are for payment of principal and interest only. No conversion rights are included. The company had previously announced that the GenViro! Swift kit will be available for sale on September 26, 2020 in select International venues. ABOUT DECISION DIAGNOSTICS CORP Decision Diagnostics Corp. is the leading manufacturer and worldwide distributor of diabetic test strips engineered to operate on legacy glucose meters. DECN's products are designed to operate efficiently and less expensively on certain glucose meters already in use by almost 7.5 million diabetics worldwide. With new inspired technology diabetic test strips already in the final stages of development, DECN products compete on a worldwide scale with legacy manufacturers currently selling to 71+ percent of a $15+ billion at-home testing market. The company's new GenViro!TM product designed to test for the Coronavirus Covid-19, is not yet available in the United States or Puerto Rico but Emergency Waivers remain in process. The company has signed a distribution agreement covering ten (1) International nations in Asia and is in later stage negotiations with a Russian Federation partner, a partner in the EU, and a potential partner in Africa. Forward-Looking Statements: This release contains the company's forward-looking statements which are based on management's current expectations and assumptions as of September 14, 2020, regarding the company's business and performance, its prospects, current factors, the economy, and other future conditions and forecasts of future events, circumstances, and results. CONTACT INFORMATION: Decision Diagnostics Corp. Keith Berman (805) 446-2973 info@decisiondiagnostics.co www.genultimate.com www.genultimatetbg.com www.pharmatechdirect.com SOURCE: Decision Diagnostics Corp. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/606026/DECN-Enters-into-an-Additional-6-Month-300000-Promissory-Note-With-Major-Current-Investor-to-Further-Assist-Launch-of-Genviro-Swift-Kits-for-the-Detection-of-the-Covid-19-Virus The Delhi high court on Tuesday put on hold the armys decision to post two of its senior officers, a married couple, to different parts of the country. The decision by a bench of Justices Rajiv Sahai Endlaw and Asha Menon came on a plea moved by the husband -- Colonel Amit Kumar -- challenging the May 15 posting order issued by the Military Secretary Branch, his lawyer said. Senior advocate Rana Mukherjee and advocate Sunil J Mathews appeared for Col Kumar. Mathews said that the court has asked the army to consider the plea as a representation and to take a decision on the couples plea for a posting at the same or geographically close location. The high court also asked the army to inform it about the decision on the representation after four weeks when the matter will be taken up, he said. He also said that till the next date the bench put on hold the May 15 orders posting Col Kumar and his wife Col Anu Dogra, both of whom are in the Judge Advocate General (JAG) branch of the army and presently posted in Jodhpur, to Port Blair in Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Bhatinda in Punjab, respectively. Central government standing counsel Harish Vaidyanathan said he opposed the plea moved by Col Kumar. Col Kumar, in his plea filed through advocates Ashim Dua and Tasmin Singh, has said that he had requested the Army in August for reconsideration of his date of movement and also leave of 30 days to attend the piping ceremony of his wife, and secure the relocation of his family, which included his aged parents and minor son, to Bhatinda. However, his requests were denied, the petition has said and added that the decision taken to transfer them without considering their preferences was in violation of the laid down policy and standard operating procedure regarding posting of senior officers. His petition has alleged that the decision to transfer him and his wife to far off locations has been taken as he had filed a statutory complaint against the JAG, Indian Army as well as Deputy JAG, Headquarters Southern Command, Pune. He has contended that the two senior officers allegedly influenced the said posting orders. Col Kumar, in his petition, has said that since his requests were denied he has been forced to put up his papers for voluntary premature retirement despite an unblemished and stellar service. An army of volunteers who have led the search for missing Belgian backpacker Theo Hayez have spotted new details about the watch he was wearing when he vanished. The tourist, who was 18 at the time, was last seen leaving Cheeky Monkey's bar in Byron Bay, northern New South Wales, on May 31, 2019, after being asked to leave about 11pm. He was staying at the Wake Up! hostel, and was wearing a black hooded jumper, tan pants, black shoes and watch, and a grey Puma hat. The hat was found five weeks later but police called off the search and referred his disappearance to the NSW coroner after failing to find any trace of him. Now, the search team have taken to the Looking for Theo Hayez Facebook page asking for help to identify the 'make, brand and model' of his digital wristwatch. The Looking for Theo Hayez Facebook group is calling for more information on the make, brand and model of the watch the missing Belgian backpacker was last seen wearing on May 31, 2019 (pictured) Theo Hayez was last seen leaving Cheeky Monkey's restaurant and bar at Byron Bay in New South Wales on May 31, 2019, after being asked to leave about 11pm (pictured) 'We recently found out that the black watch that Theo was wearing wasn't the one we thought but a new one rather similar,' a post on the page read. 'The display (digital only, no hands) and the straps are different. 'Please have a look at this photo. Can you help us to identify the make, brand and model?' Many of the group's 16,000 followers were quick to identify it as a G-Shock watch, but others questioned its authenticity, with some pointing out it could be a 'knock off' or a 'cheapie if purchased from a market'. 'Have sold G-Shock for over 30 years. Im not convinced its a G-Shock by the casing and strap the way it sits,' one person commented under the post. 'I've been looking at Casio G-Shocks all morning and I'm not convinced it's one either ... All the G-Shocks, even the older types, have a rounded insignia at the Top. Theo's has a straight one,' another said. 'There are so many models in this type and lots of cheap copies so depends on where he got it,' a third follower wrote. Theo Hayez (pictured) was reportedly wearing a black hooded jumper, tan pants, black shoes and a grey Puma hat the night of his disappearance The tourist (pictured with his girlfriend, Severine Marcotty) was reportedly also wearing a black watch - a detail the Looking for Theo Hayez Facebook group is calling for more information on Data from Hayez's phone has traced this route as his last known movements before he vanished on the night of May 31, 2019 The urgent appeal for information about Hayez's watch comes after the backpacker's cousin, Lisa Hayez, speculated he might have been with a mystery person on the night of his disappearance. She claimed Google data tracked the tourist walking 'a very unusual path through thick bushland', which 'leads us to believe someone must have been with him.' 'After we were able to access his google data, we realised that the night he disappeared, he walked a very unusual path through thick bushland that is impossible to imagine that he walked alone,' she said in June. The leading theory in Hayez's disappearance is he fell while trying to climb cliffs near Tallows Beach and his body washed away. Staff at Wake Up! notified authorities of his disappearance when they found his belongings - including his passport - untouched several days later. Police began a land, sea and air searches with efforts continued well into 2020. A grey Puma cap, believed to have belong to Hayez, was discovered in bushland off Tallows Beach and police conducted DNA tests on hair found in it. Although the testing was inconclusive, Hayez's family were certain it belonged to the missing backpacker. The hat was found by a member of the public in the same area where the last 'ping' from Theo's phone was recorded on June 1 around the Cape Byron Lighthouse. 'Because Byron is such a transit town, travellers come and go every day,' Ms Hayez said in the video. In the lead up to this confirmation, the Belgian backpacker's father, Laurent Hayez (pictured), called for calm in the search for both missing people Search efforts for the 19-year-old continued well into 2020, with police conducting DNA tests on hair found in what is believed to be Theo's grey cap (pictured), which was discovered in bushland off Tallows Beach A missing persons flyer of Belgian backpacker Theo Hayez, 18, on a sign at Byron Bay in NSW 'Someone might have been with him or seen him and might not have even known he had gone missing.' Hayez's family posted a heartfelt message on the Looking For Theo Facebook group in May, thanking those who had helped to search for the backpacker - as well as giving an insight into the latest police efforts in 2020. 'Since the beginning of the year, we have spoken less publicly about developments,' the post read. 'Far from us giving up hope or dedication, the main reason is because the ongoing police process means we need to be careful about what we say. 'We think about Theo every minute and would like to share any information that may help find out what happened to him - but we have to be careful that we also give the police the best chance of finding this out. 'It breaks our hearts every day and we hope that they will soon have some clarity for us.' The Constitutional Court of Romania (CCR) ruled on Tuesday that there is no legal conflict between the government and Parliament following the tabling of a motion of censure in an extraordinary session, sources with CCR told AGERPRES on Tuesday. The court on Monday considered government's request to find out if there is a conflict between the government, on the one hand, and Parliament, on the other hand, "generated by the tabling of a motion of censure in between two ordinary parliamentary sessions with the consequence of convening an extraordinary session exclusively for the presentation of the motion without its debate or a vote on it." Mexico President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has ordered the immediate recovery of the bodies of 63 coal miners who were killed in a 2006 mine collapse. As part of the effort to remove the victims, the Mexican government also announced Monday it will also remove coal which will be used for fuel. Only two bodies were recovered after the methane explosion at the Pasta de Conchos mine in the northern state of Coahuila on February 19, 2006. However, 63 other workers are still buried beneath tons of rock and coal some 492 feet below ground. The deadly blast also left 13 people injured. Mexico President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said Monday that the Federal Electricity Commission will lead efforts to recover the bodies of 63 coal miners who died in a February 2016 mine explosion. The Coahuila blast killed 65 miners and injured 11. Miners photographed February 21, 2006 at the Pasta de Conchos mine in Coahuila, Mexico. Rescuers only removed the bodies of two coal mine workers of the 65 who were killed in the coal mine blast A miner (photographed February 19, 2015) in Mexico City passes in front of the representations of coffins during the protest to commemorate the anniversary of the tragic coal mine explosion that occurred in the Pasta de Conchos mine in Coahuila The agreement with victims' relatives to recover the bodies is likely to reinforce Lopez Obrador's reputation as a fan of fossil fuels, at a time when much of the world is turning away from them. Lopez Obrador's longstanding promise to dig out the victims has been placed in the hands of the Federal Electric Commission, the country's public utility. A clause in the agreement states that 'the families present give their consent so that once the recovery is concluded, the Federal Electric Commission can remove the coal to supply itself.' President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (photographed September 1, 2020) longstanding promise to dig out the victims has been placed in the hands of the Federal Electric Commission, the country's public utility. A Mexican soldier (photographed February 25, 2006) guards the entrance to the Pasta de Conchos coal mine The Mexican utility still operates power plants that burn coal and heavily polluting fuel oil. The Federal Electric Commission recently made it harder for private renewable energy companies to bring wind and solar facilities - some already built - online, arguing they had been given unfair advantages in pricing and transmission. Some observers say the decision was influenced by Mexico's need to get rid of fuel oil it produces as part of refining. Lopez Obrador has also made building new refineries and finding more oil a central part of his economic plan. Three previous administrations decided not to try to recover the bodies of the miners, saying it would be too dangerous and costly, with no guarantee of success. But victims relatives have continued to press authorities on the issue and Lopez Obrador had promised them he would try. Madan Sharma, the retired Naval officer who was attacked by Shiv Sena workers last week for sharing a cartoon mocking Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, met Maharashtra governor Bhagat Singh Koshiyari at Raj Bhavan on Tuesday. Sharma, accompanied by some Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders and ex-servicemen, complained to Koshiyari that the Uddhav Thackeray government was treating the suspects with kid gloves. After the meeting, Sharma said, The law should treat everyone the same way. Instead of cracking down on such elements, they (Sena workers) are being favoured. He also demanded Presidents rule in the state and the dissolution of the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government. Also Read: Navy veteran assaulted by Shiv Sena workers in Mumbai: Congress claims BJP MP orchestrated attack on ex-Army man, slams partys double standards BJP legislator Atul Bhatkhalkar accompanied Sharma and said they wanted a public apology from Thackeray for the incident. Uddhav Thackeray, as a chief of the Shiv Sena, should apologise for the attack carried out by his party workers, said Bhatkhalkar. The BJP had led the attack on the government over the issue, calling it state-sponsored terrorism. In an unusual move, Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh even spoke with Sharma over the telephone. The Sena, however, defended itself on Sunday saying it was not right to drag the party into this issue. The workers did not take permission from us and we condemn all such incidents. The police have already taken action. However at the same time, it was wrong to provoke people as they have high respect for their leaders, said Sena MP Sanjay Raut. Also Read: Was sharing CMs cartoon national work?: Sena on attack on ex-navy man On Sunday, actor Kangana Ranaut who has been engaged in a bitter war of words with Shiv Sena had also met Koshiyari. Ranaut cried foul over the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporations move to demolish part of her office, saying it was illegal. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Moscow: President Vladimir Putin cracked raunchy jokes on Tuesday as he poked fun at claims that Russian secret services filmed US President-elect Donald Trump with prostitutes. Showing he is familiar with the claims in the explosive dossier, Putin launched into a series of ribald jokes about prostitutes, riffing on Trumps former role as owner of the Miss Universe beauty contest. The unsubstantiated dossier published by American media last week alleged that Russia had gathered compromising information on Trump, namely videos involving prostitutes at a luxury Moscow hotel, supposedly as a potential means for blackmail. In his first public comments on the claims, Putin rubbished the idea that Russian secret services would have spied on Trump during his 2013 visit to Moscow for the Miss Universe final, as alleged in the dossier. Trump when he came to Moscow... wasnt any kind of political figure, we didnt even know of his political ambitions, Putin said, responding to a journalists question at a news conference. Does anyone think that our special services chase every American billionaire? Of course not, its just completely ridiculous. Putin also questioned why Trump would feel the need to hire prostitutes, given his opportunities to meet beautiful women at the Miss Universe contest. Hes a grown-up for a start and secondly a man who spent his whole life organising beauty contests and meeting the most beautiful women in the world, Putin said. I can hardly imagine that he ran off to a hotel to meet our girls of lowered social responsibility, said Putin, adding jokingly although they are of course the best in the I doubt Trump fell for that. Putin went on to compare those behind the dossier unfavourably with prostitutes. The people who order falsifications of the kind that are now circulating against the US president-electthey are worse than prostitutes, they dont have any moral limits at all. The fact that such methods are being used against the US president-elect is a unique case: nothing like this has happened before. This shows a significant level of degradation of the political elite in the West. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Brock Ervin demonstrates outside the Indiana House chamber before the state's 11 electors cast ballots for president and vice president in 2016. (Darron Cummings / Associated Press) Lets face an ugly possibility squarely: President Trump could get elected a second time without winning the popular vote. Indeed, according to most experts, thats the only way he could be reelected. This would almost surely prompt a chorus, yet again, of calls for scrapping the electoral college. I think that would be a mistake. I say that even as I acknowledge that Trump has undermined the electoral colleges legitimacy not because he owes his election to it, but because of how he has behaved since taking office. One of the electoral colleges purposes is to broaden the presidents mandate and agenda by forcing candidates to appeal to different parts of the country, and not just rack up votes in one region or a handful of states. But previous presidents who didnt win the popular vote made a point of reaching out, once in office, beyond the coalition that elected them and to at least pretend to lead the whole country. President Trump went a different way, effectively putting his thumb in the eye of the majority that didnt vote for him. But thats not an argument for getting rid of the electoral college, nor does it address the reasons people are mistakenly focusing on it. The first problem with its elimination is purely pragmatic. Electing presidents via popular vote would be a logistical disaster, rendering every recount a national recount. Moreover, eliminating the electoral college would require a wholesale revision of the Constitution. That process would almost surely fail, and it would certainly be ugly. Reasonable reformers understand this, which is why they propose a national compact by which states agree to direct their electors to vote in accordance with the national popular vote. Thatd be better than outright repeal, partly because if the compact backfired, it could be easily reversed. But popular elections would still raise problems. Candidates would be incentivized to rack-up huge majorities among their bases. An outright majority of votes could be gotten simply by populist appeals to a handful of large, highly urbanized states. If youre a pure democracy fetishist, that may sound fine. But how would that lessen polarization? Story continues Indeed, I think polarization not love of democracy is whats driving antipathy for the electoral college. Prior to 2016, there was a period when Democrats boasted of their Blue Wall, which gave them an electoral college advantage. But once Trump broke the wall, many of the same people suddenly declared the electoral college to be a white supremacist vestige of slavery (it wasnt). For complicated reasons, all fueled by polarization, voters, parties and politicians increasingly act as if we live in a parliamentary democracy, casting ballots for a party more than a candidate. Presidential contenders encourage this by insinuating, or stating outright, that winning an election is all that is required to implement their agenda. Partisan legislators and they are nearly all partisans now vote in near-lockstep with their president when theyre of the same party and in lockstep opposition when theyre not. Our constitutional system wasnt designed for this dysfunction. The federal system of checks and balances, at every level of government, was intended to foster stability and compromise, while protecting the rights of political minorities and, crucially, individual liberty. If you really think government should only be answerable to the immediate desires of 50% plus one of voters, why have a Bill of Rights? Such considerations are swept away when voters, parties and political institutions have neither the interest nor the capacity to honor them. The growing anger at the electoral college comes from the desire and expectation that all your political desires should be fulfilled without constraints simply by voting. But even parliamentary democracies dont actually work this way. Despite all the rhetoric about the electoral college being anachronistic, very few advanced democracies including none in Western Europe elect national leaders without some mediating process designed to filter out demagogues or the unfit. Such mechanisms are arguably more important in our system because we combine the head of state and the head of government in one person. From this perspective one could argue the electoral college isnt too strong, but too weak. Regardless, the electoral college, like states themselves, are part of a system intended not so much to constrain democracy, but to channel it productively. Removing it a major step toward nullifying states themselves would further centralize government and fuel the disordered politics foolishly driving the effort to abandon the electoral college in the first place. @JonahDispatch PHOENIX, Ore. In a season that has seen fast-moving fires lay waste to millions of acres along the West Coast, perhaps no town has seen the destructive fury that leveled parts of Phoenix, Ore. In the span of a few hours on Sept. 8, the Almeda Fire burned through large parts of not only Phoenix but the neighboring town of Talent, together home to 11,000 people. Local officials estimated that the fire destroyed nearly 1,800 homes and businesses. The ruin was so widespread that a week later, the authorities still would not allow residents to return home to see what was left. For days, many of the displaced were forced to scrutinize bits of aerial footage for clues, while others hiked for miles to get around roadblocks. Four days after the fire, a New York Times reporter stood in a Home Depot parking lot on the outskirts of town, trying to find a way in. The National Guard had blocked the main entry points, and the police were patrolling the streets for people who had sneaked in, worried about the danger of downed power lines and sinkholes. Headliner The Tyger Eddy Buckingham and his partner in Chinese Tuxedo, Jeff Lam, have headed, in dramatic fashion, to Southeast Asia with their new restaurant. The full black, orange, brown and yellow-splashed interior will not be revealed for a couple of weeks, but some of the furniture is being moved to the sidewalk for dining. On Sept. 30, the partners plan to open for indoor dining, restricted to 25 percent capacity (18 seats, with all-day dining available on weekends starting Oct. 17). The chef, Paul Donnelly, who is from Glasgow, Scotland, worked throughout Southeast Asia and is an owner. His menu makes ample use of ingredients like lemongrass, fried shallots, turmeric, curry leaves, banana blossoms, shrimp paste and green papaya. Dishes include stir-fried water spinach, oysters, fried chicken, fried rice, barbecue red shrimp and crispy lamb ribs. Mr. Buckingham named the restaurant for a William Blake poem, a favorite of his. (Opens Thursday) 1 Howard Street (Centre Street), 646-476-7566, thetygernyc.com. Opening Claudys Kitchen Before there was this Peruvian restaurant, which opened at the beginning of summer, there were Claudia Berroas flans. A native of Peru, she started making and selling the dessert, to much acclaim, in 2014. Theyre still being sold in several markets and at this Bronx restaurant, which she and her husband, Rich Berroa, own, and where she is the chef. Its a storefront offering empanadas with fillings like chicken, lomo saltado and green vegetables. The flans come in several flavors, including passion fruit, coffee and, for fall, pumpkin. Many of the Peruvian classics like papa a la huancaina, chaufa (fried rice) and yuca fries are listed as sides, but theyre worth sampling. The restaurant offers takeout and delivery. Theres seating in the park nearby, and Mr. Berroa plans to open for indoor dining on Sept. 30, accommodating 14 diners. 5981 Broadway (Manhattan College Parkway), Riverdale, Bronx, 718-884-7378, claudys.com. Le Bernardin The top-rated seafood palace, closed since the start of the pandemic, will reopen with indoor seating on Sept. 30. When Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo announced last week that indoor seating would be allowed to resume at 25 percent capacity in New York City, Eric Ripert, the chef and partner, was not sure whether it would work for the restaurant, or make economic sense. But he decided to go ahead. There will be 60 seats and a somewhat smaller menu for dinner only, Tuesday through Saturday, 5:30 to 9 p.m. Reservations are accepted. 155 West 51st Street, 212-554-1515, le-bernardin.com. Parcelle Patio at 632 On Hudson This is a pop-up wine bar from Parcelle, the wine shop adjacent to Legacy Records run by Grant Reynolds of Delicious Hospitality, and Christine Collado. The wine bar will be open through Oct. 31, serving wines by the glass and the bottle. Nibbles include shepherds pie from Myers of Keswick, a shop next door. (Wednesday) 632 Hudson Street (Horatio Street), parcellewine.com. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-15 17:52:28|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close MOGADISHU, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- International partners have called on Somali leaders who are meeting in Mogadishu to engage fully in serious dialogue aimed at reaching broad agreement on a credible and implementable electoral model. President Mohamed Farmaajo and leaders of the five regional states, as well as the governor of Banadir region, kicked off their meeting in Mogadishu on Sunday to discuss an inclusive model for the elections scheduled for December and February 2021. "The partners hope that other key Somali political stakeholders will also be consulted, as discussions advance, to expand support for an agreement and its implementation," the partners including the African Union, the EU and UN said in a joint statement issued on Monday evening. The Horn of Africa nation was due to hold parliamentary elections by December while presidential polls will take place in February 2021. The international partners commended President Farmajo' and the federal member states' presidents from Jubaland, Galmudug, HirShabelle, Southwest, and Puntland including Mogadishu mayor for participating in these important meetings in Mogadishu. "International partners appeal to Somalia's leaders to be guided by the national interest and the democratic aspirations of the Somali people at this historic moment," they said. Sources said the leaders are yet to agree on who will manage the polls since some leaders have opted for a joint electoral body while others prefer regional states. The number of electoral delegates is also a thorny issue at the meeting with some regional states saying the number 301 which was agreed during the previous meeting be reduced by half. Analysts say holding the 2020 universal vote is considered critical for the sake of entrenching the federal system of governance, which is required to appease communities and regions claiming systematic exclusion and marginalization for decades. The Horn of Africa nation last held one-person, one-vote elections in March 1969 when the government was overthrown in a bloodless military coup. Parliamentary and presidential elections took place in late 2016 and early 2017 through a system of indirect suffrage. Enditem Seven people, including several first responders, were taken to hospital in San Francisco, California, after a car crash on the Golden Gate Bridge possibly exposed them to the deadly drug fentanyl. At around 11:45am on Sunday, California Highway Patrol (CHP) officers responded to reports of an impaired driver stopped on the bridge after their car collided with a barrier, according to a statement by the agency. A member of the San Francisco Fire Department was the first to respond to the scene and tended to the driver while waiting for the CHP officers to arrive. The first CHP officer at the scene helped carry the man out of the vehicle and parked the car off the road, before he then tended to the driver. CHP Officer Andrew Barclay, of the agencys Marin office, told NBC News that first responders smelt what we believe is fentanyl, and said that the driver and CHP officer who entered the car quickly started showing signs of exposure to the drug. The driver was immediately treated with the narcotic overdose spray, Narcan, to bring him back, while the responding officer quickly became incapacitated and began convulsing and vomiting, Mr Barclay told NBC. He added that the CHP officer was then also given Narcan and rushed to hospital along with the driver, and claimed that the treatment likely saved his life. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is 50 to 100 times more powerful than morphine, which can cause breathing problems, nausea, and be fatal in small doses when produced illicitly, according to CNN. Later on Sunday, three other CHP officers, a Golden Gate Bridge patrol officer and a tow truck driver also fell ill and were treated at a local hospital. All of the individuals who were possibly exposed to fentanyl were released from hospital on Sunday evening, and a hazmat team from the Mill Valley Fire Department decontaminated all of the vehicles at the scene of the incident. Once its determined that its a possible fentanyl call, we have to treat it just as we do with all other infectious diseases or chemicals, Mill Valley Fire chief Scott Barnes told NBC. We have to wear proper equipment, otherwise we become the victim, he added. The driver, who is 32 years old, was arrested on suspicion of a misdemeanour, but was released on Sunday evening. Kim Kardashian West has criticised Instagram and Facebook for allowing the spread of hate, propaganda and misinformation. The reality star said she would be freezing her accounts on the social media platforms on Wednesday and urged others to do the same. She added that inaccurate social media posts have a serious impact on our elections and undermines our democracy. I love that I can connect directly with you through Instagram and Facebook, but I cant sit by and stay silent while these platforms continue to allow the spreading of hate, propaganda and misinformation created by groups to sow division and split America apart only to take steps after people are killed, she said. She shared the message alongside the #StopHateForProfit hashtag, which is being widely shared by people criticising the social media companies. Kardashian West has 188 million Instagram followers, while her Facebook page has been liked my more than 29,000,000 people. Comedian Sacha Baron Cohen and actor Mark Ruffalo have also posted in support of the #StopHateForProfit campaign. Facebook, which owns Instagram, has previously said it is taking steps to tackle disinformation online. Both platforms have been contacted for comment. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday addressed India China border tensions in Lok Sabha. In his statement, he said that China does not recognise India's traditional and customary alignment of boundary. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday said that India is ready to deal with any situation regarding the India-China border tensions. I want to assure you that we are ready to deal with any situation. I request this house to pass a resolution that we stand shoulder to shoulder with our armed forces who are guarding our borders to safeguard Indias sovereignty and integrity, Singh said in the Lok Sabha. He said that China does not recognise the traditional customary alignment of the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and the border issue between remains unresolved. India and China border issue remain unresolved. Till now, there has been no mutually acceptable solution. China disagrees on the border (issue). China does not recognise the traditional and customary alignment of the boundary. We consider that this alignment is based on well established geographical principles, Singh said. China doesn't recognise the traditional & customary alignment of the boundary. We consider that this alignment is based on well established geographical principals: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in Lok Sabha https://t.co/bbwC1AqQYj ANI (@ANI) September 15, 2020 #WATCH Defence Minister Rajnath Singh makes a statement on India-China border issue, in Lok Sabha (Source: Lok Sabha TV) https://t.co/1dlRokI1It ANI (@ANI) September 15, 2020 Also read: NDA candidate Harivansh re-elected as RS Dy Chairman, Oppn candidate Manoj Jha defeated Also read: 17 MPs including Meenakshi Lekhi, Ananth Kumar test Covid positive as Parl session begins Both India and China agree that to maintain peace and tranquillity in the India-China border areas, it is essential for the further development of bilateral relations, he added. The Defence Minister said that India has told China through diplomatic channels that the attempts to unilaterally alter the status quo were in violation of the bilateral agreements. Violent conduct of Chinese troops is a violation of all past agreements. Our troops have done counter deployments in the area to safeguard our borders, he stated. Singh said that China has mobilised a huge number of Army battalions and armaments along LAC and inner areas. There are many friction points in eastern Ladakh, Gogra, Kongka La, Pangong Lakes north and south banks. Indian Army has made counter deployments in these areas, he said. The two countries have been engaged in a standoff position since April-May timeframe and the Chinese have refused to vacate areas in the Finger area and other friction points in the Eastern Ladakh area. Multiple rounds of talks have also failed to yield any significant result in defusing the tensions and now the Indian side has prepared itself for long term deployment in the high mountainous region. Also read: Bhushan seeks review of SC judgment in contempt case after paying 1 Rupee fine More than half a decade since first considering the move, a company that imports and sells upscale glassware, table settings and other home decor is relocating its headquarters to North Charleston. Juliska, founded in 2001 by husband and wife David and Capucine Gooding, will invest $1.9 million in offices, a distribution center, a design studio and an outlet store for local sales. The company is moving from Stamford, Conn., and plans to hire 51 workers at its new location at Palmetto Commerce Park. The distribution center will open next month and the outlet store will follow in November. David Gooding said he and his wife have been visiting Charleston for years "and always dreamed of one day relocating our company here." "The historic architecture, natural beauty, growing business community and abundant sense of 'family' here are the perfect fit with our European heritage and brand values," he said. "Juliska is about gratitude and making those family gatherings unforgettable. We believe we dont just make stuff, but fuel for the beautiful blaze of togetherness. What better place than Charleston to build our next chapter." Local officials first contacted Juliska about bringing its mix of high-end furnishings to the Charleston area in 2014, said Mike Graney, vice president of global business development for the Charleston Regional Development Alliance. The move was put on hold because Juliska couldn't find the right place for a combination headquarters and distribution hub. "With new real estate options available, early in 2020 the conversation restarted," Graney said, adding that it took a group of advisers from the real estate, legal, staffing and government sectors to make the deal work. "Charlestons professional services capabilities are second to none and the community showed the company it could get the resources here needed to succeed." The couple formed Juliska after visiting a trade fair in Paris, where she was impressed by the Bohemian glassware on display. That led to a trip to Prague a couple years later. "They introduced us to the glassblowers in the Czech Republic," Capucine Gooding said, explaining how the company got its name. "The woman who introduced us was named Juliska." The company represents a continuation of the work David Gooding has done most of his life, having grown up in a family that owned a thriving import business in London that sold high-end tableware from the European continent to retailers. "I worked my way up in the company, starting from the warehouse and ending up selling my family's product line to the finest upscale clients we had at the time," he said during an interview with the New England Journal of Entrepreneurship. He moved to the United States to attend college and because he liked this country's "sky's the limit" attitude toward business. The company's most recent catalog features more than 900 items from bowls, plates and glassware to linens, bar tools and silverware with the tag line "no one lingers wistfully over a paper plate." Juliska imports its products through the Port of Charleston, which has seen a surge in home furnishing imports during the coronavirus as consumers spend more time and money on their residences. Juliska's new location at 7991 Palmetto Commerce Blvd. is part of the Palmetto Trade Center project developed by SunCap Property Group. Charleston County Council's finance committee is expected to discuss tax incentives for Juliska during a meeting Thursday and the state Coordinating Council for Economic Development has approved tax credits based on the number of jobs that will be created. The Air Force is setting new targets to ensure it is recruiting a force that represents the country's diversity, shaking up how it finds prospective members, the service's top recruiting chief said this week. Air Force recruiters must look beyond the southern and western states that have historically turned out the most recruits, Maj. Gen. Edward Thomas Jr., Air Force Recruiting Service's commander, said Monday during the 2020 virtual Air, Space and Cyber conference, hosted by the Air Force Association. That's why his command set new diversity targets it will try to meet monthly in 2021, he said. The Air Force can no longer afford for significant segments of American society to be underrepresented in the ranks, Thomas said. "This isn't a quota; it's a target," he said. "But we've got to be able to measure this, look at it and be able to adjust and tweak to ensure we can move the needle." Read Next: Air Force Unveils New 'E-Series' Designation for Advanced Aircraft and Weapons The Air Force must recruit "the best of the best," Thomas said, and it is currently limiting itself by not connecting with some prospective recruits who might not be the obvious choice for military service. "Until we're able to equally recruit from all of these demographics," he said, "I don't know that we'll have the best of the best." The May death of George Floyd, a Black man who died in police custody in Minnesota, has only proven the need for the Air Force to address the issue of diversity in the ranks, Thomas added. Floyd's death has prompted nationwide protests about racism and police brutality and led the military to review its policies to rid the ranks of discriminatory processes. Thomas called Floyd's death a tragedy that has given the Air Force "an accelerant to change -- a renewed sense of urgency." Before becoming Air Force chief of staff, Gen. Charles "CQ" Brown, the military's first-ever Black service chief, talked about his own career struggles. He recalled being the only African American in his squadron or being asked if he was a pilot even though he was wearing the same flight suit and wings as his peers. "I'm thinking about how I can make improvements personally, professionally and institutionally so that all airmen -- both today and tomorrow -- can appreciate the value of diversity and serve in an environment where they can reach their full potential," Brown said following Floyd's death. Air Force Recruiting Service will review monthly whether it is meeting targets for every major demographic, Thomas said. It will use data analytics to "very precisely target the kinds of folks that we're trying to attract into the military," he added. The primary challenge is in the officer corps and, as Brown described, particularly among pilots. About 86% of Air Force aviators are currently white men. Less than 3% of pilots are women. But there's work to do on the enlisted side, too, Thomas said, where Asian Americans tend to be underrepresented. "We're not talking about lowering the bar," he said. "We're talking [about] fishing in the right places, being able to attract those people who might not be interested ... and convincing them that the U.S. Air Force or the U.S. Space Force is a great way of life." Lt. Col. Annie Sunshine Driscoll, commander of Air Force Recruiting Service Detachment 1, recalled being in a room with many of the Air Force wing commanders and noticing the lack of diversity. Honestly, I could look around that table and it was about 20 to 25 wing commanders, and almost every single one of them was a white male, she said. It was really astonishing to me to see, Wow, so many of these folks came from, you know, very similar backgrounds, and had very similar upbringings in the Air Force and all really have the exact same look. The Air Force needs diversity of thought at every level of leadership, Driscoll said. Thomas agrees. What gives the U.S. its strength is that its a melting pot, he said, and the Air Force needs to better reflect that. Many leaders come from military families like his own with a history of military service. Now the Air Force needs to make sure its introducing that option to people who havent previously considered a military career. Driscoll said she was one of those prospective candidates who didn't have a connection to the Air Force. If someone hadn't nudged her into applying for a Reserve Officer Training Corps scholarship, she said she never would've considered an Air Force career. Those are the kinds of connections Thomas said the Air Force needs to ensure it is making. "Quotas are illegal [and] that that's not what we're doing," he stressed. "It's not reverse discrimination. It's simply making sure everybody understands the opportunities available in our Air Force and our Space Force." -- Gina Harkins can be reached at gina.harkins@military.com. Follow her on Twitter @ginaaharkins. Related: Space Wars: Why Top Military Leaders Say US Must Prep for Battles Beyond Earth Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-15 19:38:49|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close HONG KONG, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Hong Kong announced Tuesday its third round of anti-epidemic fund worth about 24 billion Hong Kong dollars (3.1 billion U.S. dollars) in the latest effort to fight COVID-19 and bail out an economy reeling from the epidemic. The fund was unveiled at a press conference of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government on Tuesday afternoon. Some 13 billion Hong Kong dollars will be allocated to purchase vaccines, fend off a possible wave of epidemic in the coming winter, and promote no-touch payments at markets, among others. About 4.5 billion Hong Kong dollars will be used for propping up virus-hit sectors, including catering, tourism and transport, and assisting people in need. Besides, the rental of government-owned properties will be reduced and 27 types of government fees will be exempted as part of relief measures to help cash-starved individuals, which is equivalent to about 5 billion Hong Kong dollars. Taking into account the new measures, the HKSAR government has appropriated anti-epidemic funds of more than 300 billion Hong Kong dollars this year to help businesses and residents weather out the hardship caused by the epidemic. Financial Secretary of the HKSAR government Paul Chan predicts the latest relief measures can support the economic growth by slightly more than 5 percentage points. Chan also estimates that the fiscal deficits will rise to over 300 billion Hong Kong dollars and the fiscal reserves will drop to over 800 billion Hong Kong dollars, or 12 to 13 months of expenditures. (1 U.S. dollar equals 7.75 HK dollars) Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-16 03:09:53|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Photo taken on Sept. 15, 2020 shows the signing ceremony of normalization agreements between the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain with Israel at the White House in Washington, D.C., the United States. Israel signed agreements to normalize diplomatic ties with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain at the White House on Tuesday. (Photo by Ting Shen/Xinhua) WASHINGTON, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Israel signed agreements to normalize diplomatic ties with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain at the White House on Tuesday. U.S. President Donald Trump joined Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nahyan and Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani in signing the three-way agreements. The signing ceremony, which was held in the South Lawn at the White House, formally makes the UAE and Bahrain the third and the fourth Arab nation to establish diplomatic ties with Israel. Egypt and Jordan signed their peace deals with Israel in 1979 and 1994, respectively. The signing also demonstrated that the Trump administration is eager to showcase its foreign policy achievement and gain support among pro-Israel evangelical Christians with the upcoming presidential election. Trump touted the historical significance of the agreements by calling them "peace deals." The UAE and Bahrain have never fought a war against Israel in history, and the unofficial relationship between Israel and the two Arab states have developed for years. Netanyahu hailed the normalization agreements as "a pivot of history" that heralds new dawn of peace, saying Israel, the UAE and Bahrain are eager to invest in a future of partnership, prosperity and peace. Bahrain's foreign minister noted that the agreement is an important first step, while emphasizing the two-state solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. "Today's agreement is an important first step and it is now incumbent on us to work urgently and actively to bring about the lasting peace and security our peoples deserve a just, comprehensive, and enduring two-state solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict will be the foundation, the bedrock of such peace," he said. Sheikh Abdullah of the UAE in his remarks expressed thanks to Netanyahu for halting the annexation of Palestinian territories, calling it "a decision that reinforces our shared will to achieve a better future for generations to come." According to the Israel-UAE deal announced on Aug. 13, Israel agrees to suspend its plan to annex parts of the occupied Palestinian territories in the West Bank. The Palestinian leadership, which has long accused the Trump administration of being biased in favor of Israel, condemned the deals. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas called on all Arab countries to abide by the Arab Peace Initiative, launched in 2002, which stipulates that the Arabs can only normalize relations with Israel after the Palestinian issue is resolved. Kamala Harris has spoken of the 'Harris administration' during a virtual roundtable before quickly clarifying Joe Biden will be president. Discussing the Democrat's plans for the economy the candidate for vice president said Saturday: 'A Harris administration, together with Joe Biden as the president of the United States.' She quickly clarified: 'The Biden-Harris administration will provide access to $100 billion in low-interest loans and investments from minority business owners.' Donald Trump has previously called Biden 'a Trojan horse for socialism'. Vice President Mike Pence has said: 'Joe Biden would be nothing more than a Trojan horse for the radical left.' Harris' slip up caused some online to suggest she had accidentally revealed the Democrat's plans for her to be in charge. Twitter user @gertymars wrote: 'WOW!! What we all knew and she confirmed it.' Daily Caller's Greg Price said: 'Uh oh, Kamala. You weren't supposed to say that part out loud!!' Kamala Harris on Monday spoke of the 'Harris administration' during a virtual roundtable before quickly clarifying Joe Biden will be president Former vice president and Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden and Senator from California and Democratic vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris pictured in August "A Harris administration together with Joe Biden..." Freudian slip? pic.twitter.com/XEtLji17BX Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) September 15, 2020 Biden named California Sen. Harris as his running mate last month, making history by selecting the first Black woman to compete on a major party's presidential ticket. The 55-year-old first-term senator, who is also of South Asian descent, is one of the party's most prominent figures. She quickly became a top contender for the No. 2 spot after her own White House campaign ended. Trump, who had donated to her previous campaigns, argued she was 'about the most liberal person in the U.S. Senate.' 'I would have thought that Biden would have tried to stay away from that a little bit,' he said. Harris had been talking to small business owners in Arizona when she made the gaffe, appearing to suggest she was top of the ticket. Trump has previously said Biden is 'a puppet of Bernie Sanders, AOC and the radical left'. He has also frequently questioned Biden's cognitive abilities, challenged him to take a cognitive test and has called himself a 'very stable genius.' In one of his favorite riffs to supporters at his campaign rallies, Trump pretends to be a lost Joe Biden trying to figure out what state he is in. In May Biden referred to himself as a 'transition candidate'. But in August he said he will absolutely serve two terms if elected president. Harry Reid, the Democratic former Senate majority leader, told The New York Times: 'Joe being 77, I think people are going to look to see who is the person who could be the next president. Former Senator Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota said of the VP nomination: 'This is really auditioning to be the next leader of the Democratic Party.' Harris' slip up caused some online to suggest she had accidentally revealed the Democrat's plans for her to be in charge In August Jill Biden was forced to defend her husband. 'I see Joe every single day. He's writing speeches. He's being briefed, making phone calls, he's doing zoom constantly, he's doing fundraisers. We go from nine in the morning till, gosh, 10, 11 at night I don't see any of that,' she said on ABC's 'Good Morning America.' 'I mean, Joe is totally engaged and you know Joe, I mean he just, he loves it. He's the, I guess, consummate politician,' she added. She told NBC's Today show the attacks were 'ridiculous.' Marketers can now control their ad adjacencies with a wide array of contextual signals, including the sentiment and the emotional classification of content on a specific page. This enables advertisers to find the most relevant content adjacencies for campaigns within brand-safe and suitable environments. The powerful tool also delivers a precise semantic understanding of page-level context - this enables advertisers to navigate common homonym scenarios that keywords cannot (such as the difference between "gun shot" versus "golf shot" content). Additionally, this cutting-edge technology allows publishers to more strategically categorize and monetize their content, leaving them better equipped to appropriately monetize news content versus competitive safety and suitability solutions. "IAS's Context Control is a gamechanger for the entire industry. Now advertisers can better navigate contextual adjacencies while publishers can more intelligently package and monetize their inventory," said Lisa Utzschneider, CEO, IAS. "We are excited to lead the way alongside The Globe and Mail and the media partners in their Alliance Network with this next generation of brand safety and suitability solutions". The Globe and Mail reaches millions of readers online every week, engaging Canadians through its award-winning coverage of news, politics, business, investing, and lifestyle topics, across multiple platforms. IAS's Context Control will allow Globe and Mail Media Group advertisers to confidently tap into their wide-spread audience knowing that their brand will appear in the right contexts and categories. "The Natural Language Processing offered through Context Control is part of what makes this an effective tool in our client arsenal," said Andrew Saunders, Chief Revenue Officer, The Globe and Mail. "The Globe will strengthen its ability to create customizable segments based on category, emotion, and sentiment and provide our advertisers with even more control over their ad placements and targeting." For more information on IAS's work with the Globe and Mail, please reach out to [email protected] ABOUT IAS Integral Ad Science (IAS) is the global leader in digital ad verification, offering technologies that drive high-quality advertising media. IAS equips advertisers and publishers with both the insight and technology to protect their advertising investments from fraud and unsafe environments as well as to capture consumer attention, and drive business outcomes. Founded in 2009, IAS is headquartered in New York with global operations in 17 offices across 12 countries. IAS is part of the Vista Equity Partners portfolio of software companies. For more on how IAS is powering great impressions for top publishers and advertisers around the world, visit integralads.com. ABOUT The Globe and Mail The Globe Media Group is the advertising arm of The Globe and Mail, Canada's top publisher. It offers an expanded portfolio of products and services, built on the same values and integrity of The Globe and Mail and designed for a modern 360 marketing experience. Through the Globe Media Group, advertisers can connect with 21 million Canadians monthly through The Globe and Mail newspaper print and digital properties, Globe Alliance Network, programmatic display, custom content, and Globe events. Learn more about the Globe Media Group at globemediagroup.ca . SOURCE Integral Ad Science, Inc. Related Links www.integralads.com TCM supplies are sold at the Chinese Medicinal Herbs Market in Bozhou. [Photo by Fan Yuanyuan/chinadaily.com.cn] Home to the renowned Chinese physician Hua Tuo who lived in the late Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220), Bozhou in East China's Anhui province boasts rich resources in TCM traditional Chinese medicine, making it the country's largest TCM production area and trading hub. The Chinese Medicinal Herbs Market in Bozhou is one of the 17 major specialized TCM markets in China. The market site covers an area of about 667,000 square meters, while the trading area over three floors covers 1.2 million sq m. There are more than 3,000 stalls in the trading hall and more than 20,000 merchants. The total market turnover last year hit 40 billion yuan ($5.87 billion), accounting for nearly 45 percent of the total volume of transactions in similar markets nationwide. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, in order to help its individual tenants, the market turned to online platforms, such as Douyin known as TikTok overseas, to broaden sales channels in June, according to Su Biao, deputy operations director of the market. The market is also a national 3A-level tourist attraction and a demonstration park for service industries in Anhui, Su added. The warehouse of Jiren Pharmaceutical Group in Bozhou. [Photo by Fan Yuanyuan/chinadaily.com.cn] Bozhou-based Jiren Pharmaceutical Group is a leading TCM formulas and TCM prepared pieces manufacturer in Anhui. The group attaches great importance to academic exchanges and cooperation at home and abroad. It has successively carried out academic exchanges and project cooperation with the University Hamburg in Germany, the University of Southampton in the UK and the China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences. The group's leading product Shufeng Jiedu Capsules has been included on the recommended Chinese patent medicines list for the COVID-19 medical observation period by the National Health Commission of China. "Our formula granule has entered pharmacies in Germany," said Cao Yong, chief economist of Jiren. A tourist site is planned in Bozhou's Yaowang village. [Photo by Fan Yuanyuan/chinadaily.com.cn] Elsewhere, in Bozhou's Yaowang village, a tourist site is about to take shape. The site will have multiple functions including a TCM expo, leisure, tourism, education and a traditional local customs exhibition, according to Li Yuliang, Party secretary of Yaowang village. Australia's worst female serial killer Kathleen Folbigg has launched another bid for freedom, arguing a former judge who reviewed her case did not 'come to grips' with evidence that she claims proves her innocence. Folbigg was jailed in 2003 for at least 25 years for murdering her children Patrick, Sarah and Laura - aged from eight months to 19 months - between 1991 and 1999. She was also found guilty of the manslaughter of her first-born child, Caleb, who was just 19 days old when he died in Newcastle in 1989. The 53-year-old has always maintained her innocence. Last month a group of 27 scientists released findings which show at least two of her children may have died of natural causes. Kathleen Folbigg has made a bid for freedom, arguing a former judge who reviewed her case did not 'come to grips' with the latest scientific evidence that she claims proves her innocence Folbigg was jailed in 2003 for at least 25 years for murdering her children Patrick, Sarah (right) and Laura (left) - aged from eight months to 19 months - between 1991 and 1999 She was also found guilty of the manslaughter of her first child, Caleb (left), who was 19 days old when he died in Newcastle in 1989. Patrick Folbigg pictured right Folbigg has since launched legal proceedings against the inquiry's chief, former NSW District Court Judge Reginald Oliver Blanch QC AM. The 53-year-old alleges he acted with 'apprehended bias' against her, while making mistakes in his findings. The NSW Supreme Court on Tuesday heard Folbigg would argue Mr Blanch failed to properly accept the information collected by medical experts since she was sentenced, The Daily Telegraph reported. 'I apprehend that underlying (Folbigg's) stated grounds there is a proposition the judicial officer did not, in some way, come to grips with new medical - immunological and genetic - evidence post trial,' Justice John Basten said. Folbigg's lawyers are preparing to prove a 'significant shift in the scientific material' took place, and are aiming to have Mr Blanche's report be declared legally flawed'. The Attorney-General denied the accusations against Mr Blanch. The matter was adjourned until February 2021. In a peer-reviewed study published on in August, researchers in Australia, Canada, the United States, France, Italy and Denmark said a never-seen-before genetic mutation in the two girls' DNA had likely been deadly. The Danish scientists said the mutation, called CALM2 G114R, had been inherited from Folbigg. They said Caleb and Patrick had another genetic mutation which too could have led to their deaths. The CALM2 mutation causes a condition called 'Calmodulinopathy' which can cause sudden cardiac death in very young children, the paper's lead scientist said. Folbigg leaving the Supreme Court of NSW in April 2003. Scientists have said a never-seen-before genetic mutation found in her two girls' DNA had likely been deadly They said the boys' mutated genes had two different copies which caused lethal epilepsy in mice in cases where they were faulty. Professor of Immunology at the Australian National University Carola Vinuesa - who revealed the results to a scientists' symposium - was last year tasked with analysing the DNA of Folbigg and the four deceased children. Scientists had analysed the infants' genome using only the blood from their heel-prick cards at birth. The report by Mr Blanch said 'the only conclusion reasonably open is that somebody intentionally caused harm to the children, and smothering was the obvious method'. 'The evidence pointed to no person other than Ms Folbigg,' the report said. Tracy Chapman (pictured) has been friends with convicted child killer Kathleen Folbigg since the pair were six and she has maintained her best friend's innocence since she was sent to jail after her 2003 Sydney trial Folbigg's evidence and listening device transcripts - which weren't before the jury at trial - showed she had been untruthful, unbelievable and 'made deliberate attempts to obscure the fact that she had committed the offences', it said. The inquiry was announced by NSW Attorney-General Mark Speakman in 2018 after Folbigg's lawyers lodged a petition casting doubt on some evidence that led to her conviction. At the time, the attorney-general said he'd formed the view it was necessary 'to ensure public confidence in the administration of justice'. The results of the inquiry left Folbigg 'heartbroken and perplexed', friend Tracey Chapman told 7 News. She said despite the findings, they would continue to fight to prove her innocence. 'I can assure you, it's not over. Not until this gross injustice is recognised, the convictions overturned and this broken, arrogant, biased system apologises for its treatment of Kath. 'We have truth on our side and a growing number of supporters who are becoming very frustrated. I told her to try and find some comfort in these facts.' A court in Belgium declined to issue a ruling Tuesday on Spain's request for the extradition of rapper Jose Miguel Arenas Beltran, also known as Valtonyc. Beltran fled to Belgium after Spanish authorities sentenced him to prison for allegedly writing lyrics praising terror groups and insulting the Spanish royal family. Speaking outside the court of appeal in Ghent, the rapper's lawyer Simon Bekaert said Belgium's constitutional court had been asked to deliver an opinion as to whether an old law making it illegal to insult the king violated freedom of speech laws. "We are pretty confident in the outcome because there is already some case law from the European Court in Strasbourg confirming that this is a breach of freedom of speech,'' Bekaert told reporters. Greek police say they've arrested five migrants over the blaze that razed a major refugee camp on the island of Lesbos to the ground last week. Authorities say they are searching for one more person, and believe the fire was deliberately lit by camp occupants after quarantine measures were imposed following the discovery of coronavirus cases on the site. The incident has put the migrant issue firmly back on the European agenda. On Tuesday (September 15), Germany said it wanted to take in about 1,500 migrants in a gesture of solidarity - out of the 12,000 there. But a broader European solution has proved elusive for years, despite repeated appeals by countries like Greece and Italy. Thousands of the migrants left stranded by the blaze have refused to move to a new facility and demanded to leave the island instead. Locals are also feeling fed up with the strain of the crisis. Some feel they have been abandoned by both the government in Athens and Greece's European partners. Tensions have been high here for years, and protests by both locals and refugees have occasionally turned violent. "The picture is really terrible, things are getting worse, and if they finish the camp, and time passes, they will burn it again. These people want to leave, they should put them in boats and take them where they wish to go. Why do they keep them here, the longer they stay they feel like they are like prisoners, why don't they let them leave?" Migrants have said they want other European Union states to take them in. That's something they have in common with some of Lesbos' crisis-weary residents, who say that the island cannot take the burden much longer. Charities still need help, Sept. 11 The WE scandal serves to reinforce the notion that the charity sector should look at a different way of dealing with social disparities. Why should the country depend on the good will of corporations or individuals in order to ensure that everyone is provided with enough basic funding so they can live with dignity? The pandemic has had one potentially good result: It makes clear that the patchwork the government uses to fill the gaps does not cover the needs. I, for one, would welcome a tax increase instead of all the charities I contribute to, provided the money were applied to deliver a Universal Basic Income to everyone as well as additional guarantees for health and pharmaceutical needs. These measures may cost far less than unemployment insurance and other health supports to those in need. Margarida Krause, Guelph, Ont. SUV The portfolio of the Utah-based company currently includes three vehicles - Venice, Carmel, and Edison complete with a number of variants for each. Most of them are powered by 1.5-liter turbo engines, with the exception of the Edison (that figures) that draws its power from twin electric motors mounted up front.The three-wheeled adventure of Vanderhall is about to end though, or should we say expand into the four-wheelerterritory. Out of the blue, the company released a few hours ago a short video (available below) showing its plans to double the size of its production facility. The images then show how the Venice Off-Road Edition is NOT he next product to be made at the enlarged facility, but the Navaro.Stepping on the corpse of a Venice smashed to smithereens by a huge 30,000 lb. concrete block that falls upon it, the Navaro steps into the unrevealing shadows, showing a menacing stance, round headlight clusters, and a big light bar up top.What is it, you ask? Well, it looks like a SUV, we know it is going to be electric (Vanderhall says so), and it will come to the market in 2022. And thats it."In an effort to provide new and disruptive products to bolster our dealers profitability, cement our brands status as the premium powersports manufacturer, and expand our total market share, Vanderhall is pleased to announce the Navarro as our next evolutionary model. The four-wheel, all-electric, off-road Vanderhall Navarro will have many groundbreaking technologies and firsts for any production powersports model, said in a statement R. Scott Bell, Vanderhall COO.Excited about this? We sure are, and well update as soon as we learn more. Lisa Page, former legal counsel to former FBI Director Andrew McCabe, arrives on Capitol Hill in Washington on July 13, 2018. (Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images) Mueller Team Had Lisa Pages Phone It Claimed Was Lost, Email Shows Special counsel team wiped at least 21 other phones, prompting congressional scrutiny An official who worked on former special counsel Robert Muellers Russia investigation wrote in a recently released email that he or she was in possession of an iPhone belonging to Lisa Page three days after the former FBI lawyers last day on the job and at a time when the device was thought to have been lost. The special counsels office (SCO) and the Justice Department (DOJ) previously claimed to have no documents to show who handled Pages iPhone after she turned it in on July 14, 2017, or who improperly wiped it two weeks later, before it could be checked for records, in violation of SCO policy. But documents released by the DOJ on Sept. 11 tell a different story, with three officials certifying that Page turned over her phone and one claiming to have been in possession of it. I have her phone and laptop, an administrative officer with the initials LFW wrote in a July 17, 2017, email to Christopher Greer, an assistant director at the DOJ Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO). Beth McGarry, the executive officer at the special counsels office, told Greer in an email sent earlier in the day that Page returned her mobile phone and laptop. On the same day, a property custodian officer, whose name is redacted in the documents, signed a form on which Page certified that she turned in her phone and the officer certified that all government property has been returned or otherwise properly accounted for. The July 17 timing of the two statements and the signature is significant. The DOJ Office of Inspector General (OIG) previously concluded that there were no records of who had the phone after July 14. The records about Pages phone are part of a DOJ disclosure that revealed that members of the Mueller team improperly wiped at least 22 iPhones before they could be checked for records. Then-FBI official Peter Strzok confers with his legal counsel before a joint committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington on July 12, 2018. (Alex Edelman/Getty Images) These irregularities with the phones of Mueller investigators are either sloppiness or the deliberate destruction of evidenceand its probably not sloppiness, Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.), ranking member of the House Select Committee on Intelligence, told The Epoch Times in an email. On July 14, Pages last day at the SCO, McGarry met Page to fill out her exit clearance form. Page checked a box on the form to certify that she surrendered all government-owned property, including cellular telephones. McGarry signed the same form but later told the OIG that that she did not physically receive Pages issued iPhone. Page told the inspector general that she had left her assigned cell phone and laptop on a bookshelf at the office on her final day there. McGarry left the special counsels office for the private sector in March 2019, according to her LinkedIn profile. The DOJ OIG investigated the circumstances of the mobile phone issued to Lisa Page by the Special Counsels Office, McGarry told The Epoch Times in an email, referring to the December 2018 OIG report. She didnt immediately respond to a follow-up query about how to reconcile differences between the findings of the report and the new documents. The OIG, which interviewed the records officer, McGarry, Page, and LFW for the report, told The Epoch Times that the new documents arent at odds with its findings. We stand by the information in our text message report about Page turning in the device on July 14, Stephanie Logan, a senior public affairs specialist at the OIG, wrote in an email to The Epoch Times. The report concluded that neither Muellers office nor the DOJ had records reflecting who handled the device or who reset it after Page turned in her iPhone on July 14, 2017. Pages phone notably never made it into the hands of the special counsels records officer, who told the OIG that she never received the phone to examine it for any government records that would need to be retained. Phone not found, the records officer noted in a log she kept about the records on the phones assigned to the special counsels office staff. The DOJ found the device more than a year later and turned it over to the OIG, which determined that all of the data was deleted from the device on July 31, 2017. Wiped iPhones The records officers log shows that Pages iPhone wasnt the only device to elude an examination for government records. A total of at least 22 iPhones with unique asset tags used by the Mueller team were wiped before the records officer could review the contents, according to an Epoch Times review of four inventory logs and various forms released on Sept. 11. The Mueller team offered a number of excuses for the deletions. Two people claimed the phones wiped themselves. Others said they erased all the data by accident or had to do so because they forgot their passwords. Andrew Weissmann, a prosecutor, wiped his iPhone twice. Muellers team used a total of 92 iPhones, according to the documents. Four of the phones appear in the inventory logs, but not on the records officers log, suggesting they were either recorded without their unique asset tag or evaded the officer entirely. One of the four phones belonged to deputy special counsel Aaron Zebley. Another belonged to Zainab Ahmad, a special counsel attorney. One phone was partially wiped. Five phones were improperly handed over to the OCIO and wiped before the records officers review. As many as seven phones with no asset tags noted by the records officer were either reassigned or wiped before the officer could assess the device for records. Former special counsel Robert Mueller on Capitol Hill in Washington on July 24, 2019. (Alex Wong/Getty Images) The pattern of questionable deletions has drawn the attention of lawmakers. Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), the chairmen of the finance and oversight committees, respectively, sent a letter to the DOJ and the FBI last week asking for more information about what happened with the phones. It appears that Special Counsel Muellers team may have deleted federal records that could be key to better understanding their decision-making process as they pursued their investigation and wrote their report, Grassley wrote. Indeed, many officials apparently deleted the records after the DOJ Inspector General began his inquiry into how the Department mishandled Crossfire Hurricane. Crossfire Hurricane is the FBI codename for the investigation of the 2016 Trump campaign; Mueller took over the probe in May 2017. Five months after Page left the special counsels office, the DOJ authorized a leak of 375 text messages between Page and Strzok, triggering a media firestorm over what the pair discussed. The initial and the subsequent releases of the texts showed that they expressed hatred for Trump and had a clear preference for his rival, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Strzok told Page that well stop Trump from becoming president, discussed an insurance policy in case Trump won the election, and mused about impeachment around the time he joined the Mueller team. Pages attorneys didnt immediately respond to a request by The Epoch Times for comment. The OIG discovered the biased Page-Strzok texts during an inquiry into the handling of the FBIs investigation of the Trump campaign. After the inspector general informed Mueller of the texts in late July, Mueller removed Strzok from the Russia investigation. Former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe told lawmakers that he learned of the text messages on July 27 and made the decision to remove Strzok the same day. Someone wiped Pages phone four days later. Strzok and Page played key roles in the FBIs investigations of both the Trump campaign and Clintons use of an unauthorized email server. The OIG concluded that their bias cast a cloud over the email probe but didnt ultimately influence the outcome of the investigation. The OIG began looking for the phones belonging to Page and Strzok after being informed of a six-month gap in the text messages it had recovered. The inspector general received the pairs four FBI Samsung phones in late January 2018. On Jan. 26, 2018, Greer reached out to LFW to ask where Pages SCO iPhone was, because the OIG wanted to speak to the official about the device. Yes. I know it is missing. We discovered that first, LFW wrote back. The DOJ tracked down the phone eight months later, in early September 2018 and handed it over to the OIG. The records officer later contacted the inspector general to find out if the phone was wiped. Yes thats correct, the device had been reset to factory settings, the OIG official wrote back. Three months later, in December 2018, the OIG released the report on its hunt to recover additional text messages Page and Strzok sent on six phones they used, four of which were assigned by the FBI. The effort resulted in the discovery of hundreds of text messages, but none came from the special counsels office phones, both of which were wiped before investigators recovered them. The following January, DOJ officials reached out to Verizon with a request for billing statements to check how many messages Page and Strzok sent on their special counsels office phones. Verizon responded by saying no text messages were sent, with a caveat that data did leave the device. Verizons report didnt cover the most common way to send a message on an iPhonethe iMessage appwhich uses an internet connection rather than the carriers text service. Both numbers did have data usage so it could mean that if any messages were sent, it could have been through some type of app but we would not know for sure from our end, a message from Verizon stated. Mueller concluded his 22-month investigation having found no evidence of collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia. Correction: a previous version of this article incorrectly state the number of phones improperly given to the DOJ Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO) and wiped. Five phones were handed off to the OCIO. The Epoch Times regrets the error. A man stands at a voting booth surrounded by many empty voting booths during early voting in Kentucky Voters had hundreds of voting booths to choose from during early voting for the Kentucky Primary in Louisville on June 15, 2020. Credit - Matt StoneCourier Journal/USA Today Network/Sipa In our own lifetimes, we have witnessed an election with an unprecedented recount problems and a partisan delay strategy. In 2000, it was hanging chads in Florida. In 2020, it could be millions of mail-in and absentee ballots in every swing state, with signatures and deadlines that can be used for delay past the Electoral College deadlines. In 2000, the Supreme Court decided the election before all the ballots were counted. In 2020, there could be a different undemocratic twist overriding the voters: If recounts are delayed and the Electoral College does not produce a certified majority by early January, the 12th Amendment could allow House Republicans to put Trump back in the White House. The solution? Any voter who is a relatively low health risk should vote early in-person, even in relatively safe states. An election nightmare scenario, one often overlooked by election experts, is that mailed and absentee ballots are easily challenged in a recount, and recounts can be delayed long enough to kick the election to the House of Representatives where the vote is by state delegation, not each representative. When no candidate has a majority of the electoral college, the 12th Amendment states, But in choosing the President, the votes shall be taken by states, the representation from each state having one vote. The same rule was in place for the 1800 election, which is how the Federalists could lose the election but still vote for Aaron Burr and prevent Thomas Jefferson from winning the presidency until the 36th round of ballots in the House. Every absentee or mailed ballot, even if dropped off directly at the designated county drop box or polling center, most likely will not get counted on Election Day, and it can easily be challenged and delayed and even rejected on a technicality. In an unprecedented pandemic election, the swing states will have to count and perhaps recount millions of mailed-in ballots. Trump has railed away mail-in ballots, falsely claiming they increase the potential for voter fraud. After Nov. 3, he can take the next bad-faith step of such lies: All counting of mailed ballots should be litigated and delayed, if not stopped . Due to the 12th Amendment and the massive partisan divide on who is voting by mail and who is voting in-person, Republican lawyers will have an obvious strategy: Slow down all recounts of mailed ballots and throw the election to the House, where Republicans are sure to have at least a 26 state delegations. Story continues While Trump in 2016 won because of the Electoral Colleges undemocratic math, his teams legal strategy in 2020 will be to use the Electoral Colleges undemocratic deadlines. Those procedural rules would allow Trump to kick the election to a strange vote where the House will look more like the small-state-dominated Senate. This twist was a compromise during the founding of this country: populous states dominated the Electoral College, but small states won on the backup plan. Even if Democrats outperform their 2018 blue wave, Republicans will have at least 26 state delegations in 2021. (The Democrats have a realistic shot at making Pennsylvania a 24th state, but no realistic shot at winning a 25th state.) Every mailed or absentee ballot, in an envelope with signatures, is its own hanging chad, its own built-in legal delay. A mailed ballot can be challenged based on postmark, arrival, signature, etc. Lawyers can use these challenges in bad faith (like they did in Florida 2000) to grind any count to a halt. In 2000, Florida used hole-punched ballots, and any ballot had a hanging chad of scrap paper if the hole wasnt fully punched (generally because of inequitable resources and old machinery or uncleaned machines). In the recount, any hole-punched ballot with a hanging chad could be challenged and scrutinized for voter intent. Lawyers could ask to scrutinize even the ballots that were mostly punched for Bush or Gore. The Bush campaign had the lead and had a majority of states in the House, so they had an incentive and a strategy to delay. Trump will have a similar incentive to delay and run out the clock on the Electoral College. He is likely going to have a temporary lead on election night before the millions of mailed ballots are counted. This is another reason to vote early in-person if you can: Early in-person votes will be counted on Election Day, while the counting of mail and absentee ballots varies from locality to locality, and is often delayed for a while. Election night momentum is crucial. Some predict a red mirage on election night because of the partisan split on same-day vs. mail voting, in which several Democratic strongholds will appear in the Trump column on election night. The more Biden votes are counted on election night, the more momentum Democrats will have on the map and in the math, and the less opportunity for Trump to cherry-pick and spin in bad faith. Slowing down that count and recount will allow him not only to prematurely claim victory based on the red mirage. It will also allow him to block any majority vote in the Electoral College. Imagine if each signature and postmark would take five minutes to confirm by a recount canvassing board in each county, with lawyers from both sides. Half of all votes in 2020 are likely to be mailed or absentee. Imagine Philadelphia County trying to count 350,000 absentee ballots. One county board would need more than 1,200 days. Miami-Dade would need to count more than 500,000 mailed ballots. One board would need almost four years of counting. Could counties legally add more recount boards? Its more likely that lawyers could fight those efforts while also making sure each ballot took, on average, more than five minutes. This is a recipe for running out the clock on the Electoral College. If legal delay or litigation means that Biden states are blocked from certifying their electors, Biden will not reach 270. Trumps lawyers cannot block every Democratic state, but given the huge numbers of absentee ballots, they can likely trigger automatic recounts or go to court for recounts in relatively close states. This delay could block enough Biden-leading states from certifying their electors that Trump to have a lead in a rump Electoral College (meaning an Electoral College missing the votes of many blue states). Or what if a state recount is hopelessly stuck and state officials try to appoint electors? A Republican legislature might try to claim authority under Article II of the Constitution and certify Trump electors in the midst of the deliberate delay. A state court might say this is a question for the courts and certify a Biden slate. If some states electors are missing, or some states have competing slates of electors, what constitutes a majority of appointed electors? This chaos would benefit Trump, especially if he had an initial lead, just as Bush did. Ordinarily, one would turn to federal courts to resolve such legal disputes, but there surely will not be enough time nor enough judicial will for the Roberts Court to make sure every ballot is counted. Federal statutes set a deadline for December 14 for states to choose their electors, and Congress counts the Electoral College votes on January 6. Would the Roberts Court intervene like the Rehnquist Court did in Bush v. Gore, creating a new interpretation of equal protection to stop the recounts? Perhaps. But that intervention could benefit whomever had an initial lead with in-person votes (in this case, Trump). More likely, the Roberts Court would prefer to invoke a doctrine it has relied on before: the political question doctrine, which holds that if the Constitution delegates a question to the political branches, the courts should let those branches resolve the matter without judicial intervention. At that point, the election would get thrown to the House (like Jefferson v. Burr in 1800). Then, the House Democrats would have to take the extreme steps of refusing to convene the House entirely or refuse to allow some duly elected Republicans to take their seats, and the crisis would simply escalate. Voters need to wisely vote in person to reduce the chances of such a crisis. Early in-person voting still has health risks. However, early voting usually has much shorter lines than on Election Day. If you show up on one early voting day and see a long line, you can go back earlier the next day. If youve already requested an absentee ballot, many states allow you to still vote in-person early, as long as you bring your absentee ballot with you or take steps to destroy the absentee ballot, but it may mean casting a provisional ballot in some states (which has similar vulnerability to delay as an absentee ballot). Make sure you find out your states rules here, here, here or here. Not everyone has the flexibility or the health profile to vote in-person, but for most people, democracy is worth some risk. Just remember John Lewis. The bottom line is that many key swing states have early in-person voting, often over many weeks: Michigan, Florida, North Carolina, Arizona, Nevada, Georgia and Texas. If you have relatively low health risks for COVID-19, you have a duty to vote early in-person in 2020. Zelensky said the occupied territories of Donbas had faced a humanitarian catastrophe. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has called the end of war in Donbas and the liberation of Ukrainian territories his top priority. "When I promise something, these are not just empty words. Ending the war and getting Ukrainian territories back is my main priority. And these are not some romantic promises," he told the Austrian newspaper Wiener Zeitung in an interview, as reported by Ukraine's TSN TV news service. According to Zelensky, it is not easy to keep such promises, but there is progress. "We have returned 140 people from captivity. We held the disengagement of troops. There's no shelling there, almost no one dies. With the exception of one death, there have been no casualties for seven weeks. Everybody sees it, and Europe sees it too. Sometimes there are shots from the armed formations. But we do not answer them, which is good," the president said. Zelensky pointed to the fact that the occupied territories of Donbas had faced a humanitarian catastrophe, as well as the spread of coronavirus. Read alsoDonbas update: JFO Command reports three ceasefire violations Sept 14"But people who live in the occupied part of Donbas also see that Ukrainians are better off on the other side of the front. Things look sad for the miners in the occupied Donbas: they don't get adequate wages, while having to cover the high cost of water and electricity. If at some point people run out of patience, there may be riots," the president said. "I know there are many there who are Ukrainians at heart. I don't want them to die. It's not easy for these people, many are held in prisons for celebrating holidays like Ukraine's Independence Day. Our soldiers, whom we released, said they had been serving sentences alongside pro-Ukrainian convicts. There are many people there who are pro-Ukraine," Zelensky added. Latest developments in Donbas Mobile police say a pregnant woman assaulted an ambulance driver Saturday and escaped after she was told she would eventually be taken to jail. Shalatheia Conner, 38, faces charges of second degree assault, first degree criminal trespassing and third degree escape. The series of events began at around 7:15 a.m. Saturday when police began a traffic stop on Interstate 65 North on a vehicle going below the speed limit. Conner, the driver, told police she had abdominal pain due to pregnancy. After an ambulance arrived, she was told that after she was evaluated at the hospital, she would be taken to jail on felony warrants. Conner has an outstanding third degree property theft charge and failure to appear, according to court records. On the way to the hospital, police said, Conner began kicking the rear door of the ambulance and striking its equipment. The driver stopped and attempted to calm her down. Conner, according to police, then assaulted the driver and escaped. She was later found in the area, hiding inside a shed behind a Union Avenue residence. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Andrian Bagus Santoso (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Tue, September 15, 2020 The COVID-19 pandemic has hit global demand for most products, including crude palm oil (CPO). The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) in its oilseed report predicts that global consumption of CPO will decline by 2.3 percent year-on-year (yoy) in the September 2019 to October 2020 period. The USDA also predicts that CPO consumption will recover in the next period by 4.2 percent yoy. In a more detailed view, CPO demand actually began to normalize since June 2020. One of the indicators that show improved demand is export volume from major producing countries, such as Indonesia and Malaysia. Indonesia's CPO export volume in June and July 2020 were 2.1 and 2.4 million tons respectively, the same volume as Indonesias CPO exports in June and July 2019. Similarly, Malaysias CPO export volume in June and July were recorded at 1.7 and 1.8 million tons, respectively, higher than the export volume for the same months in 2019. However, Malaysia's CPO export volume in August of 1.6 million tons was slightly lower than in August 2019. Both Indonesia and Malaysias CPO export volumes recovered after many countries began to gradually relax their lockdown measures. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,000/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login 14.09.2020 LISTEN The Centre for International Maritime Affairs, Ghana (CIMAG) has taken note of the manifestoes launched on August 22, 2020 and September 7, 2020, by the incumbent New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) respectively, committing to the development of the Maritime Sector. CIMAG is concerned about and committed to the total transformation of the maritime sector in Ghana and the sub region. CIMAG is thus, obliged, to state its response to the policy promise by the two leading political parties, as follows, for the public record: NPPs commitment Coastal Sea Defense Projects: The following sea defense projects were commenced after 2017 and are ongoing: Axim, Amanful Kumah, Kommenda, Cape Coast, Elmina, and Anomabu. The following sea defense projects were ongoing, when we came into office and we have completed them: Nkontompo, Aboadze, Adjoa, Blekusu, New Takoradi, Elmina. Construct new harbours at Jamestown in Accra and in Keta as part of Government programme to develop a port at Keta in line with our commitments, the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority is undertaking a feasibility study in the Keta area. An Executive Instrument declaring Keta area a Port Zone was signed in 2018. MOU has been signed with Diamond Cement to construct a jetty to handle clinker for its factory. Continue building landing sites at Cape Coast, Mumford, Teshie, Axim, Keta, Ada, and Jamestown & Winneba being implemented. Construction is ongoing at ten (10) fish landing sites namely Axim, Dixcove, Senya Bereku, Gomoa Fete, Moree, Mumford, Teshie, Winneba, Elmina, and Keta. Construction of Jamestown harbour has also started. NDCs commitment As we have done in the past, the next NDC Government will implement a strategic plan for the development of maritime infrastructure and services along Ghanas coastline. We will: upgrade the Tema Shipyard and Drydock into a sub-regional service centre for vessels and the oil and gas industry as part of our local content policy position the Tema Shipyard and Drydock to build fishing canoes and small boats for our local fishing industry train and equip Ghanaians with the requisite skills to meet employment requirements in the maritime sector improve the operations of the GPHA in line with modern trends in seaport management partner with the private sector to re-establish a national shipping line establish a special purpose port at Keta develop a dedicated logistics base for the oil and gas industry construct fishing ports at the major fish landing sites including Dzemeni construct an inland port at Hamile to serve as the main port for Burkina Faso and the Sahel Region expand the Takoradi Port to Sekondi to accommodate the increase in traffic that will result from making Sekondi-Takoradi and Hamile dedicated ports for Burkina Faso and the Sahel Region CONCLUSION As policy entrepreneurs we are particularly excited about the intention to push forward our long held advocacy of establishing a National Shipping Line, among others with the coming of AfCTA. The centre will hold the parties to their commitments without fear or favor in the interest of the general public. CIMAG remains committed to monitoring the policy terrain for the development of the maritime sector and job creation. As a think tank, our main output is policy expertise either in the form of concrete proposals or blue- skies thinking, a source of evidence-based policy making. We remain relentless in speaking truth to power by producing easily digestible outputs aimed at policymakers like the two parties, who profess to want evidence to make policies that work. Signed: Albert Derrick Fiatui Executive Director, CIMAG Tel. 0249160604 "The men of [the] Brookings [Institution] did it by analysis, by painstaking research, by objective writing, by an imagination that questioned the going way of doing things, and then they proposed alternatives. ...After 50 years of telling the Government what to do, you are more than a private institution. ...You are a national institution, so important ...that if you did not exist we would have to ask someone to create you. President Lyndon B. Johnson September 29, 1966 British actor quit as global ambassador for Jo Malone after the Black star was cut from a promotional video in China. British actor John Boyega has quit his role as a global ambassador for the perfume and candle brand Jo Malone after the Black star was cut from a promotional video in China. The original version of the short film, called London Gent, followed Boyega spending time with friends and family in his home city of London but he was replaced by Chinese actor Liu Haoran and other Black cast members removed in a reshot version. Boyega, 28, best known for his role as Finn in Star Wars, said the decision to substitute a local actor for him without his consent or prior notice was wrong. The film celebrated my personal story showcasing my hometown, including my friends and featuring my family, the actor wrote on Twitter. While many brands understandably use a variety of global and local ambassadors, dismissively trading out ones culture this way is not something I can condone. Actor John Boyega, who was born in London to parents of Nigerian descent, emerged as a high-profile voice during a Black Lives Matter rally in London in June [File: Danny Moloshok/Reuters] Boyega could not be reached for further comment. Jo Malone, which is owned by New York-based Estee Lauder, apologised on Saturday for taking the ad created and directed by Boyega and replacing him with Haoran, saying it was a mistake. While we immediately took action and removed the local version of the campaign, we recognize that this was painful and that offense was caused, the company said in a statement issued exclusively to The Hollywood Reporter. On Tuesday, the company acknowledged Boyegas decision to step down as the companys first male global ambassador. John Boyega is an incredible talent, artist and person and we were proud to have him as part of our Jo Malone London family. We respect Johns decision and we wish him all the best, Jo Malone wrote on Twitter. Neither Jo Malone nor Estee Lauder replied to requests for further comment. This is not the first time Boyega has been at the brunt of editing for the Chinese Market. Disneys recreated movie poster for the 2015 film, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, saw Boyegas character Finn reduced significantly in size. Boyega, who was born in London to parents of Nigerian descent, emerged as a high-profile voice during a Black Lives Matter rally in London in June. We have always been important. We have always meant something. We have always succeeded, regardless. And now is the time. I aint waiting, he said in an emotional speech that won praise from a list of fellow actors. CLEVELAND, Ohio -- This years Ohio report cards lack the traditional A-F grades that rate Ohios many schools and districts. The report cards released for 2020 still contain essential information -- like district spending and graduation rates -- but some of those numbers lag behind by a year, and other indicators are still affected by the coronavirus pandemic. The numbers included do show some encouraging trends, with a higher graduation rate and more students earning credentials to prepare for post-graduation. Lawmakers canceled state testing amid the coronavirus pandemic, and school closures affected many of the indicators that shape the easily-digestible grade system. Removing the grades undercuts the systems that mark schools as challenged or prompt an academic takeover by the state, so lawmakers hit pause on those procedures as well. A bill that would seek waivers for testing for this school year is currently in the Ohio Senate. Take a look at what youll see on the report cards for 2020, and what was scrapped because of the coronavirus. View the full report card for your school on the Ohio Department of Education website. Data fully available on the report cards Graduation rates Graduation rates will be available and were not affected by the coronavirus closures. That includes lagged information for 4-year graduation rates for the class of 2019 and 5-year graduation rates for the class of 2018. Normally, graduation rates make up about 15% of the overall report card grade. Prepared for Success measures About 15% of report card grades are Prepared for Success measures, which are designed to assess how well schools prepare students for college or jobs. Districts earn a point when a student achieves remediation-free ACT/SAT, an honors diploma or an industry-recognized credential worth 12 points. The district can then earn a bonus .3 point for AP scores, IB scores or College Credit Plus credits. The report card would then use the number of points and the number of students to determine a percentage. This data, like graduation rates, lags behind by a year. Enrollment, attendance and absenteeism Enrollment numbers are mainly used to calculate other measures, but reporting this data is helpful to see the size of schools and districts, as well as demographics. Attendance is presented on the report card as percentages, and is broken down by demographic. Absenteeism is normally factored into the achievement component and is one of the factors that makes up 20% of the report card. Though absenteeism figures are available this year, the Department of Education guide to the 2020 report cards advises against comparing between years for school districts because of the way the coronavirus affected attendance policies. Districts needed to revisit how teachers would judge attendance because of the sudden shift to remote learning. Many students were left disconnected from online classes because of internet connectivity, and schedules were scrambled as parents adjusted to the switch. Attendance policies were slightly more lax in the spring, largely based on work completion. As more districts that are operating online switch to synchronous learning, or classes where students interact with teachers, attendance is more traditional. Educator information The report card also lists details about educators, like how many there are and what level of education they have achieved. Financial data Financial data will be included on the report cards, including how much is spent on each student and classroom instruction, and how those compare to other districts of similar size. The report cards in 2019 also reported the amount of federal money spent per pupil compared to the amount of state and local money spent per pupil. Some information about the Third-Grade Reading Guarantee and school choice options Ohio is not holding students back because they failed to meet the standards set by the states Third-Grade Reading Guarantee, though teachers and principals can still make that decision. Only some data about third-grade reading will be available, because of the shutdowns in the spring. Fall testing numbers will be reported. Data not available on the report cards The data thats unavailable is largely linked to the lack of testing in the spring. The report cards will also not include annual objectives in the gap closing category, including annual objectives in English language arts, math and graduation rates for subgroups of students. This is meant to show whether schools are working to close achievement gaps. English learner progress is also part of the gap closing determination. Districts were also not required to finish teacher or principal evaluations this year. More than 80% of districts opted out of evaluation information for all or some teachers, according to the Ohio Department of Education. More than 50% opted out of principal and counselor evaluations. Only evaluations that were submitted will be available on the site. Previous report cards Cleveland.com compiled a searchable database of report card grades for 2019, but will not for 2020 because of the lack of data. Other analysis of the 2019 numbers, including a ranking of school districts with income level taken into account, along with information from other years is below. Ivory Coasts former President Laurent Gbagbo has been barred from running in the 31 October presidential election. The constitutional council said he could not run as he was not on the electoral roll because he was convicted of a financial crime several years ago. Gbagbo, who is living in exile, already knew that he would be rejected and put his name forward as a way to rally his supporters. The government does not want the former president to return to the country as this could mean he would have more influence on his supporters at a time when there is already tension in the country. There have been protests in several parts of the main city, Abidjan, and in several other cities. Tensions rose in August when President Alassane Ouattara announced that he would run for a third term. Source: BBC Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video When the coronavirus forced Camp Aranzazu to shift online, the staff made it work. For the children and young adults with special needs and chronic illnesses it serves year-round, summers virtual version was the next-best thing to bonding in person over songs, swims and smores. Aranzazu is a Basque word meaning a spiritual place requiring a difficult path to reach. The pandemic has presented rough terrain, indeed, testing the camps ability to help campers leave their physical, mental or emotional challenges behind while they socialize and explore the world from their computer screens. As the pandemic stretches into fall and beyond, the nonprofit is looking to combine the new format with the traditional for other efforts, too. The 12th annual Zazu BBQ, Music & More fundraiser sees the return from last year of Texas country-Americana power couple Bruce Robison and Kelly Willis. This time, the event, Sept. 26, can be enjoyed from the comfort of viewers sofas for free via Facebook Live. But those who register at various tiers of support can make a party of it with benefits ranging from attending the private concert in person at the camp, on Copano Bay in Rockport, to swag and either delivery or gift cards for barbecue. Proceeds will help staffers continue to deliver alternate programs and be ready when campers can safely return to Camp Aranzazus 104-acre, barrier-free facility. Since 2006, it has provided nearly 27,000 physically and/or developmentally challenged campers and their caregivers from 55 Texas counties a chance to fully participate in fishing, swimming, sailing, archery, arts and crafts and more. Fifteen percent of attendees are from the Houston area. Its such wonderful, positive energy to put out into the world for people who dont always have the opportunity to do this kind of thing, Willis recalled of the vibe from an audience not only there to see her and her husband but to support special populations. As musicians, were lucky we get to be involved. Fans can expect to hear Robison and Willis trademark harmonies on favorites as well as new single Tennessee Blues, Willis said. By summers end, Camp Aranzazus staff had shared more than 130 online activities, including virtual tours of its bird sanctuary and Corpus Christis Texas State Aquarium, cooking sessions, campfire songs and story times. Its YouTube channel had 3,500-plus views over 12 weeks, with the number of subscribers increasing 70 percent. It also saw a bump in followers on Instagram. A need was being met. Zazu BBQ, Music & More Party packages $500-$15,000; individual concert tickets $50 Schedule: slideshow begins at 6:45 p.m.; concert and program 7-8:15 p.m.; auction closes 9 p.m. Information and registration: camparanzazu.org/events/zazu-2020 See More Collapse Camp Aranzazu recently surveyed past camp groups and this summers virtual camper families to gauge interest in ideas thatd been percolating since the last difficult path, Hurricane Harvey, which damaged two old cabins beyond repair. It took 2 years to raise the money and to complete construction, but we now have a beautiful new cabin, Camp Aranzazus president, Virginia Carlton Ballard, said. Rather than just a few large rooms that sleep 12 people each, the new cabin has 10 smaller rooms, each sleeping four. In the era of COVID-19, the survey revealed comfort with long-weekend family camps. We are looking forward to hosting two camps this fall for families who include a child or young adult with special needs, Carlton Ballard said. Other new programs include Camp-to-Go, in which the staff brings modified camp activities to hospitals, schools and other organizations. Because they resonated, online activities will remain in the mix. Luke Lewis of Katy was signed up to attend his first camp when the coronavirus struck and canceled in-person sessions. The 11-year-old attends Houstons Tuttle School at Briarwood for children with intellectual disabilities. Luke, who has a dual diagnosis of intellectual disability and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, adores music and still talks about the campfire songs he sang at the top of his lungs when counselors told him to while his father worked from home. He really loved it, said his mother, Janet Lewis. He had the opportunity to see what the future (in-person camp) might be. They had a variety of activities that were very appropriate for his level He felt like he was at camp. His mother appreciated that online camp gave her son consistency and hopes Camp Aranzazu will be able to flip the switch much faster and make it even better moving forward. I loved the youth (volunteers) that were involved. It takes special people to work with special kids. A Special World shares programs and experiences by and for the disabled community in Greater Houston. suzanne.garofalo@chron.com Lovely Warren, mayor of Rochester, speaks during a press conference on the death of Daniel Prude, in Rochester, New York, on Sept. 3, 2020. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images) Rochester Mayor Removes Police Chief Ahead of Retirement Over Daniel Prude Death The mayor of Rochester, New York, has fired the citys police chiefjust days after he said he was going to retireand also called for a federal investigation into the Rochester Police Department and the death of Daniel Prude. Mayor Lovely Warren announced on Monday the firing of Rochester Chief LaRon Singletary, effective immediately, citing initial results of a management review of the citys role in the death of Prude. Citing the review, Warren also suspended Rochester City Corporation Counsel Tim Curtin and Rochester City Communications Director Justin Roj without pay for 30 days. I have directed the deputy mayor to initiate an internal management review of the citys handling of the mental hygiene arrest and subsequent death of Daniel Prude to determine who knew what and when. The public should have access to this information that we currently have now and any additional information when it becomes available, Warren said at a news conference. This initial look has shown that we have a pervasive problem in the Rochester Police Department, she also said. One that views everything through the eyes of the badge and not the citizens we serve. It shows that Mr. Prudes death was not taken as seriously as it should have been by those who reviewed the case throughout city government at every level. Mark Simmons, the deputy chief of administration, has been named acting chief, according to Rochester Democrat and Chronicle. Rochester Police Chief, LaRon Singletary speaks during a news conference regarding the protests over the death of a Black man, Daniel Prude, after police put a spit hood over his head during an arrest on March 23, in Rochester, N.Y., on Sept. 6, 2020. (Brendan McDermid/Reuters) Chief Singletary had announced on Sept. 8 that he would retire by the end of September, saying that he wont sit idly while outside forces try to destroy his character, saying that the events from the prior week were an attempt to destroy his character and integrity, according to media outlets. Prude, 41, from Chicago, was arrested on March 23 by Rochester police officers. He was naked at the time and was suffering from a mental health episode. He died a week after that encounter with police after being taken off life support. A medical official said that Prude was under the influence of the recreational drug phencyclidine, or PCP, at the time of the arrest. This undated photo shows Daniel Prude. (Courtesy Roth and Roth LLP via AP) In this still image from police body camera video, a Rochester police officer puts a hood, known as a spit hood, over the head of Daniel Prude in Rochester, N.Y., on March 23, 2020. (Rochester Police Department, via AP News) Body camera video footage of the incident was released on Sept. 2 following a public records request by Prudes family. The release of the video sparked nearly two weeks of nightly protests and calls for both Warren and Singletary to resign. A medical examiner concluded that Prudes death was a homicide caused by complications of asphyxia in the setting of physical restraint. The report listed excited delirium and acute intoxication by PCP as contributing factors. The family has filed a federal lawsuit that accuses the police department of having covered up the true picture of Prudes death, starting with what Warren said was Singletary reporting to her early on that Prude had an apparent drug overdose. Warren on Monday said that the management review, prepared by Deputy Mayor James Smith, had produced eight recommendations, including that the citys Office of Public Integrity investigate whether she or any other employees violated city policies or ethical standards. The recommendations also includes having outside agencies review police training manuals and Freedom of Information Law procedures. It also called for the U.S. Justice Department to conduct a review of the Rochester Police Department, including a review of all body-worn camera footage for use-of-force arrests over the past three years, as well as for the U.S. Attorney Generals Office to look into possible violations of Mr. Prudes civil rights and bring appropriate charges if warranted. Warren said she will proceed as per the recommendations. I have apologized to the Prude family and this community for the failures that happened along the way, including my own, Warren said. As mayor, I own these failures. In a statement posted on Twitter, Roj said that he was not aware of what happened to Prude until Aug. 4 and that Singletary had told him that the incident involving Prude as an ongoing criminal investigation. He also wrote that Singletary told him that Warren and the law department were informed about the situation with Prude. In hindsight, I agree I should have questioned the Chief further and/or taken the opportunity to discuss his email with the Mayor, he said in his statement. My statement regarding Mayor Warrens actions today: pic.twitter.com/0w0QUE1WOi Justin Roj (@JustinRoj) September 14, 2020 Warren on Sept. 3 suspended seven Rochester police officers involved in the arrest of Prude. The Epoch Times has reached out to the Rochester Police Department for comment. The Associated Press contributed to this report. BAKU, Azerbaijan, Sept.15 Trend: On September 14 in the evening, the Armenian side once again committed a provocation, in the direction of the Hajalli village of Tovuz district on the Azerbaijani-Armenian state border, Trend reports referring to the press service of Azerbaijani Defense Ministry. As a result of a gross violation of the ceasefire by the Armenian armed forces, officer Renat Aliyev was wounded. The serviceman was immediately provided with medical assistance. His condition is stable. The Armenian provocation was suppressed with return fire of the units of the Azerbaijan Army. Having had a coronavirus scare towards the end of last week, necessitating a brief suspension of proceedings for September 11, the extradition proceedings for Julian Assange resumed with Eric Lewis. The chairman of the board of Reprieve, who has cut his teeth on representing Afghan detainees in US custody and those in Guantanamo, has not been shy in arguing against the extradition of Assange to the United States. In 2019, he warned in The Independent that one did not have to swoon over Assanges politics or his embrace his personality to understand that if he is extradited to the United States, not only does he face a de facto life sentence, but every journalist who receives and publishes classified information faces such jeopardy as well. Emphasis during the days proceedings was placed on the potential consequences of Assanges pre-trial detention and incarceration. Think of the ADX Florence, Colorado, with such non-commodious confines that would fall within the definition of solitary confinement. James Lewis QC for the prosecution had been consulting his authorities, suggesting that the European Court of Human Rights had an instructive answer favourable to the US side. In Babar Ahmad & Others v United Kingdom, a 2012 case involving six defendants accused of terrorism, the ECHR was not unfavourable to aspects of the US justice system. The applicants, including four British nationals, an Egyptian and a Saudi Arabian, argued that they were at real risk of ill-treatment in the US from the conditions of supermax prisons including special administrative measures (SAMs) or the possible length of sentencing in the US. The ECHR concluded that there would be no violation of the applicants rights if extradited to stand trial in the United States. The court accepted the argument made by the UK that the risk of real torture constituted an absolute bar to extradition but that other forms of ill-treatment did not. [T]he absolute nature of Article 3 [of the European Convention on Human Rights] does not mean that any form of ill-treatment will act as a bar to removal from a Contracting State. A deciding factor would be whether the risk was real or whether it was alleviated by diplomatic and prosecutorial assurances given by the requesting State. The judgment itself suffers from a judicial preoccupation with procedural soundness rather than prison reality, not to mention an unhealthy degree of trust. The court was ready to accept the submissions made by the US that the inmates would not unduly suffer mistreatment, given various safeguards. The Federal Bureau of Prisons applies accessible and rational criteria when deciding whether to transfer an inmate to ADX [supermax prison]. The placement process is accompanied by a high degree of involvement of senior official within the Bureau who are external to the inmates current institution. Their involvement and requirement that a hearing be held before transfer provide an appropriate measure of procedural protection. The words of Babar Ahmad were music to the prosecutors ears, and the case was duly thrown back at the board chairman of Reprieve. It suggested another angle in the prosecution strategy: Assanges frail mental health should not prevent him from being extradited to the US. Eric Lewis suggested that the ECHR case should be distinguished from Assanges. For one thing, more material on the sinister nature of such supermax facilities had come to light since 2012. He also suggested that mental health was not a crucial factor being debated in the Babar case. Unfortunately, this ignored the fact that three defendants relied on their mental health as relevant in the challenge. Such health, noted the ECHR, had not prevented them being confined to high-security prisons in the United Kingdom. The submission from Dr Paul Zohn, a psychologist assigned to assess ADX Florence, gave it a few good licks of decency. Care was provided by one psychiatrist and two psychologists who made regular rounds through the housing units at ADX. The inmates were not short of treatment programs. On the basis of Dr Zohns application, it would not appear that the psychiatric services which are available at ADX would be unable to treat such [mental health] conditions. There would be no violation of Article 3 should the inmates find themselves detained at ADX. Despite the judicial heads reaching that conclusion, history is an instructive and refuting guide. Babar Ahmad subsequently described his experience. During the supermax prison time in America, for two years I lived through complete hell. Those two years were the darkest days of my life I saw one suicide attempt a week, three suicide attempts in one day. The ECHR had also ignored US efforts in preventing the United Nations from evaluating the conditions present in such carceral facilities. As the UN special rapporteur on torture, Juan Mendez, told the UN Human Rights Council in March 2016, My request to visit the United States of America has been pending for five years over the terms of reference in order to obtain access to all places of detention. The application of SAMs has also been deemed, as the Center for Constitutional Rights and Allard K. Lowenstein International Human Rights Clinic at Yale Law School did in their 2017 report, the darkest corner of the US federal prison system, combining the brutality and isolation of maximum security units with additional restrictions that deny individuals almost any connection to the human world. Restrictions involve gag orders on prisoners, their family members, and their attorneys, effectively shielding this extreme use of government power from public view. Given that the US Attorney General has sole discretion to use SAMs, the procedural protections accepted as adequate in Babar Ahmad would have to be reconsidered. No adequate reason is needed for their imposition, even in a pre-trial setting; the Attorney Generals citing of the relevant charges is considered sufficient and besides, national security considerations are always elastic. In the words of the CCR report, They cannot challenge the SAMS designation until after they are placed under SAMs. Even then, like all federal prisoners, they risk having their cases dismissed for failure to exhaust the effectively meaningless Administrative Remedy Program. In this punitive nightmare, prisoners can be subject to such administrative measures indefinitely. Assange might also face the prospect of continued obstruction to legal counsel, hobbling his means of mounting challenges. Most troublingly, the use of SAMS can become a punitive bargaining tool, coercing the accused into pleading guilty and cooperating with the authorities. For prosecutor Lewis, the Babar Ahmad case enabled him to quibble and disagree about the degrees of justifiable cruelty and mental harm that might be visited upon Assange. To assist his cause, he doubted the expert witness qualifications on assessing whether Assange would receive appropriate medical care in the US prison system. The bullying prosecutor, observed journalist John Pilger, is reduced to insulting the integrity of expert witnesses. The witness was also challenged for his lack of impartiality, which had the genuine tone of a pot-calling-the-kettle-black moment. Eric Lewis stood firm. While admitting to not being a psychiatrist or a warden, he was an expert in the US prison system. Nor was bias a problem: his views since 2019 on extraditing Assange had not changed. The testimony sought to drag the matter back to Assange as a special case. While it did not fall within the category of terrorism, the authorisation of SAMs by Attorney General William Barr would engage the offices of the CIA, whose current director, Gina Haspel, did a nice line in operating black sites sanctioning the use of torture. As Kevin Gosztola reports, Haspel is complicit in some of the very examples of US torture that WikiLeaks exposed, and yet she would be able to play a role in determining how he was controlled and silenced while awaiting trial. Whether detained at the Alexandria Detention Center awaiting trial, where he would face solitary confinement, or convicted and sent to H Block at ADX Florence, Assange might well find himself on the only known black site on American soil. As with other witnesses, Eric Lewis also reminded the court of various comments by Trump administration officials (former CIA director Mike Pompeo; former Attorney General Jeff Sessions) that indicated a definite, and aggressive shift towards prosecuting Assange from that of the Obama administration. The stuttered nature of the indictment process suggested a certain malice of prolongation: charges fitted to gain the lengthiest sentences. Towards the end of the days proceedings, journalists found themselves cut off from the videolink to the court, only to then be informed of its abrupt close. Stefania Maurizi wondered whether this might be due to technical challenges facing UK courts or hacking. Either way, it was symbolically apt for a trial that is turning, with each day, into a distorted parody of justice. Dr. Binoy Kampmark was a Commonwealth Scholar at Selwyn College, Cambridge. He lectures at RMIT University, Melbourne. Email: [email protected] NVIDIAs Arm acquisition is an absolute disaster for both the chip design firms home country and Europe, Arm co-founder believes. Speaking to BBC Radio 4 following the blockbuster merger announcement, Hermann Hauser reiterated his disapproval of the move. The industry veteran has been critical of the tie-up for a while now, even before it became official this Monday. Selling the last globally relevant company on the Old Continent is an extremely short-sighted move, Hauser argued. While recent months were abundant with speculation, NVIDIA and Arm parent SoftBank still negotiated the deal quite rapidly. In principle, the Japanese conglomerate agreed to a bid valued at $40 billion. The offer is a mix of cash and NVIDIA stock, though the actual ratios are still being negotiated. In a regular year, SoftBank would prefer cash. In the middle of 2020, however, securities of a global technology juggernaut sound like a better deal. In other words: a more predictable one. Another way to look at this is that NVIDIA will likely outperform the U.S. economy in the medium term. Ergo, its stock will be worth more than its cash equivalent is today. Advertisement Expecting China to bless NVIDIAs Arm acquisition may be naive Of course, neither one of the involved parties should be counting their chip patents just yet. Because the Arm co-founder is hardly the only prominent critic of NVIDIAs Arm acquisition. The UK government, for one, stands little to gain and everything to lose from the tie-up. Especially in the wider context of its current geopolitical situation. Then again, cynics might say the very fact that Brexit is happening proves London is inept enough to approve this acquisition. Thats without even beginning to account for the antitrust implications of the deal. Because buying Arm would give NVIDIA over 90% of the smartphone chip market and a similar share of the embedded IoT silicon one. Courtesy of Arms affordable licensing model that standardized its architectural designs in virtually every electronics niche bar traditional computers. Hauser also argues NVIDIA would inevitably dismantle Arms business model on which so many of its direct rivals depend on. Just to illustrate what an Arm-ed NVIDIA could do to its competitors well, no need to speak in hypotheticals, just look at how effectively the U.S. crippled Huawei. Primarily due to the complex nature of modern chip architecture licensing. The other Arm co-founder, Tudor Brown, repeatedly voiced agreement with Hausers prognosis in the past. At last, between Huawei and antitrust concerns, it may be naive to expect China to approve this deal. In fact, its hard to imagine what the U.S.-based NVIDIA could do to win Beijings blessing at all. Advertisement NVIDIA, for its part, argues that taking Arm off SoftBanks hands after only four years would create the ultimate AI company of the future. I.e. one that promises to benefit everyone at least until it gets its way with antitrust regulators. This article will reflect on the compensation paid to Craig Scroggie who has served as CEO of NEXTDC Limited (ASX:NXT) since 2012. This analysis will also look to assess whether the CEO is appropriately paid, considering recent earnings growth and investor returns for NEXTDC. See our latest analysis for NEXTDC How Does Total Compensation For Craig Scroggie Compare With Other Companies In The Industry? At the time of writing, our data shows that NEXTDC Limited has a market capitalization of AU$5.1b, and reported total annual CEO compensation of AU$3.1m for the year to June 2020. Notably, that's an increase of 44% over the year before. While this analysis focuses on total compensation, it's worth acknowledging that the salary portion is lower, valued at AU$1.3m. In comparison with other companies in the industry with market capitalizations ranging from AU$2.7b to AU$8.8b, the reported median CEO total compensation was AU$4.4m. This suggests that NEXTDC remunerates its CEO largely in line with the industry average. Moreover, Craig Scroggie also holds AU$22m worth of NEXTDC stock directly under their own name, which reveals to us that they have a significant personal stake in the company. Component 2020 2019 Proportion (2020) Salary AU$1.3m AU$1.3m 42% Other AU$1.8m AU$858k 58% Total Compensation AU$3.1m AU$2.1m 100% On an industry level, roughly 76% of total compensation represents salary and 24% is other remuneration. NEXTDC pays a modest slice of remuneration through salary, as compared to the broader industry. It's important to note that a slant towards non-salary compensation suggests that total pay is tied to the company's performance. NEXTDC Limited's Growth Over the last three years, NEXTDC Limited has shrunk its earnings per share by 127% per year. Its revenue is up 18% over the last year. Investors would be a bit wary of companies that have lower EPS On the other hand, the strong revenue growth suggests the business is growing. In conclusion we can't form a strong opinion about business performance yet; but it's one worth watching. Moving away from current form for a second, it could be important to check this free visual depiction of what analysts expect for the future. Story continues Has NEXTDC Limited Been A Good Investment? Most shareholders would probably be pleased with NEXTDC Limited for providing a total return of 142% over three years. So they may not be at all concerned if the CEO were to be paid more than is normal for companies around the same size. To Conclude... As we touched on above, NEXTDC Limited is currently paying a compensation that's close to the median pay for CEOs of companies belonging to the same industry and with similar market capitalizations. The company has logged solid shareholder returns for the past three years. Revenues have also showed some positive momentum, recently. However, on a concerning note, EPS is not growing. However, considering overall positive performance, we think Craig, shareholders might not be too worried about the CEO's compensation. While CEO pay is an important factor to be aware of, there are other areas that investors should be mindful of as well. We did our research and spotted 1 warning sign for NEXTDC that investors should look into moving forward. Important note: NEXTDC is an exciting stock, but we understand investors may be looking for an unencumbered balance sheet and blockbuster returns. You might find something better in this list of interesting companies with high ROE and low debt. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com. By Anne Waldron Neumann Suppose you wanted to rig Americas presidential election. You could do what Russia did in 2016 and is doing now: disseminate disinformation and division on social media using networks of trolls and bots. But that would be uncertain and lengthy. So what about changing actual votes rather than merely influencing them? Youd have to rig a presidential election on a massive scale statewide for several states. How youd do that would depend on how people in each state cast their votes. Lets first consider hacking mail-in ballots. Common sense suggests that, despite Donald Trumps claims that theyre easy to hack, this isnt a promising approach. In many states, before this year, mail-in ballots meant absentee ballots, sent only to registered voters who requested them because they didnt want to vote in person on Election Day. There might not have been enough absentee ballots to change the vote nationally. But five states, including Oregon and Washington, already vote entirely by mail. In the District of Columbia this year, and in four states including New Jersey, all registered voters will automatically receive mail-in ballots because of COVID-19. In nine more states, voters will automatically get applications for absentee ballots. In 25 states, voters can simply request applications. In just seven states, voters cant cite the pandemic in requesting absentee ballots and will presumably have to vote in person. In short, therell be vastly more mail-in ballots this year. But mail-in ballots arent easily hacked. Theyre sent by county Boards of Election to individual registered voters at individual addresses. Rigging the vote in a given state might mean stealing thousands of ballots from hundreds of different post offices, or two or three ballots each from hundreds of thousands of mailboxes. Returning them to be counted for your candidate would mean forging millions of recorded signatures. And you cant just print extra ballots: whose signatures would they match? A 2020 Union of Concerned Scientists report found no factual basis for the claim that voting by mail results in more voter fraud. No, if I wanted to rig a presidential election, Id choose states where many people vote in person on computerized voting machines. Those machines are essentially black boxes: enter your vote, and who knows what comes out where? A 2006 Princeton University study demonstrated that malicious software running on a single voting machine can steal votes with little if any risk of detection. Moreover, malicious software can be viral, spreading automatically and invisibly from machine to machine during normal pre- and post-election activity. Next, malicious software is easily installed. Anyone who has physical access to a voting machine, or to a memory card that will later be inserted into a machine, can install such software in as little as one minute. Even locked voting machines of the kind Princetons researchers studied could be unlocked with something as simple as a hotel minibar key. Finally, according to a 2012 Harpers article, How to Rig an Election, such hacking may have already occurred! In a number of elections, exit polls showed substantially higher support for Democrats while machine-tallied results favored Republicans. Harpers reported that Election Day is now dominated by a handful of secretive [voting-machine] corporations with interlocking ownership, strong partisan ties to the far-right and executives who revolve among them like beans in a shell game. No wonder former New Jersey Representative Rush Holt sponsored a bill in Congress requiring all voting machines to produce a voter-verified paper trail: a piece of paper showing you your vote that you leave at the polling place. Votes can then be recounted whenever an election seems suspect. Though Holts bill never passed, many states require a paper audit trail anyway. New Jersey does. But funds have been insufficient to retool or replace all of our older voting machines. Then what should we do in New Jersey to protect our votes against computer hacking? Fortunately, mail-in ballots make perfect voter-verified paper trails! So dont vote often as the old saying goes at least not in the same election. But, in case current post-office delays persist, do vote early. Anne Waldron Neumann teaches creative writing in Princeton. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Heres how to submit an op-ed or Letter to the Editor. Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion. Follow us on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and on Facebook at NJ.com Opinion. Get the latest news updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. SINGAPORE The process of U.S.-China decoupling started even before the coronavirus pandemic but a complete separation of the world's two largest economies is "almost impossible," according to a former Chinese commerce minister. Chen Deming, who headed China's commerce ministry from 2007 to 2013, cited the U.S. targeting of Chinese companies like telecommunications giant Huawei as an example of how decoupling is underway. Washington has restricted Huawei's access to crucial technology and semiconductors over national security concerns, and has upped the pressure on other Chinese tech firms including Tencent and ByteDance, making it more difficult for them to operate in the U.S. "But I think a complete decoupling will be very difficult and almost impossible," Chen said on Monday, according to CNBC translation of his Mandarin-language comments. He was part of a panel discussion moderated by CNBC's Nancy Hungerford at the virtual Singapore Summit. "We can't go back to the Cold War era, where there were two markets in the world that had no trade or communication," he added, referring to the period after the second world war with intense geopolitical tensions between the U.S. and Soviet Union. As ties between the U.S. and China deteriorate further in recent months, President Donald Trump has threatened to divorce the two economies. But companies from the U.S. and other countries have shown little interest in pulling out of China, said Chen, who is president of the China Association of Enterprises with Foreign Investment. In fact, there's been an increase in foreign direct investments into China this year, according to Chen. I write this appeal (to Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham and Education Secretary Ryan) Stewart, for the children of Carlsbad and New Mexico. As I post this letter, we are well into our second week of online learning. As with all districts in the state and the country in online learning, we have had some successes and some failures. Online learning is not the answer for the majority of our children. Everyone, but children in particular, need to experience the satisfaction that comes from completing a challenging task, knowing they did their best, and having that validated by a caring adult. Children need new perspectives. They need to learn empathy. They need to be wowed by science. They need to feel valued by more than their small family group. Teaching our children to live in fear of others is quite possibly one of the most damaging concepts they will learn. Many of our children currently live in homes that are anxious and stressful, this is even greater in the homes of our students in poverty. The longer children are isolated and taught to be fearful of interacting with others, the less likely they are to grow up to be positive members of their community. The issue is not whether we can deliver online instruction or not. The issue is how many children in poverty, non-English speaking students, and children with special needs we will fail. Every child we fail now is on a fast track to dropping out of school. The students we fail will be lost in the statistics on suicide, health issues related to drug and alcohol abuse, teen pregnancy and deaths from senseless violence casualties of decisions that keep children at home. The struggle with the pandemic has been likened to a war. This seems appropriate as we are being asked to sacrifice our young on this battlefield. Leaders have been asking that of communities for centuries. Soldiers in a war usually know why and what they are fighting for. Our students dont understand this war, but it will most certainly scar them permanently. As usual, our more fortunate citizens will be able to find a way to avoid the worst of the war. The poor will not, and they will most certainly bear the brunt of this war. Our childrens futures are at stake. We must get children back in school and on pathways to a better life not six months from now; not when it is safe; not when there is a vaccine; now. The data regarding children and COVID-19 is mixed. The data on the impacts of isolation and trauma on children is not. The effects are long-lasting and life-threatening. Those impacts will be with our society long after this disease has run its course. We currently have no hospitalized COVID-19 patients in our county. We are prepared to bring students and staff back safely. Our processes and communication protocols have been tested and work. We have a health and safety officer who monitors adherence to practices and protocols and is in contact with NMDOH, OSHA and local medical providers. We have trained all of our staff to be contact tracers using the Johns Hopkins Contact Tracing Course. We have sufficient PPE for all students and staff. We know our community needs to get better at COVID-19 practices, and we are working with them. We have an online school option for students who are fearful or have compromised health issues. We have placed staff who are at risk in online-only teaching positions. The majority of our staff wants to work with students in an in-person learning environment. The majority of our students want to return to in-person learning. We need to be able to offer students the safety, structure, opportunities and hope that in-person instruction can provide. Their future and ours depends on it. Please allow all districts in the state the flexibility to bring our students back to school in the numbers and manner they deem appropriate. We will provide children the education and promise of a better life that is essential to growing healthy children and communities. JD Greear endorses black lives matter as gospel issue, denounces organization Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment President of the Southern Baptist Convention, J.D. Greear, endorsed the black lives matter movement as a Gospel issue to members of the world's largest Baptist denomination Wednesday, but denounced the Black Lives Matter organization that sparked the movement in 2013. Greear made the endorsement during an SBC presidential address in which he told Southern Baptists that disagreeing with the worldview of the Black Lives Matter organization doesnt make the issue black lives matter untrue. Black lives matter, Greear said after acknowledging the SBCs racist past and highlighting the denominations growing diversity, as well as the ongoing civil unrest over racial inequality in the wake of the death of George Floyd while in the custody of Minneapolis police officers on Memorial Day. I realize that the movement and the website have been hijacked by some political operatives whose worldview and policy prescriptions would be deeply at odds with my own, but that doesnt mean that the sentiment behind it is untrue. I do not align myself with the Black Lives Matter organization, he said. I think saying bold things like defund the police is unhelpful and deeply disrespectful to many public servants who bravely put themselves in harms way every day to protect us. But I know that we need to take a deep look at our police systems and structures and ask what were missing. Where are we missing the mark? And Ill say that we do that because black lives matter. We know that honoring Christ in this moment means listening to those who hurt, lamenting with them, and bearing their burdens, he said. Greear, who leads The Summit Church in the Raleigh-Durham area and has long been a champion of intentional diversity in the SBC, explained how the denomination started 175 years ago because founding members supported slavery. The denomination has, over the years since then, rejected and repented of its racist past to become one of the most ethnically diverse religious groups in the United States. A lot of people dont know that, but nearly 20% of all Southern Baptist churches are majority non-white and the North America Mission Board tells us that more than 60% of new churches planted recently have been planted and led by people of color, Greear said. Following Floyds death, which was caught on a video showing him handcuffed, lying face down, begging for his life and crying for his mother before he stopped breathing, Greear urged Southern Baptists to see racial injustice as a real issue that must be addressed. We realize that especially in a moment like this one, we need our brothers and sisters of color. We need the wisdom of leadership that God has written in their community. We know that many in our country, particularly our brothers and sisters of color, right now are hurting, he said. Pursuing justice means laboring for the protection of others as fiercely as we would our own children. A racially reconciled church requires more than just sentiments and hashtags and twitter posts. It requires the humility to listen to one another. The empathy to see things from anothers perspective, the charity to give their motives the benefit of the doubt that we would want them to give to us, he continued. Southern Baptists, we need to say it clearly: As a Gospel issue, black lives matter. Of course, black lives matter. Our black brothers and sisters are made in the image of God. Black lives matter because Jesus died for them. Black lives are a beautiful part of Gods Creation and they make up an essential and beautiful part of this body, he said. Reacting to Greears address, the Rev. Dwight McKissic, pastor of Cornerstone Baptist Church, a predominantly African American congregation in Arlington, Texas, told the Houston Chronicle that he was shocked but thankful beyond measure to hear Greears comments, which he praised as sensible, therapeutic and without qualification or equivocation. Its almost surreal to me that it would come off the lips of a president of the Southern Baptist Convention, McKissic said. Its true, its right and it should have been said 50 years ago. Kyle Howard, a preacher, theologian and Christian counselor, expressed concern that Greear seemingly had to use apologetics to exhort Southern Baptists to believe that black lives indeed matter. This is absolutely no shade to JD Greear, I have no doubt whatsoever regarding hes sincere. BUT, if you have to do a video appealing to Southern Baptists to care abt black lives & are having to convince them to value black lives via apologetics, something is deeply wrong, he tweeted. In a separate tweet, he rebuked white Christians for valuing "idols erected in worship to the god of white supremacy" over people. The only idols White [Christian] America has a problem seeing torn down are idols erected in worship to the god of white supremacy. In scripture, God delights in seeing idols torn down, but many 'Christians' in America have become content w/ them, they even value them over people," he wrote in a Twitter thread. But after ByteDance, the owner of TikTok, chose Oracle, Mnuchin said, "We'll be reviewing it with their technical teams and our technical teams to see if they can make the representations" to keep data on American phones safe. Mnuchin told CNBC that the U.S. government has "a lot of confidence in both Microsoft and Oracle," the two firms TikTok had been considering selling to. U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said Monday the Trump administration would review a bid this week by Oracle Corp. to buy the Chinese-owned short video app TikTok to make it a U.S.-headquartered company. In separate executive orders issued in August, U.S. President Donald Trump prohibited American individuals or companies from doing business with ByteDance after Sept. 20 and ordered ByteDance to divest its U.S. assets by mid-November. On Sunday, the New York Times reported that Microsoft's bid was rejected by ByteDance and that the Chinese company said that Oracle would be its "technology partner." It's unclear the terms of the deal being discussed. In a statement, Microsoft said its proposal "would have been good for TikTok's users, while protecting national security interests. To do this, we would have made significant changes to ensure the service met the highest standards for security, privacy, online safety, and combatting disinformation." The fate of TikTok in the U.S. hangs in the balance as it approaches the Trump administration deadline. In recent months, the video app has become a focus of U.S.-China tensions with the administration accusing the company of being answerable to the Chinese government, a claim that TikTok has denied. But even with security concerns about TikTok, Americans have continued to download the app. By end of last March, TikTok saw more than 300 million downloads in the U.S., according to Go.Verizon's data. Microsoft, together with Walmart, pursued a deal with ByteDance. A second group of investors led by Oracle emerged as a possible bidder. Oracle is one of the few Silicon Valley firms with top executives who have held political fundraisers for Trump ahead of his Nov. 3 re-election contest against former Vice President Joe Biden. As the negotiations progressed, the Chinese government changed its export rules stopping TikTok from selling its valuable recommendation algorithm, dubbed "For You," which queued up the next video for a user to watch. It's unclear if any deal with Oracle would involve the algorithm. As two NJ Transit North Jersey Coast Line trains lumbered across the 112-year-old Raritan Bay bridge Tuesday morning, Gov. Phil Murphy got an up-close look at why the bridge is being replaced. While the governor and other officials threw a ceremonial shovel of dirt on the South Amboy side of the bay to commemorate the start of four years of construction, two barges containing cranes were floating in the bay ready to do the real work. As Murphy spoke at a press event, the elderly swing bridge rotated open to let a tugboat pass. Unlike its sister swing bridge, named Portal in Kearny which is infamous for getting stuck in the open position, delaying thousands of commuters, the Raritan Bay bridge closed. But Murphy name-checked them as two fewer headaches that commuters will have to endure, once both are replaced. Some commuters have to traverse two of the oldest, crankiest bridges, a dual headache that will be alleviated, he said. Better days are ahead. The bridge carries North Jersey Coast Line and Conrail shared assets freight trains over the bay. It is a key link to connecting 17 Coast Line stations south of Raritan Bay in Middlesex, Monmouth and Ocean Counties to Newark and New York. Transportation Commissioner Diane Gutierrez-Scaccetti, right, NJ Transit CEO Kevin Corbett, middle and Gov. Phil Murphy turn over the first ceremonial shovelfuls of ground Tuesday to start construction of a new NJ Transit bridge across Raritan Bay. Hurricane Sandy dealt the bridge a one-two punch in October 2012 when waters of the bay driven by the storm washed over the bridge and its causeways. Two boats broke their moorings in the bay and slammed into the bridge during the storm. The span was closed until mid-November 2012 so NJ Transit bridge and track crews could painstakingly realign 21 separate bridges on the causeway to allow trains to creep across at 10 mph. More permanent repairs allowed faster speeds, but because of damage to the bearings between the bridges and the supporting piers and storm erosion, the old bridge needed to be replaced. Similar to the Portal Bridge, this swing bridge also gets stuck open, delaying thousands of riders. Construction will start right away and take four years, said Kevin Corbett NJ transit CEO and president. It will be a lift span, so with modern mechanisms, it will be more reliable and quicker when it opens and closes, he said. (Trains) can go at faster speeds and well pick up transit times. Trains will use the old bridge while the new one is built slightly west of it and the only construction related delays will happen when the new span is connected to the rest of the Coast Line, he said. There will be some disruption and well schedule it so it has minimal impact on riders, Corbett said. The replacement bridge was designed to be more resilient and can withstand future storms driven by climate change, said Diane Gutierrez-Scaccetti, state transportation commissioner The new bridge is being built as we face more severe weather, she said. It will stand and operate, she said. The new bridge also provides a safer channel for boats, which is important for future ferry service proposed for South Amboy, she said. In May, NJ Transits board of directors approved a $$247.9 million construction contract on Wednesday with George Harms Construction Co., Inc to build a new replacement bridge alongside the existing bridge. Design and construction of the new bridge are being funded with a $446 million Federal Transit Administration Sandy Resiliency grant. The Raritan Bay Bridge project creates 5,700 jobs and pays workers $350 million in wages, Murphy said. "Its about the jobs it creates today and building for tomorrow, Murphy said. Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a voluntary subscription. Larry Higgs may be reached at lhiggs@njadvancemedia.com. C arole Baskin hot-footed to the dancefloor for her first Dancing With the Stars performance last night but her routine was overshadowed by an advert demanding information about the whereabouts of her ex-husband Don Lewis. Baskin, 59, became a household name after she featured in Netflixs hugely popular docu-series Tiger King, and was sure to play on that fact by stepping out Survivors Eye of The Tiger for her first dance. But during the shows broadcast, an advertisement appeared featuring the family of Don Lewis, Baskins ex-husband, offering $100,000 for information about his disappearance. Lewiss three daughters, Gale, Lynda and Donna featured in the commercial, alongside his former assistant and the familys attorney, John M Phillips. Carole Baskin made her DWTS debut / ABC Requesting answers, Phillips said the family deserves answers and justice, before adding: Do you know who did this or whether Carole Baskin was involved? Lewis was reported missing in 1997, with rumours about his disappearance featuring in Tiger King. Baskins rival Joe Exotic, as well as other individuals featured in the series, accused Baskin of killing her husband and feeding his body to tigers at her sanctuary. Dancing with the Stars 2020 - In pictures 1 /20 Dancing with the Stars 2020 - In pictures ABC ABC ABC ABC ABC ABC ABC ABC ABC ABC ABC ABC ABC ABC ABC Baskin has continuously and strenuously denied claims she had anything to do with Lewiss disappearance, and has never been legally charged in connection with the case. Partnered with Pasha Pashkov, Baskins first dance failed to impress the judges, who scored just 11 out of 30. Not everyone was impressed with Baskin's debut / ABC Viewers were similarly less thrilled with Baskins so-called smooth moves. Posting a short video on her Instagram story, Lady Gaga is heard exclaiming "Oh my god, no!" as she shared a clip of Baskin dancing. But the animal activist seemed pleased enough with her first dance; when asked by host Tyra Banks whether she had tapped into her inner tiger, a breathless Baskin replied yes." Selling Sunset's Chrishell Stause is also part of this year's star-studded line-up. Prince William and Kate Middleton visited the famous Beigel Bake in Londons East End on Tuesday, to make food and talk to locals. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge made bagels at the historic shop and met with Muslim volunteers who have been supporting the community during the coronavirus outbreak. During their tour of Brick Lane, which took place on Prince Harrys 36th birthday, the couple also visited a mosque and community centre. Beigel Bake is a 24-hour bakery, which has become the staple of clubbers, shift workers and tourists drawn to its renowned salt beef bagels. The food, popular with the areas long-standing Jewish community, was temporarily unavailable during the pandemic when Beigel Bake was forced to reduce its opening hours. William and Kate heard how this affected employees, and how the culinary institution helped the local community through food donations and deliveries. Later in the afternoon, the couple travelled to the nearby East London Mosque and London Muslim Centre in Shadwell. They met with more volunteers who cooked and delivered meals to vulnerable members of the community during the pandemic and dropped off medication or grocery parcels. The royals began their day at the London Bridge Jobcentre, where they spoke to a group of people who are currently unemployed due to the coronavirus pandemic. Employers also spoke about their experiences trying to help people find jobs in the current climate. William and Kate also met those who benefited from the support, a project which has received financial help from the National Emergencies Trust - which has William as its patron. The first post-lockdown engagement Prince William took part in was also at a bakery in Kings Lynn, Norwich, where he met business owners who had been forced to adapt their business during the pandemic. Earlier in the day, the couple wished the Duke of Sussex a happy birthday on their social media accounts, posting a photograph of William, Kate and Harry competing in a running race. Prince Harry is thought to be enjoying private celebrations in Santa Barbara with his wife Meghan Markle, and son Archie. Felipe Saurez Barocio, 63, of Atwater, owner of Agriculture Services Inc., and his daughter, Angelita Barocio-Negrete, 33, of Merced, were arraigned today on multiple felony counts of insurance fraud after allegedly underreporting employee payroll by $11 million in order to fraudulently reduce the businesss premium for workers compensation insurance by over $2.5 million. The alleged fraud potentially left employed farm workers without insurance coverage and at financial risk, according to the California Department of Insurance. On Oct. 14, 2019, State Compensation Insurance Fund reportedly filed a suspected fraudulent claim with the CDI alleging potential insurance fraud. SCIF reported that Barocio, as owner of a farm labor contracting business, allegedly underreported employee payroll in order to reduce the proper rate of insurance premiums owed to SCIF. An investigation by the department reportedly revealed that between 2015 and 2019, Barocio and his daughter, who worked as the office manager, provided SCIF with fabricated quarterly employee payroll reports. The department discovered a missing $11 million in payroll when they compared the quarterly reports submitted to SCIF to the quarterly reports submitted to the Employment Development Department. This underreporting of employee payroll resulted in a total loss of $2.5 million in insurance premiums, according to the CDI. Barocio and his daughter, Barocio-Negrete, will return to court on Oct. 27. The Merced County District Attorneys Office is prosecuting this case. Topics California Workers' Compensation Fraud A federal appeals court on Monday cleared the way for New York state to collect about $200 million from drug manufacturers and distributors by imposing a surcharge on them to defray the costs of combating the opioid addiction epidemic. The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled a lower-court judge lacked authority to strike down the requirement that the companies collectively pay $100 million annually because it was tax rather than a regulatory fee or a punitive fine. Industry trade group Healthcare Distribution Alliance, which along with the Association for Accessible Medicines and drugmaker Mallinckrodt Plc challenged the law in court, called the ruling disappointing. AAM said it was reviewing it. The payments were owed under the Opioid Stewardship Act, which Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo signed into law in 2018 to address the costs the U.S. opioid addiction epidemic imposed on the state. The law marked the first time a state had sought to impose a tax or fee related to the epidemic on opioid manufacturers and distributors. Delaware and Minnesota have since adopted their own taxes and other states have considered similar legislation. The New York law envisioned collecting $100 million annually from manufacturers and distributors of prescription painkillers based on their market share. Distributor AmerisourceBergen Corp., for example, has set aside $22 million to cover potential payments. A federal judge in 2018 ruled that a provision barring the companies from passing on the costs of making the payments to consumers was unconstitutional and could not be severed from the rest of the law. Following that ruling, New York enacted a new tax law that did not include the pass-through prohibition. The state consequently only revived the rest of the law, allowing it to collect $200 million based on 2017 and 2018 market shares. (Reporting by Nate Raymond in Boston; Editing by Richard Chang) Topics USA New York The daughter of Australian sporting greats Lisa Curry and Grant Kenny had long battled an eating disorder, with her family supporting her through years of treatment at a private clinic. Jaimi Kenny passed away at Sunshine Coast University Hospital on Monday morning surrounded by her family, including both her Olympian mother and Ironman father. The 33-year-old had been supported by her parents and siblings through many years of treatment at private clinic End ED, on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland. Shattered staff at the clinic said they could not discuss Jaimi's struggle, but told how she became part of the 'family' over the years. Despite her struggles with weight, friends of Jaimi told how she always brought 'light and laughter' to the lives of those she around her. Her model brother Jett paid tribute to his sister on Tuesday, admitting that while he 'may not have been the best brother' they 'loved one another unconditionally'. Jaimi Kenny, 33, had long battled an eating disorder, with her family supporting her through years of treatment at a private clinic (Jaimi, left, is pictured with her family at her sister Morgan's 2016 wedding) Devastated: Lisa Curry (right) has released a heartbreaking statement about the death of her daughter Jaimi (left) on Monday Jaimi is the eldest daughter of Australian sporting champions Lisa Curry and Grant Kenny. She is pictured sitting on her mother's shoulders as she arrives home from the 1990 Commonwealth Games with a gold medal around her neck Her model brother Jett (left) paid tribute to his sister on Tuesday, admitting that while he 'may not have been the best brother' to Jaimi (right) they 'loved one another unconditionally' 'I may not have been the best brother to you all the time, I know you thought you werent being the big sister I needed all the time, but I do know we loved one another unconditionally all the time,' he wrote. 'I will love you forever. Rest In Peace my beautiful big sister, the world lost one of its treasures yesterday but heaven gained one. You will be dearly missed by all whose lives you touched.' End ED is located in the mountains surrounding the Sunshine Coast and provides an avenue of support for eating disorder sufferers and their families. Among those to pay tribute to Jaimi in the wake of the news of her death was End ED clinician Millie Thomas. 'You are my best friend and my soul sister and you always will be,' Ms Thomas wrote. 'My heart is shattered into a million pieces right now - I can't fathom life without you. 'My days will never ever be the same without your love, your light and your laughter. 'You mean the world to me darling heart and I will love you forever and always.' Lisa shared a statement just hours earlier telling of her family's 'unbearable' pain at the death of her 'beautiful daughter'. 'Our hearts are completely broken. Our beautiful daughter Jaimi has lost her battle with a long-term illness and passed away peacefully in hospital yesterday morning with her loving family by her side,' Lisa wrote. 'So loved. So beautiful. So kind to everyone... So painful. I can barely breathe. 'Rest In Peace my beautiful big sister, the world lost one of its treasures yesterday but heaven gained one,' Jett Kenny wrote on his emotional Instagram tribute to Jaimi on Tuesday Gone too soon: Jaimi is the daughter of Lisa and her ex-husband, Australian ironman champion Grant Kenny (who is pictured with his daughter as a baby) Tragedy: Lisa's ex-husband Grant Kenny announced their 'caring and loving' daughter had died at Sunshine Coast University Hospital on Monday morning Unclear: Neither the family's statement on Monday nor Lisa's Instagram update on Tuesday specified the exact nature of Jaimi's illness Grieving: Jaimi (centre) is survived by her Ironman father, former pro swimmer mother (right), brother Jett (left) and sister Morgan 'Jaimi will forever be remembered as a caring, bright and loving soul who always put others before herself. Her love of flowers, cooking, art, decorating, photography, babies, the beach, and helping others will always be remembered. 'Our hearts are broken and the pain is unbearable but we cherish every wonderful moment we got to share with our treasured and so loved first child.' Lisa's ex-husband Grant broke the news of their daughter's death on Monday with a public statement. Jaimi was the couple's eldest child, and a sibling to sister Morgan and son Jett. Lisa and Grant married in 1986 and were one of Australia's most famous couples with both enjoying individual sporting success on the world stage. But after their separation in 2019, Grant has since welcomed a fourth child with radio presenter Fifi Box, while Lisa married Elvis impersonator Mark Tabone in 2018. Jaimi continued a close friendship with Fifi even after she separated from her father. Lisa's husband Mark Tabone also addressed the tragedy in an Instagram post on Tuesday. 'As the tears flow and the heart aches, I write this as a tribute to beautiful young lady, who's life ended way too soon,' he wrote. 'Bright, caring and loving soul': The 58-year-old former competitive swimmer spoke of her 'unbearable' pain in a gut-wrenching Instagram post on Tuesday (above). Her post was interspersed with pink floral emojis - an ode to Jaimi's 'love of flowers' Sad: 'Our hearts are broken and the pain is unbearable but we cherish every wonderful moment we got to share with our treasured and so loved first child,' Lisa said Condolences: Lisa's husband, Elvis Presley impersonator Mark Tabone (left), also addressed the tragedy in an Instagram post on Tuesday. Pictured with Lisa and Jaimi Pillar of support: He thanked the public for their condolences and said his 'job now is to nurture my wife through this unimaginable time' 'As your mother and father weep your loss, I too feel lost and heavy hearted. Nobody should ever lose their child. 'You always put everybody else first. You were gifted with many talents, amazing cook, arts and crafts, writing, and your love and creativity with flowers.' He went on to thank the public for their condolences and said his 'job now is to nurture my wife through this unimaginable time'. The Curry-Kenny family confirmed Jaimi's death on Monday afternoon with a public statement. 'It is with a very heavy heart that Lisa and I confirm that our beautiful daughter Jaimi has lost her battle with a long-term illness and passed away peacefully in hospital this morning in the company of loving family,' read a statement from Grant Kenny. 'Jaimi will forever be remembered as a caring, bright and loving soul who always put others before herself. 'Our hearts are broken and the pain is immense but we must move forward cherishing every wonderful moment we got to share with our treasured first child. Family ties: Lisa is pictured with her son Jett (left), surviving daughter Morgan (right) and her grandson Flynn RIP: Jaimi is pictured as a child with her mother, a three-time Olympian and former swimmer Co-parents: Lisa and Grant separated in 2009 after 23 years of marriage, before finalising their divorce in 2017. They are pictured with Jaimi on the Sunshine Coast on April 3, 2008 New chapter: In 2013, Grant, 57, welcomed a daughter named Trixie Belle with radio presenter Fifi Box (right). Fifi - who had a close friendship with her ex's adult children, including Jaimi (left) - did not acknowledge Grant was the father of her daughter until 2016. Pictured in 2017 'We thank the incredible team at the Sunshine Coast University Hospital for their tireless commitment to making her better and giving us as the extra time we were able to spend with her. 'It goes without saying that this is a very difficult time for family and friends and we trust we will all be allowed to grieve in privacy.' Jaimi had just turned 33 in June, with her mother taking to social media at the time to wish her a happy birthday. 'Our first born. Really... where have all those years gone! Have a lovely day bubba. We all love you so much,' Lisa wrote. OTTAWA (dpa-AFX) - R.R. Donnelley & Sons Co. (RRD) announced Tuesday that it has signed a definitive agreement to sell its DLS Worldwide Logistics business to TFI International for $225 million in cash, subject to a customary working capital adjustment. The agreement stipulates 10 percent of the purchase price will be held in escrow while the remainder will be paid at closing. The transaction does not include RRD's International Mail and Parcel Logistics business and is expected to close within the next 60 days pending regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions. The sale of the DLS Worldwide business will help RRD to further optimize its business portfolio, reduce debt and improve liquidity, all while positioning itself as provider of marketing and business communications. DLS Worldwide is a non-asset based platform providing logistics services through a third-party network of internal sales personnel, commissioned sales agents and approximately 140 agent-stations. RRD intends to use a portion of the proceeds from the transaction to reduce its borrowings under its credit facility and the remainder will be held temporarily as cash on hand until it decides to further reduce outstanding borrowings on its credit facility and/or repurchase additional near term debt securities. RRD previously sold its Print Logistics business in July of 2018 and its Courier Logistics business in March of 2020, in addition to its UK-based Global Document Solutions business in October of 2019. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. "This incredible partnership will allow us to extend differentiated supports to our families during Distance Learning and beyond. Brian Biedermann, Interim Superintendent of Stockton Unified Schools GreatSchools.org, a national nonprofit providing parents with information to guide their children to great futures, and Stockton Unified School District announced today their new collaboration to help parents support their child's learning by delivering weekly grade-based newsletters in English and in Spanish. This resource aims to extend the impact of the classroom, grow the connection between school and home, and help parents support their childs academic, social, and emotional learning and well-being for the 2020-2021 school year. First launched in 2016, these newsletters are tailored to a childs grade and developmental stage, are delivered weekly through email, and are dedicated to helping families every step of the way. The newsletters include original, evidence-based articles, videos, parent stories, and free standards-aligned worksheets. Millions of parents, caregivers, grandparents, and teachers visit GreatSchools.org throughout the year for free resources and information and now Stockton Unifieds 40,000 families will receive these essential resources in their inbox every week. Our District has made great strides in providing students with access to high-quality, standards-based material, as well as access to wrap around support services during this global pandemic, said Brian Biedermann, Interim Superintendent of Stockton Unified Schools. As we move forward, we shall remain dedicated to providing high-quality first instruction, rigorous curriculum, and to supporting academic achievement and social-emotional development. This incredible partnership will allow us to extend differentiated supports to our families during Distance Learning and beyond. It is imperative that we work together to support parents and teachers, so that whether our children are learning in the classroom or virtually, they will thrive amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond, said Carol Lloyd, VP Editorial Director at GreatSchools.org. Our newsletters are here to meet all parents where they are and help with tough parenting moments, academic challenges, and supporting their child from learning how to read to preparing for college. As schools across the country start off the year with remote instruction, in-person learning, or both, school districts have an even greater need to safely build stronger communities and equitable outcomes for all students. In their most recent annual survey of 3,264 parents receiving GreatSchools.orgs grade-based newsletters, 94% reported that the newsletters helped them understand and support their childs learning, 87% reported that the newsletters supported them during school closures, 84% of parents reported that the newsletters helped them to feel more confident communicating with the teacher, and 64% reported that their child is doing better in school academically, socially and/or emotionally, or both, since they began reading the newsletters. GreatSchools.org team members are available for media interviews. For more information about their parenting resources visit http://www.greatschools.org/gk/grade-by-grade-newsletter/. About GreatSchools.org: GreatSchools.org is the leading national nonprofit empowering parents with essential information to improve educational opportunities for their child. Using GreatSchools trusted ratings and school quality information, parents can find the right school for their family and take action to improve schools in their communities. Thousands of articles, tips and interactive tools offer parents easy-to-use resources to support their childs learning and wellbeing every day. Families, community leaders and policymakers turn to GreatSchools for the school information they need to guide children to great futures. About Stockton Unified School District: Stockton Unified School District (SUSD) began providing services to students in 1852 and is located in the heart of Californias Central Valley near the banks of the San Joaquin River. SUSD is the 17th largest school district in California, whereby 40,000 PK-12th grade students come to us to experience an academic journey that leads to high school graduation and success in college, careers, and as actively-engaged community members. The District also serves a number of adults through our Stockton School For Adults. SUSD is made up of thirty-seven Head Start classes, fifty-three state preschool classes, three First 5 preschool classes, forty-one K-8 schools, four comprehensive high schools, three small high schools, an alternative high school, a special education school, a school for adults, and five dependent charter schools. Our district mission is to graduate every single youth college, career, and community ready. Stockton Unified School District is dedicated to providing high quality first instruction, rigorous curriculum, and supporting academic achievement and social-emotional development supported by Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS). The District's work is guided by three focal goals: Every child by the end of third grade will read and comprehend at the proficient level. Every child will have access to high quality, rigorous first instruction. Every child, by the end of 12th grade, will graduate and be college, career, and community ready. Breast cancer is the second most common cancer diagnosed in women in the United States after skin cancer, and women with comorbidities (the presence of more than one condition/disease) often fare worse in terms of their breast cancer. Researchers believe that comorbid conditions such as diabetes, obesity and metabolic disease may alter the biology of the non-malignant cells of the tumor microenvironment and may promote progression. Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) researchers Gerald Denis, PhD, Andrew Emili, PhD, and Stefano Monti, PhD, together with Beth Israel Deaconess/Harvard Medical School researcher Senthil Muthuswamy, PhD, have been awarded a five-year, $2.5 million National Cancer Institute UO1 grant to develop and analyze breast tumor organoids (models). Specifically, the award will support their project: Multiscale analysis of metabolic inflammation as a driver of breast cancer. According to the researchers, the patient population at most safety-net hospitals often presents not just with invasive breast cancer of a specific stage and molecular subtype, but also with comorbid conditions such as Type 2 diabetes which accounts for a 40 percent worse overall survival compared to non-diabetic women. This co-morbidity burden is disproportionately high among vulnerable cohorts, such as patients at Boston Medical Center (BMC), where it can affect half of the patient population. Unfortunately, current models of breast tumor progression and immunotherapy are based on data from metabolically healthy cancer patients, ignoring metabolic /inflammatory components of Type 2 diabetes." Stefano Monti, associate professor of medicine and biostatistics at BUSM "Currently, the standard of care is built on data from patients who do not have these complications, thus these patients are understudied. Our goal is to produce new models that represent women with these conditions and hopefully lead to improved outcomes in their survival," added Denis, the Shipley Prostate Cancer Research Professor at BUSM. "This project leverages the strengths of a unique trans-disciplinary team with complementary strengths in molecular oncology, organoid modeling, bioinformatics and systems biology to address a major unmet clinical need,' concludes Emili, the founding Director of the Center for Network Systems Biology at BU. The project's other researchers are Naomi Ko, MD, MPH, a medical oncologist at BMC. Kimberly Bertrand, ScD, from BU's Slone Epidemiology Center will analyze patient clinical data for outcomes of breast cancer. Anna Belkina, MD, PhD, an expert in multi-parameter flow cytometry will focus on the T cell function of the breast cancer immune infiltrates, while Joshua Campbell, PhD, a computational biologist, will analyze single cell RNA sequencing data from the tumors, T cells and organoids. TEL AVIV, Israel, Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Sternum, the IoT cybersecurity company providing embedded protection and unprecedented real-time visibility for connected devices, today announced it has raised $6.5 million in Series A funding. The round, led by Square Peg, was joined by existing investor and global business leader Merle Hinrich, European venture capital firm btov, and private investors including Boston-based veteran entrepreneur Eyal Shavit and Founder & CEO of CyberArk, Udi Mokady. Sternum will use the funding to expand its R&D team and bolster its go-to-market strategy as the company ushers in the next generation of IoT with its cutting-edge cybersecurity and monitoring solutions. The new round brings Sternum's total funding raised to $10 million since being founded in 2018. 40 billion IoT devices are predicted to be in use by 2025, and until now, there has not been a scalable, endpoint cybersecurity solution that can be installed on individual devices. Instead, manufacturers have heavily relied on vulnerability patching or network security approaches that have ultimately proven insufficient. Not only do connected devices lack adequate security protection, manufacturers are not capturing valuable data points from devices in operation. Device data can provide key insights for optimizing performance, supporting future developments, and profiling and mitigating third-party behavior and risk. Sternum's technology is uniquely positioned to accelerate and secure the global implementation of IoT across multiple sectors, including medical, smart energy & utilities, industrial IoT, and more. Sternum's scalable, embedded solutions are injected into a device's binary code and can be integrated into a wide range of IoT devices low-end, high-end, old, new, existing devices, RTOS, and Linux-based with no configurations or changes to existing code required. Unlike other solutions, Sternum is not focused on the endless race of patching every vulnerability found on a device; instead, its solutions are focused on the exploitation stage of any cyber-attack, preventing it in real time by immunizing the entire device code against breaches. Sternum's next-generation solutions ensure streamlined security and immersive monitoring of all aspects of a device, including third-party components, providing valuable insights that improve products. "I'm excited to say that we are the only company offering both an embedded, agentless, and holistic security solution for all IoT devices, as well as the ability to monitor them through an intelligent cloud platform, no matter the operating system or resources available, thus creating the first on-device technology acceptable by all IoT devices," said Natali Tshuva, CEO and co-founder of Sternum. "This round, closed during a global pandemic, is a vote of confidence in our dual vision for IoT cybersecurity and on-device intelligence, our technology, and most importantly, our team. With these new funds, we will continue actively recruiting researchers and engineers to grow our industry-leading R&D team in our mission to secure all IoT devices and obtain insights that will vastly improve our connected world." "We are impressed with Sternum's innovative products and diverse team, whose technologies will power our connected future with uncompromising security protection and rich, data-driven insights," said Philippe Schwartz, Partner at Square Peg. "We look forward to supporting the Sternum team as they continue to help their customers protect and secure their business-critical IoT devices." Sternum has already partnered with public enterprises including Telit (AIM: TCM), as well as a leading global medical device manufacturer, to provide first-of-its-kind endpoint security for life saving IoT devices. Sternum recently proved the effectiveness of its solutions by successfully blocking the exploitation of multiple critical zero-day vulnerabilities known as Ripple20. "Authentication, security and real-time monitoring across all IoT devices and applications is a critical problem for manufacturers and consumers," said Merle Hinrich, Founder and Chairman of Hinrich Foundation. "Sternum's solutions are unique, scalable, and proven. We are delighted to be invested in and supportive of Sternum's team and technology, which will assist in bringing trust and dependability to industries implementing IoT." Following this investment, Shavit, Schwartz and Hinrich will join Sternum's Board of Directors. About Sternum Sternum, the IoT cybersecurity company providing embedded protection and unprecedented real-time visibility for connected devices, was founded in 2018 by a team of highly experienced research, development, and business leaders, many coming from the Israeli Defense Forces' (IDF) elite Unit 8200. With a profound understanding of embedded systems, deep insights into defenders' and attackers' mindsets, and a goal of creating a new standard of cybersecurity and visibility for IoT devices, Sternum is building uncompromising, innovative technology poised to enable the IoT revolution. Sternum's product suite consists of two key solutions: Embedded Integrity Verification (EIV) and Advanced Detection System (ADS). Both answer the unique needs of IoT device manufacturers in medical, industry 4.0, smart cities, energy, and beyond. Sternum is based in Tel Aviv, Israel. Sternum Media Contact Garrett Krivicich Headline Media [email protected] +1 786 233 7684 SOURCE Sternum 13-y-o grandson of Enchanted Forest founder among multiple dead as wildfires ravage Western states Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Wyatte Tofte, the 13-year-old great-grandson of the creator of the Oregon fantasy theme park The Enchanted Forest, and his grandmother, Peggy Mosso, are among multiple people killed by wildfires that have razed homes, churches and millions of acres across the Pacific Northwest. Their deaths were confirmed by the park on Facebook Wednesday. Angela Mosso, Toftes mother, survived the Beachie Creek fire only after she was forced to leave her disabled mother behind. She suffered severe burns and is being treated in an intensive care unit. We are devastated to confirm that Wyatt Tofte has not survived. He was found a short while ago, the statement from the theme park reads. Wyatt was Rogers great-grandson and is loved and adored by all of his family and friends. His grandmother, Peggy Mosso, was also taken. She was also a loved and important member of our extended family. We ask for privacy and love right now. The harrowing details of how the Beachie Creek wildfires ravaged the family who lived near Lyons, Oregon, were shared by the 13-year-olds father, Chris Tofte, and a family friend in multiple interviews with The Statesman Journal. According to the report, the family had started preparations to leave when they were overwhelmed by the fire. While his wife packed a few things, Chris Tofte left her, his son, and his mother-in-law behind to go borrow a trailer from a friend. As Tofte made his way back to his family along a smoke-filled road, he almost ran over a woman in her underwear. Her hair was singed, her feet were badly burned and her mouth looked almost black, he recalled. He hurriedly tried to help her while explaining that he needed to find his wife and son only to realize that the woman was his wife. He was reportedly left numb by the revelation but turned the trailer around to get help for his wife. He soon connected with paramedics, who treated Angela Mosso, while he searched for his son. While waiting for her husband to return home on Tuesday, Mosso and the rest of her family went to bed. They later woke up with their house on fire. Everyone, including Duke, the family's 200-pound bull mastiff mix, and three cats, were able to get out. They were then supposed to leave the home. But Chris believes the car they could have used must have caught fire. The mother told her son to make a run for it with the dog, reports The Statesman Journal. Then, she was forced to make the difficult decision of leaving her 71-year-old mother behind. Peggy Mosso had suffered a broken leg in a fall, so she couldnt escape on foot. At the Legacy Emanuel Hospital Burn Center in Portland, where she remains in critical condition, Angela Mosso begged her husband to find her son. "Don't come back until you find him," she reportedly told him. The son was reportedly found next to the family dog, NBC News reported. Authorities are still searching for Peggy Mossos remains. There are more than 30 active fires in Oregon as of Friday and an estimated 500,000 residents are in mandatory evacuation zones, according to the Oregon joint information center. The death of Tofte and his grandmother are the first two casualties reported from fires in the state. The Assemblies of God reported Thursday that the Living Water Family Fellowship church located 2 miles outside of Blue River a community of about 800 was destroyed along with the town in a wildfire believed to have been sparked by a transformer that went down in high winds. Doug Fairrington, who has led the church with his wife, Cheri, for the past six years, said they lost power at around 8 p.m. Monday. Shortly after that, they were told by authorities that they had one hour to evacuate. The corridor is 50 miles long and one mile wide, Fairrington said. The transformer provided the spark and an unusual east winds of 20 to 30 miles per hour [gusting to 60 mph] did the rest it created a fire tunnel that literally gutted our area. The church and the parsonage are gone, Fairrington said in a statement. The high school, post office, ... all gone. Oregon Gov. Kate Brown said more than 900,000 acres have burned as of Thursday, according to NBC News. Earlier this week, residents of Phoenix, another small town of about 4,000, returned to survey damage from the Almeda Fire. On Friday, a 41-year-old man was arrested and charged with two counts of arson after allegedly starting a fire in Phoenix. There were flames across the street from me, flames to the right of me, flames to the left of me. I just watched everything burn," Jonathan Weir, whose home was destroyed, told a local reporter. In Washington state, a series of wildfires have burned through nearly 587,000 acres since Monday, My Northwest reported. This is an extraordinary series of events we have suffered, Gov. Jay Inslee said at a press conference Wednesday where he declared a statewide emergency. On Thursday, Inslee also issued a proclamation to help families and individuals impacted by wildfires with cash assistance and immediate needs. For families impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, and now the devastating wildfires ravaging our state, funding from the Family Emergency Assistance Program can be, quite literally, a lifesaver, Inslee said. The state will continue to look for ways to support communities as we work together to recover from multiple economic and health emergencies. The northwest region of the U.S. Forest Service, which covers Washington state and Oregon, stated Thursday they had 5,117 fire personnel, 128 crews, 36 air resources and 431 engines battling 30 large fires burning 1,377,383 acres. California Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a briefing that with 2.3 million acres burned this year, 2020 is now the biggest wildfire season in the states modern history. At this time last year, only 118,000 acres had burned. The death toll from the fires was at least 12 for the month of September, NBC News reported. The National Interagency Fire Center reports that so far this year, 41,599 fires have burned 5,288,247 acres. California remains in the top spot for the state with the most acres burned, followed by Arizona, Colorado, Montana, and Texas. LONDON - Black actor John Boyega has stepped down from his role as a global ambassador for perfume brand Jo Malone after the company decided to hire a Chinese actor to replace him in an ad he created. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 15/9/2020 (493 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. FILE - In this Monday, Dec. 16, 2019 file photo, John Boyega arrives at the world premiere of "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker" in Los Angeles. British perfume brand Jo Malone has apologized to Black actor John Boyega of Star Wars fame after cutting him out of the Chinese version of a cologne commercial he helped create. (Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, File) LONDON - Black actor John Boyega has stepped down from his role as a global ambassador for perfume brand Jo Malone after the company decided to hire a Chinese actor to replace him in an ad he created. Ready, Pet, Go! Leesa Dahl looks at everything to do with our furry, fuzzy, feathered, fishy (and more!) pet friends. Arrives in your inbox each Monday. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. The Star Wars star wrote on Twitter Tuesday that the brands decision to replace my campaign in China by using my concepts and substituting a local brand ambassador for me, without either my consent or prior notice, was wrong. FILE - In this Dec. 10, 2015 file photo, actor John Boyega, right, pose with Star Wars characters during the Japan Premiere of their latest film "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" in Tokyo. Black actor John Boyega has stepped down from his role as a global ambassador for perfume brand Jo Malone, according to his Twitter announcement Tuesday Sept. 15, 2020, after the company decided to hire a Chinese actor to replace him in an ad he created. (AP Photo/Koji Sasahara, File) Jo Malone, an upscale British perfume brand owned by Estee Lauder, has said that replacing Boyega with Chinese star Liu Haoran in the ad campaign was a misstep. It has removed the ad and apologized. The original ad starring Boyega, 28, aired last year and was called The London Gent. It features the London-born actor walking around the neighbourhood where he grew up and riding a horse in a park, and it makes reference to his Nigerian heritage in a scene featuring West African attire. The film celebrated my personal story showcasing my hometown, including my friends and featuring my family, Boyega wrote. While many brands understandably use a variety of global and local ambassadors, dismissively trading out ones culture this way is not something I can condone. Its not the first time Boyega has been deleted from a China-based ad. He played a leading role as Finn in 2015's Star Wars: The Force Awakens, but he and other nonwhite characters were removed or diminished from a Chinese poster for the movie. Boyega recently told GQ that Black characters have been pushed to the side in Disneys Star Wars franchise. In June, the star made an emotional speech on racism when he joined Black Lives Matter protests in London. The partnership between Logistyx and Manhattan provides customers a true enterprise-class shipping platform with broader carrier options and the advanced tools to help them ship from anywhere to anywhere. Logistyx Technologies, the leader in transportation management for parcel shipping, announced today a new agreement to continue partnership with Manhattan Associates, a technology leader in supply chain and omnichannel commerce, as the company releases the latest enhancements to shift its product to the cloud. As an independent Manhattan Value Partner since 2012, under this new containerized model, Logistyx now offers the ability to upgrade to enhanced parcel shipping capabilities more cost-effectively, providing Manhattan customers unlimited access to more than 8,500 global carrier services that will enable rate shopping and shipping execution to any location worldwide. 2020 marks the eighth anniversary of Logistyxs global partnership with Manhattan, with a successful track record serving as a trusted partner to Manhattans Warehouse Management for Open Systems (WMOS), Order Management System (OMS) and Warehouse Management for IBMi (WMI) users, and now Manhattan Active Warehouse Management. In 2014, Manhattan and Logistyx more closely aligned with a strategic partnership to jointly develop what is now known as an external parcel interface (EPI) to provide their WMOS users access to a much larger parcel carrier network. Logistyx has since deployed its industry leading TME technology throughout the Manhattan WMOS user community. Together, Logistyx and Manhattan issued a five-year milestone announcement in 2019 highlighting the many successful deployments of Logistyx TME and Manhattans EPI. Manhattan Associates values our enduring partnership with Logistyx to bring innovative solutions to customers, said Adam Kline, Senior Director, Product Management at Manhattan Associates. As an established leader in multi-carrier parcel management, Logistyxs state-of-the-art cloud technology proved yet again to serve as a quality match with our EPI in delivering a superior global parcel shipping solution. Manhattan and Logistyx continue their alignment around global parcel strategy which is unequalled in the supply chain industry. As a co-developer of the EPI, Logistyx is helping Manhattan bring a next-generation EPI to the market. Logistyx and Manhattans technology roadmaps with a focus on increased cloud capabilities have often aligned, which has resulted in a successful partnership over the last several years, said Logistyx President Ken Fleming. The partnership between Logistyx and Manhattan provides customers a true enterprise-class shipping platform with broader carrier options and the advanced tools to help them ship from anywhere to anywhere. Logistyx offers Manhattan customers the ability to better manage their parcel shipping activities with support for a blended carrier strategy and the capacity to deploy an extensive selection of carriers, providing an expanded global footprint for customers to achieve the best value for every destination, delivery time and product. About Manhattan Associates Manhattan Associates is a technology leader in supply chain and omnichannel commerce. We unite information across the enterprise, converging front-end sales with back-end supply chain execution. Our software, platform technology and unmatched experience help drive both top-line growth and bottom-line profitability for our customers. Manhattan Associates designs, builds and delivers leading edge cloud and on-premises solutions so that across the store, through your network or from your fulfillment center, you are ready to reap the rewards of the omnichannel marketplace. For more information, please visit http://www.manh.com. About Logistyx Technologies Logistyx Technologies is the leader in Transportation Management for parcel shipping, providing an unmatched global multi-carrier network, predictive analytics and full visibility into customer deliveries. Its software boosts parcel shipping efficiencies and other business KPIs for many of the worlds top manufacturers, retailers and logistics providers. Logistyxs flagship software, TME, is the worlds first single engine specifically designed for parcel shipping. With more than 8,500 carrier service integrations globally, TME provides carrier compliance, predictive analytics and tracking on shipping from start to finish. Headquartered in Chicago, Logistyx Technologies also has U.S. offices in St. Louis and Tulsa, Okla. and international offices in Canada, the Netherlands, the U.K. and Singapore. For more information, visit http://www.Logistyx.com. # # # The government has allowed the Transport Ministry to reopen flights to mainland China, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan from September 15, followed by Laos, Cambodia from September 22, the Government Office said Tuesday evening. The ministry had proposed that passengers allowed entry includes Vietnamese citizens, foreigners carrying diplomatic and official passports, experts, business managers, high-skilled workers, investors, and their family members. The governments permission has added international students and family members of Vietnamese citizens to the list of those allowed entry in the latest loosening of arrival restrictions. The flights are not opened to tourists yet. There will be a maximum of two round trips a week between the destinations opening up, and the number of flights will be adjusted depending on actual demand. Passengers must have a certificate showing they tested negative for the novel coronavirus within three days of boarding the flight. That test must be conducted using the real-time reverse transcriptionpolymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) method. Upon landing in Vietnam, the arrivals would be tested again with the RT-PRC method at centralized quarantine camps. The quarantine period for those who test negative twice would be reduced from 14 to five days, following which they have to remain at their accommodation or place of work until the 14 days are up under supervision of local authorities. Those showing signs of infection will have to continue staying at the centralized quarantine facilities. Those entering Vietnam after transiting from a third destination must stay in centralized quarantine camps for 14 days and undergo tests as required. All arrivals will have to pay for their quarantine and tests. Quarantine options After taking necessary screening steps at quarantine camps, foreign arrivals have different options for continued quarantine. Foreigners holding official or diplomatic passports and their families can be quarantined at their offices' guest houses or at lodgings of their choice. Experts, investors, business managers, high-skilled workers and their families, international students and foreign family members of Vietnamese citizens will be quarantined at their company offices, factories or lodgings. Vietnamese arrivals will be quarantined at military camps or lodgings. The Health Ministry had already announced that those entering Vietnam for a period of less than 14 days will not have to be quarantined at centralized camps, but they must ensure compliance with all other requirements, including wearing a mask and refraining from shaking hands. They also need to complete medical procedures, including tests for Covid-19 and the organization that invites them needs to guarantee that it, or an international insurance company, will bear all medical and other expenses if they contract the disease in Vietnam. The government's decision came not long after the Transport Ministry said earlier Tuesday that it is yet to allow resumption of flights pending final decisions on quarantine and testing procedures. Vietnam has suspended all international flights since late March. The country has recorded 1,063 Covid-19 cases so far with 35 deaths. No local transmission has been recorded for 12 days. Hyderabad, Sep 15 : India's leading technology incubator T-Hub on Tuesday signed a MoU with the Hiroshima Prefectural Government for collaboration in areas of creation of innovation, entrepreneurship and open innovation. This association will help nurture the startup ecosystem between the state of Telangana and Hiroshima and bring together cultures and ideas from both the innovation ecosystems to transform customer experience and foster digital transformation, T-Hub said. As the first step of this partnership, T-Hub will lead a virtual innovation programme called 'Road to Shine' (R2S) in partnership with Infobridge India Pvt. Ltd., an Indo-Japanese business development and consultancy firm. The programme is centered on the theme 'The future city you want to create'. It will empower the next generation leaders to generate new technologies and solutions that address the future challenges of India. Through this programme, T-Hub and the Hiroshima Prefectural Government will collaborate with students and engineers, including the startup ecosystems in Hyderabad. T-Hub will call for applications from the student innovators and early growth-stage startups with a background in computer science and related engineering fields. The main applicant can participate individually or as a team where he/she can recruit up to two other members not necessarily from a technical background. All members must be based in the state of Telangana and be under the age of 30 to participate in this programme. The main applicant should be available for all online workshops and events. T-Hub said the call for applicants commenced from September 8 and will remain active until October 17, 2020. High-potential innovators and startups will be selected based on the quality of technology solutions, ability to expand on self-reflection to bring social and societal perspectives, demonstration of in-depth analysis, product/solution readiness and growth potential. The shortlisted participants will also present their innovative ideas/solutions to the Hiroshima Prefectural Government. Subject matter experts from T-Hub and the Hiroshima Prefectural Government will work with the innovators to help them refine and transform their ideas into viable business propositions. "Over the years, Hiroshima has been successful in creating an innovative ecosystem and a brand for itself. With the project 'Road to Shine' (R2S), we are looking at prospective technological innovations with the potential to address the future challenges of society and deliver social impact. The partnership formalised today will provide growth opportunities for the innovation ecosystems of both the geographies. It will enable startups and innovators to explore larger opportunities," said Ravi Narayan, CEO of T-Hub and Chief Innovation Officer of the state of Telangana. "I am happy to announce this partnership between T-Hub and Hiroshima, a prefecture aiming at becoming a national leader in innovation. I am convinced that our collaboration will be a catalyst for more out-of-the-box and transformative services and products," said Hidehiko Yuzaki, Governor of Hiroshima Prefecture. The startup ecosystem in Hyderabad, Telangana has produced many IT resources for global companies such as GAFA (Google, Apple, Facebook, Amazon) and created new business avenues. Courtesy /U.S. Customs and Border Protection A U.S. Customs and Border Protection agent responded last Thursday to a pickup truck hauling a horse trailer attempting to bypass the CBP checkpoint on State Highway 44 checkpoint. According to authorities, the driver ran away on foot when approached by the agent. The truck and horse trailer were reported stolen and have been turned over to the Texas Department of Public Safety. DALLAS, TX, Sept. 14, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The North Texas Food Bank (NTFB) is excited to welcome a new class of students into the NTFB Young Advocates Council (YAC). The NTFB YAC encompasses a dedicated group of high school students working to spread the word about food insecurity in North Texas. This year, it has a record-breaking 75 students who will work throughout the school year to act as advocates for the Food Bank. This years YAC will join the NTFB Board of Directors, NTFB Young Professionals, NTFB Executive Leadership, and peers to work toward a common goal of closing the hunger gap in North Texas. Students will learn important skills that will help them in their professional lives, such as building relationships, interviewing, managing meetings, speaking in public and more. As part of the curriculum, participants will volunteer at NTFB and within our network of Partner Agencies, plan a fundraiser and advocate on the Food Banks behalf. Catie Enrico, NTFB volunteer, is leading the YAC this year. I wanted to be a part of a program where teens not only volunteered but were given the opportunity to learn and understand why it is important to give back and how to be successful at it, she said. NTFBs dedicated staff help make that happen and shape teens aware of the needs of the community in which we live. Students in the Young Advocates Council come from the following schools across North Texas: -Centennial High School -Coppell High School -The Episcopal School of Dallas -Greenhill School -Highland Park High School -The Hockaday School -Independence High School -Jasper High School -John Paul II High School -Legacy Christian Academy -Parish Episcopal School -Plano Senior High School -School of Science and Engineering at Yvonne A. Ewell TownviewMagnet Center -School for the Talented and Gifted at the Yvonne A. Ewell Townview Magnet Center -Uplift North Hills Preparatory -Ursuline Academy of Dallas -Vines High School Although this school year will look different because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the NTFB YAC is still excited to jump in and answer the call to fight hunger in North Texas. Story continues For more information about the North Texas Food Banks Young Advocates Council, visit the NTFB website at ntfb.org/YAC. - About the North Texas Food Bank: The North Texas Food Bank (NTFB) is a top-ranked nonprofit hunger-relief organization operating a state-of-the-art volunteer and distribution center in Plano, the Perot Family Campus. Last year, the Food Bank worked hard in partnership with member agencies from our Feeding Network to provide access to almost 97 million nutritious meals across a diverse 13-county service area, exceeding our goal by five years to provide access to 92 million annual meals by 2025. But the need for hunger relief is complex and in order to meet the continued need, the NTFB is always working to increase our food distribution efforts and bridge the hunger gap for children, seniors, and families in North Texas. NTFB is a member of Feeding America, a national hunger-relief organization. CONTACT: Anna Kurian North Texas Food Bank 214-724-6565 annak@ntfb.org New Delhi: Two Darjeeling high schools girls, who acted as trafficking decoys leading to busting of a cross-border flesh trade ring and an 8-year-old Arunachal girl, who lost her life while rescuing friends in a river, are among those chosen for the National Bravery Award this year. For displaying extraordinary valour, Tarh Peeju has been conferred the coveted Bharat Award posthumously while Tejasweeta Pradhan (18) and Shivani Gond (17) from West Bengal have been selected for the prestigious Geeta Chopra Award. Tejasweeta and Shivani, both volunteers with a rights NGO, first befriended on Facebook a minor girl who had gone missing from Nepal, and who ultimately turned out to be a conduit in the trafficking ring. Since class 8 I have been a volunteer of Students Against Trafficking Club (SATC), run under MARG, an NGO which works for curbing trafficking. The NGO received a request to trace the missing girl and they wanted me to be part of a plan to bust the flesh trade racket. I and my parents were hesitant in the beginning, but we both decided to be onboard, as it was for a larger cause, Tejasweeta told reporters. Shivanis brother Vishal Gond, who works for MARG (Mankind in Action for Rural Growth) said, She agreed to be part of the plan to bust the ring, as worked out by the police and CBI and we (NGO) assisted them. As part of the plan, a fake account was created and we befriended the missing girl, who turned out to be a conduit in the trafficking ring. We then pretended to be Nepalese girls, seeking employment, and we were asked to meet the ring members at a hotel, somewhere on the Indo-Nepal border, Shivani said. Though there were police officials around, disguised in civilian clothes, we both were scared and terribly frightened. We were even shivering, as they took about four hours to arrive. Our back up plan was that if things went wrong, we would just run for our lives. But, we somehow did not lose our strength, Tejasweeta said. The ring was ultimately busted and the mastermind was arrested from Delhi last year. We are proud of the two girls. Society should not look at girls as a burden but as gifts. At least in Darjeeling, daughters are always welcomed on their birth, Tejasweetas mother Kamlesh Rai Pradhan said. Peeju, who died while rescuing two other children when they were swept away by the current in the Pachin River in Arunachal Pradesh, is among the four awardees to have been conferred the honour posthumously. The Sanjay Chopra Award has been conferred on 18-year-old Sumit Mamgain of Uttarakhand for displaying outstanding bravery in fighting a leopard to save his cousins life. 25 children -- 12 girls and 13 boyshave been selected for the prestigious award, which they will receive from the Prime Minister on January 23 and thereafter participate in the Republic Day parade, officials said. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Alabama State is mourning the life of Adam Dowdell Jr. Alabama State University is mourning the tragic loss of a young student. According to Birmingham Real-Time News, Adam Dowdell Jr. was found dead after he had been missing from the schools campus. At about 2:45 p.m. on Monday, Montgomery and ASU police were called to the 800 block of Hutchinson Street after receiving information that a body was found. After an autopsy taken at the Alabama Department of Forensic Science, it was confirmed the body belonged to Dowdell. Read More: Black Alabama man against the removal of Confederate monuments Adam Dowdell Jr (Credit: AL.com) Reports say the college sophomore who is originally from Alabaster, Alabama left the dorms with another student last Tuesday wearing a white shirt, checkered pants and Air Jordan 12 sneakers saying he was going to get cash from the bank. The family grew suspicious when they did not hear from him and learned he had not taken his phone charger or book bag which he would have taken if he planned to stay out long. His mother, Toya Cohill, had spoken with him the day before and his siblings spoke with him the morning of his disappearance. But by Wednesday morning, the family started receiving calls from his friends saying he had not returned to campus. Read More: Combat vet killed by Texas deputy buried in Alabama on 9/11 After learning of his disappearance the family rushed to the campus and immediately began handing out flyers and searching for him. The late students mother told the publication, I just want my child back. They say the young man, who his family affectionally called Belle, cell phone must have been dead because they were unsuccessful at tracking his location. Unfortunately, there have been no arrests made in connection to his disappearance of death. We all had hoped for a different outcome, said ASU President Quinton T. Ross Jr. in a statement. Losing a student is always difficult, and the Hornet Nation is in mourning over his death. Our thoughts and prayers are certainly with Adams mother and the rest of his family and friends as they face this tragic loss. Story continues Police ask that anyone with information call Crime Stoppers at 334-215- STOP, Secret Witness at 334-625-4000 or Montgomery Police at 334-625-2831. Have you subscribed to theGrios podcast Dear Culture? Download our newest episodes now! The post Alabama State student found dead one week after going missing appeared first on TheGrio. YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 15, ARMENPRESS. During the official visit to Egypt the Armenian Foreign Minister Zohrab Mnatsakanyan had a meeting on September 15 with Secretary-General of the League of Arab States Ahmed Aboul Gheit. Minister Mnatsakanyan noted that this meeting is a good opportunity to revalue the cooperation between Armenia and the League of Arab States and to outline the prospects of enhancing it. Both sides were pleased to underscore the role of Armenian communities in strengthening relations between Armenia and the Arab world. The FM and the Arab League Secretary-General addressed the ongoing developments in Middle East, North Africa and South Caucasus. Both sides expressed concern regarding provocations and actions aimed at disrupting security and stability in these regions, and emphasized the importance of the international communitys united steps aimed at preserving and strenghening peace and stability in the regions. The FM briefed his interlocutor on Armenias principled position and approach over the peaceful settlement of the NK conflict. The current situation around the Palestinian issue was also addressed, and the Armenian FM also attached importance to the efforts aimed at resolving the humanitarian issues of Lebanon and Syria, the foreign ministry said in a news release. Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan British actors Robert Pattinson and Tom Holland star in 'The Devil All the Time'. (Credit: Glen Wilson/Netflix) Antonio Campos, director of Netflix thriller The Devil All the Time, says British actors have been slowly taking over Hollywood in recent years. Despite the distinctly American story of his sprawling literary adaptation, Camposs cast is full of actors from the UK and Australia, including leading man Tom Holland. Key roles are also filled by British stars Robert Pattinson and Harry Melling aka Dudley Dursley while Aussie standouts Jason Clarke, Eliza Scanlen and Mia Wasikowska also feature heavily. Read more: Felicity Jones reveals why Brits get cast as Americans Campos told Yahoo Movies UK that the dominance of non-American stars in his movie came about completely by chance. He added: Theres just some really talented actors in England and Australia. You guys have slowly been taking over, I think. Antonio Campos on the set of Netflix thriller 'The Devil All the Time'. (Credit: Glen Wilson/Netflix) There are so many British actors playing American characters. It just speaks to the kind of talent that comes out of England and Australia. I dont think it speaks to the fact that theres not that talent here [in the USA]. Its just the way it played out. Read more: Rupert Grint talks American accent in Servant The Devil All the Time adapts Donald Ray Pollocks multi-stranded novel into a grimly compelling tapestry of violence, corruption and misery. It follows a series of families in Ohio and West Virginia whose lives intersect, with devastating consequences for all involved. Read the full interview with Antonio Campos, in which he discusses why his film is an example of Midwestern Gothic, the novel storyline he had to axe and the creative freedom of working with Netflix... Yahoo Movies UK: This is obviously a part of the Southern Gothic genre, which is one we dont see that often. Do you have any idea why thats the case? Antonio Campos: I dont know. I think its a tough one because it can get too heavy. The danger of Southern Gothic is that it has the potential to get too heavy and people sometimes miss the opportunity for a dark sense of humour that is very much a part of Southern Gothic. Story continues I think that what made this story particularly unique is that its not solely a Southern Gothic story. What made the book really cool to me and my brother was that it was a kind of hybrid of Southern Gothic and hard-boiled fiction, [which reflects] our two favourite writers my brother loves Flannery OConnor and I really love Jim Thompson. This felt like a really great combination of those two writers. Read more: Sofia Coppola on Southern Gothic tale The Beguiled I would also characterise this less as Southern Gothic and more what I have been calling Midwestern Gothic. Youre seeing it a lot in literature right now, with a lot of books coming out of the Midwest that have this hard-boiled tone. But theres not so many that have this relationship with religion, which is a key ingredient of Southern Gothic. Midwestern Gothic, to me, implies something different because Southern Gothic is born out of a certain tradition that is very Southern and this book is set very much in the Midwest. That has a different flavour. I dont know why Southern Gothic movies dont get made more often. I think theyre wonderful and I love those stories. But the thing that was particularly interesting to us with this story was that it wasnt just solely Southern Gothic. You mentioned religion there, and I wanted to ask about that. This film is full of various different characters, all of whom are flawed and have good and bad elements. But if theres an element that comes in for criticism above all else, its religion. How important was that theme for you? Bill Skarsgard as Willard Russell and Michael Banks Repeta as Arvin Russell in 'The Devil All the Time'. (Credit: Glen Wilson/Netflix) Its key to the movie, and its key to the book. The way that we looked at is that the story is critical of fanaticism and extreme religion. We tried to explore the dangerous places that religion could take you. Even Carl [the serial killer played by Jason Clarke] is trying to find transcendence through murder. [Harry Mellings preacher] Roy wants to feel the presence of God and he does what he does to find that, which leads him to delusional places. Willard [Bill Skarsgard] is taking a note from the Old Testament and thinking that God wants you to prove your faith. So its the dangerous places where religion can take somebody who might be susceptible to that. But the first Church scene for me captures the kind of warmth through the music and communal aspect that religion can provide and the comfort that it can provide. But the film is really focused on the dangers of it, so thats why thats what is most prevalent. You have this absolutely exceptional ensemble cast, including people like Tom Holland who people wont have seen in a role like this. Its also a cast packed with a lot of British and Australian talent. Is there a reason for that, especially given the very American nature of the story? Tom Holland as Arvin Russell in 'The Devil All the Time'. (Credit: Glen Wilson/Netflix) It is completely by chance. Its so funny. Someone else asked me that and I was like: Its not like I was saying that we need to get the Aussies and Brits. Theres just some really talented actors in England and Australia. You guys have slowly been taking over, I think. There are so many British actors playing American characters. It just speaks to the kind of talent that comes out of England and Australia. I dont think it speaks to the fact that theres not that talent here. Its just the way it played out. When you and your brother sat down to adapt this big, sprawling book, were there any elements that had to come out and you werent able to fit in? The whole Roy and [his brother] Theo storyline in the book is so fun, but we just didnt have the real estate to tell it. That storyline goes into such a wonderful, crazy place. Basically, Roy and Theo get away and they live out their life bouncing from one carnival and odd job to another, then you catch up with them when Roy and Theo have an act called Prophet and the Picker and they perform in between the Flamingo Lady act at the carnival. Roy has a relationship with the Flamingo Lady. Its just so funny and wild. But we had to always remember that the main spine of the movie is the story of Willard and Arvin the father-and-son story that begins and ends the movie. We couldnt deviate from that too much into any one storyline. So stuff like Roy and Theos storyline had to be very focused and contained. With that in mind, was there ever any consideration of doing this as a TV series rather than a film? Particularly when Netflix got involved? No, because we always felt like the cool thing was the idea of experiencing it as a feature. There is obviously a miniseries you could make, but I think that this intense, non-stop journey through time and all of these different storylines would hopefully capture the feeling you have at the end of the book. Thats why we always focused in on it being a movie. Theres a lot of talk around Netflix projects about the level of creative freedom you get as a filmmaker. Was that your experience working with them? Robert Pattinson as Preston Teagardin in 'The Devil All the Time'. (Credit: Glen Wilson/Netflix) Yeah, absolutely. They werent like go and do anything you want. We were very responsible and we had a budget. They had notes. You go through the process of showing them cuts and they give you notes on the cuts, but it was always a very respectful and thoughtful process. There was so much that came out of that dialogue. Read more: Netflix slate for September 2020 It was a very warm, collaborative process and, at the end of the day, they were always very deferential to me as a filmmaker. If I was really adamant about something that they might have been on the fence about, they would say well, if thats how you feel and you really believe in it, then we cant stop you. That was the nature and the tenor of the conversation. Thats great to hear and it really comes through in the film. Before you go, I wanted to ask whats next for you? Im currently developing The Staircase documentary. Im developing that story into a limited series with Harrison Ford. Thats what Im doing right now. The Devil All the Time will premiere on Netflix from 16 September. With nations adopting emergency measures to address COVID-19 crisis, the UN calls on nations to uphold the rule of law, protect and respect international standards and basic principles of legality and the right to access justice, remedies and due process On International Day of Democracy, leaders from across the world stressed on the need to strengthen the foundations of democracy, how every voice matters and how it allows people to have a say in decisions affecting their lives. Reiterating his message urging governments to listen to people, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday said that before COVID-19 pandemic the trust in governments was falling and that "governments must to do more to listen to people demanding change" and "seize this moment to build a more equal and inclusive world, with full respect for human rights". Well before #COVID19, frustration was rising & trust in public authorities was declining. Governments must do more to listen to people demanding change. On this #DemocracyDay, lets seize this moment to build a more equal & inclusive world, with full respect for human rights. pic.twitter.com/slLcYefHep Antonio Guterres (@antonioguterres) September 15, 2020 In a message released on International Democracy Day, the United Nations said, the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in major social, political and legal challenges globally. Countries around the world have adopted emergency measures to address the crisis, and therefore, it is more important than ever to uphold the rule of law, protect and respect international standards and basic principles of legality and the right to access justice, remedies and due process. Some of the concerns highlighted by the United Nations in terms of COVID-19 include, measures to control the flow of information and crackdown on freedom of expression and press freedom against an existing background of shrinking space; arrest, detention, prosecution or persecution of political opponents, journalists, doctors and others for allegedly spreading "fake news"; aggressive cyber-policing and increased online surveillance as well as postponement of elections leading to a possibility of tensions. The United Nations on its Twitter said that democracy contributes to peaceful and stable societies and allows people to have a say in decisions affecting their lives. UNESCO, on its part, highlighted than every voice and opinions matter. Democracy contributes to peaceful & stable societies and allows people to have a say in decisions affecting their lives. Tuesday is International #DemocracyDay. https://t.co/036QRZP734 #StandUp4HumanRights pic.twitter.com/4IKthEOkoz United Nations (@UN) September 14, 2020 Your voice matters. Her voice matters. His voice matters. Our voice matters. Their voices matter. In #democracy, every voice matters, every opinion counts. Happy #DemocracyDay!https://t.co/zT07Ndz49M pic.twitter.com/AiOVOf9T3y UNESCO (@UNESCO) September 15, 2020 In a message on Twitter, Vice President of India Venkaiah Naidu Tuesday appealed to everybody to strengthen the foundations of Indian democracy and make it more vibrant. Greetings on the occasion of #InternationalDayofDemocracy. Democracy gives voice to the common man and ensures that all are equal before the rule of law. I appeal to everybody to strengthen the foundations of Indian democracy and make it more vibrant. pic.twitter.com/5uvXytusQq Vice President of India (@VPSecretariat) September 15, 2020 Chief Ministers of Odisha and Arunachal Pradesh, stressed on upholding the democratic values amid the COVID-19 pandemic and asked people to be well aware of their duties towards the country, government and citizens while exercising their democratic rights respectively. "As the world faces this unprecedented #COVID19 challenge, upholding democratic values like participatory decision making and empowering people at grassroots are essential. On #InternationalDayOfDemocracy, reaffirm pledge to keep people at core of our strategy to fight the pandemic," tweeted Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik. As the world faces this unprecedented #COVID19 challenge, upholding democratic values like participatory decision making & empowering people at grassroots are essential. On #InternationalDayOfDemocracy, reaffirm pledge to keep people at core of our strategy to fight the pandemic. pic.twitter.com/5gLbbYID5K Naveen Patnaik (@Naveen_Odisha) September 15, 2020 Union Minister Prakash Javadekar said, "Democracy is the best system of governance, accountability, checks and balance. Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan said that democracy is the fundamental building block for sustainable development and human rights and people should reaffirm to uphold democratic values and traditions. US Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo too highlighted that democracy has always been and will remain the greatest aspiration of people around the world who long to be free. It is the fundamental right of every citizen, in every corner of the world, to participate in the process of democratic self-governance. Democracy has always been and will remain the greatest aspiration of people around the world who long to be free. #InternationalDayofDemocracy pic.twitter.com/vRRRmCcye2 Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) September 15, 2020 Odisha leader Suparno Satpathy tweeted: Remembering Cleisthenes (the Father of Democracy) on this #InternationalDayOfDemocracy The meaning of democracy in Greek is rule by the people Yours truly firmly stands for the democratic right of the last one standing. Shall always protect it. May the divine grace be... SS pic.twitter.com/SOmsSWqRcb Suparno Satpathy (@SuparnoSatpathy) September 15, 2020 Chief Minister of Tripura, on his part, said people should not forget their responsibilities and appreciate the democratic rights for the betterment of the society. New Delhi: Gold prices rose on Tuesday while rupee ended lower. The prices of crude oil fell while that of diesel and petrol were also slashed by the oil marketing companies. Check out how gold, oil, rupee, petrol and diesel prices fared on September 15, 2020 Gold Gold prices rose by Rs 422 to Rs 53,019 per 10 gram in the national capital on Tuesday. Silver also witnessed buying interest as it jumped Rs 1,013 to Rs 70,743 per kilogram from Rs 69,730 per kilogram in the previous trade. Spot gold prices for 24 carat in Delhi rose by Rs 422. In the international market, gold was trading higher at USD 1,963 per ounce, while silver quoted flat at USD 27.31 per ounce. Petrol and diesel Petrol and diesel prices were slashed by Oil marketing companies on Monday. Check out petrol and diesel prices in 4 metro cities. City Petrol Diesel Delhi 81.55 72.56 Kolkata 83.06 76.06 Mumbai 88.21 79.05 Chennai 84.57 77.91 Rupee The rupee pared early gains to settle 16 paise lower at 73.64 against the US dollar. The rupee had opened higher at 73.33 but later lost ground to touch a low of 73.72 due to high dollar demand. The rupee moved between 73.33 and 73.72 in the day trade before closing at 73.64. The rupee had closed at 73.48 on Monday. Domestic stock markets ended with gains on Tuesday. The 30-share BSE Sensex overcame bouts of volatility to end 287.72 points or 0.74 per cent higher at 39,044.35. The broader NSE Nifty rose 81.75 points or 0.71 per cent to finish at 11,521.80. Oil Crude oil futures fell 0.36 per cent to Rs 2,738 per barrel. On the Multi Commodity Exchange, crude oil for September delivery fell Rs 10, or 0.36 per cent, to Rs 2,738 per barrel with a business volume of 4,553 lots. Crude oil for October delivery quoted lower by Rs 6, or 0.22 per cent, at Rs 2,776 per barrel with an open interest of 248 lots. Globally, West Texas Intermediate crude oil was trading 0.13 per cent lower at USD 37.21 per barrel, while Brent crude was quoting 0.23 per cent lower at USD 39.52 per barrel in New York. With PTI Inputs Ivana Trump was spotted al fresco dining in New York City on Monday, tucking into a plate of spaghetti for lunch after she was branded a 'bigot' for an earlier appearance on UK television. The 71-year-old former wife of President Donald Trump donned all-black and stopped by Upper East Side Italian restaurant Altesi with her teacup Yorkshire terrier which is also a certified comfort dog. However Ivana appeared to be falling asleep as she tucked into the $30 pasta dish. Apart from looking up to speak to a server as she ordered the meal, Ivana kept her head and eyes down for the majority of the experience while her therapy pet named Tiger kept watch. Scroll down for videos Ivana Trump was spotted al fresco dining in New York City on Monday, tucking into a plate of spaghetti at an Italian restaurant She ordered food for one and was accompanied by her pet teacup Yorkshire terrier pet dog named Tiger She was also pictured walking walking the pooch, which is a credentialed comfort dog that can accompany her anywhere She covered up with a fabric face mask before and after eating and headed off with Tiger on a leash. In 2014 she told Page Six that Tiger is a 'comfort service dog' that keeps her calm and is more famous than Brigitte Bardot in St. Tropez. They stepped out as the fallout from her appearance on daytime talk show Loose Women played out on social media. During the show, which began airing 7.30am EST, Ivana said immigrants must enter the US legally and was adamant that they pay taxes as she said the rest of Americans do. Czech-born Ivana - who is a businesswoman - also generalized to the hosts that undocumented immigrants may rape women or not dress 'Americanly'. Ivana - who is herself a legal immigrant to the US - said she is 'very proud' of her former partner. 'I see he can do a great job, he is pro everything which I believe in. He is Republican and so am I. He has achieved so much - especially with immigration,' she said in the interview. 'I am an immigrant, and I have no problem with the immigrants, but they must come into the country legally and get a job and pay taxes like the rest of the Americans and just live and be part of society. 'There are some people who don't even dress Americanly, they dress whatever they dress in and they don't get a job and they steal and they rape the women and that is not the idea.' Her comments left viewers outraged, with one calling the outburst 'disturbing', while another called the mother-of-three an 'embarrassing bigot'. She paired a her black and gold ensemble with Christian Dior's black Cannage Quilted Patent Leather Micro Lady bag Ivana appeared to be sleepy even as she ordered her pasta meal in Manhattan on Monday afternoon Ivana wore her signature beehive hair style and her eyelids were heavy as she served herself spaghetti with a knife and fork The hearty meal came at the height of criticism across social media for her earlier appearance on national British television Ivana must have had a very early wake-up call as she was seen snoozing in between bites of the Italian dish Ivana grew up in Czechoslovakia and moved to Canada in September 1973. She met Trump at a modeling event in New York City in 1976, and they married in April 1977. The couple's first son, Donald Trump Jr, was born later that year in December. They welcomed their daughter Ivanka in 1981 and then their son Eric in 1984. All three of the children were born in New York, making them US citizens; Ivana was legally living in the country at the time, but she didn't become a US citizen until 1988, although she was eligible for naturalization and citizenship three years after tying the knot with Trump. They divorced in 1990. When asked whether she felt her view on immigration could be perceived as inhumane, she went on: 'It is inhumane, but everybody has to pick themselves up. 'They have to properly, apply for the visa so they can come to America and cross the border properly and get a job, have a house, start a family.' Exhausted: The 71-year-old mother to Eric, 36, Ivanka, 38, and Donald Jr., 42, is seen cradling her head as she dines Nodding off: Left, Ivana Trump is seen sleep struggling to keep her eyes open and, right, a waiter comes to check on her Ivana seemed even more tired after she polished off her lunch while New York City maximizes the outdoor dining opportunity The businesswoman wore a fabric face mask before and after her meal to stay safe amid the coronavirus pandemic She stepped out to dine at a restaurant in the busy city despite earlier provoking an adverse reaction with her British fans Host Jane Moore interjected: 'But those opportunities are very few and far between nowadays aren't they?' 'They are, but the people who will prevail, the people who want to work will prevail, the people who want to get food stamps and sleep on the benches, this is what we don't want,' Ivana insisted. During the interview, Ivana was asked how often she is able to speak with the president, with whom she has three children Eric, 36, Ivanka, 38, and Donald Jr., 42. She replied: 'I can speak to him any time.' However, she admitted that she never speaks to his current wife Melania, 50, who she referred to as his 'ex wife', because she doesn't like to be 'involved with his private life'. 'I speak directly to Mr President,' said Ivana, 'I don't get involved with his private life, we speak about our children but I don't give him advice. I tell him what I think is right and wrong but we don't speak about ex wives.' When asked whether she felt Melania is a good First Lady, she said: 'I am not sure, she's very quiet and she doesn't go to too many places. She goes when she has to go but she's quiet.' Ivana was also asked if her daughter Ivanka could follow in her father's footsteps and become president one day, and she insisted it is certainly a possibility as far as she is concerned. 'Definitely,' she said, adding: 'I think she's in the White House every day, she's next to her father every day, she knows all that is going around... I think she could be one day the first woman president, definitely. She's smart as hell, she's beautiful.' Ivana made sweeping generalizations about illegal immigrants to Loose Women hosts on Monday (left). Right, Ivana is pictured with her former husband Donald Trump in New York in 1989 Ivana was called a 'bigoted embarrassment' for making 'disturbing' comments on US immigration on Monday The family of Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old black woman and medical worker fatally shot by police, has reportedly reached a 'substantial' settlement with the city of Louisville, Kentucky. The family of Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old black woman and medical worker shot and killed in her home by police in March, has reportedly reached a substantial settlement with the city government of Louisville, Kentucky. Sam Aguilar, an attorney representing the family in its wrongful death lawsuit, confirmed in a statement that a settlement had been made in the case. The city's response in this case has been delayed and it's been frustrating, he told CNN. But the fact that they've been willing to sit down and talk significant reform was a step in the right direction and hopefully a turning point. According to the Courier Journal, further details surrounding the settlement would likely be announced later on Tuesday afternoon. Ms Taylors death prompted major protests during a moment of heightened racial tensions across the country, in part sparked by the numerous police-shootings of black people that have been witnessed in videos that drew national media attention throughout the summer. The settlement reached on Tuesday would reportedly include police reforms involving how warrants are issued and approved in the city of Louisville. When Ms Taylor was killed, police were executing a no-knock search warrant, meaning they did not have to identify themselves before entering her apartment. This is a breaking news story and will be updated. Read more Breonna Taylor and George Floyd nominated for Trump's garden of heroes in public proposal Facebook has been further exposed for its inability to deal with misinformation, this time by an ex-employee. As reported by BuzzFeed News Facebook ignored or was slow to act on evidence regarding fake news. Facebook has claimed that it has begun to successful crackdown on coronavirus misinformation. However, many have disagreed with this assessment. A recent report compounded this news by claiming Facebook has failed in its duty to crack down on misinformation. In a long memo written by former Facebook data scientist Sophie Zhang, she revealed lots of examples when Facebook failed to deal with misinformation. These include heads of government and political parties in Azerbaijan and Honduras used fake accounts to sway public opinion. Advertisement Facebook further exposed for its handling of misinformation The memo from Zhang also found examples in countries such as India, Ukraine, Spain, Brazil, Bolivia, and Ecuador. Here there was evidence of coordinated political campaigns to help or hinder political candidates. She said, Ive found multiple blatant attempts by foreign national governments to abuse our platform. Zhang declined to publicly comment to any news outlets after this memo emerged. Zhang also admitted to having made decisions that affected national presidents without oversight. The memo is seriously damming of Facebooks policies and systems in this area. Advertisement Generally, it is a story of Facebook ignoring and abdicating responsibility. Perhaps more worryingly it shows how junior employees could wield such significant power that could affect millions of people. Some of the biggest revelations of the memo include Facebook taking nine months to act on a campaign used to boost President Juan Orlando Hernandez of Honduras. In Azerbaijan, Zhan found thousands of fake accounts used to harass the opposition en masse. She also noted that her team had to remove 10.5million fake reactions during the 2018 elections in Brazil and the U.S. Zhang also noted many other instances of bad actors on the platform. Advertisement Facebook but does not have a political agenda but is incapable Zhang was quick to clarify that she does not think Facebook hold a political agenda as reported by Engadget. However, there is a big lack of focus on the world outside the West and the U.S. This means mid-level employees have to make decisions that have massive effects. Facebook spokesperson Liz Bourgeois responded to this explosive news. She said, weve built specialized teams, working with leading experts, to stop bad actors from abusing our systems. Zhang said that she was fired in August and denied a $64,000 severance package. This was due to avoiding signing a nondisparagement agreement. This allowed her to speak internally about her concerns. Advertisement The amount of effort put in to discourage Zhang from speaking out stands in stark contrast to the lack of it put into place to protect democratic processes in smaller nations, pointed out Zhang. This overall looks like Facebook simply did not bother to invest in the resources enough to stop bad actors. Especially in smaller countries where there was less focus on Facebooks actions. Zhang even admitted having blood on my hands due to her actions during her time at Facebook. After leaving the company Zhang encouraged her colleagues to stay the company but to change it from within. Advertisement She admits that her actions will likely distract from the companies efforts during the 2020 elections. However, she hoped that this will not be the case. This story further illuminates the major issues faced by Facebook. The company has begun to make the right noises with regards to misinformation. However, this news makes it clear the company is a long way off from being an effective company in this area. HOUSTON A Texas police officer has been charged with assault for fatally shooting a woman after a struggle over the officers stun gun last year, prosecutors announced Monday. A Harris County grand jury indicted Baytown Officer Juan Delacruz Monday for shooting Pamela Turner in the parking lot of an apartment complex where they both lived in May 2019. Delacruz was charged with aggravated assault by a public servant, a felony that could lead to a sentence of five years to life in prison if hes convicted. Prosecutors said hell be given the chance to turn himself in. Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg, on Monday called Turners death a tragedy. It is important to acknowledge that her family and the community are in pain, said Ogg, who is up for reelection in November. Greg Cagle, Delacruzs attorney, said he believed the case against his client was being motivated by politics. Theres no facts that would justify a criminal charge against the officer, he said. Delacruz shot Turner after a struggle with the 44-year-old Black woman that a bystander captured on video. The footage showed Delacruz standing over Turner and reaching down to try to grab her arms. Turner then yells, Im pregnant. Moments later, something flashes as she reaches her arm out toward the officer. Suddenly, Delacruz pulls away and fires five gunshots. Police in the Houston suburb said the Hispanic officer shot Turner during an attempted arrest after she shocked him with his Taser. Court records showed three outstanding misdemeanor warrants against Turner at the time. Delacruz was defending himself when he shot Turner, Cagle said. When someone takes a police officers taser and then uses it against them, the officer is left with no options other than deadly force. Thats how the officers are trained, he said. Ben Crump, a lawyer for Turners family, said last year that she was not pregnant but had been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia. He said Delacruz knew his neighbor suffered from mental illness and shot her from a safe distance away. Devon Jacob, another lawyer for Turners family, said the force that Delacruz used was not objectively reasonable. Delacruz returned to work less than two weeks after the shooting, but the department said hed be on administrative duty while the Texas Rangers and the civil rights division of the Harris County district attorneys office investigated the shooting. The charge against Delacruz comes after months of protests over racism and police violence in cities across the country following the death of George Floyd in May. Floyd, who was Black and grew up in Houston, died after a white Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee on Floyds neck for several minutes while he was handcuffed on the ground. Baytown police Lt. Steve Dorris asked in a statement for the community to maintain trust in the legal process and its police as the case proceeds . He did not answer questions about Delacruzs employment status or the internal affairs investigation into the shooting. Delacruz, who has been with the Baytown police department since 2008, did not face any disciplinary action after the shooting, Cagle said. Jacob said the department returning Delacruz to duty was an act of deliberate indifference. __ Bleiberg reported from Dallas. __ Follow Jake Bleiberg on Twitter at, www.twitter.com/jzbleiberg, and Juan A. Lozano at, https://twitter.com/juanlozano70. Artprice presents five Covid-proof artists PARIS, Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Unsurprisingly, the Art Market posted a significant contraction in H1 2020, although less severe than in 2009. The number of lots sold at auction fell by -21% and auction turnover dropped -49%. However, the blow was definitely softened by the solutions implemented by the major auction houses to continue trading and maintain at least some of their prestige sales afloat. According to thierry Ehrmann, President and Founder of ArtMarket.com and its Artprice department, "During a chaotic first semester, Sotheby's has proved there are other ways of keeping the Market alive, notably by mixing online sales and physical sales, a so-called "Bricks and clicks" approach. Patrick Drahi's company has thus managed to maintain 70% of its turnover, and kept a very low unsold rate of just 25%. Sotheby's ended the first half of 2020 with $1.5 billion in turnover from Fine Art versus $1.03 billion for Christie's. "The immense gap in digital culture that the Art Market was still facing a few months ago is on the way to being caught up. The global Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated an inevitable process described by Artprice for the last twenty-five years. The dematerialization of the Art Market is finally effective." The health crisis hasn't stopped a number of artists from posting very good performances. In some cases their markets are perfectly adapted to online sales, in others, demand is so strong for their high quality works that nothing seems to dampen collectors' enthusiasm. Artprice looks at the markets of five artists whose prices have been maintained or have continued to climb during the health crisis. 1. George Condo (1957), a dematerialized global market George Condo is the most successful Contemporary American artist at auction at the moment. Demand is so high from all corners of the globe that his works sell just as well online as they do at physical auctions. In the first half of 2020, fifty-seven of his works were auctioned generating more than $22 million, including two new records. His canvas Antipodal Reunion (2006) generated Sotheby's first-ever online result north of the million-dollar threshold on 21 April 2020. Two and a half months later, his painting Force Field (2010) fetched a whopping $6.9 million at Christie's in Hong Kong: a new auction record for the painter. Nor has the lockdown/health crisis stopped George Condo's production. As of 5 November, a solo show titled Internal Riot will present the works he produced during the lockdown at Hauser & Wirth in New York. This will be Condo's first solo exhibition since he joined the prestigious Swiss gallery earlier this year. 2. Amoako Boafo (1984), success that cuts both ways... Completed in early 2019, Boafo's canvas Bathing Suit appeared at auction eight months later, just before the health crisis and having already changed hands three times. On the last occasion, it was collector cum advisor/speculator Stephan Simchowitz who put the work up for sale at Sotheby's in London. Estimated between $40,000 and $65,000, it reached the astonishing price of $881,500, i.e.13 times its high estimate. Originally from Ghana, Amoako Boafo settled in Vienna, Austria, but is represented by the Chicago gallery Marian Ibrahim. He has told Bloomberg he was wary of such a sensational auction result. If he had the choice, he said, he would prefer to see his works acquired by a major museum or in a large-scale solo exhibition. Since the health crisis began, 21 other paintings by Amoako Boafo have been offered at auction and they have all sold above their estimates... without exceeding the remarkable record set for Bathing Suit. 3. Kengo Takahashi (1982), an auction debut in the middle of lockdown On 14 May 2020 during a Sotheby's online sale of Contemporary art, Kengo Takahashi's auction debut sculpture Flower Funeral Deer (2018) was acquired for $100,000. A veritable technical accomplishment in cast aluminum, this work is a unique piece that has already been shown at the Musee des Arts Decoratifs in Paris and at the Kanazawa Museum of Contemporary Art. With this sale, the Japanese artist scored the world's best auction debut since the beginning of the health crisis... and he certainly wasn't alone; in fact, since March of this year, Artprice counts 356 artists who made debuts. The second best result in this ranking is for a work by Maria Farrar (born 1988) whose canvas Baguette (2017), sold for $69,500 at Christie's on 28 May 2020. 4. Claire Tabouret (1981), a charity sale pinches her market into life A new talent on the French artistic scene, Claire Tabouret defends a figurative style of painting (mainly portraits) with palettes of colours that are sometimes sober, sometimes flamboyant, but which always manage to impart a powerful emotional charge. Her painting Les debutantes (2014) was the flagship of a charity sale organised in Paris to support healthcare staff in the midst of the Covid-19 crisis. A protege of Almine Rech (in Europe), Perrotin (in Asia) and Night Gallery (in the United States), Claire Tabouret subsequently recorded an auction record of $452,000 at a Phillips sale in Hong Kong (9 July 2020) for a painting titled Les deguisements (2015). 5. Lucas Arruda (1983), melancholic and dazzling horizons Started in 2010, Brazilian painter Lucas Arruda's series Deserto-Modelo attracted a lot of international attention. He was discovered by the Menes Wood DM gallery, but subsequently joined David Zwirner's stable in 2017. His small landscapes, flirting with abstraction, have already seduced a number of art institutions, including the Fondation Beyeler and the Francois Pinault Collection. The first auction appearance of work from this series took place in November 2019: a small oil-on-canvas executed the previous year which fetched $312,500 at Sotheby's in New York against an estimate of $80,000 - $120,000. This year, seven of his paintings have already been presented at auction, and they have all found buyers. Copyright 1987-2020 thierry Ehrmann www.artprice.com - www.artmarket.com About Artmarket: Artmarket.com is listed on Eurolist by Euronext Paris, SRD long only and Euroclear: 7478 - Bloomberg: PRC - Reuters: ARTF. Discover Artmarket and its Artprice department on video: https://en.artprice.com/video Artmarket and its Artprice department was founded in 1997 by its CEO, thierry Ehrmann. Artmarket and its Artprice department is controlled by Groupe Serveur, created in 1987. See certified biography in Who's who : https:mgpublic.artprice.com/img/wp/sites/11/2019/10/biographie_oct2019_WhosWho_thierryEhrmann.pdf Artmarket is a global player in the Art Market with, among other structures, its Artprice department, world leader in the accumulation, management and exploitation of historical and current art market information in databanks containing over 30 million indices and auction results, covering more than 740,000 artists. Artprice Images allows unlimited access to the largest Art Market image bank in the world: no less than 180 million digital images of photographs or engraved reproductions of artworks from 1700 to the present day, commented by our art historians. Artmarket with its Artprice department accumulates data on a permanent basis from 6300 Auction Houses and produces key Art Market information for the main press and media agencies (7,200 publications). Its 4.5 million 'members log in' users have access to ads posted by other members, a network that today represents the leading Global Standardized Marketplace to buy and sell artworks at a fixed or bid price (auctions regulated by paragraphs 2 and 3 of Article L 321.3 of France's Commercial Code). Artmarket with its Artprice department, has been awarded the State label "Innovative Company" by the Public Investment Bank (BPI) (for the second time in November 2018 for a new period of 3 years) which is supporting the company in its project to consolidate its position as a global player in the market art. Artprice by Artmarket's 2019 Global Art Market Report published in February 2020: https://www.artprice.com/artprice-reports/the-art-market-in-2019 Index of press releases posted by Artmarket with its Artprice department: http:erveur.serveur.com/press_release/pressreleaseen.htm Follow all the Art Market news in real time with Artmarket and its Artprice department on Facebook and Twitter: https://www.facebook.com/artpricedotcom/ (4.9 million followers) https://twitter.com/artmarketdotcom https://twitter.com/artpricedotcom Discover the alchemy and universe of Artmarket and its artprice department http://web.artprice.com/video headquartered at the famous Organe Contemporary Art Museum "The Abode of Chaos" (dixit The New York Times): https:ssuu.com/demeureduchaos/docs/demeureduchaos-abodeofchaos-opus-ix-1999-2013 L'Obs - The Museum of the Future: https://youtu.be/29LXBPJrs-o https://www.facebook.com/la.demeure.du.chaos.theabodeofchaos999 (4.5 million followers) https://vimeo.com/124643720 Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/817151/Artprice_Logo.jpg Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1273863/Fine_Art_Infographic.jpg Contact Artmarket.com and its Artprice department: Contact: Thierry Ehrmann, ir@artmarket.com (Disclaimer--Features may vary depending on the regions; subject to change without notice.) Grand River Watershed In the early spring, the Grand River Conservation Authority predicted a possible five-million-dollar operating loss. Now it predicts a surplus of $190,000 for 2020. The surplus is made up from strong recreation revenue, whereas the authority had previously assumed the worst that conservation areas would remain closed all season. Instead, conservation areas opened and generated strong revenue this summer. Revenue from planning permits also remained strong, though it had been predicted to be down by up to 50 per cent, according to Lisa Stocco, spokesperson for the Grand River Conservation Authority. Selling land, temporary layoffs and bringing back fewer seasonal workers were also used to buoy the budget. There were 78 staffing adjustments made, including temporary layoffs or lack of seasonal recall. Empty positions have also gone unfilled. By the end of August, 38 workers were brought back on staff. Stocco says senior staff are continuing to evaluate when the remaining laid-off employees will be returning to work. Additionally, the conservation authority sold a property in Puslinch for a total of $690,000 revenue. The GRCA is winding down its residential tenancy program, and these lands were declared surplus and approved for sale by the Grand River Conservation Authority board, Stocco said in an email. As well, the conservation authority sold more hydro than anticipated, had higher than anticipated cottage land rental rates and agricultural lease revenue and tree sales among other items. Strong July conservation authority membership card sales came in $35,000 higher than last July, and higher than expected day use revenue in August drove increased conservation area revenue projection. Overall, the conservation authority conservatively predicts $5 million in revenue from conservation areas by years end. This number will depend greatly on weather. A former Facebook employee has exposed the social media giants complacent and seemingly ignorant attitude towards taking action against world leaders who abuse the platform for political gains. In a 6,600 page memo, Sophie Zhang, who worked as a data scientist at Facebook, has claimed to reveal huge gaps in Facebooks functioning, especially when it concerns acting against political manipulation. The memo also revealed how a junior employee at Facebook wielded extraordinary moderation powers, how the company takes matters concerning million of users surprisingly lightly, and the fact that the social media giants decisions are largely motivated by public relations, rather than real world problems. In the memo, accessed by Buzzfeed news, Zhang said that she found multiple attempts by governments to abuse Facebooks influence and mislead their own citizens, and highlights Facebooks inability to act effectively. In the three years Ive spent at Facebook, Ive found multiple blatant attempts by foreign national governments to abuse our platform on vast scales to mislead their own citizenry, and caused international news on multiple occasions," Zhang wrote. Zhangs memo also uncovered a politically sophisticated network of more than a thousand actors who were trying to influence the Delhi elections that took place in February. She further said that Facebook never disclosed this network, which was trying to meddle with Delhi elections, or the fact that it has been removed. This comes shortly after a report had revealed that a Facebook executive had stopped employees from applying the companys hate speech policies to the ruling party politicians who posted anti-Muslim hate speech in India. More Revealings From Zhangs Memo According to the Buzzfeed report, Zhang said in her memo that Facebook took nine months to act on a coordinated campaign that used thousands of inauthentic assets to boost Honduras President Juan Orlando Hernandez on a massive scale to mislead the Honduran people. Further, she revealed that the perpetrators returned in July, and are still active after multiple attempts to knock them off the platform. In Azerbaijan, Zhang revealed that the ruling party used inauthentic assets to harass the opposition. She said that Facebook began to look into the issue one year after she reported it. In February 2019, a NATO researcher informed Facebook that he got to know about Russian inauthentic activity on a high-profile US political figure". Zhang said she removed the activity. In Ukraine, Zhang found inauthentic activity supporting former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko, as well as Volodymyr Groysman, a former prime minister and ally of former President Petro Poroshenko. Zhang also discovered inauthentic activity in Bolivia and Ecuador but chose not to prioritise it, due to her workload. Zhang said that she, along with her colleagues, removed 10.5 million fake reactions and fans from high-profile politicians in Brazil and the US in the 2018 elections. She also reported on the manipulation of the Spanish Health Ministrys Facebook page during the COVID-19 pandemic. She helped find and remove 6,72,000 low quality fake accounts acting on similar targets globally. Extraordinary Powers to Junior Executives The memo by Zhang also highlights how a junior employee wields extraordinary moderation powers, that can possibly affect millions of people. There was so much violating behaviour worldwide that it was left to my personal assessment of which cases to further investigate, to file tasks, and escalate for prioritisation afterwards. With no oversight whatsoever, I was left in a situation where I was trusted with immense influence in my spare time, she was quoted as saying in the memo. Zhang also mentioned that she often felt responsible when civil unrest took hold in places she didnt prioritise for investigation and action. I have made countless decisions in this vein from Iraq to Indonesia, from Italy to El Salvador. Individually, the impact was likely small in each case, but the world is a vast place. Although I made the best decision I could based on the knowledge available at the time, ultimately I was the one who made the decision not to push more or prioritise further in each case, and I know that I have blood on my hands by now. Public Relations Over the Real World Zhang also shed light on Facebooks habit of prioritising public relations over real-world problems. She said that its an open secret within the civic integrity space that Facebooks short-term decisions are largely motivated by PR and potential negative attention. She mentioned that was told directly at a 2020 summit that anything published in The New York Times or Washington Post would be prioritised. Its why Ive seen priorities of escalations shoot up when others start threatening to go to the press, and why I was informed by a leader in my organisation that my civic work was not impactful under the rationale that if the problems were meaningful they would have attracted attention, became a press fire, and convinced the company to devote more attention to the space. Facebooks Response News18 reached out to Facebook for its response on these allegations. While the statement addressed the issue of coordinated inauthentic behaviour, spam and fake engagement on Facebook, it did not say anything about the companys handling of the same, internally. Following is the statement: Weve built specialised teams, working with leading experts, to stop bad actors from abusing our systems, resulting in the removal of more than 100 networks for coordinated inauthentic behaviour. Its highly involved work that these teams do as their full-time remit. Working against coordinated inauthentic behaviour is our priority, but were also addressing the problems of spam and fake engagement. We investigate each issue carefully, including those that Ms. Zhang raises, before we take action or go out and make claims publicly as a company." Turkey cannot be seen as a trustworthy partner in the region until its occupation of Northern Cyprus ends and its violations of the rule of law and gunboat diplomacy are neutralised Turkey is more and more in the international news these days because of its violations of the exclusive economic zones (EEZ) of Cyprus and Greece. These violations in the Eastern Mediterranean threaten the stability and security of the wider region. A maritime deal signed on 6 August set out the sea boundaries between Egypt and Greece and appears to have further escalated Turkeys regional aggression. Since 2018 at least, Turkey has openly threatened the Greek islands in the Aegean Sea with invasion. Turkey has also illegally occupied the northern part of Cyprus since 1974. Moreover, the Turkish government does not recognise the Republic of Cyprus as an independent state and claims 44 per cent of the Cypriot EEZ as its own. Another sizable section of that zone is claimed by the so-called Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, an internationally unrecognised entity. Cyprus gained its independence from the United Kingdom in 1960 following a four-year struggle against colonialism. On 20 July 1974, Turkish armed forces launched a full-scale invasion. Turkeys excuse in invading the island country was the coup engineered by the Greek military, which toppled the democratically elected Cypriot president, Archbishop Makarios III. A few days later, the coup collapsed and democratic rule in Cyprus was re-established. Yet, Turkey had other plans. On 14 August of that same year, Turkey launched a second and even more devastating invasion of the island. Many crimes were committed, including ethnic cleansing throughout the northern part. Turkey named its second offensive after Attila the Hun (ruled 434-453 CE), the leader of an ancient nomadic people and the ruler of the Hunnic Empire. Atillas name, writes US historian Joshua J Mark, was synonymous with terror among his enemies and the general populace of the territories that his armies swept through. Furthermore, the reputation of the Huns for brutality and indiscriminate slaughter was well known and sent the people of the land fleeing for their lives with whatever they could carry. This is exactly what Turkey did to the north of Cyprus in 1974. Before Turkey invaded the island, the borders of Cyprus were internationally recognised. The document granting Cypruss independence was signed by three guarantor states: the United Kingdom, Greece and Turkey. These three states declared that they would recognise and guarantee the independence, territorial integrity and security of the Republic of Cyprus. The Turkish invasion, as declared by numerous UN resolutions since, was a clear violation of Turkeys commitments. The crimes committed in the north of Cyprus by Turkey include, but are not limited to, the following: indiscriminate bombings, the killings of civilians including children and pregnant women, the forcible eviction and deportation of Greek Cypriots, the systematic looting, pillage and seizures of homes, churches and other properties, torture, rape and forced prostitution, assault and battery, illegal detention and forced labour, among others. These violations were directed at Greek, Maronite and Armenian Cypriots because of their ethnicity, language and religion. The ethnic cleansing of the north of Cyprus by Turkey resulted in the displacement of more than 170,000 Greek Cypriots, about 40 per cent of the then Greek population of the island. Turkeys occupation forces have not allowed them to return home. According to the Committee on Missing Persons in Cyprus (CMP), established in 1981, 1,508 Greek Cypriots are still officially reported as missing. These atrocities have been documented by many sources, including through eyewitness accounts, investigations by international organisations and NGOs, the European Commission of Human Rights, the European Court of Human Rights and many international media outlets and scholars. Professor Van Coufoudakis, rector emeritus of the University of Nicosia in Cyprus and dean and professor emeritus at Indiana University-Purdue University in the US, notes in his 2008 report Human Rights Violations in Cyprus by Turkey, for instance, that the Turkish army, during and in the aftermath of the invasion, committed large numbers of documented cases of the rape of Greek Cypriot women and children from the ages of 12 to 71. It was part of the tactic to humiliate, intimidate and terrorise the Greek Cypriot civilians in occupied Cyprus. Rape and dishonouring women is a particularly heinous crime in a conservative and close-knit society such as that of Cyprus. The evidence of rape came from the testimonies of victims, witnesses, medical personnel and even from Turkish military personnel. Some of the instances of rape involved pregnant women, while others occurred in the presence of family members. Rape was carried out by Turkish soldiers and their officers. There is no evidence of any disciplinary action having been taken by the military for these actions. NORTHERN CYPRUS The northern part of Cyprus, like the rest of the island, was predominately Greek prior to the Turkish invasion. But through its atrocities, Turkey altered the demographic character of the north of Cyprus and turned it into a Turkish colony recognised by Turkey alone. As of today, over 36 per cent of the territory of the Republic of Cyprus remains under Turkish occupation. Turkey claims that by invading the island it was protecting Turkish Cypriots from Greek Cypriot violence. But even Turkish officials have confessed that the violence was mostly instigated by Turks to escalate the conflict and pave the way for a military intervention. General Sabri Yirmibesoglu, a Turkish army officer, for example, said in 2010 that Turkey had burned a mosque during the Cyprus conflict in order to foster civil resistance against Greek Cypriots. He also said that the Turkish special warfare department has a rule to engage in acts of sabotage against the respected values [of the Turks], made to look as if they were carried out by the enemy. There are also strategic reasons for Turkeys occupation and colonisation of Cyprus, which can be seen in a statement made by previous Turkish deputy prime minister Tugrul Turkes in 2017. There is misinformation that Turkey is interested in Cyprus because there is a Turkish society there, Turkes said. Even if no Turks lived in Cyprus, Turkey would still have a Cyprus issue, and it is impossible for Turkey to give up on that. Turkeys two invasions and continued occupation of Cyprus have breached the UN Charter, the Geneva Conventions, the European Convention on Human Rights and many other post-1945 international treaties. However, Turkey remains unapologetic. Its legacy in Cyprus would most likely make Atilla the Hun proud. As the US historian Michael Lee Lanning notes, Attila and his brother valued agreements little and peace even less. It is also important to acknowledge that the Republic of Cyprus has a massive strategic importance for Egypt. Its geographical location alone could play a pivotal role against Turkeys expansionist policy in the Mediterranean. But Turkeys policies by default eliminate other countries interests regarding the Mediterranean Sea, including Egypts. Turkey aims to achieve its neo-Ottoman expansionism particularly through the doctrine of the Blue Homeland that envisages the Turkish domination of the Aegean, of most of the Mediterranean, and of the Black Sea. This threat has also been recognised by Frances President Emmanuel Macron, who advocates a Pax Mediterranea in the region. Such a pact would not only aim to block Turkish aspirations in the region, but would also become a catalyst for both commercial and geostrategic opportunities. Macron invited Egypt to join the Middle East Mediterranean (MEM) Summer Summit in 2020. This Pax Mediterranea could very well incorporate the Eastern Mediterranean (EastMed) Pipeline Project that aims to exploit the regions gas. Not only could both projects, the political and the commercial, add to already cordial Cyprus-Egypt relations, but the EastMed Pipeline could very well act as a major deterrent to Turkeys destabilising activities in the region. It should be noted that Turkey already has about 40,000 well-equipped troops stationed in Northern Cyprus and plans, as announced, to soon build a naval base there. Until Turkeys occupation of Northern Cyprus ends, and until its violations of the rule of law and gunboat diplomacy are neutralised, Turkey will not be able to be seen as a trustworthy and civilised strategic partner of Egypt, Cyprus, the East or the West. *The writer is a Turkish journalist and political analyst formerly based in Ankara. *A version of this article appears in print in the 17 September, 2020 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly Search Keywords: Short link: William Shaw, Dromoile, Co Tipperary Expand Close William Shaw, Dromoile, Co Tipperary / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp William Shaw, Dromoile, Co Tipperary Brexit should be top of the agenda for the new Minister, says William. Brexit is the big one for the Minister. Thats a no-brainer, if we dont have access to those markets, were sunk. We need to make sure the British live up to their commitments. Thats the bottom line. Its scary times now [since the UKs threat to renege on parts of the withdrawal agreement]. Especially because everything is so expensive at the moment. People have so many obligations and repayments to make, its not possible for us to not earn money for a year, he says. The EU budget is another big challenge. The EU is spending all that money on keeping people alive during this virus [Covid 19], will there be enough money for everyone? Thats the question. All the messing around with Phil Hogan hasnt helped but I think Mairead McGuinness is a good choice. She always understood farming, right back to Ear to the Ground if you go back long enough. Shes the right woman for the job. She is good and strong and nobody will bully her. Ken Bracken, Banagher, Co Offaly Expand Close Ken Bracken, Banagher, Co Tipperary / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Ken Bracken, Banagher, Co Tipperary Like sheep farmers all across the country, Ken believes that something is very wrong with the wool trade in Ireland. The Banagher farmer says the government should incentivise the use of wool for insulation in houses. I have bags of wool at home and it wont pay me to bring it to the merchant. It wont cover the cost of the diesel to bring it over, thats the truth, he said. There is no washing or grading of wool done in this country anymore. The government should be promoting wool for use as insulation. Wool is far more sustainable and a better insulator than artificial insulation. Why are we making all this man-made stuff, with a huge cost to the environment, when we have something there that is grown naturally and is a top quality product. Its madness. Sean Collins, Sixmilebridge, Co Clare Expand Close Sean Collins, Sixmilebridge, Co Clare / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Sean Collins, Sixmilebridge, Co Clare Minister McConalogue needs to hit the ground running as Irish farmers face a very uncertain future, according to Sean. He has a lot to do and he needs to get working on his brief. The third man in three months, its crazy. There has been no one there since February, since the election. He needs to get working quickly. The situation around Brexit is very shaky too. Thats a big worry for down the road. Britain is our market, if we dont have Britain, we have nothing. Marie Kenny, Roscrea, Co Tipperary Expand Close Marie Kenny, Roscrea, Co Tipperary / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Marie Kenny, Roscrea, Co Tipperary Marie hopes that we have seen the last of the witch-hunts and the Minister will be allowed to get down to work. Its been a mess for the last few months, she says. It seems like theres been witch-hunts out for some people. If they could just get down now and do their jobs wed all be better off, she said. If he [Minister McConalogue] could focus on one thing, it should be to get farmers the proper market price for their animals. The difference between what we get for cattle and sheep and what you see in the supermarkets is crazy. There is no market for wool at the moment. Nothing. Were waiting and hoping that things will change, but we will have to do something soon, there is no room in the shed. Its costing us 2.40 to shear them and we have 500 ewes so its a big problem. Christopher McLoughlin, Killaloe, Co Clare Expand Close Christopher McLoughlin, Killaloe, Co Clare / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Christopher McLoughlin, Killaloe, Co Clare Brexit and CAP are the biggest issues on the table at the moment, said Christopher. A lot of the CAP money will need to be co-funded by the Irish government and he [Minister McConalogue] will have to fight his case at government for that co-funding. And a no-deal Brexit would be a disaster for Ireland. We need to avoid that at all costs. He also believes that the effects of Covid 19 are still being felt by the farming community. The social side of the mart is gone. Some of the older generation especially used to go to the mart for a social outing more than anything, they might have no business to do, only go for the dinner and the chat. Thats a big loss. Francie Gorman, Co Laois Expand Close Francie Gorman, Co Laois / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Francie Gorman, Co Laois Wool has been a disaster this year, said Francie. Our wool made maybe 120 and I didnt even take the cheque off the wool merchant. I have it left there in the hope that the price will go up before the end of the year. On the flip side of it, lambs have been a good sale all year. There is a buoyancy in the sheep sector that we havent seen for years. Long may it last. George Carry, Dromakeenan, Co Offaly Expand Close George Carry, Dromakeenan, Co Tipperary / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp George Carry, Dromakeenan, Co Tipperary George is prevented from wearing a face mask because of a medical condition. He says that different marts now have different ways of handling Covid-19. Im not buying or selling today, Im only in with a neighbour. But I cant get in. If you dont have business inside, you wont get in today, he said. They tell you that the ring is full, but when you go inside they are all two metres apart. Thats not full. They seem to be handling it differently in different locations. You see the children going back to school, wearing the mask all day inside in class. Its tough. I dont wear it at all. I had a big operation and the doctors have told me not to wear a mask. Im not scared of it [Covid-19]. What can you do? You have to take a chance on it. John Quin, Roscrea Expand Close John Quin, Roscrea, Co Tipperary / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp John Quin, Roscrea, Co Tipperary John says plantation owners are facing difficulties securing planning permission to manage their forestry. If you get a grant to sow trees, youre entitled to harvest your crop. The first thing the Minister should do is tackle that problem. We cant get a license to cut the trees. We need to be able to manage our forestry correctly. There is no point in thinning your trees when theyve gone too high. They are not being fair to farmers. He also believes that the UK may be bluffing over its willingness to accept a no-deal Brexit. No one knows what will happen with Brexit. The UK will have to trade the same as Ireland and every other country. When they want beef, theyll have to buy it. Theyre not all going to turn into vegetarians overnight. Florida State-led team offers new rules for algae species classification FSU Assistant Professor of Biological Science Sophie McCoy and her team are proposing formal definitions for algae species and subcategories for the research community to consider: They are recommending algae be classified first by DNA and then by other traits. The work, which includes collaborations with Stacy Krueger-Hadfield, assistant professor of biology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and Nova Mieszkowska, a research fellow at the Marine Biological Association in the United Kingdom, was published this week in the Journal of Phycology . "Algal species should evolve separately from other lineages, so that's DNA-based, but we should also take into account differences in their ecology, such as what they look like or their role in the environment," McCoy said. The article was published as a perspective rather than offering definitive answers, and the team hopes the larger scientific community will comment on it and start an important conversation. Algae matter more than most people realize because the organisms make about half of the oxygen in the world, McCoy said. Humanity depends on algae, as does the entire food web of the ocean. Scientists have established ways to define animal species, such as determining an organism's ability to produce viable offspring that can subsequently reproduce. For instance, a horse and a donkey can create a mule, but a mule cannot reproduce. That helps classify horses and donkeys as separate species. But that type of categorization doesn't work well for algae because it has unique and complex life stages and very often interbreeds with other algal species. "Rather than having a 'species tree,' like a family tree, algae have more of a web," McCoy said. That intricacy has made it difficult to formalize categories to classify algae species. Some scientists might classify offspring of two algal species as a distinct new species while others would not. Or some might classify algae species by discrete DNA while others classify by physical characteristics. "We aren't all using the same rules, so are we actually looking at different breeds or populations and then artificially calling them species?" McCoy said. "Depending on how we apply these rules, the number of species could go way up or way down." The International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species is the world's most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of biological species. The IUCN red list helps scientists evaluate a species' extinction risk. So, how a species is defined changes the perception of biodiversity and conservation, she said. Beyond conservation, catastrophes -- from algal blooms in waterways to the destruction of coral reefs -- could be mitigated by discussing and clarifying algal species classification. McCoy said some of the mysteries surrounding this type of growth are likely related to a lack of uniform identification. "If we are mistakenly separating or grouping species, we're just not going to understand how different types of algae are responding to pollution or climate change," she said. This philosophical change in what it means to be a species is a starting point for McCoy and the team. In addition to starting a conversation, she plans to conduct research that builds on the concept over the next year. ### This story has been published on: 2020-09-15. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. CANBERA (dpa-AFX) - Asian stocks ended mixed on Tuesday despite the positive cues from Wall Street and upbeat economic data from China. Investors turned cautious as they shifted focus to upcoming central bank meetings this week for further direction. The U.S. Federal Reserve's monetary policy statement is due on Wednesday, while the Bank of Japan and the Bank of England are scheduled to announce their respective monetary policy decisions on Thursday. Shares in China and Hong Kong extended their winning streak to a third day as upbeat economic data added to optimism about the economic recovery in China. Data released by China showed that the country's industrial production and retail sales increased in August from a year ago and beat expectations, while fixed asset investment declined for the January-to-August period. China's Shanghai Composite Index rose 16.87 points, or 0.5 percent, to finish at 3,295.68, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index added 92.48 points, or 0.4 percent, to 24,732.76. Japanese shares closed lower on profit taking after three straight days of gains. The benchmark Nikkei 225 Index dropped 104.41 points, or 0.4 percent, to close at 23,454.89 and the broader Topix declined 10.26 points, or 0.6 percent, to 1,640.84. Market heavyweight SoftBank Group added 0.3 percent, while Fast Retailing dipped 0.3 percent. Australian stocks ended little changed, as investors digested minutes of the Reserve Bank of Australia's September 1 monetary policy meeting released today. Members of the RBA's monetary policy board acknowledged that the board's unprecedented level of fiscal easing has played a key role in helping to sustain the Australian economy, minutes from the meeting revealed. The members added that they intend to maintain the board's highly accommodative stance as long as necessary. The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 Index edged down 4.70 points to close at 5,894.80, while the broader All Ordinaries Index added 0.80 points to 6,079.30. In the tech space, Afterpay gained 3.4 percent and Appen advanced 1.7 percent, while WiseTech Global dipped0.3 percent. In the mining sector, BHP Group rose 0.7 percent, while Rio Tinto declined 1.5 percent and Fortescue Metals ended little changed. New Zealand shares closed modestly lower, reflecting weakness in blue-chip stocks. The benchmark NZX 50 Index dipped 19.79 points, or 0.2 percent, to settle at 11,770.75. Among blue chip stocks, Fisher & Paykel Healthcare declined 1.7 percent and Fletcher Building lost 1.1 percent. Meanwhile, travel booking software company Serko rallied 4.5 percent, while Heartland Group Holdings added 1.7 percent after gaining A$1 billion in Australian reverse mortgage funding. Seoul stocks rose for the fourth consecutive day to close at a more than two-year high, led by gains in tech shares. The benchmark Kospi added 15.67 points, or 0.7 percent, to close at 2,443.58. Market bellwether Samsung Electronics added 1 percent and chipmaker SK Hynix rose 2.4 percent, while internet portal giant Naver gained 3 percent. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de WASHINGTON - The Latest on the 2020 presidential campaign (all times local): 10:30 p.m. Joe Biden says hes begun preparing for presidential debates that begin later this month by studying President Donald Trumps past comments. I havent been doing mock debates very much but Ive been just making sure that I understand all that he has said and hasnt said, the Democratic presidential candidate told reporters as he prepared to fly back to his home state of Delaware on Tuesday night, after an event marking the start of Hispanic Heritage Month in Orlando, Florida. Biden said he didnt know who might play Trump when he does begin staging mock debates. The former vice-president said before his Florida visit that he wants to improve his standing with Hispanic voters ahead of Novembers election. But he said Tuesday night, Were doing just fine. Here in Florida theres not a whole of Puerto Ricans that are going to vote for Donald Trump after what hes done for Puerto Rico, Biden said, referring to the slow federal response after Hurricane Marias 2017 devastation of the island. So they know him but theyve got to know more about me. He also said Hispanics in Florida and elsewhere wouldnt be deceived by Trumps attempts to portray him as soft on socialism and communism. __ HERES WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT WHATS HAPPENING IN THE PRESIDENTIAL RACE: President Donald Trump was in Washington on Tuesday for a White House ceremony celebrating Israel signing pacts with two Gulf Arab states. He is also scheduled to participate in an ABC town hall event in Philadelphia on Tuesday night. His Democratic challenger, Joe Biden, meanwhile, was in the battleground state of Florida on Tuesday for a roundtable with veterans in Tampa and a Hispanic Heritage Month kickoff event in Kissimmee. Read more: Trump: Israeli pacts with 2 Arab states signal new Mideast Biden seeks to woo Latinos in 1st trip to Florida as nominee Trump takes questions in TV town hall as debate warm-up Trump highlights foreign policy wins as he courts voters ___ HERES WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING: 9:55 p.m. President Donald Trump says he didnt downplay the coronavirus pandemic, even though he told journalist Bob Woodward that he did so intentionally. Trump said during an ABC News town hall in Philadelphia on Tuesday: I actually, in many ways, I up-played it in terms of action. My action was very strong. The answer came in response to a question from an undecided voter about why Trump would purposely downplay a pandemic that is known to disproportionately harm low-income families in minority communities. Trump told the legendary Washington Post reporter that he always wanted to play it down because he didnt want people to panic. He also called the virus deadly stuff. Trumps comments were captured on a recording Woodward made for his latest book, Rage, which was published Tuesday. Three days after delivering his deadly assessment in a private call with Woodward, he told a New Hampshire rally on Feb. 10, Its going to be fine. More than 195,000 people in the U.S. have died of the coronavirus, far more than any other country. More than 6.5 million coronavirus cases have been confirmed in the U.S. ___ 9 p.m. Joe Biden is expressing his strongest support yet for Puerto Rican statehood, though he says the decision must be made by residents of the island. Biden said Tuesday night at a Hispanic Heritage Month kickoff event in Kissimmee, Florida, that he believes statehood would be the most effective means of ensuring that residents of Puerto Rico are treated equally. But Biden emphasized that the people of Puerto Rico must decide, and the United States federal government must respect and act on that. Biden had previously declined to take a position on the issue. During the last referendum on statehood, an overwhelming majority of Puerto Ricans voted in favour of becoming a state. Bidens remarks came as part of a broader effort to appeal to Latinos in Florida and particularly Puerto Ricans, which make up one of the fastest-growing demographic groups in central Florida. Democrats have expressed concerns that Biden may be slipping in the state, particularly with influential Latino voters. ___ 7:45 p.m. Joe Biden is calling President Donald Trump a fool for comments hes made questioning Bidens mental acuity and suggesting Biden takes performance-enhancing drugs. During an interview with Tampas NBC affiliate Tuesday, Biden was asked about Trumps accusations that he is mentally shot and has taken drugs to boost his debate performance. Biden dismissed the presidents comments, calling them foolish and declaring, Im looking forward to the debate and hes a fool. The Democratic presidential nominee continued: Get ready, Mr. President. Here I come. The two will meet for their first presidential debate on Sept. 29 in Cleveland. ___ 6:10 p.m. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz is urging the campaigns of President Donald Trump and Democrat Joe Biden to abide by the states guidelines for slowing the spread of the coronavirus when the candidates visit Minnesota on Friday. In a letter to both campaigns Tuesday, the Democratic governor wrote, Partner with us in the fight against COVID-19. Trump has an airport rally scheduled for Friday in the north-central Minnesota city of Bemidji. Bidens campaign has not yet announced a city or venue for his visit. Walz noted that Minnesota requires face masks inside public places and strongly encourages them for outdoor gatherings. Trump has largely shunned face masks, while Biden has encouraged their use. The governor did not say in his letter how state and local officials will respond if either campaign fails to follow the guidelines for their events. Walz spokesperson Teddy Tschann said they hope to hear back from the campaigns soon, and that theyll comply voluntarily. ___ 4:55 p.m. Democratic vice-presidential nominee Kamala Harris says ideology shouldnt play a role in the U.S. response to wildfires and climate change. She didnt mention President Donald Trump by name on Tuesday, but her remarks came a day after he visited California and again cast doubt on the science behind climate change. He has often sparred with state officials over the response to fires and has advocated for raking forests. The California senator is visiting her home state for the first time as Joe Bidens running mate. She joined Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom for a briefing about a wildfire that tore through the Sierra National Forest beginning Labor Day weekend. Ash fell from the sky around her, and the air smelled strongly of smoke. Dean Gould, forest supervisor for the Sierra National Forest, says officials have never seen a more aggressive fire in the area. Harris and Newsom then walked through a burned-out property. ___ 4:35 p.m. Joe Biden is set to meet virtually with Senate Democrats for the first time since becoming the partys presidential nominee. Thats according to a Democratic aide who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity to discuss Thursdays private session. Biden represented Delaware in the Senate for 36 years before heading to the White House to serve as President Barack Obamas vice-president. He tapped California Sen. Kamala Harris as his vice-presidential nominee. As vice-president, Biden would occasionally visit the Capitol to join his colleagues for their weekly policy sessions. During Thursdays private session, he will join the Democrats caucus call to discuss priorities ahead of the November election. By Lisa Mascaro ___ 2:40 p.m. Joe Biden is tearing into President Donald Trump for his reported remarks referring to fallen soldiers as suckers. Biden held a roundtable in Tampa, Florida, focused on veterans in his first visit back to the battleground state since he became the Democratic presidential nominee. Biden says Trump doesnt seem to be able to conceive the idea of selfless service, referencing Trumps reported comments calling fallen World War I soldiers suckers and losers. Trump has denied the comments, but many were confirmed independently by The Associated Press. Biden went on to outline his commitments to the troops and his own experience supporting service members and their families as vice-president. He spoke about his late son Beaus service in the Delaware Army National Guard, declaring that hes no sucker. Biden says troops deserve a commander in chief who respects their sacrifice and will never betray the values they defend. ___ 1:40 p.m. Joe Bidens campaign manager is defending his travel schedule and voter outreach tactics as the former vice-president campaigns in Florida. In an interview with Politico on Tuesday, Jen OMalley Dillon says, I welcome the bed-wetting, referring to worries among even some of Bidens supporters. She says it shows people understand whats at stake. But she insisted the campaign and Democratic Party infrastructure is reaching voters in battleground states, including Florida, even without knocking on doors or holding large in-person events. Further, she turned the question back on President Donald Trump and his open flouting of public health guidelines during the pandemic. I was horrified to see the pictures from last night, she said of Trumps indoor rally in Arizona, where masks were sparse and social distancing was not observed. People will die because of these types of events, and thats from the president of the United States. She says Trumps actions surrounding the coronavirus pandemic are emblematic of his lack of leadership and she says the campaign will stay focused on that. Three people, including a woman, were lynched by villagers with sticks and sharp weapons after the trio allegedly strangled a man, who had opposed the illicit relationship of his wife, in Jharkhands Gumla district, around 100-km from capital Ranchi, police said on Tuesday. The incident took place in the intervening night of Monday and Tuesday at Deragdih village under Sikoi Panchayat. This was the second incident of mob lynching within 24 hours in Gumla district. On Monday morning, a former member of the ultra outfit Peoples Liberation Front of India (PLFI), was lynched by a mob of more than 80 villagers, including women with sticks, at Tesera village under Sadar police station in Gumla district. Police reached the village on Tuesday morning and sent all four bodies for post-mortem. The man, who was strangulated, was identified as Marianus Kujur, 42, while his wife was identified as Nilam Kujur, 35. The two other persons, who were allegedly in an illicit relationship with Marianus wife, could not be identified. The Gumla superintendent of police (SP) Hrudeep P Janardhanan said, As per the villagers statement, the two youths who had come from other places had illicit relationship with Marianus wife. When they were killing Marianus, he screamed. Hearing his voice, his family members, relatives and villagers came and they killed the two youths and his wife. Janardhanan said the two youths have not been identified yet. We have recovered a moped bike on which they had come. The registration number of the bike is of Simdega district. He said two FIRs would be lodged in the case-one for murdering Marianus, while another for killing three other persons by villagers. We are identifying the villagers involved in the crime and arrests would be made soon, he said. Marianus family members at the village said he was a migrant worker and returned from Pune just before the announcement of lockdown in March. They said his wife had developed an illicit relationship when her husband was not in the village. Marianus and his wife often had a dispute over her illicit relationship after he returned from Pune. The wife had called the youths to kill her husband, they alleged. Marianus younger brothers wife Sarita Kujur said, The two youths had come on a moped bike in late evening on Monday. When they were strangulating Marianus, he screamed loudly. Then, we all including the villagers ran to his house. But, by then Marianus had died. The youths tried to escape but villagers caught them and killed them along with Marianus wife with sticks and sharp weapons. The mob lynching incidents in the state have hit the headlines nationally on several occasions. The Jharkhand Janadhikar Mahasabha (JJM) has claimed that a total of 24 people were lynched in Jharkhand from March 2016 to June 2020. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON LONDON When Britains foreign secretary, Dominic Raab, arrives in Washington for a visit this week, he will carry some extra baggage as an emissary: His country is eager to reach a trade deal with the United States, but his government just introduced a bill that would renege on a landmark treaty with the European Union. That may not matter much to the Trump administration. President Trump has walked out of his own share of international agreements and is deeply hostile toward the European Union. His aides are likely to give a warm reception to Mr. Raab, a committed member of Prime Minister Boris Johnsons band of Brexiteers. But it could hurt Britain if the White House changes hands after Novembers election. Former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. opposed Brexit and would make a trade deal with Britain less of a priority than Mr. Trump has. He is also a staunch defender of Ireland, which could ignite tensions if Mr. Johnson insists on the new legislation, which would revise how the Northern Ireland border is treated. Each administration, regardless of which political party they represent, brings with them different approaches, Mr. Raab said an interview Monday in his office in Whitehall. Weve got the agility and sensitivity to deal with that. NEW DELHI: Onion prices remain more or less stable at around 40 per kilogram in Delhi markets. In August, wholesale and retail prices of onion at all India level fell 34.5% and 4% respectively compared to last years level. Then why did the government ban export of onions in a hurry when it has a stated policy to deregulate onions by amending the Essential Commodities Act for better price realization for farmers? While domestic onion prices remain stable, it is the spike in external demand for onions which seems to have triggered the ban on export of onions. During April-June period, onion exports to Bangladesh, Indias largest overseas market for the key kitchen ingredient, shot up 147.5% to 1.9 lakh metric tonne. Overall, onion exports grew 23% during the same period to 6.8 lakh metric tonne. Bangladesh depends heavily on Indian onions to meet its domestic demand. Last year on 29 September, when India banned export of onions, prices of onions shot up in Bangladesh and it became a point of friction between the two neighbouring countries. Learning from its experience and anticipating a ban on onion exports this year too, Bangladesh seems to have bumped up import of onions from India to restock its cold storages. During her visit to India in October last year after the onion export ban, Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina had said "Pyaaz leke thoda sa dikkat ho gaya hamare liye. Mujhe maloom nahin hain, aapne kyun pyaaz band kardiya. Thoda notice dene se achcha hota hum dusre desh se la sakte the. Achanak band kardiya aur ye hamare liye mushqil ban gaya. (We are facing some issues because of the ban on onion exports from India. I dont know why you banned export of onions. It would have been better if you had alerted us in advance so that we could have sourced onions from other countries. You banned it suddenly and it became a problem for us)." Hasina had said in jest that she had asked her cook not to use onions in the kitchen. Restriction on onion exports has become an annual affair. Last year, the government imposed countrywide stock limits to bring down prices of onions that had soared ahead of state elections in Maharashtra and Haryana. This years upcoming state elections in Bihar and Madhya Pradesh may also have played a role in the export ban. The crackdown had followed retail onion prices touching 80 a kg in Delhi due to supply disruptions after floods in some states. In December, prices hit 160 per kg in certain parts of the country. Five months after the ban, government lifted the curbs, starting 15 March, as the shortage in onion supply due to excess rain and flood hitting the kharif crop passed with arrival of rabi crop. Indian farmers deserve a stable farm export policy for better price predictability. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Never miss a story! Stay connected and informed with Mint. Download our App Now!! Topics A large settlement was reached between the city of Louisville and the family of Breonna Taylor in the wrongful death civil suit. Louisville will pay out $12 million, but the deal also includes "significant" police reforms. Attorney Lonita Baker said they would not negotiate a civil settlement unless it came with reforms for Louisville Metro Police Department. New Delhi: The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved the establishment of a new All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) at Darbhanga in Bihar which will be established under the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY). The total cost will be Rs 1264 crore and is likely to be completed within a period of 48 months from the date of the approval of the Government of India. The establishment of new AIIMS involves the creation of Hospital, Teaching Block for medical & nursing courses, residential complex and allied facilities/services, broadly on the pattern of AIIMS, New Delhi and other six new AIIMS taken up under Phase-I of PMSSY. The objective is to establish the new AIIMS as Institution of National Importance for providing quality tertiary healthcare, medical education, nursing education and research in the region. The proposed institution will have a hospital with a capacity of 750 beds which will include emergency and trauma beds, ICU beds, AYUSH beds, Private beds and Specialty & Super Specialty beds. In addition, there will be a Medical College, AYUSH Block, Auditorium, Night Shelter, Guest House, Hostels and residential facilities. The establishment of the new AIIMS will create capital assets for which requisite specialized manpower will be created, based on the pattern of the six new AIIMS, for their operations and maintenance. The recurring cost on these Institutions shall be met through Grant-in-Aid to them from Plan Budget Head of PMSSY of Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. The construction of new AIIMS is reportedly fully funded by the Central Government and the operations & maintenance expenses will be also be fully borne by the Centre. As per the Centre, setting up new AIIMS in the state will lead to employment generation for nearly 3000 persons in various faculty and non-faculty posts. Further, indirect employment generation will take place due to facilities and services like a shopping centre, canteens, etc. coming in the vicinity of the new AIIMS. As per the Centre, the common man will get the following benefits: New AIIMS will add 100 UG (MBBS) seats and 60 B.Sc (Nursing) seats. New AIIMS will have 15-20 Super Specialty Departments. New AIIMS will add 750 hospital beds. As per data of current functional AIIMS, it is expected that each new AIIMS will cater to around 2000 OPD patients per day and around 1000 IPD patients per month. PG and DM/ M.Ch Super-specialty courses will also be started in due course. The Cabinet also approved the creation of the post of Director for the new AIIMS. File image: Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal Amid a surge in COVID-19 cases, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said the matter of concern should be the number of deaths and not cases as he claimed that the coronavirus death rate in the national capital is perhaps the lowest in the world. "The largest number of COVID-19 tests are being carried out in Delhi at present. Eleven per cent Delhi has been tested so far with nearly 21 lakh tests. The concern should be the number of deaths and not the number of COVID cases. Death rate in Delhi is perhaps the lowest in the whole world," the chief minister said in his address during the one-day session of the Delhi Assembly. He said while 3,057 tests are conducted per day per million population in Delhi, around 3,000 coronavirus tests are conducted per million population per day in UK, 1,388 in the USA, 2,311 in Russia, and 8,58 in Peru while India has an average of 819 tests per million per day," he said. The chief minister said the COVID-19 situation was the toughest in Delhi. "First, we need to understand that the situation of Corona was the toughest in Delhi. We must keep this in mind whenever we compare the situation from other states. Corona in India came from outside, India did not have any Corona cases of its own. "Corona had a huge impact in countries such as Italy and London, and many other countries and the Indians living there asked the governments of those cities that they wanted to go back to Delhi," he said. COVID-19 Vaccine Frequently Asked Questions View more How does a vaccine work? A vaccine works by mimicking a natural infection. A vaccine not only induces immune response to protect people from any future COVID-19 infection, but also helps quickly build herd immunity to put an end to the pandemic. Herd immunity occurs when a sufficient percentage of a population becomes immune to a disease, making the spread of disease from person to person unlikely. The good news is that SARS-CoV-2 virus has been fairly stable, which increases the viability of a vaccine. How many types of vaccines are there? There are broadly four types of vaccine one, a vaccine based on the whole virus (this could be either inactivated, or an attenuated [weakened] virus vaccine); two, a non-replicating viral vector vaccine that uses a benign virus as vector that carries the antigen of SARS-CoV; three, nucleic-acid vaccines that have genetic material like DNA and RNA of antigens like spike protein given to a person, helping human cells decode genetic material and produce the vaccine; and four, protein subunit vaccine wherein the recombinant proteins of SARS-COV-2 along with an adjuvant (booster) is given as a vaccine. What does it take to develop a vaccine of this kind? Vaccine development is a long, complex process. Unlike drugs that are given to people with a diseased, vaccines are given to healthy people and also vulnerable sections such as children, pregnant women and the elderly. So rigorous tests are compulsory. History says that the fastest time it took to develop a vaccine is five years, but it usually takes double or sometimes triple that time. View more Show The Indian government decided to bring these people back to India by sending special flights, the chief minister said. "Delhi is the national capital of India and so 80-90 per cent of all the flights landed in Delhi. Corona was a new disease then, and nobody knew about any protocol or guidelines to be followed, no quarantine, and no isolation," he said. Kejriwal said the pandemic made him realise that nobody can handle it alone. "We realised that this is a pandemic, and nobody can handle it alone. If Delhi would have tried to handle it alone, we would not have been able to do it. We took help from everyone. I want to thank the Centre for helping us whenever we needed them. They gave us PPE kits, oxygen cylinders and testing kits. No government can handle it alone. "We have a weakness, sir. We do not know how to do politics, but this weakness has become our biggest strength right now. I always say, the credit is yours and all the responsibility is mine. Whenever Delhi faces trouble, the responsibility is mine," he added. Kejriwal said people from all over country are coming to Delhi for COVID-19 treatment. "A total of 5,264 people from other states have been treated so far in Delhi. It is a difficult time. Human history never witnessed such a pandemic. We have to work for the well being of the human kind," he added. During the assembly session, AAP MLAs, including Saurabh Bhardwaj, hit out at the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh, alleging that there was a "scam" in procurement of COVID-19 kits and equipments. "There is a Delhi model which follows more tests, plasma therapy and home isolation and there is a model of the BJP government in UP that is about corruption and profiteering," charged AAP MLA Raghav Chadha. BJP MLA Vijender Gupta claimed that COVID-19 cases were rising in Delhi and the AAP government has failed to protect people from the disease. The deal struck between Oracle and TikToks US arm may set the blueprint for how things might proceed in India, though the Indian government has insisted that the developments in the US wont influence the short-video platforms future here, experts said. Having a licensing deal is the best compromise TikTok could have done," said Arindrajit Basu, senior policy officer, Center for Internet and Society (CIS). Given the fact that the geopolitical tension will continue for some time at least, it is infeasible to have an app that is being run by a Chinese firm and is so widely available in India," he added. A licensing agreement in India could help TikTok convince the Indian government that the countrys data sovereignty is protected. Oracle, or whichever the company they partner with, will guarantee that the user data will not go to China. That is one way of protecting India from Chinese surveillance," Basu said. According to Akash Karmakar, a partner at the Law Offices of Panag & Babu, who advises several global app firms, the sale of TikToks US operations is being closely watched in light of the tech-transfer components of the transaction now being silently moulded by the Chinese governments revised export-control rules". Karmakar said a deal in the US will lead to significant oversight" by not just US authorities but also the Chinese. With the ability to license or transfer technology now being regulated by China, it will certainly result in certain tweaks to deal restructurings and result in valuation adjustments on the basis of what data sharing and source code sharing or licensing is possible in light of the new export-control rules, which have an effect similar to localizing proprietary Chinese tech without imposing data localization regulations," he added. US President Donald Trump had earlier issued an executive order, asking TikTok to sell its US operations to an American company within 45 days. The deadline for the same was supposed to end on 20 September. Sanchit Vir Gogia, the founder of Greyhound Research, said in a blog post that TikToks US data being hosted on the US companys cloud servers is an obvious outcome" of the partnership. Tanu Banerjee, a partner at Indus Law, said the partnership could set a template for India, but it will depend on several factors, including the manner in which user data is proposed to be managed under such a partnership, whether the proposed arrangement addresses the data privacy and security concerns raised by the government of India and the current geopolitical scenario. To be sure, India may reject a licensing arrangement. Ultimately, Indias concerns are that the data should not go outside our territorial boundaries to China," said cyber law expert Pavan Duggal. I dont think the licensing regime will fly in India. The full details of the deal will have to be looked at. Ultimately, we will have to see where the data is going, who has final control and whether the technology is used in a manner to facilitate backdoors," he added. Duggal said in licensing deals, the licencee is at best" a representative of the principal. As a result, data operations being carried out by a licencee would still mean that a Chinese firm is involved and is tantamount to Indian data going back to China for processing". Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Never miss a story! Stay connected and informed with Mint. Download our App Now!! Topics The World Socialist Web Site invites workers and other readers to contribute to this regular feature. Latin America Strike by Colombian coalmine workers enters third week while negotiations stall Workers at the Cerrejon mining complex in Colombias La Guajira department are continuing the strike they began August 31. As they enter week three of the walkout, the Sintracarbon union and the company are engaging in mutual recriminations, with each side accusing the other of unwillingness to negotiate. Last week a virtual meeting, or convention, was called by a House of Representatives commission, which the labor minister attended. Cerrejon, however, refused to attend. The minister told reporters, The enterprise assures that it is not going to touch the convention and the workers say that as long as it [Cerrejon] doesnt touch the convention they cannot advance, but the point of discord ultimately is the implementation of the shifts. The companys proposed shift change would eliminate one of the four crews, resulting in at least 1,250 layoffs, and it would be unhealthier and more dangerous, earning it the epithet turno de muerte, i.e., death shift. Additionally, the shift would give Cerrejon a pretext for cutbacks in transportation services. Management at Cerrejon, the worlds largest open-pit coalmine, claims that the shift change is necessary to retain economic viability in the midst of the pandemic and weakened global demand. Workers fear that Cerrejon could up the ante by cutting off other services, like water, to towns in the mines vicinity, which so far it has not done. Mayors of some of the towns, jittery over increasing tensions, have offered to serve as mediators. On the other hand, the La Guajira governor, despite the pleas of Sintracarbon, has said nothing about the strike. According to an El Tiempo report, Governor Nemesio Roys has a brother who occupies a high executive position inside the multinational. Colombian hospital workers strike, again, over unpaid salaries Over 700 members at the Rosario Pumarejo de Lopez Hospital in Valledupar, a city in northeast Colombias Cesar department, went on indefinite strike September 10. The action is a replay of a previous strike that lasted from early July until August 20. The workers, including doctors, nurses and support staff, held the first walkout to demand wages that, in some cases, had not been paid for up to 11 months. The strike, which included hunger strikes by some doctors, finally ended the day after the signing of an agreement with the hospital administration. Since then, the director has fulfilled none of the agreements provisions. One doctor, Luis Heberto Gomez, called the refusal to comply with the agreement acts of indifference, indolence and even mockery of the personnel of the hospital. Other complaints of the health workers include outsourcing of contracts, worsening of living conditions, and undermining of labor rights. A doctors spokesman said, We made the decision to return to strike action owing to the fact that the specialists have not received pay, they dont have contracts with the EPS [government-sponsored health insurance], the means of protection are ineffective while the pandemic keeps growing. The government has ignored our situation, and they only talk about the twists and turns of the ministry, therefore from this Thursday and until they pay us we are going to be in a cessation of activities. Uruguayan workers set for general strike this week to demand dialog with government A threatened strike general strike by Uruguays PIT-CNT labor union federation is drawing closer. On August 20 the federation called for a general strike on September 17. A PIT-CNT statement issued at the time includes demands for quality work, defense of wages, a basic emergency income for those sectors that remained without income due to the health crisis caused by the coronavirus, and against budget cuts. Uruguay currently has around 110,000 workers on unemployment insurance, and the number of unemployed is likely to rise as businesses opt for more layoffs and firings while the pandemic continues. Many Uruguayans, however, work in informal or temporary jobs where getting government help is difficult or impossible. President Luis Lacalle Pau is pushing for budget cuts for education, health and other services to resolve Uruguays economic problems at the expense of workers. A policy of leaving positions vacant as public service workers retire is also in the offing. The union is calling for a National Dialog for Employment that encompasses the elimination of restrictions to access unemployment insurance, and the search for a normative mechanism that limits firings, generating a period of labor stability while the period through which the worker has access to unemployment insurance lasts. The proposed emergency income would be equivalent to the minimum monthly wage, 16,300 pesos, or US$382. Government decree heads off strike by Argentine telecom workers, imposes arbitration A planned 24-hour strike set for September 10 by the Telephonic Syndical Unity Board (MUS), a federation of four national telecommunications unions in Argentina, was suspended on September 9 following an obligatory conciliation decree issued by the Labor Ministry. The decree ordered negotiations between representatives of the unions and two firms, Telecom Argentina and Claro SA, to begin September 14. The strike call had followed another round of negotiations in which, according to a MUS statement, the Claro and Telecom businesses continued with the attitude of not offering any salary correction. The decree came shortly afterwards. About 16,000 workers will be affected by the outcome of the talks, which will also cover working conditions. Telecommunications is categorized as an essential service, and telecom workers have been obliged to work throughout the pandemic. Workers have complained about the lack of adequate technical equipment and essential tools, and a MUS communique alleges that the firms speculate that isolation measures make union action difficult and that they are trying to capitalize on a humanitarian crisis. Obligatory conciliation talks, often with the participation of a less-than-impartial Labor Ministry official, usually last 15 days, giving the companies time to develop contingency plans and wear down worker resistance. Unions rarely defy the decrees, even in cases of continuing management intransigence, and workers are ordered to stay on the job while talks drag on. United States Albany, New York nurses rally, vote to strike over low staffing and pay Nurses and their supporters at Albany Med in New York rallied September 7 in the wake of a strike vote demanding hospital management resolve their complaints over insufficient staffing, low pay and working conditions. The 2,500 nurses provided what they call a super majority to strike Albany Med after working two years without a contract. Jen Bejo, a registered nurse, told the rally, They called us heroes during COVID, but treated us like zeros. They cut our hours. They unlawfully cut our personal time. Theyve canceled our annual wage increase. They refused to listen to us about PPE [personal protective equipment], and health and safety issues. Back in March, as the pandemic crisis crested in New York, 45 health care workers at Albany Med tested positive for COVID-19, which was higher than the number of patients36. The union has given the hospital a 10-day strike notice, meaning they could be on strike by the end of this week. Albany Med nurses voted overwhelming in 2018 to join the New York State Nurses Association. Canada Winnipeg school bus drivers strike In the first job action since the anti-worker public sector wage control bill of Manitobas Conservative government was struck down by the provinces Court of Queens Bench, 95 school bus drivers went on strike last week. Parents of about 2,300 students were advised to make alternative arrangements to get their children to school. Due to the COVID-19 crisis, the government had already introduced safety regulations drastically reducing the number of students allowed to take school buses. In Manitoba, elementary school pupils are required to attend classes in person while high school students receive a mixture of remote instruction and in-school learning. The bus drivers, members of the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) union, have been without a contract for over a year. In 2017, the right-wing government of Premier Brian Pallister passed Bill 28, which imposed a two-year wage freeze on all public employees with a meager 0.75 percent wage increase in year three of any new contract, followed by 1 percent in year four. But last June, a provincial court, calling the bill draconian, struck down the legislation as an infringement on the constitutional right to free collective bargaining. However, the Progressive Conservative government has appealed the decision and insisted that public employers negotiating with any public sector union continue to follow the wage restraint advice outlined in the original legislation. In negotiations with the bus drivers the Winnipeg School Division has proclaimed that wages are non-negotiable. The low-wage drivers, who are required to perform additional safety and security duties due to new coronavirus regulations, are demanding wage increases beyond government stipulations. The dispute with the bus drivers heralds growing unrest among thousands of public sector workers in the province who are moving into negotiations for their own contracts. Health care, education, social service and childcare workers, as well as employees in the crown corporations, all have been without a contract for more than four years. By Express News Service CHENNAI: Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT-M) researchers have studied flooding in and around Chennai and have proposed the construction of straight training walls at the mouth of Ennore Creek to minimise flood risk significantly on its upstream. The study was commissioned by Kamarajar Port (formerly Ennore Port) in Chennai to propose solutions to reduce flooding around the banks of the Kosathalaiyar, a statement from the institution on Monday said. It was undertaken by K Murali, SA. Sannasiraj and V Sundar from the Department of Ocean Engineering, IIT-Madras. The study focused on extreme storm surge scenarios and high tide levels along with flooding in the river. It found that heavy siltation in the creek mouth and narrow opening in the mouth posed a flood threat to the areas adjoining the river. The study showed straight training walls at the creek mouth and some regular de-silting of the river will improve the situation and minimise flood risk significantly in North Chennai. It also showed that an alternative proposal of curved training walls proposed earlier will worsen the situation, by blocking the free exchange of Seawater with the creek, thereby, increasing the flood risk. Sannasiraj, said, The proposal has been made to construct a pair of training walls extending perpendicular from the shore up to a water depth of 5m on either side of the creek. Further, the straight training walls would act in complement with the present series of groynes which were designed by IIT-Madras for shore protection. In the history of flooding in and around Chennai, the three creeks Adyar, Cooum and Ennore remain major bottlenecks due to sand bar formation at their mouths this results in significant flooding over the settlement along its banks affecting coastal villages, disrupting fishing activity, industrial network on the upstream, road encroachments and illegal waste disposal. In a well-balanced ecosystem, the mouth of the inlet should remain open and continuous exchange of water is to be ensured. Owing to large volumes of sediments transported along the bed as well as suspended in water, such inlets act as a sediment sink resulting in sand bar formation. Like a chain reaction, the hydrodynamics are altered; the inlet stability fails; and, flooding on riverbanks follows. The comprehensive report of IIT-Madras examined different possibilities of extreme event cases both from the land and the sea. The studies reveal that it could lead to an overflow in the region of elevation lesser than 2.71 m with respective MSL. A detailed study for the Adyar and the Cooum estuaries will also be taken up for investigation by IIT-Madras, the statement said. The coronavirus pandemic crisis dealt a hard blow to the airline industry. Disruptions to trade and travel, social lockdown policies, and increased border restrictions were only the beginning of the troubles. Even though income collapsed, the airlines still had to maintain aircraft and hangars, pay leases on equipment and airport space, and meet their debts. But the virus is starting to wane, and economies are coming back and travel is starting to resume. The big question for the airlines is how many people are willing to book flights? There is no doubt that the pandemic will have cost the industry some potential passengers, people simply no longer willing to fly, but for many others, travel will remain essential. How the industry will look in 2021 is still not clear, as Morgan Stanley transportation expert Ravi Shanker notes: While the rising industry tide will lift all boats, we recognize that we are not out of the woods yet and that there is likely to be significant volatility in the next six months as the recovery takes shape. This does not stop Shanker from rating the airline stocks, nor does it stop him from choosing three tickers that are primed for strong gains as the industry comes back to life. Using TipRanks Stock Comparison tool, we were able to evaluate these 3 airline players alongside each other to get a sense of what the analyst community has to say. Southwest Airlines (LUV) First on the list is Southwest Airlines, arguably the best airline operating in the US. Southwest has built its reputation on good customer service, and leveraged that to become the worlds largest budget airline. Its success has made it a long-time component of the S&P 500 index, and brought it 47 consecutive profitable years. The travel restrictions put in place to combat the pandemic hurt the airline badly in 1H20. EPS turned negative in Q1, and the in Q2 the loss reached $2.67 per share despite the partial recovery that started in May and June. Story continues That was the bad news. On the positive side, Southwest managed to finish the second quarter with plenty of cash on hand over $14.5 billion in cash and cash equivalents combined. The company also has over $12 billion in unencumbered assets, mostly wholly owned aircraft. The healthy liquidity situation has been a boon to Southwest; of the major American airlines, this is the only one with an investment-grade credit rating. Morgan Stanleys Shanker believes that Southwest is well-positioned to take off as restrictions ease heading into next year. He writes, LUV is arguably the highest quality airline in the US As a largely US domestic medium haul airline, we believe its network is in a sweet spot for a COVID rebound and it has a loyal customer base. He adds that the airline is especially able to capitalize on share gain or M&A opportunities as other airlines falter/lag. In line with his optimism, Shanker rates LUV an Overweight (i.e. Buy). His $54 price target implies a 33% upside for the stock in the coming year. (To watch Shankers track record, click here) With 10 "buy" ratings against just 3 "holds," LUV shares have earned their Strong Buy consensus rating. The stock is selling for $40.50, and the average price target of $43.80 implies that there is room for 8% upside growth. (See LUV stock analysis on TipRanks) Delta Airlines, Inc. (DAL) The next airline on todays list is Delta Airlines. Even after the coronavirus hit the industry, Deltas position among the worlds largest airlines is secure; with $21.5 billion in market cap, $47 billion in total revenue last year, and ranks second in total number of passengers carried, fleet size, and revenue per passenger-mile. The airline routes its flights through nine hubs, with Atlanta being the largest. All of that just goes to show the extent of the hit that the pandemic dealt. Delta reported a net loss per share of $4.43 in Q2, and quarterly revenues of $1.2 billion. The company described the magnitude of the pandemic crisis as truly staggering. Fortunately for Delta, the companys sheer size has given it resources to survive the corona crisis. The company took steps in the spring to improve liquidity, drawing on its $3 billion credit facility in March and, in April, issuing $1.5 billion in senior secured notes and opening an additional $1.5 billion in credit. More recently, Delta announced earlier this month that it will be opening another offer of secured notes and entering a new credit facility, with the two total $6.5 billion. That Delta can contemplate such a move despite the deep recent losses, is testament to the companys fundamental strength as a leader in an essential industry. Shanker rates Delta as another Overweight (i.e. Buy), writing, DAL has some of the strongest customer satisfaction numbers among the other Legacy peers With ample liquidity, we see limited liquidity risk here. Additionally, we continue to see DALs international alliances and partnerships as strategic assets Shanker describes the airline as our preferred Legacy carrier. His $50 price target indicates confidence in a 48.5% one-year upside. Overall, the analyst consensus on Delta is a Moderate Buy, based on 7 review which include 5 Buys and 2 Holds. The stocks trading price is $32.82; the average price target of $39.17 suggests it has room for 16% upside growth in the next 12 months. (See DAL stock analysis on TipRanks) JetBlue Airways Corporation (JBLU) Last up from out list of Morgan Stanley airline picks is JetBlue, another major name among the budget carriers. JetBlue is the seventh largest US airline, as ranked by passengers carried. The company, before the crisis, operated over 1,000 daily flights to destinations in the US and Latin America. Unsurprisingly, earnings took a hit in the second quarter due to the effects of the pandemic. JetBlue reported a loss of $2.02 per share, on revenues of $215 million. The top line is down 89% since the end of 2019. On some positive notes, JetBlue was the first major US carrier to implement a UV cabin cleaning system in response to the viral pandemic. The company undertook this step back in July, and boasts that it can use the system to clean an airliner cabin in just 10 minutes. And more recently, in response to the scaling back of the crisis, JetBlue announced that it will open 24 additional routes by years end. Destinations include Florida and the Caribbean and are scheduled to open in November and December. In his review of this stock, Shanker was impressed by JetBlues ability to take early advantage of the travel industrys gradual reopening. We like JetBlues significant exposure to the Medium Haul US domestic market, which we believe is likely to be the first to return. Additionally, JBLUs snowbird network provides a significant upside as leisure travel returns, the analyst opined. With those advantages in mind, Shanker rated JBLU as Overweight (i.e. Buy), and his $16 price target implies an upside potential of 26% for the year ahead. Overall, Wall Street is still cautious on JetBlue, based on 3 Buy ratings and 5 Holds issued in the past 3 months. With an average price target of $$12.17, the Street anticipates shares to stay range-bound for now. (See JBLU stock analysis on TipRanks) To find good ideas for airline stocks trading at attractive valuations, visit TipRanks Best Stocks to Buy, a newly launched tool that unites all of TipRanks equity insights. Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the featured analysts. The content is intended to be used for informational purposes only. It is very important to do your own analysis before making any investment. Venezuela has charged a U.S. citizen arrested recently on allegations of spying with plotting terrorist attacks on oil refineries and the countrys electricity supply to incite unrest, the Associated Press reports. According to Venezuelas Chief Prosecutor, Tarek William Saab, the suspect, Matthew John Heath, had help from three Venezuelans. These were also arrested last week near two oil refineries. Prosecutors seized phone images of alleged targets as well as equipment they said included a grenade launcher, plastic explosives, and a satellite phone. Everything here could qualify as a lethal weapon designed to cause harm and to promote assassinations, crimes against the people of Venezuela, Saab said on Venezuelan television. The prosecution also alleged Heath had links to the CIA. The man has been accused of planning to sabotage the Amuay and Cardon refineries. Neither of these produces gasoline right now, with Venezuela reliant on imports from Iran. Venezuela has been suffering shortages of both fuel and electricity, the former graver than the latter, as some of its refineries are shut down and the rest operate far below capacity. In August, Reuters reported PDVSA had restarted gasoline production at the Cardon refinery, but according to the AP report on the arrests, it has stopped again. Venezuela has total refining capacity of 1.3 million bpd of crude but the cash crunch at PDVSA and the national economy, the crumbling industry, and years of lack of investment in maintenance and repairs have taken their toll. A few days before the AP report of the arrests, Venezuelas President said the police had captured a suspected U.S. spy who had been with the U.S. Marines and with the CIA, operating in Iraq. The official charges against him include terrorism, trafficking of illegal weapons, and conspiracy. Earlier this year, the Venezuelan authorities thwarted an attack by local rebels helped by former U.S. special forces servicemen that aimed at capturing Maduro. By Michael Kern for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: The European Union does not recognize embattled leader Alyaksandr Lukashenka as the legitimate president of Belarus, the bloc's top diplomat said on September 15. High Representative of the European Union Josep Borrell told the European Parliament that the August 9 election which returned the strongman to power was fraudulent. The Belarusian opposition, led by Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya, accuses Lukashenka of rigging the election, which handed him a sixth term with 80 percent of the vote. Since then, thousands of people have been detained and beaten by police while nearly all the opposition's key leaders have been forced to leave the country or been arrested in a widening crackdown condemned by the United States and European Union. "The situation is clear for us. We consider the elections of August 9 fraudulent," Borrell told the European lawmakers. "We don't recognize Lukashenka as the legitimate president of Belarus." More than 7,500 peaceful protesters have been detained and 500 cases of torture have been documented, Borrell said. The EU has already said it does not recognize Lukashenka's reelection as legitimate. The 27-member bloc is preparing sanctions against those it deems responsible for rigging the election and cracking down on protests. But diplomats say the EU sanctions on Belarus are being blocked by Cyprus, which is demanding measures against Turkey first in a dispute over natural gas drilling in the eastern Mediterranean. Borrell urged member states to pass the sanctions -- which need a unanimous vote -- before a summit next week in Brussels. Based on reporting by AFP and AP Xi says both sides must pursue healthy, steady growth of their relationship China and the European Union reaffirmed their goal of concluding talks on the bilateral investment agreement before year's end and agreed to bolster cooperation on green development and the digital sector during a leaders' meeting on Monday. The meeting, held via video link, was co-chaired by President Xi Jinping, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, whose country currently holds the EU's rotating presidency, European Council President Charles Michel and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. The two sides agreed to accelerate talks on the investment agreement. Negotiating teams have had 31 rounds of talks on the agreement since negotiations were launched in 2014. China and the EU will establish a high-level dialogue on the environment and climate and work together in the digital sector to build green and digital cooperative partnerships, according to a decision at the meeting. In his remarks at the meeting, Xi underlined the need for the two sides to unwaveringly pursue the healthy and steady growth of the China-EU comprehensive strategic partnership while adhering to the principles of peaceful coexistence, openness and cooperation, multilateralism as well as dialogue and consultation. The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the profound changes unseen in a century, and mankind is standing at a new crossroads, he said. China and the EU, as important trading and investment partners, should enhance the coordination of macro policies and come up with more measures to unleash more cooperative opportunities, Xi said. With China proposing a global data security initiative, Xi said it is his hope that the EU will work with China to promote the creation of standards and rules on the governance of the global digital economy. He said China has been closely following the recent moves made by the EU in the areas of 5G, examination of foreign investment, government procurement and competition policies, and he hopes the EU will maintain the openness of its trade and investment markets and create an open, fair and nondiscriminatory business environment to ensure the legitimate interests of Chinese firms. Xi underlined the importance of enhanced bilateral cooperation on the research and development of COVID-19 vaccines and making them global public goods that are beneficial and available for all, especially people in developing countries. He also stressed that the issues involving the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region are in essence matters regarding the defense of China's national sovereignty, security and unity and the protection of rights for the people to live safe and happy lives. Beijing will resolutely oppose any inpidual or forces trying to instigate instability, pision or chaos in the country, and firmly object to the intervention in China's internal affairs by any country, he added. As for human rights, China will not accept lectures from other countries and will object to the practice of double standards, he said. The leaders also announced the signing of a bilateral agreement on geographical indications on food products. The agreement was hailed by the council of the EU as "the first significant bilateral trade agreement signed between the EU and China". It will ensure that 100 EU agrifood geographical indications such as Mozzarella di Bufala Campana cheese or Elia Kalamatas olives get protection on the Chinese market. Likewise, 100 Chinese products will be protected in the EU, thereby ensuring mutual recognition of agricultural traditions, the council said in a statement in July. China's trade volume with the EU reached $705.1 billion last year, which increased by 3.4 percent from the previous year. China is the EU's biggest source of imports and its second-biggest export market. In 2019, China was the third-largest partner for EU exports of goods and the largest partner for EU imports of goods. The EU had been China's largest trading partner for 16 consecutive years as of 2019. However, the bloc's position as China's largest trading partner has been taken by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in the first half of this year, according to the Ministry of Commerce. 15.09.2020 LISTEN I first heard of sakawa at an internet cafe at Ashale Botwe, that vibrant Accra suburb In those days when wifi was a prized possession in Ghana, if one needed to send an email or read emails sent to one, one had to go and queue at an internet cafe, hire a booth and buy net time, before one could go online. Obtaining access to the web was only the beginning of one's woes. The internet cafe guys tended to cut one off at crucial times. You have 10 minutes left would flash on your screen as you worked. But you were likely to get cut off after only 5 minutes. So you bought more time than you needed. The many young men who flocked to the cafe, making it difficult for one to secure a booth, called this practice sakawa. Ah? Yes, (the guys would say). As for this place, it's sakawa oh! Sometimes, the electricity will die before your time finishes and if you want to continue from where you left off, when it comes back on, it becomes an argument. Tweaah! Na sakawa! Ok, so why were they flocking to the internet cafe? My late and lamented friend, Peter, wouldn't go to an internet cafe at Tema (where he spent his last days) because it's full of young louts watching pornography! What? Yes. You get into a booth and you get online and someone has forgotten to exit from a porn website, and the first thing that meets your eyes is the nude picture of some girl the previous occupant of the booth thought was pretty! It's disgusting. Actually, Peter was wrong. I learnt later that the young louts were not watching porn at all but downloading porn pictures and photo-shopping scenes of Ghanaian life into them, and sending the pictures abroad to titillate rich old white men who thought they had obtained beautiful Negro girl-friends in Ghana. It started in Nigeria and has now reached Ghana, I was told. In Nigeria, they call it '419'. Here it is called sakawa. The scam operator sweet-talks in real time, a "pen pal" overseas, whose email address he's managed to get hold of. (From a 'Lonely Hearts' website, for example. ) He'd pretend to be a girl who's fallen in love with the foreigner, through the way the foreigner describes himself and sound in textual conversation. Then, when the scammer thought the correspondent had been adequately hooked by the pornographic talk he engages in with him/her, he would suddenly absent himself for some days (depending on how addicted he thought the correspondent had become and how strongly he'd miss his "girlfriend".) The scammer would then resurface, sporting a fantastic sob story. Sob story? Yep. A friend had asked her to deliver a parcel to someone, and she'd agreed to do so. But the parcel had contained Indian hemp (known locally as 'wee'!). Unfortunately, the Police were combing the area for drug users. They had (sob!...sob) seized the parcel and opened it. They found wee inside it. Now, they were threatening to take her to court. She would go to prison for ten years....! (sob....sob) Ten years? That's crazy. Yeah. Ten years! That's the law here. (sob....sob). B---b---b---but... What? B-b-b-but they say that if I pay a bribe of 4,000 dollars, they will let me go free. Four thousand dollars? Yes! Four thousand dollars. And they want it by tomorrow. Or no deal! (sob....sob....sob) Four thousand dollars? By tomorrow? Yes. Or I go to jail. For ten years! Oh my God! Oh my God! I just don't know what to do. Ten years! What are you going to do? You know I have never asked you for anything before. But if you can help..... (UNEASY SILENCE) Four thousand dollars? Even if I could lay hands on the money, tomorrow is just too early? How would I get it to you in time, in the first place? Oh, would you like to help me? I swear as soon as they drop the case, I would come to Switzerland/Germany/Denmark/Dubai and be your lover for ever! I'd do ANYTHING for you! As for the transfer, it would be easy. We have Western Union here. And we have Expressmoney.Just Google 'money+transfer+Ghana'.It would be easy and I would kisskisskisskisskiss you! Kiss you everywhere you like! Ten years in jail? That's monstrous.... Look, I'll see what I can do.... Do you have a bank account? Sending cash is frowned upon here because it's so risky! Oh, I would thank you. I don't have a bank account myself yet, but my brother has one. Should I go and ask him send the details to you? All right. How long do you think you'll need? Only one hour. Ok, I shall make sure I am sitting by my laptop in one hour's time. Oh John! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you a thousand times. Not at all. I couldn't let you go to jail for ten years! Ten bloody years! Hmmm! I am almost dead already with fear. I hear the police are in league with the prison warders and if you're a pretty young girl, they just sell you to the highest bidder. They send you to men, as if you were going out to work somewhere to reduce your time in jail. It's terrible!.... In fact, they tied something at the police station but I resisted strongly! Geez! Jail time for young ladies can be very bad even here, how much more Africa? Ok, look. Let's connect in an hour. Bye for now! Kiss! Kiss, John! See you in an hour. Reader, that's classic sakawa in Ghana for you. So, you will see what a serious injury the NDC presidential candidate, Mr John Dramani Mahama, has done to all indigenous Akyem people by associating them with sakawa, just because he suspects that a project proposed by a Government headed by an Akyem man, does not meet with his approval. Akyem sakawa boys, he said, is behind the scheme. But it could well be that many Akyems don't approve of it, either! Are all those connected with the scheme Akyems? If he doesn't know (and there have been few details about that, so far), doesn't describing the scheme as an Akyem sakawa boys project libel all Akyems? Mr Mahama holds a postgraduate diploma in communication studies, so he should know how dangerous it is to make references to whole groups of people by the wrong choice of words. Mr Mahama, I want to tell you this: am an Akyem and I have never committed sakawain my life. Yet any time someone hears that I am an Akyem, he or she would be justified to link me, even if only subconsciously, with sakawa, thanks to you! By exposing a section of the people you were once privileged to rule to such ridicule, have you not proved yourself unworthy of the trust of all the decent members of Ghana's populace? Did you not swear to be fair to ALL of Ghana's people, as President? It's a shame that you have done this. Sen. Tom Cotton Announces Bill to Strip China of Most Favored Nation Status Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) on Monday said he will introduce new legislation this week that would cut Chinas special trade privileges by revoking its permanent most favored nation status, formally known as the permanent normal trade relations (PNTR) designation, and instead revert to a prior arrangement where the communist-ruled countrys eligibility is reviewed and, potentially, approved annually. Cotton said in a post on Twitter that the move would be a step to counter the loss of American manufacturing. China should be stripped of its permanent most-favored-nation status, Cotton wrote in a post on Twitter on Monday. Joe Biden voted to give the communist country the special trade status 20 years ago, supercharging the loss of American manufacturing jobs. Im introducing legislation to end it. Two decades ago, President Bill Clinton signed into law the U.S.-China Relations Act of 2000, which paved the way to Chinas PNTR status, previously known as the most favored nation (MFN) designation. President George W. Bush, on Dec. 27, 2001, signed a proclamation formally making Chinas most favored nation status permanent. Taking effect January 1, 2002, this is the final step in normalizing U.S.-China trade relations and welcoming China into a global, rules-based trading system, the White House said in a statement at the time. In a follow-up post on Tuesday, Cotton suggested that subjecting Chinas PNTR status to an annual review would be a way to hold the country to its commitments in the area of trade and human rights. Ending Chinas permanent most-favored-nation status would put pressure on the Communist Party to uphold their trade obligations and the rights of their own citizens, Cotton wrote. Cotton said in an interview on Fox & Friends on Monday that revoking the special status would also give the United States leverage in case of an escalation of tensions. Lets say China shoots missiles at our ships in the Western Pacific or cracks down on Hong Kong. Then we would be able to say each year, we are not going to renew most favored nation status for China, he said. The decision to remove the requirement to subject Chinas trade status with the United States to an annual review has been criticized on a number of fronts, including that while China benefitted from unfettered access to American consumers, it kept its market selectively closed to foreign competition, forced U.S. companies to enter into joint ventures with Chinese state-controlled enterprises and so gained access to key technologies, and continued its past pattern of suppressing dissent. The promised freedom in China didnt develop, wrote Epoch Times contributor Ronald J. Rychlak, the Jamie L. Whitten chair in law and government at the University of Mississippi, in an op-ed. Many Western intellectuals and their Chinese counterparts have noted that China today is less free than it was a decade ago. Free speech, dissent, and religion have all been suppressed by the regime. In fact, the Chinese regime recently launched perhaps its strongest censorship campaign ever, right around the 30th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre, Rychlak wrote. He argued that free trade benefits all sides, but only if all parties play by the rules. Actual free trade is best for everyone, but that isnt how China has operated. While U.S. firms deal with things such as minimum wage, occupational health and safety regulations, and all types of environmental laws, China uses prisoners for labor. In fact, during the past decade, several cases have been brought to light that amount to forced labor in China, he noted. Another issue was that the move to normalize trade relations led to over-reliance on supply chains rooted in China. Prior to Chinas PNTR status, there was always the threat that favorable access to the U.S. market would be revoked. That tended to keep leaders in Beijing concerned about how others perceived the nations behavior. It also deterred U.S. firms from becoming overly dependent on Chinese suppliers. Once PNTR was in place, however, the floodgates of investment were opened, and U.S. multinationals developed new China-centric supply chains, he wrote. In 2018, the Trump administration launched an effort to re-balance the U.S.-China trade relationship, which led to President Donald Trump imposing around $400 billion in tariffs when negotiations stalled. Trump has said that Chinas unfair trade practices have ripped off the United States. Chinas pattern of misconduct is well known, Trump said in remarks on May 29. For decades, they have ripped off the United States like no one has ever done before. Hundreds of billions of dollars a year were lost dealing with China, especially over the years during the prior administration. China raided our factories, offshored our jobs, gutted our industries, stole our intellectual property, and violated their commitments under the World Trade Organization. To make matters worse, they are considered a developing nation getting all sorts of benefits that others, including the United States, are not entitled to, Trump added, referring to the developing nation status China received when it entered the WTO, which gives the worlds second-largest economy special privileges, like longer implementation periods for tariff cuts. Chinese officials have argued that Chinas special WTO rights were legitimately negotiated as part of accession talks. Our country is facing various challenges, difficulties and gaps in achieving a balanced and adequate development, Chinas ambassador to the WTO, Zhang Xiangchen, said during an October WTO meeting, according to Bloomberg. So, we will not make commitments beyond our capabilities, nor will we give up our legitimate and institutional rights as a developing member. Trumps tariffs against China were authorized under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, which lets the president impose tariffs if a foreign country impacts U.S. commerce by using trade practices that are unfair. The Trump administration has justified the tariffs on grounds of Chinas forced technology transfer policies and violations of intellectual property rights. The UAE and Israel signed today Peace Accord between the two countries at the White House in Washington. Bahrain also signed the 'Declaration to Support Peace' with Israel at the ceremony. The UAE and Israel accord was signed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE's Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, watched by US President Donald Trump. The Bahrain-Israel declaration was signed by Netanyahu and Bahrain Foreign Minister Dr Abdullatif bin Rashid Al-Zayani. Peace requires courage, and shaping the future requires knowledge, Sheikh Abdullah in his remarks at the signing ceremony. Sheikh Abdullah said: "We have come today to tell the world that this is our approach, And that peace is our guiding principle." "Today, we are already witnessing a change in the heart of the Middle East, a change that will send hope around the world. This initiative would not have been possible without the efforts of President Donald Trump and his team who worked hard and sincerely for us all to reach here, most notably my counterpart, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, and Jared Kushner, Senior Adviser to the President of the United States, and all those who are genuine about the principle of peace in the United States, who have strived to realise this major achievement: thank you." "I also thank the Prime Minister of the State of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, for halting the annexation of the Palestinian territories, a decision that reinforces our shared will to achieve a better future for generations to come," he said. "This Peace Accord, which is a historic achievement for the United States of America, the State of Israel, and the United Arab Emirates, will continue to have a positive impact, as we believe that its reverberations will be reflected on the entire region. "Every option other than peace would signify destruction, poverty, and human suffering," he said. Earlier, President Trump received at the White House Dr Al-Zayani. The US President expressed appreciation to His Majesty the King for his wise vision and keenness to promote peace, stability and prosperity in the Middle East, praising the historic friendship and strategic partnership between the two friendly countries, said a Bahrain News Agency report. He also welcomed the signing of the declaration, considering it a historical achievement in the path to achieve comprehensive peace in the Middle East and fulfil the aspirations of its people. The Minister of Foreign Affairs valued the efforts of the US President and his administration to achieve such a historic step that paved the way to establishing peace in the region. He also praised bilateral cooperation in all areas and commended the role of the US in maintaining security and stability and combating terrorism in the region. The meeting was attended by the US Vice President, Mike Pence, the US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, the US Secretary of the Treasury, Stephen Mnuchin, the Senior Adviser to the US President, Jared Kushner and a number of officials in the US administration. STORRS The University of Connecticut reported 12 new cases of COVID-19 among students at its Storrs campus Tuesday. Three of the new cases were among students living on campus, the other nine are off-campus commuters, spokeswoman Stephanie Reitz said. Thats in keeping with the trend UConn and other Connecticut colleges and universities have reported, as students off campus see higher rates of new infection, while new infections among their peers living in dorms on campus stay relatively low. Asked about that trend Monday, Reitz said many of the off-campus cases involve one housemate catching the disease and passing it along to others. Usually, one person would get the virus and the roommates would then catch it. We also saw a number of small off-campus gatherings that helped create the spread, she said. Last week, the school quarantined students living off campus at the Oaks on the Square apartments after a spike in cases there. On Monday, the school performed more than 400 tests, Reitz said, including students randomly selected for testing as well as asymptomatic on- and off-campus students who asked to be tested. The school is also testing the campuss wastewater as a bellwether to warn if the university is about to see an outbreak As of Tuesday, UConn Storrs reported 34 active cases on campus, and 124 students have recovered. There were no new cases reported among staff or the schools four other campuses that day. The schools Stamford campus previously reported four cases among commuter students, and the Hartford campus previously reported one commuter case. Other Connecticut colleges and universities continue to report their cases of COVID-19. In Hartford, Trinity College reported three new cases last week, the most recent testing data available. In West Hartford, the University of Saint Joseph reported two new cases as of Friday. The University of Hartford reported four new cases last week, data from the school shows. Connecticut College in New London reported two new cases among students last week. Central Connecticut State University in New Britain reported seven new cases all among residential students on Monday, the most recent data available. Wesleyan University in Middletown reported three active cases among employees who are not allowed on campus. To date, the school has had two cases among students, the schools data shows. The University of Bridgeport said the school has had one case among commuter students as of Tuesday. (Bloomberg Opinion) -- Market commentators are shaking their heads. Wall Street heavyweights are dubious. Federal Reserve officials are warning about dim prospects for a robust recovery of the devastated pandemic economy. Yet even as the U.S. economy falters and Americans suffer more from Covid-19 than citizens of other developed countries, U.S. stocks are outpacing the rest of the worlds equities by a wider margin than at any time in at least 50 years. Illogical? Appearances would seem to say so. Loretta Mester, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, said this month that the recovery from the second quarter's record 32% decline in gross domestic product remains fragile. Money management titan Stan Druckenmiller says that the risk-reward calculation for equities is the worst he has ever seen. My Bloomberg Opinion colleague Michael R. Strain, director of economic policy studies at the American Enterprise Institute, has warned that strengthening economic indicators are chimerical and wrote last week, Improving wage and productivity statistics are actually a sign of underlying weakness. But what if these omens of gloom obscure powerful economic undercurrents? What if the damage is a sign of Joseph Schumpeter's gale of creative destruction, the theory of change derived from Karl Marx that economies are invigorated by innovation as traditional sources of growth wither and die. That phenomenon could make sense of the 92% gain in the S&P 500 over the past five years, crushing the world benchmark's 64%, the widest gap since 1970 when such data was initially compiled. Since the end of March, when the coronavirus proved that prosperity depends on dealing online with customers, suppliers and just about everyone, the market's best performers are cloud-enhancing companies, returning as much as 176%, changing how business gets done and the way people work. The notion that disruptive innovation was creating enough wealth to change the economy's trajectory before the pandemic arrived and will continue to do so after it retreats is the foundation of the investment success of Cathie Wood, founder and chief executive of Ark Investment Management LLC. Among more than 600 mutual funds and exchange-traded funds investing a minimum of $1 billion in global equity, the top two during the past three years are Wood's $2.2 billion ARK Next Generation Internet ETF, returning 186% (income plus appreciation) and her $7.8 billion ARK Innovation ETF, returning 166%, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. The spread between ARK's Innovation ETF and the S&P 500 Index is the widest this month since the fund's inception in 2014. Story continues A lot of people were very surprised to see our numbers at the end of March after the S&P 500 plummeted 12% in the month before recovering over the summer, said Wood, during a remotely-engaged interview from her home office in Connecticut earlier this month. They expected us to be down 20 points below and we weren't. The coronavirus created a lot of problems that innovation is solving because we had to move into the digital world so much faster. Crisis creates opportunity, innovation solves problems, and our outperformance began before the market bottomed. Wood predicted a V-shaped recovery in which the economy will approach its pre-pandemic performance in the third quarter of 2020 as a result of pent-up savings and demand. She compares the stock market this year to its rebound in 1987 after portfolio insurance failed, and to the aftermath of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. Her firm's 2019 paper, Disruptive Innovation: Why Now? argues that artificial intelligence, DNA sequencing, robotics, energy storage and blockchain technology already are proving to be transformational. According to our estimates, the five technology platforms should generate more than $50 trillion in business value and wealth creation over the next 10-15 years, wrote the paper's author, Brett Winton. Today, they account for less than $6 trillion in global equity market capitalization, giving investors an opportunity to capitalize by almost tenfold if they have positioned their portfolios on the right side of innovation. Woods biggest holdings in the Innovation ETF are Tesla Inc, Invitae Corp, Square Inc, Crispr Therapeutic AG and Roku Inc. They appreciated this year by 401%, 117%, 131%, 39% and 18%, respectively, when the S&P 500 is up 6%, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. In contrast, she called oil a value trap that peaked in 2008 because battery technology is moving down the cost curve and the total cost of ownership of an electric vehicle today is less than that of a gas-powered vehicle. Tesla cars, for example, retain 90% of their value a year after their initial purchase, she noted, whereas other cars are at 50% already, so consumers broadly are starting to drive this now. It makes economic sense.'' When her holdings surged in March, Wood recalled: That told me that innovation was going to help get us out of this problem. You and I could not have have worked like this 10 years ago. The technology wasn't there. We sequenced the coronavirus in two days, right? That was with Illumina machines in China. In 2003, it would have taken five months, given the technology at the time. For Wood, What's so fascinating about what we're doing right now is that the seeds for everything that's happening today were planted during the internet bubble of 2000. A lot of technologies that investors were dreaming about back then and seizing back then, way too prematurely, are in a very special moment, she said. There's so much disruptive innovation and creative destruction at the same time. It's the same thing, right? This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners. Matthew A. Winkler is Co-founder of Bloomberg News (1990) and Editor-in-Chief Emeritus; Bloomberg Opinion Columnist since 2015; Co-founder of Bloomberg Business Journalism Diversity Program in 2017. During his 25 years as Editor-in-Chief, Bloomberg News was a three-time finalist and winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Explanatory Reporting and received numerous George Polk, Gerald Loeb, Overseas Press Club and Society of Professional Journalists and Editors (Sabew) awards. For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com/opinion Subscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source. 2020 Bloomberg L.P. No less striking is Yergins treatment, or rather nontreatment, of the United States. One might expect him to start with the strategies of the American oil majors. But Exxon and Chevron play almost no part in the narrative. Yergins main American subjects are the shale frackers. But they are small fry. They matter as a herd, not as individuals. They have changed world markets by vastly increasing quantity and flexibility of supply. This encouraged some American strategists to talk of energy dominance. But if that is a map, it has turned out to be utterly misleading. Grand visions for the export of the frackers liquefied natural gas have run up against the harsh realities of market competition. No big producer, not even Russia or Saudi Arabia, any longer controls the market. What this multiplicity of sources gives Washington is not dominance but flexibility. That is only of value if you know how to use it. And on American strategy Yergin is surprisingly silent. Perhaps Yergin assumes that we have that map in our heads. Perhaps he wants to spare us the embarrassment of reviewing the shambles of Washingtons grand strategy since the war on terror. Perhaps he himself is conflicted, torn by Americas painful polarization. In the era of Trump there is not one American map. Yergins own position seems uncertain. He seems at odds with the recent turn against China. But he does not elaborate an alternative. On Russia, he merely notes that it has become a hot-button issue. The result is a history without a center. A collage in which pigheaded Texan oil men, aspiring tech whizzes, Saddam Hussein, Qaddafi dead in a drain pipe Xi Jinping and his guy-pal Vladimir Putin, Saudi dynasts and vast arctic gas plants pass in review. The chronology is similarly helter-skelter. One minute we are pitching ideas to Elon Musk in Silicon Valley, the next we are back in 1916 peering over the shoulder of the diplomats who carved up the Ottoman Empire. At times it feels as if we are being whirled through a remix of the greatest hits from The Prize. No less jarring is the alternation of voices. Here is Yergin the master storyteller transporting us to the Saudi desert in the late 1930s. And there is Yergin transcribing bullet points on the future of auto-tech. At times the juxtapositions are so disorienting that they evoke surreal associations, for instance, between Syrian suicide bombers and the question of how we might regulate self-driving vehicles. As for those vehicles, Yergin asks earnestly, what are we to do about insurance? Currently, drivers are insured because they have personal liability. But if an accident happens with a driverless car, will it be a matter of product liability? The saga of entrepreneurship, great power politics, the climate crisis, the tech economy any one of these could have provided an organizing frame, but Yergin never commits. If The Prize was an epic, The New Map is a miscellany. BROOKS, ALTA.Mounties in Alberta are trying to find a transport truck operating under a bogus business name that picked up $230,000 worth of beef then disappeared. RCMP say suspicions were raised Aug. 30 when a truck that was subcontracted to haul a full load of beef from the JBS meat packing plant in Brooks, east of Calgary, to the United States failed to make its delivery. Officers say it was later determined that the truck was operating under fraudulent documents and the phoney name of Transport Pascal Charland out of Chateauguay, Que. Earlier this month, RCMP in central Alberta said seven hot tubs were stolen from an Arctic Spas manufacturing site in Thorsby, southwest of Edmonton. Mounties said the truck that hauled away the spas was also identified as Transport Pascal Charland from Chateauguay. Cpl. Robert Harms says police are investigating whether the two crimes are related. Theres definitely some similarities, he said Monday. Police said the truck that took the meat was described as burgundy-coloured with a large bunk. It was pulling a white refrigerated, enclosed trailer. The driver is described as a tall Caucasian male with short brown hair, slightly balding with a heavy build. The truck in the hot tub heist, meanwhile, is a white Volvo with a sleeper that was pulling a newer-looking flat deck. Police say that driver was described as Caucasian, between 30 and 40 years old, standing five feet six inches tall, with short brown hair and an unshaven face. Read more about: TOKYO (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 15th September, 2020) Japanese space explorer Hayabusa2 is expected to probe asteroid 1998KY26 between Earth and Mars in 2031 as part of its next mission, Japanese education, Culture, sports, Science and Technology Minister Koichi Hagiuda said on Tuesday. Hayabusa2 is currently on a mission of collecting samples from asteroid Ryugu. The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAX) announced in July that the reentry capsule of the asteroid explorer containing samples from Ryugu would land in southern Australia in early December. Ryugu, which is almost 1 kilometer (0. 6 miles) in diameter, is currently over 300 million kilometers away from Earth. The asteroid is believed to contain water and organic chemicals that may help scientists uncover clues about the origins of terrestrial life. According to JAXA, as cited by the Kyodo news agency, the new probe mission is expected to observe the spinning asteroid 1998KY26 by a camera without landing on it. The asteroid is believed to be carbon-rich. Comparing the obtained data from both missions could lead to a new discovery, the media outlet added. Hayabusa2 was launched in 2014. On July 7, 1972, the leadership of the IRA met with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, William Whitelaw, in a secret meeting in London to begin negotiations on a British withdrawal. At least that is how some of the IRA men saw it. Sean MacStiofain is said to have been miffed that they were not offered a conference table to sit at. He saw himself as resuming the unfinished business in which Michael Collins had made the mistake of conceding the partition of Ireland. Whitelaw thought the IRA men were absurd in their demands. He had just refused an Irish government demand that he set the goal of a united Ireland as the object of British policy and he was hardly going to concede more than that to a group of people who had no mandate from anyone. Now, you would expect that a revolutionary army which had been spurned in such a way by the enemy would return to the people it represented and tell them what had happened and explain that the rejection of their demands left them no option but to return to war. The IRA didn't do that. Instead, it engineered a confrontation with the Army in Lenadoon on a horrific day, which started with loyalist and republican sectarian murders and ended with Army snipers shooting dead six civilians in Springhill. The curious fact about the IRA is that it never, at that time, presented the demand for a united Ireland as the justification for violence. It preferred to frame its objective as the defence of the Catholic people, while, absurdly, endangering those people through the bombing campaign and gun battles on housing estates. I have spoken, as a journalist, to many members of the IRA down the years and the most common reason they give for joining and putting themselves under orders is they felt the need to strike back at the RUC and the Army. Over and over again they say that their political education came later. Something similar is true of loyalists, too. The IRA was less inclined to own up to its sectarian impulses, but the killing did not stop during the 1972 ceasefire. It merely diverted onto civilians; mostly, but not exclusively, Protestants. It appears that the IRA in the early days of the Troubles was not confident that its support base in the Catholic community would endorse, or even tolerate, an armed campaign for a united Ireland. There had to be a better, more immediate reason for it. People would be more sympathetic to retaliatory strikes against the Army; and this at a time when the Army was easily provoked and inept and included in its ranks people who were just as eager for war as the republicans and loyalists were. Now, there has been much discussion this week on the threat that a bad Brexit poses to the Good Friday Agreement. The supposition of many in the United States and in the British media and among former British prime ministers who helped frame it is that that agreement is fundamentally a peace treaty. And, logically, if a peace treaty is broken, war resumes. Henry McDonald has been attacking the idea that our relations with the European Union have anything to do with the Good Friday Agreement. He refers to a blog post by Ed Moloney, which makes a point similar to the one I have made above; that the street fighters of Ballymurphy will take no notice of whether or not lorry drivers at the border have more documents to fill in. You could add to that argument the fact that the power-sharing Executive collapsed for three years without "war" resuming. Then the core dispute was over an Irish language act. Now there is no act and no crisis arising from its absence either. It's remarkable how the things people get worked up about simply go away sometimes. But, to cast our minds back to 1972 again (can't you tell that I am writing a book about 1972?), at that time, Britain and Ireland were both preparing to join the European Economic Community. They both wanted an end to the violence, because they hoped to have a creative and fruitful relationship inside the EEC and they both anticipated that membership of the EEC would ultimately resolve the whole Irish problem. The border would disappear. There would be free movement of labour. There would be a lot less to complain about, if the real irritant was the border itself. Ireland was already involved in discussing solutions. The Taoiseach, Jack Lynch, had had two summit meetings in September 1971 with the Prime Minister, Ted Heath, yet previously, when Patrick Hillery (as Minister of External Affairs) had raised Irish issues with the British, he had been told that they were none of his business. See the difference? The idea of power-sharing and a place at the table for the Irish government came with shared EEC membership and was unthinkable before it. The exclusion of the Irish after EEC membership was also unthinkable. So, I don't accept Henry's argument that the EU has nothing to do with the Good Friday Agreement. But neither do I think that the agreement will collapse with a bad Brexit, or that its collapse will lead inevitably to the men of Ballymurphy anguishing over the state of the border and leaping from their beds to take up arms. There are, indeed, some republicans for whom the faith in a united Ireland was a driving motivation. There are the core families who preserved the republican tradition and others whose analysis, ultimately, was that only Irish unity could settle the recurring sectarian eruptions that plagued us. Not all of them became dissidents. Some felt betrayed by the compromises made by the Adams leadership in the GFA, but do not argue for a resumed campaign. And this is mostly because they see no possibility of a groundswell of support for such a campaign, or any prospect of it succeeding without such support, a conclusion the Official IRA reached also in 1972. Does that mean we needn't worry about the effects of Brexit on a divided Ireland? I don't think that at all. But I think the issues are always contemporaneous rather than historical and that bad government in Britain, strained relations between Britain and Ireland and an independent Scotland bring the question of Irish unity back to the centre of our concerns, in a way it never was during the Troubles. What we are facing into now is new. The on Tuesday directed the Maharashtra government and the Railways to let travel by local trains in Mumbai on an "experimental basis" from September 18 till October 7 to attend physical hearings of cases in the high court. The Western Railway and the Central Railway are running selected suburban train services only for essential services, as identified by the state government, in a bid to curb the spread of COVID-19. A bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice G S Kulkarni said who have cases to attend must write to the high court registrar. The registrar will confirm the lawyer's claim and issue a certificate, based on which the Central Railway and the Western Railway will issue a pass or ticket to the lawyer just for that particular day. The bench also cautioned against misusing the travel certificate and said in the event of misuse, it would be open for the Bar Council of Maharashtra and Goa to take action against the lawyers concerned. "Let this system run from September 18 till October 7 on an experimental basis. We are sensitive to the needs of lawyers. If this works, we will think about lower courts," the bench said. The court was hearing a bunch of petitions seeking that lawyers be permitted to use the suburban train network in the city to reach courts. Its directions came after the state and the Union government submitted that they were open to letting lawyers use the trains as long as it was just for one day to attend cases in which they compulsorily needed to make a physical appearance. The bench said if the above system worked successfully, it will think about extending similar relief to lawyers of trial courts as well. Currently, only a few local trains are operational. These have limited stops and can be used only by those in essential services. The lawyers earlier approached the high court in April after the coronavirus-induced lockdown came into force in March this year. Earlier this month, the lawyers reiterated that they be permitted to use the trains since the HC resumed partial physical hearings, and lower courts never completely stopped physical hearings even during the lockdown. The high court was conducting hearings through video- conferencing since the lockdown came into force. However, it began physical hearings in criminal appeal cases in four court rooms from August 31. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) China in Focus (Sept. 14): Top US-China Advisor Criticized by Home Province Pompeos top China advisor is being blasted by his native country. One Chinese clan even claimed to kick him out of the family, though they may not be related. A harassment technique seemingly inspired by science fiction is reportedly being used to torment Chinese peoplespecifically those who dare to stand up against government corruption and communist party officials. The European Union is requiring reciprocity, responsibility, and fairness from China. Germany spoke with the head of Chinas Communist Party about Hong Kong, and the human rights of Chinas persecuted minority groups. Britains intelligence chief says the Chinese regime poses the greatest threat to world order. And a clip circulating on Chinese media shows a military jet performing near impossible feats. But some netizens suspect the aircraft isnt actually as capable as it seems. Subscribe to our Youtube channel for more first-hand news from China. For more news and videos, please visit our website and Twitter. As the Western U.S. struggles with wildfires, local officials are calling on President Donald Trump and other leaders to address climate change, which they say has led to a record year of fires. Trump is scheduled to visit Sacramento, California, on Monday to meet with state officials for a wildfire briefing. VOA Khmer's Hong Chenda narrates. ALTON The campaign for Illinois 12th District is becoming an acromonious one. The most recent volley came Tuesday when Democratic candidate Ray Lenzi of Carbondale alleged U.S. Rep. Mike Bost, R-Murphysboro, is being chicken by not agreeing to any debates. Bosts campaign, in return, accused Lenzi of running a smear campaign. Lenzi on Tuesday criticized Bost for not participating in a televised debate before the Nov. 3 election. Debate organizers have told us that No Show Mike has declined to take part in a candidates debate slated to air this fall on WSIU-TV, said Lenzi. This is just another attempt by Bost to hide from the voters and avoid discussion of the issues. Bosts refusal to participate in the WSIU debate follows his pattern of declining to engage with our campaign and with the voters, Lenzi said. We have also suggested Lincoln-Douglas style debates across the 12th District but Bost simply wont respond, preferring to hide behind the trappings of his office. Myles Nelson, Bosts campaign manager, said that debates are often a part of the campaign process, but only when the campaigns involved are credible in terms of public support, resources, and most importantly, adherence to the truth. Mr. Lenzis campaign for Congress has fallen short in every metric. Mr. Lenzi and his campaign have consistently run a smear campaign since day one, including attacking the family of Congressman Bost, Nelson said. We understand that our opponent is desperate to debate because he thinks that the political sniping will make him relevant and legitimize his failed campaign. The real question is with a bad message, no money, and no momentum what kind of campaign is he even running? UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson continues to ship scathing criticisms but his plan to break an EU treaty and change Northern Irelands special trade status is marching on. In fact Mr Johnson has lashed out at the European Union after his draft law cleared the first hurdle, in spite of some Conservative Party rebels. In Brussels, EU officials rejected the UK PMs claims that the move was needed because the bloc had refused to take a "revolver off the table" in ongoing trade talks. Mr Johnson had won the so-called second reading parliamentary vote on the Internal Market Bill 340 to 263. He said the EU wanted to blockade food imports in the North coming from England, Scotland and Wales. Brussels officials said the allegation was without any foundation. A wrecking amendment, which would have deleted the Northern Ireland provisions, was also defeated late on Monday night. There will be more parliamentary skirmishes in London, which will embarrass Mr Johnson, but opponents concede that he has the numbers to push the measure through the lower House of Commons. After that the House of Lords will become the focus and many in Brussels believe the measure could face an embarrassing hold-up there. Irelands Fine Gael MEP Sean Kelly said the level of opposition, with the five prime ministers who preceded Johnson loudly critical, means the law may not pass in time for the UK Governments end of year deadline. Meanwhile, normal business has resumed in Brussels with the conclusion of a video summit between EU leaders and Chinese President Xi Jinping. Tomorrow EU Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, will deliver her state of the union address at the European Parliament and she will also announce even more ambitious carbon emission reduction targets. A lack of coronavirus testing for teaching staff could lead to schools being forced to close again, a headteacher has warned. Darren Gelder, of Grace Academy in Solihull, said his school has already had to temporarily lose five staff members who are having to self isolate or have family members who are self isolating. He said one member of staff who is isolating was offered a test more than 350 miles away in Fife and the others were unable to book any tests. "The biggest challenge that we're going to have to keeping the school open is going to be about keeping it staffed and staff shortages will have the biggest impact on that," Mr Gelder told Sky News. "Particularly the challenge we've got around the testing - of not being able to know whether it is positive or not and staff can come back in. That means staff are off for longer. "All schools these days are working on very, very tight budgets. There is not a lot of spare staffing within there so we reach a critical tipping point very, very quickly." The headteacher's concerns came after Gavin Williamson was warned of the possibility of legal action if the Government fails to protect teachers working in schools which have fully reopened during the pandemic. Schools return in England during Coronavirus pandemic 1 /16 Schools return in England during Coronavirus pandemic Year 7 pupils arrive for their first day at Eden Park high school. Lucy Young Pupils wash their hands on the first day back to school at Charles Dickens Primary School in London PA Pupils on the first day back to school at Charles Dickens Primary School in London PA Year 7 pupils arrive for their first day at Eden Park high school. Lucy Young A sign shows the different drop off times for pupils on the first day back to school at Charles Dickens Primary School in London PA Pupils on the first day back to school at Charles Dickens Primary School in London PA Year 7 pupils arrive for their first day at Eden Park high school. Lucy Young Pupils on the first day back to school at Charles Dickens Primary School in London PA Pupils on the first day back to school at Charles Dickens Primary School in London PA Pupils wash their hands as they arrive on the first day back to school at Charles Dickens Primary School in London PA Pupils and parents queue at drop off on the first day back to school at Charles Dickens Primary School in London PA Pupils and parents queue at drop off on the first day back to school at Charles Dickens Primary School in London, as schools in England reopen to pupils following the coronavirus lockdown PA Dr Patrick Roach, general secretary of the NASUWT teaching union, said school staff are deeply concerned about an increased risk of Covid-19 transmission in schools amid a lack of safety measures, In a letter to the Education Secretary, Dr Roach demanded that stronger protections are put in place in schools which opened their doors to all pupils full-time this month. He told Mr Williamson the union was expressly reserving our members legal rights in the case of a claim for breach of duty of care or personal injury due to foreseeable risks from reopening schools. Schools in England have been hit with Covid-19 cases since it became compulsory for pupils to return. WHO expert asks: What is more important, children back at school or bars open? Some have closed their doors days after reopening, while others have told year groups to self-isolate for two weeks following confirmed cases. Figures from the Department for Education (DfE) showed that around 92 per cent of state schools were fully open on Thursday last week, and approximately 88 per cent of students were back in class on the same day. But NASUWT members are reporting that depleted staff numbers in schools due to illness or self-isolation have led to serious difficulties in maintaining safe working practices at all times. Pupils wash their hands as they arrive on the first day back to school at Charles Dickens Primary School in London / PA In the letter, Dr Roach said: With rising numbers of confirmed Covid-19 cases in the wider community, our members are deeply concerned that, in the absence of effective control measures, there is increased risk of Covid-19 transmission within schools. We further note with concern that your Department is unable to provide any evidence on the effectiveness of the risk control measures recommended in your guidance to schools. A DfE spokesperson said: Schools have implemented a range of protective measures, based on the Public Health England endorsed system of controls, which create an inherently safer system to minimise the risks of transmission. This includes reducing mixing and distancing where possible, including by staggering break and lunch times, as well as increasing the frequency of cleaning and handwashing. Loading.... Figures show that on September 10 99.9 per cent of state-funded schools were open to pupils, and we will continue to work closely with schools to ensure all appropriate steps are taken to keep pupils and staff safe. Additional reporting by PA Media. Thousands of Hong Kongers took part in a ceremony to mark the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown despite it being banned by authorities Hong Kong activists denounced Beijing and called for democracy in a courtroom on Tuesday as two dozen high profile campaigners appeared over a banned vigil to mark the Tiananmen Square crackdown. Tens of thousands of Hong Kongers defied a ban on rallies on June 4 to mark the anniversary of Beijing's deadly suppression of students pushing for democracy. The annual vigil has been held in Hong Kong for the last three decades and usually attracts huge crowds, but this year's gathering was banned for the first time with authorities citing coronavirus measures -- even though local transmission had largely been halted. The group of defendants at West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts represents a broad section of the pro-democracy movement, from 72-year-old media mogul Jimmy Lai to younger campaigners such as 23-year-old Joshua Wong. The 26 accused are charged with either participating in or inciting others to take part in an unlawful assembly. The incitement charge carries up to five years in jail. Each defendant at the procedural hearing was asked if they understood the charges they face, and many used the opportunity to voice their views. "I understand," 64-year-old Leung Kwok-hung, known as "Long Hair", said. "The ruthless regime cannot run away from the crime of a massacre. End one party rule." Figo Chan, 24, said: "I understand. Shame on political suppression. Free all political prisoners." The court heard two of the defendants -- Nathan Law and Sunny Cheung -- were not present because they have fled Hong Kong. - 'Not a crime' - Earlier, supporters gathered outside court to shout slogans and display banners defending their right to hold a Tiananmen vigil. "It's not a crime to mourn June 4," one poster read, while another said: "Oppose political prosecutions, Protest political suppression." Veteran activist Lee Cheuk-yan, 63, told the crowd over a loudspeaker: "We must reiterate that mourning June 4 is not a crime." Story continues The vigil, traditionally held in Victoria Park, has taken on particular significance in recent years as the semi-autonomous city chafes under Beijing's increasingly authoritarian rule. Lee added: "Suppression suffered by activists on June 4, 1989, is very similar to what Hong Kong people suffered in the past year." Some of those charged face separate prosecutions related to last year's huge and often violent pro-democracy protests. China's leaders have rejected calls to give Hong Kongers universal suffrage, and portrayed the protests as a plot by foreigners to destabilise the motherland. In late June, Beijing imposed a sweeping national security law aimed at stamping out the demonstrations once and for all. The legislation targets subversion, secession, terrorism and foreign collusion, with sentences including life in prison. But its broad phrasing -- such as a ban on encouraging hatred towards China's government -- has sent fear rippling through a city used to being able to speak its mind. su-je/rbu Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-15 19:00:08|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close JALALABAD, Afghanistan, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Militants shot and killed three people, including a university lecturer, in two eastern Afghan provinces, officials said Tuesday. In one incident, gunmen attacked and killed a university lecturer in Khogiani district of Nangarhar province, Ataullah Khogiani, local government spokesman, told Xinhua. The deceased lecturer of Literature Faculty at Nangarhar University, was gunned down while he was on the way to his duty from Khogiani, said the spokesman. In neighboring Logar province, brother of district chief of Baraki Barak district and a security guard were shot to death after gunmen broke in into house of district chief Wais Abdulrahimzai in Mohammad Agha district of Logar Monday night, Didar Lauang, local government spokesman, told Xinhua. The assailants tried to kill the district chief but he was not at his house at that time of the attack, the spokesman added. The Taliban militant group has conducted scores of targeted attacks against civilians and military officials in recent years. The armed outfit considers anyone working for government and NATO and U.S.-led troops as target. On Monday, a former Afghan senator and a local elder and five of his security guards were killed in a Taliban ambush in western Badghis province. Enditem FIGURE 1: Location of the Kharmagtai Project in the South Gobi porphyry copper belt. Location of the Kharmagtai Project in the South Gobi porphyry copper belt. FIGURE 2: The Kharmagtai Mining Licence showing satellite imagery and location of the CSAMT survey lines. The lines labels in Yellow represent the lines seen in Figure 5. The Kharmagtai Mining Licence showing satellite imagery and location of the CSAMT survey lines. The lines labels in Yellow represent the lines seen in Figure 5. FIGURE 3: Long section through the high-grade Copper Hill deposit demonstrating the relationship between veins hosting the high-grade mineralisation and low angle structures. These b-veins are zoned symmetrically around Nanooks Fault strongly suggesting they formed during movement on that fault. Mapping this fault and others of similar orientation through the Mining lease becomes a critical tool for identifying and expanding high-grade mineralisation. Long section through the high-grade Copper Hill deposit demonstrating the relationship between veins hosting the high-grade mineralisation and low angle structures. These b-veins are zoned symmetrically around Nanooks Fault strongly suggesting they formed during movement on that fault. Mapping this fault and others of similar orientation through the Mining lease becomes a critical tool for identifying and expanding high-grade mineralisation. FIGURE 4: Oblique view of the Kharmagtai Mining Licence showing processed CSAMT data in 3D. Oblique view of the Kharmagtai Mining Licence showing processed CSAMT data in 3D. FIGURE 5: Selected CSAMT survey lines. Selected CSAMT survey lines. FIGURE 6: 3D model of part of the Kharmagtai lease showing the newly identified low angle structures. Note the majority of high-grade mineralisation is nested around these structures and that reactivation on these structures has jostled mineralisation slightly. 3D model of part of the Kharmagtai lease showing the newly identified low angle structures. Note the majority of high-grade mineralisation is nested around these structures and that reactivation on these structures has jostled mineralisation slightly. FIGURE 7: Cross section through Golden Eagle, Zaraa and Stockwork Hill showing newly modelled structures and the locations of predicted extensions to high-grade zones. Cross section through Golden Eagle, Zaraa and Stockwork Hill showing newly modelled structures and the locations of predicted extensions to high-grade zones. TORONTO, Sept. 15, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Xanadu Mines Ltd (ASX: XAM, TSX: XAM) (Xanadu or the Company) is pleased to advise that it has further enhanced the prospectivity of the Kharmagtai copper and gold Project (Figures 1 and 2), located within the South Gobi region of Mongolia, following receipt of highly encouraging new geophysical data. Highlights New data from Controlled Source Audio Magneto-Tellurics (CSAMT) reveals a large-scale system dissected by a series low-angle faults controlling high-grade mineralisation Extensional targets identified adjacent to existing resources at Stockwork Hill and Copper Hill New targets identified stretching the full +7km length of the Kharmagtai Intrusive Complex Drilling program expanded, with a fourth diamond drill rig added to test new targets Story continues Xanadus Chief Executive Officer, Dr Andrew Stewart, said This new data provides a step-change in unravelling the structural controls and targeting high-grade mineralisation at Kharmagtai. It expands the potential of the system and shows that historical drilling may not have been deep enough to effectively test the extent of mineralisation. Were excited by these findings and are mobilising a fourth drill rig from next week specifically to test these new drill targets in a progressive and systematic manner. Survey Overview The objective of the geophysical CSAMT survey was to identify the key low-angle structures across the Project to allow a 3D structural framework to be developed, from which high-grade targets can be easily defined. These low-angle structures are observed to both offset and control the high-grade mineralisation. Structural analysis of mineralisation from the existing deposits, focusing on high-grade mineralisation has demonstrated that low angle structures not only dislocate zones of mineralisation slightly (up to 100m) but at some stage during their history have acted as feeder zones for the very high-grade copper and gold event (Figure 3). Understanding the structural framework for the district has become a key to unlocking the full potential of the Kharmagtai Project. A total of 60.5-line kilometres of CSAMT has been conducted in 19 lines and 603 stations (Figure 2). Receiver spacings were set at mainly 100m spacings to allow a high-resolution product and a depth of investigation up to 1,000m from surface (Figures 4 and 5). All key previously identified faults are visible in the CSAMT data and numerous other structures are visible and are being validated using the existing drilling, surface mapping and other geophysical datasets. Critically, the low angle structures related to high-grade mineralisation at Stockwork Hill and Copper Hill are clearly mapped and can be traced across the lease. From this data, a 3D structural and geological model is being developed and the drill targets in the current drill program refined to target where the mineralised intrusives are bisected by the structures controlling high-grade mineralisation (Figures 6 and 7). Current Drill Program Xanadu is focused on expanding known high-grade zones of mineralisation and discovering new, previously undrilled zones of copper and gold, aiming to define Kharmagtai as a world-class copper and gold project. The first phase of this strategy is underway, designed to understand the scale of the mineralised system through extensional drilling with several large step-outs from known zones. This phase will map the mineral system by following broad geological/geochemical trends, allowing for more surgical drill targeting in the second phase. A project-scale 23,000m drilling programme is underway with drill rigs being expanded to test these new targets, with an extra diamond drill rig scheduled to arrive next week. Response to COVID-19 Currently, COVID-19 has had minimal impact on the Companys exploration activities in Mongolia. All necessary health and safety precautions are being taken and the Company remains well-funded to continue operations throughout this period. Correction Xanadus ASX | TSX Announcement issued on 31 August 2020, included the following in the Highlights section: Copper Hill CSAMT geophysical survey has commenced with results expected by early August. Xanadu advises that this should have read early September. About Xanadu Mines Xanadu is an ASX and TSX listed Exploration company that discovers and defines globally significant porphyry copper-gold assets in Mongolia. We give investors exposure to large scale copper-gold discoveries and low-cost inventory growth, and we create liquidity events for shareholders at peak value points in the mining life cycle. Xanadu maintains a portfolio of exploration projects and remains one of the few junior explorers on the ASX or TSX who control an emerging Tier 1 copper-gold deposit in our flagship Kharmagtai project. For information on Xanadu visit: www.xanadumines.com. Andrew Stewart CEO Xanadu Mines Ltd Andrew.stewart@xanadumines.com +61 409 819 922 This Announcement was authorised for release by Xanadus Board of Directors. Figures and Tables FIGURE 1 is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/6fa02fb6-1b5f-4a62-aca8-3a3ab966a4e1 FIGURE 2 is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/5e854075-3cf0-4184-b590-c92f19166335 FIGURE 3 is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/6842fed1-9697-471f-adc8-818146df3526 FIGURE 4 is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/f6c18c9d-331b-4c35-a242-1cf35b41fb04 FIGURE 5 is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/5476996e-5b67-41c6-ab95-03b83c905cc7 FIGURE 6 is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/ba151fd1-8849-4d7d-b835-ff645e0db7d2 FIGURE 7 is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/d602571e-5059-4e37-96c3-6369fc3d5ff4 Statements and Disclaimers Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves Reporting Requirements The 2012 Edition of the Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves (the JORC Code 2012) sets out minimum standards, recommendations and guidelines for Public Reporting in Australasia of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves. The Information contained in this Announcement has been presented in accordance with the JORC Code 2012. Competent Person Statement The information in this announcement that relates to exploration results is based on information compiled by Dr Andrew Stewart, who is responsible for the exploration data, comments on exploration target sizes, QA/QC and geological interpretation and information. Dr Stewart, who is an employee of Xanadu and is a Member of the Australasian Institute of Geoscientists, has sufficient experience relevant to the style of mineralisation and type of deposit under consideration and to the activity he is undertaking to qualify as the Competent Person as defined in the 2012 Edition of the Australasian Code for Reporting Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves and the National Instrument 43-101. Dr Stewart consents to the inclusion in the report of the matters based on this information in the form and context in which it appears. Copper Equivalent Calculations The copper equivalent (eCu) calculation represents the total metal value for each metal, multiplied by the conversion factor, summed and expressed in equivalent copper percentage with a metallurgical recovery factor applied. The copper equivalent calculation used is based off the eCu calculation defined by CSA in the 2018 Mineral Resource Upgrade. Copper equivalent (eCu) grade values were calculated using the following formula: eCu = Cu + Au * 0.62097 * 0.8235, Where Cu = copper grade (%); Au = gold grade (gold per tonne (g/t)); 0.62097 = conversion factor (gold to copper); and 0.8235 = relative recovery of gold to copper (82.35%). The copper equivalent formula was based on the following parameters (prices are in USD): Copper price = 3.1 $/lb (or 6,834 $ per tonne ($/t)); Gold price = 1,320 $ per ounce ($/oz); Copper recovery = 85%; Gold recovery = 70%; and Relative recovery of gold to copper = 70% / 85% = 82.35%. Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements contained in this Announcement, including information as to the future financial or operating performance of Xanadu and its projects may also include statements which are forwardlooking statements that may include, amongst other things, statements regarding targets, estimates and assumptions in respect of mineral reserves and mineral resources and anticipated grades and recovery rates, production and prices, recovery costs and results, capital expenditures and are or may be based on assumptions and estimates related to future technical, economic, market, political, social and other conditions. These forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by Xanadu, are inherently subject to significant technical, business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties and contingencies and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from estimated or anticipated events or results reflected in such forwardlooking statements. Xanadu disclaims any intent or obligation to update publicly or release any revisions to any forwardlooking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, circumstances or results or otherwise after the date of this Announcement or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, other than required by the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) and the Listing Rules of the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) and Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX). The words believe, expect, anticipate, indicate, contemplate, target, plan, intends, continue, budget, estimate, may, will, schedule and similar expressions identify forwardlooking statements. All forwardlooking statements made in this Announcement are qualified by the foregoing cautionary statements. Investors are cautioned that forwardlooking statements are not guarantee of future performance and accordingly investors are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forwardlooking statements due to the inherent uncertainty therein. For further information please visit the Xanadu Mines Website at www.xanadumines.com . Kharmagtai JORC Table 1 (JORC 2012) Set out below is Section 1 and Section 2 of Table 1 under the JORC Code, 2012 Edition for the Kharmagtai project. Data provided by Xanadu. This Table 1 updates the JORC Table 1 disclosure dated 18 September 2017. JORC Table 1 - Section 1 Sampling Techniques and Data Criteria Commentary Sampling techniques Drilling techniques Drill sample recovery Logging Sub-sampling techniques and sample preparation Quality of assay data and laboratory tests Verification of sampling and assaying Location of data points Data spacing and distribution Orientation of data in relation to geological structure Sample security Audits or reviews JORC Table 1 Section 2 Reporting of Exploration Results (Criteria in this section apply to all succeeding sections). Criteria Commentary Mineral tenement and land tenure status Exploration done by other parties Geology Drill hole Information Timing RC Holes Metre DDH Holes Metre RC & DDH Metre Trench Metre Drilling <2015 155 24553 252 88511 0 0 106 39774 Drilling >2015 68 13107 116 57876 22 5323 17 5618 Total 223 37660 368 146387 22 5323 123 45392 Data aggregation methods The copper equivalent (eCu) calculation represents the total metal value for each metal, multiplied by the conversion factor, summed and expressed in equivalent copper percentage with a metallurgical recovery factor applied. The copper equivalent calculation used is based off the eCu calculation defined by CSA in the 2018 Mineral Resource Upgrade. Copper equivalent (CuEq or eCu) grade values were calculated using the following formula: eCu or CuEq = Cu + Au * 0.62097 * 0.8235, Gold Equivalent (eAu) grade values were calculated using the following formula: eAu = Au + Cu / 0.62097 * 0.8235. Where: Cu - copper grade (%) Au - gold grade (g/t) 0.62097 - conversion factor (gold to copper) 0.8235 - relative recovery of gold to copper (82.35%) The copper equivalent formula was based on the following parameters (prices are in USD): Copper price - 3.1 $/lb (or 6834 $/t) Gold price - 1320 $/oz Copper recovery - 85% Gold recovery - 70% Relative recovery of gold to copper = 70% / 85% = 82.35%. Relationship between mineralisation widths and intercept lengths Diagrams Balanced reporting Other substantive exploration data Further work JORC Table 1 - Section 3 Estimation of Reporting of Mineral Resources Mineral Resources are not reported so this is not applicable to this report. JORC Table 1 - Section 4 Estimation and Reporting of Ore Reserves Ore Reserves are not reported so this is not applicable to this report. From North Garland High School in the DFW Metroplex, to the administration and general counsel of Lone Star College System, Mario K. Castillo said he has humble beginnings that often help in guiding his leadership. Castillo is proud of his roots as a first-generation American who is the eldest of three and the first person in his family to attend college. As someone who knows what its like to be a first-generation college student, Castillo aims to make an accessible environment in line with the mission of Lone Star during his tenure as LSC - Kingwood interim president. LONE STAR: Katherine Persson begins retirement after 12 years as LSC-Kingwood President Because of my humble background, I think I bring a really interesting perspective into these senior administrator positions where quite often Im the one thats asking, you know, how do we know that this student has internet? How do we know that they have a computer? Lets not assume that they have these things because I didnt have those things growing up, Castillo said. So I remember sort of a lot of that, and I carry that with me and thats a large part of the reason that I gave up private practice to come serve this institution. I fundamentally believe in its mission, and I think that what we do here changes trajectories of lives for generations. The Fall Creek resident met his college sweetheart and now wife, who is from Kingwood, during his time at the University of Texas at Austin where he received his Bachelor of Arts in Government. He went on to earn his Juris Doctorate at the Maurer School of Law at Indiana University in Bloomington. Once he was done with law school, he came back to Texas where he worked in the federal courthouse in Brownsville for about four years with Honorable Felix Recio of the Southern District of Texas. After his time there he moved into private practice as a Labor and Employment Partner at Monty and Ramirez in Houston, where one of their larger clients was Lone Star College. When the opportunity to become part of their general counsel arrived, Castillo began working for Lone Star. Castillo will now serve as interim president in addition to his other two administrative roles with the system, Chief Operating Officer and General Counsel. He was more than happy to help through the transition. He said he is not eligible to be a candidate to take the job full time. CORONAVIRUS: There's a frantic global race for a COVID vaccine, and Houston hopes to be an ultimate winner As someone who greatly admired former president Katherine Persson, Castillo said he hopes to carry on her legacy while preparing the institution for the next in line. Every time you have a presidential transition, especially someone that follows the institution that is Dr. Katherine Persson, theres a transition phase, Castillo said. So part of what Im hoping to do is to sort of bridge the gap between Dr. Perssons leadership and whoever ends up being the permanent president here in a way that puts everyone in a position to be successful. For someone who is balancing three roles, Castillo said he is taking on the workload gracefully. He often finds himself working in the background, but with his new interim role, he has been able to see that their system has a real impact on students who may otherwise not have access to education in real-time by walking out of the office doors and onto campus grounds to speak with students. While he may mostly deal with contracts and high-level administrative work, it recharges him to see that through it all, what they are doing is having a meaningful impact in students. For example, 40 percent of our students are Hispanic and some of them only speak Spanish. And I can tell you just in the last week or so just walking around and talking to people in Spanish is a big deal because it makes them feel more welcome and more included, Castillo said. And I grew up speaking Spanish pretty much only. English was not spoken in my house because my parents didnt speak English. So Im sort of sensitive to that. Top hits: Get Houston Chronicle stories sent directly to your inbox However long he will be in this role, Castillo will return to serving two titles and helping through various roles throughout the college system. My mother didnt even go to high school, and my daughter can go to any school that she wants, Castillo said. Its hard to sort of conceptualize, to be honest with you. It still sort of makes me somewhat emotional when I stop and think about, sort of the journey, right and its very personal to me, our mission is very personal to me. Im very sort of student-oriented because Im not dealing with something I read about in a book or something I did a dissertation on, Im dealing with something I have first-hand experience (in). savannah.mehrtens@chron.com As important as diplomatic engagements are, there are at least four reasons why these are a mistake in the present India-China context. One, diplomacy has to be leveraged and purposed carefully in such manner that it is not converted to mere talkfests and demeaned in value. There have been a series of high-level civilian exchanges between India and China since the Galwan incident of June. The latest confabulation between the Indian and Chinese foreign ministers in Moscow on September 10, lasted two and half hours but at the end of it, the Indian statement suggested that no progress was made. It pointed out that the Chinese side has not provided a credible explanation for the deployment of PLA troops along the LAC and that their provocative behaviour at numerous incidents of friction along the LAC also showed disregard for bilateral agreements and protocols. In short, in this instance, diplomatic talks are unlikely to achieve what military commanders on the ground cannot. Listen | China wants to appear as the winner in the standoff with India, combined attack with Pakistan is not a possibility Two, diplomatic parlays in the current scenario have the potential to take on added objectives perhaps, as a way of showing progress and can end up diluting the central goal. The joint statement released at the end of the aforementioned meeting acknowledged among other things, the need to expedite work to conclude new Confidence Building Measures to maintain and enhance peace and tranquillity in the border areas. While these will be necessary eventually, the question is of their timing. The longer the present impasse on the LAC continues, the greater will be the temptation to set aside its resolution the restoration of status quo ante, in other words and to start talking about new, apparently larger objectives, for such, after all is what diplomats do for a living. Setting aside the goal of status quo ante might yet become necessary but the Indian Army must first be allowed the opportunity to shape the new status quo. What is more, the Chinese will also in all likelihood want to walk back from the 2005 agreement on Political Parameters and Guiding Principles for the Settlement of the India-China Boundary Question. This landmark treaty guarantees among other things that settled populations in the border areas such as Tawang, for instance would not be disturbed. Itself the culmination of over two decades of negotiations, it was, fortuitously for India, concluded well before the Chinese realised post-2008 that perhaps the United States was not as strong as they imagined, and that they could achieve rather more with their political influence and economic capabilities than they had imagined. Three, talks at this stage between the foreign ministers, or even the Special Representatives and defence ministers also serve to provide an opportunity to the Chinese to distract and raise altogether different issues such as Indias restrictions on Chinese FDI or its ban on Chinese apps. This approach is evident when the Chinese talk about put[ting] the boundary question at an appropriate place in our bilateral relations or when they say ny action that enlarges and complicates the contradiction will not help solve the problem . The Indian restrictions are connected to the LAC dustup only in terms of timing but they also stand on their own merit, and could have come sooner rather than later no matter the situation on the boundary. If for the Indian side, the problem is primarily about the LAC, then talks should be limited to the military leaders on either side as a way of keeping the focus on the central issue at hand. Four, talking to the Chinese foreign ministry about problems at the LAC is a pointless exercise given that the ministry ranks lower than the PLA in the hierarchy of the Chinese political system. The Indian Ambassador to China acknowledged this reality by meeting in August with the Central Military Commission as well as with Communist Party officials the PLA is the Partys military wing, after all. However, it is doubtful if he received anything more than a polite hearing at best, if not a hectoring. In any case, you do not improve the already thin likelihood of a resolution by putting diplomats unfamiliar with both ground realities in Ladakh and warfighting in a room with the Chinese military. While the Indian military is lower in the comparative pecking order than in China, this in itself would not be a problem in a democratic and professionally-staffed government. India, however, offers one of the most dysfunctional civil-military relationships anywhere in the world, the recent high-profile appointment of a Chief of Defence Staff notwithstanding. If a crisis is also an opportunity, then the current one on the LAC with China is an opportunity to institute reforms not just in Indias defence production sector, but also in its civil-military ties and within the military itself. Indian military leaders are not seeking war despite the talking heads on some TV channels. They also understand that it is not so much about tit-for-tat responses or holding or retrieving every inch of ground, but about both larger goals and calibrating the signal to China about Indias red lines. Let talks with China be limited to and led by military commanders under political supervision with adequate staff support from Indian foreign ministry officials if necessary. Let us not confuse objectives and be confused in turn. To think conflict can be avoided merely by talking betrays a fundamental lack of understanding of how the Chinese political system operates, and of Chinas worldview and strategic objectives. India ought to be directing its resources carefully and wisely. Its diplomatic energies should be focused on more productive tasks in the rest of South Asia and with like-minded partners elsewhere. Jabin T Jacob is Associate Professor, Department of International Relations and Governance Studies, Shiv Nadar University, Uttar Pradesh, and Adjunct Research Fellow at the National Maritime Foundation, New Delhi. Twitter: @jabinjacobt. Views are personal. Honorees and Special Guests for 20th Annual A. Leon Higginbotham Gala "Our 2020 Higginbotham Event highlights our fight for racial justice and celebrates champions for justice. Now more than ever, we are focused on safeguarding voting rights and securing civil rights amid an unprecedented pandemic." - Kristen Clarke, Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law Hosts 20th Annual Gala to Celebrate Racial Justice, Diversity and Inclusion The Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, the nations preeminent civil rights organization, will host its 20th annual A. Leon Higginbotham Corporate Leadership Award Event on Thursday, September 17, 2020 at 3pm ET. This marquis event highlights the multifaceted work of the Lawyers Committee while shining a light on corporate leaders and civil rights champions. This year, the Lawyers Committee honors David Abney, Executive Chairman of UPS, with the 2020 A. Leon Higginbotham Corporate Leadership Award. The Award Event, now in its 20th year, recognizes corporate leaders who embody exemplary practices in promoting diversity and inclusion in the workplace and celebrates civil rights icons. For the past 57 years, we have been on the front-lines in the fight to advance racial justice and equality across the nation, said Kristen Clarke, president and executive director of the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. Our A. Leon Higginbotham Event shines a light on our work to advance racial justice, provides an opportunity to highlight corporations that exemplify best practices with respect to diversity and inclusion, and allows us to lift up champions for racial and social justice. We are proud to recognize UPS for their efforts to promote diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace. This year, the Higginbotham Event takes on special significance in helping accelerate our work to protect voting rights, advance racial justice and promote equality for Black people following the tragic killings of Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and many others. In addition to honoring Mr. Abney, the event will celebrate the significant contributions of several other notable individuals. Nikole Hannah-Jones will receive the organizations Beacon of Justice Award for her Pulitzer-winning The 1619 Project, The New York Times Magazines groundbreaking exploration of the legacy of Black Americans starting with the arrival of the first enslaved Africans in 1619. Ms. Hannah-Jones will discuss The 1619 Project and more with Soledad OBrien, award-winning journalist, speaker, author and philanthropist who anchors and produces the Hearst Television political magazine program Matter of Fact with Soledad OBrien. Robert F. Smith, the Founder, Chairman and CEO of Vista Equity Partners, will receive the organizations Robert F. Kennedy Prize. Smith has helped to recruit and support underrepresented students in STEM fields through scholarships, graduate fellowships and program funding, and recently pledged to pay off student loans for graduating seniors at Morehouse College in Atlanta. The Honorable Karen Bass will receive the Legacy of Justice Award. Congressmember Bass was re-elected to her fifth term representing the 37th Congressional District in November 2018. Congressmember Bass serves on the House Committee on Foreign Affairs as Chair of the Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights and International Organizations and the House Judiciary Committee as Chair of the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security. Congressmember Bass also serves as the Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus and recently led the effort to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act in the House. Attorney Ben Crump has been serving in the pursuit of justice with a passion for advocacy since the beginning of his career. Crump is being recognized with the Lawyers Committees Trailblazer Award for his tireless dedication to serving and providing legal representation to victims and families impacted by police violence including George Floyd and countless others. Special guests include Sally Yates, former Deputy Attorney General for the United States and partner in King & Spaldings Special Matters & Government Investigations practice, Ernest Greer, Co-Director, Greenberg & Traurig LLP, and Hill Harper, award-winning actor, best-selling author, philanthropist, youth advocate and the Lawyers Committees long-standing National Spokesperson. Each year, the Higginbotham Awards Gala draws hundreds of lawyers, advocates and leaders from across the nation. This years Gala will be broadcast nationally via Roland S. Martin. The prestigious Higginbotham Corporate Award, named in honor Judge A. Leon Higginbotham, Jr., a pioneering civil rights advocate, author and federal appeals court judge, was established in 2000. Past honorees include: Morgan Stanley, PNC Financial Services; The Home Depot; Ernst & Young LLP; Toyota Motor Sales; DuPont; J.P. Morgan Chase Investment Bank; McDonalds; Aetna Inc.; BellSouth Corporation; Citigroup Inc.; Colgate-Palmolive Company; Fannie Mae; General Electric Company; Microsoft Corporation; The New York Times Company; PepsiCo, Inc.; Qualcomm, Inc.; and Time Warner, Inc. Please click here to register for the event, and click here to support our movement for racial justice. The Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization, was formed in 1963 at the request of President John F. Kennedy to activate lawyers in the fight against racial discrimination. Now in its 57th year, the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law maintains one of the most comprehensive racial justice programs of any organization in the country. The principal mission of the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law is to secure, through the rule of law, equal justice for all, particularly in the areas of voting rights, criminal justice, fair housing and community development, economic justice, educational opportunities, and hate crimes. The Car of the Year Russia awards is the most prestigious automotive award ceremony in the Russian automotive calendar. Held every year since it was established in 2000, the awards consider every car on sale in the Russian market, this year totaling over 300 models. The cars are judged by the Russian people in an online vote over a number of months, with more than one and a half million votes counted this year. Kia's compact city car, the Picanto set a new record for the company, taking honors in the 'Best City Car' category for the fifth consecutive year. The Kia Ceed built on its victory last year, branching out from 'New Product of the Year', to triumph in the 'Small middle class' category. The Kia Seltos took home gold in the 'Compact SUV' category, while the brand's first ever gran turismo model the Stinger was named best 'Grand Tourer'. "The Kia brand has grown in popularity in Russia for many years, and we are extremely proud to have won four awards in the annual Russian Car of the Year contest as a result," said Ho-sung Song, President and CEO of Kia Motors Corporation. "For Kia globally, Russia is one of our most important markets. We have worked hard to be the number one import brand with a 13 percent market share in Russia, and aim to continue our growth in the market in years to come. These four awards are extremely gratifying not only for Kia Motors Russia, but for Kia Motors globally." Managing Director of Kia Motors Russia and CIS headquarters, Alexander Migal, commented on the results of the Award: "We strive to offer cars that exceed the needs of Russian customers, and our success in the Russian Car of the Year awards decided by motorists is the ultimate endorsement of Kia cars. Each model is unique, yet united by common attributes they are modern, high-quality, well-equipped and visually appealing vehicles. We are grateful to everyone who voted for Kia." The Kia Picanto compact hatchback retains its position as class favorite thanks to its striking design, spacious interior, interesting character and high levels of standard equipment. This is the second consecutive generation of Picanto to win the hard-fought 'City Car' category. Winner of the 'Small middle class' category, the Kia Ceed is one of the most technically advanced cars in its segment. The Ceed family now provides the most diverse offering in the C-segment in Russia. As well as the standard five-door hatchback, the range also includes the Ceed Sportswagon, ProCeed shooting brake and the XCeed urban crossover. The Kia Seltos has, in just six months, become one of Kia's top-3 best-selling models in Russia. Sales in August 2020 alone show that 1,783 Russian customers opted for the compact model as their car of choice. They also selected Seltos as the 'Best Compact SUV'. The Kia Stinger confidently entered the highly competitive gran turismo segment, where the most prestigious brands are already well represented. SOURCE Kia Motors ABC News Demonstrators gathered in Washington on Friday for the country's largest annual anti-abortion rally around the anniversary of the landmark 1973 Supreme Court decision establishing the right to an abortion -- but this year, 49 years later, they march with the fate of Roe v. Wade more uncertain than ever. "We expect this year's March for Life to be historic with even higher levels of enthusiasm from participants," Jeanne Mancini, president of March for Life, told ABC News in a statement. "We are all hopeful that, with the Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization case before the Supreme Court, this year will bring us much closer to building the culture of life we have all marched for since Roe v. Wade was imposed on our nation nearly 50 years ago." Nigerias Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai, has narrated how he was ambushed in the north-east of the country by terrorists in 2015. Mr Buratai gave the account of his first ambush as army chief on Monday during the commissioning of a bridge constructed at Kuta in Osun State by the Nigeria Army Engineering Construct Regiment, Ede. The project, like many others, is named after Mr Buratai. Speaking about his love for Osun State, he said his deputy, Lamidi Adeosun, who is the current Chief of Training and Operations, saved his life in 2015. Mr Adeosun is an indigene of Asamu in Osun State. According to Punch Newspaper, Mr Buratai said it was his deputy that mobilised troops to counter the terrorists who attacked him in September 2015. When I had the first ambush, he was with me in the vehicle, by my side and I could see the courage he exhibited. He was able to mobilise the troops to counter the bandits, the criminals, the terrorists out of the way. When I was appointed as the Chief of Army Staff, I met Lamidi Adeosun at the North-East, I met Adeosun as the commander of operations there and he started the rejigging processes of the Nigerian Army and we commenced our upward and progressive movement towards the technical defeat of Boko Haram, he was quoted as saying. The army chief hailed the Army Engineering Corps for constructing the bridge and also thanked the Olowu of Kuta, Adekunle Oyelude, for his support for the army amidst wide criticism from the general public. The governor of Osun State, Gboyega Oyetola, said the bridge construction would strengthen the relationship between military and civilians in the state. In 2015, PREMIUM TIMES reported that a soldier was killed in an ambush during a visit by Mr Buratai to troops fighting Boko Haram terrorists in Borno State. While the army continues to claim that it has defeated the terrorists, the northeast remains unsafe for many Nigerians. Mr. Tony Forson, National President of the Ghana Bar Association (GBA) on Monday said the polarized nature of our society is deep-rooted and called on the leaders of the country to take measures to heal it. He has therefore appealed to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to lead the way to heal the nation to end the cycle bitterness. The polarized nature of our society is so deep-rooted that lip service from our leaders will not lesson it. I will urge you as the father of the nation with a clear knowledge of this unfortunate state of affairs to lead the charge to truly heal this nation otherwise this cycle of bitterness will never end, he said. Mr. Forson was speaking at a GBA Webinar held at the Law Court Complex in Accra on the theme: Enhancing National Cohesion: the Essence of free, fair and Responsible Electoral Process. The GBA originally was to hold its annual conference at Bolgatanga in the Upper East Region. The conference has therefore been rescheduled to September 2021. The GBA President said the association would be hosting a colloquium for journalists to ensure insult free political seasoning in the country. He, therefore, appealed to the media to be circumspect in their reportage of political activities adding, they should do all in their power to promote peace and unity in the country. Mr. Forson condemned insults directed at judges in the performance of their judicial function. Court may sometimes make mistakes that is why the constitution makes adequate appellate provision and it does not lie within any persons province to insult the court or any institution of state for that matter, the GBA President added. Touching on Ghanas Electoral process, the GBA President congratulated the Electoral Commission for the success of the first phase of the registration exercise through the deployment of ICT and the innovation of texting 1422 to verify ones details on the Voters Register for a fee of GHC0.30. On legal education, Mr. Forson recounted that the Chief Justice through his leadership was ensuring transparency and openness in the training of law students to obviate the hardship students face in trying to enter the Law School. According to him, the Chief Justice was making the public know happenings in various Law faculties and affording them the knowledge to make informed choices. We hope that the performance in this years entry examination would be much better to afford many more students entry into the law school. Mr. Forson said he supports the Law school village concept to expand access and eventually move to the system where more faculties could be provided for the professional training with supervision by the General Legal Council. Quality should never be compromised for any reason, the GBA President added. Touching on some achievement during his tenure, Mr. Forson said the GBA has been able to digitize data on all persons ever called to the bar since 1877. Again, he said We have completely automated the application completion certificate of pupilage. We have created a Lawyer locator software that allows the general public online searches on members. The public can now inquire online a lawyers location, specialty, age, experience, contact information, and verify the membership of all lawyers and their chambers. Also, Mr. Forson said the GBA has also begun designing software to enable the public to access Legal Aid services remotely, interface with assigned lawyers and track the progress of their cases online. He was optimistic that in the next GBA conference members would use technology in voting instead of using a whole day in voting. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Uganda Communication Commission (UCC) is to introduce new restrictions on all online data communications it announced on 7 September. Uganda: UJU decries new move to control online data communication The Uganda Communication Commission (UCC) is to introduce new restrictions on all online data communications it announced on 7 September. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) joins its affiliate, the Uganda Journalists Union (UJU), in condemning this direct assault on freedom of expression, media freedom and access to information. According to a public notice issued by the Uganda Communication Commission (UCC) on 7 September, "all persons currently offering or planning to commence the provision of online data communication and broadcasting services, including but not limited to blogs, online television, online radio, online newspapers, audio over IP (AOIP) Internet protocol TV (IPTV) video on demand (VOD) digital audio radios and televisions, internet web radio and internet web television (should) obtain authorisation from UCC before providing such services to the public" before the deadline date of 5 October". The UJU has condemned the UCC for trying to suppress freedom of expression and press freedom. "The UCC is preparing to gag the independent media from critical reporting on President Yoweri Museveni's National Resistance Movement (NRM) government ahead of 2021 General Elections," said UJU President Ms Lucy Anyango Ekadu. The union warned that the UCC announcement violates article 29 of the 1995 Ugandan Constitution which protects freedom of expression, and article 41 which guarantees access to information by all Ugandans. "The UCC is trying to suppress independent media, curtail freedom of expression and in the long run, muzzle media freedom altogether. Ugandan journalists must join forces to resist vehemently the draconian requirement imposed on the media," Ekadu said. UJU has committed to support and back stakeholders who have dragged the UCC to court over the draconian directive. IFJ General Secretary Anthony Bellanger said that the decision is a flagrant violation of citizens' rights to freedom of expression and access to information. "Asking online media houses who post content online and other service providers to seek an authorization from the Commission before providing such services is a deliberate attempt to suppress media freedom and freedom of expression. This is another attempt to intimidate journalists and force them into self-censorship which cannot be accepted in a democratic society." The IFJ and UJU have jointly called on the Ugandan Government to abandon the policy. DANBURY When drivers on Interstate 84 cross the border into Connecticut, a billboard thanking frontline workers will greet them. The 900-square-foot billboard installed this week honors medical, fire, EMT, police and National Guard heroes who have faced health risks while working throughout the coronavirus pandemic. RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA New state data released Tuesday show Riverside County has met the state's coronavirus thresholds required to reopen more industry sectors, but it will be at least another week before some local businesses learn whether they may begin welcoming customers again. For the first time since California's color-coded four-tiered "Blueprint" for reopening was unveiled on Aug. 31, Riverside County has met the criteria for moving from the "purple tier" to the less-restrictive "red tier." California's color-coded tier levels. Riverside County has been prevented from moving forward with more reopenings because it has exceeded the state thresholds of an 8 percent coronavirus positivity rate over a seven-day period and a case rate of seven infections per 100,000 population over the same period. The state data released Tuesday show the county with a 6.4 percent positivity rate and 6.7 case rate. If the county can maintain these figures or improve them, it will move into the red tier on Sept. 22, according to Jose Arballo, spokesperson for Riverside University Health System - Public Health. A move into the red tier will allow reopening of the following industry sectors: Indoor retail (at 50 percent maximum capacity) Malls, destination centers, swap meets (at 50 percent maximum capacity with food courts allowed to reopen at reduced capacity; common areas would remain closed) Indoor personal care services Indoor museums, zoos and aquariums (at 25 percent maximum capacity) Indoor places of worship (at 25 percent maximum capacity or 100 people, whichever is fewer) Indoor gyms, fitness centers (at 10 percent capacity) Indoor restaurants (at 25 percent capacity or 100 people, whichever is fewer) Schools can reopen on a widespread basis (without a waiver) On Tuesday, California Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly announced that Inyo, Marin and Tehama counties moved into the red tier. Story continues Ghaly acknowledged that several counties have met the state thresholds to reopen more sectors, and he said there will be an announcement next Tuesday, when it's expected that several more counties will progress into new tiers. Ghaly did not indicate which counties would progress. No county moved into the less restrictive orange or yellow tiers this week. San Diego County, which was moved into the red tier on Aug. 31, has experienced an uptick in its case rate. As of Tuesday, its 8.1 case rate was higher than Riverside County's. According to Ghaly, state health officials are working closely with San Diego County to prevent a backward move into the more restrictive purple tier that would force newly reopened businesses to close again. "Our commitment is to work with San Diego County," Ghaly said. He acknowledged that San Diego County has experienced infection clusters, like San Diego State University, where the total number of student cases has risen above 600 since the fall semester began Aug. 24, but few of those infections have resulted in hospitalization. Orange County is the only other Southern California county that's been placed in the state's red tier. Tuesday's figures show it has a positivity rate of 3.9 percent and a case rate of 4.7 infections per 100,000 population. This snapshot provided by the state shows the color-coded tier assigned to each county as of Sept. 15. The total number of COVID-19 infections in Riverside County recorded since the public health documentation period began in early March now stands at 55,986, compared to 55,766 on Monday, according to the Riverside University Health System - Public Health. The total number of deaths resulting from COVID-19 crept up by seven on Tuesday to a total of 1,125. As of Tuesday, there were 155 patients hospitalized countywide for treatment of the virus, up four since Monday. That figure includes 49 people in intensive care units, which is an increase of one patient since Monday. This article originally appeared on the Temecula Patch Patna: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Tuesday thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for inaugurating and laying foundation stones of seven urban infrastructure schemes worth Rs 541 crore and assured him that the state government would complete all the projects on time. Besides, it would also expedite other central government schemes being implemented under Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) and other programmes in the state, Kumar said. Prime Minister inaugurated two sewage treatment plants (STP)- one each at Beur and Karmalichak in Patna- which would treat the water before releasing them in river Ganga to help prevent the river getting polluted. Modi also inaugurated water supply schemes for Chapra and Siwan town where 81,000 an 58,000 people will be benefited from the water supply under AMRUT Mission. Besides, foundation stones were laid for two water supply schemes- one each for Munger and Jamalpur (in Munger). PM also laid foundation stone for Muzaffarpur Riverfront Development Scheme, being built under Namami Gange. Speaking on the occasion, Kumar said that STPs being built under Namami Gange project are necessary in order to protect rivers especially Ganga from getting polluted. "Its not a small thing. Drainage water is treated before releasing them into the river. Its a big thing. Today, two STPs- one each at Beur and Karmalichak are being inaugurated by the PM who laid the stones for these STPs on October 14, 2017," Kumar said. Kumar reminiscenced his college and childhood days while talking about Ganga and said "I was born at Bakhtiarpur in Patna district. We used to go to take bath in the Ganga on Sunday when schools were closed. "There was wonderful flow of clean water then. We used to take a bucket of water to home for drinking purposes. But, slowly and gradually the situation in terms of pollution in Ganga worsened with the time and increase in population. Stating that the water should be utilised and not misutilised, the CM said that people are using drinking water being made available to them under Har Ghar Nal Ka Jal scheme for bathing their buffalos and irrigation purpose after which he had to ask them publicly not to misuse water meant for drinking. Under the scheme pure drinking water is being provided to all households in Bihar. Since the Prime Minister had mentioned about the scheme Har Ghar Nal Ka Jal on September 10 while inaugurating Rs 294 crore relating to Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) in Bihar, Kumar said "80 per cent of the work under the scheme has been completed and the remaining work will be finished by the end of October this year." Praising the river development scheme, Kumar said that this is a good scheme for which a foundation stone has been laid by the PM for developing the ghats along Burhi Gandak river in Muzaffarpur as it would attract people to visit the river side. Kumar recalled his engineering college days when he used to sit on the banks of Ganga as the college was situated along the river. Prominent among those who graced the occasion included- Governor Phagu Chauhan, Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi, union ministers Ravi Shankar Prasad, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and a host of other MPs, MLAs who were digitally connected from different places. Hailing the Union Cabinet's decision to establish an AIIMS at Darbhanga in Bihar, BJP president J P Nadda said this will provide super speciality health care to the people of the state and also create a large pool of doctors and other health workers. The AIIMS, Darbhanga will come up under the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY) at a total cost of Rs 1,264 crore, an official statement said. The new AIIMS is likely to be completed within 48 months from the date of the approval by the Centre. People wearing face masks to help protect against the spread of the coronavirus visit the Gyeongbok Palace in Seoul, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2020. AP South Korea's new virus cases stayed below 200 for the 13th consecutive day on Tuesday as the country's tougher social distancing scheme has taken effect, but a rise in untraceable cases and cluster infections are still a drag on the country's virus fight. The country added 106 more COVID-19 cases, including 91 local infections, raising the total caseload to 22,391, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA). It marked a slight drop from 109 cases reported on Monday. The number of additional patients reached 121 on Sunday and 136 on Saturday. The number of local infections remained in double digits for the third consecutive day, but health authorities are still struggling to regain control over the spread of the virus due to increased cases with unknown transmission routes and sporadic clusters. Over the past two weeks, 23.5 percent of the additional cases had unidentified infection routes, while 30.9 percent were linked to cluster infections, according to the latest data provided on Monday. With new infections staying below 200 for nearly two weeks, South Korea decided to ease the strict social distancing scheme in the greater Seoul area, allowing restaurants and cafes to operate normally from Monday. South Korea had been keeping the daily new virus cases below 100 for months until mid-August, maintaining most of its economic activities compared to other peers around the globe. On Aug. 14, however, the figure abruptly doubled from the previous day to break the threshold of 100. Cases tied to a conservative church that participated in anti-government rallies in the capital city were largely blamed for the spike, but there were also sporadic cluster infections nationwide. With the number of new cases reaching 441 on Aug. 27, South Korea earlier decided to adopt what it called an enhanced social distancing scheme in greater Seoul through Sunday, under which restaurants could offer only takeout from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. of the following day. Franchise cafes and dessert shops were obligated to offer only takeout around the clock. Its not certain that it will receive them in an environment where, thanks to the Trump administrations aggressive trade policies, it isnt just the Chinese that would be concerned about the US having the ability to shut down their access to such a key building block for 21st Century technologies. While the Nvidia deal has yet to run the gauntlet of regulatory and political clearances, the fate of TikTok in the US will be resolved within days. Trump announced the ban or forced sale of TikTok in the US on national security grounds, ostensibly because of the fear that the user data the app collects could be used by China for national strategic purposes - perhaps censoring news or spreading disinformation among the vast US user base. Japan's SoftBank is selling chipmaker Arm to US company Nvidia. Credit:Getty Recent revelations of a Chinese military contractors data base that covers more than 2.4 million people globally, including more than 35,000 Australians targeted for their perceived influence, fans the fears of how China might exploit "big data" to further its geopolitical ambitions that underlie the US distrust of TikTok. A consortium led by US software giant Oracle has emerged as ByteDances favoured partner for TikTok, after the early front-runner, Microsoft had its offer rejected. The Oracle bid wouldnt result in TikTok being sold, as Trump demanded, instead creating a form of partnership under which Oracle and investment groups General Atlantic and Sequoia Capital would become Byte Dances technology partners in the US, presumably hosting the apps data on Oracles cloud servers. Technology, particularly the technologies that will underpin the 5G networks and internet of things that will shape economies this century, is the new battleground for national supremacy with the US trying to defend and entrench its leadership and China trying to challenge it. While that might protect the US users data, it wouldnt give Oracle access to the sophisticated artificial intelligence algorithms that power the app that the Chinese are so protective of. That would leave open the possibility that the app could still be used to further Chinas interests, unless oracle developed its own algorithm for the US business. Trump has given ByteDance until September 20 to sell or close down the app in the US but the fact that Oracle has emerged as the likely partner with ByteDance might see the companies given more flexibility and time to structure a deal that doesnt reflect Trumps original ultimatum. Oracles co-founder and chairman Larry Ellison has conducted fundraisers for Trumps re-election campaign and its chief executive, Safra Catz, has been a significant donor to the campaign and was a member of the Trump transition team in 2016. Ellison has also been enthusiastically supportive of Trumps controversial advocacy of hydroxychloroquine as a treatment for the coronavirus. Trump has described Ellison as "a tremendous guy" and said that Oracle was certainly "somebody" that could handle an acquisition of TikToks US operations. Oracles co-founder and chairman Larry Ellison has conducted fundraisers for Trumps re-election campaign and its chief executive, Safra Catz, has been a significant donor to the campaign and was a member of the Trump transition team in 2016. Credit:AP Interestingly, not only isnt the Oracle deal an outright sale but it also doesnt appear to involve any payment of the "commission" the "very substantial portion" of the purchase price to US Treasury that Trump originally demanded for creating the opportunity for US companies to acquire the ByteDance assets. Assuming the Oracle deal passes muster with the Trump administration and US regulatory authorities it will still need a clearance from China, which could reject the deal and probably see the app banned in the US and tens of billions of dollars of ByteDances value evaporate or impose its own conditions to ensure there is no potential for the transfer of sensitive technology to the US within the proposed structure. It could also procrastinate, withholding approval until after the US election. Tehran has warned Washington against making a "strategic mistake" after U.S. President Donald Trump said that any attack by Iran would be met with a far greater response, in reaction to a news report said that Iran planned to assassinate a U.S. diplomat to avenge the killing of top Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani in January. Any "new strategic mistake" by the U.S. leadership would be met with a "decisive response from Iran," Iranian government spokesman Ali Rabiei told a news conference on September 15, hours after Trump tweeted: "Any attack by Iran, in any form, against the United States will be met with an attack on Iran that will be 1,000 times greater in magnitude!" The two countries appeared to be on the brink of war after Soleimani, commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps' (IRGC) elite Quds Force, was killed in a U.S. drone strike near Baghdad on January 3. Trumps tweet came after Politico reported on an alleged Iranian plot to assassinate Lana Marks, a friend of the president who was sworn in as U.S. ambassador to South Africa in October. According to press reports, Iran may be planning an assassination, or other attack, against the United States in retaliation for the killing of terrorist leader Soleimani, which was carried out for his planning a future attack, murdering U.S. Troops, and the death & suffering caused over so many years, the president wrote on Twitter. Rabiei said Trump should "refrain from fresh adventurism" ahead of a November election in which the U.S. president is seeking a new term. Earlier, the Iranian Foreign Ministry denied the report of an assassination plot as "baseless" and part of efforts to "create an anti-Iranian atmosphere." U.S. intelligence reports say the Iranian government is weighing an assassination attempt against Marks, according to Politico in a story published on September 13. The story quotes an unidentified U.S. government official familiar with the issue and another official who has seen the intelligence. U.S. officials have been aware of a general threat against Marks since the spring, according to the official, but the intelligence about the threat has become more specific in recent weeks. The Iranian Embassy in Pretoria was said to be involved in the plot. Marks, 66, has been made aware of the threat, the U.S. government official said. It is unclear why Iran would target her. She is one of several options U.S. officials believe Irans regime is considering for retaliation against Soleimanis assassination, Politico reported. In retaliation for Soleimani's killing, an Iranian ballistic-missile strike on January 8 targeted bases in Iraq housing U.S. forces, causing dozens of traumatic brain injuries among American troops. Hours later, Iran's armed forces shot down a Ukrainian airliner, killing all 176 people on board, in what Iranian officials said was an accident. As the head of the Quds Force, Soleimani was a key figure in supplying weapons and explosive devices to Iraqi insurgents that killed or wounded U.S. soldiers in Iraq following the ouster of Saddam Hussein. He was also the main figure running Irans policy in Syria and support for the Lebanese militant group Hizballah. With reporting by AFP and Politico Tuesday, September 15, 2020 at 10:23AM LG is tapping into its penchant for unusual designs with the launch of the new LG Wing smartphone. As part of its Explorer Project, the Wing is the initial representative of an initiative that aims to breathe new life in smartphone design. It looks like the typical candy bar smartphone design, but LG decided to add a swivelling display into the mix. Swivelling components used to be a big part of handsets in the early 2000s, but now LG decided to join the dual-screened smartphone segment with this fresh approach. It's definitely not for everyone. The primary display is a curved 6.8-inch P-OLED with FHD+ resolution and a 20.5:9 aspect ratio. The secondary screen is a 3.9-inch G-OLED with FHD+ resolution and a 1.15:1 aspect ratio. As expected, there is no official IP rating for the LG Wing, but the screens come with a water-repellent coating. LG says its partnering with various companies to take advantage of this new form factor. It's working with the likes of Qualcomm, search engine Naver, and streaming platforms Tubi and Ficto. The Wing's focus seems to be heavy on content consumption with its different use cases. You can watch YouTube or other videos on the main display while using the smaller screen as a media controller, or you can use the smaller display as a secondary screen for your game. Like in a leaked video we've seen, you can use the main display to navigate while answering a call on the second screen. The LG Wing can make video editing on the smartphone more straightforward, too. The swivel design has a dual lock mechanism and hydraulic damper to absorb shock. LG claims the Wing can withstand 200,000 swivels. And somehow, LG has kept its dimensions close to a regular smartphone at 169.5 x 74.5 x 10.9mm while weighing at 260 grams. It comes with a triple-camera setup, including a 64-megapixel primary sensor and two ultrawide cameras (one 12-megapixel shooter specifically for swivel mode and another 13-megapixel sensor). The pop-up selfie camera comes with a 32-megapixel lens. LG offers a gimbal mode that uses the secondary screen as a virtual joystick. It only works with the 12-megapixel sensor since it's mounted in the Wing sideways. The phone itself is powered by a mid-range Snapdragon 765G chipset, 8GB of RAM, and 128GB/256GB storage options. It packs in a 4,000mAh battery that supports wireless charging. What's missing, though, is a headphone jack. LG said it needed to leave it out to add the necessary parts for 5G, and so the movable display won't be too bothersome to hold. LG hasn't revealed availability outside of the US and price yet, but Engadget claims it's around US$1,000 (roughly CA$1,315), making it one of the cheaper dual-screened devices. Source: GSMArena KU leading project to boost social, academic supports for students learning at home or school LAWRENCE -- The COVID-19 pandemic has touched every corner of society but perhaps affected none more profoundly than education. Schools were forced to close their doors, parents became teachers, and students transitioned to all-online instruction. Now, as schools start to reopen, University of Kansas researchers and partners are leading a project to continue building supports to meet students' academic, behavioral and social-emotional well-being needs and making the resources available to everyone in the school community, including parents teaching at home. Last year, researchers began Project ENHANCE, funded by a $3.9 million grant from the Institute for Education Sciences to design an "enhanced" Comprehensive, Integrated, Three-Tiered Model of Prevention, known as Ci3T. Now, the team is taking data from lessons learned from partners implementing Ci3T, building more tools to support students' educational needs based on those findings and making them available to everyone in their school communities whether they've gone back to school, are teaching remotely or using a hybrid approach. "The good news is we're thriving, despite what's happening with the COVID-19 pandemic. This project is providing on-demand resources and materials for schools, teachers, students and parents," said Kathleen Lynne Lane, Roy A. Roberts Distinguished Professor of Education at KU and principal investigator of the project. "We say this coming school year has the opportunity to be a better new normal with educators and families partnering to meet students' multiple needs." Ci3T practices have been shown by research to be effective in identifying individual students who may need additional supports and providing individualized responses to supplement Tier 1 efforts for all students, which in turn help boost academic achievement. Tools and interventions that have already proven effective are available for schools and parents at http://www. ci3t. org . Project ENHANCE, and a partner project, Project SCREEN, are working with schools in Washington, Kansas, Vermont, Arizona and Missouri to gauge what schools need, build new tools and test their effectiveness. Those enhanced resources that are shown to be successful will also be made available to the public. When the pandemic hit last spring, researchers pivoted to conducting remote interviews, surveys and focus groups with schools. They have committed to continuing to work remotely with schools for the next two years to adhere to safety guidelines. However, all tools developed thus far are designed to be effective in person, remotely or in a hybrid setting. "We don't compromise on supporting academics, and we're still committed to students' social and emotional well-being. We're supporting the work the schools, students and families were doing before in a remote setting," Lane said. The researchers are providing professional education to partner schools remotely, teaching them how to implement Ci3T, its tools, screenings and offering technical support as well. The team conducted surveys, interviews and focus groups with teachers and administrators in partner school districts to determine their individual needs. The tools then built are shared with teachers, administrators, students and families through the Ci3T site. Project ENHANCE has since provided tools on how to identify students' academic, behavioral and social needs, how to provide lessons on social expectations such as responsibility, showing respect for others, giving best effort and setting expectations through all aspects of a school day. The tools are available in a variety of formats, including educational guides, brief videos and infographics, all available in English and Spanish. While the tools being built for educators are being tested and will be made available to any interested school in the future, the resources for families are available now. Lane said the research team made a concerted effort to support parents as they navigate home, work and their child's schooling. Of course, teachers have encountered numerous challenges during the pandemic, and Project ENHANCE has created supports for teachers working from home and including tips to help ensure their professional and emotional well-being. "We wanted all of our supports to be readily available for both teachers and families. We're finding out what people need, then building resources and will have them available for anyone who needs them," Lane said. "But we wanted family resources to be available to anyone now, as so many families are seeking ways to A) create a schedule and B) set clear expectations to maintain positive learning environments while their children are accessing educational opportunities remotely or in a hybrid context. The whole system is set up to support everyone in a school, including parents and the community." Aspects of Ci3T have already been used in schools in many states and are being explored outside the United States with new requests to use the resources. The grant, administered by KU's Life Span Institute, partners Lane and KU researchers with co-principal investigators Wendy Peia Oakes of Arizona State University, Sandra Chafouleas of the University of Connecticut, Amy Briesch of Northeastern University, David Royer of the University of Hawai'i at Manoa and Eric Common, University of Michigan-Flint. ### This story has been published on: 2020-09-15. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 15 By Jeila Aliyeva - Trend: Stamicarbon, the Dutch licensing and innovation company of technology licensor and Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) contractor Maire Tecnimont Group, signed the license agreement for a 1,925 tonnes/day (636,000 tonnes/year) urea melt plant operated by Turkmenhimiya State Concern in 2010, Stamicarbon told Trend. The plant uses Stamicarbons LAUNCH MELT Pool Condenser Design and was started up in 2015, added the company. Stamicarbon pointed out that this is the companys second plant in Turkmenistan. The first one is a 1050 tonnes/day urea LAUNCH MELT Pool Reactor Design plant in Tejen, in operation since 2005. Stamicarbon has no new agreements for newly built plants planned at the moment, but it stays actively engaged for continued support, providing services for operating plants, including possible expansions of existing ones, added the company. The current business environment of Turkmenistan shows very interesting dynamics for Stamicarbon. Having a strong foothold in the fertilizer scene in Turkmenistan already and with all the economical drivers for further expansion in place, Stamicarbon and the whole Maire Tecnimont Group can play a strategic role to continue their contribution to the development of Turkmenistans industrial sector, economy and wealth, added the company. Stamicarbon is licensing and developing urea plants for the fertilizer industry, applies expertise, knowledge, and experience for many solutions; fertilizer production technologies, emission reduction technologies, and all technologies for the integration of urea and adjacent processes. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @JeilaAliyeva Google is boosting the speed of its Fiber internet offerings to 2Gbps without a major cost hike, reports say. Or, at the very least, is offering a new tier of service. The company will continue offering its 1Gbps upload and download plan but its also going to offer that higher rate. Specifically, Google Fiber will now be available at either 1Gbps or 2Gbps. Both plans will still have the usual 1Gbps upload speed, Google says. Some may get more than 2Gbps from Google Fiber too Google hasnt specified exactly how it is able to bump the speeds of its network up. Instead, it simply alludes to its refreshed approach to network design. Advertisement Just as pertinently, Google Fiber on the 2Gbps plan could feasibly go higher, at least according to Google. The verbiage used isnt 100-percent clear. But the service provider says its customers, equipped with the proper hardware, could reach 2 Gig (and even faster) speeds. To gain access to that level of connectivity, the company is going a step further too. Those who sign up and subscribe for 2Gbps will be provided a next-gen router. Thats a Wi-Fi 6 router, to be exact, and its going to be coupled with a mesh extender to prevent dead spots. Where is this and whats the cost? To begin with, not everybody is going to have access to 2Gbps internet from the search giants Fiber division. And that wont be across every Fiber-ready city either. Testers have already reportedly had access and the higher rate will be available in Nashville, Tennessee, and Huntsville, Alabama to start. Thats as of next month. It will become available in a more widespread fashion later in the year. Advertisement Testing will open in other Fiber cities this fall and launch in early 2021 in most Fiber-ready cities. That includes both Google Fiber and Google Fiber Webpass cities, totaling out to 19 locations. As to the cost, thats set at a quite reasonable $100 per month compared to $70 for 1Gbps. Now, its not uncommon for some operators to offer just hundreds of Mbps for the same price. Bearing that in mind, $100 doesnt seem too steep at all for 2Gbps. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 15) Some public school students will have to share self-learning modules or SLMs during the pandemic school year, the Department of Education said Tuesday. The modules will be on rotation," according to DepEd. That is allowed. At most four but ang sinasabi namin (what we're saying is) two learners can use it, DepEd Undersecretary Diosdado San Antonio said during the agencys 2021 budget hearing at the House of Representatives. He assured lawmakers that the materials will be disinfected using UV light before being distributed from one student to another. Alliance of Concerned Teachers Party-list Rep. Franz Castro said the ratio of self-learning modules to students should be one is to one. However, education officials said they will not have enough money to produce all modules for each student because that would cost around 35 billion. The Budget Department apparently approved only around 15 billion for the production of modules in next years budget, leaving a deficit of about 10 billion. Some lawmakers said they will help the agency get additional funding for the modules. At the proper time I will be moving for the additional 10 billion budget so that our teachers can do the teaching and focusing on teaching and not soliciting for materials, Bohol 1st District Rep. Edgar Chatto said. Over 24 million basic education students have so far enrolled for the pandemic school year. Most of them, or over 22 million are registered in public schools. Due to lack of access to gadgets or internet, most of them prefer printed modules or lessons as their alternative learning delivery modality. Basic education classes will resume on October 5 as the government rejects calls for an "academic freeze" amid the pandemic. During the lockdown, various governments issued orders on the delivery of the mid-day meals to school students. But according to a status survey and the Centres response in the Lok Sabha on Monday, many have been deprived of their rightful entitlement. Mid-day meal is the entitlement of a child, guaranteed under the National Food Security Act, 2013. And extent per child per day norms of hot, cooked meals under mid-day meal scheme (MDMS) have been defined as well. The Status Report Government and Private Schools During Covid-19 filed by Oxfam India brings out the disconnect between government orders on ensuring the delivery of entitlement and its practice on the ground. 35% children are not receiving mid-day meals, said the report authored by Ankit Vyas with a team of other researchers and contributors: Binod Sinha, Pratiush Prakash, Santosh Patra and Prakash Gardia among others. The Oxfam report emphasised that the ongoing closure of schools has affected 27 crore children in India drastically. In government schools, however, the impact of the pandemic is not restricted to education delivery alone. In addition to being a site of learning, a government school also provides entitlements such as mid-day meals (MDM), textbooks and other learning materials. Various governments have released orders regarding the continuation of MDM even during the lockdown and there have been efforts to continue delivery of education through various means, such as cable TV and the internet. Given this context, the study sought to examine the impact of the prolonged school closure on students, particularly in terms of their access to entitlements such as MDM and textbooks, and to the purported classes being delivered by the government, said the status report. The fate of states In March, the Supreme Court directed states to ensure supply of mid-day meals amid the closure of schools. All the states that form a part of the studyUttar Pradesh, Odisha, Bihar, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand had issued government orders (GOs) regarding distribution of MDM. Despite this, the survey shows that 35% of children did not receive their mid-day meals. Of the remaining 65%, only 8% received cooked meals while 53% received dry rations and 4% received money (DBT) in lieu of the MDM, said the status report. Of the states surveyed, Uttar Pradesh fares the worst. The state has also hit the headlines on poor delivery of mid-day meals even in normal times. According to this status report, 92% children have been deprived of their mid-day meals (in any form) in Uttar Pradesh while Chhattisgarh fares the best where over 90% children have received mid-day meals. The probable cause for this could be the mode of MDM delivery as per the researchers of the status report. While in UP, the government focused on providing a food security allowance in lieu of the MDM, Chhattisgarh focused on home delivery of rations, they said in the survey now published. It is a crucial study as it moves forward from the previous report that pointed out that 115 million children are on the verge of malnourishment due to the interruption of mid-day meals, of which children from Dalit and Adivasi communities are most at risk, given their dependence on MDM for nutrition. On September 14, 2020, education minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank was asked by Member of Parliament Komatireddy Venkat Reddy about the delivery of mid-day meals in a Lok Sabha question. In his reply, Nishank said that during the lockdown it is not possible to provide hot, cooked meals. Hence, under the prevailing circumstances (Covid-19), the state governments and union territory administrations have been advised to provide Food Security Allowance (FSA) comprising food grains, pulses, oil, etc, (equivalent to cooking cost) to all eligible children till such time their schools are closed due to the pandemic. The states and UTs were given the freedom to decide the modalities for the purpose of ensuring the entitlement, suitable to the prevailing circumstances. As per the information received from the states and UTs, the state-wise details of number of children provided Food Security Allowance (FSA) during March-August 2020 was given to be 95,224,169 by the ministry of education. The government informed the Lok Sabha on Monday that according to the state government of Goa, clearance is awaited from its finance department to the proposal for provisions under the Food Security Allowance. The Rajasthan government informed the education ministry that it is providing food grains only. Telangana is providing food kits of 12 kg rice per person and Rs 1,500 per family to BPL families. Recommendations to the governments While the report assesses the impact of prolonged school closure on children in government schools and concludes that a third of the students continue to be deprived of mid-day meals, it also gives a recommendation to ensure entitlements. With regards to MDM, it has recommended that the government must ensure safe, home delivery of cooked meals/dry rations under the mid-day meal scheme; ensure access is unconditional (without documentation such as Aadhaar) In this study, a total of 1,158 parents (across private and government schools) and 488 government school teachers across five states, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha and Uttar Pradesh participated. It was conducted between May and June 2020. Data from government school parents was collected based on phone/personal interviews while private school parents and government teachers filled in data via Google Form. DGAP-News: Dialog Semiconductor Plc. / Key word(s): Miscellaneous Dialog Semiconductor Selected by Telechips as Preferred Power Management Partner for Next Generation Automotive Platforms (news with additional features) 15.09.2020 / 08:00 The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. Dialog's highly efficient, cost effective PMICs deliver "Exact Fit" power solution for latest Telechips Offering London, United Kingdom and Seoul, Korea - September 15, 2020 - Dialog Semiconductor plc (XETRA:DLG), a leading provider of battery and power management, Wi-Fi(R), Bluetooth(R) low energy and Industrial ICs and Telechips a leading Automotive System on Chip (SoC) supplier for In-Vehicle Infotainment (IVI) and cockpit solutions, today announced that Dialog will become Telechips' preferred power management partner for their new Dolphin+QD (TCC8059), Dolphin 3E (TCC8053) / Dolphin 3M (TCC8050) and Dolphin 3H (TCC8060) platforms. This expanded partnership builds on their cooperation on the Telechips Dolphin+ automotive platform and targets next generation functionally safe intelligent Infotainment, Cluster, Head Up Display, and Integrated Cockpit Electronic Control Units (ECUs). Dialog's "Exact Fit" power solution is comprised of the DA9062-A system PMIC, and the recently announced DA9130-A and DA9131-A sub PMICs. These AEC-Q100 Grade 2 qualified, highly integrated devices deliver a combined 21.5 amps of current, enabling the new Telechips platforms to deliver maximum performance. In addition, the Dolphin 3 platforms use Dynamic Voltage Scaling (DVS) to reduce SoC power dissipation and thermal footprint. This feature, as well as other power savings features including programmable sleep modes, are easily supported by the Dialog Power solution. "Our expanding partnership with Telechips is greatly benefitting automotive electronic suppliers as they continue to require high performance, feature rich, SoC platforms at very competitive cost points. Dialog's PMIC solutions are uniquely capable of delivering the flexibility, scalability, and auto-grade reliability that Telechips customers require," said Tom Sandoval, Senior Vice President, GM Automotive Business Segment, Dialog Semiconductor. The greatest advantage of the new Dolphin series of products is a hypervisor-less cockpit, which allows customers to use 2 operating systems simultaneously on a Cortex(R)-A72 and a Cortex(R)-A53 CPU without a hypervisor. Dolphin3 not only has high GPU benchmark performance, but also an outstanding VPU. Automotive customers can experience rich and vivid graphical user interfaces using DP1.4, Open LDI, MIPI-CSI2, and can operate multiple displays and cameras with vision processing. In addition, the Telechips Dolphin3 solutions can run automotive grade operating systems such as Android , Linux(R), QNX and Green Hills(R). Finally, the Dolphin family of devices also meet the full EVITA, Chinese crypto, AEC-Q100 and ASIL B functional safety requirements. "With our customers demanding solutions ranging from entry level to the high end, we are fortunate to have Dialog's flexible/scalable power solutions. Telechips delivers differentiated connected car platforms that support a wide variety of cost and performance levels with the Dialog family of PMIC's," said Steve Wahl, CEO, Telechips USA, Inc. The DA9062-A system PMIC, DA9130-A sub-PMIC, and DA9131-A sub-PMIC, feature significant scalability and flexibility advantages while distributing heat dissipation in elevated temperature environments. The built-in configurability engines provide system designers the ability to easily solve their power sequencing, thermal, and system control challenges. An intuitive GUI (Smart Canvas) simplifies the customization to achieve an "exact fit" power management solution. The result is a highly optimized, cost-effective power management solution that enables the most competitive, differentiated system design. All devices are available as full AEC-Q100 Grade 2 qualified devices. Dialog's PMIC solutions are now available for use in Telechips chipsets. For more information, please visit: https://www.dialog-semiconductor.com/automotive-pmics ENDS NOTES: Dialog, and the Dialog logo are trademarks of Dialog Semiconductor plc or its subsidiaries. All other product or service names are the property of their respective owners. (c) Copyright 2020 Dialog Semiconductor. All rights reserved. Media Contact Dialog: Media Contact Telechips: Mark Tyndall Rami Kim SVP Corporate Development & Strategy Marketing Communications Manager Dialog Semiconductor Telechips Phone: +1 (408) 845 8520 Phone: +82-2-3443-6792 Email: mark.tyndall@diasemi.com Email: rami@telechips.com Web: www.dialog-semiconductor.com Web : www.telechips.com Twitter: @DialogSemi About Dialog Semiconductor Dialog Semiconductor is a leading provider of standard and custom integrated circuits (ICs) that power the Internet of Things and Industry 4.0 applications. Dialog's proven expertise propels the next generation of today's devices by providing Battery Management, Bluetooth(R) low energy, Wi-Fi, Flash memory, and Configurable Mixed-signal ICs, improving power efficiency, reducing charge times, while increasing performance and productivity on the go. Dialog operates a fabless business model and is a socially responsible employer pursuing many programs to benefit the employees, community, other stakeholders and the environment it operates in. With decades of experience and world-class innovation, we help manufacturers get to what's next. Our passion for innovation and entrepreneurial spirit ensures we remain at the forefront of power efficient semiconductor technology for the IoT, mobile, computing and storage, automotive, and Industrial IoT markets. Dialog is headquartered near London with a global sales, R&D and marketing organization. In 2019, it had approximately $1.4 billion in revenue and is consistently one of the fastest growing European public semiconductor companies. It currently has approximately 2,300 employees worldwide. The company is listed on the Frankfurt (FWB: DLG) stock exchange (Regulated Market, Prime Standard, ISIN GB0059822006). For more information, visit www.dialog-semiconductor.com. About Telechips Telechips Inc. has been successful in Automotive industry with its application processors (AP) and communication ICs. Telechips automotive AP is expanding applications from In-Vehicle Infotainment (IVI) to the whole intelligent cockpit system (IVI, digital cluster, head-up display, surround View Monitor) with its secure and power efficiency. Telechips provides chipsets with development environment including reference H/W design, and platforms working with its partners that help Tier1s and OEMs develop efficiently. For more information, visit http://www.telechips.com 15.09.2020 Dissemination of a Corporate News, transmitted by DGAP - a service of EQS Group AG. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. The DGAP Distribution Services include Regulatory Announcements, Financial/Corporate News and Press Releases. Archive at www.dgap.de Next CDS of India: Rajnath Singh to receive list of probables soon India tells France, have the political will, ability to counter misadventure by China Want to manufacture BrahMos so that no country has audacity to cast evil eye on us: Rajnath Singh IAF chopper crash: Rajnath Singh likely to be apprised of probe team's findings in next couple of days Congress walks out after Govt declines opposition's demand for discussion on India-China tension India oi-Madhuri Adnal New Delhi, Sep 15: The Congress party staged a walkout in the Lok Sabha today after the government declined the opposition's demand for discussion on the standoff between Indian and Chinese forces at the LAC in Ladakh. PTI Sources said during the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) meeting of Lok Sabha, Congress leaders raised the demand for discussion on the recent standoff of Indian forces with the neighbouring country's troops in eastern Ladakh. Floor leaders of all parties attend the BAC meeting which decides the agenda for the House. Sources said Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi, representing the government, suggested that the issue is sensitive and related to national security and thus can't be discussed at a public platform. India inflicted heavy casualties on Chinese Army, Rajnath says in Parliament Earlier, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said India is committed to a peaceful resolution of the current border stand-off with China in Ladakh but any attempt to unilaterally alter the status quo by the neighbouring country is unacceptable. Making a statement in Lok Sabha, Singh also said the Indian Army has inflicted heavy costs including casualties on the Chinese side during the clash with the PLA at the Galwan valley on June 15. The defence minister said since April, buildup of troops and armaments by the Chinese side has been witnessed in the border areas adjacent to eastern Ladakh. He said in early May, the Chinese side had taken action to hinder the normal, traditional patrolling pattern of Indian troops in the Galwan Valley area, which resulted in a face-off. Singh said even as this situation was being addressed by the ground commanders as per the provisions of the bilateral agreements and protocol, in mid-May the Chinese side made several attempts to transgress the LAC in other parts of the Western Sector. "This included Kongka La, Gogra and North Bank of Pangong Lake. These attempts were detected early and consequently responded to appropriately by our armed forces. "We made it clear to the Chinese side both through diplomatic and military channels that China was, by such actions, attempting to unilaterally alter the status quo. It was categorically conveyed that this was unacceptable," he said. After Singh's statement, the Congress wanted to raise certain issues which was not allowed by Speaker Om Birla. Unhappy with this, Congress walked out of the House. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Tuesday, September 15, 2020, 17:09 [IST] PROVIDENCE, R.I. - A man from India has pleaded guilty to his role in a scheme that tried to embezzle about $600,000 from seven people over the age of 65 in the U.S., federal prosecutors say. Chirag Sachdeva, 30, participated in a telemarketing scheme that offered victims computer protection services after misleading them to believe that malware had been detected on their computers, according to a statement from the U.S. attorneys office in Rhode Island. The scam involved call centre operators in India obtaining personal and banking information from victims computers through remote access applications, prosecutors said. Sachdeva then contacted an acquaintance in Rhode Island and enlisted him to assist in accessing and stealing funds from the victims bank accounts, authorities said. That acquaintance was co-operating with the FBI. Sachdeva has been held since he was arrested by FBI agents on Feb. 16 as he got off a plane in Boston after a flight from India. He pleaded guilty Monday to seven counts of wire fraud. He faces 20 years in prison at sentencing scheduled for Dec. 8. The Arab Monetary Fund (AMF) has provided financial resources valued at $1.3 billion in the form of new loans or withdrawals on existing loans to Arab countries during the coronavirus pandemic in the first half of 2020, a top official said. Dr Abdulrahman bin Abdullah Al Hamidi, Director-General and Chairman of AMF, made the remark in his opening speech at the 44th edition of the Council of Governors of the Arab Central Banks and Monetary Authorities, which was held remotely this year, reported Emirates news agency Wam. "The global economy is facing the worst economic crisis after the Great Depression caused by a variety of factors, most notably the implications of the coronavirus pandemic, growing trade tensions between major economies and rising debt levels, which have affected both advanced and developing economies and are reflected in forecasts related to global economic growth that predict a recession in 2020, with a global economic decline of 0.5 percent, or 0.8 percent for advanced economies and 0.3 percent for emerging and developing economies, Dr Al Hamidi said. The meeting was attended by governors of central banks and Arab monetary foundations, as well as senior officials from European Central Bank, ECB, Bank for International Settlements, BIS, International Monetary Fund, IMF, World Bank, WB, Bank of France, and the Financial Action Task Force, FATF. It was also attended by representatives of the Arab League, the Gulf Cooperation Council, GCC, Secretariat-General, the Union of Arab Banks, the Union of Arab Securities Authorities, and the Financial Action Task Force in the Middle East and North Africa as observers, in addition to Arab executive directors from the IMF and WB. Al Hamidi noted that AMF statistics highlight an overall economic decline in Arab countries of 0.4 percent in 2020, compared to a growth of 1.6 percent in 2019, resulting from the pandemic. Many Bollywood celebrities including Farhan Akhtar, Shibani Dandekar, Vidya Balan, Taapsee Pannu, Sayani Gupta, Anurag Kashyap and others have condemned the vilification of actress Rhea Chakraborty in Sushant Singh Rajput's death case. Recently, Masaan actress Shweta Tripathi also called out the media trial of Rhea while speaking with Times Now. Shweta, who was recently said in Cargo, told the news portal, "I think we should be in a place to comment if we know something, or if we can manage our own lives. I feel that we are unable to manage our own lives and we comment on others, the ones we don't even know. We really have no right on things in the industry. Kaun paani pi raha hai, kaun daaru pi raha hai industry mein, kaun drugs kar raha hain humanity kaha hai? (Who is drinking water, who is drinking alcohol, who is doing drugs in the film industry, but where is the humanity) So, even if some is doing something wrong, like Gandhi Ji said, if some slap you one the left cheek, you present with the right one." She further added, "Even in Gunjan Saxena, when she is asked to arm wrestle, she knows she is not stronger than him, that she will lose. But she doesn't give up. All these values that we have, we are losing them, so I just want to remind myself also, people around me and people who follow me, let's support each other. Nature is being ruined, we have to wear masks due to COVID and no one cares what is going to happen in 50 years. So instead of feeding your mind to TV, be aware of what is happening. I don't want to change someone's thoughts. Whatever you want to believe in, do believe in that. But open your eyes a little." "Think on a human level, this is no way to treat anyone. Our empathy levels have to be high. We have to have sympathy. Forget about global warming, this way humanity will end humanity. It is important to have empathy," the actress told Times Now. Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput was found dead in his Bandra flat in Mumbai on June 14, 2020. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) is currently investigating his death case. Last week, the NCB arrested Rhea in connection with a drugs case linked to Sushant's demise. ALSO READ: Twinkle Khanna Slams Rhea Chakraborty's Media Trial: They Took A Young Woman & Cut Her In Half ALSO READ: Sayani Gupta On Media Trial Of Rhea Chakraborty: We Have A Judiciary For A Reason SW China border ports enter wartime status after two imported COVID-19 cases confirmed Global Times By Liu Caiyu and Fan Anqi Source: Global Times Published: 2020/9/14 10:41:47 Last Updated: 2020/9/15 0:28:38 Authorities in the city of Ruili, which borders Myanmar in Southwest China's Yunnan Province, Monday called on border places in the city to enter wartime status requiring them to enhance border management and crack down on illegal border crossings after the city reported two imported COVID-19 cases on Sunday. Eight border prefectures and 25 border counties in the province should enter wartime status immediately, enhancing anti-epidemic measures and border management to prevent imported cases, local officials said at a video conference Monday, local media reported. The authorities also said they would launch citywide coronavirus testing to reduce risk of an outbreak. The city government will spare no effort in strengthening border controls, with a 24-hour closed-cycle management that will be applied to all counties and communities near the border, to ensure there are no illegal crossings from neighboring countries, the People's Daily reported Monday, citing another video conference by the Ruili government on Sunday. Officials mobilized local residents to report any illegal border crossings in a timely manner, stating that assistance in any form, including the provision of shelter for illegal trespassers, is strictly prohibited. Population screening will be carried out in all communities and counties across the city, as well as hotels, restaurants, construction sites, and other locations. All local jewelry online streaming and trading activities have been halted, read the government announcement. Staff working at jewelry trading venues or attending group gatherings in such places must take nucleic acid tests, and only those with negative results will be allowed back to their workplaces. Two Myanmar nationals were confirmed to be infected with COVID-19 on Sunday. Both had entered Ruili from the neighboring country, health authorities said. One of them was a 32-year-old woman who went from being an asymptomatic patient to a confirmed one on Sunday. The other was a 16-year-old girl who is being treated at the People's Hospital in Ruili. Close contacts of the two cases have been quarantined and are under medical observation. After a suspected patient was detected, the local anti-epidemic authority on Saturday locked down the neighborhood of Aoxing Shiji. Residents are required to stay at their homes during the lockdown period. The anti-epidemic group will provide residents with support. The suspected case detected on Saturday was the 32-year-old patient, the Ruili city center for disease control and prevention confirmed to the Global Times on Monday. Meanwhile, local police did not confirm whether the two patients had entered Ruili from Myanmar illegally as Ruili borders the Myanmar city of Muse, and people and goods often move through the port. Border controls are widely regarded as an important means of preventing imported cases and preserving the domestic fruits of anti-epidemic moves. Land ports linking Myanmar and China have been closed to passengers since the early days of the epidemic, and freight truck drivers are under epidemic-control measures, the Global Times learned from sources. Since the early stages of the epidemic, authorities in Yunnan - which shares a border of 1,941 kilometers with Myanmar, Laos and Vietnam - have been on high alert on border controls with strict administrative measures. Hundreds of people were found to have illegally crossed the border from Myanmar. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Ruili city in Yunnan province has locked down all border villages and blocked cross-border movement after two imported COVID-19 cases from Myanmar were confirmed over the weekend. According to a notice released by the city's epidemic control command center on Sunday, the number of residents in bordering villages and their movement should be clearly recorded. Any cross-border visits to family members or friends are now prohibited. The local government has also stepped up efforts to crack down on illegal crossings and to persuade illegal immigrants to return. Those who violate the rule will be handled by local public security, the notice said. A citywide screening campaign that targets illegal immigrants in particular will be rolled out to identify hidden risks of the virus' spread and strengthening awareness about disease control measures. Meetings will be reduced and large gatherings, including the city's live broadcasts and trading activities for jade and jewelry, will be halted, the notice said. All weddings will be delayed, and funerals will be held in a simple manner, it added. Mask-wearing will be mandatory in all public spaces, including supermarkets, hotels and workplaces. A variety of virus control policies, such as taking temperatures, conducting disinfections and presenting health codes will also be strengthened. The Yunnan Provincial Health Commission reported two new confirmed imported cases on Sunday. Both are from Myanmar and arrived in Ruili recently. One was identified as an imported asymptomatic case on Saturday and reclassified as a confirmed case on Sunday. The two patients are now receiving treatment at a hospital, and all close contacts have been placed under medical observation. As of Sunday, there were seven imported confirmed cases in Yunnan, including one in critical condition. Five asymptomatic cases are under isolation. Ruili's epidemic control command center also released a notice on Saturday, saying that a residential block will be placed under lockdown starting at 6 pm that day, in response to the detection of a suspected case in it. No residents or vehicles are allowed to leave, it said. Another notice released around the same time said that residents in a residential block nearby should abide by home-based isolation requirements as of 6 pm that day. China has reported no new locally transmitted cases for 29 consecutive days as of Sunday, but there is a steady number of new imported cases found in arrivals on a daily basis. On Sunday, the Chinese mainland reported 10 new confirmed cases, all travelers from overseas. While airline passengers arriving in the country will be managed in a closed-off loop to stem potential risks of the virus' spread, border control officers said previously that regions with land crossings are more susceptible to new infections from overseas as some illegal immigrants may take advantage of small and hidden alleys. Out of everyone's expectation, there's totally 89,294 visitors showed up at CIOE 2020 to source the latest products in ICT, laser, optics, sensor, infrared and photonics. Even inside the world's physically largest exhibition center, some areas still feel crowded in heavy traffic of buyers. All the handshakes and name cards changing were wiping out the depress and anxiety by the COVID-19 at the early beginning. None of us could be imagined such amount of visitors, Limin Zhou, senior director of strategic marketing of MRSI Systems told us : "Even the location is not so ideal, but our booth is so full of people, we are too busy to walk around." Again CIOE 2020 was so proud to present to all peers the energy and confidence of optoelectronic. We sincerely urge you to trust in the industry, to trust our future will be mainly driven by optoelectronic technologies and to trust CIOE could link you to the China's market. We look forward to meeting you all again at CIOE 2021 on September 1-3 at Shenzhen World Exhibition and Convention Center. SOURCE CIOE The Upper House of the Parliament, Rajya Sabha, on Tuesday passed the Aircraft (Amendment) Bill 2020, which was tabled by Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, after an hour-long discussion. The Bill had already been cleared by the Lok Sabha in March this year. The Aircraft (Amendment) Bill 2020 seeks to convert aviation agencies like the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), Bureau of Civil aviation security (BCAS) and Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) into statutory bodies. Under the new Act (after its implementation), any violation will attract heavy punishment, for example, violators will be punished up to two years in jail or fine up to Rs 10 lakhs or both. Carrying arms, ammunition, and explosives or other banned goods on board, and developing illegal construction around the airports will attract fines up to Rs 10 lakhs to Rs 1 crore. During his opening remarks, Puri said in the house that, "India is third largest markets globally after the United States and China, and India is growing rapidly in aviation sectors, in terms of passengers growth in the last five years, passengers growth in terms of 2008-09 and 2013-14, it was 9 per cent and 2014-15 and 2018-20 it was 12.4 per cent passengers growth. At present around 661 aircraft in the sky and coming five years, it will increase with 1,200 aircraft in the Indian sky." Opposition parties had opposed the Bill, and Congress Rajyasabha MP KC Venugopal had raised concern that "Many vacancies in the aviation industry are still vacant from many years, Air Traffic Control (ATC) staff is running very shortly and required the fulfilment. Meanwhile, Venugopal also stressed on the near-miss of the aircraft in the skies since many years." Other Parliamentarians have also questioned Puri regarding the reason behind disinvestment in the carrier Air India. Prassana Acharya from Biju Janta Dal (BJD) asked the minister, "Why other private carriers are operating with full load capacity and Air India is running less capacity in terms of passengers load factors." Meanwhile, a majority of the members praised the government's Vande Bharat Mission to bring back Indians from abroad during COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown. Members also praised the services of Air India and their staffs during the discussion in the House. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The grieving mother of a slain Alabama State University student said she is stunned by her sons death. Toya Cohill had been searching for her son, 22-year-old Adam Dowdell, for nearly a week yet she said she held out hope for a better ending. "Im not good,'' Cohill told AL.com Tuesday. Im not good at all. Dowdells body was discovered Monday afternoon, six days after he vanished. Central Alabama Crime Stoppers on Tuesday announced a reward starting at $1,000 for information leading to an arrest in the students death. Dowdell graduated from Montevallo High School and his family lives in Alabaster. He was a sophomore at ASU. Cohill said she last spoke with her son, affectionately known as Belle, on Monday, Sept. 7, and his siblings spoke with him on Tuesday. Early Wednesday, she started receiving messages from his friends that he had not returned to his dorm room and that no one had heard from him. She said shes learned that on Tuesday night that he left with another student saying he was going to get cash from the bank. He was last known to be wearing a white shirt, checkerboard pants and Air Jordan 12 sneakers. Dowdell did not have a car with him at school, and his mother said if he had been planning to be gone long, he would have taken his book bag and a phone charger with him. Both were left behind. Cohill and other family members rushed to Montgomery Wednesday and remained there until Monday. They werent able to track his phone because the location was turned off and the phone was dead. On Monday, Montgomery and ASU police about 2:45 p.m. responded to the 800 block of Hutchinson Street near the old Booker T. Washington High School after receiving a report of a possible body found. The body was transported to the Alabama Department of Forensic Science for an autopsy. After further investigation, the body was officially identified as Dowdell Jr., said Montgomery police Capt. Saba Coleman. ASU President Quinton T. Ross Jr. released a statement Monday night about Dowdells death. He said Dowdell was a transfer student majoring in physical education. "We all had hoped for a different outcome,'' Ross said. Losing a student is always difficult, and the Hornet Nation is in mourning over his death. Our thoughts and prayers are certainly with Adams mother and the rest of his family and friends as they face this tragic loss. Cohill had just returned to her hotel room when she got a phone call from investigators. "They said they had something to speak with me about and I could go to them or they would come to me,'' she said. I knew when they said theyd come to me it wasnt good. She said she is heartbroken. "We are all so lost, our hearts have just crumbled,'' she said. I didnt expect this. My mind is blank. Dowdell wanted to be a special education teacher. His GPA ranged from a 3.4 to a 4.0. "He was a very smart kid,'' Cohill said. "Adam was a sweet, adorable kid,'' she said. He was very mannerable. Everybody loved him and he loved everybody. This shouldnt have happened to him. Cohill said she doesnt know why her son was killed but said the investigation is progressing and shes confident she will get justice for his death. "It would mean a whole lot to me,'' she said of an arrest. Asked what she would say to the person or people who killed her son, Cohill said this: I hope you rot in Hell. Its just that simple. Police ask that anyone with information call Crime Stoppers at 334-215- STOP, Secret Witness at 334-625-4000 or Montgomery Police at 334-625-2831. Tips to Crime Stoppers can also be submitted via the P3-tips app. These are difficult times. For all. For higher ed. But we are adapting as a community to new realities and are stronger because of it. We are here to help - connecting our readers to each other and to the new opportunities your institution has to offer. As part of World Alzheimer Month this September, the Limerick Leader, in partnership with the HSEs Dementia: Understand Together campaign, is featuring a series of articles on aspects of life with dementia. In this third article, we focus on technology and how it can enhance the lives of people with dementia. Over the past months, as COVID-19 has changed the world we live in, technology has helped us to stay connected with family, friends and colleagues. From family video calls to online shopping, we have all had to adapt in different ways. For those living with dementia, we have also seen the benefits of technology, with online dementia cafes bringing people together for a virtual cuppa, and dementia-inclusive choirs serenading us off into an online musical world. Assistive technology can play a significant role in enhancing the independence and wellbeing of people living with dementia and memory difficulties, while also providing reassurance to families about their safety and welfare. Memory Technology Resource Rooms have now been developed by the HSE in 27 locations across the country for people with memory problems including those living with dementia. These rooms showcase a wide range of technologies and provide assessment and guidance on different products and how these may be helpful. Wide Range Among the items you can expect to see in a Memory Technology Resource Room are: * Automatic pill dispensers and push-button reminders with voice recordings to prompt a person to do something TV remote controls and one-button radios that are accessible and easy-to-use. * Talking photo albums and picture phones with photos of family members on the handset so that a person can make a call by pressing a picture. * Speaking clocks, calendars, wall planners and whiteboards to provide a reminder of appointments. * Item finders that can track down commonly mislaid items. * Motion sensors and mobile phones with in-built trackers Memory Technology Resource Rooms are currently offering a mix of face-to-face consultations by appointment and telephone and video appointments. To find out more, you can speak to your GP or Public Health Nurse, or make an appointment directly with your local Memory Technology Resource Room located in St Camillus Hospital, Shelbourne Road, Limerick telephone 061 483672. ________________ The Dementia: Understand Together campaign is led by the HSE in partnership with the Alzheimer Society of Ireland and Age Friendly Ireland. For information on supports such as weekly Virtual Dementia Cafes for people living with dementia and family carers, as well as information on how to become a dementia champion in your community, visit understandtogether.ie or Freefone 1800 341 341 (Monday to Friday 10am to 5pm,Saturday 10am to 4pm). *Eibhlis Cahalane is Project Lead with HSE Memory Technology Resource Rooms By Jerri-Lynn Scofield, who has worked as a securities lawyer and a derivatives trader. She is currently writing a book about textile artisans. The West Coast apocalypse has crowded out much discussion of other wildfires. And as the southern hemisphere moves into its summer season, Australia is bracing itself that it doesnt repeat last seasons armageddon. But many people are not aware that Brazils Pantanal the worlds largest wetland which is only one of the natural wonders of that country, is on fire and has been burning since July, joining the Amazon in flames. In Brazil, its not just the Amazon that is burning. The worlds largest wetland is on fire too. In June 2004, I took my first trip to Latin America, beginning with some birdwatching in Peru with my husband, and guided by Swedish bird guide Gunnar Engblom. After that trip, which included my first foray to Machu Picchu, I joined a small group tour, which ranged over Peru, Bolivia, Brazil, including an overland cross through the Pantanal, with a brief dip into Argentina to look at their side of the majestic Iguazu Falls. After saying goodbye to my tour mates in Rio de Janiero, I joined a friend, and we explored Rio and then Salvador da Baia. So that I am saddened to report on its current travails. Over to Reuters: A fire has been burning since mid-July in the remote wetlands of west-central Brazil, leaving in its wake a vast charred desolation bigger than New York City. A team of veterinarians, biologists and local guides arrived in late August to prowl the bumpy dirt road known as the Trans-Pantanal Highway in pickup trucks, looking to save what injured animals they could. Jaguars were wandering the blackened wasteland, they said, starving or going thirsty, with paws burnt to the bone, lungs blackened by smoke. They saw bodies of alligator-like caiman, jaws frozen in silent screams, the last act of creatures desperate to cool off before being consumed by flames. This massive fire is one of thousands of blazes sweeping the Brazilian Pantanal the worlds largest wetland this year in what climate scientists fear could become a new normal, echoing the rise in climate-driven fires from California to Australia. I well remember those caiman, who sometimes approached a bit too close for comfort. Theyre not quite nearly as large or as dangerous as Australian crocodiles. And thats a good thing for me. Because if they were, I would be unlikely be present to tell this amusing story. One afternoon, our local wildlife guide took us to the shores of a lake, where I am ashamed to say, he showed the gringo tourists what piranha could do by attracting them with a small bag of meat. And then he wandered a bit inland off the shore, at one point leaving behind the remaining meat. I dont fault him, as the bag was still heavy and he didnt want to carry it. We turned to watch the guide. And then we all turned back to the lake. From which several caiman had emerged, wanting some dinner. And they all froze. It was a bit like they were playing that childrens game I believe it is called Red Light, Green Light. Everyone lines up, and someone plays leaders, and turns around, and screams out Green Light. And then all the players race to tag the leader. Except, he can yell out Red Light, and turn to face her or his challengers, each of whom must STOP immediately. Otherwise if the leader catches them in motion, s/he can call them out and send them back to square one. So here we all were, faced with a line of caiman, who were poised on their way to claiming that meat. Or for all we knew, us. Im here to tell the tale, and perhaps we were never in real danger, as the guide didnt even raise his defense stick. But as recently as August 2004, the Pantanal was teeming with caiman. But perhaps no more. And no one seems to know for sure what the damage has been. As the fires are still burning, it will take some time before the damage may be assessed. As Reuters confirms: The fires are now threatening one of the most biodiverse ecosystems on the planet, biologists say. The Pantanal is home to roughly 1,200 vertebrate animal species, including 36 that are threatened with extinction. Across this usually lush landscape of 150,000 square kilometers (57,915 square miles) in Brazil, rare birds flutter and the worlds densest population of jaguars roam. Including a plethora of bird life I remember in particular, tall marabou storks, and several kinds of macaws scarlet, blue, and hyacinth. Including a particular hyacinth specimen who ruled over the campground where we slept. Her name: chica teta (IIRC), which I believe means little girl. (Forgive my spelling, Im operating on memory here, and Google translate has been no help. Anyone who can help, please chime in in comments, and I will correct the spelling.) Anyway, she was anything but a little girl, and held court behind the bar, unless one of the guides with whom she was in love was nearby. And she would then clamber onto his shoulder. As sometimes happens with large birds especially rare ones that rarely see a mate she had transferred her affections to a big strapping man. To everyone else, she was beastly. I mean, she delighted in grabbing cameras, binoculars, or sunglasses, and then taking them to a great heightt far above. Since she was more than a meter tall, she could fly quite high, even carrying something. She would then release her treasure which would shatter when it collided again with the earth. Im of two minds about posting a video produced by a zoo. I ve opted to do so, so that readers who have never seen one of these beautiful, blue birds, can do so. I trolled through lots of videos to find this one, and it was the least offensive of the lot. And, I regret to say, that alas, with the damage we seem determined to inflict on wildlife, we may only in futures be able so see these natural wonders in zoos. Which I, as an avid birdwatcher, find so depressing to say. Massive Wetland Wildfires Reuters tells us that the wildfires have been especially bad this year: A record 23,490 square kilometers have burned through Sept. 6 nearly 16% of the Brazilian Pantanal, according to a Federal University of Rio de Janeiro analysis. And I emphasize, this is in a wetland, not in dry territory; it typically floods during the rainy season. Reuters again: The Pantanal is known for being wet, not dry. The worlds largest flood plain normally fills with several feet of water during the rainy season from around November to April each year. . This year, the floods never came. Only a little bit of water pooled in a ditch nearby, he said. Now as water evaporates in the dry season, the Paraguay River that traverses the Pantanal has receded to its lowest point since 1973, according to Julia Arieira, a climate researcher at Brazils Federal University of Espirito Santo. Ocean warming is causing the burning, the Atlantic equivalent of the Pacific phenomenon known as El Nino. As per Reuters: Scientists blame the drought on warming in the Atlantic Ocean just above the equator thats drawing moisture away from South America and will send it north, likely in the form of stronger hurricanes. NASA scientist Doug Morton said this phenomenon is caused by shifts in ocean temperature known as the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation the Atlantic Oceans equivalent of El Nino in the Pacific. Unlike El Nino, which typically happens every 2-7 years, the oscillation alternates between hot and cold roughly every 30-40 years. When it runs hot, as it has been since the 1990s, the warming in the tropical North Atlantic is more likely to occur, contributing to South American droughts and fires. Brazilian President Jair Bolsonoro hails from the Donald Trump school of climate change denial, and he has weakened environmental enforcement. So the only optimistic thing I can find to say about fires in the Pantanal is, according to Reuters: No humans have died in the Pantanal fires, according to Mato Grosso state firefighting Lieutenant Colonel Jean Oliveira, who has been leading all government agencies in the fire response. Separately, local media on Thursday reported one fatality in the state. But that doesnt mean nothing has died, writes Reuters: While there arent exact counts, at a minimum thousands of animals have perished, according to biologist Rogerio Rossi at the Federal University of Mato Grosso. The roving veterinary team is able to save only a tiny fraction of the injured animals. Many of these creatures are difficult to catch, far from accessible roads. I encourage interested readers to click on the link above, which features a slideshow. And the entire article is worth a read, if only as a reminder that climate change-fuelled fires respect no borders, although the US is not the only country to be saddled with climate change denialists. by Vladimir Rozanskij Ksenja Fadeeva was Navalny staff coordinator. The blogger, head of the opposition, woke up from a coma and even managed to get up. In the regional elections in several cities of Siberia encouraging results are expected for the opposition. Everywhere the slogan rebounds "The United Russia party [Putin's ed] has bored us!". Yesterday in Sochi the summit between Putin and Lukashenko. Tadeusz Kondrusiewicz is now in Lithuania. Authorities said his Belarusian passport "is not valid". Moscow (AsiaNews) In the Siberian city of Tomsk, precisely where the opposition leader Alexei Navalny was poisoned, the young coordinator of his staff, Ksenja Fadeeva, has been elected deputy of the State Duma (see photo). The elections were held on Sunday 13 September in dozens of regions of the Russian Federation, to elect some governors, mayors and deputies of various federal levels. Even before the entire tally of the results, it was clear how much events this summer had affected voters, from the crisis following the pandemic to the protests in the Far East and Belarus, to the poisoning of Navalnyj. Navalnyj has awakened from a coma in the Berlin clinic where he is hospitalized, hoping to recover completely; he even managed to get up from the hospital bed for a few minutes. The blogger Navalnyj, head of the "street" opposition, went to Tomsk in August to shoot a documentary on the suspicious activities and wealth of some local deputies belonging to President Putin's "United Russia" party. The investigation highlighted the corruption patterns of some companies, the owners of which are allegedly the deputies. On 20 August Navalnyj fell ill on board the plane that was supposed to bring him back to Moscow, but thanks to the pilot's readiness he was immediately disembarked, and after a few days his wife obtained permission to transfer him to Germany, after sending a formal request to Putin himself. In Germany, doctors confirmed the poisoning with the Russian drug Novichok, and the results of the joint Russian-German investigation into the incident are now awaited. Voters were called to vote on 37 seats; five years ago the deputies of "United Russia" won 32, and almost all of them decided to run again this round. The Navalnyj campaign was aimed at winning several seats, especially in the Tomsk area - more prone to corruption - through the mechanisms of "useful votes", for his candidates or those of other parties other than the Putinian one. In addition to Fadeeva, whose victory in the single seat was a real surprise, the other candidate of Navalnyy in Tomsk, Andrej Fateev, also won the seat, who defeated one of the negative protagonists of the video of Navalnyj , Sergej Panasjuk. "We spent a sleepless night, but finally happy," said Fadeeva, waiting for the full results of the polls. Even in other big cities of Siberia, such as Novosibirsk and Irkutsk, and in Magadan in the Far East, despite numerous reports of fraud, encouraging results are expected for the opposition forces, with which the communists and liberal nationalists have joined in various places. , traditionally allies of Putin. Everywhere the slogan "The United Russia party got bored!" Was repeated. Meanwhile, on September 14, the summit between Putin and Lukashenko was held in Sochi, in which it became clear that Russian aid to the Belarusian president (loans to the tune of $ 1.5 billion were also promised) would cost dearly, granting Moscow significant parts of the Belarusian sovereignty. Catholic Archbishop Tadeusz Kondrusiewicz, Metropolitan of Minsk-Mogilev, has recently moved from Poland to Lithuania, where he has been invited to preside over the liturgical celebrations. The official response to the requests for clarification on the refusal to return home arrived from the customs authorities on 14 September: it was communicated that "Kondrusiewicz's passport was declared invalid". Biden calls Trump a climate arsonist as president awards medals to hero servicemen who rescued residents from death. The wildfires sweeping the West Coast of the United States took centre stage in the US election campaign on Monday, with President Donald Trump visiting California and blaming the blazes on poor forest management while his Democratic challenger Joe Biden stressed the role of climate change. The Republican president, seeking re-election on November 3, awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross military honour to seven California national guardsmen who braved wildfire flames to rescue hundreds of residents from burning neighbourhoods. Democrats have blasted Trump for remaining mostly silent about the largest wildfires in state history. Biden called Trump a climate arsonist and warned against re-electing a president who refuses to address climate change. If we have four more years of Trumps climate denial, how many suburbs will be burned by wildfires? How many suburban neighbourhoods will have been flooded out? Biden asked. Democratic US presidential nominee Joe Biden speaks about climate change during a campaign event held at the Delaware Museum of Natural History near his home in Wilmington, Delaware [Leah Millis/Reuters] Biden, who has been slammed by Republicans for not visiting disaster areas, spoke from his home state of Delaware on the threat of extreme weather that climate scientists have said is supercharging fires. The president and his administration have sought to pin the blame for the large wildfires on state officials, saying that fuel-choked forests need to be thinned, firebreaks must be cut, and flammable dead leaves cleared from forest floors. I think this is more of a management situation, Trump said, when asked by a reporter if climate change was a factor behind the fires, claiming that many other countries are not facing a similar problem. They dont have problems like this. They have very explosive trees, but they dont have problems like this. President Donald Trump talks with reporters in front of Air Force One as he arrives for a briefing on the fires in California in McClellan Park, California [Jonathan Ernst/Reuters] California Governor Gavin Newsom confronted Trump in a meeting with state and local officials, pointing out that the vast majority of forest in California is federally owned. We can agree to disagree on the politics, Newsom said. But one thing is fundamental, 57 percent of the land in this state is federal and three percent is state forests, he said. Trumps administration has waged a series of legal battles with Democratic-run California, the most populous US state, on a variety of issues including environmental policy. California has sued the Trump administration more than 100 times. Trump lost badly in California in the 2016 election and is expected to fare poorly there in November. Newsom also said to Trump that he views climate change as the primary cause behind the fires and added we assert the science that climate change is real. Another official echoed Newsom to which Trump responded, It will start getting cooler. Just watch. I dont think science knows, actually, Trump said. California Governor Gavin Newsom confronts President Trump about the federal responsibility for forest management in California during a briefing at Sacramento McClellan Airport [Andrew Harnik/AP Photo] Trump has pulled the US out of the 2015 Paris Agreement that laid out an international approach to climate change, while Biden says climate change is on his list of major crises facing the US and has promised to return to the Paris accord. Scorching Wildfires across Oregon, California and Washington state have destroyed thousands of homes and a half dozen small towns since August, scorching more than 1.6 million hectares (4 million acres) and killing at least 35 people. Oregons Department of Emergency Services said 22 people were missing in the series of blazes that swept across the southern portion of the state last week. Drone footage showed hundreds of homes reduced to ashes in the southern Oregon communities of Phoenix and Talent, around 8km (5 miles) south of Medford last week, after a wind-driven firestorm raced north, blowing embers into trailer parks and residential subdivisions. The state is also deploying its National Guard to flattened neighborhoods and up to 1,000 troops will be there by the weekend, the head of the Oregon National Guard said. Trump has authorised federal disaster aid for both California and Oregon. He said forest management changes were something that could be tackled quickly. Thousands of bats woke from their slumber and flew out of a tunnel in Arizona to feast before dusk and the National Weather Service captured the event on radar. The organization picked up the massive colony in Phoenix Sunday, which highlighted what appears to be a burst like fireworks coming from a single point. Officials believe it was a colony of Mexican free-tailed bats that dispersed in search of insects around the city. There are 28 bat species living in Arizona, but the Mexican free-tailed does the most pest control around the state some roosts contains millions that consume 250 tons of insects in a night. Scroll down for videos Thousands of bats woke from their slumber and flew out of a tunnel in Arizona to feast before dusk and the National Weather Service captured the event on radar. The organization picked up the massive colony in Phoenix Sunday, which highlighted what appears to be a burst like fireworks coming from a single point The National Weather Service (NWS) picked up the colony Sunday evening just before dusk. Officials were initially perplexed by the bursting motion on the radar, but determined it was a result of flapping animals in the sky. NWS meteorologist Sean Benedict, told AZFamily: That doesnt look like a normal shower, the way everything is sort of fanning out. They dont really have a uniform direction. Thats usually your clue initially that its probably animals flying around. Officials believe it was a colony of Mexican free-tailed bats that dispersed in search of insects around the city This time of year, the beginning of the fall season, is when Arizona typically has the most bat sightings, as these animals are making their way to Mexico where they will ride out the winter. However, during the summer, Mexican free-tailed bats flood Phoenix with colonies reaching their peak size around July and August. Experts are not sure where the recent colony came from Sunday night, but due to the urban landscape they believe they were roosting under a bridge during daylight hours. The National Weather Service (NWS) picked up the colony Sunday evening just before dusk. Officials were initially perplexed by the bursting motion on the radar, but determined it was a result of flapping animals The NWS has captured other flapping animals with its weather radar. Back in February a flock of birds took off around midnight near Key West and meteorologists estimate the radius of the flock is at least 90 miles out from the center. Experts believe this group began its journey in Cuba, passed over the keys and found a spot in Florida to land just before sunrise. The sighting, which is called roost rings is particularly common around this time, as birds take off from their roosting sites around dawn in order to forage for food. The NWS has captured other flapping animals with its weather radar. Back in February a flock of birds took off around midnight near Key West and meteorologists estimate the radius of the flock is at least 90 miles out from the center The video of the flock was shared by the National Weather Service Key West, which wrote: Key West radar had a busy night, but not because of weather! The most impressive display of migratory birds so far this year occurred overnight. This product distinguishes between biological targets (birds) shown in green/yellow and meteorological targets (showers and rain) depicted in darker blues. Weather Service meteorologist Kate Lenninger of the Key West office, told the Tampa Bay Times: There was kind of a stable layer of air above us that was deflecting the radar beam closer to the surface. So, we were able to pick up more low level objects. (Natural News) Book Excerpt: Wildfires (Article by Marc Morano republished from ClimateDepot.com) The mainstream media seems to be very sure that wildfires are getting worse because of man-made global warming. ABC World News Tonight warned in 2014 that here in America, more wildfires, intense burns have arrived courtesy of climate change. CBS This Morning featured climate fear promoter Michio Kaku, predicting hundred-year droughts, hundred-year forest fires and claiming that something is very dangerously happening with the weather. Al Gore also thinks he knows all about wildfires. All over the West were seeing these fires get much, much worse, Gore said in 2017, adding, the underlying cause is the heat. But the science tells a very different story. A 2016 study published by the Royal Society reported, There is less fire in the global landscape today than centuries ago and the global area burned has seen a slight decline over past decades. The study, by Stefan Doerr and Cristina Santin of Swansea University in Wales, noted that many consider wildfire as an accelerating problem, with widely held perceptions both in the media and scientific papers of increasing fire occurrence, severity and resulting losses. However, important exceptions aside, the quantitative evidence available does not support these perceived overall trends. The study also found that the data for the western U.S. indicates little change overall, and also that area burned at high severity has overall declined compared to pre-European settlement. Direct fatalities from fire and economic losses also show no clear trends over the past three decades. The researchers concluded, The data available to date do not support a general increase in area burned or in fire severity for many regions of the world. Indeed there is increasing evidence that there is overall less fire in the landscape today than there has been centuries ago, although the magnitude of this reduction still needs to be examined in more detail. According to the study, fire is a fundamental natural ecological agent in many of our ecosystems and only a problem where we choose to inhabit these fire-prone regions or we humans introduce it to non-fire-adapted ecosystems. The wildfire problem is essentially more a social than a natural one. Researchers from the Universidad Carlos III de Madrid found that climate change is not to blame for increased forest fires in the Mediterranean basin. The change in the occurrence of fires that are recorded in the historical research cannot be explained by the gradual change in climate. The fires instead correspond to changes in the availability of fuel, the use of sources of energy, and the continuity of the landscape. In the United States, wildfires are also due in part to a failure to thin forests or remove dead and diseased trees. In 2014, forestry professor David B. South of Auburn University testified to the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee that data suggest that extremely large megafires were four-times more common before 1940, adding that we cannot reasonably say that anthropogenic global warming causes extremely large wildfires. As he explained, To attribute this human-caused increase in fire risk to carbon dioxide emissions is simply unscientific. The evidence is so strong that even the Los Angeles Times featured an article rebuking Governor Jerry Brown for his claims that Californias 2015 wildfires were a real wake-up call to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, which he claimed were in many respects driving all of this. The Times article noted, But scientists who study climate change and fire behavior say their work does not show a link between this years wildfires and global warming, or support Browns assertion that fires are now unpredictable and unprecedented. There is not enough evidence, they say. Dominick DellaSala, chief scientist at the Geos Institute in Ashland, Oregon, has conducted research on fires in the western United States and found them declining. If we use the historical baseline as a point in time for comparison, then we have not seen a measurable increase in the size or the severity of fires, DellaSala said. In fact, what we have seen is actually a deficit in forest fires compared to what early settlers were dealing with when they came through this area. A 2014 study found that Colorado wildfires have not become more severe since the 1900s. The severity of recent fires is not unprecedented when we look at fire records going back before the 1900s, said research scientist Tania Schoennagel. The study, one of the largest of its kind ever undertaken in the western United States, was published in the journal PLOS ONE and funded by the National Science Foundation. Read more at: ClimateDepot.com A Philadelphia police cruiser drives past the homeless encampment on the Parkway in mid-August. The encampment is an example of how the Black Lives Matter movement in Philadelphia has mushroomed to become about far more than policing. Read more Lindell Payne raised a bullhorn as he stood in front of the homeless encampment on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, the place he has called home for a month. Signs flapped overhead reading Housing Now and Black Lives Matter two messages he believes are one and the same. I am an example of chronic homelessness, the Black 40-year-old told reporters last week, describing two decades spent in and out of shelters and jail, in part, he said, because of a criminal justice system he couldnt get out from under. The tent city where he lives was organized by activists who have tied the fight for housing to racial justice, saying Payne and many of those living in the camps which city officials are threatening to clear any day now have faced homelessness as a result of policing and mass incarceration systems that disproportionately impact Black people. This summer of protests for Black lives has revitalized the affordable housing movement in Philadelphia. Two weeks after thousands began taking to Philadelphias streets in June to protest against police brutality and racial injustice in the wake of the killing of George Floyd, activists began setting up the encampment on the Parkway, which some at the time called a community of Black Lives Matter. The camps on the Parkway and in North Philadelphia outside Philadelphia Housing Authority headquarters, where the residents are overwhelmingly people of color, are part home, part political statement. READ MORE: They said his name: How George Floyd changed a city 1,100 miles away The encampment organizers are some of the same people who led this summers uprising in the city, and they say racism, policing, a lack of affordable housing, and homelessness are inextricably linked. They arent surprised housing justice has become a focus of the movement in Philadelphia, among the poorest big cities in America, one where the waiting list for public housing stretches about 40,000 people long and has been closed for seven years; one where, according to a recent study, there are twice as many households that earn less than $30,000 per year than rental units those households can afford; one that could be facing a looming eviction crisis. So many of the protesters in the streets this summer talked about wanting criminal reform, but at the end of the day, almost all these systems [have] a disproportionate impact on Black and brown lives, said Jared Trujillo, president of the Association of Legal Aid Attorneys. Theyre really part of the same system, and theyre ultimately the same people. The city has provided several warnings to vacate, calling the encampments safety hazards, but organizers and residents, supported by a network of volunteers and donors, have refused to leave. Theyre demanding the city license vacant property to encampment residents, rather than provide shelter or other temporary options. READ MORE: Low incomes make Philadelphia homes less affordable, Pew study finds In addition to the camps, protesters have held anti-eviction signs and demanded a rent freeze at protests aimed at reducing the police budget. Some of the same people who organized marches against police brutality were arrested this month for blocking the entrances to landlord-tenant court in Center City. They were hoping to stop evictions from proceeding as Philadelphians face losing their homes amid a pandemic and an economic crisis. This fight for housing, protesters say, wouldnt have the support and attention it does today without the renewed fight against racism. This feels like what its culminating to, said Jamaal Henderson, an activist with ACT UP Philadelphia who campaigns for people with HIV, including housing. Hes experienced homelessness himself, and said only after he found permanent housing did he feel he could improve other aspects of his life, including mental and physical health. Henderson said ACT UP sees housing as a core tenet of its work. He said the encampments have forced new conversations about the shelter system and the pathway to permanent housing. Across America, people experiencing homelessness are three times more likely to be Black than white. As for the connection to the protesters' push to defund the police, Henderson says its math: The police budget increased by more than $130 million over the past six years. What if that money went to homelessness prevention instead? READ MORE: Philadelphia keeps clearing homeless encampments. But who is being helped? Trujillo said poverty is over-policed," in that people who live in public housing or shelter systems that have their own police forces, or attend schools in low-income neighborhoods, are more likely to have interactions with law enforcement. And if youre more likely to have these interactions, youre more likely to have negative interactions, he said. So the criminalization [of homelessness] just goes hand in hand with poverty, with racism, and then being seen as so much less human in so many different systems. A fight thats lasted generations Racial justice movements have historically been ignited by police brutality, then expanded to economic equality, whether its jobs like the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom in 1963 poverty, or housing, said Mary Frances Berry, professor of American social thought and history at the University of Pennsylvania. She pointed to the 1968 Kerner Commission, which was convened by President Lyndon B. Johnson and concluded that civil unrest was largely caused by poor conditions in majority Black neighborhoods, including a lack of government investment in affordable housing and discriminatory policies. In 2016, organizers in some communities advocated for housing affordability, while protest encampments demanding housing-related policy change have also sprouted this summer in Seattle and New York. The Black Lives Matter movement, it means exactly that, that Black lives matter, Trujillo said. Its a call of cultural reckoning, even in these liberal cities like New York City, or Philadelphia, that governments need to treat people like it. In Philadelphia, racist housing policies have shaped generations, including thousands of property deeds that in the 1920s and 30s included language that barred people who werent white from buying homes in certain neighborhoods, according to a study released last year. Philadelphians have been victims of predatory housing, redlining, discrimination and racial injustice, of police violence, of state violence, of neglect of abuse and mismanagement for generations, Tara Taylor, an organizer and resident of the camp on the Parkway, said. "Weve been fighting for access to permanent housing for low- and no-income Philadelphians for a long time, and we are not going to stop until we get it every day. Taylor said the encampment residents, fed up with shelters, worked with activists to create a community. Michael Wilson, an assistant coordinator at the Parkway encampment, has worked for years with Philly for R.E.A.L. Justice and the Workers World Party on racial justice and affordable housing. Both grassroots organizations have been active in demonstrations this summer against police brutality. After spending time with the residents of the camp this summer, Wilson said the fight against homelessness is now personal. A general contractor by day, Wilson said hes taken off work for the last week to spend time at the encampment and provide supplies like water bottles and tents. The people have risen up ourselves, and were pushing this narrative by being in Whos Who Philadelphia. As long as the rich and the poor have to exist this close, he said, pinching his fingers and motioning to the apartment buildings overlooking the Parkway, theyre not going to be able to look away. Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated how many people are on the waiting list for public housing in Philadelphia. It is about 40,000 people. FRANKFORT, Ky. - The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources has stocked about 2,400 endangered freshwater mussels into the Green River. A statement from the agency said about half were placed into the river within Mammoth Cave National Park earlier this month and the other half were placed upriver. The initiative seeks to restore the rayed bean mussel, which has not been found in Kentucky waters in more than 40 years. The mussels were moved from the Allegheny River in Pennsylvania because of a tar spill, the Department of Fish and Wildlife said. The Center for Mollusk Conservation in Frankfort will share a different species of mussel with Pennsylvania for additional research next spring, the statement said. The re-introduction of the federally endangered rayed bean into Mammoth Cave National Park is an important step in re-establishing this species in its historic Kentucky range, Mammoth Cave Science and Resource Management Chief Tim Pinion said. Yesterday, during the second day of the Monsoon Session in Parliament, Samajwadi Party MP Jaya Bachchan had lashed out at those trying to tarnish the reputation of the film industry. The former actress condemned Kangana Ranaut, for comparing the film industry to a gutter. Now, Kangana has hit back at the former actress with a tweet on social media. Sharing a video of Jaya Bachchans speech in the Parliament, Kangana wrote, Jaya ji would you say the same thing if in my place it was your daughter Shweta beaten, drugged and molested as a teenage, would you say the same thing if Abhieshek complained about bullying and harassment constantly and found hanging one day? Show compassion for us also. Jaya ji would you say the same thing if in my place it was your daughter Shweta beaten, drugged and molested as a teenage, would you say the same thing if Abhieshek complained about bullying and harassment constantly and found hanging one day? Show compassion for us also AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA https://t.co/gazngMu2bA Kangana Ranaut (@KanganaTeam) September 15, 2020 Previously in an interview with a leading daily, Kangana called the industry a gutter stating that 99% of the people who work in it have been exposed to drugs. BERLIN (AP) Six European Union countries and the bloc's executive Commission have begun testing a virtual gateway to ensure national coronavirus tracing apps can work across borders. The trial starting Monday will allow national computer systems that run tracing apps in the Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Italy and Latvia to communicate with each other via a central hub. If the tests succeed, travelers from each of the six countries will be able to use their own apps while abroad in the other five to ensure they're notified if they have been in close contact to another user who tests positive. Tracing apps were touted as a potentially game-changing tool to reduce the spread of COVID-19, but most have been beset with privacy concerns, technical problems or users' apathy. Among the most popular apps is the one developed in Germany, which has been downloaded 18 million times in a country of 83 million. So far an estimated 3,700 people in Germany have confirmed in the app that they tested positive, alerting other users they were in close contact with over the previous fortnight that they might have been exposed. Getting apps to work across borders has posed a headache because of differing national data protection rules and tracing systems in place. But officials say that the large number of people traveling across the EU for work and leisure makes communication across national apps essential. Travel and personal exchange are the core of the European project and the single market, Thierry Breton, the EU Commissioner for the single market, said in a statement. The gateway will facilitate this in these times of pandemic and will save lives. Operators hope the gateway, consisting of a server located in Luxembourg, will be fully functional next month. Other countries that use the same decentralized system for their apps designed to ensure maximum user privacy will be able to join later. France, which has opted for a system where data is stored centrally, will likely not become part of the network. ___ Follow AP pandemic coverage at http://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-15 13:08:50|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close KATHMANDU, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- The Nepali government has decided to allow resumption of domestic flights and long-distance public ground transport services starting from September 21, after a hiatus of nearly six months, a Nepali cabinet minister said. The Nepali government had suspended these services in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic in late March. The Nepali government's decision came ahead of major festivals in Nepal, Dashain and Tihar, when people tend to travel faraway places. "The cabinet meeting on Monday decided to resume both domestic flights and long-haul ground public transportation services to help normalize the people's lives," Yogesh Bhattarai, minister for culture, tourism and civil aviation, told Xinhua on Tuesday morning. Even though COVID-19 cases in Nepal are resurging in recent weeks, Bhattarai said that these services would be resumed by ensuring that the health protocols are followed strictly. He said that his ministry has already prepared the necessary health protocol to be followed by airlines while conducting domestic flights. As of Monday, the Nepali government has reported 55,329 COVID-cases and total deaths of 360 from the pandemic. Officially, the Nepali government in early July had decided to allow short-distance public transport to resume services. But local administrations in many districts have halted entire transportation services, citing the resurgence in COVID-19 cases in the recent weeks. The Himalayan country has already allowed scheduled international flights starting from early September, allowing foreign diplomats, representatives of international organizations and the Nepalis who had received prior approval from the Nepali government to enter the country, to come to Nepal. Enditem Jordan's Tree Moving & Maintenance "We have always been very committed to providing the highest quality service to our customers. Finding a company with that same philosophy makes this a terrific match.-David Jordan,Owner of Jordan's Tree Moving & Maintenance SavATree, the industry leader in professional tree, shrub and lawn care, has announced the acquisition of Jordans Tree Moving & Maintenance of Fort Collins, CO. Jordans Tree Moving & Maintenance is one of the largest local tree care and tree transplanting companies in the Front Range. They have been servicing customers in Northern Colorado and Wyoming since 1984. SavATree will incorporate Jordans into its existing Fort Collins, CO branch. Since 1984, Jordans Tree Moving & Maintenance has developed a well-trained staff and built a strong brand and reputation in the tree care industry. Jordans service offerings range from tree pruning and trimming to tree transplanting and removals. In addition to current offerings, clients will now have access to a wider range of services including professional lawn care, plant health care, organic options and consulting services. SavATrees Executive Chairman Daniel van Starrenburg stated, We are thrilled to join forces with Jordans Tree Moving & Maintenance. Our shared commitment to exceptional service and customer satisfaction will ensure a smooth transition for all clients and allow us to expand our reach in the west. This acquisition builds on the successful acquisition of Mountain High Tree, Lawn & Landscape and Swingle Lawn, Tree & Landscape Care. Jordans Tree Moving & Maintenance owner David Jordan noted, We have always been very committed to providing the highest quality service to our customers. Finding a company with that same philosophy makes this a terrific match. BARRY Legislation was introduced Monday to give federal recognition to the Pike County site of the first town registered by an African-American before the Civil War. New Philadelphia already is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is designated as a National Historic Landmark. House Resolution 8224, introduced by Congressman Darin LaHood, would create New Philadelphia National Historical Park as part of the national park system. The site has melded into the town of Barry, but its history has drawn renewed interest during the past several years. New Philadelphias story began with a freed slave, Frank. Because slaves were recognized by their first names only, he would be known just as Frank from the time he was born in 1777 in South Carolina until he petitioned state lawmakers to take the legal last name of McWorter in 1837, according to the National Park Service. He made his way toward Illinois which did not permit slavery earning money by mining saltpeter and buying his wifes freedom in 1817 and his freedom in 1819. His familys farm was established in 1831, about 20 miles from the Mississippi River in Pike Countys Hadley Township. With the money the family made farming their 80 acres, McWorter was able to buy another tract and 42 acres of the 80-acre tract became the 144 60- by 120-foot lots known as New Philadelphia in 1836, according to the National Park Service. Blacks and whites lived together in the settlement until most of the land reverted to agricultural use by the turn of the century. McWorter died in 1854. Records indicate that, by that time, he had bought the freedom of 16 enslaved individuals at a cost of $14,000, a sum equal to hundreds of thousands of dollars in todays currency," according to the National Park Service. New Philadelphia and Frank McWorters story is an important part of our Illinois and our nations history that is not often told, LaHood said. Since joining Congress, I have been proud to work with my colleagues in Congress, the Pike County community and the New Philadelphia Association to properly preserve and recognized this historical site. I believe that this site deserves to be a National Historic Park and I am proud to introduce legislation to designate it as such. Congress in 2014 initiated a study to determine if New Philadelphia should be under the umbrella of the National Park Service, which manages more than 400 sites nationwide. LaHood toured the site in 2016 and has championed the case of inclusion as a national park, working with the New Philadelphia Association. The group said it was excited about the resolutions introduction. Preserving and telling the story of New Philadelphia and its founder is a part of American history that has not been told. The including of the town site as part of the national park system will preserve and bring this important part of our national history to people now and in the future, New Philadelphia Association President Philip E. Bradshaw said. We are very pleased at this time of social unrest that Congressman LaHood and other leaders recognize the need to preserve and tell this remarkable story. New Delhi: Mulayam Singh Yadav loyalist Amar Singh, who has been at the forefront of the raging feud between Samajwadi Party patriarch and his son Akhilesh in an interview from London on Tuesday said that he is not on any side. He also said that he is expelled from the party and readily accepts it. Taking a jibe at Akhilesh Yadav, he added that Mulayam Singh does not consider me as villain and it doesnt matter if others consider me as Shakuni or Khalnayak. He also said that the day I wish to join BJP, will do it and wont keep it a secret. Also Read: Yadav Family Feud | Amar Singh decides to skip UP Polls, going back to London for treatment Amar Singh left for London a day before the Elections Commission was to adjudicate on Samajwadi Party feud for party symbol, for a good two and a half months. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. IMAGE: An Indian Air Force fighter jet flies over Ladakh. Photograph: ANI Photo The government on Tuesday declined the opposition's demand for discussion on the standoff between Indian and Chinese forces at the Line of Actual Control in Ladakh. Sources said during the Business Advisory Committee meeting of Lok Sabha, Congress leaders raised the demand for discussion on the recent standoff of Indian forces with the neighbouring country's troops in eastern Ladakh. Floor leaders of all parties attend the BAC meeting which decides the agenda for the House. Sources said parliamentary affairs minister Pralhad Joshi, representing the government, suggested that the issue is sensitive and related to national security and thus can't be made public. Update: Pleasant Street remained closed at 11 p.m. HOLYOKE One man has been arrested for possession of incendiary devices after multiple law enforcement agencies blocked off a street in the Highlands for at least 12 hours and evacuated residents from six homes Tuesday. Officials have given few details about the investigation and have not released the name of the suspect arrested. Around noon a man wearing a knit hat, dark-colored T-shirt and blue jeans was seen handcuffed and sitting in the back of a police van. Fire Capt. Kevin Cavagnac announced at about 11:50 a.m. that the Holyoke Police and Fire Departments were investigating a report of incendiary devices at 91 Pleasant St. The Massachusetts State Police Bomb Squad, the state Fire Marshals Office and federal agents from the FBI and the department of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives also responded to the scene. At 11 p.m., nearly 12 hours after the incident began, Pleasant Street remained closed between Amherst and Princeton streets. Fire trucks and police cars remain parked along the street with their lights flashing. Residents had not been allowed to return as of 4:30 p.m., Cavagnac said. It was unclear if they have since been permitted to enter their homes. The public is asked to avoid the area. Related Content: Holyoke man pleads guilty to drug distribution months after police raid homes, find 2,300 bags of heroin Police make second arrest in July shooting death of Jose Bonilla of Holyoke Holyoke police arrest 3 in shooting that went into apartment windows, confiscate 2 guns The Ukrainian leader says the international community is waiting for the details of the poisoning case. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has condemned a recent attempt on Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny's life with the use of a chemical nerve agent from the Novichok group. He announced this at a joint press conference with Austrian Federal Chancellor Sebastian Kurz in Vienna, Austria, on September 15. Read alsoMFA Ukraine calls for Russia sanctions over Navalny poisoning The event was broadcast live on the Facebook page of the President's Office. "We indeed share the opinion as for [the case of] Mr. Navalny and condemn the attempt on Mr. Navalny's life. The entire world, as it seems to me, [and] we are waiting for more detailed things about that attempt. We expect them to appear in the near future," Zelensky said. Navalny poisoning: Background The state mismanaged its evacuation of 3,439 inmates who were moved in the last week from four minimum- and medium-security prisons in the Willamette Valley to prisons in Salem and Madras due to wildfire smoke, their attorneys said Monday. Inmates with different security levels were mixed, leading to a rash of fights, the lawyers said. Guards were unprepared and used pepper spray to respond to rioting, adding the toxic chemical to prisons already filled with smoke from nearby fires, they said. Inmates also didnt get their medication on time, they said, and no meals were served for nearly 24 hours for women prisoners transferred out of Coffee Creek Correctional Institution. Some inmates were forced to sleep on the floor, with little social distancing and increased risk of the coronavirus, according to family members. Women transported in the middle of the night from Coffee Creek Correctional Institution sat on buses for hours, forcing them to urinate in their pants without access to bathrooms. Women were peeing in cups and throwing tampons and feces out the buses, said Rod Richardson, whose wife Tammy Saylor was among those moved from the womens prison in Wilsonville to Deer Ridge Correctional Institution in Madras. Once at Deer Ridge, she had to sleep on metal bed springs for hours before mattresses arrived, he said. A group of attorneys representing inmates on Monday urged Gov. Kate Brown to release those who are medically vulnerable and are six months away from release. It appears as if there wasnt a plan for this, said attorney Tara Herivel, who described the Oregon Department of Corrections actions as extremely haphazard. More than 180 habeas corpus court cases are pending across the state by inmates already arguing that the prison conditions are unsafe, increasing their risk of contracting the coronavirus. Lawyers are expected to incorporate the latest prison evacuations and changes into those cases, pointing to the altered, deteriorating conditions as further examples of alleged deliberate indifference to inmates' medical conditions and safety, Herivel said. The Corrections Department has not only abused and mistreated our clients and other Oregonians in prison, they have exposed them to a mass COVID contraction environment, she wrote to state officials. Jennifer Black, spokeswoman for the Corrections Department, said the agency recognizes that life at some of our institutions is not ideal for those who live and work at them because of the wildfire emergency. However, life and safety are our first priority and we will return to normal operations as soon as conditions allow. Inmates from the Oregon State Correctional Institution, the Santiam Correctional Institution and Mill Creek Correctional, which are all in Salem and sit closest to the mouth of the Santiam Canyon, were moved to the Oregon State Penitentiary, also in Salem, last week. The inmates from Mill Creek and Santiam are now back at those prisons, according to Black. The Corrections Department has extensive emergency preparedness plans that cover evacuations, mainly for a potential Cascadia earthquake, Black said. The state faced unique circumstances it couldnt predict with the latest wildfires raging in the state and smoke conditions, she said. So parts of our plan did not go as smoothly as we would have liked, Black said. For example, the buses transferring women inmates out of Coffee Creek couldnt make planned restroom stops because many of them were closed due to wildfires, she said. Meals and medications werent provided on a normal schedule as well, she said. We know and understand this was a huge issue and will make significant changes during the return trips, Black said. During an emergency, operations do not run as efficiently as normal. There also were several altercations among inmates at the Oregon State Penitentiary last week, often during mealtimes when inmates from different facilities had to share the same area, Black said. No stabbing occurred as some inmates had suggested, she said. The state prison staff is working with the Office of Inspector General to identify potential conflicts between inmates and make appropriate moves to cut down on any fights, she said. Men housed in the medium security facility at Deer Ridge Correctional Institution had to be moved to the empty minimum security facility at the prison to make room for the arriving women inmates from Coffee Creek, Black said. Since the coronavirus outbreak, the governor has released 57 inmates early, the Corrections Department confirmed. Attorneys representing Oregon inmates said that number is far below the steps taken in California and Washington state to reduce prison populations during the pandemic. As of Friday, six inmates have died of COVID-19 and 890 have tested positive for the coronavirus. There have been 225 prison staff who have tested positive for COVID-19 and 196 who have recovered, according to the department. There are a total of 13,393 adult inmates in custody, and the department has tested 4,485 of them, about 30 percent of the population, according to Black. On Aug. 25, Brown asked the Corrections Department to provide her with a list of adults in custody who are medically vulnerable to COVID-19 or within two months of release who meet certain criteria. If they are particularly vulnerable to the coronavirus, have served at least 50% of their sentence for a non-violent crime, have a good record of conduct for the past year, a suitable housing plan upon release and dont present an unacceptable safety or security risk, theyre likely to face early release, the governor wrote. She asked the department for a list of adults who meet the criteria by Sept. 18. While DOC has acted quickly to meet the threat presented by COVID-19 and calibrated its approach based on the available evidence, there are limits to the ability to practice physical distancing in a correctional setting, Brown wrote in August, before the wildfires presented new challenges. Speaking on a Zoom call organized by their lawyers Monday, relatives of inmates spoke of the conditions their loved ones have faced in the last week. Lynn James-Jackson, said her husband Tecuma Jackson was diagnosed with Crohns disease and has suffered burning in his chest, throat and eyes from the smoke and soot seeping into the Oregon State Penitentiary. Tecuma Jackson, 46, has spent 21 years in custody on robbery, kidnapping and burglary convictions. He wrote to his wife that men are sleeping on the floor, maybe two feet apart from one another. All of the windows are open, and the industrial fans are blowing. Hell, we might as well be sleeping outside in the middle of this crap, he wrote, according to the correspondence shared with The Oregonian/OregonLive. Another inmate at Deer Ridge on Monday called their lawyer to complain that his dorm was thick with smoke and men suffering from asthma attacks and migraines were getting yelled at when they asked for help. Some of the women transferred to Deer Ridge hadnt eaten for nearly 24 hours. They protested the conditions, some throwing tables or breaking chairs, according to inmates and their relatives. Chris Gillespie said his wife Mari-Teresa Gillespie was moved from Coffee Creek by bus to Deer Ridge. She has two and a half more months to serve on strangulation and tampering with a witness convictions. The building that theyre now in has more smoke in it than the one that theye left, he said. ------ A look at the inmates who were evacuated: Total number of evacuated adult inmates: 3,439 Deer Ridge Correctional Institution 766 (The male inmates were moved from medium security housing to the empty minimum security facility at Deer Ridge to open up the medium security housing for the women inmates arriving from Coffee Creek.) Coffee Creek Correctional Facility 1,303 Mill Creek Correctional Facility, Oregon State Correctional Institution, and Santiam Correctional Institution 1,370 -- Maxine Bernstein Email at mbernstein@oregonian.com; 503-221-8212 Follow on Twitter @maxoregonian Subscribe to Facebook page An Indian Army jawan was martyred and two others, including an officer, were injured on Tuesday when Pakistani troops violated ceasefire along the Line of Control (LoC) in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir. Earlier, officials had said that three Army personnel including an officer were injured in Pakistani firing. In the afternoon hours, the Pakistani Army initiated unprovoked ceasefire violation by firing with small arms and intense shelling with mortars along LoC in Sunderbani sector of the district. The Indian Army retaliated befittingly. The officer, along with another soldier, is undergoing treatment at the military hospital, sources told news agency PTI. Live TV The Centre on September 14 had said that there have been 3,186 incidents of ceasefire violations along the LoC in Jammu region in this year (from January 1 to September 7). In addition, 242 incidents of cross-border firing have occurred along Indo-Pak International Border in Jammu region in this year (January 1 to August 31). There have been eight fatal casualties and two non-fatal casualties of Army personnel in Jammu and Kashmir in this year (till September 7, 2020). In addition, there have been five non-fatal casualties of Border Security Force (BSF) personnel occurred along International Border and Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir. Appropriate retaliation to the ceasefire violations, as required, has been carried out by Indian Army and the BSF. In addition, all the cases of ceasefire violations are taken up with Pakistan authorities through the established mechanisms of hotlines, flag meetings, Directorate General of Military Operations talks as well as diplomatic channels between the two countries. Minister of State for Defence Shripad Naik said, replying to a question in the Rajya Sabha had said, ""Appropriate retaliation to the ceasefire violations, as required, has been carried out by Indian Army/BSF." Notwithstanding the coronavirus pandemic in the region, Pakistan has been resorting to unprovoked ceasefire violations along the LoC and making concerted efforts to push terrorists into Kashmir. The Pakistani hostilities increased after India announced its decision to withdraw the special status of Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcate the state into two union territories in August 2019. The Pakistan Army resorts to border shelling as a cover to help Pakistan-based terrorists infiltrate into Kashmir, according to Army officials. BERLIN (dpa-AFX) - German automaker Daimler AG, along with its unit Mercedes-Benz USA LLC, have agreed to pay $1.5 billion after U.S. regulatory authorities approved a settlement in civil proceedings regarding diesel emissions in the country. As part of the settlement, Daimler will recall and repair the emissions systems in Mercedes-Benz diesel vehicles sold in the United States between 2009 and 2016. With the settlement, proceedings regarding emission control systems of around 250,000 diesel vehicles in the United States will be resolved. The settlement addresses allegations that, from 2009 to 2016, Daimler manufactured, imported, and sold more than 250,000 diesel Sprinter vans and passenger cars with undisclosed AECDs and defeat devices programmed into the vehicles' complex emissions control software. These devices cause the vehicles to produce compliant results during emissions testing. However, when not running a test, these emissions controls were said to perform differently and less effectively, resulting in an increase in NOx emissions above compliant levels. Daimler now said the settlement resolves its pending civil proceedings with the U.S. authorities without reaching any determinations as to whether functionalities in its vehicles are defeat devices. Daimler denied allegations and legal claims asserted by the plaintiffs and settlement class members. The settlement is subject to ultimate court approval, for which the U.S. authorities have lodged the Consent Decrees with the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. Daimler expects costs of around $1.5 billion or around 1.27 billion euros for the settlement with the U.S. authorities. The estimated cost of the class action settlement is approximately $700 million or around 591 million euros. Further, expenses of a mid-three-digit-million euro amount is also expected to fulfill requirements of the settlements. As part of the settlement and in addition to the payment of civil penalties of $875 million or around 738.5 million euros, Daimler will also enhance its technical Compliance Management System and conduct an Emission Modification Program for certain diesel vehicles. The company intends to conduct mitigation measures across the country, and provide funding for additional NOx emissions mitigation initiatives in the State of California. Daimler will also pay class counsel's attorneys' fees and costs in an amount to be determined by the court. Daimler has agreed not to oppose class counsel's request for attorneys' fees and costs up to $83.4 million. The company has also reached a settlement in the consumer class action 'In re Mercedes-Benz Emissions Litigation', which is pending before the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey, in order to fully resolve the proceeding by mutual agreement. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de Rights groups called on Laos this week to free a Lao blogger arrested a year ago and jailed for five years for criticizing the governments handling of floods in a Facebook post, saying she did not deserve punishment for expressing her opinions online. Houayheuang Xayabouly, 30, also known by her nickname Mouay, was arrested Sept. 12, 2019, a week after she voiced her concern about the government response to flooding in the countrys southern Champassak and Salavan provinces in a Facebook Live video. The delayed government response had left many Lao villagers stranded and cut off from help, she said in the video, which was viewed more than 150,000 times. When she was sentenced in November to five years under Article 117 of Laos Criminal Code, state media reported she confessed to her crime in detention. A Champassak official told RFA at the time that Mouay was "guilty of campaigning against, defaming, and attempting to overthrow the party, state, and government." Lao authorities should release Mouay and apologize to her and her family for jailing her, Phil Robertsondeputy director of the Asia-Pacific region for Human Rights Watchtold RFAs Lao Service Monday. She did nothing to deserve her punishment. She only expressed her opinion, and the Lao government should have listened and responded to this, and not jailed her, Robertson said, adding that he is concerned about Mouays health and living conditions the Champassak provincial jail, where she is being held. Bounthone Chanthavong-Wiese, president of the Germany-based Alliance for Democracy in Laos, noted that Mouay has already been in jail for a year. I want to demand that the Lao [Peoples Democratic Republic] government free Mouay immediately, because she did nothing that would have harmed the country. Also speaking to RFA, former Thai Human Rights Commission member Angkana Nilapaijit said all that Mouay did was to exercise her rights as a human being and exercise her freedom, while a Thai-based Lao activist noted that anyone convicted of a political crime in Laos will be punished forever. Even after being released, you will never be totally free. You will be held under house arrest and closely monitored, the activist said, speaking on condition of anonymity. Attempts by RFA to reach Mouays family members and the Champassak Police Department for comment met with no response. Others also held Other Lao Facebook users have been detained and jailed on similar charges, including three young Lao workers who criticized the Lao government in Facebook postings while living in Thailand. Somphone Phimmasone, Lod Thammavong, and Soukan Chaithad disappeared in March 2016 after returning to Laos to renew their passports. Charged with criticizing the Lao government online while working abroad, the three were sentenced in a secret trial to terms ranging from 12 to 20 years in rulings described as harsh and unjust by rights groups worldwide. Last month, Sangkhane Phachanvanthong became the latest known victim of a government that locks up citizens who post popular gripes and mild criticism on Facebook about graft and abuses in the impoverished one-party state. Sangkhane Thitsy Phachanthavong was arrested at his home in southern Laos on Aug. 26 and is being questioned in jail about links to an anti-government group of overseas Laotians, police sources told RFA. The arrest on Aug. 26 of was condemned by human rights groups. In June 2019, a Lao resident of Poland named Bounthanh Thammavong was released from prison after serving a four-year term for saying on Facebook that there was no press freedom in Laos. In an annual survey of press freedom released in April, Laos was ranked 172 out of 180 countries for 2019 by Paris-based Reporters Without Borders (RSF) which said the ruling Lao Peoples Revolutionary Party exercises total control over the media. Reported by RFAs Lao Service. Translated by Max Avary. Written in English by Richard Finney. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Dzulfiqar Fathur Rahman (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Tue, September 15, 2020 19:03 493 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c44f8816 1 Business CIPS,online-shopping,food-products,safety,health,standards,BPOM Free There is growing concern that food products sold online that do not comply with health and safety regulations may pose a risk to the online shopping boom during the COVID-19 outbreak, according to a researcher with the Center of Indonesian Policy Studies (CIPS). Felippa Amanta, the head of research at CIPS, said on Tuesday that the challenge of maintaining food safety for products bought online was also related to weak monitoring in the market and a lack of traceability. One study found that 35 percent of processed foods on ecommerce platforms did not have a permit or the required food labeling, Felippa said in a virtual discussion. This causes concern because if the food is not registered, it tends to have a higher risk related to food safety. Of more than 23,000 samples of both registered and unregistered food products, half of the unregistered ones failed to meet food safety standards, said Felippa, quoting 2019 data from the Food and Drug Monitoring Agency (BPOM). Of the registered products, only 14 percent did not meet the standards. The complicated process of obtaining permits also hinders food sellers from registering because sometimes this process takes quite a significant amount of time and money, especially for small businesses, Felippa said. The pandemic has accelerated consumers shift to online shopping during the health crisis. According to the Global Consumer Insights Survey 2020 by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), 69 percent of Indonesian respondents stated that they were buying more groceries online following the implementation of social restrictions to contain the COVID-19 outbreak. Read also: Retailers embrace consumers shift to online channels Rosel Lavina, the vice president of corporate affairs for the food ecosystem at ride-hailing firm Gojek, said the companys food delivery service GoFood had booked a 20 percent increase in transactions since the beginning of the pandemic in March, partly propelled by the rise in micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) in the food and beverages industry. During the pandemic, 94 percent of new merchants partnering with Gojek were micro enterprises, said Rosel, quoting a recent study by the Demography Institute at the University of Indonesia. Of the total of the newly partnered merchants, 43 percent were new entrepreneurs. They [new culinary MSMEs] have two tasks right now. First, how they develop their business, and second, how their products can earn trust regarding hygiene and safety, said Rosel. Rosel also said Gojek prepared 130 posts across the cities within the companys operational reach to provide its partnering drivers with safety kits and disinfectant spray for their motorbikes to minimize the risk of coronavirus transmission. In addition, the company has also issued new instructions advising merchants to improve their food packaging. BPOM issued in April Regulation No. 8/2020 on the monitoring of food and medicine circulating online. The regulation, which came into force in July, requires both sellers and platforms to ensure that food products have a food label, which includes ingredients, net weight and names and addresses of the producers or importers. This is a source of information for consumers who will eat the products so they can prevent unwanted consequences. For example, if someone has an allergy to certain products and there is clear information on the composition, they can avoid those products, said Ema Setyawati, the director of high risk and new technology food at BPOM. Ema also said BPOM found 1,152 illegal food products in an investigation last year, the majority of which were sold online. NSW Deputy Premier John Barilaro and Police Minister David Elliott have repaired their fractured relationship just days after Mr Elliott warned that Mr Barilaro's position as leader was untenable. Mr Barilaro shared a glass of Scotch with Mr Elliott in the police minister's office immediately following question time on Tuesday, after Mr Elliott launched several scathing attacks against the Nationals' leader. Deputy Premier John Barilaro, in question time on Tuesday, says his relationship with Premier Gladys Berejiklian is "tight". Credit:Wolter Peeters On Friday, after Mr Barilaro threatened to take his Nationals MPs to the crossbench and split the Berejiklian government, Mr Elliott said it was the "greatest act of political bastardy" he had seen. The pair "cleared the air" on Tuesday but neither apologised, a source close to Mr Elliott said. Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday lashed out at the opposition parties and a section of media for unleashing a propaganda to derail the LDF Governments Life Mission project under which 2.26 lakh homeless and landless families have been provided homes. The chief ministers outburst against the opposition and section of media came in the wake of state wide agitation launched by Congress led UDF and BJP demanding the resignation of two ministers in Pinarayi Cabinet. The Life Mission project came under the scanner recently after one of the key accused in the gold smuggling case Swapna Suresh claimed that Rs 1 crore found in her bank locker was part of the commission that she received for a housing project being implemented in Wadakkancherry in Thrissur district. The Rs 20 cr housing scheme is funded by UAE based Red Crescent for 140 families who lost their houses in floods. The commission allegations came as a bolt from the blue for the LDF Government which is all set to showcase the Life Mission project as one of its biggest achievements. The Mission which began in 2017 is aimed at making Kerala a homeless families free state by 2020. If some wrong has happened in one contract then that particular issue should be tackled. You cannot tarnish the entire Life Mission which is providing homes to the homeless, said the chief minister while inaugurating Konni medical college in Pathanamthitta district via video conferencing on Monday. The chief minister said those carrying out the propaganda against Life Mission should realize that people do not make decisions or judge the governments work through news programmes. People are witness to what has been happening in the state on many fronts, they decide according to their experience and what they see, the chief minister said while hinting at the opposition move to make the Life Mission commission an election issue during local bodies poll slated to be held in November and assembly elections early next year. However, the opposition is not convinced by the chief minister's arguments. The Congress, Muslim League and BJP has intensified their agitation. Workers of these parties held demonstrations and protest marches in Thiruvananthapuram, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Kannur, Kasargod, Wayanad. At many places the protest turned violent with the police using mild force and water cannon. Apart from the Life Mission issue, the opposition is also demanding the resignation of higher education minister Mr K T Jaleel. The minister was questioned by ED on Friday in connection with the allegations regarding aid sought from the UAE consulate during Ramzan in violation of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act , 2010 (accepting foreign aid without Centre's permission), diplomatic baggage used to bring copies of Quran and gold smuggling accused Swapna Sureshs role in arranging the flood relief kits. In a latest development, the opposition has also come out with allegations against minister E P Jayarajans son. The opposition leaders alleged that the ministers son had also received kickback in the Life Mission project. However, Jayarajan has refuted the allegations and threatened legal action against those leveling baseless charges. With the opposition parties in no mood to relent, the violent protests in Kerala are not likely to end any soon. What is Life Mission project? Life Mission is one of the flagship programmes of the LDF which aims to provide a house to all homeless families by 2020. 2.26 lakh houses constructed since 2017 and handed over to the beneficiary families till date The controversial housing scheme at Wadakancherry in Thrissur district is being implemented at a cost of Rs 20 crore. The project under Life Mission is funded by UAE based Red Crescent and implemented by Unitac Builders. Infosys (NYSE: INFY), a global leader in next-generation digital services and consulting, today announced a definitive agreement to acquire GuideVision, one of the largest ServiceNow Elite Partners in Europe. GuideVision is an award winning enterprise service management consultancy specialised in offering strategic advisory, consulting, implementations, training and support on the ServiceNow platform. GuideVisions end-to-end offerings, including SnowMirror - a proprietary smart data replication tool for ServiceNow instances - enables over 100 enterprise clients to simplify complex business and IT processes. GuideVisions training academy and nearshore capabilities in Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, and presence in Germany and Finland will strengthen Infosys ServiceNow capabilities for its clients in Europe. ServiceNow is one of the fastest growing enterprise software companies, and is becoming an essential service and workflow standard for organizations. Infosys was recognized by ServiceNow as the 2019 and 2020 ServiceNow Global Service Provider Partner of the Year. Ravi Kumar, President, Infosys, said, This acquisition is an important milestone in our journey to build capabilities relevant to the digital priorities of our clients. This move reaffirms our commitment to the growing ServiceNow ecosystem. The combination of scalable and agile nearshore capabilities of GuideVision in Europe, and their unmatched delivery excellence, complements our own effort to help global enterprises navigate their next. We are excited to welcome GuideVision and its leadership team into the Infosys family. Narsimha Rao Mannepalli, EVP and Head - Cloud & Infrastructure, Infosys, said, GuideVisions addition is another significant step towards strengthening our Infosys Cobalt offerings portfolio, bringing the combination of services, solutions and platforms, that acts as a force multiplier for cloud-powered enterprise transformation. Our recently announced Infosys Cobalt portfolio has a large repository of ServiceNow Industry Cloud solutions like ESM Cafe, and this will now be bolstered by GuideVisions SnowMirror suite of Industry templates. Norbert Nagy, Co-Founder, GuideVision, said, GuideVision's exceptionally high customer ratings are the result of our continuous effort to deliver superior consulting and implementation services. Joining Infosys brings an extended portfolio of services we can offer to our customers on their digital transformation journey. The global Infosys footprint is an exciting opportunity for both GuideVision customers and employees. Pavel Muller, Co-Founder, GuideVision added, We are happy to become a part of the Infosys family and we strongly believe that the shared underlying values are a great foundation for our common goals in the future. Our combined expertise will further drive our customers digital transformation in the European market. The acquisition is expected to close during the third quarter of fiscal 2021, subject to customary closing conditions. ServiceNow, Now Platform and others are among the trademarks of ServiceNow, Inc. About Guidevision GuideVision is a dynamic and progressive consultancy committed to enabling clients to reimagine and transform their enterprise service management with ServiceNow. GuideVision offers a unique combination of strategic expertise, innovative technological knowledge and agile methodology. Our mission is to make ServiceNow work for you and your goals. www.guidevision.eu About Infosys Infosys is a global leader in next-generation digital services and consulting. We enable clients in 46 countries to navigate their digital transformation. With nearly four decades of experience in managing the systems and workings of global enterprises, we expertly steer our clients through their digital journey. We do it by enabling the enterprise with an AI-powered core that helps prioritize the execution of change. We also empower the business with agile digital at scale to deliver unprecedented levels of performance and customer delight. Our always-on learning agenda drives their continuous improvement through building and transferring digital skills, expertise, and ideas from our innovation ecosystem. Visit www.infosys.com to see how Infosys (NYSE: INFY) can help your enterprise navigate your next. Safe Harbor Certain statements in this release concerning our future growth prospects, financial expectations and plans for navigating the COVID-19 impact on our employees, clients and stakeholders are forward-looking statements intended to qualify for the 'safe harbor' under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements. The risks and uncertainties relating to these statements include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties regarding COVID-19 and the effects of government and other measures seeking to contain its spread, risks related to an economic downturn or recession in India, the United States and other countries around the world, changes in political, business, and economic conditions, fluctuations in earnings, fluctuations in foreign exchange rates, our ability to manage growth, intense competition in IT services including those factors which may affect our cost advantage, wage increases in India, our ability to attract and retain highly skilled professionals, time and cost overruns on fixed-price, fixed-time frame contracts, client concentration, restrictions on immigration, industry segment concentration, our ability to manage our international operations, reduced demand for technology in our key focus areas, disruptions in telecommunication networks or system failures, our ability to successfully complete and integrate potential acquisitions, liability for damages on our service contracts, the success of the companies in which Infosys has made strategic investments, withdrawal or expiration of governmental fiscal incentives, political instability and regional conflicts, legal restrictions on raising capital or acquiring companies outside India, unauthorized use of our intellectual property and general economic conditions affecting our industry and the outcome of pending litigation and government investigation. Additional risks that could affect our future operating results are more fully described in our United States Securities and Exchange Commission filings including our Annual Report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2020. These filings are available at www.sec.gov. Infosys may, from time to time, make additional written and oral forward-looking statements, including statements contained in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and our reports to shareholders. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements that may be made from time to time by or on behalf of the Company unless it is required by law. Media contacts: For further information, please contact: PR_Global@infosys.com Four of eight Michigan counties with the highest coronavirus transmission rates as of Tuesday have outbreaks linked to state universities. Ingham County, home to Michigan State University, remains in the red zone, based on a metric developed by the Harvard Global Health Initiative to assess coronavirus risk levels. The metric uses a seven-day average of new cases per 100,000 residents. The newest assessment is based on data for Sept. 8-14. Meanwhile, Houghton, Ottawa and Mecosta counties, where Michigan Tech, Grand Valley and Ferris state universities are located, are in the orange zone. Also in the orange zone are Cass County in the Lower Peninsula and Iron, Delta and Keweenaw counties in the Upper Peninsula. Counties coded red should consider lockdown, the Harvard Global Health Institute says. Orange signals heightened concern. Outbreaks associated with Michigan State is causing increasing concern for the Ingham County Health Department, which Monday ordered a mandatory quarantine for people living in 23 fraternity and sorority houses and seven large rental houses near Michigan State University. The quarantine means no one living in those houses may leave for the next two weeks unless they are seeking medical care or supplies that cannot be delivered to the house. Ingham County orders mandatory quarantine for 23 Greek houses near MSU campus MSU is doing remote learning this semester, but many students still returned to the East Lansing area. At least 342 people affiliated with MSU have tested positive for COVID-19 since Aug. 24, according to the health department. I do not take this lightly, but there is an outbreak centered on Michigan State University (MSU) and it is quickly becoming a crisis, Ingham County Health Officer Linda Vail said in a statement. The surge in cases we have seen over the past few weeks is alarming. I am disheartened to add that this outbreak is being fueled in part by a lack of cooperation and compliance from some MSU students, many residing in the properties now under mandatory quarantine. Also trending up are the numbers at Ferris State. The university now has confirmed 82 cases since Aug. 24, which includes 29 reported since Friday, Sept. 11, according to FSU website. In Houghton County, 90 cases were reported by Michigan Tech in the past two weeks, according to the campus website on Monday. That up from 73 cases on Thursday, Sept. 10, when the website was last updated. Grand Valley State University has 419 active cases of coronavirus, according to the GVSU website, although the number of new cases is finally trending down. Ottawa County reported 373 new cases total between Sept. 8-14, down 8% from 404 new cases between Sept. 1-7. On the other end of the spectrum, 10 counties are in the green zone as of Tuesday morning, based on the Harvard Institute metric. Those counties have minimal transmission of coronavirus right now. Five of the counties have reported no new cases in the past week. They are Alpena, Alger, Chippewa, Montmorency and Oscoda. The other green counties are St. Clair, Clare, Arenac, Huron and Ogemaw. The map below is shaded by the average number of new cases per day per 100,000 residents.. The arrows indicate whether the total number of cases over the past seven days (Sept. 8-14) has gone up or down compared to the previous seven days (Sept. 1-7). Readers can put their cursor over a county to see the underlying data. If you cant see the map, click here. Latest on coronavirus testing Three Michigan counties have a positive rate of at least 5% in coronavirus tests reported in the last 14 days ending Sept. 11. The state is averaging more than 28,000 tests a day. Macomb County had the highest 14-day average at 5.9%, with Branch and Oakland counties at 5%. Note: The number of positive tests does not match confirmed cases because a single patient may be tested multiple times. The World Health Organization says schools are safe to reopen if fewer than 5% of coronavirus tests over the past two weeks are positive. The map below shows the 14-day average testing rate by county. Once again, readers can put their cursor over a county to see the underlying data. If you cant see the map, click here. Below are online databases that allow readers to look up county-level data for each of the last 20 days. Cases by day it was reported to the state First is a chart showing new cases reported to the state each day for the past 20 days. This is based on when a confirmed coronavirus test is reported to the state, which means the patient first became sick days before. You can call up a chart for any county, and you can put your cursor over a bar to see the date and number of cases. (As of Sept. 1, the state stopped reporting numbers on Sundays, so numbers on Sept. 7 and Sept. 14 cover two days.) (In a few instances, a county reported a negative number (decline) in daily new cases, following a retroactive reclassification by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. In those instances, we subtracted cases from the prior date and put 0 in the reported date.) The next chart below shows new cases for the past 20 days based on onset of symptoms. In this chart, numbers for the most recent days are incomplete because of the lag time between people getting sick and getting a confirmed coronavirus test result, which can take up to a week or more. You can call up a chart for any county, and you can put your cursor over a bar to see the date and number of cases. More localized maps Below are two maps created by the EpiBayes research group at University of Michigans Department of Epidemiology, which has access to sub-county data collected by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. The interactive maps break down the state into 10 kilometer hexogons to provide more a more localized look at where coronavirus cases are occurring. You can click here to get to the research project website. The first map looks at confirmed and probable coronavirus cases in the past week. You can click on a hexagon to see the underlying data. You can use the triangle button at the upper right of the map to toggle to the second map, which shows total confirmed coronavirus cases and deaths since the start of the pandemic. Latest daily report On Monday, the state reported 1,088 new cases of the novel coronavirus and 10 deaths, which covers the numbers for both Monday and Sunday. The states seven-day average for new cases is now 737 compared to an average of 699 a week ago. The seven-day average of deaths has stayed the same at eight deaths a day. The map below shows total confirmed coronavirus cases and deaths since the start of the pandemic. You can put your cursor over a county to see the underlying numbers. For more statewide data, visit MLives coronavirus data page, here. To find a testing site near you, check out the states online test finder, here, send an email to COVID19@michigan.gov, or call 888-535-6136 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. on weekdays. COVID-19 PREVENTION TIPS: In addition to washing hands regularly and not touching your face, officials recommend practicing social distancing, assuming anyone may be carrying the virus. Health officials say you should be staying at least 6 feet away from others and working from home, if possible. Use disinfecting wipes or disinfecting spray cleaners on frequently-touched surfaces in your home (door handles, faucets, countertops) and carry hand sanitizer with you when you go into places like stores. Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has also issued executive orders requiring people to wear face coverings over their mouth and nosewhile in public indoor and crowded outdoor spaces. See an explanation of what that means here. Additional information is available at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus and CDC.gov/Coronavirus. For more data on COVID-19 in Michigan, visit https://www.mlive.com/coronavirus/data/. Read more on MLive: Six month ago, coronavirus changed everything: 11 peoples stories This week marks 6 months of coronavirus in Michigan. Heres whats happened by the numbers. 20 questions the gym industry has about Michigans new fitness center rules Free mask distribution set for 6 mid-Michigan counties to prevent spread of coronavirus Two mid-Michigan casinos prohibit use of certain masks While China has deployed its troops on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with the intention of capturing the Indian territories in Ladakh,The People's Liberation Army (PLA) has been also eying to occupy some part of Bhutanese territories. As per the officials who are aware of the latest developments alerted Bhutan government about Chinese plot at the highest level. China is intentionally indulging in border disputes with Bhutan to increase pressure on the country for solving their border disputes. Since the Doklam dispute in 2017, China has been preparing roads, helipads and troops near the Bhutan border. In the last few months, China has infiltrated five areas of Western Bhutani territories and claimed a new boundary approximately 40 kilometer inside Bhutan . Last month in August , the PLA also infiltrated into the South Doklam area.China increased pressure on Bhutan to agree its boundary till Gyemochen. We are keeping close eyes on the latest developments at the Indo-China and China-Bhutan border. Since Doklam standoff ,PLA is aggressively patrolling at Bhutan-China border and constructing roads, military infrastructure and helipads close to Bhutan border. said an officer working with Central security establishments. China claims 318 square kilometers in the western sector and 495 square kilometers in the central sector. In a surprise move, China recently staked claim over the Sakteng Wildlife Sanctuary in Bhutan at the Global Environment Facility (GEF) Council and opposed funding to the project. Sakteng Wildlife Sanctuary is located in the eastern most part of the country in Trashigang Dzongkhag,Eastern Bhutan. bordering the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh. The Doklam plateau, which is also referred to as Donglang in Chinese.The boundary dispute between China and Bhutan led to the military stand off that took place in 2017.Doklam Plateau is close to Siliguri Corridor,which is also referred as the "chicken's neck", the Siliguri Corridor represents a strategic vulnerability for India. It is also of key strategic significance to Bhutan, containing the main supply routes into the country. Chinese claim on the Doklam plateau rests on the 1890 Convention between Great Britain and the Qing dynasty represented by its Resident in Tibet.The Chinese claim that Gipmochi (Gymochen)mentioned in Article I of the 1890 Convention as the eastern extremity of the Sikkim-Tibet boundaryshould automatically be the tri-junction. As per Srinath Raghavan, a senior person at the Centre for Policy Research,New Delhi, ''The boundary of the Sikkim and Tibet shall be the crest of the mountain range separating the Waters flowing into Sikkim Teesta and its affluents from the waters flowing into the Tibetan Mochu and northwards into other rivers of Tibet." Only then does it identify Gipmochi as the starting point. The principle of defining the boundary therefore was the highest watershed: the highest line of mountains separating the rivers flowing on either side. This is the most logical way of drawing a boundary in mountainous regions. However, subsequent surveys showed that Mount Gipmochi is not on the highest watershed in the area. The archival documents also suggest that the discussion about the control of Gipmochi hill was between Sikkim and Bhutan. China was not the party in the border talk. 19th century British travel maps show the boundary alignment as Batang la-Merug la-Sinche la and onto Amochu river, which would make Batang la the tri-junction, as contended by Bhutan and India. This is in accordance with the internationally accepted highest watershed principle of boundary demarcation. In some of these maps, Gipmochi is shown to the north east of its actual location. Both Sinche la (14,531 feet) and Merug la (15,266 feet) are higher than Gipmochi (14,523 feet). This alignment would mean that Doklam is part of Bhutan.an article written by Amb (Retd) VP Haran, to think tank Institute of peace and conflict studies . China has been using coercive tactics in pursuit of territorial and maritime claims in the South and East China Seas, as well as along its border with India and Bhutan . According to Pentagon report released this year said "These tactics are particularly evident in China''s pursuit of its territorial and maritime claims in the South and East China Seas as well as along its border with India and Bhutan," said the report titled ''Military and Security Developments involving the People''s Republic of China 2020''. United Nations-backed investigators have pointed to signs that Syrias government still continues to commit crimes against humanity including rape, torture, and murder as the countrys nine-year war grinds on. The team on Tuesday also cited possible war crimes by a Turkey-backed coalition of rebel groups and called on Ankara to do more to help prevent them. The report from the Commission of Inquiry on Syria, its 21st, was based on 538 interviews as well as documents, satellite imagery, and other evidence. It covers the first half of 2020 at a time when a ceasefire between rebels and the government and its allies has largely held in the rebel-held Idlib region since March a relative bright spot in an otherwise dismal situation. The UN Commission of Inquiry on Syria said assassinations and rapes of civilians by all sides, marked by sectarian undertones, were on the rise in the conflict that began in 2011. But the commission noted how Syria faces new strains linked to the coronavirus pandemic, a currency and economic crisis, and stiff new sanctions by the United States on top of the wars devastating toll over nearly 10 years. The panel urged an easing of sanctions that compound the effect of lags in humanitarian aid deliveries because of COVID-19, and urged countries to take back their nationals who are the children of armed fighters from the ISIL (ISIS) group and women held by the thousands in squalid camps. Torture and rape The report cited reasonable grounds to believe Syrian President Bashar al-Assads government has continued to perpetrate the crimes against humanity of enforced disappearance, murder, torture, sexual violence and imprisonment. It also said possible war crimes, including hostage-taking, torture and rape, may have been committed by the so-called Syrian National Army, a coalition of Turkey-backed rebel groups that controls a broad swath of territory along the Turkey border. They have been at odds with the Kurdish-led Syrian Defence Forces, which is opposed by Turkeys government, in the northeast. The commission said it was, for example, investigating reports at least 49 Kurdish and Yazidi women were held in the Ras al-Ain and Afrin regions by Syrian National Army members within the last year. It highlighted Turkeys responsibility to as far as possible, ensure public order and safety, and to afford special protection to women and children. In Afrin, Ras al-Ain and the surrounding areas, the Turkey-backed Syrian National Army may have committed the war crimes of hostage-taking, cruel treatment, torture and rape, panel chair Paulo Pinheiro told a news briefing. Turkey should act to prevent these abuses and ensure the protection of civilians in the areas under its control. Turkeys defence ministry says it goes to great lengths to avoid civilian casualties during military operations in Syria. Turkey wields influence as it funded, trained and allowed the Syrian National Army to enter Syria from Turkey, panelist Hanny Megally said. Whilst we cant say Turkey is in charge of them and issues orders and has command control over them, we think that it could use its influence much more to bring them into check and certainly to pressure them to desist from the violations being committed and to investigate them, he said. Deeply concerning In areas held by the Syrian Defence Forces, the commission noted worrying conditions in the camps deteriorated, with medical services stripped down to skeletal levels because of COVID-19. The dramatic increase in those suffering from food insecurity in Syria in the first half of 2020 is deeply concerning, said Karen Koning AbuZayd, one of the commissions three members. All barriers to the provision of humanitarian aid must be removed. Ankara and Moscow back opposing sides in Syria. Russia, along with Iran, supports al-Assads forces, and Turkey backs rebels trying to oust him. Turkey seized control of the border town of Ras al-Ain last year in an offensive to push back Syrian Kurdish YPG fighters, which Ankara views as a terrorist group. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he wanted to assassinate al-Assad in 2017, but that his then-secretary of defence Jim Mattis opposed the operation. I would have rather taken him out. I had him all set, Trump told the morning show Fox & Friends. Mattis didnt want to do it. Mattis was a highly overrated general, and I let him go. This aerial view taken on Sept. 13, 2020, shows residential and commercial buildings next to Victoria harbour in Hong Kong. AFP Hundreds of farmers under the banner of the Kisan Sangharsh Committee continued to block three major bridges on the Beas river in the Majha region for the second consecutive day on Tuesday against the central governments three agriculture ordinances. Due to the blockade of the Harike bridge connecting Majha and Malwa, the Beas bridge on the Amritsar-Delhi highway and the Hargobindpur bridge in Gurdaspur, thousands of commuters were hassled. Long lines of stranded trucks and other vehicles was seen on both sides of the bridges. The farmers were seen taking meals to the protest site. Hundreds with their tractor-trailers were also seen joining the protest on Tuesday. The farmer leaders said their protest would continue until they get assurance regarding the revocation of the agriculture ordinances. Addressing the protesters in Amritsars Beas, committees general secretary Sarwan Singh Pandher said, We dont want to harass the commuters, but the governments have left us with no option. The ordinances are not only against the farming community, but also against every Indian. These ordinances, which were presented in Parliament on the first day of the ongoing Monsoon session, are only in favour of the corporate sector. The Central government is trying to make the Indian farmers landless by making this legislation, but we will not let it happen. At the Harike bridge, committees state president Satnam Singh Pannu said, These ordinances were introduced to give benefit to the corporate sector close to the influential leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), which is an ally of the BJP, should take a tough stance on the issue. The Akali leaders are shedding crocodile tears on the issue. TRUCK DRIVERS STAGE PARALLEL PROTEST Drivers of hundreds of trucks, which have been stuck on both sides of the Beas bridge for the last two days, staged a parallel protest against the farmers. The drivers impeded the movement of the farmers vehicles towards the bridge for at least two hours in the evening. The truck drivers threatened to intensify their protest on Wednesday if they were not allowed to move. They said due to the coronavirus pandemic they have already been suffering huge losses. Apprehending the possibility of a clash between the truck drivers and the farmers, a heavy police force was deployed there. We have made adequate arrangements for the movement of commuters thorough alternate routes. But there was a problem for heavy vehicles, said Amritsar superintendent of police (SP investigation) Gaurav Toora. Farmers blocked the National Highway (NH -44) at Khanna in Ludhiana district for two hours in protest against farmer ordinance. The farmers first blocked the Doraha-Neelon road and then marched towards Khanna where they were joined by arhtiyas and other labour organisations. During the blockade of the highway, they allowed passage to emergency vehicles only. Later, the police got cleared the traffic jam on NH-44. Congress MLA Gurkirat Singh Kotli also joined the protesting farmers and expressed his partys support to the cause of farmers. WONT ALLOW MPs SUPPORTING BILLS TO ENTER THE VILLAGES MPs who support these farm bills in Parliament will not be allowed to enter villages and we will teach him a lesson, warned Bhartiya Kisan Union (Lakhowal) general secretary Harinder Singh Lakhowal who was holding an agitation along with other farmers at Neelon. In Moga, some agitating farmers wore black robes while some of them tied a noose around their necks. Traffic between Jalandhar-Phagwara-Ludhiana, Phagwara-Nakodar and Phagwara-Nawanshahr-Chandigarh was blocked, causing inconvenience to commuters. At Phagwara, farmers blocked the national highway-44 near the Sugar Mill Chowk. At 11am, over 2,000 farmers started a protest march and blocked both sides of the highway to mark their protest. Also, farm labourers, arhtiyas and those connected with agricultural activities participated in the protest. Traffic movement was hit, with police diverting commuters to other routes. There were long queues in the service lane. (With agency inputs) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Sebastian Smith (Agence France-Presse) Washington Tue, September 15, 2020 11:25 493 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c44e3f05 2 World Donald-Trump,bahrain,Israel,UAE,defense-cooperation,US-election Free US President Donald Trump will host a ceremony Tuesday where Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates normalize relations with Israel, redrawing the Middle East's diplomatic map - and boosting the Republican's reelection hopes. The event on the White House South Lawn, attended by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the foreign ministers of Bahrain and the UAE, will be the first time Arab nations have established relations with Israel since Egypt in 1979 and Jordan in 1994. "All sides are excited," a senior Trump administration official told reporters. Hundreds of people are invited to attend and a symbolic handshake between the Arab representatives and Netanyahu is not ruled out, the official said. "Coronavirus (is) in the background of everybody's minds, although everybody will have been tested," he said. So "if they are to engage in any sort of physical contact that will be understood." For the Mideast, the deals dubbed the Abraham Accords mark a distinct shift in a decades-old status quo where Arab countries have tried to maintain unity against Israel over its treatment of the stateless Palestinians. Feeling increasingly abandoned, Palestinian leaders on Sunday urged demonstrations in the occupied territories and outside embassies of the United States, Israel, Bahrain and the UAE to protest what they called "shameful agreements." But other, powerful forces are transforming the playing field in the region. All the four countries celebrating at the White House share a common hostility to Iran, which Trump has put under crippling economic and diplomatic pressure. The thaw will also give Israel and its two new Arab partners a big economic opening, just when they are looking to rebuild after the international slowdown triggered by the coronavirus pandemic. Trump will enjoy the optics of presiding over a historic breakthrough less than 50 days before election day, which opinion polls show he is currently on course to lose. After an often bruising, chaotic first term on the diplomatic front, Tuesday's event is seen as a rare piece of good news that even some Democratic critics have applauded. Netanyahu, a close Trump ally who faces a corruption trial and criticism over his handling of the coronavirus pandemic, could also use a dose of good news coverage. The UAE, meanwhile, has been using the negotiations as part of its campaign to pressure Washington to override Israeli objections and sell it the cutting edge F-35 warplane. Trump has keenly promoted weapons sales during his government and would clearly be happy to tout job-creating announcements before the election. Details of exactly what's in the Abraham Accords remain sketchy, with the documents yet to be published. The White House official said that there would be one common document and then separate bilateral agreements between Israel and the two Arab countries. Typically, the number of hours worked each week and your weekly work schedule can help you determine full vs. part-time status. Full-time employees can offer your business security in scheduling, regularity in product or service flow, and overall consistency for your labor management. Part-time employees, on the other hand, can save your company money because you won't have to pay as much staff when there are dips in workflow or offer healthcare and other benefits. It is crucial to your success that you understand the pros and cons (as well as the payroll taxes involved) when building a workforce with a mix of full- and part-time employees, or simply all of one or the other. This article is for small business owners who want to hire employees for the first time and aren't sure whether they need full- and/or part-time employees. It isn't uncommon for small business owners to struggle with the question of whether it's best to hire all full-time employees, all part-time staff or a combination of both. Some employers need more part-time staff to remain flexible for fluctuating needs, while others need a more consistent and predictable workforce. Before you hire staff, it is important to know the pros and cons of each type of hire and how federal laws may impact your decision. There are also many hidden unknowns, including when the Affordable Care Act mandates healthcare coverage and how overtime works. Part-time vs. full-time employees Many employers use both part-time and full-time employees as their business needs demand. While there are pros and cons to each employment option, the final decision comes down to your specific company needs. The use of part-time employees tends to increase as the economy becomes more uncertain, according to the Center for Law and Social Policy. In 2020, for example, as the COVID-19 crisis has forced businesses to adapt to changes, there has been an increase in part-time hires. The Center for Law and Social Policy says hiring patterns like this can result in underemployment. Technically, there are no federal laws or regulations that fully define full- or part-time employment. Instead, Fair Labor Standards Act regulations and ACA benefit requirements can help employers discern the difference. In general, part-time employees work fewer hours cumulatively than full-time employees. However, this may change in a busy week or season, such as over the holidays. Part-time employees Part-time employees typically work less than 40 hours a week, although there are numerous exceptions to this generalization. The FLSA does not outline in any further detail what "part-time" is. The ACA, as noted, requires employers to provide healthcare benefits to their employees for regularly worked hours of 30 or more within a workweek. So, the ACA would consider less than 30 hours a week to be part time. Full-time employees Although most employers consider 40 hours in a workweek to be full time, many use 32 hours as the minimum for full-time status, which is important when determining who is eligible for paid time off, paid holidays, retirement plans and so on. Working 40 hours per week typically gets employees around 2,080 hours in a year (40 hours per week multiplied by 52 weeks). Overtime laws for part-time and full-time employees Whether your employees are eligible for overtime pay may play into your definition of full- vs. part-time employee. Employees whose jobs are governed by the FLSA are either exempt or nonexempt. Nonexempt employees are entitled to overtime pay; exempt employees are not. The majority of employees covered by the FLSA are nonexempt. [Read related article: Exempt vs. Nonexempt: What's the Difference?] For the most part, the FLSA requires overtime pay time-and-a-half of the employee's regular pay rate for nonexempt employees who have worked more than 40 hours in a standard workweek (not a pay period). However, overtime laws differ somewhat from state to state. Key takeaway: Whether you need full- or part-time employees depends on the needs of your business, but be mindful of employment laws, such as those concerning overtime and ACA eligibility for employees based on their hours. Pros and cons of hiring full-time and part-time employees Hiring either full and part-time employees, or a combination of both, has a wide range of pros and cons. In the end, it will be your staffing and overall business needs that truly drive your decision. In general, it's easier to flex outwardly and inwardly with staffing levels using part-time employees who don't have guaranteed hours or benefits than it is with full-time employees who expect a similar schedule and number of hours each pay period, vacation time, and healthcare benefits. Here are some specific pros and cons of each employee type. Pros of hiring part-time employees Lower overhead costs: It saves you the costs of salaries and employee benefits. It saves you the costs of salaries and employee benefits. Flexibility: It allows for more nimble staffing for fluctuating scheduling needs. It allows for more nimble staffing for fluctuating scheduling needs. Extra support: It permits easier overflow or additional staffing when you need it (either week to week or seasonally). It permits easier overflow or additional staffing when you need it (either week to week or seasonally). Cross-training: You can develop experienced backup team members (and cross-trained team members) to cover shifts and projects when needed. You can develop experienced backup team members (and cross-trained team members) to cover shifts and projects when needed. Balanced employees: In some cases, a part-time schedule allows your loyal team members who work other jobs, go to school or have family responsibilities to work what they can. This is why a large portion of employees choose to work part time. Cons of hiring part-time employees Inconsistency: Inconsistent scheduling sometimes makes it hard to retain employees, especially those who need steady hours. Inconsistent scheduling sometimes makes it hard to retain employees, especially those who need steady hours. Potential inefficiency: Part-time employees who only work a few hours here and there may have higher error rates due to the lack of consistent repetition for their job. Part-time employees who only work a few hours here and there may have higher error rates due to the lack of consistent repetition for their job. Outside employment challenges: When you hire part-time workers, you may have to deal with co-employment issues. There's always the chance that your company is the "side gig" that they don't care about as much as their other job. When an employee has more than one job, for instance, they have to decide which takes priority if they are double-booked for a shift. Pros of hiring full-time employees Better planning: You'll enjoy consistency in scheduling and be better able to plan for goals, objectives, projects and workload. You'll enjoy consistency in scheduling and be better able to plan for goals, objectives, projects and workload. Cost savings: The more benefits-eligible employees you have, the more cost-effective they can be for your company. Large benefit-eligible groups (or companies) tend to yield cost savings (per capita) for the employer in the healthcare benefits area. The more benefits-eligible employees you have, the more cost-effective they can be for your company. Large benefit-eligible groups (or companies) tend to yield cost savings (per capita) for the employer in the healthcare benefits area. Consistency: You'll see more consistent productivity due to employees' longer time working in their roles and partnering with other full-time team members. You'll see more consistent productivity due to employees' longer time working in their roles and partnering with other full-time team members. Employee loyalty: Employees tend to feel more tied to their company's brand when they are consistently working for the company. Cons of hiring full-time employees Over-staffing concerns: Full-time employees might not be cost-effective when workload dips and productivity and/or output drops. Full-time employees might not be cost-effective when workload dips and productivity and/or output drops. Higher employee stressors: Full-time employees manage more work-related stresses concerning deadlines and project goals.Employers care about this not only for the well-being of their team members, but also because of the statistics pointing to reduced productivity in the workplace when employees feel overstressed or anxious. The International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health reported that employees experiencing stress at work were 19% less productive than their relatively unstressed employees. Full-time employees manage more work-related stresses concerning deadlines and project goals.Employers care about this not only for the well-being of their team members, but also because of the statistics pointing to reduced productivity in the workplace when employees feel overstressed or anxious. The International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health reported that employees experiencing stress at work were 19% less productive than their relatively unstressed employees. Expense of benefits: Fringe benefits are a very real expense, which compounds as you hire more full-time employees. Fringe benefits are a very real expense, which compounds as you hire more full-time employees. Employee relations: At times, employers must manage attendance and performance issues due to employee burnout and poor work-life balance when employees work at the same job for consistently long hours. Key takeaway: There is truly no wrong decision here. Both part-time and full-time employment options are tools in your arsenal to utilize as your business evolves and grows (or stagnates). Part-time employees offer flexibility and potential cost savings, and full-time employees offer more consistent staffing and support for your business needs. Payroll and taxes for full-time and part-time employees Employers must withdraw federal and state taxes from employee paychecks for all taxable compensation. Whether your employee works part or full time, you must execute your payroll tax obligations consistently. These are some examples of payroll taxes: Income tax: There are both federal and state income taxes. Although everyone pays federal income tax, some states do not collect income tax. (Leading payroll firm Paychex notes that all states other than "Alaska, Florida, Nevada, South Dakota, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming, which have no income tax, and New Hampshire and Tennessee (through 2020), which do not tax wages, require employers to withhold state income tax from employees' paychecks." A few cities, such as New York City and Philadelphia, also have city income taxes that the employer must withhold from paychecks.) This tax is paid exclusively by employees. Each employee's Form W-4 outlines their income tax withholdings. There are both federal and state income taxes. Although everyone pays federal income tax, some states do not collect income tax. (Leading payroll firm Paychex notes that all states other than "Alaska, Florida, Nevada, South Dakota, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming, which have no income tax, and New Hampshire and Tennessee (through 2020), which do not tax wages, require employers to withhold state income tax from employees' paychecks." A few cities, such as New York City and Philadelphia, also have city income taxes that the employer must withhold from paychecks.) This tax is paid exclusively by employees. Each employee's Form W-4 outlines their income tax withholdings. FICA: The Federal Insurance Contributions Act, which is a combination of Social Security and Medicare taxes, is paid equally by employers and employees. The Social Security portion has its own name, "Old Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance" (OASDI), and provides benefits to eligible parties. The Medicare portion of FICA permits those age 65 and older to qualify for Part A Medicare coverage, as well as Parts B, C, and D (though they carry additional costs). The Federal Insurance Contributions Act, which is a combination of Social Security and Medicare taxes, is paid equally by employers and employees. The Social Security portion has its own name, "Old Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance" (OASDI), and provides benefits to eligible parties. The Medicare portion of FICA permits those age 65 and older to qualify for Part A Medicare coverage, as well as Parts B, C, and D (though they carry additional costs). Unemployment: Federal unemployment tax is paid exclusively by employers, under the Federal Unemployment Tax Act, to protect employees who are laid off. State unemployment tax is paid by employers, although a few states require some employee contributions. Regardless of size and type, all employers deduct payroll taxes for their W-2 employees. Most employers in the U.S. outsource their payroll needs, which makes these taxes, as well as the payroll process in general, relatively easy to handle. Key takeaway: All W-2 employees require you, as the employer, to withhold certain types of taxes from their paycheck. Bottom line on full-time vs. part-time workers Whether you utilize full-time and/or part-time employees depends on your business needs at any given time. You should reevaluate your balance between these staffing options at least once a year to ensure your needs are being met. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-16 04:18:33|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Video: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Sept. 15, 2020 calls on the international community to get united and find a vaccine that is accessible to all. (Xinhua) "As we look ahead to the new session of the General Assembly that begins today, may we build on his extraordinary legacy to address the challenges upon us and, together, build a more peaceful, just and sustainable world," says Antonio Guterres. UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday called on the international community to get united and find a vaccine that is accessible to all. "As the COVID-19 pandemic has upended our world, we have once again seen that international solidarity is no longer a choice, but an obligation," the UN chief said at the wreath-laying ceremony to commemorate the 59th anniversary of the death of former UN Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjold. "That means working together to stop the spread of the virus," said the secretary-general, adding that the global community should work together "to find a vaccine that is accessible to all." Photo taken on Sept. 14, 2020 shows the outside view of the United Nations headquarters in New York, the United States. (Xinhua/Wang Ying) "And, just as importantly, working together to recover better, protect the most vulnerable and reduce the inequalities (is) heightened by the pandemic," said the UN chief. "As we look ahead to the new session of the General Assembly that begins today, may we build on his extraordinary legacy to address the challenges upon us and, together, build a more peaceful, just and sustainable world," said Guterres. Dag Hammarskjold was a Swedish economist and diplomat who served as the second UN secretary-general. He still remains the youngest person to have held the post, being only 47 years old when he was appointed in 1953. His second term was cut short when he died in a plane crash in Northern Rhodesia while en route to ceasefire negotiations during the Congo Crisis on Sept. 18, 1961. She recently described lockdown as a 'blessing' as she continues to enjoy some downtime with her family. And Rachel Riley cut a stylish figure as she departed MediaCityUK in Salford after filming Countdown on Tuesday. The TV presenter, 34, looked effortlessly chic as she donned a multi-coloured minidress with a floral print. Looking good: Rachel Riley, 34, cut a stylish figure as she departed MediaCityUK in Salford after filming Countdown on Tuesday The garment featured a v-neckline and short sleeves while Rachel cinched her waist with a black belt. The host also wore black tights while she added height to her frame with a pair of heels. Rachel completed her look with a colourful handbag and let her blonde locks fall loose down her shoulders. Rachel, her husband Pasha Kovalev and their daughter Maven, eight months, spent lockdown with her Russian mother-in-law Galina, whose month-long visit to the UK was extended amid the pandemic. Outfit: The TV presenter looked effortlessly chic as she donned a multi-coloured minidress with a floral print The couple, who became first-time parents to Maven in December, have been enjoyed extended time off at home amid the global COVID-19 pandemic. Speaking on Heart Breakfast with Jamie Theakston and Lucy Horobin, the blonde recently admitted the countrywide lockdown has been something of a blessing for the family as they have been given 'enforced maternity and paternity leave'. The Oxford University alum said: 'Well we're quite fortunate in a way, I was supposed to be back at work, Pasha was supposed to be on tour, and it's kind of enforced maternity and paternity leave we didn't have before so we're loving it. 'She's just over five months, I've left her in bed in kind of the same sleeping position as Pash, if you hear crying it could be either one of them I have no idea.' Rachel's appearance came after she revealed she came to the aid of one of her friends suffering domestic abuse, after learning of her plight during lockdown. Fashion: The garment featured a v-neckline and short sleeves while Rachel cinched her waist with a black belt Stunning: The host also wore black tights and carried a colourful handbag with her for the day Wow: Rachel Rachel completed her look by letting her locks fall loose down her shoulders The media personality spoke out as she got candid about the abuse so many more women are experiencing behind closed doors. She told The Mirror: 'I've been supporting a friend who I didn't know was in a situation of domestic violence for some years. While I can't go into specifics, I know COVID has made things more difficult. 'It's been so hard for women in her situation, without direct access to support services. I saw a poster that said 'Domestic abusers have always worked from home' and that's so true. 'There's no outlet currently. People are trapped at home, the kids aren't at school and police and social services are running a limited service.' The world is soon likely to confront a serious new challenge to the fight against COVID-19: vaccine hesitancy. Many people distrust vaccines in general. Credit:Peter Braig In the US and UK, large numbers of people at least 30 per cent have said in recent surveys that they would hesitate to take or refuse a vaccine that could protect them from the coronavirus and slow its spread. These numbers probably understate the problem. People might tell a researcher that they will get vaccinated even if they won't. And the problem might be even worse if a vaccine is made available under a speeded-up "emergency use" exception to the usually lengthy approval process, amplifying public concerns about rushing it out. What can be done? To answer that question, we need to understand why some people are reluctant to take vaccines. Research explores the influence of three factors, often known as the three Cs. The first is convenience. Human beings suffer from inertia, and they also procrastinate. If it's not so easy to get vaccinated, many people won't do it. Gettyimagesbank The Ministry of Education on Tuesday said all schools in Seoul and its adjacent cities will resume in-person classes next week as the spread of the new coronavirus has slowed down recently. The move, which will be enforced until Oct. 11, was made to keep with the relaxed social distancing guidelines announced Sunday amid a recent drop in new coronavirus cases and deepening economic difficulties. High school seniors will also switch to a hybrid approach of remote and in-person learning from Monday, as they are wrapping up the normal academic schedule and seriously gearing up for the national university entrance exam slated for December. Schools are allowed to decide what form of instruction they will offer for high school seniors, the ministry said. "The ministry will closely consult with health authorities to decide on school reopenings after Oct. 12," Education Minister Yoo Eun-hae said during a briefing. "Hopefully we can further expand school reopenings if the public complies with virus restrictions during the Chuseok holiday," she added. All students in the metropolitan area have been attending virtual classes since Aug. 26, due to a surge in virus cases. Earlier this month, the measure, originally scheduled to end on Sept. 11, was extended until Sept. 20 to control the virus spread. Schools around the nation are required to run with antivirus limits. Attendance is capped at one-third in elementary and middle schools and two-thirds in high schools to guarantee social distancing. The ministry said it will help schools, together with local educational offices, offer more personalized teaching to students to respond to growing concerns over widening educational gaps among children. In order to facilitate communication between students and teachers, remote classes should run a two-way interactive session more than once a week and have mandatory greeting sessions through instant messenger applications or web conferencing tools like Zoom. Teachers are required to talk with parents at least once a week if virtual classes continue for a week or longer. "The measure reflects growing demands from students and their parents for educators' attention, love and interaction, as well as for higher quality of online instruction," the ministry said. It will also support upgrading the Wi-Fi system at schools and help replace old communication infrastructure to guarantee the smooth operation of online classes. (Yonhap) Infosys (NYSE: INFY), the global leader in next-generation digital services and consulting, today announced that it has been selected by Essential Utilities, one of the largest publicly traded water, wastewater and natural gas providers in the U.S., as a strategic partner to drive its digital transformation. Infosys, along with SAP will implement SAP S/4HANA and the SAP Customer Relationship Management and Billing for Utilities package in an agile operating model to enable nimble and real-time decision making while transforming digital user experience and operations for Essential Utilities. Infosys and SAP Services and Support will implement SAP S/4HANA, future-ready enterprise resource planning (ERP) system to co-design, bring innovation and provide early visibility into future product releases. It will help Essential Utilities unify data across multiple siloed sources. The industry-standard billing module will allow for newer billing mechanisms providing flexibility and insights on consumption patterns. As a digital transformation partner, Infosys will help Essential Utilities redefine user experience, enhance knowledge and operations assets, and reduce costs while delivering service excellence. Ruth DeLost-Wylie, SVP, Business Transformation, Essential Utilities, said I am excited to be working with Infosys and SAP on the implementation of SAP S/4HANA and SAP Customer Relationship Management and Billing for Utilities. Essential Utilities serves five million people across 10 states under the Aqua and Peoples brands. We are working hard to provide excellent customer service and look forward to another successful implementation. Ashiss Kumar Dash, SVP and Segment Head - Services, Utilities, Resources, Energy, Infosys, said, This is an important phase for the utilities industry, as organizations work towards redefining customer experience. We are excited to partner with Essential Utilities in their digital transformation journey. With a comprehensive understanding of Essential Utilities business requirements and challenges, we hope to leverage our technological prowess and domain expertise to enable this transformation. The partnership also strengthens our relationship with SAP and highlights the potential this collaboration offers to the utilities industry in achieving their strategic business goals. Brian Boshart, General Manager of Regulated Industries Services, SAP, said, This effort is building a foundation of credibility within SAP and in the broader Utilities market. This is a paragon of partnership in the ecosystem that leverages the core strengths of SAP Services and Support and our partner network. Essential Utilities has ambitious goals that it has set out to accomplish over the next several years based on a shared transformation vision enabled by the SAP platform. About Essential Utilities. Essential is one of the largest publicly traded water, wastewater and natural gas providers in the U.S., serving approximately 5 million people across 10 states under the Aqua and Peoples brands. Essential is committed to excellence in proactive infrastructure investment, regulatory expertise, operational efficiency and environmental stewardship. The company recognizes the importance water and natural gas play in everyday life and is proud to deliver safe, reliable services that contribute to the quality of life in the communities it serves. For more information, visit http://www.essential.co. About SAP SAPs strategy is to help every business run as an intelligent enterprise. As the market leader in enterprise application software, we help companies of all sizes and in all industries run at their best: 77% of the worlds transaction revenue touches an SAP system. Our machine learning, Internet of Things (IoT), and advanced analytics technologies help turn customers businesses into intelligent enterprises. SAP helps give people and organizations deep business insight and fosters collaboration that helps them stay ahead of their competition. We simplify technology for companies so they can consume our software the way they want without disruption. Our end-to-end suite of applications and services enables business and public customers across 25 industries globally to operate profitably, adapt continuously, and make a difference. With a global network of customers, partners, employees, and thought leaders, SAP helps the world run better and improve peoples lives. For more information, visit www.sap.com. About Infosys Infosys is a global leader in next-generation digital services and consulting. We enable clients in 46 countries to navigate their digital transformation. With nearly four decades of experience in managing the systems and workings of global enterprises, we expertly steer our clients through their digital journey. We do it by enabling the enterprise with an AI-powered core that helps prioritize the execution of change. We also empower the business with agile digital at scale to deliver unprecedented levels of performance and customer delight. Our always-on learning agenda drives their continuous improvement through building and transferring digital skills, expertise, and ideas from our innovation ecosystem. Visit www.infosys.com to see how Infosys (NYSE: INFY) can help your enterprise navigate your next. Safe Harbor Certain statements in this release concerning our future growth prospects, financial expectations and plans for navigating the COVID-19 impact on our employees, clients and stakeholders are forward-looking statements intended to qualify for the 'safe harbor' under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements. The risks and uncertainties relating to these statements include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties regarding COVID-19 and the effects of government and other measures seeking to contain its spread, risks related to an economic downturn or recession in India, the United States and other countries around the world, changes in political, business, and economic conditions, fluctuations in earnings, fluctuations in foreign exchange rates, our ability to manage growth, intense competition in IT services including those factors which may affect our cost advantage, wage increases in India, our ability to attract and retain highly skilled professionals, time and cost overruns on fixed-price, fixed-time frame contracts, client concentration, restrictions on immigration, industry segment concentration, our ability to manage our international operations, reduced demand for technology in our key focus areas, disruptions in telecommunication networks or system failures, our ability to successfully complete and integrate potential acquisitions, liability for damages on our service contracts, the success of the companies in which Infosys has made strategic investments, withdrawal or expiration of governmental fiscal incentives, political instability and regional conflicts, legal restrictions on raising capital or acquiring companies outside India, unauthorized use of our intellectual property and general economic conditions affecting our industry and the outcome of pending litigation and government investigation. Additional risks that could affect our future operating results are more fully described in our United States Securities and Exchange Commission filings including our Annual Report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2020. These filings are available at www.sec.gov. Infosys may, from time to time, make additional written and oral forward-looking statements, including statements contained in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and our reports to shareholders. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements that may be made from time to time by or on behalf of the Company unless it is required by law. Media contacts: For further information, please contact: PR_Global@infosys.com A national gun violence prevention group on Tuesday launched a $200,000 Spanish-language digital ad campaign slamming Tony Gonzales, the Republican running to replace retiring U.S. Rep. Will Hurd. The two ads released by the Everytown for Gun Safety Victory Fund attack Gonzales positions on gun control and health care. They are the latest in a frenzy of ad purchases in the 23rd Congressional District, a sprawling purple district stretching from San Antonio to El Paso, that Democrats are targeting this fall. The first ad - Ni un dedo or Not even a finger - criticizes Gonzales stand against restrictions on gun ownership. The ad shows images of the August 2019 mass shooting in El Paso, where a gunman opened fire in a Walmart parking lot and killed 23. Every parent asks, what wouldnt we do to protect our children? a narrator says in Spanish. On the other hand, Republican Tony Gonzales says he wouldnt even lift a finger. The second ad - Protectores or Protectors - focuses on Gonzales support for repealing the Affordable Care Act, as a narrator says those efforts would hurt those with pre-existing conditions during a pandemic. The ad clips language from a candidate questionnaire in which Gonzales does voice support for repealing Obamacare but specifically notes that Pre-existing conditions will be covered to ensure that citizens are covered and not left between the cracks. EVERYTOWN IN TEXAS: Everytown for Gun Safety commits $8M to flipping Texas seats blue In a release promoting the videos, Everytown cited July polling by EquisLabs and Global Strategy Group indicating that 47 percent of Latino voters have become more supportive of stronger gun laws since the El Paso shooting. The ads will run on digital platforms including Facebook, Instagram, Vevo and Pandora through Election Day. The videos are the latest in a series of ad buys targeting Gonzales, who will face off against Democrat Gina Ortiz Jones in November. Left-wing donors from outside Texas are pouring millions into this district to elect Nancy Pelosis chosen candidate to Congress to do her bidding, Gonzales campaign spokesman Matt Mackowiak said, adding: This race is going to be very close, which is why the left is spending so much money here. Gonzales had a hard-fought path to the Republican nomination, finally securing his candidacy in late August after a close primary contest in March, a razor-thin win in a delayed runoff in July and ultimate victory after a recount in August. TEXAS TAKE: Get the latest news on Texas politics sent directly to your inbox every weekday Since then, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has confirmed a $1 million investment in San Antonio ad time in the closing weeks of the 2020 campaign. The purchase also aims to help Democrat Wendy Davis in the nearby 21st Congressional District, where she is running against Republican U.S. Rep. Chip Roy. The committee in July had announced more than $400,000 in fall reservations in El Paso at the western end of the 23rd district. The liberal veterans group VoteVets also committed more than $500,000 to air an ad attacking Gonzales health care platform on San Antonio broadcast and cable channels over three weeks, the Texas Tribune reported. The video relies on the same candidate questionnaire cited in Tuesdays Everytown ad. Gonzales also released his first ad last week, a biographical video highlighting his upbringing and experience. Jones, who has been the Democratic Partys official nominee since the March primary, has already released several ads similarly touting her background and priorities. This is her second run for the 23rd district after nearly unseating Hurd in 2018. New Delhi: The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday (September 14, 2020) gave approval to the Haryana Orbital Rail Corridor Project from Palwal to Sonipat via Sohna-Manesar-Kharkhauda. This Rail Line will start from Palwal and end at existing Harsana Kalan station (On Delhi-Ambala section) and will also give connectivity en route to existing Patli Station (on Delhi-Rewari line), Sultanpur station (on Garhi Harsaru-Farukhnagar Line) and Asaudha Station (on Delhi Rohtak Line). The project will be implemented by Haryana Rail Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (HRIDC) which is a joint venture company set up by the Ministry of Railways with Government of Haryana. The estimated completion cost of the project is reportedly Rs 5,617 crore and it is likely to be completed in 5 years. As per the Ministry of Railways, Palwal, Nuh, Gurugram, Jhajjar and Sonipat districts of Haryana will be benefitted through this rail line. This will facilitate diversion of traffic not meant for Delhi thus decongesting NCR and will help in developing multimodal logistics hubs in Haryana State sub-region of NCR. It will also provide high-speed seamless connectivity of this region to Dedicated Freight Corridor network resulting in the reduction of cost and time of transportation for EXIM traffic from NCR to ports of India, making exports of goods more competitive. The project will connect unserved areas of the state of Haryana and will result in boosting economic and social activities in Haryana. "This multipurpose transport project will also facilitate affordable and faster commuter travel, long-distance travel in different directions from Gurugram and the industrial regions of Manesar, Sohna, Farukhnagar, Kharkhauda and Sonipat," said the Ministry of Railways. "Approximately 20,000 passengers each day will be travelling through this line and 50 Million Tonnes of goods traffic would also be carried out every year," they added. Horses are spooked by the approaching Bobcat fire on 106th Street in Juniper Hills on Friday. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times) After crossing containment lines overnight, the Bobcat fire moved within striking distance of the Mt. Wilson Observatory, the U.S. Forest Service said Tuesday, with firefighters mounting an aggressive defense from the air and on the ground. The fire continued to push in multiple directions Tuesday, with firefighters stationed at the observatory ready to do battle and multiple aircraft making water drops through the day. The observatory is one of the crown jewels of astronomy, and officials vowed to save the historic complex. Officials at the 116-year-old observatory tweeted Monday night that the fire was knocking on our door, noting that all observatory personnel had been evacuated. But shortly after noon Tuesday, forest officials tweeted the blaze was less than 500 feet from the observatory. Fire crews "are in place ready to receive the fire," officials said, noting that strategic firing was taking place to the south, where air operations were strengthening bulldozer lines. "They are in a firefight right now, because it is so close," L.A. County Fire Capt. David Dantic said of crews positioned at Mt. Wilson. In addition to the observatory's iconic structures, there are several communications towers atop Mt. Wilson that are threatened by the blaze. Theres major infrastructure for radio, television and cell towers up there," Dantic said, "so there might be possible disruptions." The #BobcatFire is within 500 ft of the Mt. Wilson Observatory & crews are in place ready to receive the fire. Strategic firing is taking place in the south where air operations are strengthening dozerlines. Crews are working a spot fire that crossed Hwy 2 near Buckhorn. pic.twitter.com/33rI3dNet2 Angeles_NF (@Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times_NF) September 15, 2020 Progress on the fire has been slow. After hovering at 6% containment for several days, the blaze, which started Sept. 6 and grew to more than 41,000 acres , is now only 3% contained. Story continues Its a bigger area now, Dantic said Tuesday morning. Before, we had 6% containment when it was about 30,000 acres, but now the fire has gotten bigger. Its a bigger footprint. Thats why the containment is down. Mt. Wilson is a major site in the development of astronomy. The observatory was founded by George Ellery Hale in 1904, and its first telescopes weighing hundreds of pounds each were transported in pieces up the nine-mile Mt. Wilson toll road on the backs of burros. Now the observatory lets visitors view space through its 60-inch telescope, which has been in place since 1908. When the 100-inch Hooker telescope gathered its first light on Nov. 1, 1917, it overtook its 60-inch neighbor and became the largest telescope in the world a position it held for more than three decades. Other observatories in the high plains of Chile, in orbit around the Earth have rendered Mt. Wilson obsolete, but the campus is still a destination for astronomers and stargazers, who for decades have been drawn by its famed seeing, a shared term of appreciation for the quality of light that defines Los Angeles. The famed 100-inch and 60-inch telescopes remain destinations for tour groups and the site a venue for concerts. A number of universities, however, maintain smaller and private telescopes at Mt. Wilson, including Georgia State University, which manages the CHARA array. Completed in 2004, CHARA Center for High Angular Resolution Astronomy is an optical interferometer, six telescopes positioned across the campus whose images are coordinated and digitized by computer, giving astronomers details and precise information about star systems thousands of light years away. The Bobcat fire is approaching the Mt. Wilson Observatory from its most vulnerable front: the steep eastern slopes that rise precipitously from canyons cut by creeks flowing into Big Santa Anita Canyon beside Chantry Flat. The terrain cannot be defended by cutting a fire break, leaving airdrops and backfires as the only strategies. If the fire does arrive, I suspect it will come first hit the ground near Echo Point, said Robert Anderson, a docent with the Mount Wilson Institute, a nonprofit that operates and maintains the historic campus. The terrain allows no stopping that without the air support. Anderson is most concerned about the nearly 100-year-old dormitory, known as the Monastery, where astronomers would sleep during the day before working the night shift at the observatories. The Monastery is perched on a ridge, a finger of granite, that is exposed on three sides with steep walls, he said. That whole ridge down to the Monastery could easily to be lost without fire suppressant on it. The home of the 20th century's most celebrated astronomers is on the line. Additional personnel have been added to the fire crew, which has been stymied by the aggressive, fuel-driven blaze for days, but the fire crossed the contingency line and was burning along the east side of Little Santa Anita Canyon the closest it had been to the observatory and threatened communities, Dantic said. We were in the process of making a containment line around the whole fire, but unfortunately, with the steep terrain and the fuel there, the fire got over a contingency line that we were trying to make," he said. Contingency and containment lines are barriers made by bulldozers and hand crews that help reduce fire fuel, but theyre not foolproof. When flame lengths get so big," Dantic said, "theres always the possibility of an ember starting another fire outside of the containment line. In the forest's Big Santa Anita Canyon, officials said they feared 80 historic cabins, along with the 1893-built Sturtevant Camp, might have been burned as flames swept through the area Sunday and Monday. "These are historic buildings made of wood and rock and preserved as such under Forest Service rules," said Ben Fitzsimmons, president of Big Santa Anita Canyon Permittees Assn. "It is unlikely that this 100-year-old community has survived unscathed." Fitzsimmons said he didn't know the extent of damage in the area but mourned the possibility that many of the historic structures "may no longer exist." The cabins, built between 1907 and 1936, are not typical real estate. Owners are issued a special use permit to lease the land from the U.S. Forest Service, according to the groups website . Cabins cant be purchased using a mortgage, and owners cant use them as their primary place of residence. The result, Fitzsimmons said, is a small, close-knit community of people who often spend every weekend together people who gather to work on each others cabins and socialize together, bonded by our shared experience and love for this unique place that has been a community since the early 1900s. Dantic, the L.A. County fire captain, couldnt confirm whether the fire had reached the Big Santa Anita cabins, but community members braced for bad news. We think we lost most of it, said Deb Burgess, a cabin owner. Burgess was doubtful that the Forest Service would allow any burned cabins to be rebuilt, noting that she was previously told that structures more than 50% destroyed could not be rebuilt. Even small work on the cabins must follow strict guidelines about materials, size and other historic characteristics. As the fire continues to move toward foothill neighborhoods, evacuation orders for residents north of Elkins Avenue and east of Santa Anita Avenue in Arcadia and Sierra Madre remain in place, as do evacuation warnings for residents north of Foothill Boulevard. Bad air caused by the Bobcat fire and the El Dorado fire in San Bernardino County also continues to be a problem. Three COVID-19 testing sites in L.A. County will be closed Tuesday because of smoke, and a smoke advisory from the South Coast Air Quality Management District will remain in effect throughout the day. Air quality readings in Los Angeles remain in the 150-200 range , which is considered unhealthful by the Environmental Protection Agency. There has been a strong smell of smoke for a few days now, and it definitely feels highly unhealthy to be outside right now, said 10-year West Hollywood resident Pascal Guyon. L.A. has, on average, already had a higher level of air pollution than lots of other major cities, Guyon said. Getting too often to worrisome levels of air pollution would definitely get me to move out of this city. Angelenos eager to get outside may be wondering how much they can push the limits when it comes to air quality. EPA officials said its important to rely on official readings, but also to listen to your body. Its about how you feel as a person because we all react differently to wildfire smoke, said Meredith Kurpius, an air manager from EPA's Region 9 Office. Perhaps you go outside when it's ' orange ' and you feel symptomatic. ... You would want to curtail your exertion and your outdoor activity at that time. But EPA experts also said people should start taking precautions once readings passed 150, and noted that less strenuous activities, such as walking instead of running, could help reduce the risk of heavier breathing, which leads to sucking in more unhealthful air. On some level, its a personal choice, EPA environmental scientist Kathleen Stewart said. But once youre in the 'red' category, especially if you're making a choice for kids, you would want to know that you are exposing them to a level that is not necessarily healthy for them. Some improvement to the air quality in areas farther away from the fire is expected Tuesday , thanks to south winds, but smoke will likely be trapped in valleys and basins into the night. The continuation of southerly winds Wednesday should also help to improve conditions, the Forest Service said, although communities north of the fires are not expected to see improvement. (Natural News) The crisis America is facing today isnt merely a current events crisis involving riots, arson, attacks on police and extreme censorship of conservatives and Christians. Its much more than that: Its actually a spiritual war being waged across this planet, with left-wing demons rising up to try to destroy society, mass murder Christians around the world, silence all voices of reason and burn down human civilization. This is further evidenced by the fact that BLM leaders are heavily into witchcraft and satanism. As explained by Alex Newman at TheNewAmerican.com: Now, newly released audio recordings reveal the occult practices, ancestor worship, African paganism, and literal witchcraft of at least one of the national groups co-founders, as well as the founder of BLMs Los Angeles chapter. Apparently the entire George Soros-funded leadership of BLM is involved in these practices as well. In the audio, BLM co-founder Patrice Cullors, who boasted in a TV interview of being a trained Marxist, revealed that she is also consulting spiritual entities and allowing them to work through her. Im calling for spirituality to be deeply radical, she said. Were not just having a social justice movement, this is a spiritual movement. Yes, a BLM co-founder is actually summoning demonic spirit guides to work through her to destroy humanity. Heres the video mentioned by Newman: These BLM terrorists actually invite the demonic spirits into their bodies, and they often work with multiple infestations of demonic entities: In a recorded conversation with Cullors, BLM Los Angeles founder and California State University Professor of African Studies Melina Abdulla reveals more than she thought she should have. Maybe Im sharing too much, but weve become very intimate with the spirits that we call on regularly, right. she explained. Like, each of them seems to have a different presence and personality, you know. I laugh a lot with Wakisha, you know. And I didnt meet her in her body, right, I met her through this work. Note that she is a professor of African Studies, which has already morphed into an anti-human, anti-white indoctrination training system thats turning young human beings into Satans soldiers for destruction and mass death. As Newman explains: Talk-show host and Christian attorney Abraham Hamilton, III, first aired the audio recordings on August 19 during his show The Hamilton Corner. His conclusion is that the conversation proves top BLM leaders are involved in witchcraft, summoning the spirits of the dead, and engaging in other satanic practices that are firmly condemned and strictly prohibited in the Bible. The solution to the rise of demonic Leftists can only be found in God The war we are facing in America today is not merely a kinetic war, and not simply a culture war. Its a spiritual war being waged by openly demonic, anti-Christ forces who worship death and beg evil spirits to give them the power to destroy. These people are called Antifa or Black Lives Matter terrorists, and they have long since ceased to be human, as they are literally infested with demonic spirits. While some of the actions of these demonic Leftists can be countered with force, the greater answer to all this must come from God. Specifically, America must end its evil ways and beg God for forgiveness or be destroyed as a result of its collective sin. Americas 60+ million abortion murders cannot be swept under the rug. They have unleashed an enormous ripple of evil a kind of tearing of the fabric of the divine cosmos that has allowed Satan-worshiping demons to enter this realm and literally occupy the bodies of left-wing activists, many of whom welcome these demon forces as revealed above. New York City is the epicenter of abortion murder and evil in America, which is why its collapsing into a ghost town If the Holocaust was a crime against humanity with six million murders, what should abortion be called with 60 million infant executions? The epicenter of this murder is New York City, which recently suffered extremely high death counts during the early days of the coronavirus bioweapon release. New York City is where left-wing Satan worhippers light up buildings to celebrate the mass murder of babies after theyre born straight-up infanticide while state legislators cheer the laws that legalize such practices. Under the rule of the radical Left, America has become a nation steeped in pure evil: Abortion, transgenderism, Satan worship, witchcraft and the overt destruction of property, life and liberty. These are all signs of a demonic war being waged against America a war that must be answered with the power of God. In this video, I urge all Americans to awaken to this essential, powerful truth. We must join together and denounce abortion, transgenderism and pedophilia. We must beg God to forgive the sins of this nation, and just as importantly, we must steer America onto a new course that is aligned with Gods plan for a nation founded on Christian principles. This is the only path for saving America, and the time is growing late. The left-wing demons have already overtaken Hollywood, the corporate media, our school systems and much of the government. They run the medical system and fund the sciences. They promote vaccines made from aborted human fetal tissue, all while funneling money into virology labs to build more biological weapons to be unleashed against humanity. Meanwhile, California just legalized pedophilia, allowing adult men to sodomize young teen children and get away with it. This evil must be halted, and to do that, we must invite the blessings of Jesus Christ into our lives and beg God to forgive our nation. Watch this crucial video here: Brighteon.com/1ebe15e6-21f7-4924-bba9-b017bba0b49c Follow my new social media channel at Brighteon.social: https://brighteon.social/@HealthRanger And join Brighteon.social yourself to experience a free speech platform that is pro-Christian, pro-America and pro-liberty. The Great Awakening Project is launching soon, and we will help support its announcement of a national day of prayer. Watch for more news soon Also check out the upcoming GenSix.com event, where Im a guest speaker, called, FINAL WARNING: Brace for Impact. Get full details at GenSix.com. The health of former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Kalyan Singh, who earlier tested positive for coronavirus infection is stable, a hospital official said on Tuesday. The former Rajasthan governor was admitted to the Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGI) on September 14 at 6.30 pm after he tested positive for COVID-19. According to a health bulletin released by the SGPGI on Tuesday evening Singh is afebrile and maintaining 100 per cent oxygen saturation on room air. The former CM doesn't have a fever and his BP is also normal. He has been shifted to a private room and is under observation due to comorbidities. Live TV "The condition of Singh is stable. He is afebrile and maintaining 100 per cent oxygen saturation on room air. He is not having a fever and his BP is also normal. He has been shifted to a private room and is under observation due to comorbidities," the bulletin read. Singh, 88, had complaints of fever, dry cough and breathlessness, SGPGI Director R K Dhiman had said on Monday. "He (Kalyan Singh) was having a mild illness. But, he is stable and is on room air," Dhiman told news agency PTI on Tuesday. Kalyan Singh's grandson and state minister Sandeep Singh had confirmed on Monday that he had contracted the coronavirus. The UP Technical and Medical Education Minister said this on his Twitter handle and prayed for the 88-year-old BJP leader's recovery. "I pray to Lord Ram for your speedy recovery. Our best wishes are with you," Sandeep Singh tweeted referring to his grandfather. A money laundering exhibit is displayed at Target America: Drug Traffickers, Terrorists and You, a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) traveling museum exhibit, in a file photo. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images) Former DEA Agent, Wife Plead Guilty to $9 Million Drug Money Diversion Scheme A former Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) special agent and his wife pleaded guilty on Monday to being part of a scheme that diverted over $9 million in proceeds from undercover money laundering investigations. The money was sent to bank accounts that Jose Ismael Irizarry, 46, and his wife, Nathalia Gomez-Irizarry, 36, controlled, along with co-conspirators. The couple pleaded guilty at the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida. Theyll be sentenced at a later date. Acting Assistant Attorney General Brian Rabbitt called what happened a shocking breach of the publics trust. Irizarry, along with his wife, abused his position by illegally diverting millions of dollars in drug proceeds from undercover operations to personally benefit themselves, Rabbitt added in a statement. This former federal agent turned his back on the people he swore to protect and caved to greed and deceit, said Special Agent in Charge Michael McPherson of the FBIs Tampa Field Office said. The FBI will not tolerate those who abuse the public trust and will persist in safeguarding the American people from public corruption. Irizarry filed for personal bankruptcy in 2010. Shortly after, he began using his position to divert funds from DEA operations to himself and his co-conspirators. The money was used to buy jewelry, luxury cars, and a home. Irizarry was working through 2018 for the DEAs Miami office and an office it has in Cartagena, Colombia. Gomez-Irizarry, meanwhile, admitted that she let her bank accounts and a Florida company she ran to be used in the scheme. Irizarry pleaded guilty to conspiracy to launder monetary instruments, honest services wire fraud, bank fraud, conspiracy to commit bank fraud, conspiracy to commit identity theft, and aggravated identity theft. Gomez-Irizarry pleaded guilty to conspiracy to launder monetary instruments. A lawyer representing the couple didnt respond to a request for comment. September 15 : Kangana Ranaut, who was in the news last week for her controversial remarks about Mumbai, and was caught in a war of words with Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut, continues to grab the headlines this week as well. The Panga actress amended her earlier petition before the Bombay High Court and has now sought Rs 2 crore compensation from Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) against the damages done due to the illegal demolition carried out on September 9 on a portion of her Mumbai office at Pali Hill, Bandra, West, reports Times Now. On September 9, BMC had demolished a portion of Kanganas Mumbai office after putting up a stop working notice on the property. The actress was given just 24 hours to furnish the necessary documents, and before she could arrive in Mumbai from Manali, a portion of her office was already demolished. The report suggests that in a 92-page petition filed before the High Court, Kangana said BMC has demolished 40 percent of the bungalow including valuable movable property like chandeliers, sofa, rare art works. Challenging the BMC demolition, the actress claimed that there was no detection report of September 5 as has been claimed by BMC. Earlier, Kanganas advocate Rizwan Siddiquee had filed a 29-page petition, which was done hastily, and had informed the High Court on Monday that it will be amended on Tuesday. The amended petition seeks an order to quash the demolition notice of September 7 and the demolition order of September 9 and to restrain the BMC from taking any further action in implementing the demolition order of September 9, it is reported. Earlier, the Tanu Weds Manu actress stated on her social media that she will work from her ravaged office as she does not have the money to repair it. The actress also met Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari and urged for justice. Pastor Justin Ulmer turned to prayer like he always does when facing a challenge. He was called to plant a church, but he wasnt sure how or where exactly to establish a new congregation. In fact, the whole idea of becoming leader of a church upstart was a bit daunting. For the past seven years, Ulmer and his wife Brooke had led student ministries at WoodsEdge Community Church, located at 25333 Gosling Road, where Spring and The Woodlands meet. And we were ready to do that for the rest of our lives, Ulmer said. At first, he resisted, when lead pastor Jeff Wells approached him with the prospect of a church plant. I immediately said, No way, Im a student pastor, Ulmer recalled. The idea of stepping away from our students was gut-wrenching. By February, he agreed and told Wells that he was ready. He thought that the rest of the school year could be spent with students with plenty of time for farewells. COVID-19 threw a wrench in his plans. Literally, the next week, we had to go home and lock our doors, Ulmer said. Still, staying-at-home ended up affecting his vision. While he prayed for guidance, to determine what the church plant would look like and where it would be located, he also turned to scripture. Smaller gatherings In Acts 2, Ulmer found a template. He explained that the scripture spotlighted the importance of smaller group gatherings, to form more intimate communities, who could pray, learn and break bread together. Its not really about going to church, he said. Its about really being the church. I could see people falling in love with the idea of church if they saw neighbors coming together and caring for each other. That is hard to ignore. At the same time, the coronavirus pandemic also meant that small group gatherings simply made sense. I was desperately missing going to church, Ulmer said. They all closed. They had to be considerate, because of the large group. He prayed, Theres got to be a safe way to go on. And the answer popped into his mind house church. What if we literally invited people on our street to come to our house, to worship together and eat a meal? Ulmer thought. In the beginning of July, he and Brooke opened their doors to give it a shot. Church at home We hosted a mini-church service in our living room, Ulmer said. It was just phenomenal. The presence of God was off the charts. Everyone present also had an opportunity to speak. They truly listened to and supported each other, Ulmer said. Before long, the word spread. Friends in Woodforest asked if Ulmer would lead another house church at their home, and he agreed. Now there are four locations in Montgomery County. Each group is unique and awesome, Ulmer said. He also named this new and evolving concept of a congregation, Little Flock Church. Its inspired by scripture: Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and he will give you everything you need. Dont be afraid, little flock. For it gives your Father great happiness to give you the Kingdom. Ulmer envisions having several little flocks that occasionally converge for regular larger flock assemblies, maybe once a month. He believes that both are essential neighbors joining together for fellowship and worship in smaller groups, as well as the larger services and celebrations. Were just getting back to the heart of what church should be to love each other and share Gods love, Ulmer said. Were going to continue to build the foundation, and were learning as we go. He also has decided on a future headquarters for Little Flock Church on a piece of family land in south Conroe. Eventually, well have larger gatherings, but what were doing now is so beautiful, I dont want to rush it, he said. Leaving his home in The Woodlands for Conroe will be difficult but necessary to allow the church to grow, Ulmer added. Woodlands ties A member of the first 300 families who settled in The Woodlands, he grew up in Grogans Mill and graduated from McCullough High School. During his time in student ministry, Ulmer focused on creative ways to spread a message of love and understanding. For instance, he found Jesus in the popular rock band Twenty One Pilots and created a series of sermons on the music. That message of acceptance will carry into Little Flock Church. Your brokenness is welcome here, Ulmer said. Were not looking for picture-perfect people. They dont exist. We want to be authentic. If youre having a bad day, dont stay home. In fact, thats even more reason to come. COVID-19 has added to existing troubles, he added. Were all feeling a little frustrated right now, Ulmer said. Were all fearing for the future. Lets acknowledge that. Faith and connection The pandemic has also shed light on the importance of community, the pastor said. People have expressed to him a longing for faith and connection. House church is an easy way to find both. Anyone can do this with just a Bible, Ulmer said. We want to see this grow. The Woodlands resident Mark Elliot was attending a mid-size church, before the coronavirus forced it to temporarily close. During that time, he discovered Little Flock. Its exactly the experience we were looking for, he said. Its small and intimate. COVID pushed us in another direction, and we embraced that. With the house church, he added, there isnt the same concern about services stopping due to the size of the crowd. We dont have to worry about it closing its doors tomorrow, he said. And its just freeing, to worship in this way. Keli Guyer, who hosts Little Flock in Woodforest, explained that she was looking for this type of church experience for a while. Its not just a Sunday kind of thing, she said. The intimacy, the accountability, the friendship and acts of service, its everything together. And that can get lost in a larger church. Usually, about four families attend church in her home, which she has hosted for the past seven weeks. We have discussion, worship and communion and then we all do dinner together, Guyer said. Its been so encouraging. Its just living life together. For more information, visit littleflock.church. Lindsay Peyton is a Houston-based writer. The World Socialist Web Site is publishing more messages of support for Dr. Joseph Scalice, who has come under attack from the Philippine Stalinists for his powerful August 26 lecture, First as Tragedy, Second as Farce: Marcos, Duterte and the Communist Parties of the Philippines. The lecture examined the support given by the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), and the various organizations that follow its political line, for Philippine Pre sident Rodrigo Duterte in 2016. Acutely sensitive to the criticism of the CPP, its founder Jose Maria Sison, without a shred of evidence, has denounced Dr. Scalice as a paid CIA agent and an informer for Duterte. Dr. Scalice, through the establishment of the historical record about the betrayals of the CPP, has done a service to the working class in the Philippines and internationally. We call on our readers to come to the defence of Scalice by sending statements of support to the WSWS opposing the slanderous attack on him by the Communist Party of the Philippines. Sneha, a student from Sydney: All forms of progressive thought and culture are inspired by the conviction that there is nothing more powerful than truthDavid North Dr. Joseph Scalice Academic Joseph Scalice, in his rigorous and meticulous scholarship of the CPP and its allied front organisations, uncovers historical truths that illuminate the opportunist politics that were complicit in the rise of Rodrigo Duterte and his blood-drenched regime. Scalices compelling lectureFirst as tragedy, second as farcelays bare the truth that despite the CPPs split from the PKP, a similarly Stalinist political program of its leadership has ultimately played no small part in yet another imposition of Martial Lawand another harrowing chapter in the history of the Philippines. Scalice unpacks the nationalist outlook of Joma Sison; an outlook that is a clear and inevitable expression of rapacious class interests that do not align with that of the working class. As such, the CPP, despite its proclamations, is no ally to the Philippines working class. Dutertes war on drugs served and serves only as a murderous assault on the most impoverished and vulnerable strata of the nations population. Sisons obfuscating denials and acts of slander against Scalice are seen now as yet another set of political manoeuvres in his betrayal of the people of the Philippines. The knowledge of these undeniable truths howeverto which Joseph Scalice is a noble torchbearersets the stage for the working class of the Philippines in their emancipation from Stalinist and Maoist forces in their independent mobilisation. Dr. William Briggs, Melbourne, Australia: I would like to add my voice to those condemning the attacks on the integrity of Joseph Scalice. Having both watched his address and read the text of his lecture, I have nothing but admiration for his scholarship, courage and honesty. In attacking his work with such vigour the Communist Party of the Philippines shows to the world that the politics of Stalinism and Maoism remains unchanged. Embedded in these attacks is an entire worldview that remains hostile, both to the truth and to the quest for truth. Stalin might have died 67 years ago, but his heirs have learned their theory well. For the better part of a century, Stalinism has sought to throttle the voice of classical Marxism. That voice has not been silenced. Scalice attests to that. The stain of Stalin remains but with each attack that the rump of this ideology unleash they further show to the world the paucity of their ideas. Dmitri, a student from Adelaide, Australia: I condemn the actions of Jose Maria Sison and the Communist Party of the Philippines and would like to put forward my statement of support for Dr Joseph Scalices scholarship, his excellent lecture, and his right to freedom of speech. Libellously and incoherently, Dr. Scalice was accused by the Maoist politician in exile, Jose Maria Sison, of being a pathologically rabid anti-communist and CIA psywar agent posing as an academic Trotskyite within the pages of the CPPs newspaper, Ang Bayan. Dr. Scalice shows that Sison himself has neither had ties to the working-class nor obtained working-class character, since Sison admitted in his autobiography his grandfather owned eighty per cent of my own town and his mother said: he ordered maids around. I would like to highlight this class character in lieu of Sisons support of industrialists, nationalism, capitalism and dictatorship. Stageisma distortion of Marxismis the view that a country must progress through a bourgeois revolution before reaching a socialist revolution. The CPP uses this perspective in order to support the ruling elite and Rodrigo Duterte, which Dr Scalice deftly compared to their earlier support of dictator Ferdinand Marcos. Although the CPP, like many other thuggish Stalinist organisations, attempt to distance themselves from the truth and hide their past actions, Dr Scalice has done a commendable service for humanity and the working class in his pursuit of historical truth by uncovering this. Through meticulous use of evidence and erudite expression, Dr Scalice cuts through the lies and deception of the dishonest vulgarisation of both Marxism and history from the Stalinists and Maoists. Roderick, a student in Newcastle, Australia: Joseph Scalices lecture was an immensely important exposure of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), exploding the lies made by the party leader, Jose Maria Sison that they did not support the election of Duterte in 2016. Scalice shows how the party has paved the way for authoritarian forms of rule in the Philippines and the betrayal of the Filipino working class and peasantry as a product of its Stalinist/Maoist program. Sison has come out and attacked Scalice calling him a CIA agent and imperialist hack, there is no evidence for any of these allegations. I oppose this attack against Joseph, he has stood for historical truth which is a weapon against the CPPs lies that seek to disorientate the working class. The clarification of the role of the CPP will be a valuable contribution to the struggle against Stalinism and Maoism throughout South-East Asia. Scalices lecture shows that the only organization that seeks to expose this record and orientate the working class in the coming revolutionary struggle is the International Committee of the Fourth International. Lachlan, a student in Newcastle: I condemn the actions of the CPP, Jose Maria Sison and Rodrigo Duterte. I would like to express my full support for Joseph Scalice, who has worked tirelessly for the truth to be known about the Stalinist ideology and practices of the CPP, and the criminal actions of Duterte and his government. I am a strong advocate for academic and press freedom, and to see the works of Scalice covered up is something I find extremely concerning. I was aware of the strict and militaristic approach towards the war on drugs in the Philippines, but if it wasnt for Scalices lecture, I would not have been aware of Dutertes use of the war on drugs to murder and silence political opposition. A nihang was injured when the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee used force to disperse Sikh activists from outside the Golden Temple complex as they were demanding criminal cases against SGPC functionaries responsible for the missing Guru Granth Granth Sahib saroops. The Sikh activists started an indefinite protest on Monday at the main gate of the Teja Singh Samundri Hall, the headquarters of the apex gurdwara body that is facing flak from the community over the missing saroops. Besides criminal cases against the negligent SGPC functionaries, the activists want the saroops located. Overnight, SGPC employees raised iron barricades at three points to isolate the activists on protest and blocked the entry to the Golden Temple from Gurdwara Baba Atal Rai Sahib and Manji Sahib Diwan Hall. Due to the blockade, the activists, including the injured nihang, could not join the agitating activists outside Sri Guru Ram Das Serai. They were sitting peacefully when the SGPC task force planned to disperse them. They snatched their lathis and started hitting the protesters with them to disperse them. The turbans of two activists fell down and a nihang was injured, an eyewitness said. After an hour, more activists gathered at the spot and the situation became tense. Visitors to the holiest shrine of the Sikhs were facing inconvenience due to the blockades put up by the SGPC. Mediapersons covering the incident also came under attack by SGPC employees. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON An idea from Coun. Dean Pappas to ask city police for more information about the life cycle and maintenance costs of police vehicles failed to get approval from fellow councillors at a meeting on Monday. The city is the sole funder of Peterborough Police, which will soon be asking the city for $27 million run the force in 2021 (which is about $640,000 more than the cost to operate police this year). Pappas, city councils finance chair, said while he knows the city cannot tell police how to spend their money to operate the service, council can ask for more detail during budget talks in November on exactly where the money is going. And he thought it was worth asking how long police cruisers serve before theyre replaced, for instance, and how much it costs to maintain the fleet. Thats info council is entitled to, under the Police (Services) Act, Pappas said. But only Pappas and Coun. Andrew Beamer wanted to ask: the rest voted against making that request of police. Coun. Gary Baldwin, chair of the Peterborough Police Services Board, said he didnt understand why Pappas would want that information in the first place. He also suggested its a good idea for police vehicles to be in top shape and not driven into the ground: You make a 911 call and the last thing you want is a beat-up jalopy (for a cruiser), he said. Coun. Lesley Parnell also said she didnt want to ask unnecessary questions about how police maintain their fleet. I cant support this: police need the tools to do the job, she said. Coun. Henry Clarke, a former member of the police board, said council has no business asking for that information because they are not to direct police operations. I appreciate what Coun. Pappas is trying to do: he wants as much information as possible. But were not entitled to it, bottom line, Clarke said. Pappas said that isnt so, that city staff in the citys legal department told him council is indeed entitled to ask for information as long as they dont try to direct police spending. When Coun. Keith Riel and Coun. Kim Zippel both said they arent well-versed enough in the Police Services Act to know that for sure, it was suggested that council ask for a staff report to make it clear just what they can ask of police. Mayor Diane Therrien, whos on the police board, supported the idea of giving staff at City Hall and at the police station time to gather that info, but the deferral lost. Baldwin suggested holding a beginners course to introduce other councillors to the act: Give us a full day well give you some education. Monday was the second time Pappas has brought forward a motion lately to ask for information from the police services board. Earlier this year, he moved that council to ask the board who had anonymously donated a light-armoured vehicle (LAV) to the force and how much the LAV would cost to maintain and eventually replace. Although council voted to go along with that and make the request, the police board refused to offer the information. Council got the information when The Examiner reported in August the LAV was donated by Ontario Power Generation, which maintains secure sites at the Darlington and Pickering nuclear power plants. The Examiner also obtained documents showing that police have already paid $10,000 to repair and repaint the 2012 OshKosh SandCat vehicle, and that the LAV came with many spare parts. The vehicle, valued at $250,000 new, is used and now worth about $30,000, the board was told in August. Joint recruitment efforts by New Mexico and Chihuahua officials have netted a major Taiwanese supplier of composite metal parts, which plans to open a bi-national operation along New Mexicos southern border with Mexico. Xxentria Technology Materials Company will establish a new administrative headquarters and distribution facility at the Santa Teresa border industrial zone next year, plus a manufacturing plant at the San Jeronimo industrial park on the Mexican side of the border, state Economic Development Secretary Alicia J. Keyes announced Wednesday. New Mexico will award $750,000 in Local Economic Development Act funding for the facility in Santa Teresa, where Xxentria has purchased 40 acres of land. Its the first bi-national deal along the Santa Teresa/San Jeronimo border zone, where public officials and private investors have worked together for years to build the needed infrastructure for cross-border manufacturing and trade operations, said Jerry Pacheco, executive director of the International Business Accelerator and president of the Border Industrial Association. Its the first time weve recruited a company to truly operate on both sides of the border in the bi-national community were working to build here, Pacheco said. Xxentrias facilities will be located a stones throw away from each other. Keyes and other state officials participated with government representatives from Chihuahua in a joint trade mission to Taiwan in Taiwan, where they met with Xxentria executives. We closed on the deal while we were in Taiwan, Keyes said. It came about because Xxentria does a lot of business in the U.S. and it wanted to be closer to its customers. Xxentria, which makes steel and aluminum panels for trucks and buildings, is based in the Taiwan city of Tainan. It has sales operations in New Jersey and California, but this is its first direct manufacturing foray into the U.S., said Xxentria chairman and CEO Howard Chen. Santa Teresa/San Jeronimo is the future of the border region, Chen said in a statement. Establishing manufacturing operations in North America will allow us to better service our valued customers in the U.S. The company is still working on facility designs for the cross-border operation. It expects to launch construction in Santa Teresa next year, employing 35 workers to start. It will grow operations over time, Keyes said. We expect Xxentrias supply companies to establish local operations here as well. Were already speaking them, so we think this is just the beginning. Xxentria is the second Taiwanese company recruited to Santa Teresa since last year. Admiral Cable which makes wires, electrical strips and computer parts is now constructing a three-building complex in the industrial zone. To recruit more firms, the Economic Development Department is planning to hire a full-time trade consultant in Taiwan, Keyes said. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-15 21:58:23|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close LUSAKA, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Zambia's central bank said on Tuesday that addressing volatility in the exchange rate is critical in achieving and maintaining price and financial system stability. The Bank of Zambia (BoZ) said it will continue to use all available monetary and foreign exchange intervention options to address adverse developments in the foreign exchange market. The Kwacha, the local currency, has come under intense pressure in recent weeks, depreciating by 8.0 percent, largely reflecting imbalances in the foreign exchange market, the central bank added. It noted in a release that this has mainly been due to lower foreign exchange sales from the mining industry as well as foreign financial firms who typically invest in government bonds. According to the release, the reduced mining sector supply was consistent with the gradual general reduction in exports in general, which has been worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic. "In addition, operational challenges at key mining firms, which have been significant suppliers of foreign exchange in the past, has compounded the situation," it said. Enditem Updated: 2.50pm Dublins pubs will not be allowed to reopen next week as planned due to rising coronavirus cases in the city. The move to delay the September 21st reopening for drink-only pubs in the capital was signed off by the Cabinet on Tuesday morning as the Government delivered its new Living with Covid-19 five-level plan. Tanaiste Leo Varadkar on Monday said the worrying increase in coronavirus infections in Dublin would require additional restrictions and a different response than in the rest of the country. In response to the decision, an industry group said pubs in Dublin have been treated unfairly and disproportionately in "yet another false start" for publicans. This is now the fourth time new product has been brewed and delivered in kegs to Dublin pubs, to then not be used. It is also the fourth time drinks suppliers have worked with pubs in Dublin to clean beer lines ahead of a reopening. Advertisement Drinks Ireland, which represents Irelands drinks suppliers, said "wet pubs" in Dublin should be treated "exactly the same as every other part of the hospitality sector, which has been allowed to open and remain open" as new restrictions are introduced in Dublin. Director of Drinks Ireland Patricia Callan said: This is now the fourth time that pubs in Dublin that do not serve food have been told they could reopen, to then be told, at very short notice, that they no longer can. "It is completely disproportionate and unfair for these pubs to be treated as political scapegoats, and differently to the rest of the hospitality sector. Dublin pubs that serve food have reopened, safely. This continued closure impacts not only pubs, but also drinks suppliers. Beer and cider in particular cannot be kept in storage for lengthy periods as both will go off. This is now the fourth time new product has been brewed and delivered in kegs to Dublin pubs, to then not be used. It is also the fourth time drinks suppliers have worked with pubs in Dublin to clean beer lines ahead of a reopening." 'Unmitigated disaster' Ahead of the decision, a representative body for the pub trade said a further delay in reopening in the city would be an unmitigated disaster for the sector, pushing some publicans into default on debts. Licensed Vintners Association chief executive Donall OKeeffe told The Irish Times it would be unbelievable for the reopening of drink-only pubs to be further delayed past September 21st. He had called on the Cabinet to stand by that date: NPHET [the National Public Health Emergency Team] should focus on where the infections are." These pubs have not contributed to that worrying trend of rising infections. That has happened in homes, in the community and in other workplaces because the pubs will have been closed for 189 days by September 21st, he said. All hospitality businesses should face the same public health guidelines. There have been 3,500 food pubs open since June 29th without any problems. What is NPHETs obsession with wet pubs? The latest figures show that the incidence of Covid-19 in two areas of Dublin has risen above 100 cases per 100,000 people for the first time since the spring. A total of 1,068 coronavirus cases were notified in Dublin over the two-week period up to last Friday. This is the first in a series of stories called Going Home in which journalists from the USA TODAY Ohio Network return to the communities where they grew up to share firsthand how the contentious 2020 election is playing in various corners of the battleground state. JEROMESVILLE, Ohio The hardware store on the square? No more. The feed mill down toward the Jerome Fork? Long gone. The lumber company along Main Street? Torn down. Even the service station at the edge of town where, as a kid left alone in Dads car for a moment, I slipped the 58 Olds out of gear and coasted backward onto the Lincoln Highway? Closed for years. Jeromesville signs mark the village limits on the north on Ohio Route 89. In the background is a school built in 1929. But last week a hot new business opened in the north-central Ohio village of Jeromesville: A temporary kiosk selling Donald Trump merchandise set up on a parking lot that decades earlier was part of the D&F Chevy dealership. Despite the hollowing out of businesses experienced in many Ohio municipalities, the people I talked to in my old hometown of fewer than 600 souls are still hard workers. Many, however, now have longer commutes since such local employers as the Rubbermaid plant in Wooster, pump-makers in Ashland and old-line Mansfield factories like Westinghouse, where my father worked, have shut down. The area roughly halfway between Cleveland and Columbus remains mostly agricultural. But theres a catch, as I discovered when I sat down and talked to three generations of farmers: Ray Hall, 80; son Keith, 56; and Keiths boy Andy, 28, who grow nearly 2,000 acres of corn, soybeans and wheat just down the road from my in-laws. They can think of only a couple of other families who depend solely on agriculture to make a living. Andy knows of only two high school classmates who went into full-time farming. Farmers like the Halls and the Bicker family, whose 500-acre spread now stretches to the modest farm where I spent most of my first 12 years, must deal with grain prices that often are the same or lower than they were decades ago while the cost of equipment has skyrocketed to as much as $500,000 for a combine. Story continues Dan Bicker says hes just glad that four years ago the family got out of the milking business, which has hit rock bottom. The somewhat controversial new face of milking sits on a side road about a mile away, where a herd of dozens of cows are rotated through a factory farm and milked essentially around the clock. But these farm families say they dont connect their struggles with who occupies 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in large part because their woes have persisted through both Democratic and Republican administrations. Public school enrollment has plummeted. I had nearly 100 in my graduating class way back in 1973. Now classes average 60 to 70, with many parents opting for home-schooling, says Hillsdale Superintendent Steve Dickerson. A few years back the district fell under state fiscal watch and was one of a handful in Ohio to turn down state funding for a new school building because voters refused to provide local matching money. A not-uncommon sight in the rural area around the Ashland County village of Jeromesville: not one, but several pro-Donald Trump (and law enforcement) signs lining a back road next to a field. But things have suddenly changed. The district is breaking ground Sept. 30 on an $84 million, 227,000-square-foot K-12 school building paid for solely with tax revenue from the new underground Rover gas pipeline and a compressor station built in the district. The community supports law enforcement, and this almost exclusively white area consists mostly of All Lives Matter folks instead of Black Lives Matter people. Yes, there is that one house that regularly flies a Confederate flag under the American flag, although the stars and bars have been replaced for now by a Trump 2020 flag. But I also talked to a Jeromesville-area woman who took part in a Black Lives Matter demonstration in nearby Ashland and complained about the Trump counterprotesters across the street acting like white supremacists. Still, as Cathy Soles, owner for 18 years of a small market on the 205-year-old villages square, told me, This is mainly a Trump-supporting town. She said she voted for Obama twice, but like most of her customers now backs Trump. I think theyre just sick of the old politicians. They want change, Soles said. He tells it like it is. Like anybody else, hes by no means perfect, but I believe more of what he says than most other politicians. Its a theme you hear often: Dont bother me with detailed findings from nitpicking fact-checkers, because Trump speaks a greater truth and hes on my side. The guy running the kiosk across the street he wouldnt tell me his name because of the stigma associated with Trump said Jeromesville was chosen from among several alternatives. Indeed, business was good that morning. Steve Richards, 47, who pulled up to buy some Trump swag in his 5.7-liter V8 Toyota Tundra after picking up his sophomore daughter from Hillsdale, said the incumbent represents my values. He creates jobs. I think he runs the country good. Richards, disabled after a recent illness, said he admires the president for the sacrifices hes made. He couldve been living a billionaires life. He didnt have anything to gain, and actually lost money. I believe hes truly for our country. Trump signs and flags adorn lawns and houses as you drive up and down Jeromesville streets including the brick one that runs past my former abode. However, to find a yard sign for Democrat Joe Biden, I had to get guidance from Keith Hall and drive more than a mile outside the village limits. It was planted at the home of Keith Gardner, 72, who served on a Navy destroyer and was an electrician who worked at the GM plant in Mansfield until the company shut it down in 2008. Keith Gardner, a Naval Reserve veteran and retired electrician, is one of the few Jeromesville-area residents with a sign for Joe Biden in his yard, a little more than a mile outside the Ashland County village. I cant stand Donald Trump, he declared as we chatted on the shaded porch of a home on property carved out from his familys 81-acre farm. Hes a liar. He puts people in office who dont know anything about the office. Theyre just big-time contributors, Gardner said. I dont trust the guy. Hes a millionaire whos had it his own way. He is egotistical to the hilt. Hes got all his children in office down there. Thats unheard of. But Gardner also said, I dont really care for Joe Biden. He seems too old and frail. Its too bad the Democrats couldnt come up with something better. He calls Biden running mate Kamala Harris a smart, tough lady. It seems like she could step in, no problem. In 2016, Trump triumphed among Jeromesvilles 230 residents who went to the polls by 40 percentage points, 67% to 27%, over Hillary Clinton. The runaway was even bigger in surrounding rural areas, leading to a Trump blowout, 74% to 19%, in the village and three adjoining townships combined. It was a microcosm of how well Trump performed in rural Ohio four years ago, from the 71% he won in eastern Ohios Carroll County to the stunning 81% he took in Mercer County on the states western border. Can he do it again? Jim Justice, one of two Ashland County commissioners from my high school class, said he thinks the turnout for Trump will be even stronger this year. Justice gives three reasons: Trumps support for life at every age but especially the unborn, the Second Amendment and the military. But if you want to truly understand areas like this, you must realize that politics just isnt the blood sport here as it often is in more urban locales. It's quiet now, but a kiosk set up to sell Donald Trump swag has done well in Jeromesville, a north central Ohio village where the billionaire beat Hillary Clinton by 40 percentage points to win the presidency in 2016. In a garage just up the street from where my home Jeromesville Christian Church gathers about 60 strong pre-COVID-19 several guys including former dairy farmer Bicker are working together to unload a trailer of food into a walk-in cooler. In a rarity among the folks I saw, they all were wearing masks to protect others from the coronavirus. When I ask about the presidential race, no one is eager to talk. Upon prodding, most acknowledge they likely will vote for Trump. One goes out on a limb and calls Biden too wishy washy. But they heartily agree that what theyre doing that muggy Friday morning is far more important than who wins the White House: helping to feed five dozen families through a ministry called Hillsdale Cares, which involves 13 area churches. Cindy Young, who has coordinated the ministry since 2003, noted its a rarity because volunteers deliver the food to peoples homes. Exuding enthusiasm and resourcefulness, shes learned to grab provisions from multiple sources, from the government, to area restaurants, to a wrecked truck that provided 300 dozen unbroken eggs, to local farmers, who from time to time donate a cow, hog or even a deer. Her father, Ernie Cline, 84, usually drives to pick up the food and helps unload and deliver it. For those who want to stereotype these folks as just knee-jerk Trump-supporting white evangelicals, you should know that for more than a dozen years while Cline wintered with his late wife, Dolores, in south Texas after retiring, he was part of a group that regularly crossed the Mexican border to help build a school and make repairs at a childrens home. Yes, thats an old white guy from Trump country volunteering to help out brown kids in a different country. When I mention that to him, his reply is simple: People are people. I dont care where they are. Across the street from the church building, Don Fickes, 75, ran the towns furniture store and, across another street, the funeral home just as his father and grandfather did before him, and his son Mark is after him. The elder Fickes laments the employers that have departed the area, and the shrinking number of owner-occupied homes. I know about a third of the people now, he says as we sit at one of the tables for sale (list price $795, plus $295 per chair) in the furniture store, a converted one-room schoolhouse. I used to know all the people. I even knew their dogs name. While he decries declining local church attendance and a lack of discipline in both homes and schools, Fickes acknowledges that he has zero desire to leave his lifelong stomping grounds. We still live in Mayberry. And Id still rather live in Mayberry. drowland@dispatch.com; @darreldrowland Ernie Cline, left, and Jim Belcher unload boxes of food into a walk-in refrigerator for the Hillsdale Cares ministry at Jeromesville Christian Church, in an Ashland County village roughly halfway between Cleveland and Columbus. This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio Trump supporters: Reporter heads home again to Jeromesville Billionaire Michael Bloomberg has pledged to spend at least $100 million to support the campaign of Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden in Florida. This announcement Sunday is only the largest pledge of support from the financial oligarchy for the Democratic campaign. Bloomberg aide Kevin Sheekey said the pledge of virtually unlimited financial backing to Biden in Florida, the most critical battleground state in the 2020 election, will allow campaign resources and other Democratic resources to be used in other states, in particular the state of Pennsylvania. Florida has 29 electoral votes, the most of any closely contested state, following California with 55, overwhelmingly Democratic, and Texas with 38, leaning Republican. New York state, also with 29 electoral votes, is heavily Democratic. Only once in the last 60 yearsBill Clinton in 1992has a candidate won the presidency while losing Florida. The last Republican to lose Florida and still win the White House was Calvin Coolidge in 1924, when the state was lightly populated swampland. Early voting begins in Florida September 24, and Bloombergs money will pay for massive campaign advertising on behalf of Biden, in both English and Spanish. Campaign officials said the funds would be devoted almost entirely to television and digital ads. Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg stands for the pledge of allegiance during a ceremony on Sept. 11, 2020, in New York. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer) Even before the Bloomberg commitment, the Biden campaign and supporting Democratic groups had outspent Trump and the Republicans by $42 million to $32 million. The flood of cash from the billionaire media mogul will give the Democrats a three- or four-to-one advantage over the final seven weeks of the campaign. The efficacy of Bloombergs huge financial commitment is open to question. The media billionaire spent $1 billion (a mere one-fiftieth of his gargantuan personal fortune) on his own pursuit of the Democratic presidential nomination. He launched his campaign at a time when he believed Bidens candidacy was near its demise, hoping that his money might forestall the nomination of Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders. The sudden revival of Bidens campaign with his victory in South Carolina in February and then in the Super Tuesday primaries on March 3 led Bloomberg to abandon his own efforts and endorse the former vice president, since their right-wing views on a range of topics, and particularly on foreign policy, were virtually identical. Since then, Bloomberg has transferred $20 million from his abortive presidential campaign to the Democratic National Committee, as well as pumping in another $120 million to local, state and congressional campaigns, making him by far the largest single backer of the Democratic Party. Florida is only the most glaring example of the general trend in the 2020 election, in which the financial oligarchy and Wall Street have indicated a distinct preference for Biden and backed it up with heavy financial commitments. During August, the Biden campaign broke all records for fundraising in a single month, raking in $365 million, nearly double the previous record of $203 million set by the campaign of Barack Obama in September 2008, and more than Hillary Clinton and Trump combined to raise, in August 2016, $233 million. The Trump campaign also broke the Obama record, but its total of $210 million in August was far behind the pace set by the Democrats. Approximately $205 million of the $365 million came through online donations, including 1.5 million new donors. This is more an indication of the widespread hostility to Trump among millions of working-class and middle-class people than any groundswell of support for Biden, who personifies the corrupt US political establishment, having spent 36 years in the Senate before his eight years as Obamas vice president. That means that $160 milliona near-record amount by itselfwas raised through large donations from wealthy supporters of the Democratic Party. While Trump continues to rake in the lions share of support from industries such as oil and gas, mining and real estate, Biden has collected the bulk of financial backing from the banks, hedge funds and insurance industry. Under rules set by the Federal Election Commission, a wealthy donor can now give as much as $830,600 to support a presidential candidate, routing much of the money through federal and state party committees rather than the candidates own campaign. The result of the disparity in fundraising throughout the summer is that the Democratic presidential campaign has now caught up with and even surpassed Trumps war chest. The Trump reelection campaign, despite raising an unprecedented $1.1 billion, has less cash on hand for the fall than the Biden campaign. According to press accounts, more than one-third of the money raised by the Trump campaign was used to pay the expenses of fundraising itself. There were several reports last week that the Trump campaign was experiencing a cash crunch, and was unable to sustain advertising in all 15 of the so-called battleground states. Both the Washington Post and Bloomberg News reported that Trump campaign manager Bill Stepien has halted television advertising in Michigan and Pennsylvania at least temporarily, and that Biden was outspending Trump in nearly every closely contested state. Stepien replaced Brad Parscale as campaign manager in July, at least in part because of concerns that Parscale had squandered Trumps substantial initial fundraising advantage. According to the media tracking firm Advertising Analytics, the Biden campaign spent $17 million in television and digital advertising in nine battleground states during the week of September 3, compared to $4 million by the Trump campaign. The Clinton campaign outspent Trump by similar margins in 2016, but Trump campaign aides had boasted they would not face such a deficit in 2020. Trump has hinted he would seek to make up the difference from his personal fortune, but there has been no sign yet of any direct outlay by the billionaire to back his own campaign. What is this identity? Different buyers in attendance this year perceive different qualities in what they saw. Its [in] the family and educational values, which are unique, but at the same time can be universal, says Hitendra Merchant, CEO of Yoboho New Media, a kids digital content company based in India. The excellent projects do stand out on the basis of either the narrative or the animation and technical capability. Richard Rowe, director of international acquisitions and co-productions at Canadian kids content company Wildbrain, was struck this year by another common quality in the Malaysian projects. I feel like the biggest indicator is a visual one, he says. Theres some really wonderful art coming out of Malaysia. I cant speak to specific Malaysian stories, but I will say that universality is very important. The tension between the local and the universal between a distinct cultural flavor and an appeal to global buyers is a matter to which Flordeliza Dayrit and Michael Milo, respectively COO and CEO of digital platform Muslim Kids TV, pay close attention. This year marked the second time Dayrit and Milo attended Kre8tif!. A trend we have seen in the childrens animation industry is towards maximum sellability, they tell us. By this, we mean removing the sense of a local culture so that the producer can try to sell it in as many markets as possible. Personally, we find this approach a disservice to children, since they are not exposed to the diversity of cultures and points of view. The pitches in our panel went counter to this and really celebrated local experiences. As examples of overtly local kids IPs, Dayrit and Milo cite Wau Animations Ejen Ali, a sci-fi action show set in a fictionalized Cyberjaya which celebrates heroes from diverse backgrounds, and Les Copaque Productions Upin & Ipin, which is set in rural Malaysia. As it happens, both shows have found international distribution after building a large following at home: Ejen Ali has been picked up by Amazon Prime Video in the U.S. and elsewhere, while Upin & Ipin has aired on Disney Channel Asia. Don Anderson, head of family and learning partnerships at Youtube APAC, gives another example: Boboiboy, a superhero show set in a markedly Malaysian suburban world (image at top of article). The producers, Animonsta Studios, are like a studio of the future, Anderson explains. They think about the whole experience around an IP. They had actually distributed across [traditional Malaysian broadcaster] Astro, and then eventually moved their content to Youtube, and built up a real strong presence there. But theyre also doing licensing and merchandising. Theyre doing publishing. Rowe also notices a shift in local studios distribution strategies. One of the main things Ive noticed is that producers are more open to building their IP with digital broadcast in mind, he says. Its no longer the case that we have to sell the idea to producers of launching their shows digitally first. Many producers are now thinking about this and how a digital-first strategy can actually help them build brands and attain carriage on linear platforms. Ambition and success dont arise in a vacuum. Anderson points out that deals with platforms like Netflix give Malaysian studios not only wide distribution, but also experience in dealing with and pitching to global buyers knowledge that then spreads through the industry. He also acknowledges the relatively generous public support the industry receives, not least through Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation, the government body that organizes Kre8tif! and generally supports the digital and creative sectors. Anderson evokes the industrys scrappy early days: If you go visit [studios like] Animonsta and Digital Durian in Cyberjaya, you can see the roots of where they began, which was three or four of them in a small room, hatching these ideas that now travel globally. The political support has turbocharged its growth, but this wouldnt have happened without the grit, determination, and creativity of the artists and studios themselves. Malaysia is like a hidden gem not talked up a lot globally, Anderson concludes. Its a quiet giant of animation. Cartoon Brew will be covering Malaysias animation industry in depth over the coming months, examining its place as a leader in Southeast Asian animation and exploring the challenges it faces in the pandemic. Stay tuned. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-15 15:30:16|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Doctor Xing Rui has been working as a doctor for almost 27 years. In this spring, he was dispatched to help medics to fight the COVID-19 pandemic in Honghu of Jingzhou City, Hubei Province. He worked round the clock in Honghu for 38 days, treating severe COVID-19 patients. Xing has been commended as a role model in China's fight against the COVID-19 epidemic. First time Congress MLA- Govardhan Dangi from Biaora constituency of Madhya Pradesh succumbed to the novel coronavirus while undergoing treatment in Medanta hospital, Gurugram on Tuesday. Dangi was infected by Covid-19 three weeks ago and after being treated at local Chirayu Hospital in Bhopal, he was shifted to Medanta. Following Dangis sudden demise, leaders from various parties extended their condolences. I learnt about the demise of Congress MLA Govardhan Dangi, I urge the almighty to bless his soul, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan tweeted. RELATED NEWS Andhra Pradesh Gears up for Cyclone Nivar, CM Reddy Asks Officials to be on High Alert Meanwhile, Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee president Kamal Nath alleged that Dangi wasnt given proper treatment in Bhopal and he was rushed to Medanta Hospital where several attempts were made to save him. He was a man of simplicity and humility and such leaders are rare in present-day politics, may his soul rest in peace, Nath added. With Dangis demise, another seat has fallen vacant in the MP assembly and now 28 assembly by-polls are necessitated. Dangi was not the only lawmaker to be infected by the virus in the state, scores of leaders of both the BJP and Congress including several ministers have already contracted the virus. LONDON (AP) U.S. graphics chip maker Nvidia said it plans to buy U.K.-based Arm Holdings in a deal worth up to $40 billion, in a move that would create a global powerhouse in the industry. The deal, announced late Sunday by Nvidia and Arms parent company, Japanese technology giant SoftBank, raises concerns about the independence of Arm, one of Europe's most important tech companies. The vast majority of the world's smartphones run on Arm's chip designs and it's a vital supplier for companies like Apple and Samsung. It's also an innovator in chip technology that can power artificial intelligence for connected devices like medical sensors, known as the Internet of Things." The company's business centers on designing chips and licensing the intellectual property to customers, rather than chip manufacturing, for which it relies on partners. Being owned by a U.S. company could mean Arm is exposed to U.S. government export bans at a time when Washington is in a battle for tech supremacy with China. Under the terms of the deal, Santa Clara, California-based Nvidia will pay SoftBank $21.5 billion in stock and $12 billion in cash. SoftBank could earn a further $5 billion if Arm hits performance targets while Arm employees will get $1.5 billion worth of Nvidia shares. Nvidia shares jumped more than 6% on news of the deal. SoftBank bought Arm for about $32 billion in 2016, in a deal that sparked fears one of Britains most successful tech companies would succumb to a foreign takeover. To allay the concerns, the British government got SoftBank to agree to keep Arm's headquarters in the U.K. and double its British staff over five years. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said the U.S. company still plans to keep Arm based at its headquarters in Cambridge, England, where it will also build an artificial intelligence research center. Together were going to create the worlds premier computing company for the age of AI, Huang told reporters. We want more great engineers not fewer, we want more R&D not less. And we want that work to be done in the U.K., in Cambridge," Huang said, adding that it wasn't about consolidation or cost savings. However, Hermann Hauser, who helped set up Arm, called the deal an absolute disaster for Cambridge, the U.K. and Europe." Story continues Hauser, now a technology investor, told the BBC's Radio 4 that his biggest concern was that it would degrade what he called the U.K.'s economic sovereignty" because Arm would end up falling under the jurisdiction of U.S. export controls. That means if hundreds of U.K. companies that incorporate Arms (technology) in their products, want to sell it, and export it to anywhere in the world including China, which is a major market, the decision on whether they will be allowed to export it will be made in the White House and not in Downing Street. Arm CEO Simon Segars shrugged off the concerns. He said whether the U.S. has jurisdiction is determined by how and where products were developed, not the parent company's ownership. The majority of our products are designed in the U.K. or outside the U.S. and the majority of our products dont fall under much of the U.S. export control set of rules," he said. The deal would also destroy Arm's neutral" business model, which has made it the Switzerland of the semiconductor industry," Hauser said. Arm has become successful by licensing its technology to more than 500 companies, many of which are rivals to Nvidia, and the sale would create a monopoly problem," he said. Nvidia plans to maintain its open licensing model and customer neutrality, Huang said. Regulators in the U.S., U.K., China, the European Union will need to approve the deal, which will need about 18 months to complete. The British government said it could intervene in the deal because of the vital role Arm plays in the U.K.s tech sector. The government monitors acquisitions and mergers closely and when a takeover may have a significant impact on the U.K. we will not hesitate to investigate further and take appropriate action, said Prime Minister Boris Johnsons spokesman, James Slack. We are investigating this deal further and ministers are speaking to the relevant companies. ___ Jill Lawless contributed to this report. ___ For all of APs tech coverage, visit https://apnews.com/apf-technology ___ Follow Kelvin Chan at twitter.com/chanman By Express News Service CHENNAI: Former Madras High Court judges on Monday came in defence of actor Suriya, after justice SM Subramanian wrote a letter to Chief Justice AP Sahi, seeking criminal contempt court proceedings against the cine-star. In a Twitter statement on Sunday, Suriya had remarked that while even courts were rendering justice through virtual proceedings, students were being forced to appear for NEET in person. Retired HC judges Justice K Chandru, KN Basha, T Sudanthiram, D Hariparanthaman, K Kannan and GM Akbar Ali have written a letter, addressed to the Chief Justice, asking him to put the issue to rest by not initiating any contempt proceedings against the actor. In their letter, the judges said: If the actors statement is read in its totality, and considering the good work done by him through his charitable trust which helped hundreds of poor students to complete their higher education and get placements we should show generosity and magnanimity in leaving the matter without any cognizance. The judges added that it appears the actor had pointed out that the same court which dispenses justice through video conference had asked students to write the exam without any fear. We are afraid that considering such a statement as contempt of court would be slightly off the mark, and did not require any action as requested by the judge, said the letter. It also added that in a surcharged atmosphere where four students have died by suicide unable to meet the NEET requirement, an artistic persons overreaction should not be taken seriously and out of context. We earnestly make this appeal not to take cognizance of the complaint and leave the matter as it is. It is our duty to make this appeal to your good selves so that the court is rid of any unnecessary controversies, said the letter. Additionally, as many as 25 lawyers of the Madras High Court, led by lawyers NGR Prasad and Sudha Ramalingam, opposing the contempt of court proceedings, stated in a detailed letter that such proceedings would amount to stifling freedom of speech and expression. Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu Advocates Association, led by its president and senior advocate S Prabhakaran, issued a statement condemning the actor. Tamil Nadu Advocates Association said Suiryas statement was interfering with the process and functioning of judicial discretion, and accounted to a criminal contempt since the NEET issue was being dealt with by the Supreme Court. A British diplomatic vehicle was hit by a roadside bomb near Baghdad airport on Tuesday morning, the UK's Iraqi embassy has said. The blast occurred at the entrance to the city's Green Zone, according to local reports, but did not cause any casualties. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, though the US frequently blames such blasts on Iranian-backed militias in the country. A British diplomatic vehicle in Baghdad was targeted by an IED as it entered the city's Green Zone on Tuesday, though escaped without injury The bomb blast came hours after two rockets were fired into the Green Zone, which houses government buildings and foreign missions. It is unclear what the intended target was, but neither missile caused any casualties, the country's military said. Videos posted online showed anti-missile defences in action overnight. Iraq, often the scene of spillover violence from U.S.-Iran tensions, has sought to avoid being drawn into any regional conflagration. The Middle East came close to a full conflict in January after a U.S. drone strike killed Iranian General Qassem Soleimani and Iraqi paramilitary chief Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis at Baghdad airport. Iran-aligned militias have sworn to avenge their deaths. Five-year-old Kenyan student Miguel Munene sits between his parents, holding their hands as he watches cartoon characters teaching him to pronounce fish. The television has replaced Munenes teachers and classmates after the government shut schools indefinitely in March to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus. They are closed until at least January. Many children dont have the option to learn online - the United Nations childrens agency UNICEF says at least half of sub-Saharan Africas schoolchildren do not have internet access. So some, like Munene, watch a cartoon made by Tanzanian non-profit organisation Ubongo, which offers television and radio content for free to African broadcasters. Other programmes are just for fun, but Ubongo is helping children, Miguels mother Celestine Wanjiru told Reuters. He can now differentiate a lot of shapes and colours, both in English and Swahili. In March, programmes by Ubongo - the Kiswahili word for brain - were broadcast to an area covering about 12 million households in nine countries, said Iman Lipumba, Ubongos head of communications. That rose to 17 million in 20 countries by August. The COVID-19 pandemic has really forced us to rapidly grow, Lipumba said. A group of artists, innovators and educators set up Ubongo TV in Tanzania in 2014. It has received around $4 million in grants since, and earned $700,000 from YouTube, product sales, character licensing, and co-production of programmes. For Munene and other schoolchildren, programmes like Ubongos are their only option to learn for now. Kenyas education ministry says schools can only reopen when the number of COVID-19 cases drops substantially. Kenya has had over 36,000 confirmed cases and more than 620 deaths, health ministry data showed. You have the kid with you all the time so when you have such programmes, they are a big help, Patrick Nyaga, Miguels father, a security guard, told Reuters. But television cannot completely replace teaching. The way the children learn through programmes is different (from) the way they interact with others and teachers, Nyaga said. We are hoping that they open soon. (This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.) Follow more stories on Facebook and Twitter Mongolias National Police Agency (NPA) on Tuesday said it had launched a month-long national campaign dubbed Cast No Shadow to prevent crime, especially sexual assault, against children. NPA said it launched the programme with other relevant organisations. At least 160 children, mostly girls have been affected by sexual assault across the country in the first eight months of this year. The majority of the perpetrators of the sexual violence are people close to the victims, including their stepfathers, brothers, relatives and even biological fathers, the NPA said in a statement. According to the NPA, a total of 676 children has been sexually assaulted across the country over the past three years. Divorce and lack of adequate parental care are said to be the main factors for sexual assault on children. According to Mongolian law, a man convicted of defiling a child under 14 years will be punished with 12 years to 20 years imprisonment or life sentence. A man who is found guilty of defiling a child aged 14 years to 18 years can be sentenced to between two years and eight years imprisonment. (Xinhua/NAN) This new facility will provide an attractive, modern and comfortable working environment for current employees with an eye toward the future. Its a tremendous space for our team to work together responsibly, with room to grow as Dematic grows. Dematic today announced the relocation of its Milwaukee-area office to a new-build facility in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin. Dematic has had a longtime presence in Milwaukee and the office is an important center for engineering, software development and customer support with approximately 240 current employees. The brand new Dematic office features a 27,000-square-foot ground floor with a 12,000-square-foot mezzanine. It is located at 11240 W. Burleigh St. in Wauwatosa and is part of the Mayfair Collection mixed-use development, which includes apartments, shops, restaurants and a grocery store. This new facility will provide an attractive, modern and comfortable working environment for current employees with an eye toward the future, said Bernard Biolchini, CEO, Dematic Americas. Its a tremendous space for our team to work together responsibly, with room to grow as Dematic grows. And Dematic is growing. Just last week, the automations solutions specialist announced that it intends to hire 1,000 new workers for full-time, student and contract roles throughout North America by the end of 2020. Open positions are available at many locations, including this new Milwaukee-area office. Complete information on Dematic opportunities and how to apply can be found at dematicjobs.com. If you are interested in knowing more about careers at Dematic, join our Talent Network. For more information, visit dematic.com and follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter. About Dematic Dematic is an intralogistics innovator that designs, builds and supports intelligent, automated solutions for manufacturing, warehouse and distribution environments for customers that are powering the future of commerce. With engineering centers, manufacturing facilities and service centers located in more than 25 countries, the Dematic global network of 10,000 employees has helped achieve more than 6,000 worldwide customer installations for some of the worlds leading brands. Headquartered in Atlanta, Dematic is a member of KION Group, one of the global leaders in industrial trucks and supply chain solutions, and a leading provider of warehouse automation. Disclaimer: This release and the information contained herein are for information purposes only and do not constitute a prospectus or an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities in the United States or in any other jurisdiction. This release contains forward-looking statements that are subject to various risks and uncertainties. Future results could differ materially from those described in these forward-looking statements due to certain factors, e.g., changes in business, economic and competitive conditions (including with respect to further developments in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic), regulatory reforms, results of technical studies, foreign exchange rate fluctuations, uncertainties in litigation or investigative proceedings and the availability of financing. We do not undertake any responsibility to update the forward-looking statements in this release. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Tri Indah Oktavianti (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Tue, September 15, 2020 13:43 493 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c44ea53b 1 City COVID-19,coronavirus,virus-corona,virus-korona-indonesia,COVID-19-Jakarta,PSBB,pembatasan-sosial-berskala-besar,large-scale-social-restrictions,National-Police,Jakarta-police Free The National Police have launched an operation in Jakarta to monitor and discipline the public on strict health protocols as the capital reimposed large-scale social restrictions (PSBB) on Monday. Dubbed Operasi Yustisi, the operation will be carried out in areas at high risk of becoming new COVID-19 clusters, said National Police spokesperson Brig. Gen. Awi Setiyono. We will prioritize the sympathetic and persuasive approach. If we find anyone without a face mask in a public place, we will give them one, Awi said on Monday He added that violators could also be sanctioned as mandated by Presidential Instruction No. 6/2020 on the implementation of COVID-19 health protocols and regional regulations. Read also: Jakarta back under PSBB, but less strict than before The raids in Jakarta will involve personnel from the National Police, the Indonesian Military (TNI) and the Jakarta Public Order Agency (Satpol PP) during the new, two-week PSBB period, which runs from Monday to Sept. 27. Jakarta Police traffic director Sr. Comr. Sambodo Purnomo Yogo said security personnel would focus on eight locations across the capital during the operation, including Tugu Tani and the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle in Central Jakarta, as well as Jl. Sudirman in South Jakarta. We will directly sanction [violators], Sambodo said as quoted by kompas.com. He added that anyone found violating PSBB rules, such as not wearing a mask in public places, would be given a Rp 250,000 (US$16.83) fine or an hour community service. The sanction, however, could be multiplied if the individuals had prior a record of violating PSBB measures. (Bloomberg Opinion) -- Tech has suddenly become a defining issue for the U.K. government. A $40 billion deal for Cambridge-based chip designer Arm Ltd. comes as technology policy has created an obstruction in Brexit negotiations. The government that hailed Arms first sale in 2016 as a sign of Britains post-Brexit allure has come a long way. Britains EU trade talks and possibly a future trade deal with the U.S. are poised on a knifes edge. Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his chief advisor, Brexit campaign mastermind Dominic Cummings, believe the EUs rules governing subsidies and other state aid to industry get in the way of post-Brexit Britain becoming a science and technology powerhouse. They are threatening to walk away from the trade talks, and to break the U.K. treaty commitments, to avoid the EUs rules. On one level, this seems an odd fight to pick. Its not that Britain lacks innovation as the spinoff of Arm from the now defunct British computing company Acorn shows. On the contrary, the U.K. has a thriving startup scene at least, by European standards. By the end of 2019, the U.K. had 77 startups valued at more than $1 billion, more than twice as many as Germany, the next biggest, according to Dealroom, a data provider. Nor can it be said that U.K. startups are starved of capital. The $13 billion in venture funding secured by British firms last year was more than that won by French and German startups combined. The U.K. government also provides tax credits and investments to spur innovation and startups. But you can see the concern. The country that invented graphene has struggled to commercialize its innovations and hold on to companies once they reach a certain size. Arm, acquired by Japanese group Softbank Group Corp. and now by U.S. chipmaker Nvidia Corp., isnt alone. Artificial intelligence firm DeepMind was bought by Google. Those losses, as well as the U.K.s dependence on Chinese mobile company Huawei Technologies Co.s 5G technology, seem to be what has prompted the focus on building better state support for the countrys tech sector. Story continues One long-standing problem is that Britain underfunds research compared to its major trading partners. The 37.1 billion pounds ($47.5 billion) that the U.K. cumulatively spent on R&D in 2018 represented just 1.7% of the countrys gross domestic product less than both the 3.1% spent by Germany and the OECD average of 2.4%. Google parent Alphabet Inc. alone spent $27 billion on R&D in the 12 months through June. But the EU state aid regime isnt to blame. The vast majority of state aid is allowed automatically. Rather, the U.K. has generally chosen to provide less aid than other members. In 2019 Britain, for example, spent far less on subsidies to companies (0.34% of GDP in 2019) than Germany (at least 1.45% of GDP) and France (0.79%) did. In 2018, the European Commission approved a plan to give 1.8 billion euros ($2.1 billion) of public funding to the semiconductor industry, whose research and development costs are the highest in tech. France committed to contributing as much as 355 million euros to help its chip companies, Italy chucked in 524 million euros and Germany gave 820 million euros. All have chipmaking giants, from Franco-Italian STMicroelectronics NV to Infineon AG and Robert Bosch GmbH in Germany. The U.K. sought permission for just 48 million euros, yet still hasnt paid any of it. Thats partly because the U.K. has tended to invest upstream, particularly in academic research, leaving far fewer funds available to help innovative companies translate their ideas into products. A revised state aid policy could provide R&D cash credits to foster technology clusters and help them move toward commercialization. There is no question that, done well, governments can make a huge difference in the development of a vibrant technology sector; Singapore, Taiwan and Israel are good examples of this. And yet the idea of an expansive, new policy strategy for the tech sector makes many Conservatives nervous, not least because picking winners is risky. France, Japan and China have done a better than job than we have over the years, said Julian Birkinshaw, a professor of strategy and entrepreneurship at London Business School. But they've also had more failures than they've had successes. Even so, investing in later-stage ventures is often a safer bet than the scattergun academic approach. Government funding can be an accelerator, but it has to come at the right juncture. Alok Sharma, Johnsons secretary of state for business, energy and industrial strategy, insists the governments intentions arent to return to the failed industrial policies of the 1970s. But the government hasnt yet published its new state aid program. Cummings says he wants to fund only the best projects and sectors. But politics may muddy the picture. Johnsons big governing vision is to rebalance the U.K. economy to provide jobs and opportunity in the north of the country, where many of his new voters live. Its hard to imagine that state aid decisions wont in part be governed by keeping these voters happy. Many of the governments tech investments have already raised eyebrows. For example, earlier this year it took a 45% stake in bankrupt satellite company OneWeb, arguing the purchase would help fill the gap left by the U.K. losing access to the EUs Galileo navigation satellite system and also help domestic broadband. But the investment was rushed through with little scrutiny and over the reservations of internal experts. In some ways the governments failed foray into developing its own Covid contact-tracing app, instead of using the joint Google-Apple approach adopted elsewhere in Europe, reflects the hubris that could get it into trouble as it sets out to nurture a British Google. Its a mindset that has been aptly called the Minitel illusion. Minitel, recall, was the 1980s French terminal that was backed by the state as an alternative to the U.S.-developed Internet but finally retired in 2012. It was a brilliant invention for its time, but the high-cost terminals could not compete with the multitasking personal computer and it had little usefulness outside France. The French government, with financial backing from the EU and technical support from Germany, also tried to create a literal competitor to Google, dubbed Quaero, from the Latin for I seek, in 2008. It ended in 2013. Picking winners is problematic, but so is focusing R&D funding so heavily on the university sector. Helping later stage corporate research may split the difference effectively for Britain. But apart from the danger of repeating the errors of the past, the U.K. could pay a high price, in terms of market access, for Johnsons determination that Britain should have an independent state aid policy. As for Arm, its re-sale stands as both a sign of the ingenuity of Britains tech sector, but also limitations that have nothing to do with Britains EU membership. Arm co-founder and venture capitalist Hermann Hauser has argued that the sale to Nvidia will result in job losses in the U.K. and compromises Britains technology sovereignty. Its an interesting concept and one with innate appeal to the economic nationalism of Johnsons Conservatives. But ultimately technological sovereignty, if it exists at all, cannot be decreed. It must be built. This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners. Therese Raphael is a columnist for Bloomberg Opinion. She was editorial page editor of the Wall Street Journal Europe. Alex Webb is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering Europe's technology, media and communications industries. He previously covered Apple and other technology companies for Bloomberg News in San Francisco. For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com/opinion Subscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source. 2020 Bloomberg L.P. A patients relatives forcibly took away an oxygen cylinder from eastern Uttar Pradeshs (UP) Ballia district government hospital after the critically ill patient was referred to a hospital in Varanasi on September 13 evening, police said. Ramesh Prasad Gupta, chief pharmacist at the healthcare facility, said Ankit Singh, a resident of Kharauni village in Ballia, was admitted to the district hospital on September 12. Dr Anurag Singh, pharmacist Pankaj Upadhyaya and ward boy Sanjay Kumar were on duty and Singh received proper treatment, Gupta said. However, he was referred to a hospital in Varanasi the following day (September 13) because of his critical condition. Gupta alleged Singhs relatives forcibly took away the oxygen cylinder. Dr BP Singh, chief medical superintendent of the hospital, was informed about the incident. Later, Dr Singh apprised the district police authorities about the patients relatives alleged indiscretion. An official at Kotwali police station said a probe is in progress. Tuesday, September 15, 2020 Tyler Mongan, a member of our Emerging Fellows program inspects the ownership of Arctic natural resources in his ninth blog post. The views expressed are those of the author and not necessarily those of the APF or its other members. As Arctic nations pursue their interests, stakeholder relevance and opportunities will depend on which futures emerge. We can image four alternative futures that will shape the stakeholder landscape in the region: (1) A White Arctic with no change in ice levels, or a reversal of ice melt, leading to a decrease in access to the region. (2) A Blue Arctic featuring an increase in open and navigable waters governed by the rule of law (3) A Red Arctic featuring open waters within a context of strategic competition and conflict, and (4) A Green Arctic featuring open waters within a context of sustainable economic development and cooperation. If the ice melt stalls, or shows signs of reversal, we will see a White Arctic future emerge. Current stakeholders will dominate the landscape with little change in power dynamics. Financial investment and overall risk will be extremely high for new stakeholders to venture into the region. Further, a trend of ice melt reversal would make future investments in the region and the promises of past investments less tenable. Overall, very few stakeholders would be in a position to make investments in the region. Russia would be an exception simply because they control the largest portion of the Arctic circle, but even their efforts would be stalled. If the ice melt continues on the current trend, it will result in a Blue Arctic future with longer periods of ice-free waters. In the Blue Arctic rule-of-law is the norm and the Arctic Council is a relevant power. Russian transportation and natural resources extraction companies, and their partners become larger stakeholders in the region. In general, the shipping industry takes a larger and long-term stake in the region. Chinese research and investment partners expand their access in the region. US stakeholders continue to lag behind in their efforts to access the region. Canada solidifies control over their portion of the Arctic and increases indigenous peoples relevance to their region. Military stakeholder access will be limited by agreed upon rules and cooperation efforts. The Blue Arctic could easily slip into a Red Arctic future if the rule-of-law is compromised by strategic competition and conflict. If this future emerges, the military could become the dominate stakeholder in the region. Russia will extend its control over the shipping routes and form new partnerships with China to invest in closing off a portion of the Arctic. The US will be forced to increase its military presence in the region, and Russia and China will respond with similar build ups. Shifts in fisheries could lead to naval conflict. In this Red Arctic future economic development stakeholders are overshadowed by military stakeholders in the region. The Blue Arctic could also transform into a Green Arctic with a stronger Arctic Council to ensure the rule-of-law and support sustainable development and continued cooperation in the region. In this alternative future the environment and indigenous people become more important stakeholders in the decision making process. Stakeholders that bolster cooperation, follow sustainable development guidelines, and increase safety, while decreasing risk, will thrive in the region. This could include resources extraction businesses, transportation operations and research partnerships. Tourism could also open up the region to a more global stakeholder perspective as more people are able to experience the Arctics mystic. As milestones alert us to which alternative future is most likely to arise, stakeholders will begin to position themselves to take advantage of emerging long-term possibilities. The stakeholders who are willing to take a risk and invest in their desired future will also shape the future of the region. This cycle will have local, national and global implications and will determine if Arctic geopolitics trend towards strategic conflict or economic and environmental cooperation. Tyler Mongan 2020 In Oregon, voters can vote a ballot customized for their home address, even if their home burned and theyre temporarily staying elsewhere. Oregons vote-by-mail system allows voters to receive ballots at a mailing address different from their permanent address when they are displaced, said Laura Fosmire, spokesperson for the Oregon Secretary of States Office. Voters can register online at oregonvotes.gov or by paper voter registration card returned to their county elections office. We are encouraging people with concerns to contact their county clerk to discuss their available options that best suit their specific circumstances, Fosmire said. The wildfires have been hugely impactful in Oregon, but we are fortunate to have much flexibility built into our vote by mail system, she said. The state elections division, county clerks and their partners will conduct focused outreach to voters in hard-hit communities given that voter registration updates are not likely top of mind for affected Oregonians in the immediate devastationand loss, Fosmire said. All can rest assured that they have flexible options to receive a ballot by mail or in person, easily cast that ballot by postage free return envelope or secure drop box, and make their voices heard this November and going forward, she said. WILDFIRE TRACKER: See all fires in Oregon and across the nation -- Betsy Hammond; betsyhammond@oregonian.com; @OregonianPol Trump revelled in the nomination and sent a flurry of tweets celebrating it. The Norwegian MP who last week nominated Donald Trump for the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize said Tuesday the US president may come across as "boorish and arrogant" but insisted he was a "worthy" candidate. Christian Tybring-Gjedde, a member of parliament for Norway's anti-immigration populist party, made waves on September 10 when he announced he had nominated Trump for the prestigious prize. He cited the "unique and historic" agreement Trump helped broker normalising relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), he told AFP. The Norwegian Nobel Committee welcomes all the names submitted in the hundreds every year, as long as they are sent in by January 31 for the year in question and are submitted by those eligible to nominate, meaning members of parliament and government from around the world, former laureates, and some university professors. The initiative by Tybring-Gjedde, who is controversial in Norway, made headlines around the world, less than two months ahead of the US presidential election on November 3. Running for a second term, Trump revelled in the nomination and sent a flurry of tweets celebrating it. On Tuesday, Tybring-Gjedde expanded in Norwegian daily Aftenposten on why he had put forth Trump's name a second time, after a first nomination in 2018. "There is little doubt that Trump often comes across as boorish and arrogant," he wrote. "My nomination is based on the results obtained in the name of world peace, reconciliation, and the withdrawal of military troops ... It is possible that it is Donald Trump's undiplomatic attitude that makes his conversations end up being more than just words," he explained. According to Tybring-Gjedde, the 74-year-old billionaire meets the criteria defined by prize creator Alfred Nobel more than previous laureates. "Whether or not you like Trump's personality is not important in this context. Donald Trump is ... a worthy recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize," he concluded. Story continues In line with tradition, the Nobel Institute has refused to comment on the nomination. "It's important to tell the world that being nominated doesn't say anything about how the Norwegian Nobel Committee views a nomination," Nobel Institute director Olav Njolstad told AFP. "Since so many people are eligible to nominate candidates, it's clear that the spectrum of individuals and organisations nominated is very vast," he added. Swedish member of parliament Magnus Jacobsson has also nominated Trump for the 2021 Nobel for his rapprochement efforts between Serbia and Kosovo. The 2020 Nobel Peace Prize will be announced on October 9. phy/po/adp Even the zombies know when to stay home. Movies about the shambling undead usually begin with some kind of fictional viral outbreak that turns people into lumbering cannibals. Now that our lives have been upended by an actual viral outbreak, the organizers of the Asbury Park Zombie Walk are taking a raincheck on the procession and going virtual. Due to continuing health concerns and unrest affecting the entire country, we have made the decision to not have a physical Zombie Walk in Asbury Park for 2020, organizers said Monday in a Facebook post about the parades approach to COVID-19. "We simply cant run the risk of exposing our volunteers and makeup artists, local businesses and employees - and most importantly our participants and the residents of Asbury Park to a virus which continues to spike around the country. The zombie walk, New Jerseys largest, usually happens the first Saturday in October on the Asbury Park Boardwalk. In past years, the event has been recognized by Guinness World Records as the largest gathering of people dressed as zombies. In 2010, the walk captured that title with 4,093 zombies. In 2013, 9,592 zombies. The next year, the Zombie Pub Crawl of Minneapolis bested that record with 15,458 zombies. The zombie walk usually happens the first week in October.Patti Sapone | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com New Jersey has been combating COVID19 longer than most of the nation, and by working together as a community we have successfully flattened the curve over the last few months, the organizers' statement continued. This has paved the way for schools, businesses and restaurants to reopen in the state, but we must remain overly cautious if we are to keep this very real virus from resuming its spread. It seems like the ultimate irony that an actual viral pandemic is keeping our zombies from converging on the Boardwalk this October, but it is with the health and safety of every one of you in mind that we cannot host the Zombie Walk in Asbury Park this year. The exact details of the virtual 2020 Asbury Park Zombie Walk are forthcoming. Organizers said they were brainstorming (mmm, brains!) ways for people to participate from home. The Asbury Park Zombie Walk, previously known as the New Jersey Zombie Walk, was founded in 2007 by Jason Meehan. In 2015, he said he could no longer manage the huge walk or its costs and prepared to say goodbye to the undeads favorite gathering. John McGillion, owner of the Johnny Mac House of Spirits bar, stepped in to assist, ensuring the zombies would live" to see another day. Check the Asbury Park Zombie Walk Facebook page and website for updates. Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a voluntary subscription. Amy Kuperinsky may be reached at akuperinsky@njadvancemedia.com. Send a coronavirus tip here. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Aqmarina Andira (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Tue, September 15, 2020 16:15 493 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c44f3e9d 3 Books book-review,nonfiction,Hijrah,Kalis-Mardiasih,Book Free Born and raised as a Muslim in Indonesia, I cant help but notice the increasing popularity of the hijrah (migration) movement, especially among the young generation of Muslims in Indonesia. The transformation of young people from cultural Muslims into more devout ones has become more visible in recent years. From fashion to food, property to relationships, this hijrah trend has begun to dominate the mainstream narrative in Islamic society. One local brand even claims to offer the first halal certified hijab in Indonesia, which has made me question my own hijab collection. Is it not halal? Sharia residential complexes, built exclusively for Muslim families, have been in high demand, as more and more Muslims seek comfort in living in a more homogenous community. Offering membership, seminars and guidebooks, the social movement called Indonesia Tanpa Pacaran (Indonesia Without Dating) encourages people to break up with their partners and choose to pursue marriage through taaruf (an Islamic process through which couples get to know each other). Choosing a more moderate approach, I sometimes question myself, am I not Muslim enough if I dont follow this hijrah trend? In 2018, the first-ever Hijrah Fest was held at the Jakarta Convention Center, drawing more than 15,000 visitors over three days. The event was so successful it became an annual program. Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, the festival continued to be held virtually as Hijrah Fest from Home. If you search for the hashtag #hijrah on Instagram, more than 10.5 million posts will appear. One of the most popular figures in the hijrah movement, Hanan Attaki, the founder of SHIFT Pemuda Hijrah, has 8.3 million followers on Instagram. On YouTube, the channel Tafaqquh, owned by Ustaz Abdul Somad Batubara, has more than 1.7 million subscribers and earns more than Rp 300 million (US$20,189) a month. Rahmat Hidayatullah, a lecturer at Syarif Hidayatullah Islamic State University, said the hijrah phenomenon in Indonesia had been on the rise recently because it had been repressed for so long by the New Order regime. He added that many Indonesian students learning in Saudi Arabia in the mid-1980s had brought home the local ideology and culture and shared it through their dakwah (Islamic preaching) back in Indonesia. Najib Kailani, a lecturer at Sunan Kalijaga Islamic State University, said the term hijrah appeared in the 1990s when Islamic communities at universities started to actively conduct liqo and halaqah (Islamic mentoring session) programs for students, after the fall of Soeharto. With the hijrah movement having become a hot topic of conversation among Indonesians, whether at informal social gatherings or on social or mass media platforms, a collection of essays titled Hijrah Jangan Jauh-Jauh, Nanti Nyasar! (Dont Go Hijrah Too Far, Youll Get Lost!) by Kalis Mardiasih has shed light on this issue through relatable personal stories framed within sound social, political, historical and psychological analysis, combined with sound Islamic theological analysis. Kalis Mardiasih is a writer and activist from Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), Indonesias largest mass Muslim organization. She is also a member of the national secretariat of GUSDURian, a network for those who admire the fighting spirit of Indonesias fourth president, Abdurrahman Gus Dur Wahid, in promoting pluralism. She is also the author of Muslimah yang Diperdebatkan (Muslim Women Who Were Contested) (2019) and Sister Fillah Youll Never be Alone (2020). In her book, she shares a story about her colleagues elementary school-age daughter who came to her and said, I want to have a different mother. I want Aunty Kalis to be my mother, because you wear a hijab. My mother doesnt wear a hijab." She criticizes how children nowadays react to this hijrah phenomenon by asking what is halal and what is haram, even asking if they can play with friends of different religions. Discussing the shifting identity politics among Indonesian Muslims from the colonial era to contemporary times, this book offers insights into the different challenges faced by Indonesian Muslims throughout the course of history. Kalis argues that the use of religious symbols, such as the Ar-Royah flag, to trigger fear and anger among the Islamic community today is misplaced because we are currently living in an inclusive social system. Religious symbols cannot solve the social, economic, technology and social justice issues faced by Indonesians today. In the past, Indonesian Muslim scholars used Islamic symbols, such as sarongs and turbans, to differentiate themselves from their oppressors. But their fight against colonial injustice didnt stop with symbols, as they build academic institutions to educate Indonesias younger generations, who came to be key to the nation's attainment of independence and freedom. By focusing only on religious symbols and texts, Muslims will lose the ability to think critically and fall into the hands of religious traders who will keep people in the unknown in order to control them. By Quranic definition, hijrah means a migration from evil to goodness. In general, this movement is a positive activity that aims toward a better way of life based on Islamic values. However, many experts have raised concerns that a growing religious revival in Indonesia could lead to exclusive attitudes and a sense of religious superiority among those who have performed hijrah, believing that leading a certain way of life can make someone more Muslim than other Muslims. Instant and drastic religious transformation through hijrah without proper and structured knowledge as a foundation can lead to religious exclusivism, social and ideological alienation, or worse, religious extremism. The sudden urge to become more religious is not unique to the hijrah community. In Etgar Kerets book, The Seven Good Years (2015), he tells a story about his sister who suddenly become a religious person and how his father, a Holocaust survivor, always encourages Keret to live a religious life because in a time of war, being a religious person is the best alternative to find peace. There are many factors that drive individuals to become more religious, including war, illness, divorce, or the death of loved ones. Growing up, our social circle will expand or change. This can also lead to a behavioral transformation and changes in religious views. Kalis father taught the Quran to children and housewives in their neighborhood for free. He did it humbly, selflessly and consistently. Coming home from the university where she became involved in student activism and religious study at the campus mosque, one day Kalis asked her father, You have taught Quranic studies for a long time, why has your teaching not progressed? Being raised within the pesantren (Islamic boarding school) tradition, Kalis understands that the first step in learning Islam is to study akhlak (the practice of virtue, morality and manners). But at that time, her college education and knowledge of Islamic studies made her feel smarter and perceive herself as a better Muslim than her father, resulting in her being more righteous than kind. But after a while, she felt regret, terribly embarrassed by her actions, and rushed to apologize to his father. This essay collection really resonates with me as an Indonesian Muslim who believes that religion should be easy, simple, beautiful and inclusive. Unfortunately, since the 2017 Jakarta gubernatorial election, I have personally felt the deep polarization and religious tension, creating a misconception that the more stringent we are in following our religion, the more pious we become, and the more Muslim we are than other Muslims. This book helped me overcome my anxieties regarding the negative aspects of the hijrah movement, by providing further references regarding the issue, including social, political and historical context, anecdotes from the authors daily life, and references to some of the most prominent Islamic thinkers both from Indonesia and the wider Islamic world. For me, reading this book is like having a conversation with Kalis Mardiasih, as a fellow Indonesian Muslim who has the same concerns about the shift in religious beliefs and behaviors within the Islamic community in Indonesia, but with richer insights, as she knows more about the subject than I do. It gives me a reassurance that it is okay to choose a moderate approach to being a Muslim in Indonesia and I am not less of a Muslim, even if I dont follow this hijrah trend. (kes) *** Aqmarina Andira works at an IT and technology company as a corporate secretary and government relations manager. She loves reading, hiking and traveling in her leisure time and is a cofounder of Rumah Cerita, a creative writing community for children and youth, and also cofounded the Baca Rasa Dengar book club in February 2015. Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official stance of The Jakarta Post. In turn, Ambassador Ali Hamad Al Sulaiti indicated that Qatar has always had strong and close relations with Peru. Likewise, it has played a humanitarian role in many of the crises that the South American country has experienced. Now, it does so through the Qatar Charity Organization. En la ceremonia, la ministra Pilar Mazzetti agradecio al Embajador del Estado de Qatar en Peru, Ali Hamad Al Sulaiti, por este solidario donativo que permitira fortalecer la atencion hospitalaria. pic.twitter.com/bbwPZwheH3 For the fifth day in a row, Ontario is reporting more than 200 new cases of COVID-19 and Premier Doug Ford hinted restrictions may loom for hot spots like Toronto, Peel and Ottawa. There were four additional deaths reported, but the provinces tally of 251 new infections Tuesday was a drop of almost 20 per cent from Mondays headline-grabbing 313 new cases. A visibly frustrated Ford again implored Ontarians to wear masks, wash hands and keep a safe physical distance when outside their 10-person bubbles of family and close friends. Its not the whole province, its three areas that we see the outbreaks. We have a phenomenal tracking and tracing team and we going to be all over this, the premier said in Guelph, where he announced $2.5 million to help auto-parts giant Linamar retool to make 10,000 ventilators for coronavirus patients. So just stay tuned over the next day or two, were going be rolling out announcements for regions that are affected and also about the testing and taking the burden off the hospitals and other testing areas, he said. Alarmed at the long lineups at many testing centres, Ford has been in talks with Shoppers Drug Mart and other retailers about conducting tests at pharmacies. Im not going to say that 100 per cent, but I can tell you were all over it. Were doing everything we can to move this forward rapidly, he said. I just dont want to announce anything until all the ducks in a row there. Health Minister Christine Elliott noted 24 of Ontarios 34 public health units are reporting five or fewer cases with 14 reporting no new cases. Toronto is reporting 73 new cases, with 51 in Ottawa and 42 in Peel, Elliott said on Twitter. Queens Park says 2,820 people have died from the virus since the outbreak struck in March, but the Star has determined there have been at least 2,858 COVID-19 deaths in Ontario. The difference of at least 38 deaths is because some were not included in official tallies early in the pandemic. There are 47 COVID-19 patients in Ontario hospitals, 19 of them are in intensive-care units. Of those, 11 are on ventilators. Some 27,664 coronavirus tests were conducted across the province on Monday, but there have been long lineups at some facilities. Ontario jumped above the 200-case mark last Friday. Thats significant because public health officials view remaining below that threshold as key to keeping the virus at bay. Even with the recent uptick, the rate of infection remains well below the worst of the pandemic. At its peak in April, Ontario was averaging nearly 600 cases daily when far fewer tests were being conducted. There are now 2,157 active cases of the virus, a number that has been rising in recent weeks and the most since June 20. In the legislature, NDP Leader Andrea Horwath implored the Progressive Conservatives to do more. Horwath said that the second wave is here and the government must gird for it. Why does the premier have his head in the sand waiting for a second wave to hit instead of taking the action that he knows would help Ontarians, the action that he knows could stop the spread of COVID-19 in our schools, in our work places and buses and everywhere else around the province? she asked. Elliott told the chamber that the Tories will soon unveil a comprehensive fall preparedness plan to tackle the expected reprise of the virus. We know that there are issues that need to be dealt with there, but it is a plan that is going to build on some of the successes that weve already seen. New reports indicate that the relationship between rappers Cardi B and Offset is officially over. On September 15, 2020, sources learned that the couple had filed for divorce after three years of marriage. Both artists are successful in their own right. But as they may soon be dividing their assets, heres a look at their careers and estimated net worth. Cardi B and Offset are headed for divorce Offset of Migos (L) and Cardi B attend the 2018 American Music Awards on October 9, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. | Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic RELATED: Why Cardi B Wasnt Initially Interested in Offset The news of the rapper couples split broke on September 15, 2020, via source Hollywood Unlocked. They filed for the divorce in Fulton County, Georgia, where they reside in a 5-bedroom Atlanta mansion. The publication reported that the divorce is contested, meaning Offset disagrees with something in Cardi Bs filing. The pair tied the knot in 2017, though the public wasnt aware of their marriage until months after their public engagement. Cardi B gave birth to their first child together, Kulture Cephus, in 2018. They separated later that year, following confirmation that Offset had cheated on his wife. They reconciled shortly thereafter. Offsets music career has earned him recognition Offset is best known as a member of the hip hop trio Migos. Migos broke out with singles Versace and Bad and Boujee in 2013 and 2016, respectively. The groups two albums, Culture and Culture II, both reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and earned them two Grammy nominations. In addition to his work with Migos, Offset has pursued a career as a solo artist. He released a collaborative album, Without Warning, with rapper 21 Savage and producer Metro Boomin, in 2017. Offsets debut solo album, Father of 4, was released in 2019. He worked with Cardi B on the second single, Clout, which also earned a Grammy nod. Cardi B is one of the most popular artists today Cardi B rose to prominence on the reality series Love & Hip Hop: New York in 2015. But her breakout year came in 2017 when she signed a record deal with Atlantic Records and released her single, Bodak Yellow, which debuted atop the Billboard Hot 100 and earned multiple Grammy nominations. In the years since, Cardi B has continued to dominate popular music. Her debut studio album, 2018s Invasion of Privacy, became the first by a female solo artist to win the Best Rap Album Grammy. Cardi B has also taken her talents to the big screen, appearing in the 2019 film Hustlers. Who is worth more, Offset or Cardi B? In regards to net worth, the now-exes are within his a few million of one another. According to Celebrity Net Worth, Offset is worth a reported $26 million. In addition to his music, the rapper invested in the esports organization FaZe Clan in August 2019. Hes also featured in sponsored ads for HP. As for Cardi B, she released a collection with Fashion Nova, a popular clothing retailer. She has also worked in partnership with Pepsi, Reebok, and MAC Cosmetics, appearing in advertisements for the brands. Cardi B is worth an estimated $24 million in 2020, also according to Celebrity Net Worth. Water levels are higher than usual this year due to increased rainfall at the rivers source Egypts Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly has directed officials to prepare an emergency plan to secure all service facilities in light of a recent rise in Nile water levels, which may cause some areas adjacent to the river to be flooded. The Egyptian irrigation ministry said in late August that it expects the annual Nile flood to be higher than average this year due to increased rainfall effecting the Blue Nile, but said it was still too early to confirm the extent of the flooding. In a meeting with a number of ministers on Tuesday, Madbouly reviewed the states preparations to deal with floods amid the increase in water levels. Madbouly urged preparedness to drain additional water and to remove pollutants in both the Rashid and Damietta branches of the Nile in northern Egypt. He also ordered a plan be prepared for the immediate evacuation of all institutions and houses on land near the two branches of the river if water levels rise to a certain level. Maps of the areas most vulnerable to water rises around the country are set to be prepared and sent to governors so that they can take the necessary measures, he directed. The land next to the two branches of the Nile hosts many construction violations, Madbouly also said. The annual Nile flood takes place in August, September and October, a result of the rainy season in the Ethiopian highlands. At the meeting, Water Resources Minister Mohamed Abdel Aati reviewed the states efforts to contain the Nile floods, including the development of the Toshka lakes behind the Aswan Dam in 2019. He also referred to the preparedness of equipment at the Aswan Dam, as well as at the Edfina barrages on the Rashid branch of the river and at the Faraskur barrages on the Damietta branch. Abdel Aati said letters had also been sent to governors in preparation for the floods. He noted that the two branches of the Nile are capable of containing larger quantities of water than the amount expected, but their capacity might be affected due to building violations. He said preparations had been made for all possible scenarios, however. Electricity Minister Mohamed Shaker, Local Development Minister Mahmoud Shaarawi, Housing Minister Assem El-Gazzar and Transportation Minister Kamel El-Wazir all attended the meeting. In an August meeting with the committee for regulating the flow of the Nile, Abdel Aati referred to floods in Sudans Khartoum and the increased water level there, saying the ministry coordinates and exchanges information with the Sudanese irrigation ministry and carries out joint water level measurements. Abdel Aati ordered officials to continue removing illegal structures on waterways, especially those on the Nile, as such encroachments limit the capability of the water networks to contain excess water during flooding. Floods in Sudan and South Sudan in recent weeks have killed dozens of people and left hundreds of thousands homeless. In March this year, widespread flooding caused by two days of heavy rain across Egypt killed at least 20 people, the cabinet said, saying such conditions had not been seen for 35 to 40 years. Search Keywords: Short link: After shocking the oil industry with last weeks extension to a coastal drilling ban offshore Florida, Georgia, and a handful of other states, the Trump Administration said on Monday that is has rejected nearly the vast majority of retroactive biofuel waiver petitions that were pending review, according to a Reuters report. Biofuel waivers are often given to oil refiners who are otherwise tasked with blending ethanol into their gasoline every yearor purchase tradable credits from refiners that blend with ethanol. Refinersespecially small oneshave long argued that the requirements are cost-prohibitive. If they can prove economic hardship, they can be given a waiver. The corn industry, on the other hand, argues that the federal government is in Big Oils pocket, and that it doesnt take seriously enough the biofuel industry. The push-pull between the oil lobby and the corn lobby has created a massive political divide that is evident election after election. In this election cycle, the blending waivers and blending credits have plagued President Donald Trump, who, like others before him, have been caught between angering the oil lobby or angering the corn lobbywith neither serving as an attractive option. The disgruntled corn lobby, or biofuel industry, filed suit against the EPA this last January, challenging exemptions that were granted to specific refineries. The court ruled that the three waivers in question were granted unjustly. The problem, according to the court, was that those refineries were not granted waivers in the year prior, and that waiver requests could only be handed down as extensions of prior years. Related: Tropical Storm Sally Forces Drillers To Evacuate Gulf Of Mexico Oil Platforms The floodgates opened with that ruling, and any refiner that thought they needed a waiver rushed to submit petitions retroactively for years as far back as 2011 to plug the gap, so to speak. The EPA has finally decided on many of those retroactive petitions, and for refineries, its not good news. Between March and now, 68 petitions from 17 small refineries were submitted for prior years. Of those, 54 have been squarely rejected, in a sign that President Donald Trump is once again assuming the oil industry vote is his no matter what. Summary of Small Refinery Exemption Decisions Each Calendar Year (EPA.GOV) Compliance Year Number of Petitions Received Number of Grants Issued Number of Denials Issued Number of Petitions Declared Ineligible Number of Petitions Withdrawn Number of Pending Petitions 2011 41 24 6 3 0 8 2012 40 23 6 3 0 8 2013 29 8 7 0 1 13 2014 27 8 5 0 0 14 2015 27 7 6 1 0 13 2016 29 19 1 0 0 9 2017 37 35 1 0 1 0 2018 44 31 6 2 3 2 2019 28 0 0 0 0 28 2020 3 0 0 0 0 3 EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler did not comment on how those rejections would affect the 31 outstanding petitions for 2019 and 2020, according to Reuters. By Julianne Geiger for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Atkins, a member of global engineering and construction group SNC-Lavalin, has launched a White Paper entitled Re-imagining Transport and Mobility for a Sustainable Economic Recovery. The White Paper, which is developed by Atkins advisory business arm, Atkins Acuity, outlines the Covid-19 impact on the transport industry and provides a strategic framework to transition from short term recovery to a medium-to-long term transformation to achieve resilience and sustainability. With lockdowns and restrictions on economic and social activity lifting, the challenge is how to maintain re-opening safely, restore business and consumer confidence and provide the right economic and fiscal stimulus which will support the early stages of a viable recovery towards the end of the year and into 2021. However, the transport industry in the GCC has the opportunity to re-shape its infrastructure, services and operations through the adoption of diagnostic tools, data analytics, planning principles and digital engineering to achieve improved outcomes and a better future. Johan Hesselse, Managing Director, UAE, at SNC-Lavalins Atkins, said: In the UAE, we have seen an increased focus beyond Covid-19 on creating sustainable infrastructure and transport systems that enhance the wellbeing of residents and minimize environmental impacts." "We are working closely with our clients to navigate current challenges and achieve their long-term goals by providing our engineering, design and project management expertise combined with digital capabilities, he noted. Ian Redmayne, Managing Director, KSA at SNC-Lavalins Atkins, said: "Despite the challenges caused by Covid-19, the crisis has reinforced the need for economic diversification in the Kingdom to foster socio-economic development in line with Saudis Vision 2030." "With a proven track record in Saudi Arabia, we are proud to support this vision by sharing our market knowledge and expertise and working together with the public and private sectors to shape sustainable communities of the future," he stated. Through collaboration of SNC-Lavalins transport planning and strategic advisory experts across the world, the White Paper presents a three-phase model: Reopen Recover Reimagine. This frames how the transport sector should respond to the unprecedented socio-economic shock inflicted by COVID-19, as well as impacts of low oil prices on GCC exports and finances. Looking beyond the immediate crisis, SNC-Lavalins reimagined approach to the future of transport brings together a broader agenda combining three pillars of land use, physical mobility and digital connectivity and comprises eight cross-cutting building blocks. Jonathan Spear, Director, Strategic Transport Policy and Planning at SNC-Lavalins Atkins Acuity, said: "Across the world and the GCC, Covid-19 continues to cause short-term disruption to transport infrastructure and services, and pose challenges to organisations within the sector." "However, the pandemic also offers the opportunity to reimagine a new paradigm for a more sustainable, equitable and resilient transport system and experience," he stated. "Through our eight building blocks, and by adopting innovative mobility and connectivity concepts, technologies and service models, the industry in the GCC has the opportunity to take bold decisions around planning, delivery, collaboration and regulation and reshape the transport of the future," he added. The White Paper is the second edition of Covid-19 and Transport series by SNC-Lavalin. In May, the company issued the first edition of the White Paper entitled Keeping our World Moving Before and After the Crisis. Currently, SNC-Lavalins Atkins is supporting a number of clients in the transport sector in the Middle East by providing end-to-end business advisory, design and engineering, and project management services underpinned by digital tools and innovative solutions.-TradeArabia News Service Mali's military rulers faced a regional deadline for naming a civilian interim leader Tuesday, as the junta meet with West African leaders who maintain that new elections must be held within a year. The 15-nation regional bloc known as ECOWAS had issued the ultimatum to Mali's military leaders after they initially proposed remaining in power for three more years. In recent days, the junta that seized power in an August 18 coup has cut that timeline in half, but it is still longer than the year set by ECOWAS. Another possible disagreement is over who will lead Mali's transition. The coup leaders say the interim president chosen to oversee the transitional government could come from the military, but the regional leaders have said the leader must be a civilian. These issues are expected to be at the top of the agenda on Tuesday at the summit including presidents from six countries in the regional bloc. The gathering is taking place in Ghana, whose president, Nana Akufo-Addo, is the newly chosen ECOWAS chairman. OnCall Health, a Toronto, Canada-based provider of virtual care software to healthcare providers, raised US$6M in Series A funding, bringing the companys total funding to date to over US$8M. Base10 Partners led the round with participation from OnCall Healths existing investors, including Ripple Ventures, Panache Ventures, and Stout Street Capital. The company plans to use the funds to support its continued expansion with new and existing customers across North America, to build out its available integrations and developer tools, and to grow its partnerships with payers and complimentary software vendors. Led by Nicholas Chepesiuk, founder and CEO, OnCall Health enables healthcare enterprises to launch their own virtual care platform that is configurable to their brand and workflow. The technology is used by more than 600 healthcare brands, digital health startups, and healthcare systems. The company also offers a real-time virtual care utilization and outcomes analytics dashboard, as well as automated patient triage/self-scheduling, digital forms/interactive assessments, payment processing/insurance direct billing, and ePrescriptions. Its service includes provider training and onboarding as well as 24/7 multilingual patient technical support. The system also includes a real-time analytics dashboard that provides unique insights on virtual care utilization, point-of-care decision making, and outcomes. OnCall complements existing systems via API/SDK integrations. Since launching in 2016, the companys team has grown to more than 30 full-time employees and now supports over 600 healthcare organizations and more than 7,000 primary care, mental health, and paramedical service providers throughout North America. Going beyond primary care practitioners, OnCall Healths customer base includes mental health, disability management, and addiction, as well as pharmaceutical and insurance companies. FinSMEs 15/09/2020 Desperate Restaurant Owners Call on New York Governor to Ease Restrictions NEW YORKDesperation fueled around 200 restaurant and bar owners as they gathered in front of City Hall on the morning of Sept. 14. The rally was a protest against the citys restrictive lockdown measures and an appeal for additional funding from Congress before the citys once-thriving restaurant industry is entirely obliterated, demonstrators said. One issue was the latest directive from New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who announced on Sept. 9 that restaurants would finally be allowed to open for indoor dining by Sept. 30, but with a 25 percent occupancy limit and other limitations. Owners told The Epoch Times the move to allow indoor dining was just too little, too late. They pointed out that other areas outside the city had already allowed 50 percent indoor and outdoor dining, and much earlier. Were here trying to get our voices heard in hopes the mayor, the governor will listen to us and realize the 25 percent openings are not enough, we need a minimum of 50 and 100 as soon as possible, Ronan Conlon, owner of Banc Cafe, told The Epoch Times. Weve been quiet for too long. Ronan Conlon, owner of Banc Cafe, takes part in a protest organized by restaurant owners near City Hall in New York City, N.Y., on Sept. 14, 2020. (Chung I Ho/The Epoch Times) The aftermath of a protest organized by restaurant owners near City Hall in New York City, N.Y., on Sept. 14, 2020. (Chung I Ho/The Epoch Times) Conlon, who co-owns another restaurant, said that pre-pandemic, he had about 65 staff in total. Now he has less than 30. His experience, hardly unique for the city, mirrored what other owners at the protest described. He also complained that restaurants often received no guidance from the city, aside from being allowed to open for outdoor dining and even then they changed the rules every two days. Weve toed the line, weve done everything theyve asked us to do, Conlon said, referring to New York officials. Now we need them to do what were asking them to do, and to represent the people. Money from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), described as a loan designed to provide a direct incentive for small businesses to keep their workers on the payroll, saved many restaurants, at least temporarily. But owners said the money they received from the program has run out, or is about to. They have no other means of generating enough income to stay afloat. A recent survey (pdf) by the NYC Hospitality Alliance found that 83 percent of the citys eateries were unable to pay the full amount of their rent in July, while 37 percent couldnt pay anything. We came today out of desperation, Mark Fox, owner of Fox Lifestyle Hospitality Group, which operates four restaurants, told The Epoch Times. Mark Fox, owner of Fox Lifestyle Hospitality Group, which operates four restaurants, takes part in a protest against restrictions for restaurants near City Hall in New York City, N.Y., on Sept. 14, 2020. (Chung I Ho/The Epoch Times) Restaurant owners take part in a protest against lockdown restrictions for restaurants near City Hall in New York City, N.Y., on Sept. 14, 2020. (Chung I Ho/The Epoch Times) The people that came here today are independent restaurant operators these people cannot borrow money, he said. No one will lend to us because our revenues are so diminished our future looks bleak. Fox, who recognized they have a moral obligation as business owners and citizens to protect one another from the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, argued that elected officials also have a moral obligation to ensure restaurant owners are able to survive. Like others at the protest, he pushed for the passage of the Restaurants Act of 2020. While theyre lobbying for financial aid for themselves in our own budgets in D.C., they havent mentioned ours. Were told to go scratch, he said, referring to officials. If you dont pass the restaurant act in Congress in the next six weeks, this restaurant industry in New York City is going to be decimated. Its going to take years to recover. The bill would temporarily provide funding for the Restaurant Revitalization Fund, from which the Department of the Treasury shall make grants to eligible food and beverage purveyors to cover specified costs, according to its text. The Treasury, under the bill, must prioritize awarding grants to marginalized and underrepresented communities, and only award grants to eligible food and beverage purveyors with annual revenues of less than $1.5 million. I dont know how you can operate a business with 25 percent of the revenue, or 25 percent of the customers without increasing the prices 400 percent, Brock Pierce, a child actor and entrepreneur now running as an independent candidate for the 2020 presidency, told The Epoch Times. The numbers dont add up. Brock Pierce, an entrepreneur and independent candidate for the presidency, takes part in a protest organized by restaurant owners near City Hall in New York City, N.Y., on Sept. 14, 2020. (Chung I Ho/The Epoch Times) Megan Rickerson, owner of Someday Bar in Brooklyn, takes part in a protest organized by restaurant owners near City Hall in New York City, N.Y., on Sept. 14, 2020. (Chung I Ho/The Epoch Times) Pierce took part in the the protest and said he supports the owners fight. Restaurants and bars were first ordered to close their doors in March. One owner told The Epoch Times he hasnt been open at all, in any capacity, since then. Megan Rickerson, owner of Someday Bar in Brooklyn, said that for her, the issue is more about getting rent relief, adding that she doesnt think anyone is ready for completely opening. I know my landlord isnt getting a mortgage break and hes trying to help us, she told The Epoch Times. But if hes not getting a break, how is he supposed to give anybody else a break? Rickerson said she initially had to furlough everyone and ran the whole bar alone. Later, she received PPP money, but it only helped temporarily. She has been forced to completely change the bars menu to run on smaller margins. Everything is so tight, she said. Were just doing what we can to have food, to stay open, and to try to survive. Italian police released this photo of Mastini (R) after his arrest in Sardinia Italian police on Tuesday recaptured the killer known as Johnny the Gypsy after he broke out of prison for a rendezvous with his lover. Giuseppe Mastini, 60, was captured in a farmhouse in Sardinia after escaping on day release from prison in the city of Sassari. Mastini, who was jailed for life in 1989 after a long criminal career of murder and robbery, had previously made seven escape attempts. When Italian police recaptured him on Tuesday, he reportedly said: You always escape for love. However, his long-time companion Giovanna Truzzi was not with him when he was arrested. In 2017, police found her with him after a separate escape, in violation of the terms of her own house arrest for credit card theft. Police are not certain whether the pair met this time. On Tuesday afternoon officials stopped Ms Truzzi for questioning as she attempted to board a ferry off Sardinia. Born in the northern city of Bergamo in 1960, Mastini moved to Rome with his family of Roma travellers and started working in their fun-fair. He soon began stealing cars, earning the moniker of Johnny the Gypsy among local gangs. Mastini was only 15 years old when he killed his first victim during a failed robbery attempt in 1975. Since then, he has been convicted of carrying out two homicides, a kidnapping, and 25 robberies. Mastini and Truzzi had met in Rome when they were teenagers, but were then separated by their families, who opposed their relationship. Mastini has also been accused of having played a role in the murder of famous Italian writer and filmmaker Pier Paolo Pasolini, but he always denied any involvement. The University of Newcastle (UoN), north of Sydney, last month announced course cuts and faculty restructures, blaming the COVID-19 pandemic. The National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) is working with management to implement cuts to pay and jobs. Negotiations between the union and management broke down but further moves are likely to try to overcome the opposition from university workers and students. Around the country, the NTEU is stepping up its collaboration with the employers to impose deep cuts. Vice-Chancellor Alex Zelinsky announced the merger of five faculties into three, accompanied by reductions in courses. The names and make-up of the new super-faculties are yet to be unveiled, but the change is due to be completed by the end of the year. Zelinsky said management had reached an in-principle agreement with the NTEU to reduce annual leave, cut long service leave and offer an early retirement scheme. These measures include a requirement for staff to take 10 additional days of annual leave in 2021. The union sought to frame the measures as necessary to protect job security. NTEU branch secretary Dan Conway said: The NTEU has taken the unprecedented step of negotiating some temporary reductions to staff pay and conditions at universities during the COVID-19 health crisis. In a statement on August 10, the NTEU feigned concern that the restructure would lead to job losses. At the same time, it said it was willing to countenance temporary measures that are proportionate to the universitys broader financial issues. In other words, the union will accept cuts to both jobs and conditions. This followed an all staff forum on August 7, where Zelinsky declared that job cuts for both full-time and casual workers without a doubt will happen. The union is working closely with management. In internal NTEU correspondence with Zelinsky on August 10, Conway said the two parties had been in discussions for two months to secure an agreement. Conway said the unions most pressing concern was Zelinskys disregard for the consultation obligations under the Enterprise Agreement. This concern has nothing to do with the defence of the interests of workers. On the contrary, the NTEU is preoccupied with maintaining its seat at the bargaining table, shoring up its function as an industrial police force. Conway outlined the unions national role in finding and enforcing cost-cutting measures. It is the NTEU that has produced detailed drafting to facilitate moving to finalise the discussions, he wrote, [in] regard to the development and content of enterprise agreement variations across the sector during the COVID-19 period. An August 5 draft NTEU Memorandum of Understanding said no staff member would be made forcibly redundant as a cost-cutting measure not connected to a reduction in work. That opens the door for forced redundancies if courses are reduced. Similarly, the document allowed for the destruction of casuals jobs. It said regularly employed casual staff who had reasonable expectations of future work will continue to be employed where there is work required to be performed. Zelinskys restructuring announcement dovetails with the universitys course optimisation program, which embraces the federal governments proposed doubling of fees for humanities students. The governments measures would direct students into courses that big business considers essential, such as science, maths, agriculture, IT, engineering, teaching and nursing. Zelinsky said this would save UoN between $15 million and $20 million per annum. Earlier in the year, UoN forecast a $58 million reduction in revenue for 2020, with further financial impacts anticipated in 2021 and beyond. Zelinsky said the university needed to find $35 million in savings in 2021. Universities have been starved of funds for years, with billions of dollars cut by every government beginning with the Greens-backed Labor administration of Julia Gillard from 2010 to 2013. The pandemic has deepened this assault by affecting the revenue provided by high-fee paying international students. Students and staff also have begun a return to face-to-face teaching at UoN and other universities, threatening the health and lives of staff and students. This reopening is part of the broader rush by the corporate elite and its governments to lift all public health restrictions in order to generate private profits. The International Youth and Students for Social Equality (IYSSE) and the Committee for Public Education (CFPE) are calling for students and university workers to establish democratically elected joint rank-and-file safety and defence committees. These committees must be independent of the NTEU and all the unions, which have shown they are nothing more than apparatuses to straitjacket workers and impose the demands of big business. These committees are essential to develop a unified struggle by university workers and students for the defence of jobs, health and conditions against the dictates of the financial elite and the management-union bloc. This is bound up with fighting for the right to free high-quality education, including for international students, and full-time permanent jobs for all university staff. Above all, this means a struggle against the capitalist profit system, guided by a socialist program and perspective, that is, the total reorganisation of society on the basis of human need, not corporate profit. The author also recommends: Unions help impose new wave of job cuts in Australian universities [8 September 2020] Australian assembly of university workers seeks to head off rebellion against NTEU [2 September 2020] Australian universities unveil job cuts of up to 30 percent [17 July 2020] Reject Australian universities-NTEU job and pay cuts! [15 June 2020] On June 15, 20 Indian soldiers had been killed in a major confrontation with Chinese soldiers in Galwan region of Ladakh. New Delhi: Amid escalating tension between Indian and Chinese troops in Ladakh, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will address both Houses of Parliament over the standoff in the region at around 3 pm on Tuesday. The statement to be made by the Defence Minister is coming apparently after the issue was raised by the Opposition during the Business Advisory Committee meetings of both the houses, which were held on September 13. The Centre has relentlessly been attacked by the Congress party, mainly by its leader Rahul Gandhi, to make its stand clear on the Ladakh standoff amid repeated transgressions by Chinese soldiers since April this year. On June 15, 20 Indian soldiers had been killed in a major confrontation with Chinese soldiers in Galwan region of Ladakh. Meanwhile on the first day of the Monsoon session on Monday, the Centre got down to business and amid curtailed proceedings which were held betwen 9 am and 1 pm, managed to pass two bills. These were: National Commission for Homoeopathy Bill and the National Commission for Indian System of Medicine Bill, 2020. MS Vidyanandan By Express News Service THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Onam accelerated the Covid-19 spread at Rajaji Nagar with the daily count moving into double digits after the festival season. Now families with Covid patients in the huge slum pocket are facing uncertainty as the ration goods are proving insufficient for survival. Most families here have a lone breadwinner, who would be a daily wager, said A G Sarath, a member of the youth brigade for Covid control at Rajaji Nagar.While patients are getting good medical care, less attention is paid to the familys survival, said the 28-year-old. When one member contracts the virus, all others in the family have to go into quarantine. We wish the government provides us assistance on the lines of the relief offered to coastal areas. We also appeal to institutions and kind-hearted individuals to help the struggling families, he said.Until mid-July, the Nagar stood insulated from the pandemic through effective break the chain practices. It barred outsiders from entering the area by tying ropes across its seven entry points. Only essential visitors were allowed. But the situation changed during the festival season, said local councillor M V Jayalekshmi. Until Onam, only a few cases were reported at Rajaji Nagar. The first two were corporation sanitation workers with no local transmission. But during Onam, the restrictions were thrown to the wind as people went to the markets for festival purchase and visitors came in large numbers, she said.The councillor said that local contact cases too were on the rise. The health department conducts 50 tests on alternate days at the Nagar. Among the cases reported on Friday were a woman and her five-month-old baby, who are suspected local contact cases. The health department is giving them home care as it would be safes and more convenient for them. The councillor shared her worries of a new trend at Rajaji Nagar -- people refusing to share contact details. They dont want to speak about their contacts as they will be asked to go into quarantine, leaving them jobless. Also, there are patients who didnt share their contact details for fear of making their contacts angry. This poses a risk to control measures, she said. Only around 35 people turned up for testing on Friday as against a target of 50, she said.This indifference is new, she said.There are around 45 active Covid cases at Rajaji Nagar. Capitals death toll crosses 150-mark TPuram: The capital district on Monday had 332 new Covid-19 cases. However, 415 people recovered from the illness on the day. The district currently has a total of 5,120 active cases. The infected on the day include 16 health workers and 313 cases of local transmission. The source of infection of 55 cases remains unknown. Three deaths were confirmed as due to Covid on the day. With this, the total deaths due to Covid in the district rose to 151. Stringent norms for migrant workers returning to state TPuram: The government has tightened the norms for employing migrant workers. The migrant workers returning to the state will have to undergo 14-day quarantine before joining work. As per the guidelines issued by the government all workers need to register at Covid-19 Jagratha portal before arrival and their permission is dependent on the facility available at the local level. The onus is on the contractors to provide clean and safe quarantine facility. The local body authorities will check the facility provided by the contractor. The contractors will also have to bear the expense of conducting antigen tests of workers returning without a Covid negative certificate. They have to bear the expense of boarding of technical consultants. The Covid tests for these consultants would be held within 96 hours of arrival. I read a number of business newsletters that try to offer guidance on future economic and policy developments; early in the summer just about all of them predicted that the Democratic House and the Republican Senate would reach some kind of compromise on economic relief. The unemployed would keep getting enhanced benefits, although less than the $600-a-week supplement theyd been getting under the CARES Act; state and local governments would get significant help, although not as much as Democrats wanted. But there was no deal, just Trump executive memorandums that authorized some extra payments and a gimmick that has already fizzled. What happened? My interpretation is while Democrats passed a relief bill that was supposed to serve as a starting point for negotiations way back in May, Republicans dithered, held back both by hard-line right-wingers and by fantasies of a V-shaped economic recovery. And by the time they realized that their fantasies wouldnt come true, it was too late to take action that would have much impact on the election. So why bother doing anything? That is, its as if Republicans dont expect to win, and they figure that if they do, theyll deal with the mess somehow. Now, a naive observer might expect politicians to consider the national interest, not just the political fortunes of their own party. But not these politicians, and not this party. All of this has ominous implications for the state of the nation in the months and perhaps years after the election. Suppose that Biden wins (which isnt a safe assumption) and that he does so without Trump and his supporters generating a hugely disruptive constitutional crisis (which is definitely not a safe assumption). Even so, there will still be two months during which Republicans hold both the White House and the Senate. Israel normalized relations with long-time foes Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates at a White House ceremony on Tuesday as President Donald Trump said similar US-brokered deals were close between the Jewish state and several other nations including Saudi Arabia. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the foreign ministers of Bahrain and the UAE sealed the accords establishing full diplomatic ties with a ceremony on a flag-decorated White House South Lawn. Hundreds of guests attended the event, which Trump is hoping will boost his reelection chances in November, despite the coronavirus pandemic but there were no handshakes to cement the historic agreements. Bahrain and the UAE are the first Arab nations to establish relations with Israel since Egypt in 1979 and Jordan in 1994 and Trump hailed it as a "historic day for peace in the Middle East." "After decades of division and conflict we mark the dawn of a new Middle East," he said. Trump said the agreements, which have been denounced as a "betrayal" by the Palestinians, "will serve as the foundation for a comprehensive peace across the entire region." Speaking later to reporters, he said Israel would enter into similar deals with "seven or eight or nine" other countries soon including regional power Saudi Arabia "at the right time." Netanyahu called the day a "pivot of history" and thanked Trump for his "decisive leadership." "It heralds a new dawn of peace," he said. "Ultimately it can end the Arab-Israeli conflict once and for all." "To all of Israel's friends in the Middle East, those who are with us today and those who will join us tomorrow, I say as-salaam alaikum, peace unto thee, shalom," Netanyahu said. 'Two-state solution' Neither Trump nor Netanyahu made any reference to the Palestinians during their remarks, and Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas said Tuesday that only an Israeli withdrawal from occupied territories can bring peace to the Middle East. "Peace, security and stability will not be achieved in the region until the Israeli occupation ends," Abbas said. As the accords were being signed in Washington, rockets were fired into Israel from the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip. Two people were slightly wounded. For the Mideast, the deals mark a distinct shift in a decades-old status quo where Arab countries have tried to maintain unity against Israel over its treatment of the stateless Palestinians. Both the UAE and Bahrain foreign ministers made a point of mentioning the Palestinians in their remarks before the signing ceremony. "Thank you for choosing peace and halting the annexation of Palestinian territories," UAE Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al-Nahyan told Netanyahu. "I stand here today to extend a hand of peace." Bahrain Foreign Minister Abdullatif al-Zayani said a "just, comprehensive and enduring two-state solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict" would be the "bedrock" for lasting Middle East peace Trump, speaking to Fox News ahead of the ceremony, said the agreements would put pressure on the Palestinians to also negotiate or face being "left out in the cold." "The Palestinians will ultimately come in too," he said. "And you're going to have peace in the Middle East without being stupid and shooting everybody, and killing everybody, and having blood all over the sand." Trump predicted that Iran -- a regional rival to Bahrain and the UAE -- would seek to make a deal with the United States if he is reelected. "I think they want to make a deal," he said. "I'll make a very fair deal." F-35 sale to UAE All the four countries at the White House share a common hostility to Iran, which Trump has put under crippling economic and diplomatic pressure. The thaw will give Israel and its two new Arab partners a big economic opening, just when they are looking to rebuild after the international slowdown triggered by the pandemic. And it allows Trump to enjoy the optics of presiding over a historic breakthrough less than 50 days before the November 3 election, which opinion polls suggest he is currently on course to lose. It also provides a dose of good news coverage to Netanyahu, a close Trump ally who faces a corruption trial and criticism over his handling of the pandemic. The UAE, meanwhile, has been using the negotiations as part of its campaign to pressure Washington to sell it the cutting edge F-35 warplane. Trump said Tuesday he was willing to sell the warplanes to the UAE despite Israeli opposition. "I would have no problem in selling them the F-35," he told Fox News, adding that it would mean "tremendous jobs at home." The UAE is eying the stealth fighter jet as a component in its ambitious plans to make the small, wealthy country into a regional military power. Ahead of the signing ceremony, hundreds of Palestinians protested Tuesday against the normalization deals with Israel. Clutching Palestinian flags and wearing blue face masks for protection against the coronavirus, demonstrators rallied in the cities of Nablus and Hebron in the occupied West Bank and in the Gaza Strip. Several dozen pro-Palestinian demonstrators also staged a protest outside the White House. "This is a backstab to the Palestinian people," said Zeina Hutchison, head of a coalition of pro-Palestinian associations behind the rally. Search Keywords: Short link: Agreements with AstraZeneca and the University of Nebraska Medical Center showcase new workflows to improve the throughput, robustness and standardization of clinical biomarker analysis Thermo Fisher Scientific, the world leader in serving science, has announced new collaborations of the Thermo Fisher Precision Medicine Science Center (PMSC) with AstraZeneca and the University of Nebraska Medical Center as part of its ongoing development of innovative solutions for unmet needs in clinical biomarker discovery. The new alliances strengthen the PMSCs mission of creating standardized workflows with pharma and academic partners to streamline the transition from biomarker research to clinical implementation, creating new opportunities for precision medicine. Ongoing and planned studies with both AstraZeneca and the University of Nebraska Medical Center will utilize standardized plasma protein profiling workflows, including Thermo Fishers newly developed ultra-high throughput plasma protein profiling (uHTPPP) workflow, for biomarker discovery, for a range of conditions. Jeffrey B. Hunter announces the release of Sometimes I Feel Like... JACKSON, Miss., Sept. 15, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- With his latest literary offering, Sometimes I Feel Like... (published by Balboa Press), author and poet Jeffrey B. Hunter delivers another masterful collection of poems that will take readers through his journey from trauma to recovery. This poetic anthology describes the many emotions, feelings and thoughts that Hunter has had while he was dealing with the trauma of sexual abuse, alcoholism and drug addiction. Each poem is a testimony of the authors strength and hope as he overcomes his experiences. Ultimately, the book offers readers inspiration and motivation to deal with the real life issues that they are going through, all while cleverly adding a poetic twist to each and every poem title. I would like my readers to know that it's okay to feel whatever you want, Hunter states. I want them to know that they are not alone because there is at least one other person that's feeling the same way. Finally, I want my readers to know that no matter how bad it gets there is a solution for making the best out any negative situation. Sometimes I Feel Like... will appeal to those who are in need of encouragement in life. It is for those who are dealing with alcoholism, drug addiction/substance abuse, mental illnesses, sexual abuse, negative attitudes, and other challenges. Visit https://www.balboapress.com/en/bookstore/bookdetails/815537-sometimes-i-feel-like to purchase a copy of the book. Sometimes I Feel Like... By Jeffrey B. Hunter Hardcover | 6 x 9in | 138 pages | ISBN 9781982252113 Softcover | 6 x 9in | 138 pages | ISBN 9781982252090 E-Book | 138 pages | ISBN 9781982252106 Available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble About the Author A Navy veteran, Jeffrey B. Hunter was born in Bronx, New York. He grew up in Elloree, South Carolina, and currently resides in Jackson, Mississippi. He was a victim of sexual abuse, a recovering alcoholic and drug addict and is presently dealing with a bipolar disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder. Hunter is a certified peer support specialist for the state of Mississippi. Writing poetry is his passion, which started at a very young age. To date, he has published three poetry books titled The Darkness Behind the Pretty Browns, Just Be Happy "JBH 41" For Once and Sometimes I Feel Like... Story continues Balboa Press, a division of Hay House, Inc. a leading provider in publishing products that specialize in self-help and the mind, body, and spirit genres. Through an alliance with the worldwide self-publishing leader Author Solutions, LLC, authors benefit from the leadership of Hay House Publishing and the speed-to-market advantages of the self-publishing model. For more information, visit balboapress.com. To start publishing your book with Balboa Press, call 844-682-1282 today. Attachment CONTACT: Marketing Services Balboa Press 844-682-1282 pressreleases@balboapress.com RACINE, Wis., Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- SC Johnson today announced it has been named to Working Mother magazine's list of 100 Best Companies. The recognition highlights the company's inclusive array of benefits for families, including flexible parental leave and affordable childcare. This is the 32nd year SC Johnson has been recognized, and the company is one of only six to have been named to the annual list this many times. "Since our earliest days, SC Johnson has been dedicated to putting people at the core of our purpose, and that's why we place strong value in working to ensure the best for our families," said Fisk Johnson, Chairman and CEO of SC Johnson. "We are honored to be recognized on this prestigious list as one of the best companies for working families for more than three decades." SC Johnson provides unique opportunities and benefits for families, including its Childcare Learning Center, flexible work schedules, maternity, paternity and adoption leave, and an employee family-focused recreational center. Recently, the company expanded its opportunities to support families during the COVID-19 pandemic as students transition back to school, offering study groups, tutors and homework helpers. "Our 100 Best Companies are the standard of excellence and continue to pave the way with the work they are doing on behalf of working parents and caregivers in the US," says Subha Barry, President of Working Mother Media. "These companies were well ahead of the curve when it came to supporting their employees during this time of vast change with their family-friendly policies already in place. We celebrate their efforts and applaud them for addressing the needs of this important and ever-growing sector of talent." Working Mother magazine will showcase the selected companies at this year's virtual WorkBeyond Summit Oct. 13-14. The complete list of the 2020 Working Mother 100 Best Companies can be found here. ABOUT SC JOHNSON SC Johnson is a family company dedicated to innovative, high-quality products, excellence in the workplace and a long-term commitment to the environment and the communities in which it operates. Based in the USA, the company is one of the world's leading manufacturers of household cleaning products and products for home storage, air care, pest control and shoe care, as well as professional products. It markets such well-known brands as GLADE, KIWI, OFF!, PLEDGE, RAID, SCRUBBING BUBBLES, SHOUT, WINDEX and ZIPLOC in the U.S. and beyond, with brands marketed outside the U.S. including AUTAN, BAYGON, BRISE, KABIKILLER, KLEAR, MR MUSCLE and RIDSECT. The 134-year-old company, which generates $10 billion in sales, employs approximately 13,000 people globally and sells products in virtually every country around the world. www.scjohnson.com ABOUT WORKING MOTHER MEDIA Working Mother Media (WMM), a division of Bonnier Corp., publishes Working Mother magazine and its companion website, workingmother.com. The Working Mother Research Institute, the National Association for Female Executives, Diversity Best Practices and [email protected] are also units within WMM. WMM's mission is to serve as a champion of culture change, and Working Mother magazine is the only national magazine for career-committed mothers. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Pinterest. SOURCE SC Johnson Related Links http://www.scjohnson.com COPENHAGEN, Denmark, Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Miinto , a leading Scandinavian fashion marketplace operating across Europe, has tripled its business in the last three years and has experienced a surge of +500% in inquiries from independent retail stores offering high quality fashion brands since March. With a sharp decline in store footfalls, and consumers turning to online shopping for fashion needs, regional retailers are finding online marketplaces like Miinto to be a real saviour. Miinto partners with over 2000 retailers to showcase more than 5000 brands and over 500,000 active products, and offers superior customer experience to shoppers. A big reason for Miinto's digital success has been their investment in digital personalization, AI, and their ability to seamlessly tune digital strategy, test and experiment winning experiences at great speed. Having a vast and constantly changing product catalog, Miinto has a unique set of challenges. They rely on RichRelevance personalization platform to help consumers find relevant products from thousands of pages of products. "RichRelevance has been a gamechanger for Miinto by allowing us to significantly improve our customer experience, making it personal and relevant to every single user that visits our website. We're working hand-in-hand with RichRelevance on a daily basis to use all available technologies, and even develop new ones, to constantly optimize our onsite experience and make sure that we present the right products to the right customers at the right time," said Paloma Truong, Head of Customer Experience at Miinto. Malthe Cederborg, Group CMO at Miinto believes strongly in a significant market opportunity for brand-led independent retailers worldwide. "Miinto's business model offers retail store partners that meet high standards in product, availability, and logistics, a simple yet compelling model to take their business online to an international market that spans Scandinavia and the rest of Europe. To get started, all they need is a product catalogue and an integration with the Miinto platform that we can help with. We welcome regional fashion specialists to tap a large international consumer base by partnering with Miinto," said Malthe. Miinto, with its sales during last year of almost EUR 100M, is a digital-first business and a role model for other industries to follow. Agility, scale and customer experience are all being shaped and managed by technology, even as business environments have remained dynamic and evolving. Miinto realized a 19.4% higher revenue with RichRelevance personalization, compared to our previous technology. Commenting on the role of personalization technology in Miinto's success, Thomas Hakansson, Director of Customer Success at RichRelevance Europe said, "Miinto is an innovator - be it their business model, or their definition of customer experience. They have passionately developed a world-class digital marketplace for fashion. Their use of RichRelevance Personalization has evolved from basic site search and recommendations, to include Xen AI powered real-time decisions with customer context and dynamic inventory, and is a strategic weapon to drive revenue growth. We are delighted to work with marketplaces with such unique needs." RichRelevance recently announced the next generation of product recommendations as part of their personalization cloud, DeepRecs. About RichRelevance RichRelevance is the global leader in Digital Customer Experience Personalization, driving digital growth and brand loyalty for 200 of the world's largest B2C and B2B brands and retailers including REI, Walmart, Burberry, CDW, ShopDirect, ATEA, Komplett and Coop.SE. The company leverages advanced AI technologies to bridge the experience gap between marketing and commerce to help digital marketing leaders stage memorable experiences that speak to individuals at scale, in real-time, and across the customer lifecycle. Headquartered in San Francisco, RichRelevance serves clients in 44 countries from 9 offices around the globe. SOURCE Miinto and RichRelevance Stilwell said Beijings control of dams along the upper Mekong River has harmed the livelihood of tens of millions of people in Southeast Asian communities up and down the Mekong region basin. Washington has encouraged the affected countries Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Myanmar and Laos to hold China accountable, he said. Some volunteers withdrew from J&J vaccine trial in Spain after serious side effect reported in AstraZeneca UK volunteer. Some volunteers have quit Johnson & Johnsons COVID-19 vaccine trial in Spain after news of side effects in a participant in AstraZenecas trial, the Spanish programmes lead investigator told the Reuters news agency on Tuesday. The investigator, Alberto Borobia, said there were enough reserve volunteers for the trial to continue as normal, however. Many have called to ask us some more detail about the risk of the vaccine, whether what happened with that vaccine had anything to do with the one we are studying, these types of questions, Borobia said. He did not say how many people had dropped out. AstraZenecas COVID-19 vaccine trials were placed on hold worldwide on September 6 after a serious side effect was reported in one volunteer in the United Kingdom. Trials resumed in the UK and Brazil on Monday following the greenlight from British regulators but remain on hold in the United States. Johnson & Johnsons Belgian Janssen unit began phase two trials of its COVID-19 vaccine on 190 people in Spain on Monday with those tests due to conclude on September 22. Trials are also being carried out in the Netherlands and Germany, taking the total number of participants in all three countries to 550. Johnson & Johnson was one of nine companies to commit last week to upholding scientific standards in the race for a COVID-19 vaccine amid rising concerns that safety and efficacy standards might slip in the rush to halt the pandemic. Phase two trials are designed to test which dose and schedule of a vaccine generates the most antibodies while phase three tests the vaccines efficacy. Borobia said phase two was scheduled to run for 14-16 months. If some doses and schedules generate considerable amounts of antibodies, an intermediate phase three analysis could be conducted before the end of phase two, Borobia said. He said volunteers in the third phase would be far more diverse than for the second phase, which only involves people in good health, divided into those aged 18-55 and those 65 and older. In the third phase, we will include all types of people. It is necessary to include a certain number of hypertense patients, white patients, Asian patients The population in Phase III is totally heterogeneous, he said. The firm aims to test 60,000 people globally in phase three with a third of the volunteers in hard-hit Latin America, according to Josue Bacaltchuk, vice president of medical affairs for the Jannsen unit in the region. The first vaccines are due to be available in early 2021. Pfizer and BioNTech SE on Saturday proposed the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) expand their phase three vaccine trial to 44,000 participants from 33,000 to enrol a more diverse set of volunteers. Przepraszamy! Ogoszenie na stanowisku: Private Equity Valuation Specialist wygaso z dniem 2020-09-25 Ta propozycja bya zozona przez Nordea Bank Abp SA Oddzia w Polsce Mozliwe przyczyny wygasniecia ogoszenia to: oferta zamieszczona przez pracodawce zostaa usunieta z naszych zasobow ogoszeniodawca zakonczy proces rekrutacji uzyskujac odpowiednia ilosc zgoszen rekruter zmodyfikowa tresc zlecenia i jest ono dostepne pod innym adresem WWW dostawca tresci usuna ogoszenie z bazy danych zy adres url ogoszenia Jezeli poszukujesz pracy w branzy Konsulting, zajrzyj tutaj: Praca Konsulting Jezeli poszukujesz pracy na stanowisku Private Equity Valuation Specialist, zajrzyj tutaj: Praca Private Equity Valuation Specialist Jezeli poszukujesz pracy w miescie: Warszawa, zajrzyj tutaj: Praca Warszawa Pamietaj, ze mozesz takze rozpoczac poszukiwanie pracy od strony gownej, kliknij tutaj. Inne propozycje, ktore mogy byc w kregu Twoich zainteresowan: For 15 years, Communication Strategy Group has been creating and promoting brand stories and story leadership for businesses. Communication Strategy Group (https://communicationstrategygroup.com/), a brand storytelling agency on Long Island, New York, celebrates its quindecennial anniversary today, representing 15 years of delivering client successes through brand strategy, graphic design, public relations, media relations, social media marketing, content marketing, and presentation development. Founded in 2005 by agency Principal and Chief Brandteller Arthur Germain, Communication Strategy Group creates brand stories for professional services firms, technology companies, and manufacturers. A hallmark of its success, the agency has served several of its clients for as long as it has been in business. Along the way, Communication Strategy Group has been recognized with some of the industrys highest honors, including the Excellence in Communication Award from Long Island Business News, and most recently, the agency was named to an exclusive list of the worlds best public relations and marketing agencies in the technology channel by Forrester Research. Ready to waltz with us? Visit Communication Strategy Group at https://communicationstrategygroup.com/. For 15 years, we have been creating and promoting brand stories and story leadership for businesses. We are brand storytellers Brandtellers who interpret and differentiate the nuances of our clients brands, including who you are, what you do, how thats different, and what you mean to your customers. By helping our clients clearly articulate these messages, we assist them in building stronger marketing and sales relationships, says Germain. Throughout the years, my Partner and Creative Director Michael Simbrom, Account Director Karen Franse, and our team of editors, writers, videographers and audio/video engineers have diligently supported our clients goals, challenged them to reach new heights through their marketing efforts, and helped them to uncover the power of their unique and very powerful brand messages. About Communication Strategy Group Communication Strategy Group, an award-winning brand storytelling agency founded in 2005, helps clients develop brand stories that are remembered, repeated, and rewarded through a strategic Brandtelling approach. We focus on building and supporting client communications to create strong, consistent messages and presentations that have the greatest impact. The Communication Strategy Group team is comprised of senior-level communications professionals who work directly on client accounts to achieve results. Our clients include both Fortune 1000 and growing companies in technology, manufacturing, media, and professional services industries. For more information, please call 1-631-239-6335 or visit us at https://www.communicationstrategygroup.com. Media Contact Karen Franse Communication Strategy Group kfranse@gocsg.com 631-239-6335 Simon Coveney described the decision by the British Government to vote through controversial legislation designed to override key elements of the Brexit deal as pretty shocking. The Foreign Affairs Minister said the deliberate strategy of the British Government damages its reputation internationally. The UK Internal Market Bill cleared its first Commons hurdle on Monday despite deep misgivings by some senior Tories. Boris Johnsons controversial plan to use domestic law to supersede elements of the Withdrawal Agreement he signed with Brussels passed its second reading by 340 to 263 a Government majority of 77. We need to ensure that we don't obsess with what is happening in the House of Commons Simon Coveney Mr Coveney said the unwelcome distraction has eroded trust on both sides of the negotiating teams in the search for a trade deal. For many people its pretty shocking that the British Government is voting through its parliament a Bill that breaks international law, Mr Coveney said. I dont ever remember a time that has happened before. Lets wait and see what happens to this Bill because I think there is certainly an awful lot of division within Westminster as to whether it is acceptable or not to do that. We only saw the first round of debate on that yesterday and the first vote. We need to ensure that we dont obsess with what is happening in the House of Commons and instead we need to focus on how we can rebuild some trust in the relationship between the EU and the UK in a way that actually can provide, through negotiations, solutions to outstanding issues that concern both sides. The big prize here is to get a deal on a future relationship, particularly on a trade agreement, that avoids tariffs and quotas being implemented on trade crossing the Irish sea which is worth about 80 billion euros a year. He criticised the move by the British Government and its impact on the trade talks. Mr Coveney said the talks have been made more complex, adding it has been a deliberate strategy of the British Government. The big challenge for politicians involved in this process is can we resolve issues that effectively make this legislation irrelevant so we can focus on agreeing a partnership that the UK can accept and EU can accept, he added. FORT WASHINGTON, Pa., Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Lincoln Investment Software Group, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Lincoln Investment Capital Holdings, LLC, today announced the acquisition of Hanlon Advisory Software ("HAS"), a division of Hanlon Investment Management, of Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey. Financial terms were not disclosed. Lincoln Investment Capital Holdings, LLC is the parent company of Lincoln Investment Planning, LLC ("Lincoln Investment"), a leading full-service broker-dealer and registered investment adviser. The acquisition of HAS fortifies and advances Lincoln Investment's technology through a highly integrated platform. The new technology capabilities reduce the need for disparate applications through the integration of tools that enhance the advisor-client experience. "The execution of the technology roadmap is among our top priorities as we continue to enhance our advisor-client relationship management practices to be at the forefront of industry standards," said Edward Forst, president and CEO of Lincoln Investment Capital Holdings, LLC. "Hanlon Advisory Software has one of the best-integrated platforms in the fintech marketplace, built by a talented team who understands our business and the principles that guide us. We are really excited to embrace all they bring to our company." Over the last several years, Lincoln Investment has grown exponentially both organically and through making acquisitions. The need to successfully unify and enhance systems supporting the advisor-client experience is a cornerstone of both the company's growth and client service strategies. The integration of HAS across Lincoln Investment will accelerate the implementation of the company's five-year technology roadmap, introduced in early 2020. The combined technical expertise of HAS and Lincoln Investment will enhance the firm's ability to drive the future of advisor-client engagement. "Lincoln Investment is an exceptional financial services company with strong values and a genuine commitment to ensuring a superb advisor-client experience. This commitment reassures us that years of developing and enhancing the Hanlon Advisory Software platform will continue and accelerate as the platform meets its full potential," said Sean Hanlon, CEO of Hanlon Investment Management. "We have transferred our engineering expertise and software to fuel Lincoln Investment's growth, integral to the future of Lincoln." Hanlon Investment Management will remain focused on operating and growing its asset management and world-class, open-architecture, UMA-TAMP, called the Hanlon Managed Accounts Platform (HMAP), as well as its direct-to-client Wealth Management business. Hanlon Investment Management was advised by the Asset & Wealth Management Investment Banking group of Raymond James Financial, Inc. About Lincoln Investment Lincoln Investment Planning, LLC is a leading full-service independent broker-dealer and registered investment adviser providing investment, wealth and retirement planning services nationwide. The company currently has 400 employees and over 1,000 financial advisors in 39 states. Lincoln Investment serves over 355,000 individual investors, with over $41 billion in assets including $20 billion in fee-based assets and provides retirement plan services to employees of more than 4,000 employers nationwide. For more information, visit www.lincolninvestment.com . About Hanlon Investment Management Hanlon Investment Management ("Hanlon") is an innovative asset management, wealth management, services and fintech company. Hanlon's industry-leading, unified managed account platform includes an extensive list of proprietary and third-party investment solutions. Hanlon Advisory Software is a leading fintech provider of personalized and open architecture technology for successful independent advisors and RIAs. The software offers simplicity and customization for advisors to serve their clients with additional value-adds such as comprehensive planning, investment management and client portals. The digital performance reporting, trading, rebalancing and billing propel RIAs forward with greater operational efficiency and cost savings. For more information, visit http://www.hanlon.com/. About Raymond James Asset & Wealth Management Investment Banking Drawing upon deep expertise across the asset management, wealth management and securities industries, the Asset & Wealth Management group at Raymond James provides high-quality financial and strategic advice to firms undergoing transformational events, including M&A, public offerings of equity and debt, private placements, divestitures, spinoffs, capital raises, recapitalizations and succession plans. The group's senior bankers, who pride themselves on delivering personalized advice focused on clients' best interests, average more than 20 years of experience and collectively have completed more than 300 investment banking engagements as of June 2020. Lincoln Investment Media Contact: Hanlon Media Contact: Raymond James Media Contact: Linda Heist Mike Porto Liz Nesvold 215-881-4611 609-601-1200 917-797-5726 [email protected] [email protected] SOURCE Lincoln Investment Related Links https://www.lincolninvestment.com/ WASHINGTON - Two inmates have died in as many days from coronavirus at the federal prison complex where the U.S. government plans to carry out two executions next week. The virus deaths are likely to raise alarm with advocates and lawyers for the condemned men over the spread of coronavirus at the Federal Correctional Complex in Terre Haute, Indiana. As of Tuesday, more than 40 inmates had confirmed cases of COVID-19, according to the agencys statistics. The executions of Christopher Andre Vialva and William Emmett LeCroy are scheduled to be carried out at the prison complex next week. The government carried out three executions in July and two executions in August. The Bureau of Prisons said a 53-year-old inmate, Tim Hocutt, died Monday at the Terre Haute facility. Hocutt, who was serving a 13-year sentence for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, had reported that he was suffering from a mild cough, congestion and nausea and had previously tested negative for COVID-19, the Bureau of Prisons said. But Hocutt tested positive on Monday after he alerted medical staff to his condition and was pronounced dead the same day at the complexs medium-security prison. His death came a day after the death of another inmate, Byron Dale Bird, who was serving a sentence at the high-security penitentiary on the prison grounds. The 65-year-old Bird was taken to a local hospital on Aug. 27 after testing positive for the virus and was admitted to an intensive care unit. He died at the hospital on Sunday. Bird was serving a 74-year prison sentence after being convicted of sexual abuse of a minor, witness tampering, failing to register as a sex offender and other charges. Witnesses to the federal executions are required to undergo security screening at the high-security penitentiary, where Bird was housed. The witnesses are required to wear masks, and their temperatures are taken before they are permitted on the prison grounds. The spiritual advisers for two of the men who were executed in July and the family of one of the mens victims had fought unsuccessfully to delay their executions over coronavirus concerns. The federal prison system has struggled to combat the coronavirus pandemic behind bars, where social distancing is nearly impossible. As of Tuesday, 13,477 inmates had tested positive for COVID-19 at facilities across the U.S.; 11,623 had recovered. Officials said 120 inmates have died since late March. Yerevan believes the best option for stability in the region would be the strengthening of the ceasefire regime that has been in effect since 1994, with control mechanisms, which would make it possible to avoid escalation and indicate the side responsible for ceasefire violations. This is what Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia Zohrab Mnatsakanyan said in an interview with EFE. Mnatsakanyan added that, in spite of this, Baku always avoids this and that it would be better, if it acknowledged this. Currently, the primary aim is to weaken tension. This is the most important thing, he stated and slammed Azerbaijans position according to which it seems as though Azerbaijan is doing Armenia a favor by not restarting military operations and that this is why Armenia needs to make concessions during the talks. Armenia has rejected this position. We will not negotiate under any precondition or threat, Mnatsakanyan said, adding that the restart of peaceful negotiations is not only possible, but also necessary. There is no alternative to a peaceful settlement. We are fully ready to continue the peaceful negotiations as soon as possible, he said. When told that Pashinyan has been claiming that there has to be a solution that will be acceptable for Armenia, Nagorno-Karabakh and Azerbaijan and their peoples ever since he came to power, Mnatsakanyan said there cant be an option for a solution that will be provided at the expense of Armenia or Nagorno-Karabakh. According to him, in regard to this, there are two priorities for Armenia, including recognition of the right of Nagorno-Karabakh to self-determination without limitations and security agreements that will prevent the restart of military operations. Mnatskanyan also supportd the participation of the authorities of Nagorno-Karabakh in the peace process since the authorities have received the mandate from the people to negotiate. System error error: Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. context: ... 21: 22: 23: % foreach my $c (@categories) { 24: <%perl> 25: my $category_id = $c->get_id(); 26: my @stories = Bric::Biz::Asset::Business::Story->list ( { element_type_id=>1148, category_id=>$category_id , Order=> 'cover_date', publish_status => 't' , OrderDirection=> 'DESC' , Limit=>10 } ); 27: 28:
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Korea Times file Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Namira Samir (The Jakarta Post) London Tue, September 15, 2020 11:07 493 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c44e1bae 3 Opinion gig-economy,urban-poverty,urban-poor,COVID-19,pandemic,poverty-alleviation Free "We know what can end poverty. But how come poverty never diminish? was the reply I received from my friend, Harry, who works as a gig worker in a city in Scotland when we were discussing about poverty. The reason I specify his identity is because it is significant to what I am about to elaborate. Indonesias rural poverty has always been higher than urban poverty. In September 2019, urban and rural poverty hit 9.86 million and 14.93 million, respectively. But when the pandemic struck, it has plunged more households into poverty. As of March 2020, urban and rural poverty were 11.16 million and 15.26 million, respectively. The spike in rural poverty was not as high as urban poverty. Does this mean the urban communities are more prone to external shocks? Maybe. But we should dig deeper, deeper, and deeper. Based on Statistics Indonesia (BPS) database, there is not much disparity between urban and rural areas in terms of bi-annual poverty trends. Even though poverty is much higher in Indonesian villages than in cities, the pace is quite similar. So, what makes March 2020 different? Both areas were hit by the same pandemic, but why did the spike in urban poverty quadruple the rise in rural poverty? There might be a lot of plausible reasons behind this, but perhaps we should examine what has been sitting in front of our faces: the unequal geography of the gig economy in Indonesia, which, in the case of COVID-19, protects rural areas from more poverty cases. The gig economy is mainly concentrated in urban areas, where people are no longer in the process of catching up they are already there. The urban gig workers, which dominated the roughly 5 percent of total gig workers in Indonesia, were among the main recipients of negative effects of COVID-19. On the other hand, Indonesia still has much homework to do for its villages. The needs to improve infrastructures, good quality of education, access to health services which can pave the way to ending poverty. The slow progress in meeting these needs lead to an automatic rejection to or slow absorption of innovations in terms of employment or economic activities. The low concentration of the gig economy in rural areas correspond to a small effect of COVID-19 on rural households whose incomes are slightly above the poverty line. So, what does this figure tell us about the nature of the gig economy and poverty in Indonesia? The answers are threefold. First, gig economy work in Indonesia is extremely fragile it exposes its workers to risks of living in poverty after giving them a taste of heaven for a split-second. Gig workers can be independent contractors or contract firm workers at big firms, other forms of temporary workers, or online platform workers. The new poor in urban Indonesia mainly came from online platform workers. Digital labor platforms, such as ride-hailing services, were supposed to bring more job opportunities to low-income families. And that was at least what we thought what happened. Nevertheless, by seeing the concentration of digital innovation, it looks as if profit always outweighs any social motive. Second, the disproportionate level of the gig economy between rural and urban Indonesia signifies the low level of innovation in rural Indonesia. Although in the case of COVID-19, the lack of innovation acted as a buffer against poverty, it might also be the reason behind rural Indonesias slow progress in reducing poverty. Innovation has a blank face. Whether it turns out to be good or bad, it depends on how we make use of it. Therefore, before intensifying innovation in rural areas, the government ought to design a form of social protection policy for all kinds of gig laborers. This is our life now. The life we have prior to digital innovation has become a history. We can study it, but we no longer live in that period. Third, it is time to put an end to stigmatization against rural communities. That they are backward, have low ability to succeed, that rural is poor. Regardless of which province or which country it is located, it seems as if rural is associated with a third-world nation. Looking at the unequal geography of the gig economy, another reason why innovative project rarely wants to target rural areas is because of these prejudices. Whether we want it or not, temporary and remote workings are becoming the new normal. It will eventually reach all Indonesian villages. However, even if we already know what is going to happen, there is no harm in preparing an elaborate plan. Because odds are, digital innovation in rural areas will intensify inequality of income and deepen poverty. Local governments in rural areas, while must promote innovation, should also prepare the buffers which will protect gig workers from economic turbulence and smoothen the transition to the gig economy. To begin with, local governments must build the foundation of knowledge of employment innovation. This includes creating a mechanism which will bring equality between gig and non-gig workers, such as a shared responsibility of social protection between rural governments and the employers if the workers come from poor or low-income families. Harrys responses, although not entirely accurate, bear some truth inside. We know that education is the key to poverty eradication and access to finance can expand peoples mobility and improve their livelihood. Policymakers know about all these, yet the reason why poverty rate remains high is that the policymakers tend to be forgetful in adapting poverty alleviation policies to contemporary forms of livelihood. Accurate poverty-targeting strategies are not merely about serving those who live below the poverty line; they are about understanding poverty. And the gig economy is one of the many faces of poverty. The urban gig workers, which dominated the roughly 5 percent of total gig workers in Indonesia, were among the main recipients of negative effects of COVID-19. *** PhD candidate at London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official stance of The Jakarta Post. Today is shaping up negative for Charlotte's Web Holdings, Inc. (TSE:CWEB) shareholders, with the analysts delivering a substantial negative revision to this year's forecasts. Both revenue and earnings per share (EPS) estimates were cut sharply as the analysts factored in the latest outlook for the business, concluding that they were too optimistic previously. After this downgrade, Charlotte's Web Holdings' eight analysts are now forecasting revenues of US$95m in 2020. This would be a reasonable 4.2% improvement in sales compared to the last 12 months. Losses are forecast to narrow 9.1% to US$0.39 per share. Yet prior to the latest estimates, the analysts had been forecasting revenues of US$111m and losses of US$0.16 per share in 2020. Ergo, there's been a clear change in sentiment, with the analysts administering a notable cut to this year's revenue estimates, while at the same time increasing their loss per share forecasts. See our latest analysis for Charlotte's Web Holdings There was no major change to the consensus price target of US$5.80, signalling that the business is performing roughly in line with expectations, despite lower earnings per share forecasts. That's not the only conclusion we can draw from this data however, as some investors also like to consider the spread in estimates when evaluating analyst price targets. The most optimistic Charlotte's Web Holdings analyst has a price target of US$9.35 per share, while the most pessimistic values it at US$3.90. Note the wide gap in analyst price targets? This implies to us that there is a fairly broad range of possible scenarios for the underlying business. These estimates are interesting, but it can be useful to paint some more broad strokes when seeing how forecasts compare, both to the Charlotte's Web Holdings' past performance and to peers in the same industry. It's pretty clear that there is an expectation that Charlotte's Web Holdings' revenue growth will slow down substantially, with revenues next year expected to grow 4.2%, compared to a historical growth rate of 5.8% over the past year. Compare this against other companies (with analyst forecasts) in the industry, which are in aggregate expected to see revenue growth of 34% next year. Factoring in the forecast slowdown in growth, it seems obvious that Charlotte's Web Holdings is also expected to grow slower than other industry participants. Story continues The Bottom Line The most important thing to take away is that analysts increased their loss per share estimates for this year. Regrettably, they also downgraded their revenue estimates, and the latest forecasts imply the business will grow sales slower than the wider market. We're also surprised to see that the price target went unchanged. Still, deteriorating business conditions (assuming accurate forecasts!) can be a leading indicator for the stock price, so we wouldn't blame investors for being more cautious on Charlotte's Web Holdings after the downgrade. Even so, the longer term trajectory of the business is much more important for the value creation of shareholders. At Simply Wall St, we have a full range of analyst estimates for Charlotte's Web Holdings going out to 2023, and you can see them free on our platform here. Another way to search for interesting companies that could be reaching an inflection point is to track whether management are buying or selling, with our free list of growing companies that insiders are buying. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com. The GWS appointment of C. Victor Brick, CEO of Planet Fitness Growth Partners (PFGP) and chairman of the John W. Brick Mental Health Foundation, to its 12-person advisory board. Wellness, including exercise, nutrition and healthy lifestyle choices, must be integrated into the healthcare delivery system and recognized as essential businesses. I believe that the best way to make this happen is through funding, conducting and evangelizing evidence-based research... The Global Wellness Summit (GWS), the foremost gathering of international leaders in the multitrillion-dollar global wellness economy, today announced the appointment of C. Victor Brick, CEO of Planet Fitness Growth Partners (PFGP) and chairman of the John W. Brick Mental Health Foundation, to its 12-person advisory board. The 14th annual Summit will take place at The Breakers Palm Beach, FL, from November 811, 2020. As an advisory board member, Brick is looking forward to helping the GWS further extend its reach and impact within the $109 billion fitness industry . In addition, he believes that the pandemic has accelerated the need for all industriesespecially those involved in wellnessto actively collaborate for the greater good, delivering on the promise of prevention over cure. The mission of GWS is to bring individuals and businesses together to shape a better futureit challenges us to ask: What can we achieve better together? This question has never been more urgent, said Brick. Wellness, including exercise, nutrition and healthy lifestyle choices, must be integrated into the healthcare delivery system and recognized as essential businesses. I believe that the best way to make this happen is through funding, conducting and evangelizing evidence-based research that the medical industry will embrace and support. Now is our timethe window of opportunity has opened. Brick is a big believer in the success that can come from impeccable timing. He founded his first health club, Brick Bodies, with his wife Lynne in 1985. Twenty years later, they turned the running of the seven Brick Bodies clubs over to their daughter, Vicki, while they went on to found PFGP, the largest privately-owned Planet Fitness franchise with 70 clubs in the US and Australia. That good timing also translates into Bricks philanthropy. In 2015, he and Lynne founded the John W. Brick Mental Health Foundation in memory of Victors oldest brother, who suffered from schizophrenia and died from complications from the disease. Today, the foundation is focused on evangelizing the prescription of holistic therapies and healthy lifestyle choices in the treatment of mental healthsomething that is very much top of mind in any conversation around the mental health crisis that has become front and center amid a global pandemic that has also highlighted societal and racial inequities. Victor has long been an advocate and supporter of GWS, and his obvious passion for encouraging a closer collaboration between the fitness industry and the wellness world will help us extend our message to what the Global Wellness Institute has defined as the Physical Activity sector in the global wellness economy, said Susie Ellis, chair and CEO of the Global Wellness Summit. Brick kicked off the first in a series of GWS Wellness Master Classes inspired by the pandemic: Managing Cashflow During the Coronavirus Crisis. This informative Master Class offered real-world, bottom-line solutions, including principles of cash management during a financial crisis; rent and payroll; debt; operating expenses; and tips for applying for loans, grants and government assistance. The session is available for replay on this link. Brick joins an advisory board that includes Susie Ellis; Anna Bjurstam, Six Senses (Sweden); Dr. Marc Cohen, Extreme Wellness Institute (Australia); Cathy Feliciano-Chon, CatchOn A Finn Partners Company (Hong Kong); Irene Forte, Rocco Forte Hotels (UK); Andrew Gibson, wellness advisor (Sweden); Susan Harmsworth, founder ESPA (UK); Omer K. Isvan, Servotel Corp. (Turkey); Tony de Leede, Gwinganna Lifestyle Retreat (Australia); Dr. Franz Linser (Austria); and Yoriko Soma, Conceptasia Inc. (Japan). To learn more about the Summit or to register, click here. About the Global Wellness Summit: The Global Wellness Summit is an invitation-only international gathering that brings together leaders and visionaries to positively shape the future of the $4.5 trillion global wellness economy. Held in a different location each year, Summits have taken place in the US, Switzerland, Turkey, Bali, India, Morocco, Mexico, Austria, Italy and Singapore. The 14th annual Summit will take place at The Breakers Palm Beach, FL, from November 811, 2020. The 2021 GWS will be held in Tel Aviv, Israel, November 1518. BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 15 By Jeila Aliyeva - Trend: A scientific and clinical center for virology, bacteriology, and epidemiology will be built in Turkmenistan to study the negative impact of the Aral Sea crisis, Trend reports with reference to the Turkmenportal information portal. The center will help to study the impact of the Aral Sea crisis on the natural environment of the region and the health of the population, as well as reducing this impact and preventing diseases caused by it. As reported, President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov pays attention to environmental safety and protection, especially to the Aral Sea crisis, which most noticeable in the countrys northern Dashoguz Region, where it caused problems with the supply of drinking water as well as salinization of cultivation lands, land degradation, and desertification. the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (IFAS) was established in the 1990s by Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, to finance joint projects and programs to save the Aral Sea and improve the environmental situation in the Aral Sea region. Turkmenistan borders with Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Iran, and Afghanistan and uses water resources coming following the agreed quotas from four transboundary Amu Darya, Tejen, Atrek, and Murghab rivers. In Central Asia, the main sources of water resources used for agriculture and industry, electricity production, and supplying the population with drinking water are rivers, and almost all of them are transboundary. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @JeilaAliyeva He has made my life a living hell for so many years. Those were the words penned by a Massachusetts teen who, for over a five year period, was manipulated, sexually exploited and controlled by a former deputy sheriff from Texas. I was naive, innocent and very vulnerable, the teen from Worcester County wrote in a letter read in Worcester federal court Tuesday. My teenage years were wasted over a disgusting human being that I wish I never met. Pasquale T. Salas, a former deputy sheriff with the Matagorda County Sheriffs Office in Texas, met two young girls from Massachusetts when the girls were both 12 years old. They all met while playing Minecraft online. But a federal prosecutor said Salas used his contact with the teens to control their lives, instill fear and manipulate their daily routines. The teens were coerced and forced to send nude photos and videos and if they didnt, there were consequences, federal prosecutor Kristen M. Noto detailed during Salas' sentencing hearing. Salas would remind the teen girls he was a law enforcement officer, show them pictures of himself in a cruiser, his badge and guns. For one of the teens, Salas sent her a set of rules she had to follow and punishments for disobeying them. That list was handwritten. Salas kept it in his wallet even while on patrol in Texas, Noto said. The prosecutor said Salas took advantage of the girls' youth and preyed upon that innocence. Defense attorney Leonardo Angiulo pointed to his clients alcohol abuse as an issue Salas was dealing with during the five-year span. Salas' family members, who all wrote letters in support, noted his alcohol use and believed it may have started after dealing with stressors while working in law enforcement. Salas' mother noted in her letter, that she too works in law enforcement. Noto argued Salas took painstaking measures to instill fear to control the young girls. Salas, who pleaded guilty earlier this year to charges of cyberstalking and sexual exploitation of a minor, was sentenced to 220 months - just over 18 years - in federal prison on Tuesday. The former deputy sheriff, who was fired after his arrest in July 2019, will be on supervised release for 5 years and must undergo sex offender treatment. Salas, 26, wept when he addressed the court during his sentencing which was held via video conference. I want to say sorry to my family and sorry to my victims for the pain I caused them, he said before a federal judge issued the sentence. The first victim, who met Salas on Minecraft in 2014, noted she was 12 when they met. She said in her impact letter read by Noto that a teen should never live in fear every day. The teen said she still suffers emotional harm and issues. A teenager shouldnt have to live in fear like I did every day, she wrote. Salas would send the teen girls loves notes and gifts. One victim received jewelry and an Edible Arrangement with an anonymous signature. Salas was 20 when he met the first victim in 2014. He began to groom her, control her, Noto wrote in a sentencing memorandum. Knowing that she was only twelve, the defendant began grooming her to perform sexually explicit acts for him, the federal prosecutor wrote. Salas required the girl to answer his phone calls, which happened several times a day at all hours of the day and night. Between 2018 and 2019, there were roughly 1,700 calls, records show. The two communicated on Snapchat. Records show there were 800 consecutive days of contact between the two. There were also conversations via Skype. The girl told authorities she missed school some days and did not sleep to respond to his calls. He tracked her whereabouts and threatened to harm the girls younger sister if she did not obey his directions, federal authorities said. She said she was afraid to disobey him because he told her that he was a police officer and that he had people watching her, Noto wrote. The defendant sent her an image of his Matagorda County Sheriff badge. The girl sent Salas hundreds of sexually explicit videos and images of herself at his request. Authorities said he also sent sexually explicit images of himself to her as they communicated on Minecraft. In 2016, the teen tried to end contact with Salas, but he repeatedly threatened to send the explicit images and videos of the girl to her friends and family if she didnt continue communicating with him. Salas also had access to the teens social media account and forced her to allow him to track her whereabouts through a locator option on Snapchat. Salas controlled what she wore and did not let her speak to boys without his permission. Salas told the girl, You belong to me. Youre my property so I can treat you however I want, whenever I want. The girl met with investigators on June 3, 2019, when she was 17. She told investigators everything that happened since 2014. The second victim met Salas through Minecraft and had sporadic contact with him since she was roughly 12. She told Salas her age and he knew she was in middle school. Salas told the teen he was a police officer and had people watching her as well. Salas, according to the prosecutor, told the second victim if she saw particular trucks outside her home, it was people watching her. Victim 2 felt scared of her surroundings, even going to school and getting on the bus, Noto wrote. Salas even claimed he visited Massachusetts to check on her. He was an adult, he was a law enforcement officer out in the world able to control his own life, yet what he did was control theirs, Noto said. And he did that through fear, he did that through manipulation by creating a false sense of a relationship. School leavers who spend a gap year picking fruit could get a discount on their university loans under a plan put forward by a bipartisan parliamentary inquiry. Other options proposed by the committee include letting unemployed people keep welfare payments and extending international students' visas if they agree to go bush to help address a rural labour shortage that threatens to see fruit rot on trees. School graduates could take the work left behind by backpackers in agriculture and horticulture. Credit:Justin McManus The parliamentary committee on migration is looking at ways to replace the 70,000 backpackers who typically pick up to 60 per cent of some fruit and vegetable crops but are missing from Australia's farms and youth hostels because of coronavirus travel restrictions. Liberal, Nationals and Labor members of the committee endorsed proposals in its interim report including the idea of a "Gap Year at Home" program that would encourage school and university graduates to spend time doing agricultural and horticultural work. [September 15, 2020] American 1 Credit Union Empowers Members with Automated Self-Service Support and Chatbot During COVID-19 Crisis with SilverCloud's Consumer Support Platform ?SilverCloud, Inc., the only support solution built exclusively for the financial services industry, announced Jackson, Mich.-based American 1 Credit Union successfully deployed the company's Consumer Support solution, including a chatbot, to provide members with 24/7 automated self-service across all digital channels. Members are guided through the website, mobile and online banking avenues with consistent, engaging answers via search, contextual FAQ widgets, guided tutorials and chatbot, providing a more intuitive, engaging self-service support experience. In April 2019, American 1 Credit Union launched a new department to focus exclusively on enhancing and improving the overall member experience. Initially, the Member Experience Department conducted interviews with key personnel across the credit union's 17 branches, analyzed key metrics, as well as collected direct feedback from member communication channels to determine which initiatives were most important to members and would have the greatest impact. Almost immediately, a common theme emerged, self-service, as the highest priority both for branch employees, as well as members. After a thorough evaluation period, the credit union selected SilverCloud's Consumer Support platform and successfully deployed the new automated, support tools and services to its members. American 1 Credit Union's Vice President of Member Experience, Laura Pryor, said, "We implemented SilverCloud at the end of 2019. It was an excellent self-service tool immediately. However, it has proven to be exponentially more important through the COVID-19 pandemic. Working together with SilverCloud, we were able to quickly launch a dedicated Coronavirus Information Center that was available to members on all of our digital channels. SilverCloud's content team proactively reached out to our credit union to provide suggestions for the content based on the top questions and concerns from members across the country. Additionally, we followed their proven best practices approach to ensure all of the pandemic-related information was easily accessible and was automatically updated in real-time across all channels to ensure our members understood the current guideline, and options available for all of their banking needs." As of June 15, all of American 1's branches are open and operational, but many members continue to conduct their essential banking services remotely through American 1's Online Banking, Mobile App (with mobile check deposit), its 24-hour Contact Center, automated chatbot, and other self-service options. The increased adoption and usage of its digital banking tools was significantly enhanced by the self-service support features such as guided tutorials and product-specific FAQs included with the SilverCloud Consumer Support platform. SilverCloud's Consumer Support platform is designed specifically for financial institutions and includes a rich set of support features and content that addresses the unique needs, processes and compliance requirements of credit unions like American 1. It guides members by proactively providing recommendations, logical next steps, and contextual support so that members can easily access information without undue burden on a contact center. And since 54 percent of questions are asked on nights and weekends, the solution helps to create a more engaging and effective member experience. "Anytime a member is seeking information, regardless of the channel, SilverCloud's platform ensures they are able to easily and quickly find that information, but then takes this a step further to provide additional information that is relevant, as well as a call to action pointing the member to related tasks that may be of interest," said Pryor. "By providing this additional information, our members not only discover new products and services, but are also able to immediately begin the process to either open a new account, register to use a new service, complete an online application or instantly begin using a new tool. For example, inquiries regarding the credit union's routing number usually indicate the member is setting up direct deposit or making a payment. We provide the requested information, the routing number, but then also include relevant information and guided tutorials for related products and services. We are able to provide our members the self-service they want, and also engage members and provide personalized, tailored suggestions focusing on their financial wellness." Pryor continued, "We recognized self-service as vital to our future success before the onset of the pandemic, however, COVID-19 quickly placed a spotlight on the vital importance of enabling members to conduct business at a time and place that is most convenient to the member. Credit unions must recognize we are not simply competing against other financial institutions in our community, but rather, we are being compared to the digital giants and larger, more regional institutions. Our members demand the same type of service they receive from these giants from their local credit union, along with the personalized self-service that differentiates credit unions from other institutions. Our partnership with SilverCloud has enabled us to be more responsive to our members' needs and provide a more engaging, effective experience." With the SilverCloud Consumer Support solution, members can easily find information using a familiar search bar that can be deployed across all channels as well as via chatbot. Search results appear in a Google (News - Alert) -like list, allowing consumers to easily find the information they are seeking. And since SilverCloud developed more than 100 custom answers that follows its proprietary 3A methodology: Answer the question, provide additional information, and present clear calls to action, the member is engaged in a more rewarding experience. The support center is available within the mobile banking app, as well as in online banking (before and after the PIN) to ensure members can easily access information they need via chatbot, contextual widgets and links to SilverCloud hosted results pages. SilverCloud CEO Scott Cornell said, "Innovative institutions like American 1 understand the significance of constantly improving the member experience. In the current environment, constantly improving the member experience is vital to a credit union's future success. We take great pride in providing solutions that are not only easy to implement, but that help their members deliver the digital self-service support they need, now more than ever. Support solutions should not be one size fits all, and we understand that financial institutions have unique needs, processes and compliance requirements." About?SilverCloud SilverCloud, headquartered in Portsmouth, NH, is a leading provider of support solutions built exclusively for banks and credit unions. Trusted by more than 200 financial institutions,?SilverCloud?helps banks and credit unions deliver better support to reduce costs and improve experience by automating the creation, management and delivery of knowledge. Easy to implement and maintain,?SilverCloud?ensures satisfaction and a tangible ROI. For more information, visit www.silvercloudinc.com. About American 1 Credit Union Established in 1950, American 1 Credit Union today serves over 57,000 members with 17 branch locations across Jackson, Washtenaw, Hillsdale, Calhoun, Lenawee, and Wayne counties. American 1 is proud to serve the members of their communities by creating financial wellness through personal everyday banking. For more information, visit https://www.american1cu.org. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200915006047/en/ [ Back To SIP Trunking Home's Homepage ] Three brothers aged in their thirties have been accused of raping a 10-year-old girl after she was left alone in their company. Twins Raul and Wilmer Paz Perez, 35, were arrested in Kenner, Louisiana, on Saturday and charged with first-degree rape of a victim under the age of 13. Authorities are searching for the third brother, Elder Paz Perez, 31, on the same charges. Disturbingly, Elder is now wanted on additional charges regarding a second potential victim - the 15-year-old sister of the 10-year-old girl. The brothers are said to be friends of the victims' family. Both Raul and Wilmer Paz Perez are from Honduras, and were in the United States illegally, The New York Post reports. The immigration status of Elder Paz Perez has not been publicly disclosed. Twins Wilmer Paz Perez (left) and Raul Paz Perez (right) have been charged with raping a 10-year-old girl at a home in Kenner, Louisiana last Wednesday Their younger brother, Elder Paz Perez (pictured), is also wanted over the alleged rape. He is additionally accused of raping a 15-year-old girl Police claim the brothers were alone with the girl at a Kenner home last Wednesday and began making sexual advances towards her, even offering her money. The girl reportedly refused and locked herself in the bathroom, before they broke in and raped her. NOLA.com reports that the men may have used a butter knife to break the lock. 'After defeating the lock, the three entered the room, undressed the victim, held her down and sexually assaulted her,' Kenner Police Lt. Michael Cunningham told The New York Post. Both Wilmer (left) and Raul Paz Perez (right) hail from Honduras, and were in the United States illegally, The New York Post reports One of the girl's relatives called police Saturday after finding out about the alleged incident. After they were arrested, Raul and Wilmer Paz Perez reportedly gave conflicting statements to police. The twins are currently being held behind bars without bond. Meanwhile, police are pleading with the public to help locate Elder Paz Perez, who has not been seen since last Saturday. 'We don't know where he is - he may be out of state,' Lt. Cunningham stated. Detectives say the 15-year-old sister of the 10-year-old victim had 'made a disclosure' about an incident a few years earlier, and they are now investigating whether she was also sexually assaulted by Elder. Two stepsiblings of the 10-year-old girl are also being interviewed by detectives. For decades, the reality of Thai school has been total submission to strict dress codes, long hours, an obsession with test scores and abuse at the hands of educators. Teachers, a revered class in society, often wield arbitrary power to punish students deemed to have broken the rules. They are hit, their hair forcibly shorn, their knees bruised from repetitive kneeling. After generations of forced obeisance, those students have had enough. Do you know why dinosaurs went extinct? a young protester asked at a recent rally in front of the Education Ministry, using a popular reference for the military power elite. It was because of asteroids. We here are asteroids, and your end is nigh. Students tie symbolic white ribbons showing their support for restoring democracy. Photo: Krittin Kitsahawong The student was one of hundreds who gathered with black tape over the names embroidered on their uniforms to call for the education minister discuss their concerns. While university students may be once again leading the way on organizing mass rallies, secondary students have emerged as a potent force in their own right as they revolt against outdated expectations of what makes a good student. Also at the rally was 18-year-old Popcorn, who had traveled from Ayutthaya and said hes seen those expectations translate into violence. They always teach us that the school belongs to King Rama VIII Every Monday, all students must kowtow to [his statue.] One student chose not to do that and sat still in line, so a teacher walked to him, pushed his back and slapped his head, said Popcorn, who asked not to be named for fear of retribution. Popcorn said making such displays of fealty should be a personal choice. We have the right to do it or not do it, he said. Natcha, a 15-year-old schoolgirl from Bangkok, described in a quavering voice one disturbing experience that happened to a friend. A teacher walked from behind to my friends back, pinched her bra strap and snapped it to hurt her, because she wasnt wearing an undershirt to compensate for the thinness of the school uniform. Its against the rules to not wear an undershirt, said Natcha, who was also at the protest and also asked that her full name not be published. My friend didnt do anything afterward because she was too afraid. Story continues Morning ceremonies, a common school ritual in which students line up to recite the national and royal anthems, Buddhist prayers and vows to be good kids, can be fraught for those who deemed to have strayed from conformity. Those morning assemblies have become front lines for the anger that is propelling Thailands youth to break taboo and show rare defiance during the past two months as protests against the government spread. As rebellion spilled from college campuses to schools nationwide, the three-finger salutes associated with the movement have been springing up at the ceremonies. Thats prompted some schools to cancel the routine entirely. Manop, a 16-year-old student from Suankularb Wittayalai Nonthaburi School in northwest metro Bangkok, said he and his friends got in trouble for organizing political activities there at first. They seized our white ribbons. They took our [three-finger salutes] hands down. They called us into the discipline office and chastised us for ruining the schools reputation, said Manop, who also asked that his name be withheld for fear of further intimidation. Our advisor received an intimidating call asking if he had money to bail his students out, Manop added. But he said the sheer scope of the student uprising seems to have forced them to accept our activities. Popcorn agreed, saying his school has canceled general morning assemblies. There are no more assemblies in the school yard. Each grade does their own routine at separate places inside the buildings now. They said the sun is too hot, he said. Since 2011, 382 cases of school harassment have been reported to the Education Ministry, by its official count. But Thai Lawyers for Human Rights logged 103 cases reported in three days after high school protests erupted Aug. 17. Prempapat Plittapolkranpim from Newground, an independent group focused on youth issues, said the official ministry number is far from reality. These official numbers do not represent reality. Thai kids always know how they will be punished if they break the rules but have no idea how to help themselves if they face harassment, Prempapat said. A survey of 6,000 students by the group found that most did not believe they would receive justice, let alone an apology, if wronged by someone in a position of authority. Especially if those authorities are teachers, monks, doctors or parents, Prepapat added. Thats reflected in the number of offenders who are protected by the system. Three-fifths of the ministrys 382 recorded offenses 233 cases involved sexual misconduct involving teachers, over half of whom are still teaching. Thailand has never had a democratic culture. But since people have started talking about it on social media and in their social groups, those voices are getting louder. Things have changed, Prempapat said. Related Thai army denies stockpiling tear gas, rubber bullets for Saturdays protest Raising anti-government salutes, high school students show protest support This article, We are the asteroids: Thai schoolkids vow to end rule of dinosaurs, originally appeared on Coconuts, Asia's leading alternative media company. 1-Year-Old Found Dead in Hot Car in Florida, Officials Investigating Authorities said a 1-year-old boy was found dead inside a vehicle in Florida last week amid hot temperatures. Officials told WESH-TV that officers were sent to the 5000 block of Indian Hill Road in Pine Hills around 3:40 p.m. They found a boy, identified as Jace Leslie, in a vehicle outside a home that is being used as a daycare. The Orange County Sheriffs Office added that they believe the boy was left in a vehicle. Officials said Jace was supposed to be transported to the daycare by a caregiver, but the person didnt drop the child off. The initial investigation indicates baby Jace was left inside of a vehicle in a rear-facing car seat for several hours by a caregiver while the caregiver was at work, deputies told ClickOrlando. When the caregiver arrived to pick him up from the daycare location at 3:42 p.m. Friday, baby Jace was instead discovered unresponsive in the car, where he had been for several hours, deputies added. After police arrived, a neighbor, Alton Williams, said he saw the mother arrive about 30 minutes later. When she got out the car, you just heard her yelling and then she was running, trying to get through the tape and then all the officers, they had stopped her, Williams said. Sheriffs deputies said the daycare had no involvement in the childs death. The Florida toddler is the 22nd child to die in a hot car this year, according to No Heat Stroke. In 2019, 52 children died due to heatstroke in cars. Temperatures in Orlando at the time reached about 87 degrees F. (Bloomberg Opinion) -- This week marks the 60th anniversary of OPEC, the cartel of major oil exporters that has, at times, held sway over the oil markets. It is a good time to ask: Is it still effective? The truth is that OPEC's power to impact the price of oil has waxed and waned over the past 60 years but has always been based on the portion of global spare capacity that it controls. With plenty of crude sloshing around in storage tanks worldwide, that makes it not so effective now. When the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries was formed in 1960, it had two missions. The first was defend the price of oil through limits on oil production. The second was to foster the native governments control over the oil resources in their territories. But for more than a decade, OPEC was largely ineffective at achieving its goals. The cartel didnt become a household name or a political talking point until 1973, when it succeeded in shocking the oil market by unilaterally forcing higher crude prices on both large international oil companies and consumers. (The oil embargo of that time was actually an act of Arab OPEC countries only). The main reason OPEC was able to wrest this control in 1973 was that in 1970, crude oil production in Texas started to fall. Starting in the early 1970s, Texas could no longer be counted on to meet rising demand in the U.S. Instead, the country started to rely on foreign oil imports, and because OPEC countries controlled 80% of the oil exports at that time, the U.S. found itself at OPECs mercy, as did U.S. allies like Japan. OPEC found it was able to simply set the price of oil where it wanted; customers had no choice but to pay, and the oil majors had to do what OPEC said or lose access to that oil. Ultimately, combined with the oil embargo, OPEC took control of the market, the price of oil skyrocketed and producing countries made a lot of money. The Saudi oil minister at the time, Zaki Yamani, declared triumphantly, we are the masters of our own commodity. Story continues But OPEC was only able to do this because its producing countries controlled global spare capacity. Coupled with growing demand at the time, it meant the world was desperate for OPEC oil and no one was in a position to replace it. OPECs place in our collective memory is defined by that incident, but, in fact, OPECs power to impact the price of oil has been inconsistent over the past 60 years largely because it does not always maintain control over global spare capacity. Read more: Theres No Easy Fix to OPECs Whack-A-Mole Problem: Julian Lee For example, in the 1980s, oil production from outside of OPEC increased, particularly from Alaska. As a result, OPECs portion of the global supply stream decreased. In 1986, oil prices collapsed, and OPEC was unable to do much to raise prices, because of the glut of oil from non-OPEC sources and weak oil demand. OPEC tried to cut production in fact, Saudi Arabia cut its own production down to only 2 million barrels a day but still prices remained depressed. Only rising demand shifted the balance to finally bring up prices. In 2014, Saudi Arabia and OPEC crashed the price of oil by ending production quotas for the cartel, but in six years the cartel has been unable to bring the price anywhere near their pre-crash levels. This failure is because of the massive influx of supply from U.S. shale and other areas of global exploration bearing fruit. Before the Covid-19 pandemic, the U.S. was producing 13 million barrels per day a world record. Even OPECs attempts to coordinate with outside countries such as Russia and Mexico only achieved limited results. Now, OPEC is faced with an even worse situation. Because of the economic effects of the coronavirus health crisis, U.S. production has dipped below 11 million barrels per day, and yet we know the U.S. has the capacity for at least about 3 million more. Any effort by OPEC and its partners to curtail their own production and raise the price of oil will be met by a corresponding increase in production from U.S. shale producers jumping back on line to capitalize, however briefly on higher oil prices. Yes, shale-producing companies fail at times, but the assets remain and are simply taken over by someone else. Is OPECs influence over the market broken? Not necessarily. Prolonged periods of low oil prices mean less money is being invested in the exploration and production of new oil sources. Due to the crash in 2014 and recent oil price catastrophe in the spring of 2020 (caused in large part, ironically, by OPEC member Saudi Arabia), virtually every producer has cut its exploration budget significantly. When the global economy recovers and if demand surges, we could be on the verge of an oil supply shortage that might vault OPEC back into a position as a major driver of prices. On the other hand, OPECs fear is that demand will inexorably taper off as new innovations allow the world to replace oil with alternative fuels. In that case, rather than seeing a resurgence in political and market power, this cartel could find itself nothing more than an interesting case study in economic history. This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners. Ellen R. Wald is president of Transversal Consulting and a nonresident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council's Global Energy Center. For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com/opinion Subscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source. 2020 Bloomberg L.P. Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker ordered flags at all state buildings be lowered to half-staff in honor of Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Chief Justice Ralph D. Gants. The flags were lowered immediately upon the order being issued Monday after Gants' passing became publicly known. They will remain lowered until further notice. The high court confirmed his death Monday. He was 65 years old. It is with deep sadness that the Associate Justices of the Supreme Judicial Court announce the death of Chief Justice Ralph D. Gants, the associate justices wrote in a statement issued Monday afternoon. Our hearts and prayers are with his family. Gants suffered a heart attack on Sept. 4 and underwent surgery. In a statement issued last week, he said he was recovering and expected to return to work in a limited capacity. He was nominated to the high court in 2009 and served as chief justice since 2014 when he was sworn in by Gov. Deval Patrick. He was a learned, rigorous, serious and sincere jurist who faithfully honored constitutional principles and also saw the people behind the docket numbers, Patrick said, upon learning of his death. Gants advocated for criminal justice reform over his career. When state legislature debated criminal justice reforms in 2017, he stressed the need to reduce the recidivism rate. If we continue to allow many defendants to leave our prisons and houses of correction with untreated drug and mental health problems, with no job training or job experience, and then continue to place obstacles in their way when they try to find lawful employment, we can be sure that they will find work; it might just not be the work we want them to find, Gants said during his state of the State of the Judiciary address in 2017. He pushed for expanded drug treatment and mental health care for inmates incarcerated in Massachusetts jails and ways to ease reentry upon release. An important voice in reforming our criminal justice system, his contributions will long be remembered as helping us move towards a more just commonwealth, Senate President Karen Spilka, said of Gants after his passing. It is that passion for justice and commitment to fairness that guided him through his decades of service and for that, he will be missed. Related Content: As wildfires burned near his home in Northern California, the climate reporter Abrahm Lustgarten asked himself: Was it finally time to leave for good? For years, many Americans had avoided confronting the increasing environmental dangers in their own backyards: fires, hurricanes, extreme heat, rising seas. But this year felt different. Would others finally wake up to how climate change was about to transform their lives? Would they start to relocate? And if so, was it possible to project where we might go? To answer these questions, he interviewed more than four dozen experts: economists and demographers, climate scientists and insurance executives, architects and urban planners, and mapped out the danger zones that will close in on Americans over the next 30 years. What he found was a nation on the cusp of a great transformation. Across the United States, some 162 million people nearly one in two will most likely experience a decline in the quality of their environment, namely more heat and less water. For 93 million of them, the changes could be particularly severe, and by 2070, analysis suggests, if carbon emissions rise at extreme levels, at least four million Americans could find themselves living at the fringe, in places decidedly outside the ideal niche for human life. Then what? One influential 2018 study, published in The Journal of the Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, suggests that one in 12 Americans in the Southern half of the country will move toward California, the Mountain West or the Northwest over the next 45 years because of climate influences alone. Such a shift in population is likely to increase poverty and widen the gulf between the rich and the poor. Reporting was contributed by Peter Baker , Lisa Friedman , Thomas Fuller , Christine Hauser , Thomas Kaplan , Dave Philipps and Alan Yuhas . live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More India's second-largest software services firm Infosys on September 15 said it will announce its financial results for the July-September quarter on October 14. "a meeting of the board of directors of the company will be held on Tuesday and Wednesday, October 13 and 14, 2020 inter alia to approve and take on record the audited consolidated financial results of the company and its subsidiaries as per Indian Accounting Standards (IND-AS) for the quarter and half year ending September 30, 2020," Infosys said in a regulatory filing. The financial results and proposal for interim dividend, if any, will be presented to the Board of Directors on October 14, 2020 for their approval, it added. The filing noted that Infosys will hold investor/analyst calls on the same day to discuss the financial results and business outlook. 3,112 hours of cross browser testing data empirically proves incredible speed and coverage gains helping engineers release higher quality apps faster than ever before SAN MATEO, California, Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Applitools ( https://applitools.com/ ), provider of a next generation test automation platform powered by Visual AI and Ultrafast Grid, today announced an industry report empirically proving that modern cross browser testing powered by Visual AI helps engineers test 18.2x faster across the full test cycle including writing, running, analyzing, reporting, and maintaining tests. To download the "Modern Cross Browser Testing Through Visual AI Report" visit: https://applitools.com/modern-cross-browser-testing-report Data for the report was sourced from 203 engineers across 75 countries who spent 3,112 hours completing the Ultrafast Cross Browser Testing Hackathon in June 2020. The data shows Applitools Ultrafast Test Cloud Powered by Visual AI allowed engineers to complete a full test cycle on a modern, responsive e-commerce application in just 1.6 hours versus 29.2 hours when using traditional cloud testing environments. Additional highlights from the report include: A detailed breakdown of the 18.2x time savings across the end-to-end test cycle including writing, running, analyzing, reporting, and maintaining tests. Because Applitools runs tests once locally, then renders across all browsers, viewports, and devices, it eliminates the need for slow VMs and multiple connections that traditional test cloud solutions rely on. Because Applitools runs tests once locally, then renders across all browsers, viewports, and devices, it eliminates the need for slow VMs and multiple connections that traditional test cloud solutions rely on. 99% reduction in the number of lines of test code virtually eliminating the maintenance overhead that plagues traditional cloud testing solutions. virtually eliminating the maintenance overhead that plagues traditional cloud testing solutions. 91% reduction in the use of locators due to the use of Applitools Visual AI because it relies on images instead of brittle, flaky locators to support the test scenario. due to the use of Applitools Visual AI because it relies on images instead of brittle, flaky locators to support the test scenario. 77% increase in software engineer satisfaction vs. traditional cloud testing approaches . Applitools received a Net Promoter Score (NPS)* of 70 compared to -54 for traditional approaches to cross browser testing. . Applitools received a Net Promoter Score (NPS)* of 70 compared to -54 for traditional approaches to cross browser testing. Engineers of any skill level learned Applitools Ultrafast Test Cloudin less than 90 minutes and upskilled to modern cross browser testing as a result. "The incredible challenges brought on by digital transformation require a modern approach to cross environment testing. Applitools Ultrafast Test Cloud combines Visual AI with container-based rendering to address them," said Gil Sever, CEO and co-founder of Applitools. "Hundreds of software engineers have shown us how Applitools Ultrafast Test Cloud is an incredible efficiency multiplier for cross browser testing. It delivers significant time and money savings while helping teams release faster than ever before. It represents the future of testing where continuous quality is key to successful digital transformation for modern engineering teams." "Cross browser testing is ultra fast using Applitools Ultrafast Test Cloud. Bugs that I missed (and there were lots!) on different browsers and viewports were easily caught without affecting the time it takes to run my tests," said Marie Drake, Principal Test Engineer at News UK. "Functional testing frameworks automate browsers, but they are not built to catch the visual changes now incredibly common, cross environment. Applitools Ultrafast Test Cloud helps engineers succeed when doing modern cross browser testing." Learn more about the Future of Testing with Angie Jones, Marie Drake, Microsoft Playwright, Cypress, Selenium, Twitter, Salesforce and more. Join an exclusive event for engineering leaders who own quality management: https://applitools.com/future-of-testing-us/ Data from the report was sourced from the Ultrafast Cross Browser Testing Hackathon which challenged participants to author cross browser and cross device tests against a modern, responsive, ecommerce app. The event challenged engineers to test a new release candidate across seven different browsers and three viewport sizes and ensure the new version is bug free. Participants used both their preferred legacy cloud testing solution and Applitools Ultrafast Test Cloud Powered by Visual AI integrated into their preferred test framework and desired programming language using over 50 SDKs. Engineering leaders that participated in the study commented: "With Applitools, setting up configurations related to viewports, devices and browsers is very easy and saves a lot of time," said Himanshu Soni , Lead QA at Amadeus Labs. "Frankly speaking, I spent a heck of a lot of time setting the same configuration for traditional tests, whereas using the Ultrafast Grid it was in a blink of an eye." , Lead QA at Amadeus Labs. "Frankly speaking, I spent a heck of a lot of time setting the same configuration for traditional tests, whereas using the Ultrafast Grid it was in a blink of an eye." "The Ultrafast Grid is really the right tool when it comes to cross-browser and responsive design testing," said Roman Lymariev, Senior Quality Assurance Automation Engineer at Mobiquity. "You can quickly set up your tests and start catching the related bugs really fast. Traditional approaches do not work quite as well in this department." "I loved how intuitive Applitools Ultrafast Grid is," said Kerry McKeever , Senior Software Test Engineer at Paylocity. "The speed of learning the API and the dashboard, as well as the speed of developing the tests without the need for dozens of locators, conditional waits, management of drivers/browsers, etc., made testing a breeze." Learn more about the Applitools Ultrafast Grid and get started today: https://applitools.com/ultrafast-grid . *Net Promoter Score ranges from +100 (high satisfaction) to -100 (low satisfaction). NPS is calculated by ignoring the passive responses and subtracting the % of detractors from the % of promoters. Products with an NPS over 50 are considered world-class while products below 0 are in decline and losing users. About Applitools Applitools delivers a Next Generation Test Automation Platform powered by Visual AI and Ultrafast Grid. We enable engineering teams to release high quality web and mobile apps at incredible speed at a reduced cost. Applitools Visual AI modernizes important test automation use cases -- Functional Testing, Visual Testing, Web and Mobile UI/UX Testing, Cross Browser Testing, Responsive Web Design Testing, Cross Device Testing, PDF Testing, Accessibility Testing and Compliance Testing -- to transform the way organizations deliver innovation at the speed of CI/CD at a significantly lower Total Cost of Ownership (TCO). Hundreds of companies from verticals such as Tech, Banking, Insurance, Retail, Pharma, and Publishing -- including 50 of the Fortune 100 -- use Applitools to deliver the best possible digital experiences to millions of customers on any device and browser, and across every screen size and operating system. Applitools is headquartered in San Mateo, California, with an R&D center in Tel Aviv, Israel. For more information, please visit applitools.com. Media Contact: Jeremy Douglas Catapult PR-IR +1 303-581-7760, ext. 16 jdouglas@catapultpr-ir.com Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1273845/Modern_Cross_Browser_Testing_Through_Visual_AI_2020_Sep_14_COVER.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/621068/Applitools_Logo.jpg DOHA, Qatar Until it happened, few believed that it actually would. To get the Taliban and representatives of the Afghan government into one room for direct negotiations took months even after the insurgents agreed to it in February as part of an agreement with the United States. And getting to that agreement, which delivered the insurgents main demand the withdrawal of the remaining American troops in Afghanistan had taken nearly a decade of on-again-off-again attempts. As the start of talks between the two Afghan sides faced delay after delay, diplomats who had arrived in Doha for the opening ceremony waited, repeatedly changed their flights, and some even left. The negotiating team in Kabul and members of the press corps traveling with them were repeatedly swabbed with Covid-19 tests a requirement by Qatar, which had relaxed its strict quarantine travel restrictions to make the meeting happen in the first place. The gravest hangup was over the completion of a prisoner swap. The U.S. deal with the Taliban envisioned the exchange of 5,000 Taliban prisoners for 1,000 members of the Afghan forces in 10 days. But it took six months. The last hurdle was figuring out a face-saving solution regarding six Taliban prisoners that Australia, France, and even some in the U.S. government did not want released, as they were behind attacks that had killed Western soldiers. The Korean Register (KR) has announced the establishment of a new LNG Fuel and Bunkering Simulation Center (KR LSC), located at KRs headquarters in Busan, South Korea. It officially opened today (September 15). Following the opening ceremony, a memorandum of understanding was signed between KR and Transgas Solution (TGS) to build an Operator Training Simulator (OTS) system, which will be used to train operators of LNG-propelled ships and for ship-to-ship bunkering. The KR LSC has been established to facilitate industrial growth across the LNG propulsion and bunkering sector based on KRs long-standing high level expertise with LNG technology. The use of LNG as a ship fuel and demand for bunkering is expected to increase as a result of the International Maritime Organization's regulations to reduce SOx, which came into effect at the beginning of this year, and with the strengthening of GHG emission regulations in the future. The KR LSC will provide comprehensive technical services relating to LNG operations, including not only the customised trial and optimal operations for LNG fuel supply and bunkering systems but also conducting the detailed risk analysis for liquefied gas for ships propelled by eco-friendly fuels such as LNG, hydrogen, and ammonia. KR will also collaborate with TGS to develop practical education and training programs for shipping companies, shipyards, and equipment companies, for example by combining the use of an Operator Training Simulator (OTS) and Virtual Reality (VR) based on a real-time simulation of the LNG vessel fuel processes. Dr HA Tae-beom, EVP of KRs R&D Division, said at the signing ceremony: KR is already renowned for providing world's best technical services for structural strength assessment, temperature distribution analysis, and thermal stress analysis of LNG carriers. We will increase competitiveness by providing high-quality LNG technology services to our customers shipping companies and shipyards around the world. LEE Jae-ik, CEO of TGS, said: I welcome this collaboration with KR, our work to develop advanced education and training using the Operator Training Simulator (OTS) is hugely important, and underpins our commitment to training LNG experts across the maritime sector and engineering industry. Meanwhile, KR has been procuring test technology for LNG-propelled ship engines and aftertreatment devices through the Greenship Equipment Testing and Certification Center (TCC) established in Gunsan in 2015. The newly established KR LSC will provide unified LNG technical services adding simulation technology and enabling the implementation of a pretreatment device for LNG fuel propulsion. - TradeArabia News Service Ivan Mcguigan, of the Charlottetown Public Works department, cleans Sir John A Macdonald statue in Charlottetown after red paint was dumped on the statue on Friday June 19, 2020.The canadian Press/John Morris Cameras Installed to Monitor Sir John A. Macdonald Statue in Kingston The city of Kingston, Ontario has increased security around an 1895 statue of Sir John a. Macdonald in City Park by installing several cameras and posting notices to let you know that while you are viewing the statue, you are also being watched. Colin Wiginton, the Kingston cultural director says that this beefing up of security is a measure taken to protect the corporate assets, this one being one of the citys oldest assets. Its not a new kind of thing we do, but cameras have been put on the monument for the first time, Wiginton told Global News. Macdonald has become a controversial figure as anti-racism activists and others have targeted statues and memorials of Canadas first Prime Minister. A statue of Sir John A. Macdonald at the provincial legislature in Montreal was pulled down by activists on August 29, before the police dispersed the mob. Another statue was vandalized at Queens Park in Toronto on July 18 and later boarded up with a bag over its head portion. Sir Johns hands were painted red in Picton back in June. Outside the Anne of Green Gables store in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, red paint was dumped on a Macdonald statue that sits on a bench, turning toward the store. In British Columbias capital, Victoria city council voted in 2018 to remove a similar statue as a gesture of reconciliation for Macdonalds checkered legacy, which included being one fo the leading architects of the residential school system that destroyed the families of the First Nations people across Canada. Critics of Macdonald also point to the poor treatment of Chinese Canadians and Macdonalds role in the Chinese head tax, a fixed fee charged to Chinese people entering Canada meant to discourage Chinese immigration. While Victoria removed its statute, Kingston says its statue will remain. Kingston Mayor, Bryan Paterson, has welcomed healthy debate and discussion about Macdonald but said vandalism isnt acceptable. There is no place for that. It is not acceptable. And quite frankly it turns more people off. We have heard very clearly from the community that the statue should not come down, and were not going to take it down, Paterson told Global News. Paterson says that what they are going to do is rewrite the plaques, and talk about the good and the bad of Macdonalds legacy. Thats how you learn from history. You add to it. You dont take away from it. South Africa: Government provides 4IR training opportunities The Department of Communications and Digital Technologies is making progress in meeting its commitment to provide training opportunities for young people in fields such as robotics, data science and artificial intelligence. A total of 135 learners have completed a 12-month Data Science course, which is a partnership between the department and the Media Information and Communication Technologies Sector Education and Training Authority (MICTSETA). The current partnership with MICTSETA emanates from a budget vote commitment we made in 2019/20 to train 1 000 unemployed youth in different Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) related skills as the country enters the digital era, amongst these being the success of the Data Science skills development programme we are celebrating today, said the Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies, Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams. Addressing the handover ceremony for the certificates on Tuesday in Pretoria, the Minister said the country needs Data Science skills to harness the power of data and come up with predictive models that will enable departments to mitigate risks, reduce costs, increase revenue, and optimise limited resources. The Presidential Commission on 4IR recently made its recommendations to the President on the adoption of 4IR technologies to improve the upward trajectory of our economy and country. Critical among those recommendations is to build human capacity in the areas of 4IR, including Data Science. This is exactly what we aimed to do with this pilot Data Science programme and other 4IR programmes, the Minister said. She encouraged the graduates to look at the impact that data has on people and societal problems. "...Always ensure that whatever you create is for the benefit of all and not just a select few. Beyond the data science skills that you have acquired, it is essential that you become well-versed in the business operations and processes of the industry that you will work in, the Minister said. SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2020-09-15. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 15 By Elnur Baghishov Trend: No military parades will be held in Tehran city and the Persian Gulf on September 21, 2020 in order to comply with health protocols related to coronavirus pandemic, according to the decision of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Chairman of the Central Committee for Commemoration of the Sacred Defense Week, Bahman Kargar told journalists, Trend reports citing the Fars news agency. According to Kargar, 1 million veteran servicemen will be awarded by Iran's religious leader via a videoconference on the occasion of Sacred Defense Week on (September 21-September 28). The chairman added that 54 facilities and equipment will be presented during the week. A military parade dedicated to the anniversary of the beginning of the war between Iran and Iraq (1980-1988) is held in largest Iranian cities every year. Iran continues to monitor the coronavirus situation in the country. According to recent reports from the Iranian officials, over 407,300 people have been infected, and 23,453 people have already died. Meanwhile, over 349,900 have reportedly recovered from the disease. The country continues to apply strict measures to contain further spread. Reportedly, the disease was brought to Iran by a businessman from Iran's Qom city, who went on a business trip to China, despite official warnings. The man died later from the disease. The Islamic Republic only announced its first infections and deaths from the coronavirus on Feb. 19. The outbreak in the Chinese city of Wuhan - which is an international transport hub - began at a fish market in late December 2019. The World Health Organization (WHO) on March 11 declared COVID-19 a pandemic. Some sources claim the coronavirus outbreak started as early as November 2019. A 31-year-old electrician who stole a fuse from the Electricity Company of Ghanas (ECG) transformer at Trede in the Atwima-Kwanwoma District, has been remanded into prison custody by the Nkawie circuit court. Foster Oteng was arrested by the watchdog committee of the town during the act at about 0200 hours, on September 08, this year. He pleaded not guilty and would reappear before the court presided by Mr Johnson Abbey on September 30, this year. Detective Chief Inspector Comfort Amankwaa told the court that the complainant was a watchdog committee member at Trede. She said on September 08 this year at about 0200 hours, the suspect dressed in all black was cutting into the transformer at the local junior high school, and was seen by a woman who was attending a natures call at the time. When the woman asked what he was doing with the transformer, the suspect raised a cutlass on her and the woman who became afraid shouted for help and this attracted the security guard at the junior high school. The prosecution said the security man called the complainant on phone and together with other members of the watchdog committee arrested the suspect and sent him to the Trede police station. Chief Inspector Amankwaa said in his caution statement, the suspect admitted the offence and was charged after investigations. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video (HealthDay)Parents who choose to forgo or delay their children's vaccinations may quickly find themselves without a pediatrician. Just over half (51%) of pediatric offices in the United States have a policy to dismiss families that refuse childhood vaccines, a nationwide survey found. Thirty-seven percent of pediatricians themselves said they often dismissed families for refusing vaccines, and 6% said they would dismiss a family for choosing to spread out crucial early vaccines. "Arguments for dismissing families include that vaccination is the standard of care and the benefits far outweigh the risks. The evidence for vaccines is so strong that doctors may feel they just can't work with parents who stray so far from the standards of medical care," said lead author Dr. Sean O'Leary. He's a professor of pediatrics at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus and Children's Hospital Colorado in Aurora. "Another argument for dismissing families is that doing so may increase vaccine rates when parents see that pediatric practices feel so strongly about vaccines. Some of the downsides are that kids might end up without a medical home, or parents will find pediatricians who don't have policies about vaccines," O'Leary said. Last year, the World Health Organization called vaccine hesitancy one of the top 10 threats to global health. But little is known about how pediatricians deal with parents who refuse vaccines, or who ask to spread them out, potentially leaving their child vulnerable to infections, such as measles. To get a better idea of how doctors cope with these challenges, researchers surveyed about 300 U.S. pediatricians between April and July 2019. The survey asked about pediatricians' current practices and office policies if families refused vaccines or significantly tried to alter the schedule, spreading the vaccines out. "I was surprised the rate was as high as it wasmore than half had a practice who would not take a family that refused vaccines. I think the Disney measles outbreak [in California's Disneyland from 2014-2015] may have had an impact. Parents started saying, 'If you're going to accept people who aren't vaccinated, I'm going to another practice so my children aren't at risk,'" O'Leary said. When doctors dismiss families for refusing vaccines, parents are sometimes swayed, the survey revealed. In fact, 18% often or always change their minds, while another 48% sometimes do. Twenty-nine percent rarely change their minds, and 5% never do, according to the surveys. The report found that private practices were more likely than community, hospital-based or health maintenance organizations to have a dismissal policy. Practices in the Midwest were less likely to have dismissal policies than practices in other regions. Dr. Paul Offit, director of the Vaccine Education Center at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, said the goal of dismissal policies is to make sure children get vaccinated. He was not part of the study. "By drawing a line and saying, 'I can't see you if you choose to delay or refuse vaccines, because you're asking me to practice substandard care,'" Offit said. "'Were this child to be hurt, Iat some levelwould be tacitly responsible, because at some level, I would be saying it's OK, if I continued to see your family.'" Pediatricians also have a responsibility to all of the children in the waiting room. "Sometimes, kids in the waiting room can't be vaccinatedthey may be too young, taking certain medications or be immunocompromised," Offit said. The big concern, though, is that doctors don't know where a child might end up if they dismiss them. "I don't think there's any really good choice in this situation for pediatricians. It's very hard," Offit said. O'Leary said he hopes parents understand that "many pediatricians feel so strongly that the benefits of vaccines far outweigh the risk that they are willing to take the extreme measure of not taking families who refuse to vaccinate. And, remember, these are people who have devoted their careers to taking care of children." He said many questions remain and this topic needs further study. For example, do dismissal policies help with vaccination rates? What message do these policies actually send to the parents? The findings were published Sept. 15 as a research letter in Journal of the American Medical Association. Explore further One in five pediatricians drops families who refuse vaccines: survey Copyright 2020 HealthDay. All rights reserved. The parties to a proposed transaction file a notice to Cfius, often voluntarily though it can now be mandatory in the case of deals backed by foreign governments or involving critical technology. If members of the committee see potential issues, they can call for a national security investigation to determine if there are any risks to the U.S. If so, Cfius can negotiate with the parties to the proposed deal to mitigate problems. If its concerns arent resolved, it can recommend that the president intervene. Cfius concerns are often enough to undo a deal, because companies will walk away rather than go to the president and risk being branded a national security threat. Only the president has authority to stop a deal, something that has happened only five times since 1990. Two of those came during Barack Obamas eight-year presidency, two more during Trumps first two years as president. Amaravati, Sep 16 : Andhra Pradesh Covid toll breached the 5,000 mark with 69 more deaths, even as the state has registered 8,846 new Coronavirus positive cases, raising the state's tally to 5.83 lakh on Tuesday. With the new deaths, state's toll reached 5,041. Chittoor district accounted for the highest number of Covid deaths, 543, followed by Guntur (469), East Godavari (464), Kurnool (425) and others. Meanwhile, East Godavari continues to report the highest number of infections, 1,423, and also the lone district to report more than 1,000 cases on Tuesday. Prasksam district accounted for 979 infections, followed by West Godavari (955), Nellore (820), Srikakulam (678), Kadapa (661), Guntur (641), Visakhapatnam (574) and Chittoor (572) among others. On Tuesday, Ananthapur district tally breached the 50,000 mark to reach 50,088 while East Godavari's tally reached 79,643, the district with the highest cases. Active cases in Prakasam dipped marginally to 13,655, district with the highest number of active cases. On a positive note, 9,628 more patients recovered from the virus to outnumber infections on Tuesday, propelling the total recoveries to reach 4.86 lakh. Of the 5.83 lakh cases, active cases stand at 92,353. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Jon Stewart is back in Washington, D.C., and this time hes fighting for veterans. The former Daily Show host joined lawmakers Tuesday to draw attention to a bill that will help veterans affected by toxic burn pits, which were a common way to eliminate waste at military sites in Iraq and Afghanistan. Jon Stewart introduces bill for sick veterans: Welcome to another exciting episode of When is America going to start acting like the great country we keep telling ourselves we are? Our veterans lived 24/7 next to toxic smoke Its bullsh*t. pic.twitter.com/uwI0vbC8VX NowThis (@nowthisnews) September 15, 2020 Welcome to another exciting episode of When is America going to start acting like the great country we keep telling ourselves we are? Stewart said outside the Capitol building. He continued, You remember we were here a year ago after a 15-year battle to get Congress to recognize that the first responders on 9/11 were sick and dying and needed health care and disability... They came down to Washington over and over and over again, sick and dying, walking the halls of Congress just to get to them recognize the basic humanity of what they were dealing with: That their selflessness and heroism had put them in harms way and they had been sick. Stewart said that he thought it was done when the bill was passed to reauthorize the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund and take care of those sickened by exposure to toxic material at Ground Zero. But it turns out that the warfighters that were sent to prosecute the battle, based on the attack of 9/11, now suffer the same injuries and illnesses that the first responders suffered from and theyre getting the same cold shoulder from Congress... And so the fight starts again. Stewart said the only difference between the two groups is that the first responders on 9/11 were made ill as a result of a terrorist attack on our country while the vets were exposed due to the actions of our own government from the burn pits, which were as large as 10 acres and burned every hazardous waste, including jet fuel, 24/7, Stewart said. Story continues Jon Stewart speaks at a press conference on "The Presumptive Benefits for War Fighters Exposed to Burn Pits and Other Toxins Act of 2020" at the House Triangle on September 15, 2020 in Washington, DC. (Photo: Paul Morigi/Getty Images) Stewart said that theyre aware that everyone has a lot on their plate right now, but he hopes people will rally around those affected who deserve to be treated by the Department of Veterans Affairs, which denies that the long-term health problems the vets have are as a result of exposure to burn pits. In a subsequent interview with NBC, Stewart reiterated his case, explaining, Everybody thinks that veterans get health care for life, but they dont. They only get health care if their injury or illness can be tied to their service, which the VA declines to do, noting on its website that, Most of the irritation from burn pits is temporary and resolves once the exposure is gone despite acknowledging the pits were filled with chemicals, paint, medical and human waste, metal/aluminum cans, munitions, among other things. Stewart appeared at the news conference with Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) and Rep. Raul Ruiz (D-Calif.), the legislations sponsors. The bill, if passed, will cover several medical conditions associated with exposure, including all cancers, asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Stewart has long been a 9/11 activist, appearing last year in Washington to help reauthorize the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund. He also slammed lawmakers for not attending the hearing at which victims were speaking. When it was passed a month later, Stewart called it the honor of my life. Stewart was in the news more recently while promoting his political dramedy Irresistible, weighing in on the Black Lives Matter protests after the death of George Floyd. Read more from Yahoo Entertainment: ConsumerAffairs is not a government agency. Companies displayed may pay us to be Authorized or when you click a link, call a number or fill a form on our site. Our content is intended to be used for general information purposes only. It is very important to do your own analysis before making any investment based on your own personal circumstances and consult with your own investment, financial, tax and legal advisers. Company NMLS Identifier #2110672 Copyright 2021 Consumers Unified LLC. All Rights Reserved. The contents of this site may not be republished, reprinted, rewritten or recirculated without written permission. A 33-year-old man is fighting for his life in hospital after being shot with a crossbow in west London. He was found with an arrow wound to the stomach on Copperfield Avenue, Uxbridge, at around 8pm on Monday, police said. Emergency services rushed to the scene and the man was taken to hospital. His condition is said to be life-threatening. There have been no arrests. Cordons remain in place in the area and enquiries continue. Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 101 quoting CAD 7227/14Sep. We are better able to see that the problems that seem to engulf Chicago and its environs are best understood in a global context, that too much time spent talking to ourselves, and to those like ourselves, on social media merely confirms our prejudgments rather than challenges them. The arrival of the fall arts season also contains reminders that humanity is in it for the long haul, that history provides lessons on how to deal with the present, that conflict and division can only be overcome by empathy and critical thinking. IRMO Just one week into the school year, Paula Smith is already exhausted. The mother of three was among roughly 100 parents outside Irmo High School on Monday urging Lexington-Richland 5 school board members to allow their children to fully return to the classroom. Trustees had to walk by the mask-clad parents and their signs to go to their meeting. I want them to know its important for kids to get back to normal, said Smith, who's trying to balance the schedules of her second-, third- and sixth-grader along with her own full-time job. Parents in the school district that spans two Midlands counties are protesting the weekly mix of in-person and online learning that started Sept. 8. But officials aren't slated to even re-consider the hybrid scheduling for several weeks. On Monday night, board members said exactly when Lexington-Richland 5 schools will allow students back full-time would be left to the discretion of Superintendent Christina Melton, who said she planned to give a recommendation on Sept. 28. Over the summer, officials set a preliminary date of Oct. 8 for a five-day return to classes. They have repeatedly said they intend to re-evaluate the situation then, after a full month in hybrid mode. "Our kids deserve and and should be back in school face-to-face," rally organizer Jennifer Valek said. Rally goers chanted "face-to-face!" and held signs that read "Hear Us Now Or Hear Us In November." Of South Carolinas 81 public school districts, just 20% started their academic year offering all students the option of a full week of in-person learning. Kershaw County was the lone Midlands district to do so, though Lexington Three (Batesburg-Leesville) did give that option to all elementary students. Three other Lexington County districts also opened with hybrid options that put students in the classroom two days weekly and the rest online. The state's 14 school districts that opened online only include Richland One and Two, which cover Columbia's downtown and northeast suburbs. Both of those districts started classes virtually Aug. 31. Officials say they will gradually bring students back depending on coronavirus rates locally, and Richland County has some of the state's highest. Frustrated parents are asking officials there to transition to at least a hybrid option, if not a full return to the classroom. This is not my plan. This is everybody that has contributed to where we are, so I alone cannot answer that question right now, Richland One Superintendent Craig Witherspoon said of setting a date for eventual classroom learning. A survey over the summer found that 20% of parents wanted the year to begin with some type of in-person option. I dont think we can ignore those parents, Richland One school board member Beatrice King said last week. In July, Gov. Henry McMaster called on all districts to offer a full week in the classroom from the outset. But he was promptly ignored. Last week, he said he'd mandate a five-day option if he could, but state law doesn't give him that authority. So he called on legislators to set aside $50 million of federal coronavirus aid to reimburse districts that do offer five days of face-to-face. "Many working parents simply cannot stay home with the children every day," he said. "If a parent wants to send their children back to school or if they want to keep their child at home, they should have that choice. They shouldnt have to choose between their child or their job." Some point to last week's death of a 28-year-old Richland Two elementary school teacher as a reason not to reopen schools. Demetria "Demi" Bannister died Sept. 7 after testing positive for COVID-19. Bannister had been teaching virtually from home and was last in her classroom Aug. 28 for a teacher workday. But parents who want their child in the classroom point to the rarity of children getting seriously ill from the disease that preys on the elderly and those with underlying health problems. And research suggests children are less likely to transmit the virus. No one in South Carolina ages 5 to 19 has died of COVID-19, according to state health data. Enough is enough. Open our schools, Richland Two parent Melissa Bramante said. A July survey found 55% of that district's parents were either comfortable or very comfortable returning to schools. For Jessica Fleetwood, its not just the educational component that her kids are missing. Her kindergarten daughter was brought to tears when she wasnt able to share news with classmates about losing a tooth. The formative years of school are what shapes a child's attitudes, enthusiasm and beliefs about education for the rest of their educational career, the mother of three and early childhood educator wrote in written comments to the Richland Two board. Seanna Adcox contributed to this report. A Vineland man claims in a lawsuit that he was beaten by city police officers and attacked by a department K-9 during his arrest in 2018. Jose L. Paz Jr. was walking south on East Avenue in Vineland on Sept. 15, 2018, when he says Officer James Day stopped to speak with him. Sgt. Terry Hall soon arrived. Paz claims he remained cooperative and non-combative throughout the interaction with the officers, though the suit notes that Paz continued to be distant and incoherent during the questioning. Day suddenly grabbed Pazs wrists and told him to place his hands on his head, according to the suit. Already disoriented and confused, Plaintiff Paz begins to question what is going on, the suit states. The officers then took him to the ground and called for backup. Day began punching Paz in the face and arriving officers joined in the malicious beating, the suit claims. Paz said he was punched and kicked by officers, doused with pepper spray and that a police K9 was ordered to attack him. Plaintiff Paz continuously screamed for help and asked defendants why they were doing this to him, according to the suit. Paz was charged with assault, resisting arrest, obstruction and use of a controlled dangerous substance. He was later indicted on a third-degree charge of resisting arrest. Day noted in the affidavit of probable cause he filed in the case that Paz flagged him down and that, during their discussion, he smelled liquid PCP on the man. As a result of the odor being detected, I attempted to search Paz and he did not comply with my orders to place his hands on his head, Day wrote. Paz tried to punch and bite officers during the arrest, the officer stated. The report notes that two officers suffered hand injuries in the incident, including Hall, who suffered numerous scrapes and cuts on his hands. Paz was unarmed, did not try to resist and did not not attack the officers, according to his lawsuit. His injuries included a broken nose, swollen and bruised face and eyes, bruises throughout his body and cuts to his leg from the K-9. Video of the incident may be in short supply. Several officers failed to activate their body-worn cameras, according to the suit, and some claimed their cameras were not working. City officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the matter. Attorneys for Paz declined to comment. The suit names the city, its police department and several officers and supervisors, and alleges multiple violations of the New Jersey Civil Rights Act, including excessive force, malicious prosecution, failure to intervene and a failure by supervisors to train, supervise and discipline officers. Other counts include assault and battery, negligence and civil conspiracy. Paz seeks compensatory and punitive damages. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Matt Gray may be reached at mgray@njadvancemedia.com. ALBANY, New York Ohioans hoping to take a fall trip to New York can keep planning the Buckeye State has dropped off New Yorks travel advisory list again, meaning visitors from Ohio are not required to quarantine for 14 days upon arrival. After a short spiking period, Ohios COVID-19 numbers declined again last week, moving the state off New Yorks list. New York, in conjunction with New Jersey and Connecticut, has among the strictest coronavirus-related travel advisories in the United States, an effort to keep the virus from spreading. Thirty states remain on the list, which requires visitors to quarantine for two weeks upon arrival. Ohio was first placed on the list on July 14, came off on Aug. 11 and then went back on last week, after a spike in cases that Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine attributed in part to the start of colleges and K-12 school. Daily numbers have declined in recent days. New York uses one of two metrics to place states on its restricted list either a positive test rate higher than 10 per 100,000 residents over a seven-day rolling average or a 10% or higher positivity rate over a seven-day rolling average. According to Covidactnow.com, Ohio has a 3.6% positivity rate on recent tests, and a positive test rate of 8.4 residents per 100,000. Numerous states have gone on and off the list in recent months, as their numbers fluctuate. New York state has a positivity rate of just 0.9%. Positivity rate is the percentage of people who test positive for coronavirus of the overall group of people who have been tested, not the total population. The governor of Connecticut, meanwhile, announced this week that travelers from hotspot states now have the option of providing a negative COVID-19 test result to replace quarantine upon arrival. Even while Ohio was on the travel advisory list, Ohioans were permitted to drive through the state, with stays for up to 24 hours. Quarantine enforcement has been inconsistent. Some hotels have canceled reservations for guests coming from travel advisory states, while others have looked the other way. Air travelers have been required to fill out forms upon arrival, with contact information and travel plans. Travelers who violate the rules face a fine of up to $10,000, although its unclear if anyone has been penalized. Travel restrictions, meanwhile, remain in place for Ohioans (and others) traveling to numerous other states. Those states include Hawaii, Maine, Massachusetts, New Mexico, Vermont and Washington, D.C., according to a list from CNN. Ohio continues to recommend quarantine for visitors from four states: Alabama, Kansas, North Dakota and South Dakota. FORT WORTH, Texas, Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Since 1994, consumer intelligence firm Buxton has been helping its clients make better business decisions. The company announced the next chapter in its evolution today by launching a new suite of analytics technology designed for businesses in the retail, restaurant, consumer services, healthcare, commercial real estate and public sectors. "Today's product launch is an important milestone for Buxton and the industries we serve," said Tom Buxton, founder and CEO of Buxton. "We've distilled the power of our analytics services into a suite of on-demand, technology-based tools. This is just the beginning of the exciting new developments ahead for Buxton and our clients as we make consumer intelligence technology more accessible than ever." The new product suite is housed within Buxton's proprietary analytics platform, SCOUT, and includes the following tools: Mobilytics A powerful new module that uses GPS data and proprietary processes to identify and report on the types of consumers visiting an area, where they come from, and visit volumes for selected time periods A powerful new module that uses GPS data and proprietary processes to identify and report on the types of consumers visiting an area, where they come from, and visit volumes for selected time periods Match An on-demand tool that allows communities, property owners, developers and brokers to assess a prospective retail, restaurant or consumer service brand's fit with the local market using newly enhanced, proprietary retail matching methodology An on-demand tool that allows communities, property owners, developers and brokers to assess a prospective retail, restaurant or consumer service brand's fit with the local market using newly enhanced, proprietary retail matching methodology Automated Site Score Models On-demand location scoring models that are available for 24 healthcare service lines and facility types "Buxton is proud to be a trusted source for answers to critical business questions," said Phillip Crow, senior vice president of product development at Buxton. "Our new technology suite gives our clients the option to select the solution that is right for them, whether that's our traditional analytics services or new software products." To request a demo of the products in Buxton's fall 2020 release, please visit www.buxtonco.com/contact-us. About Buxton Buxton is the industry leader in consumer intelligence technology. Our analytics reveal who your customers are, where more potential customers are located and the value of each customer. Thousands of clients in the retail, restaurant, healthcare, private equity, commercial real estate and public sectors have relied on our insights to guide their growth strategies. For more information, visit www.buxtonco.com. Media Contact Katie Russell Buxton (817) 332-3681 [email protected] SOURCE Buxton Related Links http://www.buxtonco.com BOSTON, Sept. 14, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Joslin Diabetes Center ("Joslin") is providing notice of a cyber incident that may affect the security of some information relating to certain individuals associated with Joslin, including donors and patients. On July 16, 2020, Joslin received notification from Blackbaud Inc. ("Blackbaud") of a cyber incident that it uncovered in May 2020. Blackbaud is a third-party vendor that Joslin uses for database assistance in donor relations and fundraising operations, and upon receiving this notice, Joslin immediately began an investigation to better understand what may have happened and any impact on Joslin's data. Blackbaud reported that, in May 2020, two months before notifying Joslin, it discovered a ransomware incident that resulted in encryption of certain Blackbaud systems. Blackbaud reported the incident to law enforcement and worked with forensic investigators to determine the nature and scope of the incident. Blackbaud notified its customers, including Joslin, that a cybercriminal may have accessed or acquired certain Blackbaud customer data. Blackbaud reported that the data was potentially exported by the threat actor before Blackbaud locked the cybercriminal out of its environment on May 20, 2020. According to Blackbaud the data was destroyed and they do not believe that any data was or will be misused, disseminated or otherwise be made publicly available. Blackbaud further stated that this belief has been corroborated by outside experts and law enforcement. Joslin has worked diligently to gather further information from Blackbaud to understand the incident. Joslin's investigation determined that the involved Blackbaud systems may have contained names, dates of birth, treatment dates, treatment locations and physician names. Joslin has not received any information from Blackbaud that this information was specifically accessed or acquired by the cybercriminal and it is also important to note the Joslin data hosted by Blackbaud did not include any financial account information or Social Security numbers. The privacy and security of information are of the utmost importance to Joslin. Joslin is reviewing its existing policies and procedures regarding its third-party vendors, and is working with Blackbaud to evaluate additional measures and safeguards to protect against this type of incident in the future. Joslin is notifying individuals whose information may have been impacted by this incident and is providing general information on what they can do to protect their information. For additional questions, Joslin has established a dedicated assistance line that may be reached at 888-977-0627 between the hours of 9:00 AM to 6:30 PM Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (may exclude certain U.S. holidays). Individuals may also write to Joslin at One Joslin Place, 4th Floor, Boston, MA 02215. Joslin encourages individuals who are potentially affected by the Blackbaud incident to remain vigilant against incidents of identity theft and fraud, to review account statements, and to monitor credit reports for suspicious activity. Under U.S. law individuals are entitled to one free credit report annually from each of the three major credit reporting bureaus. To order obtain a free credit report individuals may visit www.annualcreditreport.com or call, toll-free, 1-877-322-8228. They may also contact the three major credit bureaus directly to request a free copy of your credit report. The major consumer reporting agencies are listed below: Experian P.O. Box 9554 Allen, TX 75013 1-888-397-3742 www.experian.com TransUnion P.O. Box 2000 Chester, PA 19016 1-888-909-8872 www.transunion.com Equifax P.O. Box 105788 Atlanta, GA 30348-5788 1-800-685-1111 www.equifax.com Individuals potentially affected by the Blackbaud incident can also further educate themself regarding identity theft, fraud alerts, security freezes, and the steps to take to protect information by contacting the consumer reporting agencies, the Federal Trade Commission, or their state Attorney General. The Federal Trade Commission can be reached at: 600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20580, www.identitytheft.gov , 1-877-ID-THEFT (1-877-438-4338); TTY: 1-866-653-4261. The Federal Trade Commission also encourages those who discover that their information has been misused to file a complaint with them. Further information on how to file such a complaint can be found by way of the contact information listed above. Individuals also have the right to file a police report if they ever experience identity theft or fraud. Please note that in order to file a report with law enforcement for identity theft, in general you will likely need to provide some proof that you have been a victim. Instances of known or suspected identity theft should also be reported to law enforcement and your state Attorney General. For Rhode Island residents, the Rhode Island Attorney General may be reached at: 150 South Main Street, Providence, Rhode Island 02903; www.riag.ri.gov ; or 1-401-274-4400. Under Rhode Island law, you have the right to obtain any police report filed in regard to this incident. There are approximately 1,453 Rhode Island residents whose information may have been present. SOURCE Joslin Diabetes Center In the second day of the Parliament Monsoon session on Tuesday, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh spoke about the continuing standoff between India and China troops along the Line of the Actual Control (LAC) in the eastern Ladakh. Despite the latest meeting between MEA S Jaishankar with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi, border issues with China remain unresolved, Singh informed MPs in Lok Sabha on Tuesday. 3:05pm: India is ready to battle any situation, Rajnath Singh said in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday. Singh lauded the courage of Indian soldiers who have been deployed at the LAC. 3:07pm: China is provocating and creating friction points in the easter Ladakh 3:09pm: Rajnath struck a combative tone and said China did not accept the customary and peripheral alignment of the Sino-India border. 3:11pm: Since April, we have seen increase in troops and weapons deployment along LAC in Ladakh, says Rajnath Singh in LS. 3:15pm: Status quo cannot be changed now: Rajnath Singh in LS "On June 15, there was a violent faceoff in Galwan in which our soldiers sacrificed their lives, but it also inflicted losses on the Chinese. Amid the difficult times, our army is keeping safe. There should be no doubt on India's determination. We want resolution through dialogue," said Rajnath Singh. He added, "We want peaceful resolution to the standoff. Key principles are to respect the LAC and not change the status quo. All agreements need to be respected". 3:20pm:China encroaches 38,000 sq km land in Ladakh: Rajnath Defence Minister informed in the Parliament that China has encroached 38,000 sq km land in Ladakh, over 5,000 sq km area ceded by Pakistan in Jammu & Kashmir. " We need the patience to deal with the matter. Peace and tranquillity are important and are agreed to by both nations," Singh added. 3:25pm:India-China border issue remains unresolved: Rajnath "India and China does not recognise the traditional customary alignment of the LAC and the border issues between the two remain unresolved 3:26pm:China mobilises troops along LAC: Singh "There are many friction points in the easter Ladakh, Gogra, Pangong Lake's north and south bank and Kongka La. China has beefed up its army battalions and deployed weapons in all these areas. Indian Army has made counter deployments in these areas," Singh said in the Parliament. 3:27pm:India prepares for long term deployment in high mountains: Rajnath Rajnath Singh said that multiple rounds of talks have failed to yield any significant result in defusing the tensions. Now the Indian Army has prepared itself for long term deployment in the high mountainous region. 3:27pm: Indian forces are determined to protect security and sovereignty of the country: Rajnath Indian soldiers have been provisioned with suitable clothing, habitat, and required defence wherewithal to combat Chinese PLA. They are capable of serving at high altitudes with scarce oxygen and in extremely cold temperatures, something that they've done over last many years on Siachen & Kargil, Rajnath said. 3:40pm: Congress MPs stage walkout from Lok Sabha demanding discussion on India-China border issue After Rajnath Singh's statement, the Congress wanted to raise certain issues which was not allowed by Speaker Om Birla. Unhappy with this, Congress walked out of the House. Collaboration to expand lenzilumab manufacturing capacity in advance of potential Emergency Use Authorization in 2020 Commercial manufacturing to begin in 2021 at Lonza's manufacturing facility at Hayward The collaboration is projected to take lenzilumab through product launch and commercial supply Quote from Jean-Christophe Hyvert, Chief Commercial Officer, Lonza: "In an effort to change the course of this pandemic, advancing lead COVID-19 therapeutics requires matched supply chain efforts and expertise to meet the continued and urgent patient needs. COVID-19 has highlighted the need for heightened industry collaboration and coordination and we are excited to work closely with Humanigen as we work to combat this global health crisis." Quote from Cameron Durrant, MD, MBA, Chief Executive Officer, Humanigen: "We are ramping up our manufacturing efforts for lenzilumab, our lead drug candidate, and this collaboration with Lonza, a global manufacturing leader with expertise in technology transfer and an established track record of working with regulatory bodies for approved and commercialized products, comes at a crucial time to meet production demand for COVID-19 therapeutics this winter." Humanigen, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on preventing and treating an immune hyper-response called 'cytokine storm,' and Lonza today announced a strategic collaboration to expand the manufacturing capacity for lenzilumab, currently in Phase 3 clinical trials for COVID-19, in advance of potential Emergency Use Authorization in 2020 and subsequent commercialization. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200914005914/en/ The collaboration enables Humanigen to leverage Lonza's monoclonal antibody manufacturing and regulatory expertise. Lenzilumab represents Humanigen's proprietary Humaneered anti-human granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) monoclonal antibody with the potential to prevent and treat cytokine storm, which is believed to trigger the acute respiratory distress syndrome in severe cases of COVID-19. This collaboration provides Humanigen with additional capacity for cGMP production of lenzilumab with operations intended to start in 2021. Production of lenzilumab will begin at Lonza's 2,000L manufacturing facilities at Hayward (CA), USA. Technology transfer is expected to begin in Q3 2020. More details on Humanigen's programs in COVID-19 can be found at www.humanigen.com/covid-19, and details of the US Phase 3 potential registration study can be found at clinicaltrials.gov using ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT04351152. About Lonza At Lonza, we combine technological innovation with world class manufacturing and process excellence. Together, these enable our customers to deliver their discoveries in the healthcare, preservation, and protection sectors. We are a preferred global partner to the pharmaceutical, biotech and specialty ingredients markets. We work to prevent illness and promote a healthier world by enabling our customers to deliver innovative medicines that help treat or even cure a wide range of diseases. We also offer a broad range of microbial control solutions, which help to create and maintain a healthy environment. Founded in 1897 in the Swiss Alps, Lonza today operates in 120 sites and offices in more than 35 countries. With approximately 15,500 full-time employees, we are built from high-performing teams and of individual employees who make a meaningful difference to our own business, as well as the communities in which we operate. The company generated sales of CHF 5.9 billion in 2019 with a CORE EBITDA of CHF 1.6 billion. Find out more at www.lonza.com and follow us on Twitter @LonzaGroup or Facebook @LonzaGroupAG. About Humanigen Humanigen, Inc. is developing its portfolio of clinical and pre-clinical therapies for the treatment of cancers and infectious diseases via its novel, cutting-edge GM-CSF neutralization and gene-knockout platforms. We believe that our GM-CSF neutralization and gene-editing platform technologies have the potential to reduce the inflammatory cascade associated with coronavirus infection. The company's immediate focus is to prevent or minimize the cytokine release syndrome that precedes severe lung dysfunction and ARDS in serious cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection. The company is also focused on creating next-generation combinatory gene-edited CAR-T therapies using strategies to improve efficacy while employing GM-CSF gene knockout technologies to control toxicity. In addition, the company is developing its own portfolio of proprietary first-in-class EphA3-CAR-T for various solid cancers and EMR1-CAR-T for various eosinophilic disorders. The company is also exploring the effectiveness of its GM-CSF neutralization technologies (either through the use of lenzilumab as a neutralizing antibody or through GM-CSF gene knockout) in combination with other CAR-T, bispecific or natural killer (NK) T cell engaging immunotherapy treatments to break the efficacy/toxicity linkage, including to prevent and/or treat graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) in patients undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Additionally, Humanigen and Kite, a Gilead Company, are evaluating lenzilumab in combination with Yescarta (axicabtagene ciloleucel) in patients with relapsed or refractory large B-cell lymphoma in a clinical collaboration. For more information, visit www.humanigen.com. Forward-looking statements of Humanigen This release contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements reflect management's current knowledge, assumptions, judgment and expectations regarding future performance or events. Although management believes that the expectations reflected in such statements are reasonable, they give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct and you should be aware that actual events or results may differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Words such as "will," "expect," "intend," "plan," "potential," "possible," "goals," "accelerate," "continue," and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, statements regarding the potential that lenzilumab will receive an Emergency Use Authorization in 2020 and commence commercialization, and regarding the potential additional manufacturing capacity afforded by the collaboration beginning in 2021. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties including, but not limited to, the risks inherent in our lack of profitability and need for additional capital to conduct the Phase 3 study and grow our business; our dependence on partners to further the development of our product candidates; the uncertainties inherent in the development and launch of any new pharmaceutical product; the outcome of pending or future litigation; and the various risks and uncertainties described in the "Risk Factors" sections and elsewhere in the Company's periodic and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All forward-looking statements are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary notice. You should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this release. We undertake no obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statements made in this press release to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect new information or the occurrence of unanticipated events, except as required by law. Additional Information and Disclaimer Lonza Group Ltd has its headquarters in Basel, Switzerland, and is listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange. It has a secondary listing on the Singapore Exchange Securities Trading Limited ("SGX-ST"). Lonza Group Ltd is not subject to the SGX-ST's continuing listing requirements but remains subject to Rules 217 and 751 of the SGX-ST Listing Manual. Certain matters discussed in this news release may constitute forward-looking statements. These statements are based on current expectations and estimates of Lonza Group Ltd, although Lonza Group Ltd can give no assurance that these expectations and estimates will be achieved. Investors are cautioned that all forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainty and are qualified in their entirety. The actual results may differ materially in the future from the forward-looking statements included in this news release due to various factors. Furthermore, except as otherwise required by law, Lonza Group Ltd disclaims any intention or obligation to update the statements contained in this news release. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200914005914/en/ Contacts: Lonza Contact Details Dr. Sanna Fowler Head of External Communications Lonza Group Ltd Tel +41 61 316 8929 sanna.fowler@lonza.com Dirk Oehlers Investor Relations Lonza Group Ltd Tel +41 79 421 1609 dirk.oehlers@lonza.com Humanigen Contact Details Sean Leous Humanigen media contact Westwicke, an ICR company Tel +1 646-866-4012 sean.leous@westwicke.com Victoria Meissner, MD Humanigen Investor contact Westwicke, an ICR company Tel +1 646-677-1837 victoria.meissner@westwicke.com Attempts to smear the Flagbearer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) former President Mahama will not wash since he has long passed the integrity and credibility test due to his track record. This is according to the NDC Deputy General Secretary, Peter Boamah Otokunor, who is urging Ghanaians to ignore the NPP propaganda against Mahama with the impression that the NDC is not credible. in an interview on Eyewitness News insisted that John Mahama is someone Ghanaians can trust to deliver on his promise. President Mahama throughout his record of public service has shown beyond a reasonable doubt that he is a man of his words and when push comes to shove, he is able to stand by his words. He is honest and truthful to the people of Ghana. So if Ghanaians are looking for a leader to trust and an honest leader, somebody who speaks and delivers, then we cannot go beyond President Mahama. It would smack of hypocrisy for anyone within the NPP including President Akufo-Addo and Vice President Dr. Bawumia, to say that they have any modicum of credibility than President Mahama. I think such claims should be rejected and treated with contempt, he argued. Mr. Otokunor further argued that President Akufo-Addo and Dr. Bawumia had lost the trust of the people and must be kicked out of office on December 7, 2020. Never in the history of this country that any presidents credibility has been this low like in the era of President Akufo-Addo. Same with his Vice President Dr. Bawumia. These are people who have been tagged as liars. They lie without any caution. They lie without any modicum of regard for the office that they hold and such people who lie in their policies and take projects of their predecessors and rename projects which do not belong to them are not truthful on policies and programmes are not forthright with the people. We cannot claim such people are not are people who have credibility than President Mahama. Don't take Akufo-Addo's leadership for granted The New Patriotic Party (NPP) had earlier urged Ghanaians to reward President Nana Akufo-Addo with a second term mandate because of what it called his exceptional leadership in trying times. At a press conference on Monday [September 14, 2020] addressed by the Deputy Campaign Manager of the NPP, Dr Abdul Mustapha Hamid, said President Akufo-Addo had demonstrated the credibility, vision and empathy in leadership that was lacking in the Mahama administration. Dr. Hamid made the case that Akufo-Addo had overseen a palpable advancement in the fortunes of our country. He stressed to voters that Ghana needs a steady and stable hand to transition us across these challenges. Follow @Khaptain4real A California activist who slammed the two Compton deputies who were shot in an ambush as 'two of America's most notorious gang members' is part of a group that met with the Los Angeles Mayor's office about 'cultural competency'. On Saturday, a 31-year-old and 24-year-old deputy were shot while sitting in their patrol car at the Metro Blue Line station around 7pm by an assailant who opened fire through the passenger side window. Both underwent surgery and are in stable condition at St. Francis Medical Center in Lynwood, DailyMail.com has revealed. Kevin Wharton Price of the Africa Town Coalition shared video from outside the hospital with a few protesters on Sunday in which he refers to the injured deputies as 'American's most notorious gang members'. He's also referred to the shooting as the 'start of retribution', calling it a 'good thing'. Kevin Wharton Price of the Africa Town Coalition has slammed the two Compton deputies shot over the weekend as 'two of America's most notorious gang members' and called the attack against them the start of 'retribution' for police brutality against black people Price visited St. Francis Medical Center in Lynwood, where the two deputies are being treated, but was blocked by officers. In the clip Price said: 'We're going to go up here and just check on these murderers right here and see what's up' Over the weekend protesters have gathered outside the hospital and some were heard chanting, 'We hope they die'. Price shared video going to the hospital with a few others in tow where he called the deputies 'murderers'. 'We're going to go up here and just check on these murderers right here and see what's up,' he said in the clip, but officers refused to let them on the property saying the hospital is private and there's no visitation allowed. In one clip shared on social media after the shooting Price said: 'I've been depressed but this right here has lightened my heart because the sheriff's department has murdered too many of our brothers and sistersSo if this is a start of retribution, then I think it's a very good start.' 'And for those who may not like the tone or how I come off...I get tired of seeing mothers and fathers and sisters and brothers sad as f*** because their family member has been dead, murdered by law enforcement,' he added. Price along with the Africa Town Coalition met with Mayor Eric Garcetti several times to discuss the creation of a 'cultural competency' workshop for business owners in Los Angeles areas earlier this year Price leads the grass roots activist group Africa Town Coalition and is considered a leader in the Los Angeles activism community According to the Los Angeles Times Price along with the Africa Town Coalition met with Mayor Eric Garcetti several times to discuss the creation of a 'cultural competency' workshop for business owners in Los Angeles areas to teach them communication skills and historical context for specific communities. The effort was in response to a 2017 dispute at a Korean liquor store where a Korean stock boy wielded a stick at a black patron and accusations arose that the store mistreated the surrounding African American community. Months-long boycotts and protested unfolded in the Leimert Park neighborhood afterwards. They met several times but the effort fizzled out and community groups moved on to other issues, according to the February report. DailyMail.com has reached out to the Mayor's office for comment. FOX11 obtained a photo (above) of the female deputy, who was described as a 31-year-old mother of a six-year-old boy, covered in blood after she was shot in the jaw helping her colleague in the Saturday shooting Video released by the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department shows the moment that male suspect opened fire on two deputies at a Compton bus station before fleeing on foot Price spoke out on Monday in a video shared on social media saying reports that Black Lives Matter were trying to fight their way into the hospital were false. 'We did not go to force our way anywhere. We went to deliver a message to this gang-banging sheriff's department that we're not going to shed a tear because two gang-banging sheriff's [deputies] got shot in the head. We're not gonna shed no tears,' he said. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's department has shared video of the Saturday shooting an unknown person opening fire into the car 'without warning or provocation'. Claudia Apolinar, 31, was identified as one of the gunned down officers. She is a mother and she, along with the 24-year-old officer, graduated from the Los Angeles Police Academy last year. Claudia Apolinar, 31, was identified as one of the gunned down officers. She graduated from the Police Academy last year Claudia and her 24-year-old male colleague were sitting in their patrol vehicle when a man ambushed them and shot them at point blank range on Saturday night. Despite taking multiple bullets one to the face and several to her upper torso Claudia managed to get her partner to safety, apply a tourniquet and radio for help. A photo of the aftermath of the attack shows the mother of a six-year-old child covered in blood, giving medical help to her injured partner. The LA Sheriff's Department is offering $100,000 for information leading to the arrest of the shooter, who is still at large. The ambush may have been a revenge attack against officers for recent police shootings against black men in LA, according to one report. Fox News reporter William la Jeunesse said Monday: 'Los Angeles police will not say this publicly - but some believe this ambush was retaliation for some recent police shootings of black suspects in LA.' The NSW government has allocated almost half of the state's emergency funding dedicated to keeping arts companies afloat during the pandemic, but Labor claims smaller arts and culture groups are missing out on the urgently needed cash injection. Twenty-seven arts companies have received $12.3 million of the $25 million set aside by the Berejiklian government to assist those in financial distress. Sydney Symphony Orchestra is among the organisations that confirmed it hadn't received the allocated government help. Credit:Sarah Lorien A $50 million rescue package was enthusiastically welcomed by struggling arts companies when first announced by NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian in May. Half the funds were to support pandemic-battered companies with the remaining $25 million to help companies reopen when health guidelines permitted. Australian Brandenburg Orchestra and the Sydney Theatre Company are among the 27 bodies to have received funding. Opera Australia, Australian Chamber Orchestra, Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Bangarra, Griffin, Belvoir Theatre, and Sydney Dance Company confirmed they had not. (Separately, Sydney Symphony Orchestra has received half of $10 million promised by Create NSW last year to offset relocation costs while the Concert Hall undergoes renovations, with the rest to come in 2021.) Gov. Greg Abbott ordered Monday the lowering of both the American and Texas flags to half-staff in honor of Mayor Toby Powell who passed away Saturday following a lengthy battle with cancer. He was 79. Born in the Montgomery County Hospital on First Street in the 1940 to Lewis H. Powell Sr. and Mildred Taylor Powell. Powell grew up in Conroe and graduated from Conroe High School in 1959. South Africa: Parliament to oppose AfriForum application Parliament is set to oppose AfriForums court application to have declared as constitutionally invalid Parliaments adoption of the Joint Constitutional Review Committee (CRC) report on the possible review of Section 25 of the Constitution. Parliamentary spokesperson Moloto Mothapo said Parliaments basis for opposing the application, which is scheduled for hearing at the Western Cape High Court on Wednesday, is that the relief AfriForum is seeking has become moot. This is because the process of potentially amending Section 25 of the Constitution has moved far beyond the factual background underlying AfriForums application and makes the relief it seeks of no consequence, Mothapo said in a statement on Tuesday. Mothapo said Parliament has already considered and adopted the CRC report, and this happened in December 2018 after the court dismissed AfriForums application for an interim interdict to stop Parliament from adopting the report. The court affirmed Parliaments constitutional right to independently determine and conduct its business, without undue interference. Subsequent to the adoption of the CRC report, Parliament has established an Ad Hoc Committee to initiate and introduce legislation amending Section 25 of the Constitution, Mothapo said. As it is now public knowledge, Mothapo said, the Ad Hoc Committee has since considered the matter and, among other things, published a draft Bill. The Bill aims to amend the Constitution to provide that where land and improvements on it are expropriated for purposes of land reform, compensation payable may be nil. In this context, it is Parliaments contention that this entire application has now become moot, Mothapo said. To read Parliaments full affidavit on this matter from, go to https://tinyurl.com/y3ut42aq. - SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2020-09-15. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Theres already chatter about possible visits from the candidates, though nothing is solid yet. Some pundits are discussing scenarios in which Omahas electoral vote could decide the race. Trump Jr. told The World-Herald that he knows his father faces headwinds in urban and suburban areas like Omaha and its western suburbs. But he said his father has delivered. He pointed to the passage of criminal justice reform and said that his father has empathy for people who want fairer treatment from police but that he wont support defunding the police. The core of the presidents message, Trump Jr. said, is economic prosperity for more Americans and support for a sense of security, or law and order. He had a similar message Monday speaking to a crowd of several hundred people, most without masks, at the community center in Treynor, population 964. Trump Jr. said the Democratic Party is no longer the party of working people, as it once was. He said people who work for a living know who they want in the White House. President Trump on Tuesday touted the dawn of the new Middle East at a signing ceremony for peace accords between Israel, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates. Were here this afternoon to change the course of history, Trump told attendees of the ceremony at the White House. After decades of division and conflict, we mark the dawn of a new Middle East. The peace agreements were signed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu along with the foreign ministers of Bahrain and the UAE. Netanyahu echoed Trumps remarks as he hailed the agreements. This day is a pivot of history, it heralds a new dawn of peace, Israels prime minister said. Thanks to the great courage of the leaders of these three countries, we take a major stride toward a future in which people of all faiths and backgrounds live together in peace and prosperity, Trump said. There are more to follow, the president said of the peace agreements. More from National Review Justice Minister Lee Kwi-nam speaks to child rapist Cho Doo-soon at Cheongsong Correction Center in this Mar. 16, 2010 file photo. Cho, sentenced to 12 years in prison after violently raping an 8-year-old girl in 2008 in Ansan, Gyeonggi Province, is set to be released this December. / Korea Times file By Lee Hyo-jin Residents of Ansan, Gyeonggi Province, are unnerved by notorious child rapist Cho Doo-soon who said he plans to return to the city in December after his upcoming release from prison, according to city officials Tuesday. Cho, 68, said he plans to go back to his wife in Ansan, according to the Ministry of Justice. His 12-year prison term ends on Dec. 13. Ansan citizens reacted to the news with fear and anger. The city office has received over 3,600 related phone calls urging the mayor to ban Cho's return, asking for his address and the number of surveillance cameras installed in the neighborhood. A post regarding the pedophile rapist on a Facebook page for Ansan residents had more than 1,500 comments return as of Tuesday. "How can I raise my children in the same neighborhood with a child rapist who has 18 criminal convictions?" wrote a resident, claiming to be a father of two daughters. "I can't believe that after so many petitions urging to keep Cho incarcerated, the government is letting him return to Ansan, putting citizens at risk," read another comment. Some internet users insisted that Cho's real-time location data should be provided to every resident. In response to growing calls, Ansan City has introduced a set of precautionary measures such as installing 211 surveillance cameras in 64 spots near Cho's home. It also plans to adopt a Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) scheme in the area. But residents feel that such systems are not enough to ensure public safety. "I doubt that the CCTV cameras will prevent Cho from reoffending. A more effective measure would be banning him from leaving his home," said a woman in her 20s who lives in Ansan. Ansan Mayor Yoon Wha-sub / Courtesy of Ansan City Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-15 00:33:07|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close ISLAMABAD, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan said on Monday that the Rashakai special economic zone (SEZ) to be developed under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) in the country's northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province will change the destiny of the area by bringing in employment opportunities for the general public. Addressing the signing ceremony of the development agreement of the Rashakai SEZ, here, the prime minister said that poverty is being reduced in KP due to efforts of the provincial government, but despite that, employment opportunities are very limited in the province and people have to leave their families behind to find employments in other parts of the country and overseas. "I am elated that the formation of the SEZ will enhance industrialization in the province and people will be able to find employments without having to leave their homes in the pursuit of livelihood." Talking about the role of CPEC in regional connectivity, the Pakistani prime minister said that with peace in Afghanistan, Pakistan will be connected to Central Asian countries that will use CPEC for trade, which will bring development to the entire region. He said that his country is focusing on industrialization, and with the development of the Rashakai SEZ and others of the kind, Pakistan can attract Chinese industries, and benefit from it. The China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) and the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Economic Zones Development and Management Company will jointly implement the Rashakai SEZ project. According to the CRBC, the Rashakai SEZ project will play an exemplary and leading role in terms of the industrial cooperation between China and Pakistan, facilitating the high-quality development of CPEC. The Rashakai SEZ is expected to cover about 1,000-acre land, and will be developed in three phases, said the CRBC, adding that considering Pakistan's resources and market needs, the potential industries in the SEZ are mechanical equipment, domestic appliance, food processing, textile and construction materials. Enditem From left, BIFF programmer Nam Dong-chul, BIFF Chairman Lee Yong-kwan and BIFF Executive Director Jay Jeon speak during an online press conference, Monday. / Courtesy of BIFF By Kwak Yeon-soo The 25th edition of the Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) will be held two weeks later than initially planned. Due to COVID-19, the festival will be scaled back and the number of films to be screened in the main competition will inevitably be reduced. Organizers said Monday the festival will run Oct. 21-30, and they added that they would push for the show to go on despite the virus. Due to infection worries, there will be no opening and closing ceremonies, red carpet, receptions or parties. On-stage greetings and other guest meetings will either be canceled or held online. The judging of all films and Q&A sessions will also take place online. The Asian Contents & Film Market, Asian Project Market, Forum BIFF and Asian Film Awards will be held entirely online. According to the organizing committee, the Asian Contents & Film Market will involve 110 film screenings. The film selection for the BIFF has been reduced to 192, far fewer than the more than 300 features and shorts screened last year. "Due to COVID-19, we have cut 80 percent of our screens, but will try our best to hold a physical festival for the precious 192 films from 68 countries that filmmakers sent us," BIFF's executive director Jay Jeon said in an online press conference, Monday. "All invited films will screen only one time in five theaters at the Busan Cinema Center under strict social distancing guidelines." The festival will open with "Septet: The Story of Hong Kong," an omnibus film by seven renowned filmmakers from Hong Kong: Sammo Hung, Ann Hui, Patrick Tam, Yuen Wo Ping, Johnnie To, Ringo Lam and Hark Tsui. The film portrays Hong Kong's history from the 1950s to the present day. It was one of the official selections of this year's Cannes Film Festival. BIFF will close with animated Japanese film "Josee, the Tiger and the Fish," directed by Tamaru Kotaro. The film is the animated version of Isshin Inudo's 2003 film of the same title. The organizing committee warned that the festival could be canceled completely if social distancing measures remain at Level 2 or higher. "If COVID-19 gets worse, I think we will have to cancel the festival," BIFF Chairman Lee Yong-kwan said. "We are not prepared to move the event online, and since our invited films are centered on world premieres, it would be difficult to adjust the films to be screened online." Meanwhile, Venice International Film Festival wrapped up on Sept. 12, making it the first major film festival to take place since the COVID-19 outbreak. Russian President and his French counterpart discussed the suspected poisoning of Russian opposition leader as well as the situation in Belarus, Ukraine and Libya over telephone. Putin emphasized the "inappropriateness of unfounded accusations" against Russia, adding that in order to discover what truly happened, Germany should share Navalny's biomaterials, the Kremlin said in a statement on Monday, Xinhua news agency reported. As for Belarus, which witnessed mass protests due to the refusal of the opposition to recognize the results of the country's presidential elections, Putin reiterated Moscow's position on the "inadmissibility" of foreign interference and external pressure, it said. "When discussing the intra-Ukrainian conflict, concern was expressed over the lack of progress in the implementation of the 2015 Minsk agreements, which remain the uncontested basis for settlement," it read. Putin and Macron also touched upon the need for a political settlement in Libya. --IANS rt/ (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) With the restaurant shutdown in March, my first critics notebook began: A little over two weeks ago, I was dining at a restaurant that would have been todays review. (E)very plate seemed to confirm that this was shiny and exciting. Id be telling you to rush a reservation before getting one was a fight. That restaurant was Radici Kitchen in Glens Falls, a restaurant opened in February by chef Brian Bowden and his life partner, Carly Mankouski, after Bowdens lengthy career at 15 Church, 30 Lake, R&R Kitchen + Bar, Sperrys and Javiers Nuevo Latino, all in in Saratoga Springs, The Ginger Man in Albany and Creo in Guilderland. Having found an ideal turnkey location in the former Bistro Tallulah building on Ridge Street in Glens Falls, Mankouski and Bowden had tweaked the slim, exposed brick space, put finishing touches on a menu rich with modern, flavor-driven small plates inspired by Italian cuisine and opened to a quiet chorus of rave reviews from those who scored a table. By March 16, they were closed. In April, while writing about fine-dining restaurants offering dinner to go, I drove back for what I later wrote were cloudlike ricotta gnocchi with ragu, charred beets, a tomato and avocado salad with buttermilk and basil puree. I didnt mention the buttery lobster bisque I tasted and loved before dropping it on the floor. And I didnt get to try the six-person meal kits later rolled out in a creative expansion of chef-assembled dinners to grill and plate at home. But, straight from takeout cardboard, Bowdens ebullient combinations hit the spot. Now, 24 weeks, or 168 days, after my first dinner at Radici, I was back. Arriving masked, as were now conditioned to do, I was seated at a sidewalk table with an Italian friend visiting from Saudi Arabia, and once again I was ordering a scattering of vibrant sharing plates with a Radici Smash cocktail in hand. As we pulled wraps tighter against the evening chill, it felt restorative, as if confirming that the pleasure of fine dining albeit in more casual mode had survived. So here I go, in a love letter of sorts. Bowdens Italian chops are on show in demis, agrodolces and hand-cut pappardelle, but Im more starstruck by the union of fresh, sometimes surprisingly united flavors. Its in the citric bleed of ruby red grapefruit in hamachi crudo, where finely slivered Fresno chile stings against cool torn mint and radishes sliced glass-thin. Its in tempura squash blossoms battered as delicately as brittle spun sugar a carapace to cradle warm goat cheese. As a moat, puddling tomato agrodolce adds umami and a connection to Italian roots. Bowden pays homage to his career in recognizable dishes. His octopus a la plancha from R&R days is perfection: Tender, white grilled flesh paired with the tang of bright oranges, the fatty salt from crisp chorizo and smooshable gigante beans for contrast on the tongue. You might know the roasted heirloom baby beets sitting pretty in whipped goat cheese drizzled with wildflower honey. Marcona almonds add crunch, pickled onions layer tang, avocado offers a cleansing final bite. No surprise it tastes Spanish: It was on the menu at Javiers. How about craggy buttermilk fried oysters (inspired by a dish at Wylie Dufresnes WD-50 in Manhattan) given a velvet-stiletto spike from sticky honey, Tabasco and caviar? Or smooth chicken liver pate dubbed the red velvet where pickled onions and strawberries layer vinegary punch to pate slathered on crisp crostini. Theres homage to Bowdens Calabrian grandmother in pork meatballs fattened on cheese and a fresh marinara to keep the dish light. Little ricotta gnocchi pillows are smothered in her Bolognese. Im a fan of this format, a scattering of tastes across a wide range of plates. But even if youre counting on a prime-grade New York strip or Alaskan halibut entree, you might be surprised by the cauliflower puree and pickled rhubarb alongside. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. A clutch of five featured cocktails by veteran bartender James Humphries are well balanced, draft beers mostly local (Mean Max, Frog Alley, Sloop Brewing), desserts an indulgence if you have room. We made space for a Nutella mousse with strawberries and cookie dust simply not wanting dinner to end. Id like to conclude as I planned six months ago with my recommendation to snag a table while you can. But restaurants are not out of danger yet. With cooling autumn nights and 50 percent-capacity restrictions still in place, survival in winter is not guaranteed. So maybe take advantage of Radicis menu to go. With a pared-down staff and a child schooling at home, Bowden and Mankouski have restarted their three-course takeout (the one from the start of the shutdown) with a seasonal menu that evolves weekly. Youll still find signature dishes on the a-la-carte menu if you go, and with no freezer space other than for gelato, rest assured everything is fresh. Susie Davidson Powell is a British freelance food writer in upstate New York. Follow her on Twitter, @SusieDP This development could mean not only a loss of hardware sales, but may ruin the buzz surrounding the new games machine just as consumers are stuck indoors due to Covid-19, and rival Nintendo Co.s Switch is going gangbusters. In reality, the hardware is only a small contributor to revenue, averaging less than 10% of sales each year. But a new device means renewed excitement that translates to a boost in games and subscriptions, driving a lot more revenue and earnings. Games are Sonys largest income generator, and tend to account for a quarter of operating profit. Hailing from a humble background in Bihar, actor Pankaj Tripathi has come a long way and has made a mark for himself in the Bollywood industry today. He made his Bollywood debut in the year 2004 with a minor role in the movie Run. Tripathi is an actor par excellence who has proved his mettle as a versatile actor in many impactful roles over the years. His turning point in his cinema career was his power-packed performance in Anurag Kashyaps Gangs of Wasseypur that showcased his acting prowess. Since then there has been no turning back. Anurag Kashyap Films Adding one more feather to his hat, Tripathi even won the National Film Award Special Mention for his role in the Rajkummar Rao starrer Newton, that was India's official entry to the Oscars. Drishyam Films With a range as vast as his - Tripathi's rise was inevitable. He has starred in the hard-hitting Netflix drama Sacred Games and won accolades for his roles in films such as Newton and Bareilly Ki Barfi. Junglee Pictures However, the actor has had his own shares of struggles and speaking about the same, he said in an interview with TOI: Nepotism has never really bothered me in any way. I have been busy working on my craft. People might think I am lying when I say that I have never felt uncomfortable in the industry. But this journey and experience have been mine so I only can say how it was so far. My truth is that I have had my share of struggles. I have worked immensely hard to bag roles in films. I have struggled for eight long years before people started recognizing me. Netflix Although I have never had any such experiences, I would not deny that I have seen these things happening in the industry with others. Star kids do get opportunities quicker than others because they belong to a certain family. I never got opportunities so easily. However, nobody stopped me too. No matter if you become a recognised actor after eight years of struggle or just a mere eight days if you do not have the talent; you will not survive in this industry. The audience is very smart. They know who is talented and who is not. That is Pankaj Tripathi for you. Netflix From playing impactful roles in films like Fukrey (2013, Masaan (2015), Bareilly Ki Barfi (2017), Newton (2017) and Stree (2018), Pankaj Tripathi has become a household name, and his association to a movie now means nothing but quality content for the audience. Highlights: Hole LK20-010 successfully intersected a wide interval of mineralization , within a chargeability anomaly, located in a 200m drilling gap in the 2013 historic Haukiaho resource. , within a chargeability anomaly, located in a 200m drilling gap in the 2013 historic Haukiaho resource. Drill results validate using Induced Polarization ("IP") as an effective tool within the 17 km long Haukiaho Trend , where very limited drilling has been conducted. , where very limited drilling has been conducted. Haukiaho hosts the highest nickel grades on the LK project with potential for a large bulk tonnage deposit. on the LK project with potential for a large bulk tonnage deposit. LK20-010 intersected 34.2m @ 2.09 g/t Pd_Eq ( 0.77g/t PGE, 0.22% nickel, 0.20% copper ), within 83.3m @ 1.27 g/t Pd_Eq. @ 2.09 g/t Pd_Eq ( ), within 83.3m @ 1.27 g/t Pd_Eq. Phase 1 drilling at LK has concluded with a total of 4,490m completed in 26 holes. Logging and assay sample preparation are underway. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - September 15, 2020) - Palladium One Mining Inc. (TSXV: PDM) (FSE: 7N11) (OTC Pink: NKORF) (the "Company" or "Palladium One") is pleased to report the first diamond drill hole assays from the Haukiaho Trend, returned a wide interval of mineralization in a previously untested area thereby increasing the potential of the Haukiaho 2013 historic resource area (see details below). Haukiaho is located 12 kilometers ("km") southwest of the Kaukua Deposit, in the LK PGE-Cu-Ni Project (Figure 1). Hole LK20-010 intersected a core zone of 34.2m @ 2.09 g/t Palladium Equivalent ("Pd_Eq")* (0.77g/t PGE, 0.22% nickel, 0.20% copper),within a larger zone grading 83.30 @ 1.27g/t Pd_Eq (Figure 2 and 3). President and CEO Derrick Weyrauch commented, "LK20-010 validates that targeting higher chargeability areas, can discover wide zones of higher grade mineralization. The 2013 historic Haukiaho resource used a very low cut-off, was not pit constrained and encompassed widely spaced drilling, with an apparent focus on maximizing tonnage, not economic grades. Having identified multiple chargeability anomalies at Haukiaho in 2020, we are now well positioned to continue a targeted drilling program to upgrade the historic resource at Haukiaho. Three IP survey grids totaling 7.5 kms of strike length were conducted along the Haukiaho trend in 2020, each of which identified chargeability anomalies. The Haukiaho trend encompasses over 17 kms of favourable basal contact, of which the 2013 Historic Haukiaho resource only occupies ~1.5 kms of strike length, therefore creating opportunity at Haukiaho to expand resources." A total of three holes were completed at Haukiaho (Figure 2). These holes were designed to expand higher grade zones, and in the case of LK20-010 (Figure 3) to test a newly identified chargeability anomaly (see news release May 7,2020) located within a 200m wide drilling gap within the historic 2013 Haukiaho resource. The mineralized interval for LK20-008 is likely wider than reported, initial sampling ended in mineralized quartz-albite footwall, additional sampling of this hole is currently underway. Additionally, hole LK20-009 intersected a thick diabase dyke shortly after the hole entered the mineralized zone resulting in only partially testing the zone. Phase 1 Drill Program Update The Company resumed the Phase I drilling program on August 10th with a focus on the Kaukua South and Murtalampi zones in the greater Kaukua area (see news release July 14 and August 10, 2020). Drilling was completed in early September, while logging and sampling continue and is expected to conclude near the end of the month. A total of 14 holes, totalling 2,566m, were completed during the resumed program, bringing the total Phase I program to 26 holes totalling 4,490m. Figure 1. LK Project with IP survey grids (blue lines). Red circles represent the Kaukua NI43-101 compliant resource estimate, and the 2013 historic Haukiaho resource estimate. Property outlines are based on the form of legal status. To view an enhanced version of Figure 1, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/6502/63775_e845081bb48579d9_001full.jpg Figure 2. Western part of the Haukiaho trend showing IP chargeability anomalies and 2020 Phase 1 drill hole locations. To view an enhanced version of Figure 2, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/6502/63775_e845081bb48579d9_002full.jpg Figure 3. Cross section, looking west showing hole LK20-010 with chargeability isoshells. To view an enhanced version of Figure 3, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/6502/63775_e845081bb48579d9_003full.jpg Table 1. Phase 1 Drill Results Zone Hole From (m) To (m) Width (m) Pd_Eq g/t* PGE g/t (Pd+Pt +Au) Pd g/t Pt g/t Au g/t Cu % Ni % Kaukua LK20-001 33.4 66.0 32.6 2.86 1.82 1.22 0.46 0.14 0.23 0.16 Inc. 45.0 61.0 16.0 3.64 2.43 1.67 0.59 0.18 0.27 0.18 Inc. 48.6 49.9 1.3 5.70 3.96 2.78 0.93 0.25 0.41 0.25 Kaukua LK20-002 38.4 71.0 32.7 2.00 1.06 0.70 0.29 0.07 0.15 0.16 Inc. 43.0 53.1 10.1 3.08 1.65 1.07 0.47 0.11 0.26 0.24 Inc. 45.8 47.3 1.5 5.23 2.85 1.82 0.82 0.21 0.49 0.37 Kaukua LK20-003 37.0 75.0 38.0 1.49 0.77 0.52 0.19 0.06 0.10 0.13 Inc. 37.0 57.3 20.3 2.03 1.13 0.77 0.28 0.09 0.14 0.16 Inc. 48.0 49.2 1.2 4.07 2.53 1.75 0.60 0.19 0.29 0.25 Kaukua LK20-004 40.3 68.5 28.2 2.04 1.11 0.73 0.29 0.09 0.19 0.14 Inc. 40.3 53.4 13.1 2.73 1.58 1.05 0.41 0.12 0.24 0.17 Inc. 52.1 53.4 1.4 4.43 2.69 1.83 0.71 0.15 0.38 0.26 Kaukua LK20-005 32.8 69.5 36.8 1.95 1.13 0.74 0.31 0.08 0.16 0.13 Inc. 32.8 41.0 8.3 3.40 2.00 1.38 0.52 0.11 0.29 0.21 Inc. 36.2 37.7 1.5 4.83 2.87 2.01 0.70 0.16 0.39 0.31 Kaukua South LK20-006 Zone** 43.8 210.5 166.7 1.16 0.58 0.39 0.14 0.05 0.09 0.10 Upper Subzone 43.8 62.0 18.3 1.27 0.33 0.21 0.05 0.07 0.13 0.16 Middle Subzone 95.0 158.4 63.4 1.88 1.06 0.72 0.26 0.08 0.13 0.14 Inc. 95.0 116.5 21.6 2.36 1.25 0.83 0.31 0.11 0.18 0.19 And 138.4 146.1 7.8 2.61 1.59 1.12 0.38 0.09 0.13 0.19 Inc. 138.4 139.9 1.6 4.88 3.13 2.09 0.72 0.32 0.40 0.25 Lower Subzone 188.5 210.5 22.0 1.50 0.87 0.60 0.20 0.07 0.11 0.10 Inc. 188.5 198.8 10.4 2.22 1.26 0.85 0.29 0.11 0.18 0.15 And 256.7 257.9 1.2 3.50 1.39 1.10 0.26 0.03 0.11 0.45 Kaukua LK20-007 200.1 241.7 41.6 2.16 1.18 0.83 0.28 0.07 0.16 0.17 Inc. 205.9 213.8 7.8 3.26 2.18 1.53 0.53 0.13 0.21 0.17 Inc. 207.4 208.9 1.5 4.47 2.70 1.72 0.61 0.38 0.42 0.24 Haukiaho LK20-008 17.3 33.4 16.2 1.99 0.67 0.38 0.15 0.14 0.26 0.20 20.3 23.3 3.0 2.55 0.89 0.48 0.19 0.22 0.33 0.25 Haukiaho LK20-009 161.5 168.1 6.6 2.34 0.81 0.47 0.20 0.13 0.26 0.25 Haukiaho LK20-010 118.7 202.0 83.3 1.27 0.39 0.24 0.09 0.05 0.12 0.16 166.8 201.0 34.2 2.09 0.77 0.47 0.20 0.10 0.20 0.22 167.8 173.0 5.2 3.08 1.11 0.66 0.25 0.20 0.38 0.30 Murtolampi LK20-011*** 7.2 43.0 35.8 1.66 0.63 0.38 0.20 0.05 0.11 0.20 Upper Zone 33.0 43.0 10.0 2.94 1.41 0.82 0.47 0.12 0.24 0.26 Inc. 36.0 38.0 2.0 4.66 2.64 1.58 0.88 0.18 0.36 0.34 Murtolampi LK20-012 5.75 92.90 87.2 1.43 0.53 0.32 0.17 0.04 0.08 0.18 Upper Zone 28.50 48.70 20.2 2.26 1.05 0.63 0.35 0.07 0.13 0.24 Lower Zone 61.45 80.55 19.1 1.84 0.72 0.43 0.22 0.08 0.13 0.21 * Palladium Equivalent "Pd_Eq" is calculated using metal prices (in USD) of $1,100/oz for palladium, $950/oz for platinum, $1,300/oz for gold, $6,614/t for copper and $15,432/t for nickel as used in the Company's 2019, 43-101 mineral resource estimate on the Kaukua Deposit (see press release September 9, 2019). ** Includes 16.25m of unsampled core given a zero grade. *** Hole LK20-011 was abandoned at 43m depth due to excessive azimuth deviation and recollared on the same pad as hole LK20-012. **** Reported widths are "drilled widths" true widths. Estimated to be approximately 90% of drilled width for holes LK20-001-005, 007, 008 & 010, and approximately 60% for 009, true widths for hole LK20-006, 011 & 012 are unknown at this time. ***** Grey Italicised values are previously released (see press release July 22, 28, August 11, 25, 2020) Historic Haukiaho Resource Estimates In 2013, Finore Mining Inc. completed a non-pit constrained NI43-101 historic resource with a 0.1 g/t Pd cut-off at Haukiaho comprising 23.2 million tonnes grading 1.51 g/t Pd_Eq (0.31 g/t Pd, 0.12g/t Pt, 0.10 g/t Au, 0.21% Cu, and 0.14% Ni) (See news release August 12, 2019, and May 7, 2020) (Figure 2). This resource encompassed widely spaced drilling with a focus on maximizing tonnage, not grade. An earlier historic resource completed by Outokumpu in the 1980's covering a much larger part of the Haukiaho trend was focused more on grade and used a 0.7% Cu_eq cut-off (defined as Cu% + 2 x Ni%) and returned 7 million tonnes grading 0.38% Cu and 0.24% Ni, however importantly, no PGE assays were conducted. As a result, based on the previous work conducted at Haukiaho, opportunity exists to increase grade and to increase known mineralization. QA/QC The Phase I drilling program was carried out under the supervision of Neil Pettigrew, M.Sc., P. Geo., Vice President of Exploration and a director of the Company. Drill core samples were split using a rock saw by Company staff, with half retained in the core box and stored indoors in a secure facility, in Taivalkoski, Finland. The drill core samples were transported by courier from the Company's core handling facility in Taivalkoski, Finland, to ALS Global ("ALS") laboratory in Outokumpu, Finland. ALS, is an accredited lab and are ISO compliant (ISO 9001:2008, ISO/IEC 17025:2005). PGE analysis was performed using a 30 grams fire assay with an ICP-MS or ICP-AES finish. Multi-element analyses, including copper and nickel were analysed by four acid digestion using 0.25 grams with an ICP-AES finish. Certified standards, blanks and crushed duplicates are placed in the sample stream at a rate of one QA/QC sample per 10 core samples. Results are analyzed for acceptance at the time of import. All standards associated with the results in this press release were determined to be acceptable within the defined limits of the standard used Qualified Person The technical information in this release has been reviewed and verified by Neil Pettigrew, M.Sc., P. Geo., Vice President of Exploration and a director of the Company and the Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. About Palladium One Palladium One Mining Inc. is a palladium dominant, platinum-group-elements ("PGE"), copper, nickel exploration and development company. Its assets consist of the Lantinen Koillismaa ("LK") and Kostonjarvi ("KS") PGE-Cu-Ni projects, located in north-central Finland and the Tyko Ni-Cu-PGE and Disraeli PGE-Ni-Cu properties in Ontario, Canada. All projects are 100% owned and are of a district scale. LK is an advanced project targeting disseminated sulphide along 38 kilometers of favorable basal contact. The KS project is targeting massive sulphide within a 20,000-hectare land package covering a regional scale gravity and magnetic geophysical anomaly. Tyko is a 13,000-hectare project targeting disseminated and massive sulphide in a highly metamorphosed Archean terrain. Disraeli is a 3,100-hectare project targeting PGE-rich disseminated and massive sulphide in a highly productive Proterozoic mid-continent rift. The Kaukua deposit of the LK project hosts a pit-constrained resource of 635,600 Pd_Eq ounces of Indicated Resources grading 1.80 g/t Pd_Eq* ("palladium equivalent") contained in 11 million tonnes (@ 0.81g/t Pd, 0.27g/t Pt, 0.09g/t Au, (1.17g/t PGE), 0.15% Cu & 0.09% Ni), and 525,800 Pd_Eq ounces of Inferred Resources grading 1.50 g/t Pd_Eq contained in 11 million tonnes (@ 0.64g/t Pd, 0.20g/t Pt, 0.08g/t Au (0.92g/t PGE), 0.13% Cu, & 0.08% Ni), (see press release September 9, 2019). *Pd_Eq is calculated using the following metal prices (in USD) of $1,100/oz for Pd, $950/oz for Pt, $1,300/oz for Au, $6,614/t for Cu and $15,432/t for Ni. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD "Derrick Weyrauch" President & CEO, Director For further information contact: Derrick Weyrauch, President & CEO Email: info@palladiumoneinc.com Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This press release is not an offer or a solicitation of an offer of securities for sale in the United States of America. The common shares of Palladium One Mining Inc. have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from registration. Information set forth in this press release may contain forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that relate to future, not past events. In this context, forward-looking statements often address a company's expected future business and financial performance, and often contain words such as "anticipate", "believe", "plan", "estimate", "expect", and "intend", statements that an action or event "may", "might", "could", "should", or "will" be taken or occur, or other similar expressions. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements, or other future events, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among others, risks associated with project development; the need for additional financing; operational risks associated with mining and mineral processing; fluctuations in palladium and other commodity prices; title matters; environmental liability claims and insurance; reliance on key personnel; the absence of dividends; competition; dilution; the volatility of our common share price and volume; and tax consequences to Canadian and U.S. Shareholders. Forward-looking statements are made based on management's beliefs, estimates and opinions on the date that statements are made and the Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements if these beliefs, estimates and opinions or other circumstances should change. Investors are cautioned against attributing undue certainty to forward-looking statements. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/63775 A plummeting economy is not the only sickness that corporate India has been battling for some time now. In 2011, a Gallup survey, conducted across millions of employees in 142 countries, revealed that less than 20% of the workforce was actively engaged in their organisations. Over 60% were disengaged and approximately 20% were actually damaging their companies. While that number may not be true for all organisations, specifically, actively engaged employees are routinely outnumbered by disengaged ones in most. Project delays, cost overruns, cumbersome processes and safety violations are all manifestations of the core reason employee disengagement. In addition to that, experts point out that an alarming one in six Indians suffer from some form of mental health issue, with a high skew towards urban metros, where most corporates function. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), India will lose $1.03 trillion between 2010 and 2030, because of mental health conditions. Indian corporates and society were inefficient and sick well before this pandemic. But here is why the two co-morbidities of disengagement and mental health pose an existential threat to economic recovery. There are multiple reasons for disengagement and mental health problems, and many of them are common. A lack of a sense of purpose or relevance, hyper-competitive or an intimidating work environment, multiple layers of hierarchy and a sense of helplessness are some reasons for disengagement. Lack of security, apprehensions about the future, loss of agency and overall pessimism are some causes of anxiety and depression. And these are the very aspects exacerbated by the pandemic, the economic decline, its implications and a cynical social narrative. Until recently, mental health, employee engagement and work-life balance were rolled into one nice to have initiative with most leaders paying lip service to it while they created a dog-eat-dog environment in the workplace. Most organisations manage their employees by controlling their physical presence, rather than their emotional engagement. That is why being late to work is punished but being listless is not even measured. This suboptimal state might have been tolerable during good times. But in a crisis, the morale of the organisation is an existential ingredient. Disengaged and depressed troops are useless, no matter how brilliant the revival plans are. If we have to come out fighting from this economic body blow, leaders must remember that organisations are built and run by humans, not automatons. It is the morale of the employees and their active engagement which will provide the foundation of a revival not just the latest management fad or technology platform. Steering through crises and rapidly-changing situations requires agility, the ability to innovate, and creativity. But these qualities need an environment of psychological safety. Corporates, however, have traditionally relied on punitive methods which deny a promised compensation, in an eventuality of failure, creating an environment where it is unsafe to fail, take initiative, be innovative or creative. As General Eisenhower famously observed: You dont lead by hitting people over the head. Thats assault not leadership. Scared troops are demoralised troops and the demoralised cannot innovate, be creative or agile. Navigating through volatility requires leaders to follow three cardinal principles, the first of which is to have as accurate a picture of the overall situation as possible. That accuracy depends on the level of candour or dissent the leader allows. A vulnerable leader gets more information, opposing views, out-of-the-box ideas and strategies that question convention. A know-it-all leader will be told what she wants to hear and, therefore, arrive at an incorrect situation analysis. The second step is to formulate a plan. Once again, employees operating in a psychologically-safe environment will contribute with ideas, tribal knowledge, collaborative strategies whereas those in an intimidating atmosphere will prioritise their parochial interests rather than organisational ones. And last, the plan must have the flexibility to deal with volatile changes in the ground situation, which needs a high degree of empowerment, requiring front-line leaders to have a sense of security. They need a mindset of hope for success, rather than a fear of failure. These three cardinal steps of leadership during a crisis necessitate the leader to be vulnerable, compassionate and caring. A telling example is the comparison of how countries with empathetic and vulnerable leaders fared during the pandemic compared to those with strong leaders. And that perhaps should be the silver lining emerging from this pandemic. A long-overdue social and professional acknowledgement of the two most debilitating and rapidly growing sicknesses of modern times disengagement and depression and the realisation that creating an environment of psychological safety and optimism is a fundamental prerequisite to any economic recovery plan. Raghu Raman is former president, Reliance Industries The views expressed are personal It's right that we should have an open, honest conversation about the sex trade in Ireland, but as the review process draws to a close on Section 4 of the Sexual Offences Act, it's important to remember the bottom line - the Government would be wrong to overturn legislation outlawing the purchase of sexual access to human beings. I have spent nearly a decade campaigning for sexual exploiters to be properly outlawed, in Ireland and abroad. I have been involved in the Turn Off The Red-Light campaign since its initial launch in February 2011. It was a very long and arduous emotional road from there to get the Sexual Offences Act implemented in 2017. But the journey did not end there. Embedded into the body of the legislation was the pledge to review the law three years after its passing, which brings us up to the present day. This review process has brought out a lot of predictable public conversation, but what was not predictable to me was the level of misinformation centring on what happened during the campaign for the law. During that time, one of the most difficult things was listening to the ignorance of supposed experts, academics, journalists and other social commentators who did not have a clue about the realities of prostitution but were arrogant enough to shout over those of us who had lived it. Numerous women made written submissions to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality. Myself and two other Irish women gave oral testimony setting forth our recommendations and drawing on our personal experience of having been exploited in the Irish sex trade. The Committee's job was conducted over the course of a very lengthy process, with over 800 written submissions received and many individuals and organisations giving oral testimony. Aside from this, scores of political meetings were held in public and in private throughout that time and afterwards. The conclusion of the Committee, released on June 27, 2013, was that the act of purchasing sexual access to people ought to be criminalised in Ireland. Much has changed in wider society since then, but here we are again in 2020, having to argue our case with those prepared to steamroll over our lived experience simply because they think they know better. "I stand with sex workers" is the trendy new mantra, referring to the tiny minority of women in prostitution who campaign to decriminalise all actors in the sex trade, including pimps and brothel keepers. The reality is that those who express solidarity via this mantra will never be affected by the impact of the fully decriminalised prostitution that it calls for. I have no doubt that their solidarity would disappear on the spot if it required them to stand in a brothel line-up or on any corner in a red-light zone. In the mythology espoused by areas of the Irish media in recent months, the public has been told that women in prostitution were not listened to during the years the law was debated. That is nonsense. Women involved in prostitution and espousing the opposite political view gave oral testimony to the same Committee I did. We also know that the Sex Workers Alliance of Ireland met privately with then justice minister Frances Fitzgerald, and we know this because they publicly lambasted her on Twitter afterwards as they were unhappy with the meeting's outcome. Politicians certainly did listen to women who were arguing for the full decriminalisation of pimping and brothel-keeping; they just did not find their views persuasive enough to frame legislation around. There is a difference between your recommendations not being listened to and not being adhered to. There is also the routine red herring of women's arrests being attributed to the 2017 legislation. More nonsense; any arrests of women in prostitution are happening under the Brothel Keeping legislation of 1993. For those of us with lived experience, this review process is difficult enough; it would be nice if we could get through it without a rewriting of history. As to the process itself, in my view, it is simply not possible to review legislation which was enacted but never fully implemented. In the three years since the law was passed, an almost negligible number of men have been arrested for breaking it. Also, the websites which market women to Irish men have been allowed to press on regardless, although 98pc of prostituted sex in Ireland is sourced online. How can we claim women's bodies are not a commodity in Ireland while ignoring the very mechanism men use to purchase sexual access to them? And if that were not debasing enough, after these men have purchased the right to use these women they then review them as they might with any other online purchase. Everything you can think of is scrutinised, women's backsides, their vaginas, their breasts. The women's obvious unwillingness is the most common complaint. You would need a strong stomach to read those review boards. My assessment of the review the Government is about to undertake is this: They are focusing on the wrong review. The Government ought to be reading the review sections of the escort websites that are operating free and clear in this country, because they can pass all the laws they like: It's all for nothing if they are turning a blind eye to the sex trade profiteers. Just months after progressives in New York State concluded one of their most successful primary seasons in history, a political party representing their interests is fighting for its survival. The Working Families Party is about to launch an expensive campaign on its own behalf using resources that would normally go toward its chosen candidates, like Jamaal Bowman and Mondaire Jones, who are running for Congress. Because of rules backed by Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, a Democrat, concerning third parties, the Working Families Party must garner at least 130,000 votes or 2 percent of the total vote whichever is higher on its party line for the presidential election in November, or it will lose its automatic ballot line in New York. The rules present an unusual challenge for small parties in New York State; the parties must encourage New Yorkers to vote for a presidential candidate on their line, even if that candidate is also running on the line of a mainstream party. South Korean boy-band Bangtan Sonyeondan or BTS has been a stress-buster for Anushka, a JEE Mains topper from Jharkhand. Anushka has topped both district and state levels among girl with a 99.97%. In a Topper Talking interview with Dainik Jagaran, Anuskha, a student of Doon Public School said that she studied for 12 to 14 hours per day and during her free time, she would listen to BTS songs to help reduce her stress and help her concentrate better. Anushka studied from 4:30 am to 1 pm and then from 2pm to 9pm, she took tuition classes. All of this hard work along with some BTS relief, helped Anushka to come out with flying colours. ALSO READ: K-Pop Boyband BTS Fanclub ARMY is Raising Over Rs 3 Lakh for a Night School in India The event of Anushka being a studious student and a fan of BTS was resonated well among BTS fans online. Several netizens shared the news in delight and expressed how BTS for many is the ultimate cure for pain, stress and heartache. So before your parents scold you for too much BTS and less of studies, remember what to show them. In an Interview with Dainik Jagran. JEE Mains state topper of Jharkhand, Anushka said that she used to listen to BTS songs to reduce her stress while studying.Wow pic.twitter.com/NjPlnqnxUk Aman Tariyal (@tariyalaman02) September 13, 2020 JEE mains just so you knowIts one of the most hard entrance exam of India to crack.and topping it with those noIs really commendable.BTS is really cure to our stress ,pain, heartache The topper Anushka used to listen @BTS_twt Songs to relieve her stress.. https://t.co/lBf1D0Od3y sd (@Btsforevaa1) September 13, 2020 State topper of JH, Anushka (99.97% in JEE Mains) in her interview, stated that she used to listen to @BTS_twt songs to cope up with stress due to studies.All the persons are proud of her!!Heartiest congratulations to Anushka! pic.twitter.com/Kk862iQMYh Karthik_ (@r_karthi8) September 13, 2020 Anushka state topper for jharkhand (99.97 percentile) mentioned that she she used to listen to BTS's music to deal with stress or lighten it. HEADLINE - JEE mains state topper is a fan of Korean band BTS.#BTS @BTS_twt # pic.twitter.com/eHZMhzMw2y BANGTAN INDIA (@BangtanINDIA) September 13, 2020 Headline: "JEE MAINS' STATE TOPPER ANUSHKA IS A FAN OF KOREAN BAND BTS"Highlight: "She used to relieve some of her stress with the songs of Korean band BTS." https://t.co/sxGBriDcNG pic.twitter.com/iZntVqAItj I is broke (@ggukiebread) September 13, 2020 This says " Korean band BTS's fan is the state topper for JEE MAINS" For those who don't know this exam is really huge and tough and this girl just topped her state many many congratulations!! And see the IMPACT OF BTS ON OUR LIVES??!! pic.twitter.com/46KAINnr4t Manasvi (@LiveeBTS) September 13, 2020 ALSO READ: JEE Mains 2020 Toppers: List of 24 Students Who Scored 100 Percentile Anushka has also been a state topper in class 10 board examination. She wishes to pursue computer science engineering from Indian Institute of Technology (IIT). The National Testing Agency (NTA) announced the result for Joint Entrance Examination (Mains) 2020 on September 20. The NTA JEE Main Exam 2020 was held between September 1 to 6 amid Covid-19 pandemic. Related UAE official says accord with Israel will give region more leverage President Donald Trump on Tuesday hailed a "new dawn" for the Middle East as Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain prepared to seal a landmark US-brokered accord on normalizing relations. "After decades of division and conflict we mark the dawn of a new Middle East," Trump told hundreds of attendees gathered for a White House signing ceremony. "We're here this afternoon to change the course of history," Trump said. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, invited to ink the accords along with the foreign ministers of Bahrain and the UAE, joined Trump in calling it a historic turning point. "This day is a pivot of history, it heralds a new dawn of peace," Netanyahu told the ceremony -- the first time Arab nations have established relations with Israel since Egypt in 1979 and Jordan in 1994. Search Keywords: Short link: President Trump enthusiastically hailed a federal judges decision striking down coronavirus restrictions in Pennsylvania that had been imposed by the states Democratic governor, Tom Wolf. Within an hour of the ruling being handed down on Monday, the president had retweeted no fewer than a dozen celebratory posts, including one that read PENNSYLVANIA GOVERNOR TOM WOLF AN YOUR STUPID WIFE ..YOUR NOT GOING TO MURDER US !!! TRUMP 2020 WE LOVE PENNSYLVANIA. The decision, which Pennsylvania officials intend to appeal, is at the center of the political dogfight in a once-reliable blue state Mr. Trump won in 2016. To repeat his victory, he must spike turnout in rural counties, where his culture-war message on masks and state restrictions has resonated with conservative voters. Mr. Wolf has called the challenge to the rules cowardly. Pennsylvania has recorded more than 150,000 virus cases and nearly 8,000 deaths, and cases have been rising in recent weeks as students have returned to college campuses. The district said it will work with the Rock County Public Health Department to determine when the schools should reopen. The district in July decided to let parents choose whether they wanted their children to return to school online or in-person, with students in the middle and high schools given a hybrid option with elements of both. Gasper said 30% of students were attending fully online, with the rest either going in person or on a hybrid schedule. He did not have figures for how many were online and how many were in person at Craig and Roosevelt. As of Sept. 8, Rock County had seen 280 new cases of the coronavirus in the preceding two weeks, according to the health department. Its most recent rate of positive tests was 10.4% on Sept. 8, which was up from 4.7% two weeks before. Janesvilles first day of school was Sept. 1. Madison and other Dane County school districts began their school year fully online for all but a handful of students, but thats not been the default choice across the rest of the state. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-15 19:11:26|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIRUT, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) launched on Tuesday an emergency cash assistance program to support people affected by Beirut port's explosions on Aug. 4, LBCI local TV channel reported. The UNICEF noted that the program will reach 80,000 children and adults affected by the explosions. UNICEF Representative in Lebanon Yukie Mokuo noted that the assistance program can play a vital role in supporting those who suffered the most from the blasts. Two huge explosions rocked Beirut's port on Aug. 4, destroying a big part of the city while killing around 190 people and wounding at least 6,000 others. Enditem Mr. Bidens speech came as Mr. Trump paid a last-minute trip to California to meet with officials struggling with the catastrophe, and disputed their assertion that there was any connection between the fires sweeping the state and climate change. The developments suggest that an issue that has always been on the sidelines in national presidential campaigns and had seemed eclipsed this time by the pandemic and social unrest may be coming to the forefront with only seven weeks until Election Day. For at least some suburban voters, particularly those who live in the West, the threat of losing their homes to fire or the health risks to their families of skies clouded with smoke seem more immediate than the social unrest spotlighted by Mr. Trump in his speeches and advertisements. Were not seeing changes in crime, said Representative Katie Porter of California, a Democrat who represents a once solidly Republican district in Orange County. People are trying to stay home, trying to stay safe. More broadly, the fires in the West and Mr. Trumps itll start getting cooler, you just watch disparagement of climate science during his visit to California have reinforced the perception of the president as anti-science, particularly after his open skepticism toward experts advising him to act more aggressively against the Covid-19 pandemic. Parents and children protest the opening of schools, following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in the Brooklyn borough of New York City, U.S., September 14, 2020. Brendan McDermid | Reuters The disruption to schools caused by the coronavirus pandemic constitutes a "global education emergency" that threatens to derail the education of at least 24 million students projected to drop out of school as a result, said Henrietta Fore, executive director of the United Nations Children's Fund. "At the height of Covid-19," 192 countries shuttered schools, leaving 1.6 billion students without in-person learning, Fore said on a press call hosted by the World Health Organization and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. She added that now, more than 870 million students, "or half the world's student population in 51 countries," are still unable to return to school. "The longer children remain out of school, the less likely they are to return," she said. "That's why we are urging governments to prioritize reopening schools when restrictions are lifted." She added that beyond education, schools around the world provide many students with a source of nutrition and immunizations. "At least 24 million children are projected to drop out of school due to Covid-19," she said. Many schools went online in the spring as the virus spread around the world, turning to virtual education to replace in-person learning. Education experts, however, have acknowledged the shortcomings of virtual learning, saying that it cannot replace in-person schooling. Fore said that more than 460 million students across the globe don't have internet access, computers or mobile devices to participate in virtual learning while their schools are closed. "We know that closing schools for prolonged periods of time [has] devastating consequences for children," she said. "They become more exposed to physical and emotional violence. Their mental health is affected. They are more vulnerable to child labor, sexual abuse, and are less likely to break out of the cycle of poverty." The reopening of schools has become a hot-button issue, particularly in the U.S., where President Donald Trump has pushed to reopen schools regardless of how widely the virus is spreading in the community. Public health officials have emphasized the importance of reopening schools for in-person learning but have acknowledged that the virus presents a risk for young people. While young people typically don't become as sick due to Covid-19 as older people, the long-term health consequences of a Covid-19 infection in young people are still being researched, and some young people have died from the disease. Public health specialists, including White House coronavirus advisor Dr. Anthony Fauci, have said the best way to reopen schools is to contain the virus in the community. UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay said Tuesday that it's possible to reopen schools safely with new protocols. She added that it will require "rethinking the role and training of teachers." The Syracuse.com | The Post-Standard police blotter of arrests from police agencies around Central New York has been updated today. Most of the new arrests are from the last couple weeks, with the exception of arrests made by the Syracuse Police Department. Those arrests date back to the month of July in this weeks blotter entries. Next week, arrests from the first two weeks of August will be included. By Trevor Hunnicutt and John Whitesides KISSIMMEE, Fla. (Reuters) - Democrat Joe Biden courted Hispanic voters on Tuesday on his first campaign visit of the year to Florida, saying President Donald Trump had let them down with his divisive immigration policies and a disastrous response to the coronavirus pandemic. The Democratic presidential nominee, trying to overcome what opinion polls show is lagging support among the battleground state's Hispanics, said Trump had proven he could not be a leader for all Americans. "Donald Trump has failed the Hispanic community time and time again," Biden told a Hispanic Heritage Month event in Kissimmee, the heart of the state's rapidly growing Puerto Rican community. With less than 50 days until the Nov. 3 election, Biden is trying to overcome concerns about him among Florida Latinos amid a disinformation campaign that has painted the moderate Democratic presidential nominee as a socialist. Polls show Biden with a slight lead or essentially tied with Trump in the state, although the former vice president lags behind Democrat Hillary Clinton's level of support with Florida Hispanics in 2016. Trump won Florida over Clinton by just 1.2 percentage points, which helped propel him to the White House. Trump's inroads with Florida Hispanics have been fueled by his strength with conservative Cuban Americans, a Republican-leaning bloc he has courted throughout his presidency. Florida's Republican lieutenant governor, Jeanette Nunez, a daughter of Cuban immigrants, told reporters that Biden's agenda contradicted the values of "faith, family and freedom" held by Hispanic voters because he was "in the pocket" of the left. Biden's visit to Kissimmee in central Florida was a sign of the campaign's focus on winning over Puerto Rican voters. Kissimmee received a big influx of people from the U.S. island territory after it was devastated by Hurricane Maria in 2017. Story continues "Donald Trump has done nothing but assault the dignity of Hispanic families," he said, pointing to the president's policy of separating families at the southern border and the disproportionate toll that COVID-19 had taken on the community. Biden rolled out an economic recovery plan for Puerto Rico that would remove restrictions on its access to disaster relief funding, forgive some federal disaster loans and expand investment in community health centers. "I'm not going to throw paper towels at people who have just been devastated by a hurricane," Biden said, reminding voters of Trump's response on a visit to the island after Maria. Trump has defended his handling of the hurricane recovery effort. Biden has vowed to rescind many of the hardline immigration policies put in place by Trump's administration, and has emphasized the need for broad health and economic strategies to recover from the coronavirus pandemic. 'MASSIVE DISINFORMATION CAMPAIGN' Some Florida Democrats said they had noticed a sharp rise in videos and commentary in social media and texts repeating falsehoods about Biden and pushing other conspiracy theories about Democrats. "We are seeing a massive disinformation campaign in Spanish aimed at our community calling Biden and Democrats socialists, and it is having an effect," said Evelyn Perez-Verdia, a Colombian-American Democratic strategist in south Florida. Asked by a Reuters reporter as he boarded a flight to Florida how he would handle disinformation campaigns targeting Latino voters, Biden said he would "just tell the truth." "Everybody knows who Trump is. People are going to show up and vote, Biden said. Florida, where Hispanics make up about 20% of the state electorate, is a linchpin in Trump's re-election strategy. A Biden win of Florida's 29 electoral votes would sharply reduce Trump's chances of another term - no Republican has won the presidency without Florida since Calvin Coolidge in 1924. Trump, a former New York businessman, changed his permanent residence to Florida last year. Nationally, Hispanics make up the largest minority voting group, at more than 13% of eligible voters. Biden's support with Latino voters across the country has dropped; they favored him over Trump by 9 points in August, down from 30 points in July, according to Reuters/Ipsos data. The Biden campaign, urged by Democrats to do more to court Latinos, has stepped up Spanish-language and bilingual advertising and hired more staff. Polls show Biden running ahead of Clinton's level of 2016 support among seniors in Florida, another crucial voting bloc, and among white voters, giving him plenty of pathways to reach a majority, Democrats said. They also said there was an opportunity for Biden to make up ground with Florida Hispanics, particularly among the state's non-Cuban Latinos who in addition to Puerto Ricans include Mexicans, Colombians and Venezuelans. (Reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt in Tampa, Florida, and John Whitesides in Washington; Additional reporting by Simon Lewis, Michael Martina, Chris Kahn and Colleen Jenkins; Editing by Grant McCool and Peter Cooney) Lifeline chairman John Brogden has warned of a coming wave of mental ill health and suicides as the coronavirus recession deepens, calling for targeted welfare support to protect the most vulnerable. Mr Brogden, a businessman and former NSW Liberal opposition leader who survived a suicide attempt in 2005, said a "lack of certainty" among Australians who had lost their jobs in the pandemic would have long-term consequences. Lifeline chairman John Brogden recommended the federal government make the JobKeeper wage subsidy program, due to start rolling back within weeks, "as targeted as possible". Credit:Alex Ellinghausen "When the physical pandemic ends, I believe we will be moving into a mental health pandemic that will last longer," he said, predicting a spike in suicides next year and suggesting the government divert funds it was spending on COVID-19 into mental health once no longer needed. He recommended the federal government make the JobKeeper wage subsidy program, due to start rolling back within weeks, "as targeted as possible" to help Australians in "particular areas of employment that will be hardest hit by the recession and struggle the most to get jobs again", such as hospitality and regional workers. Donald Trump says he would take a drug test before Election Day if Joe Biden does so to show he is not on performance- enhancing medications. (The Hill) Donald Trump on Tuesday pledged to take a drug test before Election Day if Democratic nominee Joe Biden will do the same, saying the former vice president is shot and is taking something that gives him clarity. I would take one, too, the 74-year-old president told Fox & Friends, adding of his 77-year-old general election foe: He should take a drug test. The president for several weeks has called on the former VP to take a drug test to prove he is not taking some kind of drug to make himself sharper mentally. Mr Trump for months has suggested Mr Biden has lost a step or two as he has gotten older. The Biden campaign has sharply dismissed that notion, saying their candidate is eager for the three planned debates they say will show he is both sharper and more intellectual than Mr Trump. Pressed by a Fox host, the president suggested with a chuckle that maybe Mr Biden merely downs 15 cups of coffee before appearing in public which would be an extreme amount of caffeine. Joe is lost. We cant have a president who is mentally lost, Mr Trump said, because Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping and North Korean supreme leader Kim Jong Un all are world-class chess players. Asked during a recent interview with CNNs Jake Tapper about the presidents Slow Joe nickname, Mr Biden laughed. Mr Biden said he has laid out his entire health picture when he was vice president and when he launched his third bid for the White House Thank God I am in good health, Mr Biden told CNN, though he acknowledged anything can happen. But in a shot at the heavier president, he said: Just look at us. Who seems to be in shape? Who seems to be able to move around. Read more 'I had shot to take out Assad': Trump claims he was close to killing Syrian leader but Mattis stopped him 'It wasn't our fault': Trump blames Nevada governor for indoor rally criticised as 'homicidal' by doctors Bernie Sanders believes Biden at 'serious risk' of losing to Trump and urges him to campaign with AOC, report claims Film is a masterful art, it is like a book, a musical composition, and a painting all rolled into one. It has a beginning, middle and an end, it has a rhythm, a cadence, and a beat, and it can be visually stunning. It has a denouement, a grand finale. It can bring great notions to many, it can change things and change people, it can create a movement or it can move people to tears or laughter to refresh their soul. It is unlikely that any filmmaker would tell you any different. It doesnt matter if you have made a one-minute film or a three-hour epic; they all engage the same basic elements. And every filmmaker labors over each frame, every second, every angle, artistically as it relates to the whole in order to create a moment, a feeling, or a truth, in order to engage the viewer. Filmmaking is a series of creative nuances, utilizing sight and sound and inspiration. Cinematographers use the same compositional guidelines as artists, with an added twisttheir work is constantly in motion. As a documentary filmmaker, my job is slightly different from the other film genres, in that documentary films seek to engage a viewer via an honest message that documents reality. The documentary film genre, originally called actuality films, has a different mission than a narrative or avant-garde film, but still maintains the creative core. I take my job seriously in regard to the art form as the medium for the message. The primary goal in documentary is to honor the subject matter truthfully with integrity while engaging an audience via creative elements. The artful challenge of taking a series of stills and fashioning them into something beyond what they were originally, beyond what they were even as a completed sequence of sights and sounds i.e. a one shot, or an interview, and forming them into a visual message linked to the next visual element or message, created in much the same way. Like a giant 3D puzzle it takes time and care and love. One must love the medium in order to be truthful to the art. In general filmmaking is a collaborative art, utilizing the creativity of direction, camera work, and editing as the foundation for the final outcome. However, low budget independent filmmakers often play more than one role at the same time. Once a framework is established and the thread of shots and interludes is ready, the rough cut is made which is then followed by the last and most challenging, albeit rewarding, final edit then a film is born. Of course the final edit of a film is rarely a simple task, and even though great rewards are to follow, it is a complicated and time consuming effort for the artist who is making the final decisions on what stays and what goes. Its the terrible conundrum of sacrifice for the films greater good. Eventually the films creator must give way to the creativity gods and accept the inevitable fact, that an artist is never really finished with a piece, they just choose when to stop working on it. This is where the rubber meets the road for a filmmaker; you leave your ego at the door and let the film tell you what to do. Sandra Pfeifer is a social issue documentary filmmaker and media artist who has lived in southern Illinois for 40 years. Exiled former Bolivian president Evo Morales is accused of having sex with minors Bolivia's interim President Jeanine Anez said on Friday that ex leader Evo Morales, who lives in exile in Argentina, must respond to accusations that he had sexual relations with two minors. Over the last week, the 60-year-old Morales has faced two separate accusations that he had sex with underaged girls, including that he fathered a child with one. "Evo Morales has to explain the 'horror' of sexual abuse against minors. Explanations to the courts and to the country," the conservative Anez wrote on Twitter. Last week, the justice ministry filed a complaint against Morales, who led the country from 2006-19, for "statutory rape and human trafficking." And on Monday it sent a report to the La Paz ombudsman for children and adolescents asking it to investigate "a possible new case of rape" following an anonymous complaint. Authorities claimed to be in possession of a birth certificate showing that Morales was the father of a child born to a girl who "fell pregnant when she was 15 years and five months old." Morales's Movement for Socialism (MAS) party claims the accusations are aimed at having "a politico-electoral impact" on October's presidential election. Morales is not standing but the candidate for MAS, Luis Arce, has consistently led opinion polls since he was nominated in January. Bolivia's Foreign Minister Karen Longaric called on Argentina to "get rid of" Morales, whom they claim their South American neighbor is "protecting at all costs." Morales moved to Argentina in December, a month after he fled his homeland for Mexico after resigning. He had controversially won re-election last October even though he was constitutionally barred from standing for a fourth term. But three weeks of protests followed the vote and after an Organization of American States audit found evidence of electoral fraud, Morales lost the support of the armed forces and left the country. Story continues Bolivia has previously complained to Argentina, led by center-left President Alberto Fernandez, that Morales is violating the terms of his refugee status by indulging in political activity. He tweets incessantly a range of accusations against the government, whom he calls "putschists." It's not the first time the government has levied accusations against Morales. They also accused him of "sedition and terrorism" over the civil unrest that broke out following his resignation. Morales was Bolivia's first ever indigenous president. jac/fj/piz/bc/dw The United States, particularly the western region, is experiencing havoc as wildfires are raging across multiple states. As a result, residents experience plummeting air quality. Now, health experts worry that the lowered air quality and the smoke produced by the wildfires may increase the risk of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) spread, especially among firefighters who are working to stop the fire. The smoke the firefighters are breathing is heightening their risk of contracting the new coronavirus, with potentially life-threatening effects. Further, fighting the huge fires may make infection control measures such as hand washing and social distancing, challenging to perform. San Francisco, Ca. 09/09/2020 during the natural disaster of the wild fires. Image Credit: Photo_Time / Shutterstock Air pollution and health An environmental toxicologist and an assistant professor of Community and Environmental Health, Boise State University, Luke Montrose, explained the detrimental effects of air pollution, particularly the smoke from wildfires, on health amid the coronavirus pandemic in an article published on the website The Conversation. He noted that the combination of high temperatures and increased levels of particles from a fire could negatively impact lung health. If a person has lung damage or respiratory illness, even moderate levels of smoke particulate can worsen respiratory problems. Thats only the start of the story of how wildfire smoke affects humans who breathe it. The rest, and how to stay healthy, is important to understand as the western wildfire season picks up, he explained. Wildfire smoke contents depend on some factors such as what material is burning and the distance between the smoke and the person breathing it. The more distance the smoke travels, the more it ages and becomes toxic. The sun and other chemicals may affect the smoke contents as it travels. Smoke from wildfires contains thousands of compounds, including toxic chemicals such as carbon monoxide, volatile organic compounds, nitrogen oxides, hydrocarbons, and carbon dioxide. However, the particulate matter that is less than 2.5 micrometers (PM2.5) in diameter, which is about 50 times smaller than the grain of sand, is more dangerous since it can enter the lungs and penetrate the alveoli, which are responsible for gas exchange. Smoke from wildfires obscures the California sky on Aug. 19, 2020. Lauren Dauphin/NASA Earth Observatory What does smoke do to the body? According to Montrose, the human body has its defense mechanisms against particles that are bigger than PM2.5. The body coughs it out or sneeze when these particles attempt to enter the airways. However, particles smaller than 2.5 can bypass these defense mechanisms and travel deep in the lungs. When foreign particles enter the lungs, the immune system sends out macrophages in an attempt to remove them. Previous studies have shown that persistent and repeated exposure to increased levels of wood smoke can suppress the function of macrophages, increasing the risk of lung inflammation. Lung inflammation may predispose people to infections, including the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. The virus causes coronavirus disease (COVID-19), which has now infected more than 29 million people worldwide. Montrose added that prolonged exposure to wildfire smoke can increase the risk of lung damage, potentially leading to cardiovascular problems. Past evidence reveals that prolonged exposure to PM2.5 may make the coronavirus more severe and deadly. In a study in the United States, published in the preprint server, medRxiv* in April 2020, scientists have found that long term exposure to PM2.5 may make COVID-19 more deadly. A small increase in long-term exposure to PM2.5 leads to a large increase in the COVID-19 death rate, the researchers concluded. What can be done? Avoiding going out can help reduce the risk of smoke exposure, which can affect the air quality outdoors. Also, Montrose recommends that people should be well-informed about air quality and which parts are affected at a given time. Further, he said that not all face masks may protect against PM2.5 and other smoke particles. In the coronavirus pandemic, health agencies say that cloth masks are enough to protect against the virus. However, cloth masks cannot filter wood smoke particles. In cases of wildfires, using N95 masks is recommended. He added that proper training on how to use N95 masks is essential since if it is not worn correctly, it will not work well. *Important Notice medRxiv publishes preliminary scientific reports that are not peer-reviewed and, therefore, should not be regarded as conclusive, guide clinical practice/health-related behavior, or treated as established information. (Newser) Declaring the dawn of a new Middle East, President Trump on Tuesday presided over the signing of historic diplomatic pacts between Israel and two Gulf Arab nations that he hopes will lead to a new order in the Mideast and cast him as a peacemaker at the height of his reelection campaign. Hundreds of people, most without masks, amassed on the sun-washed South Lawn to witness the signing of agreements between Israel and the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. The bilateral agreements formalize the normalization of the Jewish states already thawing relations with the two Arab nations in line with their common opposition to Iran and its aggression in the region. Were here this afternoon to change the course of history, Trump said from a balcony overlooking the South Lawn. After decades of division and conflict, we mark the dawn of a new Middle East. More from the AP: The agreements do not address the decades-long Israeli-Palestinian conflict. While the UAE, Bahrain, and other Arab countries support the Palestinians, the Trump administration has persuaded the two countries not to let that conflict keep them from having normal relations with Israel. story continues below The agreements wont end active wars, but supporters believe they could pave the way for a broader Arab-Israeli rapprochement after decades of enmity and only two previous peace deals. Skeptics, including many longtime Mideast analysts and former officials, have expressed doubts about their impact and lamented that they ignore the Palestinians, who have rejected them as a stab in the back by fellow Arabs. Palestinian activists held small demonstrations Tuesday in the West Bank and in Gaza, where they trampled and set fire to pictures of Trump, Netanyahu, and the leaders of the UAE and Bahrain. Even in Israel, where the accords have received widespread acclaim, there is concern they might result in US sales of sophisticated weaponry to the UAE and Bahrain, thus potentially upsetting Israels qualitative military edge in the region. Theyre very wealthy countries for the most part ... some are extraordinarily, like UAE, Trump told Fox & Friends in an interview before the ceremony. And they would like to buy some fighter jets and I personally would have no problem with it. Yet even the harshest critics have allowed that the agreements could usher in a major shift in the region should other Arab nations, particularly Saudi Arabia, follow suit, with implications for Iran, Syria, and Lebanon. Other Arab countries believed to be close to recognizing Israel include Oman, Sudan, and Morocco. "We are very down the road with about five different countries, Trump told reporters before the ceremony. The ceremony follows months of intricate diplomacy headed by Jared Kushner and the presidents envoy for international negotiations, Avi Berkowitz. On Aug. 13, the Israel-UAE deal was announced. That was followed by the first direct commercial flight between the countries, and then the Sept. 11 announcement of the Bahrain-Israel agreement. (Read more Israel stories.) Stacey Abrams speaks at the unity breakfast in Selma, Ala., in March. Many Black voters are skeptical of voting by mail even as states seek to expand that option during the coronavirus pandemic. In 2018, Abrams campaign mailed 1.6 million absentee ballot requests to Georgia voters during her unsuccessful bid for governor. The campaign emphasized that it was a safe and easy way to vote. Read more When I spoke to former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams about the perils voters might face in the upcoming presidential election, two words kept coming back to me: voter suppression. Fairly or not, that phrase will be forever linked to Abrams legacy. Not because of what she did wrong in her political career, but because of what she did right. Abrams, a lawyer who rose to become minority leader during her decade in Georgias House of Representatives, resigned in 2017 to run for governor. Her campaign was a long shot. After all, a Black woman couldnt possibly become governor of Georgia, where Confederate generals are carved into a mountain and the legacy of slavery is carved into the soil. Yet, by October 2018, Abrams, a Democrat, was polling slightly ahead of her Republican opponent, Georgia Secretary of State Brian Kemp. Abrams was in the midst of a potentially history-making political feat, and the race gained national attention. There was just one thing standing between Abrams and her unlikely victory: voter suppression. READ MORE: Everything you need to know about voting by mail, or in person, in Pennsylvania Abrams experience matters now more than ever. Just like her race for governor was shaped by voter suppression, the presidential election is being shaped by a multipronged effort to muddy the electoral waters and discredit the results. Right now, the president of the United States is loudly claiming that mail-in voting is fraudulent. Hes saying that there will be robbing, thieving, and stealing at the polls. Hes even telling his supporters that he will only lose if the election is rigged. That kind of rhetoric is dangerous when its false. But in Abrams case, her opponents attempt to steal the election was even more dangerous because it worked. We know that the secretary of state, my opponent in the race, had spent eight years in the role of oversight of the election and during his tenure, Abrams told me. He purged more than 1.4 million voters, he oversaw the closure of 214 precincts, which according to independent analysis meant that between 50 and 85,000 people physically could not reach a place to vote. We know that under his leadership, we saw 53,000 people who had their voter registrations held hostage using a discredited system called Exact Match that the Obama administration had warned was racially discriminatory, Abrams continued. And in [Kemps] case when he used it, 80% of the people who were held hostage were people of color. Seventy percent were Black. And he ran the election. And I would just challenge anyone to think of a single event where the person in charge of counting the votes in charge of the score also got to be the referee and the contestant. Abrams, who now runs a national voting rights organization called Fair Fight, tells her story matter-of-factly, without a hint of resentment or malice. Shes poured the sting of the loss into making sure that others can vote. Shes poured the truth of her experience into a book called Our Time Is Now: Power, Purpose, and the Fight for a Fair America. Now shes putting her influence behind the candidacy of Joe Biden. I can understand why Abrams has taken that stance. As we now know from the tapes shared by journalist Bob Woodward ahead of the release of his book, Rage, Donald Trump has repeatedly lied to the American people about a virus that has killed nearly 200,000 of us. Hes supported monuments to the Confederacy, stoked racial tension, and tried to discredit mail-in voting to muddy the electoral waters. READ MORE: Trump knew coronavirus was deadly and worse than flu while intentionally misleading Americans, new book reports But I wanted to know why Abrams thought Black folks, in particular, should support Biden, absent the calamity that is Donald Trump. I wanted to know what Abrams thinks Biden will do for my community. Abrams said Biden has a long history of standing with the Black community, that hes clearly articulated what he wants to do when he gets the job, and that while we might want to separate Biden from Trump, its impossible to look at either of them in a vacuum. More than anything else, its about us, she said. Because I dont elect saviors. I dont elect people because I believe theyre going to save my life. I vote for people because theyre going to believe in my community, and Joe Biden has never taken the Black community for granted, and he wont when he becomes president of the United States. Orange County Sheriff's Department vehicles are parked outside the Saddleback Station in Lake Forest, Calif., on Sept. 14, 2020. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times) OC Sheriffs Department Investigating Internal Time-Off Scam The Orange County, California, Sheriffs Department has opened an internal investigation into seven employees who allegedly used faked military documents as a way to get time off. The department announced in a Sept. 11 news release that it suspected one deputy and six other employees, all of whom are military reservists, of submitting illegitimate military orders to the department that allowed them to get paid time off with the belief they were fulfilling their obligations as reservists. The department identified a potential discrepancy with the deputys military orders in January, according to the release. The deputy, who worked in custody operations, was in the Army Reserves. A review of all orders submitted by departmental reservists was ordered at that time. Sgt. Dennis Breckner told The Epoch Times that the fraudulent military orders were discovered when supervisors noticed inconsistencies in the submissions, prompting the department to launch an investigation. He said the department is looking into the possibility of a conspiracy. Its part of the internal investigation as to whether or not these cases are related, Breckner said. In other words, do these people know each other, did they communicate. That is something were looking into. Breckner said the department is not releasing the names of the deputy or the six other suspected employees because the internal investigation remains open. The department says the allegations have been referred to the proper federal authorities for investigation due to their nature. To date, one deputy has been released on probation. The other six suspects have been placed on administrative leave pending both criminal and internal investigations, according to the news release. Especially today, as we commemorate the actions of courageous men and women of the armed services on Patriots Day, it is a dishonor that these members of our organization took advantage of military service for their own personal gain, Orange County Sheriff Don Barnes said in the Sept. 11 release. The actions of these seven individuals do not represent the values of this organization and absolutely do not reflect upon the contributions and sacrifices of the men and women who have courageously served our country as members of our armed forces. The investigation was announced the day after another sheriffs deputy, Steven Hortz, was arrested for allegedly breaking into a dead mans home in Yorba Linda on multiple occasions and stealing property including weapon safes and ceiling fans. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-15 18:35:59|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close by Xinhua writers Zhang Zhongkai and Zhang Xiaolong URUMQI, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- History buffs who visited the Loulan Museum in south Xinjiang's Ruoqiang County and the local prefecture museum would probably marvel at two female guides as well as the display of unique collectibles. Ramira Memet, 28, and Raela Memet, 35, are sisters working in two different cities, but in pursuit of similar goals -- shine the spotlight on their hometown's history. They were born in Ruoqiang, home to the ancient Loulan, or dubbed the Oriental Pompeii. Loulan was a prosperous settlement built around 2,000 years ago to serve traders transiting through the ancient Silk Road. However, with time, references to Loulan mysteriously disappeared. The elder sister Raela was not into history initially. She used to work as a bank teller in Ruoqiang after graduation until a contest made Raela foray in a different direction. Raela bagged the first position in a prefecture-wide event in 2008 and was chosen to represent Ruoqiang for promoting its sweet Chinese dates and Loulan culture. "Later, many people asked me about Loulan, but I only had half-baked information," she said. The watershed moment in her career came a year later when the local cultural relics bureau sought professional commentators. Despite pushbacks from her family, Raela quit her banking job and joined the bureau. "I have to live up to the title of 'Loulan Girl'." Raela's newly found passion inspired her sister, as well. Ramira chose to major in ethnology out of interest to learn more about Xinjiang and Loulan's history. In 2016, Raela was transferred to the Museum of Bayingolin Mongolian Autonomous Prefecture, to which Ruoqiang belongs. "There is an independent exhibition room to showcase the Loulan culture. Now, I have a bigger stage to introduce my hometown." In the same year, Ramira graduated and filled her sister's vacancy in the Loulan Museum. "Learning history has enriched my understanding of the relics," Ramira said, citing the remains of silk fabrics that well demonstrate the exchanges along the ancient Silk Road. Better transportation and booming tourism have allowed more people to visit the two museums. Over 100,000 visits were made to the Loulan Museum last year, while the Museum of Bayingolin Mongolian Autonomous Prefecture registered more than 210,000 visits. Both the sisters enjoy introducing the relics and the history behind to students. "When we were young, we had limited opportunities to learn about these precious collections and their history. So, we would like to open a new window for the youths so they can comprehend the past and be proud of their hometown," Ramira said. Enditem NVIDIA, the leading maker of GPUs, on Sunday announced its plans to acquire U.K.-based chip designer Arm Holdings from SoftBank Group Corp. for a $40 billion deal in stock and cash. For those unaware, Japanese conglomerate SoftBank had purchased Arm Holdings for $31.4 billion back in 2016 to expand into the internet-of-things (IoT) technology. Under the terms of the deal, NVIDIA will pay SoftBank $21.5 billion in stock and $12 billion in cash for Arm, which includes $2 billion payable at signing. SoftBank may receive an additional $5 billion in cash or common stock under an earn-out agreement, subject to satisfaction of specific financial performance targets by Arm. NVIDIA will also issue $1.5 billion in compensation in equity for existing Arm employees. The combination brings together NVIDIAs leading AI (artificial intelligence) computing platform with Arms vast ecosystem to create the premier computing company for the age of artificial intelligence, accelerating innovation while expanding into large, high-growth markets. SoftBank will remain committed to Arms long-term success through its ownership stake in NVIDIA, expected to be under 10 percent. AI is the most powerful technology force of our time and has launched a new wave of computing. In the years ahead, trillions of computers running AI will create a new internet-of-things that is thousands of times larger than todays internet-of-people. Our combination will create a company fabulously positioned for the age of AI, said Jensen Huang, founder, and CEO of NVIDIA in a press release. NVIDIA to Acquire Arm for $40 Billion, Creating Worlds Premier Computing Company for the Age of AI. https://t.co/Pj0lR8W03u pic.twitter.com/6fJ9zltWz8 NVIDIA (@nvidia) September 13, 2020 Arm will continue to remain headquartered in Cambridge, UK so that NVIDIA can expand on this great site and build a world-class AI research facility, supporting developments in healthcare, life sciences, robotics, self-driving cars, and other fields. NVIDIA also plans to build a state-of-the-art AI supercomputer, powered by Arm CPUs so that they can hire researchers and scientists from the U.K. and around the world to conduct ground-breaking work. Uniting NVIDIAs AI computing capabilities with the vast ecosystem of Arms CPU, we can advance computing from the cloud, smartphones, PCs, self-driving cars and robotics, to edge IoT, and expand AI computing to every corner of the globe, said Huang. Further, as part of NVIDIA, Arm will continue to operate its open-licensing model while maintaining the global customer neutrality. According to Nvidia, Arm partners will also benefit from both companies offerings, including NVIDIAs numerous innovations. However, currently, there is no clarity on the details regarding the benefits. Arm still has unfulfilled commitments to SoftBank that were agreed upon by both parties back in 2016, which are scheduled to complete in September 2021. Following the closing of the transaction, NVIDIA intends to retain the name and strong brand identity of Arm and expand its base in Cambridge. Arms intellectual property will remain registered in the U.K. Arm and NVIDIA share a vision and passion that ubiquitous, energy-efficient computing will help address the worlds most pressing issues from climate change to healthcare, from agriculture to education. Delivering on this vision requires new approaches to hardware and software and a long-term commitment to research and development, said Simon Segars, CEO of Arm in a statement. By bringing together the technical strengths of our two companies we can accelerate our progress and create new solutions that will enable a global ecosystem of innovators. My management team and I are excited to be joining NVIDIA so we can write this next chapter together. The Arm sale valued at up to $40 billion is however subject to customary closing conditions, including the receipt of regulatory approvals for the U.K., China, the European Union, and the United States. Completion of the transaction is expected to take place in approximately 18 months. Naaz Ghani By Express News Service CHENNAI: What Charles Darwin first observed about evolution was its close relation to geography. Years of research have proved that all living things have evolved to better suit their surrounding environment. Alexander von Humboldt, a Prussian naturalist and scientist, went a step further. He studied the distribution of eco-systems in tandem with their geographical space, also known as biogeography. Although known popularly for his contribution to botanical geography, his work set in motion research on Zoogeography the study of animals across geographical areas as well. Every year on September 14, the International Biogeoghraphers Society organises a series of talks on the latest research in the field, to celebrate the birth anniversary of this revolutionary scientist. This year, they have collaborated with the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) and the National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS) to organise an additional set of talks, by biogeographers of Indian origin, about their fields of study across different locations around the world. We are celebrating only a facet of Humboldts life, which is biogeography a powerful concept used to explain evolution and other natural phenomena, says VV Robin, assistant professor of Biology at IISER Tirupati, who is also one among three of the organisers of the Humboldt Day. Studying the biogeography of an area can reveal many unknown secrets of the land. For example, how nutritious the soil is, the primary source of food in the area, the groundwater content, etc. We have particularly decided to focus on the Indian biogeographers whom we have invited to speak. We have created a sub-website and poster for the same, he adds. The event was inaugurated by Kamal Bawa, professor of Biology at the University of Massachusetts, on Monday. His talk introduced the biogeography and biodiversity of India covering his experiences fulfilling the Biodiversity Mission set up by the Government of India. Following this, a series of talks including the different kinds of centipedes by Jahnavi Joshi; biodiversity at high altitudes by Nishma Dahal; and the rodents of north India by Krishnapriya Tamma, were held. As part of the series of events, Sushma Reddy will be covering her observations of the birds of Madagascar across different biogeographies in her talk on September 17. On the same day, Rauri Bowie will be speaking about the biodiversity that one can find across different landscapes in Africa. More speakers from countries including Switzerland, New Zealand and Europe will also present their work. Register and learn The talks will be held until September 18. Registrations are open at http://bit.ly/3lBX5wz. The Indian as well as international talks are free of cost. For details, visit: https://humboldtday.org/events/. The talks will also be available on Facebook live at at the National Center for Biological Sciences page Within a very short time, we knew a lot about the Compton shooting of two deputies. We knew that witnesses to the shooting celebrated and did nothing to help; that Black Lives Matter descended on the hospital, hoped for the deputies' deaths, tried to storm the Emergency Department, and blocked ambulances; and that no one in the Democrat party, from Biden down, called out Black Lives Matter for fomenting this anti-police terrorism, with some actually supporting it. What we did not know until today was that the female deputy showed extraordinary presence of mind, competence, and courage. There were two deputies in the car, both of whom had become deputies only 14 months before. The female deputy is 31 and has a six-year-old son. The male deputy is only 24. [UPDATE: The female deputy is Claudia Apolinar, a former librarian.] The would-be assassin shot both deputies multiple times. The woman took a bullet to the jaw and was shot in both arms. The man was shot in the head, although, thankfully, the bullet didn't penetrate his brain. He also suffered other injuries that were severe enough that he would have bled out were it not for his partner's immediate action. After they were shot, neither deputy had any idea whether there would be more bullets coming. The female deputy, despite her injuries, managed to get her more badly wounded partner to safety behind a pillar. She then saved his life with a tourniquet, after which she radioed headquarters for help. This is a woman you want at your back in any fight. She kept her cool, never lost her situational awareness, and triumphed over what must have been unimaginable pain and fear. The following pictures and videos are graphic, raw, and disturbing. I think, though, that we need to see them because this is what Democrats are doing to America with their race wars and wars on the police. They are engaged in an overarching, doggedly determined, and unrelenting effort to undermine any semblance of law and order or civil society in America. NEW: LASD & the families of the two ambushed deputies have given me permission to show this graphic photo of the moment after they were shot. Im told female deputy was shot through jaw, still radioed for help & applied tourniquet to male deputys wounds. Both stable now. @FOXLA pic.twitter.com/6m06qec1v2 Bill Melugin (@BillFOXLA) September 14, 2020 The female deputy shot at point blank range through her jaw, watches over her male partner who was shot in the head. Both are bleeding profusely. No onlookers offered to help. Not one. Instead they watched and laughed. Compton, California. September 12. 2020. pic.twitter.com/gvJiVBaiiT Greg Roman (@RomanEcho) September 15, 2020 Tucker Carlson also played audio of the deputy calling in the shooting. Its heartrending, but is also awe-inspiring to witness this bravery in real-time. Watch the latest video at foxnews.com When Trump gives the next State of the Union address (as I hope he will), it would be a wonderful thing if these deputies could be his guests. The vast majority of American law enforcement officers are good people, and, as this woman shows, they can be great people. The known death toll from fires in southern Oregon has been reduced from five to three. The sheriffs office said Monday that two of the previously announced deaths were determined to be animal remains. As first reported by the Medford Mail-Tribune, the Jackson County Sheriffs Office reported that two bodies found at burned sites were confirmed to be animal bone fragments. We can confirm our death toll went down to three, said Rich Tyler, a spokesman for the Office of the State Fire Marshal who is working on the Almeda fire. The Oregon Office of Emergency Management is still reporting 10 deaths statewide, including five in Jackson County. Bobbi Doan, the lead public information officer for the Office of Emergency Management, said the state office is aware of Jackson Countys changing numbers, but said the agency has to wait until the state medical examiner has verified the countys findings. She noted that there are sometimes discrepancies between initial state and local reports. At the local level they have their own jurisdiction, Doan said. The investigators and boots on the ground are making the best determination with the information they have at hand. Jayati Ramakrishnan; 503-221-4320; jramakrishnan@oregonian.com; @JRamakrishnanOR Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories. STEPANAKERT, SEPTEMBER 15, ARMENPRESS. On 15 September Artsakh Republic President Arayik Harutyunyan chaired the inaugural meeting of the Security Council, the Presidential Office told Armenpress. A number of important security issues relating to the vital functions of the Republic of Artsakh were on the agenda. Before proceeding to the discussion of the issues on the agenda, President Arayik Harutyunyan delivered a speech. In his speech, the President noted that the main mission of the Republic's authorities in the field of security is to guarantee, in a narrow sense, the security of the population of the Republic of Artsakh, and in a broad sense, the security of the Armenian people. In this context, the Head of the State outlined the priority directions of the policy to be implemented in this area, including military security, sustainable economic development and self-sufficiency, reinstatement of a stable and efficient political system, and information security. Touching upon the issue of efficient fulfillment of the outlined objectives, the President highlighted the need for proper implementation of their functions by all state institutions aimed at ensuring the security of the Motherland. "As head of state and guarantor of the sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity and security of the Republic of Artsakh, I comply fully with the mandate entrusted to me, and the same should hold good for all the entities and public officials," the President underlined. Below is the transcript of President Arayik Harutyunyan's remarks: "Respected members of the Security Council, As you know, this is the inaugural meeting of the Security Council since I assumed office as President of the Republic of Artsakh. Prior to this, we held a joint meeting of the Security Councils of Armenia and Artsakh. A range of crucial security-related issues on the vital functions of the Republic of Artsakh are on the agenda of today's meeting. Before we proceed to the discussion of issues on the agenda, I would like to make a note of some important points: First of all, it should be noted that our main mission in the field of security, I repeat, mission, and not merely a goal, is to ensure an adequate level of security of the population of the Republic of Artsakh in the narrow sense and the Armenian people in the broad sense. In other words, Artsakh plays an important role and is responsible for ensuring the security of the Armenian people. We can carry out this mission adequately through our consistent efforts, hard work and prudent policy aimed at building sustainably the strategic resilience of our shared Homeland. This can be attained, through concerted efforts of Mother Armenia and the Armenians all over the world, at four levels - globally, at a regional level, domestically, meaning Armenia and Artsakh, and in four priority directions - the military track, economic, political dimension and information security. It should be borne in mind, once and for all, that all these levels and directions are interrelated, each in accordance to its strategic value. Let us go through each level and direction in turn. Firstly, our mission at a global level is both to hedge against and avert the global challenges and ensure a favourable environment for global guarantees of our security in all directions. Of course, our role in global events is small, but it would be wrong not to recognize our modest contribution to global security as one of the key guarantors of stability and peace in the region. Secondly, at regional level, we face the main and imminent threat to our security posed by Azerbaijan through its extremely aggressive and Armenophobic policy. It is noteworthy that this actual threat in the face of Azerbaijan is conspicuous in all directions, thus turning into tangible and extended existential threat to the people of Artsakh. Therefore, our top priority is to gear our sustained efforts - military, economic, political, information and the list is long - towards addressing those threats. Certainly, a range of other regional threats considerably affect the security environment and strategic resilience of Artsakh, sometimes having an incentive, catalytic effect on the manifestation of Azerbaijani threats and their intensity. Thirdly, the Armenian level implies that Artsakh is an inseparable part of the Armenian world and part of single security architecture with Mother Armenia, thus, the security system of the Republic of Artsakh echoes all kinds of developments in and around the Republic of Armenia, and the other way round. And the fourth, at the domestic level, meaning Artsakh, the size of our responsibilities and capabilities is dramatically increasing, and the security areas are expanding. Since working on the first three levels should ultimately serve to solve problems at the internal level, it is worth focusing a little on what to do in different directions at this level. The major thrust on the military track, quite naturally, aims at ensuring security. Here, we should be guided by the principle of "All and everything should be provided for the army by priority, and the army should serve all." We should make consistent efforts towards both further build-up and upgrading of weapons, improved governance, strengthening military infrastructures, providing social guarantees for the servicemen and in all other directions. Adding up to our ever-growing accomplishments in other main spheres, we must strengthen our institutional approach to capacity building of our auxiliary voluntary armed forces, the nationwide militia, and development of local arms industry. With this regard, we have yielded tangible results; however, there is room to achieve more. In the economic dimension, our primary task is to ensure sustainable development and attain the threshold of self-sufficiency. No doubt, economic development and raising significantly the standard of well-being of the population will reflect positively on the security system. One of the main objectives is to ensure self-sufficiency or at least high level of flexibility and discretion in terms of strategic goods. We have made strides with this regard; however, there is a long road ahead. In the political realm, our primary objective is the accomplishment of a solid and effective political system where all the state entities will efficiently carry out their functions on the basis of constitutional order. All the state entities are obliged to serve the cornerstone purpose of ensuring the security of the Homeland. As head of state and as the guarantor of the sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity and security of the Republic of Artsakh, I comply fully with the mandate entrusted to me, and the same should hold good for all the entities and public officials. Of course, the Defense Army, as the main guarantor of the physical security of the population of the Republic of Artsakh, is the key player among the entities in the security system, while the Security Council functioning adjacent to the President of the Republic of Artsakh, as a consultative body, aims at contributing to exercising the power vested upon the President in the national security sphere. The information security realm, perhaps, implies fewer constraints and should serve all directions with a view towards ensuring an enabling information-psychological environment both for the domestic and external audience. The challenges in these directions have grown steadily in the recent years, attributable to the widely accessible Internet and increased vulnerability of the population. We should therefore focus consistently on the information security. No doubt, especially at the domestic level, meaning Artsakh, security does not hinge upon those four directions solely, but depends, to wide extent, on demography, education, healthcare and the list is long, which, in tandem, form unform security architecture. Therefore, to ensure lasting and comprehensive security for the population of the Republic of Artsakh, we should act properly and coherently in all the directions. Dear attendees, Touching upon the Azerbaijani-Karabakh conflict, which provides for and determines the main security threats mentioned above, I would like to note that the Republic of Artsakh is committed to the peaceful settlement of the conflict. Nevertheless, we have clear-cut principles that underlie our policy in the settlement of Azerbaijani-Karabakh conflict. I have had the opportunity to outline those benchmark principles well before assuming the office of the President of the Republic of Artsakh. I would like to take time to reiterate those principles with some additional clarifications: 1. The legitimate, full-fledged participation of the authorities of the Republic of Artsakh at all the stages of the process towards the peaceful and final settlement of the Azerbaijani-Karabakh conflict is an imperative. 2. The sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity and security of the Republic of Artsakh cannot be jeopardized and are not subject to bargaining under any circumstances. 3. Any option of the settlement of the Azerbaijani-Karabakh conflict which does not provide for the primary recognition of the Artsakh people's right to self-determination cannot be subject of substantial discussion between the parties to conflict. 4. Clear-cut guarantees must be provided to exclude attempts to resort to threat or use of force during settlement of the Azerbaijani-Karabakh conflict, as the Armenian and Azerbaijani people deserve to live in peace. Failing this, in response to Azerbaijani offensive action, the Republic of Artsakh reserves the right to carry out disproportionate counter-offensive measures, up to taking military actions to the territory of Azerbaijan. 5. No option of the settlement of the Azerbaijani-Karabakh conflict can include unilateral concessions or disproportionate and inadequate compromise on behalf of the Republic of Artsakh. 6. In the process of the the Azerbaijani-Karabakh conflict settlement and in associated processes, the Armenian refugees & internally displaced people (IDPs) must be involved on an equal footing with the Azerbaijani refugees & internally displaced people (IDPs), the problems facing them must be addressed on an equal basis and simultaneously. 7. The international community, primarily the OSCE & the Minsk Group Co-Chairs, must exclude violations of and restrictions to the human rights of the population of Artsakh resulting from the conflict and international status of the Republic of Artsakh, including factual exclusion from international humanitarian programs and no access to programs promoting human rights. These restrictions which are pursued by Azerbaijan as a means of pressure are against the well-known principles of international law. Dear attendees, The Security Council aims at discussing the afore-mentioned and other issues and ideas that are of significance to our country, designing and developing approaches, as well as making proposals to the Republic of Artsakh President. I acknowledge the role and functions of this consultative body and its format in terms of elaborating on the approaches and distribution of labour. I expect and count on your responsiveness and diligent work to meet our objectives, for the good of the Artsakh people and the secure and peaceful life of the Armenian people in general. Let us now lead on to the discussion of the issues on the agenda." In 2011, the property was listed for close to $10 million with the house on it. Then, in December 2016, the estate was listed for $8.95 million. It underwent a $3 million price cut over the next two years, to $5.95 million. Further price reductions followed, to $3.25 million in October. The United Arab Emirates and Bahrain on Tuesday will become the latest Arab states to break a longstanding taboo when they sign agreements toward normalizing relations with Israel in a strategic realignment of Middle Eastern countries against Iran. US President Donald Trump will host the White House ceremony at noon EDT (1600 GMT), capping a dramatic month when first the UAE and then Bahrain agreed to reverse decades of ill will without a resolution of Israels decades-old dispute with the Palestinians. At the US-brokered ceremony, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will sign agreements with Emirati Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nahyan and Bahrains Foreign Minister Abdullatif Al Zayani. The deals make them the third and fourth Arab states to take such steps to normalize ties since Israel signed peace treaties with Egypt in 1979 and Jordan in 1994. The back-to-back agreements, which have drawn bitter condemnation from the Palestinians, mark an improbable diplomatic victory for Trump. He has spent his presidency forecasting deals on such intractable problems as North Koreas nuclear program only to find actual achievements elusive. Trump is up for re-election on Nov. 3 and the accords could help him shore up support among pro-Israel Christian evangelical voters, an important part of his political base. Bringing Israel, the UAE and Bahrain together reflects their shared concern about Irans rising influence in the region and development of ballistic missiles. Iran has been critical of both deals. Instead of focusing on past conflicts, people are now focused on creating a vibrant future filled with endless possibilities, White House senior adviser Jared Kushner said in a statement late on Monday. Kushner helped negotiate the agreements and is trying to persuade more Gulf countries to strike similar accords with Israel. One target of White House appeals is Oman, whose leader spoke with Trump last week. Another is Saudi Arabia, the biggest Gulf Arab power. So far the Saudis, whose king is custodian of Islams holiest sites and rules the worlds largest oil exporter, have signaled they are not ready. NETANYAHU UNDER PRESSURE Although a diplomatic win for Netanyahu, the signing ceremony takes place while he faces criticism at home of his handling of the coronavirus pandemic and a corruption trial on charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust that has led to frequent street protests. Netanyahu denies any wrongdoing and describes his trial as a leftist political witch-hunt aimed at unseating a popular right-wing leader. Netanyahu signaled on Monday that Israels deals with the two Gulf Arab states may still be works in progress. A senior Trump administration official said that the documents were complete or nearly finished, that Israel would sign separate agreements with each of the Gulf states and that then the United States would join all three in signing a common document known as the Abraham Accords. But the official declined to provide specifics. In a nod to the coronavirus that has hit the United States and the world, the White House is encouraging but not requiring the participants to wear masks. Though the mood of the ceremony is expected to be warm, it will be up to the leaders whether they want to shake hands, the official told reporters. Frustrated by the Palestinians refusal to take part in Trumps Middle East peace initiative, the White House has sought to bypass them in hopes they will see the deals with the UAE and Bahrain as incentives, even leverage, for peace talks. The accords have left the Palestinians feeling abandoned by some of their closest traditional Arab allies. The Palestinian leadership, which has long accused Trump of pro-Israel bias, has denounced the Arab rapprochement with Israel as a betrayal of their cause, even though Netanyahu agreed, in return for normalization with the UAE, to suspend a plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank. Palestinians view the new agreements as weakening a longstanding pan-Arab position that calls for Israeli withdrawal from occupied territory and acceptance of Palestinian statehood in return for normal relations with Arab countries. Though negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians last broke down in 2014, some Gulf Arab states and several other Arab countries have long had quiet, informal contacts with Israel. BRIDGEPORT The former manager of the historic Park Cemetery, awaiting trial for allegedly having old graves dug up for new burials, has been charged with embezzling more than $60,000 of the cemeterys money. Dale LaPrade, 66, surrendered to police after being told there was a warrant for her arrest. LaPrade was charged with first-degree larceny and released on a promise to appear in court. Im shocked at the amount of money and pleased the police are still on the case and discovering more evidence, said Cheryl Jansen, who has four generations of her family buried in the cemetery. LaPrades public defender declined to comment. Trumbull Attorney Anthony Monelli, a member of the court-appointed board of Park Cemetery, said, The board is very grateful to the Bridgeport Police Department for all its hard work in bringing justice to those who have loved ones in the cemetery. Report: $87K for Park Cemetery cleanup in Bridgeport after burials in wrong graves LaPrade, manager of the Lindley Street cemetery for the past 12 years, was charged with interference with a cemetery and second-degree larceny in July 2019 following an intensive investigation by police detectives based on a complaint made by Jansen. During a civil court trial in which Jansen successfully sued to get LaPrade removed as cemetery manager, Cintron and Biehn testified that dozens of headstones, some dating to the 1800s, had been moved at Park Cemetery so the newly dead could be buried in plots stacked on old graves. New dirt was put over older graves and new graves were put there, Biehn testified. There was fresh soil over old head stones and they were in the process of building an access road through the stones, Cintron testified. In the woods we found old headstones and human bones that had just been thrown around. Cintron testified a grave digger told him he had been ordered by LaPrade to throw old bones and caskets away to make room for new graves. LaPrade was initially arrested in 2014 after police said Luis Castillo paid LaPrade $1,150 for a burial plot for his deceased wife and himself. A few weeks later, he went to visit his wifes grave and found that a stranger had been buried in the plot next to her the plot meant for Castillo. Castillo said LaPrade admitted she made a mistake and agreed to rebury Castillos wife in another plot with a second empty grave for an additional $1,350. Police on Tuesday said Biehn continued to investigate the financial dealings at the cemetery. Biehn was able to establish that LaPrade allegedly withdrew more than $670,000 from cemetery accounts between 2016 and 2018. A forensic fraud examiner who assisted detectives determined that someone they identified as LaPrade made several cash withdrawals a day in some instances and used more than $60,000 of cemetery funds for personal expenses that were earmarked for burials and perpetual care, police said. Its been a while since I powered up a Kano-built computer. Thats because the company, which wants to help children learn how to code, has spent the last few years developing kits that work in tandem with a PC, smartphone or tablet. These have included a Harry Potter wand and two motion-sensing pucks based on the Star Wars and Frozen franchises. Kano has occasionally returned to Raspberry Pi-powered hardware, but mainly to offer minor revisions rather than wildly ambitious reinventions. With the Kano PC, though, the company is finally returning to its roots and, for the first time ever, offering a product that runs Windows. Like the Computer Kit Touch, the Kano PC can be used as a standalone tablet or in conjunction with a bright orange keyboard. Unlike its predecessor, though, Kano has combined the keys and trackpad with a felt-like cover that both protects the machine and doubles as a kickstand. I know what youre thinking, and yes, it definitely looks like a cheap Surface. Kano isnt the first to rip off Microsofts convertible formula just look at the iPads Smart Keyboard Folio but it has two unique features that separate itself from the competition: LEGO-like assembly, and pre-installed educational software. Design and construction Lets start with the former. Kano originally caught the publics attention by wrapping a Raspberry Pi board which was cheap and capable, but overwhelming for the average parent in a transparent case with a child-friendly assortment of colorful cables and dongles. The company even put an instructional booklet in the box so that everyone would know how to snap the pieces together. It wasnt a full PC build, though, and Ive always wondered if the company would attempt a more complicated construction kit. If the Raspberry Pi was LEGO, I wanted its eventual Windows machine to be like LEGO Technic. Unfortunately, it hasnt quite panned out that way. The Kano PCs core components, including the processor and RAM, have already been installed, so you simply need to connect the red battery and blue speaker before snapping on the transparent rear panel. These plastic-covered parts, at least, are a colorful reminder of Kanos legacy and ensure the device fits in with the rest of the companys wares. It might sound inconsequential, but I appreciate that all of Kanos products share a consistent design language that still feels fresh and distinctive in 2020. Story continues Regardless, the short assembly process will be disappointing if youre the kind of person that enjoys watching PC build videos on YouTube. (Even Henry Cavill, an actor and video game enthusiast, is putting together his own PC these days.) I still believe theres an opportunity to create a more complex kit that is both approachable and safe for schoolchildren. Still, what you are allowed to build is enjoyable and thoughtfully designed. I never worried that the kit was going to fall apart, either, like the Airfix models I glued together as a child. Kano PC And make no mistake: Kano still wants you to know how a computer works. Markings on the board explain where the various ports which include USB-C for charging, two USB-A ports, a headphone jack and HDMI slot and parts like the microphone reside. The processor, built-in storage, RAM and power management components are highlighted too, but because theyre covered by an aluminum heat sink you cant actually see them. Youll also find a tiny magnifying glass in the instruction booklet that begs you to look closely at everything. Its a small but meaningful prompt that encourages children to question and understand whats in front of them. The centerpiece of the Kano PC is an 11.6-inch touchscreen with a 1366 x 768 (720p) resolution. While not the most vibrant or pixel-dense display, its serviceable for Microsoft Office and the occasional YouTube video. The entire machine costs $299 and unlike the $400 Surface Go 2, that includes the keyboard cover which is cheaper than the entry-level iPad and many Android tablets with PC-like aspirations. A 1080p panel would have been nice, but you cant expect Retina Display quality at this sort of price point. The keyboard is spacious enough that your fingers wont cramp while typing an essay in Google Docs. Theres a dedicated function row, unlike Apples Magic Keyboard for the iPad Pro, and each key has a decent amount of travel. One small nitpick: I wish they were backlit like the ones found on the Surface Go 2s Type Cover. Sure, I mostly work at home with the lights on, but I suspect many children like to use their laptop in the dark, under their bedsheets and well after their parents have told them to go to bed. The keyboard is spacious enough that your fingers wont cramp while typing an essay. The trackpad, meanwhile, is awfully small and fiddly to use. You can prod the touchscreen instead, but Im old fashioned and eventually defaulted to my trusty Logitech MX Master 2S mouse. If youre considering the Kano PC, I highly recommend buying the companys official mouse, which costs $20, or a reliable third-party alternative. (At the time of writing, Kano is offering a free mouse with every Kano PC order.) The keyboard cover attaches magnetically via some small pins similar to Apples Smart Connector and a plastic strip that slots into a deep groove on the tablets derriere. The weight and angle of the tablet then ensures that the kickstand never slides down. Theres just one problem: you cant change the viewing angle. Like, at all. Thats awful in comparison to the Surface Go 2, which can flex almost 180 degrees, and even Apples Magic Keyboard for the iPad Pro. The chosen angle is fine while youre sitting at a desk or kitchen table. But its unhelpful if, like me, you want to place the PC on a pile of books so that your back doesnt ache. Kano PC Another problem is the floppy felt-like material that sits between the magnetized pins and keyboard. It means the tablet can rock forward, and sometimes come crashing down, if you move around too much while its resting on your lap. Many Surface-like convertibles share this lapability problem, but you know what doesnt? Any clamshell Chromebook. Like the Computer Kit Touch, the tablet portion of the Kano PC is thick. Thats the trade-off with a part-assembled device, though, that actively encourages you to peek inside. And honestly, I dont mind the larger footprint. In its folded-down form, the computer resemble the binders and textbooks that I used to lug around at school. A thinner device is always preferable, but thats neither the focus nor, in my opinion, expectation with a product like this. The final hardware compromise is the webcam. The Kano PC doesnt have one, which means you need an accessory to participate in Zoom calls, or any kind of video call. Kano is selling a $30 webcam with a bendable arm that supports both front and rear-facing shots. It also has an LED light for after-dark calls and a secondary lens that can capture macro photos and videos. Its an imaginative solution that really should have been bundled with the Kano PC. Many children have gone back to school, but distance learning is still a massive part of our coronavirus-stricken world. Webcams, therefore, are a critical PC component at the moment. Software The Kano PC was originally meant to run Windows 10 in S Mode, a streamlined version of the desktop operating system that only allows apps from the Microsoft Store. The final version, however, has no such limitation. It ships with Windows 10 Home and supports any Windows app. That gives the hardware a major advantage over its Chromebook competition, which currently requires virtual machine software to run Windows software. (A partnership between Google and Parallels should make that easier in the future, however.) There are, of course, many cheap laptops and Surface-style convertibles that run Windows 10 Home. But none of them ship with the same applications as the Kano PC. Every Kano PC ships with a software-based introduction. The first time you power up the machine on, Kano will welcome you with a special introduction that resembles an old programming terminal. It challenges you to write a series of phrases which are then printed on-screen as text art. Its a simple introduction that any laptop manufacturer could have made. Still, its a nice way of telling the customer that their PC is designed for learning and creation, rather than mere consumption. Once youve reached Microsofts familiar desktop interface, you can access Kanos Software Studio, which currently spans three apps: How Computers Work, Kano Code and Mark Art. (Kano is working on two others called Pixel Motion, which lets you make GIFs and other animated shorts, and Kano Create, which revolves around Javascript.) How Computers Work is an introduction to the processes that happen behind the display. One section explains binary code, for instance, using a long string of ones and zeroes that you can flip to unlock different emoji. Processors, flash storage, memory, networking, keyboards and speakers are taught in a similar fashion. The explanations are short and well-written, but I wish there were more options broken down by recommended age, perhaps to read longer and more advanced descriptions. I was particularly impressed with the pandemic-themed challenges. The second application, Kano Code, teaches you the basics of programming with color-coded blocks. If youve used any Kano product before, including the companys Harry Potter wand, youll be familiar with the interface. Theres a narrow block library on the left, followed by a wide central canvas and a live preview pane in the top-right hand corner. To create code, you simply drag the blocks onto the canvas and, if necessary, change their linked values using the keyboard or various drop-down menus. If you have no idea what youre doing, fear not: Kano Code has dozens of excellent lessons with step-by-step instructions. Some have typos, but theyre minor enough that you can still understand what its asking you to do. Kano also highlights where you need to go next the relevant section in the block library, for instance, or where your chosen block should be placed on the canvas with a yellow orb. I was particularly impressed with the pandemic-themed challenges, which include a drawing of the coronavirus structure. Drawing a coronavirus diagram in Kano Code. Finally, theres Make Art. The application goes a step further by eliminating the colorful block shapes. Instead, youll need to use simple text-based commands which more closely resemble real code to change the background, stroke size, fill color, and the X and Y coordinates that dictate where the application should start and stop drawing. Like Kano Code, theres a bunch of activities with step-by-step instructions that explain what you need to do next and, more importantly, why its required to complete the picture. Voracious learners will, I suspect, tear through everything in a matter of days or weeks, obsessively completing each task and absorbing its teachings like a sponge. If you think your child is one of these people, its worth considering the Kano Club. The subscription service, which costs $4.99 per month or $39.99 per year, unlocks additional challenges, early access to new Kano tools such as Artopia, coding tutorial videos, and other exclusive perks. Kano World If you dont fancy splurging the extra cash, though, theres also Kano World. The kid-friendly social network lets you upload projects and, more impressively, download and remix what other people have made. Its a great source of inspiration if you complete all the free lessons and have no idea what to do next. Kano World is also the web-based home of the Software Studio. Thats right: Make Art and Kano Code arent exclusive to the Kano PC. That might sound counterintuitive the apps are what make the two-in-one so unique but giving away software has always been part of Kanos strategy. Its an effective marketing tool and encourages users to buy other kits, such as the light board and Harry Potter wand, which revolve around special hardware. Most of the custom software can be accessed on any Windows 10 device. Regardless, its possible to access most of the Kano PCs custom software from another Windows 10 device. (Or any piece of hardware with a modern web browser, really.) Its a risky move, but Kano is banking on parents desire for an all-in-one solution. One that, through its build-it-yourself hardware and unique software introduction, subtly nudges children to work through all of the free apps. Work and play Custom software is undoubtedly important, but the Kano PC also needs to work as a general Windows two-in-one. I was worried that the device, which is powered by a dual-core Intel Celeron N4000 processor and 4GB of RAM, would struggle with even the most basic productivity software. Its no benchmark powerhouse, and thats okay: were talking about a $300 machine, after all. The machine can run Microsofts Office suite, though, and communication services like Slack. I also had minimal issues with Todoist, my preferred task manager, and web-based services like Google Docs, provided I didnt open too many tabs. Kano PC But there are limits, of course. You shouldnt buy the Kano PC if your child wants to install the full Adobe suite and spend every night editing vlogs and gameplay footage. For one, the processor cant handle it. But youll also be restricted by the 64GB of onboard eMMC storage. Its an astonishingly small amount of space thats even smaller once you factor in the operating system and Kanos pre-installed coding apps. Thank goodness for the USB-A ports, which can handle external drives, and the microSD slot, which supports cards up to 512GB. The storage also limits any gaming aspirations you might have. I couldnt install Fortnite, for example, because the current Windows build demands close to 100GB. Minecraft ran just fine, though, and I also managed to play a few indie games such as Celeste and Hyper Light Drifter the latter capped at 30 frames per second, admittedly without any stuttering or input lag. If you want to play anything with impressive 3D graphics, though, youll need to buy something more powerful or rely on streaming services such as Google Stadia and NVIDIAs GeForce Now. I used the former to play a bunch of Destiny 2 and Super Bomberman R Online, and only experienced the occasional slowdown or resolution dip. Media playback is equally mixed. The good-enough 720p display is matched by an adequate-at-best speaker. Its small and mounted on the rear of the tablet, which means it pushes audio directly into the kickstand. If you care about audio in any capacity, youll want to use this machine with some good headphones or external speakers. The battery life, however, is decent. The Kano PC managed 9 hours and 9 minutes during our test, which involves playing a HD video clip with the screen set to 65 percent brightness. Thats a tad short of the minimum 10 hours thats advertised on the companys website, but Im willing to let it slide. Nine hours is better than Microsofts Surface Go 2, which is $100 more expensive but admittedly features a higher-resolution display. Sometimes it pays to be pushing fewer pixels around. Kano PC Education Kanos first Windows machine actually comes in two variants: Kano PC and Kano PC Education. The latter ships with Windows 10 Pro, rather than Windows 10 Home, and a preview of a 40-lesson coding curriculum built around Kanos Software Studio. The hope, presumably, is that schools will buy the PC in bulk or enough for a single class, at least and slowly deliver the entire curriculum to pupils. Kano PC Kano is also pitching its PC as a sustainable solution. The company will sell Fix Packs that contain extra parts keyboard cases, batteries, chargers and speakers so schools can eke more time and value out of their initial order. Because the parts are covered in plastic, its also possible for students to perform the repairs in class, learning a valuable lesson about personal electronics and the environment along the way. Clearly, Kano wants to make a Surface for the classroom that can challenge the iPad, Chromebooks, and other low-end Windows hardware. Its a massive challenge, but one that Microsoft is clearly sold on. Why else would it make an equity investment in Kano? Wrap-up Its easy to nitpick the Kano PC. The build process is overly simplistic and the tablets thickness doesnt come close to matching Apples basic iPad or Microsofts Surface Go 2. But its a true Windows 10 machine that has just enough power to handle most of a pre-high schoolers needs. And it only costs $300. Yes, cheaper hardware exists, but you have to factor in the PCs repairability even if only a few parts are user-replaceable and the special software, which will hopefully spark a lifelong passion for digital skills. Kano wants its hardware to be the catalyst for a new generation of programmers and digital artists. If you believe your child will benefit from its colorful apps and LEGO-like components, then this PC could be a worthwhile investment. But if you judge the device on sheer specs, you might find that theres better ways to spend your hard-earned cash. Its a difficult decision, and one that each parent will need to make on their own. If youre still on the fence, I recommend trying Kanos software through Kano World first, then taking note of how your little one responds. I recommend trying Kanos software through Kano World first, then taking note of how your little one responds. The choice could be even tougher for teachers. Do you try the Kano PC, or stick with a more established Chromebook or Windows PC manufacturer? Its a hard call if your schools budget is limited and you need to make every dollar count. The Kano PC is undeniably capable, but it has some obvious flaws. I wouldnt be surprised, therefore, if many educators wait for the second or third revision. One that hopefully ships with a better speaker, a bundled webcam and keyboard cover that supports at least a few more viewing angles. If Kano can nail all three, itll have a real shot at the best Surface-style device for the classroom title. Trading on mobile platforms was once a distant dream, but technological advances over the last decade or so have propelled mobile trading into the mainstream and Android has become a major mobile trading platform. Numerous modern-day Android apps facilitate both stock and cryptocurrency trading and more and more traders are taking to the mobile platform to make smart investment decisions on-the-go. In this blog post, well first take a look at what prompted the development of mobile trading apps and then, the advantages that you can enjoy as a trader by shifting to mobile trading. How did mobile trading come about? Trading, particularly for regular traders, involves making the most of the opportunities. In essence, both cryptocurrency and stock trading are all about timing. However, before the advent of mobile trading platforms, traders werent able to always capitalize on opportunities when they arose. They mostly relied on desktops at their work terminals, which offered limited access. The situation was even worse for those who were employed in other fields, particularly the ones who had to travel extensively. Advertisement As a result of the restrictions and limitations that resulted in traders missing opportunities to make profitable investments, the demand for mobile trading skyrocketed. The calls for mobile trading apps were finally answered in 2010 when mobile stock trading was launched in India. Since then, theres been no looking back, as numerous successful trading apps have facilitated remote trading, eliminating the need for desktops and laptops. The advantages of mobile trading Ease of use : Previously, traders had to rely solely on laptops and desktops big machines that needed time to start up. However, mobile apps have allowed traders to place market orders, even when theyre on the move. All thats required to use mobile trading apps is an internet-enabled mobile device (smartphones, tablets, pads, etc.). : Previously, traders had to rely solely on laptops and desktops big machines that needed time to start up. However, mobile apps have allowed traders to place market orders, even when theyre on the move. All thats required to use mobile trading apps is an internet-enabled mobile device (smartphones, tablets, pads, etc.). Notifications : Notifications and alerts are part and parcel of every modern-day mobile trading app and they allow traders to be aware of the latest portfolio developments. While brokerages, custodians, and exchanges send separate notifications through SMS, mobile trading apps with their in-app notifications allow traders to respond to developments instantly. The result? More efficient trading and faster capitalization on opportunities. : Notifications and alerts are part and parcel of every modern-day mobile trading app and they allow traders to be aware of the latest portfolio developments. While brokerages, custodians, and exchanges send separate notifications through SMS, mobile trading apps with their in-app notifications allow traders to respond to developments instantly. The result? More efficient trading and faster capitalization on opportunities. Live data : Real-time data is another major advantage provided to traders by Android mobile trading apps, as it allows traders to monitor their respective portfolios and underlying assets in a matter of seconds. Traders can also gather live information regarding commodities, currencies, derivatives, shares, and stock indices. The latest news with regards to a particular stock can also be accessed. : Real-time data is another major advantage provided to traders by Android mobile trading apps, as it allows traders to monitor their respective portfolios and underlying assets in a matter of seconds. Traders can also gather live information regarding commodities, currencies, derivatives, shares, and stock indices. The latest news with regards to a particular stock can also be accessed. Access to market research reports : Every brokerage generates market research reports that are meant to enlighten traders regarding potential investment opportunities and pitfalls as well. Through Android trading apps, traders can access these research reports whenever they want detailed information before making a crucial investment decision. : Every brokerage generates market research reports that are meant to enlighten traders regarding potential investment opportunities and pitfalls as well. Through Android trading apps, traders can access these research reports whenever they want detailed information before making a crucial investment decision. Trading opportunities for residents of villages and small towns : Before mobile trading apps and technologies were developed, people living across small towns and villages couldnt pursue trading, as most of them couldnt afford laptops or desktops. However, with mobile trading apps, the scenario has changed completely. Now, people from villages and small towns can participate as well. : Before mobile trading apps and technologies were developed, people living across small towns and villages couldnt pursue trading, as most of them couldnt afford laptops or desktops. However, with mobile trading apps, the scenario has changed completely. Now, people from villages and small towns can participate as well. Trading tips and advice: If youre new to the world of cryptocurrency and stock trading, you may feel a bit lost. More importantly, you may end up making some really poor investment decisions owing to your inexperience. Thankfully, many mobile trading apps these days feature detailed tutorials to help you get started. By following the advice provided by these apps, you can make well-informed, low-risk investments. Perhaps the only limitation that mobile trading apps have is that due to the small screen, traders cant simultaneously view multiple charts, which is possible on laptops and desktops. Most mobile apps also dont allow traders to place bracket orders. However, as developers of mobile trading apps are working round-the-clock to come up with innovative solutions to existing problems, you can be sure that in the near future, the gaps will be bridged. 2020 mobile trading stats 2020 has seen the world being turned topsy-turvy by the coronavirus pandemic, and as lockdown restrictions forced traders to stay at home, the use of mobile trading apps significantly increased. While only 24% of clients used mobile trading platforms for trading on NSE back in May 2019, the percentage went up to a whopping 45 in May 2020. Advertisement Similar observations were made for the BSE as well, which witnessed a jump in mobile trading to 11.72% in April 2020 from 5.35% in April 2019. As the world waits with bated breath for a vaccine to end the nightmare of the COVID-19 pandemic, more and more traders are sure to take to mobile platforms. All in all, Android as a trading platform is here to stay and in a few years, its bound to become even bigger and better, facilitating greater convenience to traders across the length and breadth of India. WASHINGTON - A Trump health appointee who is accused of trying to muzzle an important scientific publication in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic apologized Tuesday for a separate video in which he reportedly says scientists battling the virus are conspiring against President Donald Trump and warns of shooting in America if Trump loses the election. Michael Caputo, the top spokesman for the Department of Health and Human Services, apologized to his staff for the Facebook video, said an administration official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal matters. The department is standing by Caputo so far in the face of calls by congressional Democrats for his dismissal and for the resignation of his boss, HHS Secretary Alex Azar. But Caputo, a Trump loyalist and former New York political operative, has become a significant new problem for a White House that has struggled all year with its coronavirus response. He can be heard on an HHS podcast asserting that Democrats dont want a coronavirus vaccine before the election in order to punish Trump. Although Trump has made the same assertion, with no evidence to support it, such broadsides are not in a department spokesmans normal portfolio. News reports alleged last week that Caputos office tried to take over and muzzle a scientific weekly from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that publishes what is supposed to be authoritative, unvarnished information about disease-fighting efforts, including, most importantly at present, COVID-19. Then on Monday came an account of the video on Caputos personal Facebook page in which he accused government scientists of conspiring against Trump and suggested violence could break out after the election. Caputo was named the top HHS spokesman in April, during a tense period in relations between the White House and HHS Secretary Alex Azar. On a taxpayer-funded podcast earlier this summer he accused Democrats and the media of not wanting a coronavirus vaccine until after the elections in order to defeat Trump. There are people in the United States government on the Democrats side ... (who) do not want a vaccine, he said. They dont want a vaccine until November 4th, he added, citing the day after the presidential election. Its highly unusual to use an agency communications platform for such a blatantly political message. Over the weekend, Caputo made headlines when Politico and The New York Times reported that his office had tried to gain control over a CDC publication known as the MMWR, or Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. In previous administrations, political appointees in the HHS secretarys office maintained a hands-off policy. The story took a strange turn Monday, after the Times reported about a live video hosted by Caputo on his personal Facebook page. In it, Caputo reportedly accused government scientists of conspiring against Trump as part of a resistance. The message turned apocalyptic when Caputo reportedly predicted that Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden would refuse to concede defeat to Trump in the election, and violence would break out. The Associated Press was unable to independently view the video. HHS supported Caputo, with a statement calling him a critical, integral part of the presidents coronavirus response, leading on public messaging as Americans need public health information to defeat the COVID-19 pandemic. There was no immediate statement from the White House. Attempts to interview Caputo were unsuccessful. On Capitol Hill, Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., called on Azar to fire Caputo, accusing the spokesman of trying to interfere with CDC reports. And Senate Minority leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., called on Azar himself to resign, citing interference with the CDC as one example of what he termed the administrations failures. Officials at CDC have privately complained of recent efforts by political appointees at HHS to try to edit or press for changes in the agencys weekly MMWR publications, a go-to resource for public health professionals. MMWR articles are technical, but they reveal telling details. One published earlier this year noted that while Trumps travel restrictions dramatically reduced travel from China in February, nothing was being done at that time to restrict travel from Italy and Europe, where the coronavirus was spreading widely and rapidly. Analysis of virus samples from hard-hit New York in March suggested it was introduced there from Europe and other parts of the U.S., the CDC article reported. Caputo is an unswerving Trump loyalist. His recent book, The Ukraine Hoax, claims the presidents phony impeachment was rooted in a vast conspiracy. His appointment at HHS was seen as an attempt by the White House to exert more control over Azar, whom other administration officials were trying to blame for the governments slow response in the initial weeks of the pandemic. At HHS, hes been closely affiliated with Operation Warp Speed, the governments effort to have millions of doses of a COVID-19 vaccine ready for distribution as soon as one is approved by the Food and Drug Administration. Caputo interviewed Dr. Moncef Slaoui, a top outside adviser to the vaccine effort, on an HHS podcast July 31. Commiserating with Slaoui over Democrats and news articles that were critical of the doctor, Caputo said: I know thats hard to believe, but the people who are abusing you, and who are beating down Operation Warp Speed, and the incredible historic work thats going on, they dont want a vaccine until November 4th. I dont want to talk about politics here, but November 3rd is an important day. They dont want a vaccine now because of politics, sir. ___ Associated Press news researcher Jennifer Farrar contributed to this report. The United States Harness Writers Association has announced details regarding a free handicapping contest that will be occurring online on Little Brown Jug Day, Thursday, September 24. USHWA will host the handicapping contest on Scott Albergs Facebook page. One of the Little Brown Jug elimination divisions will be the special race that contestants will be challenged to handicap. All you have to do is select the correct exacta (first two official finishers in the race). Players must submit their starting post position by number. USHWA's Ohio chapter is sponsoring the three prizes that will be given away. First place will receive a $150 gift card; second place a $75 gift card; and third place a gift box with 30 different popular candy bars in it. Scott Alberg, the 2006 National Harness Handicapping Champion, who also has numerous other handicapping titles, has been a Standardbred owner in the past, and has agreed to partner with USHWA as the contests title sponsor. To enter the free contest, fans must head to Scott Albergs Facebook page (facebook.com/scott.alberg.3), where the contest will be prominently displayed. Entries will be accepted beginning Tuesday, September 22. Alberg, as he has done in the past, will run the contest. Participants have until 10:00 a.m. Thursday morning (Sept. 24) to enter the contest. All rules and regulations will be posted for the contest. Anyone who is not on Facebook can still enter the contest by sending in their selections via email to [email protected]. USHWA members Garnet and Nicholas 'Ace' Barnsdale will host the Facebook Live drawing to determine the contest winners at 8:00 p.m. Thursday, September 24 at facebook.com/USHarnessWriters. For more information, check out Scott Albergs Facebook Page, USHWAs Facebook Page, Twitter and Instagram accounts or the USHWA website (usharnesswriters.com). A list of prize winners is available anytime from either Scott Albergs Facebook or via email at [email protected]. All current USHWA members are not eligible for the contest. (With files from USHWA) Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk's departments and agencies spent an average of more than $1000 a week on alcohol last year, prompting opposition claims of a "toxic culture of splurge" within the government. New figures reveal the departments and agencies that fall under Ms Palaszczuk's responsibility spent $59,938 on alcohol at 99 functions from July 2019 until June 2020. Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk says alcohol is only served at functions when it is deemed "appropriate to the circumstances". Credit:Annastacia Palaszczuk/Facebook. Ms Palaszczuk defended the spending, which was used to offer beer and wine to "foreign dignitaries" and at events to help connect "Queensland sellers with overseas buyers or to connect potential overseas investors with Queensland project opportunities". She said alcohol was also offered at investiture ceremonies for Australian honours and awards, including the Queensland Bravery Award event, hosted by the Governor at Government House. Prosecutor General Iryna Venediktova announces three criminal proceedings in the case involving Wagner Private Military Company (PMC) members. "We have three criminal proceedings against the Wagner members," Venediktova said at a plenary session of the Verkhovna Rada on Tuesday. According to her, the first of these criminal proceedings was opened immediately after information appeared in media. "The SBI reacted immediately and the investigation continues," said Venediktova. As reported, on July 29, 33 members of the Wagner PMC were detained near Minsk. On August 12, the Office of the Prosecutor General (Ukraine) applied to the General Prosecutor's Office of the Republic of Belarus with requests to extradite 28 members of Russian private military company "Wagner"." All 28 persons, including nine citizens of Ukraine, were informed about suspicion of participation in a terrorist organization (part 1 of Article 258-3 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine), reported the press service of the Prosecutor General's Office. The Ukrainian side stated that these persons "took an active part in hostilities in the territory of Donetsk and Luhansk regions as part of Russia-occupation forces under the "Luhansk People's Republic" and "Donetsk People's Republic, "LPR " and "DPR," respectively. Belarus on August 14 handed over 32 of 33 detained Wagner PMC fighters to Russia. On August 18, Ukrainian media outlets reported that Security Service of Ukraine and the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Defense Ministry were preparing an operation to detain members of Wagner PMC. According to the media, they were supposed to fly from Minsk to Istanbul. According to the plan, one of the passengers would fake sickness during the flight forcing the plane to make an emergency landing in Kyiv, where the Wagner PMC fighters were to be detained. The media claimed that the operation was reported to President Volodymyr Zelensky and President's Office Head Andriy Yermak. Belarusian secret services learned of the operation after the information was leaked. The information was denied by the authorities. So, the head of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine Kyrylo Budanov said that the trip of the Wagner PMC militants, during which they were detained in Belarus, was a special operation of the Russian special services. The head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Andriy Yermak interpreted the information about the alleged involvement of the Ukrainian special services in the appearance and detention of Russian militants in Belarus as a deliberate misinformation. The Security Service of Ukraine also denied their involvement in the story with the appearance and detention of "Wagner members" in Belarus. On September 4, the European Solidarity faction demanded the creation of an interim commission of inquiry to investigate the facts of involvement of top Ukrainian officials in extradition of the Wagner members from Belarus to Russia. On September 12, the Security Service of Ukraine started criminal proceedings on a possible leak of information about the operation to detain members of the Wagner PMC. Reading, PA (19601) Today Partly cloudy and very cold. Near or below zero wind chills again late at night towards sunrise. . Tonight Partly cloudy and very cold. Near or below zero wind chills again late at night towards sunrise. Reporter Ben Zigterman is a reporter covering business at The News-Gazette. His email is bzigterman@news-gazette.com, and you can follow him on Twitter (@bzigterman). South Koreans returned to gyms and coffee shops today as the country eased social distancing rules for two weeks after a decline in cases. After suppressing an early Covid-19 surge with extensive testing and tracing, South Korea has battled several spikes in recent weeks, mainly in the Seoul region which is home to half the country's 52million people. But new cases have fallen to around 100 per day compared to a peak of more than 400 in a day in late August, meaning restrictions can be loosened. Starting this week, coffee shops can resume sit-down service while restaurants and bakeries are returning to normal hours - but tougher measures will return ahead of a three-day national holiday in late September and early October. Infections in South Korea have been dropping again after a summer spike which brought the worst single-day increases since March South Koreans wearing masks on a Seoul subway train on Tuesday as restrictions are loosened this week following a gradual decline in cases In the early days of the pandemic, South Korea was one of the first countries outside China to be heavily affected, with nearly 3,000 cases in the month of February. While the crisis spiralled out of control in Europe and the Americas in March and April, South Korea brought the epidemic to a near-standstill with a widely-praised testing and tracing scheme. Cases started picking up again in late summer, with infections rising by nearly 300 per cent from July to August, leading to new restrictions. The 441 new cases on August 27 were the most since March, but cases have slowed since then with only 106 new positive tests announced today, the fewest in a month. Seoul was responsible for 32 of today's new cases, while another 39 were in the Gyeonggi-do region which surrounds the capital. Meanwhile, deaths remain low with only 367 fatalities since the start of the pandemic - although there have been 43 in the last two weeks compared to 18 in the previous fortnight. Around 3,100 people are currently in quarantine in South Korea, with nearly 400 released from isolation in the last 24 hours. A woman wearing a mask works out at Chungwoon Sporex gym as fitness centres were allowed to re-open with appropriate hygiene measures Commuters get off a train during rush hour in Seoul this morning with most of the country's new cases coming in or near the capital city Prime minister Chung Sye-kyun told a government meeting on Sunday that measures would be eased in the Seoul metropolitan area for two weeks. 'We're not in a situation to relax yet but the effect of tightened quarantine measures has been showing little by little,' he said. 'The number of daily infections is still not dropping to double-digits and it isn't yet a situation where measures can be significantly relaxed, as one out of four people's path of transmission is untraceable.' The easing means that franchise coffee shops can resume normal operations after previously being limited to takeaways. Restaurants and bakeries will return to normal hours, while indoor gyms and hagwons - private cram schools - can open their doors again. But Chung warned of tougher social distancing rules during the Chuseok holiday - the Korean harvest festival - from September 30 to October 2. A woman sits at a cafe table with a tray of food in Seoul today after coffee shops were allowed to resume indoor service A woman wearing a mask looks at her phone on board a subway train in Seoul this morning Chuseok is one of the country's biggest holidays with millions travelling across the country to visit family in the nation's largest annual migration. Although officials had earlier asked the public to skip the annual tradition, local reports said hotels at popular vacation spots were fully booked for the holiday. 'The long weekend is forecast to be the biggest crisis for quarantine efforts against Covid-19 in the second half of the year,' Chung said. Restrictions on large gatherings will remain, with nightclubs and karaoke bars still closed, authorities said. Indoor gatherings are limited to 50 people and outdoor gatherings to 100, while spectators are banned from sporting events. In addition, restaurants and cafes are still required to restrict seating and take their customers' names and contact details. Paris, France (PANA) - Clampdowns on the media have increased sharply in 2020, the UN cultural agency said on Monday, highlighting 21 protests around the world this year in which State security forces have violated journalists rights Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Echo Wang and Greg Roumeliotis (Reuters) Tue, September 15, 2020 10:33 493 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c44def90 2 Science & Tech Bytedance,TikTok,oracle,China,united-states,Donald-Trump,Microsoft Free Oracle Corp said on Monday it would team up with China's ByteDance to keep TikTok operating in the United States, beating Microsoft Corp in a deal structured as a partnership rather than an outright sale. ByteDance, TikTok's Beijing-based owner, had been in talks to divest the US business of its hugely popular short-video app to Oracle or Microsoft after US President Donald Trump ordered the sale last month and said he might otherwise shut it down. While TikTok is best known for dancing videos that go viral among teenagers, US officials are concerned user information could be passed to China's Communist Party government. TikTok, which has as many as 100 million US users, has said it would never share such data with Chinese authorities. Sale negotiations were upended when China updated its export control rules last month, giving it a say over the transfer of TikTok's algorithm to a foreign buyer. Reuters reported last week that China would rather see TikTok shut down in the United States than allow a forced sale. Oracle said it was part of a proposal submitted by ByteDance to the US Treasury Department over the weekend in which Oracle would serve as TikTok's "trusted technology provider." Oracle shares were up 6.3 percent. Under ByteDance's latest proposal, Oracle would assume management of TikTok's US user data, sources told Reuters on Sunday. Oracle is also negotiating taking a stake in TikTok's US operations, the sources added. The TikTok user data is currently stored in Alphabet Inc's cloud, with a backup in Singapore. Some of ByteDance's top investors, including General Atlantic and Sequoia, will also be given minority stakes in those operations, one of the sources said. Read also: TikTok rejects Microsoft buyout offer, Oracle sole remaining bidder Precedent It is unclear whether Trump, who wants a US technology company to own most of TikTok in the United States, will approve the deal. US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin told CNBC on Monday the administration would review it this week. "I will just say from our standpoint, we'll need to make sure that the code is, one, secure, Americans' data is secure, that the phones are secure and we'll be looking to have discussions with Oracle over the next few days with our technical teams," he said. Mnuchin said the deadline to approve a deal was Sept. 20 and that the current proposal included a commitment to create a US-headquartered company with 20,000 new jobs. The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), which reviews deals for national security risk, is overseeing the ByteDance-Oracle talks, and Mnuchin said there would also be a separate national security review by the Trump administration. "User data protection and assurances around how the company's algorithms push content to U.S. users are thoughtful components of a substantive solution, but whether they can change political outcomes is a much more difficult question," said regulatory lawyer John Kabealo, who is not involved in the talks. ByteDance plans to argue that CFIUS' approval two years ago of China Oceanwide Holdings Group Co Ltd's purchase of US insurer Genworth Financial Inc offers a precedent for its proposal with Oracle, the sources said. In that deal, China Oceanwide agreed to use a US-based, third-party service to manage Genworth's U.S. policyholder data. ByteDance will argue a similar arrangement with Oracle can safeguard TikTok's US user data, the sources said. "We can confirm that we've submitted a proposal to the Treasury Department which we believe would resolve the Administration's security concerns," TikTok said in a statement, without disclosing further details. ByteDance and Oracle did not respond to requests for comment. The White House declined to comment. China's foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin declined to comment on Monday when asked at a press conference about the TikTok deal, but said TikTok was being "encircled" and "coerced" in the United States into a transaction. "We urge the US government to provide an open, fair, just and non-discriminatory environment for foreign firms operating and investing in the United States," he said. Read also: China would rather see TikTok US close than a forced sale: Sources Ellison and Trump Oracle's chairman Larry Ellison is one of the tech world's few Trump supporters. His firm has significant technological prowess in handling and safeguarding data, but no social media experience as its clientele comprises companies, rather than consumers. On Sunday, Microsoft said it had been informed by ByteDance that the Chinese firm would not be selling it TikTok's US operations. Walmart Inc, which had joined Microsoft's bid, said it was still interested in investing, and that it would talk further with ByteDance and other parties. As Sino-US relations deteriorate over trade, Hong Kong's autonomy, cybersecurity and the spread of the coronavirus, TikTok has emerged as a flashpoint. As many as 40 percent of Americans back Trump's threat to ban TikTok if it is not sold to a US buyer, a Reuters/Ipsos national poll found last month. Among Republicans - Trump's party - 69 percent said they supported the order, though only 32 percent expressed familiarity with the app. The White House has stepped up efforts to purge what it deems "untrusted" Chinese apps from US digital networks. Beyond TikTok, Trump has also issued an order prohibiting transactions with Tencent Holding Ltd's messenger app WeChat. Earlier this year, Chinese gaming company Beijing Kunlun Tech Co Ltd sold gay dating app Grindr, bought in 2016, for $620 million after CFIUS ordered its divestment. ByteDance acquired Shanghai-based video app Musical.ly - whose user base was largely American - for $1 billion in 2017 without seeking CFIUS approval, relaunching it as TikTok the following year. Reuters reported last year that CFIUS was investigating TikTok. By Walter Mosley Grove. 336 pp. $26 - - - It might not be a good time to be "The Awkward Black Man" in America. The title of Walter Mosley's new collection of 17 short stories is one that could create suspicion if left on a bookshelf alone. That could be a good thing. Mosley is a writer who has more fans than most ballparks these days. His reputation was blessed when Bill Clinton cited him as one of his favorite writers back in 1992. Mosley's Easy Rawlins mysteries made him a book club favorite and when his "Devil in a Blue Dress" was made into a film starring Denzel Washington - well, it was all Hollywood and literary lights from that moment on. Mosley, who was just awarded a lifetime achievement award from the National Book Foundation, has so many titles to his name that one could tire of eating carryout too often. But "The Awkward Black Man" is different. Mosley's stories seem to overlap when it comes to the type of Black men he writes about. In this collection, the men are usually over 50. They have physical shortcomings when it comes to being attractive to women, and love triangles abound. There are moments when one might prefer basic arithmetic to geometry. Mosley's men are working class and "first rung" middle-class bank types. At times, their actions are misunderstood. In "Pet Fly," Rufus Coombs' giving of gifts to a fellow employee is interpreted as sexual harassment. Albert Roundhouse, in "Almost Alyce," is from a working-class family, but things fall apart, and he becomes homeless. Because of their age, the men in Mosley's world have difficulty starting over again. Their cards have been played and not even sex can provide comfort. In "Leading From the Affair," Frank Lassiter wonders, "What did younger women want with older men except for security and then marriage?" If stories can be haunted by their own narrative, then "The Awkward Black Man" is a must-read for the retired. Mosley explores the same themes in his fiction that the poet Donald Hall examined in his memoirs. How does one squeeze words into that last cup of tenderness? One of the best stories in this book, "The Letter," explores the different degrees of life, from infidelities to suicide, and in relationships, not just with women, but between fathers and sons. Mosley's reference to "One Hundred Years of Solitude," by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, carries the story forward, blessing his fiction like holy water in the back of a cathedral. "The Letter" is what one reads after listening to "Kind of Blue" by the Miles Davis sextet. One classic deserves another. But where one might find a glossary or appendix in a nonfiction book, Mosley closes with "An Unlikely Series of Conversations." This short story is what might be considered a "coaster," something you include in a collection simply to prevent a stain on the table. What doesn't work are the references to race and identity. The character Laertes Jackson sounds too much like Cornel West without a suit. What can make African American literature "awkward" is when race becomes the center of things and we only see the sun and not the moon. What shouldn't be overlooked before putting the book down is the gem "The Black Woman in the Chinese Hat." Here is Rufus Coombs again, and here is Walter Mosley perhaps leaving clues and creating a mystery between two short stories. Is it the same Rufus? This story is so nice and New York that Rufus and the woman, Chai, eventually find themselves on the Staten Island Ferry. The sex between them is as casual as their conversation earlier in the day. When Mosley ends this story, Chai's touch lingers. "The Awkward Black Man" is a collection that meditates on health, aging and life. It's the type of book that can restore one's balance without a cane. - - - Miller is a poet, memoirist and literary activist. He hosts the weekly WPFW morning radio show "On the Margin." President Donald Trump said Tuesday that he had Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad lined up for assassination but was talked out of it by his former Defense Secretary Jim Mattis. Trump made the admission when he called into 'Fox & Friends,' confirming reporting from Bob Woodward's first book on his administration, 'Fear,' which was released two years ago, that Trump wanted to take out Assad after he used chemical weapons on his people in April 2017. Trump had denied the claim previously. 'I would have rather taken him out. I had him all set. Mattis didn't want to do it. Mattis was a highly overrated general. And I let him go,' Trump Tuesday. According to Woodward's 2018 book 'Fear,' the commander-in-chief called Mattis to give the order and said: 'Let's f***ing kill him! Let's go in. Let's kill the f***ing lot of them.' Mattis agreed to the order to the president's face and then had aides prepare a plan to strike Assad's resources in a 'much more measured' way, Woodward wrote. That was what happened, with airstrikes by cruise missile against limited targets. President Donald Trump said Tuesday that he did want to have Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad killed, confirming reporting in Bob Woodward's 2018 book about the Trump administration, 'Fear' Trump said on Fox & Friends Tuesday morning when he called in, 'I would have rather taken him out. I had him all set. Mattis didn't want to do it. Mattis was a highly overrated general. And I let him go' Trump wanted to assassinate Bashar al-Assad (pictured) after he used chemical weapons on Syrians in April 2017. Trump said Tuesday he didn't regret not taking the change, though he called al-Assad 'certainly not a good person' Trump denied specifically in 2018, when Woodward's book Fear was published, that an assassination of Assad was ever planned. 'No, that was never even contemplated, nor would it be contemplated,' he said then. Killing a world leader would have been a first for the U.S. in any form, although in March 2003, the first airstrikes on Iraq were targeted at a compound in Baghdad after a false intelligence report that Saddam Hussein was present. It would have shattered relations with Russia, who have seen Assad as a key ally and continue to do so - but it would have drawn a pointed contrast with the Obama administration. The disclosure by Trump is the latest salvo over Mattis, his first defense secretary. Mattis spoke to Woodward for Woodward's new book, 'Rage,' released Tuesday, prompting the question on Fox & Friends about the claim in his previous book about Mattis' reaction to the order to kill Assad. 'Rage' contains quotes from the ex-DOD chief where he describes the president as 'dangerous,' 'unfit' and with 'no moral compass.' Trump said on 'Fox & Friends' that he fired Mattis, although the general told Woodward that he quit in December 2018 'when I was basically directed to do something that I thought went beyond stupid to felony stupid.' That 'something' was an order to pull U.S. troops out of Syria. After he left the administration, he and Dan Coats, the former director of national intelligence, discussed whether they should take 'collective action' and come out publicly against Trump. During his Tuesday talk with 'Fox & Friends' hosts, Trump went off on Mattis calling him a 'terrible general' and a 'bad leader.' 'And he wasn't doing the job with ISIS. He was not doing the job with Syria or Iraq with respect to ISIS. I got rid of ISIS after he was gone. I did a great job with ISIS, 100 per cent of the caliphate,' Trump boasted. The president was referring to his former Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, who talked to Woodward for the jouralist's new book and said that Trump was 'dangerous,' 'unfit' and with 'no moral compass' The president said he didn't regret not killing Assad in April 2017. 'I would have lived either way with that,' Trump said, noting that the Syrian dictator is 'certainly not a good person.' But, Trump continued, 'Mattis was against it. Mattis was against most of that stuff.' 'He would keep you in military, but he didn't know how to win,' Trump said. 'He had no concept as to win.' Trump's attempted order to kill Assad was issued after a chemical gas attack - suspected of being sarin nerve agent - on the Syrian town of Khan Sheikhoun, which led to the agonizing deaths of 86 people including at least 27 children. Harrowing footage showed adults and children staggering through the town's streets, foam pouring from their mouths as they fought to breathe. When the airstrikes which Trump then ordered took place, on April 6 2017, Trump said he had acted in America's 'vital national security interest' to prevent the use of chemical weapons. He said: 'Using a deadly nerve agent, Assad choked out the lives of helpless men, women and children. 'It was a slow and brutal death for so many. Even beautiful babies were cruelly murdered in this very barbaric attack. 'No child of God should ever suffer such horror.' Speaking from his Mar-a-Lago estate, he added: 'There can be no dispute that Syria used banned chemical weapons, violated its obligations under the chemical weapons convention, and ignored the urging of the UN security council. 'Years of previous attempts at changing Assad's behavior have all failed and failed very dramatically. 'As a result, the refugee crisis continues to deepen and the region continues to destabilize, threatening the United States and its allies. Smoke could be seen rising from the Homs airbase targeted by US missile strikes. The military action has already sparked a furious response from President Vladimir Putin, who this morning called the airstrikes an 'illegal act of aggression' 'Tonight I call on all civilized nations to join us in seeking to end the slaughter and bloodshed in Syria, and also to end terrorism of all kinds and all types.' Prior to the speech, Trump had entertained his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, and their wives at a formal dinner, Less than two hours after the dinner began, the US military fired 59 Tomahawk missiles at the Assad controlled al-Shayrat military airfield near Homs at 8.45pm eastern time - 4.45am local time - killing at least five and injuring many more. But the military action sparked a furious response from President Vladimir Putin, who called the airstrikes an 'illegal act of aggression'. The strikes won broad international support from U.S. allies, with Canada, the UK and France behind the moves, and behind similar strikes in 2018, again prompted by apparent chemical weapons use. Trump's strike was intended to set a different tone to the actions of the Obama administration, which had set a 'red line in the sand' over the use of chemical weapons by Assad against his own people as civil war raged in 2012, then eventually accepted a deal offered by Putin in which Assad would surrender his chemical weapons. It became clear later that the surrender of the weapons was only partial. Trump used what Republicans said was the indecision and weakness to hit Hillary Clinton in a 2016 presidential debate, and his campaign tied it to the rise of ISIS - although Clinton was not in office at the time, and the link to ISIS was uncertain. This exhibit developed in response to the Covid-19 crisis in NYC unfolding daily right outside gallery windows. Artist lights up. It was MARCH! 2020 Exhibited works in ConTEMPO 2020' developed in response to the Covid-19 crisis in NYC unfolding daily right outside exhibition gallery windows. Starting amid Womens History Month, Artist MVR lights up with the spirit of caregiving and activism associated with it. It was MARCH! 2020. Presented by OnTheFringeNYC (onthefringenyc.com) | 72 Warren St. Gallery, 'ConTempo 2020 NYC INNOVATIONS' is a solo exhibition of translucent mixed media works by Michael Victor MVR, a New York artist. Exhibition dates are September 19-30, 2020. Open TuesdaySunday 12pm-8pm and by appointment, the exhibition is viewable from storefront window at all hours. In addition, videos of current & upcoming works are projected large onto the back wall nightly for street-viewing until 12am. Due to COVID-19, this exhibition will not have an opening event. Gallery follows all NYC D.O.H. guidelines on occupancy, social distancing, and cleanliness. Masks required for entry. TEMPO 2020 INNOVATIONS (Timeline) March through September 2, 2020 WINTER MARCH 6___#LSCP Catalogue & #SheroesNY Series The exhibit began as a 2-week engagement to show MVRs extra-large #LSCP (Landscape) Pastels. Chief among them was the 2019 triptych titled 'The Landscape of 21C Lady Liberty', which laid the groundwork for related works to establish his #SheroesNY Series. Themes are such womens issues as domestic violence, MeToo and the long-awaited Equal Rights Amendment. In describing 2019's 'What Dont You Understand About No!', MVR wrote, "MeToo drove home the sheer bravery and mettle of women, individually and collectively, that brought hard-fought, long-overdue change in workplaces globally. All marks of heroism in act and results. SPRING MARCH 13-15___Backlit Fine Art Canvas of LED LIBERTIES (3) & 'ERA-4 Now' Works During the weekend of NYCs Covid-19 Lockdown, MVR advanced 4 SheroesNY works by backlighting the archival canvas print of each -- eventually with LED color strips. He developed a 5th work, 'Now We Are All United MARCH! 2020', to express the global ascent of Covid-19 and mark the historic Spring of 2020. He fine-tuned each canvas pictorially to 16 distinct RGB colors at their brightest. Pinpointing nuanced changes by illuminated light on original pastel color became subject of serious artistic investigation throughout Spring 2020. The results are stronger artworks on the canvases themselves, and gaining 16+ distinct artworks through each translucent canvas color. APRIL-MAY___Downlit LED Color on #LSCP Catalogue Works MVR saw that downlit LED colors on #LSCP Pastels on paper have similar provocative, stirring effects, their protective Plexiglas adding diffuse sfumato effect on the LED light rays. Natural features sky, trees, water, stars -- within the works become animated by simple transitions in LED color, similar to what transpires in real landscapes. Given that mood of real or painted landscapes -- owing to varying light conditions --is always changing, LED color pushes the limit of dramatic mood shifts on artistic works. When works downlit with LED color are combined with LED backlit canvases, the gallery becomes a kaleidoscope of dynamic yet harmonious color, when random or set more uniform. These night views raise the question: why limit art and appreciation of it solely to daytime hours and brightly-lit interiors of museums and galleries -- given that half our lives are spent in, or alongside, darkness of night? SUMMER JULY 4___#Zo-omBoxNY When MVR saw his microscopic pxims project to 9 high with startling success, he began Zo-omBoxNY to show videos of upcoming works. Visitors of 'ConTEMPO 2020' can look in storefront windows and see these videos safely while practicing social distancing from the spacious streetscape along Warren St. Access to the gallery is very easy on foot, by bike path, car, and subway. All artworks in the exhibit are available for sale. To help with the pandemic MVR and Fringe Owner, Afrim Jashiri, agreed to donate 15% of sales to NYC Hospital Covid-19 Relief Fund. Says MVR, I thank Afrim for his support and the opportunity to exhibit here. The space in essence became my exhibition 'laboratory during these first 6 months of the pandemic. Exhibition Series are organized by keywords in Google Search Images and by hashtags on Instagram @mvr_xlworks, FB @mvr.xlworks, and mvr-art.com. About Artist Michael Victor MVR NYS Landscape Architect & pxImpressionist Artist MVR developed as a Painter and Pastel Artist during a long career as a Landscape Architect. Keyword links below are to marquee Lower Manhattan projects he led nearby 72 Warren St. The two creative disciplines that very naturally went hand-in-hand eventually merged. The result is the XL Process that create his XL Works on exhibit inside gallery windows. XL Process: By-Hand microscopic pxIm-pressions/pxims are refined by #pxPaint, magnified, and brought to light of day on Zo-om Print media in entire works, then hand-finished. More at mvr-art.com aka zo-om.com. On video: FBIG Shorts 2020 Vimeo. With Covid-19, the power of what we cant see readily --like pxims-- is undeniable. With pxims of 2020 Works, I felt I was fighting fire with fire, with a sense of urgency. 'Peter Minuit Landscape __Plaza at Staten Island Ferry/ MTA South Ferry Station '9A NYC Landscape __West Street Promenade along National 9/11 Memorial Gallery owner says, MVR is a creative powerhouse who we are proud to partner with. Over the past 6 months we witnessed meticulous advances of #SheroesNY works, and the physical transformation of the 72 Warren Gallery, which is at the very core of our mission. We contribute to NYC Arts in many way to foster innovation; MVR embodies it. About OnTheFringeNYC | 72 Warren St. Gallery 72 Warren is a storefront space that might seem off the beaten path, but it brings together creativity and art in a way that transforms time and place. A space for creative professionals to have Art Exhibitions, Retail events, Book Launches and more, the team at 72 Warren St. finds that creativity begets creativity. Comprised of artists, stylists, and building tradesmen, since 2008 Mr. Jasharis team has placed art and retail clients in short-term spaces in Manhattan and Chicago. MVR Art |72 Warren St. Gallery 72 Warren St. New York, New York 10007 E: mvr@mvr-art.com Instagram Linkedin https://www.mvr-art.com/ Germany's top virologist, Christian Drosten, is back with his popular podcast after his summer holiday - essential listening wherever you are, although it's in the German language. He is causing quite a stir, calling for shorter quarantine periods and saying how wearing a mask can not only save your life, it can also reduce comments about halitosis, which is more commonly known as bad breath. "With bad breath, these are aerosols. If two co-workers meet at a buffet without a mask, the other one notices the bad breath. But they don't notice if they are wearing a mask," Prof Drosten said on the podcast. His good looks and irascible charm have made him a rock star in Germany. Not too many virologists can lay claim to that, although our own Dr Ronan Glynn has a swelling fanbase. Germany has had relatively low Covid-19 infection and death rates - 249,000 confirmed cases and 9,322 fatalities. The government's proactive measures to slow the spread were largely orchestrated by Prof Drosten. Estimates are that, without early testing and research, between 50,000 to 100,000 more coronavirus deaths would have occurred in Germany. Combined with the view that Chancellor Angela Merkel acted decisively, and wariness about a second wave notwithstanding, the overall feeling in Germany is that the war on coronavirus is being won. Schools are back and most people are back at work, within certain constraints. There are cases in schools, but they are quickly isolated and dealt with. The sight of face masks on the tram and subway network remind us that things are not normal. As does news that the police unit responsible for handling burglaries in downtown Berlin has all been quarantined. There are also perspex "spit guards" dividing workspaces in offices and factories, and the regular reminders to socially distance and wear masks. And it's not just bad-breath analogies. Prof Drosten, of the Charite research hospital in Berlin, has suggested shortening the quarantine period for people suspected of having Covid-19 from 14 days to five days. "There's already a thesis that after five days we say the infectious period is actually over. What can you do, in reality, so that you don't have a de facto lockdown? It's no use having all kinds of school classes, all kinds of workplaces under weeks of quarantine," he said. Of course, the recent sight of thousands of people protesting at the Brandenburg Gate against measures to slow the spread of the virus is not a good look. The protesters were a weird mix of neo-Nazis, tinfoil hat-wearing conspiracy theorists, supporters of the anti-vaccination movement, and old-school hippies. But there were also some people in attendance worried about their livelihoods. They waved banners saying "dictatorship disguised as health policy - beware", "corona is a political ghost" and "we want our life back". The demonstrators are really only fringe elements when you look at the polls. Two-thirds of Germans are satisfied with what they see as how Mrs Merkel's governing grand coalition of her Christian Democrats (CDU), the allied Bavarian Christian Social Union (CSU) and the Social Democrats (SPD) has handled the crisis. Not since 1997 has such a large proportion of Germany's population been so satisfied with the government. And Mrs Merkel herself is widely viewed as having handled the crisis well. She enters her final year as chancellor with an impressive 72pc approval rating. Her background as a scientist, plus her uncanny ability to assess the broader sentiment of the people, has served her well. Germany's success was achieved without keeping elderly people locked in, though the average age of people who die from the pandemic is 81, so perhaps Ireland's move for a strong lockdown of older people was the right one. The ambiguity about face masks that one experiences in Ireland is shared in Germany. Even Prof Drosten admits the face mask issue is "complex". Some 55pc of respondents oppose French-style mandatory-mask rules for the workplace. And 66pc are against mandatory face masks in classrooms for schoolchildren. In practice, schoolchildren wear masks most of the time when they are not sitting at their desks and social distancing is strictly enforced. The area Germany has done best in is probably that of testing. Prof Drosten's unit at the Charite developed one of the world's first diagnostic tests for the virus, and they made it quickly available to the whole country and beyond, including Ireland. Manufacturing switched to test kits. They quickly made it available to the country's public hospitals and research laboratories, as well as a nationwide network of about 200 privately owned labs. Canadians look and sound and act very much like us. And theyre just up there. The biggest difference is they have a government that works, led by people who respect facts and science and logic. So said American economist Robert Reich, a Clinton Democrat and someone who should know better. Reich was reacting to our then-improving stats that showed we had no new COVID-19 deaths on Sept. 11, the first time since March 15. Charming and wise as Reich is, he clearly knows very few Canadians. If he has indeed met the American-type Canadians he posits, I will equally generalize, and say that they must be crass, loud, paranoid, misogynist, child-caging mastodons with bombs bursting in their anthem and handguns-in-their-pants-type Canadians. I have not met any of these myself. I do get elaborate death threats from a man who lives in a trailer, in Kamloops, I think. Perhaps Reich had a light lunch Cobb salad and a spritzer with this intense singular Canadian and drew vast unsubstantiated conclusions. It is very easy to differentiate Canadians from Americans. Canadians wear thick-soled shoes, even on formal occasions. They have a friendly artless mien but watch out, they can be manipulative. They hibernate in summer, but enjoy winter visitors. The Canadian for hello is jojo. American visitors, heres how to impress a Canadian: say I have paid off my mortgage. Speak loudly and clearly. Heres how to start a conversation: Say, Well, Canada has a few problems. Canadians will, cobra-like, snap to attention and best the Americans. Actually, we have a ton of problems and follow up with some minor self-praise. But we dont really litter, or sue, and we buy cannabis in stores that have a cool but raw vibe, Apple Store combined with cottagecore, which is nice. The Canadian will have won, but not in a way that is apparent to the American, which is where Reich first landed on the beach of completely misunderstanding his northern neighbour. There are other differences. Canada does not have a Rasputin, the mad, filthy, beardy priest who drew the Empress Alexandra and the Romanov family into his dark web. How could so pitiful a wretch throw so vast a shadow? a Petrograd citizen wrote after Rasputin was poisoned, shot and drowned to death in 1916. Donald Trump is mad for Rasputin types and has welcomed many: Steve Bannon, the unwashed, septic-faced, double-shirted man of mystery; Roger Stone, the Nixonite Ukraine-hound imp with Prussian scientist glasses and statement hats; and Stephen Miller, a Uriah Heep doing a Goebbels imitation with expel rather than exterminate but who knows what a second Trump term might bring. British Prime Minister Boris Johnsons Rasputin is the sinister and duplicitous Dominic Cummings, a misfit in a grad-student hoodie armed with 360 degrees of indifference to the deaths of his countrymen. Canadians dont do sinister, at least not well. Stephen Harper was his own Rasputin, which doesnt count. Alberta Premier Jason Kenney is a rigid ideologue but so were most Alberta premiers. Canadians and Americans differ in more important ways, of course. If you, an American visitor to Toronto, hear fighter planes overhead at the yearly Canadian National Exhibition, dont say, Who are you bombing? Do say, Did no one think how awful that must be for Syrian refugees? You and the couple at the next table can then tut-tut together. You may even become friends. Its unlikely though because Americans are friendly and Canadians are not. If an American chokes on his steak, the whole restaurant has advice. In Canada, we look shiftily around the room and are secretly relieved when someone else does the Heimlich Manoeuvre, which we know. Now that person can be the centre of attention. Canadians hate that. A final advisory for Reich and his pals who think Canadians are basically Americans but with vestigial tails. Do not mention money, especially loudly. As in your salary, what you paid for your watch, and the room rate at your hotel. Best keep quiet and study Canadian animals in their natural habitat. Learn their ways, note how they quack/honk/growl. One day you will pass as Canadian, and then we still wont invite you to our homes because we dont do that. The ACT-A coordinating council aims to cooperate internationally on the basis of economic and investment conditions to fully finance the ACT-A program, mobilize political leadership and international support, actively mobilize more necessary resources, monitor resources and progress for rapid development, equitable distribution of vaccines and medical technologies against COVID-19, and treatment and diagnosis of COVID-19 for all health systems in countries. A health worker conducts a COVID-19 test at Thanh Nhan Hospital. (Photo: VNA) The ACT-A coordinating council is expected to operate for a period of 18 months, with 34 members comprising countries representing regional groups. Deputy Minister of Health Tran Van Thuan led the Vietnamese delegation to attend the first online meeting of the ACT-A coordination council, held on September 10, to adjust ACT-A's plan as a global solution to end the COVID-19 pandemic crisis, and restore the health system and global growth. Joining the Vietnamese delegation and addressing the meeting, Ambassador Le Thi Tuyet Mai, Head of the Permanent Representative Office of Vietnam to the United Nations, the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and other international organizations in Geneva, Switzerland, stressed that Vietnam welcomed the initiative to establish the council to help promote balanced access to vaccines and COVID-19 response technologies; highlighted recent activities and efforts of Vietnam and ASEAN in responding to COVID-19; and affirmed the commitments of ASEAN member countries to continue to strengthen solidarity and international cooperation in response to this pandemic, especially the activities of the ACT-A coordinating council to speed up equitable access and affordable prices for vaccines and COVID-19 response tools, promoting post-pandemic recovery. The meeting issued a statement of the ACT-A coordinating council, which emphasized that the ACT-A program was an integral part of the implementation of the 73rd World Health Assembly resolution and was responsive to the full commitment of G20 leaders on March 26. These programs and resolutions both emphasized the need for solutions to accelerate the development, and equitable and universal distribution of vaccines, diagnostic methods and COVID-19 treatments globally. The ACT-A program, launched on April 24, seeks a global solution with the goals of providing equitably at least 2 billion doses of vaccine by the end of 2021, with a focus on priority groups; providing 245 periods of treatment and 500 million tests to low-middle-income countries between now and mid-2021, in addition to providing personal protection and ventilators to countries in need./. The announcement was made at a press conference on September 14 by the event's co-organizers, the Vietnam Textile & Apparel Association (VITAS) and the US Cotton Council International (CCI) in Vietnam. The cotton show will be an opportunity for local manufacturers, retailers and exporters in the sector to participate in exchanges with partners of the US cotton industry. The online event will see the participation of great leaders, including former Wal-Mart Stores (WMT) CEO Michael Duke; director of global macro at Eurasia Group, Willis Sparks; President of the Vietnam Textile and Apparel Association, Vu Duc Giang; president of Cotton Council International (CCI), Ricky Clarke; president and CEO of the National Cotton Council of America (NCC), Gary Adams; CCI board chairman, Hank Reichle; and Executive Director of CCI, Bruce Atherley. They will provide the latest updates and information on the global cotton industry during coronavirus pandemic, the sustainable development goals of the US cotton industry and supporting measures for businesses affected by coronavirus. The Cotton Day was held for the first time in Vietnam in 2017. It has become the annual September event, attracting hundreds of enterprises and partners in the garment and textile industry in the country. Vietnam is the worlds third-largest importing country for cotton, reaching 1.5 million tons per year, including over 800,000 tons from the US, equivalent to 25 percent of total U.S. cotton exports. Cotton Council International (CCI) is a non-profit trade association that promotes U.S. cotton fiber and makes cotton products in more than 50 countries through 20 offices around the globe under its COTTON USA trademark. President of the Vietnam Textile and Apparel Association, Vu Duc Giang By Tieu Tan Translated by Kim Khanh SAN FRANCISCO, CA / ACCESSWIRE / September 14, 2020 / Bill Lockyer is the former State Treasurer of California. He also served as a state senator and as the Attorney General of California. Bill Lockyer Explains What a 401(k) Plan Is A 401(k) plan is a retirement account available to employees through their employers. When you add money to your 401(k), a portion of your salary is held back by your employer, and that money is placed in a fund that you'll receive upon retirement. The money is "tax-deferred" meaning that it's taken from your paycheck before taxes and won't be taxed until you access it when you retire. "Some employers offer what's called a '401(k) match'," explains Bill Lockyer. "That means they will match employee contributions up to a certain percentage with their own money. You should always take advantage of a match program if your employer offers it - it's basically free money!" Because 401(k) plans are meant for retirement, there are often heavy penalties for withdrawing the money before you're 59 . What Is A Pension Plan? Bill Lockyer Explains A pension plan is a retirement account funded and sponsored by your employer on your behalf. It is based on a formula that includes factors like age, salary, and how long you've worked with the company. "For example, your pension benefit may be two percent of your average salary for the last five years you were employed times your total years of service," explains Bill Lockyer. Over your years of employment, your employer makes contributions on your behalf and you receive regular predetermined payouts every month from the day you retire. Bill Lockyer Discusses the Difference Between 401(k) and Pension Plans "The major differences between 401(k)s and pension plans are who pays into them, who's in control of the money, and the guarantee of money during retirement," says Bill Lockyer. A pension plan is funded by your employer, while 401(k)s are funded by you - the employee. Remember that some employers do match employee contributions, but usually only up to around 3-6 percent of your salary. A 401(k) gives you control over your fund contributions - you can put as much or as little as you like into it. A pension plan is based on a formula so you can't put in extra. Pension plans guarantee a monthly check during retirement - usually until your death. A 401(k) offers no such guarantee. Your monthly allowance will depend on how much you contributed and the state of the market. Pension plans have existed for a long time, while 401(k)s are relatively new. However, there are very few companies left in America that offer pension plans. "401(k)s are much cheaper for companies," says Bill Lockyer. "Even if they offer a match, that requires an employee to invest in their 401(k), which an alarming majority of people don't do." Bill Lockyer encourages readers to invest in any retirement plans available through their employers. "And if they don't offer one, you need to be putting away at least 10 percent of your income somewhere to save for retirement. 12-15 percent is much safer." CONTACT: Caroline Hunter Web Presence, LLC +1 7865519491 SOURCE: Bill Lockyer View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/606090/Bill-Lockyer-Discusses-the-Difference-Between-a-401k-and-a-Pension-Plan (GRANT CITY, Mo.) The body of a 42-year-old woman reported missing late last month was found Monday by the Worth County Sheriffs Department. According to a news release from Worth County Prosecuting Attorney Janet Wake Larison, the body of Melissa Chapman was located after authorities received a tip at about 5 p.m. Monday. Chapman, of Grant City, was last seen alive in Mount Ayr, Iowa on Aug. 23. Her van and cell phone were found abandoned in Mount Ayr shortly after. Friends and family held a vigil last Wednesday in hopes of bringing attention to Chapmans disappearance. Sherry Hinton, a longtime friend of Chapmans, said the mother of three wouldnt have disappeared for weeks without checking in on her children. Hinton previously told KQ2, Chapman was in an abusive relationship prior to her disappearance and was set to testify against her abuser in an upcoming criminal case. According to Larisons news release, the homicide investigation is ongoing and no details will be given out. The first scholarships will be awarded next fall. The new scholarship program connects the world's largest maker of silicon carbide devices with a Greensboro university with some No. 1 rankings of its own. Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} A&T is the largest four-year historically Black college and university in the United States and for years has been the nation's top producer of Black students with bachelor's degrees in engineering. In Monday's U.S. News & World Report's annual college rankings, A&T was tied for first as America's best public HBCU. It also was the top-ranked HBCU on the U.S. News list of undergraduate engineering programs. Gregg Lowe, Cree's president and chief executive officer, knows the university from hiring A&T students as interns and A&T graduates as full-time employees. The idea for the scholarship program emerged after the controversy involving George Floyd, the Minneapolis man whose death during an arrest in May sparked worldwide protests against police brutality. Drew Hendry was speaking on the first day of the UK Internal Market Bills committee stage (PA) Boris Johnsons controversial Brexit legislation proves Scotland will never be an equal partner in the UK, the SNP has warned. The United Kingdom Internal Market Bill contains measures which attack the foundations of devolution in Scotland, according to the partys business spokesman Drew Hendry. He took aim at proposals for a new office to monitor the internal market, arguing such a body would have an effective veto over the Scottish Parliament and was part of a system in which Westminster would set standards for devolved areas. Ministers have denied the Bill represents a power grab but instead offers a power surge by handing more powers to the devolved governments. The Bill has hit the headlines in recent days for new additions which seek to override key elements of the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement relating to Northern Ireland. We cannot and we will not accept this legislation in any form SNP business spokesman Drew Hendry Prime Minister Mr Johnson has argued such changes, which would breach parts of international law, are needed to protect the trading arrangements between Great Britain and Northern Ireland should no agreement be reached with EU. Speaking on the first day of the Bills committee stage, Mr Hendry said: We cannot and we will not accept this legislation in any form. Under the unelected Dominic Cummings, Britains Prime Minister is forcing this power grab through despite overwhelming opposition from Scotlands Parliament and MPs. It proves that Scotland will never ever be accepted as an equal partner in the UK. This attacks the foundations of devolution and gives Westminster and an unelected quango a freehand to overrule the Scottish Parliament in devolved areas, threatening our NHS, our food and environmental standards and fires the starting pistol on a race to the bottom. Every aspect of life in Scotland could be affected by this bill - it is a barefaced power grab and breaks international law. #InternalMarketBill #indyref2 pic.twitter.com/6QFQrchDE6 Drew Hendry MP #ScotlandsChoice (@drewhendrySNP) September 14, 2020 But Conservative Sir Bill Cash, chairman of the European Scrutiny Committee, said: The arguments Ive just heard from (Mr Hendry) are in my judgment completely unjustified. The reality is what is intended in this Bill is to provide for independent advice and monitoring through the creation of this internal market itself, within the Competition and Markets Authority arrangements. What that clearly says, far from it being just a bunch of nodding donkeys, which is more or less what (Mr Hendry) is saying, in fact it will be a non-ministerial department albeit sponsored by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy it will have an enormous amount of range of experience and knowledge, which is brought from its predecessor. Tory Richard Fuller (North East Bedfordshire) called for some prudence in the implementation of the Bills measures. He said: I welcome this Bill, clearly we want as a whole this is a shared asset the internal market, we want it to work effectively. This Bill does a very good start in making us move in the right direction for that, but we do need some prudence in the implementation of this. SNP Neale Hanvey (Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath) branded the proposed Office for the Internal Market the office of inquisition. He said: This office of inquisition will have the power to pass judgment on devolved laws, could quickly become the target of rich corporate lobbyists determined to see activities such as fracking go ahead against the will of the Scottish people. He said: Wide-ranging powers that cut to the very heart of a devolution settlement across every policy area, powers they claim they will never use, theyre just there in case. Well Scotland isnt buying it and were not having any of it. SNP colleague Alyn Smith (Stirling) added the proposed Office for the Internal Market would comprise of a group of people who will themselves be unelected. He said: For people who are against unelected bureaucrats, I can only suggest that they have a look at the reality of this Bill. The Bill completed the first day of committee stage without being changed as an SNP amendment and Labour amendment were both comfortably defeated by the Government. Tsitsi Dangarembga's final volume in her trilogy that started with "Nervous Conditions" chronicles the journey of a young girl from Zimbabwe sinking into poverty Four debut novelists were on Tuesday shortlisted alongside Zimbabwean author Tsitsi Dangarembga and Ethiopian-American Maaza Mengiste for the Booker Prize for best English-language fiction, to be awarded in November. American Avni Doshi's first novel "Burnt Sugar" will compete with fellow US debutants Diane Cook ("The New Wilderness") and Brandon Taylor ("Real Life"), and Scotland's Douglas Stuart ("Shuggie Bain"), for one of the world's most celebrated literary awards. Dangarembga's "This Mournable Body", the final part in a trilogy, and "The Shadow King" by Mengiste make up the six-strong shortlist of four women and two men. It was whittled down by a panel of five judges from a US-dominated longlist of 13 finalists, which had included veteran Hilary Mantel. "The shortlist of six came together unexpectedly, voices and characters resonating with us all even when very different," Margaret Busby, chair of the 2020 judges, said in a statement. "It's a wondrous and enriching variety of stories, and hugely exciting as well," she added, noting they ranged in setting from 1980s Glasgow and post-colonial Zimbabwe to 1930s Ethiopia and modern-day India. - Courting controversy - The title of best work of English-language fiction published in the United Kingdom and Ireland has launched careers and caused countless arguments since its creation in 1969. Past laureates have ranged from contemporary giants such as Ian McEwan and Julian Barnes to Kazuo Ishiguro and Roddy Doyle. The competition tore up the rule book last year by splitting the fiction award between Canada's Margaret Atwood and Anglo-Nigerian author Bernardine Evaristo. It has already courted controversy this year by pitting nine Americans or dual-US citizens against just three Britons, and now for overlooking Mantel's "The Mirror And The Light" -- the last in her Cromwell trilogy. Story continues Judge Lee Child, one of the world's best-selling detective novelists, said the panel thought it was "absolutely wonderful" and "one for the ages", but added: "There were books that were better, that's all I can say personally." Dangarembga's final volume in her trilogy that started with "Nervous Conditions" chronicles the journey of a young girl from Zimbabwe sinking into poverty. Meanwhile Mengiste is the first Ethiopian author to make the Booker's shortlist, for her story of the uprising against the Italian invasion in the 1930s. "Burnt Sugar" by Doshi explores the complex relationship between an ageing mother and her daughter in contemporary India, while Cook's "The New Wilderness" is a dystopian fiction set in a city made inhospitable by the climate crisis. She is currently developing a screenplay based on the novel after Warner Bros bought the rights to adapt it into a television series. Stuart's "Shuggie Bain" is set in a working-class Scottish family struggling with alcoholism and poverty in the 1980s, while Taylor's debut follows an introverted man's experience of racism as he arrives at an American university. The winner will be announced on November 17 and receive 50,000 ($64,000, 54,000 euros) in prize money and international attention. jj/ar/erc San Antonios Livingston Med Lab LLC has carved out a niche testing the poor and homeless for the coronavirus, but its now in peril. Livingston sought bankruptcy protection this month after a San Diego company that supplied almost $5 million in COVID-19 test kits but has not been paid obtained a state District Court order directing Livingston to return the kits. Livingston accused Quidel Corp. of trying to shut down the business, saying it would be essentially a death blow if the test-maker prevails. On ExpressNews.com: Texas leads in COVID0-19 relief loan fraud Livingston provides a valuable service to the community during the pandemic by testing for COVID, the company said in a bankruptcy court filing. Removing a testing company during a COVID pandemic spike is about as disserving to the public interest as possible. The filing came in response to Quidel asking the bankruptcy court to enforce the terms of the order for the return of the test kits. The state court has already found there is a substantial threat that (Quidel) will suffer irreparable injury if the injunction is not granted, publicly traded Quidel said in its request. The bankruptcy put the state District Court litigation in San Antonio on hold. On Monday, Livingston bankruptcy lawyer Ron Smeberg said the two sides were working to reach a resolution of the dispute. Livingston incorporated in 2018, performing blood and urine tests, as well as molecular tests for things such as sexually transmitted diseases. However, it said its regular lab work has dropped by 80 percent since the pandemic. It employs 26 people. According to Quidels court documents, Livingston approached it in June about acquiring millions of dollars worth of COVID-19 test kits. Livingston CEO Carlos Robert Castaneda represented that it was performing 5,000 tests a week. On ExpressNews.com: Get the latest update on coronavirus and a tracking map of U.S. cases Castaneda promised to pay Quidel $500,000 every two weeks starting July 15, the test-maker said. Quidel then shipped test kits valued at about $4.7 million to Livingston. Livingston, though, never made a payment, Quidel alleged in a lawsuit filed Aug. 27. By that time, Quidel said, it already was owed $1.5 million. It sued Livingston for breach of contract and other claims. Livingston blamed its ability to pay Quidel on slow paying governments. It said its due $2.4 million primarily from Texas, California, Florida and New York. About $1.6 million relates to tests performed under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act, for which it expects to be paid within three months. The company also has conducted COVID-19 tests for others, including students and faculty at the University of Texas at San Antonio. The number of tests conducted for UTSA amounts to about 7 percent of the overall tests done for the school, university spokesman Joe Izbrand said. Tom Reel / Staff photographer The contract terms allowed Quidel to take possession of Livingstons remaining stock of the COVID-19 test kits if it failed to pay, Quidel said in a Thursday bankruptcy court filing. But Livingston pointed out in a court document that Quidel could be entitled to 5 percent interest on past due amounts, which is an adequate and legal remedy. The dispute over the test kits started with Quidel seeking a temporary restraining order for Livingston to turn over any remaining tests as part of its lawsuit. State District Judge Mary Lou Alvarez granted the request Aug. 28. On Aug. 31, Livingston moved to dissolve the TRO. It argued that the test kits provided by Quidel amounted to an unsecured loan but that the supplier now wants the court to rewrite the contract giving (it) a secured loan. A temporary restraining order is only supposed to preserve the status quo, which in this case was that (Quidel) deliver test kits and other COVID-19 items, Livingston said. Every day its forced to cease operations will cost it $49,000 a day in revenue, it added. Quidel fired back Sept. 2 by seeking to hold Livingston in contempt for failing to comply with the TRO. Quidel said a representative went to Livingstons office to take possession of the test kits Aug. 31 but left without them. SA Inc.: Get the best of business news sent directly to your inbox State District Judge Michael Mery took up the dispute Sept 3. Judge Mery dictated what his order was going to be and told us to work on certain sections, according to William Germany, an attorney for Livingston in the state District Court case. The two sides disagree on what happened next. Quidel said Germany in the early afternoon of Sept. 5 signed off on an amended TRO. The TRO required Livingston to turn over the test kits by 2 p.m. the next day, Quidel said. I absolutely did not agree to the TRO, Germany said in an interview Monday. Later in the afternoon of Sept. 5, Livingston filed an emergency Chapter 11 bankruptcy petition in San Antonio. Quidel is listed as the largest unsecured creditor, with a $4.6 million claim. It appears that Livingstons bankruptcy filing is nothing more than a strategic filing designed to deprive Quidel of the relief ordered by the state court and agreed to by the debtor in bad faith, Quidel said in a Thursday court filing. The TRO was vehemently opposed at all stages, Livingston responded. It wants Quidel sanctioned for making a flat-out misrepresentation to the bankruptcy court. U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Craig Gargotta is slated to take up Quidels request to enforce the terms of the TRO next week. A Quidel spokesman didnt respond to a call and email Monday. Natalie Wilson, a San Antonio attorney representing Quidel in the bankruptcy, declined to comment. Patrick Danner covers banking, insurance, business litigation and bankruptcies. To read more from Patrick, become a subscriber. pdanner@express-news.net | Twitter: @AlamoPD 'Most of the staff at the Letterkenny restaurant showed mild symptoms, or none at all.' (Stock photo: PA) The owners of a popular restaurant have pleaded with other businesses to take every precaution to prevent the spread of Covid-19 after nine workers tested positive. Mexican restaurant Burrito Loco in Donegal closed its doors last Thursday as a precaution after a relative of a staff member tested positive for the virus. Most of the staff at the Letterkenny restaurant showed mild symptoms, or none at all. But owners Tommy and Leah O'Brien have confirmed nine employees have since tested positive. A message on the restaurant's Facebook page said: "I can confirm that today we stand at nine positive cases. We want to be as transparent as possible and share our journey to show other workplaces or groups how we dealt with this and how it transpired. "All staff had mild to no symptoms, except for one who is still feeling poorly. All of us have been in contact with the Public Health Authority (PHA) and are co-operating fully with their track-and-trace teams." The owners revealed that once they had received word of a positive case of coronavirus, they called in all staff last Friday morning to take their temperatures. They all proved to be normal and members of staff contacted their GPs to seek advice. "We managed to get 90pc of staff tested within two hours and the remainder got tested the next day. "In our hearts, we believed that we would be back open on Monday. However, this was a process we had to go through to ensure that it was safe for everyone to return to work." The restaurant owners said they believed the initial outbreak came from a staff member who complained of being run-down but who did not display any Covid symptoms such as a persistent cough or a high temperature. The owners wrote: "Four days later, two other staff had symptoms of a head cold, blocked nose and a few aches but nothing that would point to Covid symptoms. The staff themselves felt it was a head cold and within a day or two, they felt normal again. "Three days later, we closed Burrito Loco on the news of a positive case from a parent. It took eight days in total for the virus to spread through our staff." The restaurant said it wanted to stress it was glad it had made the decision to close. "Most of our staff are of a younger age group and did not show the readily recognisable symptoms that we were looking out for. This is advice I would like to put out there to other workplaces due to some information that conflicts with Government advice. "Particularly this time of year, and with the kids back at school, head colds seem to be the norm." "We thought this is what we were dealing with last week in Burrito Loco," they added. They said that had it not been for a confirmed case, they might not have closed. "This goes to show that we must take seriously any information we receive from the track-and-trace teams and the work they are doing to prevent the spread of the virus. "I would like to thank a few people who also helped us through this journey. "Thank you, Dr Scally, the lovely nurses at the test centre, and the patient and considerate staff in the PHA track and trace. "Also, I would like to thank our customers of Burrito Loco - your kind words of support really helped a lot when you first hear you have entered the Covid zone and, in fairness, worry sets in fast. "I also want to give a special thanks to my staff here." The agreement that Israel, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates signed on the White House South Lawn on Tuesdaya deal known as the Abraham Accordis not remotely a Nobel Prizeworthy peace treaty, as President Donald Trump has boasted. But it is a notable achievementpossibly heralding a geopolitical shift in the Middle Eastand Trump did play a facilitating, in some ways a central, role in making it happen. It is not a peace treaty because Israel has not been at war with either of the two Gulf Arab states. In fact, for years now, it has quietly been conducting trade and backroom diplomacy with both. Advertisement However, normalized relationswhich the accord establishesmark a huge step forward: the creation of embassies, commercial air routes, tourism, security and intelligence ties, and access to Israels high-technology products and marketplace. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bahrain and the UAE, tiny but oil-rich monarchies, bring to four the number of Arab states that have formal ties with Israel. (The others are Egypt and Jordan, since 1979 and 1994, respectively.) But the accord also holds the promise of more to come, especially since Bahrain would not have signed the deal without the explicit consent of the Saudi royal family. The losers in this deal are the Palestinians. For decades, most Arab leaders refused to recognize Israel until Israel allowed the creation ofand made peace withan independent Palestinian state. The UAE and Bahrain are now saying they dont really care about the Palestinians. Advertisement Advertisement Israel did make one concession: It agreed to suspend a nascent plan to annex the West Bank. But even this is a fig leaf: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was facing strong resistance on annexation, inside Israel and internationally (including from the U.S.); in any case, suspending annexation doesnt mean prohibiting it for all time. Even so, the suspension provided cover enough to the Gulf monarchs, who cant afford to appear utterly indifferent to the Palestinians fate, lest they stir rebellion from their populations, whose passions on the matter ride higher. Advertisement As Malcolm Kerr observed more than a half-century ago in his classic book, The Arab Cold War, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has never been as central to Arab leaders concerns as they have claimed. The boogeyman of Israel has served mainly as a distraction from their own internal problemsand as a common enemy to paper over sectarian tensions. In recent years, those tensions, mainly between Shiites and Sunnis, have risen to the foretheyve come to define the regions politicsand the Sunnis (led by Saudi Arabia and very much including the rulers of the UAE and Bahrain) have focused chiefly on the threat from Shiite-led Iran and its allied militias. With this real conflict in such high profile, concerns about Palestinians have fadedespecially since Israel is, in effect, the Sunnis ally in their face-off against Iran. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is where Trump entered the picture. He too considers Iran an implacable foe, in part because of his hostility to the Iran nuclear deal negotiated by his chief domestic foe, Barack Obama. Trump is also an unconditional ally of Netanyahu, who is under great political pressure at home. So, Trump saw an Israeli-UAE-Bahrain alliance as serving both causesstepping up pressure against Iran and lightening the load on Netanyahu. Advertisement Advertisement Or, rather, Trumps son-in-law and adviser, Jared Kushner, saw the possibility. Kushner had been charged, since the start of Trumps presidency, with putting together a historic Israeli-Palestinian peace treaty. After several tentative blueprints proved futile (some comically so), and with just months to go before the November election, Kushner saw a joining of the two alliancesthe anti-Iran alliance and the Trump-Netanyahu allianceas a plausible alternative. Advertisement Advertisement Philip Gordon, former senior adviser to Obama on Middle East affairs and author of the forthcoming book Losing the Long Game: The False Promise of Regime Change in the Middle East, told me Tuesday, This deal would not have happened without the U.S. A major incentive for the UAE, which Kushner threw into the mix and Trump approved, was the sale of F-35 stealth fighter planes, EA-18 electronic jets, and Reaper drones. At first, Netanyahu balked at this part of the deal, especially after Kushner said that Americas military relationship with the UAE is very special, just as the relationship that America has with Israel is incredibly speciala baffling remark that would have drawn fire from Republicans in Congress had it been made by a senior official in any other administration. But Kushner calmed the prime minister down; no doubt Israel will get more American arms as a result, to maintain its qualitative edge over other nations in the region. Advertisement Advertisement Bahrain already had a military relationship with the U.S., as the longtime home port for the U.S. Navys 5th Fleet. Another incentivefor Bahrain, the UAE, and the royals calling the shots from Saudi Arabiais that the deal would help Trump. They want Trump to be reelected, fearing that his Democratic opponent, Joe Biden, would revive the Iran nuclear deal and strike a more balanced tone in U.S. policy in the Middle East, seeking diplomatic solutions rather than backing the Sunni sideas Trump clearly doesin the increasingly hot cold war against Iran. Is this the dawn of a new Middle East, as Trump proclaimed on the South Lawn? Thats going too far, but the accord may accelerate a trend toward transformation. Rockets were fired into Israel from Gaza as the treaty was signed. Militant Palestinians might rebel with more violence against what they see as a betrayal from fellow Arabs. But others might see the act as a sign of things to come and seek some accommodation with Israel before their isolation is total. Will Israel, riding high in its new security, respond to such overturesor exploit the opportunity to close out the Palestinians and reinforce its settlements in the occupied territories, even while stopping short of formal annexation? And what about the real target hereIran? Will Tehran see the tightening encirclement as a threat to preempt or to appease? Will the Saudis see it as firmer foundations for subversion and war or as safe grounds for some sort of political settlement? And will Trump exploit this newly gained upper hand or, improbably, warm to his new self-crafted image of peacemaker? One thing is for sure: We have not yet reached the day when lambs lie down with lions. The treaty may mark the dawn of something, but its still the Middle East. Melania Trump cut a stylish figure in a $3,700 Prada dress as she and her husband, President Donald Trump, greeted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife Sara at the White House on Tuesday. The 50-year-old's sleeveless navy midi dress featured a boat neck and a white beaded scroll motif, and she wasn't the only first lady to wear blue for the meeting, which included the signing of historic diplomatic deals between Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain. While Melania opted for a dark navy frock with a fitted waist, Sara, 61, donned a lace dress in a cheerful shade of cornflower blue for her arrival at the White House with her husband. Special meeting: President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania welcomed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife Sara at the White House on Tuesday Great minds... Both Melania, 50, and Sarah, 61, wore shades of blue for the peace signing ceremony that took place later that day Israel's first lady wore a matching lace jacket over her shift dress, which was adorned with strategically placed pearls. She topped off the look with a pair of nude pumps and a clutch. Melania also had on a classic pair of pumps, though hers were white to match the beading on her A-line dress. She let her outfit do the talking by keeping her jewelry to a minimum. She donned nothing more than two sparkly platinum and diamond bands one on each of her hands The former model's highlighted brown hair was styled loosely around her shoulders, and she stuck with her signature makeup: dark, smokey eyeshadow and a pink lip. While their wives wore shades of blue, Trump and Netanyahu donned similar navy suits. Trump, 74, paired his with a navy and red tie, giving the president and his wife a patriotic look as they stood side by side. Look: Melania's highlighted brown hair was styled loosely around her shoulders, and she stuck with her signature makeup: dark, smokey eyeshadow and a pink lip Visitors: Melania had a smile on her face as she greeted the prime minister and his wife on the North Lawn of the White House Bling ring: Melania flashed her diamond and platinum bands as she clasped her hands together Like Sara, Netanyahu, 70, opted to wear a tie in a brighter shade of blue. Although it wasn't a perfect match, his tie complemented his wife's dress. Both First Ladies' ensembles also matched the colors of the Israeli flag. Melania had a smile on her face as she and her husband welcomed the prime minister and his wife on the North Lawn of the White House. The two couples posed for pictures together before making their way to the Oval Office for a discussion. Trump and Netanyahu sat side by side, while their wives sat across from each other on opposite couches. The president's eldest daughter, Ivanka Trump, and her husband, Jared Kushner, who are both White House seniors advisers, were also in the room during the conversation. Sara's wore a matching lace jacket over her dress and topped off the look with a pair of nude heels and a clutch Design: Melania's $3,700 Prada dress featured a boat neck and a white beaded scroll motif Put together: The first lady accessorized her dress with a pair of white pumps that matched the beading on her dress Later on in the day, Trump hailed the 'dawn of a new Middle East' as he presided over the signing of historic diplomatic deals between Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain. 'We're here this afternoon to change the course of history. After decades of division and conflict, we mark up the dawn of a new Middle East. Thanks to the great courage of the leaders of these three countries. We take a major stride toward a future in which people of all faiths and backgrounds live together in peace and prosperity,' Trump said in his remarks. The president added that more nations will follow suit in signing the accord that normalizes relations between the Jewish state and the Arab nations. 'These agreements prove that the nations of the region are breaking free from the failed approaches of the past. Today signing sets history on a new course. And there will be other countries very very soon, that will follow these great leaders,' he said, emphasizing the historic nature of the agreement. 'Today the world sees that they're choosing cooperation over conflict. Friendship over emnity, prosperity over poverty, and hope over despair. They are choosing a future in which Arabs and Israelis Muslims, Jews and Christians could live together pray together, and dream together side by side in harmony community and peace.' Next stop: After the photo op on the North Lawn, couples continued their discussion in the Oval Office Primp and proper: Melania sat with her legs crossed and her hands resting in her lap. Listening in: The president's eldest daughter, Ivanka Trump, and her husband, Jared Kushner, who are both White House seniors advisers, were also in the room Each of the four leaders signed four copies of the Abraham Accords one in English, one in Hebrew, and two in Arabic. The leaders also signed a treaty of peace, diplomatic relations, and full normalization and a declaration of peace three copies of each were signed, one in English, one in Arabic, and one in Hebrew. During the signing, the leaders helped one another find the proper place on the document to ink their name. The signing took place on the Lee Dining Room Table from Blair House, where President Trump held weekly luncheon meetings. The table has also served new and former First Families when they stay at Blair House for inaugurations and state funerals. The president said more Gulf nations were preparing to sign similar deals to the one being inked on the South Lawn Tuesday - but he didn't offer hints as to which ones those may be. 'We're very far down the road with five additional countries,' he said. Next: Melania and Sara walked to the South Lawn for the Abraham Accords signing ceremony, which normalizes relations between the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain with Israel Excited: Jared, 39, and Ivanka, 38, were also seen walking together ahead of the signing All dressed up: Ivanka, who flashed a smile along the way, wore a stylish mint-green dress Ahead of the ceremony, President Trump held separate meetings in the Oval Office with Netanyahu and United Arab Emirates Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nahya. 'Being the first was very important that you be the first for us because you are leading a path, leading a way, it is something people were very surprised,' Trump told bin Zayed al-Nahyan. In their sit down, Trump gave Netanyahu a golden key to the White House as a token of his appreciation. 'This was a special token of affection given by myself and the first lady to prime minister and the first lady of Israel and it's a key. We call it a key to the White House. It is a key to our country and to our hearts,' Trump told him. 'You have a key to the hearts of the Jewish people,' Netanyahu told the president in response. Historic: Prime Minister Netanyahu, President Trump, and UAE Foreign Affairs Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. (L to R) are pictured at the signing ceremony After: Netanyahu, Trump, Bahrain Foreign Minister Abdullatif al-Zayani, and UAE Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al-Nahyan (L to R) waved from the Truman Balcony All together: Jared and Ivanka sat to the left of President Trump and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo during the lunch hosted in the State Dining Room after the signing Tuesday's deal could herald a dramatic shift in Middle East power dynamics and give him a boost ahead of the November election. And Trump, showing off his presidential statesmanship, hosted more than 200 guests Tuesday on the South Lawn to witness the sealing of the agreements between Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain. Rows of white chairs were on the South Lawn Tuesday morning, lined up together with no social distancing in between them. Few in the crowd wore face masks The White House said masks will be encouraged at the event. 'The e-mail that went out for all invitees was an encouragement to wear a mask,' a senior administration official said on a call with reporters Monday. 'We're not going to require anybody to do so. But, you know, the Israelis and the Emiratis and Bahrainis are all taking it seriously.'' Masks are not required, however. 'But, ultimately, it's not going to be required and it will be on the South Lawn, which is obviously a pretty vast space. We're expecting, though, a few hundred people, but it is our intention to keep it as distanced as possible, understanding the constraints and the time. So, yeah, we're going to encourage people to wear masks, but ultimately it's their choice,' the official said. The president has been nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize for his administration's work on the deal. XRHealth plans to incorporate their VR/AR therapy with the Apple Watch, specifically since the watch has advanced features including a medical grade, FDA-cleared electrocardiogram (EKG) that measures heartbeat. XRHealth will use the output measurements of the Apple Watch to detect pain, which will modify VR/AR therapy treatment for patients based on the pain that they feel during the sessions. "The newly awarded patent reflects XRHealth's commitment to creating the most sophisticated form of therapy that responds to patient physical needs in real-time," said Eran Orr, CEO of XRHealth. "Virtual Reality therapy that incorporates biofeedback will enhance and personalize the patient experience and provide clinicians with critical insights." U.S. Patent No. 16/067,480, entitled "A Therapy and Physical Training Device," was issued on September 15, 2020. XRHealth created the first virtual reality telehealth clinic in the world that treats multiple conditions like anxiety & stress, cognitive impairment, pain management, Parkinson's, and multiple sclerosis. XRHealth provides doctors with patient data that allows them to monitor and treat them in real-time. About XRHealth: XRHealth, is the leader in extended reality therapeutic applications providing both VR and AR solutions for the medical industry. XRHealth is the first certified Extended Reality medical company in the world; their Medical Applications are FDA & CE Registered. They provide first-of-its-kind healthcare technology that helps clinicians better manage their patients' care via specialized extended reality technology solutions and data analysis. XRHealth created the first virtual reality telehealth clinic in the world that utilizes the VRHealth Platform that collects and examines user data through artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud-computing algorithms to deliver advanced data analytics in real-time, consistently enabling healthcare providers to enhance their users' and payers' healthcare experiences. The company offers a variety of patent-pending solutions from rehabilitation services to cognitive assessment and training, to pain management. XRHealth works with several world-renowned U.S. healthcare providers, hospitals and rehabilitation centers. Founded in 2016, XRHealth is headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts. For more information, visit https://www.xr.health/. CONTACT: DeeDee Rudenstein 267-521-9654 [email protected] SOURCE XRHealth The University of Wyoming will begin in-person instruction for the first time in six months after its president decided Monday to end the two-week pause instituted by the school following the early spread of the coronavirus on campus. UW had been on a pause since the beginning of September, after seven students and staff members tested positive within a 24-hour period. The pause began as a five-day stall, which meant students on campus were confined to their dorms and all instruction was moved online. The pause was intended to give officials time to study the spread of the virus, and it was extended so the school could evaluate the effect of Labor Day weekend. But the numbers have stabilized since, and officials indicated last week that things had improved to the point that they were already planning to reopen campus. Over the weekend, though, 27 new cases were identified. Some of those were from earlier in the week, when Labor Day and inclement weather created a processing backlog. As of Monday afternoon, the school has 93 active cases: 16 on-campus students are currently infected, plus 64 off-campus students and 13 employees. One-hundred seventy-five students are on 14-day quarantine orders. Seventy-eight students and staff have recovered, and 65 have exited quarantine. The university has collected more than 13,000 samples. UW President Ed Seidel, who made the final call on reopening campus, called on students to follow social distancing and public health guidelines so the school could finish the year with in-person instruction intact. Though younger people may not be as adversely affected by the virus as older people, he said, it was everyones responsibility to care for the broader community and slow the viruss spread. The pause succeeded in allowing us to get a better handle on the testing data and in taking necessary actions to help limit transmission of the virus, he said in a statement. Now, were ready to resume the phased return plan, with additional measures in place to keep the campus as safe as possible. For us to avoid another pause and proceed to the next phase Sept. 28, everyone on campus or off must adhere to those measures and avoid large off-campus gatherings where distancing and/or face protection are not employed. The school will continue its regular surveillance testing, according to a news release, and buildings on campus will reopen in a gradual manner. The library, for instance, will open with limited hours at first. The rest of campus will return on Sept. 28. Barring a significant spread of the virus that triggers another pause or a permanent shift to online learning, classes will continue until Nov. 20. After Thanksgiving break, the rest of the semester will move online. The pause, which initially expired Sept. 9 and was then extended for another five days, gave the university time to study data and evaluate any potential clusters or outbreaks. But officials said last week that no such outbreaks had been identified. Though parties were initially a driver for early cases, the cause of the viruss spread gradually shifted to community transmission. UW spokesman Chad Baldwin said that a large number of students living in sorority and fraternity houses had tested positive or had been in close contact with someone who tested positive. He said the school was preparing more targeted responses to future outbreaks, rather than a blanket pause for all of campus. For instance, if a single floor on a dorm had a cluster that was relatively contained to those students, that wouldnt necessarily a trigger to close down the entirety of campus. The details of that more targeted approach are still being hammered out, he said. Baldwin said UW was still investigating if any students broke university roles by hosting or attending parties. No student has been disciplined yet, he said. We know the virus is here, but we have been able to manage it in a manner that has kept our campus relatively safe, Seidel said in a statement. As the situation has changed rapidly and our understanding of the disease is growing, were developing new indicators and tactics to stay on top of it at UW. Everything we have done has one goal, and that is to be able to safely provide an in-person campus experience for the UW community. The university has repeatedly changed its plans over the last six weeks, as the viruss presence in Albany County and throughout the state has shifted. In a plan approved in July, the school planned for a full reopening all students returning to campus for in-person learning in August. That plan required limited classroom capacity, that all students and staff wear masks and self-screen for COVID-19 symptoms, and that students live alone in each dorm room. While those public health measures have remained in place, the school in August shifted to a phased reopening plan. Under that blueprint, freshmen and select upper classmen would return in early September, and then older students would return in late September. From Aug. 24 to early September, classes would be entirely online. That plan was paused before it had even really begun. In early September, as some students returned to campus but before classrooms reopened, the school hit pause after several cases were identified within 24 hours. Seidel was reportedly deciding between reopening to the phased plan or moving to entirely online learning. Concerned about COVID-19? Sign up now to get the most recent coronavirus headlines and other important local and national news sent to your email inbox daily. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. NEW YORK, Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Attacks on healthcare organizations between 2009 and 2019 have resulted in the majority of Americans falling victim to a data breach. Researchers at online privacy website PrivacyAffairs.com collected details of the healthcare data breaches over the past decade for their Healthcare Data Breach Statistics study. The study revealed the following worrying facts: US Healthcare Data Breach Statistics 3,054 data breaches of medical records 230,954,151 medical records lost, stolen, or exposed 70% of the U.S. population affected by healthcare data breaches The researchers studied a number of data sets to analyze trends in healthcare data breaches and comment on where healthcare providers are failing to adequately protect individuals' private data. Healthcare hacking incidents have grown steadily each year since 2009 and almost doubled between 2018 and 2019. The incredible amount of compromised data affecting such a huge number of people is extremely worrying for cybersecurity professionals and has resulted in large fines being levied to the organizations holding the data. Link to the full study: https://www.privacyaffairs.com/healthcare-data-breach-statistics Largest number of breached records in 2015 The worst year for the overall number of healthcare records exposed was 2015. This is primarily due to the Anthem Inc. data breach that exposed personally identifiable medical records of 28.8 million people. Biggest healthcare data breaches of the decade The researchers investigated the 10 biggest healthcare data breaches of the past decade. The table shows that the single largest breach affected more individuals than the remaining nine and that in those 10 breaches alone, more than 138 million Americans' private healthcare data was lost or stolen. Organization Individuals Affected Year Anthem Inc. 78,800,000.00 2015 Premera Blue Cross 11,000,000.00 2015 Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings dba LabCorp 10,251,784.00 2019 Excellus Health Plan, Inc. 10,000,000.00 2015 Community Health Systems Professional Services Corporations 6,121,158.00 2014 Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) 4,900,000.00 2011 University of California, Los Angeles Health 4,500,000.00 2015 Community Health Systems Professional Services Corporation 4,500,000.00 2014 Advocate Health and Hospitals Corporation, d/b/a Advocate Medical Group 4,029,530.00 2013 Medical Informatics Engineering 3,900,000.00 2015 Cybersecurity needs to be baked into the fabric of healthcare systems PrivacyAffairs stated several reasons for the frequency of attacks targeting healthcare organizations. "Hospitals, in particular, are extremely vulnerable to cyberattack due to many using outdated computer systems" "Due to the vast number of connected devices in hospitals, the logistical challenge for IT-teams is often too great for proper cybersecurity maintenance" "Medical staff needs to have access to patient data, but the additional training costs and time constraints often mean that the people who access the network are ill-equipped to keep it secure." The general public needs to be aware of how prevalent healthcare data breaches are and take any steps they can to reduce their data footprint. The Healthcare Data Breach Statistics research can be found at: https://www.privacyaffairs.com/healthcare-data-breach-statistics Contact Joe Robinson [email protected] Related Images us-healthcare-data-breach.png US Healthcare Data Breach Statistics US Healthcare Data Breach Statistics Related Links US Healthcare Data Breach Statistics Dark Web Price Index SOURCE PrivacyAffairs Iconic BC Chains Celebrate New Menu Additions in Sneak-Peek Weekend Sept. 19-20 with $2 From Each Impossible Burger Sold Donated to Variety the Children's Charity and a 1,000 Impossible Burgers Giveaway Contest VANCOUVER, BC, Sept. 15, 2020 /CNW/ - Beloved BC restaurant chains White Spot and Triple O's are reaffirming their 92-year-strong commitment to burger leadership and menu innovation by introducing the Impossible Burger on all menus. The move makes White Spot and Triple O's the first family-casual and quick-service restaurant chains in Canada to feature the award-winning Impossible Burger from Impossible Foods. Available at all 62 full-service White Spot locations and 39 quick-service Triple O's across BC and Alberta beginning September 19, the made-from-plants patty will be showcased as part of a new fall menu launch that provides more delicious choices and includes the following Impossible Burger creations: Available at White Spot: The Avocado Impossible Burger (fresh avocado, pickled onions, crisp lettuce, vine-ripened tomatoes, jalapeno ranch) , served with a choice of Caesar salad, The Spot's Salad, or creamy coleslaw and 'endless' Kennebec fries. , served with a choice of Caesar salad, The Spot's Salad, or creamy coleslaw and 'endless' Kennebec fries. Available at Triple O's: The Original Impossible Burger (crisp lettuce, vine-ripened tomatoes, secret Triple 'O' Sauce & signature pickle on top). Guests can combo up their burger with a selection of sides & beverages. Guests can also substitute the Impossible patty into any burger on the menu at White Spot and Triple O's locations. "For more than ninety years we have kept our menus fresh by innovating, adapting and providing our guests with the best tasting dining experience", says White Spot President Warren Erhart. "Being able to offer more plant-based protein like the Impossible Burger patty further underscores the importance we place in offering a variety of options for meat lovers, meat reducers and flexitarians alike at White Spot and Triple O's." CHARITABLE LAUNCH WEEKEND FOR VARIETY This Saturday, September 19 and Sunday, September 20, White Spot and Triple O's will give guests a chance to be the first to try the Impossible made-from-plants patty in their new burger creations, and will donate $2 from every Impossible Burger sold over the two days to Variety the Children's Charity, a charitable partner since 1966. To celebrate the launch, White Spot and Triple O's will also be giving away a total of 1,000 FREE Impossible Burgers hungry burger lovers are invited to enter the giveaway via whitespot.ca/contest and tripleos.com/contest. "Canadians specifically asked to get Impossible Burger to White Spot and Triple O's," says Nick Halla, Senior Vice President for International at Impossible Foods. "Getting it on the menu so quickly is a great testament to how White Spot and Triple O's genuinely listens to and pleases their fanbase." For the latest news about White Spot, register to receive Spot Club emails at whitespot.ca, become a fan of /whitespot on Facebook or follow @White_Spot on Twitter, @whitespot_restaurants on Instagram and /whitespotrestaurants on YouTube. For the latest news about Triple O's, register to receive Triple O's emails at www.tripleos.ca, become a fan of /tripleosrestaurant on Facebook or follow @TripleOs on Twitter, @tripleosrestaurant on Instagram and /TheTripleOs on YouTube. ABOUT WHITE SPOT HOSPITALITY | Headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia, White Spot is Canada's longest-running restaurant chain. Founded in 1928, when Nat Bailey launched Canada's first drive-in restaurant at Granville and 67th, the 92-year-young chain now sees more than 17 million guests annually at 135 White Spot and Triple O's (their premium quick service restaurants) throughout B.C., Alberta, Asia and soon Ontario. Bailey's original vision was to build a restaurant that served the highest quality, unique tasting food and White Spot remains committed to continuing this tradition in each and every meal. White Spot Hospitality is proud to be recognized with the platinum status designation as one of Canada's Best Managed Companies, one of Canada's top 150 iconic brands as awarded by Interbrand Canada, awarded a gold medal for excellence in franchising by the Canadian Franchise Association and as one of BC's Most Loved Brands as recognized by Ipsos. | whitespot.ca Tripleos.ca ABOUT IMPOSSIBLE FOODS | Based in California's Silicon Valley, Impossible Foods makes delicious, nutritious meat and dairy products from plants with a much smaller environmental footprint than meat from animals. The privately held food tech startup was founded in 2011 by Patrick O. Brown, M.D., Ph.D., Professor Emeritus of Biochemistry at Stanford University and a former Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator. Investors include Mirae Asset Global Investments, Khosla Ventures, Bill Gates, Google Ventures, Horizons Ventures, UBS, Viking Global Investors, Temasek, Sailing Capital, and Open Philanthropy Project. Impossible Foods was Inc. Magazine's company of the year and one of Time Magazine's 50 Genius companies. The flagship product, Impossible Burger, was named top plant-based burger by the New York Times and received the Food and Beverage (FABI) Award from the National Restaurant Association. PHOTO For a selection of high-resolution photos, click on the images above or below or download via Dropbox. SOURCE White Spot Restaurants For further information: SMC Communications Inc. for White Spot Restaurants, Shelley McArthur Everett, 604-219-9042, [email protected]; White Spot Restaurants, Cathy Tostenson, Vice President Sales & Marketing, 604-512-4393, [email protected] - Royal Enfield inaugurates new assembly plant in Argentina - First production facility outside India - Will be used to assemble three models initially Royal Enfield has set up a new assembly facility in Argentina which marks the inauguration of the brands first plant outside India in its 119 years of history. It is situated in the countrys capital city of Buenos Aires. The facility will be initially utilised to assemble three Royal Enfield models the Interceptor 650, Continental GT 650 and the Himalayan. It has been established in association with Grupo Simpa, REs local distributor in Argentina. The brands have been partners since 2018 when Royal Enfield had entered Argentina which is the biggest motorcycle market in Latin America. The Chennai-based manufacturer has five exclusive stores in Argentina while it has 31 stores and 40 other retail touchpoints across Latin America. At present, RE has its footprint in 60 countries across the globe. In India, Royal Enfield is currently the market leader in the mid-size modern classic two-wheeler segment. Subsequently, it has also been targeting to grab a significant share of this genre in the international markets for a while. Meanwhile, the company is also working on majorly revamping its portfolio by introducing new models such as the Meteor 350 which is expected to be launched soon. It has also been testing a new cruiser based on its 650cc, parallel-twin platform, spy shots of which had surfaced recently. Photo Illustration by The Daily Beast/Getty Kanye Wests presidential campaign appears to have hired a pair of Republican consultants who have been dogged by allegations of ethically questionable organizing practices over the years. The A-list rappers political team has brought on Nathan Sproul, a seasoned GOP operative who leads one of the partys go-to grassroots strategy firms. Sproul, in turn, appears to be working with an obscure GOP operative with a sketchy history of work on Sprouls behalf to build a get-out-the-vote operation for West in the swing state of Iowa. The previously unreported Iowa organizing operation doesnt appear to be particularly large or sophisticated. But it shows how a small team of committed Republicans is trying to boost Wests candidacyat the expense, critics say, of Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden. Since June, Wests campaign has steered seven-figure sums to an Arizona-based firm called Fortify Consulting. That firm shares an address with the Lincoln Strategy Group, which Sproul leads, and which worked on behalf of President Donald Trumps 2016 campaign. The Washington Post reported this week that Sproul is indeed assisting the West campaign with its efforts to gather enough petition signatures to secure spots on various presidential ballots in states across the country. Watch: Wisconsin judge keeps Kanye West off ballot Trump Cheers on Kanyes Bid but His Pollster Says It Could Backfire Sproul, a former chairman of the Arizona GOP, has faced controversy over the years stemming from allegations of illicit petition-gathering and voter-registration practices by canvassers employed by his various consulting firms. Sproul and his companies have mostly escaped official allegations of wrongdoing. One of the few formal legal complaints against Sproul, an allegation before the Federal Election Commission that he boosted Ralph Naders candidacy in 2004 at the behest of the GOP, was dismissed after Sproul signed an affidavit flatly denying it. Story continues In 2012, however, three canvassers working for Sprouls Strategy Allied Consulting pleaded guilty to felony charges in Florida related to the destruction of voter registration forms. The court in the Florida case found that the canvassers were acting on their own initiative, and not with the knowledge or at the direction of Sproul or his company. But the resulting controversy spurred the Republican National Committee to cut ties with Sprouls firm. Sproul did not respond to requests for comment on this story. Billionaire Kanye Wests Company Gets Multimillion-Dollar PPP Loan From Trump Admin The other operative apparently working on Wests behalf in Iowa is a man named Gary Thompson. Domain registration data shows that he created a new website, iowavotes2020.com, in early August dedicated to recruiting canvassers for some unspecified cause. We are a united and diverse group that stand for the common good and advocate for policies that are in the public interest, the website declares in language that also appears, verbatim, on the websites of local political candidates in Ohio and New Jersey. Thompsons IowaVotes2020 group has also been running ads on Craigslist and other online classifieds sites promoting its canvasser recruitment efforts in Iowa. 200 PEOPLE NEEDED IMMEDIATELY, declared one of those listings, which said canvassers would earn between $100 and $200 per day. THIS IS A WALKING CAMPAGN [sic] THAT WILL LAST UNTIL THE ELECTION. WORK FULL OR PART TIME. PERFECT JOB TO MAKE SOME EXTRA CASH. None of those classified ads say whom the canvassers would be working to elect, or even whether a particular candidate or political party is the intended beneficiary. You simply knock doors on a walking list we provide you and ask the registered voter who they plan to vote for, the groups website says. But an additional clue sat buried in news reports more than a decade old: In 2006, Thompson and his company, Liberty Consultants, were hired by Sproul to conduct voter registration drives in Tennessee. Like some of Sprouls work, Thompsons efforts in 2006 drew allegations of problematic, and potentially illegal, organizing practices. He was never officially accused of wrongdoing, but election officials in Tennessee said that Thompsons company had turned in apparently forged voter registration forms. Officials in one county said theyd also received complaints that Liberty organizers would only process voter registration forms for people who agreed to sign unrelated petitions that Thompsons company was working on. During the same election cycle, Walmart stores in Tennessee banned Liberty from holding voter registration drives at its locations after Thompson admitted that he had been retained by Sproul, a violation of the retail chains policies on partisan activity at its stores. Reached by phone on Thursday, Thompson was initially coy about the work hes now doing in Iowa. He said his IowaVotes2020.com effort is working to elect mainly anybody on the Republican side, but added, We don't really discuss that because we keep things quiet when it comes to reporting and stuff like that. Thompson also contradicted the language in his classified ads and on the IowaVotes2020 website, which characterize the canvassing efforts as a polling operation designed to gauge voter preferences. All were doing is getting out the vote, he said. After less than two minutes, he hurriedly told The Daily Beast, I cant say anything else. Have a good day, and hung up. He also immediately hung up during a subsequent call when asked about his relationship with Sproul. In a third phone conversation, The Daily Beast asked Thompson point-blank whether he is working on behalf of Wests presidential campaign. Maybe, he conceded. Asked to clarify, he said, Just maybe... Anyways, I cant talk to you about anything. Talk to you later. Bye. West officially qualified for the Iowa presidential ballot on Aug. 18. Paperwork filed with the state was submitted by a Republican operative in Des Moines, and the possible electors listed on that form were all Republicans in the state. The West campaign overcame a challenge to his Iowa candidacy on Aug. 31. At some point in between, Thompsons group began trying to recruit canvassers. Its ad on the website Global Free Classified Ads was posted on Aug. 27. The group also posted a handful of ads on Craigslist this week attempting to recruit canvassers by promising pay of up to $40 per hour. Thompson and Sproul are just two of a handful of Republican operatives working to land West on various presidential ballots. His campaign has paid Fortified Consulting nearly $1.5 million, according to FEC records. It also paid seven figures to a firm run by Gregg Keller, formerly a top official at the Missouri Republican Party. The slate of GOP operatives working to get West on the ballot are generally understood to be boosting what they hope will be a spoiler candidate. The conventional wisdom is that West will draw votes away from Biden, potentially handing Trump a victory in states with slim presidential vote margins. Kanyes gonna fight everywhere for ballot access, Keller tweeted on Friday. Hes not going away. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now! Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more. Bill Barr's Justice Department has opened a grand jury probe into whether former National Security Advisor John Bolton broke the law by disclosing classified national security information in his tell-all book. Federal prosecutors convened a grand jury and obtained a subpoena from the book's publisher, Simon & Schuster, for communications records, the New York Times reported. The probe has the federal government pursuing potential criminal charges against a former top Trump advisor who has become one of his most fierce public critics, just months before the November elections. UNDER INVESTIGATION: The Justice Department has opened a grand jury probe into whether former National Security Advisor John Bolton broke the law by disclosing classified national security information in his tell-all book The DOJ, headed by Trump loyalist attorney general Bill Barr, sought to block publication of the book immediately before its release. The government accused Bolton of disregarding a review process meant to clear books for release that might contain classified government information. Bolton's team argued that the government had all-but given approval only to start stalling at the end of the process. The feds accused Bolton of breaking the deal and then 'unilaterally deciding that the prepublication review process is complete and deciding for himself whether classified information should be made public.' Federal District Court Judge Royce Lambert denied the government's request, after much of Bolton's book had already come out. 'For reasons that hardly need to be stated, the Court will not order a nationwide seizure and destruction of a political memoir,' he ruled in June. President Trump has blasted Bolton and said his former advisor should be in jail Bolton's book, 'The Room Where it Happened,' offered his take on the president's interactions with Ukraine, which led to Trump's impeachment in Congress. Bolton wrote that Democrats in Congress should have probed Trump's interference in DOJ probes to 'give personal favors to dictators he liked.' Barr has cautioned Trump to avoid public pronouncements about ongoing criminal matters, such as during the prosecution of his longtime advisor Roger Stone. Trump tweeted in June around the release of Bolton's book that Bolton was a 'lowlife who should be in jail, money seized, for disseminating, for profit, highly Classified information.' By PTI NEW DELHI: The Lok Sabha on Tuesday passed the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill, 2020, which seeks to deregulate food items, including cereals, pulses and onion, with opposition parties describing the measure as anti-farmer and NDA ally Shiromani Akali Dal opposing changes in the law. The amendment is aimed at transforming the farm sector and raising farmers' income, the government has said. Responding to the debate, Minister of State for Consumer Affairs Raosaheb Patil Danve said the change in the law will help improve income of farmers and strengthen agriculture infrastructure in the country. It will also help in attracting private investment in the sector, he said, adding that it seeks to support the government's resolve to double farmers income by 2022. The minister said that there were apprehensions that food prices may go up during the COVID period due to lockdown and supply disruptions, but the government took several steps to keep prices in check. He cited measures like free foodgrain distribution to 80 crore poor people through the PDS system and procurement of grains by giving relaxations to mandis during the lockdown. ALSO READ | Congress to challenge Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act in court: Amarinder Participating in the debate, Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal, an ally of the ruling BJP, spoke about "misgivings" and "doubts" among farmers on the bill and two other proposed legislations related to the farm sector. Badal said when these ordinances were discussed in the Union Cabinet, the party's representative, Harsimrat Kaur Badal, had raised objections and voiced concerns, and had requested that the measures put off. Harsimrat Kaur Badal is Union Food Processing Minister in the Modi government. "The party's legacy cannot and will not be compromised or diluted, no matter what price we have to pay," Badal said while speaking in Punjabi in Lok Sabha. He later opposed the bill which was passed by a voice vote. The Centre should withhold these legislations and work to address the concerns of farmers, he said. Farmers in many states, including Punjab and Haryana, have been protesting against these bills. The government has already brought ordinances, and the bills seek parliamentary nod for them. Amar Singh (Congress) called it anti-farmers and anti-poor. Trinamool Congress' Saugata Roy and Kalyan Banerjee also opposed the bill and accused the Centre of taking away the power of states. "I don't understand what was the hurry of bringing the ordinance," Roy said and claimed the legislation will benefit big traders, while farmers would be left in the lurch. ALSO READ | NDA ally SAD opposes farm-related Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill "It will give big corporates entry into the space of farmers," the TMC leader said. D M Kathir Anand of the DMK also opposed the bill, while Kaushalendra Kumar of the JD(U) supported it, saying the proposed legislation will benefit farmers as they won't have to sell their agriculture produce at lower prices. BJP member P P Chaudhary said the legislation will not only benefit farmers but also consumers and described it as a visionary step and the biggest reform in the agriculture sector. Sanjeev Kumar Singari of the YSRCP welcomed the bill, saying farmers need better prices for their agriculture produce. BJD's Bhartruhari Mahtab was of the view that state interference in every stage is not a smart idea. "Agriculture markets are over-regulated by outdated laws. India has now become surplus in most agriculture commodities but still there is very less investment in cold storage facilities," Mahtab said. The government has to safeguard the interest of farmers, he noted. Mahtab also suggested that the government do away with export restrictions in the agriculture sector. Kunwar Danish Ali (BSP) termed the bill as anti-farmers, and said it will benefit the middle man. He alleged that the Modi government wants to privatise PSUs to benefit big industrialists. "This bill is intended to give licence to hoarders," Ali alleged. BAKU, Azerbaijan, Sept.15 By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend: Azerbaijan can always rely on the support of Turkey, the Presidential Administration of Turkey told Trend. The two fraternal countries are united by historical, cultural ties, said the Turkish Presidential Administration. The date of September 15, which is marked as the liberation of Baku, is an outstanding date in the history of not only Azerbaijan, but also Turkey, the administration said. In Turkey, as in Azerbaijan, the memory of the heroes who died during the liberation of Baku is honored, and this significant day will never be forgotten, said the presidential administration. Turkey values its relations with Azerbaijan, which are expanding and getting stronger year by year, the administration said. Over the years of friendship and cooperation, Baku and Ankara proved to the whole world that their relationship is not directed against anyone, said the administration. The region only benefits from close relations between Ankara and Baku, the Turkish presidential administration added. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (Agence France-Presse) Manila Tue, September 15, 2020 12:01 493 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c44e5c91 2 Art & Culture Philippines,All-Saints-Day Free Cemeteries in the Philippine capital will be closed on All Saints' Day for the first time, officials said Monday, preventing millions in the Catholic-majority country from visiting their dead loved ones as the coronavirus rages. Filipinos usually pour into graveyards on Nov. 1, blending expressions of faith and grief with a party-like atmosphere and impromptu family reunions. But as the number of virus infections continues to rise, mayors across Metro Manila have agreed to shutter the cemeteries for the annual rite to prevent further spread of the contagion. "The reason behind this, of course, is to avoid mass gatherings. We are in a different situation because we are in a pandemic," Jojo Garcia, general manager of the Metro Manila Development Authority, told reporters. The authority's spokeswoman Celine Pialago told AFP it would be the first time cemeteries had been closed on All Saints' Day. Cemeteries in the Philippines range from quiet fields of white crosses to dense "apartment" tombs stacked meters high. People in the sprawling capital of 12 million are being encouraged to pay their respects to dead loved ones in the weeks before and after Nov. 1 to avoid crowding. The All Saints' Day ritual stretches back to ancient Rome and honors saints. For the Philippines, it is a day to pray for and remember the deceased by visiting their tombs, lighting candles and offering flowers. Health Undersecretary Rosario Vergeire said the department was considering recommending the closure of cemeteries across the country. Despite six months of tough measures, including travel restrictions and mandatory face masks, the Philippines is struggling to contain the coronavirus outbreak. As of Monday it had more than 265,000 confirmed cases, including over 4,600 deaths. The tech giant Apple is conducting an online event on September 15th 10 am PDT. The event is called Time Flies and is going to take place at the Apple Park. Apply had recently announced about the event after months of speculations and various leaks on the internet about its September event. It is expected that Apple will reveal its new watch at the virtual event on September 15 10 am PDT. Read on to check the apple event time in Malaysia and in India. Join us for a special #AppleEvent. Watch on September 15 at 10:00 a.m. PDT. Watch on https://t.co/tkb3KTIxTd. Apple (@Apple) September 8, 2020 ALSO READ| Apple's IPhone 12 Launch Virtual Event To Be Announced This Week? Apple Time Flies Event 2020 date and time in Malaysia Apple Time Flies Event 2020 in Malaysian Time- September 16, 1 am MYT Candidates from Malaysia can view the online event through the link here. Apple Time Flies Event 2020 in India Time - September 15, 10:30 pm IST As reported by Bloomberg, Apple will be only announcing the new versions of the iPad and the Apple Watch in this latest virtual event that is scheduled for Sept. 15th. The latest Apple Watch variants have been designed for different price tags ranging from low to high. Apple will be holding another event later to showcase the iPhone 12 line-up, the event is expected to be somewhere in October. Image courtesy: Apple official website ALSO READ| Apple Event Announced For September 15; Expected To Unveil New Hardware Apple expected product releases Apple is going to announce Apple watches, four iPhone models, a new iPad Air, headphones, and a new HomePod in the coming months. Apart from this, the American company is also expected to release the iOS 14, macOS Big Sur and iPadOS 14 versions in a few months too. Apple is expected to reveal two brand new smartwatches in the Apple Time Flies Event. In this Apple Event 2020, one of the watches is going to be the successor to the Series 5 and the other is said to be a cheaper alternative which will compete with Fitbit in the market. According to various tech sites, The watch is expected to have many more features that one would expect. Apple is also expected to announce the new iPad Air. However, as per Jon Prosser, a popular Apple product leaker and YouTuber, the over-ear headphones from Apple will be called AirPods Studio. ALSO READ| IPhone 12 Leaks: Apple May Push IPhone 12 Pro Launch Date Further; Know Details ALSO READ| Apple Face Mask Comes With Three-layer Protection; Who All Can Use It? Promo Image courtesy: Apple official website The final report on the exercise has revealed that none of the 20 targets were achieved although six of them partially succeeded (Chris Ison/PA) IRELAND must make considerable effort to protect its wildlife and natural habitats, as a new report shows countries who signed up to an international pledge to protect nature, failed to meet any of their joint targets. Ireland is among the 194 signatories to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) that adopted a set of aims called the Aichi Targets ten years ago with a deadline of achieving them by 2020. The final report on the exercise has revealed that none of the 20 targets were achieved although six of them partially succeeded. The natural world is suffering badly and getting worse, the report states. Biodiversity is declining at an unprecedented rate, and the pressures driving this decline are intensifying. Humanity stands at a crossroads with regard to the legacy we wish to leave to our future generations, warned CBD executive secretary, Elizabeth Maruma Mrema. The report notes some bright spots that illustrate where targeted conservation efforts prevented extinctions, how fish stocks recovered when fisheries were well-managed and how legal protections could be extended to more of the land and oceans. But it said such efforts would have to be dramatically scaled up to have a hope of fulfilling the CBDs overall aim of societies living in harmony with nature by 2020. In its profile of Ireland, the CBD says: The majority of Ireland's important habitats have an unfavourable overall conservation status, particularly raised and blanket bogs, sand dune systems, fens and mires, natural grasslands and woodlands. The main threats identified are peat cutting, drainage, construction, quarrying, inappropriate grazing, pollution, unsustainable demand on water sources, invasion by alien plant and animal species and pressure caused by using natural areas for recreation. It says it will take considerable management effort to improve this condition and reduce the impacts of pressures. It notes that several types fish, shellfish and other fresh water species have a bad or poor conservation status. The critical situation of some of the more sensitive species, such as the freshwater pearl mussels, underlines the urgency of improving water quality in key areas, it says. It also warns: Additional pressures on a number of species and habitats are likely to arise if Ireland undergoes climatic changes according to predictions. The report acknowledges the progress Ireland has made in setting up a biodiversity database and noted that 295 draft conservation management plans have been produced for protected areas, although they should have had fully agreed plans by now. This is the second report in less than a week to lay bare the fragile state of nature. The World Wide Fund for Natures Living Planet Report showed that two-thirds of the worlds wildlife had vanished since the 1970s. The CBD has now set out eight actions that are vital to slowing the rate of decline. They include conserving intact land and forests and restoring those damaged; adopting sustainable agriculture, fishers and food production, improving water quality, making room for nature in cities and towns and halting climate change. This prolificness likely explains why her latest effort feels as if it was rushed out the door before it was ready. When shes at her best, Lepores writing has a nimble fluency that can be exhilarating. Here, however, events are described out of order, crucial context is missing and stylistic tics become intrusive: McPhee drank and he drank and he drank and he smoked and he smoked and he smoked; his long-suffering wife was forever demurring, demurring, demurring, demurring. By the time Lepore describes Ed Greenfields hunger for McPhees voting prediction machine he wanted it, wanted it, wanted it I couldnt resist penciling in the margin, I get it, I get it, I get it. But the fact that Simulmatics cant support Lepores narrative shouldnt detract from the importance of the story shes trying to tell. Lepores frustrations with how what was once thought of as propaganda or psychological warfare was subsumed and legitimized by behavioral scientists, who rechristened the field with the anodyne label of mass communication; with the billions of dollars of Cold War funding that strangled the humanities and transformed American research universities into military-academic outposts dependent on federal grants; with the conservative opponents of Lyndon Johnsons Great Society who killed a proposal for a government agency to set up ethical guidelines, safeguards and rules for the use of the massive amount of personal data held by the federal government; with the fact that the Privacy Act of 1974 recognized that the aggregation of this data, while essential to the efficient operations of the government, has greatly magnified the harm to individual privacy that can occur but failed to protect that same data from private corporations; with the generations of mostly white, overwhelmingly male tech evangelists who lacked the imagination and the curiosity to consider the ways their simplistic libertarian fantasies might affect people who werent as privileged or as lucky as they were; with the billionaire leaders of Google and Facebook, whose swaggering, devil-may-care ethical ambition begins and ends with meaningless mottoes like dont be evil because doing good did not come into it; with America in 2020, where the only knowledge that counts is prediction, and corporations extract wealth by way of the collection of data and the manipulation of attention and the profit of prophecy should be our frustrations as well. Simulmatics failed, Lepore writes in her epilogue, but not before its scientists built a very early version of the machine in which humanity would in the early 21st century find itself trapped, a machine that applies the science of psychological warfare to the affairs of ordinary life, a machine that manipulates opinion, exploits attention, commodifies information, divides voters, fractures communities, alienates individuals and undermines democracy. That Lepore overstates Simulmatics role in this tale does not make her ultimate conclusions any less true, or any less terrifying. The Government of Kyrgyzstan has allocated KGS 640 million for possible second wave of coronavirus, Prime Minister of the republic Kubatbek Boronov said during a news briefing Tuesday, Trend reports citing Kabar. He noted that in case if this money is not enough, more will be allocated. In addition, the head of the government said that a total of KGS 5.4 billion were allocated from the republican budget for the fight against coronavirus, of which KGS 5.2 billion were used. Boronov told where exactly these funds were allocated. In particular, KGS 2.1 billion were spent for the purchase of medical equipment (ventilators, oxygen concentrators), PCR, reagents, medical products, PPE. Also, KGS 785 million were spent on compensating medical workers, KGS 452 million - on compensating employees of law enforcement agencies, KGS 454 million - on organizing medical makeshift hospitals and meals there, KGS 200 million were spent on providing food for low-income families, KGS 221 million - on buying vaccines against flu and pneumococcus. In addition, KGS 1.1 billion was spent to provide grain and medicine reserves. Donald Trump hosts Middle East leaders at White House as Palestinians condemn signing of accords as a sad day. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain have signed agreements to normalise relations with Israel in a strategic realignment of Middle Eastern countries against Iran. United States President Donald Trump on Tuesday hosted a White House ceremony capping a dramatic month when first the UAE and then Bahrain agreed to normalise ties without a resolution of Israels decades-old conflict with the Palestinians, who have condemned the agreements. At the US-brokered event, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu signed agreements with Emirati Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Bahrains Foreign Minister Abdullatif Al Zayani. The deals make them the third and fourth Arab states to take such steps to normalise ties since Israel signed peace treaties with Egypt in 1979 and Jordan in 1994. The people of the Middle East will no longer allow hatred of Israel to be fomented as an excuse for radicalism or extremism, Trump said at the White House ceremony. And theyll no longer allow the great destiny of their region to be denied. This peace will eventually expand to include other Arab states. And ultimately, it can end the Arab-Israeli conflict, once and for all, Netanyahu said. Ammar Hijazi, assistant minister of multilateral affairs for the Palestinian Authority, said the signing of the accords was a sad day. The only path for peace for the Palestinians is ending this brutal Israeli occupation and granting the Palestinians their inalienable rights for self-determination. Without that there is no path to peace in the region, Hijazi told Al Jazeera. Hijazi called the White House signing ceremony a photo op that only crowns Israel as the policeman of the region and paves the way for more US weapons sales to the region. The back-to-back agreements mark an improbable diplomatic victory for Trump. He has spent his presidency forecasting deals on such intractable problems as North Koreas nuclear programme only to find actual achievements elusive. Bringing Israel, the UAE and Bahrain together may be their shared concern about Irans rising influence in the region and development of ballistic missiles. Iran has been critical of both deals. Fellow Gulf state Qatar has ruled out normalising ties with Israel until the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is resolved. With Trump up for re-election on November 3, the accords could help shore up support among pro-Israel Christian evangelical voters in the US, an important part of his political base. US President Donald Trumps son-in-law and Senior Adviser Jared Kushner negotiated the agreements with UAE officials in a meeting in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates on August 31, 2020 [Ministry of Presidential Affairs/Handout via Reuters] Speaking to Fox News hours before the ceremony, Trump said he expected more Arab countries to normalise ties with Israel and predicted the Palestinians would eventually join as well or else be left out in the cold. One target of White House appeals is Saudi Arabia, the biggest Gulf Arab power. So far, the Saudis, whose king is custodian of Islams holiest sites and governs the worlds largest oil exporter, have signalled they are not ready. Another target is Oman, whose leader spoke with Trump last week. Qatars foreign ministry spokeswoman, Lolwah al-Khater, told Bloomberg on Monday normalising relations with Isreal cant be the answer to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Netanyahu under domestic pressure Although a diplomatic win for Netanyahu, the ceremony takes place while he faces criticism at home for his handling of the coronavirus pandemic and a corruption trial on charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust that have led to frequent street protests. Netanyahu denies any wrongdoing and describes his trial as a left-wing political witch-hunt aimed at unseating a popular right-wing leader. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is in political trouble at home [Yoav Dudkevitch/AFP] Israel signed separate agreements with each of the Gulf states and the US joined all three in signing a common document known as the Abraham Accords, which the White House described as a declaration of peace. The Israel-Bahrain deal would involve an exchange of embassies, Trumps senior adviser and son-in-law, Jared Kushner, told the Reuters news agency. Four versions of the agreements were signed, one in English, another in Hebrew and two in Arabic. Some differences remain despite warming ties. Trump said on Tuesday he would have no problem selling advanced stealth F-35 fighter jets to the UAE, which has long sought to obtain them. But Israel, which has the F-35, has made it clear it still objects to such a sale. Frustrated by the Palestinians refusal to take part in Trumps Middle East peace initiative, the White House has sought to bypass them in hopes they will see the deals with the UAE and Bahrain as incentives, even leverage, for peace talks. Prompted by the normalisation of ties between Arab states and Israel, fractured Palestinian political factions are working diligently in multilateral talks to restore unity and mend the division between the Gaza Strip and the West Bank in negotiations far more promising than previous efforts. The Palestinian leadership, which has long accused Trump of pro-Israel bias, has denounced the Arab rapprochement with Israel as a betrayal of their cause. In return for a normalisation with the UAE, Netanyahu agreed to suspend a plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank. Palestinians in Gaza burn pictures of US President Donald Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Bahrains King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa during a protest against Bahrains move to normalise relations with Israel on September 12, 2020 [Ibraheem Abu Mustafa/Reuters] Palestinians view the new agreements as weakening a long-standing pan-Arab position that calls for Israeli withdrawal from occupied territories and acceptance of Palestinian statehood in return for normal relations with Arab countries. Though negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians last broke down in 2014, some Gulf Arab states and several other Arab countries have long had quiet, informal contacts with Israel. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The NYPD is asking for the publics help to locate a woman sought for questioning in connection with an alleged bait-and-switch scam where a gold chain was stolen in Rosebank. The alleged con began when an unknown woman stepped out of a dark SUV that was parked in the vicinity of Reynolds Street and St. Marys Avenue on Aug. 4 at about 6:30 p.m., according to a statement by the NYPDs Deputy Commissioner of Public Information. She approached a 55-year-old male victim and told the man that she wanted to give him a gift. The woman then placed a necklace around the 55-year-old mans neck while removing his gold necklace. The woman then returned to the SUV with an unknown person seated behind the wheel. After the vehicle drove away, the 55-year-old man realized that his chain valued at $600 had been stolen, according to the police statement. Police described the person sought for questioning as an adult woman with a light complexion, heavy build and dark hair. She was seen wearing a white shirt and a long black skirt. Police provided surveillance photos depicting the woman sought for questioning and the SUV taken in the vicinity of the theft. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the NYPDs Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-8477 (TIPS). For Spanish, dial 1-888-577-4782 (PISTA). The public also can submit tips on the Crime Stoppers website, or by texting tips to 274637 (CRIMES), then entering TIP577. All calls are strictly confidential. When are police officers permitted to use force? And when can they use deadly force? Its a question that hangs in the air after a Lancaster police officer shot and killed a man who was running at him with a knife on Sunday. Investigators quickly released the body-camera footage, and while an investigation is underway, the Lancaster County District Attorneys Office said in a statement our preliminary investigation shows that the officer fired as a man clearly armed with a knife ran toward the officer in a threatening manner. The man was 27-year-old Ricardo Munoz, who was pronounced dead at the scene Sunday on the 300 block of Laurel Street. There are several factors police officers have to keep in mind when using force or deadly force. The most important thing to know is if you fear for the immediate safety of yourself or others, or are in fear of bodily injury or death, you have the right to use deadly force, said John Fiorill of the Pennsylvania State Lodge of the Fraternal Order of Police. Besides serving with the Fraternal Order of Police at the state level, he also served for 27 years with the Lancaster Bureau of Police as a patrolman, shift commander and in community relations. He could not comment on the current investigation, but he said Lancaster police, and most police departments, have similar use-of-force policies that follow state law. The law gives police officers the authority to use deadly force when the officer believes it is necessary to prevent death or serious injury to himself or others, or when he believes simultaneously that force is necessary to prevent an escape and the person to be arrested has committed or attempted a forcible felony, or is attempting to escape with a deadly weapon, or indicates they will endanger human life or cause serious injury to someone if not arrested immediately. There are two Senate bills, currently in the House Judiciary Committee, and if they become law, they could effect some changes. Senate Bill 459 would require municipal law enforcement departments to adopt a use-of-force policy and to train officers on procedures allowed under the policy. Further, it would require those departments to report use-of-force events to the state police when they occur. Its an appropriate good first step as we move through the process of addressing many of these measures along these lines, Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa of Allegheny County, who sponsored the bill, previously said. Senate Bill 1205 would prohibit use of chokeholds except in situations when the use of deadly force is permitted. Sen. Sharif Street, D-Philadelphia, who sponsored the bill, previously said the measure describes chokeholds as any physical maneuver which restricts an individuals ability to breathe for the purposes of incapacitation. Street previously said these reforms were in response to the public outcry in the wake of the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. The state House had two bills this year addressing use-of-force, which have now become law. House Bill 1910, now Act 59, requires police training to identify and report suspected child abuse, but it also includes a provision addressing the use of deadly force, requiring annual instruction on the use of deadly force, de-escalation, and harm-reduction techniques and biennial instruction in community and cultural awareness. And House Bill 1841, now Act 57, requires a thorough background investigation of a job candidate for a police officer position. Some police departments have chosen to make their use-of-force policies publicly available. The Lancaster Bureau of Police is one of those departments. You can see its policy here. Other cities have done the same, including Harrisburg. In Lancasters policy, officers may only use force when it is objectively reasonable, proportional and necessary given the totality of the circumstances. Those circumstances include force necessary to make an arrest, control an individual, lawfully detain a subject, prevent escape or to protect themselves and others. Before using force, officers should gain voluntary compliance and should de-escalate the situation, when possible. It is on police officers to continually assess the situation in the moment and modifying the level of force as things change. In using force, officers are to act with the highest regard for preservation of human life and the safety of the community. Using deadly force is only permitted for officers to: Protect themselves or others from what is reasonably believed to be an imminent threat of death or serious bodily injury. Prevent a crime where the suspects actions place people in imminent jeopardy of death or serious bodily injury. Prevent the escape of a violent, fleeing felon when there is probable cause to believe the escape will pose a significant threat of death or serious bodily injury to the officer or others if apprehension is delayed. In this circumstance, officers shall, to the extent practicable, avoid using deadly force that might subject innocent bystanders or hostages to possible death or injury. It is a decision that has to be made in a split second, Fiorill said about the use of deadly force. Thats why, in many cases, when you have deadly force, you have to look at it in the eyes of what a police officer would do in that situation. Often times, when responding to a situation, police officers have little information beyond what is immediately presented to them on the scene and have to act to protect themselves and others, which is what they are trained to do, he said. These cases should be investigated by an independent agency outside of the police department whose officer was involved in the shooting, said Lindsay Vaughan, executive director of the Pennsylvania District Attorneys Association. That is to ensure the investigation is done in an objective and fair way for everyone involved, she said. While she could not comment on the Lancaster case specifically, she said her office provides a set of best-practices guidelines for departments and district attorneys in these investigations. Those practices include having an independent agency investigating the case, which could be detectives working for the DAs office, state police or other departments not involved in the shooting. When a police-involved shooting occurs, the first priority is the safety of everyone involved and providing emergency medical treatment. Then, the guidelines state, the scene should be secured as soon as possible, the DA should be contacted, and the DA will designate an independent agency to investigate. The independent agency will then process the scene, collect evidence and conduct the investigation. "All district attorneys try to review every piece of evidence they have in trying to make a decision based on the facts, Vaughan said. That includes body-camera footage, which is available in the Munoz case. The guidelines also state police departments can conduct their own internal-affairs investigations simultaneously, and counseling should be provided for the officers involved. At the conclusion of the investigation, the policy guidelines state it will be up to the district attorney to decide whether or not the shooting was justified and if charges should be filed. The police-shooting death of Munoz remains under investigation by the DAs office in Lancaster County. Munoz' family argues the use of deadly force was not necessary in this situation. They reached out to the police because they were instructed to do so after a call to crisis intervention, the family said. The police were aware of Munoz' mental-health issues and should have used non-lethal force such as a Taser or shooting him somewhere other than the heart, his mother, Miguelina Pena, and his sister, Debora Munoz, said on Monday. In a press conference earlier that day, Lancaster Mayor Danene Sorace acknowledged that Munoz' death makes it clear there needs to be an increase in funding for behavioral and mental health services, not only in the city, but at the county, state and federal levels. It also emphasizes inequality in the city and the need to better fund housing, social and educational services, she said. Munoz death also sparked protests in Lancaster, which turned violent. The Lancaster County District Attorneys Office released a statement Monday saying The acts committed overnight were not peaceful acts of protest; the behavior was violent and riotous. Rocks were thrown at officers and windows were broken. It required the countys SERT team to be called in with tear gas deployed multiple times. This office fully supports the right to gather and peacefully protest, however, the riotous behavior exhibited last night is completely unacceptable and will not be tolerated, District Attorney Heather Adams said in a statement. Such lawless conduct only takes away from those working with the community to address issues worthy of discussion. Make no mistake, those who cannot peacefully protest and instead resort to violence will be prosecuted and held fully accountable. Protesters said Monday morning it was a handful of instigators who came in from outside of Lancaster who made it a violent situation. Police have since arrested at least 12 adults and 1 juvenile for arson and vandalism. Bail was set at $1 million for seven of them. Data finds that at least 115 people have suffered head injuries from rubber bullets over the course of the summer. A summer of protests has resulted in over 100 people receiving head injuries from rubber bullets shot by police. Read More: Detroit officer charged, accused of shooting journalists with rubber bullets Physicians for Human Rights collected data using information from social media with verified photo and video proof, lawsuits, locally reported news, and other publicly available and credible sources to confirm the number. PHR identified at least 115 people shot in the head by rubber bullets and other kinetic impact projectiles (KIPs) from May through August in various cities. KIPs are defined by the organization as including projectiles used for crowd control worldwide counting various bullets, baton rounds, and tear gas canisters, that are fired into crowds from a gun, rifle, or other launchers. Although they are frequently referred to as less-lethal, an injury from many KIPs can result in life-threatening injury, permanent disability, and death PHR finds. The fired rounds commonly grouped together as rubber bullets can be made from combinations of rubber, wood, various metals, and more. They are not intended for head shots, PHR reports. This, however, did not stop police officers from targeting protesters from the neck up during a season of protests sparked by the violent death of George Floyd. Protesters demonstrate during a night of clashes between protesters and Detroit Police Officers, violence returned to downtown Detroit as police made dozens of arrests and fired tear gas and rubber bullets at protesters on May 30, 2020 in Detroit, Michigan. The ongoing protests in Detroit come as a nationwide movement to protest the death of 46 year-old George Floyd at the hands of police in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Matthew Hatcher/Getty Images) Protests calling for justice and accountability for police violence have often been met with more police violence, said PHR research leader Rohini Haar in a statement, according to The Hill. She continues from Los Angeles, CA to Little Rock, AR, demonstrators, and bystanders suffered fractured skulls, broken jaws, traumatic brain injuries and permanent vision loss from these inherently indiscriminate weapons. Los Angeles, Portland Oregon, and Austin, Texas are identified in the research as locations where head injuries happened more frequently resulting from KIPs. TheGrio reports Insecure actor Kendrick Sampson described being shot at point-blank range with a rubber bullet by law enforcement while participating in a peaceful protest near Beverly Hills. Story continues Imma just let yall know right now. None of these police cars were touched until they started hurting people, Sampson said of the May 30 protests cited in PHR data. PHR finds at least 12 people were hit in the head with KIPs in Los Angeles on May 30, six on May 31 in Austin, and at least 14 by the end of July in Portland. The organization also documents multiple head injuries in Michigan, Florida, and Colorado. Haar says the use of KIPs by police officers in the United States indicates a larger problem. The sheer scale and scope of the head injuries caused by kinetic impact projectiles across the country suggests that U.S. law enforcement has a systemic problem when it comes to abusing crowd-control weapons during protests, she said, according to The Hill. Read More: Police use tear gas, rubber bullets on Compton protesters The group, which shared the Nobel Peace Prize in 1997, finds that police use of rubber bullets only escalates situations rather than controlling the crowd and suggests we must ban the use of KIPs in crowd-control situations. Have you subscribed to theGrios podcast Dear Culture? Download our newest episodes now! The post At least 115 people suffered head injuries from rubber bullets this summer: study appeared first on TheGrio. Opposition figures reacted angrily on Tuesday after Ivory Coasts top court rejected 40 candidates for upcoming presidential elections, validating the contested bid of head of state Alassane Ouattara but sidelining his predecessor, Laurent Gbagbo. Tensions in the West African state are running high ahead of the October 31 polls more than 3,000 people died in post-election violence in 2010-11. One of the four accepted candidates, former prime minister Pascal Affi Nguessan, said the country was descending into a spiral of exclusion, a phenomenon he described as the most consummate sign of the regimes tyrannical nature. Nguessan, 67, served under Gbagbo and heads the party he founded, although he is struggling to win over loyalists who want the former president to be their flagbearer. Gbagbo was forced out by Ouattara after a brief civil war following the elections in 2010 and was then prosecuted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) on charges of crimes against humanity. He was released by the ICC in January 2019 and lives in Brussels pending the outcome of an appeal against the ruling. But Gbagbos application for the October 31 elections submitted in his name by followers was rejected by the Constitutional Council as he had been sentenced to a 20-year term in absentia last November over the looting of a regional bank during the post-election crisis. Another notable rejection was an application by former rebel leader turned prime minister Guillaume Soro, 47, who fell out with Ouattara, and had been sentenced to 20-years in absentia over alleged embezzlement. The Constitutional Council missed a historic chance to show its independence, Nguessan said in a statement. He referred to a constitutional change in 2016 that enabled Ouattara to argue that the two-term limit on presidential tenure had been reset to zero a rationale accepted by the court. It accepted the candidacy of the outgoing president, who is clearly ineligible, and refused those of Laurent Gbagbo and Guillaume Soro, who have been deprived of their civic rights out of purely political opportunism, Nguessan said. Violence fears Ouattara, 78, had initially said in March that he would not seek a third term but was forced into a U-turn just four months later when his preferred successor, prime minister Amadou Gon Coulibaly, died of a heart attack. Violent protests against Ouattaras candidacy left around 15 dead last month, reviving memories of the post-election bloodshed nearly a decade ago. Clashes broke out in several Ivorian cities on Monday ahead of the announcement by the Constitutional Council, while on Tuesday, the police presence in Abidjan was beefed up and security forces reinforcements were sent out to other regions. Soro, reacting on Twitter late Monday, called the Constitutional Councils ruling unjust and baseless. It is an iniquitous decision, politically motivated, legally flawed, and part of a process of crushing democracy and the state of law, he said in a statement posted on Twitter and Facebook. He said he would hold a press conference on Thursday in France, where he lives. The Ivory Coast Democratic Party (PDCI), whose champion, 86-year-old former president Henri Konan Bedie, has been allowed to contest the polls, made no immediate response to the courts decision. But it said it would boycott elections to the offices of local election commissions on September 15 a reflection of its long-running anger at what it says is a rigged electoral system. Washington: The Nevada company that allowed President Donald Trump to hold a rally indoors with few masks and little social distancing faces fines for violating COVID-19 safety regulations. The city of Henderson had warned Xtreme Manufacturing that the Sunday event would have to comply with state orders to keep gatherings under 50 people, to require facial coverings and to practice social distancing. Supporters gather at the rally for US President Donald Trump Xtreme Manufacturing in Henderson, Nevada. Credit:AP "During the event, a compliance officer observed six violations of the directives and the City's Business Operations Division has issued a Business License Notice of Violation to Xtreme Manufacturing and assessed a penalty of $US3000 [$4100]," municipal spokeswoman Kathleen Richards said in an email. The violations included violating mask and social distancing requirements, holding a live event with spectators without prior state approval, holding a gathering of more than 50 people, keeping common areas open, and not posting notices on social distancing and face covering requirements. A faction of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Zamfara state has condemned activities of a faction of the party loyal to former governor of the state Abdulaziz Yari. A statement by Bello Maradun, publicity secretary of the faction, condemned a video clip circulating in which one Sunusi Mai-bakin-zuma, a loyalist of Mr Yari was threatening violence over arrest of some members of the party last week. Furthermore, we call on our sister faction to avoid making inflammatory and provocative statements or actions under whatever guise that will result in the total breakdown of law and order in the state. READ FULL TEXT BELOW: We arent part of this rascality and irresponsibility of APC Yari Faction -Zamfara APC Maijamaa The attention of our faction of All Progressive Congress (APC) in Zamfara State under the umbrella of APC Mai Jamaa (APC Marafa Faction) has been drawn to a Press Conference ostensibly by one Sunusi Salisu Isah Mai Bakin Zuma of the former Governor AbdulAziz Yari faction over an alleged arrest and detention of some of their members by the Nigerian Police. Its rather compelling that, we in the (APC Mai Jamaa) faction under the able leadership of Sen. Kabiru Garba Marafa, to strongly condemn and disassociate ourselves from such abysmal show of rascality, irresponsibility, and threat to the fragile peace in Zamfara state. While we condemn totally any attempt by whosoever to trample on anybodys fundamental human right or the violation of our constitution or orchestrating any act of aggression to anybody for any reason regardless of his or her political affiliation and under whatever disguise, we equally dissociate ourselves from any form of rascality and irresponsibility by way of any demonstration, illegal gathering and or press conference by some minions with thugs brandishing weapons parading themselves as APC members that controls the federal Govt, calling institutionally recognized Government and personalities like the State Commissioner of police stupid. This is totally unacceptable and should be condemned by all and sundry. For us, it has fallen below the minimum standard of behavior expected from any civilized personality, group or association. Furthermore, we call on our sister faction to avoid making inflammatory and provocative statements or actions under whatever guise that will result in the total breakdown of law and order in the state. Yari and whoever may join his bandwagon, should know that, politics is seasonal and thiss not a time for politics but governance in the collective interest of Zamfara state. The threat to take law into their hands should not be treated with kids gloves, the government and relevant security agencies must be up and doing to protect and promote the much needed peace achieved in the last one and half years. We also want use this occasion to call on APC Yari faction to henceforth desist from using the general term, APC Zamfara; they should always qualify it by APC Yari faction. The larger part of the APC family in the state are not with them in this irresponsible act. Its pertinent at this point to remind the Yari Faction of the atrocities they committed in the last days of his (Yaris) administration, while they are busy trying to tell the world that the PDP Govt in the state is antagonizing them because they are APC, they forgot the atrocities and wickedness they meted on our members (within the same APC) by their Commissioner of Justice Mr Bello Umar who unjustly send 65 people from our camp to prison for more than 60days. How Ungodly! We recall a particular incidence when Yari send one of our own, Alh. Abubakar Usman Gora to prison, our leader Sen. Marafa cautioned him (Yari) that the injustice will go full circle and here were in just one year, the same Yari is crying. Finally we want to restate our support and call on our security agencies to use all the available means to deal with any person or group of persons threatening the fragile peace enjoyed in the state. We equally want call on the state Govt to concentrate on providing the much needed peace to our people especially in the rural areas. Thank you and God bless. Signed: Alh. Bello Bakyasuwa Maradun, Publicity Secretary APC Mai Jamaa Zamfara State. Janelle Scott In this months NEPC Talks Education podcast episode, NEPC Researcher [Christopher Saldana interviews Dr. Janelle T. Scott, the Robert C. and Mary Catherine Birgeneau Distinguished Chair in Educational Disparities at the University of California, Berkeley. Dr. Scott is an expert in educational policy and equality of opportunity in education and co-author of the book, The Politics of Education Policy in an Era of Inequality: Possibilities for Democratic Schooling. Scott and Saldana discuss how some parents have responded to the challenges of remote learning by pooling their resources and sharing their time to form learning pods for their children. While this has obvious benefits for some children, it also means that children without access to learning pods or other resources will have constrained educational opportunities. Scott points out that this exacerbates educational inequities that result from factors such as poverty and race. Scott argues that the emergence of learning pods has been caused in part by a failure of the federal government to provide schools with the resources and guidance necessary to reopen safely. She points out that the federal government could have, for example, supported the successful reopening of schools by making early investments in their physical infrastructure, in personal protective equipment for teachers, staff, and students, and in high-quality technology and broadband for students who need them. Scott explains how the failure of the government to do any of these things well will continue to weigh most heavily on students who were already most challenged in their pursuit of educational opportunity, as more privileged families use their resources to compensate for the governments failures. Scott sees the possibility for significant and meaningful positive change in K-12 public education if parents and families both those participating in a learning pod and those who continue to work with their local public school engage in the political process and advocate for local, state, and federal policies that offer access to essential resources for all students and families. A new NEPC Talks Education podcast episode, hosted by NEPC Researcher Christopher Saldana, will be released each month from September through May. Dont worry if you miss a month. All episodes are archived on the NEPC website and can be found here. NEPC podcast episodes are also available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Stitcher, under the title NEPC Talks Education. Subscribe and follow! The National Education Policy Center (NEPC), a university research center housed at the University of Colorado Boulder School of Education, produces and disseminates high-quality, peer-reviewed research to inform education policy discussions. Visit us at: https://nepc.colorado.edu 'Rage' author Bob Woodward's latest tape reveals President Donald Trump confessing to fleeing from the Oval Office after someone sneezed because the coronavirus was so contagious. 'I was in the White House a couple of days ago, meeting with 10 people in the Oval Office and a guy sneezed innocently, not a horrible, you know, just a sneeze,' Trump is heard telling Woodward in a tape dated April 13. 'The entire room bailed out, OK, including me, by the way.' The timing is significant because the conversation happened the same day Trump declared that he had 'the ultimate authority' to push states to reopen their economies, which he was pressing them to do. 'Rage' author Bob Woodward debuted another tape from his 18 interviews with President Donald Trump. Trump is heard saying he 'bailed out' of the Oval Office after someone sneezed because the coronavirus was so contagious Woodward (right) debuted the new sound clip Monday night on the 'Late Show' with comedian Stephen Colbert (left). Woodward wondered how Trump could hold packed rallies this week knowing what he knew months earlier about the seriousness of COVID-19 The conversation between Woodward (left) and Trump (right) came on April 13, a day that Trump boasted that he had the 'ultimate authority' to order states to reopen their economies, which he was publicly supportive of them doing At the April 13 briefing, Trump was challenged several times about what authority he had to make states reopen their economies. He later backpedaled, but on that day he insisted, 'They want to open. They have to open. They have to get open' The famed Watergate journalist debuted the new audio clip from one of his 18 interviews with Trump on Monday night on the 'Late Show' with host Stephen Colbert. Trump is first heard remarking to Woodward just how contagious the coronavirus is. 'And Bob. It's so easily transmissible you wouldn't believe it,' the president says. Speaking about the clip to the comedian, Woodward takes what Trump knew then and ponders how he could hold packed rallies this week. 'Last night in Nevada when he was going through that rally, I mean God knows how many people there, all packed together,' Woodward said. 'I wonder if someone sneezed in the front row that Trump would bail out again and get out of the way?' the journalist mused. The president held his first indoor rally in Nevada Sunday night since the disastrous June rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, which former GOP presidential candidate Herman Cain attended before contracting the coronavirus and dying. 'Anyway, this is too serious a matter,' Woodward said. He goes on to bring up Trump's January 28 meeting with National Security Advisor Robert O'Brien and his deputy Matt Pottinger, which Woodward unearthed in his reporting for the book. Woodward called it 'maybe one of the most extraordinary meetings in the Oval Office I reported on for about 50 years.' 'And that is when his national security adviser tells him that the virus is going to be the biggest national security threat to your presidency and then the deputy, Matt Pottinger, who had worked in China for seven years for The Wall Street Journal gives specifics about how dangerous this is, how easy it is to be transmitted,' Woodward continued. Woodward said a president's job - and Trump attested to this - was to 'protect the people.' 'He failed to protect the people,' Woodward said. 'He failed to find the way to tell the truth.' During the April 13 press briefing, Trump was challenged several times on what authority he had to make states reopen. When asked by a reporter about the 10th Amendment, which gives all powers that don't reside in the president or Congress to the states, Trump suggested that state officials reluctant to reopen simply wouldn't be re-elected. 'Well, if some states refuse to open, I would be - I would like to see that person run for election. They're going to open. They're going to all open,' Trump said. 'They want to open. They have to open. They have to get open.' The president later backpedaled on his claim to have authority. Trump also said guidance on how to reopen would be forthcoming. 'My administrations plan and corresponding guidelines will give the American people the confidence they need to begin returning to normal life,' he said on April 13. 'Thats what we want. We want to have our country open. We want to return to normal life. Our country is going to be open, and its going to be successfully opened.' Four days later, Trump famously pushed Democratic governors to reopen their states by tweeting 'LIBERATE MICHIGAN,' as well as Virginia and Minnesota, siding with anti-shutdown protesters who were showing up to state capitols to complain about businesses being closed. New Delhi: The government on Tuesday approved the construction of the crucial Haryana Orbital Rail Corridor Project from Palwal to Sonipat which will decongest the railway network in the National Capital Region and connect unserved areas of the state. Government has approved the construction of Haryana Orbital Rail Corridor from Palwal to Sonipat, via Sohna-Manesar-Kharkhauda. #HaryanaRailCorridor pic.twitter.com/gb29SV8AJr Ministry of Railways (@RailMinIndia) September 15, 2020 The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) cleared the project to be completed at an estimated cost of Rs 5,617 crore and with a likely completion time of five years. This rail line will facilitate diversion of traffic not meant for Delhi, thus decongesting the NCR network and will also help in developing multimodal logistics hubs in Haryana, the statement said. The project runs via Sohna-Manesar-Kharkhauda and will have connectivity with all the existing railway routes originating from Delhi and passing through Haryana as well as with the Dedicated Freight Corridor network. This rail line will start from Palwal and end at the existing Harsana Kalan station (on the Delhi-Ambala section). This will also give connectivity en route to existing Patli Station (on Delhi-Rewari line), Sultanpur station (on Garhi Harsaru-Farukhnagar Line) and Asaudha Station (on Delhi Rohtak Line). It will be implemented by the Haryana Rail Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (HRIDC), a joint venture of the Ministry of Railways and the Government of Haryana. The project will have joint participation of the Railways, the Haryana government and private stakeholders. Once completed, the project will benefit Palwal, Nuh, Gurugram, Jhajjar and Sonipat districts of Haryana. It will provide high-speed seamless connectivity of this region to the dedicated freight corridor network resulting in reduction of cost and time of transportation for EXIM traffic from NCR to the ports of India, making exports of goods more competitive, the statement said. This efficient transport corridor along with other initiatives will provide enabling infrastructure to attract multinational industries to set up manufacturing units to fulfil the 'Make in India' mission, the statement said. The project will connect unserved areas of Haryana, thereby boosting economic and social activities in the state. This multipurpose transport project will also facilitate affordable and faster commuter travel, long-distance travel in different directions from Gurugram and the industrial regions of Manesar, Sohna, Farukhnagar, Kharkhauda and Sonipat. Approximately 20,000 passengers each day will be traveling through this line and 50 million tonnes goods traffic would also be carried out every year, the statement said. The alignment of this project is adjacent to the Western Peripheral (Kundli-Manesar-Palwal) Expressway and has been under consideration for some time. Premium solutions leverage intelligent technologies to address data gaps in traditional coverage, establishing a new, profound level of revenue protection Farmers Edge, a global leader in digital agriculture, today announced a strategic collaboration with Munich Re, a leading reinsurer, to pave the way for data-driven parametric weather insurance solutions. The trailblazing deal centers on a unique digital infrastructure that combines highly precise, site-specific datasets with science-based analytics and Artificial Intelligence to transform traditional parametric coverage models into scalable and profitable solutions for all stakeholders; growers gain top quality crop protection and instant payouts while insurers gain key insights and tools to more confidently mitigate risk, automate claims, and provide faster payouts to customers. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200915005253/en/ Farmers Edge and Munch Re partner to build unique parametric weather insurance solutions. (Photo: Business Wire) Agricultural parametric insurance covers areas that are excluded from all-risks indemnity policies, such as excess moisture or heat, to protect growers against unpreventable high-intensity and catastrophic losses. These policies are designed to offer claim payouts as soon as events are triggered, eliminating the typical loss adjustment and reporting period. However, these parametric weather policies may carry significant risk across data-sparse regions due to insufficient publicly available data. The collaboration puts Farmers Edge and Munich Re at the forefront of insurance innovation, combating risks associated with parametric coverage while also establishing business resiliency amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Farmers Edge risk management platform-FarmCommand-provides a powerful avenue to securely automate all data transactions between growers and insurers, resulting in lower administrative costs and improved scalability. The platform delivers hyper-local, high-density insights, fueled by AI and robust datasets, such as daily satellite imagery and site-specific weather conditions, to detect claims and trigger instant payouts. Its Smart Claim and Smart Reporting tools power automated record-keeping, claim predictions and notifications, claim adjustments, crop classifications, and fraud detection. One crucial piece are the Farmers Edge weather stations installed directly on the farm. This acute level of precision, combined with Munich Re's vast reinsurance expertise, provides growers with secure protection that mirrors the impact of weather events as they occur on their fields. While traditional claims can take months, these new, parametric solutions are designed to be completely automated by data and InsurTech features. FarmCommand houses and analyzes all data to detect and trigger claims automatically, creating more utility, security, and transparency for all stakeholders. "As a farmer myself, it was paramount for us to provide a solution to help growers across data-sparse regions access more protection," says Wade Barnes, Farmers Edge CEO and co-founder. "By working together, we're able to bring the highest degree of accuracy available and couple it with intuitive tools to deliver instant payouts and superior risk management solutions that support global sustainability. This collaboration completes the missing piece of the longstanding parametric puzzle-controlling risk with better data-and gives insurers a clearly defined competitive advantage to attract new customers and enrich existing relationships." "Protecting agribusinesses against risks arising in agricultural production has been a longstanding tradition within Munich Re. Our aim is to improve the access to required coverages by extending the boundaries of insurability," says Rainer Hartmann, Head of AgRisk Partners in Munich Re. "The collaboration with Farmers Edge brings an important piece to the table. The performant accessibility to accurate data allows the design of individual coverages on a parametric basis addressing the specific risks and helping commercial operations to manage their exposures." About Munich Re Munich Re is one of the world's leading providers of reinsurance, primary insurance, and insurance-related risk solutions. The Group consists of the reinsurance and ERGO business segments, as well as the asset manager MEAG. Munich Re is globally active and operates in all lines of the insurance business. Since it was founded in 1880, Munich Re has been known for its unrivalled risk-related expertise and its sound financial position. It offers customers financial protection when faced with exceptional levels of damage from the 1906 San Francisco earthquake to the 2019 Pacific typhoon season. Munich Re possesses outstanding innovative strength, which enables it to also provide coverage for extraordinary risks such as rocket launches, renewable energies, cyber attacks or pandemics. The Group is playing a key role in driving forward the digital transformation of the insurance industry, and in doing so has further expanded its ability to assess risks and the range of services that it offers. Its tailor-made solutions and close proximity to its customers make Munich Re one of the world's most sought-after risk partners for businesses, institutions, and private individuals. About Farmers Edge Farmers Edge is a global leader in digital agriculture delivering cutting-edge solutions powered by a unique combination of field-centric data, artificial intelligence, and complete integration. Since 2005, Farmers Edge has transformed the industry with disruptive technologies and strategic partnerships designed to enhance connectivity across the entire agricultural ecosystem. With the most comprehensive data management platform on the market-FarmCommand-Farmers Edge is revolutionizing the way farmers, agricultural professionals, and agri-businesses interact with data. Moving at the speed of digital, with an elite team focused on innovation, machine learning, and IoT, Farmers Edge is creating new opportunities for all stakeholders, shaping the future of agriculture worldwide. To learn more about Farmers Edge, visit FarmersEdge.ca or FarmersEdgeUSA.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200915005253/en/ Contacts: Media: Jill Reed or Peter Brooks Sift Communications for Farmers Edge farmersedge@siftpr.com Ph: +1-415-722-2433 TEL AVIV, Israel, Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- PacketLight Networks , a leading provider of DWDM and optical fiber networking solutions, announced that PIT Chile, a major Internet Exchange Point (IXP) for major CDNs including Facebook, Fastly, Google, and Microsoft, and local Chilean ISPs businesses, has deployed PacketLight's PL-2000T transponder to connect two of its data centers in Santiago, Chile. PIT Chile required a high capacity and high-speed solution capable of supporting a 200G protected DCI link between two data centers in El Bosque and Santa Marta on three nodes of dark fiber. It also had to be easy to self-install due to COVID-19 and social distancing restrictions preventing on-premises PacketLight support. The PL-2000T met all these needs, delivering high capacity transport of up to 8 x 100Gb Ethernet protocol with integrated EDFA and optical switch, as well as optional embedded physical layer encryption to support future requirements. Leveraging PacketLight's intuitive graphical user interface (GUI) for remote configuration, management and monitoring, PIT Chile installed the solution in mere minutes with minimal support from PacketLight's team. "The link between El Bosque and Santa Marta sites ensures more capacity, more resilience, and lower latency between the data center nodes so we can operate at full capacity without any service degradation to our customers," said Ivan Zilic Schmidt, Director of Technology at PIT Chile. "Our experience with PacketLight Networks has exceeded expectations from the simplicity of installation to the quality of the DCI link." "We are thrilled to provide PIT Chile an intuitive solution capable of meeting their needs for high capacity DCI while being simple enough to install amidst the challenges created by the pandemic," said Koby Reshef, CEO of PacketLight Networks. "The PL-2000T is an excellent representation of PacketLight's carrier-grade solutions that are simple, cost-effective, and easily scalable to support pay-as-you-grow architecture." For more information on the PL-2000T and the rest of PacketLight's suite of modular, flexible DWDM and OTN solutions, visit https://www.packetlight.com/. About PacketLight Networks PacketLight Networks offers a suite of leading 1U metro and long haul CWDM/DWDM and OTN solutions, as well as Layer-1 optical encryption for transport of data, storage, voice, and video applications over dark fiber and WDM networks. PacketLight provides the entire optical layer transport solution within a highly integrated compact platform, designed for maximum flexibility, easy maintenance and operation, with real pay-as-you-grow architecture, while maintaining a high level of reliability and low cost. For product and reseller information, please contact [email protected]. About PIT Chile PIT Chile is a large Internet Exchange Point (IXP), with seven data centers in the northern and central parts of Chile, connecting traffic between internet infrastructure companies. The company provides services to major content delivery networks (CDNs) including Facebook, Fastly, Google and Microsoft, and local Chilean ISPs businesses. For more information, please visit https://www.pitchile.cl/wp/ Media Contact Amy Kenigsberg K2 Global Communications http://k2-gc.com/ [email protected] tel: +972-9-794-1681 (+2 GMT) mobile: +972-524-761-341 U.S.: +1-913-440-4072 (+7 ET) SOURCE PacketLight Networks Related Links https://www.packetlight.com/ Error. Page cannot be displayed. Please contact your service provider for more details. (29) HYDERABAD: The number of private and corporate-run hospitals offering COVID-19 treatment has crossed 200 in Telangana, with the State Health Department saying there are now 203 such hospitals extending services to coronavirus victims. This means there are five times more private hospitals offering COVID-19 care than government hospitals, whose number has remained static at 42. More private hospitals are now being allowed to treat coronavirus despite complaints that they are fleecing patients and their families by overcharging them. Many private hospitals are being accused of excessive billing, which is continuing unabated, though the government has withdrawn COVID-19 care permission to two large hospitals for not adhering to government-fixed rates and violating COVID-19 treatment protocols. Under pressure from public and opposition parties, the government has on September 9 set up a three-member task force comprising IAS officers Rahul Bojja, Sarfaraz Ahmed, and D. Divya, to oversee treatment of Covid-19 patients in private hospitals, following of safety protocols by them and whether they are adhering to the ceiling fixed by government on charging patients. Meanwhile, with additions to the list of private hospitals treating COVID-19 patients, the bed strength at these facilities has increased to 10,660 as on Sunday, according to data released by the State Health Department on Monday. The number of beds previously available at the 199 private hospitals providing coronavirus treatment was 10,443. The 42 government hospitals providing COVID-19 care have bed strength of 8,092. A total of 4,248 patients have been admitted to private hospitals as per the latest data released by state health department, compared to 2,645 admissions in government hospitals. (Photo : REUTERS/Carlos Garcia Rawlins) Chinese President Xi Jinping delivers a speech during a meeting to commend role models in China's fight against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China September 8, 2020 (Photo : Screenshot from: Loose Women Youtube Page ) UPDATE: Chinese COVID Whistleblower Proves SARS-CoV-2 Was China's Man-Made Virus in 3 Points Dr. Li-Meng Yan, a Chinese virologist, and scientist that first claimed China made the SARS-CoV-2 virus, has released the final research paper of her claim. Through an open-access repository website Zenote, Li-Meng highlighted her three theories behind the said claim. Did China create SARS-CoV-2? On Friday, Sept. 11, Tech Times reported a Chinese COVID-19 whistleblower named Dr. Li-Meng Yan exposed a huge revelation about the origin of the SARS-CoV-2 that results in coronavirus. The scientist claimed that the Chinese government was behind the creation of the said virus. According to her research paper published via an open-access repository website Zenodo, the virologist highlighted the reasons why she thinks that the virus was man-made in a Chinese laboratory. Li-Meng packed her arguments in three points: Genomic sequence of SARS-CoV-2 found in a Chinese military lab The first argument Dr. Li-Meng served in her claim was that the same genomic sequence of SARS-CoV-2 was found in a Chinese military lab. Between July 2015 and February 2017, bat Coronaviruses named ZC45 and ZXC21 were said to be found and isolated at a military research lab in Chongqing, China, and the Research Institute for Medicine of Nanjing Command in Nanjing, China. The same Coronaviruses found in the labs were said to be 96% identical with the SARS-CoV-2 today. The receptor-binding of SARS-CoV-2 cannot be born from nature If there's another thing that Dr. Li-Meng was sure about, her research is that SARS-CoV-2 cannot be born from nature. Most of the researches nowadays claim the virus came from mother nature. However, this was false, according to her. "SARS-CoV-2 shows biological characteristics that are inconsistent with a naturally occurring, zoonotic virus," said on her research. She also insisted that the virus cannot be made from the wet market. "The first thing is the [meat] market in Wuhan ... is a smoke screen and this virus is not from nature," Yan claimed, explaining that she got "her intelligence from the CDC in China, from the local doctors." There's a unique site in the man-made SARS-CoV-2 In connection with her claim that SARS-CoV-2 didn't come from nature, based on her experiment, Dr. Li-Meng also found that there was a unique furin-cleavage site in the virus' Spike protein. It was said to be known as an enhancer of viral infectivity and cell tropism. Interestingly, this same structure is completely absent from the particular coronavirus found in nature. Thus, contradicting the first claim that the virus was not made from nature. What China has to say? As of now, the Chinese government has not yet spoken regarding one of their scientists' claims. However, before the whistleblower's appearance, China's National Health Commission denied all the claims of the virus being man-made from their country. Wuhan Institute of Virology director Yuan Zhiming also noted that it was impossible for their laboratories to create the virus, or might as well spread it. ALSO READ: Beijing Claims 'No Mass Vaccination' in China Due to COVID-19 Being "Largely Wiped Out" This article is owned by Tech Times Written by Jamie Pancho 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. University of Illinois Hospital nurses, 800 of whom walked out on strike Saturday, were joined Monday by more than 4,000 University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) hospital and university staff, include parking attendants, cashiers, custodians, emergency medical technicians, laboratory animal caretakers and physical therapists. Staff are on strike at UIC locations in Chicago, Peoria, Rockford and Urbana. The staff have been working without a contract for more than a year. The staff, some of whom are paid less than $9 an hour, are demanding pay raises and the most basic protections from the COVID-19 pandemicpersonal protective equipment and testing. The university is exploiting a loophole that permits it to pay the state minimum wage and not the city of Chicagos minimum wage of $14 per hour, which is still virtually impossible to live on. UIC Chancellor Michael Amiridis has declared the staff walkout not in the best interest of the campus community. Striking UIC staff Thirteen hundred University of Illinois Hospital nurses, who are striking to demand lower nurse-to-patient ratios, better pay and personal protective equipment, planned to walk out on Saturday, but a Cook County judge ruled Friday that more than 500 nurses who work in critical care units had to remain on duty. According to the university-health system joint statement, some university health staff were also prevented from striking by the judgment, including medical laboratory workers, transporters, respiratory therapists, mental health counselors and police telecommunications staff. Michael Zenn, CEO of University of Illinois Hospital & Clinics, told local media that more than 600 nurses and health care staff have been brought in as strikebreakers. Zenn also rejected the nurses demand for lower nurse-to-patient ratios. The Illinois Nurses Association (INA) announced it will limit the nurses strike to one week. SEIU leaders announced the UIC staff strike was indefinite and would continue until an agreement is reached. On Saturday the union reported UIC has brought in strikebreakers from Mississippi, Nevada, Tennessee and Texasall states with higher COVID-19 infection rates than Illinois. Local president Dian Palmer stated SEIU filed an unfair labor practice grievance with National Labor Relations Board. Negotiations are to resume today between UIC and the SEIU. Workers on the UIC picket lines Monday chanted, Poverty wages have to go. The strikers elicited broad support, with bus drivers, truckers and passersby in cars continuously honking as they passed the pickets. Carloyn Carolyn, a worker in building services, told the WSWS that low wages were the most significant issue for her in the strike. The pay is ridiculous to me, but I needed work bad, so I took the job. Carolyn had started at $12.65 per hour and had received one 60 cent raise in the last year, still leaving her below the minimum wage. They say its something about us working for a state job, they have a right to decide if we get that minimum wage. So of course we didnt get it. She added that she had not received any strike pay from SEIU. The official response to the pandemic had been appalling, Carolyn said, and she thought schools should remain closed. At least until they come up with something for COVID. If it was my child, I wouldve made them stay home, not attend. Im looking at the news, too many people dying. Every time I look at it, the percentage rate is going up, you have to quarantine if you go to a different state. So Im all for closing. She said she would support a national strike by workers for safe and decent working conditions. Thatd be good, a national strike. Thats what we were saying before we got out here. I think the more, the better. All the workers should get together. Although students who spoke to the WSWS hadnt heard much about the strike, they quickly expressed their support once the issues were explained. This is a crisis, its a serious issue, Sean, a computer science major, said. The nurses and students are all struggling with this. He said the striking workers are doing the right thing, and I think they deserve all the support that we can give them. Sean One must ask, how can thousands of workers in the third-largest city in the United States be workingsome for less than the minimum wageall for inadequate pay, under unsafe conditions without sufficient personal protective equipment and risking their lives? Answering this question requires examining the basic political framework of the strike and contrasting it to the reality of the extremely dangerous conditions workers and students are facing. The nurses and staff are striking against the Democratic leadership at the highest levels of the state, who are committed to reopening the economy in pursuit of profits at the cost of human lives. At the same time, Democratic representatives of the state and local government appeared at the rally and published statements on social media declaring their general support for the strike in pleading tones. At a noon rally on Monday, Rainbow/PUSH Coalitions Jesse Jackson lead a prayer: I am somebody. Respect me. Protect me. Promoting racial and ethnic politics, Chicago Teachers Union Vice President Stacy Davis Gates declared, If Black lives mattered, you would have a contract. If Latinx lives mattered, you would have a contract. If Filipino lives mattered, you would have a contract. As if workers contracts are decided based on their race or ethnicity. Democratic alderman Carlos Ramirez Rosa, a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, tweeted, It's up to @UIHealth and @thisisUIC to do right by their workers. I stand with the workers in their demand for fair contracts. One would never guess from these statements the deadly seriousness of the situation and the determination of the workers. There is a great deal of nervousness on the part of the ruling class and its Democratic Party lieutenants over the mass support enjoyed by 5,000 workers striking for life and health in Chicago. This is because the University of Illinois workers strike is part of the struggle of the entire working class against the policies of the ruling class in response to the pandemic. The strike by nurses and staff must be deepened and expanded to all sections of workers who are being pressed into work to risk their lives and health and those of the broader community, like the striking grad students at University of Michigan and students and staff engaging in sickouts at the two large campuses in Iowa. The pandemic has worsened every index of social misery in the United States and around the world. A recent survey found that more than half of Chicago households reported facing serious financial problems, including job and wage loss, during the coronavirus pandemic, that half had serious problems caring for children and more than one-third report having used up all their savings, for those that had any. Workers struggle for their lives and health must be expanded beyond the university and beyond Illinois. Nurses and staff at the University of Illinois can take the fight into their own hands and join the growing movement of workers building rank-and-file committees that are uniting for a nationwide general strike. Responding to questions raised on the probe into Delhi riots by veteran cop Julio Ribeiro, Delhi Police commissioner SN Shrivastava wrote to him Tuesday saying the investigation was being carried out without any discrimination based on caste or religion, and was backed by documentary and scientific evidence. Ribeiro, a Padma Bhushan awardee who has served as Mumbai police commissioner and director general of Punjab and Gujarat and the Central Reserve Police Force, had said that the Delhi Police has deliberately failed to register cases against those who made hate speeches, which triggered riots in north-east Delhi. I write to you with a heavy heart. As a true patriot and a former proud member of the Indian Police Service, I appeal to you to ensure a fair probe into the 753 FIRs registered against peaceful protesters who rightly apprehend injustices born from bias and hate against a minority community. The Delhi Police has taken action against peaceful protesters but deliberately failed to register cognizable offences against those who made hate speeches which triggered the riots in Northeast Delhi. It troubles sane and apolitical persons, like me, why Kapil Mishra, Anurag Thakur and Parvesh Verma have not been arraigned before the courts of law while deeply hurt Muslim women, peacefully protesting against discriminations based on religion, were lodged for months together in jail, Ribeiro wrote in his letter titled miscarriage of justice in northeast Delhi. Responding to Ribeiro on Tuesday, Shrivastava said that it was his duty to put things in the correct perspective. Shrivastava said the Delhi Police have examined a large number of persons who either have a role in north-east Delhi riots or have information that will help arrive at the truth. Also read: Facebook in contempt, warns Delhi Assembly panel It (police) has questioned persons without regard to their religion and party affiliation. It has collected documentary evidence, including scientific evidence, to support its case, Shrivastava wrote. He said the specific details, understandably, cannot be shared at this stage. Dismissing allegations that the police were targeting a particular community, Shrivastava said the arrestees are almost equally distributed among both communities. It (police) has arrested 1,571 persons irrespective of their caste or religion. Almost all the accused persons arrested in heinous offences have been remanded to judicial custody by courts of law and not admitted to bail. Chargesheets in many cases have been filed while investigation is continuing in many others, the Delhi top cop said. Giving details of the FIRs registered in the riots cases, Shrivastava explained 410 cases were registered on the complaints by the minority community. Police does not differentiate a complainant on the basis of caste or religion, it may be mentioned solely for the purpose of clearing any doubt in the minds of people questioning our probe, that more than 410 FIRs were registered on the complaints of minority community. The other community accounted for over 190 FIRs. The remaining were registered on the basis of (polices) Daily Diary entries. In his letter, Ribeiro, who led the Punjab police during the insurgency in the state, also questioned the police interrogating people like DU professor Apoorvanand. The not-so-subtle attempt by the Delhi Police to entangle true patriots, like Harsh Mander and Prof Apoorvanand, in criminal cases is another matter for concern... Kindly revisit the actions of the police under your command in Delhi to determine if they have been true to their oaths taken at the time of their induction into service, he said. Apoorvanand had been summoned by the special cell but has not been named in any charge sheet. In the context of criticism of the riots probe by several quarters, including IPS officers and civil society, Shrivastava said, Several entities who have their reasons to weave a web of deception and to push a false narrative of bias and insensitivity on the part of the police. It is best that the criminal justice system, with its inherent checks and balances may be allowed work, lest lending ones name inadvertently imparts a false aura of credibility and authenticity to these concocted and motivated stories. Also, anybody aggrieved with the investigation can always seek judicial remedies, the Delhi Police commissioner said. The Delhi top cop said that he valued the suggestions while mentioning that Ribeiro was at the zenith of his career when he had just joined the police service. Tel Aviv, Sep 15 : Israeli Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi on Tuesday called on the Palestinians to renew peace negotiations. He made the remark in an interview to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) newspaper, Al-Ittihad, reports Xinhua news agency. "I call on the Palestinian leadership to recognize reality and show responsibility and leadership as did the UAE leaders, by returning to the negotiating table," Ashkenazi said, according to a Hebrew translation of the interview issued by the Israeli foreign ministry. Speaking ahead of a White House ceremony to sign a normalization deal between Israel, the UAE and Bahrain, Ashkenazi said he believes the agreement will "significantly contribute to achieving peace, stability and security in the region." According to Minister, the agreement strengthens the understanding that the time has come to move forward and that "one must not remain stuck in the past". The Palestinian leadership, which has long accused the US President Donald Trump's administration of being biased in favour of Israel, condemned the deals. According to Palestinian officials, the deals betrayal the Palestinian cause of ending the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip, which were first seized by Israel during a 1967 war. Later on Tuesday, Trump will host a ceremony to sign agreements to form official ties between Israel and the UAE and Bahrain. The UAE and Bahrain became the first Gulf countries to agree to establish official relations with Israel. Previously, only two Arab countries, Egypt and Jordan, had signed peace agreements with Israel. It's the units with the 76th Airborne Assault Division of the Western Military District. Russian paratroopers who have been earlier deployed in Ukraine's Donbas warzone to fight against Ukrainian troops, now arrived in Belarus for the Slavic Brotherhood 2020 joint military exercises. It's the troops with the 76th Airborne Assault Division of Russia's Western Military District (military unit No. 07264, based in Pskov), Ukraine's OSINT community InformNapalm reports. "Against the background of long-lasting mass protests in Belarus against [Alexander] Lukashenko's regime, about 300 military and 70 units of military and special hardware were deployed under the cover of these exercises (that's according to official data alone)," the statement says. The OSINT community says a trove of evidence has been gathered proving the unit's participation in the aggression against Georgia, the Crimea grab, and the Donbas hostilities. In 2014, the report stresses, the Division's 104th Airborne Regiment captured offshore drilling rigs controlled by Ukraine-owned Chornomornaftogazin in the Black Sea off Crimea coast. Read alsoUkraine steps up border security pending Belarus-Russia military drills (Video)InformNapalm volunteers also learned of the names of 76th Airborne Assault Division's commanders who had been awarded for their participation in the aggression against Ukraine and Georgia. Russian-Belarusian joint exercises in 2020 Not for distribution to U.S. news wire services or dissemination in the United States. TORONTO, Sept. 15, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Victoria Gold Corp. (TSX-VGCX) (Victoria or the Company) and Orion Mine Finance (Orion or the Selling Shareholder) jointly announce that they have entered into an agreement with a syndicate of underwriters led by BMO Capital Markets and CIBC Capital Markets (collectively, the Underwriters), under which the Underwriters have agreed to buy, on bought deal basis from the Selling Shareholder, 2,942,000 common shares (the Common Shares) at a price of C$17.00 per Common Share, for gross proceeds to Orion of approximately C$50 million (the Offering). Orion has granted the Underwriters an option, exercisable at the offering price for a period of 30 days following and including the closing of the Offering, to purchase from Orion up to an additional 15% of the Offering to cover over-allotments, if any. The Offering is expected to close on or about September 30, 2020 and is subject to Victoria and Orion receiving all necessary regulatory approvals. Orion currently holds 25,903,624 Common Shares, representing approximately 41.9% of the issued and outstanding Common Shares. Following the closing of the Offering (assuming no exercise of the over-allotment option), Orion will hold 22,961,624 Common Shares, representing approximately 37.2% of the issued and outstanding Common Shares. Orion has also agreed, subject to certain limited exceptions, not to sell any common shares or other securities of Victoria for a period of 90 days from the closing of the Secondary Offering. The Victoria team has done an exceptional job constructing the Eagle Gold Mine, bringing it to commercial production, and creating significant value for all stakeholders, stated Oskar Lewnowski, Chief Investment Officer of Orion. As Victorias largest shareholder, we have a major economic interest in the long-term success of the Company. We believe the increased trading liquidity from this sale will allow the Company to attract new institutional investors which will in turn lead to further value creation. John McConnell, Victorias Chief Executive Officer noted, Orion has been an instrumental partner and an unwavering supporter of Victoria in funding the development of the Eagle Gold Mine. We are grateful for their ongoing support of the Company and look forward to the opportunity of continuing to deliver strong value for all our shareholders through the continued ramp-up and operation of the Eagle Gold Mine. The Company will not receive any proceeds from this Offering. The net proceeds of the Offering will be payable only to the Selling Shareholder. The Common Shares will be offered by way of a short form prospectus in all of the provinces of Canada other than Quebec and may also be offered by way of private placement in the United States. The securities offered have not been registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. COVID-19 Protocols The Company continues to follow strict Covid-19 protocols at the Eagle Mine site as well as across the Company's work locations. Yukon is currently in Phase 2 of lifting Covid-19 restrictions. Personnel from Yukon and British Columbia are no longer required to self-isolate prior to coming to site, however, all workers from outside the Canadian territories and BC will self-isolate in Whitehorse for 14 days prior to traveling to site. The Eagle Mine site continues to operate on a 4 week in / 4 week out schedule rather than the normal pre-Covid-19 2 week in / 2 week out schedule. About the Dublin Gulch Property Victoria Gold's 100%-owned Dublin Gulch gold property (the Property) is situated in central Yukon Territory, Canada, approximately 375 kilometers north of the capital city of Whitehorse, and approximately 85 kilometers from the town of Mayo. The Property is accessible by road year round, and is located within Yukon Energy's electrical grid. The Property covers an area of approximately 555 square kilometers, and is the site of the Company's Eagle and Olive Gold Deposits. The Eagle Gold Mine is Yukon's newest operating gold mine. The Eagle and Olive deposits include Proven and Probable Reserves of 3.3 million ounces of gold from 155 million tonnes of ore with a grade of 0.65 grams of gold per tonne, as outlined in a National Instrument 43-101 Technical Report for the Eagle Gold Mine dated December 3, 2019. The Mineral Resource under National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (NI 43-101) for the Eagle and Olive deposits has been estimated to host 227 million tonnes averaging 0.67 grams of gold per tonne, containing 4.7 million ounces of gold in the "Measured and Indicated" category, inclusive of Proven and Probable Reserves, and a further 28 million tonnes averaging 0.65 grams of gold per tonne, containing 0.6 million ounces of gold in the "Inferred" category. Cautionary Language and Forward-Looking Statements This press release includes certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements". All statements in this discussion, other than statements of historical facts, that address future exploration drilling, exploration activities, anticipated metal production, internal rate of return, estimated ore grades, commencement of production estimates and projected exploration and capital expenditures (including costs and other estimates upon which such projections are based) and events or developments that the Company expects, including the closing of the Offering, are forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include receipt of all regulatory approvals and completion of the Offering, metal prices, exploration successes, continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market or business conditions. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. For Further Information Contact: John McConnell President & CEO Victoria Gold Corp. Tel: 416-866-8800 Opposition parties have alleged that the two agriculture Bills will undermine the safety net provided to the farmers by the MSP system and will lead to their exploitation by big companies. The central government might create a mobile application to record all off-mandi transactions done under the new Bill on agricultural trade, a senior official said. The Bill, called the Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020, which was tabled in the Lok Sabha by Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Monday, contains a provision that the Centre may prescribe a system for electronic registration for a trader, modalities of trade transactions and mode of payment of the schedule farmers produce in a trade area. A trade area has been defined as an area that is outside regular mandis. Officials said if the Centre feels at some point that undesirable trading activities are being conducted outside the mandis and there is need to record the quantity sold as well as the price, such a measure can be brought using these provisions. In India, milk is sold to millions of households almost on a daily basis for at least 200 days a year, while a crop is sold only five-six times in a year or at the most 10 times. "Tell me who keeps a record of how much milk was sold to whom on a daily basis? "In the beginning, we wanted to keep all such transactions absolutely free, but the Ordinance does have provision to introduce methods through which transactions can be recorded and trade registered, said Ramesh Chand, NITI Aayog member. He was responding to criticism in some quarters that the Bills could lead to unregulated trade outside mandis and the government wouldnt have any record of these, and this might lead to price rise and hoarding. Tomar introduced two agriculture Bills, including one on contract farming, in the Lok Sabha to replace Ordinances promulgated earlier. There was strong opposition from the Congress and some other parties. Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Raosaheb Danve, introduced a third Bill amending the Essential Commodities Act of 1956, to delist some agricultural items. Introducing the Bills, Tomar assured House that the system of Minimum Support Price (MSP) would stay. Opposition parties have alleged that these Bills will undermine the safety net provided to the farmers by the MSP system and will lead to their exploitation by big companies. Farmers organisations, meanwhile, continued their protest outside Parliament, demanding the withdrawal of the three Ordinances. The central government should immediately withdraw the three Ordinances and instead bring in a legislation that will legalise MSP and make purchases below MSP a punishable offence, said Rakesh Tikait of the Bhartiya Kisan Union, in a statement. Photograph: PTI Photo On the morning of September 9, Kangana Ranauts office building in Mumbai was crowded with media, supporters and officials from the Brahinmumbai Municipal Corporation as the allegedly illegal property was undergoing demolition. Kangana was en route to Mumbai from her hometown when BMC started the demolition of the property claiming there was illegal construction despite earlier notices to the actor. Kanganas lawyer, Rizwan Siddiquee then filed a complaint and the demolition was stopped till a hearing in the court asked BMC to discontinue it entirely. Soon after, Kangana gave a statement and the war of words between Shiv Sena and the actor continued. She also added, I had my office opening on 15th Jan, shortly after corona hit us, like most of us I haven't worked ever since, dont have money to renovate it, I will work from those ruins keep that office ravaged as a symbol of a woman's will that dared to rise in this world Following the incident, Kangana returned to her hometown but has apparently demanded a legal compensation of Rs. 2 crores from BMC for the damages done to her property. BMC is yet to respond to this. Frank Gehry, the celebrated Los Angeles architect of Walt Disney Concert Hall, is celebrating his 90th birthday out of town way out of town. He heads to Berlin for a musical celebration in his honor Feb. 28 at the Gehry-designed Pierre Boulez Saal concert hall. With all his global projects, not to mention local birthday festivities, how does he have the time? In downtown L.A. alone, theres his long-awaited $1-billion Grand residential, retail and hotel complex that broke ground this month, as well as an expansion for the nearby Colburn School, including a 1,100-seat concert hall, other performance venues and classrooms. Grand and Colburn models of various sizes inhabit a big chunk of the floor space inside the sprawling Gehry Partners office, but thats just the start. Besides projects planned for West Hollywood and Santa Monica, Gehry points out models of mixed-use skyscrapers for Toronto, residential towers for New Yorks Hudson Yards and a new museum complex near his Fondation Louis Vuitton in Paris. Advertisement The architect, who moves pretty fast for a man nearing 90, next heads off to gaze with great pleasure at a series of photos of his newly built tower for art collector Maja Hoffmanns cultural complex Luma Arles in Arles, France. This fulfills my lifelong dream of painting with light, he says. Its stainless steel facade changes color in the sunlight. It is the light of Van Gogh. Tour over, he does a full stop in his office suite and settles into a cozy conference room whose walls are lined with books. Painting and painters have always appealed to you, havent they? From the beginning of my career, the architects who were in my peer group didnt like what I was doing. Then, by luck, I connected with Ed Moses and other artists here. I found my comfort zone and the love, appreciation and sometimes even the respect I needed to keep going. They included me, and they treated me like one of them. I loved the idea of how direct their work was. It wasnt all about theory. It was direct from the hand to the canvas or the sculpture. That was inspiring to me. How did that directness differ from architecture? Architecture includes more involvement of other people in your work: the client, the building department, engineers. There are the budget, the context and a lot more baggage. But in the end, its what you do with the form and space as you respond to problems, and thats more like art. The art of architecture is what humanizes it, brings it to people and relates it to our lives. Its not just bricks and mortar; it is potentially uplifting, inviting and intellectually stimulating. Architect Frank Gehry with Gustavo Dudamel, music and artistic director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, last August when the L.A. Phil announced the new Gehry-designed performance hall for Youth Orchestra Los Angeles. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) You often use similar words in talking about the power of music and musicians. In designing a building, youre trying to create a feeling, and when I talk to musicians and composers, they also talk about trying to create a feeling. When I hang out with Esa-Pekka Salonen and talk about music, the struggle feels the same. I feel the search, and his reticence to talk about it and his joy when it is played are similar to my own feelings. Over the years, people like Esa Pekka, Zubin Mehta, Gustavo Dudamel and Michael Tilson Thomas have enriched my life a lot, and I think what I love most at this age is the friends I have made. You once described a building to me in terms of its similarity to the Brandenburg concertos. I think of musical composition and architecture as very similar in their layering of ideas toward the whole. Architecture is about making feelings with inert materials, and music is making masterpieces of wonder and creating spatial sound environments. Composers and musicians engage your being, and the spaces they play in become a significant part of that. You do seem to be designing more and more concert halls. I just read that youve been working on a design for a concert hall in Wimbledon. In my later years, I have been thinking a lot about classical music. I go to a lot of concerts, and my wife, Berta, loves classical music too, so its something we can do together. Its a mutual pleasure. The culture of classical music and the artists involved are also very exciting to me. Instead of being in the culture of your own profession, its nice to remove yourself to another venue where you are enjoying the fruits of it but you are not in it. I like things you can admire and enjoy without getting into the politics of whatever is going on in that world behind the scenes. So many architects, including you, dont really become well-known until theyre older. Like all people, architects also get older, and as we do, we tend to be more sought over for doing good work. You dont usually get recognized until youre in your 50s, and you need to have done a considerable amount of stuff before people pay attention to you in a serious way. Do you think much about aging? I didnt retire, so the office is busy, and it feels like Im struggling to stay up with it. I attribute it to aging, but whenever I say something like that to any of the senior people in the office, they always say theyre all feeling the same thing. The office is just busy, and were all struggling to keep up with it. Although aging grabs my attention, with physical changes and all, I forget about it once I start working. Where does the learning lie in aging? The most important thing you learn as you age is to not focus on all the aspects of your life that are worrisome and you cant do anything about. If you watch the news, theres so much negative in the world that you can fasten onto. I do it. We all do. But if you go back to work and start making things, it creates a positive corner of the world where you can feel comfort and solace. Gehry will celebrate his 90th birthday with a tribute concert in Pierre Boulez Saal, the concert hall he designed in Berlin. (Volker Kreidler) What made you decide to spend your 90th birthday in Berlin? When [pianist and conductor] Daniel Barenboim wrote me and asked if he could have my 90th birthday there, I said, Sure. Id love it. I really believe people talk to each other through the arts, and even though I dont follow religion anymore, I grew up as a Jew and certainly have the cultural DNA. Daniels West-Eastern Divan Orchestra is made up of young people from all over the Middle East, and when I read about it several years ago, I got excited about it. I went to auditions and saw these kids from very different backgrounds playing beautiful music together. I was subsequently asked to design their concert hall, and I decided to do it as a gift for them. It is very special to me. Is there something you havent done yet architecturally that you would like to do? Yes. I would like to design a church or a synagogue. A place that has transcendence. Ive always been interested in space that transcends to something to joy, pleasure, understanding, discourse, whatever a space can do to be part of the dialogue. Forget the religion aspect. How do you make a space feel transcendent? How do you create a sense of ease with the universe, the rain, the stars and the people around you? Its comforting to sit in a big room and listen to the rain. Barbara Isenberg is the author of Conversations With Frank Gehry. Support our coverage of local artists and the local arts scene by becoming a digital subscriber. See all of our latest arts news and reviews at latimes.com/arts. SEATTLE, Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Echolight Medical, manufacturer of the innovative EchoS, which can diagnose osteoporosis and assess a person's risk for the disease within minutes without radiation, is broadening global operations with the opening of its United States headquarters in Seattle. Launched in Italy in 2017 and now widely used throughout Europe, EchoS is the first radiation-free, portable bone densitometer that can diagnose and determine a patient's risk of osteoporosis by measuring bone density in the lower back and femoral neck (hip) using advanced ultrasound technology. "This device offers a safer, economical and more precise approach to assess bone health," said Echolight president Doug Tefft. "Echolight's expansion into the U.S. will give clinicians across the country an advanced software-assisted tool to diagnose, treat and monitor osteoporosis." Unlike costly and sometimes inaccurate DXA scan machines (current technology used to measure bone mineral density and fracture risk), EchoS allows for more accessible, cost effective testing to assess an individual's bone health. Cleared by the FDA, EchoS uses Radiofrequency Echographic Multi Spectrometry (R.E.M.S.) to analyze ultrasound signals. Within minutes, patients know their bone density, T-score, Z-score, and future fracture risk. A fraction of the size and weight of a DXA scan machine, the portability of the EchoS positions the technology to become a diagnostic tool that is no longer reliant on the traditional hospital-based imaging environment. EchoS also provides an increased level of accuracy and diagnostic reproducibility over DXA scan machines making it a more reliable tool to monitor bone density changes. Outdated DXA software, older equipment, and inconsistencies in calibration, patient positioning and data analysis cause one or more errors in more than 90% of DXA examinations. The R.E.M.S. technology allows EchoS to produce consistent and accurate results without statistically significant variation between machines or operating technicians. "R.E.M.S. is a simple, accessible, relatively inexpensive method for assessing future fracture risk and evaluating an estimate of bone mineral density with a modality ultrasound that does not contain ionizing radiation," said International Osteoporosis Foundation president Professor Cyrus Cooper. More than half of Americans 50 and older have a high-risk of bone fracture, making osteoporosis and osteopenia an urgent public health issue. More women die annually from the effects of osteoporosis than breast and cervical cancer combined. Pregnancy and menopause can cause bone density loss. Chronic conditions including diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, kidney or liver disease, cancer, HIV, and lupus - along with the medications to treat these and many other ailments - are also associated with increased fracture risk. Optimum bone health is essential to maintaining mobility and independence among older adults. Early diagnosis combined with treatment, continued monitoring, and certain lifestyle changes can decrease fracture risk and increase quality of life. About Echolight Medical: Manufacturer of the first portable, radiation-free bone health scan, EchoS - a safe, accurate, and cost-effective medical device elevating bone health awareness and treatment to mainstream medical care. Learn about the FDA-cleared EchoS: EcholightMedical.com. Contact: Doug Tefft (425) 503-4840 [email protected] SOURCE Echolight Medical Related Links https://www.echolightmedical.com TAMPA, Fla. A once-standout U.S. narcotics agent admitted Monday to conspiring to launder money with the same Colombian cartel he was sworn to fight one of the most egregious betrayals of the badge in the history of U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. The disgraced agent, Jose I. Irizarry, pleaded guilty to 19 federal counts, including bank fraud and having diverted millions of dollars in drug proceeds from DEA control. The prosecution was not only an embarrassment for the DEA but could have long-lasting implications on its undercover money-laundering operations. It also raised questions about the level of supervision Irizarry received during his career, in which he had been entrusted with the governments use of front companies, shell bank accounts and couriers to combat international drug trafficking. Timothy J. Shea, the DEAs acting administrator, said Irizarrys crimes do not reflect the high standards of conduct we demand of our employees and our agents. Corruption and betrayal of the American people the very people we stand to protect have no place at DEA, and neither does Mr. Irizarry, Shea said. The former agent looked despondently into his hands as U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas G. Wilson read the charges. Im atoning for my sins, Irizarry told The Associated Press after the hearing. I want to move forward. Irizarry, 45, had been charged with filing false reports and ordering DEA staff to wire money slated for undercover stings to international accounts he and associates controlled. He also was accused of sharing sensitive law enforcement information with co-conspirators, prosecutors said, including a Colombian public official and an alleged drug trafficker and money launderer. The conspiracy enriched not only Irizarry but two unindicted co-conspirators, neither of whom was named in the indictment. One was a Colombian public official, while the other was described as the head of a drug trafficking and money laundering organization. Irizarry faces potentially decades behind bars, though no immediate date was set for his sentencing. The plea marked a stunning fall from grace for Irizarry, who had won repeated praise from superiors after joining the DEA in Miami in 2009 even after he showed signs of deception on a polygraph test. Before he resigned in 2018, his ostentatious habits and tales of raucous yacht parties with bikini-clad prostitutes had become legendary among agents. Beginning around 2011, prosecutors said, Irizarry used the cover of his badge to file false reports and mislead his superiors, all while directing DEA personnel to wire funds reserved for undercover stings to accounts in Spain, the Netherlands and elsewhere accounts that he controlled or were tied to his wife and his co-conspirators. In total, Irizarry and informants under his direction handled at least $3.8 million that shouldve been carefully tracked by the DEA as part of undercover money laundering investigations, prosecutors said. The indictment details at least $900,000 paid out from a single criminal account opened by Irizarry and an informant using the name, passport and Social Security number of a third person who was unaware their identity was being stolen. Proceeds from the scheme funded a veritable spending spree, including the purchase of a $30,000 Tiffany diamond ring, a BMW, three Land Rovers and a $767,000 home in Cartagena as well as homes in south Florida and Puerto Rico, where Irizarry and his wife had been living. It also funded the purchase in Miami of a 2017 Lamborghini Huracan Spyder on behalf of a family member of one of the co-conspirators. To hide his tracks, prosecutors said, Irizarry opened a bank account in someone elses name and used the victims forged signature and Social Security number. __ Mustian reported from New York. Iran has raised oil production from the oilfields in its southwest it shares with Iraq to 400,000 barrels per day (bpd) from 70,000 bpd in the past seven years, Shafaq News quoted Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Zangeneh as saying on Tuesday. The oilfields in Karoun that Iran shares with Iraq include five major fieldsNorth Azadegan, South Azadegan, North Yaran, South Yaran, and Yadavaran. Iran plans to significantly boost production and exports from the West Karoun cluster of oilfields, estimated to contain at least 67 billion barrels of oil in place, Oilprice reported last month. Iran officially launched in August the first phase of the oil-transfer chain of the West Karoun oilfields - with a daily delivery capacity of 460,000 bpd of heavy crude oil and 254,000 bpd of light crude oil to export terminals. After developing Phase 2 of the project, which is currently underway, Iran will have the capacity to transfer more than one million barrels of crude oil from the West Karoun oilfields cluster to export terminals. Also in August, Iran signed a total of 13 oil contracts with 14 domestic firms, which will raise the Islamic Republics oil production capacity by 185,000 bpd. The 13 deals are worth a total of US$1.78 billion (1.527 billion euro) and were awarded by the Iranian Offshore Oil Company (IOOC) and the National Iranian South Oil Company (NISOC) to 14 Iranian companies as contractors. According to Reza Dehghan, Deputy Director for Development and Engineering Affairs at National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC), the new contracts will enhance and maintain oil production in Iran, which is exempted from the ongoing OPEC+ production cut agreement because of the U.S. sanctions on its oil industry. In July, Iran signed a US$1.3-billion deal with domestic companies to double the production capacity at the massive Azadegan oilfield, expecting the rise in production to boost its oil revenues by US$1 trillion, Iranian officials said at the signing ceremony. In the Iranian field, production capacity is expected to more than double in 30 months, to 320,000 bpd from 140,000 bpd currently, and from just 45,000 bpd back in 2013. By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Jordan continues to show a great spirit of solidarity with refugees by including them in its healthcare systems and COVID-19 response plans, despite the many challenges the country currently faces, UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi said during a two-day visit to the Kingdom on 14-15 September. Jordan is a major refugee host country, with more than 658,000 registered refugees from the conflict in neighbouring Syria and tens of thousands more from other nationalities including Iraq, Yemen and Sudan, as well as being home to large numbers of Palestinian refugees. The High Commissioners visit comes the week after the discovery of the first positive cases of COVID-19 among Syrian refugees living in the countrys two main camps in Zaatari and Azraq, with a total of six confirmed cases so far. Once again, Jordan has been extremely positive from the point of view of humanitarian assistance by including refugees [and] ensuring that refugees would not be excluded from the care provided to [COVID] patients, Grandi said. "The virus does not look at who we are." I want to thank Jordan, but also to tell other countries: look at what Jordan is doing, he added. A country with relatively few means, not many resources, a small country that is able to include refugees in its healthcare. I think its important that everybody knows what Jordan is doing so that also we can mobilize more resources to help Jordan continue to do this work. Grandi said support from UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, for the pandemic response would benefit everyone in the country refugees and Jordanians alike. The virus does not look at who we are, it can hit anybody, and it has hit Jordanians but also refugees, he said. We dont want to make any distinction, and we are really helping the health system respond to this crisis. During meetings with the countrys Prime Minster Omar Razzaz and Minister for Foreign Affairs Ayman Safadi, the High Commissioner expressed his solidarity with Jordan and discussed UNHCRs ongoing efforts alongside the authorities to contain the outbreak in the camps. See also: UN refugee chief concludes Jordan visit with call for solidarity amid COVID crisis Lets hope that the numbers do not grow, he said. I am confident that with the measures that are being taken, with the experience that Jordan has accumulated over the past few months, that we will be able to contain this and that it doesnt become an emergency. During the trip, Grandi visited Luzmila Hospital in the capital Amman, which is one of 50 private hospitals across the country through which UNHCR, together with partners Caritas and the Jordanian Paramedic Society, provide free-of-cost emergency referrals and medical treatment to refugees. As well as the threat to health posed by COVID-19, measures to contain the virus have exacerbated the dire economic situation facing the most vulnerable individuals in Jordan including refugees, 79 per cent of whom now live below the poverty line. UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi meets with Jordanian Prime Minister Omar Razzaz in Amman. UNHCR/Mohammad Hawari UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi talks to refugee and Jordanian students at Luminus Technical University College in Amman. UNHCR/Muhammad Kisswany Yemeni refugee, Waleed (right), 28, takes part in a hybrid mechanics class as part of his diploma at Luminus Technical University College in Amman, Jordan. UNHCR/Mohammad Hawari The High Commissioner met students at Luminus Technical University College in Amman, where as part of UNHCRs wider efforts to boost livelihoods and economic inclusion it funds scholarships for 58 refugee and Jordanian youngsters pursuing vocational qualifications in sectors including automotive repair, computer science and hospitality. Among the students was Waleed Najman, who arrived in Jordan in 2017 having fled the conflict in Yemen with his brother and mother. Despite completing three years of a media studies degree in Yemen, Waleed could not afford to continue his studies when he arrived in Jordan. I did not find a scholarship to continue with the same major, Waleed said. I felt desperate, because I reached the age of 26, 27 and I did not complete my education. But when he got the opportunity to study auto mechanics at Luminus, he embraced the chance to learn a new skill. "Eduction is really important." It was an opportunity, and there is no problem for [me to] change. I had a goal but I changed because of the circumstances, Waleed said. Education is really important. I benefit myself with that I learn, and I also benefit the country. Abdulrahman, 20, is a Jordanian who also receives a UNHCR scholarship to study auto mechanics, and said that like many of the refugee students in his class he would have been unable to continue studying without the opportunity. There are some people in Jordan who are in need, they dont have money to study. I was one of them, Abulrahman said. So for them to help us as well, it is very important. What is remarkable about the Luminus initiative is that it serves different communities Jordanian nationals of course, but also many different communities of refugees, Grandi said after the visit. It is also for refugees a very important way to build the skills that they need when they will go back home, and to participate eventually as we have heard from some of them in the reconstruction of their countries, or to build their own lives in other countries, he concluded. Fake letters are spreading lies about covid vaccinations in New York (AFP via Getty Images) Residents in New York have been targeted by a letter falsely claiming that the government is searching for "minorities to experiment on" with Covid-19 vaccines. The letter was taped to the front doors of several homes in suburban Long Island over the weekend. NBC News reports that the letter appears to be targeting low-income parents, warning them of the dangers of a coronavirus vaccine. The letter begins, "Parents who will be sending their children to school this fall should be mindful of any and all documents or waivers they're asked to sign. In a rush to find a vaccine for the COVID-19 or Corona Virus, the government is looking for minorities to experiment on." In a press release, New York state senator Anna Kaplan said she is "disgusted" by the rampant misinformation in the letter. "I'm absolutely disgusted that some coward would spend their time trying to scare parents with anonymous notes like this full of lies and conspiracy theories," Ms Kaplan said. "There is absolutely no excuse for spreading misinformation and fear here in our community at a time when Nassau residents are doing their best just to get by during these incredibly challenging times." Officials say the letter was intended to scare and intimidate, and lawmakers are urging residents to ignore them. Police are currently investigating the source of the letters. Large-scale clinical trials of the leading vaccine candidates from Pfizer, Moderna, and AstraZeneca were launched in recent weeks, and there is no evidence that researchers are targeting only certain groups of people. Pfizer's CEO announced Sunday that the firm hopes to begin rolling out an effective coronavirus vaccine in the US by the end of the year. Jessica Rowe has dared to bare all in a powerful social media post. On Tuesday, the media personality shared a series of photographs to Instagram that showed her getting a mammogram. The 50-year-old explained that it was her first time getting the test as she encouraged women to continue to get their health check ups throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Baring all: On Tuesday, Jessica Rowe (pictured) shared a series of photographs to Instagram that showed her getting a mammogram 'Today I had my first ever mammogram!' Jessica wrote. 'Not enough of us are doing our regular health checks especially during this COVID times. We must!' As an ambassador for the Sydney Breast Cancer Foundation, Jessica added that she is passionate about 'preventing breast cancer and supporting women, men and their families'. A good cause: The 50-year-old explained that it was her first time and she encouraged women to continue to get their health check ups throughout the COVID-19 pandemic Accompanying the powerful message were two pictures of the mum-of-two in a blue medical robe undergoing the mammogram. One image shows Jessica's back as the radiographer attends to her and another image features a side view of the x-ray in process. Jessica wore natural makeup and appeared to be in good spirits, smiling throughout the experience. Goals: Jessica said that she is passionate about 'preventing breast cancer and supporting women, men and their families' A mammogram takes an x-ray of breast tissue to check for breast cancer and other changes. According to the Cancer Council, women aged 50-74 are encouraged to have a mammogram every two years. Jessica became an ambassador for Sydney Breast Cancer Foundation earlier this year, and she has been the host of their fundraiser, Ladies Lunch, since 2016. AN unintentional swing of the elbow in a nightclub skirmish cost a young man dental compensation of 2,900, Limerick District Court has heard. David Peters, 26, of College Park, Corbally, appeared before Judge Marian OLeary at the Mulgrave Street courthouse last Wednesday, charged with assault of an individual at Mollys nightclub on Ellen Street more than two years ago. The court heard that Mr Peters attended the nightclub with a woman, who had got into a dispute with another woman on March 2, 2018. Solicitor Tom Kiely told the court that it was a very unfortunate incident that happened on a night out and that the accused tried to offer assistance. However, he swung his elbow and made contact with the individual. Mr Kiely said that it wasnt deliberate and that it happened very quickly, describing the incident as a skirmish which was seen on CCTV footage. He said the incident blew up very, very quickly and that his client didnt escalate it. Mr Kiely said that his client is a qualified electrician, but was unable to work after suffering a leg injury. He had worked in a bar while undergoing rehabilitation, but has been out of work since March this year, the court heard. Mr Kiely said that he is doing quite well and he has not come to the attention of gardai since the incident in 2018. After prosecuting, sergeant Michelle Leahy told the judge that a victim impact statement had already been read out. Mr Kiely said that Mr Petes had made a full apology. Judge OLeary said that Mr Peters must do an anger management course, and that the case will be up for mention at Limerick District Court on March 10. With Sally bringing rapidly strengthening winds of at least 100mph and heavy rain, forecasters have warned of potentially historic flooding. The slow-moving storm was forecast to brush the south-eastern tip of Louisiana and then blow ashore late on Tuesday or early Wednesday near the Mississippi-Alabama border, the National Hurricane Centre said. Hurricane warnings stretched from Morgan City, Louisiana, to Navarre, Florida a stretch of more than 300 miles. A Hurricane Katrina monument is surrounded by rising water in eastern St Bernard Parish, Louisiana, as residents evacuate for Hurricane Sally (Chris Granger/The Advocate/AP) President Donald Trump issued an emergency declaration for parts of Louisiana and Mississippi on Monday, an action that authorises federal emergency officials to coordinate disaster relief efforts and provide emergency assistance to the affected areas. Alabama governor Kay Ivey asked the president to do the same for her state after the National Weather Service in the city of Mobile warned of the increasing likelihood of dangerous and potentially historic flooding. Advertisement The weather service forecast waters could rise as much as nine feet above ground in large parts of the Mobile metro area. With a population of 400,000 people, it is among the largest metro areas along the Gulf Coast between New Orleans and Tampa, Florida. Some businesses in Mobile placed sandbags at their entrances in preparation. Florida governor Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency in the Panhandles westernmost counties as the hurricanes outer bands began to lash the area. Storm surge floods a parking lot in Pensacola Beach, Florida (Tony Giberson/Pensacola News Journal/AP) Along the storm-weary Gulf Coast, residents rushed to buy bottled water and other supplies ahead of the hurricane, which powered up to Category 2 in the afternoon. Forecasters said sustained winds could reach 110mph, just less than Category 3 strength, by landfall. Seawater and sand swept onto roads on one end of Dauphin Island off the coast of Alabama, washing away several cars, Dauphin Island Mayor Jeff Collier said. He said around a dozen people had to be evacuated. In coastal Mississippi, water spilled onto roads, lawns and docks well before the storms arrival. All of the areas 12 casinos were ordered to shut down on Monday afternoon and governor Tate Reeves urged residents of low-lying areas to prepare to evacuate. Advertisement This is the real deal, and it deserves your attention, Mr Reeves wrote on Twitter. Be smart. Prepare for worst. Pray for the best, he said. Hurricane Sally is headed straight for Mississippi and it is now a Category 2. Make plans to evacuate low-lying areas. Emergency operators are ready to respond. This is the real deal, and it deserves your attention. Be smart. Prepare for worst. Pray for the best. Tate Reeves (@tatereeves) September 14, 2020 Reeves said Sally could dump up to 20 inches of rain on the southern part of the state. Shelters opened, but officials urged people who are evacuating to stay with friends or relatives or in hotels, if possible, because of the coronavirus. The town of Kiln, Mississippi, where many homes sit high on stilts along the Jourdan River and its tributaries, was under a mandatory evacuation order, and it appeared most residents obeyed. For only the second time on record, forecasters said, five tropical cyclones swirled simultaneously in the Atlantic basin at one point on Monday. The last time that happened was in 1971. In addition to Sally were Hurricane Paulette, which passed over a well-fortified Bermuda on Monday and was expected to peel harmlessly out into the North Atlantic; and Tropical Storms Rene, Teddy and Vicky, all of them out at sea and unlikely to threaten land this week, if at all. Rene was downgraded to a trough of low pressure Monday evening. Advertisement Sally was about 135 miles (217 kilometers) south of Biloxi, Mississippi, on Monday night, moving at 6 mph (9 kph). The hurricanes sluggish pace could give it more time to drench the Mississippi Delta with rain and storm surges. #Sally is expected to move slowly over the next several days. Life-threatening flash flooding and river flooding is likely over portions of the central Gulf Coast from the western Florida panhandle to southeastern Louisiana. @NWSWPC forecasts 8-16 of rain, isolated areas to 24. pic.twitter.com/PBpW2ja1E1 National Hurricane Center (@NHC_Atlantic) September 14, 2020 Sally was moving west-northwest Monday night but forecasters expected it to turn slightly east. The extraordinarily busy hurricane season like the catastrophic wildfire season on the West Coast has focused attention on the role of climate change. Scientists say global warming is making the strongest of hurricanes, those with wind speeds of 110 mph or more, even stronger. Also, warmer air holds more moisture, making storms rainier, and rising seas from global warming make storm surges higher and more damaging. In addition, scientists have been seeing tropical storms and hurricanes slow down once they hit the United States by about 17% since 1900, and that gives them the opportunity to unload more rain over one place, as 2017s Hurricane Harvey did in Houston. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called for HHS Secretary Alex Azar on Tuesday to resign immediately as Democrats investigate whether Trump administration appointees meddled with coronavirus reports from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "The secretary of Health and Human Services, Alex Azar, has not only failed to push back against these outrageous moves by President Trump, he has been almost entirely silent about the chaos and mismanagement in his own agency," Schumer said on the Senate floor. "In Trump's administration, the most important skill is the ability to stand up to the president and resist political influence." Democrats in the House launched an investigation Monday into a report from Politico that said Trump political appointees have demanded the right to review and change weekly scientific reports from the CDC on the coronavirus pandemic. HHS oversees the CDC and other health agencies such as the Food and Drug Administration. "It has become abundantly clear that the leadership at the Department of Health and Human Services has allowed perhaps the most important federal agency right now to become subservient to the president's daily whims," said Schumer, D-N.Y. "So today, I'm calling on Secretary Azar to resign immediately. We need a secretary of Health and Human Services who will look out for the American people, not President Trump's political interests." Caitlin Oakley, an HHS spokeswoman, called Schumer's "uninformed" and "an attempt to mislead the American people and discredit the historic work of the Trump Administration to combat COVID-19." "Secretary Azar has always stood up for balanced, scientific, public health information and insisted that science and data drive the decisions at HHS and across our operating divisions," Oakley said in a statement. "Secretary Azar has repeatedly briefed President Trump alongside the nation's top doctors and insisted that President Trump have direct access to these doctors throughout the COVID-19 pandemic." "It's stunning that the Democratic Leader of the Senate would call for the resignation of the secretary of HHS in the midst of a pandemic," White House spokesman Judd Deere said. "Secretary Azar and HHS has been working hand-in-hand with the White House to carry out the President's number one priority: the health and safety of the American people." According to Politico, HHS public affairs chief Michael Caputo had sought to meddle in the CDC's Covid-19 work. In a Facebook Live broadcast Sunday, Caputo accused scientists of "sedition" and claimed the CDC was trying to undermine the president with a "resistance unit," The New York Times reported. He also predicted President Donald Trump would win reelection and "when Donald Trump refuses to stand down at the inauguration, the shooting will begin," according to the Times. Caputo did not respond to CNBC's request for comment. HHS told the Times that "Mr. Caputo is a critical, integral part of the president's coronavirus response, leading on public messaging as Americans need public health information to defeat the Covid-19 pandemic." Schumer's call comes after mounting concern from Democrats that data and vaccine approval could be influenced by the White House. In July, the Trump administration ordered hospitals to send coronavirus data directly to HHS, bypassing the CDC. That change raised questions of how the integrity of the data would be maintained. Later on Tuesday, Politico published a new report claiming Azar overruled objections from FDA chief Stephen Hahn and prevented the agency from checking the quality of lab-developed tests created for their own use. HHS did not immediately respond to CNBC's request for comment on the report, which was based on information from nearly a dozen current and former Trump administration officials and others familiar with the matter. In a statement to Politico, HHS chief of staff Brian Harrison said the move was driven by legal considerations about the FDA's authority to regulate individual labs running their own tests. Trump's statement that a vaccine could be ready before Election Day raised flags for lawmakers and infectious disease experts who worried the process would be rushed for political gain. But Trump has denied that would be the case. White House coronavirus advisor Dr. Anthony Fauci said it's unlikely the vaccine would be ready prior to the election. This is not the first time Azar has come under fire this year over his handling of the pandemic, which has killed nearly 200,000 Americans. Tapped in January by Trump to lead the administration's coronavirus response, Azar lasted in that role a little over a month before he was replaced by Vice President Mike Pence. By April, as the true consequences of the U.S. failure to deploy an effective coronavirus test became clear, Azar again found himself in the crosshairs. Late that month, reports emerged that Trump was planning to replace Azar at HHS. This decision was prompted in part by Azar's mismanagement of vaccine expert Dr. Rick Bright, who later filed a damning whistleblower complaint alleging retaliation against him by HHS. At the time, the list of people shortlisted for Azar's job included White House coronavirus coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx or Medicare chief Seema Verma. But Trump denied the reports of Azar's imminent firing, calling them "fake news." -CNBC's Christina Wilkie contributed to this report. Subscribe to CNBC on YouTube. WATCH: Here's where stimulus talks currently stand Harpreet Bajwa By Express News Service CHANDIGARH: The Punjab Police arrested two persons with six sophisticated weapons, who were planning a terror attack in the state, allegedly operating in connivance with five criminals,including a militant of Khalistan Zindabad Force (KZF) currently languishing in Amritsar jail. Another pro-Khalistan terrorist module was busted with the arrest of Harjeet Singh alias Raju and Shamsher Singh alias Shera, both residents of Mianpur village in Tarn Taran district. They were nabbed as Punjab Police had launched a drive to ensure thorough frisking and checking of all those entering the state from various parts of the country. Punjab DGP Dinkar Gupta said, "The Pakistan-backed module was busted on the basis of inputs about the nefarious designs of certain pro-Khalistan elements trying to disturb peace and harmony in the state by launching terror attacks." "Six sophisticated weapons (one 9mm pistol, four .32 calibre pistols and one .32 revolver), 8 live rounds of ammunition, several mobile phones and an internet dongle were seized from the duo, who were nabbed at the checkpost near Hotel Jashan on Rajpura-Sirhind road by a police party. During preliminary investigation, the accused revealed that they got four weapons from Burhanpur in Madhya Pradesh and two from Safidon in Jind district of Haryana," he said. Gupta said, "Initial investigations have further revealed that the two men were planning a major terror attack in Punjab in connivance with five criminals: Shubhdeep Singh of Cheecha in Amritsar, now lodged in Amritsar Jail; Amritpal Singh Baath of Mianpur in Tarn Taran, wanted in twelve different cases of murder, attempt to murder, Arms Act in Tarn Taran and Amritsar Rural districts; Randeep Singh of Chheharta in Amritsar, wanted in drug cases in Amritsar, along with Goldy and Ashu, both from Karnal in Haryana. Sharing details about Shubhdeep Singh, Gupta said he was an active militant of KZF, who was arrested by Punjab Police in September last year with the recovery of a China-made drone from Mahawa village in Amritsar Rural District. In April last year, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) had filed a chargesheet against him along with eight others, including Akashdeep Singh, Balwant Singh, Harbhajan Singh, Balbir Singh, Maan Singh, Gurdev Singh, Sajanpreet Singh and Romandeep Singh before the special NIA court in Mohali. This case related to information that Pakistan based Chief of KZF, Ranjeet Singh alias Neeta in connivance with Gurmeet Singh alias Bagga, a Germany based KZF operative, had smuggled arms, ammunition, explosives and fake Indian Currency Notes (FICN) into India via drones from Pakistan. Regarding Randeep Singh, Gupta said that he is wanted in by the SSOC Amritsar in a case of attempt to murder, drug smuggling and Arms Act. Gupta said that a case was today registered under sections 212, 216, 120-B of IPC, Arms Act and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Amendment Act. The duo is already wanted in an attempt to murder and Arms Act case registered in Police Station Sarai Amanat Khan in Tarn Taran. A month-old northern Colorado wildfire has destroyed 25 residential buildings and a total of 54 structures, the Larimer County Sheriffs Office says. The fire near Red Feather Lakes has burned 160 square miles and was 4% contained but hasnt grown considerably due to recent snow and moisture, The Denver Post reported. Fire officials say warming temperatures this week could increase activity in the fire, which began Aug. 13. The cause is under investigation. The fire is burning in the Roosevelt National Forest west of Fort Collins and affected the northern portion of Rocky Mountain National Park. Most of the destroyed residences were in the Monument Gulch area, the sheriffs office said. At least 2,000 people were under mandatory or voluntary evacuations orders because of the fire before a cold weather system moved into Colorado last week. Rocky Mountain National Park reopened Trail Ridge Road, which runs through the park, on Saturday. Several trails, cross country zones and wilderness campsites remain closed. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Catastrophe Natural Disasters Wildfire Colorado A heavily pregnant Muslim woman viciously attacked by a stranger at a Sydney cafe feared being killed if others did not intervene, a court has heard. Rana Elasmar, 32, was 38-weeks' pregnant when Stipe 'Steven' Lozina approached her, punched her several times and then stomped on her head at Bay Vista in Parramatta in November 2019. She told the Parramatta District Court on Tuesday she deliberately turned her abdomen away from her attacker and prayed for God to protect her child. Rana Elasmar, 32, was 38-weeks' pregnant when Stipe 'Steven' Lozina approached her, punched her several times and then stomped on her head 'If nobody intervened, I could have been killed,' she said, tearing up. 'I remember thinking - hit my head as long as you don't touch my baby.' Ms Elasmar, who was wearing a hijab at the time, said the 44-year-old man first asked for money before assaulting her and yelling 'you Muslims wrecked my mum'. 'No woman should excuse a man of such behaviour - it is our right to decide what do with our bodies,' she said. 'Islamophobia needs to end. Violence against women needs to stop.' Following the 'vicious and unprovoked' attack, the bruised woman could not chew her food and suffered lingering migraines and headaches. Stipe 'Steven' Lozina Lozina, who appeared before Judge Christopher Craigie without legal representation on Tuesday, said he attacked Ms Elasmar because she did not give him money. He then engaged in a bizarre exchange with crown prosecutor Sara Gul, first asking if she was Filipino, calling her 'dumb' and refusing to answer several direct questions about whether he hated Muslims. 'I don't hate them,' Lozina eventually said. 'But I don't get on with them. I have no business with them.' The offender also said he was a 'chronic paranoid schizophrenic' and that he felt remorseful for what happened. 'I belong in a hospital,' he told the court. Ms Gul told the court Lozina had also been convicted of verbally abusing two Muslim women at a shopping centre six weeks prior to his assault of Ms Elasmar. Judge Craigie said the attack was 'wicked and deplorable' and that the matter was 'one of the more difficult cases' he had faced in a long time. 'You have no lawyer, you are obviously unwell, and committed a very serious offence, which rightfully appals people,' he said. Lozina, who pleaded guilty in June to assault occasioning actual bodily harm on Ms Elasmar, will next face court on October 1. BOISE Police are investigating a Saturday rally at a Boise intersection that they say became aggressive as two groups clashed, according to a Boise Police Department news release. Officers responded to reports of a fight at the northeast corner of State Street and Veterans Memorial Parkway around 8 p.m. Saturday. Officials said two groups, each made up of about two dozen people, began fighting after a rally at the intersection. There were reports of fighting, pepper spray being used and the use of a megaphone, the news release said. Its against Boise city code to use sound amplifiers like megaphones within 100 feet of a public right-of-way or within earshot of a residence without a permit. Police said they did not arrest or cite anyone at the scene but are investigating the allegations made by each group. Officials did not identify either group, but videos and photos on social media showed a gathering at the northeast and southwest corners of the intersection earlier Saturday evening that appeared to be in opposition to Ada Countys face mask mandate. In addition to signs reading Unmask Ada County, attendees also waved American flags and Trump 2020 flags. Video showed some counterprotesters wearing masks and displaying Black Lives Matter flags and signs. Boise Police Department asked anyone with additional information on the incident to contact dispatch at 208-377-6790 or contact Crime Stoppers at 208-343-COPS, 343cops.com or via the P3 Tips app. Love 2 Funny 2 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1 This design challenge is just one lever that needs to be pulled to support our hospitality community, Mayekar said. Theres only so much a municipality can do. Were going to do everything we can, but we also need federal support with more relief. We really hope Washington will deliver that. ... Theres no silver bullet. We dont want to convey that this is the answer. Its an important part of the recipe, but we need several other ingredients and we need stakeholders in Washington to help. The California Highway Patrol has opened an investigation into an incident that left a protester hospitalized after an officer accelerated into a crowd of people surrounding his patrol car at a Sacramento rally on Monday. CHP said Tuesday that officials will interview the officer who drove the car and other officers who were present in order to understand how what was supposed to be a traffic-control assignment escalated into an injury-causing incident. The internal investigation will also examine video of the incident, including footage taken by the patrol cars dashboard camera, a CHP spokesman said. CHP declined to name the driver and would not disclose whether he has been placed on administrative leave during the investigation. A video taken by an NBC Bay Area reporter on the scene Monday showed a man crawling on the windshield of a patrol car seconds before the patrol car accelerated. The man appears to roll over the roof of the car before being thrown violently to the pavement. The incident occurred at a traffic-control post outside McClellan Airport following President Trumps visit to Sacramento on Monday. The CHP officers were attempting to leave their post when the protesters descended on the car, CHP said. As the lead vehicle began to pull away, one of the protesters climbed up the hood of the patrol vehicle. Fearing for his safety, the officer began to accelerate away and the protester fell off the vehicle, CHP said in a statement issued Tuesday. The video of the incident showed the man grimacing in pain as he lay on the pavement. He was later transported to Mercy San Juan Medical Center with minor injuries, according to CHP. The demonstrators had assembled to protest Trumps arrival at McClellan Airport, a staging area for state firefighting efforts. The president took part in a briefing about the states wildfires with Gov. Gavin Newsom for about an hour. The confrontation occurred shortly after the presidents departure, according to a report by the Sacramento Bee. Nora Mishanec is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: nora.mishanec@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @NMishanec Photo: The Canadian Press The World Trade Organization said Tuesday that Trump administration tariffs on Chinese goods totalling more than $200 billion are illegal under the rules of the global trade body. The decision marks the first time the Geneva-based trade body has ruled against a series of tariffs that President Donald Trump's government has imposed on a number of countries, allies and rivals alike. Trump has repeatedly criticized the WTO, which oversees international disputes on trade, for allegedly treating the U.S. unfairly. In its decision, the WTO ruled against the Trump administration's argument that China has engaged in practices harmful to U.S. interests, on issues including intellectual property theft, technology transfer and innovation. The ruling, in theory, would allow China to impose retaliatory tariffs on billions worth of U.S. goods - if the process is completed. But the U.S. government can appeal the decision announced by the WTOs dispute settlement body, and the WTO's appeals court is currently no longer functioning - largely because of Washingtons single-handed refusal to accept new members for it. By Eva Hill hilleva@grinnell.edu In the wake of skyrocketing COVID-19 infection rates in Iowa, the College will be proceeding with all-remote instruction for the Oct. 29 Dec. 22 term, Fall 2, as opposed to the hybrid model that had previously been proposed for the period. Third-year students will also no longer be invited to campus for the period. According to President Anne Harriss Monday email announcing the change, a very small number of students graduating mid-year will be permitted to live on campus. The petition for continuous residence on campus necessitated by severe circumstances has reopened and is available to students through a link in the announcement email. This is the second time that worsening pandemic conditions have caused the College to rescind on-campus living invitations for a large group of students. Previously, the school announced in mid-July that first-year and transfer students invited to campus for Fall Term 1 would no longer be able to live in Grinnell, and that classes would be remote rather than hybrid. But despite the lack of warning that such a change was in the works, it wasnt much of a shock to most third-year students. I was disappointed, but not surprised, wrote Annika Little 22 in a Facebook message with The S&B. Little is a Chinese and chemistry double-major who was scheduled to take a hybrid lab class in F2. Now, shes worried that she may not have any in-person lab time for the entirety of her third year. Jax Seiler 22 was similarly unsurprised by the announcement. Im honestly more surprised they told us it was a possibility in the first place, he said. Asked if he thought the school could have given more notice of the change, he added, I think they should have assumed that earlier instead of holding onto a blind hope that Iowa of all places would be safe by October. I dont think with this plan they could have given more notice, but its not a great plan in the first place. To Sarah Licht 22, who, like Little and Seiler, was planning to move to campus for F2, the change feels like a massive betrayal. I feel like they put all of their focus on making sure the underclassmen didnt leave with all of their tuition money, and we once again got left in the dust, Licht wrote. Little described the Colleges communication regarding in-person status and campus residency as frustrating. I just wish the college would commit to a single planeven if that means we commit to being fully onlinerather than stringing everyone along, she wrote. He debuted his new girlfriend Lilli Newman this week. And former Married At First Sight groom Jonethen Musulin says he's grateful to have found his 'perfect match' - this time without the help of MAFS' resident relationship 'experts'. 'She's beautiful, funny, what more could I want? She's the perfect match for me,' he told Daily Mail Australia. Scroll down for video EXCLUSIVE 'She's my perfect match': MAFS star Jonethen Musulin reveals his romance with his stunning new girlfriend Lilli Newman was EIGHT YEARS in the making The 28-year-old rose to fame earlier this year as a groom on MAFS. He was 'married' to Connie Crayden, but the couple chose to leave the social experiment single when they filmed their final vows last December. 'I didnt think I could laugh so much with my partner,' Jonethen said of finding love with Lily after reality TV. The Queensland-based FIFO worker explained their romance had been almost a decade in the making. 'Weve been basically inseparable': The Queensland-based FIFO worker boasted about how beautiful and funny Lilli is to Daily Mail Australia 'Lilli has always worked away': It's believed Lilli works internationally as a dancer and performer, often on cruise ships 'Weve known each other for about eight years, but Lilli has always worked away,' he said of his professional dancer girlfriend. However, Jonethen said she returned home amid the coronavirus pandemic, which gave him the opportunity to court her. 'It gave me the chance to finally take her on a date, eight years in the making. The date went amazing, and since then weve been basically inseparable,' he said. Shortly after making his new relationship Instagram official on Sunday, many of his former co-stars commented congratulatory messages. KC Osborne commented 'Yall are a bit cute', Ivan Sarakula wrote 'Big statement', while Steve Burley simply showed his support with three heart emojis. Rise to fame: Jonethen (right) appeared on Married At First Sight's seventh season in 2020, where he wed stranger Connie Crayden (left) Saying goodbye: The couple separated during their final vows, after weeks of Connie being the only one to vote stay at the commitment ceremonies Jonethen and MAFS 'ex-wife' Connie called it quits at their final vows after weeks of Connie being the only one to vote stay at the commitment ceremonies. She delivered an empowering speech about self-love, and thanked her 'husband' for helping her to become a strong, confident woman. During a March appearance on Today Extra, Connie confessed she had 'called it quits on the friendship' a few months after filming their final vows in December. New Delhi, Sep 16 : Lakshmi Vilas Bank and Clix Group have substantially completed the due diligence on a proposed amalgamation of the financial services company with the bank. In June, Lakshmi Vilas bank had signed a preliminary, non-binding letter of intent (LoI) with Clix Capital Services Private Limited and Clix Finance India Private Limited, collectively the Clix Group, in relation to the proposed amalgamation of Clix Group with the Bank. Under the non-binding LoI, the proposed amalgamation is subject to completion of mutual due-diligence, regulatory and other customary approvals. The bank had informed the exchanges in July that, as per the mutual understanding between parties, the exclusivity period was extended till September 15 due to the prevailing pandemic situation. "We wish to inform that the mutual due diligence is substantially complete, and the parties are in discussions on the next steps. The Bank will continue to share any further information as and when they materialise," LVB informed the exchanges. Clix Capital had acquired GE Capital's commercial lending and leasing business in 2016. Pramod Bhasin, formerly of Genpact and GE Capital, is Founder and Chairman of Clix. Chennai-based Lakshmi Vilas Bnak continues to have significant presence in the state of Tamil Nadu. The bank has presence in 16 states and 3 Union Territories across the country. The bank was founded in 1926 by a group of seven progressive businessmen in Karur under the leadership of V.S.N. Ramalinga Chettiar. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text What Is Climate Change? Is It Different From Global Warming? Climate change is actually not a new phenomenon. Scientists have been studying the connection between human activity and the effect on the climate since the 1800s, although it took until the 1950s to find evidence suggesting a link. Since then, the amount of greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and fluorinated gases) in the atmosphere have steadily increased, taking a sharp jump in the late 1980s when the summer of 1988 became the warmest on record. (There have been many records broken since then.) But climate change is not a synonym for global warming. The term global warming entered the lexicon in the 1950s, but didnt become a common buzzword until a few decades later when more people started taking notice of a warming climate. Except climate change encompasses a greater realm than just rising temperatures. Trapped gases also affect sea-level rise, animal habitats, biodiversity and weather patterns. For example, Texas severe winter storms in February 2021 demonstrate how the climate isnt merely warming. Why Is Climate Change Important? Why Does It Matter? Marc Guitard / Moment / Getty Images Despite efforts from forward thinkers such as SpaceX Founder Elon Musk to colonize Mars, Earth remains our home for the foreseeable future, and the more human activity negatively impacts the climate, the less habitable it will become. Its estimated that Earth has already warmed about one degree Celsius, or two degrees Fahrenheit, since the start of the Industrial Revolution around the 1750s, although climate change tracking didnt start until the late 1800s. That warming number may not sound like much, but this increase has already resulted in more frequent and severe wildfires, hurricanes, floods, droughts and winter storms, to name some examples. Environmental Impacts Then theres biodiversity loss, another fallout of climate change thats threatening rainforests and coral reefs and accelerating species extinction. Take rainforests, which act as natural carbon sinks by absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. But as rampant deforestation is occurring everywhere from Brazils Amazon to Borneo, fewer trees mean that rainforests are becoming carbon sources, emitting more carbon than theyre absorbing. Meanwhile, coral reefs are dying as warming ocean temperatures trigger bleaching events, which cause corals to reject algae, their main food and life source. Fewer trees, coral reefs and other habitats also equate to fewer species. Known as the sixth mass extinction, a 2019 UN report revealed that up to a million plant and animal species could become extinct within decades. Human Impact It can be easy to overlook climate change in day-to-day life, or even realize that climate change is behind it. Notice theres yet another romaine lettuce recall due to E. Coli? Research suggests that E. Coli bacteria are becoming more common in our food sources as it adapts to climate change. Cant find your favorite brand of coffee beans anymore? Or that the price has doubled? Climate change is affecting that too. Climate change is also worsening air quality and seasonal allergies, along with polluting tap water. Not least, many preliminary studies have also drawn a line between climate change and the deadly COVID-19 pandemic that is still gripping much of the world. Future pandemics are likely to happen more frequently until the root causes, such as deforestation, are addressed. Speaking of larger-scale issues, global water scarcity is already happening more frequently. The Caribbean is facing water shortages due to rising temperatures and decreased rainfall; Australias dams may run dry by 2022 as severe wildfires increase and Cape Town, South Africa has already faced running out of water. As touched upon earlier, its one thing to be inconvenienced by a lack of romaine lettuce for a couple of weeks or higher coffee bean prices, but reports warn how climate change will continue to threaten global food security, to the point of triggering a worldwide food crisis if temperatures surpass two degrees Celsius. Many of these factors are already contributing to climate migration, forcing large numbers of people to relocate to other parts of the world in search of better living conditions. Unless more immediate, drastic action is taken to combat climate change, future generations will have to contend with worst-case scenario projections by the end of the 21st century, not limited to coastal cities going underwater, including Miami; lethal heat levels from South Asia to Central Africa; and more frequent extreme weather events involving hurricanes, wildfires, tsunamis, droughts, floods, blizzards and more. Whats Happening and Why? Fiddlers Ferry power station in Warrington, UK. Chris Conway / Moment / Getty Images The Earths temperature has largely remained stable until industrial times and the introduction of greenhouse gases. These gases have forced the atmosphere to retain heat, as evidenced by rising global temperatures. As the planet grows warmer, glaciers melt faster, sea levels rise, severe flooding increases and droughts and extreme weather events become more deadly. The Greenhouse Effect In the late 1800s, Swedish chemist Svante Arrhenius studied the connection between the amount of atmospheric carbon and its ability to warm and cool the Earth, and while his initial calculations suggested extreme warming as carbon increased, researchers didnt start to take human-induced climate change seriously until the late 20th century. But proof of human-led climate change can be traced to the 1850s, and satellites are among the ways that scientists have been tracking increased greenhouse gases and their climate impact in more recent years. Climate researchers have also documented warmer oceans, ocean acidification, shrinking ice sheets, decreased snow amounts and extreme weather as among the events resulting from greenhouse gases heating the planet. Numerous factors contribute to the production of greenhouse gases, known as the greenhouse effect. One of the biggest causes involve burning fossil fuels, including coal, oil and natural gas, to power everything from cars to daily energy needs (electricity, heat). From 1970-2011, fossil fuels have comprised 78 percent of total greenhouse gas emissions. Big Ag is another greenhouse contributor, particularly beef production, with the industry adding 10 percent in 2019. This is attributed to clearing land for crops and grazing and growing feed, along with methane produced by cows themselves. In the U.S. alone, Americans consumed 27.3 billion pounds of beef in 2019. Then theres rampant deforestation occurring everywhere from the Amazon to Borneo. A 2021 study from Rainforest Foundation Norway found that two-thirds of the worlds rainforests have already been destroyed or degraded. In Brazil, deforestation reached a 12-year-high in 2020 under right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro. As it stands, reports predict that the Amazon rainforest will collapse by 2064. Rainforests are important carbon sinks, meaning the trees capture and remove carbon from the atmosphere. As rainforests collapse, the remaining trees will begin emitting more greenhouse gases than theyre absorbing. Meanwhile, a recent study revealed that abandoned oil and gas wells are leaking more methane than previously believed, with U.S. wells contributing up to 20 percent of annual methane emissions. Not least is the cement industry. Cement is heavily used throughout the global construction industry, and accounts for around eight percent of carbon dioxide emissions. Natural Climate Change Granted, natural climate change exists as well, and can be traced throughout history, from solar radiation triggering the Ice Ages to the asteroid strike that rapidly raised global temperatures and eliminated dinosaurs and many other species in the process. Other sources of natural climate change impacts include volcano eruptions, ocean currents and orbital changes, but these sources generally have smaller and shorter-term environmental impacts. How We Can Combat Climate Change Participant holding a sign at the climate march on Sept. 20, 2020, in Manhattan. A coalition of climate, Indigenous and racial justice groups gathered at Columbus Circle to kick off Climate Week with the Climate Justice Through Racial Justice march. Erik McGregor / LightRocket / Getty Images While the latest studies and numbers can often feel discouraging about societys ability to prevent the worst-case climate scenarios from happening, theres still time to take action. As a Society In 2015 at COP 21 in Paris, 197 countries came together to sign the Paris Agreement, an international climate change treaty agreeing to limit global warming in this century to two degrees Celsius, and ideally 1.5 degrees Celsius, compared to pre-industrial levels; its believed that the planet has warmed one degree Celsius since 1750. Studies show that staying within the two-degree range will prevent the worst-case climate scenarios from happening. Achieving this goal requires participating parties to drastically slash greenhouse gas emissions sooner rather than later. However, there have already been numerous setbacks since then, from former U.S. President Donald Trump withdrawing from the Paris Agreement in 2020 to world leaders, such as China, the worlds biggest polluter, failing to enact aggressive climate action plans. Yet many of the treaty participants have been slow to implement changes, putting the world on track to hit 3.2 degrees Celsius by the end of the 21st century even if the initial goals are met. However, its worth noting that U.S. President Joe Biden rejoined the Paris Agreement in 2021, and pledged to cut greenhouse gases in half by 2030. Then theres the Montreal Protocol, a 1987 global agreement to phase out ozone-depleting substances such as chlorofluorocarbons, chemicals that were commonly used in air-conditioning, refrigeration and aerosols. Recent studies show that parts of the ozone are recovering, proving that a unified commitment to combatting climate change issues does make a difference. On a smaller scale, carbon offset initiatives allow companies and individuals to invest in environmental programs that offset the amount of carbon thats produced through work or lifestyle. For example, major companies (and carbon emitters) such as United Airlines and Shell have pledged to achieve net-zero carbon emissions in part by participating in carbon offset programs that remove carbon from the atmosphere. The problem is that these companies are still producing high levels of fossil fuel emissions. While individuals can make a small impact through carbon offsets, the greater responsibility lies with carbon-emitting corporations to find and implement greener energy alternatives. This translates to car companies producing electric instead of gas vehicles or airlines exploring alternative fuel sources. It also requires major companies to rely more on solar and wind energy for their energy needs. In Our Own Lives While its up to corporations to do the heavy lifting of carbon reduction, that doesnt mean individuals cant make a difference. Adopting a vegan lifestyle, using public transportation, switching to an electric car and becoming a more conscious consumer are all ways to help combat climate change. Veganism Consuming meat relies on clearing land for crops and animals, while raising and killing livestock contributes to about 14.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions, according to the UNs Food and Agricultural Organization. By comparison, choosing a plant-based diet could reduce greenhouse gas footprints by as much as 70 percent, especially when choosing local produce and products. Public Transportation Riding public trains, subways, buses, trams, ferries and other types of public transportation is another easy way to lower your carbon footprint, considering that gas-powered vehicles contribute 95 percent of transportation-related greenhouse gas emissions. Electric Vehicles Electric cars and trucks have come down in price as more manufacturers enter the field, and these produce far lower emissions than their gas counterparts. Hybrid vehicles are another good alternative for lowering individual emission contributions. Conscious Consumption Buying locally produced food and items is another way to maintain a lower carbon footprint, as the products arent shipped or driven long distances. Supporting small companies that are committed to sustainability is another option, especially when it comes to clothes. Fast fashion has become a popular option thanks to its price point, but often comes at the expense of the environment and can involve unethical overseas labor practices. Not least, plastic saturates every corner of the consumer market, but its possible to find non-plastic alternatives with a little research, from reusable produce bags to baby bottles. Climate Activism Those interested in becoming even more involved can join local climate action organizations. Popular groups include the Sunrise Movement, Fridays for Future, Greenpeace and the Sierra Club, to name a few. Voting, volunteering, calling local representatives and participating in climate marches are additional ways to raise your voice. Takeaway Its taken centuries to reach a climate tipping point, with just a matter of decades left to prevent the worst-case climate scenarios from happening. But theres still hope of controlling a warming climate as long as individuals, companies and nations make an immediate concerted effort to lower greenhouse gas emissions. As the world already experienced with the COVID-19 pandemic, a rapid unified response can make all the difference. Meredith Rosenberg is a senior editor at EcoWatch. She holds a Masters from the Newmark Graduate School of Journalism in NYC and a B.A. from Temple University in Philadelphia. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-15 04:18:56|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close TRIPOLI, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- The International Organization for Migration (IOM) said on Monday that 454 illegal immigrants were rescued off the Libyan coast over the past week. "In the period of Sept. 8 to 14, 454 migrants were intercepted at sea and returned to Libya," IOM said. According to the IOM, 8,435 illegal immigrants, including 572 women and 448 children, have been rescued and returned to Libya so far in 2020, while 178 migrants have died and 222 others gone missing on the Central Mediterranean route in the same period. In 2019, 9,225 illegal immigrants were rescued and returned to Libya, while 270 migrants died and 992 went missing on the Central Mediterranean route, the IOM said. Following the 2011 fall of the former leader Muammar Gaddafi's regime, Libya has been plagued by a state of insecurity and chaos that encourages thousands of illegal immigrants to attempt to cross the Mediterranean Sea toward Europe. Enditem The Peoples National Convention (PNC) has successfully vetted all aspirants seeking election to national executive positions in the party ahead of its national congress. The exercise, which was held at the partys headquarters in Accra from Friday, September 11, 2020 to Sunday, September 13, 2020, also involved persons aspiring to lead the party as flag bearer in the upcoming presidential election. A four-member committee, chaired by Colonel Luri Bayorbor, who is also the Chairman of the Council of Elders, cross-questioned the aspirants on diverse issues as the party sought to select the best candidates to steer its affairs for the next four years. Congress The PNC has scheduled its national congress for September 26, 2020. It will be held simultaneously in all the 16 regions in accordance with the COVID-19 preventive protocols. A collation centre will be created in Accra where the results from the various regions will be collated and declared by the Electoral Commission on the same day. Aspirants A total of 31 aspirants are battling for 13 positions. Three persons - Rev. Samuel Adjei-Debrah, Asaki Samson Awingobit, and David Apasara are contesting the flagbearer position. If Rev. Adjei, who is a native of Aburi in the Eastern Region, gets the nod, it will be historic for the party as it will become the first time a non-northerner will be elected as the partys flag bearer. However, he faces stiff competition from Mr. Asaki who is the current Executive Secretary of the Importers and Exporters Association, and Mr. Apasara, a former three-term Member of Parliament (MP) for the Bolgatanga Constituency. The contest for chairmanship will be a two-horse race between the incumbent National Chairman, Mr. Bernard Monarh, and a former MP for the Sissala East Constituency, Mr. Moses Dani Baah. Eugene T.K. Bashiru, Bekury Omar Ahmed, Bala Saluhu Maikankan, Henry Asante and Hajia Ajara Ali are all vying for the vice chairmanship. McDonald Kobbs Tong, Janet Nabla and Emmanuel Wilson are contesting the general secretary position while Yakubu Faharudeen is grappling for the deputy general secretary position. Here, it is a battle of serving national officers (Wilson & Janet) and a grass-roots man (Kobbs) from the Central Region. Abass Nuhu, Desmond T Ntow and Daniel Nii Noi Osekine are battling for the National Organiser position while Francis Dasu and Saaed Abdala are contesting the Deputy National Organiser position. Hummi Sinare, Hidaya Sungjun Ibrahim, Esther Osei, Patience Lamis Adam are challenging one another for the National Womens Organiser position, while Christiana Fugah and Wasilatu Shiabu are vying for the Deputy Womens Organiser position. The National Treasurer position on the other hand is being contested by Kabba Abraham, Jacob Amoako, and Emmanuel Akannae. Three aspirants - Mark Ewusi Arkoh (National Youth Organiser), Issahaque Awudulai (National Communication Officer), and Prince K. Agyemang-Duah - are uncontested. Reactions In an interview, Mr. Bernard Mornah said he had an interesting conversation with the vetting committee and expressed full confidence that his work for the party over the years would secure his re-election. The larger part of the conversation was virtually commendations for how far I have projected the PNC, defended and stayed with the party and they pointed out obviously that they were certain that members of the NPP and the NDC would relish to have me in their front and that my continuous stay in the PNC was more than an asset to the party, he said. Source: Graphic.com.gh Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video As we begin to consider returning to our offices, Google wants to help make conference rooms more pleasant. The company is announcing Series One meeting room kits today that comprises a soundbar, a pair of cameras, a touchscreen controller, mic pods and a compute unit. The kits will be available in three sets based on room size, and while the company couldnt share an exact date, it said pre-orders will open soon. Expect more details on when these go on sale in October, when Googles hardware partner on this project Lenovo will have more to share. If this sounds familiar, its because Google tried something similar with a video conference hardware package for Hangouts in 2017, and Series One appears to be another stab at the same concept for Meet. The new Series One hardware is meant for businesses, so dont think of it as something you can run out to a store to buy for your home. The basic offering is the $2,699 Small Room Kit, and it includes a smart camera, smart audio bar, compute system and rechargeable remote control. The medium and large options come with additional mic pods, a bigger camera and a 10-inch touchscreen controller. Businesses will eventually be able to purchase these items individually, and theyll be compatible with G Suite management software. One standout feature of the Series One products is their ability to use Power-over-Ethernet (PoE), so theyll only need a single cable to both get power and the internet. The compute box will also have RJ-45 ports and color-coded cables to make it easier to manage each components wires. So the next time someone unplugs the mic pod and leaves its cable in a mess of wires, you can more easily find the right one. The compute system is powered by an Intel Core i7 processor and runs Chrome OS with a focus on Google Meet, and all the kits come with room and fleet management via the G Suite Admin Console that many enterprises already use. The Smart Audio Bar is a 2.3-foot speaker that uses Googles own TrueVoice multi-channel noise cancellation and voice amplification tech. It uses eight beamforming mics and can process up to 44 channels simultaneously. In a recorded demo, Google showed how this system can help keep voices clear while filtering out sounds like crinkling snack wrappers, loud typing and stationery stands being dragged around. In larger rooms, you can get additional mic pods which each have eight mics to help hear every member in the meeting. Story continues The soundbars will also come with a calibration tool that will check the acoustics of a room, determine the microphone range during setup and auto tune levels to make sure the audio its playing is optimized for the environment. Google Meet Series One hardware office meeting room kits Google Meet Series One hardware office meeting room kits To better see everyone, the Series One kits come with either a regular 12-megapixel Smart Camera or the XL version with a sharper, larger 20.3-megapixel 1-inch sensor and 4.3x optical zoom. Both cameras can shoot at up to 4K and offer digital pan, tilt and zoom movements due to that higher resolution. Google also uses similar software to the Nest Hub Max here by offering automatic participant framing. It works with rooms with up to 10 to 18 people When theres only one person in a big room, they can use the one-touch auto zoom option on the control panel so callers can better see them. As other people join the meeting, the smart camera will zoom out to include them in the frame. Google said its system recognizes the number of people in the room based on physical bodies and other attributes and sound, and that it doesnt use face scanning. also said that each kit can anonymously sense the number of participants in the meeting to help monitor room utilization and maintain safety protocols. This means the cameras can help keep track of how many people are in a room, and group product manager TJ Varghese said in a briefing that this could be extended further to any new types of requirements, whether it be social distancing requirements etc. Google Meet Series One hardware office meeting room kits Varghese also said the company is aware of issues in cameras rendering darker skintones. I think this is something that the industry is finally acknowledged and is accepting and we are actively working with partners to develop algorithms that can do this, he said. The company has a roadmap in place that will look at making constant improvements on lighting and processing for low light, processing of HDR etc. Well learn more in the coming months, Varghese said, adding that our goal as Google is to effectively develop and represent darker skin tones in a much better way than traditionally cameras have. The remaining pieces of the kits are fairly straightforward. The 10.1-inch touchscreen control panel looks a lot like the Nest Hub Max, while the mic pods are similar to the pucks we already seen in many offices, except for the fabric covering thats shown up in Googles other smart home devices. In fact, all the Series One products feature the same rounded corners and fabric thats prevalent in other Google hardware. The controllers (both touchscreen and simple handheld remote) will support voice control so you can dial into a meeting by asking Assistant to connect you. Google Meet Series One hardware office meeting room kits Two color options will be available for the entire series charcoal and chalk and the small room kit will cost $2,699. Google said it designed Series One to be an investment for the long haul and theyre expected to last at least five years. While Lenovo is a launch partner for the new gear, Google also said it might have other products with different hardware makers for the Series in the future. Though the company has partnered with the likes of ASUS and Lenovo on meeting room hardware in the past, the Series One appears to be a concerted effort at making its own devices with well-integrated Google software. Update: This article was edited to provide more clarity on the differences between the Smart Camera and Smart Camera XL. Two men were arrested Monday evening during the second night of protests outside the Lancaster police station. Protests began in the city after 27-year-old Ricardo Munoz was fatally shot by police on Sunday afternoon while officers were responding to a domestic disturbance. The Lancaster District Attorneys Office is investigating the shooting and crowds began gathering at the police station Sunday night, which turned violent later in the evening, according to officials. During the second night of protests, the group shrank considerably and police said they did not devolve into the level of rioting, disorder, criminal damage and arson as Sunday nights protests did. However, two men were charged in connection with offenses police say occurred during the protests. Timothy Garcia, 31, of Lancaster, is charged with felony reckless burning, and misdemeanor counts of criminal mischief, and possession of cocaine, according to police. Police said Garcia damaged lights at the U.S. Post Office on West Chesnut Street and set a piece of cardboard on fire, then placed it against a tree in an attempt to get the tree to ignite. Garcia is being held at Lancaster County Prison on $100,000 bail. Seth Gardner, 21, who was last known to be living in Philadelphia, is charged with a misdemeanor count of propulsion of missiles into an occupied vehicle and a summary citation for public drunkenness, according to police. Gardner is accused of throwing rocks at the police station and at a marked police vehicle that was driving away from the station, police said. Garnder is also being held at Lancaster County Prison on $100,000 bail. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-16 02:41:12|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close European Council President Charles Michel attends a press conference after a special EU summit in Brussels, Belgium, July 21, 2020. (European Union/Handout via Xinhua) "The issue of security and stability in the Eastern Mediterranean is not an affair of Greece and Cyprus alone, but an EU issue. We believe that all the member states must be respected and this is the meaning of my presence here today, to repeat this message." ATHENS, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Security and stability in the Eastern Mediterranean is an issue that does not concern only Greece and Cyprus, but the European Union (EU) as a whole, European Council President Charles Michel said on Tuesday during joint statements with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis after their meeting in Athens. "The issue of security and stability in the Eastern Mediterranean is not an affair of Greece and Cyprus alone, but an EU issue. We believe that all the member states must be respected and this is the meaning of my presence here today, to repeat this message," Michel was quoted by Greek national news agency AMNA as saying. Michel paid a visit to Greece to discuss tension in the region lately over maritime borders and exploitation rights of energy resources, as well as the refugee-migration challenge after the destruction of Moria, Greece's largest reception camp on the island of Lesvos by a series of fires last week. The situation in the Eastern Mediterranean and EU-Turkey relations will be discussed in the upcoming Special European Council on Sept. 24-25, during which the EU should demonstrate its unity and strength because security and stability are strategic interests of the EU, he added, according to AMNA. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis (L) meets with European Commission Vice President Margaritis Schinas in Athens, Greece, on Sept. 11, 2020.(Xinhua/Marios Lolos) Mitsotakis said on his part during the joint statements to the press, which were broadcast on Greek national broadcaster ERT, that the Mediterranean Sea is a vital security zone for entire Europe. "Therefore, support to Greece and Cyprus is not only a demonstration of solidarity but a clear acknowledgment that the EU's geopolitical and strategic interests are at stake here," he elaborated. After the Turkish seismic survey vessel Oruc Reis returned to Turkey last weekend after weeks of research in a disputed area, the Greek prime minister said Greece expects more positive steps and an end to "provocations" to restart dialogue with Turkey over the delimitation of maritime borders. In August, Turkey dispatched Oruc Reis and two auxiliary navy vessels to the disputed region near the Greek island of Meis, also known as Kastellorizo, where Greece claims lies within its continental shelf. "Turkey has time, before and after the EU summit, to follow up the first encouraging step of disengagement from the crisis. If we see tangible proof of good behavior, we are ready to begin exploratory contacts with Turkey at once on the sole difference that exists between us, the delimitation of maritime borders in the Aegean and Eastern Med," Mitsotakis said. "Until there is a final delimitation, however, either through a bilateral agreement or through an international court ruling, the international law of the sea prohibits unilateral actions," he stressed. Photo taken on Sept. 9, 2020 shows the site after a fire broke out at refugee and migrants camp Moria, on the northeastern Aegean Sea island of Lesvos, Greece. (Photo by Panagiotis Balaskas/Xinhua) Regarding the refugee, migration challenge, Michel stressed that Greece and other countries at the forefront of the influx in recent years have shouldered disproportionate burdens and the EU is ready to find a common effective response through a new policy on the issue. The European Council president was scheduled to visit Lesvos island in the northeastern Aegean to personally see the reality the EU faces. Lesvos received the bulk of the massive flow of more than one million people who reached Greece since 2015, mainly from Turkey. "It is time this European support will be translated into tangible solidarity and will be shown with actions and not words so that we can succeed where we had the courage, in my view, as the EU to admit that we have failed in the past," Mitsotakis said on Tuesday. The Greek PM also stressed that with the support of other EU partners the new hosting facility under construction on Lesvos will offer better living conditions than Moria. Meanwhile, Greek Citizen Protection Minister Michalis Chrysochoidis announced from Lesvos that five young foreign nationals were arrested for the arson in Moria, while another, who has been identified, is still at large. Greek authorities said that the series of blazes that turned the camp to ashes started when few of a total of 35 camp residents who had tested positive for COVID-19 resisted isolation measures. - One of Europe's Fastest Growing Fashion Marketplaces offers a digital lifeline to thousands of boutique stores hit by closures, bucks the trend with growth in sales for 1H 2020 COPENHAGEN, Denmark, Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Miinto , a leading Scandinavian fashion marketplace operating across Europe, has tripled its business in the last three years and has experienced a surge of +500% in inquiries from independent retail stores offering high quality fashion brands since March. With a sharp decline in store footfalls, and consumers turning to online shopping for fashion needs, regional retailers are finding online marketplaces like Miinto to be a real saviour. Miinto partners with over 2000 retailers to showcase more than 5000 brands and over 500,000 active products, and offers superior customer experience to shoppers. A big reason for Miinto's digital success has been their investment in digital personalization, AI, and their ability to seamlessly tune digital strategy, test and experiment winning experiences at great speed. Having a vast and constantly changing product catalog, Miinto has a unique set of challenges. They rely on RichRelevance personalization platform to help consumers find relevant products from thousands of pages of products. "RichRelevance has been a gamechanger for Miinto by allowing us to significantly improve our customer experience, making it personal and relevant to every single user that visits our website. We're working hand-in-hand with RichRelevance on a daily basis to use all available technologies, and even develop new ones, to constantly optimize our onsite experience and make sure that we present the right products to the right customers at the right time," said Paloma Truong, Head of Customer Experience at Miinto. Malthe Cederborg, Group CMO at Miinto believes strongly in a significant market opportunity for brand-led independent retailers worldwide. "Miinto's business model offers retail store partners that meet high standards in product, availability, and logistics, a simple yet compelling model to take their business online to an international market that spans Scandinavia and the rest of Europe. To get started, all they need is a product catalogue and an integration with the Miinto platform that we can help with. We welcome regional fashion specialists to tap a large international consumer base by partnering with Miinto," said Malthe. Miinto, with its sales during last year of almost EUR 100M, is a digital-first business and a role model for other industries to follow. Agility, scale and customer experience are all being shaped and managed by technology, even as business environments have remained dynamic and evolving. Miinto realized a 19.4% higher revenue with RichRelevance personalization, compared to our previous technology. Commenting on the role of personalization technology in Miinto's success, Thomas Hakansson, Director of Customer Success at RichRelevance Europe said, "Miinto is an innovator - be it their business model, or their definition of customer experience. They have passionately developed a world-class digital marketplace for fashion. Their use of RichRelevance Personalization has evolved from basic site search and recommendations, to include Xen AI powered real-time decisions with customer context and dynamic inventory, and is a strategic weapon to drive revenue growth. We are delighted to work with marketplaces with such unique needs." RichRelevance recently announced the next generation of product recommendations as part of their personalization cloud, DeepRecs. About RichRelevance RichRelevance is the global leader in Digital Customer Experience Personalization, driving digital growth and brand loyalty for 200 of the world's largest B2C and B2B brands and retailers including REI, Walmart, Burberry, CDW, ShopDirect, ATEA, Komplett and Coop.SE. The company leverages advanced AI technologies to bridge the experience gap between marketing and commerce to help digital marketing leaders stage memorable experiences that speak to individuals - at scale, in real-time, and across the customer lifecycle. Headquartered in San Francisco, RichRelevance serves clients in 44 countries from 9 offices around the globe. Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1246037/RichRelevance_Logo.jpg LONDON Black actor John Boyega has stepped down from his role as a global ambassador for perfume brand Jo Malone after the company decided to hire a Chinese actor to replace him in an ad he created. The Star Wars star wrote Tuesday on Twitter that the brands decision to replace my campaign in China by using my concepts and substituting a local brand ambassador for me, without either my consent or prior notice, was wrong. Jo Malone, an upscale British perfume brand owned by Estee Lauder, has said that replacing Boyega with Chinese star Liu Haoran in the ad campaign was a misstep. It has removed the ad and apologized. The original ad starring Boyega, 28, aired last year and was called The London Gent. It features the London-born actor walking around the neighborhood where he grew up and riding a horse in a park, and it makes a reference to his Nigerian heritage in a scene featuring West African attire. The film celebrated my personal story showcasing my hometown, including my friends and featuring my family, Boyega wrote. While many brands understandably use a variety of global and local ambassadors, dismissively trading out ones culture this way is not something I can condone. Its not the first time Boyega has been deleted from a China-based ad. He played a leading role as Finn in 2015s Star Wars: The Force Awakens, but he and other non-white characters were removed or diminished from a Chinese poster for the blockbuster movie. Boyega recently told GQ that Black characters have been pushed to the side in Disneys Star Wars franchise. In June, the star made an emotional speech on racism when he joined Black Lives Matter protests in London. ___ Follow all AP stories on racial injustice at https://apnews.com/Racialinjustice Photo credit: Max Mumby/Indigo - Getty Images From Town & Country As Prince Harry turns 36, he is spending the day quietly with Meghan and Archie. But in addition to the low-key celebrations, he also marked his birthday in a very special way as he and Meghan made a personal donation of $130,000 to the African girls education charity CAMFED. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex chose to match the publics donations of $129,000, which were raised as part of a fundraising campaign in honor of their birthdays that closed this evening. Alongside the donation, the Sussexes posted a message on the CAMFED fundraising page saying: No better way to celebrate what really matters. Thank you to everyone who donated, Harry and Meghan. CAMFED works across Africa to provide marginalized girls and young women access to education. By 2019 they had helped more than 4.1 million children to go to school across Ghana, Malawi, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. When the Queens Commonwealth Trustof which the Queen is patron, Harry is president and Meghan vice-presidentwas first established, CAMFED was one of the first recipients of an award. Photo credit: DANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS - Getty Images In a post on its website last month, the organization describes how they have benefitted from the fundraising campaign in honor of Harry and Meghans birthdays. Since its Twitter launch on July 25th, the #InspiredByMeghan fundraiser for CAMFED higher education scholarships, initiated by the Sussex Squad, has been the focus of an extraordinary wave of action and generosity from a global network of supporters of The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, the website reads. By the end of The Duchess of Sussexs birthday on August 4th, this movement had raised an astonishing $69,700. Just six days later, with the #InspiredByHarry hashtag now trending in the lead-up to Prince Harrys birthday, donations have topped $87,300 enough to support 37 young women through a whole year of vocational training. On International Womens Day last year Meghan appeared on a panel alongside Angie Murimirwa, the Executive Director of CAMFED Africa, who is also an alumni of CAMFED. During their tour of Africa last year, The Duke and Duchess joined a CAMFED event in Lilongwe, Malawi, with Harry present in person and Meghan joining as the surprise guest via video. You Might Also Like Washingtons Department of Labor & Industries is proposing no increase in the average price employers pay for workers compensation insurance next year. If the proposal is adopted, this will be the first time in 20 years that workers comp rates have dropped or stayed steady for four years in a row, according to L&I Our 2021 rate proposal recognizes the toll the pandemic is taking on employers and workers in our state, L&I Director Joel Sacks said in a statement. Although our projected workers compensation costs are going up, were keeping premiums the same by taking advantage of the reserves weve built over the years by improving services and reducing disability. While financial projections point to the need for a significant increase to cover all of the costs for injuries and illnesses that occur in 2021, the agency is proposing using funds from the workers comps contingency reserve to keep the rate from climbing. L&I said it has focused on preparing for a downturn in the economy by building workers comp reserve funds and keeping rates steady and predictable, in part through improvements and reforms. These include implementing vocational recovery services to support return to work for injured workers and employers, and using best practices in occupational health and vocational services. Washington charges for workers compensation coverage based on hours worked. When looking at rates as a percentage of payroll, rates in Washington have gone down each of the last 10 years. With the proposed overall rate change of zero percent, the average premium per employee is not expected to change overall. However, there will be changes by class and employer. Workers will pay on average about a quarter of the premium, a similar percentage to that paid in 2020. L&I will begin taking public comment on the rate proposal on Sept. 22. Public hearings on the rate proposal will be held virtually this year. Two hearings are scheduled to take input about the rate proposal before a final decision is made. Final rates will be adopted by Nov. 30 and go into effect Jan. 1, 2021. Public hearings are scheduled for 10 a.m. on Oct. 27 and 29. These hearings are being held via ZOOM and by phone to comply with Gov. Jay Inslees COVID-19 restrictions limiting the number of people attending in-person public gatherings. 2021 rate hearings: Oct. 27 at 10 a.m. Joining by computer: Join Zoom Meeting at https://zoom.us/j/99395316830 Meeting ID: 993 9531 6830 Passcode: Oct2720! Joining by phone: 253-215-8782 US (Tacoma) Meeting ID: 993 9531 6830 Passcode: 35862365 Oct. 29 at 10 a.m. Joining by computer: Join Zoom Meeting at https://zoom.us/j/97637403577 Meeting ID: 976 3740 3577 Passcode: 4n*z2LvM Joining by phone: 253-215-8782 US (Tacoma) Meeting ID: 976 3740 3577 Passcode: 44645997 Comments in writing can be submitted to: Jo Anne Attwood, administrative regulations analyst, P.O. Box 41448, Olympia, WA 98504-4148; or email JoAnne.Attwood@Lni.wa.gov. All comments must be received by 5 p.m. on Oct 30. Topics Workers' Compensation Washington An Orchard Road F&B outlet was caught serving beer in a teapot after 10.30pm. (PHOTO: Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment) SINGAPORE Twenty-three food and beverages (F&B) outlets were found to have breached COVID-19 safe management measures, after government agencies conducted additional patrols of nightspots over the past weekend. In a media release on Tuesday (15 September), the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment (MSE) said that a total of 149 outlets in known hotspots were inspected on Saturday and Sunday. Most of the breaches involved groups of more than five seated together or intermingling between tables, and the serving and consumption of alcohol past 10.30pm. One Orchard Road F&B outlet was even found to have serve alcoholic drinks from metal teapots after 11pm to 13 patrons. The agencies are reviewing the breaches and the appropriate enforcement actions will be taken, including temporary closure of the outlets and the issuance of fines. Examples of breaches committed MSE listed several examples of the breaches committed: An F&B outlet at Chinatown accepted a booking of 10 patrons and seated the group in two tables within a private dining room. When asked, outlet staff claimed that the diners at the two tables did not know one another. An F&B outlet at Orchard Road was found to serve alcoholic drinks from metal teapots after 11pm to 13 patrons. Investigations revealed that the teapots contained beer, and the bottles of beer sold by the restaurant were concealed at the bottom of the fridge storing drinks. Enforcement officers visited an F&B outlet at Orchard Road around midnight and heard loud conversations from premises that had been locked. They gained entry to the outlet after issuing verbal warnings to the operator to open the door, and found six patrons seated separately within the premises with no sign of drinks on their table. However, CCTV footage showed that these patrons had been drinking just before the officers arrived, and had cleared the glasses and hid the alcohol bottle just before opening the door. At an F&B outlet at Boat Quay area, a group of 15 patrons were seated across four tables for a pre-planned dinner event and were intermingling. An F&B outlet at Jurong East was found to have allowed eight customers to sit together at a long table within the premises. Story continues Stepped-up enforcement checks MSE said that these stepped-up enforcement checks come on top of the routine inspections that agencies undertake daily at F&B outlets, which include coffee shops and hawker centres throughout Singapore. In total, more than 3,000 inspections of F&B outlets were conducted over the weekend. Last week, the Multi-Ministry Taskforce had announced that the government would step up enforcement checks at F&B outlets around Singapore to ensure that they remain safe spaces for all during the COVID-19 pandemic. In a post put up on her Facebook page on Tuesday, Minster for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu urged F&B operators and patrons to observe measures for the communitys collective safety. Stay in the know on-the-go: Join Yahoo Singapore's Telegram channel at http://t.me/YahooSingapore More Singapore stories: Retrenchments in first half 2020 higher than during SARS period: MOM Johor seeking $9.9M for air-conditioned pedestrian path across Causeway: reports Liat Towers' Shake Shack among additions to COVID list of venues; Anytime Fitness gym visited 4 times Sports Hub reopening facilities after wrapping up temporary migrant worker housing PALM SPRINGS, CA, Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- VironAire (https://VironAire.com) announced today its participation in the Adopt a School Nurse program which intends to raise donations for the purchasing and distribution of medical-grade air purifiers to the nation's K-12 school nurses at no cost to them. There is an urgent and immediate need to provide potentially lifesaving devices to nurses to abate the spread of Covid-19 and other airborne diseases on campuses. This campaign ultimately benefits nurses, students, their loved ones at home, and the community at large. Adopt a School Nurse (https://AdoptASchoolNurse.com) is the brainchild of Reid Pierce. Utilizing the crowdsourcing site Fundly, Mr. Pierce envisions garnering donations to purchase 1,000 medical grade HEPA air purifiers. The program will immediately distribute the units to school nurses that signed up at the program's website. Adopt a School Nurse asked VironAire to participate in sourcing purifiers as one of several equipment manufacturers. Urgent and Critical Need Mr. Pierce emphatically states, "Make no mistake, this is an urgent national state of emergency for school nurses. Some nurses treat over 100 people per day in their schools' offices. Those offices are small with little to no ventilation and PPE is scarce. The nurse and all who enter their area are at extreme risk of airborne infectious diseases, including coronavirus. An air purifier in every school nurse's office is vital." Worthy Endeavor Scott Crystal, VironAire's CRO, said, "Reid Pierce made an impassioned case to VironAire to lend its assistance to the Adopt a School Nurse project. It was clear that Mr. Pierce was fully committed to the program and the program itself is crucial to school nurses. VironAire is honored to participate in Adopt a School Nurse." About VironAire VironAire is a medical equipment manufacturer based in Palm Springs, CA. The company recently developed the first and only self-contained, portable HEPA (H13), UV and Charged-Ion air purifier that also incorporated photocatalysis, molecular sieve and other cutting-edge technologies. The company's Next-Gen purifiers are affordable, simple to install and easy to use. VironAire's systems are used in a vast array of applications, from homes, schools, and businesses, and is the number one preferred choice of purification equipment. SOURCE VironAire Related Links www.VironAire.com Advertisement Formula One ace Lewis Hamilton has become known as one of the 'wokest' men in sport, while his good pal Philip Green is well-known for his controversies and scandals. Yet the pioneering sportsman, 35, who was joined by model Florence Mueller, proved their friendship defies their politics as he was seen living it up on the disgraced fashion tycoon's 100m superyacht, Lionheart on Monday. It is the second time Lewis and his rumoured love interest Florence have joined the Topshop boss on his yacht, which is complete with helipad, pool, 15 crew cabins and room for 12 guests,as they have been taking to the highs seas between Lewis' stints at the Formula One last weekend. The appearance comes just days after the fashion mogul issued a grovelling apology in a humiliating U-turn over plans to exploit the government's furlough pay cut loophole to reduce payments to staff his company Arcadia was making redundant. Lewis, who hit headlines at the F1 over the weekend when he took a knee wearing a black T-Shirt with the message 'Arrest the cops who killed Breonna Taylor', has frequently spent time with Philip and the Green family, with the friendship seemingly blossoming at the 2015 Met Gala, where Lewis wore a Topshop suit. Heading off: Lewis Hamilton has become known as one of the 'wokest' drivers in Formula One, while his good pal Philip Green is well-known for his controversies and scandals, yet they maintain a friendship and were seen together on Monday on the latter's yacht In 2015, Lewis thanked Phillip for 'hooking him up' with his invite to the prestigious Met Gala, where he wore Topman. Joined by Emily Ratajkowski, Bella Hadid, Hailey Baldwin and a host of other megastars who all wore custom Topshop to the event, Lewis sported the high street store for the most important night in fashion. Since then, the duo have been spotted together in both a friendship and professional capacity, with Lewis often hanging out with Philip's daughter Chloe. Like the Greens, Lewis owns property in tax-free Monaco, where he is believed to have a home in the exclusive Fontvieille district. In October last year, Hamilton, who previously owned a private jet, defended his right to speak out on environmental issues after receiving backlash He revealed he had sold his private jet, trimmed down his collection of luxury cars and was using less plastic to reduce his carbon footprint Wow: It is the second time the duo have joined the Topshop boss on his 100m yacht which is complete with helipad, pool, 15 crew cabins and room for 12 guests, Bold: Lewis hit headlines at the F1 over the weekend when he took a knee wearing a black T-Shirt with the message 'Arrest the cops who killed Breonna Taylor' However yachts are not known for being environmentally friendly, with huge emissions, possible impact on wildlife and use of single-use plastic on board Lewis has been hitting headlines of late thanks to his admirable attempts at shining light on the Black Lives Matter movement in Formula One racing and it was announced on Tuesday that he has avoided any action by Formula One's governing body for the T-shirt he wore at Sunday's Tuscan Grand Prix. Ahead of Sunday's race, Hamilton took a knee wearing a black T-Shirt with the message 'Arrest the cops who killed Breonna Taylor', which sparked investigation. The boys: The unlikely friends spent some quality time together on the high seas Taylor, a 26-year-old black woman, was shot dead by police in her Louisville home six months ago. He then wore the T-shirt for his post-race interview, broadcast to millions around the world, before collecting the winner's trophy and standing on the podium in the same clothing. Philip meanwhile has been hitting headlines for very different reasons than his crusading pal. In a humiliating U-turn, the tycoon's retail empire issued a grovelling apology at the weekend for plans to exploit furlough rules to reduce payments to staff who it was making redundant. Arcadia Group, which has taken tens of millions of pounds in taxpayer-funded furlough money, was savaged after it emerged that employees who were losing their jobs would miss out on money during their notice period. In an extraordinary statement, the company crumbled, axeing the plan and apologising to its employees. Sources close to Sir Philip said he had ordered the U-turn after learning of the details of the proposed pay cut. 'We recently implemented a policy for those employees who are working their notice on furlough to receive their furlough pay instead of their full pay,' the company said in its statement. The whole clan: Lewis has frequently spent time with Philip and the Green family, with the friendship seemingly blossoming at the 2015 Met Gala, where Lewis wore a Topshop suit (Lewis with Chloe, Tina and Philip Green in 2017) 'We got this decision wrong and the board has today amended this policy to ensure all affected employees will receive their full pay. They will be notified of this decision immediately. 'We are extremely sorry to all those individuals impacted for the distress that we have caused and apologise unreservedly.' Arcadia, which includes the fashion brands Topshop, Miss Selfridge and Dorothy Perkins, is making 300 staff redundant at its head office after sales slumped during the coronavirus lockdown. But it was revealed that bosses had planned to take advantage of a loophole in rules allowing it to pay axed staff at reduced rates during their notice period. Arcadia made 300 staff at its head office redundant and paid then reduced rates for their notice period through a loophole in the government rules. Lewis Hamilton escapes punishment for the 'Arrest the cops' Breonna Taylor t-shirt he wore at Tuscan Grand Prix Lewis Hamilton stood on the Mugello podium wearing a shirt calling for the arrest of police officers following the fatal shooting of Breonna Taylor Lewis Hamilton will not be punished by the Federation Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) for wearing a t-shirt in honour of Breonna Taylor at the Tuscan Grand Prix last weekend. The Mercedes driver sported a top which read: 'Arrest the cops who killed Breonna Taylor', referring to an African-American woman who was fatally shot by police officers in Louisville, Kentucky, earlier this year. The governing body looked into whether the t-shirt breached its rules and concluded it did not - but the FIA appears to be moving to ensure there are no repeats by changing its guidelines. 'The situation is under active consideration for a clarification that will be in place for the next race,' a spokesman for the FIA told CNN. This means Hamilton will be told not to wear that kind of t-shirt on the podium again. British former world champion Damon Hill has given a scathing verdict on how Formula One has handled the controversy, saying Hamilton must not be silenced should he wish to protest. Hill, 59, tweeted: 'Such a mixed reaction to Lewis Hamilton's T-shirt podium message. 'But F1 has always had its head in the sand over any issue that might make people think about anything other than F1. 'It has to make space for these messages if it is to be embraced by the wider world.' Hamilton said on Instagram on Tuesday that he will continue to use his position to promote his views. 'I want you to know that I won't stop,' he wrote. 'I won't let up. I won't give up on using this platform to shed light on what I believe is right. 'This is a journey for all of us to come together and challenge the world on every level of injustice, not only racial. 'We can help make this a better place for our kids and the future generations.' Reigning world champion Hamilton wore the t-shirt during the 'taking a knee' ceremony and on the podium following his 90th career win on Sunday. The back of the top read: 'Say her name' as Hamilton paid tribute to the 26-year-old medical technician who was killed after her boyfriend opened fire on police during a drugs search at their house in March. Hamilton also raised awareness of Breonna Taylor in his interview following the race. He said: 'It was like three races in one day. Just incredibly tough. We had a difficult start. 'The heat and keeping Valtteri (Bottas) behind, who has been quick all weekend, was not easy. I was behind at the beginning. Total focus was needed for the restarts. It was really, really hard. 'Keeping that over one-second gap was crucial as I didn't want them [race rivals] to have DRS on that 1000m straight. Justice for Breonna Taylor.' He also said: 'I've been wanting to bring awareness to the fact there are people being killed on the street. 'And someone was killed in her own house and they were in the wrong house and those guys are still walking free.' The FIA had been considering whether Hamilton had breached article 1.2 of their statutes, which says: 'The FIA shall refrain from manifesting discrimination on account of race, skin colour, gender, sexual orientation, ethnic or social origin, language, religion, philosophical or political opinion, family situation or disability in the course of its activities and from taking any action in this respect.' The FIA and the sport's owners Liberty Media have previously tried hard to work with the Brit on his anti-racism fight. It has become customary this season for Formula One drivers to gather in opposition to racism before the start of races. Hamilton has been a vocal supporter of the Black Lives Matter movement ever since it rose to global prominence following the death of George Floyd in May. Hamilton, who continues to lead the way for change in the sport, has used his platforms to condemn racial injustice with incidents such as the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, and more recently the shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Advertisement A friend indeed! Lewis often hangs out with Philip's daughter Chloe (the duo seen jet skiing in France last year) Lavish: Lewis did little to quash rumours of a romance with model Florence Mueller as they were seen taking to the high seas A helping hand: Lewis was hoisting his beloved pup on to dry land while Philip looked on All hands on deck: The tycoon was assisted by loyal aides as he strutted off the boat Since July, companies have been required by law to pay full pre-coronavirus salaries to those who have been made redundant and who are serving a statutory notice period. But the rule does not apply to employees whose contracts include a longer notice period, which is the case for many of Arcadias head office staff. Arcadia seized on the loophole to pay these staff according to their furlough and not their pre-crisis rates of pay. One executive at Arcadia reportedly told staff that the company needed to take every penny we can get of public money. It would have saved the retail empire less than 1million. The move meant some higher-earning staff were set to receive just 50 per cent of the notice period pay they would have been entitled to if Arcadia had not taken advantage of the furlough scheme. A senior employee earning 100,000 would, for example, normally have been paid a full monthly salary of 5,553 during their notice period, but would have received just 2,777 under the ditched plan. Hanging out: Friend of the family Lewis is seen leaving the 2015 British Fashion Awards with Chloe and Philip The companys stance was in stark contrast to other big chains, including John Lewis, Marks & Spencer, WH Smith, Boots and Dixons Carphone, which say all redundancy packages are based on full pay. While Lewis has made his anti-racism crusade well-known, Philip was hit with shocking allegations in 2018. It was claimed that he had perpetrated racism and sexual harassment yet at the time he told The Mail on Sunday he had suffered 'the worst week of my life'. The Topshop boss was identified as the man who had taken out an injunction preventing publication of allegations about his harassment of staff, which he strenuously denies. Speaking after the scandal erupted, the Topshop owner said that he had indulged in nothing more than 'banter' with his staff, claiming he had a good relationship with those who worked for him. He added: 'I'm very, very, very upset. I'm being used as target practice when there is zero [evidence] that anyone has turned up with. It's injuring my business, all the people potentially working in the business, and it's injuring me and my family.' Good pals: Florence certainly proved her model credentials as she walked ahead of the F1 ace, who was in a more pared-back ensemble than his favoured wild looks The whole gang: Philip walked alongside Lewis and another member of their party In the driving seat: Philip was taking the driving seat while Lewis took a role he isn't used to - the passenger! Aside from his unusual friendships, Lewis' love life has again been hitting headlines since he has been spotted out and about with stunning model Florence during his time off. Florence is part of Next Model Management's Miami roster and also works with Click Models, she is fluent in English, Spanish, and German and also has her own Only Fans account. With her long limbs, toned abs and luscious raven locks, Florence bore a striking resemblance to his former flame, Nicole Scherzinger. But a source speaking to The Sun on Sunday claimed that Lewis and the model were strictly friends, as they claimed they were 'just good mates.'The inside said: 'Lewis and Florence aren't dating, they're just good mates. She joined him on the boat as part of a group of pals with Lewis. 'They get on but there's nothing romantic going on between them at the moment.' MailOnline has contacted Lewis' representatives for comment. Flashing away: Philip seemed to be keen to give Florence a run for her money as he too was flashing his stomach Lewis and Nicole called time on their on and off eight year relationship in 2015 but have remained amicable, reuniting last year at the Fashion Awards in London in December. Speaking about their split during an appearance on The Jonathan Ross Show, Nicole revealed: 'I don't see anything negative. 'I think it's quite natural when people separate and go their own ways and you just have to be adult about it and just always wish the other person happiness, success and love like sincerely and I do.' When asked whether they still stay in touch, the Poison hitmaker - who first started seeing the race car driver in 2007 - was frank in her admission. Loyal companion: As ever, Lewis' pet bulldog Roscoe was never far from his side She added: 'Yeah we don't, like, talk. I think that he is the best driver since Ayrton Senna and I think that he's probably going to win this year and I only wish him happiness and success.' The American beauty is now dating retired British rugby player Thom Evans after meeting on Celebrity X Factor at the end of last year. They may have been dating for less than a year, but Nicole and Thom are clearly devoted to one another and divide their time between her LA pad and London. A Catholic group is launching a multi-million dollar effort to educate Catholic voters in key battleground states about Democratic presidential nominee Joe Bidens anti-Catholic record and policy agenda ahead of the general election in November. CatholicVote, a national Catholic political advocacy group, on Tuesday announced the $9.7 million campaign to discourage Catholics from voting for Biden. The organization is producing an in-depth report on Bidens record on issues Catholics care about, including a shortened voter guide version, that it plans to send to five million Catholic voters. The effort will also kick off with a $350,000 digital ad buy in the swing states of Pennsylvania and Michigan. The groups new effort, which involves full-time staff in six states and thousands of volunteers, will reach voters through digital advertising, parish-by-parish canvassing, direct mail, and get out the vote efforts in six states. Joe Bidens record makes clear he will not protect our Catholic values or defend our way of life. For Catholics who cherish the Faith and their freedom to live it, a Biden presidency represents an existential threat, said Brian Burch, president of CatholicVote. Catholics are less focused on Joe Bidens claims about his personal faith, and instead on what his policies would do to the culture, and their freedom to live out their own beliefs, Burch added. Biden, who frequently touts his Catholic faith on the campaign trail, invoked Pope St. John Paul II during a campaign speech in Pittsburgh late last month as he encouraged voters to remain hopeful about the countrys future. The campaign for the presidency has come down to fear, Biden said. But I believe Americans are stronger than that. I believe well be guided by the words of Pope John Paul II, words drawn from the scriptures: Be not afraid. Be not afraid. Fear never builds the future, the former vice president continued. Hope does. And building the future is what America does. Story continues Despite Bidens willingness to talk about his Catholic faith as he campaigns for president, he remains staunchly in favor of legal abortion, in direct opposition to the teachings of the Catholic Church, which prohibits abortion. Bidens presidential platform includes working to codify Roe vs. Wade, the landmark 1973 Supreme Court case that legalized abortion nationwide, as well as making sure his Justice Department does everything in its power to stop the rash of state laws that so blatantly violate the case. Biden also supports repealing the Hyde Amendment, which prohibits federal funds from paying for abortions. CatholicVotes first ad for its anti-Biden campaign emphasizes Bidens pro-abortion stance and invites Catholic voters to learn more about the Democratic presidential candidates record on abortion and support for it. More from National Review Q: @TIFF_NET @calebmclaughlin how was it working with horses? did you have to learn to ride for the movie or did you already know? #TIFF20 - @milevenways A: pic.twitter.com/fnVvLDD0QN TIFF (@TIFF_NET) September 14, 2020 Urban cowboys, father-son relationships and even a horse allergy are all explored by actor Idris Elba in Concrete Cowboy, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). The film, adapted from Greg Neris novel Ghetto Cowboy, tells the story of a real-life, but largely unknown, North Philadelphia Fletcher Street Urban Riding Club, a group of Black urban cowboys and trainers. Caleb McLaughlin (Stranger Things) plays Elbas 15-year-old son Cole, who reconnects with his father Harp and begins working at the stables when hes sent to Philadelphia by his mother in Detroit, after getting in trouble at school. Jamil Mil Prattis is among the real North Philadelphia cowboys director Ricky Staub put in the film. Staub highlights that Elba was able to lift Prattis up as a first-time actor, while Prattis lifted Elba up as a cowboy. But at a press conference on Sunday, Suicide Squad star and The Wire alum Elba admitted he wasnt the best on a horse, largely attributing his lack of skill to a horse allergy that impeded his vision so he couldnt see what he was doing. Concrete Cowboy (Courtesy of TIFF) These were stories that became important to me because they were important to the people I love Staub first found out about these urban cowboys when he was at his Philadelphia office and saw a cowboy, with a horse and bright red buggy with huge rims, and ran down to the street to speak to him. Thats when Staubs journey with this community initially began, leading to a preceding short film. Story continues Famed producer Lee Daniels said he was blown away by the story, particularly that father-son love story. I pray that if enough people see it, they see the beauty of what these men are doing, what these stables mean to the community...and that we can keep it open, we can fight the city to keep it open, Daniels said at a press conference on Sunday. But Daniels admitted that there was some initial hesitation when he found out Staub was a white man, something the director of Concrete Cowboy describes as the elephant in the room. It really derived from relationships I had in the community, Staub said on Sunday, highlighting that his production company hires adults returning home from incarceration and in the U.S. unfortunately most people coming home from being incarcerated are Black. When the director was making the initial short film, he was living in the community where the stables are but recognized that he needed the real cowboys he met to tell this story with him. These were stories that became important to me because they were important to the people I love, Staub said. I feel an incredible amount of gratitude that I get to call this cast, the cowboys on Fletcher Street part of my friends and family. Although at time it may seen familiar and relatively formulaic in the film, the father-son dynamic in the film is something many of the people involved felt a connection to. Elba revealed that his late father was always in his life and they had a great relationship, but they didnt talk as much as the actor would have liked them to. When I was reading the script I was in tears because there were moments where I wish I had those very special, delicate moment with my dad, Elba said. Daniels said Concrete Cowboy touched him, wishing he and his father could have reconciled in the way Harp and Cole do in the film. It touched a place with me in a while that I wish my father and I could have reconciled in a way these characters do, Daniels said. But the film isnt all about the men with Lorraine Toussaint playing a horse trainer. She described these real-life women as glamorous with a lot of bling and big nails. Shes also one of the first people Cole interacts with when he arrives in Philadelphia. Idris Elba and Caleb McLaughlin in 'Concrete Cowboy' (Courtesy of TIFF) They are proven entities and badass Hollywood heavy-hitters like Elba, Daniels and Toussaint were quick to celebrate the younger actors in the film, McLaughlin and Jharrel Jerome, touting their professionalism. They are proven entities and badass,Toussaint said. This is what were bring up now, this is what the world has brought. This is Calebs first movie...and I was so proud, and I think we all are, to be able to witness his performance, Elba said. With the COVID-19 pandemic, Elba said the ability to have this film shown at TIFF is an example of the innovation of humans, finding other ways to hold these events. One thing that we all know is that storytelling is how we become who we are and you cant stop a good story, he said. Theres an interesting satisfaction that even though theres a pandemic, a story like this can still get through. During this time, people may look at this story differently...I think people might resonate with the sense of community in this movie, I think people might resonate with the connection of the characters. By leveraging the power of RSIP Vision's novel AI module, surgeons and radiologists can automatically collect - from regular X-ray images only - the accurate measurements they want. This provides them with the critical data they need to design the best possible implants for patients . This crucial planning process is now simplified, making it faster and more precise, allowing the surgeon to plan the implant positioning with perfect accuracy. This module will serve a much wider segment than the existing CT module, since most medical centers use X-ray for these procedures on a daily basis. Knee replacement surgery is one of the most common procedures in orthopedics, with more than 790,000 surgeries carried out each year in the US alone. According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS), this figure is expected to grow to 1.28m by 2030. It can be a difficult procedure with a painful recovery and a long rehabilitation period. In total knee replacement surgery, also known as total knee arthroplasty (TKA), severely damaged bone is replaced with an implant. Implants can be positioned in several ways, and accurately fitting this implant is crucial to the success of the operation and future health and quality of life outcomes for the patients. X-ray images are commonly used to get a good understanding of the bone, including its size and location. Numerical measurements that define resection lines, implant size, and final bone position are vital to determine the optimal configuration of the implant location. This process relies heavily on the accurate detection of anatomical landmarks and segmentation of each bone, to provide important data such as angles and surface measurements. However, X-ray images can be challenging for manual interpretation and measurements. In recent years, AI and deep learning introduced significant advances to the medical field; this enables RSIP Vision to develop the new module which accurately detects and maps the anatomical structure of the bones from X-ray only. RSIP Vision founder and CEO, Ron Soferman, said: "This novel technology marks another milestone in RSIP Vision's revolutionary work to improve the lives of millions of people who undergo knee surgery every year. Our expertise in deep learning, image analysis and computer vision, combined with years of experience in the medical domain, has enabled us to develop a line of AI modules tailored to the orthopedics field. By reducing the planning and surgery time and solving the main challenges of orthopedic procedures, RSIP Vision's innovative AI bone segmentation and landmark detection X-ray module provides a robust solution: it enhances the clinical capabilities of our clients, the large orthopedics vendors, allowing them to secure an improved patient outcome, a higher surgical success rate, and a shorter recovery time." About RSIP Vision RSIP Vision is a global leader in artificial intelligence and computer vision technology. The company draws on a depth of knowledge and experience to provide customized development services, of sophisticated algorithms and deep learning technology, to the Healthcare companies. RSIP Vision develops practical AI modules that ensure precision, reduce time to market, cut costs, and free the core R&D team staff for other endeavors, saving significant time and money and giving businesses a real edge over the competition. From research to customized algorithms development utilizing its diverse inhouse team of: Algorithm experts, computer science engineers, mathematics, physics, biomedical engineers, internal medical annotation team and inhouse radiologists. RSIP Vision is headquartered in Jerusalem, with U.S. office in San Jose, CA. More information is available on the company website: https://www.rsipvision.com/ SOURCE RSIP Vision Related Links www.rsipvision.com Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Dzulfiqar Fathur Rahman (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Tue, September 15, 2020 13:10 493 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c44e97ba 1 Business Trade-Ministry,global-trade,herbs,agricultural-commodities,exports Free Indonesian agricultural exports could be potential winners in the pandemic as they recorded annual growth despite the downturn in global trade, according to the Trade Ministry. The agriculture exports reached US$2.06 billion in the JanuaryJuly period, marking an increase of 9.95 percent from the same period in 2019. Exports of peanuts, fruits and herbs/spices more than doubled, rising by 138.2 percent, 129.3 percent and 104.7 percent, respectively, on the year. Trade Ministry National Export Development Director General Kasan Muhri said Monday that the surge in agricultural exports was in line with various countries product needs in dealing with the coronavirus. Our potential to expand export markets is still very large, Kasan said in a virtual discussion. Some of our agricultural products have not really dominated some regions in the context of global trade. In the JanuaryJuly period, most Indonesian agricultural goods were delivered to China, which accounted for $399.6 million or 19.3 percent of the total exports. That was followed by exports to the United States and Japan, which accounted for 9.9 percent and 9 percent, respectively. Overall Indonesian exports were down 6.21 percent year-on-year (yoy) at $90.12 billion in this years first seven months, while imports plunged 17.17 percent yoy to $81.37 billion. With the imports falling at a faster rate, the country booked a trade surplus of $8.75 billion. While global trade is projected by the World Trade Organization (WTO) to decline by up to 32 percent this year, Indonesia is trying to prevent its exports from plunging further by resorting to virtual means to connect local sellers with foreign buyers. At the same time, the government is trying to limit imports of certain consumer goods. Kasan said the Trade Ministry was mobilizing 46 trade representatives in 31 countries, comprising the Indonesian Trade Promotion Centers (ITPC) and trade attaches, to promote the countrys exports. The Trade Ministry also provided assistance for product design, packaging, certification and intellectual property rights, among other things, and offered to help exporters meet standards demanded by buyers, including organic production methods, sustainability, traceability and transparency, Kasan added. Indonesian agriculture exports have faced several issues related to standards, including the finding of shoots in coconuts exported to Thailand and alleged deforestation for its crude palm oil shipped to the European Union, according to Junaidi, the head of compliance, partnership and quarantine information at the Agriculture Quarantine Agency (BKP). These are issues that we are trying to manage and minimize, so that our commodities [are acceptable and competitive] in the international market, said Junaidi. The Agriculture Ministry was also trying to boost exports by facilitating the disbursement of Rp 33 trillion (US$2.21 billion) through the governments micro-loan program (KUR), said Indah Megahwati, the director of financing at the Directorate General of Facilities and Infrastructure at the ministry. That figure accounted for around 66 percent of this years KUR target. Indah said the government was devising a new cluster-based scheme for the loan disbursement in the agricultural sector, which would include an offtaker to overcome a key issue blamed for the low volume of loans issued in the sector. She said 32,000 borrowers had applied for but had not received the loans. We want the banks to be able to disburse the KUR for agricultural tools and machines and to our food industry. This is what we need going forward, said Indah. Toyota Kirloskar Motor remains committed to its India operations even as it continues to request the government for a viable tax structure, in the wake of the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic, the company said in a statement on Tuesday. We would like to state that we continue to be committed to the Indian market and our operations in the country are an integral part of our global strategy, it said. The statement follows a Bloomberg report which said that Toyota did not plan to expand further in India. The company had cited high taxes as the reason for the ... Members of parliament were screened ahead of the first day of parliament session that opened after six months. At least 17 members of the Indian parliament have tested positive for the coronavirus, government officials said on Tuesday, underlining the widening spread of infections set to cross five million cases soon. The lawmakers were screened ahead of the reopening of parliament on Monday after six months. MPs cleared by the tests wore masks, occupied seats with glass enclosures and worked for shorter hours. Twelve of the 17 infected MPs were from the governing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), according to a government official who had a list of the politicians. All 17 were members of the 545-member lower house of parliament, or Lok Sabha. One of them, Meenakshi Lekhi, a BJP member, said she was doing fine. After the routine parliament test for COVID & genome test its confirmed that I have tested positive for the virus. I am currently in good health & spirits, she said in a tweet. It was not immediately known how many members from the 245-strong upper house of parliament, known as the Rajya Sabha, had tested positive. The Ministry of Health said 155 health workers, including 46 doctors, have died so far due to COVID-19 [File: Amit Dave/Reuters] Lekhi, a spokeswoman for the BJP, is the latest in a string of politicians infected with the coronavirus, the most high-profile of them being Home Minister Amit Shah, who spent most of August in hospital after being diagnosed with COVID-19. Shah, a close aide of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, was admitted to hospital again over the weekend for a routine health check-up, the hospital said. He has not yet attended parliament. Death toll crosses 80,000 The government is doing all it can to contain the spread of the coronavirus, federal Health Minister Harsh Vardhan told the upper house on Tuesday, while asking members for their support in increasing awareness. The battle for COVID is far from over, Vardhan said in his speech to the parliament. Cases in India have been surging and the country reported 83,809 new coronavirus infections for its lowest daily jump in a week, the health ministry said on Tuesday. The worlds second-most populous nation appeared to be on course to cross the milestone of five million cases on Wednesday, as its tally of 4.93 million is just 70,000 short. India, where cases have been rising faster than any other nation, lags only behind the United States in terms of its number of total infections. The death toll crossed 80,000 on Tuesday, an increase of 1,054 in the last 24 hours, the ministry added. Israeli operator Bezeq Israel Telecom announced plans to invest billions of shekels to accelerate the deployment of a nationwide fibre optics network, to connect more citizens to ultra-fast broadband over the coming weeks. In a statement, Dudu Mizrahi, Bezeq CEO, said the fibre optic project will soon connect thousands of neighbourhoods and locales to ultra-fast internet connections, benefitting millions of Israelis. Such a complex and resource-intensive project will be of huge benefit to the Israeli public and will contribute to narrowing the digital divide, said Mizrahi. "We are setting out on an exciting path that will turn Israel into a world leader in telecommunications infrastructures. We will invest billions of shekels to build out the largest and most complex telecommunications infrastructure network, at the centre of which is an advanced fibre optic network covering the country from Metula in the North to Eilat in the South, along Israel's borders and in the heart of the country". Speaking to Reuters, Mizrahi said Bezeqs current fibre network can reach 100,000 buildings, connecting 1.5 million people around 60% of Israel. He said work to connect the rest of the country will be fast and aggressive. Over the coming days, Bezeq will deploy in several Israeli cities, with the pace of deployment to accelerate throughout 2021. The company is aiming to expand its ultra-fast broadband services from businesses, schools and medical institutions to private customers. Gil Sharon, Bezeq chairman, said: "The launch of Bezeq's fibre infrastructure is a step of national importance. The extensive and rapid deployment of the country's largest fibre network will move Israel forward and contribute to the country's resilience and economy. This project will bring Bezeq and Israel to the technological front of the world's advanced communications networks. The Oregon Department of Revenue will close all field offices and the Revenue Building in Salem starting Wednesday and lasting until Sept. 21. Taxpayers in need of assistance can reach the department by telephone at 503-378-4988 or toll free at 800-356-4222, or through email at questions.dor@oregon.gov. Also, taxpayers can use online resources at www.oregon.gov/dor Multnomah County: ll county buildings and offices are closed through Wednesday, Sept. 16, due to wildfire smoke. Essential employees report as usual and those teleworking will work from home. The Oregonian/OregonLive maintains an active page of notices of school closures and delays in the metro area. Check the most up-to-date information here: todays closures/delays. SCHOOLS Canby Sch. Dist.: Closed Tuesday and Wednesday. No meal service. Classes begin Thursday, Sept. 17. Carrington College: Campus closed due to poor air quality. Classes held remote. Centerville Sch. Dist.: Closed Tuesday due to air quality. synchronous (in person) learning is canceled. School is still in session for asynchronous (remote) learning. Please login to your Google classroom to receive further instruction from your classroom teacher. Clackamas Comm. College: Closed Tuesday, staff report. All classes are canceled for Tuesday, and all campuses are closed. Virtual/remote student services are available normal business hours. C.S. Lewis Academy: Classes canceled. In Person School Cancelled for Tuesday. Online starts at regular times. Damascus Christian: Closed due to air quality. Camp will commence on Wednesday, Sept. 16th. East-West College of the Healing Arts: Closed due to air quality. All classes and massage clinic appointments are canceled Evergreen Sch. Dist.: All campuses closed Tuesday. Due to air quality concerns, all in-person learning, meals, bus transportation and other services at school district locations are canceled. Essential staff only report to buildings. Remote Learning continues as scheduled for students and staff from offsite. Firm Foundation Christian: Closed Tuesday due to air quality. German International School : Closed Tuesday, no kindergarten or preschool. Online programming and parent nights on as scheduled. Gresham-Barlow Sch. Dist.: Will not be serving meals on Tuesday, September 15 Hilltop Early Learning Academy: Closed, No kindergarten or preschool. Due to the continuing unhealthy air quality we will remain closed tomorrow. Lyle Sch. Dist.: Due to air quality concerns, all in-person classes are canceled Tuesday. Remote learning is in session. Students should log in remotely at the regular time. Staff are to report to school unless arrangements have been made. Sack lunches can be picked up at 8am or 3pm. More info at www.lyleschools.org. Mannahouse Christian Academy: Closed Tuesday due to air quality, no preschool. Molalla River Sch. Dist.: Closed. All school and service closures extended through Friday, Sept. 18th. Montessori School of Beaverton: In-person 3/4 year-old program will be closed Tuesday. All MSB Online programs will continue uninterrupted. Mt. Angel Sch. Dist.: Closed Tuesday due to air quality. No food services available until Thursday. National Univ. of Natural Medicine: Due to poor air quality conditions, the campus is closed for Tuesday, September 15. All in-person classes are canceled. Clinical rotations will be telehealth only. Online classes will occur. Remote work for employees. We will continue to monitor the conditions for Wednesday. Newberg Sch. Dist.: Closed due to air quality. First full day of school Monday, Sept. 21. North Marion Sch. Dist.: All campuses closed. Due to continued hazardous air quality, North Marion School District has extended the suspension of all school-related activities on campus including device distribution, food service deliveries until Thursday, Sept. 17th. Mid-Columbia Childrens Council: All in-person classes canceled due to poor air quality. Parkrose Sch. Dist.: Due to many of our staff being evacuated because of the wildfires and the unhealthy air conditions for onsite staff, we will delay the start of school until Wednesday, Sept. 16. No Comprehensive Distance Learning on Monday or Tuesday. All meal sites including mobile sites will be closed until Wednesday. Portland Christian: Closed Tuesday due to air quality. All on-campus activities, including childcare, are canceled on Tuesday due to poor air quality. Digital learning will continue. Portland Waldorf School: All classes are canceled Tuesday. Online classes for grades 1-12 will resume 9/16. Early Childhood classes are canceled from through Friday, Sept. 18. Reynolds Sch. Dist.: Reynolds School District closed through Thursday, Sept. 17. Distance Learning start delayed to Wednesday, Sept. 23. Meal Distribution this week will occur only on Wednesday, Sept. 16, from 11:30am to 1:30pm at Fairview Elementary, Troutdale Elementary, and Wilkes Elementary with multiple meals served per student. Regular daily meal distribution will resume again on Monday, Sept. 21, conditions permitting. Spanish With Sarah: Closed Tuesday due to air quality. Classes will connect remotely via Zoom. Serendipity Center: Closed Tuesday due to air quality. Serendipitys building and Distance Learning will be closed due to no predicted improvement in air quality. Sheridan Sch. Dist.: Closed due to air quality. Meet & Greet canceled Tuesday. Stevenson-Carson Sch. Dist.: Remote learning on normal schedule Tuesday. All district and school offices closed due to poor air quality. St. Joseph Catholic School - Vancouver: No preschool Tuesday. Preschool is CANCELED due to unhealthy air quality. K-8 Remote Learning will continue as scheduled. St. Stephens Academy: All campuses closed. Due to ongoing hazardous air quality, Lower School (PreK-5th) on-site meetings are canceled. Distance learning will proceed as planned. Trinity Early Learning Center (NE Portland): Closed Tuesday due to air quality. Vancouver Sch. Dist.: Due to unhealthy outdoor air quality, all school facilities will be closed to the public on Tuesday, Sept. 15. In-person support and grab-and-go meal service will be canceled. Contact a Family-Community Resource coordinator for help with food or other basic needs. Remote instruction will continue for students. Technical support will be available at 360-313-5400 or student.support@vansd.org. A decision about Wednesday will be made Tuesday afternoon. Washougal Sch. Dist.: Closed Tuesday due to air quality. All in-person childcare, meals, and in-person services at school facilities are canceled. Remote Learning continues as scheduled for students and staff. Western Oregon University: Campus is closed until 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 16 due to air quality. West Hills Montessori: Closed. Lake Oswego and SW Portland campuses closed Tuesday due to on-going hazardous air quality. Comprehensive Distance Learning will continue as scheduled. PARKS AND RECREATION The following Oregon State Parks are closed to all visitors until further notice or unless otherwise noted: Silver Falls State Park near Silverton Detroit Lake campground and Mongold day-use area near Detroit North Santiam State Park near Mehama Collier Memorial State Park near Klamath Falls, closed the remainder of Sept., which is when its normal camping season ends All state parks and boat ramps on Fall Creek Reservoir including Winberry day-use area, North Shore day-use area and Cascara campground are closed until further notice. Bureau of Land Management Northwest Oregon District has temporarily closed all recreation sites and certain roads through Sept. 15. All BLM-developed campgrounds in northwestern Oregon are closed to the public, and dispersed camping is prohibited. Members of the public may not enter closed recreation areas. This temporary closure covers the northwestern part of the state, west of the Cascade Range and north from Cottage Grove to the Columbia River. As of Friday, all BLM-administered land within the Northwest Oregon District east of Interstate 5 is closed to the public. For a complete list of USDA Forest Service closures, check this website: fs.usda.gov. Full closure orders are in effect on the Mt. Hood, Siuslaw, and Willamette National Forests. Large area closure orders are in place on the Deschutes, Fremont-Winema, Gifford Pinchot, Rogue River-Siskiyou, and Umpqua National Forests, as well as the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area. All lands managed by the Oregon Department of Forestry are closed to public use at least through Wednesday. Fire danger remains extreme, air quality is bad to hazardous, and last weeks wind storms caused downed trees on roads & other safety problems that need to be cleared. This covers the Tillamook, Clatsop, Gilchrist, Sun Pass & Santiam state forests as well as other smaller parcels managed by ODF in Lane, Douglas, Coos, Jackson, Josephine, Klamath, Polk, Lincoln, & Benton counties. The Siuslaw National Forest is temporarily closing to public access. This closure covers all national forest, coastal, and sand areas and includes the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area, Sand Lake, developed campgrounds, dispersed camping, day use areas, wilderness areas, and all forest roads and trails. Willamalane is closed due to hazardous air conditions. All facilities, parks, and trails closed until further notice. The area can not provide smoke respite shelters or any other programs at this time. The Oregon State Marine Board is urging boaters to stay off the water near areas where there are active fires. The agency asks boaters to do their part by staying out of harms way and wait to use waterways until outdoor conditions improve. Sheriffs office marine deputies are assisting with public safety and evacuation orders and need the assistance of boaters to stay well clear of active fires and bodies of water used for fire suppression efforts. According to a recent release, boaters can be cited for unsafe operation for interfering with these efforts. Fire chiefs, in conjunction with the Cowlitz County Fire Marshal, are banning all burning within the city limits of Kelso, Longview, Kalama and Castle Rock. The ban includes all recreational fires. PacifiCorp has closed all access to its properties in Southwest Washington Lewis River basin until further notice. The closure will remain in effect until the fire hazard conditions improve. For a complete list of recreation site closures and limited or reduced services in Oregon and Washington, go here: https://www.pacificorp.com/community/recreation.html. BUSINESSES/SERVICES Camp Fire Columbia: WLWV Essential Worker Program must close today due to unhealthy air quality and smoke in the building. Clackamas Co. Circuit Court: Partial closure on Tuesday, Sept. 15, from 8-9 a.m. and 3-5 p.m. due to conditions related to ongoing wildfires. The Court will be open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. City of Hillsboro: Buildings and facilities will remain closed to the public through Tuesday as a result of unhealthy and hazardous air quality levels. Fire & Rescue, Police, Water, Public Works, and other essential City services will continue. Lan Su Chinese Garden: Closed until further notice because of air quality. Ticket holders will be contacted for refunds. Meals on Wheels: Meal delivery suspended through Tuesday. Multnomah County: County offices and buildings are closed Tuesday. COVID-19 testing at the East County Health Center has been cancelled. OHSU drive-up COVID-19 testing: closed at both the Hillsboro and Portland Expo Center sites through at least Thursday. Oregon DMV: DMV call centers and most offices including headquarters in Salem will be closed again Tuesday because of hazardous indoor air quality. Some offices may reopen during the day if air quality improves. The DMV offices in Hermiston, The Dalles and Hood River were closed Tuesday due to poor air quality and officials recommended checking with your local office. Oregon Zoo: Closed through Wednesday. Purchased tickets will be automatically refunded on the card used for purchase. Portland Japanese Garden: Closed through at least Thursday. Portland Parks: All outdoor parks and natural areas owned by the city of Portland remain closed through Sept. 24. City of Tualatin: All city facilities will be closed to the public Tuesday, Sept. 15, due to poor air quality throughout the region. Law enforcement and many support service functions will continue. Tualatin Hills Park & Recreation District: All THPRD facilities, including recreation centers, parks, recreational trails and nature centers, remain closed through Wednesday. Virginia Garcia Memorial Health Center: All Virginia Garcia medical, dental and school-based clinics will be open Tuesday for telehealth visits only. All pharmacies are open for curbside delivery only. In order to reduce wait time, Virginia Garcia recommends patients contact their pharmacy prior to arriving to ensure the prescription is ready. Washington County: All county facilities will be closed to the public due to poor air quality throughout the region. Public safety, many Support Services functions and emergency response operations will continue. Washington Co. Circuit Court: Closed. Official court closure due to continuing poor air quality caused by wildfire smoke. PRISONS Two prisons are closed for visitors because they have been evacuated: Coffee Creek Correctional Facility in Wilsonville and the Oregon State Correctional Institution in Salem. Evacuated prisoners have been returned to two others: Santiam Correctional Institution and Mill Creek Correctional Institution. -- Mark McClellan steps down from Seer BOD to join board for Seer spin out, PrognomIQ -- Catherine Friedman Board of Directors Board of Directors REDWOOD CITY, Calif., Sept. 15, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Seer, Inc., a life sciences company focused on enabling exceptional scientific outcomes through the power of unbiased, deep, rapid and scalable proteomics information, today announced that it has appointed Catherine Friedman to serve on its Board of Directors, effective September 14, 2020. The company additionally announced that Mark McClellan, M.D., Ph.D., has stepped down from Seers Board of Directors, effective September 1st. Dr. McClellan, who formerly served as Commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and as Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, will join the Board of Directors for PrognomIQ, Inc., the healthcare company spun out from Seer . Dr. McClellan has joined as a member of Seers Scientific Advisory Board. Were delighted to welcome Cathy to our Board of Directors. Cathy brings tremendous strategic leadership and financial markets experience and will be an outstanding addition to our board. Her passion for our important work coupled with her experience will help Seer greatly through our next phase of growth, said Omid Farokhzad, M.D., Chair, Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Seer. I also want to express my sincere gratitude to Mark for his many contributions to Seer. I look forward to partnering with him on the board of PrognomIQ and benefiting from his insight as a scientific advisor to Seer. I am thrilled to join the Seer Board and am eager to contribute to the companys mission of unlocking deep, unbiased biological information to enable unprecedented scientific discovery, said Ms. Friedman. I look forward to applying my expertise to help advance this vitally important effort that has the potential to transform our understanding of biology. Ms. Friedman held numerous executive positions during a 23-year investment banking career with Morgan Stanley, including Managing Director, Head of West Coast Healthcare, and Co-Head of the Biotechnology Practice. She currently serves as the Chair of the Board of Directors of GRAIL, and is a member of the boards of directors of Altaba (formerly Yahoo!), Radius Health, and Lyell Immunopharma. She additionally serves as a trustee of The Darden School Foundation at the University of Virginia. Ms. Friedman holds a B.A. in Economics from Harvard University and an M.B.A. from The University of Virginias Darden School of Business. Story continues It has been a privilege to work with the Seer team on this unique endeavor to transform research by unlocking broad-scale access to the complexity and diversity of the proteome, stated Dr. McClellan. I look forward to supporting PrognomIQ as the company embarks on its journey to transform early and accurate disease diagnosis detection through the development of multi-omics that leverage Seers products. About Seer Seer is a life sciences company focused on enabling exceptional scientific outcomes by commercializing transformative products that will drive breakthrough ideas by unlocking the deep, unbiased biological information that can make them a reality. Seer is developing its Proteograph, which is an integrated solution consisting of consumables, automation instrumentation and proprietary software that performs deep, unbiased proteomics analysis at scale in a matter of hours. Seer designed the Proteograph to be efficient and easy-to-use, leveraging widely adopted laboratory instrumentation to provide a decentralized solution broadly available to life sciences researchers. Visit www.seer.bio to learn more. For Inquiries: Carrie Mendivil, Gilmartin Group Carrie@gilmartinir.com 415-937-5405 A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/5e1a9e2b-b215-4085-8449-2d6bd22042a2 WASHINGTON - A top communications official for the administration's coronavirus response urged President Donald Trump's supporters to prepare for an armed insurrection after a contested election and accused government scientists of "sedition" in a Facebook Live chat that he described in detail to The Washington Post on Monday. Michael Caputo, assistant secretary for public affairs at the Department of Health and Human Services, which is overseeing the coronavirus response, leveled the accusations and promoted other conspiracy theories in a Facebook Live event first reported by The New York Times. Caputo confirmed the authenticity of the video in comments he made to The Post. "Since joining the administration my family and I have been continually threatened and in and out of criminal court dealing with harassment prosecutions," Caputo said in a statement. "This weighs heavily on us and we deeply appreciate the friendship and support of President Trump as we address these matters and keep our children safe." Caputo's comments come as Trump administration officials say they are seeking to build public support for a coronavirus vaccine but have faced setbacks, most recently the release of audio in which the president admitted that he deliberately downplayed the virus when he knew it was "deadly." Trump installed Caputo in April after considering whether to fire Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar over a series of damaging stories about Trump's handling of the pandemic, according to three current and former White House officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe behind-the-scenes discussions. Allies persuaded Trump to not make such a change amid a pandemic, but instead to bring in Caputo, the officials said. (Trump denied reports that he was considering firing Azar at the time.) Almost immediately, Caputo began exerting control over officials' public appearances and statements; by early summer, he had extended that scrutiny to scientists. He and an adviser have faced criticism in recent days for interfering with the work of scientists at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, seeking to change, delay or kill weekly scientific reports they thought undermined Trump's message that the pandemic is under control. Caputo has also sought to wield influence over when government scientists appear on television, telling officials that he approves such bookings. Caputo is viewed as a Trump loyalist, but several White House officials said that his behavior has been erratic and that some of his ideas have been regarded as extreme. For example, he proposed that the federal government spend millions of dollars on a professionally directed and produced documentary about the administration's race to develop vaccines that he wanted to air at film festivals, said a senior administration official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. The idea was rejected by White House communications aides. In the Facebook video, Caputo criticizes government career scientists, the media and Democrats, The Times reported and Caputo confirmed. He said that he was under attack by the media and that his "mental health has definitely failed." "I don't like being alone in Washington," Caputo said in the video, describing "shadows on the ceiling in my apartment, there alone, shadows are so long." Caputo also said the CDC, which is part of HHS, had a "resistance unit" that aimed to undermine Trump. Without offering any evidence, he also accused scientists "deep in the bowels of the CDC" of giving up on science and becoming "political animals." They "haven't gotten out of their sweatpants except for meetings at coffee shops" to plot "how they're going to attack Donald Trump next," he said in the video. "There are scientists who work for this government who do not want America to get well, not until after Joe Biden is president." He also predicted that Trump would win the election but that Biden, the Democratic presidential nominee, would refuse to concede. "And when Donald Trump refuses to stand down at the inauguration, the shooting will begin," he warned in the video. "The drills that you've seen are nothing. If you carry guns, buy ammunition, ladies and gentlemen, because it's going to be hard to get." Several Democratic lawmakers, including Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., and Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., called for Caputo's firing late Monday. "Secretary Azar has a basic responsibility to ensure our public health experts are able to do their jobs, our covid-19 response is not undermined by misinformation or conspiracy theories, and the data used to inform our efforts is free of political interference," Murray said in a statement. Noting that Caputo has said the president asked him to oversee a $250 million campaign "intended to help America to get back to normal," DeLauro said, "We now know this is a propaganda campaign that must be defunded immediately. It is not the mission of the Department of Health and Human Services to get the President reelected." House Democrats on the select subcommittee on the coronavirus crisis also announced that they had launched an investigation into political interference in the CDC's science reports on the pandemic. The White House declined to comment about Caputo on Monday. Speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss behind-the-scenes conversations, a White House official said that the president was aware of Caputo's comments but that his job appeared to be safe for now. Nonetheless, the official said, some advisers were arguing that Caputo should be demoted or removed because of concern that he could damage the administration's efforts to build public confidence in a prospective coronavirus vaccine. The official said the White House has expanded its coronavirus vaccine messaging team, detailing staffers from other agencies in an "end run" around Caputo. Senior White House aides have warned Caputo that some of his public comments crossed a line. Caputo deactivated his personal Twitter and Facebook accounts Monday. Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years. HHS released a statement describing Caputo as "a critical, integral part of the President's coronavirus response, leading on public messaging as Americans need public health information to defeat the covid-19 pandemic." Several current and former administration officials have expressed frustration that Caputo seems more focused on the president's political fortunes than on combating the pandemic. Caputo denied that, saying that while he cares about the president's electoral prospects, he is most worried about the deaths and suffering caused by the pandemic. He noted that he has urged friends to wear masks. "If you don't wear a mask, you're part of the problem," he said in the interview. As a former radio talk show host, Caputo said he used to host such Facebook Live events every Sunday until he took the HHS job in April. Since then, he has done two or three such events to talk about the pandemic response. He said he spoke about being in personal danger because a car had stopped in front of his Buffalo, N.Y.-area home, where he was shooting the video, and a man rolled the car window down and twice yelled profanities and threatened his life. Since Caputo has been in the HHS job, he said, his two daughters, now 6 and 8, have been harassed constantly. One man is being prosecuted for yelling obscenities at them when they were playing outside, he said. The Post could not immediately confirm that case. In the video, Caputo said questioners asked whether he would stay in the job because of mounting criticism of his team's interference in the work of the CDC's weekly scientific missives aimed at the nation's doctors, known as the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Reports. He said he expected to remain in his post. Caputo was an unusual choice for the top health communications job in the government, especially during the deadliest public health crisis in a century. A New York public relations specialist and political consultant, Caputo served as campaign manager to businessman Carl Paladino in his unsuccessful bid for governor of New York in 2010. Caputo began working with Trump in 2014, first to assist Trump's unsuccessful bid to buy the Buffalo Bills that year and then, in 2016, to assist Trump's efforts in the Republican primary for president in New York. Caputo remained in the public eye, particularly after the appointment of special counsel Robert Mueller in 2017. In frequent interviews, Caputo bemoaned the investigation and the effect it had on Trump allies who faced hefty legal bills as they received subpoenas and requests for interviews with investigators. When the investigation wrapped, Trump hosted Caputo for a meeting in the Oval Office and posed for pictures with his family. Caputo drew the attention of Mueller's investigators in part because he had had contact with a Russian who offered damaging information about Hillary Clinton during the 2016 campaign. In May 2016, Caputo said, a Russian man approached his then-business partner Sergey "George" Petrushin at an art gallery opening in Florida, claiming to have information that could be helpful to Trump's campaign. Petrushin connected him with Caputo, who arranged for him to meet with political operative Roger Stone, a longtime friend. According to the Mueller report, which described the episode, investigators found no link between the Russian man's outreach and the broader effort by Russia to interfere in the 2016 election. As a political adviser and public relations specialist, Caputo also had lived for a time in Moscow in the 1990s, where he worked on a campaign reminiscent of "Rock the Vote" on behalf of then-Russian President Boris Yeltsin. Returning to the United States, Caputo took a contract in 2000 working for the Russian conglomerate Gazprom Media to improve Vladimir Putin's image in the United States. He later told the Buffalo News that he was "not proud of the work," adding, "at the time, Putin wasn't such a bad guy." NEW DELHI: Virtual events platform Airmeet has raised $12 million in Series A funding led by new investors Sequoia Capital India and Redpoint Ventures. Existing investors Accel India, Venture Highway and Global Founders Capital (GFC) also participated. The funds will be used to accelerate technology development, grow the remote-only 60-member team across six countries to 100 and expand Airmeets customer base globally, the startup said. The year-old startup was founded by three IIT alumni, friends and entrepreneurs Lalit Mangal, Manoj Kumar Singh and Vinay Kumar Jasti with the intent of building a remote company. With brands and businesses going online due to the covid-19 pandemic, largely traditional spaces such as events also saw rapid digitisation that benefited companies like Airmeet, which saw a huge spike in virtual events. More than 10,000 events globally have been hosted on the platform in the last six months, with 20-25% growth month-on-month. These include internship fairs, hackathons, women in cloud brunches, and a 100-day blockchain hackathon followed by an award ceremony. "With digitization of largely traditional spaces leapfrogging by years, the $800+ billion global offline events space is up for grabs. There is massive potential for players who drive the industrys transition towards online-events", said Abhishek Mohan, vice-president, Sequoia Capital India LLP. While meetings, webinar categories existed with more popular alternatives like Zoom and Skype, Mangal said platforms such as Airmeet have not been conceptualised for peer-to-peer interactions. Airmeet does not require an event organiser to have a subscription. The organiser can go to the platform, create an account and organise an event through a simple product flow. The startup conducts events virtually where the physical experience of a conference could be replicated with features such as a virtual stage, ballroom-style social lounge with freely accessible virtual tables, a backstage, running a quick poll, passing a virtual mike, asking questions and a speed networking lobby for participants. "Our mission is to make virtual events so effective and engaging that it should appear archaic to organise an on-ground event. We are already seeing an irreversible behaviour change among event organizers and an exponential rise in, what we call, 'digitally native events," Airmeet's Mangal said. Professional communities like Microsoft for Startups, Linux Foundation and Florida International University have hosted their events on Airmeet with a maximum of 10,000 participants. Airmeet can host up to 16 speakers in one session and can support up to 10,000 participants simultaneously. We we are working on scaling this up to 1 million concurrent participants per event," added Mangal. Mangal, however, said the pandemic alone is not responsible for the exponential growth of Airmeet. Many niche interest events, which would not have been hosted physically due to constraints of money, venue, and participants being in different locations have come online. There is an excitement for virtual conferences now, and we want to create a global platform to enable community managers and event organizers across the world to engage with and expand their audience," he said. Currently, 30% of his customer base is global, spread across the US, Europe, Singapore and Japan and 70% in India. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Firmly articulating the country's position on the tense border row with China in eastern Ladakh, Defence Minister on Tuesday said Beijing has been very clearly conveyed that any attempt to "unilaterally" change the status quo along the Line of Actual Control is not at all acceptable, and that India's armed forces are ready to deal with "all contingencies" in the high-altitude region. Making a statement in Lok Sabha, Singh said he would not hesitate to share that India is facing a "challenge" in but at the same time added that the House should have "full confidence" that the armed forces will always rise to the challenge and make the country proud. "I will not hesitate to share with this august House that we are facing a challenge in and I urge the House to pass a resolution in support of our armed forces who have been defending our motherland at great heights and most inclement weather conditions," he said. Referrin to the Galwan Valley clashes of June 15, the defence minister said Indian soldiers "inflicted costs including casualties on the Chinese side." Singh also referred to his talks with the Chinese defence minister on the sidelines of a multilateral meet in Moscow recently, and said it was made clear to him that though India wants to resolve the row peacefully, there should be no doubt about its determination to protect its sovereignty and territorial integrity. "I conveyed in clear terms our concerns related to the actions of the Chinese side, including amassing of large number of troops, their aggressive behavior and attempts to unilaterally alter the status quo that were in violation of the bilateral agreements," he said. The defence minister said amassing of the troops by China and violent conduct of Chinese military were in violation of all mutually agreed norms and pacts. "A key element of both the 1993 and the 1996 Agreements is that the two sides will keep their military forces in the areas along the Line of Actual Control to a minimum level," he added. Singh also talked about the five-point agreement reached between External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in Moscow on September 10 and said: "if implemented sincerely and faithfully by the Chinese side, it could lead to complete disengagement and restoration of peace and tranquility in the border areas." On Galwan Valley clashes, he also said the Chinese side "created" a violent face off and "our brave soldiers laid down their lives and also inflicted costs including casualties on the Chinese side."Twenty Indian Army personnel were killed in the clashes which have significantly escalated the tensions between the two countries. "I want to tell you that I have felt their indomitable courage, gallant and valor. As you are aware that Col Santosh Babu, along with his 19 brave soldiers, made the supreme sacrifice in the cause of defending the territorial integrity of India," he said. The Chinese side too suffered casualties, but it is yet to give out the details. "The conduct of our armed forces throughout these incidents shows that while they maintained 'Sayyam' (self-control) in the face of provocative actions, they also equally displayed 'Shaurya' (courage) when required to protect the territorial integrity of India," he said. The defence minister said the Chinese side had taken action to "hinder" the normal, traditional patrolling pattern of Indian troops in the Galwan Valley area which resulted in the face-off. "Even as this situation was being addressed by the Ground Commanders as per the provisions of our bilateral agreements and protocol, in mid-May the Chinese side made several attempts to transgress the LAC in other parts of the Western Sector," he said. This included Kongka La, Gogra and North Bank of Pangong Lake and that the attempts were detected early and consequently responded to appropriately by the armed forces. "I would like the House to join me in recognizing the courage and valour of our soldiers, who undergo immense hardship in the most difficult conditions to keep us all safe and secure," Singh said. The defence minister said India made it clear to the Chinese side both through diplomatic and military channels that attempting to unilaterally alter the status quo was unacceptable. He also said that China continues to be in "illegal occupation" of approximately 38,000 sq. kms in the Union Territory of In addition, under the so-called Sino-Pakistan 'Boundary Agreement' of 1963, Pakistan illegally ceded 5,180 sq. km. of Indian territory in Pakistan-occupied- Kashmir to China. He said China also claims approximately 90,000 sq. kms. of Indian territory in the eastern Sector of the India-China boundary in Arunachal Pradesh. The defence minister said the Chinese side has mobilised a large number of troops and armaments along the LAC as well as in the depth areas, adding there are several friction areas in eastern Ladakh including Gogra, Kongka La and North and South Banks of the Pangong Lake. "In response to China's actions, our armed forces have also made appropriate counter deployments in these areas to ensure that India's security interests are fully protected," he said. The defence minister also provided a historical perspective of the dispute, noting that China does not accept the customary and traditional alignment of the boundary between the two countries. "We believe that this alignment is based on well-established geographical principles confirmed by treaties and agreements, as well as historical usage and practice, well-known for centuries to both sides," he said. "The Chinese position, however, is that the boundary between the two countries has not been formally delimited, that there exists a traditional customary line formed by the extent of jurisdiction that they claim was exercised historically by each side, and that the two sides have different interpretations of the position of the traditional customary line," he said. Singh said the two countries had engaged in discussions during the 1950s-60s but these efforts could not yield a mutually acceptable solution. After the defence minister's statement, the Congress wanted to raise certain issues which was not allowed by Speaker Om Birla. Unhappy with this, Congress walked out of the House. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Every year on the 15th of September, Engineers Day is celebrated in India. The day is celebrated as a tribute to the first, and one of the greatest ever engineer hailing from India Sir M. Visvesvaraya. M. Visvesvaraya was an expert in irrigation techniques and flood management and became famous for his pioneering work in modern irrigation techniques, as well as, flood control and mitigation. He was also referred to as the precursor of economic planning in India. Early Life & Childhood Indias legendary dam builder Sir MV was born in 1861 to a poor Telegu family at Chikkaballapur, a little over 50 km from Bengaluru. His parents were well regarded Sanskrit scholars. Sir Visvesvaraya completed his primary education from his hometown itself, and later moved to the city of Bengaluru for pursuing his higher studies in Arts. He later changed his career path and pursued a civil engineering degree from the College of Engineering, Pune. Sir M. Visvesvaraya always believed that deep down he was an innovator. From Pune, he completed his engineering degree-holding expertise in irrigation and flood disaster management. Work & Legacy After completing his degree, Sir MV earned a license in civil engineering from the University of Bombay and began working with erstwhile Bombays Public Works Division. He would later join the Indian Irrigation Commission. His claim to fame came because of his groundbreaking work in the irrigation fields. He designed the revolutionary automatic barrier water floodgates which was first installed in Pune in 1903 at Khadakvasla reservoir. After serving as an engineer for four decades, M. Visvesvaraya would later become the architect behind Krishanasagar dam, the largest dam in India. Sir Visvesvaraya cared deeply about education that led him to establish the Government Engineering College in 1917 at Bengaluru, which was later renamed as the Visvesvaraya Institute of Technology. Apart from being an engineer and an educator, he was highly industrious. Sir M Visvesvaraya was a member of the Governing Council of the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore. Later, he would become a member of the Tata Iron and Steel governing board. Besides, Sir M Visvesvaraya has also authored two books in his illustrious career - Reconstructing India and Planned Economy of India. The legend passed away in the year 1962, but his legacy and spirit still lives in the minds of young engineers committed towards nation-building. Trivia & Facts Sir M Visvesvaraya was awarded the Bharat Ratna Award the highest civilian award in the country for his immense contribution to the development of India. Sir M Visvesvaraya served as the Diwan of Mysore, where he founded the Mysore Soap Factory, Bangalore Agricultural University, State Bank of Mysore and Mysore Iron and Steel Works. Sir M Visvesvaraya is immensely honored in Karnataka and he even has his own lyrics in one of the blockbuster movie angarada Manushaya released in 1972, the longest-running movie in Kannada film industry. The lyrics translated in English goes by: If Visvesvaraya had not toiled. And allowed Cauvery to flow. And not built Kannambadi?. Would this precious land have harvested gold? Prosperous Kannada land, our prosperous Kannada land? Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-15 09:47:23|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BRASILIA, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- Brazil's southern state of Mato Grosso do Sul declared a state of environmental emergency on Monday after raging wildfires destroyed 1.4 million hectares of vegetation since the start of the year. Governor Reinaldo Azambuja signed the decree during a meeting with the National Secretary for Civil Protection and Defense, Alexandre Lucas Alves, who traveled to Campo Grande, the state capital, on Sunday. The 79 municipalities of the state are suffering from a severe drought affecting the central region of the country, and fires have also spread through the states of Mato Grosso in central Brazil and Tocantins in northern Brazil. The drought has been described as the worst in 47 years in the country. However, the Mato Grosso do Sul state government also blamed manmade fires for having "caused forest and urban fires in much of the state." Personnel from the Brazilian environment institutes and army troops have been fighting the fires in the region for months. Forecasts indicate this week will again see no rains, with high temperatures hitting some places in the region, increasing the risk of wildfires. Enditem owed nearly Rs 13,000 crore to cane farmers as on September 11 for the crop procured during 2019-20 marketing season that started October last year, Parliament was informed on Tuesday. "Out of total cane dues payable of Rs 75,585 crore for sugar season 2019-20 as on September 11, 2020, about Rs 62,591 crore have been paid to the & only Rs 12,994 crores cane dues are yet to be paid," Minister of State for food and consumer affairs Danve Raosaheb Dadarao said in a written reply to the Lok Sabha. The also owe Rs 548 crore for 2018-19 marketing season (October-September), Rs 242 crore for 2017-18 and Rs 1,899 crore for 2016-17 and earlier, taking the total outstanding amount to Rs 15,683 crore. As per the information received from the Uttar Pradesh government, out of total cane dues payable of Rs 5,339 crore by Bajaj group against their 14 mills for sugar season 2019-20, an amount of Rs 2,378 crore has been paid to and Rs 2,961 crore are yet to be paid. Bajaj Hindusthan has 14 mills in Uttar Pradesh. "Payment of cane price to by the is a continuous process. However, on account of surplus sugar production during the previous sugar seasons, the sugar prices remained depressed which adversely affected the liquidity of the sugar mills resulting in accumulation of cane price arrears of the farmers," the minister said. To improve the liquidity of sugar mills and enabling them to clear cane price arrears of farmers, the central government has taken various measures in past three sugar seasons viz extended assistance to sugar mills to facilitate the export of sugar; extended assistance to mills for maintaining buffer stocks; extended soft loans to sugar mills through banks to clear cane price dues; and fixed minimum selling price of sugar. The Sugarcane (Control) Order 1966 stipulates the payment of cane price within 14 days of supply. The powers to enforce the provisions of this order with regard to payment of cane dues of farmers is vested with the state governments as they have necessary field formation for its implementation. "As informed by Government of Uttar Pradesh, the Cane Commissioner, Uttar Pradesh has issued notices to defaulting sugar mills including mills of Bajaj Group directing them to clear cane price arrears of farmers; recovery certificate has been issued by cane commissioner against one of its mill viz. Rudhauli, District-Basti, to recover the dues," the minister said. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A student of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) and activist, Olorunfemi Adeyeye, has written to the visitation panel set up to investigate the leadership crisis in the school over his prolonged suspension. Mr Adeyeye, a student of the department of building, bagged four-semester suspension from the university management for participating in the peaceful protests of April 6 and 8, 2016. He was also accused of criticising the leadership of the institution over their inability to manage situations as democrats in an article titled: The Senate of the University of Lagos; a Conglomeration of Academic Ignorami, which he published on social media platforms. He is yet to register for his courses despite a letter of recall issued by the university management in 2018. This paper reported his reinstatement and the invitation to face another disciplinary panel in September 2018. PREMIUM TIMES learnt Mr Adeyeye honoured the invitation in the company of his lawyers but after a clarification session, the panel agreed that he was wrongly invited and he could proceed with course registration. Also, on March 14, 2019, a letter of complaint on the deactivation of his student portal despite re-admission was sent to the Dean of Students Affairs, Director of Academic Affairs and Centre for Information Technology and Systems (C.I.T.S). Some letters of appeal sent to authorities to seek intervention and reviews were obtained by this paper. Meanwhile, in a reaction from the management, former Vice-Chancellor of the school, Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, said the delay in the process of reabsorption is because Mr Adeyeye is yet to show remorse after serving the four-semester rustication. Letter to panel After several failed attempts to demand his reabsorption, Mr Adeyeye, through his lawyers, wrote the visitation panel constituted by the federal government to look into the leadership crisis rocking the citadel of learning. The sack of Mr Ogundipe as the Vice-Chancellor by the Wale Babalakin-led Council generated furore amongst members of the University community. In a copy of the letter addressed to the chairman of the panel, which was seen by PREMIUM TIMES, Mr Adeyeyes lawyer, Omobolanle Ojibara, protested the suspension, noting that the Panel set up after the protest never recommended expulsion. After serving out his suspension, our Client wrote a letter on 11 June 2018 (which was erroneously dated 11 June 2017) to the University seeking his reinstatement. A copy of the letter is attached and marked Attachment B. The University responded to our Client via its letter dated 20 September 2018, informing our Client that he has been cleared for readmission, with effect from 2nd Semester of the 2017/2018 session. This letter was only received 3 days to the end of the 2017/2018 academic session, and after examinations had been concluded for the 2 semesters. It only became obvious to our Client that the timing of the letter was not out of sheer inadvertence, but a design to frustrate the resumption of his studies, when he tried to register for the 2 semesters and discovered that he had been locked out of the online registration portal and deactivated, he wrote on September 8. Mr Ojibara stated that all the other persons rusticated alongside Mr Adeyeye have been readmitted and since graduated from the university. He added that Mr Ogundipes comment on remorse is evidence that he has a personal vendetta against his client. It also important to reiterate that the Panel, which heard our Client never recommended his expulsion, so the act of expulsion was done without fair hearing by Professor Ogundipe and the University administration under him. He, however, urged the chairman to use his visit to the university to right the wrongs visited on Mr Adeyeye by Professor Ogundipe administration. Restricted to the Atlantic Forests of Brazil and at risk of extinction, this species require effective protected areas to prevent the loss and degradation of its forest habitats. Credit: Hector Bottai Protected areas are considered the most important tool for curbing the ongoing biodiversity loss, but a lack of field data hampers efforts to measure how effective they are in practice. Scientists analyzed records collated by thousands of citizens and showed that protected areas are contributing significantly to the conservation of rare and threatened birds across tropical forests hotspots by preventing deforestation and forest degradation. To measure the effect of protected areas, researchers needed to contrast field observations inside protected areas with those from similar but unprotected sites. They focused on eight regions classified as global biodiversity hotspots, that is, with very high levels of unique biodiversity but which have already lost most of their native habitat. "Regions of the world with the most threatened biodiversity are precisely the ones where we need effective protected areas the most," stated Victor Cazalis, of the University of Montpellier and lead author of the study. "Unfortunately, these regions often lack the biodiversity data needed to evaluate how good their protected areas are." New citizen science initiatives are filling this data gap. The research team analyzed records from eBird, the world's largest citizen science platform for biodiversity. Including hundreds of millions of bird observations collected by contributors ranging from amateur bird enthusiasts to skilled ornithologists, eBirds' coverage of tropical regions has expanded rapidly in the past decade. After carefully filtering these data to select the most robust observations, the analyses focused on over 2.6 million observations of 5,400 bird species made by nearly 7,000 observers. More than 70% of the Atlantic Forests of South America have already been lost. Protected areas are key to the protection of the remaining habitat and its many unique species. Credit: Ana Rodrigues Map. Credit: Victor Cazalis The results, published in the scientific journal Nature Communications, show that protection has a clear positive effect on the conservation prospects of bird species. "We found that protected areas are particularly effective at conserving species that have small ranges, are at risk of extinction, or that are specialized in forest habitats," Cazalis noted, "which is very good news as these are the species most in need of conservation." The study also shows that protected areas achieve these positive outcomes both by preventing deforestation, and by retaining the quality of the remaining forest habitats. "Our findings confirm that protected areas are an effective tool for preventing biodiversity declines," said Ana Rodrigues, of the French National Center for Scientific Research and a co-author in the study. "So we need to continue investing in expanding their coverage and ensuring their adequate management." These results are timely, as governments are now negotiating global conservation targets as part of the post-2020 Biodiversity Framework, due to be adopted in 2021 at the fifteenth Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity. Explore further Protected areas can 'double' imperiled species populations More information: Victor Cazalis et al, Effectiveness of protected areas in conserving tropical forest birds, Nature Communications (2020). Journal information: Nature Communications Victor Cazalis et al, Effectiveness of protected areas in conserving tropical forest birds,(2020). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-18230-0 Provided by Center for Functional and Evolutionary Ecology (CEFE) (Natural News) Parishioners who attend the Church of St. Francis Xavier in New York City are reportedly now being asked to recite a pledge for racial justice during Mass that affirms white privilege and the culture of white supremacy must be dismantled. The Jesuit-led Roman Catholic parish, run by Rev. Kenneth Boller, S.J., is apparently going full anti-white as the expectation following communion is that parishioners vocally commit to tearing down the systems of whiteness that supposedly contributes to systemic racism. Stolen from the First Unitarian Church of Dallas, Texas, the pledge, which was revised by the Church of St. Francis Xavier, declares that the parish joins with people throughout the world in committing itself to racial justice. Parishioners are then asked to respond yes to a series of questions about justice, equity, and compassion in human relations. Do you affirm that white privilege is unfair and harmful to those who have it and to those who do not? reads one of the questions. Do you affirm that white privilege and the culture of white supremacy must be dismantled wherever it is present? asks another. The list of questions goes on and on, repeatedly addressing the evils of whiteness and the need to eliminate whiteness from the planet, including within the Roman Catholic Church. Will you commit to help transform our church culture to one that is actively engaged in seeking racial justice and equity for everyone? the recitation reiterates, asking parishioners to respond in the affirmative. Will you strive daily to eliminate racial prejudice from your thoughts and actions so that you can better promote the racial justice efforts of our church? it further adds. Church of St. Francis Xavier conducts Dismantling Racism workshop to help white people better understand white privilege In addition to coercing parishioners to basically swear an oath of opposition to racism and whiteness, the Church of St. Francis Xavier also held a workshop recently entitled, Dismantling Racism, the purpose of which was to teach white people to better understand white privilege. Led by Kara Dansky, a former senior counsel at the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and meditation instructor, the workshop is said to have been centered around promoting ideas like inclusivity and respect, specifically in the direction of white people who, because of their white skin, are automatically racist. Over the years this has led to the establishment of the Xavier Mission with its outreach to feeding, clothing and sheltering the homeless, establishing a strong program of spiritual direction to help parishioners deepen their prayer life, providing a spiritual home to members of the LBGTQ+ community and many other initiatives, Boller told Breitbart News in a statement. All these initiatives emanate from our commitment to putting Catholic social teaching into practice through works of charity and acts of peace and justice, he added. For at least the past two years, the Church of St. Francis Xavier has been focusing its propaganda around the idea of racism. It recently put up a large shrine with images of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and other blacks whom the left-wing media has been claiming are victims of police brutality by racist cops. After the death of George Floyd, the Church of St. Francis Xavier wished to be even more pro-actively anti-racist, Boller proudly stated about the mission of his church. In that context, we adapted a version of a pledge for racial justice used elsewhere in Christian circles, he added. We invite people to take the pledge after the post-communion prayer and before the final blessing a time when many churches have announcements. For more related news about the apostasy of modern-day religion, which is turning increasingly anti-white, be sure to check out Evil.news. Sources for this article include: Breitbart.com NaturalNews.com Michigan budget leaders have agreed to a budget framework that they say will preserve existing levels of funding for K-12 public schools and local government revenue sharing for the next fiscal year. Senate Appropriations Chair Jim Stamas, R-Midland, House Appropriations Chair Shane Hernandez, R-Port Huron and State Budget Director Chris Kolb announced the deal Monday night and said final legislative action on the budget is expected next week. This has been a year unlike any other, Stamas said in a statement. The unprecedented challenges Michigan has faced meant that working together Republicans and Democrats and the Legislature and the Administration was absolutely essential. This agreement means a fiscally-responsible budget will be in place in time for the new fiscal year. Michigans new fiscal year starts Oct. 1, meaning lawmakers and the administration have until Sept. 30 to get a budget for Fiscal Year 2021 squared away. Its a truncated schedule for a typical budget cycle and a significant departure from how negotiations played out last year, when disagreements over the current state budget dragged into December. The COVID-19 pandemic and uncertainty about possible additional federal spending delayed budget discussions this year, although economic experts found in August the budget situation for the upcoming fiscal year wasnt as dire as initially feared. Revenues in the current fiscal year are up $2.3 billion from May estimates, meaning the deficit is lower than anticipated when Gov. Gretchen Whitmers administration and lawmakers struck a deal to balance this years budget. Any remaining funds not used to close out this years books could assist officials with patching up the expected shortfall in Fiscal Year 2021. But the latest estimates were still down from pre-coronavirus predictions in January, and experts warn the ongoing uncertainty of the pandemic will continue to make an economic recovery challenging. Kolb said in the statement the agreed-to targets will provide critical funding for our key priorities such as education, health care and skills training. COVID-19 has had an unprecedented impact on our state budget, and by quickly working together since receiving the August revenue estimates weve been able to build a budget framework that reflects a bipartisan commitment to moving our state forward, Kolb said. Related: Michigans budget forecast better than predicted, but still clouded by coronavirus pandemic Michigans budget shortfall likely smaller than expected, but big challenges still loom Whitmer administration calls for federal funding to help fill Michigans multibillion-dollar budget hole Coronavirus prompts projected $3.2B drop in Michigan tax revenue, more losses expected Michigan set to lose billions in tax revenue as coronavirus hits state budgets nationwide Michigan to lay off 2,900 state employees amid budget woes caused by coronavirus outbreak Yes, Michigan is in a recession, and a quick recovery is unlikely When and how will it end? Considering the end-game for Michigans coronavirus crisis Migrants arrested for tending plants in the flats, houses and attics where cannabis is grown in bulk are often victims of trafficking and "debt bondage" - yet many are not recognised as such by police, according to a new study. Research from Cambridge criminologists suggests that those charged with drug cultivation have often been forced into illegal work as a condition of debt to criminal gangs for smuggling them into the UK. The researchers, including a Detective Inspector who completed a Masters at Cambridge's Institute of Criminology, argue that police take too narrow a view of modern slavery when it comes to "growers" arrested during cannabis farm raids. While growers - often Vietnamese nationals - are not always imprisoned within farms, many work under threat of extreme violence towards themselves or family back home, with little in the way of language or contacts in the UK. The researchers say that arresting officers often lack detailed training on modern slavery, and make only "perfunctory" enquiries: a brief question that places the onus on a victim who doesn't understand their own situation. As such, migrants end up serving years in UK prisons despite being forced to commit the cultivation crimes by gangs who seize passports and threaten - and administer - violence. "The abuses of freedom in cannabis farm cases do not tally with traditional perceptions of slavery. Victims may be held against their will, forced to work and unable to leave, despite an unlocked door," said Prof Heather Strang, the study's senior author. "Big questions remain about how the criminal justice system should ethically manage modern slavery victims who are also illegal immigrants involved in illegal activity," she said. The new study, published in the Cambridge Journal of Evidence-Based Policing, was co-authored by DI Adam Ramiz of Surrey Police as part of his research at Cambridge, where he worked with Strang and Prof Paul Rock from LSE. Cannabis farms are unassuming abodes in towns and city suburbs that house hundreds of plants in blacked-out rooms, grown with equipment such specialist lighting. A live-in "grower" will work for criminal gangs to feed and protect the Class B drug crop. The latest study is small in scale - gaining access to growers willing to talk is difficult - but criminologists say that it's an important addition to this under-researched area. The team looked at criminal histories of 19 Vietnamese nationals arrested in connection with cannabis farming in Surrey and Sussex between 2014-2017, and conducted in-depth interviews with three further growers - two Vietnamese and an Albanian - as well as the arresting officers in those cases. The growers all described being in hock to human smugglers, working in farms to pay debts, and some spoke of death threats and physical intimidation. Two spoke of dangerous journeys to the UK via lorries, similar to the 39 Vietnamese nationals found dead in Essex last year. One witnessed murder by smugglers while trekking for days through forests. Another was locked inside the house once in the UK. The victims didn't consider themselves such, as they had wanted to come here, yet had been forced into illegal labour on arrival: smuggling that becomes trafficking. Interviews with officers revealed police questioning on slavery to be limited, cursory and "binary" - whether or not the grower was physically locked in - and conducted with a presumption of guilt on the that the grower is an offender. "We found that some officers only had an hour of modern slavery training, and felt that the onus is on trafficking victims to volunteer that information, rather than police to investigate further," said Ramiz, who led the study. "The brief question or two on slavery will often come after a grower has been given the standard legal advice to say nothing and later to plead guilty," he said. Police frustrations focus on growers, with one officer talking of "hitting a brick wall" if they won't open up, but researchers say that the legal advice offered to trafficked cannabis growers is routine and uncritical: "go quietly". They argue that police should "re-frame" their response to cannabis farms so that the possibility of modern slavery is "more fully considered", and suggest detailed training for front-line officers along with greater willingness to refer cases to specialist investigators. Dame Sara Thornton, the UK's Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner, described the study as a "welcome contribution to building an evidence-based approach to preventing modern slavery". "The Modern Slavery Act includes a statutory defence for those compelled to commit an offence as a direct result of their being a victim of modern slavery. It is essential that the police investigate all lines of enquiry when they come across these complicated cases," said Thornton. Added Ramiz: "While much more research is needed, these accounts of debt bondage and fierce intimidation suggests the mass cultivation of cannabis is rife with modern slavery, and the grey area between offender and victim in these cases can become a blind spot for UK police." Case study: A 34-year-old Vietnamese man now in an English prison for growing cannabis told researchers he had been a taxi driver, before fleeing his home after taking part in protests against a Chinese oil rig in the disputed South China sea. Accused of betraying his country by police, he entered into contract with a smuggler after fearing for his life when a friend disappeared following arrest. Unable to pay in full, he ended up in debt bondage to a criminal gang. Believing he was going to the UK to work in kitchens, the grower found himself in a series of lorries and flights across China and Russia, and taken into Europe via the forests of Poland. "You have to walk for maybe two, three days... I saw one person had been beaten up... when I turned around he was unconscious... he walked too slow," the grower told researchers. He believed the person he described had died. The grower arrived in the UK in a lorry container. He was eventually taken to a house already full of cannabis plants and shown how to tend them, and given an allowance for food and phone calls home. "I do not dare leave the house without telling them, because I fear for my life... They told me if I tried to escape they would harm my family," said the grower. He remembered police asking some questions about being forced to work, and he had told them. His legal advisor asked no such questions. He did not consider himself a trafficking victim, as he had wanted to come to the UK. The police interviewer of the grower was a 33-year-old probationary police officer. He had been given an interview plan, and told researchers he viewed the matter in simple terms: "...you're interviewing him as a suspect to get a confession, or to get the points across to get the conviction or charge...". No trafficking questions were in the officer's plan, but he asked some anyway based on the grower's response. The officer acknowledged his ignorance of modern slavery legislation to researchers. A further interview was done by the officer's supervisor, who was in charge of the investigation. He told researchers the training given to police on slavery - one hour-long session - was insufficient, and until guidance improved they had to rely on instinct. The officer-in-charge entered a submission to the National Referral Mechanism - the framework set up in 2009 to ensure victims of trafficking receive help. The NRM returned a decision that the grower had "consented" to the illegal work, so was not a victim, and he was sentence to prison. ### LONDON and ALICANTE, Spain, Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Engineered Stone Group (the "ES Group" or the "Company"), today announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire the assets of Forms and Design in Shower Tray, S.L. and Akire Style, S.L. (together "F&D Group"), a leading Spanish manufacturer of engineered stone shower trays, washbasins and panels. The transaction further establishes the ES Group as a leader in the engineered stone bathroom products space, a growing segment within the broader bathroom products market. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Established by The Cranemere Group ("Cranemere"), a holding company focused on building high-quality businesses for the long term, the ES Group is a global leader in the production of engineered stone bathroom products. The Company provides a broad offering of brands and high-quality products, coupled with a commitment to outstanding customer service and the scale to invest in continued product innovation. Led by Chief Executive Officer Brian McCluskie, the ES Group is comprised of Acquabella, a leading premium-branded supplier of engineered stone shower trays and wall panels; Marmite, a leading European private-label manufacturer of basins, bathtubs and shower trays made from engineered stone; and now, upon sale completion, F&D Group. With a track record of manufacturing high-quality engineered stone shower trays, washbasins and panels with superior technology, F&D Group has established itself as a leading supplier for a diversified base of retail and wholesale customers in Southern Europe. Following the close of the transaction which is expected to occur at the end of September, subject to customary closing conditions F&D Group will maintain its headquarters in Alicante, Spain, and continue to operate independently as a member of the ES Group. The business will maintain its existing manufacturing locations and workforce, and continue to serve its valued customers as it does today. "F&D Group's disruptive business model focused on quality, value, and speed has served its customer base across Europe exceptionally well, and allowed the business to grow rapidly and capture significant market share," said Mr. McCluskie. "We continue to see strong demand for engineered stone products as it replaces inferior materials such as acrylic and porcelain. F&D Group's advanced manufacturing capabilities, complementary geographic footprint, and reputation for quality make them a compelling addition to the Engineered Stone Group." "We are thrilled to join the Engineered Stone Group," said Manuel Perez, on behalf of the owners of F&D Group. "We look forward to partnering with Brian and the teams at Marmite, Acquabella, and Cranemere to further invest in product innovation, geographic expansion, and to deliver enhanced products and service levels to our valued customers for many years to come." "Together, the companies comprising the Engineered Stone Group offer the widest set of distinct product, brand, and service-level capabilities available in the engineered stone segment, while operating independently under the ES Group umbrella," said Christopher Mahan, Chairman of the Engineered Stone Group. "We continue to see a significant opportunity to lead the material conversion to engineered stone over the long term, and F&D Group is an important element to enabling this development and building the ES Group's leadership in this space." For more information about the Engineered Stone Group, visit www.engstone.com. About The Engineered Stone Group The Engineered Stone Group is a European holding company established by The Cranemere Group to be the global leader in engineered stone products. The ES Group is currently comprised of Marmite, a leading European manufacturer of basins, bathtubs, and shower trays made from engineered stone, Acquabella, a leading branded supplier of engineered stone shower trays and wall panels in Europe, and now F&D Group. About F&D Group F&D Group is a leading provider of engineered stone shower trays, washbasins, wall and floor panels across Europe. Based in Dolores and Aspe in Alicante province, Spain, F&D Group offers branded and private-label products at outstanding value, quality, and speed. Their products combine mineral stone with high-quality resins, resulting in a unique product with enhanced capabilities relative to traditional materials that is luxurious, elegant, durable, and naturally anti-bacterial. F&D Group's innovative technology allows it to replicate the finish of natural materials such as wood and marble. About The Cranemere Group The Cranemere Group is a holding company focused on partnering with industry-leading operating teams in essential industries to build high-quality businesses for the long term. The Cranemere Group provides patient capital, business building expertise, and global networks to support the growth of its companies and to create value for all its stakeholders. The Cranemere Group is headquartered in London and has offices in New York and Washington, D.C. Media Contact Jonathan Keehner / Julie Oakes / Julia Sottosanti Joele Frank, Wilkinson Brimmer Katcher 212-355-4449 SOURCE The Engineered Stone Group Tran Dinh Lieu, Deputy General Director of Vietnam Social Security talks to the media revealing that almost 100 per cent of pupils and students have coverage under the National Health Insurance Fund. Tran Dinh Lieu, Deputy General Director of Vietnam Social Security. Photo baodautu.vn Can you tell us about students health insurance coverage in Vietnam? By the end of the 2019-2020 school year, the health insurance coverage among Vietnamese students nationwide reached 95.2 per cent an increase of 1 per cent against the previous school year. According to statistics, the health insurance coverage among the Vietnamese students has increased year on year. In year 2016, there were some 15.9 million pupils and students, about 92.5 per cent, with health insurance. Now more than 17 million pupils and students - accounting for 96 per cent are covered. The health insurance fund has helped reduce the economic burden for many parents paying the health costs for their children in case of their serious illness. Each year, the Vietnamese Health Insurance Fund pays VND1,000 billion or US$ 43 million for the students health insurance agencies to cover treatment. By now almost 100 per cent of Vietnamese pupils and students are covered. Whats the driving force behind reaching such a high amount? The driving force behind this big achievement was the strong co-operation between the Vietnam Social Insurance, the Ministry of Education and Training, the Ministry of Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs and the Ministry of Health and the strong support from the school teachers and other supporting staff. However, the health insurance scheme for the Vietnamese students has faced a number of challenges. Under Vietnamese Law, joining the health insurance scheme is compulsory for all pupils and students nationwide but until now not everyone has joined. Do you have any comments on the Vietnam Social Insurance Agency scheme to have 100 per cent of all Vietnamese students and pupils covered by the national health insurance scheme? The health insurance sector has done all it can to protect the rights for all students and pupils nationwide when they need support from the health sector. Each student or pupil has had their own health insurance code an important pass for them when they need support/assistance from any Vietnamese medical agent in the country. The current COVID pandemic has seriously impacted the entire socio-economic activities nationwide. The Vietnam Social Insurance Agency will do all it can to protect the rights and benefits for all people young and old alike when they need health treatment. We have considered the health insurance scheme for Vietnamese pupils and students as driving force for the increasing health insurance coverage in the country in the year 2020 and the years to come. We have set a target to have 100 per cent of the pupils and students in the health insurance scheme in the 2020-2021 academic year. We have also adopted a special plan to mobilise financial resource to help poor pupils/students join the national health insurance scheme. Coupled with that we have already developed a plan to work together with Provincial Health Departments nationwide to offer good health care services to all people when they need it. VNS Health insurance - a lifebuoy for patients The public health insurance fund paid more than half a million US dollars for treatment of just a single patient over three years. The Congress on Tuesday accused the government of shying away from debating the Ladakh standoff issue in Lok Sabha and questioned the absence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi from the House. Members of the Congress also walked out of the Lok Sabha and staged a sit-in in the Parliament House complex after they were not allowed to speak following a statement by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on the border standoff with China in eastern Ladakh. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi alleged that after the defence ministers statement, it is clear that the prime minister has misled" the country about the Chinese aggression at the border. It is clear from the statement of the defence minister that Modi ji misled the country on Chinese intrusions. Our country has always stood and continues to stand behind the Indian army. But Modi ji, when will you stand against China? When will you take back our land from China? Don't be afraid of naming China," Gandhi said in a tweet in Hindi. Making a statement in Lok Sabha, Defence Minister Singh had said he would not hesitate to share that India is facing a challenge" in Ladakh but at the same time added that the House should have full confidence" that the armed forces will always rise to the challenge and make the country proud. Firmly articulating the countrys position on the tense border row in eastern Ladakh, he said Beijing has been very clearly conveyed that any attempt to unilaterally" change the status quo along the Line of Actual Control is not at all acceptable. I will not hesitate to share with this august House that we are facing a challenge in Ladakh and I urge the House to pass a resolution in support of our armed forces who have been defending our motherland at great heights and most inclement weather conditions," Singh said. Congress leader in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said leaders of the party wanted to speak in Lok Sabha in support of the armed forces and their bravery, but were not allowed to do so. The country is supreme for our Congress party and we take pride in the bravery and courage of our armed forces. We wanted to speak in favour of our armed forces and had sought only one minute, but were not allowed to talk. There are many questions but we know that this government does not want to answer any," he said. Citing the 1962 war with China, Chowdhury said that BJP leader late Atal Bihari Vajpayee wanted to discuss the issue in Parliament and the then prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru convened a session of Parliament and the issue was discussed. We wanted to see the same tradition carried forward, but we know that this government is not willing to discuss the China matter in Parliament," he said. Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said the entire country is proud of the Indian army and we are safe only because the armed forces are standing against the Chinese at the borders. But where is the prime minister. Why has the prime minister run away from admitting in Parliament the failure of the political leadership. Has China captured Indian territory? Depsang plains, Pangong Tso Lake, Lipu Lake and Y-Junction, has there been any transgression by China?" he asked, adding how many kilometres has China captured and when will Modi throw out the Chinese from Indian territory. Modi ji you should come to Parliament and say sorry. Modi ji when will you show your red eyes to the Chinese. Dont hide behind the bravery of our armed forces. The prime minister has run away from Parliament," he said. Chowdhury said the defence minister has been showering praises on Modi, but when a resolution is passed in Lok Sabha in support of the armed forces, at least the prime minister should have been present. PM does not have an answer and the government fears from holding a discussion in Parliament on the issue," he said, adding it is incumbent upon the government to express before the nation what is actually transpiring along the border. Asked whether the government should go in for a military option, Chowdhury said there are many options to resolve the issue and discuss it. He said that talks and discussions have been taking place, but still we have failed to yield the desired results due to the machination played by the Chinese". Congress deputy leader in Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi said, We have walked out (of Lok Sabha) in protest because the Congress party wanted to send a message of solidarity to our Indian army and our brave troops. Yesterday, the prime minister spoke outside Parliament and said we should all speak in one voice and that is what we wanted to speak in Parliament." The Congress wanted to send a message of solidarity to the armed forces and a strong warning to China that they should not test the countrys patience, Gogoi said. Unfortunately, this government feels that only it can speak in support of the army and the Congress and other political parties do not have the right to speak, he said, adding that the army belongs to all and everyone is proud of it. But no doubt there was an intention behind silencing the Congress party because the prime minister does not want to answer certain tough questions When his own minister was making a statement on China, the prime minister should have been there. The PMs absence is a signal," Gogoi said. (With inputs from PTI) The National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested a 37-year-old man from Godhra town in central Gujarat in connection with an espionage case being investigated in Hyderabad. NIA has claimed that the suspect Imran Giteli, an auto-rickshaw driver, is involved in "international espionage racket in which Pakistan-based spies recruited agents in India for collecting sensitive and classified information regarding locations/movements of Indian Naval Ships and Submarines and other defence establishments." NIA said in a statement that Giteli was allegedly associated with Pakistan-based spy agencies and its agents "under the guise of cross-border cloth trade." Sources in Godhra said that Giteli used to run a tailoring shop which he shut a couple of years ago. Since then, he drives an auto-rickshaw to support his family. He lives in Polan Bazar area of the town. They added that the family left early morning to an unknown place. Sources also said that like many local residents, who have relatives in Pakistan, Giteli also used to go to Pakistan to meet his relatives. A statement issued by the NIA claims that Giteli deposited some amount in the account of Indian Navy personnel who were in contact with Pakistani agents. It said that these personnel were contacted by ISI agents through social media who shared "classified information in lieu of money" deposited in their bank accounts through "Indian associates of Pak ISI who had business interests in Pakistan." NIA has seized digital devices and incriminating documents from Giteli's house. The NIA statement alleges Giteli is a key accused who has been booked for conspiracy, sedition, Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and official secrets act, among other charges. Last month, NIA arrested Razzak Kumbhar from Mundra, Katuch district on similar charges. Kumbhar is accused of depositing Rs 5,000 to an alleged ISI agent Rashid, a resident of Uttar Pradesh who was arrested by NIA in a separate spying case involving ISI agents. The Oregon Health Authority on Monday reported 151 new coronavirus cases and two more deaths, with the prospect of aggressive testing this week compromised because of wildfires across the state. State officials said testing numbers in recent days appear to have dipped, perhaps in part because fewer people are seeking testing. But some test locations have shut down because of hazardous air quality. OHSU, for instance, closed its two drive-thru locations Friday. Theyll remain closed through at least Tuesday. The Oregon State Public Health Laboratory also closed Monday, citing hazardous indoor air quality. The state lab is not accepting or analyzing coronavirus samples, with existing samples being held in a temperature-controlled environment. Its unclear when the state lab, which can process several hundred tests a day, will reopen as smoke is expected in the Portland area through much of this week. State officials said theyll begin running labs at the facility as soon as air safety standards can be met. Where the new cases are by county: Clackamas (18), Columbia (1), Coos (1), Deschutes (3), Douglas (3), Jackson (4), Jefferson (1), Klamath (1), Lane (19), Malheur (13), Marion (11), Morrow (2), Multnomah (27), Polk (1), Umatilla (23), Union (1), Wasco (1), Washington (18) and Yamhill (3). New fatalities: Oregons 510th death linked to coronavirus is an 87-year-old Lane County man with underlying health conditions. He tested positive Sept. 1 and died Sept. 13 at his residence. The 511th fatality is a 92-year-old Washington County woman with underlying medical conditions. She tested positive Aug. 20. State officials said details about her date and location of death are pending. The prevalence of infections: State officials had not disclosed detailed data since Friday. Since then, officials reported 591 new confirmed infections out of 9,037 people tested, equaling a 6.5% positivity rate. Who got infected: State officials had not disclosed detailed data since Friday. New confirmed or presumed infections grew among the following age groups: 0-9 (30); 10-19 (60); 20-29 (139); 30-39 (105); 40-49 (100); 50-59 (79); 60-69 (51); 70-79 (26); 80 and older (28). Whos in the hospital: The state Monday reported 95 Oregonians with confirmed coronavirus infections are currently in the hospital, down five from Friday. Oregon remains well below its capacity, with hundreds of hospital beds and ventilators available. Since it began: Oregon has reported 29,484 confirmed or presumed infections and 511 deaths, among the lowest totals in the nation. To date, 613,371 Oregonians have been tested. -- Brad Schmidt; bschmidt@oregonian.com; 503-294-7628; @_brad_schmidt Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-15 23:05:43|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close ULAN BATOR, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Mongolia returned 266 nationals from South Korea on a chartered flight on Tuesday, according to the Mongolian State Emergency Commission (SEC). The chartered flight from Seoul to Ulan Bator landed at the Buyant-Ukhaa International Airport on Tuesday evening, the SEC said in a statement. The repatriated group consisted of pregnant women, the elderly, children, the disabled and sick, and those with financial or other problems, the SEC said, adding that they will be isolated at designated facilities for 21 days. Following its suspension of international commercial flights during the COVID-19 pandemic, Mongolia has repatriated around 22,000 nationals on chartered flights, trains and buses from different parts of the world, according to the commission. The Asian country planned to send a total of 13 special flights this month to COVID-19-hit countries to repatriate more nationals. As of Tuesday, Mongolia has reported a total of 311 COVID-19 cases, all of which were imported. No local transmissions or deaths have been reported in the country so far. Enditem 1 in 10 COVID-19 patients return to hospital after being sent home from ER Roughly 1 in 10 patients diagnosed with COVID-19 needed to return to the hospital within a week of discharge from an emergency department visit, according to data from the first three months of the COVID-19 outbreak in the Philadelphia region--March, April and May 2020. Researchers in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania also found that factors like lower pulse oximetry levels and fever were some of the most telling symptoms that resulted in return trips that resulted in admission. This information, published in Academic Emergency Medicine, could prove invaluable to clinicians working to fight a disease. "We hope this study helps emergency clinicians have more informed conversations with patients suspected to have COVID-19," said the study's lead author Austin Kilaru, MD, an Emergency Medicine physician at Penn Medicine. "It can be difficult to make this diagnosis and send patients home without knowing if they will get sick in the coming days. This study gives clinicians a few signposts to know how often and when patients may need to return, and what risk factors to pay attention to." The study looked at 1,419 patients who went to an emergency department (ED) between March 1 and May 28, 2020, were discharged, and tested positive for COVID-19 in the seven days surrounding that visit. Data showed that 4.7 percent of the patients returned to the hospital and were admitted within just three days for their initial ED visit, and an additional 3.9 percent were hospitalized within a week. In total, that meant that 8.6 percent of patients were coming back to the hospital after their first ED visit due to COVID-19. "We were surprised with the overall rate that patients return and need admission, which is twice that of other illnesses," Kilaru explained. "The concern is not that emergency physicians are making wrong decisions, but rather that COVID can be unpredictable and turn severe rather quickly." A population that the study showed was particularly vulnerable were patients over 60 years old. Compared to patients in the 18 to 39 years of age range, those over 60 were more than five times as likely to require hospitalization after being discharged from their initial emergency department visit. Those in the 40 to 59 age range were found to be three times as likely to require hospitalization than the younger group. When it came to individual symptoms, the study showed that patients of any age with low pulse oximetry readings were about four times as likely to require hospitalization upon return as compared to those with higher readings, while patients with fevers were more than three times as likely as compared to those without. "If the patient had other factors such as an abnormal chest x-ray, the likelihood of needing to come back to be hospitalized goes up even more," said the study's senior author, M. Kit Delgado, MD, an assistant professor of Emergency Medicine and Epidemiology. The study collected demographic data for patients, which showed no signs of differences along racial or gender lines. "This further contributes to the evidence that the known racial disparities in COVID mortality are not related to differences in care and outcomes among patients once treated in the same hospital system. Rather, the disparities are structural related to the higher rates of infection and access to care in low-income communities, which are disproportionately Black and Hispanic." With the hope that their findings can better inform doctors on who is most appropriate for home recovery, the researchers called out remote monitoring as a useful tool for looking after COVID-19 patients. An example of this is Penn Medicine's COVID Watch system, a text-message-based system that sends daily check-ups on known COVID-19 patients recuperating at home to make sure their symptoms aren't worsening. To date, more than 5,500 patients have been enrolled in the system, which is the subject of a new Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) study for which Delgado, Kilaru amd the other researchers on this study are also serving as investigators. "We are eagerly awaiting the result of this study, which focuses specifically on pulse oximetry," Delgado said. Other authors on the completed hospital readmission study included Kathleen Lee, MD; Christopher K. Snider; Zachary F. Meisel, MD; David A. Asch, MD; and Nandita Mitra, PhD; all of Penn. ### This story has been published on: 2020-09-15. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Two sons of the late winner of the June 12, 1993 election, Moshood Abiola, have been freed after being detained by the police for 13 days, PREMIUM TIMES confirmed. Kassim and Aliyu were arrested and detained over a robbery incident that took place at their fathers Lagos residence on September 2. The two were detained at the Special Anti-Robbery Squad in Ikeja as against the position of the law that forbids detention of suspects for more than 48 hours. While they claimed their arrest was sequel to a complaint that was lodged by their step-mum, Adebisi Abiola, after the robbery incident, the step-mum said they were arrested owing to their unruly acts to the police officers during interrogation. Also, the duo approached a Lagos State High Court in Ikeja for the enforcement of their fundamental rights and demanded N100 million as compensation. This, however, generated furore amongst members of the extended family and their legal representatives. Release Speaking to PREMIUM TIMES on Tuesday evening, their lawyer, Mike Ozekhome, confirmed the release of the duo. He said their bail was secured around 3:00 p.m. This paper also learnt that the first daughter of late businessman, Lola Abiola-Edewor, signed an undertaking with the police seeking the release on bail of her two brothers and their internal staff. In his reaction, the learned silk expressed his excitement. He also warned that powerful people should know that power is ephemeral. Where are the Idi-Amins of this world? Where are the emperor Jean-Bedel Bokassas of the Central African Republic of this world? Where are the oppressors and suppressors of this world? Let everyone know that power is ephemeral. When asked about the continuation of the fundamental human rights suit, Mr Ozekhome said he awaits further instruction from Olive Abiola, the Cameroonian mother of the duo, who lives in Zimbabwe. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-15 14:39:21|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Photo taken on Sept.15, 2020 shows the site of an attack in Jalalabad city, capital of Nangarhar province, Afghanistan. An intelligence agency officer was killed and three others were wounded after a roadside bomb targeted a vehicle in Jalalabad city, capital of Afghanistan's eastern Nangarhar province on Tuesday, a provincial government spokesman confirmed. (Str/Xinhua) JALALABAD, Afghanistan, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- An intelligence agency officer was killed and three others were wounded after a roadside bomb targeted a vehicle in Jalalabad city, capital of Afghanistan's eastern Nangarhar province on Tuesday, a provincial government spokesman confirmed. "A vehicle of National Directorate of Security (NDS) was passing by a road in Angor Bagh locality of the city in the morning when an improvised explosive device was detonated. Three NDS personnel aboard the vehicle were also wounded in the incident," spokesman Attahullah Khogiani told Xinhua. The explosion also damaged the vehicle which belongs to NDS, Afghanistan's national intelligence agency, he added. No passers-by or people around the site were injured in the incident, according to Khogiani. No group has claimed responsibility so far. Over the past months, big Afghan cities have witnessed a spate of terror attacks by the Taliban insurgents and Islamic State (IS) outfit opposing the government. Violence still lingers in the war-torn country at the time as peace talks between an Afghan government delegation and Taliban representatives was underway in Doha, capital of Qatar. In her opening, Calderon turns the camera on herself, recalling her interview with a Ku Klux Klan leader who threatened her: Were going to burn you out. She writes: Theres no doubt: I, Ilia Calderon Chamat she uses her full name here, highlighting the Syrian lineage she inherited from her mothers side of the family am Black. Colombian, Latina, Hispanic, Afro-Colombian, mixed and anything else people may want to call me or I choose to call myself, but Im always Black. Race is a central theme of her story, underlining the significance of Calderons professional ascendance in her native and adopted countries: She was the first Afro-Latina to anchor leading national newscasts in Colombia and on a major Spanish-language broadcast network in the United States. Hinojosa focuses her introduction on a girl from Guatemala whom she encounters at an airport in McAllen, Texas, one of nine immigrant children about to be escorted onto a flight to Houston and from there, who knows? Hinojosa and the girl stare at each other, a grown woman on her hands and knees looking for a plug to charge her phone and a numb girl, the one with the gaze of nothingness, of just barely being human; a child anesthetized by some mysterious poison that kept you alive on the outside but dead on the inside. Its a jarring scene, punctuated by the bureaucratic coolness of the girls chaperones, Hinojosas tender reassurances in Spanish and the outrage she feels while witnessing one of the greatest modern horrors of the U.S.A., as she puts it, the holding of innocent children; the transporting, trafficking, kidnapping of children by a government. Hinojosas book is as much a manifesto as it is a memoir. The narrative is chiseled by points of convergence between her own story and the history of immigration in this country. In one vivid passage, she recalls a childhood memory of desperate families fleeing Vietnam in small fishing vessels after the fall of Saigon. She notes the term used by newspapers at the time boat people then asks: Should we call those waiting on the sidewalks at the border in Mexico concrete people? Whats next? How else can we otherize people from different places? Theres an almost perverse similarity between Hinojosas description of her arrival as a green-card-carrying child from Mexico in the 1960s and the arrival, in 2018, of a mute and blind asylum-seeking boy from Guatemala whom she introduces in the final pages of her book. Hinojosa is a child of privilege: Her family moved to the United States because her father, a doctor and researcher, was offered a full-time job at the University of Chicago. The boy she writes about has a different story: His family came to the United States to escape the mafia that had killed his grandfather and threatened to kill him and others in his family. Yet the overlap is telling. The government attempted to remove each of them from their mothers arms as they arrived Hinojosa while at the airport, where a customs agent threatened to quarantine her after mistaking an allergic rash for German measles; and the boy while at an immigration detention center, just because. Her message is clear: Pedigrees dont matter much when youre brown. As a result, Hinojosa has made it her mission to shed light on the lives and stories that others refuse or arent equipped to see. She has earned distinction after distinction in nearly 30 years as a journalist, working at public radio stations and for public, network and cable television news channels, often as the only Latina in the newsroom. Again and again, she recalls stories like one she worked on at NPR, about young boys who earned money by performing back flips and other tricks outside an El Salvador hotel that housed foreign reporters during that countrys civil war: It was a story that had been right in front of journalists faces for years and yet for them and therefore for the rest of us, these kids were invisible. Their stories didnt matter. South Sydney remain keen to retain Joseph Suaalii but have rejected the teenage prodigys demands for a new five-year deal that includes get-out clauses in his favour. The saga that has been the cross-code battle for Suaaliis signature took a fresh twist when the youngsters handlers asked the Rabbitohs for a long-term contract - one from which Suaalii could extricate himself in seasons 2023-5 if he so chose. If the proposal had been accepted, the Kings School product would have had a lever to return to the 15-man game while still enjoying the security of a lucrative NRL deal as a fallback. The unusual proposal was a counter to Souths initial three-year contract extension, which would have made the precocious fullback one of the highest-paid teens in Australian sporting history. A 38-year-old Covid-19 positive man from Mudki in Ferozepur district died after jumping from a window on the second floor of the Guru Gobind Singh Medical College and Hospital (GGSMCH) at Faridkot on Tuesday morning. Admitted on September 12 with breathing problems, he tested positive on Monday, officials said. At around 4 am on Tuesday, (the patients) condition deteriorated after he complained of breathing problems. As doctors contacted his family members for their consent to put him on ventilator, the patient jumped from the second floor of the hospital and died on the spot. We have initiated proceedings under section 174 of CrPC, said Satwinder Singh, deputy superintendent of police. The patients family, however, alleged he died because of negligence of the medical staff and that the suicide theory was a cover-up attempt. My husband was fine last night when I met him, later hospital authorities informed us that he tested positive for Covid-19, said his wife. Declaring the dawn of a new Middle East, US President Donald Trump on Tuesday presided over the signing of historic diplomatic pacts between Israel and the Arab states of UAE and Bahrain, which he hopes will lead to a new order in the Middle East and cast him as a peacemaker ahead of the November 3 election. The deals, denounced by the Palestinians, make UAE and Bahrain the third and fourth Arab states to take such steps to normalise ties since Israel signed peace treaties with Egypt in 1979 and Jordan in 1994. As the ceremony was underway at the White House lawn, two rockets were fired from the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip into Israel, the Israeli army said. The signing of the deals, called the Abraham Accords, capped a dramatic sequence of events when the UAE and Bahrain agreed to reverse decades of ill will towards Israel without a resolution of its decades-old dispute with the Palestinians. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu joined Emirati foreign minister Sheikh Abdullah Al Nahyan and Bahrains foreign minister Abdullatif Al Zayani for the signing ceremony. Meeting Netanyahu in the Oval Office earlier, Trump said, Well have at least five or six countries coming along very quickly to forge their own accords with Israel. But Trump did not name any of the nations involved in such talks. The agreements were signed in three languages: English, Arabic and Hebrew. Trump is expected to use the signing of the pacts to bolster his image at home to seek a second term, fending off a stiff challenge from Democratic candidate Joe Biden. Together these agreements will serve as the foundation for a comprehensive peace across the entire region, something which nobody thought was possible, certainly not in this day and age, may be in many decades from now, Trump said before the signing of the agreements. He added: For generations, the people of the Middle East have been held back by old conflicts hostilities lies treacheries so many things held them back These agreements prove that the nations of the region are breaking free from the failed approaches of the past. (With inputs from Agencies) Israel normalized relations with long-time foes Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates at the White House on Tuesday as President Donald Trump said similar US-brokered deals were close between the Jewish state and several other nations, including Saudi Arabia. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the foreign ministers of Bahrain and the UAE sealed the accords establishing full diplomatic ties with a ceremony on a flag-decorated White House South Lawn. Hundreds of guests attended the event, which Trump is hoping will boost his reelection chances in November, but there were no handshakes to cement the historic agreements in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. Bahrain and the UAE are the first Arab nations to establish relations with Israel since Egypt in 1979 and Jordan in 1994, and Trump hailed it as a "historic day for peace." "After decades of division and conflict we mark the dawn of a new Middle East," he said. Trump said the agreements, which have been denounced as a "betrayal" by the Palestinians, "will serve as the foundation for a comprehensive peace across the entire region." Speaking later to reporters, he said Israel would enter into similar deals with up to nine other countries, including regional power Saudi Arabia. Netanyahu said the day heralded "a new dawn of peace." "Ultimately it can end the Arab-Israeli conflict once and for all," he added. "To all of Israel's friends in the Middle East... I say as-salaam alaikum, peace unto thee, shalom." - 'Two-state solution' - Neither Trump nor Netanyahu made any reference to the Palestinians during their remarks, and Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas said Tuesday that only an Israeli withdrawal from its occupied territories could bring peace to the Middle East. "Peace, security and stability will not be achieved in the region until the Israeli occupation ends," Abbas said. As the accords were being signed in Washington, rockets were fired into Israel from the Gaza Strip, injuring two people and prompting Israeli air strikes on the territory. Story continues For the Middle East, the deals mark a distinct shift in a decades-old status quo where Arab countries have tried to maintain unity against Israel over its treatment of the stateless Palestinians. Both the UAE and Bahrain foreign ministers made a point of mentioning the Palestinians in their remarks before the signing ceremony. "Thank you for choosing peace and halting the annexation of Palestinian territories," UAE Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al-Nahyan told Netanyahu. "I stand here today to extend a hand of peace." Bahrain Foreign Minister Abdullatif al-Zayani said a "just, comprehensive and enduring two-state solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict" would be the "bedrock" for lasting Middle East peace. Trump, speaking to Fox News ahead of the ceremony, said the agreements would put pressure on the Palestinians to also negotiate or face being "left out in the cold." "The Palestinians will ultimately come in too," he said. "And you're going to have peace in the Middle East without being stupid and shooting everybody, and killing everybody, and having blood all over the sand." Trump predicted that Iran -- a regional rival to Bahrain and the UAE -- would seek to "make a deal" with the United States if he is reelected. - F-35 sale to UAE - All the four countries at the White House share a common hostility to Iran, which Trump has put under crippling economic and diplomatic pressure. The thaw will give Israel and its two new Arab partners a big economic opening, just when they are looking to rebuild after the international slowdown triggered by the pandemic. And it allows Trump to enjoy the optics of presiding over a historic breakthrough less than 50 days before the November 3 election, which opinion polls suggest he is currently on course to lose. It also provides a dose of good news coverage to Netanyahu, a close Trump ally who faces a corruption trial and criticism over his handling of the coronavirus pandemic. The UAE, meanwhile, has been using the negotiations as part of its campaign to pressure Washington to sell it the cutting edge F-35 warplane. Trump said Tuesday he was willing to sell the warplanes to the UAE despite Israeli opposition. Hundreds of Palestinians protested ahead of the signing ceremony. Several dozen pro-Palestinian demonstrators also staged a protest outside the White House. "This is a backstab to the Palestinian people," said Zeina Hutchison, one of the rally's organizers. sms-cl/bgs/gle/qan TOKYO, Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Vienna Airport and Bespoke Inc. are proud to announce the launch of Artificial Intelligence (AI) chatbot service Bebot in the Vienna AirportCity. Currently available at airports across the world, including Tokyo and Tampa, Bebot is fast becoming an essential travel partner for emergency communication to ensure the safety of commuters and tourists worldwide. Bebot provides real-time answers to user questions regarding COVID-19, facility information and gives users directions in the Vienna AirportCity. All visitors at the Vienna AirportCity will have instant access to Bebot, which provides real-time answers to user questions regarding COVID-19, facility information and gives users directions in the Vienna AirportCity. Bebot also helps gather user insights, enabling Vienna AirportCity to identify trends and opportunities for improvement at the airport. Bespoke has started a three-month test with Vienna Airport for Vienna AirportCity and look forward to implementing it afterward. Bebot is available on mobile or desktop to any user of Vienna AirportCity's on-site Wi-Fi or widget installed on the website. There is no need to download an application or complete an account registration in order to use the service. Bebot's language-understanding technology was customized to meet the accuracy needs of COVID and emergency use cases. The system helps passengers get immediate guidance on when COVID testing is needed and where it can be obtained at Vienna AirportCity and engage with users to provide answers to their questions and concerns during the pandemic. In addition, Bebot will provide Vienna AirportCity with a digital guidance system. The use of the digital guidance system, including AI, saves significant costs when compared to implementing an analog one and lays the foundation for future services to be based on it. Users can then find their directions in the Vienna AirportCity easily. In addition, Bebot has the ability to disseminate the latest news and COVID-19 related updates to ensure all users have the most important information right in their hands. Users can ask questions such as "Can I get a PCR test at the airport if needed?", "Can I buy masks at the airport?", "Can I take the train to Vienna city centre?" "We are thrilled to add Vienna AirportCity to our platform. Travelers across the world have told us how much they enjoy receiving instant and reliable information, and we are excited to make Bebot available in Europe for the first time," says Akemi Tsunagawa, Bespoke's founder and CEO. Bebot, known as Japan's first travel chatbot, has been developed using AI built in-house by Bespoke Inc. First released in Japan in April 2016, Bebot is a customizable chatbot that allows businesses and establishments to provide real-time solutions and engagement with users and partners that can assist in a wide range of issues, from crisis management to driving in-market spend, as well as ensuring users have all the correct information in their hands. With the launch of Bebot across airports and governments, the use of AI technology by residents and travelers is set to significantly expand from Japan across the globe. About Vienna AirportCity Let your business take off at the Vienna Airport business site. You will find modern offices in the direct vicinity of the terminal building at the Vienna Airport Office Park. Make use of the competitive advantages of the Cargo Centre Vienna, a high-tech logistics and freight handling centre. And all this just 20 minutes away from Vienna city centre. About Bespoke Inc. Headquartered in Tokyo, Bespoke Inc. is the world's leading developer of multilingual Artificial Intelligence solutions serving the travel and tourism industry. Bespoke provides solutions to major airports, cities and transport authorities to aid in congestion management, emergency communication and driving in-market spend. Bespoke's partners include the Narita International Airport, Sendai International Airport, Tokyo Metro, JR East's Tokyo Station, Mie Prefecture, Holiday Inn and Sofitel Hotels & Resorts. Bespoke has also developed a chatbot to combat the current coronavirus pandemic for use in Japan and globally. As of January 2020, over 12 million travelers interact with Bespoke's Chatbot annually. For more information, please visit Bespoke on the web at https://www.be-spoke.io/ or email [email protected]. Related Images bebot-x-vienna-airportcity.png Bebot x Vienna AirportCity Bebot provides real-time answers to user questions regarding COVID-19, facility information and gives users directions in the Vienna AirportCity. Related Links Bebot x Vienna AirportCity Demo Video SOURCE Bespoke Inc. A court in Russia's Ural city of Yekaterinburg has upheld a fine imposed on an ultraconservative, coronavirus-denying Russian priest who was stripped of his religious rank in July after he took control of a convent in the Urals with help from Cossack guards. The Sverdlovsk regional court on September 15 ruled that the decision of a lower court in July to fine excommunicated Schema-Hegumen Sergiy (Nikolai Romanov) 18,000 rubles ($240) for inciting hatred and discord in his sermons was valid. Farther Sergiy was stripped of his rank by the Diocesan Court in the Sverdlovsk region on July 3 for what the court called disobedience toward Russian Orthodox Church authorities. The abbot of a mens monastery in the Sverdlovsk region made headlines in June after he took over the Sredneuralsk Womens Monastery by force with help from Cossack guards. Father Sergiy is known for his public praising of Soviet dictator Josef Stalin, and for denying the coronavirus, which he calls a Western plot. He also publicly condemned the Russian Orthodox Church's order in April to stop church services to prevent the spreading of the coronavirus. Weeks later, the Yekaterinburg diocese barred him from preaching and launched a probe into his conduct, citing his stance on the coronavirus and his interference with church policy during the pandemic. Still, he refused to follow the diocese's ruling and continued to preach. After forcibly taking over the convent in June, Father Sergiy issued several political statements saying that constitutional amendments offered by President Vladimir Putin "would legalize a slave-owning system." "That means we will voluntarily legalize the power of the future Antichrist and his slaves. I call on all peoples of Russia -- do not go to voting stations!" Father Sergiy said in one of his statements in June. Russian voters overwhelmingly approved the amendments in a vote that ended on July 1. Among other things, the constitutional amendments allow for Putin, a 67-year-old former KGB officer who has ruled Russia as president or prime minister for more than 20 years, to stay in power until 2036 if he chooses to run again after his current term ends in 2024. With reporting by Interfax and TASS WASHINGTON - Senators grilled a Google executive Tuesday over its dominance in the digital ad market, shedding light on Congress' ongoing investigation of the company as it faces mounting antitrust scrutiny from multiple branches of the government. The hearing, hosted by the Senate Judiciary subcommittee on antitrust, came more than a month after the House held its own exhaustive hearing on potential monopoly power with the chief executives of Google, Facebook, Amazon and Apple. The Senate hearing focused mainly on Google's effect on competitors in the digital ad market, where the company makes the bulk of its money. But it also took detours into long-running Republican allegations of censorship of conservative views at the search giant. Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, the subcommittee's chairman, opened the hearing Tuesday by saying he would continue to pursue issues of perceived bias against conservatives but that the hearing was not fundamentally about those concerns. But in his first question to Google, he asked about its alleged censorship of a conservative news outlet. "I want to be clear here that a private company engaging in censorship on its own platform is not a violation of antitrust laws," Lee said. "Nevertheless, as I pointed out in my letter to your company on this subject, isn't this behavior evidence of market power? In other words, why would any company want to treat its customers like that? Unless it was confident that its customers had no viable alternative." The Senate panel's line of questioning sheds some light on Republicans' antitrust priorities at a critical juncture for Google. The Justice Department is expected to file an antitrust lawsuit as early as this month. A group of state attorneys general, led by Republican Ken Paxton of Texas, is also conducting a parallel investigation. Google is the first target in what could be a watershed moment for antitrust regulation in the country. Critics have charged for years that U.S. laws have failed to rein in Big Tech, allowing companies to amass ever more power. Three more companies were questioned at the congressional hearing in July: Facebook for its acquisition of smaller companies, including Instagram; Apple for its hold on the App Store; and Amazon for the way it collects data from third-party sellers on its site. (Amazon chief executive Jeff Bezos owns The Washington Post.) But Google received a significant amount of attention during the hearing as CEO Sundar Pichai defended the company against concerns about the dominance of its search and ad technologies. Competitors have accused Google for years of unfairly controlling too much of the market by prioritizing its own services over others on search results pages and by managing many aspects of the digital ad buying and displaying process. Senators waded deep into the weeds of Google's advertising infrastructure on Tuesday, probing the company executive for specific answers on how Google could claim neutrality when it controls so much of the technology. Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., grilled Google mergers and acquisitions chief Donald Harrison on how the company uses information it collects from Gmail, Search and other services to boost its advertising business. "You then use those advantages in the ad stack at every single layer, every layer of which you exercise dominance in," Hawley said. "That gives you enormous advantage." Harrison spent much of the hearing on defense, insisting that Google has strong competitors in the ad technology space and that the company's services are good for consumers. "Any discussion of online advertising would be incomplete without mentioning the importance of advertising in supporting a free and open Internet," Harrison said in his prepared remarks. Harrison had plenty of time to make his case, but senators also interrupted him and often answered their own questions while pressing on issues of market dominance. "Google has an immense conflict of interest," Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn) said while pointing out that Google represents both publishers and advertisers and collects information on both. Giving the best experience to consumers has been a key defense for Google in antitrust investigations for years. But rivals say Google controls too much of the advertising process by managing both the infrastructure for sellers and many of the websites where ads are placed. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., zeroed in on Google's acquisition of advertising tech company DoubleClick in 2007, as well as its pending merger with Fitbit, a fitness tracker company. That deal is still being reviewed by regulators. Harrison pledged that the company would not mix users' health-care information with advertising data to show people personalized ads. "This deal is about devices," he said. "It is about health care and not about ads." Klobuchar also asked Harrison why Google's ad exchange business shouldn't be regulated in a similar way to electronic trading in the stock market. "I think you look for regulation in a market where you see market failure," he replied. "And I don't see it here." Republicans at the hearing also spent big chunks of time focusing on claims that the company is censoring conservatives. Lee has repeatedly criticized the tech industry for being biased against conservatives, a charge that has little evidence and that the tech giants have repeatedly denied. He has suggested that this perceived bias is grounds for greater antitrust scrutiny. "I view your heavy-handed censorship as a sign of exactly the sort of degraded quality one expects from a monopolist," he wrote in a letter to tech companies, including Google's parent company, Alphabet, this summer. "In any other business, you would never dream of treating your customers the way you treat those with views you don't like. That is, unless you know your customers have no other serious options." Google has repeatedly denied allegations that it is suppressing conservative viewpoints, and Harrison reiterated that the company's advertising policies do not take political affiliation into account. In a response to Lee's letter, Google said it applies "our policies to all content creators across the board and will not allow any form of political bias." Executives from business trade association NetChoice, tech company Chalice Custom Algorithms and Omidyar Network, a firm funded by eBay founder Pierre Omidyar, also testified at the hearing. 15.09.2020 LISTEN Reports say the ongoing Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) commenced smoothly without any hitches in the Sefwi-Waiwso Municipality. So far, a total of 3,266 candidates from 67 public and 42 private schools are writing the examination in some 16 centers. At the English and Arabic center at Sefwi-Asawinso, Mr Kwabena Musah, a supervisor told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that all the COVID-19 pandemic protocols were being observed and that 205 candidates from five schools are writing at the center. He indicated that all materials were received, and the exams started on a good note. At the Sefwi- Waiwso senior high school center, the supervisor Mr. Peter Kyeremateng said a total of 132 candidates from five schools wrote the exams at the center with one candidate each from Dwenase Presbyterian Junior high and Anglican Junior high schools absent. At the time Ghana News Agency (GNA) visited Waiwso R/C center, Madam Georgina Amissah, the supervisor said the center received all materials and that a total of 219 candidates from seven schools were sitting for the examination at the center with two candidates absent. Mr. Edmond Ababio, Sefwi- Waiwso Municipal examination coordinator expressed satisfaction with the conduct of the examination. He said the necessary measures have been put in place to check leakages. ---GNA The early days of the COVID-19 pandemic contributed to negative mental health effects for many in the U.S., according to new Penn State research. But the researchers also found that some coping techniques -- like wearing masks and focusing on self-care -- were linked with positive mental health. Erina MacGeorge, professor of communication arts and sciences, said the results -- recently published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health -- may give clues about how people can continue to cope with the pandemic, as well as which populations may need extra care and assistance. "These populations may include young people, those with pre-existing conditions, and those who don't have much social support from family and friends," MacGeorge said. "As individuals, we can help bolster our own mental health by protecting ourselves from COVID-19 as much as possible -- like with social distancing, hand-washing, and mask-wearing -- by seeking support when we need it, and choosing activities that keep us moving forward, such as looking for safe ways to have fun and help others." After the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global pandemic in the middle of March 2020, a cascade of measures meant to slow the spread -- such as school and business closures and social distancing requirements -- went into effect. The researchers said that while necessary, these measures helped contribute to people experiencing excess stress not only from fear of the disease itself, but also from other factors such as financial stress, problems finding child care, and separation from friends and family, among others. I've spent much of my career studying social support, which is one important factor in how people respond to traumatic events. Living through the earliest weeks of the pandemic, talking with friends, and reading news stories about the challenges we were all facing, I wanted to study relationships, supportive communication, and health during the pandemic." Erina MacGeorge, professor of communication arts and sciences The researchers recruited participants between the ages of 18 and 90 for the study. Participants were asked to complete surveys at three points in time: one on April 20, one between May 4 and 8, and one between May 18 and 22. A total of 442 participants participated in all three surveys. In each survey, participants answered questions designed to measure symptoms of depression and anxiety, as well as ones designed to measure how well participants were coping with traumatic events. The surveys also measured how much the participants felt the pandemic was affecting them financially, physically, socially and mentally, as well as whether participants were adhering to recommendations -- such as mask wearing -- and what kinds of coping strategies they were using. The researchers found that levels of stress, anxiety and depression were highest at the beginning of the study, at the end of April. By the time the study ended near the end of May -- when many states were making plans to reopen -- these levels were lower. Younger people and people with pre-existing health conditions were more likely to have negative mental health outcomes. According to the researchers, "social strain" -- such as someone making demands, giving criticism, or simply getting on your nerves -- was the strongest and most consistent predictor of mental health. "This suggests that in difficult times like this, it could be particularly important to proactively structure our social networks in ways that minimize negative social experiences," said Yanmengqian "Alison" Zhou, a graduate assistant in communication arts and sciences. However, MacGeorge said that several "forward-focused" coping strategies were associated with better mental health. "Things like keeping a consistent schedule, reminding yourself that things will get better, finding activities to distract yourself, and taking care of others who need help are all helpful," MacGeorge said. "Additionally, adhering to the national recommendations for protecting oneself from COVID-19, like hand-washing, social distancing and masking, was also associated with better mental health." Jessica Myrick, associate professor of media studies, said the study suggests that physical and mental health are interconnected. "Sometimes we need to take a break from thinking about how we feel and do something to help alleviate the threat and make us feel a lot better about our situation in life," Myrick said. "COVID-related messages that emphasize that even small actions are worthwhile might have the doubly positive effect of getting people to take small actions, like washing their hands more often, but also alleviate some mental strain, too." MacGeorge added that it's important to note that the data for their study was collected in April and May, before the protests following the killing of George Floyd and the ramping up of presidential campaigns. "The pandemic had not been going on very long at that point," MacGeorge said. "Many states were just starting to 'reopen,' and there was a temporary flattening of the COVID-19 illness and death curve at that time. There is reason to believe that the mental health impacts of the continuing pandemic will be stronger than they appeared in our study in May, especially for people who have lost loved ones, who are now out of work, or who have suffered racial prejudice and discrimination." Signage for Francesca's Collections, a subsidiary of Francesca's Holdings Corp., is displayed outside of a store in Shrewsbury, New Jersey. Apparel retailer Francesca's said Tuesday its ability to continue as a going concern is in doubt after it reported a quarterly sales decline of 29%, citing major supply-chain constraints. Its shares cratered 27% in Tuesday morning trading. "We are operating within what continues to be an unprecedented and extremely challenging environment," CEO and President Andrew Clarke said in a statement. He said the retailer is exploring a variety of strategic alternatives and has brought on FTI Capital Advisors to help it look for ways improve its liquidity and financial position. Francesca's said some of the options it's exploring include lease concessions, further cuts of operating and capital expenditures, raising additional capital, and restructuring its debt and liabilities through a private restructuring or a restructuring under the protection of bankruptcy laws. The Houston-based company reported a second-quarter loss of $17.2 million, or $5.80 per share, compared with a profit of $1.8 million, or 61 cents a share, a year earlier. Net sales for the period ended Aug. 1 tumbled 29% to $75.7 million from $106 million a year earlier. Francesca's is not offering an outlook for the remainder of the year, due to the uncertainty around the Covid-19 crisis. Should the retailer be pushed into a bankruptcy filing, it would join many others, including J.Crew, Brooks Brothers, Lucky Brand, Loft parent Ascena Retail Group and J.C. Penney. Francesca's shares are down more than 51% this year. The company has a market cap of $15.4 million. Could there be another Kardashian-Jenner on the way? A newly-released trailer for the upcoming season of Keeping Up With the Kardashians has many fans asking that very question. In it, Kim Kardashian West claims she heard Kourtney Kardashian and Scott Disick were planning to have another baby from the Talentless designer himself. She begins to press them on whether its true as a speechless Kardashian looks on. Kourtney Kardashian and Scott Disick at a club in February 2011 in Las Vegas, Nevada | Ethan Miller/Getty Images for AG Adriano Goldschmied Kourtney Kardashian and Scott Disick already have a big family Kardashian and Disick are the parents of three children: Mason, 10, Penelope, 8, and Reign, 5. The pair began dating in 2006 after being introduced through a mutual friend and went on to welcome their kids in the following years. Their relationship played out across several seasons of KUWTK, including the births of their children and many of their breakups. Finally, after years of being off and on, Kardashian broke up with Disick in 2015 after he was caught partying with a group of women, including his ex-girlfriend Chloe Bartoli. But despite the breakup, the pair has remained close. They co-parent their children together and have even made moves in recent weeks that have convinced fans that they might reconcile soon. This includes flirty comments on social media and taking several trips throughout the summer of 2020. RELATED: Report Says Scott Disick and Sofia Richie Broke Up Due to His Love for Kourtney Kardashian Are Kourtney Kardashian and Scott Disick planning to have another baby? In the aforementioned trailer, which came out on Sept. 15, several members of the Kardashian-Jenner family are shown hanging out together, including Kris Jenner, Disick, and Kim, Khloe, and Kourtney Kardashian. At one point, Kim mentions to her sister that she heard Disick talking about having more babies with her. Scotts like, Were going for baby number four. Is that serious? I wanna know, she asks Kardashian. Before she could answer, Khloe came flat out and asked, Are you pregnant? But the clip cuts just as she was about to respond. RELATED: What Is the Birth Order of the Kardashian-Jenner Kids? What Kourtney Kardashian has said about having more kids Back in January, Kardashian signaled she was open to having a fourth child. The comments came when she posted a photo on Instagram that convinced fans she was expecting. When one person directly asked if she was, she wrote back: No I wish. She faced similar speculation in April after posting another photo on social media. But she also denied that she was pregnant. Put the blessing out there though, she added. Fans will be able to see how she responded to Kim when the show returns to E! on Sept. 17. It is one of the last seasons before the show wraps in 2021 and one that appears to be jam-packed with plenty of drama. RELATED: KUWTK: Why the Show Might Not Be Ending After All Guests can now enjoy Bob Evans eight new craveable Hand-Breaded Fried Chicken dishes at breakfast, lunch or dinner at all Bob Evans locations. With a continued focus on what makes every meal special, Bob Evans Restaurants introduces its new Hand-Breaded Crispy Fried Chicken. Bob and his wife, Jewell, knew that each guest was a treasure and took the time to create meals that brought together farm-fresh ingredients and farmhouse kitchen cooking. Each new chicken dish is hand-breaded using five steps and prepared special for each guest, creating fresher, crispier and juicier chicken. Bob Evans Restaurants is using 100 percent all white meat, U.S. family farm raised chicken to pay homage to its roots in the farming community. The new Hand-Breaded Fried Chicken dishes are available all day with an assortment of farmhouse sides. In addition to the Hand-Breaded Fried Chicken dishes, Bob Evans is introducing indulgent new Honey Butter Chicken & Biscuit dishes, featuring real clover honey and flaky buttermilk biscuits. Clover honey is made by honeybees that collect the nectar of clover plants and it has a sweet mildly floral taste making it one of the most popular varieties. Bob Evans uses 100 percent Grade A honey from Deer Creek Honey Farms in London, Ohio, just a short drive from the birthplace of Bob Evans, the Bob Evans farmstead in Rio Grande, Ohio. Bob Evans famous biscuits are made with real buttermilk and wheat flour to ensure a flaky texture and are oven-baked throughout the day to ensure freshness. Bob Evans originated from a family farm in rural Ohio, so partnering with family farms to introduce these new chicken dishes gives us an opportunity to bring our guests even closer to the core of who we are as a brand, said Saed Mohseni, chief executive officer for Bob Evans Restaurants. At Bob Evans, we work hard every day to bring Americas Farm Fresh to our guests and these Hand-Breaded Fried Chicken dishes are a new extension of our longstanding commitment to using farm-fresh ingredients. Down on the farm, we know everything is better handmade thats why we take the time to hand-bread each chicken breast for every order because that extra effort gives the chicken a better, farm-fresh taste that guests will crave, said Bob Holtcamp, chief marketing officer for Bob Evans Restaurants. With these new dishes, its nice to give our customers something they can get excited about right now. Were also catering to the reality of todays dining experience by offering Family-Size options for guests who wish to utilize our carryout, curbside pickup or delivery offerings. Guests can enjoy Bob Evans eight new craveable Hand-Breaded Fried Chicken dishes at breakfast, lunch or dinner at all Bob Evans locations. The Best Dang Chicken in Town entrees include: Honey Butter Chicken & Biscuit Breakfast: one hand-breaded fried chicken breast with real clover honey, butter, one split biscuit, and two eggs cooked to order. Served with choice of hashbrowns, home fries, fresh-cut fruit or grits and two freshly-baked biscuits or banana nut bread. Farmhouse Chicken Sandwich: homestyle hand-breaded fried or grilled chicken breast topped with real provolone cheese, center-cut bacon, tomatoes, and onion on a toasted brioche bun and served with honey mustard. Hand-Breaded Fried Chicken Breasts: two hand-breaded fried chicken breasts served with your choice of two sides. Honey Butter Chicken & Biscuit: two hand-breaded fried chicken breasts with real clover honey, butter, one split biscuit and your choice of two sides. Hand-Breaded Fried Chicken Breast Dinner Bell Plate: one hand-breaded fried chicken breast served with mashed potatoes, gravy and corn. Honey Butter Chicken & Biscuit Breakfast Family Meal: this family-size meal serves up to six and comes with six hand-breaded fried chicken breasts with real clover honey, butter, six split biscuits, family size portion of eggs cooked to order, and your choice of family-sized home fries, hash browns or fresh fruit. Hand-Breaded Fried Chicken Family Meal: this family-size meal serves up to six and comes with six hand-breaded fried chicken breasts, your choice of two family-sized sides and nine dinner rolls. Honey Butter Chicken & Biscuit Family Meal: this family-size meal serves up to six and comes with six hand-breaded fried chicken breasts, six biscuits, your choice of two family-sized sides, nine dinner rolls, butter and a bottle of 100% pure Grade A real clover honey. For more information or local restaurant hours, please visit BobEvans.com. ### About Bob Evans Restaurants, LLC Bob Evans Restaurants is a chain of family style restaurants founded and headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, which owns and operates locations in 18 states, primarily in the Midwest, mid-Atlantic and Southeast regions of the United States. Founder Bob Evans believed in treating strangers like friends and friends like family; and those principles are alive today at every Bob Evans Restaurant. As a private company owned by Golden Gate Capital, Bob Evans Restaurants is focused on providing quality food and hospitality to every guest at every meal, each and every day. For more information and restaurant locations, visit BobEvans.com, or follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Media Contact: For more information, please contact: BobEvans@fahlgren.com A baby boy found crying beside the body of his Ugandan asylum seeker mother in a Glasgow flat is at the centre of a looming custody battle between his father and his mother's family who want him to grow up in Africa. Sixteen-month-old Adriel was found hungry and distressed in a flat in Govan last month while the body of his mother, Mercy Baguma, was lying in the hall after she had gone missing for four days. The child is now being cared for by his father, Eric Nnanna, in Glasgow. The case was highlighted by Nicola Sturgeon who said she was 'consumed with sadness' over Mercy's death - and used it to condemn the UK's policy towards asylum seekers. But at her funeral, which took place yesterday in eastern Uganda, her sister Sarah Nakendo told MailOnline that her one-year-old son Adriel would have a better life with his extended family in Uganda than in Britain. The 43-year-old businesswoman said: 'The boy should be brought back to live with his family in Uganda so that we can care for him. We are all devastated by Mercy's death and his rightful place is with us. 'The money raised by donations for our nephew should be fixed in an account which he will access when he is of age. We shall use the little we have to take care of him unconditionally. 'My father can't understand why they sent back his daughter's body but his grandson remains in Britain. We want Adriel back very much. He is our blood. He is Ugandan, with family here. We want to do it for Mercy.' Scroll down for video Mercy Baguma, 34, was found dead by police in Govan, Glasgow, last month Mercy's one-year-old son, Adriel, was found hungry and crying in his cot next to her body Adriel, left, is being cared for by his father, Eric Nnanna, right, in Britain Mercy's sister, Sarah Nakendo, said she wanted to bring Adriel to live with the family in Uganda Mercy's funeral took place at her family village near Bugiri, eastern Uganda, yesterday Mercy, who was from a wealthy background, suffered from alcohol addiction, depression and a kidney condition for years before she died aged 34 in a flat in Govan last month. According to friends in Glasgow, her relationship with Eric, whom she met in a phone repair shop in 2017, had been tempestuous for seven months but they were trying to get back together just before she died. The tragic asylum seeker was laid to rest yesterday in her family village near Bugiri in eastern Uganda, in a ceremony attended by about three hundred mourners. She belonged to a prominent local family who own an extensive network of properties in the capital, Kampala, as well as extensive farming assets in their home village. Her father, former MP Abdu Balingilira Nakendo who sponsored the local school, looked frail and withdrawn as he led traditional Islamic prayers in her memory, in the company of local dignitaries. Speaking at the funeral, her sister revealed that the grieving family's pain had been made worse by getting caught up in the 'politicisation' of Mercy's death by activists and politicians in Britain. The charity Positive Action in Housing (PAIH), which had been helping Mercy, said she was living in 'extreme poverty' as her right to work in Britain had expired. Scottish leader Sturgeon blamed Westminster, saying 'the UK asylum system is not just broken, it is deeply inhumane' and calling on the British Government to 'look into their hearts as a result of this case'. Boris Johnson agreed to step in to pave the way for Mr Nnanna and Adriel to stay permanently in Britain. 'People are using the death of my sister for their political campaigns while the family is being left out,' Ms Nakendo told MailOnline. 'At first, activists suggested that Mercy died of hunger, then it turned out it wasn't true. What is this? People in Scotland have taken control of the story and are misusing my sister's death. 'They are stage managing everything so that even the First Minister of Scotland talks about it, which I think is abuse. We want Mercy's son back here in Uganda. We don't want him to be exploited for political gain.' Privately-educated Ms Baguma suffered from pre-existing kidney and liver conditions, as well as depression and alcoholism, according to her family and friends Eric Nnanna raised the alarm after he hadn't heard from Mercy in four days Ms Baguma had been in Scotland for almost 14 years prior to her death Mercy's father, Abdu Balingilira Nakendo, stands by her coffin at her funeral yesterday Mercy's coffin rests under a tent just before her funeral service and burial yesterday Mercy's father, brothers and other local dignitaries pray at her funeral service yesterday One of 14 children, Mercy was from a wealthy family with an extensive property empire in the capital, Kampala. She moved to Britain 13 years ago in search of 'greener pastures' after being unable to find work in Uganda. Earlier this year, her limited leave to remain expired and she was forced to give up her job at the Calabash African bar and restaurant in Glasgow. Friends told MailOnline that her health declined dramatically in the days before her death. 'When she was working at the restaurant she was a happy woman, a jolly girl, laughing all the time,' a friend who wished to remain anonymous said. 'Just before her death, I met Mercy in a shopping centre. It was shocking. She wasn't the person I knew. The way she looked, how she dressed. She had withdrawn. She didn't care about herself.' Another friend added: 'I met her in the last days. Usually she was fine, but she said she had some immigration issues on her mind. I knew because she had to urgently print documents. That was unusual. 'Something was really off. She was struggling financially. She mentioned something about her housing, that she would be leaving that house because she was not managing. 'She had situations that led to drinking too much, issues with Eric and the Home Office. Many people will find something that will help them to sleep, to forget. Sometimes you'd meet her but she was off, she was deep in thought.' Speaking at the funeral, her brother, Kizire Nakendo, insisted that the British Government should have ruled on Ms Baguma's asylum application more quickly. 'I don't think it's a political issue. It's a human rights concern,' he said. 'If somebody seeks asylum here in Uganda, the government has to respond within three months. 'But look, my sister sought asylum way back, it's coming up to 13 years. 'Had they responded to her request and denied it, perhaps she would have come back to Uganda and I don't think she would have met her death as early as now.' Family members also expressed bewilderment that Mercy's body had been returned without a cause of death, only with documents describing it as 'unascertained pending investigations'. 'We have not heard anything for three weeks,' her sister, Ms Nakendo, said. 'We are grieving without knowing what killed Mercy. The cause is not known. We don't have answers. 'What killed Mercy? We don't know how long the investigation will take. It could be a year, it could be five, or it could be ignored.' Mercy's family and friends gather around her grave as her body is lowered in New trees were planted to mark Mercy's grave at her ancestral village in eastern Uganda Well-wishers and mourners gather in a tent during the funeral service for Mercy Baguma Ms Baguma, right, and her father, former MP Abdu Balingilira Nakendo, left, who collapsed when he heard news of her death Mercy's family lives adjacent to an enclave known as 'Ministers' Village', due to its popularity with Ugandan politicians, army chiefs and business leaders Mercy's body was found in her flat in Govan, Glasgow, in August, next to her hungry son At the funeral, several marquees had been erected to shade mourners from the scorching sun but many had to shelter under the large jackfruit, banana and avocado trees surrounding the lawn. Local farm labourers arrived on foot while wealthy family and friends from the city arrived stepped out of air-conditioned SUVs. Inside the family home, Ms Baguma's coffin lay behind a makeshift curtain, under a green-and-white shroud. Speaking in Lusoga, the local language, Ms Baguma's politician brother delivered a eulogy recalling Ms Baguma's childhood in Ntinda, an exclusive suburb of the capital popular with the country's elite. In 2006, Ms Baguma later travelled to Reid Kerr College in Paisley, Scotland, to study social work, he said. Her sister had accompanied her on that initial trip. 'I couldn't imagine how it would all end,' Ms Nakendo told MailOnline. After the service, close relatives carried Mercy's coffin to the family burial plot a short distance away where the body, wrapped tightly in a white shroud, was removed from the coffin and buried, as is customary in that community. A spokesman for Positive Action In Housing said: 'We would make it clear that we have never made a statement or supported the position that Mercy died of hunger. 'That statement did not emanate from us and it would be a gross distortion to say that it did, or that Ms Qureshi, our director, was either part of or instrumental in such deception for political gain. 'The asylum crisis in Glasgow has been an ongoing concern for our clients for many years and especially since Covid restrictions came into effect. There is nothing stage managed about the plight of these individuals whom our clients continue to support.' He added: 'We are indebted to the people of Glasgow, Scotland and across the world who have raised 75,000 for Mercy's baby son Adriel. 'We look forward to helping to resolve the family's asylum situation and are grateful to Boris Johnson for agreeing to intervene in Eric and Adriel's asylum case with the Home Secretary.' A Scottish Government spokesperson said: 'Our thoughts go out to Mercy Baguma's young child, family and friends following her tragic death. 'The exact circumstances of her death are not yet known. We support all efforts to establish the facts of this tragic case so that her family can have some understanding.' LAS CRUCES Biologists from New Mexico State University and White Sands Missile Range examined nearly 300 dead migratory birds Saturday at Knox Hall on the universitys main campus. Over the past few weeks, various species of migratory birds are dying in unprecedented numbers of unknown causes, reported Martha Desmond, a professor at NMSUs Department of Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Ecology. It is terribly frightening, Desmond said. Weve never seen anything like this. Were losing probably hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of migratory birds. In August, large numbers of birds were found dead at White Sands Missile Range and at White Sands National Park in what was thought to be an isolated incident, Desmond said. After that, however, came reports of birds behaving strangely and dying in numerous locations in Dona Ana County, Jemez Pueblo, Roswell, Socorro and other locations statewide. The affected birds have included warblers, sparrows, swallows, blackbirds, flycatchers, and the Western wood pewee. A number of these species are already in trouble, Desmond said. They are already experiencing huge population declines, and then to have a traumatic event like this is its devastating. On Saturday, Desmond was joined by Trish Cutler, a wildlife biologist at WSMR, and two NMSU students for an initial evaluation of the carcasses. Desmond said her team also began catching and evaluating living specimens Friday as residents reported finding birds behaving strangely and gathering in large groups before dying. People have been reporting that the birds look sleepy theyre just really lethargic, Cutler said. One thing were not seeing is our resident birds mixed in with these dead birds. We have resident birds that live here, some of them migrate and some of them dont, but were not getting birds like roadrunners or quail or doves. On the other hand, numerous migratory species are dying rapidly and it is not immediately clear why, although the cause appears to be recent. Desmond said the birds had moulted, replacing their feathers in preparation for their flight south, and you have to be healthy to do that; but somewhere after that, as they initiated their migratory route, they got in trouble. The biologists guessed the cause might involve the wildfires ravaging the western U.S. and dry conditions in New Mexico. They may have been pushed out before they were ready to migrate, Desmond said. They have to put on a certain amount of fat for them to be able to survive the migration. These birds migrate at night and they get up in the jet stream, and they might migrate for three nights in succession, theyll come down and theyll feed like crazy, put on more fat and go again. The biologists noted that the majority of the dying birds are insectivores, but that seed eaters were sickening and dying as well. The birds will be sent to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Forensics Laboratory in Ashland, Oregon, for further analysis. Desmond said it could be weeks before results come back, and the findings could bear serious ecological implications. Over 3 billion birds have died since 1970. Insect populations are crashing, and this is just an unprecedented mortality, she said. Climate change is affecting the abundance of insects, its affecting the volatility of the fires, and the scary thing is this is may be an indication of the future. As part of the " Ghana First Platform (GFP's)" initiative to promote an independent system of governance in Ghana, one of the founding members of this NGO, Mr. Jacob Osei Yeboah 2012 & 2016 independent presidential candidate has commissioned the regional executives of both JOY2020 and United 1 Ghana that are among member CSOs under the umbrella of Ghana First Platform (GFP) in Accra. Speaking at the occasion, the twice contested independent presidential candidate tasked the newly commissioned executives to promote the independent system as the only Credible Alternative Force to Ghana's political woes instead of promoting for a 3rd force. According to him, a political force is supposed to make an impact in the lives of people but not to destroy them. He added if the NPP and NDC are the first and second political party forces, then a third political party force will automatically collapse this country. Further, he finds it difficult to understand which of the two major parties is the first and second force, hence the need for a credible alternative force which is the independent system. Mr. Yeboah further stressed the need for the new executives to abstain from the habit of making empty promises but rather he encouraged them to be truthful by explaining to the voting population why the independent system is the only credible alternative. In response, the women's commissioner and the Eastern Regional coordinator for the joint team on behalf of the coordinators extended gratitude to the office of Mr. Yeboah for commissioning them and further added to work in the interest of Ghana first in ensuring that, independent candidates win both majority and the presidential in the upcoming December 7 general elections. Other members present were Mr. Aseidu Asare a coordinator of United 1 Ghana who also called for the commitment of all members, others include Bright Eastern Regional coordinator of United 1 Ghana, Melvina Adjedu Greater Accra Regional coordinator, Caroline Elikem a JOY2020 youth advocate, and some other reps as well. Church, family grieve after beloved pastor is killed in crossfire at Miami flea market Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Family members and churchgoers are reeling after Pastor Gregory Boyd, leader of New Birth Harvest Outreach Ministries Churches of Deliverance in Miami, Florida, was shot and killed while getting a bite to eat at a local flea market last Thursday. He was 54. We are grieving the loss of our dear Overseer Gregory Boyd, his church said in a statement on Facebook Saturday. Keep his wife, family, friends and congregation in prayer. His absence is truly felt in Miami-Dade County and possibly even further. We don't have many words currently as we're in shock still. The church concluded by urging followers to spend time in prayer and show love to each other. According to the Miami-Dade Police Department, Boyd was shot at approximately 6:05 p.m. in front of the Shoe Time store located on Northwest 27th Avenue. He was transported to Jackson Memorial Hospital Ryder Trauma Center and died a short time after arriving. ABC News affiliate WPLG reports that the shooting stemmed from an argument between a woman and a group of men. A second group of men got involved in the dispute before the gunfire began. Police believe Boyd was caught in the crossfire. WPLG reporter Terrell Forney was on the scene broadcasting a live report on the arrest of two men suspected in a drive-by shooting that killed a 7-year-old girl when the shooting erupted. He described how the shots never seemed to stop. Im waiting to wrap up the package before we go live again and all of a sudden I hear all of these shots, Forney told the news station. I hear, Pop! Pop! Pop!' ... and it feels like it never really stopped. The pastors daughter Sharita Cooper said in a post on Facebook that the death of her father has devastated her family. I keep thinking its a nightmare I cant wake up from. This is so hard to digest, she wrote. To the young people that shot multiple times at each other with no regard for life, I pray that you will see that you have not only took a great man of God but you took away my father, my hero, a Great husband to my mom and an even better friend/family member to countless others. Hes well known by many and justice will be served. Church members told WSVN that Boyd had been their pastor for 20 years. A GoFundMe campaign, which has since been suspended after the family said it "does not need money for funeral services," explains that Boyd and his wife, Pastor Dorothy Boyd, were married for almost 24 years at the time of his killing. He was a father of three and had many grandchildren. The Boyds co-founded New Birth Harvest Outreach Ministries Churches of Deliverance in 2011, according to the church's website. Battlefield evidence, such as photos depicting crimes committed against civilians, fingerprints on explosive devices and e-mails describing terrorist plots, is increasingly being used to prosecute suspects of terrorism and core international crimes, including returning Foreign Terrorist Fighters. The 2020 Memorandum on Battlefield Evidence, which was published today by Eurojust, the EU Agency for Criminal Justice Cooperation, shows that while there are many challenges in obtaining such data and making sure it meets the criteria for admissible evidence, it has paved the way for bringing terrorist suspects to trial. Photos Shutterstock Battlefield evidence can be considered as proof, similar to any other type of evidence, in criminal proceedings. Judicial authorities in ten EU countries report that, since 2018, they have increasingly received and used battlefield information in court proceedings irrespective of whether the information came from national and/or foreign military forces, or from NGOs and UN entities. The evidence consists of both electronic data and physical items, such as mobile phone data, credit cards. Other examples are situational reports, letters describing potential terrorist plots, witness statements and administrative documents such as a payroll roster, a list of patients in a hospital, or a will. To guarantee the right to a fair trial, general admissibility criteria for evidence must be strictly met. With experience, solutions have been found to overcome certain challenges in this respect, including declassification of raw data as a standard procedure, providing context for raw material by intelligence services and using standard procedures for international Mutual Legal Assistance requests. The report outlines a number of recommendations to further develop this practice, such as strengthening the operational relationships between judicial authorities and law enforcement counterparts and other authorities, which include border protection and military forces, both at national and international level. The Memorandum is the result of close cooperation between Eurojust, the Genocide Network, national authorities in the EU Member States and the Liaison Prosecutors at Eurojust. It was produced following a recommendation from the EU Counter-Terrorism Coordinator as part of the European Unions efforts to strengthen information exchange in the field of counterterrorism. Background What is battlefield evidence? Definitions of battlefield evidence and battlefield information vary from country to country. This information may be of a general nature or very specific and linked to a particular situation. For the purposes of this report, the term battlefield evidence and the more general term battlefield information are used for materials that originate from a conflict area, and include materials collected by other actors, such as the military, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), UN entities, the International Criminal Court (ICC) and other organisations. The terms battlefield evidence and battlefield information may refer to both personal and non-personal data. Eurojusts support for judicial authorities in the fight against terrorism Eurojust, the EU Agency for Criminal Justice Cooperation, supports EU Member States and Third States in the coordination of cross-border judicial investigations and prosecutions of all forms of serious crime, including terrorism. Eurojust also facilitates exchanges of national experiences both in terrorism and in core international crime cases, sharing information from national correspondents for terrorism matters and within the Genocide Network. Since 2018, cooperation with the US authorities has also been developing in this area. Eurojust will continue to monitor developments in this area by analysing its own casework and convictions of terrorist offences, and particularly cases in which battlefield evidence was used. Its close collaboration with the European Counter Terrorism Centre at Europol is also destined to continue. On another front, Eurojust will pursue its cooperation with the US authorities on battlefield information, in which joint efforts will be made to enhance searches of stored battlefield information and provide guidance on the categories of information that could prove useful for criminal proceedings. Bianchi brothers and Pincarelli request protected area of Rome prison. Three suspects in the brutal killing of Willy Monteiro Duarte, a 21-year-old beaten to death by a gang in Colleferro, have requested solitary confinement in a protected wing of Rome's Rebibbia prison over fears they will be attacked by other inmates, reports Italian news agency ANSA. The request comes as the charges facing the suspects were upped from manslaughter to murder, in a case that has shocked and sickened Italy. Three of the four arrested, currently in Rebibbia jail, are brothers and mixed martial arts practitioners Gabriele and Marco Bianchi, aged 26 and 24; and Mario Pincarelli, 22; with the fourth suspect Francesco Belleggia, 23, under house arrest. On 12 September Italian premier Giuseppe Conte attended the funeral of Duarte, a Cape Verdian-Italian who died following a brutal assault after he had stepped in to defend his friend. Witnesses described those who beat Willy as "devils, not human beings," with eye-witness accounts of the aggressors jumping up and down on the victim's helpless body. An autopsy revealed that Duarte died as a result of 'polytrauma' - multiple traumatic injuries - to his chest, abdomen and neck, which led to cardiac arrest. Magistrates bave reconstructed a scene of "unmotivated and unprecedented" violence against a young man who "had nothing to do with" a fight triggered by a trivial matter. The Bianchi brothers, who are allegedly well known for street violence and intimidation, have denied any role in the death of Duarte, telling prosecutors: "We never touched him." Welsh farming groups have raised the importance of a trade deal with the EU at a meeting with Minister for Trade Ranil Jayawardena. Farmers highlighted that food in non-EU countries was produced to lower welfare, environmental and social standards than those legally required in the UK. The round-table discussion included Montgomeryshire MP Craig Williams and representatives from the Farmers' Union of Wales (FUW) and NFU Cymru. FUW President Glyn Roberts said: We had a good meeting with the Minister and a lively debate around the dangers of allowing cheap substandard food imports after the Brexit withdrawal period. I made it very clear that we must continue our trading relationship with Europe and that if we lose that the consequences for our industry would be devastating. He noted how the UK recently saw the impact of the overnight closure of export markets on farm incomes and supply chains due to the coronavirus pandemic. Mr Jayawardena was also reminded of the impacts of BSE in 1996, FMD in 2001 and the collapse in wool prices following the loss of the China market earlier this year. Mr Roberts said: It must also be noted that if we do have a trade deal, the domestic policies we apply to our own producers must be developed with the policies applied for our main competitors in the EU in mind. Whilst reassurances were made by the Minister regarding food standards being maintained, the groups stressed that incoming food products to the UK market must comply with the same standards and regulations as UK producers. We supported Neil Parishs New Clause 2 amendment and have advised Lords on similar amendments that would have the same effect. "It is essential that what is included in a trade deal is subject to our standards, Mr Roberts added. Des viewers were left gobsmacked this evening after David Tennant's Dennis Nilsen pleaded not guilty to the murders of three men - despite previously admitting his crimes. The second episode of the gripping three-part ITV drama saw Nilsen (played by the Broadchurch and Doctor Who star) grow increasingly frustrated with both the conditions at his Category A prison and the lack of attention he was receiving from police as they continued their search to identify the serial killer's victims. At the end of the show, Nilsen, who is believed to have killed as many as 15 men at his homes in Cricklewood and Muswell Hill, north London, in the late 1970s and early 1980s, shocked viewers by claiming he wasn't guilty of any crime. 'After all that he pleads not guilty? Seriously messed up! This is gripping stuff,' one astonished viewer wrote. At the end of the show, Nilsen, who is believed to have killed as many as 15 men at his homes in Cricklewood and Muswell Hill, north London , in the late 1970s and early 1980s, shocked viewers by claiming he wasn't guilty of any crime Sharing their thoughts on Twitter, another viewer said: 'Excuse me what? My heart dropped in my chest when he said 'not guilty'. God give these families peace.' A third added: 'How can he admit everything then plead not guilty?' While a fourth wrote: '"Not guilty = a trial = more attention and in the spotlight. Dennis knows what he's doing.' One of the nation's most notorious killers, Nilsen died at the age of 74 in 2018 at HMP Full Sutton, 34 years into his life sentence - he was charged with murder after his drains had been found to be blocked with human remains. Twitter users were left perplexed by the turn of events at the end of the second installment of the gripping series, taking to social media to explain it was 'messed up' At the end of tonight's episode, Nilsen was asked at his hearing how he pleads to three counts of murder - and left the courtroom shocked when pleading not guilty. Earlier in the show, Scottish-born Nilsen, also known as the Muswell Hill Murderer, lost his calm demeanour after police failed to improve his living conditions or discover what had happened to his beloved dog. In a tense conversation with Detective Inspector Peter Jay (played by Line of Duty star Daniel Mays), the murderer, who had been open and candid about his crimes until then, refused to answer any further questions after not being given any information about his pet. 'How's Bleep?', Nilsen asked the officer, who replied: 'Well you made it pretty busy for me the last time I was here, Des. Haven't had a chance to ask about your dog.' Earlier in the episode, Nilsen had sent police into a frenzy when claiming he'd killed missing person 23-year-old Canadian tourist Kenneth Ockendon after meeting him in a pub. The second episode of the gripping three-part ITV drama saw Nilsen grow increasingly frustrated with both the conditions at his Category A prison and the lack of attention he was receiving from police But the inspector's excuses weren't good enough for the serial killer, who quickly shot back with his complaints: 'I am sick of helping people who take advantage of my good nature. I think I'm deserving of more balance.' Doing his best to ignore Nilsen, DI Jay asked: 'Did you kill these men? How many people did you kill in Melrose Avenue? Did you kill Kenneth Ockendon?' But Nilsen was determined to be heard, explaining: 'If I hadn't wanted you to, you wouldn't have found me so why would I lie to you now? 'I've been convicted of no crimes as of yet, therefore I am innocent until proven guilty. Where is this coming from? In Category A like I'm some kind of dangerous prisoner, will I escape? Intimidate a witness? I'm your only witness.' During the latest episode, the murderer, who had previously been open and candid about his crimes, refuses to answer any further questions after not being given any information about his pet 'This man has a seven-year-old son, do the right thing and look at the f****** photos,' pleaded DI Jay. 'Did you kill this man?' But to the astonishment of viewers, the serial killer replied: 'No comment.' Later in the show, an emotional Nilsen discovered his beloved dog has died, with the murderer's biographer revealing the news moments before the criminal's hearing. 'Des, Bleep was put down by the dogs home. She became ill not soon after you'd been arrested and they thought it would be kinder that way.' A distraught Nilsen admitted: 'She forgave me everything and never let me down, and then the moment of her greatest crisis, I wasn't there for her.' Also in the episode, the officers working on the case became increasingly annoyed by Scotland Yard bosses suggesting they don't need to discover all the identities of Nilsen's victims as it would costf too much money. Explaining that the price of the team's overtime was already 'too much', the chiefs stopped the investigation and took it to court after just six of Nilsen's potential 15 victims were discovered. Des continues Wednesday, 9pm, ITV. A man eats a takeaway meal on a chair placed outside a restaurant in the Kowloon-side Sham Shui Po district of Hong Kong in the early morning of July 29, 2020, as new social distancing measures come into effect which include restaurants only being allowed to serve takeaway meals, to combat a new wave of coronavirus infections. Anthony Wallace | AFP | Getty Images SINGAPORE Developing Asia, which includes countries like China, India, Indonesia and Singapore, will contract this year for the first time in about six decades as the coronavirus pandemic continues to hammer economies worldwide, the Asian Development Bank said. In its updated outlook report, ADB said GDP in developing Asia will contract 0.7% this year. The bank also said three-fourths of the region's economies are set to shrink in 2020, downgrading its GDP forecasts for those countries. The pandemic, which has now infected more than 29 million people worldwide, slowed domestic consumption, affected external demand and hit exports, Yasuyuki Sawada, ADB's chief economist, said Tuesday on CNBC's "Street Signs Asia." "On top of this, travel bans really undermine free flow of people as well as goods and services trade," he said. In an attempt to slow the spread of the virus, some countries have shut down borders to non-residents while most have implemented varying degrees of social restrictions, including periods of total lockdowns in places like India. South and Southeast Asia Southeast Asia was previously expected to grow 1% for the year, but is now predicted to contract 3.8%, with Thailand, the Philippines and Singapore each set to experience declines of more than 6%, the ADB said. The Philippines and Indonesia have reported the most number of infections among Southeast Asian countries. China, where the coronavirus outbreak was first reported in late-December, is the only country that is expected to register positive growth, albeit far below levels the world's second-largest economy has reported in recent years. China is set to register a 1.8% expansion in 2020, down from an earlier forecast of 2.3%, as its economy slowly gets back on track, according to the report. Infection levels in the country appear to be under control. That is in contrast to the rapid outbreak in India, which is now the pandemic's epicenter in Asia with more than 4.8 million reported cases. India is predicted to register a 9% decline for the calendar year 2020, the ADB said. That was revised down from an earlier forecast of 4% growth. India's fiscal year runs from April 1 to March 31 the following year. In the three months between April and June, India's economy shrank at its steepest pace of 23.9% following a national lockdown between April and May. Growth rebound South Korea aims to secure enough new coronavirus vaccines to administer to 30 million people, or roughly 60 percent of the country's population, the health ministry said Tuesday. Under the COVID-19 vaccine plan discussed at the Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun, the country will seek to get vaccines for 10 million people from the COVAX Facility, set up by the World Health Organization and global vaccine alliance Gavi, according to the Ministry of Health and Welfare said. The rest will be acquired through arrangements with private companies, the ministry added. It is estimated that two doses of vaccine are required for an individual to acquire immunity to the virus. The ministry said that based on demand and progress made by local pharmaceutical companies, the country will seek to secure vaccines for a further 20 million people that will allow everyone to receive vaccinations. "The initial target of inoculating 60 percent of the population is to create herd immunity in the country that can reduce public fears about the coronavirus," Lim In-taek, head of the health industry policy division at the ministry, said. To get the vaccines from the COVAX Facility, the country submitted papers to join the international organization on Aug. 31 and will send a legally binding letter of confirmation by Friday. The country will pay an upfront payment of 172.3 billion won (US$145.5 million) to join the facility by Oct. 9 and seek separate deals with global pharmaceutical companies. Of the total, 40 percent of the funds will go to COVAX Facility, with the rest to be used to secure shipments from overseas pharmaceutical companies like AstraZeneca, Novavax, Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson Johnson. Seoul is also eying vaccine development efforts by China's Sinopharm. Lim said that while the government has taken a cautious approach toward securing orders from private companies, it should have no problems getting the vaccines for 20 million people in a timely manner. "The country plans to engage in concerted talks with any company that develops a safe and proven COVID-19 vaccine," the official said, adding that considerable progress has been made in talks so far with foreign firms. Vaccines that South Korea wants to secure from private companies will be determined based on safety, effectiveness, price and when they can be made available for use, Lim stressed, adding that several vaccines may be acquired going forward. Separately, he pointed out that local biotech company SK Bioscience has already signed contract manufacturing organization deals with foreign manufacturers to make coronavirus vaccine candidate materials in the country that should help meet local needs. On domestic vaccine development, the health ministry said that at present the government is providing extensive support to three companies carrying out critical clinical tests. Seoul has also set up a special support center to facilitate the development of vaccines by local companies. The health ministry earlier said the country is seeking to develop a treatment material by the end of the year and a vaccine in 2021. It said detailed plans will be set in October, after discussions with experts, on prioritizing people who need to be vaccinated first, as well as on making a decision on how to handle the overall cost of vaccinations. On Tuesday, the country reported 106 more COVID-19 cases, raising the total caseload to 22,285. The number of deaths stands at 367, with the fatality rate reaching 1.64 percent. (Yonhap) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that the main priority for him is the end of the war in Donbas and the return of Ukrainian territories. The head of state said this in an interview with Austrian government newspaper Wiener Zeitung, according to Ukrinform. "When I promise something, these are not just empty words. Ending the war and getting the Ukrainian territories back - that's my top priority. These are not romantic promises," Zelensky said, commenting on his campaign promises and their implementation after the election. At the same time, he acknowledged that "it's not easy" to fulfill these promises. "But we have already achieved a lot. We got 140 people back from captivity. We conducted the disengagement of troops. Shots are no longer fired there, almost no one is killed. Except for one death, there have been no losses for seven weeks. Everyone sees that, and Europe sees that too. Sometimes there is shelling from separatists. But we don't respond to it, and that's a good thing," Wiener Zeitung quoted Zelensky as saying. Zelensky also noted that a humanitarian catastrophe is currently observed in non-government-controlled areas in Donbas, and many people have contracted coronavirus. "The people who live in the occupied part of Donbas can see how the Ukrainians live on the other side of the front they live better. The miners in the occupied Donbas are doing badly: They don't get normal wages and have to pay high prices for water and electricity. If the people there run out of patience at some point, there can also be riots," Zelensky said. According to him, an internal conflict in the occupied Donbas is possible, because people live badly, and there are many people with pro-Ukrainian views there. Zelensky will pay an official visit to Austria on September 15-16. During the visit, the president is scheduled to hold talks with President Alexander Van der Bellen, Chancellor Sebastian Kurz and President of the National Council (Parliament) Wolfgang Sobotka. op It was a perfect place for Lt. Gov. Sheila Oliver to remind us of the debt we owe to the many good police officers who protect us with life and limb, and to offer them heartfelt thanks. She stood at the September 11 memorial in West Orange on the anniversary, atop a steep ridge of the Watchung Mountains, with a clear view of Ground Zero about 20 miles in the distance. To law enforcement, I want to share a message with you: We need you, we appreciate you, and want you to know with all the noise thats going on, we will never defund you, said Oliver, the states senior Black politician. The slogan defund the police is a terrible slogan because it has two distinct meanings, one a temper tantrum and another a sensible reform. To a fringe of radicals, it means just what it seems to say: Take all the money from the police department and build something new in its place, as the city council in Minneapolis voted to do in the wake of the George Floyd shooting. But to many, the slogan has another meaning thats more rational. Its a call to scale back our reliance on brute force to uphold the law, and to engage more unarmed citizens to help de-escalate violence instead. Mental health workers could be a huge help on that front. Up to 10 percent of police calls concern dangerous behavior by those with mental illnesses, and most police are poorly trained to handle it. An internal 2015 study by Los Angeles police found that 37 percent of police shootings involved suspects with documented signs of mental illness. Wouldnt it make more sense to hire mental health workers to de-escalate? Unarmed community groups can play a role as well, especially in the wake of shootings. The Newark Community Street Team, which relies heavily on former prisoners, visits shootings victims in the hospital, talks with friends and families, and tries to negotiate a peaceful resolution. Police in Newark credit the NCST with helping drive down crime, and they welcome the help. In June, Newarks city council voted to cut the police budget by 5 percent and divert that money to community groups that help keep the peace, a move that will require no police layoffs. Anthony Ambrose, the citys public safety director, supported the move, noting that 1 in 4 calls the police receive are about non-police matters, like unruly children and mental health episodes. Definitely, I dont foresee this being a problem, Ambrose said. Olivers speech is important for two reasons: The first is that the many good police officers and their families are putting everything on the line for us, are not murderous racists, and deserve a morale boost in tough times. The second is that Donald Trumps lies need to be exposed, over and over. The truth is that America is remarkably united on police matters. A recent Gallup poll showed that Americans believe policing needs major changes by a margin of 10 to 1. The same poll showed that only 15 percent want to eliminate police departments. And 81 percent want community groups to play a larger role in fighting crime. I am on board with police reform, Oliver says. But police are needed. If we had a president who wanted to unify the country, thats what he or she would say. It wouldnt be that hard. Its exactly what Joe Biden is saying. But President Trump, true to form, is stoking division in hopes of political gain. He calls Black Lives Matter a symbol of hate. He ran an advertisement showing an elderly woman calling 911 to report a burglary who is told that police have been defunded, an add that ends with a burglar breaking in, and her phone falling to the floor. He has falsely claimed, over and over, that Biden wants to defund the police, even though Biden supports increasing federal funding. Trump is hoping that people will believe his lies if they are repeated, over and over. The only antidote to his lies is to tell the truth, over and over. When it comes to defunding the police, Oliver just pointed the way. More: Tom Moran columns Tom Moran may be reached at tmoran@starledger.com. Follow him on Twitter @tomamoran. Find NJ.com Opinion on Facebook. The Fauquier Times is honored to serve as your community companion. To say thank you, we are excited to offer 4 weeks FREE Digital & Print access to all subscribers new and returning alike. We are dedicated to continuing providing reliable, high quality journalism. This is possible with the trust and support of our subscribers in the community we are proud to serve. Newly elected head of Liberal Democratic Party Yoshihide Suga poses for photos following his press conference at its headquarters after the party's leadership election in Tokyo Monday, Sept. 14. AP-Yonhap By Do Je-hae Questions are being asked as to whether the leadership change in Japan this week will provide a significant impetus for improving bilateral relations between Korea and Japan, following Yoshihide Suga's election as ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) leader, Monday. But prospects appear dim for any visible change in the strained Seoul-Tokyo ties, which under outgoing Prime Minister Shinzo Abe plummeted to their worst levels since the 1965 normalization of diplomatic relations. The prime minister-designate has announced that he will inherit Abe's foreign policies. Regarding relations with South Korea, he has repeated Abe's position that the 1965 treaty, under which Japan claims a complete and final settlement of colonial era-related reparations, must be the basis of bilateral relations. With negative prospects for South Korea-Japan ties even under a new leadership in Tokyo, experts are underlining the need for Seoul to take the initiative in restoring bilateral trust. For this, they say one of the first things it must do is to clear the uncertainty over a bilateral military information sharing pact, the General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA), signed in 2016. "Deputy National Security Adviser Kim Hyun-chong attempted to cancel a bilateral intelligence sharing pact with Japan," Leif-Eric Easley, a professor at Ewha University, told The Korea Times. "That needlessly damaged Seoul's credibility, not only in Tokyo, but also in Washington, Pyongyang and Beijing. Rather than hold GSOMIA at risk, the Moon Jae-in administration should expand security cooperation with an essential neighbor and fellow U.S. ally. Rather than escalate legal battles or demonize Tokyo, Seoul should encourage civil society dialogues. Fueling trade disputes with wartime history is counterproductive to reconciliation, not to mention harmful to economies recovering from the global pandemic." Seoul withdrew from its earlier stance to discontinue the GSOMIA in November 2019, following strong opposition from Washington, which said it was "disappointed" by the announcement. Washington sees the GSOMIA as a critical component of trilateral security cooperation, particularly in the wake of continued threats from North Korea and China's rise in the region. President Moon Jae-in speaks during a meeting at Cheong Wa Dae, Monday, Sept. 14. Yonhap Head out to the Navy Yard, and you may notice a few new additions. An orange monster, outfitted in a tight Jawn T-shirt, now guards one of the areas walking bridges. A large necklace with the words Rusty Love drapes down from an old ferry shed along the Delaware River. Cross-stitched flowers scale the walls of a former military building. And a 1984 Ford Thunderbird sits like a pinata, covered entirely in strips of colorful paper. Its all part of M.I.M.O.S.A., short for Mystery Island and the Marvelous Occurrence of Spontaneous Art. Its the newest public art project from Group X, the anonymous group of Philadelphia-based artists, curators, and organizers who brought the popular, purple-tentacled Sea Monster installation to town in 2018 and the massive cocoon made out of tape that drew thousands of visitors last fall. READ MORE: Find the best things to do in Philly in our weekly events calendar Starting today, M.I.M.O.S.A. features six installations from seven artists from India, Spain, Amsterdam, and, also here, including Philadelphias Kid Hazo and South Fellini. We view art as something thats for everyone, and thats always how we approach every project, says one of Group Xs anonymous members. Were trying to break down the physical and socioeconomic walls between Philadelphians and art, and this invites people to see all kinds of art from artists all over the world. The display is free to the public, and stretches out across the Navy Yard, making it easy to socially distance from others. Some pieces are larger and easier to spot, while others require that you do a little scouting. The theme that connects them all is simple: using the built environment to express a sense of playfulness. The Navy Yard means a lot of different things to different people. Over the years, many people have worked here, have lived here, have memories here, and so we wanted to use the existing landscapes to just create an element of fun and surprise, says Jennifer Tran, spokesperson for Navy Yard, collaborating with Group X for the third year in a row. Enter the Navy Yard from Broad Street, and one of the first pieces youll see is The Ray of Hope by DAKU, a street artist from India whose installations use sunlight and shadow. This one features the word hope in 25 languages. Rays of sun shine through stencils to bring the word to life beneath a canopy set up in Crescent Park. The whole time that were in is very unique. What we need the most right now is hope, says DAKU. I surveyed the demographics of Philadelphia and used the languages of all the different communities living in the area. When people see the words in their own language, I hope that they feel more connected, to see signs of belonging. Each installation has an accompanying sign that explains about the art and the artist. Youll learn that the paper-covered 1984 Ford Thunderbird, for instance, is a tribute to Vegas-based artist Justin Favelas mom. Decked out in colors of the Guatemalan flag, it represents the first car she bought with her own money when she came to the U.S. from Guatemala. READ MORE: How to do everything better right now: A collection of our most useful stories We had this idea in January, but you could say we got lucky, says an anonymous Group X member. All the installations are spaced out, outdoors, so people can walk around and experience free art. It works really well for this [pandemic] environment. If you go: The collection is on display through Nov. 2. The Navy Yard is open to the public daily from sunrise to sunset. Visitors are asked to wear masks, practice social distancing, and refrain from touching the art. All installations can be viewed from a sidewalk or walkway accessible by wheelchair. A map is available online at navyyard.org/mimosa. CALGARY, AB / ACCESSWIRE / September 15, 2020 / Aurwest Resources Corporation ("Aurwest" or the "Company") (CSE:AWR) is pleased to announce further to the Company's news releases dated August 20, 2020 and August 31, 2020, the Company has closed the first tranche of its previously announced non-brokered private placement ("Offering") and raised an oversubscribed amount for gross proceeds of $1,019,800 at a price of $0.05 per Unit (the "Unit") from the sale of 20,396,000 Units. The Company also plans to complete a second tranche closing for this Offering on or about September 30, 2020. Each Unit consists of one common share ("Common Share") of the Company and one Common Share purchase warrant ("Warrant"). Each Warrant is exercisable into one Common Share at a price of $0.10 per Common Share at any time within 18 months following the date of issuance of the Warrant, or at a price of $0.15 per Common Share if exercised by the holder any time after the initial 18 months but before the date that is 36 months from the date of issuance of the Warrant. The Company has the right to force conversion of the Warrants, if at any time from and after the date of issuance, the daily volume-weighted average closing price of the Company's Common Shares on the Canadian Securities Exchange, equals or exceeds $0.20 for ten (10) consecutive trading days. Colin Christensen, President & CEO commented, "The Company is very pleased with the outcome of this oversubscribed financing. The funds raised will allow us to pursue our objectives to move the Company's Stellar property forward, as well as investigate the acquisition of further advanced stage precious metal exploration projects in North America." An aggregate finder's fee of $37,377.50 and 1,493,100 broker Units were provided to PI Financial Corp., Canaccord Genuity Corp., Mackie Research Capital Corp. and Leede Jones Gable Inc. in connection with the Offering. Price protection at $0.05 per Unit was obtained from the Canadian Securities Exchange ("CSE"). All securities issued under this Offering are subject to a statutory hold period expiring four months and one day from issuance. The closing of the Offering, including the issuance of the securities and the finder's fee are subject to the Canadian Securities Exchange approval. None of the securities issued in connection with the Offering will be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "US Securities Act"), and none of them may be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the US Securities Act. This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there by any sale of the securities in any state where such offer, solicitation, or sale would be unlawful. On Behalf Of Aurwest resources Corporation "Colin Christensen" President and Chief Executive Officer For additional information please contact: Colin Christensen Telephone: (403) 483-8363 Email: cchristensen@aurwestresources.com Website: www.aurwestresources.com About Aurwest Resources Corporation Aurwest is a Canadian-based junior resource company focused on the acquisition, exploration and development of gold, silver, and base metal properties in North America. The Company currently holds a 100% interest in the 22,700 hectare Stellar copper/gold project, located approximately 25 kilometres southwest of Houston, British Columbia. Forward-Looking Information Statements included in this announcement, including statements concerning our plans, intentions and expectations, which are not historical in nature are intended to be, and are hereby identified as "forward-looking statements". Forward looking statements may be identified by words including "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "expects" and similar expressions. The Company cautions readers that forward-looking statements, including without limitation those relating to the Company's future operations and business prospects, are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. Readers are advised to rely on their own evaluation of such risks and uncertainties and should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release, and the Company assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements, except in accordance with the applicable laws. The Canadian Securities Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. SOURCE: Aurwest Resources Corporation View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/606162/Aurwest-Resources-Announces-Closing-of-First-Tranche-of-Oversubscribed-Financing (Bloomberg) -- U.S. senators laid out a case for why Google is abusing the size of its online empire to harm competition and amass even more power, articulating arguments that could be central to the governments upcoming antitrust case against the tech giant. The Alphabet Inc. unit has clear dominance in the search, online video and advertising technology markets, and uses those positions to benefit the rest of its business, several senators from both sides of the aisle argued during a Tuesday hearing organized by a subcommittee of the Senate Judiciary panel. You control YouTube and search, which are the dominant platforms; you control massive amounts of consumer data that you have harvested from your other consumer-facing platforms -- Gmail, Google Maps, G Suite, etc., said Senator Josh Hawley, a Republican from Missouri. You then use those advantages in the ad stack at every single layer, every layer of which you exercise dominance in. This looks like monopoly upon monopoly in a classic case of tying. The Justice Department and state attorneys general have been asking increasingly detailed questions about how Google uses discounts, restrictions and bundling to encourage advertisers and publishers to use only its products instead of mixing and matching with competing services, Bloomberg has reported. Read more: U.S. Google Antitrust Case Set to Expand With GOP States Joining Google critics have said the fact that the company runs software to handle every step of the online advertising process gives it the chance to play both sides of this market and unfairly benefit its own products. The senators picked up on that argument during Tuesdays hearing. In no other market does the party represent the seller, the buyer, makes the rules and conduct the auction, said Senator Richard Blumenthal, a Democrat from Connecticut. He called Googles position indefensible. Don Harrison, Googles president of global partnerships and corporate development, pushed back, saying the company doesnt actually have dominance in the markets it operates in. Google may lead when it comes to all types of general searches, but for for product queries and other commercial searches, consumers are more likely to start on Amazon.com Inc., Harrison said. Story continues In advertising technology, many other successful companies exist in the space, which shows that Google isnt hurting competition, he said. The DOJ is expected to file its case against the company in coming weeks. For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com Subscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source. 2020 Bloomberg L.P. Syracuse, N.Y. Onondaga County today reported 11 new cases of coronavirus since Sunday, bringing the total to 3,921 cases since March. County Executive Ryan McMahon said the countys low case numbers remain in "a good range.'' There were no new deaths from Covid-19 since Sunday, McMahon said. A total of 205 county residents have died from the virus. There are 10 Covid-19 patients in local hospitals today. Two of the patients are in intensive care, McMahon said. Of the 11 new cases, eight were attributed to community spread; one was blamed on travel from outside the area; and two occurred in households with previous infections. There are currently 123 active cases of Covid-19 in the county, McMahon said. The county tested roughly 3,225 teachers and other school employees during back-to-school testing through Sept. 11, McMahon said. None tested positive for Covid-19, although there has been at least one positive case among school employees tested elsewhere, McMahon said. An average of 0.63% of people who received individual diagnostic tests in Onondaga County were positive for the virus during the past seven days, McMahon said. If pooled saliva tests were included, the positive test rate would be 0.33%, he said. The state health department shows a higher positive test rate for Onondaga County, 1.1% for the seven days ending Sunday. The state does not include pooled saliva tests. In addition, state officials sometimes double-count local cases, McMahon said, such as when a hospital patient is tested several times before discharge. He said the countys data is more accurate because local investigators track each case. "Were the clearinghouse of cases,'' he said. MORE ON CORONAVIRUS Coronavirus in NY: Cases, maps, charts and resources Syracuse schools start today, ready or not; the word of the week: frustration #LetTheMusicPlay: CNY-based group leads fight against Cuomos music restrictions SUNY Oswego: No in-person dining, Greek life, dorm visits after cases top 100 Complete coronavirus coverage on syracuse.com News tips? Contact reporter Tim Knauss of syracuse.com/The Post-Standard: email | Twitter | | 315-470-3023 The Constitutional Court of Romania (CCR) unanimously ruled on Tuesday that there is no legal conflict of a constitutional nature between the government and Parliament following the tabling of a motion of censure in a special session, thus ruling against Prime Minister Ludovic Orban's objection. "The Constitutional Court has unanimously rejected the objection raised by the prime minister and found that there is no legal conflict of a constitutional nature between the government and Parliament generated by the way in which Parliament registered and presented their motion of censure. 2MC / August 17, 2020 - "PNL Government - From pandemic to generalised bribery. Wealth in the pockets of the PNL cronies, poverty in the pockets of Romanians,"' according to a CCR press statement released on Tuesday.Two members of the court, agreeing that there is no legal conflict of a constitutional nature, considered that the objection should be rejected exclusively as inadmissible.The court on Monday considered government's request to find out if there is a conflict between the government, on the one hand, and Parliament, on the other hand, "generated by the tabling of a motion of censure in between two ordinary parliamentary sessions with the consequence of convening an extraordinary session exclusively for the presentation of the motion without its debate or a vote on it." Joe Biden pushed back on Donald Trumps denial of the climate crisis during a visit to California on Monday amid devastating, historic wildfires. The president renewed his unfounded claim that poor forest management is mostly to blame for the blazes which have left at least 35 people dead and thousands of others homeless. Mr Trump traveled to Sacramento to be briefed by Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom and other state and federal officials. At one point, state Natural Resources Agency Secretary Wade Crowfoot urged the president to recognise the changing climate and what it means to our forests." If we ignore that science and sort of put our head in the sand and think its all about vegetation management, were not going to succeed together protecting Californians, Mr Crowfoot added. Mr Trump responded: It will start getting cooler, just you watch. The state official pushed back that he wished the science agreed with the president. The president countered: "I dont think science knows, actually. Science knows, Mr Biden tweeted a short time later. Senator Kamala Harris, the Democratic vice presidential candidate from California, posted: "Over the past few years, CA has experienced some of the largest, most destructive wildfires in historyfueled & intensified by the climate crisis. "While Trump denies the evidence of this crisis, @JoeBiden will get to work taking the drastic action we need on day 1 to combat it." The fires are threatening to become another front in Mr Trumps reelection bid, which is already facing hurdles because of the coronavirus pandemic, joblessness and social unrest. Mr Biden, in his own speech on Monday said the destruction and mounting death toll across California, Oregon and Washington require stronger presidential leadership and labeled Trump a climate arsonist. The former VP was not the only public figure to express their anger at the presidents continued denial of the climate crisis. Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders wrote on Twitter: Unbelievablyas the West Coast burns amidst record-breaking temperatureTrump continues to deny the reality of climate change. Despite his delusions we must take on the fossil fuel industry & transform our energy system to sustainable energy. The future of the planet is at stake. Senator Elizabeth Warren pointed to the Trump administrations four years of environmental and climate policy rollbacks including on emissions which are fueling global heating. Climate change denier Donald Trump and his team of Big Oil and Coal lobbyists have rolled back 100 environmental rules that protect the air we breathe and the water we drink, Senator Warren tweeted. Go ahead and take a look at your legacy of destruction, Mr. President. Children are supposed to have all their needs and a happy life, but a 12-year-old boy died in misery and in dismal conditions. A couple subjected to beating, starved and even imprison the suffering child in a locked and dirty room. This condition persisted for years, without the father's intervention. The boy is identified as Maxwell Schollenberg, aged 12, who lived and died in horrible conditions. He was found dead and unclothed, even soiled himself and was covered in feces inside a locked and back barred room, reported The Sun. Two of the accused killers are his natural father and the fiancee. Both Scott Schollenberger Jr, 42, and his fiance Kimberly Mauer, 35, are facing charges of homicide (a minor) and child endangerment as they abused and maltreated Maxwell till his pitiful death. According to the police in Annville, Lebanon Pennsylvania, they were summoned on May 26, after receiving a call of a dead child, told FOX43. Entering the residence and scene of the crime, they came across the corpse of the dead child that was sprawled on the bed. Officers noticed the dead child was not fed well enough and seemed unwell. There are evidence in the corpse of horrible things that led to the end of Maxwell's young life, cited CTV News. Records that were taken as evidence by the court was also obtained by the press. The document that described the victim's maltreated corpse and clothes was soiled with feces. The room was locked and windows covered with filth creating an awful smell. "Inhuman" was the adjective used to describe where they locked the boy. Shuttered windows with sides screwed were usedto keep him or anyone from seeing or hearing the victim. Not even the other children were allowed to interact with their sibling. Also read: Starving 9-Year-Old Who is Locked in Closet Dies Covered With Vomit Due to Stepmom's Abuse One other thing inside the room where the victim died in was the bed he lay on. Near it was a plastic cup with an inch of water for him to drink. Even water was not generously given to him. Police mentioned they saw three metal hooks outside the door. They found out that two accused child maltreaters had it installed to keep the victim inside at all times. Otherwise, they made sure the boy would never escape. When the investigation was underway, it was discovered that his family members had not seen the boy for several years. It was assumed the accused kept him hidden to avoid questions. More was found out beyond the maltreatment and near starvation. The father never brought him to the doctor in ten years, neither was he ever sent to school at any time, noted in the documents. It went downhill for the accused when the fiance's children were living in the same house and given better treatment. When the other kids were asked, they said Maxwell was barely seen. Even worse, some never realized someone lived in a decrepit second-floor room. The autopsy was done on the child last June 1 which showed terrible conclusions of inhuman treatment. He was severely starved and lacking nourishment, weighing only 47.5 pounds and 50 inches tall. The examination was done at Lehigh Valley Hospital, performed by Doctor Michael W. Johnson, noted CrimeOnline. He added that the victim was beaten by one of the accused on the head. This was made worse by the child's depleted condition, adding that either one could have killed the victim. Both Schollenberger and Mauer who starved, beat, and intentionally starving a 12-year old boy are in jail, waiting for trial. Related article: Skeletal Remains of Girl Discovered in Feces-Filled Basement Along With Her Brother in Dismal Condition @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. In a Covid-19 era, what are the key priorities for NetApp today? The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about significant changes to business operations, immobilizing global workforce at their houses. It has pushed enterprises onto the centre stage with one of their greater challenges ensure stability, continuity and quite simply survival. The data disruption brought by COVID has moved the enterprises to swiftly bridge their digital transformation gaps. Industries have pushed their limits to adopt a digital-first approach at an accelerated pace. Both NetApp and our partners have seen the shift in customer buying patterns as people brace themselves for the workload demands on critical applications. We see customers embracing the need to support remote workers while having structured measures in place to support and manage the data securely. This sudden deluge of data has brought a renewed focus on cloud technology among the customers. Businesses have recognized they need to accelerate cloud adoption for the flexibility and agility required in todays environment. Increased migration towards cloud computing has further made cloud a pre-requisite to build resilience and ensure process continuity. Right from data collection to analytics, businesses need to be more proactive to deliver personalized service and mitigate risks. Customers have started to embrace the data focused approach that adopts appropriate skillset, infrastructure, and technologies. With our constant endeavour to support our customers, we activated our plan to provide uninterrupted services and minimize any disruptions that could impact their business and prioritized on developing digitally collaborated tools to support them with safe business operations from their homes. Our key priorities can be summarized as below: Supporting remote workersin building and deploying cloud-based end-user computing (EUC) and virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) to help improve the performance and scalability of on-premise VDI infrastructure Helping customers and partners in understanding if their infrastructure is ready for the next 30 days by analyzing the capacity trends and identifying applications that might be running hot or storage systems that are overburdened Ensuring that data and applications are available and performingrationalizing data and application infrastructure for enterprises We have also acquired CloudJumper and Spot to solve the new workforce challenges with virtual desktops and application management that will help them drive cloud resource optimization in real time, for both compute and storage and deep product sets within analytics, like Active IQ, and data protection to support the customers How does the company look at ensuring business continuity for its partners communities and its customers? What are some of the special initiatives or measures that NetApp has taken to help its partners withstand this pandemic situation? We are working with a strong network of partners such as Hitachi Systems Micro Clinic, Binary Global Ltd, Locuz Enterprise Solutions Ltd, NTT India, Corporate Infotech Pvt Ltd. These partners play a critical role in enabling customers to achieve their business goals, especially during the pandemic. At NetApp, we have announced several initiatives specifically designed to empower partners to free the cash flow, plan business continuity, and focus on driving business growth. To ensure a cohesive approach in our sales and marketing efforts, we enable ongoing partner listening activities and always ask how we can make our programs better. As a direct result of our partners input, we make ongoing improvements to our portfolio, programs, policies, and processes. Additionally, we have made it simpler for our partners to earn the rebates they are eligible for, by making the process claimless. This has helped them to focus on market outreach and customer acquisition without worrying about missing out on rebates. Now, we have also started rebate systems for the partner sales team. To reward and recognize the salesperson as well, we have started a program called Star Track which essentially gives incentives to the salesperson of that partner organization. We recognise their effort for product sales, and award them for acquiring new customers in particular. Recently, we have also set up a virtual Data Visionaries Club for our partners where we connect them with our global and local teams to help them understand technology better. The partners can also access internal resources of identified partners, which helps them in empowering the customers to change the world with data. Even though, no one wanted it to happen this way, but the fact is the pandemic has given new meaning to digital transformation with Home being central to everything digital. What does this mean for the future of storage services and its business ecosystems? Where do go from here? The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about significant changes to business operations, forcing employees across the globe to work remotely. With this crisis, we have reached a tipping point where all businesses recognize they cannot survive using analog-era legacy solutions and architectures. Data is at the center of this transformation and provides the fuel to generate relevant insights. The success and growth in the next phase of business will come to those enterprises that can establish a foundation of modern data management a triad of data quality, cloud, and security. Cloud-based business technology is going to play a key role in shaping the future of digital workspaces. Organizations need to re-look at powerful data management software that will deliver the industrys highest performance, superior flexibility, and best-in-class data services and cloud integration in the new Hybrid Cloud world. This will ensure responsive, uninterrupted experiences with key enterprise applications (such as Oracle Database, SAP HANA, Microsoft SQL Server, MongoDB, and new AI workloads). The work from home arrangement is here to stay regardless of the size of the organizations and the nature of business. In this respect, the larger organizations might have an advantage as they are already well equipped with an array of resources to support virtual work. The organizations which are not digitally agile might find it challenging to swiftly make these changes. Whereas the ones that have aligned their business models with the new normal and are already accelerating their digital transformation efforts will be better poised to succeed in the next couple of years. As we move ahead, the new normal will never be the same again. How do you plan to transition from a COVID to post- COVID era? Amid the new normal, the fundamental changes that define this phase are secured work from anywhere, IT agility and flexibility and digitization for survival and growth. As we move to the post COVID era, the transition will be easy to navigate with a robust partner vendor relationship. We will continue to collaborate with our partners on different programs and initiatives. We maintain mutually beneficial relationships with our partners, helping them with rebates when they are delivering a new set of customers. Having simplified the process of rebate earning, we have made it more rewarding. It is our responsibility to recognize our partners when they are bringing in a new customer or a new portfolio. NetApp believes in investing in our partners and has skilling initiatives that empower them to pass on the message of NetApp being the data authority in the hybrid cloud. With todays cutting-edge technologies like AI/ML, DevOps, & IoT, we are building a robust ecosystem with partners, helping them understand NetApps role in these technologies, and enabling them to take it forward. When we talk about changes, it is essentially helping the partners evolve and work along, one step at a time. What are some of the innovations that NetApp is bringing to the market that can hold great relevance in todays times? Today, every business is compelled to look at the bigger picture. COVID-19 has brought about an urgency to respond to unique IT demands of building infrastructure, which is more agile and reliable. A latest IDC report predicts that 64% of Indian organizations will be adopting cloud computing because of ramping up their remote working capabilities. To help customers create a competitive edge in this ever-changing market, we inked strategic partnerships with Ingram Micro and Google Cloud Advance to help enterprises take advantage of the agility and benefits of the cloud with advanced data management and performance driven solutions. We announced ONTAP 9.6 to help businesses maximize the value of their data. We are now expanding the availability of Azure NetApp Files, our liaison with Microsofts fast-growing enterprise file storage service to India, to help our existing and potential customers, across the country, who are working with 100% remote workers. This would enable them to migrate and run complex, performance-intensive and latency-sensitive applications faster in the cloud than they can on-premises. We are also offering free storage on Google Cloud for IT teams addressing the digital fallout of the pandemic. In the past 4-5 months, NetApp has also acquired a suite of technology companies to help integrate their offerings and provide more holistic solutions to customers. NetApp has solidified its cloud solution suite with the following acquisitions: Virtual desktop infrastructure firm CloudJumper to address the increased market requirement of the work-from-home model in the COVID era Spot, a leader in compute management and cost optimization now enables businesses to optimize their cloud resources Talon Storage, a leader in next generation software-defined storage solutions enabling global enterprises to centralize and consolidate IT storage infrastructure to the public clouds What are some of the new partner programmes that NetApp has expanded/came up with to support the partners in these difficult times? We continue to monitor the business climate and changes in technology and the industry as well as listen to both partners and customers on a regular basis. As the year progresses, we will keep collaborating with our partners on different programs and initiatives, with an eye towards more simplification, increased profitability, and additional ways for our partners to differentiate the offerings to boost customer experience. With partner initiatives such as Data Visionary Club and an evolved Unified Partner Program, we are aiming at better customer and partner experience to further strengthen the foundation for capturing the market share. Very recently, we have evolved the NetApp Unified Partner Program (UPP) which focuses on the following four core tenets: Simplification: We are unifying contracts and agreements with a goal of having one contract for partners, regardless of how they do business with us. We have streamlined our guides and policies, and will now offer fewer, more focused, annual deal-based incentive programs and rebate programs for growth. Expansion: We are expanding the ecosystem, helping our partners by giving them access to our resources, tools and enablement and a clear path to growth. We have crafted NetApp Learning Services training programs for cloud partners, providing them an avenue to achieve the Cloud First Preferred Business Capability. Investment: NetApp will continue to invest in tools like WorkSpan that make planning and doing business together easier. The new NetApp Partner Incentive Tool makes it easier to manage and measure investments in marketing development funds (MDF) and rebates and rewards. Differentiation: We will showcase partners with specific and focused specializations and business capabilities, highlighting those who provide services across key focus areas, including XaaS, SAP, services, and more. We have updated the FlexPod specialization, simplifying the requirements, enhancing the financial benefits, and adding marketing to support partners selling efforts. SCOTTVILLE West Shore Community College kicks off its 2020-21 Humankind Series with two presentations on Monday, Sept. 21, by distinguished scholar, Alan Gallay, on the life of Sir Walter Raleigh, with one at 12:30 p.m. and the other at 7 p.m. Gallays presentations, like all Humankind events this fall, will be hosted live on the video conferencing platform, Zoom. Humankind is a multi-disciplinary public education series that consists of lectures, workshops, art exhibits, film viewings and more. Each year, Humankind explores the question, What does it mean to be human? in a different geographical location across the globe. Last year, Humankind focused on Cuba. This academic year, the fourth annual series focuses on the British Isles of England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Professor Gallay holds the Lyndon B. Johnson Chair in American History at Texas Christian University. He has twice been the recipient of yearlong research fellowships from the National Endowment for the Humanities, a Mellon Faculty Fellow in the Humanities at Harvard University and served as a United States Fulbright lecturer to New Zealand. Gallay is the author and editor of seven published books, the most recent of which is "Walter Raleigh: Architect of Empire." The format for Gallays presentations will consist of WSCC professor of history, Mike Nagle, interviewing Gallay, followed by time for questions from the audience. Professor Gallay is going to really bring to life the story and accomplishments of Sir Walter Raleigh, Nagle said in a news release. You will learn about the founding of Ireland, Englands Lost Colony of Roanoke, as well as the search for El Dorado, the legendary city of gold. Dr. Gallays presentation will be required viewing especially for anyone interested in the history of the British Empire and its early colonization efforts. Professor Nagle said he is particularly excited for Gallay to be part of this years Humankind series because Gallay was one of Nagles professors at Western Washington University where he earned both his bachelor and master degrees. Dr. Gallay not only knows his stuff but hes also an outstanding speaker, Nagle said. He certainly played a formative role in igniting my passion for the study of history and Im excited our community will now get to experience him as well. To learn more about humankind, visit humankindwscc.org or contact series chair Matthew Sanderson at mwsanderson@westshore.edu. As the fall semester begins, schools nationwide face unprecedented challenges during the pandemic. Some have opted for socially distanced classes, others for virtual lessons, or a hybrid of both. And, of course, administrators and faculty are prepared to adjust their plans at any time. We asked a number of authors who are also teachers how they are adapting and maintaining optimism for themselves and their students. Ruth Behar Author of Letters from Cuba (Penguin/Paulsen, Aug.) Ive taught cultural anthropology for over 30 years at the University of Michigan, and this will be the first time Ill miss the excitement of greeting my students in person on the first day of class. Im nervous about how Ill maintain the spirit of community I strive to create in the classroom. For my undergrad class about Cuba and its diaspora, I bring in plantain chips and guava pastries and sugary Cuban coffee to talk about culture and food, but I wont be doing that this time around. My seminar on ethnographic writing starts at noon on Mondays, and this time I wont get to enjoy the scent of the various delicious lunches my busy grad students consume as we discuss their research essays. Though we wont have these sensual experiences to share, the pandemic is giving us an opportunity to create a different sense of intimacy, trust, and reciprocity as we gaze at each other up close on our screens with the awareness that we are keeping each other safe by being distant. I have a feeling that in this time of uncertainty were all going to be feeling more vulnerable and our hearts will be more open and that everything we learn together is going to carry real weight for each of us and stay with us long after the pandemic passes. Ernesto Cisneros Debut author of Efren Divided (HarperCollins/Quill Tree, Mar.) The Covid-19 pandemic has certainly thrown the education profession for a loop. Despite my being a veteran teacher, insecurity and stress have wiped out 25 years of teaching experience, leaving me feeling anew. In almost a panicked state, Ive embarked on a frenzied journey to learn all about the latest apps, websites, and teaching platformsanything and everything to help motivate my students and build their autonomy. Then after a significant amount of reflection, I have begun remembering all the former students whom Ive had the privilege of running into over the years. Without exception, none of them focus on the curriculum. Instead, they share stories of fun moments and laughs they shared with friends in the classroomsometimes teachers. They speak fondly of field trips, group projects, and celebrating birthdays at school. Perhaps these simple everyday interactions are just as impactful as the curriculum we teach. Marco Finnegan Author-illustrator of Lizard in a Zoot Suit (Lerner/Graphic Universe, Aug.) The biggest impact distance learning has had on me as an art teacher is that I dont have the ability to work with students in real time. Im trying to mimic looking over their shoulder with discussion threads and posts, and learning the new platform tools and limitations has been interesting as well. I know this isnt ideal, but as long as I have the ability to communicate with my kids and deliver instruction I think theyll be okay. Art class is unique in that the kids can work alone and thrive and the tech gives them the ability to still share art and express themselveswhich is very important right now. The kids are handling this better because they are so adaptable and resilient and, in my case, extremely patient as I learn. Samantha Mabry Author of Tigers, Not Daughters (Algonquin, Mar.) As a person who typically thrives in a steady, predictable environment, these last few months have been admittedly difficult. Ive been finishing up teaching summer courses online at a community college, while planning to shift to hybrid (a mix of face-to-face and online) courses at a different school this fall. Theres a lot to learn (as the online learning platforms are different), and when Im overwhelmed, I develop a kind of paralysis. I take pride in my teaching, but its difficult to try and perform at a high caliber when my mood is constantly swinging or my toddler develops an ear infection and needs even more of my attention. All the emails I receive from the school about enhanced safety procedures and the various cleaners and wipes in the classrooms just serve in making me feel less safe. There has been so little novel writingbasically just going through old pages written before all this started. But, I have taken a couple of online writing workshops and have produced a couple of poems. I was feeling like writing a poem was do-able and could capture an emotion or an idea quickly. Writing those poems made me feel productive, before I get crushed again by the chaos. Brenda Maier Author of Little Blue Bridge (Scholastic Press, Apr. 2021) Im both a picture book author and public-school teacher in Tulsa, Oklahoma. In reflecting on how the pandemic-induced shutdown and school uncertainty have affected my role as an educator, I wanted to find some small bit of positivity to share. Thats a classic teacher response: find some kernel of good in the bad. Tomorrow will be better. But two days into our new school year, I cant do that. I mean, not unless I lie. I teach in Oklahoma. Teachers here (like many other places) are famously underpaid. A few years ago, due to budget cuts, my full-time gifted education position was cut to part-time, causing me to serve two schools instead of one. Due to the pandemic, I am now serving students at both sites in-person, plus any students from both sites whove opted to learn virtually. Im now doing double classes compared to last year. Did I mention duty teachers arent available either, so Im also doing 75-plus minutes of duties per day? There isnt adequate time to serve the number of students I see, and I use my evenings to adapt regular lessons to virtual lessons or make completely different ones. That makes dinners hours later. It also means my own children arent getting the attention they deserve. And like other teachers, between classes I use my stockpiled wipes and sanitizer to clean tables and chairs. If we had more funding, we could hire the needed staff, but we dont. So we make do by doing more. The pandemic has highlighted so many disparities among our students, but its also exacerbated the financial troubles our public schools already had. Today, its a pretty dark time to be teaching. But who knows? Maybe tomorrow will be better. Katrina Moore Author of Grandpa Grumps (Little Bee Books, Apr.) Uncertainty about when and how schools will reopen has had a huge effect on me as an author and a teacher. As an author, theres nothing more exciting than being able to share your book with a real audience. Since Grandpa Grumps published smack-dab in the middle of this pandemic, there wasnt an opportunity to attend any of the planned events, or have those magical moments. As a teacher, its been pure survival mode... at first wishing for back-to-normal, then quickly creating a new normal, to making the most of the less than ideal situations were all faced with. Days away from the start of school, theres still so much uncertainty, and never-ending changes, but theres also so much hope. I was worried about Grandpa Grumps not finding its way to readers since bookstores have been closed and events canceled. I was worried about my students and my own kids not getting the quality of education they needed through remote learning. So Ive been touched by the readers who have reached out to tell me how much they love the book. Ive been brought to tears by photos and videos shared of children reading and hugging my book. Ive been surprised by how adaptable my students and own children have beenhow weve found ways to laugh, have fun, and learn together. Ive realized that though the times right now remain less than ideal, there are still real connections being made. And no matter how much will continue to change, and what happens when school reopens, I remain hopeful that this upcoming school year will be bright... and certainly one for the books! Cory Putman Oakes Author of The Second-Best Haunted Hotel on Mercer Street (Abrams, Aug.) For me, all of this uncertainty reinforces the importance of booksfor my students and for my own kids at home. Right now, when kids are more isolated than theyve ever been, they need windows into the world. They need stories to talk about, to write about, and to question. They need new perspectives. They need inspiration and challenges and comfort. Books can give them all of these things. I think that as long as we can keep them reading, the kids are going to be okay. Marcella Pixley Author of Trowbridge Road (Candlewick, Oct.) For the past five months, I have been living in a bubble of five. The only people I have been near, besides a handful of trusted friends, are my husband, my two sons, and my 78-year-old mother. We have been in mourning. In April, my father passed away from advanced stage heart and kidney disease. He died alone in a hospital bed without any of us holding his hand because the threat of Covid prevented us from being there with him. We had to say goodbye over the phone. Since then, I have been on a desperate, obsessive and fruitless mission to keep everyone I love safe. So far, none of us has gotten sick. We wash our hands. We stay away from people. We disinfect our groceries. Now it is the week before school starts. Yesterday, I had a meeting with 10 colleagues. I tried to find a place in the classroom that would allow me to have a wide berth, but no matter where I moved, I found myself closer than I wanted to be. We were all masked, but I kept noticing how this persons mask would slide down a little and they would have to yank it back up, or that person had gaps around their chin and cheeks, and I began to imagine the virus seeping from their mouths like billowing, poisonous clouds. I kept moving closer to the door. I nodded and participated. I laughed when it was time to laugh. I raised good points. I have had OCD since I was 10 years old. I have learned to be an excellent actor when I need to be. When the meeting was over, I thanked my colleagues, grabbed my stuff and walked away as quickly as I could to my classroom where I closed my door and cried. Next week my classroom will be filled with eighth graders. They will have the chance to see each other for the first time in five months. They will be hungry for discussion and connection and community, and they deserve all of that. So much has happened since last March. There has been loss and uncertainty. There have been protests. There has been fear and unrest. They will need the time to talk and process and ask questions. I run the drama club. I know how to act like I am okay. But I also know there will be days when I will close my door and cry. May this be a year when I learn to become more comfortable with uncertainty and imperfection. May my bubble be strong enough to include these young people who will, for better or for worse, become part of my family for as long as I can hold them. May we keep each other safe on this journey through an imperfect and uncertain world. Rebecca Van Slyke Author of Lana Lynn and the New Watchdog (Peachtree, fall 2021) It was a Friday the Thirteenth to end all thirteenths. In the afternoon of March 13, we received an email that school would be closed for six weeks to effectively shut down a new strain of the flu, Covid-19. As I sent my students out to the busses that afternoon, I made sure they had their reading books and library books and gave them an extra-big hug, one that would last throughout the six weeks we might not see each other. In the coming days we found out that we would give them work to maintain their learning, then provide for new learning, all on new-to-us platforms. The whole school rallied to support our kids and their families, from lunchroom workers who served thousands of free-to-any-child lunches; to bus drivers who delivered packets of work; to secretaries and para-educators who made contact with families; to custodians who deep-cleaned the school to make it a safer place when students returned. The six weeks became three months, and teachers made packets of work, explained new concepts with daily videos, read to children via Facebook and YouTube videos, called families, and sent postcards to kids to lift their spirits. Over this summer teachers have been preparing to welcome new classes, first with masks and social distancing, then, quite suddenly, remotely. We are learning new ways to interact with students both live and with online activities and videos. We are swallowing our frustrations and anxieties and choosing to be positive. And if we cant actually give them physical hugs, we can greet our new children with enough enthusiasm and love for them to feel it, even across the internet. Ann Marie Stephens Author of Arithmechicks Take Away (Boyds Mills, Sept.) I would equate my feelings to one of those giant, inflatable tube people by the side of the road. One minute Im up smiling, going with the flow. The next minute, Im on the ground, completely deflated. Im extremely patient, but my new boss, Covid-19, is beyond unreasonable. Im teaching first grade virtually. Its devastating not being able to bond with students in person. Plus, they are missing out on my ridiculously large book collection. Its a rite of passage for my students to put dust jackets on upside down and to leave fingerprints on my book covers. I desperately want to see their fingerprints. But for now, I toggle between the highs and lows, while I wait patiently for someone to fire my new boss. Hes the worst. Nova Ren Suma Co-editor of Foreshadow: Stories to Celebrate the Magic of Reading and Writing YA (Algonquin, Oct.) This fall I teach an undergraduate course on Writing for Young Adults at the University of Pennsylvania, a class previously energized by in-person discussion and sharing of work in an intimate space, culminating with a day of portfolio readings. Adapting a creative writing seminar like this to a fully remote format seemed straightforward at first, but there has been nothing straightforward about this coming semester for my students. UPenns ambitious plan for a hybrid semester, with pre-testing, contact tracing, and quarantine housing, all so we could invite the students back to campus, ended up needing to be reversed in mid-August. Im grateful that the creative writing program embraced planning for online classes sooner than that, but my biggest concern right now is finding ways to create community and connection for my students even though we are online and far apart. Ive had to rethink a number of things, including how I usually lead workshop discussion, so Im taking another remote teaching training through our Center for Teaching & Learning, my head swimming with tips and toolsfrom Zoom breakout rooms to accessible Canvas modules to Slack workspaces to Panopto and beyond. The college experience our students were hoping for is not going to exist in the form they wanted, so at least for my one class, its on me to try to create a new form that energizes them still. Theyll be writing the opening pages of their own YA novels in my class, and Im hoping this can be a creative outlet for them during such a tangled, uncertain time when were at war with slow Wi-Fi and trying to decipher social cues and expressions on one anothers faces in Zoom. Alicia D. Williams Author of Jump at the Sun (S&S/Atheneum/Dlouhy, Jan. 2021) I sat in a morning meeting with a bubble of eight second graders. The question we pondered was: what three words describe your first few days? Students offered excited, nervous, happy (to see friends or go to PE). When my turn came my three words were nervous, tired, and excited. We all agreed, feeling pretty much the same way (except its way too hot for this old lady to play outside in PE with a mask on). But seriously, I already miss the welcoming hugs, slight silliness, and closeness that Im accustomed to. I have to admit that I question (and worry) whether my little ones would grow comfortable in this space of distance. Many teachers, myself included, stress over the amount of direct contact we can offer children in need because even in non-pandemic life our students cry, have breakdowns, and anxiety. How can we comfort them as usual? There are times when the mask is suffocating me and Im afraid to say that I cant breathe because as a Black American, the context means so much, so different than my majority white peers. I cant afford to slip into anxiety of the shootings of unarmed Blacks. So, I plaster the smile on my face that no one will see, but my dear students can hear. Ive also been asked to dust off my teaching artist skills to provide daily lessons to our four transitional kindergarten classes. Not to brag, but I [lead] several special classes rolled up into oneusing storytelling, drama, movement, art, and music to teach. It is my intention to infuse diverse literature in my lessons. It is important that the stories I offer will plant a seed of love, inclusion, and empathy. And we all have fun doing it. Writing is also different; it takes me longer to mentally relax after work. Yet, I still find inspiration for stories and new simplified lesson ideas for writing workshop. And, I am fiercer on protecting my mental health, which is a challenge because we give naturally, as educators and artists. And oohhh, Im having fun with my flairmasks and lunch boxall Wonder Woman! When someone says, Hey, Wonder Woman! I go, Yep, thats me. Since the start of the pandemic in America, COVID-19 has become the newest underlying D&O exposure, said Jeremy Huang (pictured), senior vice president of management liability and professional lines at Worldwide Facilities. Every company is concerned about the potential financial impact that COVID-19 might have on their company and operations/revenues, and every insurer is worried about what type of claim is going to hit their books due to COVID-19. Simply put, COVID-19 underlines every D&O deal whether its a new submission or renewal that Huang is currently brokering. He added that for every D&O submission he receives, he has to answer at least six to 12 or more questions related to the pandemic, and the underlying financial impact that its having on a companys business operations and profitability. In the meantime, theres another pandemic-related D&O exposure looming in the near-term, and thats heightened cybersecurity risks. With many companies adapting to remote working models, there is the potential that financial services firms will be exposed to a cybersecurity breach, which could bleed into a D&O policy. Read more: Cyber: The big 'back to school' risk that can't be overlooked Typically, we think of a cybersecurity policy as a solution to mitigate this particular exposure, said Huang. However, delays in services or interruption in operations due to a cyberattack can still result in lost business, revenues, and income, while the shutdown of operations for an extended period of time can cause irreparable damages to a company and its reputation. These types of exposures have a larger D&O implication, he explained. It doesnt even have to be a cyberattack that can cause an interruption [it can be] a catastrophic system failure of a utilities system or third-party cloud service provider that stores a firms data and operating system, or even the internet service provider itself. Its the directors and officers duty to show that theyve done something to mitigate cyber-related risk as a part of their due diligence process and corporate governance before it ever happens. After all, this type of system failure could have the same impact as a denial of service attack prompted by a hacker. There is coverage built into cybersecurity policies that is widely available to most companies for these types of cyber exposures, however there is growing concern that some cyber-related claims might leak into the D&O space causing concern for additional D&O losses. In the work-from-home environment, there are also employment practices liability challenges that can arise. The biggest concern, said Huang, is ensuring that HR and management are complying with the Fair Labor Standards Act's requirements related to overtime, and paid/unpaid time off, especially since some hourly employees are not physically in the office right now. Read more: COVID-19 raises professional liability coverage issues and demand is still booming This is obviously harder to manage remotely, said Huang. Employee reviews, evaluations, and training will have to be done online or via virtual conference calls. Other items to consider are employee reimbursements for extra expenses as a result of working from home, such as the cost of printer ink cartridges, increased personal phone bills, increased electricity costs, and certain costs for internet usage. To assist companies with the myriad of additional challenges that have arisen during the pandemic, Worldwide Facilities offers expertise and specialization in professional liability and management lines, along with a broad network of specialist underwriters to provide insurance agents and their clients with appropriate and valuable insurance coverage. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-16 00:18:24|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close NAIROBI, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- The World Bank on Tuesday launched a report on a business plan to help Sub-Saharan African economies achieve low carbon and climate-resilient outcomes. The report dubbed the Next Generation Africa Climate Business Plan (NG-ACBP) calls for countries in the region to seize the opportunity to scale up climate resilience to grow their economies and reduce poverty, redouble efforts to increase energy access across the region, and take advantage of sustainable and innovative approaches to leapfrog into greener development pathways. "This Next Generation Climate Plan is a galvanizing platform for Sub-Saharan Africa to prepare for and respond to the scale and magnitude of climate shocks and stresses and achieve a resilient low carbon future for all," the report says. According to the report, without rapid deployment of inclusive, climate-informed development, 43 million additional people could be pushed below the poverty line by 2030 in Sub-Saharan Africa. The World Bank will implement the plan over the next six fiscal years (2021-26), leveraging effectively the International Development Association (IDA) and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) financing to ensure a strong delivery on the climate agenda. The strategy will be rolled out following one of the most cataclysmic moments in the region's development, even as the COVID-19 pandemic and its knock-on effects continue to reverberate globally, especially on already vulnerable countries. According to the report, the loss of lives from COVID-19 is incommensurable and yet a compelling message emerging from the crisis is a global call for strong, early, and unified climate action. The World Bank noted that the unexpected emergence and unprecedented impacts from the COVID-19 crises will inform, influence, and shape the climate financing that will be delivered under this plan. The lender observes that COVID-19 must be a centerpiece of the climate plan as Sub Saharan Africa responds to and recovers from the pandemic and its economic consequences and the strategy must also maximize support to the COVID-19 recovery while pursuing synergies between green stimulus and investment response packages that contribute to long-term development. "Greening the financial stimulus package proposed for COVID-19 could support the transition to low-carbon, climate-resilient pathways for the most optimal long-term outcomes," it says. "These stimulus packages could pivot dialogue with decision-makers toward policy reform actions that are more climate-friendly, include fiscal reforms, institutional capacity building, and incentives to promote the introduction of new technologies and green jobs," it adds. The report also addresses climate vulnerabilities related to Sub-Saharan Africa's core development priorities: food, water, energy, human and environmental security. "It underscores the importance of pursuing climate-smart urban transitions, including green mobility, while supporting the region's ability to protect against climate shocks and pandemics," the report notes. Enditem The devastating 2020 California wildfires have threatened many reaches of flora and fauna across the state, including a group of endangered condor chicks in Big Sur. We recently reported on the unsure fate of five rare California condor chicks caught in the Dolan Fire that has scorched over 100,000 acres on the Big Sur coast. One of the nest cams used by the Ventana Wildlife Society to track the species, recently reintroduced into the wild, showed the fire approaching a chick, as the ominous crackle of burning redwoods could be heard. That condor chick, Iniko, and another missing condor have been found alive and well according to the society's executive director, Kelly Sorenson. "Iniko survived the fire along with one other chick plus one other saved before the fire burned through. There were five chicks affected by the Dolan Fire," Sorenson told SFGATE. "Unfortunately, two chicks in other nests did not make it, and the nine condors listed on our website went missing since the fire on August 21. We are concerned that they may have perished in the fire since it burned through at night and condors dont typically fly in the dark." Coastal redwoods evolved to withstand fires, and their thick bark may have protected Iniko's nest from the searing heat. On Aug. 20 Sorenson watched Iniko, who at five months old is not yet able to fly, on camera nesting in a redwood as the wildfire crept into the shot. "It was just terrifying," Sorenson said at the time, "Having the live-streaming webcams was both a blessing and a nightmare because we had to watch the fire as it burned through the canyon." The footage of the moment that the fire encroached on Iniko's nest can be seen here: "It is a devastating blow to a wild population of just 100 free-flying condors and given their ages, which combined totals 73 condor-years. In the 25 years since reintroduction of captive-bred condors began, only seven condors died to wildfire so if the missing birds perished in the fire, it would be quite significant." Sorenson said. The Dolan Fire was ignited by suspected arson and is currently at 40% containment per Cal Fire. "We are not going to let this fire slow us down. Next month, we are receiving a cohort of nine condors at our San Simeon release site while we rebuild the Big Sur Sanctuary." The society has launched a fund to help rebuild, find it here. MORE WILDFIRE COVERAGE: California wildfires: Is it safe to look at the sun through the smoke? SF records highest daily AQI of wildfire season Poor air quality brought on by wildfires stretches from Vancouver to Tijuana Trump, still making misleading statements on California wildfires, will visit the state Monday Studies show wildfire smoke linked to spike in asthma, strokes and heart attacks Burn scars from Bay Area wildfires are so massive they can be seen from space Andrew Chamings is an editor at SFGATE. Email: Andrew.Chamings@sfgate.com | Twitter: @AndrewChamings Disease-spreading mosquitoes may be more likely to occupy areas impacted by human activities like pesticide use and habitat destruction, than they are areas less disturbed by humans, a recent Oregon State University study found. Working in a national park in South Africa, researchers found a significant difference in the abundance and species composition of mosquitoes inside the park versus densely populated areas outside the park, with the species known to spread diseases such as malaria and Zika virus more common in the human-impacted areas outside the park. People care a lot about what environment a lion needs to succeed in; we've researched that extensively. But people don't do that with mosquitoes. We don't understand them as a group of species and how their ecology differs between species." Dr Brianna Beechler, Study Co-Author, Disease Ecologist, Assistant Professor of Research, Carlson College of Veterinary Medicine, Oregon State University To find disease mitigation strategies for vector-borne diseases, which are diseases that spread via parasites like mosquitoes and ticks, mosquitoes are an obvious target, Beechler said. But scientists don't yet understand mosquitoes well enough to specifically target the species that cause disease. "All we can do is reduce mosquitoes overall, but what may be more effective is to reduce certain species by modifying their habitats," she said. To compare how mosquitoes fared inside Kruger National Park versus in densely populated areas, researchers looked at five "pressures" wrought by human presence: organophosphate pesticide abundance; eutrophication, which is the over-mineralization of water that leads to widespread algae growth; population density; ungulate biomass, which includes domestic animals like cattle and wild animals like impala and buffalo; and vegetation loss. Human populations affect mosquito habitat and breeding patterns in a sort of domino effect. For example, pesticide use spreads into ponds and other small bodies of water, killing the fish and removing the natural predators that would otherwise eat mosquito larvae and keep the insect population low. During South Africa's wet season in 2016-17, researchers trapped 3,918 female mosquitoes from 39 different species both inside and outside the national park. Mosquito abundance was nearly three times higher outside the park -- in areas dominated by humans --than inside the park. And there was a significant difference in the species composition of mosquitoes, with the species known to spread diseases (like dengue, West Nile virus, chikungunya, yellow fever and Zika virus) more common outside the park than inside. "It seems to suggest that disease-carrying mosquito species certainly did better in human-altered environments," Beechler said, though she noted it's hard to ascertain at this stage why that is. More study is needed to understand the ecological requirements of different mosquito species. There are some success stories with current mosquito mitigation strategies. Beechler cited a technique in the Caribbean where residents are encouraged to introduce fish into any standing water in their vicinity, so the fish can eat mosquito larvae before they have time to hatch. And several countries have experimented with releasing clusters of sterile mosquitoes into the wild, so they will eat and take up resources but are not able to reproduce. "But none of those are targeted at disease-transmitting mosquitoes versus non-disease-transmitting mosquitoes," she said. "It's just, 'All mosquitoes are created equal.'" Vector-borne disease is not currently a pressing issue in Oregon, though there are several different species of mosquito in the state and some have been known to spread West Nile virus. However, mosquitoes carrying malaria, Zika and chikungunya have all been pushing into new territory in recent years. "With climate change, mosquito distributions are likely to change, and disease distributions are likely to change," Beechler said. "So it'd be nice to know how to target those species before that happens." ATLANTA - Leading congressional Democrats reacted furiously Tuesday to lightly-substantiated claims that immigrants held at a detention centre in Georgia are undergoing questionable hysterectomies. In a complaint filed Monday, a nurse alleges that the Irwin County Detention Center performed questionable hysterectomies, refused to test detainees for COVID-19 and shredded medical records. Democrats seized on the most explosive allegations in the nurses complaint that a gynecologist called the uterus collector was performing mass hysterectomies in declaring they would investigate the matter. A follow-up news conference Tuesday in Atlanta provided little information to substantiate the claims. Lawyers for the nurse, Dawn Wooten, refused to release her full statement that she made to the Department of Homeland Securitys Inspector General. She declined to take questions after reading a statement that made no reference to mass hysterectomies or did not quantify how many of the procedures were performed on immigrant women at the facility. The doctor is not named in the complaint. Wooten worked full-time as a licensed practical nurse at the immigration jail until July, when she was demoted. Democrats were quick to jump on the allegations after spending the last three years condemning the Trump administrations treatment of immigrants, including the separation of families and the detention of children in squalid conditions at the border. If true, the appalling conditions described in the whistleblower complaint including allegations of mass hysterectomies being performed on vulnerable immigrant women are a staggering abuse of human rights, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a California Democrat, said in a statement. Rep. Bennie Thompson, a Mississippi Democrat who chairs the House Homeland Security Committee, said the panel is conducting an ongoing investigation about the conditions at ICE contractor facilities and will be examining these new and incredibly serious allegations. It was unclear to Wooten if women knowingly consented to the operations. She said nurses raised concerns about the doctor. Everybody he sees has a hysterectomy just about everybody, Wooten said in the complaint. Hes even taken out the wrong ovary on a young lady. The facility in Ocilla, about 200 miles (320 kilometres) south of Atlanta, houses men and women detainees for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, as well as inmates for the U.S. Marshals Service and Irwin County. Its run by the private LaSalle Corrections, a Louisiana company. ICE said it does not comment on matters before the inspector general but that it takes all allegations seriously. That said, in general, anonymous, unproven allegations, made without any fact-checkable specifics, should be treated with the appropriate skepticism they deserve, the agency said in a statement. Wooten spoke little about the hysterectomy allegation during the news conference, instead focusing on her concerns that the facility wasnt testing detainees for COVID-19, that the detention centre wasnt being sanitized, and that little protective equipment was available for employees. While the 27-page complaint filed by advocacy group Project South quotes unidentified detainees extensively, it also includes detailed comments from Wooten. The complaint says Wooten was demoted after missing work with coronavirus symptoms, which she believes was retaliation for raising questions about COVID-19. I know I was demoted because I raised questions about why, Wooten said during the news conference. I was told not to tell officers that there were detainees they dealt with day in and day out that were positive. Wooten said the number of detainees infected was much higher than reported because there was no active testing and not all cases were reported, according to the complaint. The New York Times reported in June that inmates engaged in protests because of concerns about poor COVID-19 protections. Wooten is quoted as saying the sick call nurse sometimes fabricated seeing detainees in person when they hadnt and that she saw the nurse shred a box of detainee complaints without looking at them. She said nurses ignored detainees reporting COVID-19 symptoms. If detainees reported a fever, nurses would put them on an over-the-counter cold medication for seven days without testing them for COVID-19, she said. Wooten said the facility declined to use two rapid-testing COVID-19 machines that ICE purchased for $14,000 each. No medical staff had been trained on them and she saw the machines used only once. LaSalle Corrections did not immediately respond to a request for comment late Monday. As of Sunday, 42 detainees at the facility had tested positive for the virus, according to ICE. Nationwide, 5,772 detainees were positive. ___ Spagat reported from San Diego. Ontario Premier Doug Ford, right, stands in front of a selection of his cabinet ministers during a joint press conference with Quebec Premier Francois Legault at the Ontario-Quebec Summit, in Toronto on Sept. 9, 2020. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press) Ontario Covid-19 Hits Over 300, Second Wave Coming Warns Ford Social gatherings to blame as Ontario braces for a 'more difficult' second wave Ontario is amid an upswing in COVID-19 cases that signals the second wave is coming, warned Premier Doug Ford in a press conference Sept. 14 with senior members of his cabinet. The Ontario Ministry of Health confirmed 313 new COVID-19 cases Monday, making it the fourth straight day the province surpassed the 200 mark since June. 78 percent of todays cases are from three regions, with 112 in Toronto, 71 in Peel, and 60 in Ottawa, Ontario health minister Christine Elliott tweeted Monday. In response to the rise, Ontario Premier Doug Ford told reporters at Queens Park that the spike is a cause for concern for all of us, and warned that the second wave of this virus is coming. Ford said how severe the second wave will be was up to the 14.5 million people in the province. Weve shown what we can achieve when we work together, said Ford, noting efforts that flattened the curve in the first wave. And Ford said he wanted to be clear that the province would do whatever was needed. Every option is on the table. We will take every step necessary including further shutdown, said Ford. Ontario Health Minister Christine Elliott attends the Ontario-Quebec Summit, in Toronto on Sept. 9, 2020. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press) Elliott, who was also present at the press conference, urged Ontarians to continue to follow the public health guidance to stop the spread. Please continue with the physical distancing or wear a mask where that is not safe to do so, or practical to do so, Elliott said. Follow the proper hand hygiene. If you are not feeling well, please dont go out, dont go to work. Make sure that if you have symptoms, please go and get tested. Elliott also added that the second wave will be more complicated and more difficult to deal with than the first wave as the flu season is approaching too. On top of that, the province faces a reduced capacity in the hospitals because of the number of seniors from long term care homes moving into the hospitals due to the pandemic. Besides that, the hospitals still have to deal with the thousands of postponed surgeries caused by the first wave, Elliot said. But she said the government has also already taken those factors into consideration, and formed a comprehensive plan that will soon be announced. On Sunday, President and CEO of Ontario Hospital Association Anthony Dale released a statement urging Ontarians not to be misled by the lower cases counts prior to the current surge, and the economy reopening. Make no mistake, COVID-19 is still a very real threat. Without continued vigilance, todays isolated outbreaks in Toronto, Peel, York and Ottawa could easily spread throughout communities right across Ontario, Dale said. If current trends continue to accelerate, economic restrictions may tighten once more, and the school year for our children will be in jeopardy. Ontario Minister of Education Stephen Lecce speaks during the daily updates regarding COVID-19 at Queens Park in Toronto on June 9, 2020. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press) Answering a question at the same press conference with Ford and Elliott about reports of large class sizes, Ontario education minister Stephen Lecce said school boards are acting quickly on reducing the classroom sizes. Lecce added that the province has invested $200 million to hire more educators in response to spreading out the classes, reducing class sizes, and providing parents the choice of letting their children attend online or in-person classes. Ford said that most Ontarians are following the COVID-19 safety protocols, but warned a small number of people are getting lax. He said social gatherings are the main cause of the upsurge. Its not the bars per se or the restaurants, its social gatherings, Ford said. So folks, Im begging you please, just cut out of the social gatherings, its just not worth it because this COVID-19 is ramping up again. In Quebec, the premier Francois Legault announced last Thursday starting Sept. 12, Quebecers who refused to wear a mask without reason where its mandatory will receive fines. A large majority of people are following Public Health instructions, but, beside the large majority who act responsibly, theres a minority of irresponsible people, Legault added. We cannot accept that a few irresponsible people put all Quebec at risk. Its time to penalize them. When asked about the amount of the fines, Legault replied, Theyll be more than $50. Julian Assanges extradition hearing resumed yesterday morning after a coronavirus test for a member of the prosecutions legal team came back negative. Mark Summers QC, one of Assanges lawyers, asked District Judge Vanessa Baraitser to give a direction mandating the use of masks for the remainder of the hearing. She responded that government guidance on wearing masks in public places in the Old Bailey does not include the well of the court, before saying, those that wish to wear masks in the well of the court are welcome to do so but there is no obligation to do so, and I make no direction. Assange was wearing a mask in the dock, but Summers noted that there have been difficulties in getting him masks in the weeks leading up to this. As the pandemic surges again in the UK, the danger to Assanges life will only escalate. The days testimony was given by Eric Lewis, an American attorney with experience of national security cases in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, where Assange would be tried if extradited. Lewis has submitted five detailed statements to the court, meaning defence lawyer Edward Fitzgerald QC could only skim the issues covered in the half-hour allocated to him for chief examination by Baraitser. Nonetheless, a damning picture was painted of the inhuman and degrading treatment which would characterise Assanges detention in the US and of the impossible restrictions which would be placed on his legal defence. These conditions, Assanges lawyers argue, violate Article 3 and Article 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights (the rights to a fair trial and not to be subjected to inhuman or degrading treatment) and therefore constitute a bar to his extradition. Lewis explained his view, summarised by Fitzgerald, that Assange is likely to be sentenced to imprisonment that will constitute effectively a life sentence. Were not writing on a blank slate here, he said, Were writing on a slate with a lot of data There are sentencing guidelines. Lewis pointed out that these guidelines are not mandatory, but even under the guidelines, under the best-case scenario, we are looking at a sentence somewhere between around 20 years if everything goes brilliantly, to 175 years. Chelsea Manning was sentenced to 35 years and that the government had asked for 60 years. Lewis told the court that it was a certainty that Assange would be placed in administrative segregation and there was a high likelihood he would also have special administrative measures (SAMs) applied to him both before and after any conviction. This was tantamount to solitary confinement and the restriction would severely hinder Assanges ability to prepare his defence. Fitzgerald drew attention to a section of Lewiss statement which describes an ongoing criminal investigation in the International Criminal Court (ICC) into US war crimes in Afghanistan. Lewis details how the WikiLeaks documents are essential to the prosecutions efforts in that case. The prosecutors US visa has been cancelled and the US government has issued an executive order providing for the blocking of assets of any non-US nationals who even assist the ICC in its investigation. That could apply to human rights activists, but it could apply equally to Mr Assange, Fitzgerald summarised. Prosecution lawyer James Lewis QC told the court he would spend four hours on cross examination, after Baraitser allowed him to set his own limits in a ruling last week. Despite this, and despite the examination of Eric Lewis presenting the most egregious disparity so far in the time given to the defence versus the prosecution, the prosecution lawyer demanded more time. The court was subjected to the grotesque spectacle of the legal representative for the US government complaining he was under intolerable pressure and feeling stressed in his efforts to extradite Assangea man who has been made to suffer every kind of psychological and legal abuse for a decade. Baraitser assured James Lewis QC that the limit was not a guillotine and that she would hear his arguments for extending the time available for cross examination if he felt it necessary. The prosecutions line of questioning against Eric Lewis highlighted the deeply anti-democratic impact of the war on terror and the creation of a national security state by the Trump and Obama administrations. The core of the Assange casethe witch-hunting of a journalist and publisher under the Espionage Actis unprecedented. But the American governments reactionary aims are facilitated by the long-term evisceration of democratic rights. In the first phase of the extradition hearing in February, the prosecution argued that Assange had no right to appeal to the section of the Anglo-US Extradition Treaty which bars extradition for political offences since that provision was not incorporated into UK law with the Extradition Act (2003). The reduced Act was passed by Tony Blairs Labour government alongside a raft of anti-democratic counter-terror legislation. Yesterday, the prosecution argued that since the US government states there is no threat of Assange being subjected to solitary confinement, that the special administrative measures are subject to review, and that he will have unlimited access to his lawyers, there can be no problem. James Lewis QC asked a series of questions along the lines of Is it true that prisoners even subject to SAMs can receive breaks? Witness Eric Lewis explained that all of this was largely semantics, that there is a [review] procedure but its not one with a meaningful right to challenge, that while legal visits are theoretically unlimited there are numerous practical and logistical obstacles which create limits, and that those breaks are frequently at night. The prosecution berated him for not giving a simple binary answer and for making speeches. The prosecution is also able to lean on reactionary precedents laid down by the English High Court and the European Court of Human Rights. In his cross examination, James Lewis QC referred to the extradition of Babar Ahmad from the UK to the US in 2012. Ahmad had previously been imprisoned in the UK for eight years without charge under anti-terror legislation. The World Socialist Web Site published a perspective on the subject at the time, warning of Guantanamos global reach. This decision to extradite, the prosecution argued, was the answer to all of the witness concerns about the likely treatment of Assange in the US, since almost identical testimony had been given in Ahmads hearing arguing for a bar to extradition on Article 3 and Article 6 grounds and had been rejected. Witness Eric Lewis responded that Assanges was not a terrorist case, that Ahmad was not a national security case, and that there are particular issues of fairness when youre dealing with a classified information national security case. He was forced to concede that the English High Court had made the grotesque ruling that solitary confinement did not in itself constitute inhuman and degrading treatment and that the European Court ruled that none of the applicants claims [regarding the imposition of SAMs] points to a flagrant denial of justice. In fact, the European Court found that human rights concerns were supposedly minimal given Americas long history of respect of democracy, human rights and the rule of law. A problem with the video conferencing software prevented any questioning taking place after the lunch break and court was adjourned. The hearing continues today. NAUGATUCK State Police are leading an investigation into an officer-involved shooting that occurred during a traffic stop Monday night. The traffic stop happened around 8 p.m. on the Route 8 northbound on-ramp at Maple Street. The vehicle stopped was a 2019 Dodge Charger bearing the Ohio registration of HQJ2680, police said. Naugatuck Deputy Police Chief Christopher McAllister said Tuesday the officer stopped the vehicle as a result of observing criminal activity. During the course of the traffic stop the officer discharged his weapon at the vehicle while it drove at him. police said. Connecticut State Police identified the officer who fired his gun as Sgt. Nicholas Kehoss, a 10-year veteran of the Naugatuck Police Department, later Tuesday evening. After the initial contact, the officers did attempt to apprehend the vehicle on Route 8. However, they were not able to locate the vehicle because it fled at a high rate of speed, McAllister said. The operator of the vehicle is believed to be Roznovsky Antonio Machado, 24, of Waterbury, police said. Police said they believe Machado was the sole occupant of the car. Police later found the Dodge in Waterbury, but Machado remains at large, state police said. The Republican-American reported a Dodge matching the suspect vehicles description was found by police Tuesday morning. The vehicle had what appeared to be bullet holes in the front passenger door, windshield, and a smashed rear window, the newspaper reported. Naugatuck police said they are not aware of the extent of any of Machados injuries. McAlliser said Machado, who is known to law enforcement, was the lone occupant of the vehicle. Hes the sole focus of our attempts to locate him. Kehoss has been placed on administrative assignment, per the Naugatuck police departments policies, state police said. State police said Officer Kevin Zainc was also involved in the incident, but that only Kehoss fired his weapon. Zainc has been with the department for more than 15 years, state police said. One officer was treated at the hospital for minor injuries from the incident, police said. State police did not specify which officer was treated. As of September 15, 2020, the use of force investigation has been turned over to Joseph T. Corradino, State's Attorney for the district of Fairfield, state police said. The Western District Major Crime Squad will be working with Carradinos office in the investigation of the police-involved shooting, the agency said. Both officers were wearing body cameras, and state police said they and Carradinos office plan to release video footage and dispatch audio from the incident in the coming days. State Police Trooper Josue Dorelus said the investigation by the Western District Major Crime Squad was requested by the States Attorneys Office. Our primary goal at this point is to make sure the community members are safe and locate the suspect and provide any treatment that is needed, he said. Any person with information on the whereabouts of Machado can contact Naugatuck police at (203) 729-5221 or the NPD Confidential Tip Line at (203) 720-1010. It's been business as usual after production resumed in July. And Mark Wahlberg was putting on a dapper display in a smart black suit as he prepared to film scenes for the big-screen prequel to the Uncharted games in Berlin, Germany on Monday. The actor, 49, looked suave as he arrived to film his scenes as Nathan Drake's mentor Victor Sullivan as he stars alongside Tom Holland in the film. Suave: Mark Wahlberg put on a dapper display in a smart black suit as he prepared to film scenes for the big-screen prequel to the Uncharted games in Berlin, Germany on Monday Mark sported a smart black blazer and tie combo as he strolled onto set to film the scenes in the midst of a bustling city. The crew all ensured they adhered to safety measures by donning protective face masks as they set up the scene. Mark will take on the role of fortune hunter Victor, who acts as a father figure to young Nathan as they embark on their first adventure. Sharp: The actor looked suave as he arrived to film his scenes as Nathan Drake's mentor Victor Sullivan as he stars alongside Tom Holland in the film The Uncharted film will act as a prequel to the four-part game series, which concluded in 2017, and will document Nathan's own journey to adventure as a descendant of the British explorer Sir Francis Drake. Back in 2010 it was reported that Mark would actually be playing Nathan himself, but as the film was trapped in development hell, it was revealed in May 2017 that Spiderman star Tom had been cast in the leading role. In November 2019 Mark returned to the project in a new supporting role, and it is set to be released in 2021. Iconic: Mark will play Nathan Drake's mentor and father figure Victor Sullivan in the film, which will act as a prequel to the video game series, which concluded in 2017 The film will be directed by Ruben Fleischer, who helmed the Zombieland series, 2013's Gangster Squad and 2018's Venom. Filming for the project began in March, but was halted after just a day due to the COVID-19 outbreak hit, but later resumed in July. The blockbuster will also star Antonio Banderas, who temporarily left the production last month after testing positive for COVID-19, but has since recovered. The Latest on wildfires in the U.S. West (all times local): 8:15 p.m. SALEM, Ore. Oregon Gov. Kate Brown has requested a Presidential Disaster Declaration for the ongoing wildfires in the state. Brown made the request Monday, saying it would bring much needed resources to Oregons response and recovery efforts. Oregon is strong. Oregon is resilient. But to fight fires of this scale, we need all the help we can get, Brown said in a news release. The request includes additional communications resources, damage assessment teams, search and rescue support, debris management, as well as shelter and medical assistance. Individual assistance for the counties and tribes was also included in the request. A federal emergency declaration was granted for the state last week. ___ 6 p.m. SEATTLE Alaska Airlines, along with its regional carrier Horizon Air, has suspended all flights in and out of Portland, Oregon, and Spokane, Washington, because of wildfire smoke. The Seattle-based airline said Monday afternoon those flights would be cancelled through 3 p.m. Tuesday as the Pacific Northwest continues to battle intense wildfires. Alaska and Horizon have also cancelled flights at smaller airports due to fire and smoke including Eugene, Medford and Redmond/Bend in Oregon, and Pasco and Walla Walla in Washington. Across the West, fires are creating thick smoke and haze, causing very poor air quality conditions in the Portland and Spokane areas, Alaska said in a statement Monday. We made the difficult decision to stop our operation so that our employees and guests can remain safe. ___ 2 p.m. SACRAMENTO, Calif. Thousands of firefighters are on the lines of more than two dozen major California wildfires that have scorched 5,000 square miles (12,950 square kilometres). The known death toll Monday stands at 24 and more than 4,200 structures have been destroyed. The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection says Red Flag warnings have returned to the northeastern portion of the state due to a combination of gusty winds and low humidity that could continue through much of the week. Elevated fire weather conditions are expected in the central and southern areas of the state due to warm and dry conditions. Smoke remains a problem through out many of Californias valleys. ___ 1:45 p.m. SALEM, Ore. Authorities in Oregon say more than 20 people remain missing from the wildfires burning across the state. Gov. Kate Brown said Monday that 10 people are confirmed dead and that the number would likely rise as more confirmations come in from local law enforcement and medical authorities. Andrew Phelps, director of Oregons office of Emergency Management, said at a news conference that 22 people are still listed as missing. He said work is continuing to locate people and update lists. Not all people listed as missing are later found dead. Over the weekend the Jackson County Sheriffs office in southern Oregon said the number of people accounted for from a blaze there was down to one after about 50 people were initially unaccounted for. ___ 1:30 p.m. SALEM, Ore. Gov. Kate Brown said Monday she has asked President Donald Trump to issue a major disaster declaration for Oregon as it battles deadly wildfires that have wrought destruction across the state. Brown said at a news briefing that the state has been pushed to its limits. A major disaster declaration would allow a range of federal help for people and public infrastructure affected by the blazes that have destroyed hundreds of homes and burned about 1,560 square miles (4,040 square kilometres). At least 10 people were killed in the blazes, and authorities say that number will likely increase. Brown and fire officials said that better weather is aiding firefighting efforts, but warned that wind conditions by mid-week could complicate things for crews on the ground. The Democratic governor also said the state would distribute 250,000 N-95 masks to people such as agricultural workers, tribal members and others vulnerable to the smoky skies and poor air quality that has plagued the state for days. And Brown said that three large charitable foundations in the state were establishing a fund to aid in recovery efforts. ___ 10:35 a.m. ALBANY, Ore. An Oregon sheriff says authorities are searching for a person suspected of setting eight suspicious fires around the communities of Sweet Home and Brownsville early Monday morning. The area is about 60 miles (96 kilometres) southwest of a large fire that wiped out numerous communities in Oregons Santiam Valley and forced thousands to evacuate. Linn County Sheriff Jim Yon says deputies are searching for a 1990s Nissan pickup truck thats either white or silver with a black canopy. The truck was seen in the area of one of the fires. ___ 10:15 a.m. PORTLAND, Ore. Authorities say a homeless man with mental health issues was arrested early Monday on suspicion of starting seven small brush fires in Portland, Oregon, in the past 24 hours. Police say 45-year-old Domingo Lopez Jr., was arrested on charges of reckless burning and disorderly conduct after starting a small brush fire with a Molotov cocktail Sunday afternoon. He was arrested again early Monday morning on six additional counts of reckless burning after police say he lit multiple fires west of Interstate 205. Firefighters extinguished three and community members put out three others. No one was injured and no structures were damaged. Police say Lopez was taken to a hospital for a mental health evaluation. The FBI and state and local authorities say there is not truth to rumours circulating online that anti-fascist activists started fires in Oregon. PIGGS PEAK A church is supposed to be a place of refuge but this was not the case for four people who were burnt in the faces with boiling cooking while worshipping. A 30-year-old woman Gcebile Mtfupha who is said to be a pastors wife (umkhokheli) at the said church is alleged to have targeted one Nomphumelelo Dlamini whom she alleged was in a relationship with her husband. Mtfupha is said to have boiled some cooking oil on Sunday while the church service was in session and allegedly targeted Dlaminis face. She is then said to have splashed the oil on Dlaminis face but also burnt another woman (20) with the same oil as well as two children aged four and six months. The names of others who were also burnt are Buyisile Vilakati (20) and two children namely Sicelimphilo Manikela aged six months and Thandolwethu Mthembu aged four. It is alleged that Mtfupha had boiled the oil at home as the church is situated nearby. She is then said to have carried the oil in a container which is believed to be a large metal cup. Upon reaching where Dlamini had sat, Mftupha is said to have splashed the cooking oil in her face causing severe burns. The pastors wife is further alleged to have hit Dlamini with fists. Mtfupha is also accused of hitting Dlamini twice in the head with a stick. Shocked church members are said to have quickly intervened to prevent further injury to Dlamini who was already in severe pain at the time. The matter was then reported to the police, resulting in Mtfuphas arrest and subsequent court appearance. She was charged with assault with intent to do Grievous Bodily Harm (GBH). While assaulting Dlamini, Mtfupha is also said to have injured four others but was only slapped with four counts. The court was, however, informed that a fifth charge may be added as another person had also reported being burnt by the same cooking oil. Mtfupha briefly appeared before Magistrate Vusi Thomo where she requested to be granted bail. However, bail was opposed. She was remanded in custody. It was also noted that Dlamini was still admitted to the Piggs Peak Government Hospital with severe injuries that she sustained when Mtfupha allegedly splashed boiling oil on her face. Princess Beatrice was on stepmum duties as she popped to the shops with husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi and his four-year-old son, Wolfie. Beatrice, 32, and Wolfie went into a London branch of Waitrose to pick up some groceries while property developer Edoardo, 37, waited in their Range Rover outside. The princess, the eldest daughter of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson, made sure Wolfie was safely in the back seat before climbing in the passenger seat next to her husband. It is the first time they have been seen out together since Beatrice and Edoardo secretly tied the knot on July 17 in Windsor, with Wolfie acting as best man. Hands-on stepmum! Beatrice, 32, and Wolfie went into a London branch of Waitrose to pick up some groceries while property developer Edoardo, 37, waited in their Range Rover outside. Pictured, Beatrice with Wolfie, whose face has been obscured, on their way back to the car Keeping things casual: Beatrice dressed down for the outing, pairing a casual blue button-down shirt with a white skirt with blue detailing. Pictured, with her face mask on Family outing: The princess, the oldest daughter of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson, made sure Wolfie was safely in the back seat (pictured) before climbing in the passenger Safety first: In keeping with government guidelines, Beatrice also wore a mask in store but took off the covering before getting in the car (pictured, removing the mask) Driving duties: Edo waited in the couple's Range Rover while Beatrice and Wolfie went inside Beatrice dressed down for the Waitrose outing over the weekend, pairing a casual blue button-down shirt with a white skirt with blue detailing. She wore her hair loose around her shoulders, adding a ruby red velvet hairband for her own styling twist. Beatrice appeared to keep her accessories to a minimum but her stunning engagement ring caught the light as she climbed into the car after Wolfie. In keeping with government guidelines, Beatrice also wore a mask in store but took off the covering before getting in the car. Denim dream: Beatrice paired her classic button-down shirt with a printed skirt for the outing Look at that sparkle! Beatrice appeared to keep her accessories to a minimum but her stunning engagement ring caught the light as she climbed into the car after Wolfie Quick jaunt: The couple popped to the shops in London over the weekend, pictured It is the third time Beatrice has been seen running errands in London in recent days. Last week she was seen picking up a bag of organic groceries and stopping off at baby shop The Little White Company to pick up a gift. The outings suggest she and Edo are settling into married life in London. Wolfie also plays an important part in their lives together in the city, with friends previously speaking of the good relationship Beatrice has with her new stepson. Beatrice and Edoardo headed off to France for a low-key honeymoon shortly after their private wedding on July 17. The couple exchanged vows in front of immediate family, including the Queen and Prince Philip, at All Saints Church, Windsor. Out and about: Bea has been seen out and about in London after returning from honeymoon Heading off: Beatrice climbs into the passenger seat next to her husband as they leave A source told the Mail on Sunday that Beatrice and Edo had planned to skip a traditional honeymoon, but decided at the last minute to take a trip across the Channel. The wedding was arranged in a couple of weeks, and with lockdown their choice of honeymoon destinations was severely curtailed. They werent going to bother but at the last minute they decided to pack up the car and head out. Theyre a very down-to-earth couple. It is understood that they are planning a trip to Lamu Island, off Kenya, where Edos family own a home and where he took Beatrice in the early days of their romance. Getting into a routine: Beatrice, Edoardo and Wolfie leaving Waitrose after the shopping trip This file photo shows people at an internet cafe in Beijing, on May 12, 2011. (Gou Yige/AFP/Getty Images) The Inside Story on How Chinese Authorities Suppress Negative Publicity Online A series of internal government reports have revealed in greater detail how Chinese authorities censor and suppress negative news stories, especially incidents that could draw scrutiny of officials. According to the Chinese regimes own estimates, as of 2019 there were more than 850 million internet users in China. Since the advent of the internet, the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has placed enormous resources into controlling information and manipulating public opinion to its interests. Aside from online monitoring and deleting posts with keywords the Chinese regime disapproves of, two tactics that the CCP uses to deal with negative publicity were revealed in documents from Henan Province authorities that The Epoch Times received. Suppressing Negative News Stories In the Zhumadian citys annual yearbook on internet work, authorities detailed how they spread false information to manipulate public opinion. In 2016, the Nanyang citys local branch of the Cyberspace Affairs Office suppressed photos of a fatal car accident that caused multiple casualties and put out different narratives trying to minimize its negative impact, according to the documents. According to Chinese media reports, on February 29, 2016, at an intersection in front of the citys First Middle School, a white SUV suddenly sped up and drove into a group of students, killing 1 and injuring 11. The driver was a retired bureau chief at the Nanyang prosecutors office. After retirement, he worked for a local real estate company. After the company accumulated enormous debt and the business owner ran away, the man was chased by creditors. He intentionally drove into a crowd in order to take revenge on society, according to media reports. Local authorities soon took measures to control public opinion about the incident. First, the local Cyberspace Affairs Office reported promptly to higher authorities for research and assessment, then the Propaganda Department of the provincial Party committee put out requirements and set the tone for reporting of the incident. Local media and news outlets were not allowed to report about the incident before the official version was to be released by the government. Authorities also ordered media outlets to take down all photos and videos of the incident from their websites. However, the strategy seems to have backfired, the document stated. The official version of the accident had contradicting information and kept changing. It was called out and questioned by the public, the document stated. An excerpt of internal documents from Zhumadian city, Henan Province. (Provided to The Epoch Times) At the time, a local college student expressed in an interview with the Chinese-language Epoch Times: the drunk driving and losing control of the vehicle are total nonsense! Authorities admitted that their intervention caused more attention and negative public opinion regarding the incident and panic in society. This similarly happened with a police shooting of an unarmed man that occurred on May 2, 2017. A black sedan was blocked by police at a highway exit in Sanmenxia city. When the driver tried to turn around and drive away, several police officers opened fire and killed the driver inside. Several videos of the shooting circulated online and attracted public attention. The document stated that the citys police and Cyberspace Administration (a censorship agency) soon made public statements to guide the development of public opinion. It also drafted a directive to the citys hired internet trollscommonly known as the 50 cent armyinstructing them to make positive comments. The official social media accounts of city police would also like those posts. If there are negative comments, the trolls should conduct interactive guidancemeaning they should respond to the posts with positive comments about the local government. Despite the comprehensive strategy and detailed instructions, the authorities official story of the incident was still questioned by the public. The guy didnt shoot at police or even have a gun to resist arrest, one netizen commented at the time. Its their old routine: kill the person first and then plant evidence to frame him, another said. Shifting Attention Away Another tactic is to shift the publics focus away from a negative incident by creating a new hot topic. The document explained how the tactic worked in a local case of telecommunications and phone fraud. On Sept. 26, 2016, mainland Chinese media reported that 113 villagers in Shangcai county of Zhumadian city were wanted by police for pretending to be military personnel to commit telecommunication fraud. It attracted great public attention online. After the fraud case was exposed, in order to reverse this situation, the citys Cyberspace Administration decided to hold an online publicity/PR event, to publicize and guide online public opinionin other words, to divert public attention from the fraud case. Authorities decided to hype up an upcoming cultural festival instead. A team of the city and countys hired online trolls wrote a large number of articles related to the event and set up topics in relevant online forums. They also posted comments and shared articles more than 1,000 times within 48 hours, according to the document. In the end, the government concluded that with this new hot topic, it successfully turned public attention away from the fraud case. According to the document, at that time, Zhumadian city had 720 online platforms and media accounts participating in an online discussion about the cultural festival. As of 2017, there were more 1,500 online trolls working for the small city, the document stated. Unified Propaganda The document also showed that local and central government authorities often coordinate to ensure that their propaganda narratives sync up. For example, on Sept. 22, 2016 in Sui county, a kindergarten school bus crashed with a big truck, causing multiple casualties. State media outlets gave two different numbers of casualties. Henan Business Daily and Dahe Daily reported 6 dead and 28 injured with photos from the scene; while Xinhua reported only 13 injured, including 2 in critical condition. Soon, Dahe Dailys report was deleted. The document recorded that after the incident, the Shangqiu city Cyberspace Administration interrogated and scolded several officials who managed the government social media accounts, as they posted and shared false information. The Cyberspace Administration also interrogated the leaders of Henan Business Daily and Dahe Daily, and ordered them to reform immediately and hold relevant personnel accountable for the discrepancy in reported casualties. CHARLOTTE, N.C., Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Duke University has become the first academic institution to execute a renewable power agreement under Duke Energy's Green Source Advantage (GSA) program further expanding solar energy in North Carolina. Duke University will purchase about 101 megawatts (MW) of solar capacity from three solar facilities in North Carolina. The power generated will partially offset the university's energy usage. "The Green Source Advantage is an ideal fit for colleges and universities seeking to advance their renewable energy and sustainability goals," said Stephen De May, Duke Energy's North Carolina president. "The innovative program's flexibility allows for a major expansion of renewable energy in North Carolina." The agreement will help Duke University's ambitious effort to become carbon neutral by 2024. The expanded solar energy fits into the university's Climate Action Plan, which was launched in 2009 and updated in 2019 with a goal of reducing on-campus emissions by 84% by 2024, with the remaining emissions reduced to zero through investment in carbon offsets. Duke University will partner with Asheville, N.C.-based Pine Gate Renewables to build the solar projects, which are being developed in partnership with Silver Pine Energy Holdings. The facilities will be online by 2022. "We are excited to partner with Duke Energy and Duke University for these projects," said Pine Gate Renewables CEO Ben Catt. "We've developed, constructed and energized dozens of solar projects with Duke Energy over the years, and look forward to bringing more renewable energy to North Carolina through innovative and exciting programs such as GSA." "This partnership (with Pine Gate Renewables) is a key step toward carbon neutrality," said Duke President Vincent E. Price. "Duke is committed to building on our history of leadership in protecting the environment, a vitally important priority for our university and for humanity as we grapple with the challenges of climate change." The GSA program is an outgrowth of 2017's landmark solar legislation in North Carolina. Programs such as solar rebates for customers and solar leasing were also part of that legislation. Overall, there is 600 MW of capacity available under GSA. Currently, around 30 MW is still available to eligible customers. The GSA allows large energy users to offset its power purchases by securing renewable energy from projects connected to the Duke Energy grid. The customer may keep the Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) of the projects and use the energy purchased to satisfy sustainability or carbon-free goals. Two other GSA contracts have been announced this year: The City of Charlotte will buy the output from a 35-MW facility in Iredell County . will buy the output from a 35-MW facility in . Bank of America will buy the output from a 25-MW facility planned by Silver Pine Energy Holdings. Under GSA, customers and developers agree on the specific project and additional costs associated with energy from the facility. Other Duke Energy customers do not pay for any part of the project. Duke Energy maintains about 3,500 MW of solar power on its energy grid in North Carolina, which could power about 700,000 homes and businesses at peak output. The company also operates 40 solar facilities in the state. North Carolina currently ranks No. 2 in the nation for overall solar power. Duke Energy Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK), a Fortune 150 company headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., is one of the largest energy holding companies in the U.S. It employs 30,000 people and has an electric generating capacity of 51,000 megawatts through its regulated utilities, and 3,000 megawatts through its nonregulated Duke Energy Renewables unit. Duke Energy is transforming its customers' experience, modernizing the energy grid, generating cleaner energy and expanding natural gas infrastructure to create a smarter energy future for the people and communities it serves. The Electric Utilities and Infrastructure unit's regulated utilities serve approximately 7.7 million retail electric customers in six states North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky. The Gas Utilities and Infrastructure unit distributes natural gas to more than 1.6 million customers in five states North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio and Kentucky. The Duke Energy Renewables unit operates wind and solar generation facilities across the U.S., as well as energy storage and microgrid projects. Duke Energy was named to Fortune's 2020 "World's Most Admired Companies" list, and Forbes' 2019 "America's Best Employers" list. More information about the company is available at duke-energy.com. The Duke Energy News Center contains news releases, fact sheets, photos, videos and other materials. Duke Energy's illumination features stories about people, innovations, community topics and environmental issues. Follow Duke Energy on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook. Contact: Randy Wheeless Office: 704.382.8379 24-Hour: 800.559.3853 Twitter: @DE_RandyW SOURCE Duke Energy Related Links www.duke-energy.com (Photo : Clint Patterson on Unsplash) Millions of Americans' Sensitive Voter Info Could Be Accessed by Anyone Because of This Campaign App's Bug Millions of Americans' Sensitive Voter Info Could Be Accessed by Anyone Because of This Campaign App's Bug A new bug from a campaign app was discovered, thus, affecting the official campaign app of Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden. A security researcher said that the issue could allow anyone to access millions of Americans' sensitive voter information. A bug in Joe Bidens campaign app gave anyone access to millions of voter files: A privacy bug in Democratic presidential candidate Joe Bidens official campaign app allowed anyone to look up sensitive voter information on millions of Americans, a security researcher has found. pic.twitter.com/NxekFxoWrs woo tenpage (@WTenpage) September 15, 2020 Also Read: [Analysis] Pentagon's F-35 'The World's Most Insane' Fighter Jets Seem to Be $10B Short of Budget: Will It Be Scratched? "Vote Joe" campaign app allows his supporters to upload their phone contact lists to see if their family members and friends are registered. This feature gives them a chance to encourage their family members and friends to vote in the upcoming United States presidential election. Also Read: Razer Leaks 100,000+ Private Data While Reports About the Breach Bounce from One Support Representative to Another The campaign app uploads and matches the user's contacts with voter info provided by TargetSmart, a political marketing firm that claims to have more than 191 million Americans' voter files. It would display the voters' age, birthday, name, and even the recent election they voted in, once there is a match. The app then would tell its users to find other people they know and encourage them to get involved with the election. Although the users' data could already be in public, the new bug makes it easier for anyone, especially for hackers and other cyber attackers, to access voter information. A mobile expert under the name of "The App Analyst," used the bug. He created a contact on his phone with a random voter's name and found out that he could trick the campaign app into providing anyone's information. The bug could pull out far more detailed and private info the what the app displays The security expert claims that the app now provides more sensitive information than what it should display because of the bug. He explained that far more private and detailed info, including date of birth, ethnicity, gender, political party affiliation, and home address, was provided after he intercepted the data that flows in and out of the device. To fix the current issue, the Biden campaign team released an update on Friday, Sept. 11. "We were made aware about how our third-party app developer was providing additional fields of information from commercially available data that was not needed," said Matt Hill, Joe Biden campaign's spokesperson. Hill added that they quickly fixed the bug and removed the information that was released. He said that their campaign team is committed to protecting their volunteers, supporters, and staff's privacy. For more news updates about bugs and other apps' issues, always keep your tabs open here at TechTimes. Also Read: FACT-CHECK: Antifa Did NOT Start Oregon Fire; Facebook to Remove Fake News on Platform This article is owned by TechTimes, Written by: Giuliano de Leon. 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. "I'm writing this not as the prince I was born but as the man I have become," the Duke of Sussex, 36, said in a statement Monday. A Sydney university was warned it risked being cut off from students in China if it included politically sensitive material, including disputed territories, in online teaching. A University of Technology Sydney internal working group, established to provide advice on options for reaching international students stuck in China, provided a risk assessment about the use of technology. The draft report, dated February 7, said that, while the university could share content that was normally accessible around the world, "the concentrated access and activity via Chinese networks occurring now and over the coming weeks, raises a risk that the Chinese Government will see this as "unapproved teaching" in China and turn off our 'uts.edu.au' domain and other related systems". Internal advice at UTS recommended altering it's online curriculum to prevent angering authorities in China. Credit:Steven Siewert The internal advice suggested producing guidance for staff "around ensuring teaching content and materials avoid censorship issues in China". Kangana Ranaut seeks compensation of Rs 2 crore from BMC India pti-Madhuri Adnal Mumbai, Sept 15: Actor Kangana Ranaut has amended her petition before the Bombay High Court to seek a compensation of Rs 2 crore from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) for "illegal" demolition at her bungalow. After the BMC demolished what it termed as illegal alterations at the "Queen" actor's bungalow at Pali Hill in suburban Bandra on September 9, Ranaut moved the high court. A division bench led by Justice S J Kathawalla had stayed the demolition, saying that the civic body's actions seemed "malafide" (having dubious intentions). Kangana Ranaut faces Congress fire on PoK barb, not sharing 'drugs info' In her amended plea, Ranaut alleged that the BMC's decision to demolish her property was a direct consequence of her comments against the Maharashtra government. Recently she has been "at loggerheads with the Government of Maharashtra regarding herviews over the handling of certain issues which impact the public in general," it added. "The expression used by her has displeased certain quarters and caused angst in certain quarters particularly a political party which is a part of the government in Maharashtra," Ranaut's amended petition said. "In view of various threats been given to the petitioner, including threats of harm if she entered Mumbai, thepetitioner was compelled to seek the assistance/security and was givenprotection by the Central Government in nature Y-plus category of CRPF security and the petitioner could only come to Mumbai under protection," it said. The "same party" is also the ruling party in the BMC, the petition said, without naming the Shiv Sena. The petition also contended that the Bollywood actor had sought the BMC's permission to carry out structural repairs at her bungalow, and the same was granted in 2018. The BMC sent her a demolition notice on September 7 and gave her just 24 hours to respond, the petition said, adding that while she did respond in time, it was quick to reject her reply and on the very next day, BMC and police officers were "already present outside the bungalow". Photos of the day showed that the BMC was ready with demolition equipmentearly in the morning, which proves that the civic body had malafide intentions and ulterior motives to demolish the bungalow, the petition claimed. The plea urged the court to declare the BMC's action as illegal and direct the civic body and its "concerned officials" to pay her Rs 2 crore in damages. The court is slated to hear the matter on September 22. The demolition at Ranaut's bungalow had followed her public spat with the Shiv Sena over her statement comparing Mumbai to Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 15) Civil society groups made a commitment to remind the public in upholding their right of suffrage and to ensure the conduct of the 2022 elections. The country will elect a new president and vice president in 2022, along with senators, congressmen, and local government officials. In a unity statement entitled "Toward a C-22 (Covenant for the 2022 Elections)" released on Monday, the groups stressed the next elections must be held on May 9, 2022 as mandated by the 1987 Constitution. "Any and all attempts and excuses to postpone the elections as scheduled are unacceptable. As the country adjusts to the effects of the global pandemic, we should vigilantly protect and uphold our basic rights, including the right of suffrage," the unity statement reads. The groups also denounced all efforts to postpone the 2022 elections, such as those who are proposing a term extension of elected government officials and amending the Constitution. "We appeal to those in power to categorically disown and dismiss speculations about a "no-elections" (no-el) scenario which were created by the push for charter change and the proposed shift from presidential to parliamentary system," they added. They also urged new voters to register and old voters to uphold their right to vote, as a proof the public wants to push through a "safe, free, fair, credible, and transparent" 2022 elections. The Commission on Elections resumed its voters' registration for the 2022 elections on Sept. 1 and will last until September 2021. The Office of the Election Officer will accommodate registrants fromurged public to ensure conduct Tuesday to Saturday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Around 70 individuals and 60 groups from the religious, academe, and civil society sectors signed the covenant. Among the personalities who lent their signatures were Manila Archdiocese apostolic administrator Bishop Broderick Pabillo, professor Danilo Arao of election watchdog Kontra Daya, former Commission on Elections Commissioner Luie Tito Guia, former Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno and economist and professor Solita Monsod. Some of the groups who signed the covenant were Affiliated Network for Social Accountability in East Asia and the Pacific, Alliance for the Common Good-Kapatiran Party, Alliance of Concerned Teachers Philippines, Kontra Daya, Automated Elections System Watch, Center for People Empowerment in Governance Church Urban Poor Solidarity, IBON Foundation, Caritas Philippines, and Sangguniang Laiko ng Pilipinas. Last August, a group named Mayor Rodrigo Roa Duterte-National Executive Coordinating Committee expressed their support for a revolutionary government headed by President Rodrigo Duterte which will help fast-track federalism before his term ends in 2022. Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque assured that Duterte will relinquish his post at the end of his term in 2022. India is making vigorous attempts to provide logistics support to its soldiers deployed in forward areas in the eastern Ladakh sector, where over 50,000 Indian troops are likely to remain stationed through the winter months to deal with any possible provocation by the Chinese forces, people familiar with the developments said on Tuesday. Military planes and helicopters are flying to Ladakh almost every day with their cargo holds filled with crucial supplies and gear from specialised winter clothing to rations and arctic tents to portable heaters that soldiers would require in the inhospitable mountain terrain, the officials said, requesting anonymity. Fresh images coming out of Ladakh on Tuesday provided glimpses of the extraordinary effort being made by the military to support its high-altitude deployments in the sensitive sector. Necessary steps have also been taken for equipment sustenance, the officials said In a statement made in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, defence minister Rajnath Singh said, I can assure you that the morale and motivation of our armed forces is very highThey are being provisioned with suitable clothing, habitat and the required defence wherewithal. Also read: Govt hints at closed-door meet with Opposition on LAC Army chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane visited forward locations in Ladakh on September 3 to review the armys operational preparedness and the logistics arrangements for sustenance of forces through the winter. China has deployed sizeable military assets in the eastern Ladakh theatre, including 50,000 troops, 150 aircraft, tanks, heavy artillery, missiles and air defence systems, with India matching every military move made by the neighbour. The determination of our troops is praise-worthy. They are capable of serving at forbidding altitudes with scarce oxygen and in extremely cold temperatures, something that they have effortlessly done over the last many years on Siachen and in Kargil, Singh said in the Lok Sabha. He said the Lower House should pass a resolution in support of the armed forces that have been defending the country at towering heights, braving inclement weather in Ladakh. Top Indian and Chinese military commanders are likely to hold a meeting along the contested Line of Actual Control (LAC) this week to reduce military tensions in eastern Ladakh, where the situation remains tense after a series of recent manoeuvres by the two armies in the Pangong Tso area. Corps commander-ranked officers have so far met five times but failed to break the deadlock. They will now be meeting for the first time after the Indian Army swiftly moved and occupied key heights to prevent the Chinese Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) from grabbing Indian territory on the southern bank of Pangong Tso in a stealthy midnight move on August 29. The Indian Army controls ridgeline positions on the southern bank of Pangong Tso that allow it to completely dominate the sector and keep an eye on Chinese military activity, with the most significant heights being held by India on Rezang La and Reqin pass, where the PLA made some desperate attempts to regain ground earlier this week. The Indian Army has also taken control of key heights overlooking the PLAs deployments on the Finger 4 ridgeline on the northern bank of Pangong Tso, where rival soldiers are deployed barely a few hundred metres from each other. The Chinese side has mobilised a large number of troops and weapon systems along the LAC as well as in the eastern Ladakh theatre, where the current friction areas include Gogra, Kongka La and the northern and southern banks of Pangong Tso, Singh said. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON ~ Businesses asked to close in solidarity of protest.~ MARIGOT:--- Members of the Souliga United Movement (SUM) and several other organizations announced on Tuesday at a press conference that they will begin a peaceful protest on Wednesday morning against the border controls that have been extended until October 1st, 2020 by the Prefet Delegue Sylvie Feucher. The group of activists called on everyone residing on St. Maarten/ St. Martin to join forces to protest the division of people and unity that has been orchestrated by the State. Persons are asked to use whatever means of transportation they have joined the protest action which will begin at the Cole Bay Round About to Bellevue checkpoint and from Agrement Round About for a meet up at the Bellevue checkpoint. The protest action starts at 7:30 am. Persons from the French Quarter are also asked to join the protest which would at some point be at the Belle Plaine checkpoint. Businesses on both sides are called upon to close down for a few hours in solidarity with the organizers of the march. Teachers and Teachers Unions are also asked to close the doors of their classrooms since they are unable to close the schools. Victor Paines member of the SUM said that they will start off the motorcade protest peacefully to avoid being accused of having a large gathering that would increase the spread of COVID-19. Paines call on everyone to walk with drinking water as well as their masks and hand sanitizer. Protesters will be given a copy of the Treaty of Concordia to use as their pass when they approach the checkpoints on Wednesday. Paines further explained that there is sufficient data to show that the border controls have not in any way assisted in decreasing the spread of the coronavirus but in fact it serves to divide people, unity, and families that have lived for over 300 years peacefully. He said currently there are more cases of coronavirus on the French side as there are on the Dutch side. Paines further stated that those handling the disease are not doing a proper job because proper contact tracing is not being done while no one monitors people that are in quarantine. Sujah Reiph who also spoke said that on Wednesday that there is no guarantee the peaceful protest will end peacefully and how long the protest action will last. He said that at all costs the border checks must be removed on Wednesday as calls have been made to Prefet Delegue Sylvie Feucher to repeal the decision to keep the checkpoints until October 1st, 2020. At some point, the Unity Flag will be raised and placed on existing flag poles as the protest action is a joint one. Among the group on Tuesday was Clara Reyes Head of the Culture Department on St. Maarten who also said that the checkpoints do not serve its purpose and in fact, it is hindering the peaceful and harmonious life that co-existed on St. Maarten for more than 300 years. Condemning the decisions taken by the State representative was the Director of the Chamber of Commerce Angele Dormoy who lamented on the state of the economy. Dormoy said the Prefet is not taking the social impact the border controls have on the economy and the people of St. Martin and St. Maarten. She said St. Martin does not need the border checks because it was not needed post-IRMA or even in December when the people protested the PPRN. Member of the Territorial Council and founding member of the SUM Jules Charville was also present at the press conference. Charvile said Feucher does not listen to anyone that just on Tuesday Senator Guillaume Arnell spoke out against the actions taken by the Prefet Delegue. (Newser) State Police have opened Oregon's first-ever mobile morgue with dozens of deaths expected in raging wildfires that have already burned some 900,000 acres. The official death count was reduced from 10 to eight after two sets of remains in Jackson County were determined to be animals. But 22 people are missing and another 28 are unaccounted for, reports OregonLive. The mobile morgue at a state facility in Linn County will be operated by a 75-member regional response team. Members will recover remains, then work to identify them through fingerprints, dental records, X-rays, and forensic examination. A separate facility allowing relatives to submit to rapid DNA testing to assist in identification will also be opened this week once the proper equipment arrives. story continues below Officials hope to "give family members closure as soon as possible," Capt. Tim Fox tells OregonLive. "We understand this is a super tragic event," he adds. "We understand this is hard." There are at least 13 large wildfires burning in the state. The Riverside fire, covering more than 130,000 acres near Estacada, is 0% contained. But "we're getting in resources" and "should start seeing containment in the next few days," Alan Sinclair, the Southwest Incident Management Team Commander, tells OregonLive. The Beachie Creek fire near Detroit, covering some 186,000 acres, is also 0% contained. However, cool temperatures and high humidity have lessened the fires' spread. And rain is expected between Tuesday and Thursday, per the Salem Statesman Journal. (Read more Oregon stories.) In Delhi riots case, cops to show 1.1 million pages of documents to Umar Khalid India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, Sep 15: The prosecution has told a Delhi court that former JNU student, Umar Khalid arrested for his alleged role in the northeast Delhi riots has to be shown documents running into 1.1 million pages and huge technical data. The prosecution further contended that the examination of the witnesses revealed that Khalid was coordinating between the protest sites in Delhi in connivance with other radical groups. "Further interrogation is needed in order to unearth deep-rooted conspiracy and to collect clinching evidence to nab/arrest the remaining conspirators behind these riots During the course of investigation, names of some more suspects have also cropped up and above named accused are required to be questioned at length about those suspects to obtain their exact particulars for further investigation," the remand application by the Delhi Police read. Narrative being created that pro-CAA protestors were behind Northeast Delhi riots The police had told a court last month that Khalid along with other accused, former AAP councillor, Tahir Hussain and activist Khalid Saifi had hatched a conspiracy to orchestrate the riots just before the visit of US President Donald Trump in February. Recently the Delhi Police had filed two chargesheets against Hussain. The two chargesheets were filed in connection with two separate incidents of violence. The first related to arson and rioting at a parking lot in Chand Bagh, while the second related to arson and robbery at godown in Karawal Nagar. Along with his Hussain, his brother, Shah Alam and 10 others have been charged. Earlier the police had said that Hussain instigated the mob into killing IB staffer, Ankit Sharma as he was trying to pacify the mobs of both sides. It may be recalled that during the riots, Sharma had gone missing on February 25. His body was recovered from a drain in the Chand Bagh the next day. The chargesheet described the killing as cold blooded. It said that there were 51 injuries on Sharma's body and he was brutally killed. Hussain had gathered a mob based on religious sentiments and had also provided to logistic support to the rioters, whom he knew before hand. India elected as the member of the United Nations Commission on Status of Women | Oneindia News Citing witnesses, the chargesheet said that Hussain led the mob at Chand Bagh. The witnesses also told the police Hussain was very much present at his house, from where the mob was pelting stones. Hussain also provoked the mob based on religious sentiments and he was urging the mob against the Hindus/Kafirs to kill them, the chargesheet also said. Delhi riots: Charge sheet in 'conspiracy case will be filed by Sept 17, says police chief Sharma on the other hand was trying to pacify both sides. However, a mob of 25 equipped with rods, knives and stones attacked him. The two presidents discussed measures taken by both states to contain the COVID-19 pandemic. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has expressed hope that a vaccine against COVID-19 will become available in 2021. He mentioned this during talks with Federal President of Austria Alexander Van der Bellen in Vienna, according to the Ukrainian president's press service. Read alsoAustria, Ukraine have different views on Nord Stream 2 construction Kurz "We are ready for mass production of the vaccine when it is created. We offer our capacities for this all the time. In Ukraine, such offer came from two private enterprises. We very much hope that the vaccine will become available in 2021," Zelensky said. The two presidents discussed measures taken by both states to contain the COVID-19 pandemic and overcome its negative consequences. They also stressed the importance of coordinating international efforts for medical and social protection of citizens. Coronavirus vaccine: Latest developments Patna, Sep 15 : Ahead of the upcoming assembly elections in Bihar, the Bharatiya Janata Party's IT cell has been playing a pivotal role in its election campaign. Nearly 9,800 observers at the ground level are turning out to be the 'eyes and ears' of the party. Manan Krishna, state Convener of the BJP IT cell, said every development related to the economy and social and cultural aspects as well as the weaknesses of the opposition parties were minutely observed by party workers at the block level and accordingly strategies were being formulated at the state headquarters in Patna. "We have 9,800 block-level observers spread across 38 districts in Bihar. They are associated with us and are non-paid workers. They keep an eye on every activity, including development work as well as aggressive statements or incidents involving slip-of-tongue by the opposition leaders. They send feedback to us, we filter it and follow it up by selection of important stories of individuals, groups and incidents having a political impact. The news points are also sent to leaders concerned of the respective constituencies apart from the top state and Central leadership at Patna and Delhi," Krishna said. One such example emerged in the Kati Assembly constituency when a group of four or five men returned during the corona lockdown and started a dairy project. They were now claiming that their earnings had increased manifold and reached a stage of self-reliance. "We highlight such stories on public platforms as well as on social media to inspire others about how they turned a natural calamity into an opportunity. It is also our core mantra for the Bihar Assembly elections," Krishna added. Sharing his experience, Krishna said besides the feedback of the block observers we also monitor newspapers, news channels and different social networking sites. We have an efficient and qualified team which comprises 20 members who continuously monitor developments round the clock at the state headquarters in Patna. Apart from them, some professionals contribute their services part-time during the morning and evening sessions. All of them are non-paid workers inspired by the ideology of the BJP. Some of the team members belong to technical fields like software engineering and call centres, who returned during the pandemic and are associated with the BJP. One of the victims of the Manchester Arena bombing was trying for a baby and had begun choosing baby names, the inquiry has been told. Kelly Brewster, 32, had started making a list of baby names on her phone and had an offer accepted on a new home on the morning of the attack in May 2017. Miss Brewster, an insurance claims assessor from Sheffield, was a keen follower of pop music and went to the concert with her sister Claire Booth and niece Hollie, both of whom were seriously injured in the attack. Kelly Brewster (pictured left) and her partner, Ian Winslow had been planning to have a baby together and had begun choosing names Since the attack, Hollie has appeared in a wheelchair on Britain's Got Talent with dance troupe Rise, and her family said in a statement to the inquiry: 'Hollie misses everything about her Aunty Kelly. If Hollie could pick one thing, she wants to live her life to make Kelly proud and she has enough fight in her life for both of them.' The inquiry heard that Miss Brewster had sent a text to her partner, Ian Winslow, at 7.20pm that evening, telling him that she loved him. They had met through friends, three years earlier at her 30th birthday party and her family said in a statement: 'It became obvious very quickly that Kelly and Ian were made for each other.' They both loved travel and went to Salou in Spain, California, New York, and Las Vegas together. It wasn't long before they moved in together and they would leave little notes around the house saying how much they loved each other, the inquiry heard. Kelly introduced Ian's daughter to Harry Potter and in February 2017, all three of them took a trip to London and Disneyland Paris. 'Not long afterwards Kelly and Ian decided to try for a baby and purchase a new home together,' her family said. Miss Brewster, (pictured) an insurance claims assessor from Sheffield and her partner had just accepted an offer on a home on the morning of the attack 'Kelly longed to be pregnant and had already started to make a list of baby names on her phone. 'On the morning of May 22 they had an offer accepted on a four bedroom house where they were planning to build their future. 'Kelly was so excited on the drive over to Manchester, showed off all the photographs of their house, and talked about it non-stop. 'She had planned which would be Phoebe's room and where a nursery would go and could not wait to start this new chapter in her life.' Her family talked of a 'long and painful wait to find out if Kelly had been pregnant when she died' saying it was 'just impossible to comprehend.' Her mother, Kim Brewster, is 'in constant pain' and worried she cannot picture Kelly in her mind or hear her voice when she thinks of her. Her father, Kevin Brewster, has had a stroke and heart attack since the attack and regularly takes the train to Manchester to sit in Victoria Station because it is where he feels closest to Kelly. Claire has lost her 'side kick and her closest friend' and Adam, her brother, 'misses the amazement and excitement she showed at the little things in life that no one else ever thought of.' Miss Brewster was a keen follower of pop music and went to the concert (above) with her sister Claire Booth and niece Hollie, both of whom were seriously injured in the attack A number of friends gave statements, including one called Becky, who said: 'Kelly lived a short life but did more in her 32 years than most do in a lifetime and I am glad about that. It was a short life but certainly a life well lived 'There were so many things left for her to do. One of those was to be a mum. I have no doubt that Kelly would have made an amazing mother and I know it's something she really hoped for. This was to be her next big adventure or at least it should have been.' Jeremy Williams-Chalmers, described Ian as her 'Prince Charming' and said she was not alone when she died. 'In that arena there were over 14,000 people watching a concert by a performer they loved. The evening was one full of happiness and heart and as we all mourn those who are no longer with us, let's all make sure to learn to live in love,' he added. The brother of a 15-year-old victim of the Manchester Arena attack, who saw her lying on the ground after the explosion talked about their unique and special relationship and love of music. Victim Megan Hurley (pictured) went to the concert with her older brother Bradley and were three metres from the explosion. Bradley suffered two broken legs in the blast and looked over to see his sister lying dead Megan Hurley from Halewood, Merseyside, had been a huge fan of Ariana Grande from an early age and was desperate for tickets for her UK tour, the inquiry was told. She was given them as a Christmas present and went to the concert with her older brother Bradley, then 21, who shared her love of pop music. Megan and Bradley entered the City Room foyer at 10.30pm and were three metres from the explosion. He suffered two broken legs in the blast and looked over to see his sister lying dead on the ground. In a statement read to the inquiry, Bradley said: 'There are not enough words in the dictionary or hours in the day for me to paint an accurate picture of Megan. 'I can't share every memory I have because even if I did, you still couldn't understand because our relationship was personal, unique and individual to us.' Victim Courtney Boyle (pictured) went with her step-father Philip Tron to pick up her sister Nicole, and were standing in front of the doors to the arena, about four metres from bomber Salman Abedi at the time of the explosion The boyfriend of a student who was killed in the bombing as she picked up her younger sister said they 'loved each other to bits.' Courtney Boyle, 19, a psychology and criminology student at Leeds Beckett University, had queued with her sister Nicole to pick up her tickets. She had been picked up by her family on the way from their home in Gateshead to go with them to Manchester for a day out. Nicole had saved up all her birthday money and pocket money to pay for a VIP ticket to see Ariana Grande perform, the inquiry was told. The rest of the family went for a meal before waiting in the car, chatting and laughing, for the concert to finish. Then Courtney went with her step-father Philip Tron to pick up Nicole, entering the City Room foyer at 10.22pm, nine minutes before the blast. Pictured: Emergency services arrive at the scene of the explosion outside the Manchester Arena in May 2017 Pictured: CCTV image of suicide bomber Salman Abedi making his way to the Manchester Arena, on May 22, 2017, where he detonated his bomb They were standing in front of the doors to the arena, about four metres from Salman Abedi at the time of the explosion. Courtney's boyfriend, Callum Maundrill, described how they had met two years earlier at the Leeds-Reading Festival, when she walked into him. 'She walked straight into my chest, by accident, head first. We laughed and got chatting,' he said in a statement read to the inquiry. After the festival, they stayed in touch despite living in different cities. 'She made the good times great and the bad times bearable,' he said. 'I know I did the same for her because we lived each other to bits.' A video has been made by comedian Jason Manford for the family and friends of victim Martyn Hett (pictured) which was shown to the inquiry. The footage encouraged people to 'Be More Martyn' calling him a 'Stockport Legend' The comedian Jason Manford made a video for the family and friends of Martyn Hett which was shown to the inquiry calling him a 'Stockport Legend' and encouraging people to Be More Martyn. 'You will literally see thousand so people from all over the world from different walks of life,' using the hashtag, he said. 'They've put the rules of life to one side and told them life's too short. There's no time for hate, there's barely enough time for love. 'If you want to tell this boy or girl how you feel, do it today. If you want to try something you never have, do it this weekend, if you want to go to a place you've never been, go this afternoon. 'What are you waiting for? Life is full of negatives, don't be another one. Be More Martyn.' Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden, left, speaks to reporters in Wilmington, Del., on Aug. 13, 2020. On right, President Donald Trump before boarding Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington on June 27, 2018. (Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images; Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times) Trump: I Dont Know Which Biden Is Going to Show Up During Debates President Donald Trump said the greatest challenge in preparing for the upcoming debates is his uncertainty over Joe Bidens condition. I dont know which Biden is going to show up because I watched him during the debates, when they had 20 people on the stage and, before they started culling it out, and I watched him and he was a disaster. You dont get worse. He was grossly incompetent, Trump, a Republican seeking a second term, said during a phone call with Fox & Friends on Tuesday. But Biden, the Democratic nominee, did fine when going one-on-one with Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) in the final Democratic primary debate over the summer, Trump said. I watched him against Bernie, he was OK, he wasnt Winston Churchill, I can tell you that, but he was OK, he was fine, Trump said. What did he do? What happened to him all of a sudden? Because, he was OK, and Bernie was OK, it was an extraordinarily boring debate, but he got through it, Trump continued. And I said, whats the difference between now and some of those classic moments in the other debates, and something was strange, in my opinion. Trump returned to his unsubstantiated theory that Biden is taking some sort of medication or drug to boost his performance before speaking publicly. When a host mentioned Trump previously pushed for a drug test before debates, Trump said he would take one too. Hes taking something, or taking something that gives him some clarity or whatever. Maybe he had a lot of coffee. Maybe he had 15 cups of coffee, he said, adding during the segment: The man is shot, lets face it. We cant have a man whos shot, because you know whos not shot? Putin, President Xi, Kim Jong Un, theyre not shot. Theyre world-class chess players. Biden has appeared to lose his train of thought in a number of interviews and had a spell earlier in the campaign when he got dates, names, and places mixed up. Biden is 77 and Trump is 74. Bidens campaign did not respond to a request for a response to Trump. In a statement in response to Trump initially calling for drug testing before debates, Biden campaign spokesman Andrew Bates said: We know its unbelievable to Donald Trump, but Joe Biden can speak honestly without a shot of truth serum. Wed like to see Trump do the same. The first presidential debate is scheduled for Sept. 29. By Express News Service BENGALURU: The Central Crime Branch (CCB) police probing the Sandalwood drug racket case has raided the house of absconding accused Aditya Alva located in Hebbal. Alva is the son of former Karnataka Minister late Jeevaraj Alva and brother-in-law of Bollywood actor Vivek Oberoi. An accused in the case registered in Cottonpet police station, Alva has been absconding for more 10 days now and police are on the lookout for him. ALSO READ: Bengaluru Police raids find most drug users, peddlers are college students As part of the investigation, the CCB police obtained a search warrant and raided Alva's home named "House of Life", located in Mariyannanapalya near Hebbal. The place is also used as an event venue. Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Sandeep Patil said search warrant was obtained from the court and the house was being searched. Police said that none of the family members were present when the house was raided but they came after knowing about the police raid. ALSO READ: Hang Zameer if evidence found in drug case, says Siddaramaiah The police have suspected that Alva, who organized parties, allegedly supplied drugs to those parties. Further investigations are on. Cases have been registered against 15 people so far in this connection and nine arrested, police sources said. Those arrested in the case, include film actresses Ragini Dwivedi, Sanjjanaa Galrani, party organiser Viren Khanna, realtor Rahul and an RTO clerk B K Ravishankar. ALSO READ: Sandalwood drugs case - Actress Ragini Dwivedi remanded to 14 days judicial custody The CCB took up the matter after the Narcotics Control Bureau arrested three people including a woman with a huge cache of synthetic drugs, who were allegedly supplying them to the Kannada film actors and actresses. (With PTI inputs) A member of the communications team of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), Richard Nyamah, has described the flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) as the only contestant in this years elections who has corruption tag hovering around his neck. He said the country cannot be entrusted into the hands of John Dramani Mahama because his records in the corruption fight and other areas of the economy are way below average. Mr Nyamahs comments come after private legal practitioner and a member of the NDC, Godwin Edudzi Tamakloe, said President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has no credibility in the fight against graft in Ghana. In the view of Mr Tamakloe, Mr Mahama demonstrated his willingness and enough commitment in the fight against corruption when he was in office, unlike Mr Akufo-Addo, who he said has failed to show that level of commitment. Mahama is more than credible than Akufo-Addo, he told Johnnie Hughes on New Day on TV3 Tuesday, September 15. He added: John Mahama has dared Akufo-Addo and his poodle, the Special Prosecutor, that you have been in power for almost four years, if he had been involved in any corruption matter, you have all the investigative bodies, and four years you have not been able to do anything. Source: kasapafmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video WELLESLEY, Mass., Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Forbes Media released its second annual Best-In-State employers list, including Sun Life on the Massachusetts company list. The survey was conducted on a rolling basis from October 2019 to May 2020, and covered 80,000 Americans from companies with at least 500 employees. "Sun Life is a place where everyone can come to work and be their best, authentic selves, no matter their background, profession, or location," said Tammi Wortham, vice president of Human Resources for Sun Life U.S. "We believe in supporting employees in multiple ways, at home and on the job, and providing a healthy work/life balance that benefits the employee, their family, and the company." In 2019, Sun Life launched a new paid family and medical leave program that offers fully paid leave for 16 weeks to bond with a new child or care for a family member, 24 weeks for birth parents (which includes 8 weeks medical leave), and 24+ weeks for medical leave for an employee's own illness or injury. Even while working from home employees who have qualifying events have been encouraged to take leave to attend to themselves or be with their families. Early in the pandemic, Sun Life rallied quickly to support employees while providing a seamless transition to working virtually. Senior leadership announced a Flexibility Pledge, which encourages employees to step away to be with children, bounce the baby on their lap during a conference call, take a walk, or go get groceries. Over the summer, Sun Life partnered with the Boston Children's Museum to develop a virtual summer camp exclusively for employees' children, offering modules and activities kids can do at home. Most recently, Sun Life signed on to the Invest In Parents pledge, strengthening the company's commitment to supporting, protecting, and investing in working parents. "Our employees have shown true resilience this year, and their commitment to their work and our clients, who are employers navigating unbelievable challenges right now, is truly amazing," said Dan Fishbein, M.D., president of Sun Life U.S. "We are now looking at the future of how we work, and although we know it may wind up looking quite different, we will continue innovating and adapting to support our employees and their families." Other employee benefits at Sun Life include a sabbatical program, where employees can take time away to focus on personal or professional development, and access to several wellness programs, such as smoking cessation and stress management. Many wellness offerings are still available to employees virtually while the offices are closed. Sun Life's employee programs include several diversity and inclusion networks to celebrate and support colleagues, promote community volunteerism and foster professional development. Sun Life consistently receives a 100% score on the Human Rights Campaign's Corporate Equality Index, which measures workplace inclusion and support for LGBTQ employees, and has joined many Supreme Court amicus briefs in support of LGBTQ rights. Sun Life also recently partnered with the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund and the Smithsonian National Museum of African-American History and Culture to provide ongoing support and promotion of their initiatives on voting activism and discussions on race and racism. About Sun Life Sun Life is a leading international financial services organization providing insurance, wealth and asset management solutions to individual and corporate Clients. Sun Life has operations in a number of markets worldwide, including Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Japan, Indonesia, India, China, Australia, Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia and Bermuda. As of June 30, 2020, Sun Life had total assets under management of C$1,122 billion. For more information, please visit www.sunlife.com. Sun Life Financial Inc. trades on the Toronto (TSX), New York (NYSE) and Philippine (PSE) stock exchanges under the ticker symbol SLF. In the United States, Sun Life is one of the largest group benefits providers, serving more than 60,000 employers in small, medium and large workplaces across the country. Sun Life's broad portfolio of insurance products and services in the U.S. includes disability, absence management, life, dental, vision, voluntary and medical stop-loss. Sun Life and its affiliates in asset management businesses in the U.S. employ approximately 5,500 people. Group insurance policies are issued by Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada (Wellesley Hills, Mass.), except in New York, where policies are issued by Sun Life and Health Insurance Company (U.S.) (Lansing, Mich.). For more information, please visit www.sunlife.com/us . Media contact: Devon Fernald Sun Life U.S. 781-800-3609 [email protected] Connect with Sun Life U.S. https://www.facebook.com/SLFUnitedStates https://www.linkedin.com/company/sun-life-financial https://twitter.com/SunLifeUS SOURCE Sun Life U.S. Defence minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday warned that any serious situation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh is bound to impact the bilateral relations between India and China. Speaking in the Lok Sabha, Singh said that during a meeting with his Chinese counterpart, he has conveyed that Indian troops have always taken a responsible approach towards border management, but at the same time there should be no doubt about our determination to protect Indias sovereignty and territorial integrity. The defence minister further said that the Chinese military had started increasing its presence in the region since April and was creating obstructions in the Indian forces patrolling. Chinas People Liberation Army (PLA) made attempts to transgress LAC in May, their attempts were spotted and foiled in time by the Indian army, Singh said in the lower house of the Parliament. He added that during the Galwan clash on June 15 in which 20 soldiers sacrificed their lives, the army inflicted heavy casualties on Chinese forces. India and China have decided to resolve the issue peacefully as it is a complex one with both countries having different perceptions about the LAC, the minister said. There are many agreements and protocols between both the countries to maintain peace and tranquillity on the border, he added. Singh, however, said that violent conduct of Chinese troops is a violation of all past agreements and our troops have done counter deployments in the area to safeguard borders. China continues to be in illegal occupation of approximately 38,000 sq kms in Ladakh. In addition, under the so-called Sino-Pakistan Boundary Agreement of 1963, Pakistan illegally ceded 5,180 sq km of Indian territory in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir to China, the defence minister told the Lok Sabha. Kangana Reacts To Jaya's Statement While reacting to Jaya Bachchan's statement, Kangana tweeted, "Jaya ji would you say the same thing if in my place it was your daughter Shweta beaten, drugged and molested as a teenage, would you say the same thing if Abhishek complained about bullying and harassment constantly and found hanging one day? Show compassion for us also." (sic) Netizens Come Out In Support Of Kangana While supporting Kangana, a user tweeted, "Mrs Jaya Bachchan is lecturing & defending the gutter industry people, but DID SHE tell Sanjay Raut NOT to use language like Haramkhr for #KanganaRanaut?" Another user tweeted, "Isn't Jaya Bachchan the one who once told Photographers when they Called Aishwarya without using 'ji' - "Aishwarya kya hota hai? Is she your school friend?" Attitude and Ego toh inn Bollywood walo mein full on Bhara hua hai and baat karte hai ye Equality ki." Jaya Bachchan Receives Flak On The Internet The statement of Jaya Bachchan didn't go down well with many netizens, and they slammed the senior actress for not reprimanding Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut for using foul language for Kangana. A user slammed Mrs Bachchan and tweeted, "She wants freedom of speech for Sanjay Raut to haramkhorize the women of our society but wants Kangana to be shut if she calls out the drug cartel & movie mafia. Film Industry will be called gutter cz they killed Sushant. Mrs Jaya Bachchan yall're swimmin deep inside that gutter!" "The whole @SrBachchan family hypocrites. They kept quite when a woman from the same industry whom she is saying should not be defamed was insulted, no support for #SSR given, they didn't utter a word on drug mafia when Rhea was arrested. Now jaya has come in support of Bollywood," wrote another user. What's Your Take On The Entire Fiasco? We wonder how would Jaya Bachchan react to Kangana's tweet. Meanwhile, what do you think about the whole fiasco? Tell us in the comments section below. The Taos News delivered to your Taos County address every week for a full year! We offer our lowest mail rates to zip codes in the county. Click Here to See if you Qualify. Plan includes unlimited website access and e-edition print replica online. Your auto pay plan will be conveniently renewed at the end of the subscription period. You may cancel at anytime. Consumer Reports has no financial relationship with advertisers on this site. If you own an LG French-door or side-by-side refrigerator manufactured between Jan. 1, 2014, and Dec. 31, 2017, you might be entitled to up to $3,500 in compensation as part of a class-action lawsuit LG settled last week. For details on how you can file a claim, see How to Know If Youre Covered by the Settlement, below. According to Amey Park, one of the lawyers representing the plaintiffs, the lawsuit alleged that almost 1.6 million LG refrigerators might stop cooling because of compressor-related problems anywhere from a few months to a few years into ownership. The settlement covers 31 models. In the settlement agreement (PDF), LG maintains that the refrigerators are not defective and denies any wrongdoing. The settlement resolves a pending lawsuit about alleged refrigerator cooling issues, says John Taylor, senior vice president of LG Electronics USA. Simply put, we agreed to the settlement to avoid further litigation costs and in the interest of customer satisfaction. As part of the settlement, LG is providing qualifying consumers with up to $3,500, depending on the problems they experienced, as well as an extended five-year warranty (from the purchase date) and enhanced customer care program for any future repairs related to the problem. How LG Fridges Perform in CRs Tests and Surveys LG French-door and side-by-side refrigerators often perform well in our lab tests, but our 2019 member survey shows that LG French-doors and side-by-sides only receive Good ratings for predicted reliability. A Good rating on this attribute, which is the middle rating of CRs ratings scale, means that their problem rate hovers around the average of what one should expect within the first five years of ownership for a refrigerator, says Simon Slater, CRs associate director of survey research. Compared to other refrigerators we rate, it is, therefore, middling in terms of reliability. Story continues Our surveys also look at refrigerator problems that arise, including compressor problems. Our 2019 survey shows that LG French-doors are an outlier for compressor problems, with 8 percent of LG French-doors in our sample having such problems, compared with 3 percent of refrigerators overall. Other outliers for compressor problems include 9 percent of Bosch side-by-sides, 8 percent of Kenmore French-doors, and 8 percent of Electrolux side-by-sides. How to Know If Youre Covered by the Settlement Who qualifies? Consumers who own a covered model manufactured between Jan. 1, 2014, and Dec. 31, 2017. You can see a list of covered models with the relevant serial number ranges on the settlement website. According to Park, LG will also be sending prequalified claim forms to certain customers in its records. What are the compensation options? The compensation options vary depending on the number of so-called no-cooling events youve experienced, how long repairs took, and whether you can provide proof in the form of receipts, repair invoices, photographs, or other documents. With adequate documentation and at least one no-cooling event, you can receive up to full reimbursement for parts and labor, up to $1,000 for unsuccessful repairs by LG and its authorized repair providers, up to $1,000 for delayed repairs, up to $3,500 for property loss, and up to $650 for replacement of the refrigerator. If your refrigerator has stopped cooling but you cant provide proof, you can still file a claim with a statement under oath and receive up to $450 for repairs and property loss. LG is also extending the warranty for all settlement class members to five years from the purchase date and providing them with its Enhanced Customer Care Program (details below). For more information on the compensation options, see the settlement website. What is the Enhanced Customer Care Program? The Enhanced Customer Care Program is a dedicated customer service program for consumers who have these refrigerators and continue to experience cooling issues during the extended warranty period. According to the settlement website, this program will provide faster repair service, an increased number of service technicians, and additional compensation. Qualifying consumers can receive a minimum of $500 up to the purchase price for three or more no-cooling events, a minimum of $400 up to the purchase price for delayed repairs of more than 30 days, and up to $3,500 for property loss with proof. The program will last at least three years. How do I file a claim? You can file a claim by going to the settlement website and filling out a claim form. You can also email a completed claim form to LG or mail the company a physical copy of the form. What if you own a covered model but havent had a problem? If you own a covered model but have yet to experience cooling issues, you are still eligible to receive the extended five-year warranty and the Enhanced Customer Care Program as long as a no-cooling event occurs within five years from the purchase date. You will also receive the benefits through Sept. 22, 2021, even if your warranty, or the extended five-year warranty, has already expired. You can obtain these benefits by submitting an Enhanced Warranty Claim Form (PDF) or contacting LG. What are the deadlines? The deadline to file a claim for a past cooling issue is Jan. 11, 2021. If you wish to exclude yourself from the settlement so that you can bring another lawsuit against LG related to this problem, or comment on or object to the settlement, you have until Nov. 23, 2020. When will you receive the money? Payments will be sent to qualifying consumers once the settlement receives final approval from the court. The final approval hearing is set for Dec. 15, 2020, at the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey. More from Consumer Reports: Top pick tires for 2016 Best used cars for $25,000 and less 7 best mattresses for couples Consumer Reports is an independent, nonprofit organization that works side by side with consumers to create a fairer, safer, and healthier world. CR does not endorse products or services, and does not accept advertising. Copyright 2020, Consumer Reports, Inc. Game-changing judgment for Xolobeni community on mining rights applications On 14 September, the Pretoria High Court handed down a landmark judgment confirming that mining-affected communities have the right to access information about the projects that impact them. CALS intervened in the matter as a friend of the court, presenting evidence that the usual process for requesting this kind of information places communities at a disadvantage and may prevent them from exercising their constitutional rights. Leaders of the Umgungundlovu community have secured a major victory for all mining-affected communities in South Africa this week. For the last five years, the community has been concerned about the impacts of titanium mining proposed in the Xolobeni area of the Eastern Cape. When they were refused access to the mining rights application, community leaders approached the High Court in line with the Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA). Since then, the community has been able to access redacted versions of these documents and has used these to support a strong objection to mining in their region. In fact, in 2018 the Constitutional Court upheld the communitys right to say no to mining and to decide their own developmental path. At the same time, the community pressed forward with their PAIA application, believing that other communities also deserve the opportunity to freely access information about the operations that impact them in order to make informed decisions about mining in their area. This was opposed by the mining company, Transworld Energy and Mineral Resources (TEM). The Centre for Applied Legal Studies (CALS) was admitted as a friend of the court in the matter. Our organisation has extensive experience working with mining-affected communities in trying to access information about the operations that impact them. We supported the argument that mining rights applications should be automatically available as public documents, and further presented evidence from reports by other civil society organisations on the difficulties communities face in accessing information under PAIA, especially in relation to mining. On 14 September, Judge Tintswalo Makhubele ruled in our favour, ordering that interested and affected parties must be furnished with a copy of an application for a mining right and further ruling mining company TEM pay the legal costs for both the applicants and CALS. As her judgment notes: Meaningful consultation entails discussion of ideas on an equal footing, considering the advantages and disadvantages of each course and making concessions where necessary [] The statistical evidence brought by the Amicus Curiae actually served to confirm the applicants anxieties and to foster their stance that their rights cannot be realized by following the PAIA processes. CALS is extremely pleased with the outcome of this important case and that the Judge found our submissions helpful. This judgment is a game-changer for mining-affected communities in South Africa, says Thandeka Kathi, attorney at CALS. Communities should not have to be sent from pillar to post when trying to access information they need about the projects that affect them and this judgment recognises that. It means community members will by default have access to the information to participate fully in discussions with mining companies and the state in their quest to realise other constitutional rights. Read the full judgment here. Find out more about our work on social and labour plans. For inquiries, please contact: A variety of tributes and commemorations are taking place across the UK to mark the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Britain. (Getty) A variety of tributes and commemorations are taking place across the UK to mark the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Britain on 15 September, despite limitations caused by the coronavirus crisis. Special exhibitions from the Imperial War Museum, a radar-based lightshow and the addition of several new unusual sites to the National Heritage List, will all celebrate the contributions of those involved. The Battle of Britain was a major air campaign fought in the skies over the UK in 1940 and was the first battle in history fought entirely in the air. Though the battle took place between July and October 1940, 15 September saw the Royal Air Force (RAF) gain a decisive victory over the Luftwaffe in what was Nazi Germanys largest daylight attack. Some 1,120 Luftwaffe aircraft were sent to attack London but were repelled by just 630 RAF fighters. Two days later, Adolf Hitler postponed his plans to invade Britain. Sir Winston Churchill with his wife Clementine at Loughton in June 1945, having declared: "Never was so much owed by so many to so few". (PA) Some 544 RAF aviators and 312 RAF ground personnel lost their lives during the battle and the airmen became known as The Few following a tribute by then prime minister Winston Churchill, who said: Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few. Only one member of The Few, John Hemingway, is still alive today, aged 101. Buckingham Palace, London Commemorations are limited this year due to coronavirus restrictions, though alternating Union and RAF Ensign flags will fly on The Mall, at Buckingham Palace, from 15-20 September, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) said. The annual Westminster Abbey Battle of Britain service is still due to take place on 20 September, though attendance will be significantly reduced. The MoD, in collaboration with the National Archives and the RAF museum, has also produced a special episode of the On The Record podcast, called Untold Battle of Britain. The episode focuses on lesser-known figures from the battle, including two pilots who enlisted from overseas, to highlight the wider efforts of those who contributed to the military campaign. Story continues Duxford Elsewhere, an aircraft hangar has been transformed into part of an exhibition at Imperial War Museum Duxford, The Ops Block: Battle of Britain, on the site of a Sector Station which was active during the conflict. The museum highlights Duxford specific stories through interactive displays, and allows visitors to get up close to Second World War aircraft including a German Messerschmitt Bf 109. The ops room at 'The Ops Block: Battle of Britain' at the Imperial War Museum Duxford. (PA) Collections care technician Samantha Archetti cleans a Hurricane ahead of the reopening of the Battle of Britain exhibition at IWM Duxford. (PA) Detail of the map inside the ops room during the press preview of The Ops Block: Battle of Britain at IWM Duxford. (PA) But the annual Duxford air show to commemorate the battle has been cancelled this year due to safety concerns. A special radar tribute highlighting the achievements of women and other unsung heroes forms the centre point of celebrations run by the Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund (RAFBF). Suffolk and Scotland Emotive light shows will take place at two sites, RAF Bawdsey, a former radar station in Suffolk, and RAF Buchan in Scotland. It features archive footage, photography to bring to life the stories of those who served on the ground during the Battle of Britain. Bringing attention to those men and women, and particularly women, who served during the Battle of Britain is important for us this year, said Chris Elliot, controller of the fund. RAF Bawdsey, a former radar station in Suffolk, is one of two sites where an "emotive" lightshow tribute will take place to mark the Battle of Britain. (PA) The women who served at the RAF airfields were doing it under fire, those airfields were being bombed by the Luftwaffe on a daily basis sometimes. So theyre not the heroes that we potentially think about, but these are the people we should be recognising as well, especially on this significant anniversary. Surrey and Northumberland The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) also listed four new heritage sites and upgraded three others in tribute to the generation that fought for the countrys freedom. The new sites, now have special protections due to their historical significance, include a colourful air raid shelter in Surrey, and a cleverly disguised bunker in Northumberland. Heritage minister Nigel Huddleston said: The Battle of Britain affected every corner of our nation and it is right that, as we mark its 80th anniversary, we protect the sites, memorials and buildings paying tribute to those who fought and those who lost their lives. Drilling Update - Last Chance Gold Target Ballarat, Sep 15, 2020 AEST (ABN Newswire) - White Rock Minerals Ltd ( ASX:WRM ) provides an update on its maiden 2020 exploration program at its 100% owned Last Chance Gold Target, Alaska. The Company is exploring for orogenic and/or Intrusion Related Gold System (IRGS) mineralisation located within the Tintina Gold Province, host to giant gold deposits including Donlin Creek (45 Moz Au2), Fort Knox (13.5 Moz Au3) and Pogo (10 Moz Au4), all Cretaceous aged IRGS deposits.The Last Chance gold target was identified in early 2020 upon receipt of analyses from regional stream sediment samples collected in 20195. The Company's maiden exploration program commenced mid-June 2020. Systematic soil sampling undertaken at the beginning of the 2020 program indicated the presence of a large mineralising system with considerable gold anomalism distributed over a 6km strike and 1.2km width1. The strongest gold-arsenic response occurs in a central area of approximately 2km strike from the Sidewinder West target to the Pickle target.Early season geological reconnaissance identified a series of hydrothermal silica breccia bodies and associated narrow quartz veins associated with gold, arsenic and antinomy anomalism that suggests the Last Chance gold target lies within the upper brittle domain of a large orogenic and/or IRGS. Hydrothermal silica breccia bodies with associated gold-arsenic-antimony anomalism may represent upward leakage of hydrothermal fluids immediately above a zone of more favourable gold deposition. Figure 6 illustrates schematic sections showing the possible orogenic/IRGS structural setting for the Last Chance gold target.The maiden diamond drilling program at the Last Chance target commenced 29th July and was completed 12th September with the onset of snow and freezing temperatures. A total of 1,990 metres was completed in eight drill holes (Table 1*) across four target areas; Pickle, Sidewinder West, Double Down and Sidewinder Blowout. The maiden drill program targeted a few of the broadest and most strongly developed zones of gold and pathfinder geochemical anomalism identified from surface geochemical sampling to date (Figure 1 & 2*).Initial shallow drilling was designed to provide valuable geological information with which to further interpret the geometry, orientation and relationship of important breccias and veins as well as better understand their full extent underneath talus cover, with talus concealing up to 95% of the core area of gold anomalism. Drilling of deeper holes commenced later in the program shortly before its end. Although not all holes were completed, these deeper holes were designed to explore down plunge along leakage vectors that may be situated above high-grade gold mineralisation sources at depth.White Rock's Technical Advisor Dr Quinton Hennigh commented:-"Considering the Last Chance Gold Target started as a stream sediment anomaly earlier this year, our 2020 field season accomplished a lot. Our crews managed to collect sufficient soil sample data to define an enormous gold-arsenic system over a 6km strike and 1.2km width. Geological reconnaissance identified multiple high-level hydrothermal silica breccia bodies distributed throughout the target area in spite of the fact that steep talus slopes conceal up to 95% of the underlying geology. Our first drill holes, generally shallow, focused on areas where we clearly needed more information about the geology, structure, alteration and zonation of the system. We believe we are in the upper brittle regime of a very large orogenic and/or Intrusion Related Gold System.Drill holes completed in 2020 all encountered variable amounts of quartz veining and/or silica breccia, in places with appreciable arsenopyrite and pyrite. We eagerly await assays from most holes. In the meantime, we will commence integrating geological, geochemical, magnetics and first pass CSAMT data to further interpret the system and plan for our 2021 drill season. We tested only a very small part of this extensive system. There still remains multiple undrilled targets at surface, and we strongly believe that the extensive bodies of silica breccia discovered to date indicate a lot more is happening at depth. This deeper regime will likely be the focus of much of our exploration effort next season."*To view full details, please visit:About White Rock Minerals Ltd White Rock Minerals Ltd (ASX:WRM) (OTCMKTS:WRMCF) is a diversified explorer and near-stage producer, headquartered in Ballarat, Victoria. The Company's flagship exploration project is Red Mountain in central Alaska. At Red Mountain, there are already two high grade zinc - silver - gold - lead VMS deposits, with an Inferred Mineral Resource of 9.1 million tonnes @ 609g/t AgEq / 13% ZnEq. The Company is also exploring its recently discovered large intrusion related gold anomaly at Last Chance, also located in the Tintina gold belt of Alaska, home to multi-million gold ounce deposits like Pogo, Fort Knox and the Donlin Project. The Company also has the Mt Carrington project, located near Drake, in Northern NSW, which is a near-production precious metals asset with a resource of 341,000 ounces of gold and 23.2 million ounces of silver on an approved mining lease, and with a Gold First PFS and JORC Reserve. A few weeks back, a Bismarck Tribune reporter posted a tweet that tells a tale of our times. In essence, it said something like: "Hey, I just wrote a story that didn't have a single reference to coronavirus." Some days later, this reporter tweeted again, noting that she was feeling like pulling her hair out each time she hears or reads about the "new normal," or surviving "these unprecedented times," or living through a once in a lifetime event. We all get it. Our family and friends get it, our colleagues, newspaper readers, local and state leaders. Sick and tired, everyone, of how this pandemic has invaded just about every aspect of our lives and livelihoods. But as much pandemic fatigue as we all have, newspaper readers have gobbled up the news in unprecedented fashion, sick even more of social media and talking head reports that lead us down a path of unconfirmed, unsubstantiated and sometimes untrue information. Newspapers in North Dakota and across the country report that their readership has never been higher, especially those that put pandemic news in front of their online paywalls. If anything, that should be the theme of National Newspaper Week this year, which will be celebrated Oct. 4-10. Journalism matters. Journalists matter. And newspapers, historically and still today, are the primary place where journalism is practiced. Social media and other digital purveyors of information -- little of it news and even less of it journalism -- have siphoned off revenues that once supported newspaper journalists. While there still are upwards of 7,000 newspapers across the country reporting on their communities, the pandemic has quickened the pace of newspaper closures. For the most part, North Dakota newspapers have, thankfully, avoided the grim reaper. Only three have closed in recent years, while 86 remain in operation. Many other states, including our neighbors to the south and east, haven't been as fortunate. Still, newspapers remain the most common provider of journalism, and journalism has become even more important as digital and cable outlets and politicians do their best to exterminate civility and divide America into opposing camps of ideologues. National Newspaper Week provides an opportunity for newspapers to explain to their communities why they are indispensable, and the reasons are myriad. It also provides an opportunity for residents to understand why journalism is important to their communities. We know from national studies, for example, that when a community loses its newspaper, it becomes less cohesive, its citizens become less engaged, fewer people run for local office and the cost of local government often increases. Yes, politicians and their followers, with unsubstantiated claims about fake news bias in the mainstream media, have made newspapers into whipping boys and stoked hostility toward them. But few among them would prefer that their local newspaper be whipped out of existence. Steve Andrist, Bismarck, is executive director of the North Dakota Newspaper Association. Love 3 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Scott Morrison is being urged to send his private plane and other RAAF VIP aircraft to fetch Australians who are stranded overseas due to arrival caps. More than 25,000 Aussies are struggling to get home from countries including the UK, India and the Philippines because strict limits on the number who can enter Australia have led airlines to cancel flights. Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese wants the prime minister to bring them home this month and has suggested using RAAF planes to help them. Scott Morrison is being urged to send his private plane dubbed Shark One (pictured) and other RAAF VIP aircraft to fetch Australians who are stranded overseas due to arrival caps Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and wife Jenny board a RAAF aircraft in June 2019 The prime minister's private jet (pictured) is a converted Qantas A330 that was upgraded for a reported $250million in 2019 The prime minister's private jet, which he named Shark One after his NRL team the Cronulla Sharks, is a converted Qantas A330 that was upgraded for a reported $250million in 2019. Mr Albanese said sending RAAF jets to bring home vulnerable Aussies is a 'practical' solution. 'There's something very practical that he can do because the RAAF VIP fleet is largely sitting idle,' he told reporters on Tuesday. 'We're hearing stories that are flooding electorate offices around the country, of desperate people. We have a woman with a one-year-old child told to go to a homeless shelter,' he said. Shark One: Scomo's 100-seater private jet Named 'Shark One' after Mr Morrison's beloved NRL team the Cronulla Sharks, the KC30-A tanker is a welcome improvement for the PM and his entourage and can now travel from Australia to Russia in a single voyage. The plane is a previous Qantas and Jetstar commercial A330, which was bought in 2015 by Airbus and modified by Airbus into a freighter and air-to-air refueller. Shark One has a customised interior, and can comfortably carry more than 100 passengers in a lie-flat configuration. Advertisement 'We have women who are about to give birth, desperate to get home. The government has access to these planes.' Mr Albanese said the RAAF planes are flying around empty as pilots train and they could be used for rescue flights to 'bring home one hundred at a time from Europe.' He also said the government should pay Qantas and Virgin to fly people home. 'It is simply unacceptable that the Prime Minister continues to say that there's nothing he can do about it and he hopes to have these families home by Christmas. 'Well, I think those who are desperate to get home should be brought home in September,' he said. The government is working with states and territories to increase the arrival caps which have led airlines to only offer first and business class seats to minimise losses. The caps were brought in to ease pressure on states' hotel quarantine systems - but Mr Albanese said the government could use federal facilities. He said: 'The only thing that is missing here isn't hotel space, it's leadership.' Western Australia has joined calls for a federal quarantine facility for returning Australians after the Northern Territory said it was open to more international arrivals being housed near Darwin. But Australian Border Force Commissioner Michael Outram said the proposal was not possible. Early in the coronavirus pandemic, the federal government established quarantine centres on Christmas Island and at Howard Springs in the NT to house people returning from China and Japan. Christmas Island is now being used as a detention facility. And Mr Outram says Australian Medical Assistance Teams used to staff Howard Springs are tied up elsewhere. He said the doctors, nurses and allied health staff were drawn from the states and territories. 'Quarantine facilities can't be run without medical professionals on the ground,' Mr Outram told ABC radio. 'At the moment the AUSMAT capability, I imagine, would be pretty stretched because of the need for the states and territories to be running their own health services, plus other things going on around the pandemic.' Mr Outram said the ABF was working with the states to maximise hotel quarantine capacity, with about 12,000 beds available at any one time. 'But it's not enough if I'm being honest,' he said. 'As long as the caps remain with the hotel quarantine in place it's going to be difficult to envision a situation where the airlines will start bringing more passengers.' Kate Biggers Smith (pictured right with a family member) is stranded in the United Arab Emirates trying to get on a flight back to Australia Sheree Richardson, from Perth, and her three young children were forced to sleep on the floor of London's Heathrow airport for three days after being bumped from flights because of coronavirus travel caps On Monday Labor demanded the government lifts strict arrival caps. Labor Home Affairs spokeswoman Kristina Keneally said the Commonwealth should provide charter flights and put Aussies in federal quarantine facilities in the Northern Territory or on Christmas Island. Current caps on overseas arrivals Sydney limit of 350 passenger arrivals per day; Perth limit of 525 passenger arrivals per week; Brisbane limit of 500 passenger arrivals per week; Adelaide limit of 500 passenger arrivals per week; Canberra, Darwin passenger limits on each flight to be discussed with jurisdictions on a case-by-case basis; Hobart no international flights Melbourne - International flights suspended Advertisement 'It is Peter Dutton's responsibility under the constitution to ensure that citizens can cross the border and can come home. And if they need quarantine, then that is a federal responsibility,' she told the ABC on Monday. 'Let's remember, at the beginning of this health pandemic, the Commonwealth brought people home from Wuhan, and from the Diamond Princess cruise ship in Japan, they quarantined them in federal quarantine facilities. 'Now, if the Commonwealth Government is serious about getting a stranded Australian home, they need to step up, show leadership, put a plan in place.' Senator Keneally said if she were in power it would be her 'number one priority' to bring home 3,500 overseas Australians who are medically or financially vulnerable. Speaking on ABC show Insiders on Sunday, Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton said he 'would be happy to double the number of people tomorrow' if states agreed. Senator Keneally said sarcastically: 'I missed the memo where we decided in Australia that international borders and quarantine responsibility were a state responsibility. They are the Commonwealth's responsibility.' She added: 'Is he a minister, or is he a mouse? Take a plan forward. Come up with a plan to get these stranded Australians home.' Health Minister Greg Hunt said: 'If we can lift hotel quarantine numbers, we can increase the number of Australians that can return home. 'We are working constructively with the states to that effect. 'We want to ensure that every Australian that wants to come home is home by Christmas.' Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has hit out at anti-lockdown campaigners who carried out a 'Give Dan The Boot' protest in front of a farm shed where his father's funeral was held four years ago. Victorians protesting the state's strict social distancing restrictions during its horrific COVID-19 second wave placed boots in front of their homes on Sunday to show their support for giving their embattled premier 'the boot' from office. But Mr Andrews took exception to one protester who shared a photo of a pair of boots outside his family's Old Kentucky Farm in Londrigan in Victorias far-northeast. The premier had carried the coffin of his father Bob Andrews - a cattle farmer - out of the shed in April 2016 and wept openly as he told mourners he was his 'father's son'. 'The last time I was in that shed, was when I carried my father's coffin out of it, and I think that is... I won't use the words that my father would use to describe that sort of act,' Mr Andrews said on Tuesday when asked about the photo. Scroll down for video A protester taking part in the 'Give Dan The Boot' protest shared a photo of a pair of boots outside the farm shed where the funeral of Premier Daniel Andrews's father Bob was held. Mr Andrews on Tuesday said the person who made that protest should feel 'shame' 'That's just low - it's low.' 'Having different views to me, that's fine. It's a healthy part of our democratic society. But decency matters too. 'Leave my family out of it, and particularly the dead members of my family out of it. I don't think that's too much to ask. Shame, shame on him, shame.' The legal silent protest took place across Melbourne and regional parts of the state as hundreds of protesters clashed with police for a second consecutive day in the CBD. More than 3,000 initially registered their participation in Sunday's Give Dan The Boot at-home protest when it was organised earlier in the week. By Sunday, that number grew to 20,000 as Melburnians and other Victorians flooded social media with photos of shoes placed outside their front doors in protest of the Premier's handling of the state's horror second coronavirus wave. Boots and shoes of all types, styles, sizes and colours were on display outside front doors, on letterboxes and driveways and even tied to front gates and fences, along with handwritten 'Give Dan the boot' signs. Mr Andrews celebrates with his father Bob after winning the Victorian state election in November 2014. The premier had wept openly and spoke of being his 'father's son' at the 2016 funeral 'The last time I was in that shed, was when I carried my father's coffin out of it,' Mr Andrews said on Tuesday when asked about the photo. 'That's just low - it's low' A woman also put out her dolls' footwear while one man tied his work boots to the garbage bin. 'That's where you belong,' he wrote as the hashtag #givedantheboot started trending on social media. One woman said the at-home protest was the first time she'd been involved in anything political. This family in Melbourne's north-east lined up their boots in a row and made a sign expressing their frustrations with Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews Another woman wrote: 'Dan deserved the boot six months ago, for negligence, double standards, lies and arrogance. Remember you were appointed by the people for the people, not to hide your mammoth mistakes during this pandemic.' Victorian Liberal MPs Richard Riordan and Beverley McArthur jumped at another opportunity to take a stand against the Premier. The mass protest was organised earlier in the week by Victoria Forward, the group run by 19-year-old Donald Trump supporter and Liberal member Edward Bourke. This Melbourne family of five sick of lockdown lined up their boots in the family driveway 'It's time to stand up to Daniel Andrews, and now you can do it from home!' the Facebook event reads. 'Please place a pair of boots or shoes at your front gate or around your fence this Sunday, 13th of September and post a photo to this event or use the tag #GiveDanTheBoot. The group stressed that no COVID-19 restrictions would be breached. By SA Commercial Prop News Vunani Property Investment Fund CEO, Rob Kane. VPIFs application for REIT status has been approved by the JSE Limited. JSE-listed property company, Vunani Property Investment Fund ( VPIF) today announced that it had received Real Estate Investment Trust (Reit) status approval by the JSE Limited. The REIT status will be effective from the start of the companys financial year, the 1st of July 2013. Vunani's portfolio comprises strategically located, high quality A-grade office buildings. The fund has historically performed well in particularly tough trading conditions with annual compounded growth of 43% since listing. The growth has been achieved with limited acquisitions but primarily through tight management and yield enhancing refurbishments. The fund now owns 28 buildings (excluding the propose acquisitions), with commercial offices comprising 93% of the VPIF Portfolio which is valued at R1,5 billion. JSE's new Listing Requirements: Bringing it in line with international standards, the JSE published new Listing Requirements on 28 March 2013 that will facilitate the South African Real Estate Investment Trust structure, or SA REIT (pronounced essay reet). National Treasury formally published REIT tax legislation for South Africa on 25 October 2012. The SA REIT became a reality from 1 May 2013, after more than a six-year journey. The SA REIT is one of the most flexible REIT regimes internationally and a significant development for South Africas publicly traded real estate sector. Like existing listed property structures in South Africa, REITs own and operate income-producing commercial property and the SA REIT provides a simple, clear tax structure. More than 25 countries in the world use a similar REIT model like the US, Australia, Belgium, France, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore and the UK. Because the SA REIT dispensation provides many benefits, the foremost of which is tax certainty, it is likely that all qualifying South African listed property entities will make application to the JSE to become a REIT, says Estienne De Klerk, Chairman of the SA REIT Association Committee and Executive Director of Growthpoint Properties. The REIT structure is in line with international best practice and having a globally understood structure will make our listed property sector much more attractive to foreign investors. The tax advantages of the new structure will also make the listed property sector much more attractive to local investors, says Patrycja Kula Business Development Manager at the JSE. When South African listed property funds convert to this system South Africa will be the eighth largest REIT market. The listed property sector, spearheaded by the SA REIT Association, actively campaigned for the SA REIT structure to align it with global best practices. It worked closely with National Treasury, South African Revenue Services, the FSB, JSE and Association of Property Unit Trusts to achieve this goal. The aim was to provide simplicity, transparency, flexibility and tax certainty. The SA REIT achieves all these goals, says De Klerk. It is an internationally recognised structure. It is flexible enough to adapt to various models while encouraging best-of-breed practices and creating tax certainty. The SA REIT tax dispensation: This new tax dispensation means a SA REIT can deduct all distributions paid to shareholders or linked unit holders as an expense. So, if a REIT pays all its distributable earnings to shareholders, it shouldnt have to pay any tax. It becomes a conduit for net property rental income and provides investors an investment alike to direct ownership of the underlying property. When a SA REIT sells a property for it doesnt have to pay Capital Gains Tax (CGT) on any profit from the sale. Also, shareholders of an SA REIT wont pay Securities Transfer Tax (STT) on buying or selling SA REIT shares. South African investors will receive gross distributions from a SA REIT without the 15% dividends tax being levied against the distribution. But investors will have to pay tax on the distributions at their applicable marginal income tax rate when they include it in their taxable income. This also provides investors the opportunity to use debt effectively to fund the acquisition of their REIT investment on a pre-tax basis. If invested in SA REITs as part of a RA or pension, provident and preservation fund, investors effectively pay no tax on dividends. Foreign shareholders of SA REITs will be levied a dividend withholding post 1 January 2014 the current rate is 15% or the applicable double tax agreement rate could apply. Press Release September 14, 2020 P105B coco levy fund law must benefit smallholder farmers: Pangilinan THE COCO levy trust fund law must benefit the country's estimated 3.5 million coconut farmers, especially the smallholder farmers, Senator Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan said on Monday as the Senate continues to discuss the bill seeking to actualize the Supreme Court decision on the estimated P105 billion levy initially collected from them. "Kailangang bantayan ang pagpasa ng batas na ito. Bagamat gustong-gusto na ng mga magniniyog na mapakinabangan na ang pondong ninakaw mula sa kanila, sinasabi rin nila sa atin na kailangang bantayan ito lalo na't ang daming nakawan ng government funds na nangyayari ngayong pandemya tulad ng P15 billion sa PhilHealth," said Pangilinan. "Farmer representation is the heart of the coco levy trust fund measure. Pera ito ng mga magniniyog that's why they must have a bigger say on how these funds are to be used," he added. In a consultation between coconut farmers and the Office of Sen. Pangilinan last Friday, coconut farmer Ed Mora of Kilus Magniniyog raised the issue of coconut farmer representation in the trust fund committee. "Napakahalaga na mayroong farmers sector sa trust fund committee para kasama sila sa pagdedesisyon sa pera ng magsasaka," Mora said. Specified definition for smallholder coco farmers In last week's interpellation of the committee report under Senate Bill 1396, Pangilinan also raised several questions particularly on the absence of a limit on the covered land area for coconut farmers, which pertains to smallholders. The President's veto message stated that the version of the coco levy fund measure in the previous Congress "may disproportionately benefit wealthy coconut farm owners more than the smallholder farmers who desperately need the government's affirmative assistance." "Baka hindi makinabang ang small coconut farmers," said Pangilinan. Pangilinan, who initially sponsored the coco levy measure in the previous Congress, mentioned that the Senate bill passed on third reading provided for the definition that a coconut farmer shall refer to an owner of a coconut farm that is not more than five hectares. Unfortunately, this provision was deleted during the bicameral conference. In response, Sen. Cynthia Villar, sponsor of the measure, said the definition will again be included during the amendments period to avoid a repeat of a veto. President Duterte vetoed the coco levy fund measure in February 2019 citing possible violation of the Constitution on provisions establishing a perpetual trust fund, lack of "vital safeguards", and provisions which "may disproportionately benefit wealthy coconut farm owners more than the smallholder farmers who desperately need the government's affirmative assistance." Then in his July 2020 State of the Nation Address, the President urged both Houses of Congress to pass the trust fund measure for the coconut farmers. In 2014, the Supreme Court affirmed with finality the decision issued by the Sandiganbayan in May 2004 that awarded the 24% shares of San Miguel Corporation worth P71 billion (now estimated at P76 billion), which was bought using taxes collected from coconut farmers during the Marcos administration, to the government. The same decision ordered funds to "be used only for the benefit of all coconut farmers and for the development of the coconut industry." "The coco levy fund is a product of injustice. Pera ito na kinamkam mula sa kanilang bulsa sa paniwalang mapapaunlad nito ang kanilang kabuhayan. We must right this wrong in our collective history. It has been more than 40 years and we must make sure the farmers have a voice in the planning, management, and utilization of the trust fund," Pangilinan said. Democrat is assembling a team of top lawyers in anticipation of court challenges to the election process that could ultimately determine who wins the race for the White House. Biden's presidential campaign says the legal war room will work to ensure that elections are properly administered and votes correctly counted. It will also seek to combat voter suppression at the polls, identify foreign interference and misinformation, and educate voters on the different methods available for casting ballots. The effort, which the Biden campaign described as the largest election protection program in presidential campaign history, reflects the extent of the preparation underway for an already divisive presidential contest in November that could produce significant, perhaps even decisive, court cases over voter access and the legitimacy of mail ballots. Democrats and Republicans are locked in legal fights on election rules that could help shape the outcome of the vote, and President Donald Trump's campaign has its own attorneys handling cases on a variety of issues. Trump in recent months has sought to preemptively cast doubt on the election, warning that the expected surge in mail ballots because of the coronavirus pandemic will lead to massive fraud and could open the door to foreign countries to print their own fraudulent ballots. Notwithstanding and his Republican allies' hollow threats and constant misinformation, election officials around the country are working tirelessly to hold a free and fair and election, and we have an extraordinary national team in place to ensure that every eligible voter is able to exercise their right to vote and have their vote counted," Bob Bauer, a senior adviser to the Biden campaign and former White House counsel to President Barack Obama, said in a statement. Bauer, who served as general counsel to the Obama campaigns of 2008 and 2012, will work with campaign general counsel Dana Remus on voter protection an issue that thousands of Democratic lawyers around the country are also engaged in, according to the Biden campaign. The campaign is also creating a special national litigation team involving hundreds of lawyers that will include as leaders Walter Dellinger, a solicitor general in the Clinton administration, and Donald Verrilli, a solicitor general under Obama. Democratic lawyer Marc Elias and a team of lawyers from his firm, Perkins Coie, will focus on protecting voter access and ensuring a fair and accurate vote count. Former Attorney General Eric Holder will also play an outreach role on the question of voting rights, according to the campaign. We can and will be able to hold a free and fair election this November and we're putting in place an unprecedented voter protection effort with thousands of lawyers and volunteers around the country to ensure that voting goes smoothly, Remus said in a statement. The Trump campaign issued a statement from deputy manager Justin Clark saying that as "Democrats continue their push to weaken reasonable rules preventing fraud like voter ID and signature matching President Trump and his campaign will continue to protect the integrity of the vote. Our team will continue to fight every day in the courtroom and on the ground to make sure that every eligible voter has the right to vote and that their vote is counted once, Clark said. The New York Times reported on the legal war room initiative earlier Monday. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Race to find a vaccine for the novel coronavirus continues even as the pandemic has wreaked havoc across the world. While India has thus far reported a total of over 4.9 million cases of the disease, as per Union health ministry data, globally, there have been over 29 million cases of the disease thus far, as per worldometers. As various possible vaccines are trialled across the world, and people hope for a breakthrough, US businessman and Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates on Tuesday called India a leading vaccine producer, adding Indias cooperation is needed to manufacture Covid-19 vaccine. Meanwhile, Adar Poonawalla, the chief executive of Pune-based Serum Institute of India (SII) expressed apprehension there wont be enough vaccine for everyone in the world before 2024-end. Here are the latest developments in Covid-19 vaccine trials: Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates on Tuesday expressed hope for a large-scale Covid-19 vaccine rollout in India next year. All of us want to get a vaccine out in India as fast as we can, once we know that its very effective and very safe. Poonawalla, whose SII is in partnership with five international firms-including AstraZeneca and Novovax-to develop a vaccine, said world will need around 15 billion doses of a Covid-19 vaccine, if it is a two-dose vaccine. AstraZenecas Covid-19 vaccine trials have been put on hold in the US till at least midweek, pending a US investigation into a serious side effect in Britain, sources familiar with developments said. The World Health Organisation (WHO), meanwhile, praised AstraZenecas decision to halt its Covid-19 vaccine trials, saying safety is always critical, crucial and has been looked at by AstraZeneca in an appropriate manner. A Chinese official said vaccine may be available for public use in the country in November 2020. China currently has four vaccines in final stage of clinical trials, of which at least three have been offered for emergency use. Over 300 volunteers were inoculated during the post-registration trials of Russias CovidD-19 vaccine, dubbed Sputnik V, with 14% reporting minor complaints. (With agency inputs) Dublin, Sept. 15, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Research Report on Laptop and Tablet Computer Exports in China 2020-2024" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. At the beginning of 2020, the economy of various industries was generally hit by the COVID-19, but laptop exports increased by 9.46% due to the WFH (work from home). According to the report, there are two categories of portable computers exported by China: Laptops and Tablets. From 2017 to 2019, China's laptop computer export volume was relatively stable, maintaining at about 140 million units per year. Different from laptops, in general, the export volume of China's tablet computers showed an overall downward trend. Besides the export price of tablets is lower than that of laptops, and it fluctuates more. In 2017, the average price of tablets was USD 168.82, and in 2018, it increased by 16.28% to USD 196.31. The average price in the first five months of 2020 is USD 224.08. Most Chinese laptops were exported to the United States, while tablets were mainly exported to Hong Kong and the United States. According to the report, more than one-third of laptops came from Chongqing province, then Jiangsu and Sichuan. As for tablets, nearly half of them were from Guangdong. China has no special restrictions on the export of computers, but the United States imposed an additional 15% tariff on computers from China during the Sino-US trade war. Readers will obtain the following information through this report: Economic Environment of Laptop and Tablet Computers Industry in China Policies in Laptop and Tablet Computer Exports in China Analysis on Supply of Laptop and Tablet Computers in China Analysis of Laptop and Tablet Computer Exports in China Analysis of Major Destinations of Laptop and Tablet Computers Exported from China Price Trends of Laptop and Tablet Computers Exported from China Driving Forces and Opportunities of Laptop and Tablet Computers Exports in China Forecast on Laptop and Tablet Computers Exports in China 2020-2024 Story continues Key Topics Covered: 1 Classification and Policies of Laptop and Tablet Computers 1.1 Classification of Laptop and Tablet Computers by China Customs 1.2 Related Policies about Laptop and Tablet Computers 2 China's Laptop and Tablet Computer Exports, 2017-2020 2.1 Export Volume of Laptop and Tablet Computers from China, 2017-2020 2.1.1 Laptop Computers 2.1.2 Tablet Computers 2.2 Export Value of Laptop and Tablet Computers from China, 2017-2020 2.3 Export Price of Laptop and Tablet Computers from China, 2017-2020 3 Major Destinations of China's Laptop and Tablet Computer Exports, 2017-2020 3.1 Major Destinations of China's Laptop and Tablet Computer Exports, 2017 3.1.1 Laptop Computers 3.1.2 Tablet Computers 3.2 Major Destinations of China's Laptop and Tablet Computer Exports, 2018 3.3 Major Destinations of China's Laptop and Tablet Computer Exports, 2019 3.4 Major Destinations of China's Laptop and Tablet Computer Exports, 2020 4 Major Departures of China's Laptop Exports, 2017-2020 4.1 Major Departures of China's Laptop Exports, 2017 4.1.1 Laptop Computers 4.1.2 Tablet Computers 4.2 Major Departures of China's Laptop Exports, 2018 4.3 Major Departures of China's Laptop Exports, 2019 4.4 Major Departures of China's Laptop Exports, 2020 For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/gz2odx Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research. CONTACT: CONTACT: ResearchAndMarkets.com Laura Wood, Senior Press Manager press@researchandmarkets.com For E.S.T Office Hours Call 1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call 1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 A police officer in the northern province of Bac Giang was pronounced dead after being knocked down by a pick-up truck that the officer was attempting to stop on suspicion of contraband trafficking. Bac Giang police officers announced on Monday that a policeman serving the force had been killed on duty after being hit by a pick-up truck. The incident occurred around 5:00 pm on Monday on the segment of the Hanoi-Bac Giang Highway crossing Yen Dung District. The Economic Crimes and Traffic Police divisions under the Bac Giang Police Department were jointly operating a checkpoint there to check for violations. Officers suspected the pick-up truck of contraband trafficking and ordered it to pull over as it approached the checkpoint. Ignoring the signals, the truck continued, striking the police officer blocking its way, leaving him heavily wounded. He died before being transferred to the hospital. A police officer is knocked down by a pick-up truck he was trying to pull over on the Hanoi-Bac Giang Highway in Bac Giang Province, Vietnam, September 14, 2020 in this supplied dashcam footage. The victim was identified as N.V.M, a 23-year-old police officer from Luc Nam District of Bac Giang Province, who was working under the provincial mobile police force. Promptly after the incident, relevant units were mobilized to the crime scene to investigate the case. Police officers nabbed one suspect who was on the pick-up truck and brought him to the police station for further questioning. Bac Giang police officers are putting the case through due procedures as stipulated by law. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Hyundai virtually pulled the covers off its brand-new 2022 Tucson today in Korea, showing off a radically redesigned compact crossover that will be sold in certain markets in two different wheelbase lengths and the option of hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrains. Here in the States, we'll only get the long-wheelbase version when the next Tucson goes on sale in the first half of 2021. An N Line edition will be launched at a later date. The Tucson is Hyundai's best-selling model globally, but it's not playing it safe when it comes to the fourth-generation crossover's design. Hyundai calls its latest design language Sensuous Sportiness (yes, really), adding the terms parametric dynamics and 'kinetic jewel' to the surface detailing. There are lots of interesting lines stamped into the Tucson's sheetmetal, arcing over the front wheels into a pontoon-like point that leads to a crease that clearly delineates the vehicle's rear shoulder. The geometric shapes continue down the sides, with strong lines accenting the lower sills and wheel openings. Facets are molded into the front and rear fascias. The lighting clusters are similarly unique. At the front, daytime running lamps are hidden in the grille openings so that they are only visible when illuminated. The full-width taillights also feature a half-hidden design made up of triangles that appear when lit. Hyundai says it's "distinctly different," and we have to agree. The front passenger compartment is divided into two clear cockpits, with a hoodless digital cluster directly in front of the driver. The center stack of the dashboard is made up of two vertically stacked screens that measure 10.25 inches apiece. There appear to be buttons at the bottom of the screens and at the front of the console between the seats. We don't have all the Tucson's measurements, but Hyundai says it boasts 38.7 cubic feet of cargo space, which puts it on par with the Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V. Story continues Power comes from a 2.5-liter direct-injected four-cylinder engine that sends 190 horsepower and 182 pound-feet of torque through an eight-speed automatic transmission. An all-wheel drive system features Eco, Comfort, Smart, Sport, Mud, Sand and Snow driving modes. Hybrid and plug-in hybrid models will be powered by a 1.6-liter engine, with total system power coming in at 230 hp and 258 lb-ft. There's lots of tech packed into the 2022 Tucson. Hyundai's Digital Key allows a smartphone to be used as the vehicle's key, with an app allowing remote starting and climate control from up to 90 feet away. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto will be offered, along with connectivity to smart devices outside the vehicle, such as a properly equipped home heating and air conditioning system. A natural-language voice-activated in-car system called Multi-Command will also be available. Hyundai's SmartSense safety suite includes all the driving assist technologies and around-car camera angles you'd expect. There's still a lot we don't know about the 2022 Hyundai Tucson, but we're sure more details will filter out well in advance of its on-sale date next year. Stay tuned. Advertisement A disused army barracks in Kent is set to be turned into the UK's first migrant holding camp as more people make the journey across the Channel, including a father who was today pictured carrying his baby beneath the White Cliffs of Dover. Around 400 people including families, believed to have crossed the Channel in small boats, are to be housed in temporary accommodation at Napier Barracks in Folkestone, Kent, from next week. Folkestone and Hythe MP Damian Collins says he 'cannot support' the decision and called on the Home Office to find 'more suitable' accommodation. Wearing a face-mask, puffer jacket and Adidas tracksuit, a migrant father was this morning photographed walking with his wife and two children along the coastal path at Kingsdown Beach in Deal Around 400 people including families, believed to have crossed the Channel in small boats, are to be housed in temporary accommodation at Napier Barracks in Folkestone, Kent, from next week A view of Napier Barracks in Folkestone, Kent, where migrants who have crossed the Channel in small boats are to be housed in the military barracks while their asylum claims are processed A barracks in Pembrokeshire, Wales, is also being considered for use by the Home Office. In a joint letter to Home Secretary Priti Patel, Mr Collins along with the leader of Folkestone and Hythe District Council and the chairman of Sandgate Parish Council demanded that the decision be reversed. They said: 'We have great concerns about the impact this large open camp will have on the welfare of the local residential community and also those people in the asylum system who will be placed at the barracks itself.' In a statement, Folkestone and Hythe District Council cited a 'lack of consultation on this matter and the exceptionally poor communication with us'. They added: 'We are quite sure that members of the community will have many questions, and we are seeking clarification as a matter of urgency.' A UK Government spokesman said: 'During these unprecedented times, the Government is working with a range of partners and across departments to secure further accommodation and the MoD has offered use of some of its sites. 'When using contingency accommodation we work closely with organisations, including local authorities and law enforcement, throughout the process to ensure value for money and that vulnerable asylum seekers, who would otherwise be destitute, have suitable accommodation while their claims are processed.' The news comes as a migrant was today pictured cradling his baby while leading his family up the White Cliffs of Dover - before a fuming local demanded they 'p*** off home'. They are among dozens of migrants who arrived on Kent's beaches in dinghies today amid a surge in boat crossings this summer. Cradling his baby tightly, this is the moment a father leads his migrant family up the White Cliffs of Dover after making the perilous Channel crossing Wearing a face-mask, puffer jacket and Adidas tracksuit, the male was this morning photographed walking with a woman and two children along the coastal path at Kingsdown Beach in Deal. The family, along with others in their landing party, was quickly intercepted by police upon reaching a nearby country lane, where they were also confronted by an outburst from an angry woman. Gesturing with her finger, Sue Cook shouted at the group of migrants to 'p*** off home', before being told to mind her language by an officer. But the visibly frustrated woman hit back: 'No, No, I don't care... every time I come here this happens,' pointing to the police car blocking her route to work. Local Sue Cook told shouted at the group of migrants to 'p*** off home', before being told to mind her language by an officer The family, along with others in their landing party, was quickly intercepted by police upon reaching a nearby country lane Coastal communities in the South East are growing increasingly exasperated at the amount of boats coming from France in the past few months. Border Force detained 168 migrants in 12 separate incidents yesterday, pushing the total number of people intercepted this year to 6,338. The Home Office is yet to release today's figures, but it is understood to be lower than the amount of people detained yesterday. The young family were accompanied on Kingsdown Beach by fellow travellers. One man in a striped top was pictured giving the camera a thumbs up as he strolls under the famous chalk cliffs. Dover's Tory MP Natalie Elphicke said on Friday: 'I fully appreciate the strength of feeling about the continued small boats crossings. 'With around 6,000 illegal entrants this year alone, it is entirely unacceptable. I am working hard on this, and the Government has outlined a number of steps that it is taking to tackle this issue.' Ministers are grappling with a record number of boat crossings this summer, with Priti Patel vowing to crack down on the journeys. But she is locked in a war of words with her French counterparts who are demanding millions from the British government to pay for their patrol vessels. A woman carrying a young girl on her back is intercepted by police this morning in Deal, Kent Coastal communities are growing increasingly exasperated at the amount of boats coming from France in the past few months One man in a striped top was pictured giving the camera a thumbs up as he strolls under the famous chalk cliffs A young woman carrying a small girl walks along a country lane by the beach before being intercepted by police French authorities are intercepting some of the boats, and yesterday prevented seven dinghies carrying 54 people from crossing. Yet many are still slipping through their line, including one dinghy yesterday carrying around 12 men which washed up on Kingsdown Beach. A bemused angler could be seen watching the incident from the shore as the masked group of men beached the boat and ran off. So far in September, 1,313 migrants have arrived. That includes a single-day record of 416 on 28 boats on September 2. Under plans being drawn up by the Home Office, migrants who have crossed the Channel in small boats are to be housed in military barracks while their asylum claims are processed. Dan O'Mahoney, Clandestine Channel Threat Commander, said today (TUES): 'These crossings are facilitated by callous criminals who risk people's lives for money. 'We are working with our French counterparts to make this route completely unviable and continue to crack down on the criminal gangs responsible - making 50 arrests so far this year. 'These migrants are leaving France which is a safe country, where those seeking refuge can and should claim asylum, rather than attempting these perilous crossings to the UK. 'We continue to return those who do not have a legitimate asylum claim despite barriers to removals under the Dublin Regulations and legal challenges, and more flights are planned in the upcoming weeks.' A group of people, thought to be migrants, wander along the coastline by the White Cliffs of dover after landing on the beach this morning Facebook was largely motivated by PR, wrote Sophie Zhang, who added that the civic aspect was discounted because of its small volume, its disproportionate impact ignored. Oakland, California: While Facebook has heralded improvements to its fight against disinformation in the United States, it has been slow to deal with fake accounts that have affected elections around the world, according to a post published by a former employee. The employee, who worked on a Facebook team dedicated to rooting out so-called inauthentic activity on the service, said executives ignored or were slow to react to her repeated warnings about the problem. In the three years Ive spent at Facebook, Ive found multiple blatant attempts by foreign national governments to abuse our platform on vast scales to mislead their own citizenry, Sophie Zhang, the employee, wrote in a 6,600-word post shared with the entire company on her final day on the job. As countries like Russia, China and Iran have continued sophisticated disinformation operations, Zhangs post has drawn attention to smaller countries that run cheap and easy bot networks to influence their citizens. In one example, bots promoted the president of Honduras. In another, they attacked Opposition figures in Azerbaijan. Facebooks failure to root out the bots, or automated accounts, operating on behalf of political figures raises questions for how effectively the company can police a platform used by over 2.7 billion people. Zhang was fired in August, and left the company in early September. In her post, she speculated that part of the reason she lost her job at Facebook was because she neglected the routine duties of her work to focus on the political activity by the false accounts. In response to Zhangs post, Facebook said the company regularly removed coordinated influence campaigns, and had a large team working on security. Working against coordinated inauthentic behaviour is our priority, but were also addressing the problems of spam and fake engagement. We investigate each issue carefully, including those that Ms. Zhang raises, before we take action or go out and make claims publicly as a company, said Liz Bourgeois, a Facebook spokeswoman. The company would not comment on why Zhang was fired. BuzzFeed News reported about the post earlier on Monday. Zhangs post details how she chanced upon the politically motivated activity by the bots. It was outside the scope of her duties at Facebook, she wrote, but she decided to take action and try to draw attention to the problem. I found and took down attacks of this sort worldwide from South Korea to India, from Afghanistan to Mexico, from Brazil to Taiwan, and countless other nations, wrote Zhang, who declined to answer questions from The New York Times about what she wrote. I have personally made decisions that affected national presidents without oversight, and taken action to enforce against so many prominent politicians globally that Ive lost count. Though she briefed Facebook executives, including a vice-president and members of the policy team, the company continued to drag its feet on taking action against the bots, wrote Zhang. She added that she was considered a low-level employee and was given neither support nor guidance on how to deal with the fake accounts. Instead, she wrote, she faced stonewalling and delays largely from Facebooks policy and legal teams. A network that included false accounts boosting the Honduran president, Juan Orlando Hernandez, was discovered by Zhang in 2019, but it took Facebook more than nine months to act, Zhang wrote. Two weeks after Facebook removed the accounts, many returned. Facebook was just playing whack-a-mole, with the false accounts, wrote Zhang. On her last day at the company, she searched and found current activity from the accounts, she added. Zhang discovered that the ruling political party in Azerbaijan was also using false accounts to harass Opposition figures. She flagged the activity over a year ago, she said, but Facebooks investigation remains open and officials have not yet taken action over the accounts. Facebook was largely motivated by PR, wrote Zhang, who added that the civic aspect was discounted because of its small volume, its disproportionate impact ignored. Sheera Frenkel c.2020 The New York Times Company DALLAS, TX - OCTOBER 03: CEO of Google, Sundar Pichai, speaks before signing the White Houses Pledge To Americas Workers at El Centro community college on October 3, 2019, in Dallas, Texas. Google announced that it is committing to a White House initiative designed to get private companies to expand job training. (Photo : Getty Images) Google has just announced its largest environmental commitment yet: moving all its operations towards 100 percent carbon-free energy by 2030. In a blog post from Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google and its parent company Alphabet, he declared: "The science is clear: The world must act now if we're going to avert the worst consequences of climate change." READ: Apple and Its Suppliers Aim to Go 100% Carbon Neutral by 2030 Three Decades of Climate Action in Google Pichai reiterated their company's commitment to doing their part, noting that sustainability has been a core value since Larry Page and Sergey Brin founded Google back in 1998. The blog post indicated that Google was the "first major company to become carbon neutral in 2007." They were also the first company to match their energy consumption with entirely renewable energy sources by 2017. For their third decade of expressing commitment towards environmental preservation, they are planning to eliminate their entire carbon legacy effective September 14. Google also declares that it will be the first major company to commit to operating on carbon-free energy sources, 24/7, across all of its global sites-Google campuses and data centers. Also, the tech giant committed to investing in technologies that will also allow its global partners to make the shift to sustainable sources. This includes Google investments in their manufacturing areas that can reportedly provide 5 gigawatts of carbon-free energy to support 500 cities in their shift. As of today, Google is the 1st major company to eliminate our entire carbon legacy, including before we became carbon neutral in 2007. We're also proud that by 2030, we aim to operate on 24/7 carbon-free energy in our data centers & campuses worldwide. https://t.co/j9HlkWrB2X Sundar Pichai (@sundarpichai) September 14, 2020 Sundar Pichai also announced that as of September 14, Google has successfully eliminated its entire carbon legacy-investing in high-quality offsets that have supposedly covered all of the company's carbon emissions prior to 2007. In short, Google now boasts a net carbon footprint of zero in its entire life since it was first founded, being the first company to do so. RELATED: Electric Car Driving Across the US Now 100% Possible with Electrify America 24/7 Carbon-free Energy by 2030 To achieve Google's most ambitious target yet, they plan to start with their strategic locations. The announcement explained that "every email you send through Gmail, every question you ask Google Search, every YouTube video you watch, and every route you take using Google Maps" will be powered by clean, carbon-free energy. An accompanying white paper for the 2030 target reiterated their framework for assessing Google's carbon-free performance in each of its data centers, providing necessary updates to the steps they plan to take to make this environmental commitment a reality. In assuring everyone that their goal is indeed achievable within the timeframe they have defined, the white paper noted that in the last decade from 2009 to 2019, equivalent costs for shifting to wind and solar power has declined by 70 and 89 percent, respectively. Among the initiatives taken by Google to include their partners in reducing their own carbon emission include sharing their latest technology, noting that more than ten percent of energy consumption in the United States comes from heating and cooling buildings. Consequently, machine learning-aided progress has allowed Google data centers to reduce their energy consumption by up to 30 percent. RELATED: Tesla Teams up With Sail GP in the Pledge to Be Carbon Neutral by 2025 The tech company will be working through Alphabet subsidiaries DeepMind and Google Cloud, to get this energy solution to airports, malls, hospitals, and commercial and industrial facilities. Check out more news and information on Google on Nature World News. MIAMI Jimmy Torres-Velez, who hosts the Boricua Action Network radio program in Kissimmee, Florida, said he's voting for Joe Biden because, under the Trump administration, the country with the largest military force in the world allowed thousands of people "to die in Puerto Rico" following Hurricane Maria in 2017. "People suffered so much on the incompetency you should know better," he said, speaking as if he were addressing President Donald Trump. "You are the perfect guy to manage it. That's what you told people. People will never forget." The estimated 600,000 people of Puerto Rican descent living along the Interstate 4 corridor from Daytona Beach to Tampa, as well as some of the 350,000 or more who live in South Florida, could be pivotal in deciding the presidential race. Hurricane Maria and Trump's response, some of it preserved in a record of tweets, is not far from the mind of many of those voters, who are also grappling with more economic woes from the coronavirus. Torres-Velez, who worked for months after the hurricane coordinating aid for the island, is trying to connect Florida's Puerto Rican communities through his nonprofit, Boricua Vota. Feeling the urgency, Biden's campaign unveiled a plan for Puerto Rico at the start of his Hispanic Heritage Month visit to Florida on Tuesday. The plan, which accuses Trump of worsening the island's crises, calls for investing in Puerto Rico's recovery and elevating the island's needs by creating a group that would answer directly to Biden. Recent polls show Trump faring well among Cuban American voters, most of whom live in South Florida and have higher turnout rates than other Latino groups. Trump has been trying to increase his Latino support among Cuban Americans and other Latinos as his white voter support has dropped below 2016 levels, NBC News reported. But Democrats are banking on voters like Ernesto Morales-Ramos, 59, a communications teacher who settled in Miami after Hurricane Maria swept the island, robbing him of his university teaching job. Story continues His grandfather founded the Popular Democratic Party on the island. Morales-Ramos registered to vote in Florida with no party affiliation and has requested a mail-in ballot and he will vote for Biden. "I was enraged by Trump's response, as well as the corruption and negligence of the Puerto Rican government at the time," Morales-Ramos said. But he ticked off a longer list of reasons for his disdain for the president: "Trump's stances against minorities, his vile corruption, his gross disrespect for women, his admiration and support of dictators that are sworn enemies of the USA." A poll of 1,081 Latinos in Florida by EquisLabs, a Democratic polling group, found that 61 percent of people who identify as Puerto Rican preferred Biden. Trump lagged by 33 points behind among them. The pollsters said in a memo that they estimate that Biden may, at best, match Hillary Clinton's performance among Latinos in Florida but that it could still be enough to win the state. Biden could grow his Latino support among Puerto Ricans, some Cuban Americans and other voters with Latin American backgrounds. Biden noted the importance of Puerto Rican voters to his bid for the White House in his speech in Kissimmee, Florida, Tuesday evening that followed speeches by top Latino celebrities Eva Longoria Baston, Ricky Martin and Luis Fonsi, among others. In his appeal for support, Biden said Hispanic voters "especially those right here in Florida" could help put the nation on a path moving forward. "More than any other time, the Hispanic community, the Latino community holds in the palm of the hand the destiny of this country," Biden said. "You can decide the direction of this country." Calls for more outreach There have been rumblings in the community that Biden's campaign has not been mobilizing Puerto Rican voters. Victor Vazquez-Hernandez, a Puerto Rico history professor at Miami Dade College, criticized the Biden campaign last month in an opinion article about weak outreach to Puerto Ricans. That followed a blistering internal letter written by a group of organizers in Florida saying the campaign was "suppressing the Hispanic vote." Vazquez-Hernandez said he still has not seen strong outreach to the Puerto Rican community. There is still time to turn things around, but "we still need to see more," he said. In a call with reporters over the weekend, Democratic Party Chairman Tom Perez said the party has expanded its voter files after having purchased 100 million cellphone numbers with the 787 area code of Puerto Rico. "We wanted to identify Maria refugees, people who had been forced from the mainland. ... Many people left with their shirts on their back and their proud 787 numbers," Perez said. He said they also asked for cell numbers with the 787 area code in Pennsylvania. Organizations have been working on registering people to vote and urging them to turn out, mostly through phone banking during the pandemic. Download the NBC News app for breaking news and politics Mi Familia Vota turned to the field in Central Florida two weeks ago. The group, which is spending $10 million in several states to turn out Latino voters, has Puerto Rican leaders working the I-4 corridor. Along with voter registration, the group is distributing how-to guides on early and mail-in voting and will soon issue a "very strategic guide that shows the drastic differences between candidates," said Hector Sanchez Barba, CEO and executive director of Mi Familia Vota. "For Puerto Ricans, Cubans, for Mexican Americans, Trump is the biggest threat for all of us," said Sanchez, whose group dubbed its campaign #BastaTrump (#EnoughTrump). Natascha Otero-Santiago, who founded Boricuas con Biden, a grassroots volunteer-led group on Facebook, estimated that 200,000 Puerto Ricans in Florida are not registered to vote. Efforts to mobilize people need to be cranked up in the next two weeks. "Do you know how many calls I have made to Puerto Ricans that didn't know there is going to be early voting?" she asked. Marcos Vilar, executive director of the progressive group Alianza for Progress, said the booming population of Puerto Ricans in Florida has created tough expectations for anyone to meet. Florida has had a big increase in the number of Puerto Ricans who have moved from the island, as well from other states. Vilar said a detailed policy plan for Puerto Rico was needed to energize voters. Jenn Earle, 34, a chiropractic graduate student, lives in Orlando after having grown up in New York. She said she will cast a ballot for Biden in person. "Issues with Puerto Rico affect me, because my family is from there and we have family that lives down there," Earle said. "It's offensive," she said of what she described as Trump's disrespect toward Puerto Ricans. She also said he is "divisive for our country." From island voters to Florida voters? Puerto Ricans fleeing the island's fiscal crisis and later the hurricane were in survival mode when they first got to Florida, but they are now better positioned to become more engaged in elections, said Maria Rodriguez, executive director and co-founder of Florida For All, a political action committee that focuses on low-propensity voters. The PAC conducted focus groups with the University of California, Berkeley and found that many of the new arrivals need more information about how to vote. Many did not feel secure about the process. Rodriguez said the group has launched a campaign to persuade people to vote in Florida because there is misinformation that residents can also vote absentee in Puerto Rico. If they do, they give up their right to vote in Florida. "I think we are getting to the point where the Puerto Rican vote is getting the recognition it deserves," Rodriguez said. "The powers that be or campaigns or parties are having to grow into the impact and the demands of what it is to engage a Puerto Rico electorate." Follow NBC Latino on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. BAKU, Azerbaijan, Sept. 15 Trend: The Turkish Bogazici Ventures company has opened a representative office in Azerbaijan, Trend reports citing the Innovation Agency under the Ministry of Transport, Communications and High Technologies of Azerbaijan. For the first time, the office of the International Venture Fund, which finances start-ups and projects of the Innovation Agency, was opened in Azerbaijan. The opening ceremony was attended by the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Turkey to Azerbaijan Yerkan Ozoral, Board Member of the Bogazici Ventures Foundation and Head of the Azerbaijani Representative Office Turan Almammadov, said the agency. Bogazici Ventures venture fund initially established an investment fund of $5 million to develop Azerbaijani startups. Several international venture funds are planned to be opened in Azerbaijan. At the same time, the prospects for broad cooperation of local startups with Bogazici Ventures were discussed," said the agency. Bogazici Ventures company, through its funds, invests in technology enterprises, ensuring their development in international markets. All startups that have passed the classification of startups compiled by the Innovation Agency and belong to categories A and B can apply to the Bogazici Ventures investment fund. The investment decision for startups will be made within international standards in line with the internal valuation policy of Bogazici Ventures. The short answer is "no...and yes". Here's the long answer... Heres a practical example: Trader A (who is not a member of the ARB) advertises its product on television and makes certain claims about its product which are not in accordance with the Code. Trader B lodges a competitor complaint against Trader A on the basis that the television advertisement is misleading. The ARB considers the complaint (and any defence which Trader A may or may not proffer) and ultimately finds that Trader As advertisement is unacceptable and must be withdrawn. Trader A might shrug its shoulders Who cares, Im not a member of the ARB. They cant tell me what to do. But since all South African television broadcasters are members of the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), and the NAB is a member of the ARB, the ARBs decision against Trader As advertising will result in the NAB refusing to accept (and flight) the advertisement. In other words, even though Trader A itself is not bound by the decision of the ARB, it is still affected by the ARBs decision because its advertising is no longer being accepted by the ARBs members. The Advertising Regulatory Board (ARB) is an independent entity established and funded by the marketing communication industry, to regulate advertising in South Africa. The ARBs Code of Advertising Practice sets out the basic principles of what is or isnt regarded as acceptable advertising. Since the ARB is a membership-based entity, only members of the ARB are required to adhere to the ARB. Based on this alone, it sounds like the answer to the above question is simplyHowever, any consumer or competitor can lodge a complaint with the ARB against the advertising of any trader which it feels may be in conflict with the ARBs Code. Although the ARB does not have jurisdiction over a person or trader who is not a member, the ARB will still consider and decide on complaints lodged before it, regardless of who the advertiser is.It does so for the guidance of its members. Decisions issued by the ARB will be binding on its members, which means that if the ARB determines that an advertisement against which a complaint has been lodged is not in line with its Code, they will effectively determine whether its members should accept or withdraw that advertisement from a particular medium.Importantly, the decisions of the ARB also give guidance to all of its members on what may be considered as unacceptable content.If you want to avoid potentially being affected by a decision of the ARB (whether directly or indirectly), its as simple as making sure that your advertising (defined as any visual or aural communication which is intended to promote the sale or use of any goods or services) is compliant with the ARBs Code.Apart from avoiding the obvious risk of being affected by a possible adverse decision against your advertising, ensuring your advertising is Code-compliant means fulfilling your duty to the general public to ensure that your advertising is factual and honest, and that it doesnt violate any of the laws of South Africa. SAGINAW, MI A former Saginaw police officer fired for excessive force is now facing criminal charges. The Michigan Attorney Generals Office on Monday, Sept. 14, issued two counts of assault and battery and one count of common law offenses against Adam Collier. Collier on Tuesday morning appeared via Zoom before Saginaw County District Judge David D. Hoffman for arraignment on the charges. Assault and battery is a 93-day misdemeanor, while common law offenses is a felony. Regarding the latter charge, Michigan statute states, Any person who shall commit any indictable offense at the common law, for the punishment of which no provision is expressly made by any statute of this state, shall be guilty of a felony, punishable by imprisonment in the state prison not more than 5 years or by a fine of not more than $10,000.00, or both in the discretion of the court. Attorney Douglas M. Gutscher, of the Police Officers Association of Michigan, also appeared via Zoom before Hoffman for Colliers arraignment. He asked the judge to free his client on a personal recognizance bond, citing his cooperation with investigators and lifelong residence in the area. Hoffman granted Collier a $7,500 personal recognizance bond. While on bond, Collier is not to possess any weapons or have contact with the alleged victim. The incident that led to Colliers charges occurred the evening of July 11. Saginaw Police Chief Robert M. Ruth previously said that, on that day, an officer Collier arrested a 57-year-old Black woman and took her to the jail. While there, the woman spit on the officer, at which point he struck her several times, to the point she fell to the floor, Ruth has said. Adam Collier stands on stage after receiving his badge during the Saginaw Police Department Awards & Memorial Ceremony held in the Temple Theatre Ballroom in Saginaw on Thursday, May 11, 2017. Video footage of the incident was recorded by cameras in the jail. Collier was placed on unpaid suspension as separate criminal and internal investigations began. Upon the internal investigations conclusion, Collier was fired on grounds that he had used excessive force, Ruth said on July 17. We want to send a very strong message we will not tolerate excessive use of force, Ruth said at the time. Ruth declined to give additional comments on Colliers charges when contacted by MLive on Tuesday. Collier had been with the Saginaw Police Department since Jan. 9, 2017. The criminal investigation was conducted by the Michigan State Police. MSP investigators sent their reports to the Saginaw County Prosecutors Office on July 27. That office subsequently referred the case to the Michigan Attorney Generals Office for review and possible issuance of charges. Freedom of Information Act requests for investigative reports and video footage submitted by MLive have come back largely redacted. The woman Collier allegedly struck has been charged with felonious assault and assaulting, resisting, or obstructing police. The AGs Office is to live-stream a press conference on Colliers case and two other, unrelated investigations into police misconduct in Jackson and Washtenaw counties via its Facebook page at 1 p.m. Tuesday. Read more: State police release report on fired Saginaw police officer, but you cant read most of it Saginaw police swear in 5 new officers at awards and memorial ceremony Michigan Attorney General to review case of ex-Saginaw officer accused of punching woman Prosecutors expect to receive investigation of fired Saginaw police officer next week Saginaw Police Department back to full staff after recent officer shortage Saginaw police union says it is not coordinating staff shortage at the department Saginaw Police Department short staffed again, union official explains possible reason why HARRISON TOWNSHIP, MI -- Donald Trump Jr. argued Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden will cause Michigan jobs to leave the country at a Monday rally for his fathers campaign in a key swing county. Trump drew several hundred people to hear him speak from a floating stage set up in a channel at Bumpers Landing Boat Club in Harrison Township. Michigan-born musician Kid Rock played a small concert for the raucous crowd to end the event. President Donald Trump won Michigan in 2016 by only 10,704 votes, the smallest margin of any state in the country. Republicans won Michigan for the first time in nearly 30 years, partly because Democrats lost votes in places like Macomb County, which supported the Obama-Biden ticket in 2008 and 2012. Trump Jr. said Macomb County is the home of working-class blue dog Democrats" who are leaving the party. He said Biden is responsible for losing more working-class jobs than any politician in history through his support of bad trade deals. Joe Biden has decimated American manufacturing," Trump Jr. said. "Hes going to have you believe that now, after half a century, hes going to change things. Is anyone that stupid? This party doesnt represent working-class Americans anymore, he later added. It doesnt even represent decent Americans anymore. President Trump said hes running for reelection to keep jobs in Michigan during a rally in Freeland last week. Michigan employment rose by 128,577 jobs from February 2017 to February 2020, before dramatic job losses caused by the coronavirus pandemic. The state experienced record-high unemployment in April and May, with nearly a quarter of Michigans workforce experiencing a temporary layoffs. Jobs have begun to come back as wide-ranging business closures ordered by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to mitigate COVID-19 outbreaks are rescinded. As of July, federal data shows Michigan shed 242,873 jobs since Trump took office. The unemployment rate rose 4 percentage points, increasing from 4.7% in February 2017 to 8.7% in July. Economic figures for August will be available later this month. U.S. Rep. Andy Levin, D-Bloomfield Township, noted that Michigan has lost 57,000 manufacturing jobs under the Trump administration. He touted Bidens plan to tax companies that dont bring offshore jobs back to the U.S. and to make large investments in clean energy technology, which the campaign expects will create 1 million jobs in the U.S. automotive industry. I think some folks voted for Trump in 2016 because working-class people have gotten the short end of the stick in this country and they dont feel Washington has delivered for them," Levin said. "I understand that myself. I understand why they voted for him, but it didnt turn out to be true and (voters are) going to hold him accountable. Levin represents portions of Macomb County, but not Harrison Township, which sits north of Warren and Detroit. The rally was held in Michigans 10th Congressional District, a predominately Republican-voting area that supported Trump by a wide margin in 2016. Businesswoman Lisa McClain won the GOP nomination to replace retiring U.S. Rep. Paul Mitchell, R-Dryden, in August by running as a pro-Trump conservative outsider. McClain said voters know better than government when it comes to COVID-19 safety precautions. Theres nothing more important than to open our state up and get our jobs and our economy back open, she said. Trump Jr. said Michigan residents can get in more trouble for opening their business than burning down someone elses," referencing violence and looting that broke out in several cities outside Michigan during protests against police brutality this year. Trump Jr. also criticized the media, asserting a lack of reporting on Bidens opposition to fracking and his sons dealings with China. Thats why this kind of organic support is so important, Trump Jr. said. Paul Johnson, holds an American and Confederate flag with the words "redneck" as supporters of U.S. President Donald Trump gather before a campaign rally where Donald Trump Jr. is scheduled to speak and Kid Rock is scheduled to headline the rally on Monday, Sept. 14, 2020 in Macomb County. "The flag represents my lifestyle, I hunt, I fish, I live off the land and I consider myself a redneck, because I love a country lifestyle," Johnson said, "and I'm a rebel."Nicole Hester/Mlive.com The presidents son visited Macomb County with 50 days left until the Nov. 3 election. Last week, an estimated 10,000 supporters attended a campaign rally in Saginaw County, another electoral battleground. Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden is also dispatching a family member to Michigan -- his wife Jill Biden will visit two cities Tuesday -- after holding events in Macomb County and Detroit last week. U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos also visited Grand Rapids on Monday, becoming the latest in a parade of Trump administration officials to appear in Michigan in the last few months. Doug Steen, a 68-year-old Grosse Pointe resident, said he didnt feel confident that Trump Sr. would become president four years ago. Steen said hes feeling more confident this time around due to large crowds appearing at rallies in Michigan. I dont think theres anything that compares on the other side of the ticket, he said. Several hundred people were in attendance inside the boaters club, while hundreds more stood in an overflow area in a parking lot and neighboring streets outside the venue. Some held peaceful protester signs. The Trump campaign handed out masks and hand sanitizer to attendees. Supporters had their temperature read at a check-in table which displayed a sign stating attendees acknowledge an inherent risk of exposure to COVID-19 exists in any public place where people are present. Public health officials warn that close gatherings of many people raises the risk of coronavirus exposure. There are 6.5 million confirmed cases in the U.S. and 193,705 deaths linked to COVID-19 as of Monday, according to the CDC, including 6,601 deaths in Michigan. Macomb County sits within a region designated as a high-risk area by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. The designation applies to areas where the number of new confirmed cases is still expanding. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has issued an executive order limiting outdoor gatherings to 250 people with social distancing, though it includes an exception for events expressing the First Amendment. Few attendees wore masks. Social distancing recommendations were largely ignored, with most people standing shoulder-to-shoulder. Several attendees told MLive they enjoyed the party-like atmosphere of Trump campaign events. Supporters broke out into chants of four more years and drank beer while waiting for the event to start. Im here for the fun, Steen said. Steen laughed at the restrained events Biden held while visiting Michigan last week, which were not open to the public and featured a handful of attendees kept apart in marked off areas. Steen said the crowds Trump drew at recent rallies show strong support in Michigan. Levin said Bidens events showed greater regard for public safety. He said the difference between the campaigns demonstrates Biden will be the public health president." I think a lot of these spectacles on the surface may look good (for Trump), because it seems like a lot of people, but in practice, its going to sink his political ship because it shows his disregard for the welfare of the American people, which its the presidents sacred trust, Levin said. Alexis Kennedy, a 23-year-old Harrison Township resident, said fears related to the pandemic are overblown. Kennedy was a special education teacher who was laid off this summer. I think its bulls---, Kennedy said. I think the government is just trying to scare us. Yes, there is a virus out there, absolutely. But no, its not as bad as they think. Elizabeth Davis, a 54-year-old Washington Township resident, said she doesnt trust COVID-19 data released by the state government. Davis, who owns a business temporarily shut down by the governors orders, signed a petition to repeal Whitmers executive powers outside the venue. This virus is here, Davis said. If youre old, stay home if youre afraid. If you have underlying conditions you should stay home because its out there. Youre either going to take a risk or youre not. I dont think that mask is going to help you at all. The Democratic nominees wife, Jill Biden, is scheduled to visit Grand Rapids and Battle Creek Tuesday. She will meet with Hillary Scholten, a Democrat running to replace U.S. Rep. Justin Amash, I-Cascade Township, and Whitmer, a Democrat who serves as a national advisor to Bidens campaign. Davis said Biden has failed to produce much change during his long career in government and doesnt trust him to govern as a moderate. She expects Trump to win by a wider margin compared to 2016. Im saying its a landslide, I dont care what the polls say, Davis said. READ MORE ON MLIVE: Saving the auto industry and so many car plants: Trump makes dubious claims at Michigan rally Joe Biden meets with Detroit-area steelworkers during campaign swing through Michigan Donald Trump offers total and complete endorsement of John James in Michigan President Donald Trump says hes running for reelection to keep jobs in Michigan Donald Trumps Michigan rally draws estimated 5,500 supporters to crowded aircraft hangar Joe Biden says Trump betrayed Americans by downplaying threat of COVID-19 Photo: Ryan Kulbaba Several hundred anti-maskers marched the streets and gathered at Vancouver Art Gallery on Sunday, Sept 13. What saw several hundred protestors gather without face masks on the steps of Vancouvers art gallery Sunday afternoon was christened by a local organizer as the Vancouver Freedom Rally. The rally saw anti-mask advocates from Hugs Over Masks march alongside anti-vaccine advocates, 5G and QAnon conspiracy theorists, and members of a far-right group. Signs were held, denouncing orders made by provincial health officials to help curb the spread of the coronavirus after its rapid spread led to a pandemic declared in March. One of the protest organizers, Ryan Kulbaba, took to the microphone to address the crowd. Early on in his rally speech, Kulbaba thanked the Vancouver Police Department (VPD) for acknowledging [our] right to protest." They have been nothing but accommodating to us. They are here for our safety, he said to the crowd, ushering in a large round of applause. Kulbaba advocated for informed consent, so that British Columbians can ultimately decide whether or not they get a COVID-19 vaccination or wear a face mask. Currently, no law forces vaccinations or face masks on B.C. citizens. We shouldnt be shamed for protesting our right to breathe oxygen, Kulbaba said. "Its our bodies and our choice. A similar protest erupted in Quebec, which saw crowds march through downtown Montreal Saturday, demanding an end to mask-wearing and other COVID-19 regulations. At attendance in both cities were propagators of the QAnon conspiracy theory, which asserts among other largely-discredited claims that U.S. Democratic Party officials are trafficking children for sex. Last summer, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) listed QAnon as a national security threat, following two violent incidents involving followers of the theory. At one point in the demonstration an upwards of 700 Vancouver protestors according to a VPD tally joined together in the singing of O Canada. Anti-mask groups have held weekly rallies around Metro Vancouver but Sundays event was the largest demonstration yet. Signs carried by protestors read breathing is not a crime: end the masquerade" and fear is the real pandemic. Written on another was: Id rather bury my family from COVID than see them enslaved to the fear of it." Announced Aug. 21, VPD officers are now able to issue $2,000 fines to organizers of events with more than 50 people. They are also able to dole out tickets of $200 to individuals who are not social distancing. VPD's director of public affairs, Simi Heer, confirmed that VPD members did attend the protest Sunday. "Police response at large protests needs to be measured and proportionate and each circumstance is different," Heer said. "At this protest, police were not issuing fines and instead, were there to keep the peace and protect the public and protestors." This is the first maskless protest of this scale in Vancouver since the police's new powers came into effect. With the five-year conventional mortgage rate at a historic low of 4.79%, experts are saying that now might be the right time to secure a mortgage. In August, the Bank of Canada (BoC) dropped its five-year conventional mortgage rate to 4.79%, following cuts from the countrys six biggest banks. It was the second time in three months that the central bank cut the benchmark rate. And with the benchmark qualifying rate at a record low, experts are saying that it may be a good time for potential home buyers to enter the market. The exam will be conducted by the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Indore this year on 29 November The online application process for IIM CAT 2020 has been extended till 23 September. Candidates can apply for the admission test at the official website - iimcat.ac.in. The exam will be conducted by the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Indore this year on 29 November. According to a report by Hindustan Times, the exam will be held in two sessions across various centres in the country. The results are expected to be announced by the second week of January 2021. Applicants belonging to the general category will be required to pay a registration fee of Rs 2,000, while those from SC, ST, and PwD category will have to pay Rs 1,000. The admit card, or hall ticket, will be available for download from 28 October. As per a report by Careers 350, while filling the application form, candidates must ensure that all the information provided by them is correct. Once saved, the information in the application form will not be changed. They should also choose the exam cities according to the preference and make sure that it should be in proximity to their house. Steps to apply for IIM CAT 2020: Step 1: Visit to the official website - iimcat.ac.in Step 2: Click on Register tab of the home page Step 3: Fill the form entering required details Step 4: An OTP on your registered mobile number will be sent Step 5: Use the OTP to filling the application form Step 6: Enter all the details and select the programmes you want to enroll for Step 7: Pay the application fee. Click here for the direct link to register for the exam CAT is being conducted for admission to different management courses, including PGP, PGDM, PGPEM, EPGP, PGPBM, and PGPEX. LOS ANGELES - Authorities arrested 18 people who have ties to Asian gangs operating in Southern California that illegally sold drugs and guns as part of an 18-month investigation, federal officials said Tuesday. The probe into the Black Dragons, Wah Ching and Asian Boyz gangs was based on their activity in the San Gabriel Valley, said Jack Bennett, acting assistant director in charge of the FBIs Los Angeles field office. Officials say they seized hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash, an illegal marijuana growing operation, 28 pounds (12.70 kilograms) of methamphetamine and 4 ounces (113.40 grams) of cocaine and crack cocaine, as well as 16 firearms. Several of the guns were described as so-called ghost guns that do not have manufacturing or serial number identifications. Authorities arrested 18 people Tuesday using SWAT teams. Four other defendants were already in custody and three remain at large, authorities said. Prosecutors have filed seven indictments against the 25 defendants, who could face 10 years to decades in prison if convicted. The three gangs are made up of Vietnamese, Chinese and Korean members, officials said, and fuel some of the areas violent crimes as a decentralized criminal network. They tend to be loosely affiliated and go out of their way to evade low enforcement and stay low on the radar, Bennett said. Special agents are still trying to determine the origins of the firearms and if they are linked to any other crimes. A profile of Boris Johnson, the Prime Minister, is among those currently stored on a Chinese server - Toby Melville/Reuters A Chinese technology company has compiled a database on tens of thousands of British figures and their children and families for the use of the country's intelligence agencies, The Telegraph can reveal. Files on senior UK politicians including Boris Johnson, the Prime Minister royals, religious leaders, military officers and their families are currently stored on a Chinese server as part of a massive worldwide intelligence collection operation by a private company that describes its mission as "the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation". The data includes names, dates of birth, educational history, professional biographies, criminal convictions, social media accounts and other information scraped from the internet by computer software. Information about British businesspeople and academics, and the movements of UK and US naval ships, is also up for sale. Millions of people in the United States, Canada, India and Japan are named in the files, alongside an estimated 40,000 Britons. Zhenhua Data (see panel below), the company that created the files, claims to provide "services for military, security and foreign propaganda" and "human-oriented threat intelligence services", and to have sold its database to security clients in China. Another index of the database uses hundreds of thousands of tweets and Facebook posts containing key words related to the military or British politics to build an intelligence picture of the UK. The full contents of the Zhenhua servers are understood to have been stolen earlier this year by an anti-China activist, who shared them with the Five Eyes intelligence network of the UK, the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. The database was then shared with media organisations including The Telegraph. The Zhenhua files name dozens of British cabinet ministers, peers and Members of Parliament (see the graphic below for the full list of names). They include information about the family of Tom Tugendhat, a Tory MP fiercely critical of Beijing and the integration of Huawei components into the UK's 5G network. Story continues Senior MPs called for the Government to be wary of China's interference in UK society and electronic surveillance of British citizens. Mr Tugendhat has already expressed concerns that he is under surveillance by Chinese intelligence and said the data leak showed an "important change" in the country's approach. "This is a further indication that their interest in UK politics has gone beyond the general and into the specific," he told The Telegraph. "What's clear is that the Chinese government is seeking to get increasingly involved in politics abroad. "Many of us know, through direct targeting in a crude way, that attempts to influence the UK have gone beyond what was normal a few years ago, and this seems to indicate that private companies in China are being used as part of a wider information-gathering effort. "This is an indication that they are now seeing the West, and particularly the United Kingdom, as the kind of sphere of influence in which they wish to have this level of granular detail." The existence of the database raises new questions about Chinese electronic surveillance and suggests a collaboration between the Communist leadership and a variety of private companies in an attempt to build an intelligence picture of the UK. The discovery comes at a time of intense strain between the British and Chinese Governments over new security laws in Hong Kong and the cancellation of Huawei's involvement in the UK's 5G network. The cancellation of Huawei's involvement in the UK's 5G network has been a source of strain between the UK and China - Dado Ruvic/Reuters Among the thousands of British citizens on the database are Amber Rudd's daughter, the journalist Flora Gill, and the families of Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury, and Ephraim Mirvis, the Chief Rabbi. Darius Guppy, a controversial friend of Mr Johnson from his Oxford University days, is listed in the database as the Prime Minister's "close associate". The files contain a family tree of British royals and a list of their hobbies and interests. Prince Charles is described as a "writer, polo player, entrepreneur, painter, helicopter pilot, children's writer [and] aristocrat", while Princess Anne is listed as an "event rider". Another index in the database contains profiles of thousands of UK civilians who have been convicted of fraud, drug and terror offences or disqualified from their jobs as directors of UK companies. The information is thought to have been "scraped" from newspaper archives, social media posts and other online registers before being re-packaged for use by military intelligence. Since The Telegraph contacted Zhenhua Data for comment, its website appears to have been deleted. A representative of the company refused to comment on allegations that it was engaged in state espionage, saying: "Sorry, these questions touch upon our trade secrets. It's not convenient to disclose." A spokesman for the Chinese government would not comment on the connection between its intelligence agencies and Zhenhua Data. The spokesman said: "China has not asked, and will not ask, companies or individuals to collect or provide data, information and intelligence stored within other countries' territories for the Chinese government by installing 'backdoors' or by violating local laws." But security experts familiar with the data said the information would appear to "match the capabilities of the Ministry of State Security", the Chinese equivalent of MI6. An intelligence source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said: "The database is frightening for the breadth of individuals covered, as well as their backgrounds. "It represents a global mass surveillance system on an unprecedented scale. It also differs from the intelligence gathering practices of Western nations in that it deliberately collects on people whom we would consider 'civilians' and not normally subject to collection even in foreign countries. "It is clear that Zhenhua and the entities named on its website as 'partners' are not merely contractors to the Ministry of State Security and the People's Liberation Army, but are in fact intrinsic parts of the broader state security and intelligence apparatus of the People's Republic of China." Writing in The Telegraph, Bob Seely, the Tory backbencher who leads Parliament's Huawei Interest Group, said: "China does not build databases on us, legally or not, for benign reasons or to know when to send birthday cards. Bob Seely said: 'China does not build databases on us, legally or not, for benign reasons' "It does this to find human vulnerabilities to exploit. If data and information are power, that is what China is building. "The Telegraph's powerful story of data gathering on millions of people worldwide and thousands in the UK is a wake-up call." Professor Christopher Balding, an associate fellow at the Henry Jackson Society, said: "This database is just the tip of the iceberg, but it shows that China is systematically scrutinising millions in the West as potential intelligence targets. "Anyone of influence in the UK, or closely related to them, should know that the Chinese government is keeping tabs on them. "UK data suppliers also need to be much more careful in their business dealings with Chinese-linked firms it is clear China's Big Data dystopia is using Western data to effect its agenda." Volunteers struggle to gather sheep for rescue near Colton, Ore., in the Riverside wildfire south of Portland. (Richard Read / Los Angeles Times) The plea for help appeared on Facebook just after noon: Dozens of animals were trapped on a farm outside the Oregon town of Colton. A wildfire was closing in. Suzi Cloutier jumped into her pickup and headed south, towing a horse trailer. As director of an animal sanctuary outside Portland, Cloutier has been on high alert amid some of the worst wildfires in Oregon history. She sped past barricades near Colton, 30 miles south of Portland on the front lines of the 136,000-acre Riverside fire. When she met half a dozen other volunteers at the end of a remote gravel road, she saw a barnyard full of alpacas, sheep and chickens within 100 yards of billowing smoke. The woman who lived there had fled. Her son was waiting for help to arrive. He and the volunteers, along with some neighbors, quickly arranged fencing in a funnel formation, then nudged 30 jittery sheep almost to the trailer doors. Suddenly, the herd spooked and bolted past stunned gatekeepers and back to the barnyard. OK, what happened? Cloutier asked her crew. When the sheep are in, you have to close the gate behind them immediately. The volunteers would have to keep trying. That was Friday. As of Monday, three dozen wildfires had burned more than 1 million acres in Oregon, killed 10 people, left more than two dozen missing, wiped out several towns, blanketed the state in thick smoke and forced more than 40,000 people to flee their homes. The air quality in Portland this week was worse than that of any other major city on the planet. On Monday, Alaska Airlines suspended all flights in and out of the airport there to avoid exposing its employees and passengers to dangerously contaminated air. Oregon Gov. Kate Brown told reporters Monday that without question our state has been pushed to its limits by the fires. Its really hard for all of us to wrap our heads around the devastation that these fires have caused, and the pain and the suffering that so many Oregonians have endured over the past few days, she said. Story continues The good news was that progress had been made on many of the fires, and officials were hopeful that cooler temperatures and higher humidity expected into the weekend would help. Still, some fires are expected to keep burning until fall rains arrive, said Doug Grafe, a senior fire official at the Oregon Forestry Department. About 5,600 firefighters were battling the blazes up from 3,000 two days earlier and more were expected to arrive soon from North Dakota and Minnesota. Amid the devastation, hundreds of volunteers have been scrambling to rescue pets and livestock, sometimes literally driving through flames to reach the stranded creatures. Confusion reigned as rural residents brought hundreds of animals to the Clackamas County Fairgrounds in the city of Canby, only to relocate most of them after hearing wrongly, it turned out that an evacuation was being ordered. Fires spread so quickly last week that many people who evacuated lacked time to round up livestock, or trucks and trailers to transport their animals. Frantic owners posted plaintive messages on social media with photographs and locations, in hopes that strangers would try to retrieve them. "My horse is still standing alone at my burned down house," said a post last week on Cowgirl 911, a Facebook group created to enable rescues. "He has one white foot. He is a bay." The owner included a video clip of the horse and an address in the town of Vida, 30 miles east of Eugene, that was in the path of the Holiday Farm fire, 160,000 acres and growing. Stephanie Olson, 32, a backcountry pack-horse guide who lives outside the central Oregon city of Bend, finally reached the owner and arranged Saturday to retrieve the big bay named Toby, as well as some other horses nearby. The two-hour drive west to Vida was a tour of destruction. After crossing 4,800-foot Santiam Pass, Olson wound through the McKenzie River Valley and past the charred remains of the town of Blue River. It was midday when she reached a roadblock and explained her mission to a state trooper. "Just go, do what you need to do," he said. Vida's outskirts were on fire when she arrived, horse pastures flanked by burning trees. Olson spent hours trying to wrangle two mares, one of which had never worn a halter. Five firefighters sprayed water on flames at the base of the trees, cutting some down as she pursued the horses and darkness fell. Olson caught one mare and loaded it into her trailer, then the other. Finally, she found Toby and loaded him into the trailer of another rescuer. Olson made it home that night. She was caring for five horses she evacuated and said she aimed to make more rescue attempts. "I may go to Paisley," she said Monday evening, when it appeared that the Brattain fire was quickly approaching the town in southern Oregon. Elsewhere in the state, rare California condors were among the creatures whisked to safety. Zoo keepers removed more than 40 of them from a breeding center south of Portland where seven chicks hatched last spring and were being raised to be released into the wild. Twenty-six of the birds were driven to the Peregrine Fund's World Center for Birds of Prey in Boise, Idaho. Others went to the Oregon Zoo in Portland. "It's a tough decision to go in and disrupt a bunch of breeding birds with their chicks," said Leah Medley, the Peregrine Fund propagation manager. Leah Medley, left, Heather Springsteed and Carolina Granthon examine a condor in Boise. (Peregrine Fund) In the Portland suburb of Sherwood, the DevonWood Equestrian Center, a dressage facility closed because of the coronavirus, has taken in more than 300 horses, llamas, goats, sheep, chickens and other animals. Manager Noah Rattner said he would accept almost any animal except cattle, which could demolish stalls designed for expensive horses. As for the rescue effort near Colton, Cloutier and other volunteers managed to save a young Jersey bull after a neighbor lured the ornery animal to safety, holding out a bucket of grain and dancing backward, just out of range of his sharp horns. Animal rescuers coax a bull to safety as a wildfire advances near Molalla, Ore. (Richard Read / Los Angeles Times) Ten feet from the doors of a trailer, he veered right and jumped a rope strung between the truck and a tree. But the volunteers eventually enticed him into the trailer and bolted the doors. They also captured 10 alpacas, two horses, a mini mule and several chickens and ducks. All that remained were the sheep. Four men who had shown up later in the day vowed to lasso them. Cloutier rolled her eyes. "You can't rope sheep," she said. She was right. The owner of Zeb's Wish Equine Sanctuary, in Sandy, Ore., knows more than horses. She led the volunteers as they coaxed 10 sheep into a trailer. Twenty more, panicked by the smoke and the chase, could not be caught. "It was too late," Cloutier said. "There's a point where it's futile. You're just putting a lot of lives at risk. It's sad." Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Editorial board (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, September 16 2020 Doubts over whether the reinstated large-scale social restrictions (PSBB) will eventually flatten the curve of COVID-19 transmission in Jakarta linger. The public has the right to express such skepticism as they have witnessed in their life many regulations go unenforced, or worse, as some believe, the regulations are created to be broken. It is really a daunting challenge for the Jakarta Police, Public Order Agency and other bodies to enforce the curbs, as the number of their personnel is far from enough to monitor about 600,000 employees who still work in office spaces, and millions of people who travel from, into and across the city because human mobility has not been entirely banned. Probably because of the desperate need for more personnel to enforce the PSBB, the police have considered the involvement of gang leaders, especially in monitoring the implementation of the restrictions in traditional markets. The plan was immediately dropped. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,000/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login WASHINGTON - A Justice Department investigation into whether former Trump national security adviser John Bolton criminally mishandled classified information in a White House memoir published this June has reached a federal grand jury, according to two people familiar with the matter. A grand jury issued subpoenas for records, including from Simon & Schuster, the publisher of Bolton's book, "The Room Where it Happened," the people said. The book recounts Bolton's 17 months as President Donald Trump's top national security official and paints a withering portrait of Trump as an "erratic" and "stunningly uninformed" leader. The Trump administration unsuccessfully sought to block the book's release in June, saying it contained classified information that wasn't properly reviewed before publication. Bolton, a veteran diplomat and security expert, has denied the book contains classified information, cited his cooperation with a lengthy pre-publication review and added that he brought decades of experience working with secret material to the task. In a statement, Bolton's lawyer, Charles Cooper, said his team was aware of reports that subpoenas had been issued. "Ambassador Bolton emphatically rejects any claim that he acted improperly, let alone criminally, in connection with the publication of his book, and he will cooperate fully, as he has throughout, with any official inquiry into his conduct," Cooper said. A spokesman for Simon & Schuster declined to comment. The grand jury case was opened after a federal judge rejected the Justice Department's emergency request to block the book's June 23 publication, said the people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to freely discuss the matter. The New York Times first reported on the grand jury subpoenas. The Justice Department had requested a restraining order on the book, arguing Bolton breached a contract with the government by not completing a required national security review for classified information. In a June 20 ruling, U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth of the District of Columbia denied the Trump administration's request, citing the publisher's declaration that more than 200,000 copies had already shipped. However, in an opinion in the government lawsuit seeking financial damages, the judge said Bolton "exposed his country to harm and himself to civil (and potentially criminal) liability" in further litigation. A Justice Department spokeswoman declined to comment. Another person familiar with the case said department officials pursued the case as soon as details of the book began appearing in public, but the effort gained added momentum with Lamberth's written ruling. Opening a grand jury case and issuing subpoenas is one of many early steps in an investigation, and leak investigations in particular can be lengthy. Most submissions to the Justice Department for leak cases are not forwarded to prosecutors for investigation, and most of such investigations do not result in charges, said one person familiar with the matter. In Bolton's case, assessing his intentions, the government's handling of the classification review and the dispute's political aspects adds further complexity. In pre-publication litigation, the government disclosed that national security adviser Robert O'Brien, whom Trump appointed to succeed Bolton, ordered an additional review of Bolton's book after a career National Security Council staffer said he had completed required edits. Gen. Paul Nakasone, director of the National Security Agency, also declared in a court affidavit that a limited portion of the draft manuscript "implicates" information classified at the highest level. He said the "compromise of this information could result in the permanent loss of a valuable [signal intelligence] source and cause irreparable damage to the U.S. [signal intelligence] system." Bolton has alleged that a career White House official, Ellen Knight, effectively cleared his manuscript in April before Trump political appointees tried to stall it through the presidential election in November. Cooper argued that Trump appointees politicized the clearance process in a manner that, if allowed to stand, would keep future officials from speaking out when they leave government. Among other disclosures, the Bolton memoir states that Trump asked Chinese President Xi Jinping to help him win reelection, asserts Trump attempted to use military aid to pressure Ukraine on political investigations, and says Trump expressed willingness to halt or obstruct criminal investigations as personal favors to authoritarian foreign leaders. Bolton in promotional interviews called Trump incompetent and "unfit for office." Trump has responded on Twitter saying he hoped Bolton would be investigated. Trump said Bolton "broke the law" and should be in jail and have money seized "for disseminating, for profit, highly Classified information." He also has called Bolton a "Wacko" and his memoir "a compilation of lies and made up stories, all intended to make me look bad." In a June court hearing, Deputy Assistant Attorney General David Morrell acknowledged to the judge that he knew of no precedent in which high-level officials intervened in classification reviews. O'Brien tapped another new appointee, Michael Ellis - a former aide to Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif., and the National Security Council's senior director for intelligence - to conduct the additional review. Ellis was not officially trained on his classification authority until the day after he completed the Bolton manuscript review, the government acknowledged. However irregular the re-review, Morrell said, it was "entirely appropriate" given "an extraordinary set of facts" - a former national security adviser detailing ongoing policy matters during the same administration in which he served. Lamberth said it appeared that Bolton failed to complete a pre-publication review and obtain written authorization that the book contained no classified information. In a Sept. 8 interview with The Post, Attorney General William Barr echoed that criticism and voiced disapproval of Bolton writing about administration officials while they are still in office. The Irish minister for health has tested negative for Covid-19. Stephen Donnelly reported feeling unwell earlier on Tuesday and announced he was being tested for the virus. This resulted in other members of the cabinet restricting their movements as a precaution. The move came just hours after ministers announced a new blueprint to further reopen the countrys economic, social and cultural life following lockdown. Ceann Comhairle (speaker) Sean O Fearghail announced to TDs in the Dail on Tuesday evening that ministers were restricting their movements and that he was adjourning the sitting. However, TDs were back in the chamber by 8pm on request of Taoiseach Micheal Martin. Later on Tuesday, Mr Donnelly confirmed he had tested negative for Covid-19. He had earlier taken part in the cabinet meeting, before attending a press conference announcing the Governments latest Covid-19 plan to move forward over the next six months. The latest coronavirus figures released by the National Public Health Emergency Team on Tuesday evening revealed three further deaths with Covid-19. There have been 357 new cases of the virus confirmed in the last 24-hour reporting period, 218 of which were in Dublin. The fatalities take Irelands coronavirus death toll to 1,787. There have been a total of 31,549 confirmed cases of Covid-19. Meanwhile, the medium-term six-month plan for living with coronavirus is structured around five different levels of restrictions, numbered from one to five. Every county in Ireland has been given a status two risk level, but several additional restrictions are being applied to Dublin which stop short of level three status. Irelands capital has seen a marked increase in Covid-19 cases in recent weeks. The added restrictions in the city and wider Dublin county will see pubs that do not serve food having to remain closed when those in the rest of the country open next week. Unveiling the plan, Mr Martin said: We must continue to live with the reality that Covid-19 is potentially deadly, causes long-term illness, and we must limit the spread. Story continues When the vaccine is available, we will move quickly to implement a widespread vaccination programme, however I want people to understand that even before then, we can go much further in opening up economic, social and cultural life in our country. We can do this if we work together in implementing the comprehensive plan, which were launching today. At the level two risk status, gatherings of six people from no more than three households are permitted in homes and gardens. Up to 15 people are able to gather in other outdoor settings. Up to 50 guests can attend a wedding ceremony and the same number can attend indoor controlled events, such as a sports match. The Government has today published Resilience & Recovery 2020-2021: Plan for Living with Covid-19, which will help us to go about our daily lives as much as possible, while managing the behaviour of the virus. The Framework consists of 5 Levels.https://t.co/geCmY3jxsl #COVID19 pic.twitter.com/NXmZpL3TzA MerrionStreet.ie #StaySafe #HoldFirm (@merrionstreet) September 15, 2020 Up to 200 people can watch sport at outdoor stadiums which can hold at least 5,000 people. Mr Martin said people in Dublin would not be able to attend sporting events in the same numbers permitted in the states other 25 counties. In the capital, the six-person gatherings in homes and gardens can only involve a maximum of two households. This is a plan which gives clarity about each of our responsibilities and how different situations and sectors will be handled, the Taoiseach added. It includes concrete measures which address both well-established and emerging issues. It shows how we can limit the impact of the virus while keeping our schools open, protecting and expanding employment, reopening services and supporting social and cultural activity. Mr Martin described the plan as broad and comprehensive. He added it has three core pillars: protecting health, strengthening employment and supporting communities. Underpinning this is a new approach to the ongoing management of the Covid response and clarity for people about what will happen in different scenarios, Mr Martin explained. Protecting public health remains an absolute clarity. The plan sets out the clear public health guidance which we should all follow. We must never forget the fact that the virus is still here and each of us has a personal responsibility to try to limit its spread. This new phase involves the introduction of a new framework for restrictive measures. There will be a heightened system of monitoring and enforcement to guide this rapid and targeted response to outbreaks and we will move decisively to address the fact that there are other health concerns which must be addressed. He said the current Covid-19 cases in Dublin are very worrying. Appealing to residents in the city, he said: Rising rates of infection can be reversed by concerted public action, and by all this adhering to the guidance and taking personal responsibility. Taoiseach Micheal Martin speaking in Dublin at the unveiling of the Irish governments blueprint for living with Covid-19 (Julien Behal/PA) In other developments, Mr Martin announced an additional 600 million euro funding package to help the countrys health service cope with the winter pressures. He also said the Government had decided to broadly support the European Commission proposals on travel. The EU is working on a traffic light system to open up international travel across the bloc. It would see countries given a red, orange or green travel status. The plan is set to be finalised at an EU meeting next month. Businessman recovers $40K from Russias Finance Ministry for unlawful prosecution RAPSI, Vladimir Burnov 18:06 15/09/2020 ST. PETERSBURG, September 15 (RAPSI, Mikhail Telekhov) Entrepreneur Yury Chub could recover three million rubles (about $40,000) from Russias Finance Ministry for unlawful prosecution continuing over almost 14 years, the United press service of St. Petersburg courts informs RAPSI on Tuesday. The decision was passed by the Krasnogvardeisky District Court of St. Petersburg; the compensation was granted just partially, as Chub asked for nine million rubles ($120,000 at the current exchange rate), according to the statement. The businessman was charged with corporate raid; in 2019 the case was dismissed for absence of crime. NEW YORK and TORONTO, Sept. 14, 2020 /PRNewswire/ - iAnthus Capital Holdings, Inc. ("iAnthus" or the "Company") (CSE: IAN) (OTCQX: ITHUF), which owns, operates and partners with regulated cannabis operations across the United States, announces that, at the meetings of Secured Noteholders, Unsecured Debentureholders and Existing Equityholders (each as defined below and, collectively, the "Securityholders") held on September 14, 2020, Securityholders voted overwhelmingly in support of the previously announced recapitalization transaction (the "Recapitalization Transaction") to be implemented by way of a court-approved plan of arrangement under the British Columbia Business Corporations Act (the "Plan of Arrangement"). Approval of the Plan of Arrangement At the meeting of holders (the "Secured Noteholders") of the 13% senior secured convertible debentures (the "Secured Notes") issued by iAnthus Capital Management, LLC ("ICM"), the Company's wholly-owned US subsidiary, 100% of the votes cast by Secured Noteholders (representing all of the outstanding Secured Notes) were voted in favour of the Plan of Arrangement. At the meeting of holders (the "Unsecured Debentureholders") of the 8% convertible unsecured debentures (the "Unsecured Debentures") issued by the Company, 100% of the votes cast by Unsecured Debentureholders (representing all of the outstanding Unsecured Debentures) were voted in favour of the Plan of Arrangement. At the meeting (the "Equityholders' Meeting") of holders of the Company's common shares (the "Common Shares"), options (the "Options") and warrants (the "Warrants") (collectively, the "Existing Equityholders"), 79.0% of the votes cast by Existing Equityholders, present in person or by proxy at the Equityholders' Meeting, voting together as a single class, were voted in favour of the Plan of Arrangement. In addition, 66.3% of the votes cast by holders of Common Shares, present in person or by proxy at the Equityholders' Meeting, excluding votes of Common Shares beneficially owned or over which control or direction is exercised by Related Shareholders, were voted in favour of the Plan of Arrangement, which significantly exceeds the minority approval requirements (50% + 1) of Multilateral Instrument 61-101 Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101") of the Canadian Securities Administrators. When Related Shareholders are included, a total of 68.3% of the votes cast by holders of Common Shares, present in person or by proxy at the Equityholders' Meeting, were voted in favour of the Plan of Arrangement. The term "Related Shareholders" means, in respect of the Company, "interested parties", "related parties" of any interested parties (unless the related party meets that description solely in its capacity as a director or senior officer of one or more persons that are neither interested parties nor issuer insiders of the Company) and "joint actors" of the foregoing (as such terms are defined in MI 61-101). To the knowledge of the Company after reasonable inquiry, the only Related Shareholders who beneficially owned or exercised control or direction over Common Shares at the time of the Equityholders' Meeting were funds affiliated with Gotham Green Partners, LLC. Court Approval and Implementation The Company and ICM will attend a hearing before the Supreme Court of British Columbia (the "Court") currently scheduled for 10:00 a.m. (Vancouver time) on September 25, 2020, or such other time and date as may be set by the Court, to seek final Court approval for the Plan of Arrangement (the "Final Order"). Certain of the transactions contemplated by the Recapitalization Transaction may trigger a review and approval requirement by state-level regulators in certain U.S. states with jurisdiction over the licensed cannabis operations of entities owned in whole or in part or controlled directly or indirectly by iAnthus, including potentially: Arizona, Florida, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, and Vermont. Where required, iAnthus intends to promptly commence the review and approval process and to expedite the process to the greatest extent possible. About iAnthus iAnthus owns and operates licensed cannabis cultivation, processing and dispensary facilities throughout the United States, providing investors diversified exposure to the U.S. regulated cannabis industry. Founded by entrepreneurs with decades of experience in operations, investment banking, corporate finance, law and healthcare services, iAnthus provides a unique combination of capital and hands-on operating and management expertise. iAnthus currently has a presence in 11 states and operates 36 dispensaries (AZ-4, MA-1, MD-3, FL-16, NY-3, CO-1, VT-1 and NM-7 where iAnthus has minority ownership). For more information, visit www.iAnthus.com. COVID-19 Risk Factor The Company may be impacted by business interruptions resulting from pandemics and public health emergencies, including those related to COVID-19. An outbreak of infectious disease, a pandemic, or a similar public health threat, such as the recent outbreak of COVID-19, or a fear of any of the foregoing could adversely impact the Company by causing operating, manufacturing, supply chain, and project development delays and disruptions, labor shortages, travel, and shipping disruption and shutdowns (including as a result of government regulation and prevention measures). It is unknown whether and how the Company may be affected if such a pandemic persists for an extended period of time, including as a result of the waiver of regulatory requirements or the implementation of emergency regulations to which the Company is subject. Although the Company has been deemed essential and/or has been permitted to continue operating its facilities in the states in which it cultivates, processes, manufactures, and sells cannabis during the pendency of the COVID-19 pandemic, there is no assurance that the Company's operations will continue to be deemed essential and/or will continue to be permitted to operate. The Company may incur expenses or delays relating to such events outside of its control, which could have a material adverse impact on its business, operating results, financial condition, and the trading price of the Common Shares. Forward Looking Statements Statements in this news release that are forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties, including concerning COVID-19 and the specific factors disclosed here and elsewhere in iAnthus' periodic filings with Canadian securities regulators. When used in this news release, words such as "will", "hope", "could", "plan", "estimate", "expect", "intend", "may", "potential", "believe", "should", "our vision" and similar expressions, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements may include, without limitation, the timing and outcome of Court approval of the Plan of Arrangement, the timing and outcome of required U.S. state regulatory approvals and the implementation and completion of the Recapitalization Transaction. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements in this news release are made as of the date of this release. iAnthus disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise such information, except as required by applicable law, and iAnthus does not assume any liability for disclosure relating to any other company mentioned herein. The Canadian Securities Exchange has not reviewed, approved or disapproved the content of this news release. The securities to be issued pursuant to the Restructuring Transaction have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to U.S. persons unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws, or an exemption from such registration is available. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities. "United States" and "U.S. person" are as defined in Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act. SOURCE iAnthus Capital Holdings, Inc. Related Links https://www.ianthuscapital.com/ (Natural News) The Wuhan coronavirus continues to be one for the books, much like the anthrax attacks of 2001 or the financial crisis of 2008. However, these earlier crises that rocked the country were isolated, with one a national security crisis while the other was a financial crisis. These events were more limited in scope than this years pandemic which is causing the multicrisis instability currently shaping American politics and culture. While other events in the country unfolded throughout several years, the current global pandemic was further complicated by economic and social shutdowns, mass unemployment and violent riots all happening within the same year, with certain events occurring within the span of only several months. A new government report found the coronavirus pandemic together with other events has had an invisible effect on the mental health of the general public. The mental burden of the pandemic In late June, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) conducted an extensive mental health survey of Americans. The results, published in August, were shocking. Researchers found proof of elevated levels of symptoms of anxiety and depressive disorders, substance use and suicidal ideation among adults in the country. The findings also identified populations at increased risk, such as young people, racial and ethnic minorities, essential workers and caregivers of elderly patients. Over 40 percent of the respondents reported an adverse mental or behavioral health condition, while 11 percent said they seriously considered suicide in the last 30 days. Nadine Kaslow, a professor of psychiatry at the Emory University School of Medicine, explained that it is crucial to fully understand the lasting effects of the pandemic and of economic instability. As the study revealed, participants exhibiting symptoms of anxiety, depression, substance use, or suicidal ideations may also be experiencing issues with normal functioning. Those with extreme symptoms also require immediate help. Mental health experts note that the study results may prove useful, but it also raised more questions. As the survey revealed, more people are reporting symptoms of anxiety and depression. However, the prevalence of anxiety and depressive disorders is unclear. Its possible that more people may be thinking about suicide, but it remains to be seen if suicidal ideation is causing more suicidal acts since national data on how the pandemic is impacting the suicide rate is lacking. Experts shared that the data is valuable as it highlights the current condition of the countrys vulnerable populations. Anna Mueller, a suicide researcher and professor of sociology at Indiana University Bloomington, said that the study points to how the pandemic is taking a massive toll on the mental health of American citizens. These breakdowns also indicate how important factors such as economic stability and economic security are to a persons well-being. Additionally, it shows how vulnerable populations, particularly in terms of socioeconomic status, those who are being put in harms way, are the ones bearing the brunt of the pandemic. Coronavirus linked to increase in suicidal thoughts, substance abuse The CDC study has also found that over 50 percent of essential workers reported at least one adverse mental or behavioral health symptom, while 22 percent reported suicidal thoughts. Compared to nonessential workers, more essential workers experienced symptoms of COVID-related trauma and stressor-related disorder and increased substance use. The study clarified that essential workers include nurses, doctors, factory workers, hospital custodians and grocery store clerks. Unfortunately, the majority of essential workers dont have job security. They also constantly risk their health and the health of their families to receive their wages. At least two-thirds of unpaid caregivers for adults reported at least one adverse mental or behavioral health symptom. About 33 percent of unpaid caregivers reported increased substance use compared to six percent of those who are getting paid. The results also found that 31 percent of unpaid caregivers reported suicidal ideation compared to three percent who were still receiving pay. Data confirms that the elderly are among those at highest risk of dying or having serious complications from coronavirus. The CDC study also found that caregivers may struggle to find additional help, or may not feel safe using available help. Bart Andrews, the chief clinical officer at Behavioral Health Response, said that the sense of overwhelmingness is intense, especially if caregivers have to deal with the added stress of the pandemic. According to the study, 75 percent of young survey responders aged 18 to 24 reported at least one adverse mental health symptom or behavioral health symptom. Serious suicidal ideation was at an alarming 25 percent within the same group. Uncertainty can also be a factor, particularly since it may be increasingly difficult to imagine life as it was and a future for those who survive the pandemic. (Related: Long coronavirus lockdowns causing peoples mental health to rapidly DETERIORATE.) Stress and anxiety are normal, advise experts Andrews warned that while distress signals shouldnt be downplayed, pathologizing emotions can also be just as dangerous. Its normal to feel stressed, anxious and depressed because of coronavirus. He added that the universality of the pandemic can become a protective factor. People are distressed, but this distress may be mediated because its normalized. Additionally, the COVID-19 pandemic also increases the risk for some and decreases the risk for others. But without proper and immediate intervention, the pandemic could potentially worsen existing disparities, which is why social safety nets are important for your overall well-being. The CDC survey suggests that interventions, such as strengthening economic supports to reduce financial strain, addressing stress from experienced racial discrimination, promoting social connectedness, and supporting persons at risk for suicide are key to helping Americans survive the pandemic. Kaslow added that access to affordable mental health services is also important, along with compassion. Whether youre working from home, an essential worker, or currently unemployed, you may be feeling burnt out. But you need to reach out to family and friends to check on them. Showing someone you care by calling them or messaging them can spell the difference between a horrible day and them having a more positive outlook on life despite the pandemic. And its good for you as well. Why is the pandemic affecting mental health? It remains to be seen how exactly the pandemic is affecting the mental health of the general public. According to Dr. Laurel Williams, chief of psychiatry at Texas Childrens Hospital, the rise of depression may be linked to a lack of community. No matter where you look, people at home and even in public are constantly glued to their phone, TV or gadget screens. If you cant talk to other people, you may be unable to feel a sense of belonging, which can increase feelings of hopelessness because of the pandemic. Sources include: TheIntercept.com USAToday.com WASHINGTON A top U.S. commander said an intelligence review has not turned up corroborating evidence of a Russian effort to bribe the Taliban to kill American soldiers, but the U.S. continues to hunt for information on the matter. "We continue to look for that evidence," Gen. Frank McKenzie, commander of the U.S. Central Command, said in an interview with NBC News. "I just haven't seen it yet. But it's not a closed issue." Amid uncertainty about the intelligence, Democrats have continued to press for investigations and even Russian sanctions, as they criticize the Trump administration's response to the matter. "Two New Yorkers were killed in an attack potentially tied to the Russian bounty program," said U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y. "Yet the Trump administration has continued to try and hide the details of the bounty program from the America people, denying these families the clarity they deserve. I will keep working to ensure an investigation is completed and the affected families get answers. She said an investigation should be completed by an independent government watchdog, an inspector general. House Intelligence Committee member, U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-Schuylerville, who received a White House briefing on the bounties, declined an interview to discuss McKenzie's comments Tuesday. But after the NBC report published, her campaign called on her challenger Democrat Tedra Cobb to remove from the air a television advertisement that criticizes Stefanik for her "silence" on the issue. As the chief advocate for Fort Drum, Congresswoman Stefanik has always prioritized force protection and the safety and security of our servicemen and women and will continue to do so, said Stefanik spokeswoman Maddie Anderson. Tedra Cobbs campaign ad claiming Russian bounties is not only false, it is shameful and smears our military leaders in Afghanistan by ignoring the facts as well as their military and intelligence assessments." Cobb claimed Stefanik "ignored CIA assessments." That decision leaves American troops, many from Fort Drum, in a deadly position," said Cobb. "It has been months since this story broke and in that time Donald Trump and Elise Stefanik have done nothing. She is protecting her own access to the President over the safety of our troops." In late June, multiple media reports, citing intelligence, revealed the allegations that Russia offered bounties to Afghan militants to kill U.S. troops. Their efforts were believed to have resulted in the deaths of several U.S. service members, the Washington Post reported. The New York Times reported President Donald Trump was briefed on the matter and senior White House and intelligence officials knew about the bounty offers since at least March but took no action. The Times also reported that Russia's military intelligence agency transferred money to accounts used by the Taliban in the alleged scheme. Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years. White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany in June said Trump and Vice President Mike Pence were never briefed on the intelligence information because there is no consensus within the intelligence community on these allegations. She said the veracity of the reports are being vetted and Trump was not briefed on unverified information. Trump tweeted that he was not briefed on the information and suggested it was "Fake News." Cpl. Robert Hendriks of Long Island and Sgt. Christopher K.A. Slutman of New York City, were among three Marines who died in 2019 in an attack that officials have investigated for a possible relation to a bounty that was paid, according to the New York Times. In July, after Trump said he had not raised the subject of bounties in multiple phone calls with Putin, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo testified before Congress that he and other U.S. officials had discussed with Russians the threats against U.S. forces in various countries, but would not specifically say whether Afghanistan was on that list. He said Trump's is "the toughest administration ever" on Russia and noted steps to address Russian disinformation and aggression in Ukraine and Georgia. Last week, five Democratic U.S. senators introduced legislation that would require Trump to place sanctions on any person, Russian government official or entity involved in alleged bounties. It would provide rewards for individuals who share information on Russian bounties and increase resources to counter Russia in South and Central Asia. Gillibrand said she co-sponsored the bill. Congressional Republicans already rejected an amendment to the annual defense bill that would impose new sanctions on Russia this summer. An emotional Premier Daniel Andrews has urged civility in public debate after a pair of boots was left at the front of the location of his father's funeral as part of an online campaign to "Give Dan the Boot". The organiser of the campaign, 19-year-old Liberal Party activist Edward Bourke, apologised for the "unacceptable" use of Mr Andrews' family in political expression but said the Premier may be using the controversy to distract from his government's performance. Premier Daniel Andrews at his father's funeral in 2016. Credit:Elenor Tedenborg / Shana Morgan An online event that more than 65,000 people registered their interest in encouraged Victorians to place a pair of boots at the front of their homes last Sunday and use the #GiveDanTheBoot hashtag to promote the campaign. US President and his Democratic challenger presented a different pathway to address the issue of climate change, amidst the devastating wildfires that have engulfed parts of California. Travelling to the region, Trump asserted on Monday he does not think that science knows actually. Biden accused the president in a policy address in Delaware of being a climate arsonist. "Well, I don't think science knows actually," Trump told California Natural Resources Agency Secretary Wade Crowfoot during a briefing with State Gavin Newsom and other officials to get an update on the efforts to combat the devastating wildfires. Biden slammed Trump on his policy on If you give a climate arsonist four more years in the White House, why would anyone be surprised if we have more of America ablaze?" Biden, 77, said as he hammered Trump for allegedly ignoring science. "If you give a climate denier four more years in the White House, why would anyone be surprised when more of America is underwater? We need a president who respects science, who understands that the damage from is already here. Unless we take urgent action, it will soon be more catastrophic, he said. The president recognizes, understands, and cares that Americans are dying, which makes president Trump's climate denialism, his disdain for science and facts all the more unconscionable. Once again, he fails the most basic duty to a nation. He fails to protect us from the pandemic, from an economic freefall, from racial unrest, from the ravages of It's clear that we are not safe in Donald Trump's America," Biden said. This is Trump's America, he said. He's in charge. What he doesn't get is that even in a crisis, there's nothing beyond the capacity of the American people when we stand up and act together. And while so many are hurting right now, I want you to know that if you give me the honour of serving as your president, we can and we will meet this moment with urgency and purpose, he said. You know, when thinks about climate change, he thinks hoax. When I think about it, I think jobs. Good paying unions jobs that put Americans to work building a stronger, more climate resilient nation, a nation modernized. We have modernized water and transportation systems, and energy infrastructure to withstand the impact of extreme weather and changing climate, Biden said. On the other hand, Trump, 74, blamed poor forest management for the fires. With regard to the forest, when trees fall down after a short period of time, about 18 months, they become very dry. They become really like a matchstick and they get up. There's no more water pouring through and they become very, they just explode. They can explode, he said. Also, leaves. When you have years of dried leaves on the ground, it just sets it up. It's really a fuel for a fire. So they have to do something about it. They also have to do cuts. I mean, people don't like to do cuts, but they have to do cuts in between. If you do have a fire and it gets away, you'll have a 50 yard cut in between so it won't be able to catch to the other side. They don't do that, he said. Trump said other countries do that. If you go to other countries, you go to Austria, you go to Finland, you go to many different countries and they don't have--I was talking to a head of a major country and he said we are a forest nation. We consider ourselves a forest nation. This was in Europe, he said. I said that's a beautiful term. He said we have trees there are far more explosive. He meant explosive in terms of fire. But we have trees that are far more explosive than they have in California and we don't have any problem because we manage our forests. So we have to do that in California too. So I'll go do this and will see you in a little while, Trump said. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Incident began with Greene failing to stop for a traffic violation, troopers said Ronald Greene, 49, smiles in an undated photo provided by his family. Federal authorities are investigating Greene's death during what Louisiana State Police called a 'struggle' to take him into custody Federal authorities are investigating the 2019 death of a Black man in police custody after his family claimed Louisiana State Police 'brutalized' him when he failed to stop for a traffic violation. The death of 49-year-old Ronald Greene remains shrouded in secrecy because State Police have declined to release body-camera footage related to the May 2019 chase north of Monroe, Louisiana. Greene's death drew new attention after his family filed a wrongful death lawsuit this year alleging state troopers 'brutalized' Greene and 'left him beaten, bloodied and in cardiac arrest' before covering up his actual cause of death. Greene's family said authorities initially claimed Greene died after crashing into a tree but omitted what State Police now acknowledge was the 'struggle' preceding his death. The lawsuit, drawing on witness accounts, alleges officers pinned Greene to the ground and used a stun gun on him even after he apologized for leading them on a chase. Greene's mother, Mona Hardin, said her family has not been able to grieve because so many questions remain unresolved. She said her son had been a well-liked barber who lived in West Monroe and had a 'giving spirit.' Greene's family's members listen to speakers as demonstrators gather for the March on Washington, Friday Aug. 28, 2020, in Washington, on the 57th anniversary of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.'s 'I Have A Dream' speech 'This has gutted our family,' Hardin told AP. 'How do people live with themselves after doing something like this?' The investigation comes amid heightened racial tensions within Louisiana State Police, an agency that has been plagued by misconduct cases in recent years. Earlier this month, Gov. John Bel Edwards, a Democrat, said it was 'unacceptable' that State Police had failed to discipline a trooper recorded using a racial slur on duty. The handling of Greene's death has eroded the agency's credibility even further, said Eugene W. Collins, president of the Baton Rouge branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. 'The public has a right to know what happened to Mr. Greene that day,' he said, 'and the concealing of this information by the Louisiana State Police is not only disgusting but immoral.' State Police spokesman Capt. Chavez Cammon said the agency is 'cooperating with federal officials' even as it conducts its own internal investigation. Two law enforcement officials familiar with the case said State Police are investigating whether one of the responding troopers improperly turned off his body camera during Greene's arrest. They spoke to AP on the condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing investigation. Sean Greene, brother of Ronald Greene, listens to speakers at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC, 28 August 2020. Greene died in police custody following a high-speed chase in Louisiana in 2019 Edwards 'is aware of the investigation and expects that there will be a comprehensive and fair evaluation of the facts,' spokeswoman Shauna Sanford wrote in an email. 'He has not seen the video.' Greene's death was ruled accidental and attributed to cardiac arrest, said Renee Smith, the Union Parish coroner who was not in office when that determination was made. Smith said her office's file on Greene attributed his death to a car crash and makes no mention of a struggle with State Police. 'The physical evidence we've been able to review is inconsistent with the manner of death that they've described,' said Lee Merritt, a prominent civil rights lawyer representing Greene's family. Local prosecutors did not bring charges against the responding troopers but referred Greene's death to the U.S. Justice Department for a civil rights investigation, said Laurie James, first assistant district attorney in Union Parish. Asked for his reaction to footage of Greene's death, John Belton, the Union Parish district attorney, said it would be 'inappropriate for me to comment because of the ongoing federal investigation.' The FBI declined to comment. The U.S. Attorney's Office in Shreveport confirmed the federal investigation into Greene's death but declined further comment. State Police have released few details about Greene's death. A crash report says troopers attempted to pull him over for an unspecified traffic violation shortly after midnight May 10, 2019, about 30 miles south of the Arkansas state line. Greene 'refused to stop,' the report says, and 'a pursuit ensued.' A single-page police report released by State Police says the chase ended when Greene crashed his vehicle. 'Greene was taken into custody after resisting arrest and a struggle with Troopers,' the report says, adding that he 'became unresponsive' and died on the way to a local hospital. The report doesn't describe any use of force by troopers. Greene's family contends the crash was not serious enough to account for his fatal injuries. Their lawsuit says his vehicle 'did not make impact with a tree and his airbag did not deploy.' Greene 'was not injured and could walk, speak and otherwise function in a healthy manner after the crash,' the lawsuit says, adding an autopsy found cuts and 'blunt-force injuries' to Greene's head and face. 'Obviously the body cam footage is critical,' said Mark Maguire, a Philadelphia attorney also representing Greene's family. During her first mission to space and to the International Space Station, Kate Rubins became the first person to sequence DNA in space. During her upcoming mission, Rubins will work on a cardiovascular experiment that builds on an investigation she completed during her first space mission and conduct research using the space station's Cold Atom Lab. She'll also be aboard the station for the arrival of NASA's SpaceX Crew-1 mission and Boeing Orbital Flight Test-2. Rubins' launch is planned for Oct. 14 aboard the Soyuz MS-17 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan with her Expedition 63/64 crewmates, Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Sergey Kud-Sverchkov. On Nov. 2, Rubins will celebrate with her crewmates the 20th anniversary of continuous human habitation of the space station - two decades of science and technology research and breakthroughs that are furthering America's return to the Moon and human exploration of Mars. In this image from her first mission to the station, she views the Earth below from the cupola. Please follow SpaceRef on Twitter and Like us on Facebook. Ketra Veasy's brother, Willie Veasy, was exonerated in 2019 after 27 years in prison. He has struggled to adapt to his new life, his sister said. Read more Detectives coercing false confessions from suspects. Prosecutors illegally withholding evidence from defendants. Police conducting shoddy or secret investigations of alternate theories and quietly burying those records in the case file. Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasners office has helped overturn 14 homicide convictions in the last 2 years, and prosecutors in nearly every instance have cited such official misconduct when seeking to throw a case out. On Tuesday, the National Registry of Exonerations released a report examining 2,400 overturned convictions across the country over the last 30 years, finding that 54% of those cases were overturned due to intentional or negligent mistakes by police or prosecutors. The problem was worse among overturned murder cases, researchers found: 72% of all exonerations for murder since 1989 have involved misconduct by police, prosecutors, or both, and 93 people whose cases were overturned due to official misconduct had been sentenced to death. The report sheds new light on an issue that has long attracted attention in the criminal justice system, and comes amid the countrys reckoning with systemic racism and law enforcements role in that a moment sparked by several police killings of Black people across the country this summer. The contours of those debates, which have become part of this years presidential election, have long coursed through Philadelphia and intensified after Krasner took office in 2018. The outspoken former defense attorney pledged to transform the prosecutors office, and soon after taking office expanded the Conviction Integrity Unit, dedicated to reviewing problematic convictions. READ MORE: Philly DA Larry Krasner plans truth, justice, and reconciliation commission to review harm caused by justice system Patricia Cummings, head of that unit, said she believes the issues leading to wrongful convictions are more pronounced in Philadelphia than elsewhere. Twelve of the 14 exonerations she has presided over have involved official misconduct, she said, and her staff regularly encounters cases almost entirely reliant on faulty confessions or unreliable eyewitness testimony. Many also feature instances in which police or prosecutors did not disclose evidence as required by law, she said. Lasting consequences There are many consequences to such misconduct. Ketra Veasy is experiencing some of them firsthand. Her brother, Willie, was exonerated last year with help from Krasners office. In court documents supporting his release from prison, prosecutors said they had come to believe that the confession he gave to detectives Martin Devlin and Paul Worrell had been coerced. READ MORE: North Philly man cleared of murder after 27 years in prison, the 10th exoneration under DA Larry Krasner They also said they were investigating whether Devlin and Worrell had coerced false statements in other cases. Devlin and Worrell, who have retired from the Philadelphia Police Department, have denied wrongdoing. Veasy was released from prison in October, and celebrated his exoneration outside the Criminal Justice Center before enjoying a meal with his family and attorneys at McCormick & Schmicks in Center City. But Ketra Veasy says her brother has since grown distant struggling to adjust to life outside of prison after 27 years behind bars. He can be short-tempered, she said, and dismissive of efforts to help him become accustomed to his new reality. Hes like two totally different people," Veasy said. Sonja Jamison, a close family friend, said the experience of the wrongful conviction changed the course of his life as well as his familys. Rather than serving as an ending, she said, his exoneration was simply the beginning of a new set of challenges. You cant just push 27 years out and be like, Im fine, she said. Youre not. READ MORE: He spent 22 years in prison for a murder he didnt commit. His lawsuit says Philly police detectives knew his case was flawed. Systemic issues Marissa Bluestine, who previously served as an attorney for Veasy, and now assistant director of the Quattrone Center for the Fair Administration of Justice at the University of Pennsylvania Law School, said that wrongful convictions make up a small proportion of the overall criminal caseload, and that the vast majority of cases that pass through the criminal justice system are handled by police and prosecutors dedicated to getting them right. The District Attorneys Office said the Conviction Integrity Unit has rejected about 350 cases from defendants seeking to have their cases overturned. An additional 96 cases are currently being investigated, a spokesperson said, while thousands more need to be processed or reviewed. Still, Bluestine said the errors that have become commonplace among overturned cases are systemic: A lack of training, a lack of supervision, and a lack of accountability, particularly for prosecutors, who cannot be sued in civil court for wrongdoing. Theres a whole system failure," Bluestine said. "And unless you start to acknowledge that these cases involve system failures, were not going to fix it. READ MORE: As a Philly judge agreed to overturn a murder conviction after 31 years, the DAs Office took aim at the justice system The National Registry of Exonerations report said some systemic issues appear to have improved in recent years. Police using violence or other forms of misconduct in interrogations has dropped dramatically in the past 16 years, it said. In Philadelphia, police began videotaping interviews of suspects in 2014, as well as reminding witnesses being interviewed that they could leave at any time. The clearance rate the proportion of cases considered solved subsequently plummeted. The report echoed Bluestines contention that all future solutions must continue to address policies and practices in order to safeguard against mistakes, whether inadvertent, reckless, or even intentional. If these systemic problems are corrected, misconduct is less likely to occur and when it does happen, more likely to be counteracted before innocent people are condemned, the report said. Gurugram-based fintech company Mobikwik has promoted its Senior Vice President of payments business, Chandan Joshi as company's Co-founder and CEO of payments business. Over the last two and a half years, Joshi has been managing the wallet and the payments gateway business of the company. As the CEO of the payments business, Joshi will oversee the payments business which drives 75 per cent of the revenue even as he continues to drive the sales, marketing, product and engineering functions. In his new role, all the functions in payments business unit will now report to him. "Chandan has demonstrated all the right traits that we look for in a business leader - he leads from the front, is invested in his teams, is tenacious in driving business results and in closing large strategic deal," said Bipin Preet Singh, Co-founder & CEO MobiKwik. An IIT graduate and with a masters in Business from London School of Business, Chandan has earlier worked as a financial trader in global financial markets with Credit Suisse in London & Hong Kong. "I share a good rapport with Upasana and Bipin and share their vision of delivering on the Digital Credit Card opportunity. I am confident that together we will be able to profitably grow MobiKwik and take the company public," said Chandan Joshi, Cofounder MobiKwik. Speaking to Business Today in July, Co-founder Upasana Taku had said that losses have come down across all of the company's business verticals. In its FY20 annual report, MobiKwik stated that it had reduced its EBIDTA losses from Rs 112 crore in FY19 to Rs 45 crore in FY20. The cash losses also went down to Rs 9 crore from Rs 98 crore during the last fiscal. The company's net revenue also grew over 133 per cent from Rs 162 crore to Rs 379 crore for the same period. MobiKwik earlier stated that in fiscal year 2020-21 the company could achieve a full year of profitability. ALSO READ: MobiKwik cuts cash losses by 91%, expects full year profitability in FY21 ALSO READ: Paytm user? Beware of this scam Cracker Barrel Old Country Store Inc. has rejected Sardar Biglaris nominee for its board, setting the stage for the San Antonio investor to wage another proxy fight with the Tennessee restaurant and retail chain. On Tuesday, Biglari, chairman and CEO of San Antonio-based Biglari Holdings Inc., parent company of the ailing Steak n Shake restaurant chain, penned a letter to Cracker Barrel shareholders urging them to back his board nominee. We have attempted on multiple occasions to reach an amicable resolution with Cracker Barrel leadership, Biglari wrote. The time has come for the years-long stonewalling to end. On ExpressNews.com: Has San Antonios Sardar Biglari lost his touch? Biglari nominated Raymond Rick P. Barbrick, president and co-chief executive of New Jersey-based Briad Group, which operates restaurant and hotel franchises, including 111 Wendys restaurants in the Northeast. Biglari offered no other details on Barbricks background in the letter. Briad Group announced in June that it was shuttering 15 of 18 locations of a burger chain known as Zinburger Wine & Burger bar. Biglari issued the letter a day after Cracker Barrel announced its board had rebuffed Barbrick as a candidate. It didnt offer any explanation, and a spokesman declined to comment. Biglari did not respond to an interview request. A Biglari hedge fund owns more than 2 million Cracker Barrel shares, or almost 9 percent of the stock. It previously owned almost 20 percent. Cracker Barrels directors elected Gisel Ruiz, a longtime Walmart senior executive, to the board Tuesday. She most recently served as chief operating officer for Sams Club. She will stand for election at the companys Nov. 19 annual meeting. Biglari has had three previous proxy fights with Cracker Barrel, losing out on a bid to win a seat on its board in 2011, 2012 and 2013. He also sought to have Biglari Holdings Vice Chairman Phil Cooley named a director in 2012 and 2013, but those efforts also failed. Biglari has criticized Cracker Barrels CEO, Sandra Cochran, and its board over the years, particularly about how the company has spent capital. Most recently, he attacked Cracker Barrels decision this year to abandon its $133 million investment in Punch Bowl Social, a Denver-based restaurant chain combining food and drinks with arcade games that it invested in last year. Cracker Barrel is one of the best concepts ever created in the restaurant industry, Biglari said in his letter. We believe Ms. Cochran and the current board do not fully appreciate its potential. If they did, all energies would be dedicated to this American brand, rather than diverted into money-losing ventures like a bar concept. The animosity goes both ways. Cochran called Biglari Holdings a threat to Cracker Barrel in 2015. Biglaris bid for representation on the board comes as Steak n Shakes revenues plunged by half in the second quarter as it closed restaurants in response to the pandemic. Patrick Danner Patrick Danner covers banking, insurance, business litigation and bankruptcies. To read more from Patrick, become a subscriber. pdanner@express-news.net | Twitter: @AlamoPD File image With the recent announcement of space sector reforms, the Indian Space Research on Tuesday said necessary legislations are being put in place to ease the business environment for private players. The space agency said it is also looking at paving the way for the insurance sector to render services in the space domain. "We need to do some of the activities to ensure that there is no hardship, so a comprehensive space act is required, as well as the different policies should be in place, and they are in the pipeline, with the opening of the space sector, ISRO Chairman K Sivan said. Virtually addressing the International Space Conference, he said the existing space policies on SATCOM as well as the remote sensing data policies are being amended well as the remote sensing data policies are being amended with "greater inclusivity and transparency. "Also, we are going to add new policies like launch vehicle policy, space exploration policy. We are going to cover the entire gamut of space activities through policies, also we are going to put in place the space act, which will ensure easy business for private sector, thats our aim, he added. The Union Cabinet on June 24 approved participation of the private sector in the entire range of space activities, including planetary exploration missions. It had said, the newly-created Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) will provide a level playing field for private companies to use Indian space infrastructure, by hand-holding industries in space activities through encouraging policies and a friendly regulatory environment. The 'New Space India Limited (NSIL), a PSU under the Department of Space, will endeavour to re-orient space activities from a 'supply driven' model to a "demand driven model, thereby ensuring optimum utilisation of our space model, thereby ensuring optimum utilisation of our space assets, it had said. Sivan further said, "we should pave the way for the insurance sector to render services in the space domain, as this is absolutely essential for satellite and launch services. Department of Space is also working towards creating a formal system to support space sector startups and MSMEs in taking up innovation, research, as well as product taking up innovation, research, as well as product development, he said. This programme is conceived as "Space Entrepreneurship & Enterprise Development (SEED). The International Space Conference on the topic 'Ushering the New Era for Indian Space Sector,' is organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) in collaboration with ISRO and ANTRIX. Sivan pointed out that earlier there was no mechanism to share technical expertise or facilitate ISRO infrastructure usage by the private sector. There was no regulatory body for private sector space activities, but now a formal mechanism has been put in place by unlocking the space sector. "We envisage a scenario, where private sector will be a co-traveller in ISROs space mission, and private sector will also be empowered to carry out its own space missions. "...Im sure that it will enable the growth of India Space Industry revenues and also in the export of products and services out of our country. Its a very welcome change, he said. Noting that the space industry, various stakeholders, entrepreneurs and investors are eagerly looking for new opportunities in space business, Sivan said till recently all space activities within India were carried out only by ISRO. "We know that the global space economy is on a growth trajectory and our domestic requirements are also growing multifold, he said. To meet these requirements it is essential that the private sector must contribute a bigger share in the national space programme and also must have its own programme catering to both national and global requirements. "This was easier said than done as the space activities require huge infrastructure investment as well as mandatory compliances to safety regulations, as the country is answerable for any safety lapses in the international forum,answerable for any safety lapses in the international forum," he added. The chairman pointed out that the risks are huge and the return on investment happens over a long period- the main reason being that the space system development-testing and operation are highly capital intensive and requires long time and large human resource development initiative. Sivan said very few private entities were actually involved in system development. However, recently many are eager to take up such activities, and in fact many startups in the space sector in India are very keen to develop space systems and have already started development activities, he added. NITI Ayog member V K Saraswat, Senior Director General Ministry of Transport, Czech Republic Vclav Kobera,General Ministry of Transport, CNES President Jean-Yves Le Gall and Australian Space Agency Deputy Head Anthony Murfett were among others present at the event. Saraswat said "by 2030, the new space economy will find ways we can live sustainably beyond our planet, creating new jobs, companies and opportunities. An advert to 'support the troops' paid for by Donald Trump's campaign used pictures of Russian fighter jets in the background, it has emerged. The advert, which ran from September 8 to 12, was made by the Trump Make America Great Again Committee. It features five soldiers, some carrying Russian AK-74 assault rifles, walking as the Russian MiG-29 jets fly over the top of them. Pierre Sprey, who helped design the F-16 and A-10 planes for the US Air Force told Politico: 'That's definitely a MiG-29. An advert to 'support the troops' (left) paid for by Donald Trump's (right, pictured yesterday) campaign has used pictures of Russian fighter jets in the background 'I'm glad to see it's supporting our troops.' Ruslan Pukhov, director of the Centre for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies in Moscow, also confirmed the presence of MiG-29s and AK-74s in the image. The AK-74 the updated, automatic, version of the famous AK-47 rifle and is the standard rifle for Russian and other former Soviet militaries. The MiG-29 is the Russians mainstay fighter jet and it was developed during the Cold War specifically to counter American F-15 and F-16s. Sprey pointed to distinctive features of the pictured jets which match the MiG - including the angle of the aircrafts tail and the spacing of the engines The image used in the advert comes from a stock photo on Shutterstock titled 'military silhouettes of soldiers and airforce against the backdrop of sunset sky'. The image used in the ad comes from a stock photo on Shutterstock entitled 'Military silhouettes of soldiers and airforce against the backdrop of sunset sky' The advert, which ran from September 8 to 12, was made by the Trump Make America Great Again Committee. Pictured: Donald Trump salutes a Marine Corps honor guard as he disembarks Marine One at the White House yesterday Politico said the Trump campaign did not respond to a request for comment, and the RNC declined to comment. The campaign gaffe comes amid claims Russia is interfering with the American Presidential election by undermining Democrat candidate Joe Biden. Russian state-backed hackers have been targeting a firm linked to Joe Biden's presidential campaign for the last two months, it emerged last week. The hackers targeted staff at campaign strategy firm SKDKnickerbocker - which is working with Biden and other leading Democrats - but failed to gain access to the company's networks, sources said. Microsoft Corp recently alerted one of Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden's main election campaign advisory firms that it had been targeted by suspected Russian state-backed hackers, according to three people briefed on the matter 'They are well-defended, so there has been no breach,' a source said after Microsoft alerted SKDK to the hacking attempt. US intelligence services have raised alarms about Russian hacking efforts ahead of November's election, after Robert Mueller's inquiry and the Senate Intelligence Committee both found evidence of Russian interference in the 2016 race. SKDK managing director Anita Dunn was a White House communications director during the Barack Obama presidency and serves the Biden campaign as a senior advisor. The attempts to infiltrate SKDK were recently flagged to the campaign firm by Microsoft, which identified cybercriminals tied to the Russian government as the likely culprits. Investigations by former special counsel Robert Mueller (pictured) found that Russian affiliates interfered in the 2016 election The attacks included phishing, a hacking method which seeks to trick users into disclosing passwords, as well as other efforts to infiltrate SKDK's network. The company has worked on six presidential campaigns for the Democrats as well as congressional campaigns and successful 2018 governor's races in Kansas and Connecticut. It recently criticized Trump for 'telling white Americans they should be afraid of Black and brown Americans' and claiming he 'holds no responsibility for everything happening in this country, even though it is happening under his watch'. SKDK vice-chair Hilary Rosen declined to comment, while a Biden spokesman did not respond to a request for comment. (Natural News) The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) has published a new research letter highlighting the proven benefits of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) in successfully treating the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19). Entitled, SARS-CoV-2 Infection Among Community Health Workers in India Before and After Use of Face Shields, the paper explains that healthcare workers in India who came down with the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) were quickly cured of the disease, their health fully restored, upon taking the generic anti-malaria drug. None of these frontline workers wore face coverings, mind you. They only took HCQ, which quickly eliminated their symptoms and brought them back to good health in almost no time at all. The 12 infected workers were moved to care centers, wrote Dr. M. Emmanuel Bhaskar, the papers author. Four developed desaturation and mild breathing difficulty and were treated with oral hydroxychloroquine and oxygen therapy; all 4 recovered. Dr. Bhaskars research is a far cry from the hit piece that JAMA earlier published, supposedly debunking HCQ as an effective remedy for the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19). As it turns out, HCQ is a simple, inexpensive and safe way to cure the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) without the need for a vaccine or other drug intervention. Other remedies like green tea and zinc have likewise shown incredible promise in alleviating the plandemic, if only the deep state medical establishment would allow it. Anthony Fauci needs to be FIRED why wont Trump do it already? If you recall from back in early August, Americas Frontline Doctors (AFD) was systematically censored from nearly all social media platforms for touting the benefits of HCQ publicly. Dr. Simone Gold, for instance, was slammed by the media, censored by the likes of Facebook, and even fired from her job, all for advocating for the right of physicians to prescribe what they believe is best for their patients. Dr. Stella Immanuel likewise had her reputation tarnished by the left-wing media talking heads for stating that she has successfully treated hundreds of Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) patients using HCQ and azithromycin. We are taking this fight to the medical community, Dr. Immanuel tweeted on Sept. 2. If doctor will not prescribe HCQ fire them. Drs that will, please send us your info @ frontlinemds.com. We will move patients into your clinics. Demand and supply works. When drs start losing business, they will wake up. A big part of the problem is Anthony Fauci, head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and leader of the anti-HCQ, pro-vaccine medical mafia fighting at all costs to keep HCQ out of the hands of patients in need. Fauci completely dismissed the work of Drs. Adnan Munkarah and Steven Kalkanis, whose research into HCQ, like the research mentioned above, contributes to the growing body of evidence showing that HCQ is both a safe and effective remedy for the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19). Our promising Henry Ford treatment study should be considered as another important contribution to the other studies of hydroxychloroquine that describes what the authors found in our patient population, the two physicians wrote in an open letter. We along with all doctors and scientists eagerly support the need for randomized clinical trials. Unfortunately, the political climate that has persisted has made any objective discussion about this drug impossible, and we are deeply saddened by this turn of events, they added, noting that the science should, in a just and fair world, speak for itself. According to Shane Trejo, writing for Big League Politics, Fauci and all others who have demonized HCQ at the expensive of human lives ought to have their licenses revoked, or perhaps even be jailed, for the needless suffering they have caused with their actions. More of the latest news about the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) plandemic is available for your reading pleasure at Pandemic.news. Sources for this article include: BigLeaguePolitics.com JAMAnetwork.com NaturalNews.com NaturalNews.com Boise, Idaho, Huntsville, Ala., and Ogden, Utah, top Zillow's list as the top mid-sized metros to watch. This analysis heavily weighted home value and forecasted value growth, how quickly a home sells, the share of homes that sell above list price, and monthly sale counts. These mid-sized metros offer more bang for the buck than many big cities, as people rethink how and where they want to live in the new COVID-era normal. As summer turns to fall in a year that has been anything but normal, the nation's most in-demand housing markets are not the usual suspects. A new Zillow analysis shows mid-sized cities like Boise, Syracuse, and Portland (ME) are now leading the country as the top markets poised for growth, replacing expensive coastal metros such as San Francisco and Seattle that had led the way in the past. Many of these markets also happen to offer home shoppers more space for their money, as the coronavirus pandemic has reshaped where and how people want to live. The analysis weighs a variety of factors to show demand in the market, and continued opportunity for growth, including recent and forecasted home value growth, the share of homes sold above list price and how quickly homes sell. As remote work opens up more opportunities for home ownership, many first-time buyers may seek out a starter home in a more affordable area. These are the top dozen mid-sized metros offering both space for growing families and big-city amenities for urbanites. 1. Boise, Idaho Downtown Boise Population: 616,561 Typical home value: $334,965 Boise, Idaho is an up-and-coming city drawing young professionals, families, and retirees alike. Home values are strong and continue to rise, increasing 11.8% from last year, and are expected to grow 5.6% into next year. Buyers are snatching up houses in record time here, with the typical home going under contract in as little as five days. 2. Huntsville, Ala. Downtown Huntsville, Ala. Population: 417,593 Typical home value: $203,242 Story continues Huntsville, known as Rocket City, is home to the U.S. Space and Rocket Center. Home values have also skyrocketed, increasing 11.5% compared to last year, and home values are forecasted to increase 5% over the next year. 3. Ogden, Utah Downtown Ogden, Utah Population: 597,159 Typical home value: $344,816 Ogden offers the benefits of urban life with easy access to the outdoors. The demand in this market is strong, with 41.5% of homes selling above list price helping sellers who want to trade up and signaling there are buyers eager to settle in Ogden. Zillow is forecasting home values in Ogden will increase 4.6% in the next year, showing the demand for this market is here to stay. 4. Spokane, Wash. Downtown Spokane, Wash. Population: 527,753 Typical home value: $293,655 Spokane has seen accelerating home value growth, increasing 9.5% from a year prior. The Spokane market is hot for sellers, with 45.1% of homes selling above list price. Competition for homes here may be attributed, in part, to the metro's vibrant downtown, trail system and growing microbrewery and winery scene. 5. York, Pa. Downtown York, Pa. Population: 434,972 Typical home value: $195,837 York is the oldest city on this list, dating back to 1777 as the first U.S. capital. Today, York has a suburban feel mixed with its history, and sales of these architecturally unique homes do not appear to be slowing down anytime soon. Home sales increased a whopping 75.7% from the previous month, and are 17.7% above last years levels. 6. Colorado Springs, Colo. Downtown Colorado Springs, Colo. Population: 645,613 Typical home value: $336,927 Colorado Springs' hot housing market bumps it up the list, with home values sharply increasing and poised to continue strong growth. Home values have seen a 9.5% increase from last year, and are forecasted to grow 4.8% over the next year. Home sales are up 17.8% above last years levels. 7. Lancaster, Pa. Population: 519,445 Typical home value: $242,009 Homes are flying off the market in this growing market, and home sales continue to boom. Sales are up 78.6% from last month, with homes typically going under contract in 7 days. With its proximity to a number of larger markets (Philadelphia, Baltimore, New York and Washington, D.C., are all within a three hour drive) and great walkability, Lancaster offers wide open spaces and plenty of bars and restaurants. 8. Modesto, Calif. Downtown Modesto, Calif. Population: 514,453 Typical home value: $340,762 Homes in Modesto are in high demand, with 39.1% selling above the list price indicating buyers are competing to put down roots in this agricultural hub. Homes are only on the market for 7 days before going under contract, and home values here are forecasted to increase 4% over the next year. 9. Syracuse, N.Y. Downtown Syracuse, NY Population: 662,577 Typical home value: $154,596 Syracuse is the market to watch in upstate New York. Home values here continue to appreciate, and are 6.8% above last years levels, and projected to increase 4% by this time next year. 10. Visalia, Calif. Downtown Visalia, Calif. Population: 442,179 Typical home value: $232,800 Visalia is a vibrant community with a small-town feel and a gateway to the outdoors. Home values continue to climb here, up 7.5% since last year. Home value growth is forecasted to continue into next year, expected to rise another 4.3%. Additionally, more than one out of every three of homes on the market sell above list price, indicating buyers are ready to settle down in this community. 11. Portland, Maine Downtown Portland, Maine Population: 514,098 Typical home value: $334,650 Home values in this seaport metro continue to grow, up 7.5% from last year and are expected to see 3.9% growth into next year. There are very eager buyers ready to make Portland home, with nearly 40% of homes selling above list price. 12. Lansing, Mich. Downtown Lansing, Mich. Population: 464,036 Typical home value: $170,011 Rounding out the list is Michigan's capital, Lansing, where buyers are active and ready to secure their next home. Monthly sales are increasing at a rapid pace, up about 68% from the previous month, and 40% of homes are selling above the listed price. Rank MSA ZHVI Home value growth (year-over-year) Forecasted home value growth Days on market Share of homes sold above list price Sales (month-over-month) 1 Boise City, ID $334,965 11.8% 5.6% 5 26.0% 5.7% 2 Huntsville, AL $203,242 11.5% 5.0% 7 31.6% 46.6% 3 Ogden, UT $344,816 8.4% 4.6% 7 41.5% -3.6% 4 Spokane, WA $293,655 9.5% 3.9% 7 45.1% -1.3% 5 York, PA $195,837 3.8% 3.6% 7 35.4% 75.7% 6 Colorado Springs, CO $336,927 9.5% 4.8% 19 37.2% 27.8% 7 Lancaster, PA $242,009 4.0% 3.6% 7 29.8% 78.6% 8 Modesto, CA $340,762 6.9% 4.0% 7 39.1% -10.0% 9 Syracuse, NY $154,596 6.8% 4.0% 10 41.3% 13.9% 10 Visalia, CA $232,800 7.5% 4.3% 8 35.9% -17.0% 11 Portland, ME $334,650 7.5% 3.9% 13 38.9% 12.8% 12 Lansing, MI $170,011 5.5% 3.7% 28 40.0% 67.9% Methodology "Mid-Sized Markets" are defined as those metropolitan areas ranked by population size between 75-125 of all U.S metros. This analysis weighted five variables equally to determine the list: Home value growth year-over-year Forecasted home value growth Days a home stays on the market Share of homes sold above list price Month-over-month sale counts The post A Dozen Mid-Sized Markets to Watch in 2020 appeared first on Zillow Research. WhatsApp, Zoom, Skype and other internet-based communications services have received a favourable verdict from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), in an impending appeal that was seeking to impose regulatory restrictions on internet-driven communication services. Yesterday, TRAI ruled that the time is not opportune to impose regulatory restrictions on these services, and the matter may be looked into again once the precedent is set, internationally. This goes against Indias telecom operators, who had claimed that since OTT apps offer competitive services as telcos, they too should fall under similar regulatory frameworks and fees to ensure a level playing field for all parties associated in a service. In late 2018, TRAI had floated a discussion paper asking for industry members to express their opinion regarding the potentially stricter regulation of OTT communication services such as WhatsApp, Google Duo and the present crop of internet calling services such as Zoom and others. Leading up to the TRAI verdict, the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) had seemingly referred to the prevalent industry conditions as long pending market anomalies, and expressed hope that TRAI would offer a resolution to fix the regulatory framework that governs communication services in India. On the other hand, services such as WhatsApp and others had argued against appeals from the telecom industry about imposing licensing terms and hefty fees on these services. They had also argued that imposing an arbitrary regulatory framework on such services would stifle innovation in the technology sector, and as a result, they must be kept out of stringent restrictions and guidelines that the telecom sector has to follow. TRAIs ruling has favoured the OTT services for now, although the regulatory body has not entirely ruled out a revision to this question in future. One of the aspects that the telecom sector had argued against the OTT services about is privacy and security, which has a set of rules that TSPs comply with. However, TRAIs recommendation paper on the matter has judged that services such as WhatsApp already offer end-to-end encryption and other security standards, which takes care of concerns with regards to intermediate interception of communication channels. TRAI concluded its recommendation by saying, Any regulatory prescription in haste could leave an adverse impact on the industry as a whole. Going forward, it now remains to be seen how the telecom vs OTT argument progresses, and what regulations are imposed in this space, if at all. DUBLIN, Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Office & Commercial Furniture Supply for Small Business and E-Commerce in Europe. The Dealer Point of View" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. Based on a survey launched on January 2020, that involved around one hundred office furniture distributors in Western Europe (dealers, distributors and e-tailers), this report offers the analysis of the furniture supply activity for small accounts in Europe and the use of e-commerce for the purchase of furniture, as online sales are expected to increase rapidly in the next few years especially among individuals and small accounts. The perspective of this research includes not only office spaces, but a wider panorama of activities like furniture for small hotels, B&B, bar/restaurants, co-working and home offices, a market which is heavily in the hand of distributors (both small and large) due to its high fragmentation and the reduced average dimensions of the supplies. The analysis concentrated on: The supply for small accounts: customer segments, purchasing process, influencing factors. E-commerce for commercial furniture: channel evolution, organization, products and budgets, shipment and delivery. The office furniture market in Europe : recent sector's data. : recent sector's data. Estimates on E-commerce in the furniture sector. Geographical coverage: Scandinavia (Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden); Central Europe (Germany, Austria and Switzerland); Western Europe (Belgium, France, Ireland, the Netherlands and the UK); Southern Europe (Greece, Italy, Portugal and Spain). Key Topics Covered: 1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY. Europe: Office and commercial furniture supply for small business and E-commerce 1.1. The Sample 1.2. Distributors expectations for 2020 2. SUPPLY TO THE SMALL BUSINESS SEGMENT 2.1. Large corporate or public office projects Vs Medium/small commitments by region and by kind of distributor (small or medium/large) 2.2. Small businesses Sales by segment (medium/small offices, private/home offices, co-working facilities, restaurants/bars, bed&breakfast/small hotels, retail stores), by region and prospects 2.3 The purchasing process. First approach, main factors that influence the purchase, promotion tools 3. THE E-COMMERCE 3.1 Strategies. The use of e-commerce 3.2 Web channels organizaton. E-commerce platforms and dedicated staff 3.3 E-commerce: most demanded products and average budgets 3.4 The online purchase. Main factors influencing the on-line purchase, shipment policy and delivery terms 4. OFFICE FURNITURE MARKET AND E-COMMERCE 4.1 Demand of office furniture in Europe and by country 4.2 International trade. Imports and Exports of office furniture by country and by segment (office furniture and office seating) 4.3 E-commerce for the furniture sector: a global picture THE QUESTIONNAIRE For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/cjt2m8 About ResearchAndMarkets.com ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends. Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research. Media Contact: Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager [email protected] For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 SOURCE Research and Markets Related Links http://www.researchandmarkets.com Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-15 09:19:39|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIJING, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- No new locally-transmitted COVID-19 cases were reported Monday across the Chinese mainland, the National Health Commission said Tuesday. Meanwhile, eight confirmed COVID-19 cases arriving from outside the mainland were reported -- four in Guangdong and one each in Shanghai, Zhejiang, Sichuan and Yunnan, the commission said in its daily report. No new suspected COVID-19 cases or new deaths related to the disease were reported, the commission said. On Monday, 11 COVID-19 patients were discharged from hospitals after recovery, the commission said. By the end of Monday, a total of 2,653 imported cases had been reported on the mainland. Of them, 2,511 had been discharged from hospitals after recovery, and 142 remained hospitalized, with one in severe condition. No deaths from the imported cases had been reported. As of Monday, the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases on the mainland had reached 85,202, including the 142 patients still being treated. Altogether 80,426 people had been discharged after recovery, and 4,634 had died of the disease on the mainland, the commission said. There were two suspected COVID-19 cases on the mainland, while 6,513 close contacts were still under medical observation after 471 were discharged Monday, according to the commission. Enditem On September 14, 2020, the United States District Court in Boston entered final judgments against M. Jay Herod and Kenneth Stromsland, who were previously charged by the SEC with stock manipulation and with defrauding investors in Boston-based biotech company PixarBio Corporation. According to the SEC's complaint, filed in April 2018, Stromsland, PixarBio's Chief Information Officer and VP of Investor and Public Relations, and Herod, an information technology consultant and friend of PixarBio CEO Frank Reynolds, repeated false statements to prospective investors that were made by Reynolds about the company's finances and the FDA approval status of a drug. Stromsland and Herod also allegedly provided potential investors promotional materials written by Reynolds that included the false statements. The complaint also alleged that Reynolds and Herod engaged in a fraudulent scheme to acquire and merge PixarBio with a publicly traded company and that Reynolds, Herod, and Stromsland engaged in a fraudulent scheme to secretly manipulate the sales of shares in the new entity. The SEC's litigation against PixarBio and Reynolds remains pending. The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Massachusetts filed a parallel criminal action against Reynolds, Herod, and Stromsland, arising from the same conduct alleged in the SEC's complaint and charging each of them with securities fraud and obstructing the SEC's investigation. Herod and Stromsland pled guilty, and Reynolds was found guilty by a federal jury. The court sentenced them in February 2020. Stromsland and Herod have consented to entry of the final judgments in the SEC's civil action, which permanently enjoin them from violating the antifraud provisions of Section 17(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5 thereunder, the registration provisions of Sections 5(a) and 5(c) of the Securities Act, and the market manipulation provisions of Section 9(a) of the Exchange Act. The final judgments impose penny stock bars against Stromsland and Herod and order them to surrender their shares of PixarBio. The final judgment against Stromsland also permanently enjoins him from violating the broker-dealer registration provisions of Section 15(a) of the Exchange Act and permanently bars him from serving as an officer or director of a public company. Stromsland has also agreed to settle a follow-on administrative proceeding that bars him from the securities industry. Stromsland and Herod consented to pay disgorgement plus prejudgment interest of $27,500 and $126,845, respectively, which the court deemed satisfied by the restitution amounts they will pay in the related criminal proceeding. The SEC's ongoing case against PixarBio and Reynolds is being handled by Jonathan Allen, Sofia Hussain, Deena Bernstein, and Amy Gwiazda of the Boston Regional Office, with assistance from Robert Nesbitt in the SEC's Washington, D.C. Office of Investigative and Market Analytics. By Deborah Bloom and Brad Brooks PORTLAND, Ore. (Reuters) - Thousands of evacuees displaced by deadly wildfires in Oregon settled into a second week of life in shelters and car camping on Tuesday as fire crews battled on, and search teams scoured the ruins of incinerated homes for the missing. With state resources stretched to their limit, President Donald Trump approved a request from Oregon's governor for a federal disaster declaration, bolstering U.S. government assistance for emergency response and relief efforts. Dozens of fires have charred some 4.5 million acres (1.8 million hectares) of tinder-dry brush, grass and woodlands in Oregon, California and Washington state since August, ravaging several small towns, destroying thousands of homes and killing at least 34 people. Eight deaths have been confirmed during the past week in Oregon, which became the latest and most concentrated hot spot in a larger summer outbreak of fires across the entire western United States. The Pacific Northwest was hardest hit. The conflagrations, which officials and scientists have described as unprecedented in scope and ferocity, have also filled the region's skies with smoke and soot, compounding a public health crisis already posed by the coronavirus pandemic. Satellite images showed high-altitude plumes of smoke from the fires drifting as far east as New York City and Washington, D.C., carried aloft by the jet stream. The fires roared to life in California in mid-August, and erupted across Oregon and Washington around Labor Day last week, many of them sparked by catastrophic lightning storms and stoked by record-breaking heat waves and bouts of howling winds. Weather conditions improved early this week, enabling firefighters to begin to make headway in efforts to contain and tamp down the blazes. The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CalFire) said 16,600 firefighters were still battling 25 major fires on Tuesday, after achieving full containment around the perimeter of other large blazes. Story continues Firefighters in the San Gabriel Mountains just north of Los Angeles waged an all-out campaign to save the famed Mount Wilson Observatory and an adjacent complex of broadcast transmission towers from flames that crept to within 500 feet of the site. RECORD ACREAGE LOST At least 25 people have perished in California wildfires over the past four weeks, while more than 4,200 homes and other buildings have gone up in smoke, CalFire reported. Nearly 3 million acres (1.2 million hectares) in California alone have burned - more than in any single year in its history - and five of the 20 largest wildfires on record in the state have occurred during that time-frame. One wildfire fatality has been confirmed in Washington state, where some 400 structures have been lost. Roughly 1 million acres (400,000 hectares) have been blackened in Oregon, double the state's annual average over the past decade. At the height of the crisis there, some 500,000 residents - at least 10% of the state's population - were under some form of evacuation alert, many forced to flee their homes as swiftly advancing flames closed in on their neighborhoods. More than 1,700 structures, most of them dwellings, have been incinerated At last count, some 16 people reported missing remained unaccounted for in Oregon, emergency management officials said. Last week, authorities said they were bracing for possible mass casualties as search teams began combing wreckage of homes destroyed during chaotic evacuations. In the fire-stricken southwestern Oregon town of Phoenix, uprooted families, many with young children, were sleeping in their cars, huddling at a civic center or in churches, City Council member Sarah Westover said. "It's much more difficult to follow the COVID restrictions given the environment," Westover said. Marcus Welch, a food service director and youth soccer coach in Phoenix, said he was helping a group of high school students whose homes were spared to run a donation center set up to assist evacuees from a mobile-home park reduced to ash. "Every day, I hear a sad story. Every day, I hear a family displaced. People are crying because high school kids are giving them food, water. ... It's been a total blessing," Welch said. "Some people, they lost everything, so we encourage them to take everything they can." Westover said her community was in grief, while fearing a flareup might force them to flee again. Her house in Phoenix was spared, but others nearby were leveled. "It's like it cherry-picked - it burned down a house, then skipped two, then burned down another. I guess that's the way they kind of work with the embers flying around," Westover said. Rhonda and Chuck Johnston, of Gates, Oregon, described celebrating their 32nd wedding anniversary outside their RV playing card games and eating barbecued chicken in the parking lot of a fairgrounds after a hasty evacuation. "This is something you never think you're going to go through," Rhonda Johnston said. "We grabbed a couple days' worth of clothes, pills, and two cars full of pictures and two dogs and a cat and our daughter." (Reporting by Gabriella Borter, Deborah Bloom, Shannon Stapleton and Adrees Latif; Writing by Will Dunham and Steve Gorman; Editing by Jonathan Oatis, Peter Cooney & Shri Navaratnam) On Monday, U.S. District Court Judge William S. Stickman IV, a Donald Trump appointee, blocked Pennsylvanias COVID-19 restrictions by relying on a combination of conservative dissents, bad precedent, and his own scientific acumen. Stickman appears to be on a mission to forcibly reopen the stateprematurely, in the view of its elected governorby any means necessary. Nearly 8,000 Pennsylvania residents have died of COVID-19 so far. Gov. Tom Wolf, a Democrat, responded to the pandemic by imposing restrictions similar to other states. Initially, Wolf closed non-life sustaining businesses and ordered residents to stay at home. Those orders are now suspended, but Wolf has maintained a ban on indoor gatherings of more than 25 people and outdoor gatherings of more than 250. A group of counties, Republican politicians, and business owners sued, alleging a violation of their constitutional rights. They had the good fortune of getting their case before Stickman, a 41-year-old former litigator and Republican politician himself. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a 66-page ruling, Stickman sided with the plaintiffs, even though the Supreme Court has repeatedly rejected similar efforts to topple COVID-19 restrictions. In May, Chief Justice John Roberts expressed his skepticism that these rules are unconstitutional in light of 1905s Jacobson v. Massachusetts. That decision permitted a mandatory vaccination program, allowing states to establish broad restrictions on individual liberty during disease outbreaks. It also directed the judiciary to defer to elected officials on urgent matters of public health. But Stickman decided not to apply Jacobsons deferential standard to Wolfs order limiting public gatherings. Why? In short, because its old and he doesnt like it. Jacobson was decided over a century ago, Stickman wrote. Since that time, there has been substantial development of federal constitutional law in the area of civil liberties. The judge seemed to take his cues from Justice Samuel Alito, who dissented when the Supreme Court refused to hear a challenge to Nevadas restrictions on large gatherings in houses of worship. Alito asserted that Jacobson was too deferential, particularly when applied to religious worship. The Court shares the concerns expressed by Justice Alito, Stickman concluded, citing the need for an independent judiciary to serve as a check on the exercise of emergency government power. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This argument has one major flaw: Alitos dissent is not the law. Jacobson is. It is up to the Supreme Court, not Stickman, to decide whether the need for an independent judiciary justifies judicial interference in public health crises. Yet Stickman plowed ahead, relying upon Alitos dissent to strike down Pennsylvanias limits on large gatherings. Applying heightened scrutinythe opposite of what Jacobson commandsStickman held that the limits violate the First Amendment because they place substantially more burdens on gatherings than needed to achieve their own stated purpose. In other words, the judge substituted his own scientific analysis for the governors experts. Advertisement Advertisement Stickland is not the first conservative judge to favor conservative dissents over actual precedent. But this performance was just a warmup for the heart of Stickmans decision: a revival of Lochner v. New York, the much-loathed 1905 decision used today as shorthand for judicial overreach. In Lochner, the Supreme Court struck down a New York law that allowed workers in the states notorious dirty, unsafe bakeries to work no more than 10 hours a day and 60 hours a week. The majority relied upon the liberty of contract that is ostensibly guaranteed by the 14th Amendments due process clause. There is, in reality, no such right in the Constitution. But for 40 years, the Supreme Court relied upon this theory of economic liberty to invalidate progressive labor reforms, most notably minimum wage and maximum hour laws. The Lochner era ended with 1937s West Coast Hotel v. Parrish, in which the Supreme Court disavowed judicial intrusion into labor laws like the minimum wage, stating flatly: The Constitution does not speak of freedom of contract. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Virtually all legal scholars today scorn Lochner as bad law, a cautionary tale about the perils of judicial activism. So does the chief justice. But not Stickman: He claimed that Lochner was merely recalibrated and de-emphasized by the New Deal Supreme Court and later jurisprudence. The Supreme Court may have disclaimed any reliance on Lochner. It may have repudiated the constitutional doctrine upon which it rests. But, Stickman wrote, the court has never repudiated it altogether. Thus, he applied Lochner as valid precedent, forbidding Pennsylvania from closing non-life-sustaining businesses because they unduly interfere with residents right to pursue their chosen occupation. (This decision wont have any immediate effect, since Wolf already suspended business closures.) Stickland is not the first conservative judge to favor conservative dissents over actual precedent. These judges increasingly rely on conservative dissentsmost frequently those by Justices Clarence Thomas and Antonin Scaliato guide their analysis in cases involving abortion, campaign finance, gun control, cruel and unusual punishment, voting rights, and other controversial issues. But lower courts cannot transubstantiate dissents into binding precedent through sheer force of repetition. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There may be reasonable, even compelling, criticisms of Wolfs COVID-19 restrictions. But his orders do not present any particularly difficult legal questions. As Roberts explained in May, a democracy typically entrusts these difficult choices to the peoples elected representatives, not unelected judges desperate to draw praise from the far-right legal movement. There is little doubt that a federal appeals court, or SCOTUS itself, will soon reverse Stickman. But the judge has already made his point: We may think we govern ourselves, but it only takes one radical judge to throw an entire states pandemic plan out the window. Jason Momoa has taken a firm public stance. Hes supporting co-star Ray Fisher in his allegations against Joss Whedon. In this October 2019 photo, Jason Momoa attends the world premiere Of Apple TV+s See at Fox Village Theater in Los Angeles. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images) Actor Jason Momoa has taken a firm public stance: Hes supporting Justice League co-star Ray Fisher in his allegations against director Joss Whedon. In this July 2017 photo, actors Ray Fisher (left) and Jason Momoa are shown during the Justice League autograph signing at Comic-Con International 2017 in San Diego. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images) This sh*t has to stop and needs to be looked at @rayfisher and everyone else who experiences what happened under the watch of @wbpictures needs proper investigation, the Aquaman star wrote on Instagram Monday. Momoa continued: I just think its f**ked up that people released a Fake Frosty announcement without my permission to try to distract from Ray Fisher speaking up about the sh*tty way we were treated on Justice League reshoots. Serious stuff went down. Read More: Samuel L. Jackson promises to teach swearing in exchange for voter registration The actor alluded to the fact that rumors Momoa would be the voice of a new Frosty the Snowman film started to circulate on July 1, the same day that Fisher went public with his claims. Fisher, who played Cyborg in the 2017 film, has alleged that director Whedon treated the Justice League cast and crew in a gross, abusive, unprofessional, and completely unacceptable manner. He also alleged that the films producers, Geoff Johns and Jon Berg, enabled Whedons behavior. It needs to be investigated and people need to be held accountable. #IStandWithRayFisher, Momoa wrote. Read More: Chadwick Boseman laid to rest near South Carolina hometown Fisher tweeted a screenshot of the post, saying that he was hopeful that people would wake up. Warner Bros. has denied the allegations, and studio officials have reportedly launched an investigation. However, Fisher says that the probes handlers have avoided contacting key witnesses and are cherry-picking interviewees that best suit @wbpictures false narrative and scapegoating efforts. Berg has denied Fishers claims against him; Johns and Whedon have yet to address them publicly. Story continues Read More: Ray J files for divorce from Princess Love after 4 years of marriage In a statement, Warner Bros. maintained that it remains committed to accountability and to the well-being of every cast and crew member on each of its productions. It also remains committed to investigating any specific and credible allegation of misconduct, which thus far Mr. Fisher has failed to provide. Fisher called the statement a desperate and scattershot attempt to discredit me to continue protecting those in power. Have you subscribed to theGrios Dear Culture podcast? Download our newest episodes now! The post Jason Momoa backs Ray Fisher: Serious stuff went down on Justice League set appeared first on TheGrio. Tropical Storm Sally, at 2050 GMT on Sept. 13, 2020. (NOAA via AP) Hurricane Sally Rapidly Intensifies, Trump Approves Disaster Declarations Hurricane Sally intensified to a Category 2 storm on Monday evening, said forecasters from the National Hurricane Center, as more local authorities across the Gulf Coast ordered people to evacuate. Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves, Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey, and Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards have all declared emergencies in their respective states. President Donald Trump has approved disaster declarations for Louisiana and Mississippi. A news release from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) said that the declaration authorizes the agency to coordinate disaster relief efforts and provide emergency assistance to hurricane-impacted areas. Those on the Gulf Coast know a flood and heavy rains can be just as deadly as tropical winds, Ivey said on Monday. The governor also said she is seeking a federal disaster declaration from Trump. Baldwin County Emergency Operations Center is recommending for residents and visitors in Zones 1 and 2 to evacuate. pic.twitter.com/RR4iKzxpF9 Baldwin County Emergency Management Agency (@BaldwinEMA) September 14, 2020 Mandatory evacuation orders were issued in Lousiana for Orleans Parish, Jefferson Parish, Plaquemines Parish, St. Charles Parish, St. John the Baptist Parish, and Hancock County in Mississippi. The town of Grand Isle, Louisiana, also issued a mandatory evacuation. In Alabama, officials are recommending evacuations in areas of Baldwin County and near Mobile Bay. As of Monday, Sally is continuing to strengthen in the Gulf of Mexico while on a forecast track that will most likely hit just east of southeastern Louisiana, making landfall near the Mississippi-Alabama border. The hurricane currently has 100-mph winds and heavy storm surge. Some forecasters have said the storm could produce upwards of 20 inches of rain in some areas. Dauphin Island Mayor told AP on Monday that several cars have been lost to the quickly rising waters due to storm surge. We werent able to move the vehicles, they were already stuck in the sand, he said, reported AP. According to the National Hurricane Centers latest update, the outer rain bands of Sally are currently impacting the Florida Panhandle and the storm is about 100 miles east of the mouth of the Mississipi River. The storm is moving slowly at 5 mph to the west-northwest. A storm surge warning is in effect for Port Fourchon, Louisiana, to the Okaloosa-Walton County line, Floridaas well as Mobile Bay, Lake Pontchartrain, Lake Maurepas, and Lake Borgne. A hurricane warning is in effect from Morgan City, Louisiana, to Navarre, Florida. Lake Pontchartrain and Lake Maurepas, including metropolitan New Orleans, are also under a hurricane warning. We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form Collins: It was the first time I spoke publicly about a project I had just started as poet laureate. It was called Poetry 180, and it featured 180 poems that were contemporary and cool. I introduced the program, and there were nine or 10 high school kids from D.C. who each got up and read a poem that they had picked off the website. Some of them were very nervous, of course. They were reading from a page they had printed out, and some of the pages were kind of shaking. BAKU, Azerbaijan, Sept. 15 Trend: The remarks made by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia, Zohrab Mnatsakanyan, during his visit to Egypt is a clear example of two-facedness, the Azerbaijani MFA said, Trend reports. The Azerbaijani MFA reminded that Armenia subjected hundreds of thousands of Azerbaijanis to bloody ethnic cleansing, expelled them from their homes, brutally exterminated 613 civilians in one night in Khojaly only for the fact that they are Azerbaijanis and Muslims, and also destroyed the Muslim heritage, mosques in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan. "Azerbaijan has suffered from Armenia's ideology of terrorism through the years since the late 1980s and early 1990s. Over 2,000 civilians were killed following more than 30 terrorist attacks, accompanied by the blowing up of passenger buses and trains in Azerbaijan and the Baku metro," said the foreign ministry. Azerbaijan's MFA also said that Armenia used terrorist methods in the annexation of the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts of Azerbaijan, and is attracting mercenaries from foreign countries, specifically from the Middle East. The true face of Armenia is manifested in the example of such ardent terrorists as Monte Melkonyan, who was directly involved in the occupation of the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan and was one of the leaders of the ASALA terrorist organization. In the 1970s-1980s, ASALA and other Armenian terrorist organizations committed more than 235 terrorist attacks in 22 countries, 24 diplomats of Turkey became victims of the Armenian terror, the MFA said. Amid all this, the statements of the Armenian Foreign Minister about friendship and close cooperation with Muslim countries, regional and global security are nothing more than nonsense. We resolutely reject the false and delusional allegations and statements of the occupying Armenia and demand this country to comply with the resolutions adopted by the UN Security Council in 1993, as well as numerous resolutions of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) regarding the Armenian aggression against Azerbaijan, said the Azerbaijani ministry. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on the withdrawal of its armed forces from Nagorno Karabakh and the surrounding districts. ANN ARBOR, MI University of Michigan President Mark Schlissel and Provost Susan Collins held a public conversation Tuesday where they addressed a number of topics that have impacted the university, specifically related to the coronavirus pandemic. Early in the conversation, Schlissel addressed one of the errors he made in the universitys response to the pandemic, which was his focus on reopening campus. ... I took a very experts-focused approach that became narrow, Schlissel said. And what I lost sight of was the breadth of how the campus is experienced and the breadth of the wisdom of all the different components of the campus. The conversation, which was moderated by Literature, Sciences and Arts professor Scott Page, lasted for about 45 minutes and started with Provost Susan Collins talking about understanding how to mitigate the risks of bringing students back to campus. Schlissel said their approach was about how they could carry out the mission of the university while mitigating as much of the risk of living in the COVID-19 era. It then led Page to ask Schlissel about testing, which he said doesnt prevent disease and only shows when someone is sick. While testing is one component, Schlissel said, it has been a limited resource for the university until quite recently. Weve really struggled getting access to an adequate capacity of high-turnaround testing, Schlissel said. What we did is we applied the capacity we had to test sick people, to use it in our hospital, anyone with a symptom. Schlissel reiterated that the university would be ramping up a surveillance test system to 3,000 per week by using a startup company in the city that has saliva tests. Page then asked the duo how UM has done in regards to quarantine and isolation housing. Collins said UM has not done nearly as well as we needed to in some areas. Its not excusable that any of our students who are in quarantine or isolation arent well supported with all of the supplies they need, Collins said. Its a stressful, difficult situation, and that just shouldnt have happened. In terms of instruction, both Schlissel and Collins said a very low portion of classes are being taught in person, and not having in-person classes would leave many students at a disadvantage for a variety of reasons. Some students might have labs or go to medical school, and others might have to have music practice in person, Schlissel said, and theres also the issue of students in a dorm room who might not have access to good internet or a safe environment to study at home. Page asked Collins and Schlissel about the demands of the Graduate Employees Organization (GEO) to have the universal right to work remotely. Collins said that everyone opting out isnt focused on working together toward the educational mission of the university. GEO began their second week of striking Monday for a safe and just response to the coronavirus pandemic. The university filed an injunction against GEO, calling it an illegal strike by public employees. Schlissel or Collins did not address the lawsuit during their conversation. Full complaint details University of Michigans battle with graduate employees on strike The conversation then turned to structural racism. Collins said she appreciates the attention that GEO and students have brought to the topic. She said diversity, equity and inclusion issues are infused in what UM does. That was the case with the Michigan Ambassadors Program, but there were some issues, she said. The intent was to find a thoughtful, educational way that was inclusive and to be more supportive of, in particular, our Black students and students of color, Collins said. Now, clearly we didnt listen enough in terms of what the implications were, but the intent was there and well fix the problems. Collins then announced a process to involve community engagement so that people feel safe. The program is being designed using perspectives from undergraduate and graduate students, students of color, faculty and staff, and they will work together with a task force that will commit to being transparent and address whatever issues might surface, Collins said. At the end of the meeting, Schlissel said he is going to do more communicating with different types of people to better understand the collective vision of the university, and also hear whats on peoples minds rather than presuming. I appreciate our grad students voice, but I want to hear our facultys voice, I want to hear our community members voice and I want to hear our staffs voice, Schlissel said. READ MORE: University of Michigan dance building closes, more than 10% of department in quarantine University of Michigan graduate students, residential staff march in solidarity with dining workers University of Michigan graduate students reject initial offer, will continue strike Residence hall staff on strike at University of Michigan, demand more coronavirus protections Jerry Brown kept checking his weather app. The former governor of California, who has long warned of the impending disaster of global warming, was at his ranch north of Sacramento and he could see the air quality wasnt particularly good because of the nearby wildfires. Or rather, he could tell how bad it was by what he could not see. Ive never seen such an obscure view of the mountains 1,000 yards away from me, Mr. Brown told me on the phone from Williams, Calif., on Sunday. Its very obscure. I see the oak trees. Its very hard to see the mountains. So this is bad. Everyone is looking at their weather app here. Which he did. I go to my weather app, Mr. Brown said. I go to Williams. I see unhealthy air. With a little more investigation, he realized to his astonishment that the air where he lived was worse than in Los Angeles, once the symbol of smog. (The air in Los Angeles is as bad as it has been in decades, but because the fires are farther away, not as bad as in most of the state.) Mr. Brown spoke on the eve of President Trumps visit to California. Mr. Trump on Monday blamed poor forest management for the wildfires. But Mr. Brown said the blazes were a stark reminder of the long-term costs of Mr. Trumps aggressive campaign to repeal environmental protections. Trump is acting in ways that are deeply detrimental to America and to the people of the world by virtue of his climate denial and his relentless campaign to undermine even the most sensible climate action, Mr. Brown said in our interview. Hes also contributing to the air pollution and the deterioration of peoples health. Would Mr. Brown have said that face-to-face with Mr. Trump if he, rather than Gavin Newsom, were still governor and greeting him on the visit on Monday? When students eventually return to Mark Morris High School, theyll be met with school-branded social distancing signs, posters reminding them to wear masks in three languages, Plexiglas barriers at lunch and mandatory health checks. However, the district will not make a decision about returning to school for at least several weeks. Mark Morris Principal Brooks Cooper said while COVID-19 safety measures will look a little different at each school, in Mark Morris that will mean one-way hallway flow in narrow highways and barriers in larger hallways to separate directions. Lunch tables have plastic separation barriers, staff will have navy masks with the Mark Morris crest and thousands of social distancing markers have been placed throughout the school. These are the first steps so far, Cooper said. Theres still a lot more to do. Although the district is waiting until the end of September to make a decision about moving to a hybrid schedule to see if Labor Day causes a spike in cases, preparations are moving ahead in all schools, spokesperson Rick Parrish said. The district is prepared, from a safety standpoint, for in-person learning, he said. According to a Sept. 8 health department report, Cowlitz County is currently at a moderate level of COVID-19 activity, with 36 cases per 100,000 population in the past 14 days. The guideline for that level is to continue distance learning with gradual expansion of in-person education beginning with elementary students. The changes to the school day will start before students even leave the house, Parrish said. At home, students will have to do an online health attestation on the schools Skyward student information system. It asks students to self-verify that they do not have symptoms of COVID-19 or known exposure to the disease. If they answer that they have none, they get a green checkmark and the district can see that they have completed it, Parrish said. If they have symptoms or exposure, they get a message to stay home and call the school. Cooper said hes been emphasizing that staff needed to do it before getting to school. We tell the staff to do the attestation right away because we dont want you to be in your room first for a while (if you dont pass it), Cooper said. Superintendent Zorn said employees have been using the same system since they returned to school buildings. If someone forgets to do the attestation, theyre automatically prompted by email, he said. Were trying to expedite the moving through (when students get to school), he said. When students arrive, they will be directed to various doors and have their temperature taken, Parrish said. If anyone has a temperature over 100.4 degrees, they are sent to special quarantine room until their parents can pick them up. Then they do remote learning until theyre cleared. Parrish said if a student does get tested for COVID-19, they will be told to quarantine by their doctor until the results come back. During that time, they will do remote learning, he said. Were working closely with the county health department to develop a step-by-step process should we have a positive test, Parrish said. If there is a positive test, well go back into the system and look at what classes or classrooms that person was in, who they sat next to and give it to the county health department. The Sykward system the district uses will allow officials to rapidly generate a report and send it to the county for contact tracing, Parrish said. Using the system allow us to get the data to the county health department quickly, which is really important because the longer you wait the more potential there is for people to get sick, he said. The student or staff members doctor will control when they can return to in-person school, Parrish said. Parrish said the district plans to use a multi-level notification protocol. When the district learns someone is being tested, they will notify anyone who was in direct contact with the person that they had contact with someone who is being tested. Those people will also be told if the test comes back negative. If the test comes back positive, Parrish said the district will broaden the scope of notification and send letters to families that there was as positive case in their class or school. Cooper said while the district doesnt want to create unnecessary stress with the notifications, it also wants to ensure everybody has the information they need. We dont want to cause panic, but we want to be transparent, Cooper said. We want to find that sweet spot. Parrish said the district worked with the health department to create the letters, using language that is purposeful and hopefully avoids causing that stress. Parrish said soon, the district will do a test run of the entire protocol, to figure out what we did well and what we didnt. Zorn said there have been a few staff members tested over the summer, and only one was positive. While that person had not reported to work yet and there was no school exposure, Zorn said they notified that persons co-workers anyway. We have a responsibility to each other to make sure were being transparent, he said. The district is also stepping up cleaning procedures and has purchased thousands of face coverings, as well as gloves, face shields, plastic sneezeguards and cleaning supplies, Parrish said. Over the summer, the district also started upgrading its air filters to a higher level of filtration during routine maintenance, he said. Were making sure we have the cleanest possible air and the maximum airflow, Parrish said. Zorn said in addition, the district purchased $100,000 worth of iWave devices, which bolt onto the existing air filter system and uses bi-polar ionization to break down particles in the air like pathogens, allergens, particles, smoke and odors in the air. Parrish said the iWave devices for each building havent arrived yet, but hopefully the supply chain holds up and we get those soon. While he didnt have a total cost for all upgrades and COVID-19 related purchases, Zorn said CARES Act funding has so far covered the costs, and the district is also working with FEMA to help pay for the filters and iWave system. Were making a significant investment in safety, Zorn said. He added that the help reduce the cleaning load, shared, high-touch items in younger grades like blocks wont be used, or paper, disposable items will be used. Cooper said Mark Morris has purchased bags of poker chips that teachers will use to mark areas that need to be cleaned outside of the normal high-touch surfaces. Zorn said he hoped transmission rates stay low so the district can bring students back into the buildings soon. Our people have been creative to date and will continue to be as we work through it, Zorn said. We need to make sure we get things ... taken care of so people feel good about bringing their kids back. Love 3 Funny 2 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 1 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Advertisement A drawing from BTK serial killer Dennis Rader. A violin made from popsicle sticks from William Clyde Gibson, who killed three women and buried one in his backyard in Indiana. A Christmas card from Charles Manson. For more than three decades, Phil Chalmers has been interviewing, corresponding with and talking by phone to murderers and serial killers. 'You get things. You get letters. You get Christmas cards. You get paintings,' he told DailyMail.com. His private collection includes donations from others and law enforcement, such as a doll head that an investigator found in the storage shed of Rader, two unpublished books written and a painting of Jesus by John Wayne Gacy, and a wrapper from the chocolate factory that Jeffrey Dahmer worked at in Milwaukee. In addition to his assemblage, he has written books and launched a new true crime podcast, Where the Bodies are Buried, in August. Each episode features his interviews with a serial killer. The first chapter was David Berkowitz, known as the Son of Sam. Chalmers said he does this work to solve cold cases, locate bodies and bring closure to the victims' families. 'I'm not a fan of true crime. I talk to a lot of victims and their families. I see the pain that these crimes bring. I speak for the dead.' Phil Chalmers started researching teen killers in around 1985 and by 1990, he conducted his first in-person interview in prison with Sean Sellers, a 17-year-old who was convicted of killing his mother, stepfather and a convenience store clerk in Oklahoma. Sellers died in 1999 by lethal injection. Chalmers told DailyMail.com that he has interviewed hundreds of murderers and serial killers. Some have sent him gifts, like the drawing seen above from Dennis Rader, known as BTK, that are now part of his collection 'You get things. You get letters. You get Christmas cards. You get paintings,' Chalmers told DailyMail.com. Above, a Christmas card from Charles Manson, a cult leader whose followers committed murders, including killing actress Sharon Tate in 1969. Manson was convicted of first degree murder for several deaths and died in a California prison in 2017 at the age of 83 At one point, Chalmers started to focus on adult serial killers. He told DailyMail.com that he starts contact with them by writing a letter and introducing himself. 'I'm real upfront with them.' Depending on who he is corresponding with, he said, they sometimes ask for something in return, such as food, clothing or stamps. Left, an origami butterfly signed by Charles Ng, above right, who was convicted of 11 murders and is currently on death row Jeffrey Dahmer, left, was convicted of 16 murders and is believed to have killed 17 men between the late 1970s until 1991. He was serving consecutive life sentences when he was beaten to death by a fellow inmate in 1994. Above, a wrapper from the chocolate factory where Dahmer worked at in Milwaukee, according to Chalmers Chalmers said that it was typical to get handprints from convicted killers in prison. 'They can't draw. They can't paint,' he said. Above, a handprint from Michael Madison, who was convicted of three murders in Ohio. In July, the Ohio Supreme Court upheld his death sentence for killing three women and Madison, right, is currently on death row, according to Cleveland.com. Chalmers said that he has spoken to Madison and that he will likely be on an upcoming episode of his new podcast, Where the Bodies are Buried Above, a painting of Jesus by serial killer John Wayne Gacy, which is part of Chalmers' collection. He told DailyMail.com that some pieces are gifts sent to him while some things are donated and given to him by law enforcement and others Phil Chalmers, above, told DailyMail.com that he interviewed hundreds of murderers and serial killers since he started researching teen killers in 1985. His new podcast, Where the Bodies are Buried, launched in August. Each episode features his interviews with a serial killer. The first chapter was David Berkowitz, known as the Son of Sam. Chalmers said he does this work to solve cold cases, locate bodies and bring closure to the victims' families Chalmers, who does not have a background in criminal justice or psychology, said he started researching teen killers in around 1985. He said he grew up with an alcoholic father in Cleveland, Ohio. 'I can kind of relate with some of their stories of dysfunction,' Chalmers said. He interviewed his first murderer in person in 1990: Sean Sellers in Oklahoma. Sellers, 17, was found guilty of killing his mother, stepfather and a convenience store clerk and received the death penalty in 1986. Chalmers said that Sellers 'went from a Satanic serial killer to a religious person.' Sellers died in 1999 from lethal injection, according to a local news report. Chalmers said that he was trying to understand why a teen killed their parents or carried out a school shooting. 'The only way I could do that is to interview them personally.' He said he has interviewed hundreds of murderers and serial killers. 'My education came from talking to killers for 35 years,' he said. Chalmers has written two books, Inside the Mind of a Teen Killer, which was published in 2009, and The Teen Killer Whisperer, which was published late last year. After focusing on teens, he turned his attention to adults. To set up an interview, he said he is honest with them. 'You send them a letter, introduce yourself. I'm real upfront with them.' And depending who he is corresponding with, he said, they ask for something in return, such as food, clothing or stamps. 'I'm trying to get confessions of unsolved murders,' Chalmers explained. 'I'm trying to solve cold cases. I'm trying to locate bodies and I'm trying to bring closure to the victims' families.' Chalmers said he hasn't really gotten push back from families about his collection, and that he does not sell its items. He sees it more as a historical thing and to 'help understand what makes these guys tick. 'Usually the families are glad that I'm doing what I'm doing.' Currently, the collection remains private, but he said he might open a museum down the road. John Wayne Gacy was a notorious serial killer, known as the Killer Clown, who was convicted of killing 33 people. He died by lethal injection in 1994 at the age of 52. Chalmers said that Gacy wrote two books, one of which is seen above. 'They never got published,' Chalmers said Serial killer John Wayne Gacy, above, in an undated police photo with an image of one of his two unpublished books, left. The two books are part of Phil Chalmers' private collection. He told DailyMail.com he might open a museum down the road. Chalmers said that he doesn't sell any of the things that he has been collecting. 'It's more of a historical thing for me,' he said, adding it is to 'help understand what makes these guys tick' A violin, left, that William Clyde Gibson made out of popsicle sticks and sent to Phil Chalmers. Gibson, right, killed three women and is currently on death row. Chalmers said that he made the instrument with no equipment. He told DailyMail.com that he studies both those killers that are well-known and those that are not Serial killer Dennis Rader, right, and one of his drawings, left, that is part of Chalmers' collection. Rader gave himself his moniker, BTK, which stands for bind, torture, kill. Chalmers said that he has talked to Rader and exchanged letters with him, but has not been able to interview him in person due to the rules of the prison he is in in Kansas. Rader is serving ten life sentences for the 10 murders he was convicted of In 2011, Anthony Sowell, left, has been convicted of killing and raping 11 women, raping two others and an attempted rape, according to Cleveland.com. In May, an appeals court in Ohio rejected his plea to overturn his conviction. He is currently on death row. Sowell hid the bodies of his victims at his home and Chalmers said Sowell did the above painting For his new podcast, Where the Bodies are Buried, Chalmers explained that each episode is about 40 minutes. He said that he usually interviewed people for three to four sessions and that how long they spoke depended on the prison where they are being held. Some inmates can spend 15 minutes on the phone while others can talk for 30 minutes. Chalmer said he has not been able to interview Dennis Rader, known as the BTK Strangler, in person because the prison he is in, El Dorado Correctional Facility in Kansas, does not allow it. Rader gave himself his moniker with BTK standing for 'bind, torture, kill,' and he pleaded guilty to 10 murders in 2005 for killings that started in 1974. As part of his collection, Chalmers has letters and drawings from Rader. A member of law enforcement gave him a doll head that was found at Rader's storage shed, he said. Reportedly, Rader sent doll heads to the police and newspapers after he committed a murder, he said. Chalmers has received other items, such as paintings and handprints. He explained that it is typical for a handprint to be sent because some can't draw or paint. His mission, he said, is to 'talk to as many killers are possible and find out why they did what they did and how we could stop them.' 'I'm trying to get confessions of unsolved murders,' Chalmers told DailyMail.com about why he talks to serial killers. 'I'm trying to solve cold cases. I'm trying to locate bodies and I'm trying to bring closure to the victims' families.' Above, a confession from William Clyde Gibson, who was convicted of killing three women, that is part of Chalmers' collection Above, a painting by William Bonin, who was known as the Freeway Killer because he deposed of his victims along the freeways of Southern California. Bonin, right, was convicted of 14 murders but is suspected of committing more. He received the death penalty and died by lethal injection in 1996 at the age of 49 Albert Desalvo confessed to being the Boston Strangler that killed 13 women in the 1960s and was sentenced to life in prison. He was stabbed to death in 1973 at the age of 42. Chalmers said that he started making necklaces, like the one seen above, while in prison Above, a check written by Charles Manson that is part of Chalmers' collection Above, a letter to Chalmers from David Berkowitz, who is known as the Son of Sam, who pleaded guilty to shooting eight people in New York City during the summer of 1976. His notorious crimes terrorized the city. Chalmers has interviewed Berkowitz, left, who is serving life sentences, and the first episode of his new podcast, Where the Bodies are Buried, focuses on Berkowitz Roy Norris, right, and Lawrence Bittaker kidnapped, raped, tortured and killed five teen girls in Southern California in 1979. Bittaker was sentenced to death but died of natural causes in prison while on death row, according to news reports and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Norris cooperated with authorities and testified against Bittaker. He was sentenced to life in prison and died of natural causes in February this year, according to The Mercury News. Chalmers said the above painting was made by Norris Ed Gein, seen above, confessed to killing two women in the 1950s in Plainfield, Wisconsin. He was called the Plainfield Ghoul because he exhumed bodies from cemeteries. He died in 1984 at the age of 77. The newspaper clipping and images are part of Chalmers' collection September 14, 2020 News By Jim Garamone , DOD News Defense.gov Guardsmen Serve Throughout Nation, World Americans regard the National Guard as a United States-based force, but, in truth, it's hard to go anywhere in the world and not see a soldier wearing an Army National Guard patch. Over the past few months, there were 77,000 Army Guardsmen and over 100,000 National Guardsmen on duty, Army Lt. Gen. Jon A. Jensen, director of the Army National Guard, said during an interview. There are 335,000 Army National Guard soldiers in the 50 states, three territories and the District of Columbia. Today, there are more than 22,000 Army National Guardsmen deployed as part of the warfighting mission for the joint force. This has been consistent since the early 2000s, the general said. "As you look into the future, you know, we're going to continue to do that as the combat reserve of the Army and as an operational reserve," he said. "But we'll also simultaneously always be that response back home, as well." The National Guard has personnel deployed to Afghanistan, Iraq, Djibouti, Europe, the Pacific, Guantanamo and many other countries. State guardsmen also maintain contacts with many foreign militaries under the State Partnership Program. But over the past months of this year, the National Guard has been ubiquitous: helping medical authorities combat COVID-19; working with civilian authorities to fight fires throughout the West; helping communities hit by weather events; and helping calm areas wracked by violence. Early on, the guard was used to help civil authorities against COVID-19. "We've still got over 18,500 Guardsmen in support of COVID-19 response with more than 15,000 of them from the Army Guard," Jensen said. "I think we'll continue to do that mission, obviously, until the pandemic's over." To date, guardsmen have administered more than 8 million COVID-19 tests. They're also helping in long-term care facilities. "Our logistics effort has been amazing, as well, with over 350 million meals that have been delivered and 12,000 tons of bulk food," he said. When the virus first hit, there were concerns about medical facility space. Guardsmen worked with the Army Corps of Engineers to create alternate care facilities in major cities. "Ultimately, we built a 15,000-bed capability that didn't exist prior to the pandemic," Jensen said. The Guard has also been involved in contact tracing. That is, identifying those positive for COVID-19, then contacting those who had been in close proximity of the person with the positive case. These missions will continue, and the guard will probably be called upon to help once a vaccine is developed and deemed safe. Jensen was clear that the guard has not been asked to do anything yet, but prudent planning requires consideration. The guard, with its all-terrain vehicles and helicopter assets, could help transport the vaccine to hard-to-reach places. Guard personnel could also help with the actual administration of the vaccine, if called upon. "We all know that the key to this thing is going to be getting a vaccine and then getting the vaccine out to the population," the general said. "We will be ready to do whatever is asked." And the guard is doing all sorts of other missions to support fellow citizens. The Army National Guard is actively engaged in fighting 76 wildfires in the West. This year is on track to be the worst fire season since 2003, officials said. In California alone, more than 900 National Guard personnel are helping state authorities and firefighting crews. Guard aviators rescued 159 civilians and are battling 23 fires that have burned nearly 2 million acres. Guardsmen are also helping in Colorado, Montana, Washington, Oregon, Arizona, Idaho and Utah. They are working on 53 fires that have charred over 830,000 acres. The year is tough. In fiscal 2018, guardsmen helped with wildland fire suppression operations for 26 fires. Last year, it was for 12 fires. The hurricane season is also at its height. There are still more than 3,000 soldiers in Louisiana and Texas helping the states recover from Hurricane Laura. Now, Hurricane Sally is threatening the Gulf Coast. The guard also has about 2,000 soldiers supporting the Southwest border mission. "And that mission will grow," Jensen said. The National Guard was also called upon to help in the disturbances following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Jensen who was the adjutant general of Minnesota before taking his current job said he also noticed the calming effect of the guardsmen. "I think the National Guard has gained a tremendous amount of public trust and confidence due to our overseas deployments," he said. He also noted that guardsmen have been prominent in the COVID-19 response and other high-profile civil support missions dating to Hurricane Katrina. "Whether it's hurricanes or wildfires or ice storms or COVID-19, I think there is just a great amount of awareness and appreciation for what the guard has been doing since 9-11, and what the guard has continued to do," Jensen said. The final piece of that puzzle is the guard as part of the communities they serve. "We're in over 2,600 communities across the country," he said. "In Minnesota our little motto [is] 'We live here. We work here. We serve here.' There's just a very strong community connection to the National Guard, and that when we come, we arrive in a non-threatening way. And I think I think that has been appreciated. And I think people have responded to that." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address On the afternoon of September 9, 2020, the press conference of 2020 China International Air-Conditioning, Ventilation, Refrigeration and Cold Chain Expo (RACC) was held at China Hall of Science and technology in Beijing. Li Liping, President of China Council for the Promotion of International Trade Construction Industry Branch, Yan Jia, Secretary-General of Zhejiang Branch of China Chamber of International Commerce, Huang Haoliang, Chairman of Jiangsu Association of Refrigeration, Liu Kai, Vice President of Cold Chain Branch of China Warehousing and Distribution Association, Ding Yike, President of Zhejiang Goldensea Environment Technology, Jiang Feng, director of investment and acquisition of Hai Liang Stock, also more than 30 media including People's Daily, people.cn, etc. attended the press conference. RACC 2020 will be held in Hangzhou International Expo Center from November 15 to 17, 2020. It is jointly sponsored by China Council for the Promotion of International Trade Construction Industry Branch, Construction Industry Branch of China Chamber of International Commerce, Zhejiang Branch of China Chamber of International Commerce, Zhejiang Association of Refrigeration, Zhejiang Refrigeration and Air-conditioning Industry Association and Jiangsu Association of Refrigeration. Hangzhou, where the exhibition is held, is at central part of the Yangtze River Delta and is an industrial base of the refrigeration industry. With the strong support of the local governments at all levels, the exhibition has become a professional exhibition that attracts much attention in the industry. Yan Jia, Secretary-General of Zhejiang Branch of China Chamber of International Commerce, presided over the conference. She said that Zhejiang International Chamber of Commerce will make full use of its internal resources of member enterprises and its advantages of international liaison with other relevant units to make the exhibition an international and professional grand gathering of air conditioning, ventilation and refrigeration industry. Yan Jia, Secretary-General of Zhejiang Branch of China Chamber of International Commerce Li Liping, chairman of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade Construction Industry Branch pointed out at the press conference that China has become the largest construction market in the world. As an important part of the construction industry, air conditioning and refrigeration products should keep up with the market trend, promote digital and intelligent upgrading, and realize the comfort, safety, energy conservation and efficiency of air conditioning and refrigeration products. At the same time, under the new development pattern of internal economic cycle as the main body and domestic and international cycles promoting each other, the air conditioning and refrigeration industry should seek new opportunities in the new development pattern. This exhibition will help promote the air conditioning and refrigeration industry to a new level. Li Liping, chairman of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade Construction Industry Branch Liu Kai, Vice President of Cold Chain Branch of China Warehousing and Distribution Association, Huang Haoliang, chairman of Jiangsu Association of Refrigeration, spoke and wished the exhibition a success on the theme of "new period, new cold chain, new organization, new operation" and "overcoming difficulties and innovative development" respectively . Ding Yike, President of Zhejiang Goldensea Environment Technology, on behalf of the show exhibitors, also put forward constructive suggestions on the joint efforts to hold the exhibition well under the epidemic situation, relieve the refrigeration enterprises difficulties, and shared new products and new cases developed for the epidemic situation. Jiang Feng, director of investment and acquisition of Hai Liang Stock, shared the company's global strategic layout and expectations for this exhibition. At the press conference, a signing ceremony was held between Hailiang, Goldensea Environment on behalf of the exhibitors and Fima Exhibition. Meanwhile, buyers representatives from Pakistan, Nigeria, Turkey and Saudi Arabia also wished the fair a complete success through videos. Fima with Hailiang Fima with Jinhai LV Mingle, General Manager of Hangzhou Fima Exhibition explained the overall preparation and recruitment of the exhibition. Up to now, nearly 300 enterprises have signed up to participate in the exhibition. This exhibition will hold a number of theme forums and technical exchange meetings, and will provide free buffet, accommodation and transportation services for over 500 VIP purchasers during the exhibition period, which will create a breakthrough precedent for service providing at industry exhibitions and fully demonstrate the social responsibility of the organizers. Fima Exhibition said that it will do a good job in exhibition services and strive to build a professional refrigeration industry exchange event. In 2020, the continuous spread of Covid-19 epidemic situation in China and outside China brings challenges and pressures to the development of the industry. With the epidemic situation under control in China, the government has introduced a series of measures to stabilize the growth and ensure employment of the real economy, which makes the social order and economy recover rapidly. This exhibition brings together well-known enterprises at home and abroad, focusing on cohesion and overcoming difficulties. It will build a comprehensive service platform for industry exchange, business cooperation and brand promotion, and promote Chinese and international economic circulation and mutual promotion. Putin opponent Navalny posts photo from hospital, plans to return to Russia Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny and his family members pose for a picture at Charite hospital in Berlin By Alexander Marrow MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny shared a photograph from a Berlin hospital on Tuesday, sitting up in bed and surrounded by his family, and said he could now breathe independently after being poisoned in Siberia last month. The photo - the strongest evidence yet of Navalny's advancing recovery after emerging from a coma last week - was swiftly followed by confirmation from his press spokeswoman that he planned to return to Russia. "Hi, this is Navalny. I miss you all," he wrote in the caption to his Instagram followers. "I can still hardly do anything, but yesterday I could breathe all day on my own. Actually on my own." The leading opponent of President Vladimir Putin, fell violently sick while campaigning on Aug. 20 and was airlifted to Berlin. Germany says laboratory tests in three countries have determined he was poisoned with a Novichok nerve agent, and Western governments have demanded an explanation from Russia. Moscow has called the accusations groundless. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov reiterated on Tuesday that Moscow was open to clearing up what happened to Navalny, but needed access to information on his case from Berlin. He said Moscow did not understand why, if French and Swedish laboratories had been able to test his medical samples, Russia was not being given the same access. The case has further strained relations between Russia and the West, already at a post-Cold War low since Moscow's annexation of Crimea from Ukraine in 2014 and the attempted poisoning of a former Russian double agent with the same Novichok nerve agent in England in 2018. German Chancellor Angela Merkel has faced calls to punish Russia by suspending work on Nord Stream 2, a nearly completed pipeline bringing gas from Russia to Germany. 'NO OTHER OPTIONS' The photograph showed Navalny looking towards the camera, with his wife Yulia supporting him with her arms and their two children looking on. Story continues The New York Times on Tuesday quoted a German security official as saying Navalny had spoken to a German prosecutor about the incident and said he planned to return to Russia as soon as he recovered. Confirming the report, Navalny's spokeswoman Kira Yarmysh wrote on Twitter: "No other options were ever considered." Asked for comment, Peskov said: "Any citizen of the Russian Federation is free to leave Russia and return to Russia. If a citizen of the Russian Federation recovers his health, then of course everyone will be happy about that." The Kremlin has for years regarded Navalny with contempt. In a rare departure from his normal practice of referring to "the Berlin patient", Peskov spoke the opposition leader's name on Tuesday. Navalny, 44, has not been allowed to form a political party but has riled Putin for the past decade with detailed campaigns exposing official corruption, bypassing the state-controlled media by using Instagram and YouTube. In his social media post, he even attempted a flash of humour, saying that breathing naturally was "an amazing process, underestimated by many. I'd recommend it." (Additional reporting by Dmitry Antonov, Anton Zverev and Katya Golubkova, writing by Mark Trevelyan, Editing by Timothy Heritage) Zhang Yiming, founder of TikTok-parent company ByteDance Ltd., is showing Donald Trump he knows something about dealmaking too. In his proposal to partner with Oracle Corp. to address US security concerns about the hit video app, the Chinese entrepreneur is offering Trump something the president has already declared unacceptable. The question now is whether Trump rejects the proposal, acquiesces or, perhaps most likely for the man behind the Art of the Deal, opens negotiations for a compromise. For months, the president has said that TikTok must be sold to an American owner -- or shut down. What Zhang has proposed instead is a partnership with Oracle that would allow ByteDance to retain ownership of the business, while the US software giant becomes its trusted technology provider to protect user data. Final details are in flux, but ByteDances venture investors may also take equity stakes in the TikTok business. Its also possible the Chinese parent will try to keep full ownership of the unit, according to one person familiar with the discussions. China hawks quickly declared the offer dead on arrival. Senator Josh Hawley, a Republican from Missouri, wrote a letter to the US Treasury Secretary saying that the administration should promptly reject the partnership and press the Chinese parent to work out a more acceptable solution. Zhangs opening gambit may simply be aimed at buying himself more time as he tries to survive the clash of the worlds two superpowers. He is starting from a tough stance to open negotiations and avoid an immediate TikTok shutdown. Its a lesson that could have been taken directly from Trumps memoir on his days in real estate. The worst thing you can possibly do in a deal is seem desperate to make it, the president wrote in his best-selling autobiography with Tony Schwartz. That makes the other guy smell blood, and then youre dead. Zhang is offering a few things likely to resonate with Trump. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said Monday ByteDances proposal would create 20,000 jobs and bring to the US the headquarters for TikTok Global, presumably the video apps entire international operation. Trump has made bringing jobs to the country a cornerstone of his campaign as he heads toward Novembers presidential election. Zhang has also aligned himself with Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison, a fervent supporter of the president who appears to have his trust. That alliance may persuade Trump to accept a deal from Oracle he wouldnt from another company. Oracle is a great company, Trump said in August. I think its owner is a tremendous guy. Hes a tremendous person. I think that Oracle would be certainly somebody that could handle it. Its not clear whether the Oracle deal includes a payment to the federal government -- a fee that Trump has insisted on for weeks. That demand has baffled policy experts, but it may improve ByteDances odds of approval, if included. Trump has made TikTok the central example of his campaign to get tough on China. He signed an executive order that bans the app in the US on Sept. 20, and, in addition, ruled that ByteDance must sell the video apps US assets by mid-November under an order from the Committee on Foreign Investment in the US, or CFIUS. Heading into the last weekend of August, Zhang had been leaning toward a proposal from Microsoft Corp., where he had briefly worked. The agreement called for a full buyout of TikTok US by the software giant and partner Walmart Inc. But the Chinese government intervened at the last minute with a new set of restrictions on the export of artificial intelligence technologies, including those used in the app. Beijing insisted its regulators must also approve any asset sales by ByteDance. Chinas move was seen by several people involved in the talks as an effort to give Zhang more leverage. He couldnt give away too much to the Trump administration or Beijing wouldnt sign off. Instead, Zhang turned to Ellison and Oracle. Best known for its corporate software, the Redwood City, Calif.-based company has a growing cloud computing business that could be used to host videos and strong technical capabilities for securing user data. Ellison is also known for his fierce combativeness. When Hewlett Packard fired its CEO for an alleged inappropriate relationship, Ellison called it -- publicly -- the worst personnel decision since the idiots on the Apple board fired Steve Jobs. What Zhang and Ellison crafted is nothing like the deal that the Trump administration had anticipated. Instead of buying the business outright, Oracle would make an investment in a newly restructured TikTok, people familiar with the proposal said. At least two shareholders in TikToks Chinese parent company, General Atlantic and Sequoia Capital, would take stakes in the new business, said one of the people, all of whom asked not to be identified because the terms arent finalized. Based on the information that we have at the moment about the Oracle deal, I cant say that Im hugely reassured, Fergus Ryan, an analyst at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, told Bloomberg Television. ByteDance is essentially under the thumb of the Chinese Communist Party. Yet Mnuchin made it sound like the proposal is worthy of serious consideration. We need to make sure that the code is, one, secure, Americans data is secure, phones are secure, and well be looking to have discussions with Oracle over the next few days with our technical team, Mnuchin told CNBC during an interview early Monday. Even if TikToks data is stored by Oracle in the US, ByteDance could keep some control over the apps algorithms, the computer code behind what the service uses to pick and choose which videos are shown to which users. If TikToks algorithms remain in the hands of ByteDance, they run the risk of being manipulated by Beijing. The CCP has enormous leverage over this company and that means it would be trivially easy for the CCP to force ByteDance to very subtly nudge up or promote content that would be preferential to one presidential candidate, for instance, said Ryan. Ultimately, Zhang circled back to proposing a transaction similar to what he originally offered to address American scrutiny. ByteDance had been willing to set up a global headquarters for TikTok with a separate board, although he always wanted keep his ownership. Perhaps in the end, the Chinese entrepreneur decided he could live with the dire consequences of a ban. Trump may be able to shutter TikTok in the US, but Zhang would maintain full ownership elsewhere -- and perhaps return to the country in the future if the political environment changes. Its a mindset Trump may be able to comprehend. Its been said that I believe in the power of positive thinking. In fact, I believe in the power of negative thinking, the president wrote in his book. If you plan for the worst if you can live with the worst the good will always take care of itself. A teenager has been fined 10,000 after hosting a 50-guest house party in contravention of coronavirus rules. Nottinghamshire Police handed out the fixed penalty notice to the man, 19, on Friday night in Harlaxton Drive, Lenton. Neighbours reported the party to police at about 10.20pm but local council officers who initially responded were met with hostility from the organiser, police said. Nottinghamshire Police then sent its own officers who found some 50 people in the house. Assistant Chief Constable Steve Cooper said in a statement: We need to all remember we are very much still in the middle of a global pandemic and we all need to take responsibility for our actions. This party was a clear example of a householder who deliberately flouted the rules without a care for anyone else and as a result we have used the full powers we have to deal with this. Under current rules we can issue fines to anyone hosting gatherings of more than 30 people which can result in fines of up to 10,000. And now we are on the eve of rules becoming even tighter so there can be gatherings of no more than six. I want to send out a clear message to anyone who is thinking of deliberately hosting parties tonight or tomorrow night ahead of the rules changing to please not do this. "As we have demonstrated here we are not afraid to use the full powers we have and we will not tolerate those who are deliberately put other peoples lives in danger. Other examples of hefty fines being handed out for breaking Covid-19 rules include the 10,000 ticket given to Piers Corbyn, brother of ex-Labour leader Jeremy, for organising an anti-face-mask protest in London. This week, a woman was fined twice in one day for refusing to wear a face mask. UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 14 January 2022 Ecologist Emma Smart (left) and retired GP Dr Diana Warner outside HMP Bronzefield, in Surrey, following their release from the prison where Emma undertook a 26-day hunger strike during her incarceration. Ms Smart was sentenced in November, along with other members of Insulate Britain, to serve four months for breaking a High Court injunction by taking part in a blockade at junction 25 of the M25 motorway during the morning rush hour on 8 October last year PA UK news in pictures 13 January 2022 A TV presenter holds a copy of a newspaper outside 10 Downing Streetafter the Prime Minister apologised for attending a gathering of colleagues in the Number Ten garden in May 2020, while the UK was in strict lockdown due to the Coronavirus pandemic Getty UK news in pictures 12 January 2022 Fitness guru Derrick Evans after receiving an MBE during an investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 11 January 2022 A couple walk underneath an umbrella during wet weather on Westminster Bridge in central London PA UK news in pictures 10 January 2022 A jogger passes the Covid Memorial Wall in London AP UK news in pictures 9 January 2021 The sun rises over horses at Seaton Sluice in Northumberland PA UK news in pictures 8 January 2022 Riders compete during the Veterans Men's race at the UK Cyclo-Cross National Championships 2022 in Ardingly, south of London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 7 January 2022 A dog looks out of a car window at the wintry conditions in Killeshin, Co. Laois PA UK news in pictures 6 January 2022 People walk through frost and mist alongside a frozen lake during sunrise in Bushy Park, London REUTERS UK news in pictures 5 January 2022 A skier jumps on the slopes at Allenheads in the Pennines to the north of Weardale in Northumberland PA UK news in pictures 4 January 2022 Freshly-fallen snow covers houses in Corbridge, near Hexham in Northumberland PA UK news in pictures 3 January 2022 Dean Morrison, 13, receives his Covid-19 vaccine from student nurse Anthony McLaughlin during a vaccination clinic at the Glasgow Central Mosque PA UK news in pictures 2 January 2022 Konastantinos Tsimikas of Liverpool with Chelseas Mason Mount during the Premier League match at Stamfrod Bridge Liverpool FC/Getty UK news in pictures 1 January 2022 New Years Eve Lasers, drones and fireworks illuminate the sky in front of the Royal Naval College in Greenwich shortly after midnight in London EPA UK news in pictures 31 December 2021 Competitors in fancy dress run across the Pennine tops near Haworth, West Yorkshire, in the annual Auld Lang Syne Fell race which attracts hundreds of runners every year PA UK news in pictures 30 December 2021 Sunrise at Bamburgh Castle in Northumberland PA UK news in pictures 29 December 2021 The Very Revd Dr Robert Willis, Dean of Canterbury Cathedral, looks at Becket, a six month old red-billed chough as he visits Wildwood Wildlife Park in Kent on the anniversary of the murder of Thomas Becket PA UK news in pictures 28 December 2021 Troops of the Household Cavalry are seen reflected in a puddle during the changing of the Queens Life Guard, on Horse Guards Parade, in central London PA UK news in pictures 27 December 2021 A pedestrian walks past a winter sale sign outside a John Lewis store on Oxford street in London Getty UK news in pictures 26 December 2021 Riders take their bikes through the snow near Castleside, County Durham PA UK news in pictures 25 December 2021 Patrick Corkery wears a santa hat and beard as waves crash over him at Forty Foot near Dublin during a Christmas Day dip PA UK news in pictures 24 December 2021 People stand inside Kings Cross Station on Christmas Eve in London Reuters UK news in pictures 23 December 2021 Christmas shoppers fill the car park at Fosse Shopping Park in Leicester PA UK news in pictures 22 December 2021 The sun rises behind the stones as people gather for the winter solstice at Stonehenge. Getty UK news in pictures 21 December 2021 People take part in a winter solstice swim at Portobello Beach in Edinburgh to mark the solstice and to witness the dawn after the longest night of the year PA UK news in pictures 20 December 2021 An auction employee displays poultry to buyers and sellers attending the Christmas Poultry Sale at York Auction Centre in Murton PA UK news in pictures 19 December 2021 Joao Moutinho of Wolverhampton Wanderers looks on during the Premier League match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Chelsea at Molineux Getty Images UK news in pictures 18 December 2021 Freight lorries queuing at the port of Dover in Kent PA UK news in pictures 17 December 2021 Newly elected Liberal Democrat MP Helen Morgan, bursts 'Boris' bubble' held by colleague Tim Farron, as she celebrates following her victory in the North Shropshire by-election PA UK news in pictures 16 December 2021 Brussels sprouts are harvested by workers as they prepare for the busy Christmas period near Boston in Lincolnshire PA UK news in pictures 15 December 2021 Lewis Hamilton is made a Knight Bachelor by the Prince of Wales at Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 14 December 2021 The Royal Liver Buildings surrounded by early morning fog in Liverpool PA UK news in pictures 13 December 2021 People queue outside a walk-in Covid-19 vaccination centre at St Thomas's Hospital in Westminster Getty Images UK news in pictures 12 December 2021 People take part in the Big Leeds Santa Dash in Roundhay Park, Leeds PA UK news in pictures 11 December 2021 People arrive at a Covid-19 vaccination centre at Elland Road in Leeds, PA UK news in pictures 10 December 2021 Stella Moris speaks to the media after the US Government won its High Court bid to overturn a judges decision not to extradite WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange PA UK news in pictures 9 December 2021 Camels are lead around Salisbury Cathedral during a rehearsal for the Christmas Eve Service PA UK news in pictures 8 December 2021 Margaret Keenan and Nurse May Parsons, a year after Margaret was the first person in the UK to receive the Pfizer vaccine PA UK news in pictures 7 December 2021 Snowfall in Leadhills, South Lanarkshire as Storm Barra hits the UK with disruptive winds, heavy rain and snow PA UK news in pictures 6 December 2021 A person tries to avoid sea spray on New Brighton promenade in Wallasey as the UK readies for the arrival of Storm Barra Getty UK news in pictures 5 December 2021 People release balloons during a tribute to six-year-old Arthur Labinjo-Hughes outside Emma Tustin's former address in Solihull, West Midlands, where he was murdered by his stepmother PA UK news in pictures 4 December 2021 People walk through a Christmas market in Trafalgar Square Reuters UK news in pictures 3 December 2021 A pedestrian carries a dog as they dodge shoppers on Oxford Street in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 2 December 2021 Duchess of Cambridge inspects a Faberge egg at the Victoria and Albert Museum Getty UK news in pictures 1 December 2021 Meerkats at London Zoo with an advent calendar PA UK news in pictures 30 November 2021 Workers put the finishing touches to the Trafalgar Square Christmas Tree ahead of the lighting ceremony later in the week PA UK news in pictures 29 November 2021 Home Secretary Priti Patel is greeted by a police dog at a special memorial service for Met Police Sergeant Matiu Ratana Getty UK news in pictures 28 November 2021 Riyad Mahrez of Manchester City battles for possession with Aaron Cresswell of West Ham United during a match at the Etihad during snow Manchester City/Getty UK news in pictures 27 November 2021 Residents clear branches from a fallen tree in Birkenhead, north west England as Storm Arwen triggered a rare red weather warning AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 26 November 2021 A killer whale (orca in the fjord of Skjervoy, northern Norway AFP/Getty Amy English, Nottinghamshire Polices neighbourhood policing Inspector for city central, added in the statement: "Residents have had fair warning that we won't tolerate people flouting the laws and regulations around the Coronavirus restrictions must be adhered to by everyone. "In this case the resident also had the chance to shut the party down when they were first visited by our council colleagues. Despite blatantly breaching the regulations, there's no doubt in my mind that not everyone attending would have been social distancing which is irresponsible and puts everyone's health at risk. TDT | Manama Bahrain dispatched yesterday an urgent relief aid consignment to Sudan, in the aftermath of the floods which devastated many states and caused human and material losses. The lifeline follows directives from His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, Royal Humanitarian Foundation (RHF) honourary president, who directed the operation to be overseen by HM the Kings Humanitarian Works and Youth Affairs representative His Highness Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa. HH Shaikh Nasser paid tribute to HM the King for the noble gesture, commending the cooperation of the government, chaired by His Royal Highness the Prime Minister, with the support of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. RHF secretary-general Dr. Mustafa Al Sayed and Health Ministry undersecretary Dr. Waleed Al Manea handed over to Sudanese authorities the relief aid shipment, which included medical materials and other relief items. Sudanese Ambassador Ibrahim Mohammed Al Hassan Ahmed was at the airport to see off the delegation. He paid tribute to HM the King for the humanitarian act, which reflects strong fraternal relations binding the two countries. (CNN) A lock of President Abraham Lincoln's hair and a telegram smeared with his blood sold for more than $81,000 at auction. The historic items sold at an auction that ended Saturday, according to Boston-based RR Auction. The buyer has chosen to remain anonymous, a spokesman for the auction house said. A 2-inch lock of the president's hair was clipped during a postmortem examination a day after he was assassinated at Ford's Theatre in Washington, DC by John Wilkes Booth on April 14, 1865. The hair was given to Dr. Lyman Beecher Todd, a cousin of first lady Mary Todd Lincoln, according to the auction house. Having nothing to wrap the lock of hair with, Todd reached into his pocket and used a War Department telegram sent soon after the president was shot. "He wrapped the lock, stained with blood or brain fluid, in this telegram and hastily wrote on it in pencil: 'Hair of A. Lincoln,'" Todd's son wrote in a caption. Todd's son, James A. Todd, outlined the details of the hair and the telegram in a letter dated February 12, 1945. "The lock of Abraham Lincoln's hair ... was cut from his head and given to my father during the performance of the postmortem and has remained entirely in the custody of our family since that time," Todd's son wrote in the 1945 letter. RR Auction verified the authenticity of the hair. The telegram was received at 11 p.m. the night Lincoln was shot. "When you are dealing with samples of Lincoln's hair, provenance is everything and in this case, we know that this came from a family member who was at the President's bedside," said RR Auction Executive Vice President Bobby Livingston. Todd was more than just a cousin of the president's wife. He and President Lincoln got to know each other when the Lincolns visited Lexington, Kentucky, before the Civil War. Todd was appointed the postmaster in Lexington in 1861 after Lincoln became president. He made history when he stayed at Lincoln's bedside in the president's final hours at the Petersen House across the street from Ford's Theatre. "My father went with Col. Vincent to the President's bedside and they remained there until his death next morning," Todd's son wrote in the letter. Todd was there for the postmortem examination and accompanied the president's body to the White House, the letter said. Todd was at Lincoln's funeral and burial in Springfield, Illinois. More Lincoln memorabilia is up for auction through October 7, RR Auction said. The items include a document signed by Lincoln appointing a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps and a one-page signed letter sent to Sen. Charles Sumner. This story was first published on CNN.com Abraham Lincoln's lock of hair sells for more than $81,000 at auction A city court on Monday sent Kannada actress Ragini Dwivedi and four other accused to 14-day judicial custody besides extending the police remand of another starlet Sanjjana Galrani by three days. According to the Central Crime Bureau police, Ragini along with four other accused, including a Senegal national, Galranis friend Rahul Ranka and alleged drug supplier Loum Pepper Samba, were arrested around 11 days ago in connection with a drugs case. The police said that Galrani and high-profile party planner Viren Khanna will be in police custody for further questioning. The CCB started probing the drug menace in the Kannada film industry after prominent producer-director Inderjit Lankesh had appeared before the crime branch and shared information about the alleged use of drugs in the Sandalwood, naming 15 people. Based on the revealations by Lankesh, who is also credited with directing Deepika Padukone in her debut movie in Kannada, the CCB sleuths arrested Ravi, who led them to Dwivedi. Galrani was questioned based on the interrogation of a person named Nayaz. Both the actors have been subjected to dope test. Meanwhile, the Enforcement Directorate is also investigating the hawala angle in the drug peddling and substance abuse case. The scandal came to the fore amid allegations by noted Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut of drug use surrounding the death of Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput in June. A search is on for more people who are at large, the police said. In another post, titled We all need to work together Dukes! (a nickname for JMU students), someone wrote: I know times are hard and classes just started, but 390 cases of COVID is absolutely pathetic. How are we going to let Alabama lead the country with 1,043!? We can catch up to them if we try hard enough, but it is going to take all of us! Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-15 20:23:10|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close ANKARA, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Selim Altun has been looking for a job for over a year as the fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic has made things worse for Turkey's economy and the declining labor market, reducing the possibility for him to find long-term employment. The 21-year-old young man failed to graduate from high school because of his family's financial distress. "Frankly, I will do anything. I can wash dishes in a restaurant or something like that, or work for a cleaners company. The only thing I need is a steady job so that I can have social security" in order to have access to free medical coverage, he told Xinhua in Turkey's capital Ankara. Altun said that he is discouraged by the lack of employment and that the coronavirus outbreak has deteriorated further the prospect of a decent job. "People who have university degrees can't (even) find jobs nowadays," he added. The plight of the young man is widespread in Turkey where the rate of youth unemployment (between the ages of 15 and 24) is 26.1 percent, according to official data published on Sept. 10. Turkey's overall unemployment rate rose to 13.4 percent and it edged up in May-July during which a coronavirus lockdown was lifted, according to figures announced by the Turkish Statistical Institute, despite a government ban on layoffs. Amid the pandemic, the rate of unregistered employment of those working without any social security stood at 31.3 percent. There's also the other side of the coin where companies refuse to hire new workforce, fearing a new possible lockdown in major cities, such as Ankara and Istanbul, where there is a resurgence of new confirmed cases. "If we have to close our business again, it will be the end of us," an owner of a small clothing shop in downtown Ankara told Xinhua on condition of anonymity. Unemployment is expected to rise further in the course of the year when Ankara is expected to eventually lift the ban on layoffs. Turkey was just emerging from a 2018 currency crisis when COVID-19 hit the country early this year, deepening the nation's vulnerabilities. With the global health crisis, the economy has contracted nearly 10 percent in the second quarter of the year. Despite a relief in some economic indicators such as an increasing industry output, economists generally agree that Turkey's gross domestic product (GDP) will shrink more than 1 percent this year. Turkey is also witnessing important capital flight since the start of the year, more than any other country, Yalcin Karatepe, a scholar and economist from the Ankara University said. "Capital outflows are significant and have an impact on decreasing central bank's reserves, used to prop up the lira," the national currency, which has depreciated 20 percent since the start of the year, he said in his video blog. The economy in Turkey is not only under the strain of the COVID-19 pandemic but also under the pressure of foreign policy and structural problems, Karatepe remarked. In this delicate economic climate, young Turks seem to feel the burden of financial woes the most and want to try their luck abroad as they are indebted and worried about the future, a recent study by Istanbul's Yeditepe University and MAK Consultancy showed. Almost half of the youths consider unemployment as the most important problem that needs to be solved while 77 percent of the respondents believe that preferential treatment is more effective than talent when it comes to getting hired for a job. And more than 75 percent of young people are ready to live in a different country if given a temporary opportunity. Enditem Just two weeks into the school year, the Rialto schools in California had to shut down virtual instruction for a week due to a malware attack. Designed to disrupt or gain access to a schools network, the malware attack also forced the 25,500-student district to collectand fixthousands of school-issued digital devices. Staffers wore masks and gloves as they worked, to protect themselves from potential COVID-19 infection. Cyberattacks on school districts are nothing new. In fact, there have been nearly a thousand such incidents since January of 2016, according to the K-12 Cybersecurity Research Center. But, as schools nationwide are engaged in full-time remote instruction or a hybrid of in-person and virtual learning, such attacks are arguably even more disruptive, both to students educational as well as social and emotional needs. I thought to myself, why would somebody do this to students? They are already going through so much, said Syeda Jafri, a spokeswoman for the Rialto district. She noted that many children in the district had lost a relative to the virus or had someone close to them get very sick. COVID is disheartening enough for children. Its just one more layer of chaos that could have been eliminated. Whats more, with so many students taking classes only from home, a cyberattack can have an outsized impact on schooling. If a school experiences a cyber incident and even a significant one in normal times, you still have a teacher in the classroom with students, said Doug Levin, the founder and president of the K-12 Cybersecurity Resource Center. In that scenario, teachers may not be able to follow their lesson plan, but can still do valuable things with that time. But if a cyber incident occurs in times of remote learning, the loss of that online access stops teaching and learning in its tracks. Plus, cyberattacks compound what is already a tense and difficult time for schools. Everybody is on edge and has very little tolerance for these sorts of disruptions, Levin said. Not only are cyberattacks more troublesome at a time when virtual learning is at its peak, they appear to be on the rise since the beginning of this school year, said Levin, who has been tracking cyberattacks on schools since early 2016. So far, there have been 220 attacks for the 2020 calendar year, compared with 348 for the full 2019 calendar year. But the start of the school year is bringing a wave of new disruptions, Levin said. The cyber hackers are back at work, he said. Since Aug. 1, Im seeing a spike for sure. This school year, Levin says, there have been, on average, two hacks a day. Thats unusually high, even for the start of a school year, when hacks tend to spike, he added. Preparing for Cyberattacks So how can school districts prepare for the possibility of an attack? Levin suggested including not just IT staff, but the legal counsel and public relations department in creating a plan for how to handle a cyberattack. Districts should also know who their law enforcement contacts are, and consider having a cybersecurity firm on retainer that can help with recovery and forensics. And he suggests that districts advocate for resources to help build up their IT capacity, team up with nonprofits for cyber security monitoring, and partner with other school systems. Communicating clearly with parents, teachers, and the community is also key, said Patty Mazur, a spokeswoman for the 25,000 student Toledo school district in Ohio, which experienced an attack on Sept. 8, the first day of school. At the time, teachers were working from their classrooms in school buildings, while students were home, online. The district recognized almost immediately that something was up. Around noon, we started hearing from schools that were losing their internet connection, said Mazur. Some teachers were able to continue instruction using hotspots, but many had to stop teaching. The district quickly launched a forensic search of its computer system. The pause in learning was relatively short-lived, with classes fully back online about a day and half later. The district also contacted the FBI, which is looking into the attack, Mazur said. It was just one more challenge that COVID-19 has put in our paths for getting ready for the 2020-21 school year, Mazur said. Her advice to other districts: Put out crisp, accurate information on the problem for the public. Stay on top of it, be upfront, and be sure that you have all the facts straight, so that you dont have to backtrack, she said. It Is Disheartening In Connecticut, the 18,000-student Hartford Public Schools had planned to open on Sept. 8, for both in-person and online instruction. But the district suffered a malware attack that disrupted the system the district uses to communicate transportation routes with its bus company, Leslie Torres-Rodriguez, the district superintendent, told NBC Connecticut. The districts learning management system wasnt affected, she said. Hartford was able to resume classes the following day. Sometimes, students are behind the attacks. That was the case in Miami-Dade, the nations fourth largest district, which experienced a spate of technical glitches in its first week of instruction, beginning Aug. 31. A 16-year-old student used an online application to carry out the attacks and has been charged in connection with them, according to a statement from the 345,000-student district. It is disheartening that one of our own students has admitted to intentionally causing this kind of disruption, said Superintendent of Schools Alberto M. Carvalho in a statement. And in Virginia, the states largest system, Fairfax County Schools, was hacked this month. The attackers are asking for a ransom payment. They have threatened to disclose personal information, including student disciplinary records and grades, according to WRC-TV in Washington. The 187,000-student school system is working with law enforcement to resolve the problem. Smaller districts havent been immune from cyberattacks, either. The 7,000-student Haywood school district in North Carolinas Appalachian Mountains, had to pause its all-virtual instruction for a week, due to an attack that is now under federal investigation. The superintendent, Bill Nolte, suggests that districts make sure their networks are in good shape before an attack happens, since that will make an attack easier to fix. And he urges districts to call on every available resourcelocal, state, and federalto fix the problem. Things happen and the question is: how do you respond? he asked. MALTA GlobalFoundries is asking the public to apply to its Malta foundation for grants to fund non-profits in the town. The applications are due Nov. 6. The public can fill out the paperwork online at the GlobalFoundries-Town of Malta Foundation web site. This year, there will be a special focus on helping the community deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. The rise and fall of ISIS, civil war in Syria and anarchy in Libya, Turkeys aggression against Kurds, proxy battles and hunger in Yemen, political turmoil and repression in Egypt and Iran, the bankruptcy of the Lebanese state, the plight of Middle Eastern refugees if any of these catastrophes have something in common, its that they have next to nothing to do with the Jewish state or its policies. One may still hope for a Palestinian state, but it wont save the region from itself. Lower winds, moderated temperatures and increased humidity are all helping arrest the growth of the Riverside fire and other smaller blazes in Clackamas County, allowing county officials to back off evacuation levels for some areas Monday. But the 134,575-acre Riverside fire remains an uncontained conflagration that fire crews are only beginning to get a handle on with increased resources that have arrived in recent days. Meanwhile, the Sheriffs Office said it was saturating the county with extra patrols with help from other agencies to protect the homes and property of evacuated residents and to keep rogue citizen patrols at bay. They said they were not seeing a big increase in crime from normal levels and again tried to quash baseless rumors of widespread looting and outside groups targeting the county. Grounds crews are working to strengthen and improve control lines a half mile southeast of Estacada in the Faraday Lake area, and are hoping to hold the fire south of Fall Creek Road near the North Fork Reservoir and Oregon 224. Hotshot crews and engines, meanwhile, are working on hotspots to hold the fire east of Day Hill Road and prevent new growth. To the west, dozers and hand crews are working to establish control lines in rugged terrain in the Green Mountain and Goat Mountain areas, about five miles southeast of Colton. Crews also continue to make progress on putting in handlines along the southwest side of the fire near Molalla. More than 400 firefighters are working on the fire, with more expected to arrive this week, said Alan Sinclair, the Southwest Incident Management Team Commander on the fire. Were getting what we need and our crews are engaged, he said. The improved weather conditions help but are not going to put the fire out, he said. Theyre giving us a break to get out there and get those lines established, but this is going to be a long duration incident. Theres a lot of fire out there. He said heavy smoke is still preventing the use of manned aircraft, though drones that can detect heat sources are helping firefighters observe and map the fire. Containment on the Riverside fire remains at 0% but that does not reflect the work being done, he said. Firefighters must put out hot spots around control lines and make sure the lines hold, he said. We should start seeing containment in the next few days, he said. Were getting in resources. This is the No. 1 incident in the region. The fire has leveled the Dodge Community Church and numerous homes, barns and other structures along the heavily forested Hillockburn Road, off Oregon 211 six miles south of Estacada. Fire crews and many neighbors have worked to beat down the fire over the past several days since the area was evacuated last Tuesday afternoon. Yet the remains of destroyed homes, barns and other outbuildings dotted either side of the road in some cases near a neighbor who sustained no damage at all. Some residents have returned and a few never left concerned for livestock they had to leave behind. Many ran generators to power pumps to draw water from their wells, to save freezers packed with food and to run pressure washers over smoldering embers along their property lines. Neighbors have checked in on each other, sharing stories of sleepless nights listening to police scanners to track the fires proximity and days spent texting with other locals for any word on their homes. Some people who live on Hillockburn said they had run into a few people carrying guns and were interrogating anyone they didnt recognize as a precaution against looters. Firefighters have made greater progress on three smaller fires in the county, said Capt. Brandon Paxton, a spokesman for Clackamas Fire. But he said people still should stay out of those areas and should not try to help by grabbing axes and shovels and trying to pitch in. The Wilhoite fire, at 776 acres, and the Unger Road fire, at 378 acres, are 100% lined. The 1,5000-acre Doughty Road fire is 20% lined. More than 300 firefighters are working those fires. Sheriff Craig Roberts said he has stepped up patrols with backup provided by Oregon State Police, Multnomah and Washington counties, Lake Oswego, Oregon City, Canby, Molalla and Milwaukie. Our response time are much faster than they normally are, with most calls arriving on scene in under three minutes, he said. The FBIs Joint Terrorism Task Force was helping vet individual suspects in alleged crimes to determine if they have links to any groups or organizations, Roberts said. A Clackamas County sheriffs deputy was placed on administrative leave after a video captured him suggesting that members of antifa were involved in setting fires and that deputies needed the publics help in stopping them. A sheriffs captain also said something similar at a public meeting. Roberts said once again that the information was false. I want to reiterate that at this point we have no suspects associated with any groups, he said. Roberts said there was a slight increase in the number of arrests for trespassing, burglary and theft, but I wouldnt say its astronomical. He said law enforcement had been having conversations with armed vigilantes who have been setting up checkpoints and roaming neighborhoods to discourage that activity. Its not allowed, he said. If any kind of these activities continue, well move forward with criminal prosecution. There was a lot of concern that we didnt have a heavy patrol presence out there. I want to reiterate that we do have a heavy presence and were addressing any concerns citizens have relatively quickly. The Sheriffs Office has set up four manned security roadblocks in areas of the county affected by the wildfires: South Elwood Road at Oregon 211; South Shibley Road at Oregon 211; Oregon 211 at Oregon 224; and Oregon 224 east of Fall Creek. No one will be allowed access unless they live within the blocked area, are assisting someone who lives in the area, or have another reasonable explanation for entering, the Sheriffs Office said. Roberts also announced two changes in evacuation levels: Areas south of Oregon City and Canby encompassing some portions of Mulino and Monitor moved from Level 2 (get set to go) to Level 1 (be ready). Areas east of Oregon City encompassing some portions of Redland, Beaver Creek and Highland, along with areas south of Sandy including some areas of Eagle Creek, Firwood and Wildcat Mountain have been moved from Level 3 (get out) to Level 2. Officials asked residents to stay out of Level 3 evacuation areas to make sure roads are clear, as increased traffic in the area can inhibit fire response. There was no word on when evacuated residents of Estacada can return to their homes. Sinclair said that would take place when there are no longer threats from fire or downed power lines. Sarah Present, the countys deputy health director, said air quality in the area had improved slightly but was still at hazardous levels. Its vital to stay inside, she said. The county has seen a 10 percent increase in emergency room visits due to respiratory problems, and identified people 65 years or older, people with diabetes, pregnant women and children as particularly at risk. -- Ted Sickinger; tsickinger@oregonian.com; 503-2218505; @tedsickinger Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories. TASHKENT -- Amendments that introduce a simplified way to obtain Uzbek citizenship came into force on September 15. According to the bill, signed into law by President Shavkat Mirziyoev on March 13, individuals born on the territory of Uzbekistan but who have resided out of the country and are not Uzbek citizens may obtain citizenship without meeting the usual requirement of residing in the country for at least five years before applying. Also, individuals who entered Uzbekistan before January 1, 1995, and have legally resided in the country since without obtaining citizenship from Uzbekistan or any other country will immediately be recognized as Uzbek citizens if they have a legal residence permit and were stateless before the amendments came into force. Children whose parents are recognized as Uzbek citizens are automatically considered Uzbek citizens as well, the law says. According to the amendments, those who have resided in Uzbekistan permanently since July 28, 1992, and are not foreign citizens are considered Uzbek citizens if they legally express their desire to obtain citizenship. Anyone who wants to become an Uzbek citizen must be able to communicate in the Uzbek language and renounce other citizenships, as the country does not recognize dual citizenship. The process of obtaining Uzbek citizenship was very complex until the death of the Central Asian nation's first president, Islam Karimov, in 2016. After gaining independence from the Soviet Union in 1991 and until 2007, only 482 stateless persons were granted Uzbek citizenship, while between 2007-16 not a single person was granted citizenship of the region's most-populous nation of 32 million. Since taking office in 2016, Mirziyoev has signed 51 decrees granting citizenship to 9,443 persons. SEOUL, Korea, Republic Of - It took a bombshell resignation before Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe heard anything nice from South Korea. The rare praise came after years of diplomatic rows and testy confrontations between Abe and South Korean President Moon Jae-in, and only after the Japanese prime minister said last month he would leave office after eight years because of ill health. With Abe and Moon in charge, the relationship between the key U.S. allies sank to new lows, with grievances over wartime history spilling over into trade and military issues. Japans political shakeup could be an opportunity for South Korea, which sees Abes departure as a chance to clear things up between the rivals. Senior South Korean officials during a recent national security council meeting vowed to advance stalled negotiations on pending issues once a new Japanese leader is in place. Yoshihide Suga, who was chief Cabinet secretary and Abes right-hand man, won Japans governing party leadership vote Monday, virtually guaranteeing parliament will choose him as the next prime minister. Suga has also hinted at improving ties with South Korea. China and South Korea are neighbours, and even though there are difficult problems between us, I plan to pursue diplomacy that can allow us to always communicate and develop strategic relations with them, rather than choosing one or the other, he said in a recent debate. Good relations are crucial to both Japan and South Korea. Despite their political conflicts, they remain closely connected economically and face similar challenges. Those include North Koreas growing nuclear arsenal and a rising authoritarian superpower in China. They also share long-term uncertainties about their alliances with a less-engaging United States, a shift highlighted by President Donald Trumps America first approach and his complaints about the costs of stationing some 80,000 U.S. troops in South Korea and Japan. Patching up differences with Tokyo would improve alliance co-ordination with the United States, help manage regional uncertainties concerning China, and provide Seoul leverage in dealing with North Korea, said Leif-Eric Easley, a professor at Ewha University in Seoul. What remains unclear, however, is whether Abes exit will prove to be a diplomatic turning point. Mutual resentment runs deep and goes beyond individual politicians. To South Koreans, Abe was less likable than even North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, according to a November Gallup Korea poll. Abe was often seen in South Korea as a right-wing nationalist intent on whitewashing Japanese colonialism and atrocities on the Korean Peninsula before the end of World War II. Placing the blame for bad relations entirely on Abe, however, overlooks the broad public support he won at home for a tough policy toward South Korea. Theres a widespread view in Japan that South Korea is violating international norms by repeatedly revisiting wartime issues that were supposed to have been settled, said Choi Eun-mi, a Japan expert at South Koreas Asan Institute for Policy Studies. Abes resignation does offer a window for improved relations, but its unrealistic to expect significant changes, she said. There will be chances to resume stalled talks between the countries leaders, including a possible three-way summit with China that South Korea hopes to host in November. But it will take longer for Seoul and Tokyo to rediscover their importance to each other beyond their interdependence in security and co-operation matters with Washington, Choi said. South Korea and Japan have long differed over history, but previous political tensions were softened by vibrant trade and exchanges of pop culture and tourism. That wasnt the case in 2019 when Japans move to place export controls on chemicals vital to South Koreas semiconductor industry sparked an outpouring of national anger in South Korea and sweeping boycotts of Japanese products. Moon accused Abes government of weaponizing trade to retaliate against South Korean Supreme Court rulings in 2018 that ordered Japanese companies to offer reparations to aging Korean plaintiffs who had been forced into wartime slave labour. Seoul later threatened to terminate a military intelligence-sharing agreement with Tokyo, a major symbol of their trilateral security co-operation with Washington. It eventually backed off after being pressured by the Trump administration, which until then seemed content to let its allies escalate their feud in public. South Korea and Japans strained relations have hurt their ability to deal with the unpredictable foreign policy of Trump, who has questioned the value of U.S. alliances while raising tensions with China, a major trading partner for both, said Park Won-gon, a professor at South Koreas Handong University. Ideally, strong co-ordination between South Korea and Japan would help steer the Trump administration into pursuing its regional strategies within international norms and rules, Park said. South Korea will likely need to close the gap between its domestic court rulings and existing bilateral agreements to improve ties with Japan. Many Japanese see the South Korean forced labour rulings as a challenge to a 1965 treaty between the countries that was accompanied by Japanese payments to restore diplomatic ties. Tokyo insists that all compensation matters were settled then. Theres also frustration over Moons 2017 decision to walk back a 2015 agreement negotiated under South Koreas previous conservative government that attempted to irreversibly resolve a decades-long impasse over Korean women forced into sexual slavery by Japans wartime military. The deal, which had Japan give $9 million to a foundation to help the victims, sparked huge protests in South Korea, where many accused their government of settling for far too little after failing to consult victims. There were claims that Abe was attempting to silence the women with money. There has been little sign that either government is willing to budge. Moon continues to demand Japanese respect for the South Korean court rulings. Suga, who is likely to be named prime minister later Wednesday, has pledged to inherit Abes policies and push them forward. Theres a further complicating possibility that South Korean courts may order the liquidation of local assets of Japanese companies that have refused to compensate forced labourers. A breakthrough may have to come from legislation, but that wont be easy, either. Former South Korean National Assembly Speaker Moon Hee-sang last year proposed a foundation created by private donations from both countries to compensate forced labourers. The bill, which eventually died, was heavily criticized by lawyers and activists representing victims, who said the foundation would sidestep the Japanese governments direct responsibility. Regardless of who becomes Japans next prime minister ... there will be limits to how much bilateral relations can improve unless the countries find a solution to the forced labour issue, Park said. ___ Kim Tong-hyung has covered South Korea for The Associated Press since 2014. ___ AP reporter Mari Yamaguchi in Tokyo contributed to this story. Quebec Provincial Police headquarters is seen in Montreal on April 17, 2019. (Ryan Remiorz/The Canadian Press) VictimsMostly SeniorsCheated out of $2.3 Million in Quebec Love Scam Suspects expected to face charges of fraud related to romance scams, police says Quebec provincial police expect to arrest a dozen people in connection with a romance scam network that bilked $2.3 million out of 50 victims. The arrests will take place in the regions of Quebec City, Outaouais and Montreal Tuesday morning, including the arrest of rings head Sogli Espoir Kouassi, and his two accomplices, Akissi Christelle Semon and Yapo Landry NCho, all in their thirties, according to the Surete du Quebec (SQ). SQ say the alleged fraudsters were targeting vulnerable people, mostly seniors, through dating sites and social media. About 50 victims were defrauded out of $2.3 million through the scams as of date. The police say their investigation has led them to believe the romance scam network has been operating for several years. Suspects arrested are expected to face fraud-related charges depending on their alleged involvement in the scams on Tuesday in court by video conference, the police say. The SQ urges anyone who is a victim of the scam network to contact their local police. Romance scams have been operating for a long time, but the online dimension has added a new challenge for those looking for love. Romance scams have popped up all over the country. In February 2019, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police reported that Ontario and Quebec topped the first two spots with the most number of people falling victim, and the most money lost to love scams among the provinces and territories. Ontario reported 275 victims with a total loss amount of nearly $12 million. Quebec followed second with 245 victims and losses of about $4.5 million. Together the two provinces account for over 70 percent of the total losses of more $22.5 million in 2018. That amounts to slightly more than their per capita percentage. The two provinces account for just over 60 percent of Canadas population. Quebec provincial police say scammers targetted 50 victims, mostly elderly. (Jonathan Hayward/The Canadian Press) Andrea Speranza, victim to an alleged romance scam, recounted her experience in an interview with The Canadian Press. Everything he said to me was a lie, Speranza said. I couldnt understand how he could make love to me with the sole purpose of ripping me off. Speranza met the alleged scammer in a coffee shop. Their relationship developed into a romance, but it ended months later after she believed it was an elaborate scheme to defraud her. She gave $5,000 to the suspect which he never repaid her. The Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC) in their 2017-18 annual report highlighted that romance fraud is one of the fastest growing types of fraud in Canada. The agency launched an initiative in 2017, named Project Chameleon, which teams up with businesses and law enforcement to track suspicious financial transactions related to romance fraud. FINTRAC said the project enables them to provide financial intelligence disclosures such as suspicious transaction reports and electronic fund transfers to federal, provincial, and municipal police agencies in their investigations. In many cases, FINTRAC was able to link perpetrators who were transacting with numerous victims from reports received from different financial institutions, the agency said. The suspicious transaction reports that the Centre received from businesses also helped to build a clearer view of romance fraud networks that have been formed in Canada and abroad. To prevent people falling prey to the love scams, the Canadian Bankers Association offers tips in their website, including but not limited to: Be on your guard if the new friend professes their love to you too quickly Be very suspicious if the love interest asks you to send money to him/her Check the new friends online profile for any inconsistencies between what he/she posts and tells you Be alert if you receive a message from the new friend and he/she uses the incorrect name because scammers work on multiple victims at the same time With files from The Canadian Press The Minister for Defence and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Simon Coveney TD met with a number of members of the Defence Forces in Aiken Barracks Dundalk who are part of the 62nd Infantry Group who will leave in the coming weeks for service with the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) on the Golan Heights. Due to Covid-19 restrictions, the event was a limited version of the usual Ministerial Review of departing contingents. Speaking during the Review, Minister Coveney said, In these challenging times, it is more essential than ever that we continue to work with the United Nations and the European Union to make peacekeeping operations as efficient and effective as possible. The presence of the UNDOF mission remains an important element in ensuring the continuing ceasefire between Israel and Syria and is supported and welcomed by both countries. UN Peacekeeping rotations have resumed following an initial suspension announced in April by the Secretary-General of the United Nations in response to the COVID19 pandemic. The Minister welcomed the resumption of UN rotations despite ongoing challenges such as border closures and quarantine arrangements in host countries. In acknowledging the UN's priority at this time to safeguard local populations and peacekeepers, Minister Coveney stressed the continued need for vigilance and strict adherence to quarantine requirements. The Minister assured personnel that he "recognised and appreciated, the impact quarantine restrictions is having on members of the Defence Forces and their families "and that "the Government and the public deeply appreciate the additional personal sacrifices that have to be made by deploying troops at this time. In his concluding remarks, the Minister asked that his congratulation be passed on to the entire 130 personnel of the 62nd Infantry Group on their training and achievements to date and wished them a safe and successful mission. New Delhi, Sep 15 : The Aircraft (Amendment) Bill, 2020, which will provide statutory status to regulatory bodies in the aviation sector, including the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), has been passed by Parliament with the Rajya Sabha approving it on Tuesday. The bill, which also seeks to provide statutory status to the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) and the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), was passed by the Lok Sabha in March. It approves the increase of maximum penalty for violations from the current Rs 10 lakh to Rs 1 crore. Audits conducted by the ICAO in 2012 and 2015 indicated a need to amend the Aircraft Act, 1934 to give proper recognition to the regulators under the Act, to enhance the maximum quantum of fines and to empower the departmental officers to impose financial penalties on individuals or organisations involved in violations of the legal provisions and to include certain areas of air navigation services for rule-making purpose under section 5 of the Act. In India, the DGCA is the aviation safety regulator and was the only main body regulating various aspects of civil aviation. However, over a period of time, on account of various administrative and operational requirements, two distinct organisations, i.e. the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security and the Aircraft Accidents Investigation Bureau, had been created through different notifications issued by Central government and these, as well as the DGCA, needed to be defined in the parent Act. With the expansion of civil aviation in India, it was felt that regulator of the respective field of civil aviation needs to be empowered for imposition of penalty for certain violations through incorporating suitable enabling provision through rule-making on the aspect. The amount of penalties prescribed under various provisions of the Act for various violations/offences also needed a review. The Aircraft (Amendment) Bill, 2020 seeks to define the DGCA, the BCAS and the AAIB. It also seeks to empower the BCAS or any authorised officer to issue directions. The bill also seeks to appoint designated officers for adjudging penalties and to provide for compounding of offences. The UK will not scrap all its tanks in its drive to modernise the armed forces, the defence secretary has said. Ben Wallace was responding to reports that said Britain would no longer deploy tanks because of high maintenance costs and pressure on defence spending. The British Army has some 227 Challenger 2 main battle tanks. Mr Wallace told the BBC: "We're going to make sure we have an armed forces fit for the 21st Century and meets our obligations to Nato and elsewhere. "We are not scrapping all the British army's tanks and we will make sure the ones we maintain are up to date, lethal and defendable." The government is conducting a major review of the countrys defence capability and future plans, billed as the most comprehensive since the Cold War. UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 17 January 2022 Bonhams Danny McIlwraith holds a Nigerian polycrome carved wood mask during a photocall for the sale of the Jim Lennon Collection at Bonhams in Edinburgh PA UK news in pictures 16 January 2022 The moon rises above the Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth, Hampshire PA UK news in pictures 15 January 2022 Demonstrators outside Downing Street during a Kill The Bill protest against The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill in London PA UK news in pictures 14 January 2022 Ecologist Emma Smart (left) and retired GP Dr Diana Warner outside HMP Bronzefield, in Surrey, following their release from the prison where Emma undertook a 26-day hunger strike during her incarceration. Ms Smart was sentenced in November, along with other members of Insulate Britain, to serve four months for breaking a High Court injunction by taking part in a blockade at junction 25 of the M25 motorway during the morning rush hour on 8 October last year PA UK news in pictures 13 January 2022 A TV presenter holds a copy of a newspaper outside 10 Downing Streetafter the Prime Minister apologised for attending a gathering of colleagues in the Number Ten garden in May 2020, while the UK was in strict lockdown due to the Coronavirus pandemic Getty UK news in pictures 12 January 2022 Fitness guru Derrick Evans after receiving an MBE during an investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 11 January 2022 A couple walk underneath an umbrella during wet weather on Westminster Bridge in central London PA UK news in pictures 10 January 2022 A jogger passes the Covid Memorial Wall in London AP UK news in pictures 9 January 2021 The sun rises over horses at Seaton Sluice in Northumberland PA UK news in pictures 8 January 2022 Riders compete during the Veterans Men's race at the UK Cyclo-Cross National Championships 2022 in Ardingly, south of London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 7 January 2022 A dog looks out of a car window at the wintry conditions in Killeshin, Co. Laois PA UK news in pictures 6 January 2022 People walk through frost and mist alongside a frozen lake during sunrise in Bushy Park, London REUTERS UK news in pictures 5 January 2022 A skier jumps on the slopes at Allenheads in the Pennines to the north of Weardale in Northumberland PA UK news in pictures 4 January 2022 Freshly-fallen snow covers houses in Corbridge, near Hexham in Northumberland PA UK news in pictures 3 January 2022 Dean Morrison, 13, receives his Covid-19 vaccine from student nurse Anthony McLaughlin during a vaccination clinic at the Glasgow Central Mosque PA UK news in pictures 2 January 2022 Konastantinos Tsimikas of Liverpool with Chelseas Mason Mount during the Premier League match at Stamfrod Bridge Liverpool FC/Getty UK news in pictures 1 January 2022 New Years Eve Lasers, drones and fireworks illuminate the sky in front of the Royal Naval College in Greenwich shortly after midnight in London EPA UK news in pictures 31 December 2021 Competitors in fancy dress run across the Pennine tops near Haworth, West Yorkshire, in the annual Auld Lang Syne Fell race which attracts hundreds of runners every year PA UK news in pictures 30 December 2021 Sunrise at Bamburgh Castle in Northumberland PA UK news in pictures 29 December 2021 The Very Revd Dr Robert Willis, Dean of Canterbury Cathedral, looks at Becket, a six month old red-billed chough as he visits Wildwood Wildlife Park in Kent on the anniversary of the murder of Thomas Becket PA UK news in pictures 28 December 2021 Troops of the Household Cavalry are seen reflected in a puddle during the changing of the Queens Life Guard, on Horse Guards Parade, in central London PA UK news in pictures 27 December 2021 A pedestrian walks past a winter sale sign outside a John Lewis store on Oxford street in London Getty UK news in pictures 26 December 2021 Riders take their bikes through the snow near Castleside, County Durham PA UK news in pictures 25 December 2021 Patrick Corkery wears a santa hat and beard as waves crash over him at Forty Foot near Dublin during a Christmas Day dip PA UK news in pictures 24 December 2021 People stand inside Kings Cross Station on Christmas Eve in London Reuters UK news in pictures 23 December 2021 Christmas shoppers fill the car park at Fosse Shopping Park in Leicester PA UK news in pictures 22 December 2021 The sun rises behind the stones as people gather for the winter solstice at Stonehenge. Getty UK news in pictures 21 December 2021 People take part in a winter solstice swim at Portobello Beach in Edinburgh to mark the solstice and to witness the dawn after the longest night of the year PA UK news in pictures 20 December 2021 An auction employee displays poultry to buyers and sellers attending the Christmas Poultry Sale at York Auction Centre in Murton PA UK news in pictures 19 December 2021 Joao Moutinho of Wolverhampton Wanderers looks on during the Premier League match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Chelsea at Molineux Getty Images UK news in pictures 18 December 2021 Freight lorries queuing at the port of Dover in Kent PA UK news in pictures 17 December 2021 Newly elected Liberal Democrat MP Helen Morgan, bursts 'Boris' bubble' held by colleague Tim Farron, as she celebrates following her victory in the North Shropshire by-election PA UK news in pictures 16 December 2021 Brussels sprouts are harvested by workers as they prepare for the busy Christmas period near Boston in Lincolnshire PA UK news in pictures 15 December 2021 Lewis Hamilton is made a Knight Bachelor by the Prince of Wales at Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 14 December 2021 The Royal Liver Buildings surrounded by early morning fog in Liverpool PA UK news in pictures 13 December 2021 People queue outside a walk-in Covid-19 vaccination centre at St Thomas's Hospital in Westminster Getty Images UK news in pictures 12 December 2021 People take part in the Big Leeds Santa Dash in Roundhay Park, Leeds PA UK news in pictures 11 December 2021 People arrive at a Covid-19 vaccination centre at Elland Road in Leeds, PA UK news in pictures 10 December 2021 Stella Moris speaks to the media after the US Government won its High Court bid to overturn a judges decision not to extradite WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange PA UK news in pictures 9 December 2021 Camels are lead around Salisbury Cathedral during a rehearsal for the Christmas Eve Service PA UK news in pictures 8 December 2021 Margaret Keenan and Nurse May Parsons, a year after Margaret was the first person in the UK to receive the Pfizer vaccine PA UK news in pictures 7 December 2021 Snowfall in Leadhills, South Lanarkshire as Storm Barra hits the UK with disruptive winds, heavy rain and snow PA UK news in pictures 6 December 2021 A person tries to avoid sea spray on New Brighton promenade in Wallasey as the UK readies for the arrival of Storm Barra Getty UK news in pictures 5 December 2021 People release balloons during a tribute to six-year-old Arthur Labinjo-Hughes outside Emma Tustin's former address in Solihull, West Midlands, where he was murdered by his stepmother PA UK news in pictures 4 December 2021 People walk through a Christmas market in Trafalgar Square Reuters UK news in pictures 3 December 2021 A pedestrian carries a dog as they dodge shoppers on Oxford Street in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 2 December 2021 Duchess of Cambridge inspects a Faberge egg at the Victoria and Albert Museum Getty UK news in pictures 1 December 2021 Meerkats at London Zoo with an advent calendar PA UK news in pictures 30 November 2021 Workers put the finishing touches to the Trafalgar Square Christmas Tree ahead of the lighting ceremony later in the week PA UK news in pictures 29 November 2021 Home Secretary Priti Patel is greeted by a police dog at a special memorial service for Met Police Sergeant Matiu Ratana Getty In the summer, MPs raised concerns that the process was not transparent enough, saying it was not even clear who was directing it. The Defence Committee, alongside colleagues in the Foreign Affairs and International Development Committees, have repeatedly called for clarity and transparency from the government," said Tobias Ellwood in August. These calls have, at times, been left unanswered. A number of unknowns remain, including the key players at the heart of the review. A policy review of this importance should not take place behind closed doors. The review is due to be published this year. (Natural News) Researchers and scientists toying with the idea of terraforming Mars are better off using their expertise to help heal the Earth instead. This is according to conceptual artist Jonathon Keats, who, in a statement, said that re-wilding the act of letting other life forms such as plants and animals take back their spaces can help humanity figure out the ethical and procedural problems ingrained in the very concept of terraforming. How do we terraform Mars? We can get ideas from re-terraforming Earth, said Keats, who often tackles space-related themes in his art. In addition to learning from the experience, Keats added that doing so would also serve to stave off the Anthropocene, a period of time in which human activities had impacted the environment enough to trigger distinct geological changes. What is the Anthropocene? As noted by Jan Zalasiewicz, a geologist at the University of Leicester and convenor of the Working Group on the Anthropocene (WGA), the Anthropocene likely started during the early 1950s, the decade in which thermonuclear bomb tests began spreading radioactive particles around the globe. This period is marked by signals and geologic markers, such as the unprecedented rise in plastic pollution, which, according to a study, is now being deposited into the fossil record. According to studies, other major markers associated with the Anthropocene include an increase in erosion and sediment transport associated with urbanization and agriculture; an increase in ocean acidification; rapid changes in the biosphere due to deforestation and the global mass extinction of multiple species of both plants and animals. The latter, multiple experts have said, is especially concerning, noting that while there have been mass extinction events in Earths history where vast portions of the Earths biosphere have been wiped out, those were all triggered by natural causes such as asteroids and volcanic eruptions and not by the efforts of a single species. (Related: NASA scientists discuss the feasibility of humans colonizing Mars.) What can be done to halt the Anthropocenes effects on the planet? Despite the gravity of the effects of the Anthropocene, however, Keats says there are still ways to effectively counter it. According to Keats, who is part of a grassroots group called The Pioneers that aims to effectively stave off the Anthropocene, one way to do this is to catalog areas that are still alive, such as forests and even cracks in city sidewalks where weeds and other hardy plants have taken root. Keats added that one can take cues from their groups members who are actively distributing packets containing the seeds of native grasses, as well as nutrient mixes designed to spur the growth of lichens ? composite organisms formed by algae or photosynthetic cyanobacteria and fungi. Doing this, Keats argued, could help nature take back the areas and environmental niches that have been claimed by the modern world. While there is already enough evidence of humanitys negative impact on the planet on the Earths crust, such as radioactive molecules to plastics and high concentrations of industrial toxins, Keats hopes that re-wilding the planet can, at the very least, cap that. The layer that we lay down is the ultimate picture of ourselves. We can make the Anthropocene not an epoch or even an age, but a monument to a near-death experience that we overcame, Keats said. For more studies and stories on scientific discoveries and other similar findings, visit Discoveries.news. Sources include: Space.com SmithsonianMag.com TheGuardian.com Advances.ScienceMag.org Quaternary.Stratigraphy.org Mark is a self-publishing success story and his books now sell millions globally. W.F. Howes Ltd, the UKs leading independent audiobook publisher, and US-based sister company, Tantor Media, have jointly acquired exclusive world English language audio rights to Mark Dawsons next four books, including three new titles in the multimillion eBook-selling John Milton series and an espionage thriller based on the Chernobyl disaster. The rights were acquired directly from the author with American and Canadian territories handled by Tantor Media, and the remaining territories, including the United Kingdom, handled by W.F. Howes. Both W.F. Howes and Tantor Media are publishing brands of RBmedia. The first audiobook, due to be published 15th October 2020, is number 17 in the John Milton series and follows Miltonthe man the British government calls on to eliminate the worst of the worstas he travels to Kansas City in an attempt to gain information about the resurrection of a secretive group of assassins. While there, he finds himself helping a young boy and his mother who have become entangled with two competing local gangsters as Milton continues his struggle to find redemption from his past. Mark Dawson, who already has a large audience for his eBooks and audiobooks, commented: The decision to work with W.F. Howes and Tantor Media expands my readership significantly through their multi-channel reach and enthusiastic audio marketing expertise. I cant wait to get started and reveal the new audiobooks to my readers and listeners. Dominic White, Head of Publishing at W.F. Howes, commented: Mark is a self-publishing success story and his books now sell millions globally. Were excited to be working with him creatively on every aspect of the campaign and helping him reach an even greater audience through the explosively growing audiobook market. Ends For media enquires in US/CA, contact CMcNeil@tantor.com For all other media enquiries, contact julian.holmes@wfhowes.co.uk About W.F. Howes W.F. Howes Ltd, an RBmedia company, is the UKs leading audiobook, digital services, and large-print publisher, releasing about 80 new unabridged audiobooks every month. The company distributes its audiobooks extensively to the UK retail market and directly through Audiobooks.co.uk. For more information visit http://www.wfhowes.co.uk or email info@wfhowes.co.uk. About Tantor Tantor Media is a leading audiobook publisher with nearly two decades of success in producing the highest quality audiobooks for the retail and library markets. Combining must-have authors and award-winning titles with over 400 of the industrys top narrators, Tantor produces more than 250 new titles every month. Tantor is the recipient of numerous Audie Awards, AudioFile Earphones Awards, and starred audio reviews. For more information visit http://www.tantor.com About RBmedia RBmedia is a global leader in spoken audio content and digital media distribution technology that reaches millions of consumersat home, in the car, and wherever their mobile devices take them. RBmedia produces exclusive titles and delivers the finest digital content. Headquartered in Landover, Maryland, RBmedia comprises an ever-expanding group of the best publishing brands in spoken audio content. RBmedia is owned by KKR, a leading global investment firm. Find out more at http://www.rbmediaglobal.com. Local authorities of an Indonesian province have decided to create a unique punishment for anti-maskers, or people who don't follow the strict health and safety measures currently imposed throughout the country: by forcing them to dig graves for COVID-19 victims. Anti-Maskers Punished The coronavirus pandemic has taken over 933,000 people's lives since the global health crisis started earlier this year. To avoid further cases and deaths in Indonesia, the country has imposed strict health measures following the World Health Organization's (WHO) guidelines, which include wearing masks and physical distancing, especially in public. Nevertheless, eight people in the Indonesian regency of Gresik in East Java had to learn the hard way what happens to those who don't follow the orders. According to a report by the New York Post, the Indonesian anti-maskers were forced by the local authorities to dig graves at a local cemetery for people whose lives have been claimed by COVID-19, seemingly facing what their possible future would look like if they continue to disobey the rules. "There are only three available gravediggers at the moment, so I thought I might as well put these people to work with them," said Cerme district head Suyono, according to local news outlet The Jakarta Post. "Hopefully, this can create a deterrent effect against violations." Read Also: Chinese Whistleblower Dr. Li-Meng Yan Blames Dr. Fauci for COVID-19 Outbreak Coverup Digging Graves for COVID-19 Victims To clarify, the anti-maskers were only forced to do manual labor. There are two people assigned at each grave, with one digging the ground while the other lay the wooden boards inside the hole that will support the body. Nevertheless, they did not and were not allowed to handle the corpses to ensure their safety, as past reports show that even the dead could spread the deadly virus to the living. The country assures that only health officers' incomplete personal protective gear can handle dead coronavirus victims to limit exposure risk. Furthermore, Suyono said that the number of COVID-19 cases in Cerma is climbing, which is why they had to strengthen the village's protocols, and based on their local law, anyone who violates these protocols is subject to paying a fine or community service, such as digging graves. Meanwhile, Cerma police chief Adj. Pol. Comm. Moh. Nur Amin said that the police are ready to cooperate with the country's military force to help enforce the protocols, including dispersing any social gathering. Scary Punishments This is not the first time Indonesia was on the headlines for its unique COVID-19 punishments. Back in April, two Indonesians who disobeyed self-isolation rules while the country is under lockdown were forced to quarantine in a well-known local haunted house in the Sragen regency in Central Java, as per a previous post by Tech Times. The village has also previously had men wear costumes as "pocong" or Indonesian zombies who were then stationed on the village's main entrance to scare the locals into staying at home. As of writing, Indonesia already has more than 221,500 cases and a total of 8,841 deaths related to the coronavirus pandemic. Read Also: Beijing Claims 'No Mass Vaccination' in China Due to COVID-19 Being 'Largely Wiped Out' This article is owned by Tech Times Written by: Nhx Tingson 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Advertisement Paleontologists in the field are typically seen as experts hunched over the ground, brushing dirt off dinosaur bones in a dry, barren landscape. However, researchers are now using techniques from medicine, chemistry, engineering and physics to expose the secrets of these prehistoric creatures in labs across the world. National Geographic released its October issue with a cover story on Reimaging Dinosaurs, where it discuss new technologies in the field to uncover the look and lives of the animals, along with groundbreaking discovers made with these techniques over the past few years. Researchers are using CT scanners in fossil reconstruction, particle accelerators for probing specimens and lasers to see what type of chemicals samples contain. Paleontologists have identified nearly 50 new dinosaur species each year, determined deinonychus laid blueish eggs, learned the spinosaurus was more aquatic and found a tyrannosaurs rex used its large nostrils to release heat - discoveries that may may otherwise have been lost. Michael Greshko, author of National Geographic magazine's October issue cover story, told DailyMail.com: We are living through a golden age of paleontology as a whole, but as for dinosaurs specifically. For a group of animals that died out 66 million years ago, there are more than 10,000 species living today. We live along dinosaurs every single we call them birds. You could argue in sense the age of dinosaurs never really ended. Scroll down for video Researchers are now using techniques from medicine, chemistry, engineering and physics to expose the secrets of these prehistoric creatures. Using chemistry, a team determined deinonychus eggshells (artist impression) were a blueish color because the dinosaur laid them in open-air nests The European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, located in France, houses a particle accelerator capable of peering deep into fossils to create imagery that CT scans are unable to obtain. The system moves electrons around at speeds close to that of light and when they make a full cycle around, magnets bend the particle stream. This produces some of the worlds most intense x-rays, which researchers often use to study new materials and medicines, Greshko wrote in the article published in National Geographics October issue. Dennis Voeten of Swedens Uppsala University used the accelerator to cut through Archaeopteryx fossils, revealing the creature did not have the autonomy of flapping birds, but more of pheasants. The European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, located in France, houses a particle accelerator capable of peering deep into fossils to create imagery that CT scans are unable to obtain. Dennis Voeten of Swedens Uppsala University used the accelerator to cut through Archaeopteryx (artist impression) fossils, revealing the creature did not have the autonomy of flapping birds, but more of pheasants This dinosaur lived 125.45 million to 150.8 million years ago and is said to be the transition between non-avian feathered dinosaurs and modern birds. Some fossil samples cant really be made sense of with typical CT scanners, so some researchers take fossils to particle accelerators, said Greshko. I went to the French Alps to learn about a particle accelerator and you usually dont associate the two. At its core, that is the story of modern science it is more collaborated than ever before. In the case of paleontology, all of this is coming together to give us an understanding of how dinosaurs lived their lives. There has also been major advances in chemistry that have helped paleontologists uncover what color these animals feathers were, along with the outer shells of their eggs. Yale University used a technique that shines a laser lights on a fossilized egg, allowing them to see how light scatters throughout to reveal the inner chemistry. The process was used on deinonychus eggshells, which highlighted two chemical protoporphyrin and biliverdin that were found in modern-day bird eggs Yale University used a technique that shines a laser lights on a fossilized egg, allowing them to see how light scatters throughout to reveal the inner chemistry. Yale Ph.D. candidate Jasmina Wiemann used this process on deinonychus eggshells, which highlighted two chemical protoporphyrin and biliverdin that were found in modern-day bird eggs. National Geographic released its October issue with a cover story on Reimaging Dinosaurs, where it discuss new technologies used in the field This allowed Wiemann to speculate what color the egg may have been, which she believes was a blueish color. This discovery reveals that the deinonychus may have used open-air nests and the blue coloring acted as a camouflage to the backdrop of the sky. Greshko told DailyMail of an interesting discovery that would have only been revealed with the newly adopted technologies. The Spinosaurus was a weird predatory dinosaur with all of its original fossils destroyed in World War II, he said. There were a lot of question about what the anatomy was and a few years ago found, a new skeleton was found in what is now morocco. The original samples were unearthed in Egypt in the 1910s, but were demolished during a bombing raid several decades later leaving just field notes, sketches and photographs behind. A few years ago, researchers found the tail of the dinosaur, which has a big paddle shape to it, Greshko explained. What is cool is that they actually went to paleontologist at Harvard whose colleague tests fish robot apparatus. 'The team built a model of the tail, tested it and were able to see how the dinosaur propelled itself through the water. The technology determined that this dinosaur spent more time in the water than any other of its kind. CT scans have become a common technique in a paleontologist's tool kit, allowing them to reconstruct missing parts of a fossil without damaging what is left. Greshko told DailyMail of an interesting discovery that would have only been revealed with the newly adopted technologies. The Spinosaurus was a weird predatory dinosaur with all of its original fossils destroyed in World War II, he said. There were a lot of question about what the anatomy was and a few years ago found, a new skeleton was found in what is now morocco' 'The team built a model of the tail, tested it and were able to see how the dinosaur propelled itself through the water,' he said The technology determined that this dinosaur spent more time in the water than any other of its kind' Ohio University paleontologist Lawrence Witmer used CT scans to determine of dinosaurs released heat from their bodies. Using CT Scanners, he found the tyrannosaurus rex used its large nose sinuses to let out excess heat Ohio University paleontologist Lawrence Witmer told National Geographic: We can reconstruct missing bits and do crash tests and run simulations and better understand how these animals actually functioned. Witmer used the technology to reveal certain groups of dinosaurs released heat from their bodies. Using CT Scanners, he found the tyrannosaurus rex used its large nose sinuses to let out excess heat. He made this discovery using the frozen carcass of a Siamese crocodile, which died of natural causes, that was sent through a scanner to reconstruct the internal anatomy of the T rex. This technology also provides insight on how dinosaurs moved around the Earth some 66 million years ago and how they grew. Dinosaurs are not just these movie monstrous or collections of bones that just tell us the past was different, said Greshko. When looking at the epic narrative on how life on land rolls with punches on a changing earth dinosaurs are the group to study. With the changes happening now it is incredibly important to have the baseline that dinosaurs provide. For more info, visit natgeo.com/dinos On Wednesday, Washington, DCs Democratic mayor Muriel E. Bowser responded to a reporters question about when it would be possible for the District of Columbia to reopen public schools in person. I think [Washington, DC Public Schools] can do it, and I think DCPS should do it, she stated. The mayor added she would expect the public school system to begin admitting small groups of students for in-person learning this month. I dont think we have any health data to suggest that we cant do small groups, she said. The fall school year began on August 31 in DCPS. The announcement follows news that two of Washington, DCs largest public charter school networks, KIPP DC and Friendship, were admitting groups of students back for in-person courses several days per week. The two charter networks collectively enroll over 11,000 of Washington, DCs 100,000 public school students. Bowser also announced that she had assigned her deputy mayor for education Paul Kihn to assess the successes and struggles of charter and private schools that have resumed some in-person instruction to glean lessons for the public school system, according to the Washington Post. The District originally shuttered schools in March as the pandemic spread across the Mid-Atlantic region. Over 7,000 people have succumbed to complications stemming from COVID-19 in the greater Washington, DC metropolitan area. Bowsers declaration represents a right-wing provocation against teachers in the school system. The mayor is taking direct cues from the business community, in this case, the Districts largely unregulated charter school networks, to push for a reckless school reopening which will result in the spread of the deadly COVID-19 illness. According to the Post: charter schools offering in-person learning say they are serving small groups of students and have not faced a situation in which a teacher who does not want to teach in person is needed in a classroom. But teachers have told the DC Public Charter School Board that they dont have protections and are fearful of what would happen if they were asked to return to buildings before they are comfortable. In early July, DCPS provoked outrage among public school teachers when it issued a letter to staff asking them to indicate intent to return for in-person instruction in the new school year. Rather than allowing teachers to virtually teach students, the letter suggested teachers unwilling to appear in person should file for sick leave. If sick leave was denied, teachers would then be forced to do in-person course work or face termination. At the time, the Washington Teachers Union (WTU), an affiliate of the American Federation of Teachers, had advised educators not to sign the letter until the school systems position was clarified. The District of Columbia announced in late July, after considerable parent and teacher pushback, that it would switch to an entirely online format until at least November after COVID-19 cases spiked throughout the region. We saw some trends in our data that were not ideal for making decisions about the upcoming school year, stated Bowser at the time. Bowsers announcement Wednesday abruptly shifted the school systems policy once again after less than two weeks of classes were completed. Bowsers announcement follows a general trend in the United States in which Democratic Party administrations at the local and state level have often set the pace for an abrupt reopening of businesses and schools amid the pandemic. In the Washington, DC metropolitan region, encompassing the District, Maryland and Virginia, this was set by Virginias Democratic Governor Ralph Northam in late May, when his government announced phase one reopening of businesses even as COVID-19 case numbers rapidly rose. Not to be outdone, Marylands Republican governor Larry Hogan also began the states reopening process at the same time. Last month, Hogan contravened his own health department and demanded that the suburban Washington, DC jurisdiction of Montgomery County allow private schools to open in person even as the local health officer warned data does not suggest that in-person instruction is safe for students or teachers. On Friday, a report from Montgomery County noted over 13 cases at local schools since classes restarted, including an instance at a Catholic school where a second-grade teacher had accidentally infected one of her students with COVID-19. For its part, the WTU has acceded to the Bowser administrations about-face, with WTU spokesperson Joe Weedon telling the Post that it sought more conversations with the Bowser administration because it hasnt seen satisfactory guidelines for student and teacher safety protocols for in-person learning. WTU president Elizabeth Davis told the Post that there are teachers who are comfortable returning to classrooms and she is working on identifying them. US to Deploy 150 Fifth Generation F-35, F-22 Combat Aircraft in Arctic, Senator Dan Sullivan Says Sputnik News 23:11 GMT 14.09.2020 WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - The US Air Force will soon be deploying its greatest concentration of fifth-generation, supersonic and stealth combat fighters in the world in the Arctic based in Alaska, US Senator Dan Sullivan, who represents the state, told a Woodrow Wilson Centre Polar Institute podcast. The senator pointed out that the force would be composed of both F-35 Joint Strike Fighters and F-22 Raptors. Sullivan also said the development of Nome in Alaska as the first US deep seaport within the Arctic Circle would serve as a message to great power rivals such as Russia and China that the United States was seriously committed to projecting military power and protecting its interests in the Arctic Ocean. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address All eyes were on Armbro Flight winner Hey Livvy in Mondays $36,000 Preferred Trot at Woodbine Mohawk Park, but those eyes quickly moved elsewhere when the even-money favourite rolled into a backstretch break. That development changed the landscape of the race drastically, and the one that benefitted the most was P L Jill. The Ben Baillargeon trainee front-stepped her way to an impressive triumph for driver Mario Baillargeon in a sharp clocking of 1:53. P L Jill got away third in the early going while Perfetto buzzed along on the lead. That longshot leader chopped out the opening quarter in :26.4 before taking a backseat to P L Jill when she marched past him in the backstretch. P L Jill went on to carve out middle splits of :55.4 and 1:24.1 before using a :28.4 final frame to fend off late pressure that came at her from both sides. Perfetto attacked on the outside and came up a head short, while Free Willy Hanover scooted up the inside to be beaten that same margin while finishing third. The seven-year-old daughter of Kadabra-Fridays Gem now boasts an impressive record of 8-4-1 from 17 starts this season for owner/breeder Prince Lee Acres and partners Jill Coleman and Alan Christensen. The 32-time winner has banked over $600,000 to date. The streaking Profound Paragon toted a seven-race winning streak into Monday evenings 11-race card at the Campbellville, Ont. oval and she stretched the streak to eight straight thanks to a come-from-behind score in 1:56.2 for driver Bert Renaud. The three-year-old daughter of Muscle Mass-Fox Valley Sommer rallied past even-money favourite Pier Ho Kado in the lane and easily fended off the late-driving Noblesse Duharas to extend the winning streak. Trainer Julie Walker co-owns the photogenic filly with breeder Steven Titus of Manalapan, NJ. Together theyve watched her assemble a 10-for-13 record this season while stashing away earnings in excess of $88,000. To view results for Monday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Monday Results Woodbine Mohawk Park. Ken Wyatt has made an impassioned plea for an end to the bitter and divisive partisan political debate he says is compounding systemic racism and slowing progress in improving the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. The federal Indigenous Australians Minister said he was called a "token Indigenous member", a "coconut" and an "Uncle Tom" earlier this year for urging Black Lives Matter protesters to stay home and not risk the health and safety of the people they were marching to protect. Indigenous Australians Minister Ken Wyatt is this month marking 10 years since he became the first Aboriginal Australian to sit in the House of Representatives. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen He said he was told "You're not black, Ken. You're blue" and "resign palm nut". "This was the response at the time to a government minister tasked with the advancement of Indigenous Australians and their safety during the coronavirus pandemic," Mr Wyatt told The West Australian's Leadership Matters Conference. ~3,500 food packages given out, next distribution Nov. or Dec.~ The St. Maarten Tzu Chi Foundations emergency food distribution drive has come to an end with the foundation helping to put food on the table for thousands of persons in need in the community over the past three weeks. The emergency food distribution drive ended on Saturday, September 12, when the foundation completed the distribution of its target of 3,500 food packages. The emergency food distribution drive began on Friday, August 21. A total of 362 volunteers sacrificed their personal time to help with the initiative over a 23-day period. A total of 3,500 families received food packages and the items are estimated to have benefited a total of 10,236 family members. Of the 3,500 packages that were distributed, 3,265 were given out at Tzu Chis location on the L.B. Scott Road and 235 were delivered to seniors and families in difficult circumstances. During the 23-day activity, recipients took the opportunity to donate a total of $3,748.53 to help Tzu Chi Foundation continue its benevolent work in the community and help more persons who are in need. Recipients were very thankful for the assistance they received. One recipient from Dutch Quarter who gave his name as Steven said the process to obtain the food package was quick and uneventful. He said the foundation is doing a great job in helping persons in need on the island and for this he is grateful. Another recipient said the COVID-19 crisis has affected many persons and its good to see Tzu Chi assisting persons irrespective of their race and nationality. He called on others to use Tzu Chi as an example. Another recipient said she has been residing in St. Maarten for the past 21 years and she is grateful to receive assistance as many persons are now unemployed as a result of COVID-19. Tzu Chi Commissioner Sandra Cheung said she is extremely grateful and deeply thankful to all the volunteers who took time out of their schedules non-stop over the 23-day period to assist in the event. Some volunteers packed the food packages, while others pooled their efforts to set up the distribution by calling recipients, signing them in, executing the registration, welcoming recipients, ensuring that everyone sanitized their hands and maintained social distancing, amongst other things. Cheung said the Tzu Chi Foundation highly appreciates the cooperation of volunteers. She said while the Corona virus COVID-19 is keeping persons apart from each other, the love from Tzu Chi volunteers has no boundaries. Tzu Chi will arrange its next relief at the end of November or the beginning of December depending on the arrival date of the 11th rice container from Tzu Chis headquarters in Taiwan. Persons who have been registered with Tzu Chi with their Identification Card or passport and phone number, will be called to go for a food package, if their situation remains unchanged. Motorcyclists leading a ceremonial drive to honour the victims of Aprils mass killings pass through Indian Harbour, N.S., on Aug. 15, 2020. The event was organized by Harry Bond, who lost his parents in the murder rampage that claimed 22 lives. (The Canadian Press/Andrew Vaughan) Police Dropped the Ball in Several Ways During NS Massacre, Says Lawyer for Families Class-Action Public inquiry into Gabriel Wortmans killing spree yet to be scheduled The lawyer for the families of victims killed by Gabriel Wortman who have filed a class-action lawsuit against the federal and Nova Scotia governments says there seems to be a number of ways police dropped the ball as the tragedy played out. The best example is perhaps the failure to properly alert the public in a timely manner, or to provide accurate content at the time that they had it, Sandra McCulloch of Patterson Law said in an interview. I have to say, of course, that this was an unusual event, if not maybe one-of-kind type of event. But having said that, our police forces should be prepared to respond to these sorts of tragedies. Filed in June and amended early this month, the suit is seeking damages for the spouses, children, and/or parents of Wortmans victims and those who were injured, as well as punitive damages against the RCMP over how it handled the investigation. Wortman began his killing spree, most of the time disguised as a police officer, in the quiet Minas Basin community of Portapique, N.S., at around 10:00 p.m. on April 18. He had killed 22 people and burned multiple residences in five communities by the time he was shot and killed by police at a gas station in Enfield the following day near noon. The suit alleges that police sat on crucial eyewitness accounts from Wortmans surviving victims for hours before alerting the publicthat the killer was impersonating an RCMP officer, complete with mock-up police cruiser. To keep that close to their chest until, you know, well beyond numerous tragedies and potentially expose the public to further tragedyit just doesnt make sense, McCulloch said. Superintendent Darren Campbell, the criminal services officer in the Criminal Operations Division of the Nova Scotia RCMP, at the time spoke of some of the difficulties police faced. Ive been a police officer for more than 30 years now, and I cant imagine a more horrific set of circumstances than trying to search for someone who looks like you, he said. RCMP Chief Supt. Chris Leather said the police response was dynamic and fluid, with members using their training to assess what was going on while encountering the unimaginable. Critical incident command staff were processing fast-changing information related to what was unfolding in front of them, he said at a press conference on April 22. The lawsuit alleges that prior to the rampage the RCMP had received but failed to investigate and/or take action in relation to reports that Wortman possessed illegal weapons, physically abused women, and had stated that he wished to harm police officers. This history came to light in May after a Nova Scotia judge unsealed a number of heavily redacted police documents containing investigative reports and search-warrant evidence involving multiple properties owned by the killer. Among the suits litany of liability claims is that the RCMP failed to contain Wortman in the community of Portapique after he had killed 13 people in the small community before going on to claim more victims. The class-actions representative plaintiffs are Tyler Blair and Andrew OBrien. Blairs father and stepmother were killed at their home in Portapique on the night of April 18, while OBriens wife was killed the following morning near her home in Masstown. The claim alleges that police were told by an unnamed victim shortly after arriving at Portapique on the night of April 18 that the victim had been shot by a man in what appeared to be a police car and that the shooter may have been Gabe who owned property in the area. Police were given similar information the next morning at around 6:30 a.m. by Wortmans estranged partner, Lisa Banfield, who had called 911 and reported that Wortman had an authentic RCMP uniform and a replica RCMP police cruiser and multiple firearms. Between Banfields 911 call and the encounter with police at the gas station in Enfield, Wortman killed nine moresix of them while still in disguise, including RCMP officer Heidi Stevenson. The class-action also notes what has long been in the public domainthat it wasnt until 10:17 a.m. on April 19 before the RCMP tweeted that the suspect may be driving what appears to be an RCMP vehicle & may be wearing an RCMP uniform. Chaotic Scene The lawsuit also claims that the RCMP created further liabilities for public safety by failing to call in an Emergency Response Team when it ought to have done so and by relying solely on Twitter to warn the wider public. It says that using Twitter to inform the public was inadequate because the population affected by the rampage was older and less likely to be Twitter users, the internet coverage in a large portion of the area was inadequate to alert the entire affected population, and the Twitter alerts contained either inaccurate or insufficient information to allow the population to properly protect itself. Leather defended the use of Twitter to notify the public. Twitter allowed our information to be shared, followed and broadcast by local, provincial and national news outlets, he said. He said the provincial Emergency Management Office contacted the RCMP about sending an emergency message via the provincial emergency alert system, but due to various delays, the alert was never sent out. Campbell told CTV News in an interview in early June that it was a chaotic scene in Portapique the night of the killings and that he couldnt explain why the Mounties described the situation merely as a firearms complaint in their first tweet. It was a chaotic scene. It was dynamic, it was evolving, and all of the details werent known, he said. I cant speak as to why they chose that language. The lawsuit is one of three civil actions related to the Wortman homicides. Banfield, who had earlier renounced her role as executor in Wortmans purported $1.2 million estate following the rampage, made an individual claim in August against Wortmans assets, which include properties and various forms of savings. McCullochs firm is also representing a class-action claim filed in May against Wortmans estate by family members of Wortmans victims, specifically excluding Banfield. Similar to the civil action against the federal and provincial governments, it includes survivors seeking compensation for injuries they suffered as a result of Wortmans actions. On top of pending litigation is an as-yet unscheduled public inquiry, called at the end of July by Public Safety Minister Bill Blair as public outcry grew over plans for a panel review that was deemed insufficient. Heather Fairbairn, media relations adviser with the Nova Scotia Department of Justice, said in an email that the province is currently working with the federal government to establish the public inquiry, which includes appointing commissioners and establishing the terms of reference. She declined to comment on the lawsuit as the matter is before the courts. McCulloch told The Epoch Times that the defendants have yet to respond and that she doesnt expect any case to go to trial for at least a year, given the nature of the case and the volume of materials and people involved, but that the lawsuits will go forward regardless of what the inquiry finds. Theres something to be said for a process that will in the end potentially have financial repercussions and so that may be more effective at producing positive change versus an inquiry that produces a report with recommendations, she said. Neither the public safety ministers office nor the RCMP responded to requests for comment for this article. Seasoned journalist, Kwesi Pratt has berated the Electoral Commission (EC) for pegging its filing fee at Ghc 100,000 and Ghc 10,000 for Presidential and Parliamentary aspirants respectively who desire to file their nominations to contest December 7 elections. He held rather strongly that the filing fee is "exorbitant". Speaking at the Commission's "Let The Citizen Know" press conference in Accra on Monday, September 14, the EC Chairperson, Madam Jean Mensa said individuals or parties willing to contest the elections must first make a deposit of the aforementioned amount in a form of a bankers draft to the Commission after downloading, filling and submitting their forms within 5 days. "The Presidential Candidate will be required to deposit an amount of Ghc 100,000 in a form of a Bankers draft to the Commission, Parliamentary Candidates will be required to deposit Ghc 10,000 in a form of a Bankers draft as well. We wish all candidates for both presidential and parliamentary elections well, we trust that the nomination process will be efficient, seemless and orderly . . ." she said. The aspirants are to pick the forms via the EC's website https://ec.gov.gh/political-parties/ Nominations were opened from 6pm Monday, Septmber 14 with the deadline being from Monday, 5th October to Friday, 9th October, 2020 between the hours of 9am and 12noon, and 2pm and 5pm each day. However, the EC's filing fee has become a bone of contention. At least 4 major political parties; the National Democratic Congress (NDC), the Convention People's Party (CPP), the Progressive People's Party (PPP) as well as the All People's Congress (APC) have launched scathing attack on the electoral body, describing the filing fee as "outrageous" Contributing to a panel discussion on ''Kokrokoo'' on Peace FM, the Managing Editor of the Insight newspaper opined that the payment of such huge sums for nomination forms is one of the major contributions to corruption in Ghana. According to him, there are some Parliamentary aspirants and sitting Members of Parliament who, in order to pay the filing fee, will have to rely on donors for funds, but in return, offer them contractual favors when they come into government in order to appease the donors. In his candid view, this and other reasons he cited are why the Electoral Commission should have reduced the fee. ''This filing fee is too much...If we want corruption to escalate, let's continue to do what we're doing. But if we don't want corruption to increase, let's take decisions that will ease the financial pressures...We will all benefit if we get a good President. Getting a good Parliamentarian will also affect us; the same way if we get a bad person, it will also affect us. The fee is too excessive'', he said. Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video By Express News Service NEW DELHI: The difficulty in controlling the spread of the pandemic in many developing countries has led to a sharp cut in the demand outlook of crude oil cartel Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). On Monday, the cartel led by Saudi Arabia said that the challenge being faced in countries such as India is likely to see lower crude oil demand, cutting forecast for 2020 and 2021 by 400,000 barrels a day. OPEC said it now expects a drop in demand of 9.5 million barrels a day in 2020 and a rise of 6.6 million barrels in 2021.Risks remain elevated and skewed to the downside, particularly in relation to the development of COVID-19 infection cases and potential vaccines, the cartel said in a monthly report. The revised more pessimistic outlook is likely to see crude oil prices trend lower than their current levels. In fact, brent crude has already slipped below $40 a barrel on Monday, trading at $39.76 per barrel. The fall is likely to significantly mitigate the significant cash shortfall facing the Indian government, which has siphoned off all of the benefit from crashing crude oil prices over the summer. According to the Ministry of Petroleum, Indias crude oil import bill fell to a third in the first four months of the current fiscal due to the summer crash in crude rates. This year, there have been at least 200 lawsuits across 43 states concerning election procedures and the pandemic. Many of the cases are relatively narrow in scope, like requests from candidates to reduce the number of signatures needed to appear on the ballot. But some cases concern statewide voting rules and deadlines. As judges hand down decisions, its become difficult to keep track of what to expect in each state in the run-up to Election Day. Theres still a lot thats up in the air, said Lisa A. Bryant, a professor of political science at California State University, Fresno. The more lawsuits there are, the more it delays the ability of local election administrators to plan for the election. All this litigation is a sign of how worried voters and political parties are about disenfranchisement and recounts. In an attempt to determine which states are at the highest risk of a meltdown, Times Opinion identified seven measures of election preparedness. Then we collected data for each measure to see where states stand. Which states have the most red flags? Red flag Missing data or not applicable Online registration Paper trail Mail vote, 2020 Poll workers Mail vote, 2018 Wait times Rejected ballots Three of our indicators measure whether states are ready for an increase in mail voting, which is the biggest change confronting election officials this year. States that expanded mail voting in previous elections score well on our index. States with the most red flags, like Arkansas and Georgia, are more likely to struggle with a deluge of mail ballots. Residents of those states may also run into trouble registering to vote and voting in-person. 9 states make it hard to register Online registration Paper trail Mail vote, 2020 Poll workers Mail vote, 2018 Wait times Rejected ballots The first step in ensuring a fair election is making sure that new voter registrations are processed correctly. If a voter submits a registration on paper, election officials manually copy the voters personal information over to a digital database. Its an error-prone task thats often handled by temporary employees. Online voter registration is more convenient for voters and has been shown to increase voter roll accuracy and turnout. Though Arizona adopted online registration as early as 2002, nine states still make new voters submit paper registrations. 6 states will require most residents to vote in-person Online registration Paper trail Mail vote, 2020 Poll workers Mail vote, 2018 Wait times Rejected ballots During Wisconsins April primary, counties with more in-person voters had higher rates of coronavirus infections two to three weeks later, according to preliminary findings by researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh and Ball State University. Much has changed regarding coronavirus safety since April. Election officials are stockpiling masks, expanding early voting and minimizing contact with shared surfaces at polling locations. And most states will allow any registered voter to vote by mail. But six states Texas, Indiana, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina and Tennessee require a reason other than fear of the coronavirus to submit an absentee ballot. Charles Stewart III, a professor of political science at M.I.T. who runs the schools Election Data and Science Lab, likens states that havent expanded mail voting to holdouts during a hurricane evacuation, who plan to ride out the storm. Theyre not going to be ready, Mr. Stewart said. In each of the six states that have not expanded mail voting, at least 40 percent of residents still said they were somewhat likely or very likely to vote by mail this year, according to a nationwide survey conducted in July. It remains to be seen if those people will request mail ballots anyway, providing false justifications for doing so and potentially setting the stage for disputed election results. 21 states might struggle with expanded mail voting Online registration Paper trail Mail vote, 2020 Poll workers Mail vote, 2018 Wait times Rejected ballots Data missing for some states' shares of rejected mail ballots due to non-reporting or inconsistencies in reporting. Among states that have expanded mail voting this year, there could be growing pains that lead to uncounted ballots. One way to assess whether states might struggle is by looking at how many people voted absentee in the past. In 19 of the states that have expanded mail voting, fewer than 10 percent of voters voted by mail in 2018. Experience matters when it comes to mail voting, said Daniel Smith, a professor of political science at the University of Florida, who co-authored a recent study that found less experienced voters in Floridas 2016 and 2018 elections were twice as likely to have their ballots rejected. In states with expanded mail voting, the government will need to educate voters about how to request, fill out and submit absentee ballots that wont be rejected because they were sent in too late or the voters signature doesnt match the one that the state has on file for them. In New York City, about 20 percent of mail ballots were rejected in the June primary this year. Mr. Stewart called New Yorks rate gobsmacking. If a race comes down to a couple of percentage points, even a small share of rejected mail ballots could lead to lawsuits or recounts. Eleven states that are expanding mail voting this year rejected more than 3 percent of mail ballots in 2018. 20 states could run into in-person voting snafus Online registration Paper trail Mail vote, 2020 Poll workers Mail vote, 2018 Wait times Rejected ballots Excluding states where more than half of survey respondents voted by mail for the wait time indicator. For poll worker ages, some jurisdictions did not report ages and others reported only the ages of election judges. For in-person voters, long lines at the polls could discourage people from casting a ballot. Eight states made more than 5 percent of in-person voters wait at least half an hour to vote in 2016. Trouble recruiting poll workers, who are often older and at higher risk of dying from Covid-19, could contribute to long lines at polling locations and delays in tallying absentee ballots. In 16 states, at least three out of every five poll workers in 2016 were older than 60. During Wisconsins spring primary, a shortage of 7,000 poll workers caused the state to consolidate polling locations. The number of polling locations in Milwaukee alone dropped from 182 in the 2016 presidential election to five in the 2020 primary. While primaries have lower turnout rates than general elections, researchers at the Brennan Center for Justice isolated the effect of the polling location closures in Milwaukee and found that they reduced turnout in the city by a third and disproportionately affected Black voters. 7 states voting machines are vulnerable to hacking Online registration Paper trail Mail vote, 2020 Poll workers Mail vote, 2018 Wait times Rejected ballots In a bipartisan report last year, the Senate Intelligence Committee concluded that Russia targeted election systems in every state during the 2016 election. There was no evidence that any votes had been changed, but the committee recommended that states use voting machines that create a paper record of a voters choices, so that they can be audited to confirm digital tabulations. Not every state has had the resources or political will to implement that recommendation. Weve been pushing for paper trails since 2003, but some states dont take security issues as seriously as they should, said David Dill, who founded Verified Voting, an election integrity organization. In seven states, at least 15 percent of voters wont have access to paper ballots or electronic machines that leave a paper trail. While election security experts prefer electronic voting machines that leave a paper trail to those that dont, the software that translates voters choices to paper records is still vulnerable to hacking. Voters who use those machines should check their printout to make sure that it reflects their selections. And voting technology is only part of protecting an elections integrity, said Mark Lindeman, who oversees technology and policy at Verified Voting. States should require audits of the results to ensure that the paper trail matches the electronic tabulations. Audits are useful not only for the problems they find but also for the assurance that votes were counted correctly, said Mr. Lindeman. Tossup states Scrutiny will be especially high in tossup states elections. There has been more litigation in some of the fiercely contested battleground states. Thats not a coincidence, said Justin Levitt, a professor at Loyola Marymount Universitys law school. Among the 15 states that FiveThirtyEight forecasts as having more than a 1 percent chance of tipping the presidential election, Texas and Georgia have the most red flags. Georgias primaries this year went less than smoothly when new voting equipment wasnt operational as polls opened, leading to wait times in excess of an hour. Higher risk As of Sept. 11. Nebraska splits its Electoral College votes, and only the state's second district has more than a 1 percent chance of tipping the election, according to FiveThirtyEight. Primary meltdowns in Georgia, Wisconsin and New York may have a silver lining when it comes to the November election. Many states got kicked in the teeth in the primaries, said Mr. Stewart, at M.I.T. Jurisdictions have now had six months to plan, with administrative changes, changes to the laws and additional appropriations from state governments. Dana DeBeauvoir, a county clerk in Texas, said that her office learned a lot of lessons in the states July runoff election. Ms. DeBeauvoir, whose jurisdiction includes the city of Austin, said her office is planning to staff 10 lanes of drive-through ballot delivery for Texans who qualify for absentee voting due to their age or disabilities. No election administrator wants to be the example thats used for long lines or missing ballots, said Jan Leighley, a political scientist at American University. Bins for accepted and rejected ballots at the Miami-Dade County Elections Department. Scott McIntyre for The New York Times Amidst all the uncertainty, election experts said there is one way that this years election will almost certainly differ from the one in 2016: We wont have a clear picture of who won many races, and potentially the presidency, at midnight on Election Day. The number of mail ballots that will arrive on Nov. 3 will take days or even weeks to count in some states. A delay might be a good sign, said Ms. Leighley. If it takes two weeks to count ballots fairly, accurately and with integrity, then lets wait two weeks. In the event of a recount, both parties will send lawyers to contest every ballot. More concerning are all the different ways that people might be deterred from casting a valid vote in the first place. The experts that Times Opinion spoke with were both concerned and optimistic about election officials ability to make sure everyone who wants to vote is able to. I think that the overall story is going to be of states pulling it together and running a credible election, said Mr. Stewart. But there is a non-zero possibility that it turns into a mess. Correction: An earlier version of this article included outdated information about which states do not offer online voter registration. New Jersey began offering online registration this month, leaving nine states, not 10, without such a method. The Centre for Health Protection today said it is investigating four additional COVID-19 cases, all of which are imported. The new cases involve two men and two women aged between 32 and 43 who arrived in Hong Kong from Japan, the Philippines, Rwanda and India. For information and health advice on COVID-19, visit the Government's dedicated webpage. TAYLORVILLE A former Jacksonville radio host has been arrested on charges of possession of child pornography stemming from a Taylorville investigation. Robert T. Tobin, 64, of Springfield was arrested Thursday by Taylorville police, Illinois State Police and federal marshals. Tobin lived in Taylorville in February, when police started the investigation, according to Police Chief Dwayne Wheeler. Police obtained a search warrant Sept. 8 for Tobins Taylorville apartment. After learning that he moved to Springfield, Taylorville law enforcement contacted state police for aid in executing a search warrant in another jurisdiction. Federal marshals also assisted in arresting Tobin in Springfield. Tobin was an on-air personality for WLDS-WEAI in the early 1970s while he was in college. He also worked as a disc jockey for Springfield radio stations in the 90s and was MacMurray Colleges public relations director from 2004 to 2007. He is being held in Christian County Jail. State police are conducting a further investigation stemming from a search warrant in another county. Tobin was charged in Christian County with three counts of possession or distribution of child pornography in photographic or video form. Bail was set at $400,000. Possession or distribution of child pornography is a Class 3 felony. If convicted, Tobin could face from two to five years in prison and a fine up to $25,000. A federal judge in Texas blocked the Biden administration from enforcing its coronavirus vaccine mandate for federal workers on Friday, citing the outcome of last week's Supreme Court ruling that nullified the administration's vaccine-or-test requirement for large employers. Why it matters: It's a blow to President Biden's efforts to increase the U.S.' vaccination rates, though much of the federal workforce has already been vaccinated against the virus. Developers Ltd on Tuesday said its arm has entered into a pact with for executing a stretch of Vadodara-Mumbai in Gujarat at a cost of Rs 1,755 crore. The project falls under Bharatmala Pariyojna Phase 1. "VM7 Private Limited, wholly-owned subsidiary of the company, has now executed Concession Agreement with National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) for the project of eight lane access-controlled from km 190 to km 217.5 of Vadodara-Mumbai Expressway," the company said in a regulatory filing to the BSE. The 27.50 km stretch pertains to Gandeva-Ena section in Gujarat. The company said the construction period for the stretch is 730 days, while operation period is 15 years. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) India on Tuesday walked out of a virtual meeting of national security advisers of member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) after the Pakistani representative projected a map that inaccurately depicted the borders of the two countries. At the meeting of the national security advisers (NSAs) of member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), hosted by the chair of the SCO (Russia), the Pakistani NSA deliberately projected a fictitious map that Pakistan has recently been propagating, said external affairs ministry spokesperson Anurag Srivastava. WATCH | After USA rebuke, India snubs Pak & walks out of meet over wrong map | Explained This was in blatant disregard to the advisory by the host against it and in violation of the norms of the meeting. After consultation with the host, the Indian side left the meeting in protest at that juncture, he said. Srivastava added, As was to be expected, Pakistan then went on to present a misleading view of this meeting. People familiar with developments said on condition of anonymity that Pakistans use of a fictitious map as a backdrop for its representative, which depicted sovereign Indian territories as part of Pakistan, was a blatant violation of the SCO charter and went against all established norms of the grouping for safeguarding the sovereignty and territorial integrity of member states. India issued its strong objection to the use of this illegal map by Pakistan. The Russian side, as the chair, tried very hard to persuade Pakistan not to do so, said one of the people cited above. Russian NSA Nikolai Patrushev conveyed to the Indian side that he was personally very grateful to his Indian counterpart Ajit Doval for attending the SCO Summit, the people said. Russia doesnt support what Pakistan has done and hopes Pakistans provocative act wont affect Indias participation in SCO and definitely not cast any shadow on Patrushevs warm personal relationship with the Indian NSA, for whom he has the highest regard, the person added. Patrushev also said he hoped to see Doval at forthcoming events, according to the people. Pakistan issued a new map on August 4 that laid claim to Indias union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh and parts of Gujarat state on the eve of the first anniversary of the scrapping of Jammu and Kashmirs special status. India had reacted to the move by describing it as an exercise in political absurdity with no legal validity. The political map was released by Pakistans Prime Minister Imran Khan during a meeting in Islamabad that was attended by his cabinet and senior officials, including his special assistant on national security affairs, Moeed Yusuf. Khan had said the map was the first step towards a political struggle to achieve the right of self-determination for Kashmiris. Pakistan currently doesnt have a formally appointed NSA and Yusuf represents the country at meetings such as the one held on Tuesday. Before the external affairs ministry spokespersons statement, Yusuf tweeted: Bizarrely, my Indian counterpart chose to walk out of Pakistan and Russias speech. Left a bad taste at a forum whose whole spirit is cooperation. Yusuf also tweeted he had highlighted that unilateral & illegal actions in an internationally recognised disputed territory of [Jammu and Kashmir] is a threat to regional peace & prosperity. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON said Monday that it has completed supervision by an independent monitor imposed as part of the company's plea agreement with the US Justice Department in its diesel emissions scandal. The company said it worked with monitor Larry D Thompson since 2017 to design and implement compliance programs aimed at preventing behavior like that evidenced by the scandal. The company made cars rigged to cheat on U.S. diesel emissions tests, and paid more than USD 33 billion in fines and settlements. The Wolfsburg-based carmaker said in a statement that steps taken during the monitoring period included a uniform code of conduct across all its businesses, an expanded whistleblower system and establishing a top-level compliance committee. Volkswagen's former CEO Martin Winterkorn faces a future trial on criminal fraud charges in Germany in connection with the 2015 scandal and also has been charged in the United States along with other former executives in the United States. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) COLUMBUS, Ohio -- An Ohio judge on Tuesday ruled that Ohio has no legal basis to limit drop boxes for completed absentee ballots to one per county, as Secretary of State Frank LaRose did in an order to county boards of election last month as they prepared for the November presidential election. Siding with arguments made by the Ohio Democratic Party, Franklin County Common Pleas Judge Richard Frye didnt go so far as to block LaRose from enforcing the order. But Frye, a Democrat, in a written judgment on Tuesday said he may do so, noting LaRose, a Republican, has said hed support allowing additional drop boxes if they were deemed legal. No statute says that delivery must occur with only one box per county. No statute says that delivery would be improper to a drop box controlled by a board and placed at a safe location separate and apart from the main board office. The statute is silent on such matters. The Secretary cannot slip new words into the law, Frye wrote. Because there was no actual order issued by the judge, the single drop box per county order remains in effect, Amanda Grandjean, a top attorney in LaRoses office, wrote in an email to county boards of election Tuesday afternoon. Meanwhile, LaRoses office said it plans to appeal his opinion to a higher court at the earliest possible opportunity. A separate lawsuit filed in federal court challenging Ohios single drop box rule under the U.S. Constitution and federal elections law is ongoing. The law is clear: absentee ballots must be delivered by mail or personally deliver[ed] to the director' of their county board of elections and in no other manner,' Maggie Sheehan, a LaRose spokesman, said in a statement. Ohioans are fortunate that the judicial branch offers the opportunity to appeal a single trial judges opinion. In a statement, Ohio Democratic Party Chairman David Pepper said: Its time for Frank LaRose to stop with the theatrics and stalling tactics and let county boards of elections make it more convenient for Ohioans to vote. In a statement, the Ohio Republican Party accused Frye of parroting his partys talking points in his ruling." The law was clear in stating the legality of having one ballot drop box per county. The judges interpretation of this law due to his partisan affiliation is a blatant obstruction of his judicial responsibility," the statement said. LaRose issued the single drop box order to county boards of elections in August, saying that offering more boxes could invite litigation. He said he personally supports offering additional drop boxes, something he said should be approved through a state law change. He previously had said the law was unclear on the issue, seeking an opinion from Attorney General Dave Yost before moving forward with issuing the order. Some Ohio counties, including Cuyahoga County, previously have offered a single ballot drop box without controversy. But an emergency coronavirus law passed for the primary election earlier this year for the first time mandated one in every Ohio county. The law has expired, and LaRose chose to extend the requirement administratively while specifying counties can only offer one secure box at their county board of elections office. But large Ohio counties have explored setting up additional ballot drop boxes to prepare for an expected onslaught of mail ballot requests. As of last week, Ohio voters already had requested nearly 1 million ballots, roughly the same amount as had been requested for the entire November 2016 election, and more are arriving. Cuyahoga County has processed 220,000 mail ballot requests, compared to 13,000 at the same point in 2016. So on Monday, the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections attempted to move forward with an alternative plan to set up staffed ballot drop-off sites at six libraries around the county. LaRose immediately ordered Cuyahoga County not to implement its plan while the lawsuits over ballot drop boxes continue. The legal dispute hinges on phrasing in state law that describes how voters may submit their completed absentee ballots. State law repeatedly says voters may personally deliver" their completed absentee ballots to the director" of their county board of elections. Nothing in the law describes how counties should set up drop boxes for completed ballots, and nothing limits them to only one per county, Frye, the Franklin County judge, wrote in his interpretation on Tuesday. Frye also rejected state attorneys' arguments that offering differing numbers of drop boxes per county would lead to unequal treatment under voting laws. Unless Ohio rearranges its government structure so that every county has roughly the same population and comparable geographic access to a drop box and places for voting, there will inevitably be serious inconvenience caused many voters by such an arbitrary rule, he wrote. Ballot drop boxes also have emerged as a flashpoint nationally Pennsylvania sought to set them up in June, prompting a lawsuit from Republican President Donald Trumps campaign. The Trump campaign and the Republican National Committee have intervened in several Ohio elections-related lawsuits, including the Franklin County ballot drop box case. Last Friday, a different Franklin County judge ruled against LaRose and in favor of the Ohio Democratic Party in another elections related case. In that case, Common Pleas Judge Stephen L. McIntosh, a Democrat, ruled that Ohio officials must accept absentee ballot applications filed by voters via email, and not just the current policy requiring paper forms to be filled out and physically delivered to county boards of election. Similar to Frye, McIntosh said that while state law says voters must deliver their applications to their county boards of election to receive an absentee ballot, the law does not address in what form the boards of elections are to receive absentee ballot applications. LaRose quickly appealed, and an appeals court put a hold on the ruling. LaRose forbade counties from accepting emailed applications from domestic voters while the appeal is pending. The ballot drop box case isnt the only consequential Ohio elections law case Frye has overseen this year. In March, he blocked a last-minute effort backed by Republican Gov. Mike DeWine to move the date of the primary election due to the coronavirus pandemic. Fryes ruling led DeWine to effectively move the election through a public health order closing the polls. There is a fourth pending elections-related lawsuit in Ohio a federal complaint filed by voting-rights groups including the ACLU of Ohio that challenges the states method of validating signatures on absentee ballot applications. Read the full ruling here: - Inspires Consumers to Explore the Outdoors with care to boost local tourism MUMBAI, India, Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- In its quest to get the world back outside when it is safe to travel and explore nature, Corona and Thrillophilia partner to launch ' Rediscover Paradise ' program to boost local tourism. The initiative aims at promoting local tourism by offering exciting deals to encourage consumers through a book now, travel when safe platform, while also providing financial aid to the struggling travel and tourism industry. In the initial stage of this campaign, Corona has also pre-purchased rooms at independently run homestays and resorts that have been adversely impacted by the pandemic, around Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore, thus offering some immediate financial relief. Corona globally pledged to provide aid to over 1000 hotels across the world with over 14,000 hotel room bookings. Commenting on this launch, Alexander Lambrecht, VP Marketing - South Asia, AB InBev opined, "We are delighted to partner with Thrillophilia to launch 'Rediscover Paradise' program, in line with our long-standing commitment to the travel and tourism industry that we connect with. We have over the years, passionately adopted beaches across the world and outdoor living is deeply rooted in all our efforts. Now more than ever, as the communities go through a challenging period, we stand in solidarity with them by extending our support. We aim to build a movement that brings together avid travellers to embrace the outdoors once again, but only when it is absolutely safe. By booking a stay now for future travel, we can ensure support to a great number of ground staff who have, for so many years, worked hard to enable us to have a pleasurable holiday. Now it's time we stand up for them and secure the future of the industry." To further catalyse domestic travel and galvanize the larger community, the 'Rediscover Paradise' program encourages travellers to join the movement and take the first step of exploring their own country by adopting road-trips to nearby destinations when safe. Ensuring that consumers have easy access to a variety of offerings, the brand is curating a large inventory of local stays and short experiences at discounted rates for them to book now and travel when it is deemed safe. Over and above this, Corona India and Thrillophilia are also supplementing these efforts by motivating affiliated suppliers to participate and offer exciting deals for visitors to block and avail later when safe. This has been done to encourage travellers to come forward and support one of the worst hit industries, enabling their revival. Throwing light on the initiative, Chitra Gurnani Daga, Co-Founder and CEO of Thrillophilia added, "Thrillophilia has been recognized as the go-to brand for unique travel experiences. Given the current diminishing landscape, we were keen on helping our suppliers by providing them much-needed fuel to kick start. So when Corona reached out to us with the Rediscover Paradise initiative, we were thrilled to support their endeavour. With both brands being rooted in the outdoors, there was complete synergy in the foundation to aid the sector and serve a common purpose of reviving tourism. We've worked together persistently to roll out the crusade to millions of our users. Our suppliers are presently focusing on getting all sanitization and hygiene measures in check to be prepared to welcome travellers when deemed safe." Globally, the tourism sector is expected to see a decline of around 400 million tourists and the objective of this initiative is to provide relief to the beleaguered travel industry - by booking over 14,000 hotel rooms in over 1,000 hotels worldwide. The campaign has been rolled out in select countries including the United Kingdom, Brazil, India, Chile and Canada, where local teams are developing platforms in partnership with allied partners to ensure a positive impact on the tourism of the country. To join the movement, block one's stay now and travel when it's deemed safe: link to the microsite About Thrillophilia: Thrillophilia is Asia's leading platform to discover and book travel experiences. 50 Million users every year discover and book experiences on Thrillophilia. With 22000+ experiences listed from 5000+ suppliers across 125+ destinations, it's the go-to platform for experience seekers. About Corona: Born in Mexico, Corona is the leading beer brand in the country, the most popular Mexican beer worldwide exported to more than 180 countries. Corona Extra was first brewed in 1925 at the Cerveceria Modelo in Mexico City. Corona is a pioneer in the beer industry by being the first to use a transparent bottle showcasing its purity and high quality to the world. SOURCE Thrillophilia.com A group of killer whales are attacking boats off the coasts of Spain and Portugal and it is learnt that these whales have attacked sailboats and many other boats in the last two months. According to reports, the killer whales have caused damage to many boats and injured a lot of people. Most of boats that were attacked by killer whales were travelling along the Strait of Gibraltar to Galicia. Talking to Guardian, a sailor named Victoria Morris saud he felt the attack seemed totally orchestrated. Morris added that around nine killer whales surrounded his boat and kept ramming it for over an hour. Morris added that it seems that the whales were attempting to capsize the boat. The noise was really scary. They were ramming the keel, there was this horrible echo, I thought they could capsize the boat, Morris said, adding, And this deafening noise as they communicated, whistling to each other. It was so loud that we had to shout. The damaged caused by the killer whales to the boat was so heavy that it had to be towed away. The ships underside witnessed bite marks. Researchers said that the whole development is quite confusing because orcas are not usually aggressive. They are intelliegent and these killer whales often follow boats but no such instances of group based aggressions have been noted. Rocio Espada, a biologist at University of Seville told the Observer said, Ive seen these orcas grow from babies, I know their life stories, Ive never seen or heard of attacks." Espada remarked that it is likely that whales were stressed as the attack took place in area with heavy boat traffic. (Natural News) Overnight, two Los Angeles County Sheriffs deputies were hospitalized and fighting for their lives after a man walked up to their cruiser and opened fire in an ambush-style attack. After the deputies were rushed to the hospital, a crowd of Black Lives Matter extremists swarmed the Emergency Room entrance, blocking admittance while they chanted death to police and we hope they die. Come Sunday morning, ABCs Good Morning America noted the shooting but omitted the extremists. (Article by Nicholas Fondacaro republished from NewsBusters.org) In her report, ABC Los Angeles correspondent Zohreen Shah reported that the deputies were alert enough right after the shooting to radio in their own help. Their department tweeting, They are both are still fighting for their lives and are in critical condition. Adding: Those deputies were identified as a 31-year-old mother of a 6-year-old and 24year-old man. They were both sworn in 14 months ago according to the sheriff. Now the President has tweeted about the incident and the FBI is also now offering its help with finding the suspect. As evident by the transcript below, at no time did Shah or co-anchors Eva Pilgrim and Whit Johnson inform viewers about the Black Lives Matter extremists blocking admittance to the hospital. But note that Shah told viewers what the Sheriffs office was tweeting in terms of their condition. Just three tweets later in the thread she was reading from, the department called out what Black Lives Matter was doing: To the protesters blocking the entrance & exit of the HOSPITAL EMERGENCY ROOM yelling "We hope they die" referring to 2 LA Sheriff's ambushed today in #Compton: DO NOT BLOCK EMERGENCY ENTRIES & EXITS TO THE HOSPITAL. People's lives are at stake when ambulances can't get through. LA County Sheriffs (@LASDHQ) September 13, 2020 The sheriffs office also documented how, as they were breaking up the crowd, a purported member of the press appeared to be taking part in the unlawful assembly and rushed officers attempting to make an arrest. During his arrest, a struggle ensued at which time a female adult ran towards the deputies, ignored repeated commands to stay back as they struggled with the male and interfered with the arrest, they wrote, The female adult, who was later identified as a member of the press, did not identify herself as press and later admitted she did not have proper press credentials on her person. Both individuals have been arrested for 148 P.C. Standing in stark contrast to ABC and Shahs reporting, NBCs Sunday Today led with the overnight breaking news ahead of their coverage of the Wildfires in the West. Correspondent Gadi Schwartz began his report my immediately describing the ambush as cowardly. And Schwartz wrapped up his segment by noting the Black Lives Matter protest at the hospital. And last night, there was a small protest at the hospital where the Sheriffs Department says they arrested several protesters who were blocking the entrance of the hospital and shouting death to police, he told viewers. My gosh. Gadi Schwartz, an ugly scene there in Los Angeles County, anchor Willie Geist responded as he transitioned between stories. ABCs cover-up for Black lives Matter extremists was made possible because of a lucrative sponsorship from Chase Bank, which co-anchor Whit Johnson gave a special shout out to as they were going to commercial. Their contact information is linked so you can tell them about the biased news they funding. The transcripts are below, click expand to read: A special court in Mumbai, in its order on bail plea of actress Rhea Chakraborty, has said at present stage there are no 'reasonable grounds' for not connecting her to the case that relates to drug angle in death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput three months ago. IMAGE: Bollywood actor Rhea Chakraborty at the Narcotics Control Bureau office in Mumbai, after she was arrested. Photograph: Francis Mascarenhas/Reuters Rhea, 28, her brother Showik and several other persons have been arrested by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) in probe related to drug angle in the Sushant death case. Special Judge G B Gurao had on Friday rejected the bail pleas of Showik, Rhea Chakraborty and four other accused. The detailed court order was made available on Monday. The court stated while deciding a bail plea, it has to record finding that there are reasonable grounds to believe that an accused is not guilty of the offence. 'But it is also to be kept in mind that court does not (have) to consider the material as if it is pronouncing the judgment of acquittal or recording finding of not guilty,' the order said. It is alleged (by the NCB) that the accused (Rhea) used to procure drug for Rajput. The accused had asked her brother Showik to arrange for drug from two other accused, Zaid Vilatra and Abdel Basit, the agency had claimed. Based on material on record, the NCB had recovered WhatsApp chats and other electronic evidence. Some amount was also transferred via credit card of the accused (Rhea), the central agency had said. Further, in the present case, commercial quantity contraband (LSD) has been recovered from one of the prime accused, Anuj Keshwani, the NCB had said. 'The investigation is at preliminary stage, therefore, from the available record, it can not be said that there are no reasonable grounds to connect the accused (Rhea) (to the case),' the court observed. The court also said there is possibility of the accused tampering with evidence if released on bail. Among other grounds, Rhea's lawyer Satish Maneshinde had submitted that no contraband has been seized from the accused and rejected allegations she procured drug for Rajput. Allegations, if any, would pertain strictly to small quantities of drug, Maneshinde had said. The quantity of the said drug (ganja) was small and at the most, the accused can be convicted for one year and thus, the offence is bailable, he had added. However, according to the prosecution, the accused was involved in illicit trafficking of drug. She financed drug for Rajput, her boyfriend, and therefore, committed an offence punishable under section 27-A of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS Act), the prosecution had told the court. The judge observed that there are specific allegations that she was involved in crime punishable under section 27(A) of the NDPS Act and therefore, the offence is non-bailable. 'It is pertinent to note that in section 27(A) of the NDPS Act, no particular quantity of the drug is required to prove the offence,' the judge added. The court made almost similar observations while rejecting the bail plea of Showik. The court also refused to consider Rhea lawyer's argument that her statement was recorded forcibly and no lady officer was present when she was being interrogated. 'At this stage, when the investigation is at preliminary stage, it can not be said that the said statement of the accused was forcefully recorded and (was thus) inadmissible as evidence,' the court added. Meanwhile, Maneshinde said he would study the order before deciding on moving the Bombay high court for bail. 'We will study the order, its implications and developments in the case at the NCB-level and then decide (on moving the HC),' the lawyer added. Earlier, the NCB had said although the quantity of banned drugs seized in the case was small, it was still of commercial quantity and worth Rs 1,85,200. 'Rhea Chakraborty and Showik Chakraborty financed and arranged drugs for Sushant Singh Rajput and at his instructions,' the NCB had said in its affidavit filed in the court in response to their bail pleas. The central agency had said as per a statement given by co-accused and Rajput's domestic help Dipesh Sawant, he used to procure drugs from other accused in the case on instructions of the late actor and Rhea. 'Financial transactions were handled by Rhea and sometimes Rajput. Dipesh Sawant used to procure drugs along with co-accused Samuel Miranda (former house manager of Rajput) for Sushant Singh Rajput's consumption,' it had said. The NCB had further said if the accused are released on bail, they may tamper with evidence and try to intimidate key witnesses in the case. The NCB began its investigation after the Enforcement Directorate (ED), which was probing money laundering charges linked to the case, shared social media chats retrieved from Rhea's mobile phone, hinting at use of banned drugs. Rajput was found hanging in his flat in suburban Bandra on June 14. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is separately probing a case against Rhea and others for allegedly abetting the 34-year-old actor's suicide. Tuesdays pandemic-friendly Apple event was heavy on green screens and prerecorded clips, with the occasional instance of CEO Tim Cook strolling alone through the companys headquarters. But an auditorium of hyped-up employees wasnt the only thing missing from Apples annual hardware showcase. For once, there was no new iPhone. The September event, which Apple has held since 2012, is traditionally when the company announces new iPhones. In normal years, it would begin shipping the devices before the end of the month. But this year, pandemic-related disruptions have reportedly forced the company to push the unveiling back. Instead, the new iPad Air and Watch Series 6 served as showstoppers of the shortened event, which ran just one hour. Apple also revealed a new platform for streaming workouts called Fitness+, another sign that the company is shifting its focus more toward subscription services. A second event surrounding the new iPhones, which are undergoing a major redesign, will likely come in October. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What will happen, whenever it happens? Though the timeline has been delayed, Apple is expected to release four new iPhones this year. Rumors indicate that there will be an iPhone 12 for $649, iPhone 12 Max for $749, iPhone 12 Pro for $999, and iPhone 12 Pro Max for $1,099. The phones are expected to have 5G wireless connectivity, OLED screens, stainless steel flat edges similar to those of iPads or the iPhone 5, and advanced augmented reality features. Theyll likely come in sizes ranging from 5.4 inches to 6.7 inches and in colors such as space gray, midnight green, navy blue, and silver. This isnt the first time theres been an iPhone delay: In 2017, production snafus delayed the release, though not the announcement, of the iPhone X by two months. The latest hitches, however, are attributable to the pandemic. In a July earnings report, the company said lower consumer demand from the toppled global economy and fragmented supply chains in Asia prompted it to push back mass production by about a month. Apple reportedly plans to cut down on the number of handsets it produces by up to 20 percent, ordering components for 80 million units rather than 100 million. (Apple is expected to order 45 million older iPhones to sell for the next month to compensate for the delay.) Advertisement Advertisement A large part of the slowdown was because of the massive workforce that works on any new phone. Foxconn, the China-based manufacturer that serves as Apples biggest supplier, had to shut down factories because of the coronavirus outbreak and then delay reopenings. The supplier had issues with employees showing up to work when Chinas lockdown orders eased in Februaryonly 10 percent of the workforce showed up during the first week back. Meanwhile, Apple engineers in the U.S. have been primarily working from home and have been unable to travel to China to work out issues in the production lines. Like everyone else, theyve resorted to using video chat as a substitute. Advertisement Advertisement Theres also quite a bit of uncertainty when it comes to consumer demand. Millions of workers have lost their jobs in the U.S. alone, while others have seen pay cuts, suggesting fewer people will be primed to shell out hundreds of dollars for a new gadget. Less foot traffic in retail stores could also depress sales. Advertisement The iPhone delay comes as Apple aims to renew demand for the devices after years of decline. Nearly 40 percent of the 950 million people who have an iPhone havent purchased a newer model in the past three and a half years. Last year, the company wasnt able to ship more than 200 million devices for the first time since 2015. At the same time, iPhones are becoming a considerably smaller fraction of Apples total revenue, dropping around 20 percentage points since 2015. Analysts expect the arrival of widespread 5G connectivity, however, to push customers to seek out an upgrade. Well see if an extra month of anticipation does the trick, too. An aide to fugitive Nissan chief Carlos Ghosn pleaded not guilty to hiding tens of millions of dollars for his boss today as the trial against him began in Tokyo. Greg Kelly denies an $87million conspiracy charge in a saga which has gripped the business world since Ghosn's arrest nearly two years ago. Ghosn is at large after his spectacular escape from Japan last year - hiding in an instrument case to flee to Lebanon - leaving Kelly as the only person facing trial. The trial, expected to last ten months, turns on whether Kelly concealed payments of 9.2billion yen ($87million) which were promised to Ghosn on his retirement. Greg Kelly (pictured), an aide to ousted Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn, arrives at the Tokyo District Court for the first day of his trial today A courtroom sketch of Kelly attending today's hearing where he pleaded not guilty to allegations of financial misconduct Nissan itself is on trial over the same charges, and the company has pleaded guilty and is paying a 2.4billion yen ($23million) fine. But Kelly entered a not guilty plea on Tuesday, saying: 'I deny the allegations. I was not involved in a criminal conspiracy.' Kelly, who faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted, says no final agreement was made on any post-retirement pay and therefore no disclosure was legally required. The 64-year-old wore a mask as he entered the Tokyo court dressed in a dark suit and red striped tie today. Inside the courtroom, he described Ghosn as an 'extraordinary executive' who brought Nissan back from the brink of bankruptcy and was considered a 'retention risk' because rules introduced in Japan from 2010 limited executive pay. He said various options for additional pay to Ghosn were considered, and he 'took it for granted' that any compensation would be 'lawful'. 'The evidence will show I did not break the law,' Kelly added. Nissan and Japanese prosecutors disagree, arguing they have evidence that future payments were pledged to Ghosn and should have been disclosed in filings. Ghosn too has vigorously defended himself, maintaining his innocence since he was first arrested and sacked as Nissan boss in November 2018. After being released on $9million bail in March 2019, he was re-arrested in a dawn raid a month later and hit with fresh charges. In September last year, US securities regulators accused Ghosn and Nissan of hiding more than $140million in expected retirement income from investors. Ghosn was bailed a second time and banned from leaving Japan, but gave authorities the slip by hiding in an instrument case and flying to Lebanon just before New Year's Eve. A week after his sensational escape, he gave a press conference claiming Nissan colluded with prosecutors to have him arrested because he wanted to deepen the Japanese firm's alliance with Renault. Ghosn said he fled because he did not believe he would get a fair trial in Japan, which does not have an extradition treaty with Lebanon. Carlos Ghosn speaks at a press conference in Lebanon earlier this year after his spectacular escape from Japan at the end of 2019 Prosecutors have amassed a vast trove of documents, only a small portion of which have been given to the defence so far, according to Kelly's lawyers. His defence team say they had 'no choice' but to proceed with the trial because Kelly - who has been out on bail in Tokyo since December 2018 - is separated from most of his family while he waits for his case to go to court. His wife Dee has stayed in Tokyo with him and told reporters it was 'disappointing' that Ghosn would not be testifying. 'But he is not here and he made the choice and he had to make that choice,' she said. 'He is going to have to deal with the consequences of the choice he made.' Kelly's legal team say they are confident he can be acquitted - despite the track record of Japan's prosecutors, who win over 99 per cent of the criminal cases they bring to court. But they argue they have been put at a strong disadvantage by the court's refusal to allow overseas witnesses to testify by videoconference. Nissan has been tight-lipped about the trial, with a source close to the firm's leadership saying there was concern about negative media attention. The witness list includes a number of top former or current Nissan executives, including Kelly's former colleague Hari Nada, who obtained whistleblower status from prosecutors in exchange for his cooperation. Former CEO Hiroto Saikawa, who was forced out over financial improprieties discovered by an internal investigation in the wake of the Ghosn scandal, will also give testimony. Concerns raised by a major NSW property developer were the only stakeholder correspondence Planning Minister Rob Stokes received from Deputy Premier John Barilaro about a contested policy aimed at preserving koala habitat. Developer and former Newcastle mayor Jeff McCloy, who once told the Independent Commission Against Corruption he felt like a "walking ATM" for politicians, sent his concerns about the planning policy to Mr Barilaro's electorate office. Deputy Premier John Barilaro passed on the concerns of a major property developer to Planning Minister Rob Stokes. Credit:James Brickwood/Louise Kennerley Mr Stokes' office was forwarded Mr McCloy's letter from Mr Barilaro's office on September 8. "We [are] not aware of any other correspondence from the Deputy Premier representing the concerns of any individual farmer, timber company or peak industry body regarding the Koala SEPP [State Environmental Planning Policy]," a spokeswoman for Mr Stokes said. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 15) Key officials of the embattled Philippine Health Insurance Corporation were found to be negligent in some of their duties, including in the implementation of the agencys controversial interim reimbursement mechanism, according to investigators. In its 177-page report to President Rodrigo Duterte, the Justice Department-led Task Force said that members of the PhilHealth board of directors and executive committee have not shown the due diligence required of them in the discharge of their duties. The draft report, sent to the chief executive on Monday but details of which were revealed on Tuesday, particularly focused on three main issues the implementation of the IRM, the approval of budget for the purchase of information and communications technology equipment, and questionable policies and practices within the agency. Negligence in IRM approval, implementation In its statement, the DOJ-led task force said it found negligence on the part of the PhilHealth board and executive committee with regards to the implementation of the IRM, a prepayment scheme to assist hospitals affected by fortuitous events such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, it pointed out that the IRM fund releases were rushed when the circular implementing the scheme was not yet effective. Investigators also noted that the scheme was rolled out without sufficient standards and guidelines, which made the releases susceptible to abuse. IRM Fund releases were made despite the absence of mechanisms to monitor fund utilization and liquidation, and without taxes due thereon being withheld, the task forces statement read. Withholding info, documents The Task Force also found that some members of the executive committee who were not named purposely withheld information and documents to obtain approval on their requested budget allocations for the procurement of certain ICT equipment. In one instance, a request for budget worth over P730M was made which were not included in the corporations Information System Strategic Plan as required by law, it said. The Task Force added that the board also approved a proposal to procure network switches for one of PhilHealths offices, despite the Commission on Audits findings that there were similar switches left unused. Questionable policies The Task Force also highlighted PhilHealths corporate policies and practices which have "failed" to check and penalize irregularities done by agency personnel as well as healthcare institutions. (The Task Force) looked into the settlement of cases involving fictitious crediting of remittances, where contributions were diverted to a private account, or where payment for an HCI (health care institution) was diverted to an undisclosed account. In both these cases, the Task Force found that Philhealth did not file a criminal complaint against the perpetrators as it should, it noted. Probers also found that on at least six occasions, the penalty of suspension against healthcare institutions despite being affirmed by the courts were downgraded to payment of fines. The Task Force concluded that the totality of the evidence supports the reasonable conclusion that wrongful acts or omissions on the part of certain key corporate officers of PhilHealth have been committed, it said. It recommended that the President strongly admonish and remind the Chairman and Members of the Board of the grave consequences of their action or inaction. Duterte during his Monday night address first revealed that he has approved the task forces recommendation to file complaints against top officials of PhilHealth over the alleged anomalies within the agency. Among the executives he mentioned were former PhilHealth CEO Ricardo Morales, Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer Jovita Aragona, Chief Operating Officer Arnel De Jesus, Senior Vice President on Fund Management Sector Renato Limsiaco, Jr., Acting Senior Manager, Information Technology and Management Department Calixto Gabuya, Jr., and Senior Vice President on Health Finance Policy Sector Israel Pargas. Embattled Health Secretary Francisco Duque, who serves as ex-officio chairperson of the agency, was not included in the initial list. This raised questions from lawmakers and netizens alike, but the DOJ stressed that composite teams are conducting further investigations on the case. Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra added that "more people may be charged" in the course of the probe. PhilHealth, for its part, said it will await the official copy of the Task Force's report and will submit to whatever instructions Duterte will issue based on the recommendations. DETROIT -- All lanes of traffic are closed on westbound I-94 at the I-75 interchange as Michigan State Police investigate a possible road rage shooting on the freeway. Police say they were called to the scene shortly before 2 p.m. Tuesday for reports of a shooting on the freeway near Woodward Avenue. According to the MSP Twitter account, the victims roof of their vehicle was struck by a bullet, but they were not injured in the shooting. Police have closed the freeway to look for casings and will update with information as it becomes available. It is unclear how long the freeway will be closed. The victims vehicle was struck in the roof area. The victim was not injured. Troops are shutting the freeway down to look for casing(s). More information as we get it. MSP Metro Detroit (@mspmetrodet) September 15, 2020 READ MORE 1 teen shot, another arrested at house party with over 100 underaged people Taco Bell releases its own wine to pair with new menu item 4 Michigan pizzas listed among top 101 in US by national publication, with 1 in top 10 Ingham County orders mandatory quarantine for 23 Greek houses near MSU campus NEW YORK, Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- On September 8, VIVIC Corp. (OTCQB: VIVC) (the "Company", or "we", or "VIVC") signed a smart electric yacht manufacturing project contract with the Quanzhou Taiwanese Investment Zone Management Committee at the Xiamen International Conference Center Hotel. The total investment of this project is about 100 million U.S. dollars, and the land area is about 33 acres. The project will include the production plant and exhibition center of electric yachts. VIVIC is committed to the development of intelligent electric yachts. This year, it has completed the research and development of electric yachts and other products. The signing of this project will accelerate the production of the company's new electric yachts products through plans to build an advanced production plant in Quanzhou. The company will also utilize leading intelligence-focused systems to reach the bleeding edge of electric yacht R&D and production. The main features of VIVIC's electric yacht: Use electric drives instead of machinery transmissions to reduce or even eliminate the need for gearboxes and drive shafts, while saving valuable space. Freer placement of engines, improved engine room layout, and convenient installation/maintenance Acoustic decoupling between the engine and the hull to reduce noise, weight, and volume. Wide speed-adjusting range, large driving force, easy to run forward or reverse, easy operation. Contact: [email protected] SOURCE VIVIC Corp. Related Links http://www.vivic.biz/ So Donald Trump, the President of the United States and apparent hard rocker, has determined "the greatest music video of all time"? Never one for understatement, Trump has reportedly awarded the honour to Guns N' Roses' November Rain. Trump played the track at a Michigan rally last week, and Bloomberg's White House reporter Jennifer Jacobs subsequently pointed out that he had a longstanding passion for the track as his former press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders revealed in her memoir Speaking For Myself. Why were the President and his then press secretary talking about the song? Trump turns out to be a mad Gunners fan and requested that November Rain be added to the playlist for his rallies in 2018. According to Huckabee Sanders, the President summoned her and communications director Hope Hicks to the oval office to tell them to add the just over nine minute-long song to the list and declared it the greatest music video ever made. Huckabee Sanders says Trump "made us watch it to prove his point even though neither of us had disagreed". Axl Rose performing in Australia in 2006. What does Guns N' Roses frontman Axl Rose think about it? The musician hasnt yet commented on the rave review from the President, but he hasn't held back on his views about the Trump administration in the past. Not a fan? Rose has been outspoken about how he feels about Trump's use of Guns N' Roses songs. The band has explicitly asked the Trump administration to stop using its music for political purposes and Rose has tweeted disparaging remarks about Trump, the White House and the Republican Party on several occasions. In July, Rose described the current administration as a threat to democracy. South Africa: Five arrested for tampering with infrastructure Five suspects have been arrested for tampering with essential infrastructure. In a statement on Tuesday, the South African Police Service (SAPS) said the five were arrested in two separate incidents. In the first incident, a 48-year-old man was arrested for tampering with essential infrastructure, distribution of critical infrastructure and theft of copper and electrical feeder cables. The suspect was arrested during a joint operation to address theft and damages of critical infrastructure in the rail environment by a multidisciplinary team consisting of members from the SAPS and the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA). The suspect was found in possession of feeder cables worth a market value of R380 000 as well as copper cables worth a market value of R150 000. A bakkie and tools that were allegedly used in the commission of the crime were also siezed. The suspect has been detained at the Hercules police station and will appear before the Pretoria Magistrates Court soon. In another incident, a team in Germiston responded to reports that unknown persons were tampering with essential infrastructure. The team followed up on information and found four men in possession of copper cables worth a market value of R14 483. Tools that were utilised in the commission of the crimes were also seized. The four suspects have been detained at the Germiston police station and will appear before the Germiston Magistrates Court. Communities are warned against the tampering of essential infrastructure as this often leads to thousands of commuters stranded and in some cases may cause loss of life due to train collusion and derailment, said the SAPS. SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2020-09-15. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. TDT | Manama The number of violations of the order to wear face masks in public places or shops has increased by around 800 to more than 24,500 in about a week. The overall total was announced yesterday by Public Security for Operations and Training Affairs assistant chief Brigadier Dr Shaikh Hamad bin Mohammed Al Khalifa. Dr. Shaikh Hamad revealed the registration of 24,543 violations of not wearing face masks since the enforcement of the order. It increased from the previous total of 23,729 violations reported the previous week. Meanwhile, he also said that the various concerned departments have organized 2,751 awareness campaigns and carried out 5,768 steps to promote social distancing. The Northern Governorate Police Directorate reported 1,548 violations related to the rule of social distancing and 5,577 violations of not wearing masks in public places. It carried 560 awareness campaigns. The Capital Governorate Police Directorate took 370 steps to protect social distancing in the district, while it reported 4,015 mask-related violations. It also held 714 awareness campaigns. The Muharraq Governorate Police Directorate registered 1,176 social distancing violations and 6,249 mask-related violations. The department also organised 1,092 awareness campaigns. The Southern Governorate reported 2,327 social distancing violations and 3,415 mask-related violations. The department also held 385 awareness campaigns and disinfection operations. The Public Security Presidency Operations Directorate registered 5,190 mask-related violations. It also took 347 steps to protect social distancing. The General Directorate of Ports Security reported 97 mask-related violations and carried out operations to facilitate the evacuation of 18,217 travelers from Bahrain, along with the facilitation of coronavirus (COVID-19) testing for 84,345 travelers who arrived from abroad. The General Directorate of Civil Defence carried 72,424 disinfecting operations of buildings, government establishments, and roads. It also carried 363 training courses on correct disinfecting methods. Dr. Shaikh Hamad hailed the awareness of the public in promoting the fight against COVID-19. He also hailed their commitment to precautionary measures against the virus. He highlighted the continuation of the Kingdoms police directorates to enhancing awareness of citizens and residents on the importance of following precautionary measures against the coronavirus, including wearing masks and social distancing in public places and shops. A senior Pakistani journalist was on Tuesday booked by the police for allegedly defaming the country and its powerful Army on social media. The First Information Report (FIR) against Asad Toor, a senior journalist with the Express Tribune, was registered in Rawalpindi after the complainant Hafiz Ehtesham Ahmed alleged that the scribe used social media to defame Pakistan and the Pakistan Army. "The complainant claimed that he was a regular user of social media and found that Toor for some days had been defaming the army by using the derogatory language for high-level government institutions, including the Pakistan Army which is a grave crime as per the law," according to the FIR shared by the journalist on his Twitter account. Toor, who is based in Islamabad, called the accusation a sad moment for him. "This is a sad development for me being a journalist because I never wished to be news myself," he said. Toor is not alone in Pakistan where a journalist has been booked or arrested for allegedly defaming the country and its powerful Army. On September 11, Bilal Farooqi, who works with The Express Tribune, was taken into custody from his home for allegedly defaming the country's army and fanning sectarian hate. As crews begin to get some of the fires on the west side of the state under control, a blaze east of the Cascades is quickly growing. The Brattain Fire in Lake County is burning about 10 miles south of the town of Paisley. As of Monday afternoon, the Brattain fire incident command team reported at 30,000 acres and was 0% contained. The fire has been determined to be caused by human activity, as opposed to lightning or other natural causes, but officials did not immediately offer specifics. Human causes can include uncontrolled campfires, downed power lines or fires caused by vehicles, among other things. Doug Grafe, chief of fire protection at the Oregon Department of Forestry, said he is concerned that winds will pick up in the area and help the Brattain fire spread. Oregon Governor Kate Brown on Monday evening declared the fire an emergency, authorizing the state fire marshals office to help local crews battle the blaze. The Lake County Sheriffs Office has ordered all residents of Paisley to evacuate immediately, as well as residents of the area all the way south to the town of Valley Falls. Residents from Red House Lane along Highway 31 to the intersection with Government Harvey Road are advised to be prepared to leave if necessary. Evacuees can go to the Lake County Fairgrounds in Lakeview, at 1900 North 4th St. The governor has also requested that President Donald Trump issue a presidential disaster declaration for Oregons historic wildfires. This would give Oregon access to more resources including support for search and rescue teams, shelter and medical assistance. The White House previously granted a federal emergency declaration on Thursday. Jayati Ramakrishnan; 503-221-4320; jramakrishnan@oregonian.com; @JRamakrishnanOR Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories. The first thing she does after sitting down at a picnic table outside the Burlington hotel where she lives is pull up pictures of her three kids on her phone. Her children represent the best of her. But theyre also a reminder of what shes lost and what shes still fighting for. The 36-year-old mothers life is a cautionary tale of how quickly someone even with a so-called normal life can fall. And in her most vulnerable moments, she was preyed upon, like far too many young girls and women across the country, by human traffickers. Its so easy, said the woman, who The Spectator is not identifying because of court-ordered publication bans and to protect the identities of two of her children in the care of the Childrens Aid Society. She is keen to tell her story so people have a better sense of what is going on around them. More than once she talks about the importance of owning her story, including her own mistakes. Growing up in Burlington, the woman met her ex-husband when they were teenagers. They got married in their 20s and had a child. She worked full-time at a large retail store. But after her baby was born, she struggled and began self-medicating with alcohol, she said. She would eventually be diagnosed with postpartum depression. Her drinking just got worse. Her then-husband kicked her out of the house, she said. Family, also upset with her behaviour, sided with him. She found herself homeless in Burlington. I would wait at the (Burlington) GO station until the last train of the night and Id sleep in the bathroom, she remembers. She would spend most days at the library. Shed shower in public bathrooms. I became very good at dine and dash ... Im not proud of it, but I had to eat, she said. Her mom would give her money for food occasionally, but for the most part she was alone for months over winter. She and her mom have reconciled and her mom is now a big support as the 36-year-old fights to get her life back on track. Her introduction to the criminal justice system came five years ago when she broke into her parents house while they were away. She was charged with breaking and entering. Since then shes been caught up in the all-too-common pattern of being arrested and sometimes jailed for breaching court orders. She thinks she was at times set up to fail by being released with unattainable conditions, only to be rearrested soon after. She met her trafficker when she was at her lowest point. She spent a rainy night sleeping in a porta-potty behind a Ghent Avenue apartment in central Burlington. The next day she walked up to a random man and asked if she could borrow a lighter to smoke. He brought her back to his truck, they started talking, they drove around all night. At 6 a.m., she said he told her he needed to make a stop to do a chop. Shed never heard the term before, but soon learned it meant to sell drugs. Then he brought her to a friends apartment. There was a couple there. The woman in the apartment told her she worked as an escort and they talked to her about the easy money she could make. When she thinks back on that conversation now she realizes: It was kind of like I was being interviewed. I figured, why not? she said. She was put to work the next morning. But it wasnt like what was promised. She wasnt keeping the money she made. But she was being put up in a hotel. And she was drinking a lot. A week later the couple convinced her that smoking crystal meth would make working better. She could stay awake for days, would feel like shes floating. I was already at rock bottom, she said, so she agreed. She was allowed to book her own calls. But the motel where she was set up cost $100 a day and then there was the expense of the drinking and crystal meth. Thats how they control you, she said of the drugs. Her traffickers told her that after their gas and other expenses, there was no money left for her at the end of the day, she said. At one point she was raped by a friend of her traffickers in a hotel room. The realization she was being used came on her birthday in 2017 a few months after meeting her traffickers when she was left alone for hours in a hot truck in a parking lot. As she waited, it became clear that the man she thought cared for her did not. At one point she was falsely accused of having an affair, was hit with a car and had a gun put in her mouth. But when police showed up she was the one arrested and spent the weekend in jail. She had missed a probation appointment and was wanted for breaching. She was reported missing by family around that time. She called police to say she was OK. Halton police sent two human-trafficking unit detectives to follow up with her. It appeared they were already on to her traffickers. They gave her some safety tips, she recalls. It was a chance meeting that led her to the father of her two younger children. A month after they met, she moved in with him. She said he saved her from human trafficking. He said he just did the right thing by offering her a place to live after realizing what was going on. It took a bit of time to earn her trust, he adds. But together they continued to face a lot of challenges, often fuelled by drinking and getting arrested for breaching release conditions. At one point he was falsely accused of assaulting her she said it was actually another man and this led to no-contact orders imposed by the court. As a result, they went into hiding, at times living in broken down trailers and other unsafe conditions. When her second child was born, she disclosed her past substance abuse and child welfare was called. The baby was taken to a foster home. This happened again when her third child was born. Then the COVID-19 pandemic hit and, in the midst of an alcohol-fuelled fight, the police were called. She was arrested for drinking, which was against a condition on her probation. That fight marked the end of her relationship with the father of her two younger children, although she still thinks of him as a good man who saved her. He has seen the way the justice system treated her both as victim and another as an accused. As a victim she was encouraged and praised for telling the truth about being trafficked, yet it seems that same information is being used against her to stop her from seeing her kids. Three of her traffickers were convicted last year. On May 6, 2019, Laurance Shields pleaded guilty to procuring, unlawful financial benefit from the commission of an offence and fail to comply with bail. He was sentenced to one day in jail and 18 months of probation. Procuring includes recruiting, concealing and exercising control or influence over a person to provide sexual services. On July 18, 2019, Kevin Bandy was found guilty of unlawful financial benefit from the commission of an offence. He was given a suspended sentence, plus 12 months of probation. On Aug. 13, 2019, Lisa Mellegers pleaded guilty to unlawful financial benefit from the commission of an offence. She was handed a suspended sentence, plus 18 months of probation. Several related charges against the trio were withdrawn. Her divorce to her first husband was finalized and she lost custody while she was on the streets and being trafficked. Her middle child has spent too much time in the foster system, is settled with a foster family and will be adopted. But she continues to fight for custody of her youngest and is being supported by her mom. Shes also found good support in some local agencies including the John Howard Society her case worker is helping her with everything from budgeting to looking for a job. Shes on the special priority list for housing in Halton. Shes also dealing with her outstanding breach charges through community treatment court in Burlington. Its an innovative program that sees the courts work with a designated judge and Crown attorney to help people with mental illness or addictions avoid further legal problems. The woman still has a long road ahead, but she says she has to keep fighting for the sake of her children. Her story is also a warning about how prevalent human trafficking is and how easy it is for traffickers to target vulnerable women and girls. I went from being a mom, with a full-time job and a marriage ... I met the guy and he had me working the next morning, she said. Nicole OReilly is a Hamilton-based reporter covering crime and justice for The Spectator. Reach her via email: noreilly@thespec.com Read more about: Washington: As fires raged through the US West Coast, killing at least 35 people and destroying vast tracts of land, Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden labelled Donald Trump a "climate arsonist". Biden's comments came amid jarring scenes as the President, face-to-face with California's governor, dismissed a link between global warming and the worsening fires. Firefighters try to douse flames in Oroville, California, US. Credit:Bloomberg "Donald Trumps climate denial may not have caused the record fires, record floods, and record hurricanes," Biden said in a speech. "But if he gets a second term, these hellish events will become more common, more devastating, and more deadly." Neil Walker has already spent one year in the Bronx. Should Yankees general manager Brian Cashman try to convince him to rejoin them for a postseason run? Introducing Yankees Insider: Get exclusive news, behind-the-scenes observations and the ability to text message directly with beat writers On Monday, the 35-year-old Walker elected to become a free agent after the Phillies designated him for assignment. That means Walker would be free to chase a title anywhere and the Yankees might just have a spot for him. Walker could slide into Mike Fords backup role at first base, providing a boost on defense, coverage at second and third base and a veteran presence. Walkers also a switch-hitter. Walker wasnt in the middle of a particularly good season with Philadelphia, of course. In 18 games, Walker hit just .231 with no homers, three RBI and a .552 OPS. But he was coming off a solid season with the Marlins, where he hit .261 with eight homers and 38 RBI. Walker departed New York following the 2018 season for Miami. Buy Gleyber Torres Yankees gear: Fanatics.com, MLBShop.com, Lids The Yankees, however, could prefer Ford. While he lacks Walkers glove and versatility, hes got more pop and one of the best eyes on the team. That said, it hasnt translated to that much success for the 28-year-old New Jersey native. Struggling to adapt to a part-time role, Ford has hit a paltry .135 with two bombs and 11 RBI in 74 at-bats. Hes hitless for September (0-for-19, 3 walks). Walker was a steadying clubhouse presence for the Yankees in 2018, Aaron Boones first year as manager. He played in three games for the Yankees in that years ALDS loss to the Red Sox. Get Yankees text messages: Cut through the clutter of social media and text during games with beat writers and columnists. Plus, exclusive news and analysis every day. Sign up now. Please subscribe now and support the local journalism YOU rely on and trust. Brendan Kuty may be reached at bkuty@njadvancemedia.com. Tell us your coronavirus story or send a tip here. Health Department officials said, "This flu season is going to be more challenging than ever due to the added risk of COVID-19 in our community. Influenza and COVID-19 are both contagious respiratory illnesses, but they are caused by different viruses. Because some of the symptoms of flu and COVID are similar, it may be hard to tell them apart based on symptoms alone. Your healthcare provider may need to perform a test to confirm a diagnosis. "The CDC estimates that nearly 17 million workdays are lost each year due to the flu, resulting in approximately $10 billion per year in direct medical expenses. "During the 2019-2020 flu season, the CDC estimates there were between 39-56 million cases of flu in the US, resulting in 410,000-740,000 hospitalizations, and between 24,000-62,000 deaths. "The flu vaccine is recommended for all persons aged six months or older who do not have contraindications. Those at highest risk for serious complications from the flu include children under five years, adults 65 years and over, pregnant women and those with preexisting medical conditions or a compromised immune system. "The Hamilton County Health Department urges residents to get the flu vaccine as soon as possible this year. The Health Department will begin to offer the vaccine within the next few weeks at a drive-through 'Point of Dispensing' (POD), but residents should not wait and should get vaccinated sooner rather than later. Detailed information will be forthcoming as the planning is still in progress. The vaccine is presently available at some area pharmacies." Flu vaccine will not be available this year at the Health Departments outlying clinics in Ooltewah, Sequoyah, and Birchwood as they remain temporarily closed due to the COVID response. The Homeless Healthcare Center will continue to serve transient and homeless individuals. It is possible for a person to get both the COVID-19 virus and the influenza virus at the same time or back-to-back, said County Health Officer Dr. Paul Hendricks, You can protect yourself and others from influenza by getting the flu vaccine early this year, wearing a mask, social distancing, washing hands frequently, and staying home if you are sick with any kind of symptoms. The flu vaccine will not prevent COVID-19. According to the CDC, common symptoms shared by COVID and the flu include: Fever or feeling feverish/chills Cough Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing Fatigue (tiredness) Sore throat Runny or stuffy nose Muscle pain of body aches Headache Some people may have vomiting and diarrhea, though this is more common in children than adults. Differences: COVID may include a change in or loss of taste and smell. Additional similarities include: Both COVID and flu spread from person-to-person by respiratory droplets produced when talking, coughing, or sneezing. Close physical contact (e.g., shaking hands) or touching a contaminated surface can transfer the virus. Pre-symptomatic and asymptomatic people are infectious to others. Officials said, "For these reasons, wearing a mask and social distancing will reduce the risk not only of spreading either virus, but also of contracting either virus. Other important prevention tools include frequent handwashing and sanitizing, frequent cleaning of common touch surfaces, and stay at home if you are experiencing any of these symptoms." A more complete list of similarities and differences between COVID and the flu can be found on this CDC website. "This flu season, if you need to see a healthcare provider for any symptoms, call their office first before showing up to ask about COVID protocols," officials said. For more information, call the Health Departments COVID hotline at 423-209-8383 or visit these Health Department resources: Website: http://health.hamiltontn.org/ English Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/HamiltonTNHealthDept/ Spanish Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/SaludHamiltonTN/ Subscribe to the English mailing list: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/j6u3e5 Subscribe to the Spanish mailing list: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/h4c2i4 Twitter: https://twitter.com/HamiltonHealth Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hamiltoncotn_health/ To see it, experts suggest looking to the west after the sun hits below the horizon The planet is usually visible from the southern hemisphere in September Australians will be able to view planet Mercury after sunset on Tuesday night. The planet, which is located closest to the sun, is usually visible from the southern hemisphere in September. Astronomy Australia Communications Manager Romy Pearse encouraged Aussies to head outside this evening to catch a glimpse. 'Because of Mercury's high eccentric orbit and the fact that it's so close to the Sun, we don't often get these early evening views of Mercury,' she told 7NEWS. Mercury, which is located closest to the sun, is usually visible from the southern hemisphere in September Best Mercury viewing times from your city Sydney: 6.11pm Melbourne: 6.39pm Brisbane: 7.17pm Perth: 7.48pm Adelaide: 7.49pm Advertisement To see the planet, which is the smallest in our solar system, Ms Pearse suggested looking to the west just after the sun hits below the horizon. 'To find Mercury, look out for a bright star near the horizon, right above where the Sun has just disappeared,' she said. 'There will be another bright star in the sky in the North West, which is Arcturus. People may think this is Mercury, but to avoid that confusion, make sure you are looking at the bright star closest to the point where the Sun just went down, and that will be Mercury.' Sighting times will differ around the country. The best time for Sydneysiders will be 6.11pm, while Melbournians should look out their windows at 6.39pm. 'It will be visible until just before 8pm, before it dips below the horizon,' Ms Pearse said. Best viewing times in Brisbane is 7.17pm, while Perth is 7.48pm. The settlement will be accompanied by reforms of the Louisville Metro Police Department, including a requirement that commanders approve search warrants before they are put to a judge, Fischer said at a news conference, alongside Taylor's family. "I'm deeply, deeply sorry for Breonna's death," Fischer told reporters. "My administration is not waiting to move ahead with needed reforms to prevent a tragedy like this from ever happening again." Taylor's death, alongside that of George Floyd, a Black man killed in May by a white Minneapolis police officer who knelt on his neck, gave rise to one of the largest protest movements in U.S. history, with daily demonstrations in cities ever since. Taylor, a 26-year-old emergency medical technician, was killed on March 13 when Louisville police forced their way into her apartment shortly after midnight using a so-called 'no-knock' arrest warrant that did not require them to announce themselves. Advertisement In June, the police department fired one of the three officers involved, detective Brett Hankison, who is white, for displaying "extreme indifference to the value of human life" when he fired ten bullets into Taylor's apartment. The two other officers have been reassigned to administrative duties. None of the three has been criminally charged, but the Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron, a Black Republican, is expected to bring the case before a grand jury this week, according to local media reports. A spokesman for the Louisville Metro Police Department declined to comment, referring questions to the mayor's office. ANN ARBOR, Mich., Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Kumanu, a next-generation wellbeing technology company creating scalable, digital mental health solutions, announced today that Vic Strecher (PhD, MPH) will receive the Mark Dundon research award at this year's virtual HEROForum20 . "I'm honored to earn this recognition, and to share it with a legacy of innovative researchers who have had a shared vision to advance employee health and wellbeing," said Vic Strecher, University of Michigan Professor and Founder of Kumanu. Dr. Strecher will join other luminaries in leading a session at this year's event discussing "Innovations in Measures That Guide and Advance Collective Wellbeing." Chief Innovation Officer, Eric Zimmerman, will lead a panel session at the event on September 23rd, joined by Kumanu clients Kate Sommerfeld from ProMedica, Elizabeth Finkle from University of Delaware, and Ian Stuart, from Coursera: "What's Purpose Got to Do With It? Catalyzing Connection and Results." Panelists will share lessons learned and real-world results in their efforts to create purpose-centered employee experience, stronger emotional wellbeing, and to meet unmet needs around Social Determinants of Health. "Now, more than ever, our country needs insights into the impact of group dynamics and social connectedness, as we collectively navigate a viral pandemic and social injustice," said Karen Moseley, president of HERO. "This year's Forum will delve into how groups, organizations, and our social spheres shape our destiny as individuals and communities. Those lessons take on added meaning in an environment where the COVID-19 pandemic and issues of racial equality are at the top of everyone's mind." For more information or to register for the HERO Forum, visit www.hero-health.org or call HERO at 952-835-4257. About Kumanu Kumanu builds bigger lives, stronger organizations, and healthier communities by creating better alignment with purpose. Organizations use Kumanu's platform as a transformational and integrative element in their digital mental health and emotional wellbeing strategies. Kumanu's PurposeCloud fuses the latest neuroscience research with behavior design principles and machine learning to make it easier for individuals to be their best each day, increase resilience, and achieve lasting emotional wellbeing. The outcome: healthier, more purposeful organizations that produce better business results. Brian McCormick Director, Marketing 734-822-6662 SOURCE Kumanu Related Links kumanu.com Bangladeshs Foreign Ministry has summoned Myanmars ambassador to protest unusual troop movements near its southeastern borders, where refugee camps house close to 1 million Rohingya refugees who fled Myanmar, authorities said Monday. Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and foreign ministry officials said authorities in the region had noted unusual numbers of Myanmar security forces since early Friday, at several points near the border, including in civilian ships. Large ships can be seen in Myanmar waters. Law enforcers are on high alert in this island, Nur Ahmed, chairman of St. Martins Union Council, told BenarNews by telephone. St. Martins island in the Bay of Bengal is a top tourist attraction in the Coxs Bazar region. The unusual troop movements without any prior notice have caused Bangladesh border guards to go on alert. We have confirmed that there was suspicious movement and presence of Myanmar troops in their area, Lt Col. Ali Haider Azad Ahmed, commander of the BGB unit in Coxs Bazar, told BenarNews. So we have intensified all activities including patrolling. Everyone has been kept on alert at the border. If anything happens, including new infiltrations, it will be prevented, he said. A Bangladesh foreign ministry official, meanwhile, reached out to his Myanmar counterpart. We called in the Myanmar envoy and expressed our concerns. He was asked to convey our message to the appropriate authorities, Md Delwar Hossain, director-general of the Myanmar cell at Bangladeshs foreign ministry, told BenarNews. A Rohingya camp leader in Teknaf district the southernmost tip of Bangladesh, which lies across the Naf River from Myanmars Rakhine state told BenarNews that camp residents noticed Myanmar troops setting up seven or eight tents. There has been an increase in traffic at the border for two days. It could not be confirmed whether they were police or army members, but the residents of the Rohingya camp are afraid of this, Mohammad Nur, a camp leader, told BenarNews. In southeastern Bangladesh, refugee camps house about 1 million Rohingya, including more than 740,000 who fled from Myanmars Rakhine state amid a brutal military crackdown that began on Aug. 25, 2017, in the wake of attacks by Rohingya insurgents on police outposts that killed 9. Shahriar Alam, Bangladeshs state minister for foreign affairs, told the BBC on Monday that Myanmar officials had not informed their Bangladesh counterparts about the troop mobilizations, despite an agreement to do so. [T]he Myanmar army has increased the number of troops in several places near the border with Bangladesh using civilian boats, he told the British media. Whatever happens in these cases, there is a rule for neighboring states to notify the other side if they take action against any internal insurgency. But they did it without informing us. Thats why we informed the embassy here. A professor at Jahangirnagar University in Dhaka said the troop movements could be part of an effort to keep Rohingya out of Myanmar. Myanmar has been trying to totally eradicate the Rohingya from Rakhine state from the beginning. The new army deployment may be a part of that effort, Dr. Tareque Shamsur Rehman told BenarNews. They are adamant they will not take back the Rohingya despite directives of the International Court of Justice and the pressure from the United Nations. They will continue to do so, as long as the Western world does not impose economic sanctions on Myanmar, he said. 15.09.2020 LISTEN 14th September 2020, Johannesburg, South Africa; The UKs Comic Relief and the US-based Conrad N. Hilton Foundation are the latest funders to join Africa No Filter (ANF) a donor collaborative working to change harmful and stereotypical narratives about and within Africa. Both organisations join existing partners Ford Foundation, Bloomberg, Mellon Foundation, Luminate and Open Society Foundations to fund an ambitious program influencing how the world sees Africa and how Africa sees itself. All seven funders have committed to a minimum of two years to capitalise the organisation which is led by recently appointed Executive Director Moky Makura, who left the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to head up the initiative. Despite the Covid-19 Pandemic, which has seen many funders divert resources to rapid response initiatives linked to the pandemic, Africa No Filters funders remain committed to the program. Many Africans speak about the urgent need for narrative change but there is little evidence of a deliberate and coordinated attempt to do this work. This is exactly what Africa No Filter was set updo, so I am pleased to see new funders coming on board to support us, said Moky Makura. The Hilton Foundation and Comic Relief, like our existing funders are progressive partners who understand that the success of their work on the continent is underpinned by our ability as Africans to believe in ourselves and not in the stereotypical harmful narratives that bring us down. Stories of poverty, poor leadership, corruption, conflict and disease are the enduring stories told about and within the continent, leading to narratives of an Africa, and a people that are broken, lack agency and are in constant need of help. Although the continent has been highlighted as an emerging destination for investment, with high GDP growth rates, an increase in peaceful elections, stability, falling poverty and the spread of technology, more needs to be done to ensure these stories break through and that Africa is presented in a more nuanced and contextualised way that reflects the continent today. With a clear but ambitious mission, Africa No Filters priorities include: Research to unpack narratives, quantify impact and elevate our advocacy because there has been limited analysis about prevailing narratives good and bad, what stories feed them, where they come from and how widespread they are. Build, support and connect the ecosystem of organisations working to shift narratives Crowd in new and more contemporary stories by supporting storytellers in the arts, culture and media sectors Disrupt harmful narratives and position ANF as the watchdog for narratives on and about the continent Both the Hilton Foundation and Comic Relief believe strongly in the power of collaboration; that funders working together can yield better results. They are also aware that the scale of the challenge and ambition around narrative change work in Africa needs multiple supporters hence their commitment to joining the collaborative. Shaheen Kassim-Lakha, director of strategic partnerships at the Hilton Foundation, said, We are excited to be part of this movement supporting contemporary, contextualised and nuanced storytelling about Africa. We believe ANFs research, grantmaking and advocacy around narrative will lay the groundwork for increased optimism and confidence in Africas future. This will only unlock better outcomes for the programs we fund across the continent. Dilhani Wijeyesekera, Head of Influence at Comic Relief added; Storytelling is at the core of the work we do to at Comic Relief, and we are keen to support and learn from Africa No Filters approach and insights. We know that existing narratives about Africa can be harmful and we are proud to support an initiative like ANF that is tackling these issues. About Africa No Filter Africa No Filter is a donor collaborative thats working to shift stereotypical and harmful narratives within and about Africa. Through research, grant making and advocacy our objective is to build the field of narrative change makers by supporting storytellers, investing in media platforms and driving disruption campaigns. ANFs goal over time is to leave an empowered narrative change ecosystem and an informed community of storytellers who work more deliberately to change harmful narratives within and about Africa. The donor collaborative is funded by Ford Foundation, Bloomberg, Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, Luminate, Open Society Foundations, Comic Relief and the Hilton Foundation. www.Africanofilter.org About the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation The Conrad N. Hilton Foundation was created in 1944 by international business pioneer Conrad N. Hilton, who founded Hilton Hotels and left his fortune to help individuals throughout the world living in poverty and experiencing disadvantage. The Foundation invests in 11 program areas, including providing access to safe water, supporting transition age foster youth, ending chronic homelessness, hospitality workforce development, disaster relief and recovery, helping young children affected by HIV and AIDS, and supporting the work of Catholic sisters. In addition, following selection by an independent international jury, the Foundation annually awards the $2.5 million Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Prize to a non-profit organization doing extraordinary work to reduce human suffering. From its inception, the Foundation has awarded more than $1.8 billion in grants, distributing $110 million in the U.S. and around the world in 2019. Foundation assets increased from approximately $2.9 billion to $6.6 billion following the 2019 passing of Barron Hilton who, like his father, pledged virtually his entire estate to the Foundation. www.hiltonfoundation.org About Comic Relief Comic Relief raises money to support people living incredibly tough lives in the UK and around the world. Through humour and stories of hope, weve shown that people can make a massive difference helping over 98 million people and totalling 1.3 billion pounds We fund hundreds of amazing organisations who are working on the ground to support the most vulnerable people and communities in society including many of those hardest hit by the coronavirus crisis. This includes supporting children to survive and thrive, a safe place to be, mental health and gender justice. www.comicrelief.com Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-14 01:32:38|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close RABAT, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) -- Morocco announced on Sunday 2,251 new COVID-19 infections, taking the tally in the North African country since March 2 to 86,686. The number of recoveries from the coronavirus in Morocco increased to 67,528 after 1,661 more were added, while the death toll rose by 25 to 1,578, the ministry of health said in a statement. Meanwhile, 266 patients are in intensive care units. China has helped Morocco in its fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. A batch of medical supplies donated by the government of northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region was transported on June 8 to Casablanca-Settat in Morocco. On May 14, China Development Bank sent a batch of donation, including respirators and medical protective masks, to help Morocco fight the COVID-19 pandemic. China's Guizhou Province also donated 15,000 surgical gloves, 20,000 medical masks and 2,000 protective suits to help protect Moroccan medical workers fighting the pandemic. Enditem Pati Jinich, right, with Mayte Lopez, left, at Hacienda Del Labrador outside of Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico Pati Jinich helps us understand Mexico, Mexicans in the US, and how much our two cultures enrich each other like only someone who has lived in both countries can. Chef, cookbook author and TV host Pati Jinich is back with a new season of the three-time James Beard Award-winning and Emmy-nominated TV series Patis Mexican Table, premiering on PBS and public TV stations nationwide on October 3. In season nine, Jinich ventures to a region of Mexico unfamiliar not only to most Americans, but to the rest of Mexico as well Sonora, Mexicos Great Frontier. "Pati Jinich helps us understand Mexico, Mexicans in the US, and how much our two cultures enrich each other like only someone who has lived in both countries can, and she does it with so much joy, says John F. Wilson, Senior Vice President and Chief National Content Officer for National Productions at WETA Washington, D.C. This is why viewers keep wanting more of 'Pati's Mexican Table.'" In the premiere episode, we tag along as a visit to Don Guerras bakery in Tucson, Ariz., prompts Jinich and her crew to follow the trail of the heritage wheat Guerra uses back to the wheat fields near Ciudad Obregon, in Sonora, Mexico. From there, they continue to explore Mexicos second-largest state. Described as the big wide open and a place where the desert meets the sea by locals, Sonora borders Arizona to the north and has a coastline extending 507 miles along the Sea of Cortez. As they drive north to south, Jinich takes us on a journey to help untangle the complexities of this region impacted by many misconceptions associated with border states. The scenery is beautiful and reminiscent of the American wild west with a rugged landscape, stunning sunsets, and cattle ranches, says series director Dan Connell. It will remind viewers of old Western films. Jinich, a Mexico City native who has lived in the U.S. for 20 years, has been dedicated to sharing the cuisine and culture of her home country. She says Sonora and Arizona seem to have more in common with each other than with other states in their own countries. With their shared ancestry, history and geography, it is fascinating to see how Arizona and Sonora share so many living, breathing and evolving bonds, many of which can be experienced through food, says Jinich. Sonorans are proud of the ingredients produced from their land, and the gateway for those ingredients to the U.S. is through Arizona. Over a third of the beef exported to the U.S. from Mexico comes from Sonora, and they are now the countrys second-largest producer of pork. In addition to wheat, Sonora grows 90% of Mexicos table grapes and is the largest producer of asparagus in the country. The flour tortilla, beloved both in Arizona and Sonora, gets a full treatment in the series. Considered by many as not true Mexican food, or an Americanized Mexican tortilla, we learn flour is a pillar of Sonoras economy. Flour tortillas have been ingrained in northern Mexican cuisine for over 500 years and are a way of life. As Jinich and her crew meet locals along the way, they learn the ways of Sonorans. The Sonoran people are blunt and transparent yes is yes and no is no, which is so refreshing, says Jinich. They also share the values of all Mexicans, very family-oriented, hospitable, warm, generous and hard-working. Once you become a friend, you become part of their family. Jinich also shows us how Sonorans use simple, rustic techniques to make their ingredients shine without laborious, complicated methods or heavy seasoning. She returns home with newfound knowledge and a collection of Sonoran recipes she thoughtfully re-creates onscreen, inviting viewers into her home kitchen to learn and reproduce the meals in their own kitchens. There are recipes that viewers in the U.S. will find familiar, such as carne con chile burritos, chiles rellenos, refried beans, shredded beef chimichangas, and chile and cheese tamales. But, there are also plenty of traditional recipes that have yet to cross the border in a big way like the northern Mexican seafood dish pescado zarandeado, the rich chicken stew known as gallina pinta, the layered seafood tostadas cachoreadas, the empanada-like cookies called coyotas, and many more that are ready to become new household favorites. Patis Mexican Table is a co-production of WETA Washington, D.C., Mexican Table LLC, and FRANK. Past seasons are available for on-demand viewing through Amazon Prime. About Pati Jinich: Mexico City native, Pati Jinich is the James Beard and Gracie Award-winning host of Patis Mexican Table PBS television series, now on its ninth season. Jinch is resident chef of the Mexican Cultural Institute in Washington, D.C., and author of two cookbooks, Patis Mexican Table: The Secrets of Real Mexican Home Cooking and Mexican Today: New and Rediscovered Recipes for the Contemporary Kitchen. Her third cookbook will be published fall 2021. The Council of the Americas named Jinich one of the Top 5 Border Ambassadors, who have performed outstanding work bringing the United States and Mexico closer together. She was recognized with the Keeper of the American Dream award by the National Immigration Forum for contributing to the well-being of and advocating for the value of immigrants to the nation. She was named one of the 100 Greatest Cooks of All Time by Epicurious. She lives in Chevy Chase, Md., with her family. About WETA: WETA Washington, D.C., is one of the largest producing stations of new content for public television in the United States. WETA productions and co-productions include PBS NewsHour, Washington Week, The Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize, The Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song, and documentaries by Ken Burns and Henry Louis Gates, Jr. Sharon Percy Rockefeller is president and CEO. More information on WETA at weta.org. About FRANK.: FRANK. is a multi-faceted production company that focuses on non-scripted television and digital content. Award-winning producers Dan Connell and Pasquale DeFazio have decades of combined experience in creating and producing a variety of highly acclaimed culinary, travel and lifestyle programming. On Labor Day, Josie Silva reeled in a 9-foot female tiger shark. The 37-year-old told mySA.com she caught the estimated 300-pound shark around 7:30 p.m. from the shoreline near Bob Hall Pier in Corpus Christi, close to mile marker 300 on the beach. Silva, who is from Orange Grove about 38 miles west of Corpus Christi, also said it was a personal record. Watch: Man drives through group of downtown San Antonio protesters The fisherwoman said the fight between her and the shark lasted about 45 minutes, adding it was a tough catch due to the weight of the shark. "It was really hard. I'm not going to lie," she said. "She was really heavy. My rod was completely bowed over several times during the fight." After Silva reeled in the tiger shark, she measured it and walked it back out to the ocean for release. Typically, anglers tag their catches for the Texas Shark Rodeo. However, Silva said it was too dark for her to tag her catch safely that evening. Texas Shark Rodeo is a voluntary year-long competition that allows fishermen to gain points based on the sharks and species they catch. The data from each catch goes to the Harte Research Institute at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. Silva, who is part of Team 3rd Coast Beach Bums, has been fishing for sharks for about a year and a half and says the feeling she gets when she makes a catch is one of the reasons she keeps doing it. READ ALSO: 'We landed a river monster': San Antonio anglers catch 6 1/2-foot alligator gar at area lake "When you hear that clicking sound from when a shark clicks on, it's a rush," she said. "Your adrenaline is going and your game face turns on. It's just an amazing feeling overall." Silva said she caught the tiger shark from a rod she built herself, which made it even more special. Priscilla Aguirre is a general assignment reporter for MySA.com | priscilla.aguirre@express-news.net | @CillaAguirre By Express News Service NEW DELHI: SaveLife Foundation, in collaboration with Dr Lal Pathlabs, has donated over 5000 oximeters to the Delhi government. The donation was made at Delhi Health Minister Satyender Jains residence. The onset of Covid-19 and surge in demand for emergency care has strained the existing healthcare infrastructure and highlighted the need for innovative solutions that would provide urgent relief to Delhis population while building capacity for the State to handle abnormal health events in the future, Piyush Tewari, founder and CEO of SaveLife Foundation said. For patients in home isolation, especially older individuals and those at increased risk because of medical conditions, a pulse oximeter comes handy for monitoring oxygen levels. As per the current home-isolation guidelines, an asymptomatic COVID-positive person below 55 years and with no co-morbidities is required to report to the home isolation call centre, if they have abnormal oxygen saturation levels or high temperature. With a rising number of Covid-19 cases, it is highly critical that we enable citizens of the country with the knowledge to fight this infectious disease. We are determined to play our part in making India a healthier nation, Dr Arvind Lal, Chairman and Managing Director, Dr Lal Pathlabs said. Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday asserted that China is in unauthorized occupation of about 38,000 square km of land in Ladakh, adding that its action shows its disregard towards our various bilateral agreements. Speaking in Lok Sabha, Singh stated that under a so-called Boundary-Agreement in 1963, Pakistan illegally handed over 5,180 square km of Indian land of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) to China. "As this House is aware, China is in unauthorized occupation of about 38,000 square km of land in Ladakh. Also, under a so-called Boundary-Agreement in 1963, Pakistan illegally handed over 5180 square km of Indian land of PoK to China. China's action shows its disregard towards our various bilateral agreements. The deployment of large amounts of troops by China is a violation of the 1993 and 1996 agreement," said the Defence Minister. Live TV Singh also stated that respect and strict adherence to the Line of Actual Control (LAC) is the basis for peace and harmony in the border areas, and is explicitly accepted in the 1993 and 1996 agreements. "While our armed forces fully follow it, it has not happened from the Chinese side," said the Defence Minister. "As of now, the Chinese side has mobilized a large number of troops and ammunition in the LAC and interior areas. East Ladakh and Gogra, Kongka La and Pangong Lake have several friction areas on North and South Banks," he said. "India is committed to resolving the current issues in border areas through peaceful dialogue and consultation. To achieve this objective, I met my Chinese counterpart in Moscow on 4 September and we had an in-depth discussion with them. I clearly put our concerns before the Chinese side, which was concerned with the deployment of large numbers of troops, aggressive behaviour and unilaterally changing the status quo (which violated bilateral agreements)," said the Defence Minister. "The House must remain confident that our armed forces will face this challenge successfully, and we are proud of them for this. The situation that persists now involves sensitive operational issues. So, I would not like to reveal more details about this. In response to China's action, our armed forces have also made appropriate counter deployments in these areas so that India's security interests are fully protected," he added. The Defence Minister highlighted that while "these discussions were going on, provocative military action was taken from China on the night of August 29-30, which was an attempt to change the status quo in Pangong Lake's South Bank area". He added that these efforts did not succeed due to firm actions. He said, "As we seek to resolve the current situation through dialogue, we have maintained diplomatic and military engagement with the Chinese side. Three key principles determine our approach in these discussions: i) Both parties should respect and strictly follow the LAC; (ii) Neither party should attempt to violate the status quo on its behalf; And (iii) All agreements and understandings between the two sides should be fully adhered to." Advertisement President Donald Trump on Tuesday hailed the 'dawn of a new Middle East' when he presided over the signing of historic diplomatic deals between Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain in a deal designed to boost his reputation as a statesman. 'We're here this afternoon to change the course of history. After decades of division and conflict we mark up the dawn of a new Middle East. Thanks to the great courage of the leaders of these three countries. We take a major stride toward a future in which people of all faiths and backgrounds live together in peace and prosperity,' Trump said in his remarks. The president said more nations will follow suit in signing the accord that normalizes relations between the Jewish state and the Arab nations. Later in the day, as he left the White House to travel to Philadelphia, he said he believed Saudi Arabia would too. 'These agreements prove that the nations of the region are breaking free from the failed approaches of the past. Today signing sets history on a new course. And there will be other countries very very soon, that will follow these great leaders,' the president said. Trump emphasized the historic nature of the agreement. 'Today the world sees that they're choosing cooperation over conflict. Friendship over emnity, prosperity over poverty, and hope over despair. They are choosing a future in which Arabs and Israelis Muslims, Jews and Christians could live together pray together, and dream together side by side in harmony community and peace,' he said. Earlier he described it as: 'This is peace in the Middle East without blood all over the sand.' Bahrain Foreign Minister Abdullatif al-Zayani, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Donald Trump and UAE Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al-Nahyan sign the Abraham Accords to normalize relations between the Israeli state and Arab nations Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Donald Trump, Bahrain Foreign Minister Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa and United Arab Emirates Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nahyan Abraham wave after the signing ceremony The four leaders hold up the signed copies of the Abraham Accords - they signed one in English, one in Hebrew and two in Arabic President Donald Trump hands his signing pen over Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's shoulder President Donald Trump speaks as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, UAE Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al-Nahyan and Bahrain Foreign Minister Abdullatif al-Zayani listen before they participate in the signing of the Abraham Accords Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, UAE Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al-Nahyan and Bahrain Foreign Minister Abdullatif al-Zayani applaud at the ceremony President Donald Trump and Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu on the balcony at the White House The signing ceremony took place on the South Lawn of the White House Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, left, Vice President Mike Pence, President Donald Trump, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, White House senior adviser Jared Kushner, and Ivanka Trump, the daughter and assistant to President Donald Trump, are seated for a lunch in the State Dining Room after the signing ceremony And the other versions: The document between Israel and the United Arab Emirates The version between Israel and Bahrain Trump, speaking as he left the White House, was asked if Saudi Arabia would join. It is the home of Islam's two holiest places, and has been implacably opposed to Israel since its foundation. But Trump said: 'I spoke with the king of Saudi Arabia. 'I do think they will come in, yes, I do. This is a very big and historic moment.' The country offered little public reaction on the deal with a statement from its cabinet saying it supported the Palestinian people and wanted a two-state solution with East Jerusalem as the capital. Although that would on the face of it prevent Saudi Arabia signing up to the recognition deal, it did not rule out some way of doing so. 'The cabinet notes that the kingdom stands by the Palestinian people and supports all efforts aimed at reaching a just and comprehensive solution to the Palestinian issue that enables the Palestinian people to establish their independent Palestinian state on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, in accordance with international legitimacy decisions and the Arab Peace Initiative,' the statement said. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the agreement will bring economic benefits to the region and it could end the Arab-Israeli conflict. 'The blessings of the peace we make today will be enormous. First, because this peace will eventually expand to include other Arab states. And ultimately, it can end the Arab-Israeli conflict, once and for all,' he said. 'Second, because the great economic benefits of our partnership will be felt throughout our region. And they will reach every one of our citizens. And third, because this is not only a peace between leaders. It's a peace between people,' he added. United Arab Emirates Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nahyan said the deal was a sign of the change of heart taking place in the Middle East. 'We are already witnessing a change in the heart of the Middle East, a change that will send hope, around the world,' he said. Each of the four leaders signed four copies of the Abraham Accords - one in English, one in Hebrew and two in Arabic. The leaders also signed a a treaty of peace, diplomatic relations and full normalization and a declaration of peace - three copies of each were signed, one in English, one in Arabic and one in Hebrew. During the signing, the leaders helped one another find the proper place on the document to ink their name. The signing took place on the Lee Dining Room Table from Blair House. President Trump held weekly luncheon meetings with his cabinet at this dining room table. The table has also served new and former First Families when they stay at Blair House for inaugurations and state funerals. Ahead of the ceremony President Trump held separate meetings in the Oval Office with Netanyahu and bin Zayed al-Nahyan. 'Being the first was very important that you be the first for us because you are leading a path, leading a way, it is something people were very surprised,' Trump told bin Zayed al-Nahyan. In their sit down, Trump gave Netanyahu a golden key to the White House as a token of his appreciation. 'This was a special token of affection given by myself and the first lady to prime minister and the first lady of Israel and it's a key. We call it a key to the White House. It is a key to our country and to our hearts,' Trump told him. 'You have a key to the hearts of the Jewish people,' Netanyahu told the president in response. The president said more Gulf nations were preparing to sign similar deals to the one being inked on the South Lawn Tuesday - but he didn't offer hints as to which ones those may be. 'We're very far down the road with 5 additional countries,' he said. UAE Foreign Affairs Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, Bahrain Foreign Affairs Minister Sheikh Khalid Bin Ahmed Al-Khalifa, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Donald Trump at the signing ceremony President Donald Trump gives a golden key to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the Oval Office ahead of Tuesday's signing ceremony President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump welcome Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife Sara to the White House for the signing ceremony White House senior advisers Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump listen as President Donald Trump meets with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the Oval Office President Donald Trump will preside over the signing of historic diplomatic deals between Israel, United Arab Emirates and Bahrain - above he welcomes Minister of Foreign Affairs for the Kingdom of Bahrain Shaikh Khalid Bin Ahmed Bin Mohamed Al Khalifa to the White House President Donald Trump meets with United Arab Emirates Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nahyan in the Oval Office The word 'Peace' is seen in Hebrew, Arabic and English on a municipality building in Tel Aviv Tuesday's deal could herald a dramatic shift in Middle East power dynamics and give him a boost ahead of the November election. And Trump, showing off his presidential statesmanship, hosted more than 800 guests Tuesday on the South Lawn to witness the sealing of the agreements between Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. Row after row of white chairs were on the South Lawn Tuesday morning, lined up together with no social distancing in between them. Few in the crowd wore face masks The White House said masks will be encouraged at the event. 'The e-mail that went out for all invitees was an encouragement to wear a mask,' a senior administration official said on a call with reporters Monday. 'We're not going to require anybody to do so. But, you know, the Israelis and the Emiratis and Bahrainis are all taking it seriously.'' Masks are not required, however. 'But, ultimately, it's not going to be required and it will be on the South Lawn, which is obviously a pretty vast space. We're expecting, though, a few hundred people, but it is our intention to keep it as distanced as possible, understanding the constraints and the time. So, yeah, we're going to encourage people to wear masks, but ultimately it's their choice,' the official said. The president has been nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize for his administration's work on the deal. 'Today I'm doing a great deal with Israel. Israel, the UAE, and Bahrain. Everyone said it was impossible,' Trump said Tuesday morning on 'Fox & Friends.' 'No matter what you do with some of the fake news, doesn't make any difference. This one is great. This one's sort of interesting. And I don't say this in a braggadocios way, but I get nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize twice last week on two different deals. The other was Kosovo, Serbia. But I get nominated for that and this -- in this case Israel, it wasn't even on the nightly news,' he said. Trump and his allies hope the signing ceremony will burnish the president's credentials as a peacemaker at the height of his reelection campaign. 'A lot of people said when President Trump was elected that he'd be bringing war and chaos. But what he's bringing today is peace. And, you know, thanks to the efforts here, President Trump has been nominated now for two Nobel peace prizes for his efforts, and we're seeing these countries come together,' Trumps son-in-law and senior adviser, Jared Kushner, who led the negotiations said, Tuesday morning on NBC's 'Today Show.' President Trump told Netanyahu the key was to the White House, the country and to our hearts First lady Melania Trump joined President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu in the Oval Guests on the South Lawn of the White House for the signing ceremony Sara Netanyahu, wife of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and first lady Melania Trump arrive for the signing ceremony Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair attended the signing Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump arrive on the South Lawn for the signing ceremony Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Emirati and Bahraini foreign ministers signed the deals before the crowd, which included representatives of supporting nations from the Washington-based diplomatic corps but few other dignitaries from overseas. Several lawmakers were in attendance. Most of them were Republicans - including Utah Senator Mitt Romney who has clashed with the president in the past - and a few Democrats, including House Foreign Affairs Chairman Eliot Engel. In addition to the individual bilateral agreements signed by Israel, the UAE and Bahrain, all three signed a trilateral document. The agreements are dubbed the 'Abraham Accords' after the patriarch of the worlds three major monotheistic religions. Trump signed as a witness. The agreements won't end active wars but will rather formalize the normalization of the Jewish states already warming relations with the two countries. And, while not addressing the longstanding Israeli-Palestinian conflict, they may pave the way for a broader Arab-Israeli rapprochement after decades of enmity, a pair of wars and only two previous peace deals. Skeptics, including many longtime Mideast observers, analysts, experts and former officials, have expressed doubts about the impact of the deals and lamented that they ignore the Palestinians, who have rejected them as a stab in the back by fellow Arabs. Yet even the harshest critics have allowed that they could usher in a seismic shift in the region should other Arab nations, particularly Saudi Arabia, follow suit, with implications for Iran, Syria and Lebanon. Other Arab countries believed to be close to recognizing Israel include Oman, Sudan and Morocco. 'These agreements are a huge accomplishment for the countries involved and have led to a tremendous sense of hope and optimism in the region,' Kushner said. 'Instead of focusing on past conflicts, people are now focused on creating a vibrant future filled with endless possibilities.' As for the Palestinians, 'they have an offer on the table,' Kushner told ABC's 'Good Morning America.' 'At some point when they decide they want to live better lives, I believe theyll engage. But you know we cant want peace for them, for their people, more than they want it themselves.' Tuesday's ceremony follows months of intricate diplomacy headed by Kushner and Trump's envoy for international negotiations, Avi Berkowitz, that first bore fruit Aug. 13 when the Israel-UAE deal was announced. That was followed by the first direct commercial flight between the countries, and then the Sept. 11 announcement of the Bahrain-Israel agreement. 'A lot of people said when President Trump was elected that he'd be bringing war and chaos. But what he's bringing today is peace,' Trumps son-in-law and senior adviser, Jared Kushner, who led the negotiations said, Tuesday morning on NBC's 'Today Show' The ceremony on the South Lawn will host more than 700 people with little social distancing A senior administration official said people will be encouraged - but not required - to wear face masks at the signing ceremony The specific contents of the individual documents to be signed were not known ahead of the ceremony. While officials said they would hew closely to the joint statements issued when the deals were first announced, it remained unclear if the agreements would require further action by the three governments or what binding obligations they would commit each to enforcing. A senior White House official said Monday the UAE-Israel agreement would be longer and more detailed than the Bahrain agreement because there had been more time to finalize it. Still, the lack of clarity even a day before the ceremony has raised some suspicions about the durability of the agreements. Even in Israel, where the accords have received widespread acclaim, there is concern that that they might result in U.S. sales of sophisticated weaponry to the UAE and Bahrain, thus potentially upsetting Israel's qualitative military edge in the region. Meanwhile, a politically vulnerable Netanyahu is facing questions about appearing at such a large event just days after he announced a new nationwide lockdown to fight a surge in coronavirus cases that will impose severe restrictions on movement and gatherings. The White House is encouraging those attending Tuesday's ceremony to wear masks. And while the UAE and Bahrain have a history of suppressing dissent and critical public opinion, there have been indications that the agreements are not nearly as popular or well-received as in Israel. For one, neither country is sending its head of state or government to sign the deals with Netanyahu. Bahrains largest Shiite-dominated opposition group, Al-Wefaq, which the government ordered dissolved in 2016 amid a yearslong crackdown on dissent, said there is widespread rejection in the country of normalization. Al-Wefaq said in a statement that it joins other Bahrainis who categorically reject the agreement to normalize ties with the 'Zionist entity,' and criticized the government for crushing the publics ability to express opinions 'to obscure the extent of discontent' at normalization. In the UAE, there has been speculation that Abu Dhabis Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed, widely seen as the countrys day-to-day leader and architect of the Emirati push to improve relations with Israel, is steering clear of the signing ceremony. Although Emirati protocol dictates that the foreign minister and not the crown prince of a specific emirate be dispatched to represent the country in lieu of the UAEs president, whos rarely been seen in public since suffering a stroke more than six years ago, there's speculation the crown prince is not attending the White House ceremony for political reasons. He may not want to be seen throwing too much of his support behind Trump weeks ahead of a U.S. presidential election in which the outcome is far from certain. While the pageantry of the White House signing ceremony offers Trump and Netanyahu a political triumph, Prince Mohammed faces neither reelection pressures nor protests at home. The Emiratis may also be wary of appearing too close to Netanyahu, who publicly stated in August his opposition to the sale of U.S.-made F-35 stealth fighter jets to the UAE. While the UAE has said that Israel not moving ahead with plans to annex West Bank settlements is a cornerstone of the agreement, Netanyahu has insisted that annexation is only suspended and remains on the table. Former advisor to President Donald Trump, Roger Stone, arrives at the E. Barrett Prettyman United States Courthouse, in Washington, on February 20, 2020. (Mark Wilson/Getty Images) Justice Department Watchdog Probing Handling of Stone Sentencing The Justice Department has launched an internal inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the handling of the criminal case of Roger Stone, former political adviser to President Donald Trump. The probe by the departments inspector general will reportedly look into Attorney General William Barrs February decision to override a sentencing recommendation for Stone made by rank-and-file prosecutors. The prosecutors recommended a sentence of seven to nine years in prison for Stone, but the department later filed another recommendation asking for a lighter sentence. The DOJs Office of the Inspector General would not confirm or deny the existence of any ongoing investigation to The Epoch Times. Meanwhile, DOJ spokeswoman Kerri Kupec told media outlets that they welcome the review. She did not immediately respond to The Epoch Times request for comment. The revelation of the inquiry was reported earlier on Monday by NBC, citing anonymous sources. The report claims that the inquiry was triggered by the testimony of Aaron Zelinsky, who testified before Congress in June, and will focus on the events in February. The Epoch Times cannot independently verify these claims. Zelinsky, one of the four prosecutors who withdrew from the case, told the House Judiciary Committee that the U.S. attorney in charge of the case, Tim Shea, was receiving heavy pressure from the highest levels of the Department of Justice to cut Stone a break, and that the U.S. Attorneys sentencing instructions to us were based on political considerations. He also testified how the DOJ was exerting significant pressure on the line prosecutors in the case to obscure the correct Sentencing Guidelines calculation to which Roger Stone was subjectand to water down and in some cases outright distort the events that transpired in his trial and the criminal conduct that gave rise to his conviction, according to his opening statement. At the time, the DOJ disputed Zelinskys account, saying that Zelinsky, who did not have any discussions with any member of political leadership about the sentencing, had based his allegations on his own interpretation of events and hearsay (at best), not first-hand knowledge. Roger Stone, former adviser to President Donald Trump, departs the E. Barrett Prettyman United States Courthouse in Washington on Nov. 15, 2019. (Win McNamee/Getty Images) Stone, 67, told The Epoch Times in a statement that if reports are accurate that the Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Justice has initiated an investigation into the conduct of DOJ officials in connection with the case brought against me by the Special Counsel prosecutors, specifically at the sentencing phase, I wholeheartedly welcome such an inquiry. No evidence has been produced by Zelinsky or anyone else to substantiate his claims that any pressure, political or otherwise, was brought to bear in my case by any White House officials or senior DOJ management. The complete disgorgement of the prosecutors entire communications, without the many extensive redactions applied to the limited communications publicly released around the time of Zelinskys testimony, will undoubtedly demonstrate not only that Zelinsky lied to Congress about political pressure, but further that his own conduct and that of his cohorts prosecuting my case was tainted by their own partisan animus and motivated by their own political fealties extending beyond their tenure as prosecutors, he added. He said that he plans to file a formal comprehensive disciplinary complaint with the DOJs Office of Professional Responsibility over the alleged conduct of the four prosecutors. The handling of the Stone sentencing drew intense scrutiny, with many critics accusing Barr of giving preferential treatment to associates of the president. Prosecutors originally recommended seven to nine years imprisonment for Stone, who was convicted of lying to and obstructing Congress and witness tampering. The Justice Department, however, intervened in the case, calling the recommendation excessive and unwarranted. The department then filed a revised sentencing memorandum that asked for a sentence of incarceration far less than 87 to 108 months imprisonment, but did not offer a specific prison recommendation. The departments announcement to revise their sentencing recommendation came hours after Trump weighed in on Twitter about the seven-to-nine years recommendation. Justice Departments spokeswoman Kerri Kupec told media outlets that the DOJ didnt consult with the White House about Stones sentencing. She added that the decision to change the sentencing request was made before the president wrote about it on Twitter. The four line prosecutors involved in the case withdrew from the Stone case on the same day of DOJs announcement. The judge in the case eventually sentenced Stone to 40 months in prison. His sentence was later commuted by Trump days before he was to surrender to prison. While testifying before the House Judiciary Committee in July, Barr defended his move, saying that while the particular sentencing enhancements could have applied and increased Stones prison sentence, it really didnt reflect the underlying conduct in this case. Attorney General William Barr testifies during a House Judiciary Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington on July 28, 2020. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) And the overarching requirement at the Department of Justice is that we do not presume and automatically apply the guidelines. We make individual assessments of the defendant and what is really just under the case, and nothing that is excessive, the attorney general told lawmakers. He said the prosecutors were trying to pressure the U.S. attorney, who was new to the office, to adopt the seven-to-nine-years recommendation. And I made the decision no, we are going to leave it up to the judge, he said. The attorney general has repeatedly said that he supports the prosecution of Stone but he only intervened because the sentence was overly harsh. I agree the presidents friends dont deserve special breaks, but they also dont deserve to be treated more harshly than other people, he said. Article updated with Roger Stones statement to The Epoch Times. Too bad. If he did, he might be doing better in the polls. A Marist poll in June found two-thirds of Americans thought Trump has made racial tensions worse since the death of George Floyd under a police officers knee touched off a nationwide racial reckoning. Yet since then his reelection strategy appears to be more interested in rewinning voters who already have supported him than in broadening his outreach. You might say that hes taking advantage of his privileged position. The quirky and sarcastic social media handle of Mumbai Police has once again appealed to netizens with its recent Instagram post. With the rising number of coronavirus cases in the country and especially in Mumbai which has recorded over 92,000 cases, the city police want people to wear masks. Reminding Mumbai people to not forget to wear masks, its recent post shows Neville Longbottom from the Harry Potter series trying to remember what he forgot. In the image, Neville is not wearing a mask and asking, The thing is I cant remember what I have forgotten. Captioning the image, Mumbai Police reminds, Your mask Neville, you have forgotten your mask. In April, Mumbai had become the first city in the country to make masks compulsory for everyone when in public failing which the defaulters will be punishable under Section 188 of Indian Penal Code (IPC). The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation had announced that those flouting the face mask will be fined Rs 1,000. Mumbai Police has been using its social media handles to promote social issues using memes and other creative methods in order to send across a message to millennial and Gen z. In a previous Instagram post, Mumbai police had tweaked popular 90s show Friends character Joeys famous dialogue Joey doesnt share food to Joey doesnt share masks. The caption read, If friends share masks, it all becomes a moo point! Maharashtra has recorded 2,91,630 cases of coronavirus till Tuesday according to the Ministry of Health. Even though public spaces are gradually opening, the authorities have strictly asked people to follow social distancing rules and not to forget wearing a face mask. It is advised that people wear the standard three-ply mask which can be bought from a medical store. People are also seen wearing home-made washable masks. By Trend Ambassador of Azerbaijan to the UK, Tahir Taghizade sent a letter to Baroness Caroline Cox, a member of the UKs House of Lords, the Azerbaijani embassy in the UK told Trend. Baroness Caroline Cox, the member of the House of Lords of the British Parliament, known for her firm pro-Armenian stance, sent a congratulatory letter to the puppet regime in connection with the 29th anniversary of the illegal regime created in Azerbaijans Nagorno-Karabakh region occupied by Armenia. In this regard, Taghizade sent a letter to Baroness Cox. It is utterly regrettable that the language of your letter, the one signed by a long-standing member of such a distinguished body as UK House of Lords and somebody who is verbally committed to peace, justice, and morality so closely reminds me of the inflammatory rhetoric used by the Armenian propaganda, the letter said. First of all, realities unlike the fantasies do not have alternatives, the letter said. In that sense, alternative accounts of reality in your letter are plain impossible. Thus, allow me to draw your attention to something in terms of dry facts while trying to leave aside emotions and delusions alike. 1. Nagorno Karabakh I am sure that as a strong fan of Armenia, you have seen BBCs recent Hard Talk featuring Armenias Prime Minister Pashinian where he tries to mislead the British audience with a ridiculous history lesson, whereas the presenter invites him to address the realities referring to the UN Security Council Resolutions confirming Nagorno Karabakh as an integral part of Azerbaijan and demanding immediate and unconditional withdrawal of all Armenian forces from the occupied territories of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the letter said. While Armenia and most of its supporters resort to false history lessons to validate their cause, Azerbaijan and anybody advocating justice adhere to international law which is quite unequivocal and does not need further justification. Armenia, in contravention of the UN Charter, occupied through use of force, Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjacent regions of Azerbaijan and conducted notorious ethnic cleansing against a million Azerbaijanis in the seized lands, the letter said. In order to disguise its direct responsibility for military aggression against Azerbaijan, Armenia distorts and misinterprets the principle of the peoples right to self-determination and, attempts to impose the view that this principle may be applied in the form of unilateral secession for the Armenians living in the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan, thus leading to the establishment of the second Armenian state, the letter said. In reality, such a view has nothing in common with the principle of self-determination as set forth in the Charter of the United Nations, Helsinki Final Act of 1975 and other international documents, the letter said. Moreover, it is abundantly clear that claims of self-determination are unsustainable when they are accompanied by egregious violations of international law, including its peremptory norms (jus cogens), such as those prohibiting the threat or use of force against the sovereignty and territorial integrity of States. The inhabitants of Nagorno-Karabakh are entitled to the internal right of self-determination within the boundaries of Azerbaijan, the letter said. It envisages that Azerbaijani and Armenian communities of the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan will live together in peace, dignity, and prosperity without violating the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Azerbaijan. This is what my government has been offering all along the way: the highest degree of self-rule within Azerbaijan. On the other hand, interventions like yours only serve to further delay the resolution of the conflict. 2. Shusha Shusha is Azerbaijani city that was occupied by Armenian aggressors on May 8, 1992, after being greatly damaged and completely cleansed of its Azerbaijani population (which comprised 98 percent back in 1989 according to the census data), the letter said. The entire cultural heritage of the city was either looted, destroyed or pillaged by the Armenians in flagrant violation of relevant international Conventions. Azerbaijans historical links to Shusha can be proven by an endless list of prominent personalities born and raised in that city including Bulbul, a famous tenor; Uzeyir Hajibeyov, composer; Khurshud Banu Natavan, 19th-century Azeri poetess; Molla Panah Vagif, 18th-century poet and many more, the letter said. Even a local British-Azerbaijani legislator in the Borough of Westminister was born and has spent his childhood near Shusha. Would you be able to name a single prominent Armenian who was born or at least lived in Shusha? 3. Nakhchivan Distortion and denial of historical facts are powerless to change them, the letter said. Nakhchivan has always been an integral part of Azerbaijan and no Armenian claims to change that. Your offer of trade of Nagorno Karabakh versus Nakhchivan is unthinkable, the letter said. It may sit well only with Armenia which has never had the slightest attachment to any of these territories and thus, would see this as a win-win situation. It will be a logical continuation for a country which evolved along the line of grab as much as you can theory. Second, probably influenced by your Armenian friends you are willing to turn everything into an object of trade. But for us Azerbaijanis those territories are part of our ancestral home and can neither be bought nor sold. Historically speaking, during Soviet Russia and even Russian Empire before that, it was a traditional policy to chip away at Azerbaijans territories in favor of Armenia, the letter said. But, my lady, enough is enough. The fact that Azerbaijan is not pushing for the return of its historical lands that are currently part of Armenia, does not mean that we will give up the rest complacently. 4. Escalation of tensions Azerbaijan did not violate the Convention you mentioned, the letter said. However, I would list a dozen international documents which Armenia violated and continues to do so in the most blatant way including but not limited to: the UN Charter, the UNSC resolutions, four Geneva Conventions, the Helsinki Final Act and many more. This country is so shameless in disrespecting the accepted norms and values of the modern international system that it did not hesitate to erect a monument to a proven Nazi collaborator, certain Garegin Nzhdeh in its capital city, the letter said. When it comes to who is committed to war and peace, I would like to draw your attention to only a few of Prime Minister Pashinians consecutive provocative actions after he came to power in 2018: May 2018 Nikol Pashinian sends his son to military service in Nagorno Karabakh which represents yet another example (this time on the level of the Prime Ministers family) of recruitment of Armenian citizens for military service in Azerbaijani territories. August 5, 2019 Nikol Pashinian visits the occupied Nagorno Karabakh region of Azerbaijan and claims that Karabakh is Armenia. Then he leads the crowd in the chants of Miatsum (Armenian term for the unification of Karabakh and Armenia). May 21, 2020, Pashinian inaugurates the illegally elected president of a puppet regime established by Armenia in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan, and to make sure that they add insult to the injury, they celebrate it in Shusha. July 12, 2020. Armenia attacks the Tovuz district of Azerbaijan alongside the international border between the two countries. This was yet another violation by Armenia of the norms and principles of international law against the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan. In light of Azerbaijans decision to gradually de-militarize the non-occupied part of the border and to put it under the control of the State Border Service, Armenia made an attempt to exploit this goodwill gesture of Azerbaijan to conduct a surprise attack on Azerbaijan on the basis of its aggressive military doctrine, which according to Minister of Defense of Armenia envisages preemptive strikes aiming at creating more favorable security situation and new war for new territories. It was also an unsuccessful attempt to draw CSTO into the conflict as well as provoke Azerbaijan further by endangering energy communications. As a result, Azerbaijan lost more than 10 servicemen, including a general. Also, all the official and media reports including those of the BBCs, the Independents confirm the killing of 76 years old civilian from Azerbaijan as the only civilian killed during recent clashes. September 2020 As the world countries, including Azerbaijan, are trying to alleviate the consequences of the tragedy which happened in Lebanon on August 4, Armenia is exploiting this tragedy and illegally resettling families from Lebanon in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan to alter the demographic situation, the letter said. In the words of Stephen Sackur, in the above mentioned BBC program with these provocative actions and inflammatory rhetoric Armenias Prime Minister is clearly not a peace-maker and his policy does not appear to be designed to achieve peace, the letter said. Instead, this countrys main intention is to dismantle the negotiation process and secure the annexation of Azerbaijans occupied territories. Of course, you are entitled to your own sympathies or lack of such when it comes to your foreign political affiliation, but it is at least not fair if you only judge it from point of view of moral justice to force this position on the UK government, the letter said. If after this letter you desire to sit down and discuss the injustices perpetrated by Armenia against my country, I would be more than willing to meet the Honorable Lady, the letter said. Last, but not the least, with your kind permission, I am going to repeat the tradition started by yourself and disseminate this letter among media outlets for a publication before becoming aware that it reached its addressee. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Hi, my name is Scott C. Waring and I wrote a few books and am currently a ESL School Owner in Taiwan. I have had my own UFO sighting up close and personal, but that's how it works right? A non believer becomes a believer when they experience their first sighting. You witnessed it, your perceptual field changes, so now you need to share it. I created this site to help the UFO community get a little bit organized. I noticed that there was a lot of chaos when searching for UFO sighting reports, so I hope this site helps. I wanted to support those eyewitnesses who have tried to tell others about what they have seen, yet were laughed at by even closest of friends. More and more each day the governments of the world leak bits and pieces of UFO information to the public. They have a trickle down theory in hopes of slowly getting citizens use to the idea that we are not alone in universe and never have been. The truth is being leaked drop by drop until one day we look around and find ourselves neck high in it. The discovery of alien species in existence is the most monumental scientific event in human history, suppression of that information is a crime against humanity. About me: I live in Taiwan. I OWN MY OWN ENGLISH SCHOOL, AND ONCE HAD 5 SCHOOLS. Am Former USAF at SAC base (flight line). Age: 42 Educ: BA in Elem ed. Masters in Counseling ed. I had two UFO sightings, (30+bus size orbs) in military and in 2012 personally saw the UFO over Taipei 101 building on New Years Day (and recored it). WestJet Airlines Ltd. is offering refunds to customers with European flights cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 15/9/2020 (493 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. A WestJet flight from Calgary arrives at Halifax Stanfield International Airport in Enfield, N.S., Monday, July 6, 2020. WestJet Airlines Ltd. is now offering refunds to customers with European flights that it cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Andrew Vaughan WestJet Airlines Ltd. is offering refunds to customers with European flights cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Travellers with flights to or from Europe and scheduled to depart between March 1 and Oct. 31 of this year can be reimbursed within four weeks, according to an update sent by WestJet to travel agents this month and obtained by The Canadian Press. The policy marks a shift from the airline's previous stance that offered flight credit or no-fee rebooking rather than reimbursement for trips that were cancelled as airlines halted the majority of their flights amid border shutdowns, quarantines and a collapse in travel demand. WestJet is contacting guests with eligible flights who had already accepted travel credit to alert them to the new option, spokeswoman Lauren Stewart said in an email. In June, WestJet adopted a similar approach to refunds for cancelled flights to or from the United States or United Kingdom. The carrier's policy stands in contrast to that of Air Canada, which has announced refund offers for travellers with flights departing from Europe but not for customers whose trips originated in Canada. Air Canada is also disputing formal refund complaints its customers made to the U.S. Department of Transportation. There have been more than 1,700 of them, the second-highest number of any airline in May (the last month for which figures are available). WestJet did not say what prompted the policy change. Passenger rights advocate Gabor Lukacs said the reimbursement pledge is a welcome about-face, but one that should have come months ago. "European law has been and remains that airlines that cancel flights for whatever reason must refund the entire ticket in the original form of payment to passengers," Lukacs said. Some travellers resorted to asking banks for credit card chargebacks, with mixed results, he said. "Many people have been successful in getting chargebacks. But its a profoundly wrong situation when you have to go to such a length in order to get simply what you are owed." Clients with cancelled domestic flights or trips to Mexico or the Caribbean will receive information on refunds "at a later date," WestJet's note to travel agents says. The Calgary-based carrier made a push into European markets last year, launching routes to London, Paris, Dublin, Glasgow and Rome in a bid to challenge Air Canada by offering transatlantic flights that target business passengers and the jet set. Of those, only the Calgary-London and Calgary-Paris routes remain in operation, and "on an extremely reduced schedule," Stewart said. The Paris route will be removed from the flight schedule by the end of September. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Domestic and U.S. flights make up the bulk of WestJet's business in a typical year. WestJet's pivot follows months of backlash against Canadian airlines' decision to offer credit or vouchers rather than refunds for most of the flights cancelled due to fallout from the novel coronavirus pandemic. A handful of passenger groups have proposed class-action lawsuits against airlines and complaints to the Canada Transportation Agency have soared in recent months. The U.S. Department of Transportation and the European Commission, which have offered billions of dollars in financial aid to airlines, require carriers to offer reimbursement to passengers who paid for services that were never rendered. Unlike countries including France, Germany and the United States, Canada has held off on sector-specific support for carriers. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau instead rolled out financial aid available across industries, including the wage subsidy and loans starting at $60 million for large firms, that were available to airlines. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 15, 2020. Hollywood star Liam Neeson has thrown his weight behind pleas to the Executive to secure the full 33m package to help save the arts sector in Northern Ireland. It was announced in July that the funding would be made available as a result of the UK-wide investment in the arts. However, the Executive has not yet decided how or when the money will be spent. Theatres, concert halls and other venues were planning on finally reopening on September 1, for the first time since lockdown was introduced in March, but that was halted by the Executive due to the increased transmission of Covid-19. Earlier this month, 37 arts and entertainment venues signed a letter to MLAs warning Northern Ireland risks becoming a "cultural wasteland" without urgent funding amid the Covid-19 crisis. They have called for the 33 million for arts venues to be spent "in the coming weeks". Venues will close and jobs will be lost if that support does not arrive, the letter warned. South Belfast's Lyric Theatre is now putting pressure on the Executive for more support with the help of Neeson, who is their patron. The Taken star spoke directly to the Executive in a two-minute video, which also features photographs of the Ballymena native performing in plays during his time as a young actor at the Lyric Theatre. In the video, Neeson said: "Dear members of the Northern Ireland Executive, Liam Neeson here. "As a proud Northern Irishman and patron of the Lyric Theatre, who came up through the ranks as it were in the arts scene in Northern Ireland during the 1970s - beginning in 1976 to be exact - at the Lyric Theatre in Ridgeway Street in Belfast, I experienced first-hand as many of you may have the potential of physical danger as I practiced and learned my craft in that theatre, which by the way never closed its doors once during the height of the Troubles. "Now, that says something about the character and stamina not just of the Lyric Theatre but of us as a people, all the people, Protestant and Catholic of the north." Neeson proceeded to stress how important the 33m package is to saving the arts sector in Northern Ireland. "It is vital," he continued. "It's a lifeline. It is vital. It is vital for our economy, it is vital for our young people who are pursuing a career in our creative industries. "A true society cannot be whole or fundamentally exist without the arts and the people employed in the arts." Jimmy Fay, an executive producer at the Lyric Theatre, added that the funding was vital to the thousands of people that the sector employs. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-15 13:36:41|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close MEXICO CITY, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- Mexico needs to spur more Chinese investment to reactivate economy, business leaders said Monday during an online conference titled "Preparing your company to attract investment from China." Jose Manuel Lopez, president of the Confederation of National Chambers of Commerce, Services and Tourism, said Mexico should turn the COVID-19 health crisis into advantages by attracting more investment from China to cushion the steep drop in economic activities. Mexico's economy, the second largest in Latin America after Brazil, could shrink by as much as 10.5 percent in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the International Monetary Fund. Mexico is facing an opportunity to cooperate with China "to increase international trade, attract greater investment, and achieve the growth that the country demands (by) being more competitive in the market," said Lopez, stressing now is the right time for Mexico to diversify trade beyond its traditional trading partners. China not only accounts for a considerable amount of foreign direct investment around the world, but also has a prominent global infrastructure plan as part of its Belt and Road Initiative, he noted. "Today, faced with a series of events impacting the world, Mexico has the historic opportunity to turn things around and open new international markets," he added. Amapola Grijalva, president of the Mexico-China Chamber of Commerce and Technology, noted at the conference that Chinese companies have encountered great opportunities in Mexico, in such sectors as auto parts, electricity, green energy, electronics and telecommunications, as well as in mining, oil and gas. Meanwhile, Mexican businesses need to enter the Asian market more effectively and improve their competitiveness there, Grijalva said. "What we are waiting for today is to have the conditions to reactivate our economy ... to think of Mexico as a very important player that could have a better future outlook," she added. Enditem CLEVELAND, Ohio Cuyahoga County prosecutors are seeking to charge two teens as adults in the fatal shooting of Cleveland police Det. James Skernivitz and a police informant. The two teens, ages 15 and 17, are charged in Cuyahoga County Juvenile Court with aggravated murder, aggravated robbery and lesser offenses. A third suspect, 18-year-old David McDaniel Jr., is also charged with aggravated murder in Cleveland Municipal Court. A Cuyahoga County grand jury has not yet reviewed his case. Assistant Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Brett Kyker filed the requests to have the teens cases moved to adult court. A hearing in front of Juvenile Court Judge Alison Floyd has not yet been scheduled. If Floyd determines at a hearing that the teens should be tried as adults, they could face substantially harsher punishments if theyre convicted. If the teens are convicted in juvenile court they would face a maximum sentence in the Ohio Department of Youth Services juvenile prison system until they turn 21. If theyre charged as adults they could face life in prison. Kyker wrote in a brief court filing that prosecutors believe both teens are unable to be rehabilitated in the juvenile justice system and that they pose a risk to the safety of the community. McDaniel and the two teens are accused of fatally shooting Skernivitz and police informant Scott Dingess. The shooting happened Sept. 3 in Clevelands Stockyards neighborhood. Skernivitz was working undercover and investigating drug dealing in the area when three people walked up to his car, tried to rob him and Dingess and opened fire. Surveillance video recorded the shooting, prosecutors previously said. The 15-year-old boy admitted to his role in the incident in interviews with Cleveland police detectives after his arrest, according to prosecutors. Read more from cleveland.com: 80-year-old Cleveland man arrested in connection with fatal shooting of neighbor during argument over dogs Man dies weeks after pummeling at Cleveland gas station Cleveland man fatally shot girlfriend during argument outside home, police say The new generation of mobile networking, known as 5G, has just landed in Spain. All four national operators Telefonica, Orange, Vodafone and MasMovil have launched their first commercial services, but only in the largest cities, with reduced coverage, and with very limited technical capacities. The early rollout has also been influenced by the Covid-19 pandemic, which has created a greater need than ever for fast, reliable communications as more people switch to remote working and increasingly make use of streaming services. These are the keys to understanding 5G and its rollout in Spain. What is 5G? It is the fifth-generation technology standard for broadband wireless networks and it promises to deliver faster speed, greater coverage, shorter device response times and better features than todays LTE-4G standard. Why launch it now? There are both market and marketing reasons for that. Coronavirus confinements and restrictions on mobility have made remote working and learning a necessity. This requires a quality connection at faster speeds than those offered by 4G or home Wi-Fi connections. Additionally, operators have seen their revenues drop dramatically due to the crisis, while their best customers have switched to low-cost plans. Being able to offer 5G, even if the technology is still far from being fully operational, could be a good way to attract customers. What are the applications of 5G in the post-Covid era? Although 5G will one day serve to launch what is known as the fourth industrial revolution when smart technology will enable machine-to-machine communication, robotics and autonomous cars, among other possibilities there are already practical applications. Video calls have become very popular and 5G allows for Full HD without connection interruptions or poor-quality sound and images. It also improves the delivery of streaming services such as Netflix, HBO, Movistar+, Orange TV and Vodafone TV. Additionally, it improves the gaming experience. Where is it available? In the most densely populated cities, but not in all neighborhoods. In fact, coverage right now is under 30% of the population. -Movistar switched on its signal in early September in eight major provincial capitals. The company has promised that 75% of the Spanish population will have access to the new mobile network standard by the end of the year, including the 150 cities with populations of over 50,000. But even though the signal is on, the commercial launch will not take place before late October or early November. - Orange has 5G availability in the most densely populated and centrally located areas of Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Bilbao, Seville and Malaga, with coverage ranging between 20% and 30%. - MasMovil uses the same network as Orange, and besides the same six cities as the French operator, it is conducting 5G trials in Alicante, Alcobendas, Almeria, Avila, Hospitalet de Llobregat, Huesca, Jaen, Melilla, Ourense and Salamanca. But it only offers 5G to subscribers of its Yoigo brand. Other brands in the group (MasMovil, Pepephone, Lebara, Lycamobile and Llamaya) will not be offering the service. - Vodafone was a pioneer of 5G services in the Spanish market, launching them in June 2019, and the company currently offers it partially in 21 cities. How much does it cost? Since coverage is still very reduced, for now no operator has raised its prices for customers living in areas where 5G is available. And it is unlikely that companies will do so in future, although this is what happened during the switch from 3G to 4G. Even if rates remain the same, however, customers will need a plan with a lot of gigabytes, because 5G consumes a lot of data. Why is this still a limited version of 5G? Companies are offering 5G on the 3.7GHz band, which has low penetration inside buildings, and they are using an intermediate technology that is in fact an evolution of todays 4G known as 5G NSA (Non-Standalone). This means that it will not provide many of the 5G Standalone specifications. In order to fully enjoy the true possibilities of 5G, residents of Spain will have to wait until the government holds a spectrum auction for the 700 MHz band, a move that is expected in the first quarter of 2021. Will I have to change phones? Yes. Right now, all cellphones are made to support 4G. In fact, a lack of 5G-enabled devices has been slowing down the technology rollout. Samsung, LG, Xiaomi, Oppo, One Plus and Huawei have launched a few 5G models, but they are all in the upper price range, coming in at around 1,000. Phone makers are expected to launch more affordable products in the fall. Apple fans are also waiting for the first 5G iPhones, due to come out soon. How fast will it go? Internet connections using 5G will be 100 times faster than todays (although right now the technology is only achieving average speeds of 10 times 4G). This means that data downloads will be even faster than with todays fiber optic networks. To take an example, a 1GB movie will download in under 10 seconds. Why is there so much talk about latency, and why is it so important? The main improvement that 5G will bring is not so much faster speeds as lower latency. This is a devices response time to execute an order that has been issued, or the time it takes for information to go from the source to its destination. The lower the latency, the faster the reaction by the device we are remotely activating, which could be a video conference or an autonomous car. The new technology will bring this time lapse down from 4Gs 10 milliseconds to one millisecond. How much investment does 5G require? Just rolling out the networks and antennas will set Spanish operators back 5 billion. To this must be added the launch and marketing costs. Is 5G bad for your health? No. Thats a recurring hoax thats been given new wings during the coronavirus pandemic by conspiracy theorists. The latter have even accused 5G of propagating Covid-19 through the electromagnetic waves emitted by the antennas. No study conducted by international associations, such as the World Health Organization (WHO), have found any link between 5G and any type of disease whatsoever. English version by Susana Urra. With the number of coronavirus cases touching nearly five million and deaths crossing 80,000, India is closing the gap with the US, which has over 6.5 million cases, the highest in the world. India took six months to reach the first million Covid-19 cases, but has gone from four to 4.9 million in 11 days. Meanwhile, the race for the Covid-19 vaccine is also gathering pace. Amongst three ongoing clinical trials for the vaccine in India, Zydus Cadila and Bharat Biotech have completed recruitments for phase two trial, while Serum Institute is expecting clearance to start ... Authorities in Cambodia have arrested a second rapper on charges of incitement in days, a court official in the countrys Siem Reap province said Tuesday, after he released songs suggesting that Prime Minister Hun Sens lack of leadership had led to economic decline. Long Puthera, who penned the track Wipe Your Tears and Continue Your Journey, Khmer Eyes, was arrested late last week and jailed on charges of incitement to commit a felony or cause social unrest under Article 495 of Cambodias Penal Code, Siem Reap Provincial Court spokesperson Chhuon Sopanha told RFAs Khmer Service. The judge ordered him detained on charges of incitement, he said. The accused has the right to an attorney. The rapper had regularly posted songs on his YouTube page under the name Thxera-Kampuchea and had thousands of followers. Long Putheras acquaintances told RFA that they had been unable to contact his family members since his arrest, as they live in a different province. The young musician is also friends with fellow rapper Kea Sokun, known for his song Khmer Land, which touched a political third rail by criticizing the Cambodian governments handling of its border dispute with Vietnam. Kea Sokun was arrested Sept. 4 in Siem Reap province and also charged with incitement after authorities booked his wedding photography business for a pre-wedding photo shoot and took him into custody when he arrived, his brother Chheang Chhat told RFA last week. Chan Chamroeun, provincial coordinator for local rights group Adhoc, told RFA Tuesday that his organization is investigating the two cases and working to provide lawyers to defend the pair of rappers. He said that the two young men had simply sang songs reflective of current Cambodian social issues and had not breached any laws. The authorities should have allowed for their freedom of expressionthis freedom is important because it helps the government understand the concerns of the public, he said. The authorities should allow for constructive criticism so that the government can identify loopholes in the system and fix them. Wave of arrests Last week, amid an ongoing wave of arrests of voices critical of Hun Sens leadership, Rhona Smith, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Cambodia, wrote in a Facebook post that the rights to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly are protected by international human rights norms and standards as well as by the Cambodian Constitution. She urged authorities to ensure that those arrested are promptly tried and that their due process rights be fully respected. On Friday the Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet said it had documented the arrest of 24 human rights campaigners since popular labor leader Rong Chhun, the president of the Cambodian Confederation of Unions, was taken into custody July 31, including eight in September alone. While 13 were released after pledging to refrain from further rights activities, 12 remain in detentionmost of whom face charges of incitement to commit felony, including three environmental activists. The wave of arrests come three years after opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) President Kem Sokhas September 2017 arrest over an alleged plot to overthrow the government with the help of Washington. Cambodias Supreme Court banned his party in November that year for its supposed role in the scheme. The move to dissolve the CNRP marked the beginning of a wider crackdown by Hun Sen on the political opposition, NGOs, and the independent media that paved the way for his ruling Cambodian Peoples Party (CPP) to win all 125 seats in parliament in the countrys July 2018 general election. Reported by RFAs Khmer Service. Translated by Samean Yun. Written in English by Joshua Lipes. By Matthew Green LONDON, Sept 15 (Reuters) - All the world's governments have fallen short on pledges made a decade ago to protect wildlife, though cases of conservation show that the destruction of nature can be slowed, and even reversed, according to a U.N. report published on Tuesday. The report outlined recommendations for far-reaching changes in sectors from farming to urban planning, and a rapid phase-out of the fossil fuels driving climate change, to help save a million species scientists say are at risk of extinction. "There is no doubt that the business-as-usual trends are dire," lead author David Cooper, deputy executive secretary of the U.N.'s Convention on Biological Diversity, told Reuters. With countries due to meet for a U.N. summit on biodiversity later this month, the report underlines the need not just for stronger commitments in stemming a precipitous decline in wildlife, but also in seeing those commitments through. The United Nations is pushing for governments to collectively set aside 30% of the planet's land and sea areas for conservation when they meet next year in China to negotiate a new wildlife pact. Currently, about 17% of the world's land falls into areas that receive some form of protection. Scientists have said the world may need more than 30% to survive, if not thrive. The report, however, was not without bright spots. For example, the endangered Japanese crested ibis, which had once almost vanished, started to produce chicks in the wild after conservationists released captive-bred birds. In Pakistan, a programme is protecting the snow leopard by conserving Himalayan ecosystems. In Malawi, a community-based project is replanting the Mulanje cedar, prized for its aromatic wood and resistance to termites and fungal diseases. "We also see that governments have made efforts. And where they make those efforts, they deliver results and that's where we get some hope," Cooper said. Without conservation efforts, the number of bird and mammal extinctions would probably have been at least twice as high during the 10-year life of the pact, the report said. Story continues Concerns over the impact of industrial society on the natural world has escalated amid the coronavirus pandemic, believed to have originated in a wildlife market in the Chinese city of Wuhan. The destruction of wild spaces increases the risk of disease jumping from animals, scientists say. The report assessed 20 goals known as Aichi Biodiversity Targets brokered within a global pact in Japan in 2010. Those goals aim, for example, to slow deforestation, preserve wetlands and raise public awareness of the importance of nature to a healthy planet. None of the main targets had been met, the report said. However, there were signs of progress. For example, while global deforestation was not reduced by the goal of at least 50%, it did slow by about a third over the last 10 years relative to the previous decade. And while a third of marine fish stocks were over-fished, a higher proportion than a decade ago, stocks have bounced back quickly in areas where protections were put in place. The authors warned that conservation goals were still being undermined by subsidies supporting industrial agriculture, fishing and other businesses that damage ecosystems. Last year, the IPBES international panel of scientists said that a million species were at risk of extinction unless countries can prioritize conservation. About two-thirds of the world's animals - mammals, birds, fish, amphibians and reptiles - have vanished over the last 50 years, a report by the World Wildlife Fund said last week. "We are optimistic that the shocking findings coming out of a number of recent reports will really enable all of us to rethink our actions," Elizabeth Mrema, executive secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity, told Reuters. "That's also going to put governments under pressure." (Reporting by Matthew Green; Editing by Katy Daigle and Lisa Shumaker) Today, each film's script is the hard work of a team of scriptwriters who toil over months figuring out what each character in the story will say and do to take the plot of the film forward. In fact, good scripts give each character distinct personalities that evolve as the story progresses. IMDB However, sometimes, as directors start filming, actors might say or do something which might be scripted or an improvised version of the script, that might suit the story better than what was originally planned. These improvisations sometimes lead to rather iconic scenes. Here is a list of films that have had improvised scenes added to them: 1. Fast and Furious 6 In the film Fast & Furious 6, The Rock ad-libbed an insult making Ludacris spit out his drink as he couldn't stop himself from laughing too hard. The director decided to keep the scene for the ending of the film. 2. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets Tom Felton who played Draco Malfoy in the Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets forgot his line while shooting and improvised on the spot which proved to be a funny scene. Take a look here: 3. The Usual Suspects For the film The Usual Suspects, the lineup scene was scripted to be done straight-faced, but actor Benicio Del Toro kept farting throughout the scene and no one could get through the scene without laughing. It turned out to be a great improvisation. 4. The 40-Year-Old Virgin In the film The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Steve Carell's chest was waxed for the very first time just like his character in the film. He assumed that it was not going to hurt so much and so when the wax stripped was pulled, it was a genuinely stunned reaction on Carell's face. 5. Django Unchained Leonardo Di Caprio, in the film Django Unchained, cut his hand by mistake while filming the iconic scene in the film. He decided to continue the scene anyway while spilling the blood all over the table and smearing it on Kerry Washington's face. Well, talk about perfect timing and sheer luck to pull off such brilliant scenes and make them iconic through improvisations. The victim, who was in his 40s, was attacked in a laneway off Madison Road in Kilmainham in the early hours of Monday morning. The teenager was arrested following the discovery. He is due to appear before Dublin District Children's Court on Tuesday morning. Geoffrey Cox, who was attorney general during the unlawful suspension of parliament, has confirmed he will vote against Boris Johnsons attempt to override the Brexit deal. The Tory MP said it was unconscionable that the UK should seek to break international law by rewriting the withdrawal agreement with the European Union. Writing in The Times, Mr Cox, who backed the Leave campaign, warned that he would not back the UK Internal Market Bill unless ministers dispel the impression they plan to "permanently and unilaterally" rewrite an international agreement. The QC, who resigned in February at the prime ministers request, said tariffs and customs procedures on certain goods entering Northern Ireland from Britain were part of the deal. There can be no doubt that these were the known, unpalatable but inescapable, implications of the agreement, he added. He said if the powers in the bill were used to "nullify those perfectly plain and foreseeable consequences" then it would amount to the "unilateral abrogation of the treaty obligations" signed in October. "It is unconscionable that this country, justly famous for its regard for the rule of law around the world, should act in such a way," he said. Mr Cox urged ministers to use the "clear and lawful" options under the agreement to remedy their concerns that food imports may be blocked from Britain to Northern Ireland. Or, "in extremis" he said, they could take "temporary and proportionate measures" during an independent arbitration process. "What ministers should not do, however provoked or frustrated they may feel about an impasse in negotiations, is to take or use powers permanently and unilaterally to rewrite portions of an international agreement into which this country freely entered just a few months ago," he said. His intervention came ahead of MPs debating the legislation on Monday, when the bill returns to the Commons amid growing criticism that breaching international law would jeopardise the UK's standing in the world. The current attorney general, Suella Braverman, and justice secretary Robert Buckland, have both been heavily criticised for their roles during the controversy. Mr Buckland told the Andrew Marr Show that he would only resign "if I see the rule of law being broken in a way I find unacceptable" and insisted ministers were committed to getting a trade deal with the EU. It comes after the prime minister warned that Brussels could "carve up our country" without his new bill and impose a food blockade in the Irish Sea. Outrage at the bill has come from across the political spectrum, including from Conservative former prime ministers Theresa May and Sir John Major and the former Conservative Party leader Lord Howard. Sir John and fellow former PM Tony Blair described the legislation as "shaming" and said it questions the very integrity of our nation. Mr Johnson, with a large Commons majority, should win an expected vote of the bill's principles during the second reading on Monday. However, Commons justice committee chairman Sir Bob Neill is laying an amendment, which he said would impose a "parliamentary lock" on any changes to the Brexit deal. Labour minister Rachel Reeves said the party will vote against the government's bill if it still contains clauses overriding the withdrawal agreement. Additional reporting by Press Association A proposed government algorithm for determining where new homes should be built would see a huge increase in construction in rural areas and southern cities of England, while actually reducing the amount of development in the North, local council representatives have warned. The Local Government Association said the planned changes to housing targets would seriously jeopardise Boris Johnsons stated aim of levelling up economic activity in disadvantaged areas of the country. And the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) warned that the mutant algorithm would result in a build and be damned approach which would not stop high prices driving young people out of the rural areas where they grew up. But the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government insisted that fears were unfounded and promised ministers would reflect on concerns raised before deciding the final shape of the new system, designed to deliver on government promises to build 300,000 homes a year by the mid-2020s. Under the current system only half of areas have local housing plans in place and they take an average seven years to draw up. The new system put out for consultation by housing secretary Robert Jenrick in August will require a housing plan for every area, developed and agreed within 30 months. Recommended UK House building hits highest level since 2008 financial crisis but demand still outstrips supply According to the LGAs analysis, London could expect a 161 per cent rise in the number of homes it must build under the new system, while the increase in Brighton and Hove would be a massive 287 per cent, in Dover 294 per cent and in Tunbridge Wells 184 per cent. Overall, the South-East would see targets rise by 57 per cent and the South-West by 39 per cent, while the number of homes required to be built in the North-East would fall by 28 per cent, with Newcastles planned construction of homes dropping by 66 per cent, Liverpool by 59 per cent, Sheffield by 20 per cent and Leeds by 16 per cent. Some of the most rural places in England would see a requirement for a 59 per cent increase in homes compared with current plans, compared to a 20 per cent increase in major urban areas, said the LGA, which represents councils in England and Wales. The organisations housing spokesperson David Renard said: This seriously jeopardises any ambition to level-up the country. Building new good quality and affordable housing is vital to regenerating our towns and cities, improving our health and well-being, creating jobs and enabling local economies to thrive and bounce back following the coronavirus pandemic. Algorithms and formulas can never be a substitute for local knowledge and decision-making by councils and communities who know their areas best. If we are to truly fix our chronic housing shortage, the Spending Review needs to ensure councils have the tools, powers and flexibilities to plan for and deliver the quality homes and places our communities need." Robert Jenrick on Westferry development CPRE deputy chief executive Tom Fyans said rural areas need well-designed and genuinely affordable homes for the young people and key workers who are being priced out of their home areas. But Mr Fyans said: The centrally-imposed housing targets currently proposed by this government could lead to a large jump in new houses delivered in rural areas, but this wouldn't improve affordability and design standards and could lead to a build and be dammed approach. Theres lots wrong with the governments proposed planning reforms but addressing the mutant algorithm is only a start we need to see local people have a stronger, not weaker, influence over what gets built where. District Councils Network vice-chair Tom Beattie said that the planning reforms proposed by Mr Jenrick would deliver a national house-building fiasco based on a muddy formula cooked up in Whitehall which rides roughshod over local housing need. Local communities need housing need determined by proper evidence, not arbitrary spreadsheets, he said. An MHCLG spokesperson said that the new formula for calculating local housing need would only be the starting point in the process of planning new homes, with town halls still required to take any local constraints into consideration before giving the green light to construction. The LGAs fears are unfounded, said a spokesperson. The current formula for local housing need is inconsistent with our aim to deliver 300,000 homes by the mid-2020s. We are consulting on each element of the indicative formula and will reflect on the feedback we receive so that we can build the houses that are needed for the next generation. As under the current system, local housing need will only be the starting point in the process of planning for new homes and councils will still need to consider local circumstances to decide how many homes can be delivered in their areas. The attempted assassination of two Los Angeles County deputies, caught on a security video, is chilling and enraging enough. A man walks up to the parked black-and-white cruiser in Compton, south of downtown L.A., and fires point-blank through the passenger window, then he runs away. The stricken officers manage to stagger out of the vehicle and call for assistance. They are whisked away to the hospital for emergency surgery (and are now, thankfully, recovering). The attack was a heinous and cowardly act, but what came afterward was, if obviously much less serious, infuriating in its own right. A black man who had witnessed the Compton shooting or its immediate aftermath narrates what has happened on video, his voice filled with joy and excitement. Using a slang term for shooting someone, he exults, N ***a just aired the police out, n *** as! It goes down in Compton! he continues, with the cruiser and the wounded officers in the background. Oh, two sheriffs shot in the face! Not one of the several people on the sidewalk near the amateur videographer shows the slightest inclination to help the officers. In fact, shouts can be heard of, No justice, no peace, which would seem grotesquely inappropriate except the go-to slogan of Black Lives Matter and other hard-Left protesters has always carried the threat of violence. The L.A. shooter has yet to be apprehended, and his motive is unknown. Perhaps the attack was completely random, or the attacker is mentally ill. The perpetrator of a similar ambush in 2014 New York City on officers, both murdered in cold blood, said in an Instagram post that he carried out his attack to avenge Eric Garner and Michael Brown, both killed in police-involved incidents. But there is no getting around the sentiment of the bystanders or the rabble that showed up, disgracefully, at the hospital where the officers were taken, shouting abuse at the police: Oink, oink, Yall going to die one by one. Story continues There are several things to say about this. One is that these cretins apparently hadnt gotten the message that BLM is supposedly all about reforming the police, rather than expressing a comprehensive, unthinking animus against the cops. Another is that cops have to deal with these sorts of spontaneous hostile crowds all the time now in the course of their work, which makes it more dangerous and difficult with the citizens of crime-ridden areas paying the steepest price. Finally, it should go without saying that it is wrong and deeply illiberal to flatten all police officers into stereotypes. The officers shot in L.A. were a 31-year-old mother of a 6-year-old child and a 24-year-old man, both of whom had joined the force only a little over a year ago. They arent symbols but real people who should be honored and respected. Presumably, none of the elite members of the vast media, corporate, and cultural apparatus that has made, almost instantaneously, BLM part of Americas civil religion supports killing cops or insulting them and their colleagues when they are gunned down. But in their fervent embrace of a poisonous and simplistic narrative about policing in America, they are telling a lie about the cops, one repeated over and over again and without challenge in swaths of American life. If the police are a racist, occupying force, why not resist and harass them? Why not consider them all the same and all equally guilty? It would be nice if famous people bothered to learn the names of the wounded L.A. officers and held them up as heroes. It would be nice if they condemned not just the ambush but the ensuing verbal abuse of the cops. It would be nice if they decided to stand for the national anthem to pay tribute to the sacrifice of the L.A. officers and their fellow men and women in blue but all that would require more respect for police than much of the American elite can bring itself to muster in 2020. 2020 by King Features Syndicate More from National Review With 92, 071 fresh cases of novel coronavirus, India on Monday recorded an overall of 48.46 lakh cases of infection so far. Among those who tested positive were about 25 Members of Parliament who were detected to be carrying the COVID-19 infection during a checkup at the Parliament House. Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan, in a suo moto statement in the Lok Sabha, said the government is constantly reviewing the evolving scenario. He added India is regularly coordinating with WHO headquarters, regional office and country office to get updates on the evolving scenario. While saying that the battle with COVID-19 is still far from over, Dr Harshvardhan urged MPs to create awareness among people in their constituencies with regard to COVID appropriate behaviour. On one hand, when we are in the stage of unlock so as to revive the economy, and have a balanced approach, it is important that sustained community support is ensured consistently to control the spread of COVID infection and break its chain of transmission, the minister said. In our country about 92% of the cases are reported to be having mild disease. In only about 5.8 % of cases where oxygen therapy is required and the disease may be severe enough to require intensive care in only1.7% cases, he said. Terming the stringent nationwide lockdown as a bold decision by the union government in March-April, the minister said that the lockdown helped India successfully blunted the aggressive progression of COVID-19. It has been estimated that this decision prevented approximately 1429 lakh cases and 3778 thousand deaths. Further, these four months were utilized to create additional health infrastructure, enhance human resources and produce critical elements within India, he said. Giving updates on the vaccine trials in India, Dr Harsh Vardhan said 13 clinical trials of repurposed drugs are going on out of which Phase 2 clinical trial of immunomodulator Sepsivac has been completed successfully, Phase 2 clinical trial of the first-ever phytopharmaceutical ACQH is underway, one prophylactic trial of Aswagandha and three trials of Guduchi plus Pippali; Yashtimadhu; and polyherbal AYUSH drug (AYUSH-64) are planned on moderately ill Covid19 patients. An effective vaccine would be the sure shot tool in armamentarium against this disease. On this front, globally, there are around 145 candidate vaccines in preclinical evaluation and currently 35 vaccines in clinical trial. In India, a major focus has been on facilitating the development of COVID19 vaccine. More than 30 vaccine candidates have been supported which are in different stages of development, 3 candidates are in advanced stage of Phase I/II/III trials and more than 4 are in advanced pre-clinical development stage, he said. Besides, COVID-19 biorepositories have been setup through which over 40,000 samples have been made available to researchers and industry for developing diagnostics, therapeutics and vaccines. We have now moved from managing travel related cases to containing clusters and large outbreaks due to local transmission to wide spread of infection to urban, peri-urban and rural areas. This would require concerted effort by the Government with peoples participation to prevent large scale morbidity and mortality, the minister added. Giving details of the spread of infection, the minister said the maximum number of cases and deaths from COVID-19 have been primarily reported from Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karantaka, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, West Bengal, Telangana, Odisha, Assam, Kerala and Gujarat. All these states have reported more than 1 lakh cases. Of the 92,071 new cases reported in the last 24 hours in the country, Maharashtra continues to contribute a high number and has reported more than 22,000 new cases. Andhra Pradesh has contributed more than 9,800 new cases. At the same time, the government underlined the increasing recovery rate which has now reached 78 per cent. U.S. Ambassador to China Terry Branstad speaks at a promotional event for American beef in Beijing on June 30, 2017. The U.S. ambassador to China will step down early next month, ending a three-year tenure marked by a trade war and increasingly bitter relations between the world's two largest economies. Terry Branstad, appointed by President Donald Trump in 2017, confirmed his decision in a phone call with Trump last week, the U.S. Embassy said in a statement Monday. It did not give a reason for his departure. "I am proudest of our work in getting the phase one trade deal and delivering tangible results for our communities back home," he was quoted as saying at an embassy staff meeting on Monday. Word of his departure leaked out earlier in the day when Secretary of State Mike Pompeo thanked Branstad on Twitter for his service. "Ambassador Branstad has contributed to rebalancing U.S.-China relations so that it is results-oriented, reciprocal, and fair," Pompeo wrote in a follow-up tweet. China's foreign ministry said before the embassy announcement that it was aware of Pompeo's tweet but had not received any notification that Branstad was leaving. Branstad became embroiled in a recent controversy when China's official People's Daily newspaper rejected an opinion column that he had written. Pompeo tweeted last week that China's ruling Communist Party refused to run Branstad's op-ed while the Chinese ambassador to the United States "is free to publish in any U.S. media outlet." Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian responded that Branstad's article was "full of loopholes, seriously inconsistent with facts and wantonly attacks and smears China." The U.S. Embassy had contacted the People's Daily on August 26 about the piece, asking that it be printed in full without any edits before September 4, the People's Daily said in a statement posted online. Branstad, 73, is a native of Iowa and was governor of the major farming state for 22 years over two spans, from 1983 to 1999 and 2011 to 2017. Early in his first term, he met Xi Jinping, now China's leader, when the then county-level Communist Party official visited Iowa on a 1985 trade trip. Trump appointed him ambassador after a vacancy of several months, during which the embassy's No. 2 official, David Rank, resigned after criticizing the Trump administration's withdrawal from the Paris climate accord. Soon after arriving in Beijing in June 2017, Branstad welcomed American beef back to the Chinese market after a 14-year ban, saying "I know it is a key priority of the president to reduce the trade deficit, and this is one of the ways we can do it." But trade relations quickly soured, as the U.S. imposed tariffs on Chinese products and China retaliated in kind. Other disputes followed over technology, human rights and the response to the coronavirus pandemic. Branstad joined U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin at trade talks with Chinese counterparts in Beijing in May 2019. The phase one deal reached the following January represented a truce but did not address the more fundamental complaints of the American side. The U.S. Embassy statement also noted Branstad's role in the effort to reduce the flow of fentanyl from China to the United States, including a 2018 pact in which China agreed to list the opioid as a controlled substance. Branstad also made a rare visit to Tibet in May 2019, where he expressed concerns about what the U.S. called Chinese government interference in the freedom of Tibetan Buddhists to organize and practice their religion. "He encouraged the Chinese government to engage in substantive dialogue with the Dalai Lama or his representatives, without preconditions, to seek a settlement that resolves differences," an embassy statement at the time said. A host of truck carrying aid has entered Idleb Governorate, which is set to be delivered to those in need, specifically people in the camps reports Baladi News. The United Nations sent 49 trucks carrying humanitarian aid to Idleb Governorate, northern Syria, on Monday. Turkish media sources reported that the trucks entered Syrian territories through the Gilo Gozo border crossing in the state of Hatay, southern Turkey, which is adjacent to the Bab al-Hawa border crossing on the Syrian side. The sources indicated that the humanitarian aid will be distributed to the needy in Idleb and its countryside, with special attention given to the camps. The first convoy carrying UN relief aid entered northern Syria on Aug.14, 2020, after the Security Council decided to extend the entry of UN aid for a year, through the Bab al-Hawa border crossing. On Jul. 12, 2020, the Security Council adopted a resolution that canceled the license granted to the Bab al-Salam crossing on the Turkish border and extended receiving aid through the Bab al-Hawa border crossing in Idleb, for a period of one year only. At the time, aid agencies operating in Syria said in a joint statement that it would become increasingly difficult to reach an estimated 1.3 million people in northwestern Syria who depend on food and medicine provided by the UN through the border, as a vital crossing has been closed. It is worth noting that the UN mechanism for supplying humanitarian aid to Syria began in 2014, when there were initially four crossings for transporting aid through Iraq, Jordan, and Turkey. This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author. The lengthy saga of ex-Nissan chief Carlos Ghosn takes a new turn Tuesday when the auto titan-turned-fugitive's former aide Greg Kelly goes on trial in Tokyo. Ghosn's arrest in the Japanese capital in November 2018 on financial misconduct charges made headlines worldwide and kicked off an astonishing fall from grace for a businessman once hailed as a corporate saviour for rescuing Nissan from the brink of bankruptcy. But lost in the small print was the same-day arrest of Kelly, and with Ghosn now in Lebanon as an international fugitive after jumping bail and fleeing Japan last year the American lawyer is the only person expected to face trial any time soon in connection with the case. Greg Kelly / AFP He faces a single charge -- conspiring to under-report tens of million of dollars in pay that Ghosn was allegedly promised after his retirement. Kelly, who will turn 64 Tuesday and is out on bail living in an aparftment in Tokyo, denies any wrongdoing. He faces up to 10 years in jail if convicted. The trial, expected to last around 10 months, centres around one question fraught with technicalities: did Kelly and Nissan between 2010 and 2018 illegally conceal payments of around 9.2 billion yen ($87 million at today's rates) promised to Ghosn on retirement? Nissan, which will be on trial alongside Kelly, says yes, and plans to plead guilty, multiple sources told AFP. But Kelly has insisted on his innocence since day one. "I didn't do anything wrong," he told AFP in an interview in early September. "Carlos Ghosn never got paid anything and he wasn't promised anything," he insisted. - Vast amounts of evidence - Kelly is accused of conspiring to under-report money promised to Ghosn after retirement, an accusation he denies / AFP/File Nissan and Japanese prosecutors disagree, arguing they have evidence that these future payments were pledged to Ghosn, and therefore should have been disclosed in the firm's financial filings as required by Japanese law. Prosecutors have amassed a vast trove of documents, only a small portion of which the defence have been given so far, according to Kelly's lawyers. Despite that, his team decided to agree to move to trial, arguing they had "no choice", with Kelly prevented from leaving the country and separated from his family while he waits for his case to go to court. Kelly's legal team say they are confident he can be acquitted -- despite the track record of Japan's prosecutors, who win over 99 percent of the criminal cases they bring to court. But they argue they have been put at a strong disadvantage by the court's refusal to allow overseas witnesses to testify by videoconference. Despite the obstacles, Kelly's Japanese lawyer Yoichi Kitamura said he is "confident we can win the case". Nissan has been tight-lipped about the trial, with a source close to the firm's leadership saying there was concern about negative media attention. Ghosn remains at large in Lebanon, where he fled after jumping bail in Japan in December 2019 / AFP/File One of the trial's key witnesses will be Hari Nada, Kelly's former colleague, who obtained whistleblower status from prosecutors in exchange for his cooperation. Former CEO Hiroto Saikawa, who was forced out over financial improprieties discovered by an internal investigation in the wake of the Ghosn scandal, will also give testimony. The fact that he was able to resign without facing prosecution has been cited by Ghosn as evidence of what he claims is a biased justice system. The former auto chief has defended his decision to flee Japan by claiming he would not have received a fair trial. For the grant that I submitted for the Childrens Tumor Foundation Young Investigator Award, I received feedback from patients with neurofibromatosis and its nice to hear that theyre very excited about the project because of the potential therapeutic treatments for NF1 (Neurofibromatosis Type 1). When I started writing this grant, I knew I had to transfer my science language into something that a patient could read, and so the fact that they understood my project and were excited about it makes me more proud than actually receiving the award. Being able to communicate to a non-science audience is important also for her desire to advocate to policymakers and legislative leaders for increased science funding. Last year she became an Early Career Policy Ambassador for the Society of Neuroscience and went to Capitol Hill to discuss science policy with legislators. I met Sen. Sherrod Brown in February and we talked about science and the importance of federal funding for research. Ultimately, I want to combine the passion that I have for science and research with the love that I recently found with law and my passion of policy to increase minority representation. Hopefully those things will combine, Cram says. Cram, now in her fifth year of graduate studies at the College of Medicine, was born in Venezuela. When she was 3, her family moved to Puerto Rico where she spent her childhood until leaving for Columbus to attend Ohio State University. She says the death of an aunt from cancer while she was an undergrad at Ohio State fueled her desire to find a cure to this terrible disease and began her love of bench research. When she came to UC, the research in tumor development being conducted in the Childrens Hospital lab of Nancy Ratner, PhD, professor of pediatrics, caught her attention, and in 2017 she became a lab team member. Her background and passion for research led her to joining the Society for the Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanic and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS). She has served for the last two years as president of the University of Cincinnati chapter of SACNAS but is stepping down to concentrate on her research and finish her doctorate. One of the things that Im most proud of with my involvement with the Cincy SACNAS Chapter is founding a mentoring program where we pair undergraduates with graduate student mentors and graduate students with postdocs or faculty mentors. This mentorship program is designed to expand the students network and is a way for students to get advice from people other than their advisor, Cram says. Cram also was selected to participate in the Yale Ciencia Academy for Career Development, something she calls one of the best experiences Ive had as a graduate student. The academy is sponsored by the non-profit organization Ciencia Puerto Rico in collaboration with Yale University. It provides opportunities for professional mentorship, networking and other skills designed to help participants contribute to their communities through science outreach. It also works to increase the number of scientists from underrepresented or underserved communities. In addition to her science, Jennifer is absolutely committed to serve as a mentor and advocate for minority scientists, Ratner says. As part of this mission, she has worked tirelessly with SACNAS and attended an outstanding training program over two years in coordination with Yale University. These activities have been an important part of Jennifers graduate training plan. She is gaining valuable leadership training, organization skills and management abilities through this work. Cram says that working with both organizations helps her stay connected with the Hispanic community and has helped reduce the stress of working toward a doctoral degree. Her research project, under Ratners mentorship, involves looking at drugs that could be used to prevent tumor development or shrink tumor growth in people with NF1, a disease that affects more than 100,00 Americans. Our laboratory bred mice that develop NF1 to use as a model of the disease, Cram explains. We used genetic modification technologies to alter both copies of the NF1 gene in mouse Schwann cells. These genetic alterations are very similar to the genetic alterations that NF1 patients have. We know that our mouse model of neurofibroma accurately represents the disease because our mice develop plexiform neurofibromas in similar places in the body and at a similar rate that we see in NF1 patients. Cram describes Schwann cells as specialized cells surrounding the nerve processes in the body. In healthy humans, Schwann cells help to support nerve function. But in NF1 patients, mutations of the NF1 gene in Schwann cells affect these cells normal behavior, causing them to multiply and promoting the development of neurofibroma tumors. Her work primarily focuses on a receptor in Schwann cells known as P2RY14. Research completed in Ratners lab has found that the P2RY14 receptor is highly expressed in NF1 tumors. The hypothesis is that high expression of this receptor is implicated in neurofibroma development. We want to test what happens when you completely delete this receptor from Schwann cells, Cram says. Does it decrease or prevent tumor formation? We can use our neurofibroma mouse model to manipulate the expression of this receptor in mouse Schwann cells. Our hypothesis is that absence of this receptor in mice with neurofibroma can decrease the rate at which Schwann cells multiply and decrease and/or prevent tumor formation. Using the genetically modified mice, Cram has showed that the neurofibroma mice with P2RY14 receptor deleted from Schwann cells tend to survive longer. Additionally, she showed that deletion of P2RY14 from the neurofibroma-bearing mice also decreased tumor number and tumor size. These results lead us to believe that the P2RY14 receptor has a role in tumor formation, meaning that if we can potentially target this receptor with drugs, we might see a reduction of tumor formation in NF1 patients, she says. Fortunately, there are available drugs available that target P2RY14 receptors for use in model systems. Crams research is now investigating whether any of these drugs can be used to treat NF1. Currently there is only one Food and Drug Administration-approved drug (Selumetinib) to treat NF1, but it does not help every patient. Her new funding for her research project provides Jennifer with a spectacular opportunity, and it is hoped will contribute toward new hope for therapies that treat this genetic disease, Ratner says. The Childrens Tumor Foundation was founded in 1978 as a grassroots organization to find treatments for NF. The Young Investigator Award is the organizations oldest research award and serves to advance the understanding of the biology of neurofibromatosis and bring talented young investigators into their NF field. Cram is excited about her future and the potential her research holds. She also is grateful for the Young Investigator Award and thankful to Ratner for her encouragement. Honestly, I wouldn't have had all these opportunities without having her support, she admits. Trump Supporters and Non-Supporters Gather Peacefully for His Visit to California McClellan Park, Calif.Supporters and protesters alike stood behind a fence at Sacramento McClellan Airport to await President Donald Trumps arrival on Sept. 14. The purpose of Trumps visit was to meet with California Gov. Gavin Newsom and other officials to receive a briefing on the wildfires in the state. The majority of the people waiting for him were Trump supporters. Some Biden supporters also gathered there, and both sides held signs and waved flags. Whenever the two sides met, the conversations they engaged in were peaceful overall. The Epoch Times heard from both Trump supporters and Democratic voters. Trump supporters hold signs and flags to greet the president at Sacramento McClellan Airport on Sept. 14, 2020. (Ted Lin/The Epoch Times) Trump Supporters John Carter is a Trump supporter living in Cool, California, and was originally from Dallas, Texas. He owns a business that installs alarm and camera systems. Its a great business to be in with the crazy crime rate here in California and then releasing thousands and thousands of prisoners. Its a good business to be in, Carter told The Epoch Times. He and his wife support Trump because Trump is pro-business, so he was their first choice from the start. They believe Trump will save the country from itself. Its kind of what the people did to themselves in Venezuela. They were told lies, the lies sounded good, they voted for the lies, they fell for the lies. And now theyre starving, and they have shortages of everything, and that is what socialism always brings, Carter said. I like the expression, you can vote your way into socialism, but you are going to have to shoot your way out. And thats kind of where we are. Jonathan Pablo explains to The Epoch Times sister media NTD Television why he supports President Trump, at Sacramento McClellan Airport on Sept. 14, 2020. (Ted Lin/The Epoch Times) Donna Goles, a Folsom resident working in the tech industry, was a Trump supporter in 2016 and is also a supporter this year because she likes his policies. Personal freedom, not as much big government. I think Biden is more big government, Goles told The Epoch Times. I just believe in less government, and personal responsibility, people being able to make their own decisions. She grew up very patriotic, and Trumps ideals align with hers, she said. I really like that hes for the flag, hes for the national anthem, hes for America, she said. I would vote Democrat if I thought they had the best policies. But I felt like [Trump] had the best policies, she said. Jonathan Pablo, a student, brought his friends from Tracy and camped out to support the president. He carried a sign that read Mexicans 4 Trump. Me, all my family, a lot of Mexicans are voting for him. Strong family values. We love our country, Pablo told The Epoch Times. In regard to Trumps immigration policies, he said he agrees with him 80 to 90 percent. Everyone here, you wont find a single person that agrees a hundred percent with him. But it is what it is. Do I want Joe Biden or do I want Trump? I want Trump. I want four more years, he said. Rashidi Bennett lists what Trump policies he likes, in an interview with The Epoch Times sister media NTD Television at Sacramento McClellan Airport on Sept. 14, 2020. (Ted Lin/The Epoch Times) Ruth Yu shows support for President Trump at Sacramento McClellan Airport on Sept. 14, 2020, after driving up to Sacramento from Los Angeles the day before. (Nancy Han/The Epoch Times) Rashidi Bennett, a government worker living in the Sacramento area, believes Trump has good economic policies. Under his policies, were now selling [merchandise] to China. So thats pretty huge. Its something that nobody else has ever done, especially Biden, Bennett told The Epoch Times. In 47 years, he was selling America to China. We are starting to recapture our economic power back from China, thanks to Trumps policies. He likes how the president is lowering taxes and strengthening the military and national security. Our immigration policy should be about what benefits America, not what benefits everybody else, he said. Robbie Jeremica, a retired California Highway Patrol officer from El Dorado County, attended because he is passionate about preserving America. My mother was born in Berlin and lived under Nazi Germany, under socialism. She was 16 years old when the war ended. And when she came to America, she said that this was the most marvelous place in the world, Jeremica told The Epoch Times. She said, if Im in America, Im going to speak English, and Im going to support the way of America. She was the most patriotic American Ive ever known. Protesters supporting Joe Biden hold signs and flags at Sacramento McClellan Airport on Sept. 14, 2020. (Nancy Han/The Epoch Times) Democratic Voters Anti-Trump protesters stood in smaller groups scattered around the airport vicinity. Carol Voyles, a retired psychotherapist living in Sacramento, believes Joe Biden is the best candidate, she told The Epoch Times. She was present because she wanted to create an opportunity for dialogue with people of differing views. I believe people are here with good intentions, Voyles said. I think that theyre misinformed, but I do think that they support [and] believe in our country and want whats best for it. If elected, she believes that Biden will reunite the country by addressing issues like the virus, mistreated minorities, and womens rights. In her opinion, Biden is more trustworthy and believable because he believes in science. Krista Cramer is also a retired resident living in the Sacramento area. She feels it is important to be there to voice her opinion about supporting Kamala Harris. I would love to see a woman in the White House. But I think shes terrific, Cramer told The Epoch Times. I dont think Joe Biden is perfect by any stretch. None of them are. But I do believe that at least hes more honest and upright. She believes there will still be problems no matter which way the vote goes. I just hope that it doesnt turn into rioting and violence. And the people that are rioting are hurting our cause, Cramer said. Maputo, Sep 15 : The Mozambique authorities have assured of investigation into a video showing men dressed in army uniforms beating and killing a naked woman in the restive gas-rich Cabo Delgado province. The Defence Ministry condemned the footage as 'horrifying' and vowed to 'ascertain their authenticity'. Rights groups have also condemned the killing, the BBC reported. Mozambique has been battling an Islamist militant group in the north for three years. Its army has been accused of human rights abuses as it tries to put down the insurgency. The government denies the accusations. The two-minute clip of the killing was shared by several rights groups on Monday. In it a group of men wearing army uniforms surround a woman, one hits her on the head and body with a stick several times before others shoot. They can be heard saying in Portuguese "kill her on the side of the road", as per media reports. The men can also be heard shouting "you're from al-Shabab", according to a global news agency report, referring to the jihadist group that has led a growing insurgency against the government since 2017. "The FDS (Defence and Security Forces) reiterate that they do not agree with any barbaric act that substantiates the violation of human rights," the Mozambique army said in a statement. Zenaida Machado, from the New York-based group Human Rights Watch, called for an investigation saying such acts, if committed by soldiers, sowed distrust in the population and strengthened insurgents' narrative. "It's the worst case of betrayal," she said, adding that frightened people should not run from insurgents only to find themselves in danger from those supposed to keep them safe. The group - known locally as al-Shabab, or the youth - have an Islamist agenda, but they are building on decades of local frustrations about unemployment, rigged elections, corruption and violence. TOWIE's Georgia Kousoulou has hit out at former stars of the show who declined offers to return for the 10th anniversary episodes. Over the past month, the ITVBe hit has marked a decade on air with a retrospective show which looked back on the best moments over the years, however original stars, including Mark Wright and Lucy Mecklenburgh, declined to appear. The former lovebirds, aged 33 and 29 respectively, insisted they have moved on with their lives, yet Georgia, 29, claimed their snub was disrespectful. Hitting back: TOWIE's Georgia Kousoulou has hit out at former stars of the show who declined offers to return for the 10th anniversary episodes Both Mark and Lucy were original stars of the show, with the starlet entering as Mark's love interest, much to the chagrin of his on-off love Lauren Goodger. Mark stayed on the show for three seasons, before departing in 2011, while Lucy left in 2013 after appearing in 10 series of the reality hit. After leaving the show and enjoying roaring success in other ventures, the duo hit headlines earlier this month when it was revealed they would not return for the show, which saw stars past and present look back on a decade of the show. Speaking to The Sun, Georgia said: 'I think it is bad that some of the original cast decided not to do the anniversary special... Not good: Over the past month, the ITVBe hit has marked a decade on air with a retrospective show which looked back on the best moments over the years, however original stars, including Mark Wright and Lucy Mecklenburgh, declined to appear (Lucy and Mark in 2010) 'I think everyone should have done it. TOWIE made you, so I think everyone should have done it to show respect to the show that made you. 'Even if you don't want to film new episodes for the 10th anniversary series, the least you can do is the reunion show. Towie has given you the life you have now. 'I don't think you should ever forget'. Shocker: Mark's ex-fiancee Lauren Goodger did not make an appearance on the show Last month, it was revealed that due to her family and work commitments, Lucy feels she doesn't have the time to pop back on the ITVBe show. An insider said: 'Lucy loves the show and has a real soft spot for it but unfortunately shes too busy to fit in filming for the reunion... 'She has so much going on at the moment. 'She tried to make it work but when everything was taken into account, something had to give. Its sad but not really surprising.' Around the same time as Lucy's news, it was revealed that Mark had no intentions of returning as he is 'at a different place in his life'. US Renews Call for Gulf Countries to Resolve Rift By Nike Ching September 14, 2020 The United States is renewing its call for Gulf countries to resolve a three-year-long rift, citing the need to solidify a united front against Iran. "To close the door to increased Iranian meddling, it's past time to find a solution to the Gulf rift," said U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo Monday. "The Trump administration is eager to see this dispute resolved and to reopen Qatar's air and land borders currently blocked by other Gulf states. I look forward to progress on this issue." Pompeo spoke after welcoming senior Qatari officials, including Qatari Deputy Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani and Finance Minister Ali Sharif Al -Emadi to the State Department for the third annual U.S.-Qatar Strategic Dialogue. The secretary of state was joined by Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross. The U.S. signed agreements with Qatar to enhance investment and cultural ties. Both the U.S. and Qatari officials discussed "the regional momentum to advance peace and prosperity, the need to overcome divisions within the Gulf and further combat Iran's destabilizing effect on the region, and Qatar's effort to support stability and economic development in Gaza," according to the State Department. The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) bloc, composed of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE,) Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain, has been fractured since mid-2017. The UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Egypt cut diplomatic ties with Qatar and imposed a boycott, accusing it of supporting terrorism. Qatar has denied the allegations. The boycotting nations set 13 demands, among them were ultimatums that Qatar shut down its Al Jazeera news network, cut ties with Islamist groups like the Muslim Brotherhood, limit its links to Iran and expel Turkish troops from its territory. Kuwait and the U.S. have tried to mediate the quarrel that's seen as undermining Washington's efforts to unify the region against Iran, which is seen as competing for regional supremacy with Saudi Arabia. "I would like to thank the U.S. for supporting the Kuwaiti mediation to resolve the blockade on the basis of the respecter for the sovereignty and independence of the State of Qatar," said Al-Thani, while acknowledging the "shared threats" between the U.S. and Qatar. "We will also discuss a range of defense and security issues, including shared threats, opportunities for the regional cooperation and mechanisms for the defeating of malign actors arrayed against us. Qatar and the United States are in agreement that such threats are among the greatest challenges we face today in the Middle East to our shared vision of peace, stability and prosperity for all," Al -Thani. U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs David Schenker said last week there has been a great deal of "high-level engagement" and "White House involvement" in resolving the three-year-long rift between Gulf Arab states. "There is a recognition that this is a distraction from Iran," said Schenker during a virtual event hosted by the Washington-based Brookings Institution on Sept. 9. Schenker said the U.S. has been working with partners in GCC. "We're hoping that we see a little bit more flexibility here. I don't want to get into the whole diplomacy in it, but there is some movement. I would like to say that it's going to be a matter of weeks," he said. The White House Tuesday is hosting a ceremony where the UAE and Israel are signing the so-called Abraham Accord to normalize diplomatic ties. "As Israel and the UAE join President Trump at the White House to sign a historic agreement to normalize relations, we anticipate other countries in the Middle East will recognize the benefits of a closer relationship with Israel. In that effort, also, Qatar plays an invaluable role in helping stabilize Gaza, as well as regional efforts to de-escalate tensions both in Syria and in Lebanon," said Pompeo on Monday. Experts say the United States is expected to ask Qatar to normalize diplomatic ties with Israel. "I do not envision the GCC conflict resolved soon, but I don't think that conflict prevents Israel from normalizing ties with both Bahrain and Qatar," said Daniel Serwer, the Middle East Institute's scholar and professor on Monday. Others said the administration's immediate objective is not to achieve a resolution to the dispute altogether, but initially to address opening airspace for Qatari flights. "Several recent reports seem to indicate that a deal was close but requires further effort and discussion. The administration will likely continue to strive to achieve this initial objective before the elections in November," said Hesham Youssef, a former career diplomat with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Egypt and now a senior fellow with the Washington-based United States Institute of Peace. Youssef told VOA Monday that Qatar's GCC rift and normalization of ties with Israel will likely remain separate issues. "Because of Qatar's rivalry with the UAE, Qatar will not want to be viewed as following in the Emirates' steps in relation to normalization with Israel," said Youssef. "Furthermore, the Emirates framed its deal in a context of suspending Israeli unilateral annexation and it is not clear that Qatar would be able to achieve an equivalent framing." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address KIGALI, Rwanda A Rwandan court on Monday charged Paul Rusesabagina, whose story inspired the film Hotel Rwanda, with terrorism, complicity in murder, and forming an armed rebel group. Rusesabagina declined to respond to all 13 charges, saying some did not qualify as criminal offenses and saying that he denied the accusations when he was questioned by Rwandan investigators. Rusesabagina, 66, asked to be released on bail, citing poor health that has caused him to be taken to the hospital three times in the time that he has been held in Rwanda. I request that I am given bail and I assure the court that I will not flee from justice, Rusesabagina said. The court said it will rule on his bail application on Thursday. Rusesabagina, credited with saving more than 1,000 lives during Rwandas 1994 genocide, appeared in handcuffs in Kagarama Court in the capital for a pre-trial hearing, in which the prosecution requested court permission to continue detaining him until investigations are completed. Rusesabagina and his family have had a home in San Antonio since 2009. Kathleen Tobin Krueger, the wife of former U.S. Sen. Bob Krueger, D-Texas, who served as ambassador to Burundi from 1994 to 1995 said she was particularly worried about reports that Rusesabagina has been taken to the hospital three times while in custody in Rwanda. The Kruegers are longtime friends with Rusesabagina and his wife Taciana. Paul has always been an apparently healthy and vigorous man in my presence, Krueger said. Hes never needed to go to the hospital here in San Antonio. Krueger said a network of diplomats, government officials, international attorneys, celebrities and family members have been meeting daily online to plot strategies to put pressure on Rwandan President Paul Kagames government to release Rusesabagina. She said shes also been told that the U.S. ambassador to Rwanda Peter H. Vrooman has visited the foreign ministry in Rwanda to express the U.S. governments concerns about Rusesabaginas detention and that secretary of state Mike Pompeo has been briefed on the situation. Rusesabagina was represented by Rwandan lawyers David Rugaza and Ameline Nyembo, who have been discounted as state-imposed representation by his family outside Rwanda. Neither his lawyers nor the prosecution explained the circumstances under which Rusesabagina arrived in Kigali at the end of August from Dubai. He had traveled from the U.S. to Dubai and then mysteriously appeared in Rwanda. The Rwandan court said the suspect was arrested at Kigali International Airport, contradicting the earlier police version that he was arrested through international cooperation. When President Kagame spoke on national broadcasting about the case, he indicated that Rusesabagina may have been tricked into boarding a private plane in Dubai that took him to Rwanda. Amnesty International on Monday urged Rwandan authorities to guarantee Rusesabagina his right to a fair trial. The lack of transparency around the arrest of Paul Rusesabagina and reports that he has been denied access to the lawyer hired by his family are red flags that cannot be ignored as the authorities prepare for his trial, said Deprose Muchena, Amnesty Internationals Director for East and Southern Africa. Rusesabaginas daughter Carine Kanimba told The Associated Press that the family was not even aware he was to appear in court Monday as the state-appointed lawyers didnt inform them. She said they learned of the court hearing through the media. This is a travesty of justice, Kanimba said of the hearing. Speaking on the phone from Belgium, she said her father was the victim of an abduction, disappearance, and extraordinary rendition from Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates to Kigali, Rwanda. The international group Human Rights Watch last week said that Rusesabagina had been forcibly disappeared. The fact that Rwanda did not pursue Rusesabagina through lawful extradition proceedings suggests the authorities do not believe their evidence or fair trial guarantees would stand up to scrutiny before an independent tribunal, and so opted to circumvent the rule of law, said Human Rights Watchs Central Africa director, Lewis Mudge. Rusesabagina became famous for protecting more than 1,000 people as a hotel manager during Rwandas 1994 genocide in which some 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus were killed. For his efforts he was awarded the U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2005. But Rwandan authorities accuse him of supporting the armed wing of his opposition political platform, which has claimed responsibility for deadly attacks inside Rwanda. Rusesabagina in the past has denied funding rebel groups and said he was being targeted over his criticism of Kagames government and alleged rights abuses. Rusesabagina has not lived in Rwanda since 1996. He holds Belgian citizenship and is a permanent resident of the U.S. Rusesabaginas family has appointed a team of international lawyers to represent him. Those lawyers are planning to fly to Rwanda later this week, said one. We hope that the Rwanda government will accept that we have visas in order for us to defend Mr. Rusesabigna, said Belgian lawyer Vincent Lurquin, in an interview with AP in Brussels. But I have to tell you that the talks between the Belgian and the Rwandan authorities on that front have not progressed much. Lurquin said that neither Rusesabaginas lawyers nor his family has been able to speak to him privately. If we are alone together, he will be able to explain maybe how he ended up in Rwanda flying from Dubai, Lurquin said. It is not the first (time) that something like this happens with Belgian citizens, there are precedents. Every time Belgium said this was not something they could allow and those people were sent back. Lurquin said that the international community must press Rwandas government to respect international law regarding legal extradition proceedings. It is a judiciary problem, and obviously a political problem. So it is now time for states such as Belgium, as he has Belgian citizenship, but also the European Union and the United States, to wake up and tell President Kagame that this cannot be tolerated, said Lurquin. Where would we go if some states could just abduct nationals from other states? Of the upcoming trial, Lurquin said, It is good that there is a trial, there is no problem there. He is not afraid of a trial, as we can prove that he is innocent. The only thing he is guilty of is to be an opponent to President Kagame and to be famous for saving so many Tutsis during the genocide. But this is not something legally punishable. Express-News Staff Writer Richard A. Marini contributed to this report. A 55-year-old man was arrested for allegedly cheating a food grain merchant of Rs 2 lakh after tricking him into believing that the government is demonetising Rs 2,000 currency notes and has already launched new Rs 1,000 notes. The alleged cheat offered to exchange Rs 2,000 notes with the Rs 1,000 notes by claiming that he has managed to procure bundles of the new Rs 1,000 notes, the police said on Tuesday. The conman, identified as Ajay Sharma, was arrested from his home at Sahibabad in Uttar Pradeshs Ghaziabad on Sunday, a day after the food grain merchant from north Delhis Lahori Gate Naya Bazar filed a cheating complaint at the local police station, said deputy commissioner of police (north) Anto Alphonse. Sharma committed the cheating because he had lost several lakhs of rupees in gambling and was in need of money. We have recovered the complainants Rs 2 lakh from Sharma and a scooter he used in the crime, said Alphonse. On September 11, the police said the complainant was at his shop when around 3 pm an unknown man came there and was talking to someone on his cellphone regarding discontinuation of Rs 2,000 notes by the government of India. The man further claimed that he had bundles of newly published currency notes of Rs 1,000. He asked the person on the other side whether he wanted to buy new Rs 1,000 notes. The complainant, who was listening to the conversation, asked the man if the new Rs 1,000 note had been launched by the government. The man confidently confirmed it and tricked the businessman into believing that the Rs 2,000 notes would soon be demonetised. The businessman showed interest in exchanging Rs 2,000 notes worth Rs 2 lakh. He gave the amount in a bag to his staff member Vishnu Dutt, who left with the man on his scooty. After covering some distance, the man took the bag from Dutt and asked him to go inside a building and collect new Rs 1,000 notes of the same value from his associate, Sunil, the police said. Dutt did not find anyone inside. When he got out, he found the man was missing too. Dutt informed his employer, who filed a case the next day. During the probe, the police found CCTV footage in which the suspects scooter registration number was visible, said DCP Alphonse. We found that the scooters owner was Ajay Sharma. His house in Sahibabad was raided. He was arrested along with the money, added the DCP. HURON COUNTY The Great Lakes water levels remain at historically high levels despite some seasonal declines, according to the Army Corps of Engineers Detroit District. Lakes Michigan-Huron set new monthly mean record high levels in August at 582.09 feet, surpassing the previous record set in 1986 by about one inch. The Corps of Engineers urges anyone impacted by high water levels last fall to prepare for similar or worse impacts in the coming months, said John Allis, the Detroit District Great Lakes Hydraulics and Hydrology office chief, in a statement. Even though lake levels are declining, this active weather can potentially bring tremendous impact to coastlines, including erosion and coastal flooding. In the most recent forecast of lake water levels from Sept. 11, Lakes Michigan-Huron were at 581.86 feet, which is 33 inches higher than the long-term monthly average for September, but one inch below the highest ever recorded monthly average for September, which was in 1986. Related Story: Lake Huron sets new July mean water level record Deanna Apps, a physical scientist with the Army Corps, said that lake water levels typically reach their peak in the late summer and early fall after rising throughout the spring thanks to melted snow flowing though the states rivers. The decline in lake levels is driven by evaporation as cold air moves across the warm lake surface. The high lake levels seen across all the Great Lakes have been par with the course since 2017 thanks to consistently wet conditions in the Great Lakes basin. Anyone in any part of Michigan could be affected by the high levels. It depends on how the wind blows, Apps said. Last week, we had northeasterly winds causing waves in the (Saginaw) Bay area. Other directions could see high impacts with the high levels. There is still the continued risk of erosion and flooding. The forecast also projects lake levels to fall three inches by this time in October, but Apps said that even as the lake levels go below their record levels, they will still be well above average. It would take persistent dry conditions over months or years to it to decline to average levels, Apps said. Lakes Michigan-Huron have set records for average mean height for the past eight months and are still expected to be 30 to 33 inches above average. They usually decline about 11 to 12 inches during the fall and winter, though Apps said the entirety of the decline would not be captured for a few months. Despite the lake levels going through their seasonal decline, Apps urges those living near the lakeshore to continue exercising caution, as lake levels will still be above average. In 2019, we didnt get that seasonal decline at all, Apps said, which set us up for setting all of these records. Hopefully we will get that decline and lower levels in the spring. TEHRAN, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- Ali Bagheri, international affairs assistant of Iran's Judiciary, strongly protested on Monday against "interferences of some European embassies in internal affairs of Iran," official news agency Mizan reported. "If you are clueless about what justice and fairness mean, at least observe diplomatic etiquette and do not spread lies like an opposition group," Bagheri said at a meeting of the Supreme Council of the Judiciary. On Monday, the embassies of Germany and France in Tehran issued separate statements to condemn the execution on Sunday of a "Qisas" death penalty sentence against a wrestler for the murder of a security agent, on request of the victim's family. Foreign pressure, the Iranian official said, "will neither blunt the sharp razor of justice by the Judiciary, nor diminish the broad umbrella of Islamic mercy." Bagheri said that European states have "a long history of supporting dictators, selling weapons of mass destruction to dictator Saddam (Hussein), and boycotting food and medicine needed by ordinary people," and cannot "even take the gesture of defending human rights." A new report from advocacy group Public Citizen details how retail giant Amazon misled the public, law enforcement, and policymakers about price increases during the pandemic, raising their prices on essential products to levels that would be considered violations of price gouging laws in many states. The prices of many products in high demand during the pandemic jumped by over 1,000 percent when compared to this time last year. As accusations of price gouging began, Amazon blamed bad actors, declaring in an official statement that, there is no place for price gouging on Amazon, committing itself to working vigorously to ensure fair pricing, and collaborating with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to hold price gougers accountable and to protect the interests of their customers. Price gouging has no place in Amazon's stores. Read about our efforts here to protect our customers. https://t.co/oDDcya4R6J Brian Huseman (@b_huseman) March 23, 2020 Yet Public Citizens report found that Amazon is engaged in price gouging on products it sells directly itself, through its Amazon Essentials line. Disposable face masks and corn starch were the most inflated prices, jumping elevenfold from earlier in the year. Below is a list of ten Amazon Essential products tracked, including the percentage the items increased in cost. Similar price rises were tracked among third party sellers on the platform as well. Disposable face masks 1,000% Hand sanitizer 48% Disinfectant spray 87% Antibacterial soap 470% Disposable nitrile gloves 336% Toilet paper 528% Paper towels 303% Flour 425% Sugar 520% Corn starch 1,010% While there is no federal law protecting the public from the practice, price gouging is illegal in 35 states, with some states deeming that increasing prices by just 10 percent constitutes breaking the law. Thanks in no small part to increased profits from sales, Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos has seen his wealth almost double during the pandemic, from $113 billion in March to $206 billion today, according to the Institute for Policy Studies, who calculated that Americas billionaire class of 467 plutocrats have seen their wealth spike by nearly a trillion dollars since lockdown began on March 18. Much of this has been down to an enormous tax break for the ultra-wealthy that the Trump administration snuck into its first coronavirus relief bill. Bezos, who retook the title of the worlds richest individual from Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates late last year, has said that he is so rich that he can only imagine spending his wealth by plowing it into space travel. Yet even as he becomes the worlds first individual to reach a net worth of $200 billion, Bezos employees are struggling just to eat or avoid homelessness. According to the companys own data, a great number of Amazon employees rely on SNAP (food stamps) just to eat. That number is as high as one third of all Amazon workers in Arizona, with company employees nationwide far more likely than most to need to use food stamps. Instead of giving his employees a pay rise, arch-philanthropist Bezos decided to start a charitable foundation for them, asking the public to donate money to help them pay for basic necessities. And when staff at Bezos-owned Whole Foods Market asked for higher pay and better working conditions, the company instead gave them a free t-shirt that called them hardcore heroes for working through the pandemic. Price gouging is widely considered a highly immoral practice, akin to profiting off the desperation and suffering of others, with some of the only people willing to publicly defend it being economics professors and highly-paid columnists in corporate media. Professor Lili Carneglia of Valencia College, Florida, for instance, writing in libertarian think tank FEE, argued that neighborhood 7-Elevens charging $20 for a case of water after a hurricane is a good thing, claiming without them there would be shortages in supply (although, she admits, she is unable to convince most of her students). Likewise, the Boston Globes Jeff Jacoby claims that price gouging is not a problem, but a solution to a problem, suggesting that it actually helps consumers. Public Citizen did not agree. During emergencies, people are scared, desperate, and in need. Price gouging is an insidious exploitation of the most vulnerable. There is no excuse for the most successful corporations preying on vulnerable consumers, it concluded Feature photo | Protesters carry a figure of Amazon.com founder Jeff Bezos depicted as a giant robot, at a protest during a march for immigrant and workers rights, May 1, 2019, on May Day in downtown Seattle. Ted S. Warren | AP Alan MacLeod is a Staff Writer for MintPress News. After completing his PhD in 2017 he published two books: Bad News From Venezuela: Twenty Years of Fake News and Misreporting and Propaganda in the Information Age: Still Manufacturing Consent. He has also contributed to Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting, The Guardian, Salon, The Grayzone, Jacobin Magazine, Common Dreams the American Herald Tribune and The Canary. An Illinois man who previously lived in Massachusetts has been sentenced to serve just more than three years in federal prison after he scammed people out of cash while posing as an employee of the Internal Revenue Service. Ashokkumar Andy Patel of Hoffman Estates, Illinois, and formerly of Worcester and Plainville, was sentenced Tuesday by U.S. District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman to 40 months in prison followed by one year of supervised release after he previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, two counts of wire fraud and one count of money laundering. The sentence was issued in Worcester federal court. Patel, 30, was also ordered to pay restitution to his victims. The amount will be determined later, but the U.S. Attorneys Office said he scammed $881,662 from people he swindled. Patel will also face deportation. From December 2013 to October 2014, Patel was part of a conspiracy whereby victims in the United States were contacted by individuals, primarily in India, and falsely told that they owed money to the IRS, the U.S. Attorneys Office said. The victims were told that in order to avoid imminent arrest they had to purchase MoneyPak, or other types of prepaid stored value cards, load thousands of dollars onto the cards and provide the serial numbers to the callers. The victims' money was then quickly transferred to prepaid debit cards, such as Green Dot Debit Cards, which were then used to purchase money orders. Patel was responsible for purchasing the prepaid debit cards, using them to purchase money orders and then depositing the purchased money orders into various bank accounts, including his own. Court records detailed some of the cases. In one incident, a 65-year-old retired doctor from Shrewsbury who is disabled was called by Patel in December 2013 as he claimed to be an attorney for the IRS. He told the woman was going to be arrested unless she paid legal fees to the IRS. The woman, in pain from a medical condition, then drove to a store to buy several prepaid cash cards. The pain from her medical condition brought tears to her eyes and she had trouble driving, records said. The phony government agent on the phone insisted she buy the MoneyPak cards and kept her on the line until she did. Authorities said the man on the phone was Patel, a scammer who was most likely sitting in a sandwich shop. He stole $85,824 from the woman. FBI Special Agent Andrew Nambu wrote in his affidavit that he began tracking information about MoneyPak cards or Green Dot Debit cards in 2015 and identified Patel as a suspect in the scam. Authorities said in February 2014, another person was taken in the scam. A man living in Lexington said Patel called him and claimed the IRS was going to arrest him. The victim bought 20 MoneyPak cards each with $500 on them. Nambu said investigators were able to confirm that bank transactions and MoneyGram orders made by Patel were done with cash stolen from people in the scheme. A third victim, a 65-year-old woman from Worcester, received a call in July 2014. The threat was the same: pay the IRS money for unpaid taxes or be arrested. The woman was told to purchase various prepaid cash cards and provide the caller with the serial numbers. Fearing arrest, the woman went to various stores over two days and purchased $44,100 in cards. At one point, the caller passed the woman off to a supervisor who claimed the woman owed more for paying late, the FBI agent wrote in his affidavit. Theres no question that the workers failed AJ. Illinois Department of Children and Family Services had extensive prior involvement with the family, including 10 reports of abuse or neglect from police, hospital staff and neighbors. AJ was born with heroin in his system, and his parents struggled with substance abuse. When an emergency room doctor asked AJ about bruising to his hip, he said, Maybe someone hit me with a belt. Maybe mommy didnt mean to hurt me. U niversities will struggle to stop Covid-19 spreading among students if they cannot get tested with the current system unable to cope, ministers were warned today. Students are already heading to universities this week amid alarming evidence that the test-and-trace system is failing to deal with growing demand, even in Covid-19 hotspots. Experts are warning that this means cases are not being detected swiftly, which undermines the battle to stop a second wave of the killer virus hitting Britain. They also fear testing shortages could get worse as winter approaches and increasing numbers become ill. Universities re-opening will lead to more burden on the testing system which is already failing and under strain, Chris Bonell, professor of public health sociology at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, told the Evening Standard. Universities are taking measures to mitigate risks but without test and trace, its unlikely that they will be sufficient. He stressed that the test-and-trace system needed to be giving 70 to 80 per cent coverage to keep the virus at bay. The system at the moment is nowhere near that, he added. Professor Bonell believes universities should re-open but other measures may be needed, such as closing pubs. University chiefs have already been working with town halls and public health chiefs on testing and rapid responses to outbreaks, but are pleading with the Government to boost testing capacity. A Universities UK spokeswoman said: We are continuing to urgently raise with Government the need for increased capacity in the national testing regime and also to ensure testing centres are accessible for university populations. Students at Birmingham City University arrive for the start of term / PA Some universities, including Exeter and Nottingham, have set up their own testing systems, however the Russell Group, made up of 24 leading research universities, also voiced concerns. A spokesman said: In addition to the steps being taken by our universities to reduce transmission on campus and in the wider community, we would urge the Government to ensure that sufficient local testing capacity is in place. Home Secretary Priti Patel admitted today that some of the situations faced by people trying to get tested were unacceptable but stressed the Government is surging capacity in local lockdown areas and tests were available within a 10-mile radius. She said: It is wrong to say tests are not available, new book-in slots are being made available every single day, mobile testing units are being made available. And on top of that home-testing kits are being issued across the country but specifically in local lockdown areas. Our capacity is at the highest level it has been since coronavirus. However, Sir John Bell, regius professor of medicine at the University of Oxford, who has been advising ministers, said the speed at which more people would need tests had been underestimated and warned that the problem could get worse. Thousands are preparing to study in socially distanced surroundings / PA What has been underestimated was the speed at which the second wave would arrive, but also the pressure put on the system from children returning to school, and the testing demands associated with that, and people increasingly out and about, he told the BBC. They are definitely behind the curve in terms of getting the necessary tests for what we need today. Ministers have been accused of not being open about the scale of testing. There has been an estimated backlog of 185,000 swabs and patients are being told there are no test sites available or being directed hundreds of miles away. Professor Alan McNally, director of the institute of microbiology and infection at the University of Birmingham, told BBC Breakfast there were clearly underlying issues which nobody wants to tell us about. Demand for tests has surged as school children pick up bugs. This has led to parents having to self-isolate awaiting tests and results. The Office for National Statistics is investigating the death of a man in his eighties in Kent in January, which could mean the first Covid-19 fatality in the UK occurred more than a month earlier than previously recorded. A Government spokesperson said: Universities have been working hard to safely open campuses and buildings this autumn, and the Government has updated its guidance to assist the sector with these plans including on track and trace procedures. Testing capacity is the highest it has ever been, but we are seeing a significant demand for tests. It is vital that staff and students only get a test if they develop coronavirus symptoms. Loading.... Universities should ensure that all staff and students are aware of all their options to access a test if required. They should ensure students who need to self-isolate are safe and well looked after, and work with their local Public Health England protection team in response to positive cases. The US city of Louisville in Kentucky will pay US$12 million (AU$16 million) to the family of Breonna Taylor a Black woman shot dead by police in a botched raid on her apartment in March to settle a wrongful-death lawsuit, Mayor Greg Fischer says. The settlement will be accompanied by reforms of the Louisville Metro Police Department, including a requirement that commanders approve search warrants before they are put to a judge, Mr Fischer said at a news conference. "I'm deeply, deeply sorry for Breonna's death," Mr Fischer told reporters. "My administration is not waiting to move ahead with needed reforms to prevent a tragedy like this from ever happening again." Mr Fischer was joined by Ms Taylor's family, who said they welcomed the settlement, but also demanded officers involved face criminal charges. Breonna Taylor's family will receive $16 million in the wrongful-death lawsuit. Source: Taylor Family attorney Sam Aguiar via AP, file "As significant as today is, it is only the beginning of getting full justice for Breonna," Ms Taylors mum Tamika Palmer said, her voice at times shaking with emotion. "It's time to move forward with the criminal charges because she deserves that and much more." Ms Taylor's death alongside that of George Floyd, a black man killed in May by a white Minneapolis police officer who knelt on his neck, gave rise to one of the largest protest movements in US history, with daily demonstrations in cities ever since. The settlement appeared to be one of the largest ever after a police killing in the United States, Benjamin Crump, a lawyer for the family, told reporters. As part of Tuesday's settlement, Mr Fischer said Louisville police officers would be offered housing credits to move to some of the poorest parts of the city in the hopes of improving community ties. They will also be encouraged to regularly volunteer for community organisations and will face increased random testing for drug use. No charges for three officers over her death Ms Taylor, a 26-year-old emergency medical technician, was killed on March 13 when Louisville police forced their way into her apartment shortly after midnight using a so-called "no-knock" arrest warrant that did not require them to announce themselves. Story continues Louisville police obtained the warrant from a judge as part of an investigation into a drug ring at another house elsewhere in the city. They told the judge they believed that one of the men suspected of selling drugs had used Ms Taylor's apartment to receive packages. Ms Taylor had previously dated the suspected drug seller, but had severed ties with him, according to her family. In June, the police department fired one of the three officers involved, detective Brett Hankison, who is white, for displaying "extreme indifference to the value of human life" when he fired 10 bullets into Ms Taylor's apartment. The two other officers have been reassigned to administrative duties. The city also banned the use of no-knock warrants. None of the three officers has been criminally charged, but Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron, a black Republican, is expected to bring the case before a grand jury this week, according to local media reports. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter and download the Yahoo News app from the App Store or Google Play. While the following report has a strong hint of speculation, it's also anchored in reality. Mazda has let slip that it's developing an inline-6 engine both through executive statements and a patent filing. The first reports stated that the engine was developed for the next-gen Mazda6, which is making a transition to a RWD platform. According to a new scoop article from the Japanese website Best Car Web , the 6er will arrive as early as March 2022.This new engine is said to have a 3-liter displacement, outputs of up to 300 hp, and relatively low fuel consumption thanks to the spark ignition technology. Not surprisingly, Mazda doesn't want to reserve such advanced tech for just one car.The next-gen CX-5 will also ride on this front-engined, rear-wheel-drive platform. it's expected to be larger in order to compete with the BMW X3 and is expected to arrive in January 2023. We're seeing an influx of sport crossovers and SUVs from Asian automakers and we couldn't be happier.The same report also talks about smaller models getting updates. The Mazda2 will be the first to arrive in September 2021, and while it's not a model we can buy in America, everything should carry over to the Toyota Yaris sister car. Engine-wise, the subcompact is said to gain a smaller version of the Skyactiv-X for the top trim level.This 1.5-liter turbo is sure to deliver decent power and will also be installed in the CX-3, arriving in June 2022. Otherwise, these cars will basically be condensed, cheaper versions of the Mazda3. PLUMAS NATIONAL FOREST, Butte County As a wall of flames from the North Complex fires billowed toward them, firefighters Christian Sung and William Vanderhoef raced to thin a dense pine forest. They and 11 other incarcerated firefighters were responsible for making sure the flames didnt jump a dirt break cut to try to save people and homes in the devastated Sierra foothills outside Oroville. Around them, tree trunks crackled and exploded as Cal Fire crews lit a controlled burn, an effort to cut off the advancing firestorm. Sung, 28, swung a chainsaw, leveling small-growth pines that could cause the ground fire to intensify if it reached taller tree crowns. He yelled as each trunk tumbled, and Vanderhoef hurled the debris into a gully. It was 10 p.m. Sunday, and the firefighters had been up since 7 a.m. They wouldnt rest until well after sunrise. Vanderhoef, 35, who is working his second fire season, said the job has always been grueling, but never like this. He said the demands have grown inexorably as California battles historic wildfires with fewer hand-crew members. You dont really get to recover, he said. The resources have been spread so thin. Californias ranks of incarcerated firefighters have shrunk, from 1,895 last year to 1,354 today a 30% decrease. That has caused a critical gap in the states resources as it tries to contain fires that have torched more than 3 million acres. Photos by Gabrielle Lurie / The Chronicle The shortage of prison fire crews has been exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic because the state has released thousands of minimum-security offenders early to prevent the spread of the virus. For firefighters, that means longer and more dangerous days as Cal Fire tries to do more with less. What are supposed to be 24-hour shifts have stretched hours longer. Sometimes, prison crews have gone 48 hours on shift. Sung, Vanderhoef and the other members of Crew Six from Valley View Conservation Camp, a facility for fire crews in Glenn County, have been working fires in Northern California for a month. They were sent to the North Complex Fire in the hills outside Oroville last week. The men said the physical demands have pushed them beyond anything they had imagined when they volunteered for prison fire camp. Each day, they hike for several miles to remote fire lines, carrying 50-pound backpacks and chainsaws, axes and shovels. On Sunday, tears pooled in the corners of the mens eyes as they worked in thick smoke a few hundred feet from the flames. They didnt wear goggles or respirators. Its pushing yourself to limits that you never knew you had, Sung said. Now Playing: Firefighters are using backfires to help contain the massive wildfires in Northern California. Backfires are small, controlled fires to help reduce the amount of dry vegetation thats available to the main fire. The technique originates from Native American land management to clear brush, manage wildlife and more, and is now a key component of California's fire management efforts. Video: San Francisco Chronicle Ross Miller, a Cal Fire engine captain and veteran of 31 fire seasons, worked alongside the prison crew. He said this season has been one of the toughest ever, and not just because of the size, intensity and sheer number of fires. We have not been as productive as we have been in the past. Thats for sure, Miller said. We need boots on the ground. California has used incarcerated people to help fight fires since the early 1900s, and prison hand crews are a critical backbone. Prisoners volunteer for the program and are trained at a camp on how to cut fire lines. They often hike into rugged terrain where bulldozers and fire engines cannot reach or work alongside full-time firefighters. The program, the states primary source of hand crews, has been strained by the pandemic. In June, 12 camps in Northern California were placed on quarantine lockdown for weeks because of concerns about coronavirus exposure. No firefighters were found to be infected. But the quarantine, combined with early releases, have limited Cal Fires ability to rely on prison crews. California plans to hire 858 seasonal firefighters this year, an effort to help boost civilian hand crews. Gabrielle Lurie / The Chronicle Gov. Gavin Newsom also signed a bill last week to make it easier for formerly incarcerated people who have been trained at prison firefighting camps to get jobs in the field. In the past, many prison firefighters could not get jobs doing the same work upon their release. Criminal records prevented them from becoming emergency medical technicians, a certification that cities and counties require for firefighters. This legislation rights a historic wrong and recognizes the sacrifice of thousands of incarcerated people who have helped battle wildfires in our state, Newsom said after he signed the bill. Nearly every member of the crew working the North Complex fires said they hope to work as firefighters after they are freed. Vanderhoef said hes already on track to land a position after his scheduled release in December. Some criminal justice advocates have called the use of incarcerated people to fight wildfires exploitative, given the low pay and physical risks. Crew members typically earn $2.90 to $5.12 per day, with an additional $1 for every hour working an active emergency. Incarcerated workers typically earn as little as 8 cents an hour for their labor. Members of Crew Six said the jobs perks outweigh the physical demands. They eat better food, with unlimited portions. They live in open-air camps, without prison bars or cells. They work in the outdoors. But more than anything, Vanderhoef said, the job has given him a sense of hope for the future. Out here, we continue to make good. We continue to give back, he said. Youre not just wasting away. Youre serving a purpose. Dustin Gardiner is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: dustin.gardiner@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @dustingardiner Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-15 21:03:26|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close RAMALLAH, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Palestine rejects granting legitimacy to any Arab-Israeli normalization agreements, a senior Palestinian official said on Tuesday. Nabil Abu Rudeineh, the Palestinian presidential spokesman, told reporters in Ramallah that Palestine "is sticking to the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative," which rejects normalization with Israel before the latter ends its occupation of the Palestinian territories. "Any agreements for normalization (with Israel) without resolving the Palestinian cause and ending the occupation are rejected and will fail," Abu Rudeineh said. He added that such agreements "won't lead to stability or security in the region, and would end the decisions of the Arab understandings and initiatives." Abu Rudeineh also said that the road to peace needs establishing an independent Palestinian state on 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital, and this is the real commitments to the Arab Peace Initiative. Enditem (Natural News) Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI) is condemning Netflix for releasing the controversial Cuties, calling the movie child porn and telling the streamer that it is complicit in encouraging pedophiles and helping to fuel the child sex trafficking trade. Her condemnation adds to the growing Congressional scrutiny of Netflix over its decision to distribute the sexually charged movie. (Article by David ng republished from Breitbart.com) In a blistering tweet posted late Friday, the former Democratic presidential candidate blasted Netflix, citing the fact that 1 in 4 victims of sex trafficking are children. Child porn Cuties will certainly whet the appetite of pedophiles & help fuel the child sex trafficking trade, Gabbard wrote. 1 in 4 victims of trafficking are children. It happened to my friends 13 year old daughter. Netflix, you are now complicit. The congresswoman also used the hashtag #CancelNetflix. https://twitter.com/TulsiGabbard/status/1304587833584226305 Rep. Gabbard added that trafficking isnt taken seriously enough. Most people think its not a serious issue or that it just happens to some people in other places. It is rampant and happening in our own communities, she tweeted. https://twitter.com/TulsiGabbard/status/1304592949200793604 She also tweeted that she has cancelled her Netflix subscription. Me too. Tulsi Gabbard (@TulsiGabbard) September 12, 2020 Cuties, which was released this week on the streaming service, tells the story of an 11-year-old French girl who joins a twerking troupe as a way to find freedom from her oppressive Senegalese Muslim family. The movie features an extended dance sequence showing the underage girls gyrating erotically on stage while performing simulated masturbation. Netflix has defended the movie, saying in a statement Thursday that the movie provides social commentary against the sexualization of young children. The streamer has previously apologized for the movies trailer and poster, which highlighted moments from the lewd dance sequence. Rep. Gabbard is the first Congressional Democrat to speak out against Cuties. Sens. Mike Lee (R-UT) and Josh Hawley (R-MO) have sent separate letters to Netflix demanding that the streamer explain why it chose to release the movie. Read more at: Breitbart.com Gov. Tom Wolf is asking Pennsylvania lawmakers to approve changes to election laws this week. The Democratic governor and GOP-controlled General Assembly remain apart on some key issues in handling the November election. Wolf wants mail-in ballots to be counted up to three days after the election and he wants counties to have more time to process those ballots before Election Day. The governor made his pitch for election reforms at a Tuesday news conference at York Grace Brethren Church, which is also a polling place. With the coronavirus pandemic, many voters will cast ballots by mail, Wolf said. There are only 7 weeks left until Election Day," Wolf said. Im calling on the General Assembly to act this week. Republican legislative leaders have proposed some election changes but some of those measures dont go as far as the governor wants. There is some agreement on processing or pre-canvassing mail-in ballots before Election Day. Some advocates, including former Gov. Tom Ridge, are calling for changes in state law so counties can take steps such as removing mail-in ballots from envelopes and verifying signatures before Election Day. Wolf has proposed allowing counties to begin processing mail-in ballots 21 days before the election. GOP lawmakers have backed giving county election officials three days before Election Day. Wolf said that is too short a window, since county officials will be at their busiest preparing for those casting ballots in person. The governor is also pushing for the state to count ballots cast by mail up until three days after the election, as long as they are postmarked by Election Day. Some lawmakers object to that idea. While the governor is pushing for legislative approval, the Wolf administration has petitioned the state Supreme Court to allow an extra three days of counting mail-in ballots after the polls close. Republican lawmakers have said they are frustrated that the governor hasnt worked directly with the General Assembly on the election proposals. GOP leaders have noted hes going to court instead of working through the legislative process. The governor also is calling for legislation requiring counties to send mail-in ballots 28 days before the election. The current law compels counties to mail ballots 14 days ahead of Election Day. Time is running out which is why we need to move quickly, Wolf said. Wolf is also asking lawmakers to approve a measure giving counties more time to fill vacant spots for poll workers. Current state law enables counties to fill vacancies five days before the election, which the Wolf administration said is not enough time. Republican lawmakers have also called for requiring voters to request a mail-in ballot earlier. Citing possible mail delays, GOP lawmakers want to require voters to apply for a mail-in ballot by 15 days before the election. Current law allows voters to request mail-in ballots up to 7 days before the election. Wolf has said he will oppose efforts to limit access to voting. In the June primary, nearly 1.5 million voters cast ballots by mail and election officials project that number will be significantly higher in the fall. Secretary of State Kathy Boockvar said nearly 1.9 million voters have applied to vote by mail in November. This is the first year voting by mail is widely available in Pennsylvania. Wolf signed an election reform law last year with strong bipartisan support. Until this year, voters could only cast absentee ballots and had to explain why they couldnt get to the polls. The governor cited last years election reform law in calling for lawmakers to act once again. Now its time for another historic agreement, Wolf said. More from PennLive Former Pa. Gov. Tom Ridge urges states to allow processing of mail-in ballots before Election Day Be prepared for Election Week or Election Month; the vote count will take longer this year A message for help is painted on a hull of a ship near the Johor state, Malaysia, by Vietnamese sailors stranded on the ship since March. Photo courtesy of the National Union of Seafarers of Peninsular Malaysia. A group of 13 Vietnamese seafarers stuck on a ship in Malaysian waters for nearly six months were repatriated Monday. They were part of 240 Vietnamese citizens repatriated on a special flight from Malaysia that landed at Cam Ranh International Airport in central Khanh Hoa Province. They underwent medical checks before boarding and were quarantined on arrival. Their samples have been taken for testing as per health ministry protocol. "They were very happy, but the only thing is they did not get their salary yet. The ship they were on might be sold as scrap, and from the proceeds they might be able to recover a portion of their salary," Malaysian newspaper The Star quoted a source from the National Union of Seafarers Peninsular Malaysia. The sailors were abandoned in waters off Johor state from March as Malaysian authorities imposed travel restrictions to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus. As food ran out, the sailors painted a message on the ships hull saying, "Help us. No food. No salary." Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokeswoman Le Thi Thu Hang told a press briefing last July the owner of the ship, Thuan Thien Limited Liability Company in the northern Hai Phong, had failed to pay their salaries or costs incurred since May 26 due to the pandemic. Vietnam has brought home over 21,000 people from 50 countries and territories on 80 flights since the country started its repatriation program on April 10, according to the ministry. Malaysia has reported 9,969 infections and 128 deaths. In Vietnam, the Covid-19 tally is 1,063 with 35 deaths, and no community infections have been recorded in 12 days. TAMPA, Fla., Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Tzadik Properties, LLC an industry-leading, multi-family property management company based in Miami-Dade County, Florida and in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, was recently the subject of a Tampa Bay Times article published in regards to its properties in and around the Tampa Bay area. Leslie Dupont Vanessa Grant Of the referenced properties, only Timberfalls is owned by Tzadik; the remainder are third-party managed. As such, Tzadik is subject to constraints contained within the owners' capital expenditures budgets in undertaking repairs and maintenance but has made improvements to the full extent possible at both Timberfalls and the third-party managed properties. Since acquiring Timberfalls, Tzadik Properties, LLC has spent $1,511,492 in capital expenditures, which go above normal repairs and maintenance; and of that, $65,094 has been spent during the COVID-19 pandemic. The damages noted in the article are in the process of being repaired. In fact, contracts have been signed for $626,000 worth of repairs and should be commencing shortly, based on third-party contractors. "Tzadik Properties, LLC continues to seek out and work with a range of agencies and organizations for even quicker repairs and to be able to offer even more rent concessions to its tenants during these challenging times," said Adam Hendry, founder and CEO of Tzadik Properties. "As a company, we strive to do the right thing for our residents, for our staff and for the communities in which we serve." Related to work orders and maintenance requests, from March 1, 2020 to July 31, 2020, Tzadik had 836 work orders submitted and completed at its Florida properties. During the previous 5-month span of October 1, 2019 to February 28, 2020, Tzadik only had 228 work orders submitted and completed. This presents an increase of 366% in work orders that were completed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Since taking over the properties in Hillsborough County six years ago, $4,657,039.56 has been spent on capital repairs, including major improvements and replacements such as siding, roofs, tubs, flooring, HVAC, etc. In addition, for the Tampa properties, $788,884 was spent from January 2020 to August 2020 on normal repairs and maintenance (painting, patching of walls, small repairs, repairing a faucet or toilet, repairing AC filters, etc.). Further, another $368,753 was spent on contracts such as maintaining sprinkler systems, landscaping, lift station repairs, pool maintenance, security, etc. Of that amount, $36,234 was spent on pest control. The article also questions Tzadik's delinquency and eviction process in relation to Governor DeSantis' Executive Order suspending residential evictions due to COVID-19. Per the company's policy on notices, Tzadik continued to offer residents ample opportunities to work out payment arrangements. From March 1, 2020, to present, Tzadik has provided concessions to prevent eviction for 33 of its Timberfalls residents, totaling $16,335. During this timeframe, Tzadik extended concessions to prevent evictions to 360 residents at its properties throughout the state of Florida, for a total dollar amount of $829,323. Throughout Hillsborough County, at its 11 properties, Tzadik provided $172,000 in total concessions, which saved 93 residents from eviction. In addition, Tzadik provided 1,448 of its Florida tenants with $80 rental credits for prepaying their rent during the months of May, June and July, in the total amount of $118,840. Tzadik Properties, LLC granted $671,000 of concessions and credits to renters for the TZA portfolio, which consists of Tampa-owned properties as well as Winter Haven and Jacksonville, totaling 14 properties. Company-wide, from March through August, Tzadik offered concessions to 5,465 tenants to go towards moving in, resident referrals, renewals and miscellaneous resident concessions in the amount of $854,351.26. The total amount of concessions / credits that Tzadik granted to renters at Timberfalls who were at risk of eviction was $88,000. Tzadik worked with renters who were willing to speak with property management and offered 50% off all balances that had more than one month's rent in arrears in exchange for them paying the other half. At one property that Tzadik third-party manages, there was a miscommunication between the site level and outside evictions counsel regarding whether the property was financed with a federally backed mortgage, leading to a handful of arguably questionable evictions that were dismissed immediately upon discovery. Of note, two of the tenants interviewed for the Tampa Bay Times article were placed in evictions in March, before lockdown measures and after months of rental delinquencies. One individual who was referenced in the article, is an unauthorized resident who has been arrested on property before. The leaseholder of that unit has a current balance is $4,968.65, and has not made any payments or responded to Tzadik's offers of waiving half of the balance. Assistance options were sent to her door and emailed on June 15, 2020. Again, the tenant has been unresponsive to all collection efforts. Since the beginning of March, that unit has submitted seven work orders. All were completed with completion notes, and the unit has not submitted a repair request since May 1, 2020. Regarding the PPP loans referenced in the article, they are irrelevant to the evictions and property conditions as acceptance of PPP funds was not conditioned upon eviction forbearance. As suggested by its name, the Paycheck Protection Program was designed to cover payroll costs and keep employees employed. Unlike most of its peer property management companies, all of its employees remained on-site to serve the tenants throughout the pandemic and that is what the funds were expended on. In fact, at the beginning of March, before COVID-19, the company had four employees at Timberfalls. By mid-April, it had five employees and was looking to hire additional employees to take care of work orders, and in June it had six employees in which one was an additional newly added position. Currently, Timberfalls has five employees and one open position. In Hillsborough County, six new maintenance positions have been added since April after the pandemic began to better handle the 300% increase in residents repair requests/work orders. Due to the PPP loan, Tzadik Properties, LLC was able to retain all its employees company-wide. The loan was also used to provide all Tzadik employees with the newly created Tzadik Stimulus Package, which helps all 217 employees with added expenses due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Expenses include hand sanitizer, child daycare, indoor children's toys, TV streaming programs memberships, roommate/spouse job loss, household income loss, and to thank employees for showing up to work every day to assist residents during these uncertain and unusual times. Per the PPP program, funds also went to keep residents and employees safe per the CDC guidelines and recommendations for COVID-19. Related expenditures included PPE, video doorbells, additional cleaning supplies, masks, gloves, sanitizers, etc. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Tzadik Properties has maintained 96% stabilized occupancy and is continuing business as usual, meaning that all offices and properties were open, including: 97% daily employee attendance All work orders completed Hand sanitizer stations installed at each entrance in the corporate office Team meetings held via Microsoft Teams so everyone can remain socially distant Keeping residents informed on coronavirus and protocol updates, and maintaining open communication for them to ask any questions Supplying ample personal protective equipment (PPE) to all sites and keeping supplies stocked (PPE includes masks, hand sanitizer, body shields for maintenance workers and face shields) All employees abiding by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines of staying 6 feet apart at all times, even while continuing to give in-person tours as they were requested Moving forward, Tzadik Properties is continuing to meet with organizations such as City of Tampa Housing and Community Development, Department of Code Enforcement for the City of Tampa, and others, to ensure the end result is positive for the residents, the community and the company. Additionally, Tzadik had reached out to Councilman Luis Viera twice. Tzadik and Councilman Viera are in the process of scheduling a follow-up phone call. Tzadik is also working with Rapid Rehousing, a subset of the Housing First approach to end homelessness, which is designed to help those who are homeless or at risk of losing their home. During COVID-19, Tzadik placed approximately 10 of its Florida-based tenants in that program, which will cover rental costs for one year. This program is one example of ways in which Tzadik Properties works towards its goal of providing affordable and sustainable housing for all. "Tzadik did not shut down any leasing offices or put a halt to any resident work order requests after COVID hit. Because work orders increased so much during the pandemic, we hired 6 extra positions in maintenance here at our Tampa properties and that has really helped us keep up with the higher demand. All team members were issued PPE including face shields, bodysuits, gloves, masks, hand sanitizer and other cleaning supplies to keep us safe. We also increased our cleaning of common areas, the office and anywhere residents may frequent." -Angel Flores, Tampa Area Maintenance Manager "I have been employed with Tzadik since March 2018. When many lost their jobs, Tzadik Management ensured our jobs were not only safe but that our residents could still live during this time knowing their landlords are here to support them every day. I have had extensive experience with property management companies from Greystar to the St. Petersburg Housing Authority and the commitment level Tzadik has shown during these troubling times deserves some recognition and should be talked about publicly. I could not be happier to be a part of such an amazing team and company." -Vanessa Grant, Multi-Site Property Manager "Throughout the pandemic, Tzadik has given me the platform to work and assist our residents during a very difficult and uncertain time. I created a community food bank, delivered food boxes and contacted dozens of agencies to solicit assistance to help our resident meet their financial obligations. Not only did Tzadik allow these activities during the workday, they encouraged me to do more and met my enthusiasm by allowing residents to clear their outstanding balance by paying 50% of the amount owed. I am proud to work for such a great company." -Dwone Burse, Property Manager for Bella Mar, Tampa "I've been a resident for 7 years. I'm very pleased with everything that has taken place. I don't have any issues and am grateful to live here. This property is a wonderful place to live and all of my maintenance requests are taken care of. I have been really pleased with the new manager of maintenance. They are a great team. I would recommend anyone to live here. My daughter has lived here for 2 years. She loves it also." -Leslie Dupont Parker, Timber Falls Resident "I am very satisfied with the service that I am getting from maintenance." -Ronald Shannon and Elsie Flacher, Timber Falls Resident About Tzadik Properties, LLC Tzadik Properties, LLC is a growing, innovative and driven real estate and property management company based in Miami, Florida. Since its formation in 2007, Tzadik has managed more than $1 billion in apartment complexes, over 15 million square feet of commercial real estate, and more than 19,000 units in over 20 states. Through excellent management, a focus on company culture, and a tech-driven style of operating, Tzadik has established a reputation for "Building Lasting Relationships." In 2020, Tzadik acquired JM Real Estate, Inc., a full-service, commercial property management, leasing, sales and investment acquisition company that is located in Brevard County, Florida, and serves from Titusville to Palm Bay. For more information about Tzadik, visit https://tz-m.com or call (305) 770-6383. Contact: Duree & Company, PR Consultant 954-723-9350 / [email protected] SOURCE Tzadik Properties, LLC The Pound Sterling to Australian Dollar (GBP/AUD) exchange rate bounced back at the start of the week as parliament prepared to debate the controversial Internal Market bill. Growing domestic opposition to the bill, which would conflict with parts of the previously approved withdrawal agreement, helped the Pound to find some renewed demand. Hopes that parliament could shoot down the bill fuelled hopes that the odds of a no-deal Brexit scenario have fallen once again, to the benefit of the GBP/AUD exchange rate. While tensions between UK and EU officials remain heightened this easing in market pessimism gave the Pound a solid boost across the board on Monday. Support for the Australian Dollar, meanwhile, proved muted in the absence of any wider sense of market risk appetite. RBA Meeting Minutes Set to Provoke Australian Dollar Volatility Investors could find fresh incentive to sell out of the Australian Dollar on Tuesday with the release of the Reserve Bank of Australias (RBA) latest set of meeting minutes. If the minutes offer any fresh evidence of the central banks current policy outlook this could provoke another bout of AUD exchange rate volatility. Even so, as markets now widely expect to see the RBA on hold for the foreseeable future any shift towards hawkishness among policymakers may encourage the Australian Dollar to recover some ground. As long as the RBA appears to be in no particular rush to implement further monetary stimulus measures in the coming months this should keep a floor under AUD exchange rates. Signs of resilience from the Chinese economy may also support the Australian Dollar in the near term, thanks to its function as a common proxy for market sentiment towards China. A solid month of industrial production for August could see the GBP/AUD exchange rate knocked off its uptrend, heading back towards its recent lows. Rising UK Unemployment Forecast to Dent Pound Sterling Demand Support for Pound Sterling, meanwhile, could fade in response to Julys UK unemployment rate. Forecasts point towards a modest uptick in unemployment at the end of the second quarter, lifting the figure from 3.9% to 4.1%. Evidence that the UK labour market continued to struggle in spite of support from the governments furlough scheme would give investors little cause for confidence. With Brexit-based uncertainty and fresh Covid-19 worries looking set to weigh on the economy in the remaining months of the year the threat of a further slowdown in employment remains. A growing sense of anticipation ahead of Thursdays Bank of England (BoE) policy announcement may also cause the GBP/AUD exchange rate to slip. With wildfires raging across the West, climate change took center stage in the race for the White House on Monday as Joseph R. Biden Jr. called President Trump a climate arsonist while the president said that I dont think science knows what is actually happening. A day of dueling appearances laid out stark differences between the two candidates: a president who has long dismissed climate change as a hoax and rolled back environmental regulations and a challenger who has called for aggressive cuts to the greenhouse gases blamed for increasingly extreme weather. Mr. Trump flew to California after weeks of public silence about the flames that have forced hundreds of thousands from their homes, wiped out communities and forests, burned millions of acres, shrouded the region in smoke and killed at least 26 people. But even when confronted by Californias governor, the president insisted on attributing the crisis to poor forest management, not climate change. Mr. Biden, for his part, assailed Mr. Trumps climate record, asserting that the presidents inaction and denial had fed destruction, citing not just the current emergency on the West Coast but flooding in the Midwest and hurricanes along the Gulf Coast. In aspeech in Wilmington, Del., the Democratic presidential nominee sought to paint a second Trump term as a danger to the nations suburbs, flipping an attack on him by the president. (Newser) One of the stars of Netflix's Cheer is under investigation by the FBI, accused of soliciting minors for sex. Twin brothers, age 14, tell USA Today Jerry Harris sexually harassed them online and at cheer competitions starting when they were 13, and continuing for more than a year. They accuse him of propositioning them for sex and asking for explicit photos. A spokesperson tells TMZ that Harris, who is now 21, was 19 at the time of the 2019 allegations, which Harris "categorically disputes," per his rep. Sources say Varsity, a company involved in the cheerleading industry, learned about the claims last month and alerted authorities, providing them with screenshots including a Snapchat message in which Harris allegedly wrote, "Would you ever want to ****." No physical contact is alleged, and no charges have been filed. story continues below Harris is a fan favorite on the popular docuseries, which follows his Texas college cheerleading team; he is known as the "king of mat talk" and has appeared with Oprah Winfrey, Joe Biden, and more. His Instagram page has more than a million followers, and he has partnered with multiple brands. He is accused of soliciting sexually explicit photos from minors, and a search warrant was allegedly carried out at an Illinois home Monday. Authorities were reportedly investigating alleged possession of child porn. "We are confident that when the investigation is complete the true facts will be revealed," Harris' rep says. As for the twins, they say they've received threats since coming forward. "I would not be putting myself out there and doing all this stuff and literally losing my friends about this for no reason, one says. Jerry is just an example of how you can see someone as one way, but they're truly a different person." (Read more Netflix stories.) BEIJING - The U.S. on Tuesday issued a sweeping new advisory warning against travel to mainland China and Hong Kong, citing the risk of arbitrary detention and arbitrary enforcement of local laws. The advisory is likely to heighten tensions between the sides that have spiked since Beijings imposition on Hong Kong of a strict new national security law in June that has already been met with a series of U.S. punitive actions. The statement warned U.S. citizens that China imposes arbitrary detention and exit bans to compel co-operation with investigations, pressure family members to return to China from abroad, influence civil disputes and gain bargaining leverage over foreign governments. U.S. citizens travelling or residing in China or Hong Kong, may be detained without access to U.S. consular services or information about their alleged crime. U.S. citizens may be subjected to prolonged interrogations and extended detention without due process of law, the advisory said. In Hong Kong, China unilaterally and arbitrarily exercises police and security power, the advisory said, adding that new legislation also covers offences committed by non-Hong Kong residents or organizations outside of Hong Kong, possibly subjecting U.S. citizens who have publicly criticized China to a heightened risk of arrest, detention, expulsion, or prosecution. When in Hong Kong, U.S. citizens are strongly cautioned to be aware of their surroundings and avoid demonstrations, the advisory said. Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin told reporters at a daily briefing Tuesday that the U.S. should fully respect the facts and should not engage in unwarranted political manipulation when issuing such advisories. China has always protected the safety and legal rights of foreigners in China in accordance with law. China is one of the safest countries in the world, Wang said. Of course, foreigners in China also have an obligation to abide by Chinese laws. Last month, the Trump administration suspended or terminated three bilateral agreements with Hong Kong covering extradition and tax exemptions, citing Beijings violation of its pledge for Hong Kong to retain broad autonomy for 50 years after the former British colonys 1997 handover to Chinese rule. Other Western nations have also suspended their extradition treaties with Hong Kong following the national securitys laws passage. The U.S. has also acted to end special trade and commercial privileges that Hong Kong had enjoyed and has imposed sanctions on Hong Kong and Chinese officials, including Hong Kongs pro-Beijing leader Carrie Lam, involved in enforcing the new security law. Tensions between Beijing and Washington have hit their lowest point in decades amid simmering disputes over trade, technology, Taiwan, Tibet, the South China Sea, the coronavirus pandemic and, most recently, Hong Kong. The impact of the tensions has been felt in the tit-for-tat closures of diplomatic missions as well as visa restrictions on students and journalists. The latest travel advisory did not offer any new warnings regarding COVID-19 in mainland China and Hong Kong, but referred travellers to earlier notices advising Americans to avoid the regions and return home from them if possible. President Donald Trump has assigned full blame to Beijing for the coronavirus outbreak in the U.S., deflecting criticism of his own handling of the pandemic that threatens his reelection. The virus was first detected in the central Chinese city of Wuhan late last year, leading to the global pandemic. Critics have accused Beijing of an initial coverup attempt, although Trump himself has admitted to downplaying the severity of the virus as early as February. China appears to have contained the virus within its borders, reporting no new cases of domestic infection in a month, while Hong Kong has also radically brought down its numbers of new cases. Read more about: ISTANBUL A recent spat of protests in western Libya and infighting within Tripolis UN-recognized Government of National Accord (GNA) has put pressure on Libyan Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj, who is expected to announce his resignation this week and assume a caretaker role over government functions, according to a Bloomberg report Tuesday. The news comes after a Turkish military intervention helped break a 14-month siege on Tripoli by eastern Libyan forces loyal to commander Khalifa Hifter in June, and now raises questions over the prior and future accords between Ankara and Tripoli. In November 2019, Sarraj signed a controversial agreement with Ankara delineating a shared maritime boundary in the eastern Mediterranean Sea in an area claimed by Greece. Ankara has since used the agreement as a basis to conduct gas exploration activities in contested waters, raising tensions between Turkey and several European nations in recent months. If reports of Sarrajs pending resignation prove true, the maritime accord along with other points of Ankara-Tripoli cooperation may be complicated by turmoil in the Libyan political sphere. Turkey has only one piece of paper regarding that maritime accord and it happens to [bear] Sarrajs name, Jalel Harchaoui, a research fellow at the Clingendael Institute who focuses on Libya, told Al-Monitor. He added, If people keep pushing, which I believe is one of the reasons Sarraj is using this moment to signal to the world he is interested in leaving at some future date, then Turkey better have a plan. The infighting in Tripoli comes after advances by GNA forces came to a stalemate in June along the current Sirte-Jufra front line in central Libya. With few developments between the warring sides and repeated attempts to secure a ceasefire, some clashes broke out among militias within the GNA, highlighting ongoing instability in western Libyan territories reclaimed from Hifters Libyan National Army. In late August, protesters took the streets in Misrata, al-Zawiya and Tripoli to demonstrate against government corruption and deteriorating living conditions under frequent electricity and water cuts. Following domestic tensions that led to round-the-clock lockdowns, Sarraj suspended GNA Interior Minister Fathi Bashagha while he was visiting Turkey, though later reinstated Bashagha to his role. The public rift highlighted discord within the GNA ahead of negotiations in Geneva next month that will seek to lay the groundwork for a new governing structure in Libya. Analysts said Sarrajs rumored shift to a caretaker capacity may be an attempt to fulfill governing duties without completely relinquishing state power as political leaders prepare for a general election as well as a constitutional referendum in the coming 18 months. It is true that Sarraj has been weakened considerably following his spat with Bashagha and that he is currently up against increasingly overt opposition in Tripoli, Alison Pargeter, a senior research fellow at Kings College Londons School of Security Studies, told Al-Monitor. However, that does not necessarily mean he is ready to give it all up just yet. She noted that Sarraj's resignation would risk creating a political vacuum in western Libya that would further weaken and undermine the Presidency Council and the GNA. The move could also be detrimental to Tripoli-Ankara ties. While Ankara has plenty of other partners in Libya, including Bashagha, it is Sarraj in his capacity as head of an internationally recognized ruling body who has provided Turkey with legitimate cover for its actions in Libya and the Mediterranean, Pargeter told Al-Monitor. Emadeddin Badi, a nonresident senior fellow with the Middle East Program at the Atlantic Council, said the news of Sarrajs resignation could be true but would have limited impact on current developments. It was already clear that the outcome of the Geneva talks would most likely lead to the formation of a new political entity, one that Sarraj would most likely not be part of, Badi told Al-Monitor. The potential resignation now only cements that reality. The resulting power vacuum would not only raise questions over Ankaras ongoing intervention in the country, but also the economic cooperation between Turkeys private sector and Libyan entities. Before the Libyan war began in 2011, Turkish companies had more than $18 billion in contracts in the nation, according to the Turkish Contractors Association. These companies also seek to collect billions of dollars in debts left unpaid as a result of the nine-year conflict. A memorandum of understanding signed between the Turkish and Libyan central banks in August to increase cooperation could also be subject to future turmoil, Harchaoui said. The developments come as Turkish and Russian officials meet in Ankara for technical talks Sept. 15 and 16 to discuss developments in Syria and Libya. With many uncertainties ahead, Harchaoui said Turkeys position in Libya remains delicate. Maybe Turkey has a beautiful plan, Harchaoui told Al-Monitor. Maybe it has worked out every detail with Russia and knows exactly what to do or its gradually losing control over this super complex thing called Libyan politics. State public health officials on Tuesday confirmed 286 new COVID-19 cases and 6 more deaths from illness linked to the virus, bringing the commonwealths death toll to 9,016 since the pandemic began. When including probable cases, the state says 9,225 may have died in connection to the disease. Tuesdays newly reported statistics are based on 11,796 new molecular tests, officials said. Throughout the pandemic, 1,980,030 people have been administered molecular tests, according to DPH. The seven-day weighted average rate of positive molecular tests rose slightly from 0.8% to 0.9% as of Tuesday. The rate has remained below 1% thus far through September. Three-hundred and ten people are hospitalized with the virus on Tuesday, including 52 in intensive care units, officials said. Multiple school districts have shifted reopening plans in recent weeks after reports of large gatherings and other concerns about the spread of the virus. Pope Francis Preparatory School decided to switch to remote-only learning after a student tested positive last week. After a party with as many as 150 students, mostly unmasked, was broken up last Friday, Dover-Sherborn Regional High School issued a stern warning to the community and announced it would switch to all-remote learning. Lincoln-Sudbury Regional School District also announced remote learning after a party that was discovered to have taken place in the district. Nearly 6.6 million Americans have tested positive for coronavirus. Almost 195,000 have died as of Monday, according to The New York Times' COVID-19 tracker. As of Tuesday, these are the number of coronavirus cases in each county: Barnstable County: 1,683 Berkshire County: 685 Bristol County: 9,543 Dukes County: 60 Essex County: 18,703 Franklin County: 396 Hampden County: 7,868 Hampshire County: 1,196 Middlesex County: 26,246 Nantucket County: 72 Norfolk County: 9,845 Plymouth County: 9,389 Suffolk County: 23,236 Worcester County: 13,877 Unknown location: 340 Editors note: This story has been updated to reflect the accurate number of COVID-related deaths when including probable cases. Related Content: President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky believes that it is too early to discuss the issue of replacing the meetings of the Trilateral Contact Group from Minsk, and we should wait for the development of the situation in Belarus. "Today, because of COVID-19, it does not matter where people gather, if there is a result. Today we are working in video format. Despite the fact that Austria is very supportive of us on this issue and the sanctions issue, but such questions about the shifting [meeting places of TCG] is too early to discuss, because we expect stabilization of the situation, a very difficult situation that is taking place in Minsk," he said at a joint briefing in Vienna on Tuesday with Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz. After negotiations between University of Massachusetts Amherst administration and two labor unions flirted with brinkmanship, the university has withheld laying off about 450 workers and will explore other cost-saving measures. The detente came after the unions withdrew charges against the university that were filed with the Massachusetts Department of Labor Relations. However, the agreement between UMass Amherst and the unions calls for greater transparency and accountability on budget matters, and the unions reserved the right to reinstate the charges. According to the the Professional Staff Union, its organization and the University Staff Association negotiated an agreement with the university that guarantees no layoffs through January. It also creates joint labor-management committees that will look at cost-saving solutions, which administrators insist are necessary due to the economic impact of COVID-19, that do not require job cuts. The unions agreed to have most members take two-week furloughs. This does not end the dispute between the two sides. The unions are attempting to stop layoffs altogether and restore 150 workers placed on long term furloughs. But the agreement did buy time for the sides to work toward a solution that wont wind up in court or before a state board, as they nearly did. This resolution will protect the immediate livelihood of workers who have been committed to the UMass mission throughout the pandemic. We still have a fight ahead of us in terms of ending all talk about layoffs and long-term furloughs, said Risa Silverman, co-chair of the Professional Staff Union. Whether that ultimately happens remains to be seen. Union leaders accused Chancellor Kumble Subbaswamy and his administration of using furloughs and layoffs as a short cut and a threat without exploring or listening to other options. The university has contended that an unprecedented set of circumstances requires responses that would not ordinarily be considered. The agreement was endorsed by the Massachusetts Teachers Association. This wins an important reprieve for members of the PSU and the USA. Members organized to put pressure on the campus administration, which wanted to shut down bargaining and immediately lay off hundreds of workers. Union members saved health care and preserved financial stability for families throughout the region around UMass Amherst, MTA President Merrie Najimy said. The MTA statement said advocacy will continue to secure at least level funding from the state for the rest of the fiscal year. In July, the Legislature passed a level-funded budget for public higher education through the end of October. MTA Vice President Max Page, a professor at UMass Amherst, said the administration and UMass President Marty Meehan must work harder to secure necessary state and federal funds for the campus. Page said the unions have identified plenty of work for members, even as the campus adjusts to temporarily having fewer students on site. The UMass system cannot be allowed to use the COVID-19 pandemic as an excuse to usher in corporate-style downsizing. The austerity narrative is a false one, Page said. Silverman and University Staff Association president Leslie Marsland credited State Sen. Jo Comerford, D-Northampton, and State Rep. Mindy Domb, D-Amherst, for supporting the union position. UMass heard loud and clear from workers and those who support us that nobody was going to tolerate attempts to unjustly put people out of work and cut their access to health insurance in the midst of a pandemic, Marsland said. The cuts that the university pursued are still a threat and if ultimately implemented would be devastating.'' London: Our universe is home to as many as two trillion galaxies, a number which is ten times more than thought previously, a new study has revealed. Astronomers have long sought to find out the number of galaxies present in the observable universe, the part of the cosmos where light from distant objects has had time to reach us. Images from the Hubble Space Telescope were used by the scientists over the last 20 years to estimate that the universe has around 100 to 200 billion galaxies. Scientists are able to study just 10 per cent of these galaxies with the help of current technology. Once bigger and better telescopes are developed, the remaining 90 per cent will be seen, said researchers led by Christopher Conselice from University of Nottingham in the UK. A PhD student at Nottingham named Aaron Wilkinson carried out the initial galaxy-counting analysis, which was crucial to establish the feasibility of the larger-scale study. Pencil beam images of deep space from telescopes around the world, and especially from the Hubble telescope were then converted into 3D maps by Conselice's team. With this, they were able to calculate the density of galaxies as well as the volume of one small region of space after another. The team by conducting the research managed to establish how many galaxies were missed, much like an intergalactic archaeological dig, researchers said. The results of the study are based on the measurements of the number of observed galaxies at different epochs - different instances in time - through the universe's history. Conselice and his team collaborated with scientists from Leiden University in the Netherlands and the University of Edinburgh. The team examined how many galaxies were there at a given epoch and they found that there were significantly more at earlier times. It appears that when the universe was only a few billion years old there were ten times as many galaxies in a given volume of space as there are within a similar volume today. Most of these galaxies were low mass systems with masses similar to those of the satellite galaxies surrounding the Milky Way. "This is very surprising as we know that, over the 13.7 billion years of cosmic evolution since the Big Bang, galaxies have been growing through star formation and mergers with other galaxies," said Conselice. "Finding more galaxies in the past implies that significant evolution must have occurred to reduce their number through extensive merging of systems," Conselice said. "We are missing the vast majority of galaxies because they are very faint and far away. The number of galaxies in the universe is a fundamental question in astronomy, and it boggles the mind that over 90 per cent of the galaxies in the cosmos have yet to be studied," he added. The research appears in The Astrophysical Journal. (With inputs from PTI) For all the Latest Science News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. LONDON Debut novelists dominated the shortlist for this years Booker Prize, one of the worlds most prestigious literary awards, the judges announced on Tuesday, while star authors like Hilary Mantel and Anne Tyler did not make the list. Four of the six shortlisted books are from first-time writers, three of whom are American, while the fourth holds dual Scottish and American nationality. Four of the shortlisted books are by women. The nominated debuts include Douglas Stuarts Shuggie Bain, a violent tale of a child growing up in 1980s Scotland; and Brandon Taylors Real Life, about a Black gay graduate student navigating campus life. Diane Cooks The New Wilderness, set in a dystopian future in which almost all of the natural world has been destroyed; and Avni Doshis Burnt Sugar, about an artists struggles to cope with her aging mother, are the other two debuts on the list. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is expected to make a statement in Parliament on Tuesday, September 15 over India-China standoff in eastern Ladakh. Singh will address Lok Sabha as it meets again at 3 pm. His statement assumes significance in the wake of opposition's demands for a debate on the issue. Singh's address will be the Modi government's first official statement over the current standoff along the LAC (line of actual control). Also Read: Defence minister Rajnath Singh meets Chinese counterpart in Moscow amid border tension in Ladakh Prime Minister Narendra Modi, ahead of the Parliament's Monsoon Session on Monday, September 14 had told reporters that "our brave soldiers are guarding the borders amid adverse weather in the mountains. All MPs are united in supporting our soldiers." He added that "I believe that all members of Parliament will give an unequivocal message that the country stands with our soldiers." Singh recently met his Chinese counterpart Gen Wei Fenghe in Moscow. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi had also met in Moscow a few days ago. Meanwhile, the Union Cabinet and the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs are also likely to meet over video conferencing on Tuesday afternoon, government sources said. During the monsoon session, which began on Monday, the opposition is seeking to corner the government on it's handling of the standoff with China along the Line of Actual Control in Ladakh, the COVID-19 situation, economic downturn and unemployment, and is pressing for discussions on these issues. Also Read: Defence sector should focus on self-reliance and 'making for the world': Rajnath Singh An updated business agenda for the Lok Sabha session on Tuesday said Singh will make a statement in the lower house on "the developments on our border in Ladakh." The Congress and other opposition parties raised these demands in the first business advisory committee (BAC) meeting for Lok Sabha chaired by Speaker Om Birla on Sunday, but no time has yet been allocated for these discussions. The BAC for Lok Sabha will be held again on Tuesday afternoon to further discuss the first week's business schedule. Similar demands have been raised by the Congress in the BAC for Rajya Sabha as well. By Ayya Lmahamad Azerbaijan and its southern neighbour Iran have discussed the construction of a new highway bridge and a crosswalk over Astarachai on the border. During an online meeting between Azerbaijani Minister of Transport, Communication and High Technology Ramin Guluzade and Iranian Minister of Roads and Urban Development Mohammad Eslami the sides have reached an agreement to accelerate the work on the project of Intergovernmental Memorandum of Understanding in order to create a legal framework for the construction of the bridge. Due to the expiration of the existing road bridge over Astarachai, it became necessary to construct a new road bridge and a crosswalk over Astarachai. It should be noted that in recent years the volume of bilateral and transit cargo transportation by road between Azerbaijan and Iran has increased. Thus, Iran was second country, among Organization of Islamic cooperation member countries, with which Azerbaijan conducted most foreign trade operations. The trade turnover with Azerbaijans southern neighbor Iran amounted to $179.2 million during the period of January-July 2020. Furthermore, during the meeting the transport links between the two countries, the North-South transport corridor, projects in Iran and the development of cargo transportation in the future were discussed. Likewise, the sides exchanged views on the current state and prospects of cooperation between the two countries in the field of transportation. The meeting was also attended by representatives of foreign ministries of two countries. The North-South Transport Corridor project originates in India and passes through Iran, covers the territory of Azerbaijan and extends to Russia and the Gulf of Finland. Within the corridor, Azerbaijan will unite a large part of the worlds economic potential. The foundation of the North-South Transport Corridor was laid on September 12, 2000, according to an intergovernmental agreement signed between Russia, Iran and India. Azerbaijan joined this agreement in 2005. The main goal of this railway was to reduce the time and cheapen the delivery of goods from India and the Gulf countries to Northern and Western Europe (and vice versa). Implementation of the above- mentioned project will make it possible to reduce the period of cargo delivery to consumers by 2-3 times. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Google, on September 14, confirmed that it would host the Pixel 5 launch later in September. The upcoming Google Pixel 5 5G launch is scheduled for September 30. Google is also said to launch the Pixel 4a 5G at the Pixel 5 5G launch event. Google Pixel 5 launch Google Pixel 5 launch event will kick off at 11 am PDT (11.30 pm IST) on September 30. The company is likely to host an online launch or release the Pixel 5 via a press release as it did for the Pixel 4a. Google Pixel 5 specifications (rumoured) Leaked renders previously tipped the Pixel 5 specifications and design. From the renders, you can tell that the design of the Google Pixel 5 is pretty similar to the Pixel 4a. It almost seems like a Pixel 4a, barring the glittery finish and an extra camera. You can also see a smaller unknown third sensor and an LED flash module. Pixel 5 5G, aka Pixel 5s, is likely to sport a 5.7/5.8-inch flat screen with a punch-hole camera cutout on the top left corner. Apart from a square-shaped camera module, you can also see a fingerprint reader on the back of the phone. The Pixel 5 boasts a glossy power button and volume rocker on the right. There are dual speakers and a USB Type-C port on the bottom. Under the hood, Pixel 5 5G is likely to trade in the Snapdragon 865 SoC for a mid-range Snapdragon 765 chipset. While Google has not confirmed the specs of the Pixel 4a 5G or Pixel 5, we know the former will be a 5G version of the recently launched Pixel 4a. The Pixel 4a 5G is priced at USD 499 (Roughly Rs 37,600). During the Pixel 4a launch, Google confirmed that both 5G Pixel devices will be limited to select 5G markets and wont arrive in India and Singapore. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-14 23:14:41|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close COLOMBO, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka has launched a nationwide campaign to promote digital transactions through a QR code system, the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) said in a statement here on Monday. LANKAQR, a QR code standard developed to enable quick and secure transactions at a low cost, was launched at a ceremony attended by CBSL Governor W.D. Lakshman and officials from banks and financial institutions in the central town of Matale on Saturday. The governor made the first official transaction on the platform via a donation to the Uyanwatta Rajamaha Viharaya -- a popular Buddhist temple. "The aim of this public awareness campaign is to encourage the usage of LANKAQR QR code based digital payments due to its numerous benefits to the public and the economy," the statement said. "It is envisaged that this would encourage digital payments in the economy and reduce the cost of cash management, as well as formalize the informal sector," it said. Customers can use the LANKAQR system to transfer funds directly to a merchant's bank account, and a mandatory fee of one is charged to the merchant. The new payment system is expected to be beneficial to small and medium enterprises, which account for 90 percent of all businesses and contribute 52 percent of gross domestic product (GDP). Enditem A COVID-19 charity album featuring Jimmy Barnes, Tones and I, Delta Goodrem and Guy Sebastian has returned to number one on the ARIA charts. Music From The Home Front spent two straight weeks at number one in June and July after the online concert of the same name aired on ANZAC Day. This week, the album was re-released as a triple vinyl record, giving it a huge second wind and taking it back to the top spot. 'It's hard to believe!' Charity album Music From The Home Front featuring Tones and I (pictured) and Jimmy Barnes returns to No. 1 on ARIA chart All of the profits from the album go towards the Support Act charity, which is supporting artists, crew and music workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. The top three spots on the chart were all Australian artists with the second spot taken out by Powderfinger with a 20th anniversary reissue of Odyssey Number Five. Meanwhile, Fremantle band San Cisco came in at number three with their fourth album Between You And Me. Homegrown! The top three spots on the chart were all Australian artists with the second spot taken out by Powderfinger with a 20th anniversary reissue of Odyssey Number Five ARIA CEO Dan Rosen congratulated all of the artists on Music From The Home Front. 'It shows just what a special moment it was for Australia, and how our artists come together and heed the call when we need them most,' Mr Rosen said. 'I would also like to congratulate the awesome Powderfinger on reaching #2 with their 20th anniversary edition of Odyssey Number Five. It is a landmark album by one of this country's great bands. 'And congratulations to San Cisco, on debuting at #3 on the ARIA Charts with their wonderful independent album Between You And Me. They are all part of a great week for Australian artists on the ARIA Charts.' Singing his heart out! Rock legend Jimmy Barnes (pictured) was one of the artists on the charity album, which will support the music industry during the COVID-19 downturn Meanwhile, the singles chart was dominated by US artists with Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion's WAP in the top position. It is the fourth week in a row that WAP has managed to stay at the number one position. Mood by 24kGoldn and Iann Dior came second while Jason Derulo's Savage Love took out the third spot. The European Union's chief executive on Wednesday painted a sober picture of the bloc grappling with a pandemic and the deepest recession in its history, but laid out ambitious goals to make the 27 nations more resilient for future crises. In her annual State of the Union address, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen doubled down on the flagship goals she set out when she took office last December: action to protect the climate and a digital revolution. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Credit:AP She unveiled a plan to cut EU greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55 per cent from 1990 levels by 2030, up from an existing target of 40 per cent, and called for greater investment in technology for Europe to compete more keenly with China and the United States. Officials said that far from backing off the plans she laid out at the beginning of her term because of the coronavirus crisis, von der Leyen believes they will be key to Europe's economic and political survival. The EU has been buffeted for years by crises, from the financial meltdown of 2008 to feuds over migration and the protracted saga of Britain's exit from the bloc. Solidarity among the 27 member states frayed badly at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, when countries refused to share protective medical kit with those worst-affected and closed borders without consultation to prevent the spread of the virus. The bloc's leaders also jousted for months over a joint plan to rescue their coronavirus-throttled economies. But in July they agreed on a stimulus plan that paved the way for the European Commission to raise billions of euros on capital markets on behalf of them all, an unprecedented act of solidarity in almost seven decades of European integration. Von der Leyen told the European Parliament in her speech that "this is the moment for Europe" to trust each other and stand together. "The moment for Europe to lead the way from this fragility towards a new vitality," she said. "I say this because in the last months we have rediscovered the value of what we hold in common ... We turned fear and division between Member States into confidence in our Union." Reuters CPC to consolidate achievements of Party education campaign BEIJING, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- The General Office of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee has issued a set of guidelines, urging the consolidation of the achievements made during the Party education campaign themed "staying true to our founding mission." The guidelines call for enhanced study and discussion of the Party's theories and strengthened education on ideals and convictions among CPC members. Regular self-examination and self-criticism should be conducted by Party members, and problems found should be rectified in time, according to the guidelines. The guidelines ask Party members to continue to commit themselves to a people-centered approach in their work. The guidelines caution against the practices of bureaucratism and formalities for formalities' sake, and urge Party members to abide by the Party's regulations and disciplines and uphold integrity. The office has asked local authorities across the country to thoroughly implement the guidelines. The months-long campaign among CPC members nationwide was launched on May 31, 2019. NCP chief on Tuesday met Union commerce minister and demanded that the Centre reconsider its "sudden" decision to ban the export of onions. Pawar tweeted Goyal assured him that the government will rethink the decision if there is consensus among the ministries of commerce, finance, and consumer affairs on the issue. The NCP chief told the minister that the export ban will "hurt" India's image as a "reliable" supplier of the commodity in the international market. The Central government on Monday banned the export of all varieties of onions with immediate effect to increase availability and curb prices of the bulb in the domestic market. The former Union agriculture minister told Goyal that the decision evoked "sharp" reactions from Maharashtra's onion-producing belt. "There is a good demand internationally for onions (exported from India) and we (India) have consistently been exporting onions. "But due to the Centre's sudden decision, India's image in the international market as a reliable exporter of onion will be hurt," Pawar tweeted. In the wake of the decision, there is a possibility that India may emerge as an "unreliable supplier" of the commodity internationally, Pawar said, adding that the move will benefit nations like Pakistan and others. In another tweet, Pawar said Goyal told him that the proposal to ban the export was moved by the Union Consumer Affairs Ministry based on the rising prices of the commodity. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Rick Perry Rick Perry Getty/Aaron P. Bernstein Rick Perry came to Washington looking for a deal, and less than two months into his tenure as energy secretary, he found a hot prospect. It was April 19, 2017, and Perry, the former Texas governor, failed presidential candidate and contestant on "Dancing With the Stars," was sitting in his office on Independence Avenue with two influential Ukrainians. "He said, 'Look, I'm a new guy, I'm a deal-maker, I'm a Texan,'" recalls one of them, Yuriy Vitrenko, then Ukraine's chief energy negotiator. "We're ready to do deals," he remembers Perry saying. The deals they discussed that day became central to Ukraine's complex relationship with the Trump administration, a relationship that culminated in December with the House vote to impeach President Donald Trump. Perry was a leading figure in the impeachment inquiry last fall. He was among the officials, known as the "three amigos," who ran a shadow foreign policy in Ukraine on Trump's behalf. Their aim, according to the findings of the impeachment inquiry in the House, was to embarrass Trump's main political rival, Joe Biden. Alongside this political mission, Perry and his staff at the Energy Department worked to advance energy deals that were potentially worth billions of dollars to Perry's friends and political donors, a six-month investigation by reporters from Time, WNYC and ProPublica shows. Two of these deals seemed set to benefit Energy Transfer, the Texas company on whose board Perry served immediately before and after his stint in Washington. The biggest was worth an estimated $20 billion, according to U.S. and Ukrainian energy executives involved in negotiating them. If this long-discussed deal succeeds, Perry himself could stand to benefit: In March, three months after leaving government, he owned Energy Transfer shares currently worth around $800,000, according to his most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Story continues Perry appears to have stayed on the right side of the law in pursuing the Ukraine ventures. Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of New York, or SDNY, questioned at least four people about the deals over the past year, according to five people who are familiar with the conversations and discussed them with our reporting team on the condition of anonymity. "As far back as last year, they were already interested in events that had taken place in Ukraine around Rick Perry," including allegations that Perry "was trying to get deals for his buddies," says one of the people who spoke to the Manhattan prosecutors. Perry is not a target of their investigation, according to two sources familiar with the probes. But two ethics experts say Perry's efforts were violations of federal regulations. Administration officials are not allowed to participate in matters directly relating to companies on whose board they have recently served. Other experts say Perry and his aides may have broken a federal rule that prohibits officials from advocating for companies that have not been vetted by the Commerce Department. "Even if it skirts the criminal statute, it's still unethical," says Richard Painter, the top ethics lawyer in the White House of President George W. Bush, with whom we shared our findings. Through a spokesman, Perry said he "never connected or facilitated discussions" between Energy Transfer and Ukraine's state energy firm in one of the deals we uncovered. The spokesman declined to comment on the other ventures Perry advanced while in government, including the $20 billion deal, or on the federal probe. In response to written questions for this article, Energy Transfer said, "We are not aware of any contact between Secretary Perry and Ukrainian officials on Energy Transfer's behalf." Our investigation shows how the hunt for energy profits in Ukraine mixed money and politics at the highest levels of the Trump administration. Perry, in and out of office, advanced the business interests of his friends and political allies. The Ukrainians, in turn, sought to exploit Perry's agenda to advance their national interests. Now the success of Perry's deals may depend on the outcome of the November elections, according to Ukrainian officials involved in the negotiations. That means the presidential race will not only set the conduct of American foreign policy. It could also reshape billions of dollars' worth of business deals whose fate is closely tied to who is in power. This account is based on interviews with more than two dozen current and former government officials and energy executives in the U.S. and Ukraine. Our reporting team has pursued leads and sources in Miami, Houston, New York, Kyiv and Washington, D.C., and reviewed hundreds of pages of legal documents, lobbying records, corporate emails and internal government communications. Many of the details the team uncovered have not previously been reported, and together they reveal another side of the events that set the stage for the impeachment of the U.S. president. The Ukrainians were never naive in their overtures to the Trump team. They realized that Trump was a businessman. "We studied his psychological profile," says Konstantin Eliseev, who advised Ukraine's president on foreign policy when Trump took office in 2017. Their strategy, says Vitrenko, was "to lure or to seduce" the Trump administration by offering deals to its officials. "It was typical for Ukrainian politicians," says the energy negotiator. "They thought that if they could, to some extent, corrupt the U.S. government, or get them interested commercially or personally, it would help." * * * The Ukrainians desperately needed that help. Since 2014, they have been at war with Russia, and their country relies on U.S. support for its very survival. The first offer they dangled in that April 2017 meeting with Perry was indeed seductive: They were looking for a Western partner to take a 49% stake in the country's gas pipeline network. "It's a classic cash cow," says Oleksandr Kharchenko, one of the Ukrainian energy experts involved in trying to sell a stake in the company. Its annual profits, he says, are close to $2 billion. The Ukrainians apparently got Perry's attention. From the outset, Perry's focus on Ukraine had puzzled his colleagues in government, who say that he took a personal interest in the country's affairs. Those affairs would normally fall under the purview of the State Department, not the Energy Department. But at the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv, officials felt that Perry's office had taken the lead on Ukraine policy. "Secretary Perry's staff was very aggressive in terms of promoting an agenda and excluding embassy personnel from meetings without giving explanations," David Holmes, a senior embassy official, said in a deposition to Congress during the impeachment inquiry last year. Some of the voices driving that agenda were not members of the Energy Department but private businessmen, usually from Texas. The most visible was Michael Bleyzer, an old friend and political donor of Perry's. Known for his long mane of silver hair and a passion for scuba diving, Bleyzer was born in the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv and had immigrated to the U.S. in 1978. As Bleyzer explained in a series of emails and phone interviews, he shares an interest in photography with Perry, and they have taken trips together to shoot pictures in Colorado and Israel. "He considers me to be Mr. Ukraine," says Bleyzer. "Whenever he had questions about Ukraine, he would turn to me." So did the Energy Department. In July 2017, three months after Perry's first Ukraine meeting, his staff invited Bleyzer to discuss Ukraine policy at their office in Washington, according to their internal emails. (The emails were released in February in response to a Freedom of Information Act request from American Oversight, a good-governance watchdog.) Over the following year, Bleyzer became a steady presence at the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv, often requesting meetings with U.S. Ambassador Marie "Masha" Yovanovitch. "Bleyzer came to the embassy once a month," says a person familiar with the meetings. The embassy staff were deeply concerned about the dual role Bleyzer appeared to be playing, both as a private businessman in search of oil and gas deals in Ukraine, and as an informal adviser to Perry. "We always tried to convince Masha not to take the meeting," says a person familiar with these visits. "But she said: 'I can't. He's Perry's buddy.'" (Yovanovitch declined to comment for this article.) Bleyzer also had contacts at Energy Transfer, the company where Perry used to be a director. Its CEO, Kelcy Warren, gave $6 million to super PACs behind Perry's 2016 presidential race. In mid-June 2018, Bleyzer organized a trip to Kyiv for one of the company's executives. "I brought Energy Transfer to Ukraine," Bleyzer says of that trip. Their interest, he says, had to do with Ukraine's gas pipeline network, which the country had opened to foreign investment. It was the same deal the Ukrainians had pitched in Perry's office a year earlier, in April 2017. "Bleyzer told me, when he came to visit me, that this [company] was blessed by Perry," says one of the Ukrainian executives he met with. "The company was called Energy Transfer." (Bleyzer denies saying this and says he "never discussed Energy Transfer with Perry.") The two sides did not make an obvious match. Energy Transfer has never done a major deal outside of North America. But the investment in Ukraine was enticing. The country's pipeline system is a reliable moneymaker, says Sergey Makogon, the head of the company that operates it. Russia pays more than a billion dollars a year to send its gas through Ukraine's pipelines to Europe. If Energy Transfer invested in that pipeline system, it could get a share of those profits. Vitrenko, who later led the negotiations with Energy Transfer, says they discussed an American investment of as much as $3 billion. During his time in the Trump administration, Perry had no formal ties to Energy Transfer. He had sold his shares in the company after Trump nominated him to his Cabinet and stepped down from its board. At his confirmation hearing before the Senate in January 2017, Perry said under oath that he had no conflicts of interest in leading the U.S. Energy Department. But during his tenure, the Energy Department worked to advance a deal between Ukraine and Energy Transfer, according to three of the Ukrainian negotiators involved. "They support this deal 100%," says Kharchenko, one of the Ukrainian negotiators. The Energy Department says it did not encourage or advance these talks. The company says it never got enough information from the Ukrainians to determine the value of a potential investment. But the pipeline system was hardly the biggest project Ukraine had to offer the Americans. Far more valuable was the prospect of selling American gas in Europe. At the end of 2015, while Perry was serving on the company's board, Energy Transfer received a federal permit to build a gas-export terminal in Lake Charles, in southern Louisiana. A few months later, the company signed a deal with Shell, the Dutch energy giant, to jointly develop the terminal at an estimated cost of about $11 billion. This new export venture had left one big question unanswered: Where would Energy Transfer ship its gas? The global market for liquefied natural gas, or LNG, has plenty of suppliers, with shipments pouring out of Qatar, Australia and other major exporters. To make this project succeed, Energy Transfer needed a major buyer for its gas, ideally a buyer that would commit to a long-term supply deal. By 2019, an opportunity like that had emerged in Ukraine. Perry wasn't coy about his agenda in Ukraine. When he first visited Kyiv in November 2018, he told a gathering of businessmen about a complex way to get American gas to Europe. It would involve shipping the gas to Poland on giant tankers, then stashing it underground in Ukraine before selling it back, westward, into the European Union. "The potential for Ukraine is stunning," Perry told the business roundtable. Soon after, officials at the Energy Department began to coin new terms for American LNG, calling it "freedom gas" and "molecules of freedom" as they sought to market it around the world. While the Obama administration also sought to undercut Russian energy influence by exporting American LNG to Europe, some of Perry's colleagues in the Trump administration were surprised, and often frustrated, by the secretary's focus on selling gas. "He was a fierce advocate for LNG exports around the globe," said Tom Pyle, who headed the Trump transition team at the Department of Energy. "But he failed to restart the nuclear-waste program or initiate the much needed reforms at the agency, which are major disappointments," Pyle told the energy-focused publication E&E News. Perry ultimately went straight to the top in Ukraine with his energy evangelism and his favored disciples. In May 2019, Trump sent him to Kyiv to attend the inauguration of Ukraine's new president, Volodymyr Zelensky. During a meeting that day, Perry did something his handlers at the U.S. Embassy did not expect, despite their extensive planning for the talks. Perry handed a piece of paper to Zelensky and urged him to have a look. As he did so, Perry explained that the note contained a list of names of "people he trusts," according to Holmes, the U.S. diplomat, who was the official note taker at the event. Among the names on the list was Bleyzer, Perry's old friend from Houston. The following month, June 2019, Bleyzer finally got the deal he wanted in Ukraine. In an auction of licenses to drill for oil and gas, the choicest license went to Bleyzer's company, which got the rights to develop some of Ukraine's biggest oil and gas fields over the next 50 years. The deal was first reported by The Associated Press in November. It is potentially worth billions of dollars. There was another name on Perry's list, and it surprised the Ukrainians: Robert Bensh. A little-known oil and gas executive from Texas, Bensh had known Perry for only a few months by that point. Starting in the early 2000s, Bensh spent over a decade as one of the few American investors in Ukraine's oil and gas sector. His contacts in Kyiv included close associates of Ukraine's corrupt former President Viktor Yanukovych, who was ousted in a revolution in 2014. After that revolution, Bensh's business in Ukraine dried up, and he had returned to Houston. "I wanted nothing to do with Ukraine," Bensh told our reporting team in a series of interviews. The Ukrainians soon understood at least one of the reasons for his return: Bensh was tied to Perry's dream of exporting American gas to Ukraine. Along with a group of investors from Louisiana, Bensh was promoting a company called Louisiana Natural Gas Exports Inc., better known among its founders as LNGE. Established in June 2018, the company had no deals or assets to its name. The man listed as its co-founder and director, Marsden Miller, is related to Bensh by marriage. In 1987, a jury in Louisiana found Miller guilty of corruption; his sentence was later overturned, and the government dropped the case against him after the U.S. Supreme Court narrowed the relevant statute in an unrelated case. LNGE owns no gas fields, no pipelines, no tankers and no export terminal. But its executives had connections in Ukraine and at the Energy Department. On July 10, 2019, those connections began to bear fruit. That date marked a turning point in Ukraine's relations with the Trump administration. It was that afternoon in the White House that two officials from Kyiv were pressured to open investigations into Trump's political rivals. National Security Adviser John Bolton memorably called the day's events a "drug deal." But the Ukrainians had another date with the Trump administration that evening. After the unsettling interaction at the White House, the two had a dinner meeting in a restaurant near the White House with two top Perry aides. Also there: Robert Bensh. As he sat down at the table, Oleksandr Danyliuk, then the national security adviser to Ukraine's president, remembers wondering why Bensh would be invited to a private dinner with senior government officials. "Smells like trouble," Danyliuk remembers thinking. The deal Bensh and his partners had in mind was very similar to the one Perry had raised during his first trip to Kyiv eight months earlier. To them, at least, it seemed like a win all around. Shipping U.S. gas via Poland to Ukraine and then reselling it in the European Union would "make money for LNGE," Bensh explains. It could also make a lot of money for an American company like Energy Transfer that was looking for long-term buyers of gas from its export terminal. "To be able to build their terminals, they have to get orders," says Bensh. And of course the deal would also fit with Perry's agenda of selling American "freedom gas" to the world. But from Ukraine's point of view, the plan had some critical flaws. One was the cost of transport: shipping American gas to Europe is expensive. And if Ukrainians agreed to buy that gas, they might get stuck paying a premium for many years to come. While prior governments in Kyiv had espoused the idea, the new administration there was skeptical. "It looks like it would be a big disaster," says Danyliuk, the national security adviser. In any case, during that dinner near the White House, he was too preoccupied with the day's "drug deal" to talk about any gas deals. Bensh could see it was the wrong time to push. But Perry continued to promote his vision for American natural gas exports. That same month, July 2019, he was among the U.S. officials urging Trump to hold a phone call with Ukraine's new president. "The only reason I made the call was because Rick asked me to," the president later told a group of Republican lawmakers, according to a report in Axios that cited three of them. "Something about an LNG plant," Trump reportedly added. When the call took place on July 25, 2019, Trump urged the Ukrainian president to open investigations against the Biden family, famously asking Zelensky to "do us a favor." A rough transcript of the call would become Exhibit A of the impeachment inquiry. The rough transcript makes no mention of Perry's gas agenda, but in the wake of the presidential shakedown, Perry pressed ahead. For much of that summer, his staff had been preparing to sign an international energy agreement during a summit in Warsaw. The aim of the summit, which began at the end of August 2019, was to pave the way for U.S. companies to ship gas to Ukraine via Poland. LNGE was angling to become one of those U.S. companies, and Perry's team had invited the company's chief executive to attend. The company had even written up a preliminary offer to Naftogaz, Ukraine's state energy firm. Perry and his staff were urging Ukraine to sign it, according to three energy executives close to the ongoing negotiations. "They basically said: 'If you want us as friends, you've got to do this,'" one of them recalled. But the Ukrainians had bigger worries at the time. A few days before the summit, Politico had broken the news that the Trump administration had frozen a package of military aid to Ukraine later revealed to be worth $400 million. The Kyiv delegation was desperate to get the freeze lifted. "The biggest priority for me was the military aid," says Danyliuk. So he left it to Naftogaz, the state energy company, to consider the offer of a deal with LNGE. "We looked them up," says Andrew Favorov, the Naftogaz executive who vetted the potential partner. A Google search led them to the past legal woes of Miller, LNGE's co-founder and director. That was a red flag for the Ukrainians. Moreover, says Favorov, "The company has no real assets." So Naftogaz advised its government not to pursue a gas deal with the Louisiana company. Soon the deal faced another problem. Three weeks after the Warsaw summit, news broke that a whistle-blower had raised the alarm over Trump's pressure campaign in Ukraine, and the White House released the rough transcript of Trump's phone call with Zelensky. Amid all the public attention, the discussions of a U.S.-Ukraine gas deal went quiet, according to energy executives involved on both sides. With the impeachment investigation gaining steam, and his name emerging as a central player in the Ukraine saga, Perry announced in October that he would resign from the Energy Department at the end of the year. The deal that Perry and his allies pursued for three years while he was in Washington didn't die when he stepped down and returned to Texas. After Trump's acquittal in the Senate on Feb. 5, Perry's allies inside and outside of government revived the massive U.S. gas-export deal he had been advancing, and pushed forward. In early March, representatives of LNGE met with Perry's successor as energy secretary, Dan Brouillette, a veteran of Louisiana politics. "He told us they were still 100% behind the deal," says one of the LNGE representatives who was at that meeting. The Energy Department denies it supported the deal. The meeting with LNGE "was purely introductory and informational," says Shaylyn Hynes, a spokesperson for the department. After that meeting, things in Ukraine began to move fast. On March 11, the Zelensky government issued a decree appointing Bensh to the board of Naftogaz. Two days later, Ukraine's deputy energy minister announced that Ukraine had agreed to a major LNG deal with the Americans. The U.S. partner on the deal: Louisiana Natural Gas Exports. The details were not disclosed, but the way the deal came about raised eyebrows on both sides of the Atlantic. In the U.S., critics pointed out that the Energy Department's apparent support for the deal appears to have violated federal rules that bar U.S. officials from advocating for U.S. companies that have not been vetted by the Commerce Department. LNGE never went through that vetting process, according to its executives. "The vetting process is there to identify conflicts of interest, previous improper dealings, anything that might reflect poorly on the U.S. government as a whole," says Theo LeCompte, who was a deputy chief of staff at the Commerce Department during Barack Obama's second term. Brouillette's office confirmed that LNGE had not been vetted and denied that the department had advocated for the company. On the Ukrainian side, things were even more curious: Ukraine had not invited any competition for the deal. But even with the U.S. Energy Department's apparent blessing, the deal still wasn't a lock. Naftogaz executives were still refusing to partner with the Louisiana company. As an alternative partner on the Ukrainian side, Kyiv's Energy Ministry proposed an obscure state entity called MGU, which holds the shares of Ukraine's gas pipeline system. But executives at that company also began to raise alarms, most notably the chairman of its supervisory board, Walter Boltz, a stately Austrian who had been brought in to help clean up the notoriously troubled Ukrainian gas industry. "Nobody wanted to tell the Americans, 'OK, this is a silly idea, stop it,'" says Boltz of the Louisiana deal. "You need to keep your friends happy." And the Ukrainians, he added, "might even be willing to pay a little bit more, I guess, to make Trump happy and keep the military aid flowing." By the end of May, the Energy Ministry had fired the skeptic Boltz and announced another preliminary agreement with the Louisiana company. In a 20-page document, known as a memorandum of intent, the two sides spelled out the rough terms of the deal. Ukraine would agree to take shipments of gas from Louisiana for the next 20 years, according to a copy obtained by our reporting team. The volumes involved were substantial, amounting to 5.5 billion cubic meters per year, more than the annual gas consumption of Slovakia, an EU member that borders Ukraine. Executives at the Louisiana company say they projected the total sales from the deal to be around $20 billion, or roughly a billion dollars per year over two decades. Still, the agreement left one crucial question unanswered: Where was the Louisiana company going to get all that gas? In June, LNGE turned to Energy Transfer. By that point, Perry had reclaimed his seat on the board of Energy Transfer and acquired its stock. Once the Louisiana executives had their preliminary deal with Ukraine, they went to Energy Transfer in search of a gas terminal, says Miller, the co-founder of LNGE. In a statement, Energy Transfer played down these discussions, saying they amounted to "one introductory conference call" that did not go any further, and Miller insists they did not talk about a partnership in Ukraine at the time. Other executives at LNGE say it was just one step toward completing the $20 billion deal. "First we had to finalize the deal in Ukraine," one of them says. "Then we get the gas." It was at this final stage in the negotiations that the deal ran into major trouble. The Ukrainians began to stall. According to one official involved in Ukraine's deliberations about the deal, the reason for the delay was in large part political. By then, the COVID-19 pandemic was raging, and Trump's approval ratings had gone into sharp decline amid his chaotic handling of the outbreak. His chances of winning reelection began to look less and less likely. For the Ukrainians, that changed the political equation behind the deal. "If Biden is elected, I'd say Biden's [team] would be pretty curious, to say the least," about how the deal with LNGE came together, says the official involved in Ukraine's deliberations. "In terms of relationships, that would be very damaging," adds the official. "Given the latest [poll] numbers, that's simply a stupid thing to do," he says. Perry's allies found themselves getting the cold shoulder. Six months after the Zelensky government named Bensh to the board of Naftogaz, he has yet to officially take up that post. Bleyzer, Perry's friend from Texas, hasn't fared much better. Soon after he won the licenses to develop oil and gas fields in Ukraine in June 2019, Naftogaz challenged the awarding of those licenses in court. Ukraine's government, which owns 100% of Naftogaz, has declined to interfere in the litigation, which has prevented Bleyzer's oil and gas projects from getting off the ground. As for Energy Transfer, during the heat of the impeachment investigation in October 2019, the Ukrainian Parliament decided that selling the country's gas pipelines wasn't such a great idea, and it voted to ban foreign ownership of those pipelines. The global collapse in gas prices during the COVID-19 pandemic, meanwhile, hit Energy Transfer hard. Its plans to build an LNG-export terminal in Louisiana took a blow at the end of March 2020, when Shell, its 50-50 partner in the project, decided to pull out, citing adverse market conditions. Some of the executives in Louisiana are furious over the foot-dragging in Kyiv, and they put the blame on Naftogaz. In emails obtained by our reporting team, Miller, the director and co-founder of the Louisiana company, lashed out at Naftogaz for telling the government in Kyiv about Miller's overturned conviction on corruption charges. "This is the guy who went to the U.S. Attorney for the SDNY?" Miller wrote indignantly to his colleagues, referring to Andriy Kobolyev, the Naftogaz CEO. Indeed, the U.S. attorney's office for New York's Southern District had contacted Kobolyev in the fall of 2019, and he says he agreed to speak to its investigators. Those investigators have since questioned at least three other people about Perry's efforts to secure gas deals in Ukraine, according to the people familiar with what they told the investigators. But earlier this year, prosecutors dropped that line of questioning, according to two people familiar with the questions they have posed since April. Noah Bookbinder, a former anti-corruption prosecutor with whom we shared our findings, says U.S. laws make prosecuting conflicts of interest difficult. "Criminal conflicts of interest are not charged all that frequently, because they can be hard to prove," he says. "It's got a relatively modest sentence. So often prosecutors will look at that and say, 'It's a lot of hard work to prove that, and it's not the biggest offense. So we're not going to take the time to go down that path.'" Two years ago, some Democrats called for tighter restrictions on potential conflicts of interest, and they have pointed to Perry's relationship with Energy Transfer to justify new legislation. Sen. Elizabeth Warren introduced a bill in 2018, known as the Anti-Corruption and Public Integrity Act, that would ban corporations from hiring or paying former heads of agencies they have lobbied. In a letter to Perry and Energy Transfer last January, Warren urged Perry to resign from Energy Transfer's board. "This is exactly the kind of unethical, revolving-door corruption that has made Americans cynical and distrustful of the federal government," Warren wrote. In a curt reply, the company told Warren it was "fully aware of our legal and ethical standards related to Secretary Perry rejoining our board." So is the $20 billion deal dead? Not necessarily. The Ukrainians appear to be waiting to see which way the political winds turn in November. Should Trump win another term, some Ukrainians assume Perry's deal might come back to life. "Wait three months, and then see what happens," says the official involved in the deliberations in Kyiv. "This is obvious political stuff. You don't have to be a genius to understand this logic." But for all the Ukrainian efforts to seduce the Americans, some at least are disappointed with the entire process. They had hoped, on some level, that the U.S. agenda was still driven by a shared set of goals and values, like strengthening alliances and pushing back against the influence of Russia. But over time, says Vitrenko, the energy negotiator, it became clear that the overarching aims were simpler and, to the Ukrainians, more familiar. "It was about making deals," he says. And making money. This story is co-published with Time and WNYC. Stay up to date with email updates about WNYC and ProPublica's investigations into the president's business practices. Related Articles New Delhi, Sep 15 : The recovery in air traffic in India has been slower than in other parts of Asia and Europe. While traffic in China has almost reached 90 per cent of pre-Covid-19 levels, traffic in Europe is also recovering faster than in India, according to a research report by HSBC. Ryanair reported a 53 per cent year on year traffic decline in August with a load factor at 73 per cent. Wizz reported a 41 per cent year on year decline in its traffic with a load factor at 70.9 per cent, indicating that the recovery in European domestic market is much better than the recovery in Indian market. On the other side, recovery in air traffic in India has been the slower than in other parts of Asia and even Europe, HSBC noted. "On the other hand, Interglobe aviation stock is already close to pre-Covid-19 levels and we believe a structurally positive change in the industry is required for the stock to rise further. At the moment we don't foresee this," HSBC said. It says there are a few headwinds that seem to have been ignored, including a possible change in the industry structure, an imbalance in international demand versus supply, a changing mix of quality of traffic and a softening Indian economy - all of which could prove to be a headwinds for the earnings. With rising cases of Covid-19 in India, there is a risk of a second wave of lockdowns that could have an impact on demand. Although the drop in oil price is favourable, with only 40 per cent capacity under operation the positive impact for Indigo is limited. "So the path forward doesn't look so smooth and yet the stock price of Indigo has almost reached near pre-Covid-19 levels," HSBC said. "At current levels, the stock is expensive as it trades at FY22e EV/EBITDA of around 14.2x which is higher than its historical average of around 8.0x (we are discounting FY21 since the year is extraordinary and is Indigo is likely to be loss making). Given the uncertainty and the potential headwinds, we don't think giving a premium to the historical average is justified," HSBC said. "We believe that this valuation reflects the market's expectation that there could be some consolidation in the industry which should benefit Indigo. However, there are no signs of consolidations even after six months into the pandemic except Air India which is up for sale," HSBC said. Although there has been some shift in market share (according to the domestic traffic data for July, Indigo gained market share and reached at 60 per cent while all other airlines have lost market share), the report said it is temporary as these airlines including Vistara, AirAsia, GoAir have been flying fewer flights in an effort to conserve cash, having no pressure from airports to use the slots. Once the Indian government starts opening the international boundaries, demand will depend on the quarantine rules in place in the destination countries, and the types of trip allowed (strictly business or leisure) etc. "We think the demand recovery will be very slow. Moreover, for Indian low-cost carriers, the Gulf market is the key market where all the carriers deploy almost 50-60% of their international capacity. However, with the recent challenges in the Gulf economies, there have been significant job losses in the Gulf. So, in the absence of any improvement in the Gulf economy and with there being fewer new jobs in the region, we may not see high passenger flows on India-Gulf routes," HSBC noted. So, in case of weak international demand, Indian carriers will have an option: either to keep their capacity grounded or deploy their capacity in the domestic market. In both the cases, this will hurt the profitability of the sector. Both Indigo and SpiceJet had deployed almost 20-25 per cent capacity on the international network and a similar amount of revenue comes from international services. The demand recovery in the domestic aviation market has been "too little", the report said. The Indian aviation industry has been enjoying some pick-up in demand, especially very recently, partly due to the relaxation in the quarantine rules. Overall, domestic traffic reached 28 per cent versus last year during the first week of September (touching a high of about 32 per cent during the week) while average capacity was at 36 per cent (high of 38 per cent). With Indigo having a 60 per cent market share (according to the data for July), HSBC estimates traffic for Indigo could be at 39 per cent versus last year. Indigo is operating around 42 per cent of its capacity and the company has achieved a load factor of around 60-65 per cent in late August (touching 70 per cent). "On these load factors, it is not possible to achieve break-even but the flights under operation are able to recover some of the fixed costs. However, a weaker macro environment, grounded capacity, imbalance between demand and supply, structural changes and softer fares are all set to hurt profitability. We don't expect Indigo to break-even during the next 18-24 months," HSBC said. (Sanjeev Sharma can be reached at sanjeev.s@ians.in) On Saturday, the Captain America star accidentally leaked an X-rated photo on his Instagram story. And three days after the embarrassing situation, Chris Evans was grilled about the nude image leak during his appearance on the Tamron Hall Show. The actor, 39, squirmed as Tamron asked him what happened, raising his eyebrows and trying to smile through the awkwardness of the interview. When grilled to give an answer on it, Chris called it an embarrassing but said he had a weekend full of 'teachable moments. The star kept his cool during the uncomfortable interview, even thanking his fans for their support. Many of his fans came to his defense on Twitter over the weekend, asking people not to re-post the nude image and pointing out that they did not have his consent to re-share the private image on the internet, especially since he had deleted it swiftly after the accidental share. Professional and cool: Chris Evans was grilled about the accidental nude image leak during his appearance on the Tamron Hall show on Tuesday morning Chris was on Tamron's show alongside Mark Kassen; Chris and Mark created AStartingPoint.com, with Joe Kiani, a website where people can learn more about political topics. Elected officials answer questions on the bipartisan forum, share videos or where people can debate issues. The appearance on the show began with Tamron saying: 'Chris last night. You tweeted out last night something referencing I think... you were trending over the weekend and your brother even commented that he left social media for the weekend and logged back on, "What did I miss?"' She continued: 'You said "Now that I have your attention vote." What happened Chris?' Chris tried to deflect the question as he joked: 'Did something happen this weekend umm....' while still smiling and keeping his cool. Tamron burst into laughter while Chris looked visibly uncomfortable. Keeping his cool: The actor, 39, squirmed as Tamron asked him what happened, raising his eyebrows and trying to smile through the awkwardness of the interview He awkwardly smiled, nodded his head from side to side as if saying no and raised his eyebrows. She continued: 'Go after your brother first of all because his tweet caught my eye. I don't know how your tweet didn't catch my eye but his tweet caught my eye....' As Tamron spoke, Chris continued to smile but nodded his head from side to side, maintaining his professionalism. Awkward: Tamron burst into laughter while Chris looked visibly uncomfortable. He awkwardly smiled, nodded his head from side to side as if saying no and raised his eyebrows Trying to gracefully deflect: Chris joked: 'Did something happen this weekend umm....' as he smiled and kept his cool. She asked Mark about the tweet, asking him: 'What is he talking about?' as Chris said nothing and kept nodding his head as if saying no. Mark looked uncomfortable as well, saying: 'I was really talking about traveling from New York to DC and its really busy and I...' while Chris squirmed and said nothing. Tamron cut Mark off to say: 'While its really nice for you to cover for Chris, I will cut your mic off,' before turning her attention to the actor. Grilled: As Tamron spoke, Chris continued to smile but nodded his head from side to side Tamron then said: 'Chris! How are you feeling? I mean you've used this to get our eyes on something that is more important.' Chris answered: 'Yeah that's called turning a frown upside down Tamron. You know, look, it was... an interesting weekend full of lessons learned...lot of teachable moments... you know things happen it's embarrassing. You got to roll with the punches. I will say I have some pretty fantastic fans who really came to my support. That was really, really nice...' Tamron cutting him off, added: 'Well I am one of those fans, I'm here for the journey,' before changing the subject. His statement on it: Chris said: 'Yeah that's called turning a frown upside down Tamron. You know, look, it was... an interesting weekend full of lessons learned...lot of teachable moments... you know things happen it's embarrassing. You got to roll with the punches. I will say I have some pretty fantastic fans who really came to my support. That was really, really nice' 'Even though our event got canceled, South X Southwest. You're a good man and thank you so much. Mark congratulations on teaming up with such a special person. Now Chris these people can get off my social media asking me if I'm going to ask you. Stop It! It's done! He went on record! No more questions about it! Thank you guys and be sure to go to TamronHallShow.com for more information on A Starting Point. Leave my friend alone!' As Tamron referenced the photo again in her closing remarks, Chris burst into laughter before nodding his head and putting his hand on his head and leaning down as he sighed, visibly embarrassed and uncomfortable. The Boston, Massachusetts-born actor lifted his hand up twice, nodded his head side to side and lifted his eyebrows for another very awkward moment as she talked about it again before the cameras went on Tamron only. Professional: As Tamron said that, Chris burst into laughter before nodding his head and putting his hand on his head and leaning down as he sighed Yikes: He lifted his hand up twice, nodded his head side to side and lifted his eyebrows for another very awkward moment as she talked about it again The accidental nude image leak came after the Avengers: Endgame star shared a short video to his Instagram Stories on Saturday of himself and some friends playing Heads Up. At the end of the video, a shot of the actor's phone camera roll came up, which featured the nude image. The entire clip has since been deleted. The picture didn't leave anything to the imagination, but it was cropped too closely to have any identifying features. Another image in the photo grid featured a headshot of the Avengers star with the words 'Guard That P***y' superimposed. Chris quickly became the subject of hundreds of thousands of tweets about the shocking photo. Accidental: Chris quickly became the subject of hundreds of thousands of tweets about the shocking photo; the handsome movie star pictured September 7, 2019 in Toronto Most posts took a lighthearted approach to the accidental disclosure, with some gushing about the actor's potential anatomy. Although plenty of users had their own reactions to the accidental photo, a meme quickly developed in which Twitter posters shared the image of Evans' camera roll (which was cropped out by Twitter) but included something unexpected in place of the penis. 'Can someone explain why chris evans has this picture of thanos in his phone?' one post read, while featuring a camera roll snap including a humorous image of Thanos from the Avengers films with his bulging muscles and derriere exposed. Twitter: The reaction on social media was mostly supportive, while it was also met with good-natured jokes and memes from friends and fans Many Twitter users called out those who searched for the nude photos and posting them because Chris did not consent to it. Fellow Marvel actor Kat Dennings, 34, used the opportunity to call out a sexist double standard. She wrote: 'The public respect for Chris Evans' privacy/feelings is wonderful. Wouldn't it be nice if it extended to women when this kind of thing happens?' Chris' brother Scott Evans did not let the moment fly by as he hilariously addressed it on his Twitter account on Sunday morning. 'Was off social media for the day yesterday. So. What'd I miss?' the 36-year-old tweeted. Chris' Avengers co-star Mark Ruffalo also attempted to cheer the actor up following the unusual photo leak. 'Bro, while Trump is in office there is NOTHING you could possibly do to embarrass yourself. See... silver lining,' Mark assured his costar. Sibling: Chris' brother Scott Evans did not let the moment fly by as he hilariously addressed it on his Twitter account on Sunday morning Supportive: Chris' Avengers co-star Mark Ruffalo also attempted to cheer the actor up following the unusual photo leak The movie star broke his silence on Twitter Monday to poke fun at the embarrassing situation as he urged his fans to vote in the upcoming presidential election on November 3. The actor wrote to his 14 million followers on Twitter: 'Now that I have your attention.... VOTE Nov 3rd!!!' Chris added two emojis of a man with his hand on his face and another as he shrugged his shoulders. Evans was most recently linked to Baby Driver actress Lily James, after they were spotted together twice while in London in July. In 2016, he sparked a relationship with former SNL actress Jenny Slate. The couple took a break in 2017 before reuniting later in the year, though they broke up for good in March of 2018. Prior to that he had a years-long onoff relationship with Minka Kelly. Breaking his silence: Two days after the accidentally post, the movie star, 39, took to Twitter WASHINGTON - The Justice Department's internal watchdog has begun reviewing the controversial handling of the sentencing recommendation for Roger Stone, a longtime friend of President Donald Trump who was convicted of lying to the House Intelligence Committee during its investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 election, a Justice Department spokeswoman said Monday. It was not immediately clear what led to the Justice Department inspector general's inquiry. Stone's treatment has drawn criticism from legal observers and lawmakers who said Attorney General William Barr seemed to be inappropriately affording favorable treatment to a friend of the president. Earlier this year - when Stone was awaiting his sentence - Barr personally intervened to overrule the sentencing recommendation career prosecutors had offered to the court, prompting all four of them to withdraw from the case. Two have since publicly criticized the move as being politically motivated, with one testifying under oath before Congress about it. Kerri Kupec, a Justice Department spokeswoman, said in a statement, "We welcome the review," which was first reported by NBC News. A spokeswoman for Inspector General Michael Horowitz declined to comment. Stone was sentenced in February to serve three years and four months in prison for impeding the congressional investigation. Trump commuted that penalty in July, before Stone was to begin serving his term. A White House spokeswoman said in a statement at the time that Stone had been a "victim of the Russia Hoax." Barr's intervention over the sentencing recommendation came after Trump had tweeted about Stone's case, suggesting his friend deserved leniency. "This is a horrible and very unfair situation," Trump tweeted at the time. "The real crimes were on the other side, as nothing happens to them. Cannot allow this miscarriage of justice!" Prosecutors had said Stone deserved a sentence of seven to nine years in prison, which is what federal sentencing guidelines had called for. But Barr thought otherwise, and - after career prosecutors withdrew - the Justice Department proposed a less severe penalty. Barr has defended the move and said it was not related to Trump's tweet. Soon after, he said publicly that the president's social media missives "make it impossible for me to do my job." Democratic lawmakers, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and those on the House Judiciary Committee, called on the inspector general to look into the matter. Barr has faced persistent criticism for taking steps that seem to undercut the FBI's 2016 investigation of whether Trump's campaign coordinated with the Kremlin. That probe, which was taken over by special counsel Robert Mueller, produced charges against several of Trump's closest aides and advisers, including Stone. The Justice Department under Barr similarly intervened to try to dismiss the case Mueller brought against former national security adviser Michael Flynn, who pleaded guilty in 2017 to lying to investigators about his interactions with a Russian diplomat. A court is considering that request. Jonathan Kravis, one of the career prosecutors who withdrew from the Stone case and left the government entirely after Barr's intervention, wrote in a May Washington Post opinion article that in both the Flynn and Stone cases, "the department undercut the work of career employees to protect an ally of the president, an abdication of the commitment to equal justice under the law." Aaron Zelinsky, another Stone prosecutor and member of Mueller's team who works as an assistant U.S. attorney in Maryland, testified to the House Judiciary Committee in June that prosecutors experienced "heavy pressure from the highest levels of the Department of Justice" to give Stone "a break." While Zelinsky conceded that he had never talked to Barr, the attorney general's top deputy or the politically appointed District of Columbia U.S. attorney about the matter, he said it was his "understanding" that his supervisors had. "What I heard - repeatedly - was that Roger Stone was being treated differently from any other defendant because of his relationship to the president," he said in prepared remarks, adding later, "I was also told that the acting U.S. attorney was giving Stone such unprecedentedly favorable treatment because he was 'afraid of the president.' " - - - The Washington Post's Devlin Barrett and Spencer S. Hsu contributed to this report. T he line-up of home-bakers competing in the eleventh season of The Great British Bake Off has been revealed. A sculptor, a pantomime producer and a university student are among the 12 amateur bakers taking part in this year's contest. The series will begin next week after initially being delayed as a result of coronavirus. Here are all our hopefuls taking part in the brand new series. Marc Marc took up baking after a motorbike accident / Mark Bourdillon/Love Productions/Channel 4 Age: 51 Lives: Cornwall Occupation: Bronze resin sculptor Marc began baking after he lost his leg in a motorbike accident in 2016. He started making bread as a form of therapy and later progressed to baking cakes and pastries. Peter Peter has previously played badminton for Scotland / Mark Bourdillon/Love Productions/Channel 4 Age: 20 Lives: Edinburgh Occupation: Student Student Peter was inspired by Bake Off to start cooking for himself. The accounting and finance student, who has also represented his country at badminton, has been baking since he was 12 and has seen every series of the programme. Lottie Pantomime producer Lottie says she is a perfectionist when it comes to baking / Mark Bourdillon/Love Productions/Channel 4 Age: 31 Lives: West Sussex Job: Pantomime producer Lottie has labelled herself a "perpetually frustrated perfectionist" and has had a fascination with cooking since childhood. Makbul Makbul is a beekeeper and uses honey in his bakes / Mark Bourdillon/Love Productions/Channel 4 Age: 51 Lives: Great Manchester Occupation: Beekeeper Self-taught baker Makbul initially began cooking at home as a way of supporting his mother. The accountant also does beekeeping in his spare time and produces his own honey, which he uses in his bakes. Dave Dave likes to mix baking with punk rock / Mark Bourdillon/Love Productions/Channel 4 Age: 30 From: Hampshire Occupation: Armoured Guard Having learned to bake after leaving home, Dave likes to cook up a storm once a week to the soundtrack of some of his favourite punk rock bands. Hermine Hermine loves high-end patisserie / Mark Bourdillon/Love Productions/Channel 4 Age: 39 Lives: London Occupation: Accountant Born and raised in Benin, West Africa, Hermine moved to London in 2001 for her further studies. She grew up helping her mum bake for family gatherings, and has been baking solo since she was eight-years-old. Laura Laura loves putting a modern twist on old classics / Mark Bourdillon/Love Productions/Channel 4 Age: 31 Lives: Kent Occupation: Digital Manager Laura has been baking since she was eight, but has only just realised her flair for it within the last few years. She claims she works well under pressure, and loves to update classic bakes with exciting new twists. Linda Countryside lover Linda has always used homegrown produce / Mark Bourdillon/Love Productions/Channel 4 Age: 61 Lives: East Sussex Occupation: Retirement Living Team Leader Having grown up helping her aunt on her farm, Linda learned how to bake with fresh produce - something she still favours til this day. She considers her strengths to be in more traditional bakes, with her signature being sausage rolls. Loriea Loriea uses baking as a way to celebrate her Caribbean roots / Mark Bourdillon/Love Productions/Channel 4 Age: 27 Lives: Durham Occupation: Diagnostic Radiographer Loriea moved to the UK from her home in Jamaica when she was 15, but uses baking as a way to celebrate her heritage. She favours strong flavours in her food and rarely follows a recipe exactly, preferring to tweak it to fit her own tastes. Mark Experimental Mark found a very unique way to baking / Mark Bourdillon/Love Productions/Channel 4 Age: 32 Lives: Liverpool Occupation: Project Manager Mark fell in love with baking after visiting a pie shop in Edinburgh which did a very specific and unique dish: mac 'n' cheese pie. From then on in, he has gone on to perfect a simple lemon drizzle to taking on multi-tiered wedding cakes. Rowan Rowan likes rich, luxury cakes / Mark Bourdillon/Love Productions/Channel 4 Age: 55 Lives: Worcestershire Occupation: Music teacher Rowan's favoured style of baking is French patisserie, describing his cakes as ostentatious but tasteful. His love of the Georgian era also sees Rowan often try to recreate complicated 18th century bakes in his spare time. Sura Sura enjoys experimenting with flavours / Mark Bourdillon/Love Productions/Channel 4 Age: 31 Lives: London Occupation: Pharmacy Dispenser Sura grew up by family, who valued food as a means to show affection, love and respect. With a number of influences in her heritage, Sura enjoys experimenting with flavours all around the world, and likes to deviate from traditional recipes to put her own twist on things. The new series will begin on Channel 4 on September 22 at 8pm. This year's contest sees comedian Matt Lucas replace Sandi Toksvig as the programme's co-host alongside Noel Fielding. Production of the series was initially delayed because of the coronavirus pandemic. Matt Lucas joins the show as the new host However, filming of the programme finished near the end of August. Channel 4 executive Kelly Webb Lamb has previously said the programme will look the same as it normally does. Speaking during this year's virtual Edinburgh Television Festival, she said the cast and crew had been living and filming "in a bubble" and adhering to stringent health and safety measures. The 2019 series of Bake Off was won by David Atherton. The first phase of the renovation project is the exterior and the facade of the building. Over the coming weeks construction will begin on the interior including corridors, elevator and lobby area. The project is aimed at revitalizing the community to offer modern and comfortable spaces and stunning new residences featuring new cabinetry, granite countertops and stainless steel appliances. Upon completion, every apartment home will be fully renovated with all the comforts of home for easy living, combined with modern community spaces and amenities, and stylish and warm interiors in earthy tones as well as wood and slate finishes. "Senior Lifestyle is excited to begin a renovation at Atrium Village in partnership with our strong on-site team and stakeholders. We believe the renovation will revitalize the existing community while continuing to meet the ever-changing needs of today's seniors," said Janine Witte, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Senior Lifestyle. Atrium Village's community spaces will get an extensive update to their two restaurant-style dining venues, a multi-purpose room, perfect for residents to connect and host family gatherings. Most important, the renovation will feature the debut of a new bistro, making it a central point and an essential part of the culture and the community! Other updates include the lounge area and a family center with special air filtrations. These new venues will offer residents even more opportunities to socialize within the community for years to come. Reuben Rosenfeld, Executive Director said, "We are very excited about Atrium Village's renovation and the many new programs and initiatives that we will soon be offering. We are proud to offer a caregiver support center, a unique space to assist residents and family to navigate residents' different aging journeys. We are confident that these extensive updates will ensure that Atrium Village will continue to provide our residents and their family members the highest quality experiences possible." Atrium Village has a target completion date of Summer 2021. For more information about this community or to reserve your place on the priority list, call (410) 363-0330. About Senior Lifestyle Corporation Senior Lifestyle, founded in 1985, is a privately-held, owner-operator and developer of seniors housing communities. With a portfolio of 180 communities located throughout 28 states, Senior Lifestyle offers independent living, assisted living, memory care and skilled nursing for the luxury, moderate and affordable segments. Senior Lifestyle has been routinely recognized as a leader in the delivery of innovative programs and hospitality services for all levels of care. For more information, visit www.seniorlifestyle.com. SOURCE Senior Lifestyle Corporation Related Links http://www.seniorlifestyle.com B Satyanarayana Reddy By Express News Service KHAMMAM: More than 20,000 farmers whose crops were damaged by floods in erstwhile Khammam district are still waiting for compensation from the State government.The Agriculture Department had held an assessment of the crop damage in the area and sent a detailed report to the State a few days ago. However, the government has not responded to the matter till now, which in turn has left farmers worried as they had planned to re-cultivate dry crops when they received the compensation. Most of the farmers whose crops were damaged were poor and a majority cultivated on only one or two acres of land. Many had planted the crops by taking loans from private money lenders and are now in debt. According to agriculture officials, they are also waiting for the compensation to be sanctioned, but as of now no orders have been issued. Joint Directors of Agriculture K Abhimanyudu and Vijaya Nirmala stated that they had already sent the crop damage proposals to the government. Earlier, the State government had paid a compensation of `6,800 per hectare for rain-fed lands and `13,500 per hectare for flood-affected crop lands. One official said that this year, compensation was doubtful as the government did not seem willing to pay it.According to officials, about 12,000 acres of crops were damaged in Bhadradri Kothagudem, and as many as 25,000 acres in Khammam district. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the foreign ministers of Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates arrived Tuesday at the White House to sign historic accords normalizing ties between Israel and Arab states. US President Donald Trump was to meet in turn with the Israeli leader, UAE Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al-Nahyan and Bahrain Foreign Minister Abdullatif al-Zayani, before a signing ceremony for the US-brokered peace deal. "HISTORIC day for PEACE in the Middle East," tweeted Trump, trumpeting the imminent completion of "landmark deals that no one thought was possible." "MORE countries to follow!" wrote the US leader, who hopes the peace deal will boost his reelection chances in November. For the Mideast, the deals dubbed the Abraham Accords mark a distinct shift in a decades-old status quo where Arab countries have tried to maintain unity against Israel over its treatment of the stateless Palestinians. The White House event will be the first time Arab nations have established relations with Israel since Egypt in 1979 and Jordan in 1994. Hundreds of people were invited to attend and a symbolic handshake between the Arab representatives and Netanyahu has not been ruled out. Search Keywords: Short link: A two-horse accident occurred in Monday evenings third race at Grand River Raceway, and as a result the AGCO Judges were forced to declare the dash a No Contest. Just as the field was making its way off the second turn, Dandy Idea (Alfie Carroll) was in distress forcing her pilot to angle off the rail in an attempt to put her in the middle of the racetrack. The pacer bore back into the path of oncoming traffic though and collided with Century Georgia (Brett MacDonald). Both pacers fell unseating their respective drivers in the process. "The horses walked off fine," said Jamie Martin, Director of Operations at Grand River Raceway. "Brett MacDonald was fine, too, and continued driving on the card. Alfie Carroll was assessed onsite and transferred to local hospital for further treatment." Trot Insider will provide further updates on Carroll when details become available. Please join Standardbred Canada in wishing Carroll a speedy and full recovery. To view results for Monday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Monday Results Grand River Raceway. The mining history in Tennessee is filled with labor disputes involving violence between employees and employers. Strikes occurred on issues such as low pay, safety and unionization. The Coal Creek War was, however, primarily held on the question of the use of convict labor by employers instead of hiring miners. It was in the early 1890s that armed labor uprisings took place in the Southeastern United States with its principal location being Anderson County, Tennessee, when the owners of the coal mines in 1891 in the Coal Creek watershed attempted to replace free coal miners with convicts leased out by the State of Tennessee, called the convict lease system. In addition to attempts to undermine union organizing, the systems perpetuated a form of slavery as the vast majority of the convicts were African-Americans who had often been imprisoned on false charges. For example, of 120 men brought into work in the mines for the Tennessee Iron Company at Coal Creek only five were identified as white. For over a year the free miners burned and attacked prison stockades and mining company buildings. In the course of the war, hundreds of convicts were freed and dozens of miners and state militiamen were killed or wounded in small-arms skirmishes. Striking miners not only freed hundreds of convicts but in some cases provided the escapees with food and clothing. Historian Perry Cotham described the Coal Creek War as one of the most dramatic and significant episodes in all American labor history. October 31, 1891 is a particularly significant date because a group of miners seized the Knoxville Iron Stockade at Coal Creek and freed convicts. Most of the violence was located in two communities - Briceville, at the upper end of Coal Creek near its source and the town of Coal Creek which is now known as Rocky Top, Tennessee at the lower end of the creek where the body of water emerges from Walden Ridge. In the town of Rocky Top a Coal Creek Museum is maintained where visitors can learn more about the Coal Creek War. Sympathetic miners came from surrounding communities such as Jericho and the state of Kentucky to join the uprising. At the same time of the war in Coal Creek a similar anti-leasing riot took place in Grundy and Marion counties on the Cumberland Plateau about 100 miles south of the Coal Creek area. Although there were abuses by the owners such as requiring some miners to rent houses owned by them and to purchase groceries at the company store at inflated prices by the use of scrip (company currency) instead of cash, the demand for labor in the highly profitable coal industry kept things under control for a while. When the miners started talking about forming a union, the owners, although they preferred free labor, would threaten to replace free miners with convicts. The Tennessee Coal Mining Company (TCMC) rejected the various demands at its Briceville mine. On April 1, 1891, after a breakdown in negotiations involving the use of scrip and use of company check weighmen (the specialists who weighed the coal and determined how much a particular miner had earned) instead of the miners choice of check weighmen, the company shut down mine operations. On July 5, 1891, the company re-opened the mines using convict labor. Governor John P. Buchanan, who was elected in 1890 with the support of the miners, was defeated for re-election in 1892. In an attempt to resolve the labor disputes, he sent 583 militiamen under the command of General Samuel T. Carnes to East Tennessee to restore order on August 19th. The blockades that housed convict labor in several communities such as Briceville and Oliver Springs were burned and convicts were freed. The Coal Creek War ended when General Carnes made a sweep of the Coal Creek Valley. Chief Justice Peter Turney of the Tennessee Supreme Court later defeated Buchanan in the governors race. Faced with a legal issue as to whether the companies had a valid contract allowing them to use convict lease labor before the agreement expired, the government and legislature let the contract expire and enacted legislation in 1895 to build Brushy Mountain State Penitentiary and purchased land in Morgan County to erect the now closed prison in 1896. Under new legislation, convicts would mine coal directly for the state rather than competing with free labor. The Coal Creek War received national publicity by the New York Times and Harpers Weekly and many others as well as state newspapers in Nashville, Knoxville and Chattanooga that initially favored the miners but withdrew their support after the burning of the stockades in October, 1891. The Coal Creek War lives on in music of the times as it provided inspiration for some of the Appalachian coal mining protest music. Other songs such as Coal Creek Troubles, Coal Creek March, and Buddy Wont You Roll Down the Line, are still popular with bluegrass performers. * * * Jerry Summers (If you have additional information about one of Mr. Summers' articles or have suggestions or ideas about a future Chattanooga area historical piece, please contact Mr. Summers at jsummers@summersfirm.com New Delhi: Former Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai has endorsed Prime Minister Narendra Modis stand on regional cooperation and peace. PM Modi on Tuesday gave Pakistan ultimatum to walk away from terrorism, if it wants peace in the region. PM Modi, who was addressing the inauguration ceremony of the Indias international geopolitical conference - Raisina Dialogue 2017, said, India cannot walk the path of peace alone, Pakistan will have to walk away from terrorism, for there to be peace in region. Standing by PM Modis remark, former Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai said, (I) totally approve and (am) aligned with PM Modi's remarks on vision that India offers in changing world. We cannot have peace without cooperating together to fight extremism, he added, One country cannot forever stop us from getting peace. Hamid Karzai also stressed on the regional cooperation during his address, The new normal will not be a conflictual multilateral world but a cooperative multilateral world. We are grateful to India for being at the forefront of assistance to Afghanistan, he added. Also read: Video | PM Modi at Raisina Dialogue: India cannot bring peace alone, Pakistan must walk away from terror PM Modi on India-China relations: Not unnatural for two large nations to have differences | Top highlights on PM's speech at Raisina Dialogue For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Los Angeles, Sep 15 : Captain America star Chris Evans wants to turn his accidental explicit photo leak incident into a public service announcement. Evans took to Twitter to break his silence after accidentally sharing his private photo, and used it as an opportunity to boost voter turnout for the upcoming US presidential election. "Now that I have your attention.... VOTE Nov 3rd!!!" the 39-year-old star wrote on Twitter, his first comment since he shared a photograph of his manhood on Instagram on Saturday. Evans became a trending topic on Saturday when he accidentally shared the picture on Instagram Story. He was quick to delete it. The explicit photo leak sparked a Twitter frenzy, with the actor's name trending for several days on the social media platform. Evans' younger brother, Scott Evans, joked about his brother's social media gaffe while Mark Ruffalo and Chrissy Teigen tried to comfort the actor over the blunder. "@ChrisEvans Bro, while Trump is in office there is NOTHING you could possibly do to embarrass yourself. See... silver lining," joked Ruffalo. At the moment, Evans is rumoured to be dating actress Lily James. He previously dated actress Jenny Slate. Jose Lucas-Gomez, 38, of the 7100 block of Glenwood Lane in Hanover Park, Ill., was arrested for driving under the influence, as well as no muffler and illegal transportation of alcohol after he was stopped. Lucas-Gomez had a $1,000 recognizance bond and posted his drivers license. He has a court date on Sept. 18 in Waukegan, police said. Escape From New York isnt just a classic Kurt Russell movie. It's a reality theme park you can visit - if you're willing to channel your inner Snake Plissken. Hundreds of thousands of people prefer to beat feet. At least that many have already fled the Big Apple, perhaps because violent crime has gone up several hundred percent. Because New York has become the prison portrayed in the movie - only this time, for the law abiding. The criminals have the keys to the city now and Mayor Bill de Blasio is their "Duke" - and "A-Number-One. Everything that used to make New York City the place to be - such as great restaurants, world-class museums and cultural attractions - is gone. Because the government - the Duke of New York - closed them all down. While all the things no one wants to be near - mumbling squeegee schizophrenics, Antifa and BLM thugs and run-of-the-mill thugs abound, almost as if the Duke wanted it that way. But if you live in the city, you still get to pay among the highest rents - and taxes - in the country while you Netflix and chill. Turn up the volume to drown out the sounds of gunfire and mayhem below. Hopefully, Amazon will send you a frozen steak from the restaurant you can't go to anymore. No surprise, people are loading up U-hauls and heading for greener - and safer - pastures. The good news is, the traffic's light. All of the things I loved about New York City kind of just disappeared, ex-New Yorker Casey Madden told ABC News. She now lives in Tampa, Florida. Young people under the age of 35 especially are bailing - in part because theres nothing for young people, especially, to do. How do you date when you can't go out? When its not safe to go out? When you cant tell what a prospective date looks like - because their face is covered by a dirty old bandana? it's enough to make you sick - of the city. All the kids are leaving, Mark Ehrhardt, the owner of Movers - not shakers told The New York Post. the studio and one-bedrooms are emptying out like crazy. And no one else is moving in." Because why would they? At least a quarter million people no longer live in New York, according to the latest data. And that's just so far this year, with three months yet to go. The New York Times says the number of people heading for the hills is up 50 percent vs. the same period last year. The first day we could move, we left, former New Yorker Jaime Welsh-Rajchel told The Times. The family now lives in Pennsylvania. Tricia Briere may be the next one to pack her bags. She is one of the latest victims - not of the virus but of the violence. Last Wednesday (Sept. 9) a stray bullet from a drive-by shooting grazed her as she was finishing up a DMV road test in Brooklyn. This is becoming as commonplace as mime shows and street theater used to be. The number of people shot in New York just last week - 101 - is nearly four times higher than it was last year, which isnt surprising given there are probably four times as many criminals on the streets of New York last week, courtesy of the Duke - Mayor de Blasio -who let them escape from Rikers Island, the prison that used to keep New Yorkers safe. Back in March, de Blasio ordered them let loose just as he was locking down New Yorks non-criminal population, which was ordered to imprison itself in the name of stopping the spread while the gangs took over the streets. Since then, more than 1,000 people have been shot in a city with among the strictest gun control laws on the books - and the most lenient attitude toward criminals in the country. Juxtaposed with the harshest attitude toward those who aren't. If you dont wear a mask, you risk arrest. But if you smash up a business, its laissez-faire - the only form of capitalism still allowed in a city that was once famous for business, not crime. The lights are still bright at Times Square but the formerly bustling sidewalks and streets are practically empty; the showrooms lining Fifth Avenue are there - but the windows are boarded up. Atlas looks down upon a vacant Rockefeller Center. How long before he shrugs, too? Broadway is silent. The Museum of Natural History, Lincoln Center, Moma - all closed or half capacity. Why stay? Its not just that people need to work. They want to live. And New York is dead. Hedge fund manager James Altucher says NYC was murdered by its own leaders, people like the Duke. Nothing to see, not much to do - except try to avoid being shot. And getting out while you can. Altucher recently wrote a widely published essay which amounts to a kind of autopsy. The work is gone - and wont be coming back - for reasons of economy as much as reasons of safety. Businesses that were forced to do business remotely came to realize that in-person business is no longer necessary. That lots of money can be saved - by not paying those high rents and high taxes - while workers can own a home in the safe suburbs for half the cost (and half the taxes) of an unsafe apartment in the city. The life is gone. All the verve that made New York the the place to be has been stamped out, leaving it a place to flee. A tragic irony. People used to come to New York from everywhere, because where they came from was nowhere. New York City was everything, the place where things happened. Now its the place where things die - people and businesses. Its a wonder theres anyone still there. The Duke says "New York is coming back" - but it's hard to see how it could with politicians like himself throttling the city's beating heart. The Duke says the revival will happen when new people with "creativity" and "talent" replace those with both of those qualities, who've been driven out. Which makes about as much sense as warehousing people sick with COVID with elderly people in nursing homes - the people most likely to die from COVID. The NYC exodus will continue in earnest, the Hudson River will part, and the people will escape to a more promised land. Averting a major terror incident in the state, Punjab Police have busted yet another pro-Khalistan terrorist module with the arrest of two persons allegedly operating in connivance with five criminals, including a KZF operative in Amritsar jail. The Pakistan-backed module was busted on the basis of inputs about the nefarious designs of pro-Khalistan elements trying to disturb peace in the state by launching terror attacks, director general of police (DGP) Dinkar Gupta said on Tuesday. Gupta said following the inputs, the police launched a drive to ensure thorough checking of all those entering the state from various parts of the country, thus leading to the arrest of Harjeet Singh, alias Raju, and Shamsher Singh, alias Shera, both residents of Mianpur village in Tarn Taran district. Six sophisticated weapons (a 9mm pistol, four .32-calibre pistols and one .32 revolver), eight rounds of ammunition, mobile phones and an internet dongle were recovered from the duo, who were arrested at the checkpost near Hotel Jashan on the Rajpura-Sirhind road by a police team, comprising ASI Gurdarshan Singh, head constable Jora Singh and Punjab Home Guard Pritpal Singh. A case was registered under Sections 212, 216, 120-Bof the IPC besides Sections 25/ 54/ 59 of the Arms Act, r/w Sections 13, 16, 18, 20 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Amendment Act. GOT WEAPONS FROM MP, HARYANA The accused admitted that they received four weapons from Burhanpur, Madhya Pradesh, and two arms from Safidon in Jind district of Haryana, the DGP said. Gupta said that the duo is also wanted in an attempt to murder and Arms Act case registered at Sarai Amanat Khan police station in Tarn Taran district. The two men were planning a terror attack in Punjab in connivance with five criminals, namely Shubhdeep Singh of Cheecha in Amritsar, now lodged in Amritsar jail; Amritpal Singh Baath of Mianpur in Tarn Taran district, wanted in 12 cases of murder, attempt to murder, Arms Act in Tarn Taran and Amritsar Rural districts; Randeep Singh of Chheharta, Amritsar, wanted in drug cases in Amritsar, along with Goldy and Ashu, both from Karnal district in Haryana. WERE IN TOUCH WITH JAILED KZF MILITANT Sharing details about Shubhdeep Singh, the DGP said he was an active militant of Khalistan Zindabad Force (KZF), who was arrested by Punjab Police in September 2019 with the recovery of a China-made drone from Mahawa village in Amritsar district. In April last year, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) had filed a chargesheet against him along with eight others, including Akashdeep Singh, Balwant Singh, Harbhajan Singh, Balbir Singh, Maan Singh, Gurdev Singh, Sajanpreet Singh and Romandeep Singh before the special NIA court in Mohali. This case is related to information that Pakistan-based KZF chief Ranjeet Singh, alias Neeta, in connivance with Gurmeet Singh, alias Bagga, a Germany-based KZF operative, had smuggled arms, ammunition, explosives and fake indian currency notes (FICN) into India via drones from Pakistan. Randeep Singh is wanted in a case of attempt to murder, drug smuggling and Arms Act since 2014. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 15) The Manila Cathedral in Intramuros, the historic walled city within the country's capital, will reopen Wednesday, September 16, for in-person physical services and activities after a six-month closure due to the coronavirus crisis. Only 80 persons can be accommodated inside the Cathedral for each Mass, on a first come first served basis, Manila Cathedral said in a Facebook post on Monday. During Sundays, the faithful can also stay in Plaza Roma, where communion will also be distributed, it added. In an interview on CNN Philippines, the Cathedrals vice rector Fr. Kali Pietre Llamado said COVID-19 preventive measures will be implemented to ensure the churchgoers' safety, including thermal scanning upon entrance and the provision of foot baths and hand sanitizers. Seats will be assigned, and only three persons will be allowed to sit per pew to observe a one-meter physical distance. A row of pew will also be left empty between those that will be occupied in order to maintain mass-goers' distance from those in front and behind them, Llamado said. In an effort to improve contact tracing, the vice rector said they will place contact tracing forms on the assigned seats instead of having people fill them out upon entering the building. The forms will be collected after the mass. Ang importante rin kasi yung seat number. Nakalagay doon (in the contract tracing form) yung seat number nang sa gayon alam namin kung sino talaga ang malapit sa isa't-isa, Llamado explained. [Translation: Whats also important is the seat number. The seat number is indicated in the contact tracing form in order for us to know who were near each other.] Llamado added that besides requiring the faithful to wear face masks and face shields, their ministers and altar servers will likewise be provided with the protective equipment. Here are the Mass schedules: Monday to Friday: 7:30 a.m. and 12:10 p.m. Saturday: 7:30 a.m. Sunday: 8:00 a.m., 10:00 a.m., and 6:00 p.m. The church is also open for private prayers daily from 8:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and between 1:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. All Mass celebrations will continue to be streamed online through its Facebook page and YouTube channel for those who cannot attend in person, it added. Authorities are limiting religious gatherings to 10 percent of the venue's seating capacity in areas under general community quarantine such as Metro Manila, to limit people's risk of exposure to COVID-19. The Manila Cathedral, considered as the central church of the Manila Archdiocese, was established in the 16th century. Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle headed the Archdiocese of Manila before becoming the prefect of the Vatican Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples. India, Japan sign reciprocal supply and service agreement for forces India and Japan have signed an agreement on reciprocal provision of supplies and services between the armed forces of India and the self-defense forces of Japan. Defence secretary Ajay Kumar and Japanese Ambassador Suzuki Satoshi signed the agreement in New Delhi today. This agreement establishes the enabling framework for closer cooperation between the armed forces of India and Japan in reciprocal provision of supplies and services while engaged in bilateral training activities, United Nations Peacekeeping Operations, humanitarian international relief and other mutually agreed activities. The agreement will also enhance the interoperability between the armed force of India and Japan thereby further increasing the bilateral defence engagements under the Special Strategic and Global Partnership between the two countries. Japanese envoy to India Satoshi Suzuki who signed the pact tweeted, "Great pleasure to sign the agreement concerning reciprocal provision of supplies and services between #JSDF and the #IndianArmedForces. Hope the agreement will further promote cooperation between them." The agreement was signed after India and Japan on Thursday held their annual summit over the telephone as Delhi and Tokyo concluded the much anticipated Mutual Logistic Pact for their Navies to ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific region amid Chinas aggressive policies. This was outgoing Japanese PM Shinzo Abes first summit after he announced his decision to step down over health reasons. Both sides, however, decided to go ahead with the annual summit talks as scheduled on 10 September. With regard to the significant enhancement of Japan-India relations in recent years, Prime Minister Abe stated that both Prime Ministers took actions towards realising the vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific and the Special Strategic and Global Partnership between Japan and India was elevated to greater heights, according to a readout issued by the Japanese government following the conversation. In this context, both Prime Ministers welcomed the signing of the Agreement between the Government of Japan and the Government of the Republic of India Concerning Reciprocal Provision of Supplies and Services between the Self-Defense Forces of Japan and the Indian Armed Forces (so-called "Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement", or ACSA) on September 9. The ACSA (commonly referred to as Logistics Pact) would permit the Indian Navy access to a Japanese base in Djibouti. The Japan Maritime Self Defence Force (JSDF) would be permitted to use Indias military installations in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. India currently has similar pacts with the US, Australia, France and is likely to sign one with Russia later this year. The two leaders reaffirmed their mutual trust and friendship and also recalled their shared experiences during visits to each other's countries. Both Prime Ministers affirmed that the basic policy of Japan-India-emphasis remains unchanged, and concurred with each other that the two countries continue to work closely in such areas as security, economy, and economic cooperation. The World Socialist Web Site yesterday published a Chinese translation of Professor Joseph Scalices important lecture, First as Tragedy, Second as Farce: Marcos, Duterte and the Communist Parties of the Philippines. The original English text and video of the lecture, delivered on August 26 at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, are available here. Translations into other languages will be published in coming days. The lecture is a devastating exposure of the reactionary Stalinist politics of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and its founder Jose Maria Sison. Dr. Scalice documents the partys support for the fascistic Rodrigo Dutertes presidential campaign in 2016, and the role played by the CPP and the rival Stalinist PKP in supporting bourgeois leaders throughout the 20th century, including Ferdinand Marcos who imposed martial law in 1972. Dr. Scalice explains that the CPPs repeated betrayals of the Filipino workers and rural masses were not simply the product of treacherous leaders, but were rooted in the Maoist variant of Stalinism adopted by the party leadership. Based on the anti-Marxist theories of socialism in one country and a two-stage revolution, Sison has insisted for more than 50 years that socialist revolution is off the agenda in the Philippines. Instead, the CPP calls on Filipino workers and youth to support the so-called progressive wing of the national bourgeoisie to carry out a democratic revolution, with the explicit aim of developing capitalism in the Philippines. The exposure of Maoism, from the standpoint of genuine socialism, has profound international significance, including for workers and young people in China, where its legacy needs to be overcome. Readers will gain a greater understanding of the reactionary role of Maoism in the defeats and betrayals of the working class in Asia and internationally throughout the twentieth century. The roots of Sisons perspective stem from the crushing of the 192527 Revolution in China at the hands of Stalin who subordinated the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to the bourgeois nationalist Kuomintang (KMT), justifying this as the expression of the bloc of four classesthe peasantry, working class, petty bourgeoisie and national bourgeoisieagainst imperialism and the comprador capitalists. As Trotsky warned at the time, as revolutionary struggles sharpened, the bourgeoisie would inevitably drop its anti-imperialist pretensions and attack the working class. The result was a series of devastating defeats for the CCP and the working class. But Sison, following Stalin, still holds to the bloc of four classes. Mao and Imelda Marcos The 1949 Chinese Revolution involved a huge upsurge of the masses after decades of war, brutal rule at the hands of Japanese imperialism and the KMT and immense poverty and want. However, it was deformed at the outset due to the domination of Maos nationalist bureaucracy, the rejection of internationalism and the dictatorial suppression of the Chinese working class. In little more than two decades, Mao had begun preparations for capitalist restoration by establishing relations with US imperialism and its allies, including the Marcos regime in the Philippines (see also: 70 years after the Chinese Revolution: How the struggle for socialism was betrayed). Jose Maria Sison hails Imelda Marcos's meeting with Mao Zedong as a diplomatic victory, 20 October 1974 Today, Chinese workers and youth confront the consequences of these betrayals. China is integrated into the global capitalist system, with a vast working class that is ruthlessly exploited by multinational corporations. The Stalinist bureaucracy has liquidated the social gains of the revolution and transformed itself into a new super-rich bourgeois layer. Workers will once again be driven into revolutionary struggle, not only by the unprecedented levels of social inequality, but also the imminent threat of war, as US imperialism seeks to assert its dominance over China and the rest of Asia. In this context, the historical facts and questions of political perspective examined by Dr. Scalice have a burning contemporary relevance. Crucially, Dr. Scalice points to the revolutionary alternative to Stalinism: the perspective which guided the Russian Revolution in October 1917 and was elaborated in Leon Trotskys Theory of Permanent Revolution. Trotsky explained that in countries of belated capitalist development, such as Russia, China and the Philippines, there could be no alliance with any section of the national bourgeoisie, which was universally hostile to the aspirations of workers and peasants. The basic democratic tasks could only be accomplished in a socialist revolution, led by the working class and supported by the peasantry, as part of the fight for world socialism. This political program is upheld today only by the International Committee of the Fourth International, which publishes the WSWS. Dr. Scalices lecture has been viewed thousands of times and attracted strong appreciation and support from young people and workers in the Philippines and throughout the world who are looking for a genuine socialist solution to the intensifying crisis of capitalismwhich has produced record levels of social inequality, the criminally negligent response to the pandemic, and the imminent dangers of dictatorship and war. The lecture also triggered an enraged response from Sison, who has repeatedly lashed out at Dr. Scalice with threats and slanders, including libelous claims that he is collaborating with the Duterte regime and US imperialism. The WSWS has responded to Sisons statements, including his regurgitation of Stalinist lies about Trotskyism. We have also published statements in support of Dr. Scalice. We urge our readers to circulate his lecture widely and to send us letters defending Dr. Scalices academic freedom and free speech. An Oregon woman held an alleged arsonist at gunpoint until police arrived at the scene after the man claimed he was going to start a fire on her property. In the footage shared on Kat Cast's Facebook page, Cast is seen driving up to the man as someone in her vehicle films the incident. Cast gets out the vehicle holding a handgun, walks over to the man, who has not been identified, and orders him to get on the ground. 'What are you doing on my property?' Cast asks. 'Did you light anything on fire?' The man then responds that he was 'just passing through'. According to Cast, the man had threatened to start a fire on her property, prompting her to make sure he was arrested. Wildfires across California, Washington state and Oregon have killed at least 36 people. All three states are already suffering from hazardous air quality conditions. In the footage shared on Kat Cast's Facebook page, Cast is seen driving up to the man as someone in her vehicle films her. Cast gets out the vehicle holding a handgun, walks over to the man, who has not been identified, and orders him to get on the ground. 'What are you doing on my property?' Cast asks. 'Did you light anything on fire?' The man (pictured) then responds that he was 'just passing through' Cast says in the video that the man didn't have cigarettes on him. She then told the man that she had called local police (pictured). According to Cast, the incident occurred over the weekend after the man threatened to start a fire on her property She then asked him why he had matches in his hands to which he responded: 'I smoke.' Cast says in the video that the man didn't have cigarettes on him. She then told the man that she had called local police. According to Cast, the incident occurred over the weekend after the man threatened to start a fire on her property. In a Facebook post, Cast revealed that people had sent her messages claiming that she faked the whole incident. 'I read all your messages to me, even the private ones, I can tell you that this truly did happen and there is nothing fake about it. 'I do not wish to speak to anyone, it doesn't matter to me if it's a journalist who wants to put it out on the news, I will not put my family in danger by exposing myself any more than what I have already, besides the media will just twist my words. In a Facebook post, Cast (pictured) said: 'If I need to do this again to protect my family and my neighbors, I will in a heartbeat do it again, except this time I will not be as nice as I was' 'If I need to do this again to protect my family and my neighbors, I will in a heartbeat do it again, except this time I will not be as nice as I was.' Cast continued: 'Some of you still think we're not being attacked. I found this individual walking in my property as I was driving in, all he had were some matches in his hand. 'I walked him out of my property at gunpoint and then when we got to some asphalt ground on the main road [where I] made him lay down while the cops arrived.' She said: 'Had my husband been here he would have been dead. This criminal has got multiple warrants, one of them [for] assaulting a police officer.' It's unclear if local police have charged the man. The incident comes as California, Oregon (pictured) and Washington state suffer from historic wildfires that have burned faster and farther than ever before The fires have caused hazardous air quality conditions in Portland, Oregon, Seattle and San Francisco The incident comes just days after a man was arrested Portland for allegedly using a Molotov cocktail to start a brush fire. Domingo Lopez Jr, 45, was arrested on Sunday for allegedly starting the fire. He was released just hours before he is accused of starting six additional fires early Monday morning. There are currently 87 large wildfires burning in 10 states, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. Firefighters have battled hundreds of wildfires across the West Coast since the middle of August. Since the beginning of the year, wildfires have burned over 4.5 million acres of land, an area about he size of the entire state of Connecticut. Smoke from the latest spate of devastating fires has blown thousands of miles across the country covering the Midwest, Canada and even reaching as fair as New York. At least 35 people have died - including 24 in California, 10 in Oregon and a child in Washington state - and more than 42,000 structures destroyed. The fires have put harmful levels of smoke and soot into the region's air, painting skies with tones of orange and sepia even as local residents deal with another public health emergency in the coronavirus pandemic. Cooler, moister weather and calmer winds over the weekend enabled firefighters to gain ground in efforts to outflank blazes that had burned largely unchecked last week. Thunderstorms forecast for later in the week could bring much-needed rain but also more lightning. As disaster teams scoured the ruins of dwellings engulfed by flames amid chaotic evacuations last week, Oregon's emergency management authorities said they had yet to account for 22 people reported missing in the fires. No injuries reported in fire, the third such incident in the area within a week even as Beirut recovers from port blast. A fire has broken out in a downtown Beirut building near the citys port where an explosion last month killed nearly 200 people, wounded thousands and left the citys residents traumatised. It was not immediately clear what caused the fire in one of the citys best-known buildings that was the work of the late Iraq-born British architect, Zaha Hadid. The oval-shaped building was still under construction and sits on the main road that passes by the port. Its terrible. Its unbelievable, said Joe Sayegh, 48, who had been on a jog through the city before coming to the scene. Every day we have a problem. Lebanese broadcaster al-Jadeed earlier showed images of smoke billowing from the building, located near Beirut Souks, a 100,000-square-metre shopping mall in the centre of the city. Good morning in today's news from #Lebanon, a huge fire erupted in the Beirut souks, in one of Zaha Hadid's signature design buildings. pic.twitter.com/Ahs1pIc0bf Luna Safwan (@LunaSafwan) September 15, 2020 A civil defence official said they extinguished the fire, adding that an investigation will be opened. There were no immediate reports of injuries. We received a call that there is a fire near Majidieh mosque. When we first arrived the fire was very strong. This is a building under construction known as the oval building in Beiruts markets, said Fadi Mazboudi, member of the fire brigade department. Thank God, firefighters and the civil defence were able to put the fire under control as fast as possible despite the limited capabilities. It was the third fire in the area within a week following two recent fires at the port of Beirut, including a huge one on Thursday that raised panic among residents. Another blaze earlier this month was extinguished quickly. The causes of those fires are unclear. Beiruts residents are still shaken by the fire that led to an enormous blast on August 4, killing nearly 200 people, injuring 6,500 and causing damage worth billions of dollars. The explosion of around 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate stored at the port for six years also left a quarter of a million people homeless. The cause of the explosion and the fire that led to it are still under investigation. The blast led to the governments resignation six days later. Lebanon is gripped by an unprecedented economic crisis and financial collapse, blamed on decades of mismanagement and corruption by an entrenched political class. France is pressing Lebanon to form a new government to tackle endemic corruption and implement reforms to unlock aid. But many Lebanese remain sceptical that Lebanons political elite can chart a new course. With these people, if they are the same people, nothing will change, Sayegh said. Russian opposition figure Aleksei Navalny says he is able to breathe on his own and generally feels like himself as his recovery from being poisoned with a nerve agent continues. I still can hardly do anything, but yesterday I was able to breathe on my own all day, Navalny said in a post on Instagram on September 15. Generally feel like myself. I did not use any outside help, not even the simplest aid in my throat, he added in the caption, along with a photo showing him sitting up in bed. Separately, Navalny's spokeswoman tweeted that the anti-corruption campaigner and Kremlin critic plans to return to Russia from Germany. "I'll confirm again to everyone: No other options were ever considered," Kira Yarmysh wrote. Navalny suddenly fell ill on a Russian domestic flight on August 20 and was medically evacuated to Germany on a request by his wife several days later. Doctors removed Navalny from a medically induced coma on September 7, saying that although his condition had improved it was unclear what long-term effects the severe poisoning would have on the 44-year-old opposition leaders health. German experts say the anti-corruption campaigner and Kremlin critic was poisoned with a Soviet-style military nerve agent from the Novichok group, prompting international calls on Russia to swiftly investigate the case. On September 14, Germany said that two independent laboratories one in Sweden and one in France -- confirmed evidence that Navalny was poisoned with the nerve agent. Russian authorities, however, have refused to open a criminal investigation, saying that no hard evidence of poisoning has been found. Moscow reiterated on September 15 that it was open to getting to the bottom of what happened to Navalny, and that it would be happy if he recovered and returned to Russia from Germany. But Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov added that Moscow did not understand why, if French and Swedish laboratories had been able to test Navalnys medical samples, why Russia wasn't being given the same access. With reporting by Interfax and TASS Donall OKeeffe, chief executive of the LVA said: Where is the scientific justification for this decision?" Picture: Andres Poveda The pub industry has accused the Government of breaking its commitment to wet pubs, set to remain closed after Nphet advised covid-19 cases remain too high in the capital. The Licensed Vintners Association (LVA) stated the move to delay the reopening of Dublins wet pubs was an empty gesture, backed by hollow words from a Government that broke its commitment to non food pubs again. Read More Donall OKeeffe, chief executive of the LVA, said: Where is the scientific justification for this decision? This isnt a remedy to the current increase in infections in Dublin. This has all the hallmarks of wanting to be seen to take action when in reality it does nothing to address the current problem. But it does have the impact of further penalising publicans, staff, suppliers and all their families. That is the one actual outcome that will come from this decision. This Government and NPHET take zero action against those parts of society which have caused clusters such as meat factories or direct provision centres yet they continue to punish pubs whose doors have been kept shut for more than six months by order of the Government. Pubs are paying the price for the repeated shortfalls in the Governments capacity to handle this crisis. Mr OKeeffe said there was an ongoing singling out of wet pubs which was now being institutionalised in the latest roadmap. The decision was, Mr OKeeffe added, impossible for our members to understand and accept. Read More Daniel Smith, from Grogans pub in Dublin, reacted with other publicans and the Licensed Vintners Association (LVA) to criticise the Government move to stop Dublin wet pubs from opening up. We are disgusted, upset, angry, Mr Smith said. This government has shown time and time again, they dont care about us. Mr Smith told RTEs Liveline that last week publicans had been told they wouldnt be treated differently with regards to restrictions, only to receive the closure news for the fourth time during the pandemic. Its very hard to have faith in anything this Government says, he added, after the publicans were told they would not be allowed to open up on September 21. We put all the safety precautions in. Mr Smith said if necessary his pubs would now be looking at a food option to mean the business could reopen. They are providing unclear messaging, Mr Smith said. Peoples livelihoods hang on this. Theres plenty of pubs open in Dublin. Why are we being treated differently to a pub that serves a 9 meal? Noel Anderson, from the Licensed Vintners Association (LVA) said publicans are extremely upset. Mr Anderson, MD of the Lemon and Duke bar in Dublin, told Liveline: Ive had a number of publicans nearly in tears, this is the fourth time theyve been led up the hill, it feels like they've been marched over the hill without a parachute. Its hard to know what their issue is at this point. A publican said to me his mortgage is due next month, he's gone past his moratorium. How are these publicans going to pay for their mortgages? Tom Mulligan, from the Cobblestone pub in Smithfield, Dublin, said: We are devastated, we have all our staff ready to go, we were meeting up on Sunday to go through the last preparations, to get them geared up on Monday. It's so disheartening to tell them this is the fourth time we cant open. We look at ourselves as an art and cultural centre. Its a very civilised and decent crowd that comes into us. The latest blow to the pub sector in Dublin comes six months since pubs across the country closed their doors on March 15. This the fourth time the reopening of non food pubs in Dublin has been delayed, following July 20, August 10 and August 31. Azizi Developments, a leading private developer in the UAE, is seeing a high demand from international investors, especially from Israeli nationals, for Creek Views II, its recently launched AED 350 million ($95.2 million) development on the shores of the iconic Dubai Creek within the budding Dubai Healthcare City. Azizi pointed out that much like its predecessor Creek Views I and Aliyah, the new project too is outstandingly well positioned among global real estate offerings, as international demand highlights, with 30% of units sold having been acquired by Israeli investors, 30% by UAE nationals, and 20% by Azizis Saudi clientele, while the rest were sold to over 6 nationalities. With demand in Dubai Healthcare City being on the rise due to its exceptionally strategic location in the heart of Dubai and superb ease of access, Azizis three DHCC developments - Aliyah, which is already handed over, Creek Views I and Creek Views II - have all sold out to investors all over the world within impressive timeframes, said Azizi in its statement. Creek Views IIs design philosophy represents Dubais remarkable transition from a traditional past to a modern, reinvented future, it added. Executive Director (Sales & Marketing) Nima Khojasteh said: "While we knew very well that this would be yet another popular development in one of Dubais most promising, growth-inclined localities, the international dimension of the remarkable investor response is certainly worth noting. We are delighted to welcome a new nationality and geographic segment to our clientele, with Israeli investors expressing substantial interest in Creek Views II and our portfolio as a whole." Home to 587 families, this building will comprise 116 studios, 436 one- and 35 two-bedroom apartments. With a focus on enriching lifestyles, Creek Views II will feature two swimming pools, a sauna, a steam room, a fully equipped gym, and a childrens play area. "Units in Creek Views II are inspired by the concept of compact homes, with design being well-thought-out to maximise comfort and well-being in moderately sized apartments. Azizi will soon be launching a mock-up apartment, allowing interested investors to experience the clever, intricate interior designs first-hand," explained Khojasteh. Kimberly Klacik talks dismantling Planned Parenthood, lauds Trump for helping to empower minorities Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Kimberly Klacik, a rising star in the Republican Party, will be a political anomaly if she's elected in November. Klacik, a 37-year-old conservative black woman, is running for the 7th Congressional District in Baltimore, Maryland, a seat that was held for more than two decades by the late Democratic Rep. Elijah Cummings. The district, where voters are registered as 68% Democrat and 16% Republican, according to The Baltimore Sun, has never elected a Republican. Klacik, however, believes that after years of high crime and decades of blighted neighborhoods left unresolved by Democratic representation, voters are ready for a change. Klacik told The Christian Post that despite the aberration, GOP representation is stirring in Baltimore, and noted that four black Republicans are running for city council and all are Trump-supporters. Minorities are running as Republicans across the country, not just in Baltimore, because they feel the president has extended an olive branch to them, Klacik said. If you look around the country, we have 21 minorities running for Congress as Republicans and that is because I think that with President Trumps presidency, he has extended an olive branch to minorities across the country just by what he said: What do you have to lose, she told CP at the "Get Louder" Faith Summit at the Falkirk Center for Faith and Liberty in Lynchburg, Virginia, on Thursday. Congressional candidate Kimberly Klacik talks abortion and how she plans to make change in the Baltimore area. Live at the Falkirk Center! Posted by The Christian Post on Thursday, September 10, 2020 The quote Klacik cited was made by Trump during a 2016 presidential campaign rally in Dimondale, Michigan, where he called on every single African American citizen to vote for him that November. What do you have to lose by trying something new, like Trump? Trump asked. Youre living in poverty, your schools are no good, you have no jobs, 58% of your youth is unemployed, what the hell do you have to lose? Klacik told CP that Trumps prompt resonated with many minorities who now have the courage to make an impact. In August, Klaciks initial campaign ad went viral across multiple conservative social media platforms and even received a retweet by the president who wrote: Kimberly will work with the Trump Administration and we will bring Baltimore back, and fast. Dont blow it Baltimore, the Democrats have destroyed your city! Kimberly will work with the Trump Administration and we will bring Baltimore back, and fast. Dont blow it Baltimore, the Democrats have destroyed your city! https://t.co/PDdjgxbIHu Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 19, 2020 On the topic of abortion, CP asked Klacik how she would proactively combat abortion in a district where the predominate race demographic is disproportionately affected by abortion. My platform, were all about family planning. We talk about the fact that 35 other countries already have birth control over the counter available, and this is oral contraceptives. This is before conception. This is a woman taking responsibility before any of those things happen. I know its not ideal. I know we should talk about abstaining from sex, but right now we have to be realistic with things. So I believe if we stop regulating oral contraceptives through the government, allow them to be over the counter, it would lead to less abortions. Klacik's argument is that deregulating oral contraceptives through the government could be a way to defund Planned Parenthood. I tell people that want to defund Planned Parenthood, this is a great way to do that. Their need and the way they stay open, the data shows, they get funding because of the people that need the contraceptives. We take that out of their hands, we might take Planned Parenthood out. Klacik also spoke at the Republican National Convention in August where she delivered a scathing analysis of Democrat leadership in the Baltimore area over the years: The Democrats have controlled my city, Charm City, for over 50 years and they have run this beautiful place into the ground. Abandoned buildings, liquor stores on every corner, drug addicts and guns on the street that is now the norm in many neighborhoods. Youd think Maryland taxpayers would be getting a whole lot since our taxes are out of control; instead, we are paying for decades of incompetence and corruption. After an unsuccessful special election run for the seat in April, Klacik said her campaign has now raised over $5 million, which, according to her, is the most ever raised by a candidate in her district. Marylands 7th Congressional District is currently being represented by Democratic Rep. Kweise Mfume. Mfume was elected on May 5 in a special election to fill the vacancy left by Cummings, who held the seat from 1996 until his passing in October 2019. All of these "natural" disasters were foreseen decades ago by scientists who warned of the unnatural consequences of releasing massive quantities of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. They told us the West would become warmer, drier and more susceptible to fire. They told us that tropical storms would become less predictable and more frequent, and that rising sea levels would put coastal cities at greater risk. And they told us that if we don't take coordinated global action to limit carbon emissions, these life-threatening impacts will get much, much worse. In Dispatch 156, I wrote about why it did not make sense to use rapid antigen tests all the time, or be overly dependent on them like Delhi continues to be. To recap, such tests give out too many false negative results (identifying an infected person as uninfected) to be reliable. And the protocol in place (which, to make things worse, isnt strictly followed by anybody) of ensuring symptomatic individuals who test negative in a rapid antigen test are administered a molecular test such as the RT-PCR one as a follow-up is pointless at least 40% and as high as 80% of those infected with Sars-CoV-2, the virus which causes the coronavirus disease (Covid-19), are asymptomatic. Sure, there is a context in which it makes sense to use rapid antigen tests. After all, they provide results within the hour, as compared to the minimum of 24 hours it takes for an RT-PCR test (and in practice, with logistical delays and backlogs, this goes up to three to four days sometimes). So, in containment zones, in airports and railway stations, and ahead of public events (such as the JEE and NEET entrance examinations; no test was administered the candidates, frittering away a great opportunity to test a large number of people) wherever time is a constraint it makes sense to use rapid antigen tests. And sure, it makes sense to ensure that a follow-up RT-PCR test is administered to symptomatic individuals testing negative in an antigen test. I have previously suggested a hack that could make antigen tests more accurate two tests administered in parallel to two samples from the same patient (if there is a discrepancy between the two results, a molecular test is administered). This reduces the chances of a false negative by half. Click here for complete coverage of the Covid-19 pandemic Finally, I have also written about new rapid antigen tests (one was launched by Abbott Laboratories, but only in the US recently), which are fast, inexpensive, and as accurate as molecular tests. We must get those. At the time of writing the column referred to in the first instance it also mentioned Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, two other states overly dependent on rapid antigen tests I did not expect that an opportunity to use a real-life example to explain why such tests shouldnt be used indiscriminately would present itself in a few days. The math presented in that column was simple, but because it concerned a hypothetical situation, administrators in Delhi, Lucknow and Patna may have missed its import. And so, with that elaborate prelude, lets look at Exhibit A: The Delhi assembly. This is what we know: 50 lawmakers attended the Delhi assemblys special one-day session on Monday. All of them had previously taken RT-PCR tests, but not all the results had come in by Monday morning. A rapid antigen test was administered to these lawmakers. It isnt immediately clear how many were administered the test. It was also administered to assembly officials and journalists covering the session. One MLA tested positive and was immediately sent into quarantine. The others tested negative, and the session began. The positive RT-PCR results of two MLAs came even as the session was in progress they left the assembly immediately, but, by then, their colleagues had been exposed to them. While all 47 of them have tested negative, they have shared a closed room (a large one) with the two lawmakers, should ideally go into quarantine, and have themselves tested after five days (if they are infected, it will show up by then). Also read| Battle against Covid-19 far from over: Harsh Vardhan in Parliament Delhis administrators, who continue to rely overly on antigen tests (last week, these accounted for 83% of the total 397,722 tests conducted), couldnt have asked for a better demonstration of their (the tests) inaccuracy, and how the erroneous results could, in turn, have cascading implications. Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal was in the House at the time, although it isnt clear whether he came in contact with the infected lawmakers. A mere greeting, or passing an infected person in the corridor, is unlikely to be dangerous the infection comes from prolonged exposure. But, building on several research studies, a bunch of talking heads in a room are more at risk than a bunch of silent ones. I hope those plexiglass partitions in Parliament are tall enough. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Bali may have to shut its borders again and go back into lockdown to stop a surge in coronavirus cases, a health expert has warned. The popular Indonesian tourist island was due to reopen to foreign travellers from September - but those plans have been shelved until at least the end of the year as daily case totals in Bali tripled over the past six weeks. Bali itself has had at least 100 new cases daily for the past two weeks and has recorded 7,366 COVID-19 infections since the pandemic began. A leading virologist at Udayana University in the island's capital Denpasar said the island needed to be closed off again even to the country's other provinces to stop the spread of the virus. A surfer walks along Canggu beach in Bali on September 1. An expert has warned the island may need to shut its borders again to domestic tourism A woman wears a protective face mask at a shopping mall in Bali. Plans to reopen the island to foreign tourists have been shelved to at least the end of the year 'The ideal condition to suppress the number of COVID-19 cases would be under lockdown,' virologist I Gusti Ngurah Mahardika told Coconuts. '[That means] close Bali temporarily, limit peoples movement - permitting leaving the house only for very important purposes, such as looking for food, medicine, and the likes.' Officials in Bali have defended the decision to re-open the province's border to domestic tourists from July 31. But deaths in the past six weeks have since doubled, with 151 people on the island having now lost their lives to the virus. Indonesia as a whole has recorded more than 197,000 COVID-19 cases and 8,000 deaths. Alarming photos last week emerged showing soldiers walking down the streets of Denpasar handing out fines of 100,000 rupiah ($9.30 AUD) to anyone without a face covering. A shop keeper waits for customers at a market in Gianyar, Bali on August 20. Face masks are mandatory in public across Indonesia The military are now a common sight on the streets of Bali. Locals are fined 100,000 rupiah if they head outside without a face mask Face masks have been mandatory in public across Indonesia since early April. Authorities previously came up with a range of punishments for those refusing to comply including performing push-ups and buying one kilogram of rice to go towards Bali locals severely affected by the pandemic. Some police officers even made offenders dance. Bali was supposed to welcome back international tourists from September 4 but has since announced this has been pushed back until the end of the year. Residents exercising with face masks in Denpasar in Bali this week. Indonesia has recorded more than 197,000 COVID-19 cases and 8,000 deaths 'The Indonesian government couldn't reopen its doors to foreign travellers until the end of 2020 as we remain a red zone,' Mr Koster said in a statement last month. 'The situation is not conducive to allowing foreign tourists to come to Indonesia, including to Bali. 'Bali cannot fail because it could adversely impact the image of Indonesia, including Bali, in the eyes of the world, which could prove counter-productive to the recovery of travel.' /* custom css */ .tdi_75_1b7.td-a-rec{ text-align: center; }.tdi_75_1b7 .td-element-style{ z-index: -1; }.tdi_75_1b7.td-a-rec-img{ text-align: left; }.tdi_75_1b7.td-a-rec-img img{ margin: 0 auto 0 0; }@media (max-width: 767px) { .tdi_75_1b7.td-a-rec-img { text-align: center; } } Advertisement In the most bizarre turn of events yet, Benue State Government and leaders from Sankera axis of the state said they have accepted the killing of notorious militia leader, Terwase Akwaza, aka Gana, as an act of God while also elevating themselves into a pontificate conclave with the powers to grant absolution to the Nigerian Military against which they said they have resolved not to take up issues. Gana was killed by troops of Operation Ayem Akpatuma III, an Operation of the Nigerian Military saddled with the responsibility of tackling banditry in Benue, Taraba and Nassarawa State area. By this attitude, the government of Benue state and stakeholders of Sankera disrespect other Nigerians for several reasons. Gana died under controversial circumstances, Commander of Four Special Force Brigade, Major General Ali Gadzama, said the militia warlord was killed in a shootout; while authorities in Benue state insisted that Gana had earlier surrendered as part of embracing an amnesty programme of the state. The preponderance of opinion is that there should be a thorough investigation to get to the root of the matter, which makes it curious that the Benue state government is now saying they have resolved not to take up issues with the military. The move can best be described as an attempt to preempt investigation into the matter and perhaps conceal the true magnitude of the crimes that Gana committed against the rest of us during the period that he waged his campaign of terror. This is in addition to the ugly development whereby Nigerians are being bombarded with so many lies and distorted account of events by those behind Ganas atrocious acts without thoughts for the people who had met horrific fates at his hands. /* custom css */ .tdi_74_754.td-a-rec{ text-align: center; }.tdi_74_754 .td-element-style{ z-index: -1; }.tdi_74_754.td-a-rec-img{ text-align: left; }.tdi_74_754.td-a-rec-img img{ margin: 0 auto 0 0; }@media (max-width: 767px) { .tdi_74_754.td-a-rec-img { text-align: center; } } It is important to bear in mind who Gana was. He was that nutjob who first came to limelight as fighting inter-ethnic battles between his Tiv ethnic nationality and other ethnic groups, mostly in Taraba state. That he survived to later become a terrorist testified to his brutality and efficiency in annihilating foes from these other ethnic groups. Of course, his victims from those inter-ethnic battles did not enjoy the luxury of seeking amnesty, being arrested or having expectations of fair trials. They summarily died in battle at the hand of a more brutal militia leader. The end of attrition against these other ethnic groups in Taraba and sometimes Nasarawa state was only possible because Gana found commercial application for his bloodlust by hiring out himself to desperate politicians as a tool for snuffing life out of political opponents. It is no wonder that he reportedly accepted the offer of the poorly packaged amnesty only after a certain politician has stepped in. The involvement of a known militia lord in the dynamics of elections in Benue state speaks volume to the nature of democracy practiced in that state while putting a question mark on electioneering activities conducted under the supervision of a murderous enforcer. It is an arrangement that bears uncanny similarities to Boko Haram ascendancy, being an organization that was at some point leveraged as a tool for political enforcement. Ganas final descent into darkness was precipitated by his falling out with his political patrons. He took to the jungles straddling Benue, Taraba and Nasarawa states. His was a campaign of plunder, gore, carnage and terror. In the over six years that he laid siege to these areas, hundreds of people lost their lives to him and his fighters, sometimes entire communities were wiped out as Ganas means of sending messages to the politicians he wanted to feel helpless and powerless. So dangerously did he push the entire nation towards the edge that some of his atrocities were credited to Fulani herdsmen in situations that led to reprisals being launched against the Fulani, which in turn led to counter reprisals that sparked a circle of violence that was not helped in any way by the militias sometimes rustling cattle and leaving communities they transited through to bear the brunt of enraged pastoralists. The foregoing makes it stomach churning that Wantor Akwa, one Ganas widows could desecrated the memory of her deceased husbands victims by attempting to canonize the personae described in the preceding paragraphs. Akwas keening is consistent with what has emerged to be a systematic and coordinated effort to dress the deceased Gana in saintly robes, not because he was a saint or freedom fighter in his lifetime but because his clients, who misled him to death by the way, believe that they can redirect attention from their own crimes by making Gana appear as the victim whom the state has wronged as opposed to the reality of him being a notorious and merciless robber whose only joy was to kill endlessly while he was alive. However, rather than engaging in this perverted manipulation of reality, those who egged Gana onto his death should be brave enough to step up to whatever investigative panel is set up to explain their roles in his emergence as a terror to those whose lives he cut short and the families he threw into mourning. They should discard their ongoing attempt to make Ganas death appear like an injustice against Benue people. The nature of the amnesty that the state offered to the late militia lord should be investigated as well because the reality was that even if Ganas crimes were confined to Benue state the fact that his victims were and are Nigerians gives the Federal Government full jurisdiction in addition to the fact that security is on the exclusive list. Note must equally be taken that Gana dealt death across state boundaries, which made one wonder if Benue state had the understanding of Taraba and Nasarawa state in their failed attempt to wash away all of Ganas sins before he was killed. Perhaps, to the extent that a N50 million bounty remained active on Ganas head and the Federal Government was not formally running the amnesty programme, troops would have still taken him out if he were right inside the Benue State Government House. As tragic as Ganas killing was under these controversial circumstances, in Benue, Taraba and Nasarawa states, those who sense they will get relief from it see his demise as divinely arranged and are even thanking God for answering their prayers. The answered prayers will certainly extend to an outcome where none will rise up in place of Gana even though he futilely pronounced that someone would emerge after him that would be more brutal than him. Hopefully, the military will ensure that no such person lasts longer than 72 hours after their first declaration of belligerence against the nation state. This is why those trying to incite the remnant of Ganas militias to regroup and revenge him should give up the ill-advised enterprise because the certain end for those that dealt terror on the scale Gana is not to be different from what recently transpired. Hopefully, Boko Harams madman, Abubakar Shekau should have gotten this memo that a time will come that even running under the skirt of their clients would not provide safety. On an insensitive note, the late militia leader was not sensitive to the lives of others in his lifetime, the military has dispatched Gana to meet his maker and it is from thence he should seek forgiveness and absolution, which the Benue state government and stakeholders of Sankera axis are not in a position to give. Murphy is a security expert and wrote from Calabar. The past month of presidential politics has been busier than usual in Omaha, with three visits from Trump surrogates and virtual events involving Bidens campaign. Trumps campaign also plans to match Biden by launching television ads Tuesday. Theres already chatter about possible visits from the candidates, though nothing is solid yet. Some pundits are discussing scenarios in which Omahas electoral vote could decide the race. Trump Jr. told The World-Herald that he knows his father faces headwinds in urban and suburban areas like Omaha and its western suburbs. But he said his father has delivered. He pointed to the passage of criminal justice reform and said that his father has empathy for people who want fairer treatment from police but that he wont support defunding the police. The core of the presidents message, Trump Jr. said, is economic prosperity for more Americans and support for a sense of security, or law and order. He had a similar message Monday speaking to a crowd of several hundred people, most without masks, at the community center in Treynor, population 964. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Paula Ramon (Agence France-Presse) Sao Paulo, Brazil Tue, September 15, 2020 07:06 493 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c44cd2d1 2 Art & Culture Brazil,ballet,coronavirus,COVID-19,pandemic,slum Free Against a backdrop of jumbled shacks seemingly piled atop each other, the dancers run in place with studied movements, then collapse to the floor in steady succession. This is a rehearsal at the Ballet of Paraisopolis, one of the biggest favelas in Sao Paulo, Brazil. The dance school is just returning from a four-month hiatus for the coronavirus pandemic, which has left Brazil with the second-highest death toll worldwide, after the United States: nearly 130,000 people killed. COVID-19 has hit hard in the favelas -- poor, overcrowded neighborhoods that often lack clean running water, sanitation infrastructure or basic health care. But although the virus is still spreading fast in Sao Paulo, the epicenter of the outbreak in Brazil, students and teachers at the school say they wanted -- needed -- to dance together again. "I was really anxious to come back. It felt like my first time," said 17-year-old dancer and local resident Kemilly Luanda, taking a break from rehearsals in an improvised studio whose ballet barre is a balcony railing -- the dividing line that separates this world of graceful leaps and precision pirouettes from the brick shacks it overlooks. Read also: Bolshoi ballet soloists limber up in lockdown Bedroom Zoom rehearsals Luanda and her classmates are rehearsing a new ballet with an urgent message: "Nine Deaths", a tribute to the victims who died in a stampede when police raided a huge street party in the favela in December last year. The school had to postpone the debut performance because of the pandemic. Now, the students are working to get it ready as they return from the long interruption. Getting through lockdown has not been easy for the academy, which was founded in 2012 and provides free training to its 200 students thanks to public funding and private donations. Luanda, who is in her final year at the school, recounted how difficult it was to keep up with her training via remote classes from the two-room house she shares with her parents, four siblings and dog. Paraisopolis is a postcard of the inequalities that divide Sao Paulo, Brazil's sprawling economic capital. The favela juts up against one of the wealthiest neighborhoods in the city, Morumbi, a privileged reserve of luxury high-rises and mansions that is a world apart from the one where Luanda lives. "I had to get everyone out of the bedroom, prop the cell phone up on the top bunk and practice in the aisle between our beds," she told AFP. Her shaky internet connection, small phone screen and lack of computer made things harder. And, she said, she missed the "sisters" she has studied dance with for the past eight years. She is one of 22 students who have returned for classes -- 10 in the school itself, and 12 on the second floor of a cultural center that was converted into an anti-coronavirus command hub during lockdown. Wearing face masks, they practice for four hours a day, five days a week. The rest of the school's students are continuing their classes online, for now. The academy had to postpone its first-ever graduation ceremony, now planned for next year. Read also: History of ballet in Indonesia illuminated in Historia 'We never stop' Keeping the school going via remote learning "hasn't been easy," said its founder, Monica Tarrago. "It was the worst feeling I've had in my life. We never stop except for Christmas and New Year's. We're like a family," she told AFP. However, the school's six teachers designed an intensive program to keep students engaged. "We thought of everything we could do via (the videoconference application) Zoom to keep up their physical and mental preparation at home," said Tarrago. The program featured classes on nutrition, stretching, exercises and choreography, plus lessons with 10 dancers from around the world, including French ballerina Isabelle Guerin, former "Danceuse Etoile" at the Paris Opera Ballet. Now the dancers are working hard to ready "Nine Deaths". They have the sores on their feet to prove it when they remove their ballet slippers after class. "We have to feel the characters in our skin. I try to feel their suffering.... It has to hurt, body and soul," said Luanda. Still, she added, "I can't live without dance." Graphic by Bae So-young By Nam Hyun-woo Domestic conglomerates are suffering from growing legal risks that are stalking their owners and chief executives, which could potentially hinder them from making important managerial decisions. As the COVID-19 pandemic has placed chaebol as they are known in Korea at a critical juncture where they must reshape their business strategies, industry watchers say the absence of their owners in the decision making process is discouraging companies from exploring new opportunities through investments and M&As On Sept. 1, the prosecution indicted Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong over allegations of accounting fraud and stock price manipulation that would strengthen his control of Samsung Group. The indictment came despite a recommendation from an independent panel that reviewed the case and the evidence, recommending against such action. The review system was introduced two years ago to improve fairness in prosecuting cases deemed to be of great public interest, and prosecutors have followed the panel's recommendations since then. Upon announcing the indictment, the prosecution said the review panel opposed the indictment due to the potential damage it could cause to the country's economy, but decided to carry on with the case citing a study on 35 conglomerates whose owners or chief executives were found guilty on certain charges. The study was unveiled Jan. 13 by the Economic Reform Research Institute, which looked into cases involving 319 affiliates of 35 conglomerates from 2000 to 2018. In the study, the researchers professors Lee Chang-min of Hanyang University and Choi Han-soo of Kyungpook National University concluded that the conviction of a conglomerate owner did not have a great impact on the affiliates' stock price, thus conglomerate leaderships' claims that their businesses were heavily affected by the owners' absence were made on weak grounds. However, Industry officials and experts say their absence hampers companies in making important strategic decisions, slowing down responses to a fast-changing business environment, and thus the consequences loom larger than short-term movements in stock prices. "Those who say investigations of owners or CEOs don't affect a company do not properly understand the role of CEOs," said Lee Byung-tae, a professor at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology's College of Business. "CEOs receive a high salary because the decisions they make heavily affect the earnings of the company. And this is becoming more conspicuous in modern companies because they are required to be more prompt in making important decisions. For example, the long-stalled investigations into Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee has jeopardized the company's ability to make fast decisions." Samsung Electronics is rarely mentioned with regard to M&As following its acquisition of audio giant Harman International Industries in 2016. Since then, rumors have abounded that the company has lagged behind rivals Intel and Nvidia in grabbing promising firms that were up for sale. In 2017, Intel acquired computer vision technology firm Mobileye for $15.3 billion, and purchased mobility-as-a-service firm Moovit in May this year for approximately $900 million. NVIDIA is now making headlines with the announcement of its acquisition of chipmaker ARM for $40 billion. Amazon's Jeff Bezos earlier this year invested $15 million in British logistics startup Beacon, while Samsung's smartphone rival Apple has signed eight M&A deals this year alone. While rivals are expanding or refurbishing their portfolios, Samsung has been mired in a series of legal battles involving Lee since 2016, when a number of civic groups here first filed complaints with the prosecution against him over the aforementioned charges. Along with the accounting fraud charges, Lee still faces hearings regarding a bribery case involving jailed former President Park Geun-hye, and has already spent 353 days behind the bars from February 2018 to February last year. While struggling with the risks facing Lee, Samsung Electronics has amassed cash and cashable assets valued at 36.11 trillion won ($30.51 billion) as of the end of the second quarter, up from 26.89 trillion won at the end of 2019. "Following Lee's release from jail in 2019, Samsung Electronics unveiled massive spending plans, highlighted by a 180 trillion won investment into AI and semiconductors in August of that year," a local chaebol official said. "This shows companies can make strategic decisions promptly on their leaders' watch. Professional CEOs often face limits in making long-term decisions which come with costs." A similar pattern is noticed in retail giant Lotte Group, which has faced a rapid change in its business environment in recent years. As consumers shifted toward online commerce, the group saw the necessity to reorganize its in-person business structure, but was slow to make decisions because Chairman Shin Dong-bin was facing a trial in 2018, also involving the Park bribery scandal. Shin was jailed for eight months from February to October 2018, but recently dodged conviction risk as the Supreme Court handed down a suspended jail term in October last year. After returning to his business, Shin is aggressively reorganizing the group's structure, but has seen its profitability deteriorate. SK Group also had similar experience. SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won was jailed from 2013 to 2015 after being found guilty of embezzlement, and the group did not reported any M&As to the Fair Trade Commission (FTC) during that period. Since his return, the company has signed major M&A deals including with OCI Materials, Tongyang Magic and ADT Caps. "Some say the prosecution and judiciary should care only about the charges and should not take other matters into account," another conglomerate official said. "But it is hard to deny that an owner's absence discourages companies from making important decisions and this deals a blow to the country's economy." 2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime Plug-In Hybrid - Review by Larry Nutson +VIDEO 2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime Performance plus efficiency By Larry Nutson Executive Editor and Bureau Chief Chicago Bureau The Auto Channel Back in the Spring in this year of the pandemic I drove Toyotas 2020 RAV4. In closing out my review I wrote a bit more excitement is coming in the form of the 302-horspeower Toyota RAV4 Prime, a 2021 model that will arrive in summer 2020. Itll be the most powerful and quickest RAV4 ever while also being the most fuel-efficient. Well, its here and I just drove it. Toyota says the RAV4 Prime can do 0-60 mph in 5.7 seconds and says its the quickest four-door model in the Toyota lineup. Its the first-ever RAV4 plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV). Specific tuning of the regular RAV4 Hybrids 177hp 2.5L 4-cylinder paired with more-powerful motor-generators provides a total system output of 302hp. With a newly developed high-capacity Lithium-Ion battery and a booster converter, the 2021 RAV4 Prime PHEV yields an 83hp jump in total system output over the RAV4 Hybrid and has the most horsepower in its segment. An electronically controlled CVT drives the front wheels and a separate rear-mounted electric motor powers the rear wheels for all-wheel drive performance when needed. Theres an estimated 42 miles of pure-electric driving range. The EPA rating is an estimated 94 MPGe. EPA fuel economy ratings are 40mpg city and 36mpg highway. Center console mounted drive mode controls allow for gas engine only operation to save battery charge, for example for in-city use. The 5-seat RAV4 Prime is plenty roomy with 33.4cuft behind the rear seat and 63.1cuft with the rear seat folded. The battery is mounted under the floor so that cargo space is not compromised. Theres 8.1in of ground clearance for deep snow or occasional off-road driving. A Trail mode can be engaged making it possible to get unstuck by braking a spinning wheel and sending torque to the grounded wheel. Two well-equipped trims are offered: the sporty SE priced at $38,100 and the sportier XSE priced at $41,425, plus $1,120 for shipping and handling. Of note, RAV4 Prime customers also may qualify for an $7,500 federal tax credit as well as various state incentives. Look at: https://afdc.energy.gov/laws/state I drove the XSE trim equipped with the Weather with Audio and Premium Package which added $5,760. The RAV4 Prime is equipped for the performance driver. With a sport-tuned suspension plus the all-wheel drive (AWD) system driving dynamics are very well balanced. The AWD helps to reduce understeer in corners. Theres a decent level of fun in this SUV. The 302hp gives you plenty of go-power with AWD helping to launch cleanly. Selectable drive modes provide for normal, economy and sport driving. Theres a lot of performance packed into this hybrid. Both trims are nicely equipped. If you want leather seating the XSE is the only choice. Plus, it has the unique two-tone paint scheme with the black roof. Also, the optional navigation can only be had on the XSE. However, both trims have Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capability to use your mobile phone mapping. Toyotas Safety Sense 2.0 suite of advanced driver-assist safety (ADAS) equipment is standard. The XSE Premium Package adds rear cross-traffic braking and front and rear parking assist with automated braking. A number of premium features are available including head-up display, JBL premium audio, heated steering wheel, ventilated front seats, heated outboard rear seats, digital rearview mirror, kick-type hands-free power rear hatch, and a 360-degree view camera. Whats nice about the RAV4 Prime is both trims provide the same level of performance and then its left to the customer to add features as they wish. More information and details on the RAV4 Prime PHEV can be found at www.toyota.com. I charged the RAV4 Prime's battery at a free public charging station near my home adding about 26 miles of range in about 2 hours. The battery can be fully charged in about 12 hours by plugging the charging cable into a standard household outlet. (120V 12A) When using a public charging station (240V), RAV4 Prime can be fully charged in as little as 4 hours and 30 minutes (16A), or 2 hours and 30 minutes with the 6.6 kW onboard charger on Prime XSE (32A). In around-town stop and go driving, regenerative braking works well to restore charge. City-type driving brings out the strength of a hybrid and delivers the lowest overall fuel consumption due to a high percentage of electric driving. The ideal set-up is to have your own 240v charger at home so the battery can conveniently be charged. One of the hurdles in electrified vehicle ownership impacts those who live in multi-unit dwellings and the need to provide charging ability in large garage complexes or for those who park on the street. The planners are working on solutions. 2020 Larry Nutson, the Chicago Car Guy Vinay Sahasrabuddhe By While celebrating International Democracy Day today, a fundamental question may, or rather should, catch hold of our thought process. And that is: Is democracy actually being seen as delivering? After the third wave of democracy that the world witnessed in the 1950s, the discussion about the advisability of democracy almost disappeared. The latest example was that of East Timor. When this new nation took birth some two decades earlier, the questionwhether people there can handle democracy?didnt arise. It was presumed that theirs would be a democratic government and governance systems were established there accordingly. Obviously then, the acceptability of democracy has increased manifold. But this has not erased question marks about its efficacy. In CIS countries, as pointed out by several surveys during the last decade, nostalgia for Soviet days continues to grip popular minds. Today, the subject of diminishing popular satisfaction levels about democratic governance is not confined only to former USSR countries. As pointed out by a 2020 survey of the Centre for Future of Democracy of the Bennet Institute, UK, Across the globe, democracy is in a state of malaise. In the mid-1990s, a majority of citizens in countries for which we have time-series datain North America, Latin America, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Asia and Australasiawere satisfied with the performance of their democracies. Since then, the share of individuals who are dissatisfied with democracy has risen by around +10% points, from 47.9 to 57.5%. The report further points out: This is the highest level of global dissatisfaction since the start of the series in 1995. After a large increase in civic dissatisfaction in the prior decade, 2019 represents the highest level of democratic discontent on record. Ironic, but it is true that democracy as a system of governance has still not been able to secure a true enduring popular mandate. The reasons for this are not far to seek. Like any other system of government, democracy too is judged by its ability to make a significant difference to the lives of people. Just because democracy is all about freedom, liberty and human rights, it may not be able to secure a moral high ground. Practically speaking, people who not just enjoy but also greatly value individual freedom, every kind of liberty and protection of their human rights too want democracy to go beyond all these inherent features. Understandably, they want democracy to make their lives comparatively and measurably better than life in a non-democratic country. One of the main prerequisites of democracy for it to be able to deliver on these counts is scientific cultivation of democratic institutions. If we take into consideration the three cardinal institutionspolitical parties, Parliament and mediathe way they operate today leaves huge scope for reforms. Political party reforms are perhaps central to this discussion. Parties are primary vehicles in a representative democracy. Parties are symbols of the element of choice, which is at the very core of the idea of India. Once described as empty vessels by The Economist, parties as institutions require a closer look and a slew of reforms are needed to strengthen them in all democracies of the world, including in India. Firstly, in India, not just for the formation but even for the dissolution of a political party today, there is no serious process framework. Out of over 1,700 political parties either registered or recognised, not more than 50 have representatives in either Parliament or state Legislatures. Out of these 50, not more than a dozen are ideology-based. All others are mostly dynasty-centric. Secondly, issues like functioning of these parties, internal democracy in their organisational conduct and their distinct policy perspectives, etc., are factors that need systemic reforms. Thirdly, some key reforms in the functional framework of political parties are a must. Can we not make it mandatory for all recognised political parties to run a simple informative website that is updated regularly? Can it be made mandatory for all parties to publish their annual report of activities? Can running a policy research centre be made mandatory for all recognised political parties? Small but important measures like these may help parties establish popular connect even in a non-election period and perhaps also end opaqueness in their functioning. The functioning of our Parliament and state Legislatures too need reforms. For decades, we have been working with the same old, traditional equipments of parliamentary business. We need to evolve new, imaginative ways and means of raising issues and satisfactorily resolving them. This will also add to the productivity of our Houses. Why should we allow smooth conduct of business and overall functioning of the House to be taken hostage by a handful of MPs/MLAs who are out to disrupt it? Especially when Question Hour or Zero Hour are lost, people lose an opportunity to raise important issues. These precious opportunities can be saved if the possibility of starting a new practice of conducting Question Hour/Zero Hour in the chamber of the presiding officer is explored. Similarly, why cant we have a PPT presentation or screening of an authentic video as evidence by a minister or a member in the House? Aggressive use of IT may open up innumerable opportunities for a more participative functioning of Parliament. After all, new challenges demand new experiments. Media and social media also need reforms. While print media is still retaining its seriousness, electronic media needs reforms coming from within. For years, the government has been waiting for the broadcasters association to come out with a self-regulation mechanism. Unless such self-regulations are willingly adopted and sincerely followed, electronic media is bound to lose credibility. Trivialisation of content coupled with sensationalism in presentation are the twin ills afflicting electronic media. While surrendering before so-called market compulsions, electronic media is refusing to discharge its duty of educating the masses, shaping public opinion and cultivating popular tastes. There is reason to be apprehensive about the emerging digital media and social media too. Social media has facilitated democratisation of opinion-making. But sadly, the benefits of democratisation are squandered away by irresponsible enthusiasts. The sad part is, not just political parties, but the media too is going populist. And populism is like a pest, out to corrode every pillar of democracy from within. When the pillars of democracy start corroding, the edifice appears unsettled and unreliable. This is a perfect recipe for democracy to lose on the credibility count. A structural audit followed by repairs and reforms therefore are the need of the hour! (vinays57@gmail.com) Vinay Sahasrabuddhe National Vice President of the BJP, President, ICCR, and Rajya Sabha MP Very few commercial operations have enjoyed this kind of growth. Arije straddled the new millennium, becoming one of Europes biggest independent watch and jewellery retailers of the last 40 years. After opening their first shop in the early 80s, Arijes founding family very quickly started building an empire. They have just opened their 11th store, in Saint-Germain-des-Pres, in the historic centre of Paris. Arije One of Europes biggest independent retailers Paris remains Arijes core location, and its spiritual home. Lovers of fine jewellery and watches will still remember the upheaval caused by the refurbishment and reopening of the companys original address in Rue Pierre-Charron: the building was renovated from top to bottom, and a colossal space of 1600 square metres was created. This is probably the biggest 100% independent family-run space devoted to watches and jewellery in the whole of France, possibly even in Europe. This light-filled, airy location exudes an ambiance of refined luxury, with an accent on noble materials and designer furnishings. Its a flagship store for a company that, as well as owning its own shops, also operates retail outlets for watch manufactures including Rolex, Audemars Piguet, Hublot and Roger Dubuis, under partnerships established decades ago. Arije New ambitions in Paris Today, a few months after the opening of the new Arije-operated Audemars Piguet boutique in London, the company is moving into a new address in Place du Quebec, in Pariss 6th arrondissement. The new address in the French capitals historic heart caters mainly to a local clientele, with a highly specialised selection of watches and jewellery. Its 100 square metre area a vast footprint for this district, which dates back to the 6th century showcases around 15 brands, including Rolex, which has its own corner. Arije Make yourself at home Once again, in this new location, Arije hasnt skimped on any architectural or decorative detail. The space aims to reflect the literary and artistic vibe of the district, through the use of three dominant colours: brown, white and black. As in the Rue Pierre-Charron flagship store, the materials used are natural and sophisticated, as in the coal-black Tunisian satin marble, the central bar with its gold onyx and leather, the central table topped with a slab of Patagonia quartzite, or the 1951 Capitol chairs by Pierre Jeanneret. Creators including Audemars Piguet, Cartier and Messika are exhibited in an atmosphere that aims to reproduce the cosy, artistic and literary interiors of Saint-Germain-des-Pres. The new Place du Quebec shop is staffed by experienced Arije staff, along with a watchmaker dedicated to the Rolex service. Mumbai, Sep 15 : A day after the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) detained Showik Chakraborty's school friend Suryadeep Malhotra, the drug law enforcement agency on Tuesday arrested him in connection with its probe into the death of Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput, officials said. A senior NCB official told IANS that Malhotra has been arrested by the agency after his involvement was found in the case. He was taken by the NCB from his home in Mumbai after it carried out searches. The official said that he will be produced before a court later in the day. This is the 15th arrest in the case so far by the NCB. Sushant was found dead in his Bandra home flat on June 14 -- triggering a huge political row, an upheaval in Bollywood and simultaneous investigations by the NCB, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and even the Enforcement Directorate (ED). The NCB arrested Sushant's girlfriend Rhea Chakraborty on September 8, her brother Showik, Sushant's house manager Samuel Miranda on September 4, and his personal staff Dipesh Sawant among several others in the last few days. The NCB on Sunday also arrested six more people in connection with the case, including those who supplied drugs to the late actor through his girlfriend Rhea's brother Showik and others. The six drug peddlers arrested on Sunday were identified as Karanjeet Singh Anand, Dwayne Fernandes, Sanket Patel, Ankush Anreja, Sandeep Gupta and Aftab Fateh Ansari. An NCB source said that the drug law enforcement agency has also seized the mobile phone of Rhea's mother Sandhya, which was earlier not submitted by her to the financial probe agency. The source said that the NCB will check the phone if the calls or messages were shared from Sandhya's phone for the procurement of drugs. Latest updates on Sushant Singh Rajput Death Mystery -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Editor, Advertiser: I wish to express my deepest gratitude to the New Canaan community, and surrounding towns, for helping make the New Canaan Farmers Market a reality this year during these unprecedented times. On behalf of the farmers and vendors, I would like to express my sincere appreciation for the tireless efforts of my assistant and volunteer, Dawn Allen from Oxford. She worked side-by-side with New Canaan resident Patricia Spugani and the vendors to develop a new concept for the Farmers Market that would become a safe, successful alternative to our open market. In April, we werent sure we would be able to even hold the market this season, but thanks to the Town of New Canaan, Director of Health Jennifer Eielson, Chris Wegrzyn, and volunteers from the community, we opened on May 9 with a drive-through model. There are many other people to thank. First, I would like to thank First Selectman Kevin Moynihan and the Board of Selectmen, the Police Department, and the Emergency Operations Center for their guidance and support to approve the new market design. Lisa Oldham graciously let patrons use the library parking lot for the drive-through model and to park while the library was closed. St. Aloysius also offered its parking lot as market participation increased to record patronage! I would especially like to thank resident volunteer Patricia Spugani, who has been instrumental in organizing the market from drive-through to the present walk-through model, and the many volunteers including Robin Bates-Mason; Miki, Victor, and Nicholas Porta; Margot Bright; Christina Fagerstal; Amy Reed and Donna Conway and all the Planet New Canaan members who have worked checking in customers. Special thanks to Bethany Zaro, New Canaan Human Services director, and Lauren Patterson of the New Canaan Community Foundation for their generous grant which provided Farmers Market vouchers to residents in need, boosted lost income to the farmers, and contributed to maintain a sense of normalcy during this extraordinary time. And a big thank you to Tucker Murphy and the New Canaan Chamber of Commerce for spreading the word about the market! The Farmers Market is open every Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. until Nov. 21 in the Old Center School parking lot. We ask that customers continue to register to enter the market for the 10-11 a.m. Please visit newcanaanfarmersmarket.net to register your arrival time and subscribe to our mailing list to get the most current information. The Farmers Market is open to all, without registration, starting at 11 a.m. We look forward to seeing you there please wear your mask! Once again, I would like to thank the community for continuing to support the New Canaan Farmers Market. Lexi Gazy New Canaan Farmers Market master remaining of Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. But until Oct. 26, most children will not be allowed to return to school, nor will adults be able to move freely. To meet that target, there will have to be fewer than five cases on average every day for two weeks, and fewer than five cases a day that cannot be traced to an existing outbreak over two weeks, under the Victorian governments strategy to defeat the virus. When Brittany Keech checked her mailbox one morning this week, it was flooded with the usual junk. But atop the pile of miscellaneous fliers and bills sat something that caught her eye: a tattered and timeworn postcard. "At first, I didn't think much of it, other than that it's old and interesting," said Keech, 30, of Belding, Mich. "But then I took a closer look." Upon further inspection, she spotted a faded green one-cent George Washington stamp - postmarked Oct. 29, 1920. "I was shocked," said Keech, who received the 100-year-old piece of mail on Sept. 8. On the front of the postcard is a Halloween illustration, including a black cat, pumpkins, a witch, an owl and a broomstick, plus a play on words: "Witch would you rather be . . . a goose or a pumpkin-head?" As Keech deciphered the faded cursive on the postcard - which appeared to be addressed to a Mrs. Roy McQueen - she realized it was a letter from one family member to another. "Dear cousins," the letter starts. "We are quite well but mother has awful lame knees. It is awful cold here." The note ends with: "Don't forget to write us," followed by a question as to whether Roy got his pants fixed yet. The letter is signed by Flossie Burgess. Keech decided she would try to reunite the long-lost postcard with the family to whom it was originally intended. She started by posting to "Positively Belding," a Facebook page dedicated to celebrating local positive news in the small city of just under 6,000 residents. Keech quickly discovered that others were also interested in uncovering the origins of the mysterious memento, and how, a century later, it somehow appeared in her mailbox. After seeing Keech's post, Robby Peters, who lives in Grand Rapids, Mich., and works at the public library there, began digging for answers. "I do some genealogy research as a hobby," said Peters, 33. "I started helping my own family, and I kind of caught the bug after that." While sifting through a 1920 census, Peters discovered a Roy McQueen who once lived at the same address where Keech now lives with her husband and two children. He found that McQueen, who was originally from Canada and moved to the United States in 1887, was married to a Nora Murdock. At the time the letter was sent, he was working as the manager of a produce company. The probable author of the postcard is Florence "Flossie" Burgess, the daughter of Nora Murdock's sister, Peters learned. "I found census records, death records and marriage records," he explained. "The postcard contained a couple of names and it had a destination, so I had an idea of where to start searching." "I built a family tree," Peters continued. "It doesn't look like Roy and Nora had children, and Flossie seems to have remained unmarried, so there are no direct descendants." Sheryl Ackerman, also of Grand Rapids, became fixated on finding the family, too. "I've been interested in genealogy since 1976," said Ackerman, who immediately got in touch with Keech upon hearing about the postcard. "I love trying to solve mysteries." So, she got to work, and her findings aligned with Peters's. Ackerman did, however, manage to track down one relative - the grandniece of Roy and Nora. Ackerman reached out to the woman, who she then connected with Keech. "I've been speaking with the possible relative and she is very interested in having the postcard," said Keech. "We're talking about setting up a time to meet at some point." While the puzzle of who wrote the postcard, and who was intended to receive it, has been mostly solved, what remains in question is how it ended up in Keech's mailbox - nearly 100 years after it was written. Lost letters from years past seldom reappear, one USPS mail carrier remarked. "But there are a few things that could have happened here," said Mindy Ponover, who works for the Postal Service in Michigan. Her best guess is that the postcard got stuck behind a baseboard, a crack in the floor or a piece of machinery in an old post office that was recently renovated. "There's a very good possibility of that," said Ponover. She works in a small post office and estimates that on a weekly basis, there are at least 20 pieces of mail that go undelivered for various reasons, including that the address is illegible. "The letters will then go to what we call the Dead Letter Office, where they try to find family members and where the letter should go," Ponover explained. But "in most cases these incidents do not involve mail that had been lost in our network and later found," added Sara Martin, a USPS public relations representative. "What we typically find is that old letters and postcards - sometimes purchased at flea markets, antique shops and even online - are reentered into our system," she continued. "The end result is what we do best - as long as there is a deliverable address and postage, the card or letter gets delivered." In recent weeks, the Postal Service has been embroiled in political wrangling. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy is at the center of an investigation spearheaded by House Democrats amid accusations in years past he pressured employees at his company to make donations to his preferred GOP politicians. There have also been significant delays in mail delivery since DeJoy took over as postmaster general in June, as well as mounting controversy over the efficacy and reliability of mail-in voting. In this case, though, the decades-long delivery delay had nothing to do with politics. "We've all seen mail get delayed for weeks, but 100 years, that's a piece of history," said Keech. "After all this time, it's finally resurfacing." Still, we may never know if Roy did, in fact, get his pants fixed. There's stupid, there's pig-stupid, and there's Oregon. That's the astonishing picture we have here where a suspect, Domingo Lopez, Jr., 45, who had been arrested just 12 hours earlier for setting fires, got somehow let out and proceeded to commit to more arson, with the Antifa weapon of choice, the Molotov cocktail, as if that couldn't be foreseen. The second time around, he set six fires. Who needs global warming with guys like this? The big fail here was from the justice system, which let the known firebug, freshly caught in the act, out and about. Obviously, there's something going on with this. How could anyone in authority be this stupid? It's sheer lunacy to let a caught-in-the-act arsonist out at a time of high fires and not guess he'll go back to the same thing he was caught doing earlier. But that's exactly what happened. According to the Washington Examiner: The man was released, but police said he then started six more small brush fires early Monday morning along the freeway. "Portland Fire and Rescue extinguished three of them while passing community members put out the other three. All were caught early. No one was injured and no structures were burnt. Officers located Domingo Lopez, Junior walking along the shoulder and arrested him. They seized a lighter as evidence," police said in a statement There's some kind of disordered logic going on here, whether of the prosecutor or the Portland cops, or the political establishment leading them, the Ted Wheeler crowd. You don't ever let a live arsonist firebug out after he's been caught once in the act, at a time of high, disastrous fires taking out whole towns and creating "mass casualty events," as has been the story in Oregon. The state currently has a million acres on fire, as many as 20 dead, and 40,000 evacuated. Who came up with the idea of letting this freak out? And who was surprised that he did what he did? As Nancy Pelosi puts it, "people will do what they do." Was it because he had a lot of earmarks of Antifa (in his use of Molotov cocktails) that he got let out same as your average Portland rioter/looter? Was it because Oregon is pretty much shutting down its law enforcement mechanisms, based on the rabid hundred-day siege of protests in Portland? (Look at how bush-league the Portland police website is, for one a sure sign of underfunding right there.) Is it because of some bad new laws regarding bail on the books? At this early stage, I don't know. But something out there is trying to protect Antifa and the orbit of criminals around them with this lunatic act of letting an arsonist out and getting surprised he started more fires. One thing we do know is that authorities are downplaying the damage the fiend did, saying the fires were small and put out, so we are supposed to think it's no big deal read the statement of the Portland Police here. We also know that Facebook is trying to suppress any information about Antifa involvement in these fires. That has a funny smell in light of the fact that the arsonist used Molotov cocktails to set his blazes, the Antifa weapon of choice, instead of just plain matches or cans of gasoline, as ordinary arsonists do. Doesn't everyone have a spare Molotov cocktail on hand? The Portland cops even posted a photo of it: Press Release: Suspect Starts Six More Brush Fires, Faces Additional Charges (Photo) Link: https://t.co/t4LhmgCYSc pic.twitter.com/148JY333Pl Portland Police (@PortlandPolice) September 14, 2020 Here's the other disturbing detail: he's not the only one. A creep was arrested for arson in Lane County here, and three other firebugs were arrested in Washington and California, suggesting quite possibly some sort of plan. Antifa, remember, said that if it doesn't get what it wants, "cities will burn." And here's the evidence that the problem is real, because the Oregon residents (not the dolts in Portland who vote blue and hold all the political power) are terrified. CNN reports that some of them have started stopping unfamiliar cars into their towns at gunpoint. CNN tut-tuts the activity, but it's pretty obvious that Oregon's normals are convinced that the authorities aren't about to protect them, and they are scared enough to take matters into their own hands. It's also disturbing that at a time like this, the Oregon fire marshal has resigned for murky reasons, a development that will be sure to hold more revelations, none of them likely to make the leftists running Oregon look good. There's some kind of chaos churning among the leftists running that state, and Antifa and arsonists seem to be protected, which is why they're running wild. It sounds like something very, very corrupt going on all this kid glove treatment of Antifa, all this effort to spare Antifa's delicate feelings from critics, a sort of protection racket of Antifa and its coevals at the expense of the law-abiding. Now there's this kid glove treatment of a live arsonist who uses Antifa's weapons of choice. It's almost as if Antifa had a muscular presence in the Portland government or something. Letting this fiend out does not make sense, and Oregon's authorities apparently aren't bothered about looking like fools every time they bow to the forces of lawlessness. There's something worse for them, it seems, than looking like fools. Image credit: Portland Police, Twitter screen shot. As the world continues to count economic losses in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Coalition of NGOs under the UN Department of Global Communications (Cunangos) is impressing upon governments to be transparent in all aspects of the COVID-19. According to the group, it was high time governments became more responsive and accountable in the measures taken to contain the COVID-19 pandemic. In a press statement issued in Accra on Tuesday, and copied to the GNA to mark the day, Cunangos observed that some emergency measures taken by governments across the globe to deal with the pandemic could undermine the tenets of democracy. Madam Theophiline Bannerman, Head of Public Affairs of the Coalition who signed the statement, therefore, emphasized the need for governments to ensure that Covid-19 response programmes were legal, proportionate, non- discriminatory and protected human rights and the rule of law. She said though misinformation was flooding the media, especially, social media that should not lead to censorship. The statement also called on governments to respect and protect human rights, freedom of expression and of the press, freedom of information and freedom of association, because they worked together to fight the novel virus. The statement noted that some countries in Africa and across the world would be holding elections amid the pandemic, and called on the electoral bodies to put in place measures to ensure full participation of all eligible voters. Cunangos urged African governments to invest in building democratic institutions to promote growth and sustenance of democracy on the continent. ---GNA Syrian refugee Mohammed Sadik Jalani and his children sit beside tents set up by Greek authorities and UNHCR to provide shelter after fires destroyed the Moria Reception and Identification Centre on Lesvos. UNHCR With an estimated 11,000 asylum seekers without adequate shelter on the Greek Island of Lesvos after the Moria Reception and Identification Centre (RIC) burned down last week, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency is stepping up its support to respond to critical and immediate needs. Greek authorities, who hold overall responsibility for the management and coordination of the humanitarian response, have now identified a location on Lesvos, close to Mytilene town, in the area of Kara Tepe, to temporarily house the most vulnerable children, men and women who were made homeless in a series of blazes beginning Tuesday last week. At the request of the government and to respond to urgent humanitarian needs, UNHCR is assisting in the setup of this new temporary tented facility to accommodate those most at risk and providing technical advice and sharing expertise regarding site setup and planning. Site planning and works are currently underway, including gravelling. So far, UNHCR has provided 600 family tents, which are already accommodating some 700 as of yesterday evening. We have also provided chemical toilets and handwashing stations and are ready to provide additional water, hygiene and sanitation support that may be required. To prevent and mitigate the spread of COVID-19, asylum seekers are undergoing rapid COVID-19 testing, by the national health authorities, before entering the new facility. UNHCR is also supporting the national health authorities in establishing a medical area in the new site, in accordance with WHO guidance, providing three tents, installing a Rubb hall and fencing to serve as isolation areas. Already functional, 20 people confirmed with COVID are now quarantining in this isolation area. Since last week, the Hellenic Army has been providing food and water for asylum seekers, including at this new site. To support efforts, UNHCR has shipped to Lesvos more than 6,000 dry food packages. At the request of national authorities and with the support of the European Commission, UNHCR has also provided a one-off emergency top-up of cash assistance valued at 50 per cent of the regular monthly amount, to cover urgent needs of those affected. In cooperation with partners, we are also distributing core relief items, including blankets, sleeping bags, mats, jerrycans, plastic sheet and hygiene items to cover the essential needs for up to 12,000 people. UNHCR teams and national humanitarian partners are also continuing efforts to identify and assist vulnerable asylum seekers including families with young children and single women, informing them that they can now seek shelter at the new temporary site. Some 50 women and gender-based violence survivors have already been transferred to a safe shelter on the island. Once vulnerable asylum seekers are gradually transferred to this new site, it is important to promptly initiate, for those authorized to leave, the processes for their safe and orderly transfer to the mainland, in suitable accommodation. Support to the temporary facility is an emergency measure to provide immediate shelter and protection to asylum seekers who are otherwise sleeping rough in makeshift shelters or out in the open, in fields, groves and parking lots for the seventh night in a row. UNHCR is also advocating for long-term solutions, with continuous European support and responsibility-sharing. Overcrowded reception centres in Lesvos and other Aegean Islands must be decongested and their conditions improved. The European Commission has announced that it will advance the release of its new Pact on Migration and Asylum to 23 September as a result, in part, of recent events in Lesvos and the urgency it poses for a collective response in Europe. UNHCR views the forthcoming Pact on Migration and Asylum as a potential fresh start for the EU and its Member States to better protect refugees and ensure a more manageable Common European Asylum System, based on fair and efficient asylum procedures, solidarity and responsibility-sharing among states. It is hoped that this opportunity will be seized. B- ROLL For more information on this topic, please contact: Scott and Tammy Nelson, co-owners of Fender Menders, an auto body shop, pose in front of their garage in Broomfield, Colo. The Nelsons accepted a federal PPP loan this spring. Read more The federal Paycheck Protection Program was, by most accounts, instrumental in helping to provide money for many small businesses through the pandemic. According to the Small Business Administration, the program which ended Aug. 8 provided more than five million forgivable loans to small companies, amounting to $525 billion. The loans were used not only to help keep their employees on the payroll, but also for other operating expenses such as rent and utilities. Last week, the Senate failed to pass a bill that would have offered another round of PPP funding. But that wasnt Washingtons only failure. Neither the Senate nor the House has addressed a ticking time bomb within the program: a potentially huge tax bill for recipients. Let me explain. Maybe your business, like many, struggled this year. But youre still surviving. You didnt suffer devastating losses like some in the restaurant, travel, fitness, retail or other consumer-facing industries. You didnt grow, of course. But maybe you sold more online or youre an essential business. Or perhaps you simply worked hard to continue to serve your commercial customers even while most of your employees worked from home. Lets say your revenues are close to last years levels. You continued to make your estimated tax payments this year based on last years results. Does this sound familiar? Many of my clients are in this situation. And like many of my clients, you might have received a PPP loan to help you with your costs during these uncertain times and youve either applied or plan to apply for forgiveness. So heres the problem: Even though you wont be taxed for the forgiveness of the loan, you also cant deduct the expenses applied to obtain forgiveness of that loan. Because of this, you could face a potentially significant tax problem. Why? Lets say your revenues and profits this year are close to last year and you received a $100,000 PPP loan, which you will seek to have forgiven with $100,000 of payroll and other eligible expenses. Thats great, except those $100,000 of expenses wont be deductible. Which means youll have an extra $100,000 of income this year that you didnt have last year. And if you havent increased your tax payments, you could be paying in far less than you owe. Many financial advisers are concerned that businesses will overlook this problem and will inadvertently be faced with a huge tax bill. Since cash flow was the primary priority for many of our clients, they werent as focused on whether the expenses would be deductible to the extent the portion of the PPP loans were forgiven, said Jim Revels CPA, a Philadelphia-based partner in KPMGs Private Enterprise Group. Will Congress address this situation? Maybe. Industry groups, including the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants have been lobbying for a fix. But as I write this, no formal legislation is on the horizon, and as the year drags on, relief is becoming less likely. Pennsylvanias senators disagree about whether action is needed. Bob Casey, the Democrat, said in a statement that he was deeply disappointed that the Republican majority in the Senate has not supported legislation to permit businesses to write off the expenses from their taxes. But Pat Toomey, the Republican, believes that ist logical. In a statement, his Senate office noted that people have always had to pay taxes on forgiven loans. Under the PPP program, however, as long as the loan is used for qualified expenses, its forgiveness is not treated as taxable income," the statement said. "Thus, an expense paid with a PPP loan costs a business nothing the loan covers the expense and there is no tax on the loan forgiveness. It would not make sense for businesses to be able to deduct expenses they did not incur. Adrienne Straccione CPA, a partner at the Horsham-based accounting firm Wouch Maloney, believes that it remains difficult to predict what Congress might do. If no action is taken, many business owners will be disappointed, she says. Decisions were made, in part, based upon Congress' statement that loan forgiveness would not be included in income. Businesses could be forced to take out loans or find alternative sources of cash to pay the tax obligation. KPMGs Revels agrees. Hes also concerned that it may be too late for Congress to act. Inaction, though, could potentially cause a wave of small and even mid-size businesses to be unable to pay their tax bills, their other expense bills, claim bankruptcy, close their doors, or the worst-case scenario all of the above, he said. In the meantime, its critical that you meet with your accountant to determine the extent, if any, of this tax liability. And, if needed, make some moves. Mitchell Gerstein CPA, a tax adviser at Isdaner & Co. in Bala Cynwyd, is advising affected clients to look for strategic investments that can reduce taxable income, such as hiring more talent, making capital investments that leverage accelerated depreciation rules, or deferring income and accelerating expenses. Lets hope that Congress does act before years end and makes these expenses deductible. But I wouldnt count on it. Anne Destiny 1 is one of the few Israelis actively campaigning against the persecution of ethnic Uyghurs in northwest Chinas Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) on Twitter. The social media activist, who asked to be identified only by her Twitter handle, said that the Israeli government should speak out against repression in the region, where authorities are believed to have held up to 1.8 million Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities in a vast network of internment camps since April 2017. As more evidence about Beijings policies in the region raise the question of whether Chinese authorities may be committing a form of genocide as defined by the United Nations, Anne Destiny 1 said that Jews in Israel are increasingly concerned by the Uyghur situation, although they are wary of drawing comparisons to the atrocities of the holocaust in Nazi Germany. Anne Destiny 1 recently spoke with RFAs Uyghur Service about the work she is doing to draw attention to rights abuses in the XUAR and how she believes the Israeli people can help pressure China to end its crackdown in the region. RFA: When did you first learn about the plight of Uyghur people? Anne: I had heard of the Uyghurs already maybe 20 years ago. I think it was in 2017 that I became aware of the atrocities that they endure. It was only in the last three years that Ive actually known about their sufferings. RFA: What was your reaction after you heard of what was happening to the Uyghur people? Anne: I must say I was shocked because I actually heard it from a Uyghur friend that we got to know in Europe. So, it immediately became very personal. It was a shock. We got the message that his parents had gone missing. RFA: As an Israeli, what made you speak out on the Uyghur issue? Anne: I think it's just kind of a conviction that this is something that has to be spoken of. We can't just sit quietly and watch this happen. So, I thought about what I can do as an individual is to get on Twitter and try to inform other Israelis, but also anybody who's interested. So, I started posting Uyghur related news since 2018, because I felt the need for information. RFA: What sort of activism has taken place in Israel so far? Anne: In Israel, they are taking part in Friday protests outside the Chinese Embassy in Tel Aviv And also, in the last couple of years there have been university lecturers speaking not only about Uyghur culture but also about what is happening to the Uyghurs and the persecution that they are currently facing inside XUAR. RFA: China is one of Israel's largest trading partners and sources of foreign investment, alongside the United States and Europe. Under these circumstances, what is Israels position towards the current ongoing Uyghur crisis? Anne: So far Israel hasnt made any official statements about the Uyghur crisis. It has not shown any support, but neither has it condemned it. But I do believe this can also change because I think on a personal and grassroots level, we can effect change. RFA: Why is the Israeli governments response towards the ongoing humanitarian crisis so important? Anne: I do think that one of the aspects is that Israel being a nation that was established after the Holocaust, it has affected this nation. We are very sensitive to others when we see genocide happening elsewhere in the world, and do not want to stay silent. And Jewish people vowed that the Holocaust should never happen again. I'm actually really pleased to see that people are really waking up to what is happening to the Uyghurs. Drawing comparisons RFA: Most of us, especially in the Jewish community, wont compare any current atrocities to the Holocaust due to the idea that comparisons like these make light of the annihilation of the Jewish people. But there are voices emerging now that when it comes to the Uyghur crisis, there is no alternative but to compare the two because there are many echoes of the past. In your opinion is there any similarities between what had happened to the Jews and what is currently happening to the Uyghurs? Anne: Well, there are definitely many similarities and the scale of the dehumanization is the most obvious thing. Putting people in camps with poor conditions. I actually had a talk with follow activists from the Jewish advocacy for Uyghurs about how they view this. The Holocaust is such a sensitive thing in the Jewish state, and this is actually quite shocking for them to see something similar that resembles the Holocaust is happening again. The Jews are kind of divided about the use of the word Holocaust But then again, comparing the two, [Uyghurs and Jews] I think we definitely need to compare, because this is almost like a genocide in the making. So, I think the Jewish people are starting to compare what is happening to the Uyghurs with the Holocaust. They may not use the actual name Holocaust, because for them it is a kind of reference to what happened to their families in the 40s. But the Jewish people definitely do not want to see the same happen to the Uyghurs. So, they want to prevent it from happening. RFA: Why are world leaders so reluctant to call the Uyghur crisis a genocide? Anne: I think is that this is already meeting some the U.N. characteristics for genocide. So, I think if we acknowledge it as genocide it will actually force world leaders to act. RFA: There was an article written by young Jewish student in America, in which he urged the Jewish community, especially young Jews, to speak out against the Uyghur crisis. What can young Jews and Israelis do to force China to stop its abuses against the Uyghurs? Anne: I think young people can be very active in just influencing their own community, colleges, and universities. And I notice many young people acting on social media I can see that the third generation of Jews whose grandparents are Holocaust survivors, they have this inbuilt ability to empathize with people when they hear what they're going through. What is happening to the Uyghurs is already on such a level that even young people feel that the comparison to the Holocaust can be made and they feel they need to shout louder than ever that we should never let this happen again. Reported and translated by Shahrezad Ghayrat for RFAs Uyghur Service. For years, ABC consumer affairs program The Checkout pursued a rich variety of business identities for alleged deceptive and misleading conduct. Now the program's executive producer Julian Morrow, one of the founders of The Chaser, finds himself in court accused of ... deceptive and misleading conduct. Julian Morrow and Nick Murray. Credit:Illustration: John Shakespeare Morrow is locking horns with a former business partner, producer Nick Murray, whose company Cordell Jigsaw makes TV hits such as Gruen and Bondi Rescue. CJ used to jointly produce The Checkout with Morrow's Giant Dwarf production company. Now both sides are fighting in the NSW Supreme Court over lucrative producer tax offsets amounting to hundreds of thousands of dollars. Giant Dwarf claims Cordell Jisgaw, as they're referred to in the documents, breached its contract and stopped Giant Dwarf from getting two extra seasons of The Checkout made, and wants compensation. Last week in the NSW Supreme Court, Cordell Jigsaw had a loss, failing in its attempt to get a bank account frozen. Bangladesh: Use of land for aquaculture, mining increased threefold since 2005 in Bangladesh: Study September 15,2020 | Source: UNB Experts at a webinar have emphasised the need to enhance transboundary collaboration to ensure food security and reduce disaster risks in the Meghna Basin building on the 2011 Framework Agreement for Cooperation between Bangladesh and India. IUCN and Asian Confluence co-hosted the webinar on Food Security and Disaster Risk Reduction in the Meghna - Building Community Resilience, the second of three webinars in the Meghna Conversations series. Kabir Bin Anwar, Senior Secretary, Ministry of Water Resources, Government of Bangladesh opened the webinar with an introduction to the basin, and underscored the importance of Haors, a type of wetland ecosystem, for food security in Bangladesh. The Meghna Basin hosts more than 300 wetlands that support fisheries for local communities, said the Bangladesh Country Office of International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) on Friday. It is also an important source of rice production with a production of ten lakhs tonnes per year. To keep the rivers alive, we need to determine the environmental flow and maintain it throughout the year; this will support local livelihoods and also address the issue of decreasing biodiversity, Anwar said. He stressed the importance of listening to academics, environmentalists and basin communities, suggesting an international conference on transboundary cooperation on the Meghna, hosted by Bangladesh. The webinar presented the land use change analysis of the Meghna Basin, conducted by the North-Eastern Hill University, India and the Center for Environmental and Geographic Information Services, Bangladesh. The results of the analysis highlighted that in India, 82% of the basin area is forest, which is essential for fostering biodiversity and maintaining basin hydrology. In Bangladesh, cropland is the most dominant land use type; with only 3% of the area remaining as forest. These changes can significantly affect ecosystem services and local livelihoods. The results of the study can be used to inform basin-level policy, and support both governments in future development plans. Dr. Hamidul Huq, Professor and Director, Institute of Development, Studies and Sustainability, United International University, Bangladesh, echoed the need for research and data sharing within the basin. He emphasised that flash floods are the main threat to food security in the basin. An early warning system is a critical demand from the basin, Bangladesh cannot develop this alone, and it requires data sharing and cooperation between Bangladesh and India. He also stressed the importance of the regular flood pulse and fish migration in maintaining the ecology of the Haors and fisheries, ensuring food security. We need to manage the floods, not stop them, he added, engineering cant be the only solution for management. The forests in the state of Meghalaya (India) act as a natural infrastructure for water provision and management in the basin, and limit the erosion of the watershed, which can lead to excess siltation in the Haor regions of Bangladesh. H.C. Chaudhary, Indian Forest Services, Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forest, Meghalaya, India shared, The shortening of the jhum (shifting) cultivation cycle, a land use type dominant in Meghalaya, has contributed to the degradation of the forest and compromised the food security of the indigenous forest-dependent communities. Chaudhary informed, The government has established the Meghalaya Livelihoods and Access to Markets project, and a ten-year project to restore degraded forests and expand the livelihoods opportunity for local communities. Such initiatives in Indian side of basin will also help in reducing downstream siltation and flash floods in the Haor Region. Javed Bin Karim, Programme Coordinator, 2030 World Bank Water Resource Group highlighted the need for strengthening the institutional arrangement for water governance in the Meghna Basin. There are many agencies working in the basin on water management issues, but there is not enough cooperation and joint planning, he said. A multi-sectoral basin management project can help maximise the ecosystem benefits for local communities. Sabyasachi Dutta, Director, Asian Confluence stressed the need to move away from the idea that the upstream areas have the upper hand and the downstream areas always suffer. "In the spirit of benefit-sharing, the upstream has as much to gain as the downstream, he said. The webinar series is part of the BRIDGE GBM project, facilitated by IUCN, and funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) through the Oxfam Transboundary Rivers of South Asia (TROSA) programme, aims to build the water governance capacity of a network of CSOs in the GBM River Basin. Its focus is to strengthen CSO engagement in transboundary water management issues. "These people didnt have a care provider up until that point of contact," general practitioner and epidemiologist Nicole Allard said. They didnt understand how sick they were getting." Jeniffer Duque was one such case. She still wonders what might have happened had she not been rushed to hospital last month. Far from home and able to speak only very little English, the international student from Colombia was unsure where to turn after becoming gravely ill with coronavirus. I was so frightened because I couldnt breathe, the 24-year-old, who lives in Melbournes CBD, said through a translator. The truth is, I didnt know where to go to get help. My family overseas knew I had contracted COVID-19, but I didnt want to tell them how sick I really was." Loading When Ms Duque was first contacted by a doctor from Cohealth she had lost her job due to the pandemic and was so seriously ill that an ambulance had to be called. She spent the next 10 days fighting for life in intensive care. She has since recovered from the virus, but the trauma of the experience has stayed with her. "I don't know if I would be here if I hadn't been taken to hospital," she said. Dr Allard is working alongside a team of 40 doctors and nurses who have been assessing COVID-19-positive Victorians' capacity to self-isolate safely and linking people up to social support services. They uncovered troubling barriers in pockets of the community where the virus is spreading, including among ethnic minorities and those with insecure employment, who have struggled to quarantine for the required fortnight due to complex medical needs and other social factors such as the threat of losing their jobs. All positive cases detected in hotspot catchment areas will now be referred by Victorian public health officials to Cohealth clinicians to ensure they have a personalised "self-isolation plan". Each positive case referred to the program is asked a series of questions including: "do you have enough money to pay the rent this month?" and "is it safe for you to remain in your home?" to identify social factors that may prevent them from quarantining. Clinicians will also assist disease detectives in contact tracing for these cases. More than 600 Victorians have so far been connected to medical treatment through the program, 90 per cent of whom have received care for the virus at home, while more than 60 people have been admitted to hospital. The clinicians will also work alongside newly-formed suburban outbreak response teams set up to curb spread in high-risk communities and prevent family clusters. Among those already referred to the program was an aged care worker who was unable to pay his bills and feared losing his job if he didnt go to work. Some who have tested positive have been removed from their homes and into safe accommodation due to family violence, while others have been linked to financial support or welfare services, delivered food packages, connected to housing services, or to drug and alcohol counselling. In some instances, Cohealth has called employers directly to ensure patients who are infected with the virus do not feel pressured to go to work. Loading A COVID-19 positive man was also immediately moved to emergency accommodation as he was unable to safely isolate in the rooming house he shared with 12 others. These are the sort of social complexities that we see every day," Dr Allard said. "This virus is very much impacting people from a variety of backgrounds, including some very vulnerable groups. The best way to support them in terms of compliance is to give them the appropriate social supports." While Victoria's first wave of coronavirus infections was largely returned travellers, the second surge has raged through Melbournes ethnically diverse and lower-income suburbs. Cohealth chief executive Nicole Bartholomeusz said the findings of the pilot debunked misconceptions that Victorians were deliberately disregarding health directions. Ms Bartholomeusz said support, not just compliance, was critical to ensuring people isolate safely. "The only way we are going to be able to fully transition out of COVID is if we address the social inequities that prevent people from self-isolating," she said. "Its the missing piece of the puzzle." Liberty Victoria expressed alarm at the idea of detaining people who might spread COVID-19 arguing the proposed law would unfairly target those with severe mental health issues. We are particularly concerned that people who arent intentionally doing the wrong thing ... people who for many reasons have vulnerabilities that make them at risk of not doing the right thing might be detained, said Liberty Victoria spokeswoman, Gemma Cafarella. Theres no sugar-coating this, Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney cautioned as he detailed his bleak assessment of the worst- and best-case Brexit scenarios for farmers this week. Describing the EU-UK talks as in a very difficult place over the weekend, Minister Coveney (pictured) gave his analysis of what the final outcome may look like at last weeks virtual Agricultural Science Association conference. He said the best-case scenario achievable by the end of the year was a very basic and pretty thin trade agreement. He said such a deal would avoid tariffs and quotas and set out level playing field requirements to prevent anti-competitive practices. He added that such a bare bones arrangement would also include a governance structure that can deal with disputes when they occur and a fisheries agreement acceptable to both sides. However, he said a whole range of other issues would need temporary solutions, including road haulage and the UK land-bridge. The former Agriculture Minister also detailed the impact of a no-deal Brexit on Irish agri-food, describing it as a real danger to the sector. He said having no agreement on trade would see our trading relationship with the UK resort to WTO rules which would include tariffs and possibly quotas. The trading environment will become an awful lot more complicated and expensive. We sell about 5.5bn of food and drink to the UK each year, and we calculate the tariff attached to that trade in a no-trade deal scenario will be somewhere between 1.3bn and 1.5bn, he said. Beef and dairy products would be the hardest hit, he explained, noting that sheepmeat, pigmeat, drinks and processed foods would also be affected. The imposition of these tariffs will create a massive problem in relation to price competitiveness for Irish food in the UK, he said. I think in the immediate term, British supermarkets will have to fill shelves and they are not going to have alternative supplies in the short term. It means that Irish and EU products in supermarkets will just become more expensive. In the medium term, this is going to put significant downward pressure on prices here because British consumers wont like that. Its going to create real problems around cost competitiveness because the UK will look for other sources of cheaper food. Cheaper meat and dairy in particular. There is no point in sugar-coating this, he said, its a real danger for the Irish food industry. A Qantas Boeing 747 during a fly past at the Formula One Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne on March 15, 2015. (William West/AFP via Getty Images) Qantas HQ Up for Grabs Amid Post-COVID Downsizing Sydneys long-term hold on Qantas headquarters is under threat as Australias premier airline downsizes during the pandemic. Qantas may vacate its 49,000 sqm head office in the Sydney suburb of Mascot and consolidating its Qantas and budget brand Jetstar office (currently in Melbourne) into one location. Flight simulator centres in Sydney and Melbourne, as well as heavy maintenance facilities in Brisbane, may also move. Announcing that it will carry out a three-month review of its offices and aviation facilities within Australia as part of continued efforts to cut costs, Qantas said it had no intention to move facilities offshore. Qantas Group Chief Financial Officer Vanessa Hudson said, Like most airlines, the ongoing impact of COVID means well be a much smaller company for a while. Were looking right across the organisation for efficiencies, including our $40 million annual spend on leased office space, AAP noted. About 8,000 workers are leaving the airline, which has slashed overseas and domestic flights due to global and domestic travel restrictions. Qantas airplanes wait at Melbourne Tullamarine Airport in Melbourne, Australia on Feb. 25, 2014. (Scott Barbour/Getty Images) The group dismissed 6,000 workers in June as part of a three-year plan to slash costs by $15 billion. About 2,400 ground crew were last month told their roles will likely be outsourced. Qantas has invited the state governments of Victoria, New South Wales (the incumbent), and Queensland to offer incentives to move or keep jobs in their regions, sparking off intra-state competition. Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews told a media conference he had spoken to Qantas CEO Alan Joyce on the evening of Sept. 14. We think that we have a very attractive offer to make and well work through that to try and have as many jobs as we possibly can in our city and state, he said. Andrews said Melbournes primary airport Tullamarine had no curfew compared to Sydney International Airport, which cannot allow flights between 11 p.m to 6 a.m. He also said Melbournes secondary airport Avalon, benefitted from having more space. New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian said she also spoke to Joyce and the government was considering its options. State Treasurer Dominic Perrottet has been assigned the task of keeping Qantas local. Sydneys under-construction aerotropolis precinct near the new Western Sydney Airport has been earmarked as a possible alternative location. It is due to open in 2026. The carrier said property changes would not affect customers. The airline will be sub-leasing excess office space in Hobart, Melbourne, and Sydney. Qantas head office first opened in Winton in Queensland in 1920 but moved to Sydney in 1938. The move comes as Australias travel industry grapples with the pandemic-induced lockdown. Four of the countrys largest travel businesses and rivals, have joined forces to call on state governments to ease restrictions. Currently, Western Australia, Northern Territory, Tasmania, South Australia, and Queensland have maintained strict border restrictions to stem the spread of the virus. At the same time, Victoria opened its border early but closed them following a second wave of the COVID-19 virus. New South Wales has maintained open borders, instead preferring to focus on stringent contact tracing measures. So far, its case numbers have remained relatively low. A student in a Baldwinsville elementary school felt sick in the evening of the first day of school last Wednesday. The next day, the student stayed home, went to the doctor and was given a coronavirus test. On Saturday, Baldwinsville Superintendent Matthew J. McDonald got a phone call from the Onondaga County Health Department: A student at Van Buren Elementary School had tested positive for Covid-19. That phone call triggered a series of questions from the county health department: How many students in the classroom? What are the dimensions of the classroom? Did the children wear masks? The teacher? Were the children spaced six feet apart? Did they move around, go to other classrooms? Ride the bus? Where did they eat lunch? The response to one sick, young child in one district in recent days shows how school and public health officials will be handling the cases that inevitably will be coming for as long as children go to school in Central New York this year. McDonald said he spent at least nine hours on the phone Saturday with health officials. He outlined everything that student did, so the contact tracers could start rolling. The tracers get answers that help decide who has been exposed and who needs to quarantine. The county tries to complete the contact tracing process in 24 hours, although it can take 48 hours. Jamesville Elementary School also had a student test positive, and because they learned about it Sunday they had to shut down the building Monday to clean, officials said. Its a decision that was the Jamesville-DeWitt districts, not the countys, County Executive Ryan McMahon said today. The process starts with a Covid test. When a child is ill, the policy is for parents to work it out with their doctor to arrange the childs test, McDonald said. The school is not involved in the test. However once a child has tested positive, he or she must be in isolation for a minimum of 10 days, and be symptom free for at least three days. The county clears the child to return. In Baldwinsvilles case, the families of kids who had been in class with the child had to be told their children would be quarantined for two weeks. McDonald asked the county if he and the principal could make those calls. Typically, the county would call. The district tried to reach all the families, but couldnt get them all. At that point, the district notified the community, other parents and staff. There were about 19 students in the class. "Its a difficult balance of when you let everybody know,'' McDonald said. I want to be transparent. While the kids are quarantined, they will continue with their remote learning. The district also had time the rest of Saturday and all of Sunday to deep-clean and sanitize the buses and classrooms. Thats why the school was able to open Monday. Dr. Indu Gupta, the county health commissioner, said the districts can be more restrictive than the countys recommendation when it comes to closing a school or building, but cant be less restrictive. The county makes a recommendation, and the district and county work together. By the end of the week, McMahon said, he wants to have a mobile testing site to offer rapid tests for students and staff from the K-12 schools who have symptoms. The county is working with Upstate University Hospital on this. This will likely provide a four-hour turnaround time for results, he said. Some labs have long delays, he said. Baldwinsvilles McDonald said dealing with Covid at school is a learning process. Its going to happen again. What have I learned? he said. Being transparent, but respecting the privacy of the family. McDonald said he planned to share how things worked with other superintendents later Monday. McDonald said while he worries there could be an outbreak, he has confidence in the system they have in place. Because of that, only one class and teacher had to be quarantined. Families of other kids in the class dont have to quarantine. When a class is quarantined, the county issues an order that everyone in the class and the teacher must quarantine for 14 days, and the student with the virus must be isolated. at home. "I know that real life happens,'' he said. "I may have to make a decision to close a school or a district, and Im ready for that if it has to happen. "If this is spreading ... a wildfire, we will shut down,'' he said. But Im very proud this was contained to that classroom.' Gupta said the contact tracing process worked very well in both school districts, and the county is confident it notified everyone who was exposed to the child with the virus. Inevitably, there will be more cases, she said. "We will have cases wherever we walk,'' she said. Elizabeth Doran covers education, suburban government and development, breaking news and more. Got a tip, comment or story idea? Contact her anytime at 315-470-3012 or email edoran@syracuse.com San Antonio Spurs player Patty Mills and Alyssa Levesque recently traveled to Jamaica for their long-awaited honeymoon, and judging by the latter's Instagram account - it looked amazing. The Spurs player married Levesque in July 2019 in Hawaii, but they skipped the honeymoon for charity work in Mills' native Australia. READ ALSO: San Antonio Spurs player Derrick White proposes to girlfriend over the weekend The Mills traveled to Australia shortly after the wedding to help provide some relief to the drought-stricken town of Walgett, in New South Wales, which at that time had not received rain in more than a year. "#MrsMills let me trade in the honeymoon for an emotionally rewarding and very uplifting visit to remote Indigenous communities," he said on his Instagram on July 25, 2019. According to Levesque's Instagram posts, the honeymoon was "definitely worth the wait." Scroll below to see pictures of the honeymoon. Virus Outbreak Notre Dame Students return to Notre Dame's campus for the fall semester, in South Bend, Ind. on August 7, 2020. Credit - Robert FranklinSouth Bend Tribune/AP Who thought it would be a good idea to move thousands of teenagers and young adults across the country to college campuses, where, unencumbered by parental supervision, many college kids did what college kids do? Actually, Nigel Goldenfeld and Sergei Maslov, two University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign physics researchers, thought they had it figured out. They created a predictive model for the campus, which showed that with a robust, twice-a-week testing program for students, faculty and staff who are regularly on campus, a mask mandate and an app for contact tracing, COVID-19 cases could be kept below 500 people for the whole semester on a campus that includes about 46,000 people. They even accounted for close interactions among college students. But that model failed to take into account that kids who test positive for the virus, whether sick or asymptomatic, might continue to party. From Aug. 16, when campus reopened, to Sept. 13, more than 1,800 new cases of COVID-19 were detected, according to the universitys COVID-19 dashboard. One thousand cases occurred in the first two weeks of the fall semester. What is not in the models is that students will actually fail to isolate, said Goldenfeld during a Sept. 2 press briefing, that they would go to a party even if they knew they were COVID-positive or that they would host a party while they were COVID-positive We didnt include that behavior in the model. Many other colleges across the country also thought through how to bring students back to campus. Several schools looked at computer models to see how COVID-19 would affect students and staff. But, as with the plan developed at Illinois, these models were sometimes based on a set of assumptions that ended up being wrong. In other cases, models that showed what could happen without mitigation strategies were ignored by university administrators, who went forward with plans to bring students back. Story continues Either way, the great student migration has resulted in COVID-19 outbreaks on college campuses nationwide. The University of Central Florida: 286 cases since the week ending Aug. 8. Texas Christian University: 600 cases in the month of August and 212 in September so far. The University of Iowa: 1,732 cases from Aug. 18 to Sept. 9. The University of South Carolina: 2,074 cases since Aug. 1. Making matters worse, some afflicted schools are setting off a second student migration by sending their students back home. The administration at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign asked students to lock down for two weeks on Sept. 2. And Goldenfeld said during a Sept. 2 news conference that it was too early for him to make a new prediction whether COVID-19 cases could be kept under control for the semester. He said he and Maslov would be adjusting their model, but were waiting to see how students would respond to the lockdown. Cases of COVID-19 on campus have declined since the lockdown was implemented. The administration of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has collaborated directly with Goldenfeld and Maslov, and has been transparent about the model it is are using to base its decisions. Other universities havent been as upfront. After hearing that Penn State planned to open again for the fall, a concerned faculty group, Coalition for a Just University, created a model predicting what COVID-19 spread would look like at the University Park campus in State College, Pennsylvania. The Coalitions modeling group, composed of engineering and science faculty, chose to remain anonymous, fearing retribution from the university. Its predictive model showed that more than 1,800 students could become sick and two could die from COVID-19 during the semester if only 1% of students were tested each day, which is Penn States plan. Since Aug. 28, 650 students at the University Park campus (which is attended by some 47,000 students total) have tested positive for COVID-19. The team sent the model to university administrators but received no response. A Penn State spokesperson told the Centre Daily Times, a local newspaper, that the methodology of the model was flawed and the group that released it had advocated against any reopening of campuses. The Coalition has asked that faculty be given an option to conduct classes remotely and for more transparency in the data behind the decision to reopen campus. The Penn State spokesperson later said that the university had developed its own predictive model but declined to share its results with the paper. Penn State did not respond to a request for comment. A COVID-19 saliva sample is collected as testing is conducted at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign campus, on July 7, 2020. Brian CassellaChicago Tribune/TNS/Sipa Penn State isnt alone in its lack of transparency. Edwin Michael, a professor of epidemiology who recently left the University of Notre Dame to work at the University of South Florida, said he created a simulation in April to show how COVID-19 could spread on Notre Dames campus in South Bend, Indiana. He said he shared it with the university officials but never heard back. The model showed that on a campus of 20,000 people, if 25 students returned to campus with COVID-19 and there were no mitigation strategies, up to 7,500 students could soon be infected. Roughly 470 would need hospitalization and 365 would need treatment in the intensive care unit. It was a dire prediction with a purpose. He said it was created simply to highlight that an outbreak is inevitable if students were to return infected. Dennis Brown, a spokesperson for Notre Dame, said that Michaels predictive model was forwarded to members of the planning committee in May and subsequently taken into consideration. However, because it made certain assumptions that did not align with the plans being made at Notre Dame, we did not find it relevant to our situation and decided to use other predictive models, Brown wrote in an email. Brown declined to give more information on what predictive models Notre Dame did use. Notre Dame has implemented mitigation strategies, such as requiring mask wearing on campus at all times and limiting gatherings to ten people, but on Aug. 18, imposed two weeks of remote classes for all students after a spike of cases on campus the first week back. The university has documented 642 cases among students since Aug. 3. It started phasing in-person classes back in on Sept. 2. Professors elsewhere have, like Michael, developed models not necessarily to make accurate predictions, but to make a point that without some kind of mitigation strategy there would inevitably be a COVID-19 outbreak on campusand that part has held true. On Aug. 15, five days before the University of Georgia started classes for the fall semester, John Drake, director of the Center for the Ecology of Infectious Disease there, predicted that from 210 to 1,618 students could bring COVID-19 back with them to campus. He also predicted that without any type of risk mitigation, reopening campus could result in more than 30,000 infections among the campus populationabout 60% of all students and staff. Campuses should anticipate explosive localized outbreaks, Drake wrote when making his model public. (Like most of the university COVID-19 models mentioned here, his was not peer-reviewed or published in a journal.) Theres no way to know whether Drakes prediction was right, since the University of Georgia didnt conduct entry testing for students who returned. Instead, the university is conducting voluntary randomized testing of asymptomatic individuals on campus and asking anyone who has symptoms to get tested. On Sept. 9, the university reported more than 1,400 cases of COVID-19 among students in a week. University of Georgia officials did not respond to questions about whether they used Drakes model or others when opting to reopen. About 70 miles away, Joshua Weitz, a professor who studies viral dynamics at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, created his own predictive model, this one with a more dire message: Without any mitigation strategies, 50% of people on Georgia Techs campus of about 31,500 would be infected with COVID-19 and 75 would die. The majority of those deaths would be among older faculty and staffers. He hoped laying out this extreme scenario would show why the school needed to test everyone on campus once a week. Although Georgia Tech has enough tests available and encourages students to be tested once a week, it is not mandatory. Georgia Tech confirmed that Weitzs model had been taken into consideration when it planned its COVID-19 response. Georgia Tech reported 571 cases of COVID-19 for the month of August. While some professors created models without mitigation strategies as a cautionary tale to show university administrators what would happen without interventions, others were developed to help campuses adopt a framework to reduce infections once students arrived. Though, the limitations of these models run the gamut, their message seems to be the need for constant agility in enforcement policies and awareness about COVID-19s local spread. After all, models cant change one underlying risk that continues regardless of testing plans and other public health strategies: in the end, some college students are still going to be college students, says Michael Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota. (The University of Minnesota delayed the moving of students into university housing by two weeks and started classes online on Sept. 8. The university has had 87 students test positive for COVID-19 through Sept. 10, though students are just this week beginning to move back in to residence halls). You dont need a model to understand that bringing together all the young adult population in college campuses around the country is putting a lit match in a gas can. You dont need a model to know whats going to happen next, Osterholm says. KHN (Kaiser Health News) is a nonprofit news service covering health issues. It is an editorially independent program of KFF (Kaiser Family Foundation) that is not affiliated with Kaiser Permanente. Debate: Jennifer Zamparelli invited people to get in touch with their views about face masks. Photo: Andres Poveda RTE'S Jennifer Zamparelli has sparked controversy after appealing for people with "strong opinions" on wearing or not wearing masks to get in touch with her radio show. The 2FM presenter tweeted yesterday appealing for people to get in touch with the radio show as an "open discussion" on face masks will be taking place. "We are having an open discussion on my show on @RTE2fm tomorrow about face masks. Do you have strong opinions on wearing them or not wearing them? I'd love to hear from you. Mail me," she wrote. However, her appeal was called "extraordinarily irresponsible", while the decision to discuss the topic was branded "ridiculous". "Absolutely ridiculous to do this. Masks are not a matter of opinion, they are a matter of the weight of scientific evidence," wrote one Twitter user. The presenter responded several hours later, saying that she had received "so much abuse". "Firstly, considering the protests on the weekend we want to look at the psychology behind someone who does not wear a mask despite the overwhelming medical advice. Wearing a mask is not a debate. No one said that," she wrote. "We know what is right and we know we should wear a mask. But there are still those who feel it is a discussion that should be had, why is that?" she added. NEW YORK, Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Frontline Impact Project is expanding its mission and will now also support heroes on the frontlines of major natural disasters including the Western wildfires and Hurricane Laura. The platform, which The KIND Foundation launched in partnership with dozens of companies in response to COVID-19, will activate its existing infrastructure to shepherd resources like meals, snacks, beverages and personal care items to first responders in need. The announcement comes after extraordinary displays of courage and sacrifice from the nation's firefighters, paramedics and emergency volunteers. "We started Frontline Impact Project to meet the needs of those on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic. While this work will continue, we are cognizant of the many others risking their lives to keep us safe, particularly as peak wildfire and hurricane seasons approach," says Michael Johnston, President of The KIND Foundation. "Thanks to the generosity of more than 60 companies, we're set up to respond in real time and help take care of America's heroes as they take care of us." As part of this expansion, Frontline Impact Project has initiated partnerships with leading disaster response nonprofit National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (NVOAD) and product philanthropy and disaster recovery organization Good360 to get donated items to workers across the Gulf Coast and Western United States. "Nonprofit staff and volunteers work tirelessly to serve survivors impacted by disaster," says Katherine Boatwright, Director of Operations, NVOAD. "Frontline Impact Project's commitment and efforts to supporting those serving on the frontlines of disasters across the country is a welcome addition to the disaster response community." Since April, Frontline Impact Project has matched more than 650 frontline institutions with companies that have products or services to donate. Resources include food, beverages, personal care items, mental health services and virtual fitness classes. Together with its inaugural partner KIND, the project has donated nearly four million products to date. "We were looking for a flexible and streamlined way to donate our products," says Aaron Croutch, Executive Vice President, Lenny & Larry's. "Frontline Impact Project gives us the opportunity to scale our giving as the situation demands and reach a deserving audience whose needs are paramount but not always top of mind." Kara Goldin, Founder and CEO of Hint, adds, "Now, more than ever, it's critical that we support first responders and help keep them healthy and hydrated. Hint has donated water to hundreds of healthcare organizations and first responders across the country, and the Frontline Impact Project has made coordination with a number of those groups much easier." In addition to Lenny & Larry's and Hint, a number of companies have signed on to support this effort, including Adrenaline Shoc Smart Energy; Belgian Boys; CLEAN Cause; Just the Cheese; Kabaki Tea; Kodiak Cakes; KIND; La Colombe; Neuro; Paunchy Elephant; RISE Brewing Co; ROWDY; Purely Elizabeth; and ZICO Coconut Water. To submit a donation or make a request, visit www.frontlineimpact.org. About The KIND Foundation The KIND Foundation is a charitable organization established by KIND Snacks with a mission to foster kinder and more empathetic communities. Its signature initiative, Empatico, is a video conferencing tool for educators to connect their classrooms with others around the world. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Foundation created Frontline Impact Project, which matches frontline institutions with donated products and services. Together with KIND and more than 60 other corporate partners, the project has donated nearly four million products to date. SOURCE The KIND Foundation Related Links http://www.frontlineimpact.org A Bosnian Serb political leader who was jailed for 20 years by a UN court for his role in Bosnias 1990s war died on Tuesday of coronavirus, state media reported. Momcilo Krajisnik, a former key ally of the Bosnian Serbs wartime political leader Radovan Karadzic, passed away in a hospital in the northern town of Banja Luka, the hospital said in a statement quoted by the public RTRS television. During Bosnias 1992-1995 conflict Krajisnik, a hardline Serb nationalist who was fiercely anti-Muslim, served as speaker of the Bosnian Serb parliament. The 75-year-old was taken to hospital in late August as his health deteriorated. Krajisnik was arrested in Bosnia in 2000 and six years later convicted by the Hague-based International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) of forcibly expelling non-Serbs and crimes against humanity. The war, which pitted Bosnias Croat, Muslim and Serb communities against each other, claimed some 100,000 lives and forced 2.2 million people, half the countrys pre-war population, to flee their homes. Krajisniks initial 27-year sentence was later cut on appeal to 20 years and in 2013 he was granted early release from a British prison. He received a heros welcome from several thousand fellow Serbs upon returning to the Bosnian Serb wartime stronghold of Pale. The countrys communities are still sharply divided a quarter of a century after the war. Karadzic himself is serving a life sentence for genocide and other atrocities. The Congress slammed the Narendra Modi government and the Arvind Kejriwal government for not taking up the matter of demolishing 48,000 slums near the railway lines in Delhi in the Supreme Court and accused them of doing politics. Speaking to media outside Parliament House on Monday, former Union Minister and Congress leader Ajay Maken said, "On August 31, the Supreme Court ordered to remove 48,000 slums near the railway tracks without making any other arrangements." "Two weeks have passed since then and neither the Delhi government nor the Centre took note of it and were only indulged in political statements," Maken said. Targeting both the governments, the Congress leader said it was the reason why he decided to approach the apex court to stop the demolition and even the Central government's Solicitor General accepted that no action should be taken for four weeks till the time Delhi and the Centre doesn't decide on it. Sharing an incident from 2015, Maken said that a child died during the demolition inside a cement showdown. "Former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi had then visited the family of the child and then he had asked me to fight for the rights of the slum dwellers. "I filed a petition in Delhi High Court and by 2019 the bench of Justice Muralidhar K gave the judgement which said that poor have right to live in city, have right for shelter and right for a roof. The judgement also prepared a protocol that if any slum need to be removed then first of all a survey will be done, people will be identified and then before the cut off date the slum dwellers will be shifted to other place in the city and then only any action can be initiated," Maken said. Lamenting at the Centre and the city governments, Maken said, we in Supreme Court said that the Railway and the Delhi government were altogether in this and it was the reason why they didn't challenge this in the court. Maken said that he was happy that the top court took the matter on priority and stopped the demolition. To a question on the role of Aam Aadmi Party government in the city, Maken sad it was their responsibility to challenge the court's decision but they remained silent. "Why did they remain silent since August 31? Was it not their responsibility to challenge the judgement in the court," the Congress leader added. I dont wear a face mask as regularly as I did. Now I keep it in the car or in my pocket, in case I need it to enter places that insist I wear one though there arent many of those these days, Ahmed Mohsen, 37, told Al-Ahram Weekly. His remarks are likely to echo with many members of the public. Yet on Saturday the Interior Ministry issued a statement saying that legal action had been taken in a single, 24-hour period, against 1,851 drivers of public transport vehicles for not wearing face masks. Masks have been mandatory since 30 May on public transport, in shops, banks, government offices and private businesses, with violators facing fines of up to LE4,000. The publics increasingly cavalier attitude to the wearing of masks is reflected in calls on the government from the manufacturers of medical supplies not to renew the decision, issued at the beginning of the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, preventing the export of personal protective equipment. Trade and Industry Minister Nevine Gamea said on Wednesday that Egyptian manufacturers are now allowed to export all anti-coronavirus supplies including alcohol by-products, protective masks and suits, latex gloves, mask shields, and medical goggles. Gamea issued a decree in March banning the export of preventative supplies, including face masks and alcoholic hand washes, for three months. It was renewed in June. The market is suffering from declining demand, which is expected to continue until the end of the year, head of medical supplies division at the Federation of Egyptian Chambers of Commerce (FECC) Mohamed Ismail told the Weekly prior to Gamea's Wednesday decision. It is time for the cabinet to allow for exports. Before the emergence of Covid-19, local consumption of disposable masks was 180 million annually, of which 120 million were imported from China, according to Ali Ouf, head of the pharmaceutical division of the FECC. We had only seven production lines for masks prior to the coronavirus crisis but now Egypt has 186 production lines with a production capacity of at least 20,000 masks per day, says Ouf, adding that even if a second wave occurs Egypt has enough masks in stock. Since the outbreak of the global pandemic, Egypt has sent millions of face masks and other medical aid to other countries, including Italy, China, the US, and several African states. Islam Anan, a pharmacoepidemiology and pharmacoeconomics lecturer at Misr International University (MIU), said a false sense of security among the public has led to non-compliance with preventative measures, including the wearing of masks. With the relaxing of lockdown measures and relatively low and stable infection rates, people are taking less care than they should. But while the number of new coronavirus cases has been hovering around 150 a day since August, experts warn the figures could increase dramatically come autumn. The most important thing now, says Anan, is to adapt to the new normal by remaining committed to all preventive measures. Egypt began the move towards a gradual reopening of the economy in June, lifting the night-time curfew, reopening restaurants and places of worship, and resuming regular international flights as part of its plans to coexist with the virus. The cabinet has warned, however, that restrictions will be reimposed should infection rates rise. Because so little is known about the new coronavirus we have no choice but to compare it to previous epidemics as we try to predict the intensity of any second wave. Either the second wave will be weaker than the first, as has been the case with other coronavirus strains; it will be as intense, like seasonal influenza; or the second wave will be much stronger, which happened with the Spanish flu, Anan told the Weekly. He warned that caution must be exercised as policy-makers hoped for the best but planned for the worst, Anan stressed. On Saturday, President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi directed government agencies to coordinate and extract the lessons learned from Egypts experience in combating the repercussions of coronavirus since the beginning of the outbreak, so they can be used to deal with any second wave. Al-Sisis remarks came during a meeting with the presidencys health adviser Mohamed Awad Tageddin to follow up on efforts to deal with the pandemic and preparations to confront a possible resurgence. A presidential statement added that among the precautionary measures needed is a concerted public awareness campaign, made especially urgent as the new school year approaches. Egypts 2020-21 school year is slated to begin on 17 October, with 23 million students enlisted in schools. The start of the academic year has already been pushed back from September because of the coronavirus. During the meeting Tageddin reviewed ongoing efforts to address the epidemic, including developing hospitals, launching mobile clinics, applying detection, isolation and coexistence procedures, expanding laboratory capacity, and constantly updating medical treatment protocols and national research efforts to develop vaccines. Health Minister Hala Zayed told the media on Friday that 6,000 Egyptians will participate in phase 3 clinical trials for two potential coronavirus vaccines being developed by a Chinese company which she did not name. Zayed said that during the trials, which will also be carried out in Bahrain, UAE and Jordan, volunteers, who first take a PCR test to make sure they have not been infected with the virus, will receive two injections, 21 days apart, and be monitored over a year. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Mustafa Madbouli has announced a further easing of restrictions. From 21 September open-air funerals, wedding ceremonies, film festivals and conferences will be allowed. *A version of this article appears in print in the 17 September, 2020 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly Search Keywords: Short link: Blue Planet Studio/iStockBY: LEIGHTON SCHNEIDER, ABC NEWS (NEW YORK) bp and Microsoft have joined forces to advance their sustainability goals. Both companies announced plans to achieve carbon emission reductions earlier this year. In January, Microsoft announced a goal to be carbon negative by 2030 and to remove all the carbon they have emitted since their founding by 2050. Meanwhile, in February, bp announced a goal to become net carbon zero by 2050 or sooner. To become net-zero, bp will need to remove or offset the same amount of emissions it releases each year into the atmosphere. The two companies say they will collaborate as strategic partners to further digital transformation in energy systems and advance the net-zero carbon goals of both companies. Microsoft plans to support bps goals by extending the use of Microsoft Azure, its cloud computing service, to help digitize the oil companys infrastructure and operations. Using this service, bp will get access to a broad and deep portfolio of cloud services, including machine learning with Azure Digital Twins, data analytics, security and more, to gain greater insights, drive significant optimization opportunities and transform business processes. bp shares our vision for a net-zero carbon future, and we are committed to working together to drive reductions in carbon emissions and fulfill demand with new renewable energy sources, said Judson Althoff, executive vice president of Microsofts Worldwide Commercial Business, in a statement. A strategic partnership such as this enables each organization to bring its unique expertise for industry-leading change and the potential to positively impact billions of lives around the world. The two companies have also signed an agreement that will have bp supply Microsoft with renewable energy across the world to help power the tech giants cloud software. This agreement will help Microsoft reach its 100% renewable energy goal by 2025. bp is determined to get to net-zero and to help the world do the same. No one can do it alone partnerships with leading companies like Microsoft, with aligned ambitions, is going to be key to achieving this, said William Lin, bp executive vice president for regions, cities, and solutions, in a statement. By bringing our complementary skills and experience together, we are not only helping each other achieve our decarbonization ambitions but also creating opportunities to support others on their journey towards reducing carbon emissions. bp and Microsoft have also signed a memorandum of understanding that recognizes that both companies can help each other achieve their sustainability goals and help the world decarbonize. As part of bps goal, the company plans to develop about 50 gigawatts of net renewable energy capacity, increase annual investments in low carbon energy to 5 billion dollars, and cut oil and gas production by 40%. Currently, BP owns stakes in or produces solar power, wind power, biopower, and biofuels. The company also owns BPChargemaster, UK's largest electric charging network. Microsoft plans to reach its goal in several ways, including with 100% renewable energy by 2025, pushing for carbon reduction and removal policies, and by cutting their carbon emissions by half by 2030 and by removing more carbon from their atmosphere than they emit each year. Copyright 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved. In the hallway of a Chicago public housing complex in the summer of 2008, a young man came face to face with a police sergeant known for planting drugs on people. Sgt. Ronald Watts asked for money, and the man, George Almond, 28 at the time, said he didnt have much, according to court documents and a synopsis of the case compiled by the National Registry of Exonerations. Then, Watts, who is Black, arrested Almond, also Black, for drug possession and produced several small bags of heroin as evidence of a crime that hadnt happened. Faced with the near-impossible task of proving the drugs had been planted, Almond pleaded guilty and spent 16 months in prison. The wrongful conviction, and the corruption that caused it, likely would have remained hidden if not for a federal investigation of Watts that resulted years later in the sergeant's pleading guilty in an unrelated case to stealing from an informant. The investigation led to exonerations of more than 70 of Watts victims, including Almond a list that continues to grow. Those tainted cases, which damaged many lives and the public trust, are just a small fraction of more than 1,000 tallied in a new nationwide study by the registry that measures the role of government misconduct in wrongful convictions and how that misconduct falls heaviest on Black exonerees. The study, published Tuesday, examined 2,400 cases from 1989 through February 2019 in which people were absolved of criminal convictions, and it found that 54 percent involved corruption or negligence by police, prosecutors, lab workers or other government employees. The tally is very likely a vast undercount of the actual number of instances in which misconduct has led to the convictions of innocent people, according to researchers at the registry, which is a project of the Newkirk Center for Science & Society at the University of California, Irvine, the University of Michigan Law School and the Michigan State University College of Law. Story continues The 188-page report was limited to cases in which people challenged their convictions and were cleared by a judge or a government agency. Untold numbers of Americans whove been wrongly convicted including many who pleaded guilty to relatively low-level crimes do not have the resources or lawyers needed to challenge their convictions, researchers say. The report, therefore, provides just a glimpse of how misconduct tarnishes the criminal justice system, the reports authors said. This is all trying to see through a crack in a wall, said Samuel Gross, a University of Michigan law professor. The findings provide further evidence of the racial divide in the criminal justice system, Gross said. Prior research by the registry found that Black Americans, about 13 percent of the nations population, account for 48 percent of all known exonerations. Black people are also imprisoned at five times the rate of white people, according to the Council on Criminal Justice. The new report found that Black exonerees were slightly more likely than white exonerees (57 percent to 51 percent) to be the victims of official misconduct. The gap is much greater in murders (78 percent to 64 percent) and drug cases (47 percent to 22 percent), the report said. Image: Ronald Watts (Phil Velasquez / Chicago Tribune via Getty Images file) The drug cases described in the report, including those involving Watts and a crew of officers who worked with him, have mostly come to light as so-called group exonerations people whose convictions have been dismissed en masse because they were linked to police graft. These cases typically involve victims who served relatively short terms in prison or were on probation. They also often do not attract much public notice, and researchers are still trying to document them. The victims are often disbelieved or ignored, which was the case with those targeted by Watts, who worked out of a housing project whose residents were predominantly Black as were Watts victims. Josh Tepfer, who represents Almond and many of Watts other victims, said his clients were wrongfully convicted despite warnings from police whistleblowers, residents and defendants about the shakedowns and planted drugs. If Black lives matter, then how is this still going on? Tepfer asked. He added: This was allowed to happen because officers were corrupt and the victims were not cared about. They were forgotten and were viewed as disposable. The registry found that just 17 percent of cases involving official misconduct resulted in someone getting disciplined or punished. Most of the cases that did were related to Watts, his partner, Officer Kallatt Mohammed, and another notorious Chicago officer, Jon Burge, who was accused of using beatings and torture to coerce false confessions. Watts and Mohammed both resigned before pleading guilty to stealing from a federal informant and were sentenced to prison; Watts has given no public statements on the allegations against him, while Mohammed said at his sentencing that he was following Watts orders. Burge was fired in 1993 and was prosecuted only for lying in a civil case. He served more than four years in prison and died in 2018. In 2015, he was quoted in a blog disparaging those who said hed tortured them and dismissing efforts to provide reparations to them. Several additional officers who worked on Watts team have been accused by people they arrested of participating in the corruption but have not been charged and remain on the force. The Chicago Police Department said in a statement that "there is absolutely zero tolerance for misconduct and/or illegal activity" within the department. The fabricated evidence at the heart of the Watts case is one of five categories of official misconduct described in the registrys report. The most common was concealing evidence that benefits a defendant, which is typically committed by prosecutors. The other categories of misconduct are witness tampering, improper interrogations and improprieties at trial. The causes of official misconduct are largely systemic, the product of law enforcement agencies that permit or reward bad behavior, suffer from poor leadership and dont have enough resources to properly train people to conduct high-quality investigations, the report said. Misconduct is a way to do things cheaply, Gross said. Accordingly, reform requires changing law enforcement culture and overhauling investigative procedures, Gross and his co-authors said. They include some relatively simple fixes, such as recording both interrogations and the identifications of suspects by witnesses. Reform efforts could also benefit from leadership from the Justice Department, which in the past has investigated and forced reforms of local police departments and sought to improve the use of forensic science. But under the Trump administration, the Justice Department has stepped away from both efforts, saying that forced reforms vilified the police and threatened agencies sovereignty and that scientists should not have oversight of how law enforcement agencies use forensic techniques. At the highest level, these are the types of things that wont change until there is a change in culture where police and prosecutors work, Gross said. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency in the Panhandle's westernmost counties, Escambia and Santa Rosa as the hurricane's outer bands began to lash the area. All along the storm-weary Gulf Coast, residents rushed to buy bottled water and other supplies ahead of the hurricane, which powered up to a Category 2 in the afternoon. Forecasters said sustained winds could reach 110 mph (177 kph), just below Category 3 strength, by landfall. In coastal Mississippi, water spilled onto roads, lawns and docks well before the storm's arrival. All 12 casinos were ordered to shut down Monday afternoon and Gov. Tate Reeves urged residents of low-lying areas to prepare to evacuate. Reeves said Sally could dump up to 20 inches (51 centimeters) of rain on the southern part of the state. Sally has lots of company during what has become one of the busiest hurricane seasons in history so busy that forecasters have almost run through the alphabet of names with 2 1/2 months still to go. For only the second time on record, forecasters said, five tropical cyclones swirled simultaneously in the Atlantic basin at one point Monday. The last time that happened was in 1971. The writer, a policy analyst studying economic and security issues, held senior positions in government and industry. He also specialises in the Chinese economy The problem is that India and China never agreed on where the LAC was, as the perceptions of what each side controlled varied Despite having two often widely overlapping LACs, Indian and Chinese forces had arrived at a unique modus vivendi since 1962 which enabled each side to patrol up to its perception of the LAC without confrontation. PTI Photo The joint announcement by external affairs minister S. Jaishankar and Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi in Moscow (no doubt helped along by Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov) is being clutched at like straws by desperate drowning men hoping for an end to the crisis. In case we have forgotten, the RIC (Russia India China) was a geopolitical group that was formed to balance growing American and Nato unilateralism. The operative part of the joint statement is that the military commander-level talks will continue. The audible sigh of relief in some circles may be premature, for talking doesnt mean a solution. For now, it only means a postponement of the armed conflict. We have two outstanding issues between India and China. The larger one is about large tracts of territory in Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh. These two territorial disputes arent going to be resolved in the foreseeable long term. Hence, Deng Xiaoping had sagaciously suggested to Rajiv Gandhi at their 1988 Beijing meeting that it is best left to history. The pressing dispute on hand are the two overlapping Lines of Actual Control. The term LAC was first used by Zhou Enlai in November 1959 when he wrote to Jawaharlal Nehru defining it as the so-called McMahon Line in the east and the line up to which each side exercises actual control in the west. The problem is that India and China never agreed on where the LAC was, as the perceptions of what each side controlled varied, by a few meters to tens of kilometers. For instance, in Sikkim where they vary at a few places, the actual overlap often is a few meters. This variation is because both sides are vying for better tactical positions to locate their bunkers and sangars (small built-up structures) on higher ground to observe the other side. In the Depsang Plains overlooking DBO, it is by as much as 20-30 km. The DBO overlooks the Chip Chap river as it curls southward to its rendezvous with the Shyok. The entire Chip Chap river was accepted by China as Indian territory even in 1956, but by 1960 China advanced its LAC to about 4 km of DBO and built a garrison at Tianwendian, about 24 km away. The PLA launches patrols from here into the contested Depsang. They have done the same in Galwan valley. In 1962 the Indian post was at the source of the Galwan river at Samzungling and the LAC is now about 2 km upstream of the confluence of Galwan and Shyok rivers. Despite having two often widely overlapping LACs, Indian and Chinese forces had arrived at a unique modus vivendi since 1962 which enabled each side to patrol up to its perception of the LAC without confrontation. The desire for peace made both sides cobble up agreements from time to time. The 1993 agreement made it incumbent for both sides to caution each other whenever their perceived LACs were crossed. Though the agreement stipulated that any dispute both sides would jointly check this and decide upon an alignment, it never happened. Then in 1996 both sides agreed to exercise restraint when the patrols come face to face. This agreement also stipulated that both sides would not use firearms or explosives 2 km from their perceived LACs. Both sides adhered to this, but now the patrols, while not confronting each other, began tailing each other maintaining a distance between them. This agreement also obliged both sides not to construct anything of a permanent nature in the LAC overlaps. This worked till 2013, when the PLA objected to the Indo-Tibetan Border Police leaving behind reusable shelters at a place called Chumar. In May that year a tailed PLA patrol decided to dig in midway between the two LACs in Depsang at a place called Rakhi Nula. This forced an Indian Army unit to dig in nearby. This crisis was resolved by a meeting between the local military commanders, with the Indian side agreeing to dismantle the Chumar structures and the PLA pulling out. This led to the more complex 2013 agreement, once again aimed at conflict prevention nd conflict resolution, but not fixing the cause of conflict. This is where we were when the PLA, taking advantage of Indian Army tardiness in not mirroring the annual PLA exercises in the area, dug in positions in Galwan Valley, Hot Springs, Ghogra and between Fingers 4 and 8 on Pangong Tsos northern bank. In Galwan the new PLA position is now less than 2 km from the upgraded 230-km-long road from Darbuk to DBO. The Indian Army has now positioned itself threateningly on the Chushul heights. The timing of the crisis couldnt be worse. India was in the midst of a major economic meltdown brought about by the spread of the Covid-19 virus from Wuhan. The electronic media, no doubt prodded by the Narendra Modi government, went into a fury over the Chinese perfidy and both Modi and defence minister Rajnath Singh made fire and brimstone speeches ostensibly to the troops in Ladakh. The Indian military buildup was under the full glare of the embedded media and newly acquired military hardware were displayed. Like angry Bharatanatyam dancers, both sides are now semaphoring intentions to each other. Simultaneously, Indian Army and PLA commanders have been in talks from June 16 seeking a disengagement. The question is who withdraws and to where? This requires the determination of a single LAC. This is beyond the ken of the military commanders of both sides. Military men are usually reluctant to withdraw to tactically disadvantageous positions. But the need now is to give and take. This therefore calls for mediation between the two militaries, and that is best done by a trusted third countrys military. A neutral military mediator can understand the tactical security concerns of either side and can help in determining the optimal under the circumstances. The three countries have invested big in the RIC and it is now time to make it pay. The stakes are big. Even a limited Sino-Indian war will mean the end of the RIC and its promise of a multipolar world. Russia is uniquely placed to play the role of a neutral mediator to help the two countries find an agreement on a single LAC. It enjoys a good measure of trust in both countries. One hopes that both countries will find the good sense to accept mediation Alexey Navalny, who was poisoned with Novichok, beginning to recover four weeks after falling ill on a domestic flight. Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny posted a picture of himself in a hospital in Germany and said he was breathing on his own. On Instagram on Tuesday, he wrote: Hi, this is Navalny. I have been missing you. I still cant do much, but yesterday I managed to breathe on my own for the entire day. Just on my own, no extra help, not even a valve in my throat. I liked it very much. Its a remarkable process that is underestimated by many. Strongly recommended. Navalny, 44, was flown to Berlin for treatment at the Charite hospital two days after falling ill on a domestic flight in Russia on August 20. A German military lab determined that Navalny was poisoned with Novichok, the same class of Soviet-era agent that Britain said was used on former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter in Salisbury, England, in 2018. On Monday, the German government said tests by labs in France and Sweden backed up its findings. The Kremlin has bristled at calls from German Chancellor Angela Merkel and other leaders to answer questions about the poisoning, denying any official involvement. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has accused the West of using the incident as a pretext to introduce new sanctions against Moscow. French President Emmanuel Macrons office said he had expressed deep concern over the criminal act that targeted Navalny directly with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday. The Kremlin said Putin in the call underlined the impropriety of unfounded accusations against the Russian side and emphasised Russias demand for Germany to hand over analyses and samples. Putin also called for joint work by German and Russian doctors. Phung Duc Tung Some colleagues and I have been invited by the prime ministers advisory group to provide inputs into how Vietnam can mitigate Covid-19 impacts on the national economy. The new coronavirus has messed up all of our plans, and the big question facing the government now is this: With very limited resources, what are the solutions that can create the most immediate and positive impacts on Vietnam's economic growth from now to the end of the year and next year? We can call this the post-present Covid-19 crisis period. Following is a brief outline of the views I have shared with some experts and managers. To ensure economic growth in the short and medium term, the priorities that deserve urgent attention are: supporting and promoting new economic growth drivers; making exports more competitive; and boosting domestic demand. First, we need to promote strong development of the non-contact industries. This can be done after successfully completing our telecommunications infrastructure to support the digital economy. So far, just more than half of Vietnams 95-million population use the internet and most of them live in urban areas, getting connected via their smartphones. The nations internet quality, meanwhile, is going down. For developing the digital economy, we need to focus resources on improving the telecommunications infrastructure so that Vietnam can extend the reach of 4G service to all rural and mountainous areas, and do the same with 5G for urban areas. Investments should be made for the country to equip itself with better broadband Internet connections and have more submarine cables to ensure their smooth connection. Vietnam currently has six submarine cable systems and a 120 gigabit channel that runs overland through China. Connected in November 2009, the $560-million Asia America Gateway (AAG) handles more than 60 percent of the countrys international Internet traffic. The cable runs more than 20,000 kilometers (12,420 miles), connecting Southeast Asia with the U.S., passing through Brunei, Hong Kong, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. But it has experienced frequent ruptures and repairs, repeatedly affecting services in Vietnam. If the government offers subsidies to allow free internet services in rural and mountainous areas, it would create an important breakthrough, boosting the number of people having access to the digital economy. Internet is not yet popular in several areas and offering it free will be a very good policy that not just favors the people but also boosts socio-economic development without costing the government much money. Having as many people get access to the internet as possible would create a foundation for Vietnam to achieve contactless public services, including the completion of administrative procedures, online studies and healthcare delivery. The second task would be to boost infrastructure development for the logistics sector so that Vietnam can reduce costs for businesses. Vietnam is among the nations with the most open economy in the world. The total amount of good it exports and imports each year is estimated at more than $500 billion, double its gross domestic product (GDP). The nations logistics costs, meanwhile, amount to 21 percent of its GDP, among the highest in the world. It is only when Vietnam can lower its costs that it can make its products more competitive and boost exports. What I want to emphasize here is the need to remove obstacles at major entry points, allowing exporters and importers to complete customs clearance processes more quickly, reduce costs, and contribute to improving the competitiveness of Vietnamese goods. The question now is how to improve infrastructure at points where 90 percent of the goods go out or come in, like the Noi Bai and Tan Son Nhat international airports in Hanoi and HCMC, the port systems in HCMC and its neighboring province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau, the northern Hai Phong City and Quang Ninh Province as well as in central Da Nang City, the border gates in provinces that share borders with China, Laos and Cambodia, like Lang Son, Quang Ninh, Lao Cai, Quang Tri and Tay Ninh. For example, the Noi Bai International Airport, which currently accounts for 75 percent of the value of goods shipped out by air, is in urgent need of an additional runway beside the two existing ones, an upgrade to the cargo terminal and extra transit warehouses. Tech giants like Samsung and Apple will not want to expand their operations in Vietnam if they see runways at major airports get jammed frequently. Our border gates need extra manpower and further streamlining of administrative procedures towards allowing faster customs clearance of goods. Road freight now accounts for 75 percent of Vietnams total good transportation. The cost of gasoline and tolls make up a significant part of the production cost of transport companies. If the government boldly removes all taxes and fees related to petroleum, which currently account for 64 percent of the current gasoline prices, it will create a breakthrough. Containers of Dinh Vu Port in Hai Phong, northern Vietnam, are seen from above. Photo by Reuters/Kham. Next, it would be much better if the government provides transportation companies with subsidies to cover road fees, especially the toll for build-operate-transfer (BOT) projects, which has been causing public frustration. Tax breaks and fee reductions have always had an immediate impact on businesses. Before Covid-19, businesses may not have needed them, but now, such interventions will help reduce logistics costs immediately and help them recover. Renewable energy is a global trend, and Vietnam has a great potential to produce solar and wind power. However, private firms struggle when they have produced solar power but cannot connect it to the national grid. Besides, the policy on electricity prices has always been unstable and changed frequently and related state documents are often slow in coming, giving no time for businesses to prepare themselves. These factors have hindered the development of the renewable energy sector in Vietnam. If the infrastructure in areas that have been planned for renewable energy development is upgraded and if Vietnam has a stable and long-term electricity price policy that is only changed every five years, we can promote private investment in the sector, and thus reduce environmental pollution that is getting worse at thermal power plants. And last but not the least, the government must focus on maintaining the resilience of the two important economic hubs in the country, Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, to avoid a complete collapse. Of course, these are not easy steps and the proposed changes will lead to a sharp decrease in budget revenues and a huge increase in overspending. But in times of grave crises, sacrifices have to be made to extricate the nation out and take it forward. I hope such reforms receive the consent and support of the National Assembly. The governments chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance has said he was given a telling off for arguing for lockdown restrictions to be imposed more quickly earlier this year. In an email uncovered by a BBC Freedom of Information request, Sir Patrick said that in behind-closed-doors discussions within government in March he argued stronger than anyone for action on lockdown. But he said he was rebuked by chief medical officer Chris Whitty, Department of Health (DHSC) permanent secretary Sir Chris World and the governments top civil servant, the then cabinet secretary Sir Mark Sedwill. Sir Patrick has previously told MPs that on 16 March, the governments Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage), which he chairs, advised the prime minister that "additional social-distancing measures" should be implemented "as soon as possible". The government issued advice that day against unnecessary social contact and travel, including warnings to avoid pubs, bars and restaurants. But it was not until 20 March that hospitality venues were ordered to close and 23 March before the full lockdown was imposed requiring people not to leave their homes unless essential. At a press conference with the PM on 16 March to announced the first measures, Sir Patrick said: Importantly, it looks like were on the fast upswing or just about to get there and thats the reason to want to get in quite quickly with these measures. Statistics suggest that Covid-19 infections were growing at their fastest rate at that point, and some experts believe that an earlier lockdown could have saved lives. The email obtained by the BBC appears to be part of a discussion with other scientific advisers of a Sunday Times article in May criticising delays in imposing lockdown. In the message, dated 23 May, Sir Patrick said: It is the case that I argued stronger than anyone for action for lockdown (with a telling off from CMO, PS DHSC and CabSec). A spokesman for prime minister Boris Johnson declined to discuss the email, but told reporters: We were very clear at the time that the steps we were taking were guided by scientific and medical advice. Siggi Saevarsson, Kernel Capital; Alan Foreman, B-Secur; Brian Cummings, Clarendon Fund Managers. Picture by Brian Morrison. B-Secur Ltd, a Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK-based health tech company, raised further funding. Kernel Capital increased its investment in B-Secur to 1.45M. Existing co-investors Accelerated Digital Ventures and new investors Clarendon Fund Managers, have also participated in the latest investment round. The company intends to use the funds to expand its business reach. Led by Alan Foreman, CEO, B-Secur has developed a software technique that uses an individuals unique heartbeat pattern, known as electrocardiogram (ECG) in everyday technologies, to securely identify, and provide health and wellness insights at the same time. B-Secur embeds this into latest smartwatches, cars and clothing and are already selling to some of the worlds largest technology companies. In recent months, the company has signed significant contracts with international customers. The Company, which has offices within Belfasts Innovation Centre, Catalyst, employees over 35 scientists and engineers and will look to hire additional staff in Belfast and engineering staff in their customer regions including US and China. FinSMEs 15/09/2020 A senior Chinese official accused the U.S., which forced the sale of TikTok on national security grounds, of economic bullying, while lambasting European Union restrictions on Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., in comments highlighting Beijings increasing assertiveness against what it sees as unfair treatment from Western governments. What has happened with TikTok in the United States is a typical act of coercive possession, the head of the Chinese Mission to the EU, Zhang Ming, said. Some American politicians are trying to build a so-called clean network under the cover of fairness and reciprocity and blah, blah, blah, Ambassador Zhang said in an interview with Bloomberg TV. This is nothing but economic bullying. The Bytedance Ltd.-owned company has come under pressure in the U.S., where President Donald Trumps ban has forced a sale of TikToks American operations. TikTok submitted a proposal to the Treasury Department over the weekend in which Oracle Corp. will serve as the trusted technology provider, the software company said. Zhangs comments represent an oft-repeated refrain from Beijing, which has accused Washington of targeting Huawei without evidence and called the forced sale of TikTok U.S. state-sanctioned theft. Oracles closely watched bid will have to pass a U.S. national security review as well as win the blessing of President Trump. Instead of buying the business outright, Oracle will make an investment in a newly restructured TikTok, and at least two shareholders in TikToks Chinese parent company, General Atlantic and Sequoia Capital, would take stakes in the new business, Bloomberg reported Monday, citing people familiar with the proposal. The terms of the deal, which would also require sign-off from China, are still evolving. Zhang said that the exclusion of Chinese companies from European and American markets on national security grounds isnt based on any concrete evidence. The envoy said an EU toolbox that allows the blocs governments to exclude Chinese companies, such as Huawei, from critical components of fifth generation telecom networks is unjustified. Well, Im so sorry, this box is a dark box, Zhang said. Nobody knows the criteria for high-risk suppliers, the ambassador said, adding that the EU rules run against the principles of free trade, multilateralism and non-discrimination. In a set of commonly agreed guidelines on how to mitigate risks stemming from the rollout of next-generation telecom networks earlier this year, the EU said companies based in non-democratic countries could be excluded from the procurement of certain core components, following assessments by security agencies. Read more about: Amid protests in Belarus, bloc says it considers result of disputed August 9 vote fraudulent as it mulls sanctions. The European Union does not recognise Alexander Lukashenko as the legitimate president of Belarus, the blocs diplomatic chief said on Tuesday, a day after the embattled leader was welcomed by Russian President Vladimir Putin. Josep Borrell, the EUs high representative for foreign affairs, told the European Parliament the August 9 election that returned the veteran strongman to power was fraudulent. Lukashenko has faced huge protests against his rule since the disputed ballot and widespread condemnation from the international community for a brutal crackdown on demonstrators by his security forces. The situation is clear for us. We consider the elections of August 9 fraudulent, Borrell told the parliament. We dont recognise Lukashenko as the legitimate president of Belarus. The EU has already said it does not recognise Lukashenkos reelection as legitimate and is in the process of preparing sanctions against those responsible for rigging the vote and cracking down on protests. Borrell said more than 7,500 peaceful protesters have been detained and 500 cases of torture have been documented. But diplomats say the EU sanctions on Belarus are being blocked by Cyprus, which is demanding measures against Turkey first in a dispute over natural gas drilling in the Eastern Mediterranean. Borrell said the EUs credibility was at stake and urged member states to pass the sanctions which need a unanimous vote before their summit in Brussels at the end of next week. On Monday, Russia agreed to a $1.5bn loan with Minsk, President Putin said at talks with Alexander Lukashenko, adding that the Belarusian people should resolve the crisis without foreign interference. Putin said he thought a proposal by Lukashenko to carry out constitutional reform was logical and timely. Protests, some featuring violence, have gripped the country for five weeks since the vote, with anti-Kremlin placards seen at some rallies. Also on Monday, the UN rights council agreed to host an urgent debate on reports of violence at the hands of authorities during protests. Financial Supervisory Service Governor Yoon Suk-heun; and the logo of law firm Yoon & Yang / Korea Times files By Park Jae-hyuk Yoon & Yang, the nation's sixth-largest law firm, has emerged as one of the biggest threats to the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) which seeks to impose heavy sanctions against the sellers of Lime Asset Management's controversial trade finance funds and their CEOs. This came as the attorney for the sellers has continuously reinforced its lineup of lawyers in its financial group after accepting the Lime case. According to industry sources, Tuesday, former prosecutor Kim Young-ki, who had investigated into the alleged mis-selling of the Lime funds as the leader of the Stock Crime Joint Investigation Team at the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors' Office, is considering joining Yoon & Yang. He left the prosecutors' office last month after he had been sent to the Gwangju District Public Prosecutors' Office. The former prosecutor will not be able to take charge of cases involving Lime until next year and it has yet to be decided whether or not Yoon & Yang would hire him. However, victims of the Lime fund fiasco fear he may share "his knowledge" with the law firm meaning it could take effective countermeasures against the prosecution and financial authorities. Throughout this year, Yoon & Yang has hired four additional lawyers who were in charge of financial regulations at the FSS. They are Yeon Seung-jae, Heo Hwan-jun, Choi Jong-youl and Choi Yong-ho. Yoon & Yang Managing Partner Lee Myung-soo, who has led the growth of the law firm's financial group since 2010, had worked for the FSS for 10 years. Lee Ju-yong, Jung Hyun-suk and Je Ok-pyeong are also among the law firm's lawyers who had worked for the financial watchdog. The connection with these lawyers led Woori Bank, Shinhan Investment, Daishin Securities and KB Securities to choose Yoon & Yang as their legal representatives for the Lime case. Based on the reinforced lawyer lineup, the Lime fund sellers are expected to strongly protest the FSS as the regulator plans to start the necessary procedure against them next month. Although the sellers have claimed they were also swindled by Lime, sources familiar with this issue said FSS Governor Yoon Suk-heun wants to punish CEOs of the financial firms involved in the fiasco, as he did against the former and incumbent executives of Woori and Hana banks over their responsibility for alleged mis-selling of derivate linked funds (DLFs). If action is taken against the financial firms' CEOs, they will not be able to work in the financial industry for the next three years. Given that Yoon & Yang previously led the court to approve the injunction removing the punishment imposed on Woori Chairman Son Tae-seung over the DLF fiasco, however, the law firm may lead the FSS' possible moves against the chiefs of the Lime fund sellers to the same conclusion. The court questioned the watchdog's rights to take action against bank executives. But the FSS immediately appealed against the decision, so the first hearing on the validity of the sanction against the Woori chairman will take place this Friday. Care homes across England are tightening rules on visitors because of the uptick in coronavirus infections. Thousands of families of residents face being turned away from seeing their loved ones, as care home operators attempt to stem the spread of Covid-19. It's a reminder of the distress experienced at the height of the pandemic, in March and April, when care home visits were completely banned. Tens of thousands of elderly care home residents died from coronavirus after the life-threatening infection swept through the under-prepared sector. Care UK and HC One, two of the largest national operators, have already closed dozens of homes to visitors, having re-opened them over the summer. Covid-19 cases are rising in care homes, as well as the community. Official figures show they have tripled within the space of just one week, with 513 cases recorded in homes between August 31 and September 6. The Labour party last night called on the government to set out a fresh strategy to protect care homes this winter, after its shambolic attempts earlier this year. Care homes across England are tightening rules on visits due to an uptick in coronavirus infections (file image) Thousands of families could be impacted by the closures of care homes in England in response to the surge in new coronavirus cases. Care UK has closed 48 of its 124 care homes to visitors mostly 'because of positive tests or because it is awaiting test results', The Guardian reported. HC One has closed some 133 of its 329 homes to visitors, and it is restricting visits in England's hotspots, where the infection rate in the general population is high. HC One said it had recorded increasing numbers of infections among a small number of staff. OUTBREAKS OF CORONAVIRUS-LIKE ILLNESS IN CARE HOMES AT A SIX-MONTH LOW Outbreaks of coronavirus-like illnesses in care homes have dropped to a six month low, according to Public Health England. Between August 24 and August 30 there were 58 outbreaks of coughs or 'acute respiratory infections' in England, said PHE, marking a 38 per cent fall on last week's 94 cases. But the number recorded is more than 90 per cent down on the levels seen at the height of the pandemic, which spiked to 1,010 a week at the start of April. An outbreak constitutes two or more people having the same symptoms, such as coughing, wheezing or difficulty breathing. Not all the outbreaks are confirmed coronavirus cases because the category includes other infections that can lead to coughing, such as influenza. Any rises in infections in care homes are serious, because the elderly are most at risk of dying if they catch coronavirus, or a host of other infections. The last time the number of outbreaks in care homes was this low was between March 9 and March 15, when they dropped to 41. The UK launched its nationwide lockdown eight days later, by which point outbreaks had surged to 249. The dropping number of outbreaks comes amid mounting concerns about the UK's sudden rise in new coronavirus cases, and fears these could be passed into care homes. The drop in care home outbreaks comes as coronavirus deaths hit a 24-week low at the end of August. A total of 73 people died from Covid-19 in England and Wales in the week ending August 28, official statistics show. The dip marks a 24 per cent drop on the previous week's 96 deaths, the first time they fell to single figures since the pandemic began. It is also a nose-dive from the 8,000-plus deaths a week registered at the peak of the pandemic. Advertisement Many operators which had been planning to ease restrictions and allow more indoor visits this winter are now backtracking on their plans. It includes the Orders of St John Care Trust, which looks after 3,000 residents in 84 homes in Wiltshire, Oxfordshire, Lincolnshire and Gloucestershire. Dan Hayes, chief executive of the Orders of St John, said: 'We are monitoring the uptick in infection and it is a possibility that in the near future visits may have to be restricted again, where necessary to protect our residents.' Testing of his staff showed fewer than half a per cent were infected, but there has been a small increase recently. He said: 'Our focus had been on looking to expand visits, but we sadly have to consider the opposite if and when circumstances dictate we should.' Care homes in England were given the go-ahead to reopen to visitors at the end of July, when cases of Covid-19 in the UK were at record lows. Wales allowed visits from late August, and Scotland and Northern Ireland from early July. England's care homes opened four months after visitor bans, which was feared to have alrady had a huge impact on elderly residents. The lack of social contact caused dementia patients' health to rapidly deteriorate as they felt confused, isolated and abandoned, the Alzheimer's Society warned in June. Decisions on reopening care homes to visitors were to be made locally by council directors of public health based on the risks, such as the Covid-19 infection rate in that area. Visitors are required to wear a face mask and wash their hands thoroughly before and after putting it on. But there are concerns these measures could be rolled back in the case of a second wave, after the health secretary said the government is prepared to 'step up' the restrictions as needed. Some care homes had to shut to visitors in line with local lockdowns ordered by the Government. Parts of north-west England, West Midlands, West Yorkshire, Leicester, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are currently under tighter Covid-19 rules. The aim is to avoid families bringing the coronavirus into the home and reaching the most vulnerable people of society. The elderly are far more likely to die of the coronavirus if they catch it. Already 15,000 people have died of confirmed or suspected Covid-19 in care home in England and Wales, figures collected by the Office for National Statistics show. Figures show the number of cases in care homes is rising, although not to levels seen during the height of the pandemic. In the week ending 6 September, 4.2 per cent of infections in England were in care homes equivalent to 513 cases, Public Health England data shows. Care homes have seen the highest number of Covid-like illnesses, according to Public Health England LABOUR CALLS FOR 'CLEAR WINTER PLAN' FOR CARE HOMES Labour has called on the government to set out a 'clear winter plan' to protect care homes. Action must not be as 'slow and chaotic' as it was at the start of the Covid-19 outbreak, shadow minister for social care Liz Kendall has warned. She has outlined her concerns in a letter to Health Secretary Matt Hancock, after the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) warned of the 'first signs' of a rise in confirmed Covid-19 cases. In a letter to providers on Friday, Stuart Miller, director of adult social care delivery, said the care workforce is most affected, but 'clearly' there is a risk that the virus will spread to residents and in some cases already has. Labour MP Ms Kendall said reports of rising infection rates in care homes are 'a matter of serious concern', while problems accessing tests are 'especially worrying'. She wrote: 'With winter and the flu season fast approaching, it is vital that the Government now puts in place a clear winter plan to support social care. 'The Government must learn the lessons from mistakes that have been made so far, and show users, families and staff that social care will be a top priority in the months ahead.' She added: 'Getting on top of challenges faced by social care ahead of winter is vital - we cannot afford for action to protect care homes and other services to be as slow and chaotic as it was at the start of this pandemic.' Ms Kendall is calling for action in five areas to ensure past 'mistakes' are not repeated, including weekly, rapid testing of care staff across all care settings. She added that it 'beggars belief' that Care Quality Commission inspectors are not tested before entering homes. And ministers must ensure no-one with coronavirus is discharged from hospital into a care home - as was the case at the start of the pandemic, until mid-April. Relatives of care home residents should be given access to regular testing and personal protective equipment (PPE) to help them safely visit and support their loved ones, but care staff must have access to enough PPE, Ms Kendall said. Advertisement The previous week the proportion was two per cent, equivalent to 159 cases. The apparent increase in coronavirus spread in care homes prompted the Government to alert to care providers last Friday. A letter urged care bosses to 'take the necessary action to prevent and limit outbreaks', pointing out that in the last three days there had been an increase in notifications of coronavirus cases in care homes. At the moment it is the workforce that is most affected, but the letter says that 'clearly' there is a risk that the virus will spread to residents and in some cases already has. The letter, which was written by Stuart Miller, director of adult social care delivery at the Department of Health and Social Care, said: 'You will know already that we are experiencing a rise in confirmed Covid-19 cases, across the UK population. 'I need to alert you to the first signs this rise is being reflected in care homes too. 'Over the past three days, Public Health England (PHE) has reported an increase in notifications of Covid-19 cases in care homes. 'Testing data has also shown an increase in the number of positive results. 'Currently, the infections are mainly affecting the workforce but clearly there is a risk the virus will spread to care home residents, or to other parts of the care sector. 'Unfortunately, in some care homes with recent outbreaks, this does appear to have occurred, with residents also becoming infected.' The Sunday Times reported a Department of Health report marked 'official sensitive' and circulated on Friday said that the rate of coronavirus recorded through satellite tests which are used in care homes had quadrupled since the start of the month. The newspaper also said that Health Secretary Matt Hancock was given an emergency update on Wednesday saying that outbreaks had been detected in 43 care homes. Yesterday Labour called on the government to set out a 'clear winter plan' to protect care homes. Action must not be as 'slow and chaotic' as it was at the start of the Covid-19 outbreak, shadow minister for social care Liz Kendall has warned. She has outlined her concerns in a letter to Health Secretary Matt Hancock, after the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) warned of the 'first signs' of a rise in confirmed Covid-19 cases. In a letter to providers on Friday, Stuart Miller, director of adult social care delivery, said the care workforce is most affected, but 'clearly' there is a risk that the virus will spread to residents and in some cases already has. Labour MP Ms Kendall said reports of rising infection rates in care homes are 'a matter of serious concern', while problems accessing tests are 'especially worrying'. Unison said it feels like the government is 'sleepwalking into another care home catastrophe' amid testing concerns. A Department of Health and Social Care spokeswoman said: 'Throughout our coronavirus response we have been doing everything we can to ensure all staff and residents in care homes are protected. We are testing all residents and staff, have provided 208 million items of PPE and ring-fenced 600 million to prevent infections in care homes, with a further 3.7 billion available to councils to address pressures caused by the pandemic, including in adult social care. 'The adult social care winter plan will be published shortly to ensure we have robust plans in place for the additional pressures we may face this winter, and to protect both the people who need care and the workforce that supports them.' ANN ARBOR, MI After over six months as Ann Arbors interim city administrator with two previous stints in the role Tom Crawford is poised to lead city hall on a more permanent basis. Following a national search and interviews with four finalists, City Council voted 10-0 Monday night, Sept. 14, to offer the full-time city administrator job to Crawford. Crawford, an Ann Arbor resident, has been the citys chief financial officer since 2004 and previously worked as a finance manager for Ford Motor Co. He holds degrees in finance and business administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and University of Pennsylvania. Council members expressed confidence in Crawfords financial acumen and passion for the community, as well as his understanding of the communitys values and ability to provide stability in uncertain times as the city anticipates a long recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. From left, Mayor Christopher Taylor and Tom Crawford, the city's interim city administrator, at the Ann Arbor City Council meeting March 2, 2020.Ryan Stanton | The Ann Arbor News Before the unanimous vote to enter into contract negotiations with Crawford, Mayor Christopher Taylor recalled councils controversial decision to fire Howard Lazarus, the previous administrator, by a 7-4 vote in February. Before we move forward ... I think its important that we engage some truths, and that is that Mr. Crawford is going to be taking this position subject to challenges that he had no part of making, Taylor said. The fact is that his predecessors tenure ended under circumstances that dispirited and angered members of our staff and members of our community. And as the innocent beneficiary of that termination and the resulting selection process, Mr. Crawford is going to assume leadership with a need to build relationships and build confidence and build momentum. This is, I think, simply a fact. Taylor said hes committed to being part of that transition and helping Crawford be an outstanding administrator. In addition to our commitment to improve basic services, Ann Arbor has so many exciting and necessary opportunities to enhance quality of life, Taylor said. In my years in working with Mr. Crawford ... he has expressed real and earnest enthusiasm for the potential of local government, our ability to do good things, and so I am very much looking forward to hitting the ground running with him. Council Member Ali Ramlawi, D-5th Ward, said the mayor brought up some true concerns, though Crawford already has proven his ability to unify in these difficult times. Hopefully we can continue on with that momentum, Ramlawi said. Taylors remarks drew ire from other council members who disagreed with the mayors assessment. I am really saddened that the mayor has used this opportunity to perpetuate what I consider opinions and not truths, said Kathy Griswold, D-2nd Ward, arguing it was clear last year the city didnt have an optimal team in place and things have improved since Lazarus left. I believe that council is in a better position and that its time to move on, Griswold said. Council Member Anne Bannister, D-1st Ward, recalled Lazarus interviewed for multiple jobs elsewhere by the time council terminated his employment, which she characterized as a negotiated exit. She criticized Taylor for trying to weaponize it against other council members. Emails show blowback against Ann Arbor council after firing administrator As Taylor defended his assertion that Lazarus' firing angered city staff and community members, Ramlawi interjected and suggested the mayor was out of order. Lets just put all this behind us, added Council Member Jeff Hayner, D-1st Ward, who said its time to move forward and it does no good to rehash the past. Ramlawi said some city employees have expressed concerns about Crawfords abilities, but theyre things that can be addressed and overcome. Council Member Jane Lumm, I-2nd Ward, said there are several compelling reasons to appoint Crawford, including the fact that hes already proven he can do the job. He has broad appeal, treats everyone with respect and stays above the political fray, Lumm said. His skills and knowledge of the city are especially needed right now with the city facing financial challenges and embarking on major initiatives for affordable housing and climate action, she added. The citys search for a new administrator came down to two finalists by the time council voted Monday night. Council members also had positive things to say about the runner-up, Cara Pavlicek, village manager in Oak Park, Illinois. Council Member Elizabeth Nelson, D-4th Ward, said she supported Crawford without reservation, though. This is exactly the step forward for us to have stability, she said. And as Council Member Lumm said, it is extremely important that we move forward with somebody who can be straightforward and honest and above board and above the political fray in this position. Nelson said she personally knows how important it is to have an administrator who is a collaborator, treats everyone with equal respect and takes the job seriously. And to know that for certain, going forward, to know that the person knows our community and is familiar with our values as a community, that is a huge comfort to me as we go into the times ahead of us, she said. Council Member Julie Grand, D-3rd Ward, said she has admired how Crawford has stepped up to lead amid the turmoil of the past year. Crawford is kind, honest and smart and believes in Ann Arbor, she said. Taylor described Crawford as a decent, caring person who knows the city and is eager to achieve great things for everyone who calls Ann Arbor home. Following contract negotiations, council is expected to approve Crawfords contract by next month. Crawford currently makes $223,600 as interim administrator. Council Member Zachary Ackerman, D-3rd Ward, was absent Monday night. MORE FROM THE ANN ARBOR NEWS: City administrator finalist expressed doubts Ann Arbor would hire a Black woman City administrator finalists explain why theyd be a good fit for Ann Arbor Why was Ann Arbor City Administrator Howard Lazarus fired? Emails shed some light How they voted: Ann Arbor City Council vote breakdown for August 2020 Whos running in the November 2020 election in Washtenaw County People with disabilities live with the problem of accessibility, the lack of which causes issues in many areas of their lives. The tourism sector is one of these areas. Studies show that there are two main barriers to the problem. Lack of legislation around accessible facilities required (e.g.only one accessible rooms required in a hotel with 100 rooms). Learned helplessness, a state where people come to believe that they are unable to control or change the situation, so they do not try. Your Rights as Well: Accessible Tourism Fethiye Tourism, Promotion, Education, Culture and Environment Foundation (FETAV) hosted a regional meeting within a new project last week. The project, Your Rights as Well: Accessible Tourism is supported by Erasmus +. The aim of the project is for selected groups to work with partners from Istanbul, Samsun, Antalya and Sanlurfa, organize local and national meetings to brainstorm the issues and create solutions to accessibility problems within tourism. The project groups will be made up of 50 percent young people with disabilities and 50 percent decision-makers. The project group hosted by FETAV, made up of 10 young people with disabilities and 20 without disabilities, spent three days in a regional meeting at Jiva beach resort and produced a policy document for Fethiye. The mixed project groups will nurture understanding of the difficulties and barriers experienced by those with disabilities. The second regional meeting will be held in Istanbul and hosted by project partner, Social Rights and Research Association. On completion of the meetings, the project team will create a national proposal on accessible tourism that will be shared with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. The proposal will encourage the Ministry to create new legislation with regards to accessible tourism and will introduce successful accessible tourism examples from Europe. The final stage the project will be an Accessible Tourism summit held in Antalya in October where the young people who have taken part in the project will be brought together with the decision makers. ATLANTA, Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Benoit Group, Atlanta Housing and Invest Atlanta have closed on the sale of former co-op community London Townhomes, preserving and renovating nearly 200 affordable housing units in southwest Atlanta. "Without this deal, almost 200 affordable housing units would have undoubtedly been lost and redeveloped as market rent apartments," said Eugene Jones, CEO of Atlanta Housing. "Atlanta Housing is not only proud to help save this development but to renovate and improve it for current and future residents." London Townhomes was a cooperative facing foreclosure when The Benoit Group stepped in and purchased the delinquent note. Benoit then engaged Atlanta Housing and Invest Atlanta to map out the plan to finance the redevelopment and subsidize rents in the community that The Benoit Group's CEO, Eddy Benoit, believes will now become a catalyst for new development in the area. "In late 2017, we were fortunate to be in a position to step in and prevent the foreclosure of this cooperative property. Partnering with the City of Atlanta, HUD, Invest Atlanta, and Atlanta Housing allowed us to be creative and move forward with this $40 million redevelopment. This project will offer a significantly improved housing lifestyle option for the residents and will also stimulate new development activity in this designated opportunity zone," said Eddy Benoit Jr., The Benoit Group's CEO. With an infusion of tax credit equity from PNC Bank, tax-exempt bond funds from Berkadia Commercial Mortgage and funds from AH, the property will be completely renovated into a mixed-income housing tax credit development with long-term affordability requirements. Ninety percent of the 200 units will be set-aside for households earning 60 percent or below the area median income ten percent will be market-rate. Thanks to Atlanta Housing's 15-year HomeFlex commitment, these returning residents' rents may actually decrease and are guaranteed not to exceed 30 percent of their monthly income. The property will also undergo an extensive renovation, providing much-needed new infrastructure, substantial interior and exterior improvements by adding new energy-efficiency unit amenities, and outdoor living spaces, a new clubhouse with a media center, fitness center, and clubroom for the community common areas. Resident relocation began in the first week of September, with residents being placed in either Benoit-owned and managed communities, or others that met their space, transportation and school district needs and they will be able to go back to their units in approximately nine to twelve months. Atlanta Housing provided a $1.1 million construction loan and a $6.3 million bridge loan, and multifamily tax-exempt bonds were issued by Urban Residential Finance Authority (Invest Atlanta) in the amount of $19,600,000, with approximately $20 million in federal and state tax credit equity provided by PNC Bank, National Association. Proceeds were used to pay building acquisition, rehabilitation and other development project costs. The property was financed using a first priority construction/permanent FHA insured mortgage loan in the amount of $21,894,000 from Berkadia. About Atlanta Housing Led by President and CEO Eugene Jones, Jr., the Housing Authority of the City of Atlanta, Georgia (AH), is the largest housing authority in Georgia and one of the largest in the nation. AH provides and facilitates affordable housing resources for nearly 22,000 low-income households comprised of approximately 50,000 people. These affordable housing resources include AH-owned residential communities, AH-sponsored mixed-income, mixed-finance residential communities, tenant-based vouchers, project based rental assistance, supportive housing arrangements and homeownership opportunities. AH's programs are funded and regulated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development ("HUD"). Visit Atlanta Housing at atlantahousing.org or follow us on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook at @housingatlanta. SOURCE Atlanta Housing Related Links https://www.atlantahousing.org Warnings over rockets fired from Gaza toward the south of the country appeared on Israeli TV screens minutes after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu finished his speech at the White House today. Incoming rocket sirens sounded in the southern cities of Ashkelon and Ashdod, sending thousands of Israelis into bomb shelters. According to initial reports, at least two men were lightly injured and a few people suffered trauma. Hamas was criticized for firing rockets at Israel while its prime minister delivered a message of peace, though experts noted that the rockets probably came from other Gaza groups. Celebrating a historic achievement, Netanyahu spoke at length about the price paid by Israelis over the years, saying, The people of Israel well know the price of war. I know the price of war. I was wounded in battle. A fellow soldier died in my arms. My brother Yoni lost his life while rescuing hostages." He added that today's ceremony brings hope to all of the children of Abraham." Still, Netanyahu did not refer to the Palestinians by name in his meeting in the Oval Office, nor in his speech later on from the balcony overlooking the White House lawn. "This peace will eventually expand to include other Arab states and ultimately help bring an end to the Arab-Israeli conflict once and for all, said Netanyahu, referring to Arab states, but not to Arab peoples. Netanyahu stressed that ultimately, strength brings peace. Israelis are still waiting to learn the details of the Abraham Accords signed today at the White House. Netanyahu and the other signatories have divulged little in recent weeks and up until the ceremony. Unlike other official trips, Netanyahu did not brief the journalists who traveled with him from Tel Aviv to Washington and gave no interviews to Israeli news outlets. For Netanyahu, the two most uncomfortable issues in advancing these agreements were surely the halting of his annexation plan and negotiations with the Palestinians. US President Donald Trump said at their meeting that he did not wish to talk about annexation at the moment, promising simply that the current "transaction" presents an excellent deal for all parts involved. "We dont want to talk about that right now. Thats working out very fair for the people who are coming in and for Israel, said Trump. Still, addressing the 700 guests from the White House balcony, Emirati Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed thanked Trump for halting Israels annexation plan. Netanyahu brought to Washington none of his political partners, not even Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi, even though the Emirates and Bahrain each sent its foreign minister. Thus, Netanyahu was forced to request Ashkenazi's power of attorney to sign the normalization agreements. Netanyahu will reportedly bring the agreements for both government and Knesset approval upon returning to Israel. Hours before the ceremony, Ashkenazi tweeted a picture of the Israeli, Bahraini, Emirati and US flags, writing, "The four flags flying over the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs today. An historic day for Israel, UAE, Bahrain and for the entire region. Thank you President Trump for your role in creating a new reality in the Middle-East." BOMBARDIER VLocity train BOMBARDIER VLocity trains designed and manufactured in Dandenong, Victoria using 69 per cent local content BOMBARDIER VLocity trains designed and manufactured in Dandenong, Victoria using 69 per cent local content VLocity trains designed and manufactured in Dandenong, Victoria using 69 per cent local content Order for 18, three-carriage trains is an option from a 2018 Rollingstock Manufacture and Supply Agreement signed with the Victorian State Government in Australia BERLIN, Sept. 15, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Note to editors: To view the photo associated with this press release, please visit the following link: https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c9884426-5784-4278-b20d-f5ab3eee6330 Bombardier Transportation announced today that the Victorian Government in Australia has exercised an option for 18 more BOMBARDIER VLocity trains. This call-off is part of the Rollingstock Manufacture and Supply Agreement signed with the Victorian Government in 2018 to deliver 54 new VLocity carriages to public transport operator V/Line for operation across the regional rail network in Victoria, Australia. Bombardier previously announced this order as an undisclosed customer in July 2020. The option on the existing contract provides certainty to the Victorian rolling stock supply chain, as well as local jobs in Dandenong, with all 54 carriages to be built at the facility using around 69 per cent local content. The new VLocity trains will be a mix of broad and standard-gauge vehicles and represent another positive for Bombardier as an already strong market participant in Australia, where Bombardier boasts the only end-to-end train manufacturing capability in Australia. These will be the first VLocity trains to run on standard gauge tracks on Victorias regional network and will run from Melbourne to Albury/Wodonga for the first time following the completion of the $235 million North East Line Upgrade and a rigorous testing program. The new design standard-gauge vehicles will include comfortable seats for the long-haul journey, built-in USB chargers, six luggage racks and overhead luggage storage, a modern catering facility and six wheelchair spaces with companion seats close by. Story continues Earlier this month, Bombardiers VLocity platform was awarded two prestigious Australian GOOD DESIGN awards for Best Interior and an overall Gold award - both in the Automotive and Transport Category. Bombardiers President, Australia and New Zealand, Wendy McMillan said, These 18 new award-winning VLocity trains build on the already strong bond between regional Victoria and Bombardier. We are proud to deliver these locally built, world class trains for V/Line. She continued, We thank the Victorian Government for their commitment to regional Victoria, Dandenong, to our people and products. Providing job security for our workforce and our local supply chain in Dandenong is critically important for our business and we look forward to being here for many years to come. About Bombardier Transportation Bombardier Transportation is a global mobility solution provider leading the way with the rail industrys broadest portfolio. It covers the full spectrum of solutions, ranging from trains to sub-systems and signalling to complete turnkey transport systems, e-mobility technology and data-driven maintenance services. Combining technology and performance with empathy, Bombardier Transportation continuously breaks new ground in sustainable mobility by providing integrated solutions that create substantial benefits for operators, passengers and the environment. Headquartered in Berlin, Germany, Bombardier Transportation employs around 36,000 people and its products and services operate in over 60 countries. About Bombardier With nearly 60,000 employees across two business segments, Bombardier is a global leader in the transportation industry, creating innovative and game-changing planes and trains. Our products and services provide world-class transportation experiences that set new standards in passenger comfort, energy efficiency, reliability and safety. Headquartered in Montreal, Canada, Bombardier has production and engineering sites in over 25 countries across the segments of Aviation and Transportation. Bombardier shares are traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange (BBD). In the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019, Bombardier posted revenues of $15.8 billion. News and information are available at bombardier.com or follow us on Twitter @Bombardier. Notes to editors For news, related material and photos, visit our newsroom at www.rail.bombardier.com/en/newsroom.html. Please subscribe to our RSS Feed to receive press releases or follow Bombardier Transportation on Twitter @BombardierRail. Bombardier and Vlocity are trademarks of Bombardier Inc. or its subsidiaries. For Information James Kaufman Communications Manager ANZ Global media relations press@rail.bombardier.com Bombardier Transportation +61 416 698 646 James.kaufman@rail.bombardier.com You can also contact one of our worldwide contacts for specific press inquiries. French foreign minister was within his rights to intervene in LVMH/Tiffany deal: finance minister FILE PHOTO: A sign of Tiffany & Co. store is pictured in the Manhattan borough of New York City, U.S. PARIS (Reuters) - French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian was within his rights to ask LVMH to postpone a takeover of U.S. jeweler Tiffany, an intervention that threatens to derail the deal. Last week, French luxury goods giant LVMH said it could no longer complete the $16 billion acquisition after receiving a letter from Le Drian. It said the letter asked LVMH to delay the deal to beyond Jan. 6, 2021, given the threat of additional U.S. tariffs against French products. "Mr Le Drian took the decision which appeared to him to be the right one," Le Maire told France 2 television on Monday, adding that the foreign minister was working to protect French interests in his intervention. Tiffany is suing LVMH, alleging it is using the French minister's request as a pretext to back out of the takeover - which was agreed last year, before the COVID-19 pandemic hit the luxury sector hard. LVMH, which owns brands such as Louis Vuitton, denies the allegation. The company, led by billionaire Bernard Arnault, said it would counter-sue Tiffany, accusing it of mismanagement during the health crisis. LVMH is expected to file its own lawsuit this week, according to a source close to the matter. A judge in Delaware, where Tiffany is registered, scheduled a Sept. 21 hearing for the U.S. company to argue for expedited proceedings of its lawsuit seeking to hold LVMH to its proposed merger, according to a Monday court filing. LVMH shares were up 0.7% by 1455 GMT on Monday, while Tiffany shares were up 0.8% at $113 - compared with an agreed takeover cash price of $135 a share. "Hiding behind the French government is just an excuse for LVMH," said Ion-Marc Valahu, a fund manager at Geneva-based firm Clairinvest. "The reality is that they're seeing what's happening with COVID, and the fact that no-one is going out shopping, and they may be looking to see if they can get Tiffany at a lower price." LVMH has denied Tiffany's accusation that it is trying to negotiate a lower price, saying the terms of the original merger agreement does not allow it to do so. (Reporting by Sudip Kar-Gupta and Jean-Stephane Brosse; Editing by Silvia Aloisi and Pravin Char) BAKU, Azerbaijan, Sept. 15 Trend: President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev made a phone call to President of the Republic of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan to congratulate him on the 102nd anniversary of the liberation of Baku on September 15, Trend reports referring to the Azerbaijani presidential press-service. Noting that the Caucasian Islamic Army under the leadership of Nuru Pasha had liberated Baku from Armenian and Bolshevik occupation together with the Azerbaijani National Army and volunteers, the president said the martyrs who gave their lives in the battles were commemorated with deep respect and their memory would always live in the hearts of our people. President Aliyev noted that he had sent a congratulatory letter to President Erdogan on this significant event. The president noted that September 15 was still celebrated as an example of devotion to the memory of our ancestors. In this regard, events are being held in Baku and various regions of Azerbaijan. President Erdogan thanked President Aliyev for the phone call, conveyed his congratulations to President Aliyev, and said that he had also sent a letter to the Azerbaijani president on this occasion. The president of the Republic of Turkey underlined the role of the Caucasus Islamic Army led by Nuru Pasha and the Azerbaijani National Army in the liberation of Baku. The presidents stressed that the two countries had always stood by each other and supported each other in all matters. The military parade held two years ago on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the liberation of Baku was also pointed out during the telephone conversation. The presidents recalled with pleasure their watching the military parade with the participation of Azerbaijani and Turkish soldiers. The sides hailed the fact that the relations between the two countries had risen to an even higher level. During the conversation, the presidents discussed prospects for developing cooperation between Azerbaijan and Turkey in various fields. New Delhi, Sep 15 : Continuing its crackdown on illegal liquor sales in the national capital, the Delhi police has destroyed 16,262 quarter bottles of country-made illicit liquor, seized in various Excise department raids in South district. The liquor bottles were crushed using a JCB in an open area, following an order from the Excise department. During its crackdown, the police arrested a bootlegger on Sunday and seized 1,100 quarters of illicit liquor from him in Tigri police station area in South Delhi. During interrogation, the accused disclosed that he was residing in a rented house and worked as a daily wage labourer. On enquiry, the house owner was found to be a bad character of the area involved in more than 20 cases under the Excise Act. Earlier on September 12, two bootleggers were arrested in two separate incidents and around 2,030 quarters of illicit liquor in 41 cartons were seized. Police also seized two vehicles from their possession. "During interrogation, one of the accused disclosed that he was transporting illicit liquor to one of the suppliers in Delhi. He further disclosed that he was getting Rs 20,000 each month," said a senior police officer. South East Delhi police also launched a crackdown on illicit liquor on September 13 and confiscated 624 quarters of illicit liquor with the arrest of three bootleggers in three separate raids -- Badarpur, New Friends Colony and Okhla Industrial Area. On September 12, in Dwarka, 95 quarters of illicit liquor were seized in Chhawla and one accused was nabbed. "On the same night , in Baba Haridas Nagar ERV staff intercepted a car and arrested the driver after the recovery of 44 cartons of country-made illicit liquor from the vehicle," police added. (Zafar Abbas can be reached at Zafar.a@ians ) BIRMINGHAM, MI A Michigan jeweler has pleaded guilty to wire fraud in a multi-million-dollar diamond-buying scheme. Joseph DuMouchelle, 58, entered the plea Monday in federal court. He is the owner Birmingham-based DuMouchelle Fine & Estate Jewelers who twice auctioned an engagement ring presented by Donald Trump to second wife Marla Maples, according to the Associated Press. He faces sentencing on Jan. 13. Authorities said that in 2018 DuMouchelle proposed to a client that a diamond known as the Yellow Rose could be purchased for $12 million as an investment opportunity and later sold for even more money. The client was given wire transfer instructions to DuMouchelles account instead of a sellers account. Once in DuMouchelles account, the funds were quickly withdrawn and used to pay debts and expenses. As part of the plea agreement, DuMouchelle has acknowledged that there are other victims of the scheme to obtain money by means of false and fraudulent material pretenses and representation, according to a news release from the Department of Justice. White collar criminals may use sophisticated methods and apparently legitimate businesses, but their crimes amount to nothing more than stealing other peoples money, said United States Attorney Matthew Schneider. Dumouchelle lured his victims into believing his false promises because he held himself out to be an expert with valuable connections that would earn the victims substantial profits, but it was all a lie. DuMouchelle is well known in the industry. According to the Associated Press, he sold at auction a large diamond engagement ring that Trump gave to Maples in 2016. Maples previously sold the 7.45-carat emerald-cut, Harry Winston-designed ring after she and Trump divorced in 1999. DuMouchelle was the auctioneer for that sale. The couple who purchased it later asked DuMouchelle to sell it for them. Joseph Dumouchelle defrauded his investors by convincing them that he was buying and selling rare jewelry for big profits, said Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan, Steven M. DAntuono. It was all a lie. Instead, Dumouchelle used the victims' hard-earned money to help him maintain a lifestyle he could no longer afford. This case represents excellent collaboration between the Birmingham Police Department and the FBIs Detroit Metropolitan Identity Theft and Financial Crimes Task Force. The investigation into Dumouchelle was conducted by the FBIs Detroit Metropolitan Identity Theft and Financial Crimes Task Force and the Birmingham Police Department. LOS ANGELES The West Coast is so reliably Democratic that the only thing its been good for in most presidential elections is raising money. And because of limitations on in-person gatherings, even that wasnt happening much this year. But with the wildfires torching the West, the recent shooting of two sheriffs deputies in Los Angeles and Trumps much-publicized feud with anarchist jurisdictions in Washington and Oregon, the West Coast has suddenly become the locus of pressing debates about climate change, racial justice and public safety some of the most urgent and consequential issues facing the country. The turmoil has fixed the West, which is typically overlooked in presidential politics because of its deep blue Democratic hue, as an ideological center of the campaign, even if its electoral votes arent in play. Obviously with the fires in all three states and the social upheaval in Portland and Seattle, its front-and-center, said Antonio Villaraigosa, the former mayor of Los Angeles. Democrats are using the fires to make the point that were a party that believes in science and is going to take on the issue of climate change, and Republicans are doing the same: Were the party of law and order. On those two issues, he said, Were an ideological battleground. Far from the political power centers of New York and Washington, D.C., Californias wildfires brought Trump to the West Coast on Monday, sandwiched between campaign appearances in the more competitive states of Nevada and Arizona. Kamala Harris, the California senator and Joe Bidens running mate, was set to follow with a visit to her home state late Monday for a briefing with fire officials Tuesday. California has seen more than 3.1 million acres burn since the beginning of the year, and more than 30 people have died in fires up and down the West Coast. The air quality is so bad residents choke on smoke inside homes miles from active fires and search for air purifiers like they once did toilet paper. Story continues On Monday, Biden called Trump a climate arsonist," while Trump, who has criticized forest management practices and dismissed established science about climate change, said, "It'll start getting cooler, just watch." When challenged about the science by the head of California's Natural Resources Agency, Trump responded, I dont think science knows, actually. West Coast Democrats delivered some of Trumps worst defeats in 2016. The president won less than 40 percent of the vote in California, Oregon and Washington state. And they have feuded ever since, litigating over climate change, immigration and other issues. The context of an election now less than two months away has served to amplify the conflict a mixed blessing for West Coast politicians who can now highlight climate change, but must also appeal to the Trump administration for federal assistance. Now, both Trump and Biden are looking West to make points that will resonate in more competitive regions of the country Trump on violence in cities, Biden on the effects of climate change. Speaking about the wildfires in a speech from Wilmington, Del., on Monday, Biden laced into Trumps overt appeals to suburban voters, a major point of weakness for the presidents re-election prospects. You know what is actually threatening our suburbs? Biden said. Wildfires are burning the suburbs of the West. Floods are wiping out suburban neighborhoods in the Midwest. Hurricanes are imperiling suburban life along our coast. If we have four more years of Trump's climate denial, how many suburbs will be burned in wildfires? How many suburban neighborhoods will have been flooded out? How many suburbs will have been blown away in superstorms? Street lamps on the Tilikum Crossing Bridge illuminate smoke from wildfires Sept. 13, 2020, in Portland, Ore. In Los Angeles, Mayor Eric Garcetti likened Trumps handling of climate change to his management of the coronavirus pandemic, saying that while climate change is not his fault, His climate denial is only making these events get worse. Dismissive of climate change, Trump has sought to capitalize instead on social unrest in California, Oregon and Washington, holding liberal Democratic leadership in those states out as a foil in his law-and-order-focused campaign. Earlier this month, Trump threatened to curtail federal funding to anarchist jurisdictions or any city that disempowers or defunds its police. He specifically called out Seattle, Portland, Ore., New York and Washington, D.C., for review. After the ambush of two sheriffs deputies in Los Angeles, he wrote on Twitter of the gunman, Animals that must be hit hard! Trump still regularly refers to his administrations intervention in protests in Portland, including this past weekend, when he called it pathetic that Portlands mayor, Ted Wheeler, planned to move from his condo building because of protests there. And by the way, the U.S. marshals did a great job in Portland, he said to cheers. They did a great job. You know what I mean. If Biden wins, the rioters win, the anarchists win, arsonists, flag burners, they all win. Justin Matheson, a Republican consultant in his home state of Washington and neighboring Oregon, said the months of protests and violence combined with the depressed economy have created opportunities for Republicans in suburban areas outside Seattle and Portland. Weve seen, especially coming out of our [Washington] primary, base turnouts of Republicans that have been better than weve had in recent years, said Matheson, the northwest director for Axiom Strategies. Its not so much Trump, its what the politicians around Seattle have done, including defunding the police. Just the unlawfulness and the inability to prosecute crimes is changing the narrative in the suburbs. Its a whole different environment than it was in January. If Portland was beneficial for Trumps catering to his base, it was also the city that proved more poignantly than anywhere the limitations of his law-and-order appeal. His agents were met there by a wall of moms, a nod to the suburban support that has he has shed since 2016 and failed to recover. But Jim Brulte, a former California Republican Party chair and longtime legislative leader, said, I dont remember a presidential election where Portland basically had riots for 90 days before the election. For Trump, he said, I think its a legitimate touchstone, and the fact of the matter is these are cities that are controlled by liberals and their ideology has, in part, led to this. None of the disputes in the West will matter for the purposes of the presidential election on the West Coast. The last Republican to carry California in a presidential election was George H.W. Bush in 1988, and Oregon and Washington havent gone Republican since Ronald Reagan in 1984. Only one of four debates this fall is in the West, and that is the vice presidential debate, in Salt Lake City, far from the coast. Harris is from California. But before Tuesday, she had not been home since early spring, before the coronavirus pandemic broke out. Still, rarely has the West Coast drawn as much attention in a presidential campaign. Abnormally for California, we are a part of the national conversation in the presidential campaign, said Doug Herman, a California-based Democratic strategist. Normally, California is mentioned to denigrate Hollywood celebrities and, We went to California to raise money. On issues of climate, West Coast politicians have felt a shift in the landscape in recent weeks. Though the region has long dominated the climate debate dispatching then-California Gov. Jerry Brown and Washington Gov. Jay Inslee to global summits during the Trump era the region has struggled to make an imprint in an American media ecosystem dominated by Washington and New York. Geography still matters and the center of communications are on the East Coast, not the West Coast, and that has an inclination on how people, including in the media, view the significance of issues. It's a human trait. We certainly understand it, Inslee, who made climate change a central platform of his primary run for president, acknowledged in an interview. But he said the impact of the fires, which have roared onto newspaper front pages across America, will resonate this time and that Republicans will begin coming around to the magnitude of the challenge. I am hopeful that when Trump goes to his reward that there will be some folks in the Republican Party who will show some leadership on this subject. Five years ago, on the eve of a Republican presidential primary debate in California, Brown had all but begged the candidates, including Trump, to address climate change, telling reporters: My message is real clear: Californias burning. What the hell are you going to do about it? The answer, it turned out, was not much. But now, Brown said Monday, Theres been more print on climate change in the last month than in the last few years, and thats a byproduct of the suffering, the destruction and the deaths that people are seeing in California. So, this is a cause of awakening. Brown said, The fires are graphically portraying the damage that occurs when the environment is disrupted. The paramilitary police officers march outside the Forbidden City, near Tiananmen Square in Beijing, on May 20, 2020. (Kevin Frayer/Getty Images) UK Warns Citizens of Detention Risk in China In a new travel advisory, the British government has warned its citizens that foreigners should be aware of the risk of arbitrary detention in China. Chinas authorities have under certain circumstances detained foreigners citing endangering national security, the British Foreign Office said in its latest advice on traveling to China. National Security is interpreted broadly and you may be detained without having intended to break the law, the advisory stated. People hold signs calling for China to release Canadian detainees Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig during an extradition hearing for Huawei Technologies Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou at the B.C. Supreme Court in Vancouver, British Columbia, in Canada on March 6, 2019. (Lindsey Wasson/Reuters) There is also a risk of arbitrary detention, including of British Nationals, it warned. The UK made no mention of the risk of arbitrary detention in its previous travel advisories for China. A spokesman for the British embassy in Beijing said the advice had been updated to clearly and factually reflect recent incidents, though the level of our advice has not changed. Hostage Diplomacy The UK Foreign Offices warning comes after a string of arrests of Western individuals in China, which have sparked concern among observers who believe the Chinese regime is engaging in hostage diplomacy. The United States, Canada, and Australia have already warned their citizens of the risk of arbitrary detention in China. Michael Kovrig, a former Canadian diplomat, has been accused by the Chinese regime of stealing state secrets. (International Crisis Group) After Meng Wanzhou, the CFO of Chinas technology giant Huawei, was detained in Vancouver for Huaweis violation of U.S. sanctions against Iran, the Chinese regime detained two Canadians, former diplomat Michael Kovrig and businessman Michael Spavor. The duo were formally charged with espionage on June 19, in a move that is widely viewed as politically motivated. Last month, Cheng Lei, a Chinese-born, naturalized Australian citizen who had worked as a host of a business show on the Chinese state-owned network CGTN, was detained in China for carrying out criminal activities endangering Chinas national security. Cheng Lei, a Chinese-born Australian journalist for CGTN, the English-language channel of China Central Television, attends a public event in Beijing on Aug. 12, 2020. (Ng Han Guan/AP Photo) Earlier this month, the Australian government evacuated two journalists from China after a tense diplomatic stand-off. After Chinese officials banned them from leaving the country, Bill Birtles from the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) and Mike Smith from the Australian Financial Review (AFR) spent five days sheltering at diplomatic missions until they were allowed to leave. Victoria Kelly-Clark, Eva Fu, and Reuters contributed to this report. U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden called for a significant and coordinated federal response to prevent catastrophic forest fires from continuing to ravage Oregon and other states in the future, saying the suffocating smoke blanketing the West is debt coming due on decades of poor forest management. Wyden made comments on the Senate floor Monday after touring the devastation caused by wildfires across Oregon in recent days. This debate has been going on for too long, with misguided priorities on both sides, Wyden said during a roughly 20-minute speech. On one side, some in the timber industry skipped past active management to pursue the golden calf of the elimination of environmental laws. On the other side, misguided non-management priorities beat back every attempt to manage our forests based on science. Wyden renewed his previous calls for more federal funding for wildfire prevention and suppression and to create a 21st Century Civilian Conservation Corps, a proposal he unveiled last month in conjunction with U.S. Sen. Cory Booker, D-NJ. Oregons senior senator is also planning to introduce legislation this week that would allow for prescribed burns in the winter months on federal lands to prevent catastrophic wildfires. Wydens comments came as President Donald Trump was visiting California to discuss the wildfire devastation there. He said the Senate has an obligation to act as Oregonians remain choking on smoke inside their homes after thousands fled for their lives. We lost so much but we didnt lose our spirit. We didnt lose what we call the Oregon way. Neighbor helping neighbor, he said. Wyden said the Civilian Conservation Corps would employ thousands of young people across the nation in taking concrete steps to help maintain forest lands that are overgrown. Wyden said Oregon has more than 2 million acres that need to be treated and have hazardous fuels removed. Without those treatments, a lightning strike or a carelessly dropped match can create an inferno that can leap a river and rip through thousands of acres in the blink of an eye, he said. More than 1 million acres of land have burned in Oregon since Labor Day, and ten people have died as of Monday. Nearly two dozen people remain unaccounted for, according to the Oregon Office of Emergency Management. Over the weekend, Wyden and all six other members of Oregons Congressional delegation called for additional federal resources to fight the fires. During a Monday news conference, Oregon fire officials said some 5,600 firefighters were working the blazes, which range from Clackamas to Marion and Lane counties to Jackson, Lake and Josephine. According to U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkleys staff, two federal fire crew teams had been deployed since the congressional request one to southern Oregon and another to the Echo Mountain Complex fire on the coast. Wyden also criticized Trump, who said Monday that the U.S. should do what forest nations in Europe do. He said we have trees that are more explosive in terms of fire than they have in California, he said of an unnamed European leader, and we dont have any problems because we manage our forests, Trump concluded. We have to do that in California. Wyden responded to those comments, saying, Sending that kind of nonsense across the land is cold comfort to the families mourning loved ones theyve lost in the fires or the thousands of Oregonians who barely made it out. Wyden said the Senate has an obligation to act, noting that Oregonians had stepped up to help one another during the wildfires regardless of politics. -- Andrew Theen WEST CHESTER An East Fallowfield man whose car collided head on with another while he was under the influence of illegal drugs admitted his guilt in the case Tuesday, more than two years after the crash that killed a western Chester County woman and seriously injured her son. And watching the courtroom proceeding from a video camera was the sister of the deceased woman, who had complained earlier this year about what she said was the slow pace of the prosecution. Dave Keech, 58, entered open guilty pleas to homicide by vehicle while driving under the influence, aggravated assault while DUI and two counts of recklessly endangering another person. He will be sentenced later this year by Common Pleas Judge Allison bell Royer, who accepted his guilty plea, , and faces a mandatory minimum sentence of three years in state prison for the homicide. Killed in the crash was Katherine Lawrence of Sadsburyville, a 56-year-old mother of four. According to the prosecutor in the case, Deputy District Attorney Carlos Barraza, Lawrence suffered multiple trauma to her head and torso, while her youngest son, Brent Lawrence, suffered a broken hip that will need constant medical attention for the rest of his life. Keech, who is being held in Chester County Prison on $1 million bail, entered his plea via a video hook up from the prison. He answered Royers questions with simple yes or no responses, but agreed that he had asked to not be present in the courtroom during the proceeding. If he had, he would have seen not only his mother, who sat on the defense side of the courtroom, but also a group of about seven supporters of the Lawrence family. And he would have seen the face of Linda Walls, Lawrences sister, who had complained about the pace of the case against him and of how she perceived she was treated by the Chester County District Attorneys Office in the months while the case seemed in her eyes to languish in the system. Walls did not speak during the proceeding, and appeared from another state via the video connection. She will be given the chance to address Royer when sentencing occurs, as will other members of Lawrences family and the other victim, Brent Lawrence. In a telephone interview in January, Walls said she had been upset and frustrated by the way she was treated by both the prosecutor formerly assigned to the case and, later, by a member of the D.A.s support staff, who she suggested warned her against bringing her concerns to the attention of the media. More than anything, however, she felt as if the case was being allowed to drag itself out, with the defendant no closer to a trial date than in the span since he slammed his pickup into her sisters car. Its been 14 months (since her sisters death), and nobody is doing anything or being pro-active, said Linda Walls. Its been 14 months and the case is no farther along than Day One. When notified of Wallss complaints, newly inaugurated District Attorney Deb Ryan said she would make sure Wallss concerns were addressed. As district attorney, one of my top priorities will be to make sure victims and survivors are informed and always treated with respect, she said at the time. I have addressed this with my office and will continue to reinforce the importance of how we engage with victims throughout my tenure. The crash that claimed Wallss sisters life occurred around 10 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 9, 2018, when a Ford 250 pickup truck operated by Keech, the property manager at the Airport Plaza Shopping Center, crossed from one lane into the other on West Lincoln Highway in Valley and collided with the Buick LeSabre that Lawrence was driving, with her son in the passenger seat. A witness said that after seeing the truck cross into the oncoming lane, everything in the flatbed of the truck exploded, according to the criminal complaint filed by Officers Timothy Parker and Jeffrey Canale. Lawrence was killed instantly in the crash, which shut down the highway for more than five hours. In his recitation of the facts of the plea, Barraza saids that the trucks computer readout showed that Keech had made no attempt to stop until milliseconds before impact, even as Lawrence attempted to swerve her car out of his way. According to the complaint, Keech told investigators that he might have fallen asleep at the wheel when he lost control of the F-250 truck, and did not see the other car until the last moment and had no time to do anything. When police searched the truck as part of their investigation, they found several plastic straws that had been cut down inside in the trucks cab. The straws had a white powdery substance in them, consistent with being used to snort drugs. An analysis of Keechs blood that was drawn at Paoli Hospital on the day of the crash, where Keech had been taken to treat injuries he suffered, found the presence of methamphetamine, Valium and fentanyl. The results were not made available to police until Feb. 5, 2019, and Keech was arrested and charged later that month. Royer allowed Keechs mother to speak to him briefly at the close of the proceeding. David, keep the faith, the woman said. No matter what, you are my son. I love you and I will always be by your side. To contact staff writer Michael P. Rellahan call 610-696-1544. Here are todays top news, analysis and opinion. Know all the latest news and other updates from Hindustan Times. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh likely to address Parliament today on India-China border issue Defence minister Rajnath Singh is expected to make a statement in Parliament on Tuesday on standoff between Indian and Chinese soldiers at the Line of Actual Control (LAC). Read more IMD issues heavy rain warning for peninsular India India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast heavy to very heavy rainfall over coastal Andhra Pradesh (AP), Telangana, Maharashtra, parts of Gujarat, coastal and northern interior Karnataka, Kerala and Mahe during the next four-five days. Read more Defence Minister Rajnath Singh likely to address Parliament today on India-China border issue Defence minister Rajnath Singh is expected to make a statement in Parliament on Tuesday on standoff between Indian and Chinese soldiers at the Line of Actual Control (LAC). Read more Shweta Tripathi on Rhea Chakrabortys media trial: This is no way to treat anyone, this way humanity will end humanity Actor Shweta Tripathi, who was recently seen in the film Cargo, has condemned the media trial of Rhea Chakraborty. Rhea was arrested last week on drugs-related charges in the ongoing Sushant Singh Rajput death case. Read more Google Pixel 5, Pixel 4a 5G, new Chromecast and smart speaker to launch on September 30 Google has finally announced the launch date of its flagship Pixel 5 smartphone. At its Launch Night In event, Google will also launch its new Chromecast, new smart speaker and the Pixel 4a 5G. The Google Pixel 5 event will take place on September 30. Read more Mercedes-maker Daimler to pay $2.2 billion in emissions cheating settlement Daimler AG will pay $2.2 billion violating U.S. clean air laws and to resolve claims from 250,000 US vehicle owners, court documents show. Read more Sachin asked me to bowl: How former India spinner Nilesh Kulkarni achieved historic feat in 1997 Test against Sri Lanka In August of 1997, former India left-arm spinner Nilesh Kulkarni made history when he became the first Indian to get a wicket off his first ball in Test cricket. Read more The Islamic State (IS) operations against Syrian regime and pro-Iranian targets have recently intensified, causing additional losses among those forces despite the military operation that Russia launched on Aug. 25 against IS in the Syrian desert, known as Badiya, in central Syria. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Sept. 7 that IS carried out separate attacks and set up ambushes in separate areas of Badiya, over the past week. The organizations operations included bombings, attacks and ambushes, and were concentrated in al-Shula area west of Deir ez-Zor, the desert of Boukamal to the east of Deir ez-Zor, the Deir ez-Zor-Al-Mayadin road, the Hamima-third station road toward the city of Palmyra in the eastern countryside of Homs, the Rusafa area in the countryside of Raqqa, the Ithria area in the eastern countryside of Hama and the desert of Sweida. Following the killing of a Russian general at the hands of IS, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced Aug. 25 the launch of a military operation against IS in Badiya under the name of White Desert. A Russian military spokesman said in a statement, The terrorists are impeding the return of social and economic life in Syria, and they are also working to hinder normalization between the local Arab tribes and the authorities [in reference to the Syrian regime]. The United States is the main beneficiary of [IS attacks], using them as a pretext to justify its presence in eastern Syria. The Russian general, Vyacheslav Gladkikh, was killed Aug. 18 along with a leader of the National Defense Forces, which is affiliated with the regime, by an improvised explosive device planted by IS in the countryside of Deir ez-Zor province. Hammam Issa, a media activist from the countryside of Aleppo in the know of IS operations, told Al-Monitor, The Syrian desert extends over an area of about 80,000 square kilometers [31,000 square miles], which gives the organization the ability to catch the regime forces off guard as they move to and from Deir ez-Zor province in the far east of Syria through the Raqqa desert. This desert extends to the countryside of Suwayda, the countryside of Damascus, the countryside of Hama and Homs in the west, and reaches the Syrian-Iraqi border in the east. It also extends to the Syrian-Jordanian border in the south and the outskirts of the provinces of Raqqa and Deir ez-Zor in the north. He said that Russia is using Liwa al-Quds (Jerusalem Brigade) as a spearhead in the fight against IS in Badiya to fill the void left by the National Defense Forces after they withdrew from the confrontation against IS in the area due to the losses incurred in the past months. The Russian forces are now providing support to Liwa al-Quds to control the security and military situation in the Syrian desert, he explained. Liwa al-Quds, formed in 2013, is mainly made up of Palestinian fighters fighting alongside Syrian regime forces. Liwa al-Quds, according to Issa, transferred pro-regime military groups from Aleppo and Idlib countryside to Badiya to take part in operations against IS. In this context, Suhaib Abdul-Razzaq Jaber, a journalist from Deir ez-Zor countryside, told Al-Monitor, IS has turned Badiya into a black hole that swallows regime soldiers. All the parties controlling the area [the regime forces, Russia, Iran and the Kurdish forces] know very well that the organization still has a last enclave in the desert. And since 2017, they [the parties] have been aware of the size of this enclave and the number of IS elements present therein. He added, They [the Syrian regime, Kurdish forces, Russia and Iran] are the ones who allowed the organization to flee toward the desert and get stationed in this last enclave, in al-Maizilah and Sabaa Biyar and their surroundings. The organizations recent moves are only normal since it is a terrorist organization. But what is more of a terrorist act is having allowed this terrorist organization to survive while it targeted civilians that year [in reference to the July 2018 killing of hundreds in Suwayda] and civilians fleeing the 'virtual' war between IS and [President Bashar al-] Assad. Jaber noted that IS moves easily in the desert, where it is easy to hide, especially at night. IS militants carry out individual attacks, making it hard to be targeted by airstrikes, he added, and this has helped the organization to survive in its last enclave, by also carrying out surprise attacks before disappearing. Some leaders of Assads militias are also dealing with IS to smuggle people and goods. The two parties have even covered for each other under a truce or an agreement between them. This truce or agreement may have happened after a number of leaders from the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps visited military bases in Badiya, close to IS pockets, including Qasem Soleimani in 2019 and the Iranian minister of defense [in 2018], Jaber added. He said the reason Russia lost some of its officers at the hands of IS is that these officers are not trained to conduct military operations in desert areas. Also, he added, Russian officers do not know the places where IS planted mines. The journalist ruled out that IS would launch attacks with the aim of controlling some cities, such as the city of al-Sukhna, the second-largest city in Badiya after Palmyra. However, he said, the organization launches on a weekly basis attacks in the outskirts of the main cities such as Abu Kamal, al-Mayadin, al-Ashara, al-Quriah, al-Sukhna, Palmyra, al-Shula and Kobajjep, among others. Asked about the regime forces failure to eliminate IS in Badiya, Jaber said, All the regimes operations are failing because its forces are drained. It does not have the human, technical or material capabilities to fight this battle, and its main dependence is on Western powers that are inexperienced in fighting the organization under such circumstances. Abd al-Rahman al-Asef, a former jihadist leader and expert on jihadist groups, told Al-Monitor, The most important factor contributing to the organizations steadfastness is its organizational structure. Add to this its conduct of operations based on a well-thought-out strategy. Russia will continue to be defeated by IS so long as it is unaware of the organizations strategy. Meanwhile, Russia is inflating IS losses in order to portray itself as fighting terrorism at a time when the United States has failed to seriously deal with terrorism. All this propaganda is to justify its presence in Syria and its support for the regimes killing of Syrians. After all, Russia came to Syria to support Assad, not to fight terrorism. How Europe coexists with the coronavirus Having abandoned hopes of eradicating the virus or developing a vaccine quickly, Europeans have largely gone back to work and school, leading lives as normally as possible even as the possibility of a second wave haunts the Continent. Europeans are putting to use the lessons from the pandemics initial phase: the need to wear masks and practice social distancing, the importance of testing and tracing, the critical advantages of reacting nimbly and locally. All of those measures are intended to prevent the kind of national lockdowns that crippled economies this year. We are in a living-with-the-virus phase, said Roberto Speranza, the health minister of Italy, the first country in Europe to impose a national lockdown. The European path differs from that of many Asian countries, including China and South Korea, where even one case can set off an aggressive campaign of testing, tracing and isolation. In those countries, infection rates have been persistently low, although cases have been ticking up recently in South Korea. Paris Hilton says she suffered abuse at a disciplinary high school in a new documentary, "This is Paris." (Christina House/Los Angeles Times) In a few days, Raina Lincicum is due to give birth to her sixth child. She and her family live in Bellingham, Wash., a city where the median household income is $50,844. Her husband owns an electronics repair business, and shes been working on getting her own degree from a local technical college in between raising their kids. Her life bears little outward resemblance to Paris Hiltons. But at 39, the hotel heiress has come to count Lincicum as one of her few confidants. Twenty years ago, the two women met as roommates at the Provo Canyon School, a residential treatment center for supposedly troubled youths. Lincicum, who had fled an abusive household, was living on the streets of California and sent to the program through the state legal system. Hiltons parents decided to ship their daughter off to Utah because they thought she was spending too much time at nightclubs. But even though the teenagers had shared a barren room their few belongings stored in trash bags they never discussed the way they were treated at PCS until last year. Thats when, in the midst of filming a documentary about her life, Hilton decided to reveal that she had been physically and verbally abused at the high school. She reconnected with Lincicum and three other students from the institution, inviting them to her home in Beverly Hills to reunite on camera and share their stories for the first time. I can relate to them more than people in this town, Hilton said of her former classmates. I love that theyre actually normal, genuine, real people. They dont want to be famous. They are traumatized like me and have hidden the story and not talked about it. Coming together is almost therapeutic. I wont see a therapist, but I feel like talking to them is like having a million therapy sessions, because they understand me completely. Paris Hilton reflects in a Mykonos pool in a scene from "This Is Paris." (YouTube Originals) This Is Paris, which was released Monday on YouTube, was not initially intended to center on Hiltons adolescent trauma. Filmmaker Alexandra Dean had pitched it to Hilton as a way to show fans a more unvarnished side of herself, theorizing that shed been misjudged as solely the airhead blond on The Simple Life or the socialite with a sex tape. The director had been trailing Hilton for seven months when, during a press stop in Korea, she noticed her subject seemed particularly emotionally fragile. Hilton hadnt slept in two days and confessed that shed been having nightmares. Story continues Shed spent the day taking selfies with people for three hours without a bathroom break in some little lacy dress somebody had literally sewn her into as if she was a living Barbie, recalled Dean. She would never be angry with anybody. She never snapped. Always smiling. So I thought: Oh my God, at what point does she crack? By the time we got back to the hotel room, I was like, What is going on here? Because she was so exhausted and had clearly pushed the character to the edge, the cracks were showing and it wasnt hard to see that she was desperate to talk to somebody about it. Hilton divulged that at 17, she had been awoken in the dead of night by PCS representatives and hauled from her bed as her parents looked on crying. During her 11 months at the school one of five she attended as a teen she said she was prescribed unknown pills that made her tired and numb, beaten by staff members and thrown into a cold solitary confinement chamber for nearly 20 hours. She was unable to relay the alleged mistreatment to her parents because her phone calls were monitored, and when she finally graduated, she made a vow to herself to bury the traumatic memories. Paris Hilton hugs her mother, Kathy, in the documentary "This Is Paris." (YouTube Originals) But in her dreams, disturbing recollections still haunted her. Every single night, literally, 99% of my nightmares were about being taken from my room and being locked up in these places and trying to escape, Hilton said. It just felt so real, to the point where I would wake up in the middle of night, in hysterics crying, in hot sweats, not being able to breathe and having panic attacks. When I started opening up about it, I realized: 'Thats why you invented this character. Thats why you put up the mask.' It was all a way to build this happy fantasy life so I wouldnt have to think about what had been done to me. PCS did not respond to The Times request for comment. But on its website, the school posted a statement saying that because it was sold by previous ownership in 2000, we therefore cannot comment on the operations or patient experience prior to that time. We are committed to providing high-quality care to youth with special, and often complex, emotional, behavioral and psychiatric needs. In an effort to corroborate Hiltons account, Dean set out to find other students who had known her during her time at PCS. The director first connected with Katherine McNamara, a 38-year-old cybersecurity solutions architect for Cisco who also moderated a Facebook support group for program survivors. McNamara, who lived in nearby Pasadena, tracked down Lincicum, 38, and two more women Elizabeth Abeysekera, 38, and Jessica Pike, 39 who had also been Hiltons peers. Katherine McNamara, left, and Elizabeth Abeysekera were classmates of Paris Hilton's at Provo Canyon School. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) Lincicum, her onetime roommate, found the prospect of appearing in a film scary but ultimately decided it was a a no-brainer because of course we have to see each other and talk about this. Its so big. Abeysekera, a mother of five who lives in the Chicago suburbs, had more trepidation. When I was initially talked to about doing an interview, I was kind of like, Eh, maybe, because I had spent 21 years actively avoiding it, said Abeysekera, speaking on a five-way video call with her former classmates. I was at a nice balance point. I didnt want to mess with that. But eventually, thinking it through, I was like: If I dont say something or take some action, then Im complicit. I didnt want to feel like that. Pike, who runs a Colorado cleaning business clearing out foreclosed homes weve found dog heads in boxes was so hesitant about participating that she had Hilton send a selfie with Dean as proof of her involvement in the project. The whole situation was crazy and felt kind of unbelievable, said Pike, who was video chatting from the passenger seat of a pull-behind trailer. I hadnt thought about it at all until the documentary came up, and I had a hard time a little bit after filming because then it brought all kinds of stuff up to the surface. At Hiltons home in August 2019, the women spent 12 hours bonding over their PCS experiences. Lincicum recounted how, upon arrival, shed been made to squat and cough like a criminal hiding drugs in your vag. Because of prior sexual trauma, she refused, and said that employees then held her down and stripped her. McNamara recalled being assigned a therapist who had no certification and pushed religious beliefs on her. Hilton said she saw people get in trouble for merely uttering Marilyn Mansons name. To be able to talk about it and not feel alone anymore felt amazing, Hilton said. Id been a little worried that it would be weird like, 'oh my God, what are they going to think of me?' But I also felt proud. Like who would have imagined that girl there could have built this life? Over the course of the visit, the women told Hilton theyd never bought the ditzy image Hilton had sold to the public for decades. At one point, overcome by emotion, she retreated to her closet as Dean followed with a camera. Hanging out with people who just treated her like a normal person and remembered her from, like, math class it shook her, Dean said. They were treating her like Paris before all of this, and suddenly she could see what her life could have been. Jessica Pike, left, and Raina Lincicum with her child. (Jessica Pike / Raina Lincicum) Asked how they remembered Hilton from PCS, Lincicum described her as a freakin brilliant woman who had a target on her back because of her parents wealth. She was freakishly smart. Its scary, added Abeysekera. I saw Paris as an incredibly genuine, authentic person. So seeing her do this and use her platform to speak up for everybody who doesnt have a voice is not the least bit out of character. This Is Paris is not entirely about PCS, though Hiltons revelations about her time there do color other scenes in the film. Her sister, Nicky, urges her to abandon her years-long quest to make a billion dollars in favor of settling down and starting a family. She shows off a stack of defunct laptops, noting that she gets a new computer every time she has a new boyfriend because of her trust issues. And before her first DJ set at the Tomorrowland electronic dance music festival, she kicks out an attention-seeking man shes dating after he becomes belligerently drunk and picks a fight with her. Hilton begged Dean to scrap the Tomorrowland footage, but she did not have final cut approval on the documentary. Shes very real in that moment. And I think being very real is very scary for Paris Hilton, said the director. I got these therapy-like moments of her opening up and giving glimpses of who she really is today on camera. And I didnt actually expect that. I didnt know if she was capable of that, and she very much is. But I think to expect that this film will completely lift the mask and show the Paris Hilton that even Paris Hilton doesnt know anymore isnt realistic. Paparazzi crowd outside a restaurant in West Hollywood to take photos of Paris Hilton. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) Hilton said she still feels like the film is quite personal, and was so anxious about showing it to her parents before release that she told them she hadnt received a screener. That wasn't true. She was stalling, she said, because she was worried about how they would react to hearing her talk about her time at PCS. I want to watch it with them, because I know if Im not there theyre just going to be so upset, she said. I cant imagine if I sent my child to what I thought was a normal school and learned they were abused you feel like you could never forgive yourself. I dont blame them, because I know they were manipulated by these people. But its going to be very hard to watch it together. Because of the statute of limitations, Hilton and the four other PCS students in the film cannot take legal action against the school. But for the first time in 20 years, she said, her nightmares have receded. Shes hoping to pursue a follow-up series focusing specifically on disciplinary schools, and said she is in touch with state Sen. Sara Gelser of Oregon about teaming up on regulatory legislation. As for her newly rediscovered PCS friends, she keeps in touch with them via a WhatsApp group chat though shes had to restart it a few times after her phone got hacked. Welcome to the world of Paris. So annoying, Hilton told the other women, advising them of her new number. Youre so patient, because I would have lost it, said Abeysekera. It sounds like a sick invasion of privacy." It sounds super annoying like, more than annoying, honestly. Maddening, added Lincicum. I cant wait until people see you for real. I cant freaking wait. Online charter calls for liberation of occupied Palestine and affirms normalisation with Israel is a betrayal. More than 200,000 Arab social media users have signed the Palestine Charter, a document rejecting the Arab states normalisation of relations with Israel. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrains foreign ministers will sign an agreement with Israel at the White House on Tuesday, establishing full ties in violation of the Arab Peace Initiative. The text of the charter states: Believing in the justice of the Palestinian cause and following my responsibility towards it, I am honoured to sign the Palestine Charter, through which I affirm that Palestine is an occupied Arab state and its liberation is a duty. The Zionist entity is an occupying, racist and usurping entity of our Al-Aqsa Mosque and the land of Palestine, and normalisation with it in all its forms is a betrayal. Im Alia from Saudi Arabia, and I am honoured to sign the Palestine Charter, one Twitter user said. I invite you all to sign and share the link with your followers, family and loved ones. () @adham922 https://t.co/h1LVi0HiUq#_#_ pic.twitter.com/awvKF3heDt (@Alya_Alhwaiti) September 15, 2020 The charter is endorsed by more than 20 pro-Palestinian organisations, including the BDS movement and the Gulf Coalition Against Normalisation. Many academics and media personalities, including Ebtehal al-Khatib, English literature professor at Kuwait University, and Jaber al-Harmi, former editor-in-chief of Al Sharq newspaper in Qatar, were among those who signed the charter. The hashtag #Palestine_Charter in Arabic is also circulating on social media, condemning the United States-brokered normalisation deals undertaken by the UAE and Bahrain. The Palestinian leadership has slammed the agreements as a stab in the back for the Palestinian cause, and have stressed upon the need to use the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative plan as a road map to normalising relations with Israel. The plan, which was put forth by Saudi Arabia, calls for an end to the Israeli occupation and for its forces to withdraw to the 1967 borders, and a Palestinian state with occupied East Jerusalem as its capital all in return for normalising relations. However, while the plan was discussed in last weeks Arab League session, the nations pressured a resolution put forth by the Palestinian leadership to remove a clause where it stated the UAEs normalisation with Israel must be condemned unequivocally. Emirati dissident Humaid al-Nuaimi said on Twitter the governments of the UAE and Bahrain chose to sign deals with Zionist shame. We ask God to grant us steadfastness as we sign this charter to affirm our support for the Palestinian cause, he said. The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has given in-principle sanction for Rs 1,568 crore worth of proposals received from agri-credit societies in 22 states under the recently launched Rs 1 lakh crore Agri Infrastructure Fund, the Parliament was informed on Tuesday. Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, in a written reply to the Lower House, said the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund was launched last month for developing farm gate infrastructure facilities. "So far, has received 3,055 proposals of PACS (Primary Agriculture Credit Societies) through state cooperative banks in 22 states for which in-principle sanction of Rs 1,568 crore has been accorded," he said. The first in-principle sanction of Rs 1,128 crore was made to over 2,280 farmer societies by NABARD, he said. The operational guidelines of the scheme have been circulated to all states and meetings have been held for early roll out of the scheme, he added. The minister said Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) have been signed with all 12 public sector banks, IDBI and Yes Bank by the Union Agriculture Ministry, and a portal for the scheme has been created. The scheme, to be implemented for ten years till 2029, aims to provide medium- to long-term debt financing facility for investment in viable projects for post-harvest management infrastructure and community farming assets through interest subvention and financial support. Under the scheme, Rs 1 lakh crore will be provided by banks and financial institutions as loans to PACS, marketing cooperative societies, farmer producers organizations (FPOs), self help groups, farmers, joint liability groups, multipurpose cooperative societies, agri-entrepreneurs, start-ups and Central/state agency or local body sponsored public private partnership project. All loans under this financing facility will have interest subvention of 3 per cent per annum up to Rs 2 crore. This subvention will be available for a maximum period of 7 years. Further, credit guarantee coverage will be available for eligible borrowers from this financing facility under the Credit Guarantee Fund Trust for Micro and Small Enterprises (CGTMSE) scheme for a loan up to Rs 2 crore. The fee for this coverage will be paid by the government. In case of FPOs, the credit guarantee may be availed from the facility created under FPO promotion scheme of Department of Agriculture, Cooperation & Farmers Welfare (DACFW). Moratorium for repayment under this financing facility may vary subject to minimum of 6 months and maximum of 2 years. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Normal flow of traffic will be disrupted on Likoni road (Jogoo Road-LungaLunga road) section for the next six to eight months. The Kenya Urban Roads Authority (Kura) on Monday said the road will be closed starting Wednesday to allow the agency to upgrade the road from the existing single carriageway to a dual carriageway. The road will be closed from the House of Manji offices in Industrial Area to the Jogoo Road junction. Kura advised motorists to use alternative routes to avoid any inconveniences. To access Jogoo or Enterprise roads, motorists can use Lunga Lunga road all through to Outering Road. Alternatively, motorists can use Lusaka Road just after the Toyota Kenya Junction or Outering Road to connect to Jogoo road. Motorists plying along Jogoo road can also use the Donholm interchange to join Outering then proceed to Mombasa road or join Lunga Lunga then head to Likoni and join Mombasa Road. Please note the disruption will be for the next six to eight months. However, this being an industrial zone local traffic will be allowed as the construction is ongoing, KURA said. The Agency has contracted Cementers Limited to dual the 1.7 kilometre section at a cost of Sh900 million. The project is expected to be completed in March 2021. SHANGHAI, Sept 15 (Reuters) - China's Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp (SMIC) has asked for approval from the United States to continue supplying Huawei Technologies Co Ltd, state media outlet Beijing News reported on Tuesday, citing the company. The company told the newspaper that it had, in accordance with regulations, it applied in the United States to continue supplying Huawei, and reiterated that it will abide by relevant laws and regulations in all countries and regions. SMIC did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Reuters. The restrictions imposed by Washington in May on Huawei barring major semiconductor equipment vendors from supplying or service Huawei go into effect on Tuesday. Companies hoping to continue doing business with the smartphone maker must now first receive a licence from Washington. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Ltd, the most important manufacturer for Huawei's high end mobile phone chipsets, said in July it would cease supplying Huawei come the deadline. Micron Technology Inc, a maker of DRAM memory chips, also said it will no longer supply Huawei. Taiwanese chip designer MediaTek said last month it had applied for U.S. permission to continue supplying Huawei. Huawei is a major customer for SMIC and generates 20% of the foundry's revenue, according to an analysis from Bernstein research. The foundry is incapable of producing the most advanced chips in Huawei's Kirin mobile chipsets, however, and still relies of equipment from U.S. companies who may also cease servicing Huawei as the restrictions take effect. SMIC itself has fallen under scrutiny from Washington. Earlier this month Reuters reported that the Trump administration is considering placing restrictions on the company similar to those it placed on Huawei, barring U.S. companies from servicing and supplying it. (Reporting by Josh Horwitz, editing by Louise Heavens) A Ha Tinh Province court sentenced four people to varying jail terms on Monday for trafficking several Vietnamese to the U.K., who died in a refrigerated truck tragedy last year. The court in the central province gave Nguyen Quoc Thanh, 26, seven years and six months in prison; Tran Dinh Truong, 35, five years; Nguyen Thi Thuy Hoa, 36, six years; and Nguyen Xuan Trieu, 24, two years and six months. Three other defendants, Le Van Hue, 53, and Vo Van Ky, 52, received one year and six month suspended jail sentence each; and Vo Van Ho, 62, a one year suspended jail sentence. They were found guilty of "organizing, brokering illegal emigration." Kys request to be absent from the trial because he has cancer was approved by the court. Nguyen Thi Thuy Diem, Thanh's sister, is a resident in China and is currently wanted by the authorities. The judges said the defendants had engaged in dangerous violations of immigration and labor export laws, but recognized the fact that they had cooperated with the investigators and been willing to address the consequences. According to the indictment, Truong worked with Hoa and Thanh to build a file for Pham Thi Tra My, who was 26 then, so she could sneak into the U.K. to work. Following the rings guidance, My was taken to China before being sent to France. By then, My had paid the ring $22,000. In the next phase, My was brought from France to the U.K. in a refrigerated truck along with 38 other Vietnamese citizens. All of them froze to death in the truck and their bodies were discovered near Essex, a county in southeast England, on October 23 last year. Seven people involved in trafficking My and tens of others to the U.K were arrested by Ha Tinh police in February. The deaths of the 39 Vietnamese had made international headlines. Their identities were revealed by authorities last November. Their remains were brought home later that month. My's last text message to her mother went viral, horrifying people across the globe. Part of it, quoted by many news agencies, read: "Im sorry Mum. My journey abroad hasnt succeeded. Mum, I love you so much! Im dying because I cant breathe ... Im from Nghen, Can Loc, Ha Tinh, Vietnam ... I am sorry, Mum." Between May and October 2019, Diem allegedly instructed Thanh to work with Hoa, Ky, Ho and Hue to build files for many others who desired to go to Europe to work. They proposed two routes: via China or Greece at the cost of $17,000-20,000 per person. When their clients reached their destinations, they would be given fake identification documents and move on to another country. Between March and May last year, Nguyen Xuan Trieu had used his contacts to assist several residents in Nghi Xuan District to go to Europe and earned $1,000. His action was exposed when some individuals were deported to Vietnam for carrying fake passports. Hoa had brokered a Europe trip for 16 people and earned $3,000. Truong had helped three others and got paid $1,500. While Ky and Ho both arranged for three people to get to Europe for VND28 million ($1,200), Hue helped three others for $1,500. Trieu helped bring six others to Europe and made $1,000. Truong told investigators that he had worked in the U.K. He had only instructed My, his cousin, to go to France, he told authorities, insisting that he had nothing to do with her journey to the U.K. It was "inappropriate" for the authorities to conclude that he caused her death, he said. Truong also said he "does not clearly remember" how many people hed helped get to Europe. With Diem still at large, her brother Thanh was identified as one of the kingpins who helped 71 people to enter Europe illegally. Thanh made contact with Hoa, Hue and Ky and worked with them to bring My and many others to Europe. "I followed Diems instructions. After receiving the files of people to be trafficked, I sent them to her and someone would arrange for the clients to go to China, I dont know about anything else," Thanh told the court. Hoa said he knew Diem and Thanh because they had done business before, sending his relatives abroad. He had sent them more than 42 files to earn commissions. Hoa was responsible for taking My to France, authorities had said earlier. Ho and Hue said theyd contacted Thanh to give him files and earn commission. Trieu said he entrusted his clients in the hand of a person he knew through social media and had not reaped any benefit from this venture. Pham Van Thin, Mys father, who was present at court, said: "My family paid $22,000 to take my child to the U.K. but our dream was destroyed and we have lost everything." Thin said he hoped the defendants would compensate his family as they have struggled to repay their debts. Six defendants apologized to the families of My and other victims at court. Thanh, Truong and Hoa said they would compensate her family with VND310 million ($13,400). Of the 39 victims, 21 were from Nghe An Province and 10 from Ha Tinh. The rest hailed from Quang Binh and Thua Thien-Hue provinces in the central region; and Hai Duong Province and Hai Phong City, both in the north. In June, a court in Nghe An Province sentenced local woman Nguyen Thi Tham, 25, to 15 months in jail for helping a friend, Nguyen Van Hiep, enter the U.K. Hiep was among the 39 truck tragedy victims. In the same case, 40-year-old Irishman Ronan Hughes pleaded guilty on August 28 to manslaughter charges in the U.K., and Northern Irishman truck driver Maurice Robinson pleaded guilty in April. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-15 10:43:41|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close A student walks through a disinfection tunnel that sprays sanitation liquid at Bar-Ilan University in central Israeli city of Ramat Gan amid COVID-19 pandemic on Sept. 8, 2020. (Photo by Gil Cohen Magen/Xinhua) - Israel reports highest 4,764 daily COVID-19 cases - Brazil's coronavirus death toll tops 132,000 - Ecuador lifts lockdown restrictions as state of emergency expires - Hong Kong completes mass COVID-19 screening, 1.78 mln tested BEIJING, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- The following are the updates on the global fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. - - - - JERUSALEM -- Israel's Ministry of Health reported 4,764 new COVID-19 cases on Monday, bringing the total infections in the country to 160,368. It is the highest daily rise since the outbreak of the pandemic in Israel in late February, as the previous record was 4,429 registered on Sept. 10. A pedestrian walks past soap bubbles amid the COVID-19 outbreak in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on Sept. 3, 2020. (Photo by Rahel Patrasso/Xinhua) - - - - RIO DE JANEIRO -- Brazil's COVID-19 death toll surpassed 132,000 after 381 more patients died of the COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, raising the total number of fatalities to 132,006, the health ministry said Monday. In the same period, tests detected 15,155 new cases of infection, bringing the total caseload since the start of the outbreak here to 4,345,610. - - - - UNITED NATIONS -- Responsible leadership and good citizenship have been key determinants of COVID-19's impact, according to a UN-backed report published on Monday. "Systems are only as effective as the people who use them," said a report titled "A World in Disorder," issued by the Global Preparedness Monitoring Board, an independent monitoring and accountability body which prepares for global health crises. A man wearing a face mask rides a bicycle in a street in Quito, Ecuador, March 15, 2020. (Photo by Santiago Armas/Xinhua) - - - - QUITO -- Ecuador on Monday lifted pandemic lockdown restrictions designed to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), including a nighttime curfew and ban on social gatherings. The changes came as a nationwide state of emergency decreed on Feb. 29 in response to the health crisis expired at midnight. - - - - SANTIAGO -- Chile on Monday said its COVID-19 death toll reached 12,013 after 64 more patients died of the novel coronavirus in the previous 24 hours. According to the Ministry of Health, 1,685 new cases of COVID-19 infection in the past 24 hours also pushed the total caseload to 436,433. Photo taken on Sept. 4, 2020 shows a COVID-19 testing center at a gymnasium in Hong Kong, south China. (Xinhua/Wu Xiaochu) - - - - HONG KONG -- Hong Kong on Monday evening completed its mass COVID-19 screening program launched two weeks ago, with the participation of some 1.78 million residents in total. Most of the specimens collected under the Universal Community Testing Program, nearly 1.72 million, had been tested by 8:00 p.m. on Monday, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government said in a statement. on Monday passed The Commission for Homoeopathy Bill, 2020 and The Commission for Indian System of Medicine Bill, 2020 with the passing the two bills that were passed by the in March this year. Eight bills were introduced in the lower house on the first day of the monsoon session. These are the Salary, Allowances And Pension of Members of (Amendment) Bill, 2020, The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill, 2020, The Farmers (Empowerment And Protection) Agreement On Price Assurance And Farm Services Bill, 2020, The Farmers' Produce Trade And Commerce (Promotion And Facilitation) Bill, 2020, The Banking Regulation (Amendment) Bill, 2020, The Factoring Regulation (Amendment) Bill, 2020, The Assisted Reproductive Technology (Regulation) Bill, 2020 and The Bilateral Netting Of Qualified Financial Contracts Bill, 2020. The Finance Minister also presented the first batch of Supplementary Demand for Grants for 2020-21 in Speaking to reporters, Speaker Om Birla said that the gave a positive message to the country today. "Today the Parliament session commenced. It gave a positive message to the country. In extraordinary circumstances, ministers and members were present there. They actively took part in proceedings. Discussions were positive," Birla said. "We have conducted tests of members and their families. With precautionary measures being undertaken, we will be able to continue proceedings of Parliament as scheduled," he added. Officials said 359 members attended the proceedings of the Lok Sabha today. Members took their allocated seats the Lok Sabha chamber, in visitors galleries and the chamber to maintain social distancing. The monsoon session of Parliament is slated to conclude on October 1 without any day off. Both the Houses of Parliament will sit for four hours daily adhering to precautionary measures against COVID-19. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Israel's Ben Gurion International Airport will remain open during the upcoming three-week full nationwide lockdown period that will begin on Friday, the state's Ministry of Health said on Monday, Trend reports citing Xinhua. The decision was made following a discussion attended by ministers of health, foreign affairs, interior and transport. According to the decision, only flights that have already been approved can be carried out under restrictions and guidelines, such as the obligation of undergoing a coronavirus test before the flight. Accordingly, passengers will be permitted to get to the airport despite the lockdown restriction that prohibits moving more than 500 meters away from home. Departing passengers will have to issue a flight ticket at least four hours before departure, and this will be their permit to stay away from home. Passengers returning from one of the 30 countries with low morbidity will not need to enter a 14-day quarantine, and will only be obligated to the lockdown's restrictions. Israelis are currently allowed to visit Greece, Bulgaria and Croatia without quarantine obligation, and could do so in the lockdown period as well. Except for its closure every year on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish calendar, Ben Gurion Airport was never shut down, not even during wars. Uday Kotak The concept of globalisation is undergoing a transition in a world facing the challenge of COVID-19 pandemic and self-reliance is gaining momentum, CII President Uday Kotak said on September 15. Speaking at a virtual CII-UK Conference, he said the pandemic has changed the future of the Earth in many ways and also given an opportunity to redefine mankind. "The concept of international cooperation or globalisation as we have known is undergoing a transition. We are moving to a definition where the concept of self-reliance is gaining momentum in the world," Uday Kotak, who is also the managing director of Kotak Mahindra Bank, said. The way India understands self-reliance is certainly being stronger, more confident and at the same time globally engaged, he added. At the same time, he said, the concept of financial centre of the world is undergoing a change. With Hong Kong getting aligned to China and challenges in the Middle East (Dubai), London has an opportunity to become an even stronger global financial centre for Asian markets including India, he said. COVID-19 Vaccine Frequently Asked Questions View more How does a vaccine work? A vaccine works by mimicking a natural infection. A vaccine not only induces immune response to protect people from any future COVID-19 infection, but also helps quickly build herd immunity to put an end to the pandemic. Herd immunity occurs when a sufficient percentage of a population becomes immune to a disease, making the spread of disease from person to person unlikely. The good news is that SARS-CoV-2 virus has been fairly stable, which increases the viability of a vaccine. How many types of vaccines are there? There are broadly four types of vaccine one, a vaccine based on the whole virus (this could be either inactivated, or an attenuated [weakened] virus vaccine); two, a non-replicating viral vector vaccine that uses a benign virus as vector that carries the antigen of SARS-CoV; three, nucleic-acid vaccines that have genetic material like DNA and RNA of antigens like spike protein given to a person, helping human cells decode genetic material and produce the vaccine; and four, protein subunit vaccine wherein the recombinant proteins of SARS-COV-2 along with an adjuvant (booster) is given as a vaccine. What does it take to develop a vaccine of this kind? Vaccine development is a long, complex process. Unlike drugs that are given to people with a diseased, vaccines are given to healthy people and also vulnerable sections such as children, pregnant women and the elderly. So rigorous tests are compulsory. History says that the fastest time it took to develop a vaccine is five years, but it usually takes double or sometimes triple that time. View more Show Kotak further said the financial markets seem to be far less impacted than real economies in both India and the UK, thanks to policymakers and regulators. So both the countries can work together on the investment side in various areas like manufacturing, future skills, innovation, agriculture and value food chain, he said. It is to be noted that India is the second highest FDI contributor to the UK, and Britain is the sixth largest foreign direct investor to India. The failure of Facebook to appear before the committee shows that it is trying to hide its role in the Delhi riots, Aam Aadmi Partys Raghav Chadha told reporters. This photograph shows the tyre market at Gokal Puri which had 224 shops burned down by a mob in North East Delhi in March 2020. (Photo | Wikimedia Commons - Banswalhemant) New Delhi: Facebook Indias chief failed to appear Tuesday before a panel probing allegations that the social media giant failed to take action against hate speech, the committees head said. India is the US-based company and its messaging service WhatsApps biggest market in terms of users, and the firm is under pressure worldwide over the policing of hate speech. Last week, a Delhi Assembly panel on peace and harmony had summoned Ajit Mohan, managing director of Facebook India, to determine if the social networking site deliberately ignored instances of hate speech on its social media platform. The panel, headed by Aam Aadmi Party lawmaker Raghav Chadha, also said the firm should be probed over its alleged role and complicity in the sectarian Delhi riots in February which killed over 50 people, most of them Muslims. But on Tuesday Mohan failed to appear, Chadha said. The failure of Facebook to appear before the committee shows that it is trying to hide its role in the Delhi riots, Chadha told reporters. Fresh summons will be issued to it in line with principles of natural justice. A lawyer for Facebook said the summons was untenable as the matter was being heard separately by a parliamentary committee, a Delhi government source told AFP. Facebook India was not immediately available for comment on Tuesday. Earlier this month, the 18-member parliamentary committee had grilled Facebook representatives over the platforms alleged political bias, local media reported. The firm has been embroiled in a huge row in India after the Wall Street Journal reported in August that the company failed to take down anti-Muslim comments by a politician from the ruling party in order to protect its business interests. Facebook has denied any political bias but admitted it has to do better to curb hate speeches. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. Along with bread, milk and eggs, how about picking up a mortgage or RRSP on your trip to the grocery store? While its not happening this year, experts say offering a full slate of financial services is likely the end goal after retail giant Loblaw Cos. announced Monday that its getting back into the consumer banking game with a new personal savings account called PC Money. Unlike the last time they did it, Loblaws will be going it alone; in 2017 they ended their PC Financial savings account venture with CIBC. Ever since, Loblaws has been looking at how to get back into consumer banking, said Barry Columb, president of PC Financial. Savings accounts where customers can rack up loyalty points to use in Loblaws or Shoppers Drug Mart stores seemed like a natural place to start, he said. Weve thought very carefully about what this would look like, said Columb, adding that there was no ill will toward PC Financials former partners. We had a great relationship with CIBC. We mutually decided to end it ... This is really about owning the customer relationship, said Columb. That relationship with customers will be a lot more lucrative if Loblaws starts offering a broader array of financial products from mortgages to insurance and RRSPs, says finance industry expert Michael King, who expects thats exactly what the company is planning. Will it happen this year? Probably not. But will it happen? Absolutely, said King, who holds the Lansdowne Chair in Finance at the University of Victorias Gustavson School of Business. While he wouldnt rule out any more branching out, Columb said theres nothing immediate in the works: Our priority right now is PC Money. King said it was merely a matter of time before there was an online banking challenger to Canadas Big 5 incumbents. That its a retail giant like Loblaws comes as no surprise, King added. The biggest trend in financial services has been digital-only challenger banks. The only major country that doesnt really have one is Canada, said King. Having an existing set of customers who are already familiar with the company helps. The biggest challenge is finding new customers. Loblaws doesnt have that problem. Look at how many customers theyve got across the country. Thats a built-in base. Most challenger banks have to spend huge amounts of money to acquire new customers, said King. Columb acknowledged that the built-in base will be among the likeliest candidates to sign up for PC Money accounts. We have roughly 18 million PC Optimum and three million PC Mastercard customers that we already have a relationship with, Columb said. Loblaws also has another major advantage over other would-be upstart bankers a Schedule 1 banking licence. Having already jumped through the regulatory hoops to get it in 2001, using it for more offerings makes sense, King added. To only use that licence to have a credit card operation is like going into your kitchen and only using your microwave, when youve got a stove, a food processor and all sorts of other equipment, said King. While the move into banking should be lucrative on its own, it will also help Loblaws existing retail operations, says retail analyst Lisa Hutcheson. Its another layer of knowledge about their customer. They learn so much about their customer and their patterns This is another way to keep people loyal, said Hutcheson, managing partner at retail consultancy J.C. Williams. If its a success, Hutcheson wouldnt be surprised to see other retailers at least kick the tires of getting into financial services. Anything that works, the next guy takes a hard look at it. I dont think this would be something that every retailer would do. I dont know about a Tims, but I could see someone like a Canadian Tire getting into it. Read more about: Nestled in a small street at the foot of Cho Cau 1 Bridge in Go Vap District, Ho Chi Minh City, La Pagoda has been the cozy little home of special language classes for free for more than ten years. People of all ages can participate in these classes, where the majority of students either have financial difficulties or are unable to pursue foreign language learning at regular language centers. Professionally trained foreign language teachers who are currently working at universities and language centers across Ho Chi Minh City volunteer to teach these free classes. Despite receiving no pay for the job, the teachers commit to deliver lessons with dedication and frown upon careless teaching. Meanwhile, students studying here take it upon themselves to attend class sessions and follow the rules, resulting in an effective teaching-learning model. Thich Nhuan Tam (right), the abbot of La Pagoda in Go Vap District, Ho Chi Minh City, teaches in a foreign language class at the pagoda, September 13, 2020. Photo: Duyen Phan / Tuoi Tre I had slept on the idea of opening these classes for so long but it wasnt until the end of 2019 that it was realized, said Thich Nhuan Tam, the abbot at La Pagoda. Amid global integration, foreign languages are indispensable to a good future career for students. "I now equip them with knowledge in the hope that they will make contributions to the betterment of our society." A large area at the pagoda has been repurposed for the free classes, with spacious rooms and modern equipment installed. The classes are provided in six languages including English, Japanese, Chinese, Korean, French, and German, with more than 80 lessons taught each week. Currently, more than 300 students are participating in 14 classes spread out across the week to offer a flexible schedule for busy people. A volunteer teacher teaches in a Japanese class at La Pagoda in Go Vap District, Ho Chi Minh City, September 13, 2020. Photo: Duyen Phan / Tuoi Tre People of various ages participate in a language class at La Pagoda in Go Vap District, Ho Chi Minh City, September 13, 2020. Photo: Duyen Phan / Tuoi Tre Tran Thi Ngoc Bich, 56, attends a language class at La Pagoda in Go Vap District, Ho Chi Minh City, September 13, 2020. Photo: Duyen Phan / Tuoi Tre Dang Thi Huyen Thu teaches a foreign language class at La Pagoda in Go Vap District, Ho Chi Minh City, September 13, 2020. Photo: Duyen Phan / Tuoi Tre Children participate in a language class at La Pagoda in Go Vap District, Ho Chi Minh City, September 13, 2020. Photo: Duyen Phan / Tuoi Tre Vo Minh Thu (third left), a volunteer foreign language teacher at La Pagoda in Go Vap District, Ho Chi Minh City, donates personal computers to the pagoda to be used in language teaching, September 13, 2020. Photo: Duyen Phan / Tuoi Tre Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Craig Letton, chief executive of MRM Global, with Euan Baxter, an investor at BGF who joins the Board of MRM Global, at Cask Smugglers in Edinburgh MRM Global, an Edinburgh, Scotland, UK-based provider of marketing technology to the global drinks and hospitality sector, raised 2.6m in funding. BGF made the investment. In conjunction with the funding, Euan Baxter, an investor at BGF, joined the Board of MRM Global. The company intends to use the funds for further international growth with a focus on expanding its presence in North America and development of its technology platform with plans to triple the size of its Edinburgh based software engineering team to accelerate the product roadmap. Led by Craig Letton, chief executive officer, MRM provides a technology platform that enables global drinks manufacturers and wholesalers to increase the level of marketing support they provide to their independent hospitality and retail customers. Its Brand Creator app enables sales reps and customers to quickly create on-demand marketing materials that increase brand visibility and product sales. In the last three years, the company has expanded internationally to over 34 countries working with spirits and beer brands. MRM Global has also appointed Andy Fennell as non-exec chairman. FinSMEs 15/09/2020 The Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire, has appealed to the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) to call off their ongoing strike action in the interest of the public and the health emergency triggered by COVID-19. Mr Ehanire at the bi-weekly Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 briefing on Tuesday urged the JOHESU leadership to halt the industrial action and go into negotiation with government as that is the only way their demands could be met. A meeting between JOHESU and the government on Thursday ended in a deadlock leading to the health workers decision to down tools on Monday. PREMIUM TIMES reported how the union said it would embark on a nationwide seven-day warning strike if the government failed to meet its demands, which include payment of hazard and inducement allowance, by midnight of Sunday, September 13. JOHESU said the warning strike will only involve federal institutions while the states and local government health institutions would be on red alert for possible entry into the fray if the federal government foot-drags in attending to our demands. Meanwhile, labour minister, Chris Ngige, in a statement titled, FG declares JOHESU strike is unnecessary, ill-timed and illegal had questioned the legality of the unions decision. The minister expressed regrets that the health workers downed tools, saying he had apprehended the dispute with the conciliation initiated last Thursday, which is still ongoing. A statement on Sunday by the labour ministrys spokesperson, Charles Akpan, said the strike was illegal as it is in clear breach of the International Labour Organisation Principles and Conventions on Strike and sec. 18 of the Trades Disputes Act, Cap T8, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004. It urged JOHESU not to arm-twist or intimidate the FG that has shown a clear commitment to tackling the challenges in the sector as evidenced by the huge resources it has been pouring into the sector since the COVID-19 pandemic broke out. Parties in disputes are expected not to arm-twist, intimidate or foist helplessness on the other party while negotiations are ongoing as per sections 8 and 18 of the Trade Dispute Act 2004 barring any strike when the matters are before a conciliator and undergoing conciliation. Meanwhile, Mr Ehanire who took a softer stance on Monday said the position of the Ministry of Health is that strikes by healthcare workers jeopardise the lives of citizens, especially at such times of global health emergencies as now. Nigeria needs the service of all our health workers to control the spread of COVID-19. Issues around allowances are multi-sectoral and have always been served with negotiations no matter how long it took, he noted. The JOHESU strike came shortly after the suspension of a three-day-old strike by resident doctors. Mr Ehanire said it is gratifying that the National Association of Resident Doctors called off the strike, but unhelpful that the Joint Health Sector Union has begun theirs. I acknowledge the commitment of health workers who continue to man the frontlines in the fight against this disease and use this opportunity to appeal to JOHESU to suspend their industrial action, not to erode gains we have since made in health care delivery. JOHESUs position In a phone interview with PREMIUM TIMES on Sunday afternoon, the national chairman of JOHESU, Ogbonna Chimela, said the unions were irked the more after Mr Ngige on Thursday threatened them with, no work no pay policy should they embark on an industrial action. The head of German vaccine regulator today said that first covid vaccine approvals could be granted at the end of this year or early next year, according to news agency Reuters. Klaus Cichutek, head of the Paul Ehrlich Institute, said regulators would not be less thorough than usual when evaluating applications for approval for COVID-19 vaccines. Today, German biotech firm BioNTech, which is developing covid vaccines with Pfizer, said it had secured almost $450 million in government funding to speed up work on its COVID-19 vaccine candidate and expand its production capacity in Germany. BioNTech and partners Pfizer Inc are among the leading developers of experimental COVID-19 vaccines, based on molecules carrying a genetic code called messenger RNA (mRNA). Earlier this month, fellow German biotech firm CureVac said it had been awarded 252 million euros in government to support its vaccine candidate. BioNTech will use the money, which is subject to it reaching certain clinical milestones, to finance part of its COVID-19 vaccine development programme, which it calls BNT162. "The funding is an important contribution to accelerate the development and expansion of our production capacity for a COVID 19 vaccine in Germany," said Ugur Sahin, CEO and co-founder of BioNTech. BioNTech and Pfizer are already testing their most promising vaccine candidate in late-stage trials and have started recruiting patients in the United States, Brazil, Argentina and Europe. Pfizer Inc and BioNTech SE have proposed to the US authorities to expand their Phase 3 COVID-19 vaccine trial to about 44,000 participants while increasing the diversity of the trial population. The initial target figure for the trial of the covid vaccine that both the companies are jointly developing was up to 30,000 participants, which the companies said they expect to reach by next week. If the study is successful, the companies could submit the vaccine for regulatory approval as early as October, Pfizer said. (With Reuters inputs) Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Michelle Wu, a 35-year-old Taiwanese-American city councilor and progressive Democrat, announced on Tuesday that she would enter the 2021 Boston mayoral race, asserting a moment of change for a city that has been led by white men since its incorporation in 1822. Ms. Wu is challenging Mayor Marty Walsh, who is expected to run for a third term and has won widespread approval for his handling of the coronavirus. It is difficult to defeat a sitting mayor in Boston; the last time it happened was in 1949. But , Massachusetts politics has been jolted repeatedly in recent years by progressive candidates who built come-from-behind campaigns around climate change and social justice. Ms. Wu, a policy wonk and former student of Senator Elizabeth Warren, has proposed sweeping solutions to issues like gentrification and social inequality. Hong Kong: Security law drives HKs progress Chief Secretary Matthew Cheung today said the Law of the People's Republic of China on Safeguarding National Security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region is designed to bolster the successful "one country, two systems" principle, which will continue to drive Hong Kong's progress. He made the statement at the 45th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council which was held in Geneva, Switzerland. In his capacity as the China delegations deputy head, Mr Cheung delivered a video message on the situation in Hong Kong and the National Security Law at the session. He said the National Security Law was enacted to address the increasing threat to national security in Hong Kong posed by the escalating violence by rioters during the social unrest last year. The Chief Secretary noted that Hong Kong is an inalienable part of China, adding effective measures must be taken to restore safety and stability. "The law is vital in bringing Hong Kong back on track and safeguarding our country's sovereignty, security and development interests. He also said the law has been effective in restoring stability so far. Advocacy of Hong Kong independence and collusion with external forces have visibly subsided, as have acts of violence and blatant defiance of law and order, he added. Mr Cheung also pointed out that the National Security Law seeks to preserve Hong Kong's core values, including rights and freedoms, the rule of law and judicial independence, while fundamental rights and freedoms remain intact under the Basic Law and the relevant provisions of international covenants as applied to Hong Kong. He noted that almost all countries have their own national security laws. "It is unthinkable therefore that our national security law should be a cause for concern for some countries." He called on the international community not to adopt a double standard. "Hong Kong will continue to forge ahead as a vibrant, open and international financial and business centre, with a prosperous and stable future," Mr Cheung added. This story has been published on: 2020-09-15. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. The 31-year-old swapped the north London club for the Spanish capital in 2013, winning four Champions Leagues during a medal-laden stint at the Bernabeu. But Bale has found himself marginalised under Zinedine Zidane and a return to Spurs could be on the cards. It's understood talks are under way about a potential move back to the Premier League, with the Wales international keen to rejoin his former club. We're sorry, but we're unable to locate the page you requested. The page may have been removed, renamed, or deleted. You can try searching for the topic using the search button in the right hand corner above. NEW DELHI: The border dispute between India and China simmered on Monday with Chinas envoy to India Sun Weidong reiterating Beijings claims that New Delhi had illegally crossed the undelineated Line of Actual Control (LAC) border between the two countries in a bid to change the existing status quo. The comments in the form of a Q and A sent by the Chinese embassy in New Delhi came days after the foreign ministers of the two countries S Jaishankar of India and Wang Yi of China met in Moscow and seemed to have worked out a temporary truce. It comes ahead of another meeting of senior military commanders expected this week to work out a disengagement plan. Tensions have mounted since May when India discovered Chinese Peoples Liberation Army intrusions at multiple locations in Ladakh in violation of pacts signed since 1993. A violent clash between troops the first in 45 years -- killed 20 Indian soldiers and an unspecified number of Chinese personnel on 15 June in Galwan. Another flareup happened earlier this month when India said Chinese troops fired shots after Indian troops took vantage positions on five strategic mountains within the Indian side of the LAC on 29-30 August. In his comments, Sun said that Jaishankar and Wang had agreed that two countries must ease tensions, maintain peace and tranquility in the border areas, continue diplomatic communication and expedite work to conclude new confidence building measures." It (the meeting) is an important step towards the right direction, and will provide political impetus to ease the border situation and promote the bilateral relations," he said. Indian public opinion in general was positive about the Jaishankar Wang meeting during which, the two countries demonstrated political will to resolve the border situation," Sun said. During the meeting, Wang had told Jaishankar that as neighbours India and China were bound to have differences. What is important is to put these differences in a proper context vis-a-vis bilateral relations," Sun said adding that India and China should see the other as a cooperation partner and a developmental opportunity, not as a strategic threat. This follows India banning 118 Chinese mobile phone apps and barring Chinese investments in roads, telecom and other areas. Beijings position is that New Delhi should meet it half way seen as a demand that India accept the new Chinese claim lines but not impose any punitive measures. New Delhi has insisted that Chinese troops move back to positions they held in April. Newsreports on Saturday said Jaishankar had made it clear to Wang that India would not de-escalate unless there was complete and verifiable disengagement by Chinese troops along the LAC. Sun said that what China and India need right now is cooperation, not confrontation; we need mutual trust, not suspicion. Whenever the situation gets difficult, it is all the more important to ensure the stability of the overall relationship and preserve mutual trust." As long as the two sides keep moving the relationship in the right direction building on the previous achievements, there will be no difficulty or challenge that cant be overcome," he said. In response to a third question on Chinas call for quick disengagement and withdrawal of trespassing" Indian troops, Sun pointed out that it was India which said that it had taken pre-emptive" action against Chinese military activity on the South Bank of Pangong Tso Lake on 29-30 August. This obviously revealed that there are illegal trespassing the LAC and status quo change in the border areas," he said. Some Indian media had quoted government sources to disclose that the Indian army fired shots on two different occasions. For the first time since 1975, the calm in the border areas was broken by gunfire," Sun said. Wang had conveyed to Jaishankar that India must immediately stop provocations such as firing," Sun said. It is also important to move back all personnel and equipment that have trespassed. The frontier troops must quickly disengage so that the situation may deescalate," he added. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Never miss a story! Stay connected and informed with Mint. Download our App Now!! Topics OAK HARBOR, WA / ACCESSWIRE / September 15, 2020 / Americans consumed 27.3 billion pounds of beef in 2019, according to Statista. Consumers buy their beef at grocery stores more than half the time, but buying from a local farmer provides advantages over buying at a store. While these advantages are ongoing, local buying during the pandemic has allowed individuals to obtain beef that was unavailable in stores, says Bryce M Oxford, a Washington farmer. Local farmers have seen a boom during the pandemic because of the shortages in stores, and most have managed to keep up with demand. Many also have not raised their beef prices as much as many other outlets, says Bryce Oxford. "A silver lining in the pandemic cloud has been that many people now realize the advantages of buying their beef from a local farmer and hopefully will continue this practice post-pandemic," Bryce M Oxford says. A significant advantage to consumers buying local is that they know where their beef comes from and how the cattle were raised. They have an opportunity to get to know the farmer and can ensure that what they are buying is free of added hormones, antibiotics, preservatives, and chemicals, Bryce Oxford said. Industrial beef suppliers to grocery stores often buy beef from other countries, and in 2016 a law was passed that does not require them to reveal the origin. Buying local also helps the local economy by keeping the money within the community. Local farms are the backbone of America, yet many of them are disappearing. Buying from a local family-run farm keeps it in business, Bryce M Oxford says. Consumers also can save money by buying from a local farmer. Many farms participate in a CSA or Community Supported Agriculture where customers can buy shares. Consumers who purchase a "share" pay for the whole season in advance, which improves the farmer's cash flow. Consumers also share in the risk; they receive a portion of what the farmer produces, delivered to a drop spot periodically, such as once a month or once a week. Most farmers feel a strong responsibility to their members and will do everything they can to serve them, says Bryce Oxford. For most consumers, the amount of beef they receive as their share makes the CSA a good value, Bryce Oxford says. Many local farmers also will negotiate bundles with consumers who don't necessarily want to pick up regularly. Those who have freezers also may be able to buy in bulk. These bundles and bulk purchases also can be cost-effective, Bryce M Oxford says. Bryce Oxford was born and raised in Oak Harbor, WA, where he still works on the family farm. He is a vocal advocate for the farm-to-table movement. CONTACT: Caroline Hunter Web Presence, LLC +1 7865519491 SOURCE: Bryce Oxford View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/605990/Buying-Local-Keeps-Money-in-Community-Eases-Shortages-Says-Bryce-Oxford Not a week or even a day goes by that the Middle East is not in the news. Although this is a food column, I try to add some insight into the lifestyle of a country or location to give more of an atmosphere that complements the foods. We have been armchair travelers recently, enjoying Egypt one week and Morocco last week. Lets see what the Arab world of the Middle East has in the way of typical foods. No, I am not forgetting that the Jewish High Holy Days start on Sept. 18 with Rosh Hashana and end on Sept. 27 with Yom Kippur. The foods for this religious period are not the everyday foods consumed in Israel. Thus, we will focus on the everyday foods of Israel another day. The Arab world basically includes Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and Israel. We also can include Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Iran and Turkey. Food has no boundaries and depends on the likes and dislikes of the inhabitants of specific lands. There is a saying in the Arab world that ones eating shows ones love. And an Arab might add, And the poor woman killed herself with work, yet the feast lasted only one day. But what a day, and what a feast! Since Allan, my husband, worked with a client in Saudi Arabia, he often talked about the formal feasts that he attended. They were held in the desert. The food was simple, consisting of boiled lamb and rice covered with a seasoned butter sauce. This was piled on buttered whole wheat bread and baked in a domed cast-iron griddle. Each person used his right hand to tear off a piece of lamb with some rice and place the food in his mouth. The Arabs of the desert have eaten this way for centuries, but now it is a treat reserved for special guests only male. I cannot go? I said to Allan. Oh, no! For centuries the Bedouins with their camel trains zig-zagged across the deserts of Jordan and Saudi Arabia carrying spices, silks and carpets for trade with southern Europe. As these caravans of traders came into contact with the tribes of the southern Mediterranean, they adapted some of the cuisines of Greece and Rome. As a result, the dishes of Christians, Muslims and Jews became entangled. Arab cooks and homemakers take great delight in spending hours decorating a dish with a pattern of red pepper pieces, brown cumin and green parsley. Dishes are colored with saffron. Onions, peppers, eggplant and cucumbers are mixed with slices of beets and often displayed in restaurant windows. The coastline of the Mediterranean teems with all types of fish mullet, sea bass, turbot, swordfish and cod. These are grilled over charcoal, baked or poached. They are served with a creamy sauce of pine nuts, almonds and walnuts pounded with lemon juice and garlic. Lamb dominates the Arab cuisine. It is grilled over charcoal, baked or cooked with vegetables in robust stews. Although countries of the Arab world share many dishes, there are also regional and national specialties. Ful medames, a dish of brown beans flavored with garlic, oil and lemon juice, is served at breakfast, lunch and supper in many Arab homes. Lets stop a moment and find out what was different about Arab cuisine, as compared with European or Far Eastern lifestyles and their foods. Islam originated among nomadic peoples, the Bedouin, of the deserts of Arabia. There were (and still are) endless drifts of sand with very little water or vegetation completely different from the agriculturally fertile regions. There was no state only tribal leaders or sheiks. These nomadic regions had a rugged way of life. There was no private property. The herds of animals, if there were any, were communally owned by the tribe. Because there was so very little pasture available, people and animals were continually on the move. Between the vast deserts, however, there were a few cities with sizable settlements, and often a holy shrine. Mecca was one of these cities a place to trade and worship. Islam has some food prohibitions that are quite complex. Pork is forbidden in Islam, as it is in Judaism. Birds of prey and carnivorous animals are also forbidden. Animals must be ritually slaughtered and a prayer said over them. There are fasts in Islam, which are not just abstention from meat. The devout Muslim abstains from all food and drink during daylight hours during the entire month of Ramadan. Muslims drink no alcohol. Muslim customs, rather than law, dictate that people sit on the floor for the evening meal during Ramadan and some other times of the year. They eat with three fingers that have been washed. There are no utensils, apart from spoons for soup. Flat bread accompanies most main courses. No alcohol is consumed. As Islam expanded over regions that were once part of the Byzantine Empire, whose people were direct heirs of Greece and Roman civilizations, Islamic culture adopted their science, medicine and literature in addition to its own. They became a very learned civilization. The Muslims added to Greek science with a fruitful exchange of ideas. They also absorbed the Greek culture. The dominant style of cooking in the Islamic world is also that of Baghdad. Young meats, like veal, lamb and kid, were favored. These were usually roasted or fried in butter or oil and cut into small pieces so that they could be scooped up. Meat also was cooked in sugar or some kind of syrup. Chicken is the most frequently eaten meat. Perhaps the most important food that is spread from one end of Arab world to the other is rice. Spinach is favored as a vegetable, and eggplant is a close second. Fruits, such as apples, peaches and grapes, are used in cooking. Persian cuisine favors sweets. Its cooks invented marzipan, which is made from almond paste and sugar and is molded into little shapes. The Persians also invented iced drinks and sherbet. This is the cooking of the elite. Even today, among other classes, there is great diversity in cooking from place to place from Saudi Arabia to Turkey. Then, there is also the cuisine of Israel, from Adam and Eve to kosher rules for cooking and modern-day Israeli cuisine. Well talk about that another day hopefully, next time. However, in the meantime, Happy Holidays. Hilde G. Lee is a food writer and co-author of Virginia Wine Country III with her husband, Allan Lee. She can be reached at hildeglee@yahoo.com. As Pennsylvania adjusts to its relatively recent role as a swing state, voters across the commonwealth are starting to realize how important it is to run an efficient, trustworthy election process. Thanks to the coronavirus, that task is now a lot harder. While local, state, and federal officials work to prevent a catastrophe in November, its time for reporters, editors, and news broadcasters to do the same. The election wont be normal, and they shouldnt report on it as if it were normal. The first thing we should do is dispense with the term Election Day. Thanks to the pandemic, more voters than ever are likely to cast their ballots early or absentee/by mail. Pennsylvania is one of dozens of states that allow any registered voter to vote by mail. But to be counted, ballots must be requested by Oct. 27 and received by Nov. 3. But the timing is still uncertain the deadline to request a ballot is Oct. 27, but the ballot has to be received by Nov. 3 to be counted. As the Postal Service warns of possible massive delays, Pennsylvanians would be safer to request and return their ballots early. READ MORE: Everything you need to know about in-person and mail voting in Pennsylvania Those delays could result in delayed election results, too. We think of Election Day as the day we find out who our next president is, but this too will likely change this year. Pennsylvania, like some other states, still requires that mail-in votes only be counted after in-person votes. It may take weeks to tally votes and complete recounts before a final result is known, and a delayed result in Pennsylvania could decide the election. In 2000, the country had to wait until 37 days after Election Day for Al Gore to concede. In 2020, expect similar delays. In early November, the results may look as if theyre changing. A recent poll found that 72% of Democrats were planning to vote by mail, compared with just 22% of Republicans. That means the first ballots counted are likely to lean Republican, with the later ballots favoring Democrats. Republicans shouldnt feel safe if they go to bed on Nov. 3 with a comfortable lead and a small portion of the ballots counted the results could change dramatically in the following weeks, and it doesnt mean there was any funny business. This degree of uncertainty doesnt have to create a crisis. Under federal law, as long as each state has an official count by Dec. 8, 35 days after Election Day, the results are official. The final deadline is Dec. 14, when the Electoral College meets in state capitals for the formal presidential election. This timetable means theres built-in room for delays, recounts, and unforeseen obstacles. READ MORE: How TV, media can stop a U.S. meltdown on 11/4 | Will Bunch Newsletter What will cause a problem is if most Americans think that a delay is the same thing as a constitutional crisis. Thats why its so important for the media to report this right. Journalists should point out that immediate electoral results are often an indication of fraud or forgery, not the other way around. Just look at the recent crisis in Belarus, where the unpopular president won reelection with 80% of the vote just minutes after polls closed. Journalists and election administrators, and politicians, and good citizens also need to explain how delays happen. Heres a hypothetical: The election is close, and it all comes down to Pennsylvania. What happens if a water main breaks at a Philadelphia polling place? All of Philadelphia County would have to delay announcing its results, which could mean that because of one broken pipe, the nationwide result ends up delayed. The chances of something like this happening are too great to discount. There are other challenges facing our elections, too. The threat of foreign interference hasnt gone away. If anything, Russias operations in 2016 probably served to encourage other countries Iran, China, North Korea to try to sow doubt and confusion in our elections. Yet another reason why all of us, especially those of us with the biggest megaphones, should be circumspect and cool-headed in November, lest we become the useful idiots of foreign adversaries. Pennsylvania is the birthplace of our Constitution, and could be the keystone of the whole election. This cycle wont look like any previous one, and thats OK, as long as were responsible, ready for the unexpected, and keep the safety and integrity of our elections front of mind. Trey Grayson is the former secretary of state of Kentucky, former chairman of the Republican Association of Secretaries of State, and cochair of the Advisory Board of the Secure Elections Project. 'It shows that they cannot manage the situation with the forces in their hand.' IMAGE: One policeman was injured after four men opened fire at the accused in a district court room in Bijnor on December 17, 2019. Following this incident, the Allahabad high court had pulled up the Uttar Pradesh government for lax security at civil courts. Photograph: ANI Photo The Uttar Pradesh government has decided to constitute a special security force following an order of the Allahabad high court which had expressed its displeasure over the poor level of security at civil courts. This new force will have the powers to search and arrest any person without the orders of a magistrate or a warrant, a government notice said, a provision that has attracted considerable criticism, and concern. The Allahabad high court had pointed out acts of violence in a Bijnor court in December 2019 and an incident in a Muzaffarnagar court in 2015. Another incident was also reported in the civil court premises in Agra in 2019. The UP government said the special force will provide security to the high court, district courts, administrative offices and buildings, metro rail, airports, banks, financial institutions, educational institutions and industrial units. R Shanmugasundaram, a senior criminal lawyer in the Madras high court, past president of the Madras Bar Council and head of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam's legal wing, has been a public prosecutor for the Tamil Nadu government. Speaking to A Ganesh Nadar/Rediff.com about the special force the Uttar Pradesh government has announced, Shanmugasundaram says, "The CrPC says the police can arrest only when there is a cognisable offence." Does the police force have the power to search and arrest a person without a warrant? No, generally it does not. The CrPc (Criminal Procedure Code) says the police are allowed to arrest only when there is a cognisable offence. In non-cognisable cases they cannot arrest. They can also search a person only in an emergency. Both the CrPc and a Supreme Court judgment says that this has to be done under the overview of the magistrate's court. The person has to be produced in the court within 24 hours of arrest. The UP government statement talks about creating a force, but what about their training? If they recruit from the CRPF or the local police, then it is okay. But they have to follow the CrPc. In the Madras high court security is provided by the CRPF. Other courts have local state police. Will these special powers that the UP government is contemplating withstand judicial scrutiny? That depends on how they are doing it. If they do anything that is against the CrPc, it will be invalid. They also have to get the President's assent. How different will the powers of this force be from, say, the Goondas Act where a person can be put behind bars for a year without trial? That is different. This is preventive detention, a law to keep people safe. In Chennai, the commissioner of police and in the districts the collectors have these powers. Within 12 days of arrest they send the file to the state government. The state government in turn sends it to the advisory committee of three judges within three months. Beyond that this committee has to decide on the detention. This Act is used when the accused is a known criminal and normal laws cannot be used in that particular case. The reason for the detention has to be given clearly. The prisoner can move a habeas corpus petition in the high court under Articles 226 and 21. Will the laws governing the new force be similar to the National Security Act? NSA is also preventive detention. This particular force is supposed to guard only specific places, but once they have these special powers, can they use them anywhere in the state? It is only related to the court premises, within the jurisdiction of that place. They have their powers under the CrPc and the state police act. Will any person arrested under this law be allowed to approach the court for redressal? First, they have to approach the magistrate's court, then the sessions court and then the high court. Aren't existing laws enough to deal with violence inside the court premises? Several cases are being dealt with the regular laws. If they have sufficient police force, they can deal with it too. Instead of coming out with a new security force. will it not be simpler to make the police more efficient? Exactly! Can this force be used to arrest someone outside the state, say, in Tamil Nadu, for perceived offences without a court order or warrant? For inter-state there are certain procedures. You have to intimate the local police. You have to take the accused to a local court. The local court can release them. Why do governments come out with more and more draconian laws against citizens? It shows that they cannot manage the situation with the forces in their hand. Sometime back there was a demonstration inside the Madras high court. The court ordered that security to the court should be provided by the CRPF. So the Madras high court has CRPF security. But if an offence is committed then, the FIR is filed by the local police. General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress, Johnson Asiedu Nketia has taken a swipe at the government over the controversial Agyapa deal. Speaking at a town hall meeting in Kumasi, the Ashanti Region, General Mosquito as he is popularly known, after describing the deal as a bad one for the country used an analogy to say whether Akyem is removed from the Sakawa Boys tag the NDC has placed on persons associated with the deal or not, the deal still remains a deal being fronted by Sakawa Boys. There is a town in Sehwi which used to be called Woman No Good until the 31st Womens Movement protested against the name because it was derogatory to women and demanded a change in the name of the town. A committee met to deliberate on the issue and concluded that the Woman in the name is taken out, but still No Good should be maintained. So as for me, I say, still Sakawa Boys, he reiterated. Akyem Sakawa Boys Tag The NDC has since the inception of the Agyapa deal protested the agreement by the government of Ghana to leverage the nation's gold resources in raising capital for national development projects. The NDC Member of Parliament for Bolgatanga Central, Isaac Adongo in a Facebook post while describing the deal as fraudulent, referred to government persons associated with the deal as Akyem Sakawa Boys. The post which was subsequently shared by Flagbearer of the NDC, John Dramani Mahama, courted criticism from President Akufo-Addo, members of the NPP as well as some people of the Akyem tribe who have demonstrated against the NDC and its flagbearer for promoting tribalism. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Googles domination of the online advertising market appears to have stalled since Amazon last year became the third-largest digital ad platform in the U.S. behind the Google-Facebook duopoly. Search ads a mainstay of Googles revenues in the United States are trending lower; but Amazons and Facebooks digital ad revenues will grow, according to a recent forecast by eMarketer. This may have driven Google to accelerate its push into e-commerce, focusing on what it calls the messy middle the space in the customer journey between what triggers the purchase and the actual purchase itself. The key is to ensure brand presence, make their proposition compelling, and reduce the time between trigger and purchase, Google found. Anything that will remove the messy middle is key, Ray Wang, a principal analyst at Constellation Research, told the E-Commerce Times. If I can get you to buy faster because you see a recommendation, a rating, a review, a seal of approval thats the first step. The second step is to be able to replicate Amazons one-click purchase capabilities. Make it easy to buy now. Google needs to monetize its advertising business with commerce in the long run, Wang said, because its ad business is being chipped away by Amazons digital ads based on product search and listings. Googles latest e-commerce initiatives could play into the dissatisfaction some retailers harbor for Amazon. Retailers are looking for an alternative to Amazon, Wang said. Also, they want to integrate commerce, advertising, search and even payments. Googles Moves to Boost E-Commerce Earlier this month, Google added support for keyword recommendations and campaign level optimization to the Google Ads application programming interface (API) and added a performance planner feature that lets retailers predict clicks, conversions and conversion values based on different customer spend levels and return on investment targets. Google also announced new ways to showcase and augment the brand of businesses advertising with Google as well as those with an e-store on Google Shopping. A D V E R T I S E M E N T One is a beta program that lets businesses upload or automatically curate relevant images from their website to their Google search ads, using Googles machine learning capabilities. Another feature lets businesses dynamically highlight sales or time-sensitive deals with a countdown. Google will also provide suggestions on shipping, returns, and how to promote online availability. Smart Shopping Ads Google is also offering more visual ways retailers can stand out from competitors with Smart Shopping campaigns. One is an icon to highlight features like free and fast shipping. This has increased conversion rates by nine percent, Google says. Free and fast shipping provides small businesses with the opportunity to compete with larger retailers, Adam Jones, director of business development at Logical Position, told the E-Commerce Times. Seventy-seven percent of shoppers now indicate that reliable two-day shipping is the leading factor when completing a purchase. Logical Position is one of two ad management partners Google selected for a pilot run in October involving use of the Free & Fast icon. The other was Sales & Orders. Other new features, for retailers who have Google display ad campaigns, is access to new creative layouts, automatically generated video ads, and updated dynamic ads. Dynamic ads show previous visitors to a retailers site tailored messages containing products and services the visitors previously had viewed on the site. The dynamic ads feature displays the retailers business name and logo, and lets the retailer showcase the latest promotions and spotlight a single product. Google has introduced portfolio bid strategies and bid strategy reports for Adwords Smart Bidding, in an effort to help retailers maximize returns from ad spending. A D V E R T I S E M E N T A bid is the maximum amount an advertiser will pay for an ad to show in the search engine page results when a consumer conducts a Google Search. The actual position of an ad is calculated by the maximum bid times the quality score. The quality score is based on the ads expected clickthrough rate, its relevance, and the landing page experience. The Smart Bidding offering evaluates relevant contextual signals during an auction such as time of day, device type and operating system, so retailers can target the right shopper. Another new Google e-commerce feature is a conversion value for sales to new customers in their Smart Shopping campaigns. A conversion value helps retailers track, optimize and report on their return on ad spend. AI Recommendations Google has also released in beta its Recommendations AI to all customers. This tool adapts to changing consumer behavior in real time and suggests the next best product to recommend, using deep learning machine learning models. It can scale to catalogs of tens of millions of items, correct for bias with extremely popular or on-sale items, and better handle seasonality or items with sparse data. Two out of three consumers now expect personalization, George Barker, Head of Marketing at personalization software company Qubit, which offers Googles Cloud Recommendations AI and works with brands such as Kate Spade, Estee Lauder, and Shiseido. The algorithms Google Recommendations AI uses were built using similar technology to Google Search and YouTube, two of the most widely used tools on the Internet, Barker said. Much like when you land on YouTube and somehow youre watching a video you never thought youd find interesting, but do, those principles apply to e-commerce, Barker observed. Rather than views, its conversions. More to Follow Google is also launching a pilot program to do away with the commission it charges when consumers buy make purchases directly from search ads. It will open its platform to other digital commerce providers, beginning with Shopify for inventory and order management, and both PayPal and Shopify for payment processing. In addition, Google is enabling commonly used product feed formats so retailers can connect their inventories to sell directly on its platform without the need to reformat their data. The goal of this integration is to make it possible for a retailer who already sells on Amazon to more easily list their inventory on Google. Later this year, Google will offer retailers a dynamically curated carousel of their most relevant products in an immersive, browsable shopping experience. Sellers will also be able to include video content in their display ads. Google also plans to add a small business filter on the Google Shopping tab and other e-commerce features for small businesses. The Struggle With Amazon Googles move into e-commerce is part of a longer-term strategy Google has to compete with Amazon in the e-commerce arena, Mark William Lewis, founder of Netalico Commerce, told the E-Commerce Times. Google has always dabbled in e-commerce but in the past few years theyve gotten more serious about it because so much of online ad revenue is from e-commerce brands. The pandemic has accelerated that strategy because e-commerce is growing significantly more than expected, Lewis observed. However, Google has an uphill battle because Amazon has such dominance on being essentially an e-commerce search engine that many people use it as their default place to search for a product, Lewis noted. Over time, though, if they curate an experience thats as good as, or better than, Amazon, I think merchants will be less likely to rely on Amazon and trust Google more and there could be a shift. Getting to the point where the customer experience offered can match Amazon might be a problem, Rebecca Wettemann, principal at research and advisory firm Valoir, told the E-Commerce Times. The challenge for Google is its attention span, she said. If I had a dollar for every time Google said they were getting serious about something new, Id have at least enough for a few large pizzas. Google doesnt have a good track record of sticking with its plans, Wettemann quipped. Advertisement Hurricane Sally strengthened back to a Category 2 storm as it moved slowly closer to the U.S. Gulf Coast on Tuesday, threatening historic floods as rain and storm-force winds started lashing the shore, and governors of four states urged people to flee the coastline. Authorities in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama have issued mandatory and voluntary evacuation orders for residents living along the Gulf Coast as Sally threatens to bring sustained wind gusts, nine-foot storm surge, and rainfall of up to 30 inches when it makes landfall this morning. The slow-moving storm, moving at 2 mph, crept toward the northern Gulf Coast early Tuesday as forecasters warned of potentially deadly storm surges and flash floods with up to 30 inches of rain and the possibility of tornadoes. The storm's sustained winds were recorded at 100mph early today, meaning Sally is now classified as a Category 2 storm. Waves crash along a pier as Hurricane Sally approaches in Gulf Shores, Alabama, on Tuesday A car drives by crashing waves as Hurricane Sally approaches in Alabama Port, Alabama, on Tuesday The image above taken by a satellite shows Hurricane Sally positioned over the Gulf of Mexico at 3pm Eastern Time on Tuesday Forecasters stressed 'significant' uncertainty as to where the storm's eye would make landfall. But they kept nudging the predicted track eastward, easing fears in New Orleans, which was once in Sally's crosshairs. Stacy Stewart, a senior specialist with the National Hurricane Center, said Tuesday that people should continue to take the storm seriously since 'devastating' rainfall is expected in large areas. People could drown in the flooding, he said. 'This is going to be historic flooding along with the historic rainfall,' Stewart said. 'A hurricane moving at 2 mph is stalled for all intents and purposes,' said Brian McNoldy, a hurricane researcher at the University of Miami. 'If they aren't moving along and they just kind of sit there, you're going to get a ridiculous amount of rain.' Up to a foot of rain had fallen already on the coast by Tuesday night and Sally's lumbering pace meant there would likely be extended deluges. Sally strengthened late Tuesday, with sustained winds reaching 90 mph. Winds had reached 100 mph on Monday. By Tuesday night, hurricane warnings stretched from coastal Mississippi to the Florida Panhandle. There also was a threat the storm could spawn tornadoes and dump isolated rain accumulations of 30 inches in spots from the Florida Panhandle to southeast Mississippi. Palm trees sway in the wind as Hurricane Sally approaches in Gulf Shores, Alabama, on Tuesday. The hurricane is expected to bring up to 30 inches of rain in parts of the Gulf Coast region The slow-moving hurricane is expected to make landfall early this morning. The above image shows a sign in Alabama Port, Alabama, on Tuesday Water sprays from crashing waves due to Hurricane Sally's approach in Alabama Port, Alabama, on Tuesday Forecasters stressed 'significant' uncertainty as to where the storm's eye would make landfall. But they kept nudging the predicted track eastward, easing fears in New Orleans, which was once in Sally's crosshairs Alabama's governor has urged all residents in the Mobile area to evacuate their homes. A store parking lot is flooded in Alabama Port, Alabama, on Tuesday The storm was moving at only 2 mph on Tuesday morning, centered about 105 miles south-southeast of Biloxi, Mississippi, and 65 miles east of the mouth of the Mississippi River A road is blocked off due to possible flooding from Hurricane Sally's approach in Alabama Port, Alabama, on Tuesday Forecasters expect Sally to travel slowly north-northeastward today, remaining a Category 2 hurricane, with top winds of 85 mph, until it comes ashore High water covers sections of the Gulfport, Mississippi, beach early on Tuesday. Sally continued its approach toward the Gulf Coast In Gulfport, Mississippi, twin hurricane warning flags popped in the wind Tuesday morning at a marina and the sea had risen enough to cover an area normally used for bonfires in the sand. Most boat slips at the marina were empty, and many businesses in town were closed, metal storm shutters or plywood covering the windows. The storm was moving at only 2 mph on Tuesday night, as its center churned offshore 65 miles south-southeast of Mobile, Alabama, Forecasters expect Sally to travel slowly north-northeastward today, remaining a Category 2 hurricane, with top winds of 85 mph, until it comes ashore. After making landfall, Sally was forecast to cause flash floods and minor to moderate river flooding across inland portions of Mississippi, Alabama, northern Georgia and the western Carolinas through the rest of the week. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis declared an emergency in the Panhandle's westernmost counties, which were being pummeled by rain from Sally's outer bands early Tuesday. The threat of heavy rain and storm surge was exacerbated by the storm's slow movement. President Donald Trump issued emergency declarations for parts of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama on Monday, and tweeted that residents should listen to state and local leaders. Several towns along the Gulf Coast reported sustained wind gusts of more than 20mph on Tuesday morning Sally is due to make landfall early this morning. It was initially feared headed straight toward New Orleans, but it is believed likely that it will turn toward the northeast and strike near Biloxi, Mississippi The storm's slow movement is likely to result in significant rainfall totaling up to 30 inches in some parts of the Gulf Coast The Gulf Coast stretching from southern Louisiana to the Florida Panhandle has been placed under either storm watches or warnings Hurricane Sally was a tropical depression last week when it dumped several inches of rain on South Florida before strengthening to a tropical storm and eventually a hurricane Meteorologists say that Sally is a Category 2 hurricane with sustained winds of up to 85mph Experts warn that the storm could bring life-threatening surge of up to 9ft in some parts of Mississippi and Alabama Strong, tropical storm-force winds are likely to be felt as far inland as Montgomery, Alabama, according to The Weather Channel The slow-moving storm could bring 'historic flooding' to inland areas, including Birmingham, Montgomery, and Hattiesburg, Mississippi Up to 30 inches of rain is possible along the Gulf Coast while areas as far north as Charlotte and Atlanta are likely to see several inches as well Alabama Governor Kay Ivey sought the presidential declaration after the National Weather Service in Mobile, Alabama, warned of the increasing likelihood of 'dangerous and potentially historic flooding,' with waters rising as much as 9 feet above ground in parts of the Mobile metro area. Ivey urged residents Tuesday to stay vigilant and heed any emergency warnings. It all seemed a distant threat Monday afternoon in Waveland, Mississippi, as a shirtless, barefooted Trevor Claunch, of nearby Bay St. Louis, got in some last-minute beach time. But there were signs of trouble coming. Claunch marveled at how the Gulf waters had already crept over swaths of sandy shore and infiltrated bike paths and parking lots. 'Without any rain, and it's already all the way up - I honestly want to stick around and see where it goes,' said Claunch. But he wasn't taking any chances. 'We're going to go inland,' he said. Sally achieved hurricane strength Monday and quickly intensified to a Category 2 storm with 100 mph winds. Storm surge from Hurricane Sally overtakes the outside parking lot and the first floor of the Palace casino parking garage in Biloxi, Mississippi, on Tuesday Residents walk on the costal road hours before Hurricane Sally makes landfall on the US Gulf Coast in Pascagoula, Mississippi, on Tuesday A construction site is seen on the coast hours before Hurricane Sally makes landfall on the US Gulf Coast in Pascagoula A driver navigates along a flooded road as the outer bands of Hurricane Sally come ashore on Tuesday in Bayou La Batre, Alabama Bruce Laden walks along a pier to find a spot to fish Tuesday before the arrival of Hurricane Sally in Biloxi Ocean water overtakes a beach entry from Hurricane Sally's approach blow by her on the beach in Gulf Shores, Alabama, on Tuesday Carl Narman walks his dog in the rain as Hurricane Sally approaches in Mobile, Alabama, on Tuesday Waves crash against a dock on Choctawhatchee Bay near Brooks Bridge in Fort Walton Beach, Florida, on Tuesday Kyle Olasin, caretaker for former Saints star Steve Gleason, runs as a friend makes a video of him near a flooded Lakeshore Park at Lake Pontchartrain in New Orleans Laura Smith and her daughter Ella, 6, play in water coming up into Lakeshore Park from Lake Pontchartrain While the threat to Louisiana appeared to be easing, flood control authorities remained on guard, closing gates along networks of waterways that could be pushed over their banks by the possible surge from the Gulf. The southwestern part of the state was pummeled by Hurricane Laura on August 27 and an estimated 2,000 evacuees from that storm were sheltered in New Orleans, mostly in hotels. Monday marked only the second time on record, forecasters said, that five tropical cyclones swirled simultaneously in the Atlantic basin. The last time that happened was in 1971. None of the others were expected to threaten the U.S. this week, if at all, and one was downgraded to a low pressure trough Monday evening. The extraordinarily busy hurricane season - like the catastrophic wildfire season on the West Coast - has focused attention on the role of climate change. An empty vehicle sits in floodwaters in a driveway in Pascagoula, Mississippi, on Tuesday Waves crash near a pier at Gulf State Park in Gulf Shores, Alabama, on Tuesday Sally is crawling toward the northern Gulf Coast at just 2 mph, a pace that's enabling the storm to gather huge amounts of water to eventually dump on land Waves crash over the wall near the Grand Marlin in Pensacola Beach, Florida, on Tuesday A man carries empty fuel containers in Gulf Shores, Alabama, on Tuesday in preparation for the arrival of Hurricane Sally A shopper looks for bread in a partly empty shelf on Tuesday as people prepare before the possible arrival of Hurricane Sally in Bayou La Batre, Alabama Emily Dominguez, 7, braces for the impact of the wind gusts and incoming rain from Hurricane Sally, as she stands on the edge of her family's flooded property in Pascagoula, Mississippi, on Tuesday Water floods on the road near the marina hours before Hurricane Sally makes landfall on the US Gulf Coast in Pascagoula, Mississippi, on Tuesday Barricades are seen as the water floods on the road near the marina hours before Hurricane Sally makes landfall on the US Gulf Coast in Pascagoula, Mississippi, on Tuesday Susan Newkirk (right) and Christy stand in the parking lot at Quietwater Beach that is flooded in Pensacola, Florida, on Tuesday Waves crash over the wall near the Grand Marlin in Pensacola Beach, Florida, as Hurricane Sally makes its way into the area on Tuesday Scientists say global warming is making the strongest of hurricanes, those with wind speeds of 110 mph or more, even stronger. Also, warmer air holds more moisture, making storms rainier, and rising seas from global warming make storm surges higher and more damaging. In addition, scientists have been seeing tropical storms and hurricanes slow down once they hit the United States by about 17 per cent since 1900, and that gives them the opportunity to unload more rain over one place, as 2017's Hurricane Harvey did in Houston. People along the coast appeared to be taking the storm seriously even as it remained offshore. Coastal casinos shut down under orders from the Mississippi Gaming Commission. Motorists filled a convenience store parking lot in Ocean Springs, Mississippi, as they topped off gas tanks and stocked up on ice, beer and snacks. 'It's second nature to us. It would have already been done but I had to work,' Zale Stratakos said as she helped her mother, Kimberly Stratakos, fill three plastic gasoline cans. By Azernews By Ayya Lmahamad Azerbaijan's State Oil Company (SOCAR) has opened a new petrol station in Romania, bringing the number of such stations in this country to 50, local media reported on September 15. The new station has ben opened in Sibiu region, one of the main tourist centers of the country, which is mainly visited by foreign tourists and locals. It should be noted that this is the third filling station in the region. Head of SOCAR Romanian office Hamza Karimov noted that the company plans to increase the number of SOCAR petrol stations in Romania to 60 by the end of this year. Moreover, he stressed that despite the coronavirus pandemic, SOCAR has successfully completed the first half of the year in Romania, and has fully implemented the strategic development plan for 2020. Head of development department at SOCAR Petroleum SA Dan Dumitrache noted that as at any petrol station, gasoline and diesel are supplied to customers, while local and Azerbaijani products are sold at Nar cafe in the area. It should be noted that an Azerbaijani corner has also been created at the petrol station in line with President Ilham Aliyev's poilcy to promote the brand Made in Azerbaijan. SOCAR operates in Romania through SOCAR Petroleum SA, established in 2011. Military members and veterans can get up to four free months of Apple Music through the Apple Music military discount -- but... Former Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) student leader has written a public letter weeks later after he was arrested by UPs anti-terrorist squad (ATS) and subsequently released. TwoCircles.net reproduces the letter in its entirety. Salam Support TwoCircles I thank each one of you for praying for me and my family. It is only because of your support and prayers that I am able to write to you all. It was not possible for me to write from jail. In a country that celebrates the writings of its leaders which were written in jail, political prisoners are not allowed to own pen and paper. I had to wait to write to you. Wait is a generous word, it demands one to stay where one is until a particular time or event. It denotes impatience and commands patience. To wait is the right thing to do, most of the time. We, however, arent living in a time that can be included in most of the time. We are in fact past all the fields that could hold us back to wait for the trouble to end. The cost of waiting is too much, perhaps more than everything we own. But what do we own? Nothing that could be summed up as a dignified living. To wait is also a choice we make. Everything we own, we lose depends on the choices we have made. We choose what is convenient, most of the time. But, as I said, we arent living in a time that can be included in most of the time. To not choose what is convenient is sacrifice. To sacrifice is even more generous than waiting. It is to give up something valuable. Now, I urge, is the time to give up waiting. Ever since the Narendra Modi led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power, Muslims in India have faced a systematic, yet chaotic form of cruel oppression. Our membership in the India society has been cancelled, informally, and the cancellation is lined up to be formalised with the duo of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizenship (NRC). The manifestation of our informally cancelled membership from the Indian society is multifold. From the ongoing witch-hunting of activists, students and citizens by the Indian law enforcement agencies, to the dominantly hateful Hindutva cultural symbols, to the ongoing and unending lynchings it all is to warn us of the declaration that our lives and everything related to our lives is of no value. Forgive me for revealing that what possesses no value is taken for granted. Our response to this unjust calculation is convenient. It must also be unsatisfactory, I suspect. Rohit bhai in his last letter wrote the value of a man was reduced to his immediate identity and nearest possibility. To a number. To a thing. Never was a man treated as a mind. Our valuation is even worse. A number in a list with the header total deaths. A thing with no value, and no life. I apologize for being repetitive but everything we own and we lose depends upon the choices we have made. This is where I have disagreements. I have disagreements with our affinity for our convenient response. We also call it our fight while describing it. Our response altogether has been of an abiding citizens. To a government that does not consider your being, and has proactively worked to ensure that your life be taken for granted by your fellow citizens; we respond by being law abiding. In close quarters, we also wait. Wait for all of this to get over. We secretly, and collectively pray that this government is defeated in the upcoming elections. Even if this government is mysteriously defeated, there exists no immediate cure for the alarming mass radicalization of Hindus. We also try to fool ourselves by repeating everything would be alright, we have people on our side, we have allies over and over again into our own ears. We might as well have the whole world on our side, but that would mean nothing if our entire response is to wait. With our allies, we patiently wait. I am not sure if it has to be spoken out loud, but, I feel that now is the time to be rogue. Nobody cares about the law abiding attitude of the persecuted in a excellently functional lawless society. Muslim activists do not exist to count the dead bodies of their fellow brothers and sisters, to pressurise the government to release every next person incarcerated, and then celebrate their release after several months of illegal imprisonment. In case we didnt notice, with every one person released, there are dozens going in. One can only pressurise someone who cares. This particular government, my dear people, does not care. Students, in their college, sit on hunger strike against a new rule because they have faith that the college administration would not let them die. The same is not the case with this government. We cannot pressurise oppressors to not oppress. We can only compel them, force them. Fifty years from today, if our history is written accurately, we will find two sets of people in our community. The bad ones and the good ones. The bad ones would be those who remained silent throughout our persecution, the good ones would be those who waited for the persecution to happen only to condemn it with empty slogans, colorful posters and routinely boring hashtags. Fifty years from now, people would not be very pleased with even the good ones such as me. I urge you to give up on waiting. I urge you to join the fight while you can. I urge you to present before this government and its followers an option to mass-arrest and mass-lynch hundreds or thousands or whatever number of people who are willing to actually fight back. That is the choice weve to make. If this is not possible today, let us all work to make it possible whenever it can be possible. This oppression is not going to end anytime soon. Hindutva must be defeated for a just society to exist. We need civil disobedience. Jis khet se dahqan ko mayassar nahin rozi, Us khet ko har Khosha e Gandum ko jala do. In solidarity, Sharjeel Usmani Colombia Reels From Violent Protests By Megan Janetsky September 14, 2020 Protests against police violence in Colombia have left at least 13 dead and hundreds wounded after police and protesters clashed in major cities across the country. The demonstrations were triggered after a video surfaced showing two officers in the capital, Bogota, pinning down and repeatedly tasing 46-year-old lawyer Javier Ordonez. Police say Ordonez was drinking on the street with friends and not following social distancing rules. In the video, Ordonez is heard begging, "Please, no more" to the officers. He died later in a hospital after suffering nine skull fractures. As protesters took to the streets in Bogota, smashing and setting fire to police vehicles and stations across the city, security forces responded. Videos show groups of officers attacking civilians, and showering them with rubber bullets and tear gas, while others show security forces tear gassing and responding violently to peaceful protests Most of the dead were young protesters who suffered gunshots wounds. Bogota's mayor denounced what he described as the "indiscriminate" use of firearms by police. That violence set off more demonstrations, which expanded across the country. While international observers have described the protests as Colombia's "George Floyd moment," referring to Black Lives Matter demonstrations that emerged in the United States after George Floyd died in police custody in May, many Colombians were quick to dub them as something else entirely. For Valentina Perez, 20, marching in Medellin, Colombia's second-largest city, it was a response to a trend of violence and frustration that has been building up for months. "This is nothing new," Perez said. "In reality, this case had a big impact because there's an accumulation of anger." Perez noted the wave of massacres sweeping rural Colombia during the coronavirus pandemic as armed groups grapple for control, scandals that have struck the government in recent months, and longtime failures by the administration of President Ivan Duque to implement key facets of the country's 2016 peace accords. The accords ended Latin America's longest-running conflict, between the government and rebels of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC. Such frustrations have festered during the country's five-month-long coronavirus quarantine, which had severe economic and mental health consequences, especially among the country's poor. While police violence is certainly a problem in Colombia, said Sergio Guzman, director of Colombia Risk Analysis, such violence rarely runs just along racial lines. Rather, he said this ties more heavily to longstanding trends of impunity among security officials established by decades of armed conflict. "There's a host of reasons people are protesting, this just caused enough indignation to bring people out to the street," Guzman said. "Then when they were met with violence by members of the police, the indignation mounted on top of what was already a lot of angst." Similar anger fueled protests which stretched on for more than a month late last year. While the Paro Nacional, or national strike, drew hundreds of thousands of largely peaceful protesters, the demonstrations that have erupted in Colombia this past week have been smaller, but more violent. In the first night of demonstrations in Bogota alone, the government reported that 60 police stations, 91 cars, 77 public buses, five banks and three businesses were damaged. Authorities say a 40-year-old woman was also killed Thursday night after a bus hijacked by vandals hit her. Such violence has been seen in other parts of the country as well. Members of Duque's Centro Democratico party criticized the protests. Party leader Alvaro Uribe, a former president widely credited for returning stability to Colombia after decades of drug violence and civil war but also known for promoting controversial heavy-handed military tactics denounced the vandalism and posted videos of torched public buses. "A firm hand guarantees order, avoids vandalism and the brutality of some police," he wrote. Esteban Liscano, 25, was among hundreds of people who clashed with police in Medellin over the last few days. Liscano said he feels the violence is the only way to get their voices heard. "For all the things that silence represents, violence represents an outcry, making noise," he said. "It's something we need for a society that always stays silent, that simply normalizes death," Liscano said. "Nos Estan Matando," or "They are killing us," is the message written on posters and graffiti lining the walls and vandalized buildings across the country. At the police station near where Ordonez was reportedly killed, mourners set up a memorial to the victims of police violence. While officials have called for forgiveness and reconciliation, reactions have been varied among local and national governments. Bogota Mayor Claudia Lopez has called for police reform and visited victims and their families. At the same time, Duque's government accused guerrillas and armed actors of infiltrating protests, but offered little evidence to support that claim. The officers accused of Ordonez's killing have been fired. They face charges of homicide and abusing authority. Guzman said that while the clashes may not be the "tipping point" that organizers of last year's protests were looking for to reignite mass demonstrations, they are adding to deep discontent against the country's leadership. "This is going to be a buildup," Guzman said. "This is not a tidal wave that's going to take over. This is not a tsunami, but this kind of gravitas offers the perfect moment for the next election to start." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Page Content A total of nine persons, seven Civil Servants and two external candidates, have enrolled from Sint Maarten to participate in a one year legislative course organized by the University of Curacao. The program, slated to begin on September 14, 2020 is an online training for lawyers, to equip them with the knowledge of the technique and rules to draft legislation. Participants in the program, originate from St. Maarten, Curacao and Aruba. The initiative, from the University of Curacao, is one that is supported by the government of St. Maarten as it is in line with Governments vision to further strengthen and upgrade the knowledge base within the Civil Service. The drafting of legislation is a core task of several of governments departments and further enhancing the expertise amongst Civil Servants, is expected to further enhance the quality of legislative pieces produced annually. Over the years, Government has organized basic legal courses for Civil Servants and this online training further complements and builds on these initiatives. The program is also in line with the Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth and Sports vision of supporting the delivery of affordable, quality, Higher Education Programs to the community of St. Maarten, to meet the islands needs. The costs to participate in the one year course is Nafls. 3,500 per candidate. The Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport and the government of St. Maarten in general wishes all candidates participating in the training program much success. The University of Curacao is also currently in the process of recruiting participants for its 3 years Bachelor program that it operates on St. Maarten. The program, offered in collaboration with the government of St. Maarten which has been running for the past 2 years is currently enrolling new students with an interest in pursuing their law degree, without having to travel abroad. Another day, another row at Stormont. This time it comes after the DUP MP Sammy Wilson claimed his party leader put the brakes on a series of extreme lockdown proposals put forward by health officials and aimed at bringing Covid-19 to heel. Health Minister Robin Swann was quick to issue a rebuttal, branding the comments ill-informed and bogus. However, unfortunately it wasnt the first time during this pandemic that the message coming from our politicians has been muddied and unclear. Just cast your mind back a matter of weeks to a social media post from Mr Wilson in which he compared wearing a face covering in public to being muzzled. It appeared just as the Department of Health was desperately trying to encourage as many people as possible to don the PPE as shielding came to an end for more than 90,000 people. Then there was the fallout from the Bobby Storey funeral, which was enough to stop our two top politicians from standing shoulder to shoulder to deliver key public health messages during one of the greatest crises Northern Ireland has ever faced. Of course, epic fallouts among our politicians are nothing new Covid-19 arrived in Northern Ireland just as Stormont was finding its feet again after a three-year hiatus. So, given our troubled history, the public here is more than used to watching the various personalities engage in political point-scoring. But how much damage is being caused in the war against Covid-19 while some of our elected representatives and officials seem unable to agree on basic public health advice? Theres no doubt the decision by some senior Sinn Fein representatives to stand in crowds at funerals at the height of the first wave diluted the public health message somewhat. And what about the introduction of local lockdowns amid grim warnings of a second deadly spike, followed by the announcement that wet pubs will be allowed to reopen? Then came comments last week from another DUP MP, Ian Paisley Jnr, who said that no health minister, and no Government will close Ballymena to its people. No-one is suggesting that the decisions being made throughout the pandemic should not be examined and challenged. Certainly, there are examples where the official response to the virus particularly in the early days was found wanting and it was only right and proper that those charged with keeping us safe through this emergency should be held to account. This shouldnt change as we move into what could be an even more deadly phase of the pandemic. However, a strong and coherent public health message will prove vital in the coming months if were to keep a lid on Covid-19. Theres no doubt the ever-changing rules and advice are confusing, while the fact that the regulations in Northern Ireland can differ considerably from the rest of the UK is also proving a challenge. Were heading into winter facing the potential ravages of a deadly pandemic at a time when our health service is already on its knees. A balance must be struck between two competing demands that of suppressing the virus and rebuilding the economy. It isnt going to be easy but it doesnt have to be impossible either. Rhea Chakraborthy being hounded by media personnel as she emerges from a grilling by the Enforcement Directorate. (PTI file photo) Mumbai: A clutch of film-makers are among over 2,000 people who have signed an open letter condemning the media's witch-hunt of Rhea Chakraborty in the light of the death of her boyfriend, actor Sushant Singh Rajput. The film personalities who have signed the open letter include Anurag Kashyap, Mira Nair Frieda Pinto, Zoya Akhtar, Farhan Akhtar, Alankrita Shrivastava, Gauri Shinde, Reema Kagti, Ruchi Narain, Rasika Dugal, Nitya Mehra, Amruta Subhash, Mini Mathur, Dia Mirza, and Kubbra Sait. Several TV channels have been stalking various personalities, chiefly Rhea Chakraborty, who have figured in the controversy since the death of Rajput. Chakraborty has been arrested by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) in connection with drugs-related allegations in the death case of Rajput. The 34-year-old actor was found dead at his Bandra residence on June 14. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the NCB is probing the drug case in which 18 people including Chakraborty, her brother Showik Chakraborty, Rajput's manager Samuel Miranda, domestic help Dipesh Sawant and others have been arrested. The open letter, addressed to "the dear news media of India" is published on a blog called Feminist Voices and it has over 2,500 signatories from all walks of life. "Dear news media of India. We are worried about you. Are you feeling OK," it asks. "Because, as we watch your witch-hunt of Rhea Chakraborty, we cannot understand why you have abandoned every professional ethic of journalism, every tenet of human decency and dignity and chosen instead to physically assault a young woman with your camera crews, endlessly violate her privacy and work overtime on false accusations and moralistic innuendo for a drama of 'Rhea ko phasao'", the letter reads. The letter calls out the media for being "obsessed" with creating the narrative of a young woman as a "morally dubious character" because she speaks up for herself instead of "acting like a damsel in distress". Drawing parallels about the coverage of the cases of actors Salman Khan and Sanjay Dutt, the letter urged the media to show the same kindness and respect to Chakraborty that it had shown to these actors. "We know you can be different because we have seen you be kind and respectful to the Salman Khans and Sanjay Dutts of this world, urging us to think of their families, fans and careers," the letter said, asking why the media had "assassinated" Chakraborty's character and egged on an online mob against her and her family. "It is easy to victimise a young woman because there are so many people who already disbelieve, slut-shame and abuse women, for their smallest freedoms. It is certainly cheaper than doing actual stories about a host of issues from GDP to health, currently confronting us," the letter further said. Citing the disturbing rise in domestic violence during the pandemic, the letter condemned the media for promoting damaging stereotypes of "vishkanyas" and "dayans" while trivialising depression and perpetuating regressive stereotypes about mental health. "We write to ask you, the news media, to stop this unfair witch-hunt of Rhea Chakraborty and to stop fuelling moral polarities of good women to be deified and bad women to be crucified which endangers all women. We write to ask you to do the right and responsible thing. Your jobs. Hunt news, not women," the letter added. Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size Wesley Ballantine should have never died. The 17-year-old was bright, vibrant, and hungry for life, a true "lion among humans". When he wasn't studying a broking course or working as a trades assistant, he would get lost in his music, playing blues, flamenco and jazz on his guitar for hours on end. A talented performer with an eclectic taste, he wanted to learn to play the trumpet next and become a businessman. "His friends described him as the biggest man at the table," his mother Regan Ballantine said. "I don't know how to describe him, he was larger than life." But in the early hours of January 5, 2017, his life was brutally cut short after he plummeted 12 metres to his death while installing a glass ceiling during the refurbishment of the Old Post Office building in the Perth CBD. He was rushed to Royal Perth Hospital but could not be saved. Jarring images of the construction site obtained by WAtoday show Wesley had been walking on steel beams and wooden planks around open voids prior to his death. The floor was covered in extension cords and other construction materials, making the work more perilous. Wesley wasn't wearing a safety harness because there was nowhere to hook it. Advertisement Ms Ballantine remembers the shock of the call from the police and the earth suddenly slipping out from underneath her. "Wesley has fallen passed away," she remembers the officer at the other end of the line saying. "You just don't believe it," she said. "It was like I was watching a movie of myself like it wasn't real what they were telling me." Valmont's construction site in the CBD hours after Wesley's death. For months, Ms Ballantine lived in a state of shock so deep she couldn't even shed tears at her son's funeral. She lived in the hope the system would right the wrongs and serve justice for Wesley. It was designed to protect workers. But nearly a year and a half after Wesley fell to his death, during a meeting with WorkSafe, reality came crashing down like a pile of bricks. Valmont, the contractor hired to carry out the refurbishments, would face a maximum fine of $200,000 for Wesley's death. That was if it was slapped with the harshest penalty. Months later, Valmont would plead guilty in court to failing to ensure subcontractors like Wesley were not exposed to hazards on site and was fined $38,000. Advertisement That was about $160,000 below the maximum penalty, and less than a year's salary on minimum wage. "The system cheated Wes, the system devalued his life, the system protected the businesses, the system favoured the businesses," Ms Ballantine said. "As a mother and a parent you raise your kids to bring them to the very stage Wesley was at, which was the door to his future, a world of endless possibilities. He just didn't make it through that door. "I feel so cheated, I feel cheated for Wes and I feel cheated for the efforts and sacrifices and struggles that I made as a mother to get him to that point." At that moment, it dawned on Ms Ballantine that the system was broken and it needed to be fixed, even if it was too late for Wesley. Regan Ballantine has been calling on changes to the judicial system to make companies accountable for industrial manslaughter. Credit:Marta Pascual Juanola It sent her on a quest to campaign for manslaughter laws to be introduced in Western Australia as part of an overhaul of work safety laws. Advertisement Now, 3 years after Wesley's tragic death, the upper house is due to debate the Work Health and Safety Bill 2019, which if passed could see Ms Ballantine's hopes for greater accountability for operators become reality. Tougher penalties for companies have also been rolled out under a modernised Work Health Safety Act, with level four offences, which include fatalities, now attracting a maximum $2.7 million penalty for first-time offenders and $3.5 million for repeat offenders up from $500,000 and $625,000, respectively. First-time offence fines have also jumped from $50,000 to $450,000 while repeat offenders face $570,000 fines, up from $62,500. Under these new penalties, two companies are facing a combined $4.7 million in fines over the death of young plumber Ryan Duffus in Mosman Park in a landmark case for workplace safety. If Valmont had been fined under current penalties, its fine would have likely been 7 times higher. The penalties are a small victory for fierce advocates like Ms Ballantine, who said campaigning for industrial manslaughter laws "resuscitated her". "Wesley's death took so much from me but it gifted me real purpose," she said. "It's a gift to be able to take something so tragic and transform it into something good for others." Advertisement MONROE A Bridgeport resident and political activist was charged with allegedly driving under the influence Sept. 12 after leading police on a slow chase on Route 111, police said. Tony Barr, 56, was charged with driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, engaging police in pursuit, failure to drive in a proper lane and interfering with an officer after being stopped by police at the intersection of Routes 111 and 110. Barr said the situation has been blown out of proportion, and that he felt he was a victim of racial profiling. I was not trying to evade police, Barr said Tuesday. I was trying to put myself somewhere where I felt comfortable and safe. I understand the officers were upset that I continued driving (after being signaled to stop), but I was in the middle of nowhere with all white officers. Barr, who is Black, is a Democratic activist who has run unsuccessfully for public office, including most recently losing a primary to incumbent state Rep. Charlie Stallworth. According to Lt. Stephen Corrone, a vehicle driven by a man later identified as Barr passed an officer conducting stationary traffic enforcement about 10 p.m. Saturday. Corrone said the officer observed an equipment violation, and the vehicles apparent inability to maintain the proper lane. The officer attempted to conduct a motor vehicle stop. The operator did not pull over for the officer, Corrone said. The operator stopped in the middle of the road several times and motioned to the officer to pass. When the officer did not pass, the operator continued north at a slow rate of speed swerving into the opposing travel lane several times. Corrone said, after more than a mile, the operator pulled over north of the intersection with Route 110. When the officer approached the driver, an alcoholic beverage odor was emanating from the vehicle, Corrone said. Barr refused to get out of the vehicle, Corrone said. After a half hour of negotiating with officers, he exited the vehicle without incident. Barr was taken into custody. Barr continued to be uncooperative with officers throughout the booking process. Barr refuted that claim, saying he simply asked to see a supervisor before getting out of the vehicle. I had no problem with taking a Breathalyzer, but I felt I needed to see a supervisor before exiting the car, Barr said. Once the supervisor arrived, Barr said he got out and was immediately handcuffed and brought to police headquarters for processing. At headquarters, Barr said he asked to take a Breathalyzer test but none was administered. Barr said he was not drinking alcohol he said had an unopened beer on the front seat. When I refused to get out of the car, the officer then tried to open the door but it was locked, Barr said. I asked for a supervisor to come before I would get out. If anything, I was trying to de-escalate the situation. Barr was released on a $500 bond and given a court date of Sept. 22 at Bridgeport Superior Court. brian.gioiele@hearstmediact.com New Delhi: Minister of Commerce & Industry Piyush Goyal on Tuesday said India is open to importing scotch whiskey into India from UK in a larger measure. While speaking at the inaugural session of CII's India-UK Annual Conference, Goyal urged UK to start engagement on a full fledged FTA deal. "Bilaterally always simpler to engage, open to discussing import of scotch whisky into India from UK in a larger measure. Not that I drink scotch whisky but I want to put an end to spurious liquor being sold in India in the name of scotch whisky. As a bargain we are looking to create opportunities for our MSMEs, farmers, fishermen, handicrafts, textile industry, gems and jewellery industry" said Goyal. Addressing the inaugural session of @FollowCIIs India-UK Annual Conferencehttps://t.co/Jdzd2VIevO Piyush Goyal (@PiyushGoyal) September 15, 2020 "There are many industries which have huge potential to work with businesses in the UK where the UK is a net importer in a big way where India has the competitive and comparative advantage to be able to serve the UK's requirements," said Goyal. We should start an engagement on FTA. It is the need of the hour. We should look at the preferential trade agreement so that we can demonstrate to the whole world sincerity and seriousness of UK-India engagement.In bilateral agreements between 2 nations, we give some and get some. We are able to benefit businesses & create jobs on both sides of the table" the union minister added. India offers a huge potential to give quality medical support at affordable prices and at a speed which they will not get in UK, he said. The UK certainly can benefit significantly from India's healthcare offerings. A lot of the doctors in UK's national health service are Indians, he further said. Goyal also urged UK to pick up 40-50 items and look at an early harvest deal with India, which will be WTO compliant. The minister said that the confidence that CII has demonstrated in terms of India's ability to overcome the Covid-19 pandemic, has truly been remarkable. We will rapidly recover, ensure businesses come back on track & we will back to the growth trajectory. We believe our manufacturing ecosystem will grow by $300 billion in the next 5 years. For boosting the domestic consumption & exports, we are focusing on the 24 industry sub-sectors," he said. Goyal said that India ensured all its international commitments were met during the pandemic. He said" This is the trusted partnership India offers to the world which has been recognized. All through the pandemic, our services exports were at 90% of last year's level of the corresponding period.This has added to the credibility of India as a trusted partner world over. Under the leadership of NarendraModi, we have been able to earn the goodwill, friendship, trust of world leaders and countries". Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Never miss a story! Stay connected and informed with Mint. Download our App Now!! Topics Wetherspoon founder Tim Martin today branded the Rule of Six as 'byzantine' and 'complicated' as he likened the government's chaotic ever-changing restrictions to a 'speedboat in a competition'. The pub chain's chief executive, 65, said the UK's policies needed to be more like an ocean liner, with only tiny alterations to their course during the pandemic. He spoke after there had been 66 workers across 50 of the firm's pubs who had tested positive for coronavirus. Mr Martin, worth an estimated 322million, said: 'I think one of the problems is that the rules have become byzantine and complicated. I think that the UK and the coronavirus problem needs to be like the Queen Mary crossing the Atlantic just the odd touch at the tiller. What we are getting is different rules all the time, its like a speedboat in a competition. We are changing all the time and I dont think anyone really understands the rules anymore. Drinkers crowd outside the Paramount Wetherspoons in Manchester on Saturday night He added to Radio 4s Today programme: I think its a slightly chaotic rule myself apologies to the government, but it just doesnt seem to me to make a lot of sense. '94 per cent of our pubs have had no coronavirus cases whatsoever and only one per cent has had more than one case.' He added the assumption that pubs were the centre of transmissions was wrong and they were safe. Two pubs had up to four employees infected and six have confirmed two while the remaining 40 have reported just one worker testing positive for Covid-19. JD Wetherspoon, which employs 43,000 people across its 861 pubs said that the vast majority of its establishments have recorded no positive cases. The company hasn't revealed which pubs have been affected. Last month, three staff at the North and South Wales Bank in Wrexham, North Wales, tested positive but it remained open. Wetherspoons boss Tim Martin (pictured) recently shot down claims made by a disease expert that pubs are 'dangerous places to be' during the pandemic The firm said most of the reported cases have been mild or asymptomatic and 28 of the 66 employees have already returned to work, after self-isolating in accordance with medical guidelines. It follows a rise in new coronavirus cases, with a further 3,330 positive cases recorded in the UK on Sunday. A whopping 32million Brits have crammed into Wetherspoons pubs since they reopened on July 4. Pubs don't have to close after finding a positive test result unless they are made to do so by local health protection officials. Mr Martin recently shot down claims made by a disease expert that pubs are 'dangerous places to be' during the pandemic. He blasted: 'The situation with regard to pubs has been widely misunderstood. 'It is clearly not the case that pubs are ''dangerous places to be''.' Mr Martin also claims the chain has invested 15million into safeguarding its pubs and implementing measures such as screens between tables and reducing capacity. It comes as the pub giant revealed that trading was 'very quiet' over the weekend, before the Government's tightened restrictions on social gatherings came into action this morning. Mr Martin shrugged off claims that larger groups might rush to the pub before the implementation of the new 'rule of six'. Mr Martin also claims the chain has invested 15million into safeguarding its pubs and implementing measures such as screens between tables and reducing capacity The new rule means people could face fines of up to 3,200 if they are involved in social gatherings of more than six people. Mr Martin said: 'Trade was very quiet over the weekend, as the public weighed up the evidence about the alleged dangers of going out - Wetherspoon sales were 22.5 per cent below the equivalent Saturday last year.' Trade groups, including the British Beer & Pub Association, said the new rule will halt the recovery of hospitality firms without extended financial support for the sector. Mr Martin told investors on Monday that he believes the safety of pubs during the pandemic has been 'widely misunderstood'. Wetherspoon pubs have made many changes to their normal service and way of running things Last month, the group said like-for-like bar and food sales were down 16.9 per cent for the 44 days to August 16, compared with the same period last year. Mr Martin said the sales slump means it expects to post a loss for the year to July 26. The news comes as the 'rule of six' law came into force today - with public gatherings now limited to just six people indoors and out. Home Secretary Priti Patel today warned Brits will get criminal records if they break the rules. Home Office officials have said that anyone who refuses to pay the initial 100 on-the-spot fine will be arrested and taken to court. Pubs, bars and restaurants must also take the details of punters or risk 1,000 fines. Life under the Rule of Six: What Britons can and can't do as new Covid restrictions come into force across UK today with pub trips and barbecues to be kept under seven people - but up to 30 allowed at weddings Britons are facing curtailments on their freedom as England is subjected to draconian new coronavirus restrictions amid a spike in infections. Boris Johnson sent shockwaves around the country last week as he announced a ban on groups of more than six people from meeting, in what he dubbed a 'rule of six'. Ahead of the new restrictions, Brits hit pubs, parks and beaches at the weekend for one last knees-up with friends and family. The stringent ban came into force across England yesterday, in an attempt to tackle rising coronavirus infection rates by restricting meetings both indoors and outdoors, including homes, parks, pubs and restaurants. An army of 'Covid secure marshals' will patrol the streets, clamping down on barbecues, book clubs, picnics and pub lunches if they see more than six people together. The marshals can call police who will fine people up to 3,200 if they disobey the rules. Similar rules will apply in Wales, though groups of 30 can still meet outdoors, while Nicola Sturgeon has said she cannot rule out changing the number of people allowed to gather together in Scotland. Here, we outline exactly what the new restrictions mean for those living in England... Boris Johnson sent shockwaves around the country last week as he announced a ban on groups of more than six people from meeting, in what he dubbed a 'rule of six' Ahead of the new restrictions, Brits hit pubs, parks and beaches at the weekend for one last knees-up with friends and family. Pictured, People enjoy a drink outside a pub in Camden yesterday What are the basics? No more than six people will be allowed to get together in England with a few exceptions including attending weddings, funerals, and christenings, playing in sports matches, going to school and going to work. Anyone caught breaking these new restrictions can be fined 100, doubling for each new incident up to 3,200. The law could be in place for months, sparking fears it could ruin Christmas for millions. Are the rules the same in other parts of the UK? No. In Scotland and Wales, children under 12 will not be included in the figures. In Scotland, a new law has come into force limiting social gatherings to a maximum of six people from two households. The rules apply both indoors and outdoors - including in homes, gardens, pubs and restaurants. Until now up to eight people from three homes were allowed to meet indoors, and 15 from five households outdoors. In Wales, up to 30 people can meet outdoors. People will only be able to meet in groups of six or under indoors and must all belong to the same extended household group. Up to four households are able to join together to form an extended household - but children under 12 will be exempt and will not count towards that total. Can I have more than five friends over for a barbecue or go to a friend's birthday party? No. The six person rule still applies to barbecues, birthday parties and similar gatherings. While meeting five friends from five different households is legal, the guidance advises against it. Can I stay overnight at my friends house? The new measures have not specifically forbidden staying overnight, though the six person rule still applies. Previous Government guidance advises that individuals and members of their household or support bubble should only stay overnight with their own household and one other household. This can be in each other's homes or other accommodation, such as hotels or apartments. What about outdoor raves? Mass outdoor raves of more than six people are not permitted by the current coronavirus restrictions. Concerns have been raised over the holding of illicit raves in 'blatant contravention' of rules aimed at preventing the spread of coronavirus infection. Chief medical officer Chris Whitty pointed the finger at 'Generation Z' for sparking a surge in cases. In a direct plea to young people, Boris Johnson said that they should consider their behaviour 'for the sake of your parents' and your grandparents' health'. While meeting five friends from five different households is legal, the guidance advises against it Prof Whitty said the numbers of coronavirus case have been increasing 'much more rapidly' over the past few days. While the numbers among older people and children remained 'flat', in other age groups there were 'rapid upticks'. He said among 17 to 18 year-olds and 19 to 21 year-olds the numbers had gone up 'really quite steeply' since mid August. He said that data suggested that without action Britain would be on a path 'extremely similar' to France where the numbers have continued to rise - cautioning that the situation was likely to be perilous all the way through to Spring. The new rules come after the number of daily positive Covid-19 cases in the UK rose to almost 3,000 - figures not seen since May. Ministers hope the change to the law will make it easier for the police to identify and break up illegal gatherings. Why are the new measure being introduced? Infection rates have gone up quite rapidly prompting chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty to say the nation is 'not yet in trouble, but heading for trouble' in these circumstances. There has been a significant rise in incidences of coronavirus, up from 12.5 to 19.7 per 100,000 in last week, and figures suggest the R number is above 1. The cases are most common among the 19-21 age group but there is concern that the rises in younger people may then move quickly through different older age groups. Other warning signs also include a rise in the percentage of positive tests which can not be put down to more testing taking place. Where will the new rules apply? The rules will apply across England to all ages and in any setting either indoor and outdoors, at home or a pub. Prime Minister Boris Johnson said it is safer to meet outdoors and people should keep their distance from anyone they do not live with, even if they are close friends or family. He said people 'must not meet socially in groups of more than six - and if you do, you will be breaking the law.' What will the punishments be for breaking the rules? Mr Johnson said the new rules will be enforced by the police and anyone breaking them risks being 'dispersed, fined and possibly arrested'. Failure to stick to the new rules could mean a 100 fine, which will double with every subsequent offence up to 3,200. What about religious worship? Places of worship such as churches, synagogues, and mosques will stay open, but congregations must stay at least one metre apart. Concerns have been raised over the holding of illicit raves in 'blatant contravention' of rules aimed at preventing the spread of coronavirus infection (file image, 2010) Can I meet up with friends for a kickabout? Yes. Organised team sports will be exempt from the new measure, providing they are conducted in a coronavirus-secure way. Football, cricket and rugby will be able to continue, providing the proper covid-secure protocols are in place. For individual sports like tennis and golf, gatherings must adhere to the six person rule, and protocols must still be followed. But the new rules specifically state that 'organised' team sports will be able to go ahead, meaning informal gatherings of more than six friends may not be permitted. Organised team sports will be exempt from the new measure, providing they are conducted in a coronavirus-secure way Guidelines from August state that individuals can exercise alone, with members of their household, or with up to five other people from outside their household. Up to two households were permitted to gather in groups of more than six people indoors or outdoors, provided members of different households followed social distancing guidelines. Otherwise, gatherings of more than six people indoors or outdoors were not permitted, unless it was essential for work purposes. Can I have members of my extended family over? The six person rule still applies, meaning that a family of three could meet with three relatives. But the rule means that households of six people cannot have relatives over, unless they are within the same 'support bubble'. The six person rule still applies, meaning that a family of three could meet with three relatives. But the rule means that households of six people cannot have relatives over, unless they are within the same 'support bubble' Ministers face ridicule after it emerges Covid 'Rule of Six' outlaws 'mingling' Ministers were ridiculed over the new 'Rule of Six' today after it emerged that 'mingling' has been outlawed - while Downing Street fueled confusion by saying people should not be fined the first time they flout the curbs. MPs joked that 'ambling' should be banned next as Britons struggled to get to grips with the latest edict, imposed by the government in a desperate bid to get coronavirus cases under control. Photos from across the country suggested that the public has yet to comprehend the new system, despite policing minister Kit Malthouse urging people to snitch on neighbours who flouted the rules. Home Secretary Priti Patel also warned that offenders could face criminal records as well as thousands of pounds in fines if they refuse to abide by the law. But police chiefs admitted the arrangements were 'confusing', and the PM's spokesman insisted officers would not be imposing hefty penalties on individuals unless they persistently refused to comply. Meanwhile, the government's response to the spike in infections has been slammed by top scientists as panicky and not based on evidence, with jibes that those in charge are a 'Dad's Army' with no experience. Barrister Adam Wagner, who has been analysing the new rules, mocked the wording of the regulation. 'Is saying hello to someone at a gathering 'mingling'? What about holding the door open for them?' Tory MP Simon Hoare told MailOnline the rules appeared slightly ridiculous. 'Could you loiter? Are you allowed to amble? Could you potter? That is a very strange word to use,' he said. 'Wasn't she a character out of Neighbours? Or was that Mrs Mangle.' But he said the coronavirus restrictions were exposing fault lines between civil liberties and public health considerations, and the latter had to take priority. 'It's better to be safe than sorry. If the guidance is telling government to dictate something we should follow,' he said. 'They are the sort of people who would probably say at the height of the Black Death, it is perfectly reasonable to keep wild rats as pets.' Mr Hoare added: 'There is a time we just have to defer to expert knowledge and the pre-supposition that the government prefers most of its citizens to stay alive rather than die.' This morning Mr Malthouse said families should report their neighbours if they saw them breaking the rules. And he did not rule out the possibility of a dedicated hotline - although insisted the police non-emergency number was the contact point for now. Advertisement What if I'm in a support bubble? Those who live in one household can join with another to form a 'support bubble', providing one of the households has only one adult. You are only allowed one support bubble - which counts as a household, meaning that you can meet together, even if there are a total of seven people together within the bubble/household. What are the rules on sex? Guidelines suggest you should remain socially distant from anyone in another household, remaining two metres apart where possible, or one metre with other measures. Technically sex or cuddling is against the guidelines, although you cannot be fined for flouting it. Potential sexual partners should discuss Covid-19 and ask if they or anyone in their household have had symptoms or tested positive. What if there are more than six people in my household? The six person limit does not apply to a specific household if it is larger than six people, but it does apply to those who are meeting people from outside your household. The rule of six does apply when gathering when meeting people from outside your household. Can I still get married? Weddings, funerals and organised team sports, providing they are conducted in a coronavirus secure way, will be exempt from the new restrictions. Ceremonies and receptions will be permitted to go ahead with up to 30 people in attendance - providing it takes place with coronavirus measures. Guests should wear face masks, but the bride and groom can forego them. Covid-19 Secure venues, such as places of worship, can still host larger numbers in total but groups of up to six must not mix or form larger groups. Government guidelines on weddings say: 'Wherever possible attendees should remain seated to support social distancing safety measures. 'They should be reminded at key points during the events to maintain social distancing and to avoid physical contact with individuals from different households. 'Attendees and staff are strongly encouraged to wear a face covering where social distancing may be difficult and where they come into contact with people they do not normally meet, in line with the guidance on face coverings. 'Venue managers should provide hand sanitiser at convenient points throughout the venue, and encourage attendees to use it. 'Attendees, including children, should frequently throughout the day wash their hands thoroughly for 20 seconds with running water and soap, or use hand sanitiser ensuring that all parts of the hands are covered.' What about funerals? Mourners can still gather for funeral services, with up to 30 people in attendance. Funeral directors have previously said councils misinterpreted lockdown rules by forbidding family members from attending graveyards and crematoria. Matt Hancock later said he regretted the move because it resulted in many people not being able to attend the funerals of their loved ones, even if they'd been married for 50 years. Ceremonies and receptions will be permitted to go ahead with up to 30 people in attendance - providing it takes place with coronavirus measures Can I still go to a restaurant? Trips to pubs, restaurants and cafes are still permitted - but the six person rule still applies. The six person limit applies to the groups of those meeting - not the venue as a whole. Covid-19 secure venues, such as places of worship, restaurants and hospitality venues, can still host larger numbers in total but groups of up to six must not mix or form larger groups. This rule will not apply to individual households or support bubbles of more than six who will still be able to gather together. Government guidelines say: 'Wherever possible staff should serve all food and drinks to minimise customer self-service, in line with the guidance for restaurants, pubs, bars and takeaway services and attendees should remain seated. 'Seating arrangements should follow social distancing guidance, meaning that at most two households (including any support bubbles) are seated together and social distancing is maintained between these groups. 'Outdoor table service is also preferable.' Trips to pubs, restaurants and cafes are still permitted - but the six person rule still applies English residents will still be allowed to go to the pub, but each table will not be able to seat more than six people, despite several groups being allowed into Covid-secure pubs UK's coronavirus response being led by 'Dad's Army' with no experience, experts say Britain's coronavirus response is being led by a 'Dad's Army' of well-paid people with no experience, two leading scientists have said as they called on Number 10 to stop panicking and scrap the controversial rule of six. Professors Carl Heneghan and Tom Jefferson, from Oxford University, accused Boris Johnson of making a series of 'catastrophic' errors since returning to work in April, following his own battle with the killer virus. The pair warned Downing Street's move to limit gatherings - which came into force today - was 'disturbing' and had 'no scientific evidence to back it up', arguing that it may well end up having 'major consequences'. And in urging ministers to get on with life because containing the spread of Covid-19 is 'unrealistic', they warned the government's 'roll of the dice' could tip the public over the edge and said it should be 'binned'. Writing in The Telegraph, Professor Heneghan and Professor Jefferson said: 'It is a disturbing decision that has no scientific evidence to back it up, and may well end up having major social consequences.' The column slammed the Prime Minister's handling of the pandemic, warning he has been 'beset by anxieties, doubts and fear'. And it said he has made a series of errors since returning to work in April, following his own battle with the killer virus. Advertisement Can I still go to the pub with friends? Yes, as above, but each table will not be able to seat more than six people, despite several groups being allowed into Covid-secure pubs. Boris Johnson said the number of people who can attend social gatherings will be slashed to six in England from Monday and venues will have to keep records to help with testing and tracing efforts. Under the new rules, venues will now be 'legally required' to take and keep the contact details of a member from every group of visitors for 21 days. This is so they can pass them on to NHS Test and Trace 'without delay' if needed. The hospitality venue could face a fine if it fails to stick to the Covid security standards and the Government pledged to back local authorities to make 'further and faster use of their powers' against venues who break the rules. Pubs, restaurants and similar businesses are now legally obligated to collect customers' details to aid with contact tracing. Can I still take the bus or train? Yes, as the limit does not apply to strangers gathering in the same space, such as a train or bus. Government guidelines say: 'You can help control coronavirus and travel safely by walking and cycling, if you can. 'However, where this is not possible, you can use public transport or drive. 'If you do use public transport, you must wear a face covering and you should follow the safer travel guidance for passengers.' Should my child go to school? The government has not introduced any new rules for schools in the new measures, meaning existing guidance - that children should still attend classrooms - still stands. Can I still go to university? Yes. The six person does not apply to gatherings for educational purposes, such as university lectures. Should I still go to work? The Government says yes. The six person limit does not apply to gatherings for work. Offices should take steps to ensure social distancing is maintained. When will the measures end? An end date to the new law has not been set. Health Secretary Matt Hancock says they will last for the 'foreseeable future', and will only be withdrawn after the implementation of a vaccine or better mass testing. " " John Kapoor (R), the founder of Insys Therapeutics, leaves the John Joseph Moakley United States Courthouse in Boston on Jan. 23, 2020, after receiving a sentence of 66 months for conspiring to bribe doctors to prescribe an addictive fentanyl-based mouth spray. Jonathan Wiggs/The Boston Globe via Getty Images The 'Teflon Don' John Gotti earned the nickname the "Teflon Don" because federal prosecutors could never get criminal charges to stick on him. In 1992, the RICO Act caught up to Gotti when one of his associates admitted to multiple murders under Gotti's direction. The Feds proved Gotti was "operating or managing" the enterprise known as the Gambino crime family by playing wiretapped recordings of Gotti barking out orders. The jury convicted Gotti of racketeering and 10 other criminal counts. The Atlanta Cheating Scandal In 2015, 11 teachers and administrators from Atlanta, Georgia, schools were convicted of racketeering. Not because they were ordering hits on the lunch lady or running a speakeasy in the faculty lounge, but because they had conspired to cheat on their students' standardized tests. Schools that performed better on the tests got more money from the government, so these ringleaders created a system that rewarded teachers for correcting their student's answers and punished those who refused to play ball. Advertisement The FIFA Soccer Scandal The soccer world was rocked in 2015 by the indictment of nine prominent officials from FIFA, the sport's international governing body, on racketeering charges. The Department of Justice alleged that since 1991 the men had run a kickback scheme that used bribery to secure the rights to certain FIFA events, including the World Cup. As of this writing, only two of the accused have been convicted of criminal racketeering conspiracy, a charge that carries up to 20 years in prison. Fueling the Opioid Crisis A number of pharmaceutical companies have been targeted for their role in worsening the deadly opioid epidemic in the U.S., but five executives at Insys Therapeutics were convicted of engineering a scheme to bribe doctors to prescribe their fentanyl-based mouth spray, even when it wasn't medically necessary. The charge was racketeering, because the executives didn't pay the bribes themselves, but helped organize phony "speaker programs" in which doctors were recruited and paid off. "RICO is a good tool when you're working with large groups like a drug-dealing enterprise or a corporation," says Grell. "If you substitute that room full of Mafiosos with the board of directors for any corporation, it's the same thing." Civil RICO Lawsuits The original RICO Act contained a provision allowing civil lawsuits in which plaintiffs could collect triple damages if they were injured by a RICO violation. In the 1980s, that led to a wave of civil RICO claims, some of which had flimsy legal grounding. This led to tighter restrictions on civil RICO suits, including a four-year statute of limitations. In recent years, some of the biggest scandals in the news cycle have also been the subject of civil racketeering lawsuits, including: The Harvey Weinstein Sexual Harassment Scandal: In addition to filing individual sexual harassment lawsuits against the fallen media mogul, Harvey Weinstein, lawyers for the victims have also filed a civil RICO case alleging that Weinstein and his enablers operated a criminal organization the lawyers call the "Weinstein Sexual Enterprise." If the allegation sticks, then Weinstein and his associates could owe triple damages to their victims under civil racketeering law. The Catholic Church Sexual Abuse Scandal: Lawyers for victims of sexual abuse at the hands of Catholic priests are also pursuing a civil RICO lawsuit against the leadership of the Catholic Church, including the pope. The racketeering lawsuit accuses the church of running a criminal enterprise to protect abusive priests and avoid prosecution. Now That's Cool Grell says that Hollywood often gets RICO wrong, using it as a catch-all term for all Mafia crimes, but Grell says the "Rico" episode of "Better Call Saul" pretty much nailed it. West Brom on Tuesday announced the signing of former Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic, who arrives at the Hawthorns on a free transfer from Zenit St Petersburg. The Serbia international won three Premier League titles and the Champions League during his nine-year spell at Stamford Bridge, which ended in 2017. West Brom marked their return to the Premier League with a 3-0 defeat to Leicester on Sunday. "The Premier League is the best league in the world," Ivanovic, 36, told the club's official website. "I need to challenge myself and I am ready for the challenge. I am really happy to be back playing in the Premier League." West Brom boss Slaven Bilic said: "He's a great addition for us, a team who are newly promoted in the Premier League. He ticks all the boxes for us. "He's done everything in his career -- it's been magnificent. We're delighted. He adds quality and experience on the pitch and off the pitch." jw/td RIDGEFIELD, Connecticut, Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- For 21 years, The International Association for Contract and Commercial Management (IACCM) has been home for those in the field of contract and commercial management - producing research, delivering learning and helping its members to develop their skills and raise their profile within their organizations. Today the not-for-profit association announces a re-brand to World Commerce & Contracting and launches a new website, member portal and learning management system. The new name, branding and investment in new systems signifies the expanded vision of the association which includes a greater focus on advocacy for commercial and contracting practices that support a better world in this time of such disruption. Uniquely positioned, their global membership covers the full contracting lifecycle representing a diverse community of commercial and contract professionals, as well as procurement and legal specialists the re-brand confirms their strong position as the leading commerce and contracting association. Announcing the re-brand, Global CEO Sally Guyer said, "Commercial inspiration and innovation have rarely been as important as they are today. Not only is there a desperate need for economic recovery, but we all sense the urgency for social recovery for a rebalancing of opportunity and inclusion. These changes and improvements depend on the work of every commercial and contracting expert. We believe there is no better time to make this progressive move as an association". Founded by the association's President Tim Cummins, IACCM has grown to 70,000 members from over 20,000 companies across 180 countries worldwide. Commenting on the expanded vision and re-brand, Tim said, "Our global community leads the way, driving better practice in contracting, and shaping commercial policy worldwide. World Commerce & Contracting will build on the work we have achieved over the last 21 years - with rigorous, pioneering research: we analyse, we advocate for change and we deliver practical insights for government, business and academia. For further information on World Commerce & Contracting, visit www.worldcc.com About World Commerce & Contracting World Commerce & Contracting is a not-for-profit association dedicated to helping its global members achieve high performing and trusted trading relationships. With 70,000 members from over 20,000 companies across 180 countries worldwide, the association welcomes everyone with an interest in better contracting: business leaders, practitioners, experts and newcomers. It is independent, provocative and disciplined existing for its members, the contracting community and society at large. www.worldcc.com Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1274861/World_Commerce_Contracting_Logo.jpg SOURCE World Commerce & Contracting Related Links http://www.worldcc.com Find all of the most important pandemic education news on Educating N.J., a special resource guide created for parents, students and educators. As schools reopen across N.J., we want to know what is and isnt working. Tell us about it here. Less than two weeks after the first day of classes, a Bergen County middle school is temporarily closing for in-person classes after a teacher tested positive for COVID-19, school officials said. Woodcliff Lake Middle School will be closed for 14 days after a teacher reported testing positive for COVID-19 on Thursday, said Superintendent Lauren Barbelet. The districts administrative team notified families and other staff members who came in close contact with the teacher on Sept. 8, said Barbelet. Those teachers will be excluded from school for 14 days, she said. After the teacher reported testing positive for COVID-19, the school closed Friday. The teacher was out Sept. 9 and 10 and was only in school on Sept. 8, said Barbelet. Since the potential exposure to the teacher with COVID-19 was Sept. 8, the school is expected to reopen Sept. 23, said Barbelet. It is unclear how many people at the school were in close contact with the teacher who tested positive, though Barbelet said there was an abundance." As the Superintendent, I made a decision to temporarily close Woodcliff Middle School and switch all middle school students to remote learning based on the abundance of other faculty members who came in close contact with the teacher, Barbelet said in a statement. Those faculty members are now being tested and will also quarantine. It is our hope that our teacher will recover quickly and that this remains an isolated case. Keep up with the latest in N.J. schools coverage. Sign up your email here: Before the closure brought on by the positive test, the districts schools were open five days a week from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., said Barbelet. Students would attend in-person class for the first part of the day, return home for lunch at 12:30 p.m. and then continue class through remote learning from 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., she said. Parents also had the option of all-remote learning. Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a voluntary subscription. Rodrigo Torrejon may be reached at rtorrejon@njadvancemedia.com. via Instagram Today, Twitter released new data about what people in the U.S. have been listening to, watching, eating, and doing to stay connected and entertained over the past six months. The data revealed that the top five most tweeted about artists were: South Korean boy band BTS at No. 1, Kanye West at No. 2, Beyonce at No. 3, Drake at No. 4, and Megan Thee Stallion coming in at No. 5. That was good news for parents and students set to return to the districts five elementary schools: Isaac Fox, May Whitney, Sarah Adams, Seth Paine and Spencer Loomis. Pre-kindergarteners are already physically attending school Whitney, according to a scheduled of staggered return to in-person instruction posted on the districts website. YEREVAN. The National Assembly (NA) of Armenia on Tuesday continues its regular sittings of the fall session. There are 57 matters on the agenda. The parliament on Monday debated on the matter of electing three new judges of the Constitutional Court. Voting respective will take place Tuesday morning. Voting for the election of the chairman of this commission will be held today from 12:30 to 14:00. The legislature on Monday debated also on the matter of electing a new chairperson of the NA Standing Committee on Financial-Credit and Budgetary Affairs is also on the agenda. As Mane Tandilyan has renounced her parliamentary seat, the opposition Bright Armenia faction has nominated Arkadi Khachatryan for this post. Voting for the election of the chairperson of this committee will be held Tuesday afternoon. KARA TEPE, Greece - The Greek government called Tuesday on the European Union to jointly run new refugee camps on Greeces eastern islands as part of a planned overhaul of the EUs migration policies. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis made the proposal at an Athens meeting with European Council President Charles Michel as Greece works to house thousands of asylum-seekers left homeless after fires gutted an overcrowded refugee camp on the island of Lesbos. The government has said the fires were set deliberately by migrants protesting a coronavirus lockdown, and authorities Tuesday announced the arrests of five suspects for their alleged involvement. The suspects, all Afghan, including two minors transferred to mainland camps after the fires, were being questioned by police. Some 12,500 people fled last weeks fires at the Moria camp last week. Most of the displaced migrants remain homeless and many are refusing to leave a nearby road where they have camped out for almost a week, fearing they could be detained for months at a new camp site the Greek army is building. We have already started the new facility, and that is where the flags of Greece and the European Union must fly,? the Greek prime minister said. ?In practice, there must be shared responsibility not only for construction, but also for the operation of the camp.? Michel, who flew to Lesbos after his talks in Athens, did not comment directly on Mitsotakis proposal but said the EU was determined to show greater solidarity toward Greece. And its why I am here, first of all, in order to express my solidarity, Michel said on the island. The EUs executive commission could present its proposals for revising the blocs migration policies as early as next week. The plans are expected to include tougher border policing and a renewed effort to have more uniform asylum procedures across EU member nations. Is it easy? Not its not easy. We know that its a very complex political debate, Michel said. It is everywhere in the world, and its also the same in Europe. But we need progress. Most of the 5,000 spaces so far available in tents erected by army personnel on Lesbos remain empty, with only 800 migrants having agreed to relocate, officials said Tuesday. Greeces migration minister said the government will use force, if necessary, to move homeless migrants to the tent city. Notis Mitarachi said efforts to relocate migrants on a voluntary basis, with the help of government translators and pamphlets being distributed to asylum-seekers, were continuing. But speaking to Greek broadcaster Mega TV, he added: If this is not possible through discussion, then the police will have to be used. It is their obligation to be moved to the new site. Mitarachi said it would take at least six months to build a permanent structure that will replace the Moria camp and be at a different location, acknowledging that migrants and refugees would spend the winter in tents. New detention sites for asylum-seekers are also planned on four other Greek islands in the eastern Aegean Sea, replacing overcrowded open facilities. ___ Gatopoulos reported from Athens. Costas Kantouris in Thessaloniki contributed. ___ Read more about: Breonna Taylor's mother Tamika Palmer (C), addresses the media over the speed of the investigation of her daughter's death as attorney Benjamin Crump (L), and co-counsel Lonita Baker look on outside Louisville City Hall in Louisville, Ky., on Aug. 13, 2020. (John Sommers II/Getty Images) Louisville Reaches $12 Million Settlement With Breonna Taylors Family The city of Louisville reached a $12 million settlement with the family of Breonna Taylor, lawyers for the family and the city announced Tuesday. Breonna Taylors life matters. Breonna Taylors life continues to matter, as you see here today, Jefferson County Attorney Mike OConnell told reporters at a press conference about the settlement. It has been so long getting to this day, where we could ensure that Breonna Taylors life wouldnt be swept under the rug, like so many other black women in America who have been killed by police, Benjamin Crump, one of the familys lawyers, added at the briefing. Tamika Palmer, Taylors mother, called the settlement (pdf) a step in the right direction. As significant as today is, its only the beginning in getting full justice for Breonna, she said. Palmer called investigating authorities to move forward on criminal charges against the officers involved in the shooting. Taylor, 26, was fatally shot when police officers served a search warrant at her home in March. A demonstrator holds a sign with the image of Breonna Taylor in Denver, Colo., on June 3, 2020. (Jason Connolly/AFP via Getty Images) Attorneys for Taylors family filed a wrongful death lawsuit earlier this year, arguing police officers had no probable cause or other legal basis to enter and search her home. Gunfire was exchanged between the officers and Taylors boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, who was charged with attempted murder. The charge was later dropped. Taylors case is being examined by federal, state, and local investigators. The top FBI agent in the city told activists in July that the investigation was the bureaus top priority but stressed the need to take ample time to handle such a complex probe. Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Camerons office is conducting a separate investigation, as is the Louisville City Council into Fischers handling of the case. The three officers involved in the case were placed on administrative reassignment. One of them, Brett Hankison, was later fired. Interim Police Chief Robert Schroeder said the officer displayed an extreme indifference to the value of human life when you wantonly and blindly fired ten (10) rounds into the apartment of Breonna Taylor. In addition to the financial payment to Taylors family, the city of Louisville said it will or has establish a housing credit program to incentivize police officers to live within a certain area as their primary residence, reform the search warrant procedures, and expand random drug testing of officers to at least once a year. Bill on tougher penalties for concealment of epizootic outbreaks reaches State Duma RAPSI, Vladimir Burnov 12:39 15/09/2020 MOSCOW, September 15 (RAPSI) A bill envisaging an amendment of Russias Code of Administrative Offences with the aim to introduce stricter liability for withholding information on mass epizootic outbreaks has reached the State Duma. It is proposed to increase fines and introduce penalties for repeated violations, according to the document. Authors of the bill cite higher number of the respective violations registered in 2016 through 2018 and lower amounts of imposed fines as a proof that the current punishments are not enough to prevent such wrongdoings. The bill also envisages the introduction of liability for failures to comply with regulations governing animal disease control as to quarantine pests and highly contagious diseases resulting in wide spreading thereof. ATLANTA, Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- LexisNexis Risk Solutions today released its biannual Cybercrime Report, which tracks global cybercrime activity from January 2020 through June 2020. The report analyzes how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the global digital economy, regional economies, industries, businesses and consumer behavior. The period has seen strong transaction volume growth compared to 2019 but an overall decline in global attack volume. This is likely linked to growth in genuine customer activity due to changing consumer habits. The LexisNexis Risk Solutions Cybercrime Report analyzes data from more than 22.5 billion transactions processed by the LexisNexis Digital Identity Network, a 37% growth year over year. Mobile device transactions also continue to rise, with 66% of all transactions coming from mobile devices in the first half of 2020, up from 20% in early 2015. The Digital Identity Network also notes an uptick in transactions from new devices and new digital identities. We attribute this to many new-to-digital consumers moving online to procure goods and services that were no longer available in person or harder to access via a physical store, during the pandemic. Latin America experienced the highest attack rates of all regions globally and realized consistent spikes in attack rates from March to June 2020. This highlights the impact COVID-19 had on attack rates in the region. The Digital Identity Network processed 740 million transactions in the region overall, a significant 63% growth year over year. This increase accompanied rate increases for both human-initiated and automated bot attacks, which grew 23% and 46% respectively. Notably, Brazil and Mexico each advanced in the list of countries that contribute the largest volume of human-initiated cyberattacks. They now rank 3 and 4, respectively, behind only the United States and Canada. One example of a Latin American fraud network saw multiple fraudsters target four banks and two payment gateways in Brazil, with more than $275,000 USD exposed to fraud. This network alone consisted of 1,600 devices, 9,300 email addresses and 500 telephone numbers. Additional Key Findings from the LexisNexis Risk Solutions Cybercrime Report: Decline in Attack Rate The overall human-initiated attack rate across the Digital Identity Network fell through the first half of 2020, showing a 33% decline year over year. The breakdown by sector shows a 23% decline in financial services and a 55% decline in e-commerce attack rates. Despite this, APAC saw some growth in attack rates during April and May and a large spike in June through an identity spoofing bot attack, which targeted a payment gateway. The attack patterns in North America and EMEA had less volatility and fewer spikes in attack rates from the six-month period observed. The overall human-initiated attack rate across the Digital Identity Network fell through the first half of 2020, showing a 33% decline year over year. The breakdown by sector shows a 23% decline in financial services and a 55% decline in e-commerce attack rates. Despite this, APAC saw some growth in attack rates during April and May and a large spike in June through an identity spoofing bot attack, which targeted a payment gateway. The attack patterns in and EMEA had less volatility and fewer spikes in attack rates from the six-month period observed. Attack Vector Global View - Media is the only industry that recorded an overall year over year growth in human-initiated cyberattacks. The Digital Identity Network recorded the 3% increase solely across mobile browser transactions. Globally, automated bots remain a key attack vector in the Digital Identity Network. Financial services organizations experienced a surge in automated bot attacks and continue to experience more bot attacks than any other industry. - Media is the only industry that recorded an overall year over year growth in human-initiated cyberattacks. The Digital Identity Network recorded the 3% increase solely across mobile browser transactions. Globally, automated bots remain a key attack vector in the Digital Identity Network. Financial services organizations experienced a surge in automated bot attacks and continue to experience more bot attacks than any other industry. Across the Customer Journey - New account creations see attacks at a higher rate than any other transaction type in the online customer journey. However, the largest volume of attacks targets online payments. Login transactions have seen the biggest drop in attack rate in comparison to other use cases. Analysis across new customer touchpoints in the online journey is included in this report for the first time, providing additional context on key points of risk such as money transfers and password resets. - New account creations see attacks at a higher rate than any other transaction type in the online customer journey. However, the largest volume of attacks targets online payments. Login transactions have seen the biggest drop in attack rate in comparison to other use cases. Analysis across new customer touchpoints in the online journey is included in this report for the first time, providing additional context on key points of risk such as money transfers and password resets. During COVID-19 - All industries have felt the impact of COVID-19. There are clear peaks and troughs in transaction volumes coinciding with global lockdown periods. Financial services organizations realized a growth in new-to-digital banking users, a changing geographical footprint from previously well-traveled consumers and a reduction in the number of devices used per customer. There have also been several attacks targeting banks offering COVID-19-related loans. E-commerce merchants have seen an increase in digital payments and several other key attack typologies that coincide with the lockdown period. These included account takeover attacks using identity spoofing and more first-party chargeback fraud. "This is the first LexisNexis Risk Solutions Cybercrime Report to include data on the new reality of conducting business during a pandemic," said Rebekah Moody, director of fraud and identity at LexisNexis Risk Solutions. "The move to digital, for both businesses and consumers, has been significant. Yet with this change comes opportunity for exploitation. Fraudsters look for easy targets: whether government support packages, new lines of credit or media companies with fewer barriers to entry. We need to ensure that all consumers, especially those who might be new to digital, are protected. Businesses must arm themselves with a layered defense that can detect the full spectrum of possible attacks and is future-proofed against evolving threats." "Latin America has felt the impact of COVID-19 keenly, as digital businesses continue to transform and evolve to meet the needs of an ever-more digital consumer base. However, this must not come at the expense of increased fraud," added Rafael Costa Abreu, director of fraud and identity LATAM at LexisNexis Risk Solutions. "We must identify and block fraudsters whether opportunists or highly networked fraud rings the moment they transact. Knowledge sharing must be as pivotal to global businesses as it is to the cybercriminals that attack them." Download a copy of the LexisNexis Risk Solutions Cybercrime Report, January through June 2020 (English only). Join Rebekah Moody, director of fraud and identity at LexisNexis Risk Solutions, for an overview of the latest Cybercrime Report on Tuesday, September 15 at 10:00am ET (English only). About LexisNexis Risk Solutions LexisNexis Risk Solutions harnesses the power of data and advanced analytics to provide insights that help businesses and governmental entities reduce risk and improve decisions to benefit people around the globe. We provide data and technology solutions for a wide range of industries including insurance, financial services, healthcare and government. Headquartered in metro Atlanta, Georgia, we have offices throughout the world and are part of RELX (LSE: REL/NYSE: RELX), a global provider of information-based analytics and decision tools for professional and business customers across industries. For more information, please visit www.risk.lexisnexis.com and www.relx.com. Media Contact: Marcy Theobald 678.694.6681 [email protected] SOURCE LexisNexis Risk Solutions Related Links http://www.lexisnexis.com 1,401 foot tower redefines the Manhattan skyline, transforms the modern workplace and reaffirms the future of New York City SL Greens private $220 million investment in public realm unveiled, including new public plaza, transit hall and improvements that increase capacity in Grand Central Terminal SL Green Realty Corp. (NYSE: SLG), Manhattans largest office landlord, along with its partners Hines and National Pension Service of Korea today marked the opening of One Vanderbilt Avenue, a skyline-defining tower in the heart of East Midtown. SL Green leadership was joined at a ribbon-cutting ceremony by government and transit officials, labor leaders, building tenants and the development team to celebrate the official opening of New York Citys newest icon. The building received its official Temporary Certificate of Occupancy on September 11. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200914005672/en/ Standing 1,401 feet tall and totaling 1.7 million square feet, One Vanderbilt offers an unparalleled package of amenities, innovative office design, technology offerings, best-in-class sustainability practices and a prime location at the doorstep of Grand Central Terminal. The iconic tower is the tallest office tower in Midtown Manhattan. (Photo: Business Wire) Standing 1,401 feet tall, One Vanderbilt is the new headquarters for many of the worlds leading finance, banking, law and real estate firms, and is approximately 70% leased. The 1.7 million-square-foot skyscraper offers an unparalleled package of amenities, innovative office design, technology offerings, best-in-class sustainability practices and a prime location at the doorstep of Grand Central Terminal. Today we are proud to officially open One Vanderbilt Avenue, adding a new monument to the unrivaled Manhattan skyline, contributing to the revitalization of East Midtown and proclaiming a bright future for the greatest city in the world, said Marc Holliday, Chairman and CEO of SL Green. One Vanderbilt is already the best address in Manhattan, headquarters to leading global companies and home to the most incredible space and views in New York City. One Vanderbilt is also a testament to what a public-private partnership can achieve to strengthen New York City, and we are thrilled today to deliver to New Yorkers an extraordinary array of privately-funded public improvements in and around Grand Central Terminal. Public-Private Partnership One Vanderbilt represents a new model for how the private sector and government can work together to deliver crucial public infrastructure benefits, created in partnership with the City of New York and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority as part of the historic rezoning of East Midtown. Today, SL Green unveiled a $220 million package of public open space and transit infrastructure improvements that will help ease congestion and overcrowding on subway platforms, improve circulation in and around the terminal and create new, direct pathways to the regional railroads. The infrastructure improvements include a new 4,000-square-foot public transit hall inside the tower, providing enhanced connections to Metro-North Railroad, the shuttle to Times Square, and the future Long Island Rail Road station as part of the upcoming East Side Access project. Adjacent to the transit hall is a new 14,000-square-foot pedestrian plaza on Vanderbilt Avenue between East 42nd and 43rd Streets. SL Green also built two new street-level subway entrances and re-opened the Mobil Passageway that connects Grand Central to a new entrance on the south east corner of 42nd Street and Lexington Avenue. Circulation within the Grand Central subway station has also been significantly improved, with a 37% increase in mezzanine circulation space, new staircases between the mezzanine and platform levels of the 4, 5, 6, and 7 subway lines for easier access, including a new ADA elevator, new escalators and elevators, additional turnstiles and gates, and stairs by the shuttle to Times Square. These modifications will ease congestion on the platforms, resulting in at least an additional train per hour through the station. SL Green's transit improvements at Grand Central Terminal complement MTA Construction & Developments 42 St Connection Project. When completed, the 42 St Connection Project will more seamlessly connect the transit corridor underneath 42 Street to make transferring easier, reduce the overall commute time for customers, and expand system access for customers with disabilities by making the 42 St Shuttle line accessible. More than 1.1 million people pass through the 42 St corridor every daya figure higher than the ridership of the entire subway and bus system of Boston in a full day. As we rebuild a fairer, better city, well need thoughtful development projects like One Vanderbilt more than ever, said Mayor de Blasio. Public-private partnerships like these will help New York City come back stronger and revitalize major business hubs like Midtown East in the process. Im proud to stand with our partners in the business community today, and I look forward to working with them on other bold and ambitious projects in the future. Now, more than ever, we need to demonstrate to our fellow New Yorkers that we're still capable of achieving great things in this city. The completion and opening of One Vanderbilt is one of them. Most importantly, for those working, living and commuting through the Grand Central neighborhood, they will see an immediate impact on their quality of lives through the public benefits we were able to secure, said Manhattan Borough President Gale A. Brewer. From transit upgrades on the subway platforms, direct connections to the regional lines, and a new public plaza outside Grand Central, these are substantial improvements that will benefit this community for years to come. I want to thank SL Green for being a great partner and continuing the ongoing revitalization of East Midtown into one of the worlds leading business districts. The East Midtown rezoning offered a tremendous opportunity to modernize Midtown, while connecting new growth to public transportation and open space, said Council Member Keith Powers. Today, One Vanderbilt is the first major project to accomplish that goal. We can all look forward to New Yorkers using the new subway upgrades and public space around Grand Central in the future as a result. Grand Central is among the busiest subway stations in New York and the entire world. The additional entrance and egress capacity provided by these state-of-the-art upgrades will make the station easier to navigate and improve the customer experience, said Janno Lieber, President of MTA Construction and Development. The project also demonstrates how the new MTA C&D organization is leveraging private investment to deliver projects faster, better and cheaper. One Vanderbilt is proof of East Midtowns resurgence, and the completion of East Side Access in 2022 will solidify the districts top-tier status." Headquarters for Leading Global Banking, Finance and Legal Firms Boasting a robust tenant roster of top-tier finance, banking, law and real estate firms, One Vanderbilt is nearly 70% leased. Tenants include TD Securities, a leading banking and investment firm that provides a wide range of capital markets products and services and TD Bank, America's Most Convenient Bank, one of the ten largest banks in the U.S.; private equity firms The Carlyle Group, KPS Capital Partners, Oak Hill Advisors, InTandem Capital, SageWind Capital and Sentinel Capital Partners; prestigious law firms Greenberg Traurig and McDermott Will & Emery; global German financial firm DZ Bank; publicly traded real estate investment trust MFA Financial Inc.; and SL Green Realty Corp. As the largest tenant, TDs One Vanderbilt project is a reflection of our growth and commitment to New York City, said Greg Braca, President and CEO of TD Bank, Americas Most Convenient Bank. Our desire to consolidate multiple entities into one iconic building creates a progressive client-facing campus for our colleagues, customers and community. One Vanderbilt will be home to several business units including TD Securities and TD Bank, Americas Most Convenient Bank, which will proudly showcase a TD store front on ground level for our customers who live, work and visit the Big Apple. Iconic Design Kohn Pedersen Fox (KPF) Associates is responsible for One Vanderbilts iconic design, which comprises four interlocking and tapering planes that spiral toward the sky. At the towers base, a series of angled cuts on the south side of the block creates a visual procession to Grand Central Terminal revealing the Vanderbilt corner of the Terminals magnificent cornice a view that has been obstructed for nearly a century. The towers terracotta facade, which incorporates the same distinct ceiling tiles found throughout Grand Central Terminal, provides the soaring structure a natural, luminous texture. The American Institute of Architects (AIA) recognized One Vanderbilt and KPF with the prestigious 2018 AIANY Merit Award in Urban Design. The One Vanderbilt tower recalls the golden age of New York high rise architecture. As a rectangular plan tapered point tower, its prominent top joins the Empire State and Chrysler buildings on the skyline, said James von Klemperer, KPF President and Design Principal. At the same time, the design gives the high rise a new relevance of social and environmental purpose. The new building connects both spatially and programmatically to Grand Central Terminal. Were very happy that weve been able to design a commercial skyscraper that supports todays critical agendas of building sustainably and enriching the public realm. Overall, the project has already proven to be a boost for East Midtown, leading the way for a progressive rejuvenation of Manhattans historical CBD. Innovation in Wellness and Sustainability As a global leader in environmental, social, and governance initiatives, SL Green has invested $17 million in sustainability features at One Vanderbilt, ensuring the tower maintains one of the lowest carbon footprints across similarly scaled buildings in New York City. The tower was built using steel rebar made of 90% recycled content, features cutting-edge technologies including 1.2-MW cogeneration and 90,000-gallon rainwater collection systems, and regulates insulation for heating and cooling through its high-performance glazing. One Vanderbilt is on track to receive several environmental distinctions, including the highest levels of LEED and WELL certifications. One Vanderbilt will incorporate the SL Green Forward initiative, which promotes a high degree of safety, cleanliness, and wellness for tenants. One Vanderbilt will have a single stand-alone application with access control for tenants, visitor management, and elevator call, allowing for tenants and guests to move through a seamless, touch-free experience from turnstiles to elevators. The building will offer engineering controls such as MERV-16 filtration and increased outdoor air. SL Green has deployed Silent Sentinel, a thermal imaging technology with the ability to read 100 people per minute to prevent long queues. Built by New Yorkers, for New Yorkers One Vanderbilt was constructed ahead of schedule and under budget by a fully-union team, under the leadership of Construction Manager AECOM Tishman, that included more than 3,000 workers over nearly four years. At its peak activity levels, over 1,400 workers were onsite daily as they worked to complete the project. In addition, the project has engaged close to fifty subcontractors. The iconic tower features more than twenty-six thousand tons of US made and fabricated steel and seventy-four thousand cubic yards of concrete. The commitment to union labor at One Vanderbilt will continue through the operation of the building. At full occupancy, One Vanderbilt operations will consist of almost 150 union employees with 32BJ SEIU, Local 94, and NUSOG being represented amongst the ranks. Because of the partnership between SL Green and 32BJ at 1 Vanderbilt, working class New Yorkers will benefit from new high quality jobs at a time when they are much needed, said Kyle Bragg, President of 32BJ SEIU. In the midst of a pandemic, this project exemplifies how new development can provide opportunity for building service workers and their families and communities. One Vanderbilt is emblematic of the values which defined Gerald Hines and his legacy of pairing best-in-class partners and iconic projects. Its striking design honors the responsibility of New York Citys evolving skyscraper tradition, said Tommy Craig, Hines Senior Managing Director. The flawless execution, despite many challenges over the last decade, reflects the quality and hard work of the entire project team and the strength of the SL Green-Hines partnership. We want to thank SL Green for their vision and leadership, and for including us in this great project, said Jay Badame, President of AECOM Tishman. This building is more than a symbol of the resurgence of Midtown East, its a symbol of New Yorks endurance and a tribute to the thousands of trades-people who brought it to fruition and who build in this City. Weve built New York icons before, we did it here, and we know well do it again. Unparalleled Amenities, Including Restaurant by Daniel Boulud and Observation Deck In the first quarter of 2021 world-renowned chef Daniel Boulud will open the restaurant at One Vanderbilt, named Le Pavillon. Le Pavillon will occupy 11,000 square feet with soaring 60-foot ceiling heights located on the southeast corner of the second floor, facing Grand Central with a striking view of the Chrysler Building. I am more excited than ever to have the opportunity to bring Le Pavillon at One Vanderbilt to life. We are working tirelessly to create a dining oasis in the heart of Midtown that everyone can enjoy. Our menu will include a focus on seafood and vegetables with a strong local and seasonal influence. Le Pavillon combines architecture and nature while celebrating all the charms of New York City, said Chef Daniel Boulud. All building tenants will be afforded access to an amenities package unrivaled in New York City office buildings, including a 30,000-square-foot tenant-only amenity floor with large format meeting spaces, club-style lounge, curated food offerings and an extraordinary outdoor terrace that faces Grand Central. Office floors feature floor-to-ceiling slab heights ranging from 14.5 feet to 24 feet, column-free floor plates, stunning 360-degree views through floor-to-ceiling windows and best-in-class infrastructure. One Vanderbilt will also feature an observatory with the second-highest outdoor deck in New York City. Twenty Years in the Making One Vanderbilts journey began in 2001 when SL Green acquired 317 Madison Avenue, the first of the four buildings that previously stood on the site. Two more properties -- 331 Madison Avenue and 48 East 43rd Street -- were acquired in 2007, and the final property -- 51 East 42nd Street -- was acquired in 2011. Initial plans for One Vanderbilt were announced in 2013 as part of the Citys initial plans to rezone East Midtown, with an updated plan put forward in 2014 as part of the Vanderbilt Corridor Rezoning that included $220 million in public realm improvements in and around Grand Central Terminal. One Vanderbilt was unanimously approved by the City Council in May 2015, and demolition began later that year. A formal groundbreaking for One Vanderbilt was held in October 2016. In 2017, a joint venture was formed with Hines and National Pension Service of Korea. This was the most complex challenge we ever faced, with countless regulatory, political, legal and engineering hurdles every step of the way. There were many moments when it was difficult, but because of our belief in this city and this project we persevered, said Andrew Mathias, President of SL Green Realty Corp. Food1st Food1st is a non-profit foundation started in April by SL Green in partnership with Chef Daniel Boulud to alleviate the on-going food shortage in New York City that has been amplified over the past 5 months. Food1sts mission is to help feed New Yorkers and emergency service workers who have limited access to food by partnering with food service providers in a way that also helps revitalize the New York City food service industry at a time when its workers need it the most. Food1st has raised more than $3.0 million and served nearly 350,000 free meals to date. In recognition of the ribbon cutting, the One Vanderbilt partners contributed $100,000 to the Food1st Foundation for the preparation and delivery of 15,000 free meals that are being distributed to those in need on September 14. 2,000 of those meals will be delivered to communities in the South Bronx, including 1,000 meals to front-line workers at Lincoln Hospital. "For my community in the South Bronx, access to quality, healthy food is a longstanding problem that COVID made much worse," said Council Member Rafael Salamanca Jr. We are grateful to the One Vanderbilt partners and everyone at Food1st for their commitment to all New Yorkers, and for reminding as that we are stronger together. To view b-roll footage, photos and videos of the days events at One Vanderbilt click here. About SL Green SL Green Realty Corp., an S&P 500 company and Manhattan's largest office landlord, is a fully integrated real estate investment trust, or REIT, that is focused primarily on acquiring, managing and maximizing value of Manhattan commercial properties. As of June 30, 2020, SL Green held interests in 96 buildings totaling 41.0 million square feet. This included ownership interests in 28.7 million square feet of Manhattan buildings and 11.2 million square feet securing debt and preferred equity investments. About Hines Hines is a privately owned global real estate investment firm founded in 1957 with a presence in 225 cities in 25 countries. Hines has approximately $144.1 billion of assets under management, including $75.5 billion for which Hines serves as investment manager, including non-real estate assets, and $68.6 billion for which Hines provides third-party property-level services. The firm has 165 developments currently underway around the world. Historically, Hines has developed, redeveloped or acquired 1,426 properties, totaling over 472 million square feet. The firms current property and asset management portfolio includes 576 properties, representing over 246 million square feet. With extensive experience in investments across the risk spectrum and all property types, and a pioneering commitment to sustainability, Hines is one of the largest and most-respected real estate organizations in the world. Visit www.hines.com for more information. Forward Looking Statement This press release includes certain statements that may be deemed to be forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and are intended to be covered by the safe harbor provisions thereof. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, included in this press release that address activities, events or developments that we expect, believe or anticipate will or may occur in the future, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and we caution you not to place undue reliance on such statements. Forward-looking statements are generally identifiable by the use of the words may, will, should, expect, anticipate, estimate, believe, intend, project, continue, or the negative of these words, or other similar words or terms. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control, that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by forward-looking statements made by us. Factors and risks to our business that could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements are described in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, potential risks and uncertainties relating to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). SLG GEN Source: SL Green Realty Corp. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200914005672/en/ All 29 students in the SIUE School of Nursing Family Nurse Practitioner Doctor of Nursing Practice 2020 cohort reported a first-time pass rate on the two exams they are eligible to complete. "This type of performance is one of the many reasons why our program is so attractive to prospective students and to employers who seek our graduates. Excellence has been achieved by the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Nursing (SON) Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) 2020 cohort. All 29 students reported a first-time pass rate on the two exams they are eligible to complete. That 100% achievement surpasses the approximately 86% national average for both exams, based on 2019 data. According to the SONs Valerie Griffin, DNP, PPCNP-BC, FNP-BC, PMHS, FAANP, clinical associate professor and director of nurse practitioner specializations, 15 students took the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners National Certification Board (AANPCB) exam and 13 took the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) exam. One student completed both exams, achieving a first-time pass on both. Our FNP specialization program provides students with a robust and contemporary, evidence-based curriculum that superbly prepares them for certification and practice as an advanced practice nurse, said SON Dean Laura Bernaix, PhD, RN. I am not surprised to see this perfect pass rate as I know that our FNP faculty work extremely hard, as do the students, to achieve these types of results year after year. This type of performance is one of the many reasons why our program is so attractive to prospective students and to employers who seek our graduates. A worthy accomplishment any year, the 100% first-time pass rate is a remarkable feat in 2020 given the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the public health crisis impact on developing and practicing nurses. One of the biggest COVID-19 challenges faced by nurse practitioner programs across the nation in March was that students were not allowed to complete their clinical practicums. Clinical agencies were unsure how to continue offering healthcare to their patients, and most made the decision to discontinue graduate clinical practicum experiences while they worked through their own concerns, explained Griffin. Our certifying bodies, the AANPCB and the ANCC, require a minimum of 500 clinical practicum hours to be eligible to sit for those exams. At SIUE, we require 690 clinical practicum hours. While some universities were unable to overcome and help their students fulfill those requirements, the SONs dynamic team exhibited extreme flexibility and persistence as they pursued alternative arrangements in support of their students. In March when the pandemic was declared, I immediately reviewed our student clinical hours in our documentation system and was relieved to find that all 29 students had already completed a minimum of 500 hours, Griffin recalled. That was a relief. We were able to complete the remaining seat time with other types of clinical activities, and all 29 students were able to graduate in May. I was extremely proud of the way our students handled the stress of the pandemic, she continued. They had spent 3-4 years in this rigorous program and were just weeks from completion. The students remained calm and waited for our guidance on how they would complete those final requirements, including clinical hours, doctor of nurse practitioner project dissemination, immersion, and finally the certification exam. We want our students to be safe, effective and compassionate nurse practitioners, and our faculty modeled that behavior in their interactions with our students during these difficult times. The SIUE School of Nursings programs are committed to creating excellence in nursing leadership through innovative teaching, evidence-based practice, quality research, patient advocacy and community service. Enrolling more than 1,700 students in its baccalaureate, masters and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders in pursuit of shaping the nursing profession and impacting the health care environment. SIUEs undergraduate nursing programs on the Edwardsville campus and the regional campus in Carbondale help to solve the regions shortage of baccalaureate-prepared nurses and enhance the quality of nursing practice within all patient service venues. The Schools graduate programs prepare nurses for advanced roles in clinical practice, administration and education. - By Alberto Abaterusso Choosing stocks whose earnings yield is more than double the monthly spot rate of the 20-year high-quality market corporate bonds enhances the likelihood to unearth high-return investments, in my opinion. This category of investment-grade bonds represents corporate loans issued by triple-A, double-A and single-A rated companies. Since the monthly spot rate of the bonds stands at 2.83% as of July 2020, the following three stocks may hold value, as they offer earnings yields of more than 5.7% at price-earnings ratios of less than 17.7. General Electric Co Shares of General Electric Co (NYSE:GE) were trading at $6.15 per unit at close on Monday for a market capitalization of $53.83 billion. The Boston, Massachusetts-based multinational high technology industrial company offers an earnings yield of 6% and has a price-earnings (PE) without non-recurring items (NRI) ratio of 16.62. The share price has fallen by 34.4% over the past year for a 52-week range of $5.48 to $13.26. 3 High Earnings Yield Stocks to Consider GuruFocus assigned a moderate rating of 4 out of 10 for the company's financial strength and a positive rating of 5 out of 10 for its profitability. Wall Street sell-side analysts recommend an overweight rating for this stock and have established an average target price of $8.18 per share. BrightSphere Investment Group Inc Shares of BrightSphere Investment Group Inc (NYSE:BSIG) traded at a price of $13.31 per unit at close on Monday for a market capitalization of $1.07 billion. The Boston, Massachusetts-based asset management company, serving its clients through separate specifically dedicated portfolios or equity mutual funds, offers an earnings yield of 16.7% and has a PE without NRI ratio of 6. The stock has risen by 26.3% over the past year, determining a 52-week range of $3.61 to $14.61. 3 High Earnings Yield Stocks to Consider GuruFocus assigned a moderate rating of 4 out of 10 to the company's financial strength and a positive rating of 6 out of 10 to its profitability. Story continues Wall Street sell-side analysts recommend an overweight rating for this stock and have produced an average target price of $16.50 per share. GAMCO Investors Inc Shares of GAMCO Investors Inc (NYSE:GBL) were trading at $13.16 each at close on Monday for a market capitalization of $363.09 million. The Rye, New York-based investment and asset management company, providing its clients with a broad range of financial services, offers an earnings yield of 17.1% and has a PE without NRI ratio of 5.85. The stock has fallen 34.4% over the past year, determining a 52-week range of $9.03 to $20.31. 3 High Earnings Yield Stocks to Consider GuruFocus assigned a very good rating of 7 out of 10 to both the company's financial strength and its profitability. Wall Street sell-side analysts recommend a buy rating for this stock. Disclosure: I have no positions in any securities mentioned. Read more here: Not a Premium Member of GuruFocus? Sign up for a free 7-day trial here. This article first appeared on GuruFocus. SPRINGFIELD Child welfare officials in Illinois told a panel of state lawmakers Monday that the COVID-19 pandemic has hindered but not completely prevented their efforts to monitor children at risk of abuse or neglect. Without question, the pandemic has been and continues to be extremely challenging for all of us, both personally and professionally, Marc Smith, acting director of the Illinois Department of Children and Families, told a Senate panel during a virtual meeting Monday. But everyone who works for, or in partnership with us has kept their eyes on our mission to keep children safe. Smith said one of the first things DCFS did was to move its child abuse reporting hotline, officially known as the State Central Register, to a remote environment so that employees could answer the phones from their homes. Gayle Hopper, who manages the hotline, said the people who answer those phones have been working remotely since March 23. The hotline today continues to work remotely and staff are working from home every day, Hopper said. Hopper noted that there was a sharp decline in the number of reports received from mandatory reporters which are licensed professionals such as teachers and health care workers who are required by law to report cases of suspected abuse or neglect especially during the early weeks of the pandemic. In response, she said, agency officials reached out to members of the American Pediatrics Association and to the Illinois State Board of Education to instruct doctors and teachers about how to report to the hotline, even when they were only seeing children remotely. By July and August, she said, call volume began to pick up again, even exceeding the numbers reached during the same months in 2019, even though the total number of calls this year is about 18 percent lower than last year. This can be attributed to the increase of reporting by law enforcement, by the steady reporting of medical professionals, and the community observing or reporting first-hand information of child maltreatment, she said. Mike Lubelfeld, superintendent of the North Shore School District 112 in Highland Park, said the pandemic has been challenging for teachers and others who were only able to meet their students remotely this spring. But he said his district has come up with other solutions. Just out of an abundance of caution, we literally had secretaries, social workers, teachers aides and a family specialist double-checking in with children and families, just to make sure everybody was okay, he said. So Im not going to say weve had no findings (of abuse or neglect). We have had less. Part of it is because we dont have control, so to speak, of the kids being with us, but I think that our families do work with us. Officials with private agencies that provide child welfare services on contract with DCFS said they have faced similar challenges. Bill Steinhauser, president and CEO of Bethany for Children and Families, a social service agency that serves the Quad Cities area, said case workers at that agency are doing what they can to stay in contact with families. They basically are staying in contact through either FaceTime or Google Meet, but also going out, directly talking to families, practicing social distancing and wearing a mask. Its kept them all safe, he said. But Steinhauser noted that Illinois families have suffered unique financial and emotional strains during the pandemic, which has affected childrens welfare. Our families are experiencing economic stress, and also just not very familiar with being around each other all that often, he said. And that stress as well as economic stress are causing our families to do as any other family, which is experience dysfunction. And also theyre trying to escape from the reality of COVID-19. Were also seeing an increase in substance abuse, and mental health seems to be aggravated or intensified. And those services, because of where were located, are difficult for many families to access. Mondays hearing was considered a subject matter hearing only, which means the committee was not considering substantive legislation. But the information could become the basis of legislation that the General Assembly could take up during the fall veto session, which begins in November. Get to know Illinois: 15 state symbols Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The trend sparks questions about how first-person accounts can be used to respectfully recall past traumatic events. By Sara Jones Some used makeup to simulate bruises or burns. Others dressed in imitations of the striped uniforms of the concentration camps or wore a yellow star imprinted with the word Jude (Jew) a reference to the symbol that Jewish people were forced to wear in Nazi Germany. The TikTok Holocaust trend saw users for the most part, teenagers uploading videos of themselves pretending to be Holocaust victims entering heaven. Many were outraged, describing the videos as trauma porn or even antisemitic. In contrast, creators stressed their intentions to educate or spread awareness. The Auschwitz Birkenau Memorial and Museum (ABMM) said that the videos were hurtful and offensive. But it noted that for some, they represented a need to find some way of expressing personal memory. As this suggests, the trend sparks questions about what the right way to respectfully remember traumatic events in the past, and how first-person accounts can be used to achieve that. Digital remembrance First person accounts by someone who lived the experience they are retelling are known as testimonies. Testimony circulates through culture in multiple ways. Alongside the live accounts by survivors of mass violence, we find it in video archives, autobiographical writing and innovative digital forms. It is incorporated into poetry, theatre, fiction and art. As interviewers, artists and audiences engage with these testimonies from survivors. They become witnesses to the witness and part of a larger community of remembrance. If the memory of the Holocaust is to continue, recording those stories in different media is essential. The young people making the TikTok videos draw from accounts about the Holocaust circulating in their cultural environment, such as films like Steven Spielbergs Schindlers List. The videos are part of the point-of-view (POV) meme, in which the creator positions the viewer as the main character in the story. We can understand this as an attempt by the creator to foster empathy on the part of the viewer. Holocaust literature scholar Carmelle Stephens notes that kneejerk reactions against the use of new media for representations of the Holocaust are common. What we need to ask is if the medium fulfils the aim to educate and commemorate. These questions are in essence about ethics and education. Despite the (potentially) good intentions on the part of the TikTok creators, I would argue that they fail on both counts. Appropriation, authenticity and empathy In terms of ethics, there are two key issues: appropriation and authenticity. The creators of the TikTok videos are performing violent and traumatic experiences that are not their own. This is also true of artistic representations that are not produced by survivors themselves. However, the POV format in a 15 second video does not provide the reflective space to do justice to what creators seek to present, unlike mediums like theatre, film, poetry or art. The creators attempt to simulate the victim experience through makeup and clothing. The impression is one of a particularly macabre form of cosplay, rather than a critical or commemorative engagement with the past. When we talk about authenticity concerning testimony, we do not necessarily mean that an account is completely accurate in its relaying of historical facts. What we mean is that a survivor conveys the historical events as they experienced them and that they are genuine in their commitment to retelling the truth of that experience. In this way, testimony can tell us about the impact of mass violence on the individual. Secondary witnesses, those engaging with the testimony of others, have an ethical duty to reflect that aspect of testimony. The subjective response of survivors to what they have experienced is difficult and challenging. It might be addressed through thoughtful artistic practice, but cannot be reduced to a 15-second meme. It is also questionable whether this form of engagement can educate. The POV format attempts to engage the viewer in a kind of roleplay. The aim appears to be to promote empathy to help the viewer better understand the experience of the victim. Memory studies academic Alison Landsberg developed the concept of prosthetic memory to explain how empathy gained through engagement with immersive media might foster political action on behalf of others. Empathy can thereby play an important role in the aim of Holocaust education to prevent discriminatory practices and violence against minorities. But empathy is not a straightforward concept. Drawing on the work of philosopher Amy Coplan, I have developed a model of empathy for engaging with testimony in the classroom that is based on the idea that it should be other-oriented if it is to be politically effective in this sense. Students should feel with the survivors of mass violence and recognise the emotions they are conveying (fear, anger). But they should recognise and imagine those experiences from the perspective of the other person. They should try to understand what it was like for them, not what would it have been like for me. This kind of engagement requires critical distance, which is rarely achieved through simplistic roleplaying. These criticisms do not mean that the young creators of these videos deserve to be shamed or vilified. It does mean that we need to ensure that alongside teaching the historical facts of the Holocaust (which remains crucial), we need to educate young people about the ethics of commemoration. We do not need to ban any particular medium. The very successful Echo Eternal project, which began in West Midlands schools in 2018 and 2019, shows how young people can work with survivor testimony to produce sensitive and ethical engagements across different art forms, including dance, textiles and rap. But we need to encourage reflective practice about the medium in which testimony is delivered. This requires a joined-up approach, which addresses these issues in history, English, drama, religious studies and PSHE (personal, social, health and economic education). A broad understanding of testimony allows us to see the connections across the curriculum and ensure that young people are fully supported in their wish to remember. Sara Jones, Professor of Modern Languages and German Studies, University of Birmingham This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Feature image: Facebook @holocaustmuseum Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin has signed a decree on reopening the de facto border with Georgia's breakaway region of South Ossetia. The Russian governments press service said on September 15 that Mishustin's decree also lifted limitations for crossing the de facto border by crews from sea and river vessels, and Russian experts involved in checking the quality of Russian aircraft and equipment at nuclear stations. The de facto border was closed in early April to slow the spread of the coronavirus. The separatist government in South Ossetia said on September 14 that the restrictions to cross the de facto border and general restrictions to slow the outbreak in the breakaway region remain valid until midnight. Moscow recognized South Ossetia and Georgias other breakaway region, Abkhazia, as independent nations after Russia and Georgia fought a brief war in August 2008. Only a handful of other countries, however, have followed the Kremlin's lead, which has kept Russian forces in both regions since. Based on reporting by Interfax and TASS More details emerged on Monday about a Saturday night car crash involving South Dakota Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg (R). During an impromptu press conference on Sunday night, South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem (R) announced that Ravnsborg had been involved in a fatal car accident near Highmore. She did not share any additional information. Almost immediately, Ravnsborg's office released a statement saying he was uninjured in the crash and was cooperating with the investigation. On Monday, state investigators with the Department of Public Safety said Ravnsborg reported that he struck a deer with his 2011 Ford Taurus on Saturday night, but he had actually hit a man, whose body was found on Sunday. Ravnsborg's office said he called 911 after the accident, but state investigators did not reveal whether he reported the crash via 911. The accident took place as Ravnsborg drove home from a dinner hosted by the Spink County Republicans. The victim has been identified as Joseph Boever, 56. His cousin, Victor Nemec, told KELO-TV that earlier Saturday, Boever had crashed his truck into a hay bale near Highway 14, and planned on fixing it Sunday. Nemec doesn't think Ravnsborg called 911, because no sirens were heard leaving Highmore on Saturday night. On Sunday morning, Nemec wasn't able to get in touch with Boever, and when he drove by the spot where his cousin left his truck and saw police officers and emergency vehicles, he called authorities looking for information. Victor and his brother, Nick Nemec, were asked to identify Boever's body later that night. "My worst fear is that they're trying to get ducks in a row to absolve the attorney general of any wrongdoing," Nick told KELO-TV. He added that it was upsetting to think that the body may have been out there overnight, as the family doesn't "know if cousin Joe was laying on the highway for 22 hours or if they had bagged him up before that." The Department of Public Safety said the investigation is ongoing. More stories from theweek.com Fox News calls Trump's town hall with undecided Pennsylvania voters an 'ambush' Trump says he'll be on Fox & Friends every week but host Steve Doocy doesn't agree to have him Trump says U.S. will beat COVID-19 through 'herd mentality' BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - European stocks are firmly up in positive territory Tuesday afternoon after opening on a somewhat cautious note. Ignoring concerns about rising coronavirus cases for now, investors are picking up stocks thanks to strong industrial production and retail sales data from China. Data showing an improvement in German economic confidence in September is helping as well. Global cues are positive too, with Asian markets closing mostly higher and U.S. futures moving up. On the Brexit front, British MPs passed the Internal Market Bill in the House of Commons by 340 to 263 votes on Monday. The Bill will now go to the upper chamber, the House of Lords. Markets are also looking ahead to monetary policy announcements from central banks. While the Federal Reserve is scheduled to announce its policy on Wednesday, the Bank of England and the Bank of Japan will be coming out with their policy statements on Thursday. The pan European Stoxx 600 was up 0.71% by about an hour past noon. The U.K.'s FTSE 100 was gaining more than 1% early afternoon. Germany's DAX was up 0.32% and France's CAC 40 was stronger by 0.5% an hour past noon. Switzerland's SMI surged up 0.87%. In the U.K. market, Ocado Group shares soared nearly 10%, lifted by strong quarterly sales. Meggitt, Royal Mail, British Land Company, Glencore, Rio Tinto, AstraZeneca, Intercontinental and BAE Systems were up 2.5 to 5%. On the other hand, Polymetal International, Carnival, Kingfisher, Antofagasta, IAG, Rolls-Royce Holdings, Standard Chartered and TUI were down sharply. In Germany, Bayer was moving up more than 3%. HeidelbergCement rose nearly 2.5%, while Covestro gained 1.7%. BMW, Henkel and Fresenius Medicare were also up with notable gains, while Wirecard and Lufthansa were lower by 3.2% and 1.1%, respectively. In the French market, Peugeot gained about 4.5%. Kering, Hermes International and Sanofi were up 1.8 to 2%, and LVMH advanced 1.2%. Carrefour and Airbus were down nearly 2% and 1.8%, respectively. In economic news, German economic confidence strengthened unexpectedly in September, survey data from the ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research showed. The economic confidence index rose unexpectedly to 77.4 in September from 71.5 in the previous month. The reading was forecast to fall to 69.8. The current conditions index advanced to -66.2 from -81.3 a month ago. The expected level was -72.0. Sentiment concerning the economic development of the Eurozone increased by 9.9 points to 73.9 points in September. Likewise, the indicator for the current economic situation climbed 8.9 points to minus 80.9 points. Data from the Office for National Statistics said UK payroll employment declined and the unemployment rate advanced in three months to July. According to the data, the jobless rate was 4.1% in three months to July, which was 0.2 percentage point higher than the previous quarter. The rate came in line with expectations. Further, average earnings including bonus decreased 1% in May to July, while excluding bonus, regular pay gained 0.2%. Data also showed that claimant count rose by 73,700 in August from the previous month to 2.7 million. The expected rise was 100,000. Meanwhile, a report from the Federal Statistical Office showed Switzerland's producer and import prices declined in August, falling 3.5% year-on-year. The producer price index fell 2.2% annually in August and import prices decreased 6.1%. On a monthly basis, producer and import prices fell 0.4% in August. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de Coronavirus Update: India's COVID-19 case tally crossed the 49-lakh mark with a spike of 83,809 cases and 1,054 deaths in last 24 hours, according to Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Indias COVID-19 case tally crossed the 49-lakh mark with a spike of 83,809 cases and 1,054 deaths in last 24 hours, according to Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. The total case tally stands at 49,30,237 in the country including 9,90,061 active cases, 38,59,400 cured/discharged/migrated and 80,776 deaths. Maharashtra which is most affected by the pandemic has 2,91,630 active cases of COVID-19. Karnataka has 98,482 active cases, Andhra Pradesh has 93,204, Tamil Nadu 46,912 and Delhi 28,641. According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), 5,83,12,273 samples have been tested for COVID-19 up to 14th September, of these 10,72,845 were tested yesterday. Also read: How can our heroes be Mughals ?: Yogi Adityanath calls for renaming Agras Mughal Museum after Shivaji Also read: Saugata Roys remark on Nirmala Sitharaman draws flak, BJP seeks unconditional apology Andhra Pradesh came second with 7,956 new COVID-19 cases, 9,764 recoveries and 60 deaths reported on Monday. The total number of cases in the State have now been recorded at 5,75,079 including 93,204 active cases, 4,76,903 recoveries and 4,972 deaths, the state health department said. Karnataka was the next hardest hit by the pandemic. Karnataka reported 8,244 new COVID-19 cases, 8,865 discharges and 119 deaths today, taking total cases to 4,67,689 including 3,61,823 discharges and 7,384 deaths. As many as 5,752 new COVID-19 cases, 5,799 discharged cases and 53 deaths were reported in Tamil Nadu on Monday, taking the total number of cases to 5,08,511 including 46,912 active cases, 4,53,165 discharges and 8,434 deaths in the state. The Delhi government informed that the total number of COVID-19 cases in Delhi rose to 2,21,533 with 3,229 new positive cases and 26 deaths reported today. The numbers of active and recovered cases are 28,641 and 1,88,122, respectively while the death toll stood at 4,770 in the national capital. A total of 1,043 fresh positive cases detected in Uttarakhand today. The total case tally stands now at 33,016. The numbers of active and recovered cases in the state are 10,374 and 22,077 respectively. Haryana reported 2,488 new COVID-19 cases and 25 deaths today, taking the total number of cases to 96,129 including 74,712 recoveries and 1,000 deaths. There are 20,417 active cases in the state. Punjab Health Department said that the state has reported 2,496 new COVID-19 cases, 1,463 recoveries and 70 deaths, taking active cases to 20,690, recoveries to 58,999 and death toll to 2,424. Similarly, Chandigarh reported 254 new COVID-19 cases today, taking the total number of cases to 8,245 including 2,847 active cases, 95 deaths and 5,300 discharges. As many as 1,229 new COVID-19 cases were reported in Jammu and Kashmir on Monday; 837 have been detected from Jammu division and 392 have been found in Kashmir division. The total number of cases now stands at 55,325 including 18,049 active cases, 36,381 recoveries and 895 deaths. Meanwhile, 96 new COVID-19 cases, 149 recovered cases were reported in Manipur over the last 24 hours. The total number of cases in the state stands at 7,971 so far, including 1,585 active cases, 6,340 recovered cases and 46 deaths. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday informed that 2,540 new COVID-19 cases, 2,110 recoveries and 15 deaths have been reported in the state in the last 24 hours. The count of active cases now stands at 30,486, while 79,813 patients have recovered till now. The death toll is at 454 in the state. Himachal Pradesh recorded 41 new COVID-19 cases till 5 pm on Monday, taking the total positive cases in the state to 9,655 so far, including 3,418 active cases, 6,143 recoveries, and 77 deaths in the state. Earlier in the day, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said that the state had 23,624 active cases and 3,945 deaths (86 per cent deaths due to comorbidities). COVID-19 positivity rate in India is 8.53 per cent while in the state it was 8.21 per cent. Discharge rate in India is 77 per cent and here it is 86.40 per cent. The situations getting better but we need to be careful, Banerjee said. Also read: NDA candidate Harivansh re-elected as RS Dy Chairman, Oppn candidate Manoj Jha defeated Shocking video showed the tradesman (above) appearing to be stomped on the head by a police officer A Melbourne father-of-three who was stomped on the head by a police officer during a 'barbaric' arrest has woken up from a coma in hospital two days after the violent incident. A Victoria Police senior constable has been suspended with pay after Timothy Atkins, 32, was rammed by a police car and kicked in the head on Sunday afternoon. Mr Atkins had escaped the Northern Hospital in Epping after waiting more than a day for a bed in the psychiatric ward, after suffering a bipolar episode. Video of the roof plumber's violent arrest went viral as he was taken to hospital and placed in an induced coma. His brother Bryce told Daily Mail Australia Mr Atkins had woken up earlier today but it was unclear whether he would suffer any permanent injuries. 'He's all stiff and sore and confused at what's happened. He can't really move his neck or anything like that. 'He can pretty much just remember being thrown to the ground'. It comes as it can be revealed authorities failed to alert his wife about the ordeal for up to six hours after the incident - instead discovering what happened from a viral eyewitness video posted to Facebook. Mr Atkins is on right with his father, Glenn, and his brother Bryce in a photo posted to GoFundMe by the family He is a loving father of three and roof plumber who was seeking mental health support prior to his arrest Shocking: The tradesman was placed in an induced coma after a scuffle with police ended with him being stomped on the head Bystanders Jake Edwards and his partner George Michael filmed the incident from their car, with their footage of the stomping incident going viral. Mr Edwards said the wife had allowed them to tell media on her behalf that he is a loving dad. 'She was not notified by the hospital until 10pm at night, and as of (Monday afternoon) still hasn't been contacted by Victoria Police,' Mr Edwards claimed to Daily Mail Australia. Mr Atkins' wife told Seven News she first learned about the incident after seeing the violent video on social media - rather than from police - and has lodged a formal complaint about the arrest. The family's lawyer Jeremy King, an expert in police misconduct, said on Tuesday that the officer allegedly involved should be stood down, adding the clan were 'devastated' by the incident. 'Given the nature of that conduct, I think it would be appropriate for the police officer to be stood down while independently investigated,' Mr King told the Today Show. But Victoria Police has announced its own internal Professional Standards Command squad is investigating. 'The member has been suspended with pay,' a police spokeswoman said. Mr Atkins remains in hospital in an induced coma on Tuesday Witness Mr Edwards described what he and his partner saw as 'unjustifiable' and 'disgusting' behaviour from officers at the weekend. 'We've seen a police car ram into (the man) sending him flying a few metres across the road,' Mr Edwards recalled. 'He got up and the foot chase continued. They run up to the median strip (and) the man did throw a punch or two. 'Then pepper spray was used, punches from the police were thrown. While they were bringing him down and he wasn't restrained yet there were kicks to the head. 'The worst part of it all is while he was restrained with five to six officers on him, there was a stomp to the head and then a knee to the head. Disgusting.' Outraged, the pair both posted their footage to Facebook and Twitter, where it went viral. Eventually the man's shocked wife contacted them on social media, trying to find out details of what had happened. Witnesses George Michael (left) and Jake Edwards (right) filmed the incident and posted the shocking video to social media Mr Atkins' devastated brother Bryce has launched a GoFundMe to alleviate the financial burden the incident will inevitably place on the family. 'Our brother is a hard working family orientated man,' Bryce wrote. 'These unfortunate and avoidable circumstances have now resulted in him being put in a coma with an uncertain future ahead. 'We as his family want to get him the best possible professional help and be able to support his young family during this time.' Father Glenn Atkins said that doctors have performed a CT scan of his son's head but was still awaiting the results late on Monday. 'The police had no right to do what they did,' Glenn fumed, before adding of an officer involved: 'This bloke needs to be accountable and lose his job.' Glenn said his son had been mentally unwell and had sought to be admitted to a psychiatric ward but had been unable to secure a bed. His son called his apprentice to pick him up before he ran out the front door of the hospital. Glenn said his son was considered to be a 'danger to himself' and doctors rang the police. Glenn claimed the matter got out of hand when police arrived on scene and attempted to apprehend his son. Though Glen says the matter got out of hand when police arrived on scene and attempted to apprehend his son In their video, one of the witnesses can be heard crying out: 'Are you f***ing kidding me?' A motorist yells at the police to stop kicking the man before the other witness urges him to be quiet. Victoria Police said the incident unfolded after officers were called over reports of a male behaving erratically about 4.10pm. 'Upon arrival the male allegedly became aggressive and damaged a police vehicle whilst attempting to avoid arrest,' a police spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia. 'During the highly dynamic incident a police officer was assaulted and OC spray was deployed before the man was arrested and subsequently taken to hospital for assessment.' For 24 hour confidential support, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 We are proud to reach this 10-year point. PortugalConfidential.com, the travel resources website in English, commemorates 10 years of promoting contemporary Portugal. To celebrate the milestone, the site has relaunched with a fresh identity, clean design and a new attitude. Dubbed Portugal Confidential Travel and Lifestyle, the content strategy is to engage an upscale audience with features on luxury hotels, fine dining, designer shopping, trendy bars, sophisticated living and more. Launched a decade ago, PortugalConfidential.com was intended to explore Portugal through a contemporary cosmopolitan perspective. I had just relocated to Portugal from Los Angeles, explains American expat and Portugal Confidential founder Greg Boegner, I was interested in learning more about new boutique hotels, chic restaurants and popular bars and lounges. In the process, I discovered that no one was promoting Portugal in this way. Hence, the brand Portugal Confidential was born with the tag line Everything Cool in Portugal. The reimagined Portugal Confidential Travel and Lifestyle retires the old tagline in exchange for a more elegant approach. With Portugals recent economic growth, Everything cool in Portugal became a little too broad, says Boegner, we were trying to cover too much ground. Our new strategy streamlines the subject matter to appeal to the high-end consumer and traveller, a market that we see expanding in Portugal (before and after COVID restrictions are lifted, of course). Besides a cleaner design, Portugal Confidential has implemented a number of new features. Users can now browse the site by key cities and regions, and search subcategories such as hotels, dining, shopping and nightlife. There are also Travel Guide landing pages, similar to micro-sites for key areas such as Lisbon, Porto, Alentejo, Algarve and Madeira. Additional landing pages for significant topics of interest such as Comporta and Avenida da Liberdade have been launched with more in development centering on Douro and Moving to Portugal. We are very proud to reach this 10-year point, declares Boegner. We greatly appreciate all of the support we have received over the years from our partners, sponsors, contributors and readers. We look forward to 10 more exciting years. # About Portugal Confidential Based in Vilamoura, in the Algarve, PortugalConfidential.com launched in 2010 as a contemporary alternative to travel and lifestyle websites featuring historic Portugal. Published in English, the site is visited by both Portuguese natives and expat residents, as well as international users interested in visiting or learning more about the country. In 2013, the subdomain Portugal Confidential Family went live, profiling activities suitable for parents and children. In 2014, Portugal Confidential LGBT debuted, providing content for the underserved gay market. PC-published eBooks Haute and Cool Cuisine in Portugal and Best of Lisbon have generated over 80,000 and 30,000 opens and downloads, respectively. In 2020, Portugal Confidential narrowed content strategy to focus on the expanding luxury market. Sister company, Portugal Confidential Experiences, provides exclusive travel services to inbound travellers to Portugal. Oil consumption may never return to levels seen before the coronavirus crisis took hold, oil major BP said in a report yesterday. The oil giant, headed by Kerryman Bernard Looney, is the first so-called supermajor to call the end of an era many thought would last another decade or more. Even its most bullish scenario, BP sees demand at no better than "broadly flat" for the next two decades as the energy transition shifts the world away from fossil fuels. The BP report describes a near future, where oil's supremacy is challenged and ultimately fades. That explains why BP has taken the boldest steps so far among peers to align its business with the goals of the Paris climate accord. Just six months after taking the top job, Mr Looney said in August he'd shrink oil and gas output by 40pc over the next decade and spend as much as $5bn a year building one of the world's largest renewable-power businesses. That's because he suspects oil use may already have peaked as a result of the pandemic, stricter government policies and changes in consumer behaviour. BP's energy outlook shows consumption slumping 50pc by 2050 in one scenario and by almost 80pc in another. In a "business-as-usual" situation, demand would recover but then flatline near 100m barrels a day for the next 20 years. BP isn't the only big oil company adapting its business to the energy transition. Royal Dutch Shell, Total and others in Europe have announced similar pivots. BP's report comes ahead of three days of online briefings starting Monday on its clean-energy and climate strategy. The study considers three scenarios, which aren't predictions but nevertheless cover a wide range of possible outcomes over the next 30 years and form the basis of the new strategy Mr Looney announced in August. The 'Rapid' approach sees new policy measures leading to a significant increase in carbon prices. The 'Net Zero' course reinforces Rapid with big shifts in societal behaviour, while the 'Business-as-usual' projection assumes that government policies, technology and social preferences continue to evolve as they have in the recent past. In the first two scenarios, oil demand falls as a result of the coronavirus, the report shows. "It subsequently recovers but never back to pre-Covid levels," according to Spencer Dale, BP's chief economist. "It brings forward the point at which oil demand peaks to 2019." That contrasts with what many others are forecasting. Russell Hardy, chief executive officer of trading giant Vitol Group, said on Monday that oil demand is poised for 10 years of growth before a steady decline. He predicts consumption will return to pre-virus levels by the end of next year. The research sees renewable energy - excluding hydro - increasing, with its share in primary energy rising from 5pc in 2018 to more than 40pc under its 'Rapid' scenario by 2050 in and to almost 60pc in 'Net Zero'. Judges issue harsh sentences in land dispute that resulted in the death of an elderly man and three policemen. The death penalty imposed on the victim's two children, life imprisonment for the nephew. The court rejects the request to have local and national leaders of the Communist Party testify. Vietnamese activist: The government that wants to "impose its will" at the price of "atrocities". Hanoi (AsiaNews) - Two death sentences, a life sentence and other prison sentences ranging from 16 years in prison to 15 months of probation. This is the sentence handed down yesterday by a Vietnamese court, in the context of a trial against 29 inhabitants of the village of Dong Tam (less than 40 km south of Hanoi), ended up in the bar for a dispute over the land with a violent drift. The verdict had been expected, as confirmed by a family member interviewed by Radio Free Asia (RFA) who comments: "I had prepared myself for the worst". The court handed down the death penalty to the brothers Le Dinh Chuc and Le Dinh Cong, charged with murder for the death of three policemen. Le Dinh Doanh, son of Le Dinh Cong, will have to serve a life sentence while Bui Viet Hieu received a sentence of 16 years in prison; two other defendants, Nguyen Quoc Tien and Nguyen Van Tuyen, were given a sentence of 12 and 13 years each. Still others from five to six years or suspended sentence and probation; of the 29 defendants, at least 13 were found innocent. On 9 January at least 3,000 policemen carried out a raid on the village, whose land has been seized to build a military airport and for building speculations. In the clash between the locals and the police, in addition to the three policemen, the village elder, Le Dinh Kinh, was killed - shot by the agents. The authorities, in response, accused the 84-year-old son Le Dinh Chuc and his grandsons Le Dinh Doanh and Le Dinh Uy for the murder. Along with them, 27 other local people are accused of complicity in the murder. The president of the court Truong Viet Toan rejected the defence lawyers' request to have the president of the Hanoi section of the Communist Party, Nguyen Duc Chung, in prison for corruption in a different proceeding, and representatives of the Ministry of Defense testify. Sources inside the trial reveal that the widow of the village elder Du Thi Thanh, mother of the two death row inmates, was also unable to appear in court as a witness. Interviewed by RFA, the activist and dissident Nguyen Quang A, based in Hanoi, attacked the Communist Party calling it "deaf and blind" to demands for justice. "The Vietnamese government - he added - only wants to impose its will, at the price of atrocities and inhuman acts against its own people". Phil Robertson, deputy director for Asia of Human Rights Watch, is also not surprised by the heavy verdict: "The rulers of Vietnam - he says in a statement - do everything to show their most ferocious face against the villagers of Dong Tam, because they fear that the challenge of this community could be contagious. Joe Biden, most of the media, and other Democrats continually attack President Trump for things that are clearly made up or based on anonymous sources. Meanwhile, they claim that Trump says things without evidence even when there is evidence. In 2019, when the Washington Post and other media outlets weren't actively campaigning for the corrupt, incompetent Joe, sometimes they did their job. The WaPo called out Biden for fabricating a war story. As he campaigns for president, Joe Biden tells a moving but false war story "This is the God's truth," Biden had said as he told the story. "My word as a Biden." Except almost every detail in the story appears to be incorrect. Based on interviews with more than a dozen U.S. troops, their commanders and Biden campaign officials, it appears as though the former vice president has jumbled elements of at least three actual events into one story of bravery, compassion and regret that never happened. Biden visited Konar province in 2008 as a U.S. senator, not as vice president. The service member who performed the celebrated rescue that Biden described was a 20-year-old Army specialist, not a much older Navy captain. And that soldier, Kyle J. White, never had a Silver Star, or any other medal, pinned on him by Biden. At a White House ceremony six years after Biden's visit, White stood at attention as President Barack Obama placed a Medal of Honor, the nation's highest award for valor, around his neck. The upshot: In the space of three minutes, Biden got the time period, the location, the heroic act, the type of medal, the military branch and the rank of the recipient wrong, as well as his own role in the ceremony. Here are some examples of things the media reported as true even when there was no evidence: Without evidence, the Atlantic reported that Trump called fallen heroes "losers." Biden is using this story in ads to attack Trump. The collusion between journalists and the Biden campaign is despicable and dangerous. Without evidence, the media have repeatedly claimed that Trump colluded with Russia to rig the 2016 election. Without evidence, many members of the Obama administration committed fraud on the FISA court in order to spy on the Trump campaign as they sought to elect Hillary. They used a fake dossier, by a foreign spy, that was paid for by the DNC and Hillary campaign to justify their unlawful spying. Without evidence, Adan Schiff, James Clapper, and others repeatedly claimed they had absolute evidence of Russian collusion as an excuse for endless witch hunts intended to destroy Trump's presidency. Without evidence, Dan Rather targeted George Bush with lies about his military service right before the 2004 election as he campaigned for Kerry. Without evidence, the NYT ran a fake story in 2008 claiming that thenpresidential candidate John McCain was having an affair with a lobbyist as the paper campaigned for Obama. After McCain became an opponent of Trump, McCain was suddenly lionized. Without evidence, Harry Reid claimed that thenpresidential candidate Mitt Romney in 2012 hadn't paid taxes in ten years as he campaigned for Obama. He certainly didn't want to defend the policies of Obama/Biden. Without evidence, the media sought to destroy Duke Lacrosse players with fake sexual assault charges. Without evidence, Rolling Stone Magazine and other media outlets sought to destroy University of Virginia fraternity boys with fake rape charges. Without evidence, the media sought to destroy Christian teenagers for the crime of being Trump-supporters. They had to pay for their known lies when at least one of the kids sued them. Without evidence, the media and other Democrats, including current vice presidential candidate Kamala Harris, sought to destroy Judge Brett Kavanaugh on his nomination for the Supreme Court with phony claims that he sexually abused girls 30 years ago. Without evidence, the media continue to claim that Trump caters to dictators when it was clearly Obama/Biden who catered to dictators. Without scientific evidence, the WHO claimed that the COVID-19 virus would not transfer human to human in a bid to protect China's ruling communists. Without scientific evidence, the CDC said millions would die and hundreds of millions would get COVID-19 to scare the public. Without scientific evidence, the U.N. and other supposed experts repeatedly say that oil is causing temperatures and sea levels to rise and increases storm activity in order to push a radical leftist agenda to destroy capitalism and redistribute wealth. How many dire made up predictions have to be 100% wrong before the media do their job and ask questions instead of just repeating what they are told? Without scientific evidence, California's Governor Gavin Newsom and other Democrats are claiming that human-caused climate change is causing the fires to be worse than ever. It is actually decades of mismanagement of the forests that is the main problem. Without evidence, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi claims she was set up by a beauty salon owner when she was caught red-handed padding around a beauty parlor against the lockdown rules with no mask on and no social distancing. The media and other Democrats always claim they care about the little guy, but they show every day how they will seek to destroy anyone who gets in their way as they crave power. Meanwhile, there is much evidence that universal mail in voting can cause a threat to election integrity but when Trump tells the truth, the media says there is no evidence. When Trump and Republicans tell the truth that Biden and Harris want to defund the police, because it is on tape, the media calls that a lie. Moving funds from the police is defunding. Democrats are now calling the defunding "reimagining the police." If Trump or anyone tells the truth about the kickbacks from foreign parties to the Biden family, the media will dutifully say that there is no evidence of wrongdoing. They did the same thing with Hillary. Is there any wonder why there is so much corruption throughout the U.S. by government officials when most of the media only cares about getting the Democrats into power and keeping them in power? Recently, Biden lied when he said he never wanted to defund the police, lied when he said that he didn't want a nationwide mask mandate and lied when he said that he wouldn't do a nationwide lockdown days after he said he would. He and Harris also repeat their almost daily lie about what Trump said at Charlottesville but somehow the media does no fact-checking of Biden so long as he is a candidate opposing Trump. It should be a huge story that the Trump administration is getting new peace agreements between Arab countries and Israel but that great story for the world is essentially buried. Biden is so stupid that he said Trump is accidentally making peace between Israel and the Arab states. He, most of the media, and other Democrats thought the way you get peace is by giving the biggest sponsor of terrorism hundreds of billions as they pledge death to Israel and death to America. Trump understands that you get peace through strength. Why would we want to go backwards and start rewarding the tyrants in Iran again and again making the world and Mideast more dangerous.We can only dream that the media will someday report the truth about all of Biden's lies as they did in 1988. Sadly, they won't because all they care about is power for the leftists today. . We know that Twitter, Facebook and Google don't really care about the truth because they have never blocked the known lies about Russian collusion. They only seem to block things from conservatives, like Trump. The media is much more dangerous to the integrity of our elections than the Russians, Chinese or Iranians. It should also be a huge story that Biden clearly is having someone type in answers on a teleprompter in some question and answer sessions? Can anyone imagine the reporting if Trump had to read his answers to questions instead of having the knowledge to answer the questions? Funny how they notice nothing when leftist power is at stake. The proof of the pudding is in their wayback machine, back when they once fact-checked Joe Biden. Image credit: Screen shot photo from camera aimed at a television set, processed with FotoSketcher. Red tail lights streak past in the dark of night. The sun rises in silence. A bird lands on a Loop 1604 sign: Marbach Road. That's the opening shot of the new "Marbachumentary" a scene the docuseries' creators hope will one day be seen at film festivals. Childhood friends Matthew Skinner and Arturo Javier Mireles are proud of the Far West Side neighborhood they grew up in. They know the stereotypes about crime and construction, but they also know the real people who call the Marbach area home. READ ALSO: Big Bend campground recently named the best in Texas reopens Tuesday "Our area has a rich history that people don't see," Mireles said. "They see what's on the streets. I want to be able to help people bring pride in the area see the arts and see that although it's hard out here, we're all here for each other." The first episode of "Marbachumentary" was released last week. Both the camera shots and the residents interviewed provide a colorful, clear-eyed look at the area's history, culture and identity. Skinner, 32, and Mireles, 32, plan to release eight episodes, each about 15 minutes long, then edit the footage into a feature-length documentary and submit the final product to film festivals. The stars of the first episode are Clifton Simmons, a local actor and comedian, and Gilbert Rodriguez, a legendary Tejano musician who owns a Mexican restaurant off Marbach Road. Simmons paints a vivid portrait of the place he calls home and notes the area needs more jobs instead of pawn shops. He recalled holding his own when he was jumped as a 12-year-old. He didn't snitch, earned the respect of the people he fought off, and remains friends with some of them today. "I needed that experience. That sounds horrible," Simmons said with a laugh. Rodriguez tells the story of how he started the restaurant, which has been serving enchiladas for 42 years, then launches into song. The first episode does not feature any interviews with women. Mireles said that will change in the next episode. "Our voice is now starting to be heard and I don't want to shut out any voices in this area," he said. Skinner and Mireles filmed the footage over a two-day shoot in August. Some of the B-roll was captured hanging out of a car, and the H-E-B parking lot interviews came to a sudden halt when the pair were kicked off the store's property. Skinner said he was shocked by the overwhelmingly positive reaction to the first episode. The creators, both of whom have backgrounds in film, intend for the docuseries to be part of a larger community empowerment movement. They're planning clean-ups of the Marbach area and want local artists to provide the soundtrack to the series. "That's the whole point of this," Mireles said. "Not just to show the struggle, but to help people show how to overcome and become stronger." : was actively promoting the Information Technology sector with the objective of making it an Information and Communication Technology hub of South Asia, state minister R B Udhayakumar said here on Tuesday. The state was creating an ecosystem thereby leveraging entrepreneurship and was promoting a socially inclusive growth to achieve 25 per cent share in the domestic ICT industry, the minister for revenue and disaster management and information technology said at the 19th edition of Connect 2020 organised by CII Listing out some investments received in the ICT sector, he said during the second edition of Global Investors Meet in January 2019, the state signed Memorandum of Understandings with various worth Rs 11,974 crore in the IT sector. "The Government ofTamil Nadu is activelypromoting Information Technologyin the State with the objective of becoming the ICT hub of South Asia by creating a knowledge driven ecosystem," he said. Software exports in increased by nearly 12 per cent to Rs 1. 39 lakh crore in 2019-20 as against Rs 1.23 lakh crore recorded the previous year, he said. The Minister said the government was investing around Rs 500 crore to set up high speed internet facilities across the state under the TamilNet project. The rural broadband project-Bharatnet was being implemented at an investment of Rs 1,815 crore through which 12,524 villages would be connected through optical fibre network, he said. Udhayakumar said Chief Minister K Palaniswami unveiled an electronic hardware manufacturing policy on September 7 with an objective to increase the electronics industry output in the state to USD 100 billion by 2025. The policy would undertake skill training for more than one lakh people by 2024 to meet the incremental human resource requirement projected by the National Skill Development Corporation in the electronics and hardware sector, he said. The minister urged captains of industry to take advantage of the policy initiatives by the government in order to set up new IT industries in emerging technologies like Artificial Intelligence and blockchain, thereby increasing employment opportunities in the state. The Special Economic Zones established by the Electronics Corporation of Tamil Nadu (ELCOT) have contributed Rs 21,700 crore of exports in the IT sector and created 94,000 jobs, he said. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Kamala Harriss arrival on the Democratic presidential ticket has helped prompt an historic outpouring of contributions, bringing in women donors, Californians and others who had avoided donating to the Biden campaign until they saw his running-mate pick. The pace and magnitude of the mostly virtual fundraising for the Biden-Harris ticket far eclipse what she accomplished during her own presidential run last year and has thrust her into a highly visible role among small-dollar and big-dollar donors, starting with the Democratic bastions in Hollywood and Silicon Valley. Harris was named Democratic nominee Joe Bidens running mate on August 11. That month, the Biden campaign and the Democratic National Committee set a record for monthly campaign fundraising with an intake of $364.5 million. Some $48 million alone came in the first two days after Biden announced Harriss selection. The California senator headlined a fundraiser Monday evening with 2016 Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton and comedian Amy Poehler that brought in $6 million from 100,000 people with an average donation of $30, Clinton announced. That compares to the $6.3 million that Biden brought in the first 24 hours of his presidential run, when interest was very high. Last week, entertainer Billy Porter and Indian-American television host Padma Lakshmi helped Harris bring in $3 million. Vice President Biden has never been the strongest fundraiser in Washington, said Cooper Teboe, a Democratic fundraising strategist in Silicon Valley. He spent his time in the Senate taking the train home to Delaware every night to be a father to his kids instead of sitting in his office making phone calls, and never fostered the kind of donor relationships many politicians do. Senator Harris has been courting supporters and making friends for the better part of two decades. Her nomination was a signal to her Rolodex that its game on. Harris has kept up a torrid pace of virtual fundraisers, holding as many as three a day.There are a lot of people who were waiting to see who Biden picked, said California Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis, a Democrat and longtime Harris supporter who has co-chaired three online events in recent weeks raising more than $11 million for the Biden campaign. Once she was chosen, it unleashed a cascade of excitement and support for the ticket. Everyone stood up and started clamoring for events.The fresh influx of campaign contributions speaks to Democratic donors enthusiasm for the symbolic significance of Harriss appointment as vice-presidential nominee, the first Black and Indian-American woman to appear on a major-party presidential ticket. Kamala was absolutely the right choice for this moment, said Stacy Mason, executive director of Electing Women Bay Area. She has a proven track record, and I think in this moment of reckoning in our country, the choice to pick a Black woman was necessary. I think he had no choice. For the Hollywood-Silicon Valley corridor, it also helps, donors say, that shes the first Democratic candidate from California on a presidential ticket in the modern political era, just when the state is being ravaged by climate-change driven wildfires. Some big Democratic donors sat on the sidelines until Harris was in. Among those giving for the first time to the ticket now are: Actor George Clooney and his wife, human rights lawyer Amal Clooney; Trisha Cardoso, the former communications head for Showtime Networks; Laura Shell, wife of NBC Universal Media Chief Executive Officer Jeff Shell; and director Lee Daniels, Federal Election Commission filings show. All have attended virtual fundraisers with Harris. Professional fundraisers say her network from three successful statewide races was holding back on giving to the Biden campaign as donors waited to see whether Biden would choose a woman -- and a woman of color they know -- as his running mate. The network of female donors Harris who are now contributing to Bidens presidential effort includes television producer Dayna Bochco, Esprit Holdings co-founder Susie Tompkins Buell and Seagram heiress Ellen Bronfman Hauptman.This moment means the world to women in the technology industry, Teboe said. They know she understands the nuances of tech and how Silicon Valley can maintain its lead in the innovation economy against China. Electing Women Bay Area hosted a Sept. 1 fundraiser with a minimum donation of $1,000 per person that took in $1.25 million, more than twice its goal. Of the 55 hosts and co-hosts who were part of the event, 37 had donated to Harris before for state races. Recent fundraisers that featured Harris or Harris and Biden together included a Sept. 8 Bay Area event that raised more than $3 million; an Aug. 26 event in Los Angeles with Lakshmi that raised more than $5 million; and a June 9 event that raised more than $3 million, before Harris was named to the ticket. Though the Trump campaign doesnt release figures, Vice President Mike Pences events typically bring in between $1 million and $1.25 million, according to a GOP fundraiser who asked not to be named because he doesnt speak for the party. Harriss fundraising network extends beyond California to alumnae of historically Black colleges, her own Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority, and other Black sororities and fraternities. Members of the Divine Nine, the historically Black Greek letter fraternities and sororities, poured in donations to Bidens campaign in amounts corresponding to the year each group was founded after Harris was picked. Gaynell Hendricks, an Alpha Kappa Alpha member who attended a Harris fundraiser during her presidential run, gave money to Bidens campaign the day the pick was announced. When she was his choice, thats certainly energized us.Female donors, in particular, were dismayed that none of the women running for president last year emerged with the nomination and were ready to open their wallets after Biden, as he pledged to do, chose a female running mate.There was a fairly widespread, profound, I would call it grief, after Elizabeth Warren withdrew, said Steve Phillips, a longtime San Francisco fundraiser and host of the podcast Democracy in Color. That accrues to Kamalas benefit now. Donors are saying, yes, we should a have a woman, yes we should have a person of color. Thats the country I want to live in. Now that she is a historic choice for vice president, it taps back to that Obama thing and people wanting to be part of making that history. ATLANTA, Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- As Hurricane Sally tracks through the Gulf of Mexico, with forecasts of an eastward turn toward Georgia after landfall, Georgia Power is actively monitoring the storm, adjusting plans for response and coordinating with emergency partners. Georgia Power reminds customers to keep safety first during hurricane season and offers the following storm tips: Before a Storm: Know your risks of flooding or storm surge and tropical storm or hurricane strength winds. Check your emergency kit, unplug major appliances and charge cell phones in case you lose power. Know your risks of flooding or storm surge and tropical storm or hurricane strength winds. Check your emergency kit, unplug major appliances and charge cell phones in case you lose power. During a Storm: Take safe shelter inside a sturdy building away from windows and doors. Avoid contact with conductors of electricity appliances, metal objects and water. Take safe shelter inside a sturdy building away from windows and doors. Avoid contact with conductors of electricity appliances, metal objects and water. After a Storm: Never touch any downed or low-hanging wire, including telephone or TV wires that touch a power line. Never pull tree limbs off of power lines yourself or enter areas with debris, downed trees or standing water as downed power lines may be buried in wreckage or submerged in water or mud. Tools You Can Use to Prepare for Severe Weather Year-round Outage Alerts Subscribe to the free Georgia Power Outage Alert service to receive personalized notifications and updates via text message. Subscribe to the free Georgia Power Outage Alert service to receive personalized notifications and updates via text message. Outage & Storm Center Available at www.georgiapower.com/storm, customers can visit this site to sign up for Outage Alerts, report and check the status of outages, and access useful safety tips and information. Customers can report and check the status of an outage 24 hours a day by contacting Georgia Power at 888-891-0938. Available at www.georgiapower.com/storm, customers can visit this site to sign up for Outage Alerts, report and check the status of outages, and access useful safety tips and information. Customers can report and check the status of an outage 24 hours a day by contacting Georgia Power at 888-891-0938. Outage Map Housed within the Outage & Storm Center, Georgia Power's interactive Outage Map provides near real-time information, allowing users to see where outages are occurring across the state and track estimated restoration times. Housed within the Outage & Storm Center, Georgia Power's interactive Outage Map provides near real-time information, allowing users to see where outages are occurring across the state and track estimated restoration times. Georgia Power Mobile App Download the Georgia Power mobile app for Apple and Android devices to access storm and outage information on the go. Download the Georgia Power mobile app for Apple and Android devices to access storm and outage information on the go. @GeorgiaPower on Twitter Follow @GeorgiaPower on Twitter for storm tips, outage updates, customer service and more. Follow @GeorgiaPower on Twitter for storm tips, outage updates, customer service and more. Emergency Plan and Kit Visit the Georgia Power storm page for information on how to build a family emergency plan and emergency supply kit. Mutual Assistance Network Georgia Power continues monitoring the changing weather around the clock and coordinates with other utilities through the mutual assistance network. The network consists of hundreds of utilities from around the country. As part of this partnership, Georgia Power is able to respond and offer assistance, providing reinforcements when needed to restore power quickly for other utilities. The company is also able to request additional resources to help restore power to Georgia Power customers following a major storm. Storm Response Pandemic Preparations Georgia Power constantly monitors changing weather conditions and is prepared to respond to service interruptions that might occur because of severe weather while taking proactive actions including special "distancing" and other precautions to help protect customers and employees from the spread of the virus. The company's investments in Smart Grid technology and increased automation in recent years mean an increased ability to more quickly isolate outages to smaller numbers of customers and reroute power remotely for improved reliability. In addition, the company's comprehensive pandemic plans help ensure readiness of the critical personnel and facilities necessary to continue providing the safe and reliable energy customers expect and deserve. In the field, the power restoration process includes these key steps: Assessing Conditions Responding crews or in major storms, damage assessment teams work to identify trouble spots and the resources needed to fix them, which could involve coming onto customers' property. Crews will employ appropriate distancing efforts and customers are asked to keep children and pets indoors and maintain safe distances from crew members as well. Responding crews or in major storms, damage assessment teams work to identify trouble spots and the resources needed to fix them, which could involve coming onto customers' property. Crews will employ appropriate distancing efforts and customers are asked to keep children and pets indoors and maintain safe distances from crew members as well. Making Repairs Georgia Power crews focus on repairs that return power to the greatest number of customers in the least amount of time. Ways you can help keep workers safe while they work in the field: If you see utility crews, please stay back a minimum of six feet much more if they are working. Please, no cookies or treats for workers during this time. Give a wave or thumbs up to workers you see. They'll understand your gratitude as they work to keep the lights on. Don't touch utility trucks or equipment. Electric providers are operating under modified conditions to keep workers safe, which includes additional cleaning and sanitation of tools and equipment. About Georgia Power Georgia Power is the largest electric subsidiary of Southern Company (NYSE: SO), America's premier energy company. Value, Reliability, Customer Service and Stewardship are the cornerstones of the company's promise to 2.6 million customers in all but four of Georgia's 159 counties. Committed to delivering clean, safe, reliable and affordable energy at rates below the national average, Georgia Power maintains a diverse, innovative generation mix that includes nuclear, coal and natural gas, as well as renewables such as solar, hydroelectric and wind. Georgia Power focuses on delivering world-class service to its customers every day and the company is consistently recognized by J.D. Power and Associates as an industry leader in customer satisfaction. For more information, visit www.GeorgiaPower.com and connect with the company on Facebook (Facebook.com/GeorgiaPower), Twitter (Twitter.com/GeorgiaPower) and Instagram (Instagram.com/ga_power). SOURCE Georgia Power Related Links http://www.georgiapower.com Getting bored of going to the same restaurants? Why not make a day trip to a new gastronomic wonder that you've yet to explore? Whether you're heading to the rocky shores of southern Rhode Island or the quaint farmlands of northwestern Connecticut, there are many great road food destinations for Nutmeggers who are sick of sticking to the southern part of the state. SURVEY: Connecticut Magazine's Best Restaurants 2021: Readers Choice This list compiles some of the best and underrated restaurants - hand-picked by Hearst Connecticut Media staff and the experts at Connecticut Magazine - that are certainly worthy of traveling out of the way for. Check out our picks below and let us know what you think at andrew.darosa@hearstmediact.com. Hurricane Sally, seen off the Gulf of Mexico on September 14, 2020, at 1510 GMT Hurricane Sally churned towards the US Gulf Coast on Tuesday, threatening deadly flash flooding in Alabama and Mississippi, even as it weakened to a Category 1 storm. The National Hurricane Center said the storm in the Gulf of Mexico was packing maximum sustained winds of around 85 miles (140 kilometers) per hour. "Historic flooding is possible from Sally with extreme life-threatening flash flooding likely through Wednesday," the Miami-based center warned. At 1500 GMT, Sally was 110 miles southeast of Mobile, Alabama, and heading in a northwesterly direction at two miles per hour. It was expected to make landfall late Tuesday or early Wednesday. Sally is one of five tropical cyclones in the Atlantic Oceana phenomenon only recorded once before, in September 1971, according to meteorologists. Alabama governor Kay Ivey warned state residents that even though the storm had weakened, "Hurricane Sally is not to be taken for granted. "We are looking at record flooding, perhaps breaking historic levels. And with rising water comes a greater risk for loss of property and life," she told a press conference. "I urge you in the strongest way possible to evacuate if conditions permit and seek shelter elsewhere as possible today." National Weather Service meteorologist John De Block said that Sally could bring upwards of eight to 10 inches (20 to 25 centimeters) of rainfall. Ivey had declared a state of emergency Monday ahead of Sally's arrival. President Donald Trump, speaking earlier on "Fox & Friends," compared Sally to Hurricane Laura, which battered Texas and Louisiana, as well as the Caribbean, just a few weeks ago. Luis Sanabria puts plywood over the windows of a business in the historic French Quarter before the possible arrival of Hurricane Sally on September 14, 2020 in New Orleans, Louisiana "This one is smaller but it's a little bit more direct, but we have it under control," he said. "We have it under watch very strongly." Earlier, he tweeted: "We are fully engaged with State & Local Leaders to assist the great people of Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi." He urged people in the storm's path to "listen to State and Local Leaders." Record year Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves had also declared a state of emergency ahead of the approaching storm. He said the storm surge projections were "worrisome with anywhere from five to eight feet of coastal surge," and added that some areas could be drenched in as much as 20 inches of rain. Governor John Bel Edwards of Louisiana, which is still recovering after Hurricane Laura made landfall in the state as a Category 4 storm, told residents Monday to be prepared. "Be smart and be safe," he tweeted. But the NHC predicted that Sally would make a northward turn away from southeastern Louisiana, to make landfall along the southern coast of neighboring Mississippi and Alabama. There have been so many tropical storms in the Atlantic this year that the UN's World Meteorological Organization, which names them, is about to run out of names for only the second time in history. The last time was in 2005, the year hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans. The latest Atlantic storm, Hurricane Paulette, pounded the island of Bermuda on Monday with Category 2 winds and heavy rains, according to the NHC. The center also said Tropical Storm Teddy was expected to become a hurricane on Tuesday. Explore further Hurricane Sally threatens Gulf Coast with a slow drenching 2020 AFP Prosper Gold Corp. Acquires Additional 7,400 Hectares at Golden Sidewalk Red Lake Ontario Figure 1. Golden Sidewalk Project Boundary Figure 1. Golden Sidewalk Project Boundary VANCOUVER, British Columbia , Sept. 15, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Prosper Gold Corp. (Prosper Gold or the Company) (TSXV: PGX) is pleased to announce that it has entered into an arms length agreement (the Purchase Agreement) to acquire a 100% interest in 372 mineral claims known as the Claims, adjacent to the Golden Sidewalk & Skinner projects (the Project) that the Company has optioned from Sabina Gold and Silver Corp. (Sabina) (see the below and the Companys August 10th, 2020 news release). This acquisition increases our land position to over 16,000 hectares in Red Lake, said Peter Bernier, President & Chief Executive Officer. These newly acquired claims expand both the northern and southern boundaries of the Golden Sidewalk project. The northern portion of the acquisition covers multiple historic showings and extends the Bathurst mine trend to the east. The southern portion of the claims cover the remaining Balmer assemblage in the area. Exploration Update Results from the 112 sample Phase 1 till survey are expected in the coming weeks (details of till survey are available in Companys September 8th, 2020 news release). Prosper will systematically prospect areas highlighted in the historic surveys as well as increase the 2020 till survey to cover the newly acquired claims. The northern portion of the newly acquired ground was historically till sampled in 2003 by Fronteer Development Group (Fronteer) and Prosper will expand upon the Fronteer till survey now that the northern claims have been consolidated. Figure 1. Golden Sidewalk Project Boundary https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/7e35186a-e43b-4ade-b67d-84bc85fdb6f8 About the Golden Sidewalk The Golden Sidewalk project is comprised of over 16,000 hectares of contiguous mineral claims & patents (see the companys August 10th and September 8th, 2020 news releases for details) located approximately 70 kilometres northeast of the town of Red Lake, Ont. The project is accessible year-round through a network of well-maintained logging roads. Story continues The Golden Sidewalk project area is underlain by rocks of the Balmer Assemblage in the southern portion of the property and the Narrow Lake Assemblage in the remaining portion of the property. The boundary between the Balmer and Narrow Lake Assemblages is taken where few pillowed flows and interbedded tuffaceous and sedimentary rocks (Balmer Assemblage) give way to abundant pillowed flows (Narrow Lake Assemblage). In the Narrow Lake area, the unconformity is also marked by the presence of quartz and feldspar xenocrystic, dacitic to rhyolitic crystal tuff, termed the Skinner porphyry. Key Terms of Purchase Agreement Pursuant to the Purchase Agreement, Prosper Gold will pay an aggregate of $60,000 and issue 125,000 shares of Prosper Gold to Bounty Gold Corp. for 372 mineral claims which are adjacent to the Golden Sidewalk-Skinner claims. The claims are subject to a 2% NSR, 1% of which can be repurchased by the Company upon payment of $1,000,000. The Purchase Agreement is subject to the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange. Any securities issued under the Purchase Agreement will be subject to a hold period of four months and a day. Sabina Option Agreement Further to the Companys August 10, 2020 news release, the Company has entered into an arms length option agreement with Sabina (the Option Agreement) in respect of the Project. The Option Agreement on the Project calls for the Company to pay $50,000 cash, issue up to 1,500,000 Prosper Gold shares and for work expenditures totaling $2,600,000 over four years in order for the Company to earn a 100% interest in the Project, subject to a 2% NSR on the Golden Sidewalk project, which can be repurchased by the Company upon payment of $1,000,000 to Sabina. Qualified Person The scientific and technical information in this news release has been reviewed by Dr. Dirk Tempelman-Kluit, PhD, P.Geo., a Qualified Person under National Instrument 43-101. For a detailed overview of Prosper Gold please visit www.ProsperGoldCorp.com ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS Per: Peter Bernier Peter Bernier President & CEO For further information, please contact: Peter Bernier President & CEO Prosper Gold Corp. Cell (250) 316-6644 Email: Pete@ProsperGoldCorp.com Information set forth in this news release may involve forward-looking statements under applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements are statements that relate to future, not past, events. In this context, forward-looking statements often address expected future business and financial performance, and often contain words such as "anticipate", "believe", "plan", "estimate", "expect", and "intend", statements that an action or event "may", "might", "could", "should", or "will" be taken or occur, or other similar expressions. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein including, without limitation; statements about the terms of the Purchase Agreement and Option Agreement, exploration potential of the Project and the planned exploration of the Project are forward-looking statements. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements, or other future events, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among others, the following risks: the need for additional financing; the Companys ability to satisfy conditions precedent under the Option Agreement; operational risks associated with mineral exploration; fluctuations in commodity prices; title matters; environmental liability claims and insurance; reliance on key personnel; the potential for conflicts of interest among certain officers, directors or promoters with certain other projects; the absence of dividends; competition; dilution; the volatility of our common share price and volume and the additional risks identified the management discussion and analysis section of our interim and most recent annual financial statement or other reports and filings with the TSX Venture Exchange and applicable Canadian securities regulations. Forward-looking statements are made based on management's beliefs, estimates and opinions on the date that statements are made and the Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements if these beliefs, estimates and opinions or other circumstances should change, except as required by applicable securities laws. Investors are cautioned against attributing undue certainty to forward-looking statements. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Edo governorship election, Godwin Obaseki, and Osagie Ize-Iyamu, have signed a peace accord for the September 19 exercise in the state. The signing of the peace accord by the Edo governorship candidates became imperative following a series of violent reports in the course of electioneering which created tension in the state. The Oba of Benin, Ewuare II, had on September 2, also called the two top candidates in the election to undertake a peace agreement to douse the rising electoral tension in the state. Governorship candidates of 12 other political parties and their chairmen also signed the agreement that is expected to guarantee a peaceful atmosphere before, during, and after the exercise. Moments before the peace accord was signed, Mohammed Adamu, the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), said Edo would experience the best-conducted exercise in the country. Represented by Adeleye Oyebade, the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of Research and Planning, Mr Adamu warned the participating candidates that they must abide by the accord that they were going to sign. Mr Oyebade said, The IGPs message is clear. We are here to ensure a hitch-free, fair, and credible election and I have assured all that the police will remain professional to the core. We will ensure that we have the best of the best in this election. When signing this according, you must understand what you are doing. It is accountability and responsibility. Go back to speak with all your people about what you have signed. The electorate should come out to vote because we are prepared to protect them. Edo will have the best of the best elections in Nigeria. Abdulsalami Abubakar, Chairman of the National Peace Committee and former Head of State, said the committee, which has been in existence since 2014, had contributed immensely to the successful conduct of the election. Mr Abubakar said, In 2014, the committee commenced efforts to support free, fair, and credible elections, and to ensure a peaceful transition, the intervention of the committee contributed immensely to the success of the 2015 election. The NPC has since 2015 successfully intervened in the general elections to ensure a peaceful outcome right after the just past 2019 general elections. The gubernatorial election in Edo state is just a few days away and giving peace during and after the election is a priority and it must be done. We as a people should aspire to see Nigeria where people feel safe to come out of their homes to cast their votes without any fear. As you are all aware the election cannot hold in the absence of a peaceful atmosphere more importantly disharmony among political parties in this hall. All contesting parties need to adopt a code of conduct that will remove confrontation among them. The NPC is in Edo state today to support this process not just the signing of the peace accord by all candidates. but also to encourage you all to accept the outcome of the election no matter the result. Let me thank His Royal Majesty for the role he played when the tension was at its peak. By agreeing to sign this covenant of peace all of you are committing yourselves to ensure an enduring peace in Nigeria and Edo State before, during, and after the election and agreeing to look beyond short term political gains, sectorial interests or narrow party advantage and accepting nothing but for the development of Edo state I ask all the stakeholders and key people here present to commit to the spirit of this accord while also remembering that the violators of this accord are putting their integrity on the line because you are signing this like ladies and gentlemen who are to be taken for your words we, therefore, call on everyone to work to ensuring a peaceful election process to ensure that peace reign in Edo state during and after the election Mathew Kukah, Convener of National Peace Committee, said the signing of the accord was not just a mere ceremony but a spiritual vow among the candidates participating in the election. He, however, expressed hope that the election would be peacefully conducted. David Edebiri, a representative of the Oba of Benin, said elections in the state had never been known to produce bloody outcomes, adding that Saturdays election will not be an exception. I want to tell you that the election in Edo State has never produced such a bloody outcome in the state. The first election I participated in was in Benin in 1952. Since then I have participated in every national, sub-national, local government election that took place in Nigeria. I have been an active participant before I excused myself in 2003. We did not go out to kill ourselves because of elections and I hope this will not be an exception. We appeal to our sons who are all in the field to know that only one winner will emerge. This election is particularly good because the two main contestants are people from reputable families in Benin. They are from families that have been ruling and have been associated with the good administration of this place, he said. Mr Obaseki, shortly after signing the accord, said, Today is unique, as history is being made in Edo State, where we are having members of the National Peace Committee coming ahead of a major event, the election of September 19, to get all the contestants to sign a peace accord to ensure that there is a violence-free election on that date. I want to say on behalf of myself, as a candidate of the party and my party, the PDP, that we are fully committed to ensuring that we have a peaceful election. I have no choice because, in addition to being a candidate, I am also the governor and the Chief Security Officer (CSO) of the state. I want to commit publicly, once again, that I will live by the letter and spirit of the accord that has just been signed. Advertisements I want to appeal to the members of the national peace committee not to end their work with the signing of this accord because there are other actors in the political space, who have influence and exercise influence in political space and also elections. If you can reach out to them, if not to sign this accord, but to persuade them about the importance of an accord we have just signed, because the responsibility for peace should rest on everyone and particularly the candidates and also some non-direct political actors. So that we can ensure that this exercise is total. Also, Mr Ize-Iyamu, who commended the Benin monarch, for initiating the process, reaffirmed his commitment. Let me, on behalf of APC, thank the organisers of this event, for what they have just done and what has just been witnessed. We are particularly grateful to no less a person than Abdulsalami Abubakar, who came personally to supervise this event. We are also appreciative of Mahmoud Yakubu, Chairman of INEC, Mohammed Adamu, IGP, and the other important personalities who have also come. Let me also thank the Oba of Benin because what we are witnessing today, he initiated it two weeks ago. He called us to the palace (in Benin City) and he spoke to us about the need for peace. We promised him then, just like we are promising now, that we would ensure that throughout this election, the campaigns and the election itself, there would be peace. We want to thank HRM for that initiative. Let me reaffirm our commitment to what has been signed and to assure Nigerians and particularly our people in Edo State that we will talk to all our supporters and we will conduct ourselves peacefully. We will do our best to ensure that the election is peaceful. We support the free, fair, and credible election. We believe that is the only way that we can sustain our democracy. We want to assure all our dignitaries that, by the grace of God, the election is going to be very peaceful. We thank you and we are grateful, Mr Ize-Iyamu said. They both hugged each other after signing the peace accord. The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency will host two Facebook Live events to get feedback and answer questions from the public about chronic wasting disease in Tennessee. Comments or questions will be taken prior to and during the meetings. TWRA welcomes the public to provide any comments or questions in advance of the events to ask.twra@tn.gov, or on Facebook via direct message prior to the events. The TWRA will also welcome comments and questions during the live event and do its best to answer them live. The schedule of events are as follows and can all be watched live on Facebook or can be watched in the feed at a later date: - Sept. 23 at noon (CDT) - Oct. 29 at noon (CDT) All meetings can be attended virtually and seen live on Facebook at www.facebook.com/tnwildlife/. The TWRA encourages everyone to watch live and send in questions or comments before or during the meeting. This is the only option for participation to attend these meetings due to COVID-19 restrictions on gatherings and social distancing requirements. BENGALURU: Wellness brand, The Moms Co. on Tuesday said it has raised $8 million as part of its Series B funding, led by existing investors DSG Partners and Saama Capital. The round also saw participation from other angel investors including founders of Beardo, Ashutosh Valani and Priyank Shah. With this funding, the company aims to reach 5 million consumers and touch 100 crore in revenue run rate. The three-year old brand also looks to add newer products to its natural, toxin-free products range, as well as expand into newer retail formats. It will also deploy the fresh funds to bolster technology, and launch the brand internationally. Over the last few months, we have seen moms re-evaluate their choices when it comes to the personal care products they use. With this fundraise, we continue our purpose of helping moms with natural effective solutions and are looking forward to expanding our mission with the next 5 million mom customers," said Malika Sadani, founder and CEO, The Moms Co. Based in New Delhi, the startup provides products for prenatal, postnatal care, mom personal care and baby care. The company has also diversified its offerings across categories of skin care, hair care, and others, with over 30 SKUs in a matter of three years. The Moms Co. now delivers to over 15,000 pin codes and has a physical presence in five cities across India. It currently reaches out to over 1 million customers. We're excited to continue supporting the team. In particular, we are very impressed at how Malika and her team have built the brand in a very capital efficient manner. Despite Covid-19, the company is on track to be one of the fastest-growing brands to get to a 100 crore run rate in the last few years. We continue to be excited to be part of this journey," said existing investors Saama Capital and DSG Partners in a joint statement. In January, this year, online baby care brand, Mamaearth also raised 130 crore (about $18.14 million) in a round led by Sequoia Capital India. Existing investors Fireside Ventures, Stellaris Venture Partners and Sharp Ventures also participated in the round. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. The total number of confirmed cases grew to 159,702. Ukraine said 2,905 new active COVID-19 cases had been confirmed across the country in the past 24 hours as of September 15, 2020. The total number of confirmed cases grew to 159,702, as seen on the interactive map compiled by the National Security and Defense Council. As many as 70,810 patients, including 1,267 in the past day, have recovered. The death toll is 3,264 with 53 fatalities recorded in the past day. There were 85,628 active cases as of September 15. In total, there have been 223,258 reports on suspected COVID-19 since the beginning of 2020. The highest number of new confirmed cases in the past 24 hours was registered in Ternopil region (390 cases), Kharkiv region (307), Odesa region (306), and the city of Kyiv (285). In total, 1,897,688 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests have been run since the outbreak. The overall incidence per region is as follows: 17,714 (+285) in the city of Kyiv; 17,243 (+186) cases in Lviv region; 13,160 (+307) in Kharkiv region; 12,394 (+142) in Chernivtsi region; 11,510 (+153) in Ivano-Frankivsk region; 10,635 (+80) in Rivne region; 9,993 (+306) in Odesa region; 9,624 (+390) in Ternopil region; 8,756 (+81) in Zakarpattia region; 7,079 (+118) in Kyiv region; 6,428 (+75) in Volyn region; 4,887 (+43) in Vinnytsia region; 4,470 (+80) in Zhytomyr region; 4,058 (+50) in Khmelnytsky region; 3,430 (+88) in Dnipropetrovsk region; 2,846 (+58) in Chernihiv region; 2,688 (+109) in Cherkasy region; 2,553 (+51) in Sumy region; 2,503 (+100) in Zaporizhia region; 2,154 (+53) in Donetsk region (Ukrainian-controlled districts); 2,114 (+63) in Mykolaiv region; 1,253 (+30) in Poltava region; 929 (+20) in Kirovohrad region; 661 (+17) in Kherson region; and 620 (+20) in Luhansk region (Ukrainian-controlled districts). Read alsoRestrictions on hospitalization, scheduled surgeries in "orange" quarantine zone, explainedData from Russia-occupied areas the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, the city of Sevastopol, parts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions is not available. COVID-19 tests were run by the Public Health Center's virological reference laboratory and regional laboratories. As of the morning of September 15, 2020, the Center had received 3,159 reports of suspected cases. In total, there have been 223,258 reports on suspected COVID-19 since the beginning of 2020. Quarantine in Ukraine: background The adaptive quarantine was introduced on August 1. The Ukrainian regions were split into the green, yellow, orange, and red zones depending on hospital bed occupancy, the average number of PCR and ELISA tests, the ascertainment rate of COVID-19, and daily spread dynamics. Quarantine-related curbs differ in each zone. The mildest ones are in the green zone, the regions included in the red zone will have to introduce the toughest restrictions. On August 26, the Cabinet of Ministers extended the adaptive quarantine until November 1. On September 10, the government reviewed the borders of COVID-19 quarantine zones. The reviewed zoning regulations will take effect on Monday, September 14. Kyiv became part of the orange zone, with the second-toughest bans after the red zone. Health Minister Maksym Stepanov says the ministry has no plans to introduce a new lockdown in Ukraine yet. The Congress on Tuesday questioned the absence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi from the Lok Sabha when defence minister Rajnath Singh made a statement on the India-China border standoff, and alleged that the government was shying away from a parliamentary discussion on the subject. Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi, who is in the United States accompanying his mother Sonia Gandhi for a health check-up, attacked the Prime Minister for misleading the country over Chinese transgressions. The country has always stood by its armed forces and will continue to do so in future. But Modiji, when will you stand against China? When will we take back the land of our country from China? Dont be scared of taking Chinas name, he tweeted in Hindi. Congress members staged a walkout from the House soon after the defence ministers statement, alleging that they hadnt been allowed to raise certain issues related to the India-China border row. They later protested in front of Mahatma Gandhis statute in the Parliament House complex. In his statement in the Lok Sabha, the defence minister said India was committed to a peaceful resolution of the border standoff with China, but wouldnt accept any attempt by the neighbour to unilaterally alter the status quo along the Line of Actual Control. Singh also said Indian troops had inflicted heavy costs, including casualties, on the Chinese side during a violent clash with the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) in the Galwan valley on June 15. The clash left 20 Indian soldiers, including Colonel B Santosh Babu, dead. Addressing reporters outside Parliament, Congress leader in the Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said the Prime Ministers absence from Parliament when the defence minister made a statement in the Lower House on the India-China situation showed that the government was afraid of a discussion on the face-off. For the Congress party, the country is the most important. We are proud of our armed forces. This government did not allow us to speak in Parliament. They are afraid of Congress asking questions that they will not be able to answer, he said. It is our entitlement to put forward our views. When the defence minister made a statement on the India-China situation in the Lok Sabha, the Prime Minister was not present. He is afraid of conducting a discussion on the issue in Parliament, Chowdhury alleged. In 1962, when the India-China war took place, he said then opposition leader Atal Bihari Vajpayee sought to know what was the situation on the border. Then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru agreed to his demand, and a two-day discussion took place in Parliament on the war and the border situation, he added. Chowdhury said Congress members staged the walkout because they werent allowed to send a message to the country and the armed forces. Congresss chief spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala also said the government should give an answer on whether China had encroached on Indian territory at specific positions across the border. The entire country is proud of the armed forces and that is why we are talking here. But why is the Prime Minister shying away from a discussion, he asked. Our questions are very straightforward. Has China occupied Indian territory? Have the Chinese encroached on Depsang Plains, Gogra, Pangong Tso till Finger 8, Y-junction in Bhutan, Lipulekh Pass in Uttarakhand and in Arunachal Pradesh?. The government should answer these questions, said Surjewala. He said the Prime Minister should apologise to the nation if the answers in the affirmative to the questions posed by the Congress because he told an all-party meeting on June 19 that the Chinese had not entered and occupied Indian territory. Congresss deputy leader in the Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi told reporters that Chowdhury and his other party colleagues wanted to send a message of solidarity with the armed forces and also issue a stern warning to China that it should not test Indias patience. Unfortunately, the government feels as if only they can speak in support of the army, he added. Congress MP Shashi Tharoor tweeted: The Defence Minister excoriated China for transgressing the LAC, could the Govt explain why the Prime Minister had issued an extraordinary statement claiming that China had not entered our territory? Presumably, the Government has changed the PMs stand? Another question: since the defence minister says that both countries have now agreed in talks to respect the LAC, but separately says the two countries have differing perceptions of where LAC lies, isnt that a recipe for another clash? Shouldnt we just insist on status quo ante? Michelle Bachelet, the UN high commissioner for human rights, speaks during the opening of the 45th session of the Human Rights Council at the UN's European headquarters in Geneva, Sept. 14, 2020. The U.N.'s human rights chief on Monday said the Myanmar militarys brutal tactics in its 21-month-long war in Rakhine state were producing possible war crimes and that Naypyidaw had made no progress in resolving an earlier crisis sparked by the armys expulsion of Rohingya Muslims. Michelle Bachelet, the U.N. high commissioner for human rights, told the Human Rights Council in Geneva that hostilities between the Myanmar military and the Arakan Army (AA) had led to disappearances, extrajudicial killings, arbitrary arrests, torture, deaths in custody, and the destruction of property. Civilian casualties have also been increasing, she said. In some cases, they appear to have been targeted or attacked indiscriminately, which may constitute further war crimes or even crimes against humanity. Bachelet made the comments as she presented a report to the 47-member Council that provided detailed accounts of military actions in Rakhine state conduct which may constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity by the Tatmadaw in Chin and Rakhine states. Tatmadaw units have undertaken widespread arbitrary arrests and detention of civilians. Use of torture and other cruel, inhumane or degrading treatment or punishment against detainees has also been alleged, said the report, using the Burmese name for the powerful military. Following Bachelets statement, Kyaw Moe Tun, Myanmars permanent representative to the U.N., said in prerecorded remarks that the Rakhine issue is complex and delicate and that the government has placed priority on finding a sustainable solution to it. He went on to say that terrorist attacks in Rakhine were to blame for the current humanitarian crisis there, which has been complicated by fighting between the government army and the AA. Kyaw Moe Tun also said that Myanmar is willing and able to address the issue of accountability and that the government has been taking necessary action based on the recommendations of its Independent Commission of Enquiry (ICOE) set up to probe the military-led crackdown on the Rohingya in 2017. The ICOE said it its final report submitted to Myanmar President Win Myint that war crimes and serious human rights violations had occurred in Rakhine but did not have genocidal intent. Kyaw Moe Tun, Myanmar's permanent ambassador to the United Nations, address the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva in prerecorded remarks, Sept. 14, 2020. Credit: UN Web TV screenshot A terrible human rights crisis The new U.N. report noted that since last year there had been a significant increase in incidents of airstrikes by fighter jets, and helicopter and heavy artillery attacks, and in ground battles in more densely populated civilian areas in Rakhine state. For the most part, however, it appears that the Arakan Army was not active or present in the areas where these attacks took place, and no armed clashes were reported to have been ongoing at that time, it said. The destruction of villages and civilian homes has caused suffering for civilians. Directing attacks against civilians and civilian objects constitutes a violation of international humanitarian law, said the report, a follow-on to the U.N.-backed Independent International Fact-Finding Mission (FFM) on Myanmar, set up after the 2017 military campaign expelled more roughly 740,000 Rohingyas to Bangladesh. Myanmar has made limited progress with the FFMs recommendations to conduct independent and impartial investigations and to hold perpetrators accountable for human rights crimes committed not only in Rakhine but also in other parts of the country, Bachelet said. Three years have passed since the military operations in Rakhine created a terrible human rights crisis, she said. The situation of many hundreds of thousands of Rohingya refugees and internally displaced people remains unresolved. The FFM's report issued in September 2019 found signs of genocidal intent in the 2017 crackdown and presented critical evidence that government security forces committed atrocities and serious crimes under international law. The report also found that the state was responsible for other violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law. Though the Council and the U.N. General Assembly have called for accountability for the violations, no concrete measures have been taken, Bachelet said. National initiatives, including secretive and selective courts-martial and the national Commission of Enquiry, have been inadequate and fallen short of international standards, she said. A number of satellite images and eyewitness accounts indicate that areas in northern Rakhine have been burned in recent months, she said, while noting that the Myanmar government has contested the reports. This only underscores the need for independent, on-the-ground investigation, added Bachelet. Lack of accountability processes In the meantime, government administrators have reclassified areas where Rohingya villages once stood, removing the communities names from maps and potentially altering how the land may be used, Bachelet said. She expressed concern that evidence relevant to determining legal responsibility for acts committed during military operations in Rohingya communities before and after 2017 may be destroyed in the process. The report cast doubt about Myanmars pledges to hold military personnel accountable for their actions in Rakhine. So far, the steps taken through its national commission and military justice processes appear to have been insufficient and to have replicated past patterns of delaying effective accountability processes and maintaining impunity, it said. The available findings of the national commission either deny or reject responsibility, calling into question both the willingness of authorities to ensure genuine accountability and the independence of the national commission, the report said. by Nirmala Carvalho Members of the Yuva Shakti Sangathan accuse a Christian clergyman of trying to convert hundreds of Hindus. Rev Santosh Kannaujia denies the allegations. Local Christians gather only to pray. For the Global Council of Indian Christians, Hindu radicals think Indian Christians are second-class citizens. Varanasi (AsiaNews) Hindu extremists from the Yuva Shakti Sangathan attacked a small Pentecostal community in Bela, a village in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, terrorising its members last Sunday. Speaking to AsiaNews, Sajan K. George, president of the Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC), said that a dozen of Hindu extremists, associated with Hindutva, a pan-Hindu extremist ideology, went to the home of Santosh Kannaujia, a local Pentecostal clergyman. The extremists accused him of trying to convert Hindus to Christianity in the nearby village of Cholapur. Santosh was defended by members of his community; the police intervened to stop the row, making arrests on both sides. According to Praveen Dubey, head of Yuva Shakti Sangathan, Santosh attempted to convert hundreds of people; the pastor denied the allegations saying that local Christians only gather to pray. The GCIC firmly condemned the action of the radical Hindu group, which caused clashes by disseminating false information. George slammed extremist groups that operate in the Bela area and harass Pentecostals. "Conversion, the GCIC president said, is not illegal. It is a constitutional right, like praying. Worshipping is not a crime, yet these right-wing groups, on the basis of mere rumour or fake information, bother and terrorise the small Christian community. George notes that India is a secular country, and that all its citizens are equal before the law. "However, some people think that Pentecostal Christians do not have the same rights as Hindus, and that people who belong to minorities are second-class citizens. SUV Sport Utility Vehicle HVAC PHEV While already reaching its fourth-generation evolution, Hyundais Tucson has only been on sale since 2004. Thats 16 years to achieve an outstanding sales figure for the Asian brand 7+ million examples. And thats no easy feat, considering how the original looked compared to the 2021 iteration.Basically, in terms of styling, its like Apollo 11s commander Neil Armstrong (first man on the Moon) and his crew (Buzz Aldrin, Michael Collins) ditched the Apollo Lunar Module Eagle in favor of Star Treks NCC-1701 Enterprise starship. Seriously, just take a moment to check out the gallery we have a picture there with the original The newly introduced (a virtual presentation, as per social custom these days) C-(compact) is marketed as a global model, with the company premiering both a short- and long-wheelbase model to address various market-specific customer demands.The 2021 Hyundai Tucson is reaching South Korean dealerships this very month, while the U.S. and European markets need to wait a little longer, until the first half of 2021. Also, the Tucson N Line is making a global debut now and is also set to reach American shores (exact launch date to be announced later).Considering the models importance for the carmaker, Hyundai took a major gamble with its complete redesign that enhances to new levels the sharp design lines weve already seen on certain models from the family, such as the new Elantra and the larger Santa Fe SUV. The designer dose of insanity is most obvious in the front-end styling, which boasts the new signature Parametric Hidden Lights LEDs.Overall, the 2021 Tucson respects the companys latest Sensuous Sportiness design identity, even though were dealing with more edges than ever before. Few automakers dare choose the revolutionary road, but Hyundai seems to plunge with all forces and the company also promises enhanced dimensions (and some new colors, naturally - Shimmering Silver, Amazon Gray, and Teal).Its a double take, since now were dealing with two wheelbase lengths, the short (2,755 mm / 108.46 in.) version being 4,630 mm (182.28 in) long, 1,865 mm (73.42 in.) wide, and 1,665 (65.55 in.) mm tall. Its larger sibling is even roomier, at 4,500 (177.16 in.) / 1,865 (73.42) / 1,650 mm (64.96 in.) and sporting a 2,680 mm (105.51 in.) wheelbase.Inside, the company has created something called the INTERSPACE, essentially taking the Tucson more upscale than ever before. It is also following the latest trends of ditching unnecessary styling lines and focusing on a minimalist, tech-savvy layout.Aggressive lines are nowhere to be found in the cockpit, and instead were dealing with a serene atmosphere with a quirky steering wheel inspired by the Elantra and digital aids all around. The center console commands are all touch-operated both the 10.25-inch AVN-T (Audio Video Navigation Telematics) and the(heat, ventilation, air conditioning) controls.The digital instrument cluster feature is not missing either, with an equally wide 10.25-inch display behind the steering wheel, while the models equipped with an automatic transmission featuring shift by wire operation. Softer materials are all around, alongside a mood-enhancing ambient lighting system with 64 shades and 10 different presets for brightness.The all-new Tucson has a few more aces up its sleeve it's not only the first Hyundai with a touch-operated dashboard, but also packs a new Multi-Air Mode technology with three-zone climate control, Hyundais Digital Key, or an available Car-to-home feature that allows those onboard to remotely control smart home appliances.Practicality is enhanced via the fold-and-dive system for the second row of seats (foldable in a 4:2:4 ratio) and the company promises both additional legroom in the back (+ 26 mm / 1.02 in.) and enhanced space in the trunk. The latter has grown by 33 to 107 liters (1.16 to 3.77 cu. ft.) depending on the model, with up to 620 liters (21.89 cu. ft.) with the rear bench up and up to 1,799 liters (63.53 cu. ft.) overall.Available interior space will not be influenced by the availability of newly electrified powertrains, says Hyundai. The latter will vary according to market, but we can already tell you some of the details pertaining to the European and U.S. configurations.On the Old Continent, the compact SUV will arrive with hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and 48-volt mild hybrid options, customers being able to choose between gasoline and diesel versions. Power levels range between 115 PS (diesel) and 230 PS (gasoline, hybrid). Theversion will top off the range at some point in 2021 with 265 PS.The company offers its latest available technologies, such as a six-speed Intelligent Manual Transmission (6iMT) and a seven-speed dual clutch transmission (7DCT), optional HTRAC four-wheel drive technology with the new terrain Mode selector, and even an Electronic Controlled Suspension (ECS).Across the ocean, in the United States, the compact SUV will be offered with two gasoline engines. The 2.5-liter Smartstream four-pot with direct injection is capable of an estimated 190 PS and 182 lb. ft. of twist. Meanwhile, the smaller (but turbocharged) 1.6-liter T-GDI will be combined with hybrid (230 PS / 258 lb. ft.) or plug-in hybrid technology. Fears that an invisible virus may be lurking among trick-or-treaters will keep Melanie Vicentes two children home this Halloween, but the Toronto mom says shes determined to make sure her beloved holiday is still spooktacular. Shes watching COVID-19 case counts while weighing reasonable risk, and expects the whole family can still dress up, decorate the yard with their faux-cemetery set pieces and smoke machine, and of course, indulge in some candy. But theres a lot that will change her soon-to-be-four-year-old wont get her usual Halloween-themed birthday bash on the 28th, and the extended family wont come over on the 31st for a group excursion through the neighbourhood. The scaled-back festivities are yet another blow to normal life wrought by the coronavirus, bemoans Vicente, who loves the holiday. I always hoped that I would have a child around October, just so I can have Halloween parties, chuckles Vicente, planning an Easter Egg-style candy hunt in the yard in lieu of setting her kids loose on the neighbourhood. Halloween is a big deal around my house. The danger COVID-19 will pose to candy-sharing homeowners and pint-sized explorers is far from clear, but Premier Doug Ford and Mayor John Tory have already suggested devotees start curbing expectations. Tory said he wont hesitate to cancel trick-or-treating if public health officials decide its too risky, while Ford suggested last week that parents make alternative plans given a rise in confirmed cases that has paused further reopening. Medical and child development experts agree the novel coronavirus poses very real threats but say it doesnt have to entirely cancel Halloween. Many experts point to valuable lifelong lessons its traditions can offer in fostering a childs creative expression, independence, and resilience. I think it would be incredibly sad to not go trick-or-treating, says health policy expert Colin Furness, who suggests a slight outdoor air current more than makes up for the fact that the virus is more persistent in cooler weather. If community transmission is very, very high and we have to really start locking things down, yeah, were going to have to lose Halloween. But we shouldnt be doing that before were closing bars and restaurants and other things. Parents should be realistic about what precautions their children can take if they venture outdoors, even while supervised, adds Dr. Fatima Kakkar, a pediatric infectious diseases specialist who expects distancing will be virtually impossible. Your kids are seeing other kids, theyre congregating with other kids. Theyre climbing the stairs, theyre touching things, says Kakkar, a doctor at the Montreal hospital CHU Sainte-Justine. While she says theres a theoretical risk the virus could spread on such surfaces, Kakkar says the person-to-person interaction is the greater threat. Were in a very big unknown for these next few weeks with school, and fall, and everything happening, adds Kakkar. If its not essential to the well-being of the child, I think its a risk thats potentially not worth investing in this year. Furness expects to take his kids trick-or-treating if risk is low, but theres no hard-and-fast rule to determine that. Case counts are obviously a factor, as is the prevalence of community spread, not to mention the ability of public health to provide real-time data to accurately describe these things. Then theres the size of your own bubble and the cumulative exposure risks you take, such as whether you regularly dine out, says Furness. Those who venture outdoors must wear masks, bring hand sanitizer and take the usual distancing precautions, even if youre outdoors the entire time, advises Furness. Once you return home, Furness suggests stashing the candy haul for at least two-to-three days, which should be enough time to eliminate contamination risk. To kill all traces of the virus, he recommends waiting an entire week. If you just let it sit for seven days theres really nothing survivable on there. As a little kid I dont know if I want to watch my candy for seven days, so theres maybe some negotiation there. Homeowners may want to wipe down railings, doors, door knobs and mailboxes as an extra precaution. Furness says the virus can persist for days on such surfaces, and may be more persistent in Octobers cooler temperatures. Virus longevity is very dependent on temperature and somewhat so in humidity, says Furness, an assistant professor at the U of Ts Institute for Health Policy Management and Evaluation. Get cold enough and the virus will live indefinitely. Make it hot enough and the virus dies right away. From a developmental perspective, early years educator Nikki Martyn cautions against overlooking Halloweens less obvious life lessons, such as encouraging a child to imagine other perspectives when they dress up as a character, and how to cope with fear in manageable amounts. Its play, right? And we use that to deal with stress, anxiety, fear, trauma, how to cope with something, says Martyn, program head of early childhood studies at the University of Guelph-Humber. She encourages parents looking for a trick-or-treat substitute to take direction from whatever your child loves most about Halloween if its dress-up, go ahead and buy that costume and let them wear it around the neighbourhood for a few days; if its the spooky decorations, schedule a neighbourhood tour in the days before or right after Halloween; if they revel in the rare chance to be outside while its dark, consider a backyard camp-out. For some kids the candy part is more important than others ... and for some kids they may not care about the candy its really just that fun (and) the adventure, the exploration, says Martyn, also suggesting a family movie night, or surprising kids with an assortment of candy if they like to trade and organize a pile of goodies. For those averse to visiting strangers, there might be safe ways to trick-or-treat, she adds, suggesting an outdoor visit to a family already in your bubble or the yard of a neighbouring classmate in your childs school cohort. Regardless, Halloween offers a great opportunity to forge deeper family bonds, and this year should be no different, she says. It helps to build that loving secure relationship that really, really lasts ones whole life, says Martyn. Its knowing that you can trust your parents and that you can work together to build things. Read more about: Milgard Windows and Habitat It was wonderful to have the opportunity to volunteer with Habitat for Humanity. It's gratifying to see we are able to help out families in need of housing, especially during such a challenging time, said Melody Zhang, VP of Human Resources at Milgard Windows & Doors. Milgard Windows & Doors team members devoted their time and labored alongside the future homeowner of a Tyler Court home in support of Tacoma/Pierce County Washington Habitat for Humanity build day. This Habitat for Humanity house, featuring energy efficient Milgard Style Line Series vinyl windows, received some special work and attention from three dedicated Milgard team members as they hammered, caulked and cleaned up the space. It was a smaller group than usual, due to COVID safety protocols, but we were so honored to work side by side with the future homeowner family as they completed their sweat-equity time, said Tim Large, Pricing Manager at Milgard Windows & Doors. The Milgard team is one we can count on faithfully year after year, said Tracey Sorenson, Director of Community Engagement. They always bring a positive attitude and work hard no matter what random tasks we have for them. This was the 8th year in a row that Milgard employees participated in a Habitat for Humanity Build Day, one of their favorite charitable activities of the year. It was wonderful to have the opportunity to volunteer with Tacoma/Pierce County Habitat for Humanity as part of the Milgard team. It's gratifying to see we are able to help out families in need of housing, especially during such a challenging time, said Melody Zhang, VP of Human Resources at Milgard Windows & Doors. All each of us can do is little, but together, it is significant. We are so proud to see Milgard windows in these homes that help bring functionality and beauty into the homeowners' lives. (Pictured clockwise: David Oh, Tim Large, and Melody Zhang) About Milgard Windows & Doors Founded in 1958, Milgard Windows & Doors offers a full line of vinyl, fiberglass and aluminum windows and patio doors for builders, dealers, and homeowners, backed by a Full Lifetime Warranty, including parts and labor. Owned by MI, Milgard operates plants in California, Oregon and Washington. For more information, visit milgard.com or call 1.800.MILGARD. About MI MI is a fenestration products manufacturer that owns and operates two brands MI Windows and Doors and Milgard Windows & Doors. MI is one of the nations largest suppliers of precision-built and energy-efficient windows and doors. With more than 10 manufacturing plants located throughout the United States, MI brands manufacture stylish, high-performance, and market-preferred products for both new construction and replacement applications. For more information, visit miwindows.com. About Tacoma/Pierce County Habitat for Humanity Tacoma/Pierce County Habitat for Humanity is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization that works with low-income families in Pierce County to build and own simple, decent, affordable homes. Partnering with a variety of corporate, community, and faith-based organizations, as well as numerous individual volunteers, Tacoma/Pierce County Habitat for Humanity develops affordable communities of both rehabbed and new construction housing. " " It is illegal to use briefs like theseto clean your car in San Francisco. Sometimes legislators in the United States get a little carried away, as evidenced by these silly laws that are still on the books. 1. In Fairbanks, Alaska, it is illegal to serve alcohol to a moose. Advertisement 2. In Glendale, Arizona, it is illegal to drive a car in reverse, so virtually everyone in a mall parking lot is breaking the law. 3. In San Francisco, California, it is illegal to wipe your car with used underwear. So, is it okay to use clean underwear? 4. In Quitman, Georgia, it's illegal to change the clothes on a storefront mannequin unless the shades are down. 5. In South Bend, Indiana, it's illegal for monkeys to smoke cigarettes. Apparently cigars are okay, but only if the monkey goes outside. 6. In New Orleans, Louisiana, it's against the law to gargle in public. 7. In Boston, Massachusetts, it's illegal to take a bath unless one has been ordered by a physician to do so. 8. In Minnesota, women may face 30 days in jail for impersonating Santa Claus. 9. In Hornytown, North Carolina, it's illegal to open a massage parlor. 10. In Fargo, North Dakota, it's illegal to lie down and fall asleep with your shoes on. 11. In Oxford, Ohio, it is illegal for a woman to disrobe in front of a man's picture. Is it legal if his eyes are closed in the photo? 12. In Oklahoma, people who make ugly faces at dogs can be fined or jailed. Apparently, it's okay for bulldogs to make ugly faces at people because they can't help it. 13. In Marion, Oregon, ministers are forbidden from eating garlic or onions before delivering a sermon. 14. In Morrisville, Pennsylvania, women need a permit to wear makeup. 15. In South Dakota, it's illegal to lie down and fall asleep in a cheese factory. 16. At restaurants in Memphis, Tennessee, all pie must be eaten on the premises, as it is illegal to take unfinished pie home. 17. In Utah, birds have the right-of-way on all highways. 18. In Seattle, Washington, women who sit on men's laps on buses or trains without placing a pillow between them face an automatic six-month jail term. 19. In Nicholas County, West Virginia, no clergy member may tell jokes or humorous stories from the pulpit during church services. 20. In St. Croix, Wisconsin, women are not allowed to wear anything red in public. CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Helen Davies, Marjorie Dorfman, Mary Fons, Deborah Hawkins, Martin Hintz, Linnea Lundgren, David Priess, Julia Clark Robinson, Paul Seaburn, Heidi Stevens, and Steve Theunissen Jammu and Kashmir Police on Tuesday claimed to have busted terror module in Ganderbal region and arrested five people along with incriminating materials, cash and hand grenades. Police spokesman said that in a series of actions in Ganderbal and Awantipora, forces have arrested five associates linked to proscribed terror outfits Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) and Al-Badr. On reliable tip about a terror module, a joint operation was launched by Ganderbal Police and 5 Rashtriya Rifles. Three terrorist associates linked to proscribed terror outfit HM have been arrested, the spokesman added. The arrested have been identified as Arshid Ahmad Khan of Wayil Wuder Gutlibagh, Majid Rasool Rather of Beehama Ganderbal and Mohd Asif Najar of Beehama Ganderbal. Three hand grenades besides, incriminating materials including electronic gadgets, have been recovered from their possession, he said, adding that preliminary investigation revealed that the trio had come in contact with a Pak-based militant Fayaz Khan of Chanhar Gutlibagh presently in Pakistan. Khan had tasked them to join terrorist ranks and undertake terrorist activities/attacks on security forces in the area. Also read: Ajit Doval walks out of SCO meet of NSAs over fictitious Pak map that violates norms A case FIR No. 199/2020 under relevant sections has been registered at Police Station Ganderbal. Further investigation is in progress, the spokesman stated. Meanwhile in Awantipora, on a specific information, the police along with security forces arrested two terrorist associates at Ladhoo crossing while travelling from Shopian to Khrew. The duo was on a scooty bearing registration number JK01AC-4035. The police identified the arrested terrorists as Rayees-ul-Hassan of Gadikhal and Mushtaq Ahmad Mir of Dadasara. Incriminating material of proscribed terror outfit Al-Badr and cash amount of Rs 600,000 meant for terror funding of Al-Badr terror outfit have been recovered from their possession. The Scooty used in the commission of crime has also been seized, the spokesman said, adding that case has been registered at Khrew Police station. New Delhi: India is all set to get back fifteenth-century idols of Lord Rama, Sita and Lakshmana from the UK. The idols were stolen from a temple, built-in Vijayanagara period, in Tamil Nadu in 1978. In August 2019, Indian High Commission in London was informed by India Pride Project that four antique idols--Shri Rama, Sita, Lakshmana and Hanumana, stolen from India, maybe in the UK. The Indian mission raised the matter with Art and Antique Unit of the London's Metropolitan Police and Idol wing of Tamil Nadu Police. Tamil Nadu police sent a comprehensive report confirming the theft of 1978 and also provided the expert opinion about the match of the idol with a photo archive. The London Metropolitan Police, who investigated the matter contacted the present owner of the statue and conveyed Indian Missions request to return the statue as they were stolen from a "living temple" in India. The art collector had bought the idol on good faith including a check of Art Loss Register Certificates. The vendor responsible for the sell is now deceased due to which there were no grounds to open an investigation in the UK. The owner of the Rama idol was also in possession of two other idols of Sita and Lakshmana which were handed over to the High Commissioner. All the three idols are being transferred to Tamil Nadu government. The Indian mission in a statement said, "HCI is working on many such cases at present. We are confident that in coming days, with this partnership of the ASI, law enforcement agencies, and the independent experts, we will be successful in returning many more pieces of our cultural heritage to India." The Indian mission in London in the past was able to get back to India, Bramha- Brahmani sculpture which was stolen from the World heritage site Rani-Ki Vav, 12th Century Bronze statue of Buddha, two antiques a 17th Century Bronze idol of Navanitha Krishna and a second-century limestone Carved Pillar motif. Earlier in 2020, the mission sent back Shiva statue stolen from the Ghateshwar temple in Rajasthan's Baroli to India. A police officer has been charged with a penalty assault after fatally shooting a schizophrenic woman more than a year ago in Baytown, Texas. Baytown officer Juan Delacruz was indicted on charges of severe assault after more than a year of fatally shooting Pamela Shantay Turner, a schizophrenic woman in a Houston suburb, Baytown, Texas. In May 2019, after officer Delacruz initially tried to arrest Turner, 45, due to outstanding warrants. The Baytown officer shot Turner, that had been the cause of her death. Delacruz previously said that Turner reached for Delacruz's Taser during a struggle between the two, and Turner used it. According to CNN, the Texas Rangers led the shooting investigation, and their findings were turned over to the Harris County District Attorney's Office for review. Then, the DA presented the results to a grand jury that returned with the indictment, as per a news release from the Baytown police. The police department said, "We have faith and trust in our judicial system, and as we wait for the case to proceed through the legal process, we are asking our community to continue to be patient, have trust, and faith in those processes." It added that their department asks the community to continue to have faith and trust in the police Department of Baytown, as well as the professional and dedicated men and women who are committed in serving all members of the community with compassion, integrity, and professionalism. Baytown officer Delacruz had been an eleven-year veteran of the department. Though Delacruz is still employed, he was placed in non-enforcement states, according to Baytown police spokesman, Lt.Steve Dorris. Meaning, Delacruz will not work on the streets, and his police authority has been suspended. According to Turner's family's civil rights representatives, Ben Crump, the victim, Pamela Shantay Turner, had schizophrenia. The shooting unfolded after more than a year Delacruz was patrolling an apartment complex in the Houston suburb when the police officer saw Turner, whom Delacruz knew had outstanding warrants. Police said Delacruz tried to arrest Turner, as per Fox News. The interaction was captured wherein Turner yells at the officer, saying, "I'm walking! I'm walking to my house!" and then Turner accuses Delacruz of harassing her. Pamela breaks free when Delacruz tries to handcuff her. The officer prompted to deploy his Taser. Then, Turner slowly drops to the ground. Turner keeps yelling and asking, "Why?" The officer continues attempting to take the woman into custody, and Turner strikes her arms and claims that she is pregnant. The video shows that Turner appears to reach for Delacruz, who stands back and fires five times. Delacruz later said Turner "was able to gain control of the Taser and used it on the officer." According to police, Delacruz attempted to administer first aid, but Turner was pronounced dead. Last May, Dorris, the police spokesman, said that Turner was not pregnant. On the other hand, Antoinette, Turner's sister, told CNN affiliate KPRC that Turner had two children and three grandchildren. Check these out: US Postal Service Offers $50,000 Reward for the Information Leading to Conviction to Mail Carrier Shooting Elderly Couple Dies Minutes Apart From COVID-19 While Holding Hands US Army Veteran Claims He Was Used in Anti-Trump Propaganda by Democrats A committee of lawmakers on Tuesday said Facebook was in contempt of the Delhi assembly, and gave the social media company a final warning to heed to summons to appear before it, while dismissing a letter sent by the executives of the firm declining to make themselves available. In the letter, Facebooks director (trust and safety) Vikram Langer told the Peace and Harmony Committee of the Delhi assembly that the companys India head, Ajit Mohan, could not appear before the panel because it was already deposing before a parliamentary Standing Committee on Information Technology, and contended that the firms content regulation was outside the jurisdiction of the state assembly. The committees head, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Raghav Chadha, rejected the contention, saying the state legislative functions are independent of the parliamentary functions, and Facebooks stance went against Indias federal structure. The Delhi legislative committee is operating in its constitutionally lawful jurisdiction and does not conflict or weaken the jurisdiction of the Central government on similar issues, he said. He added that if the company does not heed to the next summons, the committee shall be constrained to invoke its power to initiate breach of privilege proceedings, including penalties. While the committee is looking into possible inaction by Facebook in screening inflammatory posts before and during the Delhi riots in February, the developments came on a day when reports suggested that the companys services may have also been misused for possible interference in the Delhi assembly elections around the same time. Also read: Umar Khalid in 10-day custody, police to show him 1.1mn pages of data This prompted the assembly committee to club the two issues together. The decision of Facebook Indias Mohan not to appear as a witness is contempt of the Delhi legislative assembly and disregard of the Assemblys privilege. The indifference exhibited by the representative of the Facebook India is also a contempt to the people of Delhi who have reposed their faith in the committee to examine the current issue, Chadha said. The MLA also read out portions of the Facebook letter, which he described as interesting, in response to the panels September 10 summons. In it, Facebook cited two grounds to state that the Delhi Assembly had no jurisdiction over its content regulation. As you are well aware, the regulation of intermediaries like Facebook falls within the exclusive authority of the Union of India and in exercise of this power to regulate communications, the Parliament has enacted the Information Technology Act, 2000. Further, the subject of law and order in the National Capital Territory of Delhi also fall within the exclusive domain of the Union of India, the company said. But, Chadha said, that the proceedings before Parliament are in no way connected to the role of Facebook in the north-east Delhi riots. The notice of appearance issued to Facebook is directly related to the riots, whereas the proceedings in the Parliament are on the subject of safeguarding citizens rights and prevention of misuse of social/online news media platforms including special emphasis on women security in the digital space. HT reviewed the September 10 summons by the Assembly committee, which stated: Pertinently, the committee has received numerous complaints alleging inter alia intentional omission and deliberate inaction on the part of social media platform Facebook to apply hate speech rule and policies which has allegedly led to serious repercussions and disruption of peace and harmony across the NCT of Delhi. Experts said no rule exempts private companies from the mandatory nature of such summons. It is true that a Delhi Assembly panel, because of the nature of Delhis own limited constitutional rights, does not technically have the power to summon even the Delhi police commissioner because the Delhi Police comes under the Centres jurisdiction through the LG. However, when it comes to appearing before the panel, no rule states that representatives of a private firm cannot be summoned, said SK Sharma, former secretary of the Lok Sabha and Delhi assembly. He added the findings of the inquiries of the committees are reccomendary in nature. They submit it to the Speaker, who in turn submits it to the government, and it is up to the government what it wants to do with it. In this case, even if the government forwards it to the Delhi Police, the recommendations may not be executed, unless it comes from the LG, he added. Another constitutional expert who did not wish to be named called Facebooks contention that it wont appear before the assembly panel because a parliamentary standing committee is already looking into the matter as frivolous. Facebooks justification is frivolous because there is no bar on two committees of the Parliament and the state legislature examining the same matter. If the subjects are different then the companys plea does not stand at all, this person said. A Facebook spokesperson did not respond to emails, text messages and calls for comment. (With inputs from Binayak Dasgupta) SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON LONDON, Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- JDX, the global financial services consulting firm, announced today that Seamus Smith will join the firm as Chief Executive Officer effective 21st September. Seamus brings a wealth of financial services and technology experience across multiple geographies, most recently at leading UK listed technology business Sage Group plc, where over five years he held the roles of CEO Sage Pay, a leading payment processor, and Executive Vice President Global Payments & Banking. His prior appointments include Managing Director of PayPoint plc, Vice President & General Manager for Europe, Middle East & Africa at American Express and senior roles at GE Capital. Seamus is a recognised diversity champion and was named in the 2018 Financial Times Global "Top 50 male champions of Women in Business" listing. He holds an MBA from Henley Management College. As CEO, Seamus will have overall responsibility for leading the continued growth and development of the JDX business globally, and report to the Board. He will be based in London. Commenting on the appointment, JDX Chairman Tom Binks said: "We're delighted to be able to welcome Seamus to the business as CEO. He brings financial services, technology, and leadership experience to our already strong and capable senior team. His appointment represents another major investment in the future success of JDX, which will benefit our customers, colleagues and shareholders." JDX's President & Founder Jonathan Davies said: "I look forward to supporting Seamus as he continues to drive the evolution of the business." Seamus commented: "I'm delighted to be joining JDX at such an exciting time in the Company's development. JDX has established an enviable reputation as a 'client first' business, and has a breadth of talent, skills, and industry knowledge with which to develop further. With the rapid pace of change in regulation, technology, and business models within the financial services sector, JDX is well placed to be a market leader for strategic, technology and operational consulting services globally." Contact: +44 (0)207 448 0780 EDWARDSVILLE Madison County voters will have a number of decisions to make in the Nov. 3 election on issues ranging federal, state and local candidates, as well as a number of referendums and an amendment to the Illinois Constitution. Workers at the Madison County Clerks Office completed proofing the specimen ballot last week. Ballots will be mailed out and available for early voting later in September. FEDERAL RACES President Incumbent President Donald Trump and Vice President Michael Pence, Republicans, are challenged by Democrats Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. Voters can also choose Green Party candidates Howie Hawkins and Angela Walker; Gloria La Riva and Leonard Peltier of the Party for Socialism and Liberation; Brian Carroll and Amar Patel of the American Solidarity Party; or Jo Jorgensen and Jeremy Spike Cohen of the Libertarian party. U.S. Senate Incumbent Sen. Richard Durbin, a Democrat, is challenged by Republican Mark C. Curran Jr., Willie L. Wilson of the Willie Wilson Party, Green Party candidate David F Black and Libertarian Danny Malouf. U.S. Representative 12th Congressional District Incumbent Republican Mike Bost is challenged by Democrat Raymond C. Lenzi, a Democrat. 13th Congressional District Incumbent Republican Rodney Davis will again be challenged by Democrat Betsy Dirksen Londrigan. 15th Congressional District Democrat Erika C. Weaver and Republican Mary Miller are seeking the seat being vacated by the retiring U.S. Rep. John Shimkus, a Republican. STATE LEGISLATIVE RACES Six Illinois House seats from our area are up for grabs in the Nov. 3 election. 95th District Incumbent Republican Avery Bourne is challenged by Democrat Chase Wilhelm. 100th District Incumbent Republican Christopher C.D. Davidsmeyer is challenged by Democrat Brandon Adams and Pro-Gun and Life Party Candidate Ralph Sides. 108th District Incumbent Republican Charles Meier is challenged by Democrat Kacie Weicherding. 111th District Incumbent Democrat Monica Bristow is challenged by Republican Amy Elik. 112th District Incumbent Democrat Katie Stuart is challenged by Republican Lisa Ciampoli. 113th District Incumbent Democrat Jay C. Hoffman is challenged by Libertarian Ryan Musick and Constitution Party candidate Mark Lemore for the seat. COUNTYWIDE OFFICES Three of the five county-wide offices in Madison County are up for grabs. Auditor Rick Faccin and Circuit Court Clerk Mark Von Nida are retiring, and Madison County States Attorney Tom Gibbons has opted to run for a judicial seat. Madison County Board Chairman Incumbent Republican Kurt Prenzler is challenged by Democrat Robert A. Daiber. Coroner Incumbent Democrat Steve Nonn is challenged by Republican Adam J. Micun. Circuit Clerk Democrat Amy Gabriel and Republican Tom McRae are seeking to fill Von Nida s spot. States Attorney Democrat Crystal Uhe and Republican Tom Haine are battling over Gibbons position. Auditor Democrat Joe Silkwood and Republican David Michael are seeking Faccins seat. MADISON COUNTY BOARD Eleven seats are up in this election. Two incumbents, Michael Doc Holliday Sr. and Victor Valentine Jr., both Democrats are unopposed. District 2 Democrat DeAnn Rizzi and Republican Stacey Pace are vying for the seat held by Republican Don Moore, who chose not to run this year. District 3 Democrat Maria Ferrari and Republican William S. Meyer are seeking to fill Republican Phil Chapmans seat. Meyer, who had previously held the seat, defeated Chapman in the Republican Primary. District 4 Democrat Kelly A. Simpson and Republican Bobby Ross are seeking David Michaels seat on the board. District 18 Democratic incumbent Jack Minner is challenged by Republican Richard Keasey. District 19 Democrat Dina Burch and Republican Aaron Messner are seeking to fill the seat being vacated by board member Michael Parkinson. District 20 Incumbent Democrat Kristen Novacich-Koberna is challenged by Republican Denise Wiehardt. District 26 Republican incumbent Erica Conway Harriss is challenged by Democrat Collin Vanmeter. District 27 Democrat Paul Rydgig is facing off against incumbent Heather Mueller-Jones. The position was not supposed to be up this year, but Mueller-Jones was recently appointed to the board after her husband, Board Member Clint Jones, died. District 29 Democrat Jim Trucano and Republican Ryan Kneedler are seeking the seat being faceted by Larry Trucano. JUDICIAL RACES Illinois Supreme Court Democrat Judy Cates and Republican David K. Overstreet are seeking to fill Chief Justice Lloyd Karmeiers spot on the court representing the Fifth Appellate District. Appellate Court Democrat Sarah Smith and Republican Mark M. Boie are vying to replace Judge Melissa Ann Chapman on the Fifth District Appellate Court. Circuit Judge Democrat Leslie Ann Wood and Republican Steve Stobbs are seeking the judicial seat previously held by Andy Matoesian, while Democrat Tom Gibbons and Republican Amy Maher are seeking to fill the seat vacated by Judge David Hylla. Three judges are also up for judicial retention: Fifth District Appellate Court Judge Thomas M. Welch and Circuit Judges Dennis R. Ruth and Richard L. Tognarelli. SANITARY BOARDS: Two candidates are unopposed for the Holiday Shores Sanitary District Board, and there is no candidate for an unexpired term on the Rosewood Heights Sanitary District. ILLINOIS CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT: Illinois voters will decide whether to change how the state income tax is applied to resident. The amendment is explained this way on the ballot: The proposed amendment grants the State authority to impose higher income tax rates on higher income levels, which is how the federal government and a majority of other states do it. The amendment would remove the portion of the Revenue Article of the Illinois Constitution that is sometimes referred to as the flat tax, that requires all taxes on income to be at the same rate. The amendment does not itself change tax rates. It gives the State the ability to impose higher tax rates on those with higher income levels and lower income tax rates on those with middle or lower income levels. You are asked to decide whether the proposed amendment should become a part of the Illinois Constitution. According to the ballot instructions, failure to vote on the issue may be counted as a no vote. MADISON COUNTY REFERENDUMS All Madison County voters will have vote on three referendums, one binding and two nonbinding. The binding resolution asks: Shall the maximum tax rate for general county purposes of Madison County, Illinois, be established at 0.18 percent of the equalized assessed value of the taxable property therein instead of 0.20 percent, the maximum rate otherwise applicable to the next taxes to be extended? The two nonbinding advisory referendums are: Shall members of the Illinois General Assembly change state law to stop automatic annual salary increases for legislators? Shall retired Madison County employees and officials drawing a pension be permitted to also draw a salary for service in another position as an employee, official, or independent contractor of Madison County? Metro East Sanitary District Referendum: Shall bonds for the purpose of improvements to the Landsdowne Sewer System in the sum of $14 million be issued by the Metro East Sanitary District? WOOD RIVER ROUNDHOUSE: Wood River residents have an advisory referendum on the Wood River Roundhouse: Shall the City of Wood River, Illinois save the existing Roundhouse as a center for recreation and community use and suspend capital spending on the planned recreation center project? For more on the upcoming election visit https://www.co.madison.il.us/departments/county_clerk/index.php. To continue, please log in, or sign up for a new account. We offer one free story view per month. If you register for an account, you will get two additional story views. After those three total views, we ask that you support us with a subscription. A subscription to our digital content is so much more than just access to our valuable content. It means youre helping to support a local community institution that has, from its very start, supported the betterment of our society. Thank you very much! Author J.K. Rowling has repeatedly been called out for making anti-trans comments. (Christophe Ena / Associated Press) J.K. Rowling has apparently created yet another horcrux this time in the form of her new novel Troubled Blood. According to a review of the book published Sunday in The Telegraph, Troubled Blood, published under her alias Robert Galbraith, centers on the disappearance of a woman "thought to have been a victim of Dennis Creed, a transvestite serial killer." One wonders what critics of Rowlings stance on trans issues will make of a book whose moral seems to be: never trust a man in a dress, Jake Kerridge writes in his review. ("Transvestite" is an outdated term typically used to refer to men who sometimes wear women's clothing which is not the same as being transgender.) Reviews from other outlets, including the Wall Street Journal and the Guardian, have not referenced this detail. The Telegraph review led #RIPJKRowling to trend on Twitter not because she is dead but because people are noting that the author is killing her own career with her views. Some have used the hashtag to recommend works by trans authors; others have used it to defend Rowling's freedom to hold these views. The book appears to lean into problematic stereotypes portraying transgender people as villains, despite studies that show transgender people face high rates of harassment and violence. Earlier this month, Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte pardoned a U.S. Marine who in 2015 was convicted of killing a transgender woman because of her gender identity. Critics have also noted that Troubled Blood, the fifth novel in her Cormoran Strike detective series, is not the first book in the series with transphobic elements. She had previously been called out for her depiction of a trans woman in the second Cormoran Strike novel, The Silkworm." The Harry Potter author has been repeatedly criticized for making anti-transgender comments on Twitter. In June, she took offense at an op-ed that used the more inclusive phrase people who menstruate instead of women." Story continues Shortly after the backlash to those comments, Rowling published a lengthy essay on her personal website levying a number of inaccurate claims about the transgender community because she was worried about the new trans activism. Her concerns boiled down to the perceived safety of cisgender women in bathrooms; there is no evidence that transgender people using the restrooms that align with their gender identity puts anyone else in danger. (Studies instead show that transgender people often report experiencing harassment, assault and denial of access when attempting to use public restrooms.) A number of Harry Potter actors have spoken out in support of the trans community this year in response to Rowling's comments. Scientists have hailed the discovery of a gas known as phosphine in the clouds above Venus. It's the first time the rare molecule has been found on a rocky planet other that Earth, which has sparked excitement that it could lead a step closer to proving the existence of extraterrestrial life. The atmosphere of Venus contains a gas that on Earth "can be attributed to living organisms", scientists said in a report published in the science journal Nature Astronomy. Phosphine is a flammable gas that can only come from the breakdown of organic matter or man-made processes. "The detection of phosphine molecules, which consist of hydrogen and phosphorus, could point to this extraterrestrial aerial life," says the report. The research provided evidence "for anomalous and unexplained chemistry" which may be a stepping stone towards other projects on Venus. Exciting findings Lead author Jane Greaves, from Cardiff University's School of Physics and Astronomy told AFP that the presence of phosphine alone was not proof of life on one of Earth's closest neighbours. "I don't think we can say that even if a planet was abundant in phosphorus, it might lack something else important to life some other element, or conditions might be too hot, too dry," she said. However it is the first time phosphine has been found on a rocky planet other than Earth, and the only way to know more would be to send a spacecraft to collect samples, Greaves added. To collect the data, the astronomers used telescopes in Hawaii and Chile's Atacama Desert to observe Venus' upper cloud levels, around 60 kilometres from the surface, where temperatures are around 20-30 degrees Celsius. Venus daytime temperatures of up to 400 degrees Celsius are hot enough to melt lead and its atmosphere is comprised almost entirely of carbon dioxide. The clouds of the planet are incredibly acidic around 90 percent sulphuric acid posing major issues for microbes to survive there, astronomers said. Story continues Scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the United States provided some extra research into how phosphine is produced in nature to better understand the research, as explained in this video. However, the group warns that some information is lacking and that the only other study of phosphorus on Venus came from one lander experiment, carried by the Soviet Vega 2 mission in 1985. NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine reacted on social media, calling the Cardiff group study the most significant development yet in building the case for life off Earth," and "it's time to prioritise Venus." Will Venus steal Mars's thunder? Until now, Earth's other closest neighbour Mars has attracted more attention in terms of space exploration, with several unmanned probes launched by the US and China in the bid to find proof of life. In one of the latest projects, Nasa at the end of July launched the 'Perseverance' rover which is due to land in February 2021. But Alan Duffy, an astronomer from Swinburne University and Lead Scientist of The Royal Institution of Australia, said the Venus find was "one of the most exciting signs of the possible presence of life beyond Earth I have ever seen". But he admitted: "We have to rule out all possible other non-biological means of producing it. Professor Emma Bunce, President of the Royal Astronomical Society of the UK said the breakthrough "makes a strong case for a return space mission to Venus". Ontario aims to reassure parents after Quebec schools see 47 cases of COVID-19, Sept. 5 How can Premier Doug Ford keep defending his preparations for a return to school by claiming he is following the advice given to him by experts? The directive from SickKids hospital stated that distancing is one of the most important concerns. But Ford and Lecce continue to disregard that completely. In fact, if more pupils choose to learn online than was anticipated, leaving classrooms with fewer students which would be great, right? the schools will have to combine two, or even three, grades in one class to free up teachers for the online preparations. The students and their teachers just cant win. Plus, anything that goes wrong will be the fault of the unions and teachers for not cooperating. At least take the blame, Doug, if anything goes wrong, and dont blame other people. Oh, and you and your friend Stephen Lecce should tour the schools once the kids are back, not when theyre empty, and get a true picture of whats happening. Sandra Doncaster, Oakville Will my kid be safe, Sept. 7 The question unasked in the article was: Do we have enough testing and tracing capacity to monitor the potential new cases that may happen when kids start mingling on a massive scale? Consider, for instance, half a million kids in the most populous parts of the province daily interacting with 25 other kids and adults outside the social bubble of their family and friends. That could be about 12.5 million contacts daily. Times five for the week. Times four for the month. A quarter of a billion potential virus transfers in September. So, no, the kids (and the rest of us) are not safe; we are all taking a risk. Graeme Elliott, Toronto Glaringly absent from this panel of experts were teachers. You know teachers the ones who have a pretty good idea how schools run and who will actually be implementing and enforcing these safety measures. Greg Hoggarth, Stratford, Ont. Each day I marvel at the new array of conundrums arising about our public schools. Space needs versus social distancing; masking or not, by grade; online, at home, or a mix; personal protection for teachers versus layoffs; a new math curriculum declared at the height of the pandemic. And on it goes. On top of all that, school starts within the next few weeks. Parents are, to say the least, dazed and confused. Which brings to mind a question what have the Ministry of Education, school boards and administrators and teachers and their unions been doing for the past six months? When it comes to public education in Ontario, confusion reigns. Uncertainty abounds. Working parents, and single parents even more so, are worried sick about their children, concerned about how to keep them safe while keeping a roof over their heads and food in the larder. The lack of leadership and planning in Ontarios public education system is inexcusable. NEW YORK, Sept. 14, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Pomerantz LLP announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Cabot Oil & Gas Corporation ("Cabot" or the "Company") (NYSE: COG) and certain of its officers. The class action, filed in United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas, Houston Division, and docketed under 20-cv-02827, is on behalf of a class consisting of all persons other than Defendants who purchased or otherwise acquired Cabot securities between October 23, 2015, and June 12, 2020, both dates inclusive (the "Class Period"), seeking to recover damages caused by Defendants' violations of the federal securities laws and to pursue remedies under Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Exchange Act") and Rule 10b-5 promulgated thereunder, against the Company and certain of its top officials. If you are a shareholder who purchased Cabot securities during the class period, you have until October 13, 2020, to ask the Court to appoint you as Lead Plaintiff for the class. A copy of the Complaint can be obtained at www.pomerantzlaw.com. To discuss this action, contact Robert S. Willoughby at [email protected] or 888.476.6529 (or 888.4-POMLAW), toll-free, Ext. 7980. Those who inquire by e-mail are encouraged to include their mailing address, telephone number, and the number of shares purchased. [Click here for information about joining the class action] Cabot is an independent oil and gas company that explores, exploits, develops, produces, and markets oil and gas properties in the U.S. Cabot primarily focuses its oil and gas efforts on the Marcellus Shale located in Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania. Cabot's gas procuring activities in Pennsylvania have been the subject of controversy for over a decade, with the Company repeatedly denying any responsibility for environmental damage observed in the state. The complaint alleges that throughout the Class Period, Defendants made materially false and misleading statements regarding the Company's business, operational, and compliance policies. Specifically, Defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (i) Cabot had inadequate environmental controls and procedures and/or failed to properly mitigate known issues related to those controls and procedures; (ii) as a result, Cabot, among other issues, failed to fix faulty gas wells, thereby polluting Pennsylvania's water supplies through stray gas migration; (iii) the foregoing was foreseeably likely to subject Cabot to increased governmental scrutiny and enforcement, as well as increased reputational and financial harm; (iv) Cabot continually downplayed its potential civil and/or criminal liabilities with respect to such environmental matters; and (v) as a result, the Company's public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times. On July 26, 2019, during intraday trading hours, Cabot filed a quarterly report on Form 10-Q with the Securities and Exchange Commission, reporting the Company's financial and operating results for the quarter ended June 30, 2019 (the "2Q19 10-Q"). The 2Q19 10-Q disclosed that the Company had received two proposed Consent Order and Agreements ("CO&As") related to two Notices of Violation ("NOVs") it had received from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection ("PaDEP") back in June and November 2017, respectively, for failure to prevent the migration of gas into fresh groundwater sources in the area surrounding Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania. Following the release of the 2Q19 10-Q, Cabot's stock price fell $2.63 per share, or 12.07%, to close at $19.16 per share on July 26, 2019. Then, on June 15, 2020, during pre-market hours, following a grand jury investigation, the Pennsylvania attorney general's office charged Cabot with fifteen criminal counts arising from its failure to fix faulty gas wells, thereby polluting Pennsylvania's water supplies through stray gas migration. On this news, Cabot's stock price fell $0.67 per share, or 3.34%, to close at $19.40 per share on June 15, 2020. The Pomerantz Firm, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Paris is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, the Pomerantz Firm pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 80 years later, the Pomerantz Firm continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomerantzlaw.com. CONTACT: Robert S. Willoughby Pomerantz LLP [email protected] SOURCE Pomerantz LLP Related Links www.pomerantzlaw.com Domino's is hiring 5,000 staff. Photo: PA Dominos Pizza has announced plans to hire 5,000 workers and 1,000 apprentices, with the pandemic strongly boosting orders. The pizza delivery chain (DOM.L) said it would hire new chefs, customer service staff and delivery drivers. The company said the roles were on top of the 6,000 new roles it had already created since the coronavirus hit. It is also planning to create around 1,000 apprenticeship roles for six months each, as part of the UK governments funded Kickstart work placement scheme. It was a privilege to keep our stores open during COVID-19 and to now be in a position to offer thousands more people the opportunity to become a Dominos team member, said chief executive Dominic Paul. READ MORE: UK employers have cut 695,000 jobs since March as unemployment rate rises Were also delighted to have applied to support the governments Kickstart scheme, offering young people the chance to get back into work and to build lifelong skills through our training programmes. Together, these over 6,000 new roles will help Dominos continue to safely serve our local communities as we head towards the busy festive period. The company is one of a handful of household names hiring workers in the thousands as it scrambles to meet soaring demand, while other parts of the economy are struggling. Logistics giants like Amazon (AMZN) and supermarkets like Tesco (TSCO.L) are among the other firms to have announce mass hiring sprees in the past month, with sales boosted by the pandemic. But such expansion announcements mark a stark contrast to much of the rest of the economy, where a string of well-known companies have announced mass lay-offs in recent months. READ MORE: 450 Pizza Hut jobs at risk as chain axes 29 restaurants Hospitality firms including pizza chains Pizza Hut and Pizza Express have announced restaurant closures and likely job cuts in the past month, with demand well below pre-virus levels. The latest official figures on Tuesday show UK employers have cut 695,000 jobs since March, and the unemployment rate edged higher to 4.1%. Birminghams Coca-Cola Bottling Company United announced today a $5 million plan to repurpose its Birmingham production facility, adding additional warehouse and loading space for distribution. The conversion will happen by the end of the year. Production will move to other United plants in Alabama, Georgia and Tennessee, Linda Sewell, vice president for public affairs and communications, said. However, the companys goal is to retain all its employees, either in new positions in Birmingham or at one of the companys other facilities, she said. About 65 employees will be impacted. The workforce was informed of the plan this afternoon. We will start those conversations, one-on-one, tomorrow, she said. The goal is to keep all of them within the family. Activity at the companys facility, near Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport, has grown significantly, company officials say, with about 850 employees, 200 more than it had just six years ago. The facility was using off-site warehouses in two locations, which added logistical problems. President and CEO John Sherman said the companys Birmingham campus needs additional warehouse and loading space, along with modernized distribution processes and an updated fleet. As we look at our long-term strategy for our company, Birmingham must be in a position to lead the way, and we are prepared to continue investing in our home market in the future, he added. We will work with our associates to help them find new opportunities to stay a part of our Coca-Cola United family. Coca-Cola United was founded in 1902, is the second largest privately-held Coca-Cola bottler in North America, and the third largest bottler of Coca-Cola products in the U.S. The company has approximately 10,000 associates in more than 60 facilities across Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee. CLEVELAND, Ohio Heres one Cleveland Orchestra program in which youre supposed to fall asleep. If youre a baby, that is. With its Lullaby Project, now in its second year, the orchestra is using music not to ennoble but rather to help families bond. By giving parents a unique melody to soothe or amuse their babies, its combatting infant mortality and strengthening natural ties. At first, everyones a little out of their element, said community engagement manager Sarah Lamb, director of Clevelands Lullaby Project. Once they come together, though, they create something so special and intimate. The concept is every bit as simple and sweet as it sounds. Basically, the orchestra pairs a musician and a music therapist with new or expectant parents and together they write a unique lullaby, one that reflects the personality of the child and the stories and sentiments of the parents. Even the smoothest of births and early parenthood periods are stressful, but making and communicating through music can offer relief, said music therapist and child-life specialist Alana Dennis. Furthermore, Dennis said, the sound of a parents voice is powerful, playing a huge role in the emotional development of a child, even one still in the womb. Luckily for parents, no musical talent is required. Parents in Lullaby Project are free to add as much or as little in the way of music as they wish. Some come in with ideas of their own. Most dont. All parents really need, Lamb said, is a willingness to share and the courage to vocalize in front of others. She still counts one session during which a reluctant father began to sing as a breakthrough. Eventually, Lamb said, the goal is to gather parents at years end for a sort of lullaby concert. The songs dont need to be sleep-inducing, either. If a bedtime song is whats needed, thats perfect, but the groups are also free to write cheery or practical songs that tell family stories or encourage specific tasks like eating or picking up toys. This isnt supposed to be a song written in a vacuum and then put on a shelf, Lamb said. They get to express whatevers on their hearts or minds. The vulnerability it takes leads to something really special. Tashonna Perry, case manager of the MomsFirst program at Clevelands Lexington-Bell Community Center, said the families at her facility who take part in Lullaby Project find that planning, composing, and performing a song benefits them in ways they couldnt have imagined. Our participants say this program is therapeutic to them and provides them an outlet they dont have an opportunity to receive on any other platform, said Perry, during an online gathering with other Lullaby Project stakeholders. The Cleveland Orchestra cant take full credit for Lullaby Project. The program may be serving as a successor to the orchestras neighborhood residencies of several years ago, but it comes to Cleveland through a partnership with Carnegie Hall, in New York. Even so, this is no generic, one-size-fits-all effort. Its tailored to Cleveland, to the needs and wants of parents at the Lexington-Bell Center and the Pregnant With Possibilities Resource Center in Maple Heights. It also boasts advising and accompaniment by three Cleveland Orchestra musicians, violinists Elayna Duitman, Emma Shook, and Beth Woodside. Neither does any other version of the project share Clevelands focus. Asked by the Cleveland Orchestra how it could be most helpful, Lamb said her neighborhood partners raised a red flag specific to Northeast Ohio: the rate of infant mortality in Cuyahoga County, currently one of the highest in the United States. Its a horrible statistic and a horrible reality, Lamb said. Singing alone wont solve the problem, of course. Then again, it cant hurt, either, and when it comes to infant mortality, raising awareness is a large part of the battle. Relief from stress is another universal good, especially during one of lifes most trying periods one made all the more difficult by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. If ever Cleveland needed a program like Lullaby Project, in other words, it is now. Its a really flexible model, Lamb said. Were really passionate and keen on continuing this. Local authorities in Indonesias East Java have devised an unconventional strategy to penalise people who refused to wear face masks and asked them to dig graves at a public cemetery in Ngabetan village. According to a report in The Jakarta Post, local administration instructed eight people in Gresik regency, East Java to dig graves for those who have succumbed to the disease caused by the novel coronavirus as punishment for refusing to wear face masks in public spaces. There are only three available gravediggers at the moment, so I thought I might as well put these people to work with them," Suyono, Cerme district head, was quoted as saying. He added that two persons were designated a grave where one was given the responsibility of digging and the other was asked to lay wooden boards inside the hole to support the corpse. Hopefully this can create a deterrent effect against violations," Suyono said. He further expressed concerns over the increasing number of Covid-19 cases in Cerme, and added that this had resulted in authorities tightening Covid-related protocols in the village. In accordance with the Regent Law No. 22/2020, people who flout the protocols are subject to fines or community service as punishment, the report added. Meanwhile, Indonesia on Sunday recorded its sixth consecutive day of over 3,000 new cases of novel coronavirus infection, as the capital city of Southeast Asias most populous country geared up to re-impose social distancing curbs. New infections on Sunday reached 3,636 with new deaths at 73, showed data from the health ministrys website. That took the total number of cases to 218,382 and fatalities to 8,723, news agency Reuters reported. To check the spread of the virus in Jakarta, workers of businesses considered non-essential would be needed to work from home from Monday. However, a few government employees will be permitted to work from offices. Markets and shopping centres will be allowed to stay open with admittance at half capacity, and eateries located inside the premises of shopping centres will be allowed to function for take-out only, Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan told a news briefing on Sunday. U.S. Envoy In Pakistan As Afghan-Taliban Talks Begin With Calls For Truce By RFE/RL September 14, 2020 The Afghan government intensified calls for a cease-fire with the Taliban on September 14 as Kabul and the militants began the second day of historic peace talks. Negotiations kicked off over the weekend in Qatar and are initially expected to focus on technical details such as schedules for the talks and a code of conduct, the Afghan government said. The Afghan government and its allies, including NATO and the United States, are calling for the Taliban to agree to a truce to help advance what are expected to be long and grinding negotiations to end 19 years of conflict. But the Taliban have not agreed to a cease-fire and have conducted near daily attacks on Afghan security forces since the United States and the militants struck an agreement in February that could see foreign troops exit Afghanistan. The deal, which paved the way for the Qatar negotiations, did not commit the insurgents to any reduction of violence, only requiring that it be "an item on the agenda" in negotiations. Afghan presidential spokesman Sediq Seddiqi tweeted September 14 that the presence of government negotiators at the talks "is aimed at achieving a cease-fire, ending the violence, and ensuring lasting peace and stability in the country." As talks were under way in Qatar, U.S. special envoy for Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad and a U.S. delegation visited Pakistan, a key regional power broker with sway over the Taliban. The U.S. team met with Pakistan's army chief, General Qamar Javed Bajwa, in the garrison city of Rawalpindi. Pakistan claims its influence over the Taliban is overstated, but it says it is willing to do whatever is possible for peace in Afghanistan. A military statement said the U.S. delegation "greatly appreciated" Pakistan's role in the peace process and that "it could not have succeeded without Pakistan's sincere and unconditional support." In 2015, Pakistan hosted the first ever face-to-face talks between Kabul and the Afghan Taliban, but those talks collapsed when the Afghan government announced the death of Taliban founder Mullah Mohammed Omar. Since then, the United States worked with Islamabad to help convince the Taliban to meet with the U.S. and Afghan officials. Last month, a Taliban political team led by Taliban co-founder Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar visited Islamabad to consult with Pakistani officials. Pakistan freed Baradar from prison in 2018 in what was widely viewed as a coordinated move with the United States to advance U.S.-Taliban peace talks. A comprehensive peace deal could take months or years to reach, involving other countries and the willingness of the warring sides to compromise on major sticking points and share power. The Taliban have long been concerned that reducing violence levels could decrease their negotiating leverage, but heightened violence also risks derailing talks in their early stages. The U.S.-backed negotiations are already taking place six months later than planned due to disagreements over a controversial prisoner swap and ongoing violence. With reporting by AFP, AP, and Reuters Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/u-s-envoy-in- pakistan-as-afghan-taliban-talks-begin-with -calls-for-truce/30838686.html Copyright (c) 2020. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The political turmoil in Belarus since the fraudulent reelection of authoritarian Alexander Lukashenka on August 9 continues. Members of the political opposition in Belarus set up the National Coordination Council, or NCC, to negotiate with the Belarusian authorities about holding free and fair elections and a transition of power. Instead of engaging in good faith, the Lukashenka regime has launched a politically-motivated investigation against the National Coordination Council and detained, forced into exile, and abducted members of the NCC. Indeed, the United States is deeply concerned by the September 7 abduction of National Coordination Council member Mariya Kalesnikava in Minsk, and the forced expulsions of Spokesman Anton Rodnenkou and Executive Secretary Ivan Krautsou on September 8.Maxim Znak, also a National Coordination Council member, was detained the following day. The United States commends the courage of Ms. Kalesnikava and of the Belarusian people in peacefully asserting their right to pick their leaders in free and fair elections. Protesters have faced brute violence and repression by government authorities, which included brazen beatings in broad daylight and thousands of detentions, as well as increasing reports of abductions. Since September 1, university students have been the victims of violent crackdowns led by security forces dressed in black with their faces covered in ski masks. Several were picked up from the street and thrown into unmarked mini vans. The United States, in coordination with its partners and Allies, is considering additional targeted sanctions to promote accountability for those involved in human rights abuses and repression in Belarus. We remind the Belarusian authorities of their responsibility to ensure the safety of Ms. Kalesnikava and all those unjustly detained, said Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in a statement. We call on the Belarusian authorities to end the violence against their own people, release all those who have been unjustly detained, including U.S. citizen Vitali Shkliarov, and engage in meaningful dialogue with genuine representatives of Belarusian society. Because of Covid-19, iPhone 12 wont arrive on the same day as the international launch, as it has in previous years, dealers say. In previous years, new iPhones would be available in Vietnam on the same day when Apple opened new products for sale. In general, the first iPhones of the next generations are brought to Vietnam from Singapore by private dealers. Because of the pandemic, it will be more difficult to enter and exit the country. International flights are restricted. Vietnamese travelers to Singapore will be put into quarantine and they will also be in quarantine when returning to Vietnam. Some private shops have begun taking orders for iPhone 12, setting the price at VND99 million for the most expensive version. However, analysts say that the high price is not feasible. I will buy the first iPhone 12 in Vietnam at that price, just for PR purposes. In general, users wont spend such a big amount of money on the products, said Nhat Huy, an iPhone dealer in district 10, HCM City, adding that the prices of early iPhones should be VND50 million at maximum. Apple opens new iPhones for sale just 10 days after the launch ceremony. The US, Europe, Australia and some Asian countries are the first markets to see new products. Vietnamese dealers buy new iPhones in the markets and bring them to Vietnam. The first new products available in Vietnam are sold at prices two or three times higher than the prices quoted by Apple. The prices decrease in the next days when there are more arrivals. Observers said the prices in recent years dropped because iPhones hit the Singaporean market on the same day as the US market, and it was not costly to travel between Vietnam and Singapore to buy the products. Also, private dealers cannot set excessively high prices because they have to compete with big retailers, who always quote the selling prices right after the launch ceremony. iPhones imported through official channels and distributed by authorized companies also can arrive in Vietnam soon. Dat Nguyen, manager of Di Dong Viet retail chain, thinks that the first iPhone 12 in Vietnam should have the price of VND37-40 million. Because of Covid-19, demand is predicted to decrease by half. Huy said iPhone 12 has only some improvements in configuration, with no big changes in features and design, so the new product wont be that attractive. Trong Dat Photo of Googles made-in-Vietnam smartphone Pixel 4a leaked This is Googles latest smartphone model, which was first introduced to the market in early August after multiple delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The feature films "Malmkrog" directed by Cristi Puiu, and "Tipografic Majuscul" directed by Radu Jude, are among the productions that can be seen on Friday, at the White Night of Romanian Films, an event that takes place in Bucharest And in Cluj-Napoca, inform the organizers. Over 35 feature films and short films will be screened in 12 venues in Bucharest and Cluj-Napoca in one night and the screenings of some of the films will be followed by discussions with the event's special guests, who will give backstage details and answer questions from the audience until late after midnight. In Bucharest, the screening spaces are Calea Victoriei 192A, Romanian Peasant Museum Cinema - Open Air, "Elvira Popescu" Cinema - indoor and outdoor screening spaces, National Theater Amphitheater, Union Cinematheque (Tickets on Eventbook.ro and at the cashier), Happy Cinema - Liberty Mall, J'ai Bistrot, Apollo111 Theater (free entry - reservations on Eventbook.ro), Unteatru - open air (free entry - reservations on Eventbook.ro), Hollywood Multiplex - Bucharest Mall. In Cluj-Napoca, the screenings take place at Cinema Victoria. The White Night of Romanian Films will take place in compliance with the necessary security and social distancing measures during this period. At the entrance, an observational triage will be performed, the temperature will be checked, and the wearing of a mask will be mandatory. More details about the program can be found on eventbook.ro. The event is organized by the Film and Urban Culture Association, with the support of the National Center of Cinematography. NEW DELHI: The US Special Representative on Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad on Tuesday exchanged views with Indian foreign minister S. Jaishankar, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Foreign Secretary Harsh Shringla on how India and the US could work together to further the Afghan peace process that was officially launched three days ago in Qatar. Khalilzads India visit on Tuesday was his fifth since January 2019. He arrived in New Delhi after a stop in Islamabad on Monday. The Islamabad visit was seen as aimed at getting the Taliban to cease violence a demand put forth by the Afghan delegation head Abdullah Abdullah in Qatar on Saturday which India had backed. The Afghan peace talks come almost two decades after the US ousted the Taliban from power in 2001. They also come ahead of the 3 November US presidential elections. One of US President Donald Trumps election promises in 2016 was that he would end the war in Afghanistan and pull out US troops from there. With the talks started, the US is looking at a possible deal by early next year, according to news reports, paving the way for Trump to fulfill in poll promise. Khalilzad appreciated Indias participation in the Intra-Afghan Negotiations (IAN) held in Doha on 12 September. He briefed about the US assessment of IAN and shared the US perspective on the Afghan peace process," a person familiar with the matter said. The two sides discussed future steps and possible cooperation between India and the US in furthering the Afghan peace process," the person said adding that the talks also covered how to promote regional and international cooperation on Afghanistan. Tuesdays talks are a reflection of the India-US strategic partnership which provides for close consultations between the two countries on bilateral, regional and international issues of mutual interest," the person cited above added. A US readout of the talks said Ambassador Khalilzad stressed regional and international support is critical for the success of these negotiations and the implementation of any agreement. India and the US will work together in support of this objective." The US and India share the view that the peace process must continue until there is agreement on a political roadmap and a comprehensive and permanent ceasefire. The Afghan sides should ensure their territory must not be used by any terrorist group against any other country," the statement said. The two countries expressed similar views on the importance of long term assistance, trade, and investment for consolidating a peace agreement for the benefit of the people of Afghanistan, the region, and beyond," it added. India has played a role in reconstruction in Afghanistan pledging $3 billion in aid to the country since November 2001. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Never miss a story! Stay connected and informed with Mint. Download our App Now!! Topics About a decade ago, colleges and universities along with medical facilities guided Bostons economy through the countrys last recession. Those sectors propelled Boston and Worcester to be named as two of the best situated cities in the country to rebound from the economic slide caused by the coronavirus, according to an analysis by Bloomberg. Commercial real estate experts share the same confidence about Bostons future coming out of a pandemic, but in 2020, the drivers jumpstarting the economy are different. Universities and health care dragged us out of the last downturn, but we are seeing the likes of Amazon and life sciences dragging us out of this one locally, senior managing director for JLL, Lauren ONeil, said. It doesnt necessarily have to be made up of specific components, as long as theres a driver keeping us going and developing activity. ONeil was one of five commercial real estate experts that spoke as part of a panel hosted by NAIOP Massachusetts, the Commercial Real Estate Development Association. The dialogue focused on the future of development in Massachusetts as the commonwealth adjusts to life after the coronavirus pandemic. We may be at a bit of a slow down now, but in two to three years when a project is set to deliver, it sets up nicely for a rebound, ONeil said. ONeil described the real estate investment environment in Massachusetts, specifically in the Greater Boston area, as one confident in the not too distant future. The confidence is high in new projects about three years away from completion. Investors are more interested in future properties rather than current buildings hoping to take advantage of untapped potential. Its probably easier now to capitalize on new ground-up development than it is with an office deal where you might have 70% occupancy and youre trying to get to 90% occupancy in the near term, ONeil said. Theres just more conviction on what the world will look like in a couple years compared to over the next six months. An immediate reaction to the coronavirus pandemic is decline in investments in retail and office space. The office market, given the unknown of how people are going to work, I think there is a little hesitancy for anyone to commit to that right now, said Chris Brown, the CEO of John Moriarty & Associates. Questions continue to linger regarding what offices will look like in the future with so many employees working from home. Its led to a slowing of office space development and a small migration of homebuyers and renters flocking to the suburbs in search of more space. I dont think this is a permanent phenomenon," ONeil said. "I think its a time where people are reacting to the work-from-home phenomena. At some point we will all be back in the office. Other industries have jumped at the opportunity of vacant office space. Shawn Hurley, the President of Marcus Partners, described an office building that was converting every other floor of office space into biotech space. We see the pipeline for biotech being ready to roll, Brown said. That will be the hot sector for us over the next 18 to 24 months. While the biotech industry surges during the pandemic, new construction doesnt come without risks. Biotech buildings often are custom designed buildings, which usually is expensive, Abe Menzin of Samuels & Associates said. Outfitting older buildings for biotech companies isnt easy either. Despite the added expenses combined with a global pandemic, biotechnology companies continue to grow. Were so fortunate to live in what is essentially the hub of innovation of the life sciences world, Menzin said. The quality of the science and the scientists that live here is just a huge asset. Every panelist avoided using the term recession to describe the states economic struggles. Instead, with the assets Massachusetts possesses, they believed the state can navigate through the economic downturn and into a prosperous future. Whether its universities, health care, Amazon or biotechnology, they felt the state is prepared to navigate an uncertain fall. The key is focusing on whats next rather than whats happening now. Weve got to solve where the ball is going, said Kirk Sykes, a managing Partner at Accordia Partners. Not where the ball is. Related Content: J.K. Rowling seen attending the UK Premiere of the ' J.K. Rowling attends a screening of 'Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald' in London on Nov. 13, 2018. Credit - Gary MitchellLightRocket/Getty Images The last 48 hours have been full of conflicting emotions for Marieke Nijkamp. A New York Times bestselling author, Nijkamps new novel, a YA thriller titled Even If We Break, was published Tuesday. Its Nijkamps third novel, and their first to include a non-binary protagonist, which makes the book very special to them, as Nijkamp is a non-binary, disabled person. Mainly I want to reflect the world that I see and live in and am a part of, Nijkamp says. I think fiction doesnt do that enough as it is. One example of fiction they feel is unlikely to do that: J.K. Rowlings new novel, Troubled Blood, also publishing on Tuesday. It quickly faced criticism for allegedly leaning into portrayals of trans people as villains. ...I have to say, the irony here is rich: Basically JK Rowling is posing as a man (Robert Galbraith) to write a novel about a man who poses as a woman to kill people. PROJECTING MUCH?!?! Julia Serano (@JuliaSerano) September 14, 2020 I know a lot of you who follow me probably share some of the fears around the myth about "men who dress up as women to hurt women". If I wasn't trans I suspect I would too. But I ask you to look inside your heart and question what is really happening here https://t.co/cdYE2TKmkt Paris Lees (@parislees) September 14, 2020 Nijkamp, who says theyve mostly tried to ignore Rowlings previous comments on trans issues, found the controversy impossible to avoid this week. The juxtaposition was a painful one. Were generally not perpetrators of violence, were victims, Nijkamp says. I cant imagine going back and explaining to my teenage self, Hey, this author you love so much blatantly hates people like you. Story continues Author Marieke Nijkamp Courtesy of JLF Troubled Blood is the fifth in a series featuring the private detective Cormoran Strike, which Rowling, a cisgender woman, penned under the male pseudonym Robert Galbraith. In an early review published on Sunday, British newspaper The Telegraph called Troubled Blood a book whose moral seems to be: never trust a man in a dress, citing a plotline featuring a male serial killer dressing up in womens clothing to commit murders. A subsequent review from The Guardian describes this character as just one of many suspects in the novels primary narrative, however; while the killer is apparently written to fetishize lingerie, he uses a stolen womens coat and a wig solely as a disguise to aid his crimes. The review adds that, he is not the main villain, nor is he portrayed as trans or even called a transvestite by Rowling. Still, given Rowlings previous comments on transgender people and gender identity, the plotline is disappointing, but not surprising, says Mason Deaver, author of I Wish You All the Best. The novel, Deavers debut, follows the journey of a character coming out as non-binary, and their newly-forged friendships along the way. Writing, Deaver says, is a way to create what would have mattered to them as a child. They are concerned about the impact of Rowlings latest work, particularly on those who are trans fans of Harry Potter and had previously admired her work. I think the harm its going to do to them is tragic, they say. Trans and non-binary writers believe that narratives relying on transphobic tropes have a harmful impact on their community, and reinforces both transphobic sentiments and misinformation at large. As outlined in this years Netflix documentary Disclosure, which analyzed transgender representation on screen, narratives of mentally ill men dressing in womens clothing and committing violence towards women have long existed in popular media, like the films Psycho and Silence of the Lambs. It might not seem obvious at first, but its very harmful to portray that being trans adjacent is somehow connected to your mental health, says Deaver. I think for the people who hate us, or dont like us, its going to help add more fuel to the fire. Its not the first time that Rowling has been criticized for her treatment of trans issues within her fiction writing. As journalist Katelyn Burns noted in a review of The Silkworm, another of Rowlings books published under the Galbraith moniker, a trans characters appearance was also described using problematic stereotypes. And Rowlings choice of pen name has also been subject to controversyRobert Galbraith Heath was the name of a mid-20th century anti-LGBTQ conversion therapist. (Rowling has previously said that the name was a conflation of her political hero, Robert F. Kennedy, and a childhood fantasy name Ella Galbraith.) For many authors, the focus on trans characters in Rowlings work detracts from what they see as the authenticityand inclusivitytheir writing can provide. Fiction should reflect the world we live in and speak to the full experience of life that doesnt solely focus on identity or on traumatic experience, says Lizzie Huxley-Jones, a non-binary autistic author of childrens fiction living in London. I want to put stories out there that feature trans and disabled kids, that arent specifically about them experiencing transphobia or ableism, or their family learning to love them and come to terms with who they are. I want to make a space for people to see a facet of themselves thats also safe and comforting, an escape. We need that right now. Read more: Im a Nonbinary Writer of Youth Literature. J.K. Rowlings Comments on Gender Identity Reinforced My Commitment to Better Representation That sense of escapism is something Rin Chupeco, a non-binary YA author based in Manila, also weaves into their sci-fi and fantasy novels. Ive always felt, in many ways, trapped within my own body, and being able to write about fantastical worlds with magic, dragons and demons always feels freeing they say. And the attention focused on uplifting their work amid controversies has felt conflicting at times. We want to be remembered for our books, and not because a rich white author chose to attack us, says Chupeco. It gets really tiring to only be remembered if someone else does something to make it terrible for us. This is not to say I dont appreciate the support, but at the same time, its exhausting to be constantly put through this specific loop, where were only remembered when someone does something to us, and then forgotten by the time it blows over. For Nijkamp, who is spending Tuesday celebrating publication day, the feelings are similarly complicated. Its great to see that people are taking this as a jumping off point, but I dont necessarily want a transphobic person to say and do stuff for my work to be noticed. Over the last day, Nijkamp has had several readers reach out and express excitement about feeling represented in their work, but hopes that the energy is more long-lasting, and that cis authors too take responsibility for making their work more inclusive. I dont think that I would have gotten to the realization that I am non binary without fiction, and without fiction for young people in particular, Nijkamp explains. Ideally figuring out what it means to be me, or what it means to be you shouldnt be this much of a struggle. What Im hoping for in response to this entire situation is that in raising awareness of the work of trans and non-binary authors, readers will be able to not just find hatred in books, but also find welcoming. Trump nominated for Nobel Peace Prize for second time Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment A week after U.S.-brokered talks led to the leaders of rival nations Serbia and Kosovo to normalize their economic ties after decades of dispute, a Swedish parliamentarian has nominated President Donald Trump for the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize his second nomination. I have nominated the US Gov. and the governments of Kosovo and Serbia for the Nobel Peace Prize for their joint work for peace and economic development, through the cooperation agreement signed in the White House, Member of Parliament from Sweden, Magnus Jacobsson, announced on Twitter with a copy of the full letter supporting Trumps nomination. Trade and communications are important building blocks for peace, Jacobsson added. While announcing the agreement between Serbia and Kosovo last Friday, Trump said his administration proposed a new way of bridging the divide after a violent and tragic history, and years of failed negotiations. By focusing on job creation and economic growth, the two countries were able to reach a major breakthrough something that nobody thought was going to be possible. And I think its going to work out very well. And were going to be working with them on economic cooperation across a broad range of issues, the president said at the time. Theres been tremendous death over a long period of time, and that all stops, he added. On Wednesday, a member of the Norwegian Parliament, Christian Tybring-Gjedde, nominated Trump for the worlds most prestigious prize, citing his work in helping to broker a historic peace agreement between Israel and the United Arab Emirates. Today I have nominated US President Donald Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize, Tybring-Gjedde announced on Facebook. The agreement can open for lasting peace between several Arab countries and Israel, he explained. It is now to hope that the Nobel Committee is able to consider what Trump has achieved internationally and that it does not stumble in established prejudice against the US President. In his will, Alfred Nobel set three criteria to qualify for the Nobel Peace Prize. Donald Trump satisfies all three. Speaking with Fox News about his nomination of Trump, Tybring-Gjedde said he believes the president deserves the award more than most other recipients of the prize. For his merit, I think he has done more trying to create peace between nations than most other Peace Prize nominees. In a joint statement last month, Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed said the parties had agreed to the full normalization of relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates. Later, Trump said at a press briefing, After 49 years, Israel and the United Arab Emirates will fully normalize their diplomatic relations. They will exchange embassies and ambassadors, and begin cooperation across the board and on a broad range of areas, including tourism, education, healthcare, trade, and security. Trump also noted how crucial it was for people of all faiths to come together to fight Islamic extremism. This deal will allow much greater access to Muslims from throughout the world to visit the many historic sites in Israel which the Muslims want to see very badly and have wanted to see for many, many decades and to peacefully pray at the Al-Aqsa Mosque, which is a very special place for them, Trump said. Talk about something you only see in the movies. "An adorable, aggravating blue heeler went on a journey last weekend that could have been part of a Homeward Bound sequel," according to KXAN-TV's Billy Gates. You see, Axle the blue heeler was supposed to be spending time with his grandmother in Spicewood, Texas, while his owner Leslie Robinson went out of town with her fiance. But he clearly had other plans on his weekend agenda. He instead opted to take himself on an adventure. PUPPY LOVE: Hearing 'I love you' from their owner makes pups' heart rate skyrocket by 46 percent, study shows This wasn't just any adventure though, this was an estimated 50-mile, two-day journey that included a stint in Lake Travis. Axle escaped his grandmother's backyard Friday, Gates reported for KXAN, and took a swim across Lake Travis before being seen in Lago Vista. From there, he was seen in Jonestown, which is the opposite direction from his home, obviously instilling fear inside his mother who thought her fur baby wasn't going to know his way back. Robinson said she posted "on every Facebook I could think of" and even spent the entire day Saturday and following morning, with her friends and family, searching for Axle. Luckily, Axle showed up at home around 10 a.m. Sunday well past his curfew, clearly. Im torn between being impressed that he found his way home, and being annoyed that he left grandmas in the first place, Robinson told Gates. It's a good thing Axle is back home where he belongs, but lets hope he doesn't have any plans for a third installment to the "Homeward Bound" franchise. "A tremendous leader in our industry, Lisa Su has successfully advanced leading-edge semiconductor and high-performance computing technologies throughout her career as an accomplished business executive and engineer," said John Neuffer, SIA president and CEO. "Lisa's outstanding achievements have significantly strengthened the semiconductor industry and America's global technology leadership, and she has inspired and opened doors for countless others in tech along the way. On behalf of the SIA board of directors, it is my pleasure to announce Lisa as the 2020 Robert N. Noyce Award recipient in recognition of her impressive accomplishments." Dr. Su has served as president and CEO of AMD since October 2014 and also serves on the AMD board of directors. During her tenure, AMD has become a leader in high-performance computing and graphics technologies for the PC, data center, and gaming markets. Previously, she was chief operating officer responsible for all aspects of product strategy and execution. Prior to joining AMD in 2012, Dr. Su served in a variety of high-level roles at several semiconductor companies, including Freescale Semiconductor, IBM, and Texas Instruments. Dr. Su has bachelor's, master's and doctorate degrees in electrical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). She has published more than 40 technical articles and was named a Fellow of the Institute of Electronics and Electrical Engineers in 2009. In 2018, Dr. Su was elected to the National Academy of Engineering, was named "Businessperson of the Year" by Fortune Magazine, and received the prestigious Dr. Morris Chang Exemplary Leadership Award. In 2019, Dr. Su was named one of the World's 50 Best CEOs by Barron's, one of the "Most Powerful Women in Business" by Fortune Magazine, one of "The Best-Performing CEOs in the World" by Harvard Business Review, and she was included in "The Bloomberg 50" list of people who defined the year. "It is a tremendous honor to receive the Noyce Award and join the distinguished list of previous recipients, many of whom I'm fortunate to count as mentors, role models, colleagues, and friends," said Su. "I look forward to continuing to push the envelope of what we can accomplish in the semiconductor industry, which has become so instrumental to every aspect of our lives." The Noyce Award is named in honor of semiconductor industry pioneer Robert N. Noyce, co-founder of Fairchild Semiconductor and Intel Corporation. Media Contact Dan Rosso Semiconductor Industry Association 240-305-4738 [email protected] About SIA The Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) is the voice of the semiconductor industry, one of America's top export industries and a key driver of America's economic strength, national security, and global competitiveness. Semiconductors the tiny chips that enable modern technologies power incredible products and services that have transformed our lives and our economy. The semiconductor industry directly employs nearly a quarter of a million workers in the United States, and U.S. semiconductor company sales totaled $193 billion in 2019. represents 95 percent of the U.S. semiconductor industry by revenue and nearly two-thirds of non-U.S. chip firms. Through this coalition, SIA seeks to strengthen leadership of semiconductor manufacturing, design, and research by working with Congress, the Administration, and key industry stakeholders around the world to encourage policies that fuel innovation, propel business, and drive international competition. Learn more at www.semiconductors.org. SOURCE Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) Related Links http://www.semiconductors.org Sen. Kamala Harris, the Democratic vice presidential nominee, is in her home state of California a day after President Donald Trump's visit there as massive wildfires decimate communities across the West Coast. Harris was briefed on the impact of the California wildfires at Pine Ridge School in Auberry, California. The community is located 30 miles outside of the city of Fresno and was ravaged by the Creek Fire which, according to a California official, is the 12th largest in California history. Five of the 20 largest fires in California have burned this year. She spoke with emergency response officials alongside California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who confronted President Donald Trump Monday about climate change while the president dismissed it. "Sadly, these wildfires and the devastation they cause are utterly predictable," Harris told reporters. "Especially in residential areas, and youll see where the fire has just swept through. Everything is gone except the chimney Those chimneys remind me of tombstones." This is Harris' first trip to California since accepting the Democratic vice-presidential nomination, and it coincides with the reemergence of climate change as a campaign issue. MORE: Biden blasts 'climate arsonist' Trump in speech about West Coast fires During a grassroots fundraiser Monday with Hillary Clinton, Harris condemned Trumps stance on the issue. PHOTO: California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Democratic vice presidential candidate Sen. Kamala Harris, asses the damage during the Creek Fire at Pine Ridge Elementary, in Auberry, Calif., Sept. 15, 2020. (Gary Kazanjian/AP) "The fact is that we are in the midst of an incredible crisis, because our climate is changing in drastic form, which is leading to California burning in many places, which is leading to storms hitting our Gulf Coast repeatedly year after year and getting worse," Harris said. "And we have a president in Donald Trump who has pretty much denied the science and even today, could not with the full voice, speak to the fact that we have to address this and we have to address it around projection of what's predictable, in terms of not only drought, but electrical fires based on lightning, which is part of what we saw in California." Story continues During former Vice President Joe Bidens remarks on the wildfires Monday, he referred to Trump as a "climate arsonist." "If you give a climate arsonist four more years in the White House, why would anyone be surprised if we have more of America ablaze? If you give a climate denier four more years in the White House, why would anyone be surprised when more of America is underwater?" Biden said in prepared remarks. MORE: Trump in California amid devastating fires, as governors put focus on climate change Trump was briefed Monday in Sacramento by a panel including the California Secretary of Natural Resources Wade Crawfoot. "We want to work with you to really recognize the changing climate and what it means to our forests, and actually work together with that science," Crawfoot told Trump. "That science is gonna be key because if we -- if we ignore that science, and sort of put our head in the sand and think it's all about vegetation management, we're not going to succeed together, protecting Californians." PHOTO: Democratic Vice Presidential candidate Sen. Kamala Harris meets with California Governor Gavin Newsom at the site of the Creek Fire in Auberry, Calif., Sept. 15, 2020. (Lucy Nicholson/Reuters) "It'll start getting cooler, you just -- you just watch," Trump countered. "I wish science agreed with you," Crawfoot replied. "Oh, well, I don't think science knows actually," Trump said. More than 3.3 million acres have been burned in the Golden State this year -- more than 27 times more than in 2019, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. The wildfires also claimed the lives of 27 people last week. Biden has proposed that the United States go carbon-free by 2035 and his plan calls for a $2 trillion investment in green energy and infrastructure. Trump has rolled back Obama-era environmental regulations and, under his leadership, the U.S. backed out of Paris Climate Agreement. Kamala Harris returns to California amid wildfires as climate change reemerges as campaign issue originally appeared on abcnews.go.com New Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday said in Lok Sabha that India is ready to deal with any situation regarding the India-China border tensions. "I want to assure you that we are ready to deal with any situation. I request this house to pass a resolution that we stand shoulder to shoulder with our armed forces who are guarding our borders to safeguard India's sovereignty and integrity," Singh said. He said that China does not recognise the traditional customary alignment of the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and the border issue between remains unresolved. The statement assumes significance in the backdrop of demands made by the Opposition for a debate on the issue. Singh had met his Chinese counterpart Gen Wei Fenghe in Moscow recently. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi had also met in Moscow a few days ago. During the monsoon session, which began on Monday, the opposition has been seeking to corner the government on its handling of the standoff with China along the Line of Actual Control in Ladakh, the COVID-19 situation, economic downturn and unemployment, and is pressing for discussions on these issues. Here are the highlights of Rajnath's address to Parliament on developments on LAC: "Troops are accordingly being provisioned with suitable clothing, habitat & required defence wherewithal. They are capable of serving at forbidding altitudes with scarce oxygen and in extremely cold temperatures, something that they've done over last many years on Siachen and Kargil," Rajnath informs Parliament. " China continues to be in illegal occupation of approximately 38,000 sq. kms in Ladakh. In addition, under the so-called Sino-Pakistan 'Boundary Agreement' of 1963, Pakistan illegally ceded 5,180 sq. km. of Indian territory in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir to China." China continues to be in illegal occupation of approximately 38,000 sq. kms in Ladakh. In addition, under the so-called Sino-Pakistan 'Boundary Agreement' of 1963, Pakistan illegally ceded 5,180 sq. km. of Indian territory in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir to China." " In past too,we've had situations of prolonged stand-offs in border areas with China which were resolved peacefully. Even though situation this year is very different both in terms of scale of troops involved and number of friction points, we remain committed to peaceful resolution." In past too,we've had situations of prolonged stand-offs in border areas with China which were resolved peacefully. Even though situation this year is very different both in terms of scale of troops involved and number of friction points, we remain committed to peaceful resolution." "I request this house to pass a resolution that we stand shoulder to shoulder with our armed forces who are guarding our borders to safeguard India's sovereignty and integrity," says Rajnath. "India has conveyed to China that attempt to forcibly alter Sino-Indian boundary is not at all acceptable." "Respect LAC, no unilateral attempts to change status quo and respect bilateral protocols. These are three principles for peace at the border. China has violated 1993 and 1996 agreements on boundary dispute," says Rajnath. "India is committed to peacefully resolve border stand-off with China." "In meeting with Chinese Defence Minister, I clearly stated that while our troops had always taken a responsible approach towards border management, but at same time there should be no doubt about our determination to protect Indias sovereignty&territorial integrity," says Rajnath. "I want to assure that the morale of our armed forces is high. No one should doubt it. PM's visit to Ladakh has sent a message that people of India stand behind Indian armed forces." There was a face-off in Galwan on June 15 in which Indian forces inflicted heavy casualties on Chinese forces, says Defence Minister. Indian forces will forcefully counter all Chinese aggressive action along the border, says Rajnath Singh in Lok Sabha. Since April, we have seen increase in troops and weapons deployment along LAC in Ladakh, says Rajnath. " I want to assure you that we are ready to deal with any situation," says Defence Minister. I want to assure you that we are ready to deal with any situation," says Defence Minister. China has mobilised a huge number of Army battalions and armaments along LAC and inner areas. There are many friction points in eastern Ladakh, Gogra, Kongka La, Pangong Lake's north and south banks. Indian Army has made counter deployments in these areas, Rajnath further informs the Parliament. Violent conduct of Chinese troops is a violation of all past agreements. Our troops have done counter deployments in the area to safeguard our borders, says Rajnath. We have told China through diplomatic and channels that the attempts to unilaterally alter the status quo were in violation of the bilateral agreements, says the union minister. "China doesn't recognise the traditional and customary alignment of the boundary. We consider that this alignment is based on well established geographical principals," says Rajnath. India and China border issue remains unresolved. Till now, there has been no mutually acceptable solution. China disagrees on border, says Rajnath. India and China border issue remains unresolved. Till now, there has been no mutually acceptable solution. China disagrees on border, says Rajnath. Both India and China agree that to maintain peace and tranquillity in the India-China border areas, it is essential for the further development of bilateral relations, says the Defence Minister. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Never miss a story! Stay connected and informed with Mint. Download our App Now!! Topics India on Tuesday walked out of a meeting of the National Security Advisors of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) member countries in protest after the Pakistani representative used a "fictitious" map showing Indian territories as part of Pakistan. "This was in blatant disregard to the advisory by the host against it and in violation of the norms of the meeting. After consultation with the host, the Indian side left the meeting in protest at that juncture," Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said. Live TV The meeting was chaired by Russia. "At the meeting of the National Security Advisers (NSAs) of member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), hosted by the Chair of the SCO (Russia), the Pakistani NSA deliberately projected a fictitious map that Pakistan has recently been propagating," said the MEA Spokesperson. "As was to be expected, Pakistan then went on to present a misleading view of this meeting," he said responding to a query on the issue. Pakistan violated the SCO charter and put up a map showing Kashmir as its part. India strongly objected to it and Russia tried to dissuade Pakistan but it remained unfazed and continued with the map as the background. NSA Ajit Doval took a strong exception to it and left the SCO NSA virtual meet after due "consultation" from the host, Russia. Government sources said that "Pakistans use of a fictitious map as a backdrop" which depicted "sovereign Indian territories as part of Pakistan" is a "blatant violation of the SCO Charter and against all its established norms of safeguarding the sovereignty and territorial integrity of SCO Member States". SCO Charter, Article 2 states, "SCO member States shall adhere to the following principles..." which includes "mutual respect of sovereignty... territorial integrity of states and inviolability of state border". In fact, Secretary of the National Security Council of Russia Nikolai Patrushev told Pakistan that it does not support what Islamabad has done and hoped Pakistans "provocative act will not affect Indias participation in SCO and definitely not cast any shadow on Patrushevs warm personal relationship for NSA for whom he has the highest regard", sources elaborated. The map was the same one issued by Pakistan on the first anniversary of the removal of special status for the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir. India, Pakistan, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan are part of the SCO grouping. Both Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar visited Moscow in last two weeks to participate in SCO defence and FMs meet respectively. Firefighters search a burned-out residence Tuesday in the Berry Creek neighborhood near Oroville, Calif. (Josh Edelson / AFP / Getty Images) The confirmed death toll from California's unprecedented firestorm has risen to 25 as crews work to hem in some two dozen major blazes still burning statewide. Another fatality was confirmed Monday in the area of the North Complex fire near Oroville boosting that fire's death toll to 15, according to the Butte County Sheriff's Office. In recorded state history, only four blazes have been deadlier. Authorities have released the names of seven fire victims: John Butler, 79; Sandra Butler, 75; Jorge Hernandez-Juarez, 26; Philip Rubel, 68; Khawar Bhatti, 58; Millicent Catarancuic, 77; and Josiah Williams, 16. All were residents of Berry Creek, a mountain town northeast of Oroville that was devastated by the fire. As of Tuesday morning, officials said the North Complex was 39% contained. At more than 269,000 acres, it is now the eighth-largest fire in state history, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. It also ranks among the most destructive fires California has ever seen, consuming or damaging 723 structures so far, officials said. The North Complex is just one of several historically large conflagrations that have ignited over the past month. So far this year, fires have chewed through more than 3.2 million acres statewide an area larger than the state of Connecticut. The statewide firestorm has destroyed more than 4,200 structures and forced over 60,000 people from their homes, according to Cal Fire. The breakout of blazes includes what is listed as easily the largest wildfire recorded in California: the August Complex in Mendocino, Humboldt, Del Norte and Trinity counties. The overall complex which now includes two enormous fires, previously called the Doe and the Elkhorn, under its umbrella has burned more than 794,000 acres and is 30% contained. "Critically dry fuels" are continuing to challenge firefighting efforts on that complex, officials said Tuesday. Although officials have made significant progress in some areas and are nearing full containment on the SCU and LNU Lightning Complex fires, which are the third- and fourth-largest in state history, respectively the one-two punch of dangerous winds and historic heat earlier this month, as well as California's rugged and at times unforgiving terrain, have combined to stymie their attempts elsewhere. Story continues Firefighters lost ground Tuesday to the Bobcat fire, which is burning in the San Gabriel Mountains. Portions of Pasadena, Altadena, Monrovia, Bradbury and Duarte have been under an evacuation notice for more than a week, and some neighborhoods in Arcadia and Sierra Madre were ordered to evacuate Sunday when winds shifted. The fire, which was 3% contained as of Tuesday morning, is also threatening the famed Mt. Wilson Observatory. All observatory personnel have been evacuated, and the fire was less than 500 feet from the observatory shortly after noon, officials said. The raging fires have also shuttered access to some of the state's heavily visited open spaces. Californias national forests have been closed, and officials announced that Sequoia National Park would be off-limits starting Tuesday morning. With Three Rivers and the park headquarters under an evacuation notice, staff is focused on preparing to evacuate, Acting Supt. Lee Taylor said in a statement. To ensure any pending evacuation goes as smoothly as possible, we are closing the park to visitors. Officials said the danger to the park was posed by the SQF Complex fire, which has burned more than 107,000 acres in and around the Sequoia National Forest. It was 12% contained as of Tuesday morning. Officials are now reporting 16% containment on the Creek fire, which has burned roughly 220,000 acres and destroyed at least 555 structures in the Sierra foothills northeast of Fresno. The El Dorado fire, near Yucaipa, has scorched almost 18,000 acres and "remains very dynamic as the terrain-driven fire aligns with the predominant wind influences in the area," officials said Tuesday morning. Its listed size grew by more than 3,000 acres from Monday to Tuesday morning, though containment also increased markedly over that same time: from 44% to 54%. Officials previously said that fire was sparked by a smoke-emitting pyrotechnic device used as part of a gender-reveal party. Containment also has grown to 40% on the Dolan fire, which has burned more than 119,000 acres in Monterey County; and is now 10% for the Slater fire that has scorched over 131,000 acres in Siskiyou and Del Norte counties, as well as across the border into Oregon. Over 16,600 firefighters are battling blazes statewide, according to Cal Fire, and persistently dry conditions will continue to pose a challenge. "Temperatures are expected to be warm today and Thursday although tempered a bit by smoke," officials wrote in a statewide situation report Tuesday. "It will be cooler Friday and through the weekend as the trough moves through with some increase in humidity. With no significant precipitation in sight, California remains dry and ripe for wildfires." Times staff writers Alex Wigglesworth, Taryn Luna, Phil Willon, Hayley Smith and Louis Sahagun contributed to this report. Moving tributes have been paid to victims of the Manchester Arena suicide bombing at the public inquiry into the terror attack. Poignant memories from family and friends remembering the 22 people murdered in the May 2017 attack were heard on Monday as the commemorative hearings phase of the inquiry began. Eilidh MacLeod, 14, from the island of Barra in Scotland's Outer Hebrides, Martyn Hett, 29, from Stockport, John Atkinson, 28, from Manchester, and Sorrell Leczkowski, 14, from Leeds, were the first four tributes to be heard, with the rest to follow over the next two weeks. Roderick and Marion MacLeod sat in the hearing in Manchester as a video tribute was played for their daughter, the second of their three girls. It began with images of a sunrise over the mountains and beaches of Barra, set to traditional Scottish bagpipe music, one of Eilidh's passions. Ms MacLeod said: "Eilidh was a very special girl, of course she was, she was mine. "Even though she was only 14 she was loving life. My whole world has been shattered into pieces." Another video began with a portrait photo of Mr Hett, followed by a compilation of home videos of him as a young boy to later social media posts and recordings made by friends and his partner Russell Hayward. His father Paul Hett said: "Where on earth do you even begin to paint a portrait of Martyn? "So vibrant, so full of energy." Martyn Hett had been due to go on a holiday of a lifetime he had been saving for and the family had held a goodbye party ahead of the trip. Through tears, Paul Hett continued: "We gave him a big hug and said goodbye ... having no way of knowing we would never see him again." In a simple tribute, the parents of Mr Atkinson, mother Daryl Price and father Kevan, said that after leaving school he worked with young adults with autism and behavioural difficulties, a job he loved. The family's statements, read by legal representatives, said: "Since John's untimely death our lives have been torn apart. "He was the centre of our world. We miss him so much his laugh, his humour, his personality, his love for his family ... we will miss everything about him." The final tribute was paid to Sorrell, who lived in Leeds. A sister to older brother Sebastian and younger sister Sophie, Sorrell died in the arms of her mother Samantha, who was also injured in the blast alongside Sorrell's grandmother Pauline Healey. In a statement Mrs Leczkowski said: "Sorrell's unnecessary, senseless and wrongful death has left an entire family broken. My life is over. "As well as seeing me and my mum blown up I have to deal with seeing Sorrell blown up and die in my arms." Suicide bomber Salman Abedi murdered the 22 who died and injured hundreds more after detonating a homemade bomb at the arena following an Ariana Grande concert on May 22 2017. The public inquiry, expected to last into next spring, was adjourned until Tuesday morning. 38 economic offenders fled India between 2015-2019 India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, Sep 15: The Parliament was informed that at least 38 economic offenders fled the country between January 1 2015 and December 31 2019. The government informed the Parliament that the offenders included Vijay Mallya, Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi. The information was provided by minister of state for finance, Anurag Thakur in response to a query on whether the centre had any data on businessmen including those who migrated to other countries after fraudulently obtaining loans during the past 5 years. "Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has apprised that 38 persons involved in the cases registered by CBI related to financial irregularities with banks fled the country during 1.1.2015 to 31.12.2019," Thakur said. In a written reply, he also said that action is taken as per law in such cases. Opposition demands discussion in Lok Sabha on standoff at LAC, economic slowdown He said tight the Enforcement Directorate had earlier appraised that under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002, application for Red Corner notices were filed against 20 economic offenders. Further extradition requests were sent out in 14 cases to several countries. Between January 2019 and December 2019, 11 economic offenders fled the country while 27 have managed to slip out till January 2019. These 27 individuals face charges of economic offences and loan default the government data said. He further said that a slew of policy measures have now been taken to prevent businessmen and individuals from fraudulently obtaining loans and fleeing the country. Under the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act, 2018, banks have been directed to make submission of a certified copy of the passport of the promoters/directors of the companies. It is mandatory for those availing over Rs 50 crore worth of loan, he also said. "Wilful defaulters have been acted against comprehensively. As per data reported by nationalised banks till 31.3.2019, suits for recovery have been filed in 8,121 cases. In cases involving secured assets, action under the provisions of the Securitisation and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Security Interest Act, 2002 has been initiated in 6,251 cases," the minister said. India elected as the member of the United Nations Commission on Status of Women | Oneindia News Further the Parliament was also informed that between 2014 and 2019, Rs 7,654 crore has been recovered by the nationalised banks from wilful defaulters. FIRs have been registered in 2,915 cases against wilful defaulters in accordance with the instructions by the Reserve Bank of India. Tough measures have been taken by the Securities and Exchange Board of India like the Substantial Acquisition of Shares and Takeovers (Second Amendment) Regulations 2016 that bar companies with wilful defaulters as promoters/directors from accessing capital markets to raise funds. On September 7th, WCO representatives had the pleasure to virtually meet with the newly appointed Malawi Revenue Authority (MRA) Commissioner General (CG), Mr. John Biziwick to discuss the WCO's Anti-Corruption & Integrity Promotion (A-CIP) Programme for Customs. The WCO A-CIP Programme in Malawi is timely, as Mr. Biziwick stated his intention to re-energize and embed integrity within his organizations culture. Furthermore, the discussions emphasized the fact that all initiatives to fight corruption and promote integrity, including those under the WCO A-CIP Programme, need to be clearly articulated across the administrations corporate strategy and linked with performance indicators to ensure words convert into concrete actions. The Commissioner General stated that not only the performance of Internal Affairs must be measured against integrity indicators but the contribution of all areas having an impact on integrity must be assessed as well. Integrity is a responsibility of all, therefore both MRA and the WCO acknowledge the importance of engaging both internal and external stakeholders in a collective action against corruption. In closing, Mr. Biziwick reiterated his support to this important initiative and is looking forward to working with the WCO. Launched in January 2019, the A-CIP, funded by Norad, responds to the recognized the high costs of corruption in Customs. The Programme aims at improving the business environment for cross-border trade in selected WCO Members by making changes to the operational and administrative context that restricts corrupt behaviour and promotes good governance in customs operations and administration. For more information about the WCO A-CIP Programme, please visit the WCO A-CIP Programme page, or contact capacity.building@wcoomd.org. Texas lawmakers urge Lubbock to block Planned Parenthood, become 15th sanctuary city for unborn Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment One of Texas largest cities could soon become the states 15th sanctuary city for the unborn if pro-life activists have their way. With an estimated population of 260,823, Lubbock is the 11th largest city in the Lone Star State. On Aug. 25, state Sen. Charles Perry and state Reps. Dustin Burrows and John Frullo wrote a letter to Lubbock Mayor Dan Pope urging him to enact a sanctuary city ordinance that would ban abortion within city limits. The battlefield to protect the unborn has shifted from the state to the local arena in recent years, the lawmakers said in the letter. For that reason, passing an ordinance designating Lubbock as a Sanctuary City for the Unborn will help to continue the Texas belief that life begins at conception, while also protecting the safety of mothers. The proposed ordinance declares that: It shall be unlawful for any person to procure or perform an abortion of any type and at any stage of pregnancy in the city of Lubbock, Texas. ... It shall be unlawful for any person to knowingly aid or abet an abortion that occurs in the city ... The letter to Pope comes as Planned Parenthood, the nations largest abortion business, announced plans to open a new abortion clinic in Lubbock by the end of the year. We respectfully request that the city of Lubbock take all necessary actions to prevent them from opening, since this organization profits off ending the lives of unborn children, the lawmakers wrote. Perry also launched a petition asking residents to send a clear message that the abortion industry should not set up shop in our backyard. Two weeks after the lawmakers sent the letter to Pope, more than 200 Lubbock residents gathered outside of Lubbocks Citizens Tower to express support for the proposed ordinance. This is not a matter that can wait until after the November election but must be addressed now, Mark Lee Dickson, the director of Right to Life of East Texas, said in a Facebook post featuring pictures of the gathering. The Mayor and City Council have the opportunity to save a countless number of unborn children from being murdered within their city limits. The choice is theirs. Two years ago, a majority of Republican primary voters in Lubbock voted in favor of proposition 7 to abolish abortion. The proposition received the support of 15,480 Republican voters in Lubbock while 5,986 opposed it. The Sanctuary Cities for the Unborn initiative, led by Dickson and Right to Life of East Texas, had its first success last year when the East Texas city of Waskom became the first sanctuary city for the unborn. Since then, 13 other Texas cities have followed suit. While the ACLU filed a lawsuit against seven of the cities that have become sanctuary cities for the unborn, it ultimately dropped the lawsuit. Besides Lubbock, efforts to create sanctuary cities for the unborn extend into other larger Texas cities, including Abilene and San Angelo, both of which have more than 100,000 residents. The city of Big Spring, which has a population of slightly less than 30,000, is the largest city so far to have passed an ordinance banning abortion within city limits. While Right to Life of East Texas has succeeded in convincing several Texas cities to establish themselves as sanctuaries for unborn babies, that has not stopped other Texas municipalities from going in the other direction on the issue of abortion. The pro-life organization labeled Austin, the capital of Texas and one of the states largest metropolitan centers, as a city of death after its city council voted to allocate $150,000 of taxpayer funds to help fund travel, lodging, child-care, and other support for Austin women who are planning on aborting their unborn child. Members of the Amyts union, which represents a majority of Madrid doctors, gathered in Puerta del Sol on Saturday. The numbers dont tell the whole story of the dramatic situation facing Madrids understaffed primary healthcare professionals as they try to cope with a second Covid-19 wave. Doctors on the frontline of the fight against the coronavirus are seeing over 80 patients on average during a single shift, according to unions. Their efforts are aimed at making up for a shortage of 600 family physicians and 150 pediatricians in the region, according to the same sources. But they are being stretched to the limit, as the pandemic forces them to deal with lines of patients who show up without an appointment, inside buildings that are often old and lacking natural light or proper ventilation. I used to be able to end my work day and tune out until the next day. But not any more. Thats how stressed I am Salvador Casado, doctor in Soto del Real (Madrid) The main union representing primary care doctors in Madrid, Amyts, has called an indefinite strike starting on September 28. In a statement, the union said that every day, they [doctors] are facing unmanageable agendas in deplorable working conditions, which prevents them from offering patients any kind of quality care. Primary care is overwhelmed, summed up Jesus Redondo, a family doctor at the Ramon y Cajal healthcare center. When the state of alarm was lifted, it looked like we might get a break, but it wasnt the case. At that point, our staff numbers went down as some people took vacations and others requested leaves. Between late June and now, [the workload] has been growing nonstop, in precarious conditions. The pressure keeps increasing, agreed Salvador Casado, a family doctor in Soto del Real. I used to be able to end my work day and tune out until the next day. But not any more. Thats how stressed I am ... some colleagues tell me Im scared of going in tomorrow. The problems that already existed in March have been compounded by the fact that many healthcare professionals caught the virus, while others were transferred to the Ifema field hospital, causing dozens of healthcare centers to temporarily shut down. Six months later, not all of them are operational. Madrid is also one of the regions with the worst primary-doctor-to-patient and nurse-to-patient ratios in the country. It spends the least on public healthcare, and its professionals are third from last on the salary scale, according to national statistics released by the Health Ministry. Investment promises The regional premier, Isabel Diaz Ayuso of the Popular Party (PP), this week promised to invest 80 million over three years to revamp the system. Ayuso said that the new plan will improve working conditions and progressively increase staff numbers with the goal of reducing the pressure. Madrid regional premier Isabel Diaz Ayuso has pledged to invest in the primary healthcare system. Eduardo Parra (Europa Press) But the unions reacted coolly to the announcement: they think it comes too late, and that the second wave of Covid-19 could soon blow up in everyones faces. Those are just headlines, added Julian Ezquerra, of the medical association Asociacion de Medicos y Titulados Superiores. This same proposal could have been made during the confinement. Right now we are clearly experiencing a new outbreak. The political opposition has reacted in similar terms. The plan involves spending only an additional four euros per inhabitant per year, considering that we are 72 shy of the national average, said Monica Garcia of Mas Madrid. Action is required now. If primary care goes down, the hospitals go down, said Jesus Santos of the leftist Podemos. And if the hospitals go down, we all go down. The situation in Spain The Foro de Atencion Primaria, an umbrella group for primary care and pediatrics associations as well as medical unions, on Monday released a statement deploring the situation of healthcare centers across the country. Due to a shortage of resources, excessive workloads and poor management by health authorities, the public healthcare systems centers have for several years now been the least attractive place to work in medicine and pediatrics. Primary doctors also note that in some highly populated regions, they have been tasked with contact tracing and other jobs that in theory should not fall to them, such as giving parents slips to justify missed school days. English version by Susana Urra. Nearly 7,000 North Carolina residents received text messages confirming that they had tested positive for the coronavirus while 500 others found the same messages in their inboxes. Unfortunately (or luckily, depending on how one looks at it), those messages were a mistake. According to the Charlotte Observer, Mecklenburg Countys official Twitter account initially stated the messages were a scam before confirming they were, in fact, sent due to a glitch in their software providers system. Those in receipt of the messages were members of the population who were already listed within the systems program, and should not have received messages from the county concerning test results to begin with. The provider, Canadian-based HealthSpace Data System, sent follow-up messages in apology for the false alarm. COVID-19 vacutainers used at UMass Amherst. (Hoang 'Leon' Nguyen / The Republican) The events in Mecklenburg County are reflective of greater concerns regarding COVID-19 testing as a whole. There is much debate surrounding the accuracy of the tests, and which method is best. Business Wire notes that the current CDC nucleic acid tests hold a 30 percent false-positive rate while the Wall Street Journal reported upon multiple cases of false positives occurring within certain nursing homes. One lab located in New Jerseys Bergen County even sent a few false positives to the New York Jets, causing quite the kerfuffle. The CDC asks that all laboratory professionals report any suspected false positives or false negatives alike. All audiences may find FAQs regarding surveillance, screening and diagnostic testing for COVID-19 here. Geneva, 12 September 2020 (SPS) - The Polisario Front declared on Thursday in Geneva that the referendum on self-determination in occupied Western Sahara was urgently needed, calling on the UN General Assembly to set a date for the holding of this vote, which has so far been adjourned. "Any delay in the implementation of the settlement plan, UN/OUA to allow the Sahrawi people to exercise its inalienable right to self-determination and independence will only complicate the situation on the ground and risk destabilizing the region," the Polisario Front warned in a Memorandum signed by its representative in Switzerland, Omaima Abdesalam. "It is therefore imperative that the UN General Assembly sets a date for the holding of the self-determination referendum in accordance with the United Nations Charter on decolonization", insisted the Sahrawi diplomat. Since its invasion of Western Sahara in 1975, Morocco has acted in defiance of the Charter of the United Nations, the Constitutive Act of the African Union and the fundamental principles of international law, as well as the opinion of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which had ruled the same year that Rabat had no sovereign over the territory of Western Sahara, recalled the Sahrawi Representation. Therefore, the United Nations and its members are called upon to take the necessary decisions and measures, individually and collectively, to compel Morocco to end its illegal occupation of Western Sahara. Moreover, the Memorandum noted, "Morocco is not prepared to choose the peaceful and democratic path in the settlement of the Sahrawi question". Since the resignation of the former Personal Envoy of the UN Secretary-General for Western Sahara, Horst Kohler, in May 2019, "the Security Council has done nothing to reactivate the peace process in Western Sahara", regretted the Polisario Front's Representation. As a result, "the delay in appointing a new Personal Envoy only aggravates the state of paralysis", noted the document. The Saharawi Representation also reports massive violations of human rights in the occupied Saharawi territories. Saharawi civilians are constantly subjected to arbitrary arrests, torture, illegal detentions, extrajudicial executions and enforced disappearances, and this, without international control, because of the strict media blackout and military blockade imposed by Morocco on the occupied Sahrawi territories." Despite repeated appeals from international human rights defenders and the Sahrawi people, the Security Council has not authorized MINURSO to monitor human rights violations in Western Sahara, the Representation is deplored. The Polisario Front also mentioned the other sad facet of the Moroccan occupation, namely, the persistent exploitation and plundering of Sahrawi natural resources in violation of international law, as confirmed in 2016 by the European Court of Justice (ECJ) which concluded that Western Sahara and Morocco are two "distinct and separate" territories. (SPS) 062/SPS/T KYODO NEWS - Sep 15, 2020 - 13:51 | All, Japan The city in northeastern Japan where Yoshihide Suga was born is in a festive mood as he is set to become Japan's next prime minister on Wednesday, rolling out special items bearing his image. "I'd like to liven up the birth of a homegrown prime minister with goods," said Ippei Fujita, 36, who has produced T-shirts and fabric bags bearing Suga's photo at his store in Yuzawa, Akita Prefecture. As the city enjoys rare national attention, "It's important for us to keep conveying the charm of the city," said Keita Fujita, 41, of the local business support center. Near Suga's first home in a mountainous district of the city, childhood friend Hirofumi Fujiwara, 74, said he was surprised to see many visitors, including from Tokyo and as far as Okinawa, coming to have a look at the politician's natal home. Fujiwara, who runs a ramen noodle shop, said some of the visitors came to his eatery, boosting sales, while numerous reporters, including from U.S. and South Korean media, have also visited him since late August asking about Suga. A shopping street in the city is poised to celebrate Suga's inauguration by raising a 6-meter-long banner Wednesday and with a "99" sales campaign selling products at 99 yen and 990 yen as Suga will be the country's 99th prime minister. A food company has begun selling strawberry-flavored yogurt with an illustration of Suga's face on packaging, as it has long used the brand of strawberry developed by Suga's late father Wasaburo. Related coverage: Suga eyes Kato for chief Cabinet secretary, to retain key ministers FOCUS: Who is Yoshihide Suga, Japan's next prime minister? China eager to keep stable ties with Japan as Suga elected LDP head Actor Kangana Ranaut has amended her petition before the Bombay High Court to seek a compensation of Rs 2 crore from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) for "illegal" demolition at her bungalow. After the BMC demolished what it termed as illegal alterations at the "Queen" actor's bungalow at Pali Hill in suburban Bandra on September 9, Ranaut moved to the high court. A division bench led by Justice S J Kathawalla had stayed the demolition, saying that the civic body's actions seemed "malafide" (having dubious intentions). In her amended plea, Ranaut alleged that the BMC's decision to demolish her property was a direct consequence of her comments against the Maharashtra government. Recently she has been "at loggerheads with the Government of Maharashtra regarding her views over the handling of certain issues which impact the public in general," it added. "The expression used by her has displeased certain quarters and caused angst in certain quarters particularly a political party which is a part of the government in Maharashtra," Ranaut's amended petition said. "In view of various threats been given to the petitioner, including threats of harm if she entered Mumbai, the petitioner was compelled to seek the assistance/security and was given protection by the Central Government in nature Y-plus category of CRPF security and the petitioner could only come to Mumbai under protection," it said. The "same party" is also the ruling party in the BMC, the petition said, without naming the Shiv Sena. The petition also contended that the Bollywood actor had sought the BMC's permission to carry out structural repairs at her bungalow, and the same was granted in 2018. The BMC sent her a demolition notice on September 7 and gave her just 24 hours to respond, the petition said, adding that while she did respond in time, it was quick to reject her reply and on the very next day, BMC and police officers were "already present outside the bungalow". Photos of the day showed that the BMC was ready with demolition equipment early in the morning, which proves that the civic body had malafide intentions and ulterior motives to demolish the bungalow, the petition claimed. The plea urged the court to declare the BMC's action as illegal and direct the civic body and its "concerned officials" to pay her Rs 2 crore in damages. The court is slated to hear the matter on September 22. The demolition at Ranaut's bungalow had followed her public spat with the Shiv Sena over her statement comparing Mumbai to Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir. Massachusetts courthouses will close Friday in memory of Supreme Judicial Court Chief Justice Ralph Gants, who died Monday at age 65. The associate justices announced the day of remembrance in a statement Tuesday afternoon, saying the move would enable the judiciary and those impacted by this tragedy to reflect on this incalculable loss to the people of the Commonwealth and to remember Chief Justice Gants' commitment to fairness, equality under the law and justice for all. Gants, who was appointed chief justice in 2014, confirmed on Sept. 4 he suffered a heart attack and underwent surgery to put in two stents. He said he believed he would be discharged soon and return to the courts in a limited capacity. He died 10 days later. Gov. Charlie Baker ordered flags to be flown at half-staff on Monday in honor of Gants. A judge since 1997, Gants advocated for criminal justice reform throughout his career. When lawmakers debated a criminal justice overhaul in 2017, he pushed for legislators to reduce the hurdles formerly incarcerated people face when they re-integrate into society and prevent them from ending up behind bars again. Gants was nominated to the Supreme Judicial Court in 2009 by then-Gov. Deval Patrick and was appointed chief justice in 2014. His death garnered reactions from colleagues, elected officials and criminal justice advocates across the state. He was a learned, rigorous, serious and sincere jurist who faithfully honored constitutional principles and also saw the people behind the docket numbers. He was also wicked funny, taking his work but never himself too seriously, Patrick, the former governor, said in a statement Monday. Gants received multiple awards during his tenure as chief justice, including the Great Friend of Justice Award in 2017 by the Massachusetts Bar Foundation, the 2016 Haskell Cohn Award for Distinguished Judicial Service, the Boston Bar Association Citation of Judicial Excellence and two honorary law degrees. Related Content: Skeena Discovers Mineralization at Eskay Deeps Posted by Publisher Internet Skeena Resources Limited (TSX: SKE, OTCQX: SKREF) (\Skeena\ or the \Company\ https://www.commodity-tv.com/ondemand/companies/profil/skeena-resources-ltd/ ) is pleased to announce the discovery of high-grade gold-silver mineralization hosted 600 m below surface in the newly recognized Eskay Deeps prospect. Results presented here are from widely spaced deep exploration diamond drill holes into both the Eskay Deeps, hosted in the newly recognized Even Lower Mudstone (\ELM\) unit and the Water Tower Zone (\WTZ\). Six helicopter-supported drill rigs are currently active for the 2020 Phase I program focused in the 21A, 21B and 21C Zones for Pre-Feasibility Study (\PFS\) resource category conversions at the Eskay Creek Project (\Eskay Creek\ or the \Project\) located in the Golden Triangle of British Columbia. Reference images are presented at the end of this release as well as on the Company\-\-s website. Eskay Creek Exploration Drilling Highlights: Eskay Deeps 5.72 g/t Au, 12 g/t Ag (5.88 g/t AuEq) over 17.00 m (SK-20-257) -? Including: 20.29 g/t Au, 37 g/t Ag (20.78 g/t AuEq) over 3.50 m 15.38 g/t Au, 11 g/t Ag (15.53 g/t AuEq) over 3.18 m (SK-20-257) Including: 44.60 g/t Au, 28 g/t Ag (44.97 g/t AuEq) over 1.00 m 17.45 g/t Au, 10 g/t Ag (17.58 g/t AuEq) over 1.38 m Water Tower Zone 12.67 g/t Au, 22 g/t Ag (12.96 g/t AuEq) over 14.50 m (SK-20-289) Including: 28.70 g/t Au, 29 g/t Ag (29.09 g/t AuEq) over 1.30 m 5.75 g/t Au, 14 g/t Ag (5.94 g/t AuEq) over 11.00 m (SK-20-289) Including 13.25 g/t Au, 23 g/t Ag (13.56 g/t AuEq) over 1.50 m Gold Equivalent (AuEq) calculated via the formula: Au (g/t) + [Ag (g/t) / 75]. True widths cannot be estimated at this time due to a lack of information. Length weighted AuEq composites were constrained by geological considerations. Grade capping of individual assays has not been applied to the Au and Ag assays informing the length weighted AuEq composites. Processing recoveries have not been applied to the AuEq calculation and are disclosed at 100%. Samples below detection limit were nulled to a value of zero. WTZ Water Tower Zone, NWTZ New Water Tower Zone, LM Lower Mudstone, DEEPS Eskay Deeps. Multiple Mineralized Zones Identified in New Eskay Deeps Exploration drilling has intersected significant mineralization in the recently recognized Eskay Deeps prospect, situated 600 m vertically below surface in a previously unexplored area of the Project. This previously unidentified mineralization occurs greater than 260 m vertically below the lower extents of the currently modelled WTZ and is open in all directions. Mineralization in this new area occurs as discordant, pyritic replacements devoid of impurities (Hg-As-Sb) and is hosted within the ELM and Lower Andesite sequence. The intersected apparent thickness of the ELM at this location is approximately 125 m. Due to a lack of any other supporting drill holes in this new area, true widths cannot yet be estimated. Water Tower Zone Expanded by Drilling New Mineralized Feeder Structure The known mineralization in the WTZ has been expanded downdip by this recent drilling. Up-hole of the main WTZ, another new occurrence of feeder-style, discordant mineralization was intersected to the west, hosted within intensely sericitized and silicified rhyolite breccias. This newly found mineralization potentially represents a previously unidentified second syn-volcanic feeder structure parallel to the WTZ. At greater depths, a substantial thickness (160 m), of ELM was intersected averaging only trace gold-silver mineralization. This remains very prospective. \The discovery of multiple zones of ELM-hosted mineralization in the new Eskay Deeps adds significant exploration upside to the current resource base\, comments Paul Geddes, P.Geo., the Company\-\-s Vice President Exploration & Resource Development. \Our success rate to date with only a handful of exploratory drill holes emphasizes the untapped growth potential and magnitude of the Eskay Creek mineralized system\. About Skeena Skeena Resources Limited is a junior mining company focused on developing the past-producing Eskay Creek gold-silver mine located in Tahltan Territory in the Golden Triangle of northwest British Columbia, Canada. The Company released a robust Preliminary Economic Assessment in late 2019 and is currently focused on infill and exploration drilling at Eskay Creek to advance the project to Prefeasibility. Skeena is also exploring the past-producing Snip gold mine. Qualified Persons Exploration activities at the Eskay Creek Project are administered on site by the Company\-\-s Exploration Managers, Colin Russell, P.Geo. and Adrian Newton, P.Geo. In accordance with National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects, Paul Geddes, P.Geo. Vice President Exploration and Resource Development, is the Qualified Person for the Company and has prepared, validated and approved the technical and scientific content of this news release. The Company strictly adheres to CIM Best Practices Guidelines in conducting, documenting, and reporting the exploration activities on its projects. Quality Assurance Quality Control Once received from the drill and processed, all drill core samples are sawn in half, labelled and bagged. The remaining drill core is subsequently securely stored on site. Numbered security tags are applied to lab shipments for chain of custody requirements. The Company inserts quality control (QC) samples at regular intervals in the sample stream, including blanks and reference materials with all sample shipments to monitor laboratory performance. The QAQC program was designed and approved by Lynda Bloom, P.Geo. of Analytical Solutions Ltd., and is overseen by the Company\-\-s Qualified Person, Paul Geddes, P.Geo, Vice President Exploration and Resource Development. Drill core samples are submitted to ALS Geochemistry\-\-s analytical facility in North Vancouver, British Columbia for preparation and analysis. The ALS facility is accredited to the ISO/IEC 17025 standard for gold assays and all analytical methods include quality control materials at set frequencies with established data acceptance criteria. The entire sample is crushed and 1kg is pulverized. Analysis for gold is by 50g fire assay fusion with atomic absorption (AAS) finish with a lower limit of 0.01 ppm and upper limit of 100 ppm. Samples with gold assays greater than 100ppm are re-analyzed using a 50g fire assay fusion with gravimetric finish. Analysis for silver is by 50g fire assay fusion with gravimetric finish with a lower limit of 5ppm and upper limit of 10,000ppm. Samples with silver assays greater than 10,000ppm are re-analyzed using a gravimetric silver concentrate method. A selected number of samples are also analyzed using a 48 multi-elemental geochemical package by a 4-acid digestion, followed by Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-AES) and Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectroscopy (ICP-MS) and also for mercury using an aqua regia digest with Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-AES) finish. Samples with sulfur reporting greater than 10% from the multi-element analysis are re-analyzed for total sulfur by Leco furnace and infrared spectroscopy. Cautionary note regarding forward-looking statements Certain statements made and information contained herein may constitute \forward looking information\ and \forward looking statements\ within the meaning of applicable Canadian and United States securities legislation. These statements and information are based on facts currently available to the Company and there is no assurance that actual results will meet management\-\-s expectations. Forward-looking statements and information may be identified by such terms as \anticipates\, \believes\, \targets\, \estimates\, \plans\, \expects\, \may\, \will\, \could\ or \would\. Forward-looking statements and information contained herein are based on certain factors and assumptions regarding, among other things, the estimation of mineral resources and reserves, the realization of resource and reserve estimates, metal prices, taxation, the estimation, timing and amount of future exploration and development, capital and operating costs, the availability of financing, the receipt of regulatory approvals, environmental risks, title disputes and other matters. While the Company considers its assumptions to be reasonable as of the date hereof, forward-looking statements and information are not guarantees of future performance and readers should not place undue importance on such statements as actual events and results may differ materially from those described herein. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements or information except as may be required by applicable securities laws. Neither the Toronto Stock Exchange nor the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The global myomectomy market size is anticipated to reach USD 1.1 billion by 2027, expanding at a CAGR of 9.1%, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. An increasing number of patients suffering from health issues such as uterine fibroids, endometriosis, and chronic pelvic pain are factors driving the market. Key suggestions from the report: Based on type, the abdominal myomectomy segment dominated the market with a share of 39.4% in 2019, as this procedure is the established permanent solution for large fibroids growing in the uterine wall On the basis of product, others segment dominated the overall market with a share of 36.64% in 2019. Since, this segment offers benefits such as same-day procedure, less invasive treatment, and faster recovery as compared to other products North America dominated the market with a major share of 53.05% in 2019 owing to the increasing uterus related illnesses in the region and availability of the latest treatment procedures. Read 110 page research report with ToC on "Myomectomy Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Type (Abdominal, Hysteroscopic, Laparoscopic), By Product (Laparoscopic Power Morcellators, Harmonic Scalpel, Laparoscopic Sealer), By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2020 - 2027" at: https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/myomectomy-market Myomectomy is the surgical method to eradicate fibroids without affecting the healthy tissue of the uterus. Fibroids majorly develop in 50.0% of women, which have led to increased demand for the procedure and it preserves the uterus, unlike hysterectomy. Therefore, it is considered the standard of care for eliminating fibroids. This is anticipated to boost market growth over the forecast period. Moreover, increased patient preference for less invasive treatments is expected to boost the market growth. Nowadays, minimally invasive treatment options for the procedure include laparoscopic or robotic, and hysteroscopic myomectomy. All these techniques are minimally invasive and eliminate the need for general anesthesia. These procedures also cause less discomfort and post-operative pain. Furthermore, the incorporation of new technologies and the introduction of new products by market players are expected to boost market growth during the forecast period. For instance, Intuitive Surgical has launched the Single Port Platform"-da Vinci SP Surgical System. It enables doctors with robotic-assisted technology intended for deep and narrow access to tissue during various urological procedures. Grand View Research has segmented the global myomectomy market on the basis of type, product, and region: Myomectomy Type Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2016 - 2027) Abdominal Myomectomy Hysteroscopic Myomectomy Laparoscopic Myomectomy Myomectomy Product Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2016 - 2027) Laparoscopic Power Morcellators Harmonic Scalpe Laparoscopic Sealer Others Myomectomy Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2016 - 2027) North America The U.S. Canada Europe The U.K. Germany France Italy Spain Asia Pacific Japan China India Australia South Korea Latin America Mexico Brazil Argentina Colombia The Middle East & Africa (MEA) & (MEA) South Africa Saudi Arabia UAE List of Key Players of Myomectomy Market Medtronic Stryker Corporation CONMED Corporation INSIGHTEC CooperSurgical Inc. Hologic, Inc. Intuitive Surgical Karl Storz B. Braun Melsungen AG. Find more research reports on Medical Devices Industry, by Grand View Research: Uterine Fibroid Treatment Device Market The global uterine fibroid treatment device market size was valued at USD 4.6 billion in 2019 and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.5% from 2020 to 2027. in 2019 and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.5% from 2020 to 2027. Laparoscopic Devices Market The global laparoscopic devices market size was valued at USD 5.94 billion in 2018 and is anticipated to expand at a CAGR of 6.6% over the forecast period. in 2018 and is anticipated to expand at a CAGR of 6.6% over the forecast period. Surgical Drainage Devices Market The global surgical drainage devices market size was valued at USD 1.8 billion in 2016 and is expected to witness a CAGR of 2.8% during the forecast period. Gain access to Grand View Compass, our BI enabled intuitive market research database of 10,000+ reports About Grand View Research Grand View Research, U.S.-based market research and consulting company, provides syndicated as well as customized research reports and consulting services. Registered in California and headquartered in San Francisco, the company comprises over 425 analysts and consultants, adding more than 1200 market research reports to its vast database each year. These reports offer in-depth analysis on 46 industries across 25 major countries worldwide. With the help of an interactive market intelligence platform, Grand View Research helps Fortune 500 companies and renowned academic institutes understand the global and regional business environment and gauge the opportunities that lie ahead. Contact: Sherry James Corporate Sales Specialist, USA Grand View Research, Inc. Phone: +1-415-349-0058 Toll Free: 1-888-202-9519 Email: [email protected] Web: https://www.grandviewresearch.com Follow Us: LinkedIn | Twitter SOURCE Grand View Research, Inc. A lorry driver has died and a child is in a life-threatening condition after a lorry crashed into a house in London. Police were called to the scene in Kidbrooke, south-east London, shortly after 8am on Monday. The lorry driver was declared dead at the scene, while the 11-year-old child was taken to hospital in a life-threatening condition. Two other men were also injured in the crash. One of the men has since been discharged from hospital, paramedics said. The truck hit two cars before ploughing into the house on Woolacombe Road. A local resident, who wished to remain anonymous, said the scene was "utterly tragic" after the lorry crashed just 30 metres from his home. "About 8am when I was preparing school run for my kids, all (of a) sudden police, ambulance siren, helicopter sound went on," he said. "Local traffic was controlled by police, then I heard people are talking about a lorry crashed into local house... then someone was sent off (in an) air ambulance. "Bit emotional myself right now after hearing an 11-year-old kid is in serious condition. "It's utterly tragic my thoughts are with their loved ones." London Fire Brigade added that the house suffered structural damage. Firefighter Nathan Hobson said: "It was a challenging incident and it appears that a lorry collided with two cars and crashed into a house. "Specialist urban search and rescue crews attended the scene and efforts were made to free the lorry driver but sadly he was pronounced dead at the scene." Former Heritage Bank of Commerce SVP, Relationship Manager Seth Shorett has been named Vice President, Senior Portfolio Manager for the North Bay at River City Bank. We are pleased to welcome Seth to our team, and we look forward to strengthening our ties in the region as a result of his community oriented and client-first mentality. River City Bank expands its commercial banking team in the North Bay region with the addition of Seth Shorett as Vice President, Senior Portfolio Manager. In collaboration with Market President Jim Kimball and recently announced Market Manager David Casassa, Shorett will be responsible for expanding the banks commercial banking presence through underwriting, business development and credit portfolio management for business clients in Marin, Sonoma and Napa counties. He brings more than 18 years of experience in the commercial banking and real estate industries, having most recently managed accounts as Senior Vice President, Relationship Manager at Heritage Bank of Commerce. Collective resilience and support are the driving forces behind commercial success in the North Bay, and our growing team is already deeply rooted in the local landscape, said Steve Fleming, President and CEO of River City Bank. We are pleased to welcome Seth to our team, and we look forward to strengthening our ties in the region as a result of his community oriented and client-first mentality. TWEET THIS: People on the Move: @RiverCityBank continues North Bay expansion with announcement of Seth Shorett as Vice President, Senior Portfolio Manager. He will oversee business development and credit portfolio management for the banks commercial clients in the region. #commercialbanking The most important part of the banking experience, whether youre working with an individual or a business, is the relationship, and that personal approach is the River City Bank teams greatest strength, said Seth Shorett, Vice President and Senior Portfolio Manager for the North Bay at River City Bank. As a longtime resident of the North Bay, Im excited to help drive investment in our communities and produce growth for local businesses in all sectors. As SVP, Relationship Manager with Heritage Bank of Commerce, Shorett managed commercial accounts and underwriting across the portfolio, including C&I, CRE, construction, non-profit and asset-based lending. He came into his role at Heritage Bank of Commerce while aiding its acquisition of Presidio Bank, where he had spent nearly a decade contributing to the growth of Presidios asset size to $950 million. Heritage Banks acquisition of Presidio Bank was finalized in 2019. Born and raised in San Bernardino, Shorett graduated with Highest Honors with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Economics from the University of California, Santa Barbara. After graduating, he moved to San Diego and entered the real estate industry, where he earned his brokers license and started his own property management company. Shorett changed career paths in 2006 upon moving to the Bay Area and securing a position with Bank of Marin. He lives in Novato with his wife and two children, where he sits on the boards of North Marin Community Services, the Novato Chamber and Marin Builders Association. When not in the office, he divides his time between volunteering in the community, spending time with his family, working on his truck, and heading outdoors to camp, hike or go off-roading. For more information about River City Bank, visit RiverCityBank.com. --- About River City Bank Named one of Sacramento Business Journals 50 Fastest Growing Companies for each of the past four years, River City Bank is the Sacramento regions premier business bank with assets of nearly $3.2 billion. River City Bank offers a comprehensive suite of banking services, including loans, deposits and cash management tools to the business, consumer and commercial real estate sectors. With tailored, executive-level service and a Superior financial rating from the nations leading independent bank-rating firm, Bauer Financial, River City Bank redefines the banking experience and every touch point that surrounds it. River City Bank is the largest, independent, locally-owned bank in the Sacramento region with offices in the San Francisco Bay Area and a presence in Southern California. For additional information, please visit RiverCityBank.com or call (916) 567-2600. Member FDIC. Equal Housing Lender. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-15 19:42:46|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close CHONGQING, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- The scale of China's core artificial intelligence (AI) industry had hit 51 billion yuan (about 7.5 billion U.S. dollars) by the end of 2019, with the number of AI enterprises exceeding 2,600. The figures were announced by Wang Zhijun, vice minister of Industry and Information Technology, Tuesday at the ongoing 2020 Smart China Expo Online held in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality. Wang said China's AI industry shows stronger innovation capabilities, with world-class applied technologies including image recognition and voice recognition. The intelligent technology has seen faster applications in manufacturing, transportation, health care, education, and other fields, Wang said. "A batch of products such as intelligent CT imaging systems, robots, and temperature measuring systems have played an active role in preventing the novel coronavirus from spreading." Wang added that promoting the integration of AI and the real economy is an important way to optimize and upgrade industries and enhance human well-being, and China encourages enterprises and research institutions at home and abroad to deepen cooperation and jointly promote AI technologies. Themed "Smart Technology: Empowering Economy, Enriching Life," the three-day 2020 Smart China Expo Online commenced Tuesday, and serves as a platform to promote the global exchange of smart technologies and international cooperation in the smart industry. Enditem This is an excerpt from my new book, The Makers Versus the Takers: What Jesus Really Said About Social Justice and Economics. Jesuss confrontation with the moneychangers has been used as political ammunition in an ideological war against the financial industry. For example, Franklin D. Roosevelts inaugural address extensively referenced this text: Practices of the unscrupulous money changers stand indicted in the court of public opinion, rejected by the hearts and minds of men. True they have tried, but their efforts have been cast in the pattern of an outworn tradition. Faced by failure of credit they have proposed only the lending of more money. Stripped of the lure of profit by which to induce our people to follow their false leadership, they have resorted to exhortations, pleading tearfully for restored confidence. They know only the rules of a generation of self-seekers. They have no vision, and when there is no vision the people perish. The money changers have fled from their high seats in the temple of our civilization. We may now restore that temple to the ancient truths. Is this really a sound application of the event? Was Jesus really engaged in a general indictment of finance? Not really. If youve read this far, you already know we have been tracing Jesuss progression (or is it regression?) from Galilee into Judea, escalating His confrontations in direct proportion to His proximity to Jerusalem, the center of political power. The denunciations of wealth correlate both with geographic proximity to Jerusalem and social proximity to the ruling class. Jesus is tough on the rich in politically connected Judea and, when in Judea, toughest on the politically connected wealthy people: Those who are members of religious and political elites (typically the same people) who live off extracted wealth. Those who do not receive His verbal ire are those who created wealth through labor, commerce, or even investment. That last pointa tolerant attitude toward financial activitywas out of keeping with the culture in two ways. The conservative aristocracy were land based and skeptical of the nascently forming financial markets. David Fiensy makes this point very well in Christian Origins and the Ancient Economy. The ancient economy of the Mediterranean was overwhelmingly agrarian. It was based on land and farming. In such a system, more land, more wealth. There were very few options to deploy wealth but to buy land. One of the few alternatives was to invest in trading and shipping. But that was viewed as highly risky. Land, on the other hand, was viewed as the culturally acceptable and financially less risky investment. But Jesus conspicuously goes against the grain on this point by telling a number of parables that involve finance, as opposed to agriculture, being placed in a positive light. Examples include the Parable of the Unfaithful Steward and the Parable of the Talents, as well as several smaller parables. And they all present a positive view of the investor character in the parable. Probably both of these parables put God in the investor role. Would Jesus talk this way if He thought of finance as an unrighteous profession? Given Jesuss decision to break with conservative impulses in His culture and portray finance in a favorable light, it is unlikely His confrontation with the moneychangers was simply because He allegedly disapproved of the fact they dealt with finance. Given Jesuss criticism of the temple and its elites, it seems more likely their location on temple grounds was at least one part of His objection. The account specifies He confronted them when He entered the temple, therefore they were on temple grounds. He specifically criticized their presence there, contrasting it with Solomons temple, which was to be a house of prayer for all nations. Instead, it was turned into a robbers dena reference to Jeremiah, who also criticized the temple elites of his time. The text makes clear that this activity taking place on temple grounds was an issue. And they came to Jerusalem. And He entered the temple and began to cast out those who were buying and selling in the temple, and overturned the tables of the moneychangers and the seats of those who were selling doves; and He would not permit anyone to carry goods through the temple. And He began to teach and say to them, Is it not written, My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations? But you have made it a robbers den. And the chief priests and the scribes heard this, and began seeking how to destroy Him; for they were afraid of Him, for all the multitude was astonished at His teaching.Mark 11:1518 (emphases mine) And Jesus entered the temple and cast out all those who were buying and selling in the temple and overturned the tables of the moneychangers and the seats of those who were selling doves. And He said to them, It is written, My house shall be called a house of prayer; but you are making it a robbers den.Matthew 21:1213 (emphases mine) Ive emphasized several phrases to draw attention to some points that might be missed otherwise. One of them, which Ive already discussed, is the fact that the moneychangers were confronted after Jesus entered the temple, therefore they were on temple ground. Also, please note the phrase robbers den. Ive already mentioned this is borrowed from Jeremiah. But its important to see how appropriate this designation was. Jesus called this a robbers den because they were robbers. The temple system was dishonest in numerous ways, which we can discuss in greater detail elsewhere. One matter that stands out is the dishonest nature of the currency transactions. According to Alfred Edersheims monumental tome, The Temple: ...But by far the largest sum was derived from the half-shekel of Temple tribute, which was incumbent on every male Israelite of age, including proselytes and even manumitted slaves. As the shekel of the sanctuary was double the ordinary, the half-shekel due to the Temple treasury amounted to about 1s. 4d. (two denarii or a didrachma). Hence, when Christ was challenged at Capernaum for this payment, He directed Peter to give the stater, or two didrachmas, for them both. This circumstance also enables us to fix the exact date of this event. For annually, on the 1st of Adar (the month before the Passover), proclamation was made throughout the country by messengers sent from Jerusalem of the approaching Temple tribute. On the 15th of Adar the money-changers opened stalls throughout the country to change the various coins, which Jewish residents at home or settlers abroad might bring, into the ancient money of Israel. For custom had it that nothing but the regular half-shekel of the sanctuary could be received at the treasury. On the 25th of Adar business was only transacted within the precincts of Jerusalem and of the Temple, and after that date those who had refused to pay the impost could be proceeded against at law, and their goods distrained, the only exception being in favour of priests, and that for the sake of peace, that is, lest their office should come in disrepute. So, the temple shekel was double weight, which no doubt had pious justifications about the gloryliterally the heavinessof the matters of God. But the bottom line is worshippers had to pay twice the amount, due to dishonest weights and measures. And the mechanics of this financial abuse were carried out by the moneychangers. That is why Jesus calls them robbers. Jerry Bowyer is a financial economist, a public speaker for business conferences, a frequent radio and television guest, an author and a journalist. He lives in Pennsylvania with his wife, Susan, and the youngest three of their seven children. COVID-19 tests are being held in assembly ahead of which is slated to start from September 18. Assembly Speaker Ravindranath Mahto has called for mandatory test. Only those with negative test result will be able to attend the session "The decision taken by the Speaker to have every person tested for COVID-19 is necessary. We welcome it whole-heartedly," said Narayan Das, an MLA. According to the Union Health Ministry, there are 14,336 active COVID-19 cases in the state. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine thinks testing is essential to determine the effects of an unusual spring and fall, but worries about consequences that would come from that testing. The comments came during Tuesdays coronavirus briefing, following the release of the states annual report cards. The report cards lacked grades for school and district performance, and the normal accountability measures that come with them, like the formation of academic distress commissions. Legislators suspended testing in the spring due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The report card grades rely heavily on this testing. Test results can also have severe consequences for students, also addressed by legislation. For example, students cannot be held back for academic performance alone this year, as part of the Third-Grade Reading Guarantee. Teachers and principals can still make that decision. The report cards, instead, have information from measures that lag a year behind, including graduation rates and number of credentials which indicate higher education or career preparedness. The cards also hold information about students and teachers in each district, as well as financial information like per-pupil spending. Learn how to read this years report cards, and learn which numbers are scrapped here. A bill that would further waive testing is in the Ohio Senate. The Ohio Department of Education launched a portal where districts and schools could pull back-logs of state test questions to assess any slide from the quarantine and readiness for state testing. Results wouldnt be reported to the state. DeWine said though the decision is ultimately left to the legislature, he believes testing is important to make sure parents and teachers have information about students. The consequences that go with that -- Im not too excited about that, he said. ...Grading schools and ranking schools -- Im not sure thats really that important. DeWine did note that there are federal requirements for state testing. The state, prompted by the legislature, would need to seek federal waivers for those requirements. Though standards were waived in the spring, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos has said that the Trump administration plans to enforce testing requirements in the fall, Politico reported. A second stimulus check, payment, or prepaid debit card seemed like a guarantee for millions of Americans as recently as just a couple of weeks ago. Now, however, negotiations have stalled in the U.S. Congress, and so even though members of both political parties and President Donald Trump wanted another coronavirus economic relief package, it now appears to be a longshot. I think theres many areas of this where there is an agreement between Democrats and Republicans, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in a Monday interview with CNBC, per WGN-TV. There are some areas where we have differences on the amounts. But I will continue to work on this. I told (House Speaker Nancy Pelosi) Im available anytime to negotiate. The differences are stark, however; while the CARES Act passed back in March with little political theatre because so many citizens and industries were hurting because of the nationwide shutdowns that went into effect to help slow the spread of COVID-19, there is no similar urgency now. Democrats want certain programs funded while Republicans want others, of course, and the two sides have struggled to decide on those and also how big the funding package should be, period. So whats the timeline for an answer to be had? As CNet notes, there are only so many session days left for U.S. politicians in Washington, D.C. before the two legislative bodies break for a lead-up to Election Day recess. According to calendars provided by that outlet, the House only has about 10 session days left, while the Senate has just over 20. It means that, if a deal is going to be struck, time is of the essence, as a vote on any bill needs to pass both chambers and be signed off on by Trump before the IRS can start sending out checks, payments, or prepaid debit cards again. As for how much you could get, the same formula as last time likely still applies: Up to $1,200 for single filers and $2,400 for joint filers based on an adjustable gross income scale that gives the full amount to anyone making less than $70,000 or $140,000, respectively, with the amount decreasing by percentage points from there until the highest earners are eventually phased out. A part of the negotiations, however, will include whether only those with a social security number are eligible or if anyone with simply a taxpayer identification number will receive a check, too. Additionally, wrangling over how much money dependents can get will take place, too. In summary, its still possible that a second stimulus, check, or payment goes out by the end of the year, but the time is quickly running out of the proverbial hourglass at the midway mark of September. More coverage: Syracuse, N.Y. The Everson Museum of Arts decision to auction off a painting by Jackson Pollock is inexcusable, according to a scathing new column from The Los Angeles Times. Pulitzer Prize-winning art critic Christopher Knight called out the Syracuse museum Monday for sending Pollocks 1946 Red Composition to the auction block. He especially took issue with the timing of the announcement, the speed of the sale scheduled for Oct. 6 at Christies in New York City and the likelihood that a groundbreaking, influential piece of art available for public view would soon end up in a private owners hands. ...[I]t was obvious that museum officials were worried and maybe more than a little embarrassed by the inexcusable move they were about to make, Knight wrote in the Times. Like naughty children hoping the grown-ups wouldnt notice tiny hands dipping into the cookie jar, they dropped the stunning press release into the media black hole that is Labor Day weekend. The Everson announced on Thursday, Sept. 3, that it would auction off the painting to help diversify its collection and acquire works created by artists of color, women artists, and other under-represented creators. A press release said the Board of Trustees of the Everson Museum of Art voted unanimously to sell the painting with the blessing of The Dorothy and Marshall M. Reisman Foundation; the Reismans, both deceased, donated it to the museum in 1991. As a longtime board member and benefactor of the Everson, Marshall would have been extremely happy to see his gift used for the greater good of the museum, its future sustainability, and its impact on the community, said Robert Falter, Trustee of The Dorothy and Marshall M. Reisman Foundation. Red Composition is estimated to be worth between $12 million and $18 million, a price too high for most museums to bid on, according to Knight. [N]ow the Pollock is likely to disappear into an unknown oligarchs private estate or some freehold warehouse in Switzerland, he lamented. Everson Director Elizabeth Dunbar said funds from the sale will go towards conserving and restoring the museums existing works, as well as diversifying its collection with new pieces. Inspired by the death of George Floyd and other social injustices, the museum created an Equity Task Force, comprised of Everson Trustees, staff, and community stakeholders to discuss how to "fight... racism inside and outside our walls. Now is the time for action," Dunbar said. "By deaccessioning a single artwork, we can make enormous strides in building a collection that reflects the amazing diversity of our community and ensure that it remains accessible to all for generations to come. Balderdash, Knight responded. The Everson would need to unload half of its collection for it to reflect the diversity of a city that is 45% nonwhite, according to the most recent census estimate. Knight also took issue with museums selling works from permanent collections, known as deaccessioning, in general. The Baltimore Museum of Art sold works by Andy Warhol and others in 2018, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art auctioned off a $50 million Mark Rothko, and the Eversons Pollock marks a certifiable trend, he wrote. According to The Washington Post, the Association of Art Museum Directors has long pressured museums not to sell off art for any reason other than acquiring new art. For example, The Berkshire Museum in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, was censured and sanctioned for using the sale of more than 20 works to raise money for renovations. However, the Post reports the AAMD temporarily relaxed its guidelines in the spring due to the coronavirus pandemic forcing museums to close, reduce admissions, or reckon with Covid-19s impact on fundraising and endowments. Museums may now use the proceeds from deaccessioned works of art... to support the direct care of their collection without facing penalties, though some critics in the art world may still turn up their noses. Jessica Arb Danial, president of the Eversons Board of Trustees, refused to be shamed by Knight. Its easy to cast stones when you have nothing invested in Syracuse and our community," Danial said in a statement to syracuse.com | The Post-Standard. "We realize that not everyone is going to agree with the bold nature of this move. Our actions are purposeful in order to create a different path forward for our city and the artists we represent. Our institutions priorities and commitments are to diversifying works in the collection, an action we aspire to every day. Rhode Island showed the way in 2019. It had no constitutional pension protection clause, putting it in the same position as Illinois would be after an amendment. So, when the city of Cranston reduced certain pension benefits, objecting pensioners who went to the states courts had to base their case on the federal Constitution, including the contract clause Pritzker referred to. A Toronto man accused of opening fire toward Canadas busiest highway earlier this summer during a memorial for a rapper was sentenced to a year in jail Tuesday for making threats and offering bribes to try and beat a gun charge. Gaddiel Ledinek, 25, pleaded guilty in February to attempt to obstruct justice after police wiretaps recorded him trying to pin a gun-possession rap on a co-accused. Deterrence and denunciation must be paramount goals for offences such as this that strike at the integrity of the justice system, Superior Court Justice Anne Molloy said Tuesday reading from her reasons for sentence via teleconference. This was not one simple offer or inducement. This was a repeated and sustained effort over a period of time, she said. Ledinek demonstrated a willingness to take the law into his own hands in numerous ways, including the belief that he can buy his way out. The Crown had sought a 15-month sentence, while the defence argued for 12 months to be served in the community. Molloy said that was not appropriate for a number of reasons, including the fact he is already in custody on other firearms charges and has been denied bail. In May 2016, Toronto police pulled over a beat-up 2002 Honda on Highway 400 with five young men inside, including Ledinek, then just 21. An officer saw one of the men not Ledinek fumbling with an object that turned out to be a firearm. All five were charged with various firearm offences. Charges were dropped against three of the men. That left the man handling the gun and Ledinek, whose fingerprints were found on it. While he was in jail on that charge, police intercepted his calls to friends and associates urging them to pay a visit to his co-accused, who was out on bail, and tell him he better plead to the offences. Ledinek also offered the co-accused $10,000 and $5,000 to anyone who could persuade the other man to plead and do the right thing, the judge said summarizing the case. The co-accused pleaded guilty to being in a car knowing a firearm was there. He had no criminal record and was given a conditional discharge and one year of probation. Ledinek pleaded guilty to possession of a loaded, prohibited weapon and breaching a firearms-prohibition order. After serving his sentence, Ledinek was released on parole in September 2019 and remained under supervision until June 16, 2020. However, later in June, he was arrested in connection with another gun incident on a different highway. On June 9, Ledinek had attended a funeral for Dimarjio Jenkins, an alleged criminal gang member and rapper known as Houdini who was murdered in downtown Toronto on May 26. (The case remains unsolved.) During a memorial that night for Jenkins, a rival group opened fire from the westbound lanes of Highway 401, and there was in effect a shootout, in the course of which he (Ledinek) was shot and hospitalized, Molloy stated in her reasons. Police alleged he was one of many carrying a gun at the event and fired in the direction of the 401. He has been charged with discharging a firearm with intent to wound, possession of a prohibited firearm, careless use of a firearm, unauthorized possession of a firearm and failure to comply. RELATED STORIES GTA Toronto police release shocking video of brazen daylight triple shooting in Entertainment District While Ledinek pleaded guilty to the attempt to obstruct justice regarding the 2016 charges, he initially tried to defend himself by claiming that his co-accused was in fact the real gun owner. At his sentencing hearing, Ledinek apologized to court for wasting everyones time, adding he did not believe he was doing anything illegal because he was attempting to get his co-accused to tell the truth. Molloy said even if that is what he believed, it is never acceptable to obtain evidence with threats or violence and bribes, regardless of the accuseds subjective belief as to what the truth is. She noted elsewhere in the wiretaps he expresses dismay the others couldnt be blamed because they signed undertakings saying they werent aware of the firearm. Ledineks pre-sentence report said he suffers from anxiety. The judge said that wasnt surprising given his criminal lifestyle and fact he has already been shot twice and he is only 25. She added, however, theres no doubt the COVID-19 pandemic would heighten everyones anxiety within a penal institution at this time. Presidential Candidate for the Progressive Peoples' Party (PPP), Bridgitte Dzogbenuku, has admitted the 2020 General Elections is going to be tough, but she is ready to lead the party. According to her, as a female flagbearer, she takes inspiration from her previous boss, Dr. Paa kwesi Ndoum, whom he partnered in the 2016 general elections. "It is therefore perfect for the party to select me as leader at this crucial time. I come on board with vast experience," she gushed. The PPP, is the second political party to go into the 2020 presidential election with a female candidate, after acclaiming Ms Brigitte Dzogbenuku, as its flagbearer. The other political party to have so far settled on a female presidential candidate is the National Democratic Party (NDP), which acclaimed a former First Lady, Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings, as its flag bearer two weeks ago. Ms Dzogbenuku, who was the running mate of the PPPs presidential candidate in the 2016 elections, was acclaimed and endorsed by the party at a ceremony in Accra last Saturday. The opposition party will in the coming days announce Ms Dzogbenukus running mate. Speaking in an interview with PeaceFM, during the [email protected] bulletin, the former beauty queen explained that Ghanaians are indeed fed up with the usual New Patriotic Party (NPP) and National Democratic Congress (NDC) bickering over who is the most-corrupt; the more-talk less-action kind of administration. Emphasizing on the need for quality education, Ms Dzogbenuku noted that if Rwanda has been able to achieve that feat, Ghana can equally do the same and even better; with a PPP government in power. "But for me as a grass-roots person, I know the needs of the people, especially the women in this country. As an entrepreneur and a women's advocate, I have been working with these women groups who are contributing a lot to the socio-economical development of this country. "These persons need to be supported and as the flagbearer of the PPP, I have put up policies that will have women empowered in their daily activities which will, in turn, create sustainable jobs for them to enable them to feed themselves and their families. The bane of every country's development largely lies in education, and as a party, we are committed to providing basic education which terminal point will at least be at the Senior High School level. We believe that if children are educated to at least that standard it will help improve the country's development," she stated. Touching on corruption, she reiterated that the country's economic development set back is corruption and as a lady who will become first Ghana's first female president, she will fight corruption to the core. "You know women are not known to be involved in corrupt practices and Bridgette Dzogbenuku is an epitome of that so the PPP government which i happen to lead, will uproot corruption from our governance system," she vowed. Brigitte Dzogbenuku is the founder and Executive Director of Mentoring Women Ghana (MWG), which inspires and empowers young women and girls to make a positive difference in their communities. Watch Video Below Source: Isaac Kwame Owusu/Peacefmonline.com/[email protected] Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video A Chinese software firm that allegedly provides intelligence to the Chinese government has been collecting data from Americans - including prominent public figures and military leaders - since 2017. Shenzhen Zhenhua Data Technology has gathered online data and social media on more than two million people worldwide including that of 50,000 Americans for the suspected purpose of providing intelligence to Chinese military, government and commercial clients, according to Australian cybersecurity consultancy Internet 2.0. The revelation comes after the consultancy gained access to and analyzed a copy of Zhenhua's database - called the Overseas Key Information Database or OKIDB - after it was left unsecured online. A Chinese software firm that allegedly provides intelligence to the Chinese government has been collecting data from Americans - including prominent public figures and military leaders - since 2017. Pictured President Xi Jinping Internet 2.0 downloaded and reconstructed about 10 percent of Zhenhua's database, the consultancy's founder Robert Potter and independent researcher Christopher Balding told the Washington Post. The OKIDB was found to contain information on more than two million people, including at least 50,000 Americans and tens of thousands of people in prominent public positions including political, military, and business leaders. This trove of data includes biographies and service records of aircraft carrier captains in the US Navy, profiles and family maps of foreign leaders, and social media activity from overseas US military installations, reported the Post which obtained part of the database from the consultancy. Files were stored by the company on former Acting Secretary of the Navy Thomas Modly including his wife and children, education and private-sector background. Also listed on the database were the USS Dwight Eisenhower and Nimitz Navy carriers and former chief of naval operations John M. Richardson. There is no evidence that the data is currently being used by the Chinese government. However, Zhenhua's marketing and recruiting documents describe the firm as patriotic and the military as its primary target customer, according to the Post. As well as concerns the data is being passed to Beijing officials, Zhenhua also counts tech firms TRS and Huarong as well as state-owned company Global Tone Communication Technology among its corporate partners. Balding said the database shows nations need to consider the 'very real threat' of surveillance by Beijing. 'Open liberal democracies must consider how best to deal with the very real threats presented by Chinese monitoring of foreign individuals and institutions outside established legal limits,' Balding told the Post. Balding also wrote on his blog that experts 'continue to radically underestimate the investment in monitoring and surveillance tools dedicated to controlling and influencing, not just its domestic citizens and institutions, but assets outside of China'. 'The individual who provided the Shenzhen Zhenhua database by putting themselves at risk to get this data out has done an enormous service and is proof that many inside China are concerned about CCP authoritarianism and surveillance,' he wrote. Zhenhua has denied the existence of the database and any ties between the firm and the Chinese government or military. Shenzhen Zhenhua Data Technology has gathered online data and social media on more than two million people worldwide including that of 50,000 Americans 'Our data are all public on the internet. We do not collect data. This is just a data integration. Our business model and partners are our trade secrets. There is no database of 2 million people,' a company representative told The Guardian. 'We are a private company. Our customers are research organizations and business groups.' Zhenhua was founded in 2017 and is based in Shenzhen, while it also has data processing centers in more than 20 countries and regional offices in Beijing, Wuhan and Wuxi. Its website describes social media and online analysis as a 'weapon of intelligence warfare' that can be used to 'shape people's perceptions and redesign society'. On its WeChat blog, the company discusses US-China relations and how social media can influence the US elections. The discovery of the database comes as tensions continue to build between the US and China. In 2018, Pentagon officials uncovered a fitness tracking app was being used to determine the locations of US troops - and in turn overseas military bases. Meanwhile, Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping have locked horns over the coronavirus pandemic, after Trump has repeatedly accused Beijing of a cover-up about the virus's origin and spread. WASHINGTON - Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Tuesday the House will remain in session until lawmakers deliver another round of COVID-19 relief, a move that came as Democrats from swing districts signalled discontent with a standoff that could force them to face voters without delivering more aid. We are committed to staying here until we have an agreement, an agreement that meets the needs of the American people, Pelosi said on CNBC. Pelosi told her Democratic colleagues on a morning conference call that we have to stay here until we have a bill. Thats according to a Democratic aide speaking on condition of anonymity but authorized to quote her remarks. Pelosis comments came as moderate Democrats, many from areas won by President Donald Trump four years ago, signed on to a $1.5 trillion rescue package endorsed by the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus, a group of about 50 lawmakers who seek common solutions to issues. The plan contains many elements of COVID rescue packages devised by both House Democrats and Republicans controlling the Senate, including aid to schools, funding for state and local governments, and renewal of lapsed COVID-related jobless benefits. The price tag is significantly less than the $2.2 trillion figure cited by Pelosi but its also well above an approximately $650 billion Senate GOP plan that failed last week due to Democratic opposition. Talks between Pelosi and the Trump administration broke down last month and there had been little optimism they would rekindle before Election Day. And last week, Senate Democrats scuttled a scaled-back GOP coronavirus rescue package. Pelosi has maintained a hard line in negotiations and has been at odds with White House chief of staff Mark Meadows. She orchestrated passage of a $3.4 trillion COVID rescue package back in May, but the effort was immediately dismissed by Senate Republicans and the Trump administration. Tuesdays remarks, said Pelosi spokesman Drew Hammill, dont mean that the speaker is adopting a more flexible position. She instead seems to be signalling continued determination to press ahead and wont adjourn the House without an agreement with the administration. Success is by no means guaranteed and many people on Capitol Hill remain very skeptical that an agreement between the White House and Democrats is likely before the election. My sense is the clock is running out, said Senate GOP Whip John Thune of South Dakota. I dont see any intention or desire on the part of the Democrat leadership at the moment regardless of what their members are saying to co-operate and to work together on a solution. I think they feel like theyve got the issue and they want to try and ride it in November. As the leadership talks collapsed, some moderate Democrats have been agitating for greater compromise. Their talks with pragmatic Republicans yielded common ground but the group does not have much of a track record of broadening their efforts and dominating debates. This is how Congress is supposed to work, said Rep. Dusty Johnson, R-S.D., a member of the Problem Solvers group, describing a lengthy, bipartisan negotiation that produced a consensus. The group hopes the package illustrates the kinds of compromises that top Democrats and the administration would have to agree to in order to actually get a measure through the warring House and Senate and get signed into law. I hope our leadership is paying attention. I hope our leadership is looking hard at what were doing, said Rep. Kurt Schrader, D-Ore. We consider this the basic tenets of any package that comes out of the House and the Senate and is signed by the president of the United States. No. 2 House Democrat Steny Hoyer of Maryland said the moderates had developed useful ideas, important ideas but said it did not do enough to address the ongoing needs of helping the economy recover from the COVID-19 crisis. We believe that getting to a compromise is absolutely essential, Hoyer told reporters Tuesday. Getting to a compromise that does not deal with the problems, however, is not useful, because the longer you delay addressing many of the problems, the greater you weaken both the economy and the response to COVID-19. And a set of powerful Democratic committee chairs swung against the moderates proposal as well, saying it leaves too many needs unmet a leadership effort that signals that the Problem Solvers bill is going nowhere. The Problem Solvers measure contains another round of $1,200 direct payments favoured by Trump and Democrats but rejected by Senate Republicans in their most recent bill. It contains a liability shield against lawsuits brought against businesses that have reopened their doors thats favoured by Republicans but opposed by Pelosi and trial lawyers. It also offers a two-month extension of bonus pandemic jobless benefits that splits the difference between the Pelosi-backed extension of the expired $600 weekly benefit that lapsed at the end of July and the $300 benefit favoured by Senate Republicans. After two months, the benefit would increase back to $600 but not if that benefit causes a worker to exceed their wages. Many single mothers no longer have to skip meals so they can feed their children or steal nappies to manage their tight budgets in the pandemic, according to new research. Dr Dina Bowman, principal research fellow at the Brotherhood of St Laurence, said the pandemic had had a "transformative effect" on single mothers who had benefited from an increase in social security support. "Things that we have been arguing for have all of a sudden become possible like an increase in income support and free childcare," she said. "Unfortunately, those measures are temporary and so the underlying problems are still there and need to be addressed." A new report released on Wednesday by the Brotherhood of St Laurence, a poverty prevention organisation, reveals that before the pandemic, many single mothers were struggling to put fresh food on the table. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo welcomes Qatars Deputy Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani to launch the third annual U.S.-Qatar Strategic Dialogue at the State Department in Washington on Sept. 14, 2020. (Erin Scott/Pool/File Photo/Reuters) Pompeo Says Trump Admin Eager for End to Gulf Rift US-Qatar 3rd Annual Dialog Focused on Expanding Mutual Investments and Cultural Ties U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo stressed at the 3rd annual strategic dialog between the United States and Qatar on Monday that a solution should be found to resolve the three-year rift between Qatar and other Gulf states, saying that the Trump administration is eager to see this dispute resolved. Qatar plays an invaluable role in helping stabilize Gaza, as well as regional efforts to de-escalate tensions both in Syria and in Lebanon, Pompeo said at the two-day event, focused on security, defense, economic, and cultural cooperation. To keep our focus on this work, and to close the door to increased Iranian meddling, its past time to find a solution to the Gulf rift, he said. Gulf rift began among some of the most powerful states in the Arab world when Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain severed ties with Qatar and closed transport routes in June 2017, accusing it of supporting terrorism. The Trump administration is eager to see this dispute resolved and to reopen Qatars air and land borders currently blocked by other Gulf states. I look forward to progress on this issue, Pompeo said. Qatar is represented at the meeting by Qatari Deputy Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani, Finance Minister Ali Sharif al-Emadi, and Minister of Commerce Ali bin Ahmed al-Kuwari. Pompeo is joined by the U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross. The event will overlap with the Israel-UAE relation normalization agreement signing ceremony, which will be held by President Donald Trump on Sept. 15 at the White House. Pompeo announced on the first day of the talks that the U.S.-Qatar Open Skies relationship had entered into force, cementing the civil aviation partnerships between the two countries. Qatari Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani (R) meets with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on the sidelines of the peace signing ceremony between the United States and the Taliban in the Qatari capital Doha on February 29, 2020. (Giuseppe CACACE / AFP) Pompeo and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs al-Thani signed at the opening ceremony a Memorandum of Understanding to declare the year 2021 as the year of U.S.-Qatar Year of Culture intended to enhance cultural and educational exchanges between the two countries. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin testifies before the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis on Capitol Hill in Washington, on Sept. 1, 2020. (Nicholas Kamm-Pool/Getty Images) Mnuchin and Al-Emadi also signed a Memorandum of Understanding that expresses support for an investment forum in 2021 in the United States where companies from both countries can explore new investment opportunities. Another memorandum of understanding would be signed by Qatar and U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to support Fulbright scholarships, al-Thani said. The signing of the memoranda show the range and the depth of our ties and underscore our continued constructive engagement despite the unique regional challenges our country has been successfully managing over the last three years, he continued. Despite regional challenges including the ongoing blockade against us, our cooperation has continuously strengthened since we held the first Qatar-U.S. Strategic Dialogue in January 2018. He added that Qatar has invested billions of dollars in the U.S. economy and the United States has invested in Qatar and its development, which together translate to tens of thousands of jobs. The trade and investment relationship is based on the open market and fair business practices, and over the last five years, Qatars imports from the United States has amounted to over $23 billion, Mnuchin said. Mnuchin praised Qatar for recently passing a Public-Private Partnership Law that provides greater investment opportunities for foreign companies. Also, the United States has modernized its governmental review process for foreign investments and restricted only those foreign investments that create a risk to national security, Mnuchin said. Your foreign investment will always be welcome in the United States, he added. The United States welcomed Qatars efforts to cut terrorist financing and strengthen anti-money laundering policies, Mnuchin said, adding that this would counter malign financial activity of the Iranian regime, which continues to sponsor terror across the Middle East. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross at a hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, on March 5, 2020. (Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images) The total U.S. investment in Qatar is $110.6 billion, making the United States the largest foreign investor in Qatar, Ross said. He added that American companies consider Qatars energy sector, especially LNG (liquefied natural gas) production and as well as the semiconductor industry, as an excellent opportunity for further investments. Ross praised the country for how it has managed the economic problems caused by the regional blockade. Your entrepreneurial transformation of a sudden dairy product shortage into an air-conditioned and fully automated farm that made the country a net exporter is a wonderful and heroic achievement, Ross said. He also reiterated Pompeos call to resolve the Gulf rift, which should lead to normalization of Qatars diplomatic and trade relationships with its neighbors. Simon Henderson, a Baker Fellow, and director of the Bernstein Program on Gulf and Energy Policy at The Washington Institute said in an article on Sept. 11 that the simultaneous presence in Washington of Qatar and UAE representatives may create an opportunity to end the three-year-long rift between Qatar and the UAE. Although some Qatari media criticize the normalization agreement between the UAE and Israel, Qatari and Israeli officials maintain discrete but close contacts, Henderson wrote. Doha helps to reduce Israeli tensions with Hamas in Gaza by providing financial aid to Palestinian civilians and mediating ceasefires, Henderson explained. Reuters contributed to this report. PARIS The United Arab Emirates has approved a Chinese coronavirus vaccine for emergency use for its frontline health workers, its top crisis authority announced Monday. "The vaccine will be available to our first line of defense heroes who are at the highest risk of contracting the virus," the UAE's National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority said in a tweet. According to NCEMA, 31,000 volunteers have already participated in clinical trials of the vaccine, including 1,000 volunteers with chronic diseases. Phase three trials of the vaccine are ongoing, but the agency said that no unexpected side effects had been detected thus far. The phase three trials, which began in the Gulf country of 10 million in July, are for the Covid-19 vaccine developed by Chinese state-owned pharmaceutical company Sinopham. NCEMA said that emergency use for frontline health workers was approved after a set of standards was met and the clinical trials on the 31,000 volunteers were complete. The agency described mild side effects on volunteers like a sore throat, but emphasized a lack of serious side effects. Apple Watch Series 6 Source: Apple In the five years since the Apple Watch first went on sale, it's always been an iPhone accessory. But on Tuesday, at an event highlighting several new products, Apple took a big step toward cutting the tether. Until now, every Apple Watch needed to be paired with an iPhone. Older versions of the watch work only when an iPhone is connected at close range via Bluetooth. Some newer versions with wireless connectivity can stray farther but still need to be paired up with a single iPhone. But now, some Apple Watches will get a feature called Family Setup, meant for young kids or older adults who don't have an iPhone but want an easy way to make calls, text and share GPS location with family members. It requires an administrator in the household with an iPhone, but once it's set up, the watch will get its own phone number and be able to send and receive texts and calls with no iPhone connected. It's the first time the device will fulfill the Dick Tracy vision of a standalone phone on your wrist. In Apple's announcement, COO Jeff Williams described the feature as a way to "make Apple Watch available to even more people." But Family Setup also gives new buyers a less expensive first Apple device to get them hooked into Apple's ecosystem if they like it, Apple could continue to sell those users additional hardware and services. Apple's Watch is the biggest product in Apple's wearables and accessories division, which reported revenue of $24.5 billion in 2019. Apple ships more wearables than any other company and had a 34.2% share of the entire market in the second quarter of 2020, according to an estimate from IDC. It's growing, too, with 25.3% year-over-year growth in terms of number of units, according to the estimate. Geared toward parents, for now Capt Amarinder Chandigarh: Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh has demanded an unconditional apology from Union Minister Raosaheb Patil Danve for misleading the nation on the farm ordinances issue from the floor of the House in a clear and complete breach of Parliamentary principles and propriety. Rejecting as totally incorrect Danves statement in the Lok Sabha yesterday about Punjab being on board the anti-farmer ordinances, the Chief Minister said the remarks of the Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution were aimed at defaming the Congress and its government in the state. Advertisement Capt Amarinder Singh PPCC chief Sunil Jakhar also slammed the Union Minister for violating the sanctity of Parliament with his false statement on the issue in the House on Monday, and termed it an attempt to denigrate the Congress government in Punjab with misleading information. The Chief Minister said, in a statement, that at no point did the high-powered committee make any suggestion about bringing these anti-farmers ordinances, which the Centre introduced on the sly amid the pandemic and has now placed in Parliament for enactment through false pretensions. Advertisement The minister should apologise immediately and unequivocally for presenting false facts in the Lok Sabha, said Captain Amarinder, describing the statement in Lok Sabha as undemocratic and unethical, and a violation of the parliamentary principles. The Parliament is the shrine for upholding the ideals of democracy and any attempt to defy these principles is dangerous for the nations Constitutional foundations, he added. Capt Amarinder Singh Advertisement The Chief Minister said his government has consistently and persistently opposed any move to dilute the rights and interests of the farmers, not only in the high-powered committee on agricultural reforms but in the state Assembly and on all public forums. It was his government which had initiated the resolution in the Vidhan Sabha rejecting the ordinances, he pointed out, adding that he personally had written twice to the Prime Minister seeking the withdrawal of the anti-farmer and anti-farmer legislations that would spell the death-knell of the farming community in Punjab. The report of the high-powered committee, of which Punjab was made a member weeks after it was constituted, nowhere suggested any ordinance or central law to be enacted by the Government of India, said the Chief Minister, emphatically rejecting any claim to the contrary. Advertisement In fact, said Captain Amarinder, the focus of the report was largely on market reforms wherein the implementation of APMC Act 2003/APLM Act, 2017, had been emphasised. Similarly, adoption of Model Contract Farming Act or its variants depending upon the state requirements had been stressed upon in the draft report. Capt Amarinder In its response to the draft report, the Punjab government had clearly stated that 86% of the states farmers are small holders cultivating less than 2 ha with little bargaining power in the market. They are illiterate or less educated and cannot be left at the mercy of market forces for determination of commodity prices, the state government had further said. Pointing out that some states like Punjab are dependent on the market fee, his government had further underlined that the market needs to be monitored/regulated to save the farmers from exploitative private trade. The farmers must receive reasonable prices for their produce (MSP) which covers their cost of production and a fair level of profit for their living, it had commented. The state governments response further stated that majority of the farmers are fearful of entering into contracts with large corporate housesthey feel that they may not be able to compete with them in case of any litigation. Punjab government Going further, his government, said the Chief Minister, had categorically and unambiguously that with a view to safeguard the interest of farmers and to ensure the food security in the country, it is emphasised that system of minimum support price adn the assured procurement of crops by govt. of India must continue. It had gone ahead to recommend that other MSP crops where full and assured procurement is not being undertaken by Govt of India such as cotton, maize, oilseeds and pulses should be procured fully at MSP fixed by Govt of India to encourage farmers to diversify away from paddy which is water intensive. Captain Amarinder pointed out that the state government had, in its written response, also said that the EC Act must be continued for those crops in which India is deficient in order to prevent the exploitative action of the private sector by hoarding and black marketeering. The price trigger suggested in the report for any action on stock limits are required to be lowered from 100% increase in case of horticulture produce and 50% increase in case of non-perishables, it had further stated. The sharing pattern of most of schemes is 60:40 (Centre:State) and this needs to be changed to 90:10 for Punjab state, as the state, while pioneering the green revolution in the country, played a major role in making the nation self-reliant in foodgrain production, the Punjab government had submitted, adding that it was now the Centres turn to support the farmers. The state government had also made several suggestions in its response on Agricultural R&D, including reduction in technological gaps in various crops/cultivated areas of the country by strengthening agriculture extension services and substantial enhancement in allocation of funds for research by the Centre, as well as dedicated funds for capacity building of agricultural scientists in new areas of research in advanced labs of foreign countries. A legal battle over language requirements for board members at the German Swiss International School has ended with a judge finding its governance so troubling he questioned whether it could operate lawfully and referred the matter to the secretaries for justice and education. Mr Justice Jonathan Harris raised his concerns in dismissing an appeal bid by a students parent on Tuesday, seeking to challenge the judges earlier ruling the Race Discrimination Ordinance would apply to a school. German Swiss International School, with about 1,200 students enrolled for the new academic year, has been embroiled in a debate over how central a role German-speaking ability should play in the organisation when nearly three-quarters of pupils are in the English curriculum stream. Get the latest insights and analysis from our Global Impact newsletter on the big stories originating in China. The schools regulations require all board members to be fluent in written and spoken German, conduct meetings in the language and elect a chairman and two deputy chairmen with a German-speaking background. The case was heard in the High Court. Photo: Warton Li The school had asked the High Court to step in after three Chinese parents were elected as board directors last year but were given the title of only pending director as they did not speak German. Harris declared in June the articles constituted impermissible discrimination on grounds of race under Hong Kongs Race Discrimination Ordinance. The school convened an extraordinary general meeting on July 6, at which parents and alumni voted against dropping the articles and removed four members of the board, leaving it inquorate. Other directors had also resigned or indicated they wished to do so, the court heard. Harris said the evidence described a troubling deterioration in the [schools] governance as disagreements on the composition of the board were becoming an intractable and unpleasant dispute among members and increasingly bitter and unconstructive. Story continues The divisions also explained why the board was unable to find eligible candidates as some might be reluctant to take on the role, he said. During any period, and particularly in the present challenging environment, the level of dysfunction and animosity amongst the membership that I have described would be troubling, the judge said. As the companys board is inquorate and the relationship between members has deteriorated to a point that calls into question the companys ability to operate the school lawfully, I shall copy my June decision and this decision to the secretary for justice as parens patriae of charities and the secretary for education. Parent Horst Geicke sought leave to file a late appeal over the judges earlier finding race discrimination laws would apply to a school. In explaining why he was a week behind the deadline in his filing, Geicke said he encountered difficulties in consulting those who aligned with him, as well as the German government on whether to proceed. But the judge dismissed the claims as excuses for an appeal that had no real prospect of success and sided with the school in concluding it would be detrimental to both the institution and its community to prolong the dispute that threatened its ability to function. Harris also questioned why Geicke thought it important to consult Karsten Tietz, the head of the Federal Foreign Office of the German Government, which had no relevant legal interest in the row. German Swiss International School was established in 1969 and has campuses on The Peak and in Pok Fu Lam. Its director of advancement Suzannah Denness said the organisation would respect the courts decision. Equality, fairness and eradication of all forms of discrimination are some of the core values of this board and the school, Denness said. An Education Bureau spokesman said school operations must comply with the relevant ordinances, regulations and guidelines. The bureau will keep in touch with the school and provide suitable support, he said. This article Hong Kong judge alerts ministers to governance problems at German Swiss International School first appeared on South China Morning Post For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2020. After postponing their Montreal wedding twice, Canadian actress Erin Agostino and Sam Roberts Band drummer, Josh Trager, decided they were done waiting. Theres no way were not getting married on Aug. 29th, Trager said after the wedding, over the phone. The couple, who are both from Montreal but live in Toronto, say that not only did they want to take control back during the pandemic, but that the date had a special meaning marking the wedding anniversary of Tragers parents. After jumping through lockdown-related hoops, the couple ended up with the micro-wedding they never knew they wanted, at the storied El Mocambo, a few blocks from their home. All made possible thanks to the citys music community. They couldnt use a park short of using it illegally, because they had trouble getting a permit, and because of the possibility of rain, they figured they should find an indoor space. Suddenly, a light bulb went off: Isnt the coolest, most historic venue in town right in our backyard? Trager asked his fiancee. Trager reached out through a mutual friend to ask El Mocambo owner Michael Wekerle, if this was feasible. Wekerle who bought the venue in 2014 to restore and turn it back into a live music spot knew Trager. Hes been to a few of our shows and we have some mutual friends. I asked the mutual friend what she thought of the idea and she got in touch, Trager said. He appreciated the couples story and circumstances and agreed to open the venue to them. Wekerle invited the couple to come in for a tour. What they did with that space is just mind-boggling, Trager said. As she scouted the venue, Agostino says, all the details came together in her mind. Since they still planned on having a wedding in Montreal in 2021 they wanted to keep it small, so they planned on having just themselves, their officiant and two witnesses: Colin MacDonald from The Trews a close friend and who could also sing the song Agostino wanted to walk down the aisle to, and Toronto photographer Dave Gillespie (known as @rockerdave), also a friend. But Wekerle insisted that since they had all the space in the large venue, why not do something a little more special? He put the couple in touch with caterers The Food Dudes, and offered them someone on his staff, Alicia Hebert, to help them plan the whole day. All of a sudden, we had a wedding planner. She was phenomenal. I think I had a meltdown with her at one point. I called her, overwhelmed, and she walked me off the ledge, Agostino said. The couple say the team made it really easy and helped them every step of the way. Theres been a lot of love here, but never a wedding, Wekerle told them as they were touring the space. When the numbers started to swell larger than they first thought, Agostino starting feeling uneasy about her parents and family not being here. Little did she know, her groom had planned for both their families to secretly drive from Montreal. The morning of their wedding day, John Angus MacDonald, Colins brother and lead guitarist of The Trews called Trager, offering to perform with his brother. We thought that was really lovely and a beautiful offer and gesture on his part, so we accepted, and (performing) together they were just out of this world, Trager said. The couple got dressed and ready in the green room, before walking on stage to say their I dos. The Trews brothers played a soulful cover of Something by The Beatles. The venue set up a live stream (via a hi-tech video link) so their extended families including their grandparents could watch from Montreal. In total about 20 people showed up in real life (with 10 or so tuning into the livestream) for their little, big day, including their managers, family and friends. The MacDonald brothers performed on the stage for them. It was full production. Sound. Lighting. The works, Agostino said. They had the choice of whatever type of lighting they wanted and they provided a front of house engineer and designer and asked Agostino what colour lighting she wanted the iconic El Mocambo palm trees to be (she opted for blue conveniently in a place thats both old and new.) After the ceremony, there was food and though the guests continued the party over at the former Cadillac Lounge (now called The Caddy,) the couple walked the few blocks back to their condo and had a romantic catered dinner alone. Weve been together a long time and COVID brought out so much more love between us. We looked at each other with more love and respect and it was at that point that we said we need to take this next step no matter what this means, Trager said. We just rode the wave and thats very hard for me to do because Im organized and structured and need to make lists, but I just let go. I just wanted to be with him and it all worked out better than I could have ever dreamed of, Agostino said. But there are advantages, too: Like the fact she can roll straight out of bed, throw on a sweatshirt and be at school. She can use the bathroom without having to ask permission. And she can snack anytime she likes although she makes sure to turn her camera off while shes eating, which she guesses is what counts for courtesy during the coronavirus pandemic. Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on September 15 said that China was in illegal occupation of about 38,000 sq km of Indian land in Ladakh, besides laying claim to around 90,000 sq km of territory in Arunachal Pradesh. "As the House is aware, China continues to be in illegal occupation of approximately 38,000 sq km in the Union Territory of Ladakh. In addition, under the so-called Sino-Pakistan 'Boundary Agreement' of 1963, Pakistan illegally ceded 5,180 sq km of Indian territory in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir, to China. China also claims approximately 90,000 sq kms of Indian territory in the eastern sector of the India-China boundary in Arunachal Pradesh," the union minister said during the ongoing session in Lok Sabha. He said the country was facing a challenge near the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh even as the morale and motivation of Indian armed forces was high. Chinese actions, Singh said, reflected a clear disregard for the various bilateral agreements between the two countries. He added that it has been conveyed to China, through diplomatic and military channels, that such actions on its part are being seen as attempts to unilaterally alter the status quo in the region. "India's position is that while bilateral relations can continue to develop in parallel with discussions on resolving the boundary question, any serious disturbance in peace and tranquility along the LAC in the border areas is bound to have implications for the positive direction of our ties," Singh said in the Lok Sabha. Both India and China have formally agreed that the boundary question was a complex issue which required patience and a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable solution through dialogue and peaceful negotiations, the union minister said. He said the Chinese side had, however, mobilised a large number of troops and armaments along the LAC as well as in the depth areas of eastern Ladakh including Gogra, Kongka La and the North and South Banks of the Pangong Lake. Indian forces have also made appropriate counter deployments in these areas to ensure that India's security interests were fully protected. "The House should have full confidence that our armed forces will always rise to the challenge and do us all proud," Singh said. In early May, the minister said, the Chinese side had taken action to hinder the traditional patrolling pattern of troops in the Galwan Valley area, which resulted in a face-off. Given the growing friction along the LAC, senior commanders on both sides, in a meeting on June 6, agreed on a process of disengagement that involved reciprocal actions. Singh said India was ready to handle any situation and the soldiers laid down their lives to ensure that Chinese designs were foiled pointing to the violent standoff at the Galwan Valley in eastern Ladakh earlier this year. "The Chinese side created a violent face-off on June 15 at Galwan. Our brave soldiers laid down their lives and also inflicted costs including casualties on the Chinese side," Rajnath Singh told the House. He reiterated that no one should doubt India's determination to safeguard the borders and that India believed that mutual respect and mutual sensitivity are the basis for peaceful relations with neighbours. "As we want to resolve the current situation through dialogue, we have maintained diplomatic and military engagement with the Chinese side," he said. Singh said Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Ladakh earlier this year ensured that the soldiers understand that the entire nation stands behind them in support of the just cause of defending our territorial integrity. "I can assure you that the morale and motivation of our Armed Forces is very high. They are capable of serving at forbidding altitudes with scarce oxygen and in extremely cold temperatures, something that they have effortlessly done over the last many years on Siachen, and Kargil," he said. He urged the House to pass a resolution in support of armed forces. "This is a time when this august House has to come together and reiterate confidence and faith in the velour of the brave armed forces and support them in the mission that they have undertaken to protect the territorial integrity of our motherland," Singh said. Ghanaians have been charged to reject Former President Mahama and his NDC party in the December 7th Elections, whose administration saw the collapse of businesses as a result of an unbearable energy crisis, 'Dumsor'. This admonition is coming from a Deputy Campaign Manager of the NPP, Dr. Mustapha Hamid, who went on to state that the NDC) and it's flagbearer, John Dramani Mahama will bring back 'dumsor ' in the unlikely event that the party wins the December polls. The NPP is thus cautioning Ghanaians that electing John Mahama and the NDC back to office will lead to the collapse of businesses and organisations. Addressing a news conference in Accra on Monday, September 14th, 2020, a Deputy Campaign Manager of the NPP, Dr. Mustapha Hamid, said that under the John Mahama administration, Ghanaians slept in darkness for 1,188 hours. So soon people have forgotten that for three years we slept in darkness. For three years businesses in this country had collapsed because of dumsor. Indeed, dumsor cost this country billions of dollars and it was not for lack of capacity. It was simply because the economy was in such a poor state, that the NDC government could not raise the money required to keep the lights on. He added: When we make the argument today, they tell us that they resolved dumsor before they exited. Here are the statistics for how many hours the lights were off in 2015, 2016 and 2017. In 2015, there were 868 hours, 44 minutes of power outages. In 2016, there were 320 hours, 27 minutes of power outages. In 2017, there were 41 hours and 7 minutes of power outages. So, they should tell us if resolving over 800 hours of power outages is tantamount to resolving dumsor. Between 2013 and 2016, Ghana was plunged into a state of darkness following low capacity of the Akosombo dam to produce power to meet the demands of Ghana. The Mahama administration brought in the Karpowership and other Independent Power Producers with the hope of addressing the issue. ---CitinewsRoom He wore a t-shirt in honour of Breonna Taylor at Tuscan Grand Prix last weekend Lewis Hamilton has escaped punishment for wearing a controversial T-shirt after the Tuscan Grand Prix on Sunday. The six-time world champion took to the podium carrying the slogan: 'Arrest the cops who killed Breonna Taylor,' in reference to the black woman who was killed by police in Kentucky in March. The FIA confirmed on Monday that his gesture was 'under active consideration', but after looking into the matter have decided not to charge Hamilton with breaching their statutes. Lewis Hamilton stood on the Mugello podium wearing a shirt calling for the arrest of police officers following the fatal shooting of Breonna Taylor Hamilton had earlier worn the shirt in the build up to the Tuscan Grand Prix in Italy on Sunday A spokesman for the governing body told Sportsmail: 'There will be no further action. We will have a discussion with him and produce clarification (over podium protocol) in the next race director's notes.' The FIA are keen to work with Hamilton on his anti-racism campaign, but want to protect their status as a strictly non-political organisation. They were caught unawares by the Briton's choice of T-shirt, which he wore during the pre-race anti-racism demonstration as well as while celebrating his 90th career win. The world champion will not be punished by the FIA for his protest - but there are moves to clarify the rules, possibly meaning Hamilton will be told not to wear such a t-shirt again Hamilton insisted he will not be blown off course in his fight for equality. Writing on social media, the 35-year-old said: 'I want you to know that I won't let up on using this platform to shed light on what I believe is right..' MUMBAI : Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) is planning a gradual sale of its stake in IDBI Bank, three people aware of the matter said, nearly two years after it rescued the lender at the Centres instance. In January 2019, Indias largest insurer bought 44% stake in IDBI Bank for 21,624 crore, saving it from collapse. After the stake purchase, LIC holds 51% in the bank. LIC and government officials are discussing the stake sale plan, the people mentioned above said on condition of anonymity. IDBI Bank has secured shareholder approval to raise up to 11,000 crore this fiscal in two tranches via equity sales, while LIC is looking for the banks stock price to improve before selling its stake. As regulators are now asking LIC to reduce, it may start reducing the IDBI Bank stake. The price should be right and for that LIC doesnt mind waiting. IDBI Bank has had two quarters of profit. The department of investment and public asset management is also saying that they want to sell the stake held by LIC," said one of the three people mentioned above. The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (Irdai) restricts insurers holding at 15% stake in a single firm to mitigate concentration risk. Irdai also does not allow an insurer to have ownership in any non-insurance company. The Reserve Bank of India does not allow non-banking entities to have more than 10% stake in a bank. The governments main aim of bringing in LIC is fulfilled and regulators now want LIC to bring down its stake in IDBI Bank in line with existing regulations. If LIC has to sell the stake, it has to receive more money than it has put in. If you look at the two tranches of investment in IDBI Bank, the average price of purchase is around 54 per share. Now, the stock is at 38. The governments main objective to bring in LIC was to restore investor confidence and augment capital and this has been taken care of. So now, LICs stake is purely kept from an investment point of view. So, once it gets the right price, it will exit," said the person mentioned above. IDBI Bank, like other lenders, aims to raise money to strengthen its capital buffers after the blow from the lockdown to check the spread of coronavirus. It plans to first raise 6,000 crore in a qualified institutional placement (QIP). After assessing the impact of the loan moratorium, the bank may raise another 5,000 crore after the December quarter. IDBI Bank plans to ask LIC to contribute capital proportionately in the QIP so that its holding continues to be 51%, said the second person, but LIC has not decided on this yet. LIC has not taken any call on contributing further money to maintain the stake at 51%. DFS (department of financial services) and the LIC board are planning this," the first person said. LICs main objective is to generate enough returns from its investment and to avoid concentration risk from single company investment, he said. Queries sent to LIC and IDBI Bank remained unanswered. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 1 anno fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili. Market Research Future (MRFR)s new study reveals that the dry bulk shipping market 2020 can expand at a decent rate of 4.65% from 2018 to 2025 (review period). We will provide COVID-19 impact analysis with the report, offering detailed market developments following the coronavirus disease outbreak. ALSO READ: https://www.openpr.com/news/2096116/dry-bulk-shipping-market-2020-industry-development Key Boosters and Main Restraints The growth of the dry bulk shipping market has been dismal since the COVID-19 outbreak, with almost every industry facing massive revenue loss. Even with China coming back to normal, the market seems to be witnessing falling freight rates due to the pandemic. Chinas importance in the dry bulk market has been underlined following the lockdown, with the rates going downwards. The weak US exports also add nothing to the market momentum, with failing trade relations between the US and China coming to the forefront. Some of the favorable aspects are associated with the construction industry, particularly infrastructural development along with housing investment, which can drive the need for materials. But other end users in the dry bulk shipping market have no such luck, such as automotive sectors demand for aluminum and steel has been falling significantly since the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak. Despite the massive spending on infrastructural development by governments, the novel coronavirus can lead to further reduced demand and freight rates, which can challenge the market growth in the coming years. However, the dry bulk shipping market can manage to sail through despite the COVID-19 impact, thanks to the surge in industrialization combined with the increasing liberalization of various countries that boosts the demand for coal and iron ore. The escalating demand for electricity has accelerated the need to import and export coal worldwide. The global economic growth, booming population, and the rising steel production have driven the need to ship various materials such as coal, grains, lumber, iron ore, plates, rods and coils. Enhanced industrial production, particularly in emerging regions has also benefitted the dry bulk shipping market to a large extent. Segmental Analysis For an enhanced dry bulk shipping market analysis, MRFR has outlined the top segments in the report, namely type as well as application. The types of dry bulk shipping include panama, capesize, handysize and supramax. The capesize type can be the leading segment in the market as a result of the high demand for transporting iron ore, commodity raw materials and coal. The key applications of dry bulk shipping are coal, iron ore, bauxite/alumina, phosphate rock and grains. Over the coming years, it is expected that the ironore segment will dominate the worldwide market, with iron ore being the biggest traded commodity across countries. Regional Insight The dry bulk shipping industry has been regionally considered for China, North America, Europe, Japan, India, MEA/Middle East & Africa, South America, and RoW/the rest of the world. China can soon emerge as the world leader in the dry bulk shipping market, with Europe securing the second position. The considerable surge in iron ore imports, the increase in coal trade, and the progressing minor bulk trades have established the countrys formidable position in the global market. However, since the COVID-19 outbreak, the Chinese economy has slowed down. The dry bulk trade of has experienced a downfall due to the environmental policies in other countries that promote the use of cleaner energy sources. This has negatively impacted the dry bulk shipping market in the country. India, on the other hand, has observed a rise in iron ore export in the first quarter of 2020, which has been especially favorable for the Supramax segment of the market. The surge in industrial activities such as construction and automotive can also work in the Indian markets favor in these uncertain times. Top Market Contenders The top market contenders highlighted in the report include Diana Shipping Inc. (Greece), Golden Ocean (Bermuda), Genco Shipping & Trading Limited (US), Oldendorff (Germany), DryShips Inc (Greece), Marquette Transportation Company LLC (US), Bulk Carriers Corporation (Greece), Masterbulk Pte Ltd (Singapore), Pacific Basin Shipping Limited. (Hong Kong), Belships ASA (Norway), Western Bulk (Norway), Dampskibsselskabet Norden A/S (Denmark), Marine Services Co. Ltd. (Saudi Arabia), Ultrabulk A/S (Denmark), Western Bulk (Norway), Scorpio Bulkers, Inc (Monaco), Oldendorff (Germany), Marine Services Co. Ltd. (Saudi Arabia), and more. Recent Updates July 2020 In the wake of escalating iron ore prices, Venture Minerals signed a major deal with TasPorts that allows it to use the wharf route in the Tasmanias north coast for dry bulk shipping from its Riley mine. FOR MORE DETAILS https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/dry-bulk-shipping-market-8308 President Donald Trump speaks from the Truman Balcony at the White House during the signing ceremony of the Abraham Accords where the countries of Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates recognize Israel, on the South Lawn of the White House on Sept. 15, 2020. (Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images) Trump Declares Historic Day for Peace as Middle East Deals Are Signed President Donald Trump on Sept. 15 declared a historic day for peace as two historic Middle East peace deals were signed between several Gulf states and Israel. Trump said the move will change the course of history, bring about a new Middle East, and create an era of peace and prosperity. He noted that the White House achieved two peace agreements in a single month. Its an important day for peace, he said. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu signed deals with the Kingdom of Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) after the three nations agreed on the measure to normalize relations. HISTORIC day for PEACE in the Middle East, Trump wrote on Twitter. I am welcoming leaders from Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and the Kingdom of Bahrain to the White House to sign landmark deals that no one thought was possible. Netanyahu on Sept. 15 said it heralds a new dawn of peace between Jewish people and others, saying Trump has brought about a realistic chance of peace between Israel and the Palestinians. This was unimaginable a few years ago, the prime minister said. The move represents another diplomatic victory for Trump, who has cast himself a peacemaker and has sought to end U.S. involvement in foreign warscoming two months before the November election. President Donald Trump greets the Bahrain Foreign Minister Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa at the White House, Sept. 15, 2020. (Alex Brandon/AP Photo) Critics have noted that the peace deals ignore Palestinians, but it is hoped that the deals will bring forth better ArabIsraeli relations. Meanwhile, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), who hailed the deal, said she has concerns about a commitment for the UAE to purchase F-35 fighter jets. As we learn more about the full details of both agreements, questions remainspecifically, regarding the commitment that the UAE has received from the Trump Administration to purchase American-made F-35 aircraft. The U.S. Congress, on a bipartisan basis, will be watching and monitoring to ensure that Israel can maintain its qualitative military edge in the region, she said in a statement. The deal will normalize commercial, security, and diplomatic relations between Israel and Bahrain, as well as Israel and the UAE. The other Arab countries that have normalized relations with Israel are Egypt and Jordan. This is very fast, White House adviser Jared Kushner told The Associated Press last week. The region is responding very favorably to the UAE deal, and hopefully its a sign that even more will come. The agreement deals a major setback to Palestinian leader and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, who criticized the IsraelUAE deal when it was signed in August. We arent worried about the nonsense that happens here and there and especially in recent days, when a trilateral agreement between the Emirates, Israel, and America was announced, Abbas said. They [the UAE] have turned their backs on everything: the rights of the Palestinian people, the Palestinian state, the two-state solution, and the holy city of Jerusalem. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - September 15, 2020) -Golden Goliath Resources Ltd. (TSXV: GNG) (OTC Pink: GGTHF) (FSE: GGZ) ("Golden Goliath" or the "Company") is very pleased to announce that the diamond drilling program on its Kwai property in the Red Lake mining district is underway. The program is designed to test the Pakwash Break along 10 kilometers of strike length with approximately 40 holes totaling 6,000 meters. Although the main focus of the drilling is aimed at the Pakwash Fault and associated deformation zones, a number of other splay faults and parallel IP trends will be tested. Drilling has started in the West Grid area (West of Lake Beauregard, see Fig 2) with hole K 20-01 being collared at line 800W at stn 800N. The initial hole (K 20-01) has discovered a large quartz eye porphyry body, with robins egg blue quartz eyes, within the Pakwash main break. Shear zones within this porphyry control numerous quartz veins with fine grained pyrite along the walls of the veins. In addition, fine grained pyrite occurs in the porphyry matrix. Tourmaline is also present. This type of intrusion is often associated with gold deposits in the area and in other gold camps. The Kwai property has never been mapped or drilled in the past and the favourable geological environment that the company has been looking for is starting to be uncovered and exposed for the first time. Results for the three till samples collected in late August are still pending. Those samples were taken south of Beauregard Lake and one of the samples was rusty in nature, possibly indicating a nearby sulphide source and was 50m from an IP trend which will be tested in this round of drilling. Drilling itself is expected to take about 70 to 80 working days, with two shifts per day. Lab turn around time for analyses is uncertain at this point. Figure 2 shows the property grid with IP anomalies and pristine gold grain locations. Figure 1: Red Lake District Properties including the Kwai and SLF properties of Golden Goliath To view an enhanced version of Figure 1, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/4761/63837_6ff91b98a4a259fd_002full.jpg Figure 2: IP anomalies and trend interpretation with locations of pristine gold grains on Golden Goliath's Kwai property To view an enhanced version of Figure 2, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/4761/63837_6ff91b98a4a259fd_003full.jpg Golden Goliath CEO Paul Sorbara comments: "Well, drill hole #1 has our team excited, even without assays. Most will not know the significance of the quartz eye porphyry, but it is very exciting for us. GBR and BTU both have this unit, but we had not seen it on surface at Kwai so far, and we have been looking for it for some time. Now we have it in hole #1 and it is sheared and has sulphide mineralization and tourmaline! I believe we are off to a very good start." This news release has been reviewed by Robert S. Middleton P.Eng who is acting as QP for this phase of the exploration under the NI43-101 requirements. On behalf of the Board of Directors Paul Sorbara, MSc, PGeo CEO, Golden Goliath Resources Ltd. Cautionary Statements Regarding Forward Looking Information Certain statements included herein may constitute "forward-looking statements". All statements included in this press release that address future events, conditions or results, including in connection with exploration activity, future acquisitions and any financing, are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "may", "must", "plan", "believe", "expect", "estimate", "think", "continue", "should", "will", "could", "intend", "anticipate" or "future" or the negative forms thereof or similar variations. These forward-looking statements are based on certain assumptions and analyses made by management in light of their experiences and their perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors they believe are appropriate in the circumstances. These statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including those mentioned in the Company's continuous disclosure documents, which can be found under its profile on SEDAR (www.sedar.com). Many of such risks and uncertainties are outside the control of the Company and could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. In making such forward-looking statements, management has relied upon a number of material factors and assumptions, on the basis of currently available information, for which there is no insurance that such information will prove accurate. All forward-looking statements are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements set forth above. The Company is under no obligation, and expressly disclaims any intention or obligation, to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by applicable law. FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Golden Goliath Resources Ltd. J. Paul Sorbara, M.Sc., P.Geo President & CEO Phone: +1(604) 682-2950 Email: jps@goldengoliath.com Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy. About Golden Goliath Golden Goliath Resources Ltd. is a junior exploration company listed on the TSX Venture Exchange (symbol GNG). The Company is focused on exploring and developing the gold and silver potential of properties in the Red Lake District of Ontario. The Company also holds a 100% interest in the San Timoteo property, located in the Sierra Madre Occidental Mountains of northwestern Mexico, as well as NSR royalties on several other nearby properties. To find out more about Golden Goliath visit our website at www.goldengoliath.com. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/63837 Amid reports that Chinese troops are setting up a network of optical fibre cables in Ladakh, the threat of a two-front war intensified with ceasefire violations made by Pakistani troops at the LoC reaching a record 17-year high. According to a report tabled in the Parliament on the first day of the Monsoon Session, 3,186 ceasefire violations by the Pakistan Army have been reported this year along the Indo-Pak border from January 1 and September 7. Besides this, 242 incidents of cross-border firing took place at the international border during the said period. This comes a day after it was reported that China has been moving ahead with its expansion plan as fibre cables have now been seen to the south of Pangong Tso lake in the Himalayan region of Ladakh. Reuters quoted a senior government official as saying that such cables would provide forward troops with secure lines of communication to bases in the area. Another official said that there had been no significant withdrawals or reinforcements on either side since the foreign ministers of the two countries met last week It is as tense as earlier," he added. Indian intelligence agencies had spotted similar cables to the north of the Pangong Tso lake around a month ago, the second government official said. The first Indian government official said the authorities were alerted to such activity after satellite imagery showed unusual lines in the sand of the high-altitude deserts to the south of Pangong Tso. Amid these developments, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is set to make a statement in Parliament on Tuesday on the continuing standoff, sources said. The address would assume significance in the backdrop of demands made by the Opposition for a debate on the issue. The record ceasefire violations by the Pakistan Army coupled with recent aggressions by Chinese troops deepened the threat of a two-front war for India. The possibility of collusion between China and its all-weather ally Pakistan to keep Indias border on boil cannot be ruled out given how Beijing has staunchly defended Islamabad on a range of issues. Most recently, China lauded Pakistans record in fighting terrorism, saying its ally has made tremendous efforts and sacrifices, countering calls by India that Islamabad must ensure that its territory is not used for terror activities. India and China are embroiled in a tense standoff in eastern Ladakh which erupted in May and triggered a massive military build-up by both sides in almost all friction points along the LAC, the de-facto border between the two countries. Both countries have reached a five-point consensus to resolve the four-month-long military standoff in eastern Ladakh, agreeing to quickly disengage" troops, avoid any action that could escalate tensions and take steps to restore peace along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). IT was the day the Government was going to level with us. About the levels. And level-headed viewers who tuned in to the live TV broadcast from Dublin hoped to hear the details. There were none. Instead Micheal Martin, Leo Varadkar and Stephen Donnelly turned up 10 minutes late and gave three individual speeches. In none of them was there information about the levels, other than mention by the Taoiseach that the whole country is at Level 2. Dublin will have some additional measures, although this wont be Level 3, and of course they didnt like suggestions from the media that it amounted to Level 2-and-a-half. The speeches were full of guff, along with obligatory praise of frontline workers, and our ongoing national sacrifice, also known as the wonderful spirit of the Irish people. Boris Johnson is the hate figure of the hour, but he would have rocked up to the Downing Street lectern and delivered what the levels meant in five minutes. In the UK they have a Rule of Six, which is at least memorable. The citizens of Ireland were given five levels, oh and four Ws. Leo Varadkar threw in this unhelpful addition. In Dublin, we should Welcome no more than one household to our own, Wash our hands, Watch our distance, Wear a facemask. The other key level that of Government communications was once more abysmal. Incoherent, said Sinn Fein TD David Cullinane, analysing afterwards on RTE. We dont need Trump-like statements, we need clear statements. Dublin had been left in a limbo between Levels 2 and 3, he said. The overall plan was not easily explainable and people needed a simple message. Read More Labour TD Ged Nash said he had expected more clarity but instead weve got confusion. Dublin was at 2.5 on a 5.5-point plan, he complained. Solidarity/People Before Profit TD Brid Smith said the Taoiseach had been blustery. RTE anchor Caitriona Perry may have sounded partisan but was only telling the truth when she said: Most of the information is online, it didnt come out there in the press conference at all. Ah, online one might expect Covid Levels Plan in Full as a big button on gov.ie, the Government website. This is what a level-headed person would do. Instead you have to go to the site and on to the tab marked Covid-19 (Coronavirus) and then hey, presto you reach six yellow boxes, about things like symptoms and social welfare. Tip: Its the middle box in the top row, the one with the squiggling image of Ireland, saying Plan for living with Covid-19 and making sure not to have the word Level in its title. That would be too simple. Only in here (while having to scroll down) youll be able to see the five levels in detail. Not that you will find the current situation for the capital city and most populous county anywherebecause Dublin has been aerosolised and left hanging in the air somewhere between Levels 2 and 3. But in a nutshell no wet pubs opening in Dublin for the foreseeable, and only one household (maximum six) visiting your own address. And limit your travel outside the region. Why couldnt they have said that? Why did the Taoiseach talk instead about schools, unemployment, the 600m extra for the health service this winter, and the dreaded Woga or whole-of-Government approach? Why did Leo muck around with his four Ws? And Stephen Donnelly tell us about Chapter 1 and the nation now being in Chapter 2? What happened to the levels? Were all doing our level best, but this Government urgently needs a clarity vaccine to banish its groan advice. A bug in Joe Bidens official campaign app may have exposed the personal information of millions of Americans, according to security researcher the App Analyst. One of the features of the Vote Joe app allows users to sync their phones contact list with the software to see if their friends and family have registered to vote in the upcoming presidential election. When it finds a match, the app displays the persons name, their approximate age and birthday, as well as a list of the recent elections they voted in. The data is provided by TargetSmart, a company that claims to have information on approximately 191 million American voters. The idea here is that Biden supporters will use the feature to leverage their existing network in support of their candidate. However, the App Analyst found they could use that same feature to get the software to share someones personal information simply by creating a contact in their phone with that persons full name. While someone could get some of that same information through other means, the Vote Joe app trivialized obtaining it (among other issues, the software also doesnt require users to verify their email). Moreover, the App Analyst found Vote Joe pulls in more data than it displays through its user interface, including what seems like a guess on TargetSmarts part whether a person voted for the Democratic or Republican presidential candidate in a particular election. The Biden campaign says it fixed the bug on Friday when it rolled out an update for the app. We were made aware about how our third-party app developer was providing additional fields of information from commercially available data that was not needed, a spokesperson for the campaign told TechCrunch. We worked with our vendor quickly to fix the issue and remove the information. We are committed to protecting the privacy of our staff, volunteers and supporters and will always work with our vendors to do so. Notably, the campaigns website reveals its hiring a cybersecurity analyst, in addition to a cybersecurity manager. As TechCrunch notes, this isnt the first time data from TargetSmart may have leaked online. In 2017, a cache of nearly every registered voter in Alaska, totaling approximately 600,000 individuals, was exposed through a server misconfiguration by a third-party firm that had access to the data. That information is something that state-sponsored hackers could use to sway an election. Its also not a hypothetical threat either. Microsoft recently warned that Russia, China and Iran are actively trying to interfere in the 2020 elections. The company said the majority of attacks on both the Joe Biden and Donald Trump campaigns had failed, but that hasnt stopped those groups from continuing their efforts. WASHINGTON, Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Association of Black Cardiologists (ABC) is excited to bring its 11th Annual "Spirit of the Heart" Awards Gala and Fundraiser "to your home" on Saturday, October 17, 2020, at 7:00 pm EST for the first time as a virtual event! The Association's highest priority is keeping participants, supporters and the community safe and healthy as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve. Transitioning this signature program to a virtual format helps ensure safety, while raising critically needed funds to advance ABC's mission and comprehensive programs of education, research, and advocacy. The Association of Black Cardiologists (ABC) is excited to bring its 11th Annual Spirit of the Heart Awards Gala & Fundraiser to your home on Saturday, October 17, 2020, at 7:00 pm EST for the first time as a virtual event! Our Mistress of Ceremonies, Sunny Hostin from The View (ABC talk show) will celebrate this fun-filled, inspirational evening with you, along with the Legendary Award Winning Actor, Lou Gossett Jr., and a musical performance by Actress & Musical Artist, Vanessa Williams. This annual event also celebrates individual and organizational accomplishments that align with ABC's mission to advance health equity and eliminate cardiovascular disparities in African Americans and other vulnerable subgroups. In recognition of the COVID-19 pandemic response and recovery efforts, the ABC will pay tribute to the faces of health care workers on the front lines. As part of its longstanding commitment to building a diverse talent pipeline, the ABC will spotlight the 2020 graduates, young investigators and recipients of scholarships for medical students and COVID-19 innovation awards. The future is bright, so join us to experience the healing power of lifting others up and investing in individuals, families, and communities served by these professionals. ABC CEO Cassandra McCullough states: "We appreciate your generosity and look forward to welcoming all attendees to our 2020 awards program and fundraiser. It is more vital than ever that communities unite to end COVID-19, vanquish heart disease and stroke and advocate for policies that address health and social inequalities, and the basic principles of social justice." Our Mistress of Ceremonies, Sunny Hostin from "The View" (ABC talk show) will celebrate this fun-filled, inspirational evening with you, along with the Legendary Award Winning Actor, Lou Gossett Jr., and a musical performance by Actress & Musical Artist, Vanessa Williams. The evening will also offer an opportunity to bid in the gala's silent auction or win spectacular prizes in a one-of-a-kind raffle. Tickets are now available at www.abcardioevents.org. For more information, contact MGPG Events, Inc. by email at [email protected] or by phone at (312) 454-6100. About the Association of Black Cardiologists Founded in 1974, the ABC is a nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating disparities related to cardiovascular disease and achieving health equity such that all people can live long healthy lives. Membership is open to all interested in the care of people with or at risk for cardiovascular disease, including health professionals, lay members of the community (Community Health Advocates), corporate and institutional members. Today, the ABC's public and private partnerships continue to increase our impact in communities across the nation. The Association is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians SOURCE Association of Black Cardiologists Related Links http://www.abcardioevents.org The fires consuming the forests of California and Oregon and darkening the skies over San Francisco and Portland are also damaging a regional economy already singed by the coronavirus outbreak. Wildfires are destroying property, running up huge losses for property insurers and putting a strain on economic activity along the West Coast that could linger for a year or more. The credit rating agency A.M. Best estimates that insured losses from the blazes in California could top the unprecedented $13 billion recorded in 2017 when the state was hit by three of the five costliest fires in U.S. history. We know that the damage is widespread, but we dont really know how many homes, how many structures have been destroyed, said Adam Kamins, an economist who tracks natural disasters for Moodys Analytics. I imagine the number is going to be an unbearably high one. The fires are unlikely to make much of a dent in the overall $20 trillion U.S. economy. The financial fallout will be measured in the low billions of dollars, not in hundreds of billions or trillions. To make a nationwide impact, Kamins said, it would take something like Hurricane Katrina in 2005, which disrupted oil supplies. But the economic pain will be intense in areas decimated by fire, especially poor towns in rural Oregon and California, piling on at a time when many businesses have already succumbed to the pandemic-induced recession. U.S. economic activity collapsed at a record 31.7% annual pace from April through June. The virus and the steps meant to contain it have thrown millions of Americans out of work. Fire wiped out much of the small community of Phoenix, in southern Oregon, including downtown businesses like La Tapatia, a Mexican restaurant opened in 1992. Good places like our own La Tapatia, but so many other family run businesses, (were) destroyed by the massive fire, its owners informed patrons in a Facebook post, adding there was lots to do but they hoped to some day reopen. Five hours away in coastal Lincoln City, Oregon, the Autobahn 101 survived, but the couple who own the German-style pub lost their home, their chickens and nearly all of their personal belongings to fire. They sleep in a back room of the roadside business. The pub had already scaled back hours because of the pandemic, but co-owner Roy Baker was optimistic about its future and still has dreams of opening a small brewery inside a shipping container out back. Were getting back on our feet, said Baker, who temporarily reopened Sunday after rewiring the pubs electricity and discarding food that spoiled after days without power. Everybodys coming together and helping each other. The Bakers were among thousands of Oregonians who evacuated; dozens are missing and feared dead. In California, nearly 17,000 firefighters are battling 29 major wildfires. Since mid-August the blazes have destroyed 4,100 buildings and killed 24 people in the state. Fires have engulfed 3.3 million acres of land in California this year desolation greater in size than Connecticut. This is like living through an apocalypse, said Sarah Trubnick from San Francisco, where smoke from the fires has blotted out the sun. Trubnick had to temporarily close her restaurant and wine bar, the Barrel Room, in the citys financial district two weeks ago because of the pandemic. Even her restaurateur friends who managed to stay open are now struggling with smoke that makes outdoor seating impossible. Its like every day is something new, she said. Wildfires once did little economic damage because they occurred in remote forests. But Americans increasingly have moved into what was once wilderness, leaving themselves, and their homes and businesses more vulnerable. In 2014, Max Nielsen-Pincus, chair of the environmental science and management department at Portland State University, and researchers from the University of Oregon and the U.S. Forest Service studied the economic impact of wildfires. They found the fires actually generated short-term economic gains in small communities as firefighters checked into local hotels and ate at local restaurants. Local laborers cleared roads and helped rebuild. But such economic bumps are usually short-lived. By spring, affected economies typically lost momentum and fell into a period of slower growth that could last up to 18 months. Tourism could suffer because visitors may not want to return fearing a blackened landscape, according to the paper published in the journal Forest Policy and Economics. And economic activity such as logging can be wiped out. Rebuilding can kick start a local economy, but a lack of resources to see those plans through can lead to a period of limbo. Urban areas like the suburbs of Portland theyll probably recover pretty quickly, Nielsen-Pincus said in an interview. But these rural communities that are impacted by nearby fires this could be a drag on their economy that lasts months or years. He said poor rural communities, like those in Oregons hard-hit Santiam Canyon east of Salem, will need federal and state aid. The number of wildfires declared disasters by the Federal Emergency Management Agency has grown in recent years. FEMA, for instance, declared 43 California wildfires disasters from 1980 to 1999 but 300 from 2000 to 2019. Oregon had no such wildfires from 1980 to 1999 but 63 over the past 20 years, according to FEMA data analyzed by the insurance website QuoteWizard. Only a fraction of wildfires are designated disasters by FEMA. All five of the costliest fires in U.S. history, measured by insured losses, have occurred in the last three years, all in California, according to the Insurance Information Institute. That includes the November 2018 Camp Fire that destroyed Paradise, California, and left more than 80 people dead and up to $10.7 billion in insured losses. ___ AP Business Writer Matt OBrien contributed to this report. ANN ARBOR, MI A bank robbery suspect was arrested Monday afternoon after crashing his getaway vehicle in an Ann Arbor neighborhood and trying to runaway on foot, police say. Police were called at 1:24 p.m. Monday, Sept. 14, to a Key Bank branch, 2225 Washtenaw Ave., in Ypsilanti Township for a reported robbery at gunpoint, according to the Washtenaw County Sheriffs Office. Arriving officers spotted the suspects vehicle fleeing the scene and pursued it west towards Ann Arbor, police said. The suspect crashed near Turnberry Lane and fled on foot in the neighborhood near Scarlett Middle School, close to the crash, but was quickly located and arrested without further incident, police said. The suspect was taken to the Washtenaw County Jail to await charges while police remained at the bank and crash scene to investigate and collect remaining evidence, police said. The Ann Arbor Police Department, Ypsilanti Police Department, Pittsfield Township Department of Public Safety assisted at the scene. More from The Ann Arbor News: Ann Arbor council rehashes drama before choosing Tom Crawford as next city administrator Glazier Way, Green Road closing in Ann Arbor for resurfacing Liberty Street to close in downtown Ann Arbor for DDA project Neighbouring Lithuania violated international law when it recognised opposition politician Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya as Belarusian leader on Sept. 10, Belarus' upper house of parliament said in a statement on Tuesday. It said this move by Lithuania went "beyond the scope of common sense" and accused Vilnius of blatantly interfering in its internal affairs. Embattled Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko secured a $1.5 billion loan for Minsk at a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday after five weeks of mass protests demanding his resignation. Search Keywords: Short link: A US suspect left his good luck behind when he abandoned a winning lottery ticket while fleeing sheriffs officers. Cherokee County Sheriffs Office said the man had a Georgia Lottery scratchcard worth $100 when he ran away during a traffic stop on Interstate 75 on Monday. In a Facebook post, officers offered their congratulations and invited him to claim the ticket at a station in Canton, about 40 miles north of Atlanta. The man, who was not identified, was later taken into custody, Captain Jay Baker told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Mr Baker said the man was a passenger in a vehicle that was pulled over for a licence plate violation, and he ran into nearby woods. The lottery ticket was in a backpack that also contained methamphetamine, according to Mr Baker. The man can have the lottery ticket back, but the sheriffs office said it will keep the drugs. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 15) A teachers group is worried that the lack of comprehensive health program from the Department of Education will cause a COVID-19 outbreak among teachers as the new school year opens. Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) Secretary General Raymond Basilio said in a CNN Philippines interview on Tuesday that this is one of the biggest challenges that they see concerning the opening of classes in October. Ang nakikita nating uusbong na problema talaga ay yung walang komprehensibong health program ang Department of Education para tiyakin na ligtas ang ating mga guro. he said. [Translation: The problem we see is the lack of comprehensive health program by the Department of Education to ensure the safety of our teachers.] According to Basilio, DepEd did not conduct a screening in June to make sure that teachers are healthy and fit to work. Basilio stressed that teachers still have face-to-face encounters among themselves and even parents as they distribute the modules to be used by the students. This puts them at a higher risk. Pag nagpatuloy ito by October 5, ay baka magkaroon pa ng outbreak dahil sabay-sabay papasok yung mga teachers natin. [Translation: If this will continue by October 5, there might be an outbreak among teachers as they go back to school.] He also claimed that DepEd does not extend further help to teachers who get infected by the virus. As of August, there have been 340 teachers and 186 non-teaching personnel from the Department of Education who have contracted COVID-19. Already rejected in one Lehigh Valley township over COVID-19 concerns, a local GOP event featuring the McCloskeys, the couple facing charges after going viral over photos showing them aiming weapons at Black Lives Matter protesters in their St. Louis neighborhood, is now slated to be held in a Lower Saucon Township park pavilion instead. The Northampton County Republican Committee says Mark and Patricia McCloskey are scheduled to talk Thursday evening about the Second Amendment, rights to protect self and property, and drum up support for President Donald Trump ahead of the November presidential election. These people are real, Gloria Lee Snover, who chairs the county party committee, told lehighvalleylive.com. They have an experience, they have a story to tell. The event will now be held in Lower Saucon Townships Town Hall Park pavilion from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. It had originally been planned in Palmer Township on the same date and time, but that township last week rejected the event over fears the publicity would push the attendance beyond 250 people, the limit Pennsylvania has put on public gatherings during this stage of the coronavirus pandemic. A pair of Northampton County GOP Facebook posts last Friday blamed the rejection on radical progressive Democrats and cancel culture, but said it had a Plan B all along, which turned out to be Lower Saucon. In fact, Snover told lehighvalleylive.com that there was a Plan C ready in case their backup in Lower Saucon also fell through. You never know whats going to happen, she said. Lower Saucon received the GOPs pavilion application on Sept. 10, one day before Palmer Township publicly rejected the event. In the Lower Saucon application, the party committee estimated 100 people will attend. Snover said it may end up between 125 and 150, but added that she does not expect a crowd anywhere near the 250-person state-imposed limit. If the audience is larger than expected, Snover said people can spread out in the park. Lower Saucons township administrator, Leslie Huhn, said the application to use the pavilion was processed in the normal course of business. The matter does not appear on the township councils Wednesday meeting agenda and Huhn said she has seen no indication that it would be brought up. The McCloskeys made national headlines after a June standoff outside their St. Louis mansion, when the couple brandished an AR-15-style rifle and handgun at Black Lives Matter protesters who were marching to the mayors house nearby. The McCloskeys, both attorneys who were charged with felony weapons offenses for the confrontation, got prime time speaking roles during the Republican National Convention. (Nine protesters also have been cited for trespassing.) Northampton County is an especially important county in the 2020 presidential election, one that could tip Pennsylvanias crucial Electoral College votes go Trump or Democratic challenger Joe Biden. A century of election returns shows Northampton backing the winning national candidate all but three times. The county voted for President Barack Obama twice before flipping for Trump in 2016. The latest RealClearPolitics polling average for Pennsylvania shows Biden leading Trump by 4.3 percentage points. This is one in a series of stories that are part of Swing County, Swing State, a collaborative project between lehighvalleylive.com and nj.com that explores Northampton Countys critical role in the upcoming presidential election. The project is being generously supported in part by a $25,000 grant from The John Farmer Memorial Journalism Fund. Read more about it here. And please consider supporting ambitious local news like this with a subscription to lehighvalleylive.com. Steve Novak may be reached at snovak@lehighvalleylive.com. John Boyega has stepped down from his role as a global ambassador for perfume brand Jo Malone after the company cut the black actor from the Chinese version of an aftershave advert he helped create. The Star Wars actor, 28, said the fragrance firm's decision was 'wrong,' writing on Twitter that while he accepted companies use different representatives around the world, 'dismissively trading out one's culture this way is not something I can condone'. Jo Malone had earlier apologised after removing Boyega, best known for playing Finn in the Star Wars films, from the advert, which has since been removed. In a statement announcing he was stepping down from his ambassadorial role, Boyega said: 'Their decision to replace my campaign in China by using my concepts and substituting a local brand ambassador for me, without either my consent or prior notice, was wrong. The film celebrated my personal story- showcasing my hometown, including my friends and featuring my family. 'While many brands understandably use a variety of global and local ambassadors , dismissively trading out one's culture this way is not something I can condone.' The British star came up with the idea for the original advert, which shows him enjoying time with his friends and family where he grew up in Peckham, south London. The Star Wars actor, 28, said the fragrance firm's decision was 'wrong,' writing on Twitter that while he accepted companies use different representatives around the world, 'dismissively trading out one's culture this way is not something I can condone' Jo Malone has apologised to the black British star John Boyega for cutting him out of an advert when it was remade for the Chinese market Boyega in his Jo Malone advert. In the Chinese version he was replaced by actor Liu Hoaran Mr Boyega also directed the advert, based around his personal experiences, for the scented candle brand, titled London Gent. But in China the advert was recast without any black actors. Instead it features Chinese actor Liu Hoaran in Mr Boyega's starring role. Jo Malone has now apologised to Mr Boyega, saying it was a 'mistake' to try and replicate his personal experiences using a different actor. The company said in a statement: 'We deeply apologise for what on our end was a mistake in the local execution of the John Boyega campaign. 'John is a tremendous artist with great personal vision and direction. The concept for the film was based on John's personal experiences and should not have been replicated.' Boyega's advert, which he directed and appeared in, featured him riding a white horse By the time the advert reached screens in China, a local actor replaced the Star Wars actor All the black cast members were replaced when the advert was recast and remade for the Chinese audience Liu Hoaran gazing at a bottle of perfume in the Chinese version of the advert John Boyega originally conceived for the brand The company said that while it 'immediately took action' and removed the local version of the campaign, 'we recognise that this was painful and that offence was caused'. It added: 'We respect John, and support our partners and fans globally. We are taking this misstep very seriously and we are working together as a brand to do better moving forward.' Mr Boyega, who is a global ambassador for Jo Malone, did not know about the recasting of the Chinese advert and only found out about it on Twitter, according to the Hollywood Reporter. Mr Boyega, 28, also directed the advert, based around his personal experiences, for the scented candle brand, titled London Gent The actor has previously said of the advert: 'There are several people in this video that have either given me a place to stay in LA while I haven't had one or just have been consistent in our friendship for years. 'It's about breaking free of the concept of 'going back or returning to your roots', but more about the roots existing with this new side of my life.' He has been minimised in Chinese marketing material before. In 2015, the Chinese poster for the new Star Wars film featured a much smaller version of his character Finn compared with the original. The actor has recently spoken out about the racism he experienced after taking the Star Wars role. Referring to a social media campaign to boycott the films because of his casting, he said: 'I'm the only cast member who had their own unique experience of that franchise based on their race... it makes you angry with a process like that.' A visualization of a supercomputer simulation of merging black holes sending out gravitational waves. Credit: NASA/C. Henze Researchers could detect more mergers of black holes and neutron stars with plans for a new flagship gravitational wave observatory in Europe moving a step closer. A proposal has been submitted for the inclusion of the Einstein Telescope (ET) in the European Strategic Forum for Research Infrastructures (ESFRI) roadmap, which would enable the observation of the entire Universe through gravitational waves. ET is a proposed ground-based gravitational wave detector which will be able to test Einstein's general theory of relativity and realize precision gravitational wave astronomy. Professor Stuart Reid, Head of the department of Biomedical Engineering at Strathclyde, is the appointed Co-chair of Optics for ET. He is the only UK-member of the Instrument Science Board for ET and is responsible for the mirror technology that forms the heart of the proposed infrastructure. This is based on Strathclyde's internationally leading role in the fabrication of extreme performance laser coatings, which is carried out in partnership with the Institute for Gravitational Research at the University of Glasgow and associated colleagues in the University of the West of Scotland. Black holes Professor Reid said: "Future gravitational-wave observatories such as the proposed ET mean researchers could detect more mergers of black holes and neutron stars, allow us to map out how the expansion of the Universe, and observe entirely new events. The unique triangular shape will provide more information from the astrophysical signals, pinpoint the sources better on the sky, and will push scientific understanding of how matter and gravity behave by testing Einstein's theory of gravity in strong gravitational fields." The forum plays a key role in policy-making on Research Infrastructures in Europe and the design of ET has been supported by European Commission grants and a consortium of around 40 research institutions and universities across Europe, which has officially submitted the proposal. Undergound tunnels The observatory will require 30km of underground tunnels, forming a triangular shape, and will use lasers to measure the stretching-and-squeezing of spacetime from massive and violent astrophysical events. ET would build on the scientific achievements of Advanced Virgo in Europe and Advanced LIGO in the U.S. in the last five years. It began with the first direct detection of gravitational waves in September of 2015 and continued in August 2017 when the gravitational waves emitted by two coalescing neutron stars were observed. The recent observation by Advanced Virgo and Advanced LIGO of the merging of two stellar black holes to create one 142 times more massive than the Sun, announced on 2nd September 2020, demonstrated the existence of such previously unknown objects in our Universe. To fully exploit the potential, a new generation of observatories is needed and ET would enable scientists to detect any coalescence of two intermediate-mass black holes in the entire universe and help understand its evolution. Two sites for ET, which is hoped to be operational by the mid 2030s, are being evaluated, the Euregio Meuse-Rhine, at the borders of Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands, and in Sardinia, Italy, with a decision expected within the next five years. Explore further Scientists reveal a lost eight billion light years of universe evolution Hong Kong ended its two-week mass testing programme on Monday to report that at least 32 Covid-19 carriers had been identified overall among a quarter of the population who voluntarily took part, as some experts suggested the screening had not been as effective as hoped. Hours before the Beijing-backed programme came to an end on Monday night, health authorities confirmed 14 new infections, six of them uncovered through the screening, prompting warnings of a possible resurgence of cases amid easing social-distancing rules and potential complacency. A total of 1.78 million people were tested and the final number of coronavirus carriers identified through the controversial programme will be announced later this week. Get the latest insights and analysis from our Global Impact newsletter on the big stories originating in China. Social-distancing rules have been eased. Photo: Bloomberg Looking at the [turnout] after 14 days, I feel that it has met our target, said Secretary for the Civil Service Patrick Nip Tak-kuen, who was in charge of the scheme. Now that the programme has ended, Nip said, the government will focus on testing high-risk groups. The new infections on Monday pushed the tally to 4,971. A 77-year-old man died, taking the number of related fatalities to 101. Before the mass screening started on September 1, health minister Professor Sophia Chan Siu-chee said she expected 4 to 5 million people to participate. But Hong Kongs leader, Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor, later said the government had not set a turnout target. Last month, Lam estimated there were about 1,500 invisible Covid-19 carriers in the city of about 7.5 million people. Medical experts said that while the programme had indeed identified some Covid-19 cases, it was not conducted at the best time as the number of infections had already fallen when the screening started. Another problem, they said, was that it took three to four days for participants to get their results so they could have been spreading the virus as they waited. Story continues There was a downward trend of cases [when the scheme started], and therefore fewer infections were identified, said Professor David Hui Shu-cheong from Chinese University. The public also felt they had lower risk and thus fewer people went for the test. At a daily coronavirus briefing on Monday, the Centre for Health Protections Dr Chuang Shuk-kwan defended the scheme, saying: The universal community testing programme can help us find some of the silent cases which otherwise may not be found because some are asymptomatic and are not from the high-risk groups. Asked if the government would organise another mass screening, she said the scheme had been a one-off because it was not easy to organise such a large-scale testing programme. We have other venues, for example, the general outpatient clinics that are also distributing specimen bottles for those who want to get tested, she added. Before the programme started, opposition figures and some medical critics had cast doubts on its cost effectiveness and feared that participants data would be sent across the border, claims the authorities repeatedly rejected. Qiu Hong, deputy head of Beijings liaison office in Hong Kong, said the motherland would always be Hong Kongs strongest supporter. The city had to be able to defeat the outbreak and recover, she said. Among the 14 new infections, two were imported: a domestic worker arriving from the Philippines and another woman from India. Three cases were of unknown origin. Three new patients had dined at the Do Shing Restaurant in Tuen Mun regularly, sparking worries of a small outbreak linked to the eatery. Two of them, a couple, did not know the third patient. More than 30 specimen bottles would be distributed to staff while the restaurant, which remained closed for now, would be sanitised. Respiratory medicine specialist Dr Leung Chi-chiu warned that the number of coronavirus cases in the city could rebound as civil servants and students returned to work and school. He said the Mid-Autumn Festival holiday on October 1 might also lead to more people heading outside, following the relaxation of social-distancing measures. There appears to be a slight upwards trend in the number of cases [over] the past two days, perhaps caused by another wave of pandemic fatigue, he told a morning radio show. I think some people who received a negative result through the mass testing scheme have rushed out, particularly this past weekend. The reopening of schools may cause a rise in infection numbers, an expert says. Photo: Jonathan Wong Leung said the next two weeks would be a key turning point, and added that with civil servants returning to their offices, and children going back to school, there could be an increase in infections between different families. Simon Wong Ka-wo, president of the Hong Kong Federation of Restaurants and Related Trades, said the relaxation of social-distancing rules, which allowed public gatherings of up to four people, had helped the trade. Since Friday, business in the evening obviously picked up, increasing to about 80 per cent compared to before the pandemic, and even retail has been better, Wong said. Even areas in the New Territories have seen crowds. However, he noted the increase in numbers had also meant restaurants were taking fewer preventive measures. Not all restaurants managed to take temperatures for all their customers, while large groups separated into two tables would still talk to each other, he said. I hope businesses do not break the social-distancing rules just to make money before the pandemic is under control, he said. More from South China Morning Post: This article Hong Kongs two-week mass testing scheme ends with at least 32 Covid-19 carriers identified overall first appeared on South China Morning Post For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2020. This franchise profile gives key insight into the Nothing Bundt Cakes with a mention of key takeaways as a conclusion. The profile provides a consolidated and up to date information about the company, including the financial performance and/or number of stores owned and franchised by it. Request For Report Sample@ https://www.trendsmarketresearch.com/report/sample/11703 Report Scope: The scope of this franchise profile report is precise and covers the companys background along with its present performance in the market. The major sections of the profile include: overview, products offered, recent developments and strategies undertaken, challenges faced, business strategy and analysis, and financial information. The report also includes revenue forecasts, presence of franchisee stores, market forecasts and key people of the company. The report concludes with any other important information about the company and key takeaways. Report Includes: An overview of the franchise profile on Nothing Bundt Cakes Insights into recent developments, key takeaways, business strategy, franchise cost analysis, along with growth forecast by revenue Snapshot of major company events since its inception Tabular form of company offered food items by product category Information on total number of franchises present and states with the maximum number of franchises Get Complete TOC with Tables and Figures@ https://www.trendsmarketresearch.com/report/discount/11703 Summary Nothing Bundt Cakes was founded in 1997 in Las Vegas, Nev. by Debra Shwetz and Dena Tripp. The company has a presence in the United States and Canada, with 292 bakeries operating as of February 2019 and another 13 franchises signed and expected to be operational by the end of 2019. The company is looking to sign more franchises across the United States in 2019. The company is well -known for its handcrafted recipes, ingredient mix and the imaginative decorations. The company adopted a franchise model in 2007 and in 2008 opened its first franchise in Poway, Calif. In the last decade the company has expanded its franchise business to over 292 branches across the United States and Canada. We started Nothing Bundt Cakes with the goal of providing the highest quality cakes to guests with exceptional service Dena Tripp, co-founder of Nothing Bundt Cakes. <<>> https://www.trendsmarketresearch.com/report/covid-19-analysis/11703 Having SPM full time as part of our marketing mix will be a great asset for our bakery owners as we continue to grow nationally Steve McGehee, chief marketing officer, Nothing Bundt Cakes. My father spent more than 40 years as a lawyer helping people fight for justice. Justice was the animating motivation of his life and why, when he first heard the story of a young Thurgood Marshall being sent by the NAACP Legal Defense Fund to defend a Black chauffeur accused of raping a white woman in Bridgeport, he was instantly hooked. Determined to bring the powerful story to life and undaunted by the fact that he knew nothing about screenwriting or Hollywood, he enlisted the help of my brother, a writer, to develop the characters and scenes outside of court. Five years later, he was on the film set of Marshall watching a young Chadwick Boseman bring his words to life. Just as it was unlikely that a no-longer-young attorney would become a first-time screenwriter, so too was it unusual that a largely unknown actor would wrench such a coveted role from the small cadre of Black actors who had overcome the storied prejudice of Hollywood to become household names. But that is exactly what Chadwick Boseman did. My dad told me that Chadwick was thrilled to land the part, but he had one reservation. He wanted to make sure that the Marshall family felt comfortable with him portraying the legendary jurist. At the time, Boseman was not well-known and looked nothing like the particularly light-skinned Marshall. So, he arranged to meet with Marshalls family to seek their approval. As my father recounted, the family was overwhelmed by Chadwicks thoughtfulness and humility. They told Boseman that what he looked like outside didnt matter to them because he was clearly just like their Thurgood on the inside. My parents spent about six weeks on set in Buffalo later that year as the movie was filmed. They recalled that Chadwick was quiet, seemingly introspective and often didnt join some of the cast and crew socialization after a long day of filming. It seems quite possible now that he was privately dealing with the nightmare diagnosis of terminal cancer. Of course, he then went on to film other movies, including Black Panther, while battling his disease. It is hard to wrap your head around how difficult it must have been to keep separate the two demanding worlds he was living in. While his acting skills and inner strength helped him identify with the role and made Marshalls family so comfortable with him, it does bear mentioning that Chadwicks good looks didnt hurt matters any. In fact, at the New York City premiere of the movie, I had the honor of sitting next to Thurgood Marshalls second wife, to whom he was married when he died. She was wonderfully complimentary of Bosemans performance but did take care to add that the young man who played my husband, he is a very handsome young man not as handsome as my Thurgood, though. One of the aspects of Thurgood Marshalls story that attracted my father was Marshalls power to confront hardship with humility, courage and perseverance. My father would return to these themes often in court and his final arguments to juries were legendary for harnessing this power and capturing the universality of the human condition in describing the shattering effects of loss. It is now painfully clear that Chadwick Boseman was, in many ways, courageously confronting those exact same emotions and yet managed to be not only stunningly good at his day job but so wonderfully considerate of others even while fighting for his life. About a year after Marshalls successful run in theaters, my father was diagnosed with Stage IV cancer; he passed away six months later. From the moment he was diagnosed, he found comfort in expressing gratitude for his own full life and reflecting on the lives of others less fortunate than he had been but who similarly faced challenges with humility, courage and perseverance. We are now learning from reporting on Chadwick Bosemans death about the battles that he fought in life. It is clear that it was not the superhuman strength he channeled in Black Panther that defined him, but his deeply human and charitable nature. Thurgood Marshalls family was right he was perfect for the role. Attorney Joshua D. Koskoff is a partner at the law firm Koskoff, Koskoff & Bieder. He can be reached at 203-336-4421 or jkoskoff@koskoff.com. The firm has offices in Bridgeport, New Haven and Danbury. OneBeacon Insurance Group said it has acquired International Bond & Marine Brokerage, Ltd., a privately held brokerage and risk management firm specializing in the international trade markets. IB&M will retain its brand and operate as a standalone brokerage, offering customs bonds, cargo, liability and other insurance coverages through its current select markets and now additionally through OneBeacon. IB&M, headed by Kevin Tattam, president, is based in Hoboken, New Jersey and has an office in Manhattan Beach, California. IB&M offers custom bonds, ATA carnet bonds, ocean transportation bonds; marine, E&O/freight legal liability, and business insurance; and a technology platform for logistics companies to manage their transactions. OneBeacon Insurance Group is the marketing brand for the insurance company subsidiaries of Intact Insurance Group USA LLC, a member of Intact Financial Corporation, the largest provider of property and casualty insurance in Canada, and a specialty insurance carrier in North America. Coverages for OneBeacon Insurance Group are underwritten by the following companies: Atlantic Specialty Insurance Co.; Homeland Insurance Company of New York; Homeland Insurance Company of Delaware; OBI America Insurance Co.; OBI National Insurance Co. or The Guarantee Company of North America USA. Source: OneBeacon Insurance Group Topics Mergers Agencies CANBERA (dpa-AFX) - The Australian dollar advanced against its major counterparts in the Asian session on Tuesday, as better-than-expected China retail sales and industrial production for August suggested sustained recovery in the world's second largest economy. Data from the National Bureau of Statistics showed that China's industrial production rose 5.6 percent on year in August. That beat expectations for an increase of 5.1 percent and was up sharply from the 4.8 percent gain in July. The retail sales advanced an annual 0.5 percent - also topping expectations for a flat reading after slipping 1.1 percent in the previous month. The minutes from the the Reserve Bank of Australia's September 1 meeting showed that the members judged that its unprecedented level of fiscal easing has played a key role in helping to sustain the Australian economy. The members added that they intend to maintain its highly accommodative stance as long as necessary. At the meeting, the RBA held the country's benchmark lending rate steady at the record low 0.25 percent but increased the size of the Term Funding Facility. Under the expanded Term Funding Facility, authorized deposit-taking institutions will have access to additional funding, equivalent to 2 percent of their outstanding credit, at a fixed rate of 25 basis points for three years. The aussie jumped to 0.7336 against the greenback, its biggest level since September 3. The aussie is seen finding resistance around the 0.75 level. The aussie spiked up to a 5-day high of 1.6219 against the euro and a 4-day high of 77.50 against the yen, from its early low of 1.6327 and 6-day low of 76.79, respectively. The next key resistance for the aussie is likely seen around 1.58 against the euro and 80.00 against the yen. The aussie advanced to nearly a 2-week high of 0.9639 against the loonie, compared to Monday's closing value of 0.9602. On the upside, 0.98 is likely seen as the next resistance level for the aussie. The aussie reached as high as 1.0911 against the kiwi and held steady in subsequent deals. The pair had ended Monday's trading at 1.0876. Looking ahead, German ZEW economic sentiment index for September is due in the European session. U.S. industrial production and export and import prices for August and New York Fed's empire manufacturing index for September will be released in the New York session. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de Venezuela's chief prosecutor on Monday said a US citizen recently arrested in the country as a suspected spy has been charged in an alleged terrorist plot to sabotage oil refineries and electrical service in order to stir unrest. The man, alleged to have CIA ties, had help from three Venezuelan conspirators, who were arrested with him last week near a pair of oil refineries on the country's north Caribbean coast, Venezuela's Chief Prosecutor Tarek William Saab said on state television. The office gave the US suspect's name as Matthew John Heath. Authorities said cellphones taken from the men when they were arrested last week include images of suspected targets, including a large bridge in Zulia state, military installations and dilapidated oil refineries in Falcon state. The prosecutor showed pictures of equipment allegedly seized from the group, including a grenade launcher, plastic explosives, a satellite phone and a bag of US dollars. Venezuelan authorities claim they seized a grenade launcher, a sub-machine gun, ammunition, and other equipment from four men - one American and three Venezuelan co-conspirators - who were allegedly trying to blow up an oil refinery The US national, who is alleged to have CIA ties, had help from three Venezuelan conspirators, who were arrested with him last week near a pair of oil refineries on the country's north Caribbean coast, Venezuela's Chief Prosecutor Tarek William Saab said on state television Venezuelan authorities said they seized communications equipment, cell phones, and other documents The four men are accused of targeting the Amuay and Cardon refineries - part of the massive Paraguana Refinery Complex on Venezuelas northern Caribbean coast. The above image shows a cell phone picture of one of the refineries 'Everything here could qualify as a lethal weapon designed to cause harm and to promote assassinations, crimes against the people of Venezuela,' said Saab, who also accused the man of planning to open a drug trafficking route through Venezuela. President Nicolas Maduro announced on Friday that an unnamed suspected U.S. spy had been captured, saying he was a Marine and former CIA operative in Iraq. Heath has been charged with terrorism, trafficking illegal weapons and conspiracy, authorities said. US authorities have not commented on the case. The Associated Press was unable to make immediate contact with Heath, an attorney or a relative representing him for comment on the accusations. The arrest surfaced as this nation, once wealthy from oil, has been gripped by a deep gasoline shortage that has sparked mile-long lines to fuel up, even in the capital of Caracas. Venezuela also struggles to provide electricity to residents, especially in Zulia state, once a major hub of the nation's vast oil production. Heath is accused of targeting the Amuay and Cardon refineries - part of the massive Paraguana Refinery Complex on Venezuelas northern Caribbean coast. However, the refineries have ceased producing gasoline, and Venezuela depends on shipments from Iran, despite having the world's largest oil reserves. He is accused of entering Venezuela illegally, the prosecutor said, adding that he didn't have a passport but rather had a copy of it hidden in one of his shoes. The three Venezuelans accused of conspiring with Heath include a military officer, Saab said. The investigation also landed the arrest of four other Venezuelans accused of helping him sneak into the country from Colombia, authorities said. Saab said Heath had worked in Iraq as a communications specialist three months each year from 2006 to 2016 for MVM Inc., a Virginia-based private security contracting company. MVM provided a statement to the AP saying that Heath is 'not currently an employee or contractor' with the firm. The US Marine Corps said it had a record of a man by the same name who served from 1999 to 2003, but it could not confirm that this was the same person detained in Venezuela. Military records showed the decorated Marine was a specialist in communication. This arrest follows a failed beach incursion in early May that landed two ex-Green Beret soldiers in a Venezuelan jail for allegedly participating in a failed attempt to overthrow the socialist government. The two former US special forces soldiers were arrested along with more than 80 rebel Venezuelan fighters who staged a failed beach attack called Operation Gideon aimed at arresting Maduro. Last month, two former Green Berets, Airan Berry (left) and Luke Denman (right), were sentenced to 20 years in prison by a court in Venezuela for their role in a failed coup attempt against President Nicolas Maduro. Venezuela's Attorney General Tarek William Saab holds a photo of bullets he says were seized with other weapons in connection with what the government calls a failed attack in May aimed at overthrowing Maduro The operation mounted from makeshift training camps in neighboring Colombia left several rebels dead. It was orchestrated by Jordan Goudreau, an American citizen and three-time Bronze Star recipient who served in Iraq and Afghanistan. The ex-Green Berets in Goudreau's force - Luke Denman Airan Berry Venezuela - have been sentenced to 20 years in prison. Authorities say the two men confessed to being part of the plot. While the Trump administration denied having anything to do with the bungled May incursion, Washington backs Venezuelan opposition politician Juan Guaido as the country's legitimate leader in place of Maduro. New Delhi, Sep 15 : Pakistan has decided to open up its defence industry for private sector participants with an aim to provide impetus to its indigenous manufacturing industries, sources said. It is coming up with new defence production and offset policies. Sources stated that Pakistan has sought help from Turkey, which is trying to elevate its status as an emerging power in the Middle East bloc, for investment in the defence sector. "Government of Pakistan is to issue a new Defence Production Policy with an aim of augmenting indigenous defence manufacturing," the source said. It is also preparing a Defence Offset Policy. The initial defence offset policy was formed in 2014. It was further stated that the "policy will allow private investment in defence research, development and manufacturing industry while granting greater autonomy to state-owned enterprises". Sources said that Pakistan's Ministry of Defence Production (MoDP) is also restructuring itself internally to make it more efficient and viable. It is also re-organising its prominent state-owned defence enterprises to give them greater independent control. Sources also stated that Pakistan wants to reduce dependence on foreign reliance, generate revenues, and increase job opportunities. The private sectors would be given opportunities in the defence manufacturing sector. Pakistan is also planning to rope in huge investments in this sector. To initially help Islamabad in defence production, Ankara is inking a deal with Pakistan's Ordinance Factory on urgent note to procure "unspecified quantity" of rifles, SMG (submachine gun)-PK, MP-5 assault rifles and G3S assault rifles. Earlier this year, Turkey President Recep Tayyip Erdogan made a two-day visit to Pakistan to strengthen their partnership in almost every field. The Turkish delegation with Erdogan consisted of investors, corporate industry heads and businessmen and ministers. During the visit, Erdogan made a remark on Jammu and Kashmir which was not well-taken by India. (Sumit Kumar Singh can be reached at sumit.k@ians.in) WASHINGTON American rapper Kanye West will appear as a presidential candidate on the November ballot in several states but not Connecticut. Gabe Rosenberg, communications director for Secretary of the State Denise Merrill, said neither West nor his campaign ever contacted the state elections office and the rapper missed the deadline to petition his way onto the ballot. West, who is running as a member of the Birthday Party, will be on the ballot in at least 12 states. The music mogul announced his presidential run on Twitter July 4. Its not the first time hes said he would run: he first declared his candidacy at the 2015 Video Music Awards, saying he would run in 2020. West filed paperwork to officially become a candidate in mid July. As of Aug. 31, his campaign has raised $11,472 and West loaned the campaign $6.7 million, Federal Election Commission filings show. He does not appear to have a campaign website, nor to be actively campaigning. Wests team did not respond to a request for comment Tuesday. 3 1 of 3 SAUL LOEB / AFP via Getty Images Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Evan Vucci/AP Show More Show Less 3 of 3 West, who has vocally supported President Donald Trump in the past, is believed to be running as a spoiler candidate to siphon votes from Democrat and former Vice President Joe Biden. Sporting a Make America Great Again Hat, West met with Trump in the Oval Office in 2018 for a wide ranging discussion on North Korea, his bipolar disorder, criminal justice reform and other topics. Wests 2020 quest to gain ballot access has been supported by Republicans in multiple states. West will be on the ballot in Colorado and Minnesota, two states with close margins in 2016. He will also appear on the ballots of Kentucky, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, Utah, Idaho, Iowa, Tennessee and Vermont. Last week, he gained access to the Mississippi ballot. A Wisconsin judge ruled Friday that West would not appear on the ballot in that state, upholding a decision by the bipartisan state elections board. But the ruling may be appealed to the state Supreme Court. West is appealing a decision from a Virginia judge to remove him from that states ballot after finding his campaign tricked some voters into helping him get on the ballot. emilie.munson@hearstdc.com; Twitter: @emiliemunson Joe Biden's campaign is turning its focus to Puerto Rican constituents this week, planning policy rollouts and in-person meetings as polls show his soft support with Hispanic voters in some crucial battleground states. Why it matters: Both sides are fighting in the lead-up to the election to split the Hispanic vote. President Trump is going for Cuban-American and Venezuelan-American voters, while Biden tries to appeal to the growing number of Puerto Ricans on the mainland. Puerto Ricans are U.S. citizens, but they're not allowed to vote in general elections if they live on the island. They become eligible to register and vote if they relocate elsewhere in the U.S. Biden leads Trump by 33 points with Puerto Rican voters in Florida, per an August survey of registered Latino voters in the state commissioned for Equis, a Democratic Latino research firm. Their polling also shows the president has a 17-point advantage among Cuban-Americans in Florida. The big picture: Democrats are targeting the hundreds of thousands of Puerto Ricans who've relocated to places like Florida and Pennsylvania after Hurricane Maria decimated the island in 2017. They're hoping to use Trump's handling of that natural disaster, his rhetoric about the island and its mayor, as well as COVID-19's disproportionate effect on the Latino community as part of their message. Meanwhile, a Trump campaign ad in Spanish shows videos of Biden and other Democrats side-by-side with communist or socialist dictators like Cuba's Fidel Castro or Venezuela's Hugo Chavez as a ploy to attract those voters who fled those governments. Driving the news: The Biden campaign released a "recovery, renewal, and respect for Puerto Rico" plan just before his Hispanic Heritage Month event in Florida on Tuesday evening. Biden's Florida visit his first since accepting the Democratic nomination for president included a stop in Kissimmee, a heavily Puerto Rican city in the Orlando area. "I am going to work like the devil to make sure I turn every Latino and Hispanic vote," Biden told reporters yesterday in Delaware. He added that his numbers with Latinos are much higher" than Trump's. "But they gotta go higher. The Democratic Party is buying cell phone data for U.S. residents with Puerto Rico's 787 area code to better target potential voters who've left the island. Tom Perez, the Democratic National Committee chairman, said on a Sunday call with senior Biden campaign officials and reporters that they've identified 80,000 numbers in Pennsylvania and 300,000 in Florida. Kamala Harris, the vice presidential nominee, met with Venezuelans whom Republicans are targeting by billing Democrats as "socialists" during her visit to Florida last week. Go deeper: Biden adviser on Hispanic vote: "We know we have work to do." The US on Monday blocked imports from four companies and a manufacturing facility in northwestern suspected of using forced labour from people detained as part of a sweeping crackdown on ethnic minorities in the region. Companies that ship clothing and other cotton goods, computer parts and hair products from the Xinjiang region were named in the order issued by US Customs and Border Protection. The manufacturing facility is a center where Uighurs and other minorities have been detained and compelled to produce goods for export to the US and elsewhere. Forced labour is an atrocious human rights abuse that is completely against the values that we all share," acting Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Mark Morgan said as he announced the orders halting the imports in a call with reporters. The US is considering a broader ban on cotton and textiles and tomatoes from Xinjiang but the new orders are a more limited step. Ken Cuccinelli, the acting deputy secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, said the Trump administration is still studying the more sweeping measure. The facility was identified as the Lop County No. 4 Vocational Skills Education and Training Center in Xinjiang, where CBP says it has information that reasonably indicates the use of prison labor to make hair products and other goods. In its orders, CBP named the Yili Zhuowan Garment Manufacturing Co, Ltd. and Baoding LYSZD Trade and Business Co., Ltd., which make clothing in Xinjiang. It also halted shipments from the Junggar Cotton and Linen Co, and Hefei Bitland Information Technology Co, which it says uses prison and forced labor to make computer parts. CBP did not identify any US companies that do business with the named entities. Chinese authorities have detained more than a million people from mostly Muslim ethnic groups that include Uighurs, Kazakhs and Kyrgyz in a vast network of detention centers as part of an assimilation campaign. has denied widespread and consistent reports of abuse and mistreatment of the Uighurs and other minorities, defending the campaign as an effort to crackdown on extremism and claiming the detention camps are for vocational and Chinese language training. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) https://www.aish.com/jw/s/Rosh-Hashanah-Dictionary.html Common Rosh Hashanah words and phrases to help get you through the holiday. Rosh Hashanah, the two-day Jewish holiday marking the New Year, is full of beautiful customs and traditions and more than a few Hebrew terms and prayers. Here is a handy list of common Rosh Hashanah terms and names to help get you through the holiday. Shana Tovah! (and its variations) Shana means year in Hebrew, and Tovah means good this is a standard Rosh Hashanah greeting. Before Rosh Hashanah, its customary to greet people with Ketiva VChatima Tovah a Good Inscription and Seal. On Rosh Hashanah itself many people LShana Tovah (A Good Year) Tikatev VTichatem (May you be inscribed and sealed). This reflects the idea that on Rosh Hashanah our fates are inscribed for the coming year, and on Yom Kippur ten days later, our fate is sealed. For a woman, this greeting is conjugated differently: LShanah Tovah Tikatevi VTichatemi. After Rosh HaShana, people say Gmar Chatima Tovah a good final seal (for a good year to come). Some people shorten this to the greeting Gmar Tov. Gmar Tov is used as a greeting all the way until Yom Kippur. Another popular Rosh Hashanah greeting is Shana Tovah UMetukah may you have a good and sweet new year. Yom HaDin Day of Judgment Rosh Hashanah is known as Yom HaDin the Day of Judgment. On this day, each person is evaluated and judged according to their past deeds by God in His heavenly court. The Torah explains that on Rosh Hashanah all creatures pass before Him (Mishnah Rosh HaShana 16b). The Talmud describes two heavenly ledgers open on this day: one to record our achievements and one in which our shortcomings will be noted, God forbid (Talmud Rosh HaShana 16b). Rosh Hashanah is a unique opportunity to contemplate our past actions, to resolve to make changes going forward, and to enter the Ten Days of Repentance between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur with an attitude of repentance and improvement. Simanim Siman means signs or omens a signal indicating the way things will be. Its customary to eat foods that are Simanim for a good new year on the nights of Rosh Hashanah. The most famous siman is apples dipped in honey. This is eaten at the beginning of Rosh Hashanah dinner along with the blessing May it be Your will, Adonai our God and the God of our forefathers, that You renew us for a good and a sweet new year. Other traditional simanim include pomegranates, fish and the head of a fish. (In some households, pastry or candy in the shape of a fishs head is used instead.) Tashlich On the first day of Rosh Hashanah, theres a beautiful custom to walk to a body of water and recite Tashlich, a brief service reminding us of Gods judgment and infinite mercy. Tashlich comes from the Hebrew word to send away; we symbolically cast our past sins into the sea, calling: Cast into the depths of the sea all the Jews sins. Tashlich originated in Medieval times, though it harkens back to the time when the Jews returned to Israel to build the Second Temple in the 5th Century BCE. The prophet Nehemiah described a Rosh Hashanah when the Jews finally reestablished their nation in the Land of Israel: Then all the people gathered together as one man at the plaza before the Gate of Water (in Jerusalem) there they listened to the Torah being read and were blessed as a nation on Rosh Hashanah (Nehemiah 8:1), near a flowing stream. On Rosh Hashanah, we recognize God as the Creator and Ruler of the Universe. In ancient times, the kings of Israel were crowned near the water Tashlich gives us the opportunity to acknowledge Gods kingship in our own lives today. Its ideal to say Tashlich next to water containing fish: one reason is because fish procreate widely, and we too hope to build large families and communities. Fish also never close their eyes, reminding us that Gods gaze never wavers. If no body of water is available, its possible to say Tashlich over a man-made container of water. Its also possible to delay Tashlich if necessary if need be, it can be recited any time until the Hoshana Rabbah, the last day of Sukkot. Tekiah, Shevarim, Teruah One of the most arresting aspects of Rosh Hashanah is the sound of the shofar blasts each day of Rosh Hashanah (except when it falls out on Shabbat) we listen to a total of 100 blasts on a shofar, or rams horn. The Talmud records that on Rosh Hashanah, our prayers and repentance rise up to the Heavens accompanied by the sound of the shofars blasts (Rosh Hashanah 16b). There are four types of shofar sounds: Tekiah is one blast on the horn; Shevarim is a succession of three short blasts; Teruah is nine shorter blasts; Tekiah Gedolah is one very long blast on the shofar that concludes the shofar portion of the Rosh Hashanah service. Jewish sage Saadia Gaon (882-942) taught that just as its customary to sound a trumpet at the coronation of an earthly king, the shofar is a fitting accompaniment to Rosh Hashanah when we commemorate Gods creation of the entire universe and His sovereignty over it. Teshuva Teshuva repentance in Hebrew comes from the word lishuv: to come back. On Rosh Hashanah, we return to being the good people that we are at heart. Unlike some religions, Judaism doesnt view mankind as intrinsically sinful. We are each created betzelem Elokim, in the image of God. We each have the capacity to rise to great spiritual heights. On Rosh Hashanah we dedicate ourselves anew to returning to God and to becoming the good people that we know we are capable of being. Teshuva, Tzedakah, Tefillah Our prayers on Rosh Hashanah remind us of the three-fold formula for changing our ways and ensuring that we reach our potential in the coming year: Teshuva (repentance), Tzedakah (charity), Tefillah (prayer), and is the Jewish formula for changing our ways for the better and for growing spiritually. As the Rosh Hashanah service says, we know that everything that happens is in Gods hands But repentance, prayer and charity remove the evil of the decree. Unesaneh Tokef This beautiful prayer is one of the highlights of the Rosh Hashanah service, and is said during the Musaf service. Its stirring words are those of Rabbi Amnon of Mainz, who lived in the German town of Mainz in the 15th Century. It is said that he was friendly with the Bishop of Mainz. One day the Bishop ordered Rabbi Amnon to convert to Christianity. Rabbi Amnon was terrified of defying the Bishop, and as a delaying tactic he asked for three days to think about the offer. Once he was home, he bitterly regretted giving the impression that hed even consider betraying his Jewish faith. When the Bishops men came to fetch him, Rabbi Amnon told the Bishop he was so regretful for even saying hed think about converting that he wished his tongue would be cut out of his mouth. The Bishop replied that Rabbi Amnons tongue would indeed be cut out, and that wasnt the only part of him that would be torn away. He had his men cut off Rabbi Amnons feet joint by joint, then his hands. After each cut, they asked Rabbi Amnon if he would convert; each time Rabbi Amnon refused. Finally, they brought Rabbi Amnon home, near death. A few days later was Rosh HaShana. Rabbi Amnon asked to be brought to the synagogue. There, he recited the hauntingly beautiful prayer beginning Unesaneh Tokef (also pronounced Unetaneh Tokef) Let us now relate the power of this days holiness When he was finished reciting the prayer, Rabbi Amnons soul left his body. His last prayer inspires us still. Malchiyot Zichronot Shofrot The Talmud explains that Rosh Hashanah wouldnt be complete without mention of three key concepts: Malchiyot (accepting Gods Kingship and rule of the world), Zichronot (Divine Remembrance of all our deeds and actions); and Shofrot (the blasts of the shofar). Each of these has a dedicated section in the lengthy Mussaf Silent prayer. The Talmud explains that these three concepts are mandated by God for us to recall on Rosh Hashanah: And recite before Me on Rosh Hashanah verses that mention Kingship, Remembrances, and Shofarot: Kingship so that you will crown Me as King over you; Remembrances so that your remembrance will rise before Me for good; and with what will the remembrance rise? It will rise with the shofar (Rosh Hashanah 16b). Rosh Hashanah is a chance to take the time to think deeply about God and His relationship with us. The Talmud explains that everyone ought to think of themselves not as all good or all bad, but as something in between. We each have deeds that we are proud of, and also memories of times we fell short of our ideals. Rosh Hashanah is a time to ask ourselves what we can do to increase our merits, and ensure we grow and change for the good in the coming year. China to work with ASEAN members to stabilize S.China Sea Global Times By Guo Yuandan Source: Global Times Published: 2020/9/14 0:08:39 Chinese State Councilor and Defense Minister Wei Fenghe has concluded his visit to Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei and the Philippines, as Chinese analysts said Sunday that paying visits to these Southeast Asian countries amid the COVID-19 pandemic proves the importance and solidity of China's ties with these nations. From September 7-11, Wei visited the four ASEAN members meeting with their leaders, including Filipino President Rodrigo Duterte, Bruneian Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah and Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin. The four countries expressed their willingness to enter into defense cooperation with China, according to China's Ministry of National Defense. In the meetings with the leaders of these countries, the issue of the South China Sea was mentioned every time. Wei said at the meeting with Duterte that safeguarding the stability of the South China Sea is a "shared responsibility of the two sides." Before Wei embarked on his tour, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Thursday urged ASEAN countries to do more to pressure China on the South China Sea. "Don't just speak up, but act," Pompeo said at an online virtual meeting with the 10 ASEAN countries' foreign ministers. However, Duterte stressed to Wei on Friday that the two countries must peacefully solve all disputes according to the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and other relevant international mechanisms and push forward the execution of the Code of Conduct in the disputed region. According to Malaysian media, Defense Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said Wei's visit provided a chance for both sides to discuss the dispute, and the stance he made to Wei is that the disputes should be resolved by diplomatic measures. Hong Kong newspaper the South China Morning Post (SCMP) quoted former Malaysian deputy minister of defense Liew Chin Tong as saying that "no other region is of higher stake and more consequential to China's rise than maritime Southeast Asia in the context of heightened US-China tension." Liew said that China must treat maritime Southeast Asian states as its top foreign policy priority as it is a region that is geographically close to China, and the states in the region are cautiously hedging between the US and China. Beijing is seeking to balance US influence in the Asia-Pacific amid rising tensions in the South China Sea, said the SCMP report. However, Li Haidong, a professor at the Institute of International Relations of the China Foreign Affairs University, told the Global Times that this is a Western-style interpretation as China's military diplomacy is not directed against any third party or other countries, and it is not interested in balancing the power of any country. "China hopes to maintain peaceful and friendly relations with neighboring countries to ensure security, stability and prosperity in the region, rather than constant conflicts in the area," Li said. Li believed that anything China does in Southeast Asia or the South China Sea will be seen by the US as directing against itself, as the country has great influence and destructive power in the region and also the US has clearly defined China as a strategic competitor. China must strengthen communication and cooperation with Southeast Asian countries, which is both necessary and urgent, as the US has been increasingly forming alliances and stirring up disputes in the region, Li said. "The face-to-face communication as the epidemic is under control shows the sincerity of the two sides to build a high degree of mutual trust and it is also conducive to in-depth and productive exchanges between the leaders of the visiting countries," he noted. Since China's national defense is closely connected with its diplomacy, Wei's visit is not only to deepen mutual trust in the defense field with China's Southeast Asian neighbors, but also to strengthen close diplomatic ties and build a mutually coordinated relationship on security in the region, Li said. The countries in the region have their own concerns based on their interests, but they all hope the region will remain stable and peaceful. This is same as China's claim and interests in the region of the South China Sea, Li noted. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US regulators are 'very concerned' about the potential side effects of AstraZeneca and Oxford University's coronavirus vaccine and are debating whether or not to allow the trials to resume. Last week, the trial was put on hold when a British participant was rushed to the hospital after suffering a serious reaction that triggered spinal cord inflammation. On Saturday, the drugmaker announced that trials for the vaccine would continue in the UK, but the America arm has not restarted. The hold will remain while the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) conducts an independent investigation as well as the National Institutes of Health (NIH). On Tuesday, FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn told Sen Tim Scott (R-South Carolina) during an Instagram Live event that AstraZeneca's trial is still on hold in the US. US regulators say they are 'very concerned' about AstraZeneca and Oxford University's coronavirus vaccine after the trial was paused due to a UK participant suffering spinal cord inflammation. Pictured: A participant is dosed in AstraZeneca's vaccine trial The trial has resumed in the UK, but US scientists first want to determine if the inoculation caused the vaccine or whether it was due to another factor such as an underlying condition before the US arm is resumed. Pictured: AstraZeneca headquarters in 2013 'The highest levels of NIH are very concerned,' Dr Avindra Nath, clinical director of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke at the NIH, told Kaiser Health News. 'Everyone's hopes are on a vaccine, and if you have a major complication the whole thing could get derailed.' NIH declined DailyMail.com's request for comment. It's unclear what the exact nature of the reaction was, but Nath and other neurologists believe the patient was diagnosed with transverse myelitis, an inflammation of a section of the spinal cord. The condition damages the myelin sheath, an insulating barrier of fatty protein that protects the nerves, and interrupts messages sent by spinal cord nerves. This results in pain, weakness, abnormal sensations, and problems of the bladder and bowel - and can even lead to permanent paralysis. Transverse myelitis can be caused by several conditions including infections such as influenza and immune system disorders. Around 1,400 cases are diagnosed in the US each year, according to the National Organization for Rare Disorders. 'This is a serious adverse event. It led to hospitalization but the reason it stopped the trialis because the real cause of transverse myelitis is imperfectly understood,' Dr William Schaffner, a professor of preventive medicine and infectious diseases at the Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, told DailyMail.com. 'It's thought to be due to an immune response. Yes, it is theoretically possible that a vaccine could induce this aberrant immune response and cause transverse myelitis. This is exactly the sort of response that would pause the trial and then lead the data safety monitoring board to do an investigation. AstraZeneca says the volunteer recovered and is no longer hospitalized, but has refused to confirm whether he or she had transverse myelitis. Nath told Kaiser Health News that officials 'need to be more forthcoming with a potential complication of a vaccine which will eventually be given to millions of people. 'We would like to see how we can help, but the lack of information makes it difficult to do so.' The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency - responsible in the UK for ensuring that medicines and medical devices are safe - has allowed trials to resume in Great Britain. But the FDA and NIH are first seeking to determine what caused the reaction, such as whether it was the vaccine, an underlying medical condition or another unknown factor. Regulators want to test tissue or blood samples from the British patient and compare them to samples from other volunteers, Kaiser Health News reported. This will be to see if they generated any antibodies from the immunization that also attack the brain or spinal cord tissue. If scientists ascertain the vaccine caused the volunteer to suffer transverse myelitis, the arm may be permanently paused. Schaffner says it's unclear whether the experimental vaccine or the placebo caused this side effect, but the longer the investigation, the more suspicion builds. 'I would have thought if this patient received the placebo, this would have been a really brief assessment: "Oh well, this is a placebo. Can't have anything to do with the vaccine. Open the trial again,"' he said. 'But the longer this goes on, the longer the suspicion that the patient had received the vaccine becomes more evident because this is exactly the kind of aberrant immune response that would be a concern for any vaccine, and this one in particular.' If the trial is allowed to continue, the FDA may require AstraZeneca to include more safety information to participants before they are given a dose of the inoculation. 'So many factors go into these decisions,' Nath told Kaiser Health News. 'I'm sure everything is on the table. The last thing you want to do is hurt healthy people.' Two other vaccines are in final-stage tests in the US, one from Moderna Inc and the other from Pfizer Inc and its German partner BioNTech. Recently, Pfizer said it should know by the end of October whether or not its experimental vaccine works. 48 new COVID-19 cases in Singapore on September 14, with no community cases The Ministry of Health reported 48 new COVID-19 cases in Singapore as of 12 pm on September 14. This takes the nations tally of confirmed infections to 57,454. Photo courtesy: Twitter/@sporeMOH There are no infections in the community among the new cases, according to MOH. Additionally, there are five imported cases, of which one is a Singapore Permanent Resident who returned to Singapore from India on August 30. Another two are Work Pass/ Work Permit holders currently employed in Singapore who arrived from India on September 2. Another case, a Short-Term Visit Pass holder whose parent is a Singaporean, arrived from India on September 5. The remaining case, who is also a Short-Term Visit Pass holder, is a technician who arrived from the US on September 1 on a work project. [September 15, 2020] Vyopta Improves UC and Video Collaboration Troubleshooting for IT Support Teams AUSTIN, Texas, Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Vyopta, the leading provider of Unified Communications (UC) monitoring and analytics, has improved troubleshooting features for its Collaboration Performance Management (CPM) product. The new features will provide a more streamlined experience that allows IT help desk teams to independently detect, investigate, and resolve issues without involving the UC engineer. With the unprecedented growth of video collaboration and UC communications to support remote work in 2020, IT teams are working harder than ever to ensure these systems perform well and can fix issues when they arise. More than ever, IT teams need video and UC troubleshooting tools that are easy to use by UC experts as well as front line IT support groups. The improvements in Vyopta's CPM troubleshooting and usability include : User Interface (UI) refresh across datasets in CPM and Workspace Insights: Refreshed look : Cleaner, modernized interface that is easier to read. : Cleaner, modernized interface that is easier to read. Multi-sort : Enables more sophisticated ordering of dataset columns. : Enables more sophisticated ordering of dataset columns. Left-Right Scroll : Makes it easier to consume large datasets by enabling one digestible view with many columns selected : Makes it easier to consume large datasets by enabling one digestible view with many columns selected Snap-to-Fit width w/memory : CPM Monitoring will maintain selecte column widths through data refreshes : CPM Monitoring will maintain selecte column widths through data refreshes Dashboard Click-throughs in Workspace Insights and CPM: Drill-down clicks enabled for all panel types: Now applicable for KPIs, Trends, and Distributions Now applicable for KPIs, Trends, and Distributions Smart filters: Enables clicking through to only the relevant data points. Enables clicking through to only the relevant data points. Advanced Filter Logic in CPM: Logical Operators: Enables more filtering flexibility with more complex logic statements Enables more filtering flexibility with more complex logic statements Enhanced User Experience (UX) for participants and meetings: New panel layout makes it easier to simultaneously understand overall meeting performance along with experience for each participant Jonathan Sass , Vyopta's Head of Product. "These changes will allow companies to resolve support tickets much faster and help many of our customers decrease time to value." "Our front-line team used the Microsoft Teams quality data in Vyopta for call quality investigations, honing in to find problematic meetings and see why multiple participants had bad quality all without our UC specialists teaching them how," said Steve McClellan, AstraZeneca Conferencing Technology & Innovation Manager. "We are continually working to improve the product and make it as easy to use as possible for our customers, their front-line IT teams, and those they support," said Sass. "We pay close attention to customer feedback to ensure that Vyopta is responsive, best-in-class, and exceeding their expectations; these updates include our most common feature requests." About Vyopta Incorporated Vyopta is a leading provider of collaboration performance management and meeting room insights solutions. With coverage that spans video, voice, and messaging from Cisco, Microsoft, Poly, Pexip, Zoom, BlueJeans by Verizon, and more, Vyopta helps companies improve quality of experience, accelerate workplace transformation and optimize investments across UC and conference rooms. Vyopta monitors and analyzes over 10 billion meeting minutes annually across the largest enterprises in the world, including Workday, AstraZeneca, Stanford University, Shared Services Canada and the US Department of Veterans Affairs. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/vyopta-improves-uc-and-video-collaboration-troubleshooting-for-it-support-teams-301130709.html SOURCE Vyopta Inc [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-15 14:03:58|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIJING, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- China's civil aviation industry continued to see a gradual recovery in August as key indicators reported visible improvements from a month ago, data from the country's aviation regulator showed Tuesday. Airlines flew a total of 45.5 million passengers last month, down 25.6 percent year on year. The decline narrowed 8.5 percentage points from July, according to information released at a press briefing by the Civil Aviation Administration of China. The domestic market saw an accelerated recovery, reporting 45.35 million passenger trips, the highest monthly volume this year. Due to the continued spread of COVID-19 overseas, international air passenger flows remained at a low level, with 189,000 trips last month. In August, China's air cargo volume fell 13.3 percent year on year to 546,000 tonnes and the punctuality rate of Chinese airlines reached 78.1 percent. Enditem Kim Jong-un has heaped praise on North Korea's military for rebuilding villages that were destroyed by recent typhoons as he inspected the soldiers' handiwork. The country's state-run news agency proclaimed that troops had 'removed all the traces of the natural disaster' from Kangbuk-ri village, in the southwest of the country, and rebuilt the villages as a 'socialist fairyland'. Kim proclaimed that he 'felt as is he were looking at a different world' after seeing the new village, 'which had looked so pitiful for its backwardness plus damage by natural disaster', KCNA reported. Kim Jong Un praised North Korea's military as he visited the village of Kangbuk-ri on Tuesday, which had been rebuild after being destroyed by a recent typhoon Kim proclaimed that he was 'looking at a different world' after seeing the rebuilt village, which state media described as a 'socialist fairyland' North Korea has been hit by three typhoons in recent weeks, damaging vast swathes of the country and flooding farmland, raising fears of a major food shortage. Having disappeared from public view earlier this year, Kim has made repeated public appearances in recent weeks while taking charge of the rebuilding efforts. On Saturday he was pictured in Unpa county, in the south of the country, as he stripped to his undershirt to give 'guidance' to workers repairing the storm damage. Kim was shown in a field with several of his lieutenants, inspecting rice crops as he ordered locals to tap into food stockpiles to ensure everyone had enough to eat. Speaking after Tuesday's visit, Kim said: 'The People's Army is made up of creators of all miracles on this land. 'The genuine might of the People's Army lies not in the number of troops and the might of ammunitions but in their ardent love for their country.' North Korea routinely struggles to feed its people, as the country is mostly made up of mountainous terrain where it is difficult to farm. Kim has appeared often in public since the typhoons hit as he leads recovery efforts, after vanishing from view earlier this year amid rumours about his health A report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture last month found that 60 per cent of the population is 'food insecure', meaning they do not have enough food to live an active, healthy lifestyle. The report was issued even before the recent typhoons, suggesting the country could be heading into a crisis, especially when combined with the effects of coronavirus. While North Korea has downplayed the extent of the virus to its people, the country is widely thought to be suffering a serious outbreak. The last time North Korea suffered a major famine was between 1994 and 1996, when up to 3.5million people starved to death or died of 'hunger-related' illnesses. In North Korea, the period was known as the Arduous March, or the March of Suffering. This summer, North Korea suffered the second highest rainfall in the past 25 years thanks to the typhoons, the weather agency had said on Monday . The country recorded an average 852.3 mm (34 inches) of summer precipitation throughout the country, more than triple the year earlier, KCNA said. North Korea's agriculture sector is particularly vulnerable to severe weather, and this summer's storms and floods have raised concerns over the country's food situation. A healthcare system in Shreveport, Louisiana, has been cited by federal workplace safety officials for failing to protect employees from coronavirus exposure. The U.S. Department of Labors Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) cited Christus Shreveport-Bossier Health System for failing to ensure employees wore proper protective equipment. OSHA has proposed $13,494 in penalties, the maximum allowed by law for a serious citation. OSHA opened a coronavirusrelated investigation after receiving reports of employee exposure. The agency found that emergency facility employees often shared used protective gowns or did not have protective gowns to wear while treating patients. The company has 15 business days from receipt of the citation and penalties to comply, request an informal conference with OSHAs area director, or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. Source: OSHA Topics COVID-19 Workers' Compensation Louisiana Medical Professional Liability The Union Cabinet has cleared AIIMS for Bihar, which will come up in Darbhanga. The move comes ahead of state assembly elections. The institute will be established under the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY). The Cabinet also approved the creation of one post of Director in the basic pay of Rs 2,25,000/- (fixed) plus NPA for it. The total cost will be Rs 1,264 crore and is likely to be completed within a period of 48 months from the date of the approval of the government. Recently Prime Minister Narendra Modi had praised Bihar for being the powerhouse of countrys talent". He had said that the influence of Bihars youth and talent is everywhere. If you go to any IIT, Bihar shines there as well. If you go to any other state, the strength of Bihar, the impression of labour here will be seen in the development of every state," the PM said. PM Modi also praised chief minister Nitish Kumar for changing the situation of the state. One-and-a-half decades ago, people of Bihar could not have imagined that a work started by the government could finish. But this has been changed by the Nitish Kumar government," he said on Tuesday. The prime minister had inaugurated three petroleum sector projects worth Rs 900 crore. The projects include the Durgapur-Banka section of the Paradip-Haldia-Durgapur Pipeline Augmentation Project and two LPG Bottling Plants. They have been commissioned by IndianOil and HPCL, PSUs under the aegis of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas. Centre has worked extensively in developing all energy related projects in Bihar. New India and new Bihar believes in fast-paced development," PM Modi said, adding that Bihars contribution to India in every sector is clearly visible. The first 10 years of Connecticuts public-financing program for the General Assembly turned the state into a model for removing special interest money from politics, but also fostered competitive races, advanced progressive public policy, and landed more women and minorities in the legislature, according to a new report by Common Cause, the election watchdog. The program set the table for paid family and medical leave for Connecticut workers, among other changes, said Beth A. Rotman, director of Money in Politics and Ethics for the Common Cause Education Fund who co-founded the Connecticut program. Participation in the Citizens Election Program is now pushing close to 90 percent of the races for the 151 House seats and 36 Denate districts. I am very proud of Connecticut and believe something extraordinary happened there, said Rotman, who co-authored the report with Lisa Nightingale. If you are going to let the special interests fund our government, its their government. If you let the citizens do it, its their government, Rotman, a former Connecticut elections regulator, now works in the Washington office of Common Cause. The report found that in the 2018 races, 99 percent of candidate funding came from individuals, with minuscule amounts from other sources. In 2006, nearly half of the $9.3 million raised by candidates came from lobbyists, political action committees and other entities. The reforms started under Republican Gov. M. Jodi Rell, who took office after the abrupt resignation of John G. Rowland as governor in July, 2004, when the state was earning the Corrupticut moniker for a series of government scandals that led to federal prison terms for Rowland and his associates; legislator Ernest E. Newton of Bridgeport; and Bridgeport Mayor Joe Ganim and his associates. By the end of 2005, Rell signed a bipartisan bill to change the states political landscape, initiating public financing first for the 2008 legislative races, then the 2010 governor campaigns. Candidates in the program agree to spending limits and in exchange, they receive most of their campagn money through grants after raising certain amounts in relatively small donations under strict rules. The average participation rate of the voluntary Citizens Election Program, in which candidates for the state Senate and House of Representatives raise small amounts from individuals, was 76 percent in the period between 2008 and 2018, with 85 percent of candidates in the 2018 elections joining in. Prior to the 2008 election, there were 53 women in that General Assembly, representing less than 30 percent of the 187 seats. In the 2008 election, that increased to 59. In the 2018 election, 63 women were elected including 52 in the House and 11 in the Senate. First-term state Rep. Anne Hughes, D-Easton, credits the CEP with her 2018 victory, which made her the first Democrat is 34 years to hold the House district that also includes Weston and Redding. For someone like me, a working individual who is not wealthy, the program was absolutely critical in giving me an opportunity to participate., Hughes said in the report. The level playing field is also cited in the increase in Republicans in the House. In 2007, the GOP caucus had 44 members and leaders were having a hard time fielding candidates. By 2017 they increased to 72, which fell to 61 in 2018s national blue wave. Democratic state Rep. Quentin Phipps is quoted in the report as crediting public financing with his ability to become Middletowns first Black representative, because it was unquestionably an equalizer in the process. State Sen. Gary Winfield, D-New Haven, said the Citizens Election Program allowed him to first serve in the House of Representatives, then move to the Senate. I am a candidate of color and I did not come from money, Winfield said in the report. I was not the candidate picked by a political party or machine apparatus. The Citizens Election Program made it possible for me to run and serve the public as one of them. Many everyday Americans are unaware of the link between these reforms and their day-to-day lives, Rotman wrote. There is a price we all pay within our family budgets when wealthy special interests fund the campaigns, political parties, and set the agenda with lobbying. This needs to change, both in order to protect the reforms that have passed and to educate more of the public across the country about the need to pass these reforms in their own communities. While individual contributions were initially limited to $100, over the years the amount has risen to $270. A Senate candidate who collects $16,000 from at least 300 residents in their district, can leverage as much as $104,000. A House candidate needs to raise $5,300 from as many as 150 people in their district, and can collect $30,575. The program is funded by unclaimed property in the state treasurers office and as many as $24 million a year in unredeemed can-and-bottle deposits, which before the CEP, were returned to beverage companies. In recent years the General Assembly has folded the deposits into the General Fund. Lawmakers have also hampered the operations of the State Elections Enforcement Commission, by cutting its budget and limiting the amount of time regulators may investigate malfeasance and irregularities. Michael J. Brandi, executive director and general counsel of the agency, which regulates election campaigns and runs the Citizens Election Program, said Friday that his agency has an important role. The CEP is a unicorn, really, Brandi said. Its so uniquely successful. People from all over the country call us and we have to explain: The candidates here are almost all publicly funded. They dont take outside money it all comes locally, in small amounts. In some states its simply a free-for all. They call us and are amazed, and I think a bit jealous. But if we can make it work here, keep it alive, it can be reproduced elsewhere. kdixon@ctpost.com Twitter: @KenDixonCT India on Tuesday responded to the UN human rights chiefs criticism of the situation in Jammu and Kashmir by saying it had revived grassroots democracy and pushed economic development in the region despite Pakistans efforts to derail this process. In her global human rights update on Monday, UN high commissioner for human rights Michelle Bachelet had said that both incidents of military and police violence against civilians and incidents related to militancy were continuing in Kashmir, while legal changes to the Constitution and domicile rules were generating deep anxiety. Giving Indias response during the debate on Bachelets update on Tuesday, Indias permanent representative Indra Mani Pandey said since changes were made in the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir in August last year, people in the region have been enjoying the same fundamental rights as people in other parts of India. We have been able to revive grass root democracy and provide a new momentum to social and economic development, despite the challenge posed by [the] Covid-19 pandemic and persistent attempts by one country to infiltrate terrorists to derail this process by all possible means, Pandey said. Though the envoy didnt name the country, it was obvious he was referring to Pakistan, which India has blamed for supporting cross-border terrorism, especially in Jammu and Kashmir. Pandey also said the governments efforts aimed at socio-economic development and ensuring better governance in Kashmir over the past year have yielded unprecedented results. He added, By extending coverage of positive and affirmative federal legislations and repealing discriminatory or outdated local laws, the government has reaffirmed its commitment to delivering socio-economic justice to disadvantaged people in the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir, including women, children, minorities and refugees. Bachelet had also said in her update that the space for political debate and public participation continues to be severely restricted in Jammu and Kashmir, particularly since new media rules prohibited vaguely defined anti-national reporting. She welcomed the release of some political and community leaders, but noted that hundreds of people remain in arbitrary detention, with many habeas corpus petitions still pending including those of many of Jammu and Kashmirs political leaders. She also welcome initiatives to extend services to remote areas and the conditional restoration of full internet connectivity in two districts, and said these measures should be applied promptly to the rest of Jammu and Kashmir. Bachelet noted that people in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir have limited internet access, creating difficulties in accessing education and other vital services. She said she was also concerned about restrictions on the rights to freedom of expression and association on the Pakistani side. My office is committed to continuing its engagement with both India and Pakistan, to uphold the rights of the Kashmiri people which is the best way to prevent further tensions and conflict, she said. Bachelet had also criticised the situation in Kashmir in her global update in 2019, when she had also spoken out against the National Register of Citizens verification process in Assam, saying it had caused great uncertainty and anxiety. Pandey also said in his intervention that India remains committed to upholding all human rights and is of the view that the human rights agenda and discourse must be pursued in a transparent and impartial manner with respect for national sovereignty and territorial integrity and non-interference in internal affairs of states. India also exercised its right of reply to respond to statements by Pakistan, Turkey and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) during the debate on the UN high commissioners update. It said it has become habitual for Pakistan to malign India with false and fabricated narratives for self-serving malicious purposes, and that India and other countries dont deserve an unsolicited lecture on human rights from a country that has consistently persecuted its ethnic and religious minorities, is an epicentre of terrorism, has the distinction of providing pensions to individuals on UN sanctions list and has a prime minister who proudly admits training tens of thousands of terrorists to fight in Jammu and Kashmir. Its not surprising that other relevant multilateral institutions have been raising serious concerns on its failure to stop terror financing and lack of effective actions against all terror entities in Pakistan, the Indian representative said in the reply. Pakistans nefarious designs also continue in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and its zeal to reassert its theocratic ideology has ensured that ethnic and religious minorities have no future through systematic persecution, blasphemy laws, forced conversions, targeted killings, sectarian violence and faith-based discrimination, The Indian representative said. India also pointed out that thousands of Sikh, Hindu and Christian minority women and girls have been subjected to abductions, forced marriages and conversions in Pakistan. India also noted that Pakistan has been abusing various UN human rights mechanisms and platforms to raise issues that are extraneous to the mandate of the Human Rights Council and relate to the internal affairs of India. New Delhi also rejected the OICs reference to Jammu and Kashmir and said the organisation has no locus standi to comment on Indias internal affairs. The OIC has also allowed itself to be misused by Pakistan, India said in its reply. India also advised Turkey to refrain from commenting on the internal affairs of India. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON GENEVA (Reuters) - A World Health Organization official on Tuesday said that the decision by AstraZeneca to pause global trials of its experimental coronavirus vaccine after an unexplained illness showed the firm was prioritising safety. "This is what we want to see with trials, it is a well-run trial. Safety is always critical, it is crucial and they have looked at that in an appropriate manner," Margaret Harris told journalists in Geneva. Asked to react to experimental COVID-19 vaccine use in China and Russia, she said: "The WHO would like to see vaccines go head ... Judges selected ten companies for this honor. Criteria included the companys benefits program, corporate culture, career advancement opportunities, community involvement, and more. Our vision for the future is to continue our teams expansion by onboarding experienced engineers who thrive on tackling complex engineering challenges, while also continuing to give back to the community through outreach programs," said Brian Dersch Past News Releases RSS Dersch Design & Engineering... Dersch Design & Engineering CEO... Dersch Design & Engineering... Dersch Design & Engineering (DDE) is pleased to announce SD Metro Magazine recognized it as one of San Diegos Best Companies Under 50 Employees to Work For. Announced in its February 25, 2020 issue, the judges selected ten companies for this prestigious honor. The criteria included the companys benefits program, corporate culture, career advancement opportunities, open door, safety, security policies, and community involvement. DDE is an award-winning electrical engineering firm. It is a Small Business S-Corporation and certified City of San Diego Emerging Local Business Enterprise (ELBE). Its experienced engineers team up with architects, owners, engineers, and contractors to solve complex engineering design challenges for public and private sector construction projects, emphasizing renewable energy, and microgrid designs. Forecasting continued growth, DDE relocated in January to Sky Park Office Plaza in Kearny Mesa. The new location provides ample parking with easy access to the I-15 / Hwy. 163 corridor. The move increases the office square footage and contributes to a smoother commute for employees and client on-site meetings. Currently, team members work remotely due to COVID-19 precautions. DDE ranked four consecutive years (2017, 2018, 2019, 2020) on the San Diego Business Journals Top Engineering Firms list. Rank is based on the number of local full-time licensed engineers. Senior electrical designer, Edward Dee, recently passed his PE exam, bringing DDEs team of licensed electrical professional engineers to four. As an engineering firm with Department of Defense experience, DDE was an integral part of an interdisciplinary team of architects and engineers on the Naval Air Weapons Station (NAWS) China Lake Earthquake Damage Assessment. In July 2019, two major earthquakes struck the area. Based on the evaluation, Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Southwest anticipates a $2.9B budget over the next two years to design, repair, and construct damaged facilities. As an experienced prime engineering on-call consultant for the University of California San Diego (UCSD), over the last year, DDE added on-call agreements with Vista Unified School District, Sweetwater Union High School, the City of El Cajon, and the USDA Forest Service. Founder and CEO Brian Dersch, P.E., LEED AP continues to contribute to six industry associations. Dersch is on the Boards of the Society of American Military Engineers (SAME) and the San Diego Post and the Construction Management Association of America (CMAA). He is also actively involved in the San Diego Green Building Council (SDGBC), Society for Marketing Professional Services (SMPS), the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC), and the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA). For SAME, Dersch assisted in planning the 2019 Camp Pendleton Day Transitioning Military to Career (TMTC) event. The event helps troops find careers in the AEC industry as they transition from active duty to civilian life. To continue his leadership growth, Dersch participates in the CALTRANS Calmentor / Protege program. The program encourages and supports small businesses through voluntary partnerships with mid-size and larger firms. Specifically, the program aims to increase small Architectural and Engineering (A&E) firms participation in public transportation projects in the San Diego region. In addition, Business Development Manager, Erik Sadlicki, serves on the Society for Marketing Professional Services (SMPS) 2021 Marketing Committee. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to pose significant challenges for businesses, DDE is managing to overcome obstacles and focus on a positive trajectory. In addition to our Best Places to Work milestone, 2019 and 2020 have turned out to be exceptional years for us, with our involvement in SAME, CMAA, and Vistage being critical to our success, said Dersch. As we continue our sustained growth, our number one priority is to keep providing our clients with outstanding engineering services from the best and brightest engineers committed to developing the future of the renewable energy industry and our nations infrastructure. Our vision for the future is to continue our teams expansion by onboarding experienced engineers who thrive on tackling complex engineering challenges, while also continuing to give back to the community through outreach programs such as meal service at the San Diego Rescue Mission. To learn more about Dersch Design & Engineering, visit https://www.derschdesign.com/. About Dersch Design & Engineering Founded in 2013 by electrical engineer Brian Dersch, P.E., LEED AP, award-winning Dersch Design & Engineering, Inc. is a professional, proactive, and approachable Small Business S-Corporation. It is a certified City of San Diego Emerging Local Business Enterprise (ELBE). The San Diego Business Journal recognized DDE as one of San Diegos 2019 Top 100 Fastest-Growing Private Companies, and SD METRO magazine honored DDE as a 2020 Best Company Under 50 Employees to Work For. As licensed professional engineers, the firm has a broad range of experience in engineering disciplines, with specialization in electrical engineering, building construction/renovation, lighting, renewable energy, and microgrids. DDE is licensed to perform engineering services in the following states: Arizona, California, Colorado, District of Columbia, and Hawaii. For more information, visit https://www.derschdesign.com British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's plan to renege on part of the Brexit divorce deal passed its first hurdle in Parliament late Monday after a bruising debate in which senior members of his own party denounced the move. The House of Commons passed the Internal Market Bill, 340 to 263, in its first main vote, allowing it to go through to the next stage in the parliamentary process on Tuesday. The prime minister said the proposed legislation, which will rewrite part of the Withdrawal Agreement, is "essential" to maintain the U.K.'s economic and political integrity. He accused the European Union of making "absurd" threats to stop food moving from mainland Great Britain to Northern Ireland. "The E.U. hasn't taken that particular revolver off the table," Johnson told MPs. "It is such an extraordinary threat, and it seems so incredible the E.U. could do this, that we are not taking powers in this bill to neutralize that threat, but obviously reserve the right to do so if these threats persist." Johnson's decision to rip up part of an international agreement he signed less than a year ago has already pitched the Brexit negotiations into turmoil. The E.U. has threatened legal action and called on him to withdraw the bill by the end of the month. Pressing on risks jeopardizing efforts to secure a trade deal with the bloc before the Brexit transition period expires at the end of the year. While the prime minister had a comfortable majority in Monday night's vote, with only two Tories voting against him for now and others abstaining, there will be opportunities for further rebellions as the bill passes through the Commons. Johnson will then face a bigger obstacle in the House of Lords, where Tory grandees including former leader Michael Howard have denounced the legislation and could delay its progress. Lawmakers on both sides of the House of Commons said the government's admission that the proposed legislation would breach international law will weaken Britain's place in the world and hobble its attempts to call other countries -- including Russia, China and Zimbabwe -- to account. "Britain has been a beacon in some very difficult places of the world for support for the rule of law, and our support is relied upon," former Tory International Development Secretary Andrew Mitchell said. "We have a duty to uphold the rule of law." Conservative former Attorneys General Geoffrey Cox and Jeremy Wright said they wouldn't back a bill that breaks international law, and were joined by former finance minister Sajid Javid. Rehman Chishti, Johnson's special envoy for freedom of religion or belief, quit earlier in the day, saying he couldn't vote for the plan. "I understand how some people will feel unease over the use of these powers, and I share that sentiment myself and I have absolutely no desire to use these measures," Johnson said. "They are an insurance policy, and if we reach agreement with our European friends -- which I still believe is possible -- they will never be invoked." Tory rebels did offer the prime minister a potential way out with a proposed amendment -- which wasn't put to a vote Monday -- that would require the government to hold a further vote in the House of Commons before it could change the terms of the Withdrawal Agreement. For their part, opposition lawmakers lined up to accuse Johnson of failing to deliver on his promise at December's general election that his deal was "oven ready." They also said he had failed to live up to his claims that he had provided protection against the exact issues on the Irish border he is now seeking to repair. "It's his deal, his mess, his failure," Ed Miliband, Labour's business spokesman, told the Commons. "This is the wrong thing to do, it's not necessary and it's deeply damaging for the country." - - - With assistance from Bloomberg's Joe Mayes and Alex Morales. BAKU, Azerbaijan, Sept.15 By Zeyni Jafarov Trend: Azerbaijan's GDP decreased by 3 percent from January through August 2020 compared to the same period of 2019, having made up 45.9 billion manats ($27 billion), Trend reports referring to the State Statistics Committee. In the oil and gas sector of the countrys economy, the drop made up 4.9 percent, and in the non-oil sector by 1.7 percent, noted the committee. In the structure of GDP, 35.2 percent fell on the industry, 11.2 percent - on trade, 7.6 percent - on transport, 7.2 percent - on agriculture, forestry, and fish farming, 6.1 percent - on construction, two percent - on information and communication, 1.3 percent - on the hotel business and catering, 19 percent - on the share of other sectors of the economy, and net tax revenues from imports of products amounted to 10.4 percent of GDP. Reportedly, GDP per capita in the country amounted to 4,611.7 manats ($2,712.76). (1 USD = 1.7 manat on Sept.15) --- Follow the author on Twitter: @jafarov_zeyni Marine Corps assistant commandant identifies opportunity for testing force design, readiness in SOUTHCOM region US Marine Corps News 14 Sep 2020 | Gunnery Sgt. Michael Cifuentes Marine Corps Forces South MIAMI, Fla. -- One of the Marine Corps' top generals said the U.S. Southern Command area of responsibility presents the opportunity to "optimize the force." U.S. Marine Corps Gen. Gary L. Thomas, the assistant commandant of the Marine Corps, added that the Marine Corps intends to return to global maritime campaigning, which has clear implications in the SOUTHCOM region consisting of Central America, South America and the Caribbean. Gen. Thomas, along with Lt. Gen. George W. Smith Jr, the deputy commandant for Plans, Policies and Operations, visited U.S. Marine Corps Forces, South, a Miami-based component command to SOUTHCOM, September 9. The two general officers came to discuss, in person, actions and implementations regarding the commandant of the Marine Corps' force design restructure, the commandant's planning guidance and about continuing operations during the COVID-19 pandemic. Gen. Thomas called on MARFORSOUTH to assist the Marine Corps in remaining a force in readiness that can operate in contested maritime domains, while also being able to support the nation as the crisis response force. Select SOUTHCOM staff and MARFORSOUTH Marines provided the ACMC and his team with an in-depth depiction of the command's area of responsibility, along with the region's inherited threats and opportunities. As a command, MARFORSOUTH provides guidance on the proper employment and support for Marine forces in the Latin America and Caribbean region. Col. David Emmel, the MARFORSOUTH operations officer, said the SOUTHCOM area of responsibility presents unique opportunities for the Marine Corps' implementation of the commandant's force design and planning guidance. "Our partners in Latin America continue to show an interest in working side-by-side with our Navy and Marine Corps team," Emmel said. For years, partner nations have successfully tested their interoperability with the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps team through multinational exercises such as UNITAS and by integrating with Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force Southern Command. Since 2015, SPMAGTF-SC has deployed to the region in support of crisis response missions, all while working and training alongside partner nation navies and marine corps in amphibious, jungle and littoral environments. However, the Marine Corps has moved away from deploying SPMAGTFs into regions across the world. Gen. Thomas said the commandant also desires the Marine Corps to play a greater role in the joint force to deter adversaries. The MARFORSOUTH intelligence officer, Lt. Col. Diego Miranda, said the SOUTHCOM region is growing more important as external state actors' activities threaten the security and stability of the region as they infringe on Latin America's resources. "These conditions provide the Marine Corps with opportunities to continue the partnership we've already forged. However, with the task force dissolving and not available for future deployments, the Corps can seize this opportunity to get realistic training with key partners close to home," Emmel said. As stated in the commandant of the Marine Corps' Force Design 2030 concept, the Marine Corps will need to conduct experimentation of the future force in realistic maritime and littoral terrain. The Latin American and Caribbean region offers a training venue comparable to the Asian Pacific with partners who are ready to serve alongside us, Emmel added. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Would have preferred OPS as CM had he not stepped down: Sasikala in new viral audio tape Sasikala likely to be released on Jan 27, 2021, if the fine amount is paid, reveals RTI query India oi-Deepika S Bengaluru, Sep 15: Late chief minister J Jayalalithaa's aide V K Sasikala, who is serving a four year prison term in a Bengaluru prison, is expected to be released from the Parappana Agrahara Central Prison in Bengaluru on January 27, 2021. This comes as an answer to the much-speculated release date of one of the convict, V K Sasikala. The authorities have said, that upon paying the entire fine amount of 10 crores, Sasikala's "probable date of release" will be on January 27, 2021. Failing which, as per judgement she has to undergo the default of sentence of imprisonment and her release will be postponed to February 27, 2022. In reply to an RTI query, Bengaluru Central Prison's Public Information Officer states 'Convict Sasikala's probable date of release is 27-01-2021 provided in-default fine is paid. Probable date would be 27-02-2022 if fine not paid. Date may vary if she utilises parole facility'. pic.twitter.com/NVJbQeN7kr ANI (@ANI) September 15, 2020 Further, the authorities said that her date of release may vary if she utilises the parole facility. NEET 2020: Tamil Nadu witnesses a spate of suicides Sasikala has already spent a total of 35 days injail in 1997 and 2014 and availed a 17 day parole in 2017, which is deducted from the period she already served. After the Supreme Court restored the trial court judgment in toto againstSasikala and two of her close relatives in the disproportionate assets case,(V N Sudhakaran and J Elavarasi), she surrendered before the court in Karnataka on February 15, 2017, and has been lodged in Parappana Agrahara Central Jail. Her two relatives are also undergoing four years simple imprisonment and all three of them were slapped with a fine of Rs 10 crore each. India elected as the member of the United Nations Commission on Status of Women | Oneindia News With the death of Jayalalithaa in 2016, who was the first accused in the case, the appeal by Karnataka against her stood abated. Family sitcom Good Times is being revived as an animated series on Netflix by Seth MacFarlane and Steph Curry. A reboot of the classic family sitcom Good Times is headed to Netflix as an animated series. Read More: Netflix acquires Zendaya, John David Washington romance Malcolm & Marie The entertainment platform has ordered a 10-episode run of the revival from the original producer Norman Lear, basketball All-Star Stephen Curry, and Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane, Variety reports. The production companies are led by all three men: Lears Act III Prods., Currys Unanimous Media, and MacFarlanes Fuzzy Door will develop the reboot. SANTA MONICA, CA MARCH 19: (L-R) Johnny Carter, Actress BernNadette Stanis, Actor Jimmie Walker, Actor John Amos, and Janet Dubois accept the Impact Award for Good Times onstage at the 2006 TV Land Awards at the Barker Hangar on March 19, 2006 in Santa Monica, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images) Its a thrill to be partnering with Norman Lear and to help bring new life to his groundbreaking show Good Times, through the talent and personal stories of Carl Jones and the team at Unanimous, said MacFarlane and Fuzzy Door executive producer Erica Huggins. Unanimous Media co-founder and chief creative officer Erick Peyton reportedly conceived the idea according to Variety. Unanimous is all about authentic partnerships and this team felt genuine from the beginning, Curry and Peyton said in a statement to Variety. Good Times strives to remind us that with the love of our family we can overcome any obstacle. We think, now more than ever, the world needs to see a show with hope and positivity. Read More: Meghan Markle reportedly pitching doc about BLM co-founder Patrisse Cullors as part of $100M Netflix deal Carl Jones will be the show-runner, creator, and executive producer of the reboot Variety reports. His credits include The Boondocks, Black Dynamite, and The Last OG. Falling in line with the original 1970s series, the animated Good Times will chronicle the ups and downs experienced by the Evans family. SANTA MONICA, CA MARCH 19: (L to R) Actors Janet Dubois, Johnny Carter, BernNadette Stanis, producer Norman Lear, Jimmie Walker and Ralph Carter, winners of the Impact Award for Good Times pose in the press room at the 2006 TV Land Awards at the Barker Hangar on March 19, 2006 in Santa Monica, California. (Photo by Stephen Shugerman/Getty Images) The show will be set in modern times with Florida, James, JJ, Willona, Michael, and Thelma navigating contemporary social issues. Story continues Its a dream come true to be working with the legendary talents of Norman Lear, Seth MacFarlane and Stephen Curry. We are excited to carry on the original legacy of Good Times but now animated and a little edgier. Lets just say the struggle has just gotten strugglier, said Jones. Good Times is an iconic series that has transcended generations. We are delighted to partner with this incredible and inspiring creative team in Norman Lear, Carl Jones, Stephen Curry, and Seth MacFarlane to bring this timely reimagining to life, said Netflix adult animation head Mike Moon to Variety. The original Good Times aired on CBS for six seasons from 1974-1979. Currently, there is no release date for the animated version. Have you subscribed to theGrios podcast Dear Culture? Download our newest episodes now! The post Netflix greenlights Good Times animated series from Steph Curry, Seth MacFarlane appeared first on TheGrio. Influenza outbreaks may enable the spread of the novel coronavirus, a new European study suggests. Researchers from Belgium, Italy, Norway and Spain created a mathematical model of SARS-CoV-2 transmission during the early days of the pandemic. They found up to a 2.5-fold increase in coronavirus cases among the period in which the flu was co-circulating. The team, led by the Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology in Berlin, says the findings suggest the need to increase flu vaccination not just to prevent influenza but also to curb the coronavirus, which has killed more than 900,000 people worldwide. A new study, led by the Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology in Berlin, found between a two-fold and a 2.5-fold increase in COVID-19 cases during the period in which the flu was co-circulating The team hypothesizes that people who recently had the flu are at higher risk of developing coronavirus. Pictured: Members of the medical staff treat a patient in the COVID-19 intensive care unit at the United Memorial Medical Center in Houston, Texas, July 28 Previous research has found that co-circulating viruses can lead to increased spread or severity. A US study from earlier this year found that flu infection in the respiratory tract can increase the expression of the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor. This is the receptor the coronavirus uses to enter and infect human cells before spreading throughout the body. For the new study, published on pre-print server site medRxiv.org, the team looked at four European countries where COVID-19 deaths peaked between March 2020 and April 2020. They developed a population-based model of coronavirus cases and deaths, assuming deaths occurred in one percent of all cases. Additionally, researchers incorporated the stringency index, an assessment of the number and of the strictness of control measures such as lockdowns, travel restrictions and closures of schools and businesses. Results showed between a two- and 2.5-fold increase of coronavirus spread during the period when both influenza and coronavirus co-existed. It's unclear why the two viruses are linked, but one hypothesis is that people who recently had the flu are at higher risk of developing COVID-19. The team also predicts that those who received the flu shot are at a lower risk of contracting SARS-CoV-2 infection. For example, in Italy, higher rates of flu vaccination have been linked with lower rates of death from COVID-19, corresponding author Dr Matthieu Domenech de Celles of the Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology told Reuters. He added that a US study of nearly 11,700 people tested for COVID-19 found that those who had flu vaccines were less likely to have a positive test. None of these studies proves that flu vaccines affect spread of COVID-19 or an individual's risk for it, and other factors might explain the associations. Still, de Celles said, in advance of 'the upcoming 'twindemic'' of seasonal flu and COVID-19 in the northern hemisphere, 'our results suggest the need to increase vaccination against influenza,' which may not only reduce the burden of influenza but also limit COVID-19 cases Health officials have been urging Americans to get their flu shots if they haven't already to better prepare the US against the coronavirus outbreak. The symptoms of the flu and COVID-19 are very similar, including fever, coughing and shortness of breath. The vaccine won't protect people against the new virus, but it could help healthcare workers better detect cases when people come in with non-specific symptoms, such as fever and coughing. Doctors also add that it could help prevent the public from catching a flu strain that makes them more susceptible to coronavirus. E. JEAN CARROLLS account of the time Donald Trump allegedly raped her in a department store in the 1990s is highly specific and amply corroborated. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 15/9/2020 (493 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Opinion E. JEAN CARROLLS account of the time Donald Trump allegedly raped her in a department store in the 1990s is highly specific and amply corroborated. Its also harrowing. In her recent book, Carroll recounts her story with clinical precision. It happened in a department store, in Manhattan, in the lingerie section. She says he pinned her against the wall of a dressing room with his shoulder. She says he manipulated her clothing and her body, until she was able to knee him hard and run like hell. The logistics check out. The department store was laid out the way Carroll remembers it. The timing adds up. And two of her friends say she told them about the alleged rape contemporaneously. President Trump denies it all, claiming he has never even met Carroll, just as he has denied credible charges of sexual misconduct made by at least 21 other women. Not to shock you, but I think hes lying. A 1987 photo shows Trump and Carroll together. And as has been made painfully clear last week alone, it was corroborated in books by Trumps former lawyer Michael Cohen and journalists Tony Schwartz and Bob Woodward Trump is above all a liar. He lies about his taxes, his money, his accomplishments, the coronavirus pandemic. According to the latest tally in The Washington Post, Trump has lied or distorted the truth on average 23 times a day since he has been in office. And yet Trump wants us to believe that its Carroll who is "totally lying." When the president denied Carrolls allegations in June 2019, he also took potshots at her appearance and reputation from his bully pulpit including his revolting defence that Carroll is "not my type." Carroll was forthwith fired from Elle, where shed been a columnist for 26 years. In November, Carroll sued Trump for defamation, seeking punitive damages for injury done to her reputation and her career. As part of the suit, she requested a DNA sample from Trump to compare with DNA found on the coat dress she was wearing at the department store. Trump has had his lawyers go through the usual bully moves to crush the litigation. They refused to hand over a DNA sample. They told various judges and courts that the lawsuit should be delayed or thrown out for jurisdictional reasons. The courts said no. Finally, the Trump team seemed to be licked. The case was moving forward. And then on Sept. 8, Bill Barr stepped in. The U.S. attorney general, who long ago forfeited his own reputation to play Trumps personal fixer, wrenched the case out of state court and made it federal, edging out Trumps private defence lawyers and replacing them with the Justice Department itself, and asserting that the government, not Trump, was the defendant. For now at least, the case that was known as E. Jean Carroll v. Donald J. Trump can be docketed as E. Jean Carroll v. the United States of America. This is a Hail Mary move by Barr to at least delay Carrolls case until after the election. But if Barr fully succeeds in converting this to a federal case, the lawsuit might disappear entirely, as no one can sue the United States of America for defamation. In the meantime, Barr has essentially conflated the whole country all of us citizens and taxpayers with the president and his sordid private debauchery. We the people have unwittingly become surrogates for a known misogynist, with a florid history of sexual impropriety, when he smeared a journalist because she had the temerity to speak up. Bigfooting Trumps defence in the Carroll case is just the latest phase of a Barr gaslighting operation thats meant to persuade people that the state is Trump. In the words of the Justice Department motion, Trumps demeaning of Carroll was "within his scope of office as president." In other words, the harassment of women has become presidential. Or as Dahlia Lithwick and Mark Joseph Stern put it in Slate last week, "The stuff that once horrified you in the Access Hollywood tapes four years ago? Now those kinds of comments could just be considered presidential acts." The Republicans used to claim they could separate Trump the president, a tax-cutting deregulator who appoints the right judges, from Trump the man, who boasted about committing sexual assault, joked about dating his own daughter, evidently paid hush money to a porn actress and made a mockery of his marriage vows. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. But if Trump was acting as president when he trashed Carroll, Trump the man cant be distinguished from Trump the president. Those Republicans have no theory left to hide behind. Barrs move hit American feminists like a punch in the gut. Sickening. And it should hit all Americans that way. When Carroll first brought her defamation case, she said, "The lawsuit is for all women who have been harassed, who cannot speak up and dont have the money to sue." "I am speaking out now for the women who have spoken out and have met their doom. Sometimes you speak out against a man in power and you lose your job." Thats right. As much as Barr might want to reverse things, if Carroll is telling the truth, her side, not the presidents, is we the people. Trumps mendacity and vulgarity have defamed the United States of America for too long. Its Carroll, with her courage and honesty, who has stepped up to defend us. Virginia Heffernan is a columnist for the Los Angeles Times. The California Highway Patrol has opened an investigation into an incident that left a protester hospitalized after an officer accelerated into a crowd of people surrounding his patrol car at a Sacramento rally on Monday. CHP said Tuesday that officials will interview the officer who drove the car and other officers who were present in order to understand how what was supposed to be a traffic-control assignment escalated into an injury-causing incident. The internal investigation will also examine video of the incident, including footage taken by the patrol cars dashboard camera, a CHP spokesman said. CHP declined to name the driver and would not disclose whether he has been placed on administrative leave during the investigation. A video taken by an NBC Bay Area reporter on the scene Monday showed a man crawling on the windshield of a patrol car seconds before the patrol car accelerated. The man appears to roll over the roof of the car before being thrown violently to the pavement. The incident occurred at a traffic-control post outside McClellan Airport following President Trumps visit to Sacramento on Monday. The CHP officers were attempting to leave their post when the protesters descended on the car, CHP said. As the lead vehicle began to pull away, one of the protesters climbed up the hood of the patrol vehicle. Fearing for his safety, the officer began to accelerate away and the protester fell off the vehicle, CHP said in a statement issued Tuesday. The video of the incident showed the man grimacing in pain as he lay on the pavement. He was later transported to Mercy San Juan Medical Center with minor injuries, according to CHP. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. The demonstrators had assembled to protest Trumps arrival at McClellan Airport, a staging area for state firefighting efforts. The president took part in a briefing about the states wildfires with Gov. Gavin Newsom for about an hour. The confrontation occurred shortly after the presidents departure, according to a report by the Sacramento Bee. Nora Mishanec is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: nora.mishanec@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @NMishanec Updated 20:25. Additional reporting from Press Association. The Taoiseach has accused British prime minister Boris Johnson of creating "assertions that are in no way connected with the reality" on Brexit. Micheal Martin has warned that playing politics with Brexit negotiations is "simply not an option", and said politicians in Britain, Ireland, and Europe "have only one obligation to protect the people we serve, to protect their livelihoods and their jobs". Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney has accused UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson of inflammatory language and spin over his claims that the EU is attempting to blockade goods travelling across the Irish Sea. Coveney said there may be limited checks on goods coming from Great Britain into the region because there is an agreement to prevent the need for physical infrastructure on the Irish border. Advertisement The measures were envisaged to stop goods passing from England, Scotland or Wales into the Republic of Ireland via Northern Ireland tariff-free if no wider agreement is struck between the EU and UK. Mr Coveney said: There is no blockade proposed. That is the kind of inflammatory language coming from Number 10 which is spin and not the truth. UK MPs are set to debate the Internal Markets Bill this week, which includes measures to override part of the Withdrawal Agreement signed by the UK and EU nine months ago. Minister Coveney said the plan has created enormous tensions in negotiations and has damaged the UK's reputation internationally. Speaking on the BBC's Andrew Marr Show, Minister Coveney said Mr Johnsons claim that the EU is threatening a customs border in the Irish Sea is a bogus argument. #Marr: Would the EU block goods entering Northern Ireland from Britain? Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney: This "inflammatory language" coming from No 10 is "spin and not the truth"#Brexit https://t.co/bGfFiQ3VjM pic.twitter.com/zG3l0rKAvd BBC Politics (@BBCPolitics) September 13, 2020 There is no blockade proposed, and that is the kind of inflammatory language coming from Number 10 which is spin and not the truth, he said. Advertisement What is agreed is that there will be limited checks on goods coming from GB into Northern Ireland, because there is an agreement to prevent the need for physical border infrastructure on the island of Ireland and therefore we have to ensure that goods are not travelling from GB into the single market. The British Government is behaving in an extraordinary way and British people need to know that, because outside of Britain the reputation of the UK as a trusted negotiating partner is being damaged, he added. Meanwhile, Justice Minister Helen McEntee has said that Ireland could take legal action over the UK government's plan to override the Brexit deal in a breach of international law. Minister McEntee said Mr Johnson's plan has damaged trust between the two countries. "it's very difficult" to see how an EU-UK trade agreement can be made when the UK is proposing to break "what has already been agreed" says Ireland's @HMcEntee She says the UK's actions have set talks back and "damaged trust" between Britain and Ireland.#Ridge pic.twitter.com/BDlB0R32B4 Trevor Phillips on Sunday (@RidgeOnSunday) September 13, 2020 It was voted through the UK Parliament nine months ago, it was voted through the European Parliament nine months ago, and now this week, one side of the agreement essentially has decided to unilaterally change elements of that agreement, she said. Advertisement I think it has in some way damaged trust between both sides. Its very difficult to see how you can negotiate a free trade agreement when what has already been agreed is being proposed to be breached less than nine months later. Rhetoric It comes as UK Justice Secretary Robert Buckland has said he will resign if his government breaks the law in a way that I find unacceptable amid growing criticism of Mr Johnsons Brexit plans. The British prime minister is under increasing pressure to back down on plans to override elements of his own Withdrawal Agreement, with former prime ministers John Major and Tony Blair calling on Tory rebels to vote his Bill down, saying it imperils the Irish peace process, trade negotiations and the UKs integrity. Mr Johnson has increased his rhetoric as senior Tories prepare to rebel against his legislation, warning that Brussels could carve up our country without his new Bill. EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier said the Northern Ireland Protocol in the Withdrawal Agreement is not a threat to the integrity of the UK and denied the EU was refusing to list the UK as a third country for food imports. UK commons justice committee chairman Bob Neill has tabled an amendment which he said would impose a parliamentary lock on any changes to the Withdrawal Agreement. Queensland could move to reopen its border with NSW far sooner than expected as the chief health officer considers slashing the coronavirus target in half. Dr Jeannette Young is considering a rule change that will require NSW to go just 14 days, rather than the current 28 days, without community transmission of COVID-19 before Queensland reopens the border. She will reportedly mull the change after lobbying from Queensland Tourism Industry Council chief executive Daniel Gschwind, according to Nine News. But Dr Young said she wouldn't rush 'a critical decision' when the border restrictions are reviewed at the end of the month. Queensland could move to reopen its border with NSW far sooner than expected. Pictured: Motorists are stopped at a checkpoint at Coolangatta on the Queensland-New South Wales border on August 7 'We're still concerned that in the past four weeks there have been 14 cases in NSW of which the cause of transmission is unknown,' she told AAP in a statement on Wednesday. 'For a lot of people at home, it might seem like the pandemic is almost over but in reality, Monday was a record day worldwide for COVID-19 cases. 'We've all done so well to protect Queensland and we can't let our hard work and sacrifices go to waste by rushing a critical decision.' The state's Labor government has been under sustained pressure from federal, interstate and local political rivals to ease border restrictions since the pandemic began. A relaxation of the criteria could allow Queensland to reopen to NSW and the ACT much quicker than previously thought, and potentially in time for Christmas. It could also make it easier for the federal government to get its proposed national hotspot system up and running. Dr Jeannette Young is reportedly considering a rule change that will require NSW to go just 14 days, rather than the current 28 days, without community transmission of COVID-19 before Queensland reopens the border NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian previously labelled Queensland's 28-day requirement a 'tall order'. 'The guideline that's been set by the Queensland government in relation to when they reopen their border is a pretty tall order,' she said. 'I don't know anywhere on the planet where a society could function productively during a pandemic and get an assurance you're going to (get) zero cases of community transmission. 'If you have confidence in your health system, confidence contact tracing is something you can do within your state, there shouldn't be a reason for you to keep your border closed given the low rates of community transmission currently in NSW.' Dr Young said she wouldn't rush 'a critical decision' when the border restrictions are reviewed at the end of the month. Pictured: A motorcyclist is stopped at the checkpoint at Coolangatta on August 7 NSW recorded just seven new COVID-19 infections on Tuesday, including four in hotel quarantine. Two of the cases were linked to a known case or cluster, while one case remains under investigation. Under the current rules Queensland's border is closed to visitors from NSW unless they live in a border region or have an exemption on economic or compassionate grounds. All visitors from NSW, the ACT and Victoria have to go into mandatory 14-day quarantine at their own expense upon arrival in Queensland. The state has no restrictions on visitors from South Australia, Western Australia, Tasmania or the Northern Territory. NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian previously labelled Queensland's 28-day requirement a 'tall order'. 'The guideline that's been set by the Queensland government in relation to when they reopen their border is a pretty tall order,' she said Sarah Caisip, a 26-year-old Canberra nurse, was denied a permit from the Queensland government to enter the state to see her dying father, even though the ACT has been COVID-19-free since July 10. State health officials stopped Ms Caisip from leaving her Brisbane hotel quarantine to grieve with her 11-year-old sister Isobel Prendergast and mother Myrna Prendergast. She was only allowed to view her father's body 20 minutes after the funeral dressed in personal protective equipment. Ms Caisip had earlier written a scathing open letter to Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk after her government denied her permission to see her dying father or attend his funeral. 'My dad is dead and you made me fight to see him, but it was too late and now you won't let me go to his funeral or see my devastated 11-year-old sister,' she said. 'You won't listen and your government is destroying my life. 'My little sister is now without my support and I will never forgive you.' Pictured: Sarah Caisip, dressed in personal protective equipment, arrives to visit her father's body It comes as South Australia lifted their COVID-19 border restrictions with the ACT. From Wednesday, travellers who fly into SA from Canberra will no longer be required to quarantine for 14 days. However, the quarantine arrangements will continue for people from NSW amid continuing concern over community transmission of the virus in that state. ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr said SA's decision was good news and a practical move to 'decouple' the ACT from NSW. 'We've been working patiently and diplomatically behind the scenes to get this decision today,' he said. Pictured: Two women walk along along the beach in Queensland 'On a national level, it's a significant step towards the restarting of domestic aviation in Australia.' Mr Barr said he expected considerable demand for new flights from Canberra to Adelaide. People who do make the trip will need to pre-register online and will be asked to sign a declaration that they have not travelled to either NSW or Victoria in the previous two weeks. SA Police Commissioner Grant Stevens said a similar decision on border rules with NSW was not possible at this stage. 'We're hopeful that the situation will continue to improve,' he said. But the commissioner said the 'level of comfort' South Australian officials had with the situation in the ACT did not yet translate to NSW. Local officials would like to see a two-week period with no community transmission, depending on the source of any new cases. Disney had hoped to make a splash in China, the worlds second-biggest film market, with its $200 million remake of Mulan. But the response there has been lukewarm at best. Chinese moviegoers pointed to historical inconsistencies. Many grumbled that the real Mulan, who in the original poem came from Chinas northern steppe, would never have lived in a tulou, the round, earthen traditional homes of the ethnic Hakka people in the far south. The filmmakers were trying too hard to pander to China, viewers said, and did not try hard enough to get their historical facts right. Heres what else is happening Brexit: Politicians in the U.K. voted to advance Brexit legislation that the government admits would violate international law. Japan leadership: Yoshihide Suga the longtime chief cabinet secretary to Shinzo Abe, the outgoing prime minister swept an election for the leadership of the governing Liberal Democratic Party, all but assuring that he will succeed Mr. Abe in the coming days. War crimes in Yemen: U.S. officials are worried about the legal implications of Washingtons support for Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates in their disastrous war in Yemen. American equipment has been used in attacks that killed thousands of civilians. Avni Doshis debut novel Burnt Sugar and Maaza Mengistes The Shadow King are among the books shortlisted for this years Booker Prize. The New Wilderness by Diane Cook, Tsitsi Dangarembgas This Mournable Body, Douglas Stuarts Shuggie Bain and Real Life by Brandon Taylor are also up for the award. Dame Hilary Mantel, who featured on the longlist, has failed to make the cut and missed out on becoming a triple winner of the prize with the third book in her Cromwell trilogy, titled The Mirror And The Light. Expand Close Dame Hilary Mantel (Ian West/PA) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Dame Hilary Mantel (Ian West/PA) Commenting on her omission, judge and author of the Jack Reacher series Lee Child said the panel thought it was an absolutely wonderful novel. He said her trilogy of novels is one for the ages, but added: There were books that were better, thats all I can say personally. The shortlist features four women and two men. Cook, Stuart and Taylor are also debut novelists. The shortlist, announced at a digital press conference on Tuesday, was chosen by a panel of five judges literary critic Margaret Busby, authors Child and Sameer Rahim, writer Lemn Sissay and classicist Emily Wilson. Busby, chairwoman of the judging panel, said: As judges we read 162 books, many of them conveying important, sometimes uncannily similar and prescient messages. The best novels often prepare our societies for valuable conversations, and not just about the inequities and dilemmas of the world whether in connection with climate change, forgotten communities, old age, racism, or revolution when necessary but also about how magnificent the interior life of the mind, imagination and spirit is, in spite of circumstance. Video of the Day The shortlist of six came together unexpectedly, voices and characters resonating with us all even when very different. Expand Close Maaza Mengiste (2020 Booker Prize/PA) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Maaza Mengiste (2020 Booker Prize/PA) Burnt Sugar tells the story of the shifting power dynamics in a mother-daughter relationship when the parent, who previously enjoyed a wild life, is forced to let her child look after her as she gets older. The Shadow King is about an orphan living in Ethiopia amid the threat of invasion by Mussolini. The winner will be announced on November 17. The shortlisted authors each receive 2,500 and a specially bound edition of their book, while the winner receives a further 50,000. We are delighted to announce the #2020BookerPrize shortlist. Read more: https://t.co/kj9CbeZtKH Join us tonight at 5pm BST in a virtual celebration of our #shortlist, livestreamed on our Facebook and YouTube channels. #FinestFiction pic.twitter.com/qpjvKCRXa7 The Booker Prizes (@TheBookerPrizes) September 15, 2020 Last years prize was jointly won by The Testaments by Margaret Atwood and Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo. Commenting on whether there would be multiple winners this year, Sissay said: If we wanted to have a joint win or a triple win we could have gone for it. He added: But rules are there to be broken, arent they? Because thats what they did last year. Evaristo praised the shortlist on Twitter, saying she is so excited by this groundbreaking shortlist for the 21st century. She wrote: Its all about whos in the room and the value they place on different kinds of literature. If youre looking for fresh perspectives and narratives, surely youre going to find it among the most under-represented voices? Last month Dutch author Marieke Lucas Rijneveld was announced as the winner of the International Booker Prize for The Discomfort Of Evening. In an unusual effort to mediate between fellow members, NATO has stepped in to ease the maritime row between Turkey and Greece, which has been escalating since early June amid signs of growing increasingly militarized in the past several weeks. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg announced Sept. 3 that Ankara and Athens had agreed to enter into technical talks at NATO to establish deconfliction mechanisms to reduce the risk of incidents and accidents in the eastern Mediterranean, where a multilateral rivalry over energy resources has exacerbated long-running territorial disputes between the two neighbors. A meeting between Turkish and Greek military delegations, initially planned for Sept. 8 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels, was rescheduled to Sept. 10. Turkish Defense Ministry sources blamed the Greek side for foot-dragging even on deconfliction, let alone diplomacy. According to a Turkish Defense Ministry statement, the two sides exchanged views as part of discussions of measures to prevent any potential interferences by military elements during the Sept. 10 meeting. The statement said that a follow-up meeting is planned to be held in the coming days. The meeting seems to have been an icebreaker rather than an actual discussion, with the deconfliction effort expected to continue in the form of a series of technical talks. Can NATO pull the mediation mission off and keep the two sides at the negotiating table? Germany, which has been at the forefront of efforts to defuse tensions in the eastern Mediterranean, has failed to achieve any meaningful results thus far, with German mediation welcomed by Ankara but met with reluctance by Athens. Greece believes to be in a strong position diplomatically and has little interest in de-escalation, given that Turkey is diplomatically isolated and unable to enlist support from European Union members. The EU is considering sanctions against Turkey unless it stops unilateral hydrocarbon explorations in disputed waters, with the next EU summit scheduled for Sept. 24. From Ankaras perspective, the EU can no longer be an impartial mediator. The United States used to deal with Turkish-Greek rows in the past. In the memorable 1996 crisis in the Aegean Sea, mediation by then-President Bill Clinton and then-Assistant Secretary of State Richard Holbrooke pulled the two neighbors from the brink of military showdown over a disputed cluster of islets, known as Kardak in Turkish and Imia in Greek. Today, however, Washington lacks enough diplomatic influence in the region to play the mediator. The NATO-mediated deconfliction effort stands a chance to succeed, provided that both sides show commitment to the process and NATO pursues a somewhat coercive style not only at the technical talks but also on the ground, where military traffic has alarmingly increased, both at sea and in the skies. Drone flights are the main factor complicating things in the air. Neither Ankara nor Athens have any experience in planning drone flights as part of deconfliction. We hope that NATO has a road map, a Turkish military expert told Al-Monitor. A NATO attempt to draw up a common Recognized Air Picture theoretically a complete listing of all aircraft in flight within a particular airspace in the Aegean and the eastern Mediterranean and the support it gets from Ankara and Athens for such a purpose will be an important parameter in whether the deconfliction effort succeeds or not. Command and Control (C2) responsibilities and rules of engagement are another thorny area in the deconfliction mission. According to Turkish media reports, Ankara delegated engagement authority to navy captains and pilots in late August, meaning that those officers are now allowed to assume action without notifying Ankara. Judging by a minor collision incident last month, their Greek counterparts appear to have been authorized in the same way. A Greek navy frigate reportedly made contact Aug. 12 when its bow touched the stern of a Turkish frigate after Ankara dispatched a geological survey vessel, escorted by warships, to comb a disputed area for gas deposits. Sources in Ankara say the collision was the trigger that led NATO to step in. NATO will now likely seek to impose certain terms on Ankara and Athens regarding C2 responsibilities and rules of engagement. How the two sides respond to such demands will bear on the outcome of the deconfliction effort. At the end of the day, a successful NATO mediation should bring Turkey and Greece into an agreement to observe certain minimum distances between their respective aircraft and ships. Another crucial aspect of deconfliction is direct communication on various levels between the two parties. Establishing hotlines between Ankara and Athens to avoid misunderstandings and ensuring that they function properly without damaging the trust of either side would be of vital importance. How NATO could achieve all this is a curious question for NATO itself because the alliance, resting on the idea of collective defense, was never designed to arbitrate between member states. So, it is hardly a surprise that NATO has been paralyzed over the conflict between a self-detached Turkey and a self-obsessed Greece. Nevertheless, the crisis appears unlikely to devolve into a full-fledged military confrontation down the road. Neither Ankara nor Athens would like to be a party igniting a conflict between NATO allies, no matter how unhappy they are with the current situation. Still, the drone traffic as well as human trafficking in the Aegean could lead to military faceoffs despite all NATO efforts. The illegal passage of migrants from Turkeys western shores to nearby Greek islands is a major source of tensions that makes deconfliction necessary, even though it is not an area in which NATO would like to get involved. Boats carrying migrants might well spark an unwanted military confrontation one day, as evidenced by the Aug. 11 faceoff between gunboats of the Turkish and Greek coastguards after the latter opened fire on a migrant-laden boat between the Greek island of Rhodes and Turkeys coastal town of Marmaris, injuring a Syrian and two Turkish nationals. Imagine that Greek gunboat fire kills a Turkish soldier or vice versa in such an incident. It is a grave scenario that could dangerously escalate the crisis. What deconfliction proposals NATO will make to the two sides remains to be seen, but the risks stemming from the migrant traffic should not be overlooked. The NATO initiative is, of course, laudable, but the crisis shows to what extent political dynamics between member states can impact the whole cohesion of the alliance. Turkeys strategic divisions with other members, including France and the United States besides Greece, are growing over an array of issues such as Libya, Syria, Iraq, Russia and the energy rivalry in the eastern Mediterranean. NATO is now facing up to an unusual task of in-house deconfliction, the outcome of which will be closely watched by Moscow. In an annual state of the economy speech, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said Greece will buy 18 Dassault Rafale fighters from France and well as additional weapons including Scalp EG air-launched cruise missiles, but the anticipated order for two FDI-class frigates, for which Greece signed a Letter of Intention in October, is apparently not included. In an annual state of the economy speech, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said Greece will buy 18 Dassault Rafale fighters from France and well as additional weapons including Scalp EG air-launched cruise missiles, but the anticipated order for two FDI-class frigates, for which Greece signed a Letter of Intention in October, is apparently not included. Follow Navy Recognition on Google News at this link Turkey has sent a research vessel escorted by military vessels to Greek waters. (Picture source: Turkish Defence Ministry) Announcing a major military modernization package on September 12 2020, in Salonika, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis confirmed the expected order for 18 Rafale combat aircraft but did not name the supplier of four not two, as previously reported frigates that were also expected to be supplied by France. Instead of Naval Groups Belharra-class frigates, it was reported by local media over the week-end that Greece will instead buy four Meko 200 frigates, made by Germanys ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems, which also supplied four older frigates that Greece now plans to upgrade to a similar equipment standard. If confirmed, this would be a major setback for France, as Greece in October 2019 had signed a Letter of Intent for the acquisition of two Belharra frigates, also known as Fregates de Defense et dIntervention (FDI). French Armed Forces Minister Florence Parly announced signature of the LoI in an October 10 post on her Twitter account. More details on the cost of the programme and origin of the weapons purchases will be announced at a news conference on September 20 2020, a government source said. A logo sign outside an office building occupied by ARM Holdings plc, in San Jose, California on December 7, 2014. Photo: Kristoffer Tripplaar/Sipa USA/PA The co-founder of British microchip designer ARM Holdings has written an open letter to the UK Prime Minister urging him to intervene in the planned $40bn (31.1bn) sale of ARM to US firm Nvidia. A spokesperson for the UK government said it was monitoring the deal closely and would not hesitate to investigate further and take appropriate action if it decided it was appropriate. American chipmaker Nvidia (NVDA) announced overnight it had struck a deal with Japans SoftBank (9984.T) to buy Cambridge-based ARM Holdings for $40bn. ARM designs microchips that are used in everything from smartphones to internet-connected fridges. Nvidia founder and chief executive Jensen Huang said the takeover would create a company fabulously positioned for the age of AI and have tremendous benefits for both companies, our customers, and the industry. Shares in Nvidia rose over 5% in pre-market trade in New York. SoftBank shares gained 8.9% in Tokyo on Monday. The Japanese company will take a stake of under 10% in Nvidia as part of the deal. NVIDIA CEO Jen-Hsun Huang. Photo: AP Photo/Chiang Ying-ying However, the announcement on Sunday evening met with almost immediate backlash in Britain. Hermann Hauser, who helped found ARM in 1990, said in an open letter to the UK Prime Minister he was extremely concerned about the deal. Hauser said he and many others were concerned that the UK would lose jobs and influence and argued ARMs business model would be compromised. Surrendering UKs most powerful trade weapon to the US is making Britain a US vassal state, Hauser wrote in the open letter, which was published on Monday. He called on Boris Johnson to force Nvidia to sign legally binding terms agreeing to preserve UK jobs, maintain ARMs market neutrality, and secure exemptions from US rules that would ban ARM from dealing with China. If the UK government cant secure these commitments, Hauser said it should support an IPO of ARM on the London Stock Exchange. The company was previously part of the FTSE 100 before SoftBank purchased it for $32bn in 2016. Story continues If you do not act on this transaction in the national interest, history will remember you not as the person who took Britain out of Europe but the person who delivered Britain into American vassalage, Hauser wrote. He urged others to sign the open letter calling for action. Hermann Hauser on April 18, 2018 in Cambridge, England. Photo: Chris Williamson/Getty Images Earlier in the day, Hauser had said the deal was a disaster for Cambridge, the UK and Europe in an interview with Reuters. A spokesperson for the government told Yahoo Finance UK in an emailed statement: ARM is an important part of the UK's tech sector and makes a significant contribution to the UK economy. While acquisitions are primarily a commercial matter for the parties concerned, the Government monitors these closely and when a takeover may have a significant impact on the UK we will not hesitate to investigate further and take appropriate action. The UK government could order a review of the takeover by the Competition and Markets Authority under the 2002 Enterprise Act. The agreement isnt cast iron yet, said Nicholas Hyett, a equity analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown. Prior to its 2016 acquisition by Softbank, ARM was seen as one of the UKs technological jewels, and approving its sale to an overseas buyer was politically sensitive. Thats probably more the case now than ever and with Softbanks official commitments to Arms Cambridge site due to expire in 2021 the deal may well come with additional strings attached from the UK government. READ MORE: SoftBank closes in on 31bn deal with Nvidia for UKs ARM Holdings Hauser and Tudor Brown, another ARM cofounder, have been outspoken critics of the sale to Nvidia, which has been trailed in the press for some time. It will become one of the Nvidia divisions, and all the decisions will be made in America, no longer in Cambridge, Hauser told the BBC in early August. On Sunday, Huang said ARM would remain headquartered in Cambridge and promised to expand R&D facilities there. Arm Cambridge will be a world-class technology center, he said. Nvidia also pledged to keep ARMs open operating model, meaning customers would not be obliged to buy ARM-designed chips that are manufactured by Nvidia. However, Hauser said any commitments must be legally binding or they are useless. Health Minister Nelu Tataru on Monday evening urged people in schools to follow the rules regarding the wearing of the mask, distancing, and the use of the disinfectant and pointed out that giving them up would involve experiments that the Romanian government cannot do. "We have not talked about courage, but we have talked about precautions. If we see that there is a low community transmission, that we have all the conditions so that we can keep distance, that we can be sure that the health rules are followed, if we are sure there is also the disinfectant, that someone is monitoring these activities, we will rethink, but at the moment, we are not in a position to let freedom prevail (...) No. There are some rules that we have to keep in place: the mask, distancing, the disinfectants. Let's keep these rules. I don't think anyone is ready to experiment with children and teachers," Tataru told Digi 24 private broadcaster.Tataru, who was asked if he would have the courage to leave it to schools to decide whether to wear a mask or sing in music classes, as did the German state of Baden-Wurttemberg, said that so far in Romania compliance with the rules has led to "good results and is helping us get over this pandemic moment.""Once again: we are not experimenting. We have pledged as a ministry, as a government, as an administration to get through this pandemic and get through as few diseases and as few victims as possible. I don't know if anyone can afford it - the Romanian Government does not - to do experiments at the moment. At the moment we have some rules imposed by the National Institute for Public Health, some joint orders of the Education Ministry and the Health Ministry that we are all compelled in a partnership to follow," said the minister.Tataru considers that the mentioned schools "have a certain standard" and pleads for students and teachers wearing a mask even outdoors "when there are gatherings and human agglomerations". Robbie Coltrane has spoken out in defence of JK Rowling after she was accused of being transphobic. The Harry Potter author has continuously come under fire for her controversial views on gender identity, but vehemently denies that she is transphobic. The row was rekindled this week when it was revealed that her new book, Troubled Blood, features a 'transvestite serial killer'. She has been criticised by Harry Potter stars including Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint. Robbie Coltrane has spoken out in defence of JK Rowling after she was accused of being transphobic However, Mr Coltrane, 70, who played gamekeeper Hagrid in the Harry Potter films, has suggested people are too easily offended and said he does not find her views offensive. The Harry Potter author has continuously come under fire for her controversial views on gender identity, but vehemently denies that she is transphobic He told the Radio Times: 'I don't think what she said was offensive really. I don't know why but there's a whole Twitter generation of people who hang around waiting to be offended. 'They wouldn't have won the war, would they? That's me talking like a grumpy old man, but you just think, ''Oh, get over yourself. Wise up, stand up straight and carry on''.' Cracker star Coltrane, said he did not want to go further because, 'I don't want to get involved in all of that because of all the hate mail and all that s***, which I don't need at my time of life'. Ms Rowling was initially accused of being transphobic after responding to an article headlined 'Creating a more equal post-Covid-19 world for people who menstruate'. She tweeted: 'People who menstruate.' I'm sure there used to be a word for those people. Someone help me out. Wumben? Wimpund? Woomud?' She went on to defend her comments and said: 'If sex isn't real, there's no same-sex attraction. If sex isn't real, the lived reality of women globally is erased. 'I know and love trans people, but erasing the concept of sex removes the ability of many to meaningfully discuss their lives. It isn't hate to speak the truth.' Jedward also waded into the JK Rowling transphobia row, suggesting their fans use her new book as firewood. However, Mr Coltrane, 70, who played gamekeeper Hagrid in the Harry Potter films, has suggested people are too easily offended and said he does not find her views offensive The former X Factor stars, real names John and Edward Grimes, have become the latest high profile figures to criticise Rowling for the comments, writing on Twitter: '#TransRightsAreHumanRights Understanding is the first step to acceptance @jk-rowling and only with acceptance can there be recovery. 'It matters not what someone is born, but what they grow to be! 'Every human life is worth the same, and worth saving! Jedward also waded into the JK Rowling transphobia row, suggesting their fans use her new book as firewood 'We couldn't be more proud of our fans! Over the years seeing the growth and development finding who they are and becoming their true authentic selves! 'We LOVE You #TransRightsAreHumanRights.' They added: 'Does anyone need firewood this winter! JK's new book is perfect to burn next to a Romantic fire. Aww get all cozy and comfy can't wait.' She has also been criticised by Harry Potter stars including Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint. Speaking to The Times, Rupert said: 'I firmly stand with the trans community and echo the sentiments expressed by many of my peers. Trans women are women. Trans men are men. 'We should all be entitled to live with love and without judgement.' The former X Factor stars, real names John and Edward Grimes, have become the latest high profile figures to criticise Rowling for the comments Emma, 30, wrote: 'Trans people are who they say they are and deserve to live their lives without being constantly questioned or told they aren't who they say they are. 'I want my trans followers to know that I and so many other people around the world see you, respect you and love you for who you are.' She went on to say that she was proud to donate to charities such as Mermaids and Mama Cash before encouraging her fans to do the same. Emma concluded: 'Happy #Pride2020 Sending love x.' Daniel Radcliffe, 30, wrote a heartfelt blog post for The Trevor Project, a non-profit devoted to suicide prevention among LGBTQ+ youth. He said: 'Transgender women are women. Any statement to the contrary erases the identity and dignity of transgender people and goes against all advice given by professional health care associations who have far more expertise on this subject matter than either Jo or I.' Support: Emma, 30, wrote: 'Trans people are who they say they are and deserve to live their lives without being constantly questioned or told they aren't who they say they are.' Since the backlash, Mermaids - a charity that supports transgender children - urged Rowling to meet some of the young people it works with in a lengthy statement challenging her views. But she has since answered her critics with a 3,663 word essay posted on her website on Wednesday under the headline: 'J.K. Rowling Writes about Her Reasons for Speaking out on Sex and Gender Issues.' She included her personal experiences with domestic abuse at the hands of her ex-husband of 18 months, Jorges Arantes. She appeared mindful that her words might not be suitable for her younger fans by adding the sub-heading: 'Warning: This piece contains inappropriate language for children.' Defence: The wordsmith seemingly denied claims of transphobia, before retweeting a fan's comment which slammed 'extremists' for 'insisting biological sex is an illusion' In it, the author revealed she was sexually assaulted in her 20s and told of her scars of domestic violence from her first marriage. 'I couldn't shut out those memories and I was finding it hard to contain my anger and disappointment about the way I believe my government is playing fast and loose with womens and girls' safety.' Ms Rowling also went on to describe her experience of domestic and sexual abuse. 'I've been in the public eye now for over twenty years and have never talked publicly about being a domestic abuse and sexual assault survivor,' she wrote. 'This isn't because I'm ashamed those things happened to me, but because they're traumatic to revisit and remember. I also feel protective of my daughter from my first marriage.' The author had one child, daughter Jessica Isabel Rowling Arantes, 26, with her Portuguese ex-husband. They were married for just 13 months. Former drug addict Arantes admitted in 2000 that he had once slapped her 'very hard' early in the morning of November 17, 1993 and thrown her out of the house in Porto, Portugal. He said: 'She refused to go without Jessica... there was a violent struggle. I had to drag her out of the house at five in the morning, and I admit I slapped her very hard in the street.' Ms Rowling returned the following day with a policeman to retrieve their four-month-old daughter Jessica and stayed in hiding with friends for two weeks before returning to the UK. In her post, Ms Rowling said she did not want to 'claim ownership' of a story which also belongs to her daughter. 'I didn't want to claim sole ownership of a story that belongs to her, too. However, a short while ago, I asked her how she'd feel if I were publicly honest about that part of my life, and she encouraged me to go ahead,' she added. 'I'm mentioning these things now not in an attempt to garner sympathy, but out of solidarity with the huge numbers of women who have histories like mine, who've been slurred as bigots for having concerns around single-sex spaces. 'I managed to escape my first violent marriage with some difficulty, but I'm now married to a truly good and principled man, safe and secure in ways I never in a million years expected to be. 'However, the scars left by violence and sexual assault don't disappear, no matter how loved you are, and no matter how much money you've made. 'My perennial jumpiness is a family joke and even I know it's funny but I pray my daughters never have the same reasons I do for hating sudden loud noises, or finding people behind me when I haven't heard them approaching.' Ms Rowling also declared she had 'deep concerns' about the pressures young people face to transition to another gender. She even suggested she might have become a man herself - 'to turn myself into the son my father had openly said he'd have preferred' if she had been subjected to similar pressures. Protective services officers patrol along the St Kilda Beach foreshore in Melbourne - AFP Australian police officers are under criminal investigation after video emerged of them ramming a man with their vehicle and one of the officers kicking him in the head during an arrest in Melbourne. It was announced on Tuesday that Victorias independent anti-corruption body will probe the incident, which has seen one of the officers suspended. The 32-year-old man in the video is now in hospital in an induced coma, after the arrest on Sunday. His father, Glenn Atkins, has called for the senior constable who kicked his son's head to be fired from Victoria Police. Mr Atkins told local media that his son, who has bipolar disorder, had gone to the Northern Hospital for treatment before running outside to meet a work colleague, which prompted hospital staff to call the police. Victoria Police Deputy Commissioner Neil Paterson said on Tuesday that he had seen the video and it's an inappropriate use of force by a police member with regard to the kick, or the stomp, to the head of the man involved in that incident. I've also formed the view that the use of force in using a police vehicle with the man involved in that incident is concerning, he said. The officer who allegedly kicked the man has been suspended, on full pay, and the officer who drove the car that struck the man has been banned from driving police vehicles. Deputy Commissioner Paterson said the arrested man was waiting for treatment when he allegedly broke some glass doors exiting the facility and police were called. He said Victoria Police would hand its evidence and records of the incident to the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission (IBAC), which would take over a criminal investigation into the matter. In a statement, IBAC Commissioner Robert Redlich confirmed the police oversight agency would independently investigate the arrest. Given the potentially serious nature of this incident, IBAC has determined it is in the public interest to independently investigate this matter, he said. Deputy Commissioner Paterson, which pressed on the striking of the man with a vehicle, said the man had been violent at the hospital and police were concerned he would attempt to carjack a vehicle. He said while IBAC would conduct its own investigation into the arrest, Victoria Police would review the matter and its training policies. He said using a kicking action or any action against the head of a person is not trained by Victoria Police, that is outside of our accepted training within Victoria Police. A man was arrested for allegedly threatening to kill a person after believing they were responsible for having his car towed. A man went on Friday to the home of another person he believed was responsible for having his vehicle towed from his home, city police said. An argument broke out and the man threatened to kill the other person, police said. Later on Friday, the man approached the other person again and threatened the person with a weapon. Michael MacKenzie, 25, was charged with uttering threats, assault with a weapon, breach of probation and failing to comply with a weapons prohibition. The accused was held in custody. The international commission, made up of 18 experts from different disciplines, said that genome editing on embryos should not be used to create a pregnancy unless it has been clearly established that the changes can be reliably made without also making undesired changes. (Photo | London: Techniques to genetically-edit human embryos should not be used until they are proved to be reliable and safe, an international commission said Thursday, in the wake of a scandal over gene-modified babies in China two years ago. Experts from the commission of US National Academy of Medicine, US National Academy of Sciences, and Britains Royal Society said heritable genome editing for medical purposes was not yet ready to be tried safely and effectively in human embryos. The body was set up after Chinese biophysicist He Jiankui triggered an international scandal by claiming in 2018 that he was behind the worlds first gene-edited babies using Crispr, a powerful new tool that acts as a kind of molecular scissors. Ignoring ethical and scientific norms, he created the twins Lula and Nana with alterations to their genomes meant to give them immunity to HIV. He was sentenced to three years in prison for illegal medical practice by a Chinese court in December. The case alarmed scientists worldwide, raising questions about bioethics and global oversight of scientific research, as well as reigniting fears about parents creating so-called designer babies. The commission said that the event made it clear that there was a risk of ad hoc editing efforts that could cause significant harm to individuals. Moreover, given that heritable changes would be introduced that could be passed to subsequent generations, it was clear that careful consideration would need to be given to the specific applications of the editing technology, it said. Heritable genome editing includes making alterations to the genetic material of human eggs, sperm, or any cells that lead to their development, including the cells of early embryos, the report said, adding that clinical use of this technology was either banned or not permitted in many countries. This commission, made up of 18 experts from different disciplines, did not reject the principle of genetic modification in humans but aimed to provide a framework for countries considering the use of the technology. It acknowledged that gene editing could represent an important option for prospective parents with a known risk of transmitting a genetic disease to have a genetically-related child without that disease and its associated morbidity and mortality. But in its recommendations it said that genome editing on embryos should not be used to create a pregnancy unless it has been clearly established that the changes can be reliably made without also making undesired changes. It said that criteria had not yet been met and called for further research and extensive societal dialogue before countries make the decision to allow heritable human genome editing. Should they ever be used, it is vitally important that these technologies are used for medically justified interventions, based on a rigorous understanding of how the pathogenic variant leads to disease, said commission co-chair Kay Davies, professor of genetics at the University of Oxford. More research is needed into the technology of genome editing in human embryos, to ensure that precise changes can be made without undesired off-target effects. International cooperation and open discussion of all aspects of genome editing will be essential. The commissions report will feed into work by the World Health Organization, which has set up a committee for governance of both heritable and non-heritable human genome editing research and clinical uses. The WHO committee is expected to issue guidance later this year. Cutting edge CRISPR-Cas9 (CRISPR for short) has revolutionised biomedical research since bursting on to the scene in 2012. In February, US scientists reported successfully genetically editing the immune systems of three cancer patients without creating any side effects using CRISPR. The technique is much simpler than preceding technology, cheaper and easy to use in small labs. But it is also far from perfect and can create unintended mutations. Experts believe this may have happened to the Chinese twins born in 2018 as a result of edits performed by He. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. Mumbai: Sterlite Technologies Limited (STL), an integrator of digital networks, today announced a partnership with telecom operator Bharti Airtel, to build a modern optical fibre network for Airtel across 10 telecom circles. The new optical network will enable Airtel to deliver world-class customer experience through enhanced scalability, reduced latency, and improved bandwidth, claimed the companies. The densely fiberized network, will also form the foundation for many next-gen services such as 5G, FTTH, IoT, enterprise networks, and Industry 4.0. STL has been a long term partner to Airtel in the optical connectivity space and in this project, STL will closely work with Airtel to design and build a network that will shape the future of connected India. India's fibre penetration, according to industry estimates, is extremely low, with only 25% of the 5 lakh telecom towers connected via fibre an essential backhaul requirement to deploy high-speed data networks. Telecom experts estimate that as the demand for 4G services increases and the country moves towards 5G trials, there will be a massive need for fiberization to support wireless services as well. Recently, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) released a consultation paper to address the slow proliferation of broadband services in the country which require a strong fibre network. Trai has also asked for possible reasons for slower growth of FTTH (fibre-to-the-home) subscribers and what is possibly preventing Local Cable Operators (LCOs) from providing broadband services. Trai asked if the reason for slow fixed and mobile broadband speeds, are the design and capacity of core network and equipment such as RAN. For this project, STL will use its end-to-end deployment solution LEAD 360o. It comes with features like robotics cable blowing and Artificial Intelligence bots along with a pre-integrated suite of optical fibre, cable, network design, and integration services. This solution will create multiple efficiencies, enable faster launch readiness, and enhanced network quality for Airtel. Commenting on the partnership, Randeep Sekhon, CTO, Bharti Airtel said: We are pleased to deepen our collaboration with STL to build a competent, future ready network. Airtel has always been committed to delivering customer delight and building a connected ecosystem. This 5G-ready and high capacity network will enable us to provide faster delivery of new services, while delivering an enhanced user experience." In July, Bharti Airtel renewed its agreement with Swedish telecom equipment provider Ericsson to provide pan-India managed network operations through Ericsson Operations Engine. K.S. Rao, CEO- Network Services and Software, STL said As an integrator of end-to-end digital networks, we are constantly innovating to provide smarter and intelligent networks to our customers. We are excited about this stronger and renewed strategic partnership with Airtel. The need for dense fiberization shall continue to grow on the back of investments in 5G, FTTH, data centres, and next-gen digital networks. STL, with its diverse capability across all network layers, is uniquely positioned to deliver significant value for Digital Service Providers." Telecom operators have been upgrading their technology partnerships rapidly in light of both the geo-political concerns around equipment vendors as well as the increasing dependency on telecom services due to the global pandemic. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Never miss a story! Stay connected and informed with Mint. Download our App Now!! Topics South Africa: Applicants of COVID-19 Relief Fund urged to register with SARS The Department of Sport, Arts and Culture says applicants for the second wave of the COVID-19 Relief Fund must be registered as taxpayers. Despite the opening of the second wave, the department has observed the challenges experienced by potential applicants in terms of their tax registration status, however, this is a mandatory requirement, which the department cannot eliminate, the department said on Tuesday. The department has consulted with the South African Revenue Service (SARS). SARS has indicated that potential applicants can register as taxpayers in order to secure the documents required to submit their application. Furthermore, the turn-around time to process these applications is 24 hours and upon registering, applicants are then able to provide proof of tax registration, enabling them to submit their applications, the department said. The department said it can only disburse funds to arts practitioners who make a living from the arts industry and therefore, a certified bank letter is an acceptable recommendation. The department has agreed to a recommendation by sector organisations to accept referrals. All arts practitioners are eligible, except those already receiving government funding, including grants, or pensioners between the ages of 60 and 69. The departments Living Legends Legacy Programme (LLLP) caters to those who have contributed to the sector and are 70-years-old and above. With regards to relief for theatres and arts organisations, the Stimulus Package ObjectiveTwo will be made available to all formations, NPOs, NGOs, theatres, independent and semi-independent theatres, theatre makers and community theatre organisations, to ensure the sustained visibility of the arts industry. The arts sector will be informed through public calls in due course. In light of the two extensions for applications in the second wave of relief funding, the department continues to interact with those who have applied but whose applications have been stalled due to missing or incomplete documents, the department said. Safe re-opening of the arts sector The department has presented the sectors proposals on reopening to government. Government is favourably looking at the reopening of the economy, including the creative economy. In due course, government is going to pronounce on this matter. The safe re-opening of the arts sector, including theatres and arts venues, has always been at the top of the agenda, the department said. With the recent published Directions, the department reopened venues, under strict health protocols, and further created live streaming opportunities The emphasis on adherence to strict health and safety protocols remains a critical priority while opening up the economy; and ensuring that the country does not get second wave COVID-19 resurgence; as has happened in other countries. The department remains committed to creating an enabling environment and developing sustainable livelihoods for sector practitioners, whilst ensuring that we safe guard against the spread of the Coronavirus. SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2020-09-15. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Thirty students from various universities in the country last Saturday became the fifth batch of beneficiaries to be inducted into the Kufuor Scholars Programme started in 2015. The new batch, with the highest group of beneficiaries, brings to 112 the number of students admitted into the programme. The three-year training and mentorship programme, the brainchild of former President John Agyekum Kufuor, is being run by the John Agyekum Kufuor Foundation to mentor the scholars in the areas of leadership, governance and development. The 30, made up of 16 young women and 14 men, were selected from a list of 1,200 students who applied for the scholars programme this year. They are from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), the University of Ghana (UG), the University of Development Studies (UDS), the University of Cape Coast (UCC), Ashesi University, the University of Mines and Technology (UMaT) and the Ghana Communications Technology University, formerly Ghana Technology University College (GTUC). Regional list Six of the beneficiaries were selected from the Ashanti Region, six from the Volta, five from Central, three from Eastern and two from the Greater Accra Region. A beneficiary each was selected from the Western, Bono, Northern and Oti regions. Merit At the ceremony at the former Presidents house at Peduase, near Aburi in the Eastern Region, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the foundation, Professor Baffour Agyeman-Duah, explained that the selection of the students was strictly based on merit. He commended the 30 students for their patience in going through the competitive and rigorous process, adding that they have defied all the odds amidst the pandemic to join this programme. Prof. Agyeman-Duah noted that for the next three years, the scholars would be exposed to various activities, including leadership training camps, mentoring and interacting with the former President, which were all geared towards building their capacity to address pressing needs in Ghana and Africa. The objective is to expose them as much as possible so they can prepare themselves better for future leadership, he added. Excellence Former President Kufuor shared his public life experience with the beneficiaries and charged them to pursue excellence in their various fields of study. He emphasised the need for the students to be committed to empowering mankind to further help transform the African continent, saying: Humanity is at the centre of everything, and so wherever you find yourself, try and change the place and make an impact. Former President Kufuor again advised the students to nurture themselves physically and emotionally in their pursuit of becoming change agents and leaders in various sectors of the economy. That, according to him, would ensure effective leadership without compromising on their entrusted roles while reducing the incidence of corruption on the continent. As you leave here today, I discharge you as missionaries with the mission of helping to impact the country positively and changing the negative perception about the African continent, Mr Kufuor said. Source: Graphic.com.gh Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-15 14:31:30|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIJING, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- China's civil aviation regulator on Tuesday announced adjustments to its management policies for domestic airline services in a bid to boost the virus-hit industry. China will lift restrictions on the maximum limit of weekly flights subject to approval, allowing airlines greater flexibility in arranging passenger flights involving airports of Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, among other busy airports, the Civil Aviation Administration of China told a press conference. While easing the rules, the regulator specified detailed guidelines for applying flights to coordinate market competition and take into consideration the conditions of airport operation. Meanwhile, the regulator eased restrictions on regional airlines involving three major airports in the cities of Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou. China's civil aviation industry continued to see a gradual recovery in August as key indicators reported visible improvements from a month ago, showed data. Airlines flew a total of 45.5 million passengers last month, down 25.6 percent year on year. The decline narrowed 8.5 percentage points from July. The domestic market saw an accelerated recovery, reporting 45.35 million passenger trips, the highest monthly volume this year. Enditem Credit: CC0 Public Domain As universities prepare to welcome students back, infectious disease modeling experts at the University of Bristol have conducted a rapid review and developed a new epidemic model which contributed to evidence considered by SAGE to assess the effectiveness of different interventions that could stop the spread of SARS-CoV-2 in a university setting. The findings, published on the preprint server medRxiv, provides the sector with recommendations to help reduce the risk for students, staff and the wider community. This month, thousands of university students are due to start the 2020/21 academic term and will arrive on campus from across the UK and internationally. As COVID-19 continues to circulate around the globe, universities are actively developing plans to keep students, staff and the wider community safe, while providing a high-quality student experience. The team, led by Drs Ellen Brooks-Pollock and Hannah Christensen from the NIHR Health Protection Research Unit in Behavioral Science and Evaluation at the University of Bristol and part of Bristol UNCOVER, conducted a rapid review of mathematical modeling studies looking at how coronavirus might spread in a university setting and what mitigation strategies could be most useful in helping to reduce it. The team reviewed five studies, four from the US and one from the UK, and developed a new, detailed epidemic model based on UK student data. Their investigations considered testing, contact tracing, quarantine strategies, and other non-pharmaceutical interventions. Their analyses provided the following recommendations to policy makers and the higher education sector: Multiple interventions will be required to enable universities to respond quickly to any evolving increases in SARS-CoV-2 cases, which include reducing peoples' contacts (within residences and across the university community), effective testing, tracing and quarantine of individuals. Students and staff will need to closely adhere to the national guidance around social distancing and hand washing, and will need clear advice on what to do if they are symptomatic or asked to quarantine to help avoid large number of cases in the university community. Policies aimed at reducing how many people individuals come into contact with, and the risk of transmission during any face-to-face contacts, are critical. This could include moving teaching online, social distancing, and the correct use of face coverings. Limiting contacts, with reduced face-to-face teaching and reducing the size of living circles, was the single most effective control option. If mass testing is used, it needs to be frequent, with persons without symptoms being tested weekly or more often. Dr. Hannah Christensen, Senior Lecturer in Infectious Disease Mathematical Modeling in Bristol Medical School, said: "Mathematical models are currently being used to help understand the evolving COVID-19 pandemic and to inform prevention and control strategies. Many UK universities are planning for students to return to campus in autumn 2020 in a blended teaching model, for example with large lectures replaced with online teaching and small group practical classes, delivered with social distancing measures in place. Other UK universities are considering alternative teaching models, including some planning full online learning for at least the first term. In the absence of a vaccine, managing COVID-19 within a university setting presents unique challenges. However, our results have shown certain interventions can be effective. Minimizing face-to-face contacts and lowering the risk of virus transmission when people do meet, through physical distancing, the use of face coverings and good hand hygiene, all help reduce the spread. Testing, with contact tracing and quarantining, also plays a critical part in controlling outbreaks." Dr. Ellen Brooks-Pollock, Senior Lecturer in Veterinary Public Health and Infectious Disease Modeling at the University of Bristol, added: "Our findings clearly show that multiple mitigation interventions are needed to help universities respond effectively to any increase in cases. Some interventions can be implemented with limited additional resources, others, such as mass testing would require additional capacity. Mass testing of all students could be effective but is dependent on regular testing and effective self-isolation. In addition, there are big data gaps that need to be filled in order to characterize transmission in this population, such as how infectious cases with mild symptoms are." Explore further Follow the latest news on the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak More information: Hannah Christensen et al. COVID-19 transmission in a university setting: a rapid review of modelling studies, (2020). Hannah Christensen et al. COVID-19 transmission in a university setting: a rapid review of modelling studies,(2020). DOI: 10.1101/2020.09.07.20189688 Ellen Brooks-Pollock et al. High COVID-19 transmission potential associated with re-opening universities can be mitigated with layered interventions, (2020). DOI: 10.1101/2020.09.10.20189696 Covid-19 virus is 100% China-made, asserts virologist Chinese virologist Dr Li-Meng Yan, who fled to the United States over safety concerns, says she has scientific proof that Sars-CoV-2 is man-made and produced at a government-owned virology laboratory in Chinas Wuhan province. Appearing on a talk show from a secret location, the virologist claimed that she discovered a cover-up operation during her investigation and said that the Chinese government knew about the spread of the virus much before publicly acknowledging it. The virologist, then working in Hong Kong, was in December last year tasked with looking into a cluster of Sars-like cases coming out of mainland China. She, however, got annoyed by the covert nature of the operation and her investigation brought to light the fact that the Chinese government knew about the spread of the virus before publicly acknowledging it. She later turned whistleblower against the Chinese government over its handling of the coronavirus pandemic. Dr Li-Meng Yan said she will soon publish her findings. Participating in the British talk show, `Lose Woman, on 11 September, she talked about her research on the coronavirus disease and the challenges she has been facing. Dr Li-Meng said that she conducted two researches on the new pneumonia in China between December and early January and the second one in mid-January, and shared the results with her supervisor, who is a World Health Organisation (WHO) consultant. She expected her supervisor to do the right thing on behalf of the Chinese government and WHO but to her surprise she was told to maintain silence or else she would be made to disappear, which the virologist said was common sense among the Chinese. No one responded, people are scared of the government and they are waiting to collaborate with the government and WHO to get more benefits to become safe but this is [was] something urgent, Dr Li-Meng said. This also proves US accusations of WHOs complicity in Chinese preparations for biological warfare. This also brings to focus the use of crude weapons by Chinese militia in a wild fight with Indian troops in Galwan valley. Perhaps, they may be using such weapons to infect Indian troops with such viruses. Again, on Monday they came with spear-like weapons during their failed attempt to take control of Indian positions Li-Meng said she decided to open up as the Chinese New Year is time for a rush for travel in and out of China, considering the fact that the new virus cloned at Wuhan is a high (highly) contentious dangerous virus. I mean, this is about human beings and global health. She said it was also scary as she was facing threats but I knew if I didnt tell the world the truth I would be regretful. On 17 January, she said she contacted a famous Chinese YouTuber in the US. The expose, which was in Chinese, explained that: (1) the Chinese government was just covering the Covid-19 virus, (2) human to human transmission of the disease already existed, (3) Sars-CoV-2 is a high mutant virus that will become an outbreak soon, and (4) the Wuhan seafood market and the intermediate hosts for the virus were just a smokescreen. And this is not the final thing, the scientist said, adding that the Chinese military labs have developed many such bio weapons. This is based on the China Military Institute that discovered and owned some bad coronavirus named CC45 and ZXC41. Based on that, after lab modification becomes a novel virus. She also dismissed the fish market theory, saying that it was purposely created to mislead the public and the world at large. Dr Li-Meng said her investigation has inputs from the CDCs in China, from local doctors, doctors and other people around China. We are going to publish it. There are two reports, the first one will come in several days and it will tell people about the scientific evidence, she said. Throwing light on the unpublished research, she said, The genome sequence is like our human fingerprint. So, based on this you can recognise and identify this thing. So, I used the evidence existing in the genome sequence of Sars-CoV-2 to tell people why this came from China, why they are the only one who made it. She also said that anyone, even those without any knowledge of biology, can read it. You can check, identify and verify it by yourself. It is the critical thing for us to know the origins of the virus. If not, it will be life threatening for everyone, she added. This will expose Chinese Communist Partys murkiest, evil secret plan of systematically developing bio weapons to kill and dominate the world. The CCP is still denying the offer from USs scientific communities to investigate the origin of virus. World Sailing's Election Committee overseeing the 2020 Election of World Sailing's Officers is pleased to announce the Presidential and Vice-Presidential Candidates standing for election this October. The election of the President and seven Vice-Presidents will be conducted via an electronic ballot. World Sailing Member National Authorities, in good standing with World Sailing, are eligible to vote and when casting their ballot, must select at least two male and two female candidates for Vice President.The results of the ballot will be announced on 1 November 2020 at the General Assembly which will be held as a virtual meeting.Eligible candidates have been endorsed by at least five World Sailing MNAs with the term of office beginning at the close of the General Assembly, at which the Board of Directors are elected for a period of four years.Candidates eligible for election at the 2020 General Assembly, in alphabetical order by surname, are:Presidential CandidatesVice-Presidential Candidates:Click on the names above for further insight into the candidates. Alongside biographical information, candidates were also invited to supply manifesto documents and video messages.The 2020 General Assembly will be held remotely and will be conducted in line with World Sailing's Remote Voting Procedure which is available here The first round of voting will be held from 9-16 October 2020. This will be the main voting period for the Presidential and Vice-Presidential election.In the event that no Presidential candidate receives more than 50% of the votes in the first round, two further rounds are scheduled for 20-23 October and 26-29 October to conduct run-off votes.The results of the election will be announced during the General Assembly by the Election Committee on 1 November.If there is a tie between any Vice-Presidential candidates, a run-off vote will commence on 1 November and conclude on 4 November.Controlling and regulating the process is World Sailing's Election Committee chaired by Philip Cotton and ably supported by Melanie Willmore and David Kellett, who have overseen the whole process so far. In addition, KPMG have been appointed as the Independent Scrutineer. China Says 12 Fleeing Hongkongers Held in Shenzhen Are 'Separatists' 2020-09-14 -- Twelve activists detained in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen after they tried to flee Hong Kong in a speedboat have been accused of "separatism" by a foreign ministry spokeswoman in Beijing. "The 12 people were arrested for illegally crossing the border," Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said via Twitter. "They are not democratic activists, but elements attempting to separate #HongKong from China," Hua wrote in response to a tweet from U.S. State Department spokesman Morgan Ortagus, who condemned the detention of the 12 Hongkongers. "Legitimate governments do not need to wall their countries in and prevent their citizens from leaving," Ortagus had tweeted. "The arrest of 12 Hong Kong democracy activists is another sad example of the deterioration of human rights in Hong Kong," he wrote on Saturday. The family members of six of the detainees held a press conference on Saturday, calling on the Hong Kong authorities to bring them back to the city as soon as possible. Concerns are growing over the lack of access to lawyers hired by their families and to adequate medical care in Shenzhen's Yantian Detention Center. The 12 Hongkongers are aged 16 to 33, and were held on suspicion of "illegal immigration" after they tried to escape by speedboat to the democratic island of Taiwan last month. Hong Kong activist Andy Li who was arrested and released on bail earlier this month by Hong Kong for alleged national security law violations was among them, sources told RFA at the time. The Shenzhen police department confirmed for the first time on Sunday that 12 Hong Kong citizens were under criminal detention on suspicion of illegally crossing the border, and that investigations are ongoing. "Police will protect the legitimate rights and interests of criminal suspects in accordance with law," the department said via its official social media account on Weibo. Lawyer turned away But defense lawyer Lu Siwei, who was recently hired by the family of one of the detainees, told RFA he had been turned away from the detention center on several occasions after he went to request a meeting with his client. The mother of one detainee, Tang Kai-yin, said she didn't know whether he was alive or dead. Tang's brother said he was concerned about his brother's health in detention. Hong Kong's Immigration Department has since said the 12 are in good health, and they have got lawyers to represent them. But relatives of the detainees told reporters at the weekend that they had been given no information on the charges against their loved ones, and said assistance offered by the Hong Kong authorities was inadequate. Hong Kong Secretary for Security John Lee declined to intervene on behalf of the 12 detained in Shenzhen, saying only that the Hong Kong authorities will keep track of their case. "People should respect the local law wherever they are and take responsibility for their own actions, including criminal liability," Lee said. "Governments respect different jurisdictions operating according to their own laws," he said. Bargaining chips Council Front lawmaker Chu Hoi-dick said the 12 could now be used as bargaining chips by the ruling Chinese Communist Party. "The moment family-appointed lawyers were denied to see some of the detainees, it could be expected that the Chinese Communist Party has designated the 12 people as highly sensitive cases," government broadcaster RTHK quoted Chu as saying in a statement. Meanwhile, Taiwan's Central News Agency (CNA) quoted a source on Sunday as confirming reports that five Hongkongers who attempted to reach the island by boat have been detained there. Taiwan journalist Edd Jhong, who says he helped them get to Taiwan, has claimed that the former anti-government protesters had not been allowed to contact their families or lawyers. CNA's source on Sunday confirmed the detentions, denied they were under "house arrest," but gave no timeline for their release. It said five had been granted access to lawyers, and were not being held incommunicado. Hong Kong security chief John Lee said the city's government had received no information on the five. 'Taiwan must be cautious' Taiwan Protestant pastor Hwang Chun-sheng, who has helped Hongkongers fleeing to Taiwan following a city-wide crackdown on the protest movement that has intensified under a draconian national security law since July 1, said Taiwan has helped many people from Hong Kong. "But Taiwan has to be very cautious, because China and the U.S. are in a state of quasi-war," Hwang told RFA. "People who know about these things can't talk too much about them." He said all five Hongkongers had been in touch with their families via officials, to let them know they are safe. Yang Sen-hong, president of the Taiwan Association for China Human Rights, said it is unclear who the five Hongkongers are. He called on the Taiwanese government to pass a refugee law setting out how asylum-seekers are to be treated. "Only then will we have a legal framework to avoid the issue of illegal immigration," Yang said. "Otherwise, people who enter Taiwan will be dealt with under current law [as illegal immigrants]." Reported by Hwang Chun-mei for RFA's Mandarin Service, and by the Cantonese Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie. Copyright 1998-2020, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036. For any commercial use of RFA content please send an email to: mahajanr@rfa.org. RFA content September not be used in a manner which would give the appearance of any endorsement of any product or support of any issue or political position. Please read the full text of our Terms of Use. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Success Academy is the largest and most controversial charter network in the city, known for its rigid rules of behavior, which have carried over into the virtual environment. Students are required to wear uniforms and sit with their hands clasped at their desks when they are not doing schoolwork or another activity. And they must ask for permission to use the bathroom in their homes. If a child has trouble logging on and a parent does not immediately notify the school, that student will be given an unexcused absence. Students who disregard the rules can be suspended, meaning they cannot long on to classes for a period of time. President Akufo-Addo has expressed hope that the military take over in neighboring Mali will be brought to an end. This follows the gathering of ECOWAS Heads of State in Ghana to deliberate on possible solutions to the political crisis in Mali following a coup to oust President Bubakar Keita in August. Speaking at the opening of the consultative meeting on the political crisis, President Akufo-Addo who is also the Chairman of ECOWAS said he hopes the meeting currently underway at Peduase brings finality to the crisis. According to him, ECOWAS cannot afford any further delay in putting together a new government to oversee the transition to restore democracy in the West African country. Today is supposed to be the day when the military Junta puts in place a government which will respond to the criteria we set out in our last summit on 28th August 2020 but that has not been done. The circumstances of life in Mali now require that closure be brought to the matter now and it is my belief that a face to face meeting between us representing the ECOWAS community and the military forces will provide us with the best opportunity to find a firm resolution, Akufo-Addo said. Meanwhile, the ultimatum set by ECOWAS at its last meeting in Niamey, Niger, for the Military regime to handover power has not been met. Source: Myjoyonline Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Indonesia said on Monday that it had protested to Beijing about the intrusion of a Chinese coast guard ship in its exclusive economic zone off the Natuna Islands, as ship tracking data seen by BenarNews, an RFA-affiliated online news service, revealed a Chinese fishing fleet entered the area around the same time. While the coast guard vessel left the area on Monday, ship-tracking data showed the fishing fleet less than 130 nautical miles from Natuna Besar, and less than 90 nautical miles from Laut Island, in Indonesias Natuna regency, at around 11 pm local time. An Indonesian patrol ship spotted China Coast Guard ship 5204 on Saturday and asked it to leave, Indonesias maritime agency Bakamla said. It did not mention sighting a Chinese fishing fleet. Foreign Ministry spokesman Teuku Faizasyah said that Jakarta in its protest to the Chinese Embassy emphasized that it rejects Chinas so-called Nine-Dash Line, which Beijing uses to demarcate its claims in the South China Sea. The Natuna Islands lie in the southern reaches of the sea, an area that Indonesia calls the Natuna Sea. "We made it clear to the Chinese deputy ambassador that Indonesia's exclusive economic zone does not overlap with Chinese waters," Faizasyah said. Chinas Nine-Dash Line, though, overlaps with Indonesias exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in waters off the Natunas, U.S.-based experts on the South China Sea told BenarNews in January after a similar incursion by Chinese coast guard and fishing boats. Faizasyah said that Chinas Nine-Dash line violates the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). UNCLOS defines an EEZ as an area generally extending 200 nautical miles from shore, within which coastal countries retain special rights to exploration and use of marine resources, even though it is international territory. Bakamla spokesman Wisnu Pramandita said that when an Indonesian patrol ship spotted CCG 5204 on Saturday and asked it to leave, the Chinese ship refused. They said they were patrolling because the area is within Chinas jurisdiction, he told BenarNews. They can pass by, but patrolling the area means they treat it as their territory, so we told them to go. CCG 5204 finally left the area at noon on Monday, Wisnu said. Four other Chinese vessels Meanwhile, ship-tracking data shows that CCG 5204 has spent the last month patrolling Vanguard Bank, a submerged feature off Vietnams southernmost coast that is disputed between Vietnam and China. Vanguard Bank, which sits a little over 200 nautical miles from Natuna Besar, has been the site of previous stand-offs between the two countries. However, on Sept. 11, the 5204 began broadcasting a contradictory Automatic Identification Signal, or AIS, showing it in multiple places at once. This is typically a sign of spoofing, which is a technique Chinese coast guard ships have used in the past to hide their activities.One commercial ship-tracking tool showed the 5204 just within Indonesias exclusive economic zone on Saturday, while ship-tracking data seen by BenarNews showed it patrolling Vanguard Bank at the same time. Meanwhile, the four fishing vessels that entered Indonesian waters over the weekend are owned and operated by the Fuzhou-based Dong Xin Long Ocean Fishing company, ship-tracking data shows. These vessels on Sunday sailed through an area of the North Natuna Sea where Vietnam and Indonesia both have overlapping EEZ claims. The Chinese vessels were shadowed by two ships from Vietnams Fisheries Resources Surveillance agency until they crossed further into Indonesian waters. Ibrahim Almuttaqi, head of the ASEAN Study Center at the Habibie Center think tank, said China isnt transparent in its actions in the South China Sea. We dont really know what justifications the Chinese coast guard vessel had for entering Indonesias EEZ, he told BenarNews. In contrast, Indonesias position is very clear and backed by international law, he said, referring to the 1982 UNCLOS. I believe Indonesia remains committed to finding a peaceful resolution to the South China Sea dispute that is acceptable to all parties, including China, and in accordance with international law. It would be a mistake to mistreat Indonesias good intentions. Indonesian and Chinese vessels have had stand-offs before in the South China Sea. In January, Indonesia sent four F-16 fighter jets to the Natuna Islands after incursions by Chinese fishing and coast guard vessels in the area. Indonesia asserts that it is not among countries in the region engaged in territorial disputes over the South China Sea, but Beijing claims historic rights to parts of that sea overlapping Indonesia's exclusive economic zone. Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam also have territorial claims or maritime boundaries that overlap with the sweeping claims of China in the South China Sea. China's Nine-Dashed Line. Credit: RFA Graphic Concerned On Saturday, the ASEAN Regional Forum one of the worlds largest multilateral forums on peace and security noted in its annual chairmans statement that some countries are concerned about land reclamation activities in the South China Sea. In recent years, Beijing has undertaken major reclamation of disputed land features in the Paracel and Spratly island chains. Such activities have eroded trust and confidence, increased tensions, and may undermine peace, security, and stability in the region, the forums statement said. The ministers reaffirmed the need to enhance mutual trust and confidence, exercise self-restraint in the conduct of activities that would complicate or escalate disputes and affect peace and stability and avoid actions that may further complicate the situation. China claims most of the South China Sea, saying it has historic rights to the waterway, where it has been building military installations and artificial islands as Beijing expands the footprint of its armed forces in the contested maritime region. ASEAN and China have for close to two decades been trying to set out guidelines a Code of Conduct for how claimants in the South China Sea must behave. But they havent been able to reach an agreement since 2002, when ASEAN member-states inked their willingness to peacefully settle disputes in the waterway. The forums 2020 statement expressed optimism that a Code of Conduct would be agreed upon soon and said that it would be consistent with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. The 27-member forum includes 10 ASEAN states, India, Japan, China, the U.S., Russia and the European Union Reported by BenarNews, an RFA-affiliated online news service. NEW YORK, Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- On the 57th Anniversary of the 16th Street Church bombing in Birmingham, AL, that killed four young Black girls, a group of prominent Black women leaders and advocates today called for an investment of $1 billion over the next 10 years in Black girls and young women. With an open letter, the group launched the Black Girl Freedom Fund (1Billion4BlackGirls.org, #1Billion4BlackGirls) to mobilize investments "in the brain trust, innovation, health, safety, education, research, and joy of Black girls and their families." "At this very moment, Black Lives Matter has emerged as our nation's largest political movement and racial justice is receiving unprecedented philanthropic support. And yet, Black girls and young women still remain adultified, victimized by violence, and erased from the very same social justice movement for which they continue to risk their lives," said the letter. "We, Black women and Femme activists, artists, educators, organizers, and philanthropists, have come together at the historic time to call attention to the fact that Black girls in the United States are in crisis. From discrimination in education and healthcare to sexual assault and policing, the lives and livelihoods of Black girls and young women are notably absent in the public narratives, policies, and justice movements most crucial to addressing inequality and racial trauma." Co-Leading this effort are: Confirmed signatories to the open letter are: Ciara, Akira Barclay, Beverly Bond, Karen Boykin-Towns, Camille A. Brown, Sherrese Clarke Soares, Felicia Davis, Marley Dias, Jessyca Dudley, Kamilah Forbes, Melissa Harris-Perry, Valerie Jarrett, Alice Jenkins, Janice Johnson Dias, Luvvie Ajayi Jones, Rashida Jones, Jane Kimondo, Ashley Leonard, Nakisha Lewis, Felecia Lucky, Tynesha McHarris, Margo Miller, Heather D. Parish, Angelique Power, Angela Robinson, Cidra M. Sebastien, Jurnee Smollett, Gabrielle Union, Whitney Wade, Damaris Walker and Ada Williams-Prince. "We believe that by investing $1 billion in Black girls and young women over the next decade, we can make the biggest change possible," the letter said. "It is clear that, with intention and investment, Black girls can thrive. We call on you to robustly invest in Black girls and women's leadership, innovation, wellness, advocacy. This support is necessary for our collective freedom and to ensure that all Black Lives Matter, now and tomorrow." According to the Ms. Foundation landmark study on philanthropy, women and girls of color account for 0.5% of $66.9 billion by foundations, totaling just $5.48 per woman and girl of color in the United States. The Black Girl Freedom Fund will support work that advances the wellbeing of Black girls and their families, including work that centers and advances the power of Black girls through organizing, asset mapping, capacity-building of non-Black led organizations to better respond to Black girls organizations led by Black women and girls, and legal advocacy and narrative work to shift structural violence enacted against Black girls. The Black Girl Freedom Fund includes important efforts like the Black Girls Dream Fund, a 10-year fundraising initiative launched by the Southern Black Girls and Women's Consortium (SBGWC) to raise $100 million to financially empower the goals of Southern Black girls and women in the United States. The new Fund seeks to fundraise and shift current grantmaking efforts in the South, channeling greater resources toward organizations that are intentionally supporting and empowering Black girls and women. Read the open letter: 1Billion4BlackGirls.org About the Black Girl Freedom Fund: The Black Girl Freedom Fund is an initiative of Grantmakers for Girls of Color (G4GC), a fiscally-sponsored project of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors. Learn more about the Black Girl Freedom Fund: 1Billion4BlackGirls.org . SOURCE Grantmakers for Girls of Color Related Links https://1billion4blackgirls.org Haiti - FLASH : Outburst of violence of the police offciers of the Phantom 509 Group On Monday, individuals from the "Phantom 509" Group identifying themselves as "police offciers" of the Haitian National Police (PNH), some hooded others in uniform, again demonstrated violently in the streets of Port-au-Prince to demand the release of the police officer Jean Pascal Alexandre imprisoned since May 13 at the National Penitentiary, accused of accused of murder, arson, destruction of public property and endangering State security https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-30777-haiti-justice-a-police-officer-incarcerated-in-the-penitentiary-the-phantom-group-issues-an-ultimatum.html After having paralyzed activities in several places in the capital, set fire to and vandalized several State vehicles, including a minibus registered as State Service at the corner of avenue Martin Luther King and rue Bois patate, they attacked the Center for Reception and Delivery of Identity Documents (CRLDI) located at Delmas 31, shooting at the building, invading the premises by firing automatic weapons, sowing panic among the employees, destroying the surveillance cameras and all the equipment that was in the offices before setting them on fire. In a statement, Jude Jacques Elibert, the Director General of the CRLDI explained that the damage are considerable "[...] the equipment was completely destroyed by the flames which partially blackened the facade walls. Bullet holes are visible on the walls and windows of the building. A significant amount of cartridge cases were found inside..." Heavily armed "police offciers" issued another 24-hour ultimatum to the government to release their brother-in-law. See also : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-31787-haiti-justice-the-phantom-509-group-issues-an-ultimatum-and-threatens.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-30777-haiti-justice-a-police-officer-incarcerated-in-the-penitentiary-the-phantom-group-issues-an-ultimatum.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-30755-haiti-security-the-group-phantom-509-soon-reported-as-an-terrorist-group-to-international.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-30644-haiti-politic-the-group-phantom-509-target-of-the-justice.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-30641-haiti-flash-violent-demonstration-of-police-officers-of-the-group-phantom-509.html SL/ HaitiLibre By Associated Press HARARE: Godfrey Kurauone, a Zimbabwean opposition official, sang a protest song at the funeral of a party member in July. For that, and other political charges, he spent 42 days in jail before the prosecution dropped one charge, and acquitted him of another charge of blocking traffic. Hopewell Chin'ono, an investigative journalist who used his Twitter account to expose alleged government corruption, was held in the notorious Chikurubi maximum security prison for nearly six weeks before being granted bail on charges of inciting violence for tweeting his support for an anti-government protest. Internationally acclaimed author and filmmaker Tsitsi Dangarembga spent a night in detention for standing by a Harare road and holding up a placard that said -"We Want Better. Reform Our Institutions". All face court cases for publicly challenging Zimbabwe's government. From tweeting to Whatsapp texting, singing in public or marching in the streets, those who speak out against President Emmerson Mnangagwa's government are finding themselves in trouble. Some have been abducted and tortured, according to human rights groups. Zimbabwe's deteriorating economy and reports of alleged corruption involving the procurement of COVID-19 protective equipment and drugs have stoked peoples' anger at a government that promised reform and prosperity when it took power in 2017. It appears the government is using restrictions imposed to combat the coronavirus to suppress political criticism, say human rights defenders. "While the government lockdown has been extended indefinitely, human rights violations have steadily increased, suggesting that the government is using COVID-19 as a cover for violating fundamental freedoms and attacking perceived opponents," said the local human rights group Zimrights in a joint statement with the International Federation for Human Rights. Opposition officials, human rights groups and some analysts accuse Mnangagwa of abusing the rights of critics, using tactics as harsh as his predecessor, the late Robert Mugabe. Mnangagwa and his officials deny the charges, saying they have carried out democratic reforms and they are justified in taking measures against people who are seeking to illegally overthrow the government. Dozens of people - including lawyers, journalists, nurses, doctors, opposition members of parliament, and human rights activists - have been arrested and charged with violating COVID-19 lockdown rules, or for protesting on the streets and on social media. ZimRights, a local organization, says it has recorded 820 "human rights violations" such as arbitrary arrests, assaults by state agents, attacks on journalists, abductions, "gunshot assaults" and dog bites between the end of March when the lockdown was introduced and August 9. "These cases reveal a trend of human rights violations consisting of acts aiming to morally exhaust, silence, punish, impoverish, sometimes physically injure the targeted individuals, and exposing them to the risk of contracting the virus while arbitrarily detained in prisons," said Zimrights in a joint statement with the International Federation for Human Rights. It's not even safe to criticize the president in bars, on public transport or on social media, according to the lawyers' group, which said it has represented about 60 people charged with insulting the president since Mnangagwa took over following a coup that deposed Mugabe in 2017. They include Milton Murairwa, a 31-year old police officer. He posted that "ED and his team must go", on a Whatsapp group for police family members. Mnangagwa is popularly known by his initials ED. Now the police officer faces up to a year in jail or a fine if convicted on charges of "undermining the authority of or insulting" the president. "We are seeing an increasingly worrying trend where authorities are abusing the law to persecute people perceived to hold views different to those of the establishment," said Kumbirai Mafunda, spokesman for Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, which is providing lawyers to many of those arrested in the crackdown. Authorities, he said, "are using pre-trial detention as a form of punishment," pointing to cases where those arrested are denied bail for lengthy periods. Other government critics have faced insulting verbal attacks. The ruling party spokesman Patrick Chinamasa called the US ambassador Brian Nichols "a thug". The country's Catholic bishops were branded "evil" by the information minister, while the president challenged them to form their own party after they issued a pastoral letter accusing the government of political and economic mismanagement. Hopes that neighboring South Africa, the region's economic powerhouse, would help to find a resolution are vanishing after a delegation from the ruling African National Congress party came to Zimbabwe but only met ruling party officials and not the opposition and or civic organizations. Zimbabwe's government and the ruling party are not relenting. Kabul, Sep 15 : An Afghan intelligence officer was killed and three others injured in a roadside bomb explosion in Nangarhar province on Tuesday, a top official said. "A vehicle of National Directorate of Security (NDS) was passing by the Angor Bagh locality of Jalalabad city in the morning when an improvised explosive device (IED) was detonated," provincial spokesman Attahullah Khogiani told Xinhua news agency. The explosion also damaged the vehicle, he added. No group or individual has claimed responsibility so far. Over the past months, major Afghan cities have witnessed a spate of attacks by the Taliban insurgents and Islamic State (IS) terror outfit. Violence still lingers in the war-torn country at the time as the first round of peace talks between an Afghan government delegation and Taliban representatives was underway in Doha. Californians should prepare for a different type of Halloween this year, the states health secretary told reporters on Tuesday. Dr. Mark Ghaly advised residents to avoid the usual Halloween activities that may put them at higher risk for exposure to the coronavirus. The traditional kind of mixing is really not advised, he said. While the state prepares official guidelines that will discourage social contact for the holiday during the COVID-19 pandemic, Bay Area public health officials have their own contingency plans in place to help people make Halloween feel more safe than scary. Trick-or-treating is strongly discouraged, because of the risk of surface transmission, according to the city and county of San Franciscos COVID-19 Command Center. Block parties and stoop gatherings should be avoided, too, as it can be difficult to maintain a distance of 6 feet and have consistent use of face-covering when many households gather on the street. Parades, festivals, and haunted houses are also out. Dont even think about bobbing for apples. Carlos Avila Gonzalez/The Chronicle Since many of the traditions for Halloween increase the risk of COVID-19 transmission, we encourage families to find creative and socially distant ways to celebrate, Joseph Sweiss, the centers joint information officer, said in a statement to The Chronicle. San Francisco officials instead suggest decorating your door, windows, and yard, wearing masks over your protective face coverings, and moving activities such as pumpkin carving and mask decorating contests online. Although outdoor events are much safer than indoor ones, large gatherings of people still increase the risk of infection, Sweiss said. While there are currently no specific restrictions beyond the blanket county protocols, that may change as the annual pagan holiday draws near. Contra Costa Countys Health Services Department also recommends people avoid trick-or-treating, and get creative at home. Gathering in small groups with people from outside your own household is a risky activity that could increase the spread of COVID-19 in the community, and trick-or-treating may also involve coming into high-contact surfaces such as doorbells, the department said in a statement to The Chronicle. Monica Gandhi, an infectious disease doctor and researcher with UCSF, said some familiar Halloween traditions can continue if people adhere to established protective measures such as masking, social distancing, and hand sanitizing. I would allow trick-or-treating with the same restrictions in place we are recommending for any setting, she said. It has to be with masks and in environments that are not crowded. I would also want the adults answering the door to wear masks. Surface transmission, Gandhi said, has become of less concern as epidemiologists learn more about the transmission of SARS-CoV-2. Children need something right now, she said. Other Bay Area counties are taking a wait-and-see approach to Halloween, as coronavirus case rates in the region continue to fluctuate with wildfires, reopenings, and schools resuming in-person learning. Our health officer will consider Halloween safety in the coming weeks, but we have no announcement at this time, said Preston Merchant, deputy public information officer for San Mateo Countys Health Department. The Solano County Department of Public Health said it has no information to provide at this time either, according to administrator Jayleen Richards. Alameda County and Santa Clara County did not provide updates. We know this is on the minds of many parents, said Laine Hendricks, public information officer for Marin County. We are currently evaluating options for kids to have safe Halloween festivities in a COVID environment, but at this point, we have not issued any formal recommendations or restrictions. Aidin Vaziri is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: avaziri@sfchronicle.com BANGALORE, India, Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- According to the latest market research report "Cell Culture Market by Product Type ( Chemically Defined Media, Classical Media, Lysogeny Broth, Serum-free Media, Specialty Media, Stem Cell Media), by Application (Biological Drug Discovery, Biopharmaceuticals, Cancer Research, Stem Cell Technologies, Tissue Engineering), by End-User (Academic Institute, Biotechnology Industry, Research and Development Laboratory), and Region - Global Forecast to 2025", published on Valuates Reports. The Global Cell Culture Media Market size is expected to grow from USD 879.42 Million in 2019 to USD 1,435.86 Million by 2025 at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) 8.51% during the forecast period. The major factor driving the cell culture media market size is the increasing demand for the production of biotechnological and biopharmaceuticals products. Also, increasing use in pharmaceutical laboratories for drug discoveries is fueling the market growth. Get Detailed Analysis of COVID-19 Impact on Cell Culture Media Market: https://reports.valuates.com/request/sample/360I-Auto-0L155/The_Global_Cell_Culture_Media_Market TRENDS INFLUENCING THE CELL CULTURE MEDIA MARKET SIZE The cell culture media market size is driven by the rising pharmaceutical industry, increasing pipeline biopharmaceutical products, increasing cancer and infectious disease prevalence, and increasing geriatric population. The cost of cell culture media and media contamination is, however, a challenge to market development. To accelerate research and development activities, private and public agencies make substantial investments in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical domains. This research leads to developing new therapies and drugs to counter the rising prevalence of chronic disease and transplant surgery. These growing investments are expected to increase the cell culture media market size during the forecast period. Emerging markets like China, India, and Brazil have become lucrative destinations for companies engaged in creating and distributing stem cell cultures. A number of factors, such as low regulatory barriers for conducting stem cell-based studies and a business-friendly climate in developing countries drive the Cell Culture Media Market size. However, the cost of cell culture media and media contamination could potentially hinder the cell culture media market growth. Scientific and ethical restrictions on the use of goods derived from animals in culture media and the lack of qualified practitioners also can restrict market growth. View Full Report: https://reports.valuates.com/market-reports/360I-Auto-0L155/the-global-cell-culture-media CELL CULTURE MEDIA MARKET SHARE ANALYSIS North America is expected to hold the largest Cell Culture Media Market share during the forecast period. This dominance of the cell culture media market is attributed to the substantial investments that transpired into R&D activities in the pharmaceutical and biotech industries. In addition, amid the growing prevalence of myriads of chronic diseases that generate massive demand for drugs and other medicines, the involvement of major players in the industry drives the North American cell culture media market size. Europe is predicted to hold the second major Cell Culture Media Market share. The cell culture media market size in Europe is driven primarily by rising government initiatives and funding to support the research and development needed for drug discovery to address the growing number of chronic diseases. In addition, developments in preclinical and clinical technology, high disposable incomes, and the penetration of healthcare systems in the area fostered the development of the media market for cell culture. Inquire for Regional Report: https://reports.valuates.com/request/regional/360I-Auto-0L155/The_Global_Cell_Culture_Media_Market CELL CULTURE MEDIA MARKET SEGMENTATION & COVERAGE This research report categorizes the Cell Culture Media to forecast the revenues and analyze the trends in each of the following sub-markets: Based on Product Type, the Cell Culture Media Market studied across Chemically Defined Media, Classical Media, Lysogeny Broth, Serum-free Media, Specialty Media, Stem Cell Media. Based on Application, the Cell Culture Media Market studied across Biological Drug Discovery, Biopharmaceuticals, Cancer Research, Stem Cell Technologies, Tissue Engineering. Based on End User, the Cell Culture Media Market studied across Academic Institute, Biotechnology Industry, Research and Development Laboratory. Key Players Avantor Performance Materials Becton Bio-Rad Laboratories Inc Dickinson and Company (BD) GE Healthcare HiMedia Laboratories Pvt., Ltd Merck& Co. Inc Sartorius Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc Vitro Diagnostics Inc. THE REPORT PROVIDES INSIGHTS ON THE FOLLOWING POINTERS: 1. Market Penetration: Provides comprehensive information on the market offered by the key players 2. Market Development: Provides in-depth information about lucrative emerging markets and analyzes the markets 3. Market Diversification: Provides detailed information about new product launches, untapped geographies, recent developments, and investments 4. Competitive Assessment & Intelligence: Provides an exhaustive assessment of market shares, strategies, products, and manufacturing capabilities of the leading players 5. Product Development & Innovation: Provides intelligent insights on future technologies, R&D activities, and new product developments Buy Now for Single User: https://reports.valuates.com/api/directpaytoken?rcode=360I-Auto-0L155&lic=single-user Buy Now for Enterprise User: https://reports.valuates.com/api/directpaytoken?rcode=360I-Auto-0L155&lic=enterprise-user SIMILAR REPORTS : ?Cell Culture Media, Sera, and Reagents Market The global Cell Culture Media, Sera, and Reagents market size is projected to reach USD 9962.9 Million by 2026, from USD 7862.2 Million in 2020, at a CAGR of 4.0% during 2021-2026. This report focuses on Cell Culture Media, Sera, and Reagents volume and value at the global level, regional level, and company level. From a global perspective, this report represents the overall Cell Culture Media, Sera, and Reagents market size by analyzing historical data and future prospects. View Full Report: https://reports.valuates.com/market-reports/QYRE-Auto-2P503/global-united-states-european-union-and-china-cell-culture-media-sera-and-reagents ?3D Cell Culture Market The Global 3D Cell Culture Market size is expected to grow from USD 950.47 Million in 2019 to USD 2,737.40 Million by the end of 2025 at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 19.27%. View Full Report: https://reports.valuates.com/market-reports/360I-Auto-9O19/the-global-3d-cell-culture ?U.S. Cell Culture Market The United States Cell Culture Market size is expected to grow from USD 6,200.24 Million in 2019 to USD 12,459.90 Million by the end of 2025 at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 12.33%. View Full Report: https://reports.valuates.com/market-reports/360I-Auto-2V469/cell-culture ?Serum-free Cell Culture Media Market View Full Report: https://reports.valuates.com/market-reports/QYRE-Othe-0R315/serum-free-cell-culture-media ?Classical Cell Culture Media Market View Full Report: https://reports.valuates.com/market-reports/QYRE-Othe-3I314/classical-cell-culture-media ?Specialty Cell Culture Media Market View Full Report: https://reports.valuates.com/market-reports/QYRE-Auto-32U1986/global-specialty-cell-culture-media ?Biopharmaceutical Culture Media Market View Full Report: https://reports.valuates.com/market-reports/QYRE-Auto-7L1104/global-biopharmaceutical-culture ABOUT US: Valuates offers in-depth market insights into various industries. Our extensive report repository is constantly updated to meet your changing industry analysis needs. Our team of market analysts can help you select the best report covering your industry. We understand your niche region-specific requirements and that's why we offer customization of reports. With our customization in place, you can request for any particular information from a report that meets your market analysis needs. To achieve a consistent view of the market, data is gathered from various primary and secondary sources, at each step, data triangulation methodologies are applied to reduce deviance and find a consistent view of the market. Each sample we share contains detail research methodology employed to generate the report, Please also reach to our sales team to get the complete list of our data sources CONTACT US: Valuates Reports sales@valuates.com For U.S. Toll-Free Call +1-(315)-215-3225 For IST Call +91-8040957137 WhatsApp: +91 9945648335 Website: https://reports.valuates.com Twitter - https://twitter.com/valuatesreports Linkedin - https://in.linkedin.com/company/valuatesreports Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/valuatesreports Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1082232/Valuates_Reports_Logo.jpg Copyright 2020 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE Hefty sums of money from oil companies, teachers unions and trial lawyers have been flowing into New Mexico legislative races. All 112 House and Senate seats are up for election in November, and the election results could help determine the fate of bills dealing with marijuana legalization, abortion rights and the states energy future. Given that backdrop, outside groups have already been busy making donations to their preferred candidates. The California-based oil giant Chevron Inc., for instance, contributed more than $330,000 to various candidates both Democrats and Republicans and political committees during a recent 10-week period, according to reports filed Monday with the Secretary of States Office. That includes matching $25,000 contributions to several legislative caucus committees run by top Democrats and Republicans in both legislative chambers. In addition, a prominent teachers union, the American Federation of Teachers, gave at least $97,000 in donations to Democratic candidates and committees, while a group called Committee for Individual Responsibility funded by trial lawyers made more than $90,000 in contributions. University of New Mexico political science professor Lonna Atkeson said the outside spending follows a recent trend, and could precede a flood of campaign mailers and advertisements in the coming weeks. Im not surprised that companies like Chevron, in particular, would step up big, Atkeson told the Journal. The New Mexico Legislature has been controlled by Democrats for most of the past 80 years, with Republicans at times holding fleeting majorities in the House and Senate. Democrats currently hold a 46-24 advantage in the House and a 26-16 edge in the Senate. But there are certain to be new faces, regardless of the general elections outcome, as seven incumbent senators were defeated in the June primary election, including five Democrats who were ousted by more progressive challengers. Several races featuring those progressive newcomers against GOP opponents could be expensive, as could contests featuring incumbent GOP senators in the Albuquerque area. The contest for the southwestern New Mexico Senate District 35 seat currently held by Democrat John Arthur Smith of Deming is shaping up to be among the states priciest races. Republican Crystal Diamond of Elephant Butte reported Monday having raised $111,810 during the recent reporting period, with contributions from Chevron and several incumbent GOP senators. Her opponent, Democrat Neomi Martinez-Parra of Lordsburg, who defeated Smith in the primary, reported raising more than $95,000, with financial backing from several union groups and incumbent Democrats. Meanwhile, the legislative caucus committees that are allowed to collect larger amounts of cash than individual candidates or other political committees, could also play a role in this years election cycle after being established last year. GOP leaders have used money from their legislative caucus committees one House committee and one Senate committee to launch a campaign called Respect New Mexico that appears to target state voters who might be disillusioned by a recent progressive surge. The campaign reports filed Monday covered the time period between June 30 and Sept. 7. Additional mandatory reports will be filed before Election Day, Nov. 3. What is an astrophysicist to do during a pandemic, except maybe daydream about having a private black hole? Although it is probably wishful thinking, some astronomers contend that a black hole may be lurking in our solar system. They have been arguing over how to find it, if it is there, and what to do about it, proposing plans that are only halfway out of this world. The speculation began in 2016 when Michael Brown and Konstantin Batygin, astronomers at the California Institute of Technology, proposed that the weird motions of a few ice balls billions of miles beyond Pluto could be evidence of a previously unknown and unsuspected object way, way out there in the dark. According to their calculations, that object would be roughly 10 times as massive as Earth and would occupy an egg-shaped orbit that brought it as near as 20 billion miles from the sun several times the distance from the sun to Pluto and took it as far as 100 billion miles away every 10,000 to 20,000 years. What we dont know is where it is in its orbit, which is too bad, Brown told The New York Times at the time. Brown called this hypothetical object Planet Nine. Not long ago, Pluto was considered the ninth planet, but Browns discoveries of other denizens in the Kuiper belt, the realm of frozen, orbiting dirt balls that Pluto inhabits, played a major role in demoting Pluto to a dwarf planet 15 years ago. Needless to say, nobody has yet seen this thing through a telescope. Last year, two astronomers Jakub Scholtz of Durham University in Britain and James Unwin of the University of Illinois at Chicago suggested that Planet Nine might actually be a black hole. But not just any kind of black hole. Black holes are the gravitational terrors predicted by Albert Einsteins equations, objects so dense that not even light can escape from them one-way passages to doom. Astronomers know that such entities exist. The Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory and the Virgo observatory have heard black holes the gravitational shells of collapsed dead stars banging together out in the dark cosmos. Some cosmologists have speculated that black holes could account for 25 per cent of the mass of the universe and could constitute the famous and elusive dark matter that determines the gravitational structure of what we see in the sky. But you dont need a star to die to make a black hole. In 1971, Stephen Hawking, drawing on an idea earlier suggested in 1966 by Russian physicists Yakov Borisovich Zeldovich and Igor Dmitriyevich Novikov, theorized that intense pressures during the Big Bang could have collapsed matter directly into black holes. Those primordial black holes could be of any size and could be anywhere. A black hole as massive as Earth would be about the size of a Ping-Pong ball and would be exceptionally hard to see. No such primordial black holes have been detected yet. But neither has their existence been ruled out. Scholtz and Unwin pointed out that an experiment called OGLE, for Optical Gravitational Lensing Experiment, based at the University of Warsaw in Poland, had detected the presence of a half-dozen dark objects in the direction of the center of our Milky Way galaxy. Their gravitational fields had acted as lenses, briefly amplifying the light from distant stars that they drifted in front of. Those objects could be free-floating planets, the authors said, with masses ranging from half to about 20 times that of Earth. But they could as easily be primordial black holes floating around the galaxy, the astronomers proposed. If that were the case, the putative Planet Nine could well be a black hole, too, in a distant orbit around the sun. How to find a cosmic ping-pong ball That would make Planet Nine the nearest black hole to Earth by many light-years, so close that humans could contemplate sending a robot probe there, much as New Horizons has passed Pluto and the dumbbell iceberg now known as Arrokoth 4 billion miles from here. But first we must find Planet Nine. Earlier this year, Edward Witten, a theoretical physicist at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey, chimed in. Witten is the rare physicist who has won the prestigious Fields Medal in mathematics and is known, among other things, for his work on string theory, the controversial theory of everything. Witten suggested borrowing a trick from Breakthrough Starshot, the proposal by Russian philanthropist Yuri Milner and Hawking to send thousands of laser-propelled microscopic probes to the nearest star system, Alpha Centauri. Witten suggested sending hundreds of similarly small probes outward to explore the solar system. By keeping track of incoming signals from the probes, scientists on Earth would be able to tell if and when each one sped up or slowed down as it encountered the gravitational field of Planet Nine or anything else out there. Key to this plan would be the ability of the probes to keep pinging Earth precisely every hundred-thousandth of a second. In May, astronomers Scott Lawrence and Zeeve Rogoszinski of the University of Maryland suggested instead monitoring the trajectories of the probes with high-resolution radio telescopes. All this is optimistically hoping that Planet 9 does exist and turns out to be a black hole, Witten said in an email, and that technology develops enough that a suitable scaled version of Breakthrough Starshot is possible. In an email, his colleague Nima Arkani-Hamed, also a prominent string theorist, called these ideas pretty futuristic, but really cool! Vera Rubin lends an eye In May, Avi Loeb, chairman of the astronomy department at Harvard University and leader of a scientific advisory board for the Breakthrough Starshot enterprise, poured cold water on that daydream. In their own posting, he and Thiem Hoang of the Korea University of Science and Technology argued that the effects of friction and electromagnetic forces in the interstellar medium the dilute electrified gas that wafts among the planets and stars would swamp the signal from any gravitational effects from Planet Nine. But Loeb has rarely met a sci-fi-sounding theory or project that didnt intrigue him. He is well known in astronomical circles for arguing that astronomers should take seriously the possibility that Oumuamua, the cometlike object that breezed through the solar system from interstellar space in 2017, was actually an alien space probe. So in July, Loeb was back, with a student, Amir Siraj, and a new idea for finding the Planet Nine black hole. If a black hole was out there, they argued, it would occasionally rip apart small comets, causing bright flares that could soon be spotted by the new Vera C. Rubin Observatory, previously known as the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope, now under construction in Chile. The observatorys mission, starting in 2021, is to make a movie of the universe, producing a panorama of the entire southern night sky every few days and revealing anything that has changed or moved. Such flares should occur a few times a year, they noted. Our calculations show that the flares will be bright enough for the Vera Rubin Observatory to rule out or confirm Planet Nine as a black hole within one year of monitoring the sky with its L.S.S.T. survey, Loeb wrote in an email. Moreover, because the Rubin telescope examines such a large swath of sky, it could detect or rule out black holes of similar size all the way out to the Oort cloud, a vague and diffuse assemblage of protocomets and primordial, frozen riffraff 1 trillion miles from the sun, they said. The idea of a black hole in our solar system is as startling as finding evidence that someone might be living in the shed in your backyard, Loeb said in the email. If so, who is it, and how did it get there? You want fries with that Black Hole? If the theory pans out, its not crazy to think that humans could contemplate sending a probe to study our local black hole. What would it learn there? A top priority for many astrophysicists and gravity experts would be to test a prediction made by Hawking 46 years ago, that black holes, despite their name, should radiate energy in the form of heat. Almost every astrophysicist believes that the prediction will be confirmed, but it has yet to be. The effect would be beyond minuscule for the giant black holes like those that LIGO and Virgo have been recording, and thus impossible to discern. But smaller black holes are hotter, and they grow hotter still as they shrink and finally explode. A black hole of about six times Earths mass would have a temperature of about 0.04 degrees Kelvin, according to Witten. That is colder than outer space, which is about 3 degrees Kelvin, and much too cool to measure from Earth. It would be a challenge to measure it from up close, Witten noted. But it is not out of the question that it could be done by centurys end. He added, I believe one would need a spacecraft of substantial mass orbiting the object and studying it in detail, not a flyby by a miniature spacecraft. In a talk at Harvards Black Hole Initiative a couple of years ago, Loeb jested about another possibility in the context of a field trip to a black hole. As he recounted in an email: Since black holes offer a rare environment where string theory can be tested, I recommended to my string-theory friends to enter the horizon of that black hole and test their theory there. Nima Arkani-Hamed shouted from the audience that I must have a hidden agenda for sending string theorists into a black hole. For now, the last word belongs Brown, the promoter of Planet Nine, who, when reached, conceded it was possible that Planet Nine was a black hole. But it doesnt make sense, he said. It is also possible that Planet Nine is a six-Earth-mass hamburger, I guess. He added, The good news is that Planet Nine is really, really, really unlikely to be a black hole but that we can use probes like this to study it once we find it. After 13 years, a Florida city repeals the ban on men and women wearing baggy, sagging pants that reveal undergarments. A South Florida city repealed a 13-year law banning residents from wearing sagging pants that revealed underwear, which some say unfairly targeted Black men. Read More: Florida couple arrested after shooting at Black father, son returning U-Haul The Miami Herald reports The Opa-locka City Commission voted, 4-1 to repeal the original 2007 legislation and a 2013 ordinance that said women, not just men, could receive civil citations for sagging. I was never in support of it, even as a resident, Vice Mayor Chris Davis told the Herald. I felt it disproportionately affected a certain segment of our population, which is young, African-American men. The vote was a first in the repeal process. The Miami Herald reports it will need to be approved again during another meeting before it is official, however, the item was co-sponsored by four of the five commissioners. In 2007, the law passed barring men from sagging their pants in public spaces. At the time, the ACLU of Florida stated the legislation would impose overly harsh penalties for victimless behavior according to the news outlet. In 2013, the law was updated to include women and the fine doubled to $500. Two youths wear their pants with underwear showing on April 23, 2009 in Riviera Beach, Florida. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images) The city of Ocala in Central Florida attempted to pass a similar law in 2014, but the NAACP threatened legal action and it was repealed months later. Commissioner Alvin Burke, the stand-alone vote against the repeal, says the law was not to paint Black men as criminals but to uplift our young Black men according to the Miami Herald. As of today, we still have our young men walking around with saggy, baggy pants, Burke said to the outlet. If yall see fit to do away with it and just continue to let our young Black men walk around into our buildings like that then so be it. The ACLU applauded the move in a statement to the Herald. Story continues Criminalizing the way someone wears their clothing serves no one. Similar ordinances have been pursued across the country and have only yielded heightened racial profiling by police and increased racial disparities in the criminal justice system, the statement read. Opa-locka, a city that is 58% Black with a poverty rate of 47%, according to the Herald, has signs reminding residents of the mandated dress code, reading No ifs, ands or butts Its the city law! The warnings feature artistic depictions of two Black men sagging their pants. The mayor has plans to remove them. The signs should get taken down, Opa-locka mayor Matthew Pigatt said during a virtual meeting. Its long overdue and they need to go. Theyre an eyesore in the city. PIgatt says he himself once drank the Kool-Aid and wore sagging pants but now says he sees that they were tacky. I do support the [education] and making sure that we take care of that decorum, Pigatt said. The vice mayor believes with national demonstrations against police brutality and racism, it is the right time to repeal the law. Read More: Florida girl, 6, allegedly killed by mother after parental rights terminated What better climate to do it in than the one thats going on around the country centered on police reform and just looking at ways that we can make our public services more equitable, Davis told the Miami Herald. Have you subscribed to theGrios podcast Dear Culture? Download our newest episodes now! The post Florida city reverses ban on sagging pants after accusations it targeted Black men appeared first on TheGrio. Rotunda Rumblings Not so fast: Secretary of State Frank LaRose on Monday swiftly blocked the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections from implementing a plan to set up staffed voting sites where voters could drop off completed absentee ballots, Andrew Tobias writes. Cuyahoga elections officials announced their plan Monday afternoon, saying they thought it got around a LaRose order that elections officials only set up one ballot dropbox per county. But LaRose within hours ordered them to halt their plans while two lawsuits over ballot drop box limits continue. Stamping down: In another early-voting related development, Republicans on the Ohio Controlling Board rejected a request by LaRose to provide postage-paid envelopes with absentee ballots sent to voters. They questioned the legality of LaRose doing so, while LaRose and Democrats said stamps would be more convenient for voters and help the early voting system move faster. Ad watch: This time, its not a candidate doing so. The Franklin County Board of Elections approved spending more than $400,000 on advertisements promoting mail-in ballots, per the Columbus Dispatchs Marc Kovac. However, Franklin County commissioners all Democrats dont approve of using the money on spots produced by LaRose, a Republican, instead preferring county-specific spots. Monday figures: Ohio logged 1,079 newly confirmed coronavirus cases and four deaths on Monday, Laura Hancock reports. Both of those figures fell below the 21-day averages. COVID immunity: Gov. Mike DeWine on Monday signed into law House Bill 606, which temporarily bans most civil lawsuits from being filed against health-care facilities, schools, and employers for helping to spread the coronavirus. As Jeremy Pelzer reports, the governor and Republican backers of the bill say it provides needed reassurance to employers who are scared to open out of fear they might play an unintentional role in transmitting the virus. If youre not first: Akrons Highland Tavern became the first bar in the state to have its liquor permit revoked because of non-compliance with coronavirus orders, Robin Goist reports. The bars permit is set to be pulled Oct. 2 for violations including serving liquor past the 11 p.m. curfew. What about Bob: Ohios Senate President Pro Tem Bob Peterson, the Senates number-two Republican, has tested positive for the coronavirus, Pelzer reports. While Peterson is doing well, according to a spokesman, Petersons diagnosis led Senate President Larry Obhof, who briefly interacted with Peterson at a gathering last week, to self-quarantine at his home. On track: The latest from Morning Consults tracking poll of Ohio likely voters is pretty consistent with the last two weeks, showing Republican President Donald Trump up on Democratic former Vice President Joe Biden 50%-45%. However, one change in the figures is the gender split being roughly equal, with about 45% of women and men backing Biden and about 50% backing Trump. Black voters said they were backing Biden 87% to Trump at 8%. Like Mike: Republican Vice President Mike Pences planned Tuesday visit to Zanesville has been rescheduled to Wednesday, per the Trump campaign. The visit will be Pences first to Ohio since he appeared at Lordstown Motors in June. Market forces: Trump is canceling some of his massive Ohio ad buy this week, the second time in as many weeks that hes done so, per ad-tracking and consulting firm Medium Buying. Despite making a hefty promise to spend in the swing states, Biden does not have any bookings scheduled until October. Flip the script: Biden also announced he was backing two congressional Democrats looking to unseat Republican incumbents. Biden endorsed Kate Schroder a public health professional who is looking to unseat GOP Rep. Steve Chabot of Cincinnati and Desiree Tims a former U.S. Senate staffer trying to flip Republican Rep. Mike Turners Dayton district. Political handicapper Cook Political Report lists Chabots district as a toss-up while Turners is rated likely Republican. Perfect 10: Speaking of Tims and Turner, the race for the 10th Congressional District is really heating up. Tims' campaign sent a cease and desist letter to Turner over a campaign ad they said is defamatory to Tims. That follows both Turner using the FirstEnergy scandal to attack Tims who has no connection to FirstEnergy and him filing an FEC complaint against her. Meanwhile, Turners campaign expenditures, including $90,000 in food and travel to places like Brussels, have become an increased topic of focus. Vape filled rooms: In simpler times from a year ago, much of the focus of the political world was on vaping following a spate of illnesses. With (insert crazy 2020 story here) taking front-and-center, political attention to vaping has fallen off, but as the Columbus Dispatchs Max Filby reports,scientific studies are still underway at Ohio State University. The hemp lobby: Hemp farmers in Ohio want fewer regulations on the books for their latest cash crops, the Columbus Dispatchs Patrick Cooley reports. State lawmakers are hesitant to give the farmers any more leeway because of hemps proximity to cannabis. Ticket to ride: Eighty-six percent of ambulance rides to emergency rooms end without-of-network surprise bills for patients, since many EMS companies dont have contracts with insurers. That included a bill to Findlay City Schools librarian Amanda Brasfield in 2018. Brasfield experienced a pounding heart and high pulse and Hanco EMS billed her $1,206 for starting an IV line, setting up a heart monitor and driving her four miles to the hospital, Kaiser Health News' Laura Ungar writes. Post office renaming: The U.S. House of Representatives on Monday agreed to rename Grand Rivers post office after Andrew Ace Nowacki, a Grand River police officer and U.S. Marine Corps lance corporal who was killed in Iraq by a roadside bomb in 2005, Sabrina Eaton reports. The House of Representatives passed the measure by Bainbridge Township GOP Rep. Dave Joyce on a voice vote. Not cute: Attorney General Dave Yost joined AGs from three other states in asking Netflix to stop streaming the film Cuties, which controversially shows young girls provocatively dancing. As Pelzer writes, the AGs are the latest politicians to criticize the film for sexualizing children, though the films supporters say critics' narrative about the film is misguided. Full Disclosure Five things we learned from the Feb. 10 financial disclosure form of state Rep. Brett Hudson Hillyer, an Uhrichsville Republican. 1. Hillyer reporter earning up to $999 from Interest on a First National Bank of Dennison savings account, dividends of Clay City Pipe and as a partner at BSC Land & Energy; $1,000 to $9,999 in legal fees from West Lafayette Village, Freeport Village and Roswell Village, dividends from Investment Partners Brokerage Account and a U.S. tax refund, and $50,000 to $99,999 as an attorney at Connolly Hillyer & Ong. 2. Hillyer or his immediate family also do business under the names Connolly Hillyer & Welch Title, Whats Cooking Cafe and Cupcakes by Anna. 3. Hillyers investments amended after he originally filed include stock in McDonalds, BP, First National Bank of Dennison and Clay City Pipe, a partnership with B.S.C. Land and Energy, a retirement fund through the Ohio Public Employee Retirement System, a 401(k) with Great West Trust Company and a Lincoln Whole Life insurance policy. 4. At some point in 2019, Hillyer owed more than $1,000 to Sallie Mae. 5. Hillyer received travel expenses worth $3,927.04 from the Ohio House of Representatives, $133.40 from the Ohio House Republican Organizational Committee, $66.70 from the House Republican Campaign Committee and $141.50 from the Ohio Chamber of Commerce. OHROC and HRCC also gave Hillyer meals, food and beverages that exceeded $100. On The Move Kelly OReilly will become the Ohio Association of Health Plans' new president and CEO as of Oct. 1, according to a release. OReilly most recently served as senior director of governmental affairs for Governmental Policy Group. She succeeds Miranda Motter, who earlier this year became senior vice president of Americas Health Insurance Plans. Birthdays State Rep. Reggie Stoltzfus Ex-state Rep. Michael Ashford Ex-President William Howard Taft (1857-1930) Straight from the Source This is a tough crowd weve got here. Make no mistake about it. They are not respectful. It comes from the White House on down. -Ohio Senate Minority Leader Kenny Yuko, a Democrat, quoted in the Cincinnati Enquirer on the challenges of finding a state health director who can get Senate confirmation. After Republican Gov. Mike DeWines pick for the job, Dr. Joan Duwve, backed out citing concerns about harassment toward her family, Yuko said theres no way in hell hed recommend the job to anyone he knows. Capitol Letter is a daily briefing providing succinct, timely information for those who care deeply about the decisions made by state government. If you do not already subscribe, you can sign up here to get Capitol Letter in your email box each weekday for free. BRIDGEPORT Two city schools now have reported a positive COVID-19 test. Superintendent of Schools Michael Testani confirmed that a student at Park City Magnet School, 1526 Chopsey Hill Road, has tested positive. On Monday, classes at the Jettie S. Tisdale School, 250 Hollister Ave., were canceled as a result of a staffer testing positive for COVID-19. Free COVID-19 tests will be made available at each affected school, the administration said. We are working with the Department of Public Health, the superintendent said of Park City Magnet. We are taking all necessary steps to sanitize and clean the building this evening. It was not known if the cleaning could be completed in time for the building to open Tuesday. Meanwhile four middle school teachers who had contact with the student are being quarantined for 14 days, according to John Weldon, the Board of Education chairman. Tisdale School will remain closed for the rest of the week. Students and teachers will use distance learning beginning Tuesday. The school will make arrangements for devices to be distributed to all students, Testani said. All teachers will begin remote learning on Tuesday. I am coordinating with the Director of the Bridgeport Department of Public Health for a testing site at Tisdale School to allow everyone to be tested prior to reopening the school. In a Facebook post Sunday evening, Principal Charmaine Worthy said the school would sanitize classrooms, offices and the cafeteria on Monday. Testani said free COVID-19 testing will be offered from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday in the parking lot at Tisdale and from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Sept. 18 in the Park City Magnet parking lot. Pakistan sentences Christian man to death over allegation he sent blasphemous texts Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment A trial court in Pakistan sentenced a Christian man to death earlier this week after he was accused of sending blasphemous text messages to his former boss, fueling more criticism against the countrys blasphemy laws that are frequently used to target religious minorities. Asif Pervaiz, 37, who has been in custody since 2013 when he was alleged to have sent the blasphemous message to a former work supervisor, was sentenced to death by a ruling of a court in the Punjab capital of Lahore on Tuesday. The evidence on record was clearly not enough to sentence Asif Pervaiz to death. As usual, trial judges have so far never acquitted anyone accused of blasphemy, Pervaizs attorney Saif-ul Malook told Christian Solidarity Worldwide. I hope he will be freed by the High Court where we have filed an appeal. Sadly, Asif will continue to be incarcerated until his appeal is heard. Malook previously represented Asia Bibi, a Pakistani Christian mother who was acquitted by Pakistans Supreme Court in 2018 who spent nearly a decade on death row after she was accused of insulting Islam. Her case garnered international attention and scrutiny toward the countrys blasphemy laws. From my experience in the Asia Bibi case, judges in appeal courts hesitate to hear and decide blasphemy cases, Malook added. Cases involving murder are usually decided within three years, but blasphemy charges can take up to over seven years. An example is the case of Christian couple Shagufta Kausar and her husband, Shafqat Emmanuel, whose death row appeal was delayed this summer after spending six years in prison for blasphemy. They were accused by a local imam of sending a text message insulting the Islamic prophet Muhammad. We are very concerned by the trial courts decision to sentence Mr. Pervaiz to death, stated Mervyn Thomas, the chief executive of CSW, a London-based human rights watchdog organization that monitors instances of persecution in over 20 countries. Pakistans harsh blasphemy laws have proven to be a source of suffering for many, and are regularly abused. Mr. Pervaiz now has to endure further, indefinite imprisonment, given the nature of blasphemy charges and the social interests surrounding it. The complainant in Pervaizs case is Saeed Ahmed Khokhar, his former supervisor at the garment factory he worked at. Khokhar accused Pervaiz of sending several blasphemous messages to his phone. Under Section 295 of Pakistans legal code, blasphemy is punishable by life in prison or even death. In denying the accusation, Pervaiz maintains that he was accused of the crime after refusing Khokhars pressure that he convert to Islam. In Pakistan, more than nine out of every 10 people are Muslim. Pervaiz said during an earlier court hearing that he was confronted by Khokhar after he quit working at the factory. Khokhers lawyer, Ghulam Mustafa Chaudhry, said in an interview with Al Jazeera that his client denies pressuring Parvaiz to convert and argued that there were other Christian employees of the factory but none of them were accused of proselytizing. "He has taken this defense after the fact because he had no other clear defense," Chaudhry was quoted as saying. "That's why he accused him of trying to convert him." The National Christian Party of Karachi held a one-day hunger strike on Wednesday to show solidarity with Pervaiz and other Christians accused of blasphemy in Pakistan. These cases and false accusations are totally based on discrimination," NCP President Shabbir Shafqat told Asia News. "I am very afraid for the future of minorities in Pakistan. These cases are driving many minority members to leave the country. We must pray for our nation, for the police in Pakistan and for the judicial system. " In its annual report, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom said that it is aware of nearly 80 individuals who are imprisoned for blasphemy and at least half of them are facing life sentences or the death penalty. In December 2019, just over a year after Asia Bibi's acquittal, university lecturer Junaid Hafeez was sentenced to death after he was accused of blasphemy following an Islamic student group taking issue with his liberal teaching. He has been in prison since 2013. According to USCIRF, Pakistans blasphemy laws create a culture of impunity for violent attacks against religious minorities following accusations. In March 2019, a student murdered professor Khalid Hameed over perceived anti-Islamic remarks, the report reads. Protestors in Sindh attacked and burned Hindu shops and houses of worship following two incidents: in the first, a cleric accused a Hindu veterinarian of wrapping medicine with paper printed with Quranic verses; in the second, a student leveled blasphemy charges against a Hindu principal. A mob also attacked a Christian community in Punjab after a mosque claimed over its loudspeaker that the community had insulted Islam. In March 2019, it was reported that over 200 families were forced to flee their homes in Karachi after Christian women were falsely accused of blasphemy even though none of the charges were true. In 2018, the U.S. State Department added Pakistan to its list of countries of particular concern, which designates governments that have engaged in or tolerated systematic, ongoing and egregious violations of religious freedom. At its international religious freedom ministerials in 2018 and 2019, the State Department released statements signed by several other countries condemning blasphemy and apostasy laws that they say are inconsistent with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. The countries also declared that such laws impede the freedom of individuals to choose a faith, practice a faith, change their religion, not have a religion, tell others about their beliefs and practices, or openly debate and discuss aspects of faith or belief. Pakistan is ranked as the fifth-worst country in the world when it comes to Christian persecution on Open Doors USAs 2020 World Watch List. MOSCOW, ID - A Tuesday memo from University of Idaho President Scott Green says since the university started official COVID-19 testing August 6, over 8,500 tests have been completed, and the overall percent of positives now stands at 1.11%. "I am grateful for the efforts our students, staff and faculty have made to get us off to a good start. We all want to remain open and are willing to make sacrifices to support our world-class faculty who provide students transformational educational experiences. I also appreciate the modeling experts at our own Institute for Modeling Collaboration and Innovation. They predicted a 1.06% positivity rate for our initial screening, and the actual number was 1.08%. The IMCI team was pivotal in our preliminary screening and planning, and we continue to use their expertise as we transition to surveillance testing," said Green. "Now that we are beginning our fourth week of classes, I want to reflect on what we have accomplished together and outline the hard work that needs to continue for us to remain in person until Thanksgiving break." Green is asking any students, faculty and staff who traveled over the Labor Day weekend to get tested for COVID-19. Green's memo says nurses from Gritman Medical Center will be at the Student Recreation Center Tuesday and Wednesday, September 15-16 to swab anyone who traveled over the holiday weekend. Since the beginning of testing the university has housed a total of 31 students in a on-campus isolation area and currently have just four students residing there. Green says the university has audited and confirmed 100% testing compliance from students living in Housing and Residence Life. "In addition, the entries on the daily lists of students ineligible to attend class are dwindling as we settle into the semester. Faculty members recently helped the university move over 250 students from the list who still identified as needing to be tested, confirming with us that the students have made alternative arrangements, including participating in their classes remotely," says Green. Researchers at the University of Idaho College of Engineering are also conducting wastewater sampling of eight locations on campus for early detection of COVID-19. Green says wastewater testing is one tool to help monitor on-campus residence halls and apartments, as well as Greek Row. The sampling prompted follow-up testing of students in two residence halls and identified six new positive cases. "I am very appreciative of all the hard work to get us here, including all the preparation at centers and Extension offices across the state. But the work is not done. There are 10 more weeks until Thanksgiving break and we cant let our guard down," said Green. A federal judge in Marlyand ruled on Friday that acting Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security Chad Wolf was appointed illegally. Judge Paula Xinis ruled that the previous acting Homeland Security Secretary Kevin McAleenan's appointment was also invalid, so Mr Wolf - who came into his position through an amendment to the agency's succession order made by Mr McAleenan - also came to power illegally. Judge Xinis also has temporarily barred Donald Trump's administration from enforcing asylum restrictions on members of a pair of immigration advocacy groups. Under Judge Xinis' ruling, Mr Wolf does not have the authority to impose the asylum rules that the immigration groups have challenged. According to CNN, the asylum rules at the heart of the challenge deal with employment and took effect in late August. Despite the judge's ruling, there is no indication that Mr Wolf or his second-in-command, Ken Cuccinelli, will be leaving their positions. Earlier this year, the Trump administration appealed a federal judgment that it was unlawful to appoint Mr Cuccinelli to his position. In response to Judge Xinis' ruling, the DHS Inspector General Joseph Cuffari said he would not launch an internal investigation into the validity of Mr Wolf and Mr Cuccinelli's appointments. Mr Cuffari said to do so would be "pointless" for the inspector general to "add its voice to what has become a bitter inter-branch disagreement." The other branch Mr Cuffari is referring to is the Government Accountability Office, which reported in August that the men were appointed based on an invalid order of succession and that questioned the legality of orders issued by the men since their installation at the agency. "Neither GAO nor DHS OIG can issue a binding determination on that issue, but a federal court can and probably will," Mr Cuffari said in a response to questions from Democratic Representatives Bennie Thompson and Carolyn Maloney regarding the situation at the DHS. Both of the Democratic lawmakers have called for the resignations of Mr Wolf and Mr Cucinnelli based on the GAO's findings. On Tuesday, a spokesman for DHS said that "GAO's report was erroneous, non-binding, and issued under highly questionable authority under federal law." Mumbai: Actor Kangana Ranaut has amended her petition pending before the Bombay high court and sought compensation of Rs 2 crore for nearly 40% damage to her office in Mumbai during the demolition undertaken by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on September 9. She alleged the action was initiated for her stand against a leader of Maharashtras ruling Shiv Sena. As the same party is also heading the civic body, it was misused to carry out the demolition, she added. Ranaut has been at loggerheads with the state government since she criticised Mumbai polices handling of Sushant Singh Rajputs death investigation. She referred to Mumbai as Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and Pakistan and triggered a political controversy. The states ruling alliance has accused her of carrying forward the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)s political agenda. Ranaut got security from the BJP-ruled Centre amid her spat with Sena leaders. Also Read: Out of control: Kangana Ranaut, slammed by Jaya Bachchan, gets it from Sena again The petition said the presence of BMC staff and police officials outside the premises on September 9 even before civic authorities rejected her response to the stop-work notice showed the action was premeditated and taken with malafide intentions. The actor said the BMCs claim, in reply to her petition challenging the demolition, was without proper evidence and arbitrary. She added the civic bodys claim that it found 14 alterations and additions to the property during the inspection on September 7 was not substantiated by proper evidence. Ranaut dismissed the notice as illegal and wrongful and added it deserved to be set aside. Also Read: Kangana Ranaut hits back at Jaya Bachchan, asks if her stance would change if Shweta, Abhishek were targeted instead The petition said her lawyer, Rizwan Siddiquee, visited the premises on September 9 to give the officer present there a copy of her petition and to inform him that it was to be heard. It added the officer locked the gate from inside and continued with the demolition. Ranaut said valuable property like chandeliers and rare artworks were damaged. She sought interim relief to take steps to make the property capable of use after the demolition. The Bombay high court on September 9 stayed further demolition of the actors alleged unauthorised structures hours after the BMC started the exercise. It said the BMCs action prima facie did not appear to be bonafide and smacked of malafide. The court directed the civic body to file an affidavit in response to Ranauts plea seeking interim relief of stay on the demolition work. Also Read: Kangana Ranaut says women, if pushed to breaking point, can be dangerous and lethal The BMC issued the stop-work notice to Ranaut on September 8 over the renovation and finishing work at her office. The court will hear the petition and BMCs response on September 22. NEW YORK, Sept. 14, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Notice is hereby given pursuant to Section 21D of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the Exchange Act), 15. U.S.C. 78u-4, that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Vivint Solar, Inc. (Vivint) (NYSE:VSLR) and certain of its officers and directors. The class action, styled In re Vivint Solar, Inc. Securities Litigation, No. 1:20-cv-07051 (S.D.N.Y.), asserts that a joint proxy statement/prospectus filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, soliciting stockholder approval of a merger agreement Vivint entered into with Sunrun Inc. and Sunruns wholly-owned subsidiary, fails to disclose material information in violation of Section 14(a) the Exchange Act, 15 U.S.C. 78n(a). The claim is brought on behalf of current holders of Vivint stock. Section 21D(a)(3) of the Exchange Act allows any investor holding Vivint common stock to seek appointment by the Court as a lead plaintiff within sixty (60) days of this notice. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court by no later than November 13, 2020. If you have any questions about this Notice, the action, your rights or your interests, you may contact: Michael J. Klein Abraham, Fruchter & Twersky, LLP One Penn Plaza, Suite 2805 New York, New York 10119 Tel: (212) 279-5050, Ext. 1608 Fax: (212) 279-3655 Email: mklein@aftlaw.com The new Hyundai Tucson / Courtesy of Hyundai Motor By Nam Hyun-woo Hyundai Motor on Tuesday premiered the fourth-generation Tucson SUV, which went through a drastic makeover with futuristic touches in its looks and features. Since the Tucson stands as one of the most important volume models in Hyundai Motor's lineup, the sales trajectory of the compact SUV will likely offer a glimpse into the carmaker's capability to make a fast recovery from the current slowdown in the global vehicle market. Hyundai Motor unveiled the new Tucson during an online showcase event via YouTube. Building on a new platform, the full change model scaled its size up stretching the length by 150 millimeters to 4,630 millimeters as its rivals in smaller segments such as the Kia Seltos, the Chevrolet Trailblazer and the Renault Samsung XM3 bulk up to meet domestic customers' demands for more cabin space. As the vehicle lengthened, so did its cabin. Its wheelbase grew by 8.5 centimeters to 2.76 meters, giving second-row passengers 1.05 meters of legroom, up 8 centimeters from its predecessor. The new Tucson's exterior also went through a dramatic makeover. The daytime running lamps are integrated into its oversized jewel-pattern grille, becoming completely invisible when they are off. On the side, the new Tucson wears more curves and edges to create a futuristic appearance as well as the posture that the vehicle is ready to give chase. It also adopted a raked roofline and short overhang to give it a more aggressive look. The back showcases a sporty appearance with exaggerated fenders crossed by a full-width light bar. The interior of the new Tucson / Courtesy of Hyundai Motor The vehicle interior also defies conventional looks. To emphasize the spaciousness, Hyundai flattened the top of the dashboard and removed its housing, creating a garnish line wrapping around the cabin. The vehicle offers two 10.3-inch touchscreen panels in the dashboard and center infotainment console. The new Tucson will come in 12 powertrains six gasoline, four diesel, one hybrid and one plug-in hybrid each starting from 1.6 liters and going up to 2.5 liters. While introducing the new Tucson, Hyundai called attention to the hybrid model, which creates 180 horsepower, 27 kilogram-force meter of torque and 16.2 kilometer per liter of fuel efficiency with its Smartstream 1.6-liter turbo hybrid engine. Hyundai also brought changes to Tucson's HTRAC all-wheel drive system. So far HTRAC has offered eco, comfort and sport driving modes, but the HTRAC in the new Tucson will provide mud, sand and snow modes to improve its drivability in various terrain conditions. The carmaker will start receiving preorders for the new Tucson in Korea on Wednesday, with plans to roll them out later this month. The company said the SUV will be launched in the global market after Korea, but did not reveal a timetable. Depending on regions, the new Tucson will be available in either a long-body or compact version. The gasoline models of the new Tucson will be priced at between 24.35 million won and 31.55 million won. The diesel models are priced at between 26.26 million won and 33.46 million won. The hybrid model will be priced next month. "We feel the all-new Tucson is the right vehicle for our times, because it is so adaptable to highly diverse lifestyles," Hyundai Motor Global Chief Marketing Officer Cho Won-hong said during the showcase. "To address such diversity Hyundai is launching the Tucson in different types in different regions with various eco-friendly vehicle options." The Tucson has been one of Hyundai's best-selling vehicles. Since the first generation's debut in 2004, the company has sold more than 7 million Tucsons around the world. Hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, Hyundai Motor's sales in the first half of this year stood at 47.18 trillion won, down 7 percent from a year earlier. Its operating profit declined by 30 percent to reach 1.45 trillion won. A NSW man has dumped his car in outback South Australia and hiked across the Northern Territory border in a bid to dodge COVID-19 quarantining. NT police found the 23-year-old in a remote town about 450km south of Alice Springs on Tuesday. He has been charged with contravening an emergency declaration and making a false statutory declaration after allegedly illegally crossing the NT border. A NSW man has dumped his car in outback South Australia and hiked across the Northern Territory border in a bid to dodge COVID-19 quarantining A day earlier, officers found the man's car abandoned in a culvert about two kilometres south of the Kulgera Border Control Point on the Stuart Highway. Police say the man crossed the border into the NT on foot and then hitchhiked to Yulara, just outside Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park. The man had approached the border crossing after driving from Sydney, which has been declared a virus hotspot by NT Health. Officers told the man he'd have to quarantine for 14 days if he wanted to enter the Territory. Officers found the man's car abandoned in a culvert about two kilometres south of the Kulgera Border Control Point on the Stuart Highway. The man declined before driving back toward South Australia, police said. He has since been placed in hotel isolation in Alice Springs where he tested negative for COVID-19. The man will appear in Alice Springs Local Court on September 28. All travellers to the NT from COVID-19 hotspots must undergo 14 days' mandatory quarantine at their own expense. Flash Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa met with visiting U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad in Rawalpindi on Monday and discussed matters related to the Afghan peace process, the Pakistani army said. Khalilzad arrived in Pakistan following the start of intra-Afghan negotiations in Qatar that are aimed at deciding the future political system in Afghanistan and to end the war. An army statement said that matters of mutual interest, regional security and ongoing Afghan reconciliation process were discussed during the meeting at the army's General Headquarters in Rawalpindi. The statement quoted Bajwa as saying that Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan has given clear vision regarding peace and connectivity in the region and all elements of national power are united towards making that vision a reality to ensure long-awaited peace, progress and prosperity in the region. The U.S. embassy in Islamabad in its statement said that Khalilzad thanked Pakistan for its role in advancing the Afghan peace process. One Cairo mother has started an initiative to help other mothers find part-time jobs while continuing to look after their children, writes Mai Samih Many stay-at-home mothers in Egypt were working women before they became mothers and had to quit their jobs to be able to raise their children. Many would also like to be able to work part-time again. Asmaa Al-Shimi is the stay-at-home mother of two children in Cairo who went through the same decisions, but later decided to change this norm. She took a part-time job provided that she could work from home, and she is now helping other mothers do the same through her initiative called More than a Mother. I used to have a full-time job, but when I got married I quit my job and stayed at home. I started to feel depressed and felt that something was not right, however, and that was really the beginning of my idea. I looked for a job with a limited number of hours each day so that I could still take care of my children, Al-Shimi said, adding that she had enrolled in many training courses to be able to apply for a part-time job. I felt successful because I could work at home, and I wanted to help my unhappy female relatives and friends who were going through the same challenges and wanted to do something similar. It was then that I started the initiative. More than a Mother organises online courses for women that prepare them for part-time jobs and especially for stay-at-home mothers who have had similar experiences. It does not matter whether the women in question have had experience in their chosen fields before or not, since the idea is to help them build new skills. The courses include marketing, translation, Web-design and handmade crafts, and they are all designed for women who want to work from home. There are also courses in how to market handmade products. The initiative offers courses that are taught by trainers who are mostly volunteers, and lectures are posted at certain times in the week. To make sure that an applicant takes the courses seriously they interview her by phone and monitor progress after each phase. Some people take the courses for granted because they are free. But what they dont understand is that they are taking the places of other people who really need the courses, Al-Shimi said. Those who complete a course successfully are awarded a certificate. Al-Shimi said that some 30 per cent of trainees are university graduates or have obtained a Masters degree or PhD. Some have worked for government organisations, and some are former engineers, doctors or media workers. Some 30 per cent of those women we have trained now have jobs from home that they are successful in. But there are still some whose husbands refuse to let them work after taking the courses. Approximately 10 per cent of trainees are widows or divorcees in some ways they are the most successful since they quickly learn what we teach them because they have the goal of supporting their families, she said. In the past, our parents would tell us to keep gold jewelry at home in case of any financial problems, but I think that a mother with a job can keep a household safer, she added. About 10 per cent of trainees are graduates who want to take crafts courses. However, we also have doctors who learn crafts it all depends on the individuals concerned, Al-Shimi said, adding that the overall number of beneficiaries has been around 3,000 so far. When their website is complete, they look forward to having more students. The initiative also provides some job opportunities after the training courses end. I didnt want other people to go through what I went through. So, we started to make arrangements with platforms like Al-Hareefa to help mothers find jobs after their training courses end, Al-Shimi said. Examples of such jobs range from freelancers or low-income jobs for the experience or even volunteering opportunities. A link to this site will be on our page for mothers to look at, she said, adding that they are currently working with more such platforms. The companies that offer the jobs are from Egypt and other countries in the Arab world, many of which prefer to hire Egyptian women because of their creativity. We do our best to provide mothers with job opportunities by recommending them to companies, and then it is up to them to prove that they are competent in the field, she said. This task is not always without barriers, however. We have had trouble convincing companies to hire people to work limited hours or to hire freelancers. Some of our trainees are not always punctual, but this problem is starting to decrease. Some of the educational websites require money to access the material for an average cost of LE15,000 to LE20,000 per year, so we are currently looking for sponsors as well, she added. We need all our former trainees to find jobs, especially jobs that end by 2pm. I would like to see a law introduced to enable mothers to work part-time. We want a sponsor for the initiative and to be able to reach other governorates that have no Internet access. We also want to buy advanced training material for trainers and have that available on the website. We wish that we could give the people working for the initiative salaries. If this happens, the work would undoubtedly improve in quality. We plan to teach between 20,000 and 30,000 trainees per year, and we also want to target girls who are the mothers of the future so that they do not go through the ordeals of the generations before them. We aim to find a permanent headquarters for our initiative, including a studio to video our educational materials in, Al-Shimi commented. If a mother is successful and happy, this has a positive effect on her family. And it could also be a source of inspiration for her children, who will also become successful in the future, she concluded. *A version of this article appears in print in the 17 September, 2020 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly Search Keywords: Short link: Anxiety cases have trebled among young adults since the financial crash of 2008, amid fears over the impact of social media on mental health. Around a third of women aged 18 to 24 suffered from the debilitating mental illness in 2018, up from less than one in ten a decade ago. Cases among men of the same age have also trebled, taking the number suffering from anxiety as high as 14.95 per cent. But for those aged over 55 from both genders cases have barely risen, suggesting a generational divide in the UK's 'hidden epidemic'. The alarming statistics were revealed in one of the biggest studies of anxiety ever undertaken in the UK, which examined trends in diagnosis and treatment by GPs since 1998. It included 6.6million patients at 795 practices. It comes amid mounting warnings over the damaging impact of social media, alongside climate change and the vote to leave the European Union. The study used data up to 2018, meaning the suspected devastating impact of the coronavirus pandemic was not included in the results. The above graph shows rates of anxiety in men and women between 1998 and 2018. It reveals that after the financial crash in 2008 rates shot up for women aged 18 to 24, 25 to 34 and 35 to 44. In men the rates also rose rapidly for those aged 18 to 24 and 25 to 34. But there was little change among adults aged 55 and over, suggesting a generational divide A study has revealed that women aged 18 to 24 are suffering the highest rates of anxiety in the UK, with almost a third affected. It comes amid the emergence of social media WHAT IS ANXIETY? Anxiety is a normal part of life that affects different people in different ways at different times. Whereas stress can come and go, anxiety often persists and does not always have an obvious cause. Along with depression, anxiety is among the most common mental-health condition in the UK, affecting 8.2million people in 2013 alone. Around 40million adults suffer from the condition in the US every year. Anxiety can make a person imagine things in their life are worse than they are or that they are going mad. Although it evolved as part of the 'fight or flight' mechanism in our caveman days to avoid danger, anxiety can be inappropriately activated in everyday life when stress builds up. It can have a clear cause, such as moving house or having surgery. However, sometimes little life events build up until a person is unable to cope, with anxiety then taking them by surprise. Physical symptoms can include: Increased heart rate and muscle tension Hyperventilation and dizziness Nausea A tight band across the chest Tension headaches Hot flushes Sweating 'Jelly legs' Shaking Feeling like you are choking Tingling in the hands and feet Some psychological symptoms are: Thinking you are going mad or losing control Thinking you may die or get ill Feeling people are staring at you Feeling detached from others or on edge Treatment often involves counselling or cognitive behavioural therapy. Activates like yoga, exercise, reading and socialising can help to manage anxiety. Advertisement In the study, published in the British Journal of Psychiatry, the researchers showed cases of anxiety have jumped from 8.42 per cent to 30.33 per cent in women aged 18 to 24 between 2008 and 2018. Similarly, for women aged between 25 and 34, anxiety cases have more than doubled in ten years from 9.08 per cent to 21.69 per cent. In men the number of anxiety disorders for those aged 18 to 24 rose from 4.95 per cent to 14.88 per cent over ten years. And more than doubled in men aged 25 to 34 from 9.08 per cent to 21.69 per cent. Professor Nick Freemantle, lead researcher for the study and a professor at University College London, told the Guardian: 'Given the steep increases in anxiety revealed by this research, and the sheer number of people affected, it is now clear that Britain has a really serious and worsening problem with anxiety, which can have devastating effects on people's lives. 'And these data stopped just before the Covid-19 pandemic; we can only speculate on how they would look now.' Explaining what he thought had caused the concerning surge, Professor Freemantle added: 'During this period (2008 to 2018) we had a recession, a vote to leave Europe, which was not popular among young people, social media became ubiquitous, there was increased concern about the climate, and there was a change of attitude towards anxiety disorders.' He said some of these events may have contributed to feelings of 'hopelessness and powerlessness'. The authors added in the study: 'Social media use, which early research suggests is strongly associated with anxiety, is more common among young people and may be partly responsible. 'Profitable social media platforms use a business model that monetises the attention of users by selling it to advertisers, but in actuality, social media users are the product and not the customer.' The paper referenced a US study published in the American Journal of Health Behaviour on 1,730 adults aged between 19 and 32 years, which found those that used social media regularly were more likely to suffer from depression and anxiety than those that do not. Another study, published last year in the Lancet Child and Adolescent Health journal, revealed children who use social media just three times a day are more likely to develop anxiety 'because they get less sleep, exercise and are exposed to cyber bullying'. Scientists from University College London came to the conclusion after interviewing 13,000 teenagers that went to more than 1,000 schools across the UK. The Daily Mail reported yesterday on an image of a woman in a red floral bikini which had been warped by a social media filter, making the two images look like completely different women. She was a different shape, that was both slimmer and pumped up, with larger breasts and a hint of a six pack. Her teeth had also been made whiter, her eyes bigger and her hair longer. Experts argue that this change could trigger anxiety for those using the filters, as it creates unrealistic expectations of their appearance, and those viewing the photo online, as they try to copy the invented appearance. The woman in the photo, social media influencer Emily Clarkson, 26, said the changes were 'the point' of the filter. 'When you start down this route, the changes are subtle,' she said. 'You're just getting rid of a spot or the bags under your eyes. You're seeing what you'd look like with red hair, or blonde hair. It's harmless. It's fun. But then you're on a slippery slope.' Emily Clarkson, 26, (pictured) is explaining to me how she has improved a selection of her own selfies, using some of the many popular apps and filter options available to a generation of young social media users The woman revealed she has edited a selection of her own selfies using many popular apps and filter options which are deployed by countless other young social media influences. The apps include FaceApp, which provides options including the 'Hollywood' look, and Instant Beauty, or a computer's idea of beauty. Instagram also provides several built-in filters to allow users to 'va-va-voom' their photos, and warp them away from reality. During lockdown, a survey suggested that Britons were turning away from 'anxiety-inducing' social media to more traditional forms of communication in order to stay connected. Compared with the anxiety-inducing experience of posting updates on Facebook and Instagram, two thirds of adults still think sending a hand-written message is the best way to keep in touch. In a poll of more than 2,000 UK adults, 66 per cent said a personalised card is the most meaningful and thoughtful way to communicate feelings to a loved one. Almost half (47 per cent) of respondents said the thought of writing a heartfelt letter or card made them feel happy, while 50 per cent said social media has no positive effects on their close relationships. The study was overseen by University of Oxford evolutionary anthropologist Dr Anna Machin, who said younger people exist in an unhealthy social media micro-world. SALEM A county judge has decided the Oregon Republican Party should be permitted to place its November election statement in the state voting guide although the secretary of states office says the party missed the deadline by seconds. Judge Channing Bennett on Monday ruled that Republican chairman Bill Currier completed his portion of the transaction in the minute before the 5 p.m. deadline on Aug. 25, Oregon Public Broadcasting reported. Bennett said that is more important than the time at which the state finished processing the filing. Oregon Secretary of State Bev Clarno said her office would accept the statement but maintained GOP officials had missed the deadline, and she said the state would appeal the ruling. I have asked my team to ensure the Oregon Republican Partys statement is printed in the Voters' Pamphlet for Novembers General Election, Clarno said in a statement. At the same time, I still believe 5 p.m. is 5 p.m. and we will appeal the ruling to ensure there is a bright line for filing requirements going forward. I and our Elections Division remain deeply committed to administering all of our election processes in an open, transparent, and nonpartisan manner. Clarno is a Republican appointed by Democratic Gov. Kate Brown to finish the term of the late Dennis Richardson. Bennett said The Oregon Voters' Pamphlet, which includes statements from candidates and information on ballot measures, must go to print Friday to get to voters on time. The judge said that the time it takes to process an electronic filing is arbitrary and doesnt provide the certainty called for in law. He said state law sees the policy statements of a major party as necessary to a free and informed electorate and that this outweighs ambiguities in the election deadline. The state Democratic Party and six minor parties submitted their statements without any hitches. But Currier said he had problems filing earlier in the day and did not log into the states online reporting system until 4:52 p.m. Salem attorney Kevin Mannix, who represented the party at the hearing, argued the deadline was unclear because it only referred to 5 p.m. He said that could mean 5 p.m. sharp or up to one second before 5:01 p.m. Brian Simmonds Marshall, an assistant attorney general, said the state has the right to interpret its rules and that the law says not later than 5 p.m. He noted that a Wisconsin case concluded that a 5 p.m. deadline means that exact second. -- The Associated Press The 29th season of "Dancing With the Stars" premiered on Monday, and Tyra Banks bravely made her debut on the show as the host. Fans who watched the past twenty-eight seasons are reportedly not interested in watching the new season. Under DWTS's official Twitter post just hours ahead of the show, the replies were filled with upset and negativity from fans after hiring Banks as a replacement for Erin Andrews and Tom Bergeron. Though "Dancing With the Stars" alums such as Artem Chigvintsev, Sharna Burgess, and Britt Stewart were all making a comeback, viewers of the hit dancing show are still not convinced that it's worth watching. "Cannot stand Tyra Banks! I would love to see Johnny Weird, but I'll pass," one former DWTS fan said in response to the tweet. "No, thanks. Tyra was good at running ANTM but hosting anything else was a bust. Can't understand how anyone thought this was a good idea. At least bring back Tom to co-host," another person tweeted. "Can Tyra be the first one sent home?" a Twitter user said, referencing the show's weekly eliminations. "On a year where people WANT comfort of the familiar, it's just really a poor decision," one person explained. Watched Dancing with the Stars...for three minutes. Recognized two dancers. Then, no Tom Bergeron. The heart of the show. Stars dont want to dance on a sinking ship. Tyra Banks? Uh...no. People dont like her. Last season. pic.twitter.com/wiY6AHJqPG BILL COSWORTH VOICEOVER MASTER (@j_cosworth) September 15, 2020 One fan thinks that the dismissal of Bergeron from DWTS was ageist, as the veteran host was 65 years old, whereas Banks is 46. "Friendly reminder that Tom Bergeron being fired from DWTS is ageist." Fans of "Dancing With the Stars" also accused Tyra Banks of making the show "all about her" due to her jaw-dropping outfits and frequent comments. They also believe that Banks was "trying too hard to be funny," and unluckily, her humor attempts didn't work. However, despite being slammed by social media users, Tyra Banks seemed to have been back in her element. She guided the dancers, competitors, judges, and viewers through last night's season premiere. Andrews had been the original host since it launched in 2005, while his co-host Andrews joined in 2014. The veteran hosts were shockingly canned in July without any direct reason as to why they were axed. Valerie Bruce, the General Manager of LA Productions, only stated that DWTS would head on a new creative direction for its 29th season. She also offered her "sincere thanks" to Tom Bergeron and Erin Andrews, who she says will always be part of DWTS. In an interview with Extra, Andrews revealed that she and Bergeron's unexpected dismissal came as a surprise. She shared that news of her being fired came via phone call. According to The New York Times, the pair were let go just days before it was revealed that the supermodel would be taking over the hosting duties. Not only was she going to be host, but she also became an executive producer on the series. She once said in a statement that she had been a fan of "Dancing With the Stars" since the beginning. "The fun mixed with raw emotion, seeing celebrities push past their comfort zones, the sizzling dance performances. It's always transported me to my days of turning it up to ten notches on the catwalk." READ MORE: Brad Pitt Downfall: Girlfriend Nicole Poturalski Someone To Watch Out? WASHINGTON - Police in D.C. are far more likely to arrest Blacks than Whites for marijuana-related offenses, five years after the city enacted reforms that proponents hoped would end racial disparities in enforcement. Although marijuana arrests have declined by more than half, African Americans still account for just under 90% of those arrested on all pot-related charges, according to a Washington Post analysis, even as they make up 45% of the city's population. And while studies show that marijuana use is equally prevalent among Blacks and Whites, 84% of more than 900 people arrested for public consumption in the nation's capital were African American in the four years after legalization. At a time when police treatment of African Americans is a focus of broad concern, the analysis echoes national studies that have shown the persistence of racial disparities as enforcement has declined in states where marijuana has been legalized. A D.C. police spokeswoman declined to comment on the disparity, noting that arrests for consumption or possession of small amounts of marijuana have declined significantly since legalization. But advocates and defense attorneys said police still focus on the city's poorer, mostly Black neighborhoods because that's where officer deployments and investigations of violent crime are concentrated. Marijuana-related arrests, they said, are an entree for police to gather information about other alleged crimes. "They can use the odor of burning marijuana or street sales to pat people down for weapons or check for outstanding warrants," said Paul Zukerberg, a defense lawyer who has represented clients arrested on pot charges. "They try to turn people into involuntary informants or state witnesses." D.C. Superior Court does not maintain statistics for the dispositions of marijuana-related arrests. A Post review of more than 100 such cases shows that charges are often dropped or prosecutors negotiate plea bargains with probationary sentences. When defendants refuse a plea, prosecutors in some instances have abandoned cases, especially when relatively small amounts of marijuana are involved. Although punishments are often minimal, Zukerberg said a marijuana arrest - no matter the outcome - often requires visits to court and other costly disruptions. "It can hurt people's chances of getting employment and passing background checks while the case is pending," he said. "And a case can be pending for weeks, months and years." - - - When advocates campaigned for Initiative 71, as the 2014 referendum measure for legalization was known, a main selling point was that the reform would erase the gap between the numbers of Blacks and Whites penalized for using a drug that has wide appeal. By then, a robust movement to relax marijuana laws across the country had emerged. A key driver was a 2013 American Civil Liberties Union study that revealed wide inequities in enforcement nationwide, including in D.C., where police were eight times as likely to arrest Blacks as Whites for possession. The passage of Initiative 71 allowed individuals 21 or older to possess up to two ounces of marijuana on D.C. land, cultivate as many as six pot plants at home, give gifts of up to an ounce and possess drug paraphernalia such as pipes and bongs. But Republicans in Congress did not allow the city to eliminate penalties for public consumption or the buying and selling of cannabis. As a result, street dealers remain a focus of "buy and bust" police investigations. "The goal was to not only eliminate the criminality associated with cannabis but to establish a regulatory system for distribution," said G. Malik Burnett, a leader of the reform effort. "When there's a gray area, police are able to enforce what they feel they should enforce." Earlier this month, the D.C. Court of Appeals voted 2-1 to overturn the conviction of a man charged with possession with intent to distribute, a decision that proponents of pot reform seized on as a victory. During a 2017 traffic stop in Southeast Washington, U.S. Park Police caught Darnell Kornegay, 25, who is African American, with 1.7 ounces of pot, a digital scale, 23 empty plastic bags and $769 in cash. But Judge Catharine Easterly wrote that the amount of pot Kornegay had "did not exceed" the city's legal limit and that no one witnessed a sale. "This ruling continues to show that the police need training on what the law says," said Adam Eidinger, the lead organizer of the Initiative 71 campaign. "They need to see this as a signal that they're misinterpreting the law." Before legalization, Blacks accounted for nearly 89% of the police department's 8,092 pot-related arrests from 2012 to 2014, The Post's analysis shows. After legalization, between 2015 and 2019, there were 3,631 marijuana arrests. Eighty-nine percent of those arrested were Black. In 2015, the year pot was legalized, overall arrests plummeted from 2,095 to 314. Since then, the volume of arrests has risen, reaching 1,007 in 2018 before falling to 798 last year, the data shows. Arrests for possession dropped from 2,488 in 2012 to 22 in 2015, and have remained around that number since. But annual arrests for public consumption seesawed from under 100 to more than 250 before declining. After initially decreasing, arrests for distribution or intent to distribute have tripled in the past four years. D.C. police spokeswoman Kristen Metzger said in an emailed statement that the department "respects the intent" of Initiative 71 and "makes very few arrests" for smoking pot in public or possession. But Metzger also said that the department "takes illegal distribution, especially where it is linked to violent crime, very seriously and we will continue to protect our residents by enforcing these laws." The Post's analysis was drawn from a list of more than 11,500 marijuana arrests between 2012 and 2019 provided by the police department in response to a Freedom of Information Act request. The data does not include arrests made by other law enforcement agencies, including U.S. Park Police. Men accounted for 89% of all marijuana arrests during the eight-year period. Of those males, 90% were Black. Nearly 65% of those arrested were between ages 18 and 30. Before and after legalization, just over 40% of the arrests occurred in Wards 7 and 8, which include the District's poorest and most heavily African American neighborhoods. By contrast, less than 1% of all arrests occurred in Ward 3, which are predominantly White and among the city's most prosperous. A more racially diverse district, Ward 1, accounted for nearly 16% of the arrests since legalization. D.C. Council member Charles Allen, D-Ward 6, chairman of the Judiciary and Public Safety Committee, described the disparities as "very discouraging," especially in light of the national focus on racial justice after the killing of George Floyd in police custody in Minneapolis. "It gets back to the heart of what the protests have been about - uneven and unfair enforcement in policing along racial lines," Allen said. "We can change the laws, but if we don't change the nature of policing, we're not creating the impact we want." - - - A "strong odor of marijuana" wafting from Alexandre Foy's car caught the attention of the police officer who stopped him in 2018 for failing to heed a pedestrian crossing signal outside the Watergate apartment complex. Foy, then 35, an African American man from Lanham, Md., was already on probation in Maryland for pot possession and distribution, something the officer learned after entering his name in a police database. A search of the car turned up 10.2 ounces of pot and nine vials of THC oil, according to court records. "I had to do it, I gotta feed my kids and family - I need the cash," Foy said, according to the police complaint filed in court. Foy denied he was selling pot when reached by The Post. But he pleaded guilty to distribution after prosecutors reduced the charge from a felony to a misdemeanor. A judge suspended a six-month prison sentence and placed him on six months' supervised probation. His case was among 115 marijuana arrests The Post reviewed that occurred between May 2018 and the end of 2019. In about 70% of the cases, prosecutors either declined to file charges or dropped the case, or the charges were dismissed. In about 10% of the cases, a guilty plea resulted in probation. Douglas Jefferies, among the 304 Whites arrested for marijuana between 2015 and 2019, was one of the few charged with a felony. Investigators found more than 24 pounds of pot, 512 edibles and $16,483 in cash last September at a Dupont Circle mansion he owned, court records show. The mansion, which Jefferies no longer owns, had hosted pop-up marijuana shops. It was Jefferies's third arrest in less than a year. In November 2018, officers raiding the mansion seized more than six pounds of pot, dozens of pot-infused candies, scales and $2,210 in cash. Jefferies pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor and was sentenced to time served. Four months later, he was arrested again after police discovered nearly two pounds of pot and $6,400 in cash in his Connecticut Avenue hotel room. He pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor, and a judge sentenced him to six months' probation. In his current case, court records show that Jefferies and prosecutors recently entered into a "stet agreement," which typically signifies that charges will be dropped if a defendant meets certain conditions. Jefferies did not respond to calls or text messages. Jefferies's lawyer, Marnitta King, and a spokesperson for the U.S. attorney's office declined to comment. Earlier this year, a national ACLU study found that Blacks are 3.6 times as likely as Whites to be arrested for marijuana, a rate "roughly the same" as in the organization's study in 2013. Jon Gettman, a Shenandoah University criminal justice professor, said the racial disparity is fueled by police being deployed to high-crime areas that tend to be poor and predominantly Black. "It's not that police are looking for weed busts in Anacostia," Gettman said. "It's that there's a lot more police activity in general in Anacostia than, say, Cleveland Park. It really has to do with the concentration of enforcement efforts." But Vida Johnson, a Georgetown University law professor who teaches in the school's Criminal Defense and Prisoner Advocacy Clinic, said police make a concerted effort to look for illegal drug activity in Black neighborhoods. "Rather than go to American University or George Washington's campus, where we know there are marijuana sales, they're focusing on poor communities of color that are mostly African American," she said. "And to what end?" she asked. "We have already decided as a community that marijuana isn't dangerous." - - - In Trey McNeil's case, according to court records, undercover officers staking out an apartment building in Southeast Washington in 2019 said they saw him handing what they believed was a package of drugs to another man in exchange for cash. Police moved in to arrest McNeil, then 27, an African American who lived in Congress Heights. Searching him, they found just over an ounce of pot, a digital scale and $117. He was charged with possession with intent to distribute. McNeil, who could not be reached, rejected a plea offer. Several months later, after his lawyer filed a motion challenging the legality of the search and arrest, prosecutors dropped the case. "I wasn't surprised," said Joseph McCoy, McNeil's court-appointed lawyer. "These things are rarely worth the effort to prosecute." Sometimes a pot bust is a precursor to a more serious crime. In April 2019, a judge sentenced Ja'amonte Jeter, 21, to 12 months' probation after he sold $20 of marijuana to an undercover officer on Benning Road NE. In Jeter's pockets, according to court records, police found an ounce of weed, three Xanax pills, $129 and a scale. Ten months later, after Jeter had violated his probation, police charged him with shooting a man in the lower back across the street from where he was arrested for selling the pot. As part of a plea agreement, Jeter admitted to attempted assault with a dangerous weapon and carrying an unlicensed pistol. A judge released Jeter from jail in August and placed him on home confinement while he awaits sentencing. Raymond Perry, 29, was among the 220 people charged in 2018 for smoking pot in public. A team of undercover narcotics officers "observed" him getting high while he was in a lawn chair on a sidewalk in Northeast Washington, according to court records. Reached by phone recently, Perry said the officers handcuffed him and took him to the police station, where he was fingerprinted and issued a citation requiring him to appear in court. At the hearing, he paid a $25 fine. "I thought it was some BS, but they were like, 'You're not supposed to be doing it,' " said Perry, who described himself as an Uber driver and a rap artist. He said he is more cautious about smoking pot in public since the arrest. But that doesn't mean he won't light up. "I'm smoking right now," he said. $500 mn in federal help now available for fishermen hurt by US-China trade war by Eric Stone The U.S. Department of Agriculture says its setting aside more than half a billion dollars for fishermen hurt by tariffs associated with the U.S.-China trade war. Some Alaskans are applauding the move, but others worry the program leaves some out. Jeremy Leighton is a dive fisherman based in Ketchikan. That means he spends as many days as he can looking for sea cucumbers and geoduck clams on the cold, murky seafloor. He was among the first Alaskans to see the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Most of Alaskas geoduck clam harvest is sold to consumers in China. When China locked down as the coronavirus spread, demand for the husky bivalves collapsed and managers closed the market. Leighton and other fishermen were already facing a tough market they were looking at a 25% tariff on seafood exported to China. So the last year prices dropped since [] the tariffs were put on, Leighton said. But its not just geoduck fishermen. Frances Leach heads up United Fishermen of Alaska, a fishing industry group. China seems to be one of the biggest markets for a lot of our seafood products in Alaska. And not just buying them for consumption, but also processing. We send a lot of seafood over to China to be processed, Leach said. Now, Leighton and thousands of other U.S. fishermen could be eligible for a new program designed to help fishermen hurt by the tariff on seafood. Its an Agriculture Department initiative called the Seafood Trade Relief Program. U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan said its a new twist on an old trade war strategy. There have been long standing U.S. Department of Agriculture programs that provide relief to farmers, when their products exported are hit with retaliatory tariffs, Sullivan said. And what Ive been arguing to the president and his entire team, is that if the farmers get that kind of relief, then our fishermen should get that kind of relief as well. Sullivan called the program historic. He says its the first time the USDA has set aside money for fishermen in response to retaliatory tariffs, though other federal agencies and programs often provide assistance to Alaska fishermen. A wide variety of fishermen are eligible. The USDA says itll provide cash transfers based on licensed fishermens total 2019 landings 16 cents a pound for salmon, 4 cents a pound for herring and a whopping 76 cents per pound for geoduck clams. Sixteen of the 19 species included in the program are harvested in Alaska, Sullivan said. That includes four kinds of crab, Alaska pollock, sablefish and more. So, $500 million for fishermen: great news, right? We probably have, I would say, more questions than we have answers at this point in time, said Southeast Alaska Regional Dive Fisheries Association Co-Executive Director Phil Doherty. He said hes concerned that one key species often exported to China was left off the list: sea cucumbers. Leach, the UFA director, said thats because that fishery didnt see a big enough loss due to tariffs, based on USDAs calculations. She said halibut didnt meet the threshold, either. And the reason for that is because halibut is a domestic market. We dont market that as much internationally, so it was halibut was not impacted as much by the trade war, Leach said. But she encourages anyone who might be eligible to apply. The fish havent been coming back a lot of species are not doing so well. So commercial fishermen have really seen a downturn in a lot of areas, she said. My advice to commercial fishermen is that if theres this opportunity to get some funding, to go on and apply for it. Leighton, the geoduck and sea cucumber diver, says hes not sure whether he will. He says he hasnt had much luck with federal pandemic aid programs yet. Its difficult for us to actually get them. Ive applied for three of them and Ive gotten $1,000, he said. He says its hard to keep track of all the paperwork receipts, bills, and such. He says hell take a look at the requirements and decide whether to apply. 2020 KTOO Public Media Theme(s): Post Harvest Technology and Trade. Iran warned the US on Tuesday against making a "strategic mistake" after President Donald Trump threatened Tehran over reports it planned to avenge the killing of top general Qasem Soleimani. "We hope that they do not make a new strategic mistake and certainly in the case of any strategic mistake, they will witness Iran's decisive response," government spokesman Ali Rabiei told a televised news conference. September 10th is National Day in Gibraltar and as anyone who has ever been there will know, it is one hell of a party. Casemates Square filled with crowds dressed in the traditional colours of red and white, the political rally with UK and Gibraltarian politicians, speeches, music and dance performances, a flyover by military planes, fireworks and plenty of celebratory eating and drinking. Well, that's the normal scenario for this, the most important day on the Gibraltarian calendar, when local people revindicate their right to self-determination and pride in being British. This year, however, the coronavirus intervened. The government decided to cancel the physical celebrations in favour of an online format. It wasn't the same atmosphere - how could it be? - but the sentiments had not changed. As well as personal messages of congratulations and support from Boris Johnson, Nicola Sturgeon, Arlene Foster and Mark Drakeford, in a pre-recorded rally chief minister Fabian Picardo told the people of Gibraltar that it broke his heart not to be able to celebrate in Casemates Square as usual, but he said that next year "we will be back" for "the biggest party in our history" and to "celebrate our success against all the challenges of 2020". He also spoke about Brexit, assuring the people of the Rock that "deal or no deal, Gibraltarians will prosper" and will be "closer to Britain than we were before". The UK has recorded more than 3,000 new Covid-19 cases for the third consecutive day for the first time since May. There were 3,330 confirmed new cases of coronavirus, according to government data published on Sunday, compared with 3,497 a day earlier. The overall tally has now risen to 368,504 infections. A further five new deaths were also reported, bringing the national total to 41,628 the highest in Europe. Separate figures published by the UKs statistics agencies show there have been 57,400 deaths registered in the country where Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate. UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 18 January 2022 Surfers enter the sea as the sun rises over Tynemouth on the North East coast PA UK news in pictures 17 January 2022 Bonhams Danny McIlwraith holds a Nigerian polycrome carved wood mask during a photocall for the sale of the Jim Lennon Collection at Bonhams in Edinburgh PA UK news in pictures 16 January 2022 The moon rises above the Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth, Hampshire PA UK news in pictures 15 January 2022 Demonstrators outside Downing Street during a Kill The Bill protest against The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill in London PA UK news in pictures 14 January 2022 Ecologist Emma Smart (left) and retired GP Dr Diana Warner outside HMP Bronzefield, in Surrey, following their release from the prison where Emma undertook a 26-day hunger strike during her incarceration. Ms Smart was sentenced in November, along with other members of Insulate Britain, to serve four months for breaking a High Court injunction by taking part in a blockade at junction 25 of the M25 motorway during the morning rush hour on 8 October last year PA UK news in pictures 13 January 2022 A TV presenter holds a copy of a newspaper outside 10 Downing Streetafter the Prime Minister apologised for attending a gathering of colleagues in the Number Ten garden in May 2020, while the UK was in strict lockdown due to the Coronavirus pandemic Getty UK news in pictures 12 January 2022 Fitness guru Derrick Evans after receiving an MBE during an investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 11 January 2022 A couple walk underneath an umbrella during wet weather on Westminster Bridge in central London PA UK news in pictures 10 January 2022 A jogger passes the Covid Memorial Wall in London AP UK news in pictures 9 January 2021 The sun rises over horses at Seaton Sluice in Northumberland PA UK news in pictures 8 January 2022 Riders compete during the Veterans Men's race at the UK Cyclo-Cross National Championships 2022 in Ardingly, south of London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 7 January 2022 A dog looks out of a car window at the wintry conditions in Killeshin, Co. Laois PA UK news in pictures 6 January 2022 People walk through frost and mist alongside a frozen lake during sunrise in Bushy Park, London REUTERS UK news in pictures 5 January 2022 A skier jumps on the slopes at Allenheads in the Pennines to the north of Weardale in Northumberland PA UK news in pictures 4 January 2022 Freshly-fallen snow covers houses in Corbridge, near Hexham in Northumberland PA UK news in pictures 3 January 2022 Dean Morrison, 13, receives his Covid-19 vaccine from student nurse Anthony McLaughlin during a vaccination clinic at the Glasgow Central Mosque PA UK news in pictures 2 January 2022 Konastantinos Tsimikas of Liverpool with Chelseas Mason Mount during the Premier League match at Stamfrod Bridge Liverpool FC/Getty UK news in pictures 1 January 2022 New Years Eve Lasers, drones and fireworks illuminate the sky in front of the Royal Naval College in Greenwich shortly after midnight in London EPA UK news in pictures 31 December 2021 Competitors in fancy dress run across the Pennine tops near Haworth, West Yorkshire, in the annual Auld Lang Syne Fell race which attracts hundreds of runners every year PA UK news in pictures 30 December 2021 Sunrise at Bamburgh Castle in Northumberland PA UK news in pictures 29 December 2021 The Very Revd Dr Robert Willis, Dean of Canterbury Cathedral, looks at Becket, a six month old red-billed chough as he visits Wildwood Wildlife Park in Kent on the anniversary of the murder of Thomas Becket PA UK news in pictures 28 December 2021 Troops of the Household Cavalry are seen reflected in a puddle during the changing of the Queens Life Guard, on Horse Guards Parade, in central London PA UK news in pictures 27 December 2021 A pedestrian walks past a winter sale sign outside a John Lewis store on Oxford street in London Getty UK news in pictures 26 December 2021 Riders take their bikes through the snow near Castleside, County Durham PA UK news in pictures 25 December 2021 Patrick Corkery wears a santa hat and beard as waves crash over him at Forty Foot near Dublin during a Christmas Day dip PA UK news in pictures 24 December 2021 People stand inside Kings Cross Station on Christmas Eve in London Reuters UK news in pictures 23 December 2021 Christmas shoppers fill the car park at Fosse Shopping Park in Leicester PA UK news in pictures 22 December 2021 The sun rises behind the stones as people gather for the winter solstice at Stonehenge. Getty UK news in pictures 21 December 2021 People take part in a winter solstice swim at Portobello Beach in Edinburgh to mark the solstice and to witness the dawn after the longest night of the year PA UK news in pictures 20 December 2021 An auction employee displays poultry to buyers and sellers attending the Christmas Poultry Sale at York Auction Centre in Murton PA UK news in pictures 19 December 2021 Joao Moutinho of Wolverhampton Wanderers looks on during the Premier League match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Chelsea at Molineux Getty Images UK news in pictures 18 December 2021 Freight lorries queuing at the port of Dover in Kent PA UK news in pictures 17 December 2021 Newly elected Liberal Democrat MP Helen Morgan, bursts 'Boris' bubble' held by colleague Tim Farron, as she celebrates following her victory in the North Shropshire by-election PA UK news in pictures 16 December 2021 Brussels sprouts are harvested by workers as they prepare for the busy Christmas period near Boston in Lincolnshire PA UK news in pictures 15 December 2021 Lewis Hamilton is made a Knight Bachelor by the Prince of Wales at Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 14 December 2021 The Royal Liver Buildings surrounded by early morning fog in Liverpool PA UK news in pictures 13 December 2021 People queue outside a walk-in Covid-19 vaccination centre at St Thomas's Hospital in Westminster Getty Images UK news in pictures 12 December 2021 People take part in the Big Leeds Santa Dash in Roundhay Park, Leeds PA UK news in pictures 11 December 2021 People arrive at a Covid-19 vaccination centre at Elland Road in Leeds, PA UK news in pictures 10 December 2021 Stella Moris speaks to the media after the US Government won its High Court bid to overturn a judges decision not to extradite WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange PA UK news in pictures 9 December 2021 Camels are lead around Salisbury Cathedral during a rehearsal for the Christmas Eve Service PA UK news in pictures 8 December 2021 Margaret Keenan and Nurse May Parsons, a year after Margaret was the first person in the UK to receive the Pfizer vaccine PA UK news in pictures 7 December 2021 Snowfall in Leadhills, South Lanarkshire as Storm Barra hits the UK with disruptive winds, heavy rain and snow PA UK news in pictures 6 December 2021 A person tries to avoid sea spray on New Brighton promenade in Wallasey as the UK readies for the arrival of Storm Barra Getty UK news in pictures 5 December 2021 People release balloons during a tribute to six-year-old Arthur Labinjo-Hughes outside Emma Tustin's former address in Solihull, West Midlands, where he was murdered by his stepmother PA UK news in pictures 4 December 2021 People walk through a Christmas market in Trafalgar Square Reuters UK news in pictures 3 December 2021 A pedestrian carries a dog as they dodge shoppers on Oxford Street in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 2 December 2021 Duchess of Cambridge inspects a Faberge egg at the Victoria and Albert Museum Getty UK news in pictures 1 December 2021 Meerkats at London Zoo with an advent calendar PA UK news in pictures 30 November 2021 Workers put the finishing touches to the Trafalgar Square Christmas Tree ahead of the lighting ceremony later in the week PA Although daily deaths remain low, government advisors and experts have warned that soaring cases could lead to a rise in people being hospitalised in the coming weeks and more lives lost. Peter Openshaw, a professor of experimental medicine at Imperial College London who advises the government on the threat posed by new and emerging respiratory viruses, said a trickle of cases can turn into a cascade. He also warned that the country faces going back into hard lockdown if people do not abide by the rule of six restrictions, which ban both indoor and outdoor gatherings of six or more people, being introduced on Monday in an attempt to curb the increasing rise in infections. A ramp-up in testing has accounted for some of the increase, but the UK has also seen the virus spread in recent weeks. Daily cases are more than double those reported two weeks ago, a change that has stoked concerns of a second wave of the virus. And infections are now believed by Imperial researchers to be doubling every week, with their latest data suggesting the R rate had risen to 1.7. It comes as France - whose outbreak is thought to be several weeks ahead of ours and which UK scientists have held up as an example not to follow - recorded more than 10,000 new infections in a single day, its largest total since the pandemic began. Additional reporting by PA New Delhi: Nigerian state officials on Tuesday said that Military jet has mistakenly bombed refugee camp and has killed more than 100 people. A Nigerian Air Force fighter jet on a mission against Boko Haram extremists mistakenly bombed a refugee camp Tuesday, killing more than 100 refugees and wounding aid workers, a Borno state official said. According to report in the Associated Press, the state government official was helping to coordinate the evacuation of wounded. The official spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to reporters. Military commander Maj Gen Lucky Irabor confirmed the accidental bombardment in northeast Rann, near the border with Cameroon. Among the wounded were two soldiers and Nigerians working for Doctors Without Borders and the International Committee of the Red Cross, he said to the news agency. Irabor said he ordered the mission based on information that Boko Haram insurgents were gathering, along with geographic coordinates. It was too early to say if a tactical error was made, he said. The general, who is the theater commander for counterinsurgency operations in northeast Nigeria, said the Air Force would not deliberately target civilians but there will be an investigation. Some of the nearly 300 Chibok schoolgirls kidnapped by Boko Haram in 2014 and freed last year have said three of their classmates were killed by Air Force bombardments, according to the freed girls' parents. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. The Salvation Army is starting its annual holiday fundraising campaign earlier than ever in an attempt to rescue Christmas. Facing an increased demand amid the coronavirus pandemic with high unemployment, the nations largest social services organization said it will start collecting donations in its iconic red kettles with bell-ringing volunteers Monday instead of waiting until closer to Thanksgiving as in past years. Yet with a surge of store closings, a decline in foot traffic to retail locations, consumers carrying less cash and a countrywide coin shortage, the Salvation Army said it expects to see up to a 50 per cent decrease in fundraising. Our ability to raise vital funds to serve those in need this Christmas and beyond is at risk, said commissioner Kenneth Hodder, the faith-based charitys national commander, in a news release. We need everyone who has the capacity to come alongside us and ensure that the holiday season is bright for millions in need. While the campaign officially starts Monday, not all red kettles countrywide will start collecting immediately as itll be a local decision. Amid COVID-19, the organization said requests for help are at all-time high and it estimates it could serve up to 155 per cent more people this year with Christmas assistance from putting food on the table, paying bills, providing shelter and helping place gifts under the tree if resources are available. Since March, the Salvation Army says it has provided more than 100 million meals and 1.5 million nights of shelter. Last year, $126 million (U.S.) was raised through about 30,000 red kettles. In a statement to USA Today, Salvation Army said it is working with corporate and community partners to determine how many red kettles will be safely placed, but we expect it will be less than our typical number. Bell ringers will be provided masks and instructed to follow all local and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention safety protocols, officials told USA Today, adding they also will be trained to maintain social distancing and to clean kettles each day. Getting donations in cashless society Instead of searching for change or dollar bills in pockets or wallets, the Salvation Army says consumers can contribute by pulling out their cellphones. Last holiday season, the Salvation Army put a modern spin on fundraising when it launched Kettle Pay and allowed consumers to donate digitally with Apple Pay or Google Pay at any red kettle across the country. With Kettle Pay, donors scan a QR code for Apple Pay or hover over a Google Pay symbol to donate electronically. As America moves toward a cashless society, The Salvation Army has been adapting to make it simpler and safer for donors to give, Hodder said in a statement to USA Today, noting 63 per cent of consumers are carrying less cash and coins. Donations can be sent by texting KETTLES to 91999 and by saying to Amazon Alexa, Alexa, donate to The Salvation Army, then specifying the amount. Donations also will be accepted at RescueChristmas.org. Many businesses and experts have been encouraging consumers to use contactless payment systems because of concerns about the spread of the viral infection via cash and credit cards. Reports of the coin shortage, which U.S. Mint officials call a disruption of the supply channels of circulating coinage, started in mid-June. Fewer open stores this holiday season As many as 25,000 stores could shutter in 2020 due to COVID-19 impact, according to a report from Coresight Research. Since May, department store chains and apparel retailers have announced thousands of store closures with a record number of bankruptcies. Although stores have been grappling with declining foot traffic for years, officials have said the impact of the pandemic have accelerated the closings and bankruptcy filings. Among those that have filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection are: Ascena Retail Group, parent company of Justice, Ann Taylor and Lane Bryant, J.C. Penney, Sur La Table, Neiman Marcus, Tuesday Morning, Lord + Taylor and J. Crew. Other retailers, who havent filed for bankruptcy, also plan to shutter locations, including Victorias Secret, Nordstrom and Signet Jewelers, parent company of Kay, Zales and Jared. Holiday shopping starting earlier While Salvation Army is kicking off its ,campaign early, retailers are planning to start the holiday shopping earlier than past years too. Walmart, Target and Best Buy have said they will start offering deals for the holiday season early to reduce crowds and spread out demand. Last week, Home Depot announced its Black Friday sale will stretch nearly two months instead of a single day with deals available in stores and online. Michael Brown, a partner in the consumer practice at Kearney, a global strategy and management consultant firm, recently told USA Today that holiday sales will need to start as early as October for retailers to have enough selling days in restricted occupancy stores. C ommercial landlords were left fuming while tenants rejoiced at the prospect of the Government extending rules banning them from evicting those unable to pay the rent. A moratorium on business evictions, introduced by Downing Street in April to help retailers and restaurant owners forced to shut sites for the lockdown, had been due to end on September 30 but the Government was today reported to be looking at prolonging it to the turn of the year. Landlords and their tenants have been at loggerheads over any extension. While some have agreed six-month rent holidays, many have not, leaving tenants fearing they will be unable to pay the looming outstanding rent bill. Trade association UKHospitality estimates hospitality companies owe 760 million of unpaid rent. UKHospitality boss Kate Nicholls said she would welcome an extension to the moratorium, first reported in the Financial Times: It is very welcome news that the continuation of vital support measures is being actively considered and we urge the Treasury to confirm this as soon as possible to protect the greatest number of jobs. But landlords were appalled, claiming many tenants refusing to pay were big, profitable companies wrongly taking advantage of the crisis. Vivienne King, boss of retail property organisation Revo, said the rules have been exploited by some large well-capitalised retailers to withhold rent and any extension will put property owners under severe pressure". Scott Parsons, regional managing director UK & Italy at malls giant Westfields owner, Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield, said: Extending the evictions ban to the end of the year is not the solution, but simply dragging out urgent issues that need to be addressed and resolved sooner rather than later. He said eviction is a tool of last resort, however it is one we will be prepared to use with parties that have an all take and no give approach. Our firm strategy is to work collaboratively with our retailers to reach a fair and positive outcome for all, especially smaller and local operators who are most in need of help. Lawrence Hutchings, chief executive of Capital & Regional, which owns shopping centres in areas such as Walthamstow and Wood Green, said: We are supportive of help for small and independent retailers, however we feel that large, well-capitalised and profitable retailers should be meeting their contractual obligations. Hutchings added: We would prefer legislation is changed to reflect that, and only protect those genuinely in need. The British Property Federations Melanie Leech said the majority of property owners and tenants are already working well together. But Leech added: The moratorium, however, must end as it continues to fuel the non-payment of rent among large, well-capitalised businesses who can indeed afford to pay their rent. High Street chains have had some respite from the lockdowns impact on revenues since non-essential stores have been allowed to reopen, while the Eat Out to Help Out scheme helped restaurants. But many are still battling lower footfall in city centres as tourists and office workers stay away. Retail industry sources were relieved the September 30 date may be pushed back but concerned over the length of the extension. It may not be long enough to force landlords back to the table, a source said. Caffe Concerto director Stephano Borjak said the move would help some businesses to survive. Rob Pitcher at Revolution Bars said: Whilst an extension to the moratorium is very welcome, if not essential, to prevent widespread job losses across the hospitality and retail sectors, it needs to be accompanied by real financial support for both commercial landlords and their tenants. A Government spokesperson said: We recognise the huge challenges faced by commercial tenants and landlords during this period and were working closely with them to ensure they are supported. We continue to urge both landlords and tenants to find solutions that work for both parties and we published a Code of Practice in June to support these negotiations. Weve taken unprecedented action to protect jobs and livelihoods, with a package of around 160 billion of support, including loans, rates relief and grants for businesses. The first-degree murder trial of Michael Durant will hear from the accused. That is the word from his attorney as Durant, 47, stands trial in the death of a 32-year-old Niagara Falls woman in August 2003. Tuesday, defence attorney Joe Wilkinson told Superior Court Justice Gerald Taylor that Durant will take the stand Wednesday. We can adjourn until tomorrow, and I will call Mr. Durant, Wilkinson said. Mr. Durant is the only major defence witness to complete, and it will take a couple of days, at least. The Court of Appeal overturned Durants conviction in 2019. The victims name is protected by a publication ban imposed by C. Stephen Glithero, and she is being referred to in the trial as DD. Durant, who has been in custody since Niagara Regional Police arrested him in January 2006, was convicted of her murder in 2012 and sentenced to life with no possibility of parole for at least 25 years. The victims body was discovered in a ditch near Darby Road and Grassybrook Road on the outskirts of Niagara Falls. A pathologist testified she died from blunt force trauma to the back of her head, possibly due to a hammer strike. Court Tuesday was consumed by trial housekeeping. Items included the testimony transcript of John McNeils roommate. McNeil was the victims boyfriend at the time of her death. The defence is working to build a case that McNeil killed DD, not Durant. The roommate in question, Kevin Fancy, testified at the first trial. The transcript was submitted as evidence because Fancy has since died. Its a highlighted copy that emphasizes the hearsay and double hearsay parts, Wilkinson said. We also have transcripts of Mr. Fancys interviews with the police. Weve parked all this together in terms of the court record. Wilkinson said he wants Taylor to rule on some principled exceptions for hearsay evidence in Fancys testimony. Ive done my best to break out where we are now in the trial, and what we have offered in terms of alternative suspects, Wilkinson said. Im trying to give you real specifics. Taylor later commented on the sheer volume of materials. Some of the principal witnesses led high-risk lifestyles and have died or gone missing in the 17 years since the offence was committed. Thats resulted in a mountain of trial transcripts and police interviews being filed as exhibits. There are some challenges we didnt anticipate when the trial began, Crown attorney Andrew Sabbadini said. Also entered into evidence Tuesday was the transcript from the first trial of the testimony of Dr. John Fernandez, who was the director of forensic pathology at Hamilton General Hospital. He conducted the autopsy on the victim. Fernandez is also deceased. Wilkinson said he wanted it to be easy for Taylor to lay his hands on certain portions of evidence as the trier of fact in the non-jury trial. I hear you, Taylor said. What you are saying is it is better to have all the exhibits electronically in one location. We dont have that. If we had one USB key from Day 1, we could have added all the evidence to that key. Taylor agreed to create a separate consolidated file of all the trial evidence and motions, with some exceptions such as floorboards (large informational trial exhibits set up on easels in the courtroom for a jury or judge). The fact that there is going to be some redundancy doesnt bother me, Taylor said. OK. You wore me down. Thats what Im here for, your honour, Wilkinson said. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-15 12:23:46|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close by Matthew Rusling WASHINGTON, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- This election year could well see the largest number of mail-in ballots in recent memory, and many fear that could cause chaos on election night. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, many Americans fret over going to the polls in person, fearing that close contact with others while waiting in line could expose them to the novel coronavirus. So far, 48 percent of those who plan to vote for Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden will do so by mail, compared with 23 percent of those planning to vote for U.S. President Donald Trump, according to a recent survey from the Democracy Fund + UCLA Nationscape project. However, a growing chorus of critics said the coming avalanche of mail-in votes -- likely numbering in the tens of millions -- will make counting them a nightmare that could take weeks. The elections are "flirting with disaster," former White House attorneys David B. Rivkin Jr. and Lee A. Casey argued in a recent Wall Street Journal opinion piece. New York is one major example. More than a month after its June 23 primary elections, state election officials had still not finished counting votes, and some districts had not even started counting them, in a process that usually takes just one day. Over 100,000 mail-in ballots had been rejected in a system designed for in-person voting. Companies that printed ballots could not keep pace with demand, and the U.S. postal service was overwhelmed by too much volume. To be fair, some states will likely have no problems voting by mail, such as Oregon, a state that has voted entirely by mail since 1998. But experts said the tighter the race is, the more uncertain it could become. "If it is a close election, there is the risk of a chaotic election with lawsuits and weeks to count the ballots," Brookings Institution Senior Fellow Darrell West told Xinhua. Besides the sheer volume of mail-in votes to be counted, critics said fraud could also become an issue. Mail-in votes -- separate from absentee ballots in which one requests a mailed ballot -- are automatically mailed to recipients using their last known address. But in some cases, the intended recipient may no longer reside at the address on file, which means the current resident could theoretically use that ballot to vote twice. Mail-in voting differs from in-person voting, where people show up, show their ID cards to officials, and usually tap in their choice on an electronic machine. While fraud may not occur in millions of cases, even a few thousand cases could swing an entire state in this tight election. May elections in city of Paterson, New Jersey, were ordered to be conducted by mail due to Governor Phil Murphy's draconian lockdown, and the County Board of Elections said fraud was committed. Other experts said a number of factors could determine how smooth or rocky the elections go. "A long count isn't necessarily chaotic, it's just slow," Christopher Galdieri, assistant professor at Saint Anselm College, told Xinhua. "On the other hand, some states will face unprecedented volumes of mail votes which could, if delays are very long, start to bump into deadlines," Galdieri said. "And of course a lot depends on the candidates -- do they call for patience if the race comes down to a few states taking a long time to count, or do they urge supporters to protest, gather outside facilities where votes are being counted, and the like?" Galdieri said. Some experts said they believe the elections will go smoothly, but predicted a media circus, meaning a large group of reporters will be there to cover the news event. "I don't expect chaos in the elections itself, but I do expect chaos in the media," Clay Ramsay, a researcher at the University of Maryland, told Xinhua. "The media will be struggling to predict states for Trump or Biden in the shortest possible time, and some of these calls will be much too hasty," Ramsay said. The trend in the national popular vote should be clear by the morning after Election Day. But there will be some states that are very close, which could put the electoral college result in doubt, Ramsay said. Despite polls showing Biden is in the lead, the outcome of this year's elections is very difficult to predict, experts said. "There's more uncertainty surrounding this election than any other I can remember. Despite state and national polling showing a clear lead for Biden, I don't think anyone in either party thinks this is in the bag," Galdieri said. Enditem Akhmetov tops Ukraine's richest people rating in 2020, again 12:35, 15.09.20 5136 His fortune is estimated at US$7.3 billion. MONTREAL - Health Minister Christian Dube offered a series of examples on Tuesday to illustrate how easily the novel coronavirus is spreading throughout the province and straining the health-care network. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 15/9/2020 (493 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. A nurse gets a swab ready at a temporary COVID-19 test clinic in Montreal, on Friday, May 15, 2020. Quebec is reporting 292 new cases of COVID-19 and five additional deaths linked to the virus today. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson MONTREAL - Health Minister Christian Dube offered a series of examples on Tuesday to illustrate how easily the novel coronavirus is spreading throughout the province and straining the health-care network. A 17-person gathering in a restaurant south of Montreal is linked to 31 confirmed COVID-19 infections and has health authorities scrambling to track down 330 other patrons who may have been exposed, Dube told a news conference. An outdoor picnic at a provincial park where people didn't physically distance or wear masks is linked to another five cases, Dube said. "In my opinion, this is unacceptable. If people don't understand that kind of example, well, I'm sorry, but they'll never understand." On Tuesday, Quebec doubled the number of regions in its second pandemic alert level following five consecutive days with more than 200 new reported cases of COVID-19. Premier Francois Legault said eight regions, including Montreal, are now considered in the "early warning" yellow COVID-19 alert level. The next level, orange, is moderate alert, while red is considered maximum alert. Legault, sitting alongside Dube, called the situation "critical," and asked Quebecers to limit private gatherings as much as possible to slow the spread of the virus. "If this virus continues to propagate, there is a risk that we will have to close businesses," Legault said. "And fathers and mothers risk losing their ability to make a living. The situation is critical and worrying. We have to act now." Dube said effective immediately, bars can no longer sell food after midnight, a practice that he said some have used to skirt a ban on alcohol sales after midnight. With the additional regions added to the second alert level, 75 per cent of Quebec's population is living in so-called yellow zones. Quebec reported 292 new cases of COVID-19 and five additional deaths attributed to the novel coronavirus on Tuesday. Hospitalizations increased by nine, for a total of 133, while 23 patients are in intensive care, a four-person jump. The province has now reported a total of 65,554 COVID-19 infections and 5,785 deaths linked to the virus. In Montreal, public health director Mylene Drouin said Tuesday private gatherings remain the major problem. Jen Zoratti | Next A weekly look towards a post-pandemic future delivered to your inbox every Wednesday. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. "If you have a dinner, a party with friends, if you're going to a wedding or a community event, it is really important to apply the distancing, wash your hands, and if it's inside ... you have to wear the face cover," Drouin told reporters in Montreal. "We ask people to limit those gatherings if it's not necessary because we know most of the community transmission comes from those private gatherings." Legault said for now, the government isn't changing rules that allow private indoor gatherings of up to 10 people. But, he said, Quebecers should limit gatherings and follow health directives. "I am making a call for solidarity," Legault said. "I am asking all the people of Quebec, young and old, to think of the vulnerable people. Think of the people waiting for surgery, who work in the health-care network. Of the mothers and fathers who need revenue for their kids ... It's time to think of others." Quebec's latest COVID-19 figures in schools total 377 confirmed infections in at least 223 schools as of Monday afternoon. The province reported 154 classrooms have been closed temporarily due to the virus, 143 of which are in the public system. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 15, 2020. Tabitha, a 168-pound loggerhead turtle, crawls into the ocean in Point Pleasant Beach, N.J. Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2020, after being released by Sea Turtle Recovery, a volunteer group that rescues sick or injured turtles, nurses them back to health and returns them to the ocean. Tabitha was stranded in the surf in Cape May, on June 27, 2019, where she was near death weakened by pneumonia, severe anemia, and an intestinal blockage. The antenna on her back is a tracking device that should last for about 30 days. (AP Photo/Wayne Parry) The last time she felt the ocean waves swirling around her, Tabitha was near death. She was tossed about in the surf in Cape May, weakened by pneumonia, severe anemia, and an intestinal blockage. She also was laden with parasites and covered with 15 pounds (7 kilograms) of barnacles, some of which had broken through to her bones. That was on June 27, 2019, when the loggerhead turtle did not appear likely to survive the week. But on Tuesday, more than a year later, Tabitha crawled from her wooden transport crate onto the sand in Point Pleasant Beach, roused by a wave that surged over her and prompted something ancient inside to propel her toward the sea for the second time in her life. The 168-pound (76-kilogram) turtle was the 50th to be released back into the ocean by Sea Turtle Recovery, a nonprofit group operating out of the Turtle Back Zoo in northern New Jersey. Tabitha was one of three turtles to make the 61-mile (98-kilometer) trip from the rescue center in West Orange to the seashore resort of Point Pleasant Beach, home to an aquarium and one of the state's most popular boardwalks. "This is what we work for," said Brandi Biehl, co-director of the center. "When they first come in, you don't even know if they're going to survive. And then you see them slowly pass small milestones and then they get better and they surprise you." Silver Belle, a critically endangered Kemp's Ridley sea turtle, is placed in the surf in Point Pleasant Beach, N.J. on Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2020, by Sea Turtle Recovery, a group that rescues sick or injured turtles, nurses them back to health and releases them into the ocean. She was stranded Nov. 21, 2019, in Beach Haven, N.J., suffering from pneumonia and was severely cold-stunned because she hadn't headed south before water temperatures became too cold. (AP Photo/Wayne Parry) "This is the moment they wait for," she added. "It gives them back their home and their life, and that's what your goal is. It's just a magical moment." First into the surf was Silver Belle, one of the critically endangered population of Kemp's ridley turtles, described by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration as the world's smallest marine turtles species. The Ocean Conservancy estimates there are no more than 1,000 nesting females left in the world. Carried to the water's edge, she sat still for a moment to adjust to her new surroundings and feel the incoming waves washing around her. Then, flippers straining, the 5-pound (2.2-kilogram) turtle propelled herself across the sand into the roiling surf, disappearing into the ocean. Silver Belle stranded Nov. 21, 2019, in Beach Haven on New Jersey's Long Beach Island. She had fungal pneumonia and was severely cold-stunned because she hadn't headed south before water temperatures became too cold. Waves crash around Melbourne, a green sea turtle, as it enters the surf in Point Pleasant Beach, N.J. after being released Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2020, by Sea Turtle Recovery, a volunteer group that rescues sick or injured turtles, nurses them back to health and returns them to the ocean. Melbourne was stranded Nov. 14, 2019 in Surf City N.J., where he was found found floating in the water too weak to swim due to cold stunning and a lung infection. (AP Photo/Wayne Parry) Tabitha, a 168-pound loggerhead turtle, crawls toward the surf in Point Pleasant Beach, N.J. Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2020, after being released by Sea Turtle Recovery, a volunteer group that rescues sick or injured turtles, nurses them back to health and returns them to the ocean. Tabitha was stranded in the surf in Cape May, on June 27, 2019, where she was near death weakened by pneumonia, severe anemia, and an intestinal blockage. The antenna on her back is a tracking device that should last for about 30 days. (AP Photo/Wayne Parry) Tabitha, a 168-pound loggerhead turtle, crawls from her transport crate toward the ocean in Point Pleasant Beach, N.J. after being released Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2020, by Sea Turtle Recovery, a volunteer group that rescues sick or injured turtles, nurses them back to health and returns them to the ocean. Tabitha was stranded in Cape May, N.J. on June 27, 2019, where she was near death with numerous illnesses and an injury that most likely came from being struck by a large boat. (AP Photo/Wayne Parry) Hayley Hyams, a volunteer with Sea Turtle Recovery, carries a green sea turtle named Melbourne to the ocean in Point Pleasant Beach, N.J. on Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2020, as part of a program to release sick or injured turtles that have been restored to health. Melbourne was stranded Nov. 14, 2019, in Surf City N.J., where he was found found floating in the water too weak to swim due to cold stunning and a lung infection. (AP Photo/Wayne Parry) Hayley Hyams, a volunteer with Sea Turtle Recovery, carries a green sea turtle named Melbourne to the ocean in Point Pleasant Beach, N.J. on Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2020, as part of a program to release sick or injured turtles that have been restored to health. Melbourne was stranded Nov. 14, 2019, in Surf City N.J., where he was found found floating in the water too weak to swim due to cold stunning and a lung infection. (AP Photo/Wayne Parry) Tabitha, a 168-pound loggerhead turtle, crawls toward the surf in Point Pleasant Beach, N.J. after being released Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2020, by Sea Turtle Recovery, a volunteer group that rescues sick or injured turtles, nurses them back to health and returns them to the ocean. Tabitha was stranded in Cape May, N.J. on June 27, 2019, where she was near death weakened by pneumonia, severe anemia, and an intestinal blockage. The antenna on her back is a tracking device that should last for about 30 days. (AP Photo/Wayne Parry) Next up was Melbourne, a green sea turtle who had stranded a week earlier in Surf City, also part of Long Beach Island. He was lethargic and found floating in the water, too weak to swim because of cold-stunning and a lung infection. Tabitha went last, and sat motionless in her transport crate, even after the gate was lowered so she could see the ocean nearby. But then a larger-than-usual wave washed far up the beach, into her crate and around her, rousing Tabitha. She crawled out of the box, onto the sand and into the surf. The center had attached a radio tracking unit to her shell, which could allow it to monitor her movements for as long as 30 days. During that time, Biehl said, Tabitha should hopefully make it to Florida or even further south. Explore further Loggerhead sea turtle released after rehab 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. BERLIN Germany agreed on Tuesday to take in more than 1,500 refugees now living in Greece, in a challenge to other wealthy European countries that have been reluctant to help Greece resettle thousands of people left homeless after blazes last week destroyed Europes largest refugee camp. The decision followed intense debate within Chancellor Angela Merkels government, with some officials arguing that Berlin should wait to take action until there is a joint European Union response to the crisis in Greece. They feared that a unilateral move by Germany, while showing solidarity with Greece, could create the politically unpopular impression that the country had reopened its borders, as it did in 2015, when it accepted more than one million people from the Middle East, Africa and Asia. The German government will allow 1,553 people from 408 families who have already been recognized as refugees by Greece to settle in Germany, Steffen Seibert, Ms. Merkels spokesman, said on Tuesday. Germany had already agreed to take in around 1,200 other asylum seekers who have been housed in Greece about 200 unaccompanied minors, and 243 children requiring medical treatment, along with their families. In total, Germany will take in about 2,750 people from the Greek islands, Mr. Seibert said in a statement, after the chancellor and her ministers reached agreement on the move. Washington: Declaring "the dawn of a new Middle East", President Donald Trump has presided over the signing of historic diplomatic pacts between Israel and two Gulf Arab nations that he hopes will cast him as a peacemaker at the height of his re-election campaign. Hundreds of people gathered on the South Lawn of the White House on Tuesday (Wednesday AEST) to witness the signing of agreements between Israel and the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. The bilateral agreements formalise the normalisation of the Jewish state's already thawing relations with the two Arab nations in line with their common opposition to Iran and its aggression in the region. "We're here this afternoon to change the course of history," Trump said from a balcony overlooking the South Lawn. "After decades of division and conflict, we mark the dawn of a new Middle East." The agreements do not address the decades-long Israeli-Palestinian conflict. While the UAE, Bahrain and other Arab countries support the Palestinians, the Trump administration has persuaded the two countries not to let that conflict keep them from having normal relations with Israel. In open letter to UN rights body, several groups demand investigation into atrocities against the mainly Muslim group. Nearly two dozen activist groups have said a genocide is taking place against mostly Muslim Uighurs in Chinas remote Xinjiang region, where a reported one million people are held in camps. In an open letter signed by groups including the United States-based Uyghur Human Rights Project, Genocide Watch and the European Centre for the Responsibility to Protect, on Tuesday called on the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) to launch an investigation. Sixteen individuals, including academics from US and European universities, co-signed the letter, which said there was mounting evidence that crimes against humanity and genocide are taking place in Xinjiang. Under the guise of curbing religious and political extremism, the Chinese government has intensified widespread and systematic policies to repress Uighurs and other Turkic peoples on the basis of their religious and ethnic identities, said the letter. The atrocities include arbitrary detention of between 1 and 1.8 million people in internment camps, a widespread program of political indoctrination, enforced disappearances, destruction of cultural sites, forced labour, disproportionate rates of prison incarceration and coercive birth prevention campaigns and policies. China says the camps are vocational education and training centres as part of a counterterrorism and de-radicalisation measures. Under international law, crimes against humanity are defined as widespread and systematic, whereas the burden of proof of genocide the intent to destroy part of a population is more difficult to prove. The groups said Chinas measures meet the threshold of acts constitutive of genocide under the Genocide Convention, which bans imposing measures intended to prevent births among an ethnic or religious group. International pressure The open letter adds to the international pressure building on Chinas ruling Communist Party over its actions in the resource-rich region. On Monday, the European Union pressed China to let its independent observers into Xinjiang, binding human rights to future trade and investment deals with Beijing. In response, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesman on Tuesday said the bloc was welcome to visit the area to truly understand the real situation and not rely on hearsay. The EU has raised their desire to visit Xinjiang, China has already agreed and is willing to make arrangements, Wang Wenbin said. China has rebuffed past calls to grant independent access to Xinjiang, and the spokesman did not confirm whether EU observers would be allowed to travel freely in the region. UN human rights chief Michelle Bachelet on Monday said she was discussing a possible visit to Xinjiang with Chinese authorities who are facing a growing backlash over the treatment of the ethnic Uighurs. But activists voiced disappointment in her speech to the Human Rights Council, where China has never been the object of a resolution. Bachelets remarks on China say nothing of substance no word about the human costs of Chinas rights violations, including against Uighurs and in Hong Kong, nor the ongoing concerns about free expression, arbitrary detention and crackdowns on civil society, Sarah Brooks of the International Service for Human Rights told Reuters news agency. Instead, the remarks speak volumes about the weak position of the human rights office vis-a-vis China. Also on Monday, the US shelved plans for a broad import ban on cotton and tomato products from Xinjiang while announcing narrower bans on products from five specific entities. The US Department of Homeland Security said the new Withhold Release Orders on cotton, textiles, apparel, hair products and computer parts are aimed at combatting Chinas reported use of forced labour by imprisoned Uighur Muslims in Xinjiang. Romes Fiumicino Airport has earned the COVID-19 5-Star Airport Rating from Skytrax. It has become the first airport to be certified with such a rating. Although Skytrax, an international airport industry rating body, releases annual rankings of the worlds best airports, it has come up with COVID-19 ratings for hygiene in view of the current situation. The COVID-19 audit was held over three days this month. According to Skytrax, it based its audit on a combination of procedural efficiency checks, visual observation analysis and ATP sampling tests. The procedures put in place by Fiumicino Airport for the safety of staff and customers are meeting a rigorous standard, according to the audit. The airport has an effective signage and information system. To ensure social distancing and compliance with face mask usage in high movement areas of the terminal, the airport in Rome has deployed an in-house bio-safety team of 40 staff. Appreciating the measures taken by Fiumicino Airport, Edward Plaisted of Skytrax said the consistency of these procedures is notable and it played a crucial role in the airport becoming the first to receive the COVID-19 5-Star rating. The CEO of Rome Fiumicino Airport Marco Troncone asserted that they are satisfied with this recognition because they have adopted more measures in addition to those prescribed by the government to ensure the safety of customers and staff. In customer-facing areas, the airport has a visible presence of cleaning staff, and the airport is testing several UV sanitisation methods which further enhance hygiene levels at high-contact points such as elevators and escalators, said Skytrax. The ratings of the airport only take into consideration scientific study and analysis by Skytrax and are not based on any element of self-testing or self-evaluation by it. Also Watch: Fiumicino Airport is known as the busiest airport in Italy. On September 1, it opened a 7,000-square-foot Covid testing centre. WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Hurricane Sally is closing in on Gulf Coast as a dangerous Category 1 storm, prompting southern US states to issue mandatory evacuation orders. Sally is expected to produce heavy rainfall with flash flooding, life threatening storm surge, hurricane-force winds and tornadoes, according to National Weather Service. As per a Public Advisory issued at 7 AM CDT, Sally is moving near the coast of southeastern Louisiana and hurricane conditions are expected early Tuesday. The Hurricane is expected to make landfall Tuesday night or early Wednesday in the southern states of Mississippi, Alabama and Louisiana. Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves said Sally was expected to make landfall near Biloxi at about 2 AM on Wednesday. A state of emergency has already been declared in Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi. National Hurricane Center said Sally could be a dangerous hurricane when it moves onshore along the north-central Gulf coast. A hurricane warning is in effect for East of the Mouth of the Pearl River to Navarre Florida. Sally is forecast to move across the Southeast producing rainfall of upto 12 inches, across southeastern Mississippi, southern and central Alabama, northern Georgia, and the western Carolinas. Significant flash and urban flooding is likely, as well as widespread minor to moderate flooding on some rivers. The weather agency also warned about the likelihood of tornado Tuesday morning in coastal areas of the Florida Panhandle and Alabama. President Donald Trump said he and his administration are closely monitoring the extremely dangerous hurricane. 'We are fully engaged with State & Local Leaders to assist the great people of Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi. Be ready and listen to State and Local Leaders,' he tweeted Tuesday morning. The 2020 hurricane season has been unprecedented, with four tropical storms churning in the Atlantic basin simultaneously. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. As school administrators wrestle with when and how to reopen their buildings during the coronavirus pandemic, many states have provided them little guidance about when its safe to do so. Theyve left the decision up to local officials and, in some cases, pushed for buildings to open without providing public health rationale, a new analysis finds. It may be that districts are, in that vacuum, turning to local health officials, says the analysis by the Center on Reinventing Public Education, a research center at the University of Washington, Bothell. But silence from states jeopardizes the safe and timely reopening of public schools and opens the door to local decisions shaped by politics, not public health. After reviewing state reopening plans and directives, the organization found that 23 states plus the District of Columbia provide no clear public health criteria to guide reopening decisions. And the states that do provide guidance on health use widely varying criteria to deem when its safe to provide in-person instruction, the reports authors found. The findings come after superintendents groups have pushed for months for clearer federal guidance on when and how to open schools following mass closures in the spring. Theyve complained about seemingly conflicting and unclear recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And, while less-prescriptive state guidance can allow for more local freedom, it can also leave school leaders struggling to interpret and navigate public health information, politics, and conflicting pressures from within their communities. Health Criteria for Reopening Schools This map, created by CRPE researchers, shows which states provide specific indicators or transparent benchmarks for when its safe to reopen schools. What factors should schools weigh when considering whether its safe to teach in-person? CDC Director Robert Redfield said schools in hot spots may have to modify reopening plans. And President Donald Trump has conceded that schools in hot spots may have delay reopening for a few weeks. Redfield has defined a hot spot as an area where at least 5 percent of COVID-19 tests come back positive, and hes emphasized focusing on local areas, not statewide totals. CRPE found states are considering varying criteria in their school guidance. And even some states using the same criteria, such as cases per capita, set different thresholds about what is considered safe. The report cites a recommendations from the Harvard Global Health Institute that say schools can return to fully in-person instruction when daily cases fall under 10 per 100,000 people. While Washington state sets a standard twice as stringent as Harvards, at 5 per 100,000 people in a county, Connecticut sets the bar lower, at 25 cases per 100,000 people in a county. Comparing apples to apples, its easy to question why state guidance should vary so dramatically and hard not to wonder what political forces are coming into play to influence those thresholds, the report says. Vague and varying guidelines leave reopening vulnerable to shifting politics and may contribute to a crisis of confidence among teachers and parents about going back to school. In some states, districts and educators have sued over their states reopening directives. In Iowa, Des Moines schools remain closed even after a judge rejected a request for an injunction against the states rule, which requires in-person instruction unless a countys test positivity rate exceeds 15 percent. Inconsistent messaging and a lack of public trust in the criteria set for reopening decisions can lead to resistance to reopening when it may be more safe to do so, or to keeping schools closed when it may not be. That is one of the factors that have turned some parents into ad hoc activists , as we reported this summer. And it can also be difficult for schools to track cases of COVID-19 , Education Week reported last week. There is no official federal data source about school-related cases. How are states handling school reopenings? View our interactive map. Photo: Fourth grade teacher Nicole Petrich teaches her students in the classroom at Oak Terrace Elementary School Sept. 3. (Nam Y. Huh/AP) Follow us on Twitter @PoliticsK12 . And follow the Politics K-12 reporters @EvieBlad @Daarel and @AndrewUjifusa . 40th CAB rescues nearly 400 stranded by Creek Fire By Staff Sgt. Ryan Sheldon September 14, 2020 On Labor Day weekend, several hundred people found themselves trapped in the Sierra Nevada mountains in Fresno and Madera counties as flames from the enormous Creek Fire surrounded them. On Sept. 5 into the early morning hours of Sept. 6 and again on Sept. 8, pilots and crews from the California Army National Guard's 40th Combat Aviation Brigade (CAB) flew in and evacuated them to safety. In all, 396 people and 27 animals were rescued over those two days in treacherous flying conditions. When personnel from the 40th CAB received the initial call for an emergency evacuation, none hesitated. "I was at my mom's house in Merced about to jump in a pool to cool off with my son," said Sgt. George Esquivel, a CH-47F Chinook mechanic and flight engineer with Bravo company, 1st Battalion, 126th Aviation Regiment, based in Stockton, California. "I received a text about a rescue mission asking if I wanted to go and I replied yes. I don't turn down the opportunity to go on rescue missions because it's what we do." For 40th CAB Commander Col. David Hall, there was no question as to who he would need to call in order to complete this mission. "I saw an announcement about a fire near Mammoth Pools via social media," Hall said. "I contacted the Joint Operation Center in Sacramento to see if they heard anything about it. After that was confirmed, and I knew a CH-47 crew was in the works, I immediately called one of the senior pilots in Fresno, Chief Warrant Officer 5 Kipp Goding and asked him to assemble a UH-60 crew and let me know when he was ready to go out and assist at Mammoth Pools." Assigned to the Mammoth Pool Reservoir mission were a UH-60M Black Hawk helicopter and a CH-47F Chinook helicopter. The Black Hawk was flown by pilot-in-command Goding, pilot Chief Warrant Officer 2 Irvin Hernandez and crew chief Warrant Officer 1 Ge Xiong. The Chinook was flown by pilot-in-command Chief Warrant Officer 5 Joseph Rosamond, pilot Chief Warrant Officer 2 Brady Hlebain, flight engineer Sgt. George Esquivel and flight engineer Sgt. Cameron Powell. The two aircraft prepared to launch that evening. "I started the preflight inspections to prepare our aircraft for the evacuation," said Hernandez, with Detachment 1, Bravo Company, 1st Assault Helicopter Battalion, 140th Aviation Regiment. "Once we were able to establish communication with CAL FIRE, we headed into the designated point right behind the CH-47F Chinook crew." The pilots, crew chiefs and flight engineers were familiar with wildfire missions, but the combined effects of limited visibility from darkness and the heavy smoke, extreme heat, and the use of night vision goggles made this mission especially difficult. "I can't really describe my initial reaction because training just kicked in," Sgt. Esquivel said. "One of the first things that we all agreed on was we need to put the aircraft down safely. Without the aircraft and the crew being safe, there is no mission, we can't help anyone out. Our job was to make sure we landed, and when we did land, I was met with the worst sight of my life. A lot of people referred to the sight as apocalyptic, and I agree." Flames were all around. More than two hundred people at Mammoth Pools needed immediate evacuation. "We saw the Chinook crew loading up passengers and hovered above them until they were complete," said Hernandez. "Every opportunity that we had to go out and rescue people, we had to choose a different route to enter from because the winds were shifting every time we went out." "On the first lift, we had 65 people that we boarded onto the aircraft," said Esquivel. His CH-47F is a big dual-rotor, heavy-lift aircraft designed for carrying about 30 personnel. The campers, hikers and area residents crammed inside and sat on the floor. "Sgt. Powell and I focused on the critically injured, women and children. On the second lift, it was 102 people and the third lift it was 37." On one of the flights, Sgt. Esquivel noticed a 2- to 3-week-old baby. His fatherly instincts kicked in. "I thought of how loud it was going to be and I said to myself I need to get this baby some hearing protection. I wouldn't have been able to live with myself if I had put this child on an aircraft without hearing protection," said Esquivel. "We had an extra headset available and I gave it to the mother of this child and told her to cover the child's ears until we land, and she did." Communication and the professionalism of the Soldiers of the 40th CAB were critical during the mission. "The communication between us and the Chinook crew was perfect," said Hernandez. "Communication between the two aircraft was in sync and that was part of the success of this mission." As the helicopters full of people flew to Fresno, 40th CAB personnel prepared the flight line for emergency services personnel. Rosamond radioed from the air to advise emergency services. "I heard chatter over the radios that they were heading to Fresno," Hall said. "When I heard that, I immediately dropped what I was doing and I headed there because I was anticipating a mass casualty scenario. On the way here, I contacted the flight operations section in Fresno and informed them they need to give emergency personnel and heads up and let them know that an unknown number of passengers will be arriving." Emergency Medical Services and Fresno law enforcement agencies set up a check-in and screening process and determined if passengers needed medical care. Soldiers of the 40th CAB and the 1106th Theater Aviation Sustainment Maintenance Group, on their own accord, assisted with screening and set up cots in case passengers needed a place to rest until they were picked up by other family members. That single night, 242 people were rescued from Mammoth Pools. "I believe our training came into play with this mission. My situational awareness and senses were heightened for the whole time," Hernandez said. "We appreciate the praise that we're getting, but we're not a godsend or special people, we're just ordinary people that did our job. This is what we do and we love it." After that first night, visibility became so poor from the smoke that helicopters could not land to make more rescues. On Sept. 8, the smoke cleared enough for 40th CAB helicopters to evacuate another 175 people from China Peak, Lake Edison and Muir Trail Ranch. By the end of the week, the urgency to rescue people from threatened areas ended and the 40th CAB transitioned to its normal role assisting CAL FIRE in water drop operations. "When you're training, take it seriously," Esquivel said, speaking on the success of the rescue missions. "My father always told me, there is a time and place for everything. When it's time to go to work, it's time to focus and go to work. We could have easily said no to this mission because of the dangers, but something within us was saying, no, we're ready, go on ahead." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address (Newser) John Bolton might be in a heap of trouble over his book about the Trump White House. The New York Times reports that the Justice Department has opened a criminal investigation into the former national security adviser's memoir, called The Room Where It Happened. The issue is whether Bolton broke laws on the disclosure of classified information. Subpoenas have been sent to publisher Simon & Schuster as well as to Bolton's literacy agency, Javelin, per NPR. If this goes badly for Bolton, he might have to forfeit proceeds from the book on top of whatever penalty he would face for the alleged breach of classified information. He has denied publishing classified info. story continues below The Justice Department is investigating whether Bolton gave the go-ahead for publication before receiving final approval from the government, as the Trump administration alleges. Earlier this year, the department sued to stop the book's publication, but a federal judge ruled that it was too late because thousands of advance copies already had been distributed. But in issuing that ruling, Judge Royce Lamberth also criticized Bolton for publishing and issued an ominous warning: This was Boltons bet: If he is right and the book does not contain classified information, he keeps the upside mentioned above; but if he is wrong, he stands to lose his profits from the book deal, exposes himself to criminal liability, and imperils national security, he wrote. Bolton was wrong. (Read more John Bolton stories.) New Delhi: On the second day of the Parliament Session, Rajya Sabha, on Tuesday, passed the Aircraft (Amendment) Bill 2020, which was tabled by Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, after an hour-long discussion. The Bill was tabled by Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri and MP's from the opposition party also raised their point in the house. It is to be noted that the Bill had already been cleared by the Lok Sabha in March this year. The Aircraft (Amendment) Bill 2020 seeks to convert aviation agencies like the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), Bureau of Civil aviation security (BCAS) and Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) into statutory bodies. Under the new Act (after its implementation), any violation will attract heavy punishment, for example, violators will be punished up to two years in jail or fine up to Rs 10 lakhs or both. Carrying arms, ammunition, and explosives or other banned goods on board, and developing illegal construction around the airports will attract fines up to Rs 10 lakhs to Rs 1 crore. Britain's coronavirus testing system has come under intense scrutiny in the past 24 hours amid reports that doctors, nurses and people living in the country's worst-hit towns are unable to get tested for the virus. Government officials including Health Secretary Matt Hancock and the testing boss at NHS Test and Trace have blamed 'lab capacity' for the shortcomings, described as an 'utter farce' and 'fiasco' by Labour. NHS staff now warn they are staying home from work, patients are having operations cancelled, teachers and pupils are being kept out of classrooms and even care home staff are struggling to get swabbed as the programme buckles under the pressure of rising case numbers. The vital system, which ministers promised would be world-beating, is floundering and appears to have hit its ceiling at just over 200,000 tests per day despite the Department of Health claiming it can do 245,000. This has prompted serious concerns as a second wave of cases is thought to be on the horizon for the UK. Testing was abandoned completely in the first wave, in March, which let the virus spread unchecked across the country. Allowing this to happen again would be a disastrous mistake for the Government and it is now under immense pressure to keep the testing system on its feet. People using the online booking system Pillar 2 tests report being directed to test centres dozens or hundreds of miles from home, or simply being denied one completely. Officials are pointing the finger at the laboratories to explain why there is a backlog of around 250,000 tests. Here's a step-by-step breakdown of what is happening to the testing system: Twitter user Ian Spencer said he had been met with this message when trying to book a coronavirus test, echoing the experience of many others Public are being denied tests or told to travel cross-country People all over England are being denied access to coronavirus tests or told they must travel across the country, dozens or hundreds of miles, to get one. Members of the public must use the online booking system to arrange a coronavirus test to be sent to their home or to make an appointment at a drive- or walk-in centre. But many say they are simply being met with a page that says 'This service is currently very busy' and ends their attempt to book the test, advising them to try again later. Others say they have been told they can go for tests at centres in different towns, cities, counties or even countries which could take hours to drive to. Speaker of the House of Commons and MP for Chorley in Lancashire, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, this morning said the situation was 'unacceptable' in a tweet. MPs are furious that their constituents cannot get tested near to their home when the Government is so insistent that people should get a test if they feel ill. Bosses at hospitals, care homes and schools say their staff are having to stay home from work and self-isolate because they feel ill but can't get tested. In its most recent week of full data up to September 7 the Department of Health claimed it had capacity to carry out and process 243,817 tests per day in Pillars 1 & 2. But it was doing an average of 182,564 per day and still ended up overwhelmed. Capacity was drastically bolstered during April, as Mr Hancock pledged the UK would be able to test 100,000 people a day by May. It was ramped up again to around 200,000 by June but has barely changed since then, despite warnings that Britain would need more as it heads towards the winter and children go back to school. Access is even being restricted in Covid-19 hotspots Even people living in some of the worst-affected parts of England say they are struggling to get tested for Covid-19. These areas, which receive 'enhanced support' from Public Health England, are supposed to have extra testing facilities and mobile units set up. MPs said a mobile unit that was meant to set up in Oldham, Greater Manchester, never arrived. And shocking footage showed a huge queue reportedly five hours long outside a test centre in Bury, Manchester, last Thursday. Bury has one of the worst infection rates in the country, with 47 cases of coronavirus per 100,000 people, according to PHE. People were also struggling to get swabbed in other hard-hit places including Bolton (122 cases per 100k), Blackburn (62) and Pendle (58). A huge queue of people is pictured outside a coronavirus testing centre at Southend-on-Sea, Essex, at 8am this morning. Many of the people reportedly turned up hoping they would be allowed in, but hadn't made appointments Local man Tony Kirvin, 43, took this image of people waiting in a 'five hour' queue for Covid tests at Mosses Centre in Bury, Manchester, on Thursday, September 10 FAMILIES' TORMENT AT INABILITY TO GET COVID-19 TESTS HOSPICE NURSE UNABLE TO WORK WHILE SON IS ILL A hospice nurse has been unable to return to work because she can't get a test for her unwell son. Samuel Austin, from Faversham, Kent, said he has been trying for 48 hours to book a Covid test, after his young son started showing symptoms on Sunday. The situation has meant Mr Austins son cannot return to nursery and left his wife, a nurse at a local hospice, unable to work. His wifes hospice is not part of the NHS so she does not receive priority testing. 'Everything we submit we get "This service is very busy. Please try later" or if we get through to finding a test site, we are told no site is available to see us,' the 35-year-old project manager told the Press Association. 'Ultimately my disappointment is for my son and my wife. I feel powerless to help them and it shouldnt be this way.' COUPLE IN THEIR 80s SLEEPING IN SEPARATE ROOMS A man known only as Matthew said his 80-year-old mother in Leicestershire has been unable to book a test for more than 48 hours, despite showing two of the Governments three key Covid-19 symptoms. She is the primary caregiver for Matthews father, 86, who is partially blind. Matthew said the couple have been sleeping in separate rooms and she has been administering her husbands eye drops wearing a mask, in an effort to protect him from potential coronavirus. 'I would have thought an 80-year-old woman with underlying health issues... should be made a priority,' said Matthew, who lives 150miles away from his parents. 'I even got close to clicking key worker on the online form for getting a test, because I thought, in a way, shes a key worker for my dad. 'And someone else said if she tells them shes got chest pains theyre obliged to send an ambulance... but you know, she doesnt want to tell lies.' DAUGHTER CANNOT GO TO SCHOOL WITHOUT TEST Moz Bulbeck Reynolds, from West Berkshire, said she has been unable to send her nine-year-old daughter Matilda to school this week due to the testing issues. Having stayed at home last Thursday and Friday with cold symptoms, Matilda was refused entry on Monday until she received a test, as per the local councils rules. However, Ms Bulbeck Reynolds said she could not book one despite trying 'almost constantly' since 9.30am on Monday through the Governments website. 'I feel sorry for my daughter, rejected at the school gate. It made me feel like a failure as a parent,' she said. The school has said Matilda either needs to be tested or quarantined for 10 days. Ms Bulbeck Reynolds has now been able to book a test for 5pm on Tuesday, but it is in Cardiff, more than 70 miles from her home. COUPLE MAKE 102-MILE TRIP WITH BABY FOR A TEST A young couple with a baby have described how they made a 102-mile round-trip to get a coronavirus test. Michelle Fryer and Bradley Richardson, both 25, travelled from Northwich, Cheshire, to Todmorden, West Yorkshire, with their daughter Rosie last Wednesday. A testing centre has been set up in Chester city centre - just 18 miles from Northwich - but Michelle said she couldnt book this online on the national portal. The arduous journey, which took one hour and 18 minutes each way, came after a disastrous booking process which first tried to send them to Telford and then the website crashed. Ms Fryer said: 'It was ridiculous. We are shocked as to why we had to travel so far and potentially spread the virus across the country if we do have it. 'Luckily we didnt need a rest break as we would have had to use the service station even though we are having to self isolate... It just doesnt make sense.' The couple believe they both just have colds but wanted to be certain because Bradley has asthma. They are still awaiting the results. Advertisement Officials blame 'laboratory capacity' for shortcomings The crux of the problem is that the Government's laboratories can't process the coronavirus tests as quickly as people are taking them. Every test which uses a swab like a large cotton bud has first to be used by the person, then posted back to the lab, then processed in a specialised machine, then interpreted by a lab technician and the result put through a database and texted to the person who took the test. This is supposed to take 24 hours but often takes longer. The process inside the laboratory the swab running through the machine and the result being noted by a technician is the 'pinch-point', officials say. Director of testing at NHS Test & Trace last week said on Twitter: 'Can I please offer my heartfelt apologies to anyone who cannot get a Covid test at present. 'All of our testing sites have capacity, which is why they don't look overcrowded; it's our laboratory processing that is the critical pinch-point. We are doing all we can to expand quickly. 'We have additional NHS, Lighthouse, University and Partner Labs all due to open up imminently and we are also expanding the use of non-Laboratory based tests. The testing team work on this 18 hours a day, seven days a week. We recognise the country is depending on us.' Health Secretary Matt Hancock echoed this in Parliament today. He said the country has 'record levels' of lab capacity but admitted: 'It is in the labs that the constraint is'. A new giant lab is set to open near Loughborough by the end of this month. It is not clear by how much this will boost test capacity. Are test-processing labs short-staffed? Part of the reason for labs not being able to keep up, some have claimed, is that they may not have enough qualified staff to operate the test-processing machines. Jonathan Ashworth, Shadow Health Secretary for Labour, claimed the system was in difficulty because post-graduate science students who had been working in the labs over the summer were now leaving. He said in Parliament today: 'Extra demand on the system was inevitable. So why didn't [Matt Hancock] use the summer to significantly expand NHS capacity and fix contact tracing? 'And just as demand is increasing, the ability to process tests is diminishing. Post-grad students working in the Lighthouse Labs are returning to university, so why did we not plan for these inevitable staff shortages in the Lighthouse Labs?' An expert in the field said many technicians had been drafted in on intense short-term contracts during the crisis but were now going back to their everyday jobs. Doris-Ann Williams, chief executive of the British In Vitro Diagnostics Association (BIVDA), told The Telegraph: 'People worked really, really hard for the first three or four months. 'I think everyone just ran out of steam, needed to recharge their batteries. 'It could be that it's just getting back up to strength again after everyone has had a bit of a break in August.' But one leading scientist was not convinced that the problem was quite as simple as 'lab capacity'. Professor Alan McNally, a University of Birmingham expert who helped set up the Government's Milton Keynes Lighthouse Lab, said a 'perfect storm' of events have crashed the testing system. He told BBC Breakfast there were 'clearly underlying issues which nobody wants to tell us about'. He said: 'The labs are still fully staffed, they are still churning through huge amounts of samples per day - the same number as they were a couple of months ago - so there are problems elsewhere in the chain... 'I think this is multi-factorial. I think you almost have a perfect storm of events that have come together to almost essentially crash the testing system. 'I think there is a surge in demand [and] I think our stated capacity is very different from actually how many tests can be run in a given day.' What is the impact of growing pressure on test labs? A large workload for testing labs around the UK means that people's results are taking longer to process many people have to wait more than the target 24 hours to find out their result. This means that the government is throttling the number of tests that are sent out to avoid completely overwhelming the system. So people in some areas are finding it difficult to access swabs, and in lesser-affected areas the number of tests available may be cut so there are more to distribute in hotspots. The Health Secretary confirmed today that yesterday testing in the 10 worst affected areas accounted for 9,278 of the total. The total has not been published but this is likely to be around five per cent of all tests. There are concerns that a system that is frustrating or slow to use will put people off and members of the public will stop bothering to use it. Should people still be ordering tests? Yes, anyone who has symptoms of coronavirus (a cough, fever or lost sense of taste/smell) must order a test however they can. People who do not have symptoms, and have not been instructed by a medical professional to get tested, should not order a test. Matt Hancock last week vented frustration at 'ineligible' people ordering tests but this was a reference to those who were getting swabs just because they thought they might be at risk because their child had gone back to school or they had been on holiday. Tests are still reserved mainly for people with symptoms and essential workers who are officially referred by their employer. The rules are laid out here. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-15 00:06:48|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close NAIROBI, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- Prominent Kenyan female performing artists on Monday enlisted in a global campaign against domestic and sexual violence that has escalated during COVID-19 lockdowns. The two celebrities will participate in the Commonwealth Says No More campaign against all forms of physical and emotional abuse against the females due to social pressures linked to the pandemic. "Am proud to join the global campaign against domestic and sexual violence that affects one in three women worldwide," said Sarah Hassan, a local television actress. "This is a human rights violation that not only takes a toll on families and children, but on economies and communities as well. And with COVID-19, we have seen numbers increase," she added. Governments and foundations have rallied behind the new campaign to raise awareness on the escalating crisis of gender-based violence occasioned by negative impact of COVID-19 on livelihoods. The campaign that is spearheaded by the Commonwealth Secretariat and NO MORE Foundation, aims to support long-term mitigation measures against the vice. "COVID has emphatically exposed just how urgently we need a cure to flatten the rising curve of domestic and sexual violence," said Patricia Scotland, Commonwealth secretary general. Brenda Wairimu, a Kenyan television actress and a domestic violence survivor said that joining the campaign will inject vitality in efforts to eradicate a menace that takes a heavier toll on women and girls in resource-constrained settings. "The protection of women and girls from domestic and sexual violence must be at the heart of COVID-19 response and in everything that we do to create a safer, fairer and better world," said Wairimu. Margaret Kobia, cabinet secretary in Kenya's Ministry of Public Service, Youth and Gender said there is an urgency to combat domestic and sexual violence that has undermined the ability of women and girls to realize their potential. "Across the globe, the COVID-19 pandemic has increased domestic violence by 30 percent and we must confront the cultural barriers that have slowed down progress towards zero-gender based violence in our communities," said Kobia. She said that Kenya is committed to ending female genital mutilation and childhood marriages in its quest to achieve gender parity. Enditem ALGIERS, Algeria, Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --Easyfairs Northeral, the organizer of MAGHREB PHARMA Expo has announced new dates for its annual international tradeshow for the pharmaceutical industry in North Africa. In this context, the Algerian Pharmaceutical Industry Minister, Lotfi Benbahmed, announced end of August in Algiers that Algeria plans to export the equivalent of $ 5 billion worth of locally produced drugs. An approach that will be based on local producers and even on foreign pharmaceutical companies present in Algeria : "By 2025, Algeria, through the capacities of its pharmaceutical industry, plans to export quantities of drugs equal to that which it imports, to rebalance its accounts," he indicated. MAGHREB PHARMA Expo, the largest pharmaceutical technology tradeshow in Africa, will be organized from 9 to 11 February 2021 in Algiers International Conference Center. Gathering over 200 international exhibitors from 25 countries, this tradeshow brings all ingredients, packaging, production lines, clean room, turnkey project and laboratory equipment suppliers at the same place to contribute to the acceleration of the local manufacturing capacities. The organizer of MAGHREB PHARMA Expo, Olivier-Hicham Allard explains: "This mission-driven event has been supporting the development of the local pharmaceutical manufacturing capacities in North Africa for 8 years and contributed actively to switch the drug importation costs into local manufacturing investments. We are observing an exciting evolution where local manufacturers focused in the beginning on pure generic products but are now increasingly looking to extend their portfolio by exploring biotechnology manufacturing equipment, OTC products ingredients, food supplement formulas, innovative packaging, medical device and even dermocosmetics. We are deeply convinced that Algeria and the whole Maghreb region, thanks to its strategic position between Africa and Europe can become one of the largest pharmaceutical manufacturing hub in the world. Our mission as organizers of this event is to support the local pharmaceutical industry as much as we can to achieve this objective." MAGHREB PHARMA Expo is taking place from 9 to 11 February 2021 in Algiers International Conference Center. Over 2800 professionals and decision makers from North Africa will meet +200 exhibitors on 9000 m and will be able to attend +30 conferences. For detailed information about the event or to register online, please visit www.maghrebpharma.com Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1252194/MAGHREB_PHARMA_Expo_Logo.jpg SOURCE Easyfairs Northeral South Africa: Committee established to focus on COVID-19 vaccine Health Minister, Dr Zweli Mkhize, has announced the creation of a Ministerial Advisory Committee (MAC) that will focus on Coronavirus vaccine development. Mkhize made the announcement in a statement on Monday. "In addition to the multi-sectoral MAC focusing on community mobilisation, another MAC has been created to focus on Coronavirus vaccine development, Mkhize said. The team will advise government on all matters about the Coronavirus vaccine development and rollout, and monitor and report on progress in candidate studies. It will also give guidelines on purchasing options and will study the feasibility for the country to manufacture vaccines in future. "This will ensure that the Department of Health and government are kept abreast on all critical developments internationally relating to the vaccine, Mkhize said. Professor Barry Schoub, who is an expert in vaccinology and virology, will chair the committee. The other members include Biovac CEO Dr Morena Makhoana; Department of Science and Technologys Glaudina Loots; South African Health Products Authority CEO, Dr Boitumelo Semete-Makokotlela and Vaccines for Africas Professor Greg Hussey. Immunologist and South African Health Products Regulatory Authority board member Professor Jeff Mphahlele; World Health Organisations expert advisor Professor Helen Rees; Ethicists Professor Ames Dhai and National Treasurys Dr Mark Blecher are also on the MAC. Meanwhile, Professor Salim Abdool Karim and Bishop Malusi Mpumlwana will be observers. Reconfigured MAC The Minister said with the changing pattern of the pandemic, government has deemed it necessary to reconfigure the existing Ministerial Advisory Committee on COVID-19. The reconfigured MAC, the Minister said, would take into account the need for the inclusion of social and behavioural scientists, among other considerations. The Health Department has confirmed that the number of COVID-19 infections is declining, along with the demand for hospital beds and oxygen. Undeniably, an important contributor to the decline we are witnessing in the transmission of Coronavirus is the action of ordinary South Africans, who continue to adhere to non-pharmaceutical interventions, Mkhize acknowledged. This nation has shown that with concerted effort and solidarity it is possible to beat Coronavirus. However, he continued to urge citizen to adopt the new normal. If we are to maintain this status quo of low transmission rates, we must continue to concentrate on the simple things that keep Coronavirus at bay, he said. He has called on people to wash their wash or sanitise their hands, maintain a safe distance between each other, regular cleaning and sanitising of surfaces, and wearing of masks in public. The threat of a resurgence that could be more devastating than the first wave of infections remains very real. We must always remember this, said Mkhize. SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2020-09-15. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. London: A US attorney supporting Julian Assange claims the WikiLeaks founder will not get a fair trial if he is extradited to the United States to face charges of violating the Espionage Act. Assange is facing 18 counts of violating the Espionage Act for encouraging former Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning to hack into defence systems. Manning passed more than half a million secret diplomatic and military cables to Assange who published them on the WikiLeaks website. Julian Assange arrives at a British court in April. Credit:Getty Images Attorneys and experts appearing on his behalf have already told the court that his extradition is a "political prosecution" that was never advanced by the Obama administration but taken up by President Donald Trump, who has held both supportive and negative views of WikiLeaks over time. Ex-US Justice Department official Thomas Durkin appeared via video link from the United States on behalf of Assange's legal team as the hearing, which was frequently hit by technical difficulties for another day, resumed. Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin's Regular Press Conference on September 15, 2020 2020/09/15 CCTV: How does China view the China-Germany-EU leaders meeting held last night via videolink? Can you talk a bit about the outcomes and China-EU relations going forward? Wang Wenbin: On the night of September 14, President Xi Jinping held a meeting via videoconference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, President Charles Michel of the European Council & President Ursula von der Leyen of the European Commission. It was an important meeting of the highest-level exchange between China and the EU within this year, and major strategic communication amid the COVID-19 pandemic and other major changes in the world unseen in a century. During the meeting, Chinese, German and EU leaders had in-depth exchange of views on China-EU relations and bilateral talks and cooperation in economic and trade, green, digital, anti-epidemic and other areas. The leaders made plans for China-EU relations going forward, identified key areas, agreed on closer communication, coordination and cooperation to ensure the success of major political agenda between the two sides, and pledged to deepen mutual trust, work for win-win results and elevate China-EU relations to a higher level. President Xi Jinping said it is important for China and the EU to adhere to four principles, namely peaceful coexistence, openness and cooperation, multilateralism, and dialogue and consultation, which was positively responded to by European leaders. A series of important outcomes were achieved at this meeting. First, the two sides officially signed the China-EU agreement on geographical indications. It demonstrates our commitment to free and open trade and the rules-based multilateral trading system, which will inject new vitality into bilateral economic and trade cooperation. Second, the two sides confirmed major progress made in the bilateral investment treaty talks and reaffirmed the political resolve to conclude the talks within this year. It serves as a strategic guidance for future BIT negotiations and sends out a signal of determination and confidence. Third, the two sides agreed to establish a China-EU High Level Environment and Climate Dialogue and a China-EU High Level Digital Cooperation Dialogue, and to forge China-EU green and digital partnerships. It will be another positive signal of China and the EU joining hands to address climate change and move forward digital cooperation. Fourth, the two sides support and practice multilateralism, strengthen global cooperation against the virus, contribute to world economic recovery, handle global challenges and advance political settlement of regional and international hotspots. It is natural that China and the EU, with different history, cultures, social systems and development stages, have differences on some issues, which wont and shouldnt affect our dialogue and cooperation. Based on the principles of equality and mutual respect, the two sides agreed to enhance communication and mutual understanding, expand common ground while properly managing differences, stick to the China-EU comprehensive strategic partnership, and grasp the mainstream of China-EU relations and the key feature of win-win results. In the next stage, China will implement the important consensus and outcomes of this meeting, advance the sound and stable development of China-EU comprehensive strategic partnership while keeping to peaceful co-existence, openness, cooperation, multilateralism, dialogue and consultation, and inject greater positive energy into the international efforts to fight the virus, recover the economy and uphold justice. The Global Times: The European side announced that the EU-China Summit is expected to be held in 2021, which will be attended by President Xi Jinping and leaders from EU members. Can you confirm that? Wang Wenbin: Since the beginning of this year, China and the EU have maintained the momentum of close high-level exchanges. The two sides stay in communications and negotiations on the time, venue and form of important exchanges and activities in the next stage. Reuters: India told Reuters that Chinese troops laid a network of optical fiber cables at the Pangong Tso Lake on the India-China border. Can you confirm? Another Indian official said that neither side has made significant troop withdrawals since last weeks foreign ministers meeting. What is your comment? Wang Wenbin: On your first question, as I understand, the relevant reports are not true. On your second question, when the foreign ministers of the two countries met in Moscow, they reached positive consensus on jointly de-escalating the situation and lowering the temperature along the China-India borders and agreed to continue close communications through military and diplomatic channels to solve the issue on the ground. We hope the Indian side will earnestly implement the consensus between the two foreign ministers and work with China to make concrete efforts for de-escalation. AFP: First, the US recently issued import restrictions on cotton products from Xinjiang due to allegations of forced labor. What is your comment? Second, at the EU-China summit recently, EU officials requested an independent visit to Xinjiang. Will this happen and can you give more details? Wang Wenbin: On your first question, under the pretext of the so-called "forced labor", the US has taken restrictive measures against relevant Chinese companies, which violates international trade rules and disrupts the global industrial chain, supply chain and value chain. It is a blatant act of bullying. China is firmly opposed to this. The so-called "forced labor" issue is completely fabricated by some western organizations and individuals, which totally run counter to the facts. The rights and interests of workers from ethnic minority groups in Xinjiang as part of China's large workforce are protected by law. There is no restriction whatsoever on their personal freedom. Their customs, religious beliefs and spoken and written language are all protected by law. How can anyone call this "forced labor"? Some in the US profess they care about ethnic minorities in Xinjiang, but at the same time they are taking all sorts of measures to repress Xinjiang enterprises. This inconsistency exposes their hypocrisy and malicious intention to contain Xinjiang's development and sow discord between different ethnic groups in China. We urge the US side to respect facts, overcome bias, stop political manipulation, and stop using the Xinjiang issue to disrupt normal economic and trade cooperation between Chinese and US companies. The Chinese side will continue to take all necessary measures to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese companies. On your second question, the Chinese side already issued a readout on China-Germany-EU leaders meeting held yesterday. With regard to human rights, President Xi Jinping stressed that there is no universal path to human rights development in the world. In terms of human rights protection, there is no single best way, only the better one. All countries should priorly handle their own things. We believe the European side can find good solutions to its own human rights issues. Chinese people will not accept "an instructor" on human rights and oppose double standards. China is willing to strengthen exchanges with the European side based on the principle of mutual respect so that the two sides can both make progress. The human rights issues within the EU were also discussed at the meeting, such as the protracted refugee issue, repeated humanitarian crises, the rise of racism, extremism and the ethnic minority issue in some EU members, and the frequent occurrence of anti-Semitic, anti-Muslim and anti-black remarks and incidents. The EU side admitted its own problems and hoped to conduct dialogue with China based on the principle of equality and respect, enhance mutual understanding and properly handle differences and divisions. President Xi also expounded on China's principled position on issues related to Hong Kong and Xinjiang, pointing out that the essence of Hong Kong- and Xinjiang-related issues is about safeguarding China's national sovereignty, security and unity and protecting the rights of people of all ethnic groups to live a peaceful and happy life. China is firmly opposed to anyone and any force creating instability, division and unrest in China and to interference in China's internal affairs by any country. On the Xinjiang-related issues, we always welcome friends from all over the world, including the European side, to visit Xinjiang and see with their own eyes the real situation there, instead of believing fabricated lies or hearsay. The diplomatic envoys of the EU and its members in China said they wish to visit Xinjiang. China has agreed and is ready to make arrangements for that. Now the ball is in the European sides court. At the same time, I must stress that we oppose any investigation with presumption of guilt. Beijing Youth Daily: Climate change is an important area for China-EU cooperation. Could you give us more details on the discussion of climate change between President Xi Jinping and his German and EU counterparts? Wang Wenbin: At the China-Germany-EU leaders' meeting on September 14, President Xi Jinping pointed out that the two sides should forge China-EU green partnerships, participate constructively in the global multilateral process of tackling climate change and protecting global biodiversity. Climate change is a challenge faced by all. As the biggest developing country, China has actively implemented national climate change strategy and policies. After arduous efforts, it has accomplished the 2020 climate action targets as part of its major contributions to global response to climate change. China is willing to contribute more and we are now considering and studying a mid-century long-term vision for climate change, including such issues as the peaking of carbon dioxide emissions and carbon neutrality. Bloomberg: The US has updated its travel advisory for Hong Kong and other parts of China. The level-3 advisory is now in effect. At the same time, it warned the US citizens against risks of COVID-19 and arbitrary enforcement of local laws in China. Do you have a comment on this? Wang Wenbin: Since COVID-19 broke out, China has taken the most comprehensive, rigorous and thorough prevention and control measures and secured major strategic outcomes in the domestic fight against the virus. As of September 14, Chinas mainland reports no newly confirmed local cases for 30 days. China protects the safety and legitimate rights and interests of foreign nationals in our country. China is one of the safest countries in the world. Of course, foreign citizens in China are obliged to abide by our law. The US should fully respect facts and refrain from political manipulations when issuing the travel advisories. Reuters: According to Reuters, Pope Francis has agreed to a two-year extension of a deal with China on the appointment of bishops. Can you confirm this is true and do you have a comment? Wang Wenbin: In recent years under the efforts made by both sides, China-Vatican relations have been steadily improved. The interim agreement between China and the Vatican on the appointment of bishops is an important outcome that has been smoothly carried out in the past two years. China and the Vatican have been supporting each other in fighting the virus, safeguarding global public health security, and deepening trust and mutual understanding. China is ready to keep in close communication with the Vatican to continue implementing the agreement and improving relations between the two sides. U.S. Army military police at Fort Bliss, Texas, shot and wounded a soldier who was allegedly armed with a pistol on post just after midnight Tuesday morning. MPs were responding to a "bystander report of a disturbance on base" when the 1st Armored Division soldier produced a handgun and "presented an armed direct threat to law enforcement," according to a Fort Bliss news release. Read Next: Army Issues New Memo About Protecting Bases from Climate Change The wounded soldier, who has not been identified, was taken to El Paso Hospital, where he is receiving medical treatment, the release states. No one else was injured in the incident, the release states. Special agents with the Army Criminal Investigation Command have recovered the soldier's handgun and are investigating the shooting, according to the release. "While we may not understand yet why the event occurred, we have confidence in our law enforcement to determine the facts of how this morning's event unfolded," the release states. "The safety of our Fort Bliss community remains our top priority." -- Matthew Cox can be reached at matthew.cox@military.com. Related: 'This All Could Have Been Prevented' - Inside the Disappearance and Death of Vanessa Guillen Advertisement The RMS Titanic may have only taken the exact fateful course that saw it holed and sunk by an iceberg on April 15, 1912 because a solar flare threw off the vessel's compass readings, a study has proposed. According to a US-based meteorologist, the liner's last night sailing the Atlantic was illuminated by the aurora borealis the light show caused by the interaction with the atmosphere of charged particles from the sun. Based on eyewitness accounts of the aurora's appearance that night, she argues, the 'geomagnetic storm' may have been large enough to influence navigation to a small, but nevertheless significant degree. The interference may also have served to disrupt wireless transmissions between the sinking liner and other vessels in the nearby vicinity blocking some the Titanic's distress calls and the messages sent in response. However, the researcher claims, the magnetic disruption may have had an upside helping to offset the error in the Titanic's broadcast position, accidentally leading another vessel to the correct location of the liner's lifeboats. Solar flares can cause substantial damage, if of a high enough intensity. A storm in 1859, for example the 'Carrington Event' induced such currents in telegraph wires that pylons sparked and operators received shocks. Were such an event to happen today, experts believe it would cause unprecedented levels of damage to electronics and power grids across the globe with the potential for tragedy on a par with that of the Titanic. The RMS Titanic may have only taken the exact fateful course that saw it holed and sunk by an iceberg on April 15, 1912 because a solar flare threw off the vessel's compass readings, a study has proposed. Pictured, the sinking of the Titanic According to a US meteorologist, the liner's last night sailing was illuminated by the aurora borealis the light show caused by the interaction with the atmosphere of charged particles released from by a solar flare, pictured. Based on accounts of the aurora's appearance that night, she argues, the 'geomagnetic storm' may have been large enough to influence navigation RMS TITANIC: SPECIFICATIONS Length: 882 ft 9 in Width: 92 ft 6 in (beam) Tonnage: 46,328 GRT Decks: 9 Boilers: 24 Engines: 2 Power: 46,000 HP Max speed: 24 knots Cost: 1.5 million (140 m in 2016) Capacity: 2,435 + 892 crew Facilities: Included a pool, Turkish baths, kennels and post office Advertisement 'Most people who write about Titanic, they dont know that northern lights were seen on that night,' independent weather researcher and retired computer programmer Mila Zinkova of California told Hakai magazine. 'Even if the compass moved only one degree, it already could have made a difference,' she added. Titanic survivor and author Lawrence Beesley described seeing the aurora borealis in his account of the disaster, writing that after the vessel had gone under, he saw from the lifeboats 'a faint glow in the sky ahead on the starboard quarter, the first gleams, we thought, of the coming dawn.' 'We were not certain of the time and were eager perhaps to accept too readily any relief from darkness only too glad to be able to look each other in the face and see who were our companions in good fortune; to be free from the hazard of lying in a steamers track, invisible in the darkness,' he continued. 'But we were doomed to disappointment: the soft light increased for a time, and died away a little; glowed again, and then remained stationary for some minutes! "The Northern Lights"! It suddenly came to me, and so it was.' In a similar fashion, second officer James Bisset of the RMS Carpathia the Cunard line passenger steamer, bound for Fiume in Austria-Hungary (today Rijeka, Croatia), that came to the rescue of the Titanic's survivors made note of the northern lights in his log around one hour before the Titanic struck the iceberg. 'The weather was calm, the sea smooth, with no wind. The sky was clear, and the stars were shining. There was no moon, but the Aurora Borealis glimmered like moonbeams shooting up from the northern horizon,' he wrote. According to Mr Bisset's logs, the space weather was still going strong some five hours later, as the Carpathia neared the lifeboats. 'Though the night was cloudless, and stars were shining, the peculiar atmospheric conditions of visibility intensified as we approached the icefield with the greenish beams of the Aurora Borealis shimmering and confusing the horizon ahead of us to the northwards,' he noted. 'Most people who write about Titanic, they dont know that northern lights were seen on that night,' independent weather researcher and retired computer programmer Mila Zinkova of California told Hakai magazine . 'Even if the compass moved only one degree, it already could have made a difference,' she added. Pictured, the Titanic seen at her berth in Southampton The Titanic which sank on April 15, 1912, after a collision with an iceberg lies on the seafloor around 350 nautical miles off the coast of Newfoundland, Canada. The liner made two short stops en route to her planned Atlantic crossing one at the French port of Cherbourg, the other at Cork Harbour, Ireland, where smaller vessels ferried passengers on and off board 'The fact that so many people saw the aurora makes me confident that there was a space weather event happening,' space and atmospheric physicist Chris Scott of the University of Reading, who was not involved in the study, told Hakai magazine. Pictured, the bow of the Titanic looms out of the murky depths in her resting place off of the coast of Newfoundland Compass errors may have had other effects the night the Olympic-class liner went down, Ms Zinkova suggested. Responding to the Titanic's distress signal, the RMS Carpathia a Cunard line passenger steamer bound for Fiume in Austria-Hungary (today Rijeka, Croatia) received incorrect co-ordinates for the stricken vessel that were out by some 13.5 nautical miles (15.5 miles/25.0 kilometres) from the Titanic's actual location. Nevertheless, the Carpathia succeeded in sailing directly to the Titanic's drifting lifeboats a feat Ms Zinkova attributes to the solar-storm-induced compass errors conveniently cancelling out the misstated coordinates. 'The light from the aurora may also have been beneficial to the rescue operation,' she added. The Carpathia succeeded in rescuing 705 survivors of the disaster from the Titanic's 20 lifeboats. Responding to the Titanic's SOS, the RMS Carpathia a Cunard line passenger steamer bound for Fiume in Austria-Hungary (today Rijeka, Croatia) received incorrect co-ordinates for the stricken vessel that were out by some 13.5 nautical miles (15.5 miles/25.0 kilometres) from the Titanic's actual location. Pictured, the Carpathia rescuing lifeboats in the film 'Titanic' Nevertheless, the Carpathia succeeded in sailing directly to the Titanic's drifting lifeboats (the last two of which are pictured here shortly before their recovery) a feat Ms Zinkova attributes to the solar-storm-induced compass errors conveniently cancelling out the misstated coordinates 'The light from the aurora may also have been beneficial to the rescue operation,' Ms Zinkova added. The Carpathia, pictured here in New York following the rescue of 705 survivors of the disaster from the Titanic's 20 lifeboats 'The fact that so many people saw the aurora makes me confident that there was a space weather event happening,' space and atmospheric physicist Chris Scott of the University of Reading, who was not involved in the study, told Hakai magazine. He added that modelling the Earth's ionosphere on the night of the disaster and simulating known radio broadcasts sent by the ships in the vicinity of the Titanic could help shine a light on why some messages got through and others did not. Titanic historian Tim Maltin, meanwhile, told Hakai magazine that he agreed that there was sufficient evidence that a solar storm coincided with the catastrophe but thought it 'was not a significant factor' in the sinking. Nearly five days into her voyage, the Titanic struck an iceberg at around 23:40 local time, generating six narrow openings in the vessel's starboard hull, believed to have occurred as a result of the rivets in the hull snapping. Pictured, the iceberg believed to have sunk the Titanic THE TITANIC DISASTER TIMELINE Ned Parfett, the 'Titanic paperboy', outside of the White Star Line offices in London April 10, 1912 (12:00): The Titanic sets sail from Southampton to New York, calling at Cherbourg and Cork en route. April 14 (09:0022.30, ship's time): Marconi Company radio officers on the Titanic received a total of six warnings of ice in the vicinity, not all of which were passed on to the crew. April 14 (23:39): Lookout Frederick Fleet, in the crow's nest, spots an iceberg dead ahead of the ship. Turning to port, the vessel managed to avoid a direct collision, but suffered a 'glancing blow' instead. April 15 (00:05): Captain Edward Smith orders abandon ship and has radio operators issue distress signals. April 15 (02:05): The Titanic's final lifeboat is launched. Ten minutes later, the liner's angle in the water increased rapidly, ultimately reaching over 30 degrees, as water reached previously unflooded parts of the ship through deck hatches. April 15 (02:20): The Titanic finally disappeared beneath the waves, some two hours and forty minutes after striking the iceberg. Advertisement Constructed by Belfast-based shipbuilders Harland and Wolff between 1909 and 1912, the RMS Titanic was the largest ship afloat of her time. Owned and operated by the White Star Line, the passenger vessel set sail on her maiden voyage from Southampton to New York on April 10, 1912. The liner made two short stops en route to her planned Atlantic crossing one at the French port of Cherbourg, the other at Cork Harbour, Ireland, where smaller vessels ferried passengers on and off board the Titanic. Nearly five days into her voyage, the Titanic struck an iceberg at around 23:40 local time. This generated six narrow openings in the vessel's starboard hull, believed to have occurred as a result of the rivets in the hull snapping. The Titanic took on water some fifteen times faster than could be pumped out. The hull damage proved too extensive for the vessel's watertight bulkheads to keep the flooding from spreading across the liner's compartmentalised lower decks. After around two-and-a-half hours, the vessel broke into two sections and sank, each settling to the seafloor around a third of a mile apart. Around 1,500 people were believed lost in the tragedy, including around 815 of the liner's passengers. The Titanic disaster prompted the drawing up of the Safety of Lives at Sea convention in 1914, which today still sets the minimum safety requirements to which all ships are required to comply. While the stern of the sunken vessel was ruined, much of the bow despite impact damage and deterioration remained recognisable when the wreck was finally discovered on the seafloor by US underwater archaeologist Robert Ballard in 1985. Since then, dozens of expeditions to the wreck to observe the ship and recover artefacts have been carried out. Experts, however, are concerned this activity is causing the Titanic to decay far faster than she otherwise would on the sea floor. Ms Zinkova's full paper was published in the journal Weather. A senior Tory MP revealed today he will refuse to take part in 'unconscious bias' training for MPs arranged in the wake of the Black Lives Matter protests. Ben Bradley, a vice-chairman of the party under Theresa May, lashed out at a 'metropolitan groupthink that is intolerant to any diversity of views' and said he would not take part. Parliament has paid Challenge Consultancy 7,000 to design a course on unconscious bias for MPs. In total the company, which has also trained BBC staff, has also raked in nearly 800,000 from Parliament for conduct lessons that will include training on words they should avoid and 'woke-friendly history'. Mr Bradley, 30, the MP for Mansfield, accused the firm of 'profiteering' and claimed working class 'core' Tory voters in his Nottinghamshire constituency and 'Red Wall' former Labour seats won by the Tories in December's election 'abhor the antics of BLM, of Extinction Rebellion and the like telling them what they should think'. Ben Bradley, a vice-chairman of the party under Theresa May, lashed out at a 'metropolitan ''groupthink'' that is intolerant to any diversity of views' and said he would not take part Femi Otitoju with UB puppet, that is said to be used in the 'unconscious bias' training given to MPs in a course designed by Challenge Consultancy London and other major cities have been struck by several waves of BLM protests in the wake of high profile murders in the US 'They know their own minds. It's that kind of conflict with the metropolitan bubble where our institutions largely exist that lead us to Brexit, too. Woke ideology seems pretty deeply embedded at this point,' he told the Conservative Home website. 'In my view we should be unabashed in our cultural conservatism, sticking up for free speech and the right to 'make my own bloody mind up, thank you very much', and stepping in to block this 'unconscious bias' nonsense. 'I, for one, will not be taking it, and I'd call on my colleagues to take the same stand. Maybe we can have a good go at some bigger reforms too. After all, this is a Conservative Government! Research published in February this year by parliament's minority workplace network Parlireach reported cases of senior managers getting the names of BAME staff wrong or of 'mixing them up with other BAME colleagues'. Parlireach also found that BAME staff were more likely to be stopped by security guards and asked to show their security pass. The decision to provide unconscious bias training to MPs comes after Sir Keir Starmer said in July that it was being introduced for all Labour staff. Sir Keir said at the time that he was 'going to lead from the top on this and do that training first'. Speaking amid widespread Black Lives Matter protests, the Labour leader said he believed 'everybody should have unconscious bias training' and that 'it is important'. Mr Bradley added: 'Nobody doubts that racism exists and can make life more challenging for some people. Nor that sexism exists, ageism and discrimination across a whole spectrum. 'That much is true. What I doubt here is that these things are somehow buried deep in all of our subconscious, steering us at every turn, and that with the help of some genius 'educator' I can be cured of my unseen evil. Mr Bradley claimed working class 'core' Tory voters 'abhor the antics of BLM, of Extinction Rebellion and the like telling them what they should think' 'I'm yet to see the evidence of it achieving a great deal, apart from big profits for the training company.' A House of Commons spokeswoman said: We are committed to creating an inclusive workplace and, following requests from MPs, we have made unconscious bias training available to them on a small pilot basis, with positive feedback received. These are not mandatory, and the pilot is expected to be completed in the next few weeks. There are currently no plans to roll it out more widely. It is not the first controversial remark Mr Bradley, who was first elected in 2017, has made. In 2018 it was revealed he suggested men on benefits should get a vasectomy and stop relying on the welfare state to support their children. Days after being made Theresa May's Youth Tzar it was revealed he said Britain would drown 'in a vast sea of unemployed wasters' if the poorest families had too many children. And he said people on benefits must take responsibility for their lives and stop having babies if they cannot afford to support them. He made the controversial remarks in a controversial and now deleted blog post written in 2012 in which he backed Tory reforms to bring in a benefits cap. It was also revealed he urged police to use water canon to play 'splat the chav' during the 2011 race riots. He apologised for the comments after they surfaced online, saying he has 'matured' over the previous six years. In February the same year he was forced to say sorry to Jeremy Corbyn and pay an estimated 35,000 after defaming the then Labour leader. He claimed the leftwinger sold British secrets to communist spies after allegations over Mr Corbyn's contact with a Czech intelligence agent in the 1980s. But he was later forced to apologise and accepted the accusation which he made in a tweet was wholly untrue. His own tweet admitting his error notched up 38,000 retweets in less than 24 hours. Authorities in North Korea have returned a large shipment of medical-grade facemasks to a Chinese seller, after the masks were suspected to have been manufactured in rival South Korea, sources in a Chinese city on the North Korean border told RFA. The rejection of the KF94 masks comes amid an apparent crackdown on South Korean products amid deteriorating relations between Seoul and Pyongyang,. Sources said the rejection was perplexing, considering that smuggled Southern goods sell openly in North Korean marketplaces, and the masks are in high demand amid the coronavirus pandemic. Products from South Korea are illegal in North Korea, and Pyongyang has mandated a ban on Chinese products made in cooperation with non-Chinese companies, specifically to prevent South Korea from profiting off of the exchange. A trader in Dandong, China, across the Yalu river from North Koreas Sinuiju, told RFAs Korean Service last week that the shipment of KF94 masks sat for a month in North Korea before they were rejected and returned. The Chinese trader received an order from the North Korean company to send high-quality masks even if they were a little expensive, so the Chinese trader sent 15,000 KF94 masks, which are considered to be high-quality even in South Korea, said the source, who requested anonymity for security reasons. Oddly, the masks were returned. The North Korean companys reason for rejecting the order is that there is suspicion that the masks are not from China, the source said. In recent years, the trade in smuggled goods has become more and more common under North Koreas nascent market economy. Still, sellers take precautions to hide the origin of South Korean products, to pass them off as Chinese. There were no labels or trademarks on the masks that could identify them as South Korean, but the North Korean authorities judged them as South Korean because of their apparent difference in quality from Chinese masks, the source said. The reason why the Chinese trader sent in South Korean masks instead of Chinese ones was because of the request to send good quality ones, even if they are expensive,said the source. Hoping to continue its trading arrangement with the North Korean company, the trader supplied high-end South Korean masks at a price so low, it was making profit of one yuan (U.S. $0.15) per mask. This caused a big stir, the source said. Another Dandong trader told RFA the cancelled order put Chinese traders in a bind. Chinese traders are reacting as if they dont know what to do, as the North Korean companies try to negotiate for lower prices because Chinese products are thought of as lower quality. But if the quality of the products is too good, they start to suspect they come from South Korea, said the second source, who declined to be named. North Korean authorities ban on imports of Chinese products produced jointly with foreign companies, even if they are made entirely in China, was aimed at blocking the import of South Korean goods, the second source said. The second source said that the traders used to hide the origin of South Korean products, but the act of hiding the origin now gives them away. In the past, South Korean products could be sent to North Korea if their labels or any written materials on the packaging were removed. But now it is difficult to bring in such items, because the absence of labels is a dead giveaway that the product is South Korean, the second source said. Until recently, South Korean products imported by smugglers have been sold widely in local marketplaces, and North Korean residents have been using them with no problems, the second source said. Even though the relationship between North and South Korea has gotten worse over the past year, its hard to understand why North Korea wants to crack down on South Korean products with all thats going on these days. North Korea has still not reported a single confirmed case of the coronavirus. Though the country maintains outwardly that it is virus-free, the government has announced in public lectures to citizens that the virus was in April spreading in three areas of the country, including the capital Pyongyang. Reported by Joonho Kim for RFAs Korean Service. Translated by Leejin Jun. Written in English by Eugene Whong. Revel Systems, a cloud-based point of sale (POS) and complete business management platform, today announced its latest franchise contract win with FAT Brands. A leading global franchising company in the fast casual and casual dining markets, FAT Brands plans to roll out Revel Enterprise across all Fatburger locations, with 30 locations already live on Revel. The flexibility, scalability and rapid deployment of its innovative POS solution combined with the companys celebrated customer support made Revel the clear choice for FAT Brands. Even during these challenging times, restaurants and retailers are accelerating their technology transformations and introducing digital capabilities that better meet customers changing preferences, offer ease-of-use, and maximize efficiencies. Recognizing technology as key to survival and market recovery, FAT Brands is modernizing in-store operations and leaving behind its outdated and expensive legacy systems. With plans to standardize all its franchises on Revels cloud-based solution, the FAT Brands portfolio includes Fatburger, Ponderosa & Bonanza Steakhouse, Hurricane Grill & Wings, Elevation Burger, Buffalos Cafe and Yalla Mediterranean. When we looked to choose a new POS solution to future-proof our business, we pursued a holistic approach, said Andrew Wiederhorn CEO, FAT Brands. Revel was the only candidate that fit our needs with their flexibility, rich feature set, and desire to be a strategic partner. These qualities made Revel Enterprise the clear choice as our technology partner. Revel has continued to quickly adapt to our needs, especially in these current times. FAT Brands is the latest franchise chain operator to choose Revel. Building on its strong momentum, Revel has also recently contracted with The Halal Guys at more than 80 locations, Moes Southwest Grill at more than 700 locations, and Buff City Soap at more than 200 locations. On behalf of the Revel team, we are thrilled to be the technology partner of choice for a leading restaurant group like FAT Brands. Our platform has become the leading solution for large chains who want to move away from legacy systems to cloud-based POS, said Greg Dukat, CEO, Revel Systems. The flexibility to innovate, which is required to survive in todays environment, and the scalability to grow are key factors in the decision for these brands to make the switch. Other attractive benefits of cloud systems include the ability for operators to manage seamlessly across multiple locations. Revels platform is robust, quick to implement and easy to use. At about a third to a half the TCO of longstanding legacy solutions. FAT Brands is implementing several Revel products as part of its deployment. Notable solutions include kiosks to provide better self-service experiences to customers, and Revel Guard XT to remotely monitor all POS and in store devices, stay ahead of maintenance costs, and resolve common technical issues with a single click. FAT Brands is also deploying multiple kitchen display systems (KDS) at each location to eliminate gaps between order placement and kitchen execution. Revels open API also allows FAT Brands to easily integrate with key Revel partners, including Restaurant 365 for restaurant management. About Revel Systems Revels point of sale and business solutions provide a native cloud technology platform that is at the heart of our clients businesses. The Revel platform helps restaurants and retailers deliver a better customer experience, diversify revenue streams, and scale their businesses with ease. The Revel Essentials solution, which has been deployed at thousands of customer locations, is designed for the needs of small chains. The Revel Enterprise solution is tailored for large chains and leads the industry with a broad footprint of national, big brand customer implementations. Revel is committed to client success and strives to be a people-first business, leading with integrity and transparency. For more information, please visit http://revelsystems.com or call (415) 744-1433. About FAT (Fresh. Authentic. Tasty.) Brands FAT Brands is a leading global franchising company that strategically acquires, markets and develops fast casual and casual dining restaurant concepts around the world. The Company currently owns eight restaurant brands: Fatburger, Buffalos Cafe, Buffalos Express, Hurricane Grill & Wings, Elevation Burger, Yalla Mediterranean and Ponderosa and Bonanza Steakhouses, and franchises over 375 units worldwide. For more information, please visit http://www.fatbrands.com. A San Antonio police officer shot and killed a man wanted on two warrants Tuesday, marking the eighth fatal shooting by San Antonio police this year. Police Chief William McManus said three plainclothes and two uniformed officers were serving two family violence warrants Tuesday afternoon in the 100 block of Willee on the West Side when the man struck an officer with a can of paint and pulled the officers gun from its holster. An officer fired one shot, striking the man, according to police. The man, identified by a family friend as Darrell Zemault Sr., 55, was pronounced dead at a local hospital. On ExpressNews.com: San Antonio police fatally shot a man wanted on two family violence warrants Celeste Brown, a friend of Zemaults family and an organizer with Defund Police SA, said the family learned that he had died when McManus said so during a news conference while they were on the way to the hospital. Zemault whom neighbors described as friendly and helpful had three daughters, one son and several grandchildren. His wife, Susie, died unexpectedly on Thanksgiving Day in 2016. According to San Antonio Police Department reports filed with the Texas Attorney Generals Office, eight people have been shot and killed by San Antonio police this year. Two additional people died while handcuffed in police custody. Ten was the total for each of the past two years, and the average over the past decade. McManus said he had not yet seen the body camera video of Zemault being shot and would not release the footage at this stage of the investigation. In a rare move, he released body camera footage within days of a controversial arrest involving a Black jogger last month. According to police, Zemault was in the front yard of his bungalow when the five officers arrived about 1:30 p.m. Police said the incident escalated as one officer grabbed Zemault in an effort to place him under arrest, at which point Zemault hit the officer in the face with a can of paint. The two wrestled on the ground, police said, until Zemault pulled the officers gun from its holster. Zemault was wanted on two warrants: assault causing bodily injury and violation of a bond. McManus said police typically serve such warrants when there is a clear and present danger to the family violence victim. According to court records, Zemault was arrested in early July after his ex-girlfriend told police that he drove to her home days earlier and accused her of cheating on him. According to the woman, the pair had split up nearly nine months earlier, in October 2019. Since then, she told officers, she had called police on him multiple times, accusing him of a terroristic threat in February, burglary of a vehicle and harassment in April and theft in late June. No criminal charges were filed in those four cases, court records show. In the latest incident, on July 3, Zemault pulled the woman out of her car and said he was going to kill her, the woman told police. She also said that he began to drag her to his car, took her purse and left. Days later, Zemault was arrested on two counts of assaulting a police officer. He spent a month in jail while awaiting trial before he was released on bail in early August. As a condition of his bail, Zemault was required to wear a GPS tracker, court records show. He was not allowed to contact his ex-girlfriend, and he couldnt possess any firearms. Andrew Castro had spent time with Zemault over the years at a nearby friends house. Shocking. Thats all I can really say, Castro said. Unexpected. Really unexpected. Especially from him because he was a cool guy. McDonald's has partnered with rapper Travis Scott on a new line of limited-edition merchandise that includes a chicken nugget-shaped body pillow. The collaboration between McDonald's and Travis' company Cactus Jack launched on September 8 and also includes T-shirts, shorts, hats, and other items, but it's the 36-inch McNugget pillow that's generating the most buzz. And despite it's $90 a price tag and a warning that it won't ship for nine to 12 weeks the pillow has already sold out. Snuggle up! McDonald's sold a $90 chicken nugget-shaped body pillow as part of a new collaboration Genius: It was part of a partnership with rapper Travis Scott on a new line of limited-edition merchandise Eat up! Fans can also order Travis' favorite meal a Quarter Pounder with cheese, a medium order of fries with BBQ sauce, and Sprite for just $6 by saying that Cactus Jack sent them In fact, all items from the collaboration appear to have already sold out, with some already popping up on re-sale websites even though they haven't shipped yet. Other pieces from the collab include T-shirts, sweatshirts, and sweatpants with varying McDonald's-themed artwork. There are also denim shorts with a Cactus Jack x McDonald's logo, another pair of shorts with an Egg McMuffin package pattern, and several caps. For non-wearable merch, there's a $250 floor rug with a vintage McDonald's menu printed on it, a $30 lunch tray, a $45 lunch box, a $78 blanket, 10 for $25 plastic cups, and a $65 six-foot-tall cardboard cutout of the Travis Scott action figure from his 2015 album. 'I couldn't be more excited to bring the Cactus Jack x McDonald's collaboration to life,' Travis said in a press release. 'We are bringing together two iconic worlds. Including a charitable component was key for me, and I can't wait for people to see what we have in store.' What a look! The collection also includes these Egg McMuffin shorts Stylin'! The line, which has already sold out, also included caps It's an outfit! Most of the pieces for sale were apparel, like this sweatshirt (left) and denim shorts Must-have? Some of the items are already popping up on re-sale sites Those prices! For non-wearable merch, there's a $250 floor rug with a vintage McDonald's menu printed on it Need it? This $30 lunch tray was among the items to be snatched up 'I couldn't be more excited to bring the Cactus Jack x McDonald's collaboration to life,' Travis said in a press release (pictured: $45 lunch box) 'We are bringing together two iconic worlds,' Travis added (pictured: $78 blanket) Home decorThe line also included a $65 six-foot-tall cardboard cutout of the Travis Scott action figure from his 2015 album Though the merch has sold out, fans can still get in on the fun by getting Travis' favorite meal at their local restaurant: a Quarter Pounder with cheese, a medium order of fries with BBQ sauce, and Sprite for just $6. Customers need only to say that Cactus Jack sent them, until October 4. 'Everyone has a favorite McDonald's meal, no matter who you are,' McDonald's U.S. Chief Marketing Officer, Morgan Flatley said in a press release. 'Travis is a true McDonald's fan having grown up visiting our restaurants in Houston, not to mention one of the biggest musical acts and cultural icons in the world. 'This is the first time in nearly 30 years we've introduced a superstar's name to our menu we're excited to bring the Travis Scott Meal to a McDonald's near you starting next week.' The last time was 1992 with Michael Jordan. Smell that? McDonald's has sold some wacky merchandise before in fact, the chain sold Quarter Pounder-scented candles earlier this year Burn 'em all! The scents include bun, ketchup, pickle, cheese, onion, and '100% Fresh Beef' Swag: The candles were part of a Quarter Pounder Fan Club collection of merchandise, which also includes a locket For superfans: The line also included a 2020 Quarter Pounder calendar McDonald's has sold some wacky merchandise before in fact, the chain sold Quarter Pounder-scented candles earlier this year. In February, the company launched the Quarter Pounder Fan Club, an offshoot of its official merchandise line, with several items that celebrate its beloved cheeseburger. The most eyebrow-raising addition was a pack of six scented candles that each smell like a different Quarter Pounder ingredient. The pack includes six custom scented candles inspired by Quarter Pounder ingredients. There's one each with scents like bun, ketchup, pickle, cheese, onion, and '100% Fresh Beef.' The idea seems to be that burning them all at once will make a room smell like a Quarter Pounder, but it also give customers the option of burning just an onion-scented or ketchup-scented candle. The candles joined several other quirky merchandise options on the website, including a sesame seed umbrella, gold-colored locket with the golden arches stamped on it, hair ties, socks, T-shirts, a beanie, and a lounge set. New Delhi, Sep 15 : In a major breakthrough in the Visakhapatnam espionage case, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Tuesday said it has arrested the key accused Giteli Imran from Gujarat for his involvement in the espionage activities and working for the Pakistan's Inter Services Intelligence (ISI). An NIA spokesperson in Delhi said that the agency arrested Imran, 37, on Monday under several sections of the IPC, the Unlawful Activities Prevention act and the Official Secrets Act. The official said that during the investigation, it was found that Imran was associated with Pakistani spies/agents under the guise of cross-border "cloth trade". "As per the directions of the Pakistan-based spies, he deposited money into the bank accounts of Indian Navy personnel at regular intervals in lieu of sensitive and classified data provided by them," the official said. The official said that some digital devices and incriminating documents have been seized in the search conducted at the house of Imran Giteli on Monday. The NIA took over the case on December 29 last year. The case was originally registered on November 16, 2019 at the CI Cell division of Andhra Pradesh Police under criminal conspiracy and waging or attempting to wage war against the Indian government and sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and Section 3 of Official Secrets Act. The 2019 Visakhapatnam espionage case relates to an international racket involving individuals based in Pakistan and at different locations in India, including Visakhapatnam and Mumbai. It included agents in India recruited by Pakistan-based spies between 2011 and 2019. They were collecting sensitive and classified information about locations or movements of Indian naval ships and submarines and other defence establishments. Investigation revealed that a few navy personnel came in contact with the Pakistani nationals through various social media platforms such as Facebook and WhatsApp. Through chats and messages, often comprising sexually-explicit content, exchanged with accounts of Inter-Services Intelligence agents posing as young women, the Indian recruits were lured into sharing classified information in lieu of monetary gains. The money was deposited into the bank accounts of the navy personnel through Indian associates having business interests in Pakistan. The espionage racket was busted in an operation code-named 'Dolphin's Nose', jointly executed by the naval intelligence, Central agencies and Andhra Pradesh State Intelligence wing. The anti-terror probe agency has filed a chargesheet on June 15 this year against 14 people involved in the espionage case. The Prince of Wales is set to become patron of a Jewish youth organisation as it celebrates its 125th anniversary year. Prince Charles', 71, has been named as patron for the Jewish Lads' and Girls' Brigade, also known as the JLGB, having met with young members of Jewish Lads' and Girls' Brigade at a reception at Buckingham Palace in December 2019. They were part of programmes which helped them to succeed and be good members of society. His appointment has been welcomed as an 'absolute honour' by Neil Martin, the organisation's chief executive, who praised the royal with always having been a believer in the power of young people within their communities. The Prince of Wales is to become patron of Jewish youth organisation the Jewish Lads' and Girls' Brigade (JLGB) as it celebrates its 125th anniversary year. Pictured: Prince Charles with members of the group at a reception at Buckingham Palace last December Neil said: 'It's an absolute honour to welcome HRH the Prince of Wales as our patron, because he has always been a tremendous believer in the power of young people to support and lead their communities for the betterment of British society and a brighter tomorrow. 'We're absolutely thrilled that HRH has agreed to be patron, taking on this position during our historic anniversary year, which of course rightly pays homage to the incredible role JLGB has played over the past 125 years in society, but also shows absolute faith in the future contributions the next generation of young British Jews are yet to make.' The organisation has been running virtual programmes to support children, young people and their families during lockdown. This week it is launching JLGB Fuel, a centralised planning system for adult volunteers and youth leaders which aims to power the organisation 'by uniting and amplifying its activities across the UK'. His Royal Highness has previously paid tribute to the Jewish community. Pictured: The Prince opens a Jewish community centre in Krakow, Poland, in 2018 It is preparing to restart its local weekly programmes across the UK next month after a six-month break due to the pandemic and is launching a new-look website and an online system to make it easier for new members to join. The organisation said its new way of working will place greater emphasis on youth empowerment in the running of JLGB, in recognition of the role of young people in the success of an almost-nightly livestream run during the lockdown which was seen by more than 1.8 million unique viewers. Lord Levy, JLGB's president, said they are 'delighted and honoured to have the recognition and support' of Charles, 'evermore so during these uncertain times'. He praised young people for showing 'true leadership, helping to create new opportunities that better reflect real-world realities' in recent months. The Prince also opened a synagogue in Bowden, Cheshire, in 2003 and was mobbed by adoring Jewish children Lord Levy added: 'There is no more significant a way to start a new era than with HRH the Prince of Wales as our new patron, who cares and helps so much with the youth of our country. We feel confident that he will help us all continue in our mission to grow and develop JLGB for the next generation.' His Royal Highness has previously paid tribute to the Jewish community. At a reception at Buckingham Palace last year, the Prince said, 'In every walk of life, in every field of endeavor, our nation could have had no more generous citizens, and no more faithful friends.' And on a visit to Jerusalem in January, Charles met a holocaust survivor Marta Wise, who as a 10-year-old girl was sent to Auschwitz and experimented on by notorious Nazi doctor Josef Mengele. 'I have long drawn inspiration from the selfless actions of my dear grandmother, Princess Alice of Greece, who in 1943 in Nazi-occupied Athens, saved a Jewish family by taking them into her home and hiding them,' the prince said. Pictured: Princess Alice in 1965 While in Jerusalem, Charles also paid homage to his grandmother, Princess Alice, for sheltering Jews in Nazi-occupied Greece during World War II. 'I have long drawn inspiration from the selfless actions of my dear grandmother, Princess Alice of Greece, who in 1943 in Nazi-occupied Athens, saved a Jewish family by taking them into her home and hiding them,' the prince said at the forum in the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial centre. The news comes after Charles joined a charity for the unveiling of their 100th community fridge in Scotland to mark his return to in-person duties after the summer break. He opened the community fridge at Dumfries House in East Ayrshire with community fridge network manager Kanahaya Alam. The Prince of Wales joined the Community Fridge Network UK for the unveiling of their 100th community fridge in Scotland today. Pictured laughing and chatting with network manager Kanahaya Alam His Royal Highness and Kanahaya Alam were pictured standing in front of the fridge, which was filled with fresh fruit and vegetables. The royal, who wore a cream overcoat for the appearance due to the colder weather, held open the fridge for a young blonde girl who placed a selection of vegetables in a basket into the food store. The Community Fridge Network, run by environmental charity Hubbub, supports community fridges across the UK to share good food from local businesses and individuals that would have otherwise gone to waste. PORTLAND, Ind., Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Road traffic injuries have been a considerable challenge for many years with approximately 1.35 million people killed each year as a result of road traffic crashes. Of these, more than half are among vulnerable road users: pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists. It is only during the past 20 years that road safety has gained more prominence. In 2011, the World Health Organization (WHO) launched its Decade of Action for Road Safety with the aim of guiding efforts at national and local levels to stabilize and reduce road traffic fatalities across the world. Since then, increasing numbers of nations have implemented road safety campaigns, including new regulations and enhanced legislation. Currently, standards vary from state to state, with some operating more stringent legislation than others. This includes New York City'sVision Zero initiative, which has prioritized road safety across its streets through enhanced enforcement and compulsory safety equipment for trucks to help improve driver visibility and prevent collisions with vulnerable road users. However, traffic fatalities are still a major problem. More than 38,000 people die every year in crashes on US roadways and an additional 4.4 million people are seriously injured. What can be done? Many collisions with large vehicles occur when they are maneuvering at low speeds, such as turning in a tight space or attempting to park. Preventing deaths and injuries, as well as damage to objects and vehicles, can be reduced dramatically when a driver's indirect vision from the cab is improved. Corey Heniser, a vehicle safety expert from Brigade Electronics INC, explains: "Indirect vision can be achieved with passive and active vehicle safety systems, which are added to the vehicle to aid a driver's in-cab visibility, eliminate blind spots and, ultimately, enhance safety. "While passive systems, such as mirrors, have been a legal requirement for many years, mirrors alone will not solve the blind spot problem. In the time it takes a driver to scan four mirrors, assess and then react to hazards, a vehicle could travel as far as 32 feet, even at speeds as low as 2mph. Therefore, along with passive systems, such as mirrors and cameras, Brigade recommends a series of active safety systems, to alert drivers to something in a vehicle's blind spot." These include proximity sensor systems to detect people and objects in a driver's blind spot and alert the driver to look in their camera monitor or mirror. Additionally, audible warning systems will warn the driver of people and objects in the vicinity while external speaking alarms will alert other road users that the vehicle is maneuvering. One company which has benefited from the addition of passive and active safety systems to improve visibility is Coca-Cola European Partners (CCEP). Its transport and distribution branch, Logistic Benelux, is one of the few sites distributing to its customers. It operates more than 100 trucks, which drive daily through Belgium and Luxembourg to supply supermarkets, hypermarkets, schools, and other companies with its Coca-Cola products. Pascal Libens, Fleet Manager of Logistics Benelux Coca-Cola European Partners, said: "In total we have fitted 70 vehicles so far and plan to fit about 30 new ones this year with Brigade's safety devices. This means 100% of our fleet will be equipped with the Backeye360 [Brigade's 360-degree camera system], but also with ultrasonic obstacle detection and a speaking alarm. Ultrasonic detection ensures that the driver is alerted to cyclists, pedestrians or objects next to the vehicle and the speaking alarm warns pedestrians and cyclists that the vehicle is about to turn right." "We are receiving positive feedback from various drivers, but it will be some time before we can take stock of how the system works. Drivers will have to adapt to a totally new view, and it always takes time to get used to new ways of driving. However, I am convinced that once you drive with the system, you won't want to drive without it." Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1252318/Brigade_Electronics_Road_Safety.jpg Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard poses in his shop November 21, 1993 in California. Jean-Marc Giboux/Contributor/Getty Images A photo of a Patagonia tag that says "vote the a--holes out" has been widely shared on Twitter. Patagonia confirmed to Business Insider that the tags are real, and said they can be found on the brand's 2020 Road To Regenerative Organic Stand-Up Shorts. Patagonia's founder, Yvon Chouinard, has used the phrase over the last several years to refer to politicians who deny climate change because they take oil money, the company said. Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. Patagonia has added a blunt message to the tag on its newest line of shorts: "Vote the a--holes out." The tags are a call to vote against politicians who deny climate change, according to Patagonia spokesperson Tessa Byars. "They were added to our 2020 Men's and Women's Road to Regenerative Organic Stand-Up Shorts because we have been standing up to climate deniers for almost as long as we've been making those shorts," Byars said. Business Insider inquired about the message after a photo of the tag was shared widely on Twitter. The message is something the founder of Patagonia, Yvon Chouinard, has been saying for several years, according to Byars. "It refers to politicians from any party who deny or disregard the climate crisis and ignore science, not because they aren't aware of it, but because their pockets are lined with money from oil and gas interests," Byars said. Patagonia is known for practicing what it preaches when it comes to environmental impact and labor rights. In April as retailers were getting hammered by pandemic-induced shutdowns, Chouinard sent a message through his nonprofit, 1% For The Planet, urging business owners to continue giving a percentage of their profits to environmental causes. Chouinard founded 1% For The Planet in 2002 to encourage business owners to donate 1% of their sales to environmental causes. As an addendum to the letter, Chouinard wrote, "P.S. Remember, vote the assholes out all of those politicians who don't believe we should do anything about climate change. Vote for the planet and against those who would do nothing. We have the power and now is the time to use it." Story continues Patagonia also made headlines in March for being quick to shut down its retail stores as well as its online website during the pandemic, while still paying store and warehouse workers during that period. Patagonia's CEO, Rose Marcario, has been politically outspoken, as well. In 2017, she vowed to fight against Trump's order to shrink national landmarks, which put 25 protected lands in danger of losing their status. Read the original article on Business Insider New Delhi, Sep 15 : The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) on Tuesday approved the 121.7 km Haryana Orbital Rail Corridor Project from Palwal to Sonipat via Sohna-Manesar-Kharkhauda, to be completed at an estimated cost of Rs 5,607 crore. The approval for the project was given at the CCEA meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. According to railway ministry officials, this rail line will start from Palwal and end at existing Harsana Kalan station (on Delhi-Ambala section). Officials said that this railway line will also give connectivity en route to existing Patli station (on Delhi-Rewari line), Sultanpur station (On Garhi Harsaru-Farukhnagar Line) and Asaudha station (On Delhi-Rohtak Line). The railway ministry in a statement said that the project will be implemented by Haryana Rail Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (HRIDC), a joint venture company set up by Ministry of Railways with government of Haryana. The project will have joint participation of Ministry of Railways, Haryana government and private stakeholders. The railway ministry said the estimated completion cost of the project is Rs 5,617 crore and it is likely to be completed in five years. Citing the benefits of the project, the railway ministry said that the districts of Palwal, Nuh, Gurugram, Jhajjar and Sonipat in Haryana will be benefitted through this rail line. "This line will facilitate diversion of traffic not meant for Delhi thus decongesting NCR and will help in developing multimodal logistics hubs in Haryana state sub-region of NCR and will provide high-speed seamless connectivity of this region to Dedicated Freight Corridor network resulting in reduction of cost and time of transportation for EXIM traffic from NCR to ports of India, making exports of goods more competitive," the ministry said. It further said that the new corridor along with other initiatives will provide enabling infrastructure to attract multinational industries to set up manufacturing units under the 'Make in India' mission. The project will connect unserved areas of the state of Haryana, thereby boosting economic and social activities in Haryana. This multipurpose transport project will also facilitate affordable and faster commuter travel, long distance travel in different directions from Gurugram and the industrial regions of Manesar, Sohna, Farrukhnagar, Kharkhauda and Sonipat. The railways said that approximately 20,000 passengers each day will be travelling through this line and 50 million tonnes of goods traffic would also be carried every year. ANTALYA, TURKEY - DECEMBER 18: Peugeot and Fiat's car keys are seen in Antalya, Turkey on December 18, 2019. (Photo by Mustafa Ciftci/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images) Peugeot maker PSA and Fiat Chrysler (FCA) have restructured the terms of their planned merger to conserve cash, and also stepped up the promised levels of cost cutting during the pandemic. The two companies, which are set to merge into Stellantis, the world's fourth-largest carmaker, said in a joint statement late on Monday that FCA would cut to 2.9 billion euros ($3.4 billion) the cash portion of a 5.5 billion euro special dividend its shareholders will receive under the terms of the accord they signed last year. France's PSA, whose brand portfolio also includes Citroen and Opel, will in turn postpone the planned spinoff of its 46% stake in parts maker Faurecia until after the merger's closing and extend it to all shareholders of the new group. Faurecia's market capitalisation is around 5.9 billion euros. "Amendments preserve the balance of original combination agreement," the two groups said, adding that ownership of Stellantis would still be split 50/50 between current PSA and FCA shareholders. A source said on Monday that the aim of those changes was to reinforce the balance sheet structure of both companies after the COVID-19 crisis and ensure that the merger plan is concluded as soon as possible. Analysts had argued that such a large cash payout to FCA shareholders, led by controlling investor EXOR, the holding company of Italy's Agnelli family, could weaken the new carmaker's finances, as the auto industry is paying a high price for the coronavirus outbreak. Confirming last week that the deal was on track, FCA Chief Executive Mike Manley said both he and PSA CEO Carlos Tavares were aware of the need for the two firms to get to the merger with the strongest balance sheets possible as well as for shareholders to get what they expected. FCA and PSA said annual estimated synergies from their merger were now seen at more than 5 billion euros, compared with an initial estimate of over 3.7 billion. The two carmakers confirmed that they expect to complete the tie-up process by the end of the first quarter of 2021. Both earlier this year scrapped dividend payments on 2019 results, each worth 1.1 billion euros. Your browser does not support the video tag. Gas on the Romanian market have become cheaper as a result of the increase in domestic production, so that exports to Hungary have resumed, said on Tuesday the Minister of Economy, Energy and Business Environment, Virgil Popescu . "On July 1, the gas market has been deregulated and we changed the centralized market obligation with a gas release program, where we linked the price of gas in Romania to the price of the Vienna regional stock exchange, Baumgarten. As we expected, the gas supply in Romania is higher than the demand and, obviously, we have a reduction in gas price, reaching below the price of the Vienna Stock Exchange, thus Romania also exports gas," Popescu told private TV broadcaster Digi 24. He explained that Romgaz's production increased by 10%, after the strengthening of the management team who decided to open some wells. "The price in winter 2020 will be lower than in 2019, that's for sure," the minister added. Romania resumed gas exports on Saturday on the Arad-Csanadpalota route, after a two-year break. Thus, on September 12, exports increased from zero to 4.749 million kWh, according to ENTSO-G (European network of gas carriers) charts. The next day, September 13, exports continued with 5.086 million kWh / day, and on Monday, September 14, exports were 5.085 million kWh. The last time gas was exported from Romania to Hungary was in August 2018. CashKaro co-founders Rohan and Swati Bhargava CashKaro co-founders Rohan and Swati Bhargava (Image Credits: CashKaro) CashKaro, one of the leading cashback and coupon sites in India, will expand its range of services for e-commerce after raising $10 million in Series B funding, the New Delhi-based startup announced today. The round was led by Korea Investment Partners, with participation from returning investor Kalaari Capital. TechCrunch last covered CashKaro five years ago when it raised a $3.8 million Series A. The latest round brings the companys total funding so far to $15 million. Over the past five years, the company has introduced new products, including a price comparison service, and EarnKaro, a social commerce cashback app that launched about 18 months ago. Part of the Series B will be used to expand EarnKaro, which has about one million registered users. It allows social commerce sellers, or people who use social media platforms and messaging apps like WhatsApp to sell items, make extra cash by creating affiliate links to major e-commerce sites like Amazon and Flipkart. The launch of EarnKaro also allowed CashKaro to reach into smaller cities and rural areas, where shoppers often prefer to order from people whose recommendations they trust (i.e. "micro-influencers") instead of e-commerce sites. Founded in 2013 by husband-and-wife team Swati and Rohan Bhargava, CashKaro currently claims about five million users and has partnerships with more than 1,500 e-commerce sites, including some of the biggest players in India, like Amazon, Flipkart, Myntra and Ajio. The company monetizes by charging brands a commission for transactions made through CashKaro links. The commissions are also how CashKaro is able to give cash back to shoppers, which can be deposited into their bank accounts or redeemed as gift vouchers for Flipkart and Amazon. CashKaros founders say it currently processes more than one million monthly transactions. CashKaro competes for the attention of online shoppers with a bevy of other coupon and cashback services in India. Some of its rivals include CouponDunia, GrabOn and GoPaisa. Story continues "We are the only VC-funded cashback site in India. While capital itself is not the differentiator, it is what we have been able to do with that capital which sets us apart," Bhargava told TechCrunch, adding that CashKaro's cashback rates are among the highest in the market. "Given that we now drive close to a half a billion dollars in GMV through CashKaro and EarnKaro to our partner sites, we are able to get higher commission rates from partner sites, which in turn helps us pass the most benefit to our members." While COVID-19 has affected e-commerce businesses around the world because of sudden changes in consumer habits, the situation in India was particularly complicated in April and May because there were containment zones throughout the country, and in some zones, deliveries of non-essential items were not allowed until May. "COVID-19 caught us by surprise and Indian e-commerce was neither prepared to handle the surge in demand, nor did we expect so many supply side and delivery issues," said Bhargava. "Given CashKaro works with all e-commerce sites, we saw these trends as well." Since June, however, sales have started to recover and is seeing growth as people continue to stay home and shop online. "Our business is growing month on month and, in fact, the pandemic spurred our expansion into new digital categories, like education, gaming and online video streaming, which have seen exponential growth," Bhargava added. Sales of electronics, home and kitchen items, personal care and beauty have also increased over the past few months. At the same time, the economic impact of the pandemic has prompted more people to seek cashback offers and other money-saving deals. "We are seeing that saving consciousness has gone up amongst online shoppers and people are finding services like CashKaro and EarnKaro more useful than ever before," Bhargava said. "On the client side, our partners, such as Amazon, Myntra and Ajio, are also working with us more closely because they are seeing that our performance marketing model is the perfect way to scale while keeping profitability in mind amidst these tough times." The new round of capital will be used for CashKaros goal of doubling its registered member base over the next 12 months from the current 5 million. Bhargava told TechCrunch that it will expand cashback offers into categories like credit cards and education, and launch new marketing campaigns focused around events like upcoming festivals and the Indian Premier League season, which starts this weekend. The company is also "chasing aggressive growth for EarnKaro and reaching out to more influencers, resellers, housewives and students who are our primary target market for this product," she added. Finally, part of the Series B will be used for hiring, including leadership positions. For Korea Investment Partners, one of the largest South Korean venture capital firms, CashKaro represents a chance to tap into Indias fast-growing e-commerce market. In a statement, managing partner Hudson Kyung-sik Ho said, "We believe this is a highly scalable opportunity and both Swati and Rohan have set it on a truly exciting growth trajectory. CashKaro and EarnKaro together have shown exceptional unit metrics and we are really excited to be a part of Indias affiliate story." By Richard J. Helldobler Gov. Phil Murphys recent budget address marks the beginning of an unprecedented budget cycle in New Jersey. Given the ongoing pandemic, appeals for relief will understandably come from every sector. The historic economic hardship caused by COVID-19 has affected businesses large and small, non-profits, local governments and families alike, as well as K-12 school districts and public higher education. The governor made clear that it will likely take years to dig New Jersey out of the economic hole created by the pandemic. I have no doubt thats true, so, among these competing demands, I am not simply calling for more funding specifically for public higher education. Rather, I am advocating for more fundamental change in the form of increased funding and the taxes necessary to pay for it to address New Jerseys tremendous wealth gap. The states white families have the highest median net worth in the nation, at $271,402, while the figure for our Black and Latino families is just $7,020 and $5,900, respectively, according to the New Jersey Institute for Social Justice. The disproportionate suffering endured by low-income and minority populations during the pandemic is only the latest example of the harmful consequences of this dramatic gap. Here at William Paterson University, our students come overwhelmingly from these communities. Many struggle to afford college and to feed themselves and their families. They struggle as a result of a lack of healthcare because they are undocumented and afraid to seek support and because they need academic and social support systems to succeed. Despite these adversities, these students work hard toward one of our nations greatest income equalizers: the baccalaureate degree. But as the wealth gap grows, that degree grows further out of reach. We should be proud of Governor Murphys pandemic response. His budget balances tough choices with bold investments in the future, including baby bonds for next years newborns. But this public health crisis has highlighted the fact that New Jerseyans do not all have access to the same basic opportunities. Baby bonds are a wonderful plan for the 18-year-olds of 2039, but we also need more sweeping change now, for todays students and their families. Why? Because even as New Jerseys population continues to Brown, these communities are not seeing increased earning potential, access to services or property ownership. Current policy and funding, coupled with this demographic shift, will create greater problems down the road. If we do not increase the earning potential of growing communities of color, our tax base will erode. This leaves three options: Tax those in the upper-income brackets at a higher rate, borrow or cut. Holding or cutting taxes typically results in a reduction of services. Here again, communities of color suffer disproportionately. The more affluent are better able to purchase services, send their children to private schools or fund quality public schools, and secure healthcare. But these advantages are not accruing to communities of color, and the lessons of this pandemic should be at the forefront of our minds in this next budget cycle. Wealth-gap disparities are part of a national trend but New Jersey can lead the way in ending them if we ensure a more just tax system in which we ask those who, by a combination of hard work and good fortune, are among the states highest earners to pay their fair share. Lets be clear. If we say no to new taxes, even on the wealthy, we are sustaining a system that created our states wealth gap in the first place and our communities of color will continue to suffer. Is this the New Jersey we want? Is this a more fair and just New Jersey? The status quo whether through unconscious bias or more pernicious racism is ultimately a means of keeping wealth predominately out of the hands of our communities of color. We can and must do better. I know this message is hard for some to read. It was hard for me to write. But there comes a time when we must all stand up not for the status quo, but for what is right. Now is that time. Richard J. Helldobler, Ph.D., is the eighth president of William Paterson University, one of New Jerseys largest public universities. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Heres how to submit an op-ed or Letter to the Editor. Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion. Follow us on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and on Facebook at NJ.com Opinion. Get the latest news updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. The mayor of Rochester, New York has fired Police Chief LaRon Singletary and suspended two city officials over the handling of the asphyxiation death of Daniel Prude in police custody. Video footage, released by Prudes family, showed officers using a mesh hood and pinning the 41-year-old Black man to the pavement during the March arrest. The footage has raised questions of a possible cover-up and turned Rochester into a flashpoint in a summer of protests over racial injustice and policing protests first sparked in the United States by George Floyds May 25 death in Minneapolis police custody. We have a pervasive problem in the Rochester Police Department, one that views everything through the eyes of the badge and not the citizens that we serve, Mayor Lovely Warren said during a news conference on Monday. It shows that Mr Prudes death was not taken as seriously as it should have been. Warren also announced that she had suspended City Corporation Counsel Tim Curtin and Communications Director Justin Roj without pay for 30 days. Singletary resigned last Tuesday along with his command staff, saying there had been a mischaracterisation and politicisation of his actions following the death of Prude in police custody. It was unclear when the resignations would take effect. Seven police officers involved in the arrest were suspended on September 3 shortly after protests erupted following the release of the video of Prudes arrest. The medical examiner ruled his death a homicide by asphyxiation, with the drug PCP a contributing factor. He was having a psychotic episode when he was arrested. PUNE: A 17-year-old boy was killed in a road accident in Pimpri-Chinchwad on Tuesday, a day after a 24-year-old woman was crushed by a dumper on Pune-Solapur road in Pune. The teenager was identified as Karan Sandeep Nakhate, a resident of Lande Vasti in Tathawade, where the accident happened at 9:30am, according to the police. We got the information from the hospital and the mishap victims brother after he was admitted to the hospital. The hospital informed us through a Member of Legislative Council (MLC) that he had succumbed before he was brought to the hospital, said an official at Wakad police station. The teenager was a victim of a hit-and-run by a car, according to the information given to the police by Karans brother. A case was registered at Wakad police station under relevant sections. The woman killed in the accident on Pune-Solapur road at 1:30pm on Monday was identified as Neerja Sanjay Janrao (24) of Wagholi area. She was riding pillion on a Bullet with a friend identified as Shubham Khemkar (24) who has also sustained a fractured arm, according to the police. They were headed towards Golibar Maidan area when a dumper came speeding from their right side and made a sudden left turn. They did not get the opportunity to react, said assistant inspector Vishwajeet Jagtap of Wanowrie police station who is investigating the case. Dish TV India gives a boost to Make in India initiative Dish TV India Plans to shift 50% of its production to India by the Q1 of 2021 Dish TV India announced the manufacturing of its set-top boxes in India. Demonstrating its commitment to the governments Make in India vision, Dish TV India has shifted the production of its set-top boxes to India, adopting a vocal for local strategy. The first consignment of made in India set-top boxes is ready and being shipped to the market. The company offers DTH services across the country and operates Dish TV, D2H, and Zing brands in this segment, besides its rapidly growing OTT service brand Watcho. Dish TV India plans to shift almost 50% of its production to India by the Q1 of 2021 while simultaneously benefitting its business and customers. The process will further intensify in the coming months, as the company is planning to also start the manufacturing of the major components of the Set-Top Box and its accessories in India, further boosting its commitment to vocal for local. Dish TV India plans to make the STB cabinet in India soon, has already started procuring the power adaptor from Indian manufacturers, and is in the advanced stage of talks with remote control manufacturers to produce the remote controls also in India. Elaborating Dish TV Indias Make in India plan, Mr. Jawahar Goel, Chairman & Managing Director, Dish TV India Ltd, said, We are thrilled to join the Government of Indias Make in India initiative and localize the manufacturing of set-top boxes and other key accessories in India only. This announcement reiterates our pioneering position within the DTH industry as we aim to further expand our business operations and develop products that match the intrinsic needs of our customers. With the vision of Make in India, we reiterate our commitment to producing quality products and are confident that we can achieve several industry firsts. We thank the Government of India for all their support and favorable policies. By shifting the production to India, the company looks at scaling manufacturing in the country and ways to enable industry revival. This will further assist them to streamline the supply chain, operations, and management. Sharing the optimism, Mr. Anil Dua, Executive Director & Group CEO, Dish TV India added, Making our own STBs and accessories in India could not have come at a better time. Customer needs are evolving rapidly. As we refresh our STB range with a new set of connected devices and hybrid options, working with local design, development and production are definitely going to be a competitive edge for our business. Innovation is at the heart of the Dish TV operations; the company is credited with many firsts in the industry. Launched the first DTH service in the country, Live TV for moving vehicle- DishOnwheels, High-Definition services, Unlimited recording facility in STB, Live TV in luxury trains, Online TV for DTH viewers- DishOnline, Sub-brand for the regional markets- Zing, Home Video System- DishFlix to name a few. More recently, Dish TV India is also the first to launch a voice-enabled (Alexa powered) Smart and Magic range of technologically advanced products and the first DTH company to launch its own OTT platform, Watcho. At least 72 servers based in India are allegedly sending data of Indian users to China, and at the centre of this are cloud data servers of Chinese technology group, Alibaba, top intelligence sources told News18 earlier today. According to the officials, Alibabas cloud data servers are widely popular among businesses because they offer services at a far cheaper rate than European servers. However, they are seemingly responsible for data stealing from India, and have been allegedly found to be sending over data to their home nation, China. According to sources in the agency, almost 72 data servers operated by Alibaba in India have been identified as sending data of Indian users to China. This is allegedly a systematic plan that has been organised by Chinese authorities, and works by flaunting the value proposition to businesses. Intelligence sources further said that these data servers seemingly offer free trial usage periods to organisations in a bid to trap them in. Once they are in the system, the data servers ensure that all sensitive and ancillary forms of data is relayed over to remote servers located in China. On this note, intelligence officials said that a massive probe is expected to begin on Chinas intended cyber espionage, soon. On Monday, September 15, an Indian Express investigation brought to light Chinas cyber tactics as part of its hybrid warfare against India. On this note, sources in intelligence agencies have said that Indias ban on over 200 apps with ties to China is a justified act. Private surveillance agencies with ties to the China government are seemingly engaged in surveilling and analysing India and its narratives, and in turn, attempt to gain an upper hand through passive cyber warfare tactics in light of the heightened geopolitical tensions between the two nations at the moment. With a probe expected soon on the matter, it remains to be seen whether structural changes to handling of data in India are imposed to negate the innocuously packaged cyber threat being posed by China at the moment. Kolkata: A special court of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in Kolkata on Tuesday (September 15, 2020) convicted two more accused persons in the Burdwan blast case of 2014 and sentenced them to seven years of imprisonment. Mustafizzur Rehman (aka Saqib and Tuhin) who was arrested on December 26 in 2018 and Kadar Kazi (aka Kador) who was arrested on January 28, 2019, were also fined Rs. 5,000. While Rehman is convicted under the Sections 120B, 125, of the IPC and Sections 18, 18A, 18B, 19 and 20 of the UA (P) Act, Kazi was found guilty under Sections 120B and 125 of the IPC and Sections 18 and 20 of the UA (P) Act. The case pertains to a powerful bomb (IED) blast that took place on the first floor of a house in the busy Khagragarh locality of Burdwan district of West Bengal on October 2, 2014. The IED had gone off accidentally at the time of its fabrication by the members of the banned terrorist organization - Jamat-ul-Mujahideen of Bangladesh (JMB). The members of JMB had taken that house on rent for the nefarious activity of bomb-making. Two accused persons succumbed to their injuries caused in the bomb-blast and one accused survived with grievous injuries. Live TV The case was initially registered by the West Bengal Police and was subsequently taken over by the NIA for investigation. The investigation by NIA revealed a conspiracy by JMB to radicalize, recruit and provide training in arms and explosives to its members in India to commit terrorist acts and wage war against the democratically established Governments of India and Bangladesh. A large number of IEDs, explosives, hand grenades and training videos were reportedly recovered during the investigation. A total of 33 accused were charge-sheeted in the case, of whom 31 were arrested. 28 accused have already been convicted and sentenced for various terms by the NIA Court. "The trial against remaining one arrested and two absconding charge-sheeted accused will continue," said the NIA. It has been more than 10 years in the making, but scientists are preparing to implant a 'bionic eye' in a human subject. Researchers at Monash University have developed wireless implants that sit on the surface of the brain, which are said to restore vision to the blind. Called Gennaris bionic vision system, it includes a custom headgear fitted with a camera and wireless transmitter, a vision processor unit and software and a set of 9x9 millimeter tiles that are implanted into the brain. Studies of the device, used in sheep, were found to be successful and did not produce any adverse health effects. The team is currently seeking funding to ramp up manufacturing and distribution of the implant, which they say could soon be used to cure other ailments including paralysis. The Australian scientists are just one of many working towards connecting the brain to a computer, as Elon Musk has also been designing a chip that he demonstrated in pigs recently. Scroll down for video Called Gennaris bionic vision system, it includes a custom headgear fitted with a camera and wireless transmitter, a vision processor unit and software and a set of 9x9 millimeter tiles that are implanted into the brain Monash University began designing its 'Gennaris bionic vision system' more than a decade ago, which is a 'world's first' brain implant aimed at restoring site and it is being prepared for human trials. The Gennaris bionic vision system is capable of bypassing damaged optic nerves, which are blocking signals being sent from the retina to the 'vision center' of the brain. The design includes a custom headgear fitted with a camera and wireless transmitter, a vision processor unit and software, and a set of 9x9 millimeter tiles that are implanted into the brain. The attached camera captures the user's surrounding scene and sends it to the vision processor where the technology extracts data from the transmission. The team is preparing for human trials that implant the chips into the brain. The attached camera captures the user's surrounding scene and sends it to the vision processor where the technology extracts data from the transmission This then flows to the complex circuitry in each of the implants and is converted into a pattern of electrical pulses that stimulates the brain using microelectrodes. Professor Lowery, also from the University's Department of Electrical and Computer Systems Engineering, said: 'Cortical vision prostheses aim to restore visual perception to those who have lost vision by delivering electrical stimulation to the visual cortex the region of the brain that receives, integrates and processes visual information.' This then flows to the complex circuitry in each of the implants and is converted into a pattern of electrical pulses that stimulates the brain using microelectrodes 'Our design creates a visual pattern from combinations of up to 172 spots of light (phosphenes) which provides information for the individual to navigate indoor and outdoor environments, and recognize the presence of people and objects around them.' The team received $1 million in funding last year and is raising another round that is due to occur later this year. 'If successful, the MVG team will look to create a new commercial enterprise focused on providing vision to people with untreatable blindness and movement to the arms of people paralyzed by quadriplegia, transforming their health care,' Dr Lewis said. With the bionic vision system moving into commercial stages, the team is hopefully it could evolve to cure other aliments other than blindness. Dr. Yan Wong from the Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute said: 'The commercialization of the bionic vision technology also ties in nicely to our plans for exploring further applications beyond vision and spinal cord injury, such as the moderation of epilepsy and depression, brain-controlled prosthetics, and the restoration of other vital senses. The Australian scientists are just one of many working towards connecting the brain to a computer, as Elon Musk has also been designing a chip that he demonstrated in pigs recently 'It aligns with our capabilities in neurobionics at Monash University, and having an engaged industry partner to work alongside will be of enormous value.' In preclinical studies, the team implanted 10 devices in sheep using a purpose-built insertion system. Stimulation was delivered through the seven active devices for up to nine months and more than 2,700 hours of stimulation was performed without any observable adverse health effects. SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk has been working tirelessly on a similar device through his brain chip startup Neuralink, which he demonstrated in August. SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk has been working tirelessly on a similar device through his brain chip startup Neuralink, which he demonstrated in August The three little pig's demo, as he called it, showed an animal named Gertrude with the brain implant. While she snuffed around in a pen, viewers saw her brain activity on a large screen. When plans to develop the brain-computer interface were first revealed, the firm positioned it as a way to enable people with quadriplegia to control technologies, like a computer or smartphone, with their mind. However, as many of Musk's ventures evolve the system developed into much more. He touched on the idea of 'conceptual telepathy,' which allows two individuals to communicate through thoughts with the help of technology. The decision to suspend a sitting of the Irish Parliament has been defended. Ceann Comhairle (speaker) Sean O Fearghail told TDs on Tuesday evening that he had received very serious information around the Cabinet restricting their movements, before announcing the Dail would be adjourned. However, TDs returned to their seats at 8pm to resume business. Expand Close Dail Eireann was recalled on Tuesday evening. (OireachtasTV/PA) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Dail Eireann was recalled on Tuesday evening. (OireachtasTV/PA) The Ceann Comhairle told TDs that earlier having received an extremely urgent communication from government, in accordance with that communication he took the decision to adjourn. We are now at a position on a request from the Taoiseach to proceed so we are proceeding, he said. But he faced demands for further explanation from a number of TDs. Labour TD Alan Kelly described the ruling to adjourn as very strange, and requested that the Ceann Comhairle outlined his ruling in writing. I rang the Taoiseach to question what was happening and to say I didnt understand why the Dail was adjourned, and subsequently he rang me back to say he agreed and he had asked for the Dail to be reconvened, he said. Our party are demanding a full explanation how this place was adjourned and how our business has been so badly disrupted Padraig MacLochlainn Sinn Fein TD Padraig Mac Lochlainn slammed it as an incredible shambles, adding he was informed by social media that the Dail was to be adjourned. This is absolutely outrageous whats happened this evening, so I totally support the proposal from deputy Kelly, our party are demanding a full explanation how this place was adjourned and how our business has been so badly disrupted. The Ceann Comhairle responded, explaining he had been approached by a very senior member of the team who had received a message from government to the effect that there were problems with the availability of ministers to transact business. I have no difficulty with how I acted, I dont think anyone else would have acted any differently. Ceann Comhairle The advice that we were receiving from government was that the House should adjourn and that it would be recalled in due course by the Taoiseach, he told TDs. Now, thats quite simple and straight forward, and the Taoiseach has now clarified the matter and recalled the House. I have no difficulty with how I acted, I dont think anyone else would have acted any differently. How we came to be asked to take that action at that particular time is another story I hope my explanation is crystal clear to everyone. HALIFAXHundreds of commercial fishermen protested at two wharves in southwestern Nova Scotia on Tuesday, over what they say is an illegal fishery in St. Marys Bay, continuing a long-standing dispute over fishing rights in the area. A communal First Nations lobster fishery in the region is being used illegally for commercial purposes, the fishermen allege. Federal regulations say no sales are allowed in a fishery outside the commercial fishing season. The Mikmaq First Nations have denied the allegation, stating their right to fish for a moderate livelihood has been confirmed by a 1999 Supreme Court of Canada ruling. But Bernie Berry of the Yarmouth-based Coldwater Lobster Association says the commercial lobster season in the region is officially closed and the First Nations fishery in St. Marys Bay is out of control. We want to make the Department of Fisheries and Oceans enforce the regulations that are on the books, Berry said in an interview Tuesday. The federal government, he said, has been ignoring this type of stuff for years. Berry said the protests in Saulnierville and Weymouth were largely peaceful. At one point, however, there was a heated exchange between the protesters and a group of people who showed up at the Weymouth wharf, he said. Earlier in the day, he said the fishermen blocked access to the wharf in Saulnierville by setting up a wall of lobster pots. Tuesdays protest was one of several similar demonstrations by commercial fishermen over the past few years. In August, fishermen staged a protest outside the Bridgewater, N.S., constituency office of Fisheries and Oceans Minister Bernadette Jordan. At some point the government has to listen, Berry said. Unfortunately it seems like we are forced to have these protests and rallies to highlight what DFO and some of the other government departments are not doing. Colin Sproul, with the Bay of Fundy Inshore Fishermens Association, said the issue is about the sustainability of lobster stocks, adding that commercial fishermen are not against the rights of Indigenous people to fish. We can all equitably share this resource but it needs to be done with sustainability first and foremost and not politics, Sproul said in an interview Tuesday. Protests will continue, he said, if the fishermens concerns arent addressed. Mark Comley, DFOs area director for southwest Nova Scotia, said the department has been working closely with all parties to ensure safe access to the fishery and to decrease tensions in the area. The department is also monitoring fishing activities, he said. There is an increased conservation and protection presence in areas where this alleged unauthorized activity is taking place, he said in an interview Tuesday. Gear is being inspected and seized when appropriate and at this time there are investigations ongoing. Cheryl Maloney, consultation director for the Sipeknekatik First Nation, said the courts and Canadian laws recognize the right of the Mikmaq to fish and to trade. Commercial fishermen have been using the same sustainability argument since the Supreme Court ruling 21 years ago, she said in an interview Tuesday. The Mikmaq fishery is legal, Maloney said. ... and in regards to sustainability and conservation the lobster catches in Nova Scotia and the (lobster) populations are at an all-time high. They (fisheries) have been flourishing. Maloney said fishermen from Sipeknekatik plan to fish on Thursday to mark the anniversary of the 1999 Supreme Court decision. Read more about: Swedish payments firm Klarna has become Europes highest-valued fintech firm Buy now, pay later firm Klarna has become Europes highest-valued fintech firm, at 8billion. The payments outfit has raised 500million in a funding round, led by big-name investors such as Singapores sovereign wealth fund GIC and Blackrock, and overtaken digital bank Revolut as Europes most valuable fintech outfit. The Swedish company lets shoppers on 200,000 online sites such as Asos and H&M, buy up-front and pay in instalments. Cash-strapped millennials enjoy the freedom it allows them though personal finance experts have warned the firm could be tempting young people into dangerous levels of debt. Klarna has over 12m users, and revenues rose more than a third to 356million in the first six months of 2020. INDIANAPOLlS - In a novel study the authors hope will contribute to improved patient care, Richard L. Roudebush Veterans Affairs Medical Center and Regenstrief Institute researchers examine how Black patients with mental health concerns evaluate verbal and non-verbal communication during treatment. Drawing upon information gathered in interviews with 85 Black patients that revealed significant fear of being negatively judged based on stereotypes, the authors evaluate how perceptions of racial bias influence patient engagement with their providers. The researchers also provide suggestions on how to create environments for Black and other patients in racial and ethnic minority groups that foster delivery of person-centered care as well as outlining organizational structures that reduce providers' burnout. "This study is one of the first to explore the actual perceptions of Black patients with mental health concerns and provides a new lens to help identify and address biases," said Johanne Eliacin, PhD, a research scientist with Regenstrief Institute and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, who led the research. "Nuanced verbal and non-verbal cues - for example, a patient's perception that a physician is subtly talking down to him or her because of the patient's race or social class -- can generate patient negativity resulting in damaging consequences. "There is a long history of hurt, distrust and perceived injustice in this country, so it's normal for minority patients to have their guard up when interacting with the healthcare system," said Dr. Eliacin. "This paper is significant because of its subject matter and especially relevant as we work to provide equitable healthcare for all." Patients' perceptions of bias in healthcare are known to be associated with suboptimal care, delays in obtaining medical care, underutilization of preventive and mental health care, less adherence to recommended therapy and poorer treatment outcomes Perceptions of bias also negatively impact the patient-provider relationship, a relationship that influences both patients' engagement in care and quality of healthcare outcomes. "Most healthcare providers are committed to providing good and equitable treatment to all patients regardless of their race or sexual-orientation but doctors, nurses and other clinicians are not immune to social and cultural influences that can lead to stereotyping and implicit racial bias -- major contributors to healthcare disparities," said Dr. Eliacin. "We aren't asking providers to walk on egg shells, we are encouraging them to engage in two-way communication in order to better understand the people they serve and, ultimately, to promote health equity." ### "Veterans' perceptions of racial bias in VA mental healthcare and their impacts on patient engagement and patient-provider communication" is published in the September 2020 print issue of Patient Education and Counseling. Authors, in addition to Dr. Eliacin, are Marianne Matthias, PhD, a research scientist with Regenstrief Institute and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; Brooke Cunningham, M.D., PhD, of University of Minnesota Twin Cities and Diana J. Burgess, PhD, of the Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Minneapolis. Support for the study was provided by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. About Regenstrief Institute Founded in 1969 in Indianapolis, the Regenstrief Institute is a local, national and global leader dedicated to a world where better information empowers people to end disease and realize true health. A key research partner to Indiana University, Regenstrief and its research scientists are responsible for a growing number of major healthcare innovations and studies. Examples range from the development of global health information technology standards that enable the use and interoperability of electronic health records to improving patient-physician communications, to creating models of care that inform practice and improve the lives of patients around the globe. Regenstrief Institute is celebrating 50 years of healthcare innovation. Sam Regenstrief, a successful entrepreneur from Connersville, Indiana, founded the institute with the goal of making healthcare more efficient and accessible for everyone. His vision continues to guide the institute's research mission. Johanne Eliacin, PhD In addition to being a research scientist at Regenstrief Institute, Johanne Eliacin, PhD, is a core investigator at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Health Services Research and Development Center for Health Information and Communication, Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center. She is also a research scientist at the Indiana Alzheimer's Disease Research Center. Marianne S. Matthias, PhD In addition to her role as a research scientist at Regenstrief, Marianne S. Matthias, PhD, is a core investigator for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Health Services Research and Development Center for Health Information and Communication, Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center. She is also an associate research professor of medicine at Indiana University School of Medicine. * Epidemiologists say excess deaths help measure COVID impact * In Russia, May-July excess deaths far exceed COVID fatalities * Critics say discrepancy shows Russia underplaying pandemic * Russia says its way of counting COVID deaths is more accurate * Russia's official mortality rate from the disease is low By Maria Tsvetkova MOSCOW, Sept 14 (Reuters) - The number of excess deaths in Russia between May and July was more than three times higher than the official coronavirus toll, recent government data show, a discrepancy some experts say raises questions about the accuracy of Moscow's counting. While Russia has confirmed the world's fourth largest tally of coronavirus cases, it has a relatively low death toll from the associated disease, COVID-19. Moscow says the way it classifies deaths is more accurate than other nations. Some Russian health officials have explained that in many cases, a patient who dies with COVID-19 does not necessarily die of it but from other causes including pre-existing health problems. Tatiana Golikova, the head of Russia's coronavirus crisis centre, told President Vladimir Putin in late July that Russia's coronavirus mortality rate was "significantly lower than in a range of other countries". But data released by the Rosstat State Statistics Service on Sept. 4 show there were 57,800 excess deaths between May and July, the peak of the outbreak. The figure was calculated by comparing fatalities over those three months in 2020 with the average number of May-July deaths between 2015 and 2019. The excess total is more than three times greater than the official May-July COVID-19 death toll of 15,955. Alexei Raksha, a demographer who worked for Rosstat until this summer, said the jump in Russian deaths illustrated the real toll from COVID-19, and that authorities had reported only some of the deaths publicly. "In fact, the fatality rate in Russia differs only a little from other countries," said Raksha. Story continues The Kremlin did not respond to a request for comment on why excess deaths outnumbered those attributed to COVID-19 and whether the government was playing down the real death toll. Russia's coronavirus crisis centre said it only reports daily confirmed deaths from coronavirus and referred Reuters to revised data from Rosstat, which showed COVID-19 may have caused several thousand more fatalities than initially reported because in some cases the cause of death had not been established. But it added: "We repeatedly found a lower fatality rate from the novel coronavirus in Russia than in the world, which was at 2.8%, including in the May-July period," it said. Excess deaths, which some epidemiologists say are the best way to measure the true toll from COVID-19 given that counting methods vary between countries, surpass official COVID-19 deaths in many countries. In Russia, they surpass the number of COVID-19 deaths by a factor of 3.6 for the months in question. Raksha and some opposition figures have criticised Putin for downplaying the pandemic. In absolute terms, the figure of nearly 60,000 excess deaths from May to July is comparable with the United Kingdom, Europe's worst-hit country. Russia's population of 145 million is, however, more than twice that of the UK. If total Russian deaths from COVID-19 were close to 60,000, it would make it the fifth largest national total globally, from 12th currently, according to Reuters data. Some medics say the coronavirus pandemic has led to an increase in deaths from other causes, because people were too scared to go to hospital with unrelated health issues or they were turned away by wards overwhelmed with COVID-19 patients. 'NOT OVER SOON' Mortality figures in some European countries returned towards normal levels in June, but excess deaths in Russia rose from June to July. In May there were 14,200 excess deaths, 12,200 in June and 31,400 in July, according to Rosstat. Figures for August have not yet been released. Economist Nikolai Kulbaka of the state-funded Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration said the coronavirus initially spread more slowly because of the low level of movement within the country. "There are regions where the coronavirus will come much later. This won't be over soon," he said. At the beginning of the crisis, Russia introduced new fines and jail terms for anyone who spread information seen as false, which state media says was a measure against fake news about the pandemic. Raksha, who worked for Russia's state statistics service, said he came under pressure from his former employer's security department after he publicly challenged the official coronavirus statistics. He said he was forced to leave his job in July. "I was threatened with a criminal case," he said. Rosstat said Raksha left his job of his own accord. Reuters was unable to independently confirm the circumstances of his departure. "Rosstat believes that ... expression of views of its employees in the press is an advantage for the organization because it allows (us) to show the potential of state statistics," it said in response to a request for comment. (Additional reporting by Tatiana Gomozova and Gleb Stolyarov; Editing by Mike Collett-White) Credit: CC0 Public Domain The primary function of kidneys is to filter blood, removing waste products that build up in a human body. If kidneys are damaged and their function fails, an excessive amount of water and waste products accumulates in the blood and the body. If waste products are not removed from the body in time (by dialysis), the waste products can become toxic to the human body, which can lead to weakness and nausea and, in extreme cases, be fatal. Recently Kai Lauri defended her doctoral thesis "Elimination of Uremic Toxins during Dialysis assessed with the Optical and Analytical Methods" at TalTech's Department of Health Technologies. The doctoral thesis focused on studies on the removal of different marker molecules with diverse characteristics and size by different dialysis modalities. The supervisor of the doctoral thesis, Professor at TalTech Department of Health Technologies Ivo Fridolin said, "The specialist term for marker molecules with different characteristics and size that are removed by dialysis treatment is uremic toxins. More than 100 such toxins have been identified. The toxins are divided into three groups: small water-soluble molecules, e.g. creatinine and urea, middle molecules with molecular weight >500 Da and protein-bound molecules. The concentration of some toxins can be determined in blood using standardized laboratory analysis, but unfortunately the concentration of many toxins cannot be determined by classical laboratory methods yet." Therefore, it is not possible to assess exactly the efficiency of renal replacement therapy or dialysis treatment, which is primarily used for the artificial elimination of toxins from a patient's blood. Some toxins, e.g. middle molecules and protein-bound molecules, cannot be removed easily from the blood during dialysis. Accumulation of these toxins in the blood can cause health problems and reduced quality of life. Therefore, the assessment of removal of toxins that cannot be determined by laboratory analysis and that are difficult to remove by standard dialysis strategies is vitally important. The doctoral thesis focused on the study of the blood and dialysate. "Dialysate is used in a dialysis filter, which filters uremic toxins, and it functions basically as urine by purifying the blood from waste products. We determined the concentrations of toxins in dialysate optically by spectrophotometric and fluorometric monitoring," Professor Fridolin said. Dialysate can be measured optically also in real-time. In this case dialysate flows through an optical measuring instrument during the entire dialysis session and the concentration of UV absorbing or fluorescent compounds in dialysate is measured in real-time. This allows assessment of removal of solutes from blood during the entire dialysis session. "It was found in the doctoral thesis that dialysis treatment eliminates easily lower molecular water-soluble molecules. However, removal of protein-bound molecules (e.g. indoxyl sulfate) is significantly slower and middle molecules can be eliminated only by using a certain type of dialysis treatment, where ultrafiltration is used in addition to diffusion," Ivo Fridolin said. Another goal of the doctoral thesis was to compare the accuracy of optical methods with standardized laboratory methods. The findings confirmed good agreement between the laboratory and optical results, ensuring the reliability of the optical measurement results. Professor Fridolin said, "We have also developed a prototype of the optical device, i.e. a multicomponent renal replacement therapy monitor, which allows real-time assessment of the concentrations of various uremic toxins in dialysate. In practice, this allows estimation of the concentration of uremic toxins removed from the blood. This information is necessary for medical doctors in order to find out how effectively the waste products can actually be removed from the blood. In order to introduce the optical sensor into daily practice, clinical studies were successfully carried out in four European renal replacement therapy centers in Belgium, Estonia, Spain and Sweden in the framework of the H2020 SME project "On-line Dialysis Sensor Phase2". Negotiations are already taking place with dialysis machine manufacturers regarding integration of the sensor into existing renal replacement devices. Explore further Advanced dialysis tech moves into WA homes Provided by Estonian Research Council Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-15 14:26:53|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close HEFEI, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Every weekday at 7:12 a.m., Si Dong, a 26-year-old resident of Ma'anshan City in east China's Anhui Province, gets on a high-speed train bound for Nanjing, capital of the neighboring Jiangsu Province. In 18 minutes, he arrives there to start the day's work. "There are many passengers like me, who commute between the two cities by high-speed rail in the morning and evening," said Si. "Both the frequent runs and the about 20-minute ride make it as convenient as the subway." Si's experience is echoed by Zhang Xiaochen, a Shanghai citizen who works as a business manager in a company based in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province. She often needs to travel among cities along the Yangtze River Delta to negotiate business deals. Last year, China unveiled an outline for the regional integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta, which is one of the country's most economically active, open and innovative regions, and produces about one-fourth of the country's GDP. Local governments have rolled out a raft of measures to enhance cooperation and communication in the region. The 358,000-square km expanse, about the size of Germany, encompasses the provinces of Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Anhui, and Shanghai Municipality. With the continuously deepening integration of the Yangtze River Delta, people there are experiencing lifestyle changes brought about by the national strategy. "I often have meetings in Shanghai in the morning and rush to Nanjing in the afternoon. It is very efficient," said Zhang, who lives only 20-plus minutes away from the Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station. Infrastructure connectivity represented by improvement in railway density makes it possible for people to live and work in different cities in the region. According to plans, in 2020, more than 10 railway projects in the Yangtze River Delta will open or start construction. The entire region's annual railway investment is planned to exceed 80 billion yuan (about 11.73 billion U.S. dollars), accounting for nearly one-sixth of the national total. Meanwhile, passengers can take the subway in 10 cities in the region, including Shanghai, Nanjing, Hangzhou, Hefei, Suzhou and Ningbo, by scanning the QR codes on their local apps. "The dense transportation network accelerates the integration of two places. With the opening of roads, the cultural exchanges will be closer, administrative exchanges smoother, and economic and trade exchanges more active," said Teng Qing, deputy director of the development and reform commission of Ma'anshan City. In addition, public services such as medical care, social security, talent support and cultural tourism are being improved in the region. Chen Ju lives in Taozhuang Township of Jiashan County, Zhejiang Province, which is close to Lili Township, Jiangsu Province. It takes Chen at least 50 minutes to drive to the hospital in Jiashan, but only 20 minutes to the one in Lili, which is a better choice for her. "Before, we had to pay for inter-provincial medical treatment in advance and then return to the local medical insurance institution with the invoice for reimbursement," said Chen. "After the integration, we can settle the medical expenses directly at the outpatient clinic in other place in the region, which saves us a lot of legwork." Data from the National Healthcare Security Administration showed that by the end of April, the direct settlement service for inter-provincial outpatient medical expenses covered 41 cities in the Yangtze River Delta, with a total settlement involving more than 1 million people and 240 million yuan. Enditem Amid proposed deal between Chinese social media giant Tiktok and American software firm Oracle, there is ambiguity whether the partnership will cover only short-video app's US operations or complete global operations. Settling all the speculations, Indian government officials have said that TikTok's agreement with Oracle won't ease ban on the app in India. The popular video-sharing app, along with 58 other apps, was banned in India on June 29 over national security and data privacy concerns. As per government officials, selecting Oracle as its "trusted tech partner" instead of an "outright sale" may not be "adequate" to assure the central government that the data of Indian users will be safe and won't be sent abroad, reported The Economic Times. The official added that Tiktok will continue to be owned by Chinese firm ByteDance. "There is no way to verify or for them to prove that data transfer is not happening to their servers in China." Apart from India, TikTok faces major operational issues in countries like the United States, where President Donald Trump has threatened to ban the app in lines of India unless an American company buys it. Trump had given an ultimatum of 90 days to the Chinese company to sell the US operations of TikTok by September 15. In view of this, TikTok has struck a deal with Oracle to prevent the short-form video app from being banned in the US. As per report, Bytedance has made Oracle its technical partner for TikTok and will not sell the complete operations to the company. ByteDance that is struggling to soothe the concerns amid anti-China sentiments in India, has assured its 2,000 employees that talks with the Indian government were on and that it had no plans to lay off staff in the country. The micro-video sharing platform had 178 million monthly active users in India with the average time of 36 minutes per day spent on the app. Also Read: Bytedance picks Oracle over Microsoft for TikTok in US: 5 key points to note Also Read: TikTok won't sell US business, will partner with Oracle Radical redesign is not something were exploring right now, said managing director John Collins. Thats not to say the Owens flexibility wont be used, or a long list of sanitation procedures, MERV-13 filters and other upgrades wont be put in place. Communication with the audience is something the Goodman is stressing now, he said, letting people know, when they do decide to return to the theater, what they can expect and what the theaters rules and policies will be. New Delhi, Sep 15 : Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar on Tuesday said that the news that Toyota Company will stop investing in India is incorrect. "The news that Toyota Company will stop investing in India is incorrect.@vikramkirloskar has clarified that Toyota will invest more than Rs 2000 crore in next 12 months," Javadekar, who also holds charge of the Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises apart from Environment, said in a tweet. Vikram Kirloskar, Vice Chairman, Toyota Kirloskar Motor, in a tweet, clarified the Toyota position. "Absolutely! We are investing 2000+ crs in electric components and technology for the domestic customer and export. We are committed to the future of India and will continue to put all effort in society, environment, skilling and technology." "We are seeing the demand increase & the market recover slowly. The future of sustainable mobility is strong here in India & Toyota is proud to be part of this journey. We are investing 2000+ crs towards the electrification of vehicles and helping build a strong India!" Kirloskar said. Automobile manufacturer Toyota Kirloskar Motor on Tuesday reaffirmed its commitment to India as being an integral part of the company's global strategy. The company's statement comes after a report by Bloomberg cited that future investments by the auto maker might stop given the high tax incidence in India. "We need to protect the jobs we have created and we will do everything possible to achieve this," the company said in a statement. "Over our two decades of operations in India, we have worked tirelessly to build a strong competitive local supplier eco-system and develop strong capable human resources. Our first step is to ensure full capacity utilisation of what we have created and this will take time." "In wake of the slowdown that has been exaggerated by the Covid-19 impact, the auto industry has been requesting the Government for support to sustain industry through a viable tax structure," the statement said. "We remain confident that the government will do everything possible to support industry and employment. We recognise the strong proactive efforts being made by the Government to support various sectors of the economy and appreciate the fact that it is open to examine this issue despite the current challenging revenue situation." -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Two AAP legislators, whose rapid antigen test report for COVID-19 had come negative, attended the proceedings of the Delhi Assemblys special session on Monday but left the House soon after their RT-PCR report confirmed the viral infection, officials said. These two legislators had undergone RT-PCR test for COVID-19 on Friday. Since their reports were awaited, they decided to undergo rapid antigen test on Monday morning and their reports came negative, an official said. It was mandatory for all legislators to carry their COVID-19 test report to attend the House proceedings. Their RT-PCR test report arrived in the evening. It showed COVID-19 positive, after which they left the House," the official said. The official said 180 people underwent COVID-19 test at the facility set up in the assembly premises on Monday. Of them, nine, including an MLA, a journalist and some employees of the assembly secretariat, tested positive. This MLA went home without attending the House proceedings. Taking to Twitter, R K Puram MLA Parmila Toka said she has tested positive for coronavirus before the assembly session and added that she was completely fine. She requested those who came in contact with her in recent days to get themselves tested. Four other MLAs had tested positive or COVID-19 previously, officials said. Various safety measures were put in place for the one-day session, including setting up of a coronavirus testing facility at the assembly for the staff and legislators. On Monday, the national capital recorded 3,229 COVID-19 cases, taking the tally to over 2.21 lakh, while the death toll mounted to 4,770. Twenty-six fatalities were recorded in the last 24 hours. A group of researchers from Europe, the U.S. and Japan are proposing a "tech alliance" of democratic countries in response to the Chinese government's use of technology standards and its tech sector as instruments of state power abroad, according to a version of the proposal viewed by Axios. Why it matters: Technological rivalry may dominate the 21st century world. But so far, democratic nations have not yet acted in concert to shape standards and secure their infrastructure in the face of a strong authoritarian challenge. What's happening: Analysts from the Center for a New American Security, the Mercator Institute for China Studies in Germany, and the Asia Pacific Initiative in Japan have come up with a blueprint to establish digital privacy guidelines, secure supply chains and conduct joint research development. The proposal, called "Common Code: An Alliance Framework for Democratic Technology Policy" to be published next month, recommends that founding members of the new tech alliance include Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Netherlands, United Kingdom and the U.S., as well as the European Union. It includes 14 specific recommendations, intended to serve as a "shovel-ready" how-to guide for setting up the new body. What they're saying: "The status quo of uncoordinated and reactive technology policymaking for the major democratic technology powers in Asia, Europe and North America means growing risk of ceding their technological leadership," the authors write. "Having Chinas government dictate the terms of the global economy is in no ones interest but Beijings. It would erode the economic and national security of most countries." Driving the news: In August, President Trump cited national security concerns when he issued executive orders banning transactions with popular Chinese apps TikTok and WeChat, to take effect 45 days later. But numerous experts have argued that ad hoc measures such as bans don't address the larger structural issues arising from rapid technological innovation, such as the need for a data privacy law to protect Americans from many different kinds of intrusive or abusive uses of their data. The problem, according to the report: China's industrial policy, such as massive subsidies and preferential loans for Chinese tech companies combined with extensive economic espionage, has created an unfair advantage for Chinese national champions in global markets. This, combined with China's growing emphasis on mass data collection and surveillance, threatens not just the health of tech industries in democratic nations but also privacy and national security. But the lack of a coordinated response from democratic countries has left policymakers with few immediate options. The result: The U.S. response so far has been to "prop up an inefficient industry" through "focusing on sanctions and tariffs," Martijn Rasser of the Center for a New American Security, the lead author of the report, told Axios. The solution: To lay the groundwork for "proactive and innovative solutions so that you can proactively outcompete, rather than focusing so much energy on blocking and putting down your competitors," said Rasser. The specifics: The report hashes out specific details that a new international body would entail, such as membership, structure and decision-making processes. It also includes several major goals, including securing and diversifying supply chains, protecting critical technologies, preserving research integrity, proactively shaping standards in ways that align with democratic values, and beefing up tech investment. What to watch: In May, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson urged the U.S. and other countries to join Britain in a "Democracy 10" summit aimed at shutting out Huawei. But for this or any other proposal to be effective, it will need input and buy-in from the tech industries it aims to govern. Managing Director of State Transport Company (STC), Nana Akomea has dismissed suggestions by members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) that President Akufo-Addo has underperformed as leader. To him, labelling the current President as a "poor leader" is "speculative" and based on mere assumptions. Nana Akomea was reacting to assertions by a leading member of the opposition party, Felix Kwakye Ofosu on Asempa FMs Ekosii sen show. The former NPP Director of Communications, who described the NDC's claims as factually incorrect, pointed out that the tag of a poor leader best suits former President John Dramani Mahama instead. To say that President Akufo-Addo is a poor leader is speculation. But let me show you who is a poor leader which is not a speculation. Going by the results of the 2016 elections, former President John Mahama's government from 2012 to 2016 of which Felix Kwakye Ofosu was part of it, is the poorest government in the history of Ghana in the fourth republic, simply by the results of the election, he argued. He stressed that by losing the 2016 election by 10 percentage points, a feat unprecedented in the annals of the country's political history, makes Mr Mahama the most ineffective leader under the fourth republic. This is not speculation, what I am about to say is based on facts relating to the 2016 election. Which President in the fourth republic has lost an election by 10 percentage points, by 1 million votes? Which President in the Fourth Republic? Former President Rawlings contested again in 1996, Former President Kufuor contested again 2004 and what were their results? When former President Mahama was going to contest again, what were his results? He was rejected by 1 million votes and if you look at it in percentage terms, he lost by 10 percent. Which President under the fourth republic has lost by that margin? So, we are talking about a poor leader based on facts and not speculation, then it is former President John Dramani Mahama and that is my short answer to that question that Akufo-Addo is a poor leader and this one, I am basing it on the results of the 2016 elections, he stated. He, however, threw down the gauntlet to the oppsition NDC to refute his claims with contrary facts. If you can, come and dispute it, he dared. Source: Daniel Adu Darko/Peacefmonline.com/[email protected] Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video In the land of carnitas, pollos asados and fajitas, vegan restaurateurs are finding an impressive foothold. One of the newest eateries to join the growing lineup of plant-based options in San Antonio is a takeout and delivery operation dubbed Tidy Bens Sloppy Joes. Launched by Ben Cardenas in August, Tidy Bens specializes in vegan sloppy Joe sliders made from plant-based crumbles prepared in four flavors mounted on sweet and squishy Hawaiian-style buns ($8 for three sliders). I recently noshed my way through the menu, which also includes options for piling all that sloppy goodness on top of tater tots ($4) or Fritos ($5). The award helps to inspire art across the world through light microscopy imaging WALTHAM, Mass., Sept. 15, 2020. Winners will be selected by a jury panel and announced in March 2021. Contest Details Prizes include an Olympus SZX7 stereo microscope with a DP27 digital camera for the global winner and an Olympus CX23 upright microscope for the regional winners in Asia, Europe and the Americas. The jury consists of global representatives from both science and the arts, including Wendy Salmon, a light microscopy specialist at Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research at MIT; Geoff Williams, the manager of the Leduc BioImaging Facility at Brown University; Harini Sreenivasappa, the microscopy facility manager of the Cell Imaging Center at Drexel University; Safa Shehab, a professor at United Arab Emirates University; Sian Culley, a postdoctoral research associate at the MRC Laboratory for Molecular Cell Biology at UCL; Stefan Terjung, the operational manager of the Advanced Light Microscopy Facility at EMBL Heidelberg; Xiang Yu, a professor in the School of Life Sciences at Peking University and investigator of the Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences and the McGovern Institute for Brain Research; Graham Wright, the chief technology officer at A*STAR's Research Support Centre; and Ikuko Koyama-Honda, the project lecturer of the Graduate School and Faculty of Medicine, the University of Tokyo. All entries will be evaluated based on artistic and visual aspects, scientific impact and microscope proficiency. About the Image of the Year (IOTY) Award Olympus' IOTY Award began in 2017 as the Image of the Year European Life Science Light Microscopy Award with the aim to celebrate both the artistic and scientific value of microscopy images. Today, the competition stays true to this mission by encouraging people across the world to look at scientific images in a new way, appreciate their beauty and share images with others. More information about the Global Image of the Year Life Science Light Microscopy Award, including jury members' biographies, last year's winning images and the full terms and conditions, can be found at Olympus-LifeScience.com/IOTY . For more information about Olympus Life Science, please visit Olympus-LifeScience.com . About Olympus Olympus is passionate about the solutions it creates for the medical, life sciences, and industrial equipment industries, as well as cameras and audio products. For more than 100 years, Olympus has focused on making people's lives healthier, safer and more fulfilling by helping detect, prevent, and treat disease, furthering scientific research, ensuring public safety, and capturing images of the world. Olympus has manufactured microscopes since the company's founding in 1919. Today, our Life Sciences business is dedicated to meeting and exceeding the evolving needs and expectations of life science professionals through a comprehensive range of clinical research, educational, and high-end research microscopes and microscope systems. For more information, visit Olympus-LifeScience.com. Olympus and the Olympus logo are trademarks of Olympus Corporation or its subsidiaries. The governor of South Dakota has asked outside investigators to look into how the state's Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg struck and killed a man with his car before reporting that he'd hit a deer. Gov Kristi Noem announced the outside probe on Tuesday after relatives of the victim, 55-year-old Jason Boever, called the fatal crash 'fishy' and expressed concern that authorities could bungle the investigation to protect Ravnsborg. The attorney general was driving from a Republican fundraiser in Redfield to his home some 110 miles away in Pierre on Saturday night when he hit something in the dark that he said he presumed to be an animal. In a statement on Monday night Ravnsborg said he immediately called 911 and searched the area by flashlight along with Hyde County Sheriff Mike Volek, who responded to the scene, but they didn't find anything. It wasn't until the next morning that Boever's body was discovered in a ditch when Ravnsborg returned to the crash site with his chief of staff. Boever's cousins, Nick and Victor Nemec, have now said they are worried that investigators might not make a complete effort to find out the truth about what happened to him. The Nemecs criticized authorities for being tight-lipped about their progress and for taking so long to identify Boever, even though he had been reported missing by Victor 10 hours before his body was found. 'It just seems fishy,' Nick told South Dakota News Watch. 'It just seems like they're looking for an excuse to make it less than it was.' South Dakota Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg (left) mowed down 55-year-old Jason Boever (right) with his car near Highmore on Saturday night and called 911 to report that he'd hit a deer. On Monday, Boever's family criticized authorities for being tight-lipped about their investigation and expressed fear that they may try to protect Ravnsborg Tire tracks are seen on the side of US Highway 14 near the area where Ranvsborg struck Boever as he drove home from a Republican fundraiser on Saturday night. Ravnsborg said he and the Hyde County sheriff both searched the area with flashlights immediately after the crash but neither of them spotted Boever in the ditch until the following day Victor had contacted the Hyde County Sheriff's Office on Sunday morning and said that Boever was missing and may have been involved in the Highmore collision. He notified officers that Boever's truck was in a ditch near the accident scene after he crashed it into a hay bale on Saturday morning. Boever's cousin Nick Nemec (pictured) said: 'It seems like [investigators are] looking for an excuse to make it less than it was' Despite his report, Victor said authorities still haven't approached him for an interview. 'I believe they're more interested in getting their story straight before they actually ask me questions,' Victor told SDNW. 'I told them that I was probably one of the last people to see my cousin alive. I could make any kind of statement that they needed. And they really didn't acknowledge that.' 'It took them 10 hours from the time my brother essentially solved the unidentified body for them at 10 o'clock in the morning saying: "We're missing our cousin, Joe, and we can't find him. And that's his pickup in the ditch,"' Nick, a former Democratic state legislator, told the outlet. The Nemecs aired their concerns shortly before Ravnsborg released his own statement, revealing that he was the one who discovered Boever's body. He said that he and the Hyde County sheriff had both searched the area around the vehicle with flashlights immediately after the accident but neither of them spotted Boever lying in a ditch. Ravnsborg, who was alone in his 2011 Ford Taurus, insisted that he had not been drinking before he got behind the wheel and said he is 'cooperating fully with the investigation' the South Dakota Highway Patrol and the North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation. The South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, which would normally be involved, is part of the attorney general's office. It is standard practice to request an outside agency to conduct an investigation when there may be a conflict of interest. Gov Noem on Tuesday said that a crash reconstruction expert from Wyoming would also be assisting with the case. 'We want to have a completed investigation that has integrity, that has been fair,' Noem said when asked when details and documents on the investigation would be released. She has not addressed whether Ravnsborg should be asked to take a leave of absence during the investigation. Boever's family have expressed suspicion that authorities could be working to cover up details of the incident to protect Ravnsborg. Boever is pictured second from right with relatives Boever's damaged pickup truck is seen in the middle of a field after he had crashed into a hay bale hours before he was struck and killed by Ravnsborg Ravnsborg said he had not spoken out prior to Monday night because the investigation is ongoing, but that he decided to make a statement to dispel the 'many rumors and stories being told and reported which do not represent a full and factual account of what happened'. He said he started the drive home from the Spink County Lincoln Day Dinner at the Rooster's Bar & Grill in Redfield at about 9.15pm on Saturday and hit 'something I believed to be a large animal (likely a deer)' soon after he passed Boever's hometown of Highmore. 'I didn't see what I hit and stopped my vehicle immediately to investigate,' he wrote, adding that he pulled out the flashlight on his cell phone and all he could see were pieces of his car strewn across the roadway. After he called 911, Sheriff Volek arrived at the scene to assess the damage to Ravnsborg's car and search for what he had hit. 'At no time did either of us suspect that I had been involved in an accident with a person,' Ravnsborg wrote. Because Ravnsborg's car was too damaged to drive and a tow truck would take over an hour to arrive, Volek offered to let the attorney general take his personal car back to Pierre. The following morning Ravnsborg and his chief of staff made the trip back to Highmore to return Volek's vehicle. The pair stopped at the crash site on their way and discovered a man's body in the grass near the roadway. 'My chief of staff and I checked and it was apparent that Mr. Boever was deceased,' Ravnsborg wrote. 'I immediately drove to Sheriff Volek's home to report the discovery and he accompanied me back to the scene. 'Once there, the sheriff instructed me that he would handle the investigation, and asked me to return to Pierre.' The South Dakota Highway Patrol was notified about the fatality Sunday morning and an investigation was opened. On Sunday night, Gov Noem and Department of Public Safety Secretary Craig Price announced that Ravnsborg was involved in the crash at a news conference. Authorities have not confirmed the details included in Ravnsborg's statement. Ravnsborg said at 'not time' did he or Hyde County Sheriff Mike Volek 'suspect that I had been in an accident with a person' in a statement he released Monday night Traffic is seen on US Highway 14 as authorities launched an investigation into the fatal crash A medical examiner in Minnesota performed an autopsy on Boever but the results have not yet been released. The Highway Patrol has remained tight-lipped - refusing to say if speed or alcohol were a factor in the crash, when Ravnsborg reported the crash or if charges are pending against him. Ravnsborg has agreed to a search of both of his cell phones, provided a blood draw and provided witnesses to law enforcement who can confirm he was not drinking at the event before the crash. His Chief of Staff Tim Bormann said the attorney general is known to have an occasional drink, but has made it a practice not to drink at the Lincoln Day events like the one on Saturday night. State Sen Brock Greenfield, who also attended the dinner, said of Ravnsborg: 'I didn't see him with anything but a Coke.' Ravnsborg, who was elected to the post of attorney general in 2018, has received six traffic tickets for speeding in South Dakota over the last six years. He also received tickets for a seat belt violation and for driving a vehicle without a proper exhaust and muffler system. Read Jason Ravnsborg's full statement below: Mayank Singh By Express News Service NEW DELHI: The PLAs actions in eastern Ladakh will affect the entire India-China border including eastern sector forcing New Delhi to maintain troops all along the LAC in the coming days, feel former army commanders. The unilateral movement by the Chinese has created an atmosphere of suspicion and this will affect the entire LAC, asserts Lt Gen DS Hooda (retd). The deployment pattern will change not just in eastern Ladakh but will be seen all across the LAC for a minimum of two years. ALSO READ: Spy agencies not surprised by Chinas snooping The PLA will position its soldiers closer to the LAC, he says, adding the Chinese earlier kept troops much deeper inside their territory and moved them on vehicles due to better infrastructure. There is now a shift in PLA deployment which was initially observed in the 2017 Doklam standoff. The Chinese had constructed permanent defences post Dokalam. The 73-day Doklam standoff had seen the Chinese trying to unilaterally change the status quo by constructing a road into Bhutanese claimed area. New Delhi had sent its troops to bail out Thimpu. Major General DK Mehta (retd), who commanded an army division in Sikkim, feels the Chinese have initiated another problem even while things remain tensed in Ladakh. This, he says, is in conjunction with their Logistics Base in Yatung Area. ALSO READ: India-China joint statement tone is conciliatory, a welcome sign - Experts on LAC standoff Even while the LAC tension was prevailing, China in June had claimed 3,300 sq km of Bhutanese territory saying it was disputed territory. The Chinese have claimed Bhutanese area in its east which is not connected to any border with Bhutan. The aim is to generate pressure around Tawang, which China claims to be part of South Tibet, says Maj Gen Mehta. After opening a free grocery store earlier this year, country music star Brad Paisley and his wife are expanding their efforts to fight hunger in America. Paisley and his wife, actress Kimberly Williams-Paisley, have pledged to donate 1 million nutritional meals this month. The initiative is billed as the Million Meal Donation Tour, which kicked off last week in Detroit. The tour will run for two weeks, visiting food banks in 16 major cities, including Los Angeles, New York, Houston, Atlanta, Miami and Nashville, Tennessee. It will end Monday in Chicago. Were just rallying to feed people, Paisley said in a recent interview. The couple and their food brand, Tiller & Hatch, are working with Feeding America on the initiative. They are hoping to serve individuals and families who are experiencing food insecurities and financial hardship. Some of the distributed meals will include artisanal pastas, hearty stews and flavorful soups. The meals will be packed in semi-trucks with about 750,000 pounds of food to feed more than 60,000 families. Williams-Paisley said they are grateful to be servants to the community during the coronavirus pandemic. So many of us feel helpless during this time, she said. It just feels like theres one disaster after another. One challenging situation after another. But its been really wonderful for both of us to have this outlet that was coming into fruition. We cant solve all the problems. But to tackle this issue, its been really empowering. The couples new initiative comes after they opened their free grocery store, called The Store, in May in Nashville, Tennessee, to help needy families. The idea for their store originated after the couple volunteered their kids service at a similar store in Santa Barbara, California. Since their stores opening, the couple has heard countless stories about people who never thought theyd need food assistance but now are seeking it. More than 54 million people have experienced food insecurity in 2020, including 18 million children, Paisley said. Now its a matter of whats happening and trying to figure out how to not let people fall through the cracks, Paisley said. Its been a lot of people who have been poor for a long time. But then, there are others who were financially sound six months ago, but now have fallen on hard times. We are seeing this firsthand. We are trying to meet their needs. As kid growing up Canby, Oregon, Alain Bernik used to love catching rats to keep as pets. Now 53 and living in San Antonio, he still wrangles rodents as a pest control operator who prefers to contain them with nonlethal methods such as repellents and even birth control. I dont think I would want to own a rat anymore, but those animals have feelings too, said Bernik, a Pestmaster Services franchisee. They feel pain, and its horrible to see any animal suffer. Thats one of the reasons why we push that contraceptive process. Another reason: a poisoned rat could well poison the next animal that eats it. I think its just the bigger picture, Bernik said. On ExpressNews.com: S.A.s Common Critters: Nothing big or bad about the wolf spider no matter how scary it looks Most folks cringe at the very sight of rat, which in and around San Antonio likely means a chubby brown Norway rat or a slim and shady roof rat. Yet even folks such as Bernik who make a living eliminating rats cant help but admire the furry little critters. Its an odd relationship that people have with rats, said Lynn Cuny, founder and president of Wildlife Rescue & Rehabilitation, which operates in Kendalia. People do love them when theyre under control, but people also fear them and find them repugnant. One the one hand, rats are uninvited pests that creep into our attics, our walls and our nightmares. Yet rats also are also some of the most adaptable and intelligent creatures on the planet. They both defy and serve humanity, whether as pets, occasional test subjects or even figures of worship. Heres a little more about those rats that elicit such conflicted feelings. The difference is black and brown ... The Norway rat (Rattus norvegicus) and roof rat (Rattus rattus) often are mistaken for one another, but there are some notable differences. Based on their appearance, Norway rats also are known as brown rats, while roof rats also are known as black rats. Norway rats have fuller figures and tails shorter than their bodies, while roof rats tend to skew slender with tails longer than their bodies. ... and up and down. As for where these rats make themselves at home, Norways tend to live and nest on the ground, while roof rats live up to their name as arboreal rodents that race across rooftops and nest in trees, attics and other up-high areas. Asian ancestors. Roof rats likely originated in Southeast Asia, then stowed away on ships to spread across Egypt, Europe and much of the rest of the world. Both roof rats and Norway rats inhabit all continents, though you wont find a Norway in Antarctica. Despite their name, Norway rats are native to central Asia and China. The misnomer likely comes from John Berkenhout, an 18th century English naturalist who gave the rat the binomial name Rattus norvegicus because he thought they migrated from Norwegian ships. Nocturnal omnivores that like their grains. Both Norways and roof rats are omnivores that are most active at night. Cuny noted they primarily eat grains, though the little buggers will munch just about any food they can find. That includes seeds dropped from bird feeders, pet food left outside or whatever lurks in your pantry should they make it that far into your home. On ExpressNews.com: Fun facts about raccoons, the masked bandits that steal hearts as well as garbage around San Antonio They gnaw because they have to. Like most rodents, Norways and roof rats chew on just about anything because their front incisors are constantly growing. Smart and tough. Like most rats, Norways and roof rats are two of the most adaptable creatures on the planet, certainly around your neighborhood. How else do you think these urban dwellers keep Bernik and the rest of the pest control industry on their toes? Rats as a species are highly intelligent, Cuny said. They are survivors because they have been seen by our species through the ages as ugly, dangerous, scary. And any species who has as much humans prey on (them) constantly trying to get rid of (them), theyre going to have to be tough. Short lives with lots of relatives. The average Norway or roof rat lives only around one year. But boy do they fill those short lives with large families. Norways and roof rats average around four to six young per litter, Cuny said, and can have more than one litter a year. Rats can reproduce in as little as eight weeks from birth, so what they lack in lifespan they more than make up for in numbers. Doe, a rat, a female rat. Rat babies may sound like a bad heavy metal act, but rat pups sounds even weirder. And yet baby rats are indeed referred to as pups. Even odder: Male rats are called bucks, and female rats are called does. Oh, and a group of rats is called a mischief. On ExpressNews.com: S.A.s Common Critters: Opossums are misunderstood sweeties that only look like ferocious killers Black rats didnt cause the Black Death. The last thing anyone wants to think about during a pandemic is a historic plague. Nevertheless, roof rats get a bum rap for the bubonic plague that killed at least 25 million people in Europe during the mid-14th century. For years, it was believed that roof rats fleas actually spread the disease, according to Britannica.com. Now the encyclopedia site says scientists think it was gerbils. But rat bites are still serious. Rats wont bite unless cornered, and chances are you wont find rabies in Norways or roof rats. But rats do carry pathogens that can result in other diseases, such as the rare but still dangerous rat-bite fever. Symptoms of rat-bite fever include fever, vomiting, headache and muscle pain; they usually occur three to 10 days after being bitten or scratched by an infected rat. As with all animal bites or scratches, clean the wound and seek immediate medical help. Rat-bite fever can be treated with antibiotics. Keep them out. Your best defense against any rat is closing off any entry points to your home. Rats can squeeze through holes smaller than a quarter. If their head can get through then they can get through, Cuny said. Pestmaster recommends sealing off any openings around your roof or other exterior parts of your home with metal flashing or wire meshing. Avoid spray foam, wood or plastic; rats just chew right through it. Also, close your trash bins and dont leave out any food that could draw rats to your doorstep. And if you have a bird feeder, pick up stray seeds below it. On ExpressNews.com: S.A.s Common Critters: Squirrels. Dogs and bird lovers hate them, others love their antics Keep them from reproducing, too. When it comes to rodent contraception, Pestmaster uses ContraPest, a milky liquid so enticing to rats and so effective, Bernik said even a touch on their lips will render them unable to reproduce for 90 days. They love it to death, Bernik said without the slightest hint of irony. Famous friendly rats of fiction. Rats arent always the bad guys, at least not in pop culture. A few rat characters even proved to be great teachers in movies, comic books and other media. Such instructive rats include the budding chef Remy from the animated film Ratatouille, the martial arts master Splinter from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise, and the strict but nice elementary school teacher Nigel Ratburn from the cartoon TV series, Arthur. Real revered rats of Karni Mata Temple. Speaking of beloved rats, best watch your step at this Hindu temple in India. The unusual tourist attraction is home to some 25,000 roof rats, which roam the temple as revered holy rats. The temple is dedicated to Karni Mata, believed to be an incarnation of the Hindu war goddess Durga. According to legend, Karni Mata begged the god of death Yama to revive her drowned stepson Laxman. At first Yama refused, but later he was so moved by Karni Matas sorrow that he reincarnated Laxman and all of Karni Matas male children as rats. Today, Karni Mata Temple draws devotees and curiosity seekers from around the world. Visitors are free to feed the rats and hopefully spot a white rat, believed to represent Karni Mata and her sons. Oh, and James Cagney never said, You dirty rat! The great James Cagney played his share of movie tough guys, but none of them ever uttered the famous phrase, You dirty rat! The line often gets misquoted from the 1932 film Taxi! where a gun-toting Cagney says, Come out and take it, you dirty, yellow-bellied rat, or I'll give it to you through the door! Rene Guzman is a features reporter in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. He writes about pop culture and what makes San Antonio so uniquely puro San Antonio. To read more from Rene, become a subscriber. rguzman@express-news.net | Twitter: @reneguz When more students earn college degrees and certificates, particularly those from underserved communities, it has a lasting impact on their families and the economy. - Chaffey College Superintendent/President Henry Shannon. The U.S. Department of Education has awarded Chaffey College a $3.2 million grant to boost the regions college-going rate, support high school dual enrollment and promote workplace essential skills. The Title V grant, received this month, was only awarded to 75 colleges across the country that are designated as Hispanic Serving Institutions or colleges with a student population that is 25 percent or more Latino. This grant will be a game-changer for current and future Chaffey College students, as well as our surrounding community, said Chaffey College Superintendent/President Henry Shannon. When more students earn college degrees and certificates, particularly those from underserved communities, it has a lasting impact on their families and the economy. It is the fourth time Chaffey has received a Title V grant. The college has used funding to establish the Guiding Panthers to Success support centers as well as the tutoring program Supplemental Instruction, among other initiatives. Laura Hope, associate superintendent of instruction and institutional effectiveness, said the new grant will help Chaffey support Latinos, as well as other students, in various ways including: Better access Chaffey College plans to work with the high schools within its district to improve the college-going rate through technology support and improvements. The Inland Empire regions rate of high school graduates going to college sits about 10 percent lower than the state average and schools in Chaffeys district have a range of 15 to around 65 percent of students enrolling in college right after graduating. Chaffey will also support adults starting college courses after being in the workforce for years. Dual enrollment support The number of high school students in Chaffeys dual enrollment program has grown 700 percent in the last two years. We intend to maximize that even further because we know that getting students into the college pipeline as soon as possible is how we can break the cycle of poverty, Hope said. General education reform and digital badging for skills Chaffey College has adopted The World of Work, a program that teaches teamwork, critical thinking, leadership and other skills deemed important by employers. Students earn digital badges by completing these courses, which are recognized by employers in a similar way to degrees and certificates. With the grant, Chaffey will expand this program to general education courses where students can earn the badges for class activities that illustrate and recognize essential workplace skills. Hope said the grant squarely connects to Chaffeys vision of improving lives through education. This grant gives us the resources to help students who need us most, Hope said It allows us to activate programming and infrastructure to support students who need us now and those who will need us in the future. This is particularly crucial in light of a merciless economy that favors people with a college education. As Hurricane Sally heads for the coast of the Gulf of Mexico this week, Lake Charles, Louisiana, is still reeling from the damage Hurricane Laura wrought in August. Laura, a Category 4 storm, devastated large swaths of Lake Charles, killing at least 28 people and bringing severe flooding to the city of 80,000. At its peak, the storm knocked out power for around 615,000 customers in Louisiana. Gov. John Bel Edwards said the hurricane was the most powerful the state has ever seen, worse than Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Image: Hurricane Laura aftermath Lake Charles, Louisiana (Drone Base / Reuters file) Laura brought 150 mph winds and a storm surge up to 15 feet; 580,000 people were forced to evacuate. It hit southwest Louisiana, where Lake Charles sits inCalcasieu Parish, the hardest, and 44,000 customers remain without power almost three weeks after the storm made landfall. For the residents whose homes were destroyed, it is unclear when or whether they will be able to return home. And those who fled east to New Orleans faced an impossible choice over the weekend: go back to Lake Charles to flee New Orleans as Sally approached or ride out the storm. "My god, my heart just goes out to them," Lake Charles Mayor Nic Hunter, a Republican, said of residents forced to once again escape a hurricane. Although Sally's path shifted in the ensuing days, it now appears on track to largely spare New Orleans, and the struggle of those residents whose homes were destroyed remains acute. The city is indefinitely under a boil-water advisory as its water and wastewater plants remain without power, Calcasieu Parish schools are closed and are not offering remote learning, Cameron Parish is under curfew, and residents who wish to return without their homes secured have been told that they must be "self-sufficient" which means they must be able to live without electricity, and tosecure the gas needed for generators if they own them, as well as have sufficient supplies of bottled water. Eight people perished from heat-related illnesses when the city was plagued by a heat wave in Laura's aftermath; nine more died from carbon monoxide poisoning from a generator, NBC affiliate KPLC of Lake Charles reported. Story continues Around the city, along with power lines that are dangling, traffic lights are not working, many streetlights are without power, and a burn ban is in place, KPLC reported. Traffic jams are hampering recovery efforts. Hunter called the storm "a tragedy and catastrophe the likes of which we have not seen in a lifetime." Entergy, the power company in the area, announced Monday that the "majority" of storm-affected southwest Louisiana customers will have power restored by Sept. 23. The company said it expects "to restore power to the remaining customers who can safely receive it by Sept. 30." But others cannot safely get their power back: A spokesperson for the company said in an email that there is "currently an unknown number of homes and businesses that have major damage, precluding them from receiving power until they are repaired or rebuilt." Hunter said: "When I saw the devastation, I thought it would be months before we had electricity. Our utility has been able to do some amazing things ... but the job is not complete." Hunter said one of the many things his office is focused on is a long-term housing plan for residents whose homes were destroyed. "A lot of people are without a home right now," the mayor said. "We are getting to a moment in time where FEMA is going to have to come out with a housing plan. I am not going to throw stones at any agency until I have to I want us to be a team, and I believe we are that right now but we are quickly approaching a moment where FEMA is going to have to come up with a concise and well-executed plan." The housing plan will be the Federal Emergency Management Agency's "test" for the city, Hunter said. FEMA did not immediately return a request for comment about the timeline of its plan. In the housing recovery plan, Hunter would like his city's residents to have choice and not be forced into a one-size-fits-all plan. Image: Hurricane Laura aftermath Lake Charles, Louisiana (Dave Creaney / Anadolu Agency via Getty Images file) "When people are able to, I want them to be able to come home," he said. "We need something that is sustainable and that families can have some pride in." Schools are another challenge. The Calcasieu Parish School Board closed all sites and facilities after Laura. Its website said 97 percent of the schools suffered "substantial damage." And as residents in the region remain without power, remote learning is neither easy nor an answer. All of this, of course, is happening during a pandemic. "You can only ask so much of human beings," Hunter said of the twin challenges his city's residents are facing. The mayor said the storm's damage has necessarily taken priority. Calcasieu Parish has recorded more than 7,600 cases and 200 deaths from the coronavirus. Hunter said he was grateful when President Donald Trump visited in late August and believes his congressional delegation and the governor are fighting for the city "tooth and nail." "We cannot have Americans and we cannot have Washington, D.C. forget about us," he said. According to KB Kookmin Bank, the median price of apartments in Seoul surged from W606.3 million in May of 2017, when President Moon Jae-in took office, to W922 million last month (US$1=W1,89). Attitudes have also changed. The gauge of success has shifted from how people do their job to the amount of real estate they own. Asked which boss they respect more, a mediocre one who owns real estate or an able one who does not, 57 percent picked the former. Only 18.8 percent picked the latter. "After finding out that a vice president who I respected didn't even own his own apartment, I started to feel sorry for him," a 35-year-old office worker said. The government has come up with 23 sets of regulations so far to tame soaring apartment prices, which have only added to the stress of office workers. Asked if the government's real-estate measures affect work, 40.2 percent said they are distracted as they try to figure out the impact of the latest regulations. Home owners react more sensitively to the regulations, with 54.3 percent of apartment owners saying the regulations distract them, compared to 26.6 percent of those who do not. One 37-year-old housewife who lives in northern Seoul said, "I couldn't concentrate on my work after the new regulations were announced because I had to worry about how to deal with the tenant in my rental home." In Walking on the Water, author Aimy Ellen presents a moving testimony of Gods healing power PHOENIX, Sept. 14, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- After her son, Alex, was discovered on the side of the road in critical condition, Aimy Ellen was advised by physicians to prepare for the worst. The victim of an armed robbery, he had been violently assaulted and left with life-threatening injuries including a punctured lung, fractured ribs and a cranial bullet wound just above his left ear. Refusing to accept the grim diagnosis, Ellen placed her faith in God and prayed fervently for Alexs full recovery. In Walking on the Water, Ellen provides a harrowing account of her sons astonishing recovery from the near-fatal assault. Having spent 12 years praying for a child, she often compared herself to Abrahams wife, Sarah, and trusted that God would spare her son as he did Isaac in the Bible so long as she obeyed his word. Rather than losing hope or accepting defeat when doctors relayed discouraging news, Ellen turned to the Lord and placed trust in his plan. Despite Alex's low chances for surviving and returning to a normal life, he overcame every obstacle and made a full recovery, even regaining hearing in his left ear which had been irreparably damaged when the bullet entered his skull. An extraordinary account of a sons survival and a mothers unwavering love, Walking on the Water also offers plenty of spiritual encouragement to readers facing their own trials and tribulations. God gave me strength and peace during the most difficult situation of my life, said Ellen. He is a loving and merciful God and is ready to help us if we can trust him and are willing to accept his will for our lives. Walking on the Water By Aimy Ellen ISBN: 9781546269113 (softcover); 9781546269106 (hardcover); 9781546269090 (electronic) Available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and AuthorHouse About the author Aimy Ellen is a retired math teacher. She is a lifelong believer in Jesus Christ and has been a member of an evangelical church for almost 40 years. She lives in Honduras with her son, Alex. Story continues AuthorHouse, an Author Solutions, Inc. self-publishing imprint, is a leading provider of book publishing, marketing, and bookselling services for authors around the globe and offers the industrys only suite of Hollywood book-to-film services. Committed to providing the highest level of customer service, AuthorHouse assigns each author personal publishing and marketing consultants who provide guidance throughout the process. Headquartered in Bloomington, Indiana, AuthorHouse celebrates over 23 years of service to authors. For more information or to publish a book visit authorhouse.com or call 1-888-519-5121. Attachment CONTACT: Leslie Standridge LAVIDGE 4809982600 lstandridge@lavidge.com Australian shoppers can save more than $40 by buying eight Aldi cleaning products instead of similar items from rival supermarkets. In an advertisement in the latest store catalogue, the German-owned retail giant compared the prices of its own-brand laundry, kitchen and bathroom cleaners to names like Vanish, Pine Cleen and Omo. Eight items cost $27.52 at Aldi while similar products cost $67.70 in other stores, amounting to impressive savings of $40.18 - or 59 percent - every time you shop. The comparison was based on prices available at 10 outlets from two major supermarket chains in New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia on August 26, 2020, according to the fine print. Scroll down for video In an advertisement in its latest store catalogue (pictured), the German-owned supermarket compared the prices of its own-brand cleaners to names like Vanish, Pine Cleen and Omo Among Aldi's bargain buys were the Force bathroom cleaner, disinfectant spray and mould killer as well as three Di San laundry products, which have gained cult status over the past year thanks to rave reviews on social media. Rival brands featured include Vanish Oxi Action laundry powder, Exit Mould killer, Omo detergent and Canesten laundry rinse. A discussions about Aldi's own-brand items has been taking place in a Facebook cleaning group since Monday morning, when a woman asked members for their opinions on the price comparison. Aldi Australia's top 10 winners of the People's Picks Awards 2020 The Life of the Party: Emporium Selection Brie or Camembert Cheese 200g - $4.49 The BBQ Boss: The Fishmonger Fresh Salmon Fillet 4pk - $11.99 The Couch Companion: Monarc Utopia Mini Variety Pack 12pk - $4.99 The MVP: Beautifully Butterfully Salted Butter 250g - $2.79 The Time Lord: Bakers Life Mini Wholegrain Wraps 8pk - $1.89 The Health Guru: Forresters Natural Almonds 750g - $9.99 The Daily Glow: Essential Health Paw Paw Ointment 25g - $2.79 The Early Bird: Bakers Life Croissants - $2.19 The Cleaning Whizz: Di San Oxy Action PreWash Stain Remover 500ml - $1.29 The Lunchbox Legend: Blackstone Vegetable Straws 110g - $2.29 Aldi's top 10 products for 2020, including a $4.49 'heavenly' cheese (pictured bottom row centre) and the $1.29 cleaning product that always sells out (bottom right) Advertisement 'How legitimate are these Aldi product swaps?' she wrote. 'I'm willing to try them for that saving, but wondering if they work equally well?' Almost 300 comments reveal an online community in unanimous favour of the German supermarket's discount range. One woman replied: 'Their dishwashing tablets are really good! And you can cut them in half for even more savings. They work just as well [as branded tablets].' A second said she only uses Aldi cleaning products while a third said: 'Not only do they work as well, in my opinion they are better.' A college has come under fire from angered parents after it issued warnings to students for wearing skirts that were too short- even though they were the largest size available. Parents slammed Cowes Enterprise College on the Isle of Wight after it penalised pupils falling foul of the school's uniform policy. The parents of at least two students said they were sent text messages from the school about their child's skirt being short but argued there was no option to choose a different length skirt that fit the correct waist size. One mother, whose daughter is in Year 10, said that the price of the kilt-style skirts, which range between 34.95 and 40.95, has also caused a problem and the only alternative were 'regulation trousers'. One parent took fire at Cowes Enterprise College on the Isle of Wight after her child was issued with a warning for wearing a skirt that was 'too short' despite wearing the largest size available The parent explained that her daughter was tall and they had purchased the largest size available The parent said: 'I like the uniforms, they look smart, but the price and absolute necessity the school places on young children and parents is beyond shameful. 'I was sent a text about my daughter's skirt being too short. We have no spare money and bought her uniform on my overdraft. 'I'm disgusted that during a pandemic, at a time when everyone is skint and emotions are high, uniform is still such a high priority and worth penalising people over. 'My daughter has the largest size skirt, worn correctly. She is tall and wide, the skirt is not. 'Last year we tried trousers and she was placed in isolation because they were too tight. They aren't allowed elasticated waists either, it has to be button and zip.' Another parent said her daughter had the opposite problem, as she was of slim build and any longer skirts would 'swamp her'. She went on to describe how her daughter was given a detention due to her kilt being too short. The mother explained: 'She came home after the first day back with a detention due to her kilt being too short. The parent received a message from the school telling them their child's kilt skirt was 'too short' The college said it was not imposing sanctions but giving parents time to address any issues with their child's uniform 'They only come in one length size, and I don't think it looks too short, it's just above her knee. It's not fair that just because she's tall she gets in trouble for it. 'If I got the bigger waist size it would swamp her as she's very slim, but around 5ft 8ins tall.' Cowes Enterprise College is a mixed secondary school and sixth form for children aged 11 to 19 with academy status. A spokesperson for the academy said the college was not imposing sanctions but giving parents time to address any issues. They said: 'We have not imposed any sanctions on students who do not have the right uniform, instead providing support to parents and giving them time to address any issues. 'We have also provided financial support where parents can demonstrate they are in need. 'It is only where students have been flouting the rules, such as rolling up skirts to make them shorter, where we have given detentions. 'It is not correct that the right lengths and sizes of skirt are not being sold. Girls are also allowed to wear trousers if they prefer.' BEAVERTON, Ore., Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Tektronix, Inc. today announced the availability of the new 6 Series B Mixed Signal Oscilloscope (MSO) which extends the performance threshold of the Tektronix Mainstream Oscilloscopes Portfolio to 10 GHz and 50 GS/sec. Developed to meet the demand for high-speed data movement and processing in embedded designs, the enhanced 6 Series B MSO offers leading signal fidelity with 12-bit ADCs and extremely low noise, 10 GHz bandwidth and up to 8 FlexChannel inputs, enabling users to confidently analyze and debug today's embedded systems while enjoying exceptional ease of use. Alongside the 6 Series B MSO, Tektronix is also introducing the new TDP7710 TriMode Probe, which extends the line of TriMode probes to match the advancements of the new oscilloscope. Tektronix announces the release of its new Series B Mixed Signal Oscilloscope. "At Tektronix, we are dedicated to providing high-performing test and measurement equipment that meets the growing industry need for a precise balance of speed and accuracy," says Chris Witt, vice president and general manager at Tektronix. "Embedded designs are growing more sophisticated by incorporating additional sensors that generate increasing amounts of data. This instrument addresses the new requirements of testing these systems to advance video, motion and 3D sensing technologies." The new 6 Series B MSO goes beyond the expected, allowing top manufacturers to bring cutting-edge and higher performance products to industrial, medical, consumer and computer markets. Beautifully designed, this instrument is poised for higher-speed embedded designs, demanding mixed-signal design troubleshooting and accelerating serial bus speeds. The 6 Series B MSO is also highly-effective for diverse applications in semiconductors, power integrity, automotive, defense, aerospace, research and beyond. Exceptional Measurement Confidence The 6 Series B MSO offers a superior combination of bandwidth, sample rate, vertical resolution, low noise and high ENOB, providing exceptional measurements and confidence. With up to 10 GHz of fully-upgradable bandwidth and up to 50 GS/s sample rate, users have better visibility of signals in high-performance designs. This instrument delivers industry-leading signal fidelity, contributing less than 51.1 V of noise at 1 mV/div and 1 GHz, and less than 1.39mV of noise at 50 mV/div and 10 GHz. The 6 Series B MSO is the industry's first oscilloscope with bandwidth more than 2 GHz to offer 4, 6 or 8 channels. Each FlexChannel input can be converted into 8 digital channels using a TLP058 Logic Probe for added visibility. Premier Analysis The 6 Series B MSO offers a range of options to streamline protocol decoding, compliance testing for serial standards, jitter analysis, and power analysis. Built-in digital down converters (DDCs) behind every channel enable multi-channel spectrum analysis, and spectrum measurements are synchronized with time domain waveforms to enable correlation between RF and time events. Outstanding User Experience The 6 Series B MSO's responsive 15.6 inch HD capacitive pinch-zoom-swipe touch display is the industry's largest, providing an intuitive drag and drop, object-oriented user interface. This series expansion includes the world's first 10 GHz oscilloscope that is capable of switching between Windows 10 and closed operating systems, without loss of performance or ease-of-use. The 6 Series B MSO contains a removable SSD; which, along with optional security licenses, enables use of the oscilloscope in secure environments by minimizing cybersecurity threats. The TekVPI probe interface, known for versatility and ease-of-use, communicates seamlessly with a wide range of probes, to simplify setup and reduce errors, furthering an outstanding user experience for engineers. The new TDP7710 TriMode Probe is a perfect example, with 10 GHz bandwidth and the ability to switch from making differential to common mode to single-ended measurements, without having to reconnect the probe. Availability The new 6 Series B MSO is now available worldwide, priced from $26,500.00 US MSRP. Each unit receives Tektronix's one-year warranty on the instrument and included probes (one TPP1000 1 GHz voltage probe per channel). For more information, visit tek.com / 6-series-mso-mixed-signal-oscilloscope . About Tektronix Tektronix, Inc., headquartered in Beaverton, Oregon, delivers innovative, precise and easy-to-operate test, measurement and monitoring solutions that solve problems, unlock insights and drive discovery globally. Tektronix has been at the forefront of the digital age for over 70 years. More information on our products and solutions is available at Tek.com . Follow us on Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , and LinkedIn to stay connected. Learn more from our engineers on the Tektronix blog and read our latest announcements in our Newsroom . Tektronix and TekVPI are registered trademarks of Tektronix, Inc. All other trade names referenced are the service marks, trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies. SOURCE Tektronix, Inc. Protocols for dealing with COVID-19 outbreaks in Hamiltons schools will be approached on a case-by-case basis, with no strict rule for when a school must close down, says Hamilton public health. While a classroom will likely close if a student tests positive for COVID-19, the school could still remain open, said Dr. Ninh Tran, Hamiltons associate medical officer of health. It depends on whether the transmission is in the school, said Tran. I think every outbreak will be different as to what point we shut down a school. Hamiltons school boards are bracing for the possibility of COVID-19 outbreaks as school boards across the GTA and southern Ontario have reported at least one COVID-19 case in their respective communities over the past few days. The schools that have reported COVID-19 cases are in Burlington, Brampton, Woodbridge, Hagersville and Brantford. Hamilton public health has said that it will enact contact tracing to determine how many students or staff have potentially been exposed to COVID-19 should anyone in a school test positive. Its important to determine the period of infection, which includes the moment they start experiencing symptoms to 48 hours before, Tran told reporters on Monday. There has be at least two lab-confirmed COVID-19 cases in a school for it to be considered an outbreak, Tran said. The outbreak ends when a minimum of 14 days pass without any evidence of ongoing transmission. Loading Sharon Stephanian, superintendent of equity and well-being for the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board (HWDSB), says the threshold is low for students or staff displaying symptoms or illness. Anyone who shows the most basic symptoms a dry-cough, a runny nose, a light fever will be taken to a space to self-isolate until theyre picked up from school. The self-isolation spaces will be cleaned by custodians every time its used by a student or staff member. Stephanian says the board wants to destigmatize illness. If students come to school and begin to feel unwell, we need them to know that its OK to tell someone. In fact, its the right thing to do and its what they should do. Cases of COVID-19 could affect many people in and outside a school. If a student who rides a school bus every day tests positive for COVID-19, for example, both their classroom cohort and the students on their bus will need to self-isolate. Stephanian has said that the boards will have an online list showing all cases of COVID-19. Families will receive a letter from the board if someone in their school tests positive. The HWDSB and Hamiltons Catholic board have not reported a COVID-19 case in their schools. The Catholic board, meanwhile, is delaying the start of its online school one day to Wednesday, Sept. 16 due to a power outage in Hamilton on Monday morning, which delayed some of the preparations. All students living on or near the University of Arizona campus should shelter in place for the next 14 days to help reduce community spread of the coronavirus, Pima County and UA officials urged Monday. The recommendation comes as COVID-19 cases continue to rise among UA students, who returned for the start of the semester last month. As of Friday, the university has administered nearly 25,000 tests and has recorded 1,148 positive cases among students, faculty and staff. This is a last-ditch effort to ask you to follow the rules before we have to make some really drastic changes to how were dealing with this blatant disregard for public health measures, said UA President Robert C. Robbins during a news conference Monday. Since classes resumed last month, significant outbreaks of the virus have been identified at several off-campus student housing sites, including nearby high-rises, Greek houses and other student apartments. Of the nearly 500 tests that were administered to students who live at high-rises located near North Euclid Avenue and East Speedway, 16% were positive. This is based on testing that was facilitated by the city of Tucsons Ward 6 office and Pima County over the last couple of weeks. Pima County data also shows outbreaks at a number of Greek housing sites, including Sigma Alpha Mu, Tau Kappa Epsilon, Sigma Kappa and Chi Omega. To date, 278 tests have been performed at these sites with a collective positivity rate of 21.6%. The Karnataka government on Tuesday requested the government doctors to withdraw their agitation over salary hike as it has conceded to their demand,"despite the grim economic conditions." However, the Karnataka Government Medical Officers Association (KGMOA) said they would take a call on withdrawing their agitation after consulting their district units and holding a meeting with the government once again on Friday. Until then, as per their plan, they will boycott meetings and not share COVID-19 data, KGMOA said. With medical officers refusing to share COVID-19 reports with the government, there was under-reporting of cases in some districts on Tuesday, like- Bagalkote reporting zero cases, Udupi 1 and lesser than usual in others, official sources said. Though the tests and treatment to that infected are going on, the data was not being shared, they said, adding that "we need to see what happens tomorrow." Medical Education Minister K Sudhakar, terming the talks with KGMOA office-bearers as "fruitful", said the government has decided to give in to the demand "to uplift the hardworking doctors." "The doctors have been working hard day in and out.. in the light of this, the Chief Minister has given the nod to all the proposals by the Health Department in the past six months and this too will be fulfilled," he said. The demand will be addressed and the Finance department has been briefed in this regard, Sudhakar was quoted as saying by his office in a release. "The revision in salaries will be made based on six-year,13-year, and 20-year promotions for the doctors and details on the same will be obtained from the medical officers," he said, adding that even though this was a burden on the government, it would be addressed on a priority basis. Along with Sudhakar, Deputy Chief Minister C N Ashwath Narayan and Health Minister B Sriramulu was part of the meeting that was attended by senior health department officials. Over 4,900 government doctors working in various health facilities run by the Health and Family Welfare Department are on strike, demanding pay parity with their counterparts in the medical Education Department or pay revision as per theCentral Government Health Scheme (CGHS) scale. They had decided not to share COVID data online or offline, and to boycott the meetings. KGMOA President Dr Srinivas G A Tuesday said the government had stated it would fulfill their demands. "We will discuss with office bearers of all our district units tomorrow, and on Friday will hold a meeting with ministers once again and announce our decision." He said their agitation would continue till Friday. No casualties were reported in the past day. Ukraine has reported three violations of the latest ceasefire agreements by Russia-controlled armed groups in the Donbas warzone on Monday, September 14. "In the past day, September 14, Russian Federation's armed formations three times violated the ceasefire agreements reached on July 22," the press center of Ukraine's Joint Forces Operation (JFO) Command wrote on Facebook in an update as of 07:00 Kyiv time on September 15, 2020. In particular, the enemy opened fire from a hand-held anti-tank grenade launcher and rifles on the Ukrainian positions near the towns of Avdiyivka and Maryinka. Joint Forces did not return fire. No casualties were reported in the past day. Read alsoA step short of betrayal: Enemy never made it to inspect Ukraine's positions in DonbasSince Tuesday midnight, no attacks by Russian Federation's armed formations have been recorded, the JFO HQ said. The situation is under full control of the Ukrainian military, the report reaffirms. Donbas ceasefire: background National champion was executed on Saturday after Iran said he killed a security officer during 2018 demonstration. Irans government has distanced itself from the execution of wrestler Navid Afkari, who was executed over the weekend after being sentenced to death on charges of murder amid widespread criticism. According to Iranian legal authorities, Afkari killed a security officer during a demonstration in Shiraz in 2018. On Tuesday, Irans government spokesman Ali Rabiei said Afkaris execution was ultimately a decision made by the family of the murder victim. The athletes execution took place on Saturday. This does not lie in the remit of the government, Rabiei daily Etemad. Iran said he had confessed but the athlete, his family and human rights organisations said the confession was obtained through torture. They said he was being especially targeted as a high-profile athlete who dared criticise the government. 200914140636821 Iranian justice authorities denied the allegations, saying Afkari was sentenced to death for murder based on the Qisas principle, according to which the family of a murder victim can choose whether the perpetrator is sentenced to death or not. On Tuesday, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) said it will not attempt to ban Iran from the Olympic movement despite international dismay at the execution. The IOC said excluding Iran would punish athletes because of the political system they happen to live under. This applies even more so in this case because the Iranian National Olympic Committee, it said, supported the IOCs efforts to have Afkari spared. The difficulty for us is this execution didnt relate to a sporting event, veteran IOC Vice President John Coates told the Sydney Morning Herald paper. When I interviewed #NavidAfkaris mother she told me that she checked the judiciary website every day to check if her son is alive and today hes not. She said I cannot even say the word execution. He was murdered. pic.twitter.com/kMb96uk7Ew Masih Alinejad (@AlinejadMasih) September 13, 2020 And the other difficulty is of course that there is probably 50 of the national Olympic committees that come from territories that still have capital punishment. Weve had difficulties with the Iranians before in them not participating or pulling out of competition. They didnt participate against Israel and weve suspended them in respect of those sporting violations before. But this is a different situation. This is someone who has been charged with murder. There are different versions of what happened and different versions of whether he got a fair trial. Coates says IOC President Thomas Bach had pleaded Afkaris case with Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and President Hassan Rouhani. The UN human rights experts condemned the execution and raised the alarm that it was the latest in a series of death penalty sentences handed down in the context of protests in Iran. Iran: condemns the execution of Navid Afkari in the strongest terms. Human rights remain a central feature in EU's engagement with , also on individual cases such as this one. #DeathPenalty is cruel inhuman punishment which fails to act as deterrent. https://t.co/XrE99iJHea Peter Stano (@ExtSpoxEU) September 14, 2020 Such flagrant disregard for the right to life through summary executions is not only a matter of domestic concern, said the UN experts statement on Monday. The European Union and the United States have been among those to voice anger at the execution. The European Union is opposed to the death penalty under all circumstances and cases with no exception, a spokesman for EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said in a statement on Monday. Human rights remain a central feature of our engagement with Iran. We will continue to engage with Iranian authorities on this issue including through the local EU representation in Tehran and also on individual cases such as this recent execution. Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - September 15, 2020) - Therma Bright Inc. (TSXV: THRM) ("Therma" or the "Company"), a progressive medical device technology company, and its co-development partner, Orpheus Medica Inc. ("Orpheus") are pleased to provide an update on the development progress of the CoviSafeTM rapid test for detecting SARS-CoV-2 in saliva. As announced on September 3, 2020, Orpheus identified a series of polypeptides for the screening and detection of the virus (SARS-CoV-2) causing COVID-19. These polypeptides, and others, are being synthesized and when produced will be evaluated in a series of feasibility studies for the selection of the optimal candidates to ensure the best sensitivity and specificity for the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Once the optimal candidates are identified, these polypeptides will be used for testing CoviSafe in patient samples. Orpheus and Therma have also entered into an agreement with a developer and manufacturer of rapid diagnostic tests to perform the feasibility studies with a short list of optimal polypeptides to be provided by Orpheus. The prototype diagnostic or screening test will then be optimized incorporating the polypeptides that exhibit the best performance in terms of sensitivity and specificity as a prototype CoviSafe device. The Company has been in discussions with Health Canada regarding the process for regulatory approval for CoviSafe. On March 18, 2020, the Government of Canada issued an Interim Order which gives Health Canada the ability to fast track approval of Covid-19 related products. Under this Order, our CoviSafe test will be eligible for expedited review and approval by Health Canada. The initial application of the CoviSafe test will be for symptomatic patients and administered by health care professionals. As the CoviSafe test's performance is validated in symptomatic patients, it will be rolled out as a screening test for monitoring large populations of healthy individuals that are asymptomatic for illness. The goal is to provide our solution for routine and widespread testing at schools, workplaces, sporting events or at home. Mr. Rob Fia, CEO of Therma Bright, commented: "Therma Bright is proud to be an innovative Canadian company. We are impressed with Health Canada for being proactive and taking initiative to assist innovative Canadian companies with the regulatory approval process for Covid-19 solutions such as our rapid saliva test. We look forward to updating investors in the near future as we progress the development of CoviSafe with Orpheus Medica." About Therma Bright Inc. Therma Bright is a progressive medical device technology company focused on providing consumers and medical professionals with quality medical devices that address their medical and healthcare needs. The Company's initial breakthrough proprietary technology delivers effective, non-invasive and pain-free skincare. Therma Bright received a Class II medical device status from the FDA for its platform technology that is indicated for the relief of the pain, itch, and inflammation of a variety of insect bites or stings. The Company received clearance for the above claims from the US FDA in 1997. Therma Bright Inc. trades on the TSXV (TSXV: THRM). For more information visit: www.thermabright.com and www.coldsores.com. About Orpheus Medica Inc. Orpheus Medica is a fully integrated research-driven Canadian biotech company focused on the development and commercialization of innovative diagnostic and therapeutics for unmet medical needs. Orpheus, with its fully integrated R&D infrastructure, provides strategic partners and collaborators access to its proven and proprietary discovery and development of novel biopharmaceutical products. Our team has over 15 years of proven and validated computational capabilities for analysis and optimization of single-domain antibodies and other polypeptides. For further information, please contact: Therma Bright Rob Fia, CEO rfia@thermabright.com Follow us on Twitter Orpheus Medica. Saeid Babaei, Chairman & CEO sbabaei@orpheusmed.com FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS Certain statements in this news release constitute "forward-looking" statements. These statements relate to future events such as development and commercialization of a rapid COVID-19 viral assay and related instrumentation, as described in the news release. All such statements involve substantial known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results to vary from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties, they should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results, and they will not necessarily be accurate indications of whether or not such results will be achieved. Actual results could differ materially from those anticipated due to a number of factors and risks. Although the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are based upon what management of the Company believes are reasonable assumptions on the date of this news release, the Company cannot assure investors that actual results will be consistent with these forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date hereof and the Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required under applicable securities regulations. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release. This press release is not an offer of the securities for sale in the United States. The securities have not been registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an exemption from registration. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any state in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/63805 Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-15 10:17:13|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close KABUL, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Afghan political experts have described the U.S.-led war on terror in Afghanistan as a failure. "The so-called U.S.-led war against the Taliban, al-Qaida and terrorist groups has failed to root out the insurgents and bring about peace in Afghanistan," renowned analyst Shamsul Haq Arianfar told Xinhua. Aimed at dethroning the Taliban regime, demolishing al-Qaida and associated groups and bringing about peace and stability in Afghanistan, the U.S.-led Operation Enduring Freedom, launched on Oct. 7, 2001 in Afghanistan, has yet to achieve its goals, said the expert. "Since the U.S.-led military invasion against the Taliban regime in Afghanistan 19 years ago, countless Afghans, including thousands of civilians have been killed, but the war-battered country has yet to achieve peace," the analyst said. The U.S.-led military coalition invaded the Taliban regime, believing it was harboring al-Qaida network's chief Osama bin Laden, the architect of the 9/11 attacks. He went on to say that the U.S. won't remove all of its forces from Afghanistan over the next year, saying that Washington would reduce its forces but would keep at least a number of troops and intelligence presence in the country. Echoing the same opinion, another expert, Mansoor Faiz, said during the Taliban's rule in Afghanistan only al-Qaida's network was active in the country, but in the presence of foreign forces, the number of terrorist groups has exploded to more than 20. "The U.S. may reduce its forces in Afghanistan but won't fully withdraw from the country as the presence of militant groups would threaten Washington's interests at home and abroad," said the analyst. Enditem Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 15) The Department of Health reported on Tuesday a rise of 3,544 in the countrys coronavirus case tally, bringing the total to 269,407. Leading the list of areas with the highest number of new infected residents is Metro Manila with 690, according to DOH. Cavite came next with 305, followed by Rizal with 201, Negros Occidental with 173, and Bulacan with 98. In its case bulletin, the department also said that of the newly announced infections, 536 were earlier erroneously reported as recoveries. This was not the first time the DOH reclassified cases as deaths or active cases after initially tagging them as recoveries. Just a day before, the country saw its highest single-day increase in its coronavirus death toll after the DOH announced 259 fatalities, of which 253 were previously reported as recovered but were re-tagged after final validation. The department usually issues such a correction in its daily case report, as it earlier explained it is reliant on the submissions of regional epidemiological surveillance units, local government units and health facilities, which rectify from time to time their own data. The DOH also reported another 395 survivors, along with 34 new deaths. These brought the total recoveries to 207,352 and deaths to 4,663. Among the newly announced deaths, 29 occurred in September while the other five transpired in the April to August period. Taking into account the recoveries and deaths, the country now has 57,392 active cases or currently ill patients. The DOH also said it removed 25 duplicates from the national case count as part of its constant cleaning process. It added that besides the 536 active cases incorrectly inputted as recoveries, two more cases previously announced as COVID-19 survivors turned out to be deaths after final validation. Cases abroad Meanwhile, the Department of Foreign Affairs confirmed 15 new cases among Filipinos abroad, pushing the total count in the sector to 10,329. Seventeen more have been cleared of COVID-19, while another died of the disease, raising the tallies to 6,571 recoveries and 773 deaths. The DFA noted that the Middle East still accounts for the highest number of detected COVID-19 cases among overseas Filipinos, while the Americas ranks lowest among regions across the globe. To date, the viral disease has afflicted over 29.2 million people worldwide, according to data from the US-based Johns Hopkins University. Of this number, more than 928,000 have died, while around 19.8 million have recovered. Hamburger franchise Smashburger has permanently closed two of its New Jersey restaurants, a company spokeswoman told NJ Advance Media. The restaurants in Hackensack and Toms River shuttered in late August, the spokeswoman said. The Hackensack spot was located at 390 Hackensack Ave., and the Toms River location was at 2 Route 37. The Smashburger spokeswoman said the reason for the closures is to strengthen our position as a leading better burger restaurant. There are currently 25 Smashburger locations in New Jersey, according to the companys website. Popular Filipino fast food restaurant Jollibee acquired Smashburger in 2018. Jollibee recently opened spots in Edison and Jersey City. Other restaurant chains and franchises that recently have closed locations include Zinburger, Panera Bread, Quaker Steak and Lube and Ruby Tuesday. RELATED STORIES ABOUT RETAIL AND SHOPPING: Walmart reveals top toys for 2020 holiday season: See the full list Zinburger shutters another N.J. spot; American fare restaurant to take over, report says Halloween candy is on sale even earlier than usual. Here are the best deals Please subscribe now and support the local journalism YOU rely on and trust. Nicolette Accardi can be reached at naccardi@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter: @N_Accardi. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips And a text message recovered by Mr Crisp shows he was told by then-police chief Graham Ashton that private security should be used for quarantine hotels, not police. Mr Crisp is giving evidence to the hotel quarantine inquiry, where recordings of crucial meetings held at the State Control Centre have been heard for the first time. He told a meeting on March 27, two days before the first international travellers were due to arrive, that the Department of Health and Human Services was in charge of the hotel quarantine operation. He also said: "I suggest, at this stage, we can manage this ... we don't see a need for boots on the ground, so to speak." He reiterated the decision at a subsequent meeting, following reports soldiers were patrolling quarantine hotels in NSW. "Based on the planning we had done on each of those phases ... we didn't see a need at the time," Mr Crisp told the inquiry. The ADF was involved in the planning and logistics of the Victorian program, but personnel were not deployed on the ground. Mr Crisp also recovered text messages on Tuesday in which he said he was told by then-police Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton that private security guards should be the first option for quarantine hotels, not police. Loading He said he took a call from Mr Ashton during the March 27 meeting and stepped out of the room. He sent a text message soon after to Assistant Commissioner Michael Grainger, who was in the room representing Victoria Police. The text message, shown to the inquiry, reads: "I stepped out to speak to Graham and I let him know you're in this meeting as he's only just come out of VSB [Victorian Secretaries Board]. He made it clear in VSB that private security is the first security option at hotels/motels and not police." The Victorian Secretaries Board, which includes the secretaries of each state department and the police chief, is chaired by the secretary of the Department of Premier and Cabinet. In another recording of the meeting, Mr Crisp said he understood it was Mr Ashton's preference that "private security be the first line of security". "It's Mick Grainger here. Absolutely that's our preference," Mr Grainger added. Mr Crisp said he was not opposed to the use of private security, telling the inquiry: "I thought they would have been a suitable and appropriate workforce to use in the hotels." He also told the inquiry he believed the Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions had been "tasked by Department of Premier and Cabinet with this operation and had already made those arrangements in relation to private security as one element of this particular operation". Loading The Emergency Management Commissioner signed off on the decision to use private security guards in the quarantine hotels along with a request for 850 ADF troops to replace the guards in June. The request was withdrawn after the Department of Justice and Community Safety decided to use Corrections Victoria officers instead. The federal government's submission, which includes Mr Gaetjen's email, strongly contradicts claims from Mr Andrews, who told a previous Victorian parliamentary hearing that it was "fundamentally incorrect to assert that there were hundreds of ADF staff on offer and somehow, someone said no". Victoria's hotel quarantine outbreak seeded the state's catastrophic second coronavirus wave after security guards at the Rydges on Swanston in Carlton and the Stamford Plaza in the CBD contracted COVID-19 from returned travellers. The lack of ADF and police involvement has become a politically contentious and critical issue to the hotel quarantine inquiry. Asked at his daily press conference on Tuesday about the documents supplied to the inquiry by the Prime Minister's office, Mr Andrews said: "I'm not interested in having a debate with the Prime Minister or anyone else frankly from this podium." "My comments are consistent, my comments are accurate, my comments are supported by Andrew Crisp as the emergency management commissioner." Hasidim from different countries do not give up attempts to get to Ukraine for Rosh-Hashanah. The State Border Guard Service of Ukraine (SBGSU) says that despite entry ban to foreigners the government has imposed earlier until September 28, several hundred Hasidim have been trying to cross in from Belarus since Monday evening. As of the morning of September 15, the group has not ceased attempts to enter through the Novi Yarylovychi checkpoint in Chernihiv region, remaining in a neutral zone between the Ukrainian and Belarusian checkpoints, the agency's press service says. Head of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine Serhii Deineko met with the group's representatives and brought to their attention the requirements of the government's resolution restricting entry to foreigners. Read alsoUJCU condemned the actions of the pilgrims who caused disorder at the grave of Rabbi Nachman in Uman (Video)The statement says local border guard units have been reinforced and coordination with National Police and National Guard has been updated. The State Emergency Service stands ready to respond if necessary. Hasidim pilgrims have in fact blocked the checkpoint, the Ukrainian TSN TV news service said on September 15. "Jews from different countries were heading to Uman to mark their New Year Rosh Hashanah. Celebrations begin this Friday, but the Ukrainian government restricted the entry of foreigners into the country in August due to the coronavirus pandemic. So the Hasidim couldn't cross in. They occupied the entire roadway in front of the checkpoint. Even the head of the border service could not persuade them to head back. In the evening, food was provided to them. They greeted the move with songs and dances. However, pilgrims have no intention to leave the border zone yet," the press service added. Hasidic pilgrimage to Uman Every year, Hasidic Jews travel to the town of Uman to visit a Jewish cemetery, where Reb Nachman of Bratslav (1772-1810), the founder of the Breslov Hasidic movement, is buried. His grave is one of the most revered shrines of Hasidim, being the place of annual mass pilgrimage. Pilgrims believe that whoever celebrates the Jewish New Year in Uman will be happy all year long. In 2019, more than 30,000 pilgrims came to the town to celebrate the 5780th Jewish New Year. This year, Rosh Hashanah will begin on September 18. Entry ban amid COVID-19 surge The second wave of COVID-19 hitting Vietnam put many tourism providers under great stress as they tried to keep their business afloat, but now the pandemic has subsided they are well-placed to bring business back to normal. browser not support iframe. With the easing of social distancing after the pandemic was largely brought under control, many people have booked tours to well-known destinations such as Mu Cang Chai, Sapa, and Ha Long Bay, while Phu Quoc Island, Nha Trang, and Mui Ne are also in high demand as people feel the need to get away. Hit by two Covid-19 waves since January this year, accommodation providers saw more positive signs in August. They have prepared a number of promotions to lure visitors. Many 5-star hotels have cut room rates by 30 to 50%. According to the Tourism Department, a promotion programme has been sent to businesses for recommendations. The programme is aimed at domestic tourists in Vietnam as well as foreigners living in the country and the 5,000 international tourists expected to come to Vietnam each week after international flights resume./.VNA This week marks the 60th anniversary of OPEC, the cartel of major oil exporters that has, at times, held sway over the oil markets. It is a good time to ask: Is it still effective? The truth is that OPEC's power to impact the price of oil has waxed and waned over the past 60 years but has always been based on the portion of global spare capacity that it controls. With plenty of crude sloshing around in storage tanks worldwide, that makes it not so effective now. When the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries was formed in 1960, it had two missions. The first was defend ... Facebook knew about dozens of election manipulation efforts around the world and either pushed them off or "ignored" them entirely, a former employee says. In a 6,600-word memo obtained by BuzzFeed News, former Facebook data scientist Sophie Zhang details how she "found multiple blatant attempts by foreign national governments to abuse our platform on vast scales to mislead their own citizenry." But with limited resources, Zhang was often left to deal with those myriad attempts on her own, choosing either to prioritize them or push them off. In her time at Facebook, Zhang said she had "personally made decisions that affected national presidents without oversight, and taken action to enforce against so many prominent politicians globally that I've lost count." That included finding inauthentic assets fake accounts aimed at boosting Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez; 10.5 million fake reactions and fans backing politicians in Brazil and the U.S.; and inauthentic activity supporting several Ukrainian politicians. But Facebook tended to "focus on global activity that posed public relations risks, as opposed to electoral or civic harm," Buzzfeed News reports from the memo. And so Zhang, blaming a lack of resources devoted to the issue, was among a team providing "whack-a-mole" solutions to issues of global importance, Buzzfeed News continues. "Facebook projects an image of strength and competence to the outside world," Zhang wrote. "But the reality is that many of our actions are slapdash and haphazard accidents." And while she and other employees did the best jobs they could, Zhang said she's certain mistakes were made, and "I know that I have blood on my hands by now." Zhang declined to speak with BuzzFeed News. A Facebook spokesperson said the company has "built specialized teams, working with leading experts, to stop bad actors from abusing our systems, resulting in the removal of more than 100 networks for coordinated inauthentic behavior," and that it investigated the instances Zhang outlined. Read more at BuzzFeed News. More stories from theweek.com Trump says he'll be on Fox & Friends every week but host Steve Doocy doesn't agree to have him Bobcat fire in L.A. County within 500 feet of historic Mt. Wilson Observatory Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers, and Trevor Noah ponder why Trump superfans still trust him with their lives Theres nothing quite like a midcentury modern home in California. This beautifully transformed SoCal abode that plays on the home's history has come on the market in Pasadena. It's available for $8,958,000. The 1956 residence, which last changed hands for $3.5 million in 2016, is located in the Huntington Library neighborhood and has since been expanded and revamped. The developer H Group tapped architect and former South Pasadena Mayor Odom Stamps from the firm Stamps & Stamps to work his magic. Originally designed by architect Theodore Pletsch, the abode on 1720 Lombardy Road is now 7,400 square feet with an updated and modern vibe, with a touch of Hollywood Regency thrown in for good measure. Exterior Juwan Li, courtesy of Aaron Kirman Group The sleek interiors feature open spaces and walls of glass, sliding glass doors provide outdoor access, and the grounds harken to its Hollywood Regency roots. Stamps and interior designer Sarah Mckay of Colab House worked together to create a stylish home, inside and out. They opted for a neutral color palette and an abundance of light. White walls meet light wood floors. A combination of natural light and recessed lighting flood the home with warmth and brightness. Dining space Juwan Li, courtesy of Aaron Kirman Group Living space with bar and outdoor access Juwan Li, courtesy of Aaron Kirman Group Built-in shelves Juwan Li, courtesy of Aaron Kirman Group Bedroom Juwan Li, courtesy of Aaron Kirman Group Bathroom Juwan Li, courtesy of Aaron Kirman Group White oak and custom stone details accent the living spaces. White marble accents the bathrooms, and a gorgeous marble waterfall island completes the ultramodern kitchen. Amenities include a family room, casual dining space, library, and gym. Everyone knows California living is as much about the outdoors as it is the indoors, and this home doesnt disappoint. Sliding glass doors in nearly every room, even the master bathroom, make for a seamless transition from indoor to outdoor living. The backyard's quintessential 1950s architecture makes a long, glittering pool the focal point of the space. Verandas and sitting areas abound, and cypress and olive trees dot the yard. Outdoor kitchen Juwan Li, courtesy of Aaron Kirman Group Backyard Juwan Li, courtesy of Aaron Kirman Group Entertaininganother old Hollywood staplewas clearly more than an afterthought when Stamps envisioned renovations to the property. The circular driveway has a 10-car capacity, an outdoor kitchen makes summertime fun a breeze, and a guesthouse mean friends can stay for more than just a couple of hours. Plus, with six beds and 7.5 baths, the main house has plenty of room for extended family. It's clear that every detail was thought out and executed with precision. In short, this transformation is the stuff of our Hollywood dreams. Michele Downing at Compass and Aaron Kirman and Holland Ashrafnia of Aaron Kirman Group at Compass all represent the listing. The post Transformed: Midcentury Modern Home in Pasadena Gets the Ultimate Hollywood Face-Lift appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com. Whilst a holiday abroad remains a distant dream for most of us, Princess Diana's niece Lady Kitty Spencer is continuing to enjoy a lavish holiday in Italy. The society beauty, 29, proved her fashion prowess once again when spotted in Rome yesterday, wearing a black and white polka dot frock. Featuring a dazzling collar with tassel detailing, the eye-catching dress was brought in at the waist to highlight the model's slender frame. She recently put on a loved-up display with fiance 80million fashion tycoon Michael Lewis as they shopped for rings in Florence. Whilst a holiday abroad remains a distant dream for most of us, Princess Diana's niece Lady Kitty Spencer (pictured) is continuing to enjoy a lavish holiday in Italy Boasting attention-grabbing cuffs and shimmering silver buttons, Kitty made sure to steal the spotlight with her statement frock during her walk in the city. Showing off a smooth complexion, Kitty sported a sleeked back hair-do while opting for dainty earrings and black sandals. She completed her stunning outfit with a navy shoulder bag and carried a red sack in her sun-kissed arms. Her outing in Italy - where she's been holidaying over the summer - comes after her recent loved-up display with fiance 80million fashion tycoon Michael Lewis as they shopped for rings in Florence. The society beauty (pictured), 29, proved her fashion prowess once again when spotted in Rome yesterday, wearing a black and white polka dot frock The society model reportedly got engaged to Michael, 61, who is 32 years her senior and five years older than her father Earl Spencer, after her partner proposed in Cape Town over Christmas. Lady Kitty and Michael went public with their relationship during a stroll through New York in May and were seen kissing after leaving Club 55 in St Tropez in August. An expert previously revealed that the society model was wearing a 30 carat diamond engagement ring worth an estimated 300,000. . Speaking to MailOnline, appraiser Oliver Horner from Prestige Pawnbrokers of Channel 4's Posh Paw, said: 'This gorgeous full hoop diamond full band engagement ring is of extremely high quality. Featuring a dazzling collar with tassel detailing, the eye-catching dress was brought in at the waist to highlight the model's (pictured) slender frame 'The full band is set with large emerald cut diamonds, each stone looks to be approximately one and a half carats and I would estimate the total diamond weight of the ring to be between 25 and 30 carats. 'Judging from the image the diamonds look to be of exceptional quality and I estimate a clarity grade to be between flawless and VVS1 and to be of D to F colour which is the very best. 'I believe a ring of this exceptional quality would have an would cost between 200,000 - 300,000 maybe even more given the provenance of such a piece.' Princess Diana's niece jetted off to the French Riviera earlier this month and has now made her way to Italy, where she has enjoyed the views of a volcanic crater south of Rome, visited the town of Nemi and toured the Pope's summer palace. Pictured, in Nemi in a 1,750 D&G dress Kitty grew up in Cape Town and spent Christmas, her birthday and New Year's Eve in South Africa, where Michael is also based. Michael has three adult children and was previously married to a woman named Leola in 1985. Kitty, who was spotted at the tycoons 19million mansion in central London last summer, told the Mail at the time that she didnt feel 'in any rush' to start a family. 'I can see myself having children at some point... but I'm only in my twenties. I do have friends my age who are having children, and they are so, so, sweet, but I think everyone should do things in their own time,' she said. Lewis' previous wife, Leola, 59, signed a prenuptial agreement but it's not yet known whether Lady Kitty will do the same. There are few places on the globe where the novel coronavirus has not reached, but some countries have done better than others at keeping the disease at bay. While parts of Europe and the Americas struggle through a second wave of coronavirus, there is one country that is being held up as a quiet achiever in the global pandemic and a surprising one at that. Mongolia shares a border which China where the pandemic is believed to have originated and lacks the healthcare system of wealthier countries. With very few ventilators in the country, Mongolia would seem like a prime candidate to be ravaged by the coronavirus pandemic. But the country hasnt recorded a single COVID-19 death and has no community transmission to speak of. Officials in hazmat suits spray disinfectant as passengers arrive at Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia. Source: Getty Unlike many Western countries, Mongolia was uniquely prepared and ready to deal with a global virus pandemic, says Professor Li Narangoa from the ANUs Mongolia Institute. I was worried when it spread in China because Mongolia and China have such close trade relationship and there are a lot of travellers on land as well, not only in air, she told Yahoo News Australia. But a nomadic lifestyle that involves living in close quarters with animals has meant a history of dealing with zoonotic disease outbreaks. When news of the novel coronavirus spread, it was just the latest episode. Mongolia acts early after China reports cases Mongolia moved swiftly to close its borders to China in January to prevent the virus from spreading into its territory. It was just the second country, behind North Korea, to do so. Health officials also told the public to wear a mask on January 10, just days after they had learned of the virus. The following month, the government started flying Mongolians living abroad back home and testing them. To date, Mongolia has officially recorded just 311 cases, with those diagnosed generally being Mongolians returning from Russia and other nearby nations. People have been requested to wear face masks in Mongolia since January. Source: Getty When the first case was confirmed on March 9 [a French national in Mongolia], they basically closed their border to flights from those countries, Prof Narangoa said. Story continues While the lack of healthcare infrastructure played a part in the swift response from the Mongolian government, she believes that is just a small part of the story. Not all the countries without a proper welfare system reacted in the same way, she said, pointing to countries like India which is currently recording around 80,000 to 90,000 new cases a day. My explanation is that Mongolia has always been responding to these events. Of the countrys 3.2 million people, about half live in the capital Ulaanbaatar but many still live a traditionally rural lifestyle. Electricity and sewage treatment are in short supply in the slum communities that surround the capital, mostly populated by former herders who have given up life on the steppe. Even though in recent years people move to the urban areas they have very close ties to countryside. Because [they are] nomadic people, they live very closely with animals and animal disease outbreak happen very often. This photo taken on September 11 shows a herder looking after sheep in Tongliao in China's northern Inner Mongolia region. Source: Getty The population of Mongolia's capital has swelled. Source: ABC For instance, when a foot and mouth disease outbreak occurs, the country will close all provincial borders, set-up checkpoints along all major roads and control the movement of animals. They really get used to dealing with these type of outbreaks and dealing with these kinds of diseases, Prof Narangoa said. Technology systems as well as government and social protocols were rolled out with little fanfare or resistance from the public. The core of Mongolian success is their preparedness for general disaster. Community transmission might be just around the corner Davaadorj Rendoo, an epidemiologist at the National Centre for Public Health in the capital Ulaanbaatar wrote about the urgency of the countrys pandemic strategy in the MIT Technology Review last month. Because our country has a very harsh, dry, and cold climate, every year from November to February we have an awful flu season, and the Ministry of Health always encourages people to practice good hygiene and wash hands, especially young children. So many of our suggestions were not new, he wrote. The government also moved quickly to counter misinformation and online hoaxes. We dont know how long the state of emergency will last. Some of our highest officials have said we will close our borders indefinitely. We cannot take anything for granted, he wrote. What we still recommend every day to the public is to stay ready, because community transmission might be just around the corner. Mongolia has only registered 311 coronavirus cases during the pandemic with no know local transmission. Source: Johns Hopkins University Last week, the head of the World Health Organisation lauded Mongolia as among five top countries the world could learn from when it comes to pandemic response. The country has maintained a nearly 30-year democracy instituted after a new constitution was adopted in 1992 following six decades of communism. In June, as cases surged in much of the world, Mongolia held a national election with economic malaise, corruption and weak public services dominating concerns among voters. The government was returned with a strong parliamentary majority with at least some voters citing support for the swift response to COVID-19. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter and download the Yahoo News app from the App Store or Google Play. A senior Canadian government official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, also said that Canada had made no concessions. Their statement has all sorts of language about what they expect from Canada, but its important to note Canada has agreed to none of that, said the official said, who was not authorized to speak publicly on the matter. (Newser) South Dakota Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg says he only learned he'd killed a man when he came upon the body several hours after reporting a collision late Saturday. Joe Boever, 55, was struck and killed while walking along Highway 14 west of Highmore around 10:30pm. Ravnsborg, who was traveling back to Pierre from a fundraising dinner in Redfield, says he immediately called 911, believing he'd struck a deer. But "I didnt see what I hit," he says in a statement issued late Monday, per the Sioux Falls Argus Leader. "All I could see were pieces of my vehicle laying on and around the roadway." He says he waited for Hyde County Sheriff Mike Volek to arrive, and both men fruitlessly searched the area. "At no time did either of us suspect that I had been involved in an accident with a person," he adds, noting he then drove home in the sheriff's personal vehicle. story continues below He says he was returning the vehicle Sunday morning when he passed by the scene and went to search again. He says he and his chief of staff then found Boever's body in the ditch. He says he then went to the sheriff's house "to report the discovery and he accompanied me back to the scene." The South Dakota Department of Public Safety says an investigation was immediately launched. Ravnsborg says he's "cooperating fully," has agreed to a search of his cellphones, and has provided a blood sample. He says he didn't drink alcohol "before, during or after" the dinner. None of this has been verified by authorities, and Boever's family is at a loss. "A deer doesn't look like a human," cousin Victor Nemec tells the Rapid City Journal. The outlet reports Boever had crashed his vehicle into a ditch on Saturday. He was apparently returning to the vehicle on foot. (Read more South Dakota stories.) Army sets up barbed wire obstacles to stall Chinese incursions Indian soldiers have set up barbed wire obstacles at points where Chinese troops have moved forward from their positions at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh, which on Monday led to the skirmishes. India has warned Chins People Liberation Army (PLA) against attempts to enter its territory after PLA troops, armed with medieval-type weapons, on Monday made a vain attempt to take over Indian positions. The PLA has reportedly deployed around 50,000 troops with heavy tanks, artillery and infantry combat vehicles at the LAC opposite the Indian side of Chushul where the friction points lie The Chinese troops are reportedly conducting drills within their territory in Tibet but that can be heard on the Indian side of the border. Chinas aggressive posture comes as India and China continue military and diplomatic talks for de-escalation. The Indian Army has given standing instructions to field commanders stationed along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) that Chinese troops should not be allowed to transgress into our territory at any cost. Apart from setting obstacles to avoid further escalation at the LAC and dissuade the Chinese side from provocative and aggressive movements, India has also warned it will retaliate if Chinese troops continue to make incursion attempts. India has given clear message to the Chinese side during a meeting of military representatives on Wednesday for de-escalation of tension at the LAC, sources said. The meeting, however, remained "inconclusive" and the talks will continue. PLA troops had made an attempt to dislodge Indian soldiers from their positions at the LAC on Monday and warning shots were also fired. And, as China started fresh build up at the finger area north of Pangong Tso (lake), India clearly stated during Wednesday's meeting that if Chinese troops carry out any provocative military movements, Indian soldiers will retaliate. The deployments of PLA troops have increased since Tuesday evening. They are also bringing in more material and logistics items. "They are within clear visible range and Indian troops are keeping a close watch on the activities of the Chinese," said a government source. On Tuesday, around 40 to 50 Chinese troops, armed with spears and other sharp-edged weapons, besides guns, had reached a few metres from the Indian Army position at heights north of Rezang La, and seemed to be poised for a fresh attempt to dislodge the Indian soldiers from their position. This came in wake of Mondays skirmishes on the southern bank where the Indian Army dominates the key positions. Indian Army has occupied crucial heights in areas around the southern bank of Pangong lake and the Chinese have made several attempts to take over the Indian positions. This area has become the new friction point, even as the Indian Army seems to be in an advantageous position, having occupied the heights that allow it to dominate China's Moldo garrison and the Spangur Gap under Chinese control. Both India and China lay claim to some of these heights. One of the most critical heights the Indian Army is manning is the Rechin La, which the Chinese are protesting against. From here, the Indian Army enjoys a vantage point not just for Chinese military bases on the southern bank of the Pangong lake but can also be in range of the Finger 4 area on the north of the lake. As India and China continue to face off in the eastern Ladakh region, and military and diplomatic talks for de-escalation seem inconclusive as of today, the Indian Army has asked commanders at border outposts to exercise restraint while patrolling their respective areas or while undertaking any task. But, with the Chinese Peoples Liberation Army continuing its build-up with around 50,000 troops, heavy tanks and artillery at the LAC, the Indian Army has given standing instructions to field commanders stationed along the LAC that Chinese troops should not be allowed to transgress into our territory at any cost. Army has also warned that with China showing no signs of backing off, things could get out of hand. All Progressives Congress leader, Bola Tinubu, says Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State does not deserve a single vote in Saturdays elec... All Progressives Congress leader, Bola Tinubu, says Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State does not deserve a single vote in Saturdays election. He, therefore, called on Edo State voters to reject Obaseki who is the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party. Tinubu said this in a sponsored broadcast on TVC on Tuesday. The former governor of Lagos State said, He (Obaseki) does not deserve any democratic ballot paper. Dont vote for him, I appeal to all of you. The APC leader said while he was taking part in the democratic struggle in the 1990s, Obaseki was nowhere to be found hence the governors inability to appreciate democratic institutions. I want to appeal to you to reject Godwin Obaseki in this coming election. I have suffered with many others to bring about this democratic regime, that today, we are enjoying in the country. Then, Godwin Obaseki didnt participate in any aspect of the struggle to enshrine democracy in the country. Therefore, he could not understand the value and the pains associated with this democratic struggle, Tinubu stated. The former governor of Lagos State said Obaseki prevented 14 of the 24 elected state lawmakers from being inaugurated. He said Obaseki refused to take the advice of the National Assembly and the Attorney-General of the Federation to let the 14 members of the House of Assembly be inaugurated. Tinubu said rather than let them be inaugurated, Obaseki supervised the destruction of the House of Assembly complex all in a bid to prevent them from being sworn-in. He, therefore, called on the people of Edo State to punish the governor. The APC chieftain added, He demonstrated the act of dictatorship, lack of respect for rule of law, lack of respect for you the people who voted for those legislators prevented from being sworn-in. Today, he now comes back as a democrat wanting you to vote for him. Please, I appeal to you, reject him. Several institutions and leaders of our country appealed to him to respect constitutional democracy but he rejected all entreaties. He rejected the appeal of the National Assembly. When the Attorney-General of the Federal Republic of Nigeria enumerated the path of honour and the constitution of the country, rather than obey and respect the law, he vandalised the House of Assembly in Edo by removing the roofs, burning gravels and rocks at the entrance of the House of Assembly only to prevent these 14 members from being sworn-in. Now, he is asking for our votes, your votes, our dear people. Is he a democrat? No, he is not. The crisis in the Edo State House of Assembly began when it was inaugurated under controversial circumstances at night with only nine, out of 24 lawmakers-elect, on June 17, 2019, following a proclamation by the governor. The lawmakers, who were not part of the process, as well as the APC, rejected the process and called on the governor to issue a fresh proclamation. However, a Federal High Court in Rivers State barred the governor from doing so. A separate court also barred the National Assembly from taking over the Edo Assembly. This worsened the crisis within the APC in the state and deepened the feud between Obaseki and his predecessor, Adams Oshiomhole, who was also the National Chairman of the APC. The governor orchestrated the suspension of Oshiomhole from the party at the ward level. In retaliation, Oshiomhole ensured that Obaseki did not clinch the governorship ticket of the APC and Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu emerged as the winner of the primary. The crisis in the Edo State chapter of the APC and the multiple court rulings on Oshiomholes suspension snowballed into a national crisis that culminated in the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), dissolving the National Working Committee of the APC causing Oshiomhole to lose his position. An attempt by the aggrieved lawmakers to be inaugurated was, however, scuttled by men claiming to be renovating the Assembly complex. However, the APC claimed the men were thugs hired by the governor who was afraid of being impeached. Tinubu, who is rumoured to be nursing a Presidential ambition, is an ardent supporter of Oshiomhole. For years, the Trump administrations peacemaking efforts in the Middle East have been the object of relentless derision in elite foreign-policy circles, some of it justified. Yet with Fridays announcement that Bahrain would join the United Arab Emirates as the second Arab state in 30 days to normalize ties with Israel, the administration has done more for regional peace than most of its predecessors, including an Obama administration that tried hard and failed badly. There are lessons in this, at least for anyone prepared to consider just how wrong a half-centurys worth of conventional wisdom has been. At the heart of that conventional wisdom is the view, succinctly put by U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres in February, that resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict remains key to sustainable peace in the Middle East. Untie that Gordian knot, so the thinking goes, and the regions many problems become easier to solve, whether its other regional conflicts or the anti-Americanism that feeds international terrorism. That thinking was always dubious what, for instance, did the Iran-Iraq War, in which a million people or more died, have to do with Israelis and Palestinians? though it had the convenience of giving Arab regimes a good way of deflecting blame for their own bad governance. But since the (misnamed) Arab Spring began nearly a decade ago, the view has become absurd. Lahore police chief Umar Sheikh apologised after he faced backlash and calls for his resignation after suggesting the rape was partially the victim's fault Lahore: Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan said Monday that the worst sex crimes should be punishable by chemical castration, following an arrest in a gangrape case that has prompted nationwide protests. Hundreds of women have taken to the streets of cities across Pakistan in recent days after a woman was raped in front of her two children when her car ran out of fuel near the eastern city of Lahore. The case attracted additional anger after a police official seemed to blame the victim because she was driving at night without a male companion. Asked about the case, Khan said the worst sex crimes should be punishable by public hangings, but added this could impact trading deals with partners that oppose the death penalty, such as the European Union. "What I think is that there should be chemical castration, I have read it is happening in many countries," Khan said in an interview with Pakistani news station Channel 92. "The way murder is graded: First, second and third-degree. This should also be graded, and for first-degree (sex crimes) there should be castration." Chemical castration involves using drugs to reduce a person's libido. Khan's comments came after police arrested Shafqat Ali, one of two suspects in the gangrape case. "His DNA has matched, and he has confessed to the crime," Punjab province Chief Minister Usman Buzdar said on Twitter. A senior police official confirmed the arrest, adding that a manhunt was ongoing for the second suspect. Following last week's incident, Lahore police chief Umar Sheikh faced an angry backlash and calls for his resignation after suggesting the rape was at least partially the victim's fault. Sheikh apologised Monday. Rape is notoriously difficult to prosecute in Pakistan, where women are often treated as second-class citizens. Legal expert Osama Malik told AFP the rape conviction rate can be as low as two percent. "This drops even lower in cases where a minor has been raped. That is one of the reasons that rape is rarely reported," he said. Malik also blamed the societal stigma attached to sex crimes and the "abhorrently misogynistic attitude" of many police officials for the underreporting of rape cases. Lapses during the collection of forensic evidence and shoddy prosecutorial practices also contribute towards "abysmal" conviction rates, he added. John Boyega ist nicht langer Markenbotschafter des britischen Parfumherstellers Jo Malone. Diese Entscheidung gab der " Star Wars"-Mime via Twitter bekannt. Doch was sorgte fur den Bruch? Hollywood-Star und "Star Wars"-Schauspieler John Boyega (28) ist mit sofortiger Wirkung als Markenbotschafter des Parfumherstellers Jo Malone zuruckgetreten. Es ist die direkte Konsequenz auf die Tatsache, dass Boyega aus einem Werbespot des Unternehmens herausgeschnitten wurde, in dem er nicht nur mitspielte, sondern den er auch konzipiert hatte und als Regisseur fungierte. Diese Entscheidung teilte der Star uber seinen Twitter-Account mit. I have decided to step down as Jo Malone's global ambassador. When I joined the brand as their first male global ambassador last year, I created the short film we used to launch the campaign. It won the Fragrance Foundation Virtual awards 2020 for Best Media Campaign. John Boyega (@JohnBoyega) September 14, 2020 Der Hintergrund: Boyega hatte fur den britische Parfum- und Kerzenhersteller einen Kurzfilm ersonnen und gedreht, der fur den chinesischen Markt neu aufgezogen wurde. Dabei wurde Boyega komplett aus dem Spot gestrichen und durch den chinesischen Schauspieler Liu Haoran (22) ersetzt. "Kann ich nicht billigen" Boyega erklarte zu dem Sachverhalt: "Ich habe mich dazu entschlossen, als weltweiter Botschafter von Jo Malone zuruckzutreten. Als ich mich der Marke vergangenes Jahr als deren erster mannlicher Botschafter anschloss, erschuf ich den Kurzfilm, den wir fur den Launch der Kampagne benutzten. Er gewann den Fragrance Foundation Virtual Award 2020 fur die beste Medien-Kampagne. Viele Marken greifen aus nachvollziehbaren Grunden auf mehrere globale und lokale Botschafter zuruck. Aber eine Kultur auf diese herablassende Weise auszugrenzen kann ich nicht billigen." Auf Seiten Jo Malone hatte man sich diesbezuglich bereits bei dem Schauspieler entschuldigt. "Das Konzept des Films basierte auf Johns personlichen Erfahrungen und hatte nicht nachgestellt werden sollen", so die Entschuldigung im Wortlaut. An der Entscheidung des Stars haben diese Worte jedoch nichts mehr andern konnen. "Wir respektieren Johns Entscheidung und wunschen ihm nur das Beste", ist auf dem offiziellen Twitter-Account des Unternehmens zu lesen. Over 1.04 crore migrants had returned to their home states amid the ongoing pandemic, said the government. The home ministry on September 15 said panic created due to fake news triggered the mass exodus of migrant workers amid the coronavirus pandemic-led lockdown starting March 25. In a written reply in the Lok Sabha, the government said, "The migration of large number of migrant workers was triggered by the panic created by fake news regarding the duration of the lockdown, and people, especially migrant labourers, were worried about adequate supply of basic necessities like food, drinking water, health services and shelter." It added that it was fully conscious of this, and accordingly took necessary measures to ensure that no citizen should be deprived of basic amenities like food, drinking water, medical facilities, during the period of the "inevitable lockdown". This was in response to a query by the Trinamool Congress MP Mala Roy, who sought to know as to why thousands of migrant workers and labourers ended up walking home following the lockdown announcement in March earlier this year. Along with this, Roy also asked about the steps that the government took before the lockdown was announced, in order to protect migrant workers, and the number of those who had lost their lives on their journeys back home. COVID-19 Vaccine Frequently Asked Questions View more How does a vaccine work? A vaccine works by mimicking a natural infection. A vaccine not only induces immune response to protect people from any future COVID-19 infection, but also helps quickly build herd immunity to put an end to the pandemic. Herd immunity occurs when a sufficient percentage of a population becomes immune to a disease, making the spread of disease from person to person unlikely. The good news is that SARS-CoV-2 virus has been fairly stable, which increases the viability of a vaccine. How many types of vaccines are there? There are broadly four types of vaccine one, a vaccine based on the whole virus (this could be either inactivated, or an attenuated [weakened] virus vaccine); two, a non-replicating viral vector vaccine that uses a benign virus as vector that carries the antigen of SARS-CoV; three, nucleic-acid vaccines that have genetic material like DNA and RNA of antigens like spike protein given to a person, helping human cells decode genetic material and produce the vaccine; and four, protein subunit vaccine wherein the recombinant proteins of SARS-COV-2 along with an adjuvant (booster) is given as a vaccine. What does it take to develop a vaccine of this kind? Vaccine development is a long, complex process. Unlike drugs that are given to people with a diseased, vaccines are given to healthy people and also vulnerable sections such as children, pregnant women and the elderly. So rigorous tests are compulsory. History says that the fastest time it took to develop a vaccine is five years, but it usually takes double or sometimes triple that time. View more Show To this, Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai replied, "With a view to contain the spread of COVID-19 in the country, the central government took various measures, considered essential for the safety of people including migrant workers. From March 21, 2020, onwards, control room operations in the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) were expanded by making their functioning 24*7 under the supervision of senior officers of the level of joint secretaries along with the representatives of key central ministries." "These control rooms, inter alia, attended to the grievances of stranded persons including migrant workers and promptly resolved these grievances relating to food, transport, shelter, etc. States and Union territories were also advised to set up control rooms with help lines and to appoint nodal officers," Rai added. On September 14, the Union labour ministry informed Parliament that no data is available on the number of migrant workers who lost their lives during the nationwide lockdown. This was reiterated by the MHA in its response in Parliament today, wherein it said "the details regarding number of migrant workers who died while returning to their home states is not centrally maintained". The government did, however, say over 1.04 crore migrants had returned to their home states amid the ongoing pandemic. Earlier in March this year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave the call for a nationwide lockdown in order to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus. Subsequently, domestic and international travel operations were shut down amid several other stringent restrictions that had been imposed. As factories, industries and all other workplaces remained shuttered, migrant workers across the country found themselves stranded without any source of income. Millions of migrant workers were thus forced to head towards their home states on foot, their plight finally visible to the entire country and even across the world. Momoa in Justice League (Credit: Warner Bros) After Jason Momoa said he was backing Ray Fisher in the growing controversy over the alleged behaviour of Joss Whedon on the Justice League reshoots, the actor has doubled down. In a post to Instagram, the Aquaman star also said that a recent announcement that he is to voice Frosty The Snowman in a live-action Warner Bros movie was 'fake', and made to distract from the investigation. This s**t has to stop and needs to be looked at, Momoa wrote. Ray Fisher and everyone else who experienced what happened under the watch of Warner Bros. needs proper investigation. I just think its f***ed up that people released a fake Frosty announcement without my permission to try to distract from Ray Fisher speaking up about the sh***y way we were treated on Justice League reshoots. Read more: Ray Fisher says he co-operated with Justice League probe Serious stuff went down. It needs to be investigated and people need to be held accountable. The accusations of both abusive behaviour from Whedon and alleged complicity from Warner Bros executives have been rumbling since the summer. Ray Fisher, who played Cyborg in Justice League, publicly retracted praise for Whedon in a tweet featuring an interview he conducted at Comic-Con prior to the film's release. He then went on to accuse Whedon, who had taken over the reigns of the movie from Zack Snyder, of 'gross, abusive and unprofessional' behaviour when he came in to conduct the reshoots in 2017. Read more: Fisher invites Whedon to sue him over misconduct claims Fisher has also accused the movie's producers Geoff Johns and Jon Berg of enabling Whedon's alleged behaviour. In a post to Twitter last month, Fisher added: During the LA reshoots for Justice League, Geoff Johns summoned me to his office to belittle and admonish my (and my agents) attempts to take grievances up the proper chain of command. He then made a thinly veiled threat to my career. This behavior cannot continue. Story continues Warner Media began an investigation into the allegations in August, but Fisher tweeted: So you can better understand how deep this goes: After speaking out about Justice League, I received a phone call from the President of DC Films wherein he attempted to throw Joss Whedon and Jon Berg under the bus in hopes that I would relent on Geoff Johns. I will not. A>E Ray Fisher (@ray8fisher) September 4, 2020 In a statement, Warner refuted Fisher's claims, adding that it 'remains committed to investigating any specific and credible allegation of misconduct, which thus far Mr. Fisher has failed to provide'. Zack Snyder, meanwhile, continues to work on his own cut of the Justice League movie. Its due out on HBO Max in 2021. Watch the latest movie trailers below... Red Cross assistance is available to Sequoia Complex Fire evacuees at Porterville College all day, every day. Marysville, CA (95901) Today Windy with a mix of clouds and sun. High 64F. Winds NNW at 20 to 30 mph. Higher wind gusts possible.. Tonight Partly cloudy. Low around 45F. Winds N at 10 to 20 mph. Louisiana's Legislative Black Caucus has called on Gov. John Bel Edwards and the Louisiana Department of Health to investigate how the state's largest hospital system handled coronavirus surges this spring. The caucus laid out its concerns in a letter to Edwards after the nonprofit newsroom ProPublica published a story Sept. 2 that said Ochsner Health System was out of step with hospitals across the nation for sending coronavirus patients that doctors considered terminal home to die this spring. ProPublica reported that in other cities that were coronavirus hot spots at the beginning of the pandemic, most patients died in hospital-like settings, largely because of concerns the virus would spread if the patients were sent home. ProPublica also reported that of the dozens of families reporters interviewed about their loved ones dying at home with the coronavirus, all of those who said that Ochsner pressured them into accepting home hospice care were Black. That group consisted of relatives of eight patients. The story examined deaths in Orleans Parish over the first few months of the pandemic; in the city, 75% of those who died were Black. In their letter to the governor, Black Caucus representatives said they'd received a rush of phone calls to their offices after the ProPublica story came out and The Times-Picayune | The Advocate published a story citing ProPublica's reporting. "Many people normally do not question medical practitioners because they feel they are right with their prognosis, diagnosis and decisions they share with the patients," states the letter. "But after reading this article and because of observations throughout the years, we are asking you, Governor Edwards, to have the Louisiana Department of Health and the COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force launch a full investigation to answer these and any other questions that would be critical to the subject." A spokeswoman for Gov. John Bel Edwards, Christina Stephens, said Tuesday that the Department of Health is reviewing a complaint "about some of the concerns presented." She said the governor's office is aware of the concerns, and plans to respond to the letter from the Black Caucus soon. The letter includes 12 questions that the elected officials are asking Edwards' office to probe. Among them: How many medical providers sent patients home to die on hospice; how many families consented to do-not-resuscitate orders; and how many families were given personal protective equipment to care for their loved ones at home. Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up +3 Louisiana contact tracing stymied as 73 percent of people who answer dont share contacts When Louisiana began to open back up again after a hard lockdown this spring, Gov. John Bel Edwards touted two key antidotes to ensuring coron Ochsner has defended its practices throughout the pandemic, telling ProPublica that they never cut corners on patient care, that their hospitals never triaged or rationed ventilators and that they never issued any so-called DNRs without the consent of a patient or a legally authorized representative. In a new statement Tuesday, Ochsner officials cited the data they shared with the New England Journal of Medicine about the racial demographics of their coronavirus patients this spring. A resulting study said that Black patients had higher prevalences of factors that increased the odds of having a bad outcome from the virus, such as diabetes and obesity. But the study also said that patients being Black "was not independently associated with higher mortality." In Ochsner's hospitals between March 1 and April 11, 77% of 1,382 coronavirus patients were Black, according to the hospital's data. Officials said 17 Black patients "chose to receive hospice care," as did 14 White patients. Black patients were also far less likely to have DNR orders than White patients, according to the hospitals data. Ochsner reported that just 27% of their Black coronavirus patients had DNRs, compared to 46% of their White coronavirus patients. In a recent interview with this newspaper, Chief Medical Officer Dr. Robert Hart said he was "disappointed" that ProPublica's story placed such emphasis on race. +6 What is wartime medicine' during coronavirus? Louisiana health care workers brace for it As coronavirus patients flood hospitals across New Orleans and Baton Rouge, the health care workers treating them on the front lines say the d Chief Nursing Officer Tracey Moffatt also told The Times-Picayune | The Advocate that the decisions to send home coronavirus patients on hospice care had positive effects in some cases. She said some palliative care patients rebounded at home, thanks to the presence of friends and family members. Hospital rules at the time which were in place at most, if not all hospitals in the area forbade visitors this spring because of concerns about the virus spreading. Editor's Note: This story was updated September 22 after Ochsner clarified the racial breakdowns of patients who had DNR orders. SINGAPORE Investors should not be "too bearish" about the markets even if tensions between the U.S. and China continue to rise, the chief executive of South Korea's sovereign wealth fund said this week. That's in part because relations are unlikely to shift in the near term, said Choi Heenam of Korea Investment Corporation. "The U.S.-China dispute isn't just political," he told CNBC's Tanvir Gill on the first day of the Singapore Summit. "It's a hegemonic conflict based on structural problems rather than political interest." "I think it will continue to be an overhang for the global economy, but ultimately, not destructive," he said on Monday. As the natural result of the pandemic crisis, more countries tend to concentrate on national interest rather than global interest. That means tech nationalism is going to be intensified. That is very bad news for companies. Choi Heenam Korea Investment Corporation He said he doesn't see U.S. hawkishness toward China changing much after the presidential elections in November because there is bipartisan support for Washington's current policy toward Beijing. "With that in mind, we don't need to be too bearish about the market, even if tensions between the two countries escalate. Instead, we need to take advantage of the 'risk-off' mode in the market, if there is any." A risk-off scenario is when investors are less tolerant to risks and sell off assets, pushing down prices. Tech nationalism This report provides detailed analysis of the growth trends among each of the segments as well as accurate forecasts in terms of the value and volume. Download PDF Brochure: https://www.verifiedmarketresearch.com/download-sample/?rid=10549 Browse in-depth TOC on "Connected Car Market" 202 - Pages 126 Tables 37 Figures Global Connected Car Market Overview Governments in various countries are focusing on mandating various advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) and safety features. Thus, the increase in ADAS features in cars is driving the connected car market as it ensures enhanced levels of safety. The rising demand for connectivity solutions, an increase in dependency on technology, and an upsurge in the tech-savvy population are the other key factors that contributing toward the growth of the connected car market. Moreover, technological advancements, an increase in the production of vehicles, and an increase in demand for luxury & comfort in vehicles are expected to support the growth of the market. Nowadays, automakers are following new vehicle safety norms to encourage the safety of the vehicle and to make them more secure from hacking and malfunctioning. This, in turn, is also likely to foster the demand for connected car systems. The following trends are reinforcing the shift towards a fully developed connected car industry. New technological innovation in the field of the network is accelerating at a fast rate. High-speed computers help make the car aware of surroundings, which can transform maneuvering a self-driving vehicle into an increasing reality. The Internet of Things (IoT) provides mobile services in the car with high-speed internet. This feature provides real-time traffic control, interaction with the car manufacturer service for remote diagnostics, and enhanced company logistics automation. Furthermore, the increase in demand for lightweight suspension systems and the development of technically advanced suspension systems are expected to provide a favorable opportunity for the growth of the market. The major players in his market are Bosch, Continental AG, Delphi Technologies PLC, DENSO Corporation, Harman International Industries, Inc., Infineon Technologies AG, NXP Semiconductors N.V., Toyota Motor Corporation, Valeo, and ZF Friedrichshafen AG. Verified Market Research has segmented the Global Connected Car Market on the basis of Service, Form, Network, and Geography. Connected Car Market by Service Connected Services Safety & Security Autonomous Driving Connected Car Market by Form Embedded Tethered Integrated Connected Car Market by Network Dedicated Short Range Communication (DSRC) Cellular Connected Car Market by Geography North America U.S Canada Mexico Europe Germany France U.K Rest of Europe Asia Pacific China Japan India Rest of Asia Pacific ROW Middle East & Africa & Latin America Browse Related Reports: Component Content Management Systems Market by Product (Cloud-Based, Web-Based), by Applications (Large Enterprises, SMEs), Geography, Forecast, 2020-2027 Atomic Force Microscopes Market by Type (Research Grade AFM, Industrial Grade AFM), by Application (Life Sciences and Biology, Semiconductors and Electronics, Nanomaterials science), by Modes Covered (Contact Mode AFM, Tapping Mode AFM, Non-Contact AFM), Geography, Forecast, 2020-2027 Digital Twin Technology Market by Application (Manufacturing Process Planning, Product Design), by End-User (Residential and Commercial, Automotive, Aviation, Chemical, Healthcare, Oil & Gas, Transportation), Geography, Forecast, 2019-2026 Freight Broker Software Market by Type (On-Premise, Cloud-Based), by Application (SMEs, Large Enterprises), Geography, Forecast, 2019-2026 About Us Verified Market Research is a leading Global Research and Consulting firm servicing over 5000+ customers. 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We study 14+ categories from Semiconductor & Electronics, Chemicals, Advanced Materials, Aerospace & Defense, Energy & Power, Healthcare, Pharmaceuticals, Automotive & Transportation, Information & Communication Technology, Software & Services, Information Security, Mining, Minerals & Metals, Building & construction, Agriculture industry and Medical Devices from over 100 countries. Contact Us Mr. Edwyne Fernandes Verified Market Research US: +1 (650)-781-4080 UK: +44 (203)-411-9686 APAC: +91 (902)-863-5784 US Toll Free: +1 (800)-782-1768 Email: [email protected] Web: https://www.verifiedmarketresearch.com/ Follow Us: LinkedIn | Twitter SOURCE Verified Market Research The Ministry of Justice announced on Tuesday that it will benefit from an additional 3.7 million euros of funds targeted to justice through the Norwegian Financial Mechanism. According to a press release sent to AGERPRES on Tuesday, the Ministry of Justice will benefit from the performance reserve provided for in the Memorandum of Understanding concluded between Romania and Norway on the implementation of the 2014-2021 Norwegian Financial Mechanism, by increasing the amount of the "Justice" Program by 3,700,000 euros, thus resulting in a financial allocation of 48,700,000 euros. The additional funds will allow the Ministry of Justice, as program operator, to finance three new predefined projects in the following areas of intervention: correctional services, good governance, respectively combating domestic violence and gender-based violence. The new projects will contribute to achieving the objectives assumed in governmental strategies (the 2016-2020 National Anticorruption Strategy, the 2020 - 2024 National Strategy for the Reintegration of Persons Deprived of Liberty), but also the objectives of the Norwegian Financial Mechanism, respectively reducing economic and social disparities in the European Economic Area and the strengthening of bilateral relations between Norway and Romania, says the Ministry of Justice. MP Hymaks appointment was made after Prime Minister Bob Loughmans return from his home constituency of Tanna where he attended the Nekowiar festival. Photo: Government PRO Fred Vurobaravu. The State Bank of India (SBI) on Monday (September 14) reversed the amount stolen from the account of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust by some unidentified fraudsters using forged cheque. The Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust praised the SBI administration for prompt action and tweeted, "The amount of 6 lakh rupees which was fraudulently transferred from the bank account of Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra using fake cheques & signatures, has been duly returned to Trust's account by SBI. Our gratitude to SBI management for their swift action.Jai Shri Ram!" The amount of 6 lakh rupees which was fraudulently transferred from the bank account of Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra using fake cheques & signatures, has been duly returned to Trust's account by SBI. Our gratitude to SBI management for their swift action. Jai Shri Ram! Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra (@ShriRamTeerth) September 14, 2020 It is to be noted that Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra overlooks the construction of Ram Temple in Uttar Pradesh's Ayodhya. Few days ago, the Ram Mandir Trust was defrauded of Rs 6 lakh in two fake cheques. It is learnt that two fake cheques of Rs 3.5 lakh and Rs 2.5 lakh were used to withdraw the amount from the bank account of trust. Earlier, the Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust had written a letter to State Bank of India seeking a reversal of the amount. The Trust's general secretary Champat Rai had said that it was SBI bank's mistake to have made the payment for the cloned cheque from Punjab National Bank. Therefore, SBI Bank should return the organistation's money. Live TV The Ram Mandir Trust has announced that it will now not take any payment in the form of cheques. The Trust also said that it is deciding on an alternate method of payment in a secure manner. On the Ram temple construction work, General Secretary Champat Rai said that piling work is being done at three places. At first, piling was done in two places, the task of piling will take place at the part which lies inbetween them as well. Piling has been completely at two places outside of the temple and concrete has been filled. On September 28, the strength of the piling work will be measured. Based on which IIT Chennai will prepare the report and further work will commence. Simon Institute talks will focus on progressive politics, foreign policy challenges by Pete Rosenbery CARBONDALE, Ill. Two upcoming virtual discussions hosted by Southern Illinois University Carbondales Paul Simon Public Policy Institute will look at progressive politics in the United States and the nations foreign policy challenges. John T. Shaw, Institute director, will have conversations with U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, at 10 a.m., Friday, Sept. 18, and Richard Haass, president of the Council on Foreign Relations, at noon, on Monday, Sept. 21. The presentations are part of the Institutes Understanding Our New World series via Zoom. Discussion will also be on their books Brown, the senior United States senator from Ohio, is in his third term and is the senior Democrat on the Senate Banking Committee. He served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1993 to 2007 representing a district in suburban Cleveland. He also served as Ohios secretary of state and as a state representative before being elected to Congress. Shaw and Brown will discuss Browns 2019 book, Desk 88: Eight Progressive Senators who Changed America The discussion will also touch on the progressive tradition in America, and how this tradition can guide the United States as it confronts economic, political, social and public health challenges, Shaw said. Senator Brown has attracted enormous interest across the United States because he consistently runs, and wins, elections by advancing a progressive agenda in a conservative state, Shaw said. If Democrats win control of the Senate in November, Sen. Brown is poised to become chairman of the Senate Banking Committee and one of the most powerful members of Congress in 2021. Registration is open for Browns conversation Registration for the free ZOOM meeting with Brown is available in advance. Respected think-tank Haass has overseen the Council on Foreign Relations, considered one of the worlds most respected international affairs think tanks, since 2003. Haass, a veteran diplomat, served in various positions at the U.S. Department of Defense, the National Security Council and the U.S. Department of State, where he was director of policy planning and a principal adviser to then U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell. Haass also worked at the Brookings Institution, the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, and the International Institute for Strategic Studies. The author or editor of 14 books, Haass is a Rhodes Scholar and holds a bachelors degree from Oberlin College and masters and doctorate of philosophy degrees from Oxford University. During their conversation, Shaw and Haass will discuss foreign policy challenges and Haass 2020 New York Times best-selling book, The World: A Brief Introduction. Richard Haass is one of our countrys most creative thinkers and prolific writers in the realm of foreign policy, Shaw said. He is unequalled in explaining the complexity of international affairs in a clear and comprehensible way. He has served at the highest levels of American foreign policy and has also led our countrys most important international affairs think tank for more nearly two decades. Registration also open for Haass conversation Registration is also underway for the free ZOOM meeting with Haass. Participants have opportunities when they register to submit questions to Brown and Haass by email at paulsimoninstitute@siu.edu or by including it in the Questions and Comments section on the registration forms. The number of Covid-19 fatalities in the Maharashtra Police breached the 200-mark after deaths of eight police personnel were reported from across the state. The toll in the state police force now stands at 202. In addition, 371 new cases were reported in the state police force in the past 24 hours. According to police, the headquarters on Tuesday received reports of deaths of eight policemen due Covid-19 from Mumbai, Thane, Jalgaon, Ratnagiri, Sangli, Osmanabad and Nandurbar districts. According to the details shared by Vinayak Deshmukh, assistant inspector general of police (law and order), the number of infections in the state police force is now 19,756, of which 15,830 have recovered and 3,724 personnel are undergoing treatment at various public, private hospitals and Covid care facilities. Of the total 202 fatalities, 20 were police officers. Most of the policemen who lost battle with Covid-19 had comorbidities such as diabetes, blood pressure. The fatality is higher in personnel of the 48-58 age group, said a senior police officer. In Mumbai Police, a total of 5,469 personnel tested positive and 75 have lost lives. Around 4,000 infected personnel have recovered. In Ratnagiri, 55-year-old police sub-inspector Jyotiba Pachrekar, attached to the Wireless message department, died of Covid-19 on Monday night. Pachrekar was undergoing treatment at the civil hospital since September 11. Thane City police recorded two fatalities with a 50-year-old assistant sub-inspector attached to Kalyan encroachment department succumbing on Monday and head constable Fajendra Mhadik of Kopri police station succumbing on Sunday. In another fatality, sub inspector Bhagirath Nannavare, 57, of Jalgaon police died of the infection early on Monday. He was undergoing treatment at the civil hospital since September 6. In Nandurbar, assistant sub inspector Deepal Fulpagare attached to Shahda police station also succumbed to the disease. Head constable Rajendra Dhekle, 49, from Nashik City police also lost the battle. From Osmanabad, Tukaram Vaidya, 51, attached to Tahmanwadi police station, has died of the infection. Mumbai and Sangli police also reported a death each. Hannah Thomasy In March, as Covid-19 cases spiked and supplies of N95 protective masks dwindled at the Bay Area hospital where her brother-in-law works, Megan Duong launched a local search for N95s. Along with her sister-in-law, Sabrina Paseman, Duong enlisted volunteers and tracked down 7,000 masks barely enough to cover the needs of two hospitals for one day. We just knew that it was not a scalable solution, Duong said. So, Duong and Paseman, both former Apple employees, set out to invent a new tool that, they hoped, would make available mask technologies more effective and accessible. They werent the only inventors attempting to meet sudden, massive demand for personal protective equipment, or PPE. Experts say that PPE like masks is critical for slowing the spread of Covid-19. But for much of the pandemic, high-quality PPE has been in short supply for medical workers. Meanwhile, PPE available to the public has been of variable quality, with users complaining that cheap cloth masks, although widely available and recommended by public health agencies, are uncomfortable, hamper social interactions, and have limited effectiveness. Those issues have spurred new innovation, as inventors strive to make PPE cheaper, safer, more comfortable, and more accessible and, in many cases, may see opportunities to turn a profit while doing so. Already, some new designs have earned praise from experts. Many others have not yet demonstrated that theyre any more effective than a standard cloth mask. My concern is people are going to be spending a lot of money based on hype, which is not going to give them or anybody else any additional protection, said Gary Garber, an infectious disease physician who also works with Public Health Ontario in Canada. On crowdfunding sites like Kickstarter and IndieGoGo, inventors have raised millions of dollars for new designs of face masks, gloves, and other PPE. University engineering labs have turned their attention to making masks and face shields. The results run the gamut from clever to outlandish. Its now possible to find startups crowdfunding for or selling a silver-plated antimicrobial glove, a facemask hidden in the brim of a hat, and a protective bubble that covers the user from head to chest. (All three designs have raised thousands of dollars on crowdfunding sites). Other inventions include a 3D-printed mask thats tailored to each individuals face using artificial intelligence, and a plastic device that lets people get gas without touching the pump. Attempts to create transparent masks, which facilitate communication for people who read lips, predate the pandemic, but have experienced a surge of interest and investment. Some designs come out of long experience. Before Covid-19 arrived, James Byrne, a radiation oncologist at Brigham and Womens Hospital and a postdoctoral researcher at MIT, was accustomed to using an N95 to see a patient and then, he says, chucking it in the trash. Byrne and several colleagues have now turned their attention to designing a mask that, like the N95 respirator, can filter out 95 percent of airborne particles but that is easier and more cost-effective to reuse. Their Injection Molded Autoclavable, Scalable, Conformable (iMASC) system prototype is made of clear silicone rubber and has two circular filters located near the mouth. In a recent test, following government safety standards, researchers sprayed 20 iMASC-wearing participants with aerosolized saccharin, a sweet-tasting chemical. If participants could taste the saccharin at any point, the fit test was failed. All of them passed, and 95 percent of participants rated the breathability of the iMASC as either excellent or good. The team is still in the process of performing more in-depth testing on the filtration efficiency and breathability of different filter materials. And they still need to determine how the masks perform during extended wear. The iMASC is intended for health care workers, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) does not currently recommend that the general public wear N95 masks. But theres still demand for higher-quality protection or at least masks that claim to be higher-quality protection as well as masks that solve basic issues of comfort and fit. Some masks claiming to solve those problems have been blockbusters. Since June 25, the UVMask from Colorado-based UM Systems, an optical and biotechnology company and subsidiary of Measure Inc., has raised over $3 million on crowdfunding platforms. Air coming into the mask passes through an N95-equivalent replaceable filter and then enters a sterile vortex where it is treated with UV-C light, which can inactivate viruses by damaging their genetic material. Without current campaign discounts, the product will cost $249. (The mask includes batteries, a charger, and 10 filters; additional disposable filters have to be purchased separately). According to a testing facility in China accredited by the European Testing Inspection Certification System, the sterile vortex is able to kill more than 99.99 percent of bacteria over the span of three seconds. Boz Zou, co-founder and CEO of UM Systems, says that the company plans to test the device on virus inactivation as well. The mask, he says, will absolutely be better than an N95. However, the mask has not yet undergone testing from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), a federal agency in the U.S., to confirm that claim. The UVMask IndieGoGo page does not claim that the mask will protect users from Covid-19 specifically, or even mention Covid-19 at all. Other crowdfunding campaigns are focused on improving existing technology. Almost immediately after Duong and Pasemans futile search for N95s, Paseman, an engineer, started developing the Essential Mask Brace prototype. The mask brace is designed to make standard surgical masks more effective by improving their fit against the face. At a cost of $15 per brace, according to the Kickstarter campaign, it is more affordable than most other emerging mask technologies. The campaign has raised more than $1,10,000 so far from 1,820 donors. If you look at the data, the people who are most affected [by] the pandemic are low-income communities, said Duong. They cant afford a $100 mask. And so if you want to find a solution to really, like what were saying, flatten the curve, you need to find something that is accessible, scalable, and affordable. After testing a few different versions of the brace (including some crowdsourced testing) and refining the design on 3D-printed models of faces from NIOSH, the team says they are expanding human testing on the latest iteration of the brace. But Paseman said that its difficult to get the actual masks tested for filtration, as government labs are overwhelmed with requests. Mark Rupp, chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, said that a device to improve mask fit is a great idea. Multi-ply masks do work, and they work best if they fit tightly to the face. Other designers including inventor Alice Min Soo Chun, founder and CEO of the startup SEEUS95 Inc. are concerned about the amount of waste generated by current masks and respirators. The SEEUS95 mask is marketed as a radical alternative to traditional N95 and has raised more than $211,000 from 2,152 donors on Kickstarter. The SEEUS95 is made of clear silicone, uses proprietary N95 biofilters, and attaches to the face with a sticky skin therapy layer that supposedly produces an airtight seal. The biofilters are composed of bamboo fibers, silk, silver, and carbon. Although the Kickstarter page has a stamp claiming an MIT lab + AFFOA tested filter, Chun said that testing is still in progress, and there is no data available yet. The filtration efficacy graphs on the Kickstarter page come from a paper that tested the filtration efficacy of common fabrics like cotton, silk, and chiffon, not from tests on the biofilters themselves. The companys vision, according to its Kickstarter page, is to use sustainable materials and help the planet. But, Chun said, the biofilters are not recyclable or compostable, although she noted that they are biodegradable, and when they go into a landfill, theyll just go back to the earth. Asked how long it would take the filters to break down, Chun said theyre already part of Mother Nature. The team has not yet performed any tests to ensure a snug face fit. Instead, they demonstrate that the sticky layer that adheres to the face keeps skin protected, hydrated, healthy, and smooth by showing the material being applied to a banana. Rupp said that, while clear masks will be beneficial for people who read lips, he is skeptical about the feasibility of the SEEUS95. If they really have mostly clear plastic and a very small area that you breathe through, it just seems to me that thats going to be associated with some difficulty breathing, he said. Not all medical professionals are convinced that the general public needs better mask technology, rather than just better education about how to use existing masks. Garber said improper usage is still a problem. For PPE to be most effective, he said, it is crucial that people wash their hands before taking the mask on and off and avoid adjusting the mask or touching their faces with potentially contaminated hands. Still, Nicole Greeson, director of Occupational Hygiene and Safety at Duke University, said that, alongside effective social distancing measures and hand hygiene, improved mask technology could have benefits. Would masks that provide more personal protection and better prevent infected people from spreading the virus help manage the pandemic? Absolutely, she said. Hannah Thomasy is a freelance science writer splitting time between Toronto and Seattle. Her work has appeared in Hakai Magazine, OneZero, and NPR. This article was originally published on Undark. Read the original article. Silver $1 coins have been released by the Royal Australian Mint featuring works from Indigenous artists depicting astronomical teachings. The coins showcase 'The Emu in the Sky' and 'The Seven Sisters' by Aboriginal artists Scott 'Sauce' Towney from Wiradjuri in NSW and Wajarri-Noongar woman Christine 'Jugarnu' Collard from Western Australia. The ethereal features in the artworks are prominent in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander astronomical teachings across the country and show flora and fauna, seasonal changes and cultural insights into Indigenous knowledge. Just 5,000 of each coin have been produced, making them certain to become popular with collectors and unique coin hunters alike. 'Indigenous Australians were the first astronomers and have been using the stars as navigation maps, calendars and to tell stories for tens of thousands of years,' a Royal Australian Mint description reads. The Emu in the Sky by Scott 'Sauce' Towney is one of two new silver $1 coins made by the Royal Australian Mint Director of Town Hall Coins and Collectables David Jobson told Daily Mail Australia the coins were silver as they were made with collectors in mind. 'The coins are not for circulation, they are made for collectors,' he said. 'They are quite large, larger than a fifty cent piece and weighing half an ounce of silver.' The Emu in the Sky is a dark constellation known as Gugurmin, with the coin artwork showing the emu stretching from the Southern Cross to Sagittarius in front of the Milky Way. Mr Towney is from the Wiradjuri clan in NSW Mr Towney's Wiradjuri clan from central NSW are known for linking the people and land to the cosmos in their astronomy, which is known as Wantanggangura. In Wiradjuri astronomy, when Gugurmin rises at dusk in April and May it signifies the beginning of emu breeding season before nesting in June and July and hatching in August and September. A male emu sitting on eggs is seen on the base of the coin, along with three men in a dancing ceremony. Mr Towney's artwork was implemented into the Australian National Curriculum for Year 7 and 8 students to study Indigenous astronomy, as well as in Stellarium planetary software to show Indigenous knowledge of the movement of stars. Ms Collard's piece The Seven Sisters uses knowledge from the Yamaji people from the Murchison region in Western Australia. The artwork shows the Pleiades star cluster as the seven sisters, which is known as Nyarluwarri, awaiting the emu egg harvest on the horizon at sunset in April. The Seven Sisters by Wajarri-Noongar woman Christine 'Jugarnu' Collard from Western Australia tells the story of Nyarluwarri The traditional story involves Nyarluwarri taking to the sky to avoid a man seeking one of the sisters as a wife, where they travel from east to west in the sky every night. Nyaluwarri are seen moving to the left across the base of the coin before an emu rises from the southeast after the seven sisters set after the sun in the west. Both pieces featured in the Ilgarijiri art exhibition, which translates to 'things belonging to the sky' and aimed to expand and share Indigenous astronomical knowledge using modern technology. Mr Jobson said although the value of both coins was $1, he wouldn't recommend cashing them in. 'All the coins have a face value, so technically you could spend it, but at $70 each I wouldn't advise it,' he said. Mr Jobson said The Emu in the Sky has been more popular than The Seven Sisters in his store and predicted their value to increase into the future. 'In this particular series, the coins are really striking and have become really popular because of their design,' he said. 'I would imagine these would do pretty well into the future.' A third coin in the series is set to be released next year. Both artworks featured in the Ilgarijiri art exhibition, meaning 'things belonging to the sky' with only 5,000 of each coin made Unique coins from rare batches or misprints can often be worth far more than their monetary value. Coin collectors are bidding for a unique $1 coin called a 'mule' through auction site The Purple Penny. The mule is a hybrid of a 10 cent piece and a $1 coin and was in production at the Royal Australian Mint for a year before the mistake was discovered. The coins are thicker than a regular $1 coin, with a double rimmed edge and a picture of the Queen on the back. 'The mule was made when a technician at the Mint in Canberra accidentally paired the mob of 'roos dollar reverse with the Queen's head obverse, normally used for the 10 cent piece,' the Australian Coin Collecting Blog reads. The mule is being offered for $4,250 and is described by the auctioneer as 'the nicest weve ever seen'. 'Easily in the top 10 known coins of this type,' the description reads. 'Almost impossible to improve on and represents excellent value.' At the 2020 OSCE-wide Counter-Terrorism Conference, Ukraine set out the facts of Russias supply of ammunition, weapons and militants to the occupied Donbas through a border section it controls. During the first day of the conference, the head of the Ukrainian delegation, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Anti-Terrorist Center at the Security Service of Ukraine Roman Fedorov delivered a speech, the press service of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry reported. In his speech, the representative of Ukraine voiced the confirmed facts of the supply of ammunition, weapons and militants from the Russian Federation to the occupied territories of Ukraine through a section of the Ukrainian state border controlled by Russia, the statement says. The conference participants condemned Russia's policy aimed at supporting, financing and coordinating the activities of terrorist groups in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine. On September 14-15, 2020, OSCE-Wide Counter-Terrorism Conference entitled "Effective Partnerships against Terrorism and Violent Extremism and Radicalization that lead to Terrorism" is held online in Vienna. Representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, the Anti-Terrorist Center at the Security Service of Ukraine and the Permanent Mission of Ukraine to International Organizations in Vienna are attending the conference. OSCE-Wide Counter-Terrorism Conference is held annually and is an important international political platform for discussing issues of national security, the fight against terrorism, radical extremism and protection of human rights. ish The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has denied reports of alleged bandits attacks on Abuja-Kaduna train KA4 between Asham and Kubwa on Monday afternoon. NRCs Managing Director, Fidet Okhiria, who made the denial in a statement on Tuesday, said the reports were false. According to him, there are always hoodlums who usually throw heavy stones at the moving train along Abuja-Kaduna route. There was no bandit attack on the train; its just a rumour otherwise, they will have seen bullets all over the train. It was hoodlums who threw stones at the train and because the police got one suspect, at night, more hoodlums came out to attack the train in protest against the arrest made in the afternoon. NRC has, however, spoken to security agencies to help us prevent such future occurrences and intervene in the matter, so they will know how best to deal with the situation, Mr Okhiria said. READ ALSO: He, however, urged the public using the trains not to panic as the Minister of Transportation and NRC would ensure the safety of Nigerians on that route. Similarly, the Manager Abuja-Kaduna Train Service, Paschal Nnorli, confirmed that the train arrived Idu station on schedule on Monday, and denied any bandit attack. Mr Nnorli said: The attention of Nigerian Railway Corporation has been drawn to fake online news that the KA4 train from Kaduna to Abuja was attacked on Monday by armed bandits between Asham and Kubwa. This news is false. In between Asham and Kubwa sections, some hoodlums threw stones and broke the windscreen of our locomotive. The crew and armed police escort went after them, the train, however, continued its trip down to Idu, he said Chinese president stops short of making any concessions on European demands for greater access to the Chinese market. European leaders have pressed China on its human rights record during a virtual summit on Monday. Chinese President Xi Jinping dismissed the concerns, pushing instead for greater economic cooperation. But he stopped short of making any concessions on European demands for greater access to the Chinese market. Al Jazeeras Katrina Yu reports from Beijing. The University of Chicago's English Department declared it will only accept applicants interested in 'working in and with Black studies' for its 2020-2021 graduate admissions cycle. In a statement uploaded to the English department's website in July, the faculty announced their commitment to the 'struggle of Black and indigenous people, and all racialized and dispossessed people, against inequality and brutality'. 'For the 2020-2021 graduate admissions cycle, the University of Chicago English Department is accepting only applicants interested in working in and with Black studies,' the statement adds. Pictured: The University of Chicago, where the English department has ruled that only graduate applicants interested in Black Studies will be accepted for its 2020-2021 admissions cycle 'We understand Black studies to be a capacious intellectual project that spans a variety of methodological approaches, fields, geographical areas, languages and time periods.' English as a subject, the department says, has provided 'aesthetic rationalizations for colonization, exploitation, extraction and anti-Blackness'. The statement goes on to deem the 'collective responsibility' of the faculty to be 'undoing persistent, recalcitrant anti-Blackness in our disciplines and in our institutions.' In a statement uploaded to the English department's website in July (pictured) , the faculty announced their commitment to the 'struggle of Black and indigenous people, and all racialized and dispossessed people, against inequality and brutality' The statement was written in July as protests against police violence tore across the US. Earlier in the statement, the faculty says they believe that 'Black Lives Matter, and that the lives of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade, and Rayshard Brooks matter, as do thousands of others named and unnamed who have been subject to police violence.' Gerald McSwiggan, a university spokesman told Fox News that the department 'saw a need' to focus doctoral admissions on those wishing to focus on Black Studies this year. McSwiggan added that the department has had to accept a limited number of students due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Tue, September 15, 2020 14:12 493 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c44ec90a 4 City illegal-racing,Jakarta-police,Greater-Jakarta,public-order,COVID-19,pandemic,large-scale-social-restrictions,PSBB,coronavirus,virus-corona,virus-korona-indonesia,COVID-19-Jakarta Free The Jakarta Police are set to crack down on unauthorized, late-night sprinting matches across the capital and its satellite regions during the latest reinstatement of large-scale social restrictions (PSBB) amid COVID-19 concerns. Officers will be deployed to conduct city-wide inspections to ensure public compliance with health protocols, including the ban on social gatherings, said Jakarta Police spokesperson Yusri Yunus. Well disband [illegal matches] in accordance with the ban on gatherings consisting of more than five people, Yusri told the press on Tuesday as quoted by tribunnews.com. He argued that the races many of which take place on public roads not only jeopardize public health but also disrupt public order and road safety. Yusri warned that groups that resist disbursement could face criminal charges. Read also: Police launch operation to monitor, sanction Jakarta PSBB violators A spate of illegal sprinting matches has recently gone viral on social media, raising health and safety concerns among the public as the new trend attracts large crowds and disrupts traffic. Kompas.com reported that several matches had taken place in Bekasi, West Java, and Ciledug and Tangerang in Banten. Instagram handle @bekasi.terkini posted footage of a local sprinting match in Pondok Gede, Bekasi. Many people were seen crowding the street while cheering the participants. Jakarta Police traffic unit director Sr. Comr. Sambodo Purnomo Yogo said disbanding the matches was more complicated than stopping illegal car or motorcycle races. [] Sprinting matches only last for a short amount of time, so by the time the police arrive, [they] will most likely have already ended, Sambodo said. He added that those found to have been involved in illegal sprinting matches could face up to 18 months in prison or a maximum fine of Rp 1.5 billion (US$100,961), in accordance with Article 63 of Law No. 38/2004 on public roads. (rfa) Company to host business update conference call on Tuesday, September 22, 2020, at 6:00 PM CEST (Paris time) 1:00 PM (New York time) Regulatory News: Mauna Kea Technologies (Paris:MKEA) (OTCQX:MKEAY) (Euronext: MKEA, OTCQX: MKEAY) inventor of Cellvizio, the multidisciplinary probe-based and needle-based confocal laser endomicroscopy (pCLE/nCLE) platform, announced today that it will publish its first half 2020 financial results on Tuesday, September 22, 2020, at 5:45 PM CEST (Paris time). An English-language conference call will be held at 6:00 PM CEST, Paris time (1:00 PM, New York time), to review the financial results, recent operational accomplishments, second semester 2020 perspectives and answer questions To access the conference call, please use one of the following dial-in numbers at least 5 minutes prior to the scheduled start time: USA: +1 646-722-4916 UK: +44 (0)20 7194 3759 FR: +33 (0)1 72 72 74 03 Followed by the PIN code: 80 84 02 27# Following the live call, a replay will be available: on the Mauna Kea website: https://www.maunakeatech.com/fr/investisseurs - or by phone, during 90 days, please dial one of the following numbers: USA: +1 (646) 722-4969 UK: +44 (0)20 3364 5147 FR: +33 (0)1 70 71 01 60 The passcode for the replay is 418 950 560# About Mauna Kea Technologies Mauna Kea Technologies is a global medical device company focused on eliminating uncertainties related to the diagnosis and treatment of cancer and other diseases thanks to real time in vivo microscopic visualization. The Company's flagship product, Cellvizio, has received clearance/approval in a wide range of applications in more than 40 countries, including the United States, Europe, Japan, and China. For more information on Mauna Kea Technologies, visit www.maunakeatech.com View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200915005741/en/ Contacts: United States Mike Piccinino, CFA Westwicke, an ICR Company 443-213-0500 France and Europe NewCap Investor Relations Thomas GROJEAN +33 (0)1 44 71 94 94 maunakea@newcap.eu Bengaluru-based remote health-monitoring startup Dozee has raised Rs 12.5 crore in a pre-Series A round of funding from Prime Venture Partners, and other investors like YourNest Venture Capital and 3one4 Capital. With this, the total funding of Dozee stands close to Rs 20 crore, which include a clutch of grants and some angel investments as well. Dozee will use the fresh capital to partner with more hospitals, and to expand its consumer base across the country. The funds will further be used to enhance product capabilities, complete FDA formalities and other global certifications and eventually to expand to markets outside India. The beginnings Dozee was started in 2015 by Mudit Dandwate and Gaurav Parchani, who were colleagues at Altair Engineering. The duo wanted to develop an unobtrusive sleep-tracking device, which could track the vitals of the user and keep a tab on their health parameters. The device has been built after a four-year research and development phase at NIMHANS and Sri Jayadeva Institute, both nationally reputed hospitals in Bengaluru. The device is based on the science of ballistocardiography, which tracks the vitals of the heart. It tracks all the data it uploads onto our cloud and anomalies can be tracked by the near and dear ones through the Dozee app, Parchani told Moneycontrol. The device can be laid out below the mattress on which the user lies down. It will constantly track the heartbeat of the user and analyse any sort of unnatural behaviour. The founders believe that a constant level of monitoring will allow users to keep a tab on their health and also keep family members informed about the health condition of the users, who, in most cases, are senior citizens. Even if multiple people are sleeping on the mattress, Dozee is intelligent enough to pick up the heart rate of the nearest person, thereby switching off other vibrations as noise, he said. Changes for COVID-19 To make the device relevant during COVID-19, Dozee comes with an attached pulse oximeter variation as well. It is priced between Rs 8,000 and Rs 10,000. It is sold to hospitals for a higher price but comes with a web dashboard for doctors to monitor the vitals of the patients through the day. Constant monitoring is a huge global healthcare problem. Further, COVID-19 has given a massive tailwind to this sector, said Sanjay Swamy, partner at Prime Venture Partners. It is not everyday that India sees a company which has dedicated four years into active research and development. Dozee has huge amount of data and has already generated massive amount of intelligence through these years of research, he added. The company is looking to get the system deployed at all the general wards across the country, which counts to somewhere around 19 lakh. They do not want to penetrate into the ICU which already has all the sophisticated devices built in. It currently has partnership with 30 hospitals like Kauvery Hospital, IGMC Nagpur, ILS Kolkata and many others. Among retail consumers, the device is being used at 1,000 homes to monitor the elderly. Around 1,200 devices have been deployed in over 20 COVID-19 quarantine centres across eight states. As systems and services get more digitised, more so because of COVID-19, startups like these are ideally positioned to take advantage of the growing demand. As Swamy pointed out, Dozees sale cycles are reducing from two months to a few weeks as more doctors understand the usefulness of the product and are looking to deploy them to monitor patients through the day. Researchers at CRANN and the School of Physics at Trinity College Dublin have discovered that a new material can act as a super-fast magnetic switch. When struck by successive ultra-short laser pulses it exhibits "toggle switching" that could increase the capacity of the global fibre optic cable network by an order of magnitude. Expanding the capacity of the internet Switching between two states - 0 and 1 - is the basis of digital technology and the backbone of the internet. The vast majority of all the data we download is stored magnetically in huge data centres across the world, linked by a network of optical fibres. Obstacles to further progress with the internet are three-fold, specifically the speed and energy consumption of the semiconducting or magnetic switches that process and store our data and the capacity of the fibre optic network to handle it. The new discovery of ultra-fast toggle switching using laser light on mirror-like films of an alloy of manganese, ruthenium and gallium known as MRG could help with all three problems. Not only does light offer a great advantage when it comes to speed but magnetic switches need no power to maintain their state. More importantly, they now offer the prospect of rapid time-domain multiplexing of the existing fibre network, which could enable it to handle ten times as much data. The science behind magnetic switching Working in the photonics laboratory at CRANN, Trinity's nanoscience research centre, Dr Chandrima Banerjee and Dr Jean Besbas used ultra-fast laser pulses lasting just a hundred femtoseconds (one ten thousand billionth of a second) to switch the magnetisation of thin films of MRG back and forth. The direction of magnetisation can point either in or out of the film. With every successive laser pulse, it abruptly flips its direction. Each pulse is thought to momentarily heat the electrons in MRG by about 1,000 degrees, which leads to a flip of its magnetisation. The discovery of ultra-fast toggle switching of MRG has just been published in leading international journal, Nature Communications. Dr Karsten Rode, Senior Research Fellow in the 'Magnetism and Spin Electronics Group' in Trinity's School of Physics, suggests that the discovery just marks the beginning of an exciting new research direction. Dr Rode said: "We have a lot of work to do to fully understand the behaviour of the atoms and electrons in a solid that is far from equilibrium on a femtosecond timescale. In particular, how can magnetism change so quickly while obeying the fundamental law of physics that says that angular momentum must be conserved? "In the spirit of our spintronics team, we will now gather data from new pulsed-laser experiments on MRG, and other materials, to better understand these dynamics and link the ultra-fast optical response with electronic transport. We plan experiments with ultra-fast electronic pulses to test the hypothesis that the origin of the toggle switching is purely thermal." Next year Chandrima will continue her work at the University of Haifa, Israel, with a group who can generate even shorter laser pulses. The Trinity researchers, led by Karsten, plan a new joint project with collaborators in the Netherlands, France, Norway and Switzerland, aimed at proving the concept of ultra-fast, time-domain multiplexing of fibre-optic channels. ### The work that made the discovery possible was supported by Science Foundation Ireland, the Irish Research Council and the European Commission. India on Tuesday walked out of a virtual meeting of national security advisers of member-states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) after the Pakistani representative projected a map that inaccurately depicted the borders of the two countries. At the meeting of the national security advisers (NSAs) of member-states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), hosted by the chair of the SCO (Russia), the Pakistani NSA deliberately projected a fictitious map that Pakistan has recently been propagating, said external affairs ministry spokesperson Anurag Srivastava. This was in blatant disregard to the advisory by the host against it and in violation of the norms of the meeting. After consultation with the host, the Indian side left the meeting in protest at that juncture, he said. Srivastava added, As was to be expected, Pakistan then went on to present a misleading view of this meeting. People familiar with developments said on condition of anonymity that Pakistans use of a fictitious map as a backdrop for its representative, which depicted sovereign Indian territories as parts of Pakistan, was a blatant violation of the SCO charter and went against all established norms of the grouping for safeguarding the sovereignty and territorial integrity of member-states. India issued its strong objection to the use of this illegal map by Pakistan. The Russian side, as the chair, tried very hard to persuade Pakistan not to do so, said one of the people cited above. Russian NSA Nikolai Patrushev conveyed to the Indian side that he was personally very grateful to his Indian counterpart Ajit Doval for attending the SCO meeting, the people said. Russia doesnt support what Pakistan has done and hopes Pakistans provocative act wont affect Indias participation in SCO and definitely not cast any shadow on Patrushevs warm personal relationship with the Indian NSA, for whom he has the highest regard, the person added. Patrushev also said he hoped to see Doval at forthcoming events, according to the people. Pakistan issued a new map on August 4 that laid claim to Indias union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh and parts of Gujarat state on the eve of the first anniversary of the scrapping of Jammu and Kashmirs special status. India had reacted to the move by describing it as an exercise in political absurdity with no legal validity. The political map was released by Pakistans Prime Minister Imran Khan during a meeting in Islamabad that was attended by his cabinet and senior officials, including his special assistant on national security affairs, Moeed Yusuf. Khan had said the map was the first step towards a political struggle to achieve the right of self-determination for Kashmiris. Pakistan currently doesnt have a formally appointed NSA and Yusuf represents the country at meetings such as the one held on Tuesday. Before the external affairs ministry spokespersons statement, Yusuf tweeted: Bizarrely, my Indian counterpart chose to walk out of Pakistan and Russias speech. Left a bad taste at a forum whose whole spirit is cooperation. Yusuf also tweeted he had highlighted that unilateral & illegal actions in an internationally recognised disputed territory of [Jammu and Kashmir] is a threat to regional peace & prosperity. SCO currently comprises eight member-states. China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan are the other members, alongside India, Pakistan and Russia. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Sprawling properties, wardrobes bursting with designer clothes, staff to attend to their every whim - the lives of the rich and famous can seem like a gilded existence. But sometimes being lavished with fabulous wealth and celebrity comes at a cost. Just ask the Monreaux family from FOX's new soapy drama Filthy Rich, premiering this Monday September 21. This mega-rich southern family have all the trappings of success after creating a thriving Christian television network, but this is turned upside down when they learn the patriarch, Eugene, has died in a plane crash. The Monreaux family from FOX's new soapy drama Filthy Rich become entangled in scandal when, after they hear the family patriarch has died in a plane crash, they learn about the three illegitimate children he had with three different women. His wife Margaret (played by Kim Cattrall) is left to take charge of the family business, which is made that much more complicated when she learns that Eugene fathered three illegitimate children, all of whom are written into his will. It's going to take all the business savvy and southern charm that Margaret can muster to keep this family from becoming suffocated by scandal. The Monreaux family may be fictional, but the curse of celebrity scandal among wildly wealthy families is all too real. Here we bring you eight famous clans who have made the headlines with everything from sordid affairs and illegitimate children to domestic abuse and even kidnapping. The Kardashians It's hard to know where to start when it comes to Kardashian family scandals. These reality stars have become treasured tabloid fodder, notching up more than their fair share of column inches dedicated to rumor, gossip and controversy. The Kardashians are never far from scandal, from Kim's notorious sex tape in 2007 to Tristan Thompson cheating on Khloe with her sister Kylie Jenner's best friend Jordyn Woods The Kardashians' rise to reality fame arguably started back in 2007 when the infamous sex tape Kim made with former boyfriend Willie 'Ray J' Norwood was leaked. This was followed by Kim's short-lived marriage to Kris Humphries in 2010, Kendall Jenner's widely criticized Pepsi ad and Rob Kardashian releasing intimate photos of Blac Chyna. Then last year Tristan Thompson allegedly cheated on Khloe Kardashian with her sister Kylie Jenner's best friend Jordyn Woods. We can only wonder what will happen next. Lori Loughlin and Mossimo Giannulli One of the most shocking celebrity news stories of 2020 has been the Varsity Blues college admissions scandal - and Lori Loughlin and Mossimo Giannulli were right at the center of it. Lori Loughlin and Mossimo Giannulli found themselves at the center of the Varsity Blues college admissions scandal after they paid $500,000 to get their daughters into USC The famous pair paid $500,000 to get their daughters Olivia Jade and Isabella into USC by pretending they were champion coxswains. They were among dozens of well-heeled parents who paid for their kids' entry - Felicity Huffman also took part in the scheme and was sentenced to two weeks in prison. Actress Lori Loughlin, who is best known for her role on Full House, was last month sentenced to two months in prison, while her husband fashion designer Mossimo Giannulli will spend five months in prison for his role. The Lohans Lindsay Lohan found fame at age 11 playing identical twins Annie and Hallie in The Parent Trap and then went on to greater stardom with the hit movie Mean Girls in 2004. Lindsay Lohan has had her own brushes with scandal, which were not helped by the fact that her parents Michael and Dina are never far from controversy themselves But it didn't take long for Lohan to start to unravel, and within a few years she was becoming as well-known for her wild Hollywood lifestyle and brushes with the law as she was her acting roles. However, it wasn't just Lindsay making headlines. The star's parents Michael and Dina Lohan have a notoriously volatile relationship and they divorced in 2005 after a 20-year marriage. Michael has a long history of alcohol and cocaine abuse, as well as a criminal record that dates back to 1990. And the scandal doesn't seem to be abating. In January this year, Dina was arrested for a DUI after she allegedly hit a vehicle outside a steakhouse in New York. Then in February, Michael was arrested after his estranged second wife Kate Major claimed that he had choked her at her Long Island home when she confronted him about his internet browsing history. The Jolies She's considered one of the most beautiful women in the world with six gorgeous children, a successful career and a rather hefty bank balance, but Angelina Jolie's family life has been far from smooth sailing. Angelina Jolie (right) sent gossip columns into overdrive when she kissed her brother James Haven (left), and she has also endured an ugly fallout with her father John Voight (center) Her divorce from Brad Pitt was well publicised - along with their high profile custody battle - but it's her relationship with her father and brother that really got people talking. It's hard to forget Angelina passionately kissing her brother James Haven on the Academy Awards red carpet in 2000. Then after picking up her first Oscar - Best Supporting Actress for Girl, Interrupted - she opened her acceptance speech by telling the crowd: 'I'm so in love with my brother right now'. Angelina then had an ugly fallout with her father Jon Voight in 2002 when he gave an interview to Access Hollywood and claimed that she had 'serious mental problems' following her split from actor husband Billy Bob Thornton. The interview led to the actress legally dropping 'Voight' from her name. The Spears With hits like Baby One More Time, Lucky and Toxic, Britney Spears enjoyed a glittering pop career before going on to build up one of the most lucrative perfume empires of all time believed to be worth $1billion. Britney Spears (center left) with her mother Lynne (far right), brother Bryan (center right) and father Jamie (left), who was made conservator of her estate 12 years ago But it wasn't long after her rise to stardom that the pressures of fame caused Britney to suffer a very public meltdown, and fans watched aghast in 2007 as she first shaved her head and then attacked a paparazzi's car with an umbrella. The following year she was placed in temporary guardianship of her father Jamie, which essentially gave him control of her finances and career decisions, and led to a family feud that is still being played out today. The #FreeBritney hashtag recently started trending with fans claiming the star is being manipulated and controlled under the arrangement. Britney has attempted to have her father removed as the sole conservator of her estate, but last month a court decided the arrangement will remain in place until at least February 2021. The Gettys The Getty family is proof that money can't buy happiness. Their drama may have occurred years ago but the sordid mix of overwhelming wealth and wild scandal earns it a place on this list. Jean Paul Getty III (right), grandson of the mega-wealthy J. Paul Getty (left) never fully recovered after he became the victim of a notorious and brutal kidnapping A string of Gettys have died from drug overdoses, while Jean Paul Getty III - a grandson of the family patriarch J. Paul Getty - never recovered after he became the victim of a notorious and brutal kidnapping. Other members of the supremely dysfunctional family became embroiled in decades-long lawsuits and divorces, always over money. Then in 2015, the body of Andrew Getty - another grandson of J. Paul Getty and an heir to the vast Getty oil fortune - was discovered naked from the waist down in a bathroom at his gated, three-storey villa in the Hollywood Hills. Eminem and Debbie Mathers-Briggs Eminem is one of the most successful rappers of all time with 15 Grammys and many millions to his name, but his personal life has been marked by various feuds and controversies. Eminem (left) has experienced a turbulent relationship with his mother Debbie (right). In 1999 she sued her son for $10million - although she received a settlement of just $1,600 One of the most significant of these was with his mother Debbie, who was just 15 years old when she gave birth to him. Moving between trailer parks in Michigan and Missouri, Debbie struggled with alcohol and drug addictions, and the pair went on to have a troubled relationship. Debbie sued her son for $10million in Michigan court in 1999, alleging that he slandered her as a drug addict in his lyrics on The Slim Shady LP. She eventually received a settlement of just $1,600 after court costs. Prince and the (many) claimants to his wealth When Prince died on April 21, 2016, there followed an intense legal battle for the right to his fortune, which is estimated to be worth $300million, as the legendary artist left no will. When Prince died in 2016 he left no will, and there has been a furious legal battle for the rights to his estate, estimated to be worth around $300million In 2017, a Minnesota judge ruled that Prince's six siblings were the heirs to his estate, including full-sister, Tyka Nelson, and five half-brothers and sisters, Sharon, Norrine and John Nelson, Omarr Baker and Alfred Jackson. This was after several hundred more people came forward to lay claim to his wealth, with one woman insisting she had a secret wedding to Prince in Las Vegas and a little-known musician alleging that Prince agreed on a tour bus to hand him his whole estate. Filthy Rich premieres this Monday September 21 at 9/8c on FOX. With Congress and the White House having yet to agree on a coronavirus relief package that would send additional money to ailing state and local governments, Gov. J.B. Pritzker said Tuesday that hes asked the heads of state agencies to prepare for 5% cuts to budgets for this year and 10% cuts next year. The $43 billion spending plan Pritzker signed for the budget year that began July 1 relied heavily on federal aid and borrowing to plug a massive hole caused by revenue lost to the COVID-19-induced economic slowdown. Republicans, who largely opposed the budget, were critical of its reliance on uncertain assistance from Washington and a provision giving Pritzker additional leeway to shift money between different budget lines. The partisan lines continued to be drawn on Tuesday as the first-term Democratic governor blamed the threat of budget cuts on the GOP. Every state in the nation has suffered, every municipality in the nation has suffered from the fiscal effects of COVID-19, Pritzker said at an unrelated event in Chicagos Bronzeville neighborhood. However, until Republicans in Washington decide otherwise, middle-class, working-class and poor families across our state and across the nation will likely suffer from cuts to public safety, education, human services and environmental safety," he said. "And the potential layoffs will make the economic recession worse. Members of Pritzkers Cabinet are reviewing the budgets of agencies under their control to identify potential cuts and will need to implement those if there is no action taken by the Congress, he said. I cant tell you exactly when each cut will take place, Pritzker said. A memo Tuesday to agency directors from Deputy Gov. Dan Hynes and budget director Alexis Sturm said this years budget is only affordable in its current form with federal support to bridge the pandemic-related shortfalls and that now appears not to be forthcoming. The governors budget office estimates that the state will lose out on a combined $6.5 billion in revenue this year and next year. Agency heads were given until Oct. 2 to outline 5% reductions for the current year, including measures such as limiting or freezing hiring or new spending commitments. Directors also were asked to prepare two budget scenarios for next year: one that maintains level spending from the current year and one that anticipates a 10% reduction in appropriations from the states general fund. I can promise you that for everyone and anyone who got into public service who actually wants to serve the public, this is a nightmare scenario, Pritzker said. This years budget allows for borrowing of up to $5 billion from the Federal Reserve that would be repaid with anticipated but uncertain federal aid. Illinois became the first state to tap a new Fed program designed to aid state and local governments when it borrowed $1.2 billion in June to plug a hole in last years budget. Illinois officials also have been hoping for a loosening of restrictions on how the state can spend $3.5 billion in federal aid the state has already received. Currently, those funds are designated for expenses directly related to the COVID-19 response. In addition to the uncertainty of federal aid, the fate of Pritzkers signature policy initiative, a proposed amendment to the Illinois Constitution that would allow a graduated-rate income tax to replace the mandated flat tax, wont be known until the November election. If voters approve the amendment, higher tax rates on higher incomes would bring in an estimated $1.3 billion in additional revenue in the second half of the budget year. If not, the state plans to make up the difference with additional borrowing. The White House and Senate Republicans have balked at proposals to send direct relief to state and local governments to offset lost revenue. But House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told Democrats on a conference call Tuesday that the House would remain in session until theres a bill, The Associated Press reported. This isnt the first time the Pritzker administration has asked agency heads to prepared for belt tightening. A memo last fall asked for proposals based on a 6.5% across-the-board budget cuts. Despite that exercise and the havoc the pandemic has created for the states finances, the budget lawmakers approved for the current year held spending in the operating budget essentially flat. Republican state Rep. Tom Demmer of Dixon, a lead budget negotiator for the House GOP, called the request for budget-cutting ideas an appropriate exercise." Demmer said he would like to have seen some of the suggestions from agency heads last year incorporated into the current budget. Im glad that theyre renewing that effort now, Demmer said. Pritzkers grim budget pronouncements came the same day state health officials reported 1,466 newly confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 20 additional deaths. That brings the total number of known cases to 264,210 and the death toll to 8,332 statewide since the pandemic began. PHOTOS: Have you seen these missing Illinois children? Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The results of the third round of the serological surveillance in Delhi is likely to be released within the week, with the team of researchers having analysed all the 17,000 samples that had been collected during the first five days of the month. Also read: Indias Covid-19 recoveries highest in the world, data shows The result of the third round of sero survey will likely be out within this week, said one of the researchers. The serological survey helps the government in estimating the proportion of the population that might have been exposed to the virus causing coronavirus disease (Covid-19), and developed immunity to it. This is done by checking for antibodies against Sars-CoV-2 in blood samples. After the first round of the serological survey was conducted from June 27 to July 10 with assistance from the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), the Delhi government decided to conduct the surveys at the beginning of every month to map the actual spread of the infection. The first round of sero survey in Delhi had revealed that an estimated 22.6% had antibodies against Covid-19, which translates into about 4.5 million people in Delhi having had the infection. At the time, Delhi had reported just over 100,000 positive cases through testing. A representative sample of 20,000 people had been tested by the government for the study. The second round of sero surveillance, headed by the Maulana Azad Medical College, was conducted between August 1 and 7 when 15,000 samples were collected district-wise to check the burden of disease. For this survey, 29% of the total samples had antibodies against Covid-19, which translates to about 5.8 million of Delhis 20 million population. Through testing for the infection using nasal swabs, just over 142,000 positive cases had been detected. The results for the third round of sero survey, for which 17,000 samples had been collected ward-wise will show whether Delhi is close to achieving herd immunity. Many people with Covid-19 are asymptomatic and hence do not go to a healthcare facility or get tested. Sero survey helps to estimate the true burden of disease and what percentage of the cases were asymptomatic. There are some studies which show with 40 to 60% of the population being infected, the transmission goes down, Amit Singh, associate professor at the Centre for Infectious Diseases in Indian Institute of Science had told HT earlier. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON A new plan to allow for two-week unannounced inspections and follow up action plans of prisons is part of a new framework to revamp the system whereby prisons in Laois and other parts of Ireland are independently monitored. The Minister for Justice and Equality, Helen McEntee, has today (September 15) welcomed the publication of the Inspection Framework for Prisons in Ireland by the Inspector of Prions, Ms Patricia Gilheaney. The Department said the Inspection Framework sets out how the Inspectorate will conduct inspections of prisons in Ireland. It is informed by the statutory underpinning of the Inspector in legislation, national legislation relating to prisons and prisoners rights, and international obligations owing to prisoners. The Framework says that from 2020 onwards, and subject to adequate Inspectorate resources, each prisons in Ireland will be subject to a full inspection at a minimum every five years with an ambition to inspect prisons every two to three years. It says these will typically be unannounced. The framework says a significant amount of preparatory work will take place before a general inspection which will last two weeks depending on the size of the jail. A small team of perhaps two inspectors will engage with senior staff and conduct surveys among both prisoners and staff alongside other work during week one. During the second week, a larger team of inspectors. The plan is to carry out interviews with prisoners and staff. In particular, inspectors will want to speak to life sentence prisoners, remand prisoners, sex offenders, those on restricted regimes. Conversations with staff will be carried out to "gain a better understanding of the working life experienced by staff". Other items to be included in the second week of the inspection include observations and assessment and documentation reviews. Issues found that need prompt action will be raised with the Governor to enable 'corrective' measures to be taken rather than waiting for the close-out meeting which completes the inspection process. The framework says evidence-based Inspection Reports will not identify solutions but there will be recommendations that the IPS will be requested to address by providing a timebound Action Plan. Assessments in the reports will relate to performance in each of the five focus areas, with ratings of Very Good, Good, Fair or Poor. The final Inspection Report will be published by the Minister for Justice and the Inspectorate. All prisons that have been the subject of inspection will be requested to submit an action plan to the Inspectorate within one month of receipt of the draft report which will comprise the response of the prison to the recommendations that have been made, and what action, if any, the prison intends to take as a consequence of each recommendation. The Inspectorate says it will develop a comprehensive template to ensure that the IPS understands and complies with the required action points. Apart from the general inspections, the Inspectorate says follow-up and/or Functional/Thematic Inspections will be carried out in the intervening period. Also typically unannounced, inspection issues can include: Solitary confinement, prisoner safety, prisoner restraint, staff wellbeing, human resources, finance, governance, education, healthcare. Announced follow up visits may take place to assess progress against the Action Plan, which the Irish Prison Service, will have produced to address the recommendations in the original Inspection Report. Remand prisons may be inspected on a more regular basis, at least once every two years. Speaking at the launch, Minister McEntee said: I know the Inspectorate is committed to undertaking a comprehensive and systemic programme of inspections of Irelands prisons - in an independent, transparent manner with a focus on improvement and prevention and I very much welcome and support this work. A key requirement of this commitment is the development of an Inspection Framework, and with this in mind - I am delighted to launch this Framework today," she said. She added that the Inspector will continue to play a vital role in providing valuable external scrutiny of Prisons in Ireland, a role now underpinned by this best-practice Framework. The Office of the Inspector of Prisons is a statutory but independent body, set up under the Prisons Act 2007. It carries out regular inspections of all prisons in Ireland and to present a report on each institution inspected to the Minister for Justice and Equality. Romanian young farmers can apply for funding under the National Rural Development Programme 2014 - 2020 (PNDR 2020) in a new one-month session from September 16, the Agency for Rural Investments Financing (AFIR ) reported on Tuesday in a press statement. The funding covers sub-measure 6.1 "Support for the installation of young farmers" under PNDR 2020, and the quality threshold for receiving projects is 25 points.According to the quoted source, 116 projects worth over 4.8 million euros have so far been submitted.Currently, out of the total of 43 million euros allocated for funding in this session, young farmers still have 38.19 million euros, of which 19.9 million euros are allocated to young Romanians from abroad. Oil prices rose on Tuesday afternoon, ahead of the weekly crude inventory data releases, but traders remain concerned about the pace of the recovery in global oil markets. After a sobering OPEC report on Monday, the IEA published its updated demand forecast for 2020, revising its previous outlook downward by 200,000 bpd to 91.7 bpd, slightly more optimistic than OPECs 90.2 million bpd forecast. After a few months of quick demand recovery, the International Energy Agency now sees headwinds for further recovery of crude demand, expecting the pace of recovery to slow down significantly as most of the easy gains are already achieved. While most analysts and energy executives remain concerned about the slowing demand for road fuels as driving season in North America comes to an end, its jet fuels that represent the largest mid to long-term threat for oil markets. Industry executives even went as far as saying that refiners should recalibrate their product output away from jet fuel, if possible at all. The IEA also cut its forecast for crude inventory draws for the last few months of 2020, saying that commercial crude stocks hit an all-time high of 3.225 billion barrels in July. Large oil traders such as Vitol and Trafigura are said to have started to charter tankers for floating storage as markets are once again looking at a steeper contango, a situation where the future price of a commodity is higher than the expected spot price or front-month contract, pointing at a supply-heavy market in the near-term. The positive news for crude markets this week could come from OPEC and partners, which are set to meet on Thursday. The cartel is unlikely to make deeper output cuts, but strong compliance and compensation for the missed target could offer some support to the markets. Additionally, Hurricane Sally, a category two hurricane, threatens both Gulf of Mexico operations and Gulf coast refiners as slowly barrels towards the Louisiana coastline. Around 25 percent of crude production has been shut-in, but offshore drillers are already preparing for a quick resumption of production. The Gulf of Mexico shut-ins led to a small bump in oil prices on Tuesday morning. At 11:45 AM ET, WTI crude traded 2.25% higher at $38.10, with Brent crude rising above $40. By Tom Kool of Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: In the ensuing months, he became one of the most sought-after scientists in the world. His Twitter followers ballooned to 264,000 from 3,000. His teams genomic analysis of the first cases in Washington state, which concluded the virus had been spreading silently for weeks, primed public health and civic leaders for a speedy shutdown of major businesses and conventions in Seattle in the first week of March. That prompt response is credited by many for averting a catastrophic spread such as occurred only weeks later in New York City, where nearly 24,000 later died from COVID-19. Correcting an early conclusion In fact, one of Bedfords early conclusions was eventually shown likely to have been wrong. The spread of cases in Washington state appears now to have come from a separate introduction event from China, rather than from the first known case from a visitor to Wuhan, as Bedford first suspected. It was a correction prompted by new data, a real-time response to public peer review he was happy to make. The fine technical adjustment did not change the urgency or wisdom of his initial finding. You want to strike a balance, Bedford said. On the other hand, the World Health Organization has really erred on the side of certainty. So, theyve been slow on a bunch of things they should not have been slow on, like transmission by people who are asymptomatic, or the degree of airborne transmission. Theyve been really focused on waiting until it is absolutely certain the evidence is fully supportive of whatever hypothesis there is, and thats slower than it should be. A primary vehicle of open science is the so-called preprint server, a place on the internet where research teams download their fresh papers to be viewed, publicly, free of charge and without private peer review. That process takes place in the open, involving sometimes blistering comments from other scientists. Researchers call these open critiques crowd-sourced peer review. Scientists from China began a trickle of postings about the new coronavirus in January on the preprint server bioRxiv (pronounced "bio-archive"), which was founded in 2013 as a service of Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, in New York. To date, more than 8,500 research articles related to COVID-19 have been posted on bioRxiv and its newer sister publication medRxiv (pronounced "med-archive"). The latter preprint server was launched in 2019, but still had a low profile in December. It quickly became the leading site for COVID-19 papers after Cold Spring Harbor divided topics, leaving primary laboratory biology studies to bioRxiv, and assigning epidemiological and clinical studies involving humans to medRxiv, which accounts for 6,700 of the total. Explosive growth fueled by COVID-19 Whether the flowering of preprints in COVID-19 research will spill over to other fields of science is unclear. Dr. Eleonora Presani, an astroparticle physicist, is executive director for arXiv, the original preprint server founded in 1991 at Los Alamos National Laboratory and now operated by Cornell University. It was set up before the internet boom to connect the high-energy physics community, which is accustomed to working in large, international collaborations. Presani said growth in typical postings has remained at 20% per year, except for an explosion in COVID-19 science, where researchers have already posted 2,204 coronavirus papers to date more than in bioRxiv. Presani said that arXiv collaborates with bioRxiv and medRxiv, and COVID-19 has deepened those connections. We dont see ourselves as competitors, she said. Our communities are closer than ever. The doctors told Dr. Saba and his wife, Marisa that their pre-born daughter, Jessica had little chance of survival, and if she lived she would have a poor quality of life. Despite doctor's persistent recommendations to abort her up to 24 weeks during the pregnancy, Dr. Saba and his wife, Marisa, were determined to save Jessica. When the delivery date approached, they were asked how aggressively the medical team should intervene to save Jessica after she was born. Marisa courageously responded: "I have done everything to come this far, and you do everything you need to do to keep her alive." Jessica is now a flourishing, energetic 11-year old. "Every human life is valuable whether you are pre-born, after birth and even at the end of a long lifenever give up, always have hope. You are valuable because you are made to live," Dr. Saba reiterates in Made to Live. Published by Winnipeg-based Word Alive Press, Made to Live www.madetolive.com tells for the first-time Dr. Saba's story of growing up in a family rooted in service to life. Even the book's creation was a family affair. The title comes from a drawing by Jessica when she was seven years old. The book's cover was designed by their son, John-Anthony. Eldest daughter Eliana contributed a chapter about saving children's lives in the underdeveloped world. A family physician in his birthplace of Montreal, Canada, Dr. Saba draws on his years as a doctor, husband and father to help debunk the mythology that life is just one more disposable commodity. The books are available on Amazon, Barnes & Nobles, Chapters, Indigo, Apple iBooks, Kobo, Google Play, Kindle, and Scribd vendors. The book will soon be available in other languages. You can contact Lisa Hanash for review copies. Book trailer: https://bit.ly/31h6EbV www.madetolive.com SOURCE Dr Paul Saba GRAND RAPIDS, MI The family of Breonna Taylor, a former Grand Rapids woman who was shot and killed by Louisville police, has settled a lawsuit against the city of Louisville for several million dollars, the Associated Press reports. The settlement includes police reforms, the AP said. Taylor, a 26-year-old Grand Rapids native, was shot and killed in March when Louisville police used a search warrant at her home to look for a suspect who did not live there. She was a Black emergency-medical technician. Her death, along with the death of George Floyd, a Black man who died May 25 after a now-former Minneapolis police officer pinned him to the ground with his knee, has triggered international protests against racism and police brutality. A MAJOR UPDATE in the Breonna Taylor case will be announced at a press conference today at 2pm E.T. at the Louisville Mayors Office. @AttorneyCrump, co-counsels Sam Aguiar and Lonita Baker, and the family of Breonna Taylor will address this case update. Ben Crump (@AttorneyCrump) September 15, 2020 Taylor was born and raised in Grand Rapids before she moved to Kentucky over a decade ago. Her supporters earlier held a vigil at Rosa Parks Circle. She was killed March 13 when police entered her apartment in a drug investigation. The subject of the warrant did not live there and was in custody at the time. Police did not find any drugs. Taylor was shot multiple times. 30 March for Breonna Taylor held in downtown Grand Rapids Louisville Metro police earlier fired Officer Brett Hankinson. He and two other plainclothes officers - Sgt. Jonathan Mattingly and Officer Myles Cosgrove used a battering ram to open the door of Taylors apartment in the 1 a.m. raid, the Louisville Courier Journal reported. Taylors boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, shot Mattingly in the thigh. All of the officers fired their guns, the newspaper said. Police said the officers announced their entry though it was not required at the time. Walker thought an intruder broke in. He and neighbors did not hear police announce their presence, the Courier Journal said. No-knock search warrants have since been banned in Louisville. Read more: Louisville police officer fired in death of Breonna Taylor, Grand Rapids native Breonna Taylor: Protesters march in Grand Rapids calling on people to say her name Grand Rapids native Breonna Taylor, victim of police shooting, honored at vigil Register with JOC.com and receive 5 free pieces of content for the first thirty days. After thirty days, you will receive 3 pieces of content and after sixty days you will receive 1 piece of content. To receive full access, Subscribe Today . You can also subscribe to our daily newsletter. Register China has banned pork imports from Germany following the country's first outbreak of African swine fever last week. The German government announced on 10 September a case of African swine fever in a wild boar near the Polish border. The ministry of agriculture unveiled a series of strict measures to avoid any contamination, and the activation of a crisis management plan. Now a number of non-EU countries have banned German pork exports in the wake of the positive test, including South Korea, Japan, Singapore, Argentina and Brazil. Chinas Ministry of Agriculture and General Administration of Customs said in a statement on Saturday 12 September that China would place a ban on German pork. They explained that the move was intended to 'protect the animal husbandry industry and prevent the spread of the disease'. But according to the DPA news agency, the German government is hoping to limit the ban to certain regions of the country. In the first four months of 2020, Germany shipped nearly 200,000 tonnes of pork to China alone, behind only the US and Spain, figures from Rabobank show. Germany is the third-largest exporter of pork to China, which will now likely import more from the US and Spain. Joachim Rukwied, president of Germany's Farmers' Association (DBA), told German broadcaster DW that China's decision was 'clearly disproportionate and simply unacceptable.' The UK's National Pig Association (NPA) said that the German ASF case was 'very worrying' as it could have a 'significant impact' on the wider market. NPA chief executive Zoe Davies said: Our thoughts go out to all German producers who clearly now face a period of uncertainty. "We await to see what the trade implications will be, but there is the potential for export restrictions to be put in place." (Natural News) After Black Lives Matter terrorists shot two law enforcement officials in the head in Compton on Saturday, other BLM terrorists showed up at the Los Angeles hospital where they were being treated to taunt the cops as they struggled for their lives following the cowardly ambush attack. (Article by Shane Trejo republished from BigLeaguePolitics.com) We are out here at St. Francis Hospital where two of Americas most notorious gang members have been brought to. We are going to go up here and just check on these murderers right here and see whats up, said the BLM terror leader, who identified himself with unintelligible hood gibberish. The thugs made their way to the hospital to harass the law enforcement officials as they attempted to recover. They were told by a security official with the hospital that they were trespassing, which prompted a belligerent reaction. You see whats happening right here, right? They got these pigs out here. They are telling us that we cannot come in here and see these individuals whose been shot down at the motherf**king train station, he said. The security official attempted to explain to the low IQ thug that this was a private hospital, but he lacked the cranial capacity to understand the difference between public and private property. When the mob became confused, the thugs started making noises that an animal would make. They also called the hospital security officer a b*tch and said all cops would die one by one. Two of the video clips can be seen here: BLM protesters trying to breach St. Francis hospital where two officers are fighting for their lives after being shot in an ambush. Part 2 pic.twitter.com/8W3ciYNtmo Maria CLICK THE FCN PROFILE Viti (@selfdeclaredref) September 13, 2020 Big League Politics reported about the two law enforcement officials who were ambushed and shot in the head outside of a bus station on Saturday: Two Sheriffs Deputies of the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department were shot in the head on Saturday night at the Compton PAX station The condition of the two sheriffs deputies is unclear, although the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department confirmed they are fighting for their lives. They have been transported to an area hospital The latest update indicates that the two deputies, who were assigned to the LASDs Transit Security Bureau, were sitting in a squad car when they were ambushed. No suspect has been arrested as of yet, although law enforcement is actively investigating to obtain a profile of a suspect. BLM has emerged as a bigger threat to U.S. freedom than ISIS could ever hope to be. These savages must be put down quickly or America will be lost forever. Read more at: BigLeaguePolitics.com (Photo : REUTERS/Lindsey Wasson) Jacqueline Dunlap places whole blood samples into a centrifuge to separate plasma for antibody testing at the Bloodworks Northwest Laboratory during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Renton, Washington, U.S. September 9, 2020. Picture taken September 9, 2020. (Photo : REUTERS/Lindsey Wasson) Hospital Services Supervisor Jennifer Crane locates a convalescent plasma sample with COVID-19 antibodies in freezer storage while preparing it for shipment to a local hospital at the Bloodworks Northwest Laboratory during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Renton, Washington, U.S. September 9, 2020. Picture taken September 9, 2020. Scientists discovered a new antibody that could possibly neutralize COVID-19 by preventing it from entering the human cells. Researchers from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine claimed that their discovery is a breakthrough when it comes to coronavirus' treatment and prevention. Also Read: Health Experts Show Skepticism with COVID-19 Vaccine Timelines, Urge the Public to Take Pharma Company's Claims "with a Grain of Salt" They said that it is the world's smallest biological molecule that neutralizes explicitly the SARS-CoV-2, which causes the novel coronavirus. The researchers used the tiny antibody, ten times smaller than a normal antibody, to develop a drug called "Ab8"--to be used against SARS-CoV-2 as a prophylactic and therapeutical medicine. Also Read: Suspension of Astrazeneca's COVID-19 Vaccine Trial in the US Continues As FDA Probes Serious Spinal Cord Side Effect Despite UK's Resume Scientists administered the drug to hamsters and mice and found out that it is highly effective in preventing COVID-19 infections. Its tiny size allows it to pass through alternative routes inside the human body, including inhalation, making it more effective. What's more is that it does not bind to human cells, meaning the drug won't negatively affect people. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC), University of Columbia, University of Saskatchewan, and University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) already evaluated Ab8's effectiveness. "Ab8 not only has potential as a therapy for COVID-19, but it also could be used to keep people from getting SARS-CoV-2 infections," said M.D. John Mellors, study's co-author and chief of the Division of Infectious Disease at UPMC and Pitt. He added that larger antibodies have been effective against other infectious diseases, giving the world a hope that they could also cure and prevent COVID-19 infections. How the scientists discovered the tiny antibody The small antibody is the variable, heavy chain (VH) domain of an immunoglobulin, a kind of antibody usually found in the blood. The researchers found it among more than 100 billion possible candidates using the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein as bait. It was combined with part of the immunoglobulin tail area to create Ab8, without the bulk of a full-size antibody. However, it still has the same immune functions. The researchers said that the medicine could be administered as an inhaled drug or intradermally because of its small size. Ab8 could have its worldwide development since it was already licensed by Abound Bio, a newly formed UPMC-backed company. For more news updates about COVID-19 and its possible treatments, always keep your tabs open here at TechTimes. Also Read: Chinese Whistleblower Dr. Li-Meng Yan Blames Dr. Fauci for COVID-19 Outbreak Coverup This article is owned by TechTimes, Written by: Giuliano de Leon. 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. [September 15, 2020] Coupang Appoints Kim Ki-ryung as VP of Company's HR Center of Excellence Coupang, Korea's leading online retailer, today announced it has appointed Kim Ki-ryung, one of the most renowned human resources strategists in Korea, as its new vice president in charge of leading the Company's HR Center of Excellence (CoE). Kim adds over 20 years of executive HR experience as the previous head of HR for a major Korean conglomerate and former CEO of numerous global HR consultancies, including Mercer Korea, Hay Group Korea, Aon Korea, and Towers Watson Korea. He is uniquely qualified to run the CoE and is the latest example of Coupang's ability to attract world-class talent. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200915005478/en/ (Photo: Business Wire) Prior to joining Coupang, Kim served as the Managing Director of Human Resources Planning at Pulmuone Foods Co. where he oversaw various area such as HR Management (HRM), HR Development (HRD), Employee Relations (ER), and Diversity and Inclusion (D&I). He also architected the Gender Equality Center, which was recognized by the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family and the Ministry of Employment and Labor for advocating family values and gender equality in business. Before Pulmuone, Kim served as CEOs of all four Korean branches of major global HR consulting firms, including Mercer Korea, Hay Group Korea, Aon Korea and Towers Watson Korea. As CEO of Mercer Korea, he grew the company into the best-in-class consulting firm in the market, and at Towers Watson Korea, he worked on post-merger integration to help employees feel unified after Towers Perrin Korea and Watson Wyatt Worldwide Korea's physical integration. At Coupang, Kim plans to focus on establishing the HR management strategies needed to facilitate the Company's aggressive growth while continuing to meet the corporate vision of consistently wowing Customers. "I'm very pleased to join Coupang on its journey of growth and innovation," said Kim. "Talents with diverse experience and skill sets from all around the world work together at Coupang and push to build innovation for Customers every day. I will commit to building a strong system and environment which can provide differentiated experiences to employees and help them further develop their competencies." Kim graduated from Korea University with an undergraduate degree in Education and received a graduate degree and a doctorate in Educational Psychology from the State University of New York. About Coupang Coupang is Korea's largest eCommerce platform and one of the fastest-growing consumer internet companies in the world. Powered by its proprietary technology infrastructure, Coupang has built a revolutionary end-to-end fulfillment and logistics operations that delivers millions of items to Customers' doors within hours. Customers have embraced this convenience, making Korea's ecommerce market the fifth largest in the world and on track to be the third largest by 2021, behind only China and the U.S. Founded in 2010, Coupang is a global company with offices in Beijing, Los Angeles, Seattle, Seoul, Shanghai, and Silicon Valley. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200915005478/en/ [ Back To www.mobilitytechzone.com/wimax's Homepage ] Melbourne residents still face restrictions, with non-essential businesses remaining closed and an overnight curfew in place until October 26 Australia recorded zero new coronavirus deaths for the first time in two months on Tuesday, as a slowdown in new cases allowed a crippling lockdown in its second-biggest city to be eased. Just 50 fresh virus cases were reported nationwide -- down from peaks above 700 in late July and early August -- while no fatalities were registered for the first time since July 13, according to an AFP tally. The news came a day after a strict lockdown of Melbourne was loosened, allowing residents to spend an extra hour a day exercising outside and visiting friends living alone. In surrounding Victoria state, locals will be able to leave their homes and businesses can reopen from midnight Wednesday after rural case numbers dipped. "It is a massive thing, it is a very positive thing," Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews said. Melbourne residents still face restrictions, with non-essential businesses remaining closed and an overnight curfew in place until October 26. Almost three-quarters of Australia's almost 27,000 cases and 90 percent of the 816 coronavirus deaths have occurred in Victoria state. Hundreds died in aged care homes as the virus swept through facilities, infecting thousands of residents and staff. Clusters also emerged at schools, abattoirs and hospitals after security bungles at hotels used to quarantine international travellers allowed the virus to leak back into the community. With case numbers under control, pressure is mounting on the government to allow thousands of Australians stranded overseas by border closures to travel home. Caps introduced on international arrivals in the wake of the Melbourne outbreak have severely limited those able to return, with commercial airlines reportedly prioritising first- and business-class passengers to recoup losses racked up flying near-empty planes. Opposition leader Anthony Albanese called on the prime minister to use his Royal Australian Air Force jet to bring home citizens, a plan derided as a "stunt" by one government minister. Other politicians have called on the government to use immigration detention centres to house the returnees -- a method initially used for nationals returning from Wuhan, but abandoned once the virus spread globally. hr/arb/rbu By Express News Service KOCHI: Normally a police station receives all sorts of complaints, but a one-of-a-kind petition received by the Chengamanad police station caught the eye of Jini Mol, a woman civil police officer posted there. The petition from Ambily of Puthuvassery sought the help of Janamaithri police to get a new TV set to enable her children-- a degree student son and two daughters in Class X and Class V, respectively whose education had been disrupted by the pandemic -- to resume their online studies. Jini Mol conducted an inquiry with the assistance of Janamaithri beat officers in the area and came to know of the familys plight. Ambilys husband had walked out on her several years ago and ever since it has been an uphill task for her to make ends meet. She has a small job at a factory, but it is a poorly paid one. The family had a TV set but it was damaged in the 2018 flood. Though it was repaired, it ceased to function later. Subsequently, Jini Mol shared the story of the familys travails with her pre-degree batchmates of Nirmala College, Muvattupuzha, on their WhatsApp group. Seeing the post, Anas Muhammed of Muvattupuzha, currently employed in Kuwait, donated Rs 10,000 to get a new smart TV for the family, said Jini Mol. Officers said this is the latest instance of the effective implementation of Janamaithri policing which has resulted in the public seeking the help of police to resolve issues. The police officers handed over the television set to the family on Saturday. The intervention of the woman officer helped the family. She brought the matter to the attention of kind-hearted people, said T K Joshy, SHO, Chengamanad police station. K Karthik, Rural SP, Ernakulam, felicitated Jini Mol. An aerial view of Busan's Marine City and Haeundae Beach / Gettyimagesbank City gov't working with card firm for tourism infrastructure By Kim Bo-eun Korea's second-largest city, Busan, is in talks with China's tech giant Tencent over the development of mobile applications for foreigners that could possibly facilitate payments by tourists there. The local government, which has already joined hands with Hana Card, one of the country's leading card issuers, plans to promote its goal of becoming Asia's fintech center, by teaming up with the two companies. Tencent provides various financial services via its in-house WeChat mobile application platform. Two applications will be developed under the collaboration, one providing comprehensive tourism information for foreigners based on their card payment data, and another that will enable payments via existing systems used by foreigners. The project is also expected to offer business opportunities for fintech firms based in the port city. The Busan International Finance Center (BIFC) houses a center for fintech startups. In the short term, the project aims to offer a payment infrastructure for foreigners, and in the long term it would serve as an opportunity for Busan to accumulate big data on tourists to provide customized services for them. The trilateral partnership would serve as a new model as lines are blurring between finance and technology, providing fresh impetus for both banking and tech industries which want to cut their heavy dependency on legacy business models. "We plan to set up the infrastructure by the first half of next year, at the earliest," a Busan government official said. "Foreign tourists have been unable to visit due to COVID-19, but we are preparing with the aim to have the infrastructure ready when travel opens up again. This is also a means to revive the local economy, which has taken a toll due to the coronavirus, and foster fintech firms." Busan is a popular tourist destination for foreigners, given its famous beaches and historical sites. It is the country's third-most-visited area by inbound tourists, following Seoul and Gyeonggi Province. The official said the government is in the process of finalizing terms with Tencent. Busan has been striving to boost its competitiveness as a financial hub, after the government designated the city as the country's second financial center after Seoul. Busan has a focus on maritime finance. A number of state-run institutions relocated to the city, including the Korea Exchange, Korea Technology Finance Corp., Korea Asset Management Corp. and Korea Securities Depository. The city government has recently been striving to attract foreign financial institutions possibly leaving Hong Kong amid the unrest there. Busan is offering such firms rent-free offices for 25 years at the BIFC, along with corporate and income tax incentives. Busan ranked 51st out of 108 cities in a financial center competitiveness index published by the London-based think tank Z/Yen this year. MCHENRY, Ill., Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Medela , the No. 1 mom-recommended breast pump brand*, today launched a new breast pump tote in collaboration with renowned fashion designer and breastfeeding advocate Rebecca Minkoff . Designed with Minkoff's personal pumping experiences in mind, the limited-edition tote is part of Medela's and Minkoff's efforts to demonstrate that breastfeeding is beautiful, by supporting moms and enhancing the breast pumping experience with high-quality, fashionable products. "As a breastfeeding and pumping mom of three, I wanted to create a bag that is fashionable and functional, that could transition from a pump bag to a diaper bag and beyond," said Rebecca Minkoff. "With a soft inner print, playful tassels and bold stripe carrying strap, the Medela x Rebecca Minkoff tote goes beyond form and function and represents the beautiful and multi-faceted nature of breast milk feeding and motherhood." A breast pump tote is an essential item for moms today, who often pump outside the home and need a simple and efficient way to carry their pump and accessories. Moms can now pump in style with the sleek and functional tote designed to fit any of Medela's personal-use breast pumps, with features like: Removable, leopard-print lined bag for holding pump parts and pieces or cleaning items for holding pump parts and pieces or cleaning items Interior pockets for holding pump pieces or accessories and an exterior pocket for a phone or other personal items for holding pump pieces or accessories and an for a phone or other personal items Three adjustable straps one handheld, one shoulder and one detachable crossbody for convenient carrying or hooking over the stroller handle one handheld, one shoulder and one detachable crossbody for convenient carrying or hooking over the stroller handle Exterior wipeable nylon material for quick and simple cleaning of unexpected spills "This collaboration is a celebration of our commitment to motherhood and the many millions of moms and babies we've helped over the years," said Melissa Gonzales, executive vice president of the Americas for Medela. "Moms look to us to create purposeful, effective and differentiated products, and working with Rebecca's experience as both a breastfeeding mom and designer made for the perfect collaboration. We have long praised her intentional focus on empowering women and motherhood through fashion, and it is an honor to continue supporting her motherhood journey." The new Medela x Rebecca Minkoff tote will debut at the Rebecca Minkoff New York Fashion Week show on September 15, 2020. The show will feature Rebecca's Fall 2020 Collection. A known advocate for normalizing breastfeeding, Minkoff included nursing or pumping models in her Spring 2020 and Fall 2019 NYFW shows, also in collaboration with Medela. The launch of the Medela x Rebecca Minkoff tote coincides with the recent launch of Medela's NEW Pump In Style with MaxFlow Technology breast pump. The new Pump In Style is the reimagination of the legendary Medela Pump In Style and Pump In Style Advanced breast pumps, which have supported millions of breast milk feeding moms for almost three decades. For more information about the new Pump In Style, watch the short video highlighting its features, or view the multimedia news release . The Medela x Rebecca Minkoff tote retails for USD $298.00 and can be purchased exclusively from Rebecca Minkoff.com . For more information on the collaboration, visit Medela.us/breastfeeding . About Medela With headquarters in Baar, Switzerland, and a U.S.-based manufacturing and development facility in McHenry, Illinois, Medela supports millions of moms and babies and patients in more than 100 countries all over the world. As the #1 breast pump brand*, Medela provides the best in research-based breast milk feeding products and clinical education to support moms' breast milk feeding journey. The company is fully dedicated to supporting mothers so that they can provide breast milk to their baby for as long as they choose. For more information, visit www.medela.us/breastfeeding . About Rebecca Minkoff An industry leader in accessible luxury handbags, accessories, footwear and apparel, Rebecca Minkoff's playful and subtly edgy designs can be spotted around the world on young women and celebrities alike. Rebecca Minkoff is a global brand with a wide range of apparel, handbags, footwear, jewelry and accessories (including tech) as well as men's accessories under the label Uri Minkoff. The brand has two domestic retail stores, eight international locations, and is distributed in over 900 stores worldwide. In 2011, Rebecca won industry recognition when she was awarded the Breakthrough Designer Award from the Accessories Council. She is an active member of the CFDA and supports multiple philanthropies including Jessica Seinfeld's non-profit, Good+Foundation. Rebecca is also a member of the first-ever New York State Council on Women and Girls, in the company of other female industry leaders including Refinery29 founder Christene Barberich, SoulCycle CEO Melanie Whelan and Deloitte CEO Cathy Engelbert. Rebecca is dedicated to bringing women together to enact positive change. *IQVIA, using ProVoice Survey; September 2019-August 2019 SOURCE Medela LLC Nearly four days earlier, Chesterfield police said a witness reported seeing at least two men wearing dark clothing and hoodies force Patel into a dark-colored van shortly before 6 a.m. on Sept. 16, 2012, as he was opening his RaceWay station and convenience store. He was never seen or heard from again. In September 2012, a Chesterfield police investigations supervisor told the Richmond Times-Dispatch that detectives recovered a cellphone belonging to Patel before his body was found, but he declined to say where. The supervisor also said investigators were examining video footage from a security camera inside Patels store. The business did not have exterior cameras at the time of Patels disappearance, he added. At the time, police said they had no evidence that Patels ethnicity or religion figured into his abduction. He was a native of India who regularly attended a local Hindu temple he helped oversee at 7041 Jefferson Davis Highway. Friends and one of his relatives told The Times-Dispatch in 2012 that Patel, 44, was a religious man who moved to the Richmond area from India more than 20 years ago and had a wife and two children, then 16 and 18. SANTA ANA, Calif., Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Regional Center of Orange County (RCOC) honored 13 individuals and organizations at its 23rd annual Spotlight Awards Thursday, September 10. Guest hosted by Emmy Award-winning reporter Michele Gile of CBS2/KCAL9, the event took place virtually through streaming media (for the first time, due to the COVID pandemic), with around 100 participants. Nancy Bargmann, Director of the California Department of Developmental Services helped to welcome participants to the event, introduced by RCOC Board Chair Chip Wright. RCOC created the Spotlight Awards in 1997 to honor those in Orange County who have advanced the quality of life for people with developmental disabilities. 2020 Regional Center of Orange County Spotlight Award Recipients: About Regional Center of Orange County: Regional Center of Orange County is the private, nonprofit organization contracted by the State of California to coordinate lifelong services and supports for more than 22,000 Orange County residents with developmental disabilities and their families. The Regional Center is the first stop for those seeking to obtain local services and supports to help them live safely and with dignity in the community. Developmental disabilities include intellectual disabilities, autism, epilepsy and cerebral palsy. Learn more at www.rcocdd.com. EDITOR/REPORTER NOTE: Photos available upon request. Full program video link: https://rcocdd.zoom.us/rec/share/fMktmzNsmZ2vjs4xsxhfk_YxFmfRQY2do4Hp7m9Ibpjn4egG3Xx-dV1fzIPiLJfU.qI5idXKGNfKrTNB8 SOURCE Regional Center of Orange County Related Links https://www.rcocdd.com Authorities have released the name of a man killed in a fiery interstate crash over the weekend. The Jefferson County Coroners Office identified the victim as Calvin Eugene Clopton. He was 38 and lived in Pelham. The crash happened at 5:20 a.m. Saturday on Interstate 59 southbound in Argo, according to the Jefferson County Coroners Office. Chief Deputy Coroner Bill Yates said the victims vehicle was struck from behind by a tractor-tractor. The impact caused the vehicle to catch fire and become engulfed in flames. Clopton was pronounced dead on the scene at 5:26 a.m. The accident remains under investigation by the Alabama State Troopers. The agreement establishing diplomatic relations will be signed at noon today at the White House. This will help Trump in his election campaign and Netanyahu, who is contested at home. Both sides will enjoy mutual benefits in terms of technology and financial resources. Meanwhile, the Palestinians remain increasingly divided and isolated. The number of people present at the ceremony will be limited due to COVID-19 restrictions. Washington (AsiaNews) Today at noon, the White House will be the venue for the signing of the Abraham Accords, the historic pact aimed at normalising relations and opening diplomatic channels between Israel and the United Arab Emirates (with Bahrain ready to follow), each for their own reasons, and the US President Donald Trump, who plays host in front of TV cameras. The Palestinians are nowhere to be seen, relegated to the margins if not forgotten, whose feeble voice seems to have less and less weight in the international arena. For Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, this is an important moment. Faced with a second coronavirus wave (Israel is the first country in the world to impose a second lockdown), a corruption trial, and street protests, including one just before he left for the United States, he is playing the international card for the sake of his political survival. For experts, today's signing ceremony in Washington represents one of his greatest successes, which will be followed by the Israeli flag raising ceremony at the countrys new embassies in Abu Dhabi and Manama. The same will happen for the two Arab states in Tel Aviv. Now Israelis may even be able admire Saudi territory and coast from their plane on their way east. Before signing, Netanyahu and Trump will hold a bilateral meeting to be followed by a mini-summit with the foreign ministers of the UAE and Bahrain, who will then have their own tete-a-tete with the US president. Of course, Trump will sign the agreement as a "witness" or an "observer". For him, today's ceremony should boost his re-election chances in November, as the gap with his Democratic rival Joe Biden narrows. This is a far cry from his predecessor Barack Obama who could not envisage such an outcome given the crisis in relations with Israel at the end of his mandate. The main signatories, Israel and the UAE, will also benefit. Analysts and experts point to the combined potential of Israeli technologies and Abu Dhabi's financial power to open new avenues in the Middle East. In addition to Israeli technology and UAE money, transport and logistics are also at stake, such as Dubais airport, the busiest in the world. For many, this is not a pact between two regional powers, but a broader agreement between international players. Bahrain is expected to follow with others lining up, starting with Saudi Arabia, despite the opposition of its leaders who want an agreement with the Palestinians first. It will be interesting to see if Netanyahu refers to the issue today or simply illustrates the benefits and concessions included in the process of normalising diplomatic relations with Arab countries, which now join or complete Trump's so-called "deal of the century". For the Palestinians, the story is different. Marginalised, they are increasingly in need of new leaders and greater internal cohesion to play any role and obtain diplomatic benefits and concessions. All this is happening as Arab countries, with rare exceptions like Algeria and Kuwait, seem increasingly to be turning towards Israel to stand against Iran in the ongoing power shuffle in the Middle east. The agreement represents a special historical time dominated by the novel coronavirus pandemic, which has forced ceremony organisers to make necessary adjustments: the hundreds of guests will be "encouraged" to wear masks and respect social distancing, but mouth and nose covering will not be mandatory. The ceremony will be held at the White House South Lawn, which has more space for the 700 people expected; however, this is half the number of those who attended Trumps Republican nomination a few weeks ago. Bengaluru, Sep 16 : Over a dozen Muslim clergymen met Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa on Tuesday and demanded that the state government order an independent judicial inquiry commission to probe into the D.J. Halli violence that took place last month. The clergymen, led by Ameer-E-Shariat Karnataka, Moulana Sageer Ahmed, submitted a memorandum to the CM and strongly appealed that the state government should also act resiliently on those tried to spread communal hate by posting indecent messages on social media sites. Speaking to IANS, Maulana Maqsood Imran Rashadi, Imam, Jama Masjid, appealed the state government to take steps to releases innocent Muslim accused, who have been booked in this case. "The police have picked more than 300 people till date for their alleged role in the D.J. Hall violence, but in reality, there are many innocents too who have been picked up. At least they must be let off is our primary demand," he expaliend. The memorandum stated that the main idea of seeking an independent judicial commission is to know the real truth as to who instigated P. Naveen, nephew of Congress MLA Srinivasamurthy, to post such posts on social media. According to the memorandum, the community strongly suspects this entire episode is orchestrated by someone who is hiding behind Naveen, who wanted to disturb the communal peace in the state. The memorandum further added that the state government's decision to invoke draconian Unlawful Activates (Prevention) Act (UAPA). "Invocation of such draconian law would ruin the entire life of innocents, hence the state should not invoke this act in a hurried manner," it read. The note also added that the state government should take stringent action against all those spreading religious hate using social media platforms. It may be recalled that the violence began after religious sentiments were offended following an objectionable post on Facebook, by P. Naveen. Earlier, he had hailed the Bhumi Pujan in Ayodhya as a victory for Hindus. He is the nephew of Congress MLA from Pulakeshinagar, Akhanda Srinivasa Murthy. Murthy, a Dalit leader, had defected from the JD(S) to Congress before the last poll and won it too at the chagrin of the Congress bigwigs who had been eying the seat. In this incident, the legislator's house was torched by rioters and in a bid to quell the rioters, the police opened fire in which three people lost their lives.A The police then swooped down and arrested more than 300 persons so far in this connection. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text LONDON With Britons fretting last week that a new six-person limit on gatherings would effectively cancel Christmas, Prime Minister Boris Johnson unveiled what he called Operation Moonshot, an audacious plan to test 10 million people every day for the coronavirus and restore life to normal by winter. But by Tuesday, the reality of earthbound life in a pandemic reasserted itself: Before a second wave of the virus had even crested, unprocessed samples overwhelmed Britains labs and people waited in desperation for tests, while the reopening of the countrys schools and businesses hung in the balance. The country cannot meet the current demand, yet the prime minister plans, within a few months, to conduct more than 40 times as much testing as it does now. We are sleepwalking into a second surge of the pandemic without really having learned the lessons from the first, said Dr. Rinesh Parmar, an anesthesiologist and the chairman of The Doctors Association U.K., an advocacy and professional group. We are set for a perfect storm of problems heading into the winter. Austria-based medical aesthetic products' manufacturer Croma-Pharma GmbH ("Croma") establishes new Joint Venture with China National Biotech Group Company Ltd. ("CNBG") to market its premium Hyaluronic Acid Filler Princess VOLUME and various additional aesthetic products of Croma in China and Hong Kong. Asia in general and China in particular represent the fastest growing aesthetic medicine markets worldwide. CNBG and Croma entered a far reaching, long-term cooperation combining each partner's assets in a newly founded Joint Venture company to market Croma's aesthetic products in China and Hong Kong. Financial details were not disclosed by the parties. The cooperation between CNBG and Croma will in all probability have a major impact on the aesthetic medicine market in China, which had seen an average growth of over 20% annually within the past years. This caused an increasing demand for safe, high-quality products. Croma will contribute its products, the currently approved Hyaluronic Acid Filler Princess VOLUME and additional Filler products, as well as other facial aesthetic products of its range, whereas CNBG will provide its multi-channel distribution, marketing knowledge and synergistic products, in particular its botulinum toxin product Heng Li, manufactured by the CNBG affiliate Lanzhou Biotechnique Development Co., Ltd. ("Lanzhou"). The joint company aims to become a comprehensive supplier of minimally invasive aesthetic products in China, making effective use of the existing field force of Lanzhou. Sales of Princess VOLUME will re-start very soon. Xiangrong Li, Vice-president of CNBG said: "CNBG, via its affiliate Lanzhou, has been very successful for years with its botulinum toxin in China. Our search for suitable HA Filler products has finally come to an end Croma indeed is the perfect partner and best possible fit for us. Together we are committed to shape and conquer the Chinese market with all its immense growth potential". Andreas Prinz, CCO and Co-Owner of Croma: "Croma incorporates more than 40 years of experience in R&D of viscoelastic products. Our fully automated production lines deliver 8 million pre-filled injectables per year. We are rightfully considered leading European experts in Hyaluronic Acid. With CNBG,we have found the perfect partner to merge our strengths and assets to successfully enter the fast-growing Chinese market. CNBG's track-record and experience will heavily support Croma to sustainably prosper in Asia About Croma-Pharma GmbH leading experts in Hyaluronic Acid Croma-Pharma, a family owned pharmaceutical company based in Austria is globally acclaimed for its expertise in pre-filled viscoelastic injectables for opthalmology, orthopaedics and aesthetic indications. Annual output of 8 million syringes makes Croma one of the major producers of high-end injectables worldwide. The success is based on research and development at the company headquarters in Austria. The owners follow a clear vision for high-quality technologies andboldly seize opportunities for the acquisition of complementary companies or technologies. Croma currently employs around 500 people and operates 12 affiliates in Europe, North-America, Brazil and Australia. Through distribution partnerships, its products are marketed in more than 70 countries all over the world. Croma is a multi-award winning company and celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2016. About CNBG CNBG is one of the largest Chinese biopharmaceutical companies and is the largest producer and supplier of vaccines and plasma-derived products in China. CNBG's major business segments include human vaccines, blood products, medical aesthetics, veterinary vaccines, antibodies and diagnostics. Lanzhou is the sole producer of botulinum toxin in China. Heng Li is the market leading botulinum toxin in the China market, with a market share of 75%, ranking No. 1 in the domestic market. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200915005790/en/ Contacts: Press-Inquiries: CROMA-PHARMA GmbH Stefanie Hohn Corporate Communications Cromazeile 2 A-2100 Leobendorf Tel.: +43 676 846868 190 Mail: stefanie.hoehn@croma.at Web: www.croma.at NEW YORK, Sept. 14, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Pomerantz LLP announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Airbus SE ("Airbus" or the "Company")(OTCMKTS: EADSY; EADSF) and certain of its officers. The class action, filed in United States District Court for the District of New Jersey, and indexed under 20-cv-10084, is on behalf of a class consisting of all persons and entities other than Defendants who purchased or otherwise, acquired Airbus securities in the U.S. between February 24, 2016, and July 30, 2020, both dates inclusive (the "Class Period"), seeking to recover damages caused by Defendants' violations of the federal securities laws and to pursue remedies under Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Exchange Act") and Rule 10b-5 promulgated thereunder, against the Company and certain of its top officials. If you are a shareholder who purchased Airbus securities during the class period, you have until October 5, 2020 to ask the Court to appoint you as Lead Plaintiff for the class. A copy of the Complaint can be obtained at www.pomerantzlaw.com. To discuss this action, contact Robert S. Willoughby at [email protected] or 888.476.6529 (or 888.4-POMLAW), toll-free, Ext. 7980. Those who inquire by e-mail are encouraged to include their mailing address, telephone number, and the number of shares purchased. [Click here for information about joining the class action] Airbus was founded in 2000 and is based in Leiden, the Netherlands. The Company is a multinational aerospace corporation, operating through its Commercial Aircraft, Defense and Space, and Helicopters divisions. The Company's American Depository Receipts ("ADRs") trade in the U.S. on the over-the-counter market (the "OTC") under the ticker symbol "EADSY," and the Company's foreign ordinary shares ("foreign ordinaries") trade in the U.S. on the OTC under the ticker symbol "EADSF." In August 2012, the United Kingdom ("U.K.") Serious Fraud Office ("SFO") announced that it had opened a formal criminal investigation into one of Airbus's subsidiaries, GPT Special Project Management Ltd. ("GPT"), which Airbus acquired in 2007. The allegations called into question a service contract entered into by GPT prior to its acquisition by Airbus, relating to activities conducted by GPT in Saudi Arabia. Unbeknownst to investors and the public, however, Airbus was at an increased and foreseeable risk of facing significant potential liabilities for other alleged illegal activities that would later be investigated by governmental authorities around the world. These activities, combined with the investigation into GPT, implicated all three of Airbus's divisions, calling into question the sustainability of the Company's reported earnings during the Class Period. The complaint alleges that throughout the Class Period, Defendants made materially false and misleading statements regarding the Company's business, operational, and compliance policies. Specifically, Defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose: (i) that Airbus's policies and protocols were insufficient to ensure the Company's compliance with relevant anti-corruption laws and regulations; (ii) that, consequently, Airbus engaged in bribery, corruption, and fraud in order to enhance its business with respect to its commercial aircraft, helicopter, and defense deals; (iii) that, as a result, Airbus's earnings were derived in part from unlawful conduct and therefore unsustainable; (iv) the full scope and severity of Airbus's misconduct; (v) that resolution of government investigations of Airbus would foreseeably cost Airbus billions of dollars in settlements and legal fees and subject the Company to significant continuing government investigation and oversight; and (vi) that, as a result, the Company's public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times. On August 8, 2016, Reuters reported that the U.K. had opened a corruption probe into Airbus. Specifically, the SFO announced that it had "opened a criminal investigation into allegations of fraud, bribery, and corruption in the civil aviation business of Airbus," which "relate to irregularities concerning third party consultants." The investigation followed Airbus's flagging of "misstatements and omissions" involving outside contractors in certain export financing applications to U.K. regulators and the European Export Credit Agencies earlier in the year, which the Company had found through an internal probe. On this news, Airbus ADRs fell $0.21 per share, or 1.49%, to close at $13.86 per share on August 8, 2016, and Airbus foreign ordinaries fell $0.82 per share, or 1.45%, to close at $55.58 per share on August 8, 2016. France and the U.S. later opened their investigations into the subject of the SFO's allegations in 2017 and 2018, respectively. On January 31, 2020, media outlets reported that Airbus had agreed to a deal with U.S., U.K., and French prosecutors to settle bribery and export-control violations against the Company for 3.6 billion ($4 billion). Pursuant to the settlement, Airbus also agreed to appoint an external compliance officer for at least two years to monitor the Company's handling of its defense-related sales and disclosures. On this news, Airbus ADRs fell $0.72 per share, or 1.93%, to close at $36.68 per share on January 31, 2020, and Airbus foreign ordinaries fell $2.21 per share, or 1.48%, to close at $147.00 per share on January 31, 2020. Then, on March 15, 2020, the Wall Street Journal reported that Airbus executives had previously raised red flags about fees paid to a number of middlemen working with its helicopter division, led at the time by the Company's current Chief Executive Officer ("CEO"), Defendant Guillaume M.J.D. Faury ("Faury"), that may have violated global bribery and corruption rules, according to internal documents related to Airbus's $4 billion bribery settlement, which were not previously made public and/or reported. On this news, Airbus ADRs fell $3.44 per share, or 15.71%, to close at $18.46 per share on March 16, 2020, and Airbus foreign ordinaries fell $7.97 per share, or 9.3%, to close at $77.75 per share on March 16, 2020. Finally, on July 30, 2020, the Wall Street Journal reported that the SFO had charged GPT and three individuals with corruption in connection with a defense contract the U.K. had arranged with Saudi Arabia. These charges were the culmination of the investigations initiated by the SFO back in August 2012. On this news, Airbus ADRs fell $0.67 per share, or 3.56%, to close at $18.13 per share on July 31, 2020, and Airbus foreign ordinaries fell $2.85 per share, or 3.8%, to close at $72.10 per share on July 31, 2020. The Pomerantz Firm, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Paris, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, the Pomerantz Firm pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 80 years later, the Pomerantz Firm continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomerantzlaw.com CONTACT: Robert S. Willoughby Pomerantz LLP [email protected] SOURCE Pomerantz LLP Related Links www.pomerantzlaw.com (Newser) The United States Postal Service says a first-class letter should land in the recipient's mailbox in one to three business days. The Los Angeles Times set out to see if that's really the case these days. In what it calls a "small but revealing" test of the service's current reliability, it tracked 100 letters mailed from 20 Los Angeles County post offices between Aug. 21 and 24 (the period over which Postmaster General Louis DeJoy testified before Congress) to California destinations as well as Austin, Atlanta, and Washington. The upshot: About half ended up being delayed. "Postal performance in the summer of 2020 is spotty at best, dismal at worst," concludes the paper, which lays the blame not in one place but outlines "multiple choke points [that] can slow a letters journey." story continues below The USPS endeavors to have letters sent to the aforementioned out-of-state destinations arrive in three business days, says Gaare Davis, the head of the American Postal Workers Union, California. The paper describes one letter reaching Austin in 11 days; another in 8. In the case of three letters sent to Washington, it took them each three days to get from the processing center to the housejust one mile away. Of the letters that were to arrive within two business days, 75% managed to get there in that window. That's a big drop from the 92.4% on-time delivery rate the USPS recorded in Q2, per the paper. Davis called the findings "unacceptable." A rep for the USPS was less ruffled, saying the agency saw improved performance throughout August and that it is still working to "identify and address some ongoing service issues in certain areas." (Read more USPS stories.) A Peruvian woman who has worked as a live-in nanny for a Toronto family for nearly eight years will get another chance at becoming a permanent resident of Canada after her application was twice rejected over immigration officials own mistakes. A Federal Court judge has found that the immigration department tried to hold Lucrecia Garcia Balarezo accountable for its own error in twice issuing her work permits for which she was ineligible. And Justice Nicholas McHaffie, in his decision last month, had little time for the immigration officer who called the prospect of her employers children 7 and 13 losing their longtime nanny good for their emotional growth. Discounting the identified hardship to the children on the basis that change is good for them as important for growth and that coping was a skill that would help them fails to be alert, alive and sensitive to the childrens interests and is unreasonable, McHaffie said. It was the second time the court ruled in favour of Balarezo and sent the case back to immigration for reconsideration since 2017, when Ottawa refused to grant her permanent residence on the grounds that she did not arrive Canada initially as a caregiver but as a student. Garcia, a former nursing assistant in Peru, came to Canada on a study permit, specifically to learn English to qualify for the live-in caregiver program, which then provided a pathway for permanent residence after an applicant completed four years of live-in employment. The immigration departments own records confirmed the visa officer who issued her the study permit was aware of her ultimate plan and noted that in her file. In 2012, Garcia secured an employment agreement with a Toronto couple to look after their toddler. Although the law stipulated that a caregiver work permit shall not be issued to a foreign national unless they applied from outside Canada, immigration officials referred Garcia to a medical exam in Toronto (rather than abroad) and issued her a work permit in May 2012. Those errors were made by immigration and they were trying to blame her because of that. Thats the unreasonableness of their decisions Alexander Munera, Garcias lawyer, told the Star. There has to be consequences for their neglect and incompetent actions. Garcia worked for the same family for the next three years, as the couple welcomed their second daughter. She successfully applied to extend her work permit in 2015 in order to complete the four-year employment for her permanent residence. In the remarks section of that work permit, the document said she is eligible to apply for permanent residence after completing employment requirements. See www.cic.gc.ca for details. The departments notes again stated that the new permit was also issued by mistake and the remarks regarding Garcias eligibility for immigration were incorrect. In 2016, Garcia submitted her permanent residence application under the live-in caregiver program, which was refused the next year on the grounds that she had not entered Canada under that program. She appealed the immigration decision and a judge returned her application for reconsideration, concluding that the officer failed to consider the humanitarian and compassionate factors in the case. Immigration officials again refused her application in January 2019, and a second appeal ensued. In that refusal letter, the officer said Garcia could have inquired through the immigration call centre as the first 2 work permits had very clear notes on them that she was not part of the live-in caregiver program. The very clear notes in question were not, however, notes visible on the face of the work permits issued to Ms. Garcia or in any other document sent to Ms. Garcia, McHaffie pointed out in his judgment released on August 20. Rather they were hidden notes that were available only to (immigration officers) in their own system. While the onus is on immigration applicants to ensure they meet program requirements, the judge said it was unreasonable for the officer to have essentially required Garcia to proactively find out the source of errors by the department. I am satisfied that the foregoing unreasonable aspects of the officers decision were sufficient to render their decision as a whole unreasonable, McHaffie concluded. Garcia, a mother of two adult sons in Peru, said she welcomed the court decision but feels bittersweet that her legal saga is not over, now that the application is sent back for a third review. Being blamed for doing something wrong without knowing and being misled made me angry, she said. It took all this work to be able to send the message that an injustice took place I hope others wont have to go through that. Garcia said its her faith in God that has kept her fighting in court and shes grateful for the support of the Church of the Holy Trinity and her employers, who have been by her side over the last few years after her expired work permit prevents her from working. Father Maurice Francois, who has known her since she joined his church in 2009, said Garcia has been a tireless volunteer in the community and will be a great addition to Canada. Ive seen so many cases in my 17 years working with immigrants. Its frustrating to see how shes treated, said Francois. We are happy with the (court) decision. It gives us hope when we see people persevere. Lucrecia is a person of conviction and endurance. The lawmakers behind the bill would apply to all presidents, regardless of party affiliation A bill by New York lawmakers aims to make it easier to prosecute former presidents after they leave office if they are accused of criminal activity. New York senator Michael Gianaris and assemblyman Nick Perry, who proposed the bill, said it was aimed at making sure presidents could be held to account like every other New York citizen, according to the New York Post. Clearly the privileges of the Office of president were not intended to make the holder of the office above the law, and was not intended to empower a president with the ability to thwart and sabotage an active, legitimate investigation as New York prosecutors have accused the president of doing," Mr Perry said. The US Justice Department currently has a decades-old policy that a president cannot be arrested or prosecuted while in office. The new bill would honor that policy, but would pause the statute of limitations until a president leaves office, meaning that a criminal case could still proceed even if the limitations period ended during a president's term. It would apply to all future presidents, regardless of their party affiliation, and would pertain to potential state criminal cases against a president. Mr Perry added that pausing the statute of limitations for the full period of a presidents tenure will ensure that if the president did participate in any of the numerous criminal activities alleged by his former counsel to have occurred, he like every other New York citizen will be held to account for all crimes against the people and state of New York." The proposed measure comes as Mr Trump's business dealings are being investigated by the offices of Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance Jr. and New York State Attorney General Letitia James. Mr Vance is also trying to gain access to Mr Trump's tax returns. Trump campaign official Ed Cox told the New York Post that if the law is passed, it would likely be struck down as unconstitutional. Story continues "It is aimed at one person Donald Trump. You can't do that," Mr Cox said. "They don't like Donald Trump and what he stands for. It's all political. He's been too good a conservative." Still, the bill stands a chance at passing, considering Democrats control a majority in both houses of New Yorks state legislature. Read more What are you hiding?: Biden taunts Trump over tax returns after court decision delays release yet again Bengaluru: A city court on Monday sent Kannada actress Ragini Dwivedi and four other accused to 14-day judicial custody besides extending the police remand of another starlet Sanjjana Galrani by three days. According to the Central Crime Bureau police, Ragini along with four other accused, including a Senegal national, Galrani's friend Rahul Ranka and alleged drug supplier Loum Pepper Samba, were arrested around 11 days ago in connection with a drugs case. The police said that Galrani and high-profile party planner Viren Khanna will be in police custody for further questioning. The CCB started probing the drug menace in the Kannada film industry after prominent producer-director Inderjit Lankesh had appeared before the crime branch and shared information about the alleged use of drugs in the Sandalwood, naming 15 people. Based on the revelations by Lankesh, who is also credited with directing Deepika Padukone in her debut movie in Kannada, the CCB sleuths arrested Ravi, who led them to Dwivedi. Galrani was questioned based on the interrogation of a person named Nayaz. Both the actors have been subjected to dope test. Meanwhile, the Enforcement Directorate is also investigating the hawala angle in the drug peddling and substance abuse case. The scandal came to the fore amid allegations by noted Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut of drug use surrounding the death of Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput in June. A search is on for more people who are at large, the police said. English teenager Jude Bellingham (R) scored on his debut for Borussia Dortmund in the German Cup Seventeen-year-old Jude Bellingham scored on his debut for Borussia Dortmund in a 5-0 victory over third division Duisburg in the first round of the German Cup on Monday. Bellingham, who joined from Birmingham City in July, needed just 30 minutes to open his Dortmund account as he doubled the Bundesliga team's lead after a penalty from Jadon Sancho. Thorgan Hazard blasted in a free-kick to make it 3-0 when Duisburg defender Dominic Volkmer was sent off for bringing down Erling Haaland. England Under-21 international Bellingham was withdrawn at half-time before fellow teenager Gio Reyna added a fourth for Dortmund from another set-piece. Club captain Marco Reus made his first appearance since February following injury, netting within seconds of his introduction on the hour to cap the rout. Holders Bayern Munich will play fifth tier FC Dueren in mid-October after the Champions League winners were granted extra rest following their triumph in Lisbon. Schalke's tie against Schweinfurt was postponed after a court ruled the fourth tier side should not be in the competition. mw/ SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Sitecore, the global leader in digital experience management software, today announced the 2020 Sitecore Experience Awards (SEA) recipients. Selected from 123 submissions from customer and partner organizations across the globe, this year's awards recognize 20 brands that have built truly customer-centric digital experiences with Sitecore technology. The 2020 SEAs brought incredible customer stories, many illustrating the value of digital transformation in the wake of the pandemic, across four categories: "most impactful human connections in a changing world," "most intelligent content optimization," "best innovation with emerging technologies," and "most sophisticated implementation." The awards spotlight impressive uses of Sitecore offerings by organizations across industries from retail to healthcare that provide an outstanding experience for all users from partner developers and marketers to business and IT users and end-user customers. 2020 recipients include healthcare organizations such as Johns Hopkins Medicine for the launch of accurate digital resources on COVID-19; government agencies, including EPA Victoria, for providing a real-time, localized resource for residents during Australia's 2019 wildfires; and consumer brands like Caleres, parent company of Famous Footwear, for their work to grow the company's online business and streamline operations with a modernized e-commerce experience and enhanced inventory management. "We received some truly incredible submissions of work being done by our customers and partners using Sitecore technology to better serve and stay connected with their audiences, in many cases facing new challenges, given the pandemic," said Paige O'Neill, chief marketing officer, Sitecore. "For example, the work being done by Johns Hopkins Medicine to keep their website updated with worldwide coronavirus data continues to be a critical resource for researchers, medical professionals and the global public at large. In addition, many of our consumer brands adapted swiftly and effectively to supporting a huge uptick in online shopping, relying on digital as really the only way to connect with their customers in our new digital-first world." The complete list of 2020 SEA recipients by category are listed below: "Most impactful human connections in a changing world" recognizing organizations using Sitecore product offerings to create digital experiences that connect more personally to individuals and foster community during a time of significant change and social impact: APM Terminals and Codehouse ( Netherlands ) ) Demant and Accenture/Avanade ( Denmark ) ) EPA Victoria and Deloitte Digital ( Australia ) and Deloitte Digital ( ) Johns Hopkins Medicine and TBG (The Berndt Group) ( United States ) ) Osterreichische Post and ecx.io ( Austria ) "Most intelligent content optimization" recognizing organizations using Sitecore product offerings to solve the content crisis, create personalized digital experiences, or deliver connected commerce for a better customer experience: ASML and Valtech ( Netherlands ) ) New York Road Runners and Icreon ( United States ) ) Swiss Post and Unic ( Switzerland ) ) TelstraSuper and Deloitte Digital ( Australia ) ) Triumph Motorcycles and Dept ( United Kingdom ) "Best innovation with emerging technologies" recognizing organizations using technologies such as deep learning, machine learning, artificial intelligence, and augmented reality alongside Sitecore product offerings for improved services and digital experiences: Not Impossible Labs and Verndale ( United States ) ) Oney Bank and Noesis ( Portugal ) and Noesis ( ) Rawson Homes and Isobar ( Australia ) and Isobar ( ) Soho House and EPAM ( United Kingdom ) ) Switzerland Tourism and Unic ( Switzerland ) "Most sophisticated implementation" recognizing organizations that have taken their use of Sitecore product offerings beyond initial implementations, leveraging product features, add-ons, or Sitecore Connectors for the most powerful, data-driven use of content across their digital channels. Caleres and RBA ( United States ) ) City of Ulm and CAMAO ( Germany ) ) Coates Hire and Switch ( Australia ) and Switch ( ) Comgest and Dog Digital ( France ) ) McCarthy & Stone and Delete ( United Kingdom ) Sitecore Symposium Details and Registration Today's announcement comes in the lead-up to Sitecore Symposium 2020: Moments that Make Experiences, being held October 26-28. This year's event will be the first all-digital Symposium, with more than 150 speakers presenting virtually on over 20 topics, including live and on-demand presentations and training sessions. Sitecore's newly appointed CEO Steve Tzikakis will kick off the event, with featured guests including Tony- and Grammy Award-winner Leslie Odom, Jr., from Broadway's smash-hit Hamilton, who will offer the event's showcase keynote, "Failing Up: How to Take Risks, Aim Higher, and Never Stop Learning," and New York Times best-selling author Dan Heath will offer a keynote, "Creating Digital Moments That Matter," drawing from his book "The Power of Moments." Sitecore Symposium 2020 will also feature a CMO and CIO roundtable, EMEA/APJ regional panel discussions, more than 90 breakout sessions, sponsor roundtables, and four customer showcases. This year's event has drawn over 20 sponsors, including Influencer partners EPAM, Horizontal Digital, Microsoft and Valtech. During the event, a panel of internal judges will select one SEA winner per award category to be publicly recognized with the Ultimate Sitecore Experience Award. For full details on speakers, panels, sessions, virtual features, and registration, please visit the Sitecore 2020 Symposium website. About Sitecore Sitecore delivers a digital experience platform that empowers the world's smartest brands to build lifelong relationships with their customers. A highly decorated industry leader, Sitecore is the only company bringing together content, commerce, and data into one connected platform that delivers millions of digital experiences every day. Leading companies including American Express, ASOS, Carnival Cruise Lines, Kimberly-Clark, L'Oreal, and Volvo Cars rely on Sitecore to provide more engaging, personalized experiences for their customers. Learn more at Sitecore.com. Contact Shannon Lyman Sr. Director, Communications [email protected] Sitecore is a registered trademark of Sitecore Corporation A/S in the USA and other countries. All other brand names, product names or trademarks belong to their respective holders. SOURCE Sitecore Related Links http://www.sitecore.net It is not a secret that US President Donald Trump is obsessed with either voiding or emulating the legacy of his predecessor, Barack Obama. Trump now seeks to defeat Obamas political heir, Joe Biden, in the upcoming presidential election and wants to stack up enough peace-making deals to earn the elusive Nobel Peace Prize, just as Obama did in 2009. As his poll numbers began to sink last summer, foreign policy victories became that much more necessary to distract from political troubles at home and boost his rating. Thus, Trump instructed his advisers to scout out deal-making opportunities around the world before the 2020 presidential election. Gratifying Israel has been at the centre of the presidents fixation on collecting foreign deals as trophies, announcing them on Twitter and summoning the concerned parties for a photo opportunity at the Oval Office, so American voters can watch him first-hand demonstrate his skills in the art of the deal. In recent weeks, the US president has been quite busy with this pursuit. On August 13, he had a three-way phone call with Emirati and Israeli leaders to seal a deal on normalisation of relations. Less than two weeks later, hoping to have a larger Arab-Israeli normalisation deal, he dispatched Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on a tour of Sudan, Bahrain and Oman. Then Trump invited the leaders of Serbia and Kosovo on September 4 for an economic normalisation deal that might end up further complicating the situation in the Balkans while having them both awkwardly embrace Israel with no clear policy rationale. His administration is also pushing a fragile Lebanon to sign a border demarcation agreement with Israel in the next few weeks. The White House also pulled some strings so Bahrain can become the second Gulf country to normalise with Israel. On September 15, Emirati and Bahraini leaders are joining Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Washington to celebrate these agreements in a reality-show-like event. This diplomatic offensive before the US elections is a good illustration of Trumps tendency to mix policymaking with campaigning and run a propaganda machine with a personality cult approach regardless of what negative consequences this might have at home or abroad. And such consequences are quite likely. Do the normalisation deals matter? The normalisation of relations between the UAE and Bahrain on one side and Israel on another is the peak of a cumulative process that had been largely kept behind closed doors for years. When Trump took power in 2017, he adopted a strategy to build on the continuing behind-the-scenes rapprochement between some Gulf countries and Israel. He wanted to strike a peace deal between the Israelis and the Palestinians in order to enable a formal Arab-Israeli coalition against Iran. After overwhelming the Israelis with free gifts, like recognising Jerusalem as their capital and punishing the Palestinians for rejecting it, phase one of this strategy started faltering. Meanwhile, Netanyahu was holding one election after the other to escape US pressure to concede something for the Palestinians. The Trump administration was thus forced to abandon trying to resolve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and skip to phase two of officially declaring an Arab-Israeli alliance, as the November US elections were fast approaching. Under the pretext of preventing Israeli annexation of additional West Bank territories, the Emiratis announced they were normalising relations with Israel. Then a month later, Bahrain followed suit. The major ramification of this process is not strategic but rather in breaking the ideological, moral, and cultural taboo of public Arab engagement with Israel, which is expected to become a contentious issue in the regional Arab discourse. The Arab League, whose only job for decades was to condemn Israeli activities, did not criticise the steps taken towards Arab-Israeli normalisation. The fact is, there is a new generation of rulers in some Gulf countries who do not have the same affinity for the Palestinian cause as their elders did and have other priorities at home and abroad. These normalisation deals are also a reminder that the balance of power in the Arab world has shifted from traditional powers hostile to Israel, such as Syria and Iraq, to smaller powers on the periphery. Bahrain and UAEs population account for less than two million (not counting foreign workers) out of 422 million Arabs. The nature of the political systems in both countries allows the ruling elites to conclude such normalisation deals, by force if needed, with US support and now with reinforced Israeli direct consent. Given its symbolic role in Islam and the potential political pressure at home, Saudi Arabia is not ready yet to undertake normalisation but given how much the Saudi leadership owes Trump for its diplomatic survival after the killing of Jamal Khashoggi, it helped with getting Bahrain to do it instead. This top-down approach to normalisation is a quick-fix or an attempt for a quick win and it is unlikely to change the Arab public mindset towards Israel. Neither Bahraini nor Emirati soldiers fought with Israel on the battlefield, hence their normalisation does not have a significant impact on the dynamics of the Arab-Israeli conflict. The normalisation deals, however, are meant to prop up Arab authoritarianism and restore the pre-Arab Spring role of the US as a protector of Arab regimes appeasing Israel. They are symbolic agreements that will only deepen regional divisions instead of mitigating them. The UAE might try to bring other Arab regimes to this axis to expand the coalition against Iran and by extension Turkey. This can potentially increase regional tensions from the Levant to North Africa. Previous top-down Arab normalisation attempts with Israel have failed miserably and ended in either conflict, as was the case in Lebanon, or cold peace in the Jordanian case. Impact on US foreign policy In the context of the normalisation process, there is a clear convergence of interest between Trump and those attending the White House ceremony today, as both sides wish for Biden to be defeated on November 3. Some Gulf countries and Israel are concerned that if Democrats return to power, they will most likely restore Irans nuclear deal and US engagement with Tehran. Hence, they are preempting this move by forging a new reality on the ground. Netanyahu and some Gulf rulers are also returning the favour to Trump who helped them either in their own political struggles at home and abroad. Getting closer to Trump and Israel can also potentially shield UAE from any pressure to reconcile with Qatar. Having Israel as an ally will give Abu Dhabi more leverage in Washington even if Biden ends up winning. This US-sponsored normalisation also shows the contradiction in the Trump administrations Middle East strategy which vacillates between endorsing Turkish policies in Syria and Libya and strengthening an Arab-Israeli alliance that is against Ankara as much as it is against Tehran. This selective approach is provoking tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean and now the Gulf region instead of maintaining stability and encouraging reforms. At the same time, normalisation will most likely not make US strategy more effective in deterring Tehran and might even reinforce the Iranian regimes narrative in Arab politics. In the end, the actual impact of the Arab-Israeli normalisation will largely depend on Trump winning the election and the evolution of Israeli politics. However, it is important to note here that Netanyahu will always choose to satisfy the right-wing coalition that kept him in power over appeasing his new Gulf allies which do not hold the keys of war and peace in the Arab-Israeli conflict anyway. So, when the camera lights are out or when Trump leaves office, those who have taken steps towards normalisation might realise that they have given up a bargaining card as a free gift without having any concessions in return and that regional deals by major powers have been made at their expense once again. Meanwhile, Trump might need to normalise his relationship with reality, as well. At the end of his first term, the incumbent US president is acting as a de facto Israeli foreign minister. A narcissistic wannabe deal maker cannot rush historical change for self-serving interests without triggering conflicts that might outlast his longing to stay in power. The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial stance. Body of missing swimmer located in Cancun lagoon Cancun, Q.R. Recovery personnel have located the body of a man who went swimming in a Cancun lagoon late Sunday. Although a rescue mission began that evening, efforts to locate the man were halted due to due lack of light. Reports say the man went swimming in the artificial lagoon known as ABC Sunday afternoon around 6:15 p.m. with friends. Emergency personnel were called after he failed to reappear. Elements of Civil Protection, the Cancun Fire Department and divers from the Red Cross continued their search efforts Monday, finally locating the body of the man. Elements of Civil Protection reported finding the missing body of 23-year-old Daniel H. at 3:00 p.m. Monday. He is the third person to fall victim to drowning in the lagoon during the Covid epidemic. Last month, the bodies of two other young men were pulled from the same lagoon after they were reported missing after swimming with friends. The artificial lagoon is located in the El Pedregal neighborhood of Cancun. Former Senate President Bukola Saraki has related events that happened after he lost woefully in the 2019 general elections. In 2019, Mr Saraki not only lost his grip on Kwara State after the defeat of the Peoples Democratic Party in the governorship election, he also lost his bid to return to the Senate. The Sarakis had been at the helm of political affairs of the state for years but their grip on the political leadership of the state was ruptured after the O toge campaign launched by the APC in 2019. Mr Saraki and PDP were defeated by Ibrahim Oloriegbe and AbdulRazaq Abdulrahman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the senatorial and governorship contests respectively. Meanwhile, in his address delivered at an event organised by civil societies to commemorate the International Democracy Day on Tuesday, the former lawmaker spoke about his defeat and the aftermath. I went into elections in 2019 in Kwara State, our party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and myself, lost the elections. We had our reservations on the credibility of the entire electoral process. We had good evidence of the illegal deployment of state forces and other undemocratic means to achieve the results declared by the electoral body. He said that the whole country witnessed the level of desperation displayed by the opposition party. The utterances of the former chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, who continuously boasted about how his number one priority and objective was to win Kwara State by whatever means necessary, were well documented. Speaking further, Mr Saraki explained that after the result of the 2019 elections was announced, he sent out messages to his followers despite their anger and quest to express their grievances, that they should accept the result and maintain peace. I then congratulated the winners and urged our people to support the newly elected officials. To further demonstrate good faith and gracefulness in defeat, I refused to challenge the process at the tribunal. He said the experience has placed him in a good position to talk about the need for political actors to suppress the desire for power and take side with the survival of the system. When I argue that politicians should learn to accept election results and demonstrate patriotism even in the face of naked provocation, it is based on my experience. The lives of our people, the stability of our democracy and the peace of the society are more important than our personal interest or the inflated egos of the leaders. Edo, Ondo Elections: What Buhari should do In the speech, Mr Saraki advised President Muhammadu Buhari to ensure that the forthcoming elections signpost his desire to leave for Nigeria and Africa a legacy of a true democracy and clean electoral process. The Edo and Ondo states governorship elections will be held on September 19 and October 10 respectively. This should be a starting point for our demand for a credible electoral process. Whilst we wait for the new Electoral Bill to be passed, we can begin to demand that the right things are done by all stakeholders in these elections. President Buhari must use the Edo and Ondo elections to demonstrate ECOWAS commitment to credible electoral process. Mr Saraki further urged the president to ensure that the security agencies are misused to influence the results of the elections in Edo and Ondo States. Also, the electoral commission should be made to be truly immune from manipulations by individuals, no matter how highly placed. He also reiterated the stance of the international community on compliance with democratic processes, noting the sanction on election riggers announced by the United States yesterday. The U.S. government has imposed visa restrictions on some Nigerians undermining electoral processes in the forthcoming elections in Edo and Ondo states. I call on the UK and the European Union to follow suit. This is necessary to send the right and strong signal that those who undermine democracy in Nigeria are enemies of the rest of the democratic world, he said. Mr Saraki demanded the president to send a message to the National Assembly when the members resume later in the month that he wants them to present to him a new Electoral Bill for assent before the end of the year. As Donald Trump downplays the role the climate emergency has played in the wildfires raging in three western states, he is sticking to his well-worn points about forest management and citing forest cities in Europe as examples. Arriving in California yesterday to discuss the response to the fires, Mr Trump told reporters waiting outside Air Force One that Europeans living in forests knew better than authorities in western states how to prevent disastrous fires. You go to Austria, he said, you go to Finland, you go to many different countries, and they dont have I was talking to a head of a major country, and he said, Were a forest nation. We consider ourself a forest nation. This was in Europe. I said, Thats a beautiful term. He said, We have trees that are far more explosive he meant explosive in terms of fire but we have trees that are more explosive they have in California, and we dont have any problem because we manage our forests. Mr Trump reiterated much of his rambling monologue the next morning during a 40-minute-plus on-air phonecall to Fox & Friends. "You know, In Europe they have forest cities, he told the hosts. You look at, you look at countries, Austria, you look at so many countries, they live in the forest, theyre considered forest cities, so many of them. And they don't have fires like this, and they have more explosive trees. They have trees that will catch easier. But they maintain their fire, they have an expression, they thin the fuel, the fuel is whats on the ground, the leaves, the trees that fall, theyre dry, theyre like a matchstick. This years wildfires are the most catastrophic to hit the western states in living memory, but Mr Trump has fixated on Finnish and Austrian forest floor management before. In 2018, when California faced another serious fire season, he claimed to have discussed raking and cleaning with the president of Finland, who later said he had no such recollection. Plenty of attention was given to Mr Trumps offbeat claim at the time, especially since Finland had that year gone without major forest fires even as they raged in neighbouring Sweden. However, then as now, the difference between Finland and badly-hit California seemed to come down in large part to weather conditions and thus to the changing global climate. In the ongoing investigations into the Bangalore drug racket case, which allegedly involves several Kannada actors and other well-known people, the Central Crime Branch (CCB) police on Tuesday raided the resort of Aditya Alva, one of the 15 who have been named in an FIR. Aditya is the son of late Jeevaraj Alva, a prominent Janata Party politician who was also a minister in Karnataka. Aditya is also the brother-in-law of Bollywood actor Vivek Oberoi. Adityas mother Nandini also unsuccessfully contested the 2019 Lok Sabha polls on a JD(S) ticket from Bangalore Central. The CCB police on Tuesday raided Aditya Alvas House of Life resort-cum-residence which is spread over four acres in Hebbal, Bangalore. Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Sandeep Patil said that the raids had been carried out after obtaining a search warrant from the court. Aditya is accused No.6 in the FIR filed in the Cottonpet police station regarding drug procurement, usage and peddling under various sections of CrPC and NDPS acts. Two popular Kannada actors Ragini Dwivedi and Sanjjanaa Galrani, along with seven others, have already been arrested in this case. Ragini is currently in judicial custody and lodged in Parpanna Agrahara prison while Galrani is in police custody. Police have said that Aditya was not available and is believed to be currently out of the country. His lawyers have approached courts for anticipatory bail. Also read: May alert others, destroy evidence - Why Rhea Chakraborty didnt get bail A senior police officer, who did not want to be named as he is not authorised to speak to media, said, The raids were conducted as we had specific information following the interrogation of some of the arrested, that rave parties where drugs were freely consumed were conducted at the resort. We will eventually question Aditya also. Meanwhile, two other Sandalwood actors, Diganth Manchale and Aindrita Ray, who are married to each other, were asked to appear before CCB for questioning in the drug racket. Sandeep Patil, the Joint Commissioner, confirmed that notices have been issued to the couple to appear before the CCB. Actor Aindrita tweeted saying that they had received a notice and they would make themselves available for questioning tomorrow at 11 am. We will be present and fully cooperate with CCB, the tweet read. In an unrelated incident, but as a part of the larger sweep against drug peddling across the state, the police in Molkalmuru taluk of Chitradurga district have arrested Rudresh who is said to be the main accused in plantation of Ganja plants which are said to be grown in 4.2 acres of land. The plants have been seized and the accused has been arrested according to Challakere Dy SP K V Sridhar. ANN ARBOR, MI - The University of Michigan is seeking to end what it is describing as an illegal strike by public employees from the Graduate Employees Organization (GEO) in a complaint filed Tuesday, Sept. 15. The complaint, filed in Washtenaw Countys 22nd Circuit Court, alleges graduate employees are in violation of the of the Michigan Public Employment Relations Act and that GEO members are in violation of their collective bargain agreement, which includes a no-strike commitment. UM is asking the circuit court to order striking members of the GEO to return to work. UM has posted a copy of the complaint online. The Union, through its officials, will not cause, instigate, support or encourage, nor shall any Employee take part in, any concerted action against or any concerted interference with the operation of the University, such as the failure to report for duty, the absence from ones position, the stoppage of work, or the failure, in whole or part, to fully, faithfully, and properly perform the duties of employment, the bargaining agreement between UM and GEO states. UM Spokesman Rick Fitzgerald said the university would like a decision on the temporary restraining order and its preliminary injunction as soon as possible. Court records show the case was filed with Judge Timothy Connors on Sept. 15. Connors' office was uncertain when the judge would review the complaint and make a decision when reached Tuesday around noon. UM argues the work stoppages and strike has significantly interfered with the operations and educational mission of the university, resulting in canceled classes for students. The university alleges it has suffered irreparable injury as a result of the strike. In communications with its members, the GEO has admitted that it is engaging in an unlawful strike, but continues the strike in order to attempt to compel the University to accede to certain demands, UMs complaint states. UM alleges many of GEOs strike demands are either non-mandatory or illegal subjects of bargaining under the Michigan Public Employment Relations Act including a demand to defund the universitys Division of Public Safety; that it cut all ties with police, including the Ann Arbor Police Department, and the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency; and no retaliation against anyone who claims to be unable to work due to police presence. Other non-mandatory or illegal subjects of GEOs strike demands include funding for additional international student support; rent freezes and flexible leases for on-campus housing and a promise to exert pressure on local landlords to extend the desired UM rent freeze across Ann Arbor, the university alleges. Many of those issues were addressed in proposals made by GEO in proposals for the new collective bargaining agreement, the university alleges, but withdrawn after the GEO members received significant pay increases over the three year contract, the lawsuit states. In response to the strike, which started on Sept. 8 with plans to continue throughout the week, the university filed an unfair labor practice charge with the Michigan Employment Relations Commission. A temporary restraining order, UM argues, is necessary to avert irreparable harm to the university, pending unfair labor practice proceedings before the Michigan Employment Relations Commission. The strike began Tuesday, Sept. 8, as graduate students marched and chanted at five different locations on UMs campus. It has gained the support of undergraduate students; graduate student organizations from other colleges, such as Harvard and Western Michigan University; and even some construction workers on UMs campus who picketed with them in solidarity. UM has since submitted an offer to GEO, but that offer was rejected. The legal request for an injunction came a day after 80% of voting members of UMs Graduate Employees' Organization (GEO) voted to extend its strike for a safe and just campus for an additional five days after picketing all of last week. Membership overwhelmingly rejected the universitys initial offer last week that did not constitute continued progress on our demands, the union noted in a news release. In particular, the universitys offer constituted zero progress on our policing demands. Leadership from the union, which represents about 2,000 graduate student instructors and graduate student staff assistants, responded to the universitys complaint online Monday, noting it had a positive meeting with representatives from UM prior to its filing. We are continuing to negotiate with the University of Michigan over our demands for a safer and more just pandemic. Those conversations started up on Sunday and have continued through yesterday and today," GEO Communications Co-Chair Leah Bernardo-Ciddio said. "We are frustrated and disappointed to see that while President Schlissel claims he is open to dialogue on our core demands and to rebuilding trust with the broader campus community, he is simultaneously using legal channels to crack down on our efforts to fight for better protections for our members. "It is disheartening to know that the University of Michigan is more willing to spend money on lawyers than they are to invest in a robust testing scheme or sufficient supplies for undergraduates in quarantine housing. We always knew legal action was a possibility, and this was a transparent part of our multiple member-wide discussions about the risks of authorizing a work stoppage. Moreover, this legal move is a clear sign that withholding our labor is working: The University is feeling our power. UMs student body, their parents and the public have been threatened with reparable injury and will continue to suffer and be threatened with serious irreparable injury for which they have no adequate remedy at law, as long as the the strike continues, the complaint states. UM argues that irreparable injury comes in the form of disruption of the vital function of the university; damage to the educational growth and plans of students, including inability to continue classes with no assurance that it will be possible to effectively make up time lost if the strike continues; increased operation costs and loss of confidence and reputation in the quality of public education at UM. Students also are at risk of federal, state and private financial aid grants due to the cancellation of classes if the strike continues, the lawsuit alleges, facing potential delay in graduation. The only remedy which will effectively restore the rights of the University of Michigan, the student body of the University of Michigan, their parents, and the general public, is an immediate order of this Court prohibiting and enjoining the illegal acts of GEO, the lawsuit states. UM is asking in its order that GEO members desist and refrain from striking. It argues that GEO, by its officers, should notify each of its members of the temporary restraining order and its preliminary injunction and inform them that they are legally bound to abide by its terms. UM is asking for relief against GEO in excess of $25,000, equal to any and all additional costs, expenses, salaries and other economic damages suffered by the University as a result of GEOs breach of the collective bargaining agreement. READ MORE: University of Michigan graduate students, residential staff march in solidarity with dining workers University of Michigan graduate students reject initial offer, will continue strike Residence hall staff on strike at University of Michigan, demand more coronavirus protections Photo: The Canadian Press Tamika Palmer, mother of Breonna Taylor, who was shot to death by police. UPDATE 7:15 p.m. Months after the police killing of Breonna Taylor thrust her name to the forefront of a national reckoning on race, the city of Louisville agreed to pay the Black woman's family $12 million and reform police practices as part of a settlement announced Tuesday. But Taylors mother and others who have taken up her cause said much more must be done to right the wrongs of racial injustice in America. Please continue to say her name, Taylor's mother, Tamika Palmer, declared at an emotional news conference, evoking the call that has become a national refrain for those outraged by the shooting and police violence. Taylors death sparked months of protests in Louisville and calls nationwide for the officers to be criminally charged. The states attorney general, Daniel Cameron, is investigating police actions in the March 13 fatal shooting. I cannot begin to imagine Ms. Palmers pain, and I am deeply, deeply sorry for Breonnas death, said Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer in announcing the terms of the lawsuit settlement. Standing nearby as the mayor spoke, Palmer said the police reforms were not enough. We must not lose focus on what the real job is, and with that being said, its time to move forward with the criminal charges, because she deserves that and much more," Palmer said. As significant as today is, its only the beginning of getting full justice for Breonna." ORIGINAL 7 a.m. The city of Louisville will pay several million dollars to the mother of Breonna Taylor and install police reforms as part of a settlement of a lawsuit from Taylors family, The Associated Press has learned. The settlement would be the largest sum paid by the city for a police misconduct case, according to a person who has seen the settlement. The person asked to not be identified because the settlement has not been announced publicly. Taylors shooting by police serving a narcotics warrant at her home has sparked months of protests in Louisville and calls nationwide for the officers to be charged in her death. The state's attorney general, Daniel Cameron, is investigating police actions in the March 13 shooting. The lawsuit, filed in April by her mother, Tamika Palmer, alleged the police used flawed information when they obtained a no-knock warrant to enter the Black woman's apartment in March. Taylor, 26, was shot several times and police found no drugs at her home. The suit accused three Louisville police officers of blindly firing into Taylors apartment the night of the March raid, striking Taylor several times. Taylors boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, was in the apartment with her and fired a single shot that struck an officer in the leg. Walker said he didnt hear police announce themselves and said he thought he was guarding against an intruder. The settlement will include reforms on how warrants are handled by police. The city of Louisville is expected to announce the details Tuesday afternoon. The largest settlement previously paid in a misconduct case was $8.5 million in 2012, to a man who spent nine years in prison for a crime he did not commit, according to news reports. As many as 500 racehorses left scattered across the state after Hurricane Laura tore up the stall area at Delta Downs racetrack in Calcasieu Parish will be relocated with their caretakers to live and train at Fair Grounds Race Course in New Orleans, under a judges order. The move has been delayed, however, until after Hurricane Sally runs its course, said Charles Gardiner III, executive director of the Louisiana Racing Commission. Gardiner confirmed that Orleans Parish Civil District Judge Sidney Cates IV on Friday sided with the commission and the association that represents Louisiana horsemen. Cates ruled that Churchill Downs Inc., the owner of the Fair Grounds, must abide by the commission's emergency Sept. 3 order to accept the displaced horses. +4 Special report: For Louisiana racehorses, failure at the track can end in a deadly fashion Two Union Parish deputies drove north on a chilly day in January, past rolling ranches, pine stands and chicken farms, to the top of the Louis The company had balked at a request from officials at Delta Downs, owned by Nevada-based Boyd Gaming, to put up the horses and their caretakers at the Fair Grounds after Laura struck. The Louisiana Horsemens Benevolent & Protective Association asked the racing commission, which regulates racing at Louisiana's four tracks, to step in with an emergency order. The commission voted 9-1 to grant it. Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up But Churchill Downs filed for a temporary restraining order to halt the enforcement. The company cited the dangers of COVID-19 in New Orleans, and the risk of housing horses in the city during the height of hurricane season. Cates dissolved the restraining order on Friday, agreeing that the commission could force Churchill Downs to take in the horses. Gardiner said on Monday that the parties are negotiating payment to Churchill Downs for expenses that include preparing the barns and the racetrack in the offseason. Gardiner said relocating the horses would not wait on a deal, however. Things should start to move pretty quickly, at least to get the horses in after Hurricane Sally passes, Gardiner said. As long as (the racehorses) can get the shelter, they can work out the details. Nvidia's headquarters in Santa Clara. Reuters Staff at chip designer Arm Holdings will receive a share of $1.5 billion around $230,000 each as part of its $40 billion acquisition by Nvidia. Jensen Huang, the founder of Nvidia, said staff will receive an acquisition payout and retention bonuses over several years, The Times reported. Arms cofounder Hermann Hauser, who is no longer with the company, has warned that thousands of staff in the UK will lose their jobs because of the deal. Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. Staff at UK chip designer Arm will collectively receive $1.5 billion in equity thanks to the company's takeover by Nvidia equivalent to roughly $230,000 each. Nvidia, the largest semiconductor maker in the world, agreed to buy Arm Holdings for $40 billion on Sunday, four years after it was bought by Softbank for $32 billion. Jensen Huang, the founder of Nvidia, said Arm employees will receive an acquisition payout and retention bonuses over several years, totalling $1.5 billion, The Times reported. Split between the company's 6,500 employees, the payouts and bonuses amount to roughly $230,000 per person. On an call with analysts, Huang said he would invest in Britain, where Arm is based, and create more jobs, Reuters reported. "We want to grow Arm and make it become even greater," he said, adding that Arm will hire more engineers and staff for a new artificial intelligence research center at its Cambridge headquarters. Arm has been headquartered in the city for 25 years and that will not change, Huang said in a letter to employees. Arm's cofounder Hermann Hauser, who is no longer with the company, warned on Sunday that thousands will lose their jobs because of the deal in Cambridge, Manchester, Belfast, and other major cities across the UK when the company's headquarters move to the US. In an open letter to Prime Minister Boris Johnson, he added that the US government could potentially have the final say over how and where companies using Arm's technology export their own products. Arm dismissed these concerns on Monday, saying that the prospect of heightened scrutiny would be unaffected. Story continues CCS Insight analyst Geoff Blaber said Arm risks a backlash from companies that license its tech, including Apple, if the $40 billion sale acquisition goes ahead. "Independence is critical to the ongoing success of Arm and once that is compromised, its value will start to erode," he said. Nvidia expects the deal to complete within 18 months. Read the original article on Business Insider When Kamala Harris won her first election for San Francisco district attorney in 2003, the offices relationship with the city police force was in tatters. She promised to rebuild trust, but the goodwill didnt last. Three months after Harris took office, a young city police officer was shot and killed. Harris quickly said she wouldnt seek the death penalty for his killer, instead opting for life without parole. Shed run as a death penalty opponent, but her move surprised and angered police. This was a symbolic thing to them of respect," said Debbie Mesloh, Harris then-communications director. While Harris made it her top priority to win a conviction for the officers killer, her relationship with police was really challenged for a long time. Harris sometimes struggled to navigate her complicated relationship with police when she sought the Democratic presidential nomination last year. Law enforcement leaders never fully embraced her, and some progressives also viewed her warily. Shes getting a second chance as Joe Bidens running mate, joining the Democratic ticket at a moment of deep reckoning in the U.S. about policing and systemic racism. Shes drawing on her past to take a leading role in the campaign to counter President Donald Trumps argument that Americans would be less safe under a Biden presidency. In the month since she was nominated for vice president, Harris has largely focused on the reforms she and Biden would implement if elected and spoken in personal terms about nationwide protests against police violence. We need to have serious police reform, Harris said at a recent fundraiser. Joe and I are very clear about this. Neither Harris nor Biden support defunding" the police, but Harris says the country needs to reimagine" what policing and community safety look like. She often says well-funded public schools, good-paying jobs and high rates of home ownership also make neighborhoods safe. Her perspective is shaped by her experience in California, where she faced competing interests. Harris rocky start in San Francisco was still on officers minds when she ran for state attorney general in 2010, and the largest law enforcement organization in the state representing rank-and-file officers backed her Republican opponent. But when Harris eked out a victory, she immediately reached out and began a listening tour with officers across the state. Four years later, the officers group backed her for reelection and also supported her 2016 race for U.S. Senate. Michael Durant worked with Harris from 2013 to 2017 as head of that group, the Peace Officers Research Association of California, and said the two had an unbelievable relationship." When her office created implicit bias training for officers, she asked for Durants input. When the Legislature created a board to oversee racial profiling in policing, Durants organization had a spot on it. We did not always agree on everything, and she came up with some things that were maybe deleterious, Durant said. But she always reached out to us and always gave us a seat at the table. Durant, who retired and now lives in Missouri, said he plans to vote for Trump. But he does not believe Trumps claims that Biden and Harris would wreak havoc on police departments. I am not of the belief she and Joe Biden are going to bankrupt every law enforcement agency," he said. The groups current president, Brian Marvel, said Harris seems less interested today in getting police input than she once did because of a national conversation that police unions are bad." His group met with California Rep. Karen Bass, a House sponsor of the police reform bill; they didnt get time with Harris, he said. Her staff met with Marvels group and reform advocates, a Senate spokesperson said. She doesnt want to have that conversation with us for fear of the folks on the far left who will see that as caving in to the police unions, Marvel said. In reality, what it is is shes getting advice from people who are dealing with this day in and day out. Even in Democratic California, law enforcement groups are politically powerful, and statewide reforms have been slow. When Harris started requiring Department of Justice officers to wear body cameras, a first-in-the-nation program, she didnt support requiring it for all California police. Amid high-profile police shootings nationwide, she opposed legislation that would have required her office to appoint special prosecutors to investigate fatal police shootings, leaving discretion to local district attorneys. Those decisions were based in part on her own experience as a San Francisco prosecutor. She also understood the need to change hearts and minds" to make long-lasting change, said Nathan Barankin, Harris former chief of staff in the attorney generals office and Senate. Otherwise, if you havent done that, any change you do implement is Pyrrhic, its ephemeral. It will last as long as youre sitting on it and then quickly disappear once you are gone," he said. Today, Harris backs more across-the-board reforms. She and Biden propose using federal dollars to force departments to review their training policies on de-escalation, and they want more federal investigations of police departments with histories of misconduct. In the Senate, shes the co-sponsor of legislation aimed at banning the use of chokeholds and creating a registry of police officer misconduct, among other reforms. In the month since she joined the ticket, the national tension over policing has climbed amid the high-profile police shooting of Jacob Blake and the death of Daniel Prude, who lost consciousness as officers put a bag over his head and died a week later. Both men are Black. On Saturday night in Harris home state, two Los Angeles County Sheriffs deputies were shot in an ambush as they sat in their car. Harris called it a horrific attack. Harris personal and professional experience gives her a unique opportunity to speak to voters about both the need to quell violence thats accompanied some protests and the need for policing reforms, said Jeff Blodgett, a Democratic consultant from Minnesota who has worked for Sen. Amy Klobuchar, a former prosecutor who has won statewide three times. Thats a message that could resonate with suburban women voters Trump is trying to win over with his warnings of crime. I think she can speak to both sides of that if she gets a chance, he said. Telling her story her whole story needs to be done. While I applaud the board for placing the former superintendent on administrative leave and conducting an investigation into his administrations reopening planning, or lack thereof, and acknowledge that they had limited options for an interim, I have spent these last few days increasingly angry as I see history repeating itself with not a new day in Williamsville as the acting superintendent indicated, but the same song with a different beat. Showing a video where you gleefully welcome students back to in-person instruction at the same time you virtually address a room full of angry parents whose kids could not have a first day could be described as tone deaf at best. Two days later, moving all students to online learning, regardless of their choice or why they made it, with a proposed return to class date of January, is not a decision made for equitable education, but one that is ignorant to the diverse needs of students and families. People chose hybrid models based on their need to work or to ensure that their student with accommodations could keep up with the work and/or because they did not have the resources or support at home to assist in their students education in an online format. BJP-ruled Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh has approved to set up a special security force, which will have absolute powers to search anyone without any warrant. Additional Chief Secretary (Home), Awanish Awasthi, said late Sunday, The state government has given orders for the constitution of a special security force. A roadmap in this regard has been sought from the Uttar Pradesh Director General of Police (DGP). He added that the members of this force can arrest any person without the orders of a magistrate or a warrant. According to a report by India Today, five battalions will be constituted in the first phase, and will be headed by an additional director general (ADG)-ranked officer. AFP This is a dream project of the Uttar Pradesh chief minister. The basis of this force is an order of the High Court, which had expressed that there should be a specialised force for civil courts. In all, there will be 9,919 personnel in the force. Expenses incurred in the first phase will be around Rs 1,747 crore, Awasthi was quoted as saying by India Today. The development has been met with criticism over rising fascism and the death of democracy in the BJP-ruled state. Yogi Adityanath govt gonna set up SSF (Special Security Force) in UP. SSF can arrest anyone without warrant, can raid anyone's house without having search warrant.Even courts can't take cognizance against SSF officials without govt's approval. Fascism on its peak! Md Asif Khan (@imMAK02) September 13, 2020 This is really a Death of Democracy under Yogi govt. Now UP govt can arrest any person without a warrant. Aaron Mathew (@AaronMathewINC) September 14, 2020 Kangana's office was demolished by BMC and BJP was saying it as death of democracy In other news, Umar Khalid is arrested under UAPA and UP Govt. can arrest anyone without warrant #StandWithUmarKhalid Sloth (@Shikh55_) September 14, 2020 @JayHind122 UP's new Special Security Force can "search, arrest without warrant" This move is unconstitutional & a brazen attempt by #myogiadityanath to build a private militia which will be used to harass minorities, journalists, activists & critics of the BJP govt! A.M.S. Diraviaraj. (@ADiravia) September 14, 2020 Roses are red Violets are blue People who are celebrating Umar Khalid's arrest, should know UP govt set up a special force who can detain anyone without a warrant... So, stop laughing coz next one would be you!#StandWithUmarKhalid Rishabh dora (@DoraRishabh) September 14, 2020 UP's New Special Security Force Can "Search, Arrest Without Warrant" it's not a rocket science to understand that this law will be used by the govt to torment minorities residing in UP. | Pats (@crawlmarxX) September 14, 2020 UP's Adityanand Govt 'dream project' of constituting UPSSF Force in 2020. "Any member of the force can, without the prior permission of any magistrate and without any warrant, arrest any person," We are still slaves ruled by a different regime. Ajay (@Jaatland) September 14, 2020 The special force will have special powers just like the CISF. The Uttar Pradesh Special Security Force or UPSSF will be tasked to protect courts, airports, administrative buildings, metros, banks, among other government offices. Awasthi added that eight battalions will be constituted initially at a cost of Rs 1,747.06 crore. There has been no formal response from the government on the criticism. WASHINGTON - Donald Trump is a climate arsonist bent on watching the country burn, his Democratic challenger said Monday as climate change and presidential politics collided on the campaign trail. Joe Biden chose to exploit Trumps contempt for the climate crisis on a day when the U.S. president was en route to California for an update on the deadly blazes ravaging tinder-dry parkland up and down the U.S. west coast. For Biden, the arrival of a category-1 hurricane churning in the Gulf of Mexico just off the Florida panhandle a queue of other tropical cyclones lining up in the Atlantic Ocean behind it couldnt have come at a better time. Donald Trumps climate denial may not have caused these fires and record floods and record hurricanes, but if he gets a second term, these hellish events will continue to become more common, more devastating and more deadly, Biden said from his home state of Delaware. If we give a climate arsonist four more years in the White House, why would anyone be surprised if we have more of America ablaze? If we give a climate denier four more years in the White House, why would anyone be surprised if more of America is under water? Trump, who famously tried to blame California wildfires two years ago on the states failure to conduct proper raking and cleaning of its forest floors, doubled down on that remark prior to Mondays briefing. Wildfires are also terrorizing residents of Oregon and Washington state. There are 60 firefighters from Quebec who are currently helping battle the North Complex fire in California, and federal officials in Ottawa say they dont anticipate sending more unless asked. But in an update on the fire Monday, Jake Cagle of the U.S. Forest Service sounded an anxious note. We are getting stretched thin, Cagle said during his daily update. Smoke from the fires is already having an impact on the other side of the Canada-U.S. border, said Environment and Climate Change Minister Jonathan Wilkinson, who represents the riding of North Vancouver. The air quality in Vancouver is as bad as any air quality in the world, Wilkinson said as some of his cabinet colleagues gathered in Ottawa for a two-day meeting prior to next weeks throne speech. Its an important lesson for all of us that we need to think forward about the crisis that looms on the horizon. And that is the crisis of climate change. The wildfires and the resulting smoke has at least helped to drive home the importance and the urgency of the climate crisis particularly in Canada, where the variations in seasonal temperatures can make people complacent, said Kyla Tienhaara, a School of Environmental Studies professor at Queens University in Kingston, Ont. In Canada, I think weve often felt sort of sheltered, not only in terms of time, like this is something thats going to happen in the future, but also in terms of our location, Tienhaara said. If youre on the west coast of Canada right now where, for example, my family lives youre experiencing really terrible air quality. A catastrophic wildfire season in Australia just prior to the COVID-19 pandemic claimed at least 34 lives, destroyed nearly 6,000 buildings and razed more than 18 million hectares. In the end, the smoke claimed more lives than the flames did, Tienhaara said. For years, activists have struggled to convince people to make environmental concerns a priority, particularly in times of high unemployment or fiscal uncertainty, which invariably end up pulling public and policy focus. But the sheer scale of the fires, the fear of a coming historic barrage of hurricanes, the flooding that swamped the upper midwest last spring all of it appears to be adding up to a paradigm shift. Californias climate apocalypse, the Los Angeles Times declared Sunday in its banner front-page headline. Fires, heat, air pollution: The calamity is no longer in the future its here, now. Trump nodded politely as Gov. Gavin Newsom, who does not shy away from linking the fires to climate change, spelled out the scale of the disaster for the president on Monday. The hots are getting hotter, dries are getting drier, said Newsom, who acknowledged the state has more to do when it comes to forest management. He also noted more than half of the states forests are federally managed. Somethings happened to the plumbing of the world ... humbly, we submit that the science is in, and the observed evidence is self-evident that climate change is real, and that is exacerbating this. In an exchange with someone else at the table who blamed climate change, Trump pushed back: It will start getting cooler, he said, eliciting chuckles from elsewhere in the group. Just watch. When the official tried to point to scientific evidence, the president said: I dont think science knows, actually. Biden sought to put the climate emergency on the same tier as the other three crises roiling the U.S. and the world: the pandemic, the ensuing economic collapse and the racial upheaval sparked in May by the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Trump, who also spent part of Monday bestowing honours on a group of National Guard pilots who rescued trapped residents from the wildfires last week, is likely to try to do the opposite, particularly given how much an economic recovery is likely to mean for his re-election chances. The government has sort of taken advantage of the COVID crisis in order to try to push a gas-led recovery, which is catastrophic in environmental terms, Tienhaara said of the Australian aftermath. I hope to God that they dont have anything catastrophic happen again this season, but you know, the timing is important because things do fade from peoples memory very quickly, unfortunately, when they have so much to deal with. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 14, 2020. Follow James McCarten on Twitter @CdnPressStyle Note to readers: This is a corrected story. An earlier version neglected to make clear Tienhaaras comments about a gas-led recovery were in reference to Australia. PHOENIX - A drive-by shooting wounded a federal security officer outside the U.S. courthouse in downtown Phoenix on Tuesday, and a person was later taken into custody, authorities said. The officer was taken to a hospital and was expected to recover, according to city police and the FBI. Jill McCabe, a spokeswoman for the FBIs Phoenix office, said someone was later detained and there was no indication of a further threat to the public. The court security officer works for the U.S. Marshals Service and was struck in their protective vest, said a law enforcement official who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the investigation publicly. Court security officers work under the direction of the U.S. Marshals Service but generally are employed by private security companies. The FBI said it isnt providing any more details as it investigates. Police had released a photo of a silver sedan spotted leaving the area around the Sandra Day OConnor U.S. Courthouse. Hours after the shooting, a street surrounding the courthouse was closed to traffic, roped off by yellow tape with police officers standing on each corner. Armed federal officers talked outside the main entrance to the courthouse, which was still open to the public, according to a court clerk. The shooting came after the weekend ambush of two Los Angeles County deputies. They were sitting in their parked vehicle when a man walked up to the passengers side and fired multiple rounds. The deputies were struck in the head and critically wounded but were expected to recover. The gunman hasnt been captured, and a motive has not been determined. Federal courthouses have been flashpoints for recent violence, but its not clear who shot the officer in Phoenix or why. In June, a federal security officer was shot and killed and his partner was wounded outside the federal courthouse in Oakland as they guarded the building during protests over racial injustice and police brutality. An Air Force sergeant was charged with the shooting, and prosecutors say he had ties to the far-right, anti-government boogaloo movement and used the protest as cover for the crime and his escape. During demonstrations in Portland, Oregon, protesters and federal officers clashed at the federal courthouse, where people set fires and tossed fireworks and rocks, while federal authorities unleashed tear gas and made arrests. ___ Balsamo reported from Washington. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-15 11:28:51|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close FRANKFURT, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- The German Mechanical Engineering Industry Association (VDMA) supports the political will of the European Union (EU) and China to reach an investment agreement by the end of this year, an expert from the association said Monday. "Especially in times of global protectionism, which has been exacerbated by the Corona (COVID-19) pandemic, we need a positive signal for international trade," VDMA Executive Director Thilo Brodtmann said in a statement. Brodtmann's remarks came after the China-Germany-EU leaders' meeting was held on Monday via video link. During the meeting, Chinese and EU leaders stated their commitment to speeding up the negotiations of the China-EU Bilateral Investment Treaty to achieve the goal of concluding the negotiations within this year. The EU and China have been negotiating an investment agreement since 2013, Brodtmann said, adding that the hopes raised by the virtual summit must be followed by action. Enditem The Arab Spring was the start of an ideological conflict between Turkey and the wealthy Arab Gulf nations. Turkish assertiveness is strengthened by an expanding economy and a brand of Islamic ideology which is shared with the likes of the banned Muslim Brotherhood. Israel, on the other hand, stands to benefit from this conflict by strengthening its relations with European and Arab neighbors. The trans-Israel Eilat-Ashkelon pipeline could be a massive asset that would cement existing ties. Tensions between Turkey and the Gulf nations grew after Ankara expressed its strong support for Morsi and the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt after Mubarak was overthrown. The monarchies in the Gulf view Islamic democracy as an existential threat to their style of rule. The imprisonment of Morsi, the civil war in Libya, and the discovery of gas deposits in the Eastern Mediterranean have worked in favor of Israel and its strategic value. The recent normalization of relations between Israel, the UAE, and Bahrein could finalize an anti-Turkey coalition that will define politics in the region for decades. Already an impressive coalition consisting of France, Greece, Cyprus, Egypt, the UAE, and Israel is confronting Turkeys saber-rattling. Besides security cooperation, these countries are also working on strengthening political and economic ties. On 16 January the East Med Gas Forum was established in Cairo with the members being Egypt, Cyprus, Greece, Israel, Italy, Jordan, and the Palestinian Authority. Also, Israel, Greece, and Cyprus are working on the EastMed pipeline to connect customers in Europe with gas deposits in the Levantine Basin. The latest initiative in the ideological battle against Turkey is the rehabilitation of Israel's Eilat-Ashkelon pipeline. The normalization of ties with two Gulf countries will enable the reuse of the pipeline as a conduit of oil that further deprives Turkey of its role as an energy hub. Related: Trump Administration Shocks Oil Industry With Biofuel Waiver Decision The infrastructure was completed in 1968 with the support of Israel and the pro-western shah of Iran. However, the Islamic Revolution of 1979 cut of the oil supplies from Iran that traversed the country. The strategic value of Israel as an essential linchpin of Western energy security diminished overnight. In 2003, however, adjustments to the pipeline enabled reverse flow to allow the oil to run both ways. The former Soviet states Russia, Azerbaijan, and Kazakhstan willingly made use of the pipeline for their oil to travel from the Black Sea area to Asia. The coalition is pushing for the Eilat-Ashkelon pipeline to play a bigger role which will benefit the energy security of customers and the strategic goals of Israel. The re-purposing of the pipeline to carry oil from the Persian Gulf to Europe would diminish Turkeys role. The pipeline's owner, Europe Asia Pipeline Co. (EAPC), expects to capture somewhere between 12 and 17 percent of the oil trade transiting through the Suez. It affects Egypt's ability to generate income as a significant share of the state's coffers comes from transit fees. According to a confidential Israeli government source of Asia Times, "while better relations with the UAE and the other Gulf States are important, our peace with Egypt is absolutely essential for maintaining regional stability. Without it, the security position of the country will devolve significantly. Therefore, we should coordinate with the Egyptians rather than attempt to harm their position unilaterally." However, EAPCs pipeline could be an addition to the Suez Canal. Despite the recent expansion of the Suez, the largest supertankers are still not able to traverse the Egyptian desert. The pipeline could change that when supertankers can pick up cargoes in the Red Sea or the Mediterranean. Until now EAPC has operated the pipeline in relative secrecy due to two reasons. First, certain Arab customers would like to keep their commercial deals secret due to Israel's reputation in the Islamic world. Second, Iran provided some of the funds to construct the pipeline before the Islamic Revolution in the sixties. Making public the companies operations and earnings could strengthen Tehrans case in international arbitration cases. In 2015 a Swiss court ordered Israel to pay Iran compensation worth $1.1 billion. Despite the challenges, political backing from the Israeli government, the conducive strategic environment, and already available infrastructure will likely lead to increased use of the pipeline. By Vanand Meliksetian for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: If youre eligible for the additional $300 per week in unemployment benefits from the federal government, you should apply for it now. When the $2.8 billion from the Lost Wages Assistance Program coming into the state is gone, it is gone, Pennsylvania Labor & Industry Secretary Jerry Oleksiak said, TribLive.com is reporting. Last month, President Donald Trump instituted the $300-per-week benefit for those who are unemployed after Congress failed to reach an agreement on the second round of stimulus funding, and the additional $600 per week unemployed workers received from the CARES Act expired. But the Federal Emergency Management Agency announced last week that the Lost Wages Assistance Program is ending. Labor & Industry officials said on Monday that means that not all of the 616,000 jobless workers in Pennsylvania will receive their funds under the program, available for those who were unemployed between Aug. 1 and Sept. 5 due to COVID-19. Thats why Oleksiak reiterated that individuals who may be eligible should apply and re-certify their status as soon as possible, the Bucks County Courier Times is reporting. He said it is a real possibility that the state will not have the funds to give all COVID-19-related jobless workers money under the program. According to reports, the Lost Wages Assistance Program will be awarded at a rate of $300 per week for six weeks, dating back to the beginning of August. The state started processing claims for the program last week and will be distributing those funds this week in lump-sum checks, according to reports. Those with six weeks of unemployment in that time will receive $1,800, according to reports. The Federal Emergency Management Agency provided those funds and is expected to give states a filing deadline soon, and once that deadline has passed and the funds are depleted, no additional applicants for the extra funds will be approved, according to reports. To qualify for the program, unemployed workers must have a benefit rate and dependence allowance of at least $100 per week, reports indicate. For more information and to file a claim, visit UC.PA.gov. JERUSALEM: Palestinian militants fired rockets from Gaza into Israel on Tuesday, the Israeli military said, at same time as Israel and two Gulf Arab states signed normalisation agreements at the White House in Washington. Warning sirens sounded in the coastal cities of Ashkelon and Ashdod as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump met the foreign ministers of United Arab Emirates and Bahrain at the White House. Israel`s Magen David Adom ambulance service said paramedics treated two men for light injuries from flying glass in Ashdod, and four others suffered shock. An Israeli military spokesman said the Iron Dome anti-missile system intercepted one of two rockets fired from Gaza. In Gaza, which is controlled by the Islamist militant group Hamas, dozens of Palestinians rallied outside a U.N. office to condemn the normalisation deals shortly before the signing ceremony began. "Palestine isn`t for sale," protesters chanted. Sami Abu Zuhri, a Hamas spokesman, said the Bahrain and UAE agreements would not bring Israel peace in the region. "Peoples of the region will continue to deal with this occupation as their true enemy," he told Reuters, speaking from Turkey. Hamas did not claim responsibility for the rockets. In Ramallah in the occupied West Bank there was a small, muted protest at which 200 people gathered in a central square. Some carried a banner reading: "The UAE-Israeli normalization agreement is a reward for the state of occupation and for settlements, and is a stab in the back of Jerusalem and of Palestine." The normalisation agreements are the first signed between Israel and Arab states since the peace accords with Egypt in 1979 and Jordan in 1994. However, they breach what had been a long-standing Arab consensus that normalisation of ties with Israel should only come after the creation of an independent Palestinian state in Gaza and the occupied West Bank with East Jerusalem as its capital. The Palestinians see that aspiration as badly damaged by the new agreements. He and his wife, Amy, help make the masks, especially now that the girls are back doing schoolwork from home. They tell new customers that the girls have school now so cant make as many as they did in the summer. He said some of their friends are asking if they can help. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- As schools across New York City bring back students for in-person learning amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, some are taking advantage of their outdoor spaces to use for learning, lunch and other activities. Staten Island Academy in Todt Hill and Notre Dame Academy in Grymes Hill -- which have already begun the 2020-2021 school year -- are utilizing their large campuses to teach students outside during nice weather. A 28-year-old was arrested by the Jammu and Kashmir Police in Doda for impersonating a sub-inspector in the rural areas of the district. He was identified as Neeraj Kumar, of Bibnota village in Ghatt of Doda. DSP (headquarters) Manoj Kumar said the man was working as defence labour procurement assistant. He got a police uniform stitched, and even procured name plate and other accessories. The DSP said, We are trying to ascertain from where he got the uniform stitched and managed other accessories, though he had no weapon with him. As of now his involvement in extortion or any other criminal activity has not been established. He is under arrest and a case under sections 419, 170 and 171 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) has been registered against him, he added. Kumar informed that the impersonator was working as fake SI for the past few days and used to visit check posts in rural areas. Since his father late Rajinder Kumar was a head constable, he told people that he had been given the job in lieu of his father, who died while in police service. He was arrested from a check post at Arnora on Monday, said the officer. He was caught when he entered Doda town and started visiting different police check posts, the officials said. During questioning, he said he always wanted to be a police officer, which drove him to impersonate one. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Romain Colas (Agence France-Presse) Novosibirsk, Russia Tue, September 15, 2020 08:00 493 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c44d008c 2 World alexei-navalny-russian-opposition,Putin,Russia,Vladimir-Putin Free Russia's political opposition Monday claimed a symbolic victory in regional elections that were dominated by pro-Kremlin candidates and marred by allegations of fraud. The vote was overshadowed by the alleged poisoning of opposition leader Alexei Navalny in the Siberian city of Tomsk during a trip to promote opposition candidates ahead of the ballot. Germany said Monday that lab tests in France and Sweden confirmed the Kremlin critic was attacked with a Novichok nerve agent in an incident French President Emmanuel Marcon described as "attempted murder" during a call with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The elections came a year ahead of a parliamentary ballot and were seen as a test for Putin as the ruling United Russia party faces sinking popularity and public anger over economic woes. Russians in dozens of the country's 85 regions voted from Friday to Sunday for governors and lawmakers in regional and city legislatures as well as in several by-elections for national MPs. Candidates from the ruling United Russia party that dominates the country's political landscape despite declining popularity claimed a majority of the seats. But Navalny's allies made unprecedented gains in highly anticipated city council votes in Siberian cities of Novosibirsk and Tomsk. In an effort to fight Putin's electoral machine, Navalny had urged voters back candidates against the ruling party. The 44-year-old lawyer and Kremlin critic was in Siberia promoting a "smart voting" campaign when he fell ill last month. His supporters believe the use of the banned chemical weapon shows that only the Russian state could be responsible. Putin on Monday condemned "unsubstantiated" accusations over Navalny's poisoning during a call with Macron and said Germany should hand over biological materials and coordinate with Russian doctors. Two allies of the opposition leader won parliament seats in Tomsk, the city where Navalny's allies say he drank tea that was laced with the nerve agent before a flight to Moscow. United Russia suffered heavy losses in the city of some 500,000, winning just 24.46 percent of the overall vote compared to 52.27 percent in 2015. Ksenia Fadeyeva, the 28-year-old head of Navalny's Tomsk office who won a city council seat, put her success down to the opposition leader's voting strategy saying, "we really campaigned under the Navalny brand". The result was "a big blow" to United Russia ahead of legislative elections of next year, she told AFP, and also disproved the myth that the opposition only has 2 or 3 percent support. "But the work continues. No time to rest yet," she said. In Russia's third-largest city of Novosibirsk, which Navalny also visited before the vote, his ally Sergei Boyko won a seat on the local council beating out a veteran Communist Party candidate. United Russia lost 11 seats and their majority on the city council securing 22 places out of 50, with Navalny-backed candidates picking up five spots. United Russia chairman Dmitry Medvedev, however, praised Sunday the party's electoral successes, saying that exit polls showed it was heading for victory. Of 18 regions that voted for governors, 12 elected candidates from United Russia and the remainder chose figures aligned with traditionally Kremlin-friendly opposition parties. Vote organizers said they held the ballot between Friday and Sunday to limit new coronavirus infections. But the opposition countered that the move was a ploy to make it easier for the results to be fabricated. The independent election monitor group Golos said it had registered ballot stuffing complaints and received a "stream of reports" that observers were barred from viewing documents and submitting complaints, with conflicts sometimes ending in "fisticuffs". Chairwoman of the Central Election Commission Ella Pamfilova however said Monday "there were no major violations" and that the vote had seen "fewer flaws than ever," according to the TASS news agency. The European Union denounced the vote held in Crimea, which Russia annexed from Ukraine in 2014, saying it would not recognize "anybody elected in Russia-organized voting in the Crimean peninsula". Greece ready for talks with Turkey, return of Oruc Reis to Antalya "a positive step": PM People's Daily Online (Xinhua) 08:35, September 14, 2020 ATHENS, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) -- Greece is willing to enter dialogue with Ankara once "provocations" stop to de-escalate recent tension in the Eastern Mediterranean over maritime borders, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on Sunday, welcoming the return to Antalya of Oruc Reis, the Turkish seismic survey vessel which had been conducting research in a disputed area. "It is a positive first step. I really hope there will be more to come. The end of provocations will be the beginning of dialogue. Greece is always ready to sit around the table," he said, referring to exploratory talks with Turkey over an agreement on the delimitation of maritime borders which stopped in 2016. Oruc Reis has returned to the southern province of Antalya, state-run TRT broadcaster reported Sunday, adding that it anchored off the Gulf of Antalya on Saturday night. In August, Turkey dispatched Oruc Reis and two auxiliary navy vessels to the disputed region near the Greek island of Meis, also known as Kastellorizo, prompting the Greek claims that the sea area lies within its continental shelf. The military delegations from Turkey and Greece met in NATO's headquarters on Thursday after NATO's secretary-general initiated de-confliction talks between the two NATO member states. During a press conference held in the context of Thessaloniki Helexpo forum in northern Greece, Mitsotakis said he was open to a meeting with the Turkish president for dialogue in good faith. Greece does not intend to enter an arms procurement race with Turkey, but will make only the absolutely necessary purchases, he stressed, responding to a question relating to his announcement on Saturday during the same forum. Regarding Greece's largest refugee camp Moria that was destroyed in a huge fire earlier this week, the prime minister said he has requested the European Union (EU) for more involvement in the management of the new reception and identification center that is to replace Moria and for more actions from EU partners to show solidarity with Greece. Greece cannot shoulder disproportionate burdens, he repeated. More than one million people have reached the country from Turkey since 2015. Most continued the journey to other European countries until the closure of borders along the Balkan route in the winter of 2016. Currently 100,000 people are stranded in Greece. Talking about the challenge of the COVID-19 pandemic and its repercussions on the economy, Mitsotakis reiterated optimism, but ruled out the prospect of a second full nationwide lockdown after the one imposed in spring for over a month to control the spread of the virus. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address China has locked down a city on the border with Myanmar and ordered all its residents to be tested for Covid-19 after a number of people infected with the coronavirus illegally entered the city from the neighbouring country. Official media reported that wartime anti-epidemic measures have been put in place in Ruili city with over 200,000 people in southwest Chinas Yunnan province after three coronavirus infections were detected. All Ruili residents have been directed to stay indoors as local authorities are expected to start mass nucleic acid tests for them. Screening for illegal immigrants from Myanmar will be carried out in communities, shops, restaurants and construction sites. Transport connections have been snapped and residents have been ordered not to leave the city until further notice. Outsiders are not being allowed inside city limits. Trade and businesses, except those dealing in essential services such as pharmacies and food markets, have been closed. The infections travelled from Myanmar and Chinese authorities would crack down on illegal immigrants, local officials said late on Monday. Besides Ruili, at least eight border prefectures and 25 border counties in the province should enter wartime status immediately, enhancing anti-epidemic measures and border management to prevent imported cases, local officials were quoted as saying by official media. Chinese media reports said authorities were mobilising residents to report any illegal border crossings in a timely manner, stating that assistance in any form, including the provision of shelter for illegal trespassers, is strictly prohibited. News agency AFP quoted Yang Bianqiang, vice mayor of Ruili, as saying that the city would repatriate those who cannot verify their time of arrival into China, referring to people who have no fixed residence and have no fixed place to work. Beijing had shut a border crossing with Myanmar in April after infighting in the country had spilled over into a Chinese province. Myanmar is a vital part of Chinas Belt and Road Initiative. It was the last country that Chinese President Xi Jinping had visited, in the third week of January, before the Covid-19 outbreak all but shut international travel out of China. China has largely controlled the Covid-19 pandemic in the country except a number of localised outbreaks, including in Beijing, in recent months. The coronavirus first emerged in the Chinese city of Wuhan last year, before triggering the pandemic and affecting economies around the world. As of Monday, the total number of confirmed Covid-19 cases on the mainland reached 85,202. Altogether, 80,426 people have been discharged and 4,634 have died from the disease on the mainland, the national health commission said in its daily update on Tuesday. Eight new imported Covid-19 cases were reported on Monday, taking the total number of imported infections to 2,653. Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday paid tribute to the father of Indian engineering Bharat Ratna M Visvesvaraya on his 159th birth anniversary. New Delhi [India], September 15 (ANI): Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday paid tribute to the father of Indian engineering Bharat Ratna M Visvesvaraya on his 159th birth anniversary. To honour him, India celebrates Engineers Day on September 15 each year. Tributes to prolific engineer and statesman, Bharat Ratna Sir M. Visvesvaraya on his Jayanti. On Engineers Day, I salute our talented and skilled engineers who have contributed significantly in the development of the nation. India is proud of its pioneering works all across the world, Shah tweeted. The Union Minister also extended greetings to the engineers of the country along with his tweet on Bharat Ratna M Visvesvaraya and stated, On Engineers Day, I salute our talented and skilled engineers who have contributed significantly in the development of nation. India is proud of their pioneering works all across the world. Also read: Amid India China standoff, Rajnath Singh to address LAC situation in Parliament today Also read: India beats China, becomes member of UNs ECOSOC body Born on September 15, 1861, in Muddenahalli near Chikkaballapur, M Visvesvaraya was a world-renowned civil engineer and is considered of the foremost nation-builders, creating modern marvels upon which modern India was built. (ANI) Also read: India, Japan agree to advance defence cooperation to realise free, open India-Pacific A man who was arrested a day ago for throwing a stray dog into a lake in Bhopal for uploading on social media tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday. The test reports of the man, Md Salman, sent personnel of the Shyamla Hills police station in the city into a tizzy as all the men in uniform had to get tested for the virus soon after. Salman was arrested after a video of him, accompanied by his friends, throwing a stray dog into the Upper Lake, led to outrage on social media. The video was shot on September 10. Animal rights activists had complained to the police and district collector against the act. On Monday, Salman was nabbed from the Hanumanganj area in Old City and booked under Section 429 of the IPC and Section 11 of Cruelty to Animals Act. Salmans samples were collected on Monday before the police produced him in the court. After his reports came on Tuesday, 18 policemen, including the thana in-charge, were tested. One of the personnels report has come positive now. The policemen also got their vehicles sanitised to counter the spread of the infection. Salman, who works as an amateur photographer, had sought forgiveness by holding his ears after he was arrested on Monday. She recently broke up with Timm Hanly after meeting the hunk on Bachelor in Paradise. But now, Brittany Hockley is focusing on herself and enjoying a sunny getaway in Byron Bay. The reality star, 32, took some time to answer some fan questions on Instagram on Monday, when one follower asked how she bought a house when she was just 22. Back in paradise! The Bachelor's Britanny Hockley (pictured) took some time out of her Byron Bay vacation to explain how she bought a house at just 22 years old to a fan 'Firstly, it's okay if you don't have a house at 22. It's okay if you never have a house, it's fine!' she said. 'Literally no secret here. I worked really hard, got a big fat mortgage, continued to work really hard, sold my house and my big fat mortgage and then went travelling and then continued to work hard.' In the caption, Brittany said she 'took a risk' when she invested in property for the first time. 'I just worked and saved from a really young age and got lucky with a great property. And no, I wasn't given a cent,' she said. 'Also, having a house isn't indicative of success! Don't stress about this! What is right for one person may not be right for another!' Wise words: Brittany said she was able to buy a house by working and saving from an early age while also getting lucky with a great property and taking a risk on investing The reality star is currently staying in Byron Bay with her friends who run sustainable fashion brand Zulu and Zephyr. She posted another Instagram story joking that she was dating Hollywood star Zac Efron, who has recently been living in Byron. 'Zac, honey! Are you coming to bed yet?' she said in the clip, joking that she had to turn down The Bachelorette because of the relationship. Brittany has also been hanging out with fellow Bachelor star Laura Byrne, who is also enjoying a Byron getaway with her kids. Move over Timm! Brittany posted another Instagram story joking that she was dating Hollywood star Zac Efron, who has recently been living in Byron. 'We are cheating on each other and are with different people doing our own thing but still caught up!' Brittany said. The 32-year-old appeared on the latest season of Bachelor in Paradise where she began dating Timm Hanly. Bachelor in Paradise was filmed in Fiji from November to December last year, and aired on Channel 10 between July and August. A few weeks after they left the show together, Timm 'ghosted' Brittany and reunited with his ex-girlfriend Briana De La Motte PIERRE, S.D. -- The attorney general said in a statement Monday night that he and the local sheriff searched a crash scene after he thought he hit a deer Saturday night but they both missed spotting the pedestrian he had hit and killed. Jason Ravnsborg said he used Hyde County Sheriff Mike Voleks personal vehicle to drive home to Pierre and then returned it to Highmore the next day. As he passed by the crash scene Sunday morning, Ravnsborg said he stopped to look for the deer but instead found the body of Joe Boever, a 55-year-old man from Highmore. Instead of calling 911 Ravnsborg drove to Voleks house to report the discovery, leaving Boever on the side of the highway where he had been since 10:30 p.m. the night before. Ravnsborg shared this information and other details in a statement written on the letterhead of the Office of Attorney General and sent from his campaign email address. Ravnsborg sent the email at 10:07 p.m. central time without the knowledge of his offices chief of staff/spokesman. I have not seen what you are talking about, Tim Bormann said Monday evening. I have not prepared a press release. Bormann who answered questions earlier Monday about the incident said Monday night that hes no longer issuing any statements about it and that Ravnsborg is working with a new spokesman on this issue. Mike Deaver, who lives in Salt Lake City, said hes a friend of Jasons" and also did not now about Ravnsborg's statement. Deaver said he works for the Strategies 360, a Seattle-based communications firm. He said he has discussed the incident with Ravnsborg, but they have not yet talked about payment for his services. Ravnsborg said he wrote the statement to address the many rumors and stories being told and reported which do not represent a full and factual account of what happened. The attorney general said he arrived at the Spink County Lincoln Day Dinner in Redfield around 4:45 p.m. Saturday and left around 9:15 p.m. The event was held at Roosters Bar and Grill, according to the website of the South Dakota Republican Party. I consumed no alcoholic beverages before, during or after the event, Ravnsborg wrote. He said he called 911 after he hit something that he believed to be a large animal (likely a deer) shortly after passing through Highmore. The crash occurred around 10:30 p.m. on U.S. Highway 14 just west of the town, according to the Highway Patrol. I looked around the vehicle in the dark and saw nothing to indicate what I had hit, Ravnsborg wrote. Ravnsborg said he only saw pieces of his vehicle lying around the road and he used the flashlight on his cell phone to look in the ditch. He said Volek arrived, inspected his car and the area, filled out accident paperwork, and gave him a tag required to get his vehicle repaired. At no time did either of us suspect that I had been involved in an accident with a person, Ravnsborg said. Ravnsborg said his vehicle was too damaged to drive home so he called the nearest tow service, which is in Pierre. Volek graciously offered to loan me his personal vehicle so I could drive back to Pierre after saying it would take more than an hour for the tow truck to arrive, Ravnsborg wrote. Ravnsborg was driving his personal vehicle, Deaver said. The attorney general said he called Bormann to tell him about the crash and that he was driving Voleks car back home. Ravnsborg said he arrived in Pierre around midnight. Ravnsborg said he drove Voleks car back Sunday morning and Bormann went with him. He said he noticed debris was still present at the crash site so he and Bormann stopped to see if they could find what he hit. I discovered the body of Mr. Boever in the grass just off the roadway, Ravnsborg wrote. The attorney general said he and Bormann checked on Boever and it was obvious he was dead. I immediately drove to Sheriff Voleks home to report the discovery and he accompanied me back to the scene, Ravnsborg wrote. He said Volek said he would handle the investigation and told him to return to Pierre. Ravnsborg said hes cooperated with the investigation by providing a blood sample, letting officials search his two cell phones, and sharing the names of people at the dinner who could confirm that he didnt drink alcohol. He said he was also interviewed about the incident. The South Dakota Highway Patrol is leading the investigation and receiving assistance from the North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation. BCI was called in to take over the role of the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation which is under Ravnsborg's office in to avoid any conflict of interest, Bormann said. I am deeply saddened by the tragic nature of these events and my heartfelt condolences go out to the Boever family, Ravnsborg said. The attorney general said he would not be answering any questions from the media until the investigation is complete. PHOTOS: Woodbury County Courthouse past and present Contact Arielle Zionts at arielle.zionts@rapidcityjournal.com. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 CANTON, Mass., Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Massachusetts Nurses Association, the state's largest union and professional association for registered nurses and health care professionals, announces its endorsement of Christine Crean for State Senate in the Worcester and Norfolk District. "We are proud to endorse Christine Crean for State Senate," said Donna Kelly-Williams, a registered nurse and President of the MNA. "Chris is committed to the same priorities that drive our nurses at the bedside and in their communities. As a social worker, she knows the importance of advocating for what people need and has the experience to help those who are vulnerable and need a strong voice to support them." "We need more legislators on Beacon Hill who are committed to championing labor rights, and as an activist leader in her union, Chris will do just that," Kelly-Williams said. "Her priorities include addressing our state's economic recovery to COVID-19 and fighting for an affordable and accessible healthcare system." Christine Crean lives in Milford, MA. She has been a social worker for more than 35 years. She is an active member of the Milford Democratic Town Committee and has been an active member of her union, SEIU Local 509. The Worcester and Norfolk State Senate District consists of the towns of Blackstone, Douglas, Dudley, Hopedale, Mendon, Milford, Millville, Northbridge, precincts 1 and 3, Oxford, Southbridge, Sutton, Uxbridge and Webster in the county of Worcester; and the town of Bellingham in the county of Norfolk. About having support of the Massachusetts Nurses Association, Crean said, "I'm honored to be endorsed by the nurses and healthcare professionals of the Massachusetts Nurses Association. Their work, day in and day out, and especially now while in the throes of the stark challenges that the Corona virus presents, is at the very frontlines of our healthcare system. "Their advocacy for equality in healthcare access and standing up for the people who need the most help is at the crux of why I'm running. People trust our nurses. I trust our nurses. I thank the MNA for their trust in me and their endorsement to be a representative voice on Beacon Hill." MassNurses.org Facebook.com/MassNurses Twitter.com/MassNurses Instagram.com/MassNurses Founded in 1903, the Massachusetts Nurses Association is the largest union of registered nurses in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Its 23,000 members advance the nursing profession by fostering high standards of nursing practice, promoting the economic and general welfare of nurses in the workplace, projecting a positive and realistic view of nursing, and by lobbying the Legislature and regulatory agencies on health care issues affecting nurses and the public. SOURCE Massachusetts Nurses Association Related Links http://www.massnurses.org While state Rep. Emanuel Chris Welch, the Hillside Democrat who is chairing the committee, agreed on that point, he added that the feds requested we refrain from seeking any materials or testimony related to the (deferred prosecution agreement) that is still confidential or anything in the possession of the federal government. In other words, we can call witnesses but we cant really ask them any questions. Read the full Tribune story here. WBEZ also examines the back-and-forth in this piece while Capital Fax publisher Rich Miller offers a vivid picture of it here. Herzliya, Israel and Calgary, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - September 15, 2020) - Innocan Pharma Corporation (CSE: INNO) (FSE: IP4) (the "Company" or "Innocan"), is pleased to announce today, that it has completed a cosmetic clinical study examining the impact of its SHIR Premium CBD Facial Serum containing 300 mg of cannabidiol ("CBD") (the "Serum") on skin hydration. Table 2 To view an enhanced version of Table 2, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/6922/63880_98aa5e38b4389924_002full.jpg The study was conducted by an independent research laboratory: INOVAPOTEK, Pharmaceutical Research and Development in Portugal". The study aimed to assess the hydrating efficacy of the Serum in vivo, by measuring the skin capacitance for a period of 2, 4, 8 and 24 hours after the CBD Serum application on the skin. The results demonstrated that there were significant hydration increases for each period. The Serum was well tolerated with no uncomfortable symptoms or feelings reported by the subjects of the study. In addition, the research laboratory completed a clinical controlled study for the evaluation of the acute cutaneous irritation potential of cosmetic products. All of the SHIR Derma Cosmetic products tested to date have demonstrated to be non-irritating under the test conditions. "The results of these studies have demonstrated the efficacy of the SHIR Premium CBD Facial Serum product. Hydrating the skin is one of the most crucial measures to keep the skin healthy, young and also to eliminate wrinkles. The amazing results of the new clinical studies are in addition to Innocan's research and development efforts to bring to market, a trustworthy product that will set a new industry standard", stated Iris Bincovich, Chief Executive Officer of Innocan." Figure 1 To view an enhanced version of Figure 1, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/6922/63880_98aa5e38b4389924_003full.jpg Story continues About Innocan The Company, through its wholly owned subsidiary, Innocan Israel, is a pharmaceutical tech company that focuses on the development of several drug delivery platforms containing CBD. Innocan Israel and Ramot at Tel Aviv University, are collaborating on a new, revolutionary exosome-based technology that targets both central nervous system (CNS) indications and the Covid-19 Corona Virus using CBD. CBD-loaded exosomes hold the potential to help in the recovery of infected lung cells. This product, which is expected to be administrated by inhalation, will be tested against a variety of lung infections. Innocan Israel signed a worldwide exclusive license agreement with Yissum, the commercial arm of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, to develop a CBD drug delivery platform based on a unique-controlled release liposome to be administrated by injection. Innocan Israel plans, together with Professor Berenholtz Head of the Laboratory of Membrane and Liposome Research of the Hebrew University, to test the liposome platform on several potential indications. Innocan Israel is also working on a dermal product that integrates CBD with other pharmaceutical ingredients as well as the development and sale of CBD-integrated pharmaceuticals, including, but not limited to, topical treatments for relief of psoriasis symptoms as well as the treatment of muscle pain and rheumatic pain. The founders and officers of Innocan Israel have commercially successful track records in the pharmaceutical and technology sectors in Israel and globally. For further information, please contact: For Innocan Pharma Corporation: Iris Bincovich, CEO +972-54-3012842 info@innocanpharma.com NEITHER THE CANADIAN SECURITIES EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER HAVE REVIEWED OR ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE. Caution regarding forward-looking information Certain information set forth in this news release, including, without limitation, information regarding the markets, requisite regulatory approvals and the anticipated timing for market entry, is forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. By its nature, forward-looking information is subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, some of which are beyond Innocan's control. The forward-looking information contained in this news release is based on certain key expectations and assumptions made by Innocan, including expectations and assumptions concerning the anticipated benefits of the products, satisfaction of regulatory requirements in various jurisdictions and satisfactory completion of requisite production and distribution arrangements. Forward-looking information is subject to various risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results and experience to differ materially from the anticipated results or expectations expressed in this news release. The key risks and uncertainties include but are not limited to: general global and local (national) economic, market and business conditions; governmental and regulatory requirements and actions by governmental authorities; and relationships with suppliers, manufacturers, customers, business partners and competitors. There are also risks that are inherent in the nature of product distribution, including import / export matters and the failure to obtain any required regulatory and other approvals (or to do so in a timely manner) and availability in each market of product inputs and finished products. The anticipated timeline for entry to markets may change for a number of reasons, including the inability to secure necessary regulatory requirements, or the need for additional time to conclude and/or satisfy the manufacturing and distribution arrangements. As a result of the foregoing, readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking information contained in this news release concerning the timing of launch of product distribution. A comprehensive discussion of other risks that impact Innocan can also be found in Innocan's public reports and filings which are available under Innocan's profile at www.sedar.com. Readers are cautioned that undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking information as actual results may vary materially from the forward-looking information. Innocan does not undertake to update, correct or revise any forward looking information as a result of any new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required by applicable law. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/63880 By Associated Press LONDON: Black actor John Boyega has stepped down from his role as a global ambassador for perfume brand Jo Malone after the company decided to hire a Chinese actor to replace him in an ad he created. The Star Wars star wrote Tuesday on Twitter that the brands decision to replace my campaign in China by using my concepts and substituting a local brand ambassador for me, without either my consent or prior notice, was wrong. Jo Malone, an upscale British perfume brand owned by Estee Lauder, has said that replacing Boyega with Chinese star Liu Haoran in the ad campaign was a misstep. It has removed the ad and apologized. The original ad starring Boyega, 28, aired last year and was called The London Gent. It features the London-born actor walking around the neighborhood where he grew up and riding a horse in a park, and it makes a reference to his Nigerian heritage in a scene featuring West African attire. The film celebrated my personal story showcasing my hometown, including my friends and featuring my family, Boyega wrote. While many brands understandably use a variety of global and local ambassadors, dismissively trading out ones culture this way is not something I can condone. Its not the first time Boyega has been deleted from a China-based ad. He played a leading role as Finn in 2015s Star Wars: The Force Awakens, but he and other non-white characters were removed or diminished from a Chinese poster for the blockbuster movie. Boyega recently told GQ that Black characters have been pushed to the side in Disneys Star Wars franchise. In June, the star made an emotional speech on racism when he joined Black Lives Matter protests in London. Silicon Valley tech giant Oracle is 'very close' to sealing a deal to become the US partner to Chinese-owned video app TikTok to avert a ban in the United States, President Donald Trump said Tuesday. Trump's comments came a day after US officials confirmed that Oracle was set to make a deal with TikTok parent ByteDance ahead of a deadline set by the US president, who has called the app a national security threat. 'I heard they're very close to a deal,' Trump told reporters, adding that 'we're going to make a decision pretty soon' on whether to approve the tie-up, which would make Oracle a 'trusted technology provider' for TikTok. Details of the deal remained unclear. But the Financial Times reported that ByteDance was to place TikTok's global business in a new US-headquartered company with Oracle investing as a minority shareholder along with other US investors. CNBC reported the Trump administration could approve the deal as soon as Tuesday afternoon. President Trump on Tuesday said Silicon Valley tech giant Oracle is 'very close' to sealing a deal to become the US partner to Chinese-owned video app TikTok Oracle has agreed to buy a minority stake in TikTok's global operations, which would be relocated to the United States in hopes of satisfying the Trump administration, according to a report If the transaction happens, it would avoid an outright sale of TikTok while giving a stake in the popular app to Oracle, whose founder Larry Ellison is a prominent Trump supporter. Trump told reporters Tuesday he had 'high respect for Larry Ellison.' Last month, Trump threw his support behind Oracle buying TikTok, calling it a 'great company' and saying: 'I think that Oracle would be certainly somebody that could handle it.' Trump's seal of approval drew renewed attention to his links to Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison, who is likely to see a big payday thanks to the TikTok deal. Ellison secured his spot as the fifth richest person in the US this year as his net worth soared to $74.9billion, according to Forbes. Back in February the outlet reported that he held a fundraiser for the Trump campaign - which he claimed he didn't attend - where tickets cost up to $250,000. Ellison has also been credited as the first person to tell Trump about hydroxychloroquine as a potential treatment of COVID-19, before the president aggressively pushed that message in the absence of scientific proof of the drug's effectiveness against the virus. As part of the deal, TikTok will be restructured as part of a new company headquartered in the United States while Oracle, which will own a minority stake, will manage Americans user data in hopes of winning Trump's approval. The changes are part of an agreement between Oracle and TikToks Chinese-based parent company, ByteDance, that is subject to approval by the Trump administration. Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison's ties to President Donald Trump have drawn renewed scrutiny following reports that the software company won a bidding war over TikTok's US operations ByteDance had been in talks to divest only the US portion of TikTok to Oracle or Microsoft, after Donald Trump said he would ban the hugely popular short-video app if it wasn't sold to an American company that would have oversight of user data. But the new plan would see TikTok's entire global operations moved to a new US-headquartered company - but with ByteDance retaining its majority stake. As part of the deal, Oracle will own minority stake in TikTok's global operations, and manage the data of American users. While TikTok is best known for dancing videos that go viral among teenagers, US officials are concerned user information could be passed to China's Communist Party government. TikTok, which has as many as 100 million US users, has said it would never share such data with Chinese authorities. The TikTok user data is currently stored in Alphabet Inc's cloud, with a backup in Singapore. Sale negotiations were upended when China updated its export control rules last month, giving it a say over the transfer of TikTok's algorithm to a foreign buyer. Reuters reported last week that China would rather see TikTok shut down in the United States than allow a forced sale. Oracle and ByteDance hope that the new arrangement, which will include a promise to create 20,000 new American jobs, will receive the presidents blessing even though it appears to stop short of the demand for the Chinese company to completely divest from TikTok. On Sunday, Microsoft said it had been informed by ByteDance that the Chinese firm would not be selling it TikTok's US operations. The CEO of TikTok's parent company was reportedly upset Microsoft said the social media platform posed a 'security risk' that it could 'fix' before talks over a sale of the app collapsed in favor of a partnership with Oracle. ByteDance founder and CEO Zhang Yiming's decision to drop his pursuit of a sale of TikTok's US operations to Microsoft in favor of a partnership with Oracle was the culmination of weeks of pressure from China's government and the Beijing-based firm's investors, according to people familiar with the deliberations. Walmart, which had joined Microsoft's bid, said it was still interested in investing, and that it would talk further with ByteDance and other parties. News of the agreement sent the share price of Oracle higher on Tuesday by nearly 3 per cent As per terms of the agreement, Oracle will have a minority stake in TikToks global operations, not just their American-based holdings. ByteDance, however, will maintain a controlling stake in the new US-based entity, Financial Times reported. US lawmakers of both major parties voiced skepticism about the proposed deal that appears to stop short of a full sale of ByteDance's popular social media app as demanded by Trump. Oracle announced on Monday it was part of a proposal submitted by ByteDance to the Treasury Department to serve as 'trusted technology provider,' to Bytedance, with no further details on the terms of the deal. Trump has made it clear he wants to see an outright sale of TikTok to a US company, raising questions about the deal's approval amid concerns that US user data could be passed on to China's government. Trump issued an executive order last month that would ban TikTok in the United States as early as September 20 if ByteDance does not comply with a sale. Zhang Yiming (left), the founder and CEO of TikTok's parent company ByteDance, was reportedly upset when prospective TikTok buyer Microsoft (led by CEO Satya Nadella, right) called the app a 'security risk' that can be 'fixed' In a letter to Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, who heads a national security panel that reviews such deals, Republican Senator Josh Hawley called on Monday for the proposal to be rejected. 'An ongoing "partnership" that allows for anything other than the full emancipation of the TikTok software from potential Chinese Communist Party control is completely unacceptable, and flatly inconsistent with the President's Executive Order,' Hawley wrote. Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal stopped short of demanding the deal be scuttled but sought key assurances. 'I want specific, ironclad commitments on how Oracle & ByteDance will guarantee users' privacy, cyber security, & freedom of expression,' he tweeted. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said on Monday that the Trump administration will review the deal for Oracle to be TikTok's 'trusted technology partner' While the Trump administration has not yet said whether it will approve the deal, White House adviser Jared Kushner on Tuesday said the White House is reviewing Oracle's bid, even as other lawmakers took aim specifically at the firm's own track record. 'Making Oracle a middleman won't protect Americans against Chinese government influence, and to make matters worse, Oracle has an awful record of harvesting and selling Americans' private data to anyone with a credit card,' Democratic Senator Ron Wyden said in a statement. Oracle did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but in 2015, it settled allegations by the Federal Trade Commission that it failed to notify customers about unaddressed hacking dangers when it released security updates for the estimated 850 million U.S. computers with Java SE software. TikTok prefers Oracle over Microsoft for a deal in US Oracle is reported to have emerged winner in its bid to acquire the US operations of Chinese lip-sinking app, TikTok, pipping Microsoft, under a forced sale prompted by President Donald Trumps orders. While ByteDance the owner of TikTok, got a buyer for its US operations, the sale may not be easy considering Chinas opposition to any forced sale of Chinese businesses. China would rather see TikToks US operations shut down than go through a forced sale. And, with China erecting new regulatory hurdles, the situation looks very complicated. Considering Chinas new regulations on the export of AI, a sale of the popular algorithm may not be realised. Also, President Donald Trump had issued an executive order setting a deadline of 45 days ending 20 September for any US-based firm to complete a deal for TikTok. There is then a likelihood of time running out for the deal, unless the US regulators extend the time for completing a deal. Microsoft issued a statement saying that ByteDance has rejected its bid to acquire TikTok: ByteDance let us know today they would not be selling TikToks US operations to Microsoft. We are confident our proposal would have been good for TikToks users, while protecting national security interests. To do this, we would have made significant changes to ensure the service met the highest standards for security, privacy, online safety, and combating disinformation, and we made these principles clear in our August statement. We look forward to seeing how the service evolves in these important areas. Microsoft was the first US tech major to express interest in taking over the apps operations in the US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. This was followed by an executive order by President Donald Trump setting a deadline of 45 days ending 20 September for any US-based firm to complete a deal for TikTok. China fired back with a new regulation banning export of any AI-linked technology, that would rather see TikToks US operations shut down than go through a forced sale. Reports, meanwhile, said Oracle is set to be announced as TikToks trusted tech partner in the US, and the deal is likely not to be structured as an outright sale. It would then go to the White House and the Committee on Foreign Investment in the US for approval. Both Oracle and ByteDance claim the agreement satisfies the concerns around data security that have been previously raised by the US government. On Monday, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin confirmed that his office received a bid proposal from Oracle for TikToks operations over the weekend and said that the Treasury-led Committee on Foreign Investment in the US would review it this week. We will be reviewing that at the CFIUS committee this week and then will be making a recommendation to the president and reviewing it with him, Mr. Mnuchin said on CNBC. From our standpoint, well need to make sure that the code is, one, secure, Americans data is secure, that the phones are secure and well be looking to have discussions with Oracle over the next few days with our technical teams. The situation is very complicated, and with time running out, theres no clear outcome at the movement. Oracle must move rapidly if it wants to complete a deal this week. Authorities have revoked the registration of troubled supported accommodation facility Hambleton House, the centre of a COVID-19 outbreak last month. The proprietors of the private facility, which has been placed into administration, will no longer be permitted to run supported residential services. One resident peered from inside the locked down home last month as they prepared to be moved. Credit:Chris Hopkins Jai Abeywickrema, who has run Hambleton House with his wife Shani for 15 years, reacted angrily to news the Health Department's supported residential service regulator had revoked his licence and placed the facility into administration. "We will be taking them to court," he said of the Department of Health and Human Services. Clear face masks to be trialled in north Wales hospitals to support people with hearing loss This article is old - Published: Tuesday, Sep 15th, 2020 Clear face masks are now being trialled in north Wales hospitals to help offer better support and care for people with certain conditions such as hearing loss and dementia. The masks are see-through and have an anti-fogging barrier to ensure the face and mouth are always visible to help health care professionals communicate better with their patients. The masks are being provided by US-based company ClearMasks. Around 250,000 masks will delivered to hospitals and social care providers across the UK through the Department of Health and Social Care over the next few weeks as part of the trial. Kathryn Davies, who is a senior audiology assistant at the Wrexham Maelor Hospital, has welcomed the introduction of the masks. Since I was a child I have never had hearing on my right side and I have only 40 per cent hearing on my left side, she said. Due to the pandemic, myself and all my colleagues wear face masks at work and that has made it difficult for me to communicate with them. My duties at work have also changed as I havent felt confident enough to communicate with the patients with a mask. I was delighted to hear we are now able to access the clear face masks this will not only enable me to feel more confident at work and communicate better with my colleagues but this will greatly benefit our patients. Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board Audiology department were the first clinicians in the UK to test the clear masks, as part of an award winning innovation project funded by Awyr Las, North Wales local NHS charity. Dr Sarah Bent, principal clinical scientist in Audiology has led the project. She said: Our Audiologists recognised the need for clear face masks back in April 2020, so we pitched the concept at the M-Sparc Health Hack and received an award of 2,500 from Awyr Las. Since then, we have been testing different options suitable for lip-reading and seeing the face, and are due to publish our results soon. We are now working with companies across Wales and England to design and develop different options suitable for health and social care. We are delighted that the Clear Masks have been approved for use during the pandemic and will now be available to trial throughout the NHS. We hope many other options, including those made in Wales, will soon follow. YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 15, ARMENPRESS. Authorities in Armenia are planning to introduce new technologies to minimize tax violations in the petrol market. Artur Asoyan, the head of the Coordinating Office of Inspection Agencies of the government, said that they will use advanced technologies to connect the fuel nozzles with the cash register of the gas stations, thus minimizing potential violations. We will soon have an automated system, and the cash register of the gas stations will immediately print the bill for the customers when the fuelling is completed, he said. Reporting by Anna Grigoryan; Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan Were going to have to have guidance that will be different in some way. Im not going to get into the details of exactly what thats going to look like, she said. People have said, Are you canceling Halloween? Im not canceling Halloween. We are going to be thinking about how to do this in ways that are as safe as they can be. "This Quran is one of the finest manuscripts produced in Kashmir in the first half of the nineteenth century," a report said. SRINAGAR: Sotheby's, the New York-based British-founded American multinational corporation, has sold a copy of the 19th century Quran handwritten by Kashmiri artists for 137,500 (approximately Rupees 1.30 crore). This Quran is one of the finest manuscripts produced in Kashmir in the first half of the nineteenth century, a note from the world's largest brokers of fine and decorative art, jewelry, real estate and collectibles had said before putting the manuscript for auction at Christies London some time ago, a report appearing in a local news portal said. Giving the description of the sold manuscript, the Sothebys says on its official website that it is an illuminated Quran copied by Muhammad Hasan with a marginal commentary copied by Muhammad Ismail in Kashmir and dates back to 1246 AH (the Hijri year of the Islamic lunar calendar) corresponding with 1831 AD. Arabic manuscript on paper, 544 leaves plus 3 fly-leaves, 24 lines to the page, written in naskh in black ink within clouds against a gold ground, the Persian interlinear in red nastaliq, ruled in blue and gold, verses separated by gold roundels, surah headings in blue thuluth against a gold ground within a cartouche, the margins dense with commentaries in nastaliq within clouds against a gold ground, f.1b and f.2a with an illuminated frontispiece, several illuminated pages throughout, in lacquer binding decorated with flowers and signed Abd al-Aziz Mugul, reads the website. According to it, though there are stains and rubbing, some losses to the illumination and the gold, minor tears, some crackeleaure and scratches to the binding, as viewed, the manuscript was in good condition when put to auction. This Quran is one of the finest manuscripts produced in Kashmir in the first half of the nineteenth century. Not only does it bear the names of two scribes who have been involved in copying it, but also the names of the binder and the patron. Dated Qurans from Kashmir are rare, especially if decorated with such lavish illumination, it said. Hasan signs as the copyist of the Quran and Muhammad Ismail as the copyist of the tafsir in the margins. Each lacquer plate of the binding is finely decorated with a central panel with interlacing flower scrolls and plants, among which there is the signature of Aziz Mughul. The name of the patron as well as the date 1246 AH/1831 AD are written in black along the outer border. It is interesting to note that along with his name, Muhammad Ismail, the patron is named tajir al-Isfahani (a merchant from Isfahan). Muhammad M Saleem Beg, Convenor of the J&K chapter of Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) said, Im happy it got an attractive price at the auction. Someone who knew the value of, as we learn from the Sothebys, a rare and beautifully handwritten Quran, bought it and Im sure it must have gone into safe hands. Victor Jacquemont, a French traveller who was in Kashmir the same year this Quran was copied (1831) records that the Himalayan region was a big centre for the production of the manuscripts and there were between 700-800 copyists in the Valley. While Kashmiri Qurans are usually not signed and can be quite formulaic in their layout and decoration, this copy is extensively and finely illuminated, and must have been a commission by a Persian merchant who was resident in Kashmir in 1831, the Sothebys said. Kashmir Life portal quotes Hakim Sameer Hamadani, who has done his doctorate on Islamic architecture, as saying the copying seemingly has been commissioned by the Iranian merchant Muhammad Ismail and who apparently has written the tafsir on the margins of this mushaf. For most of the last three centuries, Iranian, Georgian and Armenian merchants involved in the lucrative Pashmina shawl trade were operating from Srinagar. A graveyard in Hassanabad area was known as Iranian or musafir mazzar, where some of these Iranian merchants are buried, he said. Hamadani, who is the Design Director at the INTACH Kashmir, while deciphering the Sothebys details, said Hassan has been the calligrapher of the scripture, and the naqashi (painted lacquered) binding has been done by a naqash, Aziz Mughal. This is probably the oldest reference we have in Kashmir to a papier mache (naqashi) artist. Even today in Srinagar, we find a few papier mache artists belonging to the Mughal (Mughalu) family who live in a mohalla which also goes by their family name-Mughal Mohalla. He tweeted that the binding of this rare copy of the Quran explains that the naqashi on the book cover is broadly based on two interlinked motifs- Gul-i Vilayat (the Persian/English flower) and Gul ander Gul (flower within a flower). Elaborating, he said, The Gul-i Vilayat depicts rose along with a realistic representation of thorn, leaves and stem and is generally said to be inspired by English (or European models). The Gul ander Gul is a more traditional representation of the Kashmiri rose as a floral scroll, sometimes intermixed with a variety of other flowers like carnation, narcissus etc. He sees the smaller margin of the copy as that of khatai-posh (aster). He said, What can also be seen on the main margin is the presence of two paisley motifs on either side. Kashmiri artisan refers to it as badamdar (almond-shaped), given that in Kashmir the motif is believed to originate from a highly stylized version of almond (or some would say cypress). He added, Badam (almond) is also a motif widely employed in Kashmiri Pashmina shawls, a reason why some refer to badamdar as shawl tarah (the shawl design). According to him, traditionally, most Kashmiri Quran mushaffs (written copies of Quran) are written in naskh (a smaller, round script of Islamic calligraphy) with the surah (chapter) headings in thuluth (a script variety of Islamic calligraphy). Sometimes, however, manuscripts also include Persian translation or commentary in nastaliq (the main calligraphic hands used in writing the Persian and the Urdu alphabets). He said the pages of the Quran auctioned in London are illuminating by incorporating text in a central medallion-like feature with quarter medallions at the corner is a technique known as chand dar (moon-style) which was employed in shawl designs up till mid-nineteenth century. The overall dominant colour scheme in these illuminated Qurans is of blue, defined by red, golden and green colour. Generally, the Quran from Kashmir would be written in black ink, with the subtext (translation/tafsir) in red ink. We also have extant manuscripts written in saffron, the portal said. Extends Closing Date for SPP Perth, Sep 15, 2020 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Hastings Technology Metals Ltd ( ASX:HAS ) advises that the closing date for the Share Purchase Plan (SPP) announced on 26 August 2020 (and the terms and conditions of which were announced on 28 August 2020) will be extended by one week to 28 September 2020.The Company has become aware that COVID-19 restrictions have resulted in delays in the delivery of the SPP Offer booklet and application form to shareholders.Hastings wants to provide all eligible shareholders with the opportunity to participate in the SPP.To view the revised timetable for the SPP, please visit:About Hastings Technology Metals Ltd Hastings Technology Metals Ltd (ASX:HAS) (FRA:5AM) is advancing its Yangibana Rare Earths Project in the Upper Gascoyne Region of Western Australia towards production. The proposed beneficiation and hydro metallurgy processing plant will treat rare earths deposits, predominantly monazite, hosting high neodymium and praseodymium contents to produce a mixed rare earths carbonate that will be further refined into individual rare earth oxides at processing plants overseas. Neodymium and praseodymium are vital components in the manufacture of permanent magnets which is used in a wide and expanding range of advanced and high-tech products including electric vehicles, wind turbines, robotics, medical applications and others. Hastings aims to become the next significant producer of neodymium and praseodymium outside of China. Hastings holds 100% interest in the most significant deposits within the overall project, and 70% interest in additional deposits that will be developed at a later date, all held under Mining Leases. Numerous prospects have been identified warranting detailed exploration to further extend the life of the project. Brockman Project The Brockman deposit, near Halls Creek in Western Australia, contains JORC Indicated and Inferred Mineral Resources, estimated using the guidelines of JORC Code (2012 Edition). The Company is also progressing a Mining Lease application over the Brockman Rare Earths and Rare Metals Project. Hastings aims to capitalise on the strong demand for critical rare earths created by the expanding demand for new technology products. Beijing, Sep 15 : The US will block some exports from China's Xinjiang region, over alleged human rights abuses against the Muslim Uighur minority, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has announced. The orders announced on Monday that "forced labour" was used to make the products, including at a "vocational" centre it called a "concentration camp", reports the BBC. The export ban includes garments, cotton, computer parts and hair products from five entities in Xinjiang as well as Anhui province. The orders target four companies and one manufacturing site and fall short of the region-wide ban the Department had considered. "These extraordinary human rights violations demand an extraordinary response... This is modern-day slavery," the BBC quoted Kenneth Cuccinelli, the DHS's Acting Secretary, as saying to the media on Monday. "Because of its unique nature, being, applying to a region as opposed to a company or a facility, we are giving that more legal analysis. "We want to make sure that once we proceed that it will stick, so to speak," he added. Responding to the development, Mark A. Morgan, Acting Commissioner of US Customers and Border Protection agency, said that the orders "send a clear message to the international community that we will not tolerate the illicit, inhumane, and exploitative practices of forced labour in US supply chains". The move is the latest by President Donald Trump's administration to put pressure on China over the situation in Xinjiang, the BBC reported. Uighurs, who are mostly Muslim, are ethnically Turkic and make up about 45 per cent of Xinjiang's population. Earlier this year, a report by China scholar Adrian Zenz found that the Asian giant was forcing women in the region to be sterilised or fitted with contraceptive devices. CURVE LAKE Family and friends of Cileana Taylor, a 22-year-old Curve Lake First Nation woman who remains in hospital with a life-threatening brain injury, are hoping for justice for her. Peterborough Police say officers were called to a home at about 1:45 a.m. on Sept. 3 after a woman was in medical distress. She was transported to hospital where family say she has remained in a coma. Savannah Taylor, Cileanas sister, says she is overwhelmed with worry for her sister. Shes all I think about. Savannah said Friday. From what Ive been able to figure out from talking to her friends who were there is, a group of friends were hanging out and the accused went outside to speak with Cileana, and when she came back inside, she was holding her head, Savannah said. There was a lot of blood, and it wasnt until she sat down and tried to speak was when she suffered a seizure and collapsed. Jordan Morin, 23, was charged with aggravated assault and domestic assault causing bodily harm. He appeared for a bail hearing on Monday. Morin had been dating her sister for about three months, Savannah said. Following Cileanas injury, family friend Nahanni Shingoose had set up a GoFundMe campaign with the to help cover expenses of her recovery, but an update on Monday said Cileanas condition had worsened. It is with a heavy heart that I update this page. Cileana is making her final journey home to the spirit world. Her final day with us will be Friday, Sept. 18. The funds raised here will be used for her funeral costs. The family wishes to thank each and every one of you that have offered donations and prayers. This page will be updated again next week once funeral arrangements have been made, Shingoose wrote. On Tuesday, Shingoose, speaking on behalf of the Taylor family, expressed that the family had decided not to remove the young woman from life support. A lot can happen medically in 24 hours. The family faced a very hard decision yesterday. It was devastating. Today, based on another medical option/opinion that was made available, the family has decided to exhaust every single option, Shingoose wrote. The neurologist suggests her brain rest from such trauma, then do further testing. Brain injuries are complex. Currently, there is very little brain activity. But there are complex options. Natalie Jacobs, a longtime friend who went to grade school with Cileana, said she cannot stop crying. She posted a tribute to Cileana on her Facebook page, which she agreed to share. I love you so much and miss you so much more. I have been praying for your recovery. Ill love you forever, Jacobs wrote. Curve Lake resident Rachel Pryce, also a good friend of Cileanas, said none of it seems real. Ive never met anyone like Cileana in my lifetime. She is one of a kind and always made me feel on top of the world. She is family to me, Pryce said. Pryce said she is shocked and horrified by what happened. Its beyond disturbing that someone could hurt someone with such a good heart and who just wanted to love everything and everyone, Pryce said. Not a day will go by that I dont think of her smile and kind soul. Proposed route of bike path to run mostly along an old trolley line from Bennington to Williamstown. Wednesday Presentation to Give Alternatives for Bennington-Williamstown Bike Path Idea BENNINGTON, Vt. Residents on both sides of the state line Wednesday will have a chance to learn about an idea for a bicycle path linking Bennington to Williamstown, Mass., and, perhaps even, someday, Lanesborough, Mass. It will be some time before the Ashuwilticook Rail Trail is extended in Massachusetts from Adams through North Adams to link with a crosstown trail set to break ground in Williamstown next year. And it will be years before a similar path could be built in Southwestern Vermont. But that proposed journey of 35 miles takes a lot of steps, even before shovels go in the ground. And on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m., the Bennington County Regional Commission will host an online presentation to look at possible routes for a path that takes advantage of a trolley route that operated in the area in the first decades of the 20th century. The commission is looking at feedback on its idea to create a path that would cover about 12 miles -- nearly as much terrain as the current Ashuwilticook and a little more than the route from Williamstown's Syndicate Road through North Adams on a route to be determined and to the current trail head in Adams. BCRC Senior Planner Catherine Bryars on Monday emphasized that the Bennington-to-Williamstown leg is still in the scoping phase. "It's going to take a long time to figure out if it goes forward," Bryars said. "As we share the alternate routes we've considered, what we're looking for is: Are we on the right track? Are these viable options? "In the final report, we will identify a preferred route. We will indicate where we're leaning and if people have a strong feeling that one should be weighted over the other." While planners hope to take advantage of a lot of the trolley route in Vermont, the landscape changes south of the state line and there are a few different alternatives for getting a route that runs along the west side of Route 7 across the U.S. highway to link up with the trail from Syndicate Road that already has funding and permitting in place. "The presentation we're gearing up for on Wednesday is going to be looking at a lot of alternatives that are being considered, and even in the final scoping report, there is a preferred alignment that we identify, but we also will outline several alternatives," Bryars said. "For the area you're talking about down in Williamstown, to get from the north of the Hoosic [River] to the south of the Hoosic, there are three different routes that we're considering. "One of them would be to go under the Route 7 bridge and connect to the Syndicate Road to the pathway." Once the planners nail down a preferred route, they will have other hurdles to overcome, including environmental permitting and acquisition of rights-of-ways on numerous private parcels that will be needed. Bryars said her agency is holding off on the latter piece for now. "We haven't yet, but we are going to start [those conversations] before the scoping report is finalized," she said. "We were weighing when to reach out [to landowners] and decided we were going to do [Wednesday's] alternatives presentation first to make sure that we have identified the most viable alternate routes. "Once we have those and we have the public comment to make sure we're moving in the right direction, then we can reach out to the potentially affected landowners. But to do that ahead of time without having really publicly assessed what the routes are that are on the table -- that's why we're going in the order we're going." Bryars said she expects to start contacting landowners within the next couple of weeks. Environmental impacts will require a whole set of conversations with regulators in both states. "One thing in particular about the alignment is that trolley line happens to run in the buffer areas of rivers and wetlands," Bryars said. "There's been river corridor regulations in Vermont since 2015, and those are pretty stringent. They're designed to allow a fluvial erosion hazard area around rivers, kind of a buffer for the river to move naturally over time, which is a great idea. It's totally ecologically oriented, which is probably what it should be. "But part of saying no development is allowed in those areas is, those are some of the best places to put pathways, to give people access to those natural green areas that otherwise aren't going to be developed. It's an ongoing conversation with state environmental regulators to what extent paths should be included in these areas or not." The Massachusetts leg comes with its own property owner and environmental concerns. "The right-of-way would be with the railroad, and then the other challenge on some of the town-owned properties we'd be going through potentially historically those are all landfills," said Williamstown Community Development Director Andrew Groff, who is coordinating with Bryars on the proposal. "Just like we've done for the [new] path, where it goes from Syndicate Road into the college campus by the softball field, that goes over a closed landfill. So we had to get special regulatory approval from Mass DEP's solid waste division in addition to the wetlands division and the local Conservation Commission. "It's tough to figure out a way to get it through Williamstown otherwise. There was some thought to looking at the far side of the Hoosic, but the terrain is much too challenging over there." Bryars said she does not know how much the proposed path might cost but will have a ballpark estimate by the time BCRC submits its final scoping report. The project, which has been in the works since 2018, is funded by a grant from the Vermont Agency of Transportation and is meant to address the fact that Route 7 itself is not compatible with complete streets, a planning and design approach that facilitates walkers and bikers. Funding the full project likely will require coordination of the Vermont Department of Transportation with the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, which is paying for the Williamstown-to-North Adams trail that is planned to break ground in the spring of 2021. Bryars said Monday she did not know if a bi-state project would be breaking ground of a different kind. "We're going to be working with a couple of students at Williams College, and they're going to pick up several pending research questions we have to help us out with the study," she said. "One of the questions we're hoping they might look into is to identify other case studies of where there has been interstate coordination of developing a path like this. Has there been a successful model. "Up until now, the conversation has been, we can only imagine these two processes going forward separately, but you don't want to have the end result be one side is built and the other side isn't." NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine has called for prioritising Venus after astronomers detected sign of alien life in the atmosphere of the planet. Venus has so far not been a significant part of the search for life because of its extreme temperatures, atmospheric composition and other factors. In a study published in the journal Nature Astronomy on Monday, scientists said they detected a gas called phosphine" in the atmosphere of Venus which could indicate the presence of life in the clouds of the planet. Life on Venus? The discovery of phosphine, a by-product of anaerobic biology, is the most significant development yet in building the case for life off Earth," Bridenstine said in a tweet on Monday. Also Read: Does Phosphine Mean Alien Life on Venus? Breaking Down the Science Behind Stunning Discovery About 10 years ago NASA discovered microbial life at 120,000 ft in Earths upper atmosphere. Its time to prioritize Venus," he added. Life on Venus? The discovery of phosphine, a byproduct of anaerobic biology, is the most significant development yet in building the case for life off Earth. About 10 years ago NASA discovered microbial life at 120,000ft in Earths upper atmosphere. Its time to prioritize Venus. https://t.co/hm8TOEQ9es Jim Bridenstine (@JimBridenstine) September 14, 2020 Although the high clouds of Venus have temperatures up to a pleasant 30 degrees Celsius, they are incredibly acidic around 90 per cent sulphuric acid posing major issues for any microbes trying to survive there. But doing an analysis of the source of phosphine" detected in the atmosphere of Venus, the scientists ruled out non-biological sources, meaning that something alive could be the source. The team, which included researchers from the UK, US and Japan, believes their discovery is significant because they can rule out many alternative ways to make phosphine, but they acknowledged that confirming the presence of life" needs a lot more work. Also Read: 2020 Series Finale: Venus May Have Alien Life and Humans Already Want to Migrate NASA, which was not involved in this research, has an extensive astrobiology programme that searches for life in many different ways across the solar system and beyond. Over the past two decades, weve made new discoveries that collectively imply a significant increase of the likelihood to find life elsewhere," NASA said in a statement after the surprising finding. Also Read: Carl Sagan Had Predicted Life on Venus Before Humans Had Even Landed on the Moon As with an increasing number of planetary bodies, Venus is proving to be an exciting place of discovery, it added. Two of the next four candidate missions for NASAs Discovery Programme are focused on Venus, as is Europes EnVision mission, in which NASA is a partner. Venus also is a planetary destination we can reach with smaller missions," NASA said. Beijing's very own health chief has recently stated that China itself will not be carrying out any mass vaccinations on its entire population due to COVID-19 being "largely wiped out" within the country. Dr. Gao Fu, the Director of the known Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention previously stated that the sweeping coronavirus vaccinations would actually only be needed if there was some sort of other major outbreak. The statement with regards to the coronavirus According to the known China CDC chief, the entire sweeping of vaccinations would actually be quite unnecessary within the country while the coronavirus is under control. Despite what was stated, he still did not rule out the possible need for them sometime in the future. According to Dr. Gao's statement that was quoted by the known China News Service, this is actually an issue of being able to balance both risks and return. He also admitted that there should actually be some sort of large-scale vaccination of residents should there be another massive outbreak that would ever match the ongoing coronavirus that actually came from Wuhan. However, he also stated that for the very first batch of these vaccines, priority should in fact be given to those frontline medical staff as well as epidemic prevention workers. Certain security workers would also be given priority and then this should be followed by both the cleaning and the catering staff. The priority then falls to the civil servants that are usually working in crowded areas. The race towards a vaccine Scientists from all around the world are still working in order to develop a possible vaccine for COVID-19. China is already developing at least eight different vaccine candidates as it also determines to become the very first country in the world to be able to roll out a certain successful vaccination for the known pathogen. Dr. Gao Fu has stated previously that China's very first coronavirus vaccine could actually be ready by some time during September. The country is currently competing with both US and British companies to become the very first with a vaccine to be able to help end the whole pandemic bringing the victor both scientific and political triumph. Read Also: [Fact Check] Colleagues of Chinese Whistleblower Li-Meng Yan at University of Hong Kong Dismiss Her 'Man-Made' COVID-19 Allegations Trial vaccines Just last month, Dr. Gao Fu also revealed that he had actually been injected with a new experimental coronavirus vaccine. He also stated that taking the jab all to himself was actually an attempt to persuade the whole public to follow suit when one of the vaccines should be approved. Sometime in June, Dr. Gao Fu was a certain coauthor on a particular paper that introduced a single candidate. A kind of "inactivated" vaccine that is made by growing the entire virus inside the lab and then later on killing it. The candidate is already being developed by a certain affiliate of the stat-owned SinoPharm. It was also stated by the company in a certain online post that about 30 different employees, which include top executives as well, all helped out with the pre-test of this vaccine in March, sometime before approved for the initial human study. Read Also: COVID-19 NEW Cure: Gargling Betadine Kills 99.9% of Coronavirus in 30 Seconds, Says Study This article is owned by Tech Times Written by Urian Buenconsejo 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Welcome to my genealogy blog. Genea-Musings features genealogy research tips and techniques, genealogy news items and commentary, genealogy humor, San Diego genealogy society news, family history research and some family history stories from the keyboard of Randy Seaver (of Chula Vista CA), who thinks that Genealogy Research Is really FUN! Copyright (c) Randall J. Seaver, 2006-2021. VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Sept. 14, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Newcore Gold Ltd. ("Newcore" or the Company) (TSX-V: NCAU) is pleased to announce an updated, pit constrained, National Instrument 43-101 (NI 43-101) Mineral Resource Estimate for the Companys 100% owned Enchi Gold Project (Enchi or the Project), in southwestern Ghana. Enchi hosts an Inferred Mineral Resource of 52.9 million tonnes grading 0.72 g/t Au containing 1.22 million ounces gold (see Table 1 below). Compared to the pit constrained mineral resources used in the Enchi Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) with an effective date of June 30, 2015, the updated resource has added an additional 503,000 ounces gold for a 70% increase in Inferred resources. The Enchi PEA contemplated an open pit, heap leach gold operation (see Newcore news release dated November 6, 2019). The 2015 PEA is no longer current and as such should not be relied upon. The updated Mineral Resource Estimate was prepared by independent qualified person (QP) Todd McCracken, P. Geo. of WSP Canada Inc. (WSP). Highlights Updated NI 43-101 Inferred Mineral Resource estimate for Enchi of 52,926,000 tonnes grading 0.72 g/t Au containing 1,223,800 ounces gold Estimate has been pit constrained, and represents an increase of 70% or 503,000 ounces gold when compared to the PEA contained ounces of 721,000 Newcore is evaluating the benefit of updating the PEA given the significant increase in contained ounces when compared to the most recent economic study. The 2015 PEA is no longer current and as such should not be relied upon Significant resource growth potential exists as all deposits are open along strike and at depth, with several additional exploration targets identified on the district scale property An 8,000 metre RC drill program is on-going at Enchi, focused on expansion of existing resource areas as well as exploration drilling at a number of high priority gold targets Story continues Luke Alexander, President & CEO of Newcore stated, "We are extremely pleased with the result of the updated Mineral Resource Estimate for the Enchi Gold Project with the addition of 503,000 ounces gold from the prior resource for a total of 1,223,800 inferred ounces. The significant increase in gold ounces further emphasizes the robust nature of the Project and has led us to consider the merits of updating the economic study to highlight the Projects current potential. The primary goal near-term however is to focus on proving out the potential of this district scale asset through drilling, targeting both extensions of our known deposits along strike and depth, while also testing high priority targets on the property designed to define additional oxide gold resources. Greg Smith, VP of Exploration for Newcore stated, We are very excited about the resource growth potential that exists at Enchi. Drilling is on-going at the Project, with a focus on defining further potential ounces at both the existing resource areas as well as delineating the potential for new resources from the numerous targets across the property. With the potential for over 100 kms of favourable shear zones and structures on the Enchi Gold Project, the current resource provides a solid base to grow resources through further drilling. Table 1 - Inferred Mineral Resource for the Enchi Gold Project 1 Zone Tonnes Au Grade (g/t) Contained Au (ounces) Boin 19,837,000 0.84 533,000 Sewum 27,600,000 0.60 535,800 Nyam 5,489,000 0.88 155,000 Total 52,926,000 0.72 1,223,800 1 Notes for Inferred Mineral Resource Estimate: CIM definition standards were followed for the resource estimate. The 2020 resource models used ordinary kriging (OK) grade estimation within a three-dimensional block model with mineralized zones defined by wireframed solids and constrained by whittle pits shell A base cut-off grade of 0.3 g/t Au was used with a capping of gold grades at 18 g/t A US$1,500/ounce gold price, open pit with heap leach operation was used to determine the cut-off grade of 0.3 g/t Au. Mining costs of US$2.27/mined tonne and G&A and Milling costs of US$9.84/milled tonne. The Inferred Mineral Resource Estimate is pit constrained. A density of 2.45 g/cm3 was applied. Numbers may not add due to rounding. Mineral Resources that are not mineral reserves do not have economic viability. The updated Mineral Resource Estimate was prepared by independent qualified person Todd McCracken, P. Geo. of WSP. The resource estimate is based on the combination of geological modeling, geostatistics and conventional block modeling using the Ordinary Krig methodology of grade interpolation. The mineral resources were estimated using a block model with parent blocks of 10m x 10m x 10m. A capping study was made using histograms, probability plots, quantile plots and deciles plots to define the capping values resulting in capping value of 18 g/t Au. WSP also evaluated the pit constrained Inferred Mineral Resource Estimate for Enchi at a range of cut-off grades between 0.1 g/t Au and 0.6 g/t Au (Table 2 below). Table 2 Cut-Off Grade Sensitivity of Pit Constrained Inferred Mineral Resource Cut Off Tonnes Au Grade (g/t) Contained Au (ounces) 0.1 76,700,000 0.56 1,381,900 0.2 66,126,000 0.63 1,330,300 0.3 52,926,000 0.72 1,223,800 0.4 40,096,000 0.84 1,080,600 0.5 30,762,000 0.96 945,800 0.6 23,515,000 1.08 818,200 The Mineral Resource Estimate for Enchi incorporates assay results from 180 diamond drill holes totaling 22,703 metres, 226 RC holes totaling 26,794 metres, 319 RAB holes totaling 12,443 metres and 169 Trenches totaling 15,578 metres, variably spaced from 25 to 75 metres apart targeting the Boin, Sewum, and Nyam deposits. The data base comprises both historic and recent drill holes and trenches completed by Newcore. The resource includes three deposits Boin, Sewum, and Nyam, each of which is open along strike and down dip. A number of additional exploration targets have also been identified outside of the existing resource area that present an opportunity for resource growth. A full technical report, which is being prepared in accordance with NI 43-101, will be filed on SEDAR (www.sedar.com) under Newcores issuer profile within 45 days. 2020 Drill Program As highlighted in Newcores news release on August 12, 2020, Newcore has commenced an 8,000 metre Reverse Circulation drilling program focused on testing extensions of the existing Inferred Mineral Resource at Enchi. The program is comprised of 8,000 meters in approximately 60 RC drill holes at 6 separate areas on the Enchi Project including testing gold targets that are not currently in the Inferred Resource. Enchis Inferred Resource remains open for further resource expansion along strike and to depth. Numerous, additional high priority gold targets exist on the 216 km2 property. COVID-19 Protocols Newcores first priority is the health and safety of all employees, contractors, and local communities. The Company is following all Ghana guidelines and requirements related to COVID-19. The Company has implemented COVID-19 protocols for its on-going drill program consisting of the mandatory use of personal protective equipment (including facemask for all employees), maintaining social distancing, frequent hand washing, and daily temperature checks at the start of each shift. Newcore Gold Best Practice Newcore is committed to best practice standards for all exploration, sampling and drilling activities. Drilling was completed by independent drilling firm using industry standard Reverse Circulation (RC) and Diamond Drill equipment. Analytical quality assurance and quality control procedures include the systematic insertion of blanks, standards and duplicates into the sample strings. Samples are placed in sealed bags and shipped directly to Intertek Labs located in Tarkwa, Ghana for 50 gram gold fire assay. The mineral resource estimate, including verification of the data disclosed, has been completed by independent consulting engineering firm WSP and reported in accordance with NI 43-101 requirements and CIM Estimation Best Practice Guidelines. Qualified Person Mr. Gregory Smith, P.Geo, Vice President of Exploration of Newcore, is a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101, and is responsible for the accuracy of the technical data and information contained in this news release. The resource estimate was prepared by Todd McCracken, P.Geo. of WSP. Todd McCracken, P.Geo. who is an independent qualified person under NI 43-101, has reviewed and approved the contents of this release. About Newcore Gold Corp. Newcore Gold is advancing its Enchi Gold project located in Ghana, Africas largest gold producer. The Project currently hosts an Inferred Mineral Resource of 1.2 million ounces of gold at 0.72 g/t1. Newcore Gold offers investors a unique combination of top-tier leadership, who are aligned with shareholders through their 39% ownership, and prime district scale exploration opportunities. Enchis 216 km2 land package covers 40 kilometres of Ghanas prolific Bibiani Shear Zone, a gold belt which hosts several 5 million-ounce gold deposits, including Kinross Chirano mine 50 kilometers to the north. Newcores vision is to build a responsive, creative and powerful gold enterprise that maximizes returns for shareholders. On Behalf of the Board of Directors of Newcore Gold Ltd. Luke Alexander President, CEO & Director For further information, please contact: Mal Karwowska | Vice President, Corporate Development and Investor Relations +1 604 484 4399 info@newcoregold.com www.newcoregold.com Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains certain forward-looking statements, Any statements that express or involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance (often, but not always, using words or phrases such as "expects" or does not expect", "is expected", anticipates" or "does not anticipate" "plans", "estimates" or "intends" or stating that certain actions, events or results " may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be "forward-looking statements". Forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties which could cause actual events or results to materially differ from those reflected in the forward-looking statements. Safe Harbor Statement under the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: Except for the statements of historical fact contained herein, the information presented constitutes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements including but not limited to those with respect to the price of gold, potential mineralization, reserve and resource determination, exploration results, and future plans and objectives of the Company involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievement of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. More So. Baptists embracing alternate Great Commission Baptists name in wake of racial unrest Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Southern Baptist Convention churches are being encouraged to use an alternate name, Great Commission Baptists, in another step by the worlds largest Baptist denomination to distance itself from its racist past amid ongoing racial unrest. The alternate name, which was approved for use by SBC messengers in 2012 as one fully in keeping with our Southern Baptist Convention identity, has been drawing a lot of interest from church leaders around the country in recent weeks, the denominations president, J.D. Greear, told Baptist Press. It will also be the focus of the SBCs 2021 Annual Meeting under the theme We Are Great Commission Baptists. In the last month we started receiving emails from around the country with pastors and leaders asking about using the name. By making this our annual meeting theme and encouraging the use of the alternate name, we do not in any way want to minimize the significance of our past, either its accomplishments or its failures, Greear said. Utilizing Great Commission Baptists is simply one more step to make clear we serve a risen Savior who died for all peoples, whose mission is not limited to one people living in one time at one place. Every week we gather to worship a Savior who died for the whole world, not one part of it. What we call ourselves should make that clear. Greear said The Summit Church, which he leads in Durham, North Carolina, will begin to use Great Commission Baptists in support of the 2012 decision to highlight the primary reason why the church is a part of the SBC. Our leadership affirms the decision made by messengers in 2012, Greear said. We believe now is a good time to use it due to the fact that the primary reason we are part of the convention is for the Great Commission. Last month, the SBC Executive Committee published a new logo on their website reflecting the alternate name and Pastor Marshall Blalock, who served on the 2012 SBC task force, encouraged churches to embrace Great Commission Baptists. Will you opt to use this mission-focused name rather than the regional name (SBC) rooted in the past? We honor Christ most when we are truly Great Commission Baptists. #optforGCB, Blalock, who leads First Baptist Charleston in South Carolina, the oldest Baptist church in the South, urged on Twitter. The SBC was organized in 1845 by Baptists in the South who supported slavery and disagreed with their brethren in the North. It wasn't until 1995 when the SBC passed a resolution, officially apologizing for its past including the practice of slaveholding, not supporting the civil rights of African Americans, and racism. In the resolution, they "unwaveringly denounce racism, in all its forms, as deplorable sin;" "repudiate historic acts of evil such as slavery from which we continue to reap a bitter harvest;" and "apologize to all African-Americans for condoning and/or perpetuating individual and systemic racism in our lifetime; and we genuinely repent of racism of which we have been guilty, whether consciously or unconsciously." Spence Shelton, lead pastor of the Mercy Church in Charlotte, North Carolina, argued in an op-ed published in the Biblical Recorder that the prevailing name of the denomination comes with too much baggage and limits it to the South while Great Commission Baptists opens it up to a bigger vision. Our future leaders are not confined to the South. Lets look down the road a bit. If God in His kindness should turn the tide and increase salvation numbers through our cooperative efforts to reach the nations, then He is also going to raise up leaders for tomorrows church among those people. One of our future presidents of Great Commission Baptists may never set a childhood foot in the Bible Belt, he wrote. What if our banner has created blinders to the possibilities God has for us across the world? What if 50,000 churches could be 500,000 churches in 30 years? That is the kind of vision I hope we start dreaming of as Great Commission Baptists, he continued. I have one life and so do you. I want to be known for what I am for the glory of God in the unyielding hope of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Lets lock arms together under the banner of the Great Commission. Hunter Baker, dean of arts and sciences and professor of political science at the private Christian Union University in Jackson, Tennessee, praised support of the alternate name Tuesday. The movement to rename the SBC as Great Commission Baptists is back. It's the right idea. Why not have a name that refers to something organic to Christianity rather than one that refers to a not very good time in American history? he said in a statement on Twitter. Ronnie Floyd, president and CEO of the SBC Executive Committee, who will be sharing more details on their 2021 annual meeting on Tuesday evening, revealed last Friday that he recently completed a period of 40 days of fasting and prayer in response to the ongoing upheaval in the nation over matters of race and the pandemic as well as strife in the Christian community over these issues. Many Southern Baptists and evangelicals would rather live in the downstream of cultural disagreements and infighting between themselves than provide spiritual leadership to a nation that desperately needs it, Floyd wrote. The angry, cruel, ungodly, and carnal statements by Christians and even some Christian leaders via social media, articles, or comments in the media. These create suspicion and greater fear rather than faith and hope. Floyd said during his fast, God gave him a word for His people found in Haggai 1:5 and 1:7. I wanted so much to hear what the Spirit was saying to me through Gods Word each day. Our gracious God gave some special words on days 37 and 38 of the fast. These words were declared by our God four times in the book of Haggai. This statement is given only in Haggai 1:5 and 1:7, when the Lord of Armies says: Think carefully about your ways, Floyd said. As God spoke these words to prepare His people for a great and new work among them in their days, I believe He is also preparing us for a great and new work for the days ahead. These resounding words of God need to be heard by all of us: Think carefully about your ways. NEW DELHI : In what may rank among the largest solar rooftop deals in India, EverSource Capital plans to buy out the entire 167 MW solar rooftop portfolio of NYSE-listed Azure Power Global for around $112 million, said two people aware of the development. The sales process for International Finance Corporation (IFC) and Canadian pension fund Caisse de depot et placement du Quebec (CDPQ) backed one of Indias largest solar rooftop portfolio is being run by KPMG. The deal activity in Indias green energy space that was subdued on account of the coronavirus pandemic has now gained traction and has also permeated to the solar rooftop space. This assumes significance given that developers are looking for growth capital in the backdrop of India being home to the worlds largest clean energy programme. The latest case in point being last week single-largest foreign clean energy investment announcement of $980 million in India by Japans ORIX Corp. for buying a 17% stake in Greenko Energy Holdings. EverSource is looking to buy out the entire solar rooftop portfolio of Azure Power Global," said the first person cited above requesting anonymity. The electricity generated from these projects is sold to state run firms such as Solar Energy Corporation of India, NTPC, Railways, Delhi Metro Rail Corporation, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited; commercial and industrial consumers such as DLF and Decathlon, and the state-run electricity distribution companies. The deal is yet to be concluded," said a second person cited above who also did not want to be named. EverSource Capital, an equal joint venture between private equity firm Everstone Capital and global solar project developer Lightsource BP has invested in Radiance Renewables, a distributed renewable energy platform. It develops, owns and operates assets for residential, commercial and industrial customers and has a 1.5 gigawatt (GW) operating portfolio target in four years. Azure Power has a 7 GW portfolio and German development finance institution Deutsche Investitions- und Entwicklungsgesellschaft (DEG), World Banks private-sector development arm IFC and CDPQ as investors. Queries emailed to a EverSource Capital spokesperson on late Sunday night remained unanswered. Nathan Judge, head of investor relations, Azure Power, in an emailed response declined comment. A KPMG spokesperson in an emailed response said, As a policy, we cannot comment on any company specific information." Experts say investors interest in Indias green energy sector is likely to continue. For one, the electricity demand has more or less caught up with the last year number after the Covid demand shock, and over the long run Indias electricity demand is expected to raise at around 5-6% CAGR (compound annual growth rate). Secondly, we have been seeing a firm commitment towards green energy in India and with an installed solar capacity of less than 40GW wherein the peak demand is around 175GW (and growing), there is enough head room for solar capacity to expand further," said Rajesh Ivaturi, partner, power and utilities at EY India. India aims to have 175 GW of clean energy capacity by 2022, including 100GW from solar projects. Of this, 40 GW is to come from solar rooftop projects. The roof top solar sector however, hasnt taken off as expected due to a variety of reasons including lack of innovative business models and sub-optimal push from the discoms. Having said this, the Commercial and Industrial sectors, with their high power tariffs are attractive segments for innovation in the rooftop solar solutions, and we may well see some action around these segments in the short-medium term," he added. This is expected to change with Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently calling for each state to have at least one solar city whose electricity needs would be met entirely through rooftop solar power. EverSource Capital is a target $ 700 million green infrastructure fund and is looking to invest over $1 billion in renewable energy investments through its Green Growth Equity Fund (GGEF). It has the National Investments and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF) of India and the UK government Department for International Development as anchor investors. In July BP Plc announced a $70 million investment in GGEF. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Never miss a story! Stay connected and informed with Mint. Download our App Now!! Topics Advertisement The Mandalorian debuted its highly anticipated trailer for season two of the hit Disney+ Star Wars series on Tuesday. The bounty hunter and The Child face an array of alien enemies as they travel from planet to planet together in the action-packed clip that follows up on the smash hit first season. But the bounty hunter finds that helping the baby, which looks like a relative of Yoda, is an overwhelming task. 'You expect me to search the galaxy and deliver this creature to a race of enemy sorcerers?' he asks a woman in command who is only heard but not seen. He is told 'this is the way.' He is back: The Mandalorian debuted its trailer for season two of the hit Disney+ Star Wars series on Tuesday A hard path: The bounty hunter and The Child face an array of alien enemies as they travel from planet to planet together in the action-packed clip This was the very first trailer for the second season which will debut on October 30 on Disney+. The clip opens with the Razor Crest gunship belonging to Mandalorian bounty hunter Din Djarin, played by Pedro Pascal, gliding over a planet and heading toward another one off in the distance. Eerie music fills the trailer which builds anticipation. Then a woman's voice is heard talking to the bounty hunter Din. She asks to see the little one. The calm before the storm: The clip opens with the Razor Crest gunship belonging to Mandalorian bounty hunter Din Djarin, played by Pedro Pascal, gliding over a planet and heading toward another one off in the distance BY first: But the bounty hunter finds that helping the baby, which looks like a relative of Yoda, is an overwhelming task. 'You expect me to search the galaxy and deliver this creature to a race of enemy sorcerers?' he asks a woman who is only heard but not seen. He is told 'this is the way' 'Show me the one whose safety deemed such destruction. You must reunite it with its own kind,' she dictates. 'Where?' asks the Mandalorian with a raspy voice. 'This is what you must determine,' she answers as a Tusken Raider is seen on a desert planet on that resembles Tatooine. Tatooine orbits twin suns in the galaxys Outer Rim; it is a lawless place ruled by Hutt gangsters. Luke's home at last? A Tusken Raider is seen on a desert planet that resembles Tatooine This place looks familiar: Tatooine orbits twin suns in the galaxys Outer Rim; it is a lawless place ruled by Hutt gangsters The Yoda-like companion The Child is seen in most of the trailer looking as innocent and in need of protection as ever. At one point he adorably closes the lid of his floating carriage when a man scares him. All the while the bounty hunter is trying to stay away from the cruel Moff Gideon (played by Giancarlo Esposito). Next, Mandalorian and The Child are on an ice planet that could be Hoth. The little creature is in his beige jacket as he sits on the snow. Searching far and wide: 'You expect me to search the galaxy and deliver this creature to a race of enemy sorcerers?' he asks. A woman is seen then she disappears adding to the mystery Always together: Baby Yoda is seen in his floating carriage, left, as the Mandalorian, right stands by his side A quick look: A beautiful woman in a hood is seen in a crowded market place then she disappears suddenly, adding to the mystery. She is likely a member of the Jedi. This season two trailer for The Mandalorian is the first time the Jedi have been introduced and there promises to be much more of the guardians of peace 'The songs of eons past tell of battles between Mandalore the Great and an order of sorcerers called Jedi,' the Armorer tells the Mandalorian. 'You expect me to search the galaxy and return this creature to a race of enemy sorcerers?' he replies. 'This is the way,' she says. A beautiful woman in a hood is seen in a crowded market place then she disappears suddenly, adding to the mystery. She is likely a member of the Jedi. This season two trailer for The Mandalorian is the first time the Jedi have been introduced and there promises to be much more of the guardians of peace. There has to be a chase scene: Now a battle in the air is seen as the bounty hunter is chased Loyal to The Child: 'You know this is no place for a child,' says a man in voiceover. 'You know where he goes I go,' says Mandalorian. 'So I heard,' adds the man Now a battle in the air is seen as the bounty hunter is chased. 'You know this is no place for a child,' says a man in voiceover. 'You know where I go, he goes,' says the Mandalorian matter of factly. 'So I heard,' adds the man as several scenes are flashed one after the other. The same old bad guys are at it again: Stormtroopers are seen with their blasters at the ready on a ship The standard ships from the Imperial Fleet: TIE fighters were single-pilot vehicles designed for fast-paced dogfights with Rebel X-wings and other starfighters Fights ensue and the bounty hunter states, 'This is the way.' Stormtroopers are seen with their blasters at the ready on a ship and they are also seen on Speeders. Gina Carano as Cara Dune and Carl Weathers as Greef Karga, who made an impact on season one, are also spotted briefly in the trailer. Showrunner Jon Favreau is overseeing along with executive producer and director Dave Filoni. Season one was one of Disney+'s tent pole productions, part of the first group of projects available on the streaming platform. Some familiar faces: Gina Carano as Cara Dune and Carl Weathers as Greef Karga are also spotted briefly As of May, baby Yoda and Mando helped entice 54.5million subscribers to Disney+. The Mandalorian snagged a surprising 15 Emmy nominations last month after getting no love at January's Golden Globes. Season two wrapped shooting before the coronavirus pandemic put nearly all of the industry on hold. In June series creator and head writer Jon Favreau revealed: 'We were lucky enough to have finished photography before the lock down.' Frosty scene: They also travel to an ice planet that could be Hoth, where the Empire Strikes Back opens This guy sure got it: The Mandalorian puts a rod through this man's heart at the end of the clip 'Thanks to how technology-forward Lucasfilm and ILM are, we have been able to do all of our visual effects and editing and post production remotely through systems that had been set up by those companies for us,' Favreau, who also serves as executive producer and showrunner, added. Some of the famous names being lined-up to join the much-anticipated second season include Timothy Olyphant, Rosario Dawson, Michael Biehn, Temuera Morrison and Katee Sackhoff. The Mandalorian is set five years after the events of Return of the Jedi and 25 years prior to The Force Awakens. Season three of the series has already been written and greenlit. Chief Minister on Monday met Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and sought his support for Ceithu Airport at Kohima in view of its strategic importance. "I sought his support for Ceithu Airport Kohima in view of its strategic importance. Also, discussed early completion of Bokajan-Botsa Road under Border Roads Organisation," the Chief Minister tweeted. On Monday, Rajnath also met Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu and other state officials and held a detailed discussion on various important matters relating to the state. These meetings came ahead of the Defence Minister statement's on the 'Developments on our borders in Ladakh' at the Lok Sabha on Tuesday. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Advertisement Royal fans were outraged after the Duchess of Sussex was left out of photos shared on social media to mark Prince Harry's 36th birthday today. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, the Queen and Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall posted a total of four photographs of the Duke of Sussex to mark the occasion but his wife Meghan Markle, 39, did not appear in any. The omission riled royal fans who took to the comments section to say it was 'shady' of family members to 'literally cut Meghan out of the picture'. In response to William and Kate's photo, which shows the Cambridges and Prince Harry in a 2017 running race, one fan noted: 'There must have been hundreds of photos you could have picked, but you chose to post one of Harry, William and Kate. Im sure not including Meghan wasnt unintentional.' It comes after the strain in relations between Prince William, 38, and Harry, who were once inseparable, were laid bare in the Duke and Duchess of Sussexes' biography Finding Freedom. Co-author Omid Scobie later claimed the brothers went two months without speaking following the Sussexes' bombshell Megxit announcement. More recently the Queen was said to have been caught off guard by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's $150million deal with US media giant Netflix. Prince William and Kate Middleton led birthday tributes to Prince Harry today, sharing a snap of them as a trio in happier times when they raced each other on a visit to London's Olympic Park in February 2017 Prince William and Kate Middleton appeared eager to lay to rest any reports of a family rift and chose a light-hearted snap of Harry beating them both in a running race for their Instagram post. The image, taken in London in 2017, was accompanied by this simple caption However royal fans noted in the comments section that all three family accounts chose to use photos of Prince Harry but not wife Meghan Markle, 39. Others said how happy Harry looks Queen shared a photo of her grandson beaming at her during Buckingham Palace reception ahead of the Queen's Young Leaders awards in June 2016 The Queen, 94, shared a photo of she and Harry sharing a joke at a joint engagement in 2017, seen above. The snap shows Prince Harry beaming at his grandmother at Buckingham Palace Prince William and Kate Middleton appeared eager to lay to rest any reports of a family rift and shared an Instagram post dedicated to Harry early this morning. The couple chose a light-hearted snap of Harry beating them both in a running race at London's Olympic Stadium, accompanied by the caption: 'Wishing a very happy birthday to Prince Harry today!' The Queen, 94, shared her own well-wishes to her grandson via social media, posting a simple message alongside a photo of him beaming at her at a Buckingham Palace reception in 2017. Proud father Prince Charles, 71, opted for a snap of him laughing with his son at the Invictus Games in 2014 and a second portrait of Harry. However royal fans noted in the comments section that all three family accounts chose to use photos of Prince Harry but not wife Meghan, 39. One fan posting on the Cambridges' account said it was 'shady' not to include the Duchess of Sussex when there are photos of the 'fab four' together. Another said simply: 'Interesting photo selection... No Meghan.' However some pointed out that it is common for royal family members not to include husbands and wives in birthday photos, as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge did for Princess Anne's recent 70th. Other commenters pointed out that Harry looked 'much happier' than he has done on recent outings, with one saying: 'I miss these happier times.' However several others noted royal family birthday posts typically only feature an individual family member. For example, the post shared by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge to mark Princess Anne's birthday did not feature her husband, Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence. One posted: 'When it was princess annes 70th they posted pics of themselves with princess anne not with her and her husband, so why is it wrong that they post a pic of themselves with Harry on his birthday without meghan??simple answer.. It isn't wrong.' Another commented: 'Is Harrys birthday, not Meghans. He was born alone and not attached to her. I think this is a perfect pic.' Although his plans have not been made public, it is thought Prince Harry will spend the day privately with wife Meghan Markle and their son Archie, 16 months, in Santa Barbara, where they recently bought a $14million mansion. He certainly has plenty to celebrate this year - his first birthday since he and Meghan quit the royal family and moved to California. Prince Charles, 71, opted for a snap of him laughing with his son at the Invictus Games in 2014, pictured, to mark his birthday. Followers said how nice it was to see 'smiling Harry' Prince Charles also shared this snap of his son beaming at a royal engagement as part of his birthday tribute to his younger son, who has now moved to California The post from Clarence House, Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall's account, was accompanied by this simple caption marking Prince Harry's 36th birthday The couple recently signed a $150million deal with US media giant Netflix and paid back the 2.4million that was spent renovating Frogmore Cottage, their former home on the Queen's Windsor estate, further distancing themselves from the royal family. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have also recently stepped up their public and virtual appearances as Covid-19 restrictions ease, with Prince Harry last week sending a video of support to soldiers taking part in a charity trek. Over the weekend Meghan took part in a video call with clients from her UK patronage Smart Works. And according to royal experts, the Duke is 'happier than ever' as he celebrates his 36th birthday, and 'doesn't miss his old life at all'. Omid Scobie, who co-authored the controversial royal biography Finding Freedom which raised eyebrows for its gushing praise and intimate knowledge of the Sussexes, the Prince is 'very content' with his marriage and family and 'thriving' in his professional life. He told Vanity Fair: 'This is the moment [Harry] can sit back and think, "I made it".' Meanwhile royal commentator Ingrid Seward told the publication that the Duke of Sussex can celebrate his birthday 'on a high', adding: 'He's embracing his new life and everything is an adventure right now. He has moved on very quickly, and I don't think he misses his old life at all.' Writing in Vanity Fair, royal expert Katie Nicholl said it's likely that the prince is reflecting on his mother's life and legacy even more than usual on this milestone day. Harry was just 12 years old when Princess Diana died in a car crash in Paris in 1997, aged 36, and on his 18th birthday he vowed to 'to carry on the things that she didnt quite finish' with regard to her charity work. However there are believed to be some concerns over how this next phase in Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's post-royal life will affect the rest of the royal family. Netflix's The Crown will show Princess Diana's heartbreaking battle with bulimia The upcoming series of Netflix's The Crown is set to show Princess Diana's heartbreaking battle with bulimia in a move which might cause Princes Harry and William to clash. Close friends previously said the devastating eating disorder triggered by her broken marriage caused the Princess of Wales to start 'fading away'. And in its upcoming fourth season, Peter Morgan's hit show The Crown will portray her struggle in the 1980s for the first time, making William and other senior royals 'incredibly uncomfortable', a source said. But it is unlikely Harry will criticise the scenes after he and wife Meghan Markle signed a commercial deal with the streaming giant. Harry is likely to have a conflict of interest after signing the Netflix contract which is thought to be worth some 75million. Actress Emma Corrin, 24, will portray the Princess vomiting after eating. Production company Left Bank Pictures said that eating disorder charity BEAT were on hand to ensure any portrayal was correct and sensitive. A source told The Sun: 'William and other senior royals are incredibly uncomfortable about this drama and livid Harry is now in partnership with the company that's airing it.' 'It's the latest in a long line of flashpoints between the brothers, but there are few more sensitive subjects than the plight of their mother.' They said the Firm 'wouldn't expect one of their own to take money made by the profits of shows like this'. The upcoming series of Netflix's The Crown is set to show Princess Diana's (left in 1983) - portrayed by actress Emma Corrin, 24 (right) - heartbreaking battle with bulimia in a move which might cause Princes Harry and William to clash Advertisement Prince Harry and Meghan reportedly failed to tell the Queen, 94, about their Netflix deal before announcing it to the world, with aides telling her about the couple's new venture - which involves a yet-to-be-named production company set on making documentaries, feature films and children's programming. Royal expert Victoria Murphy said the deal had left the monarchy 'looking over its shoulder'. Writing in Town and Country, she said: 'Family members will be hoping that Harry and Meghan stick to the pledge that they made to uphold the values of Her Majesty in everything they do. 'Because, while they have no way of controlling the Sussexes, the actions of this couple will inevitably still reflect on the institution.' Questions over the Netflix deal, which will also reportedly be examined by royal officials, comes just a month after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's biography detailed how Princes William and Harry, once inseparable, had grown apart. According authors Carolyn Durand and Omid Scobie, the rift between the two brothers began in 2016, when Harry and Meghan first started dating - and was sparked by a conversation during which William urged his younger brother to slow the romance down and to 'take some more time getting to know Meghan'. Although his plans have not been made public, it is thought Prince Harry will spend the day privately with wife Meghan Markle and their son Archie, 16 months, in Santa Barbara, where they recently bought a $14million mansion. Pictured, the Sussexes in South Africa last year The bombshell biography also reveals that the siblings 'hardly spoke' in the months after that tense chat, with sources close to the royals alleging that this bitter rift between the brothers only grew wider after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex tied the knot in 2018. Their already-fraught relationship then suffered another blow at the start of this year, the book details, when Harry and Meghan announced that they were quitting their roles as senior members of the royal family and would be splitting their time between the US and the UK. Indeed, speaking last month, Scobie claimed Princes William and Harry cut communication for two months after Megxit and said their relationship 'will take time to heal'. However Prince Harry and Prince William are said to be in the process of repairing the relationship, with the Covid-19 pandemic bringing the brothers closer together. In a separate interview, Durand said they are slowly 'making their way back to each other'. 'Like in any family, there have been some ups and downs, but the brothers are making their way back to each other,' Durand said. 'And that will take some time.' U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-12th District) announced localities in Michigans 12th Congressional District will receive over $5 million in housing grants under the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program. The CDBG program is overseen by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). A breakdown of how much funding will go to each section of the 12th Congressional District is found below: *Dearborn will receive $626,398 *Dearborn Heights will receive $321,912 *Lincoln Park will receive $178,712 *Taylor will receive $325,478 *Washtenaw County will receive $1,608,347 *Wayne County will receive $2,375,129 With thousands out of work and struggling to get by, now more than ever do people need to know there are programs in place to help them afford rent, said Dingell. This money will provide a necessary and needed cushion for thousands of Michiganders. But the work doesnt stop here. With no end in sight to the economic devastation caused by this pandemic, Congress must get right back to work and ensure communities continue to receive the resources they need. According to HUD, these funds can be used to provide temporary financial assistance to meet rental obligations for up to 6 months. The funds are focused toward places with households facing higher risk of eviction. Specifically: *Communities with high rates of individuals in industries with high job loss in states with high unemployment; *Communities with high rates of businesses in industries with high job loss in states with high unemployment; and *Concentrations of those most at risk for transmission and risk of eviction, with higher amounts for states with high rates of coronavirus. Source: Debbie Dingell Jaelynn Billups, 17, was charged with killing Joshua Ungersma causing Ungersma to kill Alberto Vanmeter, 19 A 17-year-old girl shot a Domino's delivery driver dead after luring the new father to an abandoned house with a fake pizza order, according to court documents. Jaelynn Billups and her boyfriend Alberto Vanmeter tried to rob Joshua Ungersma, 37, while he was delivering the pizza in Lafayette, Indiana, witnesses alleged. Mr Ungersma is believed to have shot Vanmeter in self-defense after the 19-year-old tried to rob him. The delivery driver then reportedly went across the street and asked someone to call the police, after which Billups allegedly shot him at point blank range. Police found Mr Ungersma dead on North 16th Street on August 31 after there were reports of 'shots fired' at around 11.15pm. They also found the body of Billups's boyfriend Vanmeter nearby with a Domino's pizza box, two drinks and cash laying on the ground beside him. New father Joshua Ungersma, 37, was shot to his death while he delivered a pizza to an abandoned home in Lafayette, Indiana Neighbor Patrick Gibson says he went outside after hearing the shots, and claims Mr Ungesma was uninjured, He says Mr Ungesma told him Vanmeter had tried to rob him and asked him to call the cops, reported the Lafayette Journal & Courier. Mr Gibson said Billups then shot Mr Ungesma dead. Police said Billups was standing over one of the victims when they arrived and she had phoned the cops with the same phone she ordered the pizza on, reported WISHTV. Police said Domino's Pizza delivery driver Mr Ungersma was found with 'a .38 S&W revolver in his pocket with the rounds fired'. He had a permit to carry the weapon. When police ordered Billups to show her hands, she threw a 9mm handgun onto the sidewalk, reported WTHR. A coroner determined Mr Ungersma died of multiple gunshot wounds while Vanmeter died of a single gunshot wound. Billups was charged with two murder counts in Tippecanoe Superior Court - killing Mr Ungersma, and causing Mr Ungersma to kill Vanmeter. She was also charged with conspiracy to commit armed robbery, armed robbery, theft, pointing a firearm, and carrying a handgun without a license. She is being held without bond, and her trial date was set for February 23, 2021. Billups told the judge during an initial hearing September 8 that her family was planning on hiring an attorney. Mr Ungersma worked a second job at a Domino's store on Greenbush Street in Lafayette, which is donating 75 per cent of sales through Friday to his family. The owners hope to raise around $15,000 for the Ungersma family to support his newborn baby. Domino's store owner Jimmy Ruedlinger said: 'We want to be able to do whatever we can for the family. 'They're going through a lot right now, obviously, with the loss of their father, the husband, a son in the mom's case. Mr Ungersma worked a second job at a Domino's store on Greenbush Street in Lafayette, which is donating 75 per cent of sales through Friday to his family 'We're a family here, and we're a team, and we're going to take care of whatever we can take care of at this point.' Mr Ungersma leaves behind his wife Jenny, stepson Logan Hindsley, and his six-month-old son Sebastian. He had also worked as a butcher at Payless Supermarket for the past 13 years and joined the Dominos staff two years ago for extra cash to support his young family. Friend Jamie Wilkins who organised a fundraised for his funeral said: 'The memorial services have been both heartbreaking and healing. 'It was so wonderful to hear everyone's memories of Josh through this fundraiser and at the service. 'Josh's life definitely made such a great impact on so many lives. They say the good die young... it hits so close to home. 'Josh has now been laid to rest and will forever watch over those he loves.' Harare City Council will have just 25 functioning councillors following the recall of another 11, including the deputy mayor, by MDC-T yesterday. This takes the number of vacancies to 21, a development that may trigger the temporary appointment of commissioners until by-elections are held. While a council meeting requires just 17 councillors present to form a quorum, much of the work of the council is done in committees and depending on the distribution of the vacancies, there may be swathes of suburbs without representation until by-elections are held. The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) is hoping the Covid-19 pandemic will be sufficiently reduced, or other health measures can be put in place, to allow Parliamentary and council by-elections by December. Normally, outside a public health emergency, these would take place in a matter of weeks after the vacancies. Under the Urban Councils Act the Minister of Local Government and Public Works can appoint one or more commissioners for a maximum of six months, or until the vacancies are filled in a by-election, when there are no councillors for a council area or all the councillors for a council area have been suspended or imprisoned or are otherwise unable to exercise all or some of their functions as councillors. Where there are some councillors still available to exercise some of their functions, any commission must consult these councillors before making any decisions. A commission is essentially intended as a holding operation since the commission needs ministerial approval to collect rates and fees or sell council land and in the case of Harare, where there are still sitting councillors, any commission would in effect be checking and validating any decisions reached by that group as part of the consultation process. There have been legal changes since the last commissions ran the city council, when a minister could remove a council and replace it by a commission. Under the new law, the commission is just there to keep the city running until a new council is in place. If the Minister of Local Government feels that a council is falling down on the job, then the minister can issue policy directions and take other action to ensure the council is doing its job. MDC-T has been targeting those MPs, senators and councillors who were its nominees in the MDC-Alliance single list in the last harmonised election. Those coming from other parties in the alliance cannot be recalled by MDC-T, but that party was the largest component of the MDC-A and had the largest number of nominees. The 11 latest recalled councillors include deputy mayor Enoch Mupamawonde, Lovemore Makuwerere (Ward 24), Gilbert Hadebe (Ward 39), Munyaradzi Kufahakutizwi (Ward 19), Simon Mapanzure (Ward 34), Charles Chidhagu (Ward 30), Keith Charumbira (Ward 8), Steven Dhliwayo (Ward 40), Barnabas Ndira (Ward 21), Chihoma Runyowa (Ward 29) and Charles Nyatsuro (Ward 6). The first batch of four councillors to be recalled in July are Denford Ngadziore (Ward 16), Girisoti Mandere (Ward 44), Jaison Kautsa (Ward 37), Tonderai Chakeredza (Ward 31). Six councillors recalled in August are former mayor Hebert Gomba (Ward 27), Hammy Madzingira (Ward 10), Kudzai Kadzombe (Ward 41), Gaudencia Marere (Ward 32), Costa Mande (Ward 24), Happymore Gotora (Ward 7). A communique from Local Government and Public Works Minister July Moyo, addressed to the office of the Harare town clerk, informed council about the latest recalls. I wish to inform you that l am in receipt of a letter from the Movement of Democratic Change (T) stating that the following councillors have been expelled from that party, reads the letter. The letter further declared wards 24, 39, 19, 34, 30, 8, 40, 21, 29, 6 and 35 are now vacant, in terms of the Constitution. Minister Moyo said in terms of section 121 of the Electoral Act, council should inform the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) of the vacant seats. Sources from the MDC-T said the recalls were part of the ongoing intra-party fights for the control of the party. The councillors are said to have humiliated Dr Khupe last week during the mayoral election in which they voted a Peoples Democratic Party candidate, Jacob Mafume, for the top civic job in the city. This was against the wishes of Dr Khupe and company who wanted Luckson Mukunguma to be the mayor, said the source. Harare City Council has been sitting on a major set of corruption allegations involving the sale of council land and the rezoning of public open space before that land is then sold, sometimes under contested circumstances. The creation of new housing stands for alleged personal gain, plus alleged cover ups and allegations of favouritism in manipulation of housing waiting lists or agreements of sale without prior advertising have seen senior officials, up to Town Clerk Eng Hosiah Chisango, and some councillors, including ex-mayor Gomba, arrested and taken to court. While the powers of a commission are limited in time and extent, there are many who support the appointment to help sort out major problems. Harare lawyer, Mr Obert Gutu, said the MDC-Alliance led council has proven to be unfit with the growing group of councillors and officials facing corruption-related charges. Mr Gutu said whilst it was not strictly in compliance with the dictates of democracy to have a local authority run by an appointed commission, the situation in Harare has reached another level. From being a clean city, Harare has degenerated into a trash city with a malfunctioning refuse removal system, major deficiencies in water supply to residents, dilapidated roads and illegal parcelling out of residential, commercial and industrial stands. Mr Collen Mharadzano said the situation cannot be allowed to deteriorate any further. It is high time central Government intervenes and instil order in the capital city. Corruption, as reported by all sections of media, is stinking. The only remedy is to get rid of all the bad apples whose core business is to plunder financial and other resources of the city. ST. LOUIS, Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- For the second year in a row, Ameren Corporation has been named to the top 10 2020 Best Workplaces in Manufacturing & Production list by Great Place to Work and FORTUNE. The list was determined by analyzing responses from more than 160,000 employees at Great Place to Work-Certified organizations in the manufacturing and production industry. According to the survey data, 83% of responding employees said Ameren is a great place to work. "We take pride in powering our customers lives 24/7/365, and we continue to come together to overcome the unique challenges presented by COVID-19," said Mark Lindgren, senior vice president, corporate communications and chief human resources officer for Ameren Corporation. "Our co-workers have risen to the occasion by safely and continuously providing the natural gas and electricity our customers rely on every day. And they haven't stopped there. Our voluntary AmerenCares 'Power of Giving' co-worker campaign raised over US$800,000 to help many people impacted by the pandemic in our communities. Their dedication to each other and to the communities we serve once again demonstrates why Ameren is such a great place to work." Ameren offers comprehensive reward programs, including flexible work policies, to attract and retain innovative and diverse talent. The company is committed to diversity, equity and inclusion at Ameren and in our communities. Ameren also values and promotes ongoing learning and inspires co-workers to look for opportunities to grow their personal and professional development across the company. Employees at Ameren are encouraged to participate in a wide variety of opportunities to build professional skills, business acumen and industry knowledge. Informal opportunities, such as peer mentorships, lunch and learn sessions and job shadowing, allow co-workers to connect with one another and learn about other parts of the business. "Best workplaces like Ameren have built dynamic, flexible and transparent workplaces built on trust," said Michael C. Bush, CEO of Great Place to Work. "This gives companies on this list a powerful opportunity not just to do well for their people, but also to do well for their businesses." The Best Workplaces in Manufacturing & Production list is one of a series of rankings by Great Place to Work and FORTUNE based on employee feedback from Great Place to Work-Certified organizations. Employees responded to more than 60 survey questions anonymously rating the extent to which employees trust leaders and the respect with which people are treated, placing Ameren among the best in the country. About Ameren St. Louis-based Ameren Corporation powers the quality of life for 2.4 million electric customers and more than 900,000 natural gas customers in a 64,000-square-mile area through its Ameren Missouri and Ameren Illinois rate-regulated utility subsidiaries. Ameren Illinois provides electric transmission and distribution service and natural gas distribution service. Ameren Missouri provides electric service generation, transmission and distribution services, as well as, natural gas distribution service. Ameren Transmission Company of Illinois develops, owns and operates rate-regulated electric transmission projects. For more information, visit Ameren.com, or follow us on Twitter at @AmerenCorp, Facebook.com/AmerenCorp, or LinkedIn.com/company/Ameren. About Great Place to Work Great Place to Work is the global authority on workplace culture. Since 1992, they have surveyed more than 100 million employees around the world and used those deep insights to define what makes a great workplace: trust. Great Place to Work helps organizations quantify their culture and produce better business results by creating a high-trust work experience for all employees. Emprising, their culture management platform, empowers leaders with the surveys, real-time reporting, and insights they need to make data-driven people decisions. Their unparalleled benchmark data is used to recognize Great Place to Work-Certified companies and the Best Workplaces in the US and more than 60 countries, including the 100 Best Companies to Work For and World's Best list published annually in Fortune. Everything they do is driven by the mission to build a better world by helping every organization become a Great Place to Work For All. To learn more, visit greatplacetowork.com, listen to the podcast Better by Great Place to Work, and read "A Great Place to Work for All." Join the community on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram. SOURCE Ameren Corporation Related Links http://www.ameren.com CALGARYAlbertas premier says new federal Conservative Leader Erin OToole was just stating the obvious when he indicated the Energy East pipeline project was not on the table in a conversation with the premier of Quebec. Jason Kenney said Tuesday that the proposed cross-Canada oil pipeline isnt being considered because the federal Liberal government helped to kill it in 2017. The fact that (Quebec Premier Francois Legault) just acknowledged that Energy East is no longer an active project is just a statement of fact, Kenney said after a funding announcement in Calgary. I wish that were not the case. I wish Justin Trudeaus government had not imposed ridiculous new regulations that caused TC Energy to walk away from the table. TransCanada abandoned the Energy East project following protests in Quebec and changes to the federal environmental assessment process. Kenney said one of his first calls as premier last year was to his Quebec counterpart to ask him to reconsider his opposition to such a project. Legault has said there is no social acceptability for an additional oil pipeline in his province. OToole, who won the Conservative leadership race in August, said he spoke with Legault earlier this week about the importance of pipelines. And while Energy East is not on the table, his priority if he becomes prime minister would be to ensure projects in Western Canada continue to ignite Canadas economy. This is a resource that is important to our national interest. Better to get the best oil price we can as we are recovering, OToole said Monday in Montreal. Kenney said his government has not given up on the dream of a west-east pipeline system to carry Alberta oil to New Brunswick. He said he expects there will be a jump in global demand once the COVID-19 economic recovery is complete, since theres been little or no investment in upstream exploration and another private company might resurrect the idea. I think there are going to be strong prices by 2022, post-recovery, because of that supply crunch. And perhaps in that context we could see a private sector proponent come back to the table with a concept like Energy East, Kenney said. Read more about: Economic sentiment in Germany rose in September. Photo: Lennart Preiss/Getty Images Financial market experts are feeling more positive about the German economy in September, according to the latest sentiment reading from ZEW, the Leibniz-based Centre for European Economic Research. The ZEW indicator of economic sentiment climbed 5.9 points this month, from August, to 77.4 points. The assessment of the economic situation in Germany also improved, now sitting at minus 66.2 points 15.1 points higher than in August. The ZEW Indicator of Economic Sentiment has increased again, signalling that the experts continue to expect a noticeable recovery of the German economy, said ZEW president Achim Wambach in a statement. Stalled Brexit talks and rising COVID-19 cases could not dampen the positive mood, he added. However, the still-negative outlook for the banking sector reveals fears of a rising number of loan defaults in the coming six months. The positive mood in the face of the risk of a no-deal Brexit may not be shared by everyone, however. According to the managing director of the Association of German Chambers of Industry and Commerce, Martin Wansleben, there is growing concern in the economy that the Brexit negotiations will fail. READ MORE: German industry head warns of hit to car sector without UK-EU trade deal Wansleben warned in an interview on Monday (14 September) that the automotive industry alone faced billions of euros in tariffs without an EU-UK trade agreement. ZEW said on Tuesday that market experts morale on economic development in the eurozone looking ahead was up 9.9 points in September, to 73.9. But assessment of its current state, whilst improving, is still minus 80.9 points. The outlook for the eurozone has thus also improved noticeably, albeit to a lesser extent than for Germany, ZEW said. Germanys federal statistics office said on Tuesday that the German economy was back on a growth path after its slump in the first half of the year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. German GDP contracted by 9.7% in the second quarter of 2020, compared with the same period in 2019. Story continues The government recently revised its forecast for 2020 to a decline of 5.8%, after previously forecasting a 6.3% contraction. READ MORE: COVID-19, GDP and the state of play for Europes largest economy The recession in the first half of the year was less severe than we had feared, economy minister Peter Altmaier said in Berlin last week, adding that post-lockdown recovery is going faster and more dynamically than we dared hope. The improved mood among companies and the reduction in short-time work suggest that the recovery process will continue in the coming months, although it may take some time, the economics ministry said. However, Germany is more pessimistic about next year, forecasting growth of just 4.4%, down from its previous expectation of 5.2%. LOUISVILLE, KY -- As Louisville leaders announced a historic $12 million settlement in the death of Grand Rapids native Breonna Taylor, her mother called for criminal charges against the officers involved in her shooting. Tamika Palmer was among many who urged the Kentucky Attorney Generals office to authorize the charges at a Tuesday, Sept. 15, press conference. Taylor and her mother lived in Grand Rapids more than a decade ago before they moved to Louisville. As significant as today is, its only the beginning for getting full justice for Breonna, Palmer said. "We must not lose focus on what the real drive is, and with that being said, its time to move forward with the criminal charges because she deserves that and much more. Her beautiful spirit and personality is working through all of us on the ground, so please continue to say her name, Breonna Taylor, she said. Taylor, 26, a Black emergency medical technician, was shot and killed in March when Louisville police used a search warrant at her home to look for a suspect who did not live there. Taylors death, along with the May 25th death of George Floyd a Black man who died after a now-former Minneapolis police officer pinned him to the ground with his knee on his neck for nearly nine minuter have triggered international protests against racism and police brutality. During Tuesdays press conference, Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer thanked Palmer for her efforts to push for change in policing. "(Taylors) death has ignited a movement in Louisville and the nation for racial justice, sending thousands into our streets and cities all across the country and the world, all crying out for justice for Breonna. I cannot begin to imagine Miss Palmers pain and I am deeply, deeply sorry for Breonnas death, the citys mayor said. The settlement, which includes an agreement on reforms for Louisville Metro Police, comes after Taylors family filed a lawsuit earlier this year. Some of the police reforms include offering housing credits for officers to live in certain low-income census tracts in the city, encouraging officers to volunteer two hours ever two weeks at a community organization, creating a program to include social workers in the police department so they can provide support and assistance on certain police runs, and requiring a commanding officers to review and approve all search warrants. Other reforms also were announced. In the aftermath of Taylors death, Louisville Metro police fired Officer Brett Hankinson. He and two other plainclothes officers Sgt. Jonathan Mattingly and Officer Myles Cosgrove used a battering ram to open the door of Taylors apartment during the 1 a.m. raid, the Louisville Courier Journal reported. Taylors boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, shot Mattingly in the thigh. All of the officers fired their guns, the newspaper said. Police said the officers announced their entry, though it was not required at the time. Walker thought an intruder broke in. He and neighbors did not hear police announce their presence, the Courier Journal said. No-knock search warrants have since been banned in Louisville. Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who helped represent Taylors family, said the settlement sets a precedent for other Black women that their lives wont be marginalized and they will be valued. Read more: Louisville police officer fired in death of Breonna Taylor, Grand Rapids native Breonna Taylor: Protesters march in Grand Rapids calling on people to say her name Grand Rapids native Breonna Taylor, victim of police shooting, honored at vigil All it took was 15 seconds for four gunmen to kill two people and injure seven others at a house party near Rutgers University, a surveillance video of the attack shows. New Brunswick police released the video of the shooting that unfolded early Sunday outside a house party just two blocks from the south side of the Rutgers campus. The footage shows a car pulling up to a house at 1:18 a.m. and four gunmen jumping out with guns blazing and aimed at about 100 people gathered outside the residence, where a birthday party was taking place for one of the men who was killed. In just 15 seconds, more than two dozen shots were fired before the team of gun-wielding perpetrators got back in the car and sped off. The two men mortally wounded in the shooting were taken to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, where they were pronounced dead. The six other people who suffered bullet wounds were taken to multiple hospitals in the area. A ninth victim who suffered minor injuries in the shooting and did not require hospitalization later contacted authorities, Middlesex County Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone and Anthony A. Caputo, director of the New Brunswick Police Department, said in a joint statement on Monday. They identified the two men killed in the shooting as Lionel Macauley, 28, of Somerset, N.J., and Anthony Robinson 23, of New Brunswick. Macauley was an aspiring actor, spoken-word poet and a professional dancer, who recently appeared in a short film titled "Color Blind" about best friends, one white the other Black, facing modern-day racism, his father told ABC News on Monday. The film ends with one of the friends being fatally shot by a police officer. "He was a good kid," Macauley's father, Cyril Macauley, said. "I've just been lying in bed crying all day, thinking about him." He said his son was a member of Signdance Collective International and traveled throughout Europe with the group last year. Cyril Macauley said Lionel was looking forward to traveling with the group to perform in Croatia later this year. Story continues Macauley's bio on the Signdance Collective International website says he has been acting and dancing since he was 11 years old. "Lionel's career has also afforded him the opportunity to travel to Europe with Signdance Collective International performing before audiences in places like Italy, Austria, Slovenia, Turkey, and London," the group's website says, adding that Macauley performed his spoken-word poetry at major events at Rutgers University. Cyril Macauley told ABC News that his son just returned last week from a vacation to Aruba. "We have lost a great soul," Cyril Macauley said. Both Macauley and Robinson were graduates of Franklin High School in Somerset. A GoFundMe page established by relatives of Robinson, the father of a 2-year-old girl, says the birthday party being celebrated when he was killed was for him. "He would do anything for his family and his friends," relatives wrote on the GoFundMe page. "He didnt have any problems with anyone. Always energetic with a rare personality." PHOTO: Police investigate the scene of a multiple fatality shooting in New Brunswick, New Jersey, Sept. 12, 2020. (WABC) MORE: 2 dead, 6 injured in off-campus shooting near Rutgers University While many Rutgers students live in off-campus housing in the neighborhood where the shooting occurred, authorities said the investigation shows that no students or staff affiliated with Rutgers were injured in the shooting or had any affiliation with the targeted house party. PHOTO: Police investigate the scene of a multiple fatality shooting in New Brunswick, New Jersey, Sept. 12, 2020. (WABC) MORE: Multiple people stabbed at Bible study, police chief injured taking down attacker Police are asking for the public's help in identifying the gunmen, who left the street littered with shell casings and casualties. As of Monday evening, no arrests had been made. PHOTO: Police investigate the scene of a multiple fatality shooting in New Brunswick, New Jersey, Sept. 12, 2020. (WABC) Witnesses told ABC News station WABC in New York that prior to the shooting a fight broke out at the house the gunman appeared to target. MORE: Father's loss to young son in arm wrestling leads to shooting, 8-hour standoff: Police Jacob Beacher, a Rutgers University student, who lives nearby, told WABC that following the eruption of gunfire, he rushed out of his residence to see wounded victims lying in the street. "I ran up to one young man and I'm saying, 'I'm here man,' and he's gargling blood, so I flipped him over so he won't choke or suffocate, checked for a pulse," Beacher said. Names of victims released as 4 gunmen still sought in deadly attack at party near Rutgers University originally appeared on abcnews.go.com A medical worker takes a swab sample from a woman to test for the Covid-19 coronavirus at a hospital in Wuhan, China on September 3, 2020 The United States on Monday eased its warning against travel to China, acknowledging that the nation had made progress against Covid-19 despite frequent US criticism of its pandemic role. The State Department still urges Americans to reconsider travel to China, but it upgraded its advice from a blanket warning not to go to the country. The People's Republic of China "has resumed most business operations (including day cares and schools)," the State Department said. "Other improved conditions have been reported within the PRC," it said. The State Department separately still cautioned US citizens about the risk of arbitrary arrest in China, including in Hong Kong as Beijing enforces a tough new security law. The updated travel advice comes a week after China declared victory over the virus as President Xi Jinping decorated medical professionals in a triumphant ceremony. China's propaganda machine has sought to reframe Covid-19 as an example of the state's agile leadership against the global pandemic that emerged in the country. President Donald Trump's administration has frequently lashed out at China and blamed it for Covid-19, news of which was initially suppressed when cases were first reported in the city of Wuhan. Trump, who faces elections in less than two months, has faced heavy criticism for his handling of the health crisis in the United States, which has suffered the highest death toll of any country. sct/sst Microsoft did not assess which foreign adversary poses the greater threat to the integrity of the November presidential election. The consensus among cybersecurity experts is that Russian interference is the gravest. (Photo | AP) Boston: The same Russian military intelligence outfit that hacked the Democrats in 2016 has renewed vigorous US election-related targeting, trying to breach computers at more than 200 organizations including political campaigns and their consultants, Microsoft said Thursday. The intrusion attempts reflect a stepped up effort to infiltrate the US political establishment, the company said. What weve seen is consistent with previous attack patterns that not only target candidates and campaign staffers but also those who they consult on key issues, Tom Burt, a Microsoft vice president, said in a blog post. UK and European political groups were also probed, he added. Most of the hacking attempts by Russian, Chinese and Iranian agents were halted by Microsoft security software and the targets notified, he said. The company would not comment on who may have been successfully hacked or the impact. Although US intelligence officials said last month that the Russians favour President Donald Trump and the Chinese prefer his Democratic challenger, former Vice President Joe Biden, Microsoft noted Thursday that Chinese state-backed hackers have targeted high profile individuals associated with the election, including people associated with the Biden campaign. Chinas hackers largely gather intelligence for economic and political advantage, while Russia tends to weaponise stolen data to destabilize other governments. Microsoft did not assess which foreign adversary poses the greater threat to the integrity of the November presidential election. The consensus among cybersecurity experts is that Russian interference is the gravest. Senior Trump administration officials have disputed that, although without offering any evidence. This is the actor from 2016, potentially conducting business as usual, said John Hultquist, director of intelligence analysis at the cybersecurity firm FireEye. We believe that Russian military intelligence continues to pose the greatest threat to the democratic process. The Microsoft post shows that Russian military intelligence continues to pursue election-related targets undeterred by US indictments, sanctions and other countermeasures, Hultquist said. It interfered in the 2016 campaign seeking to benefit the Trump campaign by hacking the Democratic National Committee and emails of John Podesta, the campaign manager of Hillary Clinton, and dumping embarrassing material online, congressional and FBI investigators have found. The same GRU military intelligence unit known as Fancy Bear, which Microsoft identifies as being behind the current election-related activity, also broke into voter registration databases in at least three states in 2016, though there is no evidence it tried to interfere with voting. Microsoft, which has visibility into these efforts because its software is both ubiquitous and highly rated for security, did not address whether US officials who manage elections or operate voting systems have been targeted by state-backed hackers this year. US intelligence officials say they have so far not seen any evidence of infiltrations. Thomas Rid, a Johns Hopkins geopolitics expert, said he was disappointed by Microsofts refusal to differentiate threat level by state actor. Theyre lumping in actors that operate in a very different fashion, probably to make this sound more bipartisan, he said. I just dont understand why. Microsoft said in the past year it has observed attempts by Fancy Bear to break into the accounts of people directly and indirectly affiliated with the US election, including consultants serving Republican and Democratic campaigns and national and state party organisations more than 200 groups in all. Also targeted was the centre-right European Peoples Party, the largest grouping in the European Parliament. A party spokesperson said the hacking attempts were unsuccessful. The German Marshall Fund of the United States, a think tank, was another target. A spokesperson said there was no evidence of intrusion. Microsoft did not say whether Russian hackers had attempted to break into the Biden campaign but did say that Chinese hackers from the state-backed group known as Hurricane Panda appears to have indirectly and unsuccessfully targeted the Biden campaign through non-campaign email accounts belonging to people affiliated with it. The Biden campaign did not confirm the attempt, although it said in a statement that it was aware of the Microsoft report. Iranian state-backed hackers have unsuccessfully tried to log into accounts of Trump campaign and administration officials between May and June of this year, the blog said. We are a large target, so it is not surprising to see malicious activity directed at the campaign or our staff, Trump campaign deputy press secretary Thea McDonald said. She declined further comment. Tim Murtaugh, the campaigns communications director, said: President Trump will beat Joe Biden fair and square and we dont need or want any foreign interference. In June, Google disclosed that Hurricane Panda had targeted Trump campaign staffers while Iranian hackers tried to breach accounts of Biden campaign workers. Such phishing attempts typically involve forged emails with links designed to harvest passwords or infect devices with malware. Although both Attorney General William Barr and National Security Advisor Robert OBrien have said China represents the greatest threat to US elections, Microsofts only mention of a Trump administration official targeted by Chinese hackers is at least one prominent individual formerly associated with the administration. Graham Brookie, director of digital forensic research at The Atlantic Council, disputes Barr and OBriens claim that China poses the greater threat to this years election. His lab is at the forefront of unearthing and publicising Russian disinformation campaigns. Brookie confirmed that his employer was among targets of Hurricane Panda but said there was no evidence the hacking attempts, which he said were unsuccessful, had anything to do with the 2020 election. We have every indication that this was an instance of cyber-espionage, information gathering, as opposed to electoral interference, he said. By contrast, Brookie said, Its pretty evident that the Russian attempts (Microsoft disclosed) were focused on electoral processes and groups working on that. Microsoft noted a shift toward greater automation in Fancy Bear methods for trying to steal peoples log-in credentials, which previously largely relied on phishing. In recent months, the group has employed so-called brute-force attacks that barrage an account login with short rapid bursts of potential passwords. It has also used a different method that makes only intermittent login attempts to avoid detection. Fancy Bear has also stepped up its use of the Tor anonymising service to hide its hacking, Microsoft said. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. Francescas, the struggling Houston womens retailer, said it had retained FTI Capital Advisors to guide it through a review of strategic alternatives, which may include refinancing its debt or restructuring through bankruptcy. The disclosure came as the company reported Tuesday that plunging profits persisted in the second quarter as the coronavirus pandemic and its impacts kept many from its clothing stores. The company reported a $17.2 million ($5.80 per share) loss in the period ended Aug. 1, compared to a $1.8 million (61 cents) profit during the same period in 2019. Sales dove 29 percent to $75.7 million from $106 million in the second quarter of 2019. On HoustonChronicle.com: Francescas CEO resigns as Houston retailer explores potential sale We remain maniacally focused on controlling costs, managing inventory and protecting our cash, Andrew Clarke, its president and CEO said in a Tuesday morning earnings call. We are reducing noncritical spending while continuing to work with vendors and landlords on payment terms. The company permanently closed four boutiques during the period, company leaders said during the call. Nine boutiques remained closed due to the pandemic as of Sept. 4. Gross profit as a percent of sales fell to 17.5 percent during the quarter, the company said, down from 38.2 percent in 2019. This unfavorable variance was driven by a decrease in merchandise margin as a result of aggressive markdowns and promotions in order to clear aged merchandise and to drive traffic to boutiques and the ecommerce website, the company said. E-commerce sales grew 27 percent during the quarter compared to last years figures, Clarke said on the call. To meet the shifting demands of customers during the pandemic, Clarke said the company is pivoting its supply to include more loungewear. We ramped up our casual pants business, which has proven to be the right strategy, he said. That strategy continues to be tested. Texas Inc.: Get the best of business news sent directly to your inbox The company said in a release accompanying the earnings summary that it was considering a variety of options, including but not limited to, further lease concessions and deferrals, further reductions of operating and capital expenditures, raising additional capital including seeking a refinancing of the companys debt, and restructuring its debt and liabilities through a private restructuring or a restructuring under the protection of applicable bankruptcy laws. Francescas cautioned that those efforts may not be successful. It noted in its last quarterly report filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which was delayed and filed July 28, that as a result of the pandemic, revenues, results of operations and cash flows continue to be materially adversely impacted which raises substantial doubt about the Companys ability to continue as a going concern. In its Tuesday release, Francescas said it would not disclose further developments unless and until the board of directors has approved a specific transaction or otherwise determined that disclosure is appropriate. Shares of the company closed at $3.95 in Tuesday trading, down 22 percent. amanda.drane@chron.com ARLINGTON, Va., Sept. 15, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Decision Lens , the leading provider of SaaS-based software for strategic prioritization and resource optimization, announced today its $1.7M Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II contract award with AFWERX and sponsored by the Air Mobility Command (AMC). Headquartered in Washington, D.C., AFWERXs mission is to solve problems and enhance the effectiveness of the Air Force by enabling thoughtful, deliberate, ground-up innovation across the Air Force. The U.S. Air Force has a national defense-related mission need in the area of programmatic analysis, operational risk assessments, strategic planning, and lessons learned. Decision Lens was awarded this contract to provide the Air Force with a comprehensive business process, patented analytic and machine learning, Artificial Intelligence framework, and flexible, interactive visualizations. This creates an automated mechanism to fuse planning and execution processes / data, ensure that finite time, money and manpower are allocated in the most optimal manner, and to manage decision and trade-off risk efficiently. This provides a way to balance desired future outcomes (e.g. value, risk, cost) with past performance. This Phase II award enables Decision Lens to meet Air Force community needs for planning, execution, and readiness. Using the power of our new, cloud-based and FedRAMP compliant Decision Lens Accelerate portfolio planning platform combined with algorithmic approaches to planning, scenario analysis, and execution, the mission impact of this project on the Air Force and the Department of Defense will be more agile, less risky decision making, resulting in increased readiness, more optimally allocated resources, and greater resiliency in the current threat environment, says John Saaty, CEO and co-founder of Decision Lens. This contract expands Decision Lens SBIR Phase I development to now demonstrate a novel capability reflective of feedback gathered across dozens of end-user interviews. Under this contract, Decision Lens will work with Government stakeholders using its cloud-based, collaborative portfolio planning platform to modernize and transform the planning and execution processes. About Decision Lens Decision Lens is portfolio planning software that enables organizations to create dynamic and scalable plans where course corrections are informed by a regular convergence of strategy, data, and performance. Our software's algorithms enable forward progress towards the execution of strategy through automated recommendations, smarter resource allocation, enterprise visibility, and better results. About the Air Force Research Lab (AFRL) and AFWERX SBIR Program AFRL and AFWERX have partnered to streamline the Small Business Innovation Research process in an attempt to speed up the experience, broaden the pool of potential applicants and decrease bureaucratic overhead. Beginning in SBIR 18.2, and now in 20.R, the Air Force has begun offering 'Special' SBIR topics that are faster, leaner and open to a broader range of innovations. Contact: Rana Yamak info@decisionlens.com 703-399-2100 www.decisionlens.com The Department of Agriculture of Food and the Marine (DAFM) has drawn attention to the identification of African Swine Fever (ASF) for the first time in Germany. ASF, which is a deadly disease of pigs and wild boar, was confirmed last Thursday in the eastern area of Spree-Neisse within a few kilometres of the Polish border. ASF virus, which is highly fatal for pigs and wild boar, does not affect humans and poses no food safety risk. Reports to date indicate that the infection involves a single wild boar which was found dead and there have been no reports of the disease in domestic pigs in Germany. The Department has confirmed that there has been no importation of live pigs from Germany into Ireland this year to date. ASF first entered Poland in 2014 and has been spreading in the wild boar population in the western part of the country since November of last year. EU legislation controls the movement of pigs and pig products from areas affected by ASF in Poland. Wild boar have played a major role in the spread of the disease in mainland Europe through their natural movements and interactions. Ireland does not have a sustainable wild boar population, but the virus can also be spread through other ways including contact with infected live pigs, contaminated clothing, footwear, vehicles and equipment, and the consumption of infected food waste by pigs. The World Organisation of Animal Health (OIE) reported that ASF currently affects more than 50 countries in Europe, Asia and Africa including 12 EU member states in 2020. ASF virus has had an enormous impact on the pig sectors of affected countries as a result of international trade restrictions being imposed. The importance of the pig sector in Ireland is recognised, with pigmeat exports estimated at 941 million for 2019 according to Bord Bia. The Department would like to take this opportunity to reinforce the message of the need for extreme vigilance on the part of all pig owners to ensure that robust biosecurity measures are implemented on their farms, to prevent pigs from accessing food waste and to ensure that pigs do not come into contact with contaminated clothing, vehicles, footwear or equipment originating in ASF affected areas of the world. Furthermore, the Department once again reminds all travellers to avoid bringing back any pork or pork products from areas affected with ASF. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-15 21:46:54|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BAGHDAD, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- A roadside bomb went off on Tuesday near vehicles belonging to the British embassy in Baghdad without causing casualties, an Iraqi Interior Ministry source and the British embassy said. The blast took place in al-Qadsiya neighborhood in the west of the heavily fortified Green Zone, the ministry source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity, without giving more details. In a phone call with Xinhua, a British embassy source, also on condition of anonymity, confirmed the attack, saying this improvised explosive device that detonated near the embassy's diplomatic vehicles did not cause casualties. No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack, but unidentified militant groups frequently attack convoys delivering supplies for U.S.-led coalition forces in Iraq, Iraqi military bases housing U.S. troops across Iraq and the U.S. embassy in the Green Zone. On Jan. 5, the Iraqi parliament passed a resolution that requires the government to end the presence of foreign forces in the country. The parliament resolution came after a U.S. drone struck a convoy of vehicles at Baghdad airport on Jan. 3, killing Qassem Soleimani, former commander of the Quds Force of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps, and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, deputy chief of Iraq's paramilitary Hashd Shaabi forces. Britain is part of a U.S.-led international coalition tasked with helping the Iraqi security forces in the fight against the Islamic State militants by carrying out airstrikes against their positions in Iraq and Syria as well as providing military equipment and training to Iraqi forces. Enditem New Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is expected to make a statement in Parliament on Tuesday (September 15, 2020) on the continuing standoff between Indian and Chinese troops along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh. Singhs statement assumes significance in the backdrop of growing demands made by the Opposition for a debate on the issue. Singh had met his Chinese counterpart Gen Wei Fenghe in Moscow recently. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi had also met in Moscow a few days ago. Meanwhile, the Union Cabinet and the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs are also likely to meet over video conferencing on Tuesday afternoon, according to the government sources said. Live TV During the monsoon session, which began on Monday, the Opposition is seeking to corner the government on its handling of the standoff with China along the Line of Actual Control in Ladakh, the COVID-19 situation, economic downturn and unemployment, and is pressing for discussions on these issues. The Congress and other opposition parties raised these demands in the first business advisory committee (BAC) meeting for Lok Sabha chaired by Speaker Om Birla on Sunday, but no time has been allocated yet for these discussions. The BAC for Lok Sabha will be held again on Tuesday afternoon to further discuss the first week's business schedule. Similar demands have been raised by the Congress in the BAC for Rajya Sabha as well. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The restoration of a third Brooklyn-bound lane in the Hugh L. Carey Tunnel during the evening rush hour is expected to shorten trips for Staten Island express bus riders. On Monday, the MTA announced it would resume operating three Brooklyn-bound lanes using both tubes of the Hugh L. Carey Tunnel between the hours of 4:30 and 7 p.m. At the height of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the MTA had temporarily suspended two-way operation in the tunnels West Tube, reducing the number of Brooklyn-bound travel lanes during the evening rush. However, the recent uptick in traffic in Lower Manhattan has prompted the tubes reopening. The return of weekday two-way afternoon operations through the tunnel will provide additional capacity and help commuters get home more quickly, said Daniel DeCrescenzo, president, MTA Bridges and Tunnels. Im pleased we can accommodate our customers in a safe and efficient manner. The Hugh L. Carey Tunnel is a vital connection for New York City commuters, carrying 28 different express bus routes, including the SIM1, SIM1C, SIM2, SIM3, SIM3C, SIM4, SIM4C, SIM4X, SIM5, SIM6, SIM7, SIM9, SIM10, SIM15, SIM31, SIM32, SIM33, SIM33C, SIM34 and SIM35 routes that connect Staten Island to Manhattan. In June, the MTA resumed two-way operation in the tunnels East Tube, allowing for three Manhattan-bound lanes during the morning rush. We appreciate the ongoing partnership with our Bridges and Tunnels colleagues as we continually strive to improve commutes for our Brooklyn and Staten Island Express bus customers, said Craig Cipriano, president of MTA Bus Company and senior vice president of NYC Transits Department of Buses. The additional lane provides a great benefit to our customers' PM commute. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer vociferously denounced the shooting in cold blood of two Los Angeles County Sheriffs deputies in Compton, California, over the weekend. "I condemn in the strongest possible terms the assassinations of two officers in Los Angeles," Mr Hoyer, the No 2 House Democrat, told reporters on Tuesday. The Maryland Democrat said it was disgusting to hear reports of protesters shouting, I hope you die, as the deputies were taken to a local hospital. We need to engender respect for our police, Mr Hoyer said. The deputies are now in stable condition at a local hospital in Southern California, several media outlets have reported. The two deputies a 31-year-old mother and a 24-year-old male were shot at close range at 7pm on Saturday in Compton. Although they were shot multiple times during the ambush while their vehicle was parked, the officers were able to radio for help. After being shot clean through the jaw from point-blank range, the female deputy was still able to radio for help and apply a tourniquet to her partner, likely saving his life, officials said. There's no other way to put it: They're amazing, LA Mayor Eric Garcetti said. Authorities have not identified any suspect. Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department released a surveillance video of the ambush, and it showed a lone gunman shooting through the passenger window of the deputies' vehicle "without warning or provocation," according to the department. Sheriff Alex Villanueva said both deputies were out of surgery and expected to survive, which he called a "double miracle." Inspired by a mission to help small and medium-sized businesses, newly branded Budgify offers discounted services to women, BIPOC, and veterans during the 2020/2021 economic downturn LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / September 15, 2020 / Budgify and twin-founders, Adam and Alex Harowicz are dedicated to making a vital financial difference for business owners progressing into 2021. Placing a focus on BIPOC, veteran, and women-owned businesses, the AI-driven bookkeeping company aims to inspire change on a global scale. Built on a mission to help people, the Budgify team upholds this principle by providing discounted services of 15% for such businesses. "By connecting our services and discounts with BIPOC communities, we're hoping to bring back jobs to impacted areas and encourage a more inclusive economy. Our goal is to remove the barriers of entry for business owners, including financial literacy and funding". - Alex Harowicz, CEO, Budgify. Offering added support, Budgify emphasizes the importance of economic vitality, uplifting communities, promoting productivity and resilience. Recognizing BIPOC communities are disproportionately affected by COVID-19, Budgify is offering financial support to these business owners in an effort to rebuild neighborhoods. Budgify's software allows business owners the ability to have a virtual bookkeeping team for up to 90% less than hiring an in-house professional. This allows business owners to the ability to reallocate their budget in order to grow their business, pay off debts, or hire new employees. Aiming to spread insight on financial literacy and its importance within our communities, the Budgify platform can help to aid and educate those who struggle with financial management skills. "We meet with our clients monthly to make sure they have a comprehensive understanding of their business financials, in an effort to create a more inclusive economy. We are a for-profit with a social purpose", says CEO, Alex Harowicz. Driven by artificial intelligence and machine learning, Budgify optimizes time-consuming tasks such as bookkeeping, payroll, and taxes. The tech-forward yet simplistic software strives to make financial data miraculously user-friendly. Effortless navigation offers trusted simple solutions to the business owners who need it most. About Budgify Budgify is a bookkeeping business dedicated to removing the barriers to financial literacy for small-to-medium-sized businesses (SMB's). Machine learning and AI-driven technology allow business owners to automate the entire bookkeeping process so they can spend less time on the books and more time focusing on their company's mission. Driven by a social purpose, Budgify caters to business owners that face additional difficulties. http://www.keystonedev.xyz/ About NXTFactor NXTFactor is an international digital marketing agency and investment firm with offices in both New York City and Philadelphia. Since 2007, NXTFactor (MoreViews Inc.) has focused on helping brands, businesses and individuals meet and exceed their goals by delivering digital solutions across the web, mobile, and all digital devices in-between. https://www.nxtfactor.com/ Contact: Hailey Foster hailey@nxtfactor.com 8567450292 SOURCE: Budgify View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/606170/Budgify-Unveils-Major-Rebrand-for-Keystone-AI-bookkeeping-while-Amplifying-BIPOC-Women-Owned-Businesses The Covid-19 pandemic has been unprecedented, impacting markets around the world with profound market changes. During this period, consumer beliefs have shifted fundamentally with significant changes at both brand and retailer level. Successfully navigating through these myriad changes requires in-depth, insightful and current information. Data has become key to strategic decision-making. Offering flexible data solutions, including 24-hour database access for a full year, once-off interpreted reports including expert insights and once-off data runs, Ask Afrika is ensuring that its data and actionable insights are accessible to all industry stakeholders. Contact Maria Petousis for more information: az.oc.akirfaksa@sisuoteP.airaM or (012) 428 7400. To retain market share requires that brands put consumers front and centre, explains Ask Afrika founder and CEO Andrea Rademeyer. In the battle for new and existing customers, brands are having to reposition themselves. Knowing where to reposition themselves requires that marketers, brand managers and agencies systematically monitor trends and indicators. More than that, however, they need to diagnostically understand how their brand personas have changed in the past few months and how they can meet their consumers needs.The post-Covid environment will require a deep recalibration of how customers make decisions and what matters to them, she adds. Segmentation will require more than a nuanced approach. To succeed, marketers will have to have a granular understanding of where their target consumers are and whether their marketing investment is effective. Marketing strategies will need to be adapted to accommodate emerging trends and customer demands in the aftermath of the pandemic.Ask Afrika is the only research company in SA that has consistently tracked Covid-related fears, behaviours and beliefs with brand personas and psychographics since the beginning of the lockdown, allowing marketers to compare consumer attitudes during the different lockdown phases.The companys Target Group Index (TGI) survey for which Ask Africa owns the South African rights is a large-scale single source probability survey, which has a global geographic coverage of 70 markets measuring products, brands and media habits. TGI has been in South Africa since 2003, providing a stable and comparable measurement against a solid and reliable base. Locally, the index offers the most comprehensive database of products, brands and media habits in the country and is used by the majority of the largest 50 advertisers.Including more than 8,000 brands in more than 570 different product categories and 19 different product sectors, TGI provides more than 400 attitude statements based on a solid methodology and national representatively, setting the industry standard for benchmarks. In 2018, Ask Afrika was awarded the Jenny Davis Award at the TGI Global Conference for the best data collection methodology.TGI provides an array of local insights, enabling a holistic view of the products and brands purchased during the course of a week in the life of customers. Based on 24,000 interviews conducted on an annual basis, TGI provides an all-inclusive view of the marketplace, allowing business decision-makers to create meaningful strategies that speak authentically to both their customers and audience profiles. The information included in TGI supports marketers to systematically monitor indicators and trends and commit to bold changes in marketing strategies and marketing investment in order to build organisational resilience and agility in a rapidly changing marketplace.As a tool for marketers, advertisers, advertising agencies and media owners TGI allows for market evaluation, more effective integration of media, customer profiling, competitor review, better strategies and targeted sponsorship campaigns.In addition to providing more than two decades of brand intelligence, TGI data also includes both pre- and current Covid-19 data, which highlights the extent to which consumer spending and consumption patterns have changed since the beginning of South Africas lockdown earlier this year. Providing detailed analysis, it provides marketers with a better understanding of how consumer behaviour has changed in 2020, allowing for more effective diagnostic forecasting.The data can also be reliably compared to the 2018 recession in order to provide an in-depth picture of how the market has changed in recent months from a behavioural, consumer and shopper dynamic, media, brand and psychographic perspective.Ask Afrika clients who are using TGI data are almost universally impressed with the level of insights delivered.Dr Adri Drotskie, head of research and faculty development at Henley Africa, is equally impressed.Customer insights manager at The Foschini Group, Robyn Sartorius, is another satisfied client that highly recommends TGI and the associated Ask Afrika resources. Gaming giant Tencent said on Tuesday it would develop a regional hub for Southeast Asia in Singapore, opening a new office and becoming the latest Chinese tech firm to invest in the city-state. The new hub comes on the heels of a planned expansion by TikTok owner ByteDance and investment by Alibaba Group Holding Ltd as firms look to deepen their exposure to fast-growing Southeast Asia - home to about 650 million people. Singapore has also gained fresh appeal as a base for Chinese corporate operations, benefiting from the political tensions that have rocked rival hub Hong Kong and ... The assumption Jaishankar makes about liberalisation automatically producing economic growth is false Indias foreign minister comes from a family of scholars. His father K. Subrahmanyam was the founder of the famous IDS think tank in New Delhi and had advised Indira Gandhi. On the weaponising of Indias nuclear programme and the military intervention in Bangaldesh, Subrahmanyam had a hand. Subrahmanyams son Sanjay, Jaishankars brother, is one of the worlds most famous scholars of medieval India. He has written books on commerce in Surat (my hometown) and South India as well as on Vasco Da Gama. My point is that Dr (he is a Ph.D. himself) S. Jaishankar has a background which is not the same as our other ministers. Jaishankar has recent a book released a few days ago which said three things had negatively affected Indias foreign policy. The first was Partition, which reduced the size of India and made China even more important than it was. The second was the delay in the economic reforms of 1991: if done earlier, they would have made India a wealthier nation earlier than it will become. And third, the delay in choosing to make atomic weapons. He called them the three burdens. What should we make of what he is saying? We need to examine two separate things, first to see to what extent what he says is true. Indias Partition did reduce the size of the country and if India had not been partitioned, the undivided nation would be larger geographically, stretching from Myanmar to Iran, and with a population of 1.7 billion people. It would not be particularly different in terms of its economy, per capita income, productivity or any other way. South Asia has developed together, none of the three countries which were once part of British India has either become a developed country and none on the other hand has not succeeded in developing at least a little. A visit to Pakistan and Bangladesh reveals them to be no different than most parts of India. The second issue is the delay in economic reforms. This is not Jaishankars subject because he is not an economist. We must therefore be cautious when we accept what he says as true. The Indian economy of Jawaharlal Nehrus time had little capacity. State capital was needed as an element, especially in heavy industry. And without the State, the institutions we take for granted, for example in higher education, would not have come at all. Whatever bhajans we may sing to privatisation, there is no private equivalent of IIT or IIM even today in India. This is not to say that the licence raj of Indira Gandhi was a good thing. It was not. The best we can offer Jaishankars statement on the delay in reforms is a qualified yes, not a full endorsement. The third is the exercise of the nuclear option, which happened in May 1974. India makes a big deal of having an atom bomb. It is not such a big deal. Many nations in South America, Europe, Asia and Africa had the capacity to make one but chose not to. The other thing is that India violated its foreign commitments to make the bomb. The reactors producing the material used in our bombs came from Canada, whom we had promised that we would only use nuclear technology for peaceful purposes (this is why Indira Gandhi made the claim that the 1974 test was a peaceful explosion). We have held these weapons for 45 years now. How have they helped us? We cannot use them against Pakistan, which for 30 years we have accused of terrorism. We cannot use them against China, which is today inside our borders. It is debatable that the early weaponising of our programme could have helped us in any way. Jaishankar calls these three things burdens and he lays them at the Congress door. Let us see what his party has done and is doing. India may have been partitioned, but Pakistan and Bangladesh are still next to us. They have not been relocated to Africa. What stops India from unifying the subcontinent through trade or travel? It is our nationalism. We have free movement (without visas) with Nepal, but not with Bangladesh. Why? We could unify South Asia with visa-free travel and trade if we chose to. The BJP does not want it. The assumption Jaishankar makes about liberalisation automatically producing economic growth is false. Under the BJP, Indias economic growth has been declining since January 2018, according to its own figures. That is two and a half straight years of decline in six years of government. This did not happen during socialism or the licence raj. This year we will see a contraction of the economy. Mere liberalisation does not mean economic growth. What Jaishankar says in his three points is reductive and simplistic. The past does not matter that much. If we think that it does, it is because we are not good enough at running the nation competently today and are searching for excuses why. If Jaishankars diagnosis is correct, what stops him from correcting it today? His book does not say that. Perhaps that will come in a future book. Two senior UN officials on Tuesday voiced concerns about the worsening situation in war-wracked Yemen, warning of the risk of famine and slamming several Arab donors, including Saudi Arabia, for failing to deliver on their pledges. Fighting in Yemen over the last six years has claimed tens of thousands of lives, mostly civilians, and sparked what the United Nations calls the world's worst humanitarian crisis. UN envoy Martin Griffiths told the Security Council that Yemen could "slip back away from the road to peace." He cited "increased fighting, greater humanitarian needs and the Covid-19 pandemic " as among the factors in play. Griffiths said he had sent all warring parties a draft of a "joint declaration" reflecting what had been said in previous rounds of talks. "Now is the time for the parties to swiftly conclude the negotiations and finalize the Joint Declaration," he said. The internationally recognized government in Yemen has been battling the Iran-allied Huthis since 2014, when the rebels seized much of the north including the capital Sanaa. A Saudi-led military coalition intervened on the side of the government the following year. Griffiths noted concerns about clashes in the northern Marib region, and said that violations of the ceasefire reached in December 2018 had become daily in the area near Hodeida. Mark Lowcock, the UN under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs, warned that the "specter of famine has returned" in Yemen. "Several donors -- including the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait, who have a particular responsibility, which they have discharged in recent years -- have so far given nothing" to this year's aid plan, he said, in a rare direct rebuke of member states. "It is particularly reprehensible to promise money, which gives people hope that help may be on the way, and then to dash those hopes by simply failing to fulfil the promise." Lowcock said that more than nine million people had been affected by cuts to aid programs, including those focused on food, water and health care. The UN estimates that three-quarters of Yemen's population of 29 million depend on some form of aid for survival. "Continuing to hold back money from the humanitarian response now will be a death sentence for many families," he warned. "So yet again, I call on all donors to pay their pledges now and increase their support." Germany criticized the attitude of Arab donors as particularly shocking. Lowcock said the conflict had escalated in recent weeks, particularly in central Yemen. "In August, more civilians were killed across the country than any other month this year," he said. "The worst hunger in Yemen is mainly in conflict-affected areas." Neither Griffiths nor Lowcock offered an assessment of progress in the standoff with Huthis over a loaded oil storage tanker decaying off Yemen's coast. The 45-year-old FSO Safer, abandoned near the port of Hodeida since 2015, has 1.1 million barrels of crude on board, and a rupture or explosion would have catastrophic environmental and humanitarian consequences. The Huthis have blocked the United Nations from sending a team of inspectors to assess the vessel. In a statement released Tuesday by Oxfam, 31 Yemeni non-governmental organizations called on the international community and donors to "exert more pressure on conflicting parties and their backers to immediately halt military operations across the country." The NGOs also want the international community to "ensure that all efforts are focused towards fighting the spread of Covid-19 and returning to peace negotiations." Chairman of the Social Democratic Party (PSD) Marcel Ciolacu said that the Social Democratic MPs will propose next Wednesday the Joint Standing Bureaus of Parliament to hold a joint plenary sitting in which to discuss the budget revision. "Today we had a National Political Council, we discussed the legislative priorities. (...) On Wednesday we will propose to the Joint Standing Bureaus [ed.n. - of Parliament] to hold a joint plenary sitting and to discuss about the budget revision where we will propose the change that the increase of the pensions not be 14%, that it should still be 40% as written in the law.We will also propose to allocate an amount to the Start-up Nation, because this project and the people who accessed this project have been forgotten by the PNL [National Liberal Party] Government. And last but not least, a direct, cross-party balancing towards the local authorities, the county councils and the town halls of the county seat, because through the GD issued by Prime Minister Orban he first took care of the electoral bribe and the mayors he bought from PSD, allocating 60 million lei to them, and for the town halls of the county seat, no mayoralty under the PSD administration received any money. All the money was directed to the administrations led by PNL," Ciolacu told on Tuesday a press conference held at the end of the meeting of the PSD National Political Council.He added that, from the information he has, the above mentioned government decision was proposed to the Prime Minister by the Minister of Development, Ion Stefan."It is for the first time in Romania when something like this has happened. We will look into the document based on which this government decision was issued, from our information it was forwarded by the famous Minister 'Beam' [ed.n. - derogatory nickname given to Minister Ion Stefan] to the Prime Minister. We will attack this decision in an administrative appeal, we have this right and we hope that justice will be done. Never, no government, regardless of its political color, has ever dared do something like this. I think that if a PSD prime minister or a development minister would have dared such a thing they would have been arrested during the Government meeting. It is unacceptable and totally illegal what the Romanian Government has done with these direct allocations by a one-of-a-kind government decision in Romania," he said.Ciolacu mentioned that on Monday the Senate will introduce on the agenda the PSD bill on the incentive for teachers."PSD considers that at this moment the teachers are on the front line, as well as the medics. It is an incentive identical to that of the physicians, of 500 euros. The bill will be taken over on Tuesday at the Chamber of Deputies and will go through the final vote, and it remains to be sent for promulgation and we will see whether the president of Romania will also attack this law at CCR [the Constituitional Court of Romania] or not," Ciolacu also showed. Rishi Sunak visiting pottery firm Emma Bridgewater. Photo: Zara Farrar/HM Treasury Britains chancellor declared the furlough scheme has done what it was designed to on Tuesday, as he resisted mounting pressure to extend support for hard-hit sectors. UK finance minister Rishi Sunak pointed to recent official figures showing more than half of furloughed workers had returned to their jobs by mid-August. Sunak also highlighted the governments plans to hand employers bonuses for keeping staff and fund youth work placements as the furlough scheme winds down. But the chancellor faced a flurry of warnings from economists, business chiefs and Labour on Tuesday that a wave of job losses will only continue this autumn without more support for employers. READ MORE: UK employers have axed 695,000 jobs since March as unemployment rate rises Paul Dales, chief UK economist at Capital Economics, said the millions of workers still on furlough were more likely to be at risk than those who had already returned to work. With official figures now showing employers have cut 695,000 jobs since March, the Resolution Foundation said there was already a mounting jobs crisis. It called for targeted support for industries still hamstrung by the coronavirus and government rules, including hospitality, the arts and leisure. Another think tank, the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR), warned the government was taking a huge risk ending the furlough scheme in October. The left-wing IPPR backed Labours call for a scheme that provided continued support for employers who kept staff on part-time rather than slashing jobs. Training and support should also be provided for those unable to return full-time, Labour leader Keir Starmer said in a virtual speech to the Trades Union Congress (TUC) annual conference on Tuesday. This is the path many other countries are taking to stabilise jobs and incomes, said IPPR associate director Clare McNeil. Several business groups have also sounded the alarm this week as the official unemployment rate ticked higher. The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) called for a successor to the furlough scheme, in an unusual echo of Labour and the TUCs position. Story continues Tej Parikh, chief economist at the Institute of Directors (IoD), urged the chancellor to act quickly to counteract job losses, calling for the chancellor not to delay his Budget and to slash employer national insurance contributions. The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) made the same plea to cut national insurance bills ahead of the furlough wind-down cliff edge. Its head of economics Suren Thiru also demanded more support for firms in areas forced into new local lockdowns than government grants announced so far. READ MORE: UK firms warn on triple threat of local lockdowns, Brexit and furlough wind-up Some business chiefs struck a different tone, however. James Reed, chair of recruitment firm Reed, said it was time for the country to move on from the furlough scheme. Businesses need to level with their furloughed staff about their future as soon as they are able to, he said. The Treasury meanwhile defended its efforts to safeguard jobs in a press release. It called its policies one of the most generous and comprehensive packages of support in the world. Sunak noted the Office for National Statistics (ONS) employment rate had shown an increase, despite also showing unemployment and redundancies rising. As todays official employment figures today show, the furlough scheme has done what it was designed to do save jobs and help people back to work, where they want to be, he said. The Treasury highlighted ONS data suggesting only 11% of the workforce remained on furlough in mid-August, compared to 30% in May. It said more than half had returned to workplaces. We were clear at the start of the pandemic that we couldnt save every job, but the furlough scheme has supported millions of workers and we want to help employers keep people on, added Sunak. Our job retention bonus will do exactly that, supporting businesses to do the right thing. A new public opinion study finds that the coronavirus health crisis has affected the mental health of young Americans under age 35. The study found that 56 percent of Americans 18 through 34 said they felt isolated in the past month. That compares to 40 percent of older Americans. The research group NORC at the University of Chicago carried out the study. It questioned more than 2000 people age 18 and older across the United States. Younger adults are dealing with major life issues, including starting college and finding jobs. However, the pandemic has kept them from social activities that are especially important for unmarried people and those starting families. Many younger people are beginning their adult lives during an economic recession. Those in their 30s are experiencing their second. Christina Torres is a 32-year-old schoolteacher in Honolulu, Hawaii. The health crisis forced her to postpone her marriage ceremony which had been set for June. The pandemic also stopped her from attending a funeral for her grandmother. And, Torres misses her friends and exercising at the gym. Its hard not to feel hopeless sometimes, especially because the numbers keep going up, she said. The NORC study found that younger Americans show higher rates of psychosomatic problems. These include trouble sleeping and headaches. The likelihood of experiencing these problems decreases with age. Tom Smith directs NORCs General Social Survey. He said one possible reason for the difference between young and old is that young adults have less experience dealing with public health crises. Smith, who is 71 years old, said he grew up with the health crisis of polio. Torres thinks some of the difficulty for her generation comes from a lack of historical understanding shared by their parents generation. She worries about the future. It doesnt feel like its going to get better, she said. Twenty-five percent of young adults in the study described their mental health as fair or poor. Thirteen percent of those 35 and older described themselves this way. Wayne Evans is 18 years old. He is in his first year of studies at North Carolina State University. But he was sent home because there were a lot of coronavirus cases at the school. He said social media reminds him every day of the threat of COVID-19. In some ways social media has added to my stressors, yes, he said. The NORC study found 67 percent of young adults felt at least sometimes that they could not control the important things in life. That is compared to 50 percent of those 35 and older. An even larger difference existed between young and old who felt that they could not overcome the increasing problems they faced. Fifty-five percent of younger Americans said difficulties were growing too high, while only 33 percent of older Americans said the same. Evans blamed social media as part of the problem. Just the information overload thats unavoidable on social media platforms can be distracting, he said. Im Mario Ritter, Jr. Cheyanne Mumphrey and Jennifer Sinco Kelleher reported this story for AP. Mario Ritter Jr. adapted it for VOA Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor. Quiz - Coronavirus May Be Harder on Mental Health of Young Americans Than Older Ones Start the Quiz to find out Start Quiz ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story poll n. a study in which people are asked their opinions in an effort to find out what the public thinks about an issue psychosomatic adj. related to mental or emotional problems rather than physical sickness distracting adj. something that pulls attention from one subject and places it on another isolated adj. separated from others pandemic n. when a disease spreads very quickly affecting many people over a very large area or throughout the world grandmother n. the mother of someones mother headache n. pain in the head We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page. Canada will be the first commercial market to launch i-FACTOR+ Matrix WESTMINSTER, Colo., Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Cerapedics, a private ortho-biologics company, today announced the Health Canada approval of the company's next-generation bone graft called i-FACTOR+ Matrix, making it the first market to approve the commercial launch of this product. "We are excited to announce Canadian regulatory approval of our next-generation product, based on P15 osteogenic cell-binding peptide , i-FACTOR+ Matrix," said Glen Kashuba, Chief Executive Officer of Cerapedics, "The matrix product leverages the clinically proven power of the P15 peptide combined with a collagen carrier for optimized interoperative delivery." "In addition to an anticipated commercial launch in Canada this October, the technology is currently being studied in our FDA IDE study, ASPIRE, targeting lumbar fusions (TLIF), as previously announced. i-FACTOR+ Matrix is the same technology as the P15-L investigational material in the IDE.," said Jeffrey Marx, Ph.D., President and Chief Operating Officer of Cerapedics. i-FACTOR Peptide Enhanced Bone Graft is based on proprietary small peptide (P-15) technology developed by Cerapedics to support bone growth through cell attraction, attachment, and activation. In spinal fusion procedures, surgeons use a bone graft to join and stabilize vertebrae. i-FACTOR Peptide Enhanced Bone Graft was approved in the European Union in 2008 and Australia in 2010 for use in the repair of bony voids or defects in orthopedic applications throughout the skeletal system (i.e., the spine and extremities). In the United States, i-FACTOR Peptide Enhanced Bone Graft was approved via a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) premarket approval (PMA) application in 2015 only for use in single-level anterior cervical fusion procedures. In 2018, the company enrolled the first patients in an IDE clinical trial, ASPIRE, evaluating the safety and efficacy of its next-generation product, P-15L Peptide Enhanced Bone Graft, for use in patients undergoing TLIF fusion surgery. CAUTION: In the United States, P-15L Bone Graft (i-FACTOR+ Matrix) is an Investigational Product limited by Federal Law to investigational use only. In the United States, i-FACTOR Peptide Enhanced Bone Graft is indicated for use in skeletally mature patients for reconstruction of a degenerated cervical disc at one level from C3-C4 to C6-C7 following single-level discectomy for intractable radiculopathy (arm pain and/or a neurological deficit), with or without neck pain, or myelopathy due to a single-level abnormality localized to the disc space, and corresponding to at least one of the following conditions confirmed by radiographic imaging (CT, MRI, X-rays): herniated nucleus pulposus, spondylosis (defined by the presence of osteophytes), and/or visible loss of disc height as compared to adjacent levels, after failure of at least 6 weeks of conservative treatment. i-FACTOR Peptide Enhanced Bone Graft must be used inside an allograft bone ring and with supplemental anterior plate fixation. About Cerapedics Cerapedics is an ortho-biologics company focused on developing and commercializing its proprietary small peptide (P-15) technology platform. i-FACTOR Peptide Enhanced Bone Graft is the only biologic bone graft in orthopedics that incorporates a small peptide as an attachment factor to stimulate the natural bone healing process. This novel mechanism of action is designed to support safer and more predictable bone formation compared to commercially available bone growth factors. More information can be found here. Media contact: Drew Trivisonno Executive Contact, Cerapedics Inc. 720-712-1730 [email protected] SOURCE Cerapedics Inc. Related Links http://www.cerapedics.com Stars from Seinfelds Julia Louis-Dreyfus to Harrison Ford have made Jackson Hole, Wyoming their home. Whats drawing them to the area? Here to answer Showbiz Cheat Sheets question is Realtor Latham Jenkins. Heres a peek inside our conversation. Showbiz Cheat Sheet: In your opinion, why are so many celebrities moving to Jackson Hole, Wyoming? Julia Louis Dreyfus | Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic, for HBO Latham Jenkins: Jackson Hole is still a very authentic locale. Its a place that celebrates and protects its wildlands and wildlife. It was a community long before becoming a popular tourist destination. It affords a lifestyle of privacy, easy air access, rich sense of community and well-being, an outdoor playground that is second to none, and great both mental and physical health. CS: What distinguishes Jackson Hole homes from homes in other areas in the United States? LJ: Your first desire is to bring the outside in. This started when Mies van der Rohe was commissioned in the 1930s to build a summer house for a prominent local family. It redefined the relationship between architecture and nature, offering a modernist approach with a new vernacular. The design spanned a creek and had floor-to-ceiling windows to capture the views. CS: What is the culture and lifestyle like? LJ: We might be a remote mountain community, but this small town has no shortage of things to do. There are multiple cultural organizations, such as the National Museum of Wildlife Art, Grand Teton Music Festival, Center for the Arts, TedXJacksonHole, and the Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival. Traveling artists and groups like the New York City Ballet and world-renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma perform here on a regular basis. Jackson Hole has more non-profits per capita than almost any other community. Life is busy at times between what you do recreationally during the day, the social engagements you might have at night and the unexpected traffic jam from the moose grazing along the roadside. What I have observed with my clients is their amazement in who lives here and the connections they never realize they had to others in the community. CS: Which celebrity home purchases in Jackson Hole that caught your attention? LJ: For many years we have had Harrison Ford, Sandra Bullock, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and a few others all keeping a low profile in the community. Kanye West and the Kardashian family have been spending time here. Kanye bought two ranches in Cody, Wyoming, but they still vacation here, so I suspect they will own something sooner than later. I have had a chance to show them properties and others who have all been very enjoyable. Nikki Sixx just moved his family to Jackson Hole, which you can see on his Instagram profile where he comments about his new Wyoming lifestyle. Youll see he is loving it. CS: Anything to add? LJ: Real estate this summer has been on fire. Ive seen lots of buyers fleeing urban settings to head West for more elbow room. Theyre seeking open spaces that give a buffer around them and all the better if you can recreate on the property. Cody Creek Sanctuary is a perfect example of having 65-acres, waterscapes that offer tranquility, and wildlife that roams the property. The property offers the ability to fly fish on the six connected ponds, or in Cody Creek that runs through it. You can ride a horse, take a walk, or in the winter, cross-country ski, snowshoe or ice skate on the ponds. Its just 4 miles to the Jackson Hole town square and yet a world apart. Im always open to speak with anyone interested in exploring Jackson Hole, or interested in buying in our great community. Follow Sheiresa Ngo on Twitter. Reindeer herders in a Russian Arctic archipelago have found an immaculately preserved carcass of an Ice Age cave bear, researchers said Monday. The find, revealed by the melting permafrost, was discovered on the Lyakhovsky Islands with its teeth and even its nose intact. Previously scientists only had been able to discover the bones of cave bears that became extinct 15,000 years ago. Scientists of the North-Eastern Federal University in Yakutsk, the premier center for research into woolly mammoths and other prehistoric species, hailed the find as groundbreaking. Reindeer herders in a Russian Arctic archipelago have found an immaculately preserved carcass of an Ice Age cave bear. Source: North-Eastern Federal University via AP The carcass was revealed by the melting permafrost and has all its internal organs, teeth and even its nose intact. Source: North-Eastern Federal University via AP In a statement issued by the university, researcher Lena Grigorieva emphasized that this is the first and only find of its kind a whole bear carcass with soft tissues. It is completely preserved, with all internal organs in place, including even its nose, Grigorieva said. This find is of great importance for the whole world. A preliminary analysis indicated that the adult bear lived 22,000 to 39,500 years ago. It is necessary to carry out radiocarbon analysis to determine the precise age of the bear, the university quoted researcher Maxim Cheprasov as saying. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter and download the Yahoo News app from the App Store or Google Play. Mr Justice Paul McDermott at the Central Criminal Court told the six men and six women that they must decide whether the 17-year-old accused is guilty of murder or manslaughter. The accused, who cannot be identified because he is a minor, pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to the manslaughter of Azzam Raguragui (18) at Finsbury Park, Dundrum, Dublin 14 on May 10th, 2019. The trial has heard that a fight erupted between two groups of teens following a row about a stolen bike. During the melee the accused stabbed Mr Raguragui causing his death. The judge explained that the boy's defence is that he believed he was acting in self-defence but used excessive force when he stabbed Mr Raguragui. He added: "The central issue is whether the accused honestly believed the force he used was necessary in the circumstances as he believed them to be." The jury must consider, the judge said, what the accused thought at the very moment when he inflicted the stab wounds. Advertisement If he honestly believed he was acting in self defence but used more force than a reasonable person would consider necessary, then he is guilty of manslaughter and not murder, the judge said. However, if the prosecution has excluded the possibility that he believed he was acting in self defence then the correct verdict is guilty of murder. Mr Justice McDermott added: "You have to examine carefully the honest belief of this young man in the circumstances at the time and assess that honest belief on the basis of the evidence." He asked the jury to consider the nature of the threat to him and the level of force used against him. He added that if the force used in inflicting the wounds was the result of a planned attack, or due to anger or retaliation then the defence of self-defence is not open to him. The jury will return to the Central Criminal Court on Wednesday to continue their deliberations. State pension debacle: Row in parliament over scandal of women underpaid for decades The Government has brushed off calls to reveal details of an investigation into cases of chronically underpaid state pension, but promised that staff training was being stepped up when the scandal was raised in parliament. Tens of thousands of elderly women could be owed an estimated 100million in state pension after a major blunder, which was uncovered by This is Money and our columnist Steve Webb. Labour MPs yesterday pressed the Government to reveal the scale of its probe, how many women are being paid incorrectly and when they would all receive their money. Pensions Minister Guy Opperman sidestepped questions about the extent of the debacle, and sought to place the blame on Labour over a key rule change in 2008. This introduced automatic payment uplifts for married women who retired on small state pensions before April 2016, at the point when their husbands reached retirement age too. Before that women had to apply to get the full sum they were due. But many were unaware of the little-known uplift and protest they were never given this crucial information by the Department for Work and Pensions. >>>Are YOU being underpaid state pension? Find out how to check below Those whose cases fall before the 17 March 2008 cut-off date when increases became automatic are only getting one year of arrears, rather than full backpayments. And some are now taking complaints about DWP maladministration to the Parliamentary Ombudsman. Meanwhile, This is Money has covered two cases of widows who were underpaid for 20 years and have received backpayments of well over 100,000 each. Both now suffer dementia and are tragically unaware of their vast payouts. Labour MP Paula Barker said in the House of Commons yesterday: 'Estimates suggest that as many as 130,000 women could have been underpaid their state pensions, so will the Minister confirm the total number who have been affected by the department's error and how he intends to ensure that they receive the full amount which they are actually entitled to.' Opperman responded: 'This matter dates from 2008 and a Labour government who introduced these particular changes but the department continues to check for further cases and if any are found awards will also be reviewed and any arrears paid in accordance with the law. Who are 'WASPI' women? WASPI or Women Against State Pension Injustice is a protest movement by women whose state pension age was raised from 60 to 66. The women say they have suffered financial hardship because the Government did not inform them of the changes, and then speeded them up in 2011 so that millions only got five year's notice of the longer wait. Opperman declined to comment on this issue yesterday, except to note that a judical review in the High Court had found in favour of the Government on the matters of 'notification and communication', because it was still the subject of an appeal. This morning, the Court of Appeal dismissed that challenge, which was brought by two women supported by BackTo60, a separate protest group to the WASPI campaign. 'We continue to encourage anyone who believes they are being underpaid state pension to contact the DWP.' Dame Diana Johnson MP said many of the women who have already contacted the DWP were wrongly told that they were not entitled to any additional money. She asked, 'Can the Minister say what more is he going to do in light of the miscommunication that affected thousands of the WASPI women to ensure that these women who are affected are contacted and given the correct information?' Opperman replied: 'We are improving the training and the ability of the individuals who are handling the cases.' Shadow Pensions Minister Jack Dromey weighed in to say: 'There is an investigation under way. When will that investigation finally conclude so that those women, many of whom are in the twilight of their years, get the justice that they deserve?' He also called on the Government to deny reports that it is 'considering scrapping the triple lock when UK pensioner poverty is the worst in Europe'. The triple lock guarantees annual state pension increases of at least 2.5 per cent, and there is reportedly a rift at the top of the Government over whether to break a promise in the 2019 election manifesto to retain it. Opperman did not comment on the triple lock, but said Labour had 'so grievously underpaid state pension' that the Coalition and the current Government had 'transformed' the basic rate so that it is more than 1,900 a year higher than a decade ago. Neil Gray MP, the Scottish National Party's spokesman for work and pensions, said the issue of underpaid state pension came in addition to the UK government continuing to deny justice for WASPI women. and at a time when women were disproportionately impacted socially and economically by the coronavirus outbreak. He called for a full impact assessment on women of both the WASPI issue and the underpayment of state pension. Opperman hit back, saying that on the WASPI issue the Scotland Act gives the Scottish National government in Holyrood 'extensive powers to intervene if they choose to do so'. SAN RAMON, Calif., Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Accela , the leading provider of cloud-based regulatory and service delivery solutions for government, today announced its new SaaS Premium Citizen Experience powered by OpenCities , designed to create an intuitive digital front door for vital citizen services. To adapt with rising citizen expectations, governments across the country are increasingly reliant on digital technology to expand access to critical information, provide essential services, and connect with their communities remotely. Accela and OpenCities' new integrated premium product provides agencies with a no-code way to create engaging, easy-to-use web portals and online forms that connect citizens with licensing, permitting, service request, and other functions to redefine the modern relationship between citizen and government. "Citizens want to quickly find and access the information they need and intuitively navigate and engage with their governments," said Tom Nieto, Chief Operating Officer at Accela. "The new Premium Citizen Experience powered by our strategic partner OpenCities' technology creates a seamless, user-friendly digital customer journey and helps governments deliver a world class experience to their constituents, particularly as the demand for online services increases exponentially. The solution is grounded in Accela and OpenCities' shared vision of transforming digital experiences for government to help them better serve their communities." The Premium Citizen Experience powered by OpenCities offers government leaders a fully mobile-responsive, iterative, and cost-effective method for creating dynamic portals and forms that serve as the digital front door for permitting, licensing, service request functions and other citizen services. Using the solution, governments of all sizes can create modern, intuitive, and "consumer-like" experiences without the need for custom coding, outside vendors, or contractors to maintain digital services. With the ability to manage their portals in-house, agencies can save valuable time and financial resources amid rising widespread government budget cuts. According to the National League of Cities, local governments across the country are expected to lose $360 billion in revenue over the next three years. "The new Premium Citizen Experience is not just a product, but an approach to digital services that helps governments embrace user-centered design so they can better connect with their citizens, " said Luke Norris, Managing Director of Strategy and Government Relations at OpenCities. "We are proud to partner with Accela to create a one-of-a-kind solution that empowers governments without custom code and is accessible to everyone within state and local government regardless of their technology background and experience." The Premium Citizen Experience powered by OpenCities is unique in that it encompasses the entire customer journey from start to finish through an unprecedented level of back-end and front-end integration with an agency's website. It seamlessly filters through Accela's back-end "system-of-record" to apply workflows, business logic, and various other elements to automate online service delivery. Additionally, the solution: Automatically prioritizes homepage tasks and services for what people need most, based on seasonal trends and usage context, such as reporting potholes when citizens visit the site from their mobile phone, or lodging planning applications for desktop visitors. Curates a smarter, predictive government-focused search experience that translates government terminology into plain English, informed by the millions of daily search interactions OpenCities powers between citizens and their cities, to help connect citizens with the right information. Provides ADA accessibility compliance to ensure key city services are available to everyone in the city, including those that often need them most, and reduce agency maintenance. Offers flexible technology that makes it quick and easy for agency staff to update not only content, but manage the entire portal design and layout without the need for custom coding or vendor-change orders. Enables consistency of agency look and feel from across various parts of the agency's branded portal. Reduces the effort and complexity of multi-channel communication by allowing agencies to create content once and easily share it across multiple platforms. For example, if an agency posts an event to the city calendar, the event can automatically be syndicated across department sites, shared on Facebook or Twitter, and even sent as an email notification. Features dashboards for agencies to track and improve customer experience, resolve bottlenecks, and demonstrate digital transformation impact, such as dollars and time saved. Guarantees future-proof compatibility with evolving browsers, mobile devices, accessibility needs, and design trends without the unexpected budget increase. Grand Rapids, Michigan, is one of the agencies utilizing OpenCities' no-code solution to create a new city website. By leveraging OpenCites, Grand Rapids was able to reduce customer walk-ins by 79% for some of their highest-utilized services and by 20% across all 265 new digital services built with OpenCities' customer experience platform. The city also realized a $25,000 savings for just one of its services in less than three months. Using the website during COVID-19 allowed residents to interact with the City digitally by adding more services requested by the community. "We built the website for our community a digital City Hall that serves those who live, work, and play here on their terms, on any device, on any browser, at any time," said Becky Jo Glover, Chief Customer Service and Innovation Officer. We are excited to have an easy-to-use solution that empowers our team to provide our citizens with a simple, elegantly designed experience when interacting with government that truly works for them." "As technology evolves, the value in agencies exceeding expectations and not just delivering on 'government as usual' continues to grow," said Kevin Goodwin, Chief Technology Officer of the City of San Antonio. "With people now increasingly relying on virtual forms of connection with their governments, user-centric design is imperative to effectively provide critical services and build trust with citizens. Having easy-to-use solutions built with the user in mind that can be implemented quickly has enabled San Antonio to consistently put the needs of our community first and deliver greater results." Today's announcement reinforces Accela's commitment to delivering modern digital tools to help build thriving communities, now and in the future. Powered by Microsoft Azure, Accela's secure and flexible SaaS solutions equip governments with the resources to quickly respond to evolving community needs, increase efficiency, and maintain resilience. More than half of Accela's state and local customers are now in the cloud, underscoring the increasing importance of SaaS technology for navigating modern governance. To learn more about Accela's Solutions, please visit https://www.accela.com/solutions/ . About Accela: Accela provides market-leading cloud solutions that empower the most innovative state and local governments around the world to build thriving communities, grow businesses, and protect citizens. More than 275 million citizens globally benefit from Accela's software, which is powered by Microsoft Azure, for permitting, licensing, code enforcement and service request management. Accela's fast-to-implement Civic Applications, built on its robust and extensible Civic Platform, help agencies address specific needs today, while ensuring they are prepared for any emerging or complex challenges in the future. The company was recently recognized as a 2020 Microsoft US Partner Award winner for its innovative SaaS solutions to help governments respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. Accela is headquartered in San Ramon, California, with additional offices around the world. For more information, visit www.accela.com . About OpenCities: Built with and for governments, OpenCities provides the website, portal and forms functionality modern governments needs to digitize each step of their customer journey. With a code-free, drag & drop approach, OpenCities enables governments of every size to create a world class digital experience, in a fraction of the time and effort of traditional web projects. And as a SaaS platform that powers millions of citizen interactions around the world, OpenCities leverages data to continually optimize & evolve your digital customer experience. Named one of the AFR 50 Most Innovative Companies and recognized with numerous DigitalGov Design awards, OpenCities powers the digital city halls and websites of the most forward-thinking local, county and state governments across North America, Australia and New Zealand. For more information, visit https://www.opencities.com . Contact: Kate Helete, (805) 458-5093, [email protected] SOURCE Accela Related Links http://www.accela.com Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said on reports that lawmakers should not be daunted over the size of the government's deficit to delay additional COVID-19 relief package. Mnuchin said the economic crisis is seeking an extraordinary stimulus from Congress and the Fed. Mnuchin has led the administration's COVID-19 relief negotiations with White House chief of staff Mark Meadows. Mnuchin said that this is not the time to worry about the shrinking deficit or shrinking the Fed balance sheet. Mnuchin said that there was a time when the Fed was shrinking the balance sheet and coming back to normal. "The good news is that gave them a lot of room to increase the balance sheet, which they did," Mnuchin was quoted in a report. "And I think both the monetary policy working with fiscal policy and what we were able to get done in an unprecedented way with Congress is the reason the economy is doing better," Mnuchin added. Mnuchin's comments appear as a criticism to his fellow Republicans. Members of the party said that improving jobs data and strong housing figures relax the need for additional spending to fight the pandemic's effects. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky voted against the GOP-backed stimulus plan last week. He has repeatedly said that criticized his own party for what he sees as prodigal spending. Paul said through tweets that the "majority of Republicans are now no different than socialist Democrats when it comes to debt." Paul said that they simply do not care about debt and are preparing to add at least another trillion dollars in debt this month. The collected federal budget deficit for the first 11 months of the fiscal year has reached $3 trillion based on the Congressional Budget Office's data. Mnuchin argues that more stimulus is needed to boost the country's economy. He added that the country is rebounding in a very significant way. "Skinny" Bill Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R., Ky.) leads the GOP-backed stimulus package proposal that was rejected through a procedural vote. The said second stimulus bill included jobless aid, liability protections for business and school funding, among other measures. The second stimulus bill also included legal aid for businesses and healthcare facilities, a $29 billion in healthcare funding, and a $105 billion budget for schools. Farmers, ranchers, and other producers were set to receive a $20 billion additional assistance. Under the rejected bill, parents who do home schools could have to use the money for additional expenses as they would have been provided of tax breaks. Meanwhile, Mnuchin said they he is still willing to work with White House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for a new deal. Mnuchin said that he thinks there are many areas where there is an agreement between Democrats and Republicans. He added that some of the differences that they have are on the amounts. Mnuchin said he would continue to work on this. He said he told the speaker that he is available any time to negotiate. Mnuchin said he expects the Problem Solver Caucus to create a stimulus proposal later Monday. Check these out: GOP Proposed New Stimulus Package. Who Will Be Included? Are You in the First Line of Receiving the Second Stimulus Check? Student Debts Excluded From Second Round of Stimulus Package, Should Be Scrapped Your daily look at late-breaking news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about today: 1. HURRICANE SALLYS PLODDING PATH Forecasters, stressing significant uncertainty, are nudging the storms predicted track to the east, easing fears in New Orleans while raising concerns in the Florida Panhandles westernmost counties. 2. PROJECTING STATESMAN IN CHIEF President Trump will host a ceremony on the South Lawn sealing agreements between Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain which could shift power dynamics in the Middle East. 3. SMOKE FROM WESTERN FIRES Oregon, Washington and parts of California are struggling under acrid yellowish-green smog, the worst, most unhealthy air on the planet according to some measurements. 4. BILL COSBYS LEGAL ACTION The actor was the first celebrity to go on trial in the #MeToo era, and his appeal could resolve lingering questions about how sexual abuse cases should be tried. 5. CIVIL RIGHTS ICONS HOUSE ON TOUR The run-down, paint-chipped Detroit two-story building where Rosa Parks took refuge after her historic bus boycott is going on display in Italy and has yet to find a permanent U.S. home. India on Tuesday walked out of a meeting of the national security advisors of the member countries of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in protest after the Pakistani representative used a fictitious" map showing Indian territories as part of Pakistan. The meeting, which was chaired by Russia, saw National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval walk out. This was in blatant disregard to the advisory by the host against it and in violation of the norms of the meeting. After consultation with the host, the Indian side left the meeting in protest at that juncture," said Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava. As was to be expected, Pakistan then went on to present a misleading view of this meeting," said Srivastava, responding to a query on the issue. Government sources said the Pakistani action was blatant violation" of the SCO charter and against all its established norms of safeguarding the sovereignty and territorial integrity of SCO member states. The sources added that India issued its strong objection and the Russian side tried very hard to persuade Pakistan not to use the map. Nikolai Patrushev, Secretary of the National Security Council of Russian Federation, said Moscow does not support what Pakistan has done and hopes that the provocative act" will not affect Indias participation in the SCO. On the eve of the anniversary of abrogation of Article 370, Pakistan last month had issued a new map showing all of Kashmir as part of its territory. The map also includes not just parts of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh but also Junagarh in Gujarat. India has dismissed the new map as an exercise in political absurdity" and has accused Pakistan of laying untenable claims to territories in Gujarat and the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and of Ladakh. Hurricane Sally was expected to bring up to 20 inches of rain to parts of Pensacola, Florida, as it moved at a snails pace in the northern Gulf of Mexico. According to local reports, waves of 8 to 12 feet were possible, along with a storm surge as high as three feet. In nearby Mobile Bay, Alabama, surges as high as seven feet were predicted. This footage was taken in Pensacola Beach on the morning of September 15. Credit: Sharelle Herd Robinson via Storyful TOKYO (Reuters) - United Airlines said it would close its flight attendant base at Japan's Narita airport on Oct. 1, a move that will affect 270 flight attendants. Some of the 270 flight attendants may be eligible for a transfer to the United States, a spokeswoman said on Monday, confirming a plan first reported by Reuters in June that also affects the airline's flight crew bases in Frankfurt and Hong Kong. Chicago-based United said earlier this month it was preparing to furlough 16,370 U.S. workers when federal aid expires on Oct. 1 as the pandemic continues to devastate the airline industry. The job cuts include 6,920 flight attendants. (Reporting by Junko Fujita; Editing by Bernadette Baum and Jonathan Oatis) Emirates has announced it will resume its A380 service to Moscow Domodedovo Airport (DME) - serving market demand and offering customers more travel options. The airline resumed flights to the Russian capital last week and due to strong passenger demand, its iconic Emirates A380 will operate the Dubai to Moscow route starting September 18. Emirates currently serves five cities utilising its A380 aircraft including, Cairo, Paris, London Heathrow, Guangzhou and Toronto. The Emirates A380 experience remains highly sought after by travellers for its spacious and comfortable cabins. The airline will gradually expand the deployment of this popular aircraft in line with demand and operational approvals. Flights to Moscow will operate every Friday and Saturday. On Fridays, Emirates flight EK 133 will depart Dubai at 10:10hrs and arrive in Moscow at 14:25hrs local time. The return flight, EK 134 will depart Moscow at 17:35hrs and arrive in Dubai at 23:35hrs local time. On Saturdays, Emirates flight EK 131 will depart Dubai at 16:15hrs and arrive in Moscow at 20:30hrs local time. The return flight, EK 132 will depart Moscow at 23:20hrs and arrive in Dubai at 05:30hrs local time, the following day. Flights can be booked on emirates.com or via travel agents. Travellers can also enjoy enhanced connectivity via Emirates' codeshare partner in Russia, S7 Airlines providing greater access to a range of regional destinations. Emirates currently serves over 85 destinations in its network, offering passengers travelling between the Americas, Europe, Africa, Middle East, and Asia Pacific safe and convenient connections via Dubai. Customers can stop over or travel to Dubai as the city has re-opened for international business and leisure visitors. Ensuring the safety of travellers, visitors, and the community, Covid-19 PCR tests are mandatory for all inbound and transit passengers arriving to Dubai (and the UAE), including UAE citizens, residents and tourists, irrespective of the country they are coming from. Emirates customers who require a Covid-19 PCR test certificate prior to departure from Dubai, can avail of special rates at the American Hospital and their satellite clinics across Dubai by simply presenting their ticket or boarding pass. Home or office testing is also available, with results in 48 hours, said the statement. - TradeArabia News Service Cari Gundee rides her Peloton exercise bike at her home on April 06, 2020 in San Anselmo, California. Peloton just had a breakout quarter, as sales of its high-tech bikes skyrocketed, and its subscriber base surged at a triple-digit rate, with more people than ever working out at home. And at a time when many other businesses are using the uncertainty brought by the coronavirus pandemic to yank financial forecasts, Peloton is raising the bar for itself. CEO John Foley said the fitness company is aiming to have 100 million paying subscribers. "100 million subscribers, we believe is a reasonable goal," Foley said Tuesday during Peloton's first investor meeting as a public company, which was held virtually. "There's close to 200 million gym-goers in the world. That's 200 million people paying hard money, month after month, to access what we believe to be inferior fitness equipment in an inferior location." Peloton ended its latest quarter with more than 1.09 million connected fitness subscribers, up 113% from a year earlier, and roughly 3.1 million members in total, including those who only pay for its digital subscription. Connected fitness subscribers are people who pay $39 per month to sync workout classes to their Peloton equipment, versus accessing the programs separately through a phone or tablet and paying just $12.99. Here are the six things Foley said will get the company to 100 million subscribers: Dissident author, poet, and musician Liao Yiwu fled China in 2011 to live in Germany after suffering harassment, imprisonment, torture, and abject poverty for years as a result of his criticism of the ruling Chinese Communist Party. He has published a string of books and article collections exposing the darker side of life under single party rule in mainland China, and continues to write and publish in exile. He spoke to RFA's Mandarin Service about his latest book about the emergence of COVID-19 in the central Chinese city of Wuhan, which is soon to be published in Taiwan: Liao Yiwu: I wrote a book titled When the Wuhan Virus Arrives, which is a factual story about the pandemic. The story begins when citizen journalist Li Zehua goes to a top-security virology lab [in Wuhan] and is hunted down by the authorities. That takes us to the second story line, in which an exchange scholar from Wuhan returns to China from the U.S. for Lunar New Year, but finds the city under lockdown. By the time he gets home, his wife has died of the virus. Later, he gets detained by police for talking about the origin of the virus online. RFA: You say there has been a change in attitude towards China in Europe, as evidenced by the recent trip to Europe by Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi. When did that change start happening? Liao Yiwu: Probably around the death of [Nobel peace laureate and veteran dissident] Liu Xiaobo. In 2017, I helped to draft a document calling for the release of Liu Xiaobo [from a prison hospital]. We did the absolute best we could at the time, but Liu was still effectively murdered by the Chinese Communist Party in prison. They didn't make a single concession, and everyone could see that Liu Xiaobo died horribly. RFA: What did the EU learn from that incident? Liao Yiwu: I can't really comment on that. I can only record history as it happens. I think that the [1989] Tiananmen massacre provides a valuable lesson to Western countries in their dealings with China. From that point onwards, the West should have understood that it is dealing with a murderous regime. Now, that process has continued, almost to the point where we are in the last battle. All kinds of blatant human rights violations have come to light, from the imposition of the national security law on Hong Kong, to Xinjiang and Tibet. If the West continues to do business with the Chinese Communist Party, then we could see the end of the world as we know it. It's terrifying. RFA: You once said you were greatly inspired by meeting some of those who protested on Tiananmen Square in 1989. What do you see as the similarities and differences between the 1989 democracy movement and that of Hong Kong? Liao Yiwu: On June 4, 1989, they used an old-fashioned method to suppress the protests, sending in more than 200,000 regular troops, tanks, and armored cars to attack civilians. Hong Kong had the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration ... and is a cosmopolitan city. But a key factor is terrain. It's harder to send in large columns of tanks, and it would take far longer to carry out such a massacre in Hong Kong. But the authorities have been killing people in the democracy movement. If you really investigate in detail, you will find that the numbers of dead and missing people is quite shocking. Where are these people? RFA: Many of your books record details of torture and imprisonment. How do you deal with pain and suffering like that? Liao Yiwu: I have myself served time as a political prisoner. During my time in prison, I came into contact with a large number of so-called thugs [former protesters on Tiananmen Square]. My book Bullets and Opium: Real-Life Stories of China After the Tiananmen Square Massacre, is partly set in Beijing and partly in Sichuan. It's about the people I was in prison with. I just invited them to make their voices heard. It was first published in Germany at that time, and the public was shocked. It was launched in the United States in 2019. Critics consider it to be the most important testimony since 1940, because most of these victims were in China, and some had been jailed several times, but the root cause was always the Tiananmen massacre. RFA: And yet they continue to resist tyranny. What kind of people are they? Liao Yiwu: They started out young and full of enthusiasm. Now, they have gotten old, like my friend Li Bifeng, who was nearly 60 by the time he got out the last time, and only in his 20s when he went in. They are unwavering in their beliefs in the face of such hopelessness. RFA: The central metaphor of Bullets and Opium is that bullets were used to deal with unarmed civil unrest, while the opium of economic development was offered to numb people's pain. Has this model changed in the past 30 years? Liao Yiwu: It has now been extended to Hong Kong, Xinjiang, Tibet, and Inner Mongolia, and it has even spread to some politicians in the West. It is as difficult for them to cut off their relationship with the Chinese Communist Party as it is to quit opium when you're addicted. Many Western countries have become deeply addicted [to China trade]. In the past, they have aided and abetted the murderous Chinese regime in return for pockets bulging with cash. Right now we are going through a process of detoxification. All of this high-tech spying must be eradicated if we to truly quit our habit. Otherwise, nowhere will be safe. It'll be like Orwell's 1984. RFA: So this book is also a kind of warning? Liao Yiwu: Yes, that if you don't actively promote democracy, dictatorship will expand to engulf the West. This what we are seeing now. We will be hit by snowballing humanitarian crises. Dictatorships will continue to cause humanitarian disasters, because they will keep pushing their agenda until they have taken over all of the world's science and technology, and control the economy. This is called rule by human weakness; if they push enough opium on us, we won't be able to resist. RFA: How do we deal with the backlash? Liao Yiwu: You have to be firm. We must believe that a democratic system is the best system. Only democracy can bring the dawn to mankind. We cannot waver in this respect. Reported by Jane Tang for RFA's Mandarin Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie. At his meeting with staff members Tuesday, Caputo apologized for his remarks and the embarrassment they brought upon the agency, according to the people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the proceedings. He also indicated his departure might be imminent, saying he was considering a medical leave. He added that his family had been receiving threats and that his physical health was in question. SAN FRANCISCO Twenty-six suspected Sureno members and associates have been charged with serious crimes, including murder, according to Bay Area officials who Tuesday announced the arrests after a years-long law enforcement operation targeting the Southern California-based gang that has earned a reputation for violent reprisals against informants and rivals. Known as Operation Boulevard Blues, the FBI and Concord police-led operation brought four Contra Costa homicide investigations to a close and resulted in 11 suspected Surenos facing murder and gang charges in state court. Authorities served 34 search warrants across the Bay Area in recent weeks and seized 42 guns, according to prosecutors. The four homicides occurred in 2014-15 but were just recently solved, police said. Three were in Concord, one occurred in Antioch. The victims include Luis Estrada, a 16-year-old boy who in November 2015 was taken to a Concord park, ambushed, and shot in the head by someone he thought was a friend, according to the criminal complaint. Police say the conspiracy to kill Estrada included his own cousin, who is accused of luring Estrada into danger that night. Another man, 21-year-old Victor Gutierrez, was shot and killed in April 2014 by a Sureno who was out looking for rival Norteno members to shoot and used a pistol with a laser sight to gun him down, according to authorities. Additionally, 15 suspects were brought up on federal charges, including 12 defendants charged with distributing large amounts of heroin and meth out of Concord. Another two are charged with dealing firearms without a license and another man was charged with gun possession. The federal charges centered on an area of Concord along Monument Boulevard also referred to. as "The Bully" which has been known as a Sureno hotspot for decades. At a Tuesday news conference, U.S. Attorney Dave Anderson said the gang had taken a shopping center on Monument and turned it into "one stop shop for guns and drugs," without trying to hide it, a fact Anderson said authorities found "particularly appalling." "The defendants peddled their drugs in broad daylight, in public places," Anderson said. The drug charges are based on a series of controlled purchases done by a federal confidential informant in Concord and Pleasant Hill, according to the criminal complaint. Several pounds of meth were seized, according to court records. Anderson, appointed by U.S. Attorney William Barr in 2019, claimed the charges "explode the myth of the non-violent drug dealer." "Drugs are expensive. Drugs are dangerous. Where we find drugs, we almost always find guns," he said. Though it originated in Los Angeles, the Sureno has subsets all over the Bay Area, including Concord, Antioch, Brentwood, North Richmond, and Vallejo, authorities said. The gang associates with the Mexican Mafia in California prisons, uses the color blue to distinguish itself, and claims the number 13 as a symbol. The gang has a major presence in Concord, with subsets known as the South Side Locos, Aztec Kings, Murder Mob /Murder Meadows, Brown Crowd Locos (which also has members in Vallejo), Brown Pride Locos, and the Beach Flats Surenos, which originated in Santa Cruz, according to the criminal complaint. The SSL subset has existed in Concord for a quarter-century, according to the criminal complaint. Three of the four charged homicides were allegedly motivated by gang rivalry. "Monument Boulevard is safer today," Concord Police Chief Mark Bustillos said at the news conference. "These are guns that would be used in criminal street acts. We were able to solve four cold-case homicides. It's really important that we bring closure to those victims' families after years of not having anyone arrested." Series of gang-related killings Though police informants are never viewed favorably in any gang's culture, the Surenos in the Bay Area are known for being particularly ruthless when it comes to targeting so-called "snitches." Since 2012, authorities in Contra Costa have investigated numerous violent crimes, including several murders, where the victim was either a police informant or related to one. Estrada's killing was among them, police say. Before the killing, Sureno members allegedly passed court paperwork around showing Estrada had cooperated with police on a case that sent two Surenos to jail. Estrada associated with Surenos growing up, police said, but in the weeks before his death he'd drawn the ire of some SSL members. It started when he began dating a girl who associated with Nortenos and posted a picture on social media of them, while she gripped a red rag, a Norteno symbol, authorities wrote in court records. On Nov. 30, 2015, Estrada's cousin, 25-year-old Andrew Cervantes, allegedly asked Estrada to join him and others as they went around Concord looking for rival Nortenos to shoot, the criminal complaint alleges. When they got to Hillcrest Park in Concord, Michael Valdez, 24, allegedly murdered Estrada, shooting him in the head at short range. Valdez, Cervantes, and a third man, Daniel Rodriguez, 29, allegedly then drove to Benicia, getting rid of evidence along the way. Two weeks before Estrada's death, in Antioch, Valdez allegedly shot and killed 18-year-old Marcos Villazon near Sycamore Drive. The charging records do not list a suspected motive, but police said at the time that Villazon's killer had issued a gang taunt before opening fire. Six people Antonio Gonzalez, 26, Aurelio Mendez, 24, Jose Ochoa, 24, Marcos Ochoa, 26, Jose Cisneros-Naranjo Jr., and Luis Cruz, are charged with conspiring to kill 20-year-old Erick Cruz, who was shot and killed outside of Pine Meadows apartments in September 2015. The charging documents allege the defendants killed Erick Cruz over a dispute involving a .357 pistol in Cruz's possession. The charging records do not name the suspected shooter, but say that Cruz was shot in the back while meeting with all six defendants, with a gun owned by Jose Ochoa. Two people, Rafael A. Lopez, 31, and Juan Barocio Jr., 27, are charged with murdering Gutierrez. The records allege that Barocio drove a van to and from the scene of the crime, and that Lopez opened fire at Gutierrez after spotting him walking by. The two were driving around 1600 block of Adelaide Street looking for rivals to shoot, the complaint alleges. Watch now: How to safely celebrate Halloween during the pandemic Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. By Erwin Seba HOUSTON (Reuters) - Energy companies, ports and refiners raced on Monday to shut down as Hurricane Sally grew stronger while lumbering toward the central U.S. Gulf Coast, the second significant hurricane to shutter oil and gas activity over the last month. The hurricane is disrupting oil imports and exports as the nation's sole offshore terminal, the Louisiana Offshore Oil Port (LOOP), stopped loading tanker ships on Sunday, while the port of New Orleans closed on Monday. The U.S. government said 21%, or nearly 396,000 barrels per day (bpd), of offshore crude oil production and 25%, or 685 million cubic feet per day (mmcfd), of natural gas output were shut in the U.S.-regulated northern Gulf of Mexico. That area produces about 17% of U.S. crude oil and 5% of U.S. natural gas output. Sally was upgraded to a hurricane on Monday, with expected landfall on Tuesday, the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) said, but its trajectory has shifted east toward Mississippi, likely sparing some of Louisiana's refining operations. As of 4 p.m. CDT (2100 GMT), Sally was about 105 miles (170 km) east-southeast of the mouth of the Mississippi River, and winds were picking up, with sustained winds of up to 100 mph (155 kph). Numerous offshore production facilities have been shut, including those operated by Chevron Corp and BP Plc . Last month, Hurricane Laura forced roughly 1.5 million barrels per day of output to close temporarily. The port of New Orleans and LOOP combined exported about 307,000 bpd of crude and 411,000 bpd of refined products, and imported about 342,000 bpd of crude for the June-August period, according to Kpler data. Sally's impact could extend beyond the storm's duration, said an industry analyst. "I don't expect to see damage from wind, but we could see a significant amount of onshore flooding that impacts infrastructure that subsequently impacts Gulf of Mexico production," said Andrew Lipow of Lipow Oil Associates in Houston. Story continues Officials in Mississippi and Louisiana issued mandatory evacuations for residents in low-lying areas. The U.S. Coast Guard said all traffic from the port of New Orleans would be stopped at 6 p.m. CDT (2300 GMT). The Coast Guard shut the ports of Gulfport and Pascagoula, Mississippi, Mobile, Alabama and Pensacola, Florida, at midday. Refiners in the region wound down operations. The Phillips 66 Alliance oil refinery, which processes 255,600 bpd at a site along the Mississippi River on the coast of Louisiana, shut on Monday, said operator Phillips 66. Shell cut production to minimum rates on Monday at its 227,400-bpd Norco, Louisiana, refinery, including idling its crude distillation unit, said sources familiar with plant operations. Valero Energy Corp's 125,000-bpd Meraux, Louisiana, refinery plans to continue normal operations as the storm will pass to the east, sources told Reuters. PBF Energy Inc's 190,000-bpd Chalmette, Louisiana, refinery was also continuing normal operations, said sources familiar with operations at that plant. Chevron, BP, Equinor and Murphy Oil Corp evacuated some offshore workers from production platforms, the companies reported. Royal Dutch Shell Plc curtailed production at its Olympus, Mars and Appomattox platforms on Monday, the company said. (Reporting by Erwin Seba, Gary McWilliams in Houston and Devika Krishna Kumar in New York; Editing by Bernadette Baum and Timothy Gardner) Brett Carlsen/Getty ImagesThe city of Louisville, Kentucky, has reached a record $12 million settlement with the family of Breonna Taylor, the emergency medical technician shot to death by police in her own home. The settlement was announced by city officials and Taylor's family on Tuesday afternoon and includes a major police reform package. Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer began the news conference by saying Taylor's death 186 days ago "ignited a movement in Louisville and the nation for racial justice." Speaking directly to Taylor's mother, Tamika Palmer, Fischer said, "I cannot begin to imagine Ms. Palmer's pain and I'm deeply, deeply sorry for Breonna's death." Fischer said that in addition to the monetary settlement, the largest in a police use-of-force case in Louisville history, the city will implement a series of police department reforms "to prevent a tragedy like this from ever happening again." Among the reforms will be building stronger connections between police and the communities they serve by establishing a housing credit program to incentivize officers to live in certain low-income census tracts in the city. Officers will also be encouraged to volunteer two hours every two-week pay period in the communities they serve. The mayor said a program would be established to include social workers in the Louisville Metro Police Department, as well as reforms that call for more transparency and accountability for police officers. Random drug testing of officers will be increased and the city will negotiate with the police union in 2021 to expand on the disciplinary records that can be maintained in an officer's personnel file. The city will also institute an "early warning system" to track all use-of-force incidents and citizen complaints. Lonita Baker, an attorney for the Taylor family, said a settlement was "non-negotiable without significant police reform." An emotional Palmer added that the fight for justice for her daughter does not stop with the settlement. ''As significant as today is, its only the beginning of getting full justice for Breonna,'' Palmer said. The three officers involved in the shooting were placed on administrative reassignment pending the results of an investigation. One officer was later fired. None of the three have been arrested. By Bill Hutchinson, Sabina Ghebremedhin, and Stephanie Wash Copyright 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved. The US has banned the import of five goods from China, including computer-parts, cotton and hair products, alleging that they are produced in forced labour camps in the restive Muslim-majority Xinjiang province. The US-China relations have deteriorated after the COVID-19 outbreak, with President Donald Trump squarely blaming Beijing for allowing the disease to spread across the world. The relations have further worsened over allegations of human rights abuses in Xinjiang province, autonomy of Hong Kong, Tibet, and technology theft. In a statement on Monday, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said the products subject to the import ban are cotton, apparel, computer parts, and hair products. The fifth ban is on all products made with labour from the Lop County Number 4 Vocational Skills Education and Training Center in Xinjiang. These goods are produced with state-sponsored forced labour in Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, where the Chinese government is engaged in systemic human rights abuses against the Uyghur people and other ethnic and religious minorities, the DHS statement said. The US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) had earlier issued five Withhold Release Orders (WRO) to uphold the ban. The WROs prevent goods from being imported into the US when there are accusations of forced labour. "The Trump Administration has led the world in calling attention to the Chinese Communist Party''s (CPC) egregious human rights abuses in Xinjiang, and we''ve taken action to back up our rhetoric," Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said. "These actions send a clear message to the PRC (People''s Republic of China) that it is time to end its practice of state-sponsored forced labour and to respect the human rights of all people," he said. In line with the WROs, the CBP will now detain shipments of these goods. The ban on goods produced using forced labour is in line with the US customs laws. "These orders demonstrate that the world will not stand for the PRC''s human rights abuses against Uighurs and members of other Muslim minority groups in Xinjiang, which include subjecting individuals to forced labour and stripping them of their freedom and agency to choose how and where they work," Pompeo said. By taking this action, the DHS is combating illegal and inhumane forced labour, a type of modern slavery, used to make goods that the Chinese government then tries to import into the United States, said Acting DHS Deputy Secretary Ken Cuccinelli. When China attempts to import these goods into our supply chains, it also disadvantages American workers and businesses, he pointed out. "President Trump and this department have and always will put American workers and businesses first and protect American citizens from participating in these egregious human rights violations," he said. In fiscal year 2020, the CBP has issued an unprecedented 12 WROs, including eight on products from China. In July, the US sanctioned three senior members of the CPC for the "unjust detention and abuse of Uighurs, ethnic AKazakhs and members of other minority groups in Xinjiang". China is accused of mass detentions, religious persecution and forced sterilisation of Uighurs and others in the resource-rich northwestern province. There's still time to get involved! Solar advocates are encouraged to organize a Local Solar Tour in their area. Open Houses can feature solar, other renewables, sustainability features, and energy efficient tactics. Hosting a Local Solar Tour is as easy as 1, 2, 3: Sign-up your Local Solar Tour - This is a five minute form that will help generate the information for your Local Solar Tour Recruit other solar advocates who have gone solar to host an Open House on your Local Tour and have them record a Tour Videos (around 5 minutes long) or shoot a Photo Tour Fill out the Open House form for each Tour Site - Indicate the Local Solar Tour name on the form and upload the Tour Video or Photo Tour for each Open House on your Local Solar Tour After completing these steps, a Tour webpage will be automatically generated for your Local Solar Tour (you can also opt to include your own web page should you not wish to have one created for you). The Tour web pages will display video and photo tours along with any contact information you want to share, sponsor logos, welcome videos or any additional information you would like to share with attendees. Local organizers interested in hosting a Local Solar Tour should sign up to participate by September 23. Attendees will log into nationalsolartour.org with an email to view live programming or solar Tours starting on September 28. Once logged in there will be a map of all Local Solar Tours and individual Open Houses, these sites will be pinned on the map by zip codes and will be searchable by other variables as well. Attendees then can click on the pin of any Local Solar Tour or individual Open House and view the videos or photo tours associated with that site. Don't forget to RSVP to attend the National Solar Tour at nationalsolartour.org/rsvp2020 . 2020 National Solar Tour Program Schedule *Subject to Change* Monday September 28 - Electric Vehicle Day EV Panel Tuesday, September 29 - Solar Homes Day Coffee Chat with Solar Owners All About Solar/Intro to Solar Going Solar with a Certified Installer | NABCEP Happy Hour with Solar Owners Wednesday September 30 - Solar Businesses Day Solar for Small Business Solar Businesses and Sustainability Panel Thursday, October 1 - Solar Schools Day A Brighter Future for Schools Through Solar Electrify Your Ride to School Students Lead the Charge for Solar Friday, October 2 - Community Building Day Policy Session | Community Solar Energy and Equity Panel Veterans Program | NABCEP Movie Screening Saturday, October 3 & Sunday, October 4 - Virtual Solar Tours Established in 1954, ASES is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that advocates for sustainable living and 100% renewable energy by sharing information, events and resources to cultivate community and power progress. With 34 regional chapters, ASES integrates the perspectives of science, industry, policy and citizens. It publishes the award-winning Solar Today magazine, the e-newsletter [email protected] for renewable energy professionals, and hosts monthly webinars for the ASES Webinar Series . ASES also hosts the ASES National Solar Conference , which will take place for its 50th anniversary, August 3rd - 6th, 2021 in Boulder, Colorado. Solar United Neighbors helps people go solar, join together, and fight for their energy rights. The organization helps thousands of people go solar every year through bulk purchase groups known as "solar co-ops," as well as through paid membership programs. Members receive ongoing support in researching and purchasing solar, enjoy discounts and guidance on system maintenance and join a community of solar supporters fighting to ensure their investment in solar is protected. SOURCE American Solar Energy Society Related Links https://www.ases.org Reports of bears entering homes in Connecticut have more than doubled since last year, and experts are urging the public to remember important tips to coexist with bears as encounters continue across the state. The state Department of Energy and Environment Protections Wildlife Division said as these encounters continue across the state, there are simple steps to prevent bears from learning bad behavior, specifically in terms of food rewards. DEEP has received more reports of bears entering homes than in any previous year with 42 home entries reported this year through Sept. 10. Bears were reported to have entered 17 homes across Connecticut in all of 2019. These tips are important now more than ever as fall approaches and black bears increase their food intake to add fat reserves to make it through winter hibernation, DEEP warns. Officials said bears that eat human-associated foods, including birdseed, trash and pet food, on a regular basis become comfortable around people and associate humans with food, creating a dangerous situation for the animal and the humans. Jenny Dickson, director of the Wildlife Division, said bears should never be fed, intentionally or unintentionally. Bears that are attracted to homes by easily-accessible foods lose their fear of humans, she said. It is important to remember to keep your grill clean and garbage secured and indoors until collection day to avoid giving bears a tempting snack. Bears that are rewarded by easy meals spend more time in neighborhoods and near people, increasing risks to public safety, the likelihood of property damage and the possibility that the bears may be hit and killed by vehicles. While there are things that serve as bear attractants, bird feeders and garbage are the most common. Bird feeders should be taken down from April 1 through at least Nov. 30 to ensure they dont attract bears, according to the Wildlife Division. The feeders should also stay down during a mild winter. Even empty bird feeders can draw the attention of a bear. The Wildlife Division recommends residents store garbage bins in in a closed garage or shed. Trash haulers also offer bear resistant bins for trash, making it significantly more difficult for a bear to get access to the garbage inside. The division also urged residents to freeze food scraps until trash day and add ammonia to the trash bags to lessen the smell to bears. Feed for livestock or pets should not be stored outside, in a garage or on a porch. Food should never be left in a vehicle; bears are strong enough to break a car window. Be cautious about leaving doors open with only screens, the Wildlife Division suggested, adding that kitchen aromas can attract bears who can easily get through a thin screen. More tips about dealing with bears can be found on the DEEP website. In the rare case that a bear appears to be aggressive toward people, residents should immediately call DEEPs 24-hour dispatch line at 860-424-3333. President Donald Trump has warned Iran that any attack against the US would be retaliated with "1,000 times greater in magnitude" after media reports that Tehran is planning to avenge the killing of top general Qasem Soleimani in January. The death of Gen Soleimani, head of Iran's elite Quds Force, in a US airstrike near Baghdad's airport marks a major escalation in the standoff between Washington and Tehran, since US President Trump withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal and imposed crippling sanctions. Iran had vowed to seek revenge for Gen Soleimani's killing. Any attack by Iran, in any form, against the United States will be met with an attack on Iran that will be 1,000 times greater in magnitude! Trump said in a tweet after news reports emerged that Iran is planning some kind of attack against the US. "Iran may be planning an assassination or other attack, against the US in retaliation for the killing of terrorist leader Soleimani, which was carried out for his planning a future attack, murdering US Troops, and the death & suffering caused over so many years, Trump wrote. In a news report based on unnamed intelligence sources, the Politico said "the Iranian government is weighing an assassination attempt against the American ambassador to South Africa Lana Marks. If carried out, it could dramatically ratchet up already serious tensions between the US and Iran and create enormous pressure on Trump to strike back possibly in the middle of a tense election season, the American news outlet said. An intelligence source told Fox News that the intel community is taking the threat against the ambassador seriously and believe the Iranian regime potentially has the ability to act on an assassination plot. Iran has in the past planned assassinations of American ambassadors -- which is partly why the intelligence community is taking this particular threat assessment seriously, the news channel said. Iran has denied the allegations. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said in a statement that the assassination allegations were part of ongoing anti-Iranian propaganda by the Americans ahead of the elections scheduled for November 3. Meanwhile, reacting on the reports South Africa's State Security Agency (SSA) said that it has "noted the rising public interest on the matter and would like to assure all South African citizens and interested parties that the matter is receiving the necessary attention." The agency is interacting with all relevant partners both in the country and abroad, to ensure that no harm will be suffered by the US Ambassador, including any other Diplomatic Officials inside the borders of our country, it said in a statement. The Minister of State Security, Ayanda Dlodlo has affirmed that South Africa has a duty to protect maximally, all diplomatic officials who are on state duty in the country. Marks, 66, who was sworn in as U.S. ambassador in October last year, has been a close associate of President Trump for almost two decades. She was born in South Africa. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-15 16:41:43|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close SUVA, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Safe houses should be more accessible to victims of gender-based violence in Fiji, a Fijian minister said Tuesday. Speaking at a consultation on guidelines about safe-houses for victims of violence, Fiji's Minister for Women Mereseini Vuniwaqa said that safe-houses provide hope to victims of violence and making them widely available is a priority. "Shelters are a critical component of a holistic response to survivors. Shelters provide a form of secure accommodation for survivors providing essential aspects of protection, services empowerment and resources which enable women who have experienced abuse and their children to recover from violence to build self-esteem to regain a self-determined and independent life," said the minister. So far this year, the ministry has registered 1,545 assault cases against women alone. Shelter organizations in Fiji are part of the workshop which aims to put together guidelines and standards for women and children. Fiji's rates of violence against women are among the highest in the world. The Fiji Women's Crisis Center reports that 64 percent of women who have been in intimate relationships have experienced physical or sexual violence from their partner, including 61 percent who were physically attacked and 34 percent who were sexually abused. United Nations Women Program Specialist Abigail Erikson is hopeful the participants will come up with a favourable outcome. "So we're really hoping that this workshop can help address the issue of violence against women and girls by continuing to talk about it and look at how we can work together to solve the problem, and also to ensure that those who do experience violence are able to get a shelter that is safe and accessible." Enditem In the Virtual Voyagers Design Mission, students K-12 will design a new invention that will help people collaborate virtually while keeping their personal information secure and protecting privacy. The free virtual design challenge encourages real-world critical thinking, communication, and overall Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) skills while connecting students to a larger national movement. The program includes a free curriculum and mobile community on pod.io , for educators and parents to share projects and ideas. "In this new era of virtual learning and working, cybersecurity has become of paramount importance," said Dr Jo Webber, President of STEMconnector "This program is designed to drive awareness of the importance of cybersecurity and help students to make the connection that what they learn in school can actually be applied in the world around them." "It is critically important in the era of Digital Transformation and the Internet of Things, to place significant safeguards on data and personal information through resilient cyber security practices and controls. Our Global Tech team is focused on this every day at Walmart." said Jerry Geisler, SVP and Chief Information Security Officer, Walmart. On October 1st, STEMconnector will host a free virtual webinar for teachers, parents, and out-of-school instructors: Day of Design: Join the Virtual Voyage - How to Navigate your Mission. This webinar will walk teachers and parents through the activity and how to complete it with their students. About Day of Design | STEMconnector Day of Design is an annual initiative of STEMconnector, a professional services firm committed to increasing the number of STEM-ready workers in the global talent pool. The organization provides a platform for cross-sector learning and engagement for a passionate network of leaders who are collectively re-envisioning the workforce. Learn more at STEMconnector.com. For additional information, contact [email protected] Contact: Chris Warwick Email: [email protected] SOURCE STEMconnector Related Links http://STEMconnector.com Mumbai, Sep 15 : A drug peddler arrested in Goa has been brought to Mumbai on a transit remand by the Narcotics Control Bureau, an official said here on Tuesday. Chris Costa will be examined further in the drug case related to the death of Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput. He was nabbed last Sunday and was likely to be produced before a Mumbai court later in the day, said NCB Deputy Director K.P.S. Malhotra. He was among the latest lot of drug peddlers, narcotics dealers and contraband suppliers nabbed in the past 2-3 days in Mumbai. The others arrested have been sent to NCB or judicial custody for varying periods on Monday. With the NCB making headway, so far a total of 18, including actress Rhea Chakraborty, her brother Showik and others have been arrested in the drugs angle pertaining to the Sushant case. Besides, the NCB's needle of suspicion is pointing at some others in the glamour industry which is facing a turbulence since Sushant's death. Advertisement Smoke from a spate of devastating wildfires blazing in the West Coast has blown thousands of miles across the country covering New York, the Midwest and Canada. California, Oregon and Washington state are battling fires of historic proportion that have razed more than five million acres and left 36 people dead. The intense smoke has blanketed San Francisco in orange and greyish smoke and winds are moving that smoke eastward. Wind has blown medium smoke coverage across upper western US to Michigan and the Great Lakes region and over New York. Wind has also pushed medium smoke southwest to Missouri, Illinois and Kentucky, and light smoke coverage ending in the Mid-Atlantic, according the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Office of Satellite and Product Operations. Smoke from a spate of devastating wildfires blazing in the West Coast has blown thousands of miles across the country covering New York, the Midwest and Canada. This map shows how medium smoke coverage is affecting Illinois, Michigan, and light smoke coverage is hitting the East Coast This map shows the thick smog of smoke spreading over the East Coast from the wildfires in California, Oregon and Washington on Tuesday. Most of this smoke should be between 15,000 and 20,000 feet above ground level Hazy NYC: The sun rises behind the Empire State Building Tuesday morning in a haze created from smoke from the west coast wildfires as seen from Hoboken, New Jersey 'Even though we have a sunny and dry forecast coming up, don't be surprised if it's more of a milky sun, or filtered sun,' Meterologist Lee Goldberg with ABC7 said of smoke coverage effecting New York City Monday New York Metro Weather said that the smoke will remain at 15,000 to 20,000 feet and won't impact ground level air quality. The main effects of the incoming smoke will be hazy skies and cooler temperatures The only states spared from the cover are Nevada, Utah and Colorado. There are currently 87 large wildfires burning in 10 states, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. On Monday and Tuesday, New York City saw a hazy sky and grey clouds as a result of the incoming smoke. New England is anticipated to see the brownish haze on Tuesday again. Meteorologists say with dry Canadian air headed out way we would normally see cobalt-blue skies, but instead the Big Apple saw a cloudy, murky sky. 'Even though we have a sunny and dry forecast coming up, don't be surprised if it's more of a milky sun, or filtered sun,' Meterologist Lee Goldberg with ABC7 said. 'Been thinking it's been oddly overcast in NYC today without any rain forecast. Then I looked up at the sun and saw that it was red. Guys- that's the smoke from the west coast. It's making the sky in NEW YORK hazy,' one Twitter noted. 'Wow the sky in New York is super hazy this morning from the west coast fires as predicted. Forecast was supposed to be sunny,' another added. Satellite imagery on Saturday showed an area, marked orange, of smoke that has reached as far east as Michigan, about 2,000 miles away from the West Coast The smoke was blanketing an area of almost one million square miles, according to this satellite photo Oregon's Bureau of Land Management produced a map showing the fires in red, concentrated in Oregon and California One man shared a photo of the grey and orange streaked smoke over the Hudson River saying: 'Were all connected. The smoke from the West Coast fires have reached New York City. The sky was hazy and the sun appeared like a flat disc, trying desperately to shine through.' The haze coming to the East Coast hasnt impacted the airquality in most eastern states. From North Dakota to New York air quality is still considered 'good' in areas where smoke has traveled, according to CNN. The National Weather Service Weather Prediction Center shared a startling satellite image on Saturday showing smoke billowing across the West, right into Michigan - a distance of around 2,000 miles. 'Here is a visible satellite image valid at 2pm PDT showing the vast extent of the wildfire smoke,' the agency tweeted on Saturday. 'The area in the orange contour is smoke in the mid-upper levels of the atmosphere that has reached as far east as Michigan! The red contour is the dense smoke near the West Coast.' Meanwhile residents of Oregon, Washington and California are suffering the worst, most unhealthy air on the planet according to some measurements under the swathe of yellow and orange smog. In those states the air quality is considered hazardous, according to AirNow, an air quality database maintained by government agencies. A firefighter in California is pictured on Saturday attacking the Bobcat Fire, near Arcadia Skies above Encinitas, California, were thick with orange smoke on Sunday morning The usually blue skies above Encinitas were orange with smoke and ash on Sunday A heavy layer of wildfire smoke hangs in the air as deer forage on a farm near Elkton in rural western Oregon on Monday Thick fog and smoke covers Solana Beach, California, on Monday amid record-breaking wildfires Oregons Department of Environmental Quality extended an air quality alert to Thursday after it was to initially expire on Monday. Alaska Airlines announced Monday it was suspending service to Portland, Oregon and Spokane, Washington due to the foul skies through Tuesday 3pm local time. 'Across the West, fires are creating thick smoke and haze, causing very poor air quality conditions in the Portland and Spokane areas. We made the difficult decision to stop our operation so that our employees and guests can remain safe,' the airline said. 'I grew up in Oregon and lived here a long time, and to see this much smoke for this long and wide spreading, really stands out in the states history,' Dylan Darling, a spokesman for the states department of Environmental Quality, said. Some areas in central California suffering from smoke may not see relief until October, according to Dan Borsum, an incident meteorologist for a fire in Northern, California. The governors of California, Oregon and Washington have all said global warming is priming forests for wildfires as they become hotter and drier. But during a visit Monday to California, President Trump pointed to how states manage forests and said, 'It will start getting cooler, just you watch' Trump and Gov. Gavin Newsom pictured speaking at Sacramento McClellan Airport on Monday during a briefing on wildfires In Oregon 10 people have been killed, in California 25 people have died and one person was killed in Washington state. In California, where more than 16,500 firefighters are battling 28 major wildfires. The death toll grew by one Monday after officials discovered the remains of someone believed killed by the blaze in Butte County, Sheriff Kory L. Honea said. The state's deadliest fire is the North Complex in the Sierra Nevada Mountains north of Sacramento which has killed at least 15 people. In Oregon forests have burned at an unprecedented level this past week with megafires scorching 100,000 acres or more. The fires are fueled by low moisture and strong winds and wildfire-prone conditions are in effect through Tuesday. In Oregon nearly three dozen fires were active Monday night and around one million acres had burned with more than 1,100 residences confirmed destroyed. Oregon officials say more than 20 are missing and the number of fatalities is likely to rise. Oregon State police opened the first-ever mobile morgue in response to the fires, setting it up in Linn County. A separate facility is expected to open this week where families of the dead and missing can undergo rapid DNA testing to aid in identification, according to Oregon Live. The state has activated a 75-member regional response team to recover remains in the field and operate the mobile morgue. Firefighters search through a burned residence after the passage of the Bear fire, part of the larger North Lightning Complex fire, in the Berry Creek area of unincorporated Butte county, California on Monday Feather Falls Union School is seen burned by the Bear fire, part of the larger North Lightning Complex fire, in Oroville, California on Monday The state received grant funding for the program a dozen years ago and though they trained for such a somber event, they never had to use it before. A team of dozens of experts including certified death investigators, law enforcement personnel, criminalists, and forensic scientists will aid in the effort. Theyll use fingerprinting, dental and X-ray stations as examinations by forensic anthropologists and pathologists to identify fire victims. Oregon State Police Capt. Tim Fox said the state opened the facility to ease the burden on local medical examiners offices and to quickly identify remains 'so we can give family members closure as soon as possible. We understand this is a super tragic event. We understand this is hard.' The governors of California, Oregon and Washington have all said global warming is priming forests for wildfires as they become hotter and drier. But during a visit Monday to California, President Trump pointed to how states manage forests and said, 'It will start getting cooler, just you watch.' 'There has to be good strong forest management. So hopefully they'll start doing that,' Trump said when he landed in Sacramento, refusing once again to acknowledge that climate change may play a role in the increasingly common wildfires. The hazy orange and gray sky over Seattle, Washington due to severe wildfires pictured above A couple walks by a small replica of the Statue of Liberty as smoke from wildfires fills the air at Alki Beach Park in Seattle on September 12 People walk near the waterfront as smoke from wildfires fills the air on September 12 Red skies and smoke pictured in Salem, Oregon on September 8 Thick fog reached all the way to Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada on Monday Wade Crowfoot, California's secretary for natural resources, told Trump climate change was real. 'We've had temperatures explode this summer. We broke a record in the Death Valley, 130 degrees,' Crowfoot said. 'We're seeing this warming trend make our summers warmer and our winters warmer. We want to work with you to recognize our changing climate. 'If we ignore that science and out our heads in the sand and think it's all about vegetation management, we're not going to succeed in protecting Californians.' Trump replied: 'OK. It'll start getting cooler. You just watch.' Crowfoot replied: 'I wish science agreed with you.' Trump said, laughing: 'I don't think science knows actually.' In Oregon, adding to the chaos are looters and armed patrol groups illegally stopping people in evacuation zones. Clackamas County Sheriff Crag Roberts said Monday that his agency responded to more than 330 calls for service over the past week a 400 percent increase from the previous week. In Oregon, adding to the chaos are looters and armed patrol groups illegally stopping people in evacuation zones Clackamas County Sheriff Crag Roberts said Monday that his agency responded to more than 330 calls for service over the past week a 400 percent increase from the previous week of people trying to protect their property or threatening others armed with guns. Some locals have erected signs like this one saying: 'You loot we shoot' 'We have a group of different individuals that are actually trying to protect property. They actually have been armed and are stopping individuals within the commune out there. First thing Id ask them to do is please stop that. We have reached out to a number of them. If they see somebody suspicious, call us. Let us handle it. It is illegal to stop somebody at gunpoint,' he said. He revealed that many people are going into these areas to fetch some of their belongings. Several makeshift spray paint signs in Colton and Estacada Oregon have emerged threatening to shoot those who trespass on property. 'Home and armed. You loot, we shoot,' one sign said. Another said: 'Looters and arsonists will be shot.' Another said: 'We wont call your family. Your body will never be found! Bang Bang!' U.S. Senator Josh Hawley, Republican from Missouri, speaks during the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Hearings to examine implementation of Title I of the CARES Act on Capitol Hill in Washington on June 10, 2020. (Al Drago/AFP via Getty Images) Hawley Urges Head of Health Department to Use Funds to Combat Mental Health Crisis Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) said funds from the CARES Act relief bill should be used to tackle the growing mental health crisis and drug abuse brought on by the CCP virus pandemic. Hawley sent a letter to Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar on Monday sharing his concerns over the data that shows a rise in drug abuse and mental health issues correlated to the start of the pandemic. I am concerned that increases in social isolation, anxiety, and despair due to the pandemic may be contributing to surges in drug addiction, wrote Hawley. It appears that the coronavirus pandemic has been accompanied by a rise in mental health disorders, a development that deserves serious scrutiny. The Missouri senator noted that surveys have found about half of all adults say they have had some adverse effect on their mental health since the lockdowns began, such as increased anxiety and depression. Hawley called on Azar to use previously allotted funds to increase programs to support state and local governments mental health efforts. As you know, in the CARES Act, Congress appropriated $425 million to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) within HHS to boost mental health and substance abuse treatment services during the pandemic, Hawley wrote in his letter to Azar. SAMHSAS assistant secretary, Dr. Elinore McCance-Katz, said in May that the ill-effects of stay-at-home orders across the country on mental health will be longterm. We know that the longer the duration of these orders, the greater the intensity of the mental health problems experienced. We also know that these symptoms persist for years to come, McCance-Katz said during a cabinet meeting at the White House to discuss the Effects of Stay-at-Home Practices on Mental Health. Even once quarantine is lifted the data tell us that when the lives of adults, children, and families are drastically changed for an extended length of time. For many, anxiety, depression, and stress disorders will become manifest and will persist. McCance-Katz told cabinet members that a lot more will need to be done to mitigate the ill effects of the pandemic on mental health. If we ignore the reality of the enormous mental health strain weve put on our citizens on the backdrop of an already overburdened mental healthcare system, Im saddened but certain that the next major public health crisis of our time will be that of mental and substance use disorders, and it is not far behind, McCance-Katz cautioned at the time. Noting the actions already taken by the agency, such as disbursing the funds to health clinics in Missouri and establishing a grant program aimed at preventing suicide, Hawley urged the agency to do more to stem the problem. I ask that you build upon these previous efforts and engage all appropriate divisions within the Department to develop guidelines and resources to assist state health departments, local officials, and practitioners seeking to treat mental health disorders and drug addiction in light of the coronavirus pandemic, Hawley wrote. Subscribe to What Next on Apple Podcasts for the full episode. Congress proposed next round of coronavirus relief funding went through a lot of phases: the HEROES Act, the HEALS Act, and last week, a skinny relief package that had been whittled down from $2 trillion or $3 trillion to a few hundred billion. None of these became law. Obviously, partisan delays in Washington arent new. But much of the country is still in a desperate financial situation. So why isnt Congress passing anything? Well, according to Jordan Weissmann, Slates senior business and economic correspondent, Washingtons will to intervene has died down as the stock market has held and states have started reopeningeven though a lot of people are still unemployed, suffering, and lacking benefits. On Wednesdays episode of What Next, I spoke with Weissmann about Washingtons failure to act and why we might not even get a relief bill after the election. Our conversation has been edited and condensed for clarity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mary Harris: All the time, I see signs of personal financial distress. Then I listen to the news out of Washington, and theres no sense of hurry to send help: Nobodys rushing to bail out families and laid-off workers, or coming to prop up state budgets. Its strange to me, because the crisis around us is not subtle. There was this article in the Washington Post last week about people who couldnt afford rent and living in abandoned motels in Florida. And it seems like no one in Washington read it. Jordan Weissmann: Even during good times in America, there is ghastly poverty. Theres always the question of how much economic cruelty is tolerable. And right now it seems like we have reached this place where people feel like its OK to play a game of chicken. On the Republican side, it seems like Mitch McConnell is mean-mugging the country, just coldly staring, saying, nope, sorry, its our $500 billion package thats only enough to get you takeout, or its nothing. Advertisement Advertisement Washington has been sort of trying to get more COVID relief off the ground for four months now. The first bill was that HEROES Act in May. What happened? Advertisement I think the technical term for what happened after the HEROES Act was passed is nothing. McConnell nodded sternly at it and proceeded to ignore the bill. There were obviously some heated negotiations between Democrats and the White House around the end of July, when unemployment benefits were beginning to expire. At that point, it became clear that there are some really unbridgeable gaps. One of the biggest sticking points has been aid to states. Democrats want to provide direct aid to help states fill the holes in their budgets, which are going to be quite large. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For good reason, because states cant print money and they are really feeling the heat of the coronavirus crisis. Absolutely. But Republicans think that this would be a blue-state bailout, that it would help out places that have not managed their pension obligations. Its a bizarre, not very accurate, but very popular argument on the right. There was no room for compromise on certain issues, and it became this stare down. Then Donald Trump decided he was going to try to act unilaterally. He came up with this plan to extend $300-a-week unemployment benefits, using funding that was left over in FEMAs disaster relief account, money that youd ordinarily use to help hurricane victims. He was going to use this for unemployment benefitsright before hurricane season. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I remember this because it was an executive order, and everyone saw it and thought, what do we make of this? Is this going to change things? A few states have started to pay out the money, but its taken a while to even get it started logistically because states had to set it up from scratch again. And, as we all know from this crisis, every time states have to change their unemployment systems, its like they have to crank the car by hand. Its the kind of thing where it seems like what Trump did was probably not legal, but nobody cares because, in the end, hes just going to get money to some people at the same time. He also went and announced an eviction freeze for everyone. Advertisement Through the CDC. Right. This is another creative move. The CARES Act had included an eviction freeze on properties that had a federally backed mortgage or where the landlord received funding through some sort of federal housing assistance program, Section 8, any direct connection to the federal government and regulations. Trump just used the CDCs power to quarantine people to announce thered be no more evictions for financially troubled tenants with certain qualifications. This is really sweeping. The problem is that hes just delaying evictions. Hes not actually doing anything about the rent thats accumulating for people. And so housing advocates are worried that tenants are eventually going to be losing their homes whenever this is lifted, or are going to risk losing their homes whenever this is lifted in a few months. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Is there any data that that eviction freeze is working? I think its a little early to judge. But I will say that the moratorium definitely had some holes in it, some cracks that people could slip through, because it required them to essentially file paperwork and invoke their eviction defense themselves. And if youre someone who doesnt have a lawyer and is facing eviction, you might have no idea that Trump put this moratorium in place, or you might have no idea about your rights. So I wouldnt be surprised if we see some people kicked out on the street despite what Trump did. So Trump used executive orders to try to lessen the economic pain caused by the pandemic. And after he did that, Republicans introduced another coronavirus relief package, a far less ambitious proposal than Democrats hoped for. Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer wanted more than $2 trillion to be spent on relief. Senate Republicans said, how about $300 billion? This was a skinny relief bill. Advertisement And any time you hear something skinny, thats a euphemism for the only thing Republicans could get all of their members to sign on tothe absolute minimal piece of legislation that they could squeak out from their completely disorganized conference. Democrats basically said no and they ended up getting blocked. It just didnt have a lot of things that people are looking for in a relief bill at this point. It wasnt really a serious piece of legislation. It was mostly a signal to Democrats that Republicans werent going to move in their directionif anything, Republicans were going to move even further away and vote for a smaller bill than they had before. Like, this is how this is how little we care about what you guys want. The main point was to get Republicans to vote on something so moderates would say that they had at least backed *a* relief bill, regardless of what it actually contained, so that moderates like Susan Collins and Cory Gardner could go back and say to voters, look, Im trying to do something, but its Democrats who are stopping us from passing any more relief. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement No one looks good here. I dont understand how lawmakers can get away with it. The issue is that right now the Democratic base doesnt want Republicans to be able to dictate terms whenever theres a crisis like this. And the thinking among Republicans seems to be that their own voters are getting worried about all the money thats being spent and that we could see this revival of Tea Party fervor. All those austerity advocates first emerged around 2009 and 2010, when the economy was still bleeding from the financial crisis. Its like we are back at that point. So its very easy to see how all the budget hawks might fly back out right now, and you can imagine the GOP discovering their inner fiscal conservatives once again. I think thats part of the concern among Republicans, that they dont want to risk getting primaried by some guy in a tricorn hat. They dont want a replay of 2010. Thats why were in this place where theres not much political incentive on any side right now to strike a deal before the election. They keep saying there wont be a deal before November, and frankly, I dont see how were any closer to a deal after November unless, maybe, at that point Democrats would say screw it. Advertisement I am worried that we are used to mediocrity. And as a result, a lot of people are going to suffer. Jordan Weissmann You talk about lawmakers being haunted by the ghost of 2010. I guess I do see that. But it seems like its so different this time. This time its like, why would you not want schools to work? Why would you not want the busses to run? And why would you not want city services funded? I think theres also this desire to minimize the extent of the crisis were still in. Thats been a theme throughout the past six months, that the GOP has wanted to play down the extent of the problems we are now facing. And part of that is not admitting that we need to provide more relief than Republicans are currently offering. Advertisement Advertisement Ive been struck by the fact that the stock market is bumping along and seems to be doing OK in spite of a lot of economic pain out there. Can you articulate what the stock market is actually capturing and why it might not be showing everything thats happening in the economy right now? The thing to keep in mind is that the stock market is not the whole economy. When you look at the big index indexes, like the S&P 500, those are driven in large part by the tech industry, and the big companies are doing just fine. Service workers are being slammed by this upstairs-downstairs recession weve got, where white-collar employees are back at work or working from home, while people who were employed at restaurants or movie theaters or concert venues cant go back to their jobs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Congress is not going to move until the stock market crashes, because thats the kind of thing that scares the hell out of Donald Trump and scares the hell out of people on the Republican side. If that metric isnt capturing so much of the economy, then why is it the metric thats so important to lawmakers? Because its highly visible. And again, Trump cares a lot about it. When the stock market is crashing, rich and upper-middle-class people get upset. It adds to the sense of panic. It creates a lot of terrible headlines. I think were at this weird point where the market can keep going because big companies feel like they are still making profits. Advertisement Whats weird is that if you read statements from financial analysts and banks, they all seem to be assuming that another rescue bill is coming. Theres this faith that eventually Congress will get its act together and pass some sort of trillion-dollar relief bill. And its not clear where theyre getting that from. Nobody in Washington is like, yeah, this is a sure thing. Advertisement Its circular logic: The stock market is buoyed because it thinks a stimulus is coming, and Congress isnt doing anything because the stock market is buoyed. You need investors to have a moment and notice that Chuck Schumer and McConnell are not getting along and Nancy Pelosi has kind of had it with the whole thing. I find this all a little depressing because I think a lot of people dont understand that what happened after 2008 was a depression, right? The economy took 10 years to recover for a whole host of reasons. It wasnt the Great Depressionit wasnt the complete collapse of society that we saw in the 1930s. But it was a depression in the sense that it was an extended period of the economy working below its potential. So do you think that we now cant recognize a depression when we see it? I am worried that we are used to mediocrity. We are used to meh. And as a result, a lot of people are going to suffer. Subscribe to What Next on Apple Podcasts Get more news from Mary Harris every weekday. The Majority Leader in Parliament, Hon Osei-Kyei Mensah-Bonsu has welcomed the demand by the office of the Special Prosecutor for information on the Agyapa Royalty deal. According to the Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, with the inception of the right to Information Law, anyone wanting to access information on the Agyapa Royalty deal for clarification and understanding can do so as a Ghanaian including the Special Prosecutor, Martin Amidu. With the inception of right to Information Law, if anybody wants clarification or understanding of any deal, the person can demand information that can make the person understand the deal, he stated. So, for instance, Martin Amidu can ask Parliament to help him understand the Agyapa Royalty deal, we can give it to him and it is not only him who can request for evidence about the Agyapa Royalty deal, he stressed. Speaking on Okay FMs 'Ade Akye Abia' Morning Show, the Suame Constituency lawmaker admitted to the publication that Parliament last Thursday, 10th September 2020 received a letter through the Clerk of Parliament from the Special Prosecutor, Martin Amidu requesting for information on the Agyapa Royalty deal. He added that the Speaker of Parliament was informed about the demand of the Office of the Special Prosecutor and then mail the needed document to Mr. Martin Amidu for his perusal as a citizen who has the right under the RTI Act 898. He again mentioned that he instructed the Clerk of Parliament to add the document on the amendment to the Mineral Income Investment Fund for better appreciation of the Agyapa Royalty deal even though he did not ask for that document. He insisted that the additional document to the demand of the Special Prosecutor will help him to investigate any corruption he suspects in the Agyapa Royalty deal as he indicated in his letter of request. He said that Parliament, being representative for the entire country has nothing to hide in the Agyapa Royalty deal. The thing is that nobody has anything to hide in the Agyapa Royalty deal because Parliament is the representation of the entire country and so if someone wants an understanding of a deal, there is nothing wrong with that, he indicated. Watch Video Below Source: Daniel Adu Darko/Peacefmonline.com/[email protected] Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Twinkle Khanna gave us all a sneak peek into the birthday celebrations of son Aarav on Instagram. Akshay Kumar and Twinkles son Aarav turned 18 on Tuesday and the family celebrated with family in the UK where the actor is shooting Bell Bottom. Happy 18th birthday Aarav! Here is something I had written for you once and to keep loosening the strings and finally cutting them off this year has not been easy, Twinkle wrote with a photo featuring her, husband Akshay, daughter Nitara and Aarav. Everyone is sporting moustaches, perhaps following Akshay who now has a moustache for his film. Talking about raising Aarav to the young man he is today, Twinkle wrote, All these years you have been as much my teacher as I have been yours. I learned optimism, kindness and wonder from you as I taught you maths, a few manners and how to switch the lights off when you leave the room. She added about how her son is now looking forward to his life as an adult, But looking at you growing up and listening to you repeatedly tell me how much you are looking forward to your independence, I have started realizing that when you finally leave my home, my world and step into your own, my lights will go off automatically and my world will be filled with a bleak darkness. Though whenever you return for a visit, I will light numerous diyas and pretend that this is not a permanent power failure; we are just celebrating Diwali. I am already missing the little boy you were but am so proud of the man you have become. #MamaBear. Akshay and Twinkle are parents to Aarav and Nitara. Earlier, while talking to Bear Grylls, Akshay had said, My son is very different. He just doesnt want to tell anyone that hes my son. He wants to be away from the limelight. He wants to have his own identity. Thats what the whole thing and I understand it. So, I let him be the way he wants to. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON LOS ALTOS, Calif., Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- RenovoRx, an innovator in targeted cancer therapy, today announced it won the Drug Delivery Technology category of the Fierce Innovation Awards Life Sciences Edition 2020. The peer reviewed awards program from the publisher of Fierce Biotech and Fierce Pharma honors companies demonstrating innovative solutions, technologies, and services that could make the greatest impact for biotech and pharma companies. RenovoRx's proprietary Trans-Arterial Micro-Perfusion (TAMP) technology is a unique method for targeted delivery of chemotherapy to treat solid tumors. The awards program's applications were reviewed by an exclusive panel of executives from major biotech and pharma companies including Astellas, Accenture, AstraZeneca, Angiocrine Bioscience, Biotech Research Group, NIHR Clinical Research Network, Medidata Solutions, and PPD. All applications were evaluated based on the following criteria: effectiveness, technical innovation, competitive advantage, financial impact, and true innovation. A full list of judges can be found at https://fiercelifesciencesawards.secure-platform.com/a/page/judges. Winners were announced today in the 2020 Innovation Report published by Fierce Life Sciences. "We are honored to win the Fierce Innovation Award. Our novel TAMP approach for treating pancreatic tumors isolates the region of disease, so it receives an optimal dose of targeted chemotherapy," said Shaun R. Bagai, Chief Executive Officer at RenovoRx. "Our goal is maximizing patient survival while minimizing side effects: extending not just life, but quality life. Bagai added, "We are very encouraged by our Phase I/II results, and we have gained strong momentum in our TIGeR-PaC Phase III study in the United States and Europe." After demonstrating a median survival of approximately 28 months vs.14-15 months expected survival in historical studies in this patient population in Phase I/II pancreatic cancer studies, RenovoRx secured two separate Orphan Drug Designations from the FDA for Intra-Arterial gemcitabine: pancreatic cancer and bile duct cancer. This combination of RenovoCath and gemcitabine is being utilized in the TIGeR-PaC Phase III trial evaluating extended median overall survival and improved quality of life for pancreatic cancer patients. The randomized TIGeR-PaC trial is enrolling unresectable locally-advanced pancreatic cancer patients in the United States and Europe. To learn more, visit renovorx.com/clinical-trial/. About RenovoRx, Inc. RenovoRx, headquartered in Silicon Valley, California, is developing innovative solutions for targeted delivery of fluids, including diagnostic and therapeutic agents such as chemotherapy, to specific sites in the body. Delivering these concentrated agents through the Trans-Arterial Micro-Perfusion (TAMP) method with RenovoCath safely and without transmission to non-targeted areas, is the focus of RenovoRx technology. Learn more by visiting the RenovoRx website or following us on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. The randomized TIGeR-PaC trial is enrolling unresectable locally-advanced pancreatic cancer patients in the United States and Europe. To learn more, visit https://renovorx.com/clinical-trial/. RenovoRx and RenovoCath are registered trademarks of RenovoRx, Inc. SOURCE RenovoRx Related Links http://www.renovorx.com The Kyekyewere accident which occurred around 4.30 am on Tuesday involved a cargo truck and two (2) commercial buses. Recent updates show that 14 people have died and over 50 injured. The injured are currently receiving treatment at the Suhum and Nsawam government hospitals. 'Confused' 5-year-old child The Eastern Regional Director of the National Road Safety Commission, Mr Abdulai Bawa Ghansah reacting to the accident in an interview on Neat FM's Me Man Nti programme, narrated how a child was clutching on to the mother's slippers wondering where she is. "one of the ladies who died and left her five-year-old child was seen looking for the mother holding her slippers she was just walking around looking for the mother" he indicated sadly. According to him, "she is currently in the hands of the police" Listen to him in the video below In a report filed by Peace FM's Eastern Regional correspondent, Michael Akrofi, the Cargo truck which was heading towards Kumasi direction from Accra burst a tyre causing the driver to veer off his lane into the lane of an oncoming STC bus followed by another bus.The buses involved in the accident were an STC bus with registration number GE 8131-16 and another Bus with registration number GT 4997-20. Source: Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Scientists at Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, Fondazione Santa Lucia IRCCS, and Universita Cattolica del Sacro Cuore in Rome have shown that pharmacological (drug) correction of the content of extracellular vesicles released within dystrophic muscles can restore their ability to regenerate muscle and prevent muscle scarring (fibrosis). The study, published in EMBO Reports, reveals a promising new therapeutic approach for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), an incurable muscle-wasting condition, and has far-reaching implications for the field of regenerative medicine. "Our study shows that extracellular vesicles are bioactive mediators that can transfer the benefits of medicine--in this case, HDAC inhibitors (HDACi)--to treat DMD," says Pier Lorenzo Puri, M.D., professor in the Development, Aging and Regeneration Program at Sanford Burnham Prebys and co-corresponding author of the study. "We discovered the promise of this treatment almost 20 years ago and did all of the preclinical work, which led to a current clinical trial for boys with DMD. However, the therapeutic potential of HDACi has been so far limited by its systemic adverse effects." In the current clinical trial, boys with DMD are treated with HDACi at suboptimal doses due to the risk of adverse side effects. The scientists are hopeful that extracellular vesicles might provide a cell-free, non-immunogenic, transplantable tool for local delivery of bioactive particles that transfer HDACi to dystrophic muscles, thereby overcoming the undesirable secondary effects caused by chronic use at high doses. "We believe this novel approach of using pharmacologically corrected extracellular vesicles may be used to safely deliver drugs such as HDACi directly to dystrophic muscles to obtain the beneficial action that would otherwise only be achieved at higher, toxic doses," says Puri. Extracellular vesicles are bioactive particles, meaning they have an effect in the body. They have recently attracted significant attention from the biomedical community because of their therapeutic potential. These particles contain information in the form of DNA, RNA or proteins and are exchanged from one cell to another. Alterations in the content of these particles leads to faulty communication between cells in dystrophic muscles and changes their behavior. In this study, the scientists discovered that these content alterations can be corrected to restore the physiological communication between the cells of dystrophic muscles. Communication breakdown Prior research from Puri's team showed that as DMD progresses, special muscle-healing cells called fibro-adipogenic progenitors (FAPs) become corrupted and start to promote muscle wasting and fibrosis. The team suspected that altered communication between FAPs and muscle stem cells--perhaps via extracellular vesicles--might be part of the problem. To answer this question, Martina Sandona, Ph.D., first author of the study, and her colleagues conducted a series of experiments using muscle biopsies from boys with DMD who are enrolled in the clinical trial testing experimental HDACi treatment as well as a mouse model of DMD. The scientists were able to show that as DMD progresses, cellular communication via extracellular vesicles is progressively altered over time, which impairs the regeneration potential of DMD muscles. Importantly, the researchers demonstrated that correcting the content of the extracellular vesicles with an HDAC inhibitor activates muscle stem cells and promotes regeneration while reducing fibrosis and inflammation. "Our findings can likely be extended to other conditions and diseases, as pharmacologically 'lifted' extracellular vesicles could be exploited as a general therapeutic tool in regenerative medicine," says Valentina Saccone, Ph.D., group leader at Fondazione Santa Lucia IRCCS, tenured assistant professor at Universita Cattolica del Sacro Cuore and co-corresponding author of the study. "These particles might also be used as an adjuvant approach for other treatments, such as gene or cell therapies." A ray of hope Treatment advances can't come soon enough for people with DMD and their loved ones. The genetic condition is caused by a lack of dystrophin, a protein that strengthens muscles, and causes progressive muscle degeneration. DMD primarily affects boys, with symptoms often appearing between the ages of 3 and 5. With recent medical advances, children with DMD now often survive beyond their teenage years into their early 30s, but effective treatments are still needed. "For children and adults living with DMD and their families, research provides a ray of hope for a better future," says Filippo Buccella, founder of Parent Project Italy, which has provided continual support to Puri's team for the last 20 years. "This study uncovers a promising new therapeutic approach for DMD and brings us one step closer to treatments that may help children maintain muscle strength for as long as possible and live long, fulfilling lives." "The more options we have to treat DMD, the better, as it's likely that drugs with different mechanisms of action could be more effective in combination," says Sharon Hesterlee, Ph.D., executive vice president and chief research officer of the Muscular Dystrophy Association. "Dr. Puri's work represents a unique approach that could prove complementary." ### A global team The co-first authors of the study are Martina Sandona of Fondazione Santa Lucia and Sapienza University of Rome; and Silvia Consalvi of Fondazione Santa Lucia. Additional study authors include Luca Tucciarone of Fondazione Santa Lucia and Sapienza University of Rome; Marco De Bardi and Daniela Francesca Angelini of Fondazione Santa Lucia; Manuel Scimeca of the University of Rome "Tor Vergata"; Valentina Buffa and Antonella Bongiovanni of the National Research Council of Italy; Adele D'Amico and Enrico Silvio Bertini of the Bambino Gesu Children's Hospital; Sara Cazzaniga of Paolo Bettica of Cinisello Balsamo; and Marina Bouche of Sapienza University of Rome. This work is supported by the National Institutes of Health (1R01AR076247-01, R01GM134712-01), Duchenne Parent Project Italy and Netherland, the Muscular Dystrophy Association, Epigen, Association Francaise contre les Myopathies, and the Italian Ministry of Health (GR2016-02362451). The study's DOI is 10.15252/embr.202050863. About Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Research Institute Sanford Burnham Prebys is a preeminent, independent biomedical research institute dedicated to understanding human biology and disease and advancing scientific discoveries to profoundly impact human health. For more than 40 years, our research has produced breakthroughs in cancer, neuroscience, immunology and children's diseases, and is anchored by our NCI-designated Cancer Center and advanced drug discovery capabilities. For more information, visit us at SBPdiscovery.org or on Facebook at facebook.com/SBPdiscovery and on Twitter @SBPdiscovery. The U.S. Army is so worried about climate change, which it has identified as a national security threat, that it issued a new directive Sept. 11 requiring planners and managers to establish resilience measures against natural disasters, according to a service news release. Recent natural disasters, from California wildfires to hurricanes in the Southeast, have posed threats to Army operations and installations, resulting in the service's move to safeguard valuable assets and minimize the impact on readiness. Under the new directive, Army installations will be provided with instructions to strengthen resilience against natural disasters, which include but are not limited to flooding, drought, desertification, rising sea levels, extreme heat and thawing permafrost, said Stephen Dornbos, science and technology policy fellow in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Installations, Energy and Environment, or ASA (IE&E). Read Next: The Air Force Has Already Flown a Secret Plane That Could Be Its Next Fighter "Climate change has already had a big impact on Army installation infrastructure and threatens to degrade mission readiness. I think it's going to continue to have an increasingly large impact going forward," Dornbos, who served as professor of geosciences at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee for 15 years, said in a statement. "There are a lot of concerns about wildfires in California and energy supply being threatened," he added. "There are adaptation strategies that installations could use to better prepare themselves." Congress already requires military posts to consider climate threats in infrastructure planning and design, according to the release. The new Army directive directs installation commanders to develop emergency plans for extreme weather events and to add climate change projection analysis tool results to infrastructure plans, policies and procedures. "This practice will enhance installation readiness and safety because it informs the installation master planning process and facility design requirements," Alex A. Beehler, assistant secretary of the Army for ASA (IE&E), said in the release. "In the event of a climate-related event, our Army installations will be better prepared to provide the critical capabilities essential to the Army's ability to deploy, fight and win our nation's wars." The directive will guide commanders to protect soldiers and their families from health and safety impacts, Dornbos added. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has set up a web-based Army Climate Assessment Tool, which will help installations assess exposure to weather-related threats, such as heat-related illnesses, and predict future climate impacts. The Army Climate Resistance Handbook, published last month, will provide a quick reference with more details on climate and extreme weather resilience measures for installation managers. The directive instructs commanders to tailor climate resilience measures against local threats, including tracking power and water levels, the release states. The Army Climate Assessment Tool will be updated with new data and climate projections over time, Dornbos added. Climate change could make military posts more vulnerable to adversary attacks, weakening the Army's ability to project power, Dornbos said. "The motivation is to protect critical assets and ensure installation mission readiness in the face of climate and extreme weather threats," he added. "Installations need to start engineering for the future," Dornbos said. "Designing based on historical conditions is insufficient to engineer buildings that will be serving the Army in 20 or 30 years, when we will have increasingly damaging weather events, so I think the timing of this is right." Army installations have been affected by a number of major weather events in recent years. Hurricane Florence caused catastrophic flooding near Fort Bragg, North Carolina, in September 2018. In 2011, wildfires burned more than 11,000 acres at Fort Hood, Texas. Wildfires swept the post again in 2018, damaging training grounds and canceling field training and live-gunnery exercises. And thawing permafrost threatens the three Army posts in Alaska. -- Bing Xiao can be reached at bingxiao2020@u.northwestern.edu. Related: Trump Presents Distinguished Flying Cross to 7 Guardsmen for Wildfire Rescues Chris Evans accidentally leaked a nude photo on social media on Saturday. The 39-year-old Captain America star had posted a video which ended with a quick glimpse of his camera roll, including a black-and-white photo of someone's penis. Two days later, the movie star broke his silence on Twitter Monday to poke fun at the embarrassing situation as he urged his fans to vote in the upcoming presidential election on November 3. The latest: Chris Evans poked fun at his recent accidental nude leak Monday on Twitter, as he broke his social media silence to urge his fans to vote (pictured in April, 2019) The actor wrote to his 14 million followers on Twitter: 'Now that I have your attention.... VOTE Nov 3rd!!!' Chris added two emojis of a man with his hand on his face and another as he shrugged his shoulders. The Avengers: Endgame star shared a short video to his Instagram Stories on Saturday of himself and some friends playing Heads Up. But at the end of the video, a shot of the actor's phone camera roll came up, which featured the nude image. The entire clip has since been deleted. Breaking his silence: Two days after the accidentally post, the movie star, 39, took to Twitter The picture didn't leave anything to the imagination, but it was cropped too closely to have any identifying features. Another image in the photo grid featured a headshot of the Avengers star with the words 'Guard That P***y' superimposed. Chris quickly became the subject of hundreds of thousands of tweets about the shocking photo. Most posts took a lighthearted approach to the accidental disclosure, with some gushing about the actor's potential anatomy. Although plenty of users had their own reactions to the accidental photo, a meme quickly developed in which Twitter posters shared the image of Evans' camera roll (which was cropped out by Twitter) but included something unexpected in place of the penis. 'Can someone explain why chris evans has this picture of thanos in his phone?' one post read, while featuring a camera roll snap including a humorous image of Thanos from the Avengers films with his bulging muscles and derriere exposed. Twitter: The reaction on social media was mostly supportive, while it was also met with good-natured jokes and memes from friends and fans Many Twitter users called out those who searched for the nude photos and posting them because Chris did not consent to it. Fellow Marvel actor Kat Dennings, 34, used the opportunity to call out a sexist double standard. She wrote: 'The public respect for Chris Evans' privacy/feelings is wonderful. Wouldn't it be nice if it extended to women when this kind of thing happens?' Chris' brother Scott Evans did not let the moment fly by as he hilariously addressed it on his Twitter account on Sunday morning. 'Was off social media for the day yesterday. So. What'd I miss?' the 36-year-old tweeted. Chris' Avengers co-star Mark Ruffalo also attempted to cheer the actor up following the unusual photo leak. 'Bro, while Trump is in office there is NOTHING you could possibly do to embarrass yourself. See... silver lining,' Mark assured his costar. Sibling: Chris' brother Scott Evans did not let the moment fly by as he hilariously addressed it on his Twitter account on Sunday morning Supportive: Chris' Avengers co-star Mark Ruffalo also attempted to cheer the actor up following the unusual photo leak Evans was most recently linked to Baby Driver actress Lily James, after they were spotted together twice while in London in July. In 2016, he sparked a relationship with former SNL actress Jenny Slate. The couple took a break in 2017 before reuniting later in the year, though they broke up for good in March of 2018. Prior to that he had a years-long onoff relationship with Minka Kelly. The dust stirred by the American Revolution had barely settled when Valentin Himmelberger of Centre Township died at age 77 in 1787, the year the U.S. Constitution was adopted in Philadelphia. A German emigree whod settled in the Province of Pennsylvania 50 years earlier, Valentin (Valentine) lived through the transition of America from colony to country. Though he never spoke or wrote English, he embraced the American Revolution and signed the oath of allegiance to the fledgling nation in Berks County in 1778, records in Berks County Courthouse show. In his day, Valentin was a prominent landowner who was among the founders of Salem Bellemans Church in 1746, among the oldest houses of worship in Berks. Valentins story receded in time as his gravestone, inscribed in German, slipped beneath the surface of the old church cemetery in Mohrsville. While the American flag flew over the graves of other Revolutionary War patriots, Valentins grave remained unrecognized for decades. At long last, 233 years after his death, Valentin will be accorded a measure of respect on Sunday at 1 p.m. in a graveside ceremony conducted by Sons of the American Revolution (SAR) units from Berks County and Virginia. A granite marker inscribed Patriot and bearing the stamp SAR, which has been placed beneath Valentins gravestone, will be formally dedicated. Peter Himmelberger of Virginia, Valentins great-grandson five generations removed, was instrumental in organizing the tribute. A descendant of Valentins eldest son, Philip, Peter Himmelberger is a member of the Fairfax Resolves, an SAR unit named for Virginia resolutions rejecting British authority over the American Colonies adopted in 1774. Discovering Valentin Fred Paul, a Berks County photographer, was documenting historic gravestones in the old cemetery at Bellemans church when he stumbled on a partially buried stone about eight years ago. In a remarkable act of kindness, Paul took it upon himself to unearth and reset the stone in upright fashion. For Peter Himmelberger, whod been researching Valentins family background for about 30 years, it was a defining moment. We knew he was buried in Bellemans cemetery, but we didnt know where, said Himmelberger, 70, a retired U.S. State Department engineer who grew up in Seisholtzville, Hereford Township. A time to honor When Peter Himmelberger became a member of the Fairfax Resolves last year, he decided it was time to formally honor his patriotic great-grandfather. Valentin, who was 66 years old when the Declaration of Independence was signed, did not serve in the Continental Army. But because he signed the oath of allegiance, he was accorded the status of patriot under SAR guidelines. The oath, which was in effect from 1777 to 1789, was the first to be required of private citizens in Pennsylvania, according to research by Kim Brown, Berks History Center archivist. The names of the signers, all men, are in Book D, a ledger in the courthouse. John D. Rausch, Bellemans church historian, said Valentin was buried near the site of the original log cabin church he helped found. There are 19 Revolutionary War soldiers buried in the old church cemetery, Rausch said. Also buried there are veterans of the Civil War, War of 1812, the Mexican War and the Spanish-American War. The cemetery goes back to Revolutionary War times, said Rausch, 77, who will represent the church at the dedication ceremony. Peter Himmelberger will offer remarks on the life and times of his great-grandfather, born Hans Veltin Himmelberger in Schriesheim, Germany, in 1709. Three of Valentins sons Philip, Jacob and George bore arms in the American Revolution and are recognized SAR patriots. A combined color guard of the Fairfax Resolves and the Berks County-based Gov. Joseph Hiester SAR Chapter will fire a musket salute over the grave. Old Bellemans Church will be open for tours following the ceremony. A heartbroken mother has written an open letter pleading for her husband who murdered their two sons who 'loved and trusted him totally' to stay in prison. Kathleen Chada, from Ireland, was left devastated when Sanjeev Chada brutally murdered their sons Eoghan, 10, and Ruairi, 5, in July 2013, and went on to receive two life sentences in October 2014. A stunned Kathleen learned that her ex-husband was applying for parole after just seven years in prison in late June around the time of Eoghan's birthday. She has now shared an open letter written to the parole board in an effort to keep her sons' killer behind bars for his full sentence with the Irish Mirror, in which she writes: 'That I actually have to write this letter is an insult to the memory of my sons Eoghan and Ruairi Chada.' Kathleen Chada, from Ireland, has written an open letter pleading for her husband Sanjeev Chada, who murdered their two sons Eoghan, 10, and Ruairi, 5, who 'loved and trusted him totally', to stay in prison Kathleen said it was an 'insult to the memory' of her sons that Chada has applied for parole just seven years into his two life sentences (pictured, Eoghan, 10, and Ruairi, 5) Nurse Kathleen trained in London before moving to Ireland with her husband Sanjeev. They welcomed two children and, on the day in question, Chada was meant to be taking sons Eoghan and Ruairi to a bowling alley. However shortly after driving away with the boys, Mr Chada called a family member and left what was described as a 'very distressed message'. Rather than going to the bowling alley, he actually drove from the family home in Co Carlow to a wood in Co Mayo where he killed his boys and dumped their bodies in the boot of a car. Chada, who brutally murdered his sons before driving into a stone wall in a failed murder-suicide attempt, was jailed in October 2014 When he failed to return home, his wife Kathleen contacted police and raised the alarm. Chada's Ford Focus was later found crashed into a stone wall near Westport, County Mayo with the boys' bodies were found in the boot of the vehicle. The crimes of Sanjeev Chada July 29 2013 - Chada drives Eoghan, 10, and Ruairi, 5, from the family home in Co Carlow to a wood in Co Mayo. He brutally murdered his children, with Eoghan suffering a fractured skull, torso, hip bone and collarbone which suggested he was knelt on during the assault. Meanwhile the father-of-two then took his younger son Ruairi on his knee and strangled him. He dumped their bodies in the boot of the car before driving into a wall in a failed suicide attempt. October 2014 - Imprisoned with two life sentences June 2020 - Applied for parole September 2020 - Kathleen shares open letter with parole board and media to appeal for Chada to stay behind bars Advertisement He inflicted horrific injuries on Eoghan who suffered a fractured skull, torso, hip bone and collarbone which suggested he was knelt on during the assault. The father-of-two then took his younger son Ruairi on his knee and strangled him. He was imprisoned on two life sentences in October 2014, but has now applied for parole having served just seven years of his sentence. After learning of Chada's plans, Kathleen has spent the last 10 weeks trying to put her thoughts into words. She has now decided to share her letter with the public, explaining: 'I wrote it and rewrote it wrote it and rewrote it. I'm coming from the angle I shouldn't have to write it at all. 'I'm particularly angry he gets to read everything I write but I don't get to read anything from him. 'I don't get to hear any of the reasons why he feels even justified to apply for parole. 'My thoughts on putting it into a national newspaper are if he gets to read it why shouldn't everybody get to read it?' In the letter, which was published by the Irish Mirror, Kathleen says the fact that she is writing the letter is 'an insult' to the memory of her sons. Calling her children the 'most precious and loved' boys, she said their love was 'betrayed' by 'someone they loved and trusted totally.' She explained: 'That he feels entitled after just seven years to apply for parole, having carried out such a calculated, gruesome act on two innocent and defenceless children for his own gratification, shows how inhuman he actually is.' In her open letter, Kathleen called her children the 'most precious and loved' boys, she said their love was 'betrayed' by 'someone they loved and trusted totally' (pictured, together) Kathleen continued by saying that the fact he was applying for parole showed 'the weak and pathetic man he is' adding that he had 'no insight' into the 'ongoing impact' of his crime. She added that 'someone like him' could not be rehabilitated and called him a 'threat' to her, her family and society. She will now have to wait to find out whether Chada is successful in his application. If he is rejected, he will be able to reapply in two years time. Minister for Justice Helen McEntee is currently being called upon by the families of murder victims from around the country to commence a parole act that was passed into law last July. When passed, the act will require killers to serve at least 12 years behind bars before applying for early release. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Ghina Ghaliya (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Tue, September 15, 2020 16:30 493 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c44f4660 1 Politics rahayu-saraswati,Prabowo-Subianto,hashim-djojohadikusumo,Gerindra-Party,South-Tangerang,political-dynasty Free Gerindra Party chairman Prabowo Subianto has appointed his niece Rahayu Sara Saraswati as one of the partys deputy chairs for the 2020-2025 term. Sara, the daughter of Prabowos younger brother Hashim Djojohadikusumo, is currently running for deputy mayor of South Tangerang, Banten, with the regional secretary of the city, Muhammad from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), running for mayor. "Saraswati is currently undergoing orientation for the next few days because she has been appointed to be one of the deputy chairs for the 2020-2025 term, Gerindra Party executive Sufmi Dasco Ahmad told the press on Monday. Sara previously served as the chairwoman of the partys women's advocacy division for the 2015-2020 term. She was a member of the 2014-2019 House of Representatives. She ran for reelection in 2019 but failed to secure her legislative seat. Read also: Prabowo's niece to run for deputy mayor in South Tangerang race Sara expressed her gratitude on Tuesday for the appointment, saying she was honored and would not take her new role lightly, because she had been part of the party since the beginning and had been taught to be a "fighter for the people through politics." This also means that Pak Prabowo is true to his word when he said that he would make room for the youth in Gerindra as a form of leadership regeneration. My fellow party members and I are ready to serve, she said. Sara added that the appointment would not distract her from her election run. My candidacy was also a mandate given by the party to me. This is what I have been mandated to focus on at the moment, she said In the election, the pair of Muhammad and Sara will face the duo of Vice President Maruf Amins daughter Siti Nur Azizah and Ruhama Ben as well as Deputy Mayor Benyamin Davnie and Golkar Party politician Pilar Saga Ichsan. The Houston Arboretum & Nature Center is bringing in more than 120 goats in October to assist with overgrown vegetation as an eco-friendly solution to replace commercial mowing and herbicides. The goats will be from Rent-A-Ruminant Texas and will focus on one-and-a-half acres of land around the North and South Woodway ponds. According to a press release, the public will be welcome to view the goats any day from Oct. 4-10. The coronavirus killed at least 121 people under 21 years old across the U.S. between Feb. 12 and July 31, according to a study published Tuesday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Why it matters: Of those young people, roughly 3 in 4 were Hispanic, Black, American Indian or Alaska Natives, suggesting the virus is disproportionately killing young people of color, and especially those with underlying health conditions. The CDC said the findings should encourage school systems that have reopened to carefully monitor infections and severe symptoms in children and young adults. By the numbers: The CDC reported there have been 391,814 known cases among people under age 21 from mid-February through the end of July. Most but not all youth patients have milder symptoms than older patients. Of the young people who have died from the virus, 63% were male, 10% were infants less than a year old, 20% were between 1 and 9 years old, 70% were between 10 and 20 years old, and 75% had at least one underlying health condition. Additionally, 45% were Hispanic, 29% were Black, 4% were non-Hispanic American Indian or Alaska Natives. Of note: Researchers clarified that during the study, most schools and child care centers closed and kids were not frequently tested, which could have limited the scope of the data. The big picture: "Among infants, children, and adolescents hospitalized with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 and cases of MIS-C, persons from racial and ethnic minority groups are overrepresented," the researchers noted. By PTI NEW DELHI: Lok Sabha on Tuesday passed a bill to reduce for one year the salaries of MPs by 30 per cent to meet the "exigencies arising out of COVID-19 pandemic", even as members of several parties demanded the restoration of the suspended MPLAD Scheme Fund. While supporting the cut in salaries, most Opposition members, who participated in the debate on 'The Salary, Allowances and Pension of Members of Parliament (Amendment) Bill, 2020', urged the government to review its decision to suspend the MPLAD scheme saying it was necessary to carry out development work in their respective constituencies. The Cabinet had approved the temporary suspension of the Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS) Fund for 2020-21 and 2021-22 citing the coronavirus crisis. Under the scheme, members of both Houses can recommend development programmes involving spending of Rs 5 crore every year. Several Lok Sabha members on Tuesday said while they were willing for a further cut in their salaries, they would want the MPLAD Fund to be restored. Lok Sabha has 543 members and Rajya Sabha has a strength of 245. A member of Parliament draws a salary of Rs one lakh per month and a constituency allowance of Rs 70,000 per month, besides other allowances. The Salary, Allowances and Pension of Members of Parliament (Amendment) Bill, 2020 was introduced in the lower house on Monday to replace an ordinance promulgated on April 7. Replying to the debate on the bill, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said that funds are needed to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. When some members said the cut in salary was only a token contribution as the amount saved was very little, Joshi said "charity should begin from home". He also said that the economy was affected due to the lockdown, and in such a situation, the government has taken important decisions to deal with the crisis. ALSO READ | Lok Sabha passes bill to cut salaries of MPs by 30 per cent Responding to the demand by opposition members to restore the MPLAD Fund, he said, "Whatever decision we have taken on MPLADS is temporary and only for two years". The consolidated amount of MPLAD funds for two years - Rs 7900 crore - will go to the Consolidated Fund of India, Members of the Congress, TMC, BJD, NCP, TRS, TDP and other parties pitched for the restoration of the MPLAD Scheme. Making a strong case for revoking the suspension of the scheme, Trinamool Congress leader Saugata Roy said salaries of parliamentarians can be taken away, but the Fund "should be given back". He also stressed that the government should cut down on bigger expenses. Echoing similar sentiments, BJD's Pinaki Misra said the government should seriously reconsider its decision on MPLADS. Supporting the bill, NCP leader Supriya Sule said it is probably a "drop in the ocean" in terms of salary cut and everyone wants to stand united in this regard. She, however, questioned the intention of the government. The estimated cost of the proposed development of the central vista is Rs 20,000 crore and "you (the Union government) are saving around Rs 10,000 crore from MPLADS for a building which we have not asked for," she said. "Do you want a central vista and an office, or a ventilator and a good hospital in your constituency. It is not rocket science. I urge this government to come clean on this," the NCP member said. YSR Congress member Midhun Reddy urged the government to rethink the suspension of the MPLADS Fund, while Telangana Rashtra Samithi MP Nama Nageswara Rao also called for the restoration of the scheme. The funds should not be taken away, stressed Telugu Desam Party member Jayadev Galla said. "Everybody" has called for the restoration of the funds, "so why not we pass a unanimous resolution" in this regard, the leader of the Congress party in Lok Sabha, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, said. Chowdhury said 93 per cent of the funds have been utilised by members and the bulk was spent on welfare activities for SCs, STs and villagers. While the government is giving tax relief to the corporates, it is cutting the salaries of the MPs. This is being "penny-wise and pound-foolish", he said, adding, "I am appealing to the House that this fund should be restored." Other members who made the same demand include AAP's Bhagwant Mann, Independent MP from Maharashtra Navneet Ravi Rana, BSP's Ritesh Pandey and AIMIM member S I Jaleel. TMC MP Mahua Moitra said the government is doing a disservice by this decision, while Navneet Ravi Rana (Ind) said the fund is "very important for us" and the government should not take "our rights". BERLIN - Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny on Tuesday posted a picture of himself from his hospital bed in Germany where hes recuperating from being poisoned with a nerve agent, wryly joking about being able to breathe on his own. Hi, this is Navalny, he wrote in the Russian-language post on Instagram in the first image of the 44-year-old since he was taken to Berlins Charite hospital. The photo shows him being given a hug by his wife Yulia and flanked by his two children as he sits upright in his bed in a hospital gown. I have been missing you. I still cant do almost anything on my own, but yesterday I managed to breathe on my own for the entire day, he added. Separately, Navalnys spokeswoman, Kira Yarmysh, tweeted that once he has recovered, Navalny plans to return to Russia, where he has supported opposition candidates and waged anti-corruption battles. No other option has ever been considered, she wrote. Navalny fell ill on a flight from Siberia to Moscow on Aug. 20 and treated at a hospital in the city of Omsk. Two days later, he was flown to the German hospital, where he was kept in an induced coma for more than two weeks as he was treated with an antidote. On Sept. 7, doctors said his condition had improved enough for him to be brought out of the coma. On Monday, the hospital said he had been removed from a ventilator and was able to leave his bed for short periods of time. In his Instagram statement, Navalny displayed his well-known sarcastic humour when he talked about being able to breathe without a ventilator. Just on my own, no extra help, I didnt even use the simplest valve in my throat, he said. I liked it very much. Its a remarkable process that is underestimated by many. Strongly recommended. Despite his recovery, doctors have said they cannot rule out long-term health issues associated with the poisoning. Leonid Volkov, a top associate of Navalny, refused to give any details on his condition or his possible return when reached by The Associated Press. A German military lab has determined that Navalny was poisoned with Novichok, the same class of Soviet-era agent that Britain said was used on former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter in Salisbury, England, in 2018. On Monday, the German government said independent tests by labs in France and Sweden backed up its findings. The Hague-based Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons also is taking steps to have samples from Navalny tested at its designated labs, Germany has said. The Kremlin has bristled at calls from German Chancellor Angela Merkel and other leaders to answer questions about the poisoning, denying any official involvement. French President Emmanuel Macrons office said he had expressed deep concern over the criminal act that targeted Navalny directly with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday. The Kremlin said Putin in the call underlined the impropriety of unfounded accusations against the Russian side and emphasized Russias demand for Germany to hand over analyses and samples. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters Tuesday that Russia is puzzled by Germanys refusal to share Navalnys analyses and other medical data, or compare notes with the Russian doctors who said they found no trace of poison in his system while he was at a hospital in the Siberian city of Omsk. Russia has been absolutely open for co-operation in determining what happened, Peskov said. Russia needs co-operation with the German side in getting the patients biological samples to be able to advance. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who cancelled a scheduled trip Tuesday to Berlin, said Russian authorities have conducted a preliminary inquiry and documented the meetings Navalny had before falling ill, but he emphasized they need to see the evidence of his poisoning to launch a full criminal investigation. Lavrov said Navalnys life was saved by the pilots of the plane who quickly landed in Omsk after he collapsed on board and by the rapid action of doctors there. He accused the West of trying to smear Russia and use the incident as a pretext for new sanctions against Moscow. Berlin has rejected suggestions from Moscow that it is dragging its heels on sharing evidence. Asked why no samples from Navalny have been given to Russia, a spokeswoman for German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said Monday that Mr. Navalny was in Russian treatment in a hospital for 48 hours. Sergei Naryshkin, the director of Russias Foreign Intelligence Service, said that studies by Russian labs found no indication Navalny was poisoned while still in Russia. Its a fact that at the moment when Navalny was leaving Russia, there were no toxic agents in his body, Naryshkin said in remarks carried by Russian news agencies. In that context, we have many questions to ask the German side. He emphasized that Russia has fully met its obligations under the international chemical weapons ban and completely destroyed its chemical weapons stockpiles. Its disinformation to say that Russia has production assets or old stockpiles of military nerve agents, he said. Most of Germanys political parties have joined Merkel in calling for an investigation, but leaders in the far-right Alternative for Germany, known for its pro-Moscow sympathies, have said Berlin should not be involved. On Tuesday, it invited media to a discussion with a Russian lawmaker on the Russian view of the Navalny case. - Isachenkov reported from Moscow. Read more about: Taking Stock of Canadas Decades-Long Veer to the Left Commentary If I ask how you think public policy is going in Canada you may have trouble deciding whether to laugh or cry. Or possibly yawn if you arent Canadian, but we believe the world is fascinated by our affairs so pay attention. Also, our problems may actually be very like yours unless you are currently having a civil war or something really terrible on top of the pandemic, too much government, arrogant politicians, and philosophical confusion. So lets take a minute to consider how things are going as a first step to pondering what might be done. After all, somebody has to. Essentially, the CCP virus pandemic has somehow given people in government permission to do stuff they apparently wanted to do for a long time, like spend vast sums they dont have with insouciant disregard for the future, flatten the private sector then transform our economy into something all green and hope its not mould, and boss us around with a shifting set of justifications (masks dont work and borders should not be closed until they do and should, and were trying to flatten the curve to avoid a second wave etc.). And many politicians seem to be enjoying it a great deal. Which is one of the things that leaves others of us uncertain whether to laugh, cry, or both. For instance, our federal government recently announced that it was expecting a deficit of $343 billion next year. Then it said in consequence it believed it was time not for prudent retrenchment and reliance on the tried and true but for some genuinely dramatic, transformative initiatives costing at least another $100 billion. One might put this troubling notion down to the particular philosophical, programmatic, and partisan orientation of the party currently in power and its current partners further left. But heres where our problems become morbidly fascinating and spread into your public arena like, say, mould. The idea of moving Canada dramatically left may excite progressives. But it puzzles me. And not just because I dont like the result of earlier surges left. Because thereve been so many over the past quarter or half century that its hard to see how we could go much further left let alone why wed want to. As my erstwhile National Post colleague Andrew Coyne wrote four years ago, for better or worse the left had been running the table on every imaginable public issue in Canada for decades, from economic to social to foreign policy. Actually that statement is not quite correct. What he wrote, on March 12, 2016, was not exclusively about Canada. Rather Across North America, the right is in disarray. It isnt only at the ballot box that conservatives are in retreat. It is in the broader contest of ideas. On issue after issue, the left has been running the table, whether overturning orthodoxies long considered invincible, like the taboo on deficits, or opening new territory for the expanding state, from pensions to pharmacare to a guaranteed annual income. Perhaps the most startling advances have come in the social issues. From same-sex marriage to legalized marijuana to assisted suicide, public opinion and legislation seem in a headlong race to see which can undo centuries of custom and precedent the fastest, while across the multiplying fronts in the wars of identity racial, sexual and the rest one famous victory follows another. This prospect might seem so repellent that you want to push it away. See, Trump won and But as Abraham Lincoln supposedly might once have said, a settler woman watching her husband locked in mortal combat with a bear does not need to shout alternately Go husband and Go bear to have a reasonable idea how the battle is proceeding. And since Lincoln is one of those people who said many more things online than in real life, yet I cant find a source for this one, Ill quote Coyne again instead: I do not say this is a good thing or a bad thing. Some of these developments are welcome, some are not. I record it only as a fact. The energy, the impetus, the advantage today is all on the left. Facts are stubborn things, John Adams really did say. And whether you think the dominance of the left is good, bad, or a mixed bag has nothing to do with whether it is real, just as who you wanted to win, say, the Second World War should have had no bearing on your assessment of who actually was winning it in June 1940. Or whether the position in front of you on the chess board is good, tolerable, or horrible. Which of course brings me to Erin OToole. In case youre not Canadian, and possibly even if you are, the connection with the newly elected leader of our hapless federal Conservative opposition is as follows: In order to make a difference in our national affairs, and in order to deserve to make one, the new Tory chief and his acolytes need to consider three things in order. First: Is Coynes description correct? Second: Is it a bad thing and if so in what ways? Third: What can we do about it? Just as a sensible chess player tries first to assess objectively what is happening on the board, then to decide which factors favour each player, and only then determine what moves can shift the balance in our favour. Thus far OToole has not done so. As readers fascinated by Canadian politics will know, he campaigned for his partys leadership as the true conservative against his supposedly, and actually, Red Tory main rival Peter MacKay. But as soon as he won OToole emphasized his pro-choice views, embraced the Paris Accord, and endorsed managed trade. To his credit he did also proclaim himself very aware of the threat from communist China. But he has no obvious plans to strengthen our dilapidated military, just as he has no plans to balance the budget, free up Canadas internal trade, reduce federal involvement in areas of provincial jurisdiction like post-secondary education or health, loosen the straitjacket of the Canada Health Act or, well, anything conservative. Perhaps he has not noticed that the left is running the table. Or perhaps he approves. But if so, he doesnt need to do anything including run for office. Undeterred by looming public insolvency, private economic collapse, or increasing regional tensions, the prime minister already has a plan, or, given the absence of details, an intention to move rapidly leftward if he can locate any files on which it wasnt already done years ago. If OToole is worried, hes also off to a bad start. But as Lyndon Johnson should have said and Harold Wilson actually might have, a week is a long time in politics. So our Tory leader can still come up with policies that at least try to stem the tide. As can your local would-be conservatives. Provided they first figure out whats going on and whether its bad. Of course theres something else a chess player can do after a sober evaluation of the situation on the board: resign. As former world chess champion Garry Kasparov really did say, about Russian politics, There is no good move in a lost position. But first lets at least look at the board for a bit. Ugh. John Robson is a documentary filmmaker, National Post columnist, contributing editor to the Dorchester Review, and executive director of the Climate Discussion Nexus. His most recent documentary is The Environment: A True Story. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. NGOs Urge EU To Tackle Legal Breaches By Chinese Firms In Southeastern Europe By RFE/RL September 14, 2020 Civil society groups working in Southeastern Europe are calling on the European Union to step up its actions on legal violations of EU law by Chinese state-owned enterprises in Europe. The CEE Bankwatch Network made the plea on September 14 as German Chancellor Angela Merkel, EU Council President Charles Michel, and Commission President Ursula von der Leyen meet online with China's President Xi Jinping to discuss a planned investment agreement, among other things. The network noted in a statement that Chinese state-owned companies have been "particularly active" in Southeast Europe in recent years, citing signed contracts to build four new coal plants, rehabilitate two coal plants, invest in heavy industries, and construct other infrastructure. In Serbia, Chinese firms have also bought a steel plant and a copper mine and are planning to build a tire factory, it said. But "most of the projects breach national and EU environmental, procurement, and state-aid law," according to the CEE Bankwatch Network. It added that none of the projects is in line with the latest EU pollution control standards of 2017, most have "very weak" environmental assessment studies, and the Drmno lignite mine expansion project in Serbia had "none at all." "Quite often we hear that these are win-win projects. Unfortunately, this is true only for the Chinese side that is producing and exporting all of the equipment and using Chinese workers to install it," said Denis Zisko from the Center for Ecology and Energy in Tuzla, Bosnia-Herzegovina. For the Bosnian side, "this is more of a lose-lose case, since we will end up with a huge debt and a stranded asset," he added. The CEE Bankwatch Network pointed out that a federal loan guarantee for Bosnia's Tuzla 7 coal-power project is subject to an infringement procedure by the secretariat of the Energy Community Treaty due to state aid violations. The Energy Community Treaty creates an internal market in electricity and natural gas bringing together the EU member states and six Balkan countries. Under a 2013 agreement between Belgrade and Beijing, Chinese projects in Serbia do not undergo tender procedures, in clear violation of EU procurement rules, it also said. The coalition of civil society groups want the EU to "clearly tell China to stop building new coal plants in EU and accession countries" and "set this and compliance with EU law as binding conditions" in the Comprehensive Agreement on Investment currently being negotiated between Brussels and China. They said law enforcement in accession countries should also be improved, including by "strengthening the Energy Community Treaty to enable penalties to be issued," while a carbon border tax for electricity must be introduced to "help reinforce the message that coal is no longer economic." "The need to limit climate change clearly means that no more fossil fuel infrastructure can be built anywhere. Southeast European governments bear the primary responsibility for poor decision-making and enforcement on Chinese-built projects, but they will ultimately create problems for the whole EU as the accession countries struggle to comply with EU law," warned Zvezdan Kalmar from the Center for Ecology and Sustainable Development in Serbia. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/ngos-urge-eu-to-tackle- legal-breaches-by-chinese-firms-in- southeastern-europe/30837746.html Copyright (c) 2020. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Mobile Application Security Platform Launches Home Base for Quality Support and Collaboration Among Application Developers and Guardsquare Experts Guardsquare, the mobile application security platform, today announced the launch of the Guardsquare Community, a dedicated space for ProGuard users and interested mobile application developers to connect directly with its creators. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200915005611/en/ Guardsquare Community (Photo: Business Wire) The open source community acted as a foundation for the original concept and development of ProGuard, the most popular open source optimizer for Java bytecode. This collaborative community is where Guardsquare got its start and is the motivation for establishing Guardsquare's cutting-edge products for layered mobile app security DexGuard for Android, iXGuard for iOS, and real-time threat monitoring console, ThreatCast. "We're excited to continue connecting with and supporting the community of application developers who rely on our solutions as we introduce the Guardsquare Community which closely aligns with our tradition and vision." said Eric Lafortune, creator of ProGuard, Founder and CTO at Guardsquare. "By combining educational resources and the ability to communicate directly, our collaborative online community helps facilitate and expedite bringing like-minded people together to discuss and curate the next wave of innovation." The Guardsquare Community is an all-in-one resource for product discussions, best practices, release notes, relevant events, and company related news. Community members are encouraged to showcase their own expertise with the group by publishing blogs, providing product feedback, requesting new features, and conversing on forums about optimization tactics and application security. All mobile application developers and ProGuard users now have access to a collaborative network where participants can benefit from sharing, influencing, and obtaining details on ProGuard Rules along with getting support and assistance from Guardsquare engineers and experts. With the Guardsquare Community, members now have easy access to proven ProGuard expertise. Whether it is the Guardsquare team itself or passionate community members, developers will have access to the most experienced ProGuard network within the Guardsquare Community. To join the Guardsquare Community and learn more about ProGuard, please visit: https://community.guardsquare.com/ About Guardsquare Guardsquare is the global leader in mobile application protection. More than 650 customers worldwide across all major industries rely on Guardsquare to secure their mobile applications against reverse engineering and hacking. Built on the open source ProGuard technology, Guardsquare software integrates transparently in the development process and adds multiple layers of protection to Android (DexGuard) and iOS (iXGuard) applications hardening them against both on-device and off-device attacks. With the addition of ThreatCast, its mobile application security console, Guardsquare offers the most complete mobile security solution on the market today. Guardsquare is based in Leuven, Belgium with a US office in Boston, MA. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200915005611/en/ Contacts: Erica Sheehan, Guardsquare erica.sheehan@guardsquare.com Galia Beer Gabel Today, Team8*, a company-building venture group backed with strategic funding from Microsoft, Walmart, Barclays and Moodys, among others, launched Team8 Fintech, a practice focused on founding and scaling transformative fintech companies. Galia Beer-Gabel, former Head of Business Development for PayPal across Eastern Europe, Israel and Africa, who is part of the founding team of Team8 Fintech, answered our questions about the new iniatiative. FinSMEs: Hi Galia, lets speak about Team8 Fintech. What is it? Beer-Gabel: Team8 Fintech is a company building platform that will build 5-6 transformative fintech companies from scratch over the next 5 years, investing $5-8M in seed funding in each one and a significant amount through in-kind services. Beyond me, Team8 Fintech is led by a team that brings a wealth of expertise across retail banking, credit, payments, ecommerce and trading, including: Former President & CEO of Israels largest bank Leumi Group, Rakefet Russak-Aminoach responsible for the launch of neobank Pepper, one of the worlds first fully mobile banks; Founder & Former President of digital payments unicorn Payoneer, Yuval Tal. Founder and Former Chief Product Officer of social trading network and multi-asset brokerage unicorn eToro Ronen Assia. Left to right: Yuval Tal, Rakefet Russak Aminoach, Galia Beer-Gabel and Ronen Assia Team8 Fintech will leverage Team8s foundry model of company building, ideating novel solutions to address the problems and opportunities of its target audience. The foundry will partner with exceptional entrepreneurs to co-found new companies, bringing together its domain expertise and company-building capabilities to mitigate the complexity of building companies for this highly regulated and fragmented market; ultimately accelerating the path to success. It will leverage and extend the Team8 Village an extensive rich ecosystem of corporate executives and investors that provide a privileged insiders view to enterprise challenges and fintech opportunities a key benefit for companies. It will also support startup progression through its trademark disciplined and rigorous approach, utilizing the groups in-house team of dozens of domain experts, researchers, ideators, marketers, business developers and talent recruiters based in New York and Tel Aviv. FinSMEs: Whats unique about Team8 Fintechs strategy? Beer-Gabel: Team8 Fintech will create both B2B and B2B2C companies that empower industry players with new technologies and new business offerings to ensure they stay relevant and gain a competitive advantage. The foundry will build companies that empower: Incumbents, largely operating with legacy infrastructure, to hyperscale their digital transformation. Established fintechs, typically offering niche solutions with companies that enhance their value propositions with more diverse and robust capabilities and broaden their business models. Non-financial companies with significant customer bases and relevant customer touchpoints where a financial service offering may be beneficial. Team8 Fintech will create companies providing embedded fintech solutions to address these opportunities, enabling such non-financial companies to become new fintech providers, benefiting from new revenue streams and enhanced customer engagement. E.g. Facebook launched WhatsApp Pay in Brazil, allowing users to easily send funds to individuals or businesses through the messaging app; Tesla has released its own insurance offering for Tesla owners in California, with plans to expand across the U.S. soon. The program offers owners insurance at rates 20-30% lower than the competition; TikToks parent company ByteDance is negotiating with the family that owns Singapore-based OCBC Bank to acquire a banking license FinSMEs: Have you already started investing? Team8 Fintech is building companies from the ground up and has already started working on its first company. FinSMEs: This was a meaningful year for the planet. New models and solutions are needed Beer-Gabel: The financial sector holds bigger and more diverse opportunities than ever before, all of which has been accelerated by Covid-19. A myriad of social, demographic, political, economic, technological, regulatory and most recently health-related changes are rapidly reshaping both local and global financial scenes, setting the stage for innovative and transformative companies that will ride the next fintech wave. Customers expect their financial interactions to be cheap, fast and simple, with a mobile-first, personalized experience. Social distancing, working from home and the enormous global financial pressure is forcing many industries, particularly in the financial sector, to deliver new personalized digital offerings and experiences.At present, incumbents are still holding sway; many fintech startups are still struggling to become viable competitive players. The financial services offered by BigTechs are far from reaching their full potential. The need for new offerings is pressing. FinSMEs: Which trends do you follow with particular attention? Beer-Gabel: ML and Credit Machine Learning can be used to leverage the huge opportunity created by the intersection of credit and data. Credit remains one of the most lucrative sectors of fintech and one that encompasses major inefficiencies that can be tackled leveraging deep industry knowhow, the right technological approach and can be a source of growth for a variety of players. Demand is expected to grow even more, traditional risk models are put to test, existing players are tightening their policies and the opportunity to do things differently is bigger than ever. Covid has ushered in an era of hyper digitization Trends and customer expectations have accelerated across all age groups by a decade. Cash usage is dropping, brick and mortar decreasing in relevance, a marked increase in number of digital-only bank accounts, customers expect their financial interactions to become fully digitalized. COVID is the ultimate catalyst, forcing existing and new players to offer better, smoother and more personalized digital experiences and all players of the financial sectors are expected to rise to the challenge. Cross-Bundling of Fintech While early fintechs unbundled many services, as the opportunity to leverage the existing user bases of large corporations grows, more services will be bundled again, creating a new era of fintech cross-bundling, which brings together different verticals and sometimes industries (such as banks and tech companies, fintechs and telecoms). Fintech for the aging population Everyone is targeting millennials, but what about the growing older population? Many have had to get accustomed to banking without going into a branch, plus this is a lucrative audience. * Established in 2014, Team8 is a company-building venture group, headquartered in New York and Tel Aviv, that both creates and invests in companies across enterprise technology, cybersecurity, and fintech, leveraging expertise of its leadership team that includes investors, serial entrepreneurs and former leaders of Israels elite military intelligence unit 8200. Backed by some of the biggest corporates including Microsoft, Walmart, Barclays and Moodys, Team8 has achieved notable results including a $250M acquisition of its portfolio company Sygnia, $100M in funding for cyber startup Claroty, and the launching of ground-breaking privacy enhancing technology with Duality. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-15 05:20:14|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close CAIRO, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov discussed on Monday the developments of regional issues, including the situation in Libya. During a phone conversation, the top diplomats focused on the Libyan issue, according to a statement by the Egyptian Foreign Ministry. Shoukry highlighted the importance of reaching a comprehensive cease-fire agreement in Libya, as well as the need to bust all armed militias. He also underlined the the pullout of all foreign forces from Libya, and active negotiations to reach a political solution. They also discussed developments in Syria, noting the need to reach a comprehensive settlement of the crisis on the basis of UN references. Any solutions should preserve unity, independence and sovereignty of the Syrian territories and guarantee the security and safety of the Syrian people, they said. On the Palestinian cause, the Egyptian foreign minister emphasized the need to preserve the legitimate Palestinian rights and the principle of the two-state solution within the framework of international legitimacy resolutions. Enditem In a world first, an Australian doctor has completed the first human clinical trial using engineered stem cells to treat an immune disease. The trial used induced pluripotent stem cells to treat 15 patients in Australia and the UK with an immune disorder called graft versus host disease. The disease can occur after a bone marrow transplant and, in some cases, can be deadly. Professor John Rasko has led a world-first human clinical trial using reprogammed stem cells to treat an immune disorder called graft versus host disease. Credit:Wolter Peeters Royal Prince Alfred Hospital head of Cell and Molecular Therapies Professor John Rasko AO said graft versus host patients could develop severe gut symptoms, or in their skin or lungs. Is there Karnataka weekend lockdowns or night curfew? Here's what minister has to say Sex workers in Karnataka adopt community networking strategy to meet needs during COVID times India pti-Madhuri Adnal Mysuru, Sep 15: Thousands of sex workers, especially those living with HIV, in parts of Karnataka adopted an inspiring community-led response to meet their basic and emergency needs during COVID-19-induced lockdown. The sudden loss of livelihood and lack of access to health care and social protection intensified their vulnerabilities, according to a group of 12 authors whose perspective paper was published in the September issue of WHO (World Health Organisation) South-East Asia Journal of Public Health. 'Evidence suggests COVID spreads through saliva, respiratory secretions of infected people' For people living with HIV, the lockdown of Mysuru city immediately disrupted antiretroviral therapy (ART) access, as the majority of ART dispensation takes place through the government-run district hospital, although there are two private hospitals being part of the government ART programme, they said. Between 200 and 250 people per day collect their medication from the district hospital. With the onset of COVID-19, and the lockdown, the district hospital initially became the only designated testing and treatment centre for SARS-CoV-2 in the city, which effectively halted regular ART distribution. Ashodaya Samithi, an organisation of more than 6000 sex workers, launched an innovative programme of assistance in the districts of Mysuru, Chamarajanagara, Kodagu and Mandya. Since access to ART was immediately disrupted, Mysuru- based Ashodaya adapted its HIV outreach programme to form an alternative, community-led system of distributing ART at discreet, private sites. WhatsApp messaging was used to distribute information on accessing government social benefits made available in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Other assistance included advisory messages posted in WhatsApp groups to raise awareness, dispel myths and mitigate violence, and regular, discreet phone check-ins to follow up on the well-being of members. 'Excellent safety' of 2 indigenous COVID candidate vaccines revealed during Phase-I trials: Minister Amid the COVID-19 restrictions, community leaders adapted a community network-based strategy successfully utilised in their HIV outreach programme to form a community- led ART distribution system for sex workers, the authors said. "Although Ashodayas response was initiated in Mysuru, it was quickly adopted by Ashodaya teams in the other (three) districts where they work", the perspective paper said. Ashodaya has drawn on its vast experience in community mobilisation and outreach to swiftly respond to emerging issues and challenges resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, helping to ensure continued access to treatment, social entitlements, psychosocial counselling, and accurate and up- to-date information, it was stated. In the period between the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic and May 2020, Ashodaya was able to provide ART to 1,065 people, provide nutritional supplements to 270 people. It ensured access to social protection for approximately 3,800 sex workers, and it was in regular contact with over 5,500 others through calls and individual meetings. The 12 authors are: Sushena Reza-Paul, Lisa Lazarus, Partha Haldar, Manisha Reza Paul, Bhagya Lakshmi, Manjula Ramaiah, Akram Pasha, Syed Hafeez Ur Rahman, K T Venukumar, M S Venugopal, Bharat Bhushan Rewari and Robert Lorway. "The lessons learnt from these activities represent an important opportunity to consider more sustainable approaches to the health of marginalised populations that can enable community organisations to be better prepared to respond to other public health crises as they emerge", they said. A Boston University lecturer was crushed to death when she overloaded an old elevator with a heavy package and it suddenly started moving, neighbors on the scene have said. Carrie O'Connor, 38, was taking belongings to her apartment in the 1920s building she recently moved into on Monday evening and a neighbor at 1140 Commonwealth Ave, Allston took the stairs as he helped her with another box. While the elevator usually works via a two-door system that requires the second door to be firmly shut before moving, it's believed the weight triggered a sensor by fault. 'I heard it, he saw everything,' tenant Leanne Scorzoni told the Boston Globe. 'He was helping her with a box into the building and he was going up the stairs, and he told her "hey, just be careful because it's an old-fashioned elevator."' The woman who was crushed to death at her new apartment building in an elevator accident has been identified as Boston University lecturer, Carrie O'Connor (pictured). She was 38 years old O'Connor died on Monday evening when the elevator in the Allston apartment complex (pictured) suddenly dropped between floors as she tried to load her package. Police said they were called to 1140 Commonwealth Avenue just after 5pm Authorities (pictured exiting the building) said O'Connor was found in the elevator on the first floor. She was pronounced dead at the scene Scorzoni said she had spoken to the man helping O'Connor with her package just seconds before the elevator dropped. She described the scene as 'horrifying'. 'I don't know what type of elevator it is, but you have to pull the door across and then step in and then press the button.' Scorzoni added that she was told the elevator had a sensor, and the man who was helping O'Connor believes that the package may have triggered the sensor, which caused it to start moving. Scorzoni told the Boston Globe there is a staircase next to the elevator, and the man helping O'Connor was talking to her as he was going up. 'He just said "oh, I don't think that's gonna fit in there'. And then she's like, "oh, I'll try it one more time". And then I heard her screaming, and I heard him screaming,' she told the publication. Scorzoni added that the man was screaming and pointing when she emerged from her first floor apartment. 'When I looked at the elevator, it was not there. Only the ceiling of the car was on my floor, so all the cables were there,' she said. Scorzoni said she did not know O'Connor, and the Boston University lecturer had only recently moved into the building. Management of the building said the elevator was inspected within the past year In a statement, a spokesperson from the state's Division of Professional Licensure said officials from the Office of Public Safety and Inspections determined that the elevator was recently inspected and certified in accordance with state regulations Other residents in the building reported hearing screams at the time of the tragic accident. An unidentified witness told Boston 25 News that she 'heard just an ungodly scream'. 'We ran into the hallway and saw a gentlemen who was in distress screaming and hyperventilating and saying she's dead, she's dead'. The building's residents weren't allowed inside for about 90 minutes as police worked the scene and were told that the elevator was stuck between the first floor and the basement. Eric Carmichael told CBS that his wife was on the first floor when the accident occurred. He said she told him that it all happened so fast and there was nothing she could do to help. 'The lady was trying to put her package into the elevator, like that's how we do it. Take it from the lobby,' Carmichael told the station. 'I guess maybe the package and the woman were over the limit of what the elevator could handle so then what my wife said she saw was the lady's arms like hanging onto her package.' Carmichael called the accident terrifying because any it could have been any of the residents inside when the elevator malfunctioned. 'Terrible old elevator that should have been probably kept up better,' he added. Another resident told CBS that the elevator is an old system. 'It's a two-slide door system and unless that door is completely shut, it does not move ever,' Nevada Foskit said. 'If something did happen, it clearly had to be faulty.' The building's residents weren't allowed inside for about 90 minutes as police worked the scene and were told that the elevator was stuck between the first floor and the basement (bottom left) The elevator became stuck between the first floor and the basement, which is where the washers and dryers are in the building The building (pictured) itself dates back to 1920, according to tax records, but it's unclear when the elevator was installed. Police said an autopsy will be conduced to determine how the victim died Management of the building said the elevator was inspected within the past year. According to WCVB, Boston's Inspectional Service Department said the elevator is overseen by the state. In a statement, a spokesperson from the state's Division of Professional Licensure said officials from the Office of Public Safety and Inspections determined that the elevator was recently inspected and certified in accordance with state regulations. 'The department extends its deepest sympathies to the loved ones of the victim during this difficult time,' the statement reads. Police and officials from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration are still investigating. The building itself dates back to 1920, according to tax records, but it's unclear when the elevator was installed. O'Connor was found dead at the scene. Boston police sergeant Detective John Boyle said her cause of death was traumatic asphyxia, and the manner was accidental. Police said an autopsy will be conducted to determine how the victim died. According to O'Connor's biography on the Boston University website, she has taught 'a wide range of courses throughout her career, including French language, French for Business, Conversational French, French literature in translation, and French culture through gastronomy'. She previously taught at Bentley University, Louisiana State University, MIT, Northeastern University, and Tufts University. Palantirs finally leaving Palo Alto. After 17 years with its headquarters in Silicon Valley, the companys escaping to Denver, specifically citing a culture of intolerance in the Bay Area. We made that happen! Hundreds of people protested Palantir in the last few years, demanding that they cut their contracts with ICE and stop supporting foreign wars. We marched outside their headquarters, through downtown Palo Alto, even to CEO Alex Karps house, demanding that they stop providing the tools that facilitate anti-immigrant terror and enable surveillance, mass raids, deportations, and de facto family separation. Now its time to bid them farewell for good. We want to bring together the coalition of groups that has protested Palantir for one last action outside their headquarters. This is happening the day before activists in Denver have an unwelcome party outside Palantirs new home, on September 22, letting them know that they can change cities, but theyre not welcome anywhere they go. For more event information: https://www.facebook.com/events/3221653992... Added to the calendar on Monday Sep 14th, 2020 3:52 PM Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 15) President Rodrigo Duterte is requesting Malaysia's government to assist Filipinos stranded in Sabah, over which the two countries have a territorial dispute. He expressed hope his plea will be heeded, in the same way the Philippine government is willing to assist Malaysia's citizens amid the pandemic. He made the statement after being briefed by officials late Monday on the repatriation of Filipinos abroad, including from Sabah. "Now, I am happy to hear from Secretary Galvez that they are coming home, some of them are from Sabah. Iyon, malamang doon din even the issue of hospital care. That has been a very ticklish issue between our government," Duterte said. [Translation: Most likely there is even the issue of hospital care there] "And we are we are trying our best to appeal to the humanitarian sense of the Malaysian government to please help our citizens in your country, as we would as we would do for your citizens if they are in our country," he added. It was not clear what kind of assistance he wanted from Malaysia, and if he was referring to the territorial row over Sabah as the "ticklish issue" between the two governments. "A human being should never, never be a commodity that is just left behind to rot," he said about stranded Filipinos, before talking specifically about those in Sabah. Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, the chairman of the National Task Force against COVID-19, said around 3,000 Filipinos are stuck in Sabah awaiting repatriation. The fifth batch of Filipinos will be sent back to the Philippines next week, bringing the total number of repatriates to over 2,000. The two regional allies have long kept the decades-old dispute in the back burner, but a tweet from Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr., saying "Sabah is not in Malaysia," recently triggered a public spat. This led to Malaysian Foreign Minister Hishammuddin Hussein summoning Philippine envoy Charles Jose in July over the post, while Locsin also threatened to invite the other countrys envoy. Malaysia has considered Sabah its territory since it became part of the Malaysian federation in 1963. Kuala Lumpur maintains that the United Nations and the international community have recognized Sabah as part of Malaysia. Manila, however, insists that Sabah was merely on lease to Malaysia by the Sultanate of Sulu, which has ceded sovereignty over the area to the Philippines. Close Former Tory MP Charlie Elphicke jailed after being found guilty of three sexual assaults The rule of law is under attack from Boris Johnsons internal markets plan for Brexit, according to the Law Society. The solicitors body said we have a choice about what sort of country we want to be and what we want to be known for around the world. The controversial proposal to tear up part of the Brexit treaty with the European Union passed its second reading in the Commons on Monday by a majority of 77 despite a rebellion among Tory MPs. Meanwhile, Sir Keir Starmer called on the government to implement a targeted extension of its furlough scheme, as millions of job losses loom. The Labour leader continued to self-isolate after a family member developed coronavirus symptoms, as he awaited the results from a test he said they were only able to obtain due to his wifes job in the NHS. Angela Rayner is set to face off against Mr Johnson in PMQs on Wednesday as a result. It came as former Tory MP Charlie Elphicke was sentenced to two years in prison after being convicted of three counts of sexual assault against two women. Steven Marshall announces that the Koonibba Aboriginal Community will be entering history books when Australias first rocket is launched to the edge of space. (Photo by Mark Brake/Getty Images) Countdown on for Australian Rocket Launch on Aboriginal Land A small rocket is scheduled to blast off from a launch facility in South Australia, marking the nations first major foray into space for decades. Southern Launch has set 11:59 am (CST) on Tuesday to fire off its first TED-01 DART rocket from the Koonibba Test Range. The site is in the Koonibba Aboriginal Community on SAs west coast. The TED-01 DART is 3.4 metre, two-stage rocket which will carry a miniature sensing device to an altitude of about 85 kilometres before both falls back to earth. The rockets payload is less than 27 centimetres long, but with its suite of antennas will conduct an important sensing mission to detect and identify specific radar signals. Premier Steven Marshall says Tuesdays launch is an important day for South Australia and comes after the governments significant investment to help develop a national space industry. This is the first space capable rocket launch in Australia for decades and decades, the premier said. External Affairs Minister of India Subrahmanyam Jaishankar in a message described his Tuesday meeting with Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif in Tehran as "productive", Trend reports citing IRNA. "A productive meeting with FM J.Zarif during a stopover in Tehran," Jaishankar wrote in his Twitter account on Tuesday. "Discussed strengthening our bilateral cooperation and reviewed regional developments. Thank him for his gracious hospitality," he added. Jaishankar's Tehran visit is taking place following the unprecedented arrival of the Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh to Tehran on September 6 when he held meetings with his Iranian counterpart Brigadier General Amir Hatami. Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh in a Twitter message said: "Just a couple of days after the Indian Defense Minister visited Tehran, today FM J.Zarif is hosting the External Affairs Minister of India Dr. S.Jaishankar." "During the talks, the two sides emphasized their resolve to further expand the bilateral ties in all aspects," he added. LINCOLN Get ready for more hazy skies, dramatic sunsets and a decline in air quality as smoke from western wildfires is carried above the Midwest and beyond. Right now, all the smoke is going up over the northern Rockies, across the Plains, then going up, then back down over the Great Lakes, said James Auten, a meteorologist in the National Weather Service in Lincoln. Were going to get more of that tomorrow (Wednesday) as it sinks south. Central Illinoisans aren't the only ones seeing its impact. The jet stream is carrying the smoke all the way to the East Coast and beyond. Smoke and haze have been reported in New York, Boston, Maine and even Germany. "Satellite images this morning show smoke aloft moving over much of the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic," the weather service's Baltimore-Washington office tweeted Tuesday morning. At least 35 people have died in the wildfires. Because the smoke is so high in the atmosphere, were not seeing a health effect in this region, Auten said. Air quality in all of Central Illinois is considered good, with an Air Quality Index in the high teens to 20 in Bloomington-Normal, Decatur and Mattoon-Charleston. The good category ranges from 0 to 50, said Auten. However, the concern that we have is it might reach into the moderate category on Wednesday, he said. The moderate category is 50 to 100 and Central Illinois could be in the 50s the lower end of the category on Wednesday, Auten explained. That can cause respiratory issues for some people, he said. But its not going to be super bad like way out west in Oregon, Washington and Idaho, where air quality is in the unhealthy category with some areas in the hazardous category, said Auten. Among cities in the hazardous category was Portland, Ore., with an Air Quality Index of 341 on Tuesday morning. Smoke is only part of the problem. Other pollutants also are being spread by the massive wildfires. NASA has reported high-altitude concentrations of carbon monoxide that are more than 10 times above normal. NASA officials said carbon monoxide "can persist in the atmosphere for about a month and can be transported great distances. Auten said the current air pattern shows little sign of changing. Hurricane Sally will not bring any rain to Central Illinois, he said. In fact, it will block the progress of systems from west to east and the area will see dry weather for at least the next seven days, said Auten. The Los Angeles Times contributed to this story. Brrr! All-time snowfall records Contact Lenore Sobota at (309) 820-3240. Follow her on Twitter: @Pg_Sobota Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Classes for first graders and university freshman students began earlier this month. Virtually all Armenian educational establishments switched in March to online classes that continued until the end of the last academic year in June. The Armenian government decided last month to end the shutdown amid a falling number of coronavirus cases in the country. The downward trend has continued since then. The government set strict sanitary and hygienic rules for all schools, universities and vocational training colleges. In particular, there can be no more than 20 schoolchildren in a classroom at a time and all of them must be seated apart and wear face masks during classes. School administrations have to provide students with hand sanitizers and regularly disinfect classrooms. They must also ensure that all teachers get tested for COVID-19. The mandatory testing of Armenias 30,000 or so schoolteachers began a week ago. Teachers found to be infected with the disease must self-isolate or be hospitalized, if necessary. The Ministry of Education reported on Monday that 1,280 teachers have been allowed to continue working online because of their old age and/or chronic diseases. The government rules also allow those students who are chronically ill or have infected family members to stick to distance learning. More than 2,400 of the countrys 397,607 secondary and high school students have qualified for such exemptions, according to the ministry. An RFE/RL correspondent witnessed widespread non-compliance with some of the rules at Yerevans Secondary School No. 197. Teachers there admitted that a single COVID-19 infection could trigger an outbreak of the potentially deadly respiratory disease. In one of the schools classrooms, most students did not wear face masks. Both their teacher and the schools acting principal, Svetlana Nahatakian, had masks on but did not wear them correctly. We can understand the kids, Nahatakian told RFE/RLs Armenian service. She said that hot weather makes mask-wearing very difficult. By contrast, all students of another class wore masks. Its better to be safe and stay away from the virus, said one of them, the 10-year-old Helena. Her masked classmates felt more uncomfortable. Boys standing in the courtyard of the nearby High School No. 198 put on masks only after noticing a reporters camera. But inside the school everyone seemed to respect the rule, even if there too many students complained that masks cause them too much inconvenience. We explain to them that its temporary and we need to adapt, said the school principal, Sargis Khachatrian. Khachatrian admitted that it is not easy to enforce the anti-epidemic requirement. Apart from teaching courses and doing your normal work, you also have to act like an overseer because you bear responsibility for your and other peoples health, he said. Wearing face masks in all public spaces -- both indoors and outdoors -- has been mandatory in Armenia since June. The government kept this and other restrictions in place when it lifted a coronavirus-related state of emergency on September 11. The Ministry of Health said earlier on Tuesday 150 more Armenians have tested positive for COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, sharply down from an average of 550-600 cases a day registered in the first half of July and roughly 250 daily infections recorded in early August. Since the start of the pandemic the ministry has reported a total of 46,119 coronavirus cases and 920 deaths in the country of about 3 million. An aggressive tradesman threatened to punch a pregnant woman in the head in an explosive road rage attack. Scott Jason Burgess burst into a fit of rage as he tried merging onto Olsen Ave, in Southport on the Gold Coast, at about 4.30pm on October 16 last year. The 33-year-old became angry when he heard a driver beeping their horn, and threatened to punch the terrified pregnant woman in the head. Scott Jason Burgess exploded into a fit of rage when a pregnant driver beeped her horn at him as he tried merging onto Olsen Ave, Southport on the Gold Coast about 4.30pm on October 16 last year 'I'm going to punch you in the head you f***ing sl*t,' Burgess yelled at the woman, the Gold Coast Bulletin reported. The woman start recording the incident and Burgess tried to snatch her phone off of her. He appeared in Southport Magistrates Court on Tuesday and pleaded guilty to common assault. He was fined $1,000. 'The disturbing factor about your offending is the loss of control and aggression you demonstrated in front of your children,' Magistrate Kerry Magee said. Prosecutor Caitlin Usher told the court that it took police seven months to find Burgess following the incident. His lawyer, Brendan Beavon, told the court that his client feared for his two young daughters who were in the car at the time. Outside court, Mr Beavon said his client was apologetic and that 'it would not happen again'. New home prices post steady growth From:ChinaDaily | 2020-09-15 07:58 New home prices rose at a slightly faster monthly pace in August in China as the sector continued to recover on the back of resurgent consumer demand, according to official data released on Monday. Industry experts said, though the peak season for real estate sales has arrived in China, prices may not see too much of upward fluctuations as the tightening measures will help keep prices under control, experts said. Led by Huizhou in Guangdong province, 59 of the 70 cities tracked by the National Bureau of Statistics reported a growth in new home prices in August, same as that of July. Overall, the 70 Chinese cities reported a 0.6 percent growth in new home prices on a monthly basis and by 4.7 percent on a yearly basis. "Home prices have remained largely stable with marginal growth. Most of the local governments have been strictly following the central government's directive that housing is for living in and not for speculation and taking timely steps to ensure that the long-term mechanisms are effective," said Kong Peng, chief statistician of the NBS. Tight curbs on home prices in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, had an overflow effect and partly drove up home prices in the nearby Huizhou city, said Yan Yuejin, director of Shanghai-based E-house China Research and Development Institution. Yinchuan, capital of Ningxia Hui autonomous region, saw the biggest growth in new home prices on a yearly basis among the 70 major cities tracked by the NBS. New home prices of the four benchmark first-tier cities rose by 0.6 percent on a monthly basis, with Guangzhou posting a growth of 0.9 percent, followed by Beijing and Shanghai at 0.6 percent, and Shenzhen with 0.5 percent, compared with the levels seen in July. On a yearly basis, the four top-tier cities saw a 3.9 percent growth in new home prices, according to NBS data. In the pre-owned home market, Guangzhou saw the highest growth in transaction prices of 1.7 percent among the four top-tier cities. It was followed by Shenzhen with 1.1 percent, Shanghai at 0.8 percent and Beijing with 0.7 percent. Forty-seven of the 70 cities reported growth in pre-owned home transaction prices, two more than the previous month. A majority of the cities saw price hikes as the existing policies are focused on stabilizing the home market and the arrival of the golden season for the home market in September and October will keep the residential market on a slight uptrend, said Zhang Dawei, chief analyst at Centaline Property Agency Ltd. Zhang said the comparatively loose regulations on the home market during the first half of the year due to the COVID-19 epidemic effect has come to an end and it is clear that the central government intends to maintain stability in the real estate market through tighter regulations. Xu Xiaole, chief market analyst with Beike Real Estate Research Institute, said he does not anticipate a home price hike and said the marginal spike seen in major cities are part of market fluctuations due to the resilient demand and improved financing. "About 10 cities have already issued macroeconomic policies since July and home prices are expected to remain steady in the subsequent months of the year," said Xu. Zhang from Centaline expects 30 cities to announce new restrictions on home purchases soon. According to NBS data, new home and pre-owned home prices remained stable in 31 second-tier cities or saw slower growth rates for 16 months in a row, while 35 thirdtier cities saw 17 consecutive months of unchanged prices or marginal declines in home prices. ENDERBY (dpa-AFX) - L Brands Inc. (LB) said Monday that it has reached an agreement to sell a 51% stake in Victoria's Secret U.K., its business in the United Kingdom and Ireland, to Next Plc (NXT.L), retaining a 49% stake. The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. The Victoria's Secret U.K. business is currently in Administration. As per the terms of the deal, the two companies will form a joint venture that will operate all Victoria's Secret stores in the U.K. and Ireland, subject to agreeing to terms with landlords. The U.K. digital (online) business, which is currently operated by Victoria's Secret in the United States, will be folded into the JV in Spring 2021, L Brands said in a statement. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. Superbugs, bacteria resistant to commonly prescribed antibiotics caused 1.2million deaths could have been a factor in nearly 5million a study by experts Washington and Oxford has found. This would make superbugs a bigger global killer than either HIV/AIDS or malaria, which killed 860,000 and 640,000 that year, respectively. On top of direct deaths, researchers estimate superbugs were also a potential factor in another 5million deaths globally in 2019. Superbugs are bacteria which have developed a resistance to antibiotics meaning they are more dangerous if they infect somebody. Overprescribing of antibiotics for minor health problems as well as incorrectly using them is believed to have fuelled the rise of these bacteria. In what is believed to be the most comprehensive review of global deaths caused by superbugs, researchers from the University of Washington and University of Oxford warn unless more action is taken the death toll will increase in years to come. The 1.2million fatality figure is much greater than previous estimates which suggested the problem caused 700,000 deaths per year. People can be infected by bacteria in a number of ways, from a person coughing, contaminated food or drink, to an open wound, infecting organs such as the lungs, or even the bloodstream. They can be fatal, causing issues like inflammation, or sepsis, as the immune system tries to fight off the bacteria. Previously, medics could help a patient fight off the bacteria by prescribing antibiotics but some species have developed resistance to these medications making them far more dangerous. 2 1 of 2 Renee C. Byer / Associated Press Show More Show Less 2 of 2 Gabrielle Lurie / The Chronicle Show More Show Less One person was taken to the hospital after protesters surrounded a California Highway Patrol officers vehicle Monday following President Trumps visit to Sacramento, according to reporters on the scene of the incident. A video taken by an NBC Bay Area reporter on the scene showed a man crawling on the windshield of a patrol car seconds before the patrol car accelerated into the crowd of protesters. The man appears to roll over the roof of the car before being thrown violently to the pavement. WASHINGTON: The United Arab Emirates and Bahrain signed agreements on Tuesday for normalizing relations with Israel, becoming the latest Arab states to break a longstanding taboo in a strategic realignment of Middle Eastern countries against Iran. US President Donald Trump hosted the White House ceremony, capping a dramatic month when first the UAE and then Bahrain agreed to reverse decades of ill will without a resolution of Israel`s decades-old dispute with the Palestinians. In front of a crowd of several hundred people on the White House lawn, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu signed accords with Emirati Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nahyan and Bahrains Foreign Minister Abdullatif Al Zayani. The deals, denounced by the Palestinians, make them the third and fourth Arab states to take such steps to normalize ties since Israel signed peace treaties with Egypt in 1979 and Jordan in 1994. Meeting Netanyahu earlier in the Oval Office, Trump said, "We`ll have at least five or six countries coming along very quickly" to forge their own accords with Israel. But he did not name any of the nations involved in such talks. Speaking from the White House balcony, Trump said: "We`re here this afternoon to change the course of history." Flags of the United States, Israel, the UAE and Bahrain were in abundance. He called it "a major stride in which people of all faiths and backgrounds live together in peace and prosperity" and declared that the three Middle East countries "are going to work together, they are friends." The back-to-back agreements mark an improbable diplomatic victory for Trump. He has spent his presidency forecasting deals on such intractable problems as North Korea`s nuclear program only to find actual achievements elusive. Bringing Israel, the UAE and Bahrain together reflects their shared concern about Iran`s rising influence in the region and development of ballistic missiles. Iran has been critical of both deals. But in a sign that regional strife is sure to continue while the Israeli-Palestinian conflict remains unresolved, sirens warning of rocket fire from Gaza sounded in southern Israel on Tuesday as a ceremony was underway in Washington. SEOblog.com, a fast-growing website providing the latest SEO news, tips and resources and helping business owners connect with leading SEO agencies, has released its exclusive 2020 ratings naming the best SEO companies in San Diego. SEOblog analysts determined the 15 best SEO companies in San Diego based on dozens of key quantitative and qualitative factors. SEOblog industry experts examined each digital marketing agencys website, industry experience, market presence, client list, portfolio, expert certifications and authorship among other factors in its ranking system. SEOblog has provided an in-depth view of companies in a particular city or focus area on various directory pages to help business owners find the expert help they need to grow. This was a new, free offer added by SEOblog in 2019. San Diego has several of the nations top SEO agencies that provide a very competitive digital marketing landscape. SEOblog.com rankings are updated regularly as the market shifts and new players emerge. SEOblog.com has published more than 2,300 agency listings with more added every day. There is no fee to participate, and the website welcomes all qualified agencies to apply. SEOblog.coms 15 Best SEO Companies in San Diego in 2020: Ignite Visibility, Doctor Multimedia, iMatrix, KInteractive Agency, Transformed Design, GoSite, Increase Your Profits, Einstein Medical, Storm Brain, Dog and Rooster, Power Digital Marketing, Saba SEO, Musselwhite Marketing, Planet Marketing and iCatch Marketing. Link: https://www.seoblog.com/best-seo-companies/san-diego/ About SEOblog.com SEOblog.com is a leading thought leadership site with a rich history of publishing educational and informative articles about SEO and digital marketing topics. In early 2019, SEOblog.com answered the call from buyers of digital marketing services that lacked unbiased, informative online resources and launched a comprehensive directory to highlight the best SEO companies in the United States -- https://www.seoblog.com/best-seo-companies/. SEOblogs mission is to connect businesses with qualified digital marketing agencies while also offering further SEO education, best practices and industry trends. SEOblog.com is a one-stop shop for educational SEO and digital marketing content, research, ratings and reviews for the best agencies in each local market across the United States. The website will be increasing its coverage of U.S. SEO agencies and accepting more guest blog posts in the coming months. Contact SEOblog if youre interested in getting involved. Mumbai, Sep 15 : Enlarging its probe in the drugs angle in the Sushant Singh Rajput death case, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has summoned the late actor's former manager Shruti Modi and talent manager Jaya Saha for questioning, officials said on Tuesday. A senior NCB official said that the drug law enforcement agency has summoned Shruti Modi and Saha to appear before it on Wednesday morning at its Mumbai office. The official said that they will be questioned about the drug use and delivery to Sushant and his girlfriend Rhea Chakraborty, who was arrested on last Tuesday, and if they were aware of this. The latest development comes in the wake of the arrest of over 15 people in connection with the case, including Rhea, her brother Showik, Sushant's house manager Samuel Miranda and several others. The NCB registered a case on the request of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) after the alleged drug chats of Showik, Miranda and several others came to the fore. Sushant was found hanging in his Mont Blanc apartment on June 14. Besides the CBI and the ED, the NCB is the third agency to probe the death case of Sushant. Meanwhile, in a significant development, the names of Bollywood celebrities like Sara Ali Khan, Rakul Preet Singh and Simone Khambatta have apparently emerged in the NCB probe into the drugs angle surrounding Sushant's death, official sources said on Monday. The NCB is also set to issue a summon to them in the coming days for questioning. Latest updates on Sushant Singh Rajput Death Mystery TikTok's User Data Security Becomes a Political Issue is ait is one of the most popular social platforms among Generation Z [with], and 100 million users in the US alone. Earlier this year, TikTok was able to surpass Facebook and WhatsApp to be the. Sophie Haigney writes in The Guardian that TikTok is the perfect app for the splintered attention span that has become a fact of life for many during the COVID-19 pandemic. TikTok allows anyone to create quick-cut videos, usually 15- to 60-seconds long, often accompanied by short clips of frenetic music and visual effects. Its charming and cringeworthy and has a directness that is unlike the flattened experience of social media weve become used to. To Haigney, TikTok doesnt distract so much as reflect the conditions back to us. TikToks are often compelling precisely because they capture the experience of isolationthe creative ingenuity that can come of it; the drive to entertain ourselves and others; the desire for a tenuous connection to a generalised world. THE ADMINISTRATION TAKES ACTION Despite the platforms popularity, the current presidential administration is very concerned about the relationship between TikTok and its Chinese parent company, ByteDance. Reuters notes that the administration has issued two executive orders on the matter of TikToks potential threat to national security, reporting the following: President Donald Trump ordered ByteDance on [Aug. 14] to divest the U.S. operations of its video-sharing app TikTok within 90 days. [This] move comes on top of an executive order he issued [on Aug. 6] that would prohibit certain transactions with TikTok unless ByteDance divests it within 45 days. The new order adds to pressure for ByteDance to divest TikTok, and legally buttresses the U.S. governments crackdown on the Chinese-owned social media app. It authorizes U.S. officials to inspect TikTok and ByteDances books and information systems to ensure the safety of personal data while the sale talks are ongoing. As of this writing, multiple news sources are reporting that Oracle may have won the bidding for TikTok. More details will follow in the coming days; however, whatever deal is proposed will need government approval. Oracle making the purchase may "salvage [this] social-media sensation that has been caught in the middle of a geopolitical standoff," according to The Wall Street Journal. The U.S. government began an investigation into ByteDance last fall when a national security review of TikTok owner Beijing ByteDance Technology Cos $1 billion acquisition of U.S. social media app Musical.ly was initiated. Also last fall, U.S. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) asked for a national security probe in a letter to Joseph Maguire, acting director of national intelligence, questioning TikToks data-collection practices and whether the app adheres to censorship rules directed by the Chinese government that could limit what U.S. users see. THE RESPONSE TikTok filed a complaint in U.S. federal court arguing that the Aug. 6 executive order has the potential to strip the rights of [the TikTok] community without any evidence to justify such an extreme action, and without any due process. We strongly disagree with the Administrations position that TikTok is a national security threat and we have articulated these objections previously. TikTok asserts that the Administration ignored our extensive efforts to address its concerns, which we conducted fully and in good faith even as we disagreed with the concerns themselves. Many legal and political groups are supporting TikTok. Its really an attempt to fragment the internet and the global information society along US and Chinese lines, and shut China out of the information economy, Milton Mueller, founder of the Internet Governance Project, remarks in Barrons. Internet advocates see the action as a troubling development that must be giving Facebook and other social platforms concern. Casey Newton notes for The Verge, It seems like a long shot, but a court could theoretically block Trumps executive order. Short of that, it could grant ByteDance more time to divest the companywhich it might need, given the sheer technical complexity of unwinding TikTok from the mothership. GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES In August, TikTok announced its first data center in Europe; however, thus far, there seems to be no immediate governmental plans to open any inquiries about operations there. The company also recently announced a deal with the New York Yankees that is intended to attract younger audiences to the team by offering behind-the-scenes programming with players and customized experiences through the Yankees TikTok account. In July, TikTok rolled out the Creator Fund, a program to help support ambitious creators who are seeking opportunities to foster a livelihood through their innovative content. A BATTLE FOR MARKET DOMINANCE An August editorial on TikTok in the Los Angeles Times reflects that while new, non-Chinese ownership would remove some privacy and security concerns, it would also highlight the weaknesses in U.S. law and the ongoing vulnerability of smartphone app users. It continues, The presidents ability to threaten the livelihood of a U.S.-based and U.S.-managed company without anything approaching due process is chilling. Yet there are real concerns about TikToks data collection practices and its current ownerconcerns strong enough to have prompted both houses of Congress to call for the app to be banned on government-issued phones. China is no bastion of free internet communication. It actively blocks Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube. Even the governments approved Weibo and WeChat apps are now under tighter censorship. Although podcasts remain a key Chinese social media platform, governmental scrutiny is constant. The Los Angeles Times editorial warns, TikTok users shouldnt kid themselves about the privacy consequences of a change to U.S. ownership, however. There is no federal law protecting the privacy of user data, other than a broad requirement that companies not mislead the public about their data practices. Hence the transformation of the internet into a rapacious collector of personal information, which is then used as currency by third parties. Election years are always contentious, and this year, Mike Patton at Forbes sees a never-ending cycle of political discord, making these issues something we will all need to follow. But its not productive to pine for a utopian internet that never really existed, Shira Ovide writes in a recent New York Times article. When technologists lament the fracturing of the internet world, I wonder if what theyre really mourning is the fracturing of the world, period. NEW DELHI : India on Tuesday walked out of a meeting of the national security advisors of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) member countries in protest after the Pakistani representative used a "fictitious" map showing Indian territories as part of Pakistan. "This was in blatant disregard to the advisory by the host against it and in violation of the norms of the meeting. After consultation with the host, the Indian side left the meeting in protest at that juncture," External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said. The virtual meeting was chaired by Russia. "As was to be expected, Pakistan then went on to present a misleading view of this meeting," Srivastava said responding to a query on the issue. Government sources said the Pakistani action was "blatant violation" of the SCO charter and against all its established norms of safeguarding the sovereignty and territorial integrity of SCO member states. They said the Indian side issued its strong objection to the use of the illegal map by Pakistan and even the Russian side tried very hard to persuade the Pakistani representative not to do so. Pakistan was represented at the meet by Moeed W Yusuf, Special Assistant to the prime minister on national security. Nikolai Patrushev, the Secretary of the National Security Council of Russia, conveyed that he was personally very grateful to Indian NSA Ajit Doval for attending the meet, the sources said. They said Russia does not support what Pakistan has done and hopes that Pakistan's "provocative" act will not affect India's participation in SCO and not cast any shadow on Patrushev's warm personal relationship with the Indian NSA for whom he said he has the "highest regard". Both India and Pakistan are members of the SCO, an influential regional grouping. The SCO, seen as a counterweight to NATO, has emerged as one of the largest trans-regional international organisations which accounts for almost 44 per cent of the world population stretching from the Arctic Ocean to the Indian Ocean and from the Pacific Ocean to the Baltic Sea. This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Never miss a story! Stay connected and informed with Mint. Download our App Now!! Topics The city of Louisville has agreed to pay Breonna Taylor's family a record-breaking $12 million in a wrongful death lawsuit as the slain black EMT's mother continued calls for the officers involved to be charged. The settlement, which brings an end to the wrongful death lawsuit that Taylor's mother Tamika Palmer filed against the city and its police department back in April, is the largest amount the city has ever paid. At a press conference on Tuesday announcing the settlement, Taylor's mother pushed for charges against the officers involved in the shooting. 'As significant as today is, it is only the beginning,' Palmer said. 'We must not lose focus on what the real job is, and with that being said, it's time to move forward with the criminal charges, because she deserves that and much more.' In addition to the $12 million, the settlement will also include a series of police reforms for Louisville. Among the reforms is a requirement that police commanders must approve all search warrants before they are sent to a judge. Taylor, a 26-year-old emergency medical technician, was gunned down back in March when Louisville police burst into her apartment using a no-knock arrest warrant that did not require them to announce themselves. Scroll down for video The city of Louisville has agreed to pay Breonna Taylor's family $12 million as part of a settlement six months after police shot the black EMT dead in her apartment Taylor's mother Tamika Palmer said on Tuesday that the settlement was significant but it was time to move forward with charging the officers involved in her shooting death Her slaying set off weeks of protests, policy changes and a call for the three Louisville Metro Police Department officers who shot Taylor to be criminally charged. One of the officers, Brett Hankison, was fired for 'blindly' firing 10 shots into Taylor's apartment from outside. The other two, John Mattingly and Myles Cosgrove, remain on the force on administrative assignment. Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron, who is still investigating the shooting, is expected to announce this week whether criminal charges will be filed against the officers involved. Mayor Greg Fischer said on Tuesday that the city was not waiting for Cameron's decision regarding any criminal charges. 'I'm deeply, deeply sorry for Breonna's death,' Fischer said. 'My administration is not waiting to move ahead with needed reforms to prevent a tragedy like this from ever happening again.' As part of the settlement, Mayor Fischer said Louisville police officers will be offered housing credits to move to some of the poorest parts of the city in the hopes of improving community ties. From left, Attorney Ben Crump, Breonna Taylor's mother Tamika Palmer and Until Freedom Co-Founder Mysonne Linen speak to press outside of City Hall following the civil hearing for Breonna Taylor's family Breonna's mom told the press conference: 'We must not lose focus on what the real job is, and with that being said, it's time to move forward with the criminal charges, because she deserves that and much more' They will also be encouraged to regularly volunteer for community organizations and will face increased random testing for drug use. Fischer said the civil settlement has nothing do with the criminal investigation. 'We won't let Breonna Taylor's life be swept under the rug,' said Ben Crump, an attorney for Taylor's family. Crump said the $12 million settlement is the largest such settlement given out for a black woman killed by police. He also called for charges against the officers and urged people to 'say her name' - a phrase that has become a refrain for those outraged by the shooting. The news conference was broadcast over a loudspeaker in downtown Louisville and protesters listened as they sat around a memorial to Taylor. The largest settlement previously paid in a Louisville police misconduct case was $8.5 million in 2012, to a man who spent nine years in prison for a crime he did not commit. Taylor was gunned down back in March when Louisville police burst into her apartment using a no-knock arrest warrant that did not require them to announce themselves. Pictured above is an evidence photo showing the bullet casings from outside her apartment In the crime scene photos, a body camera can be seen on officer Anthony James' right shoulder. Another officer, Myles Cosgrove, can be seen in the photos wearing a body camera holder The lawsuit filed by Taylor's mother alleged that police used flawed information when they obtained the no-knock warrant to enter her apartment. Police descended on her apartment after securing a court-approved warrant as part of a drug investigation involving her ex-boyfriend that allowed officers to enter her home without any warning. Taylor and her boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, had been sleeping in bed when the officers served the warrant at around 1am. Walker fired his gun when officers stormed into the apartment and has since said he thought he was defending against a home invasion. At the time, Walker told police that he could hear knocking on the night of the shooting but did not hear police announce themselves. Walker said he was 'scared to death' so he grabbed his gun and when the door was knocked down, he fired a shot that ended up striking an officer in the leg. Investigators said police were returning fire when they shot Taylor eight times. No drugs were found at her home. The city has already taken some reform measures, including passing a law named for Taylor that bans the use of the no-knock warrants. Police typically use them in drug cases over concern that evidence could be destroyed if they announce their arrival. Fischer fired former police chief Steve Conrad in June and last week named Yvette Gentry, a former deputy chief, as the new interim police chief. Gentry would be the first Black woman to lead the force of about 1,200 sworn officers. The department has also fired Brett Hankison, one of the three officers who fired shots at Taylor's apartment that night. Hankison is appealing the dismissal. The settlement is in response to a wrongful death lawsuit that Taylor's mother Tamika Palmer (pictured above during the March on Washington) filed against the city and its police department back in April Taylor and her boyfriend, Kenneth Walker had been sleeping in bed when the officers served the warrant at around 1am Walker has filed a separate lawsuit against the city that has not yet been settled. It comes just weeks after crime scene photos emerged publicly that showed a number of shell casings in and near the EMT's apartment. The photos were taken by Louisville investigators in the hours after Taylor was gunned down. The images raised questions about previous statements made by law enforcement who have said there is no body cam footage of the raid because narcotics officers don't wear cameras. Several photos show that at least one officer who raided the apartment was wearing a body camera at the time. In the crime scene photos, a body camera can be seen on officer Anthony James' right shoulder. Another officer, Myles Cosgrove, can be seen in the photos wearing a body camera holder. Immediately after the fatal shooting, police chief Steve Conrad and Mayor Greg Fischer, said no footage existed of the raid because narcotics officers were not required to wear body cameras. 'This incident was related to the execution of a search warrant by members of our Criminal Interdiction Division and some of the officers assigned to this division do not wear body-worn video systems,' Conrad, who has since been fired, said. The Mayor has repeatedly said that the officers involved in the raid were not wearing cameras. At least 10 bullets went into Taylor's apartment through a sliding glass door located in the living room and also through a bedroom window Screening people for coronavirus at airports and train stations could 'slightly' slow down the spread of the disease, according to a review of scientific studies. Whether to test people at airports or to quarantine travellers returning from certain destinations has been a sticking point for politicians around the world. Britain is currently forcing travellers to self-isolate for two weeks if they come into the country from somewhere with a high infection rate currently included on the list are France, Spain and Portugal but there is no testing or screening in place. Bosses at Heathrow have set up a facility capable of testing 13,000 people per day, but aren't yet using it. Now a review of the existing evidence surrounding coronavirus in travellers suggests screening them at the border asking them whether they have had symptoms could slow down the spread of the virus. The review, by the Cochrane Library group of international scientists, looked at 22 past studies and found there was weak evidence in favour of screening. It could push back a local outbreak by eight days if there were 10 infected people arriving per day, researchers found, without any other measures in place. Systems would catch some infected people but would also miss others carrying the virus and wrongly diagnose some people, the scientists said. In Britain travellers are currently required to self-isolate for two weeks if coming home from places where the coronavirus infection rate is high, such as France, Spain and Portugal Researchers wrote in the Cochrane Review: 'One study suggests that symptom screening at travel hubs, such as airports, may slightly slow but not stop the importation of infected cases (assuming 10 or 100 infected travellers per week reduced the delay in a local outbreak to 8 days or 1 day, respectively).' Border screening would involve asking people about their health to find out whether they have had any symptoms of Covid-19. It could also involve taking their temperature in a bid to spot those with a fever, which is one of the most common signs of the illness. Officials at airports all over the world have been doing this throughout the pandemic but it was never adopted in the UK. The Cochrane experts said the evidence they found was of low quality, meaning the scientific papers it was published in were not particularly well done studies. BRITS COULD FACE QUARANTINE IN ALL EU COUNTRIES BECAUSE OF UK INFECTION RATE Britons travelling to the European Union could soon face quarantine on arrival in any nation as countries consider whether to adopt a standardised threshold for imposing self-isolation rules. The European Commission is pushing member states to adopt its recently published 'traffic light' quarantine system so that the entire bloc uses the same criteria for restricting travel. The EU's system would see quarantine measures applied to all arrivals from countries which have more than 50 coronavirus cases per 100,000 people over the previous two weeks and a positive test rate above three per cent. A recent surge in cases means the UK currently has an infection rate of 51.1 per 100,000 and a positive test rate of six per cent - both above the EU's threshold. The Telegraph said France, Spain, Germany and the Netherlands are all in favour of a standardised system. However, it is thought they would want to retain the ability to act unilaterally on quarantine so they could alter restrictions when they see fit. The expected move by Ireland comes as Finland moves to roll out updated quarantine measures from this weekend. Its system will see arrivals from countries with 25 cases per 100,000 having to quarantine and get tested. Advertisement Looking at 12 specific papers they found that one-off screening procedures could catch between 0 and 60 per cent of people with the virus. And they would wrongly single out between 0 and 44 per cent of people who were actually healthy. Measuring someone's temperature and asking them about their travel history and social contact could be up to 23 per cent accurate at weeding out infected people, the study said. While temperature screening and assessment of symptoms was more accurate at between 12 and 69 per cent. Both carried a risk of about one in 10 people being wrongly thought to have Covid-19. The researchers wrote: 'Lowcertainty evidence suggests that screening at travel hubs may slightly slow the importation of infected cases... 'A high proportion of infected individuals may be missed and go on to infect others, and some healthy individuals may be falsely identified as positive, requiring confirmatory testing and potentially leading to the unnecessary isolation of these individuals. 'Further studies need to evaluate the utility of rapid laboratory tests, combined screening, and repeated screening... 'Given the poor sensitivity of existing approaches, our findings point to the need for greater emphasis on other ways that may prevent transmission such as face coverings, physical distancing, quarantine, and adequate personal protective equipment for frontline workers.' The aviation industry is pleading with the UK Government to change its policy on quarantine rules for people flying into Britain saying it threatens to strangle the sector. Heathrow's chief executive last week warned that the Government's Covid quarantine policy is 'strangling' the UK economy and costing jobs 'every day'. The west London airport registered an 82 per cent fall in passenger numbers in August compared to last year, as it repeats its call for Boris Johnson to introduce testing as an alternative to Britain's 14-day quarantine rule. Heathrow, which before the Covid-19 pandemic was the busiest airport in Europe, said that North American passenger numbers were down 95 per cent compared to last year as the coronavirus quarantine rule deters long-haul travel. Just 1.4million people travelled through the major London airport in August, compared with 7.7million during the same month in 2019. A spokesman for Heathrow Airport said that Covid-19 has 'decimated the aviation industry', caused an 'unprecedented drop in passenger numbers at Heathrow', and cost the airport over 1billion since March. It comes as the coronavirus crisis takes a sledgehammer to the travel industry in its gravest ever crisis, with airlines forced to cut thousands of jobs and slash the number of flights they provide as demand for international travel falls. John Holland-Kaye, Heathrow's boss, has said over 30 airports worldwide are using testing of travellers as a way of reducing quarantine requirements - with one of those, Germany's Frankfurt, having overtaken Heathrow in passenger numbers. Former Gambian president Yahya Jammeh, pictured in 2016, ruled with an iron fist but fled in January 2017 after losing an election The United States on Tuesday imposed economic sanctions on the wife of former Gambian leader Yahya Jammeh, who was accused of corruption during his 22-year rule and is the target of similar measures. "Zineb Jammeh is believed to control many of the overseas assets of her husband," Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement. He said the sanctions punish "her role in materially assisting, sponsoring, or providing support to her husband. She utilized a charitable foundation and charities as cover to facilitate the illicit transfer of funds to her husband." The former Gambian first lady's US assets will be blocked, the Treasury said. Jammeh ruled The Gambia with an iron fist but fled in January 2017 after losing a presidential election to relative unknown Adama Barrow, which he refused to acknowledge before being forced out of power by a popular uprising. In 2018, Washington blocked Jammeh, his wife and their children from traveling to the United States. All were placed on the blacklist for those suspected of large-scale corruption or major human rights abuses in The Gambia, a tiny West African country surrounded by Senegal. jul/sst/ft ASEAN Foreign Ministers attend the online AMM 53. (Photo: VNA) He highly appreciated the host country's impressive technical and logistical approaches at these events, taking into account the fact that the members of the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) are located in 4 continents with different time zones. According to Ambassador Igor Driesmans, the events took place at a time when Europe, Southeast Asia and the entire world were facing COVID-19. Although they were held online, the 27th ARF and the ASEAN-EU Foreign Ministers Meeting served as an "important reminder" of the value that all participants saw in solving problems and strengthening cooperation at a time of uncertainty. This joint effort was reflected in the ARF Statement on Enhancing Cooperation to Prevent and Respond to Infectious Disease Outbreaks, which was agreed and called on by all participant countries, in order to to strengthen solidarity and regional cooperation in addressing the current pandemic and preventing future outbreaks. "Our main message is that the EU continues to be a reliable and predictable partner of ASEAN," Ambassador Igor Driesmans stressed, adding that in addition to responding to the COVID-19 crisis, and the EUR800 million (USD920 million) "European Group" support package for ASEAN countries, the EU emphasized the importance of looking forward to the future. The European diplomat affirmed that the EU urged the parties to make more progress in negotiations on the Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC), in accordance with international law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Sharing the same assessment with the EU Ambassador to ASEAN, Lao Deputy Foreign Minister Thongphane Savanphet, Head of SOM ASEAN Laos, highly appreciated the organization of AMM 53 and related meetings by Vietnam, the ASEAN President 2020. He congratulated Vietnam on not only successfully organizing all events according to the set objectives, but also completing the exchange and discussion of documents as planned in the context of complicated COVID-19 developments in the region and around the world./. Los Angeles, CA, Sept. 15, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Los Angeles, CA, September 15, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- KRONOS ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES, INC., (OTC MARKETS: KNOS) ("KNOS" or the "Company"), a revenue-generating, product development and production company that has significantly changed the way air is moved, filtered and sterilized is offering tips and products to stay safe and maintain healthy inhaled air indoors and outdoors during unprecedented fire season. Since the beginning of the year, wildfires have burned over 3.1 million acres in California. This year's acreage burned is 26 times higher than in 2019 for the same period. An article published by Ron Korber on Breezometer.com suggested that Severe Coronavirus & Poor Air Quality Could be Linked. The drastic rise in the number of indoor pollutants across regions and public concerns over the pandemic has propelled the demand for smart air purifiers in residential and commercial buildings. Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) reported: The World Health Organization director-general went as far as to suggest that air pollution is "the new tobacco." But it's not just our health that suffers: air pollution costs the global economy $225 billion each year in lost labor income. Pollution and traffic congestion can disrupt daily business operations. At the same time, a recent study showed that "poor outdoor air quality is likely to have a negative impact on your job performance, even if you work indoors at a desk." Poor air quality poses a risk to employee health, which led, for example, to more sick days in central London from air pollution. It has been shown to cause the equivalent of over 650,000 sick days each year there. Furthermore, cities with severe air pollution problems will increasingly be seen as less desirable places to work and live, thereby negatively impacting talent recruitment. A survey released by Bain & Company and the American Chamber of Commerce in China found that 53 percent of American firms operating in Chinese cities have experienced difficulty recruiting senior talent, with the majority blaming air pollution. Kronos is offering several products to address indoor and outdoor air pollution for residential and business use. Regarding outdoors, we are offering FIT-AIR, which can be worn on your arm. Our products are designed to help you breathe safer and live healthier throughout your daily lifestyle routine. Whether you're traveling in your car or on a plane, running errands, or simply working at your desk, Fit-Air can be there with you. This air purifier comes with an easy-to-use strap that quickly attaches the device to your arm or backpack straps. This product is utilizing a true HEPA 11 replaceable filter. Fir-AIR can be attached to any mask. Please view this video to see how Fit Air works and other Kronos videos :https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iaSmfwXH9-g The Kronos Car Air Purifier is an innovative purifier designed to also remove pollen, pet dander, allergens, TVOCs, bacteria, and viruses. Two Pole Active (TPA) technology as an active filtration technology differs from HEPA passive filtration technology. TPA is based on Ionic wind and optimized for air filtration. The electrical filtration enables its high collection efficiency and bacteria-killing capabilities. This patented TPA technology not only captures but also annihilates particles via cold plasma field creation. Kronos products for safer indoor air quality include Model 5 and Model 8 (also marketed as Airdog products) available for purchase now on www.Walmart.com MODEL 5 (MSRP $599): Ideal for rooms of up to 1400sq. ft. can disinfect and purify air space every hour (bedrooms, living rooms, etc.) This Model 5 is 26 (H) x 12 (L) x 12 (W) inches, weighs 28.9 pounds, and its power consumption is only 20-60 W (110/240v). MODEL 8 (MSRP $1,199) ON SALE price $999.00: Ideal for large spaces up to 3000 sq. ft., (businesses, hospitals, schools, universities, hotels, restaurants, including residential spaces such as studio apartments, large living rooms, and home offices.) The MODEL 8 is 30" (H) x 15" (W) x 15", weighs 43 pounds, and its power consumption is 110 W (110/240v). The Model 8 may well be the highest CADR among all air purifiers, including HEPA. The manufacturer's CEO Dr. Zhang Yan, was recently featured in a Forbes article , commented that in the marketing materials: "Airdog air purifiers have proven to be a strong fighter against the coronavirus (COVID-19) and any airborne bio-aerosols. Third-party lab tests have shown that Airdog X5 kills 99.9 percent of H3N2 viruses in a 30 cubic meter sealed testing room over the course of an hour. The H3N2 virus has the same shape and bio-characteristics as the COVID-19. The high voltage inside the Airdog X5, much like bug zappers, kills and destroys viruses and bacteria." The Company claims the purifier is a waste-free solution to dirty air problems, eliminating particles down to 0.0146 micron. It's designed to clean a 1,400 square foot area in one hour." About Kronos Advanced Technologies, Inc. Kronos Advanced Technologies, Inc. began operations in 2002 as a product development company that invented and significantly changed the way air is moved, filtered, and sterilized. Historically, Kronos has focused on developing, marketing, and selling the Company's proprietary air movement and purification technology. Serving the Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) market, Kronos technology uses state-of-the-art high voltage patented processes without the use of traditional porous HEPA filters. Kronos-based products move air silently, filter, sterilize and purify the air, while dramatically reducing energy consumption to half of a 60-watt light bulb. Kronos devices can be variable in shape or size, and, therefore, have the potential to be scaled-down for air purification in cars or scaled-up in size for industrial and hazardous gas destruction. The technology is currently being implemented in multiple standalone products for businesses, homes, and vehicles of all types -to move, sterilize and filter air, including removing allergens down to 14.6 nanometers, passing through our patented technology -replacing expensive outdated passive HEPA and other filtration type systems. There are broad ranges of additional markets for standalone and embedded Kronos CORE technology-based devices. Examples of immediately addressable markets include schools, universities, healthcare facilities, operating rooms, manufacturing clean rooms, and the cabins of automobiles and commercial aircraft. Recently the Company filed for a provisional patent involving an innovative protective face mask with antimicrobial and anti-cellphone radiation protection features. The Company is planning to file additional patents to improve its existing technology as well as enter into new market segments but will continue to market air purifiers and other consumer products. The Company is an exclusive distributor and licensee of the latest generation of air purifiers based on the Company's CORE technologies. The Company markets its products as Airdog and KRONOS brands. Company offices are located in Los Angeles, California. Shopping portal: https://www.1800safeair.com Follow KNOS on Twitter: https://twitter.com/kronosati Follow KNOS on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kronosati Follow KNOS on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kronos_ati/ Follow KNOS on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdtrQDt1R26Ulh8v-S-EpJg Contact us via: info@kronosati.co or visit www.kronosati.co or www.1800SAFEAIR.com Forward-looking statements: Certain statements contained in this press release may constitute "forward-looking statements." Forward-looking statements provide current expectations of future events based on certain assumptions and include any statement that does not directly relate to any historical or current fact. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors as disclosed in our filings with the OTC Markets at OTCMarkets.com. In addition to these factors, actual future performance, outcomes, and results may differ materially because of more general factors including (without limitation) general industry and market conditions and growth rates, economic conditions, governmental and public policy changes, the Company's ability to raise capital on acceptable terms, if at all, the Company's successful development of its products and the integration into its existing products and the commercial acceptance of the Company's products. The forward-looking statements included in this press release represent the Company's views as of the date of this press release, and these views could change. However, while the Company may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, the Company specifically disclaims any obligation to do so. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing the Company's views as of any date subsequent to the date of the press release. SOURCE: KRONOS ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES, Inc Phone inquiries: 1-800-SAFE-AIR (option #4) US President Donald Trump claimed on Tuesday that both Russia and China want his Democratic challenger Joe Biden to win the presidential elections as no other White House occupant has been tougher to them than his administration in the last four years. Trump also said that Iran does not want him as the president but asserted that they will sign a deal with the US if he is re-elected. "They are hoping that Biden gets in,...China is hoping that Biden gets in. Russia, probably they want Biden, because look, nobody's been tougher to Russian than me, nobody. With the pipeline, with our big military, we've become the number one energy country in the world, we're more than anybody -- we're totally energy independent now, Trump told Fox News. "What I've done with Russia -- and remember, Obama gave them pillows, and I gave them tank busters; there's a big difference with Ukraine. So I think Russia would like it too. But here's the thing, they want to wait until after this election because there's nobody in the world that China would rather negotiate than sleepy Joe," he said in response to a question. "If they got in -- if this crew got in; the same basic crew but they've gone far left, much further left than they ever were that's why this is the most important election that we've ever had. If they ever got in, China would own the USA, China would own them, he charged against Democratic party's presidential nominee Biden and his running mate Kamala Harris. Responding to a question, Trump alleged that Biden has been taking some kind of drugs. "Mr. President you have suggested that Joe Biden should take a drug test, he was asked. I do, I would take one too. Yes, I would say he should take a drug test, Trump replied. "You think he's taking some sort of drugs that pep him up? he was asked again. "I do. I do. He's taking something. He's taking something that gives him so clarity or whatever,Take a look at him -- yeah, maybe had a lot of coffee. Maybe he had 15 cups of coffee, Trump said. I'll tell you what, I've seen him in the debate with the other people, including Kamala and nobody treated him worse than Kamala. He picked Kamala and nobody treated him worse...," said the president. "Then he says, I'm going to pick Kamala. And Kamala has her own problems, I mean she went from 15 down to nothing. She dropped out before they got to Iowa, so I think she's not a good choice. I think compared to Mike Pence who's been a great vice president. He's been a great vice president and you guys know that very well, Trump said. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Labor leader Anthony Albanese has called on the federal government to dispatch its fleet of Royal Australia Air Force VIP jets to bring stranded Australians home "100 at a time". More than 23,000 Australian citizens remain stuck abroad because of a collapse in international flights caused by border closures and have been unable to secure or pay the inflated prices for a flight home. Labor says the fleet of Royal Australia Air Force VIP jets should be dispatched to bring stranded Australians home. Credit:Dominic Lorrimer Mr Albanese said Prime Minister Scott Morrison should take control and dispatch the VIP fleet - usually reserved for the Governor-General, the Prime Minister and visiting dignitaries - to help bring Australians home. He said the fleet was largely "sitting idle" and there was "nothing to stop those planes being utilised". 97% of companies have data leaks and other security incidents exposed on the Dark Web. 631,512 verified security incidents were found with over 25% (or 160,529) of those classed as a high or critical risk level+ containing highly sensitive information such as plaintext credentials or PII, including financial or similar data. Hence, on average, there are 1,586 stolen credentials and other sensitive data exposed per cybersecurity company. Over 1 million unverified incidents (1,027,395) were also discovered during ImmuniWeb's research, and only 159,462 were estimated as low risk. 29% of stolen passwords are weak, employees from 162 companies reuse their passwords - the research revealed that 29% of stolen passwords are weak, with less than eight characters or without uppercase letters, numbers, or other special characters and that employees from 162 companies (around 40) reuse identical passwords on different breached This boosts the risk of password re-use attacks by cybercriminals. Professional emails were used on porn and adult dating sites - third-party breaches represented a considerable number of the incidents, as ImmuniWeb's research found 5,121 credentials that had been stolen from hacked porn or adult dating websites. 63% of websites of the cybersecurity companies do not comply with PCI DSS requirements - which means that they use vulnerable or outdated software (including JS libraries and frameworks) or have no Web Application Firewall (WAF) in blocking mode. 48% of websites of the cybersecurity companies do not comply with GDPR requirements because of vulnerable software, the absence of a conspicuously visible privacy policy, or a missing cookie disclaimer when cookies contain PII or traceable identifiers. 91 companies had exploitable website security vulnerabilities, 26% of which are still unpatched this finding came from ImmuniWeb referring to openly available data on the Open Bug Bounty project. In a new report into the global cybersecurity industry's exposure on the Dark Web this year, global application security company, ImmuniWeb , uncovered that 97% of leading cybersecurity companies have data leaks or other security incidents exposed on the Dark Web, while on average, there are over 4,000 stolen credentials and other sensitive data exposed per cybersecurity company.Even the cybersecurity industry itself is not immune to these problems, as demonstrated in ImmuniWeb's research.Key findings that the research found relating to the leading global cybersecurity companies' exposure on the Dark Web included:The research was run using ImmuniWeb's free online Domain Security Test, which combines proprietary OSINT technology enhanced with Machine Learning, to discover and classify Dark Web exposure. 398 leading cybersecurity companies headquartered in 26 countries, mostly the US and Europe, were tested.Cybersecurity companies in the US suffered the highest and critical risk incidents, followed by the UK and Canada, then Ireland, Japan, Germany, Israel, the Czech Republic, Russia, and Slovakia.Of the 398 cybersecurity companies tested, only those in Switzerland, Portugal, and Italy did not suffer any high or critical risk incidents, while those in Belgium, Portugal, and France had the lowest number of verified incidents.Ilia Kolochenko, CEO & Founder of ImmuniWeb, commented on the research:"Today, cybercriminals endeavor to maximize their profits and minimize their risks of being apprehended by targeting trusted third parties instead of going after the ultimate victims. For instance, large financial institutions commonly have formidable technical, forensic, and legal resources to timely detect, investigate, and vigorously prosecute most of the intrusions, often successfully."Contrariwise, their third parties, ranging from law firms to IT companies, usually lack internal expertise and budget required to react quickly to the growing spectrum of targeted attacks and APTs. Eventually, they become low-hanging fruit for pragmatic attackers who also enjoy virtual impunity. In 2020, one need not spend on costly 0days but rather find several unprotected third parties with privileged access to the 'Crown Jewels' and swiftly crack the weakest link.""Holistic visibility and inventory of your data, IT and digital assets is essential for any cybersecurity and compliance program Today. Modern technologies, such as Machine Learning and AI, can significantly simplify and accelerate a considerable number of laborious tasks spanning from anomaly detection to false positive reduction. This picture is, however, to be complemented with a continuous monitoring of Deep and Dark Web, and countless resources in the Surface Web, including public code repositories and paste websites. You cannot protect your organization in isolation from the surrounding landscape that will likely become even more intricate in the near future."The full research findings can be viewed here. Workers building temporary shelters for coronavirus patients on a football pitch in Yangon, where new infections have spiked Opposition parties in Myanmar are calling for November's election to be postponed as the country scrambles to control a coronavirus surge. New infections are doubling every week -- albeit from a relatively low base -- and hospitals in the biggest city, Yangon, are overwhelmed in a nation with one of the world's poorest healthcare systems. The sharp jump comes as Myanmar prepares to hold national elections on November 8, with leader Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) widely expected to be returned to power. But calls are growing for the polls to be delayed. The head of the military-aligned opposition Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), Than Htay, told AFP he was "very concerned" about holding the vote during the pandemic. "The government should not sacrifice the people... If it's not suitable to hold the election, postpone it!" In a Facebook post, the People's Pioneer Party also urged a delay to allow the vote to be held "fairly and without chaos". Local media say at least three other parties are echoing the call. So far, commercial hub Yangon, capital Naypyidaw and conflict-stricken Rakhine state are all under lockdown, while domestic flights and long-distance bus routes have ceased. Neighbours China and Thailand are boosting security on shared borders to try to stymie any spread of the outbreak. The NLD could not be reached for comment. - Borders tightened - The Southeast Asian nation of some 55 million had weathered the epidemic relatively well until late August, with case numbers under 400 and just six deaths. But in under four weeks infections have steadily spread, jumping to 3,299 cases and 32 deaths by Tuesday. The virus hotspots are Yangon, a teeming metropolis of over seven million, and northwestern Rakhine state, where fighting between the military and armed rebels has forced some 150,000 from their homes. Officials are scrambling to provide extra health facilities in Yangon, creating two tented hospitals with hundreds of extra beds. Story continues Several members of Suu Kyi's office have tested positive, but the government confirmed Tuesday the leader was in "good health". After detecting several new cases in the Chinese border city of Ruili -- separated from Myanmar by a shallow river -- China announced a swift lockdown Tuesday. Officials there said they would crack down on illegal immigrants and promised to test all 210,000 residents. Thailand has also increased its military presence on the Thai-Myanmar border. On Tuesday, Thai police and military patrols found 10 Myanmar nationals and sent them back over the border into Myanmar, deputy police spokesman Colonel Krissana Pattanacharoen told AFP. "These 10 Myanmar people entered Thailand illegally." Myanmar's 60-day election campaign period only started last week. A postponement of more than two months would theoretically cause a constitutional crisis and even the invocation of a state of emergency. But analyst Richard Horsey predicts the government and military would reach a consensus to prevent any political fallout. burs-rs/ The family of Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old Black woman who was shot and killed by police in her Louisville, Ky., apartment earlier this year, igniting a national uproar around police brutality and racism, has settled a wrongful death lawsuit against the city for $12 million that includes an agreement to implement a number of police reforms, Mayor Greg Fischer announced Tuesday. The lawsuit filed in April by Taylors mother, Tamika Palmer alleged battery, negligence and excessive force in the March 13 shooting death of Taylor, who was killed in the middle of the night by police officers executing a warrant. The settlement, according to Fischer, is an agreement between both parties but does not mean the city is admitting wrongdoing. I cannot begin to imagine Ms. Palmers pain, Fischer said, and Im deeply, deeply sorry for Breonnas death. While we await a decision from [state] Attorney General Daniel Cameron on whether or not charges will be filed in this case, my administration is not waiting to move ahead with needed reforms, to prevent a tragedy like this from ever happening again. Lawyers for Taylors family applauded the settlement, with civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump saying he believes its the largest amount ever paid out for a Black woman in a police-involved wrongful death case. But attorneys also said more must be done to achieve justice for Taylor, specifically criminal charges for at least the three officers who were involved in the shooting. Crump said second-degree manslaughter charges, at minimum, should be filed. We want full justice, he said. Not partial justice. Tamika Palmer, Breonna Taylor's mother, in white, next to attorney Benjamin Crump in Louisville, Ky., after the settlement was announced. (Dylan Lovan/AP) Palmer said the settlement is only the beginning of getting justice for her daughter. Its time to move forward with the criminal charges, because she deserves that and much more. Her beautiful spirit and personality is working through all of us on the ground. So please continue to say her name. Breonna Taylor. The lawsuit said police had a knock and announce search warrant to enter Taylors apartment, where the officers were searching for a person who actually lived in a different part of Louisville. Taylor and her boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, were sleeping at the time. Story continues But officers entered Taylors home without knocking and without announcing themselves as police officers before opening fire, the suit said. Taylor, an EMT, was shot at least eight times and was killed, despite having committed no crime and posing no immediate threat to the officers, the complaint said. Louisville officials said officers executed a no-knock warrant at Taylors residence, but knocked and announced themselves before breaking down the door, according to a statement from the city. Walker said he heard a pounding at the door but didnt hear police announce themselves, the city said. He fired one shot and hit an officer. Police returned fire and killed Taylor. The Louisville Courier-Journal reported that Walker had fired what he later called a warning shot and hit Sgt. Jonathan Mattingly in the thigh. Mattingly and two other officers with him, Brett Hankison and Myles Cosgrove, shot back, the newspaper said. All three officers were named as defendants in the lawsuit. The officers warrant was part of an investigation into a drug trafficking suspect who is Taylors former boyfriend, the Associated Press reported. A ground mural depicting a portrait of Breonna Taylor in Annapolis, Md., on July 6. (Julio Cortez/AP) Taylors death sparked an outcry across the nation, as she became yet another symbol for demonstrators protesting against police brutality and misconduct. Protesters, activists, athletes and celebrities worldwide have called for the officers involved to be charged criminally. Camerons office is reviewing the shooting. Louisville Metro Police interim Chief Robert Schroeder terminated Hankison on June 19, according to the city, alleging he blindly fired 10 rounds into Taylors apartment. The other two officers are on administrative leave. Taylors death led to police reform in Louisville. In June, Fischer signed Breonnas Law, banning the use of no knock warrants. He later announced a top to bottom review of the police department. On Tuesday, Fischer said the government agreed to make several policy changes involving the police department, including a housing credit program to incentivize officers to live in certain low-income communities in the city and a plan to include social workers at the department. The agreement also includes a new requirement that a commanding officer review and approve all search warrants, affidavits in support of search warrants and risk matrices before an officer seeks judicial approval for the warrant, Fischer said. Schroeder said Tuesday that currently a commanding officer signs off on a search warrant in some cases but not all. The agreement means a commanding officer will always be required to approve a warrant. _____ Read more from Yahoo News: Northern California Live Updates Week of September 14 This page covers general news updates weekly, in addition to the coverage of the CCP virus* outbreak in Northern California. For more news related to the CCP virus, see The Epoch Times special coverage of the CCP virus outbreak. Californians may check CalFires website for fires and containment statuses. People may also sign up for alerts in their county. People can visit airnow.gov to check air quality status throughout the day. It is updated hourly. Click here to see archived updates and here for the previous updates on the early CCP virus situation. Have any tips? Get in touch with us at sfbay@epochtimes.com September 18 A Spare the Air Alert was issued for Sept. 19 as smoke from fires will cause poor air quality. Santa Clara County reclassifies first responders as public safety dispatchers. The City of Santa Clara warns residents about potential fake political surveys by text message, email, and phone that the city did not initiate. San Francisco is coming up with a safety plan to help restaurants reopen. A man in West Sacramento has been charged with attempted murder. September 17 San Jose will start a $14 million electric vehicle charging station incentive project starting Dec. 16. Bradshaw Animal Shelter in Sacramento County is starting a Dog Day Out Program. It allows people to check out a dog for the day to give dog shelters a break. Santa Cruz County will extend price-gouging prohibitions through Oct. 18. Starting Sept. 20, Santa Cruz Countys Recovery Resource Center will reduce hours. Spare the Air days end after 30 continuous days. September 16 San Mateo County removed all evacuation warnings. Contra Costa Health Services recommends safe ways to celebrate Halloween. Sonoma County has started Phase I of Household Hazardous Waste Sweeps for structures damaged by the Meyers and Walbridge fires. Santa Cruz County announced several changes to help fire evacuees recover and rebuild. Those include prohibiting price-gouging for goods, services or housing and extended hotel stays. Lovers Point Beach in Monterey is under advisory due to high levels of bacteria. Monterey County releases a recommended protocol to help people safely clean up their homes from the fire. September 15 Tang Juan, the researcher accused of concealing her ties to the Chinese military, was released on bail on Sept. 10. The lawyer who bailed her out is Steven Cui, a Chinese immigrant. Santa Rosa City requests public help to decide how to allocate $95 million of PG&E settlement funds. Santa Cruz started its annual San Lorenzo River Maintenance Project to manage floods. San Jose Fire Department announced a new Fire Station 37 that will be built near the Willow Glen Community Center. San Mateo County honors Cal Fire, first responders, and volunteers for their efforts battling the CZU Lightning Complex fires. Santa Cruz County prohibits debris removal until owners receive a hazard assessment and approval from environmental health authorities. September 14 President Donald Trump visits California to be briefed on the wildfires. San Francisco allows more activities like indoor gyms, indoor personal care, tourist hotels, and additional outdoor activities to resume. Contra Costa County has announced that it will align with Californias COVID-19 Blueprint to have the same reopening rules for businesses and activities. Santa Cruz County has announced a disaster recovery assistance station in the San Lorenzo Valley on Sept. 1415. Mendocino County Library has commemorated the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment through a book set giveaway. *The Epoch Times refers to the novel coronavirus, which causes the disease COVID-19, as the CCP virus because the Chinese Communist Partys coverup and mismanagement allowed the virus to spread throughout China and create a global pandemic. BAMAKO, Mali - Divisions deepened between Malis military coup leaders and the countrys political opposition movement on Sunday after the ruling junta announced a plan that would allow a military leader to oversee an 18-month transitional period. While the two sides initially were united in wanting the departure of former President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, their paths have increasingly diverged since he was deposed in an Aug. 18 coup after months of street demonstrations by the opposition. On Sunday, the opposition coalition known as M5-RFP publicly objected to the juntas plan, which was announced Saturday after three days of talks on Malis political future. The final document read at the closing ceremony was not consistent with the deliberations of the various groups, including the majority choice of a transition led by a civilian, the M5-RFP statement said. The junta proposed that the transition be led by either a military or civilian leader, which leaves open the possibility that the military officers who seized power could remain at the helm for another 18 months until elections are organized. The 15-nation West African regional bloc known as ECOWAS has warned that by Tuesday the junta must designate a civilian leader to head a one-year transition period or else the country could face further sanctions. ECOWAS has already stopped financial transfers into the country and has closed its borders with Mali. Junta leader Col. Assimi Goita said he hoped for the support of the international community after the military leaders agreed to reduce the transition period to 18 months after initially proposing three years. Read more about: Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 1 anno fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili. The automotive differential system market 2020 is expected to gain traction. The system is used in automobiles to move it smoothly. It provides different speeds to different wheels for smooth turnings. This system is necessary because it splits the torque and engine power into two components, leading to the coverage of a larger circumference for turning the vehicle. It is a crucial part of automobiles and is expected to witness demand growth in the foreseeable future. In an assessment provided by Market Research Future (MRFR) recently, the global automotive differential system market is projected to register 5% CAGR over the forecast period 2018 to 2023. ALSO READ: https://www.marketwatch.com/press-release/automotive-differential-system-market-to-grow-at-5-cagr-by-2023-global-industry-size-share-growth-drivers-industry-segment-2020-09-08?mod=mw_more_headlines&tesla=y The differential system is a core part of any automobile. Increasing demand for automobiles is projected to catalyze the growth rate of the automotive differential system market in the upcoming years. Rising demand for passenger cars is prognosticated to drive market growth over the forecast period. Urbanization and increasing income levels are expected to boost the demand for these systems by increasing demand for automobiles. In addition, governments are also being encouraged to invest in the expansion of public transportation. It is further anticipated to influence the automotive differential system market greatly in the coming years. Key manufacturers are emphasizing on innovations to capitalize on the opportunities in the automotive differential system market. The growth rate of the automotive industry is poised to motivate the augmentation of the automotive differential system market. Furthermore, rising number of accidents have led to the implementation of stricter regulations. It is prognosticated to boost the installation of these systems in the years to come. Thus, the automotive differential system market exhibits strong growth potential. It is anticipated to witness steady and constant growth in the upcoming years. Rising demand for commercial vehicle is anticipated to accelerate revenue growth for the market players and expand automotive differential system market size. However, a shift is being noticed towards electric vehicles. This can pose a challenge to the participants of the automotive differential system market. Market Segmentation On the basis of drive type, the automotive differential system market has been segmented into 2WD and 4WD. Based on type, the segmental analysis of the automotive differential system market covers electronic limited slip differential (ELSD), torque vectoring differential, open differential, and locking differential and limited slip differential (LSD). On the basis of component, the automotive differential system market has been segmented into differential case, differential gear, and differential bearing. Based on vehicle type, the segments of the automotive differential system market are passenger car, truck, bus, commercial vehicle, and off-highway vehicles. Based on propulsion, the automotive differential system market is divided into ICE and Hybrid vehicles. Regional Analysis The geographical evaluation of the automotive differential system market spans across four regions - North America, Asia-Pacific, Europe, and the Rest of the World (RoW). These regions are assessed further for providing a detailed country-level study of the market. Asia Pacific is supposed to secure the forefront position. Increasing awareness about road safety is one of the major drivers of the automotive differential system market. In addition, urbanization leading to increasing sales of automobiles is also expected to boost the growth trajectory of the automotive differential system market in the upcoming years. North America is also anticipated to contribute to revenue growth substantially. This can be attributed to the booming automotive industry in the region. Competitive Dashboard ZF Friedrichshafen AG (Germany), BorgWarnerInc. (US), Eaton (Ireland), Schaeffler AG (Germany), JTEKT Corporation (Japan), GKN plc (UK), Dana Limited (US), neapco (US), DREXLER AUTOMOTIVE (Germany), and Powertrax (US) are few of the major players of the automotive differential system market. FOR MORE DETAILS https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/automotive-differential-system-market-7124 Director of Criminal Investigations George Kinoti on Monday said he was shocked by allegations leveled against his office by Kakamega Senator Cleophas Malala. On Monday morning, Malala while appearing before two Senate Committees, sensationally claimed five officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) had been assigned to assassinate him. In an emotional presentation to the Justice and Legal Affairs Committee and National Security, Defence and Foreign Relations Committee, Malala broke down in tears as he further denied claims that he stage-managed his dramatic arrest on August 17. Nobody is willing to give me security Mr. Chair. It is sad for me to walk around the streets of Kakamega and Kenya knowing that Im going to die the next day. I humbly request this committee and the Inspector General of Police to take action. I have said time and again my life is in danger. I have written enough letters and called offices in this Republic but they have not taken any action even to give me extra security, Malala cried. But appearing before the Senate, DCI Kinoti downplayed Malalas claims that a secret and specialized squad unit code-named Bravo Zulu Yankee had been formed to assassinate him. Why would we allocate all those resources to assassinate you for a Covid-19 offence? It does not make any sense at all, said Kinoti. The DCI boss acknowledged receiving a picture of the alleged policemen saying he had never seen such people and they are ready to carry out an ID parade to identify them. The senator sent me a picture of five men who purportedly want to kill him. If they are existing ..we are ready to do an ID parade, he said. Adding: .. let this matter be subjected to independent investigations. We are ready to submit ourselves and accord any assistance to these investigations because we are the accused. NEW YORK, Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Executive compensation consultancy Pearl Meyer announced today that the firm has acquired Yaffe & Company, which provides executive compensation, leadership development, governance, physician advisory, and faculty compensation services to the not-for-profit market, specifically for healthcare systems and higher education institutions as well as other types of tax-exempt organizations. "We are excited to have Alexander Yaffe and his team join Pearl Meyer," said David Swinford, president and CEO of Pearl Meyer. "Their consulting philosophy aligns with our approach that emphasizes the importance of linking business and leadership strategy to executive compensation which can help organizations achieve their long-term goals. Their experience deepens our existing commitment to serving the needs of clients in healthcare and higher education. We look forward to working together to expand our client base and offer additional services to the not-for-profit sector." Yaffe & Company was founded in 1976 by Rian M. Yaffe who created a nationally recognized firm known for its expertise in executive compensation consulting. His son Alexander joined the firm in 2001 and in his role as president and CEO expanded the company's services to include leadership development, governance advisory, physician enterprise solutions, and faculty compensation design. Alexander now joins Pearl Meyer as a managing director. He has over 20 years of experience working with not-for-profit boards providing consulting services that include executive compensation, executive performance evaluation, retirement plan design, leadership development, and succession planning. In addition, he works with hospitals and integrated healthcare systems to develop comprehensive physician compensation and governance practices. "Pearl Meyer's strong brand reputation, the depth of its consulting and data capabilities, and its infrastructure will enhance our ability to grow and support our clients," said Yaffe. "There is great synergy and a strong cultural and business fit between the two teams. We are excited to join this industry-leading consulting firm." About Pearl Meyer Pearl Meyer is the leading advisor to boards and senior management on the alignment of executive compensation with business and leadership strategy, making pay programs a powerful catalyst for value creation and competitive advantage. Pearl Meyer's global clients stand at the forefront of their industries and range from emerging high-growth, not-for-profit, and private companies to the Fortune 500 and FTSE 350. The firm has offices in Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Houston, London, Los Angeles, New York, Raleigh, and San Jose. About Yaffe & Company Yaffe & Company provides independent advice and consulting services to boards and management teams on executive compensation strategy, leadership development, governance, physician advisory services, and faculty compensation. The firm's clients are hospitals and healthcare systems, independent colleges and universities, industry/community associations, and other nonprofits. SOURCE Pearl Meyer Related Links https://www.pearlmeyer.com A war journalist who narrowly escaped being blown up in Syria is now suing the BBC for up to 150,000, claiming she was bullied into risking her life for no good reason. News producer Natalie Morton, 44, was with the news outlet's chief war correspondent Lyse Doucet in Homs, Syria, in April 2014 when a bomb landed close to her vehicle and showered it with shrapnel. The BBC denied the allegations made about Ms Doucet and are defending the claim and the employment tribunal case is due to be heard next month. A cameraman who was with them suffered 35 shrapnel injuries and even though Ms Morton escaped with minor injuries, she claims the incident destroyed her mental health. She was struck down by 'severe' PTSD and anxiety, which she says ended her career, saw her turn to alcohol and left her so traumatised that she now can't watch the news. News producer Natalie Morton (pictured with cameraman Phil Goodwin), 44, who narrowly escaped being blown up in Syria is now suing the BBC for up to 150,000, claiming she was bullied into risking her life for no good reason Ms Morton says she was bullied by Ms Doucet, who has an OBE and was part of the BBC's Emmy-winning Syrian war reporting team, into going along on the 'unnecessary' trip. Her barrister, Simon Anderson, claims BAFTA-nominee Ms Doucet was 'angry' at her for refusing another dangerous assignment and 'intimidated and pressurised' her into taking a pointless journey into Homs. However, the BBC denies Ms Morton, of Highgate, north London, was pressurised into going, says it was her own decision to travel and that all precautions were taken to prevent injury to its staff. According to papers filed at Central London County Court, Ms Morton travelled to Syria with Ms Doucet, BBC cameraman Phil Goodwin, and documentary maker Robin Barnwell. Her job was to provide news coverage of the conflict as Ms Doucet's producer, while Ms Doucet and Mr Barnwell also filmed the BAFTA-nominated current affairs documentary 'Children of Syria'. She was with the news outlet's chief war correspondent Lyse Doucet (left) in Homs, Syria, in April 2014 when a bomb landed close to her vehicle and showered it with shrapnel Filming was taking place at a centre for 'internally displaced persons' in Homs when the stray mortar landed near to the vehicle where Ms Morton was waiting outside. Mr Goodwin was left with 35 wounds and although Ms Morton escaped with slight burns, she claims her mental health was seriously affected by the ordeal. She says she turned to alcohol to deal with the after effects of the blast and, due to her fragile mental health, will never be able to return to war journalism. 'She has not watched or listened to the news since May 2015,' says her barrister in court filings ahead of a full trial of her damages claim. Ms Morton claims that there was no need for her to make the trip to Homs, as she was not involved in the documentary, and that she was 'persuaded/required' to go, having refused a hazardous assignment in the town of Maaloula previously. Filming was taking place at a centre for 'internally displaced persons' in Homs when the stray mortar landed near to the vehicle where Ms Morton was waiting outside. Pictured is the aftermath of an explosion in Homs, Syria, in 2014 'Lyse Doucet expressed anger and frustration with the claimant for her decision to refuse to travel to Maaloula, and intimidated and pressurised her to travel to Homs in circumstances whereby the journey was unnecessary,' Mr Anderson claims. Canada-born Ms Doucet is one of the BBC's top journalists and presenters, having won awards for her work in war-torn countries, and in 2014 was awarded an OBE for her services to broadcast journalism. As well as being unnecessary, Ms Morton says the trip was also plagued with risk and the BBC had not done all it could to minimise the danger to its employees. The situation on the ground in Homs at that time, when the Syrian Army was attempting to retake rebel-held areas, had not been fully taken into account before travelling, she claims. And although a risk assessment was completed, it was not fully signed off by department heads, says her barrister. Children warm themselves around a fire in Homs, Syria, in 2014 Against the terms of the assessment, the team had not been kept together and the BBC had failed to 'limit loiter time', with Ms Morton left waiting outside in 'soft cover' while Ms Doucet filmed inside for four and a half hours before the mortar strike. Although she continued to work after the incident, Ms Morton eventually went off sick in January 2017 and has not returned since. She also claims the BBC's slow investigation and dismissal of a grievance against her by another former colleague only made matters worse. Her doctors say it is unlikely she will be able to return to any form of journalism in the future. For the BBC, David Platt QC denies liability and says Ms Morton - who was victim of a 'random and lucky' strike - was not put under any pressure to travel with the current affairs team to Homs. 'There was no obligation on the claimant or any member of ''News'' to go to Homs,' he says. 'The claimant had full ownership of this decision and could have declined to go. Indeed she had an absolute right to refuse.' He adds: 'Ms Doucet did not pressurise or intimidate the claimant, who raised no objection to going to Homs. 'Neither did the claimant need to go, had she viewed it journalistically unnecessary. 'Neither had Ms Doucet had any resentment over the decision not to travel to Maaloula, and this change of plan was driven primarily by Lana Antaki [a local producer].' Mr Platt said the risk assessment had been properly completed and signed off and pointed out that the governor of the city had confirmed to the team that it was safe for them to visit. The battle over Homs had been ongoing for years and, although there was increased fighting around that time, most of the city was functioning comparatively normally. The centre which they visited was two miles from the fighting and down a narrow road, flanked by buildings, so was not an open target, he says. 'The claimant had total discretion on where and how to work, did not take instructions from Ms Doucet, and was experienced in conflict zones,' says Mr Platt. 'It was her decision to remain in the vehicle and work from there. She was sufficiently relaxed not to wear her PPE - including body armour and helmet.' He said Ms Morton had been 'expressly advised' by her driver not to stay in the vehicle and, as a war journalist, she knew exactly what she was signing up for. 'She had applied for the job knowing that she would be exposed to an element of risk given the high probability that she would visit hostile environments.' As well as denying liability, the BBC says Ms Morton had pre-existing alcohol and mental health problems, and that she brought her court claim too long after the 2014 incident. The case is due to be heard by a judge later this month. Trump admin. combats China's 'egregious human rights abuses' by blocking goods made using slave labor Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment The United States government has banned the import of certain goods from China that it says are made by forced laborers from the Xinjiang region, where millions of Uighurs and other Muslim and religious minorities are held in mass detention camps. On Monday, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection issued five Withhold Release Orders on products from China, blocking the import of certain goods including hair products, apparel, and computer parts. The order specifically names five companies or industrial parks in Xinjiang and one company in eastern Anhui province the CBP says uses prison and forced labor to make products. One of Xinjiang's "vocational skills education and training centers" is also named in the order, a name the CPB says is a euphemism for Chinas re-education internment camps. Estimates suggest that as many as 1 million Uighur Muslims have been subject to internment camps, where they are taught to be secular citizens who will be subservient to the ruling Communist Party. "This is not a vocational center, it is a concentration camp," said Ken Cuccinelli, the senior official performing the duties of the deputy secretary for the Department of Homeland Security. "A place where religious and ethnic minorities are subject to abuse and forced to work in heinous conditions with no recourse and no freedom. This is modern day slavery." In a statement, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that banning the entities is part of combating the "egregious human rights abuses" that Uyghurs and other ethnic and religious groups in Xinjiang are facing. Such abuses "include subjecting individuals to forced labor and stripping them of their freedom and agency to choose how and where they work, Pompeo said. These actions send a clear message to the PRC that it is time to end its practice of state-sponsored forced labor and to respect the human rights of all people. In the past year, the Trump administration has issued eight withhold release orders to block goods from China suspected to have been made with forced labor from entering the country. Previous bans included toys, peeled garlic, hair products, and artificial sweeteners. Last month, Nury Turkel, a Uighur American attorney born in Xinjiang and a member of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, revealed that forced labor has been part of Uighur life for as long as he can remember. Its one of the methods, one of the vehicles the Chinese used to repress the Uighur religion and Uighur culture, he said. "When you buy anything made in China, if it's a textile cotton product, I think it should be something that gives you pause. As a consumer, please do your due diligence. Please stop at least buying any cotton or textile products coming from China ... this should be something easy to tackle. Sam Brownback, U.S. ambassador at large for International Religious Freedom, said that the tactics used against Uighur Muslims represent the cutting edge of religious persecution. Though they live in a remote region, China is employing its most aggressive technology to oppress Uighurs, including sophisticated cameras, facial-recognition technology, and collecting DNA samples, Brownback said. They've got technology deployed now where they've got surveillance cameras virtually everywhere in the public, he noted. They've collected genetic data on most of the people in the region to where you can be tracked on the internet, they have facial recognition systems. They could now theoretically close all the concentration camps and you would still live in a virtual police state if you were a Uighur in Xinjiang. China has also given Chen Quanguo, party chairman of the Communist Party in Xinjiang, a vast amount of resources to persecute Uighurs, allowing him to implement a comprehensive surveillance, detention, and indoctrination program in the region, Brownback said. My great concern is what it does to the Uighur people, but also that these systems will be replicated in other authoritarian regimes around the world, he stressed. And we've got this huge global battle going on between democracy and dictatorships, and dictatorships have been doing pretty well lately, unfortunately. China deploys its money resources very effectively and shrewdly and craftily to get a number of countries, particularly Muslim countries, not to speak up under threat. They will threaten aggressively. Recently, Southern Baptist ethicist Russell Moore urged Christians to care about the plight of Uighur Muslims in China, warning that authoritarian regimes rely on tribalism to keep their system of persecution alive. The way of Jesus Christ says that we pay attention to our neighbor on the side of the road who is persecuted, who is being beaten, he said. So let's pray for the Uighur [and] for other persecuted peoples. Let's pray not just individually, but together, and pray for them by name. Let's be the people who stand up for whoever is being made invisible, whoever is being intimidated and bullied in our own neighborhoods and in our own communities because we're the people of Jesus Christ. Europe will face a rising death toll from the coronavirus during the autumn months, the World Health Organization warned on Monday, as the number of daily infections around the world reached a record high. Israel was among the countries battling a new spike, announcing a three-week lockdown from Friday when people will not be allowed more than 500 metres from their homes. The announcement sparked a wave of anger. "It's unfair!" said Eti Avishai, a 64-year-old seamstress. "They didn't stop the big gatherings in synagogues, the weddings and the other events, and now I can't be with my children and grandchildren during the holidays?" The World Health Organization reported 307,930 new cases worldwide on Sunday, the highest daily figure since the beginning of the pandemic in China late last year, as global cases rapidly approach 29 million. "It's going to get tougher. In October, November, we are going to see more mortality," WHO Europe director Hans Kluge told AFP in an interview. WHO Europe's 55 members started a two-day online meeting Monday focusing on their response to the virus. WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told the meeting by video-link: "We are by no means out of the woods." Even as the numbers of infections rise, pupils are returning to school. Photo: AFP Millions back to school The latest surge has sparked alarm across Europe, and revived the debate over how best to respond to the rise in infections. England has limited social gatherings to no more than six people from Monday. On the other hand, millions of schoolchildren in other affected countries have returned to their classrooms for the first time in months. Italian children were among the first in Europe to see their schools closed, and some 5.6 million returned for the first time in six months on Monday. Although officials said thousands of extra classrooms had been set up, there were concerns over a lack of surgical masks for teachers and a shortage of single-seat benches. Some southern Italian regions postponed their reopening, worried they were not properly prepared. A Vatican spokesman meanwhile said Pope Francis was being "constantly monitored" after having met with a cardinal who later tested positive. Trump was criticised for holding big rallies over the weekend. Photo: AFP Trump rally 'reckless' While Europe battles with rising infections, other parts of the world are tentatively easing restrictions. Saudi Arabia said it would partially lift a six-month suspension of international flights this week, while South Korea said it would ease rules in and around the capital Seoul after cases declined. The backlash against the restrictions is also being factored in by beleaguered governments. Australian police arrested dozens of people over the weekend at anti-lockdown rallies in Melbourne as crowds defied stay-at-home orders. Similar rallies took place in Germany and Poland on Saturday attended by anti-vaccine campaigners, conspiracy theorists and far-right activists. Such protests are relatively common in the United States, the hardest-hit nation in the world with more than 6.5 million infections and 194,000 deaths. President Donald Trump, under pressure for campaigning for the economy to reopen despite the catastrophic figures, was criticised for holding big rallies over the weekend. "Tonight, President Donald Trump is taking reckless and selfish actions that are putting countless lives in danger here in Nevada," state governor Steve Sisolak, of the rival Democratic Party, tweeted ahead of the Sunday rally. At the rally, Trump boasted about his success dealing with the pandemic and dismissed Sisolak as a "political hack". Australian police arrested dozens at an anti-lockdown rally in Melbourne on Sunday after crowds defied stay-at-home orders. Photo: AFP 'Exhausted' health workers There was some good news in Britain, where regulators allowed clinical trials to resume on one of the most advanced experimental vaccines. Researchers on the joint AstraZeneca-Oxford University project, who hope to finish tests by the end of the year, had "voluntarily paused" the trial after a UK volunteer developed an unexplained illness. A vaccine is considered crucial to the fight against the virus, but the WHO's Kluge said the public should not put all their hopes on a single drug. "I hear the whole time: 'the vaccine is going to be the end of the pandemic'. Of course not," he said. The end of the pandemic would come when communities learn to live with the disease, he stressed. Meanwhile, the wider effects of the pandemic are biting hard on medical staff and strained health systems. "They're always being asked for more, always too much, they're exhausted." Czech Post meanwhile announced Monday it was to deliver face masks and respirators to millions of senior citizens this week, as the number of cases rose there. When a school learns that a student or staff member has tested positive, the school is required to contact the county. The Erie County Health Department conducts contact tracing to determine who has been exposed. If the person who tests positive has been in a school during the period when they were infected, the county contacts the school to identify individuals who may have been exposed, according to Kara Kane, a county spokeswoman. It is then the schools responsibility to report the information to the state's dashboard. There is a delay between someone in a school testing positive and that information appearing on the website. The timeframe between when an individual is tested and when a school is notified can vary greatly and depends on how long it takes for a sample to be tested, and for that test result to be reported to the New York State reporting system, Kane said in an email. There have been two cases of Covid-19 in local Catholic schools, LaFever said. One case arose prior to the start of school, and the other required about 10 students to quarantine, he said. Opposition supporters carry a huge former white-red-white flag of Belarus during a rally to protest against the presidential election results in Minsk on Sept. 13, 2020. (-/TUT.BY/AFP via Getty Images) Belarus Leader Visits Putin to Secure Support Amid Protests MOSCOWBelarus authoritarian president visited Russia on Sept. 14 in a bid to secure more loans and political support, as demonstrations against the extension of his 26-year rule entered their sixth week. President Alexander Lukashenkos talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Black Sea resort of Sochi come a day after an estimated 150,000 people flooded the streets of the Belarusian capital, demanding Lukashenkos resignation. The Interior Ministry said 774 people were arrested in Minsk and other cities of Belarus for holding unsanctioned rallies on Sept. 13. Putin said that Russia would provide a $1.5 billion loan to Belarus and fulfill all its obligations under a union treaty between the two neighbors. Speaking at the start of the talks, he emphasized that the Belarusians themselves must settle the situation without any foreign meddling, and commended Lukashenko for his pledge to conduct a constitutional reform. Protesters in Belarus have dismissed Lukashenkos reelection for a sixth term in the Aug. 9 presidential vote as rigged. The United States and the European Union have both criticized the election as neither free nor fair and urged the Belarusian leader to engage in talks with the opposition, a demand he has rejected. The opposition has dismissed Lukashenkos talk about constitutional reform as an attempt to buy time and assuage the protesters anger. Putin hailed it as a timely and reasonable move that would help reach a new level in the development of the political system. In a bid to win Moscows support, Lukashenko, a 66-year-old former state farm director, has tried to cast the protests as an effort by the West to isolate Russia, which sees Belarus as a key bulwark against NATO and a major conduit for energy exports to Europe. As he sat across the table from Putin, Lukashenko pointed at NATOs drills near Belarus borders and said that the two countries must strengthen their defense ties. Putin emphasized that Russian paratroopers sent to Belarus for joint drills will leave the country after the exercise. Russia and Belarus have a union treaty envisaging close political, economic, and military ties, but they have often engaged in acrimonious disputes. Before the election, Lukashenko repeatedly accused the Kremlin of pressing Belarus to abandon its independence. But with the United States and the EU criticizing the election and readying a package of sanctions against Belarus, Lukashenko now has to rely squarely on Russias support. Despite frictions in the past, the Kremlin abhors the prospect of public protests forcing the resignation of the Belarusian leader, fearing it could embolden Putins critics at home. Putin congratulated Lukashenko on his re-election and promised to send Russian police to Belarus if protests there turn violent, noting that there is no need for that yet. We see Belarus as our closest ally and we will undoubtedly fulfill all our obligations, the Russian leader told Lukashenko during the Sept. 14 talks. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, the main opposition challenger to Lukashenko, left for Lithuania a day after the August vote under pressure from Belarus authorities. She warned Putin that any agreements he may reach with Lukashenko will not stand with a new opposition-led government. Im very sorry that you have opted to have a dialogue with the usurper and not the Belarusian people, she said on Sept. 14. Any agreements signed with Lukashenko, who lacks legitimacy, will be retracted by the new government. Commenting on a new Russian loan to Belarus, she added: I hope Putin realizes that it will be Lukashenko, and not our people, who will have to repay that loan. Dear Russians, your taxes will be used to pay for the beating of us, she added. We are sure you wouldnt like to see that happen. It may extend the agony of Lukashenko, but it will not prevent the peoples victory. Pavel Latushko, a former culture minister and ambassador to France who was forced to leave Belarus after joining the oppositions Coordination Council, warned that while the Kremlin is standing by Lukashenko now, it may move later to engineer his departure. Lukashenko discredits himself each day, and when he completely loses his authority it would be easier for Moscow to replace him, Latushko told The Associated Press. The Kremlin already has made a decision and is moving to fulfill a careful plan to have Lukashenko removed. Alexander Klaskousky, an independent Minsk-based analyst, believed that for the Kremlin, a push for deeper integration between the two countries makes no sense now because of Lukashenkos precarious position. Klaskousky predicted that the Kremlin might prod Lukashenko to de-escalate the crackdown on protests and engage in political maneuvering to ease tensions while looking behind the scenes for a candidate to replace him. Massive protests arent abating, and the barbed wire, water cannons and hundreds of detainees underline Lukashenkos pitiful condition, forcing the Kremlin to start looking for an alternative, Klaskousky said. Putin would hardly want to put all eggs in one basket. The U.N. Human Rights Council, meanwhile, agreed to hold an urgent debate on Belarus on Sept. 11, given the mass detentions and police beatings of protesters. U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet emphasized on Sept. 14 that all allegations of torture by the Belarus security forces should be documented and investigated. By Vladimir Isachenkov Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny said he was breathing normally and missing his supporters on Tuesday, in his first communication with the outside world since his poisoning almost a month ago. The 44 year old posted a picture to Instagram from the Berlin hospital where he is being treated, surrounded by his wife and two children. Hello, this is Navalny, he wrote in a caption. I miss you. In the lighthearted message, he added: I cant really do much but yesterday I was able to breathe on my own all day. Absolutely on my own. I didnt have any outside help, not even the simplest valve in my throat. I enjoyed it very much. Its an amazing process that it is undervalued by many people. I recommend it. Mr Navalny, Russias most outspoken critic of President Vladimir Putin, had been on a ventilator and in a medically induced coma for weeks after falling suddenly ill on a flight from Siberia to Moscow. In the social media image he looked thinner than usual but was sitting up in bed in a hospital gown. The previous day, doctors said his condition was improving and reported he was able to leave his bed for short periods, but did not rule out the possibility of long-term damage to his health. Mr Navalnys first public statement comes after several European laboratories independently confirmed the top Kremlin critic had been poisoned with the Soviet-era nerve agent Novichok. The substance was used in the attack on former Russian intelligence agent Sergei Skripal in Salisbury. Doctors at the Charite Hospital in Berlin had earlier diagnosed Novichok poisoning, but Moscow accused them of rushing to conclusions. Story continues Western leaders have threatened sanctions against Russia and demanded explanations from the Kremlin, which has repeatedly denied involvement in any attack. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov cancelled a planned visit to Berlin on Tuesday, which the ministry said was due to German scheduling issues. But in separate comments to Russian media, Mr Lavrov said Western governments had gone beyond all reason and are forcing Russia to confess to the poisoning of Navalny. If it hadnt been Navalny, they would have thought up some other excuse for implementing additional sanctions, he said. Mr Navalnys supporters have laid the blame for the poisoning squarely on Russian authorities, pointing to similar attacks on opposition figures over the 20-year rule of Mr Putin. YEREVAN. Karen Mezhlumyan the lawyer of Armenias former Minister of Defense Seyran Ohanyan, on Tuesday submitted to the court a motion to provide all the materials of the criminal case on the events of March 1, 2008 in Yerevan. He noted that the 79 respective volumes submitted to the court in the criminal case against second President Robert Kocharyan and several other former senior officials contain materials on "peaceful rallies" and special actions of the police and the Armed Forces to disperse "peaceful demonstrators," but there is a lot of material in the 500-volume case stating that the rallies were not always peaceful and that riots had broken out as well. "Those materials were not transferred to the court, the investigation, in fact, hid them from the court," the lawyer stated. According to him, one of the key proofs in this regard is that PM Nikol Pashinyan had been charged under Section 1 (actions of overthrowing the constitutional order with the consent of a group of people) of Article 300 of the Criminal Code, but with an amendment to the Criminal Code, the prosecution under this article was stopped. The lawyer expressed confidence that there are other justifying materials in the case. Effective defense is impossible without getting acquainted with the materials of the whole case, the lawyer emphasized, noting that he had submitted such motion before as well. "There are many facts that mass riots took place, for which people were convicted. Let them present the whole volume of materials to us; we will find justifying materials in them," Mezhlumyan said. Ellen DeGeneres' former girlfriend, Anne Heche, has some impressive claims about the scandal-clad host. The pair dated between 1997 and 2000, and after Ellen DeGeneres announced she was gay, the couple also announced they were together. They were one of Hollywood's most well-known couples at a time that an open, same-sex relationship between ladies was not the norm. Though she no longer talks to her ex-girlfriend, Heche has a few things to share about their time together. In a Mirror report, the "Dancing With the Stars" star revealed, "When I met Ellen, she was beaming light. There was nothing that could have shone brighter than who she was in the center of that room. I'll never forget." "Our time was a beautiful part of my life and one that I wear with honor. I was a part of a revolution that created social change, and I could not have done that without falling in love with her." Prior to being with "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" star, 51-year-old Anne Heche worked in blockbuster movies such as "Six Days, Seven Nights" and "Donnie Brasco." However, it's not her acting achievements that became the talk of Tinseltown, but instead, it was Heche's relationship with DeGeneres. Anne Heche claims that her career suffered immensely due to her relationship with the LGBTQ+ icon and coming out as gay. The two reportedly met at a Vanity Fair party shorty before DeGeneres' coming out episode premiered, and the premiere for Heche's new movie, "Volcano." She decided to take DeGeneres to the film's opening night, but the bosses reportedly threatened to be "fired" from a movie she just signed up to be part of, "Six Days, Seven Nights" alongside Harrison Ford. Speaking to the "Irish Goodbye" podcast, "I took Ellen, we were told that my FOX contract would be extinguished, and I would be fired." "And that the movie that I had just met Harrison Ford on wouldn't hire me. And we went to the premiere - these are the stories that I know people don't know." Ellen DeGeneres and Anne Heche still went to a movie premiere that they weren't allowed to be seen together but went anyway. However, Heche revealed that they were escorted out of the theater during the movie's final act and into the limo. They were reportedly reminded that they couldn't take pictures together during the press junket. The following day, the two were fired from their respective jobs. While DeGeneres had already earned herself a big name in Hollywood thanks to her stand-up comedy, Heche was relatively new to the scene and had all her cards on deck with "Six Days, Seven Nights." Luckily, Heche has an ally, Harrison Ford, who has always backed her from being removed from the film. When Ford heard the news, he reportedly told Heche, "' Frankly my dear, I don't give a f--- who you're f-----g. we have a movie to make. Let's make it the best one ever." Eventually, the film turned out to be a moneymaker for the studio. READ MORE: Miley Cyrus Goes Off the Rails Once Again After Cody Simpson Split The Inspectorate for Nature Protection and Mineral Resources is offered to provide a special toolkit that will allow the Inspectorate to immediately terminate the activities of economic entities operating on the spot, and if those economic entities appeal to court, the decision on termination of their activities will be in effect so long as the court hasnt rendered a relevant decision. This is what Head of the Inspection Bodies Coordination Bureau of the Office of the Prime Minister of Armenia Artur Asoyan said during a discussion on the package of bills on making amendments and supplements to the Law of Armenia on Environmental Control and related laws held as part of todays session of the National Assembly. Asoyan added that, in accordance with the existing legal norms, during inspection, there are cases when it is necessary to suspend the operation of a particular economic entity immediately and on the spot, but the current legal norms dont allow that. Moreover, he added that suspension of the operation of an economic entity may only be declared as invalid upon the decision of the court or the head of the Inspectorate. EV By the looks of it, the company wants to do it the right way. They didnt simply throw out on the Internet a new press release stating their intentions to increase the ties with the renowned aftermarket and racing specialist.Instead, they revealed their second international Cupra Garage, their involvement as the first OEM automotive brand in the Extreme E series, as well as a brand new concept specifically developed for theracing series thats set to be driven by none other than three-time Race of Champions winner Mattias Ekstrom.The little performance brand from Spain is not that small anymore it counts on the classic incarnations from the SEAT sibling, such as the Ateca , Leon, and Leon Sportstourer. But it also has its own, distinctive, models the Formentor crossover and the fully electric el-Born . Now they also have a third, unique, prototype that takes to extremes the main traits of the other two, becoming a hardcore electric off-road racer. Cupra premiered its second Cupra Garage in Europe (Hamburg, Germany) after the inaugural location was set to Mexico City. It also announced the decision to join the Extreme E racing series as the primary partner for ABT Sportsline, offering a team of engineers and drivers.The competition is hosting its inaugural season early next year and is looking ready to become an EV alternative to the famous Dakar the organizers are touting all sorts of extreme and remote locations.More importantly, the Garage and partnership announcements were not alone, because Cupra also unveiled Ekstroms ride for the first season as one of the ABT team drivers. None of the introductions were aleatory, with Germany being Cupras biggest sales market worldwide, and ABT Sportsline a valuable partner since 2018, when the two companies introduced the reworked 350-hp Leon Cupra and Cupra Ateca The Cupra Extreme E racer was not detailed just yet, but we do know it will need to survive in five global locations during the series dubbed Arctic, Desert, Rainforest, Glacier and Ocean for now. The pause in late-stage trials of a coronavirus vaccine being developed by Oxford University and AstraZeneca have triggered global concern over the development of the vaccine. Governments and citizens across the world were pinning big hopes on the inoculation seen as a viable shot against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. The pharma giant had on September 6 temporarily put on hold the late-stage trials of its vaccine candidate- AZD1222 after a study participant reportedly suffered a serious adverse reaction. The inoculation's human tests have been paused, not stopped, in the United States (US) and other countries, as the company had confirmed. However, following the halt, there has been a lot of confusion regarding the countries that have temporarily discontinued the vaccine trials. Also Read: Oxford coronavirus vaccine trials halted: What are other COVID-19 vaccines to watch out? What's the current status of AstraZeneca's coronavirus vaccine trials in several countries, including India:- United Kingdom: Where the UK has resumed the clinical tests following a review by the country's drug regulator MHRA (Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency), and an independent safety review committee, trials paused in India, US, and South Africa are yet to resume. AstraZeneca announced last Saturday that it had resumed trials in Britain after regulators completed their review of a serious side effect in one trial participant there. United States: AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine trial remains on hold in the US pending an investigation into the serious side effect in Britain even as other trials of the vaccine resume, sources told Reuters. The clinical tests are likely to remain on hold until midweek pending the US Food and Drug Administration's investigation in the case along with a safety panel. Sources told the news agency that enrollment of new patients and other trial procedures for the pivotal US trial was being rescheduled until at least midweek and that it was not clear how long it would take for the FDA to complete its probe. Also Read: India's role in coronavirus vaccine production critical in combating pandemic: Bill Gates India: The Serum Institute of India (SII), which has partnered with AstraZeneca and is conducting phase 2/3 human clinical trials in the country, has not given any clarification on how it would resume the trials in the country. The Pune-based company, which is the world's largest vaccine manufacturer by volume, has inked a deal with AstraZeneca to produce and market the inoculation in low and middle-income countries including India. The Serum Institute had initially said that the vaccine trials in India would not be affected because of the incident in Britain. But after being pulled by the drug regulator, DGCI (Drugs Controller General of India), it paused the tests. Meanwhile, the decision regarding when to resume the clinical trials rests with the DGCI. Brazil: Clinical trials for the coronavirus vaccine being developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University resumed in Brazil on Monday, September 14 after the country's health regulator received confirmation over the weekend that its British equivalent MHRA had approved the resumption of clinical tests, a company representative said. The Federal University of Sao Paulo, which is running the trials, said in a statement that 4,600 of the planned 5,000 volunteers have been vaccinated in Brazil without any of them reporting any serious health issues. Volunteers have been recruited in Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, and Salvador in the northeastern state of Bahia where a hospital is conducting the tests. South Africa: The country is yet to resume the clinical tests of AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine. There has been no confirmation from the concerned authorities in South Africa yet on when the trials will recommence. Meanwhile, the Bhekisisa Centre for Health Journalism, a Johannesburg-based independent media organisation, reported on Tuesday, September 15, that results of the South African arm of AstraZeneca's coronavirus vaccine trial are expected to be delayed until early next year. The photon jet effect was discovered in the early 2000s. The jet is an electromagnetic wave focused at the surface of a quartz glass microsphere, which is at lens focus. This jet has a unique transverse dimension, which is less than the diffraction limit. This feature of the photon jet drew the attention of scientists. As a result, in 2011, a nanoscope based on the effect of a photonic jet was developed. It pushed the envelope of traditional optical microscopes limitation with a maximum resolution of 200 nanometers and made possible to observe up to 50 nanometers. In 2015, TPU scientists proposed a photonic hook, a new type of curved light beam based on a photonic jet. It is much easier to obtain it than existing analogs. Only a microparticle of a certain shape is needed to obtain a photonic hook. Light passes through it and curve. For instance, the photonic hook moves nanoparticles using light pressure, curves around a barrier and transfers them through it. "Researchers use microparticles from a dielectric material, such as glass to obtain a photonic jet and a photonic hook. Traditionally, it was believed that this requires particles of different shapes, such as symmetrical for the photon jet and asymmetrical for the hook. However, it is not so. We carried out simulations and conducted experiments. These experiments demonstrated that symmetric particles can be used in both cases. In order to do this, we partially covered the particle with a metal micro-size screen, which can be made of any metal, but in the experiments we used aluminum," Igor Minin, project manager and Professor of Division for Electronic Engineering, says. To form a photon jet, the particle is irradiated completely, and in the case of a curved photonic hook, the particle is partially overlapped by the screen. "Then we use an asymmetric wavefront with a symmetric particle. This expands the application potential of the photon jet and the hook. For instance, they can be used in one device depending on the tasks. You can grab nanoparticles by a photon jet and if you use the screen, the beam will curve and the particles can be moved, " the scientist explains. Another possible application field is the lithography process in the manufacture of microcircuits. Lithography is a technology of using a laser to draw a pattern of a future microcircuit. "Drawing can be made with either a straight beam or with a curved one, you only need to change the focusing particle. To do so, you can use a micro-sized metal screen, which is an extremely simple solution. Moreover, it will not significantly complicate the structure of devices, using a photonic jet or hook effect," Igor Minin says. ### The research is being conducted jointly with scientists from the National Yang-Ming University (Taiwan), Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (Israel). It was supported by grants from the Russian Foundation for Basic Research and the TPU Competitiveness Enhancement Program. A recent study looked at the patterns of the spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) from China, Iran, and Italy to other nations. The study by researchers at Case-Western Reserve University School of Medicine and Duke University is published on the preprint website medRxiv* in September 2020. What was this study about? The COVID-19 pandemic has claimed over nine hundred thousand lives around the world and infected over 29 million individuals. The SARS-CoV-2 virus was first detected in Wuhan, China, in late December 2019, from where it rapidly spread around the world. SARS-CoV-2 is highly contagious and rapidly spreads from one person to another. In this new study, the researchers looked at exported COVID-19 cases by country and the time taken between entry until case confirmation for the exported cases using publicly available data. China The spread of the infection was facilitated by international travel, wrote the researchers. China imposed a lockdown in Wuhan on January 23rd, 2020, when the number of cases was rising. Despite the lockdown and prevention of travel across states or out of the country, over 100 SARS-CoV-2 cases were exported out of China by February 14th, wrote the researchers. As the lockdown came into effect, there was significant prevention of virus export, but still, some cases of undetected community spread continued out of China. South Korea, Italy, and Iran By February 2020, a large number of cases were reported in South Korea, Italy, and Iran. There was a rapid local transmission of the infection as well as wider international spread. By mid-March, over 80 nations had reported the outbreak, and the World Health Organization (WHO) declared it a pandemic on March 11th, 2020. The team wrote, Assuming that the virus did not arise independently in multiple locations, an outbreak of COVID-19 outside of China requires an infected traveler to bring the virus into the country and subsequently infect others. This study looked at the rates of export of cases from China, Italy, and Iran, specifically because these nations also recorded the largest outbreaks immediately after the initial outbreak in China. The authors wrote that this would provide important insight into the spread of the virus through travelers from Wuhan What was done in the study? Data was gathered between January and March 20th, 2020, from published studies, government official statements, credible reports from foreign ministries of health, published news articles available online, etc. From the data gathered, they organized all those infected into clusters of those that had traveled. Clusters of travelers ranged in size from 1-17. The average cluster sizes for China, Italy, and Iran were 1.2, 1.2, and 1.9, respectively, the team wrote. For the clusters, the team included data such as date of entry of the travelers to their destination country, date of confirmation of COVID-19 of the case, and the estimated size of the affected group. Further time to diagnosis from travel was also calculated. Graphs were made for dates of confirmation and date of arrival to show the time gap between entry and confirmation for clusters of exported cases of each country. They used a time period of 10 to 14 days from the first reported entry. What was found? The key findings of the study were as follows; COVID-19 infected cases left China as early as January 5th, 2020 There was an increase in the cluster size of travelers spreading the infection between January 19th, 2020, and January 23rd, 2020. This reduced after the travel ban came into place in Wuhan For exported cases from China, there were twin peaks of cases related to travel on days 3 and day 8 after entry. Infected cases from Italy entered other countries as early as February 15th, 2020 The clusters of infected travelers in Italy reached maximum levels on February 29th, 2020. The Italy travel ban was announced on March 9th, 2020, and thus the clusters reduced. For exported cases from Italy, there was a peak of cases related to travel on day 3. From Iran, infected travelers were entering other countries from February 14th, 2020, to March 6th, 2020. Cases began to increase from February 20th until February 27th, 2020. Exports from Iran peaked on February 26th, 2020, then slowly declined For exported cases from Iran, there was a peak of cases related to travel on day 3. The team wrote, Approximately one-third of all exported cases were confirmed within 3 days of entry suggesting these travelers were mildly symptomatic or symptomatic in arrival. The authors wrote that the average time between entry of a traveler and confirmation of the case was 7.7, 5.5, and 4.7 days for exports from China, Italy, and Iran, respectively They noted that earlier exported cases (first 10-14 days after the arrival of 1st exported traveler) had a significantly longer time from entry to confirmation compared to later cases for each of the three countries. Conclusions and implications The researchers concluded that the exported cases from South Korea were lower than those from China, Italy, and Iran. They call for more careful monitoring and screening of symptomatic travelers with raised public awareness, which can lead to faster confirmation as well as reduced transmission of COVID-19 pandemic. The researchers wrote in conclusion, This information and analysis can lead to better epidemiological models, more informed decision making about how travel bans affect the exportation of cases, and how best to surveil and test travelers in order to minimize transmission of COVID-19. *Important Notice medRxiv publishes preliminary scientific reports that are not peer-reviewed and, therefore, should not be regarded as conclusive, guide clinical practice/health-related behavior, or treated as established information. The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria has given the Federal Government a seven-day ultimatum to reverse the recent increase in electricity tar... The TUC gave the ultimatum in a letter addressed to President, Muhammadu Buhari and dated September 14, 2020. It also threatened to commence an indefinite industrial action and national protest from Wednesday, September 23, 2020, if FG refused to reverse the increase in electricity tariff and petrol price. The letter, entitled We cannot bear the burden any longer, issuance of seven days ultimatum, was signed by its President, Mr Quadri Olaleye, and Secretary-General, Mr Musa Lawal. We have observed the gradual and steady annihilation of Nigeria and Nigerians in the light of government actions for the umpteenth time, the union said. It said some of the issues that had become worrisome to the working class, their families and the masses included the sudden increase in the pump price of petrol without any definitive and concrete efforts to make the nations refineries functional. The TUC said the increase in electricity tariff was done without proper consultation and consideration of the effect of COVID-19, commensurate electricity supply and the provision of prepaid meters It said other issues included the non-implementation of the negotiated national minimum wage by most of the state governments, and the Federal Governments inability to create and sustain salary date and calendar to ensure transparency. The union said, Government should take immediate steps to: reverse the hike in prices as it affects electricity, petrol and all other social services in the country to status quo ante (prior to increase) within seven days. Provide adequate and quality healthcare and education for all to save the poor and the vulnerable at all levels. These demands are made in good faith, and to save the dying masses and the vulnerable in our society. In the event of not showing empathy for this class of people by adhering to above demands, we shall, together with our civil societies and allies sympathetic to the suffering masses of our people, commence an indefinite industrial action and national protest from Wednesday, September 23, 2020. Illegal small-scale gold miners in DR Congo, such as those who were killed when their makeshift mine collapsed last week, are the often-exploited first link in a supply chain that extends to Dubai, according to experts. The bodies of 22 artisanal miners have been recovered as of Monday, a resident at the scene told AFP, after torrential rain flooded their mine in the eastern town of Kamituga three days before. The mining town's mayor has said 20 local families have reported missing loved ones. Rescue efforts continued on Monday to find any survivors of the mining disaster, which are all to common in the vast central African country's volatile east. The "diggers", as the artisanal miners are known, were searching for gold at the site of a subsidiary of Canadian gold mining company Banro. Banro announced last year it was suspending its operations at the site in the South Kivu province. DR Congo's artisanal miners risk their lives in dangerous mines to extract gold and sell it to local traders. "In Kamituga, you can find 300 purchasing counters," said Raoul Kitungano, of the Congolese campaign group Justice Pour Tous (Justice for All). These traders then export the gold to bordering countries -- mainly Burundi and Uganda. The trade almost entirely escapes the Congolese authorities, a blow in a country of huge mineral wealth where 72 percent of the population live on less than $1.90 a day, according to the World Bank. Smuggled to the Middle East A United Nations expert report published last year said "a senior official of the mining administration in South Kivu assessed that about 300 kilogrammes (660 pounds) of undeclared gold transited each month" through the provincial capital Bukavu. "But provincial government statistics showed about five kilogrammes a month on average," the report said. A lawyer specialising in mining, Me Lambert Djunga, emphasised how the miners are exploited. "Local traders resell the product of the work of poorly paid artisanal miners to cross-border traffickers, who in turn illegally export the product mainly to Bujumbura or Kampala," he told AFP. Rescue efforts continue to find any survivors of the mining disaster. By STRINGER (AFP/File) The Burundian and Ugandan capitals are home to trading posts that then sell the gold on "at high prices to the Gulf monarchies or to Europe," the lawyer added. The trade route he described was matched by the UN report, which said that "most Congolese gold was smuggled through neighbouring countries to Dubai as the main destination". Djunga said the gold found in these makeshift mines represents 25 percent of industrial production in DRC's gold-rich regions -- South Kivu and particularly Ituri. There is a staggering disparity between what the "diggers" are paid and what the gold is ultimately worth. Gold prices have soared during the coronavirus pandemic as investors seek a safe haven, hitting an all-time high of $2,000 per ounce last month. 'At the mercy of traffickers' As well as gold, the Democratic Republic of Congo also has huge reserves of cobalt, copper and coltan. The World Bank estimates that 10 million people -- 12.5 percent of the 80 million population -- in DRC "derive their livelihoods from artisanal and small-scale mining". The loss in potential value from the gold in these eastern areas, which are riven by poverty and grinding conflict between armed groups, could be immense. The UN report said it "documented that some armed groups continued to finance their activities through illegal mining, thereby contaminating the supply chain". After Friday's Kamituga disaster, President Felix Tshisekedi said he asked the government to "take strong measures so that such tragedies are not repeated". The public service Saemape is supposed to provide "technical and financial assistance" to mining cooperatives. But Justice Pour Tous's Kitungano said Saemape "has failed in its mission", and called for reform to close the "many loopholes". Lawyer Djunga had another suggestion. "I invite the authorities to allow the Central Bank of the Congo, like it did under (former dictator) Mobutu Sese Seko, to buy artisanal production from real artisanal miners, instead of putting them at the mercy of these traffickers who pay them almost nothing compared to the selling price," he said. A group of protesters were outside the courthouse July 31 in support of Brown and others arrested for curfew violations. They swarmed Brown and celebrated after learning about Woolards ruling. Ellis heard arguments on Sept. 3 from Reyes, prosecutor Kevin Gross and City Attorney Katherine Dooley before taking the matter under advisement. His opinion was filed Monday. The relevant case law leads this court to the conclusion that the General Assembly did not intend to hamstring localities in the exercise of their duty to protect the health and safety of their inhabitants, Ellis wrote. Consequently, the simple omission of express authority to set a curfew does not preclude a city from instituting a curfew in times of emergency. Ellis added that he was not addressing Browns claim that the protests were peaceful and posed no need for a curfew. Europe will face a rising death toll from the coronavirus during the autumn months, the World Health Organization warned on Monday, as the number of daily infections around the world reached a record high. Israel was among the countries battling a new spike, announcing a three-week lockdown from Friday when people will not be allowed more than 500 metres from their homes. The announcement sparked a wave of anger. "It's unfair!" said Eti Avishai, a 64-year-old seamstress. "They didn't stop the big gatherings in synagogues, the weddings and the other events, and now I can't be with my children and grandchildren during the holidays?" The World Health Organization reported 307,930 new cases worldwide on Sunday, the highest daily figure since the beginning of the pandemic in China late last year, as global cases rapidly approach 29 million. "It's going to get tougher. In October, November, we are going to see more mortality," WHO Europe director Hans Kluge told AFP in an interview. WHO Europe's 55 members started a two-day online meeting Monday focusing on their response to the virus. WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told the meeting by video-link: "We are by no means out of the woods." - Millions back to school - The latest surge has sparked alarm across Europe, and revived the debate over how best to respond to the rise in infections. England has limited social gatherings to no more than six people from Monday. On the other hand, millions of schoolchildren in other affected countries have returned to their classrooms for the first time in months. Italian children were among the first in Europe to see their schools closed, and some 5.6 million returned for the first time in six months on Monday. Although officials said thousands of extra classrooms had been set up, there were concerns over a lack of surgical masks for teachers and a shortage of single-seat benches. Story continues Some southern Italian regions postponed their reopening, worried they were not properly prepared. A Vatican spokesman meanwhile said Pope Francis was being "constantly monitored" after having met with a cardinal who later tested positive. - Trump rally 'reckless' - While Europe battles with rising infections, other parts of the world are tentatively easing restrictions. Saudi Arabia said it would partially lift a six-month suspension of international flights this week, while South Korea said it would ease rules in and around the capital Seoul after cases declined. The backlash against the restrictions is also being factored in by beleaguered governments. Australian police arrested dozens of people over the weekend at anti-lockdown rallies in Melbourne as crowds defied stay-at-home orders. Similar rallies took place in Germany and Poland on Saturday attended by anti-vaccine campaigners, conspiracy theorists and far-right activists. Such protests are relatively common in the United States, the hardest-hit nation in the world with more than 6.5 million infections and 194,000 deaths. President Donald Trump, under pressure for campaigning for the economy to reopen despite the catastrophic figures, was criticised for holding big rallies over the weekend. "Tonight, President Donald Trump is taking reckless and selfish actions that are putting countless lives in danger here in Nevada," state governor Steve Sisolak, of the rival Democratic Party, tweeted ahead of the Sunday rally. At the rally, Trump boasted about his success dealing with the pandemic and dismissed Sisolak as a "political hack". - 'Exhausted' health workers - There was some good news in Britain, where regulators allowed clinical trials to resume on one of the most advanced experimental vaccines. Researchers on the joint AstraZeneca-Oxford University project, who hope to finish tests by the end of the year, had "voluntarily paused" the trial after a UK volunteer developed an unexplained illness. A vaccine is considered crucial to the fight against the virus, but the WHO's Kluge said the public should not put all their hopes on a single drug. "I hear the whole time: 'the vaccine is going to be the end of the pandemic'. Of course not," he said. The end of the pandemic would come when communities learn to live with the disease, he stressed. Meanwhile, the wider effects of the pandemic are biting hard on medical staff and strained health systems. "They're always being asked for more, always too much, they're exhausted." Czech Post meanwhile announced Monday it was to deliver face masks and respirators to millions of senior citizens this week, as the number of cases rose there. burs-jj/pma Boston Mayor Marty Walsh on Tuesday praised City Councilor Michelle Wu, who announced a 2021 mayoral run, but he did not commit to seeking re-election, saying he was focused on the COVID-19 pandemic. I want to commend Councilor Wu in her decision, he told reporters in a news conference outside City Hall. I have great respect for her or anyone who runs for office. Walsh said he looks forward to more conversations about how we can move our city forward, but right now were battling the COVID-19 pandemic." Rebuilding the Boston and statewide economy, opening schools safely over the next few weeks and housing people in need were his top priorities, Walsh said. First elected in 2013, Walsh did hint that hes likely to give a crack at another term. He noted that on top of COVID-19, he was focused on helping former Vice President Joe Biden and Sen. Kamala Harris defeat President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence, so his administration over the next four years has a partner he can count on. For the last three years, we havent had a partner in Washington, D.C.," Walsh said. But when asked directly if hes running, he pivoted back to the pandemic. Right now Im focused on the job in front of me, he said. The pandemic. The economy. Getting our economy back up and running. One of my number one priorities is school, with remote learning set to begin Sept. 21 and hybrid learning on Oct. 1. Wu has long been seen as a potential contender against Walsh, who was elected in 2013 after five-term mayor Thomas Menino. When the 35-year-old councilor was elected at the age of 28, she became the first Taiwanese American and the first Asian-American woman on the council. In 2016, Wu became the first woman of color to serve as city council president. Im Michelle Wu, and Im running for mayor to make Boston a city for everyone, she said in a trio of videos published Tuesday in English, Mandarin and Spanish. The videos made the case that Wu understands the lack of affordable homes, multilingual options and diversity across the city. Its official: Im running for Mayor because Boston should be a city for everyone. Nows the time for bold, urgent leadership. Help fuel our movement: https://t.co/GhPHzn6CDD#LFG pic.twitter.com/uO4Ilc4a6F Michelle Wu (@wutrain) September 15, 2020 Asked about Wus critiques of the way the city has been managed during the pandemic and for years prior, including on racial inequities, Walsh said he was not going to get into a political debate today. Theyll be plenty of time down the road (to talk) on what direction the city is going in, he said. Theyll be plenty of time to have conversations ... whether its the councilor or anyone else that might decide to think about running for mayor. Theyll be conversations later on about all that. Related Content: Thailand Eyes 'Land Bridge' to Link its Coasts 2020-09-14 -- Thailand's Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-o-cha this week publicly endorsed a proposed land bridge between the Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman Sea, apparently shelving a long-discussed project to build a canal across the Malay Peninsula. The dueling project ideas have generated debate, with some calling the canal a security risk and others arguing that a so-called land bridge deep sea ports connected by road and rail would be far less profitable and practical than the waterway. Prayuth on Tuesday touted the land bridge as a way to kick-start economic growth at a time when tourism and exports have taken a huge hit because of the COVID-19 pandemic. "[We] are studying a land bridge, I gave the guideline. I think it will help the economy in the long term," Prayuth said. "We need a new project. We are looking into how to connect transportations of the west coast and east coast." A bridge or a canal would dramatically shorten travel time for ships sailing between the Indian Ocean in the west and the South China Sea and the Pacific in the east. Currently, the Malacca Straits, a narrow waterway between peninsular Malaysia and Indonesia's Sumatra island, is the shortest east-west sea route. Prayuth didn't mention the Thai Canal project also referred to as the Kra Canal while talking about the land bridge. His transportation minister has brought it up twice since July, and both times said the canal was a nonstarter. "A canal, it won't happen, and people are opposed to it," transportation minister Saksiam Chidchob told a seminar in July. He added that the canal isn't feasible because water levels on either side of Thailand vary. "To dig a canal, I don't think is suitable for Thailand because the water levels in the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand differ. In the canal, there must be transition points, which takes space and is time-consuming." A land bridge connecting Ranong province in the west with Chumphom province in the east is the answer, Saksiam said. "If we construct deep sea ports in Chumphon and Ranong and connect them with a land bridge that has dual tracked railway and highways for 120 kilometers that would save two days of sailing [through the Malacca Straits]," he said. In August, Saksiam told Bloomberg News the canal project was being replaced with the land bridge one, and the government had already approved spending 165 million baht (U.S. $5.3 million) to study the overland option. Neither Prayuth nor Saksiam have said how much the land bridge is estimated to cost. BenarNews, an RFA-affiliated online news service, contacted Saksiam's office for comment but didn't hear back. Canal vs land bridge Meanwhile, a sub-committee of Thailand's House of Representatives, set up in January to look into the Thai Canal, said it is almost ready with its initial study, retired Maj. Songklod Tipparat, the chairman of the sub-committee, told BenarNews. He is among the supporters of the 120-kilometer-long canal. "The Klong Thai (Thai Canal) project is unstoppable despite talks on the land bridge," Songklod said. "The land bridge doesn't work because it costs a lot to transfer containers from ships to trucks or trains." Ian Storey, a senior fellow at the Iseas-Yusof Ishak Institute, shares Songklod's opinion, saying a land bridge "makes little economic sense." "Unloading goods at one port, transporting them across the country by rail or road, and then uploading them at another port increases rather than reduces transportation costs," Storey wrote in an article published this month in Today, a Singapore publication. Songklod said a canal would be immensely profitable. "The project will cost 2 trillion baht (U.S. $64 billion)," he said, but the "revenue will be double that figure every year." A peripheral "economic corridor" would provide additional benefits, he said. Over 40,000 Thai fishing boats in the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand could sail back and forth quickly and frugally, he said, adding that the canal could also accommodate 350,000 to 500,000-ton ships. The canal would transverse five southern provinces from Krabi on the Andaman Sea, through Nakhon Sri Thammarat, Pattalung and Trang, to Songkhla on the Gulf of Thailand, he said. Gen. Pradit Boonkerd, president of Thai Canal Association, which supports the project, told BenarNews the canal would be 30 meters deep and 400 meters wide. "Sailing through it is convenient, safe and economical, saving 1,200 kilometers" when compared to going through the Malacca Straits, he said. "If we have the Thai Canal connect with the high-speed train networks in northeastern Thailand, Laos and Vietnam, that will create a million jobs." According to Songklod, opinion polls in Krabi, Pattalung and Trang show that a majority of people support the canal. People in Songkhla and Nakhon Sri Thammarat have yet to be polled, he said. Security concerns Meanwhile, those against the canal worry that it will cut off the troubled Deep South region, three provinces and a handful of neighboring districts on Thailand's southern border where a violent insurgency has killed more than 7,000 people since 2004. A land bridge is safer, they say, because it won't divide the country into two parts with a canal that is wider than an average river. Some also fear China's possible involvement in building the canal, which would give Beijing undue influence in the region. Although Beijing has not publicly commented on funding it, it has invested billions around the region as part of One Belt, One Road (OBOR), an ambitious program to build a global network of ports, highways, railways, bridges and power plants. Involving China in the construction "would bring in China as a permanent security partner that could not easily be kicked out," wrote Salvatore Babones, a professor at the University of Sydney, in Foreign Policy this month. The House subcommittee studying the canal proposal stoked these fears by inviting three Chinese-Thai companies to demonstrate a model of the project. The firms invited were China State Construction Yangtze River (Thailand) Company Limited, The Best Group and The Aviation Industry Corporation of China.There are also worries that Thailand could be caught in tensions between India and China, both of whom are jockeying for influence in the region and were recently involved in violent skirmishes in a disputed Himalayan border area. The Thai Canal would allow China "to quickly move ships between its newly constructed bases in the South China Sea and the Indian Ocean," and would "fit neatly into Beijing's plans to encircle India," wrote Babones. A former member of the Thai House sub-committee studying the canal has similar views on how the canal would help China. "I think China supports the canal digging for security reasons as it will allow China's armada to cross and control the two oceans," Prasithichai Noonual told BenarNews. "If China digs the canal, she could control the two oceans and will have disputes with the U.S. and India, and Thailand's south would be a flashpoint." Prasithichai said he quit the sub-committee because of these concerns. "I am concerned and I disagreed with the committee. It's insistent it wants to dig the canal rather than discussing its pros and cons comprehensively," he said. "The committee shouldn't act as a lobbyist, so I quit." Reported by BenarNews, an RFA-affiliated online news service. Copyright 1998-2020, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036. For any commercial use of RFA content please send an email to: mahajanr@rfa.org. RFA content September not be used in a manner which would give the appearance of any endorsement of any product or support of any issue or political position. Please read the full text of our Terms of Use. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address TRUMBULL A suspicious person report led to drug charges for a Stamford man on Saturday, police said. According to reports, police received a suspicious person complaint shortly after 5 p.m. The caller reported a man with a gas can appeared to be tearing up some sort of fabric near the Old Town Road exit from Route 25, police said. Officers located the man, later identified as Tre McPherson, 27, of Stamford, who said he was waiting for a friend to come pick him up, police said. Upon checking his name, police learned he had a warrant for his arrest on violation of probation charges. Police said McPherson was carrying a bundle of heroin that tested positive for the presence of fentanyl and 37 amphetamine pills commonly sold under the brand name Adderall. McPherson was charged with violating probation, narcotics possession and failure to keep narcotics in their original container. Cadbury have just dropped a special-edition Cadbury Pinky Dairy Milk block. Cadbury has partnered with Breast Cancer Foundation NZ (BCFNZ) for the past ten years. So to celebrate and raise awareness, they've has created a new Dairy Milk block inspired by Cadbury Pinky and will be donating NZD$80,000 to assist in growing the organisations education and support programmes. BCFNZ plays such a significant role in supporting Kiwis who are impacted by breast cancer, says Jo Turner of Cadbury New Zealand. The special-edition Cadbury Dairy Milk Pinky block is our way of giving back to BCFNZ, helping to raise awareness and encouraging Kiwis to get involved in the 2020 Pink Ribbon Appeal. The new chocolate block is inspired by Cadbury's Pinky bar and features delicious pieces of pink marshmallow and chewy caramel chips. How delish. It's avaliable in supermarkets and dairies from today for a limited time. Get amongst and show your support fam. For years, taco culture has been revised like this, through experimentation in kitchens, and in backyards, its subgenres expanding and shifting with the availability of ingredients, and flourishing in the hands of creative cooks. Vegan tacos are often left out of the conversation, but if theres a taco that illuminates this moment in Los Angeles the uncertainty, the constraints, but also the resilience of the cooks working through them, eager to nourish and sustain their businesses and their communities it might be a black vegan taco al pastor. It floats on a soft, freshly made corn tortilla, seasoned with a little guacamole, onion and a dribble of life-affirming salsa. Vegetarian and vegan taco fillings arent new. You can trace their lineage back through Indigenous cuisines, and the cooks who worked with regional flowers, fruits and vegetables, long before the introduction of pork, by colonists. The genre has a history here in Los Angeles, too Plant Food for People started selling jackfruit carnitas a decade ago, and in 2018, the vegan tacos from Taqueria La Venganza won a fierce citywide taco competition hosted by the local publication L.A. Taco, beating out more well-known meat tacos. That was a pivotal moment, said Javier Cabral, who scouted contestants for the battle that year, and is now the editor in chief of L.A. Taco. That was the first time the city, and the food media, saw that vegan tacos werent just a fad, and they werent just something hipsters were eating. Vegan taco stands were concentrated in more gentrified neighborhoods, with a mostly white customer base. But Mr. Cabral notes that their audience has slowly expanded, in part thanks to vendors like Vegatinos, making hulking vegan versions of regional Mexican foods tacos de suadero and chicharron, pozole and Jalisco-style birria. Thats been key in winning over the old-school demographic, Mr. Cabral said. Nothing fancy. Angel fans entering Angel Stadium before a game. (Danny Moloshok / Associated Press) The Anaheim City Council is expected to approve a development deal for the Angel Stadium property within three weeks, but with a legal cloud hanging over the project. An Orange County Superior Court judge Monday denied the citys request to throw out a lawsuit alleging impropriety in the sale of the property. Judge David Hoffer said he would meet with attorneys Sept. 29 to consider a trial date, as well as the scope of evidence to be gathered in advance of the potential trial. Kelly Aviles, the attorney representing the plaintiffs, said a trial probably would not start until next year at the earliest. The city projects the sale will close sometime next year, but the purchase agreement allows Angels owner Arte Moreno and his development company to walk away from the deal so long as litigation is active. Marie Garvey, the spokeswoman for Moreno, said the company is looking forward to moving ahead with upcoming City Council hearings. The City Council last December approved a $325-million sale of the 150-acre stadium site; a development agreement this month reduced the cash price to $150 million in exchange for the inclusion of close to 500 units of affordable housing and a seven-acre park. The lawsuit, filed on behalf of a citizen group called the Peoples Homeless Task Force, seeks to invalidate the purchase agreement on the grounds the city failed to comply with state public transparency laws. Aviles said the group has no objection to a deal debated in public. However, she said, the city has declined to provide negotiating records that she said are subject to public disclosure. If its a good deal, then give us the information that shows why, Aviles said. Thomas Brown, the attorney representing the city, said Anaheim had complied with the law and said negotiating can be done behind closed doors before a deal is discussed publicly. Nobody does real property negotiations in open session, Brown said. Thats just nonsense. In his ruling, Hoffer did not address the merits of the case but said the city would have to defend its position based on the facts, not on what the defendant City elected to put in agenda reports. Story continues In court, Hoffer noted that agenda reports had listed the buyer as the Angels when in fact it was Morenos newly formed development company, SRB Management. At the December meeting at which the council approved the deal, city negotiators said they did not know the identity of anyone in SRB except Moreno, who since has called it a family company. Hoffer also chided city attorneys for asking the court to strike 35 segments of the plaintiffs 27-page complaint. The motion is to be used sparingly, Hoffer wrote, not as a line-item veto. Carl Sagan once said that Venus is the planet in our solar system most like hell. So when are we going back Astronomers on Monday reported the detection of a chemical in the acidic Venusian clouds, phosphine, which may be a possible sign of life. That has some planetary scientists itching to return to the suns second planet, especially those who feel Venus has long been overlooked in favor of Mars and other destinations. If this planet is active and is producing phosphine, and there is something thats making it in the Venus atmosphere, then by God almighty, forget this Mars nonsense, said Paul Byrne, a planetary scientist at North Carolina State University. We need a lander, an orbiter, we need a program. Venus is not easy to visit. Its carbon-dioxide-rich atmosphere is 90 times as dense as ours, and surface temperatures average 800 degrees Fahrenheit. Its surface pressure is intense enough to crush some submarines. But that hasnt stopped human space programs from trying. About 40 robotic spacecraft launched by governments on Earth have tried to visit Venus in one way or another. Here are highlights from past journeys to Venus, as well as the prospects for a speedy return to the planet to find out whats going on in those clouds. The Many Soviet Visitors to Venus In 1961, the Soviet space program began trying to explore Venus. In the decades that followed, it shot dozens of spacecraft toward the world sometimes known as Earths twin. While Soviet exploration of Venus started with many misfires, the country became the first to land a spacecraft on another world, and not long after, the first to take photos from the surface of another planet. Their engineering achievements were significant even by modern standards. After seeing their first round of spacecraft sent into the atmosphere squashed like tin cans, the Soviets realized just how extreme the pressure on Venus was. This trial and error led to the construction of a 5-ton metal spacecraft built to withstand, even if for just an hour, the immense surface pressures. Venera 4 in 1967 became the first spacecraft to measure the atmosphere of another planet, detecting large amounts of carbon dioxide that cause the ceaseless Venusian greenhouse effect. Then in 1975, the countrys Venera 9 probe became the first to take images from the surface of another planet. The world officially met Venus. The images it and later missions sent back revealed a planet that was truly like no other: cracked terrain beneath hazy, diluted neon green light. The planet we thought might have been covered in oceans and akin to our own was instead an alien world with poison rain. Later missions in the Venera series into the 1980s gave scientists a better understanding of the planets geological processes. Venera 11 and 12 both detected large amounts of lightning and thunder as they traveled to the surface. Venera 13 and 14 were both equipped with microphones that documented the sounds of their descent to the surface, making them the first spacecraft to record audio from another planet. In 1985 the Soviet Union concluded its Venus encounters with the twin Vega spacecraft, which each released large balloons loaded with scientific instruments, demonstrating the potential for probes that could float in the planets clouds. The slowed pace of the Soviet space program toward the end of the Cold War halted launches to Venus. While the Russian space program has discussed future exploration of Venus, its concepts have not moved off the drawing board. NASA Kept Its Sights on Venus, too While Mars has always seemed like the apple of the eyes of American space planners, the Mariner and Pioneer programs of the 1960s and 70s made time for Venus. Mariner 2 was the first American spacecraft to make it to Venus, in 1962. It determined that temperatures were cooler higher in the clouds, but extremely hot on the surface. In 1978, the Pioneer missions gave American researchers a closer look. The first of the pair orbited the planet for nearly 14 years, revealing much about the mysterious Venusian atmosphere. It also observed the surface was smoother than Earths, and that Venus had very little or perhaps no magnetic field. A second Pioneer mission sent a number of probes into Venus atmosphere, returning information on the structure of the clouds and radar readings of the surface. NASAs Magellan entered into orbit in 1990 and spent four years mapping the surface and looking for evidence of plate tectonics. It discovered that nearly 85% of the surface was covered in old lava flows, hinting at significant past and possible present volcanic activity. It was also the last of the American visitors, although a number of NASA spacecraft have used Venus as a slingshot as they set course for other destinations. Other Visitors to Venus Venus Express was launched by the European Space Agency in 2005. It orbited the planet for eight years and observed that it still may have been geologically active. The planets only guest from Earth right now is Akatsuki, which was launched by Japan in 2010. The probe missed its meeting with Venus when its engine failed to fire as it headed into orbit. By 2015, the missions managers had managed to steer it on a course to orbit and study the planet. It has since transformed how scientists view our clouded twin. In its study of the physics of the dense cloud layers of Venus, the mission has revealed disturbances in the planets winds known as gravity waves, as well as equatorial jet streams in its atmosphere. Whos Next? Many missions back to Venus have been proposed, and some space agencies have declared ambitions of visiting the planet. But its hard to say whether any will make the trip. Indias space agency has proposed a mission called Shukrayaan-1, which will orbit the planet and primarily focus on the chemistry of the atmosphere. Peter Beck, the founder of Rocket Lab, a private company started in New Zealand that has launched about a dozen rockets to space, has recently spoken of sending a small satellite to the planet. NASA has considered a number of Venus proposals in the past decade, including two in 2017 that were finalists of NASAs Discovery program, which has previously sent explorers to the moon, Mars, Mercury and other destinations. But the agency instead selected a pair of asteroid missions. Also in 2017, for the larger, more expensive New Frontiers competition, NASA considered a Venus mission called Venus In situ Composition Investigations, or VICI, which sought to put two landers on the planets surface. It was passed over for Dragonfly, which will send a plutonium-powered drone to fly on Titan, the largest moon of Saturn. NASA, however, did provide money for some of the technologies that VICI would need. And Venus proponents may have a new advocate inside NASA. Lori S. Glaze, the principal investigator of VICI, is now the planetary science division director at NASA. The agency will have another chance to pick a Venus mission for funding in the next round of its Discovery program. Two Venus spacecraft, named DAVINCI+ and VERITAS, are competing against proposed missions to Neptunes moon Triton or Jupiters volcanic moon Io. NASA may select two of the four finalists. And there could be other possibilities for visitors to Venus. We should also recognize that Venus is a planetary destination we can reach with smaller missions as well, said Thomas Zurbuchen, the head of NASAs science mission directorate. Shannon Stirone c.2020 The New York Times Company The ESRF can image dense neuronal wiring in the brain with a resolution never seen before, as a paper published today in Nature Neuroscience shows. The Extremely Brilliant Source (EBS), the new machine at the ESRF, will enable scientists to accelerate imaging speed and further improve resolving power, opening new avenues in X-ray neuroimaging. One of the grand quests in neuroscience is to build precise maps of the brain, charting all its neurons and the connections between them. Such wiring diagrams, called connectomes, promise to shed light on how a collection of cells can together give rise to thoughts, memories and behaviours, and to help uncover the pathways of neurological diseases. Mammalian brains contain tens of millions to billions of neurons, so studying neural circuits is a monumental challenge that requires to develop new techniques, says Alexandra Pacureanu, researcher at the ESRF and co-corresponding author of the paper. Today, researchers led by the ESRF and Harvard Medical School and Boston Childrens Hospital (US), demonstrate in Nature Neuroscience a cryogenic X-ray microscopy approach to image dense neuronal wiring in millimeter-sized samples. The technique, developed at the nano-imaging beamline ID16A of ESRF, and dubbed X-ray holographic nano-tomography (XNH), achieves unprecedented resolving power in thick brain tissue specimens. Combined with artificial intelligence-driven image analysis methods developed in collaboration with scientists at Janelia Research Campus, the team reconstructed neuronal processes in 3D, comprehensively cataloging neurons and even tracing individual connections from muscles to the central nervous system in fruit flies. XNH imaging allows us to resolve the individual wires, but at the same time cover enough volume to see the big picture. This can fundamentally change how we understand brain circuits, to fully appreciate how populations of intricately interconnected neurons give rise to nervous function and ultimately cognition, says Aaron Kuan, researcher at Harvard Medical School. The authors imaged over two days a fruit fly leg and its connections to the central nervous system, a structure that extends over a millimetre and is difficult to section and study with Electron Microscopy (EM). They were able to map all of the motor neurons extending from the fly equivalent of a spinal cord into a leg, as well as the sensory neurons that relay signals to the central nervous system. "I am amazed at how much I have learned from this technique. My mental picture of the musculature, tendons, joints, and neural control is practically complete now", explains Anthony Azevedo, neuroscientist working with fruit flies at Washington University in Seattle (US). They also studied a mouse brain, focusing on an area of the cortex involved in integrating sensory stimuli and perceptual decision-making. Previous EM studies have noted interesting structural characteristics of so-called pyramidal neurons in this area but have been limited to sample sizes of around 20 neurons. Using XNH, the researchers scanned over 3200 cells in this area. Combined with aligned EM data, the team characterised the structure and connectivity of hundreds of pyramidal neurons, which revealed distinct structural propertiessuch as strong and spatially compressed inhibitory inputs onto certain neurite areasthat suggest previously undescribed functional properties. Throughout recent years, scientists have made remarkable progress in imaging neural circuits, primarily using a painstaking approach: taking serial slices of brains, each a thousand times thinner than a human hair, imaging the slices with EM and stitching the images together for analysis. This can be prohibitively costly in terms of time and resources, requiring large numbers of EM images, which have a narrow field of view, and intense effort to reconstruct even small neural circuits. With XNH, there is no need to section or ablate the tissue and data collection times may be reduced from months or years to days. XNH has transformed how we think about mapping brain wiring. It may be an exciting new route to mammalian whole-brain connectomes, explains Wei-Chung Allen Lee, co-corresponding author. The new ESRF source, EBS, will enable to accelerate throughput and it will improve imaging resolution. We strive to further push resolving power and, at the same time, extend the tissue coverage capabilities. By harnessing the benefits of EBS, we hope to identify synapses connecting neurons and investigate neural circuits in multiple samples to discover how connectomes evolve, for example, in the context of neurological disorders, concludes Pacureanu, who leads the X-ray neuroimaging at nanoscale research unit at ESRF. The X-ray neuroimaging at nanoscale research unit is supported by an ERC starting grant of 1.43 million euros awarded to Pacureanu for a project entitled Bright, coherent and focused light to resolve neural circuits, which will exploit the capabilities of the new EBS. Reference: Kuan, A.T., et al, Nature Neuroscience, 14 September, 2020. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41593-020-0704-9. ZAMBOANGA CITY Eight villages in the southern Philippine province of Sulu are now free from the influence of the pro-ISIS group Abu Sayyaf... OPEC turns 60 years today, but the celebration has been postponed in the light of the ongoing pandemic. The combination of demand destruction caused by COVID-19, a struggling global economy, and fleeting energy demand is troubling the oil price recovery. At the same time, OPEC members such as Iraq, Iran, Venezuela, and even Algeria and Nigeria, are facing economic hardships due to much lower oil revenues. On the supply side, some relief for the cartel has come from internal conflicts in Iraq and Venezuela, which have reduced exports, and U.S. sanctions on Iran, which have significantly reduced the nations capacity to export crude oil and oil products. No real change is to be expected in these countries any time soon, but things could, however, be changing quickly for OPEC member Libya. The North African oil producer has seen its exports collapse as a result of the ongoing military conflict between the Tripoli-based GNA government, backed by the UN and Turkey, and East-Libyan power broker General Haftar, whose military forces are backed by the UAE, Russia, and several other Arab and European countries. Years of military confrontation have not only brought Libyas oil and gas sector to a standstill but has also led to a Haftar-backed oil export blockade. While OPEC will not openly state it, the removal of Libyan oil from the global marketplace has made things a lot easier for the cartel. The export blockade, however, may not last much longer if U.S.-backed sources are correct. According to the U.S. embassy in Tripoli, Libyas General Haftar has committed to lifting the oil blockade by the 12th of September. The U.S. embassy stated that the U.S. Embassy is encouraged by an apparent sovereign Libyan agreement to enable the National Oil Corporation (NOC) to resume its vital and apolitical work. In an exchange of letters between Ambassador Norland and Libyan National Army (LNA) commander Haftar, as well as in recent discussions with a broad range of Libyan leaders, the Ambassador underscored U.S. confidence in the NOC and support a financial model that would constitute a credible guarantee that oil and gas revenues would be managed transparently and preserved for the benefit of the Libyan people. In the same press release, it was said that the LNA subsequently conveyed to the U.S. government the personal commitment of General Haftar to allow the full reopening of the energy sector no later than September 12. Related: Big Tech Still Loves The Oil Business The U.S. and all parties involved seem to have reached an agreement that there will be safeguards to enable all Libyans to have confidence that revenues are not misappropriated. The press release also mentioned that the re-opening of the oil and gas sector is expected to enable progress toward a much-needed overhaul of security arrangements for NOC facilities, including the full withdrawal of foreign military personnel and equipment present at oil and gas sites without Libyan approval and a Libyan agreement to reform the Petroleum Facilities Guard and break the cycle of predation by certain armed groups. This news seems to be very positive, but the agreement doesnt necessarily mean that the skirmishing parties will actually respect it. Current assessments are not very optimistic, looking at the important role of third-party military groups in the conflict on both sides. Turkish, Emirati, and Russian backed groups will potentially attempt to take advantage of the situation in an attempt to take control of strategic positions. At the same time, LNA military leader Haftar will have to cope with an unexpected political situation in his own area. The official eastern Libyan government, backing Haftar, has submitted its resignation after a number of protests over deteriorating living conditions and corruption. In the last few days, Benghazi protests have been targeting the government's headquarters. The demonstrations also resulted in some direct clashes with security forces in General Haftar's stronghold of al-Marj for the first time. Haftars sources claimed that the administration backed peaceful protests but would not allow "terrorists and the Muslim Brotherhood" to hijack them. The resignation of the eastern government is a blow to Haftar, but the situation on the ground is unclear, as the parliament in Tobruk needs to approve the resignation of the government. The current protests against Haftar in the east follow weeks of major protests in the west against the GNA government in Tripoli. The ongoing destabilization of Libya and the oil export blockade has cost not only billions of dollars in revenues since January 2020 but has also resulted in numerous blackouts. It now seems that a growing number of Libayns are fed up with both sides, confronted by economic despair and conflict. The growing unrest doesnt bode well for stability in both parts of the country. A destabilized GNA and LNA power position could not only cause a rebellion on both sides but also result in increased Turkish or Russian-Egyptian/UAE interference. If the rumored deal is actually implemented, however, OPEC+ will find it much harder to rebalance the markets, as a possible, 1.2 million bpd (now out of the market) in export volumes could soon be resumed. Looking at current demand-supply forecasts, crude prices will be affected for sure. A peaceful solution or stability pact may be good news for Libya but could ruin OPECs efforts to balance a COVID-stricken oil market. By Cyril Widdershoven for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Judge bans indoor services at John MacArthur's Grace Community Church Pastor blasts ruling as the 'very definition of tyranny' Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment A California court has issued a preliminary injunction against Pastor John MacArthur and Grace Community Church, banning them from conducting, participating in or attending any indoor worship services until the case is resolved. In what lawyers for the Sun Valley-based megachurch described as a setback, a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge on Sept. 10 granted the countys request for an injunction prohibiting Grace Community from holding indoor services in violation of county health orders. Judge Mitchell L. Beckloff ruled that the church must not conduct any outdoor worship services unless it fully complies with the countys mandates relating to physical distancing and face coverings, according to the nonprofit law firm Thomas More Society. In an 18-page ruling, Beckloff wrote that the county demonstrated a likelihood of success on the merits of its claims and found that the balance of harms tips in its favor. [T]he Court finds the balance of harms tips in favor of the County," the judge contends. "The potential consequences of community spread of COVID-19 and concomitant risk of death to members of the community associated and unassociated with the Church outweighs the harm that flows from the restriction on indoor worship caused by the County Health Order. MacArthur called the ruling inexplicable. [The] judge said the scale tipped in favor of the county. 1/100th of 1% of Californians with a virus apparently wins over the U.S. Constitution and religious freedom for all? the pastor asked. That is not what our founders said. Nor is that what God says, who gave us our rights that our government including the judicial branch is supposed to protect. The scale should always tip in favor of liberty, especially for churches. County officials have repeatedly tried to get a court order to shutter Grace Community Church, which has been holding in-person worship services since last month in violation of orders from Gov. Gavin Newsom. The governor has mandated that churches in some counties refrain from indoor services amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Previously, officials sent a cease and desist letter to the church and threatened MacArthur with fines and even possible arrest if his church doesnt comply with state orders. In August, Los Angeles County terminated a lease agreement for a parking lot the church has used for over 40 years. Last week, the county fined Grace Community $1,000 for violating a COVID-19 sign ordinance due to the placement of the sign. In a statement, Thomas More Society Special Counsel Jenna Ellis called the latest ruling a temporary setback. She said attorneys will continue to fight for Pastor MacArthur and Grace Community Churchs constitutionally protected right to hold church. While the judge did go out of his way to repeatedly state that he is not ruling on the merits, only a ruling at this very preliminary stage, Pastor MacArthur is still harmed because he has every right to hold church," Ellis explained. Church is essential, and no government agent has the runaway, unlimited power to force churches to close indefinitely, the lawyer added. The Countys argument was basically because we can, which is the very definition of tyranny. Without limiting governments power in favor of freedom and protected rights, we have no liberty. We will fight for religious freedom, as our founders did when they wrote the First Amendment. MacArthur recently told his congregation that there is no pandemic, referring to a recent report released by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. I dont want to offer myself as any kind of an expert, but a rather telling report came out this week and for the first time, we heard the truth, he argued. The CDC said that in truth, 6% of the deaths that have occurred can be directly attributable to COVID, 94% cannot. Of the 160,000 people that have died, 9,210 actually died from COVID. While there has been some confusion over the CDC report, the CDC data indicated that 94% of deaths related to COVID-19 have had other underlying contributing health conditions that factored into death. In all of those cases, COVID-19 was still listed as a contributing factor. The data showed that only 6% of the deaths had only COVID-19 listed as a factor in the cause of death. In an earlier declaration, the theologian who hosts a syndicated radio program argued that the county is attempting to impede on his and his congregations free exercise of religion by criminalizing activity directly required by our faith. As a church, we have a moral and religious obligation to continue allowing our congregants to gather in our sanctuary to worship the Lord, MacArthur said, adding that the church is the core of life for thousands from nursery to seniors. According to Los Angeles County officials, over 6,000 people in the county have died from COVID-19. The Citizens Renaming Committee is one vote away from determining its top choice for the new name of Robert E. Lee High School and Lee freshman school. The committee has narrowed its list to three names: Midland Legacy of Equality and Excellence High School (L.E.E.), Midland Tall City High School and Midland Carver Lee High School. The committee cut the list last week from five to those three with Legacy of Equality and Excellence (L.E.E.) and Tall City High School distancing themselves from Midland Carver Lee High School (nine votes each to two for Carver Lee). Committee co-chair Shannon Low, a mother of four current or former Lee High School students, said all three names will go to the board, and the vote Thursday determines the order of preference. She said if there is time, the committee will move on to recommendations for a mascot and school colors. There is no guarantee that the board will accept the first recommendation from the committee, which is the reason for three recommendations. Midland ISD leadership will present those recommendations to the board for final approval no later than Oct. 19. Low said a few weeks ago that she and co-chair Blake Feldt approached board President Rick Davis about names that would not be considered. Davis responded, according to Low, that dropping Robert E. from the current name and keeping Lee would not be acceptable to him. He did not know about the (other board members), she said. Low said the committee is taking care of what it was assigned to do: come up with recommended names. She said while there are members with differing opinions, each member has been provided equal time to weigh in on the topic. We are controlling what we can control, Low said. We are a committee put together by the school board. We represent them and our work is for them. As far as us coming to the board with recommendations and completing the task put before us, I feel good about what we have done, regardless of the recommendation. Motorists may notice some changes to the Buddy Holly Place railroad crossing south of Highway 18 in Clear Lake this fall. That comes after the Clear Lake City Council unanimously approved a crossing safety improvements agreement with the Iowa Department of Transportation, or Iowa DOT, for the crossing and set the date to receive competitive quotes for its portion of the project last week. The project received federal funding from the highway-railroad crossing safety program, which promotes public safety at rail crossings and near rail lines throughout the state, in fiscal year 2019. Those are competitive funds based primarily on safety-related issues, things like accidents and so forth, said Scott Flory, Clear Lake city administrator, last week. Theres a long waiting list for these funds, so we got moved up on the list, and fortunately, were going to get some funding here. In October 2018, the city approved an agreement with the Iowa DOT and the Dakota, Minnesota & Eastern Railroad for the funding. That agreement, Flory said, focused on the railroad companys improvements at the Buddy Holly Place railroad crossing. Currently, the crossing at Buddy Holly Place has signals but not gate arms, but the Iowa DOT and Dakota, Minnesota & Eastern Railroad have determined the crossing would be safer if it had new signals and gate arms. Initially, the city thought itd be able to maintain its four-lane configuration south of Highway 18, Flory explained to the council, but after the railroad company completed its preliminary engineering, it was determined the intersection would have to be modified to comply with federal regulations. The reason for that was theyre not able to get a gate arm to meet their standards that would cover three lanes, Flory said. They can do two lanes, so we backtracked and did a little redesigning on that. To meet the federal regulations, the city will reduce the number of vehicle lanes from four to three on Buddy Holly Place south of Highway 18, combining the northbound and eastern right-turn lane. Jason Petersburg, project engineer with Veenstra & Kimm, said he reviewed the states turning maneuver traffic count record at the intersection, and the left-turn, straight and right-turn maneuvers were pretty much equivalent during the peak hours. We are comfortable eliminating the lane here and not reducing the level of service overall within the intersection, specifically the northbound traffic, he said by teleconference during the meeting. The intersection will be very similar to North Eighth Street and Highway 18 intersection, Flory said. Additional improvements by the city consist of narrowing Buddy Holly Place by removing the eastern right-turn lane and installing new curb and gutter, re-striping the roadway to delineate the three-lane configuration and modifying the existing traffic signals at the Buddy Holly Place and Highway 18 intersection so theyre interconnected with the new railroad signals. The estimated cost of the citys portion of the project, including the construction, signal modifications and interconnection, pavement markings and engineering, is $155,165, but Flory said Clear Lake is eligible for 100% reimbursement from the Iowa DOT. Competitive quotes for the citys roadway modifications are due by 11 a.m. Thursday. The Clear Lake City Council is scheduled to award the project Monday during its meeting. Flory said the signal modifications and interconnection will be done through a separate contract. Clear Lakes portion of the project is scheduled to begin in late September and be completed by mid-November. The Dakota, Minnesota & Eastern Railroads portion of the project is estimated to cost about $301,607, and it may take place yet this fall or next spring. The railroad company will be reimbursed for 90% of the project by the Iowa DOT, according to the agreement. Flory anticipates that once the upgraded signals and gates and roadway modifications are completed that the railroad surface crossing will be completed within a relatively short period of time. The city has an application and cost-share commitment to the Iowa DOT for the surface-crossing improvements. If youve been on that one lately that ones a little bit on the rough side, so again, hopefully in a couple years that will be improved and well have a whole new gates, crossing, signals and itll be much safer, Flory said. In January 2018, a truck traveling northbound on Buddy Holly Place collided with an eastbound train hauling ethanol. The truck was dragged about 10 to 15 yards down the track before coming to rest against a power pole. No one was injured in the collision. Ashley Stewart covers Clear Lake and arts and entertainment in North Iowa for the Globe Gazette. You can reach her at ashley.stewart@globegazette.com or by phone at 641-421-0533. Follow Ashley on Twitter at GGastewart. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Joe Biden spoke yesterday outside the Delaware Museum of Natural History in Wilmington. Is Nevada in play? Maybe. A New York Times/Siena College poll released over the weekend found Biden and Trump separated by just four percentage points in Nevada, a state that has voted Democratic in the past three presidential elections but where Trump lost by only two points in 2016. Biden garnered support from 46 percent of likely voters to Trumps 42 percent, a difference that was within the polls margin of error. The survey offered plenty of indicators that the landscape there could be favorable to Trump this time around, particularly among the white residents who make up roughly three in five Nevada voters. Trump held a rally on Sunday at a manufacturing plant in Henderson, Nev., defying a state order against indoor gatherings of more than 50 people, after the states Democratic governor turned down requests to hold the event at outdoor locations. It was the presidents first indoor rally since June. ANKARA, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- Turkey does not expect the European Union to impose sanctions on Ankara over its dispute with Greece in the Eastern Mediterranean, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Monday. Ankara is open to negotiations with Athens without pre-conditions, he told NTV broadcaster but adding that Turkey will ask preconditions too if Greece insists. His statement came one day after the Turkish seismic research vessel Oruc Reis returned to the southern port in Antalya following its operations in the Eastern Mediterranean. The move is not a "concession", but the ship needed maintenance, the minister said, adding that the vessel will resume its work later. In August, Turkey dispatched Oruc Reis and two auxiliary navy vessels to the disputed region near the Greek island of Meis, also known as Kastellorizo, where Greece claims lies within its continental shelf. The military delegations from Turkey and Greece met in NATO's headquarters last week after NATO's secretary-general initiated de-confliction talks between the two NATO member states. Edwards (pictured) killed himself at his rented home near Normanhurst on the night of the murders A NSW Firearms Registry officer says she didn't read into recent allegations of domestic violence on John Edwards' police profile during the process that found him appropriate to start gun training. Eighteen months before murdering his children in July 2018, Edwards applied for a gun training permit and, due to a previous rejected application, required approval from the registry. A registry clerk in January 2017 examined Edwards' main Central Names Index profile on the police database, where 15 of the 18 entries related to either apprehended violence orders, stalking allegations, assault allegations or adverse interactions in relationships. Giving evidence before the NSW Coroners Court on Tuesday, she said she understood her role to be looking for the reason Edwards was previously rejected for a permit and ensuring the relevant AVO behind that reason had expired more than 10 years earlier. It had, meaning she gave the OK to a colleague, who later decided Edwards was an appropriate person to start training. The clerk on Tuesday agreed the most recent event on Edwards' police profile, entered just three weeks earlier, contained an allegation that the Sydney pensioner had abused his teenaged children in 2015. The inquest into the deaths of Edwards and his two children Jack and Jennifer has previously heard Hornsby police wrongly tagged the allegation as 'domestic violence - no offence' and didn't record the children as the alleged victims. Jack (pictured left) and Jennifer's (pictured right) body were found under his bedroom desk with multiple gunshot wounds 'Is there a reason why you didn't look at that?' counsel assisting Kate Richardson SC asked. 'I can't say why I didn't ... I just cannot remember it,' replied the registry staffer, whose identity is shielded by a court order. The clerk also scrolled over a child-at-risk event related to a verbal argument in the Edwards' home in March 2016 and a stalking allegation contained in an interim AVO obtained to protect an estranged adult daughter of Edwards in 2011. She also looked into a second CNI profile for Edwards which outlined stalking/intimidation allegations and interim AVOs. But she found no 'mandatory' reasons that would force her to refuse the permit, such as recent AVOs, certain offences or mental health events. 'If there was a mental health event, I would certainly look into it,' she said. The clerk said she had no written guidelines or formal training about how to do to CNI checks for training permit applicants but described the task as 'black and white'. Due to 'time pressure and a pile of things to do', she said she didn't have enough time to take notice of and look into other events of concern on an applicant's police profile. Edwards, 67, turned the gun on himself at a rented home near Normanhurst, northern Sydney (pictured) 'There wasn't sufficient training. Back then, we didn't look into things as closely as we do now.' State Coroner Teresa O'Sullivan is examining how Edwards managed to legally obtain a firearms licence in mid-2017 and then acquire the weapons used to kill his children and then himself. Several other registry staff are expected to give evidence on Tuesday and Wednesday, including the sworn police officer who heads the office, Superintendent Anthony Bell. Earlier, shocking details about Edwards' violent history was revealed. He was just 19 when he married his first wife, then 18, The Australian reported. The shocking history of John Edwards before he gunned down his two youngest children in cold blood After having two children, she ditched Edwards during a family holiday in the US in 1974 after she discovered he was having an affair with another woman. Edwards returned to Australia with his American mistress, who he later abandoned in a motel with a child and no money. His next partner suffered a miscarriage after Edwards hurled a bottle of orange cordial at her. She eventually fled and applied for an apprehended violence order after Edwards threw a rolling pin at her. Edwards then impregnated another woman, but ditched her before the child was born. He later held her captive in his home and pinned her to the bed before she managed to flee. She went to the police, who arrested Edwards outside her home. A fifth partner was so frightened of Edwards, she changed her name and fled to Queensland. A sixth woman told police she slept alone on their wedding night after she copped a scolding from her new husband. She finally left him in 2000 and fled to a woman's shelter after she was forced to give birth alone when Edwards refused to take her to hospital as she went into labour. The woman later made a formal complaint to police about the domestic violence she suffered. His Russian-born estranged wife Olga was just 19, 31 years his junior, when the pair met on a dating site in 2001. Six months after the murder-suicide, the children's mother Olga (pictured) took her own life It's understood Olga spent the next 15 years trying to salvage the marriage, despite his belittling comments and his controlling nature; he dictated what clothes she wore. She eventually fled the violent marriage and the family home, taking their two children and launched divorce proceedings in April 2016. She told the Family Court that she feared for the safety of the children. Edwards 'became consumed with maintaining a relationship with Jack and Jennifer' and blamed Olga for the children's estrangement, Detective Sergeant Tara Phillips told the NSW Coroners Court last week. After the children's murder, Olga detailed to Det Sgt Phillips how Edwards had over the years physically abused the children over minor things, such as touching his phone or CD collection. Including Jennifer and Jack, Edwards had 10 children to seven partners. He threatened to take two of his previous partners' lives and gave another rat poison, while his other kids described being beaten with a belt and cattle whip. Edwards deceitfully told one woman he was in the armed forces and 'Aboriginal chieftain', while another described trying to run escape with the kids while he was in the shower. One of his kids said custody visits were like prison. Edwards was awarded licences to shoot rifles and pistols in June 2017 after NSW Firearms Registry staff used a police database report that had failed to pick up several matters related to domestic violence. Over the next year, he legally acquired five weapons including the Glock 17A 9mm semi-automatic pistol he used to shoot dead Jennifer and Jack. The teens' bodies were found with multiple gunshot wounds under a desk in a bedroom where they had been trying to hide from their father. Followed her children's deaths, Olga told her GP that she wanted to stay in the house where they were killed because 'it still had some of Jack and Jenny in it'. She was found dead in the home in December 2018. Lifeline 13 11 14 beyondblue 1300 22 4636 A one-year deadline to try criminal cases against sitting and former legislators, special courts for each district are part of key recommendations made to the Supreme Court in a report tabled by senior advocate Vijay Hansaria. Hasaria is assisting as amicus curiae in a PIL demanding steps to fast-track trial against tainted politicians. The list of recommendations also includes a presiding judicial officer with a minimum fixed tenure of two years and a dedicated top cop in every district to be the nodal prosecuting officer. Making radical suggestions, based on statistics on criminal cases pending against former and serving politicians received from various High Courts, Hansarias report said, The High Courts may be directed to prepare a blueprint for expeditious disposal of the cases not later than one year for the conclusion of a trial. Chief Justice of each High Court may be personally requested to look into the matter and submit an action plan within such time as this Court may deem fit. The recommendation comes in a PIL filed by BJP leader Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay who has demanded fast-tracking of criminal trials against tainted politicians and a life ban for those convicted in such crimes. Also read: May alert others, destroy evidence: Why Rhea Chakraborty didnt get bail Hansaria further demanded a special court in each district to exclusively try criminal cases against legislators. At present, twelve such courts exist in Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Delhi and three special courts at magisterial level in Maharashtra, Kerala and Delhi. A total of 4,442 criminal cases are pending against sitting and former legislators in various courts across the country. Of this, 2,556 cases relate to sitting members of Parliament (MPs) and members of legislative assemblies (MLAs) where trial is pending at various stages. The report makes a state-wise analysis to arrive at the recommendations. For instance, a big state like Madhya Pradesh has one special court hearing 184 cases. He further cited the instance of Tamil Nadu special court hearing only 78 cases even as the bulk of cases (246 cases) involving legislators remain pending in various trial courts across 31 districts. There are some states bursting at its seams. For instance, the special court at Uttar Pradeshs Allahabad district has 256 cases. There are 62 special courts in the state shouldering the burden of 1,217 cases - the highest for any state. Jharkhand and Odisha do not have a special court. As many as 142 cases against MPs/MLAs are pending in Jharkhand and 331 cases in Odisha. The amicus highlighted some districts like Trivandrum where at the Magisterial level there are 100 cases pending against legislators. Hansaria goes on to state that a special court in each district is the need of the hour for expediting trial against tainted politicians. He recommended that the judicial officers heading these special courts should have a minimum fixed tenure of two years with priority to be given to cases against sitting legislators. The court is to accord top priority to list cases involving death or life sentence, followed by cases under Prevention of Corruption (PC) Act and Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), Schedule Caste and Schedule Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, cases involving punishment of seven years or more jail term and finally other offences, he stated. To ensure production of accused and witnesses during trial, a nodal prosecution officer, not below the rank of Additional Superintendent of Police, is to be appointed in each district. Forensic labs will also give top priority to cases involving legislators and two special public prosecutors will be dedicated to try such cases by each state/union territory, the report said. In cases where a trial is stayed, Hansaria recommended the top court to direct Chief Justices of High Courts to list the appeals in two weeks with no request for adjournment. Advocate Sneha Kalita, who assisted in the preparation of the report, told HT, The report has accorded top priority to witness protection as these cases involve high and mighty. The Karnataka High Court has framed rules for video conferencing facilities in each court which all HCs must adopt. This will provide safe and secure examination rooms for witnesses to depose freely through video conferencing. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Labour leader Alan Kelly said: "We cant have Dublin at two-and-a-half. They get a yellow card but can come back with the rest of us in time. It is Orwellian. Photo: Gareth Chaney, Collins The Governments Living with Covid plan was attacked in the Dail as Orwellian, confusing and a case of making it up as you go along. Taoiseach Micheal Martin was told by Labour Party leader Alan Kelly: This is the day we were all waiting for. But there is an inherent contradiction [in] what came out today. This isnt a five-point plan. This is a five-and-a-half-point plan. We cant have Dublin at two-and-a-half. They get a yellow card but can come back with the rest of us in time. It is Orwellian. The virus doesnt distinguish between Dublin and Kildare, or between Laois and Offaly, he said. We support the five-point plan but we dont support the 5.5-point plan, he said. By tonight, give clear advice. Read More In a few weeks, Louth could ask why cant we be a Dublin?, he warned. He asked why the acting chief medical officer had not been at the announcement. Mr Martin said: Its not a two-and-a-half-point plan. Nphet gave us advice on Dublin. We didnt ignore it. We didnt get advice to move Dublin to Level 3. We accepted Nphets advice on Dublin today. There is no big deal here. Nphet will meet again on Thursday and there could be different advice. Not every county would be the same and some would demand a different response, which would evolve over time, he said. Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald told Mr Martin: It seems to me you are making it up as you go along. In the past seven days, fewer than 75,000 tests were carried out, months after a weekly target of 100,000 was set out, she said. The truth is that when trouble flared in the midlands, you didnt have the testing and tracing capacity to keep up. Over 59 pages of the Living with Covid plan, only one page concerned testing and tracing, Ms McDonald said. The Taoiseach accused her of playing politics with the issue. The Government action on the midlands had been tough but it had yielded results, he said. We also have to be straight with people in terms of the need for all of us to have personal responsibility, he added. He said the opposition calling the Government response woeful was unhelpful, and it was not right to belittle the work being done, he said. Roisin Shortall, co-leader of the Social Democrats, said anyone who tuned in to the TV announcement expecting to get clarity and coherent advice would have been bitterly disappointed. The message was confused and extremely confusing to the public. The Government had decided to muddy the water and to talk about a two-and-a-bit level, she said. Where could the people who wanted to play their part find information about the level 2.5 in Dublin, she asked. It was not on the Government website. Expand Close Co-leader of the Social Democrats Roisin Shortall was also criticial of the plan / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Co-leader of the Social Democrats Roisin Shortall was also criticial of the plan Mr Martin said he detected an attempt to undermine the Government message. There was no Level 2.5, no such thing, and Ms Shortall should not create confusion herself, he said. I like thousands of others listened to the press conference this morning and I found it extremely confusing, she said. There is an issue here about lack of political leadership. You are not taking advice from a wider circle. How can you blame people for being confused? It is entirely confusing. Richard Boyd Barrett of People Before Profit echoed earlier complaints and said there was no roadmap for those who used the road, raising taxi drivers as a specific case after they demonstrated outside Leinster House. Mr Martin said he fully took on board the necessity to do something for taxi drivers and people in similar situations, and the Government was looking at the idea of combining the Pandemic Unemployment Payment with an additional earnings allowance. If you wanted to hear The Beatles experiment with exotic musical styles, you got your wish on Revolver (1966). On that record, George Harrison worked with Indian musicians and a few Beatles on the recording of Love You To, which Harrison wrote in the classical Indian style. Listeners got more of the same from the Quiet One the following year, when his only Sgt. Peppers track was the very Eastern Within You Without You. When The White Album hit record stores in 68, fans heard Paul McCartney mining sounds from the other side of the world for Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da. That track, which John Lennon definitely didnt hate, featured The Beatles working with a slow ska (more like rocksteady) beat. But it wasnt the first time someone in the band turned his ears toward Jamaica. As John Lennon pointed out in the 70s, the Fab Four went there first on the The Beatles Second Album (1964). John Lennon pointed to a ska section The Beatles play on I Call Your Name The Beatles rehearse at the Deauville Hotel for THE ED SULLIVAN SHOW, 1964. | CBS via Getty Images RELATED: Why The Beatles Were Bothered by American Releases of Their Albums By 1964, the sounds of mento, calypso, and ska were reaching the U.K. on the London-based Blue Beat label. The Beatles were listening. When the band was working on songs for A Hard Days Night, Lennon pulled out I Call Your Name, an old song hed finished the year before. In 63, hed given the track to Billy J. Kramer, who recorded it and released it as a B-side. But Lennon thought it was time for The Beatles to do their own version of the tune. And the band recorded it for the Long Tall Sally EP. (It went out in the U.S. on the bands second Capitol LP.) While no one would confuse the voice of Kramer with that of John Lennon, The Beatles further differentiated their version of the song when they broke into a ska beat in the middle eight bars. It had to catch its share of listeners off-guard at the time. Speaking with New York DJ Dennis Elsas for a 1974 interview on WNEW-FM, John drew listeners attention to the unusual middle eight of I Call Your Name. We did ska [there], he told Elsas.This is our first attempt at sort of Jamaican [music]. Lennon started writing I Call Your Name before The Beatles existed The Beatles at a 1964 rehearsal | CBS via Getty Images After mentioning the ska middle eight, Lennon walked listeners through a few twists in the evolution of Jamaican music. It was Blue Beat, it was a bit like rock n roll, he said. It went through different periods: It was Blue Beat, then it was ska, then it became reggae. By the time Lennon wrote the middle eight (with McCartneys help) in 63, the track had hung around at least six years. That was my song when there was no Beatles and no group, he told David Sheff in the 1980 Playboy interviews that became All We Are Saying. Lennon said he started it as a blues number in the beginning. Then I wrote the middle eight just to stick it in the album when it came out years later, he told Sheff. But before it made the record Lennon and his bandmates gave it that ska infusion. Grant supporter Lavinia Cox said Monday that she likes the care Grant has shown seniors. He showed her how to use an iPhone using a model that was as tall as she, took her to her first art show, in Bowie, and always provided free turkeys at Thanksgiving. She praised the city for providing transportation to seniors for doctors appointments and trips to the grocery store. The Ministry of Interior has reminded the public that Monday, September 21, 2020 is a public holiday marking Kwame Nkrumah Memorial day. The general public is hereby reminded that it is a Statutory Public Holiday and should be observed as such throughout the country, a press statement issued by the Ministry of Interior and signed by the Minister, Mr Ambrose Dery said. The general public is advised to observe the safety protocols associated with the novel coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19), especially in relation to social events at public places, the statement added. The Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Day, is a day set aside to remember and honour Ghanas first President. In the past the celebration of the day had been marked with some controversy. While some are of the view that Dr Nkrumah is the sole founder of Ghana, others think there were many people who contributed to the founding of the modern state of Ghana, notably the other members of Big Six. Role of the Big Six They argue that the other five members of the Big Six; William Ofori Atta, Ako Adjei, J.B Danquah, Edward Akufo-Addo and Obetsebi Lamptey, also played pivotal roles in the independence struggle and ought to be celebrated alongside the first President. According to the pro Danquah faction, Dr Nkrumah was invited to serve as the General Secretary to the United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC) under Dr J. B. Danquah. He returned to Ghana in 1947 to take up the position but split from the UGCC in 1949 to form the Convention People's Party (CPP). In February 1948, the police opened fire on ex-servicemen protesting the rising cost of living, spurring riots in Accra, Kumasi and elsewhere. The colonial government suspected the UGCC was behind the protests and arrested Dr Nkrumah and other party leaders. Realising their error, the British soon released the leaders. After his imprisonment by the colonial government, Dr Nkrumah emerged as the leader of the youth movement in 1948. After his release, Dr Nkrumah went round the country proclaiming that the Gold Coast needed "self-government now", while Dr Danquah was for independence in the foreseeable future. Profile of Kwame Nkrumah Former President John Evans Atta Mills government initiated a legislation in Parliament to declare today, September 21, a holiday in memory of Dr Nkrumah. Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana's first President, was born on September 21, 1909 at Nkroful in the Western Region. He attended Achimota School and also trained as a teacher. He went to the United States in 1935 for advanced studies, receiving a B.A. from Lincoln University in 1939. He also received an STB (Bachelor of Sacred Theology) in 1942, a Master of Science in Education from the University of Pennsylvania in 1942 and a Master of Arts in Philosophy the following year. Elected While lecturing in Political Science at Lincoln, Dr Nkrumah was elected President of the African Students Organisation of America and Canada. He continued his schooling in England, where he helped to organise the Fifth Pan-African Congress in 1945. He then founded the West African National Secretariat to work for the decolonisation of Africa. Nkrumah also served as Vice-President of the West African Students' Union (WASU). During his lifetime, Nkrumah was awarded honorary doctorates by Lincoln University, Moscow State University, Cairo University, Jagielloniaan University in Krakow, Poland and Humboldt University in former East Germany. Formation of the CPP On June 12, 1949, Dr Nkrumah led the formation of the CPP at Arena in Accra before a crowd of some 60,000. He was made Chairman, with Komla Agbeli Gbedemah as Vice Chairman and Kojo Botsio as Secretary. Other members of the Central Committee included N.A. Welbeck, Kwesi Plange, Krobo Edusei, Dzenkle Dzewu and Ashie Nikoi. Dr Nkrumah declared positive action on January 8, 1950 in front of a large CPP crowd at a public meeting in Accra. He travelled to Sekondi, Cape Coast and Takoradi to repeat it. The colonial government declared a state of emergency which took effect from January 12, 1950 and prohibited the holding of processions, imposed curfews and disconnected public services in certain areas. Three years imprisonment Dr Nkrumah was arrested on January 21, 1950, tried for inciting an illegal strike and sedition for an article in the Cape Coast Daily Mail and sentenced to three years imprisonment. Mr Gbedemah kept the party running and was in constant touch with Dr Nkrumah who was held at the James Fort Prison from where messages were smuggled out on toilet paper to the party headquarters. Stunning victory While in prison, Dr Nkrumah led the CPP to achieve a stunning victory in the February 1951 election. He was freed to form a government, and he led the colony to independence in 1957. A firm believer in African liberation, Nkrumah pursued a radical pan-African policy, playing a key role in the formation of the Organisation of African Unity in 1963. At home, he led a massive socio-economic development that saw the springing up of infrastructure across the country. As time passed, he was accused of being a dictator and also of forming a one-party state in 1964, with himself as President for life, as well as actively promoting a cult of his own personality. Overthrown by the military in 1966 with the help of Western backing, he spent his last years in exile, dying in Bucharest, Romania, on April 27, 1972. His legacy and dream of a "United States of Africa" still remains a goal among many. Source: graphiconline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video New Delhi/Washington, Sep 15 : The US Special Representative on Afghanistan Reconciliation Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad said during his visit to India on Tuesday that Washington and New Delhi will work together for the success of the Afghan peace process. Ambassador Khalilzad held meetings with Union Minister of External Affairs (MEA) Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval, Foreign Secretary Harsh Shringla and other senior Indian officials on the recently inaugurated Afghanistan peace negotiations. Khalilzad had visited India on a similar agenda on May 7, this year. This was his fifth visit to India since January 2019. The discussions, the Central government said in a statement, are a reflection of the India-US strategic partnership which provides for close consultations between the two countries on bilateral, regional and international issues of mutual interest. Earlier this year, the US signed a historic peace deal with the Taliban and a joint declaration with the Afghan government. On Saturday, Afghan government officials and Taliban representatives met in Doha, Qatar, for officially opening intra-Afghan peace negotiations, as part of the US-Taliban agreement. In official statements issued by the MEA and the US envoy, both the countries said that they shared the view that the peace process must continue until there is an agreement on a political roadmap and a comprehensive and permanent ceasefire. "The Afghan sides should ensure their territory must not be used by any terrorist group against any other country," Ambassador Khalilzad said addressing India's concerns pertaining to Pakistan's cross-border terrorism. As per an UNSC report, Pakistani terror groups meant for attacking India are training in Afghanistan. The US envoy stressed that regional and international support is critical for the success of these negotiations and the implementation of any agreement. India and the US will work together in support of this objective, he said, adding that both the countries share similar views on the importance of long-term assistance, trade and investment for consolidating a peace agreement for the benefit of the people of Afghanistan, the region, and beyond. A n MEA statement said that Khalilzad appreciated India's participation in the intra-Afghan negotiations held in Doha on September 12. He briefed the Indian side about the US assessment of the negotiations and shared the US perspective on the Afghan peace process. The two sides discussed future steps and possible cooperation between India and the US in furthering the Afghan peace process. They also deliberated upon how to promote regional and international cooperation with regard to Afghanistan. Thousands of doctors believe that a second peak of coronavirus this winter is likely or very likely, according to a survey. A poll by the British Medical Association (BMA) found that 86 per cent of more than 8,000 doctors and medical students in England said a second peak was imminent in the next six months. Doctors said the two most important measures to help prevent a second peak were a fit-for-purpose test and trace system that is accessible and provides timely results, as well as a coherent, rapid and consistent approach to local outbreaks. They also highlighted the need for clearer public information and more visible messaging on rules and guidelines, including those on people mixing with others from outside their household. The BMA said the implementation of the rule of six coronavirus restriction, which came into force on Monday, is an opportunity for the government to end ambiguity and double down on ensuring people are adhering to infection control measures. Dr Chaand Nagpaul, BMA council chairman, said: These results come from thousands of GPs and hospital doctors and expose the fears of frontline clinicians fears that come from their everyday experiences of treating patients with Covid and watching, the first time round, as the virus spread with alarming speed while the government delayed efforts to overcome it. We, as a profession, want above all to avoid a return to the scenes we saw in April, when hospitals were full with Covid-19 patients, and hundreds were dying every day. Meanwhile, thousands of others missed out on vital appointments and procedures as routine care was put on hold. Dr Nagpaul said that although the forecast from the survey may appear bleak, it is not an inevitability if the government takes decisive, robust and timely action to stamp down the spread of the infection. Over recent weeks and months, we have seen the failures of test and trace and ongoing confusing messages to the public on what they can and cannot do, which have resulted in escalation of the virus spreading these have both been highlighted by doctors as key priorities to get right if we are to stand a chance of preventing a second peak this winter. He stressed that other fundamental issues, including the test and trace debacle need to be urgently tackled despite Mondays new measures. It is unacceptable that people and contacts with the infection are not being identified due to failings in the system which is resulting in the infection spreading blindly. With daily cases still alarmingly high, and winter just around the corner, we are at a critical crossroads in the fight against this deadly virus, he added. The number of new Covid-19 cases in the UK exceeded 3,000 for the third day in a row on Sunday. All efforts must be made to avoid a repeat of the horror and tragedy we all experienced earlier this year. Donald Trump 'initially wanted Julian Assange executed', a US lawyer told the WikiLeaks founder's landmark extradition hearing. US lawyer Eric Lewis said that at one point in 2010, Mr Trump had called for the death penalty, before changing his view and then later changing it again to be more negative towards Assange and WikiLeaks. A court heard today that Assange's extradition trial is a 'politically motivated prosecution' fuelled by Donald Trump's desire to 'keep him quiet' as rumours the President was aided by foreign powers including Russia in the 2016 election continue to plague his 'legitimacy'. US lawyer Eric Lewis claimed that President Trump is 'desperate to squash' the 'threat' Assange poses to his 'legitimacy' by 'diverting attention' and jailing him, according to his witness statement presented to Assange's extradition hearing. The Old Bailey in London heard how President Trump has blown hot and cold over the WikiLeaks founder, first calling for his execution in 2010 before making '140 positive mentions' of Assange after WikiLeaks published Democratic National Committee emails to the 'undoubted benefit of Trump' in 2016. When the emails threatened to 'undermine' his political legitimacy, the US President reverse ferreted and claimed to know nothing about WikiLeaks, only that 'there is something having to do with Julian Assange', it was alleged. In his statement, Mr Lewis said: 'The prosecution of Julian Assange is part of Trump's efforts to distract attention from the help that WikiLeaks gave to focus attention on the earlier leaks, which are much more politically potent for him. 'He wants to put Mr Assange in jail and keep him quiet.' Assange's lawyer continued: 'WikiLeaks and Mr Assange pose a threat to the legitimacy of Trump's (election) campaign that he is desperate to squash by diverting attention and imprisoning Mr Assange. Julian Assange's extradition trial is a 'politically motivated prosecution' fuelled by Donald Trump's desire to 'keep him quiet' as rumours the President was aided by foreign powers including Russia in the 2016 election continue to plague his 'legitimacy', a court heard today 'WikiLeaks is a vulnerability for Trump because of the evidentiary links between his campaign and WikiLeaks.' Under cross-examination today, US Government attorney James Lewis QC challenged his statement, asking: 'Are you saying that this is a politically motivated prosecution of someone who helped Mr Trump get elected in 2016?' The witness replied: 'I'm saying it was a politically motivated prosecution.' On his claim Mr Trump wanted to silence Assange and put him in jail, the US prosecutor said: 'Surely a public trial has the complete opposite effect? I'm putting to you it's just conjecture.' Mr Lewis, who gave evidence by video link, replied: 'It's an informed assumption putting together the facts and comments from numerous sources.' Assange, 49, is wanted in the US for allegedly conspiring with army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning to expose military secrets between January and May 2010. He is fighting extradition to the US on an 18-count indictment, which alleges he plotted to hack computers and conspired to obtain and disclose national defence information. Seventeen of the 18 charges fall under the Espionage Act. If convicted, Assange faces a possible penalty of 175 years in jail. US lawyer Eric Lewis claimed that President Trump is 'desperate to squash' the 'threat' Assange poses to his 'legitimacy' by 'diverting attention' and jailing him, according to his witness statement presented to Assange's extradition hearing The Old Bailey heard a claim that Assange will not get a fair trial in the United States.' Chicago-based lawyer Tom Durkin gave evidence this afternoon from his yellow living room, sporting a dark blue suit, pale blue tie and bushy moustache. He told the court: 'I dont believe he will get what I consider to be a fair trial in the United States. The co-founder of law firm Durkin & Roberts said he thought the Obama administration actively declined to prosecute Assange. It seems to me that there was a reason for the Obama administrations Attorney General not to prosecute. My guess is that case was probably declined. That doesnt mean they cant re-open it but that is what happened. They decided not to go ahead. They declined the case. Donald Trump decided to reinstate the charges. Mr Durkin said Assange would be pressured into a plea bargain to avoid a draconian sentence if extradited. They would put something on the table that you cant refuse because of the consequences. Most clients understand the risk and in the final analysis they have to accept the risk of those guidelines which are very draconian. Mr Durkin warned Assange could receive a prison that 'will constitute the rest of his likely natural lifespan,' were he to appear in US court. He also expanded on his claim from earlier today that Assange would be hampered by the amount of classified evidence in his case. Mr Assange will not know what his lawyers have learned from the classified evidence nor will his lawyers be able to ask Mr Assange what he might know about the materials they have been granted access. This leads, in my opinion, to a deprivation of a defendants ability to mount a defence in any case involving classified materials. In that Mr Assanges case involves virtually nothing but classified evidence, it leads me to question in my professional opinion how it is that he will be able to mount a meaningful defence under these circumstances. It is my professional opinion that the likelihood of Mr Assange being able to mount a fulsome and meaningful defence to these charges is, for all intents and purposes, non-existent. Stella Moris (right), the partner of WikiLeaks founder Assange, and his lawyer Jennifer Robinson (left) arriving at the Old Bailey in London yesterday Earlier, Mr Lewis QC was quizzing US lawyer Eric Lewis over his claim Assange is facing 175 years behind bars in both ADX Florence, a high-security prison in the Colorado desert, and Alexandria City Jail in Virginia. The Government attorney said: 'The 175 years you are saying is simply a soundbite on behalf of the defence. You don't really expect him to be sentenced to that?' The witness replied that there was a reasonable 'likelihood'. He then explained: '(Secretary of State Mike) Pompeo has said hostile agencies including Russia, Iran, the Taliban, Syria, Osama Bin Laden (are involved with WikiLeaks). 'Mr Assange's maximum is 175 years. I have gone through the sentencing guidelines. There has never been a case like this one.' James Lewis also contested the claim that a prolonged period in custody 'will cause psychological damage'. 'The reality is that you were just fishing about,' he said. The witness replied: 'I could have gone on for hundreds of pages, I did not. If I were fishing there are some large fish in there.' He also asserted that journalists are free to 'provide information for the purposes of publication and also to protect that source' without fear of prosecution, adding that 'legal precedent precludes prosecuting Assange'. Professor Mark Feldstein last week claimed the Obama administration wanted to charge Assange but decided against it because of the risk to press freedom. But the situation changed under President Trump who had 'the media in his sights,' he said. Also last week, Trevor Timm, co-founder and executive director of the San Francisco-based Freedom of the Press Foundation, told the court that his organisation had contributed around $100,000 to Assange's legal costs. He described the case as 'a dire threat to press freedoms in the US' and agreed that it was the 'thin end of the wedge to prosecute journalists'. Appearing in court by video-link, he said: 'Virtually every newspaper in the US has vehemently condemned the charges before the court today as a potentially clear and present danger to the freedom of the press in the US. 'This indictment is unconstitutional. 'WikiLeaks, like anybody else, has a first-amendment right to ask to see documents which potentially show corruption and illegality. If this was to go forward it would potentially criminalise all those other organisations.' In a written statement, Mr Timm described the decision to charge Assange as 'a massive and unprecedented escalation in Trump's war on journalism'. The extradition hearing, which is expected to last four weeks, continues. KAMPALA The ungentlemanly behavior being displayed by a big number of NRM politicians is a sign of increasing political desperation in Uganda. Incumbents are employing means of last resort to retain their political offices and as a result, electoral violence has progressed from use of money, guns and goons to human sacrifice. In 2017, Yoweri Kaguta Museveni employed the highest form of political violence when he deployed the military to attack parliament and beat up MPs opposed to the lifting of age limit, a constitutional amendment that was solely meant to benefit him and his life presidency ambitions. This was the highest form of political desperation exhibited by at the top ladder of leadership in Uganda. Consequently, Ugandans have witnessed increasing violent behavior by National Resistance Movement NRM politicians seeking to retain political office. This behavior calls to question the claim that the practice of clinging to power by all means is people driven and leaders cant retire because the people still want their services/leadership. Its also important to note that Uganda is a broken society after complete moral decline under President Musevenis tenure characterized by elaborate patronage politics; extreme inequality; poverty, deprivation and depraivity. This is what has made politics a do or die business because the incumbents know better than anybody else what it means to live without political privilege in Uganda. Ugandans should reflect on these key questions of the day as we move closer to 2021 elections: Can the state of affairs in Uganda today be termed as progress? If the president can use violence to lift age limit and keep himself in power, why cant MPs and other leaders employ the same tactics? Is this the Uganda they want? ====== Ms Sarah Bireete is the Executive Director for Center for Constitutional Governance (CCG) Related ALBANY William Kennedy leaned an elbow on the bar of the Kenmore Hotel and told a story about the time he interviewed Louis Armstrong, clad in boxer shorts and white socks as he warmed up on the trumpet, in a fifth-floor room of that hotel in March 1956. Armstrongs wife, Lucille, walked past and she told him, Put your slippers on, Pops. Best interview I ever had, Kennedy said of the extraordinary 90-minute encounter with his musical idol. I had come with Kennedy for a sneak peek of a new re-imagining of the Kenmore, a magical structure of many incarnations. It was built in 1878 by a Black entrepreneur and hotelier, Adam Blake, son of a slave, who deserves to be better known in Albanys annals than he is. The North Pearl Street buildings distinctive gabled red-brick architecture melds Victorian and Queen Anne styles and it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Kennedy was interrupted a few times by the sound of hammering and drilling. The construction noise was coming from an extensive renovation, which will convert the upper floors into 93 apartments. It will restore long-faded luster to the fabled Rainbo Room nightclub, where legends like Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Tommy Dorsey and Frank Sinatra performed. Theres nothing quite like it, said Jeff Buell, a principal of Redburn Development, which is undertaking the work. As a general rule, we want to invest in buildings that have history and meaning. Here was where the gangster Jack Legs Diamond partied during the Roaring 20s with his paramour, Marion Kiki Roberts. Kennedy wrote a novel titled Legs about the nations fixation with the homicidal bootlegger who beat men to a pulp, his own body riddled with bullet wound scars. Kennedy set several scenes of Legs at the Kenmore and he has long wanted to shoot a movie version there. In his political novel, Roscoe, Kennedy described the Kenmore as an eternal center of mirth and jazz and women and ready-to-wear myth. ... In short, life without the Kenmore was not life. The Rainbo Room went dark in 1947 with the fading of the Big Band era and the hotel slowly died. In the mid-1980s, the Kenmores elegant two-level ballroom was chopped into cubicles for office workers. That, too, faded away and the grand structure moldered for more than a decade before Redburn decided to pump an estimated $28 million into resuscitating the elegant corpse. The Rainbo mojo seems to be at work. Since mid-July, 75 of 93 apartments have been leased, with studios renting for $900 a month and one-bedroom units priced at $1,200 on average. Weve been overwhelmed by the interest. Its been fast and furious, said Elizabeth Young Jojo, a Redburn vice president. A considerable number of the new renters are New York City refugees, driven north by COVID-19 fears and the option to work remotely. Theyre living in a downtown space at a fraction of the cost, she said. For the price of a one-bedroom apartment in Greenwich Village, one could pay $3,650 a month at the Kenmore and get a three-bedroom penthouse on two floors with a private rooftop deck a lavishness that seemed almost to embarrass Young Jojo. We like to build everyday apartments for everyday people, like state workers earning $50,000, she said. We arent making luxury apartments. Opulence was the Kenmores stock in trade in its heyday. In Kennedys fiction, the hotel is a razzle-dazzle dream palace, a gilded place where anything goes, overlaid with a sheen of danger and portent. I wanted to see the renovation, but also to hear stories from Kennedy, who turns 93 in January, and to understand how he had reconstituted the citys history, including numerous scenes he set at the Kenmore in his acclaimed Albany cycle of novels. The afternoon had the feel of conjuring the ghosts of old Albany and underscoring the truth of a famous William Faulkner line: The past is never dead. Its not even past. Kennedys first encounter with the Kenmore came around 1934, at age six, when he was awakened early in the morning by the sound of music. The boy walked across the hallway from his parents apartment to his uncle Pete McDonalds apartment in a building on North Pearl Street. McDonald and his buddy Jack Burns had a full load on from an all-nighter at the Kenmore. Burns had capped off the bender by stealing the drummers brushes. The drunken pals sang along to Dinah on a phonograph. Burns used the brushes to keep the beat as Pete, whom Kennedy fictionalized as the title character in Billy Phelans Greatest Game, crooned about nobody finer in all of Carolina. Kennedy rendered that into fiction in his novel Changos Beads and Two-Tone Shoes. Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years. Decades later, Kennedy pulled some late nights at the Kenmore bar, where he befriended the hotel owner, Bob Murphy, who claimed his bar stretched 400 feet. It was the longest bar in Albany, said Kennedy, who never measured the zigzagging marvel. He may have embellished the length. Truth was not in Bob Murphys vocabulary. One fact is true. It was Murphy who took over the Kenmore in 1922 and connected a cable from the Rainbo Room to WGY in Schenectady, one of the nations first radio stations, in order to broadcast jazz royalty who burnished the Kenmore legend. Now, the restored Kenmore Ballroom at 76 N. Pearl St. will be run by Katie OMalley Maloney of Katie O Weddings and Events under a 10-year lease with property managers WGM. We saw the historic photos and said wow, she said. Partnering with Redburn is amazing. They kept the historic feel and gave us a modern event space. Her husband and business partner, Nate Maloney, said coronavirus social-distancing protocols will limit the 300-space ballroom to 50 people. They have just eight events scheduled through the end of 2021, when they normally would have more than 100 on the books. We have faith it will turn around and there will be fun and happiness and dancing in this space once more, his wife said. Kennedy was lost in his Armstrong reverie and he recalled that Satchmo played the song Nevada, a regular warm-up tune before his gig at the Palace Theatre. The hotel hallway was deserted and Kennedy soaked up the sublime sound before he knocked on the musicians door. It was so pure, this strange solitary performance, he recalled. Kennedy later wrote: He blew some low notes, then a few higher ones, and finally he hit the high one and held it for about a week and turned it like a corkscrew and flattened it out two or three ways and sharpened it up and blew it out the window. Armstrong gave Kennedy a booklet about Bisma-Rex gas reliever and Swiss Kriss laxative that he endorsed and penned this above his signature: The more you (expletive deleted), the thinner youll Git. No (expletive deleted). As we made our way to the front door on North Pearl Street, Kennedy paused at a small room. This was the barbershop where I got my hair cut by Red the Barber, he recalled. His real name was Romildo Bottari. Legs Diamond would give Red $25 every morning to shave the guys in his crew. They were very neat gangsters. Paul Grondahl is director of the New York State Writers Institute at the University at Albany andma former Times Union reporter. He can be reached at grondahlpaul@gmail.com. What was clear in the event, carried live on major cable networks less than 50 days before the November election, were Mr. Trumps political interests. The Trump campaign, eager to portray the belligerent president as a diplomat and peacemaker, has capitalized on the agreements with online ads suggesting he deserves nothing less than the Nobel Prize, for which two right-wing Scandinavian lawmakers have nominated him. Mr. Netanyahus interests were well served, too. The Israeli prime minister, who has long had a symbiotic relationship with the American president, is weathering twin political crises at home: a resurgence of the coronavirus that has led him to order a new national lockdown, and a trial on felony corruption charges. The two men never seemed closer than they did on Tuesday. Meeting with Mr. Netanyahu in the Oval Office beforehand, Mr. Trump presented him with a large golden key embedded in a wooden box that he described as a key to the White House, a key to our country. You have the key to the hearts of the people of Israel, Mr. Netanyahu replied. This is peace in the Middle East without blood all over the sand, Mr. Trump added. There was at least one potentially discordant moment between them, however, when Mr. Trump said that if re-elected, he would try to strike a deal with Iran, which has so far refused to negotiate with him after he withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal brokered by the Obama administration. Im going to make a good deal with Iran, Mr. Trump said. Im going to make a deal thats great for Iran. Its going to get them back. Were going to help them in every way possible. And Iran will be very happy. Iran will be very rich and very quickly. Mr. Netanyahu has firmly opposed negotiations with what he calls the murderous Iranian regime. Ms. Maloney said his hosts remarks were probably not what Bibi bargained for. Thailands Interior Ministry has summoned university administrators from across the nation to discuss concerns about student protesters seeking to reduce the power of the monarchy, according to a letter seen by BenarNews. The meeting comes ahead of a planned rally that organizers say will draw up to 100,000 participants to Thammasat University in Bangkok this coming weekend. Students say they will go ahead with the event even after the university banned it. There are concerns on behavior of individual protesters who harbor an inappropriate attitude such as a call to overthrow the monarchy and to abolish the royal defamation law within the penal code, said the leaked letter. Its authenticity was confirmed by an interior ministry official who asked not to be identified because he was not authorized to speak to the media. The letter called for a meeting on Tuesday to discuss how to handle the students protests. Since mid-July, thousands of high school and university students nationwide have participated in rallies calling on Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-o-cha to dissolve parliament to make way for a new election, stop harassing activists and opposition figures, and rewrite the constitution. At an Aug. 10 rally, protest leaders announced a set of 10 demands that would diminish the power of Thailands monarchy and require changes to the constitution. The demands were seen as daring since language deemed insulting to the Thai monarchy is punishable by prison terms of up to 15 years. But the law has not been applied in months. Since the rallies began, police have arrested 14 people on a series of charges including sedition, organizing gatherings of 10 or more people, and leading mass gatherings that could spread COVID-19. In addition, 15 others have turned themselves in to law enforcement officials. Request A Thai senator said he had urged the government to get university administrators involved in curbing student demands to reform the monarchy. I suggested through the prime minister that the interior minister advise provincial governors to come to an understanding with university executives that the 10-count demand is not possible, Sen. Somchai Sawangkarn told BenarNews by phone Monday. Somchai said he wanted university executives to be aware that the protests could become violent or pose a public health risk. While I agree that peaceful demonstrations can be done within the framework of the Constitution and Public Assembly Act, I would ask that educational institution administrators be aware of and ready to take legal responsibility for potential harm from instigators who may use weapons, and COVID-19 infections, he said. I dont want to see people get injured or killed. The date of the planned rally at Thammasat University, Sept. 19, is the anniversary of the 2006 military coup that toppled the government of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. His sister Yingluck Shinawatra, elected in 2011, lost power three years later in a similar coup led by Prayuth, who was chief of the Royal Thai Army at the time. He has served as prime minister since then. The university was the scene of a massacre in 1976 when students gathered to protest the return to Thailand of Field Marshal Thanom Kittikachorn, who ruled Thailand with an iron fist for ten years before fleeing to the United States in 1973 following protests that turned violent. Official reports stated that 46 were killed on Oct. 6, 1976, while unofficial reports said more than 100 died. Justin Cook was remembered as a well-liked young man who was good at what he did. Cook, who worked at numerous restaurants and catering businesses in the Albany and Corvallis area in recent years, was found dead along with his mother, Cathy, in the familys home on North Fork Road in southern Marion County this past weekend after the Beachie Creek Fire burned through the area last week. Justin Cook was 41. Cathy Cook's age was not available. He was just a really humble, soft-spoken, great guy, said Cody Utzman, owner of Bohdi Bakery in Corvallis and former employer of Cook. I think probably one of the favorite persons in the entire kitchen. Liked by literally everybody, wait staff and all the way around. Just a really great team player. He was always there, always showed up and always did his job great." Cook worked for Utzman at Frankies Restaurant in Albany for nearly two years. Utzman added that Cook was a good friend outside of work, which he says has been demonstrated by the large number of former coworkers who have reached out since the news of the deaths. Cathy and Justin Cook are survived by Justin Cooks wife, Yuni Magana, who lives in Mexico; Travis Cook, Justin Cooks brother; and Justins father, whose name was not available. Justin Cook grew up in Bend, graduating from Bend Senior High School. Utzman said he moved to the mid-valley about seven or eight years ago and studied at Oregon State University. Travis Cook told a Portland television station last Thursday that the last time he had talked with his mother and brother was about 7 p.m. Monday, Sept. 7. At that time, the home was in a Level 2 evacuation status. The two were expecting to get further notice that evening but said they were ready to go if necessary, Travis Cook said. Im afraid that they got stuck either in their vehicle or in the house and got burned, is what Im thinking happened, he said at the time. At Frankies working for Utzman, Justin Cook started as a line cook and worked his way up to sous chef. He worked at Castor in Corvallis for a few months before moving to Mexico with his wife in late 2017 or early 2018, Utzman said. Cook also worked previously at del Alma Restaurant in Corvallis and various catering outlets. Magana was a salad cook at Frankies when Cook also worked at the restaurant. They met there, fell in love, Utzman said. Cook and his wife were in Oregon recently visiting family. Magana returned to Mexico, and Cook was expected to go back just a few weeks later before fires in the western part of the state became more intense last week. Utzman said he believes COVID-19 restrictions kept Cook, a United States citizen, from rejoining his wife in Mexico. A lot of people knew him from the area, and that restaurant industry is very close. So were all pulling together to do what we can do, Utzman said. That effort has been the creation of an online fundraising campaign to support the Cook and Magana families to help Magana and possibly other family members in Mexico come to Oregon for a memorial service. Donations can be made at https://givebutter.com/3omcv0. A total of $2,100 had been collected as of late Monday afternoon. Private wake and service announcements will be made once travel is possible. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 17 Angry 1 Queensland is considering lowering the bar to reopen the border with NSW by halving the required number of days with no community transmission to 14. The criteria to reopen its borders is 28 days of no community transmission, which has been labelled a "tall order" by NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian. NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has said 28 days of no community transmission was not feasible. Credit:Getty Images, Brook Mitchell Each time health authorities are unable to figure out how someone acquired the virus, the clock resets to zero, as it did on Tuesday. The last time NSW achieved 14 days of no community transmission was in mid-June. US President Donald Trump blows a kiss to supporters after speaking during an indoor campaign rally at Xtreme Manufacturing in Henderson, a suburb of Las Vegas, Nevada (AFP via Getty Images) Thousands of Trump supporters chanted lock him up after the US president told them that former president Barack Obama was caught spying on the 2016 Trump campaign. Donald Trump held his first indoor rally in three months on Sunday in Henderson, Nevada, despite the event violating the states coronavirus restriction on gatherings of 50 people of more. The Trump campaign sought to whip the crowds up following a turbulent week for Mr Trump has his administration deals with the backlash against his Covid-19 response, after it emerged that he downplayed the severity of the pandemic. During Sundays event, he told attendees that Mr Obama got caught spying on my campaign, referring to previous accusations from him and his supporters that the investigation into the Russian links to Mr Trumps campaign in 2016 were a ploy by the Obama administration to tarnish his candidacy. In 2017, Mr Trump accused Mr Obama of wiretapping the Trump Tower. His claim has been refuted by the Justice Department and House Intelligence Committee leaders have said they have seen no evidence of wiretapping by the Obama administration. But many Trump supporters believe the presidents claim, and the crowd began to chant Lock him up!. The phrase echoed a chant of Lock her up that Mr Trump encouraged when his presidential opponent was Democrat Hillary Clinton. Sundays rally in Henderson was held in a facility owned by heavy equipment manufacturer Xtreme Manufacturing and was preceded by a warning from the city council that the event would violate coronavirus regulations. A City of Henderson spokesperson Kathleen Richards told CNN in a statement that a compliance letter and verbal warning had been issued to the event organiser, confirming gatherings of more than 50 people in private or public settings are prohibited. Large live events must be approved by the Nevada Department of Business and Industry, Division of Industrial Relations and at this time, the City has not been notified that this event has been approved, she said. Story continues The City may assess a fine of up to US$500 per violation of the governors directives as well as suspend or revoke the business license. Nevada governor Steve Sisolak slammed the Trump campaign for pushing ahead with the rally, calling the president reckless and selfish. Tonight, President Donald Trump is taking reckless and selfish actions that are putting countless lives in danger here in Nevada, he said. The president appears to have forgotten that this country is still in the middle of a global pandemic. Read more Does the media really want Donald Trump to be re-elected? Trump claims he won non-existent Bay of Pigs award - and says Biden won Nobel Peace Prize People will die: Trump indoor rally in Nevada called negligent homicide by doctor This may most shameful moment in history of US science policy: Science journal editor launches attack on Trump over coronavirus Vote like your life depends on it because it does: Obama shares alarming pictures of West Coast fires in stark message about climate crisis Networks boycott Trump event over his repeat breach of coronavirus guidelines Working groups of governmental delegations of Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan on delimitation and demarcation of the Kyrgyz-Uzbek state border held meetings on Tuesday, Trend reports citing Kabar. The meetings were held in accordance with an agreements between Deputy Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan Akram Madumarov and adviser to the Prime Minister - Deputy Prime Minister of Uzbekistan Mehriddin Khayriddinov. On Aug. 24-27 this year, the Uzbek capital city of Tashkent hosted a talks between the governmental delegations of the two countries. The Kyrgyz delegation was represented by Special Representative of the Kyrgyz Government on Border Issues in the rank of First Deputy Chief of the Government's Office Nazirbek Borubayev, Director of the State Agency for Land Resources under the Kyrgyz Government Kanybek Botobayev. During the working retreats in Ala-Buka and Aksy regions of Dzhalal-Abad Oblast, the sides inspected a number of uncoordinated sites, as well as sites included in the agreement on the Kyrgyz-Uzbek state border between Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, signed on Sept. 5, 2017. Following the meetings, the parties agreed on certain issues. CINCINNATI, Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- VNDLY, a leading cloud-based vendor management systems (VMS) provider, and GRI, the largest independent managed services provider, continue to achieve success for their joint clients through their modern technology partnership. The partnership currently serves companies in the energy, retail, and manufacturing industries, providing distinct programs that meet the regulatory needs in each sector. The combination of the two companies' experience and teamwork are proving beneficial for Comau, a Southfield, MI-based industrial automation and robotics company. Working with GRI to optimize the VNDLY platform, the company is now able to better-manage their cyclical workforce needs. "The implementation and utilization of VNDLY has created a streamlined process where our hiring managers can efficiently share workforce needs. Suppliers, in turn, can quickly understand the skill sets required, then submit their employees for review and onboarding with our company in a seamless fashion," said Tom Selby, Comau's labor relations manager. "VNDLY's vendor management system has a very user-friendly and intuitive dashboard, reporting functions to help analyze data surrounding contractors, and a machine-based learning and algorithm process to unearth the most qualified candidates." VNDLY's ease of use, configurability, and weekly software updates have played a major role in the overall success of the program. Working with GRI, VNDLY has been able to support Comau's dynamic program requirements with modern VMS technology. "The nature of their industry requires quick and easy configurations that can accommodate changing worker numbers, job descriptions, and coding requirements," said David Weiss, VNDLY executive vice president of sales. "They also need robust data collection and reporting for strategic forecasting. No matter who uses the VNDLY tool, whether it's Comau's hiring managers and approvers or the GRI team, the application continues to provide sustained value for both organizations." There have been involved processes that VNDLY has simplified, often working directly with the client and program team. In one instance, Comau needed to update its expense tracking and processing, which had to include multiple cost centers, worker sites, and approvals from various managers and departments. The VNDLY team configured functionality to incorporate everything Comau needed, then made sure the GRI team was ready to go. "When we asked for help on this complicated issue, the VNDLY team rocked it," said Kristin Van Risseghem, GRI program director for Comau. "The partnership provides our client with our expert program management powered by VNDLY's industry-leading VMS technology. This isn't our only collective success providing non-employee labor solutions, and we all see continued success as VNDLY continues to support our program teams with its intuitive, ingenious technology platform." Contact: Dominique Castle (513) 572-2512 [email protected] David P. Cooper Chief Commercial Officer (817) 999-7093 [email protected] About VNDLY Founded in 2017, VNDLY transforms how companies manage their contingent workforces. Using its SaaS work management system, companies can manage the entire non-employee engagement lifecycle from talent acquisition to training to payment and offboarding. The company serves as the ERP system of record for multiple Fortune 500 companies to manage their entire contingent and non-employee workforce on a single platform. VNDLY is a cloud-native platform that helps simplify the implementation, integration, and change management aspects compared to legacy vendor management solutions. The VNDLY platform is composed of four modules: contingent workforce management, statement of work (SOW) management, independent contractor (IC) compliance, and total talent acquisition. For more information, please visit www.VNDLY.com. About GRI Geometric Results, Inc. (GRI) a Bain Capital portfolio company, has provided Global 1000 companies with cost-effective, value-driven Managed Service Program (MSP) solutions for over two decades. GRI's MSP solutions drive visibility, cost savings, proactive sourcing of talent, market intelligence, superior supplier engagement, enhanced analytics and SOW management. GRI's independent MSP position allows us to customize solutions that are in the best interest of clients. Our contingent workforce experts provide companies with the best VMS technology, staffing providers, payrolling independent contractor compliance providers, direct sourcing, and diversity providers. Managing over $6 billion in contingent workforce spend, we are proud to be the leader in non-employee workforce solutions, services, and strategies, serving over 200 global clients in more than 70 countries. For more information, please visit www.geometricresultsinc.com. SOURCE VNDLY Related Links https://vndly.com/ The initial public offer IPO of Route Mobile received bids 73.3 times the issue size on the final day on September 11. The Rs 600-crore public offer of Route Mobile, a cloud communications service provider, received bids for 89.2 crore shares against the total issue size of 1.21 crore shares. The portion set aside for qualified institutional investors received bids 89.76 times the allotted size. Portion for non-institutional investors was subscribed 192.28 times, and the reserved portion for retail investors was subscribed 12.66 times. On day 2, the IPO received 4.15 times bids compared to the issue size. As per data with NSE, the issue received bids for 5.05 crore shares on September 10. The IPO was fully subscribed on first day. The public offer received bids for 1,22,31,600 shares against the total issue size of 1,21,73,912 shares. The portion for non-institutional investors was subscribed 46 per cent, that for qualified institutional buyers (QIBs) was subscribed 1 per cent. The retail individual investors' portion was subscribed 1.80 times. Route Mobile IPO: Issue subscribed 2.15 times on Day 2 so far Route Mobile on September 8 collected Rs 180 crore from anchor investors. The IPO was held from September 9 to September 11. The initial public offer comprised a fresh issue of Rs 240 crore and an offer for sale of Rs 360 crore. Price range for the offer was fixed at Rs 345-350 per share. The company proposes to utilise the net proceeds for repayment or pre-payment, in full or part, of certain borrowings of the company, acquisitions and other strategic initiatives, purchase of office premises in Mumbai, and general corporate purposes. Allotment of shares for the applicants of Route Mobile IPO has been finalised. One can check the allotment status in the IPO through two simple modes. First Mode On BSE website, select 'Equity' and then from the dropdown, select 'Route Mobile'. Now enter you PAN and application number Click on search Second mode New Delhi, Sep 15 : The Economic Offences Wing of the Delhi Police has arrested an absconding accused Rambabu Mehta, 39, a resident of Mandawali, Delhi for his alleged involvement in a conspiracy and misappropriation of printing materials of a firm worth Rs 4 crore. According to police, the complainant is running a business of sale and purchase of printing materials in the name of M/s Integra Graphics. Accused Vishal Prajapti, in tandem with the employee of the complainant firm, allegedly misappropriated the printing materials worth Rs 4 crore from the complainant firm in the name of firm-V.Tech Marketing (belonging to accused Vishal Prajapati) and other fictitious firms. Forged cheques were submitted by the accused to show payment had been made. Mehta, in conspiracy with co-accused Pankaj Dewan, facilitated opening fictitious accounts in the name of Pankaj Singh and Ved Kumar Chopra. Investigation of bank accounts revealed that four cheques of Punjab National Bank and one cheque of Lakshmi Vilas Bank were used for the payment of the materials delivered in the name of Naveen Graphics, a fictitious firm. "All the documents used in these two accounts were forged and cheques were issued without any money from the bank accounts just to cheat and induce the complainant to believe that the payments were being received for the materials supplied," said OP Mishra, Joint CP EOW. The other accused Vishal Prajapait, Deepak Srivastava, Hemant Shamra have already been arrested in the case. Charge sheets against the accused persons have already been filed in the concerned court. The accused Rambabu Mehta was absconding and now has been arrested and taken on two-days police remand. IANS Zaz/ash The government on Tuesday declined the opposition's demand for discussion on the standoff between Indian and Chinese forces at the LAC in Sources said during the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) meeting of Lok Sabha, Congress leaders raised the demand for discussion on the recent standoff of Indian forces with the neighbouring country's troops in eastern Floor leaders of all parties attend the BAC meeting which decides the agenda for the House. Sources said Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi, representing the government, suggested that the issue is sensitive and related to security and thus can't be discussed at a public platform. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Net recurring operating result stabilized despite COVID-19 Strong revenue recovery since June Cash runway secured until mid-2022 Regulatory News: SpineGuard (FR0011464452 ALSGD) (Paris:ALSGD), an innovative company that deploys its DSG (Dynamic Surgical Guidance) sensing technology to secure and streamline the placement of bone implants, announced today financial results for the half year ending June 30, 2020, as approved by the Board of Directors on September 15, 2020. Pierre JEROME, Chairman CEO of SpineGuard, said: 'As experienced by many industry peers, whose revenue depends on hospital elective surgeries, our half-year financial results were significantly impacted by the postponement of non-urgent surgeries in the context of the global pandemic. Despite a shortfall of revenue of nearly 50% in Q2, at the initial outbreak of the virus, the recurring operating results were close to breakeven without jeopardizing our innovation strategy. The robotic program developments are advancing well and we are excited by the growing prospective opportunities. Regarding the new DSG Connect platform, the feedback from the first European users have been very encouraging and we continue to expect a US clearance by year end. The company also secured, in the first half of 2020, a cash runway by adopting permanent financial discipline, the signing of a new equity line and the opening of the Chapter 11 proceedings and its French equivalent. We are progressing actively with our main bondholders and new potential strategic partners to finalize the 'safeguard exit plan' which will be presented soon to both the US and French Courts under the supervision of the French Trustee, Mr. Thevenot. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the entire SpineGuard Team for their remarkable spirit and tenacity throughout this particularly challenging period. thousands IFRS H1 2020 H1 2019 H1 2018 Revenue 2,275 3,445 3,626 Gross margin 1,915 2,914 3,131 Gross margin (% of revenue) 84,1% 84,6% 86,3% Sales, distribution, marketing -1,309 -1,868 -2,436 Administrative costs 852 986 980 Research Development -311 -470 -554 Recurring operating profit (loss) - 557 - 409 - 839 Non-recurring operating costs -597 -92 0 Operating profit (loss) -1,153 -501 -839 Financial result -235 -326 -229 Income tax 21 -19 Net profit (loss) -1,389 -805 -1,086 EBITDA -854 -351 -483 NB: unaudited Recurring Operating loss under control despite impact of COVID-19 Despite the pandemic, the recurring operating loss was well controlled and stands at -557 K vs. -409 K and EBITDA at -854 K at June 30, 2020 compared to -351 K at June 30, 2019. Operating expenses were 2,472 K for H1 2020, compared with 3,332 K, a decrease of 850 K (26%) compared with June 30, 2019. Gross margin of 84.1% at June 30, 2020 remains consistent compared with prior year result of 84.6%. The change mainly reflects a global stability of ASP's and non-recurring higher costs of manufacturing in the context of the pandemic. For H1 2020, the Company reported revenues of 2,275 K, down 34% (35% cc) compared with H1 2019. Revenue was significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic from mid-March with a peak at the end of April and a progressive resuming of sales in May and June. Revenue in the United States decreased 36% cc (-35% reported) to 1,864 K in the first half of 2020, compared with 2,867 K in the first half of 2019. In the rest of the world, revenue decreased by 29% during the first half of 2020 to 411 K compared with 578 K in the first half of 2019. 2,422 DSG units were sold in the first half of 2020 compared with 3,875 in the first half of 2019, including 1,508 in the United States, representing 62% of total units sold. Working capital requirements were 87 K compared with 919 K at December 31, 2019. At June 30, 2020, cash and cash equivalents were 1,189 K compared with 1,399 K at December 31, 2019, and is explained as follows: Operating cash flow of -436 K compared with the same period last year of -491 K. Postponement of payments for social benefits in France for 170 K Equity funding using the equity line (OCAPI) for a gross amount of 600 K throughout the period. The payment of interests to Norgine Ventures and Harbert European Growth of 33 K. The voluntary filing for Chapter 11 in the USA and its equivalent in France ('procedure de sauvegarde') stopped the reimbursement of the principal of the venture loans and of the Bpifrance loan. For the same reason, 242 K (of which 30k in the USA) remained unpaid to creditors. The Company's workforce count is 14 at H1 2020 and stable compared to the end of December 2019. Impact of COVID-19 on the half-year financials: Until mid-March, the Company was performing ahead of plan. Volumes were then immediately impacted with a peak in the second half of March and in April. While sales gradually resumed in May and June, the shortfall compared to the second quarter of 2019 is close to 50%. The pandemic also delayed the alpha phase for the launch of the new DSG-Connect platform as surgeries began to slowly resume only by mid-June. Updates on French 'safeguard' and US Chapter 11 procedures: Assisted by the French Trustee ('administrateur') Maitre Thevenot, the Company is currently drafting its safeguard plan taking into consideration the progress made with several potential strategic partners. Once finalized, the plan will be presented to the French Court of Commerce, depending on the hearing schedules, the date for which has not yet been determined. This presentation must be made in coordination with the American procedure which has already had several hearings in March and June. This phase will enable SpineGuard to formalize a proposal for debt restructuring. The Company is therefore continuing its discussions with its main creditors to arrange the "venture" debt and the FEI Innovation loan respectively. The current procedure does not exclude the possibility of a pre-packed agreement which would shorten its duration. Pending the finalization of the safeguard plan, the payment of debts prior to the opening of the procedure are frozen. It should also be remembered that the safeguard procedure freezes any ability to exercise existing securities or collateral. As a reminder, as at January 31, 2020, the outstanding capital amounted to 3.8 M compared to 4.5 M at the conclusion of the 'venture' bond debt and of 0.9 M against 1.5 M for the FEI Innovation loan. Outlook: The cash position as of June 30, 2020 of 1.2 M plus the secured equity line facility for 2.4 M means that the total cash available to the Company is 3.6 M. Considering the current cash position, the secured convertible bond facility and the recurring expected business, the Company estimates that it can fund its needs until mid-2022. SpineGuard remains focused on the following objectives for the second half of 2020: 1. Continue the pre-launch in Europe of the new generation of PediGuard equipped with the DSG-Connect module, a wireless interface which adds the visual signal to the audio to optimize signal processing, allowing data recording as forensic evidence to perform clinical studies on bone quality. 2. Obtain DSG-Connect clearance and initiate its pre-launch in the US before the end of 2020. 3. Continue to provide scientific evidence of the value of DSG for surgical robotics. 4. Maintain, as feasibly possible, the course of operational profitability in the context of COVID-19. 5. Intensify collaboration with ConfiDent ABC on dental applications with the co-development of a new generation of products incorporating DSG technology. 6. Close other industrial and strategic partnerships, specifically for the robotic application, assisted by the investment bank Healthios Capital Markets The company's half-year financial report is available in the Investors Exchange filings section of the www.spineguard.com website. Next financial press release: Third quarter 2020 revenue on October 15, 2020. About SpineGuard Founded in 2009 in France and the USA by Pierre Jerome and Stephane Bette, SpineGuard is an innovative company deploying its proprietary radiation-free real time sensing technology DSG (Dynamic Surgical Guidance) to secure and streamline the placement of implants in the skeleton. SpineGuard designs, develops and markets medical devices that have been used in over 80,000 surgical procedures worldwide. Fifteen studies published in peer-reviewed scientific journals have demonstrated the multiple benefits DSG offers to patients, surgeons, surgical staff and hospitals. Building on these solid fundamentals and several strategic partnerships, SpineGuard has expanded its technology platform in a disruptive innovation: the smart pedicle screw launched late 2017 and is broadening the scope of applications in dental implantology and surgical robotics. DSG was co-invented by Maurice Bourlion, Ph.D., Ciaran Bolger, M.D., Ph.D., and Alain Vanquaethem, Biomedical Engineer. For further information, visit www.spineguard.com Disclaimer The SpineGuard securities may not be offered or sold in the United States as they have not been and will not be registered under the Securities Act or any United States state securities laws, and SpineGuard does not intend to make a public offer of its securities in the United States. This is an announcement and not a prospectus, and the information contained herein does and shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of the securities referred to herein in the United States in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or exemption from registration. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200915005091/en/ Contacts: SpineGuard Pierre Jerome CEO Chairman Tel.: +33 1 45 18 45 19 p.jerome@spineguard.com SpineGuard Manuel Lanfossi CFO Tel.: +33 1 45 18 45 19 m.lanfossi@spineguard.com NewCap Investor Relations Financial Communication Mathilde Bohin Pierre Laurent Tel.: +33 1 44 71 94 94 spineguard@newcap.eu A Russian officer has died in a Moscow military hospital, following an attack that struck a convoy travelling through Deir ez-Zor reports Al-Masdar. Russian Army Sergeant Mikhail Milchin has reportedly died after being seriously wounded in eastern Syria on Aug. 18, 2020. Sgt. Milchin was part of the Russian convoy that was traveling through Deir ez-Zor Governorate, when his vehicle was hit by a roadside bomb. The TASS news agency quoted a medical source as saying on Sunday, that Milchin died in a Moscow military hospital. On Aug. 18, 2020, the Russian Defense Ministry announced the killing of a Russian officer and the wounding of two soldiers, following a roadside bombing attack in eastern Syria. The ministry added that the explosion occurred after a humanitarian operation, during which aid was distributed to those in need. This article was edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author. Four million women have today been denied compensation after campaigners lost a landmark court battle over changes to the state pension age. Court of Appeal judges have dismissed claims that an increase to the state pension age discriminates against women born in the 1950s. The age has been increased by successive governments in an attempt to ensure 'pension age equalisation', so that women's state pension age matched that of men. The ruling means nearly four million British women born in the 1950s cannot claim compensation after the retirement age was raised from 60 to 66. Julie Delve, 62, and Karen Glynn, 63, brought the Court of Appeal challenge after losing a landmark High Court fight against the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) last year. They argued that raising their pension age unlawfully discriminated against them on the grounds of age and sex, and said that they were not given adequate notice of the changes. Ms Delve - who is being treated for breast cancer - expected to receive her state pension at the age of 60 in 2018, but as a result of the changes, she will not receive it until 2024. Ms Glynn expected to receive her state pension at 60 in 2016, but will not receive it until 2022. But in a judgment published today, Master of the Rolls Sir Terence Etherton, Lord Justice Underhill and Lady Justice Rose unanimously dismissed the women's claim. Julie Delve, 62, and Karen Glynn, 63, (pictured) brought a Court of Appeal challenge over the changes after losing a landmark High Court fight against the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) last year Master of the Rolls Sir Terence Etherton (left) and Mr Justice Nicholas Edward Underhill (right) found that introducing the same state pension age for men and women did not amount to unlawful discrimination under EU or human rights laws In a judgment published today, Master of the Rolls Sir Terence Etherton, Lord Justice Underhill and Lady Justice Rose (pictured) unanimously dismissed the women's claim Karen Glynn from Lymm, Cheshire, left, and Julie Delve from Grange-over-Sands, Cumbria, right, were the driving force behind the impassioned campaign Millions of women will today be left disappointment and disheartened by the decision. (Pictured, campaigners outside the Royal Courts of Justice in October 2019) The state pension: Questions and answers What are the changes to women's state pension age? The plan to raise the women's state pension age from 60 to 65 to bring it in line with men was first revealed in the 1995 Pensions Act. In 2007 it was decided that the pensionable age for men and women would rise to 66 by April 2026. This deadline was brought forward in 2011 so that the retirement age for both sexes will be 66 by October 2020. It will rise to 67 by 2028. What was the legal challenge? Most campaigners support pension age equality, but say it was introduced unlawfully. They have argued that women were not adequately informed about the changes or given enough time to adjust. The changes to the state pension age affect all women born after April 6, 1950. But those born after April 6, 1953 who are now in their early 60s are hit especially hard. Some have lost out on up to 50,000. The BackTo60 group argued that women born during the 1950s took time out of work to care for children, were paid less than men and could not save as much in occupational pensions, so the change had hit them harder. It is estimated that 3.8 million women are in this position. What was the High Court judgment? Lord Justice Irwin and Mrs Justice Whipple dismissed the women's case on all grounds. The judges said the Government was under no obligation to notify the women. They said there was no discrimination based on age and even if there had been it could be justified by the objective of achieving a fair and affordable pension system. They said the new laws in fact corrected historic discrimination against men by levelling the state pension age. What happens next? Campaigners have vowed to fight on and say they will ask Parliament to intervene. Following the ruling, Joanne Welch, founder of the BackTo60 campaign, said the group's legal team is 'actively looking' at taking the case to the Supreme Court. Advertisement The judges found that introducing the same state pension age for men and women did not amount to unlawful discrimination under EU or human rights laws. The campaign group BackTo60, which supported the pair, said women across the UK have 'had their retirement plans annihilated'. Following the ruling, Joanne Welch, founder of the BackTo60 campaign, said the group's legal team is 'actively looking' at taking the case to the Supreme Court. She said outside court: 'This isn't over by any means'. Ms Welch, who described the decision as 'unconscionable', said there is 'no doubt in our minds that it's discrimination'. She also said that separately, BackTo60 is involved in contributing to work under the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), an international treaty. After the ruling, trade union Unison warned: 'For a generation of women, this is nothing short of a disaster.' As part of their ruling, the senior justices said that, 'despite the sympathy that we, like the members of the Divisional Court (High Court), feel for the appellants and other women in their position, we are satisfied that this is not a case where the court can interfere with the decisions taken through the Parliamentary process'. They said that 'in the light of the extensive evidence' put forward by the Government, they agreed with the High Court's assessment that 'it is impossible to say that the Government's decision to strike the balance where it did between the need to put state pension provision on a sustainable footing and the recognition of the hardship that could result for those affected by the changes was manifestly without reasonable foundation (MWRF)'. Nearly four million women are believed to have been affected by the decision to raise the state pension age from 60 to 66. The change was introduced by successive governments in 1995, 2007, and 2011 to bring women's state pension age in line with men. The age at which women could claim their state pension currently 175.20 a week used to be 60. But since 2011, it has been gradually increased and in November it came level with the men's state pension age of 65 for the first time. This year, the age rose again for both sexes to 66. Julia Jacobs, who was affected by the pension changes, told The Independent it was 'morally incumbent' for the government to admit they didn't give women notice to prepare for the rise. She added: 'An awful lot of the 3.8 million women hit by the state pension age are very depressed, despondent and some are even verging on being suicidal. 'Everything gets worse and worse. The price of food is going up. I am struggling for money. 'I can't take six more years of penny-pinching until I get my state pension. It is hard for me to find work because of ageism.' She said it was 'morally incumbent' for the government to admit they didn't give women hit by the state pension age increase the 'legal statutory notice' to prepare for the rise. Nearly four million women born in the 1950s have been affected by the reforms introduced by successive governments. Pictured, campaigners outside court today Michael Mansfield QC said the discrimination has caused 'significant detriments' to many of the 'roughly 3.8 million' women affected The Women Against State Pension Inequality (WASPI) Campaign said many women will be 'disappointed today' at the judgement. But the group vowed to carry on fighting, adding: 'We will continue to campaign for what we believe is achievable and affordable. 'Women were informed directly some 14 years after the SPA was first changed, many others were not informed at all. This left their retirement plans shattered.' At a remote hearing in July, Michael Mansfield QC, representing the two women, said the impact of the state pension age change has been 'dramatic', adding: 'This has been catastrophic for this group.' Mr Mansfield described the six-year wait that women have from 60 to 66 as a 'considerable' period of time which translates to a 'considerable' sum of money - around 8,000 if it is a full pension, leading to losses that could run up to about 50,000. In his written submissions, Mr Mansfield said the appellants are women born in the 1950s who 'seek to challenge both the legislative measures which raised the age at which they can receive their state pensions, and the inadequate notice they and other affected women received of the changes'. Last October, Lord Justice Irwin and Mrs Justice Whipple dismissed the women's claim 'on all grounds'. The High Court rejected their argument that the policy was discriminatory based on age, adding that, even if it was, 'it could be justified on the facts', and also dismissed their contention that they were not given adequate notice of the changes. Unison assistant general secretary Christina McAnea said: 'For a generation of women, this is nothing short of a disaster. 'Raising the state pension age with next to no notice has had a calamitous effect on their retirement plans. 'Those on lower incomes have been left in dire straits, struggling to make ends meet with precious little support from the government. 'It's now time MPs intervened to give them the financial help many so desperately need.' Age increases: The graph illustrates how swiftly the age change kicked in for women (Source: LCP) The Women Against State Pension Inequality (WASPI) Campaign, which is 'fighting for justice for all women born in the 1950s affected by the changes to the State Pension Age', said many women will be 'disappointed today' at the judgement. Pictured, members of the group outside court this morning Campaigners argued that the Government's increase of women's state pension age from 60 to 66 is discriminatory, unlawful and unfair (pictured, campaigners outside the Royal Courts of Justice in October 2019) Dog adverts and Monopoly boards: How the government communicated the pension changes to women Earlier this year, Money Mail revealed how the Government publicised the changes in a series of baffling newspaper and magazine advertisements, featuring dogs and Monopoly boards, that appeared in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The first official awareness campaign in 1998 was designed around the board game Monopoly, and warned readers not to leave their pension 'to chance', it found. But Money Mail said the strangest attempt at informing women was a 10million 'Working Dogs' campaign launched in 2001. Former Pensions Minister Ros Altmann questioned how the Government expected women to have a clue that an advert where two dogs are talking to each other has anything to do with her, let alone her state pension David Alder, a lecturer in advertising at Bournemouth University, said: 'A ludicrously inappropriate and probably offensive central metaphor makes this ad an automatic page-turner.' Advertisement The Department for Work and Pensions said it welcomed the Court of Appeal judgment. A DWP spokesperson said: 'We welcome the Court of Appeal's judgment. Both the High Court and Court of Appeal have supported the actions of the DWP, under successive governments dating back to 1995, finding we acted entirely lawfully and did not discriminate on any grounds. 'The claimants argued that they were not given adequate notice of the changes to state pension age. We are pleased the court decided that due notice was given and the claimants' arguments must fail. 'The government decided 25 years ago that it was going to make the state pension age the same for men and women as a long-overdue move towards gender equality. 'Raising state pension age in line with life expectancy changes has been the policy of successive administrations over many years.' Speaking after today's ruling, Maike Currie, Investment Director at Fidelity International added: 'In a blow to campaigners, the Court of Appeal delivered its final judgement on a hard-fought battle against changes to the state pension age. After months of deliberating, the state pension age change will not be overturned and will move to 66 for women born after March 1950 from next month. 'With expectations this could reach 67 years in less than a decade, millions of women could be impacted by the loss of pension payments. 'Women are more likely to have less income than their male counterparts in retirement, with 25% less in state pension the first year alone, according to the Cridland Report. When longer life expectancies are considered, this leaves a substantial income short fall to overcome. 'Women's pensions, and access to them, need to reflect the differences in our working lives: women are still contending with the pay gap and have more fragmented careers, both of which have a significant impact on the savings women have in retirement. 'The government needs to adapt policies to ensure that women are better informed on how to safeguard their finances into retirement an even more pressing issue now considering the disproportionate impact Covid-19 has had on women's finances.' Women lose their landmark case against state pension age rises: What were they fighting for and what is next for those suffering hardship? By Tanya Jefferies for Thisismoney.co.uk and Amie Gordon for MailOnline Women whose state pension age was raised to 66 have today lost their latest case against the Government at the Court of Appeal. Millions of women born in the 1950s have taken a financial hit as a result of delays to when they can start drawing the state pension, which is currently 175.20 a week. For some women this saw their state pension age jump from 60 to 66 at relatively short notice. We explain what has happened to women's state pension age (and how it is rising for men too) and the issues raised by the case. Demonstration: Anne Taylor (left) and Patsy Franklin from the BackTo60 campaign outside the Royal Courts of Justice in central London, at the start of the legal case in June 2019 What changes are under way to women's and men's state pension age - and why is it controversial? Both men and women's state pension ages are currently in the process of increasing to 66. And between 2026 and 2028, they will both rise again to 67. The next rise to 68 will happen between 2037 and 2039, after the Government accepted the recommendation of ex-Confederation of British Industry boss John Cridland, who carried out an official review of future state pension age increases. The changes to the state pension age are aimed at bringing women's state pension age into line with men's, and taking account of everyone living longer. But the rise in women's state pension age became contentious because in 2011 Chancellor George Osborne brought forward the timing of changes, initially for women alone and then also for both genders. This hit women particularly hard because their increases happen both sooner than expected and in quick succession. Some 2.6million women got just five years' notice of an extension to their pension age. This left them obliged to either work much longer than expected or to retire with no state pension for that period and with not enough time to build up savings that could bridge the gap. What is the campaign about? The Women Against State Pension Inequality - or WASPI - campaign says it agrees with equalising women's and men's pension ages, but not the 'unfair' way the changes are being implemented and the lack of communication to women about changes which would have a major - and in some cases devastating - impact on their future finances. The judicial review was the result of efforts by a different women's campaign group, BackTo60. Two claimants argued that raising their pension age discriminated against them on the grounds of their age and their sex, and that they were not properly informed of the changes in time to adjust. How steep are state pension rises for women and men? Age increases: The graph illustrates how swiftly the age change kicked in for women (Source: LCP) What did the judges say today? In October 2019, Lord Justice Irwin and Mrs Justice Whipple dismissed the claim against the Government decision to raise women's state pension age, saying: 'The court was saddened by the stories contained in the claimants' evidence. 'But the court's role was limited. There was no basis for concluding that the policy choices reflected in the legislation were not open to Government. In any event they were approved by Parliament. 'The wider issues raised by the claimants about whether the choices were right or wrong or good or bad were not for the court. They were for members of the public and their elected representatives.' Two claimants - Julie Delve, 61, and Karen Glynn, 63 - took the Department for Work and Pensions to court, arguing that raising their pension age 'unlawfully discriminated against them on the grounds of age, sex, and age and sex combined'. The pair, supported by Backto60, also claimed they were not given adequate notice in order to be able to adjust to the changes. But the judges said: 'There was no direct discrimination on grounds of sex, because this legislation does not treat women less favourably than men in law. 'Rather it equalises a historic asymmetry between men and women and thereby corrects historic direct discrimination against men.' The court also rejected the claimants' argument that the policy was discriminatory based on age, adding that even if it was 'it could be justified on the facts'. What does the Government say? A DWP spokesperson said: 'We welcome the Court of Appeal's judgment. Both the High Court and Court of Appeal have supported the actions of the DWP, under successive governments dating back to 1995, finding we acted entirely lawfully and did not discriminate on any grounds. 'The claimants argued that they were not given adequate notice of the changes to state pension age. We are pleased the court decided that due notice was given and the claimants' arguments must fail. 'The government decided 25 years ago that it was going to make the state pension age the same for men and women as a long-overdue move towards gender equality. 'Raising state pension age in line with life expectancy changes has been the policy of successive administrations over many years.' When can I get my state pension? The state pension age rises that are due to step up over the next decades mean that workers will be able to retire at different ages dependent upon when they were born. The closer they are to retirement, the less likely the current projections will change dramatically for them. Someone who is 50 now should get their state pension at the age of 67, whereas someone who is 40 now should get it at the age of 68. As it stands a 30-year-old and 20-year-old are also due to get their state pension at the age of 68, however, the level is still under review and it is highly likely this will change. Oracle Corp. edged out rival Microsoft Corp. in negotiations over the weekend for the US operations of TikTok , moving closer toward a deal for the Chinese-owned music-video app that could thwart a threat by US by President Donald Trump to shut it down. A deal between TikTok owner ByteDance Ltd and Oracle will look more like a corporate restructuring than the outright sale Microsoft had proposed, though it is likely to include a stake in a newly configured American business, according to a person familiar with the negotiations who asked not to be identified as the information isnt public. The terms being discussed with Oracle are still evolving, one person familiar with the talks said. One of the options being explored is that Oracle could take a stake in a newly formed US business while serving as TikToks US technology partner and housing the video apps data in Oracles cloud servers. Early offers from both parties valued the US business at about $25 billion, but that was before Chinese officials weighed in with new rules imposing limits on technology exports, said people with knowledge of the matter. In a statement Monday morning, Oracle confirmed it is part of the proposal submitted by ByteDance to the treasury department over the weekend." Oracle shares gained 6.5% at 10.29am in New York Monday. View Full Image Sarvesh Kumar Sharma/Mint The sale of TikTokforced by a Trump administration ban on grounds of national securityis one of the issues at the heart of the fraying Washington-Beijing relationship. Any deal still requires signoffs from both sides. Early on in the discussions, Trump had voiced support for a bid from Oracle, calling it a great company" and co-founder Larry Ellison a great guy". Ellison is also one of the few Silicon Valley moguls to openly support Trump. Microsoft, which was working with Walmart Inc., had been seen as the likely winner but talks cooled in recent days, one person said. Microsoft wasnt asked to make revisions to its initial offer in the face of recent signs of opposition to a deal from Chinese government officials, the person added. US treasury secretary Steven Mnuchin confirmed on Monday that the administration received a proposal from TikTok that includes Oracle as the apps trusted technology partner". He said hell be reviewing the proposal this week and making a recommendation to Trump, reiterating that a deadline to make a deal remains 20 September. Chinas government on Monday declined to comment on the prospect of a ByteDance-Oracle tie-up. China has talked about its position on TikTok many times. The US is now encircling TikTok. This is a typical coerced transaction by the government," foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said at a briefing in Beijing. The progress in the talks with Oracle ignited celebrations among TikToks mostly young devotees. The app, which lets people record and edit short video clips ranging from lighthearted lip-syncs to more serious political statements, gained popularity during the global pandemic thats kept many people cooped up indoors. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Never miss a story! Stay connected and informed with Mint. Download our App Now!! Topics Former President Jerry John Rawlings, has urged the current leadership of the Republic of Guinea to exercise good leadership in discharging its responsibility, to ensure that the sanctity of the upcoming elections in the country is not compromised. The former President also urged the military and other security agencies in Guinea to uphold the values and ethics of the institution to discharge justice, maintain law and order and restore peace and cohesion. Former President Rawlings who made the call during a meeting on Monday with Cellou Darlein Diallo, a former Guinean Prime Minister and currently the leading opposition leader, also called on newly elected President of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Ghanas President Nana Akufo Addo, to exert his authority and values of integrity and the rule of law as the ECOWAS Chair, to intervene in the political situation in Guinea ahead of the October 18 elections. A framework should be put in place to look into the allegations of injustice, oppression and political victimisation in that country to pave way for a successful, transparent, inclusive and free and fair organization of the upcoming elections, former President Rawlings urged. The former Ghanaian leader also used the occasion to commend the President of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari for speaking out against the tendency of some leaders to amend their national constitutions to extend their stay in power. He urged African leaders to heed the counsel of the Nigerian leader. Constitutional Amendment Earlier, Cellou Diallo who was accompanied by his Chief of Cabinet, Nadia Nahman, said Guinea was facing political challenges ahead of next months elections. Of particular concern was the fact that incumbent President Alpha Conde had supervised the amendment of the constitution to enable him contest a third term without consulting opposition parties, while using the military to intimidate the opposition. Mr. Condes candidacy was announced on national television on Monday August 31. This situation, along with many other social and political issues, is leading Guinea towards a very perilous path, Diallo stated. According to Diallo, even though Guinea is rich in natural resources poor governance had affected the peace and stability of the country. Mr. Diallo who is the leader of the Union of Democratic Forces of Guinea (UFDG), Regional and international partners such as the OIF (Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie), the EU, the UN, France, the United States, the United Kingdom and Germany, have reportedly denounced the arbitrary change of the constitution to perpetuate Condes stay. ECOWAS Intervention Diallo appealed to former President Rawlings to use his office and his integrity as a highly respected statesman to intervene by urging the ECOWAS leadership to restore law and order in Guinea. He stressed the need to commence the dialogue decided by ECOWAS, whose preparatory meetings took place in July and August 2020 with a clear objective to iron out the differences between the political actors and to identify and implement all the actions that would make it possible to organize a peaceful, democratic and inclusive presidential election. Whiles the opposition continues to await the arrival of the ECOWAS mediator, Mr. Alpha Conde continues to roll out his agenda to organize at all cost the presidential election on October 18, 2020, when the conditions for a transparent election are far from being met. The opposition, during the preparatory meetings, had indicated that it was flexible on the date of the elections and was willing to postpone in order to guarantee the organization of a free and fair election to promote peace and security, Diallo stated. Source: Office of Former President Jerry John Rawlings Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Doctors say patients with diabetes and glaucoma must not neglect the need for regular consultations. (Representational image) Hyderabad: With an 80% drop in patients at eye hospitals, ophthalmologists warn that any neglect in getting proper eye care could lead to further deterioration of their eyes. According to doctors, those suffering from diabetes, glaucoma and chronic eye conditions must not stop their regular consultations for fear of contracting Covid-19. Diabetes patients and those suffering from glaucoma require regular consultations. Those with chronic conditions like uveitis and those advised medications by ophthalmologists need to visit as physical verification is important. Dr Somasheila Murthy, head of cornea and anterior segment service at L V Prasad Eye Institute, explained, Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, we have divided patients into two groups: one that can be managed with teleconsultation and the other requiring a physical visit to the hospital. Those in the teleconsultation category have dry eyes, fatigue and discomfort due to prolonged use of digital media. The other category is patients suffering from a chronic medical condition and physical consultation is important to assess their situation. Emergency sections in all eye hospitals in Hyderabad are working; yet patients are coming only in the last stages. Those who suffer from sudden loss of vision, continued redness of eyes, sensitivity to light and injuries are trying home remedies before approaching hospitals. Dr Sreelakshmi Nimmagadda, managing director and cataract and refractive surgeon at Win Vision Eye Hospitals says, Most people with an eye conditions are confused. It is with a lot of difficulty that they are approaching hospitals. It must be understood that issues related to retinal disorders in children and adults, glaucoma and others related with loss of vision are conditions which need care on time. These must not be taken lightly and patients must follow up with their doctors. Elective procedures like cataract surgeries are decided in advance and they are often advised to wait. But if they find that there is a problem, they must not hesitate to visit the eye hospital and seek treatment. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. Two people have been sentenced to death and another to life in prison for murdering three policemen in a mob attack in Dong Tam Commune of Hanois My Duc District earlier this year. The municipal Peoples Court announced the sentences for 29 defendants on Monday, following a trial that lasted over one week. Accordingly, Le Dinh Cong and Le Dinh Chuc were given the death penalty for murder. Le Dinh Doanh received a life sentence, while Bui Viet Hieu, Nguyen Quoc Tien, and Nguyen Van Tuyen were put behind bars for 16 years, 13 years, and 12 years, respectively, for the same offense. The remaining 23 defendants were given between a 15-month suspended sentence and six years in prison for resisting on-duty officers. According to the indictment, a man named Le Dinh Kinh and several other people established a so-called 'group of consensus' in Dong Tam Commune in 2013. The group accused local authorities of stealing land from residents and incited locals to file lawsuits. Cong, Chuc, Doanh, Hieu, Tuyen, and Tien were key members of this group. They often posted videos calling on others to resist officers and once threatened to kill 300-500 police officers if the law enforcement came to Dong Tam. Cong and Tien also bought iron batons and bricks, and made petrol bombs to obstruct on-duty policemen. On January 9, after acknowledging the appearance of on-duty officers in Hoanh Village in Dong Tam Commune, Chuc and other defendants brought weapons to the rooftop of a neighboring house. They threw four petrol bombs and one grenade at police officers, and used handmade weapons to attack the officers, causing three of them to fall into a pit dug by the defendants beforehand. Chuc and Doanh repeatedly poured petrol into the pit and set it on fire, killing the three policemen. While Chuc and Doanh directly caused the death of the officers, the jury stated that Cong was the mastermind behind the plan and played the most important role in the murder. Hieu and Tuyen, driven by greed for land, incited others to commit the crimes. As the death of the policemen was associated with their behavior, they had to be punished strictly, judges said, adding that there were also mitigating circumstances, as Hieu committed the crime when he was over 70 years old and Tuyen is a person with disabilities. Tien was confirmed to have participated in the case from the beginning and actively contributed money to buy grenades and petrol to make petrol bombs. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Boris Johnson is facing a damaging defeat that would block imports of chlorinated chicken and hormone-fed beef, in a fresh blow to his hopes of a post-Brexit trade deal with the US. Peers are poised to slam the brakes on any watering down of food and animal welfare standards to stop ministers selling the country down the river, one former government adviser told The Independent. The move, in a vote as early as this week, would give teeth to a new advisory body, handing it the power to ensure the longed-for deal with Washington does not allow in low-quality food. We are all confident that our amendments will go through, said Baroness McIntosh, a Conservative peer and former shadow minister. The revolt is also being led by Lord Curry of Kirkharle, who carried out a landmark policy review on farming and food in 2002 and who cast doubt on ministerial pledges not to dilute standards. They want to leave their options open, they dont want to have their hands tied thats the bottom line, the crossbench peer warned. We dont want our food supply undermined by imported food from countries with poorer animal welfare standards, selling our food production down the river by negotiating cheap deals. The House of Lords clash on the Agriculture Bill is a fresh headache for the prime minister already entangled in the furious row over his plans to renege on his Brexit agreement and deadlocked trade talks with the EU. The US has made opening the door to its lower-grade agricultural goods a red line in separate talks Mike Pompeo, the US secretary of state, insisting during a visit in January that it must be part of any deal. It prompted Liz Truss, the trade secretary, to propose lifting the ban on acid-washed chicken and hormone-fed beef, with higher but gradually reducing tariffs as a sop to critics. The consumer group Which? has branded a US deal the greatest risk to food safety since mad cow disease 20 years ago, warning the UKs food safety revolution is in jeopardy. Hopes of a US trade deal are already in deep trouble, with furious Congressional leaders insisting they will block it if the Brexit agreement on Northern Ireland is unravelled. Now UK peers are confident the government will struggle to overturn a defeat giving effective blocking powers to the new Trade and Agriculture Commission, when the bill returns to the Commons. Unease is growing on the Conservative benches, where 18 Tory MPs staged an unsuccessful revolt in May in an attempt to impose a strict legal bar on any diluting of standards. The Agriculture Commission has been criticised for being advisory only, and for lasting for only six months, despite admiration for its chair Tim Smith, a former head of the Food Standards Agency. The amendments would ensure the commission is retained for at least four years, make it independent of the Department of Trade and require it to sign off any trade agreement. It reflects the confidence that the body will never sanction lower standards, achieving the same objective as an outright legal guarantee, one peer said. Baroness McIntosh said ministers would otherwise be able to slip through changes using regulations without full scrutiny with environmental safeguards and workers rights also at stake. There is an absolute need for this, so the government cant change food safety or animal welfare standards at the stroke of a pen, she said. Consumers want to see these high standards in place and farmers want to know that if they meet these high standards which they are willing to do they are not going to be undercut. Labours Lord Grantchester, who will push for an outright block on lowering standards, said: The government claims to have taken on the concerns of parliamentarians as well as supermarkets and consumers by establishing a new commission. But it is toothless, will only exist for a few months, and has no powers to stop the import of inferior products. But a government spokesperson said: Our manifesto commitment could not be clearer we will not compromise on our high environmental protection, animal welfare and food standards. It is illegal to import chlorine-washed chicken and hormone-fed beef into the UK and any changes would require new legislation to be brought before this parliament. We remain focused on getting a deal that works in the best interests of our farmers and consumers. Journey's End experiments with augmented reality labels South African winemaker Journey's End has captured the essence of its vineyard in a never-before-seen way with its new wine range, Identity. The range's colourful labels, depicting different elements of the producer's Stellenbosch vineyard, are brought to life through augmented reality (AR), a sister concept to virtual reality (VR). Through the technology Journey's End has animated key elements of its operations on the bottles: an 80ft medieval trebuchet, which is used during fundraising events on the farm, swings into action; bees from the 40 beehives which help pollinate the vines' flowers buzz across the labels; and the national flower of South Africa, the Protea, sways in an imagined breeze. Journey's End worked closely with Bibendum and Immersive Studios to develop the new label and all the action can be easily viewed through the Plonk app. Rollo Gabb, Journey's End managing director, said: "The Journey's End brand is all about consumer engagement and fun. We wanted wine drinkers to be transported to our vineyards as they enjoy the wine so that they can really live the spirit of the brand. Everything on the label plays an important role in the day-to-day running of our vineyard, and what better way to give wine lovers a taste of South Africa when they can't physically be there!" The Identity range is IPW (integrated Production of Wine) certified, with the grapes sustainably farmed and the wines ethically produced. The range comprises six wines: two whites (Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc), a Grenache-based rose, and three reds (Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and a Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot/Cabernet Franc blend). The range's launch will be supported by integrated marketing, PR and social media activities. 15 September 2020 - Bethany Whymark Unless fraud or bad faith is involved, no policyholder should be expected to justify its reasons for making payments to settle litigation as a condition for making a claim under an excess insurance policy, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Monday. The appellate panel rejected Axis Reinsurances arguments that Northrop Grumman Corp. improperly eroded its policy limits when settling a retirement plan dispute. The court said it was the first time it had ruled on the question, and reversed a decision by the U.S. District Court in Pasadena, California. We begin our analysis by noting that no circuit precedent adopts the improper erosion theory of recovery asserted by Axis and relied upon by the district court in its summary judgment order, the panel opinion, written by Circuit Judge Consuelo M. Callahan, says. The U.S. Department of Labor and administrators of a savings plan set up on behalf of Northrup-Grumman employees filed two lawsuits against the defense contractor alleging violations of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act. Northrop reached a confidential settlement in the Labor Department lawsuit. It also settled the second lawsuit by the savings plan for $16,750,000. National Union Fire Insurance Co. paid the first settlement, which exhausted the $15 million policy limit in Northrops employee benefit plan fiduciary liability insurance policy. Continental Casualty Co. paid the remainder of the Department of Labor settlement and also contributed $7,043,762 toward the second settlement, which exhausted the $15 million limit of Northrops excess insurance policy. Northrop asked Axis to step in to pay the remaining amount of the second settlement that wasnt covered by CNA: $9,706,238. Northrups secondary excess policy with Axis also had a $15 million policy limit. Axis paid claim, but notified Northrop that it intended to seek reimbursement for the Department of Labor settlement. It argued that the amounts paid by National Union and CNA were not for a covered loss. The carrier filed a lawsuit seeking declaratory relief and damages from Northop. Axis argued that the settlement constituted a disgorgement that is uninsurable under California law. District Court Judge Andre Birotte Jr. agreed and granted summary judgment in Axis favor. Northrop appealed. The appellate panel said case law holds that excess insurers generally may not avoid or reduce their own liability by contesting payments made at prior levels of insurance, unless there is an indication that the payments were motivated by fraud or bad faith. Insurers can place language in their policies to exclude coverage for any unapproved settlements if they want to, but no such provision was in Northops policy with Axis. In a 2019 case, titled Costco Wholesale v. Arrowood Indem. Co., the district court held that excess insurers may not second-guess the coverage determinations of the underlying insurers unless they have a specific contractual right to do so. The appellate panel said it found the findings in the Costco case persuasive. We agree with Northrop that the district courts alternative rulethat excess insurers generally may contest the soundness of underlying insurers payment decisionswould undermine the confidence of both insureds and insurers in the dependability of settlements, eliminating one of the primary incentives for obtaining insurance in the first place, the opinion says. Furthermore, such a rule would introduce a host of inefficiencies into the insurance industry, with no obvious countervailing benefits to insurers or policyholders. Phnom Penh: The United States has blacklisted a Chinese real estate development company building a port, airport and resort complex in Cambodia, which Washington said was built on land seized from local people, and suggested could be turned into a military base. Union Development Group is building the huge Dara Sakor complex in a national park on the Cambodian coast, with a runway capable of taking some of the world's biggest planes. It describes it as the largest regional development project in China's global Belt and Road infrastructure initiative. The Dara Sakor Resort is located inside the pristine Boutum Sakor National Park and owned by the Tianjin-based Union Development Group from northern China. Credit:Kate Geraghty The company and the Cambodian government have repeatedly denied Western media reports that the project has military aims. In a statement announcing the blacklisting, the US Treasury Department described the company as a Chinese state-owned entity, and said it had at one point falsely registered as Cambodian-owned to get land for the project. An international team of astronomers has detected a rare molecule in the atmosphere of Venus that could be produced by living organisms, according to a study published Monday. The discovery instantly puts the brightest planet in the night sky back into the conversation about where to search for extraterrestrial life. The researchers made clear this is not a direct detection of life on Venus. But the astronomical observations confirmed the highly intriguing presence of the chemical phosphine near the top of the acidic clouds that blanket the planet. Phosphine is a simple molecule produced on Earth by bacteria and through industrial processes. As a result, it is on the list of molecules - oxygen being another - considered by scientists to be potential "biosignatures" of life on Earth-sized planets whose atmospheres can be viewed through telescopes. The researchers said they know of no non-biological explanation for the relatively high abundance of the molecule in the Venusian atmosphere. "We did our very best to show what else would be causing phosphine in the abundance we found on Venus. And we found nothing. We found nothing close," said Clara Sousa-Silva, a molecular astrophysicist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a co-author of the paper published Monday in the journal Nature Astronomy. Venus is broiling at the surface, but there are layers of the atmosphere where temperatures and pressures are moderate and where solar radiation isn't too intense. For decades, some planetary scientists have speculated that microbes could be circulating in the atmosphere, which is dominated by sulfuric acid and carbon dioxide and has only small traces of water vapor. Venus has long been overshadowed by Mars as a potential abode of life, because the planet's dense atmosphere and proximity to the sun has led to a runaway greenhouse effect, resulting in hellish surface temperatures and crushing atmospheric pressures. Robotic probes have revealed a landscape that appears inhospitable to any imaginable life form. Mars has always appeared more congenial to life and potential human exploration, and has been targeted by multiple robotic missions, including most recently NASA's Mars 2020 rover, Perseverance. NASA is pondering proposals for two relatively low-cost robotic missions to Venus, but they have not been approved. Monday's announcement could push NASA and other space agencies to take a closer look at Venus. "For something this big, we need follow-up confirmations, we need to have strong scientific debate," said Casey Dreier, senior space policy adviser at the Planetary Society, a nonprofit pro-space organization that was not involved in the new research. "Ultimately, we're going to need missions to Venus, and maybe even bringing samples back to Earth." Sarah Stewart Johnson, a planetary scientist at Georgetown University who also was not involved with the new study, echoed that sentiment in an email: "This is exactly the kind of anomalous finding we should be following up on. There may be things we're missing photochemically - that we simply don't understand - but it's possible that the phosphine is the result of a biotic process, and its detection surely increases the chances for life." Sousa-Silva said she had spent years studying phosphine as a potential biosignature in the atmospheres of exoplanets - the planets that orbit distant stars. But she had not considered searching for phosphine within our own solar system. Then, a bit more than a year ago, she received an email from Jane Greaves, an astronomer at Cardiff University and lead author of the new paper, who said her telescopic observations within the solar system had turned up signs of phosphine in Venus. Follow-up observations with another telescope confirmed that initial detection. Phosphine is a toxic, malodorous gas that is extremely poisonous and has been used in chemical weapons. The molecule is composed of one phosphorus atom and three hydrogen atoms, and is shaped like a pyramid with the phosphorus on top. These atoms do not favor one another, and thus the molecule is generally rare in nature. To create a phosphine molecule, Sousa-Silva said, requires an unusual force or mechanism. Living things can create the molecule through a metabolic pathway not fully understood, she said. And extreme forces in nature can make the molecule. For example, phosphine has been detected in the atmospheres of Jupiter and Saturn, the solar system's two gas giants, where gravity creates extreme environments. But Venus, like Earth, is a relatively small, rocky planet. The researchers pondered many possible mechanisms for the creation of phosphine, including volcanoes and meteor impacts, but could not get the numbers to come out right. "On Venus, there are no mechanisms we know of that can spontaneously make phosphine, because it is so hard to produce," Sousa-Silva said. The scientists involved in this new detection were careful not to overstate their findings. For example, although a non-biological source of the phosphine in Venus is not known, that doesn't mean there isn't one, Sousa-Silva stipulated. Any claim of a detection of life beyond Earth carries with it a heavy burden of proof. The search for extraterrestrial life has had a long history of thrilling hypotheses, rancorous debates and crushing disappointments. To date, no alien life has been found - anywhere. Mars periodically has generated great excitement, only to have claims erode under the harsh light of further investigation. In several high-profile cases, something that looked irrefutably biological turned out on closer scrutiny to be potentially explicable through more prosaic processes. "My first reaction, as always, is skepticism," said Bruce Jakosky, a planetary scientist at the University of Colorado, when asked about the new report. "One of the things I've seen is that when people discover new, cool things, their first thought is life, and then they're able to come up with alternative, plausible explanations for what they saw." Even so, he said, the phosphine discovery is "intriguing." A similar situation has popped up over on Mars, where methane has been detected in the atmosphere. That incited speculation that it was produced by Martian organisms. But this remains unresolved, because there are non-biological explanations for the presence of the gas, according to NASA. One international mission designed specifically to look for it, the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter, couldn't find it at all. Monday's announcement suggests that maybe scientists should spend more time looking elsewhere - back toward the second rock from the Sun. Find all of the most important pandemic education news on Educating N.J., a special resource guide created for parents, students and educators. While nearly 700 New Jersey school districts are starting the new year with students spending either every day or part of every week remote learning at home, there are a few schools reopening with all in-person classes. At least 74 districts had been approved to start the 2020-2021 school year entirely in-person as of Friday, state Department of Education officials said. Thats less than 10 percent of the districts that submitted reopening plans to the state. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 15) The government has planned interventions to ensure that the white sand overlaid on part of Manila Bay's shoreline will not get washed away, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources said Tuesday. The DENR assured that public funds will not be wasted amid concerns that the sand will eventually be swept away by storms and high tide to the bottom of the bay. "The DENR also reassures the public that the funds used for the project will not be put to waste as engineering interventions are being made to prevent the artificial white sand from being washed away," said the agency in a statement. Environment Undersecretary Benny Antiporda explained in a phone call to CNN Philippines that there is already a hidden "geotube" surrounding the beach area that serves as a barrier between the land and the sea. He added that erosion of the white sand is still expected but "it will not be that big." The DENR also maintained that the white sand does not pose health risks since it cannot be suspended in the air or inhaled given that it is 100 times bigger than dust. The department also reiterated the Department of Health's statement assuring that no "untoward incident" will result from the white sand project. Environment advocates have repeatedly slammed the project as merely "aesthetic", a criticism the agency dismisses as "misleading." "These blind critics have been propagating lies and baseless accusations against the DENR and government in general in all forums, including social media, to advance their selfish interests," the DENR statement added. It maintained that the white sand in the project has been used for years due to dolomite's capacity to filter water. The entire "beach nourishment" project of Manila Bay spans 120 meters across the shoreline and 60 meters towards the bay. Its cost is pegged by the DENR at P389 million, with P28 million used in the extraction and transportation of dolomite from Cebu province. Pune, Sep 15 : With Pune now the Covid-19 hub in the Indian subcontinent with the maximum number of infections, practitioners of the world's oldest but most condemned profession now desire a change in their lives. With a series of lockdowns over the past six months and more, the demand for the sex trade has drastically abated, leaving commercial sex workers (CSWs) on the verge of starvation, said a new study by city-based NGO, Asha Care Trust (ACT). A sample survey conducted by ACT in Budhwar Peth - the country's third-biggest red-light area which houses around 700 brothels with over 3,000 sex workers - threw up startling revelations that made activists and leaders take serious note of their plight. "Our survey reveals that over 85 per cent of the sex workers have taken loans for various purposes... Of these, nearly 98 per cent have taken it through their brothel owners, agents or moneylenders, subjecting them for further exploitation," ACT President Sheela Shetty told IANS. With the pandemic wiping off their business, the growing burden of the loans and other responsibilities, the sex workers are now keen to change their professions, she added. "Of the 300 respondents, 87 per cent confessed that even before the pandemic, they did not earn enough to support themselves or their dependents or families," Shetty said. However, the chief problems continue to be illiteracy, no skills or other resources which leads to entrapment and enslavement to the very same flesh trade that is their only means of survival. But, the pandemic has offered a ray of hope as a majority of them - as high as 98 per cent - want to quit the profession and switch over to alternative jobs, if given any opportunity, said Shetty. Experts say the situation is similar in the country's biggest red-light area of Sonagachi, Kolkata with around 12,000 CSWs and the second-biggest at GB Road, Delhi with over 6,000 CSWs. The survey also found that a majority - 82 per cent - of the women in Budhwar Peth are aged between 25-45, and while some were forced into prostitution as minors, few joined out of choice. Though nearly 93 per cent also said they dread returning to the flesh trade after the lockdown, they are also mortified by the prospects of starvation, harassment from brothel operators, and other elements linked to the profession. Seemingly resigned to their fate, over 65 per cent even believe that with the successive 'Unlockdown' phases, the sex trade might revive, though the majority opinion is to pack up and go away if they get alternative means of livelihood. A delegation of ACT, with several prominent social workers like Shailesh Badhai, Yogesh Bhokre, Bhola Vanjale, Vidya Pedankar, Pratibha Shinde, Fayyaz Sheikh and others met Pune Mayor Murlidhar Mohol and submitted the report to him. "We have appealed to the Mayor to explore strategies and bring these women out of the sex trade, set up a trafficking victim relief or welfare fund which can help them repay their debts and rehabilitate them afresh with dignity in society," said Shetty. Sex worker Nila (name changed on request), who accompanied them, said: "We are facing great hardships. Each day is a challenge for survival with no income or savings. All we want is support to take up some other profession and lead a respectable life. Please help us." The group plans to meet other district and state level officials including ministers to take the initiative forward. (Quaid Najmi can be contacted at: q.najmi@ians.in) In todays business world, large tech conglomerates like Amazon are profiting, however, it is no secret that its happening while small and medium-sized businesses are suffering immense losses along the way. Reuters We saw how small and medium business owners reacted when Amazons Jeff Bezos came to India to raise their concern surrounding the survival of their businesses. However, it looks like Facebook now wants to help. Reported first by TechCrunch, Facebook has collaborated with Institutions like Indias Organization Economic Co-operation and Development and World Bank to issue a grant of $4.3 million for over 3,000 businesses in the metros of our nation -- Delhi, Gurgaon, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Bangalore -- these are also the cities where Facebook has its offices. Reuters Facebooks Ajit Mohan, head of Facebook India, has revealed in an interview with TechCrunch that the grant not only includes ad credits to promote their business on the social media platform but a major chunk of the grant is actual cash that can be used by businesses to better their position. Mohan said in a statement, The recovery of small businesses from the pandemic will be critical to the recovery of Indian economy, and we want to do everything we can to help. Today were building on our commitment by announcing the small business grant for India. In case you have a business that is in dire need of financial support, you can apply for a Facebook monetary grant. The registration has commenced starting today. The grant in India is a part of $100 million global grant that the social media giant announced this year in March. Facebook has also unveiled the ability for businesses to sell gift cards to businesses to support other businesses and individuals in their community. Reuters The gift cards will be issued by Quicksilver and PayU that will enable businesses to get cash on their hands instantly. Facebook is taking a deeper dive into the Indian market since it invested $5.7 billion in Reliance Jio platforms this year for a 9.99 percent stake. It will be interesting to see what else Facebook has in store for India. You can register your business by clicking here. Democratic representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has said that the US needs to atone for human rights violations, in response to allegations of abuse against migrants from an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) whistleblower. On Monday, Dawn Wooten, a nurse at the Irwin County Detention Centre (ICDC) in Georgia, filed a complaint alongside advocacy groups including, Project South, to the Office of the inspector general (OIG) at the Department of Homeland Security, according to Law and Crime. In the complaint, Ms Wooten claimed that there was jarring medical neglect at the facility, and said that several Spanish-speaking women had come forward to Project South to report what they felt was an excessive amount of female detainees forced into having hysterectomies, which involves removing part of or all of the uterus, according to the BBC. Recently, a detained immigrant told Project South that she talked to five different women detained at ICDC between October and December 2019 who had a hysterectomy done, the complaint read. When she (Ms Wooten) talked to them about the surgery, the women reacted confused when explaining why they had one done. The woman told Project South that it was as though the women were trying to tell themselves 'its going to be OK. Recommended Muslim ICE detainees forced to choose between pork or expired halal meals Speaking about the detainees confusion around the surgery, Ms Wooten wrote in the complaint: When I met all these women who had had surgeries, I thought this was like an experimental concentration camp. It was like theyre experimenting with our bodies. The complaint also noted that officials at the detention facility had refused to test detainees for Covid-19, who have been exposed to the virus and are symptomatic, and accused them of shredding medical requests submitted by detained immigrants, and fabricating medical records. Responding to the report on Twitter, Ms Ocasio-Cortez wrote: The fact of the matter is the United States has engaged in a program of mass human rights violations targeting immigrants. This includes mass child separation, systemic sexual assault of people in detention, kangaroo-court procedures, & more. Our country must atone for it all. Democratic senator Ed Markey tweeted: Abolish ICE in reference to the report, while Democratic representative Mark Pocan wrote: This is horrifying. Forced sterilizations are eugenics & a human rights abuse that must be fully investigated immediately. In the complaint, Azadeh Shahshahani, an attorney with Project South, called for an immediate investigation into the allegations of abuse. For years, advocates in Georgia have raised red flags about the human rights violations occurring inside the Irwin County Detention Centre, she said. Ms Wooten's whistleblowing disclosures confirm what detained immigrants have been reporting for years, Ms Shahshahani added. In response to the allegations, ICE shared a statement with Law and Crime, where the agency wrote: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) does not comment on matters presented to the Office of the inspector general, which provides independent oversight and accountability within the US Department of Homeland Security. The agency added: ICE takes all allegations seriously and defers to the OIG regarding any potential investigation and/or results. That said, in general, anonymous, unproven allegations, made without any fact-checkable specifics, should be treated with the appropriate scepticism they deserve. DRC illegal mining the dangerous first link in gold supply chain The bodies of 22 artisanal miners have been recovered after torrential rain flooded their mine in the east DRC town of Kamituga Illegal small-scale gold miners in DR Congo, such as those who were killed when their makeshift mine collapsed last week, are the often-exploited first link in a supply chain that extends to Dubai, according to experts. The bodies of 22 artisanal miners have been recovered as of Monday, a resident at the scene told AFP, after torrential rain flooded their mine in the eastern town of Kamituga three days before. The mining town's mayor has said 20 local families have reported missing loved ones. Rescue efforts continued on Monday to find any survivors of the mining disaster, which are all to common in the vast central African country's volatile east. The "diggers", as the artisanal miners are known, were searching for gold at the site of a subsidiary of Canadian gold mining company Banro. Banro announced last year it was suspending its operations at the site in the South Kivu province. DR Congo's artisanal miners risk their lives in dangerous mines to extract gold and sell it to local traders. "In Kamituga, you can find 300 purchasing counters," said Raoul Kitungano, of the Congolese campaign group Justice Pour Tous (Justice for All). These traders then export the gold to bordering countries -- mainly Burundi and Uganda. The trade almost entirely escapes the Congolese authorities, a blow in a country of huge mineral wealth where 72 percent of the population live on less than $1.90 a day, according to the World Bank. - Smuggled to the Middle East - A United Nations expert report published last year said "a senior official of the mining administration in South Kivu assessed that about 300 kilogrammes (660 pounds) of undeclared gold transited each month" through the provincial capital Bukavu. "But provincial government statistics showed about five kilogrammes a month on average," the report said. A lawyer specialising in mining, Me Lambert Djunga, emphasised how the miners are exploited. Story continues "Local traders resell the product of the work of poorly paid artisanal miners to cross-border traffickers, who in turn illegally export the product mainly to Bujumbura or Kampala," he told AFP. The Burundian and Ugandan capitals are home to trading posts that then sell the gold on "at high prices to the Gulf monarchies or to Europe," the lawyer added. The trade route he described was matched by the UN report, which said that "most Congolese gold was smuggled through neighbouring countries to Dubai as the main destination". Djunga said the gold found in these makeshift mines represents 25 percent of industrial production in DRC's gold-rich regions -- South Kivu and particularly Ituri. There is a staggering disparity between what the "diggers" are paid and what the gold is ultimately worth. Gold prices have soared during the coronavirus pandemic as investors seek a safe haven, hitting an all-time high of $2,000 per ounce last month. - 'At the mercy of traffickers' - As well as gold, the Democratic Republic of Congo also has huge reserves of cobalt, copper and coltan. The World Bank estimates that 10 million people -- 12.5 percent of the 80 million population -- in DRC "derive their livelihoods from artisanal and small-scale mining". The loss in potential value from the gold in these eastern areas, which are riven by poverty and grinding conflict between armed groups, could be immense. The UN report said it "documented that some armed groups continued to finance their activities through illegal mining, thereby contaminating the supply chain". After Friday's Kamituga disaster, President Felix Tshisekedi said he asked the government to "take strong measures so that such tragedies are not repeated". The public service Saemape is supposed to provide "technical and financial assistance" to mining cooperatives. But Justice Pour Tous's Kitungano said Saemape "has failed in its mission", and called for reform to close the "many loopholes". Lawyer Djunga had another suggestion. "I invite the authorities to allow the Central Bank of the Congo, like it did under (former dictator) Mobutu Sese Seko, to buy artisanal production from real artisanal miners, instead of putting them at the mercy of these traffickers who pay them almost nothing compared to the selling price," he said. st-bmb/dl/jj NEW YORK, Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Due the Covid-19 pandemic, the Saving the Elephants Run/Walk, normally held in Central Park in November, will be held virtually this year from September 19th-26th for the safety and comfort of our participants. This year you can run or walk wherever you are to help save elephants from poaching and habitat destruction (register here). "Very worryingly and directly due to the current pandemic poaching numbers are rising again. Equally concerning is that donations are not incoming as per normal years, international tourists are not visiting Africa with their conservation dollars," says Zambezi Elephant Fund (ZEF) Co-founders John and Nicci Stevens. At least 33,000 elephants are killed each year due to poaching across Africa . . By registering, you are providing a ranger and his family with a month's worth of dry rations. If you and two friends register, ZEF will be able to plant 100 trees to aid habitat restoration in the Zambezi Valley. If you and four friends register, ZEF will be able to equip a team of Human-Wildlife Coexistence Officers with radio and GPS technology. If a group of 20 register, this will cover one month of running costs for an anti-poaching vehicle, including driver salary, fuel, repairs and maintenance. "It is unfortunate that we can't be together in person for the run this year yet your participation in this virtual event will help raise critical dollars for Zambezi Elephant Fund during this extremely challenging time," says STER founder Laura Robertson. About the Saving the Elephants Run: The Saving the Elephants Run was started in 2013 to raise funds and awareness for the plight of the African elephant. The event draws hundreds of runners and walkers passionate about saving these gentle giants. Visit www.savingtheelephantsrun.org for further information. About the Zambezi Elephant Fund: The Zambezi Elephant Fund (ZEF) works collaboratively with the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Authority, NGOs and the private sector to develop, implement and manage: anti-poaching operations, field equipment and supplies for rangers and support teams, anti-poaching ranger training, conservation security planning and implementation, information systems and networking, technology and systems for anti-poaching operations, community livelihood programs, habitat restoration initiatives, and education and awareness delivery. Visit www.zambezielephantfund.org for further information. SOURCE Saving the Elephants Run Related Links http://savingtheelephantsrun.org Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has called for a full-fledged crackdown on rapists and other sex offenders in the country, proposing chemical castration for those found guilty in rape cases to ensure they dont become repeat offenders. He has also called for a national register that can keep track of sex offenders. On Monday, Khan told a regional TV news channel that he feels chemical castration of rapists is urgently needed or at least the culprits should be made to forcefully undergo surgery so that they dont commit sexual crimes in future. The Pakistan prime minister argued the case for a grading system for rapes and sexual assault cases along the lines of the standard first, second and third-degree classification in place for murder cases. Khan, who was speaking on a recent incident of gang-rape in Lahore that sparked nationwide outrage, said, Those who are in first degree, they should be castrated and operated upon to disable them from repeating such crimes. He proposed setting up a three-pronged strategy to deal with rapes and other sexual abuse cases, starting with the registration of sex offenders and paedophiles. Another step, Khan said, to deal with rapists and child sex abusers, was to hand them exemplary punishments. He called for hanging them in public as punishment for scarring the lives of the victims and their families. The Pakistan PM said it wasnt possible for the administration to know exactly how many rape cases occur across the country, adding that such crimes were routinely under-reported. However, on the topic of public hanging of rapists, Khan said his government believes that such a form of punishment was unlikely to be accepted by the global community, and could even jeopardise the Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) that is extended to Pakistan by the European Union. Ka Pae Ranasingam, the upcoming movie that features Vijay Sethupathi and Aishwarya Rajesh, has finally got a release date. The highly anticipated project will release on October 2, on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti, on Zee Plex. Vijay Sethupathi and Aishwarya Rajesh, the lead actors announced the news through their official social media pages, recently. To the unversed, Zee Plex is the pay-per-view OTT platform, which is initiated by the Zee group. In that case, Ka Pae Ranasingam will emerge as the first-ever Tamil film to release in an OTT platform, in pay-per-view mode. Reportedly, the Vijay Sethupathi starrer will be released in five languages, in over 150 countries across the globe. Ka Pae Ranasingam, which is written and directed by Virumandi, is said to be a social thriller set in a rural backdrop. As per the reports, the Vijay Sethupathi starrer revolves around the struggles faced by the farmers in our country, and how the corporate sector exploits them and the natural resources. Recently, the team had revealed the much-awaited first teaser of Ka Pae Ranasingam through the official social media pages of the cast and crew members. The highly promising teaser won the hearts of the Tamil cinema audiences and cine-goers. From the teaser, it is evident that the Vijay Sethupathi starrer will be an intense movie experience for the audiences. Rangaraj Pandey, the renowned new anchor is appearing in a pivotal role in the Virumandi directorial. Ghibran has composed the songs and background score for the movie. NK Ekhambaram is the director of photography. Shivanandeeswaran handles the editing. Peten Hein handles the action choreography. Ka Pae Ranasingam is produced by Kotapadi Rajesh, under the banner KJR Studios. Also Read: Suriya's Vaadivasal: Andrea Jeremiah To Join The Star Cast? Time Enna Boss Trailer: Amazon Prime Video's Upcoming Sitcom Is All Set To Take You On A Joy Ride Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh on Tuesday said he has ordered an immediate probe into the case of alleged assault on an ex-serviceman by Jalgaon BJP MP Unmesh Patil and his supporters four years ago. In a video message, Deshmukh said in 2016, ex-serviceman Sonu Mahajan was attacked by Patil, who was an MLA at that time, and his supporters, but the police allegedly did not register an FIR as the BJP was in power in the state then. Mahajan later approached the Bombay High Court, which ordered that a First Information Report (FIR) be registered in connection with the incident. The FIR was registered in 2019. In the last four-five days, I received several memorandums on this issue. So, I have ordered the Jalgaon superintendent of police to probe the matter immediately, Deshmukh said. State Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant on Sunday alleged that Mahajan had been fighting for justice since 2016 when he was attacked on the orders of then BJP MLA Unmesh Patil who went to become an MP. Deshmukh ordered the probe at a time when the ruling Shiv Sena in Maharashtra is facing criticism for the assault on former Navy man Madan Sharma. Six Shiv Sena workers were re-arrested on Tuesday for allegedly assaulting Sharma (62) in Mumbai last week. Sharma was attacked for allegedly forwarding a cartoon mocking Maharashtra Chief Minister and Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray on social media, following which the six ShivSena workers were arrested last Friday and later released on bail on Saturday. The Shiv Sena heads the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), whichalso comprises the NCP and Congress. Tim Alsiofi has won the Amnesty International Award for his short film that depicted life in Eastern Ghouta and the regimes assault on the area writes Zaman Al-Wasl. Douma Underground by director Tim Alsiofi has won the Best Short Documentary Award and the Amnesty International Award at the 17th IndieLisboa International Film Festival in Lisbon, Portugal. In twelve painful minutes we feel that we were transported into a very distant reality. It reminds us how important it is never to stop filming, even when everything around us collapses. The bravery to film in these circumstances in a realistic and poetic manner deserves recognition, the jury of the Amnesty International Award said. The young director, who has been living in Turkey for a year, expressed his happiness that the film, produced by the Bidayyat Foundation for Audiovisual Arts in 2019, has won. However, he said that he did not really seek awards but wanted to ensure that peoples voices are heard and that those outside Syria get a glimpse of what was happening inside the besieged areas. From 2012 to 2018, Alsiofi was trapped in Eastern Ghouta, and documenting the bombings and killings that he grew accustomed to seeing daily was his major concern, in an attempt to record that moment of history and to present a different vantage point of the war. Winning [the award] does not make us forget the pain that was on film, especially on a personal level, he said. The 12-minute long Douma Underground took around six months to complete. According to Alsiofi, he had to re-watch all the material he filmed in order to decide on what to keep, which forced him to face the same painful moments and pictures of war, blood and fire over and over again for months. He also faced technical as well as ethical problems, from smuggling camera and archive footage from under the regimes nose to the responsibility of communicating all the voices of those who stood before his camera. Alsiofi revealed to us that a member of the Peoples Assembly had contacted him before leaving the country and offered him a large sum in exchange for leaving his films behind, but he managed to trick him and slip away with his archive. He said that many directors outside of Syria do not really know what war or revolution was like, seeing clips of bombing, destruction and systematic killing only through mainstream and social media without knowing how it feels to live these experiences. He criticized those who use activists fleeing Syria as treasure mines to be bought, negotiating about this or that archive and discussing prices, which to him is one of the most painful truths. Alsiofi, who was unable to attend the award ceremony, dedicated his film to every mother and person who lost loved ones in the war, especially in Douma, Eastern Ghouta, and to 23 of his neighbors who died in the last raid on Douma, including Imran, a child who appeared at the end of the film, holding a candle inside a dark room, and whose picture has lit up the corners of the world. This article was edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author. Sunil Kumar Taanks phone has been ringing incessantly since Sunday night. With gyms being allowed to open in Delhi, many of Taanks students, all aspiring bodybuilders, and members of his Blacks Gym chain have been calling to ask what working out in the Covid era might look like. He doesnt mind all the queries; hes just elated that gyms can operate again. For months, gym owners in Delhi had been urging the Centre to allow them to resume business. They got the green light on August 3, but the Delhi Disaster Management Authority, headed by Lieutenant ... Appeals against sentence of three defendants in 2014 Total CEO plane crash case adjourned flickr.com/ Papas Dos 11:48 15/09/2020 MOSCOW, September 15 (RAPSI) The Moscow City Court on Tuesday postoponed until September 29 consideration of appeals against sentence given to three defendants in a case over the tragic crash of Total CEO Cristophe de Maergeries plane in 2014, the courts press service told RAPSI. The hearing was adjourned due to the health condition of one of the defendants Roman Dunayev. In late July, Moscows Solntsevsky District Court convicted and sentenced three employees of Moscows Vnukovo Airport. The airport flight manager Roman Dunayev was ordered to serve 6 years in penal colony settlement. Air traffic controllers Alexander Kruglov and Nadezhda Arkhipova received 5.5 and 5 years in custody respectively. However, Arkhipova was granted amnesty. The case against airport flight manager Roman Dunayev and air traffic controllers Alexander Kruglov and Nadezhda Arkhipova was severed, and in 2017, the court returned it to prosecutors to fix the problems related to enforcement of the right to defense of Dunayev and Arkhipova. Their attorneys Leonid Kurakin and Valentin Kolesnikov were recused as they earlier represented the interests of witnesses in the case. In July 2017, snow plow driver Vladimir Martynenko and Vnukovo lead airfield service engineer Vladimir Ledenev, who had earlier pleaded guilty and signed a plea bargain, were sentenced to 4 and 3.5 years in penal colony respectively and were immediately pardoned as part of the broad amnesty program on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of victory in World War II. Martynenko and Ledenev were charged with violation of traffic safety rules resulted in the death of two or more persons. The widow of Total CEO Cristophe de Maergerie, relatives of the deceased flight crew members, Vnukovo airport and Unijet air carrier have been recognized as victims in the case. Christophe de Margerie died in a plane crash at Vnukovo airport on October 21, 2014, when his planes wing hit a snow plow. Among the victims were three crew members, all French citizens. On October 25, 2016, the Interstate Aviation Committee (IAC) published its final report on the investigation into the death of de Margerie. The reports authors listed several factors, which, when combined, may have resulted in the plane crash. Among potential causes of the crash are: violation of regulations over control of alcohol use by drivers of special equipment, absence of equipment for listening to traffic controllers in snow plow machines, inefficient organization of work with subsystem of observation and control of airfield, no measures taken by the planes crew to prevent takeoff after receiving information about machine that intersects a road. John Boyega poses for a portrait while promoting the film "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker" in Pasadena, California, on Dec. 3, 2019. (Mario Anzuoni/Reuters) Actor John Boyega Quits Jo Malone Role After Cut From Chinese Ad LONDONBritish actor John Boyega has quit his role as a global ambassador for the perfume and candle brand Jo Malone after the black star was cut from a promotional video in China. The original version of the short film, called London Gent, followed Boyega spending time with friends and family in his home city of London but he was replaced by Chinese actor Liu Haoran and other black cast members removed in a reshot version. Boyega, 28, best known for his role as Finn in Star Wars, said the decision to substitute a local actor for him without his consent or prior notice was wrong. The film celebrated my personal storyshowcasing my hometown, including my friends and featuring my family, the actor wrote on Twitter. While many brands understandably use a variety of global and local ambassadors, dismissively trading out ones culture this way is not something I can condone. Boyega could not be reached for further comment. Jo Malone, which is owned by New York-based Estee Lauder, apologized on Saturday for taking the ad created and directed by Boyega and replacing him with Liu, saying it was a mistake. While we immediately took action and removed the local version of the campaign, we recognize that this was painful and that offense was caused, the company said in a statement issued exclusively to The Hollywood Reporter. On Tuesday the company acknowledged Boyegas decision to step down as the companys first male global ambassador. John Boyega is an incredible talent, artist and person and we were proud to have him as part of our Jo Malone London family. We respect Johns decision and we wish him all the best, Jo Malone wrote on Twitter. Neither Jo Malone nor Estee Lauder replied to requests for further comment. This isnt the first time Boyega has been at the brunt of editing for the Chinese market. Disneys recreated movie poster for the 2015 film Star Wars: The Force Awakens saw Boyegas character Finn reduced significantly in size. By Christopher Johnson Leaders from the European Union and China have held a video summit focused on trade as both sides sought to revive a long-running investment deal despite concerns over Hong Kong and Beijing's human rights record. Tensions over trade, investments and minority rights overshadowed the opening of Monday's virtual summit, the second such formal talks between EU and Chinese officials since June. German Chancellor Angela Merkel, whose country currently holds the EU's rotating presidency, was backed by Council President Charles Michel, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and the bloc's foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, as they sat down for tough talks with China's President Xi Jinping. The two sides went into the talks hoping to make progress on a long-running investment deal, which the EU hopes will allow European companies unfettered access to Chinese markets. Unlimited trade access Brussels says progress has been made on issues such as forced technology transfer, but still wants China to open up sectors such as telecoms, IT, health, financial services and manufacturing. Brussels wants the same level of access to agriculture and food markets that China gave to the United States in their phase 1 trade agreement struck in January. Earlier, they signed a deal to protect each other's exported food and drink products. No major breakthrough is expected though on Monday but the EU side hopes to persuade Xi to give fresh political impetus to the talks and to allow his negotiators more room to compromise. Moving on climate Since they met in June, there has been some progress on issues such as climate change, with the EU hoping to secure a pledge from Beijing to bring forward the year of peak emissions to 2025 from 2030. Brussels is also urging the world's top polluter to commit to climate neutrality by 2060, and to stop building fossil fuel plants abroad. China is planning to set up an emissions-trading system, which is yet to get going. Other developing nations are reluctant to move if China does not. Human rights The two trading partners remain at odds however over Hong Kong. The EU criticised the arrests of dozens of pro-democracy activists this year in the former British colony, including two opposition lawmakers last month. The EU was due to press Xi on Hong Kong, where Beijing has imposed a controversial new security law, a move denounced by the West as an assault on the city's freedoms. Europeans have also called China out over its treatment of minority Uighurs. Several members of the European Parliament wrote a letter ahead of the summit urging EU officials to "meaningfully address" China's human rights violations in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region and Hong Kong. One of the signatories was French MEP Raphael Glucksmann, who urged Angela Merkel and Von der Leyen to adopt a strong European stance in response to the "deportation" of more than one million Muslims to detainment camps in the Xinjiang region. "Will this crime against humanity be just another footnote?" he wrote on Twitter. Disinformation campaign The EU has also faced pressure from the United States to take a tougher stance on China. Recent visits of US and China officials to Europe show that both care about how the EU positions itself. The bloc does not want to become a battleground between the two powers, needing both and reluctant to alienate either. Brussels has preferred a middle path, treating Beijing as both a potential partner and a "systemic rival". The coronavirus pandemic has also created new obstacles, notably what Brussels sees as a China-orchestrated campaign of disinformation about the disease to deflect blame from the health crisis. Beijing has been accused of trying to influence European officials, and foreign policy chief Borrell has twice denied this year that the External Action Service a kind of EU foreign office that he leads has bowed to pressure from Beijing to alter documents. China has denied any wrongdoing. Ministers are being urged to offer sanctuary to some of the thousands of asylum seekers left stranded after a fire on the Greek island of Lesbos, including unaccompanied minors with family members in Britain. More than 12,000 people living in overcrowded conditions in the notorious Moria refugee camp, Europes largest, were displaced after a massive blaze early on Wednesday. Among those affected are 4,000 children, including over 407 unaccompanied minors, some of whom have been identified as having family members in the UK but who are still waiting to be transferred to the country months after being accepted for family reunion under the Dublin III law. Charities said the situation in Lesbos was becoming increasingly desperate, with people dehydrated due to the lack of shelter and difficulty getting aid to everyone who needs it. A peaceful protest by the camps residents on Saturday morning led to Greek police spraying tear gas at refugees, including children. The UNHCR refugee agency said the 407 unaccompanied children some with family members in Britain had been transferred to mainland Greece shortly after the fire and were now in hotels and in safer conditions but they cannot stay there permanently. NGOs said that while these youngsters were now in a safer place, there was a lack of information being given to them regarding their asylum cases and whether they would be granted permanent settlement in a European country. Concern has also been raised that unaccompanied minors who had been in the Moria camp remain stranded on Lesbos, because they were not identified for transfer to the mainland. Germany and France have offered to take in children affected by the fire, but the UK is yet to offer any assistance. Britains shadow home secretary, Nick Thomas-Symonds, called on the UK government to take in some of the refugees particularly unaccompanied children in order to live up to our responsibilities and promises as a country and offers of a place of safety. Unaccompanied children caught up in the Moria camp fire are facing unimaginable horrors. The government must show compassion and act without delay, he added. Stefania Tomasini, family reunification caseworker at the charity Safe Passage International, assists unaccompanied minors in Greece to go through the process to join family members in the UK. She said one of her clients, Ahmed, who is in Lesbos, was accepted for family reunion to join his uncle in May but was still waiting for the Greek and British governments to arrange his transfer. He has since turned 18. I have never heard him so upset and worried, he said that even the war in Syria was better than the situation in Moria. The olive grove where he had been sleeping in a tent with six other people was completely destroyed, so he lost everything including all his documents, said Ms Tomasini. He is absolutely desperate, with no idea where to go for food or where to sleep. He just wants to be safe with his uncle but despite everything, he says he is lucky because he had his application accepted but all his friends have no hope of getting off Lesbos. Amelia Cooper, of the Legal Centre Lesvos, said that several unaccompanied children had been found on the island after the initial transfers took place and that those who had been transferred hadnt been given adequate information about what was happening. The kids who were transferred dont know whats happening. I received messages from children when they were at the airport saying they didnt know where they were going or for what purpose," she said. "Since being there, some of the minors have said they dont have clear information on how long theyll be in these hotels, and where theyll be transferred to next." Sandy Protogerou, head of Safe Passage in Greece, said there were still unaccompanied children with relatives in the UK stuck on Lesbos, and that following the fire it would be more difficult than ever for them to process their requests to join their loved ones. We now have a situation where there is no official site or formal asylum procedure on the island, as well as tensions between local authorities and the migrants. All these people are in limbo. Many dont know where to turn, they have no guidance, she said. For those already pending transfer, it is high time that theyre moved as soon as possible. There is no reason to keep them in such conditions when they have the right to come to the UK. Theyve already been waiting for months since the approval. Labour Peer Lord Alf Dubs wrote to Home Secretary Priti Patel on Thursday urging the government to rapidly organise the transfer of unaccompanied children to safety in the UK, warning that failing to act would be an outrage. He told The Independent the fire in Moria was an explosion waiting to happen due to severe overcrowding and mounting desperation among residents there, and called on the UK to expedite the transfer of children under Dublin III to their relatives as a matter of urgency. The UK can do much better on child refugees, he said. Were dragging our heels. Other countries are doing a lot better. The Greeks made a plea for other countries to help sometime ago, before the fire, and we havent responded. Its very depressing. This is an international emergency which requires international cooperation. A Home Office spokesperson said they had received Lord Dubs letter and would respond in due course, but added that the UKs longstanding policy was to not participate in relocation within Europe, as the UKs resettlement schemes already provide safe and legal routes direct from conflict regions. However, all of the UKs resettlement schemes have been closed since 12 March, when they were paused due to the coronavirus pandemic. Campaigners have accused the government of prioritising holiday travel and removal flights which have continued throughout lockdown over the transfer of refugees. The Greek authorities on the island of Lesbos are said to be building a new refugee camp several miles from the original one in response to the blaze, but charities on the ground say this is no long-term solution. Freya Mergler, field manager of Help Refugees in Greece, said all refugees should be evacuated from the Lesbos because they are in such a dire situation, and called on the UK to act to take some of them in. The UK needs to play its role and take responsibility to support these people because right now, it is definitely not doing its share. Whats happened is so devastating and the situation now is more horrific than its ever been. If there was ever a time for the UK to take responsibility, its now, she said. Migrants in Lesbos Matthew Saltmarsh, spokesperson for the UNHCR, said Greece needed continued support from European countries and EU institutions to ensure the immediate protection of those most at risk. He added: UNHCR would welcome a chance to open discussions with the UK on relocations if there is capacity to help. We are of course available to offer any technical support and advice. A UK government spokesperson said: We are very concerned by the reports and images emerging from the Moria camp on the island of Lesbos following the devastating fire. We are working across government and with our embassy in Greece to actively monitor the situation as it develops. Vladimir Putin and Alyaksandr Lukashenka sat down for talks in Russia on September 14, the first one-on-one meeting between the two presidents since protests erupted in Belarus following a disputed election in which the authoritarian leader claimed a sixth term. Lukashenka came into the meeting weakened, facing growing international condemnation and isolation over his government's violent crackdown on protests and the arrest of opposition leaders who contend that the August 9 election was rigged. Putin, one of few international leaders to back Lukashenka, was probably hoping to use the meeting to extract further concessions, especially on deeper integration between the two countries based on a 1999 "Union State" treaty that remains largely on paper. Grabbing headlines after the talks in the Black Sea resort city of Sochi was the news that Lukashenka had secured a $1.5 billion Russian state loan to keep his government afloat. But did he pay too high a price? Here are five takeaways from the Sochi meeting. The Loan Protests, strikes, and political upheaval have dealt a blow to the Belarusian economy, already reeling from the COVID-19 pandemic and what critics say has been the mishandling of the crisis by Lukashenka, who declined to put lockdowns in place. Amid the uncertainty, Belarusians withdrew approximately $1 billion from bank accounts in August -- 17 times as much as the month before. With banks losing deposits, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin and Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov told Russia's biggest state lenders to ensure liquidity continues to flow to banks in Belarus, Reuters reported on September 9. For Lukashenka, Putin's promised $1.5 billion state loan announced at Sochi will provide a much-needed financial injection, according to Franak Viacorka, a Belarusian journalist who is a digital-media strategist for the U.S. Agency for Global Media, which oversees RFE/RL. "This is money that is urgently needed. This is cash. It's needed to pay off a previous loan, to pay salaries, maintain the hierarchy, and save the country from crisis," Viacorka told Current Time, the Russian-language network led by RFE/RL in cooperation with VOA. It's not the first time Putin has extended a wad of cash to a beleaguered ally in a bid to keep a neighboring country in Moscow's orbit. In 2013, as Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych was wavering over whether to sign an agreement strengthening Kyiv's ties with the European Union, Putin helped persuade him not to -- a decision that led to Yanukovych's ouster the following February -- by offering a $15 billion lifeline including a quick $3 billion loan. Military Cooperation The talks in Sochi came with joint Russian-Belarusian military drills taking place in Brest, in western Belarus near the border with NATO and EU member Poland. The exercises were due to run from September 10 to September 15 and include forces from Serbia, which backed out at the last minute due to European Union pressure. At Sochi, the Kremlin announced the drills would be extended to September 25. Furthermore, Putin and Lukashenka agree to hold "almost monthly" joint military exercises in both countries in 2021. The announcement was the latest hint from the Kremlin that Russia could be prepared to use force to back Lukashenka -- if it chooses to do so. On August 27, Putin said that a contingent of Russian security forces was prepared to deploy to Belarus if necessary. In their numerous telephone talks, Lukashenka has said Putin has vowed to "ensure security" in Belarus through the Russia-dominated Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) and bilateral agreements. Longer-term, the Kremlin has its eye on establishing a permanent military base in Belarus -- and the latest developments are likely to raise concerns among Lukashenka's opponents that Putin has advanced this cause. In 2015, Belarus balked at a Russian bid to set up an air base to host Russian Su-27 fighter jets. In September 2019, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Belarus's refusal to host a military base had been an "unpleasant episode." Subservient 'Strongman' In Sochi, Lukashenka seemed at times to suggest that he did not need much help from Moscow. He downplayed the protests against him, which normally swell to some 100,000 people in Minsk on weekends, saying that Belarusians "live an ordinary life" on weekdays and that on Saturday and Sunday "we free up part of Minsk so that people can, if they wish, walk through this area." He suggested there was little or no threat to his rule and said that protesters had not yet crossed a "red line" and spoke of what he said had been Putin's "red line" in Chechnya, where the then-prime minister of Russia launched a war in 1999 that helped build his image and vault him to the presidency. On the other hand, Lukashenka looked and sounded subservient, making several conciliatory statements regarding increased integration with Russia. He said that Belarus must remain close to its "older brother" -- a reference to both Russia and Putin, who is almost two years older than Lukashenka -- and praising the Kremlin for demonstrating "the border of Belarus are the borders of the Union State" and thanking the Russian president. Sochi is Putin's turf, and the optics of the meeting -- filtered largely through Russian state media -- suggested which of the two was negotiating from a position of strength. "The body language says far more in this case than the Russian language," seasoned Swedish diplomat and Kremlin critic Carl Bildt wrote on Twitter, referring to footage showing Lukashenka leaning in eagerly and gesticulating at a seemingly disinterested Putin. Bildt's tweet was one of many social media posts making roughly the same point. Known Unknowns Ahead of the meeting, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said oil and gas cooperation, state debts, and other economic ties would be discussed, but no documents signed. Few details emerged, leaving Lukashenka's critics to wonder whether he made concessions that went unannounced. New Delhi: Indrani Mukerjea, facing charges of killing her daughter Sheena Bora, on Tuesday informed a special CBI court that she wants to move a family court to divorce former media baron Peter Mukerjea, also a co-accused in the case, and change her Will to donate properties for charity. Charges were framed in the morning session against Indrani, her husband Peter and former husband Sanjeev Khanna in the sensational murder case by special CBI judge H S Mahajan who fixed the trial to begin on February 1. In the lunch recess, Indrani made an oral plea seeking permission from the special court to move the family court in suburban Bandra to initiate divorce proceedings against Peter. She also orally informed the judge that she would like to change her Will as she desired to donate her share in the family property to charitable organisations. ALSO READ | Sheena Bora case: Special CBI court frames murder charges against Indrani and Peter Mukerjea The judge told her that she need not take the special courts permission to file a divorce case or change her Will and was free to take such decisions on her own. Peter had also come to the court as charges were framed against him but did not talk to Indrani or even greet her. Indranis former husband Khanna was also present in the court. Sheena was murdered on April 24, 2012 and her body burnt and disposed of at a forest in Raigad district on the next day. It is the case of the prosecution that Sheena was strangulated by Indrani in a car while Khanna was holding her. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Automotive parts aftermarket market in US- Roadmap for Recovery from COVID-19 | Benefits Of Original OE Replacement Parts to boost the Market Growth | Technavio LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Technavio has been monitoring the automotive parts aftermarket market in US and it is poised to grow by USD 17.26 bn during 2020-2024, progressing at a CAGR of over 2% during the forecast period. The report offers an up-to-date analysis regarding the current market scenario, latest trends and drivers, and the overall market environment. Although the COVID-19 pandemic continues to transform the growth of various industries, the immediate impact of the outbreak is varied. While a few industries will register a drop in demand, numerous others will continue to remain unscathed and show promising growth opportunities. Technavios in-depth research has all your needs covered as our research reports include all foreseeable market scenarios, including pre- & post-COVID-19 analysis. Download a Free Sample Report on COVID-19 Impacts Frequently Asked Questions: What are the major trends in the market? Growing availability of automotive aftermarket parts in e-commerce platforms is a major trend driving the growth of the market. Growing availability of automotive aftermarket parts in e-commerce platforms is a major trend driving the growth of the market. At what rate is the market projected to grow? The year-over-year growth for 2020 is estimated at 1.07% and the incremental growth of the market is anticipated to be $ 17.26 bn. The year-over-year growth for 2020 is estimated at 1.07% and the incremental growth of the market is anticipated to be $ 17.26 bn. Who are the top players in the market? 3M Co., Aisin Seiki Co. Ltd., Continental AG, Delphi Technologies Plc, DENSO Corp., Magna International Inc., Magneti Marelli CK Holdings Co. Ltd., Robert Bosch GmbH, Valeo SA, and ZF Friedrichshafen AG., are some of the major market participants. 3M Co., Aisin Seiki Co. Ltd., Continental AG, Delphi Technologies Plc, DENSO Corp., Magna International Inc., Magneti Marelli CK Holdings Co. Ltd., Robert Bosch GmbH, Valeo SA, and ZF Friedrichshafen AG., are some of the major market participants. What is the key market driver? The benefits of original OE replacement parts is one of the major factors driving the market. The benefits of original OE replacement parts is one of the major factors driving the market. How big is the online channel market? The Online Channel region will contribute 91% of the market share. The market is fragmented, and the degree of fragmentation will accelerate during the forecast period. 3M Co., Aisin Seiki Co. Ltd., Continental AG, Delphi Technologies Plc, DENSO Corp., Magna International Inc., Magneti Marelli CK Holdings Co. Ltd., Robert Bosch GmbH, Valeo SA, and ZF Friedrichshafen AG. are some of the major market participants. The benefits of original OE replacement parts will offer immense growth opportunities. To make most of the opportunities, market vendors should focus more on the growth prospects in the fast-growing segments, while maintaining their positions in the slow-growing segments. Buy 1 Technavio report and get the second for 50% off. Buy 2 Technavio reports and get the third for free. View market snapshot before purchasing Technavio's custom research reports offer detailed insights on the impact of COVID-19 at an industry level, a regional level, and subsequent supply chain operations. This customized report will also help clients keep up with new product launches in direct & indirect COVID-19 related markets, upcoming vaccines and pipeline analysis, and significant developments in vendor operations and government regulations. Automotive parts aftermarket market in US 2020-2024: Segmentation Automotive parts aftermarket market in US is segmented as below: Distribution channel Offline Online Type Passenger Vehicles Commercial Vehicles To learn more about the global trends impacting the future of market research, download a free sample: https://www.technavio.com/talk-to-us?report=IRTNTR43427 Automotive parts aftermarket market in US 2020-2024: Scope Technavio presents a detailed picture of the market by the way of study, synthesis, and summation of data from multiple sources. The automotive parts aftermarket market in US report covers the following areas: Automotive parts aftermarket market in US Size Automotive parts aftermarket market in US Trends Automotive parts aftermarket market in US Industry Analysis This study identifies the growing availability of automotive aftermarket parts in e-commerce platforms as one of the prime reasons driving the automotive parts aftermarket market in US growth during the next few years. Technavio suggests three forecast scenarios (optimistic, probable, and pessimistic) considering the impact of COVID-19. Technavios in-depth research has direct and indirect COVID-19 impacted market research reports. Register for a free trial today and gain instant access to 17,000+ market research reports. Technavio's SUBSCRIPTION platform Automotive parts aftermarket market in US 2020-2024: Key Highlights CAGR of the market during the forecast period 2020-2024 Detailed information on factors that will assist automotive parts aftermarket market in US growth during the next five years Estimation of the automotive parts aftermarket market in US size and its contribution to the parent market Predictions on upcoming trends and changes in consumer behavior The growth of the automotive parts aftermarket market in US Analysis of the markets competitive landscape and detailed information on vendors Comprehensive details of factors that will challenge the growth of automotive parts aftermarket market in US vendors Table of Contents: Executive Summary Market Landscape Market ecosystem Market characteristics Value chain analysis Market Sizing Market definition Market segment analysis Market size 2019 Market outlook: Forecast for 2019 - 2024 Five Forces Analysis Five forces summary Bargaining power of buyers Bargaining power of suppliers Threat of new entrants Threat of substitutes Threat of rivalry Market condition Market Segmentation by Distribution channel Market segments Comparison by Distribution channel Offline - Market size and forecast 2019-2024 Online - Market size and forecast 2019-2024 Market opportunity by Distribution channel Market Segmentation by Type Market segments Comparison by Type Passenger vehicles - Market size and forecast 2019-2024 Commercial vehicles - Market size and forecast 2019-2024 Market opportunity by Type Customer landscape Market drivers Market challenges Market trends Vendor Landscape Vendor Landscape Landscape disruption Competitive scenario Vendor Analysis Vendors covered Market positioning of vendors 3M Co. Aisin Seiki Co. Ltd. Continental AG Delphi Technologies Plc DENSO Corp. Magna International Inc. Magneti Marelli CK Holdings Co. Ltd. Robert Bosch GmbH Valeo SA ZF Friedrichshafen AG Appendix Scope of the report Currency conversion rates for US$ Research methodology List of abbreviations About Us Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focuses on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavios report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavios comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios. I cant predict how it will all play out, but when the most technologically advanced and globalized Arab state, the U.A.E., decides to collaborate with the most technologically advanced and globalized non-Arab state in the region, Israel, I suspect new energies will get unlocked and new partnerships forged that should be good for both Arab-Israeli and Jewish-Muslim human-to-human relations. If successful, it will create an alternative model for emulation to the Iranian permanent resistance model, which has only helped spawn failed states in Lebanon, Syria, Gaza, Iraq and Iran. Why is this happening now? First, because America is sharply reducing its military presence in the Middle East, and, as a result, new alliances are being forged to fill the vacuum. There is the Iran-Hezbollah Shiite axis in Lebanon, Syria, parts of Iraq and Yemen. There is a Turkish-Qatar alliance. And, countering both is this new tacit Israel-U.A.E.-Bahrain-Saudi axis, alongside a budding Iraqi, Egyptian, Jordanian, moderate Sunni axis. The second trend is that ever since the Arab spring, the collapse of oil prices and the surge in Arab youth populations, moderate Sunni Arab states understand that they can no longer retain their legitimacy by outbidding one another on the Palestine question and offering government jobs and subsidies. Their future stability depends on their providing their youth the educational tools, the trade relationships, the global connectivity and the religious, gender and educational pluralism they need to thrive. While they refuse to include political pluralism or dissent in that mix, in time theyll have to. For now, though, their modernization model is China, not America. There were also critical tactical considerations for the Emirates, argues David Makovsky, an expert on Arab-Israeli relations at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. On one hand, he told me, the U.A.E. felt its leverage with the Trump administration would never be higher than now when Trump faces an uphill re-election effort and is looking for a Mideast diplomatic breakthrough. As such, if there was ever a time the U.S. would sell the U.A.E. advanced F-35 stealth jets, after refusing for eight years, its now. Making peace with Israel, Makovsky added, was also good political risk insurance for the U.A.E. should Joe Biden win the presidency, as it could offset strains with congressional Democrats over the U.A.E.s hostility to Obamas Iran nuclear deal and its involvement in Yemen. Actor Shweta Tripathi, who was recently seen in the film Cargo, has condemned the media trial of Rhea Chakraborty. Rhea was arrested last week on drugs-related charges in the ongoing Sushant Singh Rajput death case. In an interview, Shweta said that people are losing their humanity. Think on a human level, this is no way to treat anyone. Our empathy levels have to be high. We have to have sympathy. Forget about global warming, this way humanity will end humanity. It is important to have empathy, she told Times Now. Sushant died on June 14. His father has accused Rhea of abetting the actors suicide and misappropriating his funds. While investigating a financial angle in the case, the Enforcement Directorate discovered evidence tying Rhea to drug dealers. Following an investigation by the Narcotics Control Bureau, the actor was arrested along with several others. She is currently lodged at Byculla Jail. Also read: Sushant Singh Rajput probe: Rhea Chakraborty names Sara Ali Khan, Rakul Preet Singh and designer Simone Khambatta, says NCB Shweta, commenting on the media scrutiny on Rhea, added, I think we should be in a place to comment if we know something, or if we can manage our own lives. I feel that we are unable to manage our own lives and we comment on others, the ones we dont even know. We really have no right on things in the industry. Who is drinking water, who is drinking alcohol, who is doing drugs in the film industry, but where is the humanity? Shweta was last seen in the sci-fi film Cargo, and before that in the web series The Gone Game. She is known for appearing in Mirzapur, Masaan and Haraamkhor. Previously, several industry members such as Shibani Dandekar, Sonam Kapoor, Swara Bhasker and others have offered support to Rhea during the ongoing investigation. Follow @htshowbiz or more SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON (Natural News) Based on the preponderance of evidence, there is now little question that the virus that has caused the worldwide pandemic likely came from a laboratory in China. The question remains whether an accidental leak was a consequence of biological warfare experiments by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The Chinese government collaborated with the World Health Organization to downplay the threat and make the case that the virus appeared to not be transmitted from human to human, but rather from animals (primarily bats) to humans. There is also the question of why China cut off all domestic flights between Wuhan (population, 11 million) and Beijing and Shanghai, but not between Wuhan and Europe and America. (Article by Col. Lawrence Sellin (Ret.) republished from CCNationalSecurity.org) There are also questions about the role of National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), a division of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) headed by Dr. Anthony Fauci, in directing U.S. grant funds to the Wuhan Institute of Virology and the nature of the experiments that funding supported. With that, I am calling for an investigation of NIAIDs controversial research collaboration with China regarding the origin of the COVID-19 virus. A Senate committee or Justice Department investigation would be a good start. I have written a series of articles on this topic, which you can find here. As a summary, I have compiled this following list of evidentiary data points that could serve as the starting point for whatever entity takes on this very necessary investigation: On April 27, 2020 it was reported that the National Institutes of Health, presumably with the authorization of President Donald Trump, suspended spending on the remaining $369,819 of a National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) grant to the EcoHealth Alliance, a long-time scientific collaborator with Chinese scientists, in particular, the Wuhan Institute of Virology. Not privy to the actual facts related to the decision, that action precipitated outrage in the mainstream media and among some representatives of the scientific community. Here are those facts. Ten days earlier, during a press briefing by the Coronavirus Task Force, the following exchange took place between a White House correspondent and the President (1:10:57 1:11:33): Question: U.S. intelligence is saying this week that the coronavirus likely came from a Level 4 lab in Wuhan. There is also another report that the NIH under the Obama Administration in 2015 gave that lab 3.7 million dollars in a grant. Why would they give a grant like that to China? President Trump: The Obama Administration gave them a grant of 3.7 million. I have been hearing about that. And weve instructed that any grants that are going to that area were looking at it literally about an hour ago and also earlier in the morning. We will end that grant very quickly. On April 19, 2020, Michael Lauer, National Institutes of Health (NIH) Deputy Director for Extramural Research, wrote to EcoHealth Alliances vice president for research, Kevin Olival stating: EcoHealth Alliance, Inc. is the recipient, as grantee, of an NIH grant entitled Understanding the Risk of Bat Coronavirus Emergence. It is our understanding that one of the sub-recipients on this grant is the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV). It is our understanding that Wuhan Institute of Virology studies the interaction between corona viruses and bats. The scientific community believes that the coronavirus causing COVID-19 jumped from bats to humans likely in Wuhan where the COVID-19 pandemic began. There are now allegations that the current crisis was precipitated by the release from Wuhan Institute of Virology of the coronavirus responsible for COVID-19. Given these concerns, we are pursuing suspension of Wuhan Institute of Virology from participation in federal programs. While we review these allegations during the period of suspension, you are instructed to cease providing any funds to Wuhan Institute of Virology. This temporary action is authorized by 45 C.F.R. 75.371(d) (Initiate suspension or debarment proceedings as authorized under 2 C.F.R. part 180). The incorporated OMB provision provides that the funding agency may, through suspension, immediately and temporarily exclude from Federal programs persons who are not presently responsible where immediate action is necessary to protect the public interest. 2 C.F.R. 180.700(c). It is in the public interest that NIH ensure that a sub-recipient has taken all appropriate precautions to prevent the release of pathogens that it is studying. This suspension of the sub-recipient does not affect the remainder of your grant assuming that no grant funds are provided to WIV following receipt of this email during the period of suspension. On April 21, 2020, Peter Daszak, president of EcoHealth Alliance, responded by email to Lauer: I can categorically state that no funds from 2R01 AI110964-06 have been sent to Wuhan Institute of Virology, nor has any contract been signed. Furthermore we will comply with NIAIDs requirements, of course. On April 24, 2020, Lauer notified Daszak that the NIAID, headed by Dr. Anthony Fauci, has elected to terminate the project Understanding the Risk of Bat Coronavirus Emergence, funded under grant R01 AI110964 because NIH does not believe that the current project outcomes align with the program goals and agency priorities. On June 23, 2020, in response to a question by Rep. Marc Veasey (D-TX) regarding the reasons for the cancellation of the EcoHealth Alliance grant, Dr. Fauci said (5:32:20 5:34:03): It was cancelled because the NIH was told to cancel it. I dont know the reason, but we were told to cancel it. In July 2020, Lauer sent the EcoHealth Alliance a letter stating the agency was reinstating the grant, but also instantly suspending it again pending the completion of certain actions, which the EcoHealth Alliance considered impossible and irrelevant conditions: The EcoHealth Alliance must provide a sample of the pandemic coronavirus that WIV used to determine its genetic sequence. The group must arrange for an outside inspection of WIV and its records with specific attention to addressing the question of whether WIV staff had SARS-CoV-2 in their possession prior to December 2019, Lauer wrote. The nonprofit must explain purported restrictions at WIV including diminished cell-phone traffic in October 2019, and the evidence that there may have been roadblocks surrounding the facility from October 14-19, 2019. The nonprofit must provide the NIH with WIVs responses to the 2018 Department of State cables regarding safety concerns. Despite that continuing controversy, on August 27, 2020, the day that Donald Trump was preparing to accept his partys nomination for a second term as President of the United States, the NIH quietly and unceremoniously announced that the EcoHealth Alliance would receive $7.5 million as part of an $82 million program to create a global network of ten Centers for Research in Emerging Infectious Diseases (CREID). Leading this effort is Dr. Anthony Fauci, a member of the White House Coronavirus Task Force and a frequent sparring partner with the President over how best to slow the spread of the virus. It is unclear what the precise basis for the cancellation of the earlier EcoHealth Alliance grant was or how a new award over twenty times larger than the amount cut could be given to the EcoHealth Alliance while the original controversy remains unresolved. Here is what is known. On December 9, 2019, long before the world knew anything about COVID-19, a video interview took place with Daszak, whose comments may provide some insight regarding the Trump Administrations reasons for questioning the research collaboration between the EcoHealth Alliance and the Wuhan Institute of Virology. 9:22 9:30 Daszak states that the vast majority of EcoHealth Alliances funding comes from the U.S. government. Daszak: Over 80% of our funds comes from federal support. Like a university department we are going after federal money all the time. 11:58 12:29 Daszak explains how the EcoHealth Alliance uses its funding to invest in the infrastructure of other countries like China through subcontracts and presumably hiring Chinese technicians and doctoral students. Question: So, give me an overview, you said you have labs throughout the world that you work with. Are they? They are not employees of yours. You contract them or some of them are? Daszak: Usually we subcontract to labs, but we usually try and have in every country a country program officer, who manages the work we do in that country. And sometimes regional. And we often hire technicians in labs or Ph.D. students, in order to have a presence in the lab. There is more of a buy-in when you have a person there. 12:48 12:56 Daszak says that he is personally directing the EcoHealth Alliancess operations in China and Malaysia. Daszak: I have two countries that I am still, kind of, in charge of in the organization, China and Malaysia. 13:04 13:21 Daszak repeats that the EcoHealth Alliance is training and building capacity in other countries like China. Question: So, the point is to establish capabilities in other countries, not just take specimens from them and bring them home? Daszak: Thats right. Thats the strategy. And, you know, the old adage if you teach people how to do it, give them the capacity and the tools, then you have really made a difference. 20:24 20:31 Daszak reiterates that he is paying people working locally presumably in China. Question: Now, in all these places we are talking about, you have people who are supported by you. They are paid by you? Daszak: Yeah. Of the ten out of seventeen scientific publications listed as products of the cancelled NIAID grant, five are direct collaborations with the Wuhan Institute of Virology and one other research project was conducted with Chinese government laboratories. Given the above information, there is reason to question Daszaks statement in his April 21, 2020 email to NIH stating: I can categorically state that no funds from 2R01 AI110964-06 have been sent to Wuhan Institute of Virology, nor has any contract been signed. There are additional reasons to question the collaborative work between the EcoHealth Alliance and China regarding the collection of dangerous emerging coronaviruses in bat populations, the laboratory manipulation done on them and Daszaks seemingly unquestioning support for the Chinese Communist Partys narrative that the COVID-19 pandemic was naturally-occurring (emphasis added). Beginning at 27:49, Daszak explains the basis of the naturally-occurring narrative and the collection of over one hundred bat coronaviruses capable of infecting humans, but untreatable with drugs or vaccines. Those coronaviruses are presumed to be stored in Chinese laboratories. So, we did a couple of things with it. So, one is around SARS. We focused on SARS coronavirus emerged from a wildlife market. And whilst the first pandemic of this century. So, its big event. And, so we started to trace back from the wildlife market, which species carried the virus, that came into those markets. We found that it was bats, not civets, was the original idea. So, we started looking where did they come from. And we went out to southern China. And did surveillance of bats across southern China. And weve now found, after six or seven years of doing this, over one hundred new SARS-related coronaviruses, very close to SARS. Some of them get into human cells in the lab. And some of them can cause SARS disease in humanized mouse models. And are untreatable with therapeutic monoclonals [antibodies] and you cant vaccinate against them with a vaccine. At 29:51, Daszak describes bioengineering of those viruses by inserting components of one coronavirus into another. Well, I think, coronavirus is a pretty good, I mean, youre a virologist [the interviewer], you know all this stuff, but the, you can manipulate them in the lab pretty easily. Spike protein drives a lot of what happens with the coronavirus, zoonotic risk. So, you can get the sequence, you can build the protein, and we work with Ralph Baric at UNC [University of North Carolina] to do this. Insert it into a backbone of another virus, and do some work in the lab. So, you can get more predictive, when you find the sequence. You have this diversity. Now, the logical progression for vaccines is, if you are going to develop a vaccine for SARS, people are going to use pandemic SARS, but lets try to insert these other related and get a better vaccine. As director of the NIAID, Dr. Fauci should be obliged to answer questions and provide information regarding his support of Chinese research through the funding of the EcoHealth Alliance and other U.S. institutions under the new $82 million program to create a global network of ten Centers for Research in Emerging Infectious Diseases. Read more at: CCNationalSecurity.org Nagaur MP Hanuman Beniwal, who was found positive for COVID-19 in the test conducted ahead of the Lok Sabha session in Delhi but later tested negative in Jaipur, has demanded an inquiry into contradictory reports. The national convener of RLP, an NDA ally, said he is pained and surprised that neither the Union Health Ministry nor the Lok Sabha secretariat has responded to his queries to clear the confusion. Beniwal, who was first infected with coronavirus in July but recovered a few days later, gave his sample on the Lok Sabha premises on September 11 for the test before the Parliament session and was informed telephonically on September 13 that he has been found positive for the infection. The MP, who was in Jaipur when he received the call, immediately consulted doctors at the SMS Hospital there and got himself tested again. The test report at SMS Hospital came negative. Along with the COVID-19 testing, Beniwal also got himself tested for antibody in Jaipur. The COVID-19 test report of SMS Hospital, Jaipur is negative. Doctors said that I am healthy and have developed antibodies and in a position to donate plasma, so how come the test report of ICMR, Delhi is positive? the MP questioned. He asserted that the ICMR's test report is incorrect and raises serious questions about its credibility. I am a member of the NDA family and I was expecting that the Union government will take care of me but I am pained that neither the Health Ministry nor the Lok Sabha secretariat has taken up this matter. I was asked to stay in home quarantine and therefore I am not able to attend the Lok Sabha session to raise issues pertaining to Rajasthan, he said. Beniwal said Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla too is from Rajasthan and he should look into the matter and order an inquiry. There are contradictions in my test reports. Since the ICMR report is positive, I was barred from attending the LS session. What will happen if any other MP who carries the virus and tests negative in the ICMR testing? He will infect many in the Lok Sabah. Who will be responsible for this? he asked. The MP is under home quarantine in Jaipur at present. Sir Keir Starmer has said that his family was able to access a coronavirus test on Monday only because his wife works in the NHS. The Labour leader is self-isolating after a member of his family showed symptoms of Covid-19 yesterday morning. But the symptoms appeared amid shortages of tests across the country, with reports that at times on Monday no tests of any kind were available in the 10 areas with the highest infection rates. Speaking to the TUC congress via video link from a spare room in his London home, Sir Keir revealed that he only got a test arranged because of his wife Victorias job. He branded the situation completely unacceptable and said it was the fault of Boris Johnsons government, who should not be allowed to pass the blame on to public servants or excessive demand from members of the public. UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 17 January 2022 Bonhams Danny McIlwraith holds a Nigerian polycrome carved wood mask during a photocall for the sale of the Jim Lennon Collection at Bonhams in Edinburgh PA UK news in pictures 16 January 2022 The moon rises above the Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth, Hampshire PA UK news in pictures 15 January 2022 Demonstrators outside Downing Street during a Kill The Bill protest against The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill in London PA UK news in pictures 14 January 2022 Ecologist Emma Smart (left) and retired GP Dr Diana Warner outside HMP Bronzefield, in Surrey, following their release from the prison where Emma undertook a 26-day hunger strike during her incarceration. Ms Smart was sentenced in November, along with other members of Insulate Britain, to serve four months for breaking a High Court injunction by taking part in a blockade at junction 25 of the M25 motorway during the morning rush hour on 8 October last year PA UK news in pictures 13 January 2022 A TV presenter holds a copy of a newspaper outside 10 Downing Streetafter the Prime Minister apologised for attending a gathering of colleagues in the Number Ten garden in May 2020, while the UK was in strict lockdown due to the Coronavirus pandemic Getty UK news in pictures 12 January 2022 Fitness guru Derrick Evans after receiving an MBE during an investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 11 January 2022 A couple walk underneath an umbrella during wet weather on Westminster Bridge in central London PA UK news in pictures 10 January 2022 A jogger passes the Covid Memorial Wall in London AP UK news in pictures 9 January 2021 The sun rises over horses at Seaton Sluice in Northumberland PA UK news in pictures 8 January 2022 Riders compete during the Veterans Men's race at the UK Cyclo-Cross National Championships 2022 in Ardingly, south of London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 7 January 2022 A dog looks out of a car window at the wintry conditions in Killeshin, Co. Laois PA UK news in pictures 6 January 2022 People walk through frost and mist alongside a frozen lake during sunrise in Bushy Park, London REUTERS UK news in pictures 5 January 2022 A skier jumps on the slopes at Allenheads in the Pennines to the north of Weardale in Northumberland PA UK news in pictures 4 January 2022 Freshly-fallen snow covers houses in Corbridge, near Hexham in Northumberland PA UK news in pictures 3 January 2022 Dean Morrison, 13, receives his Covid-19 vaccine from student nurse Anthony McLaughlin during a vaccination clinic at the Glasgow Central Mosque PA UK news in pictures 2 January 2022 Konastantinos Tsimikas of Liverpool with Chelseas Mason Mount during the Premier League match at Stamfrod Bridge Liverpool FC/Getty UK news in pictures 1 January 2022 New Years Eve Lasers, drones and fireworks illuminate the sky in front of the Royal Naval College in Greenwich shortly after midnight in London EPA UK news in pictures 31 December 2021 Competitors in fancy dress run across the Pennine tops near Haworth, West Yorkshire, in the annual Auld Lang Syne Fell race which attracts hundreds of runners every year PA UK news in pictures 30 December 2021 Sunrise at Bamburgh Castle in Northumberland PA UK news in pictures 29 December 2021 The Very Revd Dr Robert Willis, Dean of Canterbury Cathedral, looks at Becket, a six month old red-billed chough as he visits Wildwood Wildlife Park in Kent on the anniversary of the murder of Thomas Becket PA UK news in pictures 28 December 2021 Troops of the Household Cavalry are seen reflected in a puddle during the changing of the Queens Life Guard, on Horse Guards Parade, in central London PA UK news in pictures 27 December 2021 A pedestrian walks past a winter sale sign outside a John Lewis store on Oxford street in London Getty UK news in pictures 26 December 2021 Riders take their bikes through the snow near Castleside, County Durham PA UK news in pictures 25 December 2021 Patrick Corkery wears a santa hat and beard as waves crash over him at Forty Foot near Dublin during a Christmas Day dip PA UK news in pictures 24 December 2021 People stand inside Kings Cross Station on Christmas Eve in London Reuters UK news in pictures 23 December 2021 Christmas shoppers fill the car park at Fosse Shopping Park in Leicester PA UK news in pictures 22 December 2021 The sun rises behind the stones as people gather for the winter solstice at Stonehenge. Getty UK news in pictures 21 December 2021 People take part in a winter solstice swim at Portobello Beach in Edinburgh to mark the solstice and to witness the dawn after the longest night of the year PA UK news in pictures 20 December 2021 An auction employee displays poultry to buyers and sellers attending the Christmas Poultry Sale at York Auction Centre in Murton PA UK news in pictures 19 December 2021 Joao Moutinho of Wolverhampton Wanderers looks on during the Premier League match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Chelsea at Molineux Getty Images UK news in pictures 18 December 2021 Freight lorries queuing at the port of Dover in Kent PA UK news in pictures 17 December 2021 Newly elected Liberal Democrat MP Helen Morgan, bursts 'Boris' bubble' held by colleague Tim Farron, as she celebrates following her victory in the North Shropshire by-election PA UK news in pictures 16 December 2021 Brussels sprouts are harvested by workers as they prepare for the busy Christmas period near Boston in Lincolnshire PA UK news in pictures 15 December 2021 Lewis Hamilton is made a Knight Bachelor by the Prince of Wales at Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 14 December 2021 The Royal Liver Buildings surrounded by early morning fog in Liverpool PA UK news in pictures 13 December 2021 People queue outside a walk-in Covid-19 vaccination centre at St Thomas's Hospital in Westminster Getty Images UK news in pictures 12 December 2021 People take part in the Big Leeds Santa Dash in Roundhay Park, Leeds PA UK news in pictures 11 December 2021 People arrive at a Covid-19 vaccination centre at Elland Road in Leeds, PA UK news in pictures 10 December 2021 Stella Moris speaks to the media after the US Government won its High Court bid to overturn a judges decision not to extradite WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange PA UK news in pictures 9 December 2021 Camels are lead around Salisbury Cathedral during a rehearsal for the Christmas Eve Service PA UK news in pictures 8 December 2021 Margaret Keenan and Nurse May Parsons, a year after Margaret was the first person in the UK to receive the Pfizer vaccine PA UK news in pictures 7 December 2021 Snowfall in Leadhills, South Lanarkshire as Storm Barra hits the UK with disruptive winds, heavy rain and snow PA UK news in pictures 6 December 2021 A person tries to avoid sea spray on New Brighton promenade in Wallasey as the UK readies for the arrival of Storm Barra Getty UK news in pictures 5 December 2021 People release balloons during a tribute to six-year-old Arthur Labinjo-Hughes outside Emma Tustin's former address in Solihull, West Midlands, where he was murdered by his stepmother PA UK news in pictures 4 December 2021 People walk through a Christmas market in Trafalgar Square Reuters UK news in pictures 3 December 2021 A pedestrian carries a dog as they dodge shoppers on Oxford Street in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 2 December 2021 Duchess of Cambridge inspects a Faberge egg at the Victoria and Albert Museum Getty UK news in pictures 1 December 2021 Meerkats at London Zoo with an advent calendar PA UK news in pictures 30 November 2021 Workers put the finishing touches to the Trafalgar Square Christmas Tree ahead of the lighting ceremony later in the week PA UK news in pictures 29 November 2021 Home Secretary Priti Patel is greeted by a police dog at a special memorial service for Met Police Sergeant Matiu Ratana Getty Starmer said: People shouldn't have to traipse halfway around the country in search of a Covid test when they're sick. Yesterday, my family were able to get a test quickly when we needed one, but only because my wife works in the NHS in a hospital that provides tests for staff and their families. For thousands of people across the country, its a very different story. After six months of this pandemic, that's completely unacceptable. And whatever Boris Johnson and Matt Hancock might say, it's not the British people that are to blame for these mistakes. It is not the civil servants, care home workers or a mutant algorithm. It's the government. It's the government that's holding Britain back. And we should never let them forget that. Sir Keir said that the prime minister had failed to use the summer to get the basics right, a testing system that works, an effective track and trace system. He took a swipe at the PMs boosterist rhetoric, which has seen Johnson promise a world-beating app which is yet to materialise and a moonshot testing system able to process millions of people a day. , the Labour leader said: We don't need world-beating, we need effective - a plan to protect care homes this winter and an exam system that parents and young people can trust. We don't need world-beating," said Starmer. "We need effective - a plan to protect care homes this winter and an exam system that parents and young people can trust. He said: The prime minister has failed on every count as infection rates rise and our testing system collapses, what are your priorities these last few weeks? Reopening old wounds on Brexit, trashing Britain's reputation abroad and making it harder for us to get the trade deal we all want. So my message to the prime minister is simple. Get your priorities right, get on with defeating this virus and get the Brexit deal you promised. In his first speech to the annual TUC congress as Labour leader, Starmer warned the UK stands on the precipice of a return to Thatcher-era unemployment. Keir Starmer says he only got Covid test because his wife is NHS worker He repeated his call for an extension to chancellor Rishi Sunaks furlough scheme for workers in the industries worst hit by social distancing and lockdown restrictions. He offered Mr Johnson cross-party support for a genuine national plan to protect millions of jobs and avoid the scarring effect mass unemployment will have on communities and families across the country. At this moment of national crisis we should take inspiration from our past, said Starmer. Be willing to put party differences aside and work together in the interest of the country. Imagine how powerful it would be if we could form a genuine national plan to protect jobs, create new ones and invest in skills and training. Im making an open offer to the prime minister: work with us to keep millions of people in work. Work with the trade unions and work with businesses. Do everything possible to protect jobs and to deliver for working people. Labour has warned that chancellor Rishi Sunaks one-size-fits-all plan to halt the furlough scheme across the economy on 1 November risks a giant wave of job losses in the weeks before Christmas. Sir Keir acknowledged that the scheme - under which the state paid more than 9 million workers up to 80 per cent of monthly pay at the height of the pandemic - cannot continue forever in its original form. But he insisted that "a better approach is possible, involving a targeted job retention scheme for sectors like aviation and retail and areas hit by local lockdowns, as well as part-time working and training for those unable to go back to full hours. The Labour leader also called for a ban on fire and re-hire practices, under which staff are laid off only to be re-employed under worse pay and conditions. Branding them as not just wrong but against British values", he said: These tactics punish good employers, hit working people hard and harm our economy. After a decade of pay restraint, thats the last thing working people need. And in the middle of a deep recession, its the last thing our economy needs. A Swedish double murder suspect went on trial today in a 16-year-old case that went unsolved until police matched him to crime scene DNA on a genealogy website. Daniel Nyqist, who confessed to the killings after his arrest last June, has been charged with the 2004 murder of a 56-year-old woman and an eight-year-old boy. Both were stabbed in a random act one morning in the quiet southern Swedish town of Linkoping in a crime which shocked the country. After years of fruitless investigations, police arrested 37-year-old Nyqvist after a law change allowed them to search for the DNA they found at the crime scene on the websites Gedmatch and Family Tree. A court sketch shows Daniel Nyqvist, far right, and his lawyer Johan Ritzer at a court in Sweden today where Nyqvist is facing a double murder charge based on DNA evidence The crime has long gripped the nation with investigators unable to come up with either a perpetrator or a motive despite finding the DNA. Police also found the murder weapon, a bloody cap and witness descriptions of a young man with blond hair, and even called in the FBI for help but to no avail. The case was finally cracked when new legislation in January 2019 allowed police to search for matches to suspects' DNA on commercial genealogy websites, which are popular among Swedes seeking long-lost relatives. 'We received a match almost immediately. And several months later, the suspect could be arrested. His DNA was taken and matched 100 per cent,' police said in a statement the day after his arrest. Nyqvist, whose brother was also briefly a suspect based on the DNA match, later confessed to the double killing. Aged 21 at the time, he admitted to obsessive thoughts about killing and that he chose his victims randomly, first stabbing the boy and then the woman. According to investigators, he had lived a secluded life near Linkoping since the murders. An unemployed loner who liked to play computer games, Nyquist only rarely ventured out of his parents' house, media reports say. Medical experts have concluded he suffers from a serious psychiatric disorder and did so at the time of the crime. If convicted, he will be sentenced to psychiatric care. The case file in the Linkoping murders became the second biggest in Sweden's history after the 1986 murder of prime minister Olof Palme (pictured) The case shocked Sweden which has long held a reputation as one of the safest countries in the world. Over the years, the case file grew to become the second biggest in Sweden's history, after the 1986 murder of prime minister Olof Palme. Earlier this year, prosecutors announced they were closing the Palme case and named graphic designer Stig Engstrom as the chief suspect. Engstrom, who died in 2000, had long been known to Swedes as 'Skandia Man' after the insurance firm with offices near the shooting, where the suspect worked. But the end of the Palme saga in June left many Swedes dissatisfied after prosecutors admitted the evidence would be too thin for a trial. Decades of speculation about Palme's death had included theories that he was killed by South African security services or Kurdish separatists. The Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities announced Sept. 7 the discovery of 13 completely sealed coffins dating back more than 2,500 years in a deep burial shaft in the ancient Saqqara region of the Giza governorate, south of Cairo. According to Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Khaled al-Anani, the burial shaft is about 11 meters (36 feet) deep. The shaft contained wooden coffins with paint still intact and stacked on top of each other. Anani posted video footage from the archaeological discovery site on his Instagram account, with a caption that read, An indescribable feeling when you witness a new archeological discovery. Stay tuned for the announcement of a new discovery in Saqqara. Thank you to my colleagues in the ministry. According to the ministry's statement published on its Facebook page, a preliminary study showed that the coffins are completely sealed and have not been opened since they were buried. It is likely that more coffins will be discovered in the niches near the shaft, it added. One of these niches was opened and wooden coffins and archaeological pieces were also found. Al-Monitor spoke to Mostafa Waziry, secretary-general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities who is currently leading the Egyptian archaeological mission in Saqqara. He said, Saqqara is a promising region. It is one of the most important archaeological regions that still has unrevealed secrets. More work and more archaeological excavations are required to uncover more of its secrets and treasures. Work is underway to define the identity and titles of the occupiers of these 13 coffins, which were found after 2,500 years. He explained that a team of Egyptian restoration workers began restoring the 13 archaeological coffins, adding that archaeological excavations are continuing in the region, and that indications are promising and usher in more new discoveries. Waziri noted that this new discovery is not the first in the archaeological region of Saqqara, as archaeological discoveries have remarkably increased during the past years. This has resulted in many international archaeological missions working in this region to race against time trying to explore hidden treasures, he added. He said the increase in the number of archaeological discoveries recently is due to the resumption of foreign archaeological missions after a hiatus of a number of years. There are currently 300 archaeological missions from 25 countries, including some that are operating for the first time in Egypt such as the joint Egyptian-Chinese archaeological mission. Add to this the increase in the number of Egyptian archaeological missions, which for the first time in the history of Egypt reached about 50 missions working in various archaeological sites across the country. Waziri praised these Egyptian missions made up of prominent workers, technicians and archaeologists, and hailed their work to reveal the ancient Egyptian civilization to the world. The Egyptian antiquities missions resumed excavation works in August, after they were suspended in April due to the coronavirus pandemic. While taking into account preventive measures, the missions are now operating in four regions, namely Tuna El-Gabal in Minya, the Saqqara antiquities region, the Pyramids in Giza and al-Asasif region, west of Luxor, according to Waziri. In September 2019, the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities had announced its approval of the work of about 240 foreign archaeological missions, including one Spanish and one American mission, in addition to 40 Egyptian archaeological missions, at various sites during the new archaeological season. The 2019 announcement came at the launch of the winter excavation season. Although expectations were high that the archaeological season would be exceptional, the coronavirus outbreak ended the work of all foreign missions. In recent years, the Saqqara region has witnessed several important archaeological discoveries. The ministry announced in December 2018 the discovery of a tomb that belongs to Wahtye, a high priest who served during the reign of King Neferirkare in the Old Kingdoms Fifth Dynasty. The 4,400-year-old tomb was intact and well preserved with distinguished colors. It measures roughly 10 meters (33 feet) in length and three meters (10 feet) in height. The tombss walls are decorated with colorful scenes showing the royal priest alongside his mother, wife and other members of his family. It contains large colored statues of Wahtye carved in rock. In July 2018, excavation works in Saqqara carried out by the Egyptian-German mission of the University of Tubingen uncovered a mummification workshop with connected burial chambers dating back to the 26th and 27th dynasties (664-404 B.C.). The announcement was made during the archaeological survey works in the Cemeteries of the Sawy Age, located south of the Pyramid of Unas in Saqqara. The mission also found a gilded mummy mask inlaid with semiprecious stones that covered the face of one of the mummies in one of the attached burial chambers. The Egyptian archaeological mission also found in April 2019 a tomb in Saqqara for a person named Khuwy who was one of the nobles living in the era of the Fifth Dynasty in the Old Kingdom. The mission uncovered this tomb while documenting the collection of pyramids that belong to King Djedkare Isesi, a ruler of the Fifth Dynasty. At the end of last year, the ministry unveiled a huge cache of ancient artifacts and mummified animals in Saqqara. The discovery consisted of a tomb with a number of mummified cats and a statute of a big cat. Crocodiles, cobras and scarab beetles are among the other mummified creatures found at the site, along with statues of other animals and birds. The discovery of the cache, which dates back to the seventh century B.C., includes wooden boxes decorated with hieroglyphics. Specialist labs in France and Sweden have confirmed that Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny was poisoned with a nerve agent from the Novichok group, the German government announced Monday. Why it matters: The chemical is typically associated with Russian security services and was used in the attempted assassination in 2018 of Sergei Skripal, a Russian former double agent who had relocated to the U.K. The Kremlin has denied wrongdoing. What they're saying: The results of the tests have revealed unequivocal proof of the presence of a chemical nerve agent from the Novichok group. This constitutes a severe violation of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC)," the German government said in a statement. "The Federal Government has therefore requested that the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) help analyst evidence related to to the Navalny case." "We once again call on Russia to make a statement on the incident. We are closely consulting with our European partners regarding possible next steps." The state of play: Navalny has been taken out of his medically induced coma by German doctors. He is no longer on a ventilator and is able to get up from his hospital bed, according to an update from his spokesperson on Monday. Go deeper: White House calls poisoning of Navalny "completely reprehensible" The Harrisburg community was outraged, devastated and confused after a registered sex offender was arrested in connection with the killing of 16-year-old Kyan King. But one thing a group of community activists also found was the drive to fight for change in the city. That group, which included the leadership of several local organizations, created Community United" and outlined their plans to make the Harrisburg safer during a press conference Monday night. We are not a dying city by choice, said Ana White, with re-entry organization Bro2Go. She and the others spent an hour talking about the many ways in which their organizations can help bring the city back to life. The individuals behind me and the organizations that they represent are ready, willing and above all capable of providing the education that our community has been begging political figures for, White said. One of the biggest initiatives in the group came from former Harrisburg City Council member Otto V. Banks, who represented FAIR City during the meeting. A revelation that came from Kings death in recent weeks was that there are currently no restrictions on where sex offenders can live, including next to schools and daycares. Banks introduced text for a city ordinance, that would prohibit people convicted of a select number of sex offenses from living within a mile of a school. Banks said similar ordinances have been ruled unconstitutional in the past, but because it was considered a banishment in those jurisdictions. This ordinance does not banish anyone, Banks said. What this ordinance does is create a safer environment for our children. You can still reside in the city of Harrisburg. We just dont want you to reside in the area close to our schools and have direct access to our children. The plan is still in its early stages, and Banks said he will be working with other entities to make the ordinance as fair as possible. As it stands, the current ordinance will not include a prohibition for sex offenders living near daycare centers. When an audience member asked why that was, Banks said he hopes by limiting the restrictions now, it will be easier to pass. Eventually, the hope is they can expand on it. Other community groups, including All You Can, Push, Unite PA, Be a Man, Inc., La Voz Latina, FAIR City and Capital Rebirth each spoke to different initiatives they will be working on outside of the potential ordinance. Mikell Simpson said Capital Rebirth will be actively looking into the areas of the city where sex offenders currently live and make sure the community knows they are there, whether by flyers or other means to raise awareness. Ralph Rodriguez, with All You Can, is creating a Harrisburg Patrol Division that will focus on neighborhood patrolling, resource awareness and mandated reporting. Our goal is not to be vigilantes in the street interfering with police matters, Rodriguez said. On the contrary, our goal is to create a presence of certified citizens patrolling and interacting within our neighborhoods, offering families resources and solutions in their times of need. White said she will be focusing on educating the public about their local political leaders and also providing people with the education to vote out any politicians that are not following through with their promises. Rev. Jennie Jenkins-Dallas, who recently started La Voz Latina, will work with her husband, Bishop Dallas, to help make sure the Latino voice is heard in the city. Monday was just the beginning, but as many of the nights speakers said, they are getting started right away to get these initiatives into action. Read more on PennLive: Architect Victor Body-Lawson, AIA, and Home Street Residences, The Bronx, NY Formerly homeless seniors are allotted 30 percent of the building units, with the remaining apartments set aside for low-income seniors and families. About 50,000 people so far have applied for residency, states Body-Lawson. Bronx Pro Group and DreamYard provided community space programming. The acclaimed architecture, interiors and urban design practice Body Lawson Associates Architects and Planners has announced the debut of Home Street Residences, an innovative low-income housing development conceived primarily for seniors, with a community space now home to a teen support and video gaming center. Located on Freeman Square in the Foxhurst section of the Bronx, the new building with 63 affordable apartments opened earlier this year and offers a salient example of how dedicated, attainable housing can make a bold statement while paying homage to its site and community. Designed by Body Lawson Associates Architects and Planners (BLA), Home Street Residences offers a striking addition to a prominent cuneate intersection. Maximizing the 75,000-square-foot building, the architecture team led by Victor Body- Lawson, AIA, created a contextually sensitive form and carved out 63 apartments averaging and ample 550 square feet each, with high-quality finishes and fixtures. Economical in its construction, the building employs panelized steel-stud framing, recessed fenestration, and extra insulation to lower heating and cooling costs and meet its LEED Gold aspirations. Grey brick cladding echoes the schist from the dilapidated church that once stood on the site, and the recessed window openings produce a sculptural quality in the geometric shadows often gracing the facade. The former Presbyterian churchs cartouche of 1909 is embedded in the foundation of this 1017 Home Street structure. According to BLA and its client, the developers Home Street Partners, LLC, formerly homeless seniors are allotted 30 percent of the building units, with the remaining apartments set aside blocked off for diverse low-income senior individuals and families. About 50,000 people so far have applied for residency, states Body-Lawson. The facilitys manager-operator is Bronx Pro Group, and the award-winning nonprofit DreamYard, which collaborates with schools, families and youth in the Bronx, provided the community space programming. A study in smart geometry, BLAs architectural approach allows for exceptionally graceful living units and customized common areas replete with site-salvaged wood furnishings. The new building transforms an underutilized site into a vibrant affordable housing project for seniors living in the Foxhurst Neighborhood of the Bronx, according to the nonprofit affordable housing policy and advocacy organization, New York Housing Conference. "The facility space provides services for residents and community members. Inside, BLAs contemporary interior design signature is seen in the stainless-steel appliances and dark wood finishes. Browns and grays in the hallways, common areas and apartments complement the exterior palette, with original paintings by Body-Lawson in corridors and elevator lobbies. Residents have access to roof patios with dramatic views of Manhattan and the Bronx as well as quiet rear courtyard. Succulents, ferns and other perennials provide needed biophilic touches. Of other note is the mail room, with its elegant finishes and subtle artwork, and also the small gym room. The ground floor uses a tessellated and color-variegated stone pattern, contrasting the interior courtyards elegant gray herringbone tiles. A new cornerstone of this Bronx neighborhood, Home Street Residences occupies a highly visible location and is conceived to make life convenient and supportive for its residents. Daniel Boone Playground, Crotona Park and Concrete Plant Park are within walking distance, as are a post office, multiple eateries, groceries, mass transit and public schools. In the building itself, the multigenerational occupants create an environment of support and mutual reliance, says Body-Lawson, who is also designing several large-scale new affordable housing projects. Our goal as architects is to collaborate with our clients and communities directly to create better cities for all people. "The completion of 1017 Home Street provides seniors with affordable, sustainable, healthy housing in a beautiful new building with onsite services, says Justin Stein, senior vice president with Bronx Pro Group, the manager and operator. It also provides the community with a new and vibrant community facility in which nonprofit DreamYard operates BX Start, where the power of video games and digital media are used to catalyze economic opportunity, community building, and pathways to equity for youth. A noted leader in responsive, collaborative community solutions and an emerging design signature, Body Lawson Associates Architects and Planners (BLA) is helmed by architect Victor Body-Lawson, AIA, recognized for his ability to empower people in under-resourced communities through their public spaces and buildings. Known for their work in a variety of sectors and for leadership in inner-city affordable housing, BLA is now designing Marcus Garvey Village, a 19- story housing development with 169 units of affordable housing, and the firm is teamed with WXY architecture + urban design as architect for a new, 740-unit mixed-use complex, The Peninsula, which is 100 percent affordable. HAIKOU, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- The southern Chinese province of Hainan on Monday unveiled a plan aimed at drawing more high-skilled overseas personnel to work and start business on the island. According to the plan, universities, hospitals, scientific research institutes and statutory bodies in Hainan will reserve a number of posts for overseas talent. Qualified personnel will be allowed to serve as legal representatives of statutory bodies, public institutions and state-owned enterprises. "They will be offered an annual salary ranging from 300,000 to 800,000 yuan (about 43,880 to 117,000 U.S. dollars)," said Li Jing, an official with the provincial human resources and social security department. On June 1, China released a master plan for Hainan free trade port, aiming to make the island a globally influential high-level free trade facility by the middle of the century. NAPLES, Italy - The run-down, paint-chipped Detroit house where U.S. civil rights icon Rosa Parks took refuge after her historic bus boycott is going on display in Italy in a setting that couldnt be more incongruous: the imposing central courtyard of the Royal Palace in Naples. Its the latest stop for the house in a years-long saga that began when Parks niece saved the tiny two-story home from demolition in Detroit after the 2008 financial crisis. She donated it to an American artist who took it apart and rebuilt it for public display in Germany, and now Italy, after failing to find a permanent resting place for it in the U.S. As racial tensions seethe across the Atlantic, the exhibition of the home starting Tuesday has taken on fresh relevance. The display is being accompanied by a repeating soundtrack entitled 8:46 and lasting that long. Its the original time prosecutors said it took for a Black man, George Floyd, to be killed by white police officers in a May slaying that has fueled the Black Lives Matter movement and protests around the nation in a reckoning with Americas history of slavery and racial injustice. Minnesota prosecutors later acknowledged the police officer had his knee on Floyds neck for seven minutes, 46 seconds, but said the one minute difference didnt affect the case. Artist Ryan Mendoza has been campaigning for more than five years to draw attention to the historic value of the home, where Parks lived for a short time after her 1955 defining act of defiance: refusing to give up her seat on a bus to a white passenger in Montgomery, Alabama. The yearlong refusal of African Americans to ride city buses that followed is regarded as the first major U.S. demonstration against segregation. In an interview ahead of the opening, Mendoza said he hoped the grandeur of the Naples debut of Almost Home would draw attention to Parks legacy and help America remember a house it didnt know it had forgotten. Parks lived in the tiny house in Detroit with her brother and his family as she struggled to make a new life for herself in the northern U.S. after receiving death threats following the bus protest. The family says Parks, who died in 2005, lived there with 17 other relatives. The house was abandoned and slated for demolition after the financial crisis in 2008 and Detroits dramatic decline, but Parks niece, Rhea McCauley, bought it from the city for $500 and donated it to Mendoza. After unsuccessful efforts to persuade the city to help save the building, Mendoza in 2016 dismantled it and moved it to the German capital, rebuilding it on the lot of his studio for public display. In 2018, Brown University announced it would feature the house as part of a planned exhibition on the civil rights movement organized by its Center for Slavery and Justice. But it backed out at the last minute, citing a legal dispute with the family. Earlier this year, Mendoza approached the Naples-based Morra Greco Foundation, where he had worked for a year in the 1990s. The Foundation agreed to help organize the exhibit with the backing of the Italian culture ministry and Campania regional government. For Mendoza, the house epitomizes the experience of many African Americans who migrated north in the last century, only to face redlining and other discrimination that has affected generations of Black Americans. This house, in a word, is a way for people to understand why people in America are so enraged, he said. He takes particular satisfaction that the house, which is so fragile that you can almost blow it over, is being exhibited in the central courtyard of a royal palace, where it certainly would have never found welcome by the kings of the House of Bourbon. But now, instead of being rejected by the walls of the royal palace, its embraced and protected by these walls, he said. Potentially thanks to the showing of the house in this way, America will allow the house to have a home. ___ Winfield reported from Rome. Illustrative image (Photo: VNA) Hanoi - The textile industry in the CLMV (Cambodia-Laos-Myanmar-Vietnam) has come under near-term threat from the global COVID-19 outbreak, especially for key producer Cambodia. Singapores Business Times newspaper has quoted Sian Fenner, lead Asia economist at Oxford Economics, as saying that lockdowns adopted to contain the spread of the virus have had a severe impact on manufacturing and exports in the four countries. The textile industry was singled out as a sector badly hit by the pandemic as more than 55 percent of the materials that go to clothes manufacturing in Cambodia, Myanmar and Vietnam come from China where factories were shuttered in early 2020. Cambodia is expected to bear the brunt of the CMLV slowdown, since 66 percent of its exports are generated by the clothing industry, which has historically reaped benefits from foreign direct investment. Fenner forecast that FDI inflows will fall sharply this year and the recovery into 2021 will be muted amid weak global demand for apparel and the partial withdrawal from the Everything But Arms scheme with the EU. However, the CMLV bloc is still tipped to turn in stronger growth than the ASEAN-5 economies - Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand. Oxford Economics predicted that CMLV economic growth is likely to average 5.1 percent from 2020 to 2028, outpacing the ASEAN-5s estimated average of 4 percent. Californians should prepare for a different type of Halloween this year, the states health secretary told reporters on Tuesday. Dr. Mark Ghaly advised residents to avoid the usual Halloween activities that may put them at higher risk for exposure to the coronavirus. The traditional kind of mixing is really not advised, he said. While the state prepares official guidelines that will discourage social contact for the holiday during the COVID-19 pandemic, Bay Area public health officials have their own contingency plans in place to help people make Halloween feel more safe than scary. Trick-or-treating is strongly discouraged, because of the risk of surface transmission, according to the city and county of San Franciscos COVID-19 Command Center. Block parties and stoop gatherings should be avoided, too, as it can be difficult to maintain a distance of 6 feet and have consistent use of face-covering when many households gather on the street. Parades, festivals, and haunted houses are also out. Dont even think about bobbing for apples. Carlos Avila Gonzalez/The Chronicle Since many of the traditions for Halloween increase the risk of COVID-19 transmission, we encourage families to find creative and socially distant ways to celebrate, Joseph Sweiss, the centers joint information officer, said in a statement to The Chronicle. San Francisco officials instead suggest decorating your door, windows, and yard, wearing masks over your protective face coverings, and moving activities such as pumpkin carving and mask decorating contests online. Although outdoor events are much safer than indoor ones, large gatherings of people still increase the risk of infection, Sweiss said. While there are currently no specific restrictions beyond the blanket county protocols, that may change as the annual pagan holiday draws near. Contra Costa Countys Health Services Department also recommends people avoid trick-or-treating, and get creative at home. Gathering in small groups with people from outside your own household is a risky activity that could increase the spread of COVID-19 in the community, and trick-or-treating may also involve coming into high-contact surfaces such as doorbells, the department said in a statement to The Chronicle. Monica Gandhi, an infectious disease doctor and researcher with UCSF, said some familiar Halloween traditions can continue if people adhere to established protective measures such as masking, social distancing, and hand sanitizing. I would allow trick-or-treating with the same restrictions in place we are recommending for any setting, she said. It has to be with masks and in environments that are not crowded. I would also want the adults answering the door to wear masks. Surface transmission, Gandhi said, has become of less concern as epidemiologists learn more about the transmission of SARS-CoV-2. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. Children need something right now, she said. Other Bay Area counties are taking a wait-and-see approach to Halloween, as coronavirus case rates in the region continue to fluctuate with wildfires, reopenings, and schools resuming in-person learning. Our health officer will consider Halloween safety in the coming weeks, but we have no announcement at this time, said Preston Merchant, deputy public information officer for San Mateo Countys Health Department. The Solano County Department of Public Health said it has no information to provide at this time either, according to administrator Jayleen Richards. Alameda County and Santa Clara County did not provide updates. We know this is on the minds of many parents, said Laine Hendricks, public information officer for Marin County. We are currently evaluating options for kids to have safe Halloween festivities in a COVID environment, but at this point, we have not issued any formal recommendations or restrictions. Aidin Vaziri is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: avaziri@sfchronicle.com Paris Hilton recently birthed a labor of love with her documentary This Is Paris, which premiered Monday on her YouTube. And the New York-born socialite is aiming to bring another bundle of joy into the world, after revealing she froze her eggs. The 39-year-old star recently opened up about her plans to start a family, which will include a set of boy/girl twins, and the mom-to-be already has another city name picked out for her baby girl. Mom-to-be: Paris Hilton recently opened up about her plans to start a family, which will include a set of boy/girl twins, and the mom-to-be already has another city name picked out for her baby girl (pictured in February, 2020) Paris said on this week's episode of the podcast LadyGang: 'First one, we're planning it already, is going to be a boy and girl twin. When you freeze your eggs, you can pick if you get a boy, you get a girl, you get twins.' She added: 'I have baby London, which is the girl, and I'm trying to figure out a name for the boy. So if you have any suggestions, I'm asking my friends. 'I don't want a theme of cities, but I don't know it's hard to decide. London for sure for the girl; the boy, I'm just still trying to decide on.' Paris previously told The Sunday Times last month about wanting a girl: 'Im obsessed with dressing them up and having a mini-me, or twins, because then you get both [girl and boy] at once.' One of each: The 39-year-old said on this week's episode of the podcast LadyGang: 'First one, we're planning it already, is going to be a boy and girl twin. When you freeze your eggs, you can pick if you get a boy, you get a girl, you get twins' Paris to London: She added: 'I have baby London, which is the girl, and I'm trying to figure out a name for the boy. So if you have any suggestions, I'm asking my friends. I don't want a theme of cities, but I don't know it's hard to decide' (pictured in January, 2020) Friendly advice: She also revealed it was her friend and former assistant Kim Kardashian, 39, who encouraged her to freeze her eggs a few years ago (pictured with Kim in August, 2006) She also revealed it was her friend and former assistant Kim Kardashian, 39, who encouraged her to freeze her eggs a few years ago. The Stars Are Blind artist said: 'I had a really amazing conversation with Kim about it. She introduced me to her doctor, and I was so inspired by her to actually do it. 'I think every woman should do it because you can really control it and not have that, "Oh my God, I need to get married."' She recently celebrated another anniversary with boyfriend Carter Reum, 39, to whom she was first romantically linked in January at a Golden Globes after party. Paris wrote in the Instagram tribute: 'When we first met, I had no idea of the amazing journey I was about to embark on. My life was always empty, like I was missing something. 'But when I met you, I knew you were the one. Youve filled my heart with so much love. I believe that everything happens for a reason because everything in my life, all the good and the bad, has led me right to you. Happy anniversary! She recently celebrated another anniversary with boyfriend Carter Reum, 39 Quarantine romance: The couple has been spending quarantine together, since they were first romantically linked in January at a Golden Globes after party Sent from above: The House of Wax actress also told Sunday Times of the the author/entrepreneur: 'I feel like my grandmother sent him to save me. I love him so much' Perfect match: She added: 'Finally, Ive found my perfect match, someone I want to spend the rest of my life with and have a family with' Thoughtful beau: Carter surprised her on Sunday with balloons and a personalized cake, celebrating the premiered of This Is Paris 'You are my reason for me being so happy and feeling like the luckiest girl in the world! I love making you happy and promise to make you smile forever. Love so much handsome! Happy anniversary!' She appears to be celebrating their monthly anniversaries, as she's posted several similar tributes since making their relationship Instagram official in April with another anniversary post. The House of Wax actress also told Sunday Times of the the author/entrepreneur: 'I feel like my grandmother sent him to save me. I love him so much. 'Finally, Ive found my perfect match, someone I want to spend the rest of my life with and have a family with.' She was previously been engaged three times in the past, to model Jason Shaw, 46, from 2002 to 2003, Greek shipping heir Paris Latsis, 37, in 2005 and actor Chris Zylka, 35, in 2018. Paris added: 'Ive said "hes the one" before just because I always wanted to portray, "Im so happy with the perfect life, the perfect boyfriend," but I never truly felt that. I was just acting.' Past relationships: She was previously been engaged three times in the past, to model Jason Shaw, 46, from 2002 to 2003, Greek shipping heir Paris Latsis, 37, in 2005 and actor Chris Zylka, 35, in 2018 Just an act: Paris added: 'Ive said "hes the one" before just because I always wanted to portray, "Im so happy with the perfect life, the perfect boyfriend," but I never truly felt that. I was just acting' (pictured with Chris Zylka in October, 2018) Carter surprised her on Sunday with balloons and a personalized cake, celebrating the premiered of This Is Paris. She's revealing a never-before-seen side of herself in the documentary, stripping away the shallow socialite character she's been pigeonholed into portraying. Paris told Variety of her portrayal in the film: 'I feel that Ive grown up so much, especially in the past year. Doing this film, I just had so many realizations and realized who I truly am and why I am the way I am.' She also revealed to TMZ that with the new chapter in her life, she's ready to focus on starting a family. The Simple Life star said: 'I'm more focused on the future, and things that really matter, like family and the next phase of my life. 'But things are going amazing business-wise, I just released my 27th fragrance, of course I'm going to continue always being a Boss Babe, because I love working hard, but I'm now going to put my personal life with my relationship ahead of my business.' The PLA Xizang Military Command holds a see-off ceremony for the peacekeeping medical team in Lhasa on September 10, 2020. (CNS/ Photo by GuoDongdong) By Liu Zhidan, Pu Jin and Jiang Feibo Lhasa, Sept. 15 -- The PLA Xizang Military Command held a ceremony in Lhasa to see off the 24th Chinese peacekeeping medical detachment to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) on September 10. The medical detachment departed Lhasa on Monday for the DRC to join the 24th Chinese peacekeeping force to the DRC. It is the first time that the Xizang Military Command has dispatched servicepersons for international peacekeeping mission. In the past two months, the 43 members of the peacekeeping medical detachment had conducted training and examination in nine professional subjects, including Level-II peacekeeping hospital standardized treatment procedures, nursing operation techniques, and prevention of infectious diseases, etc. They have also been vaccinated against seven infectious diseases like cholera, yellow fever and hepatitis A. We are determined to make successful completion of our mission entrusted by the United Nations with the first-class standards, superb medical skills and efficient work, said Zhang Min, leader of the 24th Chinese peacekeeping medical detachment to the DRC. A member of the 24th Chinese peacekeeping medical detachment to the DRC poses for a selfie with his girlfriend before leaving Lhasa on September 10, 2020. (CNS/Photo by Lu Jian) How rich that columnist Marc A. Thiessen of The Washington Post is criticizing Sen. Kamala Harris for, as he puts it, calling into question whether it would be safe to take the coronavirus vaccines being developed under the Trump administrations Operation Warp Speed and that she seems to care more about playing politics than saving lives" ("Harris casting doubt on a rapid vaccine is shameful, Sept. 11). I hope this column was written before the news reports on Bob Woodwards book Rage came out. Trump, he of the 20,000-plus misleading claims and lies, admitted on tape that he deliberately minimized the seriousness of the virus because I dont want to create a panic. Dan Coats, then-director of national intelligence, is quoted in the book saying, To [Trump], a lie is not a lie. Its just what he thinks. He doesnt know the difference between the truth and a lie. Dr. Anthony Fauci said privately, also as quoted by Woodward, that Trumps attention span is like a minus number" and that his "sole purpose is to get reelected. And Thiessen criticizes Harris for playing politics? How about criticizing President Trump for playing politics? Carol Gillespie, Lakewood Rocky Mountain National Park, Colo. Authorities in Colorados Rocky Mountain National Park say they have found a body believed to be that of an Upstate New York man who was reported missing on Thursday. A search and rescue team discovered the body, believed to be that of Steven Steve Grunwald, 24, of Greenville, New York, below McHenrys and Powell Peaks on Monday, park spokeswoman Kyle Patterson said in a statement. The body was flown by helicopter to a landing zone and tranferred to the Larimer County Coroners Office, which will issue positive identification following an autopsy, Patterson said. A search and rescue team in Rocky Mountain National Park found a body believed to be that of missing hiker Steven Grunwald yesterday. https://t.co/6AhaRwtmY0 pic.twitter.com/ANmbWzlsSQ Denver7 News (@DenverChannel) September 15, 2020 Park rangers found Grunwalds vehicle parked at a trailhead after a friend of Grunwald reported him missing on Thursday. His last contact with family was Aug. 28, Patterson said. According to the Denver Channel, search efforts were hampered by conditions on Friday with winter-like conditions above 10,000 feet with up to 8-10 inches of drifting snow and 50 mph wind gusts. Park authorities said they werent sure if he was prepared for the weather that brought snow to the park last week. Mamata Banerjee upset after not being allowed to speak during PMs meet Mamata tries to woo Hindus, days after attack by J P Nadda India oi-Vicky Nanjappa Kolkata, Sep 15: West Bengal Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee has announced a host of measures for the Hindu community, which includes a monthly stipend of Rs 1,000 for poor Brahmins. This announcement comes days after BJP President, J P Nadda accused her of being anti-Hindu. Mamata has also been under fire for directing her politicise towards Muslim appeasement. Don't let coronavirus dampen festive spirit: Mamata Banerjee on Mahalaya Mamata also went on to announce the establishment of a Dalit academy and the expansion of the Hindi and Rajbanshi Academy. She also went on to unveil a schema to restore mandirs, masjids and gurudwaras in districts with a special emphasis on the restoration of 14th-century heritage Temples in Bankura's Bishnupur. India elected as the member of the United Nations Commission on Status of Women | Oneindia News Further, the structure of the TMC's Hindi cell was also formalised. TMC MP, Dinesh Trivedi was appointed as the chairman. The government also decided to give Brahmins land in Kolaghat to set up a tirthashtan for Sanatan Hindu Dharma. About 8,000 poor Brahmins made a request to me. We have decided to give them a monthly stipend of Rs 1,000 and build houses for them under the Bangla Abas Yojana. This is an honorarium. We will consider such requests from Christian pastors too, Mamata said at the state secretariat. P ierre-Emerick Aubameyang's decision to sign a new contract with Arsenal has been met with jubilation from the club's supporters - and the club's dressing room too. One of the biggest fans of the Gabon international confirming he is staying at the Emirates Stadium was team-mate Alexandre Lacazette. Aubameyang will remain in north London until 2023 after penning a new three-year deal worth 250,000-per-week, making him one of the club's highest earners. In Pictures | Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang signs new Arsenal deal 1 /56 In Pictures | Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang signs new Arsenal deal Arsenal FC via Getty Images Arsenal FC via Getty Images Arsenal FC via Getty Images Arsenal FC via Getty Images Arsenal FC via Getty Images Arsenal FC via Getty Images Arsenal FC via Getty Images Arsenal FC via Getty Images Arsenal FC via Getty Images Arsenal FC via Getty Images Arsenal FC via Getty Images Arsenal FC via Getty Images Arsenal FC via Getty Images Arsenal FC via Getty Images Arsenal FC via Getty Images Arsenal FC via Getty Images Arsenal FC via Getty Images Arsenal FC via Getty Images Arsenal FC via Getty Images Arsenal FC via Getty Images Arsenal FC via Getty Images Arsenal FC via Getty Images Arsenal FC via Getty Images Arsenal FC via Getty Images Arsenal FC via Getty Images Arsenal FC via Getty Images Arsenal FC via Getty Images Arsenal FC via Getty Images Arsenal FC via Getty Images Arsenal FC via Getty Images Arsenal FC via Getty Images Arsenal FC via Getty Images Arsenal FC via Getty Images Arsenal FC via Getty Images Arsenal FC via Getty Images Arsenal FC via Getty Images Arsenal FC via Getty Images Arsenal FC via Getty Images Arsenal FC via Getty Images Arsenal FC via Getty Images Arsenal FC via Getty Images Arsenal FC via Getty Images The 31-year-old proved his status as the club's most important player with 23 Premier League goals last season and netted a brace against Chelsea to clinch the FA Cup in August. While Lacazette may see Aubameyang as competition for a place in Mikel Arteta's starting XI, the Frenchman could not hide his delight after the announcement was finally made official. After joining the live chat on Instagram, Lacazette said: "Congratulations my brother! Finally after one month after the [gestures with sand timer]... you have the biggest ego in the world. "But it's better now. Congrats bro, I'm really happy for you." In an amusing exchange, Aubameyang asked why the pair weren't speaking in their native tongue before signing off with a French goodbye. Gunners legend Ian Wright also backed Aubameyang's decision to stay, exclaiming: "My captain! I love you man! Aubameyang and Lacazette enjoyed a chat on Instagram Live Photo: Instagram/Arsenal FC / Instagram/Arsenal FC "Can I just say because there's so many people who want to question you... for you to sign for us when we needed you most and when legends left, you are a legend. I love you captain, thank you!" Wright then uploaded an animated video to his Twitter account which appeared to depict himself and Aubameyang hugging, summarising his emotional response. During the announcement video on Instagram Live, several Arsenal players - including Willian, Joe Willock, Reiss Nelson and Lacazette - all posted in the comments section to show their approval of the deal. HANOI (Reuters) - A court in Vietnam on Monday sentenced four Vietnamese people to between 2-1/2 and 7-1/2 years in prison for their role in the deaths of 39 migrants whose bodies were discovered in the back of a truck near London in October last year. The deaths shocked Britain and Vietnam and shone a spotlight on the illicit global trade that sends the poor of Asia, Africa and the Middle East on perilous journeys to the West. The defendants, aged between 24 and 36, were found guilty of organising and brokering illegal emigration, after a one-day trial in the central province of Ha Tinh, Pham Van Thin, the father of one of the victims, told Reuters. The victims, who included two 15-year-old boys, were mostly from Ha Tinh and its neighbouring Nghe An province, where poor job prospects, smuggling gangs, and environmental issues have fuelled migration. They were discovered last October in a container at the back of a truck on an industrial estate in Grays in Essex, about 20 miles (30 km) east of London. A police statement said earlier on Monday the defendants arranged for Pham Thi Tra My, whose desperate text messages sent from inside the container first alerted the world to the victims plight, to travel illegally to France and then to Britain for $22,000. My, 26, was found dead with the 38 other victims in the container. I honestly dont want the defendants to face long prison sentences as I know that it was just an accident, said Thin, Tra Mys father, who attended the trial. Handing them long prison terms wont help me get back my daughter, Thin said. Last month, a 40-year-old Irish haulier, Ronan Hughes, became the second man to plead guilty over his involvement in the case. The other was Maurice Robinson from Northern Ireland, who was driving the truck when the bodies were found. A third man, Eamonn Harrison, 23, also from Northern Ireland, pleaded not guilty to the same charges. A trial is due to begin on Oct. 5. Speaker Nancy Pelosi reportedly intends to keep the House in session until both parties and the White House strike a new coronavirus relief deal, bowing to pressure from some in her caucus to act again amid the public health crisis before Election Day. "We have to stay here until we have a bill," Pelosi told House Democrats on a morning conference call, according to The Hill. A congressional source confirmed her comments to The Independent. But that will be an uphill effort with all parties involved carrying big asks into any negotiations. That's if there are any new negotiations. Democrats and Republicans on Capitol Hill, as well as senior Trump administration officials, have not held any talks about an emergency package that could reach into the trillions of dollars. Ms Pelosi, on that call and during a CNBC interview, again insisted she and other Democratic leaders would only accept a full-scale measure that resembles one House Democrats passed earlier this year. That bill, which was stifled in the Senate by Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, would give state and local governments almost $1trn in emergency funding, and deliver another round of $1,200 direct payments to many Americans, while also extending a federal unemployment insurance program that ran out of money this summer. She rejected one more time a "skinny" Senate Republican bill endorsed by the Trump White House. "This is the opportunity. And the skinny deal is a Republican bill: That's not a deal at all," Pelosi told CNBC. "They're making a skinny, in fact, [Senate Minority Leader] Chuck Schumer and I call it an emaciated proposal for a massive problem." "We can fiscally spend the appropriate amount of money to meet the needs of the American people," she added. "And by the way: It's stimulus. We are a consumer economy and the more we have, whether it's food stamps or unemployment insurance ... that is stimulus to the economy. ... It all takes money." Lawmakers and the White House must also reach a government-funding deal by the end of the month. Both sides are eager to avoid a federal government shutdown during an election cycles final month. But those talks likely will take priority, and further stall any new Covid-19 bill. Whats more, it remains unclear what either side might except. Ms Pelosi and Democrats want a massive, $3trn measure but White House negotiators have talked about a smaller, $1trn measure. And Donald Trump, who would have to sign it into law, continues saying the country is rounding the corner on the pandemic crisis. SAN FRANCISCO (BCN) Decrying the influence and political power of police and law enforcement unions around the state, San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin and other prosecutors announced the founding of the "Prosecutors Alliance of California," an act they described as "a "first in the nation initiative" to advocate for police reform. Boudin was joined by District Attorney Tori Verber Salazar of San Joaquin County and George Gascon, former San Francisco district attorney and current candidate in the November election for the same post in Los Angeles County. Diana Becton, Contra Costa County's district attorney and the fourth founding member of the group, did not attend. The new organization intends to actively participate in the political and legislative process as an advocate for police reform as well as public safety. "For too long, law enforcement organizations in our state have sold us a false bill of goods that those concepts cannot co-exist," said Cristine Soto DeBerry, founder and executive director of the new organization. "Traditional law enforcement unions" have a "vested interest" in current policies because "overcriminalization and mass incarceration" lead to more police and corrections officers and "ultimately to more money for the unions that represent them," Boudin said. He argued that a strong voice is needed at the table to advocate for a reform agenda. "We can no longer allow these groups to distort" the perception of what is in the best interests of the public's safety, Boudin said. The prosecutors view PCA as an "alternative" to existing law enforcement groups around the state. While current members only include the founders, others are welcome and encouraged to join. Membership will also be available for line prosecutors. The new organization intends to fund itself by soliciting donations from the public. One of the first items on PCA's agenda is to prevent California district attorneys from accepting contributions from police organizations, a practice, DeBerry said, that has an "inherent conflict of interest" when prosecutors are asked to determine if there is criminal conduct by a member of the contributing union. The founding members of PCA, DeBerry said, signed a pledge earlier this year not to accept contributions from police unions. Copyright 2020 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. YEREVAN, 15 SEPTEMBER, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs Armenpress that today, 15 September, USD exchange rate down by 1.06 drams to 485.31 drams. EUR exchange rate down by 0.04 drams to 576.60 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate stood at 6.46 drams. GBP exchange rate up by 1.02 drams to 625.86 drams. The Central Bank has set the following prices for precious metals. Gold price up by 109.95 drams to 30561.75 drams. Silver price down by 0.76 drams to 419.49 drams. Platinum price up by 249.19 drams to 14776.11 drams. Actor Kangana Ranaut has shared a message for her detractors. Taking to Twitter, she wrote that women shouldnt be underestimated. The actor departed from Mumbai on Monday, after spending several eventful days there. She wrote alongside an old picture of herself, A womans compassion and gentleness are often taken for her weakness, never push someone to a point where they have nothing to loose anymore, you only give them a freedom not many know, such people dont only become dangerous but lethal as well. A womans compassion and gentleness are often taken for her weakness, never push someone to a point where they have nothing to loose anymore, you only give them a freedom not many know, such people dont only become dangerous but lethal as well pic.twitter.com/xMLRzRnuqe Kangana Ranaut (@KanganaTeam) September 15, 2020 Kangana has been engaged in a war of words with the Uddhav Thackeray government, which escalated last week during her Mumbai visit. Kangana arrived in Mumbai to the news that her Pali Hill property had been partially demolished by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), citing structural violations. Kangana has alleged that the action was politically motivated. Party leader Sanjay Raut had condemned the actors comments about feeling unsafe in Mumbai. Kangana had compared the city to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, which she doubled down on in a tweet announcing her departure. With a heavy heart leaving Mumbai, the way I was terrorised all these days constant attacks and abuses hurled at me attempts to break my house after my work place, alert security with lethal weapons around me, must say my analogy about POK was bang on, she had written. Also read: Kangana Ranaut leaves Mumbai after being terrorised all these days, says her PoK comparison was bang on She continued to comment against the Shiv Sena through the day, in one tweet saying, After landing in Chandigarh, my security has visibly decreased... People are congratulating me. It seems like I survived this time. There was a time when I felt a mothers touch in Mumbai, but today the situation is such that I am lucky to be alive. She called the Shiv Sena Sonia Sena, and said that Mumbai is being overrun by a terrorist administration. Kangana also hailed a move by Facebook, which many pointed out was satirical in nature. She later clarified that she knew she had shared a satire piece all along. Follow @htshowbiz for more SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON This page requires Javascript. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Differences in biological sex can dictate lifelong disease patterns, says a new study by Michigan State University researchers that links connections between specific hormones present before and after birth with immune response and lifelong immunological disease development. Published in the most recent edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the study answers questions about why females are at increased risk for common diseases that involve or target the immune system like asthma, allergies, migraines and irritable bowel syndrome. The findings by Adam Moeser, Emily Mackey and Cynthia Jordan also open the door for new therapies and preventatives "This research shows that it's our perinatal hormones, not our adult sex hormones, that have a greater influence on our risk of developing mast cell-associated disorders throughout the lifespan," says Moeser, Matilda R. Wilson Endowed Chair, professor in the Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences and the study's principle investigator. "A better understanding of how perinatal sex hormones shape lifelong mast cell activity could lead to sex-specific preventatives and therapies for mast cell-associated diseases." Mast cells are white blood cells that play beneficial roles in the body. They orchestrate the first line of defense against infections and toxin exposure and play an important role in wound healing, according to the study, "Perinatal Androgens Organize Sex Differences in Mast Cells and Attenuate Anaphylaxis Severity into Adulthood." However, when mast cells become overreactive, they can initiate chronic inflammatory diseases and, in certain cases, death. Moeser's prior research linked psychological stress to a specific mast cell receptor and overreactive immune responses. Moeser also previously discovered sex differences in mast cells. Female mast cells store and release more inflammatory substances like proteases, histamine and serotonin, compared with males. Thus, female mast cells are more likely than male mast cells to kick-start aggressive immune responses. While this may offer females the upper hand in surviving infections, it also can put females at higher risk for inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. "IBS is an example of this," says Mackey, whose doctoral research is part of this new publication. "While approximately 25% of the U.S. population is affected by IBS, women are up to four times more likely to develop this disease than men." Moeser, Mackey and Jordan's latest research explains why these sex-biased disease patterns are observed in both adults and prepubertal children. They found that lower levels of serum histamine and less-severe anaphylactic responses occur in males because of their naturally higher levels of perinatal androgens, which are specific sex hormones present shortly before and after birth. "Mast cells are created from stem cells in our bone marrow," Moeser said. "High levels of perinatal androgens program the mast cell stem cells to house and release lower levels of inflammatory substances, resulting in a significantly reduced severity of anaphylactic responses in male newborns and adults." "We then confirmed that the androgens played a role by studying males who lack functional androgen receptors," says Jordan, professor of Neuroscience and an expert in the biology of sex differences. While high perinatal androgen levels are specific to males, the researchers found that while in utero, females exposed to male levels of perinatal androgens develop mast cells that behave more like those of males. "For these females, exposure to the perinatal androgens reduced their histamine levels and they also exhibited less-severe anaphylactic responses as adults," says Mackey, who is currently a veterinary medical student at North Carolina State University. In addition to paving the way for improved and potentially novel therapies for sex-biased immunological and other diseases, future research based will help researchers understand how physiological and environmental factors that occur early in life can shape lifetime disease risk, particularly mast cell-mediated disease patterns. "While biological sex and adult sex hormones are known to have a major influence on immunological diseases between the sexes, we're learning that the hormones that we are exposed to in utero may play a larger role in determining sex differences in mast cell-associated disease risk, both as adults and as children," Moeser said. ### For more information on Moeser's research, go to the Gastrointestinal Stress Biology Laboratory. Also, visit the MSU College of Veterinary Medicine's website for more about its research efforts. (Note for media: Please include the following link to the study in all online media coverage: https://www.pnas.org/content/early/2020/09/10/1915075117) Pankaj Kapur On Shahid Feeling Nervous About Sharing Frame With Him: "If Someone Has To Be Nervous It Should Be Me, Not Him" COLUMBUS, OhioThe Ohio Power Siting Board is preparing to rule that it will not revisit its decision to allow the construction of Icebreaker Wind, the nations first freshwater offshore wind farm, in Lake Erie, with restrictions that backers say would doom the project. According to a draft ruling obtained by cleveland.com, the board is set during its meeting Thursday to reject calls by both supporters and opponents of the six-turbine, 20-megawatt wind farm to reconsider its May 21 ruling. Icebreaker Wind proponents objected to the boards requirement that the turbine blades cant move at night between March 1 and Nov. 1, which was aimed at limiting risk to birds and bats. Such a limitation would be a poison pill to the entire project, they argued, as it would make the wind farm financially infeasible. Supporters of the project took issue with other things as well, including that the board overrode a recommendation by staff on the Siting Board and Ohio Department of Natural Resources to approve the project without the limit, among other objections. The draft ruling states that the limits on nighttime operation and other conditions set by the board were necessary because of the incompleteness of work that...must be completed to properly identify and mitigate the projects risk to bird and bat populations. The draft ruling went on to state that the Power Siting Board doesnt have to rely on its staffs recommendations and instead opted to create a transparent and public process that allows for thorough review by the board staff and the parties. Meanwhile, the draft ruling also sides against two Bratenahl residents who oppose the wind farm and asked the Power Siting Board to reject the project outright. Theyve expressed concern that the turbines would be both a hazard to birds and that it would open the door to turbines popping up elsewhere around Lake Erie. The draft ruling rejects those arguments, asserting that the boards approval order included a provision to set up a radar monitoring system to study the wind farms impact on birds and bats. In a separate draft concurring opinion, Power Siting Board Chair Sam Randazzo compared the passion shown on both sides to the fight a few years ago over whether to drill for oil and natural gas under Lake Erie. At times, the passionate advocacy tends to resemble advice rooted in theology rather than policy or advice that is unhinged from controlling statutory requirements, Randazzo wrote in his draft opinion. But passion is no substitute for evidence or reasoning properly aligned with the facts and the law. Randazzo, replying to the complaint about the boards rejection of its staffs recommendation, wrote that the board has no duty to accept a settlement, contested or uncontested. As for the poison pill argument, Randazzo wrote that the staff recommendation would have blocked the construction of the wind farm until the wildlife risks are adequately identified and mitigated. The boards ruling, he asserted, is a way for Icebreaker Wind to begin construction sooner. To the extent that our initial order might be fairly or unfairly characterized as the delivering a poison pill, the applicant and the other settlement signatory parties wrote the prescription, Randazzo wrote, referring to the Icebreaker Wind developer and the staffers. State Rep. Jeff Crossman, a Parma Democrat, non-voting member of the Power Siting Board, and one of 32 Northeast Ohio lawmakers to ask the board to approve Icebreaker Wind without conditions, said its standard for the board to come up with a decision ahead of time behind closed doors. They send a packet of information over prior to the board meeting, and then in that packet is sort of a pre-baked decision, Crossman said in an interview. How do they know what the boards going to do? Matt Schilling, a spokesman for the Power Siting Board, confirmed the board is slated to vote on the draft order on Thursday. Asked whether drawing up the order ahead of time might run afoul of state open-meetings laws, Schilling noted that the document was only a draft and that board members would deliberate on it during their upcoming public meeting. One additional issue that could arise in the fight over Icebreaker Wind is whether the Power Siting Board has jurisdiction to regulate the wind farm. A provision in House Bill 6, the controversial nuclear-bailout law passed last year, gives local authorities control over wind farms that provide up to 20 megawatts of power to a single customer. Icebreaker Winds nameplate capacity is 20.7 megawatts of power. But HB6 requires the power be measured at the customers point of interconnection to the electrical grid," and its not yet clear what the power output would be at that point, according to Randazzo. Cleveland Public Power is set to purchase two-thirds of Icebreaker Winds output. Whether that qualifies as a single customer under HB6 would be an open question for the Power Siting Board, Randazzo wrote. Read the full draft ruling: Read more Ohio politics and government stories: Number of patients buying Ohio medical marijuana up to 103,632 Theres a lot of important stuff in Ohio House Bill 6 besides the nuclear bailout Mapping Ohios 138,484 coronavirus; updates trends show declining hospitalizations, deaths Ohio AG Dave Yost asks Netflix to remove Cuties State government logging agency VicForests has lodged an appeal against a nationally significant Federal Court decision that ruled it had unlawfully destroyed rare possum habitat. The appeal comes as new research shows a decline in rare possum populations over the past 20 years. Leadbeater's possum. Credit:Justin McManus In May the community group Friends of Leadbeaters Possum (FLBP) won its case against VicForests in court, arguing logging in 66 areas of habitat critical to the vulnerable greater glider and critically endangered Leadbeaters possum broke federal law. In August, the court granted injunctions to protect these areas of forest from logging and ordered VicForests pay the court costs of the community group. Safety is 'top of the list' when it comes to making a Covid-19 vaccine, the professor leading Oxford University's vaccine group has said. Sarah Gilbert, professor of vaccinology at Oxford, said no corners were being cut when it came to ensuring that a vaccine was safe. Usually the process of making and approving a vaccine takes several years. But already 30,000 volunteers have already received Oxford's experimental candidate just nine months after the coronavirus was first detected. Global trials of Oxford's jab - which Briton has secured 100million doses of - were paused last week when a volunteer fell ill and was taken to hospital. They resumed on Saturday after investigators said it was safe to do so. Scientists added it was 'expected' that 'some participants will become unwell' in large vaccine trials. Government sources have said a vaccine may start to be rolled out across the UK population by next spring. But other scientists, including ones in China, believe one could be ready by this Christmas. But Professor Gilbert revealed there was a need to 'temper people's expectations somewhat' about a timeline for final delivery because ensuring the vaccine is safe can be a lengthy process. Sarah Gilbert, professor of vaccinology at Oxford University, said safety is 'top of the list' when it comes to developing a Covid-19 vaccine Asked what message she wanted to give the millions of people waiting for a vaccine, Professor Gilbert told the BBC's The Life Scientific podcast: 'I suppose what I'd like them to understand is there are a lot of people working very, very hard on this and always putting safety at the top of the list. 'Safety is always paramount in the vaccine development that we do and we need to take our time to go through the process of testing the vaccine properly. 'I know people are impatient to know the results but we can't get the result without doing these very careful clinical studies. 'And then we will report on the results, and then hopefully we'll be able to move forward and start getting people vaccinated.' WHICH VACCINES HAS THE UK SECURED DEALS FOR? The UK's taskforce has secured more than 200million doses of potential vaccines being produced worldwide GlaxoSmithKline and Sanofi Pasteur vaccine, based on seasonal flu: 60million doses 60million doses AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine, genetically engineered virus : 100million : 100million BioNTech/Pfizer, mRNA vaccine using genetic material from virus : 30million : 30million Valneva, an inactivated whole virus : 60million : 60million Janssen (Johnson & Johnson), injects proteins from virus surface : 30million : 30million Novavax, proteins from virus surface: 60million 60million Imperial College London, mRNA vaccine using g enetic material from the virus : Amount not confirmed Advertisement Professor Gilbert said it was 'really important' to run the clinical trials properly. Oxford's jab, being manufactured by the drug giant AstraZeneca, was one of the world's first vaccines to go into trial. It's now in Phase 3 trials, after the first two trials showed the jab prompted a strong immune response. It is yet to be proved that this prevents Covid-19 infection. Professor Gilbert said: 'Although the clinical trials got started up quickly and then progressed rapidly, we haven't missed out any of these steps in the approvals of the safety oversight of those trials. 'Everything is being done, as it should be done, it's been done faster than usual because we've been able to take out some of the gaps that normally occur, but we're not cutting any steps out.' Professor Gilbert said years of work had already been done on the type of vaccine involved in the Oxford vaccine trial, which is why it was able to reach clinical trials so rapidly. 'That's the whole point of using this type of technology is that so much of the work's already been done,' she said. 'And it's taken years to get to this point but we've done a lot of work on the technology. 'And now when we want to apply it to make a new vaccine against a different disease, we can go much more quickly.' AstraZeneca is one of nine leading US and European vaccine developers who pledged on September 8 to uphold the scientific standards their experimental immunisations will be held against as they race to find a Covid-19 jab. The companies, including Pfizer, GlaxoSmithKline and AstraZeneca, issued what they called a 'historic pledge' after a rise in concern that safety and efficacy standards might slip in the rush to find a vaccine. Johnson & Johnson, Merck, Moderna, Novavax, Sanofi and BioNTech were also signatories. CHINA VACCINE 'COULD BE READY BY NOVEMBER' Coronavirus vaccines being developed in China could be ready for use by the general public as early as November, an official with the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has announced. Phase 3 clinical trials for the country's vaccine candidates were proceeding smoothly and Chinese citizens could receive the shots in November or December, Wu Guizhen, CDC chief biosafety expert. Speaking to state broadcaster CCTV, Wu said ordinary Chinese citizens can expect to receive the shots 'fairly soon'. 'It would be about November or December,' she told the presenter. 'Ordinary people can be vaccinated with the vaccine, because according to its phase III clinical results, the current progress is proceeding very smoothly.' Wu, who said she has experienced no abnormal symptoms in recent months after taking an experimental vaccine herself in April, did not specify which vaccines she was referring to. China has four Covid-19 vaccines in the final stage of clinical trials. At least three of those have already been offered to essential workers under an emergency use programme launched in July. A unit of state pharmaceutical giant China National Pharmaceutical Group (Sinopharm) and US-listed Sinovac Biotech are developing the three vaccines under the state's emergency use programme. A fourth COVID-19 vaccine being developed by CanSino Biologics was approved for use by the Chinese military in June. Sinopharm said in July that its vaccine could be ready for public use by the end of this year after the conclusion of Phase 3 trials. Advertisement The next day, the news broke that trials of Oxford University's coronavirus vaccine were being put on hold in the UK, US, South Africa and Brazil after a British volunteer was rushed to hospital with a 'serious adverse reaction'. The New York Times reported that a volunteer in the UK trial had been diagnosed with transverse myelitis, an inflammatory syndrome that affects the spinal cord and can be caused by viral infections. This has never been confirmed by AstraZeneca or Oxford due to confidentiality reasons. The global trials were resumed again on Saturday to much relief, following the recommendations of an independent safety review committee and the UK regulator, the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency. Health Secretary Matt Hancock said of the news: 'This pause shows we will always put safety first. We will back our scientists to deliver an effective vaccine as soon as safely possible.' AstraZeneca's Covid-199 vaccine trial remains on hold in the United States, however, pending a US investigation, sources told Reuters. Professor Gilbert said there was still a lot of work to do to set up vaccination clinics and think about transporting a vaccine around the world, which may affect when the jab is available. 'It's not going to be as it is in the movies where there's some kind of breakthrough and then suddenly the entire world is protected, there's a lot of hard work still to be done,' she said. She said everyone involved the development of the vaccine had worked in parallel which meant, for example, that manufacturing had already started on the vaccine. But she said the team 'don't know when we're going to get the results' from the clinical trial because it depended on enough people in the study becoming infected with coronavirus. Asked if the vaccine could be ready in early 2021, she said: 'We need to get the efficacy results from the clinical trials, and we need then to present that data to a regulatory authority who will authorise emergency use of that vaccine, and that regulatory authority is different in different parts of the world. 'And then of course we need to have enough vaccine in the freezer manufactured and ready to go to start vaccinating people. 'So, when will all of that happen? Impossible to say. It's possible that it happens end of this year, early next year. 'Nobody can actually put a date on that because so many things have to fall into place.' Professor Gilbert has commented before that she was confident a vaccine could be ready by the end of 2020. She said 'the end of the year target for getting vaccine roll-out is a possibility but theres absolutely no certainty because we need three things'. Those three things are the results from phase three trials, the ability for manufacturers to produce large quantities of the virus, and regulators to approve the vaccine. Russia became the first country in the world to grant regulatory approval to a Covid-19 vaccine on August 11 after less than two months of human testing. The move stirred uproar in the scientific commumity that it may be putting national prestige before sound science and safety. Despite President Vladimir Putin claiming the jab, dubbed Sputnik V, had passed 'all the needed checks', there was no evidence of this. However since then, results from two early clinical trials done in Moscow - published in the prestigious British journal The Lancet - indicate the vaccine is safe and effective. The Russian scientists behind the studies said the jab stimulated an immune response in all inoculated participants and did not cause any serious health issues. Independent Western scientists said the results were 'somewhat reassuring' but warned the trials were too small and narrow to justify injecting millions of Russians - just 76 people were involved in the study. Helen was telling me about her day while I poured tea. Suddenly, the double doors swung open and a middle-aged man in a worn grey jacket briskly walked in. He looked at us, pointed to the room behind us, and blurted out, Ear acupuncture? Yes, Helen said. Have you been here before? The man nodded and walked past us into the treatment room and quickly sat down in the chair in the corner. Tim proceeded to put five 2mm needles with bright orange grips in each of the mans ears. One cycle is half an hour, but stay for however long youd like, Tim said. The man nodded and closed his eyes. An hour later, the man signaled to Tim to remove the needles. He said a quick thanks, dropped a few coins in the donation box, gave us a thumbs-up, and left. Helen and Tim are ear acupuncture practitioners at Pathways to Health, a charity that offers community ear acupuncture in the south of England.[1] I met them on a Thursday in early 2020, where Pathways offered a variety of programs for addiction recovery out of a drugs and alcohol services house. Every person who sat down in a chair in the treatment room received needles in the same five points. This specific treatment was known as the National Acupuncture Detoxification Association (NADA) protocol, which aims to reduce cravings for addiction, minimize withdrawal symptoms, and relieve stress (NADA, 2018). In the past year, Pathways has served 785 individuals and given over 3,527 treatments. In a survey of 113 clients, over 70% reported a decrease or cessation in alcohol use, and over 80% reported reduction in stress, anxiety, and improved moods (Pathways to Health, 2020). Pathways is part of a web of various services that offer ear acupuncture as a therapeutic option for addiction. In the UK, over 30,000 practitioners are trained in the five point ear acupuncture protocol.[2] They come from all backgrounds NHS workers, mental health advocates, nurses, addiction specialists, physicians, prison staff, and even maths teachers and electricians. Some bring ear acupuncture back to the NHS, mental health organizations, prisons drug programs, private practice or simply use it on family and friends. Surprisingly, during my research on the five point ear acupuncture protocol in the UK, I repeatedly observed one phenomenon: many of the practitioners I encountered were former patients themselves, often having previously dealt with the negative consequences of addiction. A significant number of the people I came across at clinics and my own ear acupuncture training told me along the lines of, I got acupuncture for my addiction and it made me feel better. I decided to learn more about it. I closely researched with a few patient-turned-practitioners, including Tim. How does ear acupuncture work? Though it is simple for patients to receive training and there are technically no strict licensing requirements for practicing acupuncture in the United Kingdom, I define practitioner as someone whose main occupation is to provide treatment and is registered with an acupuncture body (British Acupuncture Council, 2016). Thousands of patient-turned-practitioners have acupuncture as a key part of their habitus, and many, like my informants, have been practicing for over a decade. They attribute ear acupuncture as the impetus for their holistic recovery process, which included the pursuit of becoming a practitioner. I take this as one testament to the efficacy of acupuncture. When analyzing how ear acupuncture works, I attend not to strict biomedical and objective measurements for evidence, but instead to the social dimensions of efficacy (Meyers, 2013). The origins of the five-point ear acupuncture protocol reveal much of the characteristics of how it works for those living with, but not limited to, addiction. Beginning with the civil rights revolutionary groups such as the Black Panther Party (BPP) and the Young Lords in the South Bronx, community ear acupuncture treatment (paired with political education) was used as a means of sociopolitical disruption to the intense heroin epidemic of the 1960s. It did so by creating disruption on an individual level by offering an alternative and healthier way of being in the world to underserved communities marginalized by mainstream society. Ear acupuncture replaced drug habits, and that replacement was most powerfully sustained through by patients to become practitioners. This was made possible by the remarkable simplicity of the practice: it was, and still is, merely a matter of putting a slim needle into just a few points in the ears. As a result, people were able to adapt the practice into something that worked for them, in so much that one practitioner even founded a distinct five point ear acupuncture program called SMART UK (Substance Misuse Acupuncture Register and Training). We can map these transformations through the different ways in which patient-turned-practitioners understand the practice, using it in different settings and for varying means. This piece will explore the origins of the five point ear acupuncture protocol and its characteristics as a practice rooted both in Chinese medicine and simplicity in its transmission to the patients and practitioners of the United Kingdom.[3] The origins of the five-point ear acupuncture protocol In 1970, the BPP and the Young Lords founded a drug detoxification program at the Lincoln Hospital in the South Bronx (Porzig, 2015). The program, named Lincoln Detox, functioned as a community gathering place and offered political education classes alongside methadone maintenance (Jones, 2015). Since the 1960s, the community had been ravaged by a heroin epidemic, with deep suspicions of a state-enacted chemical warfare (Shakur, 2018). Distrusting of biomedical interventions, the Lincoln team sought alternative forms of detoxification. Mutulu Shakur, a member of the Republic of New Afrika and affiliate of the BPP, suggested acupuncture as it was a non-chemical practice administered by practitioners that didnt wear traditional white coats(Shakur, 2018). The Lincoln team researched the practice and discovered that points in the ears reportedly helped withdrawal symptoms. An acupuncture program was soon established, eventually eliminating the use of methadone, and treating over ten thousand people in group settings during the first year in 1972 (Voyles, Carter, & Cooley, 2020). Alongside treatment, the Lincoln team also trained patients to learn acupuncture. Within the broader context of oppressive sociopolitical forces, acupuncture became a key practice of political resistance in the hands of the radical activists, embodying the BPPs canonical motto, serving the people, body and soul (Nelson, 2013). In 1978, the program relocated to a nearby location and became the focal acupuncture training site of numerous socially oriented practitioners who have worked extensively on stigmatized conditions such as HIV/AIDS, mental health, and addiction. In 1985, Michael Smith, director of the program, formalized NADA and the five-point protocol became a standardized treatment. While reports say that over twenty-five thousand people around the world have been trained in the protocol, the number is likely much higher and the organization has expanded globally from Finland to Japan, the Philippines to Tunisia (Stuyt, Voyles, & Bursac, 2018). The transfer of the five point ear acupuncture protocol to the United Kingdom is attributed to practitioners who visited Lincoln starting in the mid-1980s. John Tindall founded the Gateway Clinic in 1990, the first fulltime NHS drug program to use (ear and full-body) acupuncture for withdrawal symptoms. 1985, John worked as a physiotherapist at a hospital in South London and soon visited Lincoln to learn ear acupuncture. Returning in 1988, he brought the NADA protocol to Londons hospitals and drug rehabilitation centers and founded Gateway which became known for its specific treatments for patients with addiction and HIV/AIDs (Tindall, 1994). He left Gateway in 1999 to start a private practice, the Yuan Clinic. He estimates that he has trained over 15,000 people in acupuncture, including the five point protocol. Currently, NADA GB, which John codirects, has over 3,000 active members, and hundreds of people coming through the trainings every year. Sue Cox, a licensed full-body acupuncturist who had visited Johns training and Lincoln in the early 1990s, co-founded her own ear acupuncture program, SMART UK, in response to the lack of focus on scientific research she saw in the NADA programs. While she honors the early history of the revolutionaries at Lincoln, she does not affiliate with NADA. She has trained 20,000 people around the world, most of whom are in the UK, and she specifically works with those who have a background in the addiction field as a healthcare professional or someone who was formerly addicted to substances. How is ear acupuncture so widely spread among people with addiction that it inspires them to become practitioners themselves? Creating the rupture: a Chinese medicine To many, acupuncture can be strange. How does putting the needle in the ear the ear! help with my anxiety? a patient once incredulously exclaimed to me, but it did! Yet its distinctness is an important part of its efficacy for many living with addiction. A frequent concern of other common forms of harm reduction methods such as methadone maintenance has been the phenomenon of replacing one drug habit with another (Raikhel & Garriott, 2013). Before ear acupuncture, Tim had tried methadone: I didnt find it helped. Since I finished the course, I started using again anyway it keeps you in the loop, do you know what I mean? Someone wants to move off heroin and you give them a heroin substitute it doesnt really help Youre still taking something. Methadone was not appealing nor effective for him because it was not different enough from heroin. Ear acupuncture, however, was visibly distinct and not a drug, and thus represented something outside of the usual practices of his addiction. Tim saw a flyer for Pathways program and realized that he wanted to move away from all that, referring to drug use, and decided to try ear acupuncture. Often described by social scientists as the rupture in a persons cycle of addiction, Tims sees that moment as life-changing (Csordas, 2009; Hansen 2018). Ear acupunctures effectiveness lay not just in its oppositional relation to conventional addiction interventions but also with what it could distinctly offer as an alternative medicine rooted generally in a different system of healing, and specifically in Chinese medicine. When I asked Tim what made him try out ear acupuncture at Pathways, he responded: I found it relaxing. I kind of believed in it. I think as a child, Ive always been a little bit interested in, you know, what one hears about acupuncture and Chinese medicine natural healing, and the body healing itself, it made more sense to me, you know? He found Chinese medicine much more appealing, than biomedicine, which he believed was just a lot of hiding symptoms. Such a comment reflects not only the intuitive appeal of Chinese medicine as a practice conceptualized as natural, but also the concerns around biomedicine as the opposite: unnatural, artificial, and perhaps, even foreign. When he explained to me how ear acupuncture helped him, he remarked, I just felt stronger, I thought my willpower was stronger. Just dont give in to sort of silly little temptations. Its the kidney energy, isnt it? The general wisdom of Chinese medicine offers a more balanced, peaceful, and healthy way of living. This can be especially appealing for those living with addiction, who are told that they are anything but balanced, peaceful, and healthy. At my ear acupuncture training in London, where Tim was a trainer, nearly all of the twenty participants echoed this appeal of Chinese medicine. Many of them had dealt with addiction previously. Sue Cox, who previously dealt with drug and alcohol addiction, expressed a similar sentiment. She has spent the past twenty years developing ear acupuncture training programs for over 128 of the 150 Her Majestys Prisons. Theres a poetic nature to Chinese medicine and its metaphors. Theres not a lot of balance in the prisons. Theres not a lot of beauty in the prisons. The poetry can give them something beautiful, she tells me, as she somberly described the lives of some of the prisoners she works with, many of whom will not be leaving the prison any time soon, or ever. Echoing a sentiment of possibility and hope, Sue explains how Chinese medicine encouraged inmates to not necessarily imagine a different life, but instead to envision life differently within the confines of prison (and addiction). The inmates can be both people who committed crimes, and also people who can heal themselves and others. Its the yin and the yang, Sue reminds me. Sustaining the rupture: a simple practice The five point ear acupuncture protocol is just that: five points in the ears, no more, no less. At Lincoln, many patients received only the five points because it was equitable; no one patient received more attention or service than another. This also removed the necessity for conversations about ones addiction (or any other condition that was treated), an anonymity that was often welcomed by patients. The simplicity made training a straightforward process, as people only needed to learn the five points. When the protocol transferred to the UK, it largely maintained its simplicity, with practitioners treating patients equitably in large group settings and teaching students the protocol. Yet, the simplicity of the five points also makes ear acupuncture remarkably malleable, a practice continuously molded by practitioners with different beliefs and values to be as simple or as complex as they prefer. As John would tell me at my training, he has evolved over the decades to see the points as guideposts rather than strict regulations. He began to modify the protocol over the years, encouraging us to do the same as we gained experience. He explained, acupuncture itself, all the principles are there, what evolves is not the theory but the practitioner. Similarly, my interlocutors engaged with ear acupuncture in ways that were intuitive to them and while they evolved, processes which were intimately tied to their own understanding of addiction. After months of treating Tim, the practitioner at Pathways asked Tim if hed be interested in learning more about ear acupuncture and offered to pay for Johns course. Tim agreed. This occurred more than two decades ago, and ever since, Tim has worked at Pathways as a practitioner himself. He prioritizes anonymity in his practice, as it was one of the aspects that most appealed to him when he started going to Pathways. Where a longer diagnostic process is characteristic of more traditional acupuncture practices, the five-point ear acupuncture protocol removes the need to ask any questions. The patient can simply come and sit down without diverging any details of their lives. Whether they are here because they have a major crack cocaine problem or they just ate too many biscuits or whether theyve just got work related stress, or, you dont really know, and you dont really have to know it either, Tim tells me. Such anonymity is different from the Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) model, where members are protected from being identified by others, but are required speak about their struggles with addiction (Alcoholics Anonymous, 2011). Ear acupunctures unique anonymity is closer to an invisibility, something largely unseen (and unheard of) in any therapeutic encounter. There are simply no words that need to be spoken between practitioner and patient no illness, no diagnosis named, and thus no specific type of patienthood promoted. This is unlike common forms of medication-based or talk-based addiction therapies which encourage patienthood models of self-modulation mitigation by biochemical changes or self-transformation management by shifts in mentality (Raikhel & Garriot, 2013). Tim wants his patients to engage with and understand ear acupuncture in whatever ways they want to. Unlike Tim, Sue believes that the patient must understand how and why ear acupuncture works and she encourages those living with addiction to see themselves as powerful, full of potential, and certainly not flawed. She promotes a specific patienthood rooted in the integration of Western science and Chinese medicine, believing that this knowledge and image of oneself is key to the patients recovery. This is because she attributes her successful recovery to understanding that her addiction was not a disease. Instead, it was simply a different wiring of the brain which, if harnessed differently, could redirect her passionate energy towards a meaningful pursuit. Her passion became promoting ear acupuncture through a method of translating from Chinese medicine to Western science to everyday language. She does not use the Chinese names of the ear points, and instead, embraces its metaphoric language, leaving behind the mysticism. Yin and yang are used as analytic tools for describing biological concepts such as neurotransmitters, where yang neurotransmitters are the excitatory ones (like dopamine) and yin transmitters are stabilizers and reducers (such as serotonin). Sue teaches patients to understand their addiction as a result of brain wiring, and ear acupuncture as a method that helps with neurochemical imbalances and a practice that stimulates the vagus nerve, which has been shown to help substance addiction (Terry Jr. & Zabara, 2014). Simultaneously, she galvanizes them to see themselves as agents of self-change, full of power and potential. She thus promotes both self-modulation and self-transformation, explaining that talking to the patient will not be effective until the craving mechanisms of the unconscious brain are supported (Wager & Cox, 2009). Sue encourages patients to seek out counselling and cognitive behavioral therapy, seeing ear acupuncture as part of a holistic regimen for recovery. Cycles of addiction, cycles of acupuncture In tracing the five point ear acupuncture practice to the United Kingdom, we observe heterogeneity: once used as an intervention of radical resistance, the practice, in the hands of different practitioners, has lost its sociopolitical motivation, while retaining the ethos of working with marginalized populations. Further departures and evolutions are observed with the founding of the SMART UK program which emphasized the necessity of combining Western science and Chinese medicine. Despite this multiplicity, a common thread remains throughout the shifts in geography and time. From the Lincoln team to patient-turned-practitioners, all have the desire to serve patients, knowing intimately the realities of illness and marginalization. For them, ear acupuncture worked it ruptured and replaced their habits of substance addiction. Rooted in Chinese medicine and characteristically simple, the five point protocol offers a distinct and alternative way of (re)imagining life and a malleability that allows for sustained engagement in ways that work for many living through the cycles of addiction. As another patient-turned-practitioner remarked, I always love that it makes me laugh. Im not using syringes, Im using acupuncture needles, but Im still using needles. Footnotes [1] All persons and organizations consented for their names to be used. [2] The director of NADA GB has trained over 15,000 people. The director of SMART UK has also trained around 20,000 people around the world most of whom are based in the UK. I thus conservatively estimate 30,000. I will also be using the general term five point ear acupuncture protocol instead of the NADA protocol in the subsequent sections, as NADA is also the organization, and I want to make a distinction between the different organizations. [3] For a video presentation of my findings, I recently completed a series with the Harvard Asia Center, which can be found here. Works Cited Alcoholics Anonymous. (2011). Understanding Anonymity. Retrieved June 15, 2020, from https://www.aa.org/pages/en_US/understanding-anonymity British Acupuncture Council. (n.d.). Can I practise in the UK after studying acupuncture in India? Retrieved June 15, 2020, from https://www.acupuncture.org.uk/public-content/public-ask-an-expert/ask-an-expert-about-acupuncture/ask-an-expert-about-acupuncture-training/4126-can-i-practise-in-the-uk-after-studying-acupuncture-in-india.html Csordas, T. J. (2009). Transnational transcendence: Essays on religion and globalization. Berkeley: University of California Press. Fitzgerald, M. (1994, December 27). On the point of a breakthrough? Retrieved September 14, 2020, from https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/health-news/on-the-point-of-a-breakthrough-health-1390708.html Hansen, H. (2018). Addicted to Christ: Remaking men in Puerto Rican Pentecostal drug ministries. Oakland, CA: University of California Press. Jones, G. (2015) A Radical History of Acupuncture in America. St. Petersburg, Florida: St. Pete Community Acupuncture. National Acupuncture Detoxification Association. (2018, September 10). NADA Protocol. Retrieved June 13, 2020, from https://acudetox.com/nada-protocol/ Nelson, A. (2013). Body and soul: the Black Panther Party and the fight against medical discrimination. University of Minnesota Press. Raikhel, E. A., & Garriott, W. C. (2013). Addiction Trajectories. Duke University Press. Shakur, M. (2018, November 19). 2018 Interview about Acupuncture & The Opioid Crisis. Retrieved June 15, 2020, from http://mutulushakur.com/site/2018/11/acupuncture-interview/ Stuyt, E., Voyles, C., & Bursac, S. (2018). NADA Protocol for Behavioral Health. Putting Tools in the Hands of Behavioral Health Providers: The Case for Auricular Detoxification Specialists. Medicines, 5(1), 20. doi:10.3390/medicines5010020 Porzig, M. (2015, July 01). Lincoln Detox Center: The Peoples Drug Program. Retrieved September 14, 2020, from https://abolitionistpaper.wordpress.com/2013/03/15/lincoln-detox-center-the-peoples-drug-program/ Voyles, C., Carter, K., & Cooley, L., (2020). Back to the Future: The National Acupuncture Detoxification Association (NADA) Protocol Persists as an Agent of Social Justice and Community Healing by the People and for the People. Open Acc J Comp & Alt Med 2(4), 191-3. OAJCAM.MS.ID.000143. doi:10.32474/OAJCAM.2020.02.000143. Terry Jr, R. S., & Zabara, J. (2014). U.S. Patent No. 8,700,163. Washington, DC: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Tindall, J. (1994). The Gateway Clinic Experience: The Treatment of HIV and AIDS using TCM. European Journal of Oriental Medicine, 1(3), 6-11. Wager, K., & Cox, S. (2009). Auricular acupuncture and addiction: Mechanisms, methodology and practice. Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone. Eana Meng is an incoming student at the Harvard MD-PhD in History of Science program. Her research has traced the lesser known histories of the use of acupuncture by American activists (including those in the Black revolutionary movement) since the 1970s and the legacies that emerge from them, which include a five point ear acupuncture protocol currently used around the world for substance use and behavior health conditions. She is interested in the histories that sit at the intersection of radical politics of health, integrative/alternative healing modalities, community healthcare, the opioid crisis and pain, and crucial dimensions of race, gender, and class. Share this: Share Email Facebook Twitter Reddit Tumblr LinkedIn [view academic citations] [hide academic citations] HOUSTON, Sept. 15, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Targa Resources Partners LP (Targa Resources Partners or the Partnership) (NYSE: NGLS PR A) announced its monthly distribution on the Partnerships 9.00% Series A Fixed-to-Floating Rate Cumulative Redeemable Perpetual Preferred Units ("Series A Preferred Units") for September 2020. Targa Resources Partners LP announced today that the board of directors of its general partner has declared a monthly cash distribution of $0.1875 per Series A Preferred Unit, or $2.25 per Series A Preferred Unit on an annualized basis, for September 2020. This cash distribution will be paid October 15, 2020 on all outstanding Series A Preferred Units to holders of record as of the close of business on September 30, 2020. About Targa Resources Partners LP Targa Resources Partners LP is a Delaware limited partnership formed in October 2006 by its parent, Targa Resources Corp. (TRC or the Company), to own, operate, acquire and develop a diversified portfolio of complementary midstream infrastructure assets. On February 17, 2016 TRC completed the acquisition of all outstanding common units of the Partnership. Targa Resources Corp. is a leading provider of midstream services and is one of the largest independent midstream infrastructure companies in North America. Targa owns, operates, acquires and develops a diversified portfolio of complementary midstream infrastructure assets. The Company is primarily engaged in the business of: gathering, compressing, treating, processing, transporting and selling natural gas; transporting, storing, fractionating, treating and selling NGLs and NGL products, including services to LPG exporters; and gathering, storing, terminaling and selling crude oil. The principal executive offices of Targa Resources Partners LP are located at 811 Louisiana, Suite 2100, Houston, TX 77002 and their telephone number is 713-584-1000. For more information, please visit our website at www.targaresources.com . Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements in this release are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, included in this release that address activities, events or developments that the Partnership expects, believes or anticipates will or may occur in the future, are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements rely on a number of assumptions concerning future events and are subject to a number of uncertainties, factors and risks, many of which are outside the Partnerships control, which could cause results to differ materially from those expected by management of the Partnership. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, weather, political, economic and market conditions, including a decline in the price and market demand for natural gas, natural gas liquids and crude oil, the impact of pandemics such as COVID-19, actions by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and non-OPEC oil producing countries, the timing and success of business development efforts; and other uncertainties. These and other applicable uncertainties, factors and risks are described more fully in the Partnership's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K. The Partnership does not undertake an obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. This release is intended to be a qualified notice under Treasury Regulation Section 1.1446-4(b). Brokers and nominees should treat one hundred percent (100.0%) of Targa Resources Partners LPs distributions to foreign investors as being attributable to income that is effectively connected with a United States trade or business. Accordingly, Targa Resources Partners LPs distributions to foreign investors are subject to federal income tax withholding at the highest applicable effective tax rate. Contact the Company's investor relations department by email at InvestorRelations@targaresources.com or by phone at (713) 584-1133. Sanjay Lad Vice President, Finance & Investor Relations Jennifer Kneale Chief Financial Officer Unveiled at CES this year, PlayShifu, an educational toymaker, has launched a new augmented reality (AR) globe Orboot Dinos. This new toy, when used with the compatible app using AR, superimposes animals from the prehistoric world. The dinosaurs come alive in 3D, on scanning the globe with the app. It includes games to 500+ incredible facts to interacting with the walking-talking dinosaurs. The free companion app, Orboot Dinos, is compatible with a range of tablets & smartphones and is available on Google Play Store and Apple App Store. The toy can also be purchased online on Amazon and from PlayShifu's official website. The Orboot Dinos is launching simultaneously in India, US, Japan and Korea. It is priced at Rs 2,499, and the box contains a 10-inch globe along with an activity book with stickers. According to the company, what's unique about Orboot Dinos is its gameplay and learning experience. The phygital play ensures high engagement and longer knowledge retention. Viewing realistic dinosaurs in their natural habitat boosts the child's imagination and attention to detail. "The entire play experience builds some of the 20 foundational skills in early childhood, which we have identified after extensive research," says, Vivek Goyal, co-founder of PlayShifu. "We have always been proactive and interactive with our line of products. The Gen Alpha, for whom we are building products, is curious and adaptive to new ways of learning. Thus, we try innovative ways to combine tactile play with highly engaging digital interactions. I am very sure that with Orboot Dinos, we will be able to create another benchmark for ourselves and our peers in the market," says Dinesh Advani, the co-founder of PlayShifu. PlayShifu helps children in building foundational STEM skills through phygital (physical and digital) play. It is designed for kids between age 4 to 12 years to garner analytical thinking, logical reason, creativity and more. The company introduced Orboot Earth, its first interactive AR Globe launched in 2017 and is now expanding its lineup by introducing the Orboot World-of-Dinosaurs. PlayShifu has become a multi-million dollar startup in three 3 years. With distribution in 15 different countries, it has achieved a 400 per cent revenue growth y-o-y. After launching five new products in the Plugo toy line in 2019, PlayShifu now has over 400,000 users. The company plans to launch its third flagship, Shifu Tacto, by the end of 2020. This will be a phygital board-game system that turns any tablet into an interactive board to play with real figurines. BRESLAU Pivot Airlines will be flying out of Region of Waterloo International Airport to Toronto, Ottawa, Windsor and Montreal. This is a very exciting day, said Coun. Tom Galloway at a special meeting on Tuesday morning when the agreement with Pivot was approved. Weve been putting a lot of time and effort into the airport. Regional Chair Karen Redman said the operating agreement is a wonderful testament to staffs work to grow the Breslau airport. This has been a long time coming and this is great news, Redman said. Galloway said its encouraging to see Pivot putting faith into the airport after so much effort and taxpayer money has gone into improving the facility. Pivot Airlines which is headquartered at the Toronto Pearson International Airport has a good track record, experienced staff, and the equipment to launch this new service in Waterloo Region, he said. I think theyre going to serve our community very, very well, Galloway said. While some airlines have come and gone from the Breslau airport, Pivot seems to want to build a lasting service. They appear to want to be here for the long term and thats very, very encouraging as well, he said. Coun. Sean Strickland said its been quite some time since the local airport has offered regular air passenger service. He wanted to emphasize that a new corporate partner is fantastic, but people in the community need to be committed to using the new service the missing ingredient for previous airlines operating out of Breslau. It really is up to our community to use the services, Strickland said. We really hope that it becomes their preferred airport of travel. Thats really critical of the success. Its always been the real missing ingredient for a lot of the airline services that weve had out of our airport. Businesses come here with good intention and they dont get the kind of volume they really need. Commissioner of planning Rod Regier said Tuesdays announcement is the product of many years of work. Along with providing new flights to local residents, the addition of Pivot will help build business opportunities in the major cities that will be connected with the region. Were very excited to be working with them in building this service, Regier said. Were very excited about the future. Service will start once the necessary regulatory approvals are secured, and COVID-19 travel restrictions are loosened. Flights will be on Canadian-made CRJ Jets and De Havilland Dash 8 Regional Turboprops. We are excited to form a true partnership with the Region of Waterloo International Airport by having their support in helping develop regional markets aimed at serving Waterloo Region, Pivot Airlines said in a release. The agreement allows Pivot to build maintenance, operations and office facilities at the airport, which will also create local jobs. The regional airline model in Canada is changing and Pivot is ideally positioned to play a critical role, the release said. We believe as people return to travel, modern regional airports will play a larger role than what we have seen in the past. The facilities, infrastructure and capabilities of YKF are genuinely world-class, it read. Travellers will enjoy the efficiencies and comfort that come with using the airport when compared to using a crowded hub airport. The airline plans to announce additional partnerships and more service-related details in the coming weeks. Pivot Airlines partnership with the Region of Waterloo International Airport allows us to focus on providing safe and convenient travel options for guests who prioritize the convenience and benefits of using a modern regional airport that is focused on providing the safest return to travel protocols for travellers, said chief executive officer Eric Edmondson. Pakistan's Parliament has extended for four months an ordinance that allowed Indian death-row prisoner Kulbhushan Jadhav to file an appeal against his conviction in a high court as required by the International Court of Justice. Photograph: Prashant Waydande/Reuters The International Court of Justice (Review and Reconsideration) Ordinance promulgated in May was set to expire on September 17 but the National Assembly or the lower house on Monday through a voice vote extended it for four months, the Dawn News reported. The ordinance was launched to implement the verdict of the ICJ which asked Pakistan to provide effective review of the sentence given to Jadhav my a military court. Jadhav, the 50-year-old retired Indian Navy officer, was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on charges of 'espionage and terrorism' in April 2017. Pakistan government has approached the Islamabad High Court to appoint a defence lawyer to represent Jadhav in the court. The court on September 3 heard the case for the second time and directed the federal government to give India 'another opportunity' to appoint a lawyer to represent Jadhav. Now the case will be heard next month. Pakistan last week said that it has conveyed the judicial orders to India for appointing a lawyer to represent Jadhav in the court but New Delhi had not responded yet. On July 16, Pakistan provided consular access to Jadhav, but the Indian government said the access was "neither meaningful nor credible" and he appeared visibly under stress. The Ministry of External Affairs said Pakistan is not only in violation of the judgment of ICJ, but also of its own ordinance. India approached the ICJ against Pakistan for denial of consular access to Jadhav and challenging the death sentence. The Hague-based ICJ ruled in July last year that Pakistan must undertake an 'effective review and reconsideration' of the conviction and sentence of Jadhav and also to grant consular access to India without further delay. Pakistan claims that its security forces arrested Jadhav from the restive Balochistan province on March 3, 2016 after he reportedly entered from Iran. India maintains that Jadhav was kidnapped from Iran where he had business interests after retiring from the Navy. AstraZenecas COVID-19 vaccine trial remains on hold in the United States pending a U.S. investigation into a serious side effect in Britain even as other trials of the vaccine resume, sources familiar with the details told Reuters. AstraZeneca on Saturday said it had restarted its trial in Britain after regulators completed their review of a serious side effect in one trial participant there. This was the first indication that the U.S. trial will remain on hold until the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and a safety panel investigate the case. Enrollment in the companys global trials of the vaccine, which it is developing with researchers at Oxford University, was put on pause on September 6. Sources told Reuters that enrollment of new patients and other trial procedures for the pivotal U.S. trial were being rescheduled until at least midweek and that it was not clear how long it would take for the FDA to complete its probe. Governments around the world are desperate for a vaccine to help end the pandemic, which has caused more than 900,000 deaths and global economic turmoil. The World Health Organization (WHO) had flagged AstraZenecas as the most promising. A prolonged delay in the U.S. trial could slow access to the vaccine in the United States. COVID-19 Vaccine Frequently Asked Questions View more How does a vaccine work? A vaccine works by mimicking a natural infection. A vaccine not only induces immune response to protect people from any future COVID-19 infection, but also helps quickly build herd immunity to put an end to the pandemic. Herd immunity occurs when a sufficient percentage of a population becomes immune to a disease, making the spread of disease from person to person unlikely. The good news is that SARS-CoV-2 virus has been fairly stable, which increases the viability of a vaccine. How many types of vaccines are there? There are broadly four types of vaccine one, a vaccine based on the whole virus (this could be either inactivated, or an attenuated [weakened] virus vaccine); two, a non-replicating viral vector vaccine that uses a benign virus as vector that carries the antigen of SARS-CoV; three, nucleic-acid vaccines that have genetic material like DNA and RNA of antigens like spike protein given to a person, helping human cells decode genetic material and produce the vaccine; and four, protein subunit vaccine wherein the recombinant proteins of SARS-COV-2 along with an adjuvant (booster) is given as a vaccine. What does it take to develop a vaccine of this kind? Vaccine development is a long, complex process. Unlike drugs that are given to people with a diseased, vaccines are given to healthy people and also vulnerable sections such as children, pregnant women and the elderly. So rigorous tests are compulsory. History says that the fastest time it took to develop a vaccine is five years, but it usually takes double or sometimes triple that time. View more Show The British adverse event involved a study patient thought to be suffering a rare spinal inflammatory disorder called transverse myelitis. An AstraZeneca spokeswoman declined to comment on when the U.S. trial would resume. She said in an email the company will continue to work with health authorities across the world, including the FDA, and be guided as to when other clinical trials can resume. The status of the South African and Indian trials remains unknown, but the trial in Brazil has also restarted. The company has not commented on timing of resumption in other parts of the world besides Britain. FDA did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Queen Maxima of the Netherlands stunned in a flowing mustard dress as she joined husband King Willem-Alexander for the annual Prince's Day ceremony with in The Hague. The royal couple attended the Prinsjesdag 2020 celebrations at the Noordeinde Royal Palace before driving to Nieuwe Kerk where King Willem-Alexander delivered the throne speech to the members of the Upper and Lower Chamber. But Maxima stole the show with her choice of outfit, wearing a beautiful floor length ruffled gown which perfectly matched the yellow tones of her royal sash. Queen Maxima of the Netherlands looked picture perfect as she stepped out in a flowing mustard dress for the Prince's Day ceremony with King Willem-Alexander in the Hague today The beautiful royal, 49, was the star of the show at the royal ceremony wearing a beautiful floor length ruffled gown. Pictured during the throne speech at the Nieuwe Kerk to members of the Upper and Lower Chamber She joined her husband, King Willem-Alexander, 53, (both pictured leaving the Grote Kerk) for the royal ceremony wearing an elegant floor-length dress which perfectly matched her royal yellow and blue sash. The smartly dressed couple stood proudly beside their thrones as Queen Maxima waved to the crowd, cutting a beautiful, lean hourglass figure The Queen, 49, wore a pair of mustard leather clothes to match her exquisite top-t-to-bottom ruffled dress which billowed beautifully as she walked. She cut an elegant figure, with the dress cinched at the waist to create the perfect hourglass silhouette. The beautiful royal opted for an updo look which saw her long blonde locks formed into a side parting and perfectly coiffured into a low bun. As is typical for the Dutch Queen, she went for a simple pared-down smokey eye makeup look for the occasion and intricately detailed head piece. The beautiful royal, who opted for an updo look which saw her long blonde locks formed into a side parting and perfectly coiffured into a low bun, smiled proudly at her husband as he delivered the speech As is typical for the Dutch Queen, she went for a simple pared-down smokey eye makeup look for the occasion, with an incredible glowing and dewy complexion To finish off her exquisite look for Prince's Day, she wore intricately detailed head piece which sat atop her perfectly preened hairstyle King Willem-Alexander, 53, and his wife Queen Maxima sat in their respective thrones while he read his speech to members of the Senate and House of Representatives in the Grote Kerk Queen Maxima joined King Willem-Alexander, 53, while he read the speech from the throne to members of the Senate and House of Representatives in the Grote Kerk. The King looked impeccably smart, wearing a a black suit jacket with tails for the government address as well as a light grey waistcoat. He finished off the outfit with a pair of grey trousers with subtle stripes and a white and grey striped tie. The King was also well turned out, wearing a black suit jacket with tails for the government address which he wore over the top of a light grey waistcoat The top-to-toe ruffles on the Queen's gown billowed beautifully as she walked down the steps from the throne after King Willem-Alexander had delivered his speech The pair smiled and waved as they left arm in arm from the Noordeinde Palace before getting into the car to drive to the Grote Kerk for the King's speech As they sat beside a large floral arrangement, filled with blue and red fresh flowers, the royal delivered his speech to a much different audience than usual. Many of the ceremonial events which typically take place at the Prinsjesdag have been canceled this year due to the coronavirus pandemic. In addition, the public is not allowed in to the city center of The Hague to catch a glimpse of the royal couple. The Prince's Day celebrations were much different to usual this year as the coronavirus pandemic restrictions limited audience numbers and cancelled some of the typical events that usually take place This year, the public was not allowed in to the city center of The Hague to catch a glimpse of the royal couple as they arrived for the Prince's Day ceremony The royal couple are usually joined by other members of the royal family for the event. Last year King Willem-Alexander's younger brother Prince Constatijn and his wife Princess Laurentien joined the proceedings Typically the pair are joined by other members of the royal family for the event, last year waving to royal fans from the balcony with King Willem-Alexander's younger brother Prince Constatijn and his wife Princess Laurentien. This year the couple smiled and waves to the cameras and, despite the restrictions, were still saluted by officers upon arrival. The couple were seen bowing to a banner with the coat of arms when they arrived at the Grote Kerk. Upon arrival at the Grote Kerk, the King and Queen walked on a red carpet and looked at and admired the coat of arms as a fanfare played in the background Detailed magnetic survey over the property identifies fold structures similar to the one hosting the Camflo stock and mineralization. Preliminary compilation of drill hole data identifies a syenite intrusion 800 metres southeast of the Camflo orebody. Monarch awards contract to InnovExplo to develop a drill hole database and 3D digital model for the Camflo property. The Camflo mine was in production for 27 years, from 1965 to 1992, and yielded a total of 1.65 million ounces of gold from 8,862,240 tonnes of ore grading 5.78 g/t Au (Source: QERPUB-M.E.R. Publication DV93-01 Rapports des Geologues Residents sur l'Activite Miniere Regionale, 1993). MONTREAL, QC / ACCESSWIRE / September 15, 2020 / MONARCH GOLD CORPORATION ("Monarch" or the "Corporation") (TSX:MQR) (OTCQX:MRQRF) (FRANKFURT:MR7) is pleased to announce that it has received the final results from the helicopter airborne magnetic survey conducted on its behalf by Novatem Inc. on the Camflo property (see press release dated June 18, 2020). Given that Camflo Mines discovered the Camflo deposit while drilling distinct magnetic features in 1962, Monarch decided to conduct a detailed helicopter airborne magnetic survey over the property at a 25-m line spacing in a bid to identify fold features similar to the one hosting the Camflo stock and mineralization along the southern limb of a larger, more regional fold. The survey was successful in clearly outlining the folded iron formation associated with the mineralization at the Camflo mine, as confirmed by underground work at the mine. It also identified potential targets to the southeast, defined by a similar fold feature along the same stratigraphy, and two additional potential fold features to the northwest of the mine. As a next step, Monarch will undertake a detailed compilation of historical data from the Camflo property. This will include all historical works, drifts, sub-levels, shafts, stopes and other underground openings. The compilation will also include 3,000 surface and underground diamond drill holes drilled from 1939 to 2007. Information from mine openings used for mine production and contained on level plans and cross sections will be digitized in order to reconstruct the underground infrastructures in 3D. Lithological contacts, geological structures and mineralized zones contained in the level plans and cross sections will also be digitized and may eventually be used for the preparation of the 3D litho-structural model to improve the understanding of the deposit and generate quality exploration targets with the objective of identifying new mineral resources on the property. The Company has retained the services of InnovExplo of Val-d'Or, Quebec, a company experienced in this type of historical data compilation and 3D modelling, to undertake this important project. Work will begin in early September and should be completed before the end of the year. A preliminary compilation of historical surface drill holes by Monarch geologists has identified a syenite intrusion intersected in two holes drilled in 1962, located approximately 800 metres to the southeast, along the stratigraphic horizon that hosts the Camflo stock. "We are excited about moving this project forward in our pipeline of advanced projects, especially given the early results we have on hand," said Jean-Marc Lacoste, President and Chief Executive Officer of Monarch. "Some exciting targets are emerging and we believe there are more in store." Qualified person statement The technical and scientific content of this press release has been reviewed and approved by Louis Martin, P.Geo., the Corporation's qualified person under National Instrument 43-101. ABOUT MONARCH GOLD CORPORATION Monarch Gold Corporation (TSX: MQR) is an emerging gold mining company focused on becoming a 100,000 to 200,000 ounce per year gold producer through its large portfolio of high-quality projects in the Abitibi mining camp in Quebec, Canada. The Corporation currently owns over 315 km of gold properties (see map), including the Wasamac deposit (measured and indicated resource of 2.6 million ounces of gold, which includes proven and probable reserves of 1.8 million ounces of gold), the Beaufor, Croinor Gold (see video), and McKenzie Break advanced projects, the Camflo and Swanson exploration projects, and the Camflo and Beacon mills. It also offers custom milling services out of its 1,600 tonne-per-day Camflo mill. Forward-Looking Statements The forward-looking statements in this press release involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause Monarch's actual results, performance and achievements to be materially different from the results, performance or achievements expressed or implied therein. Neither TSX nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release. FOR MORE INFORMATION: Jean-Marc Lacoste 1-888-994-4465 President and Chief Executive Officer jm.lacoste@monarquesgold.com Mathieu Seguin 1-888-994-4465 Vice President, Corporate Development m.seguin@monarquesgold.com Elisabeth Tremblay 1-888-994-4465 Senior Geologist - Communications Specialist e.tremblay@monarquesgold.com www.monarquesgold.com SOURCE: Monarch Gold Corporation View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/606019/Monarch-Gold-Provides-Update-on-the-Camflo-Property Kangana Ranaut, whose comments triggered a spat with Maharashtra's ruling party Shiv Sena, had come to Mumbai from her home in Manali last week for a short visit. Actor Kangana Ranaut on Monday left Mumbai for her home state Himachal Pradesh, saying she has been terrorised with "constant attacks and abuses" and declaring that her analogy comparing the city with Pakistan-occupied Kashmir was "bang on." Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur welcomed her return and accused Maharashtras Shiv Sena-Congress government of having harassed her. Ranaut took a flight to Chandigarh and then travelled by road to reach Manali. The actor, whose comments triggered a spat with Maharashtra's ruling Shiv Sena, had come to Mumbai from her home in Manali last week for a short visit. On the same day, her office here faced action for "illegal" alterations by Shiv Sena-led Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), following which she moved the Bombay High Court which stayed the demolition. "With a heavy heart leaving Mumbai, the way I was terrorised all these days constant attacks and abuses hurled at me attempts to break my house after my work place, alert security with lethal weapons around me, must say my analogy about POK was bang on(sic)," Ranaut wrote on Twitter. Targeting the ruling party, the 33-year-old actor said the protectors had declared themselves to be "destroyers" and were working towards dismantling democracy. "But they are wrong to think I'm weak. By threatening and abusing a woman, they are ruining their own image," she added. On Sunday, Ranaut met Governor Bhagat Singh Koshiyari at Raj Bhavan to apprise him of the "injustice" done to her. The actor has been aggressively criticising the film industry and the way it functions since the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput in June. She initially said it was not a suicide but a "planned murder" by an industry that does not acknowledge outsiders. Ranaut escalated her attack to tackle the alleged drug nexus in the industry, as well as targeting the Maharashtra government for its handling of the case. She sparked anger after she compared Mumbai to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Her spat with Shiv Sena spokesperson Sanjay Raut led to her receiving Y-plus security a detail of around 10 armed commandos who accompany the actress whenever she travels. On her arrival in Mumbai last week, BMC exempted Ranaut from the 14-day home quarantine rule for those arriving from outside the state after she submitted an online application for the exemption as she was on "a short visit." In Shimla, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur said the actor will continue to get the security provided by the state government. Asked about Sanjay Raut's remarks, he said such a comment from a senior politician was not expected and the entire country had criticised it. He claimed that the government in Maharashtra did everything it could to harass the actor. Thakur said not just Ranaut, people in Himachal felt offended by this. (Newser) A Boston woman was killed Monday in a accident involving what a neighbor calls a "terrible old elevator." Carrie O'Connor, a 38-year-old lecturer at Boston University, was pronounced dead at the scene after the accident around 5pm, WCVB reports. She had recently moved into the building in the city's Allston neighborhood. Witnesses said the elevator suddenly dropped while O'Connor was loading a large package into it. "I heard just an ungodly scream and we ran into the hallway and saw a gentlemen who was in distress screaming and hyperventilating and saying 'shes dead, shes dead,'" a woman who lives in the building tells Boston 25. story continues below The woman was found in the elevator on the first floor. Building resident Nevada Foskit tells CBS Boston that the elevator is old-fashioned. "Its a two-slide door system and unless that door is completely shut, it does not move ever," Foskit says. "If something did happen, it clearly had to be faulty." The building dates to 1920. Resident Eric Carmichael says it is common for residents to send packages down in the elevator and pick them up in the lobby, but the combined weight of O'Connor and the package may have been too much for the elevator. "It was kind of gruesome, Carmichael says. "Terrible old elevator that should have been probably kept up better." Police and the Occupational Health and Safety Administration are investigating the accident. (Read more elevator stories.) Donald Trump at a briefing on the Californian wildfires (AFP via Getty Images) As Donald Trump downplays the role the climate emergency has played in the wildfires raging in three western states, he is sticking to his well-worn points about forest management and citing forest cities in Europe as examples. Arriving in California yesterday to discuss the response to the fires, Mr Trump told reporters waiting outside Air Force One that Europeans living in forests knew better than authorities in western states how to prevent disastrous fires. You go to Austria, he said, you go to Finland, you go to many different countries, and they dont have I was talking to a head of a major country, and he said, Were a forest nation. We consider ourself a forest nation. This was in Europe. I said, Thats a beautiful term. He said, We have trees that are far more explosive he meant explosive in terms of fire but we have trees that are more explosive they have in California, and we dont have any problem because we manage our forests. Mr Trump reiterated much of his rambling monologue the next morning during a 40-minute-plus on-air phonecall to Fox & Friends. "You know, In Europe they have forest cities, he told the hosts. You look at, you look at countries, Austria, you look at so many countries, they live in the forest, theyre considered forest cities, so many of them. And they don't have fires like this, and they have more explosive trees. They have trees that will catch easier. But they maintain their fire, they have an expression, they thin the fuel, the fuel is whats on the ground, the leaves, the trees that fall, theyre dry, theyre like a matchstick. This years wildfires are the most catastrophic to hit the western states in living memory, but Mr Trump has fixated on Finnish and Austrian forest floor management before. In 2018, when California faced another serious fire season, he claimed to have discussed raking and cleaning with the president of Finland, who later said he had no such recollection. Story continues Plenty of attention was given to Mr Trumps offbeat claim at the time, especially since Finland had that year gone without major forest fires even as they raged in neighbouring Sweden. However, then as now, the difference between Finland and badly-hit California seemed to come down in large part to weather conditions and thus to the changing global climate. Read more Itll start getting cooler. You just watch': Trump states categorical denial of climate crisis during California wildfire visit A former Facebook employee's leaked internal memo has revealed her claims that the company ignored or deprioritized election interference campaigns outside of the U.S. and Europe, leaving junior employees to make decisions potentially affecting the fate of nations. Sophie Zhang, a recently fired data scientist on Facebook's Site Integrity team, penned the 6,600-word internal memo after turning down a $64,000 severance agreement in order to speak out, Buzzfeed reported on Monday. In the memo, she described networks of fake accounts that were seemingly being used to meddle in the politics of Euador, Azerbaijan, Brazil and elsewhere, but were relegated to low priority by Facebook. And she says she has 'blood on my hands' after protests and deaths in countries where she was forced to ignore misinformation. Facebook did not immediately respond to a request for comment from DailyMail.com on Tuesday, but told Buzzfeed in a statement that the company investigates each issue carefully. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg is seen in a file photo. A former Facebook employee's leaked internal memo has revealed her claims that the company ignored or deprioritized election interference campaigns outside of the U.S. and Europe 'We've built specialized teams, working with leading experts, to stop bad actors from abusing our systems, resulting in the removal of more than 100 networks for coordinated inauthentic behavior,' a Facebook spokesperson said. 'It's highly involved work that these teams do as their full-time remit. Working against coordinated inauthentic behavior is our priority, but we're also addressing the problems of spam and fake engagement. We investigate each issue carefully, including those that Ms. Zhang raises, before we take action or go out and make claims publicly as a company,' the statement continued. Zhang posted her memo internally on her final day at Facebook earlier this month. In it, she says she was fired after she asked for more resources to handle political and civic manipulation. Zhang said she was told to stop focusing on civic issues and refused, resulting in her termination. In her memo, which she shared on Facebook's employee messaging system, Zhang wrote that she had detected coordinated campaigns of varying sizes to boost or hinder political candidates or outcomes. 'In the three years I've spent at Facebook, I've found multiple blatant attempts by foreign national governments to abuse our platform on vast scales to mislead their own citizenry, and caused international news on multiple occasions,' she wrote. 'I have personally made decisions that affected national presidents without oversight, and taken action to enforce against so many prominent politicians globally that I've lost count,' she wrote. In Bolivia, Zhang said she found 'inauthentic activity supporting the opposition presidential candidate in 2019' and chose not to prioritize it due to her workload. Months later, the resignation of Bolivian President Evo Morales was followed by 'mass protests leading to dozens of deaths,' she wrote. Zhang wrote that in Honduras, a coordinated campaign 'used thousands of inauthentic assets to boost President Juan Orlando Hernandez' (above) A similar situation unfolded in Ecuador, Zhang wrote, saying she 'found inauthentic activity supporting the ruling government and made the decision not to prioritize it.' After the coronavirus pandemic devastated that country, Zhang wondered whether her decision played a role in the government's actions. She wrote: 'I have made countless decisions in this vein from Iraq to Indonesia, from Italy to El Salvador. Individually, the impact was likely small in each case, but the world is a vast place. 'Although I made the best decision I could based on the knowledge available at the time, ultimately I was the one who made the decision not to push more or prioritize further in each case, and I know that I have blood on my hands by now.' Zhang also wrote that in Honduras, a coordinated campaign 'used thousands of inauthentic assets to boost President Juan Orlando Hernandez.' Facebook announced in July that it had removed 181 accounts and 1,488 Facebook Pages tied to coordinated inauthentic activity in Honduras, but Zhang says the enforcement took nine months, and that fake accounts popped back up just two weeks later. 'Local policy teams confirmed that President JOH's marketing team had openly admitted to organizing the activity on his behalf,' she wrote. 'Yet despite the blatantly violating nature of this activity, it took me almost a year to take down his operation.' In Azerbaijan, Zhang wrote that she discovered that President Ilham Aliyev's ruling political party 'utilized thousands of inauthentic assets... to harass the opposition en masse.' Facebook still has not disclosed the influence campaign, according to Zhang. In Azerbaijan, Zhang wrote that she discovered that President Ilham Aliyev's (above) ruling political party 'utilized thousands of inauthentic assets... to harass the opposition en masse' Zhang also wrote that she and her colleagues removed '10.5 million fake reactions and fans from high-profile politicians in Brazil and the US in the 2018 elections.' She said that the influence campaigns appeared to be targeted at boosting 'major politicians of all persuasions in Brazil, and a number of lower-level politicians in the United States.' Facebook said in September 2018 that it had acted against a network in Brazil that used 'fake accounts to sow division and share disinformation.' But Zhang claimed that Facebook seemed to assign fewer resources and a lower priority to disinformation campaigns outside of the U.S. and Europe, leaving her feeling overwhelmed. 'We focus upon harm and priority regions like the United States and Western Europe,' Zhang wrote, adding that 'it became impossible to read the news and monitor world events without feeling the weight of my own responsibility.' In the lengthy memo, Zhang also wrote of identifying inauthentic activity in Bolivia and Ecuador but choosing 'not to prioritize it,' due to her workload. Zhang declined to comment to Buzzfeed, and could not immediately be reached by DailyMail.com. Small bivalved crustacean ostracods are the most abundant fossil arthropods since the Ordovician and play an important role in paleoenvironmental reconstruction and evolutionary biology. The vast majority of fossil ostracods are represented by calcified shells, and their soft parts, which can provide invaluable information about ancient ostracod autoecology, are extremely rare. Recently, Dr. WANG He and Prof. WANG Bo, from the Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (NIGPAS), and their collaborators presented exceptionally well-preserved ostracods with soft parts (appendages and reproductive organs) from mid-Cretaceous Myanmar amber (~100 million years old), which revealed sexual intercourse of ostracods. The study was published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B on Sept. 15. The ostracod assemblage in the amber is composed of 39 individuals in one amber piece and includes males, females and juveniles. X-ray micro-computed tomography was used to obtain high-resolution three-dimensional images of their soft parts. The micro-CT reconstruction provided direct evidence of the male clasper, sperm pumps (Zenker organs), hemipenes, eggs and female seminal receptacles containing giant sperm. This is the first time that giant ostracod sperm was found in Cretaceous ostracod fossils; its length was at least one-third of the body length of the ostracod. This discovery is also the earliest known animal sperm record, and approximately 50-million years older than the previous oldest fossil records of animal sperm. Analyses of the fossil and extant ostracods show that during sexual reproduction, the male used its sexually dimorphic fifth limb, which has hook-like endopods, to grasp a female while introducing its hemipenes into the female's paired vaginas. The male's pair of Zenker organs then transferred the exceptionally long but immotile sperm via the male hemipenes into the female. The Zenker organ is readily identified in extant cypridoidean ostracods as a large, spiny, sclerotized part of the deferent sperm duct. Muscle fibers alongside the organ connect the numerous spines, which are often arranged in a number of whorls that are taxonomically characteristic at the family level. Once in the female, the sperm are pushed up the two long sperm canals, each ending in a sac-like seminal receptacle for sperm storage; there, they finally become motile, arrange themselves into a more organized assemblage and fertilize eggs during the process of oviposition. Research reveals that the repertoire of reproduction behavior in ostracods, which is associated with considerable morphological adaptations, has remained unchanged over at least 100 million years - a paramount example of evolutionary stasis. The appearance of a complex reproductive mechanism involving giant sperm improved mating success and may have been an important contributor to the late Mesozoic explosive radiation of the superfamily Cypridoidea, which today includes the vast majority of nonmarine ostracod species. ### This research was supported by the Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the Second Tibetan Plateau Scientific Expedition and Research, and the National Natural Science Foundation of China. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-15 19:40:43|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close by Xinhua writer Wang Jiangang UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- President of the 74th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) Tijjani Muhammad-Bande on Monday lauded China's great achievements in eradicating poverty and urged the global community to defend multilateralism. For China, "to have poverty eradicated 10 years ahead is really a very important achievement," said the UNGA president in a video-link interview with Xinhua the day before finishing his one-year term. Poverty eradication is the first goal among the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which were agreed upon by all countries in 2015. Noting that "China is a very important player in the global stage both economically and politically," Muhammad-Bande said that "by this year, China, from what it has done, will achieve Goal No. 1 (of the 17 SDGs)," adding that poverty eradication in a country like China with 1.4 billion people "is very important for the world." Speaking of his observations about China's success in eradicating poverty, the president said he was impressed with the country's attempts to try out a variety of means to "see which practice works across the country." Muhammad-Bande in June launched the Alliance for Poverty Eradication, which he said "represents an opportunity to confront an enduring and multi-faceted challenge" by enabling the international community to compare notes and exchange ideas on cross-national good practices regarding poverty eradication. Being the first UNGA president who spent half of his tenure working online in the world body's 75 years history, Muhammad-Bande said he can't tolerate the politicization and stigmatization associated with COVID-19. "Now everyone appreciates that it is wrong to stigmatize anyone with a disease," he said, noting that "our focus is really fighting disease." The UNGA president said that he was happy to see that many people, especially young people are leading "the campaigns for equality and for inclusion and non-stigmatization." "The disease has exposed the necessity for cooperation. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is very clear about how you must respect each other. This is the basis on which the (UN) system itself can progress," he said, adding that "the pandemic is a reminder of our connections as humanity. No country is safe until all others are safe." Muhammad-Bande stressed that for now, "what is important is the development of vaccines and other therapeutics to guarantee that no one who is in need is unable to get them." Speaking of what the 74th UNGA session has achieved, Muhammad-Bande said without any hesitation that "the most important thing is to continue to underline the importance of collaboration and the multilateral effort." "The most important thing is for all countries, big and small, to appreciate that we can contribute to peace and security in the world," he said, calling on all countries to "operate within rules that we set for ourselves." Despite encountering difficulties, the UN has functioned as normal during the pandemic, as "countries have been able to still come together, to narrow differences to such a degree that they were able to pass many resolutions of importance to the world," said Muhammad-Bande. Speaking of the world order which is under threat, he said that "we should always try to obey law, but not obey only a few because that creates a lot of difficulties." He stressed that although the pandemic has brought tremendous damage to the world, UN multilateral mechanisms have not changed as "we must listen and work harder to reduce our differences." Cautioning against growing conflicts, Muhammad-Bande called on people across the world to get rid of discrimination, and show more respect for each other and the environment. "This is the way to guarantee not only peace, but also prosperity, which are very important goals of the United Nations from the very beginning," he noted. Enditem India on Tuesday walked out of a virtual meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) after a map showing its territory as part of Pakistan was put on display behind the representative of the neighbouring country. Indias National Security Advisor, Ajit Doval, left the video conference with his counterparts from the seven other SCO nations, after lodging protest over display of the map behind Moeed Yusuf, the representative of Pakistan. The map was issued by Imran Khans Government in Islamabad early last month, incorporating in Pakistan, not only Indias two Union Territories Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) and Ladakh, but also Junagadh in its western state of Gujarat. Yusuf, the Special Advisor on National Security to the Prime Minister of Pakistan, had the map as a background display behind him when he joined the video conference. Doval conveyed Indias strong objection to the use of the map by Pakistan. Islamabads use of a fictitious map as a backdrop for its representative depicting Indias sovereign territory as part of Pakistan was in blatant disregard to the advisory by the host against it and in violation of the norms of the meeting, Anurag Srivastava, the spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs, said. He said that Doval had left the meeting after consultation with the host of the meeting Nikolai Patrushev, the secretary of the National Security Council of Russia. India and Pakistan were in June 2017 admitted to the SCO, which earlier had six members Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Russia is currently holding the chair of the SCO. Pakistans use of the map showing territory of India during the meeting of the SCO was a blatant violation of the charter of the eight-nation bloc and went against its all established norms of safeguarding the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the member states, a government source in New Delhi said. Patrushev, who was chairing the meeting, tried very hard to persuade the representative of the Pakistan Government to refrain from using the controversial map as a background display during the meeting. Islamabad, however, claimed that the SCO had rejected the objection raised by New Delhi and Yusuf continued to participate in the virtual meeting with the map on the background even after the exit of Doval. The government sources in New Delhi said that Patrushev had conveyed to Doval that he was personally very grateful to the National Security Advisor of India for attending the SCO meet. Russia did not support Pakistans provocative act against India, sources quoted Patrushev conveying to Doval. He also expressed his hope that it would not affect New Delhis participation in the future SCO meetings and not cast any shadow on his warm personal relationship with Doval. Khan, himself, had unveiled the new map of Pakistan on August 4 just on the eve of the first anniversary of Indias August 5, 2019 move to strip its then state of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) of its special status and reorganise it into two Union Territories. New Delhi had called Islamabads move to publish the new map of Pakistan as ridiculous and an exercise of political absurdity. Pakistan had published its new map amid its iron brother Chinas aggressive moves to unilaterally alter the status quo along the communist countrys disputed boundary with India in eastern Ladakh. China earlier prodded Prime Minister K P Sharma Olis government in Kathmandu to publish a new map of Nepal, incorporating in its territory nearly 400 sq kms of area of India. A court in on Tuesday issued non-bailable arrest warrant against former prime minister for failing to appear during hearing of his appeal against conviction in a corruption case. A two-member bench of the Islamabad High Court comprising Justice Aamir Farooq and Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani took up Sharif's appeal in Al-Azizia steel mills corruption case. Sharif, 70, has been in London since November last year after the Lahore High Court granted him permission to go abroad for four weeks for treatment. The three-time premier, his daughter Maryam and son-in-law Muhammad Safdar were convicted in the Avenfield properties case on July 6, 2018. Sharif was also sentenced to seven years in the Al-Azizia Steel Mills case in December 2018. But Sharif was bailed out in both cases and also allowed to go to London for medical treatment. Sharif's lawyer, Khawaja Haris Ahmed, last week filed a review petition in the Islamabad High Court stating that his health condition would not allow him to return home from London and surrender in a corruption case. He also submitted the former premier's latest medical files attested by London-based consultant cardiothoracic surgeon Dr David Lawrence. The court had warned Sharif to surrender by September 15 before his appeal was taken up for regular hearing. Since he could not comply with the order, the court issued a non-bailable arrest warrant and adjourned hearing until September 22. The court also rejected Sharif's plea seeking exemption from the hearing and directed to initiate proceedings to declare him as proclaimed offender. It also turned down another plea to continue the case hearings through a legal representative. The court rejected the argument by his lawyer that Sharif was suffering from medical complication and would come back after treatment. In May, a picture of Sharif having tea at a London cafe along with his family went viral on social media, sparking a debate on the seriousness of his health condition. The government came under further criticism when last month Sharif's photos surfaced online, showing him strolling in a street, prompting calls from within the ruling Tehreek-i-Insaf to bring him back. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Missing Indian fishermen rescued by Myanmar Navy September 15,2020 | Source: The Tribune At least nine Indian fishermen from the state of Tamil Nadu who went missing nearly two months ago have been rescued by the Myanmar Navy and steps have been initiated for their return home, state Fisheries Minister D Jayakumar said on Monday. The fishermen, who set sail on July 23 in a deep-sea fishing vessel from the city, were supposed to return by August 7 and a multi-agency coordination including the Indian Navy and the Coast Guard was launched to search for them, he said. The state government, through the External Affairs Ministry, requested the help of neighbouring Myanmar, Thailand and Bangladesh in their search, he said in a release. Subsequently, the fishermen were located by the Myanmar Navy there on Monday morning and have been safely rescued and brought ashore. The Indian mission in Myanmar has informed that the fishermen were doing well and provided with food and other facilities, the minister said. Due steps have been initiated by the Tamil Nadu government to bring back the fishermen home soon, he added. Theme(s): Others. PHILIPSBURG:--- Ambassador Hushang Ansary and attorney Richard Gibson are accusing former Interim President of the Central Bank of Curacao and St. Maarten (CBCS) Jose Jardim of acting in bad faith and laid critical accusations against him in the ongoing Ennia saga. In a leaked document from a trusted and well-informed source, Gibson and Ansary have directed a letter to Jardim in response to the latters request for a zoom meeting to possibly resolve the Ennia issue on Wednesday, September 16. If the intention towards a resolution is serious the letter reads, then Gibson and Ansary are both interested. However, it is hard for us to understand your real reasons for private meetings and zoom calls at the same time as you take action against certain US-shareholders and certain management members in connection with legitimate expenditures dating back as far as 11 years ago, against which extraordinary profits by the very same US-shareholders for the privately-owned entity. Nothing to do with an agreement between this entity and Ennia Leven which made it possible for Ennia Leven to meet its obligations to its policyholders on a timely basis at all times. Additionally, Ansary and Gibson reminded Jardim that he continues to repeat publicly the same false accusation claiming that US shareholders of Ennia had moved a total of US 400 million from the company to bank accounts of their own. This was categorically denied by us at the meeting (on February 1, 2020, in Florida with Jardim) but we added that for this amount to be transferred out of Ennia bank accounts it would be necessary for two Managing Directors of Ennia with signature authority to have sent wire transfer instructions, the letter to Jardim reads. Ansary and Gibson further reminded Jardim that they asked him to present documentation to substantiate his claims and that he, Jardim, made the commitment to deliver such evidence to Gibson within one week from that date of February 1. Jardim has since never produced this evidence despite an additional one week being granted to do such. In the many months that have passed, Richard has received nothing from you and no explanation. Very surprisingly, you (Jardim) once again repeated this accusation to the media in Curacao shortly after the zoom call you requested on August 21, 2020. Jardim is being told in the letter from Gibson and Ansary that he (Jardim) is on record during the emergency rule proceedings and subsequently the media for having said that Ennia was financially sound and that the restructuring would take about 6 months and received the courts approval of your budget in the amount of Naf 500,000. Today, over two years later, millions of dollars have been squandered from the hard-earned money made by shareholders in the United States, not a penny of which should have been wasted because of the fact that the restructuring has already been verbally agreed upon with you before you moved unexpectedly to take all the companies, regulated and privately owned by US citizens, without even a courtesy notice to US shareholders to be present at the court, the letter reads. In addition, many millions of dollars of financial asset value appear to have been lost under your supervision over and above which we must regretfully include in the loss of market share at Ennia, purely as a result of rumor-mongering and negative allegations. Ansary and Gibson re-iterated that the Ennia Group of companies during its entire existence has never been as strong financially as it was when the emergency rule was declared at Jardims request. What is the definition of an emergency and how did that exist when you imposed the law and with what has the emergency now been placed by under your supervision in the last two years? For the record, if the highly negative conditions following your imposition of the emergency rule continue at this pace, the downfall will inevitably accelerate beyond control and the negative outcome will be far-reaching. The day of reckoning will then arrive: what was taken delivery of and what will be there to be returned to the shareholders. Gibson and Ansary chided Jardim as being disingenuous and acting in bad faith. Those who show interest in private meetings between parties for the purpose of resolving their differences are assumed to be generally motivated by a strong desire to achieve positive results outside the formal and rigid environment of a court of law. If this is what is intended by the private meetings you have initiated and we have welcomed in principle, everything that you have been doing is the exact opposite of what is intended as the critical objectives of private meetings. How can what has happened so far between us be encouraging in the context of that objective. Nevertheless, Ansary and Gibson concluded their letter by stating that they are still interested in participating in a Zoom call on Wednesday if there are serious intentions on Jardims part to resolve the issue to mutual satisfaction. (Natural News) New York City is experiencing a mass exodus. Many of its rich and middle-class residents are leaving, and they are doing so because of the paralyzed economic opportunities that came with protracted Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) lockdown measures. In addition, theyre leaving because of the high rate of crime and gun violence, as well as the sky-high taxes which several city politicians are thinking of increasing even further. New York City has been experiencing a lot of problems since well before the COVID-19 lockdowns. The exorbitant cost of living, for example, has kept many people from moving to the state and has helped push many others out of the city. However, it looks like the pandemic has pushed the city to the brink of collapse. While many of the restrictions put in place by city officials on the freedom of movement and on economic activity have been lifted, the city that never sleeps has yet to return to the way things were, especially since many of the changes that were implemented during the lockdowns will not be rolled back anytime soon, such as the mask mandates. Furthermore, officials have still not put forward a proper solution to the citys problematic crime rate. From June to August 23, data from the New York Police Department (NYPD) shows that more than 800 people have been shot, compared to under 300 over the same period in 2019. The citys murder rate is also up by more than 50 percent. New York City used to have a strong reputation as being one of the safest large urban centers in the United States. This prominence, which took decades of hard work to build, was wiped out beginning in June when the city failed to properly deal with the riots and the looting perpetrated by the citys Antifa and Black Lives Matter movement chapters. Its been further dealt a blow thanks to progressive reforms that have diminished the capability of the NYPD to conduct proactive policing. The real extent of the emigration from New York City due to all of these compounding issues is still unknown, but many groups are starting to take notice of just how extensive the depopulation could become if it isnt addressed. Some, like moving companies, are reaping the benefits, while others, like Mayor Bill de Blasio, are openly trying to deny the phenomenon. Data shows more people leaving New York than moving in A survey conducted in early May by real estate listing site PropertyNest showed that nearly a million of the citys residents were considering leaving, and that more than 400,000 have already left, at least temporarily. Moving companies have experienced such a strong boom in their business that they either have to turn people away or rent more trucks from U-Haul to accommodate the increased demand. United Van Lines, another moving and relocation company, compiled its own data and found that, from March 1 to August 19, around 67 percent of their long-distance moves were made by people who wanted to leave New York, and only 33 percent were made by people who wanted to move in. According to their data, New Yorks rate of people moving out of the state comes just second in the nation to New Jersey, where 69 percent of their activity was for people leaving, while only 31 percent was for people moving in. Other blue states like Illinois, Connecticut, California, Maryland and Massachusetts are also seeing more people moving out of their state than moving in. (Related: New York, New Jersey and Connecticut to impose quarantine on travelers from states with big coronavirus outbreaks.) Meanwhile, according to United Van Lines data, largely rural states like Vermont, Idaho, Oregon and South Carolina are seeing a large amount of people moving in. We have seen increased mobility across the states driven by fear of living in densely populated areas, a realization that the old normal of commuting into a city office is still but a distant possibility and the realization that remote work can be an effective, long-term option, said Gregory Daco, chief U.S. economist for Oxford Economics. As local Democrats in New York continue driving people away with exorbitant tax rates, unresolved crime issues and disastrous COVID-19 policies, national Democrats like Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi are busy engineering a plot to declare Republicans to be enemies of the state. If this blatant coup attempt goes unchallenged, it will allow Democrats to imprison GOP members and strip them of their office. De Blasio attempts to dispute data that New Yorkers are fleeing his city In his weekly Mondays with the Mayor broadcast on Inside City Hall, Mayor de Blasio flat out denied the idea that many New Yorkers are packing up and leaving for better-governed cities despite the data from moving companies proving that more people have left the state than have moved in, as well as data that shows there is an uptick in the price of homes in New York Citys suburban areas. Instead, de Blasio is asserting that people actually want to move into New York. We cant overrate this moment. We are clearly the safest place in America right now when it comes to the coronavirus, said de Blasio to NY1 anchor Errol Louis. I think, in fact, people in this country are looking at New York getting safer and safer, healthier and healthier in terms of the coronavirus. Theyre seeing our economy start to come back. De Blasio further asserts that the people who moved out of the city have done so temporarily, and once the situation in New York City gets a lot better, they are going to come back. Furthermore, he said that if people truly are leaving, he wont necessarily object to their departure. Im not going to beg people to stay, he said. I know this city will rebound. I know it and I know others will come. It is a passing moment. There will be a vaccine and then all the strength of New York City will reassert itself again. These comments come as New York Citys future looks bleaker and bleaker. The city is facing a $9 billion budget deficit that will no doubt lead to massive layoffs. Given the fact that a lot of people are leaving people who pay income tax to the city, this budget shortfall will no doubt get worse in the future. Maria Doulis from the Citizens Budget Commission, a nonpartisan fiscal watchdog, said that this extreme deficit could hinder New York Citys ability to maintain many of its services, such as sanitation and policing. The states are working to go back to normal following the devastation of COVID-19. Some states, like New York, are doing far worse than many others. Learn about the economic reopening and the return to normalcy in the United States by reading the articles at Pandemic.news. Sources include: TheEpochTimes.com NY1.com NYPost.com Bloomberg.com NYTimes.com The City of Lebanon will resume locking off water supplies to customers who are significantly overdue on their utility payments if they do not contact the city to make payment arrangements. The city has not proceeded with lock-offs since the COVID-19 pandemic began this spring. It was decided that it was in the interest of public health to not reduce access to clean water when hand washing was such a major part of reducing the spread of this coronavirus. Some residential customers have accrued substantial water bills in the past six months. City finance director Matt Apken told the city council at its Sept. 9 session that 379 accounts are currently past due with a total past due amount of approximately $83,000. That amount has grown by about $10,000 in the past month, Apken said. The City of Lebanon bills about $944,000 in water payments monthly. Following a discussion of this issue at its August public session, the council directed Apken to reach out to customers who were past due to encourage them to make payment arrangements. Apken told the council that letters were sent to all of these accounts but it took time to set up a system for making phone calls. These calls to residents will begin this month. I have reached out to other cities and I can tell you that every city that I talked to has either restarted doing their lock-offs or has plans to do so by the beginning of October. That includes Salem, Albany, Sweet Home, Cottage Grove, Apken said, adding that most of the cities are being flexible with payment options to help customers avoid any interruption of service. Councilors Karin Stauder and Rebecca Grizzle said they were in favor of resuming lock-offs for residential customers who are past due and do not make any attempt to work with the city on a repayment plan. Putting COVID aside, its never pleasant when this has to happen, Stauder said. Grizzle believes it is the citys responsibility to not let these accounts grow any more delinquent. I had people contact me encouraging us to move forward. I dont think its in anybodys interest for us to continue to bury people deeper, especially if we can help you if youll contact us, Grizzle said. Councilor Michelle Steinhebel continued to oppose locking off residential accounts due to the public health interest during the pandemic. I understand Im going to be in the minority and I certainly understand the citys position and our responsibility to our residents, Steinhebel said. Councilor Robert Furlow shared Steinhebels view. Im very concerned about shutting off water in the midst of an epidemic when we want people to be washing their hands, Furlow said. If they make any attempt at all I want them not to have their water shut off. Mayor Paul Aziz sided with Grizzle and Stauder, but asked staff to be as flexible as possible with customers. Were concerned with the people and not having water. We want to make sure we do everything possible to help them, whether its maybe a fee gets dropped or whatever it is that we can help them out, Aziz said. With the city set to resume lock-offs, Steinhebel asked Apken what the process will be for customers who are locked off. Will these customers have to bring their accounts current to resume service? They would make some payment, likely not the whole thing, but then they would set up a payment plan and going forward they would continue to make that payment plus their current bill. My hope is that if anyone is locked off it would be a very short period of time for them to figure it out, Apken said. Councilors Wayne Rieskamp and Jason Bolen were not in attendance at the virtual session. Bolen was unable to attend due to his responsibilities with the Lebanon Fire District. I would be remiss if I didnt mention that Councilor Bolen is quite busy with the fires that are going on all around us and I just want to send out a big, big thank you to the Lebanon Fire District and the hard work that they are doing, Aziz said. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1 Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Concern about mental health of students is a common theme among three of the candidates seeking Pearland ISDs Position 2 trustee seat. Jessica Garcia Shafer, Edgar Pacheco Jr. and Dr. Kris Schoeffler also each emphasized other themes in a Sept. 10 online forum provided by the Pearland Chamber of Commerce. Shafer, 38, an epidemiologist at NASA, is calling for simpler and more succinct communication between the district and parents. Pacheco, 19, a San Jacinto College student, advocates for focusing on students mental health and on serving children with special needs.Schoeffler, a 39-year-old veterinarian, has a desire to approach the school district from a business perspective to use funds wisely . A fourth candidate, Carmine Petrillo III, did not participate in the forum and could not be reached for an interview by presstime. Position 2 recently was vacated when former trustee Mike Floyd resigned before his term ended. The election is set for Nov. 3. Oct. 5 is the last day to register to vote, and early voting begins Oct. 13. During the form, Shafer talked about problems she perceived with the districts communications efforts. She said board members cant expect community stakeholders, particularly busy parents, to be fully engaged and active participants simply by attending or watching board meetings, calling them very long and very dry. Instead, she said the district should use all means of available communication text, email, etc. to offer parents short and succinct bullet points of information about the goings on of the board and of Pearland ISD, and they should do it in English and Spanish at the least. Make it simple (for them to understand), she said. If they feel empowered and understand whats going on, hopefully theyll get involved, but if were not inviting them in, theyre just not going to get involved. Position 2 candidate forum To view the Sept. 10 candidate forum for Pearland ISD trustee Position 2, visit https://fbook.cc/3FZx. See More Collapse Shafer said she also felt the school board could benefit from more diversity of thought, saying the current trustees didnt adequately represent the changing demographics of Pearland. Shafer said she is concerned about the districts efforts to support students mental health and about those students at risk of falling through the cracks. She said shes heard from some students that it can be difficult to get in to talk with school counselors and questioned whether kids should be even having these discussions on campus. She wondered if the district could facilitate students' access to outside mental health resources to protect their privacy. The well-being of our kids is very much in flux right now, she said. We need more support. (Also) mental health is very personal, and theres still a stigma (attached to it). We have to protect children from that. Pacheco agreed with Shafer that students mental health is a concern. As a 2019 graduate of Pearland High School, he said hes had experience talking with friends and peers suffering from anxiety, panic attacks or even suicidal thoughts. He also hopes to advocate for children in Pearland ISDs special education classes. Born with no limbs, Pacheco has experience in this area, not all of which has been positive. He talked of being bullied by campus administrators and even nearly being assaulted by one. I dont want any other student with special needs to go through what I went through, he said. Schoeffler said, if elected, he hoped not only to solicit new ideas from stakeholders, but also wanted to approach his duties from a business perspective as someone who knows how to work with million-dollar budgets while simultaneously accounting for every penny spent and being responsible to taxpayers. He said that if elected, I do think that as a business person I can hit the ground running. He referred to roles he has played in civic organizations including the chamber, where he served as the chairman and vice chairman of governmental relations. I do think that I have a talent for engaging people, listening to them, even when I disagree with their opinion, making sure they have the right to get it out there so we can have a robust discussion about it, make sure the best ideas rise to the top, he said. Like Pacheco and Shafer, he said hes worried about students mental health, particularly with so many kids learning remotely this year and subsequently spending much time in front of screens. I do have some real concerns that were going to see rises in the suicide rate, rises in mental-health issues, he said. Students need interaction with their peer group. I think there needs to be ongoing conversations about how to keep kids engaged, healthy, interacting in a way where they still get their physical activity, where they still get their interpersonal relationships and the content of the lessons is being delivered safely. Referring to Schoeffler, Pacheco said he didnt agree the school district should be run like a business. Instead, he said trustees should work to serve the needs of the students. He said he understands a need to address any funding deficits, but he advocates cutting taxes if the school system finds itself with a surplus. Complex budgeting is hurtful if it continues to be disassociated from the cost of serving the needs of the students and the taxpayers, he said. If were not careful, well continue to waste tax dollars and harm lives by neglecting our community resource and the needs of all students, which involves mental health and special education needs. A street in historic downtown Cleveland has been re-named to honor the retiring president of Lee University. Parker Street travels through the center of Lee Universitys campus and has been officially re-named Paul Conn Parkway. The street, flanked on either side by university buildings, is a scenic focal point in the heart downtown with its distinctive architecture, landscaped lawns and tree lined medians. Dr. Paul Conn served as president of Lee University for 34 years, retiring this year and taking over as chancellor. In 2016, Cleveland Mayor Tom Rowland (1991-2018) proposed the re-naming and it was agreed to wait until Dr. Conns retirement year. Mr. Rowland retired in 2018 after 28 years as Clevelands mayor and Dr. Conn retired this past year. A few weeks ago, the current Mayor Kevin Brooks and members of Cleveland City Council, working from Rowlands 2016 recommendation, unanimously voted to rename Parker Street as Paul Conn Parkway. Cleveland City Councilman Dale Hughes, a Lee alumnus and former Lee faculty member, spoke at a brief dedication ceremony attended by city officials and Lee family and staff. Mr. Hughes traced Dr. Conns journey from childhood, living in the Parker Street area and walking to Arnold School, to Bradley Central High School and graduating from Lee College. He also outlined the progress of the school and contributed Dr. Conn and wife Darlia for their contributions in growing Lee College into Lee University and into a beautifully landscaped campus of over 120 acres. Mr. Hughes described Conn as a visionary who has taken the university to worldwide fame and influenced thousands of students around the world. The Christian based liberal arts school was established in 1918. It began as a Bible Training School in 1918 by the Church of God, became Bob Jones College and was renamed in 1947 in honor of its second president the Rev. F.J. Lee. In 1997, under Dr. Conns leadership, it attained University status . In 1984 Dr. Conn took over the presidency, once held by his father the late Charles W. Conn. (1970-1982). A few weeks ago, Dr. Mark Walker became the new Lee University president and Dr. Conn becomes the universitys first chancellor. Another street on the campus, 15th Street was re-named in 2012 to honor Billy Graham, worldwide evangelist who attended the campus when it was Bob Jones College. Billy Graham Avenue ends at North Ocoee Street near Medlin Hall, the dormitory where Graham once resided. His daughter Gigi Graham came to Cleveland for the dedication, hosted by Dr. Conn and Mayor Rowland, who initiated the street honoring the late Mr. Graham. A US suspect left his good luck behind when he abandoned a winning lottery ticket while fleeing sheriffs officers. Cherokee County Sheriffs Office said the man had a Georgia Lottery scratchcard worth 100 dollars (77) when he ran away during a traffic stop on Interstate 75 on Monday. In a Facebook post, officers offered their congratulations and invited him to claim the ticket at a station in Canton, about 40 miles north of Atlanta. The man, who was not identified, was later taken into custody, Captain Jay Baker told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Mr Baker said the man was a passenger in a vehicle that was pulled over for a licence plate violation, and he ran into nearby woods. The lottery ticket was in a backpack that also contained methamphetamine, according to Mr Baker. The man can have the lottery ticket back, but the sheriffs office said it will keep the drugs. A group of celebrities including Kim Kardashian West, Katy Perry, Michael B. Jordan and Ashton Kutcher have said they will participate in a 24-hour Instagram "freeze" on Wednesday as part of the Stop Hate For Profit movement to protest what the organization calls "Facebook's repeated failures to address hate speech and election disinformation on their platforms." A slew of big-name advertisers including Starbucks, Coca-Cola and Verizon paused to their social media budgets this summer after "Stop Hate For Profit" called on advertisers to boycott Facebook for the month of July. The goal, the group said, was to pressure the company into taking more stringent steps to stop the spread of hate speech and misinformation on its platform. Specifically, the organization wants Facebook to remove Facebook Groups that promote white supremacy, hate and violent conspiracies; forbid any event page with a call to arms and eliminate a politician exemption for political and voting content, among other requests. For instance, in one recent incident, Facebook reportedly declined to take down a page for a militia organization based in Kenosha, Wisconsin, despite hundreds of notifications from users that the page included a call to arms and comments advocating violence against protesters, who were demonstrating over the police shooting of Jacob Blake, a Black man. Facebook removed the page only after a gunman at the protest killed two people, an error which CEO Mark Zuckerberg later called an "operational mistake." Now, the organization is turning its attention to Facebook subsidiary Instagram, asking users to conduct a 24-hour "freeze" in which they'll make one post criticizing the company and no further posts for the day. Among the participants are Sacha Baron Cohen, Naomi Campbell, Judd Apatow, Amy Schumer, Sarah Silverman, Kate Hudson, Leonardo DiCaprio, Rosario Dawson, Isla Fisher, Scooter Braun and Mark Ruffalo. Facebook declined to comment. Kardashian West has one of Instagram's most-followed accounts, with more than 188 million followers. "I love that I can connect directly with you through Instagram and Facebook, but I can't sit by and stay silent while these platforms continue to allow the spreading of hate, propaganda and misinformation - created by groups to sow division and split America apart only to take steps after people are killed," she wrote in her post. "Misinformation shared on social media has a serious impact on our elections and undermines our democracy. Please join me tomorrow when I will be 'freezing' my Instagram and FB account to tell Facebook to #StopHateForProfit. Link in bio for more info on how to preserve truth." Though the temporary boycott of a portion of Facebook's advertisers drew widespread attention, the impact to the company's bottom line was minimal. Facebook shares are up about 32% for the year, well ahead of the S&P 500's gain of about 5%. An injured woman found inside a home on Killoran Road in Selwyn Township was transported to a Toronto hospital with life-threatening injuries, OPP say. Peterborough County OPP sent officers to the home, located between Peterborough and Lakefield near Fifth Line, at about 12:30 p.m. Saturday after receiving a call for help. They found the woman, said to be in her mid-20s, in the house. The incident is being investigated by the crime unit and forensic identification services. Police say it was an isolated incident and theres no threat to the public. Anyone with information is asked to call the detachment at 705-742-0401 or 1-888-310-1122, or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477 or online at stopcrimehere.ca. The upcoming season of The Crown will depict Princess Dianas struggle with bulimia, which the late royal once said she suffered from for a number of years. In the fourth season of Netflixs hit historical drama, viewers will be introduced to Princess Diana as she meets and marries Prince Charles. Emma Corrin will portray Princess Diana in the new season, before Elizabeth Debicki takes over the role for the shows final two seasons. While Dianas entry into the royal family may have seemed to many like a fairytale-come-true, behind the scenes she was suffering from an eating disorder that stemmed from low self-esteem, she told journalist Martin Bashir during a 1995 interview. Left Bank Pictures, the production company behind The Crown, said in a statement sent to The Independent that producers worked closely with [eating disorder charity] Beat to ensure that their portrayal of Princess Dianas bulimia in season four was both accurate to the disorder and sensitively handled." Rebecca Willgress, head of communications at Beat, added in a statement sent to The Independent that while the organisation was not present on the set of The Crown, the charity offered guidance on how to depict the late Princess of Wales struggle with bulimia in a sensitive and non-glamourising way. We were consulted by Netflix and Left Bank Pictures during the production, Ms Willgress said. We were not involved on set, but advised on how to portray eating disorders in a sensitive and non-glamourising way, including signposting to appropriate sources of help and providing trigger warnings where needed. During her conversation with journalist Bashir in 1995, Princess Diana explained that her bulimia developed as a result of her faltering sense of self-worth. You inflict it upon yourself because your self-esteem is at a low ebb, and you don't think you're worthy or valuable. You fill your stomach up four or five times a day some do it more and it gives you a feeling of comfort, the then-34-year-old said, describing bulimia as a secret disease. It's like having a pair of arms around you, but it's temporarily, temporary. Then you're disgusted at the bloatedness of your stomach, and then you bring it all up again. And it's a repetitive pattern which is very destructive to yourself. Princess Diana said that her bulimia was a symptom of what was going on in my marriage, stating: I was crying out for help, but giving the wrong signals, and people were using my bulimia as a coat on a hanger: they decided that was the problem - Diana was unstable. Former royal chef Darren McGrady spoke about Princess Dianas bulimia during a 2017 interview with Hello!, telling the magazine that he always questioned why on earth she wanted all of this food. Diana: a life in pictures Show all 20 1 /20 Diana: a life in pictures Diana: a life in pictures Diana arriving on 4 October, 1990 for a charity gala at the Departmental Auditorium in Washington Kevin Larkin/AFP Diana: a life in pictures Diana and Prince Charles at their wedding St Paul Cathedral 29 July 1981 AFP/Getty Images Diana: a life in pictures Prince Charles and Diana at the memorial to the British Gloster Regiment outside Seoul. The Royal couple were on a four-day official visit to Korea AFP/Getty Images Diana: a life in pictures Diana listens to a senior nun of the Missionaries of Charity at the house of Mother Teresa in Calcutta on 15 February, 1992 Diana: a life in pictures Diana, Princes William and Harry applaud during the Wales vs France Five Nations Cup match at Cardiff Arms Park on 1 February, 1992 Jean-Pierre Muller/AFP Diana: a life in pictures Diana wearing a heavy duty protection vest and face shield, accompanied by a mine-clearing expert of the Halo Trust 15 January 1997 during her visit to the mine fields near Huambo, Angola AFP/Getty Images Diana: a life in pictures Diana waves to the crowd as she arrives at the Cite de la Villette in Paris on 14 November, 1992 during a three-day visit in France Pierre Verdy/AFP Diana: a life in pictures Diana visiting Khufu, the great Pyramid in Giza on 12 May 1992 Manoocher Deghati/AFP Diana: a life in pictures Diana departs her London health club, 20 November 1995 AFP/Getty Images Diana: a life in pictures Diana listens to a young boy with learning difficulties on 13 November, 1992 during her visit to a school in Paris Joel Robine/AFP Diana: a life in pictures Ronald and Nancy Reagan welcome Diana and Prince Charles to the White House Don Rypka/AFP Diana: a life in pictures Diana and Prince Charles watch Indonesian tribal dancers in Yogyakarta, Indonesia on 5 November 1989 Kazuhiro Nogi/AFP Diana: a life in pictures Diana talks to amputees at the the Neves Bendinha Orthopedic Workshop on the outskirts of Luanda on 14 January, 1997 Joao Silva/AP Diana: a life in pictures Diana with the royal family outside the London Clarence House residence on 4 August 1989 Johnny Eggitt/AFP Diana: a life in pictures Diana and Prince Charles arrive at the church for the funeral of Earl Spencer, Diana's father, who died on 29 March, 1992 Martyn Hayhow/AFP Diana: a life in pictures Diana chats with 15-year old landmine victim, Bosnian muslim girl Mirzeta Gabelic, in front of Mirzeta's home in Sarajevo Hidajet Delic/AP Diana: a life in pictures Diana attending the France-Wales Five-Nations' tournament match on 21 January, 1995 in the grandstand at the Parc des Princes Jean-Pierre Muller/AFP Diana: a life in pictures Diana flanked by tennis players America's Michael Chang and Sweden's Jonas Bjorkman during the awards ceremony at the Hong Kong Open on 23 April, 1995 Emmanuel Dunand/AFP Diana: a life in pictures Diana, Prince Harry, and Prince William gather for the commemorations of VJ Day, 19 August 1995, in London AFP/Getty Images Diana: a life in pictures Diana and Jemima Khan, wife of Pakistani cricketer Imran Khan, attend a variety show 22 February 1996 in Lahore Saeed Khan/AFP But there was nothing I could do. I was there as a chef, my job was to cook and to prepare food. I wasnt a psychologist, or a doctor, who could say you shouldnt be eating all of this. I knew something wasnt right but I didnt know or understand what bulimia was, he said. Bulimia, otherwise known as bulimia nervosa, is a serious mental illness that involves a person becoming caught in a cycle of eating large quantities of food (called bingeing), and then trying to compensate for that overeating by vomiting, taking laxatives or diuretics, fasting, or exercising excessively (called purging), Beat explains. According to the charity, approximately 45 per cent of people who develop bulimia make a full recovery, while 23 per cent suffer from the condition chronically. To contact Beat, you can call the charitys helpline on 0808 801 0677, the studentline on 0808 801 0811 and the youthline on 0808 801 0711. The helplines are open every day of the year, Monday to Friday from 9am to 8pm and on the weekends and on bank holidays from 4pm to 8pm. You can also contact the charity via its one-to-one web chat by clicking this link. The Accra service will be operated by the airlines state-of-the-art Boeing 787 Dreamliner. Image: Qatar Airways Qatar Airways Group chief executive, Akbar Al Baker, said: We are delighted to be launching flights to the capital of Ghana, one of the fastest growing economies in the region famed for its local hospitality and highly sought after agricultural exports. We first announced our intention to launch flights to Accra in January 2020 and while the pandemic has slightly delayed these plans, it has not stopped us from fulfilling our commitment to passengers in Ghana and around the world. With the strong Ghanaian diaspora especially in Europe, the UK and U.S. we are thankful to the Ghanaian Government for their support in helping us to launch these flights providing an opportunity to reunite family and friends with their loved ones. We look forward to working closely with our partners in Ghana to steadily grow this route and support the recovery of tourism and trade in the region. NEW YORK, Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Finch , a fintech startup that integrates the benefits of investing and the flexibility of checking into an all-in-one account, has announced today that it has raised $1.8M in seed funding to launch its platform and help transform how people manage their money. The round was led by Boston based Mendoza Ventures with participation from Barclays, Techstars Investors, and Draper Frontier. Finch democratizes investment access and empowers Millennials to make their money work for them. Finch lets customers earn investment returns by automatically investing their checking balance into a portfolio designed to match their unique risk profile. This means your entire balance is always working for you, from day one, no matter what your balance is. Finch further pushes the envelope by enabling customers instant access to their money when they need it - even the invested part! At traditional banks and financial institutions, checking and investing accounts are separate. In order to put their money to work, customers are required to manage the flow of money between these accounts, through an ongoing manual process. This friction helps to explain why 86% of Americans do not invest outside of their retirement accounts. In addition, Americans pay an average of $329 per year in bank fees, but they receive very little back in terms of interest. Despite this, an overwhelming number of people continue to leave their balance sitting idle in a traditional checking account when it could be working for them. Determined to help address this problem, empower younger generations financially, and help close the wealth gap, financial services maven, Neel Ganu founded Finch. "I always felt I could have done more with my money but didn't and ended up holding my balance in cash. Having discovered that in the US, a staggering three in five Millennials currently do not invest at all, I realized I was not alone. Compounding this with the growing financial debt among Millennials today, with 62% living paycheck to paycheck, opened my eyes to how significant the issue is," said Neel Ganu, founder of Finch. "Many of our customers express that investing is too complex, while others feel they have very little financial flexibility to think about investing and other financial opportunities. But by keeping their money idle in a traditional checking account, they could be missing out on up to 50% of their wealth every ten years," Ganu added. Finch wants to empower people to make their money work for them, and so they developed a new type of checking account that allows for the benefits of investing to be accessible by all. "We wanted to help reshape the personal finance industry, leverage the advancements within fintech, and create a new business model and investment ecosystem that was reflective of our values and vision to support those who would most benefit," said Ganu. Support from FinTech Venture Community "The Finch team is not only disrupting the checking account to become truly customer-centric; they are transforming the fintech industry as the first player in the market that is enabling instant liquidity on investments. No doubt a game-changer," said Senofer Mendoza, General Partner, Mendoza Ventures. "By enabling customers the ability to earn investment returns, from day one, with what they have today, they are closing the wealth gap and financially empowering a generation. We are so excited to support this team in their mission of financial empowerment." "As an Alumni of the Barclays Accelerator Programme, we are pleased to be supporting Finch with an equity investment through this exciting growth period," said Kester Keating, Head of US Investments, Barclays. "Neel and his team have great experience and credibility in the consumer fintech space, and we will be watching closely as Finch expand their services to the US retail market in the coming months." "Finch's all-in-one brokerage and checking account represents the future of autonomous finance," said Jon Zanoff, former Managing Director at Techstars. "By making the legacy checking account a relic of the past, Finch is reimagining the complexities of investing and diversification. I've watched this team bring Finch from a whiteboard at MIT all the way to their customers' hands by solving complex technical challenges along the way." The company is currently in beta and will publicly launch its platform this October 2020. The app is currently available for preorder. Visit www.finchmoney.com for more information. About Finch Finch, formally known as Trio, is an all-in-one checking and investing account that lets customers earn investment returns by automatically investing their checking balance into a portfolio designed to match their unique risk profile. Finch further pushes the envelope by enabling customers instant access to their money when they need it. Based in New York City, Finch was founded by Neel Ganu, a financial services maven who was N26's first US employee. Finch was announced a Top Pick at TechCrunch Disrupt 2019 and was part of the 2019 Barclays Accelerator, powered by Techstars, New York. Finch is a registered investment advisor. For more information, visit www.Finchmoney.com About Mendoza Ventures Mendoza Ventures is a Boston based VC specializing in Fintech, AI, and Cybersecurity. They are the first Latinx founded VC on the East Coast, 67% of the current fund has gone to diverse founders. They are committed to growing founders and their teams to create a culture of excellence for startups and investors alike. About Barclays Barclays is a British universal bank. We are diversified by business, by different types of customer and client, and geography. Our businesses include consumer banking and payments operations around the world, as well as a top-tier, full service, global corporate and investment bank, all of which are supported by our service company which provides technology, operations and functional services across the Group. For further information about Barclays, please visit home.barclays About Techstars Investors Techstars is the global platform for investment and innovation. Founded in 2006, Techstars began with three simple ideasentrepreneurs create the future, collaboration drives innovation, and great ideas can come from anywhere. Today our mission is to make innovation accessible to everyone, everywhere. We do this by connecting startups, investors, corporations, and cities to create a more sustainable and inclusive world. Since 2006, Techstars has invested in more than 2,200 companies and today has a market cap of $27 Billion. www.techstars.com About Draper Frontier With Partners in California, New York, Colorado and Oregon, Frontier is investing out of its fourth venture capital fund into early stage technology companies in the United States. www.frontiervc.com SOURCE Trio Financial Technologies, Inc. Related Links https://finchmoney.com/ A variety of tributes and commemorations are taking place across the UK to mark the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Britain today, despite limitations caused by the coronavirus crisis. Special exhibitions from the Imperial War Museum, a radar-based lightshow and the addition of several new "unusual" sites to the National Heritage List, will all celebrate the contributions of those involved. The Battle of Britain was a major air campaign fought in the skies over the UK in 1940 and the first battle in history fought entirely in the air. Though the battle took place between July and October 1940, September 15 saw the Royal Air Force gain a decisive victory over the Luftwaffe in what was Nazi Germany's largest daylight attack. Some 1,120 Luftwaffe aircraft were sent to attack London but were repelled by just 630 RAF fighters and two days later Hitler postponed his plans to invade Britain. Some 544 RAF aviators and 312 RAF ground personnel lost their lives during the battle and the airmen became known as "The Few" following a tribute by then prime minister Winston Churchill, who said: "Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few". Only one member of The Few, John Hemingway, is still alive today, aged 101. Commemorations are limited due to coronavirus restrictions, though alternating Union and RAF Ensign flags will fly on The Mall, at Buckingham Palace, from September 15 to 20, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) said. The annual Westminster Abbey Battle of Britain service is still due to take place on September 20, though attendance will be significantly reduced. The MoD, in collaboration with the National Archives and the RAF museum, has also produced a special episode of the On The Record podcast, called Untold Battle of Britain. The episode focuses on lesser-known figures from the battle, including two pilots who enlisted from overseas, to highlight the wider efforts of those who contributed to the military campaign. Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said: "The Battle of Britain is one of the nation's greatest and most important victories. "For more than 100 years the Royal Air Force has defended the UK, and 80 years ago, alongside our allies, they experienced one of their toughest endeavours. "The strength displayed during the Battle of Britain is a testament to the UK Armed Forces and all they continue to do at home and abroad. "This anniversary is an opportunity for us all to honour those involved and reflect on their bravery and the unimaginable sacrifices they made to ensure freedom for future generations. "I am incredibly proud of our Greatest Generation and all they achieved in that heroic effort 80 years ago. "Lest we forget." Elsewhere, an aircraft hangar has been transformed into part of an exhibition at Imperial War Museum Duxford, The Ops Block: Battle of Britain, on the site of a Sector Station which was active during the conflict. A special radar tribute highlighting the achievements of women and other "unsung heroes" will form the centre point of celebrations run by the Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund. NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, IN, INTO OR FROM ANY JURISDICTION WHERE TO DO SO WOULD CONSTITUTE A VIOLATION OF THE RELEVANT LAWS OF SUCH JURISDICTION. THIS IS AN ANNOUNCEMENT FALLING UNDER RULE 2.4 OF THE CITY CODE ON TAKEOVERS AND MERGERS (THE CODE) AND DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN ANNOUNCEMENT OF A FIRM INTENTION TO MAKE AN OFFER UNDER RULE 2.7 OF THE CODE. THERE CAN BE NO CERTAINTY THAT ANY FIRM OFFER WILL BE MADE NOR AS TO THE TERMS ON WHICH ANY FIRM OFFER MIGHT BE MADE. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 15 September 2020 FURTHER STATEMENT REGARDING UNSOLICITED POSSIBLE CASH OFFER Highly opportunistic proposal received from Garda World Security Corporation and BC Partners The Board of G4S unanimously rejected the proposal on the basis that it significantly undervalues the Company and its prospects and is not in the best interests of shareholders or other stakeholders The Chairman, on behalf of the Board, engaged with BC Partners and following the most recent proposal, explained to the Chairman of BC Partners why it significantly undervalues G4S G4S has significantly reshaped its portfolio over recent years and is well placed to deliver growth, profitability and substantial free cash flow Increasingly focused global integrated security business post disposal of the majority of conventional cash assets Highly attractive, industry-leading brand with a strong position in the structural growth market of global security services Strong and open stakeholder relationships built on trust and a track record of service excellence Growing technology enabled services and solutions Increasing value from the development of Retail Cash Solutions, the market leading and fast-growing software and service business Strong, resilient financial characteristics and clear strategic priorities Following yesterdays announcement by Garda World Security Corporation (GardaWorld), the Board of G4S plc (G4S or the Company or the Group) confirmed in its announcement released yesterday, that on 1 September 2020, it received an unsolicited proposal from BC Partners and GardaWorld, regarding a possible cash offer of 190 pence per G4S share for the entire issued, and to be issued, share capital of G4S (the New Proposal), which represents a premium of 31% to the price of 145 pence per share prevailing immediately prior to the announcement of the possible offer. This followed earlier proposals at 145 pence per share (15 June 2020) and 153 pence per share (26 June 2020), each of which was unanimously rejected by the Board. Story continues Following careful consideration, together with its financial and legal advisors, the Board of G4S unanimously rejected the New Proposal on 12 September 2020, on the basis that it significantly undervalues the Company and its prospects and is not in the best interests of shareholders or other stakeholders. The Board believes that the timing of the proposals is highly opportunistic, coming as it does at a time of severe turbulence in global financial markets. Furthermore, the Companys financial performance following the outbreak of COVID-19 has been particularly resilient, as outlined in the Companys interim results for the six months ended 30 June 2020, issued on 23 July 2020. The Board also believes that the timing of the proposals is highly opportunistic when considering that G4S is at a critical inflexion point in the execution of the Companys corporate strategy. The sale of the conventional cash business has strengthened G4Ss strategic, commercial and operational focus while providing additional strength to its balance sheet. G4S has significantly reshaped its portfolio over recent years, exiting mature, sub-scale, lower margin and capital intensive businesses, re-deploying investment and focusing on growing its security and technology businesses in addition to extracting significant cost savings. G4S has also resolved a significant number of longstanding and material legacy liabilities and onerous contracts and put in place enhanced governance and controls. The Board believes the Company is increasingly well placed to deliver growth, profitability and substantial free cash flow as it delivers its vision of being the worlds leading global, integrated security company and the trusted partner of choice in the industry. The Groups resilient performance in the first half of 2020 provides confidence in the strategy and its execution. Shareholders are strongly advised to take absolutely no action in relation to the New Proposal. The Board reached its conclusion based on a number of other important considerations: Increasingly focussed global integrated security business post disposal of the majority of conventional cash assets and significant reshaping of G4S in recent years G4Ss Secure Solutions business today represents over 90% of the Groups pro-forma revenues up from 84% in 2014. G4S is now a highly focused global integrated security business delivering technology-enabled security solutions for many of its business clients accounting for 49% of its secure solutions revenues. This has been achieved through the fundamental restructuring of the Group, exiting more than 50 non-core and under-performing businesses and culminating in the sale of a substantial proportion of its conventional Cash business, announced on 26 February 2020, for an enterprise value of 727m. The Group has also exited a number of material onerous contracts and resolved substantial long-term legacy issues. At the same time as dealing with legacy issues and restructuring the Group, G4S continued to generate significant profits and operating cash flow whilst reinvesting in the business, paying substantial dividends and pension contributions, and reducing leverage. Between 2015 and 2019, the Group has made pension scheme deficit contributions totalling 216m. The Group reduced leverage, with net debt to EBITDA decreasing from 3.27 times at 31 December 2015 to 2.58 times at 30 June 2020. As stated on 11 March 2020, although the refocusing has been substantial, the Board expects to continue to simplify the Group going forward, through the sale of additional non-strategic businesses in its portfolio. This is also expected to reduce leverage further and provide the opportunity to accelerate investment in the Groups core businesses. G4S has a highly attractive, industry-leading brand and a strong position in the structural growth market of global security services G4S is the largest global player in the security services market with turnover of 6,490m in 2019 for the businesses retained following the disposal of the conventional Cash businesses. The global secure solutions market is estimated at $186bn by 2022 and to have a long-term growth rate of 5% p.a. between 2018-2022 a . The more technology-focused elements of the global market are expected to demonstrate long-term growth rates significantly above this level. The Company has a broad product and service offering, including global security, risk consulting and security technology as well as our market leading retail technology solutions business and our care and justice services. The Company is geographically highly diversified and operates in more than 80 countries with a unique geographic footprint in developing markets compared to its industry peers. G4S has technology centres of excellence in North America, Latin America, Europe, UK and Africa. G4S reported strong 2019 revenue growth rates across regions with 6.3% in Africa, 8.8% in the Americas, principally driven by North America, and 4.4% in Asia. The Companys strong growth in North America, the worlds largest security market demonstrates the strength of our integrated secure solutions strategy. Our strategic plan is focussed on extending this success to all of our key markets around the world. 3. G4S has strong and open stakeholder relationships built on trust and a track record of service excellence Through its operations in more than 80 countries G4S plays an important role in societies throughout the world where millions of citizens rely on G4S to keep them safe and secure. G4S has strong customer relationships which have been developed over a number of years, resulting in high customer retention rates of c.90%. In many cases, G4S has developed security and related services in partnership with customers which are tailored to their specific security risks and needs. The Group has developed unique capabilities and trusted partnerships which enable it to provide sensitive and critical services to national governments. G4S has a positive culture and a highly engaged workforce of more than 530,000 dedicated colleagues serving customers across a wide range of market sectors. G4S works together with employees and unions to create a positive and safe working environment which protects staff and enables them to deliver high quality services to customers. G4S has significant competitive advantage arising from its strong brand in security markets, highly experienced people, and deep customer relationships with clients across a broad range of business sectors, including, in particular financial services, telecoms, IT, utilities, retail and critical national infrastructure. G4S is becoming an ever more technology-driven business As a result of G4Ss consistent investment in technology over many years, it is deriving an increasing proportion of revenues from technology-enabled solutions (c.49% as at June 2020 up from 45% in December 2018). G4S believes that it possesses the strategy, capabilities and market positions to create material additional value by deepening and extending technology- enabled solutions to the mutual benefit of customers and shareholders. G4Ss technology-enabled security solutions include its Risk Consulting and Security Technology business (10% of the Group) where it is targeting revenue growth of 10-12% per annum and delivered attractive margins of 12% in H1 2020. The Companys technology focus creates additional security and efficiency benefits for customers, strengthens contract retention and increases G4Ss ability to differentiate its offering in the security market. The execution of G4Ss technology enabled security strategy is increasingly starting to deliver strong results, accelerating profitable growth in a number of its key markets including, for example, United States, the worlds largest security market in which the Group has grown 8% per annum in recent years and increased margin by 80 basis points since 2017. It is a clear strategic priority for G4S to continue to accelerate growth in Risk Consulting and Security Technology Solutions providing the opportunity for the Company to offer higher-value services, achieve higher margins and drive a positive margin-mix. G4S has created Retail Cash Solutions, the market leading and fast-growing software and service solution G4S Retail Technology Solutions includes Retail Cash Solutions (RCS), CASH360, G4S Pay and SA-Deposita. Combined Retail Technology Solutions grew revenue by 18% in 2019 to 250 million. RCS has grown organically from a zero base reflecting the success of the Groups investment in people, technology and innovation. G4S Retail Cash Solutions combines market-leading hardware, proprietary cash management software, real-time banking integration, same-day credit, and customer service and support, which enable a step-change in the security, ease of use, control and efficiency of retailers cash operations. The strength of our solutions is reflected in our strong track record of contract wins over a number of years which has continued in 2020. In North America, G4Ss industry leading business is uniquely positioned to serve a large addressable market (with the retail market estimated to be $13bn across 2 million outlets). The low current penetration in this market and G4Ss industry leading position is reflected in the strong, profitable growth of this business. G4Ss current portfolio of customers and contracts combined with secular tailwinds provide confidence in continued robust growth. The subscription-based, asset light revenue model is strongly cash generative and has high, resilient margins as the business provides a high value added service to clients, based on G4Ss proprietary, patent protected software. G4Ss proprietary retail technology solutions (RTS) are being delivered each day to over 10,000 retail locations across the United States and Canada, covering 7,500 large store formats where G4S has established a leading market position in the provision of cash management technology and to mid-size and small store formats where we have experienced very strong growth with the new solution we launched in 2019. Our North America RTS business has a confirmed orders backlog of around 7,500 stores. Executing these backlog orders has re-commenced this month after a COVID-19 related pause earlier this year. Our mobilisation plan sees most of the backlog being executed during 2020/2021. G4S has a large pipeline of signed contracts and pilot programmes across market segments providing good revenue visibility and underpinning confidence in the outlook for Retail Technology Solutions, which has the potential to grow very strongly at 14-16% per annum. 6. The Company has strong, resilient financial characteristics and clear strategic priorities Focus on integrated, technology-enabled solutions: H1 2020 % of Group Revenue H1 2020 PBITA Margin Revenue Growth Potential p.a. Secure Solutions (excl. Risk Consulting and Security Technology Solutions) 83% 6% 4-6% Risk Consulting and Security Technology Solutions 10% 12% 10-12% Total Secure Solutions 93% Retail Technology Solutions 3% 13% 14-16% Conventional Cash 4% 2% - G4S possesses attractive financial characteristics with 2019 organic growth for the Group of 4.2%, a 6.0% 2019 pro-forma PBITA margin, a 10.3% pro-forma EBITDA margin and 126% underlying operating cash conversion. Reflecting the critical importance of the businesses in which G4S operates the Companys recent performance has also been highly resilient during the COVID-19 pandemic as highlighted by G4S half-year results announced on 23 July 2020, with Secure Solutions revenues in the first half of this year maintained and net margin improved 20 basis points, despite the severe economic downturn seen across the globe. The Group is also playing an important role, which it expects to continue, in testing and assurance for return to work and compliance programmes in major markets such as the UK and US. Furthermore, the Companys competitive performance continues to be strong. In the six months to 30 June 2020, the Group had won new contracts and retained business with an annual contract value of 1.4bn providing further confidence in G4Ss outlook. G4S has and will continue to execute substantial cost-saving programmes to maximise efficiency. As previously reported, the Company is implementing direct and indirect cost savings of 100m in 2020, which are now materially complete, following the disposal of the conventional cash businesses and in response to COVID-19. Going forward, G4S will continue to focus and simplify and, as such, expects to identify and realise additional savings in direct, indirect and general and administrative costs. The Company is robustly financed with the disposal of the conventional cash business generating significant proceeds of c650m. At H1 2020, net debt to EBITDA was 2.58x and the Group expects to maintain net debt to EBITDA between 2.0 and 2.5x over time. Net debt is being reduced and the Company has a conservative debt maturity profile and ample liquidity. On 31 March 2020, Standard & Poors re-affirmed G4Ss investment grade rating of BBB- with a stable outlook. The Company is well positioned and committed to delivering against its three key strategic priorities: Growth Continue to drive organic growth in core services Accelerate growth in risk consulting and technology solutions Profitability Higher value solutions drive positive margin mix Expects to deliver direct and indirect cost savings of 100m in 2020 Deliver free cash-flow to invest in business, reduce leverage and resume dividends In summary, the Board believes that G4S is a highly focused and resilient global integrated security business, operating in high-growth markets with real competitive strength. The Company is at a very important inflexion point having transformed the business over recent years and it is the Boards view that the underlying fundamentals of the Company are very strong. The GardaWorld proposals are highly opportunistic and do not begin to reflect G4Ss commercial and financial prospects. In accordance with Rule 2.6(a) of the Code, GardaWorld must, by not later than 5.00 p.m. (London time) on 12 October 2020, either announce a firm intention to make an offer for G4S in accordance with Rule 2.7 of the Code or announce that GardaWorld does not intend to make an offer for G4S, in which case the announcement will be treated as a statement to which Rule 2.8 of the Code applies. This deadline can be extended with the consent of the Takeover Panel in accordance with Rule 2.6(c) of the Code. This announcement has been made without the consent of GardaWorld. For further enquiries please contact Helen Parris Director of Investor Relations +44 (0) 207 9633189 Media enquiries Sophie McMillan Head of Media +44 (0) 759 5523483 Press office +44 (0) 207 9633333 G4S Financial Advisors Citigroup Global Markets Limited J.P. Morgan Cazenove G4S Legal Advisers Linklaters LLP Media Advisers Brunswick Notes to Editors: G4S is the leading global security company, specialising in the provision of security services and solutions to customers. Our mission is to create material, sustainable value for our customers and shareholders by being the supply partner of choice in all our markets. G4S is quoted on the London Stock Exchange and has a secondary stock exchange listing in Copenhagen. After taking account of the businesses being sold in the year, G4S is active in more than 80 countries and has around 533,000 employees. For more information on G4S, visit www.g4s.com. Important Notices Citigroup Global Markets Limited ("Citi"), which is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) and regulated in the UK by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and the PRA, is acting exclusively for G4S and no one else in connection with the matters set out in this announcement and will not regard any other person as its client in relation to the matters in this announcement and will not be responsible to anyone other than G4S for providing the protections afforded to clients of Citi nor for providing advice in relation to any matter referred to herein. J.P. Morgan Securities plc (which conducts its UK investment banking business as J.P. Morgan Cazenove) ("J.P. Morgan Cazenove") which is authorised in the United Kingdom by the PRA and regulated in the United Kingdom by the PRA and the FCA, is acting as financial adviser exclusively for G4S plc and no one else in connection with the matters set out in this announcement and will not regard any other person as its client in relation to the matters set out in this announcement and will not be responsible to anyone other than G4S plc for providing the protections afforded to clients of J.P. Morgan Cazenove or its affiliates, nor for providing advice in relation to any matter referred to herein. All historical financial information has been extracted from the Companys audited financial statements, interim reports and presentations. aFreedonia 2018 ex. China and Residential. Disclosure Requirements Under Rule 8.3(a) of the Code, any person who is interested in 1% or more of any class of relevant securities of an offeree company or of any securities exchange offeror (being any offeror other than an offeror in respect of which it has been announced that its offer is, or is likely to be, solely in cash) must make an Opening Position Disclosure following the commencement of the offer period and, if later, following the announcement in which any securities exchange offeror is first identified. An Opening Position Disclosure must contain details of the person's interests and short positions in, and rights to subscribe for, any relevant securities of each of (i) the offeree company and (ii) any securities exchange offeror(s). An Opening Position Disclosure by a person to whom Rule 8.3(a) applies must be made by no later than 3.30 pm (London time) on the 10th business day following the commencement of the offer period and, if appropriate, by no later than 3.30 pm (London time) on the 10th business day following the announcement in which any securities exchange offeror is first identified. Relevant persons who deal in the relevant securities of the offeree company or of a securities exchange offeror prior to the deadline for making an Opening Position Disclosure must instead make a Dealing Disclosure. Under Rule 8.3(b) of the Code, any person who is, or becomes, interested in 1% or more of any class of relevant securities of the offeree company or of any securities exchange offeror must make a Dealing Disclosure if the person deals in any relevant securities of the offeree company or of any securities exchange offeror. A Dealing Disclosure must contain details of the dealing concerned and of the person's interests and short positions in, and rights to subscribe for, any relevant securities of each of (i) the offeree company and (ii) any securities exchange offeror(s), save to the extent that these details have previously been disclosed under Rule 8 of the Code. A Dealing Disclosure by a person to whom Rule 8.3(b) applies must be made by no later than 3.30 pm (London time) on the business day following the date of the relevant dealing. If two or more persons act together pursuant to an agreement or understanding, whether formal or informal, to acquire or control an interest in relevant securities of an offeree company or a securities exchange offeror, they will be deemed to be a single person for the purpose of Rule 8.3 of the Code. Opening Position Disclosures must also be made by the offeree company and by any offeror and Dealing Disclosures must also be made by the offeree company, by any offeror and by any persons acting in concert with any of them (see Rules 8.1, 8.2 and 8.4 of the Code). Details of the offeree and offeror companies in respect of whose relevant securities Opening Position Disclosures and Dealing Disclosures must be made can be found in the Disclosure Table on the Takeover Panel's website at www.thetakeoverpanel.org.uk, including details of the number of relevant securities in issue, when the offer period commenced and when any offeror was first identified. You should contact the Panel's Market Surveillance Unit on +44 (0)20 7638 0129 if you are in any doubt as to whether you are required to make an Opening Position Disclosure or a Dealing Disclosure. Rule 26.1 Disclosure In accordance with Rule 26.1 of the Code, a copy of this announcement will be available at www.g4s.com, by no later than 12 noon (London time) on the business day following this announcement. The content of the website referred to in this announcement is not incorporated into and does not form part of this announcement. Niagara business organizations are warning that a second-wave shutdown could mean the end for numerous operators in the service industry. Were very concerned right now with the cases going back up again, said Hugo Chesshire, director of policy and government relations for Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce. Although the premier (Doug Ford) hasnt said that hes ready to roll back the reopening, he also hasnt ruled it out. If cases continue to increase, Chesshire fears another shutdown may yet be ordered. While no one could argue against that decision, it would be devastating to businesses that are just barely even recovering right now, he said. We have to be careful. I know were getting tired of the measures and cool weather is coming and people are starting to let their guard down. The message is dont. Were not out of this by any means and the last thing we want is to get back into lockdown after weve all been so careful and diligent in working our way out of that and keeping it under control. Even under current restrictions, he said 60 per cent of restaurants reported in a recent Statistics Canada survey that they will be forced to close their doors permanently within three months. Thats not withstanding another lockdown, which would obviously make things even worse, Chesshire said. The potential impact to the restaurant industry is enormous. Although financial service businesses have so far been relatively unscathed by the pandemic, he said when it comes to retail, accommodations and food service industries, theyve been devastated and its because of the shutdown of business. If it occurs again its going to be worse because now theres nothing left in the tank. Dolores Fabiano, executive director of south Niagaras chambers of commerce, called the prospect of a second wave shutdown terrifying. Its a scary time, she said. I wish I could say there are not going to be anymore casualties, but that would be very naive. The best thing we can do is to understand what could be coming our way and to do everything we can to prepare as best we can for what might be happening. She said the south Niagara chambers are urging consumers to continue supporting restaurants and phoning in takeout orders, while urging businesses to do what they can to accommodate them. You always think of going to a restaurant and having a wonderful meal. You have to be willing to pick up that meal and bring it home. I think businesses have to take time to ensure that their menus are online, that ordering online and picking it up is easy, she said. I think first and foremost, its all around safety and making sure that products were providing and the services were providing are safe. If customers feel that, hopefully they will take the next step to support some of these businesses. RELATED STORIES Business Niagara chambers join campaign to preserve local restaurants during COVID-19 Meanwhile, Chesshire said mask bylaw protesters are sending the wrong message in the community especially at a time when the threat of a second wave increases. As the saying goes, you cant reason someone out of a position that they never reasoned themselves into to begin with, he said. Fabiano, too, called for residents to follow public health guidelines. Its not just about our own safety, its about the safety of people around us that we love and also the safety of our economy, she said. Our economy depends on us being smart and doing the things that we need to do right now to make sure we dont end up where we were in March and April. We need to survive and the best way to do that is to do the things that public health experts are telling us we have to do. Fifi Box pulled out of her breakfast radio show on Tuesday following news that her daughter Trixie's half-sister Jaimi Kenny had died at the age of 33. Her absence was briefly alluded to on Fox FM's Fifi, Fev and Byron, with host Byron Cooke saying: 'Well, Fi is away today but the show must go on.' Trying to lift the team's spirits, Brendan Fevola added: 'We're a team, we're one and one, we're going to mould into one and just nail it. Fifi Box (right) pulled out of her breakfast radio show on Tuesday following news that her daughter Trixie's (left) half-sister Jaimi Kenny (not pictured) had died at the age of 33. Pictured with her youngest daughter Daisy Belle (centre) 'If we're in the Titanic, I've got my arms around you, I'll carry you bro.' Fifi welcomed Trixie in 2013 after a brief relationship with Jaimi's father, Grant Kenny, and despite their break-up remained close to Grant's children from his previous marriage to Lisa Curry: Jaimi, Morgan and Jett. She hasn't commented publicly on Jaimi's death, but it's believed they were close. Her absence was briefly alluded to on the Fifi, Fev and Byron show, with host Byron Cooke (left) saying: 'Fi is away today but the show must go on.' Pictured with Brendan Fevola Bond: Fifi welcomed Trixie in 2013 after a brief relationship with Jaimi's father, Grant Kenny, and despite their break-up remained close to Grant's adult children from his first marriage. Pictured: Jaimi, Fifi and Trixie in September 2017 Pictured: The Kenny family tree, including Fifi's daughters - one of whom was fathered by Grant Fifi and Grant dated for several months in 2012, but had split by the time she welcomed daughter Beatrix 'Trixie' Belle (pictured) via IVF in 2013 Jaimi's mother, three-time Olympian Lisa Curry, separated from Grant in 2009 after 23 years of marriage, before finalising their divorce in 2017. Fifi and Grant dated for several months in 2012, but had split by the time she welcomed daughter Beatrix 'Trixie' Belle via IVF in 2013. Fifi, who had a close friendship with Jaimi, did not acknowledge Grant was the father of her daughter Trixie, now seven, until 2016, when she shared a photo to Instagram of the retired athlete attending their child's third birthday party. Fifi did not acknowledge Grant was the father of her daughter until 2016, when she shared this photo to Instagram of Grant attending Trixie's third birthday party Half-sisters: Jaimi previously babysat her half-sister Trixie (pictured together in 2015) while single mother Fifi was at work Devastated: On Tuesday, Lisa Curry (right) released a statement about the death of her eldest daughter (left), who lost her battle with a long-term illness on Monday at the age of 33 In June 2019, Fifi welcomed another daughter, Daisy Belle, via IVF and an anonymous donor. The identity of Daisy's father is not public knowledge. It comes after Lisa released a heartbreaking statement about the death of her eldest child on Tuesday. The 58-year-old former competitive swimmer spoke of her 'unbearable' pain in a gut-wrenching Instagram post. 'Our hearts are completely broken. Our beautiful daughter Jaimi has lost her battle with a long-term illness and passed away peacefully in hospital yesterday morning with her loving family by her side,' Lisa began her post, which was interspersed with pink floral emojis - an ode to Jaimi's 'love of flowers'. 'Bright, caring and loving soul': The former competitive swimmer spoke of her 'unbearable' pain in a gut-wrenching Instagram post on Tuesday (above). Her post was interspersed with pink floral emojis - an ode to Jaimi's 'love of flowers' Lisa continued: 'So loved. So beautiful. So kind to everyone... So painful. I can barely breathe. 'Jaimi will forever be remembered as a caring, bright and loving soul who always put others before herself. Her love of flowers, cooking, art, decorating, photography, babies, the beach, and helping others will always be remembered. 'Our hearts are broken and the pain is unbearable but we cherish every wonderful moment we got to share with our treasured and so loved first child.' Tragedy: Lisa's update comes after her ex-husband, Grant Kenny, announced that their 'caring and loving' daughter had died at Sunshine Coast University Hospital on Monday morning. The family hasn't revealed the exact cause of death. Pictured: Lisa and Jaimi in an undated photo Lisa thanked 'the paramedics, support staff and the incredible team' at the Sunshine Coast University Hospital for the 'extra time we were able to spend with Jaimi'. She added: 'It goes without saying that this is a very difficult time for our family and all who knew and loved Jaimi so very much. 'Rest in peace, my beautiful baby. I will miss you every sunrise, I will miss you when the sun is shining and the birds are singing. I will miss you when the clouds are dark and stormy and when the rainbow appears. I will miss you when I close my eyes. I will miss you when I open my eyes. I will miss our long hugs and long chats. I will miss watching, feeling and knowing your love for your sister and brother, your little nephew, Cleo, your Ma and dad. 'I just can't believe you're not here anymore. I sit and just shake my head. It doesn't seem real or right. You will forever be with me in my heart, Jaimi. I love you so much.' 'Our hearts are broken and the pain is unbearable but we cherish every wonderful moment we got to share with our treasured and so loved first child,' Lisa said Lisa's husband, Elvis Presley impersonator Mark Tabone, acknowledged the tragedy in an Instagram post on Tuesday. 'As the tears flow and the heart aches, I write this as a tribute to beautiful young lady, who's life ended way too soon,' he wrote. 'As your mother and father weep your loss, I too feel lost and heavy hearted. Nobody should ever lose their child. 'You always put everybody else first. You were gifted with many talents, amazing cook, arts and crafts, writing, and your love and creativity with flowers.' He went on to thank the public for their condolences and said his 'job now is to nurture my wife through this unimaginable time'. Lisa and Mark married in May 2018 at their Sunshine Coast hinterland property. Lisa's husband, Elvis Presley impersonator Mark Tabone (left), acknowledged the tragedy in an Instagram post on Tuesday. Pictured with Lisa and Jaimi He thanked the public for their condolences and said his 'job now is to nurture my wife through this unimaginable time' Jaimi's younger brother Jett, 26, also addressed the tragic loss on Tuesday. 'I may not have been the best brother to you all the time, I know you thought you weren't being the big sister I needed all the time, but I do know we loved one another unconditionally all the time,' he wrote on Instagram. The male model and lifesaver continued: 'I will love you forever. Rest In Peace my beautiful big sister, the world lost one of its treasures yesterday but heaven gained one. You will be dearly missed by all whose lives you touched.' 'I will love you forever': Jaimi's (right) younger brother Jett (left) also addressed the tragic loss Shattered: 'Rest In Peace my beautiful big sister, the world lost one of its treasures yesterday but heaven gained one. You will be dearly missed by all whose lives you touched',' Jett wrote The Curry-Kenny family confirmed Jaimi's death in a statement on Monday afternoon. 'It is with a very heavy heart that Lisa and I confirm that our beautiful daughter Jaimi has lost her battle with a long-term illness and passed away peacefully in hospital this morning in the company of loving family,' read the statement, which was written by Jaimi's father, Grant. 'Jaimi will forever be remembered as a caring, bright and loving soul who always put others before herself,' it continued. Jaimi (centre) is survived by her Ironman father, former pro swimmer mother (right), brother Jett (left) and sister Morgan 'Our hearts are broken and the pain is immense but we must move forward cherishing every wonderful moment we got to share with our treasured first child. 'We thank the incredible team at the Sunshine Coast University Hospital for their tireless commitment to making her better and giving us as the extra time we were able to spend with her. 'It goes without saying that this is a very difficult time for family and friends and we trust we will all be allowed to grieve in privacy.' Neither the family's statement on Monday nor Lisa's Instagram update on Tuesday specified the exact nature of Jaimi's illness Lisa is pictured with her son Jett (left), surviving daughter Morgan (right) and her grandson Flynn Jaimi had just turned 33 in June, with her mother taking to social media at the time to wish her a happy birthday. 'Our first born. Really... where have all those years gone! Have a lovely day bubba. We all love you so much,' Lisa wrote. Jaimi is survived by her Ironman father, former pro swimmer mother, brother Jett and sister Morgan. Neither the family's statement on Monday nor Lisa's Instagram update on Tuesday specified the exact nature of Jaimi's illness. Jaimi is pictured as a child with her mother, a three-time Olympian and former swimmer Jaimi (pictured as a baby with her father, Grant) turned 33 in June Lisa is pictured with Jaimi after winning gold in the Womens 100 metres butterfly during the 1990 Commonwealth Games in Auckland, New Zealand Our people demonstrate on a daily basis their commitment and belief in our inMo Values that have carried us through this trying year and I'm truly heartened to have TBJ recognize the positive impact of our culture inMotionNow, a leading provider of workflow management software for creative and marketing teams, announced it was named among the top 10 Best Places to Work for medium sized companies by the Triangle Business Journal (TBJ). The annual award recognizes local companies for fostering employee-friendly policies and exceptional work environments. The TBJ honored the winners in a special section as part of its Sept. 11, 2020, weekly subscriber edition. Recognition in the TBJ Best Places to Work is meaningful in any year because the selection is based on the candid feedback of our team members, said inMotionNow CEO, Douglas Thede. Our people demonstrate on a daily basis their commitment and belief in our inMo Values that have carried us through this trying year and I'm truly heartened to have TBJ recognize the positive impact of our culture. The Best Places to Work program is unique because the ranking is based on an independently fielded and anonymous survey of employees. Employees are asked to weigh in on their employers culture, compensation, benefits, and leadership, among other factors. The award carries a prestige among the business community especially in the highly competitive technology sector around Research Triangle Park (RTP). The honor adds to a string of awards and recognition the company has earned over the last 12 months. For example, in late 2019 inMotionNow was named to the 2019 North Carolina Middle-Market Fast 40 by North Carolina Business Magazine. It also earned its way onto Deloittes 2019 Technology Fast 500, which recognizes the 500 fastest growing technology, media, telecommunications, life sciences, and energy tech companies in North America, with 218% growth. inMotionNow has been developing collaborative marketing technology specifically designed to meet the needs of creative teams for more than 20 years. The companys flagship product, inMotion ignite, is a next-generation creative workflow platform that helps enterprise marketing and creative teams efficiently manage the creative work that fuels marketing campaigns across thousands of projects every year from the initial request to final approval. # # # About inMotionNow, Inc. inMotionNow is a leading provider of workflow management solutions for marketing and creative teams, facilitating efficiency and productivity from project kickoff to final approval. inMotion ignite, the companys flagship SaaS product, simplifies every phase of the creative production process, delivering measurable value to enterprise clients. The application allows project stakeholders to manage, track, and collaboratively review their projects in a centralized online environment that connects designers directly to Adobe with the inMotion Extension for Adobe Creative Cloud. With a user-friendly interface and dedicated customer success team, inMotionNow helps creative and marketing teams of every variety automate their workflow and do the work they love. For more information please visit http://www.inmotionnow.com. Media Contact: Frank Strong for inMotionNow 202-352-5920 frank@swordandthescript.com Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Choi Si-young (The Korea Herald/Asia News Network) Tue, September 15, 2020 15:36 493 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c44f2e61 2 Entertainment BTS,South-Korea,military-service Free Defense Minister nominee Suh Wook said Monday that the ministry should consult with the public before deciding whether to grant the members of K-pop group BTS exemptions from mandatory military service. The service should be carried out by all able-bodied men in an equitable manner, the sitting Army chief said in a written opinion submitted to the parliamentary defense committee set to open a hearing Wednesday on his credentials as defense chief. All able-bodied men must serve on active duty for about two years, but exemptions are occasionally granted to individuals with outstanding accomplishments behind them -- such as classical musicians who have received awards at international competitions or athletes who have won Olympic medals or gold medals at the Asian Games. Pop artists are not eligible for exemption. But recently more voices are calling for K-pop artists to be considered for exemptions -- particularly for BTS, as the band is basking in unprecedented popularity in global markets as the first South Korean act to have made it to No. 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. The Defense Ministry said last year that the seven-member band would not be granted exemption, and reaffirmed its policy of no exceptions for pop stars. Some ruling party lawmakers proposed amending the conscription law to expand the list of exceptions, but the discussion has yet to yield a meaningful outcome. About 200,000 men get drafted every year. Topics : This article appeared on The Korea Herald newspaper website, which is a member of Asia News Network and a media partner of The Jakarta Post VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Sept. 15, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Patagonia Gold Corp. (Patagonia or the Company) (TSXV: PGDC) announces the Company has signed a definitive option agreement (the Definitive Agreement) with Latin Metals Inc. (Latin Metals), which grants Patagonia an irrevocable option to acquire a 100% interest in the Mina Angela property. The Mina Angela property is situated in the Somuncura Massif of southern Argentina and is comprised of 44 individual mining claims. It covers 200 km and is located approximately 50 km east-southeast of Patagonias 100% owned Calcatreu gold project. In March 2020, Patagonia extended the period by which it must enter into the Definitive Agreement with a US$100,000 payment to Latin Metals; US$50,000 of which was applied to extend the period to enter into the Definitive Agreement and US$50,000 of which was a partial prepayment of the first earn-in payment to be made under the Definitive Agreement. Upon signing the Definitive Agreement, Patagonia paid US$200,000 to Latin Metals representing the balance of the first earn-in payment. It is expected that Patagonia will pay the second earn-in payment of US$250,000 within the next six months if it exercises the option to acquire the Mina Angela property. A further, and final payment of US$500,000 is expected to be paid within 30 days of verification that the legal restrictions preventing development of mining activity in the Chubut Province and at the Mina Angela property have been lifted in such a manner that Patagonia thereafter has the ability to perform exploration and exploitation mining activities on Mina Angela property. In addition, Latin Metals will be entitled to receive a 1.25% NSR from future production, half of which can be repurchased by Patagonia for US$1 million. About Patagonia Gold Patagonia Gold Corp. is a mining and development company listed on the TSX Venture Exchange. The Company seeks to grow shareholder value through exploration and development of gold and silver projects in the Patagonia region of Argentina. The Company is primarily focused on the Calcatreu project in Rio Negro and the development of the Cap-Oeste underground project. Patagonia, indirectly through its subsidiaries or under option agreements, has mineral rights to over 360 properties in several provinces of Argentina and Chile and is one of the largest landholders in the Province of Santa Cruz, Argentina. Story continues For more information, please contact: Dean Stuart T: 403 617 7609 E: dean@boardmarker.net Christopher van Tienhoven, Chief Executive Officer Patagonia Gold Corp T: +54 11 5278 6950 E: cvantienhoven@patagoniagold.com FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS This news release contains certain forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, expectations as to the acquisition of a 100% interest in the Mina Angela property, expectations as to future payments under the Definitive Agreement and the Companys future plans and intentions. Wherever possible, words such as may, will, should, could, expect, plan, intend, anticipate, believe, estimate, predict or potential or the negative or other variations of these words, or similar words or phrases, have been used to identify these forward-looking statements. These statements reflect managements current beliefs and are based on information currently available to management as at the date hereof. Forward-looking statements involve significant risk, uncertainties and assumptions. Many factors could cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from the results discussed or implied in the forward-looking statements. These factors should be considered carefully and readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements. Although the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are based upon what management believes to be reasonable assumptions, the Company cannot assure readers that actual results will be consistent with these forward-looking statements. The Company assumes no obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances, except as required by law. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Lok Sabha on Tuesday passed a bill to reduce for one year the salaries of MPs by 30 per cent "to meet the exigencies" arising out of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Salary, Allowances and Pension of Members of Parliament (Amendment) Bill, 2020 was introduced in the Lower House on Monday. It will replace the Salary, Allowances And Pension of Members of Parliament (Amendment) Ordinance, 2020. The ordinance was cleared by the Cabinet on April 6 and promulgated the next day. Replying to the debate on the bill, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said that funds are needed to fight the COVID-19 pandemic and "charity should begin from home". He also said that the economy was affected due to the lockdown, and in such a situation, the government has taken important decisions to deal with the crisis. Responding to the demand by Opposition members to restore MP Local Area Development Scheme, he said: "Whatever decision we have taken on MPLADS is temporary and only for two years". It was decided by the government to suspend the MPLADS funds for 2020-2021 and 2021-2022. Under the scheme, members of both Houses can recommend development programmes involving spending of Rs 5 crore every year. The Congress and other opposition parties in Lok Sabha demanded the restoration of MPLADS funds even as they supported the government's decision to cut the salaries of members of Parliament. Leader of the Congress party in Lok Sabha, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, said the MPLADS funds should be restored as it is being used by the members for development works in their respective constituencies. Everybody has called for the restoration of the funds, so "why not we pass a unanimous resolution that the fund should be restored," he said. He said that 93 per cent of the funds have been utilised by the members and the bulk of them were used for welfare activities for SCs, STs and villagers. He said that while the government is giving tax relief to corporates, it is cutting the salaries of the MPs, and termed it as being "penny-wise and pound-foolish". "I am appealing to the House that this fund should be restored," he added. Members who echoed the demand included Aam Aadmi Party's Bhagwant Mann, independent member from Maharashtra Navneet Ravi Rana, Ritesh Pandey and AIMIM's S I Jaleel. Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra said the government is doing a disservice through this decision. - It is important that China and the EU remain steadfast in pursuit of sound and steady growth of their comprehensive strategic partnership and adhere to four principles, namely peaceful coexistence, openness and cooperation, multilateralism, and dialogue and consultation, said Xi. - During the meeting, the Chinese and EU leaders stated their commitment to speeding up the negotiations of the China-EU Bilateral Investment Treaty to achieve the goal of concluding the negotiations within this year. - The Chinese and EU leaders announced the official signing of the China-EU agreement on geographical indications. - The leaders also decided to establish a China-EU High Level Environment and Climate Dialogue and a China-EU High Level Digital Cooperation Dialogue, and to forge China-EU green and digital partnerships. BEIJING, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping met Monday with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, whose country currently holds the rotating presidency of the European Union (EU), European Council President Charles Michel and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen via video link. They reached consensus on advancing ties, safeguarding multilateralism, and jointly addressing global challenges. Chinese President Xi Jinping co-hosts a China-Germany-EU leaders' meeting in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 14, 2020, via video link with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, whose country currently holds the EU's rotating presidency, European Council President Charles Michel and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. (Xinhua/Li Tao) SOUND, STABLE CHINA-EU TIES URGED "The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the once-in-a-century transformations unfolding in the world and placed humanity at a new crossroads," said Xi. It is important that China and the EU remain steadfast in pursuit of sound and steady growth of their comprehensive strategic partnership and adhere to four principles, namely peaceful coexistence, openness and cooperation, multilateralism, and dialogue and consultation, said Xi. This year marks the 45th anniversary of China-EU diplomatic ties. Despite the pandemic of COVID-19, which is still raging globally, communication between China and the EU does not stop. The frequency and intensity of bilateral high-level exchanges speak to the strong commitment of China and the EU to promoting the partnership. "Under current circumstances, closer high-level communication between the two sides on this relationship and issues of mutual interest can help strengthen political mutual trust, promote practical cooperation and advance China-EU relations," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said on Sept. 10. Observers held that though the world is undergoing huge changes, mutual benefits, complementarities, as well as dialogue and cooperation remain fundamental features in China-EU ties. Moreover, China and the EU have carried out effective anti-epidemic cooperation, which will inject impetus for them to promote ties in the future. "We hail the frankness and pragmatic spirit in which this meeting took place. We believe that by bringing the commitment of cooperation into substantial dialogues, both Europe and China can benefit, share and learn a lot from each other," said Luigi Gambardella, president of ChinaEU, a business-led international digital association in Brussels. Chinese President Xi Jinping co-hosts a China-Germany-EU leaders' meeting in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 14, 2020, via video link with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, whose country currently holds the EU's rotating presidency, European Council President Charles Michel and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. (Xinhua/Li Xiang) CONSENSUS ON COOPERATION During the meeting, the Chinese and EU leaders stated their commitment to speeding up the negotiations of the China-EU Bilateral Investment Treaty to achieve the goal of concluding the negotiations within this year. The Chinese and EU leaders announced the official signing of the China-EU agreement on geographical indications. The leaders also decided to establish a China-EU High Level Environment and Climate Dialogue and a China-EU High Level Digital Cooperation Dialogue, and to forge China-EU green and digital partnerships. "If China and the EU could finish the negotiations by the end of this year, it will be of special significance. It will send a positive message of China and the EU working together during the trying times, and give a strong boost to the business confidence on both sides. It will also contribute to the post-COVID-19 global economy recovery and to the concerted efforts to safeguard an open trade and investment environment," said Ambassador Zhang Ming, head of the Chinese Mission to the EU, at a briefing on the meeting on Sept. 11. "They enjoy cooperation space as the two sides look forward to exploring opportunities in each other's market," said Chen Fengying, a researcher at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, noting that mutual benefit is the essence of China-EU cooperation. For China and the EU, cooperation is far greater than competition, while consensus far exceeds differences, said Chen. In August this year, the China-Europe freight trains have maintained strong growth. The trips made and the volume of goods delivered were 1,247 and 110,000 TEUs respectively, up by 62 percent and 66 percent year on year. The growth once again indicates that economic globalization is an irreversible trend of the times as countries are economically interdependent with unprecedented integration of interests. Chinese President Xi Jinping co-hosts a China-Germany-EU leaders' meeting in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 14, 2020, via video link with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, whose country currently holds the EU's rotating presidency, European Council President Charles Michel and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. (Xinhua/Pang Xinglei) JOINTLY SAFEGUARDING MULTILATERALISM In the meeting, Xi said under the current circumstances, it is only more imperative for China and the EU, as two major forces, markets and civilizations, to inject more positive energy into COVID-19 response efforts, economic recovery and championing justice in the world. Xi stressed China is ready to work with the EU to step up dialogue and coordination at bilateral, regional and global levels, stay committed to a global governance outlook featuring consultation, contribution and shared benefit, defend the international order and system with the United Nations at the core, promote the political settlements of international and regional hot-spot issues. For their parts, Merkel, Michel and von der Leyen said it is imperative for Europe and China to strengthen cooperation, jointly safeguard multilateralism, resist unilateralism and protectionism, and respond more effectively to various global challenges. The European side is willing to strengthen cooperation with China in international organizations, promote anti-pandemic international cooperation, maintain free trade, and promote the economic recovery in Europe, China as well as the world at an early date, said the European leaders. "The slowdown caused by the pandemic also holds a lot of potential that must now be tapped together," Robby Schlund, member of the German Bundestag, told Xinhua that it is particularly important to stress that people should support good relations in the sense of economic multilateralism for mutual benefits. YEREVAN The Armenian parliament has approved the nomination of three new judges to the Constitutional Court amid a standoff between sacked court members and the government. The lawmakers overwhelmingly backed the nominations in secret ballots on September 15 that were boycotted by opposition parties. A total of 88 lawmakers took part in the votes. Judges Yervand Khundkarian, Artur Vargharshian, and Edgar Shatirian were nominated by the national convention of Armenian judges, the president, and the government, respectively. On September 15, lawmakers representing the opposition Prosperous Armenia and Bright Armenia parties announced they would boycott the votes and again questioned the legality of constitutional changes enacted by the pro-government majority in parliament. The changes call for the gradual resignation of seven of the Constitutional Courts nine judges, who have been locked in a standoff with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinians political team. Three of the judges were to resign immediately, while Hrayr Tovmasian had to quit as court chairman but remain a judge. Tovmasian and the ousted judges refused to step down, saying that their removal is illegal and politically motivated. They appealed to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) to have them reinstated. I wear my mask and its all I ask. is that you wear your mask, Rudd raps. Then he says: please wear your mask. Just wear a mask. Just wear a mask. Its easy, its simple. Please. Its not hard. People are dying. Hundreds of thousands of people are dying and its preventable! Its preventable! Just wear a mask. I shouldnt have to make it fun. Its science. Thirteen protesters who were arrested during clashes with police in Pennsylvania at the weekend remain behind bars after a judge slapped the majority of them with bonds of $1 million each. Police say the protesters, who range from 16 to 43 years of age, were arrested for rioting in Lancaster in the early hours of Monday morning after the police shooting of a knife-wielding man sparked protests. The 13 protesters remained behind bars on Tuesday with bail for seven of them set at $1 million each. Authorities said the protests following Ricardo Munoz's fatal shooting degenerated into rioting that damaged Lancaster's police headquarters and produced an arson fire that blocked a downtown intersection. Kathryn Patterson (left) and Lee Wise (right) were among the 13 arrested in Lancaster, Pennsylvania on Monday after clashes with police when protests descended into riots following the police shooting of a knife-wielding man Pictured are Yoshua Montague (left) and Jamal Newman (right). The 13 defendants live in Lancaster and surrounding communities, as well as in York, Camp Hill and Mercersburg Police in Lancaster, a diverse city of nearly 60,000 in the heart of Pennsylvania Amish country, said that they arrested five others on similar charges, a group that was awaiting arraignment and to have bail set. The 13 defendants live in Lancaster and surrounding communities, as well as in York, Camp Hill and Mercersburg. Among the eight for whom charging documents were available, not all face identical charges, accusations that include arson, rioting and institutional vandalism. One has been charged with carrying a concealed weapon without a permit. Twelve adults - Jamal Shariff Newman, 24; Barry Jones, 30; Frank Gaston, 43; Yoshua Dwayne Montague, 23; Matthew Modderman, 31; Talia Gessner, 18; Kathryn Patterson, 20; Taylor Enterline, 20; T-Jay Fry, 28; Dylan Davis, 28; Lee Alexander Wise, 29; and Jessica Marie Lopez, 32 - face a felony and misdemeanor charges, including arson, riot, institutional vandalism and criminal conspiracy. Pictured are Frank Gaston (left) and Dylan Davis (right) Pictured are Barry Jones (left) and Taylor Enterline (right) Pictured are Talia Gessner (left) and Jessica Lopez (right) Pictured are Jay Fry (left) and Matthew Modderman (right) A 16-year-old boy has been charged with riot, disorderly conduct, possession of instruments of crime, possession of a small amount of marijuana, propulsion of missiles onto a roadway and institutional vandalism. The father of Kathryn Patterson, an undergraduate student at Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster, said she was acting as a medic as she has at other protests in the recent past. Chip Patterson called Kathryn Patterson's $1 million bail, set by a magisterial district justice, 'obscene.' 'Everything that I know so far, which is not a lot, indicates that Kat is not guilty of those charges. But then again, well have to wait and see,' Chip said. He said he has not been able to reach his daughter since her arrest. 'I cannot tell you how long this night has been,' he said. 'I think regardless of what these people did or didn't do, the bail amount is just outrageous and clearly against the Eighth Amendment,' which addresses bail. Authorities said the protests following Ricardo Munoz's fatal shooting degenerated into rioting that damaged Lancaster's police headquarters and produced an arson fire that blocked a downtown intersection People chant during a protest at the scene of a police shooting on Sunday. Police say these protests descended into riots into the early hours of Monday morning The protests concerned the shooting death by police of a Ricardo Munoz, whose sister had called authorities in hopes of having him involuntarily committed for mental health treatment. Police have made public the officer's body camera video. Bodycam video shows Ricardo Munoz, 27, pictured 'brandishing a knife over his head' in a threatening manner. He was shot dead It showed Munoz, 27, approaching the officer with the knife in what appeared to be a menacing manner, before the officer, who has not been publicly identified, shot and killed him. Munoz had been out on bond, awaiting trial for allegations he stabbed four people last year, including a teenage boy who was stabbed in the face. His sister said Munoz was mentally ill - diagnosed with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia - and hadn't been taking his medications. She said she had called a crisis intervention organization and a police non-emergency number to get her brother involuntarily committed. 'He had an episode. He was just incoherent and acting out,' she said. 'I called to find out what the procedure was to get him some help.' Protesters gathered outside the police station in the wake of the shooting and, in video posted to social media, they chanted: "Hands up, dont shoot," "No justice, no peace" and "What do we want? Justice! When do we want it? Now!" It was unclear how motivated protesters were by racism as they have been in other cities where deaths at the hands of police have stoked protest. Court papers list Munoz's race as white. DZ BANK AG Frankfurt am Main - Pre Stabilisation RNS Number: residue number system Frankfurt am Main, Klicken oder tippen Sie, um ein Datum einzugeben. Not for distribution, directly or indirectly, in or into the United States or any jurisdiction in which such distribution would be unlawful. Pre-Stabilisation Notice Landwirtschaftliche Rentenbank DZ BANK AG (contact: Ralph Ockert; telephone: +49 69 7447 7051) hereby announces, as Stabilisation Coordinator, that the Stabilising Managers named below may stabilise the offer of the following securities in accordance with Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2016/1052 under the Market Abuse Regulation (EU Regulation 596/2014). The security to be stabilised: Issuer: Landwirtschaftliche Rentenbank (RENTEN) Guarantor (if any): Aggregate nominal amount: EUR benchmark Description: 0.00%, due 22. September 2027 Offer price: Tbc Other offer terms: Payment 22. September 2020, denoms 1k/1k, soft bullet Stabilisation: DZ BANK AG Stabilisation Coordinator: Stabilising Managers: DZ BANK AG JP Morgan ING Nordea Stabilisation period expected to start on: 15.09.2020 Stabilisation period expected to end on: no later than 30 days after the proposed issue date of the securities Existence, maximum size and conditions of use of over-allotment facility. The Stabilising Managers may over-allot the securities to the extent permitted in accordance with applicable law. Stabilisation trading venue: Luxembourg Stock Exchange (Regulated Market) In connection with the offer of the above securities, the Stabilisation Manager(s) may over-allot the securities or effect transactions with a view to supporting the market price of the securities at a level higher than that which might otherwise prevail. However, there is no assurance that the Stabilisation Manager(s) will take any stabilisation action and any stabilisation action, if begun, may be ended at any time. Any stabilisation action or over-allotment shall be conducted in accordance with all applicable laws and rules. This announcement is for information purposes only and does not constitute an invitation or offer to underwrite, subscribe for or otherwise acquire or dispose of any securities of the Issuer in any jurisdiction. In addition, if and to the extent that this announcement is communicated in, or the offer of the securities to which it relates is made in, any EEA Member State that has implemented Directive 2003/71/EC, as amended (together with any applicable implementing measures in any Member State, the "Prospectus Directive") before the publication of a prospectus in relation to the securities which has been approved by the competent authority in that Member State in accordance with the Prospectus Directive (or which has been approved by a competent authority in another Member State and notified to the competent authority in that Member State in accordance with the Prospectus Directive), this announcement and the offer are only addressed to and directed at persons in that Member State who are qualified investors within the meaning of the Prospectus Directive (or who are other persons to whom the offer may lawfully be addressed) and must not be acted on or relied on by other persons in that Member State. Here are todays leading news stories: Society A cold front is forecast to enter northern Vietnam between Wednesday and Thursday, while a tropical depression or storm is also expected to reach the East Vietnam Sea during this period, according to the National Center for Hydro-meteorological Forecasting. Torrential rains accompanied by strong gusts resulted in serious flooding in many areas of Ho Chi Minh City on Monday evening. More downpours are forecast to continue dampening the southern metropolis and other southern localities until the end of this week. Two death penalties and one life sentence were handed down to three people directly involved in the murder of three policemen in a mob attack in Dong Tam Commune of Hanois My Duc District earlier this year. Twenty-six other defendants were given between a 15-month suspended sentence and 16 years behind bars for murder and resisting on-duty officers. A total of 1,935 traffic accidents occurred in Ho Chi Minh City in the first eight months of this year, killing 343 people and injuring 1,372 others, the citys traffic police division reported on Monday. Four people were sentenced to a combined 21 years in prison and three others given 12-18 month suspended sentences for organizing for Vietnamese citizens to enter the United Kingdom illegally, the Peoples Court in north-central Ha Tinh Province ruled on Monday. A police officer in the northern province of Bac Giang was fatally hit by a pick-up truck on Monday afternoon after he tried to pull over the vehicle, which was suspected of transporting illegal products. A 34-year-old man in Bac Giang was arrested on Monday for raping a 15-year-old female employee of a local karaoke shop last Thursday night. More than 240 Vietnamese citizens stranded in Malaysia due to the COVID-19 pandemic were flown home on Monday on a Bamboo Airways flight. They were all quarantined after landing at Cam Ranh Airport in south-central Khanh Hoa Province. Business The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development held a meeting with businesses in Hanoi on Monday to promote the import of agricultural products from the United States. National carrier Vietnam Airlines will continue increasing the frequency of domestic flights to serve increasing travel demand as the COVID-19 pandemic is now under control in the country, and the domestic aviation market is recovering rapidly, the carriers representative said on Monday. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! U.S. financial firms are abandoning some of their corporate offices to cut costs in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Fifth Third Bancorp said Monday it will cut about 20 per cent of its corporate office space as part of a plan to eliminate $200 million (U.S.) in annual expenses starting next year. Prudential Financial Inc. and Synchrony Financial said theyll also reduce their real estate footprints as they keep their staff working from home. I think probably all of us are pleasantly surprised at how well its gone, Synchrony chief executive officer Margaret Keane said Monday at an investor conference. Weve made a decision to really accelerate that. Not every bank is finding the same success. At JPMorgan Chase & Co., younger employees productivity slipped, particularly on Mondays and Fridays, according to findings discussed by CEO Jamie Dimon in a private meeting with analysts at Keefe, Bruyette & Woods. Thats why the biggest U.S. bank is urging more workers to return to offices over the coming weeks. The firm is requiring its most senior sales and trading employees to come back by Sept. 21. The WFH lifestyle seems to have impacted younger employees, and overall productivity and creative combustion has taken a hit, KBWs Brian Kleinhanzl wrote in a Sept. 13 note to clients. Heres a variety of approaches that companies across the finance industry have announced. Wells Fargo & Co.: The U.S. banking industrys largest employer plans to keep most of its staff working from home through at least Nov. 1. The San Francisco-based lender said it has roughly 200,000 employees working from home and is maintaining safety measures in locations that remain open. JPMorgan: The Wall Street firm has also asked half of its investment bankers to come into its London and New York offices each day under a rotation program. They will work from the office for one week at a time before swapping over. Daniel Pinto, CEO of the corporate and investment bank, said in a June interview he envisioned JPMorgans staff working in rotations with about a third logged on remotely at any time although its unlikely anyone will always work remotely. Goldman Sachs Group Inc.: This month, the firm said its seeking to give every worker who can do so an opportunity to come in to their office. The firm is offering staff incentives such as free food, protective gear and access to an on-site nursery, although the return to the office is voluntary, Financial News reported Aug. 27. Citigroup Inc.: This month, the firm began circulating a survey to employees to gauge interest in partially repopulating offices in the New York City region on Oct. 5. While the firm has currently reopened those offices to about five per cent of staff, executives are looking to better understand whats keeping people away. Even if theres strong interest, Citigroup will cap daily attendance at 30 per cent for the time being, according to a person familiar with the matter who asked not to be identified discussing personnel information. And if fewer are willing to return, managers wont pressure them. American Express Co.: The card company began reopening offices in New York this month, with about 10 per cent of workers opting to return in the initial phase, even as it told employees that they can continue working from home through June 2021 if they wish. The firm said it has reopened offices in 30 locations, mostly in Asia and Europe, after seeing infection rates remain consistently low. Bank of New York Mellon Corp.: BNY Mellon has told the majority of its employees to continue working remotely for the rest of the year, postponing previous plans to have some staff return in September. About 96 per cent of the banks roughly 48,000 employees have been working remotely since March. Theyll continue to do so until at least January, a spokesperson said Aug. 26. European Banks Barclays Plc: The British lender has about 69,000 staff working remotely until at least the end of September. The bank plans to inform them individually when to come back, with return dates likely to span several months from October. Still, the firm is making plans for the future of office life. Barclays is exploring a move to New Yorks Hudson Yards as it looks for a smaller, more modern building with additional open spaces, a person familiar with the matter said. Deutsche Bank AG: About a fifth of its London employees were invited back to the office this month, Financial News reported, up from 10 per cent previously. The proportion of the German lenders investment bankers whove returned to the office is far higher. NatWest Group Plc: The U.K. lender said in July that 80 per cent of its staff will continue to work remotely until 2021, extending its previous guidance that workers would be home until September. The decision affects about 50,000 people. Schroders Plc: The London-based asset manager said in August it has embraced flexible working permanently. The change will make it easier for its workforce of nearly 5,000 to stay home when they need to, and will see less stringent requirements on the amount of time they need to be in the office or logged on to work systems, a company spokesperson said. The change applies to all staff worldwide, but depends on their job responsibilities. Danske Bank A/S: The Danish firm sent its employees back home in early September following a sudden spike in COVID-19 cases in the country. Danske said its decision will apply to the banks branches, as well as its call and finance centres. Metro Bank Plc: After a survey of staff revealed that just four per cent of those currently working from home want a return to the office full time, the bank is planning to allow staff to work above some branches. Alongside increased working from home, we envision back office colleagues working a couple of days a week in varied locations above our stores for the longer-term, CEO Daniel Frumkin said in a statement. We need to spend a little bit of money redesigning some of the space so its fit for purpose, for example with hot desking and collaboration spaces. The lender isnt expecting to return any of its workers to the office until next year. Standard Life Aberdeen Plc: The Edinburgh-based firm said that while it plans to allow a small number of colleagues to return to the office in coming months, the majority will continue to work from home until at least the end of the year. IG Group Holdings Plc: Staff wont need to return to the office until next year, according to an Aug. 26 memo from the trading platforms chief operating officer, Jon Noble. The company will review the decision in early 2021. Those who return will encounter one-way systems and fewer desks and meeting rooms. You should expect that it will look and feel different, Noble said in the memo. Singapore Banks DBS Group Holdings Ltd.: Singapores largest bank said about 70 per cent of its local employees work from home. While remote working has not affected short-term productivity, its long-term impact on customer journeys, experimentation and innovation is less clear. In addition, it is important to establish the impact of remote working on psychology and culture. We continue to work through what is the new optimal, a spokesperson said in an emailed reply to questions. Oversea-Chinese Banking Corp.: Singapores second-biggest lender doesnt have a targeted percentage ratio of how many staff should work in the office, corporate security head Francisco John Celio said. Currently just under 60 per cent of its employees work from the office. This number came from assessing the services, job functions and processes required to support business and consumer activities, the environmental risk due to COVID-19 and individual staff concerns such as medical or family circumstances, he said. The number of people in paid employment in the UK has fallen by 695,000 since March when the coronavirus lockdown began, according to official figures. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said the rate of unemployment increased as another 36,000 jobs fell off payrolls across the country. It warned redundancies had increased sharply in July, even as lockdown restrictions eased. Meanwhile, unemployment increased by 62,000 to 1.4 million for the three months to July. The official quarterly unemployment rate rose marginally to 4.1 per cent still low by historic standards. However, July showed a marked uptick in the proportion of people out of work and seeking employment rising 0.5 per cent to 4.4 per cent. Weekly figures, which are volatile, show that unemployment rose to 4.8 per cent in the last week of July, just before the Job Retention Scheme began to wind down from 1 August and employers had to start contributing towards furloughed workers national insurance and pension costs. Recommended Why the Kickstart scheme to cut youth unemployment could end up as a government own goal Young workers have been hit hardest with the number of 16 to 24-year-olds in employment falling 156,000 in the three months to July. Average weekly hours worked, seen by many analysts as a more accurate indicator of the impact of coronavirus on the labour market, was 866 million, down 184 million hours on the previous year and down 94 million hours on the previous quarter. Throughout May, June and July around 5.5 million people said they were working fewer hours because of economic conditions. More than 5 million workers were temporarily away from work at the end of July, with 2.5 million of those away for three months or more. Before the pandemic, an average of around 2.5 million were temporarily off work at any one time. It is these workers who ministers will be most concerned about as the furlough scheme comes to an end on 31 October and employers must decide whether to keep them on or not. Unions, business groups and MPs have all urged Rishi Sunak to limit job losses by introducing further, targeted support measures or extending the furlough scheme. So far, the chancellor has stuck to his position that the scheme will end as planned. The ONS said there were an estimated 434,000 vacancies in the quarter, rising 30 per cent from a record low in the quarter to June, but still significantly below pre-virus levels. Average wages were 1 per cent below their level a year ago, the ONS said. ONS director of economic statistics Darren Morgan said: Some effects of the pandemic on the labour market were beginning to unwind in July as parts of the economy reopened. Fewer workers were away on furlough and average hours rose. The number of job vacancies continued to recover into August, too. Nonetheless, with the number of employees on the payroll down again in August and both unemployment and redundancies sharply up in July, it is clear that coronavirus is still having a big impact on the world of work. Tej Parikh, chief economist at the Institute of Directors, warned that the true extent of Covid-19s impact on jobs is yet to emerge. With the Job Retention Scheme winding down, cash-strapped firms will be struggling to support their staff, Mr Parikh said. Redundancies are only likely to increase as state support for employee wages ceases at the end of October. For many companies, demand remains very much limited, with local lockdowns and renewed restrictions adding to the difficulties. The government must act quickly to counteract job losses and prevent the scarring effect of long-term unemployment. With youth unemployment increasing, the Kickstart Scheme targets a critical area, but the Treasury should go much further. Dave Innes, head of economics at the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, agreed that more government intervention was needed to prevent a surge in unemployment. Todays figures give a foretaste of whats to come if the government continues to take a one size fits all approach to unwinding the furlough scheme. There are worrying signs too that job losses are falling hardest on young people. This just isnt right. As a wave of unemployment gathers pace, the government should be extending furlough in the most at-risk sectors, not cutting it. Targeted, temporary support for workers in these sectors will protect them from being swept into poverty while keeping employers afloat until the worst of the economic storm has passed." Rishi Sunak said: This is a difficult time for many as the pandemic continues to have a profound impact on peoples jobs and livelihoods. Thats why protecting jobs and helping people back into work continues to be my number one priority. The U.S. Marine Corps said it had a record of a man by the same name who served from 1999 to 2003, but it could not confirm that this was the same person detained in Venezuela. Military records showed the decorated Marine was a specialist in communication. WASHINGTON Republican senators facing tough re-election fights this fall are expressing support for insurance protections for people with pre-existing medical conditions, running ads at odds with their own recent votes and policy positions. The latest example came Tuesday when Sen. Cory Gardner, R-Colo., who has voted repeatedly to repeal the Obamacare law that established those federal protections, released an emotional ad in which he sits with his mother and discusses her successful battle with cancer. "Cory wrote the bill to guarantee coverage to people with pre-existing conditions forever," she says, looking directly at the camera. "No matter what happens to Obamacare," the senator adds. But experts say the bill he cites doesn't do that. Gardner is one of several Republicans to obscure their record on pre-existing conditions as rising public support for Obamacare turns the issue into a liability for senators who have voted to repeal it. Republican senators are fighting to maintain control of the chamber, and that has left many telling voters they favor the most popular provisions after they backed legislation that would have chipped away at the protections in the 2010 law. The replacement plans they've supported fall short of fully restoring those rules, say health policy experts. "When you're in retreat it's best to do it slowly and not make it look like a complete spin around," said Tom Miller, a health policy expert at the conservative American Enterprise Institute. HEAVY LIFTING Gardners 117-word-long legislation would require insurers "not impose any pre-existing condition exclusion" or "factor health status into premiums or charges. The bill was introduced in August and has never received a hearing or a vote. Larry Levitt, the executive vice president for health policy at the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation, said Gardner's bill "contains a giant loophole" because insurance companies can simply "deny coverage altogether to people with pre-existing conditions." Story continues The current rules, created through the Affordable Care Act, include guaranteed issue, meaning insurance companies have to sell policies to people regardless of health status, Levitt said in an email. "The Gardner bill leaves out that requirement, meaning that insurers could deny coverage to people with pre-existing conditions, as they commonly did in the individual insurance market before the ACA," he said. Image: Pedro Rojas holds a sign directing people to an insurance company where they can sign up for the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare (Joe Raedle / Getty Images file) Gardner campaign spokesman Meghan Graf didn't respond when asked if Gardner still favors ACA repeal, or why his bill doesn't include the guaranteed issue provision. She wouldnt say whether Gardner supports a lawsuit backed by the Trump administration to invalidate the ACA. Miller said GOP senators are running these ads because they can read polls that show pre-existing condition rules are popular and "don't want to get crosswise" with voters. He said there are other ways to protect sick people, but each come with some downsides. "I don't think a lot of Republicans have thought deeply and consistently about how to do that because that takes work. It's heavy lifting and it requires trade-offs," Miller said. 'ADVANCE TO THE REAR' Sen. Martha McSally, R-Ariz., who also faces a difficult re-election, released an ad in June rebutting her Democratic opponent's criticisms of her health care record. "Mark Kelly's attacks on me are false. And they're shameful. Of course I will always protect those with preexisting conditions. Always," she said to the camera. Image: Sen. Martha McSally, R-AZ, listens to testimony at a hearing at the Capitol on May 6, 2020. (Shawn Thew / Getty Images file) But as a member of the House in 2017, McSally voted for legislation that would unwind much of the ACA and allow states to apply for an exemption from rules that prohibit insurers from charging people more if they have a pre-existing condition. Experts noted at the time that the waivers could pave the way for insurance companies to jack up costs and price sick people out of the market. (It passed the House but died in the Senate.) Several Republicans who voted to advance that effort in the Senate have also released ads proclaiming their support for people with pre-existing medical conditions. And they are making their statements deeply personal, with several including family members who have overcome health challenges. In an ad released in August, Sen. David Perdue, R-Ga., who is also in a tight battle for re-election, says: "Health insurance should always cover pre-existing conditions. For anyone. Period." The spot includes his sister, a cancer survivor, who says she is defending "my big brother's heart" on the issue. Sen. David Perdue, R-Ga., leaves Capitol Hill on Jan. 31, 2020. (Jacquelyn Martin / AP) In Montana, Sen. Steve Daines, a Republican who is facing a strong Democratic opponent in Gov. Steve Bullock, ran an ad in July featuring a woman who said, "Steve Daines will protect Montanans with pre-existing conditions." Perdue and Daines voted to advance the Senate repeal-and-replace measure in 2017. Daines also voted to repeal the ACA without a replacement as a member of the House in 2013. On his official website, Daines says, "I support full repeal of Obamacare," and adds that "we must always protect those with preexisting conditions," without getting specific. Miller, of AEI, thinks Republicans are doing what in military terms is known as "advance to the rear," suggesting they are retreating while claiming otherwise. "A lot has changed since the rhetorical barking in opposition [to Obamacare] from 2009 to 2016, and even in the ambitions of what they'd do legislatively since 2017," Miller said. Donald Trump has claimed that he supported taking out Syrian president Bashar al-Assad following chemical weapons attacks but was stopped by his previous Defense Secretary James Mattis. His claims on Fox & Friends on Tuesday appear to confirm reporting in journalist Bob Woodwards 2018 book Fear: Trump in the White House, which the president had emphatically denied after its publication. During White House briefing on 5 September 2018, the US president said that suggestions that he supported the assassination" of president Assad were never even discussed. Not at all. No, the book is fiction, he told reporters. I heard somewhere where they said the assassination of president Assad by the United States. Never even discussed. The book is total fiction, just like he wrote in the past about other presidents. He added: You look at what he said about president Bush, what he said about president Obama. Big, scandalous thing. Big it lasts for about a day. No, that was never even contemplated, nor would it be contemplated. And it should not have been written about in the book. Its just more fiction. The book is total fiction. Two years later, he told Fox & Friends that he wouldve rather taken him out. I had him all set, the president said. "Mattis didnt want to do it. Mattis was a highly overrated general." Asked whether he regrets halting efforts to kill president Assad, and whether his decision was motivated by Russian military support for Syria, Trump said:No, I dont regret that. I couldve lived either way with that. But I had a shot to take him out if I wanted, and Mattis was against it. Mattis was against most of that stuff." Mr Woodwards 2018 book reported that the president sought to f****** kill the Syrian leader leader following reports of a 2017 chemical weapons attack on Syrian residents. Over the following months, the president threatened retaliation and publicly urged president Assad and his allies in Russia and Iran to end assaults in Idlib amid a protracted military campaign in the war-torn country. On Tuesday, the president repeatedly criticised his previous defense secretary, who resigned in 2018 following the presidents decision to pull US forces out of Syria. "To me, he was a terrible general. He was a bad leader, and he wasn't doing the job with Isis," the president said. "I don't say he is a good American or a bad American, I just say he didn't do a good job." This year, the retired Marine general warned that the president is Constitutional threat and has condemned the use of force against protesters outside the White House in June before the presidents walk to a nearby church to make an appearance holding a bible, a move that General Mattis called an abuse of executive authority." Never did I dream that troops taking that same oath would be ordered under any circumstance to violate the Constitutional rights of their fellow citizens much less to provide a bizarre photo op for the elected commander-in-chief, with military leadership standing alongside, he said in a statement to The Atlantic. Around 7:30 p.m. last Friday night, an Iowa fire department got the call that two children were trapped in a house fire. "That's a once in a lifetime call, a once in a career call," said Council Bluffs Fire Chief Justin James. He said when crews arrived to the home, heavy smoke was coming out of the upstairs apartment. That's where brothers Jameson Haas and Ezekiel Adkins were trapped inside. "You're looking for a needle in the haystack in the dark and you're on a timer," James said. Firefighters found 3-year-old James in the bathroom and 1-year-old Ezekiel in the next room. "It's not easy to find a child that's 20 inches long, inside a burning building where you can't see your hand in front of your face and everything is starting to fall down," he said. The chief said in just 30 minutes the fire was out and the children were rescued and at the hospital. "If you're in that moment, that's the moment you train for," he said. Paramedics took Ezekiel's dad, Sheldon Adkins, to the hospital after attempting to rescue the boys. He has no injuries. Jameson was treated and released for smoke inhalation and slight burns. Ezekiel was flown from Council Bluffs to a burn center in Lincoln and then Iowa City for treatment. The 18-month-old has burns covering 60% of his body. Fire investigators reported the cause of the fire to be the result of juvenile fire play. James said that night, fire crews were "as good as it gets" and that the first responders "gave a second chance with seconds to spare." "The guys that get to go make the grab are just one piece of the puzzle. There's a whole bunch of other things that need to line up and everyone has to know their part, otherwise those guys don't get that chance," he said. Ezekiel's aunt said the toddler has lung and brain damage and issues with blood flow. He had his first skin surgery Tuesday and will have another next week. She sent this statement to sister station KETV on behalf of the family: "We want to thank the first responders who saved our boys that night. We will forever be so grateful for you! And thank you to our friends, family and community for all the love, support and prayers. Our little man is one hell of a fighter and we will fight and pray right alongside him all the way to recovery!" The family is asking for a continue of prayers and support. They have a GoFundMe set up to help with Ezekiel's medical treatment and recovery. To donate, click here. Proponents of limits on immigration hailed the decision. Loading "The 9th Circuit affirmed two clear aspects of TPS," said Dan Stein, president of the Federation for American Immigration Reform, said in a statement. "The first is that the T in TPS stands for temporary and that it is not intended, nor should it be, a backdoor to permanent residency." He said the decision also made it clear that the government had discretion to determine when it was safe for immigrants given temporary protections to return home. For countries such as El Salvador, Haiti, Nicaragua and Sudan, he said, "the crises that triggered the TPS designation have long since passed." The court's ruling could force many people who have been in the country for years, if not decades, to contemplate leaving their jobs, homes and communities to return to impoverished countries that are ill-prepared to absorb them. It also could result in the separation of families because beneficiaries have about 200,000 US-born children. Ten countries are currently part of the temporary protected status program, signed into law by President George HW Bush in 1990. Only four were officially included in Monday's decision El Salvador, Haiti, Nicaragua and Sudan but nationals from two other countries, Honduras and Nepal, sued separately and a legal agreement calls for those countries to be covered by Monday's decision. Nationals of El Salvador, the first to be offered temporary protected status, as a result of the country's civil war in the 1980s, represent about half of all recipients. Haitians received protection after the 2010 earthquake. Syria and Yemen were designated after civil wars erupted there. Under the program, the secretary of Homeland Security decides when a country merits the designation and the status can be extended indefinitely. Bosnia and Herzegovina lost its temporary protected status after the end of its 1990s-era civil war, as did Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia after the Ebola crisis. Determined to reduce immigration, Trump in 2017 began trying to scrap protection under the program for several other countries, meeting with lawsuits that temporarily blocked any cancellations. The government extended protections under the program for beneficiaries from El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, Nepal, Nicaragua and Sudan, who account for more than 90 per cent of the total, as the courts considered the legal challenges. The appeal that was before the 9th Circuit argued that the government's decision to eliminate the program was motivated by Trump's animosity towards immigrants from non-white, non-European countries. Lawyers had cited his statements that were disparaging of Mexicans, Haitians and others from developing countries. The plaintiffs also argued that maintaining the program was in the national interest because more than 100,000 holders of temporary protected status work in industries deemed "essential" during the coronavirus pandemic, including more than 11,000 healthcare workers and more than 76,000 food-related workers, according to the Centre for American Progress. The US Chamber of Commerce said that revoking the program would adversely affect several key industries where recipients make up a significant amount of the workforce. Roughly one-fifth of construction workers in Washington, DC, are immigrants with temporary protected status, most of them Salvadorans. The judges said the argument that the Trump administration was motivated by animus toward certain races or countries was unlikely to succeed. "Plaintiffs fail in their burden of showing a likelihood of success, or even serious questions, on the merits of their claim that racial animus toward 'non-white, non-European' populations was a motivating factor in the TPS terminations," they said in their opinion. The panel noted that the administration extended temporary protected status for immigrants from some countries, including Somalia, South Sudan, Syria and Yemen, whose populations are also "non-European" and "non-white". Beneficiaries from those countries collectively represent less than 8000 people. The majority opinion was written by Judge Consuelo Callahan, an appointee of President George W Bush, with Judge Ryan Nelson, appointed by Trump, concurring. Judge Morgan Christen, named to the court by Barack Obama, dissented. Ahilan Arulanantham, senior counsel for the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California, who led the legal challenge, said the plaintiffs would keep pressing their argument through the courts. "The president's vile statements about TPS holders made perfectly clear that his administration acted out of racial animus," he said. "The Constitution does not permit policy to be driven by racism." The Justice Department applauded the court's decision, which it said recognised that the government had the authority to make such decisions without judicial review. "We applaud the 9th Circuit's recognition of the plain language of the Immigration and Nationality Act and its rejection of the baseless accusations of animus behind the actions taken by the Department of Homeland Security," the Justice Department said in a statement. The court vacated a 2018 preliminary injunction issued by Judge Edward M. Chen of the US District Court in San Francisco that had blocked the administration from terminating the program for immigrants from Haiti, El Salvador, Nicaragua and Sudan. As part of their finding that the plaintiffs were unlikely to succeed on the merits, the judges said federal courts generally lacked the authority to review such decisions by the secretary of Homeland Security. News of the decision caused dismay among immigrants living under the temporary protected status all across the country. Veronica Lagunas, who came to the country 19 years ago from El Salvador and has two US-born children, said: "I am in shock. I am breathless." Lagunas, 41, who owns a home in the outskirts of Los Angeles, said she had no ties with her home country. Her parents are also in the United States. Two of the plaintiffs in the case are Cristina Morales, 39, who arrived from El Salvador at the age of 12, and her 16-year-old daughter, Crista Ramos, who was born in the US "I feel so much anger," said Morales, who is a teacher's aide in San Pablo, California. Her daughter said the family would continue to pursue the case. "It's frustrating that the country could take a position like that," she said, "knowing that there are more than 200,000 children like me, born in this country, who might have to choose between going back to our parents' native countries or staying here without them." The FCA welcomed a high court ruling on business insurance claims over COVID-19. Photo: PA A new High Court ruling on business insurance claims over coronavirus disruption will be welcome news for many firms, according to a UK watchdog. Around 370,000 firms could be affected by Tuesdays ruling, which is part of a test case looking at key issues around firms entitlements to payouts over the impact of the government-imposed lockdown. A judgement was handed down on Tuesday in the case, resolving disputes over the terms used in many common business interruption policies. Watch: Small firms fighting for insurance pay-outs due to the coronavirus lockdown have welcomed a court judgment The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), Britains financial watchdog, had brought a case on behalf of many firms which have been unable to succeed making claims so far. It said the court found substantially in its favour on most key issues. But insurance chiefs and investors had a different verdict on the 162-page ruling, which parties on both sides called complex. Huw Evans, director-general of the Association of British Insurers (ABI), said the judgement divides evenly between insurance providers and policyholders, and shares in insurance firms rose on the announcement. Mel Stride, a Conservative MP and chair of the influential Treasury committee in parliament, said: This ruling will provide hope for many businesses that have been put through the mill whilst seeking insurance payouts. But Stride warned the devil will be in the detail for some firms, and the number of policyholders likely to succeed making claims or miss out overall is not yet clear. READ MORE: City watchdog investigates consumer investment market Hiscox (HSX.L), one insurance firm involved, saw its stocks slip 3.3% immediately after the FCA's announcement but then quickly skyrocket 16.3%. Hiscox said the judgement means fewer than a third of its 34,000 business interruption policies will provide cover for the pandemic. It said in a statement the ruling meant it now estimated additional claims at 100m ($128.5m), lower than the 150m upper end of previous risk estimates. Story continues Watch: Yahoo Finance UK reporter Edmund Heaphy explains what a recession is: Coverage under these policies is essentially limited to those customers who were mandatorily closed by government orders, and then only in certain circumstances," it said. Meanwhile another insurer, RSA (RSA.L), saw the biggest daily gains on the FTSE 100 (^FTSE), jumping 7.2%. It said it expected a gross additional hit of 104m. READ MORE: UK firms warn on triple threat: Local lockdowns, furlough wind-up, and Brexit disruption The FCA had argued policies which cover firms for business interruption from infectious or so-called notifiable diseases should have cover for COVID-19 disruption. It argued firms with clauses on denial of access or public authority closures or restrictions should likewise receive payouts. Some insurers have paid out on such clauses, according to the FCA, but some have denied liability, prompting the FCA to bring the case to achieve clarity. The said the judgement had found most, but not all of the policies with disease clauses provide cover, while certain policies on limited access and authority restrictions similarly provide cover. We are pleased that the court has substantially found in favour of the arguments we presented on the majority of the key issues, said Christopher Woolard, interim chief executive of the FCA. Coronavirus is causing substantial loss and distress to businesses and many are under immense financial strain to stay afloat. The FCA noted the judgement did not show eight defendant insurers were liable across all 21 types of policy wording it had brought before the court. It also does not determine how much is payable under individual policies. Insurance firms could also appeal the ruling. Each policy needs to be considered against the detailed judgment to work out what it means for that policy. Policyholders with affected claims can expect to hear from their insurer within the next 7 days, it said. The ministry of home affairs (MHA) said in Parliament on Tuesday that it hasnt come across any actionable intelligence which suggests that there is a nexus between Bollywood celebrities and drug traffickers. However, it said, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) is investigating a case in this regard. The anti-drugs investigation agency had on August 28 registered a second case, an offshoot of the probe against actor Rhea Chakraborty, to investigate a link between various persons in Mumbai in the supply of drugs. The agency has already arrested 10 people in this particular case, mainly drug suppliers and conduits. Based on a reference from the Enforcement Directorate (ED), NCB had filed a case against Rhea and her family members on August 26. She was arrested on September 8 and is currently in judicial custody. During the period of Covid-19 lockdown, no such actionable inputs were received by NCB revealing the nexus between people in the film industry and drug traffickers. However, a case in this regard has been registered by NCB Mumbai Zonal unit on 28.08.2020, said Union minister of state for home G Kishan Reddy in a written reply in the Lok Sabha. Drugs such as Ganja, Hashish, Tetra Hydro Cannabinol and Lysergic acid De-ethylamide have been seized in the operation, MHA said. The ministry was responding to a query from Kumbakudi Sudhakaran, a Congress lawmaker from Kerala, who asked if the government had conducted a detailed enquiry in the nexus between people in the film industry and those involved in drug trade during Covid-19. The NCB comes under the Union home ministry. Atlantic Philanthropies has ceased operating having given away $8bn since the fund was created by Irish American billionaire Chuck Feeney. Almost a quarter of funds disbursed by Atlantic Philanthropies since 1982 were to projects in Ireland, including huge support for universities here and peace projects in Norther Ireland. Founder Chuck Feeney signed the dissolution papers for Atlantic Philanthropies on Tuesday. Over almost four decades it made 6,500 grants of over $8bn, upholding Feeneys motto of Giving while Living. In 1984 Feeney secretly transferred his shareholding in Duty Free Shoppers (DFS) to The Atlantic Foundation which later became The Atlantic Philanthropies, and he quietly began distributing the bulk of his personal fortune to good causes. The Republic of Ireland has received $1.3bn in grants while $570m went to projects in Northern Ireland. An Taoiseach Micheal Martin commented, Atlantic Philanthropies has had a truly remarkable impact in Ireland over the past four decades. Chuck Feeneys far-sighted vision, extraordinary generosity and selfless leadership has transformed the lives of many thousands of Irish people, young and old alike. On behalf of the Irish Government, I offer Chuck Feeney my sincere congratulations, heartfelt thanks and best wishes for the future, the Taoiseach said. Atlantic Philanthropies funding has also gone to projects in Australia, Bermuda, Cuba, Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, South Africa, the United States of America and Vietnam If you give while living, the money goes to work quickly, everyone gets to see the action and the results, thats what were all about, Chuck Feeney explained some years ago. Contact Groups at Doha Talks Make Progress at First Meeting - Afghan Government Negotiators Sputnik News 03:52 GMT 14.09.2020(updated 03:57 GMT 14.09.2020) KABUL (Sputnik) - Participants in the peace talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban that are currently underway in Qatar have reached some progress during the Sunday contact group session, Ahmad Nader Naderi, a member of the government's negotiating team, said. "The first meeting between the contact groups of the two negotiation teams took place today. In this meeting code of conduct between two sides, schedules of upcoming meetings and relevant issues were discussed and progress were made," Naderi said on Twitter on Sunday. Abdullah Abdullah, the chairman of Afghanistan's High Council for National Reconciliation, said at a press conference on Sunday that the peace talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban in the Qatari capital of Doha will be lengthy, but the two sides are aware of the Afghan people's desire to end violence as soon as possible. The Doha peace talks started on Saturday after both sides successfully completed a long-awaited prisoner exchange arrangement. There is no timeline on the discussions, which are the first direct talks between the two warring sides. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo attended the opening ceremony of the talks on Saturday. On 29 February, the United States and the Taliban movement signed a peace deal in Doha, Qatar, stipulating a gradual withdrawal of US troops as well as the beginning of intra-Afghan negotiations and prisoner exchanges. The talks were delayed multiple times as the Afghan government and the Taliban disagreed over the prisoner exchange process. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Alan Gottlieb has been an education journalist, online news entrepreneur and policy expert in Denver for 25 years. He currently edits Boardhawk, a website that closely tracks Denver Public Schools and its board. Millie Bobby Brown has revealed that she struggled to do a British accent in her new role Enola Holmes after five years in the American Netflix series Stranger Things. The actress, 16, who shot to fame as Eleven in the hit Netflix show, revealed she 'found it really challenging being British' in the role of the upcoming mystery film. Millie, who grew up in Dorset, England, and settled in Florida with her family to pursue her acting career aged eight, said she 'had to learn how to speak again'. Change: Millie Bobby Brown, 16, has revealed that she struggled to do a British accent in her new role Enola Holmes after five years in the American Netflix series Stranger Things Speaking to Radio Times, she said: 'For the last five years Ive been playing an American character in Stranger Things and I found it really challenging being British in this, even though I am a Brit. 'I had to learn how to speak again because Im so used to speaking in an American accent.' Millie, who has produced and starred as the title character, the sister of Sherlock Holmes (Henry Cavill), revealed that she 'wouldn't make a good detective' because she 'can't even find my keys' Fame: The actress, who shot to fame as Eleven in the hit Netflix show (pictured), revealed she 'found it really challenging being British' in the role of the upcoming mystery film Role: Millie has produced and starred as the title character in the upcoming mystery film Enola Holmes - the sister of Sherlock Holmes (Henry Cavill) Yet the star explained how she is 'good at reading people' which she believes is linked to being 'observant of peoples emotions'. Millie, who rose to fame aged 12 in Stranger Things, described how Enola 'brings a new perspective on the Holmes family' and is a role which she can 'definitely relate' to. Open: The star spoke to Radio Times about her struggle with acting in a British accent The actress and her elder sister Paige 'fell in love' with the character after reading the Nancy Springer series, The Enola Holmes Mysteries, and felt compelled to bring 'girl power' to a film set. Speaking about the emotional connection to her character, she added: 'Loneliness is something that a lot of teenagers suffer with I myself have and the film portrays that being alone is a good thing because you can find yourself.' In the film, the youngest member of the Holmes family goes off in search of her missing mother (Helena Bonham Carter), even as her more famous brothers try to thwart her investigation. She journeys back to her childhood and how her mother gave her her name, which is 'alone' spelled backward. The film was originally planned for a theatrical release by Warner Bros., but it was picked up by Netflix in April amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. From his shock detention to an audacious escape from Japan, the rollercoaster saga of former Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn made headlines around the world. As two men accused of helping Ghosn flee go on trial in Tokyo, here are the key dates to know: - November 2018: Ghosn arrested - Ghosn and his aide Greg Kelly are arrested on suspicion of financial misconduct on November 19, after arriving in Tokyo on separate private planes. They are accused of devising a scheme to under-report the salary of Ghosn -- then Nissan chief and head of an alliance between Renault, Nissan and Mitsubishi Motors. The pair deny wrongdoing. Ghosn is swiftly removed from his role at all three firms in a stunning fall from grace for one of the world's best-known businessmen. - December 2018: New allegations - Ghosn and Kelly are charged with under-reporting Ghosn's salary between 2010 and 2015. They are immediately rearrested on allegations of under-reporting up to 2018. On December 21, Ghosn is arrested again on fresh allegations that he transferred losses from personal financial investments to Nissan. His detention, in conditions far removed from his flashy lifestyle, is extended. - March 2019: Bail for Ghosn - Ghosn attends his first court hearing in January, insisting the accusations are "meritless and unsubstantiated". His first bail request is denied, and on January 11 two new charges of financial misconduct are filed against him. The disgraced executive tells AFP from prison that his detention would "not be normal in any other democracy". On March 5, the court approves Ghosn's third request for bail, set at one billion yen ($9 million). - April 2019: Rearrest, bailed again - Ghosn is rearrested in a dawn raid of his Tokyo apartment in April, and authorities hit him with a further charge of aggravated breach of trust -- alleging he siphoned money for personal ends from cash transferred from Nissan to a dealership in Oman. On April 25, the court grants Ghosn a second bail of $4.5 million. He is banned from leaving Japan and requires court permission to see his wife. Story continues - September 2019: US charges - On September 9, Nissan CEO Hiroto Saikawa resigns amid allegations that he also padded his salary. He denies wrongdoing but apologises. Ghosn and Nissan are accused by US securities regulators of hiding more than $140 million in his expected retirement income from investors. Ghosn is fined $1 million, and Nissan says it will pay $15 million. - December 2019: Ghosn jumps bail - Just before New Year's Eve, Ghosn gives authorities in Japan the slip, hiding in an instrument case to flee on a private plane. He eventually lands in Lebanon, which does not have an extradition treaty with Japan. A week later, Ghosn says Nissan colluded with prosecutors to have him arrested because he wanted to deepen the Japanese firm's alliance with Renault. He says he fled because he did not believe he would get a fair trial. - 2020: Accomplices held, Kelly on trial - Two men accused of helping Ghosn flee Japan, former US special forces member Michael Taylor and his son Peter, are arrested in the United States in May. In September, a US judge rules extradition proceedings can move forward, as the trial against Kelly begins in Tokyo on a single charge of under-reporting Ghosn's compensation. Kelly denies wrongdoing and pleads not guilty, while Nissan, on trial as a firm on the same charge, pleads guilty. - June 2021: Taylors on trial - Michael and Peter Taylor lose their battle against extradition and are handed over to Japanese prosecutors, landing in the country in March. The pair, who allegedly smuggled Ghosn out of the country in an audio equipment case, appear in a Tokyo court for the first time on June 14. They face three years in prison if convicted. burs-kaf/sah/qan By Azernews By Akbar Mammadov More than 2,000 civilians were killed in over 30 terrorist attacks committed by Armenia in Azerbaijan in the late 1980s and the early 1990s, the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry said in a statement issued on September 15. The ministry said that Armenia terror attacks included explosions in passenger buses, trains and the Baku metro. Armenia also recruited terrorist mercenaries from foreign countries, especially from the Middle East, during the occupation of Azerbaijans Nagorno-Karabakh and the seven adjacent regions, the ministry said. These mercenaries included members of ASALA terrorist group, such as Monte Melkonian, who was given the title of the hero in Armenia in the state level. It should be noted that ASALA has been recognized as a terrorist organization in the United and States and number of Western countries. The ministry reminded that between 1970-1980, ASALA and other Armenian terrorist organizations committed more than 235 terrorist acts in 22 countries and killed 24 Turkish diplomats. The ministry stressed that against the background of all of these, it is absurd that the Armenian Foreign Minister would talk about friendship and close cooperation with Muslim countries, regional and global security during his recent visit to Egypt. Armenian Foreign Minister Zohrab Mnatsakanyan's remarks during his visit to the Arab Republic of Egypt are a clear example of the hypocrisy of an official of the country that expelled hundreds of thousands of Muslim Azerbaijanis from their homes by subjecting them to bloody ethnic cleansing, brutally killed 613 civilians in Khojaly overnight because they were Azerbaijanis and Muslims, destroyed Muslim heritage in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan and looted mosques. Azerbaijan and Armenia are locked in a conflict over Azerbaijans Nagorno-Karabakh breakaway region, which along with seven adjacent regions was occupied by Armenian forces in a war in the early 1990s. More than 20,000 Azerbaijanis were killed and around one million were displaced as a result of the large-scale hostilities. The OSCE Minsk Group co-chaired by the United States, Russia and France has been mediating the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict since the signing of the volatile cease-fire agreement in 1994. The Minsk Groups efforts have resulted in no progress and to this date, Armenia has failed to abide by the UN Security Council resolutions (822, 853, 874 and 884) that demand the withdrawal of Armenian military forces from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan. "They have some sleazebag reporter from a third-rate magazine having some source quoting me saying, I won't even use the term, but saying bad things. . . . We had 25 people that were witnesses that are on the record already that have said that never took place. It never took place - what they said." - President Donald Trump, at a campaign rally in Minden, Nev., Sept. 12 - - - Jeffrey Goldberg of the Atlantic published an article Sept. 3 that was at once both surprising and not surprising: "Trump: Americans Who Died in War Are 'Losers' and 'Suckers.'" The president had famously attacked the late senator John McCain, R-Ariz., saying he wasn't a war hero, because "I like people who weren't captured." But Goldberg provided what he said were new accounts of Trump's private remarks disparaging soldiers who died in service of the United States. The people who recounted these remarks were not identified. In trying to refute the article, the White House has focused on its first anecdote - that Trump canceled a visit to Aisne-Marne American Cemetery near Paris in 2018 because he did not believe it was important to honor American war dead. "In a conversation with senior staff members on the morning of the scheduled visit, Trump said, 'Why should I go to that cemetery? It's filled with losers,'" Goldberg wrote. "In a separate conversation on the same trip, Trump referred to the more than 1,800 marines who lost their lives at Belleau Wood as 'suckers' for getting killed." Goldberg attributed the information to "four people with firsthand knowledge of the discussion that day." It's often a fool's game to try to figure out a reporter's anonymous sources. Sometimes, principals use cutouts - aides who speak to reporters - to give themselves plausible deniability. Or people may deny on the record speaking to a reporter when in fact he or she was a source. Moreover, other news organizations, including The Washington Post and most notably Jennifer Griffin of Fox News, have confirmed elements of Goldberg's report. Griffin reported that an unnamed administration official said that "when the President spoke about the Vietnam War, he said, 'It was a stupid war. Anyone who went was a sucker.'" She also reported that Trump simply did not want to travel by motorcade to Aisne-Marne cemetery. But she also said she could not confirm that the president described the American war dead there as "suckers" and "losers." The White House has collected the names of 25 people who claim to refute Goldberg's reporting on the cemetery decision. Trump called them "witnesses," but that's wrong. Eleven people on the list were not with Trump. They are mostly current administration officials serving at the pleasure of the president or communications aides, and so can offer only bromides. Strikingly, two people who figure prominently in the article - then-White House Chief of Staff John F. Kelly and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff at the time, Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr. - have not commented. Their silence on this explosive story certainly is important in evaluating its accuracy. Both men would have the credibility to refute the story, so readers could consider their refusal to comment as some sort of confirmation. Still, 14 people who were traveling in France as part of the president's entourage have disputed elements of the story. That sounds like a big number, but you have to consider who is speaking and their level of credibility. You also have to read carefully between the lines of their denials. Here are the 14 witnesses in order of our assessment of their credibility. FORMER NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER JOHN BOLTON: "I didn't hear either of those comments or anything even resembling them. I was there at the point in time that morning when it was decided that he would not go [to] Aisne-Marne cemetery. He decided not to do it because of John Kelly's recommendation. It was entirely a weather-related decision, and I thought the proper thing to do." Analysis: Bolton has particular credibility because he is a known Trump critic, having written a book, "The Room Where It Happened," that depicts the president in highly unflattering terms. Moreover, in the book, Bolton wrote about the decision to cancel the trip to the cemetery, saying the weather was not good enough to ferry the president in a helicopter and a lengthy car drive was "an unacceptable risk" for a president in case of an emergency. (Kelly and Dunford instead traveled by motorcade to represent the United States.) Still, Bolton also wrote that Trump was "displeased throughout the trip" and quoted then-White House press secretary Sarah Sanders as saying Trump was in a "royal funk." (The trip came right after the midterm elections that cost Republicans control of the House of Representatives.) Bolton told the New York Times, "I'm not saying he didn't say [the remarks] later in the day or another time." FORMER DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF ZACH FUENTES: "I did not hear POTUS call anyone losers when I told him about the weather." Analysis: Fuentes was deputy to Kelly, making him an important voice. But his interview with Breitbart must be carefully parsed. Fuentes says: "I did not hear POTUS call anyone losers when I told him about the weather." That's oddly specific, leaving open the possibility that Fuentes heard such comments at another point - when not discussing the weather. In fact, Goldberg's article does not even say the remarks happened during a discussion of the weather: "In a conversation with senior staff members on the morning of the scheduled visit, Trump said, 'Why should I go to that cemetery? It's filled with losers.' In a separate conversation on the same trip, Trump referred to the more than 1,800 marines who lost their lives at Belleau Wood as 'suckers' for getting killed." Moreover, Fuentes further said the Atlantic's sources "are conflating those people from something the day after." That suggests Trump may have said something along these lines, just not on the day in question. FORMER DEPUTY ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENT JORDAN KAREM: "This is 100% false. I was next to @POTUS the whole day! The President was greatly disappointed when told we couldn't fly there. He was incredibly eager to honor our Fallen Heroes." Analysis: In a tweet, Karem says he was next to Trump all day and did not hear this. That gives him some standing. The comment is highly specific, focused on Trump's disappointment about not being able to fly to the cemetery. COUNSELOR TO THE PRESIDENT DEREK LYONS: "I was with the President the morning after the scheduled visit. He was extremely disappointed that arrangements could not be made to get him to the site and that the trip had been canceled. I have worked for the President for his entire administration. One of my responsibilities is working with him on the many letters he signs to the families of our nation's fallen heroes. In all my time at the White House, I have never heard him utter a disparaging remark, of any kind, about our troops. In my view, he holds the brave men and women of our armed forces in the highest regard." Analysis: This statement was provided secondhand at a White House news briefing, but at least Lyons can assert he had a conversation with the president during the period in question. Still, he said he was with Trump the day after the scheduled visit, not on the day when the reported remarks were made. DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF FOR OPERATIONS TONY ORNATO Analysis: Denied the Atlantic's story via a statement issued at the White House. FORMER DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF DAN WALSH: "I can attest to the fact that there was a bad weather call in France and that the helicopters were unable to safely make the flight. Overall, the President's support and respect for our American troops, past and present, is unquestionable." Analysis: Another denial via a White House statement. RETIRED MAJ. GEN. WILLIAM MATZ: "No one has done more for our veterans than President Trump, and he enjoys a relationship of mutual affection and honor with those who wear and have worn the uniform of the United States military and their families. Those who know President Trump know that the anonymous smears peddled by The Atlantic have no basis in fact or reality, and do a terrible disservice to journalism and to our veterans, living and deceased." Analysis: Matz says he "received word" the president was upset about not being able to go. In other words, he did not directly have a conversation with the president. U.S. AMBASSADOR TO FRANCE AND MONACO JAMIE MCCOURT: "In my presence, POTUS has NEVER denigrated any member of the U.S. military or anyone in service to our country. And he certainly did not that day, either. Let me add, he was devastated to not be able to go to the cemetery at Belleau Wood. In fact, the next day, he attended and spoke at the ceremony in Suresnes in the pouring rain." Analysis: She is a political appointee, not a career ambassador. There is no indication she would have been part of discussions on this matter with the president. FORMER COUNSELOR TO THE PRESIDENT JOHNNY DESTEFANO: "I was on this trip. The Atlantic bit is not true. Period." Analysis: A denial with no indication that he would have been present for this discussion. ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENT AND DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF DAN SCAVINO:"I was with POTUS in France, with Sarah, and have been at his side throughout it all. Complete lies by 'anonymous sources.'" SENIOR ADVISER TO THE PRESIDENT STEPHEN MILLER:"The President deeply wanted to attend the memorial event in question and was deeply displeased by the bad weather call." FORMER PRINCIPAL DEPUTY PRESS SECRETARY HOGAN GIDLEY: "These are disgusting, grotesque, reprehensible lies. I was there in Paris and the President never said those things." Analysis: Three of Trump's most loyal aides, one of whom now works for the Trump campaign and two of whom still work at the White House. They would walk through fire for Trump, so caveat emptor. FIRST LADY MELANIA TRUMP: "@TheAtlantic story is not true. It has become a very dangerous time when anonymous sources are believed above all else, & no one knows their motivation. This is not journalism - It is activism. And it is a disservice to the people of our great nation." Analysis: This is the president's spouse. No one would expect her to do anything but deny an embarrassing story about her husband. FORMER PRESS SECRETARY SARAH SANDERS: "I was actually there and one of the people part of the discussion - this never happened." Analysis: Sanders was a senior White House official at the time and had frequent conversations with Trump. But she has little credibility after admitting during the Robert S. Mueller III investigation that she lied to the media. She further undermined her credibility after the Atlantic report by tweeting an excerpt from an interview with ABC News that included the false claim that Trump made calls to "let a parent know that their son had been killed" in battle. (The military makes such notifications in person, not by phone, and they are not handled by the president.) For the record, the other 11 denials are from: SECRETARY OF DEFENSE MARK ESPER; SECRETARY OF STATE MIKE POMPEO; SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS ROBERT WILKIE; CHIEF OF STAFF MARK MEADOWS; NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER ROBERT O'BRIEN; LT. GEN. AND NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER TO THE VICE PRESIDENT KEITH KELLOGG; FORMER ACTING CHIEF OF STAFF MICK MULVANEY; FORMER CHIEF OF STAFF TO THE VICE PRESIDENT NICK AYERS; PRESS SECRETARY KAYLEIGH MCENANY; ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENT ALYSSA FARAH; DEPUTY PRESS SECRETARY JUDD DEERE. Many of these are broad-based denials lacking specifics. - - - As you can see, the claim that there are 25 "witnesses" is inflated. At best, 14 people denying the story were traveling with the president, but some were not in the room when the alleged conversations took place. The two most credible denials - from Bolton and Fuentes - suggest that such conversations might have taken place, just not at the time described by Goldberg. Meanwhile, other journalists have reported that they have confirmed other aspects of Goldberg's reporting, including the broader theme of how Trump fails to understand the notion of sacrifice in the U.S. military. When faced with a negative story, a common tactic by any government agency - especially the White House - is to seize on one element that may be slightly off in an effort to discredit the entire report. Still, one must also acknowledge that the four individuals for the Atlantic article remain unidentified, compared with the number of people who have denied or disputed elements of the story. The silence of Kelly and Dunford could be taken as tacit confirmation - or simply an unwillingness to defend the president. We could hand Pinocchios to Trump for inflating the number, but it's difficult to settle on a rating without determining how many of the 14 witnesses are truly credible. We've offered a guide, but it will be up to readers to consider whether the denials - or the no-comments - undermine or bolster the broad thrust of Goldberg's reporting. If more information emerges, we will update this fact check. Greece will build a permanent migrant centre on the island of Lesbos to replace the notoriously overcrowded refugee camp razed to the ground by a fire last week, the countrys prime minister has promised. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on Sunday the new reception centre would be a chance to reset the policy behind handling migrant arrivals and called for closer European involvement. The squalid and overcrowded camp in Moria went up in flames last week, leaving over 12,000 people without shelter and sleeping rough without proper sanitation or access to food and water amid the coronavirus pandemic for days. We want to turn this problem into an opportunity, said Mr Mitsotakis during a news conference. Europe should be a lot more involved in the management of the new centre wherever we finally decide it should be. He appeared to dismiss protests by Lesbos residents who have opposed the creation of a new centre as well as by migrants demanding to be resettled away from the island. I want to say with absolute certainty that there will be a permanent reception and identification centre - I want to send this message in all directions, he added. Greek authorities have resettled hundred of the homeless refugees in a temporary new tent facility outside the main port of Mytilene, the capital of Lesbos. In a concerning development, they identified what Mr Mitsotakis said were dozens of cases of Covid-19. Before the fire, the camp had been placed under quarantine as there were 35 confirmed cases of coronavirus in the camp, but people were unable to quarantine or practice hygiene effectively without shelter and resources. Officials had already been concerned about the potential for an uncontrolled spread of the virus from Moria before it burned down. Government spokesperson Stelios Petsas told reporters on Monday: We expect that in the next three to four days all will be housed, a bit less than the (total number) roughly 12,000 homeless. Some 400 unaccompanied minors have already been relocated from the island to the Greek mainland for possible resettlement in other European countries. Germany is considering taking in thousands of refugees from the Moria camp as a one-off gesture, Bild newspaper reported on Monday. Citing government and EU sources, Bild said Germanys Chancellor Angela Merkel was leaning towards taking in more refugees despite officials being reluctant to move unilaterally, saying a European agreement is needed to disperse the refugees across the EU. But Social Democrat Finance Minister Olaf Scholz told a news conference earlier that Germany had to be ready to play a role in taking in refugees, though this could only be a stepping stone to finding a Europe-wide way of housing refugees arriving at the continents borders. It cant stand as it is now, where each time we decide on a case-by-case basis, he said. Additional reporting by agencies Madan Sharma, a retired Navy officer who alleged he was beaten up by Shiv Sena workers here for forwarding a WhatsApp message, met Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari on Tuesday at Raj Bhavan and demanded strict action against the accused. Meanwhile, six persons were arrested in the case and later granted bail. However, Samta Nagar Police invoked IPC Section 452 in the First Information Report (FIR) and re-arrested them last night. Madan Sharma, a retired Navy officer who alleged he was beaten up by Shiv Sena workers here for forwarding a WhatsApp message, met Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari on Tuesday at Raj Bhavan and demanded strict action against the accused. Madan Sharma said,The Governor is well aware of the entire situation. The crime of trespassing is applicable to everybody. The media has been put in jail for trespassing and Shiv Sena workers trespassed in my compound and they should also face the same consequences. The Governor has assured that action will be taken against such acts, Sharma said while speaking to reporters. Sharma has also demanded the imposition of President rule and added that the Governor has assured that he will raise the issue with the Centre, he added. Meanwhile, six persons were arrested in the case and later granted bail. However, Samta Nagar Police invoked IPC Section 452 (House-trespass after preparation for hurt, assault, or wrongful restraint) in the First Information Report (FIR) and re-arrested them last night. Also Read: YSRCP demands immediate release of 3805 crore for Polavaram Project, Finance min assured The accused will be produced before the court today. Yesterday, a protest took place outside Samta Nagar Police station in Kandivali where the matter has been registered. Revolutionary Party of India (RPI) workers protested against the state government and Mumbai Police over the issue. The protesters demanded strict against Shiv Sena leaders and that an attempt to murder section to be added in the FIR against them. (ANI) Also Read: PM Modi lays foundation stone of seven projects in Bihar By Biniam Bedasso and Maria A. Gwynn Biniam Bedasso Maria A. Gwynn The National Insurance Commission (NIC), in collaboration with the police, has arrested two officials of an unlicensed insurance brokerage firm operating under the name Family Fountain Insurance Brokers. The suspects are currently in police custody, assisting in investigations, and if found culpable, they will face criminal prosecution according to law. Their arrest comes after weeks of surveillance and trailing by the Special Investigative Unit (SIU) of the NIC and the police. A statement issued by the NIC after the arrest said the company had been operating for some time now as an intermediary, with the tacit connivance of an underwriting company. The suspects, according to the statement, were operating from the premises of the Aayalolo Transport Terminal in Accra Central and served as an intermediary between the unsuspecting insuring public and a known licensed underwriting insurance company. The name of the licensed underwriting company was, however, not disclosed due to ongoing investigations. Special investigations Providing further information on the arrest, the Deputy Commissioner of Insurance, Mr Michael Kofi Andoh, said the discreet approach employed by the SIU of the NIC and the police led to the suspects unknowingly disclosing their modus operandi on September 9, this year, after weeks of surveillance and trailing. Armed with that information, the suspects were picked up by the police. The NIC, he said, would also investigate the underwriting company involved and apply the relevant sanctions, as stipulated under the Insurance Act, 2006 (Act 742) of the National Insurance Commission (NIC), which made it a crime to engage any unlicensed insurance intermediary. The Insurance Act also requires that before an entity commences insurance business in Ghana, it must be licensed by the NIC. Akin to driving without a licence, the NIC will not colour any pink as red when an individual or entity contravenes the law, with the aim of protecting innocent Ghanaians, Mr Andoh said. Advice to public The deputy commissioner advised the insuring public to report the activities of any suspicious characters or companies trading or soliciting for insurance business without due authorisation to either the police or the nearest NIC office in any part of the country. It is important for the public to join us to condemn this practice and shame those involved, as we desire to have a sound, clean, financially stable insurance system, he said. Mr Andoh added that the public could verify the authenticity of any insurance entity in good standing by visiting the NIC website: www.nicgh.org. Source: Graphic.com.gh Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Six Shiv Sena workers, who were arrested for assaulting a retired Indian Navy officer, Madan Sharma, over a WhatsApp forward on Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray on Friday and released on bail, were rearrested on Monday. They were released on bail of 15,000 each. They will have to mark attendance in the police station for 60 days. Dilip Sawant, additional commissioner of police (north region), said, While scanning the CCTV footage of the society, we found the accused had entered a private property and dragged the victim out, where they assaulted him. Consequently, section 452 (house-trespass after preparation for hurt, assault or wrongful restraint) of the Indian Penal Code was added to the case and they were re-arrested. Sharma was assaulted in front of Vasant Pride Co-operative Housing Society, Thakur Complex, Kandivli (East), and he suffered an eye injury. The six accused are Kamlesh Chandrakant Kadam, 39; Sanjay Santaram Manjare, 52; Pratap Motiram Sundevesha, 45; Rakesh Rajaram Velnekar, 31; Sunil Vishnu Desai, 42; and Rakesh Krishna Mulik, 34, all residents of Poisar in Kandivli. Based on Sharmas statement, on September 11, Mumbai Police had registered an offence under sections 325 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt),143 (unlawful assembly), 147 (rioting) and 149 (being a member of unlawful assembly) of Indian Penal Code. An officer from Samta Nagar police station said, On September 14, we submitted an application before the Borivli metropolitan magistrate court, saying we have decided to add section 452 of IPC to the case, which is a non-bailable offence. Defence minister Rajnath Singh spoke to Sharma on Saturday. He later tweeted: Spoke to retired naval officer, Shri Madan Sharma who was attacked by hooligans in Mumbai and enquired about his health. Such attacks on Ex-Servicemen is completely unacceptable and deplorable. I wish Madanji a speedy recovery (sic). "We are excited to be open to serve our community and kick off a long and successful partnership with Mitsubishi Motors," said Sean Grant, dealer principal, Landmark Mitsubishi. "Mitsubishi brings a lineup of dependable, affordable and efficient crossovers and small cars with a generous 100,000-mile warranty* that we know will appeal to many consumers. We look forward to welcoming new customers to our store and serving them the Landmark way." MMNA recently finalized the relocation of its U.S. headquarters to its new, permanent home in Franklin, Tennessee. The relocation is the most tangible example of the ongoing reinvention of every aspect of the Mitsubishi Motors brand and business in the U.S., from corporate leadership to dealer partners to every touchpoint in a customer's relationship with their vehicle. "We are committed to sustainably growing our dealership network and brand visibility across the United States, and the opening of Landmark Mitsubishi is an important step toward helping us achieve that goal," said, Steven Smidlein, central region director, MMNA. "This work is now more exciting than ever, as we prepare for all-new and significantly refreshed Mitsubishi vehicles to begin entering showrooms by spring 2021." Landmark Mitsubishi is located at 2350 Prairie Crossing Drive, Springfield, Illinois 62711, and can be reached via telephone at (217) 793-6050, or online at www.landmarkmitsubishi.com. For more information on Mitsubishi Motors U.S. dealer network, please visit www.mitsubishicars.com. About Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. Through a network of approximately 350 dealer partners across the United States, Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA), is responsible for the sales, research and development, marketing and customer service of Mitsubishi Motors vehicles in the U.S. 2019 marked the brand's seventh consecutive year of sales growth, and MMNA was the top-ranked Japanese brand in the J.D. Power 2020 Initial Quality Study, ranking sixth overall and experiencing the greatest year-over-year improvement of any brand. Located in Franklin, Tennessee, MMNA is a part of the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance. Mitsubishi continues to lead the way in the development of highly efficient, affordably priced new gasoline-powered automobiles, while using its industry-leading knowledge in battery-electric vehicles to develop future EV and PHEV models. For more information on Mitsubishi vehicles, please contact the Mitsubishi Motors News Bureau at (615) 257-2698 or visit media.mitsubishicars.com. Disclaimer *10-Year/100,000-Mile Powertrain Limited Warranty. All coverage terms are from the original in-service date and are applicable only to the original owner of new, retailed models purchased from an authorized Mitsubishi retailer. Subsequent owners receive the balance of the New Vehicle Limited Warranty of 5 years/60,000 miles. See retailer for limited warranty and roadside assistance terms and conditions. Contacts Lauren Ryan Manager, Communications and Events [email protected] Mobile: 404-862-8286 Patrick LeBeau The Brand Amp [email protected] Mobile: 708-768-1823 SOURCE Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. Related Links www.mitsubishicars.com New measures suspend operation of live music establishments and wearing of masks mandatory in all closed work spaces. Greek authorities tightened restrictions to stem the spread of the coronavirus in the greater Athens area, saying the pandemic was showing worrying signs of resilience. More than 29.3 million people around the world have been diagnosed with the coronavirus, and 930,700 have died, according to Johns Hopkins University. Nearly 20 million have recovered. The southwestern Chinese city of Ruili has been locked down, with all 200,000 residents to be tested for COVID-19 after two Myanmar nationals were diagnosed with the virus. Here are the latest updates: Tuesday, September 15 20:46 GMT COVID-19 exerts heavy toll on minority youths in US: study Ethnic minorities accounted for more than three quarters of COVID-19 deaths in young people under the age of 21 in the US between February and July, according to the CDC. Out of 121 deaths among under-21s, 45 percent were Hispanics, 29 percent were Black people and 4 percent were American Indians or Alaskan Natives, a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found. Together, these groups represent 41 percent of the countrys under-21 population. You can read more on that story here. 20:22 GMT Crime fell as coronavirus swept US says FBI Violent and property crime both plunged across the US in the first six months of 2020 as the coronavirus outbreak swept the country, the Federal Bureau of Investigation has reported. Even though lockdowns to prevent the spread of COVID-19 were inconsistent and non-existent in some areas, murders fell 14.8 percent from a year earlier and rapes dropped 17.8 percent, according to preliminary data compiled by the FBI. Violent robbery fell 7.1 percent, and non-violent thefts and larceny fell by slightly more from the first half of 2019, the FBI said. 20:04 GMT Leading US House Democrats say coronavirus relief plan from moderates falls short Top Democrats in the US House of Representatives have said a coronavirus relief proposal offered by a group of moderates was inadequate and the only way to move forward would be through negotiations with President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans. 19:45 GMT Decision time for Europe as virus surges, WHO warns The World Health Organization (WHO) says Europe is facing decision time about tackling COVID-19 as case numbers hit record highs, children return to school and summer recedes. WHO emergencies director Michael Ryan said it was time to stop looking for unicorns and instead take hard decisions to protect those most vulnerable and keep youngsters in education but inevitably see others lose out. WHO Health Emergencies Programme head Michael Ryan says take hard decisions to protect those most vulnerable [File: Fabrice Coffrini/Reuters] 19:21 GMT Drop in foreign students bad omen for Canadas labour market Travel restrictions and a shift to online learning has dramatically cut the number of international students expected to attend Canadian universities and colleges this fall, and the decline will ripple through Canadas labour market. New study permits for foreign students issued by Canada fell by 22.3 percent in the second quarter of 2020 compared with the same period of 2019, amid strict COVID-19 border controls that have blocked many new foreign students from entering Canada. While fall semester enrollment is not yet finalised, Canadian schools are expecting a significant drop in international students, according to their advocacy groups, which will slash billions from college and university revenues. 18:57 GMT Fear of more coronavirus-like pandemics as land rights under siege Governments failure to recognise the land rights of Indigenous communities and their role in protecting biodiversity could lead to more coronavirus-like pandemics, researchers have said. A study of more than 40 countries found many local peoples land claims were being ignored, amid increasing deforestation and wildlife exploitation, which may be contributing to a rise in diseases, like COVID-19, that pass from animals to humans. Despite compelling evidence that indigenous peoples, local communities, and Afro-descendants protect most of the worlds remaining biodiversity, they are under siege from all sides, said Andy White of the Rights and Resources Initiative (RRI). 18:25 GMT Frances new COVID-19 cases rise by more than 7,000 Frances health authorities have reported 7,852 new confirmed COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours, rising from 6,158 new infections on Monday. In a daily website update, the French health ministry also reported the number of arrivals in hospital for COVID-19 over the last seven days had risen to 2,713 compared with 2,561 recorded on Monday. These included 479 admissions to intensive care units over the past seven days, up from 448 in Mondays count, it said. The number of people in France who have died from COVID-19 infections rose by 37 to 30,999. The cumulative number of cases now totals 395,104 [File: Charles Platiau/Reuters] 17:59 GMT Zimbabwe eases COVID-19 restrictions as exam classes start Zimbabwe has lifted a ban on inter-city travel and extended working hours as the government gradually reopens the economy by easing COVID-19 restrictions. The Southern African nation went into a lockdown in March and President Emmerson Mnangagwa later imposed an overnight curfew to curb the spread of the coronavirus. The pandemic has battered Zimbabwe, which was already reeling under hyperinflation and a looming scarcity of basic amenities, before the pandemic struck. The country of 14 million people has seen 7,531 cases and 224 deaths so far, according to a Reuters tally. 17:31 GMT Defying fatwa, Iraqis exhume dead from COVID-19 cemetery It took Abu Haider and his relatives several hours to dig up his nephews grave and exhume the body at a cemetery in the southern Iraqi city of Najaf built especially for COVID-19 victims. When they finished, they shrouded the body in white sheets, loaded it on to the back of a pick-up truck and set off to reinter it in Najafs old Valley of Peace graveyard, the traditional resting place for Iraqs Shia Muslims. In doing so, Abu Haider is not only reliving the pain of losing a loved one to the coronavirus pandemic that has infected nearly 300,000 Iraqis and killed more than 8,000. He is also defying an order from religious leaders who consider the new cemetery to be a legitimate burial place. 17:13 GMT Rising UK unemployment pressures minister to renew job support The UKs unemployment rate has gone up for the first time since the coronavirus lockdown began in March, prompting fresh calls for finance minister Rishi Sunak to extend a job subsidy programme which is due to expire next month. The unemployment rate increased to 4.1 percent in the three months to July from the 3.9 percent level it had clung to since early 2020, in line with the average forecast in a Reuters poll of economists. Sunaks coronavirus job subsidy scheme has shielded millions of workers, and the number of people in employment fell less than feared in the figures published. Job losses are likely to accelerate in September and October when employers, many of whom are already worried about the prospect of a Brexit trade shock in the coming months, will have to pay more towards the cost of the furlough scheme. 17:59 GMT Some back out of J&J COVID-19 vaccine trial in Spain after AstraZeneca scare News of serious side effects in one participant of AstraZenecas COVID-19 vaccine trial led some volunteers in Johnson & Johnsons vaccine trial in Spain to drop out, its lead investigator told the Reuters news agency. Still, the trial had sufficient reserve volunteers to carry on as normal, lead investigator Alberto Borobia said. This highlights the challenge for drugmakers in trialling potential vaccines to control the pandemic in enormous public scrutiny. 17:42 GMT Teachers, medics rally in Spain over poor COVID-19 planning Teachers in the Spanish city of Bilbao staged a one-day strike to protest against their regional governments response to the COVID-19 crisis, while health workers in Madrid took to the streets to demand better working conditions. Protesters are demanding more staff and support from authorities as the recent surge in cases, at a time when pupils are returning to schools, prompted concerns about further infections. The number of cases was little changed from Mondays in an apparent stabilisation after a steady surge that began in July and peaked at around 12,000 cases 11 days ago. Spains health ministry reported 3,022 new coronavirus infections and 19 deaths in the past 24 hours [File: Anadolu] 17:24 GMT Canada border shutdown likely to extend through November The US and Canada are likely to extend border restrictions until at least the end of November as coronavirus cases spike in some states, according to well-placed Washington and Ottawa sources. The sources also said Canadian officials were showing little enthusiasm for suggestions from US authorities about relaxing some of the measures in the near term. The month-long ban, which does not cover trade or travel by air, was first imposed in March and has been rolled over several times. The current range of restrictions runs out on September 21. 17:10 GMT Irish government to self-isolate after health minister falls ill Irelands parliament has been suspended for a week and cabinet ministers have been told to self-isolate after Health Minister Stephen Donnelly fell ill, the speaker of parliament has said. State broadcaster RTE reported that Donnelly had requested a COVID-19 test on Tuesday afternoon. His office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. 16:54 GMT Greece tightens restrictions in Athens as COVID-19 spreads Greek authorities have tightened restrictions to stem the spread of the coronavirus in the greater Athens area, saying the pandemic was showing worrying signs of resilience. Health authorities reported 310 new confirmed COVID-19 infections and three deaths, bringing the total number since the first coronavirus case was detected on February 25 to 13,730 and deaths to 313. The new measures will suspend the operation of live music establishments for 14 days and make the wearing of masks mandatory in all closed workspaces, private and public. Masks will also be required in open-air spaces in the greater Athens area, where about one third of the countrys population lives [Hanassis Stavrakis/The Associated Press] 16:42 GMT Canada not ruling out lockdown amid COVID-19 surge Canadas health minister says she could not rule out another full lockdown if needed amid a surge in new COVID-19 cases, adding the government is significantly more prepared to manage the virus than during the first wave. Patty Hajdus comments followed a pledge she made late on Monday to take a surgical approach to tackling outbreaks. Canada reported 1,351 new cases on September 14, the highest single daily addition since May 1, amid school reopenings and flare-ups tied to group gatherings. Canadas health minister said the country made significant improvements in the healthcare system, and is better prepared with equipment and supplies than it was during the first wave in the spring [File: Carlos Osorio/Reuters] 16:25 GMT Brazil authorises additional 5,000 volunteers for AstraZeneca vaccine Brazils health regulator Anvisa authorised AstraZeneca PLC to test its COVID-19 vaccine on an addition 5,000 volunteers in the country for clinical phase three trials, the Sao Paulo university running the test said. The increase, in addition to 5,000 volunteers already recruited and being vaccinated, will help provide more solid results on the safety and efficacy of the vaccine, the Federal University of Sao Paulo said in a statement. It said volunteers over the age of 18 are being sought in the states of Rio Grande do Norte and Rio Grande do Sul, at opposite ends of Brazil. AstraZeneca resumed COVID-19 vaccine trials in South Africa, more than a week after tests were paused due to serious side effects [File: Juan Ignacio Roncoroni/EPA] 16:14 GMT UKs creaking COVID-19 test system puts health services at risk The UKs testing system for COVID-19 was creaking as a bottleneck prevented people including medics from getting a test in a potential threat to key health services, with the government saying it may take weeks to resolve the problem. Phil Sands, a medical engineer who builds and repairs medical equipment at University College Hospital in London, told Reuters he had been off work for the last two days after one of his daughters developed a cold over the weekend. Sands said he tried more than 50 times to log on to the governments website to book a test, but each time it either said there are none available or the system crashes. 16:01 GMT UK records more than 3,000 new daily coronavirus cases The UK has recorded 27 new deaths and 3,105 positive cases of COVID-19, up from 2,621 the day before, official statistics showed. Cases of the coronavirus have been steadily rising in the UK since the beginning of September, forcing the government to bring in tough new restrictions on public gatherings to prevent the virus from spreading further. The 27 deaths take the death toll within 28 days of testing positive to 41,664, one of the highest tolls in the world. 15:52 GMT Myanmar reports highest COVID-19 daily toll, with 307 new cases Myanmar has reported 307 new cases of COVID-19, its highest daily toll since the start of the pandemic in March, as the country battles a second wave of infections. The health ministry did not say immediately where the new cases were found. Most recent infections have been in the commercial city of Yangon and in Sittwe, the capital of conflict-torn Rakhine state. Myanmar has so far reported a total 3,502 COVID-19 cases and 35 deaths. Infections have quadrupled over the last month after the coronavirus resurfaced in the western state of Rakhine, following weeks without a confirmed domestic case. 15:33 GMT AstraZeneca resumes COVID-19 vaccine trials in South Africa AstraZeneca has resumed COVID-19 vaccine trials in South Africa, more than a week after tests were paused due to serious side effects in a participant in the UK, an official at the countrys Department of Health told Reuters. The move, confirmed to Reuters by director of affordable medicines in the health department, Khadija Jamaloodien, comes after the British drugmaker on Saturday got the go-ahead to restart trials in the UK, prompting Brazil to follow suit. The Serum Institute of India said it would restart its trials once it had permission from the Drugs Controller General of India. Tests remain on hold in the United States pending an investigation [File: Jason Alden/Bloomberg] 15:24 GMT Pelosi: US legislators committed to stay until reaching coronavirus relief deal US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi says legislators are committed to reaching a deal on sending economic aid to those hurt by the coronavirus pandemic, despite the failure of Republicans and Democrats to find a compromise for many weeks. I just got off a call with my colleagues. We are committed to staying here until we have an agreement an agreement that meets the needs of the American people, Pelosi, a Democrat, said in a CNBC interview. 15:10 GMT Ireland delays reopening of Dublin bars as COVID-19 case numbers climb The Irish government has delayed the planned reopening of all pubs in Dublin following a surge in COVID-19 cases in the capital, but bars across the rest of the country will be allowed to open next Monday. Ireland is moving to wind down some of the most cautious COVID-19 restrictions in Europe, but a seven-fold increase in infections since the start of August has prompted the government to delay some measures. Bars that serve food have been allowed to open since the end of June, but so-called wet bars that just serve drinks remain closed. 14:45 GMT Coronavirus erased 25 years of vaccine progress in 25 weeks: Report The effect of the new coronavirus has led to devastating reversals of global gains in education, poverty eradication, vaccinations, and maternal and child health, according to the findings from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundations annual Goalkeepers report, reported Axios. Basically, eight months of COVID reversed gains in almost every category that had been made steadily over the last couple of decades, Melinda Gates said in an interview for Axios on HBO. 14:30 GMT Hasidic Jewish pilgrims stuck on Belarus-Ukraine border Hundreds of Hasidic Jews who set off on a pilgrimage to Ukraine despite coronavirus restrictions are stuck at a border crossing after Belarusian border guards let them through and those in Ukraine would not let them in. A video posted by Ukrainian border guards showed people, including children, in traditional dress, carrying suitcases and walking along a highway between parked trucks. They sang songs and some danced. By early afternoon some three dozen waiting trucks had moved through and more than a hundred police and national guardsmen were setting up tents for the night. 14:15 GMT Dutch government boosts spending to support jobs during pandemic The Dutch government will maintain heavy spending in an effort to counter the effects of the coronavirus pandemic despite a rapid deterioration of the state finances, its draft budget for 2021 showed. The budget deficit is set to balloon to 7 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) this year and 5.5 percent in 2021, while national debt is expected to hit 62 percent of GDP next year, as support for workers and companies struck by the pandemic is extended well into 2021. 13:40 GMT Netherlands hits new high for daily coronavirus cases The Netherlands has recorded a daily record number of new coronavirus infections, an increase of 1,379 in 24 hours, the Volkskrant newspaper reported, citing national health authorities. The previous record was 1,335 in early April. The new rise took the increase over the past week to 9,194, 85 percent more than in the first week of September, the National Institute for Health (RIVM) said. The Dutch government will maintain heavy spending in an effort to counter the effects of the coronavirus pandemic [File: Eva Plevier/Reuters] Hello, this is Arwa Ibrahim, taking over our live updates on the coronavirus pandemic from my colleague, Ramy Allahoum. 13:00 GMT Trump says not pressing US govt for coronavirus vaccine for political reasons President Trump has told Fox News he is not pressuring the US government for a vaccine against the deadly coronavirus for political reasons. Im not doing it for political reasons. I want the vaccine fast, said Trump, whose chances of a re-election in November hinge on his response to the COVID-19 pandemic. 12:55 GMT First vaccine approval could come at end of 2020: German vaccine regulator The first approvals for a vaccine against COVID-19 could be granted at the end of 2020 or in early 2021, the head of Germanys vaccine regulator has said. Klaus Cichutek, head of the Paul Ehrlich Institute, said regulators would not be less thorough than usual when evaluating applications for approval for COVID-19 vaccines. 12:00 GMT Scotland says concerned by UK COVID-19 testing backlog Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has said she is concerned by a backlog in the UKs novel coronavirus testing system. I do have a concern about the capacity constraints right now in the UK-wide system, Sturgeon said, adding the issue in Scotland was not about access to testing slots, but of sufficient laboratory processing. 11:15 GMT Denmark tells Copenhagen restaurants to close at 10pm local time The Danish government has announced it is imposing a closing time of 10pm for restaurants, bars and cafes in the capital, Copenhagen, after seeing a rise in new coronavirus infections. The reproduction rate, which indicates how many people one infected person on average transmits the virus to, is currently at 1.5 across the country, health minister Magnus Heunicke told a news conference. Heunicke said 334 new coronavirus infections had been registered in the last 24 hours. 10:55 GMT Germany will not take risky short-cuts on COVID-19 vaccines: Minister Germany will not take risky shortcuts when developing a vaccine against COVID-19, Research Minister Anja Karliczek has said. Even when the world is waiting for a vaccine we wont take risky short-cuts here, Karliczek told a news conference in Berlin We will not deviate from this line in Germany or in Europe. And I also believe that all countries should proceed in this way globally. She repeated her assertion from July that she does not expect that a vaccine will be broadly available until the middle of 2021. 10:40 GMT WHO praises AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine trial pause A WHO official has said the decision by AstraZeneca to pause global trials of its experimental coronavirus vaccine after an unexplained illness showed the firm was prioritising safety. This is what we want to see with trials, it is a well-run trial. Safety is always critical, it is crucial and they have looked at that in an appropriate manner, Margaret Harris told journalists in Geneva. Asked to react to experimental COVID-19 vaccine use in China and Russia, she said: The WHO would like to see vaccines go head to head so we can have clear information and to see these results against each other. 10:05 GMT India: 17 members of Parliament infected with coronavirus as cases near five million At least 17 members of the Indian parliament have tested positive for the coronavirus, government officials said on Tuesday, underlining the widening spread of infections set to cross five million cases soon. The legislators were screened ahead of the reopening of parliament on Monday after six months. Those cleared by the tests wore masks, occupied seats with glass enclosures and worked for shorter hours. Twelve of the 17 infected people were from the governing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), according to a government official who had a list of the politicians. All 17 were members of the 545-member lower house of Parliament, or Lok Sabha. Read more here. 10:00 GMT Pakistani students return to school as coronavirus caseload drops Tens of thousands of students in Pakistan have returned to educational institutions after a six-month break, as the countrys new coronavirus caseload continues to decline. Universities and colleges reopened and school classes for the ninth and 10th grade restarted in the first of a three-phase plan announced by the government earlier this month. School classes for younger pupils were set to resume by the end of September, education minister Shafqat Mahmood said. A sharp decline in new coronavirus infections since July has encouraged authorities to reopen educational institutions under strict guidelines for teachers and students, including the wearing of face masks. 09:45 GMT EasyJet CEO chides EU states over fragmented travel policies European governments should focus on developing coherent air travel policies as airlines struggle to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, rather than shielding national carriers, easyJet Chief Executive Johan Lundgren has said. Speaking at an online event with industry CEOs and EU policymakers, Lundgren blamed some of the slump in traffic on tremendous confusion over differing restrictions and quarantine measures. There needs to be a common approach when it comes to the things that have to do with testing (and) quarantine, Lundgren said during the event hosted by Brussels-based industry group Airlines For Europe (A4E). 09:15 GMT Global coronavirus caseload exceeds 29.2 million The total number of coronavirus cases around the world has reached to 29,287,422, according to data from the Johns Hopkins University. Meanwhile, the death toll rose to 928, 576 while recoveries stood at 19,870,431. 08:45 GMT Bosnian Serb war criminal dies of coronavirus A Bosnian Serb political leader who was jailed for 20 years by a UN court for his role in Bosnias 1990s war died on Tuesday of COVID-19, state media reported. Momcilo Krajisnik, a former key ally of the Bosnian Serbs wartime political leader Radovan Karadzic, passed away in a hospital in the northern town of Banja Luka, the hospital said in a statement quoted by the public RTRS television. During Bosnias 1992-1995 conflict Krajisnik, a hardline Serb nationalist who was fiercely anti-Muslim, served as speaker of the Bosnian Serb parliament. The 75-year-old was taken to hospital in late August as his health deteriorated. 08:35 GMT Indonesia coronavirus cases rise by 3,507 to 225,030 Indonesia has reported 3,507 new coronavirus infections, taking the countrys total tally to 225,030, health ministry data showed. The number of deaths rose by 124 to 8,965, the highest number of fatalities in Southeast Asia. 08:30 GMT Oil demand set for slow recovery from virus: IEA With novel coronavirus cases surging in many parts of the world and more people working from home, the recovery in global oil demand is likely to be slow in the coming months, the IEA has said, as it lowered its forecasts. Oil demand quickly recovered part of the lost ground from April when much of the world was in lockdown to slow the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19. But the International Energy Agency said in its latest monthly report it expected the recovery in demand to decelerate markedly in the second half of 2020, with most of the easy gains already achieved. 08:10 GMT Philippines reports 3,544 new coronavirus cases, 34 deaths The Philippines health ministry has confirmed 3,544 new coronavirus infections and 34 more deaths. In a bulletin, the ministry said total infections had increased to 269,407, the highest in Southeast Asia, while confirmed deaths have reached 4,663. 08:05 GMT Russia reports 5,529 new coronavirus cases, 150 deaths Russia has reported 5,529 new coronavirus cases, pushing its national tally to 1,073,849, the fourth largest in the world. Authorities said 150 people had died in the last 24 hours, bringing the official death toll to 18,785. 07:50 GMT Most people can get COVID-19 tests locally: UK interior minister The UKs interior minister Priti Patel has said COVID-19 tests were available for people in their local areas, amid reports that those living in virus hot-spots and staff at hospitals and care homes were struggling to get tested. The majority of tests are available within a 10 mile (16 km) radius, she told BBC TV, although she conceded that in some extreme cases people would not be able to get a test location within that radius. 07:45 GMT Party next door? Call the police, says UK interior minister The British interior minister, Priti Patel has said she would call the police if neighbours had a party because it was right to report people who might be spreading COVID-19 by disregarding new restrictions on gatherings of more than six people. If I saw something that I thought was inappropriate, then quite frankly I would effectively call the police, she told Sky News. 07:35 GMT S Korea to secure coronavirus vaccines for 60 percent of population: PM Chung South Korea will secure early supply of coronavirus vaccines from international organisations and overseas drug makers for 30 million people, or 60 percent of its population, Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun told a cabinet meeting. 07:20 GMT Germanys confirmed coronavirus cases rise by 1,407 to 261,762 Confirmed coronavirus cases in Germany rose by 1,407 to 261,762, data from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases showed. The death toll rose by 12 to 9,362, the tally showed. 07:00 GMT Fifteen scientists launch critique of Russias COVID-19 vaccine data A group of scientists has sent a formal letter to the Lancet outlining doubts about the accuracy of early data on Russias COVID-19 vaccine, one of the authors said, adding further fuel to a dispute surrounding the Sputnik-V shot. Fifteen scientists from five countries signed the letter presenting their concerns to the international medical journal, Enrico Bucci, biologist adjunct professor at Philadelphias Temple University, told Reuters news agency. The move nonetheless highlights growing concern among scientists about the safety and efficacy of the Sputnik-V vaccine, which the government approved for use before completing full human trials. The official letter came days after a larger group of scientists including the 15 signed an open letter to the Lancets editor, published on Buccis personal blog, after the journal published the early-stage trial results from Moscows Gamaleya Institute. 06:50 GMT India reports lowest daily coronavirus increase in a week India has reported its lowest daily jump in new coronavirus infections in a week, logging another 83,809 infections in the past 24 hours. The health ministry also reported 1,054 deaths, bringing the total number of fatalities up to 80,776 since the pandemic began. With 4.93 million confirmed infections, India has reported the second most cases in the world behind the United States. India also has the highest number of recovered patients in the world, according to Johns Hopkins University. The countrys recovery rate stands at 77.8 percent and nearly 3.8 million people have recovered from the virus so far, according to the Health Ministry. 06:40 GMT UK jobless rate rises for first time since COVID-19 lockdown The UKs unemployment rate rose for the first time since the coronavirus lockdown began in March but official data published on Tuesday also showed a less severe fall in employment than feared. The unemployment rate increased to 4.1 percent in the three months to July from 3.9 percent in the April-June period, the Office for National Statistics said. Economists polled by Reuters had expected the unemployment rate to rise to 4.1 percent. However, the fall in the number of people in employment was a relatively small 12,000 compared with a median forecast for a fall of 125,000 in the Reuters poll. 06: 30 GMT Jordan to suspend schools, close places of worship, public markets Jordan will suspend schools for two weeks from Thursday and close places of worship, restaurants and public markets as part of renewed restrictions after a record spike in cases in the last few days. Health authorities have so far recorded 3,528 coronavirus infections, including 26 deaths. 06:20 GMT Australias Victoria state reports 42 new coronavirus cases Australias Victoria state, at the centre of the countrys latest coronavirus outbreak, has reported 42 new cases, compared with 35 a day earlier. Victoria, Australias second-most populous state, said no deaths from the virus were reported in the last 24 hours. Melbourne, the southeastern states capital, is on an extended hard lockdown until September 28. Those curbs have helped to bring down the daily rise in cases in the state to double digits after it touched highs of more than 700. 04:55 GMT Badmintons top events postponed because of COVID-19 The Badminton World Federation (BWF) says this years Thomas and Uber Cup Finals in Denmark have been postponed until 2021. South Korea and Indonesia pulled out of the biennial championship on Saturday, joining Australia, Taiwan and Thailand. The finals were originally scheduled for May but were first postponed to August because of COVID-19 and then October. 04:50 GMT Secondary schools, colleges to reopen in Pakistan Universities, colleges and secondary schools will reopen in Pakistan for the first time in six months on Tuesday. It is the first phase of the countrys plan to resume education, and there will be strict protocols in place to reduce the risk of the coronavirus spreading. Pakistan registered 404 new cases of the coronavirus and six deaths on Monday. 04:30 GMT Hong Kongs Lam claims success with mass testing Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam has described the territorys mass screening for COVID-19 as a success, even though less than a quarter of the 7.5 million population has taken part. To have 1.78 million voluntarily take part in a massive testing programme is a very good result, Lam said, according to public broadcaster RTHK, adding the tests would help the authorities identify asymptomatic cases and fine-tune their pandemic response. Now with a relatively low rate I think the rate is perhaps two cases per 100,000 situation that provides a very good epidemiological picture of what is happening in Hong Kong. 04:05 GMT Main opposition party wants Myanmar election postponed The Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), Myanmars main opposition party, and a number of smaller parties, are calling for elections due in November to be postponed after a surge in coronavirus cases. The parties say coronavirus restrictions have hobbled campaigning, which began last week, giving the ruling National League for Democracy (NLD) an unfair advantage. Myanmar has confirmed more than 3,000 cases of coronavirus and 32 deaths after a sudden resurgence in the pandemic in the middle of last month. 03:40 GMT COVID-19 boosts healthy eating, plant-based foods in China Chinese companies are betting on a bright future for plant-based protein products as people take their health more seriously in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and other health scares. Beijing-based startup Zhenmeat, whose products include plant-based meatballs, steak, pork loin, crayfish and dumplings, is one of many small Chinese companies entering the market, and its meatballs made of pea and soy protein are now available on a trial basis at a Beijing store of Chinese hot-pot chain Hope Tree. Zhenmeat founder and CEO Vince Lu told Reuters sales were up considerably since June. 03:20 GMT China vaccines may be ready as early as November: Official An official with the China Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has told state television the coronavirus vaccines the country is developing could be ready for use by the general public as early as November. Phase three clinical trials were going smoothly and the vaccines could be ready for the general public in November or December, CDC chief biosafety expert Guizhen Wu said in an interview with state TV late on Monday. Wu took an experimental vaccine herself in April and said she has experienced no abnormal symptoms, but did not specify which vaccines she was referring to. China has four vaccines in the final stage of clinical trials, and at least three have already been offered to essential workers under an emergency use programme launched in July. 02:30 GMT Asias economies to contract in 2020 for first time since the 60s The economies of developing Asia from the Cook Islands in the Pacific to Kazakhstan in Central Asia are expected to contract in 2020 for the first time in nearly 60 years, throwing tens of millions of people into poverty, according to the Asian Development Bank. The 0.7 percent drop in gross domestic product compares with the ADBs previous estimate made in June for 0.1 percent growth, and marks the first regional GDP contraction since the early 1960s, the bank said. The ADB says the region should return to growth in 2021, forecasting expansion of 6.8 percent, but the coronavirus will be key. Recap: Asia's economies will contract for the first time since the early 1960s. The downturn is broad-based3/4 of the region's economies expected to contract. China the exception. Recovery to resume next year. Go here for full report and more https://t.co/9QlMNY7upu pic.twitter.com/NdSxCkxg8M Asian Development Bank (@ADB_HQ) September 15, 2020 02:20 GMT South Korea to secure vaccines for 60 percent of population South Koreas Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun says the country plans to secure a supply of coronavirus vaccines for 30 million people or 60 percent of the countrys population. 02:15 GMT US official accused scientists of sedition: New York Times The top communications official at the US department in charge of combating the coronavirus told his followers in a Facebook Live session that government scientists were engaging in sedition in their handling of the pandemic, according to the New York Times. Michael Caputo, assistant secretary for public affairs at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) claimed, without evidence, that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) was harbouring a resistance unit determined to undermine President Donald Trump, the newspaper said. Caputo is a former adviser to Trumps presidential campaign. Suggesting scientists are plotting sedition is a little like claiming @FortniteGame is about to be taken over by otters Bill Hanage (@BillHanage) September 15, 2020 01:15 GMT Test rate positivity down in California Only 3.5 percent of COVID-19 tests came back positive in California over the last seven days, the lowest rate since the state began reporting the data in March, according to a report in the Los Angeles Times. The newspaper says its analysis of the data also shows new confirmed cases at the lowest since mid-June and hospitalisations at the lowest since the start of April. 00:15 GMT Judge in US rules Pennsylvania restrictions unconstitutional A federal judge in the US state of Pennsylvania has ruled that lockdown measures imposed in March to curb the spread of COVID-19 are unconstitutional. The measures, including the closure of businesses and a limit on the size of gatherings, were challenged in court by several Republican lawmakers and small business owners, who argued the restrictions put their enterprises at risk. Judge William Stickman ruled in their favour, and said even if the states governor acted with good intention of addressing a public health emergency, he did not have the right to infringe on citizens fundamental freedoms. 00:00 GMT Border city in Chinas southwest to start mass testing The Chinese city of Ruili, which lies on the border with Myanmar, will begin nucleic acid testing of all residents after two people were discovered to have COVID-19 on Sunday. The two patients are both from Myanmar and entered China illegally, according to state broadcaster CGTN. They have been isolated in hospital along with five others. Some 190 close contacts of the two have also been put in isolation. A citywide lockdown has been imposed in Ruili and all residents told to stay at home. The Chinese city of Ruili lies just across the river from Myanmars Shan State. Two Myanmar nationals who crossed into China illegally have been found to have COVID-19 [Ye Aung Thu/AFP] - Hello and welcome to Al Jazeeras continuing coverage of the coronavirus pandemic. Im Kate Mayberry in Kuala Lumpur. Read all the updates from yesterday (September 14) here. As Covid-19 descended on the U.S. and began closing businesses, schools and community centers, 56% of U.S. households engaged in charitable giving to help their neighbors through the crisis, according to a new report from Indiana University's Women's Philanthropy Institute (WPI). One-third of U.S. households gave money directly to charitable organizations, other individuals or businesses, according to the report, which surveyed 3,405 people in the general population in mid-May of this year. That's similar to previous disasters, according to the report. Even with all of the economic insecurity of the coronavirus recession, people in the U.S. continued to donate money. But it's not just direct charitable contributions that made a difference during the "unprecedented environment" coronavirus created, the report notes. People responded to the crisis in unique ways: Almost half, 48.3%, engaged in charitable giving indirectly. Households made a point to order takeout from local restaurants, purchase gift cards from their favorite boutiques or continue to pay for services, like a housecleaning or day care, that they were unable to use during shelter-in-place orders, among other types of giving. While that type of indirect giving wouldn't typically be considered charity, in the time of coronavirus, it has been a lifeline for some small businesses and service workers. And it's notable that this financial support was given in addition to typical charitable contributions. With people forced to stay in their "bubbles," there was a big shift to indirect aid, Jeannie Sager, WPI's director, tells CNBC Make It. People became more aware of the needs of their community members, and they wanted to help their neighbors and local businesses through the downturn. Some people, for example, bought groceries for the elderly or performed other types of labor for their most vulnerable neighbors, she says. Social distancing "made a really big difference in how we engaged in generosity," Sager says. "You couldn't volunteer anymore." Smaller, community-based groups, like giving circles and mutual aid groups, were also able to meet the challenges of the crisis more quickly than national charity networks, Sager says. They were able to act quickly, pivoting to meet the needs of community members right away. More from Your Money Mindset: Op-ed: Non-profit sector, slammed by the pandemic, needs the generosity of investors Americans are raiding retirement savings during coronavirus pandemic Applications for life insurance are on the risehere's what you should know before you buy Deputy Foreign Minister of Ukraine Dmytro Senik and Ambassador of the State of Israel to Ukraine Joel Lion emphasized the need for the Israeli government's early ratification of a Free Trade Agreement between Ukraine and Israel. The diplomats discussed this issue at a meeting on Monday, September 14, according to the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine. During the meeting, the parties discussed a number of issues of bilateral cooperation, including the intensification of high-level bilateral contacts and interaction between Ukraine and Israel in international organizations. The interlocutors exchanged views on the security situation in the Middle East, in particular in the context of the agreements reached through the mediation of the United States on the normalization of relations between Israel and the UAE and Israel and Bahrain. "Dmytro Senik and Joel Lion paid special attention to cooperation in the trade sector. In particular, they noted the need for early ratification by the Israeli government of the Free Trade Agreement between Ukraine and Israel," the report says. Senik outlined the achievements and challenges facing the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry in the context of the introduction of electronic services and resources. Taking into account the significant experience of Israel, the parties discussed the possibilities of implementing joint projects in this area. The deputy foreign minister also informed about the steps taken by the competent authorities of Ukraine to monitor the situation of the pilgrimage of the Breslov Hasidim to the city of Uman to celebrate Rosh Hashanah on September 18 and to prevent the deterioration of the epidemiological situation. In the context of countering the COVID-19 pandemic, the interlocutors exchanged information on measures taken by the governments of both countries to combat the spread of coronavirus, and discussed areas for further interaction, the Foreign Ministry added. ish At least two photojournalists were allegedly beaten by security forces when they were covering a gunfight between militants and security forces in south Kashmir's Pulwama district on Tuesday, prompting protests by members of the fraternity in the Valley. Kamran Yousuf, a multimedia journalist working with a news portal, and Faisal Bashir, a freelancer, were beaten by policemen near the site of the shoot-out in Marwal Kakapora village of Pulwama. Yousuf had to be hospitalized in Srinagar for treatment of injuries to his limbs, and the doctors told him he had suffered a mild fracture in his right leg. The alleged assault triggered outrage among the journalistic fraternity in the Kashmir Valley, where calls were made to the lieutenant governor and the police top brass to sensitise members of security forces about how media professionals function. According to Yousuf, many journalists reached the outer security ring near the encounter site in the morning on Tuesday to cover the shoot-out and started taking pictures when they were told by Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel present there to move a bit farther. When we started leaving, suddenly some policemen came rushing towards me. They told me to stop and simply started raining batons [on me] without asking anything, Yousuf said. I was surrounded by them and if somehow I had not managed to slip away, I would have been severely injured by their assault. They even chased me. Bashir also said he was assaulted without any reason. I was on the bund of the Jhelum when they told me to come down. They rained batons on my back and also hit my camera. After assaulting me, they caught hold of Kamran who was behind me, he said. Inspector general of police Vijay Kumar did not comment on the incident and urged the media to instead contact Pulwama superintendent of police Ashish Kumar Mishra ,who did not respond to a call from HT. Senior journalist Yusuf Jameel said beating up,harassing and intimidating journalists in Kashmir wasnt something new. Weve lived with & endured it for yrs.What is,however,more disgusting rather despicable is the authorities,after every such incident,assuring it will not happen again. I see it also as rubbing salt in the wound, he wrote in a tweet. The Kashmir Press Club (KPC) and Kashmir Editors Guild (KEG) slammed the police for the assault. Going by the account of Kamran, it is clear that the police has targeted the journalists to stop them from carrying out their professional work which is reprehensible, the KPC said in a statement, and demanded action against the police who took part in the assault. KEG demanded that the police leadership in Kashmir sensitize members of the force on how the media operates and to investigate the assault. It has emerged as a routine for the police and the security forces to assault the journalists while covering the happenings on the groundThe Guild want the LG Jammu and Kashmir to personally look into the assault, the editors body said in a statement. The U.S. Mission in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso is seeking eligible and qualified applicants for the position of Bodyguard in the Regional Security Office. Opening Date : September 17, 2020 Closing Date : October 01, 2020 Open to : All interested candidates/ All Sources Work Schedule : Full-time (40 hours/week) SALARY : *Ordinarily Resident (OR) : CFA 7,271,427 p.a. (Starting Salary) (Position Grade : FSN-05) ALL ORDINARILY RESIDENT (OR) APPLICANTS (See Appendix for definition) MUST HAVE THE REQUIRED WORK AND/OR RESIDENCY PERMITS TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR CONSIDERATION. BASIC FUNCTION OF POSITION : This position is located in the Regional Security Office. Incumbent serves as a Bodyguard in the execution of protective security operations for the U.S. Ambassador/Chief of Mission (COM), and other designated or visiting U.S. government officials as directed. Position is under the direct supervision of the Bodyguard Supervisor and managed by the Regional Security Officer (RSO) of US Embassy Ouagadougou, in order to protect designated officials from harm and embarrassment QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED : 1. EDUCATION : High/Secondary school diploma is required. Host government Drivers License to operate up to Sport Utility Vehicle is required. 2. EXPERIENCE : A minimum of three years experience as a commercial bodyguard, civilian or host government police or military is required. 3. LANGUAGE English Level II (limited knowledge, reading/speaking/writing) is required. French Level IV (fluency, speaking, reading and writing) is required. This may be tested. 4. SKILLS AND ABILITIES : Must have initiative and resourcefulness in accomplishing tasks. Must be able to deal effectively with people of other cultures to obtain cooperation and reach common goals. Possesses good leadership and interpersonal skills. Must have valid driver license. Must be able to demonstrate judgment and basic safe driving skills in both oral and practical examination. Must be able to operate an armored vehicle (if available) and pass the defensive driving training. Good working computer skills are required. Must be able to work variable shifts, 24 hour on-call schedule, and able to travel outside capital city on an as needed basis. Proficient in first aid and use of an AED. Must be alert, have fast reflexes, active thinking, excellent observational skills, adaptation, take decisive actions, stay calm in dangerous situations, teamwork, communication skills, etc. and have the ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing. Possess skills in the use of a firearm. Must be physically fit and be able to endure frequent travel, long working hours, and a stressful working environment while maintaining the above standards. Should be trained on emergency first-aid and be AED/CPR qualified. This may be tested. 5. JOB KNOWLEDGE : A thorough knowledge of defense measures to be used in the event of a personal or terrorist attack, such as that learned in the military or law enforcement training. Knowledge in medical, fire, hostile attack, defensive and emergency driving procedures. Must be familiar with Burkinabe police, gendarmerie, military, security and other government offices to ensure effective liaison and to facilitate effective protective operations including advance and motorcade operations. HOW TO APPLY : Applicants must complete the following application process to be considered : Create an account on the Electronic Recruitment Application (ERA) Website at https://erajobs.state.gov/dos-era/bfa/vacancysearch/searchVacancies.hms Choose Announcement Number Ouaga-2020-012 RA1 Bodyguard and complete the online application. Upload any additional documentation that supports or addresses the requirements listed above (e.g. cover letter, degrees certificates, wok permits & SF 50 if applicable) into the Electronic Recruitment Application system. Required Documents : Please provide the required documentation listed below with your application : Residency and/or Work Permit (If applicable) High/Secondary school diploma DD-214 - Member Copy 4, Letter from Veterans Affairs, or other supporting documentation (if applicable) SF-50 (if applicable) Relevant Work attestations and Certificates. What to Expect Next : Applicants who are invited to take a language or skills test, or who are selected for an interview will be contacted via telephone calls and email. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION : The complete position description listing all of the duties and responsibilities may be obtained by contacting the Human Resources Office at HROOuaga@state.gov Note : All Application must be made in English. All applications received after the deadline will not be considered. All applications must be for an open/advertised position. Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted. EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY : The U.S. Mission provides equal opportunity and fair and equitable treatment in employment to all people without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, political affiliation, marital status, or sexual orientation. The Department of State also strives to achieve equal employment opportunity in all personnel operations through continuing diversity enhancement programs. The EEO complaint procedure is not available to individuals who believe they have been denied equal opportunity based upon marital status or political affiliation. Individuals with such complaints should avail themselves of the appropriate grievance procedures, remedies for prohibited personnel practices, and/or courts for relief. The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government has dropped hints to some opposition leaders that a closed-door meeting on the India-China border situation may be considered , after expressing its reluctance to engage in a full-fledged public discussion on the sensitive issue in the monsoon session of Parliament. A final decision on any such meeting, where the opposition parties would be briefed on the military standoff along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), is yet to be taken, functionaries involved in the talks said. To be sure, the government has not contacted all opposition parties so far. According to the proposal, which follows Opposition accusations that the government was shying away from a discussion on the issue in Parliament, the defence ministry brass may brief floor leaders of different parties behind closed doors on efforts to normalise the situation, and reply to queries they may have on the subject. A senior minister had called me to say that the government is thinking of a briefing meeting for floor leaders of different parties on the Indo-China situation if they agree. The proposal is at a nascent stage and needs further discussion, said a senior non-NDA leader, requesting anonymity. Also read| China actions sparked LAC standoff; India ready: Govt Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, the Congress floor leader in the Lok Sabha, questioned the usefulness of such a meeting. He said: If newspapers can discuss, public can discuss and everyone else can discuss, then why cant Indian Parliament discuss such a situation? Defence minister Rajnath Singh read out a statement in Lok Sabha on Tuesday on the Indo-China border situation, but opposition leaders were not allowed any seek any clarifications. Angry Congress leaders, including Chowdhury and Shashi Tharoor, staged a protest in front of the Mahatma Gandhi statue in the Parliament complex. Government managers maintained that at this stage, when India and China are trying to resolve the situation, an open debate marked by conflicting views and criticisms is best avoided. Chowdhury reminded the government that in 1962, when then Opposition leader Atal Bihari Vajpayee had demanded a debate on the Indo-China war, Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru agreed to hold a debate that went on for two days. Parliamentary affairs minister Pralhad Joshi quickly pointed out that the 1962 debate took place after the war was over and not when the two sides were trying to find a solution. Also read| PM misled country on Chinese intrusions: Rahul reacts to Rajnaths LAC statement Other leaders, including the Biju Janata Dals Pinaki Mishra and Trinamool Congresss Kalyan Banerjee, did not support Chowdhury. Banerjee took the stand that the party wanted to hear what the minister had to say before taking a decision. Mishra agreed with the governments point of view that a divisive debate must be avoided. Minutes before the Parliament session started on Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke about the situation and added that he expects the House to send out a unanimous message of solidarity with the armed forces. Today the brave soldiers of our army are on the borders. They are defending the borders with great courage and high spirits, in the difficult terrains, he said. The entire House stands with the brave soldiers of the country with one voice; I believe that this House and all the honourable members. too, will give out a very strong message, Modi said. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Martin Luther King Jr. once shared a dream of his that his children would abide in a world where they would not be judged based upon the color of their skin, rather, the content of their character. Character is unlike any other aspect of a person, for it is the core root of who they are. Circumstances may change monetarily, looks fade over time, but character is something that endures over a lifetime. A woman of Godly character is something to aspire to grow into, and something to be praised. The Bible shares famously in Proverbs 31 what a wife of noble character looks like, and many noble women of the Bible represent what it looks like to live out such a life. From kindness to others to integrity for her family to wisdom to a heart for the Lord such a life is one to pray for daily. Beauty, charm, riches, and mystery are all things that for a time can appear to be wildly captivating, but over time they will wane and not endure the way rooted character in God does. 1. Courage and Kindness In the movie, Cinderella, the on-going theme is to, have courage and be kind. Although Ellas story is not in the Bible, her actions are straight from the heart of God. Proverbs 31:17-18 phrases it another way, She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy. When it snows, she has no fear for her household. A noble woman of God finds her courage in the Lord, not fearing what is to come, rather, holding fast onto hope in Christ. She offers kindness to those around her, even if they are strangers. This is evident in the story of Isaacs wife, Rebekah. In Genesis 24 Abraham sends his servant to find a wife for his son, Isaac. The servant prays that the woman he is to bring back for a wife to Isaac would extend kindness to him in offering a drink of water. In verse 15 this prayer is answered as Rebekah comes and not only offers water to the servant, but also goes above and beyond to assist his camels in a drink of water as well. Rebekah was chosen by God not because of her looks, her fathers wealth, or her skills, instead she was chosen from her kind heart. Kindness and the courage to live out kindness becomes a main facet of what it looks like to be a woman of Godly character. It is also how we can extend the love of Christ to others, whether they be a stranger or a friend. 2. Hard Worker Integrity in ones work is a telling sign of ones character, and a woman of Godly character takes pride in the work of her hands. Proverbs 31:13 shares, she works with eager hands and 1 Corinthians 10:31 shares, whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. Work is not always pleasurable, but in whatever you do, do it as if you are doing it for the Lord Himself. This means not cutting corners or taking the easy way out, this means putting in the extra effort when no one is watching and there is no prize to be obtained at the end, and this means holding your position no matter how small with quality to do right by others. In the end, it does not matter what others think, rather what God thinks. Working hard and giving your best work no matter the task is telling of moral fibers of the fabric of ones heart. 3. Loyalty Loyalty in this day in age seems rare, but it is something to be honored and regarded highly. Loyalty is not just the act of being faithful to ones partner, but the act of being faithful regardless of the circumstances. Ruth exhibited this greatly through her life. In the Book of Ruth, we are told that Ruth had been widowed, as had her sister-in-law. Their mother-in-law, Naomi, was grief stricken, but released the women to return to their fathers homes if they wished. Orpah decided to leave Naomi, but Ruth took a different approach. She decided to remain loyal to her mother-in-law for she had made a commitment to the Lord and to Naomis family through marriage. This act of loyalty was reflective of Ruths moral fibers, but in time God rewarded her for her loyalty. What is key is how she was never promised a reward for such loyalty, but she carried it out because she knew it in her heart to be right. In time Ruths loyalty is what captivates her future husband, Boaz. In Ruth 2:12 he beams, May you be richly rewarded by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge. Ruth and Boaz later marry and her life is blessed because she chose to be loyal to her God and to her word. It was not the blessing of marriage or a child that was the blessing, rather, it was the blessing of coming to know Gods character of loyalty matching the action of Ruths loyalty to her. The greatest reward of her story is Gods kindness and faithfulness when we trust Him and live in an upright way. Photo Credit: GettyImages-Rawpixel 4. Joy The direct translation of Proverbs 31:25-26 is far more revealing of the true meaning than most translations, for it reveals, she is clothed with strength and dignity, she can rejoice in the future to come. Often the word, laugh is in lieu of, rejoice and although they are synonyms, in this context so much more is revealed. Despite circumstances, a woman of Godly character can hold fast to her joy. For her joy is not rooted in her happiness from shifting shadows from day to day or season to season, rather her joy is rooted deeply within Christ Himself. She abides by the call of Jesus in John 15 to find ourselves rooted in the vine that is God. Because of this she does not scoff or laugh at the future to come, rather she rejoices that she knows no matter what is beyond today the Lord will be with her and within her. She knows that the promise of Romans 8:28 proves true that He works all things together for His glory and our benefit, so momentary troubles are but a sigh in comparison to the joy that is to come in the Lord this side of the veil or the next. 5. Wisdom Wisdom often is spoken about in a feminine context. The entire book of Proverbs refers to wisdom as a woman, and though wisdom is not constrained to only be applicable to women, it is also no coincidence that wisdom is referred to in a feminine sense. Perhaps it is to show that wisdom in itself is to be soft and graceful in approach. Proverbs 31:26 shares, she speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue. A woman of Godly reputation is slow to speak, for she considers what she is to say before she says it. This is evident of relying on the Holy Spirit for instruction before action. This is evident through Deborah in the Book of Judges. Deborah was called by God to be a judge for the nation of Israel and work on behalf of God. In every instance, she did not rely on her own strength, rather, on the instruction of God to carry out action. This is where true wisdom is rooted: in reliance, strength, and guidance from God through the Holy Spirit. When we seek God for wisdom in every area of our lives, not just select areas, we will see transformation in our lives and within the people God is growing us to become. For it is His wisdom guidance and assuring us of the way to go, the path to take, even if we do not have all the answers or know the outcome. A woman of great faith in the Lord is something to aspire to be. Women such as Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist was a woman of great faith. In Luke 1:45 she rejoices that, blessed is she who believed the Lord would fulfill His promise to her. Elizabeth was well past the years that a woman typically could have a child, yet God granted her hearts desire and she became pregnant despite her old age. Though it is not explicitly expressed, one can gather from the verbiage of her cries of joy that she had been promised a son by the Lord. She believed in great faith despite her age, circumstances, or what she could see around her at the time and she was given a son. Her faith in the Lord set a precedent for legacy, for her son would become a great man of honor in service to Jesus Himself on earth. A woman who holds faith in her Lord, who believes truly in His promises, and who waits upon the Lord is a woman of great character in God. When a woman chooses to divert from the mainstream of what the world says is to be praised, and she indwells in what God regards as lovely her entire state of being and how she conducts her life will be radically changed. She will not stand in fear of what the world says or thinks, nor will she allow the current circumstances and opinions of others impress upon her heart what she knows to be true. Instead, she will find herself grounded in what her God says of her, and follow where He leads her. All in all, a woman of Godly character is not just one to be praised, but one to aspire to truly in every filament of nature to become such a Light for the Lord in this world. Photo Credit: GettyImages/monkeybusinessimages Cally Logan is an author and US History teacher from Richmond, Virginia. In her free time, she enjoys mentoring youth and spending time in nature. Her book, Hang on in There, Girl! Will be available everywhere on April 1, 2022. Check her out on Instagram and Twitter, @CallyLogan and TikTok Cally_Logan. President Trump points during a campaign event in Arizona on Sept. 14, 2020. (Andrew Harnik / Associated Press) President Trump opened a sordid new chapter Tuesday in America's history of ugly political rhetoric, sharing a tweet that falsely suggests Democratic nominee Joe Biden is a pedophile. Presidential campaigns long have trafficked in lurid accusations of extramarital affairs, drunkenness and corrupt behavior. But Trump has aimed lower, personally tapping baseless conspiracy theories to smear his opponent. The latest outrage arrived in the retweet of an anonymous account that was suddenly granted presidential amplification seven weeks before the election. Someone using the name "Conservative Girl" posted a video clip under the hashtag "PedoBiden." It showed then-Vice President Biden placing his hands on the shoulder of a woman and whispering to her during the swearing-in ceremony for her husband, Ash Carter, as Defense secretary in February 2015. Stephanie Carter defended Biden when the photo became a meme, praising him as a close friend helping someone get through a big day, for which I will always be grateful. The president's suggestion of child sex abuse echoes the ravings of QAnon, the internet conspiracy theory that falsely claims the president is battling a secret cabal of Democratic pedophiles. The president thanked QAnon last month, saying, "I understand they like me very much, which I appreciate." Since taking office, Trump has voiced thousands of falsehoods and insults to provoke the media and excite his fans. He's gambling now that his harsh rhetoric about Biden will create doubts for undecided voters and light a spark under supporters who might not vote. In recent days, he has accused Biden of being mentally "shot" and "on drugs," and implied that the 77-year-old will not be fit to serve within a month of taking office. Trump is 74. The president blames Democrats for the escalation. Over the weekend, he complained bitterly about a Biden campaign ad that focused on Trump's reported remarks that U.S. soldiers buried in France were "losers" and "suckers." Story continues "Pathetic Joe, he's a pathetic human being to allow that to happen," Trump told a rally Saturday in Henderson, Nev. "Now I can be really vicious." Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden speaks during a campaign event in Florida on Sept. 15, 2020. (Patrick Semansky / Associated Press) Analysts say the mudslinging may be the worst in U.S. history. "There are aggressive campaigns. There are nasty campaigns," said Julian Zelizer, a presidential historian at Princeton University. "But when the president starts tweeting like this, it's as low as you can go." Some of Trump's attacks are recycled from 2016, when he questioned Hillary Clinton's health, said she should be imprisoned and demanded she take a drug test before their debates. The relentless attacks helped undermine her campaign. "This is a campaign from the very beginning that has struggled to define Joe Biden in the way that they did Hillary Clinton," said Amy Walter, a political analyst from Cook Political Report. "It's not working this year." With Biden leading in the polls, and voters increasingly skeptical of Trump's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has killed more than 195,000 Americans in six months, Trump has sought to convince voters that Biden poses a bigger danger. "He cannot afford this race to be a referendum on himself," Walter said. "But he cannot help himself." Insults are trickier for Biden, whose campaign is based in part on his claims to decency and empathy. Still, he called the president a "climate arsonist" on Monday for failing to address global warming as wildfires rage across California and Oregon. His campaign manager on Tuesday blasted Trump's crowded indoor campaign rallies in a pandemic, saying "people will die because of these types of events." Sometimes Biden's most alarming claims have proved accurate. He drew sharp criticism in April, for example, by speculating that Trump would try to delay the Nov. 3 election. Three months later, Trump suggested doing exactly that, although he has no authority to order a delay. A spokesman for Trump's campaign did not respond to questions Tuesday. Political name-calling is almost as old as the republic. The country's first political sex scandal exploded in 1797 when Alexander Hamilton, the first secretary of the Treasury, was blackmailed over an extramarital affair. Hamilton eventually revealed his affair as he fought corruption allegations. During the 1868 campaign, newspapers called Ulysses S. Grant, the general who led the Union to victory in the Civil War, "brainless as his saddle," a "man of vile habits" and a "drunkard." He was elected twice. In the 1884 race, Grover Cleveland faced accusations that he fathered a child with a woman who wasn't his wife. Ma, Ma, wheres my Pa? his critics sneered. After Cleveland won, his supporters responded with a taunt of their own Gone to the White House, ha, ha, ha! But presidential candidates usually have outsourced the dirty work to surrogates and aides, preferring to appear unsullied. Trump seems to relish the task. He was a leading proponent of the racist falsehood that President Obama wasn't born in the United States and therefore ineligible to serve as commander in chief. When Trump launched his 2016 campaign, he caught his Republican rivals off guard with a blizzard of insulting nicknames "Lyin' Ted Cruz," "Low Energy Jeb Bush," "Little Marco Rubio" and outlandish claims of wrongdoing by his opponents. "Trump takes these elements of our politics and he just accelerates them. He puts them on steroids," Zelizer said. "It's very hard to get back from that." Google is still making thousands of pounds from unregulated advertisers mimicking legitimate charities and offering to write off people's debts, nearly a year on from introducing new guidelines which it said would help 'stamp out' the practice. Charities and registered insolvency practitioners say the advertising giant 'ignored complaints' about misleading adverts and often took over a week to take down copycat adverts. It comes as the Financial Conduct Authority has blacklisted a 'faker's dozen' of 13 bogus and unregulated debt advice websites since April, 11 of which impersonated either StepChange Debt Charity or National Debtline. 'National Debt Helpline' was placed on the FCA's blacklist of unauthorised firms in July. It has no connection with the charity National Debtline People being referred for potentially wrong debt solutions on commission is particularly concerning when more households may have found themselves in financial distress as a result of coronavirus. It is is likely as the furlough scheme ends, payment holidays and fee-free overdrafts come to an end and companies make more redundancies, the problem could grow. Some 17 per cent of people who came to StepChange in July were in debt due to losing their job, while it saw increased numbers of visitors to the section of its website which dealt with redundancy and debt. The charity's Sue Anderson told This is Money: 'It's wrong and immoral that financially vulnerable people are being preyed upon in such a cynical way, especially at a time when more people are facing financial difficulty due to coronavirus. 'We need to see regulators, search engines and social media platforms all working energetically to help prevent impersonator adverts from appearing in the first place, as well as getting them removed and the perpetrators pursued when they do slip through.' Google makes thousands of pounds from copycat ads Over the last week This is Money has discovered a number of copycat advertisers appearing at the top of Google when searching for terms like 'StepChange' and 'debt advice', on top of the countless examples we have reported since we warned about debt solutions being marketed as life hacks last year. These websites use names like 'Steps4Change' and 'Step into Change', directly impersonating charities. However, at the bottom of their sites they disclose they are lead generators which receive commission payments in return for referring people in potentially vulnerable situations to debt solution providers. There are no contact details on these sites, and it is often impossible to work out who is behind them, or where consumers are referred. Searches for 'debt advice' and the debt charity StepChange frequently return results for advertisers mimicking legitimate debt charities Jane Tully, director of external affairs at the Money Advice Trust, which runs the charity National Debtline, said: 'We see on a regular basis websites and online adverts that make misleading claims about debt write-offs and that impersonate free debt advice charities. 'These ads direct people to sites offering IVAs that can lead people in financial difficulty down a route unsuitable for their circumstances, causing further financial harm down the line. 'While we have welcomed the steps taken to date by regulators and by Google to combat the impersonation of debt charities by these firms, the continued proliferation of misleading adverts online makes it clear that more action is needed to limit the potential harm to people struggling with problem debt.' The lead generation website 'Step into Change' has spent 17,500 on Google advertising since July to appear when those in need of advice search for the debt charity StepChange Analytics provided to This is Money courtesy of the marketing platform SEMrush estimated that 'Step into Change' had spent 17,500 on desktop and mobile adverts which had been on Google since the end of July. Earlier this year, a website called 'stepchanging .org.uk' spent an estimated 20,000 on Google advertising between the start of April and mid-May. The website was placed on the Financial Conduct Authority's blacklist of unauthorised firms at the end of the month. StepChange told This is Money it had reported the lead generator 'Steps4Change' for infringing its trademark Adverts for the similarly named 'stepchanging .co.uk' also appeared on Google throughout June, although the website has since been taken down. While This is Money has previously found accredited insolvency practitioners, the only people able to administer debt solutions like individual voluntary arrangements, do advertise on Google, third-party lead generators are a different story. The six largest providers of IVAs are banned from receiving customers from these lead generators under rules introduced by the Insolvency Practitioners' Association, while Google claimed last year that it would clamp down on unregulated debt advertising. In October it said only regulated insolvency practitioners and FCA-authorised companies would be able to advertise with it. Google's Matthew Levine said the move would 'provide further protections for vulnerable users who come to Google for information on how to remedy their debt or credit problems'. Since July it has required those advertising financial services to provide information about their business model and the services they offer within 21 days of being contacted by the search engine, and said advertisers which attempted to trick its review processes may be suspended. A faker's dozen: The 13 unauthorised debt advice firms on a regulatory blacklist Business name Date blacklisted Is its website still running? www.stepwithchanges.co.uk 28 July No Step Change Contact Number 8 July No National-Debt-Helpline 12 June Yes National Debtlines 12 June Yes Step Debt Free 2 June No Step Clear From Debts 28 May No Step Changing 28 May No Step Debt Line 15 May No Step Debt Support/National Direct Service 15 May Yes Step Clear to Change 15 May No Stepoutofdebt.org.uk 15 May No Dbt Solutions 30 April No Debt Struggles 9 April No Source: Financial Conduct Authority However, although advertisers must enter an insolvency practitioner number or FCA reference number if they want to advertise, it was suggested to This is Money that little pre-approval took place and that it would be easy to copy real details when purchasing adverts. Kristiana Georgieva, from Become Debt Free, a Leeds-based insolvency practitioner, said: 'To advertise for debt services, an insolvency practitioner license is required, so Google whitelists the website. 'This means that there is either an insolvency practitioner involved in those misleading ads or that these companies have lied using someone else's license.' Since last October Google has required advertisers to either be accredited by the Financial Conduct Authority or be a licensed insolvency practitioner in order to market debt solutions. But This is Money has been told the search engine was not policing its own rules properly Andrew Bowers, the firm's managing director and a registered insolvency practitioner, said the search engine was 'clearly not policing their certification policy properly.' I think it would be easy for someone to provide Google with a real name and number without the real practitioner knowing on the application form Andrew Bowers, insolvency practitioner He added: 'I think it would be easy for someone to provide Google with a real name and number without the real practitioner knowing on the application form. 'I think Google only check the name, number and address of the insolvency practitioner provided matches the details listed on the Insolvency Service website.' The IPA earlier this year warned it has 'become aware of recent cases where practitioners' names have been used to create copycat websites without any consent' and that names had also been 'unlawfully added to websites to try and get around Google's advertising restriction on lead generators'. Waiting a week for adverts to be removed from Google As well as approving the copycat adverts in the first place and pocketing thousands of pounds in the process from impersonators and unregulated lead generators, it was alleged Google often failed to act quickly when alerted to these adverts. The Financial Conduct Authority reports firms placed on its blacklist to Google so it can take down their adverts, while StepChange had reported 56 cases to the search engine this year where advertisers had directly infringed its trademarks, as seen in many of the cases of blacklisted websites. While this is down from the 100 reported in 2019, it often took Google over a week to act on these requests. Ms Georgieva added: 'We have submitted multiple complaints via Google's complaints form and have spoken to them over the phone. 'Once a complaint form is submitted, nothing happens, and the impersonators seem to be unstoppable. They have spent thousands on adverts and Google seems to be happy with that.' Debt charities have previously described the situation as akin to a never-ending game of whack-a-mole, as new adverts pop up as soon as previous ones disappear or are taken down. Sue Anderson said: 'In the meantime, anyone looking for debt advice should go direct to the correct website.' This is Money asked Google why it still accepted adverts from unregulated lead generators close to a year on from the StepChange agreement and why advertisers were allowed to impersonate legitimate debt charities, and raised the allegations that it ignored complaints and took over a week to take down misleading adverts. It said in a statement: 'When users come to Google looking for advice or solutions for their problems we want to ensure that the information surfaced to them in ads leads to honest players and we take this responsibility seriously. 'When we become aware of ads that violate our policies, we take action. We do not allow ads for credit repair services and ads for debt settlement or debt management services in the UK are only allowed to run if certified by Google.' MADISON With the bulk of schools back in session now, a majority of Wisconsin school districts representing about half of the states public school students report plans to open up school buildings for some form of in-person instruction during the ongoing pandemic. A Wisconsin State Journal review found in rural parts of the state the decision was driven in part by a lack of reliable broadband internet access for students and teachers; districts representing about a third of students, including most large urban districts, started entirely online; and some schools plans have already been set back by positive cases of COVID-19. The state Department of Public Instruction sent a survey to school districts on Aug. 3 asking for descriptions of reopening plans. About 310 of the states 421 school districts responded to the voluntary survey. After an abrupt shift to online learning in the spring, about 280 school districts indicated to DPI some degree of face-to-face instruction was the plan to start the 2020-21 academic year either a full five days a week or a hybrid approach combining online and in-person instruction. Jennifer Kammerud, senior policy adviser at DPI, said the effort to provide in-person instruction is particularly pronounced for the elementary students. Most districts wanted to be back, most parents wanted to be back, and when they work with health departments, theyre getting the best advice on how to do that safely, she said. Im not surprised that so many districts went back to an in-person setting because they worked hard to create an environment that was the safest possible to welcome students back to school. Kammerud said DPIs reopening guidance released this summer dubbed Education Forward gave districts suggestions on how to operate schools either completely in-person, all online or as a hybrid in the safest manner. And it appears many school districts took up the education agencys advice, particularly around schedule modifications such as taking one day off a week for cleaning or using staggered start times, based on survey responses. I think that is what we thought we might see given the conversations that happened over the course of the summer, Kammerud said of the majority gravitating to a return to the classroom. DPI cautioned the survey results the bulk of which came in between Aug. 3 and Aug. 7 could have changed in the past month. DPI sent a final request for reopening plans Thursday, which yielded nearly 70 new or updated responses by Friday. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Verizon has entered into an agreement to acquire pre-paid mobile phone provider Tracfone in a deal worth more than $6.25 billion. The deal will include $3.125 billion in cash and $3.125 billion in Verizon common stock. Additionally, the agreement includes up to $650 million in future cash consideration related to performance measures. Verizon expects the deal to close in the second half of 2021. Tracfone is owned by Mexico City-based America Movil. It is the largest Mexican telecommunications company. Along with the Tracfone Wireless, America Movil also operates several other brands in the US. Tracfone currently employs around 850 people stateside. We are excited about the opportunity to bring Tracfone and its brands into the Verizon family where we can put the full support of Verizon behind this business and provide exciting and compelling products into this attractive segment of the market, said Hans Vestberg, Chairman and CEO of Verizon. Being connected is now more important than ever, and Tracfone customers will benefit from Verizons innovations both now and in the future. Advertisement Verizon reaches agreement to acquire Tracfone Tracfone is a no-contract, prepaid mobile phone service provider. It is the largest reseller of wireless services in the US. The firm has around 21 million subscribers under its belt and operates through a network of over 90,000 retail locations nationwide. You can find Tracfone retail locations at stores like Target, Best Buy, and CVS. Since Tracfone is a mobile network virtual operator (MNVO), it doesnt run its own physical network. Instead, the company offers its services over other wireless carriers systems for a fee. Verizon has been one of its partners, and the largest of them all. More than 13 million Tracfone subscribers currently rely on Verizons wireless network. This acquisition will help Verizon expand its portfolio into the value segment. Following the acquisition, the largest American wireless provider plans to bring its 4G LTE and 5G networks to Tracfone customers as well. The company will also develop Tracfones distribution channel to bring its services to more people. Advertisement Tracfone offers a variety of services under its brand. Those include the Lifeline service, which offers free phones and free monthly minutes to qualifying customers, and StraightTalk, which offers prepaid, no-contract phone plans. Verizon says the company will continue to offer these services after the acquisition as well. Tracfone is the second major MVNO to switch ownership this year. Following Sprints merger with T-Mobile earlier this year, the new T-Mobile handed over the Boost Mobile brand to Dish. The company completed the $1.4 billion acquisition in early July. The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic is actively spreading, adding more infections to the 29.27 million cases across the globe. Though a majority of these people only experience mild to moderate symptoms, there is a group of COVID-19 survivors who have never recovered. A news feature on nature.com discusses their plight. Called long-haulers or long-termers, some people report lingering symptoms of the illness for months. These people experience symptoms ranging from fatigue and weakness to chest pains and difficulty breathing. Image Credit: Halfpoint / Shutterstock Persistent symptoms A team of scientists at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles (UCLA) began tracking COVID-19 patients in January using computed tomography (CT) scanning to examine their lungs. They followed 33 patients for a month. The results of their work, which has not yet been published, show that more than a third of the patients had tissue death that appeared as scars in their lungs. The researchers plan to follow these patients for years to determine the long-lasting effects of COVID-19 on the body. According to Ali Gholamrezanezhad, a clinical radiologist and part of the team, most of the cases are mild to moderate and do not end up being admitted to the hospital. He estimates that the rate of intermediate-term lung damage is about less than 10 percent. However, since there are 29 million people who were infected with the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), even a low percentage may imply that thousands of people experience long-lasting and persistent health problems. With many people having lingering symptoms, many doctors are concerned that the number will grow as the cases surge. The disease is novel, and no one has any idea of its long-term effects on the body. Doctors worry that organ damage may be permanent or may linger for months, or even years. They are also unsure if the damage is likely due to intensive treatments such as intubation, or caused by the virus itself. Yet, as the pandemic evolves, many new studies show that the virus attacks many organs, not just the lungs. Lung damage One of the most affected organs in the body is the lungs since COVID-19 is mainly a respiratory disease. In the first few months of the pandemic, many countries crammed to contain the spread of the virus, implementing lockdowns. The focus of hospitals and clinicians were to cope with the skyrocketing cases, while research was focused on finding the source and treatment for the infection. Recently, amid the sudden increase of health consequences of the illness, doctors are now looking for answers on why many patients do not fully recover from the illness. In another study out of Austria, researchers discovered that lung damage reduced over time. About 88 percent of the study participants had visible lung damage six weeks after being discharged from the hospital. By 12 weeks, the number fell to 56 percent. In the current UCLA research, the team led by Gholamrezanezhad analyzed the lung images from the CT scan of more than 900 patients from published studies. They found that the most affected part of the lungs is the lower lobes. The CT scan images were packed with whitish and opaque patches that imply inflammation, making it hard for people to breathe during sustained exercise. The team said that the damage seemed to improve after two weeks. Further, the team noted that some symptoms might take longer to subside. Another study of 152 post-discharge patients published in the preprint source, medRxiv* showed that among people who have been hospitalized due to COVID-19, more than 70 percent of patients report shortness of breath and 13.5 percent needed oxygen at home after a month of being discharged. Meanwhile, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that COVID-19 can result in prolonged illness, even among young people without underlying health conditions. In a study cited by the CDC, a survey of symptomatic adults who had been diagnosed with COVID-19 showed that 35 percent had not returned to their normal state of health when they were interviewed two to three weeks after diagnosis. Among young adults with no underlying medical illness, one in five had not fully recovered. These findings have important implications for understanding the full effects of COVID-19, even in persons with milder outpatient illness, the health agency said. Lok Sabha on Tuesday passed a bill to reduce the salaries of MPs by 30% for one year to meet the exigencies arising out of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic. Opposition leaders cutting across political lines supported the bill to reduce MPs salary by 30% but spoke unequivocally against the temporary scrapping of MPLAD funds for two years. Discussing the Salary, Allowances and Pension of Members of Parliament (Amendment) Bill, 2020, which was brought on Monday to replace an ordinance that was promulgated on April 7, Parliamentary affairs minister Prahlad Joshi defended the move and said charity should begin from home. Replying to the debate on the bill, Joshi said that funds are needed to fight the Covid-19 pandemic and pointed out that Members of Parliament Local Area Development (MPLAD) funds have been temporarily stalled for two years. Click here for complete coverage of the Covid-19 pandemic Congress floor leader in lok Sabha, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury called for a unanimous resolution in the House to restore the MPLAD fund, arguing that 93% of the funds have been utilised and the bulk of them were used for welfare activities for SCs, STs and villagers. He also said that the government is giving tax relief to corporate but taking away MPLAD fund, dubbing it as penny-wise and pound-foolish. Aam Aadmi Partys Bhagwant Mann, independent member from Maharashtra Navneet Ravi Rana, BSPs Ritesh Pandey and AIMIMs S I Jaleel said that government can reduce their salary further but the MPLAD fund should be restored as it belongs to the people. Public health officials are once again pulling back on the amount of information they're sharing about COVID-19 cases and, once again, stigma is cited as the rationale. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 14/9/2020 (493 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Public health officials are once again pulling back on the amount of information they're sharing about COVID-19 cases and, once again, stigma is cited as the rationale. Last week, when the first case of COVID-19 was reported at a school in Manitoba, public health officials issued a bulletin stating it involved a student at Churchill High School in Grade 7, Room 20. On Sunday and Monday, when three more COVID-19 cases were identified in Winnipeg schools, only the name of each school Daniel McIntyre Collegiate in the West End, John Pritchard School on Henderson Highway and Beaverlodge School at 6691 Rannock Ave., respectively was provided in the media bulletin. From now on, there will be no mention of whether cases involve staff or students, nor any mention of a grade, room number or cohort, Dr. Brent Roussin said at a media briefing Monday. "This is a bit of a learning process for us," Roussin said. "I think that when we first started getting the back-to-school plans together, we discussed at that time that we would be naming the schools and the cohorts and that was our plan. "After doing so, there was a tremendous amount of stigmatizing behaviour that came out," Roussin said. Public health is now restricting the information it shares after what happened to the Churchill High School student and their family, he said. "There was pressure on an individual, there was social media posts there, and there was just a concern there that (by) releasing that level of information broadly, it's easier to identify someone," he said. "Certain educators were letting us know," said Roussin. "We got some feedback that, in that instance, some of the information released there was perceived by some to be too much." Winnipeg School Division spokeswoman Radean Carter verified the concerns raised by Roussin. "Yes there were social media posts that would be considered stigmatizing toward the student and the family," Carter said Monday. In response to the posts, the division sent followup messages to the school community, including information that the Churchill student and family had followed all the correct steps and public health guidelines, she said in an email. There appeared to be a misunderstanding in the community about whether an asymptomatic person who has been tested is or is not required to self-isolate pending results of the test, Carter said. Public health made it clear that an asymptomatic person who had no known contact with a positive case of COVID-19 is not required to self-isolate pending results of the test but, by that time, "the social media remarks were widespread." "Certain educators were letting us know. We got some feedback that, in that instance, some of the information released there was perceived by some to be too much." Dr. Brent Roussin Public health's "learning process" when it comes to sharing information about the virus at schools echoes Roussin getting schooled this summer over identifying COVID-19 cases on Hutterite colonies. At first, backlash over stigmatizing such an identifiable group prompted him to stop saying if there were cases on colonies even though there were clusters in a particular health region. Then, to allay the fears of the rest of the health region's residents worried about catching the virus in their communities, he started identifying such places as "communal living settings." Roussin said Monday that public health "constantly" reviews its processes and it's revising the disclosure of information involving schools. "Any time there's an infectious case in a school, we're going to advise Manitobans," he said. Any more information than the name of the school will be shared only with those who need to know, he said. "Public health will go look and see if there are any concerning contacts," he said. "If there are contacts within a cohort, we will communicate directly with everyone in that cohort and let them know whether they need to self-isolate or not," Roussin said. He knows Manitobans especially parents of schoolchildren want more information but Roussin said he has to balance the need for safety with the need for privacy so people don't fear stigma and will get tested when they must. "We have to find a balance," he said. On Monday, Roussin confirmed three COVID-19 cases have been confirmed on Manitoba First Nations but wouldn't identify the communities, saying that is up to their leaders. On Friday, Fisher River Cree Nation announced that one of its members had a presumed positive test result for COVID-19, after being exposed to the virus while in Winnipeg earlier this month. Neighbouring Peguis First Nation reported two positive cases, both of whom were a close contact of another case. Roussin reported the "individual" who tested positive at Beaverlodge School in Winnipeg was last in school on Thursday in the morning and afternoon, was asymptomatic and had followed all public health measures in place at the school. The school community and the cohort were notified, and additional cleaning of high-touch areas was done out of an abundance of caution, he said. Any close contacts connected to the case have been identified, contacted and advised to self-isolate, he said. Others who were at the school do not need to self-isolate, but should self-monitor for symptoms of COVID-19, he said. The school is not being elevated on the Pandemic Response System, given the limited number of contacts identified, he said. Jen Zoratti | Next A weekly look towards a post-pandemic future delivered to your inbox every Wednesday. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. That infection was not acquired at school, nor were any of the other four school cases reported in Manitoba so far, including one at Ecole New Era School in Brandon. "Our screening is working," said Roussin. People with symptoms are not at school and that needs to continue, he said. "We can't let our guard down." Children mixing with kids in other cohorts outdoors at lunch and during recess is OK as long as they're maintaining a safe distance, he said. Preventing the spread of the virus in the community right now will help keep it out of schools, Roussin said, calling for vigilance. Manitoba had 21 new COVID-19 cases Monday: 17 in Winnipeg, one in the InterlakeEastern health region and three cases in the Southern Health. There were 257 active cases with 12 hospitalized including three in intensive care. Infections have ebbed and flowed in different health regions and health districts, as has the source of transmission. The source of most new COVID-19 cases in the province now is close contacts of known cases, not those who've travelled, Roussin said. carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca Redundancies in Northern Ireland have more than doubled over the year, latest figures show. The number of people claiming unemployment benefit also increased by over 0.6%. Overall unemployment rose to 2.9% NI's labour market at a tipping point. Quarterly Employment Survey for Q2 (June) posts its first quarterly decline in jobs since Dec(Q4) 2015. Relatively modest job losses at this stage but labour market is playing catch-up with record rates of decline in output Richard Ramsey (@Ramseconomics) September 15, 2020 The latest labour market statistics show just over 9,000 redundancies have been proposed in the 12 months up to the end of August. That was more than double the previous 12 months. The redundancies cover 15 of the 21 industry sectors in NI and around 90 different employers. The previous year that was across six sectors involving 20 firms. During August, 700 redundancies were proposed, a decrease on the previous months 1,940, and 820 redundancies were confirmed, an increase from the 670 in July. A further 880 were proposed in the current month to 14th September. Under law companies have to inform the Stormont's Department for the Economy of impending redundancies of 20 or more people. The latest figures come ahead of the winding down of the coronavirus furlough support scheme at the end of October. COvid19 impact on jobs data. Increased demand for health related jobs but the new working from home era means many admin an support service activities will no longer be required https://t.co/hbtJlqzvO4 Richard Ramsey (@Ramseconomics) September 15, 2020 Elsewhere 62,000 are claiming unemployment benefit. In August the figure jumped by 800, an increase of 1.2%. The figures also show the first quarterly decline in employee jobs since the end of 2015. Manufacturing was the only broad industry sector to experience a decrease in employee jobs over the year. Economist Richard Ramsey said the local labour market was at "tipping point". "Relatively modest job losses at this stage but labour market is playing catch-up with record rates of decline in output," he tweeted. "Covid19 impact on jobs data. Increased demand for health related jobs but the new working from home era means many admin an support service activities will no longer be required." Overall the UK employment rate grew by 4.1% The number of people employed across the UK shrank by almost 700,000 people between March and August. Those between the age of 16 and 24 saw the biggest drop in employment with an increase of 156,000 out of work. Northern Ireland has the lowest employment rate of UK regions and the highest economic inactivity rate of all UK regions. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (Kyodo News) Tokyo Tue, September 15, 2020 11:17 493 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c44e2954 2 Entertainment Japan,actress,Sei-Ashina,obituary,suicide Free Japanese actress Sei Ashina was found dead at her Tokyo apartment by family on Monday morning, her agency said, following what investigative sources believe was a suicide. The 36-year-old Ashina, who began her career as a fashion model, starred in numerous movies and TV series including the NHK period drama "Yae no Sakura" (Yae's Sakura) and the police drama "Aibo" (Partner). Read also: Popular Japanese actor Haruma Miura dies in suspected suicide The Fukushima Prefecture native also landed a role in the 2007 film "Silk," an adaptation of an Italian novel of the same name, in which a French silkworm smuggler and his wife, played by Michael Pitt and Keira Knightley, journey to Japan in search of silkworms in the 19th century. Ashina made her voice acting debut in the Japanese language version of the 2011 American TV series "Revenge" as the leading character Emily Thorne, and most recently appeared in the TV series "Theseus no Fune" (Ship of Theseus) and the movie "AI Hokai" (AI Amok) released in January. After nearly 800 people were arrested in Minsk last Sunday, the UN Commissioner for Human Rights condemned what she called the violent repression of peaceful demonstrations. Mass detentions in Belarus have so far failed to stop the weeks-long protest movement. After nearly 800 people were arrested in Minsk last Sunday, the UN Commissioner for Human Rights condemned what she called the violent repression of peaceful demonstrations. Al Jazeeras Step Vaessen spoke to some of the detainees who have been released. Alabamas Black Belt has seen its work force - the number of people actively working or seeking work - shrivel over the last decade. According to data from the Education Policy Center at the University of Alabama, Black Belt has seen its labor force shrink by more than five percent. The data is alarming in some ways, but at the same time its not necessarily surprising, said Jimmy Hull, assistant state superintendent of career technical education and workforce development for the state of Alabama. Hull was one of several panelists who spoke Monday about the issue of declining workforce participation in Alabamas Black Belt, the fourth in a series of issues being taken on in Black Belt 2020, a series from AL.com and the Education Policy Center. Gov. Kay Ivey has taken on the issue as well, committing to adding 500,000 more workers in Alabama with college degrees, certificates and credentials by 2025, according to the latest issue brief from the Education Policy Center. An earlier entry in the series examined unemployment, but the two statistics are different. Defined by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics as the percentage of the population [age 16 and older] that is either working or actively looking for work, labor force participation data provides a fuller portrait of the economic health of a given area, the brief, written by Noel Keeney, Stephen Katsinas, Emily Jacobs and Hunter Whann, reads. Alabamas overall statewide rate is not far off from the national average, but the Black Belt is woefully behind the rest of the state and the country, negatively impacting both. [Cant see the chart? Click here.] The labor force participation rate for Alabamas Black Belt counties in 2019 was 52.7 percent, more than 10 percentage points lower than the national average. Alabamas total rate was right in between those two at 56.9 percent. The brief notes that if Alabamas rate increased to the national average, it would mean nearly 200,000 additional Alabamians in the workforce, or roughly 40 percent of Iveys 2025 goal. But to get there, the Black Belt has some catching up to do. There are some potential solutions already in the works. Now is the time to create systemic change in the Black Belt, said Donny Jones, chief operating officer with the West Alabama Chamber of Commerce and the executive director of West Alabama Works. If we ever had a perfect moment to really come together and make transitional changes in our education system, in our workforce system, and the modeling that we actually do, I think now is the time. Jones mentioned during the panel on Monday a program hes worked on, currently in its third year, called the Educator Workforce Academy. The one year program teaches educators about the states current workforce situation and jobs - so that they can then pass that knowledge onto their students. Jones said there are jobs in the Black Belt that people can get with very little training, but that they dont know about, including truck driving and manufacturing jobs that are in high demand. Many of our educators have said to us, We had no idea that these opportunities are in our community for our young people, he said. It was one of many solutions mentioned during the panel that aim to educate students and residents not only in the skills they will need to fill job positions, but that the positions actually exist within their region. A major theme to the panel was the need to keep young people in the Black Belt, instead of seeing them leave after graduating high school. A lot of times we are graduating our young people out of our communities, Jones said. One of the really scary numbers that were seeing is, its not only that were losing our population in the Black Belt, its the age group that were losing... were not losing our elderly. Were losing our workforce. Alabamas 24 Black Belt Counties together have a labor force participation rate that is 20 points below the statewide average, the issue brief reads. This reality has important consequences on every aspect of life in these rural counties and the people who live in them. Our challenge is to make work pay, so that the Black Belts best export is not their people." Population loss and declining labor force in many ways go hand in hand - the Black Belt is losing population faster than any other part of Alabama, and has also seen its workforce shrink. But the two arent inseparable. Russell County, in east Alabama, is one of the fastest growing counties in the Black Belt. It grew by about 9 percent between 2010 and 2019, but saw its labor force participation rate drop by 4.9 percentage points over the same span. See the current labor force participation rate, along with total work force, by county in the table below. [Cans see the table? Click here.] The 10 Alabama counties with the lowest labor force participation in 2019 were all in the Black Belt. The same is true for the fastest shrinking total work forces in the state. The 24 counties listed in the Black Belt by the Education Policy Center had a workforce of around 282,000 in 2019, which is less than the work force of Jefferson County, the most populous county in Alabama. We have companies that were working with right now in the Black Belt that are saying, We need employees.' So why are we not meeting those needs with the current kids that are in those communities?" he said. "It seems like were importing workers to help in the Black Belt, and were exporting our kids, and theres a mismatch there. Part of the plan to educate the workforce in these areas involves moving past the idea that there is only one route you can take to get a desirable job. Thats just not the case, said Josh Laney, the director of the state office of apprenticeships. Theres a lot of ways to get into the workforce. Were not educating, and were not communicating to our kids, particularly in the Black Belt... were not communicating the great jobs that are actually available, Jones said. He said right now theres only one pathway, moving away for college or work. One of the biggest issues we have in the Black Belt is a four letter word, Jones said. And its H-O-P-E. Its hope. Where does each county stand? The onset of the coronavirus caused a lot of uncertainty in labor markets across the world, and the Black Belt is no exception. But the labor force in the Black Belt has actually gone up by about 12,000 in the last few months. Thats likely because of economic pressure caused by the pandemic, the briefs authors write, causing more people to seek work. This trend could be explained by a rise in the number of job seekers looking to support their families during the pandemic. To reiterate, labor force participation includes both employed and unemployed workers seeking jobs; while more Black Belt residents could be looking for jobs, it does not necessarily mean they are finding them. This issue deserves further investigation. [Cant see the map? Click here.] The 14 Alabama counties with the highest percentage point increase in labor force participation since the onset of the pandemic are in the Black Belt. Only two Black Belt counties - Russell and Pickens - saw their labor force participation rates go down. Still, many Black Belt counties lag far behind the rest of the state. Even with relatively large increases in participation rates in Black Belt Counties, seven of the eight counties with the lowest rates for July 2020 are in the Black Belt. Wilcox County, which had the largest increase in participation rate year-over-year, still has the lowest overall rate in Alabama at just 38 percent. By contrast, Shelby County, a wealthy county just south of Birmingham, has the states highest labor force participation rate at 65 percent. Black Belt 2020 is an ongoing series by AL.com and the Education Policy Center at the University of Alabama examining demographic, economic, and education issues, challenges, concerns, and options facing the Black Belt in Alabama. Boston police have identified a woman killed in an elevator accident at an Allston apartment building as 38-year-old Carrie OConnor. The cause of OConnors death was traumatic asphyxia and the manner was determined to be accidental, police said Tuesday afternoon. OConnor was found in the elevator on the first floor of the building at 1140 Commonwealth Ave. just before 5:15 p.m. Monday, police said. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Another person was taken to the hospital to be evaluated, police said previously. WCVB News reported that OConnor had just moved into the building. Bostons Inspectional Services Department told the television station that the elevator is overseen by the state. Boston property records indicate that the building was constructed in 1920. No further information was immediately available. Related Content: A 40-year-old businessman has been arrested in Madhya Pradeshs Satna district on a charge of raping and blackmailing a 16-year-old girl. Police said the accused had been blackmailing six more women. The girl had come forward to file a police complaint on Friday last (September 11). Satna superintendent of police Riyaz Iqbal said the 16-year-old told the Kolgawan police in the district that a man, who had introduced himself as Sameer to her, had been raping her for the past two years. He had threatened her if she reported the crime and blackmailed her. Sameer alias Ateek - he had passports in both names - was arrested on Sunday after raids at his house, gym and cyber cafe. Satna district is 500 km from state capital Bhopal. The accused had married a woman by converting to another faith but later divorced her in 2017. He used to establish a relationship with women and later blackmailed them. He minted a large amount of money from the women through blackmailing. These women shared their ordeal with police during investigation but they didnt want to lodge a FIR, the Satna district police chief said. In raids at his premises, Riyaz Iqbal said the police teams also found fake letterheads in the name of Members of Parliament and MLAs of Satna and Rewa. He used these letterheads to get out-of-turn reservations in trains under VIP quota. The man was also involved in illegal money lending. A special investigation team has been set up to investigate the crimes committed by the accused, according to the SP. (With input from Amit Singh in Satna) The Pennsylvania Department of Health reported 1,151 new coronavirus cases Tuesday, raising the statewide total to 146,214. Its the third time in September the state has reported more than 1,000 new cases in a day. The state didnt top 1,000 cases in a day in August. The health department reported an increase of 212 cases in Centre County, while Philadelphia is reporting a two-day increase of 197 cases. Centre County is home to Penn States main campus. Across Pennsylvania, 7,875 deaths have been tied to COVID-19, including 6 newly reported fatalities. More than two-thirds of the states coronavirus deaths have occurred in long-term care facilities, such as nursing homes. The health department has said its concerned about a growing number of infections among young adults, particularly those 19 to 24 years old. Some colleges and universities, such as Temple University, Bloomsburg University and Gettysburg Colleges, have moved most of their fall courses online due to spikes in coronavirus cases. Gov. Tom Wolfs administration has said its concerned about the number of cases on college campuses. The states percentage of positive COVID-19 tests rose to 4.2% over the past week, up from 4% the previous week. A total of 17 counties are being monitored by the Wolf administration because 5% of those tested are positive for COVID-19. Those counties include Centre (9.2%); York (7.4%); Chester (6.5%); Beaver (5.7%) and Dauphin (5.2%). There were 22,085 test results reported to the department through 10 p.m. Monday. The state administered 168,375 tests between Sept. 7-14. The health department reports 472 coronavirus patients are being treated in hospitals, which represents a significant drop from the summer. In late July, more than 700 COVID-19 patients were hospitalized. For perspective, about 2,800 coronavirus patients were in hospitals at the peak in the spring. Statewide, 82% of those who have been infected have recovered from the coronavirus, according to the health department. The department considers patients to have recovered when they are 30 days past the date of infection or the onset of symptoms. About 1.7 million Pennsylvanians have tested negative for the virus. Heres a look at the week-by-week trend in new cases since the beginning of July. July 1-7: 4,693 new cases, an average of 670 per day July 8-14: 5,372 new cases, an average of 767 per day July 15-21: 6,094 new cases, an average of 870 per day July 22-28: 6,619 new cases, an average of 945 per day July 29-Aug. 4: 5,625 new cases, an average of 803 per day Aug. 5-11: 5,272 new cases, an average of 753 per day Aug. 12-18: 5,298 new cases, an average of 756 per day Aug. 19-25: 4,456 new cases, an average of 636 per day Aug. 26-Sept. 1: 4,760 new cases, an average of 680 per day Sept. 2-Sept. 8: 5,564 new cases, an average of 794 per day Sept. 9- 15: 5,855 new cases, an average of 836 per day More from PennLive Federal judge says Gov. Wolfs lockdown well-intentioned but unconstitutional The headline in Saturdays Daily Telegraph has disturbed me profoundly. It quotes our prime minister accusing the EU of threatening the integrity of the UK. Boris Johnson should know full well that Brexit, not the EU, that has done exactly that. Born and bred in Belfast, I have spent much of my professional life working for peace and reconciliation in Northern Ireland. I entered politics in the 1990s, was involved on the fringes of the negotiations which led to the Good Friday Agreement and I helped set up the first EU Peace programme, which has invested 2bn in cross-community peace building ever since. The Good Friday Agreement won the blessing of the majority in Northern Ireland in a referendum. It was accepted as the best way to end conflict and work towards peace and reconciliation. The result of the UK/EU referendum did not have the blessing of the people of either Northern Ireland or Scotland. Brexit, and the governments handling of the negotiations, has shaken relations between the EU and the UK to the very core. It has led to increased pressure from Scotland for another referendum on independence and from those in Ireland, North and South, calling for a referendum on a united Ireland. These calls have grown as a result of the UK withdrawal from the EU, not as a result of action on the part of the EU. Boris Johnson knows this full well but he is desperate to lay the blame on the EU rather than his own actions. It was his work, exaggerating the bendy banana stories when he was a reporter in Brussels, which helped stir up British animosity to the EU. It was his decision to side with the Leave campaign in the lead up to the referendum that swung many voters in that direction. It is his inability to marry the deal he agreed with Brussels to the promises he made to Northern Ireland business which puts him in the position he finds himself in today. The dogs in the street know there is no way goods could travel from Great Britain to Northern Ireland without customs checks somewhere in case they move into the EU single market. Checks on the Irish border would be the worst case scenario for obvious reasons. The fish in the sea know, when it comes to quotas, there is no way a line can be drawn down the Irish Sea, in the middle of Lough Foyle or Carlingford Lough to prevent EU boats, including Irish, fishing in UK waters. The same goes for UK boats in Irish/EU waters. The birds on the wing know only they can have freedom of movement to cross borders without papers to prove where theyve come from, where theyre going and what they intend to do when they get there. Most important of all, right-minded people the world over know you cant break a law even just a little, without facing the consequences. In his Telegraph article, Boris Johnson defends his decision to propose breaking international law on several counts. The first that the EU should be willing to offer the same terms to the UK as it does to Canada. Geography may not be his strong point, but the PM should know Canada doesnt have a land border with the EU. Brexit briefing: How long until the end of the transition period? The second, he says, is that we were negotiating with one hand tied behind our back due to a vote in parliament. He shouldnt need reminding that parliament represents the sovereignty of the nation. His plan to take back control from Brussels should not imply placing it directly into both his hands. He describes the current deal as excellent but blames the EU for its extreme interpretation of the withdrawal agreement. He goes on to claim we are being told the EU might actually stop the transport of food from GB to Northern Ireland. The PM says he doesnt believe the EU would do that but warns by actively undermining the union of our country, such an interpretation would seriously endanger peace and stability in Northern Ireland. This is an astounding accusation which runs counter to everything the EU has done for peace in Northern Ireland. It undermines all the EU stands for and everything it is doing to protect the peace process in the Brexit negotiations. The shocking crux of the PMs justification for the bill is that, It is therefore crucial for peace, and for the union itself. I have seen much in my time as a journalist in Brussels, a BBC reporter in Belfast and deputy speaker of the first new Northern Ireland Assembly working for peace in my country. But rarely have I seen such blatant twisting of the truth for political gain as I witnessed in the years before and after the UK voted to leave the EU. My simple plea to the PM is to ask him to think twice before he drives this wedge further into the growing crevasse between Britain and the EU, the UK and Ireland and between the divided communities in Northern Ireland. Jane Morrice is a Northern Irish politician and journalist who helped architect the Good Friday Agreement. She is the former deputy speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly, former head of the European Commission office in Northern Ireland and former reporter for BBC Belfast The upcoming series of Netflix's The Crown is set to show Princess Diana's heartbreaking battle with bulimia in a move which might cause Princes Harry and William to clash. Close friends previously said the devastating eating disorder triggered by her broken marriage caused the Princess of Wales to start 'fading away'. And in its upcoming fourth season, Peter Morgan's hit show The Crown will portray her struggle in the 1980s for the first time, making William and other senior royals 'incredibly uncomfortable', a source said. But it is unlikely Harry will criticise the scenes after he and wife Meghan Markle signed a commercial deal with the streaming giant. Harry is likely to have a conflict of interest after signing the Netflix contract which is thought to be worth some 75million. Actress Emma Corrin, 24, will portray the Princess vomiting after eating. Production company Left Bank Pictures said that eating disorder charity BEAT were on hand to ensure any portrayal was correct and sensitive. The upcoming series of Netflix's The Crown is set to show Princess Diana's (left in 1983) - portrayed by actress Emma Corrin, 24 (right) - heartbreaking battle with bulimia in a move which might cause Princes Harry and William to clash Diana, Princess of Wales, smiles at an event held in support of land mine victims in Tuzla, Bosnia, on August 9, 1997 A source told The Sun: 'William and other senior royals are incredibly uncomfortable about this drama and livid Harry is now in partnership with the company that's airing it.' 'It's the latest in a long line of flashpoints between the brothers, but there are few more sensitive subjects than the plight of their mother.' They said the Firm 'wouldn't expect one of their own to take money made by the profits of shows like this'. The highly-anticipated upcoming fourth season will take Diana from her early days as a shy kindergarten teaching assistant to a fairytale princess and an iconic global figure, as well as explore the early days of her disastrous marriage to Prince Charles. Her entrance comes when it returns to our screens in November or December, almost exactly 40 years after Nigel Dempster revealed in the Daily Mail in 1980 that Charles had found his 'future bride', having transferred his attention to Diana Spencer from her older sister Sarah. Like Diana at the time, the actress playing her in The Crown is also a young unknown. Corrin is a privately educated Cambridge graduate, who didn't go to drama school. Emma Corrin (pictured) is set to play the late royal in the upcoming series of 'The Crown' Emma Corrin as Princess Diana (pictured) during The Crown on set filming in Manchester on 9 February The Duke and Duchess of Sussex signed a deal with streaming giant Netflix said to be worth some 75million Harry and Meghan now live in a $14.7 million home in Los Angeles. The Netflix deal will help them pay for their new home and for their security costs, said to be over $5 million a year By coincidence she's originally from Sevenoaks in Kent, where Diana went to West Heath School from the age of 12 to 16. It comes as Meghan, 39, and Harry, 35, signed an enormous deal with streaming giant Netflix. As part of the deal, the couple will make documentaries, films, scripted and kids' programmes for the platform's 193m subscribers. Insiders have however said the commercial deal will be 'scrutinised' by the Palace. Harry and Meghan follow President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama, who announced in 2018 they had entered a multi-year producing partnership with the online streaming service. In January, the couple announced that they would be stepping back as senior members of the British Royal Family, and now, eight months later, live in a $14.7 million estate near Los Angeles. Last year's royal accounts showed the cost of the renovations at the Frogmore cottage - paid for from taxpayers' money - was 2.4 million ($3 million). Following the Netflix deal, Harry and Meghan were able to pay the cost to the taxpayer off in full It was learned last week that Prince Charles had cut off his private funding support for Harry and Meghan after they secured the Netflix deal and paid back 2.4million ($3 million) for Frogmore Cottage - their UK residence. In a move which surprised some royal sources, Harry and Meghan reimbursed taxpayers in full for the amount spent on renovating their Windsor home. The couple who had been paying back the cash in monthly instalments announced that they had totally refunded the Sovereign Grant for the redevelopment of five-bedroom Frogmore Cottage on the Queen's Berkshire estate. The couple are 'relieved and pleased' to pay off renovation costs, a source claimed. A 27-year-old woman from the Krishna district of Andhra Pradesh slipped to death while taking a selfie at Bald River Falls in the US on Saturday. Known as Polavarapu Kamala, she worked for a software company in the USA. The US police said Kamala was living in Mayfield Heights, Ohio. Kamala had gone to her relatives home on Saturday. On her return, she went to Bald River Falls to take a selfie. However, she accidentally slipped into the waters and died. Kamalas fiance said they were standing at the top of the falls when they fell into the river. The crowd pulled him out, but Kamala was carried away by the gushing waters. Kamala was moved to Sweetwater Hospital for treatment, where she was pronounced dead. According to local sources, Kamala was a native of Gudlavalleru Village in the Krishna district of Andhra Pradesh. Graduated in engineering, she went to the United States to pursue MS. Later, she joined the business. The North America Telugu Society (NATS) is making efforts to send its mortal remains to India for final rites. GREENWICH Political season is underway in Greenwich, but voters looking to get a taste of the election will be disappointed this fall. Restrictions due to the coronavirus pandemic have forced the two major political parties in Greenwich to change their traditional events designed to energize the electorate and get out the vote. The Democratic Town Committees annual picnic was moved to a virtual event on Sept. 23, and the Republican Town Committee canceled its annual clambake. But the League of Women Voters of Greenwich is pressing ahead with plans to hold a full slate of candidate debates. The national focus is on the presidential race, but the ballot in Greenwich will include a state senate race and three state House contests. One of the leagues primary goals is to inform voters, said Sandra Waters, president of the Greenwich League of Voters. Every election is important, 2020 is particularly so. There are many serious issues facing our country: universal access to health care, COVID-19, racial unrest, the economy, education, the environment, global trade relationships and more. Full slate at debate The local candidates will debate in person at Town Hall. The public will not be able to attend, but they can view the debates on Zoom and GCTV Channel 79. Members of the public can also submit questions in advance. Waters said all local candidates have agreed to attend the debates. All voters in Greenwich will cast a ballot in the race for state Senate between incumbent Democrat Alex Kasser and Republican opponent Ryan Fazio. File / Tyler Sizemore / Hearst Connecticut Media Each district in town will also have a state House race. In the 149th District, Livvy Floren is not seeking another term, and Republican Kimberly Fiorello and Democrat Kathleen Stowe are vying to replace her. In the 150th District, Democrat incumbent Stephen Meskers is facing Republican Joe Kelly, and in the 151st District, Republican incumbent Harry Arora is challenged by Democrat Hector Arzeno. File / Scott Mullin / For Hearst Connecticut Media The debates will all be held Oct. 8 in the Town Hall Meeting Room. The Kasser/Fazio debate will be held from 7 to 7:45 p.m., followed by a group debate for all the House seats from 7:45 to 9 p.m. The league felt that a live debate between candidates in the same place would be most informative, Waters said. The debates will follow all the standards of a LWV debate; the only difference will be that the audience will not be present. ... Questions will be submitted by those who register for the event and reviewed by one Republican and one Democratic league member to ensure that all candidates are able to answer. The league will send out the Zoom link later this month, with more information posted at www.lwvgreenwich.org. Traditional events The clambake and the picnic are not typically events for undecided voters the goal is to rally the respective party faithful. The DTC picnic is typically one of the towns biggest events of the year, with hundreds in attendance. Democratic candidates usually speak as well as major Democratic officeholders such as Gov. Ned Lamont and U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal. But packing that many people in the Greenwich Botanical Center, where it is typically held, isnt possible this year. By going virtual, DTC Chair Joseph Angland said he anticipated a smaller than usual crowd but said attendees could hear directly from the partys leaders and candidates. We decided to go virtual instead of canceling so that our candidates, and others, would have the opportunity to address party members and remind them whats at stake in this election, Angland said. The decision to cancel the clambake, which is held by the RTC and the Cos Cob Republican Club, was not an easy one the tradition goes back 88 years. But RTC Chair Dan Quigley said the GOP wanted to put safety first. It probably could have been done in a scaled down way, but we didnt think it was worth the risk, Quigley said. We also felt that considering so many people are still struggling to find work, particularly in our state, it wasnt the appropriate time to have a clambake. Instead, there have been Zoom meetings between candidates and RTC members as well as digital meet and greets, he said. We discussed briefly doing something virtual, but its just very impersonal and impractical, so we decided against it, Quigley said. The words virtual and picnic are not fit to be paired. Despite the pandemic, he said the GOPs message has been getting out, with the candidates knocking doors, making calls, writing op-eds in local media and using social media. We have prioritized communicating directly with RTC members, and Republicans in general, in a proactive way so as to help compensate for the logistical restrictions posed by COVID, Quigley said. Early on, the RTC identified how uniquely different this campaign season would be. We knew our candidates would have to employ creative ways to engage with constituents, and get the base revved up. So we have employed a more focused effort to keep Republicans engaged and excited. kborsuk@greenwichtime.com CARACAS, Venezuela Venezuelas chief prosecutor said on Monday that a U.S. citizen recently arrested in the country had been charged in an alleged terrorist plot to sabotage oil refineries and electrical service in order to stir unrest. The man is said to have had help from three Venezuelan conspirators, who were arrested with him last week near a pair of oil refineries on the countrys northern Caribbean coast, Venezuelas chief prosecutor, Tarek William Saab, said on state television. The U.S. suspects name was given as Matthew John Heath. The authorities said cellphones taken from the men when they were arrested last week included images of suspected targets, including a large bridge in the state of Zulia, military installations and dilapidated oil refineries in the state of Falcon. The prosecutor showed pictures of equipment said to be seized from the group, including a grenade launcher, plastic explosives, a satellite phone and a bag of U.S. dollars. President Nicolas Maduro announced on Friday that an unnamed person had been captured on suspicion of spying for the United States, saying he was a Marine and former C.I.A. operative in Iraq. President Donald Trump and top US officials were to meet at the White House on Tuesday to consider a proposal by China's ByteDance to keep majority ownership of its popular TikTok video app, people familiar with the matter said. Trump has ordered ByteDance to divest TikTok amid US concerns that user data could be passed to China's Communist Party government. He has threatened to ban TikTok in the United States as early as Sept. 20 if ByteDance does not comply. Under ByteDance's proposal, however, the Beijing-based company would keep a majority stake in ... Beijing: China`s foreign ministry on Tuesday denied reports that Chinese troops are laying fibre optic cables at a flashpoint at the border with India. China and India will remain in communication through diplomatic and military channels, foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told a news briefing. Earlier, two Indian officials said that Chinese troops were laying a network of fibre optic cables at a western Himalayan flashpoint with India, suggesting they were digging in for the long haul despite high-level talks aimed at resolving a standoff there, a Reuters report said. Such cables, which would provide forward troops with secure lines of communication to bases in the rear, have recently been spotted to the south of Pangong Tso in the Himalayan region of Ladakh, a senior government official told Reuters. Live TV Thousands of Indian and Chinese troops backed by tanks and aircraft are locked in an uneasy stalemate along a 70 km-long front to the south of the lake. The two sides have accused each other of escalating the most serious confrontation on the border between the nuclear-armed neighbours in decades. A third Indian official said on Monday that there had been no significant withdrawals or reinforcements on either side since the foreign ministers of the two countries met last week. "It is as tense as earlier," he said. A spokesman for China`s foreign ministry cast doubt on the report of the cable network. "As far as I know, the relevant report is not true," the spokesman, Wang Wenbin, said when asked on Tuesday. China and India would remain in communication through diplomatic and military channels, the ministry spokesman, Wang Wenbin, told a news briefing in Beijing. Chinese defence officials could not immediately be reached for comment. In June, 20 Indian soldiers were killed in hand-to-hand fighting with Chinese troops in the area. Both sides had agreed to pull back after that clash, but the Indian army has accused Chinese forces of violating that accord SECURE COMMUNICATIONS Above Leh, Ladakh`s main city, Indian fighter planes flew throughout the morning on Monday, their engines booming and echoing across the valley surrounded by brown, barren mountains. "Our biggest worry is that they have laid optical fibre cables for high-speed communications," the first official said, referring to the lake`s southern bank, where Indian and Chinese troops are only a few hundred metres apart at some points. "They have been laying optical fibre cables on the southern bank at breakneck speed," he said. Indian intelligence agencies noted similar cables to the north of the Pangong Tso lake about a month ago, the second government official said. The first Indian official said authorities were alerted to the activity when satellite imagery showed unusual lines in the sand of the high-altitude deserts to the south of Pangong Tso. The lines were judged by Indian experts - and corroborated by foreign intelligence agencies - to be communication cables laid in trenches, he said, including near the Spanggur gap, among hilltops where soldiers fired in the air recently for the first time in decades. Indian officials say a build-up in border infrastructure on their side is also likely to have played a part in the confrontation. The Chinese have complained about India building roads and airstrips in the area and Beijing says this triggered the tension. A former Indian military intelligence official, who declined to be identified because of the sensitivity of the matter, said fibre optic cables offered communications security as well as the ability to send data such as pictures and documents. "If you speak on the radio, it can get caught. Communications on optical fibre cables is secure," he said. The Indian military still depends on radio communications, the first official said, although he said it was encrypted. Ms. Bosarge brought her older brother back to Bayou La Batre and her elevated home, set just a few yards from the water. There had been a different house on the property before Hurricane Katrina, but Katrina blew it away, along with Ms. Bosarges wedding bands and family photos. The Volunteers of America came through town and built her this new house. Katrina also washed away her oyster shop. Since Katrina, many houses in Bayou La Batre are now raised on stilts, and people have their ways of figuring out what to do with all that space below. You can park a truck or boat, store junk or store tools. Ms. Bosarge turned her place into a pleasant outdoor living room, with a little tiki bar, some porch swings and a stereo system. And so here they were, brother and sister, hurricane survivors on their porch swings, watching this new slow-moving disaster unfold all around them. They were in good enough spirits, and they planned on evacuating soon and riding out the storm with a relative on higher ground in Grand Bay. Ms. Bosarge joked about how she had never learned to swim, and joked that Mr. Nelson was a bad-news hurricane magnet. My son said, Drop him in Texas, she said. But the pair were serious about what has happened to their way of life, and the life of so many other Gulf people. It is coming to an end, Ms. Bosarge said. Baby, I knew that years ago. The storms were getting bigger and more intense, they said, and they both blamed climate change. Mr. Nelson, who had worked the water for decades, gave his basis for that belief: No meteorologist. No college degree. Experience. The storm will complicate efforts to contain the coronavirus. By Eva Hill hilleva@grinnell.edu Students living in off-campus housing in the city of Grinnell without prior approval from the College now have access to one resource previously only offered to on-campus and approved off-campus students, as well as certain faculty and staff members: COVID-19 testing. Despite being enrolled in remote classes, Francesca Dalla Betta `22 moved into an off-campus apartment in Grinnell with a roommate for the 2020-21 school year. Dalla Betta, however, is considered unapproved to live off-campus, as she didnt apply for College approval to live in town last spring, a process which was traditionally reserved for rising seniors before the pandemic. Partway through the summer, Dalla Betta, like many other unapproved off-campus students, realized that getting access to testing would be a problem. (Editors note: Francesca Dalla Betta is the social media coordinator for The S&B) The Colleges testing center, a critical piece of the infrastructure needed to keep a viral outbreak at bay as Iowa college towns see case counts rising with students return to campus, is the only one of its kind in Grinnell. People ineligible for a test must go to Marshalltown or further to find out if they have the novel coronavirus (Grinnell Regional Medical Center offers the test, but it requires a referral from a healthcare provider and charges a fee of $125 or more, making weekly testing at the hospital impractical and prohibitively expensive for most). Dalla Betta and her housemates had a plan to get tested, but it involved going to the Marshalltown test site, which, Dalla Betta said, was not ideal: You kind of need a car for it, and sharing cars right now is not possible like before. Marnie Monogue `21, another student living in Grinnell who did not have approval from the College, had a difficult time figuring out a testing plan that would work for both her and her housemates. She doesnt have a car to make the 30-plus-mile trip to Marshalltown, but as the only unapproved student in her house, she was concerned about sharing her housemates vehicles and potentially exposing them to the virus. There were just a lot of unknown factors, trying to coordinate, Monogue said. Monogue tried to get access to testing from the department of residence life, explaining her circumstances, but her requests were repeatedly denied, she said. Dalla Betta was on some of the student advisory committees set up by the College to discuss student life during the pandemic, and she raised the issue to students and administrators during meetings. Syamala Neeraja `21, vice president of student affairs for SGA, was also receiving communications from students living in Grinnell without College approval who were concerned about their lack of access to nearby testing. Neeraja agreed that they should be included in the schools testing program. I think that it makes perfect sense to include these students in the public health framework that were laying out here, she said. Neeraja, SGA President Lana Katai `21, SGA vice president of academic affairs Fernando Villatoro `22 and student affairs administrators Ben Newhouse and Sarah Moschenross worked together to develop a plan to make testing available for all students in Grinnell, regardless of approval status. One problem was the Colleges strict policy on unapproved off-campus students, which stated that any student living without approval in the city of Grinnell would lose their eligibility to return to campus during the 2020-21 academic year. As a result, there was no comprehensive list of students living off-campus, since unapproved students were reluctant to share their home addresses with the school. I think that it makes perfect sense to include these students in the public health framework that were laying out here. SGA Vice President of Student Affairs Syamala Neeraja 21 That was extremely punitive and unfair in our eyes, Neeraja said. She, Katai and Villatoro raised their concerns with the rule to Newhouse and Moschenross, who then discussed the issue with College President Anne Harris. Eventually, Harris rescinded the policy. Unapproved status can still be problematic for students in need of important information, though. Clare Roarty `22 said shes needed to use social connections to find out about announcements only made available to approved students. Ive gotten a lot of information from other Grinnellians who are in the know, she said. But she thinks the communication problems are mainly due to the school lacking much knowledge on which members of the student body are currently living nearby. Id say for what they [College administrators] know, theyve been doing a good job, Roarty said. Dalla Betta and others interviewed for this article agreed that testing is an incredibly important resource during the pandemic one that the College should, if possible, extend to the wider community as time goes on, beyond the programs current scope. We see it as a collective public health measure, so its really important for us all, she said. Testing is also complicated for faculty and staff, said Professor Shannon Hinsa-Leasure, biology. Hinsa-Leasure has been involved in some aspects of developing the testing program and is in favor of the expansion to unapproved students but she thinks theres still more people that could benefit from the Colleges testing capacity. Were [faculty and staff] only allowed to be tested if we have three or more days of direct contact of students a week, Hinsa-Leasure said. Most people I know dont qualify. Many people have gone up to get tested in Marshalltown. Hinsa-Leasure commended students for working to ensure they had adequate testing plans, even when they couldnt access testing provided by the College. Ive been very impressed with how our students have come back to Grinnell and handled themselves, she said. Theyre doing an amazing job. Besides defence and anti-terrorism, cyberspace and military co-operation are the major focus areas between India and France, Emmanuel Lenain, ambassador of France, said on Tuesday. Post-induction of the Rafale aircraft into the Indian Air Force, the ambassador said that strong strategic cooperation, military to military, exist between the two nations and areas like space cooperation, launching a satellite for climate observations, for example, will be a part of the future partnership strategy for the two nations. Lenain was speaking, via video-conference, on Strategic Autonomy: A driver of FrenchIndian relations in the times of changing geopolitics, at the launch of the Ambassador Speaks series by the Pune International Centre. Referring to the emerging global security landscape, Lenain said, This year has been an eye opener for Europe. The world is becoming dangerous and the world has powers that do not want to play by the rules. We consider India as positive and trust it for exemplary dependency. France will support Indias bid for a permanent seat at the United Nations. Lenain said that both, France and India, have a strong bilateral relationship and the Covid crisis, which he called a medical emergency, has seen both nations do their level best to mitigate the crisis. As to a post-Covid world, Lenain said The world will be a challenging place laced with unprecedented consequences. The crisis has exacerbated the problems further. Biodiversity, global terrorism, cyber threats are faced by the world and there is a need for corrective action. During the pandemic situation, more cooperation is needed. A global strategy is needed to tackle emerging health issues and subsequent crises. Former foreign secretary, Vijay Gokhale, chaired the session, while director general of the Mahratta Chamber of Commerce Industries and Agriculture (MCCIA), Prashant Girbane moderated the question-answer session. COLUMBUS, Ohio - A directive that restricted Ohio counties to one ballot drop box in November was arbitrary and unreasonable, a county judge ruled Tuesday, delivering the Republican secretary of state in the presidential battleground another in a series of blows to his policies. The office of Secretary of State Frank LaRose said he would soon appeal the decision by Franklin County Common Pleas Judge Richard Frye, assuming the judge follows through and invalidates the secretarys drop-box order. For now, Fryes ruling doesnt change anything, LaRose spokesperson Maggie Sheehan said in a written statement, and the Secretarys directive remains in place. Access to ballot drop boxes has become an urgent matter nationally, with in-person voting options restricted by the coronavirus pandemic and the efficiency and security of mail-in voting questioned amid cutbacks at the U.S. Postal Service. It is often the largely Democratic urban counties such as Cuyahoga, home to Cleveland that look to expand the number of drop boxes. Cuyahoga must serve more than 860,000 registered voters with only a single drop box under LaRoses order. The Ohio Democratic Party and a coalition of voting rights group sued LaRose last month over the directive, calling it unconstitutional. It prohibited election boards from installing more than one drop box located at the county board of elections, effectively holding the boxes to the number lawmakers made available in Ohios presidential primary. LaRose cited a state election law that says absentee ballots must be delivered by mail or personally to a voters county election director. He has said that he personally supports counties adding more drop boxes, but that he lacks the legal authority to expand the number beyond the one established in law. But Frye said the wording of the law makes deliver ambiguous: It does not squarely answer whether drop boxes are permitted, or if so how many boxes may be used, or where they may be located by a board of elections. Because the law is vague, Frye said, counties must be legally permitted to explore placing additional boxes. While the secretary has broad discretion to issue Directives and otherwise guide local boards of elections, his actions must be reasonable to be legally enforceable, Frye wrote. Wholly arbitrary rules are entitled to no deference. In response to the ruling, state Democratic Party Chairman David Pepper called for LaRose to rise to the occasion. Its time for the Secretary of State to do what he has told the public and officials that he would do, Pepper tweeted. No more delays. No more appeals. No more wasted time. The drop box decision was the third issue to confront LaRose since Friday, when a county judge ordered him to allow voters to apply for absentee ballots for the November presidential election by electronic means, including by fax or email. That decision was stayed Saturday as an appeal proceeds. On Monday, fellow Republicans on the powerful state Controlling Board voted against LaRoses proposal to use funds from his offices Business Services budget to pay for postage on every mail-in ballot in the state. ___ Farnoush Amiri is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a non-profit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. BAKU, Azerbaijan, Sept.15 By Tamilla Mammadova Trend: In August 2020, the total volume of imports of petroleum bitumen to Georgia amounted to 15,600 tons, which is 500 tons or 3.1 percent less than in July (16,100 tons). tons, Trend reports via the Union of Petroleum Product Importers of Georgia. This indicator is also 11,900 tons or 43.3 percent less than in August last year (27,500 tons). During the reporting period, 64.1 percent (10,000 tons) of petroleum bitumen were imported to Georgia from Azerbaijan. This is followed by Iraq - 32.1 percent (500 tons) and Turkmenistan - 3.8 percent (600 tons). In total, 72,900 tons of bitumen were imported to Georgia in January through August 2020, which is 37,600 tons or 34 percent less than in the same period of 2019 (110,500 tons). Of this volume, 60.4 percent (44,000 tons) was imported to Georgia from Azerbaijan. This is followed by: Iraq - 22.2 percent (16,200 tons), Iran - 10.4 percent (7,600 tons), Russia - 4.4 percent (3,200 tons), Turkey - 1.1 percent (800 tons), United Arab Emirates - 0.3 percent (200 tons). --- Follow the author on Twitter: @Mila61979356 Breonna Taylor posing during a graduation ceremony in Louisville, Kentucky - AFP The family of Breonna Taylor, a black woman shot dead in her home by police in Louisville, Kentucky, have reached a multi-million dollar settlement with the city, according to reports. The settlement, reportedly for $12 million, is expected to be accompanied by police reforms aimed at preventing future deaths by police officers. A civil lawsuit, filed in April by her mother, Tamika Palmer, alleged the police used flawed information when they obtained a "no-knock" warrant to enter her daughter's apartment in March. Ms Taylor, 26, was shot several times and police found no drugs at her home. The suit accused three Louisville police officers of blindly firing into Ms Taylor's apartment the night of the March raid, striking the medical worker several times. Ms Taylor's boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, was in the apartment with her and fired a single shot that struck an officer in the leg. Hundreds gather to protest the death of Breonna Taylor and other forms of racial injustices in Louisville - Reuters Mr Walker said he did not hear police announce themselves and said he thought he was guarding against an intruder. The shooting sparked months of protests in Louisville and calls nationwide for the officers to be charged in her death. Daniel Cameron, the state's attorney general, is investigating police actions in the March 13 shooting. So far none of the officers involved have been reprimanded. According to reports, the reforms will also require that commanders approve search warrants before they are put to a judge. The city of Louisville is expected to announce the details Tuesday afternoon. The settlement would be the largest sum paid by the city for a police misconduct case. The largest settlement previously paid in a misconduct case was $8.5 million in 2012, to a man who spent nine years in prison for a crime he did not commit, according to news reports. 1. A campaign clash over climate change. President Trump arrived in California in a smoky haze today and promptly blamed the wildfires ravaging the West Coast not on climate change but on the failure by states to properly manage their forests. Above, Mr. Trump arriving at the Sacramento McClellan Airport today. By contrast, his opponent in the November election, former Vice President Joe Biden, directly connected the blazes that have displaced thousands of people to climate change. In a speech in Delaware, he called Mr. Trump a climate arsonist. Firefighting teams faced unpredictable wind gusts and drier weather today, conditions that threatened to strengthen already dire wildfires that have burned more than five million acres, destroyed scores of homes and left at least 26 people dead. From left to right: Atul, Sanjay, and Rhul Kirloskar. live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More Its clear now. There was nothing permanent about the deed of family settlement that the three Kirloskar brothers agreed upon in 2009. The three seem unhappy, either about what they got, or what they lost out on. Sanjay Kirloskar got control over Kirloskar Brothers, which by the financial year 2010, had become the flagship of the group founded way back in 1888. Atul Kirloskar, the eldest of the siblings, and Rahul Kirloskar, the youngest, got charge of nearly all other group companies. The two, who have been a team, also have the backing of their mother, and family matriarch, Suman Kirloskar. Over the next 10 years, the two sides either contested the others control over the companies or expanded the fight to the familys heirloom, including a Pune-based property that their late father Chandrakant Kirloskar had willed to his wife. Everyone seemed to have agreed upon the terms of the deed of family settlement (DFS) in 2009. There were no disagreements, at least, not visibly, says a senior industry executive close to the Pune-based family. The idea was to let each branch of the family independently follow its own vision, adds the veteran. Surely, that was not in the minds of everyone. The agreement got tested within a year, when in 2010, Atul and Rahul - and their associates sold a 13.5 percent stake in KBL to Kirloskar Industries (KIL). Both are listed companies. While KBL is majority-owned by Sanjay, KIL is controlled by Atul and Rahul. What led to the stake sale? Was it true, as some say, that Sanjay had little idea what his brothers had in mind? While conspiracy theories are many, the transaction has now a decade later - opened up a new front in the fight between the siblings. The stake sale is now being investigated by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) on insider trading allegations. Some of the allegations are extraordinary. In a rare instance, KIL mailed a letter to the market regulator, in the form of an announcement, alluding that Sanjay pressurised SEBI into investigating the transaction. Either side is tight-lipped, except for sharing their oft-repeated stance. While KIL spokesperson refuted the allegations, saying the sales of shares was completed in line with the applicable laws, appropriate stock exchange disclosures and necessary regulatory pre-clearance, a KBL representative said counter-allegations of a similar transaction by Sanjays wife was not comparable, as it involves transferring shares belonging to her in an individual account to another private limited company. A critical phase The fight has now reached a critical phase. Moneycontrol learns from sources that the SEBI investigation is drawing to a close and the order could come anytime within the next two to three weeks. An order will be a significant victory, or defeat, for either of the sides. But it will not be the end. Much water has flown under the bridge. If the two sides were serious about ironing out the differences, then the offer by Dr Vijay Kelkar, the former finance secretary, to mediate wouldnt have been turned down, says a close confidant of the family. It was in 2017, that Kelkar - also the former Chairman of Finance Commission - had attempted to bring truce. It didnt work. In other words, any order from SEBI will be challenged by the losing side in higher courts. Not just that. The war has many more battlefronts. Apart from the ancestral property in Pune, the familys home, that is under dispute, the group trademark and copyright are also being contested. Also, Atul and Rahul have dragged Sanjay to National Company Law Tribunal over mismanagement of KBL. Not to be pegged back, Sanjay has filed a case against his two brothers, blaming them of not adhering to the non-compete clause as agreed under the DFS. Atul and Rahul have the support of their mother Suman, and cousins that include Vikram Kirloskar, Vice Chairman of Toyota Kirloskar Motor. In fact, Sanjay seems to be holding his side all by himself. The deed has surely not worked Deed is a document. But without a commitment to adhere to the clauses, a document is meaningless. Commitment comes out of trust among the parties, explains Kavil Ramachandran, Clinical Professor and Executive Director of the Thomas Schmidheiny Centre for Family Enterprise at the Indian School of Business. If emotions (read anger) over-power logic, people take extreme steps even if it is bad for the self too, adds Ramachandran. In the case of the Kirloskars, it surely seemed to have hurt the Group. And its not just anger. The close family confidant quoted above, adds that there has been a rivalry among the brothers. It is not for the first time that sibling rivalry, leading to anger and jealousy, has tainted a business familys legacy in India, he adds. Through allegations and counter-allegations amid the fifth generation, the house of Kirloskar stands divided. Group founder Laxmanrao Kirloskar with Jawaharlal Nehru in 1940 Living on the legacy Despite recent setbacks, the group that was founded by Laxmanrao Kirloskar in 1888, will find its place intact in the history of Indian business families. It has many accomplishments, including manufacturing Indias first centrifugal pump, first diesel engine and first electric motor. It was among the first exporters too, starting in 1958. In fact, the legend says that in Egypt, the name Kirloskar was generic for pumps. In the 1960s, the Group formed a joint venture with the Cummins Group, among the leading manufacturers of engines and pumps in the world. While KBL continues to be a leading player in the pumps industry even now, with five overseas manufacturing facilities, the group has over the decades lost out on its prominence. Comparisons are inevitable with Tata Sons and Aditya Birla Group, business houses that were also founded in the 19th century, but managed to diversify and catch on to new opportunities as the Indian economy opened up. The KBL website says the Kirloskar Group currently has a turnover of $2.1 billion, a drop from $3.5 billion in 2017, as a report in Mint points out. While the group has over a dozen companies, the five listed entities had a combined turnover of about Rs 11,000 crore at the end of FY20. If the 2009 deed intended to give a free hand to family members to diversify into new emerging sectors, the effect may have been opposite. Also, there was a slight change in the pecking order of the Group companies. In 2017, Kirloskar Oil Engines (KOEL), which makes diesel engines and generator sets, pipped KBL to become the largest company of the group. The company, headed by Atul and Rahul, ended the financial year 2020 with a turnover of Rs 3,379 crore, compared to KBLs Rs 3,135 crore. KBL may perhaps take solace in its better showing in the first quarter of the current financial year, with a turnover of Rs 454 crore, marginally better than KOELs Rs 422 crore. Interestingly, both KBL and KOEL, on their websites, claim to be the flagship company of the Group. Surely, the competition has manifested in several ways. The many battlefronts The deed of family settlement, instead of ensuring peace, is now the basis for many a battle within the family. To start off, did the deed favour one part of the family over the other? Sanjay, through petitions filed in courts over the last decade, seems to allude that he should have got a higher shareholding in KBL than he originally did. Not just that, in return of getting control over KBL, according to the 2009 DFS, Sanjay has claimed he paid Rs 80.5 crore to cousin Vikram, and also gifted shares of Kirloskar Brothers Investment to Atul, Rahul, and another cousin Gautam Kulkarni. But now, he alleges, the other part of the family has failed to honour the non-compete clause, which seems to have been among the more important parts of the deed. Sanjay, in his legal suits, says that KOEL went against the agreement by venturing into pumps, something that KBL specialises in. Further in June 2017, says a 2018 legal suit, he was shocked to learn that KOEL had acquired La-Gajjar Machineries, which competes with KBL. Sanjay has sought Rs 750 crore in damages. The Lakaki property In 2017, matriarch Suman filed a case against Sanjay, alleging that her second son had demarcated a significant plot on the familys 65,810-square feet property by the Lakaki lake in Pune, and was trying to build a wall around it. The Lakaki compound was willed to Suman by her husband Chandrakant Kirloskar and her petition claimed that Sanjay and Atul agreed to hand over their plots for her use and thereon again return it to her after the Urban Land Ceiling Act was repealed. Suman alleged that even as Atul returned the plot to her, Sanjay reneged on this promise. Not just that. She added that Sanjay had demanded a partition of Chandrakant Kirloskar HUF, which includes real estate, bank balances, jewellery, shares, transistors, tapes and even utensils. Sanjay, on the other hand, has contested each claim, and in fact, said no such arrangement was ever made. He said in his reply to the court, his mother was trying to gain sympathy. In December 2019, a Pune court gave Sanjay some reason to cheer when it restrained his mother and brothers from taking any decision on the properties held under the HUF. Interestingly, points out a senior executive close to the family, it was found out that a document - to make some changes in the property - submitted to the Pune administration didnt have the signatures of all the brothers, as claimed. The documents were submitted to make changes in the structure of the Lakaki property. The signature boxes were filled up in such a way that it seemed everyone had signed on it, said the executive. Surely, the last word is yet to be said. The many grouses Atul and Rahul scored a small victory in April 2019, when the National Company Law Tribunal dismissed a petition by their brother-controlled KBL, which had challenged the jurisdiction to hear a case filed by KIL. The company, which is helmed by Atul, had filed a petition in 2017, to oust Sanjay as chairman and managing director of KBL. The two, Atul and Rahul, had alleged that the Board of KBL was not allowing them to either sell or buy shares of the company. Not to be outdone Sanjay dragged his brothers to the court, asking to be reinstated on the board of Kirloskar Proprietary (KPL). Citing the family deed, he argued that he cant be voted out of the board of the company, which is a central repository of various trademarks and logos on behalf of the group companies. and the one steeped in a family legacy There is a legal case on the family trademark too! KBL has claimed that it is the original owner of the trademark Kirloskar. But as has been the practice of the family, the company had assigned the trademark to KPL. The understanding was that KPL will then in return license the trademark back to KBL, as has been the practice with all group companies. Not surprisingly, KPL which has Atul, Rahul and Vikram on its board has terminated the agreement with KBL. This is also now being played out in the courts. Interestingly, the trademark is said to have been created by Shankarrao Kirloskar, in the early part of the 20th century, while he was with KBL. The buzz around the family is now that both the factions are going back to the history books to claim rights to the trademark. The COVID-19 break As of now, there is an uneasy calm in the family. Not that any of the three siblings have called for a truce or waved the white flag, but for the break forced upon by COVID-19, which has slowed down hearings in the judiciary. Nearly all the cases are sub-judice. The silence may soon give way to the next round of the sibling rivalry. Senior officials at SEBI are hard at work. And thats why all the eyes and now trained on the market regulator in what would be another of the many milestones in the battle of the Kirloskar brothers. Who will win the next round? FORT WORTH, Texas American Airlines confirmed Monday it is holding off on its decision to cut flights to Stillwater, Oklahoma, and Roswell, New Mexico, but warned that slumping demand in some markets is forcing the company to consider difficult decisions to right-size our airline. American announced last month it was planning to drop flights to 15 smaller U.S. cities when a federal requirement to serve those communities ends. But the company said in a statement it is deferring its decision on Roswell and Stillwater while conversations are ongoing with local officials. While our flights to Stillwater and Roswell are among those that have suffered when it comes to demand and profitability, we have been in touch with local officials, and were deferring our decision to suspend service to those markets as those conversations are ongoing, the airline said. The airline blamed low demand during the coronavirus pandemic and the failure of Congress to extend the federal Payroll Support Program. Among the other cities targeted for dropping flights in October are: Del Rio, Texas; Dubuque, Iowa; Florence, South Carolina; Greenville, North Carolina; Huntington, West Virginia; Joplin, Missouri; Kalamazoo-Battle Creek, Michigan; Lake Charles, Louisiana; New Haven, Connecticut; New Windsor, New York; Sioux City, Iowa; Springfield, Illinois; and Williamsport, Pennsylvania. The company notified the federal Department of Transportation on Aug. 28 that maintaining services to Joplin and Sioux City is not financially viable in this environment and that it planned to discontinue all services to those airports by Dec. 1. The airline reported that since the pandemic began in the spring, Americans operations in Joplin and Sioux City produced losses of $2.2 million and $1.9 million, respectively. First Lady Melania Trump wowed in white while hosting a socially-distanced roundtable discussion to raise awareness for sickle cell disease (SCD) on Monday. The White House even was held in the State Dining Room just a few weeks after President Donald Trump formally recognized September as Sickle Cell Disease Awareness Month. Melania cut a stylish figure in a $945 white belted midi dress by Max Mara, and she added a pop of color to her sleek look with her sky-high orange stilettos. First Lady duties: Melania Trump, 50, hosted a roundtable discussion to raise awareness for sickle cell disease (SCD) on Monday Outfit of the day: Melania cut a stylish figure in a $945 white belted midi dress by Max Mara and added a pop of color to her sleek look with her sky-high orange stilettos Style: Melania's highlighted brown hair was styled loosely around her shoulders, and she stuck with her signature makeup: dark, smokey eyeshadow and a pink lip The former model's perfectly tailored sheath dress was made in Italy from stretch wool, fully lined, and cut with a single vent in the back. The sold-out design comes with a removable woven belt that matches the frock's braided trims, which she opted to wear. Melania has favored minimalistic looks over the years, and Monday's look was no exception. She let her shoes and dress doing to talking by keeping her jewelry to a minimum. The first lady wore nothing more than two sparkly platinum and diamond bands one on each of her hands. Her highlighted brown hair was styled loosely around her shoulders, and she stuck with her signature makeup: dark, smokey eyeshadow and a pink lip. Ready to go: The first lady had a bright smile on her face when she entered the State Dining Room of the White House ahead of the discussion Happy: Melania spoke with SCD patients, researchers, and medical professionals at the event Attendees: Melania, who did not wear a mask, was seated between a young patient named Samuel Price and Ashley Valentine, the co-founder and president of Sick Cells Risky? While there were sickle cell disease patients of varying ages, including children, only a few people who were seated at the table wore a mask Melania had a bright smile on her face when she entered the State Dining Room ahead of the discussion with patients, researchers, and medical professionals. And while there were sickle cell disease patients of varying ages, including children, only a few people who were seated at the table wore a mask. Having sickle cell disease increases a person's risk for severe illness from COVID-19, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Melania, who did not wear a mask, was seated between a young patient named Samuel Price and Ashley Valentine, the co-founder and president of Sick Cells, which raises awareness for SCD. Valentine was one of the few attendees who was photographed wearing a mask, though she briefly removed it while speaking. Right on time: The event came just a few weeks after President Donald Trump formally recognized September as Sickle Cell Disease Awareness Month Chronic condition: Sickle cell disease is the umbrella term for a group of inherited conditions that severely affect red blood cells All ears: Melania listened intently as sickle cell disease patient Samuel Price spoke Protected: Ashley Valentine was one of the few attendees who was photographed wearing a mask, though she briefly removed it while speaking Sickle cell disease is the umbrella term for a group of inherited conditions that severely affect red blood cells. Healthy red blood cells produced by stem cells within bone marrow are biconcave discs that can bend and flex easily. However, in those with sickle cell disease, faulty stem cells produce red blood cells that are crescent shaped. They are rigid, unable to squeeze through smaller blood vessels and prone to causing blockages that deprive parts of the body of oxygen. Sufferers are not expected to live beyond 60 and treatment mainly focuses on alleviating symptoms, such as pain and infections, through blood transfusions and painkillers. The disease affects about 100,000 people in the U.S., and disproportionately affects African and Hispanic-Americans to a higher degree. In 2018, President Trump signed into law the Sickle Cell Disease and Other Heritable Blood Disorders Research, Surveillance, Prevention, and Treatment Act, a prevention and treatment program that authorizes initiatives for research. This year, on August 31, he formally recognized September as Sickle Cell Disease Awareness Month. Whether in court or at the office, lawyers and Judges should refrain from showing too much skin, Mr. Anthony Forson, National President of the Ghana Bar Association has said. Bare arms are generally frowned upon in the office and never appropriate in court. Skirts or blouses should always be bottomed so that cleavage is never revealed. Mr. Forson was speaking at the GBA Webinar held at the Law Court Complex in Accra on Monday under the theme: Enhancing National Cohesion: the Essence of free, fair and Responsible Electoral Process. According to him, hair and makeup should also be conservative. The GBA President said bare legs are never acceptable in court and neither are open toes shoes. Anything flashy such as large gaudy earrings or sandals are also inappropriate. He said female lawyers should always wear dark suits with trousers or knee-length matching skirts. Mr. Forson noted that the legal profession remained one of the most conservative concerning work attires adding that being flashy was not allowed. He said court attire for male lawyers in the absence of formal robes, should always consist of a dark colored suit that is a tie and properly buttoned shirt. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Germany says it is providing up to 750 million euros ($892 million) to support three domestic pharmaceutical companies that are developing vaccines against the new coronavirus. Science Minister Anja Karliczek said Tuesday that the government has already agreed to provide BioNTech and CureVac with 375 million euros and 230-million euros respectively to develop their mRNA-based vaccines. Talks with a third company, IDT Biologika, are expected to conclude soon, she said. The company is developing a vector-based vaccine that delivers a coronavirus protein into cells to stimulate the body's immune response. The agreement with the three companies, which is tied to specific milestones, would guarantee Germany 40 million doses of vaccine. The amount comes on top of other vaccine supply agreements concluded through the European Union, of which Germany is a member. Karliczek said Germany wouldn't cut corners when it comes to testing vaccines, meaning most of the population may have to wait until mid-2021 to be inoculated. ``Safety is an absolute priority,'' she said. Health Minister Jens Spahn echoed that stance, saying that only vaccines which have been tested on ``thousands, ideally many thousands of volunteers in phase 3'' would be approved. Spahn complained that reports from Russia and China about vaccines being developed in the two countries ``aren't always such that one feels there's absolute transparency.'' Spahn dismissed suggestions that Germany might consider making COVID-19 vaccinations compulsory. ``We need 55-60% of the population to be vaccinated,`` he said. ``I'm firmly convinced we will achieve this voluntarily.'' Spahn added that Germany also doesn't intend to hoard vaccines. ``I'm happy to give other countries in the world some of the vaccines we're been contractually assured,`` he said, ``if we find in the end that we have more than we need.'' Search Keywords: Short link: New restrictions will come into effect from midnight as the Government prepares to publish its medium-term plan to deal with Covid-19. Cabinet will today sign off on the plan approved on Monday by its subcommittee on the virus. Green Party leader and Communications Minister Eamon Ryan will attend remotely as he restricts his movements. A member of Mr Ryan's household is awaiting a Covid-19 test. Health Minister Stephen Donnelly today said that the plan represents a "roadmap about how we suppress the virus". He said: "[It's about] how do we move locally, how we move quickly, how we take the lead from the public health doctors to do what we know works to stop this virus to allow people live their lives and protect the healthcare system, keep the schools open, protect jobs, protect lives. So that really is what today is all about." 'The virus can be suppressed' Mr Donnelly said that the experience of local lockdowns in the midlands had shown that the virus could be suppressed. "So what we learned from the good work of the people in Kildare, Laois and Offaly is that if you move locally and if you move quickly and if the community gets behind the public health doctors and their advice, the virus can be suppressed and be suppressed very quickly. "Right now, as we know, the virus is growing quickly around the country, we need to move fast, we know how to do it. We've done it before we will do it again. "We've got to keep the schools open. We've got to keep the hospitals open and keep people safe and make sure we save a lot of lives." Mr Donnelly said the plan would look ahead into the next six to nine months. Public Expenditure Minister Michael McGrath said that the moves made in Dublin would be "proportionate", but said the numbers in the capital were "going in the wrong direction". "It's very evident that the numbers in Dublin are going in the wrong direction, unfortunately, so measures to address that are required," he said, "because we don't want to get back to a point where we are seeing the number of people in hospital and in ICU growing significantly. We can't afford for that to happen. "Steps will be taken but they will be proportionate and it will remain open to Government in the weeks ahead to review the approach again." The plan will see counties and regions ranked from 1-5 on their handling of the virus, with restrictions applied accordingly. 'Buying time' Public health expert Dr Gabriel Scally has said he is pleased to see that the Government is not adopting a one size fits all approach to Covid-19 restrictions. Dr Scally told Newstalk Breakfast he was looking forward to seeing details of the Governments national plan for the virus which will be published today. Having a strategic plan was buying time and would help keep the virus from vulnerable people, he said. Dr Scally pointed out that it was still unknown what long term effect the virus could have on children and their health. Anything could manifest itself in due course, he warned. If there was no vaccine for some time, then society would have to adopt a different approach and we would have to change the way we live, he said. However, he was confident that there would be a vaccine as 180 different vaccines were being worked on. I am confident that science will come up with a solution. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- One Brooklyn restaurant owner has already filed a lawsuit against Gov. Andrew Cuomo over the new midnight food curfew" that goes into effect on Sept. 30, when indoor dining is allowed to resume in New York City restaurants at 25% capacity. Columbus Ale House Inc., which operates as The Graham," a popular tavern in Brooklyn, filed the lawsuit against Cuomo on Monday in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York. "Coronavirus does not behave as a vampire, infecting others only when the moon is out,'' says the lawsuit filed by The Graham tavern. Jonathan Corbett, a Los Angeles, Calif.-based attorney for The Graham called the midnight curfew unnecessary. After six months of closure, Governor Cuomo has finally agreed to allow New York City to join the rest of the state, and rest of the country, in offering limited indoor dining at 25% capacity. However, along with a myriad of other rules, the Governor has imposed a midnight food curfew, requiring city restaurants to close by 12 a.m. and taking away much-needed revenue to ailing small businesses, he said. The state has not explained why this rule is necessary, why it is imposed on New York City and not the rest of the state, and why it continues to issue rules without working with its industry partners to solve problems. My client, a Brooklyn restaurant, filed suit today to force the Governor to explain himself on the matter. Absent a compelling explanation, we look forward to a retraction of the rule, added Corbett, who is also representing restaurant and venue owners in a separate lawsuit against the State Liquor Authoritys ban on live music ticketed events. *** CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE COVERAGE OF CORONAVIRUS IN NEW YORK *** Said Jack Sterne, Cuomo administration spokesperson: Bars are closed in 10 other states and many -- including Rhode Island, North Carolina, and Washington -- have similar restrictions in place because they recognize that late-night service can encourage individuals to gather and mingle, increasing the risk of COVID transmission. The plaintiffs lawyers are right: this virus is not a vampire -- it is real, it is deadly, and the state will do everything we can to protect New Yorkers from it. However, restaurants in the rest of New York state, which have been open for indoor dining since early July, dont have a midnight curfew. Currently, outdoor dining in NYC is only permitted until 11 p.m., according to state guidance. According to court papers, The Graham is desperately struggling to pay its rent, having been ordered by Cuomo to discontinue indoor dining for a full six months, and now starting September 30th, 2020, is allowed indoor dining at 25% capacity until midnight when it must boot its customers out the door. The Graham traditionally generated a substantial amount of its revenue after midnight and faces extreme financial hardship as a result of Cuomos new rule, which lacks any real or substantial relationship to stopping the spread of coronavirus, and instead actually makes the situation worse, as shrinking the hours during which New Yorkers can get a meal will result in more crowding during the fewer remaining hours, says court papers. OTHER REGULATIONS FOR INDOOR DINING The midnight food curfew and 25% capacity rule are just two of many regulations that NYC restaurants will have to follow when they are allow to open for indoor dining. Temperature checks will also be required at the door, diners must wear a mask when not sitting at a table, and a member of each party will need to provide contact information for tracing purposes in case of an outbreak. There will also be no service at restaurants' bars. Restaurants will also need to have enhanced air filtration systems. There also have been various lawsuits filed against the city and state to allow indoor dining in NYC over the last few months. Elizabeth Brockway/The Daily Beast For the Democrats dead-set on defeating Republican Sen. Susan Collins this November, a recent poll of the Maine U.S. Senate race brought seemingly distressing news: Democratic candidate Sara Gideon was leading Collins by a single point, per the survey, but a Green Party-aligned independent candidate was polling at a surprisingly high 6 percent. Given that Green candidates usually pull votes from the left, Collins legions of detractors on Resistance Twitter cried spoilerfearing that in a tight, hotly contested race, the Green Partys Lisa Savage would all but secure Collins another six years in the Senate. There is only one state, however, where that straightforward reading of the poll would be backwardsa bad sign for Collins, not a good oneand it happens to be the state she calls home. This fall, Maine is set to be the only state in the country to choose its president and members of Congress using a process called ranked choice voting. Under that system, voters are instructed to list their candidate preferences in order, effectively offering up a first choice, a second choice, and so on. Those backup picks only come into play if no candidate cracks a majority of votes on the first ballot: that sparks what is essentially an instant runoff election, in which the lowest-performing candidates drop and their supporters second choices receive their votes. Maine Republicans loathe this system and have fought it tooth-and-nail since voters in the state approved its use for federal elections in 2016. But an ongoing legal effort to overturn the system is losing steam, and time, with the November election fast approaching. As Maine emerges as a pivotal battleground for control of the U.S. Senateand even for the White Housea powerful ally of President Donald Trump has weighed in, joining local Republicans in laying the groundwork for a broader assault on Maines wonky voting system. Earlier this month, Fox News pundit Tucker Carlson devoted an entire segment to the evils of ranked choice voting, declaring that Maine Democrats were trying to rig the outcome of the 2020 election through the system. His guest was Dale Crafts, GOP nominee for U.S. House in Maines 2nd District. Story continues That particular seat, which swung hard to Trump in 2016, is the source of many Republicans ranked-choice grief. In 2018, former GOP Rep. Bruce Poliquin had a 2,000-vote lead over Democrat Jared Golden but failed to get a majority on the initial ballot. Under the rules of ranked choice voting, the third-party candidates dropped and Golden cleaned up as the second choice among their supporters, ultimately giving him a majority. Poliquin went to court to contend that he was the rightful winner, but Goldens victory was upheld. Crafts, who is now running against Golden, told Carlson that Poliquins loss revealed the true purpose of ranked choice voting. Its just another sham by the Democrats to try to steal races, warned Crafts. Ironically, ranked choice will play no part in the election of Carlsons guestCrafts and Golden are the only candidates on the House ballot in Maines 2nd this yearbut the system figures to be a huge influence on Collins race. It could be that the biggest complicating factor for the longtime senators re-election bid is not her relationship to President Donald Trump, or her famous stand for Brett Kavanaughs confirmation to the Supreme Court, but the way her state has decided to elect its leaders. Joining Collins and Gideon on the U.S. Senate ballot in Maine are Savage and Max Linn, a longshot conservative independent candidate who, during the first candidate debate last week, went viral as he plowed past moderator questions and declared I have to be out of the box tonight. If no candidate clears 50 percent and Savage, who is running as a Senator for People, Planet, and Peace, is dropped in the third round, her supporters could easily put Gideon over the top. Savages campaign has openly encouraged its supporters to rank Gideon secondthey tout a #VoteBlueNumberTwo social media sloganand Savage herself says she plans to do the same. Susan Collins Cast the Crucial Vote for Brett Kavanaugh. His Biggest Backers Returned the Favor. There are many ways to game out the ranked choice system, and Maine political observers caution that in this independent-minded state, elections dont always shake out intuitively. Both major party campaigns are thinking about this, says Mark Brewer, a professor of politics at the University of Maine in Orono. My guess, and its only a guess, is that Savage will have more support than Max Linn. Some in Maine GOP circles believe in Collins ability to pull out the victory, but they also dont have a hard time seeing how the environment around the ranked choice system could throw yet another headwind her way. It could be a real problem for Collins, says Eric Lusk, a longtime Republican activist who formerly served as GOP chair for Maines largest county. He said theres a risk that Linns supporters might just rank him first and leave it at that. Hed siphon 2-3 points, people get confused on ranked choice, they don't put Collins second, Linn gets knocked out, but the voter didnt put in choices two, three, four It could happen. The way that Mainers adapt to ranked choice votingonly in its second cycle of use for federal elections herecould have impacts that reverberate far beyond the state. The Maine race is one of three or four toss-up races nationally that could tip control of the Senate to Democrats, or keep it in GOP hands. But its not just Collins who could suffer as a result of the way the system plays out this year; Trump could, too. Maine, as Carlson noted in his Fox segment, is one of two states that awards its electoral votes by congressional district. In a tight Electoral College race, even the swingy 2nd Districts lone electoral vote could make a big difference for Trump, or for Democratic nominee Joe Biden, both of whom are targeting the district. All recent public polls of the 2nd show Trump and Biden neck-and-neck with neither clearing 50 percent; multiple third-party candidates are on the ballot with them, including Green and Libertarian nominees. Ranked choice voting, say the systems backers, doesnt inherently advantage a Democratic or Republican candidate, since it depends on whos in the race and how its run. They argue the system puts an end to the idea of spoiler candidates and forces candidates to campaign to win real majorities, not narrow pluralities. It has been used for state and local elections nationwide, including in Maine, for a decade or longer, and Maine voters have upheld its usage in two different ballot referendums. But Maine Republicans see things differentlyhorseshit was Lusks preferred adjective for the ranked choice systemand theyve been fighting to repeal it since it was instituted for federal elections in 2016. Before 2020, conservatives elsewhere have dismissed ranked choice voting as a bad idea thats inconsistent with the one person, one vote principle. Currently, a Republican-led legal effort is underway to block it from being used in Maines presidential election, but the effort hit a snag last week; with absentee ballots set to be mailed out to voters within weeks, time is running out to change the procedures. Proponents of ranked choice voting have argued that GOP opposition to the system stems from sour grapes over the Poliquin race and perhaps a tacit acknowledgement of their limitations in securing majorities in Maine, which leans Democratic overall. Rob Richie, president and CEO of the nonprofit group FairVote, which advocates for ranked choice voting, told The Daily Beast its ridiculous to equate asking a person to win a majority with trying to steal an election. Compared to some Maine Republicans, Collins herself has been circumspect on the ranked choice issue. In 2018, she said the system can produce an odd outcome if a candidate with the most votes after one round does not win. But the GOPs official opposition to ranked choice may present a challenge: their voters have grown to hate the system, but their candidates from Trump and Collins on down, need to leverage it to win. It definitely adds another layer of complexity, because the Democrat Party has focused on educating people how to manage the controls, where on the Republican side, the effort has been more on getting rid of the change in the voting system, said Lusk. So the Democrats embrace it, and they educate people on how it functions. Do that over four, five, six years, and youre going to be in a position to have a few thousand more people understand it on your side, and a few thousand fewer on the other side. That difference, said Lusk, could be Gideons margin of victory. A longtime Maine political operative, speaking anonymously to describe the race candidly, said that Collins team consists of seasoned strategists who understand clearly the challenges posed. Considering that what a campaign has to do is not turn off the supporters of the fringe candidates, my guess is they understand that as well as anybody, said the operative. If I were running either the Gideon or Collins campaigns, I would make an effort to do some subtle outreach to supporters of the other two candidates. In response to questions from The Daily Beast, the Collins and Gideon campaigns did not directly say whether or not they were reaching out to other candidates supporters to urge them to rank their candidates second. We believe when voters look at who is running in this race, there is one clear choice, said Annie Clark, a spokesperson for Collins campaign. Our goal is to ensure that Senator Collins is the winner, which is why were encouraging voters to choose her as their first choice. Our campaign is focused on making sure that Maine people know Sara Gideon is the best candidate to replace Susan Collins in the Senate, said a spokesperson for Gideon, who added GOP attacks on ranked choice voting are a transparent political maneuver and that Mainers have supported the system. Savage, meanwhile, told The Daily Beast by email that ranked-choice has been core to her campaigns messaging. We don't even really say, vote for Lisa, said Savage. We say Rank Lisa first. We have spent a great deal of time and effort educating voters about how RCV changes political raceswe refer to it as a new politics, Savage said. There is still a lot of education to be done, as many voters still don't understand exactly how it works, and will talk about spoilers and splitting the vote as reasons they don't want to support me. That's a huge opportunity for us, as learning about how RCV actually works makes them think about the race anew. To third-party candidates like Savage, ranked choice presents a totally fresh way to campaign. For others, the broader upside of ranked choice voting has been limited. For all the controversy, cable news vitriol and months of legal deadlock that Maines ranked choice system has sparked, the system has failed to live up to supporters arguments that it would fundamentally reshape campaigns in a more positive way, argued the veteran Maine operative. But, they said, that doesnt mean Republican hatred of the system is justified. I dont understand why Republicans have such vitriol toward it, other than the fact that they think it was a Democratic idea, said the operative. And I dont know why Democrats are so enthusiastic about it, because it really hasnt brought to fruition the things they sold us about it I guess each party has dug in because they want to oppose what the other guys are doing. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now! Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more. Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan has called for the worst sex offenders to be hanged or chemically castrated amid fury over the gang rape of a woman in the country last week. Khan made his comments while demanding 'exemplary sentences' for the woman's rapists, saying he would sentence them to be hanged at the site of the attack. But he added that hangings would probably lead to Pakistan being punished by the EU, so it might be better to chemically castrate them. The attack involved a woman who was dragged from her car at gunpoint and raped in front of her two children after her car broke down. Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan has called for violent sex offenders to be hanged or chemically castrated amid outcry over the gang rape of a woman in the country last week Speaking on Pakistani TV on Monday, Khan said: 'What I think is that there should be chemical castration, I have read it is happening in many countries. 'The way murder is graded: First-, second- and third-degree. This should also be graded, and for first-degree (sex crimes) there should be castration.' The attack took place in the early hours of Thursday last week after a woman driving on highway near Lahore ran out of petrol and broke down. Khan made the comments as he called for an 'exemplary' sentence for Shafqat Ali, who has confessed to his part in the rape She had locked her car doors and called for assistance, but a group of men smashed her window and dragged her out before help arrived. After the rape ordeal was over, the woman was also robbed. Police last week arrested 15 men, but said none of them were directly involved in the rape. Officers have since named two primary suspects as Shafqat Ali and Abid Malhi. Khan spoke out after Shafqat was taken into custody on Monday, with police saying his DNA has matched samples found at the scene, and he has confessed. Police also named a third suspect, thought he has claimed he was wrongly named because a friend was using his phone sim card at the time of the attack. He has not been charged, but remains in custody. Ali was taken into custody during a police raid on his home village in Punjab. Punjab's chief minister, Uzman Buzdar, said raids were underway to catch Malhi. Khan also said, without elaborating, that Malhi had been involved in another gang rape in 2013. The attack has prompted outrage in Pakistan, though sexual assaults are frequent in the deeply conservative country, with protests in major cities Activists are also demanding the release of Pakistan's chief of police after he appeared to blame the victim for the attack, saying she should not have gone out without a male guardian The case has caused outrage in Pakistan, where sexual assaults are thought to be common and rape is rarely prosecuted. Human rights activists say as few as two per cent of rape cases end in conviction. Activists have have also demanded the removal of the Lahore police chief, Umar Sheikh, who blamed the victim for going out without a male companion and running out of fuel while commenting on the attack. The police chief later apologized for his remarks, saying he had not intended to hold the woman responsible for her ordeal. Gang rape is rare in Pakistan, although sexual harassment and violence against women is frequently reported. Nearly 1,000 women are killed in Pakistan each year in so-called 'honor killings' for allegedly violating conservative norms on love and marriage. carthick1000 BHPian Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: CJB-Driel Posts: 384 Thanked: 1,560 Times View My Garage Lucid Air electric sedan - Highly innovative & a cut above the rest But with Lucid air's launch, I kind of see real innovation is happening. From how to use an EV powertrain effectively to get more space out of the car, more performance with less energy consumption and a plethora of simple but user focused features (Vehicle to Vehicle charging, Vehicle to grid charging etc.). After all a well engineered car is a well packaged one, and I think Lucid air has almost nailed it. Here is a text and image based overview of their launch film. For people who already saw the almost 1.5hour long video, some of these might be already known, but I try to keep it interesting by making some comparisons (with other EVs/ generally other Cars) on the way. Company First let me start with the company. I have heard about Lucid motors for quite some time in some EV blogs and forums, but I did not care to even check what models do they have or being developed. For me what counts is when they can be bought and used by people, ie there can be tens and hundreds of concept cars, but only few concepts make it into production. It is not worth reading or analysing cars, until they make it to the streets. Lucid air is a mature enough product worth analyzing. I think they have a good technology (esp. in-house), they have a strategy and they have enough financial backing to produce the cars. Leadership team At the end of the launch film, there was a Q&A with the leadership team. I find their profiles very interesting, given their backgrounds. So here are some of my opinions based on what I see, heard, known and experienced. Peter Hochholdinger - VP of manufacturing & ) By the way, except for the CEO/CTO, the remaining 4 of them had worked in the past for the best part of their career with Volkswagen group. I think it is a loss for VW, as they are still fiddling with the software for ID3 even after handing out cars to customers. Btw, the Diving a bit into the car itself. Production and deliveries: Spring 2021 will see first Limited edition versions roll out of the Casa grande plant in Arizona, USA. This is the top variant called Lucid air dream edition and costs 169000USD Followed by Grand touring and touring ediitons late in 2021. In 2022, comes the base Lucid Air for less than 80000USD. I think this will be very popular in European lease car fleets, esp. for middle management levels. The Formula E connection Atieva Technologies is the technology wing of Lucid motors They supply battery packs for not one but all the formula E cars for the 6th edition of Formula E race series. A short overview by bloomberg below. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTLG8zB0DiI Before Atieva was supplying battery packs to formula E, the drivers have to swap cars mid race, because there was not enough charge to finish the race fully (Btw, the older batteries were made by Williams). But Atieva revolutionised this with their highly energy efficient and powerful battery packs, so that the formula E regulations have been changed with no charging/car swapping stops during the race. This is an interesting connection as Lucid has the technology already used in E-Prix race cars. None of the other mainstream EV manufacturers have this fomula E pedigree Exterior design: The theme seems to be a single line flowing through - on the sides, front and back Micro lens array for head and tail lamps. Miniaturization of headlamp into smaller micro lens array of LEDs to increase efficiency Solid state swivelling high beam with thousands of little optical channels and control the throw in a homogenous way. They have an in house optical engineering team. How cool is that! The Tail lamp is a single piece. The rear looks a little bit of an Alpine A110, atleast to me. Interior design Touch screen with a minimalist UI Duality in interior themes between front and back. Front being more driver oriented with more darker shades and the rear being roomy and spacious with lighter shades for those who are chauffeured around Bench and Executive rear seat. Not sure if the executive seat is an option on some variants I still miss those ISOFIX tethering points, as they look too small to be usable in pictures. Maybe they are still designing that bit or the pictures don't show the production version Thoughtfully located roof grab handles close to the passengers. Temperature and fan adjustment gets physical button and has a scroll wheel, probably to be used in combination with a button+scroll Steering wheel has a floating scroll wheel design (Lucid calls it roller toggle). Feels roomy, but practically might be a pinch point for people who rest their arms on the stem of steering wheel, esp. when you want to swerve quickly to avoid a potential roadkill. The handles for drive mode selector and wiper control looks Tesla-esque Windshield extends as a panoramic roof. A bit shaped weirdly. Have to wait and see long term durability and cost of fixing/replacing for any damages One can't seem to open the middle console sliding cover fully, as the handrest sits in the way. The front interior dome light strip extending from middle to the inside rear view mirror is a thoughtful design Every interior theme is inspired by a combination of time of the day and location, where you would like to be in the American state of California. 5K curved floating display for optimized for the driver Another display at the front of middle console which retracts into dashboard Facial recognition for driving is an industry first, I think Alexa voice commands. Chassis Battery pack is a structural stressed member All wheel independent suspension Front wheels have McPherson strut with multi-link arms, however resembles more of a double wishbone suspension in geometry. This is a pretty neat combination of comfort and balanced driving dynamics Rear suspension from the pictures (It is not mentioned anywhere) and videos look more like a multilink setup but the upper and lower control arms are pretty well fixed in z axis, which means this too has a potential to provide the double wishbone advantages (read better handling, cornering and grip) What I miss is, they did not specify kerb weight in any of their official documents. With such an effective packaging and loads of empty space (A hole/empty space is the most lightweight component in any car. No one can beat that ), if they bring the weight less or at the levels of model S or even model 3, that will be a crown in their head. Powertrain - Innovation in packaging and efficiency improvement Motor and transmission as single inertial system. Combining the teams together instead of keeping them apart has its own benefits, esp. in terms of system design. Motor, transmission and Inverter as one unit- 73kgs and easily will become the industry benchmark for it's volume, weight and power density. See comparison with (Lucid doesnt say explicitly) Tesla model S, Tesla model 3 & Porsche Taycan Single, Dual and triple motor configurations Footprint, Cabin room and Luggage space With Lucid air's space concept, they achieved never before seen levels of space in a luxury sedan, not only compared with Luxury EVs, but with all luxury car segments. See space concept in action below: Space concept Comparing a traditional ICE (and even than competitor EVs), there is a lot of room inside due to the small powertrain and efficient packaging. Foot garages. This is a concept used in porsche taycan as well. Not placing the battery modules just where the rear passenger feet will be located in the skateboard (see pic of chassis above under battery as stressed member) 4 frunks in one (Porsche Taycan, Audi E-tron, Jaguar I-pace, Tesla model S) Frunk opening and space. Trunk opening and space. The wraparound opening is indeed funky Range & Efficiency 517miles (832km) EPA estimated range on a single charge. A nice video below and the related article of their prototype's real world driving test: Real world test 0.21 Cd - Most Aerodynamically efficient luxury car 4miles per kWh - translates to 250Wh/mile or 156Wh/km. This is in compact sedan / small hatchback EV territory and does not look like an F segment luxury sedan at all (Taycan wink wink) . The battery enclosure provides structural rigidity and also is curved up towards the rear to serve as a diffuser, to increase efficiency. I presume this accentuates the teardrop shape which is considered the most efficient aerofoil shape Battery pack designed modular and scalable like Lego blocks Lucid claims that they have 17% more efficiency than their nearest competitor (Tesla wink wink). This means they can extract 17% more range from the similarly sized pack of the competitor's battery pack. This is quite a remarkable achievement. Except Tesla (and now Lucid), other car manufacturers are still sourcing battery modules/cells from other suppliers. This makes them rely on what the suppliers innovate and just follow the flow. Lucid has a definite advantage and edge here. We have to wait and watch how good the long term state of health of such efficient battery packs Wunderbox - Innovation in the EV charging, V2V and V2G all in one packaging Uses solid state carbide switching (Traditionally the HV power electronic circuits use IGBTs). For those Power electonic enthusiasts, here is a general link for comparison of IGBTs vs Silicon carbide MOSFETs. Helps DC charging upto 920V Bidirectionality which helps in using the car's HV battery as a power source for your home or even an another car Boosts conventional super / high speed charger voltages from 400V to 900V Lucid air EV system voltage. 300kW DC charging speeds and 19.2kW AC 3 phase charging speeds Comfort - Innovation in HVAC packaging Two blowers - one for front and one for rear. This probably reduces the cooling time Also the blowers are placed not in the cabin, but outside the cabin, just above the drive unit. This reduces the noise with which they run on hot days and also generally most blower noise while cruising - COOL and CALM. Cost and vertical integration: Mass production is the key ingredient in system design. To enable cascading of technologies developed in expensive cars to trickle down to the 'Man in the Street' (That's how Lucid air puts expensive model in perspective) Five key elements in-house: Battery, motor, transmission, power electronics & software The business model also is planned to let Lucid air's technologies available for other manufacturers. This will help not only Lucid grow faster, but a lot of smaller EV companies and aftermarker system/kit suppliers. I will not be surprised even if bigger OEMs will have Lucid's powertrain and battery systems in their cars. Also in the launch film, they revealed a teaser of their project gravity which is an electric SUV ADAS and software 12V Redundant ethernet based network within the car 32 sensors - 6 front 6 rear ultrasonic sensors, 1 front radar and 11 Lidar sensors - all around and possibly the rest 8 are cameras: 7 - all around outside and 1 camera facing driver. I just did calculate them. (Indeed one needs to pause the video several times to get the finer details) OTA updates Retail experience: Lounges with mid century interiors Virtual reality based in vehicle experience Influence of video games for online vehicle order configuration Trivia on the launch date - 09-09-2020 170th Anniversary of founding the state of california 09:09 - standing quarter mile time of Lucid air World EV day Since Bjorn Nyland is one of those guys, who has driven and tested the most variety of EVs, he seems to like Lucid air too. Watch below what he has to say on Lucid air. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qN8EqBvIW8 I am quite excited to write this article, as I see after a long time (the last series of innovation was when Tesla launched their model S and BMW their i3 around early 2010's) real innovation happening in the EV world. I say this because, in the last year alone there has been a lot of EV models that are rolling out of showrooms, esp. here in Europe. But to me, they seem like just another EV with a big name brand on it (eg: Audi E-trons, Porsche Taycans, VW ID3s, Mercedes EQxs, Skoda Enyaqs etc.), but not much of path breaking things to talk about them. They all had their brand DNA's but not taken full advantage of a thoroughbred EV platform. They all want to eat into the market share of EVs for their respective brands. Some brands like Hyundai (Ioniq) and Tata (Nexon) developed platforms which can accommodate either Electric or ICE powertrains, which I think is an innovation in strategy, but not in technology. Such switchable platforms have inherently poor packaging (eg. no Frunk).But with Lucid air's launch, I kind of see real innovation is happening. From how to use an EV powertrain effectively to get more space out of the car, more performance with less energy consumption and a plethora of simple but user focused features (Vehicle to Vehicle charging, Vehicle to grid charging etc.). After all a well engineered car is a well packaged one, and I think Lucid air has almost nailed it.Here is a text and image based overview of their launch film. For people who already saw the almost 1.5hour long video, some of these might be already known, but I try to keep it interesting by making some comparisons (with other EVs/ generally other Cars) on the way.First let me start with the company. I have heard about Lucid motors for quite some time in some EV blogs and forums, but I did not care to even check what models do they have or being developed. For me what counts is when they can be bought and used by people, ie there can be tens and hundreds of concept cars, but only few concepts make it into production. It is not worth reading or analysing cars, until they make it to the streets. Lucid air is a mature enough product worth analyzing. I think they have a good technology (esp. in-house), they have a strategy and they have enough financial backing to produce the cars.At the end of the launch film, there was a Q&A with the leadership team. I find their profiles very interesting, given their backgrounds. So here are some of my opinions based on what I see, heard, known and experienced. Peter Rawlinson - CEO/CTO - This guy served as chief engineer at Lotus, chief engineer at Jaguar and a lead engineer for Tesla model S. Ask anyone who drove a Lotus Elise or Elan and they will immediately tell you how agile, light and fun to drive cars they are. And model S is unmistakably a clean sheet design. This combination hooked me how this guy will pick/picked his team. Derek Jenkins - VP of Design - He is the one who contributed to ND Mazda MX-5 design. That itself hooked me, as I owned an MX-5 ND for few years. The other cars like the Mazda 3, 6 and CX-9 too are really good designs. Eric bach - VP of hardware engineering - The reason I have both of them combined is they have lot of things common in their profile. Both Germans, studied at the same university, schooled in the autobahn loving German auto industry (Volkswagen group) and worked for Tesla before joining Lucid. [Trivia: Eric Bach mentioned that he would love to test Lucid air on German Autobahn, as it is one of his wishes when the car is homologated in Europe]. Having Germans at the lead of manufacturing and hardware engineering is a smart move of Lucid. Now we can be rest assured that the hardware is reliable and screwed well together (given the company staff and employees follow the ethos of their leadership Sue Magnusson - Deisgn Manager CMF (Colour, Material and Finish) - Well, from the way she explained about how some cities in california at various time of day looks and its influence on the interior themes of Lucid air got me interested. Design is all about influences and this californian company deserves such interior themes for their cars. I don't know why she did not get a profile page on their website.By the way, except for the CEO/CTO, the remaining 4 of them had worked in the past for the best part of their career with Volkswagen group. I think it is a loss for VW, as they are still fiddling with the software for ID3even after handing out cars to customers.Btw, the board of directors is a different ballgame. I am an engineer and not a financial or business expert to assess how the board has such a diverse group of investorsDiving a bit into the car itself.Since Bjorn Nyland is one of those guys, who has driven and tested the most variety of EVs, he seems to like Lucid air too. Watch below what he has to say on Lucid air. Last edited by carthick1000 : 14th September 2020 at 15:34 . BALLIA: A 17-year-old girl was allegedly abducted, beaten up and raped by two youths in a village under Phephna police station area in Ballia. An FIR was lodged in the case on the victim's mother complaint and two people were arrested on Tuesday, SHO Rajiv Mishra of Phephna told PTI. The incident took place on September 9 but came to light on September 14 when Lucknow Deputy Inspector General of Police Amitabh Thakur took note of a Facebook post of a social activist, Rajat Singh, on the gangrape, said police. Singh's Facebook post on the incident was based on a viral social media post in which it was said that the girl was returning home in his village from somewhere when the two boys accosted her at a secluded place and dragged her underneath a bridge, where they beat her up and raped her, they added. The activist also tagged with his post a viral video in which the girl was seen pleading with the alleged rapists, addressing them as bhaiya , to spare her. Taking cognizance of activist's post calling for the justice to the rape victim, DIG Thakur apprised additional director general of police of Varanasi zone and DIG, Azamgarh of the gangrape through his tweet on Monday, following which Ballia Superintendent of Police Devendra Nath ordered an FIR into the incident, said police. SHO Mishra said an investigation is on in the case. Incidentally, the victim of infamous December 16, 2012 gangrape case, also known as Nirbhaya case, too belonged to the same police station area Phephna in Ballia district. A Facebook whistleblower detailed major revelations about the company's ongoing struggle to combat misinformation. Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call A former Facebook employee wrote a memo revealing multiple stunning failures by Facebook to effectively deal with political misinformation across the globe, BuzzFeed News reported Monday. In the memo, data scientist Sophie Zhang claimed Facebook removed "10.5 million fake reactions and fans from high-profile politicians in Brazil and the US in the 2018 elections," according to BuzzFeed News. Zhang also claimed Facebook focused mostly on the US and Western Europe, referencing a manager's comment that: "most of the world outside the West was effectively the Wild West with [Zhang] as the part-time dictator." Facebook is facing growing criticism at the same time it faces it's largest challenge yet ahead of the US 2020 presidential election and dozens of contests around the world. Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. Former Facebook data scientist Sophie Zhang detailed multiple examples of the company's failures to effectively deal with political misinformation around the world in a blistering memo obtained by BuzzFeed News. One of Zhang's many revelations: the scale of inauthentic activity surrounding the 2018 US elections was greater than Facebook had previously disclosed. "We ended up removing 10.5 million fake reactions and fans from high-profile politicians in Brazil and the U.S. in the 2018 elections major politicians of all persuasions in Brazil, and a number of lower-level politicians in the United States," she wrote in the memo, according to BuzzFeed News. Facebook did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the memo or the extent of inauthentic behavior during the 2018 US elections. Zhang, who for nearly three years helped Facebook detect and deal with things like "fake engagement" and "bots influencing elections," according to her LinkedIn profile, revealed a pattern of Facebook not having enough resources to deal with the scope of misinformation on the site and, as a result, focusing on certain parts of the world and types of content. Story continues "There was so much violating behavior worldwide that it was left to my personal assessment of which cases to further investigate," Zhang wrote, saying the company tended to care more about "priority regions like the United States and Western Europe," BuzzFeed News reported. Yet Zhang's memo reportedly gave detailed accounts about efforts by both government employees and malicious actors to sway elections in countries other than the US, including Honduras, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, India, Bolivia, Ecuador, and Brazil though she said the company didn't take action as aggressively in those cases. Zhang also said, according to BuzzFeed News, that Facebook placed more emphasis on addressing "spam" and issues likely to cause a PR headache for the company instead of ensuring the integrity of elections in smaller countries, telling her "human resources are limited" when she urged the company to do more about political misinformation. The memo indicates that Facebook continues to have massive challenges ahead of it when it comes to dealing with misinformation, particularly concerning political and social issues, even as it faces growing criticism over its slow and inconsistent responses to recent events like deadly shootings in Kenosha and false claims about mail-in voting by US President Donald Trump. Read the original article on Business Insider The state's misconduct watchdog has launched a criminal investigation into the violent arrest of a man at Epping after footage surfaced of him being rammed by a police car before an officer stomped on his head in front of horrified onlookers. One of the force's most senior officers labelled the use of force as "inappropriate", revealing the 32-year-old man had been waiting 19 hours for mental health treatment at the Northern Hospital before the incident. Footage shows a Victoria Police officer allegedly stomping on the man's head. Credit:Jake Edwards The arrest came as Victoria Police revealed on Tuesday it had been unable to roll out new mental health training for frontline members due to an "extraordinary" year of bushfires and the coronavirus pandemic. A 24-year old man became the latest person with suspected mental health concerns to be injured during a hostile interaction with police, after being shot by two officers outside a medical centre in Lilydale on Tuesday. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-14 23:44:16|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close NAIROBI, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- The ability of African countries to feed themselves amid climatic shocks and COVID-19 disruptions hinges on the establishment of robust and community-centered land tenure systems, a lobby group said on Monday. Audace Kubwimana, the regional coordinator of International Land Coalition in Africa (ILC Africa), said that strengthening the land tenure systems in the continent is key to eradicate hunger and enhance response to climate change. "For Africa, we want to be achieved, we must strategically address the burning issues of weak land tenure security for millions of smallholder farmers," Kubwimana said in a statement issued in Nairobi. He said that desert locust invasion, perennial conflicts, outdated policies and climatic stresses had undermined efforts to transform the land tenure system in Africa. The International Land Coalition in Africa has partnered with the African Union Commission (AUC) and Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) to convene a forum on improving land governance in the continent. Over 1,000 delegates including policymakers, scholars and campaigners will participate in the virtual Africa Land Forum 2020 to be held from September 15 to 17 whose theme will be delivering the continent's transformation agenda through people-centered land governance. Kubwimana said that enactment of laws and policies that promote land governance in Africa is key to transform rural livelihoods amid economic downturn linked to COVID-19. Janet Edeme, head, Rural Economy Division, AU's Department of Rural Economy and Agriculture, said that regional and continental blocs should join hands to promote the land governance agenda as a prerequisite to achieving sustainable development. "The 2020 Land Forum affords us the opportunity to assess how far we have come, and what needs to be adjusted so as to improve land governance in the continent, "said Edeme. Esther Obaikol, a land governance expert at IGAD said that women and youth should be involved in efforts to strengthen land tenure in Africa in order to realize inclusive growth and cohesion. "It is critical that the actors on the continent employ multiple pathways to gender equality agenda on land if we are to meet the targets set in the Agenda 2063," said Obaikol. Enditem Re: At airports and on planes, social distancing still a long way off, by Randy Diamond, Wary Traveler, SA Inc., Sept. 6. Recently, the Wary Traveler described an unsatisfactory experience on a flight. In contrast, I chose to fly twice this summer and felt that staff of the airport and airlines did all they could to promote safety within the structural limitations forced upon them. Wary Traveler begins with the lament that after having fallen asleep on a flight with his mask down, he was awakened by a flight attendant who asked him to cover his face. It was the responsibility of the traveler to keep his mask on at all times, except for short periods to eat or drink. I received many messages from the airlines about the need to wear a mask at all times. I also knew that both San Antonio and my destination city required masks indoors. There was a great deal of signage, in multiple languages, reminding me of this. Except for lowering my mask so the TSA screener could see that my face matched my ID photo, I kept my nose and mouth covered in the terminals. The Wary Traveler complains about the security screener who asked to see his face and the flight attendant who asked him to cover it. I was grateful that security personnel verified identities and flight attendants enforced the rules designed for the safety of other travelers and essential staff working to get me to my destination. When I chose to fly, I realized it would be impossible to have 6 feet of distance between me and others when going through the security screening, boarding the plane and, at times, in terminal hallways. I took my trip with the realistic expectation that people make their best efforts to distance, and they did so. For the Wary Traveler to complain that sometimes he came within 6 feet of others in terminal hallways and during the boarding process is unrealistic. People tried to stay 6 feet away in lines and around the gate area, but I understood that the size of the terminals, jet bridges and planes had not changed in response to the pandemic. The airlines I flew boarded passengers beginning with the back row, and we deplaned from the front. I applaud the airport and airline personnel who are doing all they can to ensure safety with these new requirements. If someone had fallen asleep next to me without a mask after receiving so many requests to keep the mask on inside the plane I would have woken him and rudely asked him to cover his face, or called an airline staff member for assistance in doing so. I agree with him that it is a new world of flying, but I believe his disdain for the security staff and flight attendant is misplaced. Karen Roe is a professional tour guide in San Antonio. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau warned Monday that Canada was not out of the woods with the coronavirus, urging citizens to be vigilant amid an uptick in virus cases nationwide. The country recorded more than 1,300 cases over the weekend -- a level not seen since early summer. On Monday, Quebec and Ontario provinces, the most populous in Canada and the hardest-hit by the pandemic, confirmed nearly 600 cases. One of the things were seeing is, with numbers rising across the country, we are not out of the woods, Trudeau told a press conference in Ottawa. He said the resumption of classes and the reopening of the Canadian economy, meaning more people are back to work, had led to an increase in case numbers. The last thing anyone wants is to go into this fall in a lockdown similar to this spring. And the way we can prevent that is by remaining vigilant, Trudeau said, reiterating the importance of wearing masks and practicing social distancing. Ontario Premier Doug Ford sounded a warning, saying: Let me be crystal clear every option is on the table, we will take every step necessary including further shutdowns. On Saturday, Quebec became the first Canadian province to fine people for refusing to wear face coverings in enclosed public spaces. The fines run from CAN$400-6,000 (US$303-4,550). That did not prevent a crowd of several thousand people from protesting against mask wearing in Montreal on Saturday. As of Monday, Canada had registered more than 137,000 coronavirus cases since mid-March. More than 9,200 people have died as a result of Covid-19. Shmoop Logo Education has changed for good, and we are thrilled to assist LAUSD as we more forward As schools and districts across the nation scrambled to enable virtual learning resources, Los Angeles Unified School District selected Shmoop as their online learning content provider, equipping teachers and students at 100 California schools with necessary online learning materials to help balance a virtual learning environment. LAUSD schools now have access to Shmoop's Digital Content Library, Intervention solutions, and Test Readiness programs. For those 100 LAUSD schools, this means that teachers can tap into Shmoops 400 courses to support their curriculum in a virtual learning environment while students will have access to thousands of fun and engaging videos and study guides. While teachers and students will leverage these resources virtually, they are also structured to simplify the transition back to an in-person classroom environment, should that happen. While students are learning in a mostly remote environment, California schools are still looking at how they can best prepare students to succeed on standardized tests, such as the ACT. Through Shmoop, LAUSD high school students will have access to an online and personalized test readiness program to help them prepare for the taking ACT or SAT. While we have been working with LAUSD for some time now, we are so excited to provide additional online learning resources to help students at these additional 100 schools continue to progress. Education has changed for good, and we are thrilled to assist LAUSD as we move forward into the next generation of learning says Andy Rahden, CEO at Shmoop. More than 6 million teachers and students already use Shmoops digital learning content and test readiness materials each month, and as school districts navigate the transition to a virtual learning environment this Fall, students within the LAUSD school district will have the learning resources they need to better support remote instruction. For more information, visit shmoop.com/schools-districts or contact Shmoop at sales@shmoop.com. About Shmoop Shmoop provides schools with online courses, test readiness, and intervention solutions focused on personalized learning and college and career readiness, all designed for students and used by teachers for both in-person and remote learning. Shmoops research-based classroom technology, Heartbeat, focuses on a students emotional health, cognitive position, and background to improve their ability to achieve academically (http://www.shmoop.com). ### German car parts maker Continental on Tuesday said it plans to close a tyre plant, costing 1,800 jobs, in the latest blow to the beleaguered auto industry. The firm aims to shut down its factory in the city of Aachen in northwestern Germany by the end of 2021. The coronavirus pandemic has "reinforced" a decline in the tyre sector that has been years in the making, a Continental spokesman said. However, according to trade union IG BCE, which represents the company's rubber division employees, the factory was "in the black" up until the spring of 2020. "The cuts in the rubber business can't be explained either by the transformation of the car industry or by the coronavirus crisis. This is simply a matter of cutting for the sake of cutting," said IG BCE representative Francesco Grioli, who also sits on Continental's supervisory board. "This will meet with our resistance at all levels." The Hanover-based company announced just two weeks ago that it would expand its restructuring programme. Around 30,000 jobs globally will be "modified, relocated or made redundant", including 13,000 in Germany, as Continental aims to save more than a billion euros ($1.2 billion) annually from 2023. The company blamed "persistently low global vehicle production as well as the deepening economic crisis as a result of the coronavirus pandemic." Continental last month said the group's net profit plunged 41 percent to 485 million euros in the second quarter. Fellow German car parts maker Schaeffler recently said it would cut 4,400 jobs as it struggles to recover from the fallout of weeks of lockdowns earlier in the year. edf/mfp/wai WHO provides SARS-CoV-2 antibody ELISA tests available in Iran IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Tehran, Sept 14, IRNA -- The World Health Organization (WHO), through a donation by the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) in Germany, has provided the Islamic Republic of Iran with more than 67,500 enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) tests. The tests, which measure the number of antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19) in blood samples, will be used for research and surveillance purposes in the country. According to The World Health Organization (WHO) in Tehran, these efforts will be coordinated by a workgroup established within the Epidemiology Committee of the National COVID-19 Headquarters, endorsed by the Minister of Health and Medical Education. "These kits will be used for seroepidemiologic studies in populations in different provinces to help us gain better insight into the prevalence of the disease in populations under study," said Dr. Ali Akbar Haghdoost, Deputy Minister for Education at Iran's Ministry of Health and Medical Education (MOHME) and the head of the Epidemiology Committee. The full text of his message reads: Some of the test kits were distributed based on the seroepidemiology workgroup's recommendation to the Iranian Blood Transfusion Organization (IBTO) to ensure the quality of donated plasma. Tests were also provided to the Pasteur Institute of Iran for research on the immunity of key populations and assessing the quality of domestic diagnostic kits, and to the Pediatric Infections Research Center at Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences in Tehran for a study on the prevalence of the epidemic among children. Additional tests will be distributed by the IBTO according to recommendations by the committee. "Seroepidemiologic studies on SARS-CoV-2 are becoming ever more important, for further steering effectively public health measure, for better understanding of immunological reactions, for vaccine development and new treatment options. WHO will continue to provide strong support to the Ministry of Health and Medical Education in these areas, together with other partners such as the Robert Koch Institute," said Dr. Christoph Hamelmann, WHO Representative in the Islamic Republic of Iran. "Although this is the first time WHO supports the IBTO in COVID-19 response, this organization has contributed to controlling HIV, HCV and other blood-borne infections in the recent decade through procedures conducted on donated blood products and counseling provided to donors as a strategy for ensuring blood safety," said Dr. Omid Zamani, WHO National Professional Officer for Communicable Diseases. Usually, antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 develop during the course of COVID-19 in infected patients. In the absence of a vaccine, they indicate the current or past infection, irrespective of whether the individual had a severe or mild disease or even an asymptomatic infection. It is not yet clear for how long after the infection the acquired antibodies will remain detectable in the blood, and to what degree they contribute to immunity. The IBTO High Institute for Research and Education in Transfusion Medicine is a designated WHO Collaborating Center since September 1, 2013. The organization is screening blood donors nationwide and prepares plasma therapy kits for treating COVID-19 patients in hospitals. 6125**2050 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City, the newest edition in the franchise, will screen in November. There are no sister wives in this most surprising new series, but there are Mormon, Islamic, Jewish and Pentecostal faiths. This is screening exclusively on hayu same day as the US. The series delves into the undiscovered world of Salt Lake City within an exclusive social circle made up of six successful women whove created their own paradise filled with luxury homes, shopping sprees and multi-million-dollar businesses. The series follows the elite and unconventional lives of Lisa Barlow, Mary Cosby, Heather Gay, Meredith Marks, Whitney Rose and Jen Shah, as they navigate a society fueled by religion, beauty, wealth and perfection. The Mormon church is undeniably engrained in the culture of Salt Lake City, but these women represent a spectrum of religious beliefs ranging from Mormon, Islamic, Jewish and Pentecostal. Here perfection is not an aspiration, its a mandate. With a deep-rooted history, these women share a special bond, but when circles are this tight its only a matter of time before beliefs and personalities collide. Whether hitting the slopes, attending parties at Sundance or hosting the citys elite, these housewives hold themselves and each other to an extremely high standard and never hold back when things go sideways, but lord knows they are always there for each other when they need it most. Lisa Barlow Born in New York, Lisa Barlow has been living in Utah for over 20 years. As the owner of a marketing company and various tequila brands, she considers herself Mormon 2.0 as she is not one to adhere to all of the traditional and strict Mormon rules. Lisa attended BYU with Heather and has been best friends with Meredith for years. Married to her husband John with two children, she seemingly has it all, but struggles with her quest for perfection when her unrealistic standards start impacting her friendships. Mary Cosby With a penchant for God, couture and only the finest champagne, Mary Cosby is a Pentecostal First Lady who inherited her familys empire of churches, restaurants and more. The caveat in her taking over the family business was that she marry her late grandmothers second husband, Robert Cosby Sr. They have since been married for 20 years and have one teenage son together. Small but mighty and always dressed to the nines, her unconventional past has made her guarded and she quickly finds herself on shaky ground with some of the ladies. Heather Gay A devout Mormon from birth, Heather Gay was married to Mormon royalty for 11 years but has distanced herself from the church after her divorce. A self-proclaimed good Mormon gone bad, she now considers herself Mormon-ish as she plays by her own rules. A devoted mother to three daughters, she owns a burgeoning Med-Spa business, Beauty Lab and Laser where the ladies often frequent. As she embarks on the next chapter of her life, Heather is on a journey of self-discovery as she finds her voice and looks for love again. Meredith Marks Meredith Marks is a celebrity jewellery designer with a store on Main Street in Park City. Jewish and married for over 25 years, Meredith and her husband Seth have hit a rough patch and with their kids in college, she is faced with being an empty nester for the first time in her life. An ice queen with a knack for partying, Meredith is often out on the social circle alongside Jen and Lisa, who love to buy her jewellery even the rings off her fingers. Meredith appears to have it all but when rumours begin to swirl, she must decide if she wants to turn to her girlfriends for support or suffer in silence. Whitney Rose A descendant of Mormon royalty, Whitney Rose has been trying her best to navigate life outside of the religion for over a decade. She left the church after she fell madly in love with her boss, Justin, and the two had an affair. Within weeks, they both left their spouses to be with each other and got married when Whitney found out she was pregnant. Married for 10 years, they have two children Bobbi and Brooks and she owns a skin care line called Iris and Beau. Now, she is faced with parenting her father who is dealing with his own struggles and depends on her for everything. And just when it seems like society is finally beginning to accept her 10-year-marriage, scandalous rumours about her progressive relationship start to swirl. Jen Shah As a Tongan and Hawaiian growing up in Salt Lake City, Jen Shah felt like she often stuck out in her traditionally white, Mormon world. When she learned about the historical mistreatment of black people in the Mormon religion, she converted from Mormonism to Islam. A mom of two with her husband, Sharrieff, Jen is the queen of her house and her businesses as the CEO of three marketing companies. Always decked out in designer brands, Jen loves to host parties and spares no expense its important to her that everyone knows she is the best host in Utah. With an extravagant personality and sharp tongue, she can go from 0 to 100 very quickly, but usually comes back with apologies and love. But its not always fun and games for Jen with this group of women when she quickly finds herself at the centre of the drama. Thursday November 12 on hayu. People are cutting the Netflix cord after the platforms release of the French film, Cuties. According to FOX Business, numbers gained by research firm, YipitData, show a significant increase in users who chose not to renew their subscriptions after the movies premiere. The streaming behemoth even saw a 1.3 percent drop in shares on Monday. This video still shows young girls dancing in the upcoming Netflix film "Cuties."Video still Cuties (or Migonnes in its original French) follows the story of Amy (Fathia Youssouf) who seeks to escape her familys traditional conservative ways by joining a dance group. While this may sound like a lighthearted coming-of-age story, audiences became outraged over the sexualized nature of the film, particularly that of its core cast of 11-year-old girls. Those defending the film, including Netflix itself, point to the fact that this sexualization is satirical and intended as a social commentary of how underaged girls are very much put into situations in which their bodies are inappropriately put on display. But many just arent buying that excuse, fervently getting behind the #CancelNetflix trend. The cries for pulling Cuties from the platform dont appear to be quieting down any time soon, either. Several petitions calling for the films removal have surfaced, each touting between 300,000 and 650,000 signatures as of the writing of this article. Netflix has changed the original description and marketing photos used for the film without commenting on whether or not the company will pull the film in its entirety. Hamshire-Fannett High School has closed and transitioned to distance learning after the principal, one staff member and a student exposed as many as 82 people to the coronavirus. The closure is the first in the region since the 2020-21 school year began, although some of the larger districts started with virtual learning and will transition this month to in-person classes. Superintendent Dwaine Augustine said the district was following all protocols put in place, and made the decision to close after determining that 12 staff members possibly were exposed to the virus following contact with the principal and an unnamed staff member. We decided to go online because with that many staff-members out, and then you have the normal reasons people cant be at work you just cant operate that way, Augustine said. Monday was the first day for students online, with the last day in-person being Friday. There are about 56 teachers at the school, Augustine said, meaning more than 20% of staff would be unable to return if the campus did remain open. The one student that tested positive at the high school was found to have been in close contact with 70 students, or about 12% of the schools 578 students, according to TEA data for the 2019-20 school year. Another case at an elementary school in the district caused 35 students to be sent home to quarantine. But that campus, along with the middle school, remain open. High school students will remain online until the district can clear enough staff to come back a process Augustine said the district will determine on a day-to-day basis. However, the Texas Education Agency allows for only five days of complete distance learning in order to continue being fully funded. The states policy, which was announced in July, says that when a school closes its campus as a result of a confirmed COVID-19 case on campus, remote instruction will be funded. However, to allow sufficient time to resolve the public health concerns while minimizing academic disruption, campuses may only remain closed to on-campus instruction for up to five consecutive days (including the original closure) day, while drawing funding for all students participating in remote instruction. The closure period does not end until the campus has reopened for in-person learning for one instructional day, according to the TEA. When it comes to the inability to open because of staff in quarantine, the TEA also said all staffing concerns are local matters. Other districts in the region also are starting to send home students that came in close contact with COVID-19 positive individuals, including 32 students across three campuses in Port Neches-Groves ISD. Those cases occurred over the last two weeks, and parents at each school were notified by letter when the positive cases were confirmed. Assistant Superintendent Julie Gauthier said students who are sent home to quarantine take work with them and follow a similar procedure to years past, when students were out with the flu or strep throat. The district is the only one in the region not to offer a virtual learning option. In the most recent case last Tuesday at Port Neches-Groves High School, no students came into close contact with the virus-positive individual. Another case at that school had three close contacts, according to information provided Monday by the district. Another case at Port Neches Middle School had 22 close contacts, and one case at Groves Elementary had seven. Last Tuesday was PN-GISDs first day back following the evacuation for Hurricane Laura. Hardin-Jefferson ISD currently has two active coronavirus cases, down from 13 at the end of August. Nederland ISD confirmed four cases Monday three at Nederland High School and one at Central Middle School. They did not publicly share how many students were considered in close contact, adding that they would individually contact those people. In accordance with state guidelines, this is a notification that there have been three positive cases of COVID-19 reported after this weekend at your childs school, said a letter from NHS Principle Steven Beagle sent home with all students. If your child has been in close contact with the positive individual, you will be contacted by a campus administrator. This is not a close contact letter. Close contact, as laid out in the letter and by district policies, is defined as being directly exposed to infectious secretions or being within 6 feet for a cumulative duration of 15 minutes. Some factors, including if proper masks were worn and the environment had proper ventilation and dividers, could change that determination, according to the letter. An identical letter was sent home to parents of students at Central Middle School. Both letters ask parents to continue monitoring for symptoms of COVID-19, including fever of greater than 100 degrees, cough, difficulty breathing and sudden loss of taste or smell. NISD started school on Sept. 8. isaac.windes@hearstnp.com twitter.com/isaacdwindes RTHK: Alexei Navalny 'breathing on his own' Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny on Tuesday posted a picture of himself in a hospital in Germany and said he was breathing on his own. He posted on Instagram: Hi, this is Navalny. I have been missing you. I still cant do much, but yesterday I managed to breathe on my own for the entire day. "Just on my own, no extra help, not even a valve in my throat. I liked it very much. Its a remarkable process that is underestimated by many. Strongly recommended. Navalny, 44, was flown to Berlin for treatment at the Charite hospital two days after falling ill on a domestic flight in Russia on August 20. A German military lab determined that Navalny was poisoned with Novichok, the same class of Soviet-era agent that Britain said was used on former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter in Salisbury, England, in 2018. On Monday, the German government said tests by labs in France and Sweden backed up its findings. The Kremlin has bristled at calls from German Chancellor Angela Merkel and other leaders to answer questions about the poisoning, denying any official involvement. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has accused the West of using the incident as a pretext to introduce new sanctions against Moscow. French President Emmanuel Macrons office said he had expressed deep concern over the criminal act that targeted Navalny directly with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday. The Kremlin said Putin in the call underlined the impropriety of unfounded accusations against the Russian side and emphasised Russias demand for Germany to hand over analyses and samples. Putin also called for joint work by German and Russian doctors. Navalnys spokesman, Leonid Volkov, refused to give any details on Navalnys possible plans after his recovery. (AP) This story has been published on: 2020-09-15. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Airliners could reap fuel savings of up to 10 per cent along with a corresponding decrease in emissions by flying in formation like birds, Airbus has revealed. The concept, which the European aerospace firm has dubbed fello'fly, will see planes fly relatively close behind one another. This allows the trailing aircraft to take advantage of the vortices of rotating air left behind by the leading plane's wing tips a technique borrowed from geese known as 'vortex surfing'. Tests involving two of Airbus' A350 aircraft will begin this year, and move to trial runs in oceanic airspace as early as 2021, the firm said. If successful, the firm hopes to add the manoeuvres to regular service by around 2015 a move that could cut aviation CO2 emissions by 34 million tons per year. However, the firm will first need buy-in from air traffic service providers and regulating authorities to allow craft to fly closer together than they do today. Scroll down for video Airliners could reap fuel savings of up to 10 per cent along with a corresponding decrease in emissions by flying in formation like birds, Airbus has revealed. Pictured, geese flying in a V The concept which the European aerospace firm has dubbed fello'fly will see planes fly relatively close behind each other, so the trailing craft can get free lift. This comes from the smooth updraught that flows around on the edges of the leading aircraft's turbulent wake Vortex surfing, also known as 'wake energy retrieval', allows an aircraft to recover energy 'lost' by the craft in front of it by getting 'free lift' on the updraught created around the leading plane's wake. The wake itself, in the form of two vortices shed by an air craft's wingtips, can be dangerous, and has the potential to flip other, smaller aircraft if they fly too close to the plane generating the wake. Ordinarily when flying in so-called 'oceanic airspace', airlines keep some 3050 nautical miles (5590 kilometres) apart from each other along a given flight path, alongside maintaining a 1,000 feet (305 metre) vertical separation for safety. In a fello'fly manoeuvre, however, once both craft have passed the so-called 'way point' and entered oceanic airspace, they will close their horizontal distance to 1.5 nautical miles (3 kilometres). 'While this sounds challenging, a pair of fellofly aircraft will still remain ten times farther apart longitudinally than the 1,000-feet vertical separations that have been safely in practice for over two decades,' Airbus said in a press release. At this point, the leading aircraft will assume responsibility for communicating with aircraft traffic control, while assistance tech on the follower aircraft will help its pilot navigate across and up into the best position in the updraught to save fuel. Assistive technology will be needed, as both the wake and the beneficial updraught are invisible to the eye but the aircraft will need to maintain the correct positioning with respect to both to ensure a smooth flight. When the planes need to separate out to head to different destinations, the tailing aircraft will reverse the manoeuvre returning back to its original flight level and instructing air traffic control to once again track both planes individually. Fello'fly uses a technique called 'wake energy retrieval' a trick borrowed from migrating geese, as illustrated above in which an aircraft recovers energy 'lost' by the craft in front of it by getting free lift from the updraught created around the leading plane's wake Tests which will involve two of Airbus' A350 aircraft, pictured will begin this year, and move to trial runs in oceanic airspace as early as 2021, the firm said Airbus last week announced a partnership with two airlines French Bee and Scandinavian Airlines along with the UK, French and European air navigation service providers to demonstrate the feasibility of the fello'fly concept. 'For airlines, the main concern is understanding which two aircraft are well-suited to this collaborative activity on any given day, as well as changes to the pilots role in executing a new kind of operation,' Airbus explained. 'For air navigation service providers, the key focus is helping controllers safely bring two aircraft together into a shared operation while managing new air traffic control requirements,' they explained. 'In the aviation industry, achieving our emission-reduction targets will require implementing innovative new ways to use aircraft in the skies,' said Airbus managing director and fello'fly demonstration leader Nick Macdonald. Pictured, an illustration of the fello'fly method 'We need to make sure we can do the joining safely. We will have no compromise on safety, whatsoever,' Airbus CEO Sandra Bour Schaeffer told CNN 'In the aviation industry, achieving our emission-reduction targets will require implementing innovative new ways to use aircraft in the skies,' said Airbus managing director and fello'fly demonstration leader Nick Macdonald. 'Our collaboration with our airline partners and air navigation service providers on fellofly shows that were making good efforts towards these goals,' he added. The tests beginning this year will start with trials of the pilot assistance technology, paving the way for more comprehensive demonstrations next year. 'We need to make sure we can do the joining safely. We will have no compromise on safety, whatsoever,' Airbus CEO Sandra Bour Schaeffer told CNN. When coronavirus first struck Britain, Boris Johnson assured the public that our country remains extremely well prepared to cope. Among our national assets, he boasted, was a fantastic testing system. Even when the virus was at its peak in May, the Prime Minister was still in hyperbolic mode as he promised that the testing regime would soon be world-beating. How hollow that rhetoric now sounds. The Government has failed miserably to live up to these extravagant promises. Far from being a global leader, Britains shambolic approach to testing is approaching an international embarrassment. Front-line healthcare workers, including doctors and nurses, are unable to find tests, as are care home residents, teachers and millions of others who, more than six months into the pandemic, could reasonably expect to have a test on demand when required. Even when the virus was at its peak in May, the Prime Minister was still in hyperbolic mode as he promised that the testing regime would soon be world-beating Threat An air of chaos reigns, characterised by limited capacity, difficulties in making appointments, backlogs in processing and long delays in results. It is a sorry mess that not only fuels profound disillusion among the public, but also represents a serious threat to the nations health. The entire post-lockdown strategy has been based on the creation of a swift, reliable test, track and trace system. Without this, containment of the virus will be much harder. And quite simply, ministers have failed us. They have to get a grip before it is too late. As a doctor, I can tell you that the medical profession has been well aware of the problem for months. Despite the vital need for healthcare workers to be Covid-free, nearly all my colleagues have long given up trying to book test appointments for themselves because the task is almost impossible. An air of chaos reigns, characterised by limited capacity, difficulties in making appointments, backlogs in processing and long delays in results One associate of mine developed a cough that he felt sure was just part of a cold but, in accordance with the guidelines, he had to isolate himself, while a locum was brought in as cover. That both increased costs to the NHS and undermined continuity of care. If such an experience is continually repeated elsewhere, it will make it difficult for hospitals and clinics not to mention care homes, schools and workplaces to function. Britains supposedly world-beating system has buckled under the weight of demand. A study by LBC radio this week found that no walk-in, drive-through or home tests were available in any of the ten areas in England with the highest infection rates, such as Bradford and Manchester. Yesterday, huge queues were photographed at testing centres in Southend, Bury, Birmingham and Manchester: more symbols of the states failure to deliver. Facing questions in Parliament yesterday, Health Secretary Matt Hancock admitted that 250,000 Britons are waiting for test results thanks to a mammoth backlog. Shamefully, 75 per cent of tests are missing their 24-hour turnaround target. Britains supposedly world-beating system has buckled under the weight of demand Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle rightly said this record was unacceptable and demanded Mr Hancock take urgent action. So dire is the position that tests are being sent to Germany and Italy for results, a shameful development. Beyond the laboratory hold-ups, many people have spoken of the ordeal on the phone or via the website when trying to book a test. It was a nightmare, like dealing with your car insurance provider times a thousand, said a caller to a BBC radio show yesterday. Even when the more fortunate ones manage to secure a place, the test location can be very far away. One teenager from Plymouth on the South coast was offered an appointment in Inverness, Scotland, an 11-hour drive. The blame for this fiasco lies squarely with the Government. Ministers have shown neither foresight nor effectiveness. Through the long summer months they should have embarked on a huge exercise in strengthening capacity, using the wealth of expertise that lies in the NHS, local government and the public health sector. Instead, they handed control to a number of commercial giants like Serco. Many experts were sidelined, their experience untapped, their skills ignored. The consequence has been a hopelessly fragmented, disconnected structure that is unable to meet the nations needs. The Government has failed miserably to live up to these extravagant promises. Far from being a global leader, Britains shambolic approach to testing is approaching an international embarrassment Chaos As Professor Allyson Pollock, director of the Newcastle University Centre for Excellence in Regulatory Science, wrote in July: Britains test and trace programme is about as far from integrated or effective as you can get. Thats because a key part of it operates not as part of the NHS, but in parallel to it, as a network of commercial, privatised testing labs, drive-through centres and call centres. The result, she added, has been chaos. In effect, the Government has broken its side of the contract with public. We accepted an unprecedented loss of our essential liberties in return for capable management of the crisis by the state. But ministers have not kept to the bargain, as shown by a string of failures such as the supply of protective equipment, the farce over the contact tracing app and mixed messages on risk. This testing farrago is as serious as any of those. It has the potential to devastate the economy, education and the health service itself, not least as I have seen in my own practice through absenteeism among staff who have to stay off work because they have some Covid symptoms but cannot get a test. Last week Boris Johnson set out a grandiose vision of a system that could deliver ten million tests per day by early next year, nicknaming it the moonshot programme. The cost was estimated to be as high as 100 billion, almost the equivalent of the entire NHS budget. But, given the ineptitude, his proposal sounded depressingly absurd rather than boldly inspiring. The headmasterly Matt Hancock has complained that the frivolous demand for tests is stretching capacity beyond its limits. But this attempt to pass the buck is hypocritical. Facing questions in Parliament yesterday, Health Secretary Matt Hancock (pictured) admitted that 250,000 Britons are waiting for test results thanks to a mammoth backlog Calamity It is, after all, Mr Hancocks Government that not only adopted a deliberate policy to create a climate of fear about coronavirus, but also promised that anyone with symptoms could have a test. It is a bit rich now to blame the public for acting on his own advice. The Government needs to stop indulging in distractions. Most doctors reportedly believe that a second wave is coming. The demand for tests is thus likely to explode in the coming weeks and months. The pressures are all the greater because pupils are returning to school, workers are going back to offices and millions will get colds and flu. Additional pressures will come from the fact that huge numbers of tests have understandably been promised to care homes. Our country and economy cannot endure another lockdown. But without a vaccine, the only way to avoid such a calamity is an effective testing regime, one that properly uses the resources of the NHS and the public sector. Yesterday Mr Hancock took a step towards greater humility and urgency in the Commons when he spoke of the enormous challenge his Government faces and the need to prioritise tests for those who most need it. He added that the problems could be ironed out in weeks. He now needs to translate his words into deeds. SQL Server 2019 on Dell EMC PowerEdge R640 vSAN Ready Nodes While older versions of Microsoft SQL Server were not originally designed to support data on the scale of petabytes, exabytes, or greater, SQL Server 2019 provides this support. However, the success of this platform hinges on the robust nature, scalability, and resource efficiency of the underlying storage infrastructure. This white paper describes the benefits of scaling multiple SQL Server OLTP databases on Dell EMC R640 vSAN Ready Nodes while maintaining high performance. Read on to learn how your company could benefit from this configuration, as well as to see an overview of solution components, scalability tests for SQL Server 2019, and more. Rob Carr, STF / Associated Press More oil and gas companies are expected to file for bankruptcy this year as the coronavirus pandemic continues to depress energy demand. Thirty-three oil and gas producers with more than $50 billion of debt have sought bankruptcy protection since the coronavirus broke out in the U.S. in March, according to the latest oil patch bankruptcy report from Haynes and Boone. The Dallas-based law firm, which has been tracking North American energy bankruptcies since 2015, said bankruptcy filings this year are up 62 percent compared with the same period last year. West African leaders are arriving in the country this morning to participate in an extraordinary ECOWAS Summit. The summit, which will be held at the Presidential Villa at Peduase, near Aburi in the Eastern Region, will discuss ways of helping to resolve the governance crisis in Mali. Presidents S.E. Patrice Talon of Benin, Roch Marc Christian Kabore of Burkina Faso, Jorge Carlos Fonseca of Cabo Verde, Alassane Ouattara of Cote dIvoire, Adama Barrow of The Gambia and Alpha Conde of Guinea are among the Heads of State and Governments of ECOWAS who will attend todays meeting at Peduase. Others are Presidents Maro Sissoco Embalo of Guinea Bissau, George Manneh Weah of Liberia, Mahamadou Issoufou of Niger and Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria. The rest are Presidents Macky Sall of Senegal, Julius Maada Bio of Sierra Leone and Faure Essozimna Gnassingbe of Togo. The Presidents and Heads of Governments will start arriving from 9 a.m. today for the one-day summit, which will also have all the stakeholders in the Mali crisis in attendance. The deposed Malian President, Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, will not attend the summit, convened by the Chairman of ECOWAS and President of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. However, the military junta in Mali, led by Colonel Assimi Goita, which seized power on August 18, this year, will be at the summit. The junta, calling itself the National Committee for the Salvation of the People, has promised to restore democratic governance within 12 months, following the intervention of ECOWAS, which sent a delegation, headed by a former President of Nigeria, Goodluck Jonathan, to Mali on August 23. Peduase The Peduase Summit will be a family affair, as international bodies and foreign diplomatic/development partners will not attend. It will, therefore, stand as West Africa dealing with its own affair the family way. The Daily Graphic has gathered that President Akufo-Addo, who will steer affairs at todays summit, will stress the need for the restoration of peace and stability in the Sahelian country, which also witnessed a coup detat in 2012. The discussions will also touch on how to quickly appoint civilians to form a transitional government towards the restoration of democratic rule in not more than 12 months. Regional stability This is because stability in Mali is germane to West African peace, as jihadist elements had used that country as a launchpad to foment trouble in other West African countries, including Burkina Faso, Nigeria and Cote dIvoire. Some East African countries such as Kenya and Eritrea have not been spared. Towards normalcy ECOWAS has been leading mediation efforts since the coup and the resurgence of demonstrations. The mediation efforts include the 57th Ordinary Summit of the ECOWAS Authority in Niamey, Niger, on Monday, September 7, this year, where the Heads of State reaffirmed their determination to ensure that constitutional order was quickly restored in Mali, with a political transition led by a civilian President and a Prime Minister for 12 months. The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Ms Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, told newsmen last Sunday that ECOWAS had maintained all the decisions taken at its Extraordinary Summit of August 28, this year, and noted that the ongoing consultations among Malian stakeholders were initiated by the National Committee for the Salvation of the People. She said the authority also directed that the Head of the Transitional Government and the Prime Minister, both civilians, be appointed not later than September 5, this year. Roadblocks The summit is expected to lead to the blocking of some major roads and traffic management in Accra to facilitate the smooth movement of ECOWAS Presidents from the Kotoka International Airport to the meeting venue at Peduase through the National Road Four (N4), otherwise known as the Accra-Tetteh Quarshie-Adenta road. Some of the roads that will be temporarily closed are the Jubilee Lounge to the KIA to the Liberation Road at Opeibea; Kempiski Hotel to the National Theatre onto the Independence Avenue; the Liberation Road to Peduase through the N4; the Liberation Road to the 37 Military Hospital through the Obasanjo Way and from the Tang Palace Hotel to the Independence Avenue. The officer in charge of traffic management of the Ghana Police Service, Superintendent Dr Sasu Mensah, said policemen would be deployed to critical intersections on the route from Accra to Peduase and from Peduase to the KIA to ensure the smooth flow of traffic and assist motorists on roads that would be used by the dignitaries. Source: graphiconline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - September 15, 2020) - City View Green Holdings Inc. (CSE: CVGR) ("City View" or the "Company"), trading through the facilities of the Canadian Securities Exchange ("CSE") under the symbol "CVGR" and on the OTCQB under the symbol "CVGRF" announces that it has implemented a warrant exercise incentive program (the "Incentive Program") designed to encourage the early exercise of up to 24,350,000 outstanding unlisted warrants (the "Eligible Warrants"), each of which is exercisable for one common share of the Company at a price of $0.05 per share. Of the 24,350,000 Eligible Warrants, 10,600,000 Eligible Warrants will expire on April 30, 2023, 6,000,000 Eligible Warrants will expire on May 22, 2023, and 7,750,000 Eligible Warrants will expire on June 17, 2023. The Eligible Warrants were originally issued by City View as part of a private placement unit offering completed in three tranches on April 30, 2020, May 22, 2020 and June 17, 2020. A total of 2,000,000 Eligible Warrants are held by directors and officers of the Company who may participate in the Incentive Program. The Incentive Program will commence on September 15, 2020 and expire on September 30, 2020 (the "Incentive Program Expiry Date"). Pursuant to the Incentive Program, the Company has approved the amendment to the terms of the Eligible Warrants such that each holder of an Eligible Warrant who elects to exercise their Eligible Warrant at the price of $0.05 prior to the Incentive Program Expiry Date will receive one common share of the Company plus one-half of one (0.5) common share purchase warrant (each whole warrant, a "New Warrant"). Each New Warrant will allow the holder to acquire one additional common share of the Company at a price of $0.20 per share for a period of two years from the date of issuance of the New Warrant. No fractional New Warrants will be issued. The number of New Warrants issued on exercise of the Eligible Warrants will be rounded down to the nearest whole number, without compensation due or owing therefor. The New Warrants, and any shares issued upon exercise thereof, will be subject to a four-month hold period pursuant to applicable securities laws. At 5:00 pm (PST) on September 30, 2020, the Incentive Program will end and all Eligible Warrants not exercised under the Incentive Program will revert back to their original terms and conditions. If all Eligible Warrants are exercised during the Incentive Program exercise period, City View will: receive gross proceeds of $1,217,500 on or before the New Warrant Expiry Date; issue 24,350,000 common shares pursuant to the exercise of the Eligible Warrants in accordance with the original terms of the Eligible Warrants; and, issue up to 12,175,000 New Warrants to holders of the Eligible Warrants so exercised. The terms and conditions of the Incentive Program and the method of exercising Eligible Warrants pursuant to the Eligible Warrant Exercise Program will be set forth in a letter/email to be delivered to each holder of Eligible Warrants. To be eligible for the Incentive Program, the holder must complete and deliver to the Company (i) their original Eligible Warrant Certificate, (ii) a completed Exercise Form in the form attached as a schedule to their Eligible Warrant Certificate, (iii) payment for the full exercise price of such Eligible Warrants, and (iv) a Prospectus Exemption Certificate, in such form as is satisfactory to the Company, or otherwise the Company must be satisfied that the distribution of New Warrants to such holder would be exempt from prospectus requirements. To the extent that holders of the Eligible Warrants take advantage of the opportunity to exercise their Eligible Warrants early, this will strengthen City View's current cash position. The Company also announces that that it has granted incentive stock options to certain directors, officers and consultants of City View to purchase up to an aggregate of 14,320,000 common shares of the Company pursuant to the company's share option plan. The options are exercisable for a period of 5 years at a price of $0.10 per share. These securities will have a hold period expiring January 15, 2021, in accordance with the policies of the CSE and applicable securities laws. About City View City View is a leading cannabis-infused food company focused on the development of food brands, extraction, and distribution. Upon the anticipated receipt of its Cannabis Act processing and sales licences ("Cannabis Licences"), City View will incorporate cannabis-infused food production and extraction at its Brantford, Ontario facility. Once operational, it is our expectation that City View will produce high quality cannabis-infused food, oils, distillates, and water-soluble products for the food and beverage markets. In addition, City View owns a 27.5% stake in Budd Hutt Inc. ("Budd Hutt"), a retail-focused cannabis company with access to cannabis cultivation and production licences in Alberta and other retail opportunities across Canada. Through its relationship with Budd Hutt, the Company anticipates securing shelf space, product placement, and distribution opportunities for City View's products. For more information visit www.cityviewgreen.ca. For further information contact: City View Green Holdings Inc. Rob Fia, CEO & President Email: rob@cityviewgreen.ca Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its regulations services accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Disclaimer for Forward-Looking Information This press release contains forward-looking statements which are not composed of historical facts. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements, or other future events, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include estimates and statements that describe the Company's future plans, objectives or goals, including words to the effect that the Company or management expects a stated condition or result to occur. Forward-looking statements may be identified by such terms as "believes", "anticipates", "expects", "estimates", "may", "could", "would", "will", or "plan". Since forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Although these statements are based on information currently available to the Company, the Company provides no assurance that actual results will meet management's expectations. There are a number of important factors that could cause the Company's actual results to differ materially from those indicated or implied by forward-looking statements and information. When relying on the Company's forward-looking statements and information to make decisions, investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties and potential events. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's expectations include, among others, availability and costs of financing needed in the future, changes in equity markets, delays in the development of projects, and ability to predict or counteract potential impact of COVID-19 coronavirus on factors relevant to the Company's business. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/63831 Victoria Police Officer Stood Down After Arrest Allegedly Injures Man A Victoria police officer has been suspended and a 32-year-old man is in a medically-induced coma after police allegedly gave the man a blow to the head. In a police statement to The Epoch Times on Sept. 15 Victorian Police said, A senior constable from the Critical Incident Response Team was last night suspended following his involvement in a protracted incident which commenced at the Northern Hospital at Epping on Sunday, Sept. 13. Professional Standards Command continue to investigate the matter and are currently assessing all available information, Victoria Police said calling for anyone who may have witnessed or have footage of the incident to contact Crime Stoppers. On Sept. 13 a man was confronted by police as he left the emergency ward of Epping Northern Hospital after waiting for a psychiatric unit bed. Social media footage from multiple angles shows the man running from the police in the middle of the road. Then a police vehicle is seen carrying out a ramming attack sending him to the ground, and a scuffle ensuing. Four police officers then tackle him across to the curb-side. Footage shows one officer raising his knee to waist height and lowering his foot down with force onto the mans head. Following the incident, the Victorian man was taken to hospital where he was put under a medically-induced coma while undergoing a treatment. On Sept. 14 the mans father, Glenn Atkins, explained the man suffered from bipolar disorder and had been seeking treatment at the hospital. Atkins called for the officer who kicked his sons head to be sacked, saying, The police had no right to do what they did. Upon seeing the footage of the incident, Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews said that it needs further attention. It needs to investigated, he said at a CCP virus daily update on Sept. 15. That officer being stood down is the appropriate step to take, and I will leave Vic police to comment in any further detail. Victorian Opposition Leader Michael OBrien said that he was concerned about increasingly aggressive tactics from Victoria police during the CCP virus pandemic. That fact that this fellow was apparently knocked down by a car and then had his head stomped on, thats not the sort of thing that should happen to any Victorian, OBrien said. (Natural News) A Texas lawmaker has asked state Attorney General Ken Paxton to launch an investigation into top streaming service Netflix after it released a grotesque film that borders on child pornography. The film, Cuties, is French-made and it features four girls in the age range of 11 who form a dance troupe in the hopes of winning a local contest. While onstage, they are depicted in very skimpy outfits twerking, touching themselves suggestively, and appearing to mimic a sex act. There are plenty of shots focusing on the girls crotches and bottoms as well. It really is about as disgusting as it gets and frankly, the filmmakers (and the parents of these kids) should be doing hard time. I have asked Texas Attorney General Paxtons office to investigate the @netflix film Cuties for possible violations of child exploitation and child pornography laws, Texas Rep. Matt Schaefer, a Republican, noted on Twitter. I have asked Texas Attorney General Paxtons office to investigate the @netflix film Cuties for possible violations of child exploitation and child pornography laws. #CUTIES #txlege Matt Schaefer (@RepMattSchaefer) September 10, 2020 Netflix is based in California but has an office in Texas. Even the Internet Movie Database said at least one scene in the film qualified under legal definitions of pedophilia because one of the female child dancers lifts up her cropped top to fully display her bare breast, an act lawfully defined as pedophilia and can be extremely distressing to many viewers. IMDB gave the film a severe rating. Imdb admits it is child pornography pic.twitter.com/naXydUSfnP RebeLynnx (@RLynnx) September 10, 2020 Female great nudity of a minor during an erotic dance scene and lengthy & excessive closeup shots of breasts, bums and spread crotches of scantily clad 11 year old girls during numerous sexualized dance routines, IMDB added. Schaefer is not the only lawmaker outraged by the movie. U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), demanded Netflix remove the film in a letter Friday. In early 2019, journalists first began to report that YouTube videos of children in partial states of exposure were being inundated with comments by pedophiles, exposing the children involved in the videos and other children visiting the platform to potential harm, he wrote. The letter continued: Your decision to do so raises major questions of child safety and exploitation, including the possibility of copycat behavior and exploitation of child actors, regarding the films availability on the platform. Why did your company designate this film with a TV-MA for language without any mention of its graphic sexual content, he asked. In marketing this film, did Netflix consult with any experts or authorities on combating child sexual exploitation or the psychological and emotional impacts of the sexualization of minors? In marketing this film, did Netflix consult with any law enforcement authorities or experts about the possibility of copycat behavior, such as the viewing and imitation of hardcore pornography, by children who may see this film? Hawley continued. (Related: Another TSA screener arrested on child porn possession.) Amazingly, the streaming service tried to defend the film (and itself) by claiming that Cuties is really just a social commentary against the sexualization of children, along with being an award winning film and a powerful story. Great. Maybe @Netflix would like to come talk this over before Congress https://t.co/wuQkPM5zzi Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) September 11, 2020 Shortly after the movie was released, scores of social media users made #CancelNetflix trend, Right Scoop reported. Also, a Change.org petition has, as of this writing, garnered nearly 632,000 signatures, which will hopefully dramatically impact the streaming services bottom line. Others weighed in on the act of filming and directing the kids to do the things they do on film. Do you know how sets work? I do. Ive directed some of the biggest stars in the world. A director on the Cuties set and a choreographer told 11 year olds to simulate sexual moves repeatedly. What they did should have them charged and registered as sex offenders, Robby Starbuck wrote. This is personal to me. I have an 11 yr old daughter. Im a director. If anyone spoke to my daughter and even half way insinuated she should act out the moves that the choreographer and the director made 11 yr old girls in 'Cuties' do, my reaction would likely land me in jail. Robby Starbuck (@robbystarbuck) September 10, 2020 This is personal to me. I have an 11 yr old daughter. Im a director. If anyone spoke to my daughter and even half way insinuated she should act out the moves that the choreographer and the director made 11 yr old girls in Cuties do, my reaction would likely land me in jail, he added. Hes not wrong. Because if some warped individuals had directed 11-year-old girls to do these things on video and not call it a film, theyd be behind bars for a long, long time. Sources include: RightScoop.com NaturalNews.com The Delhi assemblys peace and harmony committee on Tuesday issued a warning to Facebook India after its vice-president (V-P) and managing director (MD) Ajay Mohan did not appear before the panels third hearing, despite being summoned. Raghav Chadha, the chairperson of the committee and an Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) lawmaker from Rajendra Nagar, said Mohans refusal to appear before the panel was contempt of the Delhi legislative assembly. During the hearing, which was live streamed for the media, Chadha said, Facebook Indias refusal to appear before the committee is an attempt to conceal crucial facts regarding the social media firms role in the communal riots in north-east Delhi in February. This non-cooperation shows that Facebook India wants to hide its role in the riots, Chadha said. Also read: Politically-sophisticated attempt to influence Delhi elections on Facebook before it was taken down, says ex-employee He said that instead of appearing before the committee, the company sent a letter to the panel. In its reply to the committees notice, Facebook said Parliament, which has exclusive rights, is looking into the issue and the Union government has the law and order rights over the national capital. Chadha cited the response as contempt of Delhis two crore residents because legislators are elected representatives. State legislative functions are independent of the parliamentary functions. Facebook India has said the issue is under the jurisdiction of Parliament. This is totally wrong, he said. Since this issue is sensitive in nature and is related to Delhis peace and harmony, we have decided to issue a last warning to Facebook India under the principle of natural justice. We want to give the opportunity to every accused to be heard. We are giving a last chance to appear before the committee. The panel will send another notice to Facebook India. It will also explain to the company about the privileges of the Delhi assembly panel, he added. A reaction from Facebook India was not immediately available. The Delhi assemblys peace and harmony committee had on September 12 issued a notice to Mohan in connection with complaints about the social media companys alleged deliberate and intentional inaction to contain hateful content in the country. The notice was issued after the committee, in its second hearing on August 31, had said prima facie it had found that Facebook India was allegedly complicit in aggravating the north-east Delhi riots in February, which had left 53 people dead and over 400 injured. The committee is investigating the matter after it took cognisance of several complaints received from the public based on an article published in the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) on August 14. The report titled, Facebook hate speech rules collide with Indian politics, had stated that the companys officials, especially Ankhi Das, the public policy director for India, south and central Asia, allegedly cited business imperatives while choosing not to apply hate-speech rules to at least four individuals and groups linked with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the country. The bid to invoke hate-speech rules were allegedly glossed over, despite concerns were flagged internally. India is the biggest market for the social media company, which is headquartered in Menlo Park, California, United States of America (USA). There are over 290 million Facebook users in the country. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON (Newser) Department of Health and Human Services spokesman Michael Caputo has apologized to staff for his bizarre Facebook Live rant on Sunday and has hinted that he might step down, sources tell Politico. The insiders say Caputowho claimed Sunday that a "resistance unit" of government scientists was plotting against President Trump and advised people to "buy ammunition" before the electionhad functioned well in the past with nobody filling his role as top communications official. Another HHS source says Caputo, who said Sunday that his mental health was "failing," is considering taking medical leave. His Facebook rant followed criticism in the media of his push to alter coronavirus reports from the CDC. story continues below According to Politico's sources, Caputo acknowledged to staffers that his remarks reflected badly on the communications unit and blamed his behavior on poor health and the stress of having his family receive death threats. Bloomberg reports that Caputo deleted his personal Twitter account after late-night tweets Sunday, including one in which he called for journalists to be tear-gassed. His Facebook account was also deactivated. Caputo, a former Trump campaign official with no background in public health, was appointed by the White House in April as assistant secretary for public affairs. Insiders tell the Washington Post that advisers urged President Trump to install Caputo in the role instead of firing HHS Secretary Alex Azar. (Read more Michael Caputo stories.) To the Editor: Re Spurred by Fires, Trump and Biden Clash on Climate (front page, Sept. 15): You refer to President Trump as a president who has long scorned climate change as a hoax. But the reality is more sinister: Much as weve recently learned about Mr. Trumps views on the coronavirus, he has been well aware of the reality of climate change. How do we know? Because in your own newspaper, on Dec. 6, 2009, Mr. Trump was part of a group that purchased a full-page ad urging action on climate change, in which he (and the group) stated, If we fail to act now, it is scientifically irrefutable that there will be catastrophic and irreversible consequences for humanity and our planet. So Mr. Trump knows the scientific truth, but for political purposes he chooses to lie about it to the American public. Apparently, he has so little respect for his own supporters that he just assumes they are too unintelligent to recognize what he himself knows to be scientifically irrefutable. Jeffrey Bennett Boulder, Colo. The writer is the author of A Global Warming Primer. To the Editor: Re Trump, a Bold Climate Denier, Confronts a Charred California (front page, Sept. 14): President Trump blames California and other Western states for the fires because they dont listen to us regarding forest management. A glance at the map shows that most of the acreage burned involves federal property managed by the Agriculture Department. " " Senegalese women plant the seeds that will grow into trees as part of Africa's Great Green Wall project. Great Green Wall Africa is on its way to completing the next world wonder a nearly 5,000-mile (8,047-kilometer) belt of greenery and conservation initiatives covering the continent's entire width. This lofty goal, the Great Green Wall, is not a PR stunt. It's an African-led movement designed to breathe life into the continent's degraded landscapes across the Sahel, which is the vast semi-arid region of Africa separating the Sahara Desert to the north and tropical savannas to the south, according to Euro News. This area is experiencing a slew of ecological crises due to overgrazing, drought and poor farming practices. At the same time, desertification here is on the rise. The Sahara Desert is expanding, with one study, published in the May 2018 issue of the Journal of Climate, showing it has grown 10 percent since 1920. The ambitious Great Green Wall, which will be Earth's largest living structure once complete, is designed to save the Sahel from ecological implosion. Advertisement "The objective is to address poverty and land degradation in the Sahel," International Union for Conservation of Nature program officer Chris Magero says in an email. "The Great Green Wall provides an amalgamate approach to addressing these multiple issues while ensuring that sustainable land management stays at the center of these discussions." What Is the Great Green Wall? The Great Green Wall, a project spearheaded by the African Union in 2007, was initially designed to build a string of trees across the continent to curb desertification, helping Sahel communities survive and thrive. But, there were some issues early on. First and foremost, the science behind tree-planting as the sole solution wasn't fully there, according to Smithsonian. Many of the first-planted trees died, which is when leaders acknowledged it was time to change course. The Great Green Wall team analyzed indigenous land-use techniques and adapted their methodology accordingly. From here, the project evolved from a wall of trees to more of a continent-wide movement, where Africans combat land degradation, desertification and drought based on proven indigenous practices. In some cases that's tree planting, which the Great Green Wall largely hires locals to do. For other land stretches, it's indigenous adaptions for agriculture or simply growing grass. In other cases, it's a mix of all of the above. This "regreening" is truly transformational, for both the land and local people. The Overlord of the Wala Traditional Council, Wa Na Fuseini Seidu Pelpuo IV has condemned the decision of the family of the late Wa Imam to reject a funeral donation by Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia. Dr. Bawumia sent a delegation to the family of the late Imam to express his condolences in accordance with Islamic custom, and during the visit, the delegation made a donation to the family on behalf of the Vice President. Even though the family welcomed the delegation and also accepted the donation, a press release by the family a few days after said they had decided to return the donation because the Vice President did not attend the funeral - an allegation the spokesperson to the Vice President has described as unfortunate, because neither the President nor the Vice President was informed of the death and the funeral of the Imam, adding that nonetheless, the Vice President acted in good faith and in accordance with Islamic custom by reaching out to the family. Now the Overlord of the Wa Traditional Area has waded in, and has not only condemned the rejection, but has also apologized to Dr. Bawumia on behalf of the family and the people of Wa. The Wa Na, alongside the Chief of the Muslim Community in Wa and the Upper West Regional Imam, signed a letter of apology to the Vice President in which they said the familys decision to reject his funeral donation is alien to the tradition and customs of the Wala people. Read full letter below: RE: WA IMAM'S FAMILY REJECT DR. BAWUMIA'S FUNERAL DONATION: AN APOLOGY Our attention has been drawn to a press release issued by the family of the late Imam of Wa Central Mosque, Dr. Suleman Mahama Haroon Bakuri on 11th September 2020 captioned as above. We wish to state that the ground on which the family under reference took the decision to reject your generous and well intended donation to the said family is alien to the customs and tradition of the Wala people and therefore, most unfortunate. The least we should have been doing as a people was to thank you for the so much for your recent visits to the Wala Traditiinal Area in particular and Upper West Region in general. Your Excellency, we the traditional authorities would want to, on behalf of all the people in Wa, and the Muslim Ummah render an unqualified apology for the unfortunate incident. Signed by: Wa Na Fuseini Seidu Pelpuo IV, Paramount Chief of Wala Traditional Area Yeri Naa Alhaji Sualihu Mumuni Sungumo, Chief of the Muslim Community in Wa. Imam Alhaji Osman Mahama Kanihi, Upper West Regional Imam. Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video After senior actor Jaya Bachchan lashed out at industry insiders for tarnishing the image of Bollywood, actor-turned-politician Ravi Kishan who spoke against the drug menace in parliament on Monday responded to her by saying that he did not mean to target anyone. "I never said that the whole film industry is taking drugs but some people are still taking drugs. I respect the film industry. I understand Jaya Ji's ideology. Maine kisi ki thali me ched nhi kiya. I said what I wanted to say yesterday. I have also struggled so much for entering the film industry, I didn't target anyone," said Ravi Kishan. "There is a conspiracy to finish our film industry by hollowing it out. As a responsible member of the film industry, not just my right, my duty to raise it in Parliament, Jaya-ji should respect that. I am just a son of a priest,'crawled' my way up, worked in 600 films," said Ravi Kishan. Jaya Bachchan on Tuesday spoke in support of the Bollywood industry on the second day of the Monsoon session of Parliament. Calling people's comments 'shameful,' Jaya Bachchan opined that just because of a few problematic people, the name of the entire industry should not be tarnished. She had also indirectly called out Ravi Kishan's statements in the parliament saying, "Just because there are some people, you can't tarnish the image of the entire industry. I am ashamed that yesterday one of our members in Lok Sabha, who is from the film industry, spoke against it. It is a shame." Read: NCB's Film Industry Drug Nexus Probe Raised In Parliament; BJP's Ravi Kishan Urges Action Read: NCB Arrests 6 More Including 'apex Names' In Sushant Case Drug Nexus; Rhea May Move HC 'Drug addiction is on a rise': Ravi Kishan On Monday, BJP MP from Gorakhpur Ravi Kishan raised the issue of 'drug addiction' in Bollywood and praised the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) which has launched a massive crackdown on a drug racket linked to the film industry. "I want to bring an important issue to the notice of all the MPs. The problem of drug trafficking/addiction is on a rise in our country and a conspiracy is being hatched to destroy the country's youth. Our neighbouring countries are contributing as the smuggling of drugs from Pakistan and China is done every year via Punjab and Nepal," Ravi Kishan said. "Drug addiction is in the film industry too. Several people have been apprehended and the NCB is doing very good work. I urge the central government to take strict action, apprehend the culprits soon, give them befitting punishment and bring an end to conspiracy of neighbouring countries," the BJP MP stated. Read: 'Can NCB Crack Down On Artists, Singers Glorifying Drugs?' Asks Jassi In Powerful Post Read: Jaya Bachchan Tells Parliament 'Don't Tarnish Bollywood Because Of A Few'; Mum On Drugs School administrators address the challenges of new safety protocols with help from Intrado Safety Shield, the comprehensive safety management platform OMAHA, Neb., Sept. 15, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Schools across North America are leveraging the Intrado Safety Shield solution to help them navigate the challenges associated with the COVID-19 pandemic as students return to school. Intrado Safety Shield is an end-to-end safety management platform designed to provide prevention, preparation, and active response for threats faced by educational organizations of all kinds. The platform leverages Intrados comprehensive and secure notifications capabilities along with connectivity to the entire public safety ecosystem and access to expanding sources of threat-relevant data. This unique and powerful combination provides information and insights to 911 dispatchers, first responders, and educational leaders, allowing them to make more informed decisions and ultimately protect their communities more effectively. Intrado Safety Shields diverse collection of tools is uniquely suited to help educators address the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and has a variety of use cases for both on-campus and remote learning situations, including: Communicating academic plans, virus outbreaks, and other issues with multi-channel mass notifications Sending daily task checklists to staff mobile devices to ensure that health and safety protocols are being followed Launching wellness check notifications when students are absent from either on-campus or remote learning sessions Collaborating with first responders in real-time to ensure fast emergency response when medical emergencies, school violence, vandalism, and other problematic situations happen on campus Providing staff with a mobile panic button solution so school leaders will be instantly alerted about classroom or campus emergencies A media snippet accompanying this announcement is available by clicking the image or link below: Story continues A wide variety of schools university and K-12, small and large, public and private, rural and urban have chosen to implement Intrado Safety Shield to bolster their threat response capabilities. Linton Hall School in Bristow, Virginia adopted the solution to help ensure safe and productive learning. We are opening with in-person classes this fall, and using our very large building to spread classes out, but we want to take every possible safety precaution as we reopen, said Becki Ryder, technology integration coordinator at Linton Hall School. We see Intrado Safety Shield as a vital link in our safety planning and emergency response capabilities to keep staff and students safe wherever they are on our 100-plus acre campus. For JoAnne Colacurcio, Supervisor of Instructional Technology at Millville Public Schools in New Jersey, implementing Intrado Safety Shield is not only about improving procedures, but also about making people feel safe. We are using Intrado Safety Shield to reassure students, parents, staff, and the community that we are taking the necessary measures and precautions to provide a safe environment for our students and staff, Colacurcio said. Intrado Safety Shield will also allow us to work closely with our local police department and respond immediately to lockdowns, emergencies, and evacuation situations at all schools and buildings within our district. Current events are heightening the need for enhanced safety capabilities. The COVID-19 pandemic is consuming everyones attention, but other threats havent gone away, said Jeff Robertson, President of Intrados Life & Safety division. Intrado Safety Shield was built to help schools respond to a broad spectrum of threats. Educational leaders are realizing the value of the solution and signing up to protect their school communities. Intrado is the longtime leader in school communications services across the U.S. and Canada, and is known for its Intrado SchoolMessenger product family, which is trusted by more than 63,000 schools across North America. As a leading provider of 911 systems, services, and infrastructure across North America, Intrado is uniquely positioned to leverage over 40 years of emergency communications experience and innovation to the education community. For more information on Intrado Safety Shields comprehensive set of tools, please visit www.intrado.com/SafetyShieldForSchools . About Intrado Corporation Intrado Corporation is an innovative, cloud-based, global technology partner to clients around the world. Our solutions connect people and organizations at the right time and in the right ways, making those mission-critical connections more relevant, engaging and actionable - turning Information to Insight. Intrado has sales and/or operations in the United States, Canada, Europe, the Middle East, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and South America. Intrado is controlled by affiliates of certain funds managed by Apollo Global Management, Inc. (NYSE: APO). For more information, please call 1-800-841-9000 or visit www.intrado.com . CONTACT: Contact Dave Pleiss Investor and Public Relations DMPleiss@Intrado.com 402.716.6578 Credit: CC0 Public Domain To most people, "caregiving" means looking after ailing relatives in their final years. But the reality is much different, with the actual workload lasting up to 30 years for some, according to University of Alberta research. The study, the first of its kind to gage caregiving across a person's lifetime, debunks the myth that looking after an ailing loved one is a short, one-off experience, said study lead Janet Fast, a family economist in the Faculty of Agricultural, Life & Environmental Sciences. "Caregivers often give up a lot. Providing care to a family member or friend with a chronic health condition, disability or aging-related need can go on for just a few years for some caregivers, while it can span several decades for others. Caregiving is not typically viewed as what can be a very emotional and challenging period of time," she said. Lengthy caregiving can take a high personal toll, including chronic stress, loneliness, poor health, disrupted careers or pensions and crumbled relationships, added study co-author Jacquie Eales, who worked with Caregivers Alberta to create a video series about the different patterns and challenges of long-term caregiving that may build up and disadvantage caregivers in later life. "Some of these people are in crisis mode all the time." The study, drawing on a Statistics Canada survey of family care, identified five different lifetime patterns of caregiving. Some start early, others in mid-life or later, and they vary in intensity. A "compressed generational" care trajectory was the most common pattern, with over half of caregivers starting their responsibilities at age 63 on average, with the shortest duration of four years, typically looking after a spouse or parent. Just 13 percent of them had a second episode of caregiving with almost no overlap between care episodes. The next most frequent pattern, known as the broad generational care trajectory, started when caregivers were in their early 50s, involved more than one care episodetypically caring for parents, partners or sometimes friendsand lasted for a total of 14 years. One of the most challenging trajectories is intensive parent care, with caregivers starting in their early 50s for an average duration of 11 years, but with a heavier load of caring for more than one parent or parent-in-law at the same time. "Typically they'd spend the last 15 years of their career working full-time, maybe at their peak earning years leading up to retirement," said Fast. "The challenge is they're often also caring for multiple parents at the same time, making it impossible to balance paid work and caregiving." Career care describes people in their early 30s who find themselves looking after close family members for 30 or more yearsoften children with disabilities, but also parents or partners with chronic or mental health conditions. The fifth pattern, serial care, also can go on for 30 years, has the highest number of care episodes and the most overlap of caring for more than one person at a time. Most of these caregivers71 percentwere female, "the kind-hearted woman who helps everybody," Eales noted. Many in this category had a lifelong pattern of caring, first for parents and then other family members and friends. Recognizing different patterns of caregiving across the life course is important in building effective, supportive policies that can help people cope, Fast said. "Knowing more about the diversity among caregivers lets us develop policies and programs for them that are more apt to be successful. If we understand how early caregiving experiences can accumulate, disadvantaging people in later life, we can intervene at a time and in a way that reduces the long-term impact." Young caregivers or parents looking after children with disabilities, for instance, may need extra support to get into and stay in the workforce. Leaves of absence for compassionate care and critical illness exist in Canada, but don't necessarily reflect the many years some Canadians devote to caring for family members and friends. "As a result, some may be forced to retire early or are let go from their jobs because they can't perform well under the circumstances," Fast said. "There are ways we can do better, such as creating more family-friendly workplaces that give caregivers the flexibility they need. Or with income supports or pension credits that compensate for income losses that many caregivers experience, or by restructuring the way formal care services are provided so that they address the needs of caregivers as well as the needs of the person being cared for." Explore further More than 1 in 5 Americans are taking care of their elderly, ill and disabled relatives and friends More information: Trajectories of family care over the lifecourse: Evidence from Canada: Trajectories of family care over the lifecourse: Evidence from Canada: www.cambridge.org/core/journal 086640EE/core-reader Aaron Zelinsky, another Stone prosecutor and a member of Muellers team who currently works as an assistant U.S. attorney in Maryland, testified to the House Judiciary Committee in June that prosecutors experienced heavy pressure from the highest levels of the Department of Justice to give Stone a break. While Zelinsky conceded he had never talked to Barr, Barrs top deputy or even the politically appointed U.S. attorney in D.C. about the matter, he said it was his understanding that his supervisors had. A demonstrator holds a sign with the image of Breonna Taylor, a black woman who was fatally shot by Louisville Metro Police Department officers, during a protest against the death George Floyd in Minneapolis, in Denver, Colorado on June 3, 2020. The city of Louisville has reached a settlement with Breonna Taylor's family, six months after she was killed in her home during a police drug raid. NBC News has confirmed that the settlement is in the millions of dollars and will include a list of police reforms that will address officer accountability and the execution of search warrants. The settlement was first reported by The Louisville Courier-Journal. More from NBC News Taylor's mother, Tamika Palmer, filed a lawsuit in late April against three officers with the Louisville Metro Police Department, accusing them of wrongfully causing her daughter's death. One of the officers, Brett Hankison, who shot 10 rounds blindly into the apartment, where no drugs or money were found, was fired in June. Officer Myles Cosgrove and Sgt. Jonathan Mattingly have been placed on administrative leave, along with the detective who requested the warrant. None of the officers involved in the case have been charged. The investigation is being led by Kentuckys attorney general, Daniel Cameron. The shooting is also being investigated by the FBI. Officers killed Taylor, 26, just after midnight March 13 while serving a no-knock warrant. Mattingly was shot in the thigh by Taylors boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, who said he thought an intruder was breaking into the home. Taylor had no criminal record and was never the target of an inquiry. Police were executing a no-knock search warrant in a drug investigation involving Taylor's ex-boyfriend, Jamarcus Glover, a convicted drug dealer. He had listed her apartment as his address and used it to receive packages, authorities said. New Delhi: India on Tuesday called for "safe, sustainable and speedy" repatriation of the refugees from Bangladesh to Myanmar, adding that it has the "highest stakes" in the resolution of Rohingya issue. Speaking at the 45th Session of the Human Rights Council First Secretary, Permanent Mission of India in Geneva, Pawan Badhe said, "As the only land neighbour of both Bangladesh and Myanmar, India has the highest stakes and abiding interest in early resolution of the issue." Badhe added, "We remain committed to ensuring safe, sustainable and speedy repatriation of displaced persons from Rakhine state, currently staying in Bangladesh, to Myanmar, based on the understanding reached between the two countries. We will continue to support efforts in this direction." India has reached out to both Bangladesh and Myanmar and "has been following a humanitarian approach to the Rakhine issue", according to India statement at the HRC. When it comes to Rakhine, India has given US$ 25 million grant assistance to Myanmar over a period of five years to implement socio-economic projects such as housing, education, power and water supply. India has given Bangladesh five tranches of relief assistance. The Indian diplomat also said, that New Delhi "believes that there is a need to continue constructive and fruitful engagement with Myanmar and to recognize Myanmars efforts towards implementation of the Annan Commission recommendations". Advisory Commission on Rakhine State, headed by former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan called for socio-economic development of both Buddhist and Rohingya Muslim communities in Rakhine and gave certain recommendations which include a review of Myanmar's citizenship law of 1982. The law stripped Rohingyas of Myanmar's citizenship. Yermak met with G7 ambassadors to brief them on the course of peace talks on Donbas. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's chief of staff Andriy Yermak says the next meeting of advisers to the presidents of Ukraine, France, Germany, and Russia "will allow to bring the summit of the leaders of the Normandy Four closer." This was announced at a meeting between Yermak and G7 ambassadors during which he briefed his counterparts on the outcome of the advisers' recent talks in Berlin, the presidential press service said. Read alsoPreparations for Normandy Four leaders' summit underway Zelensky In particular, Yermak gave the ambassadors details about Ukraine's stance at the talks, outlining the course of the negotiation process. He said the parties had agreed that the advisers would meet in the near future, which, in Yermak's opinion, will help expedite the next Normandy summit. Ukraine offers a clear-cut plan of action to achieve peace, it suggests specific dates for the implementation of all agreements that were reached during the latest meeting of the Normandy Four leaders in Paris. "We are extremely grateful for your support and want to convey to you the position of Ukraine and the algorithm by which we are moving towards a peaceful settlement of the military conflict in Donbas as transparently and thoroughly as possible," Yermak told the G7 ambassadors. First of all, he noted that every achievement, in particular the recent ceasefire, which lasted almost six weeks, was made possible thanks to the support of the G7 countries. To inform Ukrainians about the details of the peace talks and the implementation of this plan, communication will be strengthened, participants in meetings at the level of advisors and Trilateral Contact Group (TCG) will carry out explanatory work "to inform about what is happening and what should be done by everyone to achieve peace as soon as possible," Yermak said. "We understand that communication, in particular with the media, is necessary and important," he said. The meeting was also attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories Oleksiy Reznikov, Defense Minister Andriy Taran, First Deputy Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Ruslan Demchenko, Ukraine's representative in the TCG working group on political issues, MP Andriy Kostin. Normandy Four: Latest developments Paul Rusesabagina, the subject of the Hollywood film Hotel Rwanda in which he is portrayed saving Tutsis during the 1994 Rwandan genocide, has appeared in a Kigali court to face 12 charges, including terrorism. The former hotel manager arrived handcuffed in the custody of the Rwanda Investigation Bureau, to face charges which include committing terrorist acts, murder, kidnapping and fire-starting. He did not enter a plea in court. He got Belgian citizenship in 1999 and therefore there is another key issue here where one might say that Rwanda is trying a foreign citizen on freedom of expression that he enjoyed while abroad, Rusesabagina's lawyer, David Rugaza told the court. Rusesabagina, now 66-years-old, was portrayed as a hero in the Oscar-nominated movie Hotel Rwanda and is credited with saving nearly 1,000 Tutsis thanks to his connections with the Hutu elite. He has been accused of exaggerating his story. He left Rwanda after the 1994 genocide, eventually obtaining Belgian citizenship. He lives in the United States. His family say he was in Dubai when he was abducted and brought to Rwanda to face trial. According to an interview earlier this month, President Paul Kagame hinted that Rusesabagina had been tricked into boarding a private jet, although Rwandan police said he had been arrested in Dubai on an international warrant. Rwanda has an established track record of using unlawful, cloak-and-dagger methods to target those it perceives to be a threat to the ruling party, said Lewis Mudge, Central Africa director at Human Rights Watch. The fact that Rwanda did not pursue Rusesabagina through lawful extradition proceedings suggests the authorities do not believe their evidence or fair trial guarantees would stand up to scrutiny before an independent tribunal, and so opted to circumvent the rule of law. Human Rights Watch maintains that Rusesabagina was forcibly repatriated. Family worries about his health Rusesabagina has been a prominent critic of Kagame since leaving Rwanda, including calling for armed resistance against the government, accusing the president of quashing opposition parties. Kagame is credited with ending the 1994 genocide and had been a darling of western countries for his anti-corruption stance, but some governments have distanced themselves because of his allegedly repressive measures. In power since the end of the genocide, Kagame won the last elections three years ago with nearly 99 percent of the vote. Rusesabagina has been allowed to speak to his family. His daughter Carine Kanimba told RFI that her father was a kind, caring and warm person. But she thought he was acting oddly when they spoke. She said he did not want to discuss the trial. When she mentioned his medication to control high blood pressure, he dismissed her worries. 'Mom told him that she had sent some medicine to him through the Belgian embassy, which he has not yet received, but in addition, he said 'no, don't send them, it's well, I'm taking some medicine from here and we're going to try them for the next month to see if it works', she said. We found it very strange, because he knows he's been taking the same drugs for several years and all of a sudden he's given the other kind of drugs that we know can negatively affect him, she said, adding that her father is a cancer survivor as well. Phoenix, Arizona--(Newsfile Corp. - September 15, 2020) - The Stock Day Podcast welcomed Orchid Ventures, Inc. (OTC: ORVRF) (CSE: ORCD) ("the Company"), an Irvine, CA-based innovation company that launched in Oregon and California in August 2017 and has since developed a mass-market brand and loyal consumer following with its premium cannabis products and unique vape hardware delivery system. CEO of the Company, Corey Mangold, joined Stock Day host Everett Jolly. Mangold began the interview by sharing the Company's background and current projects. "Orchid Ventures started out as a cannabis company focusing on a line of vaporizer products. In 2019, we went through a pretty fundamental shift at the end of the year," said Mangold. He then explained that the shift primarily centered on licensing their Orchid Essentials brand out to other manufacturers and distributors. "The second part of the company is PurTec," added Mangold. "PurTec Delivery Systems is a manufacturer of extremely high-quality vaporizer products that are the only products in the industry that are emissions tested at AFNOR standards," continued Mangold. "We also have CELLg8 Sciences, which is the global exclusive license holder within the THC market, of a technology that can be used with THC that increases bioavailability by about 16x and is clinically proven, peer reviewed, and published in major medical journals." Jolly then asked about the Company's subsidiaries that emerged following their transition. "The two new subsidiaries are PurTec Delivery Systems and CELLg8," said Mangold. "PurTec Delivery Systems sells vaporizer cartridges, batteries, disposables, and pod systems to cannabis and CBD manufacturers globally," explained Mangold. "CELLg8 Sciences is a bioavailability technology," continued Mangold, adding that this subsidiary has exclusively licensed technology that allows cannabis edibles and tinctures that become effective in the body within 15 minutes, compared to a traditional edible which may take over an hour. "The formulation is also all natural, vegan, and non-GMO." The conversation then turned to rumors regarding the safety of vaporizers. "No one is testing the smoke that actually goes into the body," explained Mangold. "So, I think we're actually going to see a lot more instances and reports of the bad quality that is out there, and that's exactly why we're in this to create the highest standards within the industry," said Mangold. "Our cartridges are cleaner than anything that's out there, they are emissions tested, and that goes into the quality of the materials that we use." Mangold then explained that despite the Company's use of high-quality materials and thorough testing, they are still able to offer their cartridges at competitive rates. "The sales are going great. Last month, we did over $1.35 million in orders," said Mangold. "We're breaking records within our company, so it's very positive." Mangold then elaborated on the potential of developing and setting standards within the vaporizer industry. "It is really badly needed within this industry. There is zero quality control," said Mangold. Jolly then asked about the Company's subsidiary CellG8 and the potential it represents going forward. "We're formulating with several of the largest cannabis brands in the country," said Mangold, noting that the Company is currently in formulation with over 15 companies in the United States. "The first THC products with CellG8 are set to hit the shelves in about a week." To close the interview, Mangold shared that the Company is currently undervalued, but remains optimistic that their valuation will improve as they continue to build investor awareness and reflect profitability. To hear Corey Mangold's entire interview, follow the link to the podcast here: https://audioboom.com/posts/7683006-orchid-ventures-inc-discusses-the-potential-of-its-subsidiaries-purtec-delivery-systems-and-ce Investors Hangout is a proud sponsor of "Stock Day," and Stock Day Media encourages listeners to visit the company's message board at https://investorshangout.com/ ABOUT ORCHID ESSENTIALS Orchid Essentials is an Irvine, CA-based innovation company that launched in Oregon and California in August 2017 and has since developed a mass-market brand and loyal consumer following with its premium cannabis products and unique vape hardware delivery system. Since July 2019, Orchid has diversified its efforts and has brought to market innovative services and product offerings to support brands throughout the global cannabis industry. Orchid has diversified its portfolio to include PurTec Delivery Systems, a company that produces, markets and sells clean vaporizer hardware that has been emissions tested against the most stringent standards in the world set forth by the EU and has unrivaled product quality and value pricing. Orchid, through its wholly owned subsidiary, has launched a patented and clinically proven bioavailability solution to increase the absorption of THC and other cannabinoids making products much more effective and an activation time of less than five minutes. With a continued focus on brand and intellectual property development, Orchid will continue to create new and innovative products and technologies, then bring them to the global cannabis marketplace and set the gold standard for delivery systems whether it's vape or formulation sciences. Orchid's management brings significant branding, product development and distribution experience with a proven track record of scaling businesses and building sustainable revenue growth through value-generating partnerships and innovation that creates enterprise value. Learn more at https://orchidessentials.com/ ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS - ORCHID VENTURES, INC. Corey Mangold CEO and Director investors@orchidessentials.com Investor Relations Corey Mangold 949-357-5818 corey@orchidessentials.com The CSE does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Safe Harbor Statement Except for historical information contained herein, statements in this release may be forward-looking and made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect", "intend" and similar expressions, as they relate to Orchid Ventures, Inc. and Orchid Essentials any of its affiliates or subsidiaries (collectively, the "Company") or its management, identify forward-looking statements. These statements are based on current expectations, estimates and projections about the Company's business based, in part, on assumptions made by management. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks, uncertainties, and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Therefore, actual outcomes and results may, and probably will, differ materially from what is expressed or forecasted in such forward-looking statements due to numerous factors, including those described above and those risks discussed from time to time in the Company's Canadian securities regulatory filings with sedar.com, Factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from these forward-looking statements include such factors as (i) the development and protection of our brands and other intellectual property, (ii) the need to raise capital to meet business requirements, (iii) significant fluctuations in marketing expenses, (iv) the ability to achieve and expand significant levels of revenues, or recognize net income, from the sale of our products and services, (v) the Company's ability to conduct the business if there are changes in laws, regulations, or government policies related to cannabis, (vi) management's ability to attract and maintain qualified personnel necessary for the development and commercialization of its planned products, and (vii) other information that may be detailed from time to time in the Company's Canadian securities regulatory filings with sedar.com. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. About The "Stock Day" Podcast Founded in 2013, Stock Day is the fastest growing media outlet for Nano-Cap and Micro-Cap companies. It educates investors while simultaneously working with penny stock and OTC companies, providing transparency and clarification of under-valued, under-sold Micro-Cap stocks of the market. Stock Day provides companies with customized solutions to their news distribution in both national and international media outlets. The Stock Day Podcast is the number one radio show of its kind in America. Stock Day recently launched its Video Interview Studio located in Phoenix, Arizona. SOURCE: Stock Day Media (602) 821-1102 To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/63861 A man is in stable condition after being stabbed in St. Catharines at about 5 a.m. Tuesday. Niagara Regional Police said the incident occurred in the area of Facer Street and Charles Avenue, leaving a victim in his 20s suffering from stab wounds. Niagara Emergency Medical Services spokesman Bryce Brunarski said paramedics were dispatched at 4:58 a.m., after a male sustained stab wounds to his upper body. Although police reported the patient to be in stable condition, Brunarski said the injuries were considered life-threatening by the paramedics who transported him to hospital. He was alert and talking to the paramedics, but just because of the location and type of injury thats why they went life threatening, he said. They just wanted to get him some definitive care as quickly as possible. Brunarski said the victim sustained more than one stab wound to the chest. Because of the timing and location, we were able to get him right to the hospital, he said. He said an Ornge air ambulance was then dispatched to the hospital, to transport the patient to an out-of-region trauma centre. Police said detectives are investigating the incident and are asking anyone who may have witnessed it or anyone with information to contact them at 905-688-4111 ext. 9628. An Afghan presidential palace official said a top priority was getting the Taliban to agree on a ceasefire or significant reduction in violence Afghanistan and Taliban peace talk negotiators will hold their first direct session on Tuesday in Doha, officials said, as the warring sides try to work out an agenda and schedule for how to negotiate a peace deal as the United States withdraws troops. A small group of negotiators from both sides had met in previous days to try to discuss how the substantive negotiations would take place. "The contact group from both sides' delegations continued the discussion on rules and procedures and prepared to present it to the general meeting between the two negotiating teams (taking place on Tuesday)," senior Afghan government negotiator Nader Nadery said. The Taliban's political spokesman Muhammad Naeem told Reuters by phone the meeting would be "general" and there were no specific agreed issues on the agenda. An Afghan presidential palace official said a top priority was getting the Taliban to agree on a ceasefire or significant reduction in violence. Violence has continued in the country even after the launch of historic peace talks at an opening ceremony in Doha on Saturday. Talks between the two sides were to begin shortly after a U.S.-Taliban agreement in February, but started only after months of delays, caused in part by continuing Taliban offensives in the war-torn country as well as disagreement over the release of prisoners. U.S. President Donald Trump has made ending the war in Afghanistan a key election promise and the United States is set to withdraw all its troops by May 2021, subject to the Taliban meeting certain security guarantees. Search Keywords: Short link: The visit takes place at a time when the Afghanistan government and Taliban have formally sat on the negotiating table for talks New Delhi: The United States special envoy for Afghanistan reconciliation, Zalmay Khalilzad, is expected to be in New Delhi on Tuesday on a short visit during which discussions with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on the Afghanistan-Taliban peace talks are expected. The visit takes place at a time when the Afghanistan government and Taliban have formally sat on the negotiating table for talks in a bid to end nearly two decades of conflict that has seen many dead and several homeless. However, as the talks began on Doha on Sunday, clashes between Afghan security forces and the Taliban were reported from Afghanistans 18 provinces raising serious doubts over the positive outcome of the talks. In this context, both Afghanistan and the United States are keeping India in the loop as they also engage with Pakistan urging the two neighbours to play a larger role in ending the endless war as US President Donald Trump says. Khalilzad was in Pakistan on Monday for similar discussions. India, that has been hesitant for years in entering the process directly, appears to have decided to take the plunge as was evident from the virtual address of S Jaishankar on Saturday. India has also sent an official to Doha to witness the peace talks. Addressed the conference on Afghan peace negotiations at Doha today. Conveyed that the peace process must be Afghan-led, Afghan-owned and Afghan-controlled, respect national sovereignty and territorial integrity of Afghanistan, promote human rights and democracy, Jaishankar said on Saturday. India is keenly watching the negotiations as it has major stakes in the region. Indias main worries remain about Pakistan and Chinas influence in Afghanistan and that the country should not be used to push terrorism activities in India. In addition to this, since India has very warm relations with Afghanistan leadership, it wants a stable government that is able to protect its interest. India has several development projects going on in Afghanistan. MADRID - A new bill in Spain aims to ban a foundation promoting the legacy of Gen. Francisco Franco as well as offer reparations to the victims of the late dictator, among other long-standing unresolved issues from the countrys recent past. The so-called Law on Democratic Memory will also pave the way for turning the Valley of the Fallen a public mausoleum that Franco ordered to be built and where his remains lay for more than four decades into a civilian cemetery for victims on both sides of the 1936-39 Civil War, Deputy Prime Minister Carmen Calvo said on Tuesday. The law has been a key electoral promise of Socialist leader Pedro Sanchez, who last year completed during his first short term as prime minister the exhumation and relocation of Francos remains to a small cemetery in Madrid. Sanchez is now in a left-wing coalition with the far-left United We Can (Unidas Podemos) party, and his Cabinet on Tuesday approved the new bills draft. It builds on an existing law from 2007 that relatives of victims of the 1936-39 Civil War and the ensuing dictatorship regarded as insufficient. It could take months for the draft to be tweaked and the law to go through various layers of parliamentary approval. One of the most controversial aspects is the prohibition of organizations that benefit from public funding or tax cuts while defending Francoism. Juan Chicharro, president of the Francisco Franco Foundation, said the government was trying to divert attention from real problems, with a bill that he regards as totalitarian and distorting of history. Its no longer an issue about whether our foundation gets banned or not, its about defending freedom, said Chicharro, whose foundation was founded in 1976 upon Francos death. Doesnt the Spanish Constitution allow us to think freely? Calvo, who has been the main force behind the bill within the Spanish Cabinet, said that foundations like Chicharros are precisely the contrary to the entrenchment and deepening of the democracy we are at the moment. She also said that the law puts Spain at the same level as other countries that have recognized their tragic past: It will allow us to move in the international arena with the dignity that corresponds to our country. More than 500,000 people died in the war between rebel nationalist forces led by Franco and defenders of a short-lived Spanish republic. Franco declared victory on April 1, 1939, and ruled with an iron fist until his death in 1975. More than 110,000 victims from the war and his dictatorship remain unidentified. Their relatives and descendants had complained that the previous law required them to apply for funding and organize themselves the opening the hundreds of mass graves of those vanished and executed during and after the war. A previous conservative administration refused to allocate any budget for the task. Emilio Silva, representative of the Association for the Recovery of the Historic Memory, said that the exhumations need to be performed directly by the government. Human rights are not something that need to receive a grant, Silva told Spanish broadcaster TVE. What is needed is more political willingness to make things happen. The new law establishes a national DNA bank. It will also overturn sentences from political trials conducted during Francoism and will strip aristocrats of their titles if they were granted by the dictator. Read more about: Five months after sustaining significant damage in the Easter night tornado, Morning Pointe of Chattanooga is set to reopen as a completely rebuilt assisted living community in late fall. Morning Pointe of Chattanooga and its sister community, The Lantern at Morning Pointe Alzheimers Center of Excellence, were deemed uninhabitable shortly after the tornado devastated the East Brainerd community in April. Residents were safely evacuated to local hotels with no major injuries and, ultimately, relocated to nearby Morning Pointe campuses, as rebuilding efforts for both Morning Pointe of Chattanooga and The Lantern began in earnest. Construction on Morning Pointe of Chattanooga is now 85 percent complete as contractors are putting the finishing touches on a $6-million-dollar investment into rebuilding this flagship community. The walls were completely stripped of sheetrock, insulation and wiring, and flooring removed to make way for an entirely new building. When residents move back in this fall, they will notice a sense of familiaritybut at the same time, everything from the floor to the ceilings is brand new, said Community Relations Director Emily Thibodeau. Cody Harvey, RN, executive director of Morning Pointe of Chattanooga, agrees. While we are social distancing, wearing masks and following strict safety protocols for our residents and associates, there is still a lot of wonderful engagement and activity happening every day from creative arts, music, window and drive-through family visits, virtual family nightsplus frequent FaceTime calls. Originally opened in 2015, Morning Pointe of Chattanooga is a 62,000-square-foot assisted living community of 77 apartments occupying a 10-acre site located between Gunbarrel Road and Jenkins Road. Morning Pointe of Chattanooga is one of 35 Morning Pointe assisted living and The Lantern at Morning Pointe Alzheimers Center of Excellence communities in five southeastern states developed, owned and managed by Independent Healthcare Properties, LLC, a Chattanooga-based senior healthcare services company founded in 1996 by Tennessee healthcare entrepreneurs Greg A. Vital and J. Franklin Farrow. The Morning Pointe of Chattanooga campus is rebuilding stronger than ever before, rising from the ashes of the Easter night tornado to continue to serve the seniors of East Brainerd and the greater Chattanooga community at large, said Greg A. Vital, president of Morning Pointe Senior Living. We would not be where we are today without the resilience of Morning Pointes associates, the support of state and local officials and, of course, the hard-working construction teams. We are Morning Pointe Strong. Renovations to The Lantern at Morning Pointe Alzheimers Center of Excellence are progressing as scheduled. Repairs to the memory care community are expected to be completed in summer 2021. In addition to Morning Pointe of Chattanooga, Morning Pointe Senior Living also operates communities in the Chattanooga areas of East Hamilton, Hixson and Collegedale. Call 423-296-0097 today to learn more about Morning Pointe of Chattanooga. HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 07: Rob Lowe and John Owen attend the Tom Ford AW20 Show at Milk Studios on February 07, 2020 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Mike Coppola/FilmMagic) As we count down the days until the 2020 presidential election, celebrities are continuing to use their voices to stress the importance of voting. In an interview with Australian radio show Fitzy & Wippa, Miley Cyrus recently discussed the importance of the election during a time of great social and political unrest in the US and urged young voters to mobilize and head to the polls. "I'm 27, I know I've never experienced an election this important before - and I'm not sure I ever will again," she said. "I can't express the importance enough - especially of young people - [of] getting out there, being active, and making sure that their friends and family are voting and have their information about mailing in, about the state of our country right now, the hate, the pain. It's just crucial that we get out there and make changes - and have someone fit for the job running our country." "It's kind of rock-bottom here right now. So I think that it's a desperate time - and that's when people really step up." While constant news updates about the state of the country can be stressful, Miley believes it's important to channel that concern by focusing on the issues that matter most to you and voting accordingly. She went on to explain that she doesn't believe in the motto, "Don't worry, be happy." "I believe that worry is healthy," she said. "Worry is why we're washing our hands, why we're wearing our masks, why we're keeping our distance . . . nothing is just the way that it is. You can work for it, and I think that we're realizing that now." Miley also added that she's proud of the way young people have stepped up to promote necessary positive change and that she hopes to see this impressive level of motivation reflected in the polls. "I think young people are really stepping up to the plate, really taking charge and getting mobilized," she said. "I think it's also the dedication, working and advocating tirelessly. I really think so. It's kind of rock-bottom here right now. So I think that it's a desperate time - and that's when people really step up." Whether this is your first time voting or your fifth, find out more about how you can register to vote here. New Delhi: The fiesty and outspoken actress Kangana Ranaut went back to home state Himachal Pradesh on September 14, 2020, after spending a few days in Mumbai. She even tweeted saying that her analogy comparing the city with Pakistan-occupied Kashmir was "bang on". When Kangana landed in Mumbai over BMC row, she was provided with Y-category security. One of the netizens raised questions on her getting it and actress being super active on the platform, replied too. Check their Twitter conversation: Y category security for one person costs the Centre over 10,00,000/- each month. This money is borne by taxpayers. Now that Kangana is safe in HP (far away from POK), will Modi Sarkar kindly withdraw the security detail provided to her?! https://t.co/UdEArImhJu Brijesh Kalappa (@brijeshkalappa) September 14, 2020 Hopefully IB will consider downgrading your security detail in peaceful, prosperous and pristine HP https://t.co/wJ7AmKl1gc Brijesh Kalappa (@brijeshkalappa) September 14, 2020 The actress drew the ire of the Shiv Sena government after she compared Mumbai with Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK) in her earlier tweet. She received strong-worded reactions from Sena leaders, including Sanjay Raut, whom Kangana accused of threatening her to not return to Mumbai if she has no faith in the police. Following this, she was given Y security. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) had conducted a demolition drive at her Mumbai office on the sae day she landed in Mumbai, razing portions that they claimed were "illegally built". Later, the Bombay High Court granted a stay on the demolition of the office, asking the BMC to file a reply on the actress' petition. Kangana approached the Bombay High Court on challenging the notice issued by the Mumbai civic body for 'illegal construction' and sought a stay on the demolition process. Kangana and her sister Rangoli Chandel met Maharashtra governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari on September 13, 2020 (Sunday). One person was killed at Ijan Ekiti, in Gbonyin Local Government Area of Ekiti State, as kidnappers abducted a retired US military officer, Jide Ijadare, and one other person. Mr Ijadare, a native of Ijan Ekiti, was kidnapped at his palm oil-producing factory located along Ijan-Ise Ekiti road. A witness disclosed that the gunmen, who invaded the factory, were seven in number. He explained that an employee at the factory was shot by the assailants as they made frantic efforts to take away Mr Ijadare and his unnamed companion. They came into the factory with guns and started shooting sporadically, the witness, who asked not to be named, said. READ ALSO: They shot one of the staff of the factory and killed him. They, thereafter, dragged Major Ijadare and the other staff into the car and zoomed off. The Police Public Relations Officer, Ekiti Command, Sunday Abutu, confirmed the incident, adding that one person died in the process. We can confirm to you that a retired US soldier was kidnapped around 2:00pm today(Tuesday) and one other, said Mr Abutu. One person was also killed during the attack at a factory in Ijan Ekiti where the two persons were kidnapped. The police commissioner has drafted policemen to the place and we are combing the bushes where they escaped into. The police is working with local hunters to work with us and ensure that these kidnappers are arrested and prosecuted. The kidnap of Mr Ijadare is coming one day after gunmen, also in Ekiti State, murdered David Jejelowo, a director in the Ekiti State Local Government Service Commission. Mr Jejelowo was reportedly killed at his residence located at Umesi street, Igirigiri area of Ado Ekiti, the state capital. Mr Abutu also confirmed that the gunmen stormed Mr Jejelowos residence around 1:00 a.m. on Monday and shot him dead within his bedroom. He said the police have not been able to ascertain the intention of the assailants. He, however, assured that investigation would reveal those behind the act and their intentions with the aim of bringing them to justice. Its been a while since I powered up a Kano-built computer. Thats because the company, which wants to help children learn how to code, has spent the last few years developing kits that work in tandem with a PC, smartphone or tablet. These have included a Harry Potter wand and two motion-sensing pucks based on the Star Wars and Frozen franchises. Kano has occasionally returned to Raspberry Pi-powered hardware, but mainly to offer minor revisions rather than wildly ambitious reinventions. With the Kano PC, though, the company is finally returning to its roots and, for the first time ever, offering a product that runs Windows. Like the Computer Kit Touch, the Kano PC can be used as a standalone tablet or in conjunction with a bright orange keyboard. Unlike its predecessor, though, Kano has combined the keys and trackpad with a felt-like cover that both protects the machine and doubles as a kickstand. I know what youre thinking, and yes, it definitely looks like a cheap Surface. Kano isnt the first to rip off Microsofts convertible formula just look at the iPads Smart Keyboard Folio but it has two unique features that separate itself from the competition: LEGO-like assembly, and pre-installed educational software. Design and construction Lets start with the former. Kano originally caught the publics attention by wrapping a Raspberry Pi board which was cheap and capable, but overwhelming for the average parent in a transparent case with a child-friendly assortment of colorful cables and dongles. The company even put an instructional booklet in the box so that everyone would know how to snap the pieces together. It wasnt a full PC build, though, and Ive always wondered if the company would attempt a more complicated construction kit. If the Raspberry Pi was LEGO, I wanted its eventual Windows machine to be like LEGO Technic. Unfortunately, it hasnt quite panned out that way. The Kano PCs core components, including the processor and RAM, have already been installed, so you simply need to connect the red battery and blue speaker before snapping on the transparent rear panel. These plastic-covered parts, at least, are a colorful reminder of Kanos legacy and ensure the device fits in with the rest of the companys wares. It might sound inconsequential, but I appreciate that all of Kanos products share a consistent design language that still feels fresh and distinctive in 2020. Regardless, the short assembly process will be disappointing if youre the kind of person that enjoys watching PC build videos on YouTube. (Even Henry Cavill, an actor and video game enthusiast, is putting together his own PC these days.) I still believe theres an opportunity to create a more complex kit that is both approachable and safe for schoolchildren. Still, what you are allowed to build is enjoyable and thoughtfully designed. I never worried that the kit was going to fall apart, either, like the Airfix models I glued together as a child. Engadget / Nick Summers And make no mistake: Kano still wants you to know how a computer works. Markings on the board explain where the various ports which include USB-C for charging, two USB-A ports, a headphone jack and HDMI slot and parts like the microphone reside. The processor, built-in storage, RAM and power management components are highlighted too, but because theyre covered by an aluminum heat sink you cant actually see them. Youll also find a tiny magnifying glass in the instruction booklet that begs you to look closely at everything. Its a small but meaningful prompt that encourages children to question and understand whats in front of them. The centerpiece of the Kano PC is an 11.6-inch touchscreen with a 1366 x 768 (720p) resolution. While not the most vibrant or pixel-dense display, its serviceable for Microsoft Office and the occasional YouTube video. The entire machine costs $299 and unlike the $400 Surface Go 2, that includes the keyboard cover which is cheaper than the entry-level iPad and many Android tablets with PC-like aspirations. A 1080p panel would have been nice, but you cant expect Retina Display quality at this sort of price point. The keyboard is spacious enough that your fingers wont cramp while typing an essay in Google Docs. Theres a dedicated function row, unlike Apples Magic Keyboard for the iPad Pro, and each key has a decent amount of travel. One small nitpick: I wish they were backlit like the ones found on the Surface Go 2s Type Cover. Sure, I mostly work at home with the lights on, but I suspect many children like to use their laptop in the dark, under their bedsheets and well after their parents have told them to go to bed. The keyboard is spacious enough that your fingers wont cramp while typing an essay. The trackpad, meanwhile, is awfully small and fiddly to use. You can prod the touchscreen instead, but Im old fashioned and eventually defaulted to my trusty Logitech MX Master 2S mouse. If youre considering the Kano PC, I highly recommend buying the companys official mouse, which costs $20, or a reliable third-party alternative. (At the time of writing, Kano is offering a free mouse with every Kano PC order.) The keyboard cover attaches magnetically via some small pins similar to Apples Smart Connector and a plastic strip that slots into a deep groove on the tablets derriere. The weight and angle of the tablet then ensures that the kickstand never slides down. Theres just one problem: you cant change the viewing angle. Like, at all. Thats awful in comparison to the Surface Go 2, which can flex almost 180 degrees, and even Apples Magic Keyboard for the iPad Pro. The chosen angle is fine while youre sitting at a desk or kitchen table. But its unhelpful if, like me, you want to place the PC on a pile of books so that your back doesnt ache. Engadget / Nick Summers Another problem is the floppy felt-like material that sits between the magnetized pins and keyboard. It means the tablet can rock forward, and sometimes come crashing down, if you move around too much while its resting on your lap. Many Surface-like convertibles share this lapability problem, but you know what doesnt? Any clamshell Chromebook. Like the Computer Kit Touch, the tablet portion of the Kano PC is thick. Thats the trade-off with a part-assembled device, though, that actively encourages you to peek inside. And honestly, I dont mind the larger footprint. In its folded-down form, the computer resemble the binders and textbooks that I used to lug around at school. A thinner device is always preferable, but thats neither the focus nor, in my opinion, expectation with a product like this. The final hardware compromise is the webcam. The Kano PC doesnt have one, which means you need an accessory to participate in Zoom calls, or any kind of video call. Kano is selling a $30 webcam with a bendable arm that supports both front and rear-facing shots. It also has an LED light for after-dark calls and a secondary lens that can capture macro photos and videos. Its an imaginative solution that really should have been bundled with the Kano PC. Many children have gone back to school, but distance learning is still a massive part of our coronavirus-stricken world. Webcams, therefore, are a critical PC component at the moment. Software The Kano PC was originally meant to run Windows 10 in S Mode, a streamlined version of the desktop operating system that only allows apps from the Microsoft Store. The final version, however, has no such limitation. It ships with Windows 10 Home and supports any Windows app. That gives the hardware a major advantage over its Chromebook competition, which currently requires virtual machine software to run Windows software. (A partnership between Google and Parallels should make that easier in the future, however.) There are, of course, many cheap laptops and Surface-style convertibles that run Windows 10 Home. But none of them ship with the same applications as the Kano PC. Every Kano PC ships with a software-based introduction. Engadget / Nick Summers The first time you power up the machine on, Kano will welcome you with a special introduction that resembles an old programming terminal. It challenges you to write a series of phrases which are then printed on-screen as text art. Its a simple introduction that any laptop manufacturer could have made. Still, its a nice way of telling the customer that their PC is designed for learning and creation, rather than mere consumption. Once youve reached Microsofts familiar desktop interface, you can access Kanos Software Studio, which currently spans three apps: How Computers Work, Kano Code and Mark Art. (Kano is working on two others called Pixel Motion, which lets you make GIFs and other animated shorts, and Kano Create, which revolves around Javascript.) How Computers Work is an introduction to the processes that happen behind the display. One section explains binary code, for instance, using a long string of ones and zeroes that you can flip to unlock different emoji. Processors, flash storage, memory, networking, keyboards and speakers are taught in a similar fashion. The explanations are short and well-written, but I wish there were more options broken down by recommended age, perhaps to read longer and more advanced descriptions. I was particularly impressed with the pandemic-themed challenges. The second application, Kano Code, teaches you the basics of programming with color-coded blocks. If youve used any Kano product before, including the companys Harry Potter wand, youll be familiar with the interface. Theres a narrow block library on the left, followed by a wide central canvas and a live preview pane in the top-right hand corner. To create code, you simply drag the blocks onto the canvas and, if necessary, change their linked values using the keyboard or various drop-down menus. If you have no idea what youre doing, fear not: Kano Code has dozens of excellent lessons with step-by-step instructions. Some have typos, but theyre minor enough that you can still understand what its asking you to do. Kano also highlights where you need to go next the relevant section in the block library, for instance, or where your chosen block should be placed on the canvas with a yellow orb. I was particularly impressed with the pandemic-themed challenges, which include a drawing of the coronavirus structure. Drawing a coronavirus diagram in Kano Code. Engadget / Nick Summers Finally, theres Make Art. The application goes a step further by eliminating the colorful block shapes. Instead, youll need to use simple text-based commands which more closely resemble real code to change the background, stroke size, fill color, and the X and Y coordinates that dictate where the application should start and stop drawing. Like Kano Code, theres a bunch of activities with step-by-step instructions that explain what you need to do next and, more importantly, why its required to complete the picture. Voracious learners will, I suspect, tear through everything in a matter of days or weeks, obsessively completing each task and absorbing its teachings like a sponge. If you think your child is one of these people, its worth considering the Kano Club. The subscription service, which costs $4.99 per month or $39.99 per year, unlocks additional challenges, early access to new Kano tools such as Artopia, coding tutorial videos, and other exclusive perks. Kano World If you dont fancy splurging the extra cash, though, theres also Kano World. The kid-friendly social network lets you upload projects and, more impressively, download and remix what other people have made. Its a great source of inspiration if you complete all the free lessons and have no idea what to do next. Kano World is also the web-based home of the Software Studio. Thats right: Make Art and Kano Code arent exclusive to the Kano PC. That might sound counterintuitive the apps are what make the two-in-one so unique but giving away software has always been part of Kanos strategy. Its an effective marketing tool and encourages users to buy other kits, such as the light board and Harry Potter wand, which revolve around special hardware. Most of the custom software can be accessed on any Windows 10 device. Regardless, its possible to access most of the Kano PCs custom software from another Windows 10 device. (Or any piece of hardware with a modern web browser, really.) Its a risky move, but Kano is banking on parents desire for an all-in-one solution. One that, through its build-it-yourself hardware and unique software introduction, subtly nudges children to work through all of the free apps. Work and play Custom software is undoubtedly important, but the Kano PC also needs to work as a general Windows two-in-one. I was worried that the device, which is powered by a dual-core Intel Celeron N4000 processor and 4GB of RAM, would struggle with even the most basic productivity software. Its no benchmark powerhouse, and thats okay: were talking about a $300 machine, after all. The machine can run Microsofts Office suite, though, and communication services like Slack. I also had minimal issues with Todoist, my preferred task manager, and web-based services like Google Docs, provided I didnt open too many tabs. Engadget / Nick Summers But there are limits, of course. You shouldnt buy the Kano PC if your child wants to install the full Adobe suite and spend every night editing vlogs and gameplay footage. For one, the processor cant handle it. But youll also be restricted by the 64GB of onboard eMMC storage. Its an astonishingly small amount of space thats even smaller once you factor in the operating system and Kanos pre-installed coding apps. Thank goodness for the USB-A ports, which can handle external drives, and the microSD slot, which supports cards up to 512GB. The storage also limits any gaming aspirations you might have. I couldnt install Fortnite, for example, because the current Windows build demands close to 100GB. Minecraft ran just fine, though, and I also managed to play a few indie games such as Celeste and Hyper Light Drifter the latter capped at 30 frames per second, admittedly without any stuttering or input lag. If you want to play anything with impressive 3D graphics, though, youll need to buy something more powerful or rely on streaming services such as Google Stadia and NVIDIAs GeForce Now. I used the former to play a bunch of Destiny 2 and Super Bomberman R Online, and only experienced the occasional slowdown or resolution dip. Media playback is equally mixed. The good-enough 720p display is matched by an adequate-at-best speaker. Its small and mounted on the rear of the tablet, which means it pushes audio directly into the kickstand. If you care about audio in any capacity, youll want to use this machine with some good headphones or external speakers. The battery life, however, is decent. The Kano PC managed 9 hours and 9 minutes during our test, which involves playing a HD video clip with the screen set to 65 percent brightness. Thats a tad short of the minimum 10 hours thats advertised on the companys website, but Im willing to let it slide. Nine hours is better than Microsofts Surface Go 2, which is $100 more expensive but admittedly features a higher-resolution display. Sometimes it pays to be pushing fewer pixels around. Kano PC Education Kanos first Windows machine actually comes in two variants: Kano PC and Kano PC Education. The latter ships with Windows 10 Pro, rather than Windows 10 Home, and a preview of a 40-lesson coding curriculum built around Kanos Software Studio. The hope, presumably, is that schools will buy the PC in bulk or enough for a single class, at least and slowly deliver the entire curriculum to pupils. Engadget / Nick Summers Kano is also pitching its PC as a sustainable solution. The company will sell Fix Packs that contain extra parts keyboard cases, batteries, chargers and speakers so schools can eke more time and value out of their initial order. Because the parts are covered in plastic, its also possible for students to perform the repairs in class, learning a valuable lesson about personal electronics and the environment along the way. Clearly, Kano wants to make a Surface for the classroom that can challenge the iPad, Chromebooks, and other low-end Windows hardware. Its a massive challenge, but one that Microsoft is clearly sold on. Why else would it make an equity investment in Kano? Wrap-up Its easy to nitpick the Kano PC. The build process is overly simplistic and the tablets thickness doesnt come close to matching Apples basic iPad or Microsofts Surface Go 2. But its a true Windows 10 machine that has just enough power to handle most of a pre-high schoolers needs. And it only costs $300. Yes, cheaper hardware exists, but you have to factor in the PCs repairability even if only a few parts are user-replaceable and the special software, which will hopefully spark a lifelong passion for digital skills. Kano wants its hardware to be the catalyst for a new generation of programmers and digital artists. If you believe your child will benefit from its colorful apps and LEGO-like components, then this PC could be a worthwhile investment. But if you judge the device on sheer specs, you might find that theres better ways to spend your hard-earned cash. Its a difficult decision, and one that each parent will need to make on their own. If youre still on the fence, I recommend trying Kanos software through Kano World first, then taking note of how your little one responds. I recommend trying Kanos software through Kano World first, then taking note of how your little one responds. The choice could be even tougher for teachers. Do you try the Kano PC, or stick with a more established Chromebook or Windows PC manufacturer? Its a hard call if your schools budget is limited and you need to make every dollar count. The Kano PC is undeniably capable, but it has some obvious flaws. I wouldnt be surprised, therefore, if many educators wait for the second or third revision. One that hopefully ships with a better speaker, a bundled webcam and keyboard cover that supports at least a few more viewing angles. If Kano can nail all three, itll have a real shot at the best Surface-style device for the classroom title. As some schools dive into e-learning amid the novel coronavirus pandemic, a North Carolina teacher is sharing what happened behind the scenes after she was kicked out of her own, virtual classroom. Michelle Westmoreland, an educator at Mount Olive Elementary School in King, North Carolina, was reading a story to 17 second graders on Aug. 26 when she was booted from Google Meet. It only took her two minutes to log back on. All the kids were still there, and it was business as usual, she told "Good Morning America." "I'm frantic, trying to get back in the meeting and I had no idea they were all still connected and having these wonderful conversations," Westmoreland said. "They were so engaged, concerned and waiting on me to come back. I'm very proud and impressed." PHOTO: Second grader Ellie Samayoa sits in a Google Meet classroom session on Aug. 26, 2020. Ellie is a student at Mount Olive Elementary School in King, North Carolina. (Michelle Westmoreland) MORE: Teacher's emotional video shows attempt to set up a classroom amid COVID-19 Westmoreland said her district recommends recording virtual learning sessions in case some students can't make the meeting, or need to re-watch. In the video, the children ask each other if they should log off and come to the conclusion that their teacher was only halfway done with her lesson. PHOTO: Second grader London Harkness sits in a Google Meet classroom session on Aug. 26, 2020. London is a student at Mount Olive Elementary School in King, North Carolina. (Michelle Westmoreland) When Westmoreland watched the class session, she wanted to share with parents and fellow teachers. MORE: Mom falls through ceiling during daughter's audition, goes viral on TikTok PHOTO: Second grader Maston Blalock sits in a Google Meet classroom session on Aug. 26, 2020. Maston is a student at Mount Olive Elementary School in King, North Carolina. (Michelle Westmoreland) PHOTO: Michelle Westmoreland, an educator at Mount Olive Elementary School in King, North Carolina, was reading a story to 17 second graders on Aug. 26 when she was booted from Google Meet. (Michelle Westmoreland) Jordan Edmonds, mom to 8-year-old Jett Edmonds, said she enjoyed seeing the kids' priceless reactions. "My first thought was, 'They did a really good job with that,'" Edmonds, a teacher, told "GMA." "They were trying to problem solve and were so well-behaved and respectful of each other. I thought it was really neat." PHOTO: Second grader Jett Edmonds sits in a Google Meet classroom session on Aug. 26, 2020. Jett is a student at Mount Olive Elementary School in King, North Carolina. (Michelle Westmoreland) Westmoreland said it was likely that WiFi issues kicked her offline that day and things have continued to run smoothly since. Teacher is booted off virtual learning session and the kidsa reactions are priceless originally appeared on goodmorningamerica.com Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 15) Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Teddy Boy Locsin, Jr. said Tuesday he will work on the resumption of negotiations on a Code of Conduct in the South China Sea despite challenges brought by the pandemic. The Philippines is country coordinator for the talks for a Code of Conduct, which will determine the only allowable actions countries can take in the South China Sea. I declared that as China Coordinator I will push through to the 2nd Draft and get started on the 3rd before handing the China Coordinatorship to my brother Myanmar, Locsin said on Twitter. That is what I am honor bound to do. In a separate statement, the Philippines Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said this was among the issues raised during last week's ASEAN-China Ministerial Meeting led by Locsin and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi. It is imperative to bring everyone back to the negotiating table to demonstrate to the world that we are sincerely committed and determined to arrive at a conclusive result, one way or the other; but we must get down to sincere and serious work, Locsin said as quoted in his departments statement. He noted that COVID-19, which has infected more than 29 million people worldwide and forced countries to limit travel and movement, has disrupted the scheduled face-to-face meetings for the Code of Conduct. ASEAN has been pushing for a legally-binding code for decades. But critics have noted the slow progress in the talks due to resistance from China, which claims almost the entire global waterway. READ: Beijing calls for resumption of talks for a Code of Conduct on the South China Sea Meanwhile, aside from the Philippines, other ASEAN member states such as Vietnam, Malaysia, and Brunei have competing claims in the resource-rich waters. ASEAN foreign ministers in a September 9 joint communique emphasized the need to maintain and promote an environment conducive to the COC negotiations, and thus welcomed practical measures that could reduce tensions and the risk of accidents, misunderstandings and miscalculation. The foreign ministers also reaffirmed the need for non-militarization and self-restraint as they raised concerns on the land reclamations, activities, and other serious incidents that have increased tension in the contested region. In a separate video conference last week, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called on the 10-member ASEAN to stand up against Beijings aggressive actions and quit doing business with Chinese companies that Washington had blacklisted for involvement in illegal activities in the South China Sea. READ: PH, China defense chiefs agree to 'amicably' settle sea disputes amid US plea to ASEAN While the US does not claim any part of the South China Sea, it conducts freedom of navigation operations and calls Beijings sweeping claims as unlawful. ASEAN has not publicly responded to Pompeos statement, but the Philippine government said all its deals with Chinese companies will proceed as planned. This was welcomed by the Chinese government, which commended President Rodrigo Dutertes "independent foreign policy." Duterte has nurtured friendship with China despite its continued rejection of the Philippines' arbitration win, wherein an international tribunal in The Hague recognized Manila's sovereign rights to areas within its 200-mile exclusive economic zone that Beijing contests. Amid the pandemic, the Philippines filed several diplomatic protests against Beijing's "illegal" actions, including Chinese Coast Guard's confiscation of Filipino fishermen's devices and issuance of radio challenges at aircraft conducting regular patrols in the West Philippine Sea. China hit back, saying these are "illegal provocations" that the Philippines should stop. Both sides maintain they "agreed to disagree" on the arbitral ruling and other issues to pursue cooperation. Haiti - FLASH : Justice authorizes Trump to end TPS, 58,000 Haitians risk deportation Monday, the decision (2-1) of the US 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, based in Pasadena, California, ruled that President Donald Trump could terminate the Temporary Protected Status Program (TPS) for 4 countries, quashing the preliminary injunction issued by U.S. District Judge Edward Chen in 2018 https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-25726-haiti-flash-federal-judge-prevents-trump-administration-to-cancel-tps.html that prevented the US administration from ending the TPS. "The district court abused its discretion in issuing the preliminary injunction," said the three judges of the Court of Appeal. The decision is also expected to affect more than 200,000 children born in the United States, according to court documents. This decision of the Court of Appeal leaves a threat of expulsion on some 300,000 Salvadorans, 58,000 Haitians, 5,000 Nicaraguans and 1,000 Sudanese (if they fail to regularize), who were protected by the TPS by which the states -United grants extraordinary permits to citizens of countries affected by armed conflict or natural disasters. Despite this decision, Trump will not be able to end the TPS for Nicaragua, Sudan and Haiti before March 5, 2021 and November 2021 for El Salvador, says Mr. Ahilan Arulanantham, one of the main advocates of the American Union for Civil Liberties (ACLU). However, those protected by the TPS and immigrant rights organizations should challenge the ruling, which could potentially be appealed to the United States Supreme Court. Recall that Nicaragua was included in the TPS program in 1999, El Salvador in 2001, Sudan in 1997 and Haiti in 2010. See also : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-29952-haiti-usasuspected-electoral-considerations-in-the-decision-to-end-the-tpshaiti-usa-suspected-electoral-considerations-in-the-decision-to-end-the-tps.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-29158-haiti-flash-victory-against-trump-haitians-under-tps-get-365-days-of-stay.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-28803-haiti-flash-tps-the-trump-administration-appeals-the-decision-of-judge-kuntz-preventing-the-expulsion-of-haitians.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-25726-haiti-flash-federal-judge-prevents-trump-administration-to-cancel-tps.html SL/ HaitiLibre Surveillance video captured a man walking up to a parked Los Angeles Sheriffs Department (LASD) vehicle Saturday evening. Two deputies, a 31-year-old female and a 24-year-old male, were sitting inside. The man suddenly pulled a handgun and fired several rounds through the passenger window, striking both deputies in their heads. He fled on foot. The injured deputies were rushed to St. Francis Hospital, a trauma center. As of this writing, both are in stable condition and are expected to survive. The extent of their residual injuries and other complications will not be known for some time but will likely be substantial. No suspect has been identified nor any motive offered. The LASD has described the only available description as highly generic, perhaps a black male in his late 20s. An intense investigation is underway, and Los Angeles County is offering a $100,000 reward for further information. The deputies appeared to have been targeted at random. Both had been deputies for only fourteen months and were working for the Transit Policing Division, which is responsible for law enforcement on a portion of Los Angeles Countys woefully inadequate light rail system, considered a soft assignment appropriate for inexperienced deputies. The deputies were shot outside the Compton Metro Station. The city of Compton is among the most impoverished working-class communities in Southern California with a history of law enforcement misconduct and violence. After a series of scandals and excessive-force lawsuits, the citys police department was disbanded 20 years ago and replaced by an LASD substation, which has become even more brutal and scandal-ridden. Recent litigation, including a whistleblower lawsuit brought by a deputy who claims he was threatened by other deputies, has revealed that current deputies assigned to the Compton Substation formed a covert white supremacist gang, calling themselves The Executioners, each with a matching tattoo of a skull figure wearing a Nazi helmet and carrying an assault rifle. The Executioners are reported to celebrate deputy shootings and the induction of new members with inking parties. The recent exposure of an Executioner tattoo during a wrongful death lawsuit resulted in a $7 million settlement for the victims survivors. Last year, Ryan Twyman, 24, died after two Compton deputies fired 34 rounds while he was sitting in his car unarmed. On June 18, Compton deputies killed Andres Guardado, an 18-year-old security guard. His autopsy revealed five bullet wounds in the back. Bicyclist Dijon Kizzee was shot multiple times on August 31, a murder captured on a surveillance video that shows he too was shot in the back while not posing a threat to the deputies. Most recently, last Thursday deputies shot and killed a man while serving a search warrant at a Compton home, allegedly after an exchange of gunfire. The recent shootings intensified protests against police violence that have been ongoing since the Minneapolis murder of George Floyd last May. Without a shred of evidence, however, at a news conference held outside the hospital four hours after the shooting, Sheriff Alex Villanueva, surrounded by uniformed deputies and wearing a bulletproof vest, attributed the Transit deputies shooting to recent protests and anger over police violence. Actions, words have consequence, he said. And our job does not get any easier because people dont like law enforcement. Both presidential candidates amplified Villanuevas reactionary, antidemocratic threats. Trump retweeted the surveillance video, declaring, Animals that must be hit hard! Trumps use of dehumanizing language in the plural, when the video clearly shows a single perpetrator who appears to be acting alone, is a clear threat to wide layers of anti-police demonstrators and critics, whom he lumps together with a minuscule criminal fringe rife with provocateurs. In a prepared statement, Democrat Joe Biden echoed Trump, albeit while giving some lip service to the demonstrators, declaring, These acts of lawlessness and violence directed against police officers are unacceptable, outrageous, and entirely counterproductive to the pursuit of greater peace and justice in Americaas are the actions of those who cheer such attacks on. Biden did not specify who these cheerleaders might be. Deputies, taking their cue from Trump and Villanueva, began retaliating almost immediately. Josie Huang, a respected local reporter for local National Public Radio station KPCC who also writes for the LAist news blog, was posting a preliminary report on Villanuevas news conference shortly after 11:00 p.m. when she heard a ruckus. No more than a half dozen loud protesters assembled on the sidewalk in front of the hospital driveway and were taunting deputies with puerile chants of Its a celebration, and Hope they die. When a deputy pointed a 40 millimeter less lethal projectile launcher, one of the demonstrators responded, If you want to fire the shot, fire the shot. No shots were fired. Instead, the deputies ordered the individuals to disperse and forced them to leave. A group of about a dozen deputies followed the demonstrators, and Huang followed the deputies, video recording their actions with her cell phone. Suddenly, deputies grabbed one of the demonstrators and took him down onto the asphalt, piled on his back and handcuffed him. He was thrown into a police car, under arrest on trumped-up charges of impeding nonexistent traffic into the hospital. Other demonstrators ran away. Deputies then attacked Huang, simultaneously ordering her to back the fuck up while tackling her to the asphalt, where five deputies held her down for handcuffing. Huangs phone was knocked to the ground, still recording. A deputy deliberately stepped on it, extinguishing the image. Somehow the phone was recovered by another reporter, and its recordings survived. They are available on Huangs Twitter feed. Journalist Josie Huang being arrested After her arrest, the LASD tweeted that Huang had refused to identify herself as media and lacked the appropriate credentials. The violent assault on Huang was captured on video by a nearby ABC television news crew, however. Huangs press pass is clearly visible hanging from a lanyard around her neck, and she can be heard yelling repeatedly that she is a reporter with KPCC. After being jerked to her feet and thrown into an LASD car, Huang was taken to the womens jail, where she was released five hours later with visible bruises and scrapes, a sore shoulder and a black eye. She was issued a citation to appear in court on charges of obstruction. KPCC issued a statement calling Huangs arrest the latest in a series of troubling interactions between our reporters and some local law enforcement officers. Journalists provide an essential service, providing fair, accurate and timely journalism and without them, our democracy is at risk. While the roughing up and arrest of reporters and protesters has become commonplace, incidents such as last Saturdays shooting of the Transit deputies are very rare. According to FBI statistics, last year in the United States as a whole just 48 law enforcement officers were killed by suspects while in the line of duty. That averages less than one a week. In contrast, there are more than 1,000 law enforcement killings each year, an average of one every eight hours. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-15 11:32:56|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close WASHINGTON, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. House of Representative could vote on a stopgap funding bill next week to avoid a potential government shutdown when the new fiscal year begins on Oct. 1, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said on Monday. "I want to put it on the floor next week," Hoyer said in an interview with CQ Roll Call. "I want to give the Senate at least a week to pass it. I want to make sure government doesn't shut down." That would give congressional leaders and the White House just a few days to wrap up negotiations on details of the so-called continuing resolution (CR), which is needed to avert a partial government shutdown starting Oct. 1, according to CQ Roll Call. U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin told reporters on Monday that the White House and congressional lawmakers were trying to work out a stopgap measure this week. "We have an agreement that it will be a clean CR. Having said that, the details of the clean CR have to be worked out. And I hope we can finish that this week," Mnuchin said. However, congressional lawmakers and the Trump administration remain deadlocked over the next COVID-19 relief package, which is crucial for a sustainable U.S. economic recovery. "One major disagreement between us is that the administration and the Republicans in Congress are disrespectful of the role that state and local government plays in fighting the virus, as well as in educating our children and meeting the needs of the American people," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Monday in an interview with MSNBC. "We all want to have an agreement, but it has to be real. What the Senate did was not real. The fact is, though, one of the focuses that we must have if we're going to come out of this is to attack the virus," Pelosi said. Last week, the Senate failed to advance a slimmed-down Republican COVID-19 relief proposal, which contained roughly 650 billion U.S. dollars in total spending. House Democrats had unveiled a 3-trillion-dollar relief proposal in May, which didn't gain support from the Republicans. Senate Republicans released their 1-trillion-dollar proposal in late July, but lawmakers failed to bridge their differences before the August recess. Enditem Western Australian Premier Mark McGowan has come under fire for suggesting returning overseas travellers should quarantine alongside detainees at Christmas Island. Mr McGowan has called on the Commonwealth to use defence bases or detention centres at Christmas Island and Yongah Hill as quarantine centres, arguing WA is almost at capacity for the number of people it can safely keep in hotels. Almost 2,000 people are being held in COVID-19 hotel quarantine in Perth. Western Australian Premier Mark McGowan has come under fire for suggesting returning overseas travellers should quarantine alongside detainees at Christmas Island (pictured) 'We saw in Victoria, when you overload your hotels, you can have very, very adverse consequences,' Mr McGowan said on Tuesday. 'That's why we'd like the Commonwealth to use some of their facilities and we're more than happy to work with them. 'They could literally take thousands of people into those if they wanted to and I think that would be a good back-up to what the state is doing.' Christmas Island is currently housing convicted criminals and people whose visas were revoked but couldn't be deported because of a lack of flights. 'It's part of Australia,' Mr McGowan said when asked if he would be comfortable with using the facility. 'It's two weeks. You stay in a room for two weeks. It's just the price you pay to come back to Australia in these difficult times and I think overwhelmingly, people understand that. 'There are some people there but as I understand it, it's a big facility.' Mr McGowan has called on the Commonwealth to use defence bases or detention centres at Christmas Island and Yongah Hill as quarantine centres Opposition health spokesman Zak Kirkup said the premier needed to show more compassion for Australians stranded overseas. 'Is the premier seriously suggesting that West Aussies stranded overseas who are desperate to return home should be isolated behind razor wire alongside some of the world's worst criminals when they could do it in the comfort of a hotel room here in Perth?,' he said. WA has a cap of 525 returned overseas passengers a week - second only to NSW - but its numbers are also being inflated by people arriving from Victoria to take up jobs in WA. Under WA's strict quarantine laws, anyone arriving from Victoria must spend 14 days in hotel quarantine. People from other states are allowed to self-isolate at home. More than 25,000 Australians are stranded overseas due to the closure of international borders. Australian Border Force Commissioner Michael Outram on Tuesday said a proposed federal quarantine facility was not possible. 'Quarantine facilities can't be run without medical professionals on the ground,' Mr Outram told ABC radio. 'At the moment the AUSMAT (Australian Medical Assistance Teams) capability, I imagine, would be pretty stretched because of the need for the states and territories to be running their own health services, plus other things going on around the pandemic.' WA recorded no new cases on Tuesday. Four remain active. (Photo : (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)) WASHINGTON, DC - OCTOBER 23: Facebook co-founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg testifies before the House Financial Services Committee in the Rayburn House Office Building on Capitol Hill October 23, 2019 in Washington, DC. Zuckerberg testified about Facebook's proposed cryptocurrency Libra, how his company will handle false and misleading information by political leaders during the 2020 campaign and how it handles its users data and privacy. (Photo : (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)) WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 11: Facebook co-founder, Chairman and CEO Mark Zuckerberg prepares to testify before the House Energy and Commerce Committee in the Rayburn House Office Building on Capitol Hill April 11, 2018 in Washington, DC. This is the second day of testimony before Congress by Zuckerberg, 33, after it was reported that 87 million Facebook users had their personal information harvested by Cambridge Analytica, a British political consulting firm linked to the Trump campaign. The most prominent social media in the world and multinational technology company, Facebook, is facing another massive issue within its organization for allowing fake news and disinformation to reign over its website, allowing the government to manipulate content to mislead citizens. Facebook's whistleblower unearths a shocking scandal that rocks the company's reputation and identity. A former Facebook Data Scientist turned whistleblower shares an unpublished 6,600-word memo to BuzzFeed News which the news agency has not uploaded yet due to security reasons. Sophie Zhang, the Facebook whistleblower, shares her horrific experience while working for the company in a seemingly "whack-a-mole" happening of hunting down and removing fake accounts. Sophie Zhang stated that Facebook was slow to act or even ignored the political manipulation present on social media, participated in by the government of several countries against its citizens. Fake news, misinformation, and manipulation were some of the tactics used by several political parties and even its government-elected officials to sway public opinion. Some of the manipulation Zhang found on social media even made it to foreign news that affected various countries and cities throughout the globe. Facebook, is yet again, facing another scandal that shakes its integrity down to the very core, in the eyes of the public. The company barely escaped netizens' harsh criticism and boycott movement of #DeleteFacebook about the recent Kenosha Militia activities that the company failed to stop. ALSO READ: Youtube Faces UK Lawsuit Over Alleged Child Data Exploitation of Kids Under 13 Sophie Zhang: Facebook Data Scientist to Whistleblower Sophie Zhang comes forth with shocking revelations backed with evidence and examples that condemns her former employer, Facebook, on allowing and ignoring certain red flags that went against its Community Standards. The blatant attempts, according to Zhang, are increasing in the social media with various governments aiming to use the platform on their bidding. Political manipulation from parties was present in the countries of Azerbaijan and Honduras who used fake accounts and lied to the public to change particular views. On the other hand, countries including India, Ukraine, Spain, Brazil, and Ecuador utilized the social media platform to perform coordinated campaigns to promote and malign political outcomes, changing the course of the elections. Sophie Zhang worked for Facebook's Site Integrity fake management team, dealing mostly with bots on the platform, particularly during elections. Zhang's Actions with Facebook Sophie Zhang's actions during her employment at the social media company pushed her to do things against her bidding and act on her personal decisions against specific political dispute found on Facebook. Zhang also said that her judgement was used to enforce the company's policies against individual political personalities. Zhang's position as a mid-level employee led her to decide and act for different countries, personally accountable in changing the direction of a political stand-off in a nation. She even went as far as saying that she has "blood" on her hands due to the activities Facebook ignored. Facebook: Ignoring Massive Political Issues? The most prominent social media in the world is not yet giving its side regarding this issue, but Zhang's statement paints a picture on who the perpetrator is. The whistleblower says that Facebook ignored or took very late actions on specific time-sensitive problems that were given attention way later than it is supposed to do. Sophie Zhang said that even the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) flagged the company for taking inaction regarding a "Russian inauthentic activity on a high-profile U.S. political figure." Several more inactions are revealed with Facebook being passive and ignorant on the issues. Sophie Zhang's revelations show Facebook on a different light, exposing the company's shortcomings and unearthing a massive scandal within the organization. ALSO READ: Oracle Prevails as TikTok's US Tech Partner Days Before Deadline Ban-Not an Outright Sale According to ByteDance; Microsoft Bids Farewell This article is owned by Tech Times Written by Isaiah Alonzo 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Its important to note that the Gulf of Mexico has the highest concentration of oil rigs than another place on earth, as expected both benchmarks rallied higher, however, the bears capped such gains on the basis that the energy market might be saturated, will oil demand falling arbitrarily and COVID-19 caseloads reaching a record high. Oil traders have it on the back of their mind that crude oil prices usually do not perform very well during the September period to the end of October. That said, traders are wary of Libyan commander Khalifa Haftas recent assurance of reopening the Libyan energy sectors and pump crude to an energy market already suffering from weakening demand making it difficult for Brent crude prices to breach above the $40.50/barrel mark at Londons trading session. Crude oil traders are also concerned on the present seasonal abiotic trends could increase the already exponential rise of COVID-19 caseloads on the bias that the northern hemisphere heads to autumn and social-economic activity go indoors where the spread of the COVID-19 virus could be more rapid. Without any doubt this could put the oil cartel in an even more giant pickle when they hold a virtual meeting on Thursday to review the current oil output intervention in relationship to price impacts. Looking at the price pattern and excluding significant macros like Libyan supply plans its most likely Brent crude remains above the $38.50 support level most of the week, as traders await major monetary policies from leading central banks that include Japan, United Kingdom, and the United States However, the biggest headline for trading will be tracking the inventories across gasoline and distillates, as any build could breach the critical support levels of both international benchmarks, as remains the most worrying issue for day traders. For a look at all of todays economic events, check out our economic calendar. Story continues This article was originally posted on FX Empire More From FXEMPIRE: During the last 10 years, many medical schools have substantially increased acceptance rates in Central America, and some medical schools indicated that the attrition rate has decreased. Recently, the medical schools have created programs that could increase enrollment rates, improve the specialized courses, attract thousands of new students, and reduce tuition. Evaluating the Enrollment Rates Throughout the Caribbean and Central America, many medical schools have an acceptance rate of more than 41 percent, and some medical schools have increased enrollment rates by around 20 percent. In the region, some secondary schools offer specialized programs that can help students to prepare for medical careers. Most universities frequently accept students who have immigrated to the Caribbean and Central America, and many students receive academic scholarships, financial aid, and various types of grants. During the next five years, the enrollment rate may increase by more than 15 percent, and in Central America, many medical schools have developed long-term programs that could offer unique incentives, optimize the quality of each residency program and improve teamwork. Additionally, medical students can consistently evaluate cutting-edge technology, new treatments, unique medications, numerous types of diseases, and emerging trends. Evaluating Various Medical Specialties During December 2019, numerous experts examined Central American and Caribbean medical school enrollment rates, and the researchers indicated that many students have studied osteopathy, neurology, endocrinology, and optometry. Throughout Central America, some medical schools offer unique courses that can allow students to study immunology. Once students enroll in these classes, the pupils can examine various types of bacteria, the benefits of certain medications, the effectiveness of antibodies, and innovative vaccines. Examining Factors That Could Affect the Acceptance Rates When academic administrators evaluate each student's application, the administrators may examine each test score, the student's grades, extracurricular activities, and the number of applicants. Generally, the administrators search for students who have studied biology, chemistry, physics, or neuroscience, and many medical students have also completed courses that are related to social sciences. Likewise, some applicants have studied statistics, and these courses can significantly improve critical thinking, attentiveness, and deductive reasoning. According to recent reports, the number of applicants increased during the last three years. Throughout the last 15 years, many students have chosen these universities because Latin American medical schools have substantially increased the acceptance rate in the Caribbean and Central America. Reducing the Attrition Rate In Central America, some medical schools have an attrition rate of less than 10 percent, yet during the last three months, the attrition rate has slightly increased. Some schools have created unique courses that can substantially decrease the attrition rate, improve the experiences of students, increase the number of specialized courses, and provide several types of incentives. Choosing a Residency Program Once a medical student completes the necessary courses, the individual can select a residency program that is affiliated with local hospitals, or the student may choose a residency program that is based in the United States. According to several reports, more than 15 percent of medical residents travel to the United States. When a medical student examines a residency program, the student can evaluate the duration of the program, the reputation of the hospitals, the location of the medical center, and several types of incentives. The big fat Indian wedding is a thing of the past now and will remain the same at least for some more time, due to the restrictions imposed to stop the spread of COVID-19. While the wedding functions have been scaled down, a bride from West Bengal turned her big day into a celebration with social responsibility. AFP Noorjahan Khatun, a school teacher, celebrated her wedding eve in Bengal's Nadia district by organising a blood donation camp and distributing books among local students. Even asked father to procure saplings The 28-year-old, a philosophy teacher at a higher secondary school in East Medinipur, has further asked her father to procure saplings, which she would be handing out to the guests after her wedding on Tuesday. At least 32 people, including neighbours and relatives, donated blood at the camp that her father had set up outside their residence in Dhubulia area of Nadia district. "I had heard that blood banks were running dry amid the COVID-19 crisis. This was my small effort to help people during medical emergencies. TOI "The book distribution programme, too, was a gesture on my part to appreciate the efforts of children who have done well in their board exams," Khatun, who is set to tie the knot with Murshidabad resident Obidur Rahman, also a school teacher, said. Rustam Ali Sheikh, her father, said the neighbours and relatives were happy to have associated with the cause. "When my daughter wanted me to arrange a blood donation camp to mark her wedding, I was more than willing to do the needful. I have also bought saplings for distribution after the wedding," Sheikh said. Unequivocal UK Support for the Rock on National Day Government has said it would like to highlight the extensive political support received by UK Leaders this National Day, despite this year's differences. For the first time in Gibraltars history, all four UK leaders sent video messages, including Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, First Minister of Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon, First Minister of Northern Ireland, Arlene Foster and Wales First Minister, Mark Drakeford, wishing the Rock a happy National Day. In a video message from Number 10 Downing Street, the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson stated: The past few months have been difficult for all of us and its sadly clear that this awful virus is not yet done with us or with Gibraltar so far. Weve been working with the Chief Minister, Fabian Picardo, whos done an absolutely stellar job this year to make sure you have the medical supplies you need to keep your people healthy and the financial security you need to keep your economy running. Scotlands First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon was also steadfast in her support to Gibraltar: I can assure you that, as we face the challenges of the months ahead, Scotland will continue to work in that spirit of cooperation and internationalism. I know that Scotland and Gibraltar will continue to enjoy a close friendship in the future and I hope that, despite the circumstances, you all have an enjoyable and safe Gibraltar National Day. For his part, the Welsh First Minister, Mark Drakeford, said: We look forward again this year to welcoming students from Gibraltar who come to study here in Wales at our national universities. On behalf of all the people of Wales, I send the warmest greetings on Gibraltar National Day. The First Minister of Northern Ireland, Arlene Foster added: Its clear to me that we share the same strength of character power by resilience, energy and determination. Let me wish your Chief Minister, and friend Fabian, and indeed all of you and the most beautiful part of the world, a very safe and happy Gibraltar National Day. I look forward to being with you again very soon. The First Secretary of State, Dominic Raab, also emphasised the UKs undisputed support for Gibraltarians on a message posted to social media: On Gibraltar National Day, I want to reiterate the UKs support for Gibraltar and its people. Today the Gibraltar flag flies over the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office as we celebrate your proud history and place in the UK family. The Chief Minister, Fabian Picardo, expressed his gratitude towards the messages of support received, adding: Despite the challenges and the very different way we have had to celebrate this year, it is the first time all UK leaders have taken the time to remember Gibraltar on our special day. This shows how we are undoubtedly part of the British Family of Nations. As we navigate our departure from the EU in the coming months, it is extremely reassuring to know that we have the genuine support of our UK counterparts every step of the way. Israeli fighters are suspected of striking Syria again, this time hitting positions south of Albukamal in Deir ez-Zor, killing ten fighters reports Al-Araby Al-Jadeed. Suspected Israeli air strikes in eastern Syria on Monday killed 10 pro-Iran fighters, most of them Iraqis, a war monitor said. The raids against militant positions south of the town of Albu Kamal in Deir az-Zour province took the lives of eight Iraqi and two Syrian combatants, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman said the strikes, which also destroyed munition depots and vehicles, were likely carried out by Israel. The Observatory has previously reported suspected Israeli air strikes on Deir az-Zour, but these reports are rarely corroborated by Syrian state media or the Jewish state. A US-led coalition is also present in the area after years of backing Kurdish forces in their fight against the Islamic State group. On September 3, presumed Israeli air strikes on eastern Syria killed 16 Iran-backed fighters, the Observatory said at the time. The monitor says it relies on flight patterns, as well as type of aircraft and ammunition involved, to determine who was behind an aerial bombing. Along with Russia, Israels nemesis Iran has been a key backer of the Damascus regime in its nine-year-long civil war. Israel has carried out hundreds of air and missile strikes on Syria since the civil war broke out in 2011, targeting Iranian and Lebanese Hezbollah forces as well as government troops. The Israeli army rarely acknowledges individual strikes, but did confirm on August 3 that it had used fighter jets, attack helicopters and other aircraft to hit military targets in southern Syria. Syrias war has killed more than 380,000 people and displaced millions more since starting in 2011 with the brutal repression of anti-government protests. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author. LAPD Chief Michel Moore told the Police Commission on Tuesday that the COVID-19 pandemic has helped drive gun violence this year, including by spurring economic despair. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) Los Angeles Police Chief Michel Moore said Tuesday that the COVID-19 pandemic has helped drive gun violence and increase killings in the city this year, including by spurring economic despair and interpersonal dramas while undercutting efforts to interrupt cycles of retaliation. "What we're sensing is a lot of stress, a lot of communities that are on edge, a certain amount of depression," Moore said during a morning meeting of the civilian Police Commission. In addition to serving as an emotional and economic wrecking ball, the pandemic, Moore said, has shifted nighttime gatherings away from traditional settings such as clubs and bars into neighborhoods and party houses, which have become a "fertile bed for some type of spontaneous violence." He also said that pandemic-related rules barring visitors from local hospitals have prevented trained violence intervention workers from visiting the bedsides of surviving shooting victims eliminating the opportunity to provide resources and emotional support, address their anger and help prevent retaliatory violence on the streets. "Those [programs] are being interrupted right now," Moore said. Moore's comments follow a violent summer that saw gun violence increase in July and August. The trend has continued into this month, Moore said. Earlier in the year, police had cited the pandemic as a cause for crime decreases, with fewer people on the street amid stay-at-home orders. However, as of Sept. 5, homicides were up 13.7% compared with the same time last year, while the number of shooting victims was up 8.2%, according to the latest city data. Incidents in which shots were fired, including those in which no one was struck, were up 11.9%. Compared with 2018, the increases were even more stark, with homicides up more than 20%. The increases come despite a 5.6% drop in violent crime overall, and a 9.3% decrease in property crime despite a 35% increase in vehicle thefts. Story continues They also come despite the lack of a parallel uptick in a more traditional driver of bloodshed in L.A.: gang-related violence. According to the Los Angeles Police Department data, shootings linked to gangs were down 14.4% compared with last year, and gang-related homicides were down nearly 2%. Moore described L.A.'s increased violence this year as less severe than that seen in other major cities, including New York City, but said his commanders nonetheless view it as a top priority and have begun implementing changes to address it. As one example, Moore said that officers in the department's troubled Metropolitan Division who had been detailed to general crime suppression work have been redeployed onto shooting response teams, which are now assisting detectives by canvassing neighborhoods for information and following up with witnesses and victims. Moore said the LAPD also is working with neighboring agencies to identify "what cross-neighborhood issues may be influencing this." The increased violence comes amid a wildly disruptive summer in a year of shocking upheaval in policing, one in which the LAPD has taken hits from all sides. While the killings increased, protests raged and the police budget was cut as elected leaders took up the increasingly mainstream concept of "defunding police" in earnest. Moore and other leaders have been left to take stock, reviewing how the department operates and which units might be slimmed down in order to rein in spending and regain ground in the fight for public trust. Supporters of the department have pointed to the uptick in violence as a clear reason to reverse course and "defend police" rather than defund them. But critics have questioned the correlation between police funding and crime reduction. What is clear in the data is that the uptick in violence has corresponded with a decline in arrests. Through Sept. 5, LAPD arrests in violent crimes were down 10.6% compared with the same time last year. Total LAPD arrests in the city were down more than 25% compared with last year, and down nearly 40% compared with the agency's five-year average for total arrests at this point in the year. There had been fewer than 44,000 arrests this year, as of Sept. 5, compared with more than 58,000 last year and a five-year average of nearly 70,000. Stops of members of the public by LAPD officers were down more than 20% from last year, while calls for service were down just 3.9%. The number of firearms recovered by police was down 27.2% this year, compared with last. At the commission meeting, Moore was repeatedly asked about the recent $150-million cut to the department's budget, and what the impact would be. Moore noted that one previously identified result will be about 250 fewer sworn officers on the streets, but that additional effects are still being identified and could evolve if the department is subjected to additional budget or personnel cuts as the city continues to grapple with a growing fiscal crisis. Moore said the department is committed to its core goals of reducing and solving violent crime, and that resources will remain devoted to those goals regardless of whether other responsibilities of police such as responding to routine traffic collisions get shifted to other agencies as public safety in the city is "reimagined." By Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana As the socioeconomic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic spread across the length and breadth of Asia and the Pacific, finance ministries are continuing their relentless efforts to inject trillions of dollars for emergency health responses and fiscal packages. With continued lockdown measures and restricted borders, economic rebound seems uncertain. Compared to 2019's economic situation, countries in Asia and the Pacific over the past six months have been experiencing sharp drops in foreign exchange inflows due to declines in export earnings, remittances, tourism and FDI. This is worrying as policymakers are tackling difficult choices over how to prioritize development spending, while continuing to expand their squeezed fiscal space. The United Nations is contributing through a global initiative on Financing for Development in the Era of COVID-19 and Beyond, co-convened by Canada and Jamaica, to articulate a comprehensive financing strategy to safeguard its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Governments are united to ensure that adequate financial resources are available to steer an inclusive, sustainable and resilient post-COVID recovery. In the Asia-Pacific region, several countries have already adopted financing plans in three key areas. They aim to address the challenge of diminished fiscal space and debt vulnerability; to ensure sustainable recovery, consistent with the ambitions of the Paris Agreement and the 2030 Agenda; and to harness the potential of regional cooperation in support of financing for development. The development arm of the United Nations in our region, the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) has recently launched its first-ever Regional Conversation Series on Building Back Better. We are joining forces with ministers, decision-makers, private sectors and heads of international agencies to share collective insights in sharing pathways to resilient recovery from the ongoing health pandemic and economic collapse. To improve the fiscal space and manage high levels of debt distress, a growing call for extending the debt moratorium under global initiatives like the Debt Service Suspension initiative (DSSI) is timely. Central banks can continue to keep the balance right of supporting the economy and maintaining financial stability. This further involves enhancing tax reforms and improving debt management capacities, while using limited fiscal space to invest in priority sectors. Sustainability-oriented bonds and innovative financial instruments options such as debt swaps for SDG investment should be explored further. In addition to economic considerations, the policy paradigm and financing architecture for recovery plans must mainstream affordable, accessible and green infrastructure standards, while promoting social equality and environmental sustainability principles as enshrined in the Paris Agreement. As we scale up the use of digital technology and innovative applications, the financing support of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) must go hand in hand with these national job-rich recovery strategies. The Regional Conversation on Financing for Development highlighted that no country could take this agenda forward alone. Regionally coordinated financing policies can restart trade, reorganize supply chains and revitalize sustainable tourism in a safe manner. Thankfully, several countries in the region have valuable experiences to share. Across Asia and the Pacific, governments must pool financial resources to create regional investment funds in areas such as liquidity funds for sustainability, funds for resilience and travel funds to relaunch our economies. Strengthening regional cooperation platforms to ensure that all countries receive an equitable number of doses of the vaccine on short notice to everyone everywhere is particularly essential. Without an end to the pandemic, the economic and social costs can't be contained. Through ESCAP, we can scale these efforts across the region, working closely with our member states, the private sector and innovators to build a collective financing response to mobilize the necessary additional resources. Together, we can chart financing strategies of Asia and the Pacific which can enhance societal well-being and economic resilience to future pandemics and crises. Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana is the United Nations under-secretary-general and executive secretary of the U.N. Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific. We now find ourselves one week into this, and without question our state has been pushed to its limits, Gov. Kate Brown (D) said during a news conference Monday. As we look toward the next few days, my firefighting teams tell me they are optimistic that cooler weather coming toward the end of this week will be a tremendous help. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE) has transferred, on Tuesday, from the 2020 Development and Humanitarian Assistance Budget, managed by MAE and the International Cooperation for Development Agency (RoAid), a voluntary financial contribution worth 100,000 euro to support the civil society and the independent press in Belarus. Romania's contribution was transferred to the European Endowment for Democracy (EED), a European institution specialized in granting assistance for projects to consolidate democracy and human rights in the vicinity of the European Union, shows a MAE release sent to AGERPRES. Thus, Romania joins the other EU partners, member-states and institutions, which develop projects in partnership with the EED, for the direct benefit of the civil society in Belarus. "These days, the civil society and the independent press in Belarus, subjected to systematic pressures, is fighting for democracy. This support from Romania aims to fulfill the legitimate expectations of the citizens of Belarus, especially given that support for democratic developments and reforms constitutes the basis of EU cooperation with the states of the Eastern Partnership," said Minister Bogdan Aurescu, who approved the granting of the mentioned voluntary financial contribution. The Romanian Minister reiterates that "Romania remains a steadfast supporter of the consolidation of democracy in the Eastern Vicinity of the European Union, believing that respect for democratic values and principles can ensure security, stability and prosperity, both for the citizens of the states in the Eastern Partnership, as well as for the region as a whole." State-owned Home Building Finance Ireland (HBFI) said that at the end of July it had approved funding for 1,477 new homes in 29 developments so far. These developments, which have an average size of 51 homes, are across 16 counties including Carlow, Dublin, Meath, Cork and Kerry. Social housing projects account for one in three of the new homes approved for funding. HBFI was set up by the Government with the aim of increasing the supply of housing. In an update today it said it has trebled its loan approvals to 340m from 114m in the six months to July. HBFI said a key driver of the increase in lending approvals was its new 200m Momentum Fund, which was launched in May to address a possible gap in the market arising from the Covid-19 pandemic. This fund was set up specifically to help housebuilders commence large developments in prime locations in cases where funding may not have been available. Since it was launched, 92pc of the Momentum Fund (184m) was committed. In response to the demand, HBFI is adding an additional 100m to this fund. Minister for Finance, Paschal Donohoe, said: It is evident that interest in [HBFIs] Momentum Fund product has been very strong since its launch, with over 90pc of the fund already committed. Absent the availability of this funding, it was likely that the commencement of construction on these sites would have been delayed, resulting in delays in the delivery of new homes. The Minister added that he feels it is an appropriate step by HBFI to increase their Momentum Fund by a further 100m at this time to ensure funding is available for these housing schemes over the coming months. Melbourne nurse Amal Solayman used to specialise in rehab patients. When the coronavirus pandemic hit, she was redeployed, holding peoples hands as they took their last breath, alone but for her. Sometimes she held up an iPad so the patient's families could see, leaving Ms Solayman distressed as she was unable to offer the support she would have liked to have given grieving loved ones. Nurse Amal Solayman had her working life turned upside down, when she was redeployed to COVID-19 efforts. Credit:Jason South Youre just another shield in front of them another mask, she said. Mrs Solayman said her experience working through the pandemic had been overwhelming and early indications suggest that she is not alone, with a new project led by the Royal Melbourne Hospital aiming to gauge the distress felt by those working in the industry inundated with responses. T he cod was braised to perfection; the chardonnay beautifully matched. After six hard months of fasting, the two-hour lunch was back. There I was, on Thursday, finally sitting again at J Sheekeys, mankinds best stab at perfection for posh nosh and a gossip, with a West End contact happy to fill my notebook with stories. And boy, did I need it. Because, frankly, since getting back to the office, its been more necropolis than newsroom. On some days, there are so few of us in the building the automatic lights switch off. The fun, chat and occasional scandal has been disinfected like our over-washed hands. As for heading out for beers at lunch with colleagues forgeddaboudit. Until a couple of weeks ago, the pubs werent even open. Where once came the occasional waft of champagne from a birthday toast at a neighbouring desk, the only scent of alcohol now is from the dreaded sanitiser gel. Its the same all over town. For us returners-from-home, the fun in office life has gone pfffft. Were so conditioned to being glued to our laptops at home that were doing the same even now were free; never leaving our socially-distanced desks, barely doing any chinwagging with chums. Its like Stockholm Syndrome with our PCs. We have to re-learn how to be social at work again. So heres the thing. Bosses, its time to relaunch the long lunch. Banish the drudgery of dining al-desco and get your staff to go out. Push them through the door and lock it until theyve had some fun in this magnificent city of ours. Unless you make it enjoyable, youll never get people coming back to the office to fill the place with creative brilliance. Im not calling for a return to the Nineties: the two bottles and steak at Christophers followed by Kronenberg chasers at the pub. Its 20 years since City bankers would close a late-morning trade, utter the code: Im off to Nomura and meet in the boozer for the rest of the day. Nope, those days are gone for good. All for the better, if that means fewer post-lunch scrapes and marital discord. Gordon Gekko said lunch is for wimps, but he was wrong. Lunch is for winners The long lunch neednt be a three-courser with spotted dick at Sweetings (although no shame if it is). Arancini at the amazing deli on the corner, or a healthy bite at Farmer J will do. As long as youre with friends or contacts, it works. No more than five, of course. WFH kidded ourselves that the computer screen is a substitute for a relaxed, sit-down conversation over food. It aint. Weve socialised over lunch since the Stone Age. Unlike Microsoft Teams, its in our DNA. As a City friend planning an epic lunch with an old gang of fund managers and brokers, says: If each of the six of us come up with four ideas over the afternoon, thats 24. Well all have a different take as the conversation rolls, so thats 144. Only one has to work and I make the trade of the year. Face-to-face is the only way to get to know new business partners. A Deutsche Bank manager who was posted to the old East Berlin after the fall of the Wall was asked how he could lend to people with no reliable paperwork. Simple, he said. I look them in the eye and see if I can trust them. Tycoon Michael Spencer, possessor of a legendary wine cellar at his old City HQ, sold his business for 4 billion to the Chicago Mercantile Exchange over a decent meal with its boss. Says a friend: They agreed it would be 10-a-share and that was that. So, you see, Gordon Gekko may have said lunch is for wimps, but he was wrong. Lunch is for winners. Table for two please, garcon. A man who worked as a gravedigger for the Syrian regime has delivered a harrowing testimony to a court in Germany reports Asharq Al-Awsat. The gravediggers testimony at the Syrian war crimes trial in Germany created shock in the courtroom as he gave his horrific account of crimes committed by the regime. The grisly details brought to mind the familiar horrors of Nazi crimes, leaving the courtroom reeling. The gravedigger, whose identity remains concealed at the hearing, said he continues to be haunted by the mass graves he dug for the victims killed by the Syrian regime during the nearly decade-long conflict. One image that has been etched in his memory is that of a deceased, woman who was still hugging her dead child, whom he lowered into a mass grave in Damascus. Recalling such horrors, the witness broke down in tears before the court. The presiding judge at the Koblenz court adjourned the session until he could collect himself. Once resumed, the gravedigger recalled another horrific image, that of a man piled onto hundreds or even thousands of corpses, who was still breathing. The supervising Syrian officer noticed that he was still alive and ordered the vehicle that was digging up the grave to run him over, turning him into yet another corpse in the mass grave. Such stories went on throughout the gravediggers three-hour testimony. The unprecedented court is trying former Syrian intelligence senior officer Anwar Raslan and former officer Eyad al-Gharib for crimes against humanity committed in Syria after the 2011 uprising. The trial kicked off four months ago and is the first against security officials in Bashar Assads regimes for crimes against humanity. Raslan and Gharib are still the only two officials whom lawyers and Syrian and European activists have compiled complete cases against. Raslan is accused of torturing some 4,000 people and killing 58 others at the Khatib detention center in Damascus. Gharib is accused of arresting protesters and turning them over to the center where they were tortured and sometimes killed. Since the opening of the trial in Koblenz on April 23, the world listened with extreme shock to firsthand accounts of the horrors endured by the Syrian people for years: arbitrary arrests, severe torture, mass graves dug up by the regime Syrian lawyer Anwar al-Bunni had persuaded witnesses to testify at the court. He himself gave his testimony after spending years in jail in Syria. He is now living in Germany where he is working tirelessly to bring justice to the Syrian people. He spoke to Asharq Al-Awsat of the German peoples shock to learn of the crimes that have been committed in Syria. Many have compared them to Nazi crimes and the Auschwitz trials. The greatest shock of all is that these crimes are still happening in Syria, he added. The gravedigger, he said, had continued to work on burying the detainees until 2017 when he left the country. He confirmed that these crimes are still being committed in Syrian jails. The most significant revelation provided by the witness, added Bunni, was the missing link. He said that people have often wondered where the corpses were being buried. What happens to the detainees when they enter the security department branches and then disappear? We now know, Bunni remarked. Most significant of all, he stressed, was that the gravedigger confirmed that all security departments throughout Syria were complicit in the systematic mass killing, meaning the whole regime is involved. Many families of missing Syrians learned of the fate of their loved ones after seeing photographs of their corpses taken by a former Syrian army photographer, codenamed Caesar, who fled in August 2013 with thousands of photos that document the regimes crimes. It was his job to record the deaths in military prisons. The photos, which show the world the atrocities of the regime, are but some evidence the prosecution is using at the Koblenz trial. Mass graves The gravedigger continued his grim testimony by recalling how corpses were transported in refrigerated trucks from all security departments and military and even civilian hospitals. He detailed how he was recruited by a member of Syrian intelligence in 2011. He was tasked to form a team of 10 to 15 men who would be in charge of escorting the trucks, which would be loaded with bodies, four times a week to mass graves. The gravedigger said the intelligence provided him with a small truck without a license plate and that was covered with posters of president Bashar Assad. Some three trucks used to transport hundreds of bodies that were piled on top of each other. Each truck was designated to specific security departments and detention centers. The bodies, however, did not have names. All that identified them were the signs of torture. Some faces were disfigured, possibly by acid. The corpses were just numbers for the perpetrators. The numbers were etched on the chests or foreheads of the victims. Some corpses were dumped in graves with their hands still tied behind their backs. All the bodies showed signs of beatings, many had their nails plucked out. The gravedigger estimated that each truck transported some 300 to 700 corpses at a time. They would embark on their grisly journey at dawn from the Tishreen, Harasta and Mezzeh military hospitals to two mass graves in al-Qutayfah north of Damascus and al-Najha to its south. The bodies are unceremoniously dumped in a massive 6-meter deep and 100-long pit. Each pit would take some 150 truck trips to fill. The gravedigger performed this job from 2011 to 2017. No details were revealed about his identity, despite the defenses demands, for fear over the safety of his family that is still in Syria. His testimony concluded the witness testimonies, which included five from former detainees. Raslans voice and face None of the detainees could identify Raslan by looking at his face because they were always blindfolded when he interrogated them at the Khatib detention center. However, evidence is available that showed that he was an interrogator at the center and that he ordered the torture of prisoners. He has refused to appear before the trial and is only speaking through his lawyer. Prior to the beginning of the trial, he confessed to a German investigator that he had interrogated one of the main witnesses at the trial: Wassim Mukdad, the famed Syrian musician who sought refuge in Germany. Mukdad told the court that he was interrogated by only one officer during his time in detention and that he would be able to identify him by hearing his voice as he was always blindfolded. The musician and other witnesses requested a sample of Raslans voice to confirm his identity but his lawyer vehemently refused. Even though the witnesses have not identified Raslan, Bunni told Asharq Al-Awsat that upcoming witnesses will be able to verify him by looking at his face because they had seen him at detention centers. The hearings will resume in May. Raslan had defected from the regime and arrived in Germany as a refugee in 2015. He has rejected the accusations against him, saying he had no knowledge of the alleged torture at the Khatib detention center. He even claimed that he used to help some of the prisoners. He was arrested in Berlin after he turned to the police to explain to them that he was concerned that he was being watched by other Syrians. He admitted in his request that he was a former officer in the Syrian army, which prompted the police to refer his case to the criminal police to probe whether he may be tried for possible crimes. Gharib arrived in Germany in 2018 and was arrested after providing testimony before immigration authorities. He admitted that he used to work for Syrian intelligence, but has rejected the accusations against him. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 15) The Office of the Ombudsman has declared new restrictions on the public's access to the statements of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALNs) of government officials. Under Memorandum Circular No. 1, the Ombudsman's Office said a copy of the SALN will be provided to the requester if: - he/she is the declarant or the duly authorized representative of the declarant; - the request is upon lawful order of the court in relation to a pending case; and - the request is made by this Office's Field Investigation Office/Bureau/Unit (FIO/FIB/FIU) for the purpose of conducting fact-finding investigation No copy will be furnished in all other instances unless the requester "presents a notarized letter of authority from the declarant allowing the release of the requested SALN," the order read. The order also provided the requirements a request must satisfy before getting evaluated and submitted for action of the Ombudsman, namely the Office is the SALN's official repository; the SALN is on file with or in actual possession by the Office, and the requester completely fills-in the form, complies with the submission of the requirements and pays applicable fees as herein provided. Requests to inspect or take pictures of any SALN will also be denied, said the order. Interested parties may file requests for any SALN after 10 working days from the time it was filed as required by law, and for a period of 10 years from the receipt of the Office and its area offices. "The SALNs shall be destroyed ten (10) years after the receipt thereof unless needed in an on-going investigation," stated the order. Duterte's 2018, 2019 SALN yet to be published The amended guidelines came long after reporters began requesting copies of President Rodrigo Duterte's 2018 and 2019 SALN to no avail. During his virtual briefing, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said the chief executive had already submitted both documents, but is unsure whether they have already been made available to the public. RELATED: Panelo: Release of SALN not Duterte's 'style', still up to Ombudsman Still, Roque assured the President's commitment to ensuring transparency in his administration. "I dont think the President is keeping anything from the public," Roque said. "The fact is, he is the only branch of government that has in fact issued an issuance, an Executive Order No. 1 on transparency, and that is FOI (freedom of information) in the executive branch of government." All public officials and employees, whether regular or under temporary status, are required to file a SALN annually under the 1987 Philippine Constitution and Republic Act No. 6713. Duterte's E.O. No. 1 reminds state officials of "their obligation to file and make available for scrutiny their SALN. The University of Chicago's English Department is being slammed for bias and racism in deciding that it will only accept graduate school applicants interested in 'working in and with Black studies' for its 2020-2021 cycle. Staffers say they've been inundated with hate mail and angry backlash following the decision. The department shared a statement on its website in July announcing their commitment to the 'struggle of Black and indigenous people, and all racialized and dispossessed people, against inequality and brutality'. 'For the 2020-2021 graduate admissions cycle, the University of Chicago English Department is accepting only applicants interested in working in and with Black studies,' the statement said. The University of Chicago's English Department is being slammed for bias and racism in deciding that it will only accept graduate school applicants interested in 'working in and with Black studies' for its 2020-2021 admissions cycle In a statement uploaded to the English department's website in July (pictured) , the faculty announced their commitment to the 'struggle of Black and indigenous people, and all racialized and dispossessed people, against inequality and brutality' Angry Twitter users fired back at the University of Chicago for the decision. This Twitter user said: Blatant racism at the University of Chicago' 'We understand Black studies to be a capacious intellectual project that spans a variety of methodological approaches, fields, geographical areas, languages and time periods.' English as a subject, the department says, has provided 'aesthetic rationalizations for colonization, exploitation, extraction and anti-Blackness'. The statement goes on to deem the 'collective responsibility' of the faculty to be 'undoing persistent, recalcitrant anti-Blackness in our disciplines and in our institutions.' However, the announcement, which came amid racial unrest and protests, sparked backlash on social media with critics accusing the university of being racist. One staffer revealed they received 'vile' hate mail due to the focus on black studies 'Blatant racism at the University of Chicago...You want to study White literature? Sorry. Univ of Chicago tells you to go F yourself. They don't want your White Privilege at their school,' one Twitter user said. 'Sounds like indoctrination, not education,' another Twitter user added. One staffer revealed they received 'vile' hate mail due to the focus on black studies. 'Just received a vile piece of racist hate mail directed at my department because we're focusing graduate admissions on Black Studies this year. It's become such a problem for the administrators that we need to redirect our own emails so that they can slog through all the hate,' the staffer said Tuesday. However, the University said in a statement that it is only accepting a limited number of PhD students due to the pandemic and at the moment there are only spaces for five additional students. Given the movement for justice by the Black community this year, the school believed it was best to award additional scholarships with a focus on Black studies. 'Currently, there are 77 PhD students studying a wide variety of disciplines within the English Department, and the department is admitting five additional PhD students for 2021. The English department faculty saw a need for additional scholarship in Black Studies, and decided to focus doctoral admissions this year on prospective PhD students with an interest in working in and with Black Studies,' the University said in a statement to Fox News. 'As with other departments in the University, the departments faculty will decide which areas of scholarship they wish to focus on for PhD admissions in future years,' it added. The statement was written in July as protests against police violence tore across the US. Earlier in the statement, the faculty says they believe that 'Black Lives Matter, and that the lives of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade, and Rayshard Brooks matter, as do thousands of others named and unnamed who have been subject to police violence.' DailyMail.com has reached out to the university for comment. By PTI SRINAGAR: A photojournalist was injured on Tuesday after he was allegedly beaten up by security forces near the site of an encounter in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir. Kamran Yousuf claimed to have sustained leg injuries when he was allegedly thrashed by security forces while he was discharging his professional duties at Marwal in Pulwama where an encounter with militants was on. While police did not deny the allegations levelled by the photojournalist, it said the mediapersons were stopped at they were moving close to the cordoned area. "Today an exchange of fire took place at village Marwal between terrorists and SFs. Cordon was placed to prevent people from venturing inside as that would have endangered their security. However some media persons tried to move close who were duly stopped," police said in a tweet. Kashmir Press Club denounced the alleged thrashing of journalists by police in Pulwama and urged the Lieutenant Governor to take strong note of the incident. One multimedia journalist Kamran Yousuf received injuries due to the thrashing by the police and was rushed to SMHS Hospital in Srinagar for treatment, the club said in a statement. GB1211, a potent oral small molecule galectin-3 inhibitor was well tolerated in Phase 1 studies Phase 2a study planned to establish the anti-fibrotic effects of GB1211 in grade 2 to 4 Non-Alcoholic SteatoHepatitis (NASH) Data presented at the American Chemical Society Meeting, Drug Discovery Chemistry and EFMC-ISMC BOSTON and COPENHAGEN, Denmark, Sept. 15, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Galecto, Inc., a privately-held biotechnology company focused on the development of novel treatments for fibrosis and cancer, announced today that its potent and selective oral small molecule galectin-3 inhibitor, GB1211, was well tolerated in pre-clinical and Phase 1 studies and is ready to start a Phase 2a clinical study to treat liver fibrosis in Non-Alcoholic SteatoHepatitis (NASH). GB1211 has been shown to be effective in several pre-clinical fibrosis models, without any signs of toxicity. Galectin-3 plays a key role in fibrosis development through cellular activation and production of collagen. Inhibiting galectin-3 has been shown to dramatically reduce fibrosis in multiple models of fibrosis in several organs, including the liver. Hans Schambye, CEO of Galecto, said: We believe GB1211 has the potential to significantly improve the lives of patients with liver fibrosis related to NASH and a wide range of other fibrotic diseases. NASH alone represents a significant unmet medical need that is not addressed by the vast majority of compounds in development. GB1211 builds on our experience in developing GB0139, an inhaled galectin-3 inhibitor that targets fibrosis in the lungs, which is currently in a Phase 2b study of 450 patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Galecto will initiate the Phase 2a study in Q4 2020 in patients with NASH to assess the effect of GB1211 on fibrosis-related biomarkers and other fibrosis endpoints. The liver fibrosis study is the first proof of concept study with GB1211, the only oral galectin-3 inhibitor in development. As such, this study may pave the way for galectin-3 inhibitor based anti-fibrotic therapy in a range of other fibrotic diseases, including liver cirrhosis. Story continues Dr. Fredrik Zetterberg, Galectos Director of Medicinal Chemistry, presented data on the studies at the American Chemical Society (ACS) Fall virtual meeting . Dr Zetterberg also presented the data on GB1211 at two other scientific conferences, Drug Discovery Chemistry Virtual and EFMC-ISMC Virtual Event 2020 . About Galecto Galecto is a clinical stage biotechnology company with advanced programs in fibrosis and cancer centered on galectin-3 and LOXL2. The Companys pipeline includes an inhaled galectin-3 modulator currently in phase 2b for the potential treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, as well as two assets about to move into phase 2a targeting NASH and myelofibrosis. The company is incorporated in the U.S. and has its operating headquarters in Copenhagen, Denmark. Galecto is funded by Novo Holdings, OrbiMed, Ysios, HBM Healthcare Investments, Sunstone Capital, M Ventures, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Maverick Ventures, Seventure and SEED Capital. Further information can be found at www.galecto.com . For more information, contact: Galecto Inc. LifeSci Advisors (media) Hans Schambye, CEO Hans Herklots +45 26 3737 26 +41 79 598 7149 info@galecto.com hherklots@lifesciadvisors.com Error. Page cannot be displayed. Please contact your service provider for more details. (21) Actor Paul Rudd, noted youthful person, is trying to get other young people to wear masks. Rudd, a Passaic native who never seems to age, has teamed up with the state of New York and the food website First We Feast to hammer home the importance of wearing face coverings during the COVID-19 pandemic. In a PSA posted to Twitter Monday, Rudd, holding a skateboard and wearing some Beats headphones around his neck, identifies himself as an actor and certified young person." A few days ago I was talking on the iPhone with my homie Governor Cuomo, he says. And hes just going off about how us millennials need to wear masks, because get this apparently a lot of COVID is transmitted by us millennials. No cap. So Cuomes asked me, hes like, Paul, you gotta help. What are you, like 26?' And I didnt correct him." Rudd, who is actually somehow 51 and firmly ensconced in Generation X, grew up in Kansas after leaving New Jersey as a child. & now an important announcement from #HotOnes friend Paul Rudd! WEAR A MASK & watch until the end for a special cameo. WHO WOULDVE THOUGHT? pic.twitter.com/i4xxfwoIhz First We Feast (@firstwefeast) September 14, 2020 So fam, lets real talk," he says in the video, addressing those fellow millennials. Masks? Theyre totally beast. So slide that into your DMs and Twitch it! Rudd also recreates his famous meme from an appearance on First We Feasts Hot Ones, the video series in which celebrities eat hot wings as part of a quest to try hot sauces of increasing intensity. You know, to answer the all-important question, What would celebrities be like after theyve consumed a sweat-inducing amount of chili pepper? A moment from Rudds 2019 visit to the show has been memed to oblivion. In the clip (see the 25-minute mark here), Rudd, who opted for cauliflower vegan wings, prepares to taste a combination of multiple hot sauces with host Sean Evans and reflects upon his spicy achievement. Look at us," he tells Evans. "Hey, look at us. Look at us, Evans replies. Who wouldve thought? Not me, Rudd says. In the video, he replays the exchange wearing a mask smeared with hot sauce as he attempts to eat a wing through the face covering. WE HAVE THE QUARANTINE VERSION OF THE LOOK AT US MEME. YES PAUL RUDD WORLD DOMINATION pic.twitter.com/kMGCmzCj6u marti loves paul. (@IR0NLANG) September 14, 2020 Look at us, Rudd says. Hey, look at us. Look at us," Evans says. "Who wouldve thought wearing masks would be a problem? Not me," Rudd replies. At the end of the clip, the actor breaks down and can no longer maintain his hello, fellow kids facade. Just wear a mask! he exclaims. I shouldnt have to make it fun, its science!! Its science! Ahhhh! In a longer version of the spot shared by Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Twitter, Rudd notes that hundreds of thousands of people have died from COVID-19. He also pretends to be on the phone with Billie Eilish, who says she is wearing a mask. I wanna stan you, Rudd says, trying to cram in as much young lingo as possible. Youre so my bae. Certified young person Paul Rudd wants you to wear a mask. Listen up: pic.twitter.com/GTks5NUBmR Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) September 14, 2020 Yo, listen hypebeasts, he says. Masks protect you and your dank squad, because caring about other people is the new not caring about other people." Want a challenge? he says, doing an impression of a TikTok dance challenge. How about a stop the pandemic challenge? What about that? What about a save grandma challenge?" Rudd, who plays Ant-Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, stars in the upcoming Ghostbusters sequel Ghostbusters: Afterlife, which was slated for release in July and has been moved to March 2021 because of the pandemic. Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a voluntary subscription. Amy Kuperinsky may be reached at akuperinsky@njadvancemedia.com. Send a coronavirus tip here. Police and prosecutors withholding evidence is behind a large number of false convictions in US courts, according to a new study Around 2,500 people have been exonerated of serious crimes after being falsely convicted over the past 30 years in the United States. According to a new study out Tuesday, in around half their cases, police and prosecutors withheld evidence that would have exculpated them. The study by the National Registry of Exonerations found that evidence that would have cleared the defendant was withheld in 61 percent of erroneous murder convictions. And more broadly, 72 percent of exoneration cases in which the defendant was sentenced to death involved misconduct by police and prosecutors. "Misconduct is generally more common the more extreme the violence," the study says. The report comes from a joint project of University of California-Irvine, the University of Michigan law school, and Michigan State University law school. It cites a broad range of police and prosecutor misconduct that contributes to unjust convictions: using questionable techniques to force false confessions, encouraging or coercing witnesses to provide evidence against a defendant; fabricating evidence; and prosecutors skirting the law. African Americans were slightly more likely than whites to be victims of misconduct leading to false convictions. But in some types of crime, blacks were far more often falsely convicted. In drug cases, blacks were 12 times more likely than whites to be falsely convicted. Yet whites were also frequent victims, especially in so-called white-collar crimes involving corruption and fraud. In such cases, the police were not the problem, but instead zealous federal prosecutors likely seeking to prove themselves with a conviction. The consequences of injustice can be heavy: the average time spent in jail by a person convicted for murder and later cleared of the crime was 13.9 years, according to the study. An example is the case of Michael Morton, convicted of murder in Texas in 1987. The report said county prosecutor Ken Anderson "concealed potent exculpatory evidence that could have cleared Morton and led to the real killer -- who killed another woman in 1988." Story continues Sentence to life in prison, Morton was exonerated by DNA in 2012. Addressing the problem is difficult, the study admits. There is a deep, hard-to-change culture in police departments that is focused on getting convictions and resisting criticism, and includes pervasive practices that permit or reward bad behavior, it said. And prosecutors have unreviewable power on who to charge and for what, and can push the sentences they want. chp/pmh/bgs LONDON, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- Britain's House of Commons (lower house of British Parliament) on Monday formally began debating the government's Internal Market Bill, which overrides parts of the Withdrawal Agreement that Prime Minister Boris Johnson signed with the European Union (EU) early this year. Experts believe that Britain's proposal of the legislation risks the country's international reputation and reaching a deal with the EU would be the best solution. CONTROVERSIAL BILL Johnson's Internal Market Bill addresses part of the Withdrawal Agreement -- the Northern Ireland Protocol, which looks to prevent a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. If the bill is passed and becomes law, it would give British ministers the power to modify or "disapply" rules relating to the movement of goods between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, if Britain and the EU are unable to strike a trade deal. MPs, along with some former British prime ministers, have warned Johnson the proposing legislation could damage Britain's international reputation. "Passing an act of parliament and then going on to break an international treaty obligation is the very, very last thing you should contemplate," said former Prime Minister David Cameron. Meanwhile, Johnson is urging Conservative MPs to back his plan and get the bill through. Writing an article on Saturday in the London-based Telegraph newspaper, Johnson said the bill "gives freedoms and certainties" for British businesses and citizens that were previously set out in EU law, adding that "it is crucial for peace, and for the Union itself". RISKING REPUTATION Experts have warned that the British government's move risks the country's reputation on the international platform. "I think it has raised question marks in everybody's minds, how committed is the UK to the rule of law now? It's going to be really important how the UK handles this now, whether it can find a way forward," David Phinnemore, professor of European Politics at Queen's University Belfast, told Xinhua. His opinion was shared by Rajneesh Narula, the John H. Dunning Chair of International Business Regulation at the Henley Business School, University of Reading. Narula believes if Britain follows through with the changes to the Withdrawal Agreement then it risks their weight in international discussion. "The fact that they are threatening to do is something that no significant nation on the world platform normally does," said the economist," adding that in the long run "it makes your friends think that you aren't really reliable." Phinnemore believes that the idea of a Global Britain promoted by Johnson -- which seeks to see the country arrange deals and relationships with countries around the world -- has also been undermined. "If the UK is willing to renege on a set of commitments...with the largest partner (EU), then I think a lot of countries will be asking, to what extent can we really trust the UK to deliver on any obligations we enter into with them?" he said. UNDERMINING TRUST The EU is demanding that Britian ditches its plans to pass the bill, saying that failure to do so could risk jeopardizing trade talks. Time is running out for both sides to formally agree on a deal as there is less than five weeks to agree a deal in line with Johnson's Oct.15 deadline. Phinnemore warned that trust levels have already been "undermined" by Britain's decision to put the bill to the Commons, and the proposal of the new bill has flagged up a number of problems within the EU-UK relationship. British Cabinet Office Minister Michael Gove on Friday defended the new bill, saying Britain had made clear during discussions with EU officials on the UK Internal Market Bill that legislative timetable for the bill would continue as planned. Gove also reiterated the government's commitment to implementing the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement, including the protocol covering Northern Ireland. SEEKING SOLUTION Phinnemore believes that the main concern from both parties will be how best to resolve it. There is a possibility that if the EU decides to take action under the dispute settlement mechanisms within the Withdrawal Agreement and the Northern Ireland Protocol, then the situation could end up in the European Court of Justice. "The EU has obviously got to see what is going to happen with the Internal Market Bill," said Phinnemore, noting that it's very difficult to predict what will happen to any piece of legislation going through British parliament given the history of the Brexit process. Narula believes that Britain should still set their sights on passing an agreement with the EU. "I think preparing for hard Brexit is in no one's interest, but least for the United Kingdom," he said. DALLAS, Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE: LUV) (the "Company") today announced that it will redeem all of its outstanding 2.650% Notes due 2020 (the "Notes"). The aggregate principal amount outstanding of the Notes is $500,000,000. The redemption price for the Notes will be equal to 100% of the principal amount thereof, plus accrued and unpaid interest, for a total payment to holders of the Notes of approximately $505,521,000 in the aggregate. The redemption of the Notes is scheduled to occur on October 5, 2020. The Company intends to fund the redemption with cash on hand. On and after the redemption date, the Notes will no longer be deemed outstanding, interest will cease to accrue thereon, and all rights of the holders of the Notes will cease, except for the right to receive the redemption price. Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. is the trustee for the Notes and is serving as the paying agent for this transaction. Copies of the Notice of Redemption and additional information relating to the redemption of the Notes may be obtained from Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., Corporate Trust Operations, MAC N9300-070, 600 South Fourth Street, 7th Floor, Minneapolis, MN 55415, telephone: 1-800-344-5128. About Southwest Airlines Co. In its 50th year of service, Dallas-based Southwest Airlines Co. continues to differentiate itself from other air carriers with exemplary Customer Service delivered by more than 60,000 Employees to a Customer base topping 130 million passengers in 2019. Southwest became the nation's largest domestic air carrier in 2003 and maintains that ranking based on the U.S. Department of Transportation's most recent reporting of domestic originating passengers boarded. In peak travel seasons during 2019, Southwest operated more than 4,000 weekday departures among a network of 101 destinations in the United States and 10 additional countries. In early 2020, the carrier added service to Hilo, Hawaii, and Cozumel, Mexico for a total of 103 airports served. SOURCE Southwest Airlines Co. Related Links http://www.southwest.com The parents of a three-month-old baby girl have been charged with her murder. Detectives investigating the death of Eleanor Easey, who suffered injuries at home and later died just before Christmas last year, now believe her mother and father were responsible for the tragedy. The baby was rushed to the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital from the familys home in Morton on the Hill, eight miles north of the city and later transferred to Addenbrook's hospital in Cambridge but was pronounced dead two days later. Three-month-old Eleanor Easey was transferred to Addenbrook's Hospital in Cambridge, where she died just before Christmas Christopher Easey, 30, and Carly Easey, 35, the parents of the three-month-old Eleanor Easey, appeared at Norwich Magistrates' Court today, pictured, charged with her murder A post mortem examination revealed that she died from a severe head injury. It also showed that she was malnourished and had numerous historic fractures sparking a major police investigation. Christopher Easey, 30, and Carly Easey, 35, the parents of the three-month-old Eleanor Easey, have today been charged with her murder. The couple, of Old Roman Bank, Terrington St Clements, Norfolk, appeared before Norwich Magistrates Court via virtual link today where they were remanded in custody, before being due to appear at Norwich Crown Court tomorrow. STOCKTON, Calif., Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Every year, SunPower by the Solar Quote hosts an event called 'Extreme Solar Makeover.' They call on the community to nominate a family in need to receive a SunPower solar system for free. They select a family each year to have a solar system installed on their roof at no cost to them, allowing that family to save thousands of dollars year after year. They know that it isn't in everyone's budget, so they make it a mission each year to give this solar system away to a family in need and also to educate our community on the benefits of switching to renewable energy. Extreme Solar Makeover Winner Julie Fox This is the third year that The Solar Quote has hosted the 'Extreme Solar Makeover.' In November of 2019, Julie Fox was announced as the winner of a free SunPower solar panel system. Fox is a first-grade teacher as well as a foster parent to three beautiful children. She was nominated by another member of the community who saw how impactful and giving Julie is and wanted to see her win. "From the moment I met Julie, I knew we had to help her," said SunPower by The Solar Quote owner Chelsey Heil. "It's not often you meet a truly selfless person who is as kind and giving as Julie. We are grateful to have the opportunity to have helped in some small way after learning about all that she does for others." Fox's solar system was installed by All on Electric ( https://www.allonelectric.com/) in Livermore in early 2020. All on Electric is a local solar installation company that generously donated their time and labor to this install this project. SunPower by The Solar Quote would also like to thank SunPower Corporation for their continued commitment to helping The Solar Quote serve the Stockton community. SunPower by The Solar Quote is so thankful for the community to come together again to help a local family. Nominations for the 4th Annual Extreme Solar Makeover will begin in October of 2020. Those interested in nominating a family can sign up online to be alerted of the next campaign. (https://www.sunpowerbythesolarquote.com/signups) For more information about Extreme Solar Makeover and a video interview with our winner, please visit: https://www.sunpowerbythesolarquote.com/post/extreme-solar-makeover-interview About SunPower by The Solar Quote: SunPower by The Solar Quote is a SunPower Master-Dealer providing residential and commercial solar systems in Northern California. They are locally owned and operated with offices in Stockton. SunPower by The Solar Quote dedicates their time to helping customers reduce their energy costs with solar. For more information visit sunpowerbythesolarquote.com Contact Chelsey Heil (888) 944-6765 [email protected] SOURCE SunPower by The Solar Quote Related Links http://sunpowerbythesolarquote.com Citing the disturbing rise in domestic violence during the pandemic, the letter condemned the media for trivialising depression, and perpetuating regressive stereotypes about women and mental health. Actor Sonam Kapoor and filmmakers Anurag Kashyap and Mira Nair are among over two thousand people who have signed an open letter condemning the news medias witch-hunt of Rhea Chakraborty in the coverage of Sushant Singh Rajputs death investigation. Film personalities including Frieda Pinto, Zoya Akhtar, Farhan Akhtar, Alankrita Shrivastava, Gauri Shinde, Reema Kagti, Ruchi Narain, Rasika Dugal, Nitya Mehra, Amruta Subhash, Mini Mathur, Dia Mirza, Kubbra Sait and others have signed the letter that asks the news media to hunt news, not women. (Also read on Firstpost Reading Rhea Chakraborty's public vilification as a modern-day witch hunt: Actress' harassment has historic roots) Chakraborty has been arrested by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) in connection with drugs-related allegations in the death case of Rajput. The 34-year-old actor was found dead at his Bandra residence on 14 June. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the NCB is probing the drug case in which 18 people including Chakraborty, her brother Showik Chakraborty, Rajput's manager Samuel Miranda, domestic help Dipesh Sawant and others have been arrested. A special court in Mumbai, in its order on bail plea of Chakraborty recently said at present stage there are no "reasonable grounds" for not connecting her to the case that relates to drug angle in death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput three months ago. The open letter, addressed to the dear news media of India is published on a blog called Feminist Voices and it has over 2,500 signatories. Because, as we watch your witch-hunt of Rhea Chakraborty, we cannot understand why you have abandoned every professional ethic of journalism, every tenet of human decency and dignity and chosen instead to physically assault a young woman with your camera crews, endlessly violate her privacy and work overtime on false accusations and moralistic innuendo for a drama of Rhea ko phasao, the letter reads. The letter calls out the media for being obsessed with creating the narrative of a young woman as a morally dubious character because she speaks up for herself instead of acting like a damsel in distress. Drawing parallels about the coverage of cases of actors Salman Khan and Sanjay Dutt, the letter urged the media to show the same kindness and respect to Chakraborty that it had shown to these actors. We know you can be different because we have seen you be kind and respectful to the Salman Khans and Sanjay Dutts of this world, urging us to think of their families, fans and careers, the letter said asking why the media had assassinated Chakrabortys character and egged an online mob against her and her family. It is easy to victimise a young woman because there are so many people who already disbelieve, slut-shame and abuse women, for their smallest freedoms. It is certainly cheaper than doing actual stories about a host of issues from GDP to health, currently confronting us, the letter further said. Citing the disturbing rise in domestic violence during the pandemic, the letter condemned the media for promoting damaging stereotypes of vishkanyas and dayans while trivialising depression and perpetuating regressive stereotypes about mental health. We write to ask you, the news media, to stop this unfair witch-hunt of Rhea Chakraborty and to stop fuelling moral polarities of good women to be deified and bad women to be crucified which endangers all women. We write to ask you to do the right and responsible thing. Your jobs. Hunt news, not women, the letter added. (With inputs from Press Trust of India) (Natural News) French scientist Dr. Didier Raoult, who successfully cured at least 80 Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) patients with hydroxychloroquine (HCQ), has come forward with claims that Gilead Sciences, Inc., a deep state-run biopharmaceutical company with ties to Donald Rumsfeld, recently sent him death threats for telling the world about this simple, inexpensive cure for the plandemic. Testifying before parliament, Dr. Raoult explained that he has received numerous death threats over his findings, which showed a 91 percent success rate among more than 1,000 Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) patients who were cured after taking a regimen of HCQ combined with the antibiotic drug azithromycin. At the time when he first started receiving these death threats, Dr. Raoult says he filed a public complaint for acts of intimidation against a public service official, prompting an investigating by the French Judiciary. More recently, he testified under oath that the person who sent him these death threats is from Gilead Pharmaceuticals. Professor Raoult testified that, shortly after he started to talk about HCQ as a treatment, in March, he received anonymous death threats, reports explain. He filed a complaint with the police, and an enquiry was opened by the French judiciary. The medical doctor behind the threats was found and happens to be from a Nantes university hospital, these same reports add. It happened to be the person who received the most money from Gilead over the past six years. You can peruse more news about Big Pharmas assault on HCQ and other cures by checking out Terrorism.news. CLAIM: Gilead has dark history of bioterrorism, used Pentagon to bomb competitors factory As you may recall, Dr. Raoult was extremely outspoken against the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) after it published a fake science study claiming that HCQ is ineffective and dangerous. He openly called out the journal for publishing clearly sloppy research filled with false claims against the generic anti-malaria drug. For daring to tell the truth time and time again, Dr. Raoult remains in the crosshairs of Big Pharma, which is doing everything it can to stifle HCQ while propping up its competitor, remdesivir, along with the future Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccines that are set to be released under President Trumps Operation Warp Speed program. As Great Game India reports, Gilead Science has a dark history of allegations of bioterrorism, including having Pentagon to bomb a competitors factory under the false pretext of association with Al-Qaeda. The World Health Organization (WHO) is also linked to Gileads corruption, having played a role in spreading fake science not only about HCQ but about the plandemic in general. Back in 2009 during the infamous H1N1 swine flu outbreak, the WHO was secretly taking its orders from Big Pharma companies like Gilead, which ordered the United Nations arm to declare a false pandemic. Tamiflu, an influenza drug produced by Gilead that was aggressively pushed during the H1N1 plandemic, has repeatedly been shown to be dangerous and ineffective, despite being promoted by the WHO and our own federal government. Donald Rumsfeld and former U.S. Secretary of State George Schultz both profited heavily from the governments stockpiling of Tamiflu during the 2009 plandemic, raking in as much as $1.5 billion from the fraud. As revealed by Great Game India, Gilead was directly responsible for influencing the WHO back in 2009 to declare a pandemic that, like this current one, did not actually exist. And the company was successful in keeping it all a secret until committees were eventually set up to expose the racket. Sources for this article include: NaturalNews.com GreatGameIndia.com NaturalNews.com Lalit Narayan Mithila University (LNMU) on Tuesday released the Admit Card for Bihar B.Ed Exam 2020 on their official online website. Know how to download the admit card and all other details. The Admit Card for Bihar B.Ed Exam 2020 has been released by the Lalit Narayan Mithila University (LNMU) on Tuesday on its online portal, bihar-cetbed-lnmu.in. Those registered for the exam can download it from the website. It is compulsory for candidates to keep the Admit Card on their person, otherwise, entry to the exam centre wont be granted. The Bihar B.Ed Exam is planned to be held on September 22 in several centres scattered within the state. The duration of the exam will be 2 hours and it will begin at 11:00 a.m. and finish at 1:00 p.m. Follow the given steps to download the Bihar B.Ed Exam Admit Card: Go to the official website of LNMU, bihar-cetbed-lnmu.in. Log in as a candidate by typing in the required information. The Bihar B.Ed Exam Admit Card will be available. It may be downloaded and printed. Also read: 45000 Special Centralised Integrated system smart TV to be installed in Govt schools Also read: NEET Result 2020 Date (Soon): Check important dates,score card,qualifying criteria It is necessary to carry the following objects to the exam centre so as to be granted entry: Two print-outs of the Bihar B.Ed Admit Card 2020 Any identity proof generated by the government like Aadhar Card, Driving License, Passport etc. Two same photographs as to the one used in the application form It is forbidden to carry the following objects to the exam centre: Luggage Electrical items Digital handwatch Stationery items such as pencil, pen, paper, ruler etc. Food items Headphones It is necessary to follow the follow guidelines during the examination: It is crucial to adhere carry and not carry the above mentioned objects, as failure to do so could result in disqualification of the candidate. Candidates cannot leave the exam hall before the duration of the exam ends. One copy of the Admit Card has to be turned in to the invigilator while the other one will be needed during once the counselling begins so it should be properly preserved. Also read: PRSU 2020 time table released: Know how to check B.A., B.Sc, B.Com, B.Ed, M.A. time table San Diego, CA - The COVID-19 pandemic has created a number of challenges, including that many are spending more time at home than ever before. This is a significant problem for those with neighbors who smoke. Smoking continues to be a problem in multi-unit housing, and while stay-at-home orders have helped to reduce transmission of COVID-19, they have also increased exposure to secondhand smoke from neighbors. But the problem is more than just secondhand smoke: long after secondhand smoke has cleared, the harmful chemicals in tobacco smoke and e-cigarette vapors remain as thirdhand smoke. The chemicals in thirdhand smoke stick to dust and household surfaces, and can built up over time creating significant reservoirs of thirdhand smoke. Like other household hazards such as lead and allergy-causing dust mites, thirdhand smoke can be incredibly difficult and expensive to completely remove. It can be particularly dangerous for children as they are closer to surfaces where dust gathers such as the floor, they are more likely to put objects or hands in their mouths, and they have weaker immune systems than adults. However, while thirdhand smoke may be difficult to eliminate completely, it is possible to reduce the risk. Potential thirdhand smoke cleaning methods were examined by a group of researchers led by Georg Matt of San Diego State University. The study, "Remediating Thirdhand Smoke Pollution in Multiunit Housing: Temporary Reductions and the Challenges of Persistent Reservoirs," will be published Sept. 15 in the journal Nicotine and Tobacco Research. The researchers looked specifically at nicotine on surfaces and in dust -- a clear indicator of tobacco smoke residue -- and is listed by the State of California as a hazardous chemical. The researchers tested homes of strict non-smokers in multi-unit apartment buildings to confirm the levels detected were not caused by the residents or their guests, but by secondhand smoke from neighbors or previous residents who smoked. Matt described the study, explaining "We wanted to see if there were any solutions available for people who live in homes that are polluted with thirdhand smoke. We explored three options for cleaning, and tested apartments for nicotine contamination before, after, and three months after each cleaning." Households were split into three groups: the first group received dry/damp cleaning (thorough vacuuming and dusting), followed by wet cleaning (professional carpet/furniture steaming and cleaning of all household linens) a month later. The second group received the opposite, and the third group received both cleaning types on the same day. Nicotine contamination was immediately reduced in all three groups following cleaning. Regardless of cleaning method, nicotine contamination in all homes increased again during the three months following cleaning, showing that the positive effects of cleaning, while significant in some cases, are temporary. Matt continued, "We would like to be able to tell residents that there is a simple way to remove this contamination permanently, but that is not what we found. What we can say, as a result of this study, is that there are two important steps you can take to reduce thirdhand smoke contamination and make your home safer." First, keep household dust as low as possible. Frequent vacuuming of all soft furnishings and floors, and dusting/mopping of all hard surfaces, is the easiest, best way to reduce thirdhand smoke exposure through household dust. Second, keep surfaces that you touch often as clean as possible. Frequently wiping table tops, doors, cabinets, and chairs, and washing pillow cases, blankets, and drapery will help keep our families safe from exposure to thirdhand smoke while we are all staying at home more than ever before. ### For more information visit the Thirdhand Smoke Resource Center website at http://www.thirdhandsmoke.org Climate change became front and centre in the White House race this week as both Donald Trump and Democratic nominee Joe Biden addressed the catastrophic wildfires raging in the American West. We need to act on climate. Now, Mr Biden tweeted on Monday following remarks in Wilmington, Delaware where he addressed the devastating blazes in California, Oregon and Washington, and hurricanes and tropical storms in the Gulf. Mr Biden also called the president a "climate arsonist" condemning his reluctance to protect Americans from the ravages of climate change. On Tuesday, the president called into morning show, Fox & Friends, to talk more about his environmental record. We have really good clean air, we have good clean water. Better than we had before, Mr Trump said. Is this true? Not really. While all six air pollutants measured by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) showed that the air was the cleanest on record in 2019, the most important pollutant, tiny particles, remained roughly the same as when Trump came into office, only down 1 per cent. Particle pollution, which comes from wildfires, wood-burning stoves, coal-fired power plants and diesel engines, can be deadly and is known to trigger asthma attacks, heart attacks, strokes and cause lung cancer. The State of the Air 2020 report by the American Lung Association, which analysed data from 2016, 2017, and 2018, found that when it came to daily spikes in particle pollution, more cities experienced more days with increases and nine cities reached their most days ever reported. Some 24 of the 25 most polluted cities were located in the US west. The three years were also among the five hottest ever recorded. Changing climate patterns fuel wildfires and smoke which leads to deteriorating air quality from particle and ozone pollution. The Trump administration has rolled back or weakened more than two dozen policies related to air quality including weakening emissions standards for vehicles set during the Obama administration, loosening regulations on release of mercury by oil and coal-fired power plants, and quashing a rule which required the oil and gas industry to report methane emissions. According to Yale Universitys global Environmental Performance Index 2020, the US is ranked 23rd in the world when it comes to safe drinking water, far behind other industrialised nations. According to the non-profit, Rural Community Assistance Corporation (RCAC), more than 30 million Americans lack access to safe drinking water. There have also been a number of rollbacks to legislation that protects US waterways including weakening of Obama-era pollution protections for wetlands under the Clean Water Act. The Trump administration also got rid of a proposal to reduce pollution from sewage plants and have put forward a plan to allow twice as long to remove lead pipes in water systems where lead levels are high. California, New York, Washington and 17 other states sued the Trump administration in July over rules that allow them to have the final say on federal projects, including pipelines and oil and gas facilities, overriding state objections to threats to local water quality standards. We have less carbon now going up into the air than they had under the Obama administration," the president also told Fox. Is this true? Sort of - but Mr Trump has had little to do with it. In 2018, US carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions increased by 2.7 per cent after dropping for three years. It was the second-largest spike since 2000, according to economic research group Rhodium. The largest increase occurred in 2010 under President Obama as the economy jumpstarted following the 2008 recession, the report found. In 2019, there was some good news when US CO2 emissions fell by 1.7 per cent but not enough to off-set the jump the previous year. However Rhodium noted that net greenhouse gas emissions were still slightly higher in 2019 than when Trump became president. The emissions fall was primarily driven by declining power generation from coal-fired plants - as the market turned away from the industry - despite Mr Trumps battle to save it following his 2016 campaign promise. John Nielsen-Gammon, a climatologist at Texas A&M University, told Politifact: Overall there has indeed been an increase (or at best little or no change) in carbon emissions since Trump has been president. The Trump administration has dismantled policies surrounding emissions including revising another Obama-era rule that would set limits on carbon emissions from new and refurbished power plants and set plans in motion to strike a rule by the previous administration that would require new coal-fired power plants to capture CO2 emissions. President Trump also made a number of claims on the wildfires and climate change during a briefing in California on Monday. When trees fall down after a short period of time, they become very dry really like a matchstick. And they can explode. Also leaves. When you have dried leaves on the ground, its just fuel for the fires." Is this true? The overwhelming majority of climate scientists are in agreement that although fires are part of the ecosystem in some regions, climate change is making them more frequent and more intense as conditions become hotter and drier. Dozens of studies in recent years have linked larger wildfires in the US to global heating from the burning of fossil fuels.2020 has been one of the hottest years on record, including on the west coast. Snow melting earlier in the year combined with drought and higher temperatures leads to drier soil and vegetation which is primed to burn. President Trump is correct that forest management is important but it does not fully explain the devastation currently being wrought across California, Oregon and Washington states.Ralph Propper, president of the Environmental Council of Sacramento, told the Associated Press: Raking the leaves and forest floors is really inane. That doesnt make sense at all. "Were seeing what was predicted, which is more extremes of weather.People who settled in California also brought invasive grasses which overwhelm native species and burn more quickly. On Monday, California Governor Gavin Newsom acknowledged that his state had not done enough to manage forests and that more than a century of fire suppression has allowed fuel to build up. But he reminded Mr Trump with a colour-coded, piechart handout that 57 per cent of forests in California are under federal management - and just 3 per cent are state lands. During a meeting with public officials, California Secretary for Natural Resources Wade Crowfoot told the president: We want to work with you to really recognise the changing climate. "It'll start getting cooler. You just watch, the president shot back. In a rare public rebuke of a sitting president, Mr Crowfoot replied: "I wish science agreed with you." Mr Trump countered: "Well, I don't think science knows actually." Is this true? No. Although there are short-term fluctuations, the long-term trend is that global temperatures are rising, as data shows from both NASA and the federal National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. And some 97 per cent or more of climate scientists agree: climate-warming trends over the past century are extremely likely due to human activities, NASA reports. Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 1 anno fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili. The global fruit & vegetable processing enzymes market has grown steadily in the last few years. The market size is projected to reach USD 41.39 Billion by 2022, at a CAGR of around 6.7% from 2016 to 2022. The high specificity of enzymes in biochemical reactions is the major driving factor of this market. The global market based on sources has been segmented into bacteria and fungi. This is because bacteria is largely used to increase the shelf-life of fruits & vegetables for a prolonged time. Moreover, bacteria contributes to the easy genetic transformation for enzyme, which has led to the dominance of bacteria compared to other microorganisms in the fruit & vegetable processing enzymes market. Download PDF Brochure: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=253649892 The global market, based on type, has been segmented into amylase, pectinase, protease, and cellulase. The amylase segment accounted for the largest share of the fruit & vegetable processing enzymes market in 2015. Amylases are mainly used in industries, such as food & beverages due to its cost effectiveness, and less time-consuming methods, and therefore the demand is high. Microorganisms are considered as the best source of these enzymes. Alpha-amylase, beta-amylase, and gluco-amylase are the major types of amylases. Out of the three types, a-amylase and gluco-amylase are used in a wider range of products in the food & beverage industry. In the form segment, the market has been segmented on the basis of liquid and powder. The liquid form accounted for the largest share in 2015. The liquid enzyme is used directly in its liquid form or sprayed and absorbed onto a solid carrier. The liquid formulation of enzyme is supplied as a liquid solution, which is sprayed on the pellets. The growth in this segment is attributed to three major components, such as enzymatic, physical, and microbial stabilities are considered by manufacturers during the production stage which has resulted in the increased demand. The Asia-Pacific region is expected to surpass Europe as the second-largest consumer of fruit & vegetable processing enzymes. This is due to the rising demand from India and China, which has contributed to the industrial growth for food & beverages. More than two-thirds of the fruit & vegetable processing enzymes market in the Asia-Pacific region is import-dominated. Therefore, enzyme manufacturers have investment opportunities in new product developments across the Asia-Pacific region. This report includes a study of marketing and development strategies, along with the product portfolio of leading companies. It includes the profiles of leading companies such as E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company (U.S.), Associated British Foods Plc (U.K.), Koninklijke DSM N.V. (The Netherlands), Novozymes A/S (Denmark), and Group Soufflet (France). Speak to Analyst: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/speaktoanalystNew.asp?id=253649892 Target Audience: KISSIMMEE, Fla. - Joe Biden made his first trip to Florida as the Democratic presidential nominee on Tuesday with an urgent mission to boost support among Latinos who could decide the election in one of the nations fiercest battleground states. More than any other time, the Hispanic community, Latino community holds in the palm of their hand the destiny of this country, Biden said during a Hispanic Heritage Month kickoff event in Kissimmee. You can decide the direction of this country. A win for Biden in Florida would dramatically narrow Trumps path to reelection. But in a state where elections are often decided by a percentage point, there are mounting concerns that Biden may be slipping, particularly with the states influential Latino voters. An NBC-Marist poll released last week found Latinos in the state about evenly divided between Biden and Trump. Democrat Hillary Clinton led Trump by a 59% to 36% margin among Latinos in the same poll in 2016 and Trump won Florida by about 1 percentage point. To regain lost ground, Biden made the case Tuesday night that he would be a better president for Hispanics than Trump, touting his commitment to immigration reform and a new plan to support Puerto Ricos economy. Donald Trump has failed the Hispanic community time and time again, and thats not a secret, Biden said. Whether its in his heinous act of separating children from their families at our border, or his repeated attacks on Dreamers, or his neglect of the people of Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria, or his repeated failures to make sure essential workers have the personal protective equipment they need. Still, Hispanic voters in Florida tend to be somewhat more Republican-leaning than Hispanic voters nationwide because of the states Cuban American population. Nationally, little public polling is available to measure the opinions of Latino voters this year and whether they differ from four years ago. But Democrats arent taking chances. Billionaire Mike Bloomberg has pledged to spend at least $100 million to defeat Trump in Florida. And by spending his day along the Interstate 4 corridor, Biden is devoting time to one of the most critical regions of the state. While Republicans typically post big numbers in the northern and southwestern parts of the state and Democrats are strong in coastal cities, campaigns typically battle it out for every vote in central Florida. Bidens first event, in Tampa, focused on veterans and was aimed at pushing a potential opening with military voters, who broadly supported Trump in 2016 but are seen as potentially persuadable because of controversial remarks the president reportedly made mocking American war dead as losers and suckers. Trump has denied making the remarks, first reported through anonymous sources by The Atlantic, but many of the comments were later confirmed by The Associated Press. Nowhere are his faults more glaring and more offensive, to me at least, than when it comes to his denigration of our service members, veterans, wounded warriors who have fallen, Biden said. Speaking of his late son Beau, who served overseas as a Delaware Army National Guard member, Biden said, Hes gone now, but hes no sucker. Bidens decision to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month in Kissimmee reflects a focus on the states rapidly growing Puerto Rican community. Many Puerto Ricans relocated to Florida after Hurricane Maria devastated the island in 2017. The campaign announced a new plan Tuesday focused on boosting Puerto Ricos economy and helping the island recover from Maria. Biden would create a federal working group focused on aiding Puerto Rico in rebuilding and would forgive disaster relief loans to Puerto Rican towns and invest in Puerto Ricos power and schooling infrastructure and health care services, among other things. He also expressed support for Puerto Rican statehood Tuesday night. I happen to believe statehood would be the most effective means of ensuring that residents of Puerto Rico are treated equally, with equal representation on a federal level, but the people of Puerto Rico must decide, and the United States federal government must respect and act on that, he said. Puerto Ricans may be more open to Biden than Cuban Americans concentrated in Miami are. Many of them are attuned to Trumps message that the Democratic ticket would embrace socialism. Indeed, surrogates for the Trump campaign focused on Cuban immigrants during a call with reporters. Florida Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nunez, a Republican, accused Biden of trying to feign interest in the Hispanic community after neglecting us. She said a Biden presidency would, among other things, appease and enrich Cubas leadership at the expense of the people. Some foreign policy analysts, however, say the Trump administrations tough economic restrictions on Cuba only contribute to the oppression of the Cuban people. Biden, who hasnt been to Florida since last October, has struggled with Latinos in part because of the record-setting number of deportations when President Barack Obama was in the White House. Biden has apologized for that policy. But unlike his Democratic rival Bernie Sanders, who used strong support among Latinos to notch key primary victories in Nevada and California, Biden has refused to adopt the most liberal positions in his party especially when it comes to calling for decriminalizing illegal crossings of the U.S.-Mexico border and halting all deportations indefinitely. He supports a 100-day moratorium on deportations. As for Trump, despite many of his anti-immigration policies, some Latino voters have responded positively to the presidents embrace of religious conservative positions and his warnings of protest-related violence and socialism. Trump also frequently visits his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, and the president votes absentee in the state. Ana Navarro-Cardenas, a former Republican strategist who has endorsed Biden and spoke at one of his campaign events, said the Tuesday night event signalled Biden plans to fight for and work for Hispanic support. But she added that she hopes to see the Biden campaign ramp up their outreach to Hispanic voters in Florida to mitigate any damage done by the Trump campaign. Joe needs to come to South Florida, look us in the eye and combat the ridiculous Republican narrative that hes some sort of socialist, she said. He needs to call out the lies and Trumps hypocrisy. ___ Jaffe reported from Washington. ___ APs Advance Voting guide brings you the facts about voting early, by mail or absentee from each state: https://interactives.ap.org/advance-voting-2020/ Australia's biggest property markets felt the brunt of the downturn from the coronavirus pandemic with Sydney and Melbourne property prices falling more than 2 per cent over the June quarter. The only capital city to avoid a price fall was Canberra, where property values increased 0.8 per cent over the same period, quarterly data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics released on Tuesday shows. House prices fell in Sydney and Melbourne in the June quarter. Credit:Melinda Houston Nationally residential prices saw a 1.8 per cent drop in the June quarter, but still increased 6.2 per cent in the year to June. All capital cities experienced annual increases except for Perth and Darwin, ABS head of prices statistics Andrew Tomadini said. "The number of residential property transactions fell substantially in the eight capital cities during the June quarter 2020, due to the effects of COVID-19 on the property market," Mr Tomadini said. BATTLE CREEK, MI -- Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said large political rallies held by President Donald Trump in recent weeks violate her executive orders limiting public gatherings during the COVID-19 pandemic. Whitmer, a Democrat and a national co-chair of Joe Bidens presidential campaign, said Trump is luring people" to come out during a global pandemic. The president held an outdoor rally that drew an estimated crowd of 10,000 people to Freeland last week and his son held a rally in Harrison Township Monday evening that attracted hundreds of supporters -- attendees at both events largely avoided social distancing and wearing face coverings. Whitmer issued executive orders limiting outdoor social gatherings and organized events to 100 attendees throughout most of the state. Her orders also limit indoor events to 10 people, but there the orders include exemptions for First Amendment-protected events. The governor said Trumps rallies violate her orders when asked by MLive during a campaign event with Bidens wife. Jill Biden visited Grand Rapids to tour a farm and held a discussion with military families in Battle Creek. Both events were closed to the public. They violate the executive orders without question, Whitmer said. They fly in the face of the best science. They fly in the face of what the president has acknowledged to Bob Woodward he knew when he was out tweeting liberate Michigan. We have taken some steps to ensure these venues understand what the law is and I dont know that theres a whole lot more to add on at this juncture,' she added. Public health officials warn that close gatherings of unrelated people raise the risk of coronavirus exposure. There are 6.5 million confirmed cases in the U.S. and 193,705 deaths linked to COVID-19 as of Monday, according to the CDC, including 6,601 deaths in Michigan. The governor referenced reporting by a Washington Post journalist and author who released several interviews with Trump about the coronavirus response. Trump was recorded in February acknowledging that the virus was airborne and more deadly than the flu. Trump was a vocal critic of Whitmers orders to close down businesses and limit public gatherings this spring. In another interview recorded on April 13, the president called COVID-19 a killer and the plague. Three days later, he tweeted a call for Whitmer to rescind her executive orders. Trump also criticized Whitmers orders during his campaign rally in Saginaw County last week. The president said Whitmer doesnt have a clue, shes like Joe (Biden). Tell your governor to open up your state, Trump said. You know its all Democrat governors and I think they do it for political reasons. Whitmer noted that former Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain died due to complications of COVID-19 after attending a Trump rally in Tulsa earlier this year. This is the exact kind of thing that creates potential superspreader events, Whitmer said. My job as governor of Michigan is to ensure I do everything I can to protect everyone in this state, whether theyre inclined to be at an event on one side of the aisle or the other. The Trump campaign handed out masks and hand sanitizer to attendees at its recent rallies. In Harrison Township, supporters had their temperature read at a check-in table which displayed a sign stating attendees acknowledge an inherent risk of exposure to COVID-19 exists in any public place where people are present. Bidens campaign events in Michigan have been much more restrained. The former vice president didnt open his stops in the metro Detroit area to the public, and Jill Biden didnt allow members of the public into her visits to Grand Rapids and Battle Creek Tuesday. Note: A previous version of this story incorrectly included attendance limits on gatherings from a previous executive order. READ MORE ON MLIVE: Donald Trump Jr. says Biden decimated Michigan jobs at campaign rally with Kid Rock Saving the auto industry and so many car plants: Trump makes dubious claims at Michigan rally President Donald Trump says hes running for reelection to keep jobs in Michigan Donald Trumps Michigan rally draws estimated 5,500 supporters to crowded aircraft hangar Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-15 11:08:13|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close LONDON, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- To mark the 80th anniversary of the decisive Battle of Britain in World War II, official protection was announced Monday for a number of sites that played a role in the battle. The new listings were awarded by Britain's Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport on the advice of Historic England, the government's advisory quango. The sites include an air raid shelter at St John's Primary School, Redhill, Surrey, where colorful Second World War murals were painted by school boys between 1939 and 1941. Depicting scenes from kid's favorite books including Treasure Island, Robin Hood, and Gulliver's Travels, the murals were intended to provide distraction and comfort during bombing raids. The work of art by the boys in the school's art classes, according to Historic England, are the only known example of a complete decorative scheme produced for a school air raid shelter. A rare Second World War radar air defense tower in Essex has also been listed, with another tower as part of the same key system being upgraded to a higher level of official listing. Built in late 1930s, the towers are rare surviving physical components of the world's first radar air defense network and among very few from the network to remain standing today. The towers were given protected status as a reminder of the widespread anxiety during the pre-war years about the impact of aerial assaults on Britain. Added to the list of protected structures is a pillbox cleverly disguised as a roofless ruin in Northumberland to protect the vulnerable Druridge Bay from German invasion. "In their variety, they show how the Battle has left its mark across England," said Historic England. The Battle of Britain took place between July and October 1940, while the date of Sept. 15 is widely seen as when Britain's RAF Fighter Command gained a decisive victory over the German Luftwaffe. Enditem Everyone living and working in Longford can defeat Covid-19 by working together and following public health advice, Senator Micheal Carrigy has said. Senator Micheal Carrigy said, The Governments initiative - Resilience & Recovery 2020-2021: Plan for Living with Covid-19 will guide Irelands response to saving lives and managing the pandemic over the next seven months. We can overcome this. We can beat Covid-19 but it will take hard work and a commitment from all. We have already shown this year how we can work together, Senator Carrigy said. The Governments plan sets how all in Longford can manage the disease in their communities over the coming months. The plan sets out five levels of response, each with a number of measures designed to help lower Covid-19 transmission, and also sets out what is permitted at that moment in time. At the moment, Longford is on level two. The plan, if followed by all, aims to allow society and businesses to be able to operate as normally as possible, while continuing to suppress the virus. In particular, keeping schools, early learning and childcare services open are a top priority. We want to keep people in work and businesses operating, as we need a functioning economy to maintain our public services. New Delhi: Star couple Nayanthara and Vignesh Shivan have sent the internet into a meltdown with pictures from their Goa vacation. They are holidaying in Goa with their families and the pictures will make you go green with envy. Even we want to pack our bags and go for a vacation. Pretty, please! Vignesh has treated his Instafam to some beautiful pictures from the vacation. Nayanthara, looking lovely as always, features in most of the postcard-worthy photos. Nayanthara and Vignesh also celebrated her mother's birthday in Goa. Take a look at the couple's Goa album: Nayanthara and Vignesh, who are based out of Chennai, first flew to Kochi for Onam and after celebrating the festival, they touched down in Goa. Nayanthara and Vignesh Shivan fell in love during the shooting of Naanum Rowdy Dhaan. They have been together for five years. On the work front, they are currently working together on Netrikann, produced by Vignesh. She was last seen opposite superstar Rajinikanth in Darbar. At least 17 members of the Indian parliament have tested positive for the coronavirus, government officials said on Tuesday, underlining the widening spread of infections set to cross five million cases soon. The lawmakers were screened ahead of the re-opening of parliament on Monday after six months. MPs cleared by the tests wore masks, occupied seats with glass enclosures and worked for truncated hours. Twelve of the 17 infected MPs were from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, according to a government official who had a list of the lawmakers. All 17 were members of the 545-member lower house of parliament. One of them, Meenakshi Lekhi, a BJP MP, said she is doing fine. "After the routine parliament test for COVID & genome test its confirmed that I have tested positive for the virus. I am currently in good health & spirits," she said in a tweet. It was not immediately known how many members from the 245-strong upper house of parliament, known as the Rajya Sabha, had tested positive. Lekhi, a spokeswoman for the BJP, is the latest in a string of politicians who have been infected with the coronavirus, the most high-profile of them being Home Minister Amit Shah, who spent most of August in hospital after being detected with COVID-19. Shah, a close aide of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, was admitted to hospital again over the weekend for a routine health check-up, the hospital said. He has not yet attended parliament. The government is doing all it can to contain the spread of the coronavirus, Federal Health Minister Harsh Vardhan told the upper house of Parliament on Tuesday, while asking members for their support in increasing awareness. "The battle for COVID is far from over," Vardhan said in his speech to the upper house. Cases in India have been surging and the country reported 83,809 new coronavirus infections for its lowest daily jump in a week, the health ministry said on Tuesday. The world's second-most populous nation appeared to be on course to cross the milestone of 5 million cases on Wednesday, as its current tally is 4.93 million. India, where cases have been rising faster than any other nation, lags only the United States in terms of its number of total infections. The death toll crossed 80,000 on Tuesday, swelled by 1054 in the last 24 hours, the ministry added. Reuters Over the last two weeks, thousands of unemployed San Antonians have turned to the citys new $75 million job retraining program for help and many of them landed in a purgatory of long wait times and glitches that prevented them from signing up. The program, which aims to train people thrown out of work in the COVID-19 recession for jobs in health care, cyberscurity, construction and other industries, began accepting applicants Aug. 31. About 1,300 people applied in the first week. A spike in calls to Workforce Solutions Alamo overwhelmed the agencys telephone system, resulting in long waits, hang-ups and a barrage of negative comments on social media. Ive called several times, and each time after being on hold for an hour plus, a recording comes on saying the system is down and disconnects, one applicant wrote on Facebook. Theres also no way to apply online. Kin Man Hui, San Antonio Express-News / Staff photographer The WSA website also created confusion for people looking to apply online; the site didnt include applications or information about the citys program, dubbed Recovery and Resiliency, until last week. However, the site has hosted applications for Bexar Countys smaller-scale employment program, A.C.T. N.O.W., since Aug. 15. Were very aware of some of the negative comments and feedback weve been getting, WSA spokeswoman Linda Canizales said. Weve had just an overwhelming response to the programs, which is great, but what we learned last week as far as the phone system and capacity is that we were not where we needed to be. In response, the agency, which serves as the clearinghouse for the retraining program, is increasing its ability to field calls from application-seekers. WSAs phone systems should have higher capacity this week, Canizales said. Some applicants aired their frustration on social media over the weekend. Kin Man Hui /Staff photographer On ExpressNews.com: San Antonio job retraining program leaders advice: Apply now Caroline Morgan wrote: It looks like the City of San Antonio wants to look like they are doing something good, but no one can actually sign up. Melissa Ann Yip said shes applied for the program and is awaiting a response. When she called for an update, she experienced a 40-minute hold time. The program, introduced by Mayor Ron Nirenberg in May, is expected to train as many as 10,000 people for in-demand jobs through 2021. Participants will receive a $450-per-week stipend and funds for child care. Kin Man Hui, San Antonio Express-News / Staff photographer WSA and a coalition of organizations including the San Antonio Economic Development Foundation, Alamo Colleges, Project Quest and others are collaborating on the project, which is largely paid for with funds the city received under the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act. The programs survival beyond 2021 depends on voters approval of a 1/8-cent sales tax that will appear on ballots in the Nov. 3 election. On ExpressNews.com: San Antonios unemployed lose $300 in FEMAs Lost Wages Assistance payments Calls to WSA hit 400 per day last week, according to Canizales. That was on top of the agencys already high call volume caused by pandemic-related questions about unemployment benefits. We dont want people to have a negative experience, Canizales said. WSA employment counselors, she added, plan to reach out directly to those whove commented online. Nirenbergs office did not respond to a request for comment. Kin Man Hui, San Antonio Express-News / Staff photographer On ExpressNews.com: San Antonio launches program to help those who lost jobs because of coronavirus pandemic We have missed quite a few people, but were urgently working on the phone system setup and capacity and ask that people please visit the website right now, Canizales said. Counselors are receiving the online form and will be in touch within 24 hours. As the recession hammers the economy, the Texas Workforce Commission reported that about 289,000 people filed unemployment claims in the San Antonio area between March and early September. In August, the region saw the third-highest number of unemployment claims in Texas, behind the Gulf Coast and Dallas regions. Currently, more than 20,100 are collecting unemployment checks in the San Antonio area, according to TWC. More Information People interested in the retaining program can call Workforce Solutions Alamo at 210-244-HELP (4357). Information, eligibility and applications for the job retraining programs are available at: San Antonio Recovery and Resiliency Program - www.workforcesolutionsalamo.org/recovery-resiliency/ Bexar County A.C.T. N.O.W. - www.workforcesolutionsalamo.org/act-now/ See More Collapse San Antonios unemployment rate is 6.9 percent, and the metro area lost 400 jobs in July after record-high unemployment rates and job losses between March and June, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas. On ExpressNews.com: Bexar County set to offer $450 stipend to those participating in retraining program The job retraining program, which draws on funds committed by the city and the county, does not have income or demographic guidelines. The main requirements are that applicants are city or county residents who lost their jobs in the economic aftermath of the pandemic. Workforce Solutions provides different programs and services, Canizales said. Theres other programs we offer that Im sure do have income limitations. She urged noncounty residents to also reach out because there are other resources available to them. SA Inc.: Get the best of business news sent directly to your inbox We were up and ready to go, and turns out we just need more staff and more phone systems, so thats what were working on immediately, she said. And well be ready to go. Brandon Lingle writes for the Express-News through Report for America, a national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms. To read more from Brandon, become a subscriber. brandon.lingle@express-news.net | Twitter: @Brandlingle C ompared to ITVs more sparkling Autumn shows, such as Britains Got Talent and The Voice UK, the broadcasters flagship drama Des is distinctly unglamorous. The three-part drama opens with a montage of dingy, speckled footage from the early Eighties, a quick reminder to the audience that it was a time tempered with uncertainty, displacement and fear; a hostile environment which enabled a murderer like Dennis Nilsen, who cut up the corpses of vulnerable young men and boys and flushed their remains down the toilet, to kill undetected for over four years. But it is Dess distinct sense of grimy, unpolished bleakness, hanging in the air like sticky smoke (often quite literally characters are constantly reaching for a pack of Silk Cut and puffing away) that makes it a compelling watch. The writers are keen to stress this was a real case, with real victims, and want the viewer to gain a full picture of how Nilsen operated and even beguiled. Unlike some crime dramas, which start with a grisly murder and then see police puzzle through for an hour until they unmask the killer, Des operates in reverse. The killer, played by Tennant (who has remarked on their uncannily similar looks) offers himself up to police just minutes after they find human remains clogging his drains, and then doesnt stop talking. Detective Peter Jay (played perfectly by Daniel Mays) must instead search for the victims identity - most came from among the era's many homeless people - while navigating the deceptively ordinary Nilsens deranged and twisted psyche. Tennant is best known for more chaotic but ultimately quite likeable characters, like Good Omens Crowley, Broadchurchs DI Alec Hardy and of course, Doctor Who. This likeability plays perfectly for the superficial veneer of the so-called kindly killer, who lured his victims by promising food, shelter and lodgings for the night. Nilson openly and cheerfully co-operates with the police, nonchalantly describing how he dismembered bodies and boiled heads in the same manner youd ask someone to pass the milk. ITV Because the brutality of the crimes is kept off-screen (and rightly so, families of the victims neednt see a reconstruction of how their loved ones were slaughtered), we only see flashes of the monster that lurks beneath the co-operative construct: his anger over the polices treatment of his beloved dog Bleep, his monstrous narcissism, reading reports about his own crimes, and his vicious snarl at biographer Brian Masters (Jason Watkins) about being tabloid fodder. Its a brilliantly chilling performance by Tennant. The first episode shows Nilsen toy with the police, taking pleasure in divulging his heinous actions to their shocked response. The second episode, which airs tonight, sees the police gear up for further charges; the final episode, tomorrow, is Nilsens trial and verdict. There are no twists and turns. This grim but compelling drama instead focuses on the bleak and bitter truth how homophobic attitudes underscored the case, how the police missed opportunities to catch Nilsen previously, and how Nilsen charmed then disposed of those close to him. It may not be the most thrilling detective drama this year, but itll certainly be the one that stays with you the longest. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that the Belarusian authorities should enter into dialogue with protesters, and Alexander Lukashenko should hear the people. Zelensky stated this at a joint press conference with Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen in Vienna on Tuesday, September 15, according to an Ukrinform correspondent. "It seems to me that the Belarusian government must find a way in any case, enter into dialogue with people, those who elected them, who made them officials or presidents," he said. Zelensky said that Ukraine is not indifferent to what is happening now in Belarus and recalled that from the very beginning the Ukrainian authorities drew the attention of the Belarusian authorities to the fact that bloodshed should not be allowed in any case. "Ukraine does not want to interfere in the domestic policy of Belarus. I am convinced that the same should be done by any countries the intervention of which we sometimes hear from various media. But we must do everything so that no one is hurt, so that no one dies. I believe that Mr. Lukashenko should still find such words and hear the people. That's very important," Zelensky said. On September 15, the Verkhovna Rada adopted a statement on the situation in Belarus, stating that the presidential election in the country was neither free nor fair. Ukrainian MPs also condemned the use of excessive force and cruelty by the law enforcement agencies of Belarus. Zelensky is on an official visit to Austria on September 15-16. op Scientists recently found out the existence of a gas known as the phosphine in the extremely acidic clouds of Venus. The presence of phosphine indicates the chances of a sign of potential life beyond Earth. The researchers revealed that on Earth phosphine is produced by bacteria that can only live in an oxygen-starved environment. Reuters The international scientific team first spotted the phosphine using the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope in Hawaii and confirmed it using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) radio telescope in Chile. Astronomer Jane Greaves expressed how he was surprised when he found out the presence of a sign of potential life. Scientists have used probes and telescopes to find biosignatures which is an indirect sign of life majorly on other planets and moons. Massachusetts Institute of Technology molecular astrophysicist and study co-author Clara Sousa-Silva told Reuters, With what we currently know of Venus, the most plausible explanation for phosphine, as fantastical as it might sound, is life. Reuters I should emphasize that life, as an explanation for our discovery, should be, as always, the last resort. This is important because, if it is phosphine, and if it is life, it means that we are not alone. It also means that life itself must be very common, and there must be many other inhabited planets throughout our galaxy, he added. Heres what people have to say about it on Twitter. Keep refusing to wear masks or social distance or show self-control in a pandemic that's already killed 200,000 and ignoring that he admitting lying to you about itwhile trying to argue your intelligence. You don't have a case. pic.twitter.com/vxtxPcO00j John Pavlovitz (@johnpavlovitz) September 14, 2020 Ladies, men are from Mars and the planet they assigned us might just have life. Kiran Manral (@KiranManral) September 14, 2020 us: whEn iS #2020 gIVInG uS AliENs?? venus: hi Burger King (@BurgerKing) September 15, 2020 2020 moving towards series finale https://t.co/kh9wTZ2O9Z Fred Delicious (@Fred_Delicious) September 14, 2020 all my venus opinions, consolidated: 1. its never aliens 2. could be tho 3. there have been signs of life on many planets for a long time 4. this is a pretty good one though 5. planets are awesome independent of their habitability 6. please dont do a colonialism Charlotte Minsky (@extrasolarchar) September 14, 2020 me on earth, greeting the venus aliens pic.twitter.com/JZreGFRcJy Luke Mones (@LukeMones) September 14, 2020 OKAY BUT GIVEN OUR CURRENT SITUATION I DO NOT THINK WE ARE REALLY IN A POSITION TO CALL ANYONE ELSE 'INHOSPITABLE' OR 'TOXIC' https://t.co/IDlL61E1ka NOT A WOLF (@SICKOFWOLVES) September 14, 2020 Alright who had "Venusian cloud aliens" in 2020 bingo? https://t.co/4Amy0JAmqg Dai Lama (@WelshDalaiLama) September 14, 2020 Greaves also expressed how researchers examined potential non-biological sources such as volcanism, meteorites, lightning and various types of chemical reactions but none of them have been successfully proven yet. Like so many American men in the 1940s, Joseph Mongelli served his country in World War II as a member of the U.S. Navy. Eight decades later, though, hes hardly your average Joe. Mongelli, a North Bergen resident, celebrated his 100th birthday on Sept. 8 and was honored by the township for his service and longevity. His willingness to work he still goes to work five days a week at Alliance Bus Group in Carlstadt was cemented early on as child of the Great Depression and sailor during World War II. Born in 1920, Mongelli grew up in Hudson County eating beans nearly every day because food had to be rationed. He joined the Navy when he was 22 and fought in the Pacific theater an honor he still carries today. I wasnt scared of anything, Mongelli said. My countrys at war, I wanted to fight for my country. It made me better, he added. It made me respect, made me honor and made me love my country more. Mongelli, a motor machinist mate first class, spent more than three years in the Navy aboard submarines, serving all over the Pacific, from the Sea of Japan, to Midway, to Australia. We are grateful for his selfless service to our nation during WWII and look to him for inspiration on how to live a long, happy and healthy life, North Bergen Mayor Nicholas Sacco said in a statement. In 1945, he was injured when the USS Lapon encountered enemy fire, but his service to his country and its people didnt end there. In the 1970s, Mongelli fought to bring the USS Ling submarine which is docked in the Hackensack River to New Jersey to honor fellow servicemen and those who sacrificed their lives on submarines during WWII. We lost 3,550 people on 52 submarines in the war and its important to remember them," he said. At 100 years old, Mongelli still works for Alliance, where he drives and picks up parts for the bus company. I do it for the love of my country and my family and my love of the world. Im a giver. I love to give back. ALBANY As the state Independence Party faces a threat to its survival, the party is backing a child actor turned cryptocurrency mogul as its candidate for president in 2020. Brock Pierce, who in his youth appeared in 1990s films such as "The Mighty Ducks" and "First Kid," now has a net worth estimated by Forbes at up to $1.1 billion, a fortune built in the world of cryptocurrency. He is also a philanthropist in Puerto Rico, where he currently lives. According to his campaign website, Pierce's agenda includes a mix of progressive and Libertarian principles, from supporting single-payer health care and a universal earned income to the legalization of marijuana; he also want to pardon Edward Snowden, the whisteblower who leaked highly classified information from the National Security Agency and now lives in exile in Russia. "We are not in this election to rob anyone of votes," Pierce says on his campaign website. "We are in this election to put an end to the illusion that we live in a flourishing democracy that facilitates solving the real problems facing Americans each and every day." In a presidential race dominated by President Donald J. Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden, Pierce's candidacy could have an impact in closely contested states where he's qualified for the ballot. In New York, along with other minor political parties, the small but influential Independence Party is under threat due to new requirements that make it more difficult to retain the qualified ballot status that allows minor parties to "cross-endorse" major-party candidates. That power will now be reserved for minor parties that manage to collect either 2 percent of the total votes cast or 130,000 total votes (whichever is greater) every two years, in either elections for president or governor. Previously, parties needed only 50,000 votes for their candidate for governor every four years in order to maintain their position on the ballot. The Independence Party received 119,000 votes in its ballot line for president in 2016, when it backed former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson. Many Independence Party members in New York are registered unwittingly: They believe they are registering as independents, not members of a small political party. Still, the ballot line has been influential in close elections, with the partys cross-endorsements helping state Senate Republicans maintain their majority prior to the 2018 elections. A number of leaders of the Independence Party have landed jobs with the Senate GOP, one example of what critics say is the patronage that has benefited the minor party's leadership. The list of the partys 29 electors for president in New York is an example of its limited active membership: They include party chair Frank MacKay and his wife, party official William Bogardt and his wife, two more members of the Bogardt family, and Nassau County chair Richard Bellando and his wife. Pierce told the New York Post he doesnt expect to win the presidential election, but rather wants to jump-start a viable third-party movement nationally. Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years. In the year 2020, it is not our goal to win the general election. Our goal is to lay the groundwork for the future. I turn 40 in November. Im in this for at least the next 40 years, he said. "Time is on my side." Based on prior election results, the Conservative Party appears to have the best chance of getting the necessary votes to retain ballot status until 2022. The progressive Working Families Party may also be able to hit the threshold. The WFP has repeatedly accused Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo of pushing the new thresholds, which were folded into a larger measure implementing publicly funded elections, as a means of punishing the WFP for backing a rival to Cuomo in the 2018 primary for governor. The WFP cross-endorsed Biden, while the Conservative Party is backing Trump, with both hoping to get the necessary votes without running their own candidates Another state party imperiled by the new ballot threshold law, the Green Party, is running its own candidate for president, Howie Hawkins, who was its 2018 candidate for governor. So is the Libertarian Party, which first gained ballot status in New York in 2018 and is running Jo Jorgensen. Pierce is a resident of Puerto Rico, according to paperwork filed by the Independence Party. The U.S. territory does not have any electoral votes in the presidential election, nor any voting members of Congress. The U.S. Constitution states that in order to be president, one must be a natural born citizen, as well as "fourteen years a resident within the United States. Pierce was born in Minnesota, and lived much of his life in the continental United States before moving to Puerto Rico several years ago. A number of JPMorgan Chase traders have been sent home after employees tested positive for COVID-19, less than a week into the bank's aggressive push to end remote work and bring employees back into the office. JP Morgan has been 'managing individual cases (of employees testing positive) across the firm over the course of the last few months and following appropriate protocols when they occur,' bank spokesman Brian Marchiony said Tuesday. He declined to say how many had tested positive. New York-based JPMorgan has been insisting its traders and senior management return to their physical offices, setting a required return date of September 21. President Donald Trump last week tweeted congratulations to the bank for its push, saying that it was 'ordering everyone BACK TO OFFICE.' A number of JPMorgan Chase traders have been sent home after employees tested positive for COVID-19. The bank's Manhattan headquarters is seen above JPMorgan's trading floor is seen above in a file photo. When the pandemic struck New York with force in mid-March, many employers were forced to hastily implement remote-working Trump praised the move last week, but the plan is now in doubt after positive cases JPMorgan, however, never had plans to reopen its entire office or return all workers to a physical location. Marchiony declined to say whether JPMorgan would continue its push to reopen the offices or what percentage of the its workforce of about 257,000 was now working physically in branches and offices. The news of the positive tests was first reported by Bloomberg News. Few other banks or financial companies had been as insistent as JPMorgan to return its workers to the office. For example, American Express, which has a substantial presence in New York City like JPMorgan, announced that all its employees could continue to work remotely until July 2021. Thus it came as a surprise last week when JPMorgan trading chief Troy Rohrbaugh and Marc Badrichani, the bank's global head of sales and research, ordered trading and sales staff back to the office in conference calls with senior managers last week, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with the matter. A spokesperson for JPMorgan declined to comment when reached by DailyMail.com. A homeless man lies on a sidewalk in midtown Manhattan last week. Midtown remains remarkably empty, with few companies pushing employees to return ahead of flu season Employees with child-care issues and medical conditions that make them more vulnerable to coronavirus complications can continue working from home, a source familiar with the matter told DailyMail.com. The source said that the bank believes working in the office strengthens culture, creates a more cohesive working environment and is important for training. The person said that the September 21 deadline only applied to senior managers on the sales and trading teams, and not all employees as the Journal report initially claimed. When the pandemic struck New York with force in mid-March, many employers were forced to hastily implement remote-working policies, with little time to plan ahead. Bosses of trading floors in particular feared that the move would damage business, with the lost of the boisterous camaraderie and high-tech work stations in the move to working from home. Yet the fears of many bank executives have not come to pass, with investment banking and trading revenue hitting an eight-year high in the first half of 2020, according to data from industry research group Coalition cited by the Journal. With its move to bring traders back to the office on the cusp of flu season, when the incidence of most respiratory viruses explodes, JPMorgan is making a risky gamble that it can safely resume office operations with the pandemic far from over. Although New York City over the summer has seen the positive test rate for COVID-19 drop below 1 percent, most other Manhattan employers are being far more cautious. People wearing masks load furniture into a U-haul moving truck on Saturday in Manhattan As of last month, fewer than 10 percent of Manhattan's one million office workers had returned to working on-site, according to a survey from the Partnership for New York. Only 26 percent of employers said they expected office workers to return by the end of the year, and a total of 54 percent expected to return by July 2021. Nearly a third of employers said they didn't yet know their plans for returning employees to the office. Tech employers expect 74 percent of employees to return to the office by July 2021, while finance and insurance employers expect 55 percent and consulting firms expect 50 percent. Accounting, media and hospitality employers all expect to be back in the offices by July at much lower rates. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-15 21:45:11|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close KAMPALA, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- The UN refugee agency in Uganda on Tuesday said 10 refugees are still missing in a Sept. 11 deadly clash with the locals that left 10 refugees dead in the northwestern part of the country. United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in a statement issued here also called upon authorities to search for the missing immediately. The agency said on September 11, 10 South Sudanese refugees were killed, 19 others were injured, and one member of the host community was killed in Madi Okollo district. The clash erupted after a dispute between locals and refugees near a shared water point at the Tika village in Rhino refugee settlement, where refugees from South Sudan refugees reside. "The disproportionate violent reaction by the host community to a communal dispute signals a threat to the delicate balance of peaceful coexistence in the rural villages where refugees live alongside their Ugandan hosts," said Joel Boutroue, the UNHCR Representative in Uganda. "We urge for calm and are working with the authorities to ensure that additional security measures are adopted, and this deadly incident is investigated to help clarify the circumstances, including the role of local authorities," Boutroue added. UNHCR said it has immediately deployed teams on the ground to support refugees who are deeply traumatized by the attack and work with government counterparts and partners to respond to the needs of those affected. Clashes between Ugandan nationals and refugees, mainly of South Sudanese origin are common in the East African nation which hosts about 1.4 million refugees. In December last year, four people were killed and 16 others injured following a clash between South Sudan refugees and the local community in Uganda's northwestern district of Adjumani. In July, three South Sudan refugees in Uganda were killed, six injured and hundreds displaced after tribal clashes erupted at the Palorinya refugee settlement, in the northwestern district of Obongi. Enditem After months of speculation, Michelle Wu delivered the news in three languages. Im Michelle Wu, and Im running for mayor to make Boston a city for everyone, she said in a video published Tuesday morning. She published one in English, one in Mandarin and one in Spanish, each touting her as a candidate who understands the lack of affordable homes, multilingual options and diversity across the city. Thus the at-large city councilor kicked off her long-awaited campaign for mayor. The 35-year-old mother of two, a transit advocate and Green New Deal supporter, has more than $346,000 cash on hand, according to campaign finance records dating back to Aug. 31. The latest tally doesnt include the donations she received after Mayor Marty Walsh told reporters he received a call from Wu informing him she was running. Some of those donors announced their contributions Sept. 7, the day stories began circulating about Wus candidacy. State campaign finance records confirmed the rumors on Monday: a filing from the Wu Committee announced a change of purpose, stating Wu was running for mayor in the 2021 election. Wus office repeatedly declined to answer questions about Wus candidacy, but Tuesday morning a spokesperson shared her videos and a packed schedule starting Tuesday afternoon. Business as usual has been failing Bostonians since well before the pandemic, and COVID-19 has exposed and exacerbated deep inequities across our city, the Democrat said in a statement. In this moment of crisis, its not only possible but necessary to reimagine community-based leadership with the vision and conviction to act. The city councilors first campaign event kicks off at 5 p.m. at Nubian Station, a stop on the Ashmont Branch of the Red Line. Throughout the week, Wu has planned campaign stops in Allston, Brighton, Hyde Park, Chinatown, East Boston, Jamaica Plain and Roxbury. Boston City Councilor Michelle Wu announced Tuesday morning she is running for mayor. The daughter of Taiwanese immigrants, Wu grew up in Chicago with her parents before attending Harvard College and Harvard Law School. She eventually settled in Roslindale, where she lives with her husband Conor and her sons, Blaise and Cass. Wu studied under Elizabeth Warren at Harvard Law School and volunteered on her senatorial campaign in 2012. After Warrens election, Wu ran for Boston City Council in 2013. She was elected at age 28, becoming the first Taiwanese American and the first Asian-American woman on the council. In 2016, she became the first woman of color to serve as city council president. Over the past seven years, Wu has built a reputation on her progressive agenda. She sponsored Bostons paid parental leave ordinance, called to free the T and supported the ordinance banning government-use of facial surveillance, including by the Boston Police Department. Wu voted against the city budget in June over concerns it didnt reallocate enough money from the police budget to other areas of city operations that need investment, such as education or social services. Wu has long been eyed as a contender against Marty Walsh, who was elected in 2013 after five-term mayor Thomas Menino. Walsh has not yet announced whether he will seek re-election. In her campaign launch video, Wu is seen donning a mask as she rides the T and bumping elbows with supporters across the city. She touts herself as not only a leader, but someone who lives in a city that didnt speak her language or understand the struggles of families like hers. We can build wealth in all our communities, value public education, plan for our neighborhoods, invest in housing we can afford and transportation that serves everyone, truly fund public health for safety and healing and deliver on a city Green New Deal for clean air and water, healthy homes and the brightest future for our children, Wu said in a statement. Related Content: WHO provides Iran with COVID-19 antibody tests 07/22/20 Source: Tehran Times TEHRAN - The World Health Organization (WHO), through a donation by the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) in Germany, has provided Iran with over 67,500 enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) tests. The tests, which measure the number of antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19) in individuals, will be used for research and surveillance in Iran. See more photos by IRNA "These kits will be used for seroepidemiologic studies in populations in different provinces to help us gain better insight into the prevalence of the disease in populations under study," said Ali Akbar Haghdoost, deputy health minister for education. A new working group has been established within the Epidemiology Committee of the National COVID-19 Headquarters, endorsed by the Minister of Health, to coordinate seroepidemiologic studies in the country. Some of the tests were distributed based on the seroepidemiology workgroup's recommendation to the Iranian Blood Transfusion Organization (IBTO) to ensure the quality of donated plasma. Tests were also provided to the Pasteur Institute of Iran for research on the immunity of key populations and assessing the quality of domestic diagnostic kits, and to the Pediatric Infections Research Center at Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences in Tehran for a study on the prevalence of the epidemic among children. Additional tests will be distributed by the Iranian Blood Transfusion Organization is currently storing extra kits, and further distribution will be done according to recommendations by the committee. "Seroepidemiologic studies on SARS-CoV-2 are becoming ever more important, for further steering effectively public health measure, for better understanding of immunological reactions, for vaccine development and new treatment options. WHO will continue to provide strong support to the Ministry of Health in these areas, together with other partners such as the Robert Koch Institute," said Christoph Hamelmann, WHO Representative in Iran. "Although this is the first time WHO supports the IBTO in COVID-19 response, this organization has contributed to controlling HIV, hepatitis C and other bloodborne infections in the recent decade through procedures conducted on donated blood products and counseling provided to donors as a strategy for ensuring blood safety," said Omid Zamani, WHO National Professional Officer for Communicable Diseases. Usually, antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 develop during the course of COVID-19 in infected patients. In the absence of a vaccine, they indicate a current or past infection, irrespective of whether the individual had a severe or mild disease or even an asymptomatic infection. It is not yet clear for how long after the infection the acquired antibodies will remain detectable in the blood, and to what degree they contribute to immunity. The IBTO High Institute for Research and Education in Transfusion Medicine has been a designated WHO collaborating center since September 2013. The organization is screening blood donors nationwide and prepares plasma therapy kits for treating COVID-19 patients in hospitals. By Algernon DAmmassa Las Cruces Sun-News LAS CRUCES Biologists from New Mexico State University and White Sands Missile Range examined nearly 300 dead migratory birds Saturday at Knox Hall on the universitys main campus. Over the past few weeks, various species of migratory birds are dying in unprecedented numbers of unknown causes, reported Martha Desmond, a professor at NMSUs Department of Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Ecology. It is terribly frightening, Desmond said. Weve never seen anything like this. Were losing probably hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of migratory birds. In August, large numbers of birds were found dead at White Sands Missile Range and at White Sands National Park in what was thought to be an isolated incident, Desmond said. After that, however, came reports of birds behaving strangely and dying in numerous locations in Dona Ana County, Jemez Pueblo, Roswell, Socorro and other locations statewide. The affected birds have included warblers, sparrows, swallows, blackbirds, flycatchers, and the Western wood pewee. A number of these species are already in trouble, Desmond said. They are already experiencing huge population declines, and then to have a traumatic event like this is its devastating. On Saturday, Desmond was joined by Trish Cutler, a wildlife biologist at WSMR, and two NMSU students for an initial evaluation of the carcasses. Desmond said her team also began catching and evaluating living specimens Friday as residents reported finding birds behaving strangely and gathering in large groups before dying. People have been reporting that the birds look sleepy theyre just really lethargic, Cutler said. One thing were not seeing is our resident birds mixed in with these dead birds. We have resident birds that live here, some of them migrate and some of them dont, but were not getting birds like roadrunners or quail or doves. On the other hand, numerous migratory species are dying rapidly and it is not immediately clear why, although the cause appears to be recent. Desmond said the birds had moulted, replacing their feathers in preparation for their flight south, and you have to be healthy to do that; but somewhere after that, as they initiated their migratory route, they got in trouble. The biologists guessed the cause might involve the wildfires ravaging the western U.S. and dry conditions in New Mexico. They may have been pushed out before they were ready to migrate, Desmond said. They have to put on a certain amount of fat for them to be able to survive the migration. These birds migrate at night and they get up in the jet stream, and they might migrate for three nights in succession, theyll come down and theyll feed like crazy, put on more fat and go again. The biologists noted that the majority of the dying birds are insectivores, but that seed eaters were sickening and dying as well. The birds will be sent to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Forensics Laboratory in Ashland, Oregon, for further analysis. Desmond said it could be weeks before results come back, and the findings could bear serious ecological implications. Over 3 billion birds have died since 1970. Insect populations are crashing, and this is just an unprecedented mortality, she said. Climate change is affecting the abundance of insects, its affecting the volatility of the fires, and the scary thing is this is may be an indication of the future. Police are warning "wannabe gangsters" who engage in shootings that the force will come down hard on them following mass arrests across Sydney's south-west. Twenty-five people have been charged with a total of 42 offences as part of Operation Clampdown, which was established to investigate shootings in south-west Sydney over the past two months. Police have charged 25 people and executed searches at 54 properties as part of an operation targeting gun violence in Sydneys south-west. Credit:NSW Police One of those arrested was Ayman El-Sankari, 23, who police allege was involved in a shooting murder attempt at Lakemba last month. That incident in which police allege four men chased and shot Fairfield man Mark Shammo in the torso and legs was one of 12 shootings in south-west Sydney across August and September, including five in public places. Democratic nominee Joe Biden called his campaign 'Harris-Biden' while in Florida Tuesday after his running mate, Sen. Kamala Harris, made the same slip. 'The Harris-Biden administration is going to relaunch that effort and keep pushing further to make it easier for military spouses and veterans to find meaningful careers,' the former vice president said at a campaign stop in Tampa. On Saturday, Harris made the same mistake, referring to the Democratic ticket as the 'Harris administration, together with Joe Biden.' The slip-of-tongue had Republican operatives licking their lips as President Donald Trump has called Biden a 'Trojan Horse for socialism.' Biden's trip to Florida came as a new poll showed him 5 points ahead of Trump in the Sunshine State. The Democratic nominee's two events were focused on Latino voters and veteran communities, as he needs to firm up his support with Hispanic voters and is positioned to make gains from servicemembers after The Atlantic's report that had President Donald Trump calling American war dead 'losers' and 'suckers.' Democratic nominee Joe Biden campaigned in Florida Tuesday in an effort to boost his support among Latino voters and servicemembers. During scripted remarks he accidentally referenced the 'Harris-Biden' administration Biden participated in a socially distant conversation with veterans and military spouses at Hillsborough Community College in Tampa, Florida on Tuesday On Saturday, Sen. Kamala Harris accidentally called the Democratic ticket the 'Harris administration, together with Joe Biden' Harris (right) is photographed Tuesday on a campaign trip to survey wildfire damage alongside California Gov. Gavin Newsom (left) 'Donald Trump has no idea about the ideas that animate women and men who sign up to serve: duty, honor, country. That's what service and patriotism is all about,' the former vice president said. Biden again went after Trump for those comments, which the president denies, while also showing off his stark style difference from Trump by providing tedious answers to veterans' questions during an hour-and-a-half long Tampa event. 'The bad news is I show up when I'm invited,' Biden joked, promising the socially distanced group of six that he would follow-up with them on anything unanswered. 'I'm like the poor relative. The poor relatives show up, eat all your food, stay longer than they should. The wealthy ones don't come.' Biden arrived at Hillsborough Community College in Tampa and gave scripted remarks, before sitting down for a Q&A. At one point he misread Iraq for Iran, as he hammered Trump for not caring enough about American war dead. 'Everyday I carry with me a card, and I've been doing this for the better part of 14 years. It's my schedule. On the back of it, wherever the schedule ends, there's always a black box that I have here. It says daily troop updates,' Biden explaned. 'U.S. troops that died in Iran and Afghanistan: 6,923,' he continued, 'as of today.' Not 'roughly' 6,000, Biden went on. '923, because every one of these fallen angels left behind a family, left behind a community, there's an empty seat at the table now.' The 77-year-old former vice president got 'Iraq' right the second time around. 'U.S. troops wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan: 53,192,' he said. 'Not "over 53,000,"' he added. Biden went on to talk about getting veterans better mental health services, telling the room a horrifying story that he learned about from his now late son Beau in 2011, which took place in his adopted hometown of Wilmington, Delaware. 'There was a Marine veteran who had been deployed a total of six tiems, if my memory was correct, who was in a relatively modern, upscale middle class neighborhood,' Biden said. 'Saw a woman walking her dog, ran over her, killed her, killed the dog, put her in the back of his pick-up truck, took her down I-95,' he continued. 'Molested her, put her back in the truck, came home, called the state police and said, "I just killed someone, there was a voice in my head, I had to kill someone."' Biden didn't get the details right, but Army veteran Dwight L. Smith Jr. pleaded guilty but mentally ill in December 2015 to first-degree murder and first-degree rape, among other charges. He's serving life in prison. During the Q&A portion, Biden would listen intently and give long-winded answers, though would slip in digs at Trump. When talking about traumatic brain injuries caused by IEDs that blew up in Iraq, Biden noted, 'the president says they're just headaches, but traumatic brain injury is real.' 'It causes significant physical consequences and phychologicial consequences as well,' he said. As the event wound down, he also talked of Trump's inaction in responding to the Russia bounty story. 'And by the way the president's met and talked with Putin six times and he still hasn't mentioned the bounty on the heads of Americans in Afghanistan and the recent ramming of American vehicles by Russians in Syria, and injuring of American soldiers,' Biden said. He ended his first of two events in Florida by promising to be all Americans' president. 'Look, I'm running for president as a Democrat, but I'm not going to be a Democrat president, I'm going to be an American president,' he said. 'And the one thing we've always had bipartisanship on is support of the military.' 'I can tell you if I'm elected I'm going to spend as much time trying to help people who didn't vote for me as those who did,' Biden added. Earlier Tuesday, Biden's campaign manager Jen O'Malley Dillon defended the Democratic nominee's light travel schedule and refusal to hold rallies due to the coronavirus pandemic. 'I was horrified to see the pictures from last night,' O'Malley Dillon said, referencing a Trump rally held in Arizona. The night before, the president had held his first indoor rally - this one outside of Las Vegas, Nevada - since the disastrous Tulsa, Oklahoma rally in June. Public health officials still don't support large gatherings, which could further spread COVID-19. 'People will die because of these types of events, and that's from the president of the United States,' O'Mally Dillon told Politico. Biden's trip to Florida - his first since the advent of the coronavirus pandemic - came the same day Monmouth University put out polling that showed him 5 points over Trump in the Sunshine State. The lead could be slim, as Monmouth only surveyed 428 Florida voters, making the margin of error 4.7 per cent. Like in other recent polls, Biden's number of Hispanic supporters is slightly down from the percentage of the Latino vote that went for Hillary Clinton in 2016. Patrick Murray, director of the Monmouth University Polling Institute, suggested 'Trump could be doing slightly better among older Latino voters than he did four years ago' because younger Latino voters and Puerto Ricans are moving into Florida, which should give Biden a natural edge. The poll also called military support for Trump 'weak' in the state, with the incumbent leading Biden by just 4 points - 50 per cent ot 46 per cent. While Biden campaigned in Florida, Harris toured wildfire damage Tuesday in California and his wife, Jill, went to Michigan for a campaign trip. Mumbai Polices Economic Offences Wing (EOW) arrested Housing Development Infrastructure Limited (HDIL) promoter Sarang Wadhawan late Monday evening in connection with the 1,034-crore scam involving the Goregaon Patra Chawl redevelopment project. A first information report (FIR) was filed against Guruashish Constructions Private (Pvt) Limited (Ltd), a subsidiary of HDIL, in March 2018 on the basis of a complaint by Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA). Also read: PMC Bank fraud case: Shift HDILs Rakesh Wadhawan to govt hospital, says PMLA court Wadhawan was lodged in Arthur Road Jail after he was arrested in October 2019 along with his father and others by the EOW in connection with the 6,337-crore fraud at the Punjab and Maharashtra Cooperative (PMC) Bank. We have arrested Sarang Wadhwan to investigate the Patra Chawl redevelopment fraud case. He will be produced in court on Tuesday, said an EOW official. Wadhawan is one of the directors of Guruashish Constructions. He was booked along with other directors of the firm, under sections 120B (criminal conspiracy), 409 (criminal breach of trust) and 420 (cheating) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) in March, 2018 on the basis of the complaint by MHADA. In February Pravin Raut, also a director in the company, was arrested by EOW. EOW suspects that MHADA officials, who had held key posts in 2011, were hand-in-glove with the accused and their role will also be probed. The redevelopment of Patra Chawl in Siddharth Nagar has been mired in controversy since the beginning. In 2007, MHADA had allowed Guruashish Constructions to redevelop the chawl spread over 47 acres and rehabilitate its 672 tenants. However, later, MHADA received complaints that Guruashish Constructions had sold the project to another developer. The charge was denied by the firms directors. In lieu of the development rights of the property, Guruashish Constructions was to give 767 square (sq) feet (ft) built-up area flats to each of the 672 tenants and 2,28,961 sq ft constructed area to MHADA. The accused developer also stopped paying transit rent to the displaced tenants after two years. The developer disposed of various parcels of MHADA land for construction of free sale component buildings to various third party developers without obtaining consent from the authorty and received substantial amounts of money, running into thousands of crores of rupees. The third party developers have sold flats in the free sale component to various purchasers and have also received substantial amounts of money, Nitin Gadkari, executive engineer, MHADA, had alleged in the complaint. Guruashish Constructions allegedly breached the trust and sub-contracted the redevelopment to two-three other developers. The accused not only sublet the contract, but also mortgaged the property to take loan, while keeping MHADA in the dark, said another official. In January, 2018 Guruashish Constructions was given the last opportunity to clarify its alleged irregularities by February 15. An FIR was filed because it had failed to respond to the notice before the deadline expired, said the official. A former University of Texas at San Antonio professor who says he was hired to lead the chemical engineering department has sued the university in federal court, alleging he was discriminated against when he was fired this year. The professor sued earlier this month anonymously as Jon UTSA Doe. He also has filed a charge with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission alleging discrimination and retaliation because he is over 40, Muslim, male and Egyptian and because he exercised his constitutional right to freedom of expression when he complained to his superiors that he had been targeted for more than two years. Joe Izbrand, UTSA spokesman, said the university was served with the lawsuit Friday and is reviewing it, but does not comment on pending litigation. Tom Reel / Staff photographer The lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas also lists as a defendant Eric Brey, chairman of the department of biomedical engineering, who the professor alleges spearheaded the discrimination against him. The unnamed professor is an internationally recognized nanotechnology expert who came to UTSA in fall 2017 as an associate professor with the promise that he would be director of the chemical engineering program, according to the complaint. The lawsuit says the professor designed the chemical engineering lab on campus and led search committees to hire two faculty members for the Department of Biomedical Engineering and Chemical Engineering. He mentored undergraduate and graduate students and postdoctoral fellows, resulting in awards for some of the students, according to the lawsuit. The professor was denied financial research incentives and summer salary and was routinely given less prestigious assignments than younger female colleagues who were not Egyptian, according to court documents. It adds that he never was made director of the chemical engineering program as promised nor was he ever given control over the research startup fund that the university offered him, preventing him from completing his job duties. The complaint says his department discriminated against him by convening meetings every Friday, knowing he would be at the mosque. Friday prayer is the most important of the week for Muslims. In October 2017, the professor nominated College of Engineering Dean JoAnn Browning to join an advisory board to the British University in Egypt, but Browning was later terminated from her board appointment, according to the complaint. After that, the lawsuit states, the professor became a target, a situation that worsened in January 2018 when, according to the professor, he refused to violate federal hiring regulations. After the hiring dispute, Brey never appointed the professor to a search committee again, according to the lawsuit. The lawsuit was unclear as to whether the professor performed the duties of director of the chemical engineering program. It states that he was never given the promised position, yet it also says Brey pressured and harassed the professor to surrender his responsibility as director. In addition, UTSA employees manufactured conspiracies and lies about the professor, according to the complaint. The universitys human resources department told the professor he was restricted from speaking to students, staff and faculty, and his request to submit grant applications was denied, the lawsuit says. He was placed on administrative leave during an investigation that the lawsuit does not detail. According to the lawsuit, Brey evaluated the professor while he was on administrative leave and cited his lack of instruction as a weakness although the professor had been denied opportunities to teach. The complaint says the professor received a report clearing him in the investigation, but he was forced to remain on leave. Meanwhile, Browning filed a discrimination complaint about the professor to the universitys Equal Opportunity Services office in February, alleging misconduct in 2017, but the university determined Brownings complaint was without merit, according to the lawsuit. UTSA later terminated the professor, according to the lawsuit, which adds the professor was blacklisted because colleagues made false negative statements about him to a potential employer. The professor is suing for damages, including lost pay, medical expenses and emotional harm, as well as court costs and attorney fees. The professors Austin-based lawyer, Terry P. Gorman, declined to comment, citing the decision to proceed anonymously. Alia Malik covers several school districts and the University of Texas at San Antonio. To read more from Alia, become a subscriber. amalik@express-news.net | Twitter: @AliaAtSAEN President Donald Trump has a vested interest in WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange being jailed, an American lawyer has told an English court. US lawyer Eric Lewis made the claim in a witness statement given at Mr Assanges extradition hearing in London on Tuesday. This comes as the 49-year-old Australian, who is currently being kept in Belmarsh Prison, is trying to fight extradition to the US, where he faces 18 charges following the leaks of classified documents in 2010 and 2011. "WikiLeaks and Mr Assange pose a threat to the legitimacy of Trump's (election) campaign that he is desperate to squash by diverting attention and imprisoning Mr Assange, the lawyer claimed. "WikiLeaks is a vulnerability for Trump because of the evidentiary links between his campaign and WikiLeaks, he added. Trump praised WikiLeaks in 2016, the year that the organisation leaked Democratic National Committee emails to the undoubted benefit of Trump, according to Mr Lewis, who as well as being a lawyer is a director of Independent Digital News and Media, publisher of The Independent. The Old Bailey heard that the president remarked during his campaign: I love WikiLeaks. Three years later, Mr Trump said he knew nothing about WikiLeaks other than that it had something to do with Mr Assange, it was claimed. In his statement, Mr Lewis also said: "The prosecution of Julian Assange is part of Trump's efforts to distract attention from the help that WikiLeaks gave to focus attention on the earlier leaks, which are much more politically potent for him. "He wants to put Mr Assange in jail and keep him quiet." The US prosecutor in the case challenged Mr Lewis over this claim, suggesting it was just conjecture. The prosecution also contested Mr Lewis statement that the WikiLeaks founder could face 175 years in prison if found guilty in the US, describing it as a soundbite for the defence. Mr Lewis countered that this sentence length was a reasonable likelihood. The extradition hearing continues and will last for four weeks. The Nanoramic team is excited to have the opportunity to present our Neocarbonix technology and show how it can help the U.S. Air Force improve in-space maneuvering. AFWERX, the catalyst for fostering innovation within the U.S. Air Force, announced Nanoramic Laboratories as one of the 178 top participating teams selected from The AFWERX Space Challenge initiative to exhibit at EngageSpace, a virtual two-day event on September 29-30. The AFWERX Space Challenge initiative is made up of four challenges targeted at creating integrated space operations leveraging the best in technology while maintaining security, being resilient and increasing agility. Four challenges were run concurrently focused on separate topics Persistent ISR, DoD Commercial Space Partnerships, Global Space Transport and Delivery and Space Asset Resiliency. Located in Boston, Nanoramic is competing in the Space Asset Resiliency Challenge alongside a diverse group of teams that represent entrepreneurial startups, small businesses, large enterprises, academic institutions, and research labs. The solutions submitted for these space challenges represent the bleeding edge of space innovation, stated Brennan Townley, AFWERX Challenge Collaboration Lead. Were excited to highlight these innovators and connect them with opportunities across the Space ecosystem. The Space Asset Resiliency Challenge strives to increase the longevity of our space assets by increasing their durability against the unique space environment and enemy threats. Nanoramics high power, high energy, Li-ion battery solution uses proprietary Neocarbonix electrodes to provide major advances in Li-ion energy storage devices, combining high energy and power density with better resilience and lower costs. The Neocarbonix electrodes are configured with an advanced 3-D nanoscopic carbon binding structure that eliminates the need for polymer binders, providing greater power, energy and performance in extreme environments compared to traditional battery electrode designs. Nanoramics Li-ion battery solution appeals to the in-space maneuvering needs of the Air Force, specifically for improving battery safeguarding measures, protecting physical assets (satellites, equipment, astronauts, etc.), and enhancing maneuvering capabilities by providing a more compact and elastic mobile battery option. The Nanoramic team is excited to have the opportunity to present our Neocarbonix technology and show how it can help the U.S. Air Force improve in-space maneuvering, said Mitch Koffel, VP of Business Development at Nanoramic Laboratories. It is an honor to present our technology alongside all of the innovative companies selected for the AFWERX EngageSpace Showcase. The EngageSpace event will feature highly engaging opportunities to connect, educate and innovate with other like-minded attendees, industry leaders, individual innovators, academia, investors, as well as military and government leaders. The entire event is designed to transform and accelerate the industry and enable government buyers to pursue the most promising innovative solutions to the most pressing and threatening Space scenarios. Register for the EngageSpace event by visiting https://engage.space ABOUT NANORAMIC LABORATORIES Nanoramic Laboratories is an industry-leading energy storage technology company and materials solutions innovator headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts. Spun out of MIT in 2009, Nanoramic is the exclusive designer, manufacturer, and licensor of Neocarbonix electrodes for rechargeable li-ion batteries, li-ion capacitors, and supercapacitors. For more information, visit nanoramic.com. Nanoramic, Neocarbonix and the N logo are trademarks of FastCAP Systems Corporation, doing business as Nanoramic Laboratories. 2020 FastCAP Systems Corporation. All Rights Reserved. ABOUT AFWERX Established in 2017, AFWERX is a product of the U.S. Air Force, directly envisioned by former Secretary of the Air Force Heather Wilson. Her vision of AFWERX to solve some of the toughest challenges that the Air Force faces through innovation and collaboration amongst our nations top subject matter experts. AFWERX serves as a catalyst to unleash new approaches for the warfighter through a growing ecosystem of innovators. AFWERX and the U.S. Air Force are committed to exploring viable solutions and partnerships to further strengthen the Air Force, which could lead to additional prototyping, R&D, and follow-on production contracts. Fast Company named AFWERX Best Workplaces for Innovators on the 2020 List, honoring the top 100 businesses and organizations that demonstrate a deep commitment to encouraging innovation at all levels. AFWERX, U.S. Air Forces innovation arm and catalyst for fostering innovation within the Air Force, came in at #16 ranking in the top 20 alongside brands such as Microsoft, Google, and Amazon. Preview the live announcement with Stephanie Mehta, Editor-in-Chief of Fast Company, unveiled during the AFWERX Fusion 2020 Base of the Future Event & Showcase. Bengaluru: After 12 days of investigation by the CCB, while most of the arrested in Sandalwood Drug scandal case have been remanded to judicial custody, the political blame game has intensified. While a photo of Revenue Minister R Ashok, along with Rahul Thonse, one of the arrested has gone viral, the spar between Congress MLA Zameer Ahamed Khan and former Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy has continued over their trip to a Casino in Colombo. On Monday, the main accused in the case Viren Khanna, Ravi Shankar, actress Ragini Dwivedi, Rahul Thonse, Prashanth Ranka were remanded to judicial custody by 1st ACMM court in Bengaluru. However, another actress Sanjjanaa Galrani has been remanded to police custody for three more days till Sep 16, for further interrogation. Though Ragini Dwivedi had applied for bail, her bail hearing was adjourned till Sep 16 and she has to spend two days at Parappana Agrahara jail. Though Ragini's advocates pleaded that she had health problems and the court should allow her to be treated at a private hospital, the court stated that she should be given medical assistance in the prison hospital. Meanwhile, political blame game has continued over links with the drug racket. A photo featuring Rahul Thonse, who is arrested in connection with a drug racket offering cake to Revenue Minister R Ashok, has gone viral on Sunday night. Ashok was quick to react and said that the photo was taken during inauguration of a project in his constituency. "A lot of people came and offered me cake and this is one of them. I don't remember seeing him either before that function or after that function. It happens to celebrities and we can't help it." Meanwhile, irked over Zameer's comment that he had gone to Colombo Casino with HD Kumaraswamy and other JD(S) legislators, Kumaraswamy shot back saying that it was in 2014. "Around the time, even that person (Zameer) was in our party. We needed to discuss some internal matters of the party in private. We worked out the places and Colombo worked out cheaper than Goa. That is the only time I went there. Drug racket is not just restricted to Colombo Casinos, but also in the nightclubs of Bengaluru also. That has to be probed properly," he said. Meanwhile, Opposition leader Siddaramaiah came out in support of Zameer and said that Zameer was being unnecessarily targeted, without even producing any proof. "If anyone is involved in the drug racket, they should be punished. No one should be defamed without any proof," he added. BOSTON Sept. 15, 2020 James L. Sherley Massachusetts /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- "True" in stem cell science and stem cell medicine has a peculiar meaning. When applied to tissue stem cells, it reflects what has not been knowable instead of what is known. Since the earliest history of tissue stem cell science and medicine, no means existed to count tissue stem cells that maintain and regenerate the organs and tissues of children and adults. The need for an effective counting method has limited progress in stem cell research and medicine for decades.The tissue stem cells that maintain organs and tissues are called "true" stem cells to distinguish them from other more numerous precursor cells in the body that also have important roles in building mature tissues and organs. However, other precursor cells also known as committed progenitor cells which are in fact produced by true stem cells, differ from true stem cells in a crucial respect. They have short lives before they turn into mature cells that eventually die. Only true stem cells have lifetimes for as long as the human lifespan. For the same reason, true stem cells are sometimes called "immortal" stem cells.Because of the difference in lifetime, progenitor cells do not work for stem cell therapy and gene therapy. To be successful, stem cell therapies require true stem cells; and gene therapies must target true stem cells with their curative genetic engineering. Asymmetrex director,, M.D., Ph.D., says, "So, it is no surprise that now being able to count and determine the dosage of true stem cells routinely, in all areas of stem cell science and medicine, has got to end up making a big difference for patients. With Asymmetrex's advance, stem cell-blind research and stem cell-blind medicine are no longer acceptable practices."The company's recent report, published in OBM Transplantation, describes the first-ever quantification of several different therapeutic tissue stem cell types. True blood stem cells obtained from both bone marrow and cord blood, which are approved for stem cell therapies, were counted for the first time. These stem cells are also in active use by many companies and centers to improve transplantation therapies and to develop gene therapies. Several different types of stem cells in use for clinical trial investigations were counted. The report also shows how the ability to count true stem cells is a new powerful tool for drug evaluations that can accelerate progress in the development of new pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical medicines.Beyond presenting the first technology for counting true stem cells, the new report describes Asymmetrex's discovery of true stem cell counting algorithms. The newly discovered mathematical formulas allow rapid, inexpensive determination of stem cell number and dose. The new algorithms open the path to future automation of true stem cell counting. The new counting technology is free for evaluation on the company's website.About AsymmetrexAsymmetrex, LLC is alife sciences company with a focus on developing technologies to advance stem cell medicine. The company's U.S. and U.K. patent portfolio contains biotechnologies that solve the two main technical problems production and quantification that have stood in the way of effective use of human adult tissue stem cells for regenerative medicine and drug development. Asymmetrex markets the first technology for determination of the dose and quality of tissue stem cell preparations (the "AlphaSTEM Test") for use in stem cell transplantation therapies and pre-clinical drug evaluations. Asymmetrex is a member company of the Advanced Regenerative Manufacturing Institute BioFabUSA (ARMI) and the Massachusetts Biotechnology Council (MassBio).SOURCE Asymmetrex LLC The Orangeburg County School District has developed a mobile application that can link its students and their families with telehealth services. It is something that Annesia Jackson is happy about. The Dallas native moved to Orangeburg three years ago and has two daughters who attend school in the district. "I think it's important. It gives ready access to a health care representative to be able to assist in situations so we don't have to call and have a waiting time. We can get online and be able to speak to someone right then and right there to help out in a situation," Jackson said. She added, "This would be really good for us as parents, I believe, just to get that immediate help right then and there." OCSD partnered with Palmetto Care Connections, a Bamberg-based nonprofit telehealth network; the Regional Medical Center; Family Health Centers Inc. and Bamberg Family Practice for the creation of a S.M.A.R.T. (Students' Medical Access to Resources in Telehealth) Virtual Health Collaborative. School officials, along with those from partnering agencies, converged upon the district office in Orangeburg on Monday to announce the effort. Under the initiative, a S.M.A.R.T. Virtual Health Collaborative app now appears on all district-issued devices and leads to a webpage of telehealth providers. Students and families can also begin accessing telehealth services through the district's website by clicking on the app and selecting a provider of their choice. S.M.A.R.T. can also be accessed directly through the following link: www.ocsdsc.org/telehealth. Individuals can also simply go to www.ocsdsc.org, click on Quick Links at the bottom right of the page, scroll down to Parent/Student Resources and click on OCSD - SMART Virtual Telehealth. OCSD Superintendent Dr. Shawn Foster said it is critical to provide access to health care services to individuals who are not only without transportation, but the necessary technology to access the services remotely. Foster recalled speaking with RMC Chief Executive Officer Charles Williams about the challenge. "I recall Mr. Williams and his epidemiologist were talking about some of the struggles that they were having here in the community in regard to access, that he had people in this community calling in, wanting to see a doctor, Foster said. If the caller said they didnt have transportation, "the hospital then followed up and would ask, 'Well, do you have a device to use?' They said, 'Well, I don't have a device. I don't even have a smart phone.' So they found themselves in a challenging situation, where they were trying to provide services over the phone, which is not an ideal circumstance," he said. Foster said it wasn't long before the FHC came on board with the telehealth initiative. An opportunity existed that allowed OCSD to fill a gap in providing services, he said. "I've said since day one that I hope to have Orangeburg in a space where our education is no longer product-driven, that we're solution-driven. "When I say product-driven, I mean it's more than about getting 24 credits and getting a high school diploma. It's about being an educational institution that is willing to seek solutions to gaps that we have in our community," he said. The superintendent thanked the other community partners such as Palmetto Care Connections and its staff, including Director of Technology Matt Hiatt. PCC is seeking to expand the list of providers in the S.M.A.R.T. Virtual Health Collaborative. There is no expense to medical entities for participation in the collaborative, but there is a request that they provide professional and patient care to those they serve. PCC Chief Executive Officer Kathy Schwarting said, "Our whole purpose and mission in life is to make sure that rural and underserved communities have access to care. I've spent 25 years in rural health care, and I've always said that your zip code should not define the quality of service you have, the type of service, or the quality of the life that you live." "If you want to live in Orangeburg, Bamberg, Allendale, you should still have access to the same high-quality services. That's what PCC is built on. ... We have helped lots of rural communities in the state implement school-based telehealth, but not with the vision that Dr. Foster has had. So I'm very grateful for that," Schwarting said. Schwarting said children will still have access to their primary care providers. "We have other primary clinics in the county and around the county that would like to participate. We also believe that children should have access to their primary care provider. If they already have a medical home, don't ship them out to a health system. Let them see their health care provider if at all possible and then let the health systems, if needed, complement that service for some specialty services," she said. "So we're very blessed in this community to have Mr. Williams, Dr. Foster, the Family Health Center," she added. Williams said, "I am so thankful to Dr. Foster. We sat down and we talked about this. The entire discussion that we had for probably a little over two hours that day, it was never about us. It was all about how we can serve." "Many of you that know me and you know our team, it's all about trust, building sustainability and always focusing on the community. We do nothing for ourselves, but for the people we are blessed to serve. We are nothing but tools to be used by the master carpenter to do his work," he said. Williams said the mobile app will allow more people to have access to health care. By the grace of God and this partnership, patients that need care now, if they have a school-age child with this device in their home, they will have access. ... We will be able to send them a link, they will be able to hit the link, and they will be able to be seen by their provider. Everything cannot wait." Contact the writer: dgleaton@timesanddemocrat.com or 803-533-5534. Follow "Good News with Gleaton" on Twitter at @DionneTandD Love 3 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. The Ghana Police have turned down the request of members of the Alliance for Social Equity and Public Accountability (ASEPA) who sought permission to hold demonstrations on the streets over the controversial Agyapa Royalties Agreement. ASEPA, a civil society group had written to the police seeking permission to protest the controversial deal that seeks to monetize Ghana's gold royalties. However, the police in a response to the groups request for a civil demonstration said the demand cannot be granted due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The reply from the police indicates that although it acknowledges the receipt of the groups letter, restrictions imposed on public gatherings of more than 200 people without face masks due to the COVID-19 pandemic is still in full force. Police officials therefore said, ASEPAs request to have 20,000 people gather for the demonstration is impossible. There is the tendency that COVID-19 protocols would be breached. If permitted to demonstrate in this manner, public health and security could be endangered. Your notification to demonstrate in this COVID-19 pandemic era cannot be sanctioned please, the statement signed by Assistant Commissioner of Police, Deputy Regional Commander for the Accra Region, E. A Sakyi explained. The government through the Minerals Income Investment Fund (MIIF), has set up Agyapa Royalties Limited to manage and invest Ghanas gold royalties and revenue from equities for higher returns for the benefit of the country. In exchange, the company plans to raise between $500 million and $750 million for the government on the Ghana and London Stock exchanges to invest in developmental projects. The deal has for the past few weeks sparked controversy among different groups in the country following concerns from members of the opposition. Civil Society groups in Mines and Energy have also described the Special Purpose Vehicle as one which is not transparent and must be suspended. Governments defence But the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, has downplayed fears that ongoing public criticism and opposition to the Agyapa Royalties deal could scare aware potential investors. He explained that investors are savvy enough to appreciate the importance of constructive debate on a deal as important as the Agyapa Royalties Deal. For me, I don't look at the criticism as noises. I feel that the market is sophisticated enough outside to understand that there will be deferring opinions. The vibrancy of democracy for people to challenge what you want to do, gives you an opinion you may not have been aware of, but still being clear on where you want to go, is something that strengthens our democracy. It also potentially sends a signal out there that Ghana's good governance issues are good. ---CitiNewsRoom The 2020 Africa Agriculture Trade Monitor (AATM), published by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), has recently been released, providing an analysis of continental and regional trends in African agricultural trade flows and policies. According to the AATM report, the third in a series of flagship reports, policy reactions among the worlds leading food and agricultural producers during the coronavirus pandemic since the beginning of the year have caused disruptions in world supply chains and threatened food-security systems in food import-dependent countries. Furthermore, measures to contain the virus have magnified the negative impact of the crisis on intra-continental trade flows and the livelihoods of millions of people across Africa. But opportunities lie in the crisis, as the foreword to the report points out. Among these is a strong political will to improve intra-African integration with the ratification of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement. This agreement, launched in July 2019, aims to eliminate tariff and non-tariff measures on goods, improve continental integration, and speed up customs procedures that remain a serious barrier to trade performance in Africa. According to the report, countries should not let the pandemic stop progress towards economic integration. It said that agreements like the AfCFTA could provide not only a solid basis for long-term economic development, but also a means of effectively fighting future pandemics by facilitating the cross-border trade of food and medical goods. According to the report, virtual negotiations on the AfCFTA could begin in the coming days and set a new start date for its implementation, possibly before 1 January 2021. A second opportunity lies in an agreement by African states to establish trade corridors and reduce duties to enable the transit of essential goods that are fundamental to combating the pandemic. These short-term measures could also clearly increase intra-African exports, the foreword to the report said. The Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) are the largest economic players within the continent, said the report, followed by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the Arab Maghreb Union (AMU), and the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS). The current export patterns within the different African regions are sufficiently dissimilar to suggest there is room to expand intra-regional trade within the continent, the report said, calling for more coordinated efforts to create a more integrated market and reduce the negative effects of non-tariff barriers and behind-the-border barriers. African agricultural exports showed an upward trend between 2003 and 2018, said the report. Furthermore, the African countries increased exports to new destinations such as Brazil, Russia, India, China, and other Asian countries, including Saudi Arabia, Vietnam, the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, Malaysia, and Pakistan. Cocoa beans, cashew nuts, tobacco, coffee, oranges, cotton, sesame seeds, black tea, cocoa paste, and fresh grapes were the 10 most exported agricultural products. Exports to the EU fell from 45 per cent of the total in 2005-2007 to 36 per cent in 2016-2018. However, in current dollar terms, EU imports of Africas agricultural products saw a sustained upward trend, despite the decrease in share, and the EU has remained the top destination for African agricultural exports. The same goes for the US and intra-African destinations, which also grew in value, though their share remained unchanged at five and 20 per cent, respectively. According to the AATM report, Africas agricultural exports have increased steadily over the past 20 years within the continent, but more so within its various regional economic communities. For example, SADC and COMESA member states retained 84 per cent and 66 per cent of their intra-Africa exports within their respective regions in 2016-2018, and ECOWAS, AMU, and ECCAS also retained 79, 60, and 46 per cent, respectively. Moreover, the share of exports within each regional economic community was significantly larger than the share of world agricultural exports. This could be explained by the geographic proximity, cultural similarities, historical trading relationships, and preferential trade agreements, it said. The report tracks increased exports of food products such as maize and wheat, but also processed foods such as soups, broths, and food preparations, reflecting growth in processed food consumption, along with demographic shifts, growing urban food demand, and changing lifestyles and habits in rural areas. Rice, cattle, apples, vegetables, sweeteners and fats, beverages, and traditional non-food products such as tea, coffee, palm oil, cotton, and tobacco, were also among the top 20 commodities traded intra-regionally. The low competitiveness of the African countries can be explained either by issues such as a lack of comparative advantage or factors such as high tariffs and domestic support for some products, in the main producers of agricultural products, the report said. It points out that tariff protection against imports from extra-regional suppliers can be as high as that on imports from world markets. Furthermore, ad valorem equivalents incorporating non-tariff measures suggest that they can be more trade-restrictive than tariffs. The removal of logistical barriers was also called for in the report, as current barriers stunt coordinated supply chains between and within the various regional economic communities, it said. African governments will have to play a critical role in enforcing the removal of non-tariff barriers to intra-continental trade. The challenge of further opening national agriculture sectors is crucial, as intra-continental destinations account for 20 per cent of Africas agricultural exports, the report says. Domestic support in both developed and emerging markets is another problem facing African agricultural exports. Emerging economies like China and Brazil and advanced economies such as the European Union and the United States are major providers of domestic support for their producers. China has the highest domestic support as a share of GDP. Non-tariff measures also constrain Africas global trade potential, the report said. While Africa accounts for 10.2 per cent of the worlds agricultural GDP, it accounts for only 2.7 per cent of global GDP and 4.2 per cent of global agricultural exports, showed the report. These figures reflect Africas lower labour productivity, lack of competitiveness in world markets, and the prevalence of non-tariff barriers affecting the continents exporters. The latter range from sanitary and phytosanitary measures to conformity assessment and domestic support in the main producers of agricultural products. The report argues that a more comprehensive approach is needed to help African exporters increase their competitiveness and reduce the negative effects of non-tariff measures. Recommended policies include harmonising trade regulation at the continental level, not only by tackling import duties but also streamlining the costly non-tariff measures that suffocate trade. Maintaining the well-being of the end consumer is also imperative, says the report. Policy-makers, investors, and businesses should prioritise culturally appropriate, nutrient-dense foods, so that trade and value-chain development benefit consumers health. Nutrition-focused trade is imperative if Africa wants to avoid the risks of obesity, metabolic disease, and malnourishment caused by processed foods with poor nutrition quality, it said. Infrastructure must also serve that purpose by providing facilities such as low-cost cool-storage and food-safety measures. The improvement of customs efficiency as well as of transportation and telecommunication infrastructure was also a must for the general good of trade, the report said. Tackling issues such as poor access to credit markets, insufficient investment in research and development, and insufficient access to fertilisers, new technology, and irrigation could raise the current low level of agricultural productivity. *A version of this article appears in print in the 17 September, 2020 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly Search Keywords: Short link: The Friendship Tunnel of China-Laos Railway is completed on Sunday. [Photo by Chen Chang/For China Daily] Despite geographical obstacles, construction of the cross-border tunnel on the China-Laos Railway was completed on Sunday, laying a solid foundation for the full operation of the whole line, according to local authorities. Dubbed the "friendship tunnel", the key project of the railway stretched 9.59 kilometers, with 7.17 kilometers in Xishuangbanna, Yunnan province, and 2.42 kilometers on the Lao section, according to the China Railway Kunming Group. However, with the fractured rock mass, water-induced softening in clay-rich sandstone and poor self-stability, the complex geological situation created huge difficulties for construction and safety control, said Luo Hengfu, project manager of the China Railway No 2 Engineering Group. "Mudstone and sandstone are very water-softened and can easily cause collapse and deformation during construction," he said, adding that the company came up with targeted measures to ensure safety while speeding up construction thanks to the concerted efforts of more than 1,200 Chinese and Lao workers. The company has also scaled up technical research on rock salt, which is high corrosive to roads, concrete and metal, and adopted world-class technologies to shield the railway from saltwater erosion, he said. Liu Juncheng, of the China railway group, noted that the completion of the high-risk tunnel marks a significant step forward in the construction of the China-Laos project. So far, 80 tunnels have been finished on the Yuxi-Mohan section of the Chinese part of the railway. Track-laying and construction of stations have also been in full swing, he added. Built with the full application of Chinese management and technical standards, the 1,000-plus kilometer railway will run from Kunming, Yunnan's provincial capital, to Vientiane, capital of Laos, with an operating speed of 160 km per hour. The railway serves as a strategic docking project between the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative and Laos' strategy to transform from a landlocked country to a land-linked hub, which will boost the regional economy and bring tremendous benefits to the people in the two countries. The electrified passenger and cargo railway, which started construction in December 2016, is scheduled to be completed and opened to traffic at the end of 2021. The railway will reduce the travel time between Kunming and Vientiane to half a day. What was once a middle school art project completed during the pandemic became, for a short while, the belle of McAllister Park and a social media sensation. Now it is just a jumbled pile of rotting wood and screws, gone but not forgotten. At least a few of the works fans hope to memorialize the piece in some way. The sculpture was a surprisingly delicate rendering of a deer crafted by 13-year-old artist Elizabeth Gutierrez from scraps of deadwood she and her brother William, 8, collected in the park. Upright and alert as if surveying its surroundings for danger, the McAllister Deer stood proudly for about a month and a half, according to Gutierrezs father, Chris, until it eventually was destroyed by nature or man, no one knows for sure. I felt a little bad when I saw it had been destroyed, said Elizabeth, who attends the Design and Technology Academy at Ed White Middle School and made the deer as an assignment from Stacey Morrison, her art teacher at the school. Morrison said she gave her students the assignment in early May, after what I call the Spring Break That Never Ended. I had a classroom full of art supplies but no way to get it to them. So I told them to create something from whatever materials they had on hand. Since the family spends a lot of time in the park, they decided to make a sculpture with deadfall. When they happened upon a piece that looked much like a set of buckhorns, the decision to sculpt a deer was made. Besides, a deer deserves to be in the park, said Elizabeth, who wants to be a digital artist when she grows up. On ExpressNews.com: Neighborhood volunteers create pocket park from eyesore With each piece they found, Elizabeth and William would tell their dad where they thought it fit on the sculpture and hed screw it into place, overlapping one piece with another. Morrison said that as long as her students made an effort to complete the piece, theyd earn a 100 on the assignment. But Elizabeth really blew it out of the park with her deer, she said. It took the siblings and their dad about a day and a half to complete the sculpture. Several park goers watched them as they worked, but it wasnt until they left the deer standing near where Blue Loop Trail crosses Mud Creek that the McAllister Deer went viral. After several bikers posted photos of the deer online, the image was shared by the neighborhood NextDoor group and on the Friends of McAllister Park Facebook page, Chris Gutierrez said. Thank you to the artist who built this beautiful deer out of wood from the creek! read the Facebook post, which garnered 129 Likes and other responses. I thought it was breathtaking, said Laura Matthews, a board member of the Friends group. I couldnt believe what I was seeing. It warmed your heart and took your mind off of everything thats been going on. As beautiful as the sculpture was, most of the wood used to build the deer was soft and partially rotted. So whether it was the weather or folks up to no good, fans soon began reporting that the deer was in trouble. Soon after it was completed, for example, a storm hit, the wind and rain endangering the sculpture. On ExpressNews.com: Roses author Leila Meacham battles pancreatic cancer but keeps writing I ride my bike through here regularly and I could see how, little by little, it was falling apart, said Zelenia Alvarez, Elizabeth and Williams mother. The sculpture toppled, or was knocked over, at least once, and another time the head fell off. But whenever there was a problem, someone would step in with a fix. The head, for example, was reattached by an unknown good Samaritan. When Chris Guttierez visited once, he noticed that several pieces has been repaired with different screws than those hed used. Matthews said she doubts that vandals damaged the statue We dont have problem with people vandalizing the park. She suspects it was the weather that eventually took its toll on the deer. Elizabeth said she wasnt surprised the deer fell apart because the wood they used already was rotting. But I have lots of pictures of it, she said. Some of the deers fans are attempting to memorialize it with a plaque. A spokesman for the Parks and Recreation Department said installing a permanent marker would require many levels of city approval. But the plaque thats been made, consisting of heavy mat board paper mounted on a piece of wood, wouldnt last long outdoors. Maybe we can have it displayed in the local library, said Mary Ahrens, who frequents the park and has spearheaded the effort. She said she was disappointed that the much-loved sculpture is no longer in the park. I want the artists to have something special to remember it by. Not that those who saw it will ever forget the McAllister Deer. Richard A. Marini is a features writer in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. To read more from Richard, become a subscriber. rmarini@express-news.net | Twitter: @RichardMarini Surat: The Surat civic body, several associations and business groups are planting 70,000 saplings across the city to mark Prime Minister Narendra Modi`s 70th birthday that falls on September 17. Nirav Shah, Deputy Mayor, Surat City told media, "We started this initiative 15 days ago. I think we will be able to plant 70,000 saplings by September 16." "The Prime Minister always urges everyone to celebrate his birthday by doing an activity which will be beneficial to the people. So this time we have come up with the idea to plant 70,000 saplings across the city which will increase the oxygen and will be beneficial for the future generation," he added. The textile city of Surat has come up with the idea to turn the city greener and pollution-free by planting saplings. This initiative started 15 days ago, according to the Deputy Mayor. On September 16 they will achieve their target of planting 70,000 saplings. Later on September 17, they will plant more saplings than the target set which in turn is going to be beneficial for the residents of the city. Various associations and business groups have joined this initiative and on Monday 500 employees of KP Sanghvi and Sons planted saplings and pledged to water and protect them. Speaking to ANI, Jitendra Madhiya, manager, KP Sanghvi and Sons said, "We have planted thousands of saplings and have urged other people to join this initiative on the occasion of PM Modi`s 70th birthday." SpiceJet has reported consolidated net loss of Rs 600.5 crore for the April-June period of the current fiscal as flight operations remained suspended during the most part of the quarter in wake of nationwide lockdown to contain the spread of the coronavirus. The low-cost carrier had posted consolidated net profit of Rs 262.8 crore in the same quarter last year. For the April-June quarter of FY21, the carrier reported consolidated income of Rs 711 crore as against Rs 3,149.63 crore in Q1 FY20, registering a year-on-year decline of 77.45 per cent. Operating income fell sharply by 82.6 per cent YoY to Rs 521 crore in Q1 FY21 versus Rs 3,002.85 crore in Q1 FY20. The financial position of the company has further detoriated due to rise in losses during the June quarter while its current liabilities exceeded total assets. As of June 30, 2020, SpiceJet had a negative net worth of Rs 2,170 crore. "The present operating environment on account of COVID-19 though does not reflect the true comparison of the current results with those of corresponding quarter last year," SpiceJet said in the regulatory filing. The Gurgaon-headquartered airline reported consolidated EBITDA loss at Rs 193.2 crore as compared to EBTIDA profit of Rs 620.8 crore in the same period last year. Also Read: Can SpiceJet stay afloat? Auditors worry after record quarterly loss of Rs 807 crore SpiceJet's auditors have raised concerns over recognition of Rs 141 crore as other income and related foreign exchange gain, saying that the reported loss for the quarter would have been higher by the same amount if the company had not considered such other income. "In our view, there is no virtual certainty to recognise such other income and related receivable, as required by Ind-AS 37, 'Provisions, Contingent Liabilities and Contingent Assets," SR Batliboi and Associates LLP said. Commenting on Q1 earnings, Ajay Singh, Chairman and Managing Director, SpiceJet said, "This is the worst-ever crisis to hit the aviation sector but I am pleased that SpiceJet continues to innovate and outperform the industry. Flight operations were suspended for most part of the quarter and the partial resumption of flights initially and the weak demand thereafter was a reminder of the significant problems that this pandemic has resulted in." Going ahead, Singh expects that there will be a significant improvement in the operating environment for airlines as more and more states would ease travel restrictions and business activity will get back to normal. "We are witnessing some early encouraging signs towards recovery," he added. "I expect our cargo business to continue to expand in the coming quarters. I am also encouraged by the progress made in the re-entry of Boeing's Max aircraft into service," he further stated. Also Read: SpiceJet FY20 results: Airline reports net loss of Rs 935 crore due to COVID-19, grounding of Boeing 737 MAX In terms of operational parameters, SpiceJet claimed that it had the best passenger load factor amongst all airlines in the country during the quarter. The average domestic load factor for the quarter was 66.4 per cent and the airline maintained its market share of above 16 per cent. Till date, SpiceJet operated over 800 charter and Vande Bharat flights to help repatriate more than 1.2 lakh stranded Indian citizens from foreign countries. It also operated more than 7,000 flights and transported around 50,000 tonnes of cargo since March 25, 2020. Out of these flights, 40 per cent were to international destinations. At the end of June quarter, SpiceJet fleet included 74 Boeing 737s and 26 Bombardier Q400s. It also has 11 Boeing 737 and Bombardier Q-400 freighters. The airline's board also allotted 1,68,750 equity shares of the company of face value of Rs 10 each under Employee Stock Option Scheme - 2017. Ahead of Q1 result, SpiceJet shares settled 0.19 per cent higher at Rs 53.40 apiece on the Bombay Stock Exchange. Pipeline 15 September 2020 Ex-Firmdale boss Carrie Wicks is to spearhead the launch of a new hotel in London next year, inspired by the birthplace of the British music scene. Wicks' company CAW Ventures is working with immersive media district Outernet Global to develop Chateau Denmark, a 55 bedroom and apartment property opened on Denmark Street in the capital in the summer of 2021. The street is where The Rolling Stones recorded their first album, Jimi Hendrix often visited, the Sex Pistols once lived and where many believe Ziggy Stardust was born. This history will be reflected in the design and decor of the characterful rooms, which are set across 16 buildings in and around Denmark Street and designed by interiors team Taylor Hawes. Nicknamed 'Session rooms', many of the rooms have their own individual stories referencing events on the street, divided by four narratives - vintage gothic, timeless grandeur, modern psychedelia and punk now. Chateau Denmark will also feature 'maxi-bars' in place of minibars, said to be 'perfect for hosting, ghosting and other illustrious pursuits'. Following the sentiment of creative expression and taking leave of the rule book, Chateau Denmark presents a fresher, reimagined perspective on travel. Challenging convention, signature rooms will feature maxi-bars, not minibars - perfect for hosting, ghosting and other illustrious pursuits. Carrie Wicks states: "By the time we open next year, more than ever people will need to have it their way, connecting however they wish. In 2021, together we'll present the next chapter of staying up or waking up in London." Previously Wicks was director of operations at Firmdale Hotels for almost 20 years until 2016. Since then she has worked with Leeu Collection before started CAW Ventures in 2018. CAW Ventures delivers hospitality experiences through operational partnerships and collaborative project management services. NPHET has indicated Dublin is at the forefront of the increase in the number of Covid-19 cases (Brian Lawless/PA) The Government is set to announce on Tuesday its blueprint for living with Covid-19. The Cabinet has signed off on the medium-term plan for living with coronavirus, which is understood to include different levels of restrictions, ranging from one to five. Tighter restrictions are set to be announced for Dublin, which has seen a continuous rise of Covid-19 cases in recent weeks. Ireland is now learning to live with the virus. However, infection rates are increasing again, particularly in Dublin & Limerick. Follow the public health advice to help stop the spread of the virus and protect our communities. #COVID19 #StaySafe #HoldFirm pic.twitter.com/OLg36p2k09 MerrionStreet.ie (@merrionstreet) September 11, 2020 Tanaiste Leo Varadkar said on Monday that based on the evidence and data, Dublin is markedly different from the rest of the country. Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly said the new plan for restrictions will come into effect from midnight on Tuesday. The plan is broken into five alert levels and will be used for the next six to nine months. It comes as Green Party leader and Minister for Climate Action Eamon Ryan restricts his movements, as a member of his household awaits a Covid-19 test. He is attending the Cabinet meeting via teleconference on Tuesday. On Monday the Cabinet sub-committee met acting chief medical officer Dr Ronan Glynn to discuss the final details of the plan. The period of self-isolation for a case of #COVID19 has changed to 10 days from onset of symptoms (or 10 days from date of test if asymptomatic), the last 5 of which should be without fever. Department of Health (@roinnslainte) September 14, 2020 The latest coronavirus figures from the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) showed 208 positive cases, of which 108 were in Dublin. No new deaths were reported. Dr Glynn said NPHET has decided to reduce the period of isolation from 14 to 10 days for confirmed cases from the onset of symptoms. In addition, it has been agreed that nasal swabs are an acceptable alternative to nasopharyngeal swab for use in children in the community, he said. This will hopefully make testing a simpler process for children going forward. Covid-19 is an evolving pandemic and NPHET is committed to adapting advice and guidelines based on emerging evidence. Netflix bosses have thrown their weight behind the long-term future of the BBC and voiced support for continuing the licence fee. They say the streaming service, which has been hoovering up viewers from traditional TV stations, benefits from a creative landscape with thriving public service broadcasters. Two senior executives were today grilled by MPs and faced repeated probing over their forecast for the BBC and its taxpayer-funded model. Anne Mensah, vice president of original series at Netflix and herself a former Corporation employee, suggested it should continue to operate with a licence fee. Appearing via video-link to the Commons' Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee, she said: 'I absolutely believe in the long-term sustainability of the BBC. 'I love the BBC, I think that they make some of the best shows, if you look at what they have done this year from I May Destroy You to A Suitable Boy. 'I back the idea of having a UK creative economy that is built on a number of different models from subscription through to licence and I would hate to see the BBC diminished in its impact in the UK.' Anne Mensah, vice president of original series at Netflix and herself a former Corporation employee, suggested it should continue to operate with a licence fee She appeared via video-link to the Commons' Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee The BBC's future has come under renewed doubt, with new director-general Tim Davie warning staff the broadcaster does not have a divine right to exist. It has been dogged by accusations of bias and provoked fury by stripping over-75s of free TV licences. Yet seen as the most existential threat is the competition from subscription based rivals such as Netflix that have sapped viewers from traditional broadcasters. However, rather than willing the demise of the BBC, the Netflix bosses said they were dependent on it for developing talent. Ms Mensah said: 'Creatively I think you can't extract one part of the creative industries in the UK from another, as much as we work with talent that have flown through the PSBs, we also work with talent that flows through theatre and that is why us being based here, so that we are a proper thoughtful part of the industry, is so important. 'And I think it works both ways, we have nurtured some brand new writers in Netflix. Someone like Laurie Nunn, who is behind Sex Education, hadn't created her own series before she was on Netflix but equally by co-producing with the BBC on Dracula we are working with the amazing Steven Moffat, so you can't separate one thing from another, we all have to work together for the best of the UK industry.' Benjamin King, director of public policy for the UK and Ireland at the streaming service, added: 'It's impossible to disengage what we do from what the PSBs do, that is by definition what a creative ecosystem is, really' Benjamin King, director of public policy for the UK and Ireland at the streaming service, added: 'It's impossible to disengage what we do from what the PSBs do, that is by definition what a creative ecosystem is, really. 'I think the impact the BBC has had over the last few decades in building the profile of the UK creatively, in nurturing talent, in its investment in production and so forth, is one of the key reasons we have chosen to make our home here and why we are such strong supporters of what they do and want to see them continue doing that.' Ms Mensah batted back suggestions that the BBC does not have the same breathing space to make more controversial dramas because of its public ownership. Kevin Brennan MP: 'Could the BBC have even made The Crown? I've watched it and its portrayal of the Royal Family is quite explicit from time to time.' He wondered if the BBC could have made the hit show without incurring 'outrage' and ultimately being bullied from scrapping it. Anne Mensah replied: 'I would hope the BBC has the freedom to make anything they deem appropriate for their remit. 'I would hate to think that anybody would bully the creativity of the BBC. That would be everything we didn't want in the market.' Vitria brings a comprehensive AIOps Application that helps enterprises accelerate the pace of innovation. Chris Menier, VPGM for Vitrias Digital Transformation business unit, has been accepted into Forbes Technology Council, an invitation-only community for world-class CIOs, CTOs, and technology executives. Vitria introduced VIA AIOPs the NEXT GENERATION AIOps Application to deliver a value multiplier that leverages all the data coming directly from sources or events from existing monitoring tools across the service hierarchy. Chris was vetted and selected by a review committee based on the depth and diversity of his experience. Criteria for acceptance include a track record of successfully impacting business growth metrics, as well as personal and professional achievements and honors. We are honored to welcome Mr. Menier into the community, said Scott Gerber, founder of Forbes Councils, the collective that includes Forbes Technology Council. Our mission with Forbes Councils is to bring together proven leaders from every industry, creating a curated, social capital-driven network that helps every member grow professionally and make an even greater impact on the business world. We bring a comprehensive AIOps Application that helps enterprises accelerate the pace of innovation, said Chris Menier GM Digital Transformational. Vitria introduced VIA AIOPs the NEXT GENERATION AIOps Application to deliver a value multiplier that leverages all the data coming directly from sources or events from existing monitoring tools across the service hierarchy. I look forward to working with the Forbes editorial team in publishing industry insights on the AIOps application that improves customer experience by providing total Ecosystem Observability, Explainable AI, and Experience Assurance," said Menier. ABOUT FORBES COUNCILS Forbes Councils is a collective of invitation-only communities created in partnership with Forbes and the expert community builders who founded Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC). In Forbes Councils, exceptional business owners and leaders come together with the people and resources that can help them thrive. About Vitria VIA AIOps integrates with monitoring systems located in silos across the service hierarchy. Enabled by explainable AI, VIA prescribes remedial actions to the designated system of action and predicts problems before they impact customers. A protester dances on top of Donald Trump's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame during a demonstration in June. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) In the midst of rowdy protests, arsons and other property damage in Los Angeles this summer, officials from various city agencies that had been called into the field were requesting escorts from the already-overwhelmed Los Angeles Police without any centralized coordination and at times in areas where there was no unrest. When the National Guard arrived to help quell the chaos, officials in the city's Emergency Operations Center were unsure of the troops' marching orders and didn't know what they were allowed to do. And as local leaders instituted nightly curfews, there was no plan for disseminating the information to the public or the thousands of protesters in the streets many of whom would subsequently be arrested. Those findings and others are laid out in a draft "after action report" on the handling of the protests by the Los Angeles Emergency Management Department, which worked to coordinate the city's response by providing logistical support to the LAPD and other agencies in the field. The report was posted online as part of the September agenda of the department's Emergency Management Committee, which is comprised of emergency managers from different departments in the city. Jessica Kellogg, a spokeswoman for the emergency department, said the report is still being revised. It will eventually have to be approved by the department's Emergency Operations Board which is chaired by LAPD Chief Michel Moore and includes other top emergency officials but Kellogg said she was not sure when that would occur. The draft report is the first of several city assessments of the protests to be made public. Others that will focus more narrowly on the actions of the LAPD, which was the lead agency in the response, are still pending. The report largely focuses on the efforts of its own staff to coordinate responses between agencies from their downtown emergency center, outlining both "best practices" that were used and "areas for improvement." Story continues It notes that, when the protests erupted in late May, the Operations Center was already up and running during weekday hours as part of the city's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. That made ramping up to an around-the-clock emergency posture in response to the protests easier in some ways, but harder in others, the report found. The report found that "partnerships and open communication already established since March of 2020 for the pandemic, resulted in a more developed, organized, and effective coordinated response." But it also noted that there were no clear guidelines for filling out required paperwork for two simultaneous emergencies, including status reports intended to convey to top officials where the city stood on any given day in terms of emergency resources and needs. The dual emergencies also presented other hurdles, including forcing the LAPD to "establish a system to separate calls related to the protests and those related to COVID-19," the report found. The report noted other interesting facts about the city's response during the protests, as well. For example, in the aftermath of the protests and the fires and property destruction that occurred, public works crews removed 300 tons of material from the city, including 71 tons that were "directly related to 'broom and shovel' cleanup related to vandalism," the report found. The report estimated a later protest in Hollywood on June 7 the largest of any of the gatherings was attended by 50,000 people. The emergency department ultimately concluded that its response was "successful" overall, but said changes are underway to ensure that the identified problems aren't repeated. Asked about police officers being called out to quiet areas to escort other city personnel during the height of protests, Josh Rubenstein, an LAPD spokesman, said the department always works "with the goal of ensuring the safety of our fellow city partners," and recognizes that protests are inherently dynamic situations where conditions can change on the ground quickly. He otherwise declined to comment on the findings of the emergency department's report, citing the ongoing nature of the LAPD's own review which he said would cover some of the same topics. Rubenstein said he did not have an estimate for when the LAPD's own report would be completed and made public. Los Angeles Times reporter Emily Alpert Reyes contributed to this article. Campaign curbs should apply to all, PM Modi must lead by example: Sena's Raut Shiv Sena tests pulse of farmers as it plans foray in UP With BJP-RSS now: Ex-Navy man Madan Sharma assaulted by Shiv Sena workers India oi-Deepika S Mumbai, Sep 15: Former Navy man Madan Sharma, who was recently attacked by Shiv Sena workers, on Tuesday said he will associate with the BJP and RSS from now on. Sharma, who met Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari at Raj Bhavan, along with local BJP leaders Mangal Prabhat Lodha and Atul Bhatkhalkar, said he wants stringent action against those who assaulted him. "From today onwards, I am with BJP-RSS. When I was beaten up, they had levelled allegations that I am with BJP- RSS. So I am with BJP-RSS from now on," Sharma (62) told reporters. Amid tussle with Shiv Sena, Kangana Ranaut meets Maharashtra Governor In a letter submitted to Koshyari, he said he did not get justice from Maharashtra government and requested the Governor to convey his displeasure over the issue to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray. In the letter, Sharma said he suffered eye and back injuries in the attack by the Shiv Sena workers. He claimed that instead of taking action against the assailants, police came to arrest him an hour after the incident. He said police filed a case against the Sena workers only after he raised the issue with Bhatkhalkar, who is a local BJP MLA. Sharma said Defence Minister Rajnath Singh spoke to him over phone and Union minister Ramdas Athawale met him at his residence to enquire about his health after the incident. However, no minister or leader from Maharashtra called or empathised with him after the incident, Sharma added. Sharma also claimed that Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut had said he was not a Navy man, thereby insulting him and other ex-servicemen. "They defended the incident and now they are also threatening me. This shows that I won't get justice of any kind from the Maharashtra government, Sharma said. "Hence, I request you that you express displeasure over the incident to Maharashtras Chief Minister Shri Uddhav Thackeray and instruct to take strict action against the attackers so that I get justice, he wrote in the letter to Koshyari. Speaking to reporters after meeting Koshayri, Sharma alleged the law and order situation in the state has weakened in the past one year. "When I was beaten, they (Sena) had accused me of belonging to RSS-BJP. Today, I declare, I will be associated with the RSS-BJP now on, he said. He said all ex-servicemen are associated with the RSS-BJP now and they will not allow injustice to be meted out to common people. India elected as the member of the United Nations Commission on Status of Women | Oneindia News Sharma was attacked here on Friday after posting on his housing society's WhatsApp group a cartoon lampooning Chief Minister and Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray. After the attack in north Mumbai''s Kandivli suburb, Sharma had demanded that the chief minister apologise to him and the country. He had also said that Thackeray should quit his post if he was unable to uphold law and order in the state. Six Shiv Sena workers have been arrested in connection with the incident. The Queen and Prince Charles have honoured the RAF pilots who fought in the Battle of Britain in moving Instagram posts to mark the 80th anniversary of the WWII showdown. Members of the Royal Family paid tribute to the day on the official Royal Family Instagram account by sharing archive pictures taken on the battlefield, as well as posting photographs pictures of the Queen, 93, The Duke of Kent, 84, the Prince of Wales, 71 and the Duke of Cambridge, 38, with veterans throughout the years. Prince Charles' official Instagram account Clarence House also shared several archive pictures of the event, alongside pictures from previous commemorative efforts attended by the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall. While it is remembered each year on September 15, the Battle of Britain took place from 10 July to 31 October 1940 and saw the Royal Air Force fight off the raids from Hitler's Nazi Luftwaffe. The Nazi leader wanted to force Great Britain into submission with multiple air raids but 15 September 1940 saw the confrontation take a decisive turn in favour of the British forces, after 60 German aircrafts were shot down during two large attacks. The royal family have honoured the RAF pilots who fought in the Battle of Britain in an Instagram post to mark the 80th anniversary of the WWII showdown (Pictured: RAF pilots of the Advanced Air Striking Force beside a Spitfire aircraft with their mascots) The official Royal Family Instagram account posted a tribute to soldiers, as well as Prince Charles' Instagram page Clarence House (pictured) In a heartfelt homage to the fighters, the royal family quoted the words of the late Prime Minister Winston Churchill, who once said of the Battle: 'Never has so much been owed by so many to so few. Sharing the post, they wrote: 'Today is Battle of Britain Day. The decisive Second World War battle took place in the skies of southern England 80 years ago, between July and October 1940. 'Ultimately, the Luftwaffe was defeated and Germany was unable to carry out its planned invasion of Great Britain. 'While most of the pilots whom Winston Churchill referred to as The Few were British, Fighter Command was an international force made up of men from across the Commonwealth and occupied Europe.' Photographs on the Queen, 94, and Prince William, 38, meeting veterans over the years were shared by the Royal Family account The royals also shared a letter wrote by King George VI in 1940 congratulating the crews participating in the battle against Nazi forces Alongside the caption, they shared lovely pictures of veterans with the Queen on the 100th anniversary of the RAF in 2018. The Queen is Patron of the RAF Benevolent Fund, which provides support for veterans. Meanwhile another photograph was shared of the Duke of Kent, who is the fund's President. attending a reception for the centenary in 2018 as well. A third image showed the Duke of Cambridge talking to veterans during Battle of Britain Memorial Flight's 60th anniversary in 2017. A photograph of the Duke of Kent, who is the President of the RAF Benevolent Fund, was also shared by the account (pictured attending a reception in honour of the 100th anniversary of the RAF in 2018) The Prince of Wales also paid tribute to veterans online in a post to mark the day (pictured, enjoying a laugh with one of the RAF veterans during a reception for the Battle of Britain Fighter Association Service of Thanksgiving and Rededication) Another photograph shared a glimpse at King George VIs message to Fighter Command, conveying his congratulation and admiration for the fighters involved in the Battle. The Prince of Wales, who is the Patron of the Battle of Britain Fighter Association, shared his own homage on the Clarence House Instagram account. It read: 'Today on Battle of Britain Day, we remember all who bravely fought to protect our country in the Battle of Britain, eighty years ago. 'On this day in September 1940, the Battle of Britain reached its climax, as the Royal Air Force shot down a substantial number of invading German aircraft. The action on this day was seen as an overwhelming and decisive defeat for the Luftwaffe. The Duchess of Cornwall enjoying a pleasant conversation with a veteran at a reception for the Battle of Britain Fighter Association Service of Thanksgiving and Rededication at Westminster Abbey, London His post went on: 'As commemoration for the 80th anniversary of the Battle have been postponed this year, take a look back at previous events The Prince and The Duchess have attended to mark the Battle of Britain.' 2,936 pilots fought for the British side during the Battle of Britain, which included 595 non-British pilots hailing from Canada, New Zealand, Poland, Ireland, Australia, Czechoslovakia, France, Belgium, Jamaica, South Africa, the US, Newfoundland and Barbados, as well as Southern Rhodesia. 1,452 aircrew perished for Britain during the showdown with the Luftwaffe, 422 were wounded and 1,744 aircraft were destroyed. On the German side, 2,585 aircrew were killed, 735 wounded, 925 captured and 1,977 aircraft destroyed. The Public Health Engineering Department (PHED), Bihar, has called for online applications from eligible and interested Indian nationals for filling Two Eighty Eight (288) vacancies to the post of Junior Engineer (Civil) through direct recruitment to be posted in Bihar, India on a fulltime basis. The registration-cum-application applications process towards the same starts from on September 25, 2020 and closes on October 15, 2020 by 5:00 pm. CRITERIA DETAILS Name Of The Posts Junior Engineer (Civil) Organisation Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) Educational Qualification Diploma in Civil Engineering discipline or equivalent Experience Freshers can apply Job Responsibilities null Skills Required Desirable Job Location Bihar Salary Scale As per the Bihar PHED norms Industry Health Engineering Application Start Date September 25, 2020 Application End Date October 15, 2020 Bihar PHED JE Recruitment 2020: Age Criteria And Fees Candidates interested in applying for Junior Engineer (Civil) posts through Bihar PHED JE Recruitment 2020 must have attained 18 years of age as on January 1, 2019 and not have exceeded 37 years (male), 40 years (BC/EBC - Men and Women and Women of UR category) and 42 years (SC/ST) respectively as specified in the Bihar PHED JE Recruitment notification. For details regarding application fee for Junior Engineer (Civil) posts through Bihar PHED JE Recruitment 2020, refer to the Bihar PHED JE Recruitment notification. ICMR Recruitment 2020 For 141 Scientist-B (Medical/Non-Medical) Posts. Apply Online Before October 2 Bihar PHED JE Recruitment 2020: Education And Eligibility Desirous candidates applying for Junior Engineer (Civil) posts through Bihar PHED JE Recruitment 2020 must possess a Diploma in Civil Engineering discipline or equivalent from a recognised University/Institution as detailed in the Bihar PHED JE Recruitment notification. Bihar PHED JE Recruitment 2020: Selection And Pay Scale The selection of candidates for Junior Engineer (Civil) posts through Bihar PHED JE Recruitment 2020 will be done through a Written Test/Exam and Interview as detailed in the Bihar PHED JE Recruitment notification. Candidates selected for Junior Engineer (Civil) posts through Bihar PHED JE Recruitment 2020 will be paid emolument as per the Bihar PHED norms, as stated in the Bihar PHED JE Recruitment notification. Education Minister Deliberates On New Education Policy (NEP 2020), NISHTHA Training In Lok Sabha Bihar PHED JE Notification 2020: How To Apply Candidates applying for Junior Engineer (Civil) posts through Bihar PHED JE Recruitment 2020 must register online on the official Bihar PHED website from September 25, 2020 and submit their applications on or before October 15, 2020 by 5:00 pm as specified in the Bihar PHED JE Recruitment notification. Download Bihar PHED JE Recruitment 2020 PDF Notification for Junior Engineer (Civil) posts here NEW YORK, Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Join a virtual meeting of the minds. For free. Berlin Business Office, USA and Berlin Partner for Business and Technology GmbH will host an event in cooperation with New York Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) NY Tech Alliance and media:net berlinbrandenburg eV (association for media, games, tech and digital industries). The focus will be on the impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) as a global game-changer. NYC Meets Berlin: Where AI Tech and Business Converge! Overview of AI Ecosystems: NY & Berlin / Interactive Speaker Panel / Q&A Chat Moderated by AC COPPENS, Founder, Creatives' Catalysts Followed by 30 Minutes of Networking Tuesday, September 29, 2020 In NYC 12:00PM 1:30 PM (EST) In Berlin 6:00 PM 7:30 PM (CET) Please register here NYC and Berlin are in the top 10 AI cities worldwide and are leading hubs in many innovative technologies serving people, industries and economies. As such they're in a pole position to build a bridge between AI ecosystems and support companies in growing internationally and by finding the right partners. Gain valuable insights from prominent speakers of both cities and benefit from an opportunity to network - a must for companies using AI in sectors like Mobility, Energy, Healthcare, Creative/Media and Finance. Topics: How to create AI solutions for global problems? What solutions are there in both cities? What are the challenges of AI internationalization? How to implement services beyond borders and how to find the right partners? And more! Karen Bhatia, SVP Tech, NYCEDC Leading NYC's AI strategy Charlotte Seiler, Project Manager Innovation AI, Berlin Partner for Business and Technology GmbH Connecting companies, startups, researchers in AI innovation Panelists are founders of Brighter AI ("Europe's Hottest AI Startup" by Nvidia), Merantix AG (Artificial Intelligence Venture Studio), Fusemachines Inc. (AI education startup transforming lives) and Owkin Inc. (using ML to develop better drugs for patients). Berlin Business Office, USA established 2019, by the Berlin Senate for Economics, Energy and Public Enterprises, supports U.S. companies entering international markets via Berlin and Berlin's companies entering the U.S. market and promotes Berlin's thriving start-up scene. Take advantage of our cost-free location advisory services! Kristina L. Garcia, Managing Director Berlin Business Office, USA [email protected] Tel: +1 631-303-8866 SOURCE Berlin Business Office Related Links https://www.berlinbusinessoffice.com DOD has been prepping a electromagnetic spectrum strategy over the past year, evaluating its workforce needs and looking to better incorporate electronic warfare operations and manage the airwaves and explosion of devices used to enhance communications and military intelligence. "The joint force is critically dependent on [the electromagnetic spectrum] across our joint functions and our domains, yet often it is viewed as a commodity. It's viewed as a utility, and it is assumed that it can be accessed at will," Air Force Maj. Gen. Lance Landrum, the deputy director for requirements and capability development in the Joint Staff's force structure, resource and assessment directorate, said in May. A DOD spokesperson told FCW the Electromagnetic Spectrum Superiority Strategy is expected to be signed in September as it makes its way through senior leadership approval. The Defense Department has an EMS strategy that was put in place in 2013. But a lot has changed in seven years, between the explosion of the internet of things and efforts by telecoms to amass spectrum for 5G services. In recent years, DOD has been working with civilian side telecommunications regulators and Congress to develop ways to relocate spectrum activities from commercially desirable swathes of spectrum or share spectrum with other users while taking into account baseline military needs such as satellite communications, air traffic control and other capabilities such as electronic warfare operations. "If you look across all domains, what's pervasive throughout all of them is basically that control and dominance of the electromagnetic spectrum is really required," Anthony Nigara, L3Harris' director of mission solutions for electronic warfare, told FCW. "Satellites are just space junk without control of the spectrum," Nigara said. "If you don't have command and control and communications, and proper comms with them, they're really useless." Operating in contested environments also poses challenges for spectrum based operations. That was a major issue during the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars where an effort to jam signals to prevent improvised explosive device casualties also halted the U.S. military's communications. "We didn't talk across the services and talk across industry. So what we ended up doing is putting in the field these jammers that stopped the bombs from going off but they also prevented us from communicating because they were all working within the same frequency," said Steve Tourangeau, the vice president for electronic warfare strategy for Warrior Support Solutions, a research and analysis consulting firm. "How do we both operate within the same portion of the spectrum without interfering with each other?" said Tourangeau, who was previously the chief of standardization and evaluation for the 21st Air Force and CTO for the now-shuttered Air Mobility Battlelab. "This is something that we're really going to have to figure out in the not-too-distant future because there just isn't that much of the spectrum available, and the more and more people that jump in on it, the more congested it is, and the more difficult it is to work within it. We all end up interfering with each other," Tourangeau said. A push from Congress Congress has been concerned that DOD's electronic warfare and electromagnetic spectrum efforts weren't cohesive enough to secure dominance of the space. The legislative branch has made that clear in the 2019 and 2020 National Defense Authorization Acts, requiring DOD to assess its electromagnetic spectrum use and electronic warfare policies and capabilities. The 2019 bill mandated DOD create a strategy to more comprehensively employ electronic warfare, from operations to budgeting and planning. DOD adopted an electronic warfare strategy updated in late 2019, FCW confirmed, but the EMS strategy, which was intended to absorb the EW strategy into a singular policy guidance, still needs to be signed before its tenets are adopted. The strategy comes as DOD is ramping up investments in electronic warfare. Administration requests for research funding for unclassified electronic warfare capabilities have increased from $4.9 billion in fiscal 2019 to $5.5 billion for 2021, according to a Congressional Research Service report released April 16. Procurement dollars have also gone up. But as the military uses more apps, devices, and connected ships, ground and aerial vehicles, manned and unmanned, and as cyber and electronic effects become more commonplace on the battlefield, the more congested the airwaves and more opportunities for disruption. A traffic cop for spectrum For Tourangeau, the creation of a new governance body to help orchestrate the military's spectrum use tops the list. "Everybody's got a piece of [the spectrum] but nobody's looking at how all those pieces fit together or whether each service is working on the right piece," Tourangeau said. The hope is that the new strategy calls for an organizational construct (with the responsibilities, authority, and budget to back it up) that gives the defense secretary and the Joint Chiefs of Staff influence over how the services work in the spectrum, almost like thoughtfully directing and planning traffic. "No operation can happen in any domain without secured access to the spectrum.," Tourangeau said, "it needs more than a single service to manage it." The concern is that DOD has consistently assumed spectrum access to be available. "We have not been battling against another force that has challenged us in the spectrum in a generation or more," Tourangeau said. ""So we've got to find much better ways of command and control of all of our capabilities that use the electromagnetic spectrum. And it's that is where the strategy is going and why we need a new strategy," he said. "We're looking global, not regional." All of the different systems produced and maintained by each of the services use the spectrum, Tourangeau said, but there hasn't been anyone directing or coordinating how they fit with each other. Nigara is also looking for increased teaming with industry in the strategy so defense companies can point out limitations, potential procurement issues especially with timelines. "The more we can move open standards to the electromagnetic spectrum the better. Today we can talk about it in terms of physical connections and physical boxes being open and defining those interfaces. We need to apply the same thinking to command and control for the spectrum," Nigara said, adding that he also expects a consortium to form with representatives from private companies and government, to help develop standards for operating within the spectrum. "We spend a lot of time on individual widgets and designs for systems and capabilities," Nigara said. "But how do we thread all of them together? How do we give operators and users positive control and feedback of that environment? Where is that done, not only physically but by whom? Who is going to be the traffic cop for the spectrum when it comes to DOD operations?" That governance piece will be inevitably linked to the Joint All-Domain Command and Control (JADC2) initiative, which looks to connect and integrate sensors, weapons and data systems across platforms and across the military services. "You probably cannot talk about electromagnetic spectrum command and control without talking about JADC2; they can't be parallel roads either, they have to come together," Nigara said. For Tourangeau, the increased data and spectrum sharing expected and required of JADC2 puts more stress on spectrum use and proper coordination with industry and allied partners. "So now we're looking at moving a lot more information, a lot faster through the same piece of spectrum that our peer or near peer anniversaries intend to deny us, or try to deny us. It's a smaller portion of the spectrum because we can't interfere with commercial industry," domestically and abroad, he said. As the US death toll from the coronavirus nears 200,000 and the economic and social catastrophe facing millions of workers intensifies, there are growing signs of working class resistance. On Monday, nearly 4,000 clerical, maintenance and other service workers walked out at the University of Illinois at Chicago and UI medical centers in Chicago, Peoria and Rockford. After more than a year of negotiations for a new contract, UI workers voted by 94 percent to authorize the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) to call a strike, demanding adequate staffing to ensure the safety of staff, patients, and students; proper personal protective equipment (PPE); and lower workloads. The workers are also demanding an increase in the minimum base wage for food, building and other service workers, who, in many cases, earn less than the city's minimum wage of $14 an hour. The service workers joined 800 nurses at the University of Illinois Hospital (UIH) in Chicago who walked out on Saturday. Nurses at the hospital, one of the largest urban medical centers in the country, are fighting chronic staffing shortages, which have made their work even more life-threatening during the pandemic. At least two nurses have died from COVID-19 at the hospital, located in Cook County, Illinois, where more than 5,100 people have succumbed to the deadly disease. The walkouts in Illinois occur as nearly 2,000 graduate student instructors begin their second week on strike at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. The grad student workers are demanding remote-only teaching at the campus, where 45,000 students resumed classes late last month. Students at the University of Michigan strike against a return to face-to-face teaching amid the pandemic on Sept. 11, 2020 (Photo: WSWS) Last week, members of the Graduate Employees Organization (GEO) voted down an offer from the university that rejected their demands, and over the weekend the strikers voted to extend their strike. They have won the support of construction workers, faculty members and dining room workers, along with residential advisors, who joined the strike after the university recklessly exposed them to infected students in the dormitories. In both Illinois and Michigan, workers are confronting the opposition of the Democratic Party. In Illinois, billionaire Governor J.B. Pritzker, who heads the universitys governing board, is backing strikebreaking efforts at the UI hospital in Chicago. In Michigan, the Democratic-controlled Board of Regents is seeking an injunction to break the strike. Opposition to the deadly reopening of the colleges is growing across the country as the number of infections on campuses surpasses 50,000, according to a tally by Axios. Students and faculty at Iowa State University and the University of Iowa are organizing a joint strike starting today, while opposition among students and workers is growing at San Diego State University (SDSU), University of California San Diego, University of Wisconsin, Cornell and other universities. The reopening of the public schools has already led to the deaths of at least six teachers over the last month in Missouri, South Carolina, Iowa, Mississippi and Oklahoma, including a 28-year-old special education teacher, Demetria Demi Bannister, in Columbia, South Carolina. In New York City, teachers at Public School 139 in Brooklyn refused to enter the building Monday morning, and educators walked out at Murry Bergtraum High School in Manhattan one week before schools are set to reopen for in-person classes in the largest school district in America. Expressing their anger over the school reopening deal by the United Federation of Teachers (UFT) and Democratic Mayor Bill de Blasio, the PS 139 teachers denounced the lack of ventilation and janitors to clean their 100-year-old building and the distribution of inaccurate thermometers. They demanded remote-only learning for the districts 1.1 million students. Opposition is also spreading among industrial workers. On Friday night, workers at Lear Corporations automotive seating plant in Hammond, Indiana stopped production and refused to work for several hours after learning of potential COVID-19 cases in the facility. The work stoppage, which compelled Ford Motor Company to idle its nearby Chicago Assembly Plant, was carried out in defiance of the United Auto Workers (UAW), whose officials defended management. Autoworkers have set up rank-and-file safety committees, independent of the unions, at Fiat Chrysler and Ford plants in Detroit, Toledo and Chicago, as well as the Faurecia parts plant in Indiana. Teachers have formed similar committees in New York City, Detroit, Florida and Texas. The meatpacking industry, which largely wrote the order Trump used to invoke the Defense Production Act and force protesting workers to return to infected plants in late April, continues to be a vector for the spread of COVID-19 and worker opposition. After six months, during which time at least 18,000 workers were infected and at least 203 died, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued its first two citations last week against the industry. The agency fined the $52 billion multinational JBS a total of $15,615 for violations at its Greeley, Colorado plant and Smithfield Foods $13,494 for violations at its Sioux Falls, South Dakota plant. This amounts to $2,425 for each of the 12 workers who lost their lives at the two plants, where another 1,500 were infected. In California and Oregon, immigrant agricultural workers who conducted several strikes demanding safe working conditions are now being forced to continue working amidst the pandemic and the poisonous, choking air from the wildfires on the West Coast. As last weeks revelations by Washington Post reporter Bob Woodward showed, President Trump knew about the unprecedented dangers of the coronavirus as early as January 2020 and deliberately lied to the American public to prevent panic. The Democrats and the news media, who were also informed, were co-conspirators in this effort aimed at preventing a selloff on the stock market and a rebellion by workers to save their lives. It was only the actions of the working class, including a wave of wildcat strikes and protests by Fiat Chrysler workers in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana and Windsor, Ontario that forced the closure of industries and schools last March, along with partial shutdowns ordered by state governments. This was a part of a wave of struggles by workers all over the world. Once the CARES Act was passed with the near unanimous support of both bourgeois parties, handing over more than $3 trillion to Wall Street and major corporations, both parties immediately began the campaign to herd workers back into the factories and other workplaces, so as to produce the profits needed to pay for the mountain of corporate and government debt. The Democrats and Republicans let the $600-a-week federal unemployment benefit expire at the end of July to increase pressure on workers to return to work. The unions have served as partners in this back-to-work campaign. After workers walked out at all of the Detroit automakers in March, the UAW worked with management to orchestrate the restart of production in mid-May. The teachers unions, which concealed the outbreak of infections in New York City in March, are now collaborating to reopen schools around the country. The ruling class is responsible for a social catastrophe, which is generating a powerful groundswell of working class opposition. Frightened by this incipient movement, Trump is inciting fascist violence against protesters. Biden and the Democrats, no less terrified by the growth of anticapitalist sentiment, are above all concerned with preventing mass opposition from threatening the basic policy of the ruling class: To make the working class bear the burden of the unprecedented crisis of American capitalism. As the Socialist Equality Party (US) Political Committee wrote in its statement The Civil War Election last week, The struggles of different sections of the working class must be organized and united through the formation of independent factory, workplace and neighborhood safety committees. The fight of teachers against the back-to-school campaign must be connected with the fight of students against the reopening of the universities, the fight of workers against the horrific conditions in the plants, the fight of the unemployed against social devastation, and the fight of the youth against police violence. At issue in every struggle is the question of political power: What class rules and in whose interests? The only solution to the crisis is one that is directed against the capitalist system. A massive diversion of social resources away from the bailout of the rich and the financing of militarism and war is required. The wealth of the oligarchs must be seized, and the gigantic corporations and banks turned into public utilities to create the conditions for a globally coordinated program to save lives. The major task ahead is building the Socialist Equality Party as the revolutionary leadership of this struggle. We urge workers and youth to contact us and join the fight. Biharis can confidently decide whether they want to follow Badlav Se Bhadiya Bharosa (Trust is Better than Change) or Badaliye Sarkar, Badaliye Bihar (Change the Government, Change Bihar), asserts Asmita Bihari. IMAGE: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, left, greets Bharatiya Janata Party national President Jagat Prakash Nadda at 1, Aney Marg, his official residence, in Patna, September 12, 2020. Photograph: PTI Photo A shower of government largesse will rain down on Bihar in anticipation of the Election Commission announcing the dates for the assembly election in the flood-hit state. In all probability, this will occur once the inauspicious period of Pitra Paksha ends on Thursday, September 17. Light showers have already been experienced, courtesy announcements made by the prime minister on the various projects securely treasured for Bihar, the doors of which have been opened at the very last moment to woo the not so gullible Biharis. This is besides various projects being announced by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar himself. Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav has already grabbed the heavy cartload of unemployed Bihari youth and promised them jobs; he even launched an online registration site for them. Approximately 500,000 Bihari youngsters have registered on the RJD site, which seems a paltry number in a state where the unemployment rate is at a staggering 45%. While the new projects being doled out are welcome, Biharis have not forgotten the promises of old. The Smart Cities in Muzzafarpur and Patna. The software technology parks in Bhagalpur and Darbhanga. TCS in Patna (inaugurated, but not generating local employment). The Namami Gange project. Besides, of course, the illusory special status and package for the state. We Biharis keep track of all the promises made and make you politicians accountable for it. Like it was done in the 2015 assembly election when the Bharatiya Janata Party was reduced to 53 seats from the 91 that the party had won in 2010. This also had a bearing on the reduction of seats for the Janata Dal-United whose seat share fell from 115 to 71. The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance's core vote bank has historically been upper caste Hindus and some Other Backward Classes. If a small percentage of the upper caste vote shifts from the BJP -- disillusioned by the losses in business caused by the double strike of the declining economy and the harsh lockdown -- it could affect the NDA's total number of seats won. The single digit parties of 2015 -- Jiten Manjhi's Hindustani Awam Morcha, the Paswans's Lok Janshakti Party -- could be gamechangers this time. The Pappu Yadav-led Jan Adhikar Party was formed a few months prior to the 2015 election. Over the last five years, Pappu has done a lot of work amongst the people, specially during the floods and coronavirus crisis. He clearly wants to be the messiah of the OBCs and Dalits in Lalu Prasad's absence from the electoral scene. It remains to be seen if the Communist Party of India's Kanhaiya Kumar will take up the challenge of leading the Left bloc and improving its score from the 3 seats it won in 2015. The solid Left base constituencies include Purnia, Begusarai, Madhubani, Jehanabad, Aurangabad and Bhojpur districts where the Communists enjoy both influence and support. If these parties increase their seats from 2015, then they could tilt the balance between the two alliances -- the NDA and the RJD-led Mahagatbandhan (minus the JD-U and HAM from 2015). That would mean their stock value going up meteorically for the highest bidder to woo them to their side. And no prizes for guessing which alliance has the monetary capability and penchant for such trades. Which brings us to the Indian National Congress, which was reduced to a pathetic 4 seats in 2010. The Congress managed to win 27 seats in 2015 on the back of the support for the Mahagatbandhan, which then included the RJD and the JD-U. The Congress was content to playing a subordinate role, agreeing to contest only 40 seats as against the 100 each in favour of the RJD and JD-U in 2015. The RJD and Congress -- which remain in the 2020 Mahagatbandhan -- have not yet struck a seat sharing deal for the coming election. With interim Congress President Sonia Gandhi and her son away in the US for medical consultations, a seat share arrangement may take some more time. Congress apathy towards the Bihar assembly election is clear -- few virtual rallies are being conducted in individual districts with the big guns missing -- and it seems clear that the Congress is resigned to being a minor player in the state once again. This Navratri could begin with various announcements from the main electoral players. The seat sharing formulae, candidate lists, party manifestos and more announcements of packages and incentives to entice the voter. Past elections have proven that the Bihari Buddhi can checkmate anyone who underestimates their wisdom and can clearly see through the smoke and smog. Biharis can confidently ascertain whether they want to follow Badlav Se Bhadiya Bharosa (Trust is Better than Change) or Badaliye Sarkar, Badaliye Bihar (Change the Government, change Bihar). Asmita Bihari is a non resident Bihari. Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff.com Australia's Gelato Messina has launched a delicious Dr Evil's Magic Mushroom ice cream cake. The delicious creation, created with eBay Australia, boasts a glistening red chocolate mushroom dome adorned with white chocolate buttons, a vanilla gelato filling and pieces of chocolate coated honeycomb and raspberry jam inside. The mushroom is perched on a stem made of Messina's home-made dulce de leche and gelato on a popping candy feuilletine grass base. The cake is priced at $21 and was specifically made to celebrate eBay's 21st birthday milestone with all proceeds going to Beyond Blue. Australia's Gelato Messina has relaunched its popular Dr Evil's Magic Mushroom cake with a twist (pictured) For the first time the dessert brand has made the cake entirely with ice cream instead of a gelato and chocolate sponge (pictured) Each of the midi gelato cakes has been handmade by Messina's in-house team of chefs at Messina HQ in Sydney and serves up to ten people. The handcrafted gelato cake took over 100 hours of development in order to master an eye catching, jaw dropping, great tasting creation that was inherently combines both eBay and Messina in one product. The cake became available in metro Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane on Tuesday September 15 and sold out on the same day. The cake is priced at $21 and was specifically made to celebrate eBay's 21st birthday milestone with all proceeds going to Beyond Blue The cake became available in metro Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane on Tuesday September 15 and sold out the same day Declan Lee at Messina said: 'We wanted to do something unique to celebrate eBay's 21st birthday and thought a special edition of our best-selling cake would be the perfect way to do it. 'To date we've sold over 25,000 gelato mushrooms but this is the first time we've re-invented it with new flavours.' eBay Australia's Sophie Onikul said: 'For our 21st birthday we wanted to demonstrate how far eBay Australia has come. From an online auction house, to Australia's number one shopping site with 40,000 Australian retailers including Coles, The Good Guys and Cotton On - and now the nation's favourite gelato, Messina! 'Just like eBay, Messina is a true Aussie favourite and we wouldn't want to party with anyone else! We are excited to share our collaboration - eBay's 21st Birthday Mushroom gelato cake - as a small boost in an extremely challenging year.' All proceeds will go to Beyond Blue as the charity has experienced unprecedented demand in 2020 Beyond Blue Support Service has experienced unprecedented demand in 2020. Since March, monthly call volumes to Beyond Blue have been between 40 and 60 per cent higher than the same months last year. As the Beyond Blue Support Service is funded entirely through donations, support from those in the eBay community has never been more important. Dr. Mark Brzezienski, MD, FACS has been invited to perform a vertical inset latissimus dorsi procedure at the 2021 meeting of the Southeastern Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons. "Long considered the countrys preeminent regional plastic surgery society, SESPRS was established in 1958 by surgeons committed to innovation and research," officials said. The procedure, developed by Dr. Brzezienski, first gained acclaim when it was awarded the Glancy Research Award by the SESPRS at their 60th annual meeting. The outpatient procedure aims to create the best possible results for patients, with minimized scar visibility to the patient (self-view) and social view (for example, how the patient is seen by others in a bikini). "As the largest meeting of breast surgeons in the United States, the meeting is the 'Carnegie Hall' for plastic surgeons, identifying themselves as breast specialists," officials said. Dr. Brzezienski said, An invited podium lecture is one thing and very complimentary, but this is truly an honor for my career. I am truly and deeply humbled. Dr. Brzezienski joined the Plastic Surgery Group and Hayes Hand Center located in Chattanooga in 1995. He is board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and the American Board of Surgery. He also holds a Certificate of Added Qualifications in Surgery of the Hand through the American Board of Plastic Surgery. He is a graduate of Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia, having completed General Surgery training at the University of Connecticut and Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery training at the Albany Medical Center in Albany, NY. He completed a fellowship in Orthopedic Hand Surgery at the Philadelphia Hand Center of Thomas Jefferson University. Dr. Brzezienski is a published author in scientific journals and lectures frequently on a wide variety of subjects within his field of specialty. He is chairman, professor and program director in the Department of Plastic Surgery and an professor in the Department of Orthopedic Surgery at The University of Tennessee College of Medicine in Chattanooga, training resident physicians pursuing the specialties of both plastic and reconstructive surgery and orthopedic surgery. Dr. Brzezienskis plastic surgery practice encompasses a special interest in breast reconstruction following mastectomy as well as cosmetic procedures of the breast. He also has an extensive practice in cosmetic procedures of the face and all aspects of body contouring. Plastic Surgery Group Managing Partner Dr. Jason Rehm said, Our practice started with a group of plastic surgeons who were dedicated to providing the best patient outcomes. Marks dedication to innovation and excellence serves the group and his patients well as he continues this legacy. We are excited for this honor in his career. Nigerian l.e.s.b.i.a.n movie Ife produced by Pamela Adie and directed by Uyaiedu Ikpe-Etim is set for release despite stern warning from Nigerian Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB) that the film (which means love in Yoruba language violates the countrys strict laws on homo.s.e.xuality. But according to a report by BBC, the filmmakers are determined to get the film across to the Nigerian audience. To get around, the report says the filmmakers are planning a surprise online release to catch the regulators off-guard. However, according to BBC in its report, the Censors Board is well aware and diligently monitoring all digital platforms to checkmate the release of the movie. According to the Censors Board boss, Adebayo Thomas, both the producer and the director, and indeed all involved in the film could be risking jail terms of 14 years sentence for promoting homosexuality in a country where same-s.e.x relationships are forbidden. BBC in the report says the filmmakers are planning a private screening in Lagos at the end of the month for which they feel they do not need the nod of the regulators to go ahead. It was also reported that the film is being billed for international premiere in Canada in October of this year. BBC quotes the producer, Adie as saying the film was to show an accurate picture of lesbian and bi.s.e.xual women in Nigerian movies If a lesbian woman does appear in a standard Nollywood movie they are often portrayed as being possessed, influenced by bad friends or forced into homosexuality and always needing saving, she told the BBC. You rarely see stories about LGBT people, especially about queer women that speak to the realities of our lives. Ife was made to bridge the gap and to get the conversation going in Nigeria. Ife is a story about two women, played by Uzoamaka Aniunoh and Cindy Amadi falling in love as they spend three days together. They then have their love tested by the realities of being in a same-s.e.x relationship in a country like Nigeria, according to the publicity for the film. Before now, we have been told one-sided stories. What we are doing with this film is normalising the queer experience, we are normalising the LGBT romance. It will begin to erase that shame that LBQ [lesbian, bisexual and queer] women face, Adie told the BBC. The l.e.s.b.i.a.n, g.a.y, bis.e.xual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) community in Africa is becoming increasingly vocal and visible, thanks to the internet providing a space for films, talk shows and websites. But that has not stopped filmmakers from getting into trouble with authorities. The head of the NFVCB said there was no space for Ife or other homos.e.x.ual movies in Nigeria, citing the law. Theres a standing law that prohibits homosexuality, either in practice or in a movie or even in a theatre or on stage. If its content from Nigeria, it has to be censored, Mr Thomas told the BBC. He said that whatever the platform was, as long as its Nigerian content and its telling a Nigerian story, then we have a right to it. But there is no plan for large-scale screenings of Ife in Nigerian cinemas or selling the DVD, as the producers want to make it available online as pay-on-demand. But even that will get them into trouble with the regulators. If it did not pass through NFVCB and it is released, the filmmakers will be prosecuted according to the law, Mr Thomas said. As long as its Nigerian content, we will pull it down because we have collaborations with Google, YouTube and other key players. But that has not deterred the producers and Adie says her team will continue as planned, as they believe they have done nothing wrong and do not plan to seek permission for an online release. This is not the first time an LGBTQ-themed movie has fallen foul of regulators on the continent. Stories of Our Lives, a collection of five short films based on stories of LGBTQ life in Kenya was banned in 2014 for being contrary to national norms. This was also the fate of Rafiki, Kenyas first film about a l.e.s.b.i.a.n relationship, which went on to be the East African nations first film to premiere at the Cannes film festival and also receive an Oscar nomination. Inxeba/The Wound, a South African film about a relationship between two men in the context of the Xhosa initiation ritual was also banned from mainstream South African cinemas in 2018. Despite the set-backs, some in the LGBTQ community in Africa say they are gradually gaining confidence and acceptance and link it to the increased visibility in films and literature which are encouraging greater tolerance among younger generations. Follow Us on Facebook @LadunLiadi; Instagram @LadunLiadi; Twitter @LadunLiadi; Youtube @LadunLiadiTV for updates With India consistently reporting over 90,000 daily cases of COVID-19 in the past few days, shortages of oxygen are becoming increasingly apparent With India consistently reporting over 90,000 daily cases of COVID-19 in the past few days, shortages of medical oxygen are becoming increasingly apparent. The fact that the novel coronavirus has now spread to rural areas as well, as seen from a nationwide sero-survey, only serves to heighten these concerns. The Centre as well as various state governments have expressed concern on this issue in the past few days. On Sunday, the health ministry urged seven states Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Telangana, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh to ensure adequate oxygen availability in all healthcare facilities. The ministry also held a meeting with the DPIIT Secretary, Pharmaceuticals Secretary and the Health Secretaries and Industries Secretaries of the above-mentioned seven states to discuss ways to ensure adequate oxygen availability in all healthcare facilities and unrestricted intra- and inter-state movement of oxygen. Uddhav Thackeray, chief minister of Maharashtra which has reported the most cases till now has also acknowledged that the state is facing a shortage of oxygen, but added that the authorities are working towards addressing the shortage. Here is a look at how such shortfalls can pose severe challenges to India's fight against COVID-19. Why oxygen supply for COVID-19 patients is vital On Monday, health minister Harsh Vardhan told Parliament that till now, oxygen therapy was required for 5.8 percent of the reported cases, while intensive care was required in 1.7 percent cases. Earlier, AIIMS director Randeep Guleria also cited oxygen therapy and the use of steroids as the two COVID-19 treatment methods that appear to be working. It is little surprise that the demand for medical oxygen has shot up during the pandemic. According to BBC, hospitals and care centres were consuming up to 1,300 tonnes of oxygen every day, compared to 900 tonnes per day before the pandemic. At present, with the country reporting even more cases per day, the demand is likely to be even higher. But ensuring the supply of oxygen is a steep task, particularly in rural areas, where health infrastructure is weaker. As an article by Bloomberg Quint notes, there are several mechanisms to supply medical oxygen. In places which have better-developed health infrastructure, liquid oxygen is filled into large tanks built into the ground and then supplied through a network of pipelines to the patient's bed. However, this requires a network of pipelines for this purpose, which is often not available in small towns and villages and cannot be constructed in a short period of time. At such places, medical establishments rely on either 'jumbo' oxygen cylinders or smaller ones which can be used for individual patients. A guideline by the National Health Mission notes several challenges in the use of oxygen cylinders, but states that this is the most adaptable method in short-term and emergency situations. It states that piped supply to hospitals is a "far better, cheaper, safer method than supply through cylinders", but adds that it needs infrastructure such as pipelines and a storage tank. On oxygen cylinders, the guideline, states, "It is a labour intensive, logistically challenging, unsafe, unhygienic (chances of carrying infection from hospital) and expensive method." A Firstpost report on the situation in Maharashtra's Palghar sheds some light on just how 'labour intensive' and 'logistically challenging' such cylinders can be. The jumbo cylinders are just over four feet in height and weigh about 50 kilos when they are empty. The report quotes a hospital employee as stating that carrying the cylinders from one place to another is 'back-breaking' work and two people are needed for it. This only adds to the several inadequacies of medical facilities in rural areas, that have existed prior to the coronavirus pandemic as well. People in villages also have to contend with a health care system characterised by shortages of doctors, lack of medical supplies and other infrastructure, as per the Economic Survey for 2018-19. Deaths due to 'oxygen shortages' Across the country, there have been several instances where low or delayed oxygen supply may have contributed to coronavirus patients' deaths, according to media reports. However, authorities have denied that the deaths occurred due to inadequate oxygen supply. Four patients died at a hospital in Madhya Pradesh's Dewas last week following a shortage of oxygen cylinders, as per an NDTV report. This was after neighbouring Maharashtra limited the supply of oxygen to Madhya Pradesh. The report quoted a medical officer as saying that the deaths were not due to a delayed oxygen supply. The official, however, claimed that there was 'miscommunication' while loading cylinders headed for the district from Bhopal, which may have caused a crisis. But it's not just the absence of oxygen supply but also low oxygen pressure that can cause deaths. In May, doctors at a Mumbai hospital alleged that 12 people died in two weeks there because of this reason. A Mumbai Mirror report had quoted a resident doctor as saying that 15 oxygen supply machines in a 25-bed ICU showed 'Low O2 pressure.' While the medical superintendent of the hospital admitted that there was a shortage of oxygen, she denied that there had been any death due to this reason. Administrative responses As the demand for medical oxygen spirals, several states have begun taking measures to meet the shortfall. In Maharashtra, several districts are in the process of installing their own oxygen generation plants to cut dependence on suppliers. These districts include Osmanabad, Beed, Nandurbar and Pune, according to The Indian Express. The state government has also directed suppliers to ensure that 80 percent of the supplies go to hospitals, and only a maximum of 20 percent can go to industries. Earlier, about 40 percent of the oxygen supply was diverted for industrial supply. In Madhya Pradesh, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has said that the Centre has agreed to supply 50 tonnes of oxygen per day to the state. In the wake of a rise in respiratory disease cases, Madhya Pradesh needs 110 tonnes of oxygen per day, a release from the state public relations department said. Chouhan has also asked oxygen plants in Madhya Pradesh to increase their production to full capacity from the present 50 to 60 percent. The Gujarat health department has also directed oxygen manufacturing units to ramp up production to maximum capacity and ensure that 50 percent of it is "medical oxygen" meant for hospitals. There are around 53 licenced medical oxygen-producing units and the notification has been issued as a precautionary measure to ensure that people of Gujarat do not face a shortage of oxygen, commissioner of state Food and Drugs Control Administration (FDCA) HM Koshia said. Gujarat produces enough medical and industrial oxygen and even supplies it to other states, he said. In Ludhiana one of the worst-affected districts in Punjab Deputy Commissioner Varinder Kumar Sharma has asked industrialists to immediately start the supply of medical oxygen for the hospitals. Punjab health minister Balbir Singh Sidhu has said, "There is no shortage of medical oxygen in Punjab. Elaborate arrangements for manufacturing and refilling oxygen cylinders have been made to ensure uninterrupted supply." These announcements all of them made in the past week indicate that ensuring adequate oxygen supply is going to be the next big challenge for administrations to defeat COVID-19. The success or failure of these efforts will determine how soon the country can tide over the pandemic, and how many critically ill patients can be saved. With inputs from PTI By Jung Da-min The ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) is in the hot seat over a number of allegations of improper behavior raised against its members, including some cases involving questionable financial dealings. Rep. Youn Mee-hyang of the Democratic Party of Korea / Yonhap Rep. Youn Mee-hyang of the DPK, a former leader of the Korean Council for Justice and Remembrance for the Issue of Military Sexual Slavery by Japan, has been accused of misusing support funds for those who were forced into prostitution to sexually service Japanese troops before and during World War II. The prosecution indicted Youn, Monday, for six charges related to illicit raising or misuse of the funds provided by the central government and local governments or raised through public donations. Among the charges are that Youn accepted 360 million won ($311,700) from the government as a subsidy for the council's War and Women's Human Rights Museum when it did not meet the qualifications to be registered as a legal museum. Other charges included that she used her private banking accounts in several fundraising cases for the council's activities and she took about 100 million won for her personal use. The indictment came four months after the prosecution launched an investigation into the allegations following accusations by Lee Yong-soo, 92, one of the surviving victims of Japan's wartime sex slavery practices. Following the indictment, Youn apologized for the controversy but denied the six charges. Youn said she would not exercise any right as a party member until the allegations are cleared, but would not resign from the lawmaker position. The main opposition People Power Party (PPP) called on Youn to step down from the lawmaker position, saying the DPK should also take responsibility for nominating Youn as its proportional representation candidate in the April general election. "The DPK should clearly announce its stance on the issue of Rep. Youn while apologizing to the people, as it had earlier promised to announce its stance after the prosecution's investigation into the case," PPP spokeswoman Kim Eun-hye said, Tuesday. Rep. Lee Sang-jik of the Democratic Party of Korea / Korea Times photo by Oh Dae-geun Another DPK member under scrutiny is Rep. Lee Sang-jik, two-term lawmaker and founder of budget carrier Eastar Jet. The airline had been under financial difficulty and Jeju Air signed a deal to acquire it in March. But the deal ruptured two months ago amid the deteriorating air travel market situation following the COVID-19 pandemic and some other problems of Eastar, such as 25 billion won worth of unpaid wages for its employees. The deal rupture is resulting in massive layoffs and other negative effects on Eastar workers, with the company recently announcing it would lay off 605 workers with plans to cut staff numbers further at a later date. Although Lee left Eastar Jet management in 2012 when he became a lawmaker in the 19th Assembly, his family members have been in management since, and the union of the company says he is still the de facto owner. It claims he is evading responsibility for the situation. Adding to the criticism against Lee were allegations that he founded a paper company to illicitly give company shares to his two children. Rep. Sim Sang-jeung, chairwoman of the minor liberal Justice Party, urged Lee to make all possible efforts to normalize management and help the workers receive their unpaid wages. Under growing criticism, DPK Chairman Lee Nak-yon directly called on Rep. Lee to take "acceptable actions." "Concerns are rising of the issue involving Eastar Jet, for which Rep. Lee of our party is the founder," the chairman said in a party meeting, Monday. "I urge Lee, as both the founder and a lawmaker, to take responsibility and take measures which the company workers and the people will accept." Rep. Kim Hong-gul of the Democratic Party of Korea / Korea Times file September 14, 2020 Transcript Adm. Richard Discusses USSTRATCOM Operations With Reporters Adm. Charles A. "Chas" Richard, commander, U.S. Strategic Command STAFF: With us today is Admiral Chas Richard from U.S. Strategic Command. He'll be speaking about his mission set and the COVID virus. This is on the record. And with that, sir, over to you. ADMIRAL CHARLES A. "CHAS" RICHARD: Right. So good morning, everyone, and I'll go ahead, I think I'm properly socially distanced here. The -- it is -- for those of you that don't know me, I'm Admiral Chas Richard. I'm the commander of U.S. Strategic Command, and I have the privilege of leading 150,000 soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines, civilians. It's actually nice to see everybody's faces this time. Last time I had a chance to talk to you all, I was on a phone bridge. In fact, we didn't realize it was on television. And so it is, I think, a much better opportunity when I can actually see you. I appreciate taking some time to have a conversation this morning. Before we get to the questions, though, let me offer you a few updates on how we're doing inside U.S. Strategic Command. First, I'm very pleased to report that throughout the challenge that was presented to us by COVID-19, U.S. Strategic Command has and continues to be fully mission capable. And I'd like to thank my department's leadership in terms of giving us authorities, resources, and understanding of what we were up against. And that was a key in terms of our ability to be able to respond to this unprecedented threat. The conditions in Omaha are favorable. We're adjusting workforce inside the new LeMay Command and Control Facility to adapt to local conditions. I'm at about 75 percent throttle with the rest on telework, and we're ready to go up or down as conditions dictate. Very pleased with my component commanders, Admiral Chris Grady, General Tom Ray and -- or Tim Ray, and Dan Karbler at SMDC for the Army, who provided great leadership to adapt to their local conditions and maintain all their forces fully mission-capable. Bottom line here is we're ready. And why is that important? I think it's important for us to remember that throughout this challenge of COVID-19, no threats went away, right? Nothing else changed, no one gave up a single nuclear weapon based on the fact of COVID-19. In fact, it's going in the other direction. Our competitors have continued to develop both nonstrategic and strategic capabilities in an effort to outpace us. And we are going into a very different world. The -- we are on a trajectory for the first time in our nation's history to face two peer nuclear-capable competitors who have to be deterred differently, and we're working very hard to meet that challenge. I think we all know the threat that Russia poses to us, modernizing strategic, conventional, space, counter-space, cyber, they're developing hypersonics, and their gray zone actions. And it's not only what they're developing, it's what they're doing. China's similar, right? I think you all have seen the recent China military report, I think it's an excellent explanation in terms of what China's overall strategy is, and explains the why behind the things that we see them doing, particularly in my mission sets. Again, looking to -- we like talking about the fact that they're going to double their stockpile by the end of the decade. I'd ask you to consider that just measuring a nation's stockpile is a relatively crude measure of their capabilities. You have to look at the totality of it, the delivery systems, what they're capable of, what their readiness is. And China in particular is developing a stack of capabilities that, to my mind, is increasingly inconsistent with a stated no-first-use policy. We're ready. I think one visible demonstration of that is the bomber task force missions that we've been operating worldwide. We're pleased to be able to support U.S. European Command and Indo-Pacific Command in providing forces that they use to accomplish our objectives. My I.C. wings, my SSBN groups are also continuing to mitigate risk from COVID-19 operations, and again they're fully mission-capable. The -- I'm also pleased to report that the department has made tremendous progress in its nuclear command and control capabilities. It was a wise decision to establish the NC3 Enterprise Center and we are moving out and making great strides in making sure that the NC3 systems that we have will continue to pace the threat. They're certainly fully mission-capable today, I have absolute confidence in them. And I'm also pleased that we're going to be able to say that going into the future. We do see future NC3 fitting hand-in-glove into the broader department's Command and Control JADC2, if you will, framework. And we are able to present to the secretary and the chairman an overall view of their NC3 in a way we haven't been able to do in many years. So bottom line here, as I close and get ready for some questions, we're ready but we'll continue to have to work to maintain our -- in a world with changing threats on us. I'm very proud of the men and women of U.S. Strategic Command. And I want to leave you with one last thought. The way we have put the strategic forces and capabilities of this nation together from day one, we were always very humble in our ability to anticipate threats -- we always built in margin, we always built in hedge, not only for the risks that we could foresee but the risks that we might not be able to foresee. And so a big piece of why I can stand in front of you and tell you that we're fully mission capable is because of wise decisions made by my predecessors to give me capability, flexibility and everything I needed to be able to respond to the thing that we didn't see coming, and that's an important thing I -- I -- an important attribute I think we need to keep in mind as we think about the recapitalization of these systems. And with that, I'd be happy to take questions. STAFF: Thank you, sir. We'll start on the phone line with Bob Burns. Q: Thank you. This is -- this is Bob. Admiral Richard, you mentioned the bomber task force missions of recent months -- excuse me. There have been a number of incidents lately that the Russians have characterized much differently -- for example, just a few days ago, the head of the Russian Air Force was saying that a number of times in August and September that B-52 bombers have flown close to Russian borders and that he saw this as both hostile and provocative action by the United States. I'm wondering if you could say whether, you know, you have concerns about the escalation of tensions with Russia, you know, that could lead to actual conflict? Thank you. ADM. RICHARD: I -- so, Bob, thank you for the question and it's nice to hear from you again, sir. I think the bomber task forces are a -- a iconic example of how we're executing the National Defense Strategy in terms of us being strategically predictable yet tactically unpredictable. I'm very pleased in the support that we're providing to the other combatant commands and I think that they have done a very good job of showing that the United States is capable of operating anywhere in international air space and is ready to meet any challenge that is presented to us. STAFF: Okay. We'll come back to the room with Barbara with CNN. Q: Two quick things, if I may. On COVID, first of all, could you just walk us back to this past winter when Strategic Command, because it's so critical, really began to understand -- when did you know the severity of the potential COVID threat? But my other question perhaps first is you referenced China and no-first-use policy. What's your thinking on this? Can you talk about that a little more? Do you believe that China either is rejecting the notion of first-use, is moving towards a no-first-use? What's your assessment of that and what does that mean for the United States? ADM. RICHARD: So, ma'am, I would start with, as a military commander, what I look at more is another nation's capabilities, less about what their stated intentions are, and I see China developing a stack of capabilities that would be inconsistent with a no-first-use policy. It's not my place to judge whether they intend to honor that or not. What I can tell you is -- is that they certainly have the capabilities to execute any number of deterrent or employment strategies that are seemingly inconsistent with a -- and a no-first-use policy really drives you back quickly to a minimum deterrent strategy and it just looks inconsistent to me and it's my responsibility to make sure that I have thought through what we have to do to deter what they're capable of doing as opposed to what they say they're going to do. Q: So an outright offensive attack is what you're saying? ADM. RICHARD: No, ma'am, I didn't say anything about offensive attack. I'm talking about deterring what they're capable of doing. Q: And on COVID this past winter, when did you -- when did you really know and told by your people that it was a -- a -- a serious threat? ADM. RICHARD: Ma'am, we are constantly looking at any number of threats and we take all of them seriously. That -- you know, it's one thing -- I believe the Department of Defense has a plan for just about everything. We had a plan in place for a pandemic infectious disease and we simply, very early on, December time frame, started looking through "what if" scenarios and started devising mechanisms, strategies to address that and that -- that process served us very well. Q: Okay. STAFF: Okay, we'll stay here in the room with Lucas from Fox. Q: Lucas Tomlinson, Fox News. Admiral, why do you need a low-yield nuclear warhead on your ballistic missile submarines? ADM. RICHARD: Well, I think the justification for the low-yield ballistic missile was very well laid out in the Nuclear Posture Review and then captured inside our National Defense Strategy. In order to deter, you know, the basic equation of that has not changed over time, right? For any action that your opponent considers, can you deny an aim or impose a cost that is considered greater? And so as we're opening up a possibility -- and this was looked at basically by the capabilities that were being developed in terms of the thought that someone might think that a small, limited use of a nuclear weapon might drive the U.S. into a situation where any response that we would consider would be considered disproportionate and therefore not credible. The low-yield ballistic missile submarine closes that perception and enhances security, enhances deterrence. Q: Is that the new nuclear warhead that the president was referring to recently? ADM. RICHARD: The -- again, I -- I think you're referring to something that is going to come out in this Bob Woodward book, which I've not seen. In fact, I'm not even sure that it's available to be seen. So I'm not in a good position to help you address that question. But I will say, look, as the commander of Strategic Command, I have any number of classified capabilities, that if you had my responsibilities to defend the nation, you would find that they're actually quite useful in that, but beyond that I'm -- I'm not in a position to -- to really help you with that. STAFF: Okay, we'll go out to the phone lines to Idrees Ali with Reuters. Q: Great, thanks, Tom. Two quick questions. Firstly, in terms of COVID, what's the timeline you're looking at in terms of when things may go back to -- to the way they were? They -- you know, is it the end of the year, is it indefinite? And second question, part of your job is to look at the strategic force of other countries. So what are you seeing in terms of the missile forces of Iran and North Korea and the impacts COVID is having on them? ADM. RICHARD: Well, first, to your -- to your first question in terms of -- I'm not sure that we're ever going to go back to a -- the way we were before. There's any number of things that -- as -- we understand the disease better, the potential for a vaccine. There's a -- any number of things and so we're very well postured to operate for a long period of time, indefinitely in this. But actually we've learned some things along the way that I -- I don't want to go back on, right? So our ability to operate distributed and remotely, particularly administratively, has been greatly enhanced. We have finally crossed the bridge in terms of being able to do some teleworking. And in fact, from my -- one small example, my personnel shop, we're never bringing them all in again. I was telling Congressman Thornberry, "I'm going to take 70 cars off the entrance to the base in the morning because we're just more efficient when we operate in a distributed fashion." So one, I -- no, I don't think we're going back to the way that we used to do business before. In some cases, I don't think we want to. STAFF: Okay. We'll stay on the phone lines and go to Tony Capaccio with Bloomberg. Q: Hi, sir. I -- I have a quick follow-up to the -- to the earlier question from Lucas. At some point, will you be able to discuss what weapon the president was referring to when he told Woodward about this new secret nuclear weapon? And I have a China follow-up. ADM. RICHARD: Well, I'd be happy to take the China follow-up. And again, on a question about the Woodward book, I just should make -- not really in a good position to help you. I would refer your question either to the White House or to the Secretary of Defense -- but would enjoy that China follow-up. Q: Among their new capabilities, are the Jin-class submarines -- are those Jin-class submarines now starting strategic patrols near Hawaii? The China report mentions that their -- their JL-2 missiles could range the United States but they need to be in western Pacific waters near Hawaii. Are you seeing that threat emanate? ADM. RICHARD: Well, what I would offer is to not shoot behind the duck and I would actually pay more attention to their JL-3 missiles that they're working on, which give them a greatly expanded range. And again, I -- I think this is -- I get apprehensive that we are not fully conscious as a nation of the threats that we face, right? China now has the capability -- and we can get into the specifics -- to directly threaten our homeland from a ballistic missile submarine. That's a pretty watershed moment and that's why, when I come up here and say that we need to maintain the forces to give us a deterrent capability against that, why we have to go recapitalize our strategic triad, why I say that there's no margin left and why that's the most important mission in the Department of Defense, it is -- you're giving me a great example of why we have to go do that. The -- it is -- it -- it's important, I think, to remember I say the department frequently says that strategic deterrence is most important mission in the department, it is foundational to everything we do but maybe a way to operationalize that is, I and my forces set the conditions necessary for the rest of the Department of Defense to execute its mission. If strategic deterrence fails, the complexion and the character of the competition just changed dramatically and it is in everybody's best interest for that not to happen. But to do that, I have to have sufficient force to execute our strategy and you see -- from -- say -- a great example of what other nations are doing to threaten that. STAFF: Okay. We'll come back in the room to Lara Seligman, Politico. Q: Hi, sir. Two questions. One, I wanted to follow up on Barb's question about the China report, just to ask you to clarify a little bit more what you mean when you say you think they are in -- you know, that they have -- are moving forward the no -- no first use nuclear policy. I mean, the -- the 200 missile figure that was in that report is a fraction of the size of the arsenals of both the U.S. and Russia. So I'm just wondering again what you're basing this -- this conclusion on? And then I also wanted to ask -- ADM. RICHARD: Well, let me address that first, right? Again, don't shoot behind the duck, right? It's not where they are, it's where they're going, right? And when China sets its mind to something, they are very impressive in their ability to go accomplish it. They're -- and you've got to be careful about mirror imaging. They're not put together the same way that we are. But one of my favorite examples, and I think I have it here because it -- I want to get the numbers right -- you know, China just established a Coast Guard in 2013, right? And again, they've had other forces but they -- they decided they wanted a Coast Guard and in 2013 -- they have 255 ships today -- or I'm sorry, 255. In seven years, they go build 255, on -- on top of all of the other ships they're building. I just think that their strategic forces are next on their to-do list, right, and I'm trying to posture us for the threat that we're going to face, not the one that we have today. Q: And then on a different subject, I wanted to ask you about the GBSD contract that was recently awarded from Northrop. Are you concerned at all about the lack of competition on this contract and what that means going forward? ADM. RICHARD: The -- the short answer -- and I -- I do need to clarify, I'm a combatant commander, so in some respects I'm the customer for the capability, that your question might be better asked to the Air Force. That said, I am fully confident in the Air Force's ability to deliver the requirements and capabilities that I ask for on time, in the budget that they say that they're going to need. In fact, I was just out at Hill Air Force Base myself doing some reviews with both the program manager for GBSD as well as the contractor that you're talking about, and I have to tell you I walked away very impressed with the cutting edge ways that the GBSD program is not only going about accomplishing the acquisition tasks that they've been handed but actually -- I mean, we talk about it -- you -- you all haven't gotten to it yet but if you ask me what keeps me up at night, it is our ability to move fast. I just gave you an example of how China can move fast and in the end, we're going to have to move equally as fast in order to pace that threat. In the end, it is time for us to start getting some of our bureaucracy out of our way, and I think that is the fundamental thing that slows us down. I'd point to the GBSD program as a -- a pathfinder in terms of how to achieve the old standard by a new way. STAFF: Okay. We'll go back to the phone lines to Sangmin Lee with Radio Free Asia. Q: Yeah. I have a question on Operation Plan 5027, which is a military operation plan made by U.S. and South Korea for the defense against a possible North Korean invasion. Does this plan include the use of nuclear weapon? ADM. RICHARD: Well, one, obviously I can't go into any specifics of any operational plan but what I will say is -- is that we maintain a very close alliance and partnership with South Korea. Longstanding, it's formally documented, proud that the United States extends extended deterrence and assurance commitments to South Korea, which has been beneficial to both nations, and I'll tell you that whatever the situation is or whatever OPLAN needs to be considered, my forces will be ready to support what they'll be asked to do. STAFF: And we'll stay on the phone lines and go to Jeff Schogol with Task & Purpose. Q: -- deterrence threats against North Korea after a five B-52s deployed in Guam from U.S. homeland? ADM. RICHARD: Oh, I'm sorry, sir, I don't think I understood the question. Q: Okay. Is there any change in nuclear deterrence strategy against North Korea ever since B-52 deployed in Guam or returned to U.S. homeland? ADM. RICHARD: Well, I -- I go back to I think the decision to employ dynamic force employment, which I think is what you're referring to as opposed to a continuous bomber presence on Guam, has actually enhanced deterrence by being strategically predictable, tactically unpredictable. It has given us a good opportunity to improve both short term and long term readiness and is a great example of the wisdom in the way that the National Defense Strategy has been put together. STAFF: Okay, now we'll go to the phone line to Jeff Schogol, Task and Purpose? Q: Thank you. Admiral, I have a question about the W76-2. Is it STRATCOM's belief that if the United States explodes a low-yield nuclear weapon over Russia or China, that Russia or China will not retaliate with strategic weapons? ADM. RICHARD: Well, the first part is, is remember that the whole idea is to prevent any of that from happening in the first place. The mission is deterrence, and it's sometimes a hard thing to wrap your head around, that in my mission set, victory looks like nothing happened, right? And we have been successful in that inside of -- for over 70 years. And so where I think the particular value is, is the deterrent effect that the 76-2 provides, to see to it that we never go down the path that you're describing to begin with. Q: My question is, can you limit a nuclear exchange to tactical weapons or is there no such thing as tactical nuclear weapons? ADM. RICHARD: Sir, you're asking one of the greatest unanswered questions in military theory -- deterrence theory -- of all time, right? The answer is nobody knows if that's the case. But I do think it's an obligation for the United States to do everything in its power should a nuclear weapon be used by somebody else to stop the exchange as soon as possible, to limit damage to the U.S. to the maximum extent possible, and to end it on terms favorable to the United States. The short answer to your question is, is that nobody knows. Fortunately we don't have any real-world experience in that, and I would just as soon keep it that way. STAFF: We'll come back in the room to Lucas? Q: Admiral, the Pentagon recently stood up a UFO task force. Has that given you something that you have to plan for as the head of America's strategic arsenal? ADM. RICHARD: I -- Lucas, I can't go into a lot of detail on any number of things that we're working on. I'll just offer that Strategic Command looks at a wide range of threats. In fact, I've probably let this conversation get too narrowly focused on nuclear capabilities, right? I think the 2000 -- the last NPR wisely acknowledged that you can have a strategic attack that is non-nuclear in nature. That is something that has changed in the current environment. So we're looking at any number of threats, not just nuclear, to make sure we understand them, understand what might happen to us, and do we have a strategy in place, tailored to deter that? Q: And that includes UFOs? ADM. RICHARD: That includes any number of threats. STAFF: We'll go to Kris Anderson. Q: AWPS News. So, New York Times has an article this morning about the risk -- legal risks to the United States from the use of -- supporting Saudi Arabia using -- and other countries, but Saudi Arabia in this case -- using weapons against civilians. So my question is, does it also bring up the question of the risk that increases as we proliferate arms sales to countries around the world? And is that something that we should look at as a strategic risk? ADM. RICHARD: So, ma'am, I have no direct responsibility in the area that you're talking about, and I would defer your question back to the secretary of defense, who's better positioned to answer it. STAFF: And we have time for one last question, so we'll go to Barbara with CNN. Q: Can I ask you to go back and just explain a little more about one thing that you said. And you said, "We are not fully conscious of the threats that we face." I think that's pretty close to what you exactly said, we are not -- you're worried that we're not fully conscious of the threats we face. What -- tell us what you mean by that. I mean, is -- is the military not conscious, is the American -- ADM. RICHARD: It's -- it's the American people, Barbara. I think we've had a little conversation about this. I think you and I have done duck-and-cover drills back when we were a kid, right? If you remember that. I certainly have. So we knew that there was a threat to us that might require us to respond strategically. We don't even think about that any more. We take strategic deterrence for granted in a lot of cases, not acknowledging the fact that we have never had a nuclear attack on the nation, haven't had a great power war in 70 years, was not just some accidental fate in history or event in history, it was a lot of hard work by a lot of people to maintain systems ready to go such that we deterred that from happening, that's what I'm talking about. Q: Okay, thank you. STAFF: All right, thank you, ladies and gentlemen. If you have any other questions, I'll be in the press office area. ADM. RICHARD: Thank you all very much. https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Transcripts/Transcript/Article/2347223/ NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Its time to get your swirl on and celebrate National Linguine Day on Sept. 15 with a hearty bowl of the flat pasta noodles, which originated in Genoa, Italy, almost 400 years ago. The word linguine means little tongues in Italian and the pasta traditionally is served with seafood in a hearty pesto or Alfredo sauce -- a rich, creamy white sauce that gives us plenty of excuses to step away from traditional red sauces. For National Linguine Day today we couldnt miss the chance to load our grocery cart -- with stops everywhere from Marcs to Whole Foods -- with every creamy Alfredo we could find and conduct a taste test to see how the sauces compare. We found 24 varieties of Alfredo sauces and used the same brand of linguine noodles for every sample. The rankings are below. Mids Alfredo Sauce finished No. 1 overall. The jars ranged in price from $1.29 to $7.99. Did sauces with cream as the first ingredient score higher than sauces with the highest concentration of water? Does cream and/or butter make a better sauce? Find out below. And if more traditional pasta sauces like marinara are your go-to, check out our ranking of 174 red pasta sauces. Ahh, a hearty bowl of linguine and Alfredo pasta sauce. (Photo by Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.com) No. 24 Alfredo, Victoria Vegan - Photo by Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.com Where we bought it: Whole Foods Price: $7.99 Nutrition per serving: Calories 70 | Fat 4.5g | Cholesterol 0mg | Sodium 350mg | Carbs 6g | Sugars 2g | gluten free First ingredient: Cashew cream Jar says: In 1929, an Italian family immigrated to Brooklyn, N.Y., and started a business using fresh vegetables and premium ingredients. We continue to follow their example. Our vegan marinara sauces have been enjoyed for years, so we established a vegan line to include Alfredo sauces, crafted with our own house-made cashew cream. Our vegan line of pasta sauces are dairy-free, gluten-free and non-GMO verified, maintaining the philosophy that ingredients come first. Our thoughts: Horrible. We did not like the flavor or consistency. This sauces pungent taste is quite overwhelming. Doesnt taste like what you expect an Alfredo sauce to taste like. But on a positive note, you can taste the cashew. Buy it on Amazon $7.99 No. 23 Roasted Garlic Alfredo, Priano - Photo by Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.com Where we bought it: Aldi Price: $1.69 Nutrition per serving: Calories 60 | Fat 4.5g | Cholesterol 25mg | Sodium 400mg | Carbs 4g | Sugars 1g First ingredient: Water Jar says: Inspired by Italy Our thoughts: There is way too much garlic in this jar and it is on the watery side. We would not buy this again. Available on Instacart $1.89 No. 22 Four Cheese Alfredo, Priano - Photo by Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.com Where we bought it: Aldi Price: $1.69 Nutrition per serving: Calories 60 | Fat 2.5g | Cholesterol 30mg | Sodium 340mg | Carbs 3g | Sugars 1g First ingredient: Water Jar says: Inspired by Italy Our thoughts: The overall taste is not good. The cheeses do not blend well together and it has a horrible aftertaste. Buy it on Instacart $1.89 No. 21 Roasted Garlic Alfredo, Raos - Photo by Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.com Where we bought it: Luckys Market Price: $7.99 Nutrition per serving: Calories 100 | Fat 9g | Cholesterol 50mg | Sodium 410mg | Carbs 2g | Sugars 1g First ingredient: Light cream Jar says: Over 120 years in the making. Premium, traditionally crafted. This Alfredo sauce is a rich, smooth blend of cheese, cream and butter, with an added burst of roasted garlic. Our thoughts: The runny consistency is distracting and abnormal, almost to the point it seems greasy. You can definitely taste the garlic, however. The more you eat, the more overwhelming the garlic becomes, overtaking all other flavors. Buy it on Amazon $7.49 No. 20 Classic Alfredo, Ragu - Photo by Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.com Where we bought it: Walmart Price: $1.64 Nutrition per serving: Calories 90 | Fat 9g | Cholesterol 20mg | Sodium 320mg | Carbs 2g | Sugars 0g First ingredient: Water Jar says: Made with real cheese. Our thoughts: Very plain, no flavor, no spices. If youre looking for a bland, boring sauce this could be it. Buy it at Target $1.79 | Buy it on Instacart $2.99 No. 19 Creamy Alfredo, Priano - Photo by Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.com Where we bought it: Aldi Price: $1.69 Nutrition per serving: Calories 60 | Fat 4.5g | Cholesterol 30mg | Sodium 400mg | Carbs 3g | Sugars 1g First ingredient: Water Jar says: Inspired by Italy Our thoughts: This one has no flavor. We cant believe it says it is inspired by Italy. While it may offer up a creamy texture, the taste is bland. Buy it on Instacart $1.89 No. 18 Rosa Alfredo, Whole Foods - Photo by Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.com Where we bought it: Whole Foods Price: $4.69 Nutrition per serving: Calories 90 | Fat 7g | Cholesterol 15mg | Sodium 360mg | Carbs 6g | Sugars 1g First ingredient: Water Jar says: Product of Italy. Premium pasta sauce made with authentic Italian cheeses. Our thoughts: This sauce is thick, rich and creamy, but the initial taste is of nacho cheese sauce, not Alfredo. You can definitely taste the cheeses. This unique flavor got a little better the more I ate. Buy it on Amazon $4.69 No. 17 Alfredo, Newmans Own - Photo by Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.com Where we bought it: Luckys Market Price: $3.49 Nutrition per serving: Calories 50 | Fat 4.5g | Cholesterol 20mg | Sodium 380mg | Carbs 3g | Sugars 1g | GF First ingredient: Water Jar says: 100% profits to charity since 1982 Our thoughts: The consistency is good. It smells fragrant, but the taste is below par. Buy it on Instacart $2.69 No. 16 Creamy Alfredo, Classico - Photo by Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.com Where we bought it: Giant Eagle Price: $2.50 Nutrition per serving: Calories 50 | Fat 3.5g | Cholesterol 15mg | Sodium 400mg | Carbs 3g | Sugars 1g First ingredient: Water Jar says: Made with fresh cream. In Rome, the earliest Alfredo sauce recipes were known as al burro or with butter. Here, fresh cream is blended with butter, aged Parmesan cheese, and a hint of black pepper for an authentically rich and creamy flavor. Our thoughts: While you can see the spices, you cant taste them. It is a thick and creamy sauce, just lacks punch. Buy it at Target $1.99 | Buy it on Instacart $3.79 | Buy it at Giant Eagle $2.50 No. 15 Classic Alfredo, Great Value - Photo by Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.com Where we bought it: Walmart Price: $1.50 Nutrition per serving: Calories 50 | Fat 3.5g | Cholesterol 15mg | Sodium 340mg | Carbs 4g | Sugars 1g First ingredient: Water Jar says: Made with real cheese Our thoughts: While this one was not bad taste-wise, its thin, grainy texture was distracting and it could use some garlic to ramp up the flavor. No. 14 Homestyle Alfredo, Prego - Photo by Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.com Where we bought it: Meijer Price: $3 Nutrition per serving: Calories 70 | Fat 6g | Cholesterol 25mg | Sodium 390mg | Carbs 3g | Sugars 1g First ingredient: Water Jar says: Made with fresh cream Our thoughts: While this sauce had a good flavor and a creamy texture, it didnt stick to the pasta very well. It needs to be thicker. Buy it on Instacart $2.99 No. 13 Alfredo, Gia Russa - Photo by Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.com Where we bought it: Whole Foods Price: $7.99 Nutrition per serving: Calories 100 | Fat 9g | Cholesterol 50mg | Sodium 410mg | Carbs 2g | Sugars 1g | GF First ingredient: Light cream Jar says: Produced in a green facility. A true Alfredo made with light cream, butter and aged Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese from Italy. Our thoughts: Wow! The overabundance of pepper hides all of the other flavors. It stings the tongue, and not in a good way. The flavor is a bit on the fatty side, like eating a stick of butter. So thin it did not stuck on noodles. Just look at the bottom of the bowl in the photo above. Buy it on Amazon $7.99 No. 12 Alfredo, Good & Gather - Photo by Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.com Where we bought it: Target Price: $1.29 Nutrition per serving: Calories 90 | Fat 8g | Cholesterol 20mg | Sodium 320mg | Carbs 2g | Sugars 1g First ingredient: Water Jar says: Made with real cheese. No artificial colors, flavors or preservatives. Our thoughts: Pretty bland. When tasting this sauce, you immediately think its missing something. A bit on the ordinary and runny side. No. 11 No Dairy Alfredo, Primal Kitchen - Photo by Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.com Where we bought it: Whole Foods Price: $6.99 Nutrition per serving: Calories 60 | Fat 4.5g | Cholesterol 0mg | Sodium 350mg | Carbs 4g | Sugars <1g | GF First ingredient: Water Jar says: Made with avocado oil. Eat like your life depends on it. In the world of real food eating, its the sauces, dressings and toppings that make a meal exciting. Our thoughts: Good flavor for a dairy-free sauce. You can definitely taste the avocados and cashews. Although the unconventional oily consistency is distracting, the flavor is zesty and tangy. Tastes more like salad dressing. Buy it on Amazon $6.29 No. 10 Alfredo, Bertolli - Photo by Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.com Where we bought it: Walmart Price: $2.12 Nutrition per serving: Calories 110 | Fat 11g | Cholesterol 35mg | Sodium 390mg | Carbs 2g | Sugars 0g First ingredient: Water Jar says: Made with fresh cream. Made with real butter. With aged parmesan cheese. Our thoughts: Good flavor but the garlic is almost overwhelming, which is interesting because the brand has a garlic version. Thats why this one ranked worse. Is it the same sauce? Buy it on Amazon $11.17 (2-pack) | Buy it on Instacart $3.29 | Buy in at Target $2.19 | Buy it at Giant Eagle $2.49 No. 9 Roasted Garlic Parmesan Alfredo, Ragu - Photo by Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.com Where we bought it: Walmart Price: $1.64 Nutrition per serving: Calories 90 | Fat 8g | Cholesterol 15mg | Sodium 310mg | Carbs 3g | Sugars <1g First ingredient: Water Jar says: Made with real cheese. Our thoughts: Love this garlic flavor. It was true to its name. You can smell the garlic as soon as the jar is opened. The thickness is good, though it could have been creamier. Buy it on Instacart $2.99 No. 8 Mushroom Alfredo, Bertolli - Photo by Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.com Where we bought it: Marcs Price: $2.29 Nutrition per serving: Calories 70 | Fat 6g | Cholesterol 20mg | Sodium 360mg | Carbs 2g | Sugars <1g First ingredient: Water Jar says: Made with fresh cream. Aged parmesan cheese and portobello mushrooms. Our thoughts: Another sauce that stays true to its name! You can see small pieces of mushroom throughout the sauce as you pour it, but the pieces arent so big they overpower the taste. The garlic taste could be reduced a bit though. No. 7 Alfredo, Raos - Photo by Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.com Where we bought it: Luckys Market Price: $7.99 Nutrition per serving: Calories 100 | Fat 9g | Cholesterol 50mg | Sodium 410mg | Carbs 2g | Sugars 1g First ingredient: Light cream Jar says: Over 120 years in the making. Premium, traditionally crafted. Bring home the famous taste of Raos Homemade Alfredo Sauce. This alfredo sauce is a rich, smooth blend of cheese, cream and butter. Our thoughts: This one is very flavorful. You can taste both the pepper and garlic, although the pepper tended to overwhelm some of the other flavors. We wish it were a little thicker, too. Buy it on Amazon $7.49 | Buy it on Instacart $7.99 | Buy it at Target $7.29 | But it at Giant Eagle $4.99 No. 6 Creamy Alfredo, Bertolli - Photo by Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.com Where we bought it: Marcs Price: $2.29 Nutrition per serving: Calories 50 | Fat 4g | Cholesterol 30mg | Sodium 420mg | Carbs 3g | Sugars <1g First ingredient: Water Jar says: Made with cauliflower and milk. Our thoughts: Love this. You can taste subtle hints of cauliflower, which is great if you are a cauliflower fan. Its very creamy and has a nice inclusion of garlic thats not overwhelming, even a little sweet. No. 5 Classic Alfredo, La Famiglia DelGrosso - Photo by Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.com Where we bought it: Meijer Price: $6.99 Nutrition per serving: Calories 90 | Fat 7g | Cholesterol 35mg | Sodium 300mg | Carbs 3g | Sugars 1g | GF First ingredient: Cream Jar says: A legacy of great taste. Since 1914 Americas Oldest Family saucemaker. Our thoughts: Creamy, with hints of garlic that is just the right amount. I would buy this. No. 4 Garlic Alfredo, Bertolli - Photo by Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.com Where we bought it: Walmart Price: $2.12 Nutrition per serving: Calories 100 | Fat 4.5g | Cholesterol 25mg | Sodium 310mg | Carbs 2g | Sugars <1g First ingredient: Water Jar says: Made with fresh cream. With aged parmesan cheese. Our thoughts: Wow! What an amazing flavor -- the perfect amount of garlic in a deliciously creamy sauce. It stayed true to the description on the jar. Buy it at Target $2.19 No. 3 Artisan Four Cheese Alfredo, Prego - Photo by Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.com Where we bought it: Walmart Price: $1.88 Nutrition per serving: Calories 60 | Fat 5g | Cholesterol 30mg | Sodium 310mg | Carbs 3g | Sugars <1g First ingredient: Water Jar says: Made with real cheese. Our thoughts: If you like a creamy cheese sauce, this is the one for you! The cheeses blend very well together. You can taste each cheese, but none overwhelm the others. Not too thick, with a nice spice to it. No. 2 Alfredo, Little Italy in the Bronx - Photo by Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.com Where we bought it: Heinens Price: $7.99 Nutrition per serving: Calories 100 | Fat 9g | Cholesterol 50mg | Sodium 410mg | Carbs 2g | Sugars 1g | GF First ingredient: Light cream Jar says: With light cream, butter, sea salt and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. No preservatives, made with simple ingredients. Our thoughts: Our panel really enjoyed the flavor combination in this sauce -- just the right amount of salt and cheeses. Youd never know its a jar sauce, as it tasted fresh, light and creamy. Buy it on Instacart $7.99 No. 1 Alfredo, Mids - Photo by Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.com Where we bought it: Heinens Price: $6.99 Nutrition per serving: Calories 100 | Fat 9g | Cholesterol 50mg | Sodium 420mg | Carbs 2g | Sugars 1g | GF First ingredient: Light cream Jar says: True Sicilian pasta sauce. Alfredo done the Sicilian way. A white pasta sauce was created in 1914 by a restauranteur named (what else?) Alfredo. Mids take on this favorite features three varieties of cheeses for a thick, creamy and restaurant-grade delicacy thats the perfect alternative to our true Sicilian red sauces. Our thoughts: If this is true Sicilian sauce as the jar says, then sign us up for a trip to Sicily! This was the best flavor -- by far -- of all 24 sauces we tried. Great texture, creamy and delicious. Flavorful, and you can see and taste the spices. Rodriguez declared she would go out of her way to buy this sauce! If you are a fan of Alfredo sauces but dont have the time to make your own, give this one a try. Buy it at Giant Eagle $5.99 | Buy it on Instacart $6.99 Its welcome news that two Los Angeles County sheriffs deputies, shot as they sat in their parked patrol car on Saturday, are expected to recover from their injuries. That doesnt make the attack on them any less heinous. Surveillance video shows a man walking up to the vehicle and firing several shots through the passenger side window and then running away. The deputies, identified only as a 31-year-old woman and a 24-year-old man, were waiting at the M.L.K. Transit Center in Compton as part of a transportation detail. The deputies had been sworn into office just 14 months earlier. A $100,000 award is being offered in the hunt for the assailant. We can only speculate as to motivations. Theres no excuse for such senseless cowardice. On Saturday night, Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva gave voice to a dreadful suspicion that cant be ignored: The two deputies were shot solely because they are police officers. This is just a sober reminder that this is a dangerous job, Villanueva told reporters after the shooting, and you know actions, words have consequences, and our job does not get any easier because people dont like law enforcement. According to FBI statistics, 48 officers were killed last year in the line of duty, including five who died in unprovoked attacks. At least 37 have been fatally wounded in 2020, including eight that were caught in what police say were ambushes. That is why we must make certain that the debate over reforming policing methods is not about demonizing cops or painting them broadly as the enemy. It is about changing policies, strategies and cultures that bring true justice, order and peace to our communities. We are all in this together. Widespread protests and social unrest over the summer have rightfully focused on the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and others who have died at the hands of police. These cases raise legitimate questions about the use of police tactics and the dynamics of race in which Black men and other people of color are too often victims of lethal force. The video images of then-Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin pressing his knee into the neck of a prone and handcuffed George Floyd for more than eight minutes as he struggled to breathe and eventually died, are more than enough reason to demand real change. Anyone who would use these calls for justice and reform to take violent action has no place in the debate. If anything, the discussion so far should have educated us on just how difficult and dangerous the job of law enforcement is and the uphill climb it will take to fix it. The examples appear daily. A police officer responding to a domestic disturbance report on Sunday in Lancaster, Pa., fatally shot a 27-year-old man, prompting some protesters to throw bricks through the glass doors of the city police station and a nearby post office. Video released by the police showed the man abruptly charge toward the officer with a large knife. Thats not a situation most of us have to worry about in the course of our daily lives. In addition to being thrust in the middle of emotionally fraught domestic disputes, law enforcement officers must deal with people battling addictions, mental illness or other issues that cause them not respond rationally to a show of force. The outcomes are too often tragic. As the editorial board noted after the firings last week of four Houston police officers involved in the shooting death of Nicolas Chavez, mistakes made in the heat of the moment can be deadly even when they are not criminal. Those dedicated to true police reform know the answer is not demonizing officers or eliminating entire departments but, as we have said before, focusing on training, programs and strategies that make people safer and help our communities thrive. The CAHOOTS program in Eugene, Ore., which dispatches crisis workers and medics to police calls when appropriate, or Harris Countys Project Guardian to help families share information with deputies about loved ones with autism are just two examples of alternative approaches that demonstrate what public safety should be. Solutions can be found. We just need to try them. Violent attacks on police are reprehensible and self-defeating. The answer is coming together around ways to make everyone safer. A total of 27,404 new coronavirus cases have been detected in Spain since Friday. Thats according to Mondays report from the Spanish Health Ministry, which does not publish Covid-19 figures over the weekend. The latest report added 101 coronavirus-related deaths to the official count, which only includes victims who have been diagnosed with the disease. Madrid continues to be the worst-affected region, accounting for one third of all new infections, with 10,864 cases since Friday. The region also reported 25 deaths, or one fourth of the total over the weekend. Germanys health minister, Jens Spahn, on Tuesday expressed concern about the coronavirus situation in Spain, and said he was at a loss to understand why so many new cases are emerging. There arent many other countries in the European Union to have adopted such tough measures to contain the first wave, he said. In the Balearic Islands, the regional government will introduce new restrictions on mobility for residents of Palma who live near the Arquitecte Bennazar health center, on the island of Mallorca. Freedom of movement will also be reduced in parts of the city of Ibiza and in the town of Sant Antoni, on the island of Ibiza, due to a spike in cases. Another four neighborhoods in Palma that are home to around 23,000 people have been dealing with restrictions since last week. Spain is testing a similar proportion of the population as other European countries, but its positivity rate is much higher Andalusia recorded the second-highest number of new cases with 2,512 infections, followed by Castilla y Leon (2,097), Basque Country (1,451), Aragon (1,282), Murcia (1,136) and Catalonia (1,073). Madrid has the highest 14-day cumulative incidence of the virus, with 618 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, more than double the national average of 247. Asturias is the only Spanish region with an incidence rate below 100, with 70 cases per 100,000 people. In recent days, Spain has been detecting more new coronavirus infections than in April and May. But the situation is very different: during the first wave of the pandemic, only serious cases were being recorded, while today, many people who test positive have minor symptoms or are asymptomatic. The total official number of coronavirus fatalities since the beginning of the pandemic is 29,848, with 207 deaths recorded in the last seven days, according to the latest report. In the past week, 1,976 coronavirus patients have been hospitalized, 138 of whom were admitted into intensive care. The number of hospitalizations has been on an upward trend for several weeks. The Health Ministry did not provide data on hospital occupancy on Monday, but according to the report from Friday, the proportion of beds occupied by Covid-19 patients is 7.5% of the total, although this figure varies greatly from region to region. In Madrid, it is as high as 18%, in other words nearly one in every five hospital beds in the region is occupied by a coronavirus patient. Speaking at the government press conference on Monday, the health secretary of state, Silvia Calzon, said that around 90,000 PCR tests were carried out every day last week. Calzon was filling in for Fernando Simon, the director of the Health Ministrys Coordination Center for Health Alerts, who has taken some time off. According to Mondays report, 631,238 tests were performed between September 4 and 10. But there is a large difference between the positivity rate in each region. In Asturias, for example, only 2.5% of tests came back positive, compared to 21% in Madrid. Castilla-La Mancha also has a very high positivity rate of 17.7%. The higher this figure, the worse the epidemiological situation, as it indicates that transmission is uncontrolled. The World Health Organization estimates that positivity rates should be below 5%. Spain is testing a similar proportion of the population as other European countries (it is carrying out the average number of tests per 100,000 inhabitants), but its positivity rate is much higher. The cumulative incidence of Covid-19 in Madrid is at 618 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, more than double the national average of 247 Calzon, who appeared at the press conference for the first time since being appointed to the position in August, said that the Health Ministry and regional authorities were looking at the possibility of using other diagnostic tools in addition to PCR tests, such as the new antigen tests that have begun to hit the market. According to Calzon, these are still in the process of technical assessment. In response to the rise in cases, several regions have introduced new restrictions or extended measures that are already in place. On Monday, the regional government of Murcia decided to confine part of the city of Lorca, which has detected 470 coronavirus cases in the last week. The measure, which is described as a flexible version of Phase 1 of the national deescalation plan, means that residents will only be able to leave for essential reasons, such as work and visits to the doctor, and capacity at shops will be reduced to 50%. The new restrictions will affect Lorcas city center, which is home to 60,000 people. The Catalan health department also approved on Monday new measures in the cities of Girona and Salt. Under the new rules, which are expected to come into effect on Wednesday, capacity at bars and restaurants in the two areas will be cut to 50% for a period of 15 days. English version by Melissa Kitson. NAVARRE BEACH, Fla. Heavy rain, pounding surf and flash floods hit parts of the Florida Panhandle and the Alabama coast on Tuesday as Hurricane Sally lumbered toward land at a painfully slow pace, threatening as much as 30 inches (76 centimeters) of rain and dangerous, historic flooding. The storms center churned offshore 65 miles (105 kilometers) south-southeast of Mobile, Alabama, as Sally crept north-northeast toward an expected Wednesday landfall at 2 mph (3 kph), according to the National Hurricane Center. The forecast map showed the center likely coming ashore in Alabama, near the Florida line. Hurricane force winds extended 40 miles (65 kilometers). Rain fell sideways and began covering roads in Pensacola, Florida, and Mobile. More than 80,000 power customers were without electricity, according to poweroutage.us . Up to a foot (more than 30 centimeters) of rain had fallen already on the coast by Tuesday night and Sallys lumbering pace meant there would likely be extended deluges. A hurricane moving at 2 mph is stalled for all intents and purposes, said Brian McNoldy, a hurricane researcher at the University of Miami. If they arent moving along and they just kind of sit there, youre going to get a ridiculous amount of rain. Sally strengthened late Tuesday, with sustained winds reaching 90 mph (145 kph). Winds had reached 100 mph (161 kph) on Monday. The National Hurricane Center expected Sally to remain a Category 1 hurricane when it comes ashore, adding historic life-threatening flash flooding is likely. By Tuesday night, hurricane warnings stretched from coastal Mississippi to the Florida Panhandle. There also was a threat the storm could spawn tornadoes and dump isolated rain accumulations of 30 inches (76 centimeters) in spots from the Florida Panhandle to southeast Mississippi. Heavy rain and surf pounded the barrier island of Navarre Beach, Florida, on Tuesday and road signs wobbled in the wind. Rebecca Studstill, who lives inland, was wary of getting stuck on the island, saying police close bridges once the wind and water get too high. Just hunkering down would probably be the best thing for folks out here, she said. Two large casino boats broke loose Tuesday from a dock where they were undergoing construction work in Bayou La Batre, Alabama. M.J. Bosarge, who lives near the shipyard, said at least one of the riverboats had done considerable damage to the dock. You really want to get them secured because with wind and rain like this, the water is constantly rising, Bosarge said. In Orange Beach, Alabama, towering waves crashed onshore as Crystal Smith and her young daughter, Taylor, watched before nightfall. They drove more than an hour to take in the sight. Its beautiful, I love it, Crystal Smith said amid whipping wind. But they are high. Hardly any of the beach isnt covered. Capt. Michael Thomas, an Orange Beach fishing guide, secured boats and made other last-minute preparations. He estimated up to 5 inches (13 centimeters) of rain had fallen in as many hours. Im as prepared as I can be, Thomas said. Stacy Stewart, a hurricane center senior specialist, warned that floods could be deadly. This is going to be historic flooding along with the historic rainfall, Stewart said. If people live near rivers, small streams and creeks, they need to evacuate and go somewhere else. Forecasters warned that Sally could unleash flooding similar to what Hurricane Harvey inflicted in 2017 in swamping the Houston metropolitan area. Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves urged people in the southern part of the state to prepare for the potential for flash flooding. He said about 120 people were in shelters in Mississippi. As rain grew heavier Tuesday, many businesses appeared to be closed at exits along the Interstate 10 highway running along the Gulf Coast from Louisiana to Florida. In Gulfport, Mississippi, white plastic bags hung over some gas station pumps that were out of fuel. Along a bayou inland from the Gulf, three shrimp boats were tied up as shrimpers tried to protect their boats from waves. Metal storm shutters or plywood covered the windows of many businesses. In Alabama, officials closed the causeway to Dauphin Island and the commuter tunnel that runs beneath the Mobile River. Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey urged residents near Mobile Bay and low-lying areas near rivers to evacuate if conditions still permitted a safe escape. Revised forecasts late Tuesday predicted that storm surge along Alabamas coast could reach 6 feet (1.8 meters) at Dauphin Island and as much as 4 feet (1.2 meters) at Mobile Bay. This is not worth risking your life, Ivey said. Once ashore, Sally was forecast to cause flash floods and minor to moderate river flooding across inland portions of Mississippi, Alabama, northern Georgia and the western Carolinas over ensuing days. President Donald Trump issued emergency declarations for parts of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama on Monday, and tweeted that residents should listen to state and local leaders. On the barrier island of Pensacola Beach, Florida, the Sandshaker Lounge was open Tuesday afternoon, filled with about 30 locals and tourists staying at nearby hotels. I think Im the only business open, said bartender Kyra Smith. She said most locals have lived in the area for decades and have weathered many storms bigger than Sally. Were just going to ride it out, she said. ___ Wang reported from Pascagoula, Mississippi. Associated Press reporters Jeff Martin in Marietta, Georgia; Russ Bynum in Savannah, Georgia; Sophia Tulp in Atlanta; Tamara Lush in St. Petersburg, Florida; Rebecca Santana in New Orleans; Emily Wagster Pettus in Jackson, Mississippi and Kim Chandler in Montgomery, Alabama, contributed to this report. Why is this Australian "think tank" willing to be anti-China "vanguard"? A recent report from the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) claimed that China has at least 600 talent-recruitment stations around the world that identify and recruit scientists and technologists who are potentially valuable to "Chinas quest for technological dominance". In fact, ASPI has long been receiving funds from the US government and arms dealers, and has always been eager to cook up and sensationalize anti-China topics. As a deeply ideological organization that is essentially an anti-China "vanguard", the ASPI's academic integrity has come under serious question, according to Zhao Lijian, spokesperson of China's Foreign Ministry. ASPI boasts on the front page of its website that it is an "independent, non-partisan think tank" that produces expert and timely advice for Australias strategic and defence leaders. In fact, many people of insight in Australia have publicly denounced the extreme position of this institute. "I see it as very much the architect of the China threat theory in Australia," said former Australian ambassador to China Geoff Raby. John Menadue, a former diplomat and ex-Qantas CEO, said ASPI "lacks integrity and brings shame to Australia." In early March, ASPI released a "research report" claiming that "at least 80,000 Uighurs were transferred out of the far western Xinjiang autonomous region to work in factories across China for forced labor between 2017 and 2019. Some US lawmakers subsequently proposed a motion to "stop the import of products produced in Xinjiang" and clamored for the introduction of a "labor law to prevent forced Uighur labor". Then, an article on the US independent news website Grey Zone revealed that the so-called "forced labor" report is, in fact, "the direct product of an orchestrated PR campaign backed by US and EU governments, NATO, and arms manufacturers all of which stand to benefit handsomely from the intensification of a new Cold War". The report released by ASPI is mainly based on the research" of Adrian Zenz. The so-called "expert on Xinjiang", whose Chinese name is Zheng Guoen, has been commenting on China's Xinjiang and wantonly slandering and distorting China's policies in the region since 2016. His so-called research has not been published in academic journals, but in publications led by NATO and former US national security personnel. It is not the first time that the authenticity of a report released by ASPI has been ridiculed. The institute once published an article saying that Wang Liqiang, who "defected" to Australia, was a "Chinese spy". However, Wang was finally shown to be no more than a swindler. "The Wang Liqiang story is just the latest example of claims running ahead of an evidence base in Australia," said James Laurenceson, acting director of the Australia-China Relations Institute at the University of Technology Sydney. In recent years, ASPI has reached a tacit understanding with some Australian media: ASPI first releases some false reports, and then the media will publish these reports and play them up. It is reported that the latest ASPI report on China's "talent recruitment plan" received about $145,000 in support from the US State Department, while the report on China's "forced labor" received 10,000 in support from the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office. The source of funding behind ASPI has long been an open secret. In February, the Financial Review in Australia published an article entitled "The think tank behind Australia's changing view of China", exposing the motivation and root cause of ASPI's anti-China position from its source of funding. According to the report, the institute was founded in July 2001, and was initially funded entirely by the Australian Department of Defence. Over time, the share of funding from the Department of Defence has been declining, and now only makes up 43 percent of the institute's annual budget. In addition to the Australian Department of Defence, there are three types of alternate funding sources for this self-styled independent think tank. The first is filled with defence contractors such as Lockheed Martin, BAE, Northrop Grumman, Thales and Raytheon. The second is made up of technology companies like Microsoft, Oracle Australia, Telstra, and Google. And thirdly, there are the contributions from foreign governments. Some of the more recent sources of ASPI funding include NATO, the US State Department and the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office. In this way, it is not difficult to explain why the institute frequently follows the lead of the United States on issues such as the source of COVID-19, Hong Kong-related issues, Huawei 5G and so on. It is already crystal clear that this institute only follows the guise of "strategic policy research", and neither academic nor professional ethics can be found here. (The writer is an observer on international issues) (Natural News) Dr. Li-Meng Yan, M.D., Ph.D., a virologist from China who recently fled the communist country as well as her prestigious job at Hong Kong University (HKU), is back in the news with claims that the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) was created by Chinese scientists in a laboratory. Appearing on British television, Dr. Li-Meng talked about a paper she co-authored with three other Chinese scientists that highlights the unusual features of SARS-CoV-2, the genome of which she says is suggestive of sophisticated laboratory modification rather than natural evolution. Dr. Li-Mengs paper offers a full delineation of the probable synthetic route of the virus, which was not some random occurrence in bats as was claimed early on by purveyors of the plandemic. Instead, it had to have been tampered with either for research or biowarfare purposes. While still working at HKU, Dr. Li-Meng clearly assessed that the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) originated in a Chinese Communist Party (CCP) military lab. The Wuhan wet market, on the other hand, was just used as a decoy, she claims. I knew that once I spoke up, I could disappear at any time, just like all the brave protesters in Hong Kong, Dr. Li-Meng is quoted as saying about why she decided to flee communist China. I could disappear at any time. Even my name would no longer exist. The latest Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) news, by the way, can be found at Pandemic.news. When conspiracy theories become reality: the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) deception Keep in mind that Dr. Li-Meng is affiliated with at least 13 different publications that have been cited some 557 times. A link she tweeted to ResearchGate shows these and other affiliations, which clearly demonstrate her expertise in the field of virology. With that said, Dr. Li-Mengs claims about the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) would seem to hold weight. While the true severity of the novel virus in question remains up for debate, there would seem to be little doubt at this point that it was hatched in a Chinese lab, and did not just suddenly appear at a wild meat market. The evidence shows that SARS-CoV-2 should be a laboratory product created by using bat coronaviruses ZC45 and/or ZXC21 as a template and/or backbone, Dr. Li-Mengs paper explains. Building upon the evidence, we further postulate a synthetic route for SARS-CoV-2, demonstrating that the laboratory-creation of this coronavirus is convenient and can be accomplished in approximately six months. The infamous receptor-binding spike associated with the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19), which you can see in the headline image of this article, is likewise unnatural. According to Dr. Li-Meng and her colleagues, it was probably created through genetic engineering. The Spike proteins decorate the exterior of the coronavirus particles, Dr. Li-Mengs paper explains. They play an important role in infection as they mediate the interaction with host cell receptors and thereby help determine the host range and tissue tropism of the virus. Many more details as to Dr. Li-Mengs findings are available at this link if you care to peruse them. But suffice it to say that many different features of the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) suggest it to be an unnatural, lab-created phenomenon for which communist China holds full responsibility. The paper then makes two critical observations for those who claim that SARS-CoV-2 has a natural origin: its RBM (receptor-binding motif) could have only been acquired in one of the two possible routes: 1) an ancient recombination event followed by convergent evolution or 2) a natural recombination event that occurred fairly recently, explains Zero Hedge, which as you may recall was banned from Twitter back on Jan. 31 for making these claims, which were dubbed by the social media gods as baseless conspiracy theories. Sources for this article include: ZeroHedge.com NaturalNews.com CLEVELAND, Ohio The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has launched an investigation into FirstEnergy Corp. in a separate probe of the company tied to the $60 million bribery scandal involving House Bill 6, records show. The examination became public in a lawsuit the company and a consulting firm filed in U.S. District Court in Cleveland against a former employee of the firm who accessed financial information about the Akron-based utility. The investigation appears to have begun soon after a federal grand jury indicted former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder and four allies on racketeering charges involving the passage of a $1.3 billion bailout bill for two nuclear power plants, according to court filings. An FBI affidavit said FirstEnergy and its affiliates funneled $60 million to a nonprofit that Householder controlled to facilitate the bills passage last year. The plants were owned at the time by a subsidiary of FirstEnergy. The SECs public finance abuse unit is handling the regulatory investigation. The unit focuses on allegations of corruption involving publicly traded companies, municipal securities and public pension plans. The scope of the examination is unclear. Lawyers involved in the case have declined to discuss it. The SECs work is confidential in order to safeguard evidence, shield whistleblowers and protect companies in the event no wrongdoing is found. If it is discovered, the commission can file civil or administrative actions that seek sanctions. In this case, the notice of the investigation into FirstEnergy became public when attorneys for the company and Clearsulting, a Cleveland business that does consulting work for FirstEnergy, sued a Chardon man in federal court Sept. 1. The companies' lawsuit said Michael Pircio began working at Clearsulting as a senior analyst in March. He was responsible for preparing documents on information technology design assessments and other issues involving the utility, according to the lawsuit. The suit alleged Pircio worked on Clearsultings audit of certain FirstEnergy processes and procedures for Sarbanes-Oxley compliance. Sarbanes-Oxley refers to a federal law designed to fight fraud and increase oversight to protect a companys shareholders and the public. On July 30, the day Householder and others were indicted, Clearsulting fired Pircio for reasons that were not specified in the lawsuit. After he was terminated, the lawsuit said, Pircio downloaded 57 files that contained sensitive financial information regarding FirstEnergy. The files were unrelated to his work, the suit said, and he was not authorized to obtain them. The information included employee salaries, payment processes and records of contractors and vendors, according to court records. It also included reviews and approvals of manual wires and tax payments, the documents said. In records filed in the case, lawyers included two letters written by H. Vincent McKnight, an attorney from Washington, D.C., who specializes in whistleblower cases. In the letters, McKnight said he represents Pircio, who shared the documents and information with him. As reflected in the terms of the employment agreement signed by Mr. Pircio, he is not prohibited from sharing confidential information with an attorney or government official for purposes of reporting or investigating a suspected violation of law, McKnight wrote in an Aug. 21 letter to Clearsulting. The day after the lawsuit was filed, McKnight wrote a letter to a FirstEnergy attorney. On Aug. 7, 2020, we submitted information to the Securities and Exchange Commission concerning FirstEnergy and Clearsulting, McKnight wrote. Since then, we have been in communication with Brian D. Fagel, assistant director of the public finance abuse unit, and we intend to continue cooperating with the SEC in its investigation. Fagel, reached Monday, declined to comment. Last week, Pircios attorneys and the companies' lawyers agreed to have Pircio relinquish and return to FirstEnergy, upon the conclusion of the SEC investigation, all versions of data or information that he provided to his attorneys, according to court records. It is unclear how long the investigation will take to complete. Jennifer Young, a spokeswoman for FirstEnergy, said the company would not comment on pending litigation. McKnight also declined to discuss the case, as did Pircios attorneys, Laura Hauser and Marc Dann. An attorney for Clearsulting also would not comment. FirstEnergy and its affiliates have not been charged in the investigation of House Bill 6. Young said the company is cooperating with authorities. FirstEnergy began pushing House Bill 6 when one of its subsidiaries, FirstEnergy Solutions, owned the Davis-Besse and Perry plants. FirstEnergy Solutions filed for bankruptcy in 2018, and the plants are now owned by a business called Energy Harbor. Gov. Mike DeWine signed the bill into law last summer. The FBI affidavit said the millions of dollars that FirstEnergy and its affiliates funneled to Householder and his allies went to pass the bill, aid legislators who supported Householder for speaker and fight a ballot initiative seeking to overturn the bailout. Authorities called it the largest pay-to-play scheme in Ohio. Already, a handful of shareholders have filed suit in state and federal courts regarding the allegations involving Householder. On July 20, the day before the FBI arrested Householder and others, the price of stock at FirstEnergy was at $41.26 a share. It closed at $29.66 on Monday. Householder and political aide Jeff Longstreth, as well as lobbyists Neil Clark, Matt Borges and Juan Cespedes, have pleaded not guilty to the racketeering charges in U.S. District Court in Cincinnati. The issue of rapidly escalating property tax burdens is a concern for both individuals and businesses across Iowa. It is important to remember the ultimate source of high property taxes is excessive local government spending. Unless spending is controlled, any property tax relief will be limited. The objective of real property tax reform should not be to single out certain classes of property or to favor one group of taxpayers over another, but rather it should ensure all Iowans receive tax relief. How can Iowa lawmakers provide property tax relief for all Iowans? One elegant policy idea comes from Utahs Truth in Taxation law, which is considered the gold standard for property tax reform. Utahs policy successfully provides both transparency and accountability to what can otherwise be an extremely frustrating and complicated process for taxpayers. Too often, local governments take advantage of informing taxpayers that they have reduced rates, but after corresponding assessment increases, many times taxpayers are left wondering why their property tax bill has significantly increased from the previous year. This method of hiding tax increases through assessment-driven measures that never receive a public hearing or vote is unfair and dishonest. States across the nation are starting to pay attention to massive assessment-driven property tax increases and looking for solutions. New model Truth in Taxation policy from the American Legislative Exchange Council was developed by legislators in Kansas earlier this year. It was overwhelmingly approved by bipartisan majorities in both legislative chambers. Unfortunately for Kansas taxpayers, due to several factors, their version of Truth in Taxation will be delayed until 2021. During the 2019 Iowa legislative session, lawmakers passed a property tax accountability and transparency law. This law requires local governments such as counties and cities (school districts were not included) to hold a public hearing if the proposed budget increases more than two percent above the previous year and requires a supermajority vote for the increase to be enacted. This two percent soft cap is meant to control the growth of property taxes and requires local governments to provide more transparency within the local budget process. Iowas property tax accountability and transparency law is partially based upon Utahs Truth in Taxation law, but Utahs law is more extensive. As valuations increase under Utahs Truth in Taxation law, property tax rates decrease. This automatic reduction in property tax rates prevents local governments from getting a windfall simply because valuations of existing properties have increased, wrote Howard Stephenson, president of the Utah Taxpayers Association and a former member of the Utah Senate. At the heart of Utahs Truth in Taxation law is an extensive public notification and hearing process that is required if a local government wants to increase tax rates or assessments. Truth in taxation also forces local government officials to take recorded votes to approve an increase in tax collections. Through the Truth in Taxation process, local governments must justify why they want to increase taxes for additional spending, forcing them to be more transparent as to why they need additional tax revenue. A crucial aspect of Utahs law is a direct notification requirement through which notices are sent to taxpayers, providing information on the proposed tax increase. It also includes the date, time and location of the Truth in Taxation budget hearing. This extensive public notification and hearing process has been successful and taxpayers in Utah actively participate in Truth in Taxation hearings. While Truth in Taxation does not technically limit property taxes in a direct sense, it makes local elected officials think twice about increasing property taxes rates because they know all citizens will be notified of the increase and its potential impact on their property, said Stephenson. Strengthening Iowas property tax accountability and transparency law will help all taxpayers. Thankfully, Utah has proven the effectiveness of the Truth in Taxation model, which controls the growth of property tax burdens, drives real participation in the process of local spending decisions and, most importantly, serves the interests of the taxpayer. John Hendrickson is policy director for TEF Iowa and Jonathan Williams is chief economist and executive vice president of policy for the American Legislative Exchange Council. Love 2 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 WASHINGTON Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel has long owed a debt to President Trump, who has repeatedly bestowed diplomatic gifts at crucial moments as Mr. Netanyahu has battled for his political survival. Leaders of the Persian Gulf states are similarly grateful to Mr. Trump, who has embraced their governments, cracked down on their archnemesis, Iran, and defended them from intense political criticism in Washington. Like Mr. Netanyahu, they are eager to see Mr. Trump win a second term in November. And at the White House on Tuesday, Mr. Netanyahu and a select group of Gulf Arab officials will be returning the favor, doing their part to repay and support Mr. Trump by participating in a signing ceremony for a pair of new accords between Israel and two Gulf nations, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, that Mr. Trump is promoting as a historic breakthrough. In substance, the agreements do not constitute the peace that Mr. Trump proclaims. They do not end a state of actual conflict but do create normalized relations including travel and diplomatic contacts between Jewish and Arab states that never fought one another and for several years have been de facto allies, particularly in alignment against Iran. But as proclaimed in new Trump campaign advertisements, they make up the heart of the presidents message on foreign policy as the 2020 campaign draws to a close: that for all his bellicose rhetoric and unpredictability, he is bringing new harmony to the chaotic Middle East. Boris Johnson has sought to head off a growing parliamentary rebellion by telling MPs they will have an extra lock on plans to tear up part of the Brexit treaty and potentially breach international law. Former chancellor Sajid Javid became the latest senior Tory to warn he would not support the prime ministers controversial UK Internal Market Bill in its current form. Following Mr Javids warning, MPs voted to give the UK Internal Market Bill a second reading by 340 to 263 a government majority of 77. Two Tory MPs Sir Roger Gale and Andrew Percy voted against the Bill, while 30 did not cast a vote although some may have been "paired" with opposition MPs. Ed Milliband, business spokesman for the Labour Party, accused Johnson of "trashing the reputation of this country and trashing the reputation of his office". Mr Javids bombshell came as Mr Johnson stood up in the House of Commons to plead with MPs to vote for the Bill, which he describes as a safety net to prevent the EU blocking food exports from the British mainland to Northern Ireland. In a bid to quell a damaging revolt he told MPs if the powers at the centre of the controversy "were ever needed, ministers would return to this House with a statutory instrument on which a vote would be held". Government sources played down the idea Mr Johnson had offered a concession, and said the extra vote had always been in the Bill. A number of rebels also suggested it was not enough to secure their support. The legislation has come under fire from all five living former prime ministers, including Mr Johnsons immediate predecessors Theresa May and David Cameron, as well as Brexit-backing Tory grandees like former leader Michael Howard and ex-chancellor Norman Lamont. Mr Javid who resigned from Mr Johnsons cabinet after senior adviser Dominic Cummings tried to seize control of his advisers said: It is not clear to me why it is necessary for the UK to break international law. I am regretfully unable to support the UK Internal Market Bill unamended. On the day strict new rule of six Covid restrictions came into force, Labour also said Mr Johnsons plans meant there was one rule for the British public and one rule for the government. Earlier, Mr Johnsons government suffered a blow as a Tory MP Rehman Chishti resigned as the prime minister's special envoy on Freedom of Religion or Belief in opposition to the clauses in the Bill. Mr Javid said: "While I fully backed every measure necessary to get the withdrawal agreement negotiated and passed by parliament, I cannot support the UK pre-emptively reneging on that agreement. I will therefore regretfully be unable to support the bill at its second reading and urge the government to amend it in the coming days. Meanwhile Damian Collins, former chair of the Commons Culture committee became the latest Tory MP to announce his backing for a rebel amendment, designed to give MPs a say over when the powers can be used. Ex-minister Gary Streeter said: I will not be supporting the government over the Internal Market Bill. Geoffrey Cox, who was Mr Johnson's attorney general when the Withdrawal Agreement was signed, also criticised the plans. He told Times Radio the breaking of the law leads ultimately to very long-term and permanent damage to this country's reputation and it is also a question of honour to me we signed up, we knew what we were signing." Last week Brandon Lewis, the Northern Ireland secretary, admitted the Internal Market Bill does break international law in a limited and specific way. At the weekend Robert Buckland, the justice secretary, said he would resign if the law was broken in a way he found unacceptable, while Tobias Ellwood, the Tory MP and chair of the Commons Defence committee compared No 10s strategy to Nixonian madman theory. An amendment, designed to give MPs a say over when the powers can be used, and seen as one of the crunch votes on the Bill, will come before MPs next week. Its architect Sir Bob Neill said Mr Johnsons comments were not enough and he was still opposed to needless and potentially damaging elements of the Bill. Mr Johnson attempted to face down his critics in the Commons, telling MPs the controversial UK Internal Market Bill should be welcomed by everyone who cares about the sovereignty and integrity of our United Kingdom. Mr Johnson said he understood those who felt unease over the measures, which he had no desire to use. They were an insurance policy which would never be invoked if there is a deal with the EU, he said. But former culture secretary Jeremy Wright was among the Tory MPs who appeared to signal their misgivings, questioning the prime minister on whether the Bill would contravene the ministerial code. A series of Tory backbenchers announced in the Commons they could not back the Bill. Imran Ahmad Khan, the MP for Wakefield, said he could not vote for legislation which would break international law. Other MPs appeared to express more general dissatisfaction with their government. Tory MP Charles Walker told the Commons: I'm not going to be voting for this bill. Because if you keep whacking a dog don't be surprised when it bites you back." The British police on Tuesday handed over to India ancient idols of Lord Ram, Lakshman and Sita that were stolen from Tamil Nadu in 1978, as part of growing efforts to return artefacts of Indias cultural heritage from across the world. The handover ceremony at India House was attended by officials of the Metropolitan Police and remotely by Union minister for culture and tourism Prahlad Singh Patel from New Delhi, as well as officials in Chennai. The idols, being sent back to Tamil Nadu, were stolen from a temple built in the Vijayanagar period in the Nagapattinam district. They were voluntarily handed over to the police by an unidentified UK-based collector when informed that they were stolen property. Information from S Vijay Kumar of the India Pride Project helped trace and identify the idols, officials said. Patel said that only 13 antique items were returned to India between 1947 and 2014, but after that, more than 40 such antiquities have returned home. Efforts are also on to return one idol from the British Museum. Indian high commissioner Gaitri Kumar called it an auspicious day and thanked the police for their efforts to recover the idols. She recalled recent instances when idols stolen from India were recovered and repatriated to India by the mission. Detective chief inspector of the Metropolitan Police Tim Wright said: The Metropolitan Police are proud to have been involved in the return of these Chola bronzes to India. Not only are they beautiful and historically significant, they are of course of religious importance, and therefore it is particularly gratifying that they are to be returned to the temple from which they were taken. Indian officials said renewed impetus in recent years to the protection of Indias cultural heritage has led to coordinated action by various agencies, including the ministry of external affairs, Archaeological Survey of India and law enforcement agencies such as the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence. Successful restitutions have taken place in recent years from various countries including Germany, France, Australia and the US, while work is ongoing on more such items. The high commission in London has so far repatriated the following idols: > The Bramha- Brahmani sculpture, stolen from the world heritage site Rani-Ki Vav, was returned to the Archaeological Survey of Inida in 2017. It has found a prominent place in the Purana Quila museum in Delhi. > On August 15, 2018 a 12th century bronze statue of Gautam Buddha was restituted to the high commission by the Metropolitan Police. > On August 15, 2019, two antiques a 17th century bronze idol of Navanitha Krishna and a 2nd century limestone carved pillar motif were returned to the high commission by the US embassy in London. > On July 29, 2020, the Natesha Shiva statue stolen in 1998 from the Ghateshwar temple in Baroli, Rajasthan was repatriated to the ASI. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON THE SIXTH Abbot of Glenstal, Fr Brendan Coffey received the abbatial blessing in the abbeys newly renovated church on Saturday. The Ennis man was elected the new abbot twelve weeks ago but the community waited until after the completion of the current phase of works before celebrating the solemn rite of blessing of an abbot. It was conferred by Archbishop of Cashel and Emly, Dr Kieran OReilly. The Glenstal community was joined in choir by 25 abbots, abbesses, monks and nuns from Benedictine, Cistercian and Poor Clare monasteries from Ireland and abroad. Five other bishops concelebrated the Mass with the archbishop and Abbot Brendan. They included the retired Archbishop of Cashel and Emly, Dr Dermot Clifford and the retired Bishop of Killaloe, Dr Willie Walsh, who ordained Abbot Brendan a priest in 1995. The Church of Ireland Bishop of Limerick and Killaloe, Dr Kenneth Kearon, was also present in choir. The rite of blessing took place after the Gospel. Abbot Brendan was escorted to the archbishop by his two immediate predecessors, Frs Christopher Dillon OSB and Mark Patrick Hederman OSB. Prior of the monastery, Fr Senan Furlong OSB, then formally presented the abbot to the archbishop and asked him to confer the blessing. The moving ceremony included Abbot Brendan being presented with various symbols related to his office. He first received a copy of the Rule of St Benedict, then a silver ring, to be worn as a sign of fidelity, with the instruction to wear it as the symbol of constancy and maintain this monastic family in the bond of brotherly love. Finally, Archbishop OReilly presented the abbot with a wooden crozier, a shepherds staff, admonishing him to show loving care for the brothers whom the Lord has entrusted to you; for he will demand an account of your stewardship. After this Abbot Brendan, who will serve for eight years, took his place beside the archbishop and was greeted with applause. Abbot Brendan then received the sign of peace from the archbishop and his assistants, before moving into the centre of the choir, to share the same fraternal greeting with all of the monastic men and women present. Just before the end of Mass, Abbot Brendan turned and addressed the congregation. Asking for their prayers that he might be a good abbot, he cited St Bernards advice to new abbots Notice everything. Turn a blind eye to some things. Correct a little. Cherish the brethren. The liturgy concluded with the chanting of the Churchs great hymn of praise, the Te Deum, while church bells rang out. By Terry Mutchler For two days I have been seething at the presidents action in withholding life and death information from the public about the pandemic. Trump calls it downplaying. Another word is lying. I wondered how many lives could have been saved had the commander-in-chief been worthy of that chair behind the Resolute Desk. This morning sipping coffee and thinking about this morass, I began to reflect on another key question of morals and obligations to fellow man. Those of Bob Woodward and his journalistic obligation to the public. As a former investigative journalist in my 20s, I considered Bob Woodward a hero and beacon of the best of the Fourth Estate: honor, ethics and sweat. As a First Amendment and transparency lawyer, Ive strived for the same tenacity he and Carl Bernstein wrote about in All the Presidents Men, a book I read every June. I even drew on that tireless inspiration and laser focus when I took on the Herculean task of creating Pennsylvanias Office of Open Records. As an author of a best-selling book, I admire how Woodward just pumps out these works of art. It is awe-inspiring. In short, Woodward has been an American hero, and treasure, to me. When I learned that Trump sat for interviews with him, I had to laugh. I covered Donald Trump and his casino empire in 1991 as an investigative reporter for The Associated Press and was banned from his casinos several times for my reporting. I chortle regularly at how little the man has grown and how little his lack of press savvy changed did he seriously expect to charm the worlds most famous journalist when Woodstein toppled a presidency? So today, it was hard to come to terms with what Woodward did and didnt do. As I thought about his reporting lore, a moral question hit me like a ton of bricks: Did Bob Woodward as a journalist, not to mention fellow human, have an obligation to report what he knew when he knew it Feb. 7, 2020? I believe he did. Initially, maybe he thought it OK to save that bombshell presidential quote about how deadly COVID-19 is for his book. But, as the deadly scenes unfolded in New York City and the gruesomeness mounted, I believe that my journalistic hero failed the very people he serves the public by not reporting in real time what the president said. Even if one argues that he isnt a journalist for The Washington Post, but now just an author, the fact remains he enjoys huge public trust as an elder statesman. He had proof that the president lied. On tape. He is one of the few people who can pick up the phone and be on any major news network in minutes. He has that kind of heft. He should have shared it. If his book contract precluded early revelations, that too needs to come into the public light and questions posed as to why this was protected. Two hundred thousand people are dead. Yes, the president has the paramount obligation to keep Americans safe and to tell the truth about what he knew. That should and must be the focus, and for me will be one of countless reasons I will vote against him. But in my view this pre-eminent journalist and notable American had a paramount obligation to report in real time that he knew the president failed his duty and was lying to the American people, and the world. Sadly, Woodward failed us, with each American that was felled by the pandemic. Isnt that also rage? Terry Mutchler is a First Amendment and transparency lawyer and the founding executive director of the Office of Open Records. She is a partner with the firm at Dilworth Paxson, and author of the book Under This Beautiful Dome. The Midland College Fire Department -- the training site for the colleges Fire Academy certificate program recently was inspected by the Texas Commission on Fire Protection and didnt have any noted violations, according to a press release from the college. Even though the fire department is only a training site, it still has to meet the same state compliance measures as city fire departments, according to the release. Since 2016, the master bath and kitchen have been upgraded and a detached two-car garage added. Read more As they prepare for their third house in less than a decade, a historic look has been the recurring theme for Jenna Fulton and Rob Meisner. First there was the Rittenhouse Square trinity that Fulton bought in 2013 and Meisner moved into when they were married. Then there was the farmhouse-style house in Bryn Mawr where they live now. Next will be a stone house they are building in Villanova that will have a traditional Pennsylvania farmhouse look. Not surprisingly, says Fulton, a statistician by training who runs a market research recruiting business, family size has been the motivating factor behind the moves. One child was too much for the trinity, and two plus a dog are making house number two a bit tight. The three-bedroom, 2-bath Bryn Mawr house is a 1997 addition to a springhouse on the Biddle Estate, which also includes structures dating to 1700. A stream runs around the 1.58-acre property, and we liked the wooded setting and the history of the house, says Meisner, a vascular surgeon. Our house is private, but were part of the Coopertown neighborhood, says Fulton, adding that it is close to an elementary school and a playground. READ MORE: A historic carriage house in Germantown for $545,000 The couple bought the house in 2016, and not anticipating a move upgraded the main bath and kitchen, added a detached two-car garage, and updated interior and exterior lighting. The kitchen has reclaimed barn, random-width cypress floors. The finished lower level has laundry facilities and additional space for an exercise room or playroom. The second floor has the main suite with an updated private bath and a walk-in closet with sitting area. The upper level has two more bedrooms, a hall bathroom, and an office. There is a newly installed deck off the springhouse. The house is convenient to transportation and shopping and dining facilities. It is listed by Mary Beth Hurtado of Compass for $699,000. Cuties director Maimouna Doucoure has explained that she and those who have criticised her movie are actually fighting the same fight. The filmmaker spoke out on Monday during a virtual panel organised by UniFrance, an organisation that promotes French cinema outside of France, according to Variety. The controversy started with that artwork The most important [thing] is to watch the film and understand we have the same fight, Doucoure said, referring to a widely criticised poster released and subsequently removed by Netflix. The director pointed out that Cuties, released in France under the title Mignonnes, did not encounter the same backlash when it aired at the Sundance Film Festival in January. We need to protect our children. What I want to is to open peoples eyes on this issue and try to fix it, she added. Cuties was released on 9 September on Netflix. It has been the subject of a backlash from some who claim it sexualises children. Doucoure, meanwhile, has said the film aims precisely to denounce a culture that inappropriately sexualises girls. Netflix has shared a similar position, calling the movie a social commentary against the sexualization of young children in a statement. The backlash against Cuties has become politicised in the US, where Texas Senator Ted Cruz called on the Department of Justice to investigate the films production and distribution. Democratic Hawaii Representative Tulsi Gabbard has also criticised the film as well as Netflixs decision to distribute it. Additional reporting by agencies In this Feb. 23, 2014, file photo Jason Ravnsborg speaks in Sioux Falls, S.D. South Dakota Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg reported hitting a deer with his car on Saturday night but actually killed a pedestrian whose body was not found until the next day, state investigators said Monday Sept. 14, 2020. (AP Photo/Dirk Lammers, File) (AP) South Dakota Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg reported that he hit a deer with his car while driving home Saturday night. However, it appears the deer was actually a pedestrian, who died after being hit by Mr Ravnsborg. The pedestrian's body was found the next morning by state investigators. A spokesperson for Mr Ravnsborg said he had not been drinking on the night of the crash and that he called 911 immediately after the collision. He apparently told the Hyde County Sheriff's Office that he had hit a deer while driving home. The state's Department of Public Safety did not confirm whether or not Mr Ravnsborg called 911. Mr Ravnsborg's spokesman said the attorney general was driving home from a Republican fundraiser when he struck the pedestrian on US Highway 14. The spokesman said that while Mr Ravnsborg did drink occasionally, he did not make a habit of drinking during Lincoln Day events, which he was attending the night of the incident. Governor Kristi Noem said the state's Highway Patrol will conduct the investigation into the crash. Mr Ravnsborg released a statement on Sunday night addressing the incident. "I am shocked and filled with sorrow following the events of last night. As Governor Noem stated, I am fully cooperating with the investigation and I fully intend to continue to do so moving forward," he said. "At this time I offer my deepest sympathy and condolences to the family." The man who was killed has been identified as Joseph Boever, 55. Nearly 22 hours passed before investigators identified the body with family members, according to Nick Nemec, Mr Boever's cousin. "The attorney general hit my cousin as he was walking down the side of the road and killed him," Mr Nemec told the Argus Leader. Mr Nemec said he and his cousin had planned to fix Mr Boever's Ford pickup truck the next day, but Mr Boever decided to walk back to his vehicle Saturday night instead. That's when he was struck. Story continues Mr Nemec has expressed frustration at the time it took for his family to be notified of his cousin's death. "My worst fear is that they're trying to get ducks in a row to absolve the attorney general of any wrongdoing," Mr Nemec told Keloland. Read more The US police driving manoeuvre that has killed 30 since 2016 Former porn star Zoe Parker reportedly found dead at 24 DENVER A Colorado law aimed at protecting workers and students from discrimination against race-based hair traits went into effect Monday. The law, also known as the CROWN Act was passed by lawmakers in March and aims to prevent hair-related discrimination in public education, employment practices, housing, public accommodations and advertising. It is one of several policies being enacted by state legislatures in response to emerging conversations and protests across the U.S. calling for racial justice and reform. One of the bills sponsors, Democratic state Rep. Leslie Herod, said shes dealt with this issue since growing up and being told that she had to straighten her hair to look professional in order to have this standard of beauty thats not mine. No one should be penalized for the way their hair grows naturally out of their heads, said Herod, who is a Black woman. We should support and celebrate our diversity, our cultural diversity and we should ensure that Colorado is in place to protect folks who are being discriminated against. The Colorado law also redefines the characteristics of discrimination to include hairtexture, hairtype, or a protective hairstyle that is commonly or historically associated with race. The bills text states: People of African descent are deprived of educational and employment opportunities because they are adorned with natural or protective hairstyles in which hair is tightly coiled or tightly curled or worn in locs, cornrows, twists, braids, Bantu knots, or Afros. The movement, which has lead to several states passing anti-discriminatory laws for hair, began as an effort by the CROWN Coalition, founded by Dove, National Urban League, Color Of Change and Western Center of Law & Poverty. Colorados law goes into effect after California, New York and New Jersey passed their own hair-based discrimination acts in 2019. So far this year, 22 states have considered similar measures, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Maryland, Virginia and Washington also passed laws in 2020. Black women are 1.5 times more likely to be sent home from the workplace because of their hair, according to the CROWN Act campaign website. The topic gained national attention after Deandre Arnold was suspended from Texas High School and was told he wouldnt be able to attend graduation unless he cut his dreadlocks. Arnolds appeared on the daytime talk show Ellen and was gifted $20,000 toward his education. A similar hair-discrimination bill is expected to be introduced in the states 2021 legislative session. I hope that this bill empowers our young people to be who they are but also to know that they can push and demand equality, Herod said. ___ Nieberg is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. WASHINGTONWe will very easily defeat the China virus, U.S. President Donald Trump said Sunday night, still speaking in what a candid grammar teacher might call the delusional future tense more than eight months into a pandemic that has infected 6.5-million Americans and claimed almost 200,000 American lives. Trumps been predicting the very easy defeat of the pandemic from its beginning. As it has been so often in the past, his prescription for a cure was to create the conditions for the rapid continued spread of infection. We are not shutting the country again, he said, addressing an indoor rally of his supporters, the vast majority of them unmasked. The last time Trump held an indoor event to show how easily he was defeating the virus was in June in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Public health authorities there said it led to a massive surge in new coronavirus cases. Herman Cain, a Trump surrogate who attended, was hospitalized with COVID-19 two weeks later, and died from the illness at the end of July. Well never know where he contracted the virus, the editor of Cains website wrote. Still, that was the end of a planned return to Trumps mass indoor rallies. Until Sunday. Its appalling, said Jon Zelner, a social epidemiologist at the University of Michigan. Its a perfect situation for transmission. Obviously, theres a lot of denial in play. Its incredibly dangerous, particularly to do it indoors, and I cant think of a reason why youd do that except to act as if weve kind of moved on, you know, and everything is OK. Everything is not OK. The virus isnt gone. We still have 45,000 cases a day, said Jeffrey Shaman, an epidemiologist at Columbia University. Thats better than the peak, he noted, but theres still significant community spread in the United States and significant ongoing risk. Nevada saw an average of 301 new COVID-19 cases a day in the week before Trump held his rally there, a number that is lower than it had been, and relatively low by U.S. regional standards. On a per-capita basis, however, Nevadas infection rate is more than six times higher than Ontarios, where a recent surge has led to concern among Canadians. Holding a rally indoors or anywhere, for that matter contravened Nevadas rules about large gatherings, which are based on the Trump administrations own guidelines. Gov. Steve Sisolak said described it as taking reckless and selfish actions that are putting countless lives in danger here in Nevada. Why would the president do that? Why has he been doing that all along publicly downplaying the danger the virus posed for months, even as he was privately making clear to journalist Bob Woodward that he knew just how deadly it was? Encouraging mass state reopenings before even his own administrations guidance said was wise? Mocking mask usage and holding indoor rallies where neither he nor most of his supporters wear them? Whats evident if you listen to the Woodward tapes, or just kind of think back to what was happening in the beginning, (is) the economy was always the thing, right? Zelner said. Recall that Trumps first speech about COVID-19 from the Oval Office focused almost exclusively on business and stock market concerns. His focus during his daily briefings was often on reopening to get the economy going again. His current focus remains, he says openly, on further reopening to return the country to boom times. The economy is, it seems likely, what he was referring to when he told Woodward he was downplaying the virus so as to avoid panic. So it was like, we dont want to spook the markets, we dont want to have a crash, Zelner said. And so we want to kind of act like this is all OK, and sort of, I guess, just kind of hope that it will go away. That hasnt worked for the economy, which, as Zelner pointed out, wont function properly if people are getting sick left, right and centre. And it hasnt worked for public health. In May, Shamans group at Columbia projected that if lockdowns had been imposed just one week earlier, 50 per cent fewer deaths would have resulted; two weeks earlier would have led to 90 per cent fewer deaths. Shaman says lifting lockdowns and reopening bars and restaurants too early led to predictable and devastating outbreaks. He lists the ways the Trump administration failed at every stage in testing, communication, providing equipment, mask usage, reopenings. They could have done a lot of things. They could have rolled up their sleeves and actually done the hard work of actually dealing with something, Shaman said. But you know, thats not how Trump and his administration work. They just basically blame anything and everything, and dont do the work, and then claim victory. Its what you see when Trump holds an indoor rally, Shaman said, just being his bullying self, showing that no governor is going to arrest him for holding an illegal gathering, and that the medical experts are full of s - and hell defy them. Its a show of strength, Shaman said. Its all political. That sounds familiar. At the rally Sunday, the president told his supporters, Open up your state. Youve got to open up your state. Its all political. Its all political. Its all political. Read more about: Dhinesh Kallungal By Express News Service THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: After the Covid-induced lockdown of several months, Kerala Tourism is now planning to reopen Gods Own Country to travellers after the withdrawal of the Southwest Monsoon this month-end. According to a proposal submitted to the state government by the tourism secretary, around 160 destinations are ready to be reopened once the Southwest Monsoon withdraws, which traditionally marks the onset of the foreign tourist season in the state. The government will soon make its plans public after finalising the dates. Commenting on the proposal, P Bala Kiran, director of Kerala Tourism, said, The proposal is now before the state government which is likely to take the call after due consultations with the health department and other stakeholders. The tourism department is planning to reopen the destinations where access can be controlled to ensure adherence to Covid regulations. For instance, parks, houseboat sector and eco-tourism spots where tourists can be allowed in a controlled manner will be reopened in the first phase. The sector has already suffered losses to the tune of over Rs 20,000 crore in the last six months, he added. Various tourism bodies have also been urging the state government to restart tourism activities in the state in the wake of neighbouring states resuming tourism operations on their respective territories. In Kerala, the tourism sector which provides directemployment to over 15 lakh people and indirectly employs 20 lakh people had clocked a total turnover of around Rs 45,000 crore in 2019, which accounted for around 12 per cent of the states GDP. Over 20,000 local investors and entrepreneurs are engaged in the sector. So the sector has to be opened in a controlled manner to sustain the livelihood of several lakh people associated with the sector, said E M Najeeb, president, Confederation of Kerala Tourism Industry (CKTI). Getting back on track The sector has already suffered losses to the tune of over Rs 20,000 crore in the last six months. The tourism sector in 2019 had clocked a total turnover of Rs 45,000 crore in 2019. With wildfires raging and smoke choking the West Coasts cities and towns, President Donald Trump has repeatedly blamed state officials in California, Oregon and Washington for the conflagrations, suggesting they have done a poor job of managing their forestseven suggesting that they somehow rake the forests to prevent fire. But when Trump met California officials this week for a briefing on the wildfires, CalFire director Thomas Porter showed him a map of Californias fires, most of which were located on territory the map colored green. All of the green," Porter told him, "is federal lands. As residents of the region know well, huge swaths of the American West are federally owned. Nearly 60 percent of the forests in California, 25 percent of the forests in Oregon, and 44 percent in Washington are national forests. For the most part, the forests burning across the Westthe fires the president blames on state officialsare on federal lands. Forest fire management is a complex issue, but one thing is clear: the federal commitment to it has been declining for years, and Trump has done little to reverse it. The federal governments spending on fire prevention has been shrinking; the budget for vegetation management fell from approximately $240 million in 2001 to $180 million in 2015, a decline of 24 percent. It's not because the need has decreased. According to the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise, Idaho, of the 10 years on record with the largest acreage burned, nine have occurred since 2000, including the peak year in 2015. With the increase in the number and intensity of wildfires, the cost of fighting them has grown substantially. A 2015 report by the Forest Service points out that as more and more of the agencys resources are spent each year to provide the firefighters, aircraft, and other assets necessary to protect lives, property, and natural resources from catastrophic wildfires, fewer and fewer funds and resources are available to support other agency workincluding the very programs and restoration projects that reduce the fire threat. Story continues The problem, in part, is that until recently, the Forest Service had no way to increase its funding in bad fire years, so unanticipated costs of firefighting had to come out of funds originally set aside for other priorities, like land management. This same report noted that in 1995, firefighting made up 16 percent of the Forest Services annual appropriated budget; in 2020, for the first time, firefighting constituted a majority of the Forest Services annual budget. Along with this shift in resources, there has also been a corresponding shift in staff, with a 39 percent reduction in all staff other than firefighting personnel. As a result, the agency was forced to redirect dollars and staff focused on measures that could reduce the risk of fires by improving forest health. The more money spent on fighting fires, the less was available to prevent themclearly a robbing Peter to pay Paul scenario. Were this problem left unchecked, Forest Service would be devoting more than two-thirds of its budget to firefighting in 2025. Recognizing the problem, the Obama administration went to Congress to fix it. The ask was simplestop forcing the Forest Service to pay for firefighting with the money intended for forest management and other programs designed to protect fish and wildlife, provide outdoor recreation, and manage rangelands and wilderness areasall part of the agencys legislated missionand, instead, treat these extreme fire events like the disasters they are, and pay for them out of disaster assistance funds. After years of debate, Congress finally reached a compromise in 2018 to ease this zero-sum approach by allowing the Forest Service to tap into disaster assistance funding when firefighting costs exceeded the Forest Services annual fire suppression budget. They called it the fire fix. Fixing the funding problem for firefighting was very important. But the long delay in reaching this compromise meant fire prevention efforts lagged for years, allowing the buildup of fire-prone vegetation that will fuel future fires, likely contributing to the fires sweeping through California and the Pacific Northwest today. Why the delays? Because some Republican members of the House and the Senate refused to fix the funding problems unless measures were included to limit environmental reviews and legal challenges to future timber sales and insisted that funding for future national forest timber sales be increased. But the fire fix addresses only one part of the problemtheres also a serious capacity problem to address. According to the California office of the U.S. Forest Service, returning Californias national forests to a condition that reduces future extreme fire risk would require treating 6 million to 9 million acres a year. Currently, the agency treats a small fraction of thatapproximately 200,000 acres per year. The agency would need to increase the number of acres restored to approximately 500,000 acres per year at a cost of at least $300 million a year to make significant progress in reducing future wildfire risk. And that is only in California. At the same time, the Trump administration has sent mixed signals to Forest Service leadership regarding what the agencys management priorities should be. It would seem that reducing fuel loads that contribute to fire risk and improving forest health should be the top priority. But, political leadership in the Department of Agriculture has reinstituted timber targets as a performance measure for Forest Service leaders in addition to improving forest health. In other words, as anxiety rises about fire risk across federal lands, national forest managers are being rewarded for shifting attention and dollars away from the goal of smart maintenance. Meeting timber production goals has little to do with improving the health and resilience of national forest lands. However, it is an easy metric to assess the performance of forest managers as well as a way to satisfy the timber industry. Managing wildland fire is a collaborative effort that requires a coordinated approach. Efforts to politicize wildfire by questioning the connection to climate changein spite of established scienceand to cast blame or assign responsibility for catastrophic fire based on party affiliation (i.e., somehow it is a problem only for states with Democratic governors), or to short circuit required project reviews for health, safety or environmental impact are counterproductiveto say the least. As the president engages in partisan blame-shifting about a crisis happening on his own watch, there's one positive example to draw from, and it's far from Washington. Firefighting itself, a responsibility shared by the federal government, states, local officials and tribal government, is a model of cooperation. The wildland firefighting community and the non-partisan manner in which it operates provide a model for how government should function to prevent the problem of wildfires in the first placenot by pointing fingers, debating their cause or shirking responsibility, but by working together to improve the health and resilience of our nations forests and the well-being of the people it serves. The international reputation of the United States has declined further in the wake of its handling of the coronavirus pandemic, according to new research Tuesday from the Pew Research Center. In some of the 13 countries surveyed, favorable views of the U. S. have fallen to record lows. Pew started polling on the topic nearly two decades ago. Although the international image of the U. S. has been in decline since President Donald Trump took office in 2017, Pew found it has been dented further by what is perceived to be a badly handled response to the pandemic. Pew found that a ... If Bernard Looney is right, the spectre of 'peak oil' that has haunted the global economy since the 1970s has now been exorcised. Peak oil is, or was, the idea that at some point rising global energy demand would overtake the world's available oil supply. Production would peak, the theory went, and after that demand would continuously outstrip supply driving up costs and driving down living conditions in the likes of Europe, Japan and China which are all dependent on imported oil. On the flip side, countries that control the oil supply - from Saudi Arabia to Russia and Iran stood to benefit. In its latest forecast BP, one of the world's biggest and oldest energy firms, says demand for oil may have peaked last year and is now in decline. BP, under Kerryman Bernard Looney, is already investing more in renewable energy and committing last month not to explore for oil in countries where it isn't already operating. For decades much of the response to fear of oil shortages has been a global hunt for new oil supply that was massively boosted by the North Sea oil strikes of the 1970s which in turn sparked Ireland's long search for offshore oil wells. Fear of shortages also underpinned bloody conflicts and political instability across swathes of the globe. Increasingly though, the response of industry and governments has been to seek ways to cut reliance on oil altogether - including mass adoption of renewable power and electrification of heating and transport. China, conscious of its lack of mineral wealth, has made a calculated decision to become the world's biggest maker and market for electric vehicles. The European Union wants to become carbon neutral by 2050 by increasing renewable energy and by slashing energy use. Here, the Government last year said it intends to halt future fossil fuel exploration in Irish waters once current licenses have been exhausted. Big oil companies are already handing back licenses. If BP is right, demand for oil will taper out long before existing supply. If Ireland's long and expensive search for offshore oil ever does hit pay dirt, it may come too late to have any real economic impact. Oil fortunes these days are made by the owners of storage tanks and tankers used to hold the supply glut. Haiti - Security : Radio Tele Caraibes under threats... In a note, Radio Tele Caraibes (RTVC) alerts the national and international community in general and the police authorities in particular of threats of all kinds to which it has been the subject for some time. It informed them that "these threats have been amplified on social networks with the entry on the scene of several anonymous organizations which announce imminent attacks against the radio building in street Chavannes." Radio Tele Caraibes deplores "that manipulative hands with shameful and unacknowledged projects are trying to destroy the image and reputation of the station embodying the ideological plurality of RTVC by equating the station with the political party in power [...] RTVC reminds everyone that the past struggles for the institution of democracy in the country are not new and the station has a legacy of struggle dating back seven decades. As a result, it remains unshakeable and far from being intimidated by these obscurantist threats, on the contrary, they push it to redouble its efforts in order to continue to guide the Haitian people towards plural and nuanced ideas while remaining at their side." Reacting to these threats, the Office for the Protection of the Citizen (OPC) condemns these intimidations wherever they come from and expresses its solidarity with the management and all the staff of the station, stressing "Threatening a media for information and opinions it disseminates is contrary to the values and freedoms enshrined in the Constitution and the various agreements, treaties and conventions of which Haiti is a State party. The Citizen Protection Office calls on the authors of these threats to respect the rules of the democratic game." For its part, the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) expresses concern about threats against the RTVC and recalls "There is no stability without freedom of expression and without free, independent and pluralist media." HL/ HaitiLibre WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Facebook has taken a step forward towards its climate change commitments by launching its own Climate Science Information Center on Tuesday, ahead of climate week celebrated between September 21 and September 27. The social media giant said this space has factual resources from the world's leading climate organizations, and actionable steps people can take, to deal with climate change. 'As we've seen the wildfires raging across the west coast of the US and the flooding in South Sudan and South Asia, it's clear that climate change is real and the need to act is growing more urgent every day,' Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook's chief executive said in his post. The Climate Science Information Center, modeled after the Covid-19 pandemic information hub, is a dedicated space on Facebook featuring facts, figures, and data from the world's leading climate organizations, the company stated. 'Facebook's global operations will achieve net-zero carbon emissions and be 100% supported by renewable energy this year,' the company noted in a press release. Facebook has guided more than 2 billion people to information from health authorities so far, during the pandemic, the company said. Initially, the center is launching in France, Germany, the UK and US. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. Around 40 lakh people have been kept under surveillance as a part of the contact-tracing efforts in the country and 5.4 crore samples were tested for coronavirus till September 10, Union minister Ashwini Choubey told the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday. IMAGE: COVID-19 patients at Commonwealth Games Village -- constructed as a living area for athletes participating in the 2010 Commonwealth Games -- converted into a Covid care centre in New Delhi . Photograph: ANI Photo The minister of state for health said there were 15,290 COVID-treatment facilities with 13,14,171 dedicated isolation beds till September 10. There are also 2,31,269 oxygen-supported isolation beds and 62,694 ICU beds (including 32,241 ventilator beds). Guidelines on clinical management of COVID-19 have been issued and are being updated regularly. States are being supported in terms of supply of logistics, Choubey said. So far, 1.39-crore PPE kits, 3.42-crore N-95 masks, 10.84-crore hydroxychloroquine tablets, 29,779 ventilators and 1,02,400 oxygen cylinders have been supplied to state and central government hospitals till September 10, according to the minister. More than 30 vaccine candidates have been supported and they are in different stages of development. Three candidates are in advanced stage of Phase I, II and III trials, and more than four are in advanced pre-clinical development stage, Choubey said. A national expert group on vaccine administration for COVID-19 has been constituted on August 7 under the NITI Aayog. Thirteen clinical trials of repurposed drugs have been undertaken to build a portfolio of therapeutic options for coronavirus patients, he said. "The government of India has taken a series of actions to prevent, control and mitigate the impact of COVID-19. India followed a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach," Choubey said. The prime minister, a high-level group of ministers (GoM), cabinet secretary, committee of secretaries and health ministry officials continue to monitor the public health response to COVID-19 in the country, he said. "The public health actions were taken in a pre-emptive, pro-active, graded manner based on the evolving scenario," the minister said. Choubey pointed out that a number of travel advisories were issued to restrict the inflow of international travellers before commercial flights were suspended on March 23. Till then, a total of 14,154 flights with 15,24,266 passengers have been screened at airports. Screening was also done at 12 major and 65 minor ports and land border crossings, according to Choubey. "In the initial part of the pandemic, India evacuated a large number of stranded passengers from then COVID-affected countries (China, Italy, Iran, Japan, Malaysia) and again in the un-lockdown phase, a total of 12,43,176 passengers have been brought back (as on September 9) and followed up," he said. The Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme is conducting contact tracing through community surveillance. In the earlier part of the pandemic, this was done for travel-related cases and subsequently for cases being reported from community as a part of containment strategy. "As on September 10, a total of about 40 lakh persons have been kept under surveillance. There are 1,697 laboratories conducting COVID-19 testing," he said. "India is testing is about 1 million samples a day. A total of 5.4 crore samples have been tested so far (as on 10th September)." The number of people under treatment for COVID-19 includes 1,14,984 in Maharashtra, 54,064 in Karnataka, 32,972 in Tamil Nadu, 24,593 in Uttar Pradesh and 5,066 in Delhi (till Sep 11), 36,217 in Andhra Pradesh (till Sep 10), according to Choubey. The country saw 33,406 cases of coronavirus and 1,109 fatalities in April, while it registered 1,995,178 cases and 28,777 deaths in August, the minister added. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-15 19:30:45|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close KIGALI, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Remains of at least 791 victims of the 1994 Rwandan genocide against Tutsi have been exhumed from the shores of Lake Mugesera in eastern Rwanda since the search started in January, said Rwanda's umbrella organization of genocide survivors associations, IBUKA, on Tuesday. The remains were discovered in Rukumbeli Sector, Ngoma District, following a tip-off from a child who tended goats on the lake shores and spotted human remains including bones and skulls, Ngoma district president of IBUKA Jean-Pierre Musafiri told Xinhua in a telephone interview. "We intensified the search from August 26 and thereafter have recovered at least 547 remains of the genocide victims. The daily search continues until the whole area is combed for human remains," said Musafiri. According to him, recovering the remains of the genocide victims is a great relief to survivors, most especially those who didn't know the whereabouts of their loved ones or didn't give the victims a decent burial. More than 40,000 Tutsis killed during the 100-day genocide, which claimed over one million lives, mainly ethnic Tutsis, have been laid to rest at the Rukumbeli genocide memorial site, according to Musafiri. He appealed to all Rwandans with information that could help in identifying undisclosed mass graves of the genocide victims to come forward. Remains of the 1994 Rwandan genocide are still being discovered in many parts of Rwanda. In the 2018-2019 fiscal year, the remains of 118,049 genocide victims were discovered in 17 districts countrywide, according to the National Commission for the Fight against Genocide. Last year the commission said the Rwandan government is considering the use of ground-penetrating radar to locate mass graves for the remains of the victims in order to give them a decent burial. Enditem VICTORIA - The looming prospect of a second wave of COVID-19 this fall has governments cautiously monitoring daily infection rates as economies restart and students return to school. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 15/9/2020 (493 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry answers questions during a press conference to update on the province's fall pandemic preparedness plan from the press theatre at Legislature in Victoria, Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2020. The looming prospect of a second wave of COVID-19 this fall has governments cautiously monitoring daily infection rates as economies restart and students return to school. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito VICTORIA - The looming prospect of a second wave of COVID-19 this fall has governments cautiously monitoring daily infection rates as economies restart and students return to school. A widespread return of economic and social restrictions that closed businesses and schools and cancelled public events in March is not the preferred option, but there may be no choice, say politicians and health officials. "The last thing that anyone wants is to have to once again shut down our economies and suspend our lives to try and counter a massive second wave," Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said last week. He stressed public vigilance to fight the pandemic, frequent hand washing, mask wearing and physical distancing, because "as we're seeing with cases rising across the country, we are not out of the woods." Winnipeg epidemiologist Cynthia Carr said Canadians should brace for more restrictions and shutdowns if COVID-19 cases continue to rise, even without the arrival of a second wave. "There could still be a large increase in cases related to behaviour and that gives government opportunity to go, 'OK, what are we going to change now to get the transmission back under control?'" she said. "That's where government will need to focus." British Columbia ordered the immediate closure of nightclubs and banquet halls last week after daily COVID-19 case numbers were consistently above 100, with many infections traced to young people out socializing at events where alcohol was served. Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry also ordered bars, pubs, lounges and restaurants to cut off alcohol sales at 10 p.m. and close by 11 p.m., unless serving only food. Henry said she took "draconian" measures in March to slow infections, and closing nightclubs and halls is a necessary step now. "I think we need to all start rethinking about what we need to do to get us through the next few months as a community together, and these are some of the things that we'll need to put aside for now," she said at a news conference. Last week in Quebec, the government said police can hand out tickets ranging between $400 and $6,000 to those who don't have a face covering in indoor public spaces or on public transit. The province also announced several measures in addition to the fines, including the banning of karaoke and obliging bars to keep registers of clients as infection numbers rise. Carr said other public health officials will look at increasing restrictions to limit COVID-19 transmission. "The more opportunity you give the virus to spread again, the more it will take that opportunity," she said. Carr, a private consultant who advises governments and communities on health policy, said the arrival of a second wave of COVID-19 will cause widespread fear because it signals the virus has changed its behaviour. "That's where the scariest parts are," she said. "If the virus starts to mutate and become different and impact, for example, much younger people significantly." But Carr said increasing restrictions are inevitable in a second wave or uptick in COVID-19 cases. Jen Zoratti | Next A weekly look towards a post-pandemic future delivered to your inbox every Wednesday. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Economics professor James Brander said politicians and health officials should carefully weigh the impact of imposing more restrictions or shutdowns on the economy in the event of a second wave or increasing infection rates. "What you want is the low hanging fruit," said the public policy expert at the University of British Columbia's Sauder School of Business. Governments were too harsh on the economy in March and with hindsight should now consider more targeted restriction options, including shutting down bars, preventing large gatherings and requiring more aggressive mask-wearing policies, Brander said. Carr said pandemic control involves juggling three areas: health, the economy and social well-being. "The best decision is typically related back to controlling as much as possible the transmission so that economies can get back to thriving and that people can maintain social well-being." This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 15, 2020. The Quarrymen, the Silver Beetles, wait, no, what about the Beatals? Naming the band is a tricky business. It took John, Paul, George and Ringo a few false starts before they landed it. In the end it didnt matter. Their sound is instantly recognisable. Naming the band or, in this case, the land has become a strange diversion for the NSW government. Amid a global recession, it is running a competition to name a patch of land near the coming airport in western Sydney. Premier Gladys Berejiklian (left) and Prime Minister Scott Morrison (second from right) at the site of the new Western Sydney International Airport. Credit:Kate Geraghty "Be part of history," goes the website pitch, "by suggesting a name for the first stage of the Western Sydney Aerotropolis Core." But "history" might just be the problem. In the period between European settlement at Port Jackson in 1788 and 1800, 60 different Aboriginal place names for locations around the harbour were entered into First Fleet records. Comparatively few were retained, with approximations such as Bondi, Woollahra and Woolloomooloo among the exceptions. President Akufo-Addo has called for peace and a further end to Mali's political crisis urging ECOWAS member states to help resolve the instability. This came to light when President Akufo-Addo and seven other ECOWAS leaders are met at the Peduase Lodge today, September 15, 2020, to find a lasting solution to the political crisis in Mali. The leaders from Togo, Nigeria, Benin, Niger, Senegal, Ivory Coast, Guinea, and Ghana are optimistic the political situation in Mali will stabilize. The Chairman of ECOWAS, President Akufo-Addo in his opening remarks said peace in Mali will be beneficial to all West African countries. According to him, terrorists are taking advantage of the situation to cause further damage to the country. My reason for this meeting is simple. We need to bring finality to our deliberations of Mali because that country can longer afford any delay in putting a responsible government in place following the events of 18th August when our college His Excellency Ibrahim Abubakar Keita was an object of a coup in his country. Terrorists are taking advantage of the situation to flex their muscles even more. Today is supposed to be the day that the military junta in Mali is to put in a place a government that responds to the criteria we set out at our last summit on August 28, 2020. That has not been done. President Akufo-Addo added that he believes todays meeting will help ECOWAS find a lasting solution to the problem in that country. The circumstances of life in Mali require that that closure be brought to the matter now and it is my belief that the face to face meeting between us representing the ECOWAS community and the military leaders in Bamako affords us with the best opportunity to find a firm resolution. Fortunately, the military leaders have also responded positively to my invitation and are here to meet with us. I felt its prudent for us before meeting them to concent amongst ourselves and agree on a common position. Background A military coup in Mali last month ousted former President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita over what the coup makers say economic hardship. Mali witnessed a series of protests which eventually led to the removal of its President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita on August 18, 2020, by a military junta. The former President faced allegations of corruption and poor management of the economy. ---CitiNewsRoom Prosecutors from Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors Office raids Ministry of Defense inspector-general office as well as its computing information arm and civil affairs office, Tuesday. Yonhap The Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors Office handling the case dispatched investigators to the ministry's inspector-general office as well as its computing information arm and civil affairs office in search of related materials. A related raid of the Army's information system management arm at the Gyeryongdae military headquarters in the central city of Gyeryong was also launched earlier in the day. Prosecutors refused to provide details of the raid, but they are believed to be trying to collect records from the ministry's main computer servers. According to government sources, the servers retain recordings of all outside calls to its civil affairs office made since 2015, possibly including those related to the power abuse allegations. Choo is suspected of having used her influence as the then-chairwoman of the ruling Democratic Party to get an extended 23-day leave for her son after his knee surgery. The 27-year-old son, surnamed Seo, was given four extra vacation days at the end of his 19-day medical leave while he served in the Korean Augmentation to the United States Army (KATUSA) for the 2nd Infantry Division of the U.S. Eighth Army. Choo's side allegedly made calls to the military to get Seo's first 10-day medical leave extended by nine more days. The extension was approved over the phone and Seo submitted his medical records to back up the extended medical leave only later, without having to return to the base. Prosecutors questioned the son and the former aide to the justice minister who is suspected of having inquired by phone over the weekend about the possibility of extending the leave. The former aide stated during the questioning that he called the military unit at the request of Choo's son, according to media reports. He also reportedly said he had at least three phone conversations with military officials in relation with the medical leave extension, but they were simply for inquiries, not a request. After securing the related data, prosecutors are expected to proceed by identifying the alleged callers and determining whether the calls, if any, constituted a request for special favors for Seo. Portraying this as preferential treatment that is not allowed for other conscripts, opposition lawmakers have mounted a firestorm of criticism against Choo and called for her resignation. In addition to the extended leave, Choo's family is suspected of making special requests to get Seo assigned to the Yongsan Garrison in central Seoul, not in Uijeongbu, north of the capital, where he did his service. The family also allegedly pushed to have him selected as an interpreter for the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Games. (Yonhap) The battle of the budget is an annual rite of Americas military spending that is rarely resolved on time. This year, as in nine of the 10 past years, the Pentagon is likely to start its fiscal year on Oct. 1 under a continuing resolution basically a stopgap measure that keeps funding at roughly existing levels. With about $740 billion in play, the stakes are huge and the competing interests commensurate. Congress ought to ensure that one relative drop in that ocean does not get swept away: Stars and Stripes. For all the wrong reasons, the venerable daily newspaper of Americas military service members was dropped from the Pentagons budget request this year, and the Department of Defense told the paper to prepare to close down at the end of September. Democratic and Republican senators pushed back, and then President Trump under assault over reports that he had disparaged fallen and wounded service members declared in a tweet that funds to the paper would not be cut under my watch and that It will continue to be a wonderful source of information to our Great Military! Soon after, a Pentagon spokesman announced that the decision to close the paper had been reversed. That should be the end of the matter. But a hybrid outfit like Stars and Stripes a Department of Defense organization partly funded by the military and a newspaper authorized by Congress to be independent of the military command does not qualify for continuous funding in a continuing resolution. Congress must do that. MARIGOT:--- Prefet Delegue Sylvie Feucher has decided to maintain the controls of the border between St. Maarten and St. Martin for the next two weeks as requested by the ARS. Feucher said that she is hopeful that she can really remove the controls in the next 15 days (October 1st) so long as the cases of COVID-19 decreases. She said two weeks more is needed to really monitor the active cases of COVID-19. At the moment there are 117 active cases on French Saint Martin. Feucher said that she cannot interfere with the decisions taken by the ARS, she explained that the director of the ARS Valerie Denux was on the island on Monday and a meeting was held at the COM with and herself as the State representative where the health situation regarding COVID-19 was discussed. Feucher explained that she is hopeful that an agreement can be signed between the Dutch and French sides prior to removing the checkpoints in Bellevue and Belle Plaine. She said the idea is to get one command center in a place where testing for COVID-19 will take place. Another concern for the Prefet Delegue is the length of time the PCR tests take before results are made available. Her desire is to get a rapid test that is effective enough to give results in 30 minutes until the results of the PCR tests become available. In light of the extension of the border controls the Soualiga United Movement and other groups are planning a major shutdown on the French side in order to have the border controls removed and free movement of people between Saint-Martin and St. Maarten. The various groups have been making their intentions known through social media, and a press release that states if the Prefet Delegue decides that she will extend the closure of the symbolic borders for an indefinite period, in defiance of the spirit of the Treaty of Concordia which has guaranteed for 372 years the free movement of people and goods on the island. This method is autocratic crisis management that has failed miserably and has proven disastrous for the country and the well-being of its people. Indeed, the number of COVID-19 infections has increased and the economic slump continues to gain ground. This observation, the Prefet seems to deliberately want to ignore the social, cultural, economic reality of St Martin, it is imperative to remember that the two parts of the island form a community of destiny. The false pretext of protecting the population put forward by the Prefet is totally unfounded and was recently criticized by a group of doctors. In addition, France, a country of human rights, prohibits access to education for children in St Martin, by setting up checkpoints. For all these reasons, the population of Saint-Martin (North and South) demands The immediate opening of borders, the dismantling of checkpoints, and the free movement of people and goods; - Official recognition by the French Republic and Holland of the unity of the people of St Martin and respect for their common historical and cultural heritage, - The establishment of a collaborative approach (North and South) for the management of current and future crises. - Strengthening the application of health measures across the country in order to curb the upsurge in cases of coronavirus contamination, - The establishment of a real awareness and prevention campaign around the coronavirus in all the districts of St Martin, in the languages spoken in St Martin. To demand respect for unity and community of destiny, we invite you to join the movement from Wednesday, September 16, 2020. " The Texas State Teachers Association on Monday asserted that schools statewide are not fully adhering to COVID-19 safety guidance, including Gov. Greg Abbotts mask mandate and social distancing rules. In the two weeks since most schools began welcoming students, more than 650 of the groups members from 135 districts reported issues ranging from difficulties with ventilation systems to inadequate supplies for protecting themselves and their classes from the coronavirus. The association said the findings, collected through an online survey, reinforce earlier concerns that teachers, students and other school employees may not yet be safe in the classroom. The most-noted violation, the association says, is a lack of accommodations for employees who are most vulnerable to contracting the avirus or have high-risk family members at home. The state can issue all the safety guidelines and protocols it wants, but if they are not enforced, they arent worth much, association President Ovidia Molina said in a release. In some cases, inadequate funding may be an issue, particularly relating to the deficiencies in physical facilities. TEXAS TAKE: Get political headlines from across the state sent directly to your inbox Survey results were collected from school districts across Texas. In the Houston area, Cypress-Fairbanks and Alief ISDs had the most reported violations, with 210 and 96, respectively. A single respondent could check off multiple violations. Cypress-Fairbanks spokeswoman Leslie Francis said the district the largest in Texas to reopen, with 8,000 teachers and 53,000 students choosing to return to campus Sept. 8 has implemented multiple safety protocols, including one-way hallways and stairs, frequent sanitization of surfaces, a face mask mandate and desk/table shields for students and teachers. Principals have reported that on-campus students and staff are taking health and safety precautions very seriously, and any concerns or violations should be immediately discussed with a supervisor, Francis said in an email. Alief spokesman Craig Eichhorn noted that no teachers are currently working in classrooms in the district, with all operations conducted remotely as the school prepares to return to in-person instruction next month. In that district, the most-reported violation noted 15 times was insufficient accommodations for high-risk employees. There are safety measures in place, including mandatory mask usage by both students and staff, campus-provided personal protective equipment, hand sanitizing stations, social distancing, Plexiglass, quarantine rooms for ill students or staff, in addition to others for when teachers do return to campus to provide instruction, Eichhorn said in an email. In the San Antonio area, teachers in North East and Harlandale ISDs reported the most violations, with 72 and 66, respectively. Most concerned inadequate ventilation and access to protective equipment, including masks. Harlandale spokeswoman Mariana Veraza said the district has implemented and will continue to follow COVID-19 safety guidance as schools begin in-person instruction Sept. 21. We have adequate equipment to ensure a safe environment for student learning, she said in an email. North East did not respond to a request for comment. Teachers association spokesman Clay Robison said school districts should take the first step to enforce the safety recommendations but that since many districts are failing, the governor and the Texas Education Agency should step in and require districts to enforce them. He also encouraged parents to voice concerns to their elected school boards. Other violations noted in the survey include inadequate access to sanitation supplies, a lack of quarantine space, poor sick leave policies and insufficient availability of virtual learning resources. The state of Texas has been in too big a hurry to reopen school buildings, association president Molina said. Texas isnt back to normal yet, and no amount of premature school openings is going to change that. We hope we havent prolonged the day when we can think about being normal again. Advocates for school opening have touted the perks of face-to-face instruction over distance learning, a point that is overwhelmingly supported by parents and teachers. In-person schooling also offers child care for households with working parents, they note, benefiting the working class and helping to kick-start a hurting economy. Dax Gonzalez, the division director of governmental relations for the Texas Association of School Boards, said districts are doing their best to comply with safety guidance even as they have received changing and, at times, conflicting instruction from local, state and federal authorities. The back-to-school rollout may have hiccups, he said, and like anything else at a school, you cant be on every kid every minute of the day. The teachers association survey could serve as an impetus for further conversations among administrators, faculty, parents and other stakeholders about classroom safety, he said. We need to continue working together to identify these issues to make sure that were enforcing it correctly, were keeping everyone safe, Gonzalez said. Thats the main goal here. cayla.harris@express-news.net A man wearing a mask walks past street art in South Melbourne, Australia on September 14, 2020 in Melbourne.(Daniel Pockett/Getty Images) Victoria Records First Day of Zero Virus Deaths Since July Victoria has enjoyed its first day without a COVID-19 death since July 13. The state also had 42 new cases. The good news leaves Victorias toll at 729 and the national figure on 816. There should be more good news this week, with regional Victorian restrictions set to ease. The 14-day new case average for Melbourne has dropped to 52.9 and it is 3.6 for regional Victoria. Premier Daniel Andrews has flagged regional Victoria may move to the third step of its roadmap plan as early as this week. That step, allowing people to leave their homes without restrictions and hospitality businesses to reopen, is triggered if its 14-day average remains below five and no mystery cases are recorded. There wont be a lot of notice, Andrews told reporters on September 14. That is preferable in making people wait for another week or so. Hopefully we can have very good news for regional Victoria tomorrow. It came as the Victorian government unveiled a multi-million dollar package to transform footpaths and streets into open-air dining areas after lockdown. The $290 million package includes $100 million for sole traders who will remain closed or heavily restricted as the state begins to reopen. Another $100 million will go towards a Melbourne City Recovery Fund to help small to medium businesses set up outdoors, fund COVID-safe events and cultural activities and make physical improvements to the city streetscape. Under the state governments plan, Melbournes bars, cafes and restaurants can open for outdoor dining from October 26. It follows a $3 billion suite of business cash grants, payroll tax deferrals and fee waivers announced on Sunday. Melbourne will move to its next step of reopening on September 28 if the 14-day average falls to 30-50. It is currently at 54.4. The city took its first tentative steps out of lockdown on Monday, with those living alone or single parents allowed to have one visitor, outdoor exercise extended to two hours and curfews start time extended an hour to 9 pm. Britons seeking a coronavirus swab in Twickenham have been told to pretend they're from Aberdeen in order to jump the queue - amid growing anger over the Government's testing 'shambles'. Health Secretary Matt Hancock has urged the public to not 'game the system' by changing their postcodes when requesting a test. But a glitch, revealed by staff, meant that entering a postcode 400 miles away would help Britons book a spot in Twickenham stadium - while those who entered their real addresses were told to travel to sites much farther away. Mr Hancock has told the House of Commons there are 'operational challenges' with testing which the Government is 'working hard' to fix. Liberal Democrat Munira Wilson said she has been 'inundated' with emails from doctors, teachers and parents unable to access tests in Twickenham. She said: 'A number of them have also been advised that if they put an Aberdeen postcode into the system, they can get a test in Twickenham and they have succeeded. 'So could the Secretary of State please tell me how on earth a world-beating test and trace system is functioning in this way, and what is he doing to fix it? 'And in the meantime, does he recommend that I tell those constituents who desperately need a test to game the system in this way?' NHS swab testing centre at Twickenham and Chessington in Surrey People queue for a coronavirus test outside a community centre following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease in Bury, September 15 Mr Hancock replied 'no' and said MPs should tell their constituents that tests are 'available in large numbers', adding: 'People should take this seriously and not game the system.' Coronavirus testing infrastructure is being besieged by the worried well, with large queues building outside centres in England. Long lines were pictured at sites in Southend, Bury, Birmingham and Manchester today as Health Secretary Matt Hancock faced questions over the system - which has left doctors, nurses, care home residents and teachers all unable to get checked. Internal test and trace research by the Department for Health estimates that roughly 25 per cent of all those booking a test do not meet the requirements to do so. A test centre has been set up in a car park at Manchester City's Etihad stadium with cars driving in every few minutes. A woman uses an umbrella to shelter from the sun as she waits for a coronavirus test outside a community centre in Bury, Britain, September 15 Mother-of-two Melissa Wood, 41, said: 'My partner thinks he's got it so I thought I'd better get one. 'I think too many people are having a test when they don't need one.' Businessman Mark Bowen, 43, booked one days ago as a workmate had symptoms. WHO CAN GET A CORONAVIRUS TEST? Anyone can get a coronavirus test, whatever their age, but the Government insists only those with symptoms should apply for them. Symptoms include: a fever, a new continuous cough, or a loss of smell or taste. Care home staff and residents should now be getting tests regularly, whether they show symptoms or not. Some hospital staff get tested routinely, but this is not explicitly recommended by national guidelines. If you don't have symptoms, The government says those without symptoms should not apply for a test - unless they live in an area under local lockdown. Those prioritised for testing in England include all NHS social care staff, such as doctors, nurses, midwives, paramedics, social workers, care workers, and other frontline health and social care staff, including community pharmacists and their staff, volunteers and unpaid carers. Staff at essential public services staff, including those working for prisons, probation, courts, charities, and religious staff are also prioritised. Those working in public safety and national security sectors, such as police and Ministry of Defence civilians, contractors and armed forces personnel are listed by the Government as priorities as well. Employers can refer essential workers for testing if they are self-isolating because either they or member(s) of their household have coronavirus symptoms. In England, all registered adult care homes can apply for coronavirus tests. Advertisement 'My wife tried to book one yesterday and she was offered a test in Belfast,' he said. 'She's hardly going to nip on a plane or ferry to get a test. 'It's a joke. The government needs to get a grip before we have a second wave ' One plumber, who had a test in Bolton, said: 'I've tried to get a test for days. 'At first the only place they offered me was Doncaster which is miles away. 'But I managed to get one here. 'A lot of people have given up trying to get one in Bolton as they know everywhere booked up as we're a hotspot. 'It's a shambles.' Key workers have revealed their frustration at being turned away from London's only walk-in coronavirus testing centre. A primary school worker and a construction engineer said they could not understand why they could not undergo the five-minute examination at the East London Covid-19 testing centre. And parents revealed how they had been offered a test 175-miles away from their London home in Bolton, while living just minutes away from the walk-in clinic in East Ham. Primary school counsellor Melanie Bailey revealed that she had been forced stop work and keep her son off school after he developed a number of covid symptoms. Ms Bailey, 49, from East Ham, told MailOnline: 'My son Adam has covid symptoms and I just want to get a test so I know I need to do. 'He's had an upset stomach, aching limbs, a sore throat and he has started to develop a cough. 'I can't go to work if he has covid as I could take it into the school. Adam can't go to school if he has covid as he will infect others. 'But I can't get a test to find out if he has it or not. 'I've been on the government website countless times but it just says there are 'no test sites available'. 'I took him to the hospital and they gave me a letter saying that Adam had to have a test. 'But they won't let us in. 'It's completely wrong because there is no one in there. The place is empty.' Parents Steph Le Couteur and Ephraim Mwakandu told how they were offered a test for their two-year-old daughter Aurelia 175 miles away in Bolton, despite living just around the corner from the East Ham walk-in test centre. People queue up to be let in to a walk-through test centre in Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham. Birmingham and nearby Solihull are among the latest places to be put under local lockdown rules Internal test and trace research by the Department for Health estimates that roughly 25 per cent of all those booking a test do not meet the requirements to do so 02 Arena in south east London being used as a Covid-19 test centre Steph, 33, told MailOnline: 'Our daughter has a cough and they won't accept her at nursery unless she has a test to prove she does not have covid. 'We've been trying to get a test for days. I don't know how many times I've been on the government website. 'I did get accepted at one test centre but it was in Bolton that's ridiculous. We only live around the corner from this test centre in East Ham. 'We can't work or visit friends and relatives until we are sure that Aurelia does not have the virus. 'It would take five minutes to find out but they won't let us. But there's no one there!' Construction engineer Paul Campbell told how of his frustration at having to take time off work as he cannot get a test. The 33-year-old from Romford, Essex, told MailOnline: 'I've got a mild cough. It's not terrible and I don't feel too bad but I want to the right thing and not spread the disease. 'But I can't get a test to find out if I have it or not. 'I've tried the website so many times but I can't get an appointment. I finally got through on the phone they said you can only book a test on the government website. A long queue outside a testing site in Gorton, Manchester 'It's completely wrong. There's no one at the testing centre. They're not doing anything.' Patients who believe they have coronavirus symptoms can only get a Covid-19 test by requesting an appointment at a government testing centre. Applicants must register their details, including their address, and are then supposed to be offered appointment times at testing centre nearby. However the government website is not working and no appointments are available. A message reads: 'This service is currently very busy. 'More tests should be available later. 'If you cannot book an appointment now, or the location or time are not convenient, try again in a few hours.' It continues: 'Do not call the helpline you will not be able to get a test this way.' TUCSON, Ariz., Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- What was once a beautiful forest in the Pacific Northwest is now smoke already reaching as far as New York. Some towns in Oregon have been completely destroyed. And fiery political darts are being hurled, notes Doctors for Disaster Preparedness (DDP). For example, Joe Biden has called President Trump a "climate arsonist" and claims that having a "climate denier" in the White House would set more of America ablaze. Trump blames decades of poor forest management. The history of wildfires in geologic as well as recent time was examined at the 38th annual meeting of DDP in Las Vegas on Aug 15 by independent scientist Willie Soon. Many factors influence the frequency and intensity of wildfires. These include solar variations and earth-sun orbital variation, extraterrestrial impacts such as meteorites, lightning, animal grazing, and climate (temperature and rainfall). Human-related factors include soil condition, land use, controlled burning, and arson. A review of the geologic record reveals that bushfires were less intense in Australia during warming events. Its most intense recent fire season was in 1974/75, which was six times worse than 2019/20. In the U.S., fires have been worsening since 1960, as James Hansen pointed out, but acreage burned in 2017 was only one-fifth of the record set in 1930. A key factor in recent fires is fuel loading, as environmental rules prevent clearing underbrush, as also explained in DDP's Climate Change IQ project. In his lecture, now available online, Soon explored methods of predicting future wildfire frequency, as well as examining evidence of remote fire events. He presented examples of faked sensationalized photographs and distorted scientific data being used to promote the political "climate change" agenda. "You can do something about fuel and arsonists," Soon concluded. "You can't do anything about the weather. If you cut CO2 emissions to zero, the year 2050 MIGHT be 0.05 degrees Celsius cooler." Contact: Jane M. Orient, M.D., (520) 323-3110, [email protected] SOURCE Doctors for Disaster Preparedness One of Britain's biggest online travel agents has ditched its Association of British Travel Agents membership over the association's refund policy. On the Beach resigned its membership after ABTA put its foot down and reiterated its policy that members must offer full refunds if the Foreign and Commonwealth Office advises against all but essential travel. An On the Beach spokesperson said: 'The travel industry is facing unprecedented challenges, and changes are inevitable as businesses and trade organisations adapt. 'OTB has been an ABTA member since 2004, however the current circumstances have presented difficult decisions, and different legal interpretations on complex matters.' Refund rules: On the Beach has refused to offer refunds to Spanish holidaymakers who didn't travel to Spain after the UK government advised them not to It said that as of last week, OTB and its subsidiary Sunshine.co.uk have informed ABTA that they will resign their memberships. Rory Boland, editor of Which? Travel slammed OTB for its stance on refunds and cautioned travellers about booking with operators refusing refunds. He said: 'Travel operators are facing a serious financial crisis but they are also facing a crisis of trust - and OTB's actions will only further diminish confidence that it's possible to book a holiday without the risk of losing your money. 'Anyone who has their hotel cancelled as part of a package holiday is due a refund for the full cost of the holiday under the Package Travel Regulations, but holidaymakers who decide not to travel because of government advice might struggle to get their money back. 'We would currently advise anyone against booking a holiday with any travel operator refusing to allow customers refunds in these circumstances and encourage people struggling to get a refund not to take no for an answer. 'If enough customers join us in telling On the Beach that its approach is unacceptable, the company may be forced to reconsider and pay up to those who are owed money.' We would currently advise anyone against booking a holiday with any travel operator refusing to allow customers refunds in these circumstances and encourage people struggling to get a refund not to take no for an answer. Rory Boland, Editor of Which? Travel Rory Boland, Editor of Which? Travel The OTB spokesperson added that both Sunshine.co.uk and OTB travellers will still be financially protected by the ATOL scheme and OTB's ring-fenced trust account. In a trading update in April, OTB said: 'OTB is also the only listed UK travel business that operates a fully ringfenced customer trust account in which customer funds are held until the point of travel. 'Therefore the Group, unlike the majority of online travel agents, tour operators and airlines, does not rely on cash received for forward bookings to trade. 'Monies that have been received for holidays that are cancelled by a closure of airspace can be repaid to customers in cash with limited impact on the Group's working capital.' An OTB spokesperson further explained: 'For non-flight bookings, we have replaced ABTA protection with an insurance policy arranged by International Passenger Protection Limited. What is the difference between ATOL and ABTA? ATOL is the UK's financial protection scheme cover for all flight inclusive package holidays. An On the Beach (OTB) spokesperson said: 'The ATOL protection scheme offers financial protection and peace of mind when you need it most, which is why it's such a priority here at OTB.' Meanwhile, ABTA is a travel trade association. Membership is not compulsory for those in the travel industry so travel agents are freely allowed to resign their memberships at will. An OTB spokesperson explains: 'They have established their own specific code of conduct and guidelines, however they are not a regulator. 'Membership is optional, and many well-known businesses in the travel industry are not members of ABTA.' 'IPP is the worldwide market leader in providing financial failure products to the travel industry. 'The policy offers the same level of cover as the ABTA protection.' Last month, it was reported that OTB refused to offer refunds to holidaymakers due to head to Spain a refund after FCO advice changed and advised against travel. One travel insider said OTB's hand could've been forced by airlines such as Ryanair, which doesn't offer refunds if flights are still operational. Ryanair says on its website: 'Once a Ryanair flight is operational, and does not have a delay exceeding two hours, then it is not possible to get a refund. All Ryanair flights are changeable but they cannot be cancelled.' An OTB spokesperson explained: 'It's [ABTA's] cancellation and refund guidance no longer reflects the current Covid-19 environment that we and other travel businesses are operating in.' Commenting on OTB's resignation as a member, an ABTA spokesperson said: 'We are sorry that OTB has resigned as a Member of ABTA following ongoing discussions about refunds due to customers when the Foreign Office advice changes to advise against all, or all but essential travel to a destination. 'We recognise that the widespread imposition of advisories against travel places many ABTA members under enormous pressure regarding refunds. 'But ABTA has consistently maintained that the underlying obligation to refund remains, as has been the longstanding practice of the travel industry, and this has not changed as a result of Covid-19. ABTA believes this is important to ensure consumer confidence in the package holiday market.' Back in May, OTB raised 67million by issuing equity worth about 20 per cent of its share capital to strengthen its balance sheet to cope with the Covid-19 impact. The news of its ABTA membership resignation comes after it's been reported that many furious OTB customers are taking the package holiday website to small claims court over its refusal to fully refund trips. Boland added: 'This situation has partly been brought about by airlines continuing to refuse refunds regardless of FCO advice. 'Which? has called on the government to offer support to holiday operators or airlines struggling due to the coronavirus pandemic - but this support should only be available to companies that are prepared to do the right thing and pay refunds to customers who can not travel due to government advice.' The Competition and Markets Authority has also launched an investigation over its refusal to offer refunds to it and ABTA. In July the CMA wrote to package travel firms to warn them about misleading customers and delaying refunds. This month ABTA conducted a survey among its members which found that 39,000 jobs have already been lost or placed at risk across the outbound travel sector since the Covid-19 crisis started. This figure jumps up to 90,000 people affected when supply chains to the travel sector are factored in. On the Beach shares are up nearly 3 per cent today to 286.5p. The local arm of Japanese automotive brand Mitsubishi has just delivered the first Outlander PHEV, its flagship Plug-in Hybrid SUV, to its owner. Following the car's official introduction last September 5, Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corporation (MMPC) officially handed the keys of the first Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV to Mitsubishi Corporation (MC) Manila Branch General Keiichi Matsunaga, to be used as an official company vehicle. A global integrated business enterprise, MC is a 20-percent shareholder of Mitsubishi Motors Corporation. MC develops and operates its business along with its offices and subsidiaries in around 90 countries and regions worldwide, as well as a global network of around 1,700 group of companies. outlander phev MMPC President and CEO Mutsuhiro Oshikiri expressed confidence on the collaboration between the companies. With the initial transaction of Outlander PHEV to Mitsubishi Corporation (MC), MMPC is excited to jumpstart a collaboration between the two companies that is geared to promote environment friendly and self-sustaining technology. As announced in January, we plan to integrate Vehicle to Home (V2H)1 showcase facilities to some of our pilot dealers. We hope that in the future, we can also collaborate with MC to accelerate introduction of renewable and self-sustaining power supply system to MMPC, Oshikiri said. Earlier, MMPC said that it will release the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV via Peak Motors Philippines Inc. (PMPI) dealership branch in Manila Bay, which will also be the first premier Mitsubishi dealer that will install a Vehicle to Home (V2H) showcase facility. The Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV has a price tag of P2.998 million. Early next year, the Mitsubishi Outlander will also be sold by Fast Autoworld Philippines Corporation, SFM Sales Corporation, Motor Plaza Incorporated and Mindanao Integrated Commercial Enterprises Incorporated. Since its inception in 2013, the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV has expanded its footprint in more than 60 countries globally, selling more than 260,000 units as of last month. Story continues Photo/s from Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Inc. Also read: Mitsubishi to Introduce Outlander PHEV Yearend This Year Expect the Next-Gen Mitsubishi Outlander to Get Bigger Mitsubishi PH Gives Outlander PHEVs, i-MiEVs to Department of Science and Technology Any additional coronavirus relief from Congress should focus primarily on giving money directly to Americans, venture capitalist Chamath Palihapitiya told CNBC on Tuesday. "We know this economy is always consumer led. It's consumption that drives growth in the United States. It drives jobs and capital allocation and the more money in individuals' hands the better they can be to support businesses, buy different products," the founder and CEO of investment firm Social Capital said on "Squawk Box." "That's how we grow ourselves out." Consumer spending accounts for about two-thirds of U.S. economic activity. While lawmakers in Washington and the White House remain deadlocked on stimulus negotiations, Palihapitiya said he believes there is pain in the U.S. economy that needs to be addressed as it climbs out of a coronavirus pandemic-induced recession. "Unlike other recessions, where you don't know where the bottom was, this recession was actually pretty easy ... the bottom was the first few months because literally everything was shutdown so we went to zero," said Palihapitiya, who was an early Facebook executive. "Now we're in the slow grind back to normalcy, but the reality is the economy is not in a great place." However, it would be a mistake for Congress to provide additional aid directly to businesses, according to Palihapitiya. He previously has been critical of some provisions of the $2.2 trillion CARES Act, which was approved in late March, as well as the Federal Reserve's extraordinary monetary response. In early April, he said the government's response was benefiting billionaires and hedge funds at the expense of most Americans. As part of earlier relief efforts, there was a round of direct payments to Americans and a $600-per-week federal boost to state unemployment insurance. The jobless enhancement benefit expired in July. President Donald Trump signed an executive order last month, offering a partial alternative. "The first phase of stimulus was, you know quite honestly, wasted. A lot of this money got sent to companies. Those companies didn't allocate it properly," Palihapitiya said Tuesday. "They still ended up laying off tens, if not hundreds of thousands of employees, just literally the day after the stimulus said that they could. The money wasn't functionally useful." Some major U.S. airlines have said they could furlough or lay off thousands of employees perhaps as soon as next month, after $25 billion in Covid-19 aid for the industry designed to protects aviation jobs expires. The carriers and members of Congress alike have pushed for additional support to preserve industry jobs through next March, but lawmakers have so far failed to reach a deal for the new coronavirus stimulus package that could include the extra industry relief. More than 5 million loans were approved through the Paycheck Protection Program, which was set up to help small businesses across the country keep people employed as they battled government restrictions and a change in consumer activity because of the pandemic. Members of the Trump administration have touted the PPP program as saving jobs and leading to some of the strong employment gains that have occurred this summer. However, some recipients of loans which could turn into grants if certain conditions are met have warned they will likely need to lay people off anyway. Critics of the program point to the number of larger, and in some cases publicly traded, companies that got loans as a shortcoming. Palihapitiya said he believes supporting companies, instead of ushering financial aid directly to American workers, is in effect prolonging changes to the economy that will happen anyway. "The more money we waste and give to zombie companies, we're just going to push the can down the road and it's all unnecessary." Also during his "Squawk Box" interview, Palihapitiya announced his SPAC, Social Capital Hedosophia II, will acquire Opendoor, an online marketplace for buying and selling houses. The special purpose acquisition company deal values Opendoor at $4.8 billion. Regardless of political differences, Egypt and Turkey should communicate, said Yasin Aktay, advisor to the chairman of the Turkish Justice and Development Party and Recep Tayyip Erdogans strongman. Aktays controversial statement juxtaposes Turkeys hostile and arrogant political attitude towards Egypt since the 30 June 2013 Revolution that toppled the rule of the Muslim Brotherhood allied with Erdogans regime. The Ankara regime is based on twisting facts and promoting fallacies. In an interview to a Qatar-funded website, Aktay said Turkeys presence in Libya is for the sake of reform and peace and is not in any way an occupation. He called on Egypt to adopt the same course, adding those who want to occupy Libya should retreat. Building on the same fallacies, Aktay claimed Turkey is present in the Mediterranean not to oppose or attack, but rather to defend itself and its rights. Aktay fiercely criticised the decision of the Arab League meeting held on a foreign ministerial level that included what he dubbed are allegations about Turkish interventions in Arab countries affairs. Aktays statements constitute a complete denial of Turkish military presence in a number of Arab countries, as Ankara intervenes politically in other countries affairs in an effort to destabilise peace and security in the region. As part of his false claims, Aktay, expressing surprise at the Arab League decision, said this is a funny situation, who are the Arabs? Is the UAE, for example, more Arab than Turkey? In a blatant interference in regional affairs, Aktay said Turkey has the right to intervene and speak for the Arabs more than several Arab countries can do for several reasons, including that 10 million Arabs reside in Turkey and Syrian refugees seek shelter in Turkey not in Arab countries. Egypts Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukris response was sharply worded against Aktays attempts to pass false messages about Egypt. We are looking at the actions, if this talk is not in accordance with the policies then it does not have impact or significance. Turkeys military presence in Syria, Iraq and Libya, and the tensions in the East Mediterranean foretell of expansionist policies to destabilise the region. These [actions] dont lead to dialogue and opening a new chapter [in relations]. It is not statements, rather actions and policies in line with international relations and international legitimacy, that reinforce stability. This is what we are concerned with at this stage, added Shoukri. Erdogans use of force is starting to isolate Ankara. Turkey can no longer continue its policies of fait accompli in the Eastern Mediterranean after it had threatened Greece and Cyprus and France and the European Union intervened to halt Turkish threats. In response, Erdogans government had to pull back its exploration vessel in the Mediterranean Sea after it sensed the gravity of the situation. Meanwhile, Erdogan is still arming Tripoli militias that have turned against each other following Turkeys military intervention. The conditions in western Libya are deteriorating after Turkeys flagrant intervention. Egypt, on the other hand, is committed to bring Libyan factions closer, reiterating its only concern is to bring the Libyan people together and protect the state from complete collapse. There is a world of difference between the Egyptian and Turkish discourses on Libya and the Eastern Mediterranean. Ankara is trying to make political and economic gains by sowing instability, while Cairo is committed to international legitimacy, international law and good neighbourliness. Time is of the essence, but time is on the side of rational discourse against arrogance and might. *A version of this article appears in print in the 17 September, 2020 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly Search Keywords: Short link: Activists fear a vote for a third party could hurt Joe Biden (Reuters) More than 170 leading environmentalists have urged people to back Joe Biden, saying that a protest vote for a third party could allow Donald Trump to be reelected. Pointing to what happened in 2000 and 2016, when a Republican candidate secured the presidency by a series of narrow margins and then enacted policies that harmed the environment, they called on people to put aside political purity and vote for the Democratic nominee. We the undersigned are lifelong activists in the environmental movement. Many of us have been taking to the streets to prick the public conscience since the 1960s, says a public letter released on Monday. We have learned in the course of decades that militancy can build awareness of the environmental threat to human life itself, and activists younger than we have inspired us with the Green New Deal and the Sunrise Movement and by becoming visionary leaders of a new generation. It says in the past, many her voted for third parties, such as the Greens or Libertarians. But not in 2020. Only by rallying behind the Democratic Party can we end the Trump administrations unprecedented malignancy, fear mongering, pathological lying, and atrocious policymaking. This is not the year to make a utopian statement or to waste a single vote. Among the signatories are Denis Hayes, the founder of Earth Day, John Adams, a founding member of the Natural Resources Defence Council, Charlene Dougherty, of the Environmental Defence Fund, and Elizabeth Campbell, who formerly worked for the department of the interior. The letter, which comes as wildfires have killed several dozen in the American West and as Mr Trump continues to blame alleged poor forest management rather than the climate change crisis, says that in 2000 Al Gore lost Florida, and with it the White House, by less than 600 votes in a states where Green Party candidate Ralph Nader secured 97,000 votes. In 2016, Hillary Clinton lost Wisconsin, which gave Mr Trump sufficient electoral college votes to win, by just 20,000. In that same race, around 30,000 people voted for Green Party candidate Jill Stein, and more than 100,000 cast ballots for Gary Johnson and the Libertarians. Story continues Angry right-wing voters and liberal absentees put Trump in the White House in 2016. In 2020 the same unholy team could keep him there, says the letter. There was no immediate to the letter from either the Greens or the Libertarians. One organiser, Peter Harnik, director of both the Centre for City Park Excellence and The Trust for Public Land, told The Independent the signatories were not suggesting third parties ought not to be on the ballot. He also acknowledged many voters disliked the nations two party system. Yet he said: This is the system in which we have to operate. He said the signatories were compelled to speak out in large part because of Mr Trumps record on the environment, which had seen him overturn many of the regulations enacted by Barack Obama. He had also announced the US will pull out the 2015 Paris Accord on Climate. After he took office in 2001, one of George W Bushs first acts was to announce the US would not push to ratify the Kyoto treaty on global warming. Commentators say Mr Bidens position of the environment has been pushed to the left by the presence in the primary of Bernie Sanders, whose supporters he will need to beat Mr Trump. One of the policy workshops he and Mr Sanders established this summer focused on the environment. It was chaired by former secretary of state John Kerry, and congresswomanAlexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a supporter of Mr Sanders who just last year denounced Mr Bidens middle of the road approach. The workshop created a series of policies, including spending $2 trillion to combat climate change and environmental racism, and push to make electrical production carbon neutral by 2035. Weve seen a pretty huge transformation in Bidens climate plan, Varshini Prakash, co-founder of the youth-led Sunrise Movement, told the Washington Post. What Ive seen in the last six to eight weeks is a pretty big transition in upping his ambition and centering environmental justice. Read more We are at a climate crisis crossroads we have to reshape the country profoundly Climate crisis: Paint the roads white and give all houses grass roofs Climate crisis caused by humans is affecting weather, scientists prove Singapore Senior Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam (REUTERS/Rogan Ward) Singapore Senior Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam has cautioned that a large number of people probably wont have access to a COVID-19 vaccine even if one is developed by 2021, due to uneven distribution. Answering questions at the Singapore Summit virtual conference on September 14, Tharman said the pandemic will not be over in a years time and that a vaccine should not be thought of as a silver bullet, Bloomberg reported. He also pointed out that distribution of vaccines will be a huge challenge, but cheap, quick and non-invasive testing and social distancing should mitigate transmission in the meantime. Follow our LIVE Updates on the coronavirus pandemic here Tharmans view concurs with that of Serum Institute of India (SII) CEO Adar Poonawalla who also warned of shortage of COVID-19 vaccine till 2024 at least; and WHO Chief Scientist Soumya Swaminathans prediction that the pandemic would take four to five years to be controlled. COVID-19 Vaccine Frequently Asked Questions View more How does a vaccine work? A vaccine works by mimicking a natural infection. A vaccine not only induces immune response to protect people from any future COVID-19 infection, but also helps quickly build herd immunity to put an end to the pandemic. Herd immunity occurs when a sufficient percentage of a population becomes immune to a disease, making the spread of disease from person to person unlikely. The good news is that SARS-CoV-2 virus has been fairly stable, which increases the viability of a vaccine. How many types of vaccines are there? There are broadly four types of vaccine one, a vaccine based on the whole virus (this could be either inactivated, or an attenuated [weakened] virus vaccine); two, a non-replicating viral vector vaccine that uses a benign virus as vector that carries the antigen of SARS-CoV; three, nucleic-acid vaccines that have genetic material like DNA and RNA of antigens like spike protein given to a person, helping human cells decode genetic material and produce the vaccine; and four, protein subunit vaccine wherein the recombinant proteins of SARS-COV-2 along with an adjuvant (booster) is given as a vaccine. What does it take to develop a vaccine of this kind? Vaccine development is a long, complex process. Unlike drugs that are given to people with a diseased, vaccines are given to healthy people and also vulnerable sections such as children, pregnant women and the elderly. So rigorous tests are compulsory. History says that the fastest time it took to develop a vaccine is five years, but it usually takes double or sometimes triple that time. View more Show These comments, however, are on the other side of pharma chiefs optimistic outlook. Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla felt the companys vaccine candidate, being developed in partnership with BioNTechs COVID-19, could reach Americans before 2020-end, if proven to be safe and effective by federal regulators such as the US Food and Drugs Administration. While AstraZeneca on September 12 said it had resumed clinical trials of its COVID-19 vaccine in the United Kingdom after regulators completed their review of a serious side effect in one trial participant there. AstraZeneca, which is working with University of Oxford, has said the MHRA confirmed it is safe to resume British trials. On the market effects of the pandemic, Tharman said it would put emerging markets at risk and add pressure on pre-existing trends including maintaining sustainable debts and possible wipe-out of a significant number of small and mid-size companies. On global trade tensions between the United State and China, he said the situation would get worse before it gets better, but there is enough space for others to continue to find win-win partnerships Zainab Abiola, counsel to Ibrahim Magu, suspended acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFFC), has described he... Zainab Abiola, counsel to Ibrahim Magu, suspended acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFFC), has described her clients probe as a hatchet job. In an interview with TheCable, Abiola, who was walked out of the panels sitting on Monday, said there is no evidence that Magu is guilty of the allegations against him. President Muhammadu Buhari set up the panel to probe corruption allegations levelled against the anti-graft czar. At its sitting at the presidential villa on Monday, Wahab Shittu, Magus lead counsel, was joined by Abiola and Aliyu Lemu, another of his lawyers. But Ayo Salami, head of the panel, insisted that only Shittu would be allowed to defend Magu, and asked his other lawyers to leave the venue. Speaking with TheCable about her experience, the lawyer, who is one of the widows of the late MKO Abiola, said it is wrong for the panel to refuse Magus lawyers access to their sitting. This is a democratic dispensation, you cannot bring military tactics, a Hitlers Gestapo rule to this type of occasion, she said. The panel was set up to be public. How then did it become a private sitting with Emperor Salami? He has become an emperor. He told me personally that there is only one chair for a lawyer. So I said, if there is only one chair, send for more chairs now. He called the DSS, they were fully armed. So, we left. But the other lady, Fatimah, was bundled and put in a cell, in a prison cell. So, there is a prison in the presidential villa? Nigerians should worry for themselves. MAGUS PROBE IS A NULLITY, KANGAROO CONTRACTION Abiola, a former presidential aspirant, further said that while the former EFCC chairmans rights are being trampled upon at the moment, it could be anyone elses turn next. If you see how Magu was just sitting there, like a sheep without a shepherd. Like a Christmas goat about to be slaughtered by Emperor Salami. Why would they refuse me access to such a fundamental probe? It is a nullity, very shambolic, she added. They dont have anything against Magu. Not a shred of evidence. The pastor they said took the money. FCMB has apologised in three national papers to Magu and the pastor. They also said Magu did not investigate the P&ID case and he was exonerated. What is the allegation? How can lawyers not be allowed to represent him? It is not as if we went alone; we were introduced by Magu himself. Did they imagine that it will be only one lawyer defending a man like that? Twenty-two allegations, 22 lies. The fact of the matter is that this is not a panel of inquiry. It is a Kangaroo contraction with Salami as the emperor. Magu has often accused the panel of not giving him fair hearing, saying he has not been allowed to defend himself. After he requested the panel to summon Malami to give evidence of his alleged crimes, the AGF said he would gladly testify against him if asked to do so. The governments rule of six coronavirus restriction, which puts a ban on gatherings of more than six people indoors and outdoors, comes into force in England today as the number of new infections continues to rise in its thousands. Globally, the number of positive Covid-19 cases hit a record one-day increase on Sunday with the total rising by 307,930 in 24 hours, according to the World Health Organisation. Here is your daily briefing of coronavirus news you may have missed overnight: Metropolitan Police deploys officers across London to enforce new coronavirus rule of six Police will patrol public spaces across London to enforce tighter rule of six coronavirus restrictions. Officers will also respond swiftly to reports of groups gathering in large numbers, and fines of up to 100 will be issued where necessary, said the force. Repeat offenders face a maximum penalty of 3,200. Officers would continue to use the Four Es model of policing adopted throughout the country in relation to coronavirus laws, which involved first engaging, explaining and encouraging people to follow the regulations before deciding whether to enforce them with fines. UK coronavirus cases rise by more than 3,000 for third day in a row The UK has recorded over 3,000 new Covid-19 cases for the third consecutive day for the first time since May. On Sunday, 3,330 new cases of coronavirus were confirmed, according to government data, compared with 3,497 a day earlier. A further five new deaths were also reported, bringing the national total to 41,628. Officials issue Halloween warning over Covid-19 Experts and officials have begun sounding the death knell for Halloween despite the event being six weeks away. Planned events in Paisley and Fife have reportedly already been cancelled with others expected to follow suit. But some parents on social media have been discussing how to celebrate Halloween at home with their children. There are also concerns for older people about returning to the normal Halloween traditions, which includes answering the door to trick or treaters this Halloween. GPs told to offer face-to-face appointments to patients in need GPs have been warned they face enforcement action if they refuse to offer face-to-face appointments to patients who need them amid the coronavirus crisis, as it is considered a breach of their medical contract. NHS chiefs sent a letter to all practices in England to tell them it was important the public is aware they could still access in-person consultations with their doctor. Matt Hancock announced at the end of July that all future GP appointments in England should be done remotely over the phone or video unless there is a compelling clinical reason. Nikki Kanani, medical director of primary care for NHS England, urged people not to stay away from GP practices if they are in need of medical attention. Teenager apologises for hosting illegal house party after 10,000 fine A 19-year-old man who was fined 10,000 for holding a house party with over 50 guests on the weekend has apologised to his neighbours for breaking coronavirus regulations. The student said in a handwritten note that the foolish gathering at his home in Lenton, Nottingham, had got out of hand. He claimed that he and his housemates had only invited 25 friends to the 21st birthday celebration, but dozens more turned up unexpectedly. It was a major lapse in judgement on our end given both the disturbance we caused as well as the current pandemic that is taking a toll on our society We are eager to make amends, he wrote. The information was announced at a press conference on September 14, which was jointly organised by the Vietnam Textile & Apparel Association (VITAS) and the US Cotton Council International (CCI) in Vietnam - the non-profit trade association of the US. This is one of the CCIs major events held in many Asian countries, aiming to create a venue for meetings and trade exchanges between textile enterprises, partners operating in the textiles and garment industry, suppliers and experts as well. The Cotton Day event was first introduced in Vietnam in 2017. Since then it has become a place for fashion brands and businesses to seek investment and business cooperation opportunities. Vo Manh Hung, CCI Chief Representative in Vietnam said Cotton Day Vietnam 2020 will offer a good chance for businesses to access market information, consumer trends across the world. The online event is hoped to solve challenges as US and Vietnamese cotton businesses have had difficulties in connecting and promoting trade exchange since the beginning of 2020. According to Chairman of VITAS Vu Duc Giang, US firms always consider Vietnam as a key market for the US cotton industry, while Vietnamese enterprises prefer US cotton because of its stable quality. Every year, the CCI continuously organises trade and investment promotion activities, and those to share experience on corporate governance and production methods among manufacturing factories in the region and the world, Giang said, adding that these are practical activities, helping Vietnam's textile and garment industry expand its market and improve its competitiveness. Vietnam is the third largest cotton importer in the world hitting1.5 million tonnes per year, including over 800,000 tonnes of cotton imported from the US. NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / September 15, 2020 / Recently, Origin Quantum (hereinafter shortened as OriginQ) offers cloud access to its superconducting quantum computer named Wu Yuan. Soon customers worldwide will be able to use a 6-qubit system. International advanced, a progress for China's quantum computing engineering Quantum computing, as the core of NextGen information technology, is anticipated to surpass classical counterpart and achieve a leap in computing power. At present, investment in the field of quantum computing is continuing to increase in the national level and enterprise level. OriginQ's superconducting quantum computer named Wu Yuan, with cloud access, is equipped with a 6-qubit processor. Wu Yuan's technical indicators such as fidelity and coherence time are as good as those of international advanced level. Moreover, as a superconducting quantum computer, Wu Yuan is China's first one to steadily operate beyond lab environment and it is also the first one that achieves engineering. As a leading Chinese quantum computing company, OriginQ is committed to bringing quantum computing technology to serve mankind, thus it has been promoting the engineering of quantum computers. In 2018, OriginQ launched China's first quantum computer control system, becoming the third commercial company in the world to manufacture this system. Now Wu Yuan's release marks China's commercialization of quantum computing. A breakthrough, cloud access to the real quantum computer open to global users Currently, quantum computers still require strictly on operating environment and auxiliary equipment, being expensive and inaccessible. So various quantum cloud platforms are developed for users' access to real quantum systems. OriginQ's quantum computer Wu Yuan, via the cloud, provides users with free computing services based on a 6-qubit superconducting processor. OriginQ Cloud is launched to be China's first quantum computing cloud platform in 2017. At present, it's still the only one in China, as a breakthrough, that provides quantum computing service to users. Meanwhile, for better experience and programming development, OriginQ Cloud offers graphical and code programming methods to suit enthusiasts and professionals. The release of OriginQ Cloud will help workers and scholars from all walks of life to jointly explore practical and valuable quantum applications. For durable and reliable services, real-time response and correct operations, OriginQ is building five sets of Wu Yuan equivalent system as backups. Typical quantum applications here, exploring more industrial potential Three typical quantum applications, namely complex network sequencing, handwritten number recognition and user preference behavior prediction, are developed for prompting users' enthusiasm to leverage OriginQ Cloud. Based on mature quantum algorithms, those applications are developed via OriginQ R&D qSDK QPanda and quantum language QRunes. The sequencing application can evaluate the importance of complex network nodes, and can explore the problem of network influence maximization. Handwritten number recognition, through quantum neural network model, makes parameter training to achieve circuits. User preference behavior prediction, via QARM algorithm, accelerates the analysis of internal connections among complex data. In the future, for boom of quantum computing industry, OriginQ will extend the industry alliance called OQIA and integrate available resources. Moreover, it will focus on professional services such as quantum computer construction, industrial application development and quantum software-hardware customization. The release of OriginQ Cloud is a leap in quantum computing technologies, moving to higher maturity. Next, the research of 24-qubit superconducting processor is ongoing. It is expected that 60-qubit Wu Yuan V2.0 will be launched by the end of next year. Contact: Origin Quantum Asperyx Yang 0551-63836038 oqc@originqc.com www.originqc.com SOURCE: Origin Quantum View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/606141/Origin-Quantum-Brings-Superconducting-Quantum-Cloud-to-Serve-Users-Worldwide Jon Stewart accused Congress of giving the 'cold shoulder' to nearly 200,000 veterans who claim their health was compromised after they inhaled toxic fumes from burn pits in Iraq and Afghanistan. The former 'Daily Show' host, 57, alleged that the veterans 'have been injured by the United States' through their exposure to the crude incineration practice that burned waste, hazardous material and chemical compounds at military sites overseas. On Tuesday, Stewart held a press conference alongside Democratic Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, Democratic Rep. Raul Ruiz of California, former VA Secretary David Shulkin, and John Feal, a veterans advocate, to push the Presumptive Benefits for War Fighters Exposed to Burn Pits and Other Toxins Act of 2020. Stewart previously successfully battled for a bill to aid first responders who became sick as a result of their work during 9/11 and said that the veterans' health concerns with burn pits have parallels. Comedian, writer and veterans' advocate Jon Stewart speaks at a press conference on 'The Presumptive Benefits for War Fighters Exposed to Burn Pits and Other Toxins Act of 2020' The phrase 'burn pit' refers to an area of a deployed military base devoted to open-air burning of waste often using jet fuel as an accelerant. Pictured, a burn-pit in Afghanistan in 2013 'Welcome to another exciting episode of "When is America going to start acting like the great country we keep telling ourselves we are?"' Stewart told the press conference, according to CNN. 'Our veterans lived 24 hours a day, seven days a week next to toxic smoke, dioxins -- everything. And now they're being told, "Hey man, is that stuff bad for you? I don't know we don't have the science." It's bulls***. It's bulls***. It's about money. 'And we're here today to say we're not going to let this happen in the dark,' he added. Stewart's fight for the 9/11 first responders aided the passing of a bill that pays for their healthcare until 2092. The comedian on Tuesday said that the jet fuel used to accelerate the burning at the pits was a common ingredient in damaging the health of veterans and first reponders in both cases. He added that the fire pits burned constantly and were sometimes as large as ten acres. 'When it was done, we thought it was done,' Stewart said. 'But it turns out that the warfighters that were sent to prosecute the battle based on the attack on 9/11 now suffer the same injuries and illnesses that the first responders suffer from, and they're getting the same cold shoulder from Congress that they received. And so the fight starts again.' In an earlier interview with Fox News' Investigative Unit, Stewart claimed that 'the only difference between what happened with the 9/11 community and what's happening with the veteran community is the 9/11 community was injured by toxic exposure from an enemy attack'. Former Daily Show Host Jon Stewart testifies during a House Judiciary Committee hearing on reauthorization of the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund on Capitol Hill in June 2019 A U.S. Army soldier watches bottled water that had gone bad burn in a burn-pit at Forward Operating Base Azzizulah in Maiwand District, Kandahar Province, Afghanistan, in 2013 Pictured, a burn pit in Afghanistan. It is estimated that nearly 200,000 veterans could have been exposed to toxic fumes from the pits that has affected their health 'The veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan have been injured by the United States. We did this to ourselves. The smoke, the toxins, those pits were dug by contractors hired by the DOD. They knew about it. Their own reporting, internal reporting, shows the air quality, shows the variety of toxins,' he said. If passed, the new bill will list burn pit exposure as a presumptive condition for any service member who fought in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and would establish a new list of diseases including asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease [COPD] and cancers of any type that could have resulted from a veteran's service. It would also require the Department of Veterans Affairs [VA] to provide health and disability services to Global War on Terror (GWOT) veterans as a result of the exposure. 'I'm not a doctor, I'm not a scientist. But, I'm also not an idiot. If you live next to a toxic smoke plume filled with cancer-causing elements, and you're breathing it in day in and day out, it's going to make you sick,' Stewart told Fox. 'Then, you're going to get home and people are going to tell you, just like they did with the 9/11 community, first, "It's in your head, you're not really sick." Second, "OK, maybe you're sick, but had nothing to do with what that was". And thirdly, they're going to say, "OK, it is, but I don't know if we can afford all that",' he added. Jon Stewart is lobbying Congress to now aid the affected veterans. Pictured, Stewart addressing the press on Tuesday alongside the organization Burn Pits 360 Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., pictured Tuesday, is also lobbying for the new bill 'You know, this is money. That's it. And, when you've got an F-35 that may never be battle-ready and it's going to be a cost overrun of about $1.4 trillion, and you're gas-lighting your own veterans on their health conditions because you don't want to pay for it? Criminal, and it has to stop,' he continued. According to Fox, soldiers have said that the burn pits were used to get rid of all types of waste, including plastics, batteries, appliances, medicine, dead animals and even human waste. Jet fuel was often used to speed up the process and the pits could burn more than 1,000 different chemical compounds day and night. Service members were left without protection from the toxic fumes that constantly raged close by. Stewart is now working with the organization Burn Pits 360, founded by Rosie Torres, whose husband Le Roy became ill after he returned home from service. They claim that the VA has done nothing to aid the ill veterans. 'Facing the system of delay and deny and meeting all of these other families that were experiencing the same lack of health care and lack of answers... it became just such an insane rollercoaster,' Torres told Fox News. 'Immediately after discovering that there was this whole other online community of people that were sort of scratching their heads and saying, "I wonder why my loved one died? I wonder why my husband or wife are also suffering from these symptoms".' 'At the same time of us dealing with job loss, and houses being foreclosed, and marriages being crushed... suicides. It's just such a unique situation. Right? Where I've, beside the 9/11 community, hadn't really heard of.' The organization's website tells the stories of other veterans who believe their illness was caused by the burn pits. 'When I was told I had a progressive, untreatable lung disease due to toxic exposure from my deployment during Operation Enduring Freedom; I went from being a physically fit person to having to give up my career as a police officer,' states Spc Cindy Aman. 'Instead of giving up, I started listening to and reading about the thousands of other veterans who are suffering. There is no reason to wait decades to provide the care and treatment needed. 'These people who put their lives on the line to fight for our country held up their end of their promise no questions asked,' she adds. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-14 00:07:29|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close LUSAKA, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) -- The Zambian government on Sunday called on the country's regulator of water to revisit all permits granted following increased human activities which were causing water bodies to dry up. Minister of Water Development, Sanitation and Environmental Protection Jonas Chanda directed the Water Resources Management Authority (WARMA) to revisit all the permits within seven days after inspecting one of the rivers in central Zambia's Mkushi district which has started drying up. He expressed concern that human activities were causing water bodies to dry up, adding that the drying up of water bodies was tragic, according to a release from the ministry. According to him, some of the permits need to be cancelled and allow farmers abstract water as syndicates. The minister, who said President Edgar Lungu has instructed him to check the situation of rivers in the country, said the situation requires urgent attention. Enditem Prosecutors contended that the juror must have worked with hundreds of youths at the building, and Williams was only 12 when she left for a different job. The juror herself signed an affidavit saying she had no independent recollection of the defendants. Even if she did recognize Williams, she would have had no reason to be biased against him, Assistant States Attorney Brian Holmes said. Over 7,000 Romanian voters abroad have registered for vote by correspondence on the portal www.votstrainatate.ro until Tuesday, 12:00 hrs, and for voting in polling stations over 2,000 Romanian citizens abroad have registered up to now, the Permanent Electoral Authority (AEP) informs. According to a release sent to AGERPRES by the AEP, "for the parliamentary elections of this year, until September 15, 12:00 hrs, the 7,000 registrations mark was hit on the www.votstrainatate.ro portal for Romanians abroad that opted for vote by correspondence, by 1,000 more than the previous day, while for voting in polling stations 2,047 Romanian citizens abroad have registered. AEP recalls that, according to the laws in force, the registration as voter by correspondence or in polling stations abroad has started on April 1, 2020 and will end 15 days before the start of the electoral period, meaning September 21, 2020. Furthermore, a legislative proposal approved by Parliament provides for the extension of the deadline by 30 days, measure that will enter into force after the promulgation of the law and its publishing in the Romania's Official Gazette. The head of the Permanent Electoral Authority, Constantin-Florin Mituletu-Buica, draws attention that several countries, including some in Europe, will not allow Romanians living on their territory to vote in person, only by correspondence. "Given that several states - also at the level of the European Union, but also outside the European space - will forbid the establishing of polling stations both outside diplomatic missions, as well as inside them, I recommend to all Romanians abroad to opt for vote by correspondence, as a sure and comfortable way to vote remotely, with no costs and no risks, especially in the context of the uncertainty relating to the coronavirus pandemic," said the head of the AEP, according to the quoted source. The AEP mentions that, in order to register on the www.votstrainatate.ro portal, the Romanian ID used must be accepted by Romanian law and must be valid, the name and surname must be written exactly as in the ID card, and the scanned images of the attached documents must be complete and fully visible, including the photograph and the date of expiration of the ID. At the same time, AEP mentions that the document proving residence abroad must be one inscribed on the list attached to the Order of the Minister of Foreign Affairs no. 1627/2019 and that attaching one of the documents that attests residence abroad, specific for each country, is mandatory, even if the passport mentions the country of residence. The list may be accessed at the following link: https://www.mae.ro/sites/default/files/file/ordin_1627_din_2019_anexe.pdf. The list of Romanian identity documents accepted is as follows: identity card; electronic identity card; provisional identity card; identity bulletin; diplomatic passport; electronic diplomatic passport; service passport; electronic service passport; simple passport; electronic simple passport; temporary simple passport. The AEP mentions that the identity document category does not include the birth certificate or laissez-passer documents. All information regarding the procedure to enroll for one of the two options are available on the www.votstrainatate.ro portal, while questions and complaints regarding the pre-registration and registration procedure may be addressed to the e-mail address contact@votstrainatate.ro, the quoted source also mentions. Amul, the flagship company which drove the White Revolution, is planning to expand to the five southern states where local farmers' cooperative such as Nandini, Aavin and Milma rule the market. "We started with the west, then went to the north, and east... Somehow we had not gone to the south," the managing director of Gujarat Coorperative Milk Marketing Federation which sells its produce under Amul, R S Sodhi, told Mint. The company plans to set up its central operations in Andhra Pradesh which is also India's largest milk-producing state. Sodhi said the company will make an investment of about Rs 200-300 crore over the next two years. With an annual sale of around Rs 52,000 crore, the company is aiming to take the business to around Rs 10,000 crore. Regional companies such as Karnataka's Nandini, Kerala's Milma and Tamil Nadu's Aavin have pulled up their socks too. Marketing manager of Milma, Rajesh Nair, told Mint that they are focusing on marketing their products better. The company has enlisted a national advertising agency and is investing up to Rs 10-15 crore as compared to their previous budget of Rs 1-3 crore. Closer home, Nandini, owned by Karnataka Cooperative Milk Federation, has stepped up its efforts too. It is setting up more cafes that will serve tea, coffee, sweets, and snacks made from its product to establish its presence firmly, the article said. Adding a political angle to the foray, Amul has already signed an agreement with Jagan Mohan Reddy government in Andhra Pradesh where the main dairy company, Heritage Foods Ltd, is run by Chandrababu Naidu's family, Reddy's main rival. Your tax-deductible gift today powers our reporters and keeps us independent. We rely on you, our reader, not paywalls to stay funded because we believe important news and information should be freely accessible to all. Start your day with LAist Sign up for the Morning Brief, delivered weekdays. Subscribe Our news is free on LAist. To make sure you get our coverage: Sign up for our daily newsletters. To support our non-profit public service journalism: Donate Now. You may not have realized it, but sitting atop one of the highest points in the San Gabriel mountains, looming 5,700 feet over L.A., is arguably one of the world's most important spots for scientific discovery: the Mount Wilson Observatory. The 114-year-old site is covered in equipment that not only helped mankind discover the universe and cement Southern California as an astronomy hub, but still connects normal people to wonders beyond our own world. Worryingly, the Bobcat Fire is charging right for it. Only 500 feet away as of Tuesday afternoon. The #BobcatFire is within 500 ft of the Mt. Wilson Observatory & crews are in place ready to receive the fire. Strategic firing is taking place in the south where air operations are strengthening dozerlines. Crews are working a spot fire that crossed Hwy 2 near Buckhorn. pic.twitter.com/33rI3dNet2 Angeles National Forest (@Angeles_NF) September 15, 2020 Firefighters are mounting an aggressive defense, but there's a chance that the century-old site could go up in flames. The thought of which is heartbreaking. Not only because of its historic importance, but because it's absolutely magical to be able to stand on Earth, look through a 100-inch telescope and see in full color planets throughout our solar system, and the galaxies far beyond. icon DON'T MISS ANY L.A. CORONAVIRUS NEWS Get our daily newsletters for the latest on COVID-19 and other top local headlines. Terms of Use and Privacy Policy HISTORICAL IMPORTANCE The same environment that's made Mt. Wilson the perfect spot for wildfires to spread -- isolated, high up on a mountain in a dry climate -- has also made it one of the best places in the U.S. to view the stars. George Ellery Hale, one of the pioneers of astrophysics and the founder of CalTech, realized as much when he worked to build an observatory up there in the early 1900s. With its groundbreaking 60-inch and 100-inch telescopes, scientists were able to study the stars in detail. In 1918, Harlow Shapley figured out that our solar system is not in fact at the center of the Milky Way, but towards the outer edge. And Edwin Hubble -- yes that Hubble -- used the 100-inch telescope to make an even bigger discovery. "Effectively [Edwin] Hubble discovered the universe in the 1920s up on Mt. Wilson," said John Mulchaey, director of the Carnegie Observatories in Pasadena, which owns the observatory. Scientists had long believed that the Milky Way was just about all there was to the universe. Then, in the early 1920s, Hubble focused the Mt. Wilson telescope on what was thought to be gas or matter floating through the Milky Way. Through a series of complex calculations, he figured out that it wasn't dust, but an entire galaxy of its own, specifically the Andromeda galaxy. He'd continue to discover other galaxies throughout the 1920s, eventually making another big finding in 1929: that the universe was expanding. A key component of the Big Bang theory. "That really is kind of the basis of modern astronomy. And that's why I really say that Mt. Wilson set the stage for how we understand the universe today," said Mulchaey. "The reason why astronomy is in Pasadena is because of Mt. Wilson," he said. The so-called Supermoon, or perigee moon, rises behind the historic Mount Wilson Observatory on July 12, 2014 at Mount Wilson in the Angeles National Forest northeast of Los Angeles. The observatory founded by George Hale houses the 60-inch Hale telescope, built in 1908, and the, formerly world's largest, 100-inch Hooker telescope built in 1917. (David McNew/Getty Images) CULTURAL IMPORTANCE As L.A. grew so did the light pollution, making Mt. Wilson less than ideal for observing space. By the 1940s, other observatories began to pop up around the world in more isolated spots. By the 80s, it went largely unused. Now, scientists head to Hawaii and Chile, high above the dry desert, to gather information about our universe in much clearer detail. That said, even if it doesn't have the same scientific significance it once did, as a historic landmark, and as a place that the public can go to look through a humungous telescope and feel more connected with the universe, it's priceless. Not only does that take us outside of our own insular little worlds, but the process also exposes people to science. A particularly important opportunity in today's world. Biodiversity and green spaces have been something we must preserve for a better future. The deputy mayor of Surat, Mr Nirav Shah is contributing his best to make Surat a green city. On the occasion of Indias Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modis 70th birthday which is on September 17, the deputy mayor is all set to give the best gift of nature. A movement of tree plantation has begun from September 6 till September 17 by Mr Nirav and his team in Surat. The aim is to make Surat green and clean city and to also eradicate pollution from the city, says the mayor. Nirav Shah believes that in recent years there has been a rise in transport and industries which have increased pollution in the city. As PM Modi Ji will turn 70, we will be planting 70,000 trees across Surat and make people aware of the importance of biodiversity, quoted Mr Shah. When asked the reason behind the plantation of trees in abundance, he revealed that the mission is to have equivalent trees as per the citys population. By planting more trees, the levels of CO2 will decrease in the city and thats how the deputy mayor plans to celebrate the 70th birthday of PM Modi. With a step towards Green India, Nirav Shah plans to promote plantation across the country. A man of his words, the deputy mayor of Surat has always given his time in the development of the city as well as the nation. In his earlier stage as a chairman of standing committee (surat) gujarat, he was known for taking bold decisions and quick action in the favour of city. He has always helped and stood up for the development of the city. He hopes to make this world a better place to live in and this campaign of tree plantation acts as a game changer for the Surat city as well the Gujarat state. He further even revealed that on the occasion of World Environment Day last year, there were approximately 20 lakh trees all over the Surat city. By doing such noble deeds, Nirav Shah is not just reducing pollution but is also contributing his best to nature. With this initiative of planting 70,000 trees, it seems that PM Modi will get the best birthday present from Nirav Shah. He is rightly setting an example for every citizen of the country and through this campaign, he wants every Indian to join and bring a green revolution in the country. To know more about Nirav Shah and his works, visit the website www.niravshah.in. Disclaimer: This is a company press release. No HT journalist is involved in creation of this content. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON No, it's not Portland... Out in Joe Biden's home state of Delaware, small children seem to be special targets for assault. The latest: Disgusting: Eggs Were Thrown at Children During Delaware Republican Rally, Democrats Silent https://t.co/2UaXB71wRP Brandon Morse (@TheBrandonMorse) September 14, 2020 The picture depicted is that of a sweet little girl with a splatter of eggs and egg shells all through her hair. She was the biggest victim of a scrum of screaming Democrats who approached a group of small children attending a Lauren Witzke for Senate rally in Delaware, and then hurled eggs at the little ones. According to Red State: Witzke explained that leftists drove by in a car and began throwing eggs at her. While other kids apparently also got hit, this little girl was hit the worst. The candidate explained that the girl wasnt doing anything but standing there when the attack happened. Children. As targets. For assaults with flying projectiles, such as hard-shelled eggs, with messy interiors. What kind of a sorry excuse for a human would enact that kind of assault on a small child in a bid to get people to vote for Joe Biden? Only the most depraved of minds, nobody assaults a kid. As Red State notes, some kind of 'uncrossable line' has been crossed now that children can be targets. And shockingly, it's not the first time in Delaware, either. Less than three weeks ago, the same sort of Democrats launched an assault on a seven year old boy, stealing his prized MAGA hat as the child cried and begged for them to return it, sadistically walking away with the hat and then flinging it into a fenced rail yard where the child could not retrieve it. The pair of assailants also stomped on the child's hand and made him cry. They've since been charged with hate crimes, including inappropriate touching, since they were caught on video. No such luck for the little girl covered in eggs and undoubtedly traumatized because of the incident. Apparently, there's no free speech in this country, and going to a rally is now hazard to one's heath. The left has also assaulted old people exiting the GOP convention, such as these. Seems they have a special attraction to attacking the most helpless. You'll never see them target the beefy young men, they go for the old and the children in considerable numbers. According to this report in the Washington Times, they've stepped up their violent attacks against Republicans as election day approaches, and noted a long series of specific incidents: While no one tracks exact statistics of political violence, a Washington Times review of reported incidents uncovered at least 15 major skirmishes since February. The number is likely greater, however, since so many incidents are unreported. The hard left is certainly getting more active, said Brian Levin, director of the Center for the Study of Hate & Extremism at California State University, San Bernadino. We had the first homicide from the far left in many, many years this year. Multiple incidents last week highlight the increase in violence targeting Republicans as Election Day nears. Incredibly, neither Joe Biden nor Kamala Harris, nor any Democrat, has said a thing about these thugs in the ranks, doing their attacks and assaults in the name of voting for Joe Biden. The egg attacks on the innocent are particularly poignant, to me at least, because I remember the egg attacks on innocent and fun Trump supporters in 2016 in San Jose, California, way back then, and was so outraged by them I began to open my mind to voting for Trump. Something like that might happen multifold now that the targets are children, and Camp Biden has continued to say nothing -- even with the crimes happening right under their noses in their own district. Because with the left sliding into rank terror against the helpless and attempting to subvert the political process itself, the voters can't help but take notice. This may just backfire badly on them. Image credit: Twitter screen shot By Trend OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs spoke separately by phone with Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov and Armenian Foreign Minister Zohrab Mnatsakanyan and invited the ministers to meet individually with the Co-Chairs in person in the coming weeks to further clarify their respective positions, with the aim of resuming serious substantive negotiations without preconditions, Trend reports with reference to OSCE. The Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group (Igor Popov of the Russian Federation, Stephane Visconti of France, and Andrew Schofer of the United States of America) held intensive consultations in Paris on September 14. Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office (PRCiO) Andrzej Kasprzyk also participated in the meetings. The Co-Chairs reviewed the situation in the region with particular focus on new developments following the mid-July violent escalation on the Armenia-Azerbaijan border. The Co-Chairs carefully considered and assessed the private and public messages and concerns of the sides. The Co-Chairs were briefed by the PRCiO on the security situation on the ground and welcomed his concrete preparations for the resumption of monitoring activities. The Co-Chairs remain actively and fully engaged in facilitating negotiations for a peaceful and comprehensive settlement in accordance with their OSCE mandate, the report said. US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump welcome Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife Sara to the White House on September 15, 2020 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the foreign ministers of Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates arrived Tuesday at the White House to sign historic accords normalizing ties between the Jewish and Arab states. US President Donald Trump was to meet in turn with the Israeli leader, UAE Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al-Nahyan and Bahrain Foreign Minister Abdullatif al-Zayani, before a signing ceremony for the US-brokered peace deal. "HISTORIC day for PEACE in the Middle East," tweeted Trump, trumpeting the imminent completion of "landmark deals that no one thought was possible." "MORE countries to follow!" wrote the US leader, who hopes the peace deal will boost his reelection chances in November. For the Mideast, the deals dubbed the Abraham Accords mark a distinct shift in a decades-old status quo where Arab countries have tried to maintain unity against Israel over its treatment of the stateless Palestinians. The White House event will be the first time Arab nations have established relations with Israel since Egypt in 1979 and Jordan in 1994. Hundreds of people were invited to attend and a symbolic handshake between the Arab representatives and Netanyahu has not been ruled out. fff-sms/ec/to The United Arab Emirates and Bahrain have signed a historic deal with Israel, becoming the first Gulf states to formally normalise relations, in a move which dramatically re-shapes political dynamics in the region. US President Donald Trump hosted the ceremony at the White House on Tuesday, capping several fraught few weeks since UAE and Bahrain first agreed to forge diplomatic relations with Israel despite no formal resolution to the 70-year-old Israel-Palestinian conflict. At the US-brokered event, attended by some 700 attendees, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu signed the Abraham Accords alongside Emirati foreign minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nahyan and Bahraini foreign minister Abdullatif Al Zayani. Mr Trump, who is up for re-election in November, congratulated the three countries on this outstanding achievement saying the moment marks the dawn of a new Middle East. The Abraham accords will serve as a foundation for a comprehensive peace across the entire region something that no one thought was possible, Mr Trump said. [It] also open the doors for Muslims to visit the historic site in Israel, he said referencing the Al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem. He said there are other countries which will very, very soon follow suit, echoing previous comments that five or six other nations were considering signing deals with Israel. The Abraham accords will serve as a foundation for a comprehension peace across the entire region something that no one thought was possible, Mr Trump said. [It] also open the doors for Muslims to visit the historic site in Israel, he said referencing the Al-Aqsa mosques in Jerusalem. He said there are other countries which will very, very soon follow suit, echoing previous comments that five or six other nations were considering signing deals with Israel. The peace we make today will endure, he added. The Emirati foreign minister, brother of Abu Dhabis powerful crown prince, thanked Mr Netanyahu for halting the annexation of the Palestinian territories, a sticking point in discussions leading up to the deal. As he came to the podium, sirens sounded in southern Israel, and the Israeli military said two rockets were fired from Gaza. Today we are witnessing a change in heart in the Middle East, a change that will send hope around the world, he said, adding that the accord would build a more prosperous and secure future. Bahrains foreign minister, meanwhile, called the deal an important first step in working on a just, comprehensive and enduring two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The agreements, which do not end active wars but establish relations, hand a significant diplomatic victory to Mr Trump while he is up for re-election in November, shoring up support among pro-Israel-Christian evangelical voters. The American president hinted at more deals ahead saying there are at least five or six countries ready to follow suit and normalise relations with Israel. US President Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu arrive outside the White House for a signing ceremony (Getty) There were reports that Omans ambassador to Washington attended the event, fuelling speculation Muscat, that hosted Mr Netanyahu in 2018, may be the next to sign a deal. Notably absent during the ceremony was any proper mention of the Palestinians who have vehemently rejected the accords. The US president instead had issued apparent warnings to the Palestinian leadership in a meeting at the Oval office before the signing began. If theyre not going to respect us, we're not going to be involved, he said, accusing the Palestinian side of not saying nice things about the United States. He sent a reminder that he stopped payment on American aid to the Palestinians over such remarks. The Palestinian leadership had labelled the accords a stab in the back and a betrayal because they believe Israel has promised nothing tangible in exchange for normalisation. The deal is supposedly rooted in the Saudi Arabia-led Arab Peace Initiative, which stated that Israel would only win full recognition from the Arab world if it resolved the conflict with the Palestinians and granted them the right to an independent state. The Palestinian leadership has said that the deal does not do this but effectively rewards Israeli for its actions instead. The Emiratis have rejected this reading of the deal, saying that it secures the suspension of Israels imminent plan to annex swathes of Palestinian territory, which is illegal under international law. Bahrain has said it helps move towards a two-state solution to the crisis. The accord came at an advantageous time for the signatories. Mr Netanyahu has used the agreement to win support back home, particularly after he was indicted on corruption charges in January and only just managed to remain prime minister after forging a shaky deal with his elections rival in April. The UAE and Bahrain, meanwhile, are looking to wean their countries off a dependency on an oil economy, and have talked about the benefits of the trade deals with Israel. One of the thorniest issues connected to the accord remains the USs potential sale of F-35 stealth fighter jets to the UAE, a sale Israel has vehemently rejected on the grounds it would destroy their qualitative military edge. Just ahead of the signing ceremony Mr Trump confirmed that Washington would have no problem with selling advanced fighter jets to Abu Dhabi and later said the differences with Israel over the F-35 sales to the UAE is going to be very easy to work out. The federal government has not fully deregulated the petroleum sector and should it do so, Nigerians would be paying about N183 per litre for petrol, an official said Tuesday. The Minister of State for Petroleum, Timipre Sylva, said this at a meeting in Abuja between a government delegation and labour leaders over the recent increase in the price of petrol. PREMIUM TIMES reported how petrol prices rose from about N145 per litre to about N160 per litre across Nigeria with the government saying the increase was due to the deregulation of the downstream sector and the removal of subsidy on petrol. However, on Tuesday, Mr Sylva sang a different tune. He said the government only partially deregulated the sector and a full deregulation would have led to further price increase. Why have we kept it at N161? Frankly speaking, let us face it and this is what I will tell you. One of the things that the president considered; he said if you take it to the full scale of deregulation, today, prices should have been around N183 because you all know this. The minister said governments current intervention was in the purchase of foreign exchange for the importation of petrol. He said importers, mainly the NNPC and its subsidiaries, were still buying dollars from the government at about N391 to a dollar contrary to the prevailing market price of about N450. Speaking on why government partially deregulated the sector, the minister said the government was spending too much on subsidy. The federal government spent N10.4 trillion on petrol subsidy between 2016 and 2019, while the country was losing N1 billion daily to fuel subsidy between 2016-2019, he said. Labours Position At the meeting, labour unions said the recent increase in the prices of petroleum products and electricity tariff have erased the benefits recorded with the signing of the national minimum wage signed into law by President Muhammadu Buhari. President Muhammadu Buhari signed the minimum wage bill in April 2019. The National Assembly had passed the bill approving N30,000 as the minimum wage for workers on March 19, 2019 and transmitted to Mr Buhari on April 2. The leadership of the labour unions led by the president of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Ayuba Wabba; Trade Union Congress (TUC) president, Quadri Olaleye; secretary-general of the TUC; Musa Ozigi-Lawal, president of Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, Festus Osifo; and the president of Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Association of Nigeria, Williams Akporeha, stated their position during the meeting. PREMIUM TIMES reported that President Buhari directed the minister of labour and employment, Chris Ngige, to have a dialogue with the labour unions on issues affecting the economy. While speaking, the president of the NLC, Ayuba Wabba, disapproved of the federal government hiking the prices of electricity and petrol without consultations with Nigerians. He said majority of the Nigerians citizens are struggling to survive due to the high cost of living caused by the federal governments recent policies, which include an increase in the value added tax (VAT). The question now is what do you have on the table to actually cushion the effect on workers and their families because they have been pushed to the wall. They are already enraged. Do you have anything for us so that we can say yes despite this challenges this is what I have for Nigerian workers that they can be able to have something that can cushion this effect for them? he said. He said the value of the minimum wage has been eroded with the introduction of different policies. According to him, the federal government has transferred the inefficiency in the subsidy regime to the consumers which they have to pay through the hike in the price of products. He appealed to the government to fix the nations refineries and stop lining the pockets of fuel marketers through a fraudulent subsidy regime. I agree with Mr President that subsidy is a fraud but do we address it or transfer it to the customers? That is where the issue is. We dont need to transfer it to the customers. We have increased VAT, we have increased some taxes, we have increased now the fuel price and the tariff on electricity. An ordinary worker cant pay those charges. In fact, higher-level officers are complaining seriously. This is the predicament we are in, he said. Masses are at the receiving end Similarly, the TUC president, Quadri Olaleye, asked the government to reverse its recent increases and policies which have been biting Nigerians hard. Nigerian workers are crying and the populace is also crying. Last year December we were so happy that when we signed the minimum wage agreement and Nigerian workers were happy that their lots were increased. Unfortunately, now they are crying. By (our) calculation we are losing an additional 15 percent of what we gained as a result of signing minimum wage, he said. For somebody who is paid N6,666 as increment, now is losing not less than N25,000 from his income. The N6,666 is going, additional N15,000 is added, he said. According to him, we have not been able to discuss labour matters since February all in the name of there is COVID-19 but people that are signing the budget, people that are sharing money on daily basis, they meet either on Zoom or physically. They meet and share those money but when they come to labour matters we have to remember that there is COVID-19. Advertisements The questions our members are asking is that does it really mean that the politicians represent the rich people in this country? Does it mean it is only labour that represents the poor people? Does it mean when we have an economic predicament that is when we call Nigerians that we want to hear from them but when we have surpluses we hear nothing about it? Nigerians have never enjoyed surplus when the country has money but when we have predicaments, especially crude oil crash, then labour will be called upon, let us see how we can rescue the economy. I think it is high time everybody bears their fathers name. FG speaks At the meeting, the minister of labour and employment, Chris Ngige, said there was an urgent need for stakeholders to resolve on how the country would survive the economic challenges imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. We are faced with the new normal to survive as human species and we can only hope to build back better society that would sustain us and aid us in our quest for recovery both physically and structurally, he said. Mr Ngige said the COVID-19 pandemic has affected price stability and major means of production. Mr Ngige led the government team that included Mr Sylva, minister of state for labour and employment, Festus Keyamo; minister of power, Saleh Mamman, and the minister of works and housing, Babatunde Fashola. The problem PREMIUM TIMES reported how electricity distribution companies hiked their tariffs from N30.23 to N62.33 per kWh for Nigerians after the federal government said it would no longer subsidise electricity consumption. Also, the price of petrol increased from N145 to about N161 per litre. While the federal government says it no longer has the funds to subsidise petrol and electricity, the labour unions said the governments actions will worsen the plight of millions of Nigerians who are yet to recover from the economic impact of COVID-19. After telling Parliament that the government has no data on deaths of migrant workers during the COVID-19 lockdown, it said of the four crore migrant workers in the country, 1.05 crore have returned to their respective states. Uttar Pradesh tops the list with 32.50 lakh labourers having returned to their homes, followed by Bihar at 15 lakh, Union Minister of State (IC) for Labour and Employment Santosh Kumar Gangwar said in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha on Monday. However, the catch is that the data provided by the government have figures from states like Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Uttarakhand, Karnataka, Himachal Pradesh, Delhi and Goa among a few others. Reuters - Representational Image Many of the migrant workers from these states make up for a significant figure, meaning that the net figure of migrant workers going back home could be much higher. Even the government's figure of four crore migrant workers in the country is based on the 2011 census, according to the India Today report. The government also added that there were no reported cases of forced retention of labourers in the country during the lockdown. File Photo In an answer to a question by Bhartruhari Mahtab of Biju Janata Dal and Shiv Senas Rahul Shewale on the number of migrant labourers dying or injured during the process of migration, the minister informed that there is no such data available with the government. The ministry was replying to a question on whether families of those who had lost their lives while trying to reach home in the coronavirus lockdown had been compensated. A NSW parliamentary inquiry will investigate the state of rural and regional healthcare in NSW, following allegations that widespread dysfunction in country hospitals is putting lives at risk. Labor secured the numbers for the inquiry on Tuesday and said the expansive probe would scrutinise barriers to services, staffing challenges, capital expenditure, planning systems and the gulf in health outcomes depending on postcode across NSW. Allan Wells died after he was discharged from Cobar District Hospital against his family's wishes. The inquiry is expected to hear evidence from several patients who have sounded the alarm about standards of care as part of a Sydney Morning Herald investigation into two hospitals in the Western NSW Local Health District. It is anticipated senior health bureaucrats and NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard will be grilled about the allegations, after Mr Hazzard rejected the need for an inquiry earlier this year. India's COVID-19 caseload rose to 49,30,236 while the toll climbed to 80,776 with 1,054 people succumbing to the disease in 24 hours, the health ministry's data showed. As India's COVID-19 caseload surged 49 lakh with the addition of 83,809 fresh cases, the Centre on Tuesday highlighted that the number of coronavirus recoveries was amongst the highest in the world. India's COVID-19 caseload stands at 49,30,236 with 83,809 people testing positive in a day, while 38,59,399 people have recuperated so far taking the national recovery rate to 78.28 percent on Tuesday, according to Union health ministry data updated at 8 am. The toll climbed to 80,776 with 1,054 people succumbing to the disease in 24 hours, data showed. "India's COVID-19 recoveries have surged to more than 38.59 lakh, which is one of the highest in the world. According to the Johns Hopkins University Coronavirus Resource Center, this is the highest number of recoveries in the world," Union health secretary Rajesh Bhushan said at a press briefing. Bhushan said there are 14 states and Union Territories (UTs) in the country where the number of active cases is less than 5,000. The total number of active cases in 18 states and UTs stands between 5,000 and 50,000, while there only four states have more than 50,000 active cases. The Centre also stated that the country had learnt from the experience of nations that suffered high mortalities to avoid a "huge peak" in terms of deaths. Director-General of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) Dr Balram Bhargav said that India had "distributed the curve" after witnessing the experience of the United States and countries in the Europe, which saw high mortality during the "peak" of the epidemic. "....whether it was Spain, the UK or Sweden or Italy, there were a huge number of mortalities... There was a peak which came down and then they had a second wave which is recently occurring in those countries," he said. Building on the learnings of these countries, India distributed the curve in such a way as to prevent a large number of deaths from occurring, Bhargava said, adding that that was attributable scientifically because of a "very effective lockdown" imposed in late March, April and May. "So, we did not really have a huge peak from that perspective," he said. Minister of State (MoS) for Health and Family Welfare Ashwini Choubey too, in response to a question in Rajya Sabha, said the lockdown from 25 March to 31 May successfully controlled the aggressive transmission of COVID-19 in India but added that there has been a steady rise in cases post-lockdown. Five states account for 60% of active cases Five states Maharashtra (29.5 percent), Karnataka (9.9 percent), Andhra Pradesh (9.4 percent), Uttar Pradesh (6.8 percent) and Tamil Nadu (4.7 percent) account for 60 percent of the total active cases in the country, Bhushan said. He presented a graph showing the daily average of new cases on a week-on-week basis, starting from the first week of July in the five states. The graph showed an increasing trend of cases in Maharashtra, while stabilisation is observed over the last three weeks in Karnataka, Bhushan said. India's cases per million population stand at 3,573, while the global average is 3,704, he said. The country's COVID-19 deaths per million population stand at 58 against global average of 118 and this is also amongst the lowest in the world, he claimed. Asserting that there has been a progressive rise in India's COVID-19 testing, Bhushan said, "We took 27 days to double our testing from 1 crore to 2 crore. However, we took only 10 days to jump from 4 crore tests to 5 crore tests." Over 5.8 crore tests have been conducted so far, out of which more than 76 lakh tests were conducted in the last week. COVID-19 reinfection "very, very rare," The Centre also asserted that there was absolutely "no shortage" of medical oxygen, vital in the treatment of coronavirus, at the national level, while urging states to ensure proper inventory management at hospital-level and advance planning for timely replenishment so that there is no stockout. Bhargava said reinfection was a "very, very rare" with COVID-19, but it can happen. The ICMR DG, however, said it was not a matter of serious concern. In his remarks, Bhargava also said the National Task Force on COVID-19 and the joint monitoring group (JMG) of the health ministry will take a decision on whether to continue plasma therapy in the treatment of COVID-19 patients after reviewing the data of its randomised controlled trial. Arunachal Pradesh CM tests positive In Arunachal Pradesh, Chief Minister Pema Khandu said he had tested positive for the coronavirus infection and is presently in home isolation in New Delhi. I had undergone Covid test RT-PCR and have tested positive for Covid19. I am asymptomatic and feeling healthy. However as per SOP and safety of others, I am self isolating myself and request everyone who came in contact with me to adhere to the SOP. Pema Khandu (@PemaKhanduBJP) September 15, 2020 He said that he has self-isolated himself and requested everyone who came in contact with him to adhere to the standard operating procedure. Khandu went to the National Capital on official visit on 12 September. In Uttar Pradesh, the condition of former chief minister Kalyan Singh, who earlier tested positive for coronavirus infection is stable, the hospital treating him said. "The condition of Singh is stable. He is afebrile and maintaining 100 percent oxygen saturation on room air. He is not having fever and his BP is also normal. He has been shifted to a private room and is under observation due to comorbidities," a health bulletin released by Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGI) said on Tuesday evening. Phase-1 trials of indigenous vaccines show 'excellent safety', says minister Meanwhile, billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates said India's willingness to play a "big role" in manufacturing COVID-19 vaccine and allow it to supply to other developing countries will play critical part in containing the pandemic globally. In an interview to news agency PTI, Gates, whose foundation is focusing on fighting the pandemic, called it the "next biggest thing" that has confronted the world since the World War. The ICMR director-general said three vaccines are at clinical trial stages in the country and two indigenously developed ones by Cadila Healthcare Ltd and Bharat Biotech have completed phase-I trial. The results are being analysed and they have completed recruitment for the second phase, he said. MoS Choubey informed the Rajya Sabha that the Phase-I clinical trials have revealed "excellent safety" of the two indigenously developed candidate vaccines and their immunogenicity testing is now in progress. He said around 40 lakh people have been kept under surveillance as a part of the contact-tracing efforts and 5.4 crore samples were tested for coronavirus till September. As many as 155 healthcare staff, including 64 doctors, have died due to coronavirus, according to 'Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package Insurance Scheme for Health Workers Fighting COVID-19' which provides relief in case of death of such workers, he said in response to a question. India is the second worst-hit nation in terms of COVID-19 cases after the US, while it is in the third spot in fatalities after the US and Brazil, according to Johns Hopkins University data. With inputs from PTI The spread of coronavirus has slowed significantly since the peak of the Bay Areas summer surge, with new cases falling over 60% since the difficult days of mid-August. Specifically, the regions nine Bay Area counties reported an average of 513 new cases per day in the week ending Sunday, down 35% from an average of 788 per day in the week ending the previous Sunday. The last time the Bay Area reported fewer than 500 cases a day, on average, was in June, around the time the summer surge began to accelerate. If you compare last weeks numbers to the mid-August peak of 1,409 cases per week, thats a 64% decline, according to data collected by The Chronicle. The decline in coronavirus cases may come as a welcome surprise to Bay Area residents, who have been focused on wildfire destruction and smoky skies over the past two weeks. It is most likely because people are consistently wearing masks and social distancing, experts said. In other words, changes in human behavior over time are finally reaping some progress on the public health front though they are taking a grave economic toll. People have to incorporate these practices in their routine activity; I think thats particularly true in the Bay Area, said Dr. Lee Riley, head of the division of infectious diseases and vaccinology at UC Berkeley School of Public Health. Most people are wearing masks and maintaining the 6 feet distancing recommendations. And the businesses are still restricted from operating. So I think these prolonged measures are having an impact. It remains to be seen whether case counts will continue to sink as state and county officials work to slowly reopen the economy while avoiding another surge. The number of Bay Area residents hospitalized for the coronavirus has been in a similarly gradual decline since late July, according to state data. Bay Area hospitalizations peaked at 781 during the week ending Aug. 2, and have declined relatively steadily each week since. They fell to 508 in the week ending Sunday, a 35% decline from the peak. Marin County is seeing the lowest three-day hospitalization rates since mid-June, and Contra Costa County last week reached its lowest hospitalization levels (62 patients) since the first week of July, health officials for the counties said Tuesday. But in San Francisco, hospitalizations have been rising since early September, from 51 on Sept. 4 to 76 on Sept. 13, according to city data. Stephen Lam/Special to The Chronicle So far, the wildfires that began in August have not appeared to lead to an overall, regional uptick in transmission. Health officials had feared that scenario, worrying that as evacuees gathered in shelters, they might mix households and spur the spread of the virus. But evacuees were mostly sent to hotels rather than staying in a single, large evacuation center, which helped prevent the spread from worsening in shelters, said Solano County Health Officer Dr. Bela Matyas. The August heat wave, coupled with poor air quality from the fires, may also have helped slow down the spread by discouraging people from meeting up with friends outdoors. Bad air, especially with heat, greatly diminished peoples impetus to do socializing, Matyas said. There was a lot more staying indoors than wouldve occurred during that period otherwise. That has helped contribute to a reduction in transmission. However, the current spate of wildfires in Northern California, the recent passage of Labor Day and the upcoming winter holidays have some health experts worried anew. The summer surge was partly attributed to large gatherings among friends and family members over Memorial Day and Fourth of July holiday weekends. People may again be tempted to let down their guard and relax social distancing and mask-wearing in these settings. Our numbers are good but Im worried that Labor Day is going to bump us back up, Matyas said. We have to wait it out. ... Typically its two weeks you have to wait. Were one week in from Labor Day weekend. This week will be telling whether our numbers are bumped up by it. A turn to cooler weather poses another risk. The biggest concern is once the weather turns and it gets colder, there will be a lot more indoor gatherings of people, said Dr. George Lemp, a retired University of California epidemiologist. In November and beyond, once the holiday season comes, people are going to want to gather and because of the weather turning, itll be more likely indoors. There are other signs the virus is slowing down in the Bay Area. The metric commonly known as R-naught, which measures the number of people that each infected person spreads the virus to, is stable or decreasing in all nine Bay Area counties, according to state data. The R-naught needs to be below one in order for the spread to slow. In all but one Bay Area county, it is. Most counties range between 0.8 and 0.9, while San Mateo measures in at exactly one. However, the number of coronavirus-related deaths in the Bay Area is not declining. It has hovered between about nine and 12 people a day, on average, for the last several weeks. Experts say that is not unexpected, given the relatively low number of deaths here compared to harder-hit regions. And there is less of a clear-cut correlation between cases and deaths than, say, cases and hospitalizations. Deaths are relatively uncommon and can occur anytime from just a day or two after a diagnosis, up to weeks or even months later. Catherine Ho is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: cho@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @Cat_Ho Minister of Health Patty Hajdu speaks during a meeting of the special committee on the COVID-19 outbreak, as efforts continue to help slow the spread of COVID-19, in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on May 20, 2020. (REUTERS/Blair Gable/File Photo) Canada Not Ruling out Lockdown Amid COVID-19 Surge but Eyes Surgical Approach OTTAWACanadas health minister on Tuesday said she could not rule out another full lockdown if needed amid a surge in new COVID-19 cases, but added Ottawa was significantly more prepared to manage the virus than during the first wave. Patty Hajdus comments followed a pledge she made late Monday to take a surgical approach to tackling outbreaks. Canada reported 1,351 new cases on Sept. 14, the highest single daily addition since May 1, amid school reopenings and flare-ups tied to group gatherings. We see those numbers rising, but a full economic shutdown would be very difficult for this country. Not to rule it out, because listen we will protect the health of Canadians and we will do what it takes, Hajdu told reporters on Tuesday. Canadas 10 provinces are responsible for introducing health restrictions, though the federal government could use emergency laws to impose a lockdown if deemed necessary. The premier of Quebec, the second-most populous province, said he was very worried by the surge, which he blamed on social gatherings. Some people will die there is also the risk that we may have to shut down some businesses, Francois Legault told a briefing on Tuesday. Theresa Tam, Canadas chief public health officer, said the spike in cases was concerning but played down the idea of a national shutdown. Instead, a more targeted approach was warranted, she told a briefing on Tuesday. Hajdu said Canada has made significant improvements in the healthcare system, and is better prepared with equipment and supplies than it was during the first wave. Hajdu earlier said Canada was at the stage where it would employ a more targeted approach to combating COVID-19, citing the need to work with provinces and regions to tackle localized outbreaks without hurting healthy communities. From Reuters By Julie Gordon Arnie Swim, a homegrown swimwear label that was created in Dubai by founder Ruby Rose Korver, has launched a stunning inaugural collection that embodies acceptance, fearlessness, and vibrancy. Korver, the creative force behind Arnie Swim, hails from the Gold Coast, Australia, where the beach is a way of life. She brings her passion project to life in an ode to her late father- Arnie. Arnie Swim has always been a dream, imagined on the golden Australian beaches and coming to fruition in the Middle East where the beach days never have to end. With recent events causing many of us to stop, take stock and reflect, Ruby Rose decided now was the time to be brave and bring her dream to life, with her father running through every fiber of Arnie Swim. Inspired by the landscape of the UAE and the women of the globe, a collection was born that fuses heart, soul, sand, and sea, said a statement. Ruby Rose reflects: Growing up on the Gold Coast, I was born with an inherent love of the ocean and its ability to ground me within an instant of being in its presence. This sentiment has stayed with me while my journey has taken me to Dubai. I followed my heart and made the move to the UAE four years ago- a country that has undoubtedly shaped the Arnie Swim concept and given me the opportunity to share it with the world. The memory of my darling father runs through the veins of this brand, he was my biggest supporter with an incredible zest for life. I really hope that every Arnie Swim customer feels this when they don one of our handcrafted pieces. The launch collection features pieces that are each named after a family member and are entirely handcrafted in the UAE, consisting of a luxurious array of bikinis and one pieces, in five stunning earthy tones, as well as the Luxe Linen range which is made entirely of 100% Linen and comes in two styles and colour-ways. The seamless swimwear pieces have been thoughtfully created to flatter and compliment all body shapes, ranging from sizes XS to L. Each piece is incredibly versatile. The one pieces can also be worn as body suits and the tops and bottoms can be mixed and matched, given that the hues meld mellifluously. The ultra soft material is sourced from the UK and speaks to the luxe positioning of Arnie Swim - feeling much like a second skin, the statement said. - TradeArabia News Service Passive investing in index funds can generate returns that roughly match the overall market. But you can significantly boost your returns by picking above-average stocks. To wit, the The North West Company Inc. (TSE:NWC) share price is 15% higher than it was a year ago, much better than the market decline of around 7.0% (not including dividends) in the same period. That's a solid performance by our standards! The longer term returns have not been as good, with the stock price only 9.1% higher than it was three years ago. View our latest analysis for North West While markets are a powerful pricing mechanism, share prices reflect investor sentiment, not just underlying business performance. One imperfect but simple way to consider how the market perception of a company has shifted is to compare the change in the earnings per share (EPS) with the share price movement. During the last year North West grew its earnings per share (EPS) by 21%. This EPS growth is significantly higher than the 15% increase in the share price. Therefore, it seems the market isn't as excited about North West as it was before. This could be an opportunity. The company's earnings per share (over time) is depicted in the image below (click to see the exact numbers). We know that North West has improved its bottom line lately, but is it going to grow revenue? If you're interested, you could check this free report showing consensus revenue forecasts. What About Dividends? When looking at investment returns, it is important to consider the difference between total shareholder return (TSR) and share price return. The TSR incorporates the value of any spin-offs or discounted capital raisings, along with any dividends, based on the assumption that the dividends are reinvested. It's fair to say that the TSR gives a more complete picture for stocks that pay a dividend. As it happens, North West's TSR for the last year was 22%, which exceeds the share price return mentioned earlier. And there's no prize for guessing that the dividend payments largely explain the divergence! Story continues A Different Perspective It's nice to see that North West shareholders have received a total shareholder return of 22% over the last year. Of course, that includes the dividend. Since the one-year TSR is better than the five-year TSR (the latter coming in at 7.5% per year), it would seem that the stock's performance has improved in recent times. Someone with an optimistic perspective could view the recent improvement in TSR as indicating that the business itself is getting better with time. While it is well worth considering the different impacts that market conditions can have on the share price, there are other factors that are even more important. Even so, be aware that North West is showing 2 warning signs in our investment analysis , you should know about... Of course North West may not be the best stock to buy. So you may wish to see this free collection of growth stocks. Please note, the market returns quoted in this article reflect the market weighted average returns of stocks that currently trade on CA exchanges. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com. CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Sept. 15, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Devo Technology, the cloud-native data analytics and security company, today announced a $60 million Series D round and welcomed former LogMeIn chief operating officer and the co-founder and former leader of IBMs $2 billion security business unit, Marc van Zadelhoff, as the companys new chief executive officer (CEO). Georgian led the oversubscribed round, with Bessemer Venture Partners and existing investor Insight Partners also participating. Following a record-setting quarter , the funding and executive moves will drive all aspects of the business to sustain an aggressive pace of growth and accelerate the companys expanding leadership in the security analytics market. The round and associated activities also change the composition of the companys Board of Directors, which Van Zadelhoff joined in August 2020. With the appointment of Van Zadelhoff to CEO, the companys current CEO, Walter Scott, will become Chairman of the Board. As part of the funding, Justin LaFayette of Georgian will join the Board. Also joining the Board is Tom Schodorf , who brings more than 35 years of operating experience in sales and executive management at IBM, BMC, and most recently, Splunk. Walter has done an outstanding job leading Devo, building an exceptional customer base, and solidifying the companys competitive advantage, said Van Zadelhoff. With Devo, organizations implementing security analytics and log management platforms no longer have to make compromises on speed, or struggle with scalability limitations or price constraints. Devo is cloud native, affordable, scalable, cloud agnostic and fast as hell. These are advantages that customers are dying to have and it made me want to be part of Devo. I know we have the team and the technology in place to build a company for the history books. Evidence of Devos momentum and strength can be seen in the recent contract award from the U.S. Air Force, which calls for Devo to serve as the central security hub for protection, detection, and response across the U.S. Air Force worldwide for enterprise defense. Devo experienced 80% year-over-year growth in the first half of 2020, increasing headcount in the U.S. by more than 50%, and has set a goal of growing the team by an additional 25% by the end of 2020. Devo fits perfectly into Georgians thesis-led approach to investing, which identifies the companies best positioned to ride the wave of major trends in software, services and businesses in this case AI and cybersecurity, said LaFayette. We look forward to partnering with Marc and the Devo team, as well as Insight Partners and Bessemer Venture Partners, to further accelerate Devos growth and market leadership. About Devo Devo unlocks the full value of machine data for the worlds most instrumented enterprises, putting more data to worknow. Only the cloud-native Devo Data Analytics Platform addresses both the explosion in volume of machine data and the new, crushing demands of algorithms and automation. This enables IT operations and security teams to realize the full transformational promise of machine data to move businesses forward. Headquartered in Cambridge, Mass., Devo is privately held and backed by Insight Partners, Georgian, and Bessemer Venture Partners. Learn more at www.devo.com . PR Contacts: Devo Technology Shannon Todesca shannon.todesca@devo.com (508) 494-4607 CHEN PR for Devo Technology Jennifer Torode jtorode@chenpr.com (781) 672-3119 A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/3534bb5b-2a25-4edf-b179-7a01ea83757d Explained: What is Aircraft (Amendment) Bill, 2020, how does it work? India oi-Ajay Joseph Raj P New Delhi, Sep 15: On the second day of the Parliament monsoon session, Rajya Sabha took the initiative to discuss The Aircraft (Amendment) Bill, 2020. Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri initiated the discussion on the bill, which is being taken up for consideration and passing. What is Aircraft (Amendment) Bill, 2020? The Aircraft (Amendment) Bill, 2020 seeks to convert Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), Bureau of Civil Aviation Security, and Aircraft Accidents Investigation Bureau to statutory bodies. In this, the penalty for various offences is imprisonment of up to two years, or a fine of up to Rs 10 lakh, or both. These offences include carrying arms, explosives, or other dangerous goods aboard aircraft, contravening any rules notified under the Act, and constructing building or structures within the specified radius around an aerodrome reference point. Explained: Do graphene face masks work better than commonly used surgical masks to prevent COVID-19? The Bill raises the maximum limit on fines for all these offences from Rs 10 lakh to one crore rupees. On Tuesday, the House took up the discussions on The Aircraft (Amendment) Bill, 2020. Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri spoke about the Bill. He listed the achievements in civil aviation and also explained the COVID-induced challenges and how the ministry was overcoming it. Parliament monsoon session: BJP slams Jaya Bachachan over 'conspiracy to defame film industry' Meanwhile, NCP MP Praful Patel during discussion on Aircraft (Amendment) Bill 2020 in the Upper House said, "4-5 per cent people board flights one time in a year. If this number goes up to 10-15 per cent, we would need a huge increase in number of airports and aircraft. Airlines are financially stressed due to COVID-19 and need support." On the other side, Congress, while debating the Aircraft (Amendment) Bill, 2020, attacked the Centre and said the government is running a scam in the name of developing airports in a PPP model. Monsoon Session Day 2: Airlines financially stressed due to Covid-19, need govt support, says NCP Rajya Sabha MP KC Venugopal said, "Adani group has won bids to operate and develop six airports. There's clear violation of norms in giving airports to a single private entity. The government ignored advice of some of its own ministries and departments. Changes in the norms were enabled for Adani Group to win all 6 bids." In February this year, the Adani Group bagged contract for all six airports by winning the bids with huge margins. Centre has already privatised airports at Lucknow, Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Mangaluru, Thiruvananthapuram and Guwahati for operation, management and development through public-private partnership (PPP) model in February. Now, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) has recommended the Centre to privatise airports at Amritsar, Varanasi, Bhubaneswar, Indore, Raipur and Trichy as well. Warmer weather, less frequent public health alerts and fewer people getting sick could all be contributing to the low levels of COVID-19 testing in NSW. The state recorded seven new cases on Monday. Four were in hotel quarantine and three were locally acquired, including one mystery case. NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said it was a "solid result", but she was concerned about testing numbers, with 8835 tests completed in the past 24-hour reporting period, compared to 9316 the previous day. Week-on-week testing numbers also continued to drop. In the week to 8pm on Monday, 89,368 tests were reported, down by almost a third from 135,271 the week before. You may have heard rumors of recent delays in U.S. Postal Service delivery times, or perhaps experienced longer transit times yourself. Since Shippo's technology powers shipping for more than 50,000 businesses, we have a unique view of USPS and many other top carriers. Recently, we analyzed our aggregate package data from many millions of shipments to provide a definitive answer to the ongoing questions around USPS reliability. The good news, both for the USPS and thousands of businesses that rely on its services, is that overall the USPS remains a reliable choice for most e-commerce shipments. That said, since the beginning of July, we've seen small increases in transit times and delayed deliveries. Notably, packages traveling longer distances have been impacted more than those going shorter distances. However, there are outliers: specific routes that are experiencing delays far greater than the average USPS route (more on that soon). Before we dive in, it's worth noting Shippo's data is specific to package shipments and not letter mail. Average transit time We looked at the average transit time in days for USPS's most popular services, Priority Mail and First Class Package Service. Overall, the increases in transit time are small, which means it's taking only slightly longer for the USPS to deliver packages. For USPS Priority Mail, packages traveling in July/August took an average 9.03 percent longer to reach their destinations than those in May/June. Please note: Since the USPS does not deliver on Sunday, transit times increase toward the end of the week, which is why we see the weekly fluctuations. You will also see spikes in late May and early July, because of the federally observed holidays of Memorial Day on May 25th and Independence Day on July 4th. As for USPS First Class Package Service, packages shipped in July/August took an average 8.80 percent longer to be delivered than those traveling in May/June. Prevalence of delays How many packages are getting delivered after their original delivery date? We took a look at the overall percentage of packages that experienced delays. Here are our findings. There were 17.45 percent more USPS Priority Mail packages delayed in July/August than in May/June. On average, USPS First Class Package Service deliveries saw a 31.28 percent increase in the average percentage of packages delayed daily between May/June versus July/August, increasing from 14.64 percent delayed to 19.22 percent delayed. Most-impacted routes The following chart depicts the 10 delivery routes that saw the highest delays. For comparison's sake, from July 1 to August 6, USPS Priority Mail as a whole saw 24 percent of its packages experiencing a delay. Here is how the top 10 most-delayed routes stack up. USPS First Class Package Service saw 17 percent of its volume get delayed from July 1 to August 6. Notably, 43 percent of packages traveling via this service level from California to Michigan were delayed. What do these changes mean for businesses? While the USPS has experienced minor delays, it continues to be a strong option for many e-commerce businesses. Especially for small and medium-size businesses, affordable rates and the accessibility from servicing every address daily make the USPS a popular option. We also reviewed trends for transit times and delays from top private carriers, including UPS and FedEx, and found that they have not seen any significant increases in transit times or delays over the same time period. Both carriers are also great options, especially if you need greater certainty around transit ETAs. In terms of whether you should consider changing carriers or shifting volume, there is no one-size-fits-all answer. It will depend on several factors that are specific to your business. However, some things that you should consider are: Is your business experiencing significant delays that are harming your customer experience? In other words, are you one of the outliers? Is your business prepared to fulfill orders through multiple carriers today? For example, if you only use the USPS, you'll have to change your internal workflow for pick and pack and devise a strategy for getting your packages to other carriers, either dropping them off yourself or coordinating pickups. How will changing to a new carrier or service level impact your margins? In most cases, you should expect to pay a bit more per shipment for UPS or FedEx compared with the USPS. You'll want to make sure that you are accounting for these costs and your business can sustain them. Generally speaking, the slight increase in USPS delivery time should not cause alarm for most businesses and does not warrant a change in your shipping mix, especially if you're happy with your fulfillment flow. But if you are looking to make a change, do it now so you can be well prepared for the holiday selling season in Q4. (Alliance News) - British lawmakers on Monday backed a new bill that would override parts of the Brexit treaty struck with the EU last year, despite outrage in Brussels and alarm at home over such an overt breach of international law. MPs in the House of Commons gave their initial approval to the UK Internal Market Bill by 340 votes to 263, clearing the way for four days of detailed scrutiny of the text this week and next. UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson earlier argued the legislation was a "safety net" against what he claimed were EU threats to impose tariffs on UK internal trade and even stop food going from mainland Britain to Northern Ireland. But EU leaders have dismissed this as "spin" and warned Johnson to uphold commitments he himself made in the Brexit treaty last year a demanding he withdraw the offending parts of the new bill by the end of September. The row threatens to disrupt already tough post-Brexit trade negotiations, fuelling growing fears of failure that would see more than four decades of EU-UK integration come to a crashing halt at the end of this year. The legislation also sparked angry debate in London, reminiscent of the years of bitter political battles that followed the 2016 shock referendum vote to leave the EU. Several of Johnson's own Conservative MPs expressed alarm about breaking international law, with ex-finance minister Sajid Javid and former attorney general Geoffrey Cox among those saying beforehand that they would not back the bill as it stood. Every living former prime minister a Conservatives John Major, David Cameron and Theresa May and Labour's Tony Blair and Gordon Brown a also warned of the risk to Britain's global reputation. The UK parliament spent years arguing over how to leave the EU a much of it arguing over arrangements for Northern Ireland a and delayed its exit date three times. Johnson temporarily halted the deadlock by sealing a divorce deal with Brussels late last year, which he used to win a thumping 80-seat victory in a December general election. Downing Street last week claimed the Brexit deal was agreed "at pace" and the problems with the aspects of the treaty regarding Northern Ireland were unforeseen. But opposition Labour spokesman Ed Miliband ridiculed this suggestion, saying: "Either he wasn't straight with the country about the deal in the first place or he didn't understand it." He added: "This is his deal. It's his mess. It's his failure." One of Johnson's special envoys, MP Rehman Chishti, earlier quit over the bill a and more trouble could be ahead. Although MPs on Monday defeated a Labour attempt to try to kill the bill, amendments have already been proposed for debate during four days of detailed scrutiny starting Tuesday. One from senior Conservative MP Bob Neill has attracted some support, and would give parliament, not ministers, the power to decide whether to overrule the Brexit treaty. Even some Brexit-backing Tories are unhappy, with one, Charles Walker, saying: "I'm no fan of the EU... but surely we have to exhaust all other options before we press the nuclear button." source: AFP Copyright 2020 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved. Daily numbers of new COVID-19 cases in Ontario are on the rise, more than doubling in the past five weeks. The reproduction number R has been above 1 (since Aug.4). Expressing concern, Premier Ford has announced a pause on easing restrictions. But a pause will only let the current exponential growth continue, taking us back, before the end of October, to the peak infection rate of April and into a second wave. Strong, immediate action, including tightened restrictions, is needed to reverse the trend and bring R below 1. Every day of delay will make the inevitable response more difficult, costly and prolonged. Martin Green, Toronto Read more about: A leading dairy cattle breeder has scooped the prestigious Princess Royal Award for his outstanding lifetime contribution to the sector. Professor Mike Coffey, who works at Scotland's Rural College (SRUC), has been instrumental in driving forward the genetic development of UK dairy cattle. He received the Royal Association of British Dairy Farmers' (RABDF) award from Princess Anne on Monday (14 September). The renowned researcher has spent almost 40 years working in the dairy breeding industry and has written more than 85 published papers to date. Specifically, he has identified goals that are important to the supply chain, including the implementation of genomic selection. Starting out milking cows after finishing his Animal Science degree at Nottingham University, Prof Coffey went on to work for the Holstein Friesian Society where he developed one of the first sire selection programs. During his 15 years at the society, he became embroiled in developing new breeding indices for dairy cows as the Holstein breed increased in popularity. He then joined the Scottish Agricultural College (SAC) now SRUC, where he has continued driving forward dairy genetic development. Most recently he successfully implemented genomic selection in dairy cows and, by working with others in the industry, has been able to create one of the biggest reference populations in the world. Later this year a feed efficiency index will be released based on records from the Queens Anniversary Prize-winning Langhill experiment which will help farmers select animals that can produce more milk by eating less and as a result, produce fewer methane emissions. Prof Coffey is also currently looking at the use of milk spectral data to predict various health conditions such as bTB with high accuracy using Deep Learning - which could be a huge game-changer for quick and accurate disease diagnoses. Commenting on the award, Prof Coffey said: I was gobsmacked and found it very difficult to find the words to respond to the email informing me of the news. It is nice to be recognised for the work I have done and to know it has had a significant impact on the dairy industry. Peter Alvis, chairman of RABDF, said Prof Coffeys work has had a 'massive impact' on the British dairy industry. He has been at the forefront of dairy cow breeding for almost 40 years and continues to be so," he added. "His work in invaluable in helping our farmers produce cows that are productive, profitable, healthy and providing a product the consumer wants. LAWNDALE, CA / ACCESSWIRE / September 15, 2020 / Brandon Santana, a 22-year-old entrepreneur from Los Angeles California, revolutionized the way on how insurance agents conduct their business. Since he was a child, Brandon had always dreamt of becoming an entrepreneur and deviated from the traditional path of education, going to college and getting a 9-5. Once he graduated from high school from age 17, he went on to his local community college, where he took several classes and experimented with several majors but never found interest. He finds that the educational system lacks the basics of entrepreneurship - sales, marketing, and branding. At age 20, Brandon dropped out of college to pursue entrepreneurship, getting in business for himself, experimenting in dropshipping, online advertising, e-commerce, and learning the world of digital marketing. He invested in online courses, live training events, and getting mentors. Brandon started his own company called Leadshark, where he initially helped business owners get new customers using his digital marketing strategies. It wasn't until he found the insurance industry where he really ventured into helping insurance agents. He noticed a major problem with the existing market, where as agents would go and buy leads from vendors, and a majority of the time, vendors compromise lead quality to keep margins and profits, which in turn hurts the agents. The worst part about this is that agents would have to spend hundreds of dollars on low-quality leads, which in turn, the agents would have to manually set their own appointments, do all the follow-up, and all the rescheduling. That is no way to run and scale a successful business. Brandon created the Policy Engine System, where he helps final expense agents get 25-50 pre-qualified appointments with people already looking for insurance. It automated the agents business by 80% so the agents can focus on just the sales process. Brandon's system is literally turn-key, where agents no longer have to spend so much time on lead generation, and they can just focus on getting in front of prospects. His system works like this: Brandon generates the leads using online marketing campaigns, then his ISA team comes in and calls/qualifies the leads within the first 5 minutes and follows up with the leads for at least 90 days. Once a lead has been qualified, it is then booked on the agents calendar, so all that is left to do for the agent is to just show up to that appointment. CONTACT: Name - Brandon Santana Email - brandon@leadshark.io Business Name - Lead Shark Address: Lawndale, California, United States Phone number: (424) 349-4205 Website: https://www.leadshark.io/appointments SOURCE: Lead Shark View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/606158/CORRECTION-Brandon-Santanas-Policy-Engine-System-Helping-Insurance-Agents-Get-Booked-Final-Expense-Appointments HALIFAX, NS, Sept. 15, 2020 /CNW/ - The Government of Canada will continue to protect the health and safety of all Canadians, and to ensure a safe, sustainable, and greener economic recovery. Nova Scotians have come together and done their part. These collective efforts have helped us during the pandemic, and will continue to do so as we work to build a healthy, more resilient, and more prosperous country for everyone. Today, the Honourable Geoff Regan, Member of Parliament for Halifax West, on behalf of the Honourable Catherine McKenna, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, the Honourable Iain Rankin, Minister of Lands and Forestry and Member of the Legislative Assembly for Timberlea-Prospect, and Richard Zurawski, Councillor for District 12 for the Halifax Regional Municipality, announced funding for a new community recreation centre in Beechville. This investment will allow for the design and construction of a community centre for residents of the communities of Beechville, Lakeside, and Timberlea. The new fully-accessible recreation and fitness facility will better support community needs and will replace the existing community centre that is nearing the end of its useful life. The Government of Canada is investing more than $3.9 million to this project through the Community, Culture, and Recreation Stream of the Investing in Canada infrastructure plan. The Government of Nova Scotia is contributing more than $3.2 million. The recipient, the Halifax Regional Municipality, is contributing more than $2.6 million. Quotes "Investing in community, recreation and cultural infrastructure promotes people's health and well-being and builds strong dynamic communities where people will want to put down roots and do business. Residents of all ages in Beechville, Lakeside, and Timberlea will benefit from this new place to gather, connect, and engage in active and healthy activities, for years to come." The Honourable Geoff Regan, Member of Parliament for Halifax West, on behalf of the Honourable Catherine McKenna, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities "Community centres are the cornerstones of our neighbourhoods, and the foundation of fond memories for many Nova Scotia families. Our investment in the new, accessible Beechville Lakeside Timberlea community centre will encourage healthy, active lifestyles and help bring people in these areas closer together." The Honourable Iain Rankin, Minister of Lands and Forestry, on behalf of Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister, the Honourable Chuck Porter "This partnership with the provincial and federal governments will bring a much-needed rejuvenation to Beechville, Lakeside and Timberlea. The replacement of the current outdated recreation centre through the Community, Culture and Recreation Stream will mean that residents will have a place of recreation, social engagement, education, and exercise that will rival the best facilities in Nova Scotia, and be a local hub for decades to come." Richard Zurawski, Councillor for District 12, Halifax Regional Municipality Quick facts Through the Investing in Canada infrastructure plan, the Government of Canada is investing more than $180 billion over 12 years in public transit projects, green infrastructure, social infrastructure, trade and transportation routes, and Canada's rural and northern communities. infrastructure plan, the Government of is investing more than over 12 years in public transit projects, green infrastructure, social infrastructure, trade and transportation routes, and rural and northern communities. $26.9 billion of this funding is supporting green infrastructure in Canadian communities. of this funding is supporting green infrastructure in Canadian communities. The Government of Canada has invested more than $799 million in 189 infrastructure projects across Nova Scotia under the Investing in Canada plan. has invested more than in 189 infrastructure projects across under the plan. To support Canadians and communities during the COVID-19 pandemic, a new stream has been added to the over $33-billion Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program to help fund pandemic-resilient infrastructure. Existing program streams have also been adapted to include more eligible project categories. Investing in Infrastructure Program to help fund pandemic-resilient infrastructure. Existing program streams have also been adapted to include more eligible project categories. The COVID-19 Resilience Stream will help other orders of governments whose finances have been significantly impacted by the pandemic by increasing the federal cost share for public infrastructure projects. Associated links Investing in COVID-19 Community Resilience: https://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/plan/covid-19-resilience-eng.html Investing in Canada Plan Project Map: http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/map Federal infrastructure investments in Nova Scotia: https://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/plan/prog-proj-ns-eng.html Canada Healthy Communities Initiative https://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/chci-iccs/index-eng.html Investing in Canada: Canada's Long-Term Infrastructure Plan: http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/plan/icp-publication-pic-eng.html Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram Web: Infrastructure Canada SOURCE Infrastructure Canada For further information: Chantalle Aubertin, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, 613-941-0660, c[email protected]; Krista Higdon, Communications Advisor, Province of Nova Scotia, 902-220-6619, [email protected]; Media Relations, Infrastructure Canada, 613-960-9251, Toll free: 1-877-250-7154, Email: [email protected] Related Links www.infrastructure.gc.ca A summit among Chinese, German and EU leaders was held via video conference on Monday. According to the briefing from the Chinese side, the summit achieved a number of results, including the goal to conclude negotiations on the China-EU Bilateral Investment Treaty within the year. Official information from Germany and the EU also focused on cooperation. But European public opinion highlighted the differences between the two sides, which mirrors Europe's normal state. Ideological differences between China and Europe have been existing for a long time. Yet the two sides continue to expand their cooperation and interactions. This is the general trend of China-Europe ties. The desire of both sides to keep strengthening the trend is real. It is a wish not only at the national levels, but also from their companies. Surveys conducted by the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China and China Chamber of Commerce to the EU show that if China further expands its market access, and Europe further improves its business environment, companies from both sides are willing to invest more in each other. Economic and trade cooperation is the most substantial and stimulating part of China-Europe relations. It can provide a tremendous driving force for people-to-people and cultural exchanges, which in turn promote mutual understanding and tolerance between the two sides. Economic and trade cooperation between China and Europe could be considered well developed. China surpassed the US as Germany's largest export market in the second quarter of 2020, and has long become some European countries' biggest fashion market apart from the EU. The most common disputes between China and Europe are about human rights and in relevant fields, such as Xinjiang- and Tibet-related affairs, and the national security law for Hong Kong. But it needs to be pointed out that such clashes over human rights are ambiguous. It is true that there exist differences over human rights between the two sides. Yet the inaccurate part is that those disputes have been severely exaggerated. They have been turned into political clashes, even as a bargaining chip to pressure China, in an attempt to make the latter concede on economic and trade matters. Chinese society has absorbed part of Western concepts of human rights. Now, China pays great attention to the improvement of people's livelihood and cherishes every single life during its epidemic fight. Has it had any impact on Europe? As China narrows its gap with the West in industrialization, exchanges on human rights will be a process to learn from one another. Gone is the era when the West could lecture China easily. Europe views China's Xinjiang- and Hong Kong-related affairs as human rights issues, but the 1.4 billion Chinese people do not think so. They believe Xinjiang had to take utmost measures to wipe out terrorism and extremism from which it once suffered seriously. Chinese society also firmly opposes some forces which have tried hard to turn the high-degree autonomy in Hong Kong to independence, or to remove Hong Kong from the jurisdiction of the Chinese central government and make it fall into the embrace of the US and the UK. China is such a huge country that the complexity of its internal governance during its modernization process is unimaginable to the Europeans. European public opinion should respect the interests of the 1.4 billion Chinese as well as their understanding of and emotions toward China's own affairs. The Europeans should be clear that China's policies on Xinjiang and Hong Kong are not only the decision of the Chinese government, but also the choice of the Chinese people. If the Europeans have reasonable views over Xinjiang and Hong Kong affairs, the Chinese people will not reject them. But if some forces in Europe attempt to forcefully make China behave as they wish, they can just forget it. No matter how much damage it might cause to China-EU ties, China will never make concessions on its principles. If China demands Europe to solve its issues of migration, offer solutions to countries like France, Spain and the UK in dealing with separatist movements, and demands that Europe cope with the COVID-19 epidemic in certain specific ways, because reducing infections and deaths is a crucial human rights issue for China, would Europe accept it? Would Europeans feel offended? One shall never over-politicize the due cooperation between Chinese and European societies. It is hoped that China and the EU can respect each other and achieve win-win results through cooperation. This should outweigh petty concerns or schemes. Flash Russian President Vladimir Putin said Monday that he hopes a constitutional reform planned by his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko will help settle the ongoing crisis in Belarus. "I am sure that, bearing in mind your experience in politics, work in this area will be organized at the highest level and this will create new frontiers in the development of your country's political system," Putin said at a meeting with Lukashenko in Russia's Sochi. He reiterated Moscow's position that Belarusians themselves, in a calm mode and in dialogue with each other, come to understand this situation and reach a common decision, without any prompts and pressure from outside. He added that Russia views Belarus as its closest ally and will fulfill all the obligations it has assumed in relation to the neighboring country. Putin recalled that Russia and Belarus have very deep and stable cooperation in various areas, with Russia being the biggest investor in the Belarusian economy. He said that the two countries need to make additional efforts to not only restore the trade and economic relations damaged by the COVID-19 pandemic, but also create conditions for moving them forward. For this, Russia will provide Belarus with a state loan of 1.5 billion U.S. dollars, Putin said. Moscow and Minsk should also continue cooperation in the military and defense sphere, Putin added. At the meeting, Lukashenko said that Russia and Belarus must keep conducting joint military drills and plan them for years to come. To this, Putin responded that the two countries conducted joint military activities almost every month and they will continue in accordance with joint agreements. Pandemics caused by novel infectious agents like the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), Zika, or Ebola virus seriously impact human health and lives while also overwhelming health care systems all over the world. Early detection and diagnosis allow isolation of the infected patients and contact tracing, which can mitigate the spread of the virus and save lives, especially when a significant number of the patients are asymptomatic. Current methods used in SARS-CoV-2 detection Developing low-cost and rapid testing methods for early detection of infection has always been a challenge while dealing with the current COVID-19 pandemic. Presently, two approaches are being used for the detection of COVID-19 infection. The first one detects the viral genome and uses techniques such as genomic sequencing, CRISPR, and reverse transcription real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR). While these methods are relatively accurate, they are slow because there are multiple steps involved in sample processing, and the samples need to be shipped to a laboratory for testing. The accuracy of these methods is also affected by the high mutation rate in the viral genome. A second approach involves the detection of antibodies specific to the viral antigens using serological methods such as lateral flow immunoassay and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). These assays have a long sample preparation time (0.5-2 hrs) and are based on structural proteins like the nucleocapsid protein (N-protein) or the spike protein (S-protein). Their sensitivity is relatively low, and false-positive rates are about 5-11%. The shortfalls of both testing methods show that there is an urgent need for the development of a faster, more sensitive, and specific assay for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 infection. The authors say, Hence, there is an urgent need to develop a sensitive and specific assay for rapid detection of SARS-CoV-2 infection within minutes or if possible, seconds; ideally within days of infection, which could particularly be useful for medically underserved areas if a smartphone enables the readout. A New Rapid Testing Platform In a paper published on the preprint server medRxiv*, researchers from the Carnegie Mellon University and University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine discuss a newly developed 3D printed biosensing platform called the 3DcC that can sense SARS-CoV-2 antibodies within seconds. Schematic of the Manufacturing process of the 3D Printed COVID-19 Test Chip (3DcC) by Aerosol Jet nanoparticle 3D printing The platform was developed by using aerosol jet nanoparticle 3D printing method to produce gold micropillar array electrodes, which was followed by functionalization of rGO and antigen immobilization on the electrode surface with the help of an EDC: NHS chemistry. Functionalization of 3D Printed Micropillar Electrode and 3DcC Sensor Operation. The device is capable of detecting antibodies produced against the S1 protein and receptor-binding-domain (RBD) of SARS-CoV-2 at very low concentrations (1pM) using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The results can be read on a smartphone-based user interface. Moreover, the sensor used in the device can be regenerated in under a minute at a low-pH that elutes the antigens from the antibodies. This allows using the same sensor to test multiple samples. In this work, two antibodies were tested within 11.5 seconds. Physical and Chemical Characterization of the 3DcC device Significance of this biosensing platform In electrochemical sensing, the antibody-antigen complex is detected through electrochemical transduction. The specificity, sensitivity, and speed of detection depend on the electrochemical cell, the surface chemistry of the electrodes, the antigen, and the type of assay. This work aimed at utilizing advanced techniques such as nanoparticle 3D printing for microelectronic fabrication and using electrochemical transduction in the rapid detection of COVID-19 antibodies. Combined with a regeneration capability and smartphone-supported design, the new platform offers a rapid, hi-tech, and much-needed solution to early diagnosis of COVID-19. The signal obtained using this device was very selective and repeatable. Antibodies produced against spike S1 and RBD viral antigens were detected at concentrations as low as 1 pM and 1 fM, respectively. The regeneration of the sensor in less than a minute allowed up to 10 successive, accurate readings using the same sensor. These results are highly encouraging and a device for field use, after appropriate human trials, will have a significant positive impact on public health and the course of the current as well as future pandemics., write the authors. This biosensing system will make rapid detection and early diagnosis possible, thus saving lives. Moreover, as this platform is generic, it can find more uses in detecting biomarkers specific to a variety of other pathogens such as HIV, Ebola, and Zika, which makes it a significant advancement in biotechnology that has a very positive impact on public health. *Important Notice medRxiv publishes preliminary scientific reports that are not peer-reviewed and, therefore, should not be regarded as conclusive, guide clinical practice/health-related behavior, or treated as established information. Google CEO Sundar Pichai announced that the company aims to run all its operations purely on carbon-free energy by 2030. He noted that Google has eliminated the company's entire carbon legacy through the purchase of high-quality carbon offsets. Google has become the first major company whose lifetime net carbon footprint is now zero. On operating on carbon-free energy 24 hours a day 7 days a week by 2030 Pichai said, "This is far more challenging than the traditional approach of matching energy usage with renewable energy, but we're working to get this done by 2030," Pichai said. Google aims to achieve this by working towards carbon-free energy at all data centers and campuses around the world. "Our data centers power the products and services you've come to rely on every day. This will mean every email you send through Gmail, every question you ask Google Search, every YouTube video you watch, and every route you take using Google Maps, is supplied by clean energy every hour of every day," Google noted. Google further noted that it is working on ways to apply AI to optimise electricity demand and forecasting. As an example of investing in technologies Google stated, "We are investing in manufacturing regions to enable 5 GW of new carbon-free energy, helping 500 cities reduce their carbon emissions and finding new ways to empower 1 billion people through our products," As per Google, these efforts will help create 20,000 jobs in clean energy and associated industries by 2025. As per the blog, Google released 4.9 million metric tons of greenhouse gases in 2018 alone, roughly the amount that more than 1 million passenger vehicles might put out in a year. Last week California saw the largest-ever fires that have forced tens of thousands from their homes and burned one million acres. Pichai acknowledged that to avert the consequences of climate change, the world must act now. "We have until 2030 to chart a sustainable cause for our planet or face the worst consequences of climate change. We are already feeling those impacts today from historic wildfires in the US to devastating flooding in many parts of the world," Pichai in a video said. Google noted that it will help partners and organizations reduce their carbon usage and remove carbon from the atmosphere through machine learning. FLINT, MI -- Michigans bond rating is not likely to suffer even if the state borrows all $600 million needed to settle civil lawsuits tied to the Flint water crisis, a credit rating agency says. Fitch Ratings made the comment in a new report assigning a AA rating to general obligation bonds the state is expected to issue this week for another purpose -- environmental programs. The report reflects Fitchs expectations for solid economic performance over the long term, low direct liabilities for debt and retirement obligations, and a conservative approach to fiscal management by the state. It also acknowledges the potential need for the state to borrow further if the water crisis settlement proposed by the state is approved by a federal judge later this year, but says the deal should not be seen as a financial problem as much as the possible resolution of a bigger future liability. In addition to above-average historic revenue and economic volatility, Michigan faces fiscal uncertainties related to its exposure to the 2014-16 Flint water crisis, the report says. "The level of uncertainty regarding the scale of the potential liability has diminished recently as the state announced the broad outlines of a $600 million settlement with plaintiffs in late August. The specific details of the settlement have not yet been made public, and how the state would pay ... to finance the settlement costs has yet to be determined. However, the settlement does appear to cap the states liability at the aforementioned amount, Fitch says. Michigan has several avenues available to it to finance the settlement costs, including public bonding. Michigans long-term liability burden remains low, and below Fitchs median for a U.S. state. Fitch does not anticipate it would revise its assessment of the states liability burden even if Michigan were to bond for the full amount of the settlement. An AA rating denotes expectations of very low default risk on bonds, and a very strong capacity for payment of financial commitments, according to Fitch, a New York-based credit rating agency. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Attorney General Dana Nessel announced some details of the water settlement, which would set up a claims process for Flint residents harmed by lead or bacteria in the citys water supply, on Aug. 20, but neither have said where the money to carry it out the payout would come from. If approved, the deal with Flint residents would be a historically large one for the state. According to data from the Senate Fiscal Agency, the settlement is more than the $546 million the state has paid out in court judgments and settlements for every lawsuit against it, combined, in the last 10 fiscal years for which data is available. The money would need to be appropriated through the state Legislature. Michigan budget leaders agreed this week to a budget framework for the states coming fiscal year and said final legislative action on the budget is expected next week. The states new fiscal year starts Oct. 1, meaning lawmakers and the administration have until Sept. 30 to get a budget for Fiscal Year 2021 squared away. The settlement wouldnt necessarily be a part of that process if the state plans to borrow to complete it. Tiffany Brown, press secretary for Whitmer, said in a message to MLive-The Flint Journal that settlement funding details still cant be discussed because of a U.S. District Court order but will become public after the proposed settlement details are filed with the court. Citing that same order, state Senate Majority Leader Jim Ananich, D-Flint, also declined to comment on any state plans for raising the settlement money. I will continue to make sure Flint families get what they deserve, Ananich said on Tuesday, Sept. 15. Youngest Flint water crisis victims to get 80 percent of historic $600 million settlement $600M Flint water crisis settlement is more than the state has paid out for the last decades' worth of lawsuits combined Whitmer administration, Michigan lawmakers agree to state budget framework The Irish government needs to develop a Tariff Support Mechanism to protect farm exports from the catastrophic impact of Brexit, Meat Industry Ireland (MII) has insisted. Claiming that tariffs in excess of 920 million could be imposed on Irish meat exports to Britain in a no-deal scenario, MII director Cormac Healy said the Government must act now to put supports in place. Read More Mr Healy pointed out that Irish meat exports to the UK are worth in excess of 1.75 billion annually, but tariffs could push the final cost to British importers to over 2.6 billion. We need to seriously explore a Tariff Support Mechanism to keep Irish meat exports flowing to the UK and to keep our customers supplied, in the face of a tariff wall, Mr Healy said. If large volumes of Irish meat, particularly beef, are displaced from the UK market, the consequences for the wider European market would be very negative. Because of Brexit the Irish meat industry risked losing its British customer base, which it has developed over decades, Mr Healy maintained. In the absence of an agreement on the future EU-UK relationship, the single biggest challenge for the Irish meat export business will be the imposition of new UK import tariffs, which for some meat categories, will be a major impediment to trade, Mr Healy explained. Beef in particular would face a tariff wall of some 72pc, amounting to some 725 million annually, he pointed out. MII warned that the current proposals from UK government would see tariff reductions on meat imports from South America, Australia and the US. If we dont act quickly and support our sector, we will risk losing our premium position in the UK market to cheaper imports from South America, Australia, USA, etc. that will also gain advantage from a lowering of their current tariff exposure, Mr Healy maintained. As part of the recent EU Leaders Summit agreement on an EU Budget, a new special 5bn Brexit Adjustment Reserve is to be established to counter unforeseen and adverse consequences in Member States and sectors that are worst affected. MII said the Irish government needed to engage with Brussels to secure supports for the meat sector from this fund. Mr Healy cautioned that even a bare bones trade deal between the EU and UK would involve greater customs controls, bureaucracy and documentation that will cause problems for just-in-time delivery services to customers. MII also warned the Government that direct connectivity to the Continent was essential to avoid the British land-bridge and possible chaos on the Channel ports. We need to have serious engagement with the Government about increasing Irelands direct shipping capacity to the Continent as a viable alternative to avoid the disruption [in Britain] that may occur in a no deal scenario, Mr Healy said. The subpoena reportedly seeks all communication between Bolton, his publisher and agent, citing national security. The US Justice Department has launched a criminal investigation into whether President Donald Trumps former National Security Adviser John Bolton mishandled classified information when he published a book about his time in the White House, multiple US media outlets have reported. According to a report from the Wall Street Journal on Tuesday, federal prosecutors sent grand jury subpoenas on Monday to Boltons literary agent, Javelin, and Simon & Schuster, which published, The Room Where It Happened: A White House Memoir. The subpoenas requested all communications with Bolton, the newspaper reported, citing anonymous sources. The paper also said Bolton has not received a grand jury subpoena. The Trump administration previously sought a court order to prevent Bolton from publishing the book, which is highly critical of Trump. Bolton served as national security adviser from April 2018 until September 2019 [Mark HumphreyAP Photo] The New York Times, also citing anonymous sources, reported that lawyers for the National Security Council and the Justice Department debated whether opening the investigation would be viewed as a political act with just seven weeks remaining before Trump faces former Vice President Joe Biden on November 3 national polls. The Times reported some of the lawyers referenced a federal judge who, in June, said the Justice Departments case to halt the publication of Boltons book which was ultimately unsuccessful contained some valid points. In seeking the injunction, the Justice Department had argued that the book contained classified information that could threaten national security. US District Court Judge Royce Lamberth wrote in the ruling, which allowed the book to be published, that Bolton gambled with the national security of the United States and exposed his country to harm and himself to civil (and potentially criminal) liability, CNBC reported. Trump has also said Bolton filled the book with lies that were intended to make me look bad. The president claimed in a June tweet that Bolton is a lowlife who should be in jail, money seized, for disseminating, for profit, highly Classified information. Washed up Creepster John Bolton is a lowlife who should be in jail, money seized, for disseminating, for profit, highly Classified information. Remember what they did to the young submarine sailor, but did nothing to Crooked Hillary. I ended up pardoning him It wasnt fair! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 23, 2020 Bolton served as national security adviser from April 2018 until September 2019. He has frequently criticised the Trump administration since his departure from the White House. Boltons lawyer and Javelin did not immediately comment. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Sebastian Partogi (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Tue, September 15 2020 Just three words, yet they always send chills down the spines of any professional anywhere: "You are fired". Unfortunately, amid the economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic, it seems inevitable for many businesses across the globe to lay off a significant chunk of their workforces. On a global level, the International Labor Organization (ILO) described the pandemic as the worst global crisis since World War II. Domestically, the Manpower Ministry revealed recently that more than 3.5 million Indonesians had been subject to pandemic-related layoffs as of July 31. Many human resource professionals might also have a hard time breaking the ultimate bad news to their colleagues. Fortunately, there are ways to lay people off compassionately in your organization. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,000/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Neutrons have many applications in scientific and medical research. Credit: Shutterstock Technological progress owes much to our scientific understanding of the materials we use to build the world around us, from longer-lasting cell-phone batteries to new medicines. Scientists and engineers rely on a full suite of tools to understand the properties of materials at the atomic and molecular levels, and they use various probes such as visible light, lasers, ultrasound, X-rays, electrons and neutrons. Each tool reveals certain properties of materials, generating knowledge that guides to better understanding and improvements. Neutron beams are among the most unique, and are used to study materials and processes at the subatomic level. Neutrons are one of the constituent parts of all atoms and, together with protons, form an atom's nucleus. They offer unparalleled sensitivity to light elements and magnets and because of their unique penetrating properties they can provide clear images of the interior of objects without disturbing them. Access to neutrons Scientific study using neutrons requires a sufficient quantity to be produced by specialized, large-scale laboratories. Canada has been a pioneer in this field, and the majority of that researchmore than 120 research papers per year involving 250 Canadian researchersemerged from the National Research Universal Reactor (NRU) in Chalk River, Ont. However, the NRU was shutdown in 2018, bringing a lot of scientific progress to a halt. Lack of access to neutrons is deeply felt by researchers in Canada, but this is not a unique problem. Globally, many neutron sources are at the end of their life cycles, and some have recently shut down. This resource vacuum presents a unique opportunity for Canada. Canadian scientists are now carving out a new national neutron strategy to rebuild Canadian capacity for research with neutron beams. Immediate and short-term plans are currently underway, such as partnering with foreign neutron sources and using the McMaster Nuclear Reactor to its full potential. Canadian leadership New neutron sources will bolster Canada's leadership in nuclear science and technology in the long-term. Compact Accelerator Neutron Sources (CANS) are alternative neutron sources, and they are gaining traction in the global scientific community. CANS can be built and operated at a lower cost and, since they do not use fission, there is less regulatory hassle. This facilitates the construction of CANS in locations such as a university campus, making neutron beams significantly more accessible to materials researchers and opening new frontiers for Canada such as using neutron radiation for cancer treatments. As researchers, we have three very different uses for neutrons. Drew Marquardt, a biochemist, uses neutrons to investigate the structure-function of cell membranes. Zahra Yamani is a physics scientist who researches quantum and other emerging materials, those materials in innovative technologies. As a radiation oncologist, Ming Pan uses neutrons to treat cancer. Our proposed CANS consists of three major components: a proton accelerator, a target-moderator assembly that makes the neutrons and neutron beamlines leading to instruments for research, industrial use or medical treatments. A schematic for the proposed neutron production mechanism. Credit: Michael H.L. Nguyen, Author provided Affordability and accessibility The beauty of CANS technology lies both in its lower costcompared to other types of neutron sourcesand its versatility. Although highly promising in principle, there have been relatively few attempts to implement a multipurpose CANS on a useful, practical scale. Researchers in France, Germany and Japan are pursuing CANS technology for various applications. Applications of CANS vary from the study of new materials to novel cancer treatments. This is where Canada can once again take the lead by developing a neutron source capable of enabling various activities in one facility: from teaching and faculty-led research to medicine. Recently, we have initiated efforts to design such a CANS that can service the broad scope of applications required by Canadian researchers and physicians. Our initiative seeks to do something no CANS has done: we intend on servicing both medicine and innovative materials research with one state-of-the-art facility. Medical applications Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT) is a targeted radiation cancer therapy whereby the neutrons react with boron that has accumulated in tumors. The neutron-boron reaction produces a form of radiation within the tumors to the cancer cells from within. Having the ability to target and destroy cancer cells while leaving neighboring healthy cells intact, BNCT promises to be effective against many forms of cancer. The CANS being designed would facilitate the first national BNCT center in Canada, making it one of only a handful of such centers designed for patient treatment globally. Beyond BNCT, the proton accelerator required for a CANS can also be used to produce certain medical isotopes. We will be able to produce diagnostic imaging isotopes for positron emission tomography (PET) scans to local medical diagnostic imaging centers. Materials research Our proposed CANS is intended to provide neutrons to Canadian researchers for their innovative materials research in addition to medicine. We will build instrumentation that will facilitate research of "soft materials" ranging from how bacteria become resistant to antibiotics and how new anti-cancer agents' function to key questions from the food industry relating to the nanoscopic makeup of milk. The neutron imaging instrument at our proposed CANS facility can serve a variety of applications, from investigating imperfections in engine blocks and turbines to studying water uptake in novel crop strains or the interior contents of archeological artifacts. We are employing a new approach to deliver neutrons to investigators both in medicine to treat disease and in materials research all using the same facility in a cost-effective way. Our efforts are the first phase in a longer-range program to develop such a compact accelerator-based neutron source. It is time for Canada toonce againdemonstrate leadership in research. Explore further Looking skin deep at the growth of neutron stars This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. KAMPALA A Ugandan lawmaker Faith Alupo has died Tuesday after she reportedly contracted the novel coronavirus, the first Member of Parliament in the country to succumb to the virus as its spread ramps up across the country. The MP, a Woman resprentative of Pallisa District, passed on from Mulago National Referral Hospital, at a section gazetted to treat VVIP Covid-19 patients, sources said on Tuesday. Parliament is yet issue an official communication to this development. Last month, parliament spokesperson Hellen Kaweesa said up to four MPs were confirmed to have been infected with COVID-19. In total, Ugandas health ministry has declared around 5000 coronavirus cases, of whom close to 60 have died and 2000 recovered. Uganda has seen a recent spike in new infections, having seen an initial slow rise in its caseload. Continentally, the number of confirmed COVID-19 infections stood at 1,353,283 with 32,625 deaths, according to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. Ugandas latest figures come as the World Health Organization urged countries to remain vigilant and keep track of possible mutation of the virus. As we continue to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic in Africa, being able to not only track its evolution, but also assess the possible mutation of the virus is crucial to mounting an effective response, said Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa. Through this new laboratory network dedicated to genome sequencing we can better develop vaccines and treatment which are tailored to Africans and eventually bring COVID-19 under control. Related Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-16 06:57:41|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Tijjani Muhammad-Bande, president of the 74th session of the UN General Assembly, declared the annual session closed on Tuesday, and passed the baton to the next president of the assembly, Volkan Bozkir. "The emergence of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has shown that we have to continue to deepen multilateral cooperation in the health sector, as in other areas, and implement the commitments of our heads of state and government to scale up national and global efforts to build a healthier world for all," Muhammad-Bande told the closing session. "It is important that in achieving this, we must continue to deepen cooperation to ensure that, despite the challenges posed by COVID-19, we will meet the goal and target we set for ourselves for (the) 2030 (Agenda)." He emphasized the importance of the General Assembly, the most representative body of the United Nations. "We cannot underestimate the importance of this assembly, which is founded on the equality of voice and vote. Its resolutions reflect the aspirations of humanity, helping (with) the normative development of international law with far-reaching ramifications across a wide breadth of issues for individuals and for states." "This is a moment of reckoning for our shared planet and future. This is a time for action, ambition, equality, inclusion and partnership," he said, stressing the importance of engaging and empowering the youth and underrepresented groups such as women and people with disabilities. Seventy-five years ago, the founders of the United Nations did not allow cynicism to prevail. It shall not be allowed to prevail now, he said. "To ensure this, we must continue to thoughtfully define our actions and uphold our pledge to leave no one behind, even in the face of disagreement -- indeed, in spite of disagreement. We must practice empathy and choose unity over discord." Enditem Albuquerque, Sept. 15, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Effective Sept. 1, Will Goodman has joined ARA to establish and lead its new government relations enterprise. ARA has a proud 40-year history of supporting government programs in all aspects, from advanced technology development to operational support, offering mission-critical solutions that help secure our world. As Vice President of Government Relations for ARA, Goodman will work closely with ARA leadership to identify and boost key prospects for growth and to help secure funding for important ARA programs during the annual congressional budget cycle. Goodman comes to ARA from MacAndrews and Forbes, Inc., where he was Vice President of Government Affairs, primarily supporting AM General and SIGA Technologies. Before that, Goodman was a Vice President at Novetta and the policy lead at the National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA). During his career in government, Goodman was the Senior Defense Adviser to Senator Patrick Leahy of Vermont and worked on military plans and policy in the Office of the Secretary of Defense. We are excited about this new step for ARA and the potential for Will to contribute to ARAs growth as we strive to solve critical human problems of national importance. said ARA CEO Rob Sues. About Applied Research Associates, Inc. Applied Research Associates, Inc. (ARA) was founded in 1979, in Albuquerque, New Mexico, to offer science and engineering research to solve problems of national importance. ARA delivers leading-edge products and solutions for national defense, energy, homeland security, aerospace, healthcare, transportation, and manufacturing. With over 1,400 employee-owners at locations in the U.S. and Canada, ARA offers a broad range of technical expertise in defense technologies, civil engineering, computer software and simulation, systems analysis, biomedical engineering, environmental technologies, and blast testing and measurement. Samsung was quick to release its custom skin, One UI 3.0 based on Android 11 for the Galaxy S20 series. Later, Samsung made the UI available to the developers in Korea and the US last week. Now the official changelog of the Android 11 based One UI 3.0 has surfaced the internet. This brings to notice all the changes and new features that Samsung has embedded in One UI 3.0. Moreover, Samsung has included its own features along with the Android 11 features. Making the One UI 3.0 a complete package. Right now, it is available to the registered developers of Galaxy S20 series in Korea and the US. Advertisement Fortunately, the public rollout of One UI 3.0 beta is set to commence for China, Germany, India, Poland, South Korea, the UK, and the US in the coming weeks. Let us take a look at the changes and new features Samsung has included with the One UI 3.0 (Android 11) update. Accessibility As noted by Sammobile, One UI 3.0 adds quick access to the important accessibility settings in the device setup process. The device will now recommend accessibility features based on your usage. Advertisement The setting accessibility shortcuts is easier in Settings. Besides, sound detectors now support SmartThings devices such as a Samsung Smart TV and lights. Bixby Routines and Photo Editor Yes, Samsung has included some features that will help fine tune the Bixby voice assistant. There are grouped presets to help you start off quickly. Moreover, you can also learn how to create routines quickly. New actions like talking to Bixby and accessibility conditions are added to Bixby Routines. Several new conditions such as specific start time, a disconnection of a Bluetooth or Wi-Fi network, a call from a specific number, and more are also included. Advertisement In fact. you can now add customized icons for each Bixby routine. Moreover, the Photo Editor lets you revert the edited pictures back to their original versions. Camera As per the official changelog, Samsung has worked on improving the autofocus and auto exposure functionality of Galaxy S20 cameras. Besides, stabilization while taking pictures of the moon at high zoom levels is also tweaked. Contacts, Messages, and Phone Apparently, there are some big changes in contacts. Now, you can delete multiple duplicate contacts with ease. The Trash Bin feature is now added to the Messages app. Advertisement Besides, you can now customize the call screen with your images or videos. The contact search experience is also tweaked and enhanced. Calendar and Reminders Notably, events with the same start time are now grouped together in month and agenda view. Editing and adding events options have been reorganized. In fact, for reminders and calendars, the layout for full-screen alerts has been improved. Advertisement Digital Wellbeing With the help of trends, users can now see the change in their usage compared to last week. Besides, you can now check usage time for each feature. A lock-screen widget is added so users can check screen time without unlocking your phone. Separate profiles for personal and work modes are also included. Home Screen, Lock Screen, Quick Panel, and AOD features You can now touch and hold an app to adds its widget on the home screen. Moreover, you can now turn off the screen by double-tapping an empty area on the screen. Advertisement More Dynamic Lock Screens have been added and widgets are improved. Conversation and media playback widgets now have their own separate sections in Quick Panel. AOD widgets are also improved. Samsung Internet The home-grown browser is getting a lot of tweaks. You can now block websites from redirecting you after you press the back button. Warning and blocking options for websites showing too many pop-ups or notifications are also added. Menu items are now easy to find. Translate add-on lets you quickly translate the website into different languages. Advertisement Now you can open a maximum of 99 tabs and lock and reorder tabs. Besides, the support for the Samsung Internet edge panel is now gone. Samsung Keyboard and Wireless DeX One UI 3.0 Android 11 update brings keyboard settings under the General management section. The whole Settings menu is reorganized to let the user find important settings easily. Though One UI 2.5 brought wireless DeX support to the Galaxy S20 series, it is now officially listed in the One UI 3.0 changelog. Tuesday's ruling is final and cannot be further challenged by El-Sherif Egypts Court of Cassation upheld on Tuesday a three-year imprisonment sentence against Safwat El-Sherif, who served as information minister under late President Hosni Mubarak, for making illicit gains. The court rejected an appeal by El-Sherif in the case and also upheld a fine of EGP 99 million (about $6.3 million). Tuesday's ruling is final and cannot be further challenged by El-Sherif. In September 2018, a Cairo criminal court sentenced El-Sherif to three years in prison and an EGP 99 million fine in a retrial on charges of making illicit gains. His sons were acquitted in the same ruling. In May 2016, El-Sherif and one of his sons were given five-year prison terms and an EGP 209 million fine (approx. $11.7 million) on charges of corruption and illicit gains. His second son was sentenced in absentia to a 10-year prison term. In December 2016, the Court of Cassation accepted their appeal and ordered a retrial. El-Sherif also served as the head of Egypt's State Information body, the head of the Egyptian Radio and Television Union, information minister, and the speaker of Egypt's upper house of parliament, which was abolished in 2011 but re-instated in 2019 by a constitutional amendment. In 2012, a court acquitted El-Sherif and other high-level Mubarak associates of organising the so-called "Battle of the Camel," a deadly mob attack against anti-regime protesters during the uprising in 2011. Many Mubarak-era figures have pushed to reach settlements with the Egyptian government in corruption cases, including late business tycoon Hussein Salem in 2016 and steel mogul Ahmed Ezz in 2018. Search Keywords: Short link: Christie Toney was 21 years old by the time she could say her own name out loud in front of a stranger without stammering. Two years ago, after graduating from University College Dublin with a master's degree in biopharmaceutical engineering, Toney felt her speech disorder was holding her back in job interviews, so she enrolled in a course called the McGuire Programme. The intensive course claims to give people control over their stammer in just three to four days by using a new way of breathing and overcoming the fear of stammering. The methods deployed during the courses, which are typically led by former-graduates-turned-coaches, can seem a little unorthodox; the first day Toney attended her course at a hotel in Newry, Co Down, she was asked to stand in front of the other participants and answer questions while her speech was being recorded. On the final day, Toney and the other students were taken out in small groups to the streets of Newry and asked to "make 100 contacts in three hours", for example by asking people for directions. At the end of that session, Toney took her turn at standing on a soapbox in a shopping centre and speaking out loud for two minutes. "Those three days changed my life," says Toney, who now works at a pharma company. "After doing the programme, I realised that all of those years of negative experiences associated with my stuttering had really shaped my perception of myself. My speech had always been a burden to me, something I'd always been ashamed of. "I had to make a conscious decision not to allow my stutter to define my life any more. But each day is an uphill battle." According to the stereotype, the Irish have the gift of the gab. But many of us have difficulty getting the words out: about 1pc of the population - or almost 50,000 people - stutter, according to the Irish Stammering Association (ISA). The speech disorder disproportionately affects males, with estimates that about four times as many males than females have a stammer. One of the most high-profile men to highlight the condition recently has been Joe Biden. Expand Close Speech: Joe Biden at the Grace Lutheran Church in Kenosha, Wisconsin, yesterday. PHOTO: REUTERS/KEVIN LAMARQUE / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Speech: Joe Biden at the Grace Lutheran Church in Kenosha, Wisconsin, yesterday. PHOTO: REUTERS/KEVIN LAMARQUE While on the campaign trail, the US presidential candidate has recalled his childhood struggle with a stammer, including how he recited Irish poetry in front of a mirror as a teenager to try to assert control over his speech and how his mother confronted a teacher at his school who had humiliated him when he was reading aloud from a book. When Biden was US vice-president and took his family to Ireland in 2016, he spoke to a member of the ISA about how he overcame stammering, says David Heney, who is chairman of the association. Heney himself became self-conscious about speaking in the workplace earlier in his career because of his overt stammer, which was accompanied by secondary behaviours such as tensing up and tapping his fingers. In 2007, he took part in a week-long HSE group residential therapy programme at a hotel, after realising that he was blaming a relationship breakdown on his speech. "I used to blame a lot of things on my stammering, thinking 'oh, I can't do this' and using it as an excuse," Heney says. Before the HSE programme, which was subjected to austerity cuts during the recession, Heney had never met other people who stammered. "That's probably why speech therapy hadn't worked for me before," he says. "But this time, it was about becoming accepting of your stammering it rather than curing it." There is no known cause or cure for stammering. Some research has indicated that neurological problems can crystalise the genetics that predispose a person to stammer. That impact, Heney says, can then be exacerbated by fears that people build over the years of certain situations, such as of a job interview or meetings. "There have been some drug trials over the years but there haven't been any major breakthroughs and they tend to treat stammering in relation to anxiety," he says. "Speaking to academics and looking at research, the greatest impact seems to be acceptance of stammering and extending your comfort zone; if you start avoiding people and situations, you end up creating fears." When his older brother Edward VIII abdicated the British throne in 1936, King George VI was unexpectedly thrown into the role and feared the stammer he had struggled with since childhood would prevent him from giving public speeches. He overcame the obstacle after being treated by Australian speech therapist Lionel Logue, as depicted in the 2010 film The King's Speech. Other well-known figures who have a stammer include the actor Emily Blunt, novelist Colm Toibin, and the former Labour party politician and MEP Proinsias De Rossa. It was the latter who resonated most with Nora Trench Bowles. She remembers growing up hearing De Rossa speaking with a stammer and "communicating clearly" in the media. "It makes me want to start crying even thinking about it now," says Bowles, who now works in the university sector and is a voluntary member of the ISA's board. "I stammered for a long as I can remember and I think I always will stammer. For most of my life, I could count on one hand the number of people I even said the word 'stammer' to because of the shame and the fear tied up in it. What has changed in recent years is becoming more open about my stammer. "I imagine there is a perception that people who stammer are quiet or were horribly bullied. I can't say that either of those who are true: I'm usually the loudest one in the room and I enjoyed school. "I do have a standout memory of that one time someone in school said something mean to me about my stammer, but the impact is perhaps is more internal. It's about the debating societies I didn't join and the school plays I didn't take part in because, at that age, I didn't think it was possible to have a stammer and do those things; the idea of a stammer being heard that publicly was too much to bear. It hasn't changed completely, because there are still days I avoid certain words or situations. "There are a few celebrities now who talk about their experiences about having a stammer, Joe Biden is the big one of the moment, and Emily Blunt has done a few interviews. "But I would like to hear more people on the radio and see more people on TV stammering and not necessarily talking about their stammering but talking about a whole range of topics. It comes down to representation. "When stammering comes up in popular culture, like in the media or on TV or in films, it's either as the butt of a joke or a sign of someone sinister. I saw a presentation once where quite often someone who plays a criminal on TV is stammering to denote that they are unhinged. "As a society, we have come a long way towards tolerance in lots of ways, but that hasn't caught up to people who stammer." The ISA Walk and Talk event, a social gathering for people who stammer and their friends and families, will be held the banks of the Royal Canal in Dublin on September 20. Associated Agencies Inc., a privately held insurance and risk management firm based in Rolling Meadows, Ill., has acquired Bensman Risk Management Inc. and Bensman Associates Ltd. (The Bensman Group), a Bannockburn, Ill.-based insurance, risk management and strategic planning firm led by CEO Bob Bensman. Associated and its individual insurance business, Auto & Home, will work with The Bensman Group to further develop a premier high-net-worth individual insurance and risk advisory practice. Bensman began the The Bensman Group in 1976. Through the years, the firm has grown from being primarily focused on life insurance to a multi-discipline financial services firm, including individual and corporate services. Bob Bensman will continue as CEO and founder of Bensman Risk Management Inc. and Bensman Associates Ltd., a division of Associated Insurance and Risk Management Advisors. Source: Associated Agencies Inc. Topics Mergers Agencies Illinois Risk Management 50 female entrepreneurs with new businesses based in rural Ireland will be selected for a free, government-backed development initiative. Any woman with a new business or well-developed idea for a new venture they want to get off the ground can apply for the latest cycle of development initiative ACORNS. To be considered, applicants must have set up a new business which has generated sales no earlier than the 1st January 2018 or be actively planning a new venture and has made good progress towards getting the new venture off the ground. They should own or part-own the business and it should be located in an area outside the administrative city boundaries of Dublin, Cork, Galway, Limerick and Waterford, They must expect to become an employer within three years. The final deadline to apply for the latest cycle of development initiative ACORNS is next Monday, September 21. The initiative will be run on a part-time basis over six months from October 2020 to April 2021. ACORNS is based on peer support and collaborative learning with each participant given the opportunity to learn from the Lead Entrepreneurs who act in a voluntary capacity. The lead entrepreneurs are all running successful businesses in rural Ireland and will share their insights and experiences with the participants to address the issues and challenges they face when starting and growing a business. This years lead entrepreneurs include Anne Reilly of Paycheck Plus, Co Louth; Caroline McEnery of The HR Suite, Co. Kerry; Mary B. Walsh of Ire Wel Pallets, Wexford; Eimer Hannon of Hannon Travel, Co. Meath; Larissa Feeney of Accountant Online, Co Donegal; and Triona MacGiolla Ri of Aro Digital Strategies, Co Galway. This is the 6th year of the Government-backed ACORNS programme, which is supported by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, under its Rural Innovation and Development Fund. live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More In August, mutual funds made fresh buying in eight stocks and exited four counters. Mutual funds continued to face redemption pressure for the second consecutive month in August as investors booked profit given the rally in equity market in the last few months. Mutual funds saw net outflow of Rs 4,000 crore from equity and equity-related schemes in August against the outflow of Rs 2,489 crore in July, according to the official data. Inflow via systematic investment plans (SIP) remained healthy but has been consistently declining for past several months. SIP inflows stood at Rs 7,791 crore in August against Rs 7,830 crore logged in the previous month. "Over the last two or three months, investors have continued to book profits from equity mutual funds. While the SIP amount has dropped very nominally, once again there is a net addition of about 3.43 lakh SIP folios. It also appears that some investors have taken a tactical asset allocation call by moving from equity to low duration or ultra short term funds with the objective of re-entering equity funds at lower levels in the event of a correction in the markets," G Pradeepkumar CEO at Union AMC told Moneycontrol. Eight stocks that funds invested in are ADF Foods, Associated Alcohols & Breweries, Fairchem Organics, Fiem Industries, Kovai Medical Center & Hospital, MSTC, Technocraft Industries (India) and Mindspace Business Parks REIT, as highlighted by Dolat Capital. Mindspace Business Parks REIT was listed on August 7 after its Rs 4,500-crore initial public offering, which was subscribed 13 times during July 27-29. On the other hand, the four stocks they exited are Macpower CNC Machines, NDR Auto Components, Novartis India and RSWM, according to Dolat Capital. Among Nifty50 stocks, maximum buying by MFs was seen in Axis Bank, Coal India, Dr Reddy's Labs, HDFC, ICICI Bank, Infosys, ITC, SBI, Sun Pharma, TCS and Tech Mahindra. Whereas selling was seen in Adani Port, Asian Paints, BPCL, Bharti Infratel, Eicher Motors, GAIL, HCL Technologies, HDFC Life, HUL, IOC, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Maruti Suzuki, Reliance Industries, Tata Motors and Titan Company, the brokerage said. The Nifty50 gained for the third consecutive month, rising 2.84 percent, while Nifty Midcap 100 index was up 7.83 percent in August, backed by global liquidity and hope of strong earnings growth in FY22 along with progress on the vaccine front. In the midcap space, Alkem Labs, Apollo Hospitals Enterprises, Cummins India, GSPL, M&M Financial, Mphasis, NALCO and Tata Power witnessed maximum buying by mutual funds. However, selling in midcap segment was seen in Aarti Industries, Adani Gas, Apollo Tyres, Emami, Exide Industries, Jubilant Foodworks, Mahanagar Gas, Syngene International and Tata Consumer Products, Dolat Capital added. : "Reliance Industries Ltd. is the sole beneficiary of Independent Media Trust which controls Network18 Media & Investments Ltd which publishes Moneycontrol." President Cyril Ramaphosa has paid tribute to the South African media for its in-depth coverage of the Coronavirus pandemic, despite the industry itself being confronted by daunting challenges. (Brasilia - DF, 14/11/2019) Palavras do Presidente da Republica da Africa do Sul, Cyril Ramaphosa. Foto: Isac Nobrega/PR. Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license Private sector encouraged to support media In the latest instalment of his weekly newsletter on Monday, the President said countries with strong institutions, vigilant judicial systems and a robust media have been able to prevent human rights from being undermined and the authority of the State being abused.It has been six months since the national state of disaster was proclaimed. Despite the unprecedented nature of the disease and the immense challenge of placing a country of 58 million people under lockdown, we have fared well.We have managed to contain the spread of the disease, primarily because of the cooperation and vigilance of all citizens, said President Ramaphosa, adding that this was to an extent due to sterling media work.Tenacious journalists, he said, have worked hard to keep the nation abreast with the latest developments, and disseminating key health messages about social distancing and hygiene.They have done so under extremely trying conditions, often with limited resources.They have told the stories of the effects of lockdown on the lives of people and their businesses. They have been out in the villages, towns and cities, bringing stories of ordinary people and drawing national attention to problems experienced in hospitals and clinics, prompting government action, the President said.He commended media on bringing to light issues that would not have ordinarily come to light.They have fulfilled their watchdog role by unearthing acts of corruption and maladministration, sparking a massive national debate and leading to a number of high-profile investigations. Through this reporting, they have earned peoples trust.He said a free press is not an end in itself. It is a means by which democracy is secured and upheld. During this pandemic, our media has played not just its traditional watchdog role, but exercised its civic duty in supporting the national effort to contain Coronavirus.However, like many sectors of the countrys economy, media houses were not spared by the crippling effects of the COVID-19 imposed lockdown. In this regard, it is reported that, during this period, some publications saw revenue dwindle by up to 60% in the early days of the lockdown.This saw various media houses announce the closure of publications, staff retrenchments and salary cuts as a mitigating intervention.A number of companies have had to implement salary cuts, reduce staff numbers or reduce hours worked. Regrettably, some publications have even been forced to close, among them some of South Africas most established and well-known magazine titles, President Ramaphosa said.All this, said the President, was among a range of issues sharply raised during his engagement with the South African National Editors Forum last week.Instead of lamenting their fate, however, the media industry is working hard to refine business models, to drive innovation and to retain staff as much as possible.At the same time, media is a unique entity in any society because its practitioners fulfil a role that is so essential to our democratic order. They work to keep the public informed and to keep power in check.The country, the President said, needs more journalists, not less. That is why the loss of even a single journalist is not just a loss to the industry but to the country.The President urged media veterans to avail their vast experience and institutional memory, as they are also able to offer critical reportage and informed analysis.At the same time, we need more young journalists in the profession, who are tech-savvy, abreast with new trends in storytelling and in touch with the concerns of a youthful population.As a society, we owe the media our full support. Whether it is electing to pay for content, supporting crowdfunded journalism, paying our SABC licence fees or simply buying a newspaper, we can all play our part to support this industry in crisis.As government, despite the gloomy economic climate, we will continue to extend advertising spend to publications and broadcasters, especially community media.President Ramaphosa has also called on the private sector to continue to support the industry through advertising and working with media houses in the production of innovative content, in line with global media trends.Local philanthropic and donor organisations should also come on board and support public interest journalism ventures, as is the case in many democracies, he said.The proliferation of fake news during the pandemic, primarily on social media platforms, he said, has added to the urgency for more news that is accurate, fair and impartial.During this time, our people have relied on our established media houses for information, once again underscoring their importance as pillars of our democracy.As we begin the great task of rebuilding our economy in the aftermath of the pandemic, the media industry will need our support more than ever. The free press was once described as the unsleeping guardian of every other right that free men and women prize.As we salute their role in this pandemic, let us do what we can to ensure that the free and diverse media in our country is able to survive and thrive, said the President. Less than an hour after the end of Apples big Watch event today, Spotify sent out a statement reiterating its distrust and disappointment in Apple, again accusing the company of anticompetitive practices. Heres the full message from Spotify: "Once again, Apple is using its dominant position and unfair practices to disadvantage competitors and deprive consumers by favoring its own services. We call on competition authorities to act urgently to restrict Apple's anti-competitive behavior, which if left unchecked, will cause irreparable harm to the developer community and threaten our collective freedoms to listen, learn, create, and connect." Spotify didnt specify which aspect of Apples event prompted this response, though one bit of news stands out as a likely candidate. The Apple One bundle announced today sells Apple Arcade, TV+, iCloud access and most notably Music for $15 per month. This is a potential threat to Spotify, which also operates a music app on iOS. For more than a year, Spotify has been making noise about Apples unchecked power over the App Store, and in March 2019, it filed a complaint against Apple with the European Commission. Spotify claims Apples practice of taking 30 percent of an apps revenue is unjustified, and says the company operates as a monopoly on iOS. This echoes similar complaints made by Microsoft and Epic Games, both of whom have condemned Apples anticompetitive practices in recent months. Epic CEO Tim Sweeney has long been opposed to Apples and Googles, and Valves 30 percent revenue cut. In August, Epic sued Apple in dramatic fashion, parodying the companys iconic 1984 ad and urging its own Fortnite players to get behind the lawsuit. Epic and Apple have been suing each other and undermining each others services since then. Thue Quist Thomasen, CEO of YouGov Vietnam The Global Partnership Programme offers affiliate partner research agencies access to YouGovs platforms, panels, and expertise and establishes the companys brand and data products at a local level. Affiliate partners can use the panel data that sits within YouGovs Cube database to develop their online research business as part of the partnership. Decision Lab is the leading digital media tracking and online research company in Vietnam. Since 2016, it has built a strong reputation in the market working with a wide range of international companies. This new partnership combines global expertise with local insight; bringing innovative platforms to brands in Vietnam and offering them unrivalled access to the latest data on consumer trends, attitudes, and behaviours. Stephan Shakespeare, CEO and co-founder of YouGov, said, As we continue our global growth, YouGov is excited to partner with Decision Lab, which is recognised as a leader in online research in Vietnam. The relationship will help YouGov establish its brand in Vietnam and give Decision Lab the great benefits our Global Partnerships Programme provides. As well as gaining access to YouGovs technology platforms and suite of data products, they also plug into our infrastructure, helping them to grow their business and expand their client base. We are looking forward to working with Decision Lab to bring the best online research data and tools to customers in Vietnam. Decision Labs Thue Quist Thomasen, who will lead the new partnership, added, Competition across all sectors is getting fiercer as more local and international players discover the opportunities of the Vietnamese market. Now more than ever, brands need to be in constant touch with their consumers to make quick decisions. YouGovs market-leading solutions such as BrandIndex and Profiles offer unrivalled insight into fast-moving consumer trends, allowing companies to track their brands daily and deep-dive into evolving consumer habits. With operations in the United Kingdom, North America, Mainland Europe, the Nordics, the Middle East, and the Asia Pacific, YouGov has one of the worlds largest research networks. Urban Foods, a strategic partnership between Meraas and Dubai Holding, is expanding the footprint of its famous Geant brand with the opening of a full-fledged hypermarket in Dubai at the Al Khawaneej Walk Last Exit. According to CEO Mark Anthony Lack, this new opening marks the 11th opening and first hypermarket in the city and fits into the brands robust expansion strategy of targeting up and coming residential and commercial communities across the city. The success of food truck park Last Exit coupled with the rapid growth and development we have seen in the Al Khawaneej area including the opening of a world-class mall made our decision to open in this new and exciting neighbourhood that much easier. Known globally as the grocer designed for urban living, Geant is certain to be well-received by the discerning residents who live and work in this area, said Lack. He added that this opening is especially significant as it is the first post-Covid Geant hypermarket to open in the UAE and has been specifically designed to incorporate all the necessary safety factors and function with due safe distancing protocols. The staff has also been specially trained to ensure that the shopping experience is the safest and securest possible. The new hypermarket will boast special health and organic aisles and one of the citys largest collections of world foods and will also offer home delivery via InstaShop and Geants Your Store to Your Door service. We have gone deep into the need of the hour while retaining our standards and understanding the priorities of the comeback. People want to shop unafraid and comfortably and this specific architecture allows for the browse factor which has disappeared in recent months. Dubai is forward-thinking and we follow suit. While being contemporary and welcoming, we also factor in the real situation and that challenge has been to make it Covid-free in as scientific a fashion as possible, Lack explained. One of the exceptional aspects is the rigorous training given to the staff, according to Lack. We literally put them through a regimen while ensuring that their friendly and helpful nature that exemplifies the Geant experience was totally retained. We wanted to make this 11th branch exceptional and raise the bar effectively for the industry. By making it Covid-resistant so to speak we have again established our credentials as the hypermarket that cares for its customers and will walk several aisles further than the rest, he added. TradeArabia News Service New Delhi: India has listed its COVID-19 strategy at the United Nation's Human Rights Council saying the mantra is Jaan bhi, Jahan bhi which is "saving lives as well as livelihoods." India's First Secretary, Permanent Mission of India, Geneva, Pawan Badhe said, "India has continued on the path to ramping up our capacities, securing the needs of poorest citizens and future-proofing our society and was among the first few countries to create a responsive system of lockdown, in launching public awareness campaigns about social distancing and use of face masks." While India is now the second worst-COVID-19-hit country across the world after the United States, it also continues to post high recoveries according to government data which says that the national recovery rate has touched 78.28%. Badhe explained that India has been able to upscale, in record time, health infrastructure, including COVID hospitals, ICU capacities and testing facilities. Notably, India currently has 298 COVID-19 testing labs. Badhe at the HRC also highlighted that India has emerged as the second-largest manufacturer of PPE kits in the world and has been deploying indigenously developed digital tools for contact tracing and to predict emerging hotspots. He added, "We have managed to keep our fatalities at one-and-a-half per cent, for we responded by coming together not growing apart; Collaboration, not Confusion; Preparation not Panic." Live TV India has announced the economic stimulus package to deal with the crisis as under the Prime Ministers Garib Kalyan Package, US$ 22 billion were set out to alleviate the situation of the poor and vulnerable and funds were transferred through direct cash transfer schemes to 28 million poor senior citizens, differently-abled people, and indigent widows. The Indian diplomat also pointed out that India has sent medical supplies to over 150 nations. He said, "Universality of human needs has guided our collective action and India remains committed to being inclusive and non-transactional in collaborating with other stakeholders in a collective quest to develop solutions to manage the crisis." Some 690 Hasidic pilgrims try to entry into Ukraine from Belarus. New wave at different areas expected Zelensky, Deineko meeting Hasidic pilgrims continue to arrive at the Ukrainian border from Belarus, trying to get into the country. As of 07:00 on Tuesday, September 15, some 690 citizens are at the border, Head of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine Serhiy Deineko said, discussing the current situation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. "We expect the arrival of up to 1,000 people to the border line in Chernihiv region, up to 700 people in Zhytomyr region, and up to 1,500 people in Volyn region. We expect three charters to arrive in Minsk, about 600 foreigners," Deineko said, according to the presidential press service. As reported, Ukraine temporarily banned the entry of foreigners into Ukraine due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) until September 28. Due to a shortfall of oxygen supply, the Madhya Pradesh government has banned the industrial use of oxygen. It is one of the measures taken by the government to resolve the medical crisis that emerged from the suspension of oxygen supply from Maharashtra. "This is part of our short term plan; the immediate need is being taken care of as nothing except packaging needs to be changed to convert oxygen from industrial to medical use," said Madhya Pradesh Medical Education minister Vishwas Sarang. However, the government has now claimed that it has surplus medical oxygen as the company that supplies oxygen to the state from its Maharashtra plant has made up for the loss through its UP and Gujarat plants. "We have also got an additional 30 tonnes from the SAIL plant in Chhattisgarh, so the immediate need is taken care of but we need to be self reliant as soon as possible," he said. The minister said that the MP government is allotting land to a company in Babai where it would set up a plant that will be operational within the next eight to nine months. The government said that the state right now has an assured supply of 180 metric tonnes of medical oxygen while the demand is somewhere between 110 to 120 metric tonnes per day. Madhya Pradesh currently has more than 90,000 corona positive cases, along with 21,228 active cases and 1,791 deaths. Also read: COVID-19 rules violations: How state govts are penalising coronavirus guideline offenders Also read: India's role in coronavirus vaccine production critical in combating pandemic: Bill Gates Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Tue, September 15, 2020 08:50 493 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c44d3b8d 1 National religious-leaders,Religious-Affairs-Ministry,Religious-Affairs-Minister,attack,syekh-ali-jaber,Islamic-preachers Free Prominent religious preacher Syekh Ali Jaber was attacked by a man, identified only as AA, when the former was giving a sermon at Falahudin Mosque in Bandar Lampung city, Lampung on Sunday. The 24-year-old man attacked the preacher with a knife, leaving a wound in his right shoulder, kompas.com reported. The attacker was apprehended shortly after the incident. The knife was stuck in my shoulder. I pulled it out myself, Ali said, adding that the attacker tried to stab him again but was blocked by the congregation. Read also: Chief security minister Wiranto received two stab wounds in attack: Doctor The religious leader hoped that the police would investigate the case thoroughly as he believed the attacker was a trained man. Religious Affairs Minister Fachrul Razi deplored the incident, saying it was an act of crime. The minister further urged authorities to take action against the perpetrator. I am very concerned about what happened to Syekh Ali Jaber. The stabbing was an act of crime, and the perpetrator must be legally prosecuted, Minister Fachrul said in Jakarta on Monday. (vny) COLUMBUS, Ohio After unveiling the latest travel advisory map, with four states from which people arriving in Ohio are recommended to self-quarantine for 14 days, Gov. Mike DeWine will update the public on the states response to the coronavirus. States end up on the map if they have positivity rates on coronavirus tests coming back at 15% or more. The states on the latest map are North Dakota, South Dakota, Kansas and Alabama. Watch Tuesdays coronavirus briefing below, broadcast by The Ohio Channel. As of Monday, the state had 138,484 coronavirus cases and 4,419 deaths. Other coverage: Number of patients buying Ohio medical marijuana up to 103,632 1,079 new coronavirus cases reported, deaths up 4: Monday update DeWine choice to lead Ohio Department of Health cites harassment of Dr. Amy Acton in decision to back out Summit back as a red county on latest coronavirus advisory map A 6,600-word memo written by fired Facebook data scientist Sophie Zhang shows how widespread political misinformation campaigns are on the platform and how little the social network is doing about it. According to BuzzFeed News, which has obtained a copy of the internal document, Zhang listed concrete examples of how foreign national governments abuse the platform on vast scales to mislead their own citizenry. In most instances, political parties use fake accounts to sway public opinion and to discredit the opposition. Zhang said there was a coordinated campaign using inauthentic accounts to boost President Juan Orlando Hernandezs standing with the Honduran people, and it took Facebooks higher-ups nine months to act on it. Further, the people behind it made fake accounts again, and those ones remain active. Meawhile, in Azerbaijan, the ruling political party apparently use fake accounts to harass the opposition en masse. It took Facebook a year to start looking into it, and the investigation is still ongoing. In the months leading to Indias local Delhi elections in February 2020, Zhang worked to take down a politically-sophisticated network of more than a thousand actors working to influence the election. And over the past months, Facebook removed 672,000 low-quality fake accounts that sought to manipulate COVID-19-related information on the Spanish Health Ministrys page and on US pages. Zhang has also revealed in her memo that the company removed 10.5 million fake reactions and fans from high-profile politician pages in Brazil and the US during the elections in 2018. But perhaps the most haunting part of the memo was her admission that she felt like she blood on [her] hands for not prioritizing certain inauthentic activities on the website. Back in 2019, for instance, she found inauthentic activity supporting the opposition presidential candidate in Bolivia but chose not to act on it immediately. Months later, President Evo Morales resigned and mass protests led to dozens of deaths. She wrote: I have personally made decisions that affected national presidents without oversight, and taken action to enforce against so many prominent politicians globally that Ive lost count... I have made countless decisions in this vein from Iraq to Indonesia, from Italy to El Salvador. Individually, the impact was likely small in each case, but the world is a vast place. Although I made the best decision I could based on the knowledge available at the time, ultimately I was the one who made the decision not to push more or prioritize further in each case, and I know that I have blood on my hands by now. Zhang clarified that she doesnt think Facebook is run by malicious people with an agenda. Its just that the higher-ups tend to make decisions motivated by PR and to focus on issues in the US and the West. A mid-level employee like her ended up having to make huge decisions for political issues happening outside those regions, and it took a toll on her health. When she asked the company for support in stopping malicious activities related to politics and elections, she was reportedly told that human resources are limited and was threatened to be let go if she continued focusing on civil work. In addition, she usually had to post on Facebooks employee message board to get her concerns addressed, because going through the proper channels didnt work. BuzzFeed News says Zhang was ultimately fired this month and refused a $64,000 severance package to be able to write and send the memo to her former colleagues. In response to Zhangs memo, spokesperson Liz Bourgeois told BuzzFeed News in a statement: 15.09.2020 LISTEN The Deputy South African High Commissioner to Ghana, His Excellency Thapelo Madumane has hailed the strong bond of friendship between Ghana and South Africa and expressed optimism that the relationship would continue to grow for the mutual benefit of the people of both countries. He said the bilateral relationship between the two countries has produced fruitful results over the years in the areas of agriculture, food security, institutional capacity building, science and technology, trade and investment, education, and skills development. He was speaking at the launch of the Jackson Institute of Innovation and Leadership (JIIL) in Kumasi. The school which seeks to train and produce innovative leaders and professionals with practical, employable, and quality skills set for the development and stewardship of society, is the newest addition to the Jackson Educational Complex (JEC). It also seeks to depart from the archaic methodologies of teaching so as to produce critical thinkers for Ghana and Africa in partnership with the ADvTECH Group and the Independent Institute of Education (IIE), both of South Africa. The ADvTECH Group is one of sub-Saharan Africa's top private education holdings group with 18 established learning brands while the IIE is also internationally accredited with the British Accreditation Council and offers more than 127 registered and accredited qualifications from higher certificate to master's level. HE Madumane said JEC has been known as a premium private educational brand and ADvTECH is the largest private educational investor in Africa. "The inauguration of this project with the background of these two great institutions will produce the much needed critical skills leading to the path of self-reliance, growth, and progress", he touted. "In today's world, knowledge and skills are the currency of the 21st century and investment in this direction bears the highest yields", he added. He said South Africa is delighted about the partnership with JIIL; particularly, its affiliation with the IIE, saying that education is the powerful tool that can change the world. He was hopeful that the partnership would ensure continuous training of leaders and professionals for business and society in Ghana, South Africa, and Africa at large. The Deputy High Commissioner applauded the leadership of JEC for the initiative to train and produce innovative leaders which, he noted, was critical to accelerated development of the continent. Mr. Daniel A. Jackson, the Managing Director of JIIL, said Ghana's educational focus should be channeled to training people who would be able to do the job of the future and that is what JIIL seeks to do. "At JIIL, we believe that the 21st-century student should be competent in a variety of soft and hard skills. The student should be agile and be able to think critically and have the flair for entrepreneurship and inculcate innovation and reputable leadership at all levels of society", he stated. He said JIIL has a multidimensional facet, explaining that it is a business and technology institute with the aim of bridging the gap between academia and industry. "Our primary aim is for students to successfully bring innovation to business by doing things differently via creativity. We want the industry to join forces with academia so that the students from our institution are not only theoretically trained but possess the practical know-how for solving challenges". New Delhi, Sep 15 : Data on Covid-19 fatalities amongst healthcare workers is not maintained at the Central level by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare as health is a state subject, parliament was told on Tuesday. Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Ashwini Kumar Choubey, told the Rajya Sabha, in a written reply, also said: "However, the database of those seeking relief under the 'Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Insurance Package' is maintained at the national level." The minister listed 155 health workers who died due to Covid-19 as per the PMGKP. According to the data, relief was sought for 64 doctors, 32 Auxiliary Nursing Midwifery and Multi-Purpose Health Worker, 14 ASHA workers and 45 others under the scheme. Choubey also said that states were asked to constitute Infection Prevention and Control committees, and hospitals were directed to identify a nodal officer who will monitor the healthcare workers and review their exposure status. "High risk exposures are placed under quarantine for seven days. Based on their exposure and clinical profile of such doctors, nursing officers and other health workers, a decision shall be taken by the Nodal Officer and Head of the Department (or his appointed Sub-committee) for a further period of one week." He said that the healthcare workers were also provided with hydroxychloroquine for prophylaxis and prevention of infection. N-95 masks and triple- and double-ply masks were brought under price control. Export of PPEs, N95 masks, triple- and double-ply medical masks, goggles and visors were banned till such time the country became self-reliant. A Rs 15,000 crore ($2 billion) package under "India Covid-19 Emergency Response and Health System Preparedness Package" was approved by the Cabinet on April 22, 2020. The funds and commodities are allocated to the states under various components including emergency Covid-19 response. The states were supported with 9.81 Crore tablets of hydroxychloroquine and 28,476 ventilators were supplied. "In initial part of the pandemic, there were concerns on non-availability of protective gear. However, with the Government of India stepping in to enhance capacity and allocating PPE to states as per need, this concern was addressed. States were provided with 3.05 crore N-95 masks and 1.2 crore PPE kits," the minister added. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-15 22:21:29|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close JAKARTA, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- The Indonesian Air Force is deploying two F-16 fighter jets for operation over the country's province of East Nusa Tenggara that borders Timor Leste and Australia, an air force officer said. The two F-16 fighters have been on patrol over the border areas since Monday, Colonel Bambang Juniar Jupiter, commander of the El Tari Air Base in the province's capital of Kupang, told reporters on Tuesday. The patrol was scheduled to take place until Thursday, Jupiter said, adding that the two F-16 fighters are headquartered in the squadron 3 of the Iswahyudi Air Base in East Java province's city of Madiun. He pointed out that the two jets are deployed to detect possible violations on Indonesia's airspace by foreign aircraft, including illegal activities committed by irresponsible parties in East Nusa Tenggara province's territorial waters which share borders with the two countries. During the operation on Monday and Tuesday, no violations or illegal activities against the Indonesian territories were found, he said. Enditem Here are the latest developments on tropical weather (all times local): PENSACOLA, Fla. Hurricane Sally is strengthening as it creeps toward Florida and Alabama. The National Hurricane Center says the Category 1 storms winds have increased to 90 mph (150 kph). Sally was centred about 65 miles (105 kilometres) southeast of Mobile, Alabama, and 60 miles (95 kilometres) southwest of Pensacola, Florida, about midnight Tuesday. The latest forecast track has the hurricane making landfall between the Panhandle and Mobile Bay sometime Wednesday. The storm was moving at 2 mph (3 kph), which forecasters said is the same as being stalled. ___ PENSACOLA, Fla. The latest forecast track for Hurricane Sally has the slow-moving storm lumbering toward landfall somewhere between the Florida Panhandle and Mobile Bay in Alabama. Conditions are deteriorating as the storm draws near. More than 87,000 homes and businesses had lost electricity as of late Tuesday as Gulf waters covered beaches. The National Weather Service said flash floods and up to a foot of rain were reported in some areas. Forecasters say the storm threatens to trigger dangerous, historic flooding in the region. A big reason was its agonizingly slow pace. It was creeping toward the coast at about 2 mph (3 kph). That has authorities worried about a drawn-out deluge. ___ PENSACOLA, Fla. More than 60,000 homes and businesses are reported without power in coastal Alabama and the western Florida Panhandle as conditions deteriorate under the approach of Hurricane Sally. A website tracking electricity use nationwide, poweroutage.us, reported those disruptions Tuesday night as Sally churned off the northern U.S. Gulf Coast. Driving rain blew sideways and gusty winds buffeted street signs and trees. In the panhandle city of Pensacola, water crept into downtown streets, forcing a utility truck to pass through the standing water. ___ MIAMI Forecasters say Hurricane Sally has become a little stronger as it crawls closer to the northern U.S. Gulf Coast. The National Hurricane Center in Miami said at 8 p.m. Tuesday that Sallys top sustained winds had risen from 80 mph (128 kph) to near 85 mph (140 kph) as it lumbered offshore. Forecasters said Sally could strengthen some more before its centre reaches the northern Gulf Coast on Wednesday. The storm was last centred about 70 miles (115 kilometres) south of Mobile, Alabama, and virtually the same distance southwest of Pensacola, Florida. Its moving to the north toward the coast at 2 mph (4 kph). ___ PENSACOLA, Fla. Water has begun flowing down a street in Pensacola on the Florida Panhandle as Hurricane Sally drenches the region with heavy rains. Rain also began flying sideways in the wind Tuesday night, visible in streetlights, in the panhandle community. The National Hurricane Center said tropical force winds were spreading onto the coast after nightfall amid the threat of historic, life-threatening flooding. Gusting winds and heavy rains buffeted trees and street lamps elsewhere in the south Alabama city of Mobile. And in Gulf Shores, a coastal town in Alabama, authorities closed the main road into town from inland areas that commonly flood in major storms. Gulf Shores also shut down much of the main beachfront road in the town of about 12,500. Gulf Shores and a nearby Alabama coastal community, Orange Beach, also imposed overnight curfews while citing life-threatening conditions. ___ MOBILE, Ala. Tropical storm-force winds are continuing to spread onshore along the northern U.S. Gulf Coast as Hurricane Sally lumbers off the coast. The National Hurricane Center said Tuesday evening that winds are picking up and life-threatening flooding is likely along portions of the Gulf Coast as the slow-moving hurricane crawls just offshore. At 7 p.m., the centre of the storm was located about 75 miles (125 kilometres) south of Mobile, Alabama, and about the same distance southwest of Pensacola, Florida. The hurricanes top sustained winds have been clocked at 80 mph (130 kph). Its crawling northward at 2 mph (4 kph). The National Weather Service said to 4 inches (10 centimetres) of rain has already fallen in some areas, and a flash flood warning has been issued in some areas. Meanwhile, monitoring stations have recorded gusts above 60 mph (96 kph) at Mobile and Pensacola. ____ PENSACOLA, Fla. In already-drenched Escambia County on the Florida Panhandle, Chief Deputy Chip Simmons vowed to keep his sheriffs deputies out with residents as long as physically possible. The county includes Pensacola, one of the largest cities on the Gulf Coast. The sheriffs office will be there until we can no longer safely be out there, and then and only then will we pull our deputies in, he said at a storm briefing late Tuesday. We will be in your neighbourhoods after the storm, he added. For those who have been in previous storms, he warned residents not to be in a situation where they must call for help in terrible weather conditions: Youve heard some of the 911 calls, you know how terrifying and gut-wrenching they are, he said. Dont be in a situation where you have to make a phone call, and a sheriffs deputy or a firefighter or a paramedic can not get to you. ___ COLUMBIA, S.C. South Carolina environmental officials are urging owners and operators of reservoirs across the state to be ready to handle potentially heavy rainfall in the coming days as Hurricane Sally makes landfall and drenches inland areas. The Department of Health and Environmental Control on Tuesday said the agency had performed pre-hurricane season assessments of all dams of concern. In issuing guidance, Jill Stewart, director of DHECs Dam Safety and Stormwater Permitting Division, said owners should also notify anyone operating a dam downstream of their property if they are lowering water levels, and also clear trash and debris from spillways. In 2015, more than 40 dams across the state failed in devastating floods that stranded homeowners and forced some into recreational boats to rescue neighbours. The historic rain and flooding led to 19 deaths and caused about $2 billion in damage. A year later, Hurricane Matthew caused about 25 more dams to fail and another round of flooding. After Matthew, South Carolinas environmental agency requested more than $5 million to stabilize or tear down damaged dams and inspect others. State lawmakers also gave the agency $3 million to boost dam safety. ___ BAYOU LA BATRE, Ala. Two large casino boats broke loose Tuesday from a dock where they were undergoing construction work in Alabama as Hurricane Sally approached the Gulf Coast. M.J. Bosarge lives near the Bayou La Batre shipyard and says at least one of the riverboats had done considerable damage to the dock. You really want to get them secured because with wind and rain like this, the water is constantly rising, Bosarge said. They could end up anywhere. Theres no telling where they could end up. Bosarge said this is particularly concerning because there are dozens of shrimp and other commercial fishing boats docked there, including ones his family runs. It could cause a lot of damage if something of that calibre got loose and headed this way, he said. ___ MONTGOMERY, Ala. Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey is urging residents near Mobile Bay and low-lying areas near rivers to evacuate if conditions still permit a safe escape from Hurricane Sally. The National Hurricane Center has predicted storm surge along Alabamas coast, including Mobile Bay, could reach 7 feet (2.1 metres) above ground. Forecasters have said Sally should reach land near the Alabama-Mississippi state line by late Tuesday or early Wednesday. This is not worth risking your life, Ivey said during a news conference Tuesday. John De Block of the National Weather Service also stressed the threat of flooding. A saying the National Weather Service has is Hide from the wind, run from the water, De Block said during the news conference. Now is the time to run from the water. ___ GAUTIER, Miss. With Hurricane Sally still picking up ocean water well offshore, authorities along the U.S. Gulf Coast are shutting down some roadways and residents are clearing out or hunkering down. The causeway to Dauphin Island in Alabama has been closed, and theyre closing down the Bankhead Tunnel in Mobile until an expected storm surge recedes. Downtown Mobile is nearly deserted, with businesses boarded up and protected by sandbags. Rain is starting to intensify along the I-10 highway that runs parallel to the coast through Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida. Businesses along the highway exits appeared to be largely closed, and electronic messaging boards on the highway say that a hurricane warning for the area is in effect. In Gulfport, Mississippi, white plastic bags hung over some gas station pumps, showing theyre out of gas. And along a bayou, shrimp boats are being tied up as shrimpers batten down ahead of the waves and storm surge. At 10 a.m. local time, the National Hurricane Center said the storm surge warning was in effect from the mouth of the Mississippi River to the Okaloosa/Walton County Line in Florida. A hurricane warning was in effect from east of Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, to Navarre, Florida. ___ ASBURY PARK, N.J. -- A man has drowned at the New Jersey shore in seas churned as Hurricane Paulette battered Bermuda. Lavallette Mayor Walter LaCicero told the Asbury Park Press that the 60-year-old man and his 24-year-old son were swimming near the Vance Avenue beach on Monday when they had trouble in the rough surf. They were rescued, but the older man did not survive. Their names have not been released. Officials closed beaches in nearby Seaside Heights after making about four water rescues on Monday. Neighboring Seaside Park reported five rescues in a 3-hour span. The National Weather Service warned of a high rip current risk through Tuesday night. ___ Forecasters say Hurricane Sally could dump flooding rains on a path from Mississippi to the Carolinas this week after the storm makes landfall on the Gulf Coast. The National Weather Service says after the storm comes inland Wednesday, rainfall of 4 to 8 inches (10 to 20 centimetres) is likely across portions of Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia and the Carolinas. Significant flash flooding and minor to moderate river flooding is expected through the end of the week, and rainfall could reach 12 inches (30.5 centimetres) in isolated inland areas. Hurricane Sally was creeping at 2 mph Tuesday toward the Gulf Coast morning, with landfall near the Mississippi-Alabama state line expected late Tuesday or early Wednesday. The storm was forecast to reach land as a Category 1 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 85 mph (137 kph). Sally was expected to weaken rapidly after coming ashore. ___ The Florida Panhandle is being pummeled by heavy rains from Hurricane Sallys outer bands. The powerful, plodding storm was crawling toward the northern Gulf Coast at 3 mph (4.8 kph) early Tuesday. Its slow speed has raised concerns of extreme rainfall and flooding. Sally had winds of 100 mph, but forecasters were predicting the storm could strengthen even further before it is expected to blow ashore near the Mississippi-Alabama state line late Tuesday or early Wednesday. Floridas governor declared an emergency in two western Panhandle counties. President Donald Trump issued an emergency declaration for Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. WASHINGTON A World Trade Organization panel said Tuesday that the United States violated international trade rules by imposing tariffs on China in 2018 in the middle of President Trumps trade war. The panel of trade experts sided with a complaint that China had filed, which argued that Mr. Trumps tariffs violated several global rules, including a provision that requires all W.T.O. members to offer equal tariff rates among the bodys trading partners. Mr. Trump broke with that tradition. During his trade war with China, the president imposed tariffs on more than $360 billion worth of Chinese products, in an effort to persuade the country to strengthen its intellectual property protections and make other changes to policies that Mr. Trump said put American workers at a disadvantage. The administration drew on an American legal provision called Section 301 to impose the tariffs, which allows the president to restrict foreign commerce that unfairly burdens the United States. The effect of the ruling remains unclear. The United States and China signed a trade deal in January, but the bulk of the tariffs imposed by the Trump administration remain in place, covering more than half of Chinas exports to the United States. Ahmedabad: Patel quota leader Hardik Patel on Tuesday returned to Gujarat after spending six months away from his home state and launched a second round of agitation by appealing to Patels to unitedly fight against prevailing autocracy in the state, an oblique reference to ruling BJP. Addressing a rally at Himmatnagar in Sabarkantha district, the 23-year-old quota spearhead vowed to fight till end to get the reservation rights for his brethren under OBC quota and asked them to be prepared for the repeat of GMDC-like dangal (fight), a reference to his 2015 rally that had galvanised Patels across the state. Many of us may have differences among ourselves. Some of you may not even like me due to my outspoken nature. But, let us forget all such differences and get united to fight against tanashahi (autocracy) prevailing in Gujarat, said Hardik, evoking a loud cheer from crowd gathered at the rally. Hardiks pointed attack came at a time when the state government is trying hard to solder its fractured ties with the Patel community, considered as loyal voters of the BJP. Gujarat is going to polls later this year. I want to assure you that we will not rest until we get reservation. We will definitely take it. Otherwise, we will snatch it, he said. Hardik, facing sedition charges over the violence in the first leg of the quota stir in 2015, went straight to the venue of the rally after returning from Udaipur which he had made his temporary base to comply with the pre-condition set by the High Court before granting him bail in the case. I am having only two main aims now. First, to get reservation rights for Patels at any cost. Secondly, I want to free you from this rule of fear prevailing in the state, the quota leader said. He appealed to his community members to get their act together for the second round of dangal. Let us come together again. I want you to reach out to every citizen living in each part of the state. Let us awake them about our cause. Let us join hands to do a GMDC-like dangal again. I am ready to address a rally at GMDC if government gives us permission, said Hardik. In August 2015, Hardik had addressed a massive rally at GMDC ground here demanding inclusion of Patels under OBC quota. His brief detention after that rally set off violence across the state, which claimed lives of at least 10 persons. Though he stressed that the agitation is not aimed at uprooting government, Hardik, after addressing the rally, went to Gandhinagar to seek blessings of former chief minister Keshubhai Patel, who had contested the 2012 polls against the BJP when Prime Minister Narendra Modi was heading the state government. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Despite his proclaimed love for Telugu cinema, Arjun was reported to have rejected a few Telugu offers recently In the recent months, Tamil stars have been gladly taking on villain roles in Tollywood films for a hefty paycheque. However, some among them, have been growing increasingly demanding, putting forth many conditions to the production houses, pushing producers to the brink. For instance, Tamil star Vijay Sethupathi, who is essaying the role of a ruthless villain in Uppena, doesnt want that film to be released in Tamil Nadu. This depsite being paid a huge amount. Young producer Abhishek Nama, who says Telugu filmmakers consider Tamil stars as villains to offer a variety to their movies, claims that as Tamil stars are a talented lot, hed like more Tamil stars to do big Telugu films. But I have heard a few stars have demands that, honestly, can be avoided. Telugu producers are the best pay masters in the South as well as good hosts. I am hoping Tamil stars will be more flexible because we also sign them to expand our markets in Tamil Nadu. I hope they understand that perspective. Professional but unavailable A Tollywood producer on the condition of anonymity talks of a seasoned Tamil actor who used to throw tantrums on the sets, sometimes confirming his travel for the shoot only at the very last minute, which sometimes even affected foreign shootings. The producer then talks of another Tamil star who insisted on being offered facilities that were on par with those offered to the star of that movie. That included business class tickets, five-star accommodation, caravan and personal hair stylist and other facilities, all of it adding to the producers cost. Tamil star Arjun Vijay, who is fascinated with Telugu cinema, tells us that he isnt one of those who likes to lay down conditions. In fact, according to him, these allegations are just myths. We are very professional and committed to our work. However, I dont want to be regularly doing baddie roles in Telugu; I would rather wait for unique and fascinating stuff from Tollywood, which is my only condition for Telugu producers, he says with a smile. Arjun also explains, I would surely filter movies releasing in Tamil Nadu. Were doing well in our state and so we need to protect our hero image. So we may be cautious about a few movies entering our territory. Otherwise, we are happy to do one-odd role with dark shades in Telugu because working with stars such as Prabhas and Ram Charan has been an awesome experience. However, despite his proclaimed love for Telugu cinema, Arjun was reported to have rejected a few Telugu offers recently. I had to reject a few Telugu offers as I was preoccupied with the big hits such Kutram 23, Thadam and Mani Rathnams Chekka Chivanda Vaanam. There are a few more big ones in the pipeline. The effect of inexperience Producer Lagadapati Sridhar, who worked with Tamil star Arjun Sarja, in his last release Naa Peru Surya, which featured Allu Arjun in the lead, believes Arjun Sarja is one of the most professional actors he has ever worked with. He was a sought-after hero in Tamil, Telugu and Kannada for decades and he is multi-talented too, because he is producer, director and writer as well, says Sridhar. Its only fair that we treat such stars with dignity, keeping their stardom in mind. That being said, Sridhar goes on to blame a few inexperienced producers for unavoidable situations between stars and producers. We need to stick to the payment schedule, put everything on paper and make prior arrangements for shootings and avoid last minute changes for a smooth sailing production. Stars are like glass, and we need to handle them with utmost care. Producer Abhishek Nama goes on to share with us how he believes that Tamil stars such as Arjun Vijay, Vijay Sethupathi, Arjun Sarja and Arvind Swami are some of the best options for pairing opposite to new-age Telugu stars. A few Tamil stars demand hefty sums, so we now prefer getting actors from the Malayalam and Kannada industries, explains producer Bogavalli Prasad. Consumer Reports has no financial relationship with advertisers on this site. This article was co-published with Ensia, a solutions-focused nonprofit media outlet reporting on our changing planet. Once a week, Florencia Ramos makes a special trip to the R-N Market in Lindsay, Calif. If you dont have clean water, you have to go get some, says Ramos, a farmworker and mother of four who lives in the neighboring Central Valley town of El Rancho. She has been purchasing jugs of water at the small store for more than a decade. At first, she was concerned that the county well water that flowed through her tap contained high levels of nitrate, a pervasive health hazard across rural U.S., where nitrogen-rich fertilizer and livestock manure seeped into groundwater. While it never tasted bad, she recalls her water service provider instructing her not to drink it. Things didnt get any better in 2016, when El Rancho plugged into the city of Lindsays water system. That water wasand still ispolluted with potentially harmful disinfection byproducts, which form when chlorine used to kill dangerous organisms in drinking water reacts with manure and other organic matter. Weve always known our water was contaminated, says Ramos, through a translator. Ramos is a member of the Agua Coalition, a grassroots group that advocates for safe, clean, and affordable water. Over the years, she watched as people in her community fell ill. One woman died of cancer; another succumbed to kidney disease. Ramos cant be sure dirty water was to blame, but she is suspicious and continues to buy bottled water for drinking and cooking. And it is not cheap. Buying water at the market costs her some $30 per month on top of her approximately $130-per-month tap water billnot to mention the time lost in making the weekly trips. The financial challenge became even greater last November, when she was laid off from her agricultural work. Her employer told her that she would be back to work by March or April, but when the time came, she was told not to return because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Story continues Across the U.S., drinking-water systems serving millions of people fail to meet state and federal safety standards. Millions more Americans may be drinking unsafe water without anyone knowing because limits set by the Environmental Protection Agency are too high, the contaminants the water contains are unregulated, or their drinking-water source is too small to fit under EPA regulations. (An estimated 20 percent of private wells, which fall outside EPA regulation, have contaminants that exceed EPA standards.) The nitrate and disinfection byproducts that worry Ramos represent a fraction of the many chemical and biological pollutants that find their way into drinking-water systems through agricultural runoff, discharges from industry, aging pipes, and all the stuff that comes from our toilets, sinks, showers, and washing machines. From coast to coast, people are starting to recognize the pervasiveness of potential problems and rally around efforts to make drinking water safe for all. By and large, water quality in the U.S. is some of the best in the world, says Maura Allaire, a water economist at the University of California, Irvine. Modern management and treatment technologies provide clean water for most Americans. Yet in a given year, between 7 and 8 percent of community water utilities report at least one health-based violation of federal standards, according to her research. How can we help those falling through cracks? Allaire asks. Long List of Threats In 2015, Flint, Mich., made headlines when a change in its water supply exposed thousands of children to high levels of lead, a neurotoxic metal. The tragedy led other communities around the country to take a closer look at their own drinking-water quality. Many places, such as Newark, N.J., have since discovered dangerously high lead levels, too. Meanwhile, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFASdifficult-to-destroy chemicals widely used in nonstick pans, stain-resistant carpets, and firefighting foamhave infiltrated major water supplies and grabbed headlines across the country as potential carcinogens and endocrine disruptors. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently issued a statement warning that exposure to high levels of PFAS might also suppress the immune system and raise the risk of infection with COVID-19. The CDC further referenced evidence from human and animal studies suggesting that PFAS could reduce response to vaccineson top of posing a number of other health threats. Plastics, pesticides, and pathogens also fall on the long list of threats to safe drinking water. Between 10 and 15 percent of Americans are on private wells or tiny water systems that serve fewer than 15 residences. The rest of the country relies on community water systemsupwards of an astounding 50,000 in total. Infernos, Infections, and Chemical Cocktails The first water pipes under Americas streets were not necessarily laid for the purpose of drinking, eating, or bathing. Beginning in Boston in the mid-1600s, cities constructed water systems primarily for fire protection. Urban infernos were a real concern, says Greg Kail, director of communications for the American Water Works Association (AWWA), the largest trade group for water supply professionals. Most systems were ultimately adapted to supply water to commercial and residential properties. And in the early 20th century, the practice of filtering and disinfecting water began. Untreated water supplies had been sickening people with pathogens such as typhoid and cholera. One of the miracles of the 20th century is that drinking-water treatment decreased mortality, including from a host of afflictions people didnt even realize were related to water, says David Sedlak, an environmental engineer at the University of California, Berkeley. But disinfection had a downside, too. In the 1970s, researchers discovered that a commonly used disinfectant, chlorine, could produce harmful byproducts under some circumstances. Chronic exposures to these byproducts have been linked in animal and epidemiological studies with liver, kidney, and nervous system problems, as well as a potential increased risk of cancer. But its important that we dont stop using disinfectants because of fears of disinfection byproducts, says John Fawell, an independent drinking-water consultant based in Slough, England. The pathogens that can be in the water are still very able to cause significant problems. In the 1970s it also became clear that water was being polluted with contaminants that disinfectants were helpless against. Scientists were increasingly recognizing the threat of toxic chemicals from industrial sources, many of which posed risks over long periods of time, as opposed to the acute effects of a waterborne illness. Congress enacted the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) and the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act in 1976, and in 1980 established the Superfund program, which focuses on cleaning up hazardous waste sites and so helps prevent drinking-water supplies from becoming contaminated in the first place. The key piece of legislation protecting our drinking water, however, is the Safe Drinking Water Act. In 1974 Congress passed the act, through which the EPA now sets minimum health-based standards on more than 90 drinking-water contaminants, including lead, nitrate, arsenic, disinfection byproducts, pesticides, solvents, and microbial contaminants. It is primarily up to each state to implement and enforce those standardsor set and enforce their own more stringent standards. Great progress was made, Sedlak says. But I think the more we study water supplies and the more stress thats put on existing water supplies, the more problems we discover. The EPA lists some 86,000 chemicals in its TSCA Chemical Substance Inventorya number of which could find their way into our water in some way or another. Seth Siegel, author of Troubled Water: Whats Wrong With What We Drink, underscores the evolution over time in contamination concerns, from the biological to the chemical. A dab of chlorine might address microorganisms, but it does nothing about these synthetics, he says. We are ingesting, in micro quantities, a cocktail of chemicals all the time. Beyond Flint Allaire lived in Lansing, Mich., when the water crisis broke in Flint, about an hour northeast. Flint had just switched its water source from the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department to the Flint River. The river water was slightly more acidicand therefore more corrosivethan Detroits water. Local water officials didnt use common corrosion control methods. As a result, lead and other pollutants began to leach from the pipes that distribute water to the citys residents. We werent far away, and we were in a similar situation: a former industrialized city that had a massive exodus of its population, she says. The tragedy led her to wonder just how far water quality issues extended beyond Flint. Were there mini-Flints around the country, or was this a one-off event? Allaire asks. The answer, according to her 2018 study, is clearly the former. In 2015, the same year that the nation learned of Flints lead contamination, she found that about 21 million other people in the U.S. were receiving water from utilities that violated the Safe Drinking Water Act. People who lived in rural, low-income areas seemed to be most at risk of exposure to contaminants linked to a range of health problemsfrom a bout of diarrhea to cognitive impairment or cancer. As we saw in Flint, and have seen repeatedly across the country, 9 out of 10 violations dont face any formal enforcement action by the state or federal government, says Erik Olson, senior strategic director for health and food at the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). What we have is comparable to everyone on the interstate speeding and virtually no one being pulled over or getting tickets with any penalty. Outdated Standards Even when the law is enforced, advocates lament that the standards used are often outdated. The current federal drinking-water standard for nitrate, for example, went into effect in 1992 at 10 parts per million. Yet research has found (PDF) that levels less than one-tenth of that legal limit may raise the risk of cancer and other health issues. In early 2019, the EPA suspended plans to reevaluate the nitrate standard. The EPA did propose an update in October 2019 to its rules on lead and copper, which had not been touched since 1991. Meanwhile, the U.S. House of Representatives approved new legislation this past July that authorizes $22.5 billion to replace a portion of the countrys estimated 6 million to 10 million lead service lines that remain, connecting water mains to homes in Flint, Newark, and elsewhere. Kail says that the AWWA supports the revision. As long as there is lead in contact with the water, some level of risk remains, he says. So the best cure is to get the lead out. Advocates argue the rules still wont go far enough or come fast enough. And they suggest the same generally holds for the EPAs actions or inactions on drinking-water quality. Of most concern, they say, are the potentially hazardous contaminants that still lack a standard. The law really is broken and needs to be fixed if it is going to protect the public, Olson says. The EPAs current process for developing new standards, defined in the 1996 amendments to the Safe Drinking Water Act, needs to be sped up and strengthened, Olson and other advocates say. The EPAs Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR) allows the agency to select up to 30 unregulated pathogens and pollutants to be monitored every five years. Public drinking-water systems serving at least 10,000 people, along with a representative sample of smaller systems, must periodically test for these contaminants. The agency uses the data in considering future drinking-water standards. So far, the only new chemical that the agency has come close to regulating through the process is perchlorate, a component of rocket fuel, munitions, and fireworks. Studies suggest that exposure may derail brain development of fetuses and infants. The EPA determined in 2011 that the contaminant required regulation. But this June, the agency reversed course and announced that, taking into consideration "the best available science and the proactive steps that EPA, states and public water systems have taken to reduce perchlorate levels," it would not regulate perchlorate. That decision is now in litigation. The EPA just hasnt had the spine to issue any regulations off the contaminant candidate list, Olson says. Six perfluorinated chemicals were monitored via the UCMR between 2013 and 2015. This past February, the EPA announced preliminary regulatory determinations and opened up comments for two of those chemicals, PFOA, or perfluorooctanoic acid, and PFOS, or perfluorooctanesulfonic acid. Meanwhile, several states, including New Jersey and New Hampshire, have moved ahead with their own regulations, some of which go beyond PFOA and PFOSthe legacy PFAS compounds that are already being phased outto include more of the potentially thousands of extremely persistent synthetic chemicals that belong to the same class. Philippe Grandjean, a professor and environmental medicine research unit head at the University of Southern Denmark and adjunct professor of environmental health at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston, warns of a potential regrettable replacement problem. We see other PFAS popping up, he says. Which do you prefer, a devil you know or a devil you dont know? It looks like were currently regulating so that well get more devils that we dont know. And it could well happen that some of those devils may act together to be even more hazardous than those we banned. Pathogens and Pesticides Pathogens remain a serious issue, too. E. coli in drinking water has caused deadly outbreaks (PDF). Norovirus, giardia, and cryptosporidium have also contaminated drinking-water supplies in recent years. But the pathogens perhaps highest on the minds of experts today are those that grow in pipes. Legionella, the bacterium that causes Legionnaires disease, a type of pneumonia, offers a critical case in point. It poses a microbiological threat with widespread consequences. In Flint, the same issue that caused the release of lead into the drinking water also resulted in deadly cases of Legionnaires disease in the surrounding community. Repeated outbreaks at a Quincy, Ill., veterans home have killed more than a dozen people since 2015. And in May 2019, a custodian died from Legionnaires disease, among other causes, after being infected at Kettering Fairmont High School in Kettering, Ohio. The schools water tested positive for Legionella bacteria this July, and a current custodian has tested positive for the disease. Spokespeople with the Illinois veterans home and the Ohio high school say that measures have been taken to reduce the risk of further infections. When buildings go unused for long periods of time, stagnant water can become a breeding ground for the bacteria. The big problems are when you have water that sits a long time without chlorine. Legionella love that, and reproduce and bloom, Olson says. With schools and all sorts of other commercial and other buildings where water has been sitting for a long time with little use, it could be a massive problem. Thats a real worry post-COVID. Agricultural practices remain implicated in much of the nations tainted drinking water. Studies have shown that pesticides pose a serious threat. For example, atrazine has been associated with low birth weight in babies. Every spring in the Midwest, a pulse of atrazine comes off the fields. Tough luck on you if you happen to be carrying a child during that period, says Sedlak at UC Berkeley, adding that regulatory standards might still be met because EPA regulations average numbers over the course of an entire year. Neonicotinoids are another example. Neonics are wonderful [from a human health perspective] because they target receptors specific to insects, Sedlak says. But after a chemical reaction with chlorine (PDF), the product is something that is likely to target people. Limited data hints at potential health effects ranging from respiratory, cardiovascular, and neurological issues to birth defects. Excess fertilizer applications on farms also trigger major algal blooms that can contaminate drinking water. Toxins produced by algae in Lake Erie fed by runoff from farms in the watershed contaminated the Toledo, Ohio, drinking-water system in the summer of 2014. Almost half a million people were told to avoid drinking, bathing, or cooking with their tap water for a couple of days; 110 people got sick. It was neither the first nor the last time that suchalgal toxins threatened public health. Residents of Carroll Township, Ohio, received a similar warning in September 2013. And in July 2018, authorities in Salem, Ore., advised children and the elderly not to drink the citys water. Seeking Solutions When Duane Munsterteigers 1-year-old son got sick with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in 1993, the idea that his familys drinking water could be to blame didnt cross his mind. It was the most beautiful-tasting water youd ever want, says Munsterteiger, of Ogilvie, Minn. But subsequent tests of the water from his well found high levels of nitrate, which research suggests may be associated with respiratory infections such as RSV. In addition to drilling a new, deeper well to supply his home, Munsterteiger also has adopted a number of environmental conservation practices in his farming. He uses cover crops and rotates his cows to graze different sections of his land, improving the health of the soil and minimizing runoff, and thereby reducing the nitrate that seeps into the groundwater. He knows that groundwater could become the water that his family members, and his cows, drink. Good, clean water is important for our animals, too, Munsterteiger says. Targeting the source of contaminants is a particularly effective way to tackle dirty water. This might mean using cover crops to limit agricultural runoff, as Munsterteiger did, or preventing the discharge of industrial chemicals. The Clean Water Act, in theory, regulates discharges into U.S. waters and therefore protects sources of drinking water. However, this year the Trump administration issued a new regulation, the Navigable Waters Protection Rule, that narrows the scope of the Clean Water Act by revoking federal protections for millions of miles of streams and millions of acres of wetlands. The NRDC and other environmental groups have filed a lawsuit to stop the decision. If we dont have a strong Clean Water Act, well never have clean drinking water, says Lynn Thorp, national campaigns director for the nonprofit Clean Water Action. We need to put equal effort upstream. In this regard, too, some states are stepping up to fill in the gaps. Munsterteiger is among farmers participating in the Minnesota Agricultural Water Quality Certification Program, which offers incentives, including financial assistance for practices, such as cover cropping, that can reduce the flow of agricultural pollutants into waterways. Other techniques to prevent contaminants from sullying source water include installing wood chip bioreactors on farms to reduce nitrate pollution. Allaire and other water experts suggest further strategies for reducing drinking-water threats, such as increasing funds for the EPA to more quickly identify and regulate contaminants and upgrading water systems infrastructure. They also underscore the need for more technological solutions both at the drinking-water source and during treatment, while expressing concern that todays technologiesfrom carbon-activated filtration to reverse osmosisare not being fully leveraged. Joel Ducoste, a professor of civil, construction, and environmental engineering at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, underscores one key challenge: Many of the emerging contaminants of concern for drinking water, such as PFAS, were previously unknown. We didnt know it was there, so we didnt engineer systems to be specifically effective in their removal, he says. Were learning a lot now, working on chemical methods as well as biological methods to see how we might try to remove some of these compounds. It tends to be the small systems that lack the means to install or even maintain operation of the latest treatment technologies. Lanare, a small unincorporated community outside of Fresno, Calif., received more than $1 million from the state to install a treatment plant to remove the arsenic that had chronically contaminated its drinking water. The facility was built but only stayed online for about six months before the community had to abandon it. It wasnt affordable over the long term to keep it up, says Ryan Jensen, the community water solutions coordinator for the Community Water Center, a nonprofit organization based in the Central Valley. Contaminated drinking water disproportionately affects small water systems, which serve predominantly rural, low-income communities with relatively high percentages of people of color. Sometimes those systems cant even afford the salary of a full-time operator. Florencia Ramos hometown of El Rancho has only 65 people. The city of Lindsay has just over 13,000. A lot of these folks are farmworkers, who are [unwittingly] helping to poison themselves, says Anne Schechinger, a senior analyst with the nonprofit Environmental Working Group. There is now a push to build economies of scale so that small systems dont have to go it alone. Kentucky has been a leader in water system consolidation. The state has gone from more than 3,000 systems in the 1970s to fewer than 800 systems in 2018. But such consolidations dont always go so smoothly. Just a few miles down the road from El Rancho is Tooleville. For a long time, the small town dealt with high levels of nitrate. Other contaminants include hexavalent chromium, the compound that garnered notoriety from the movie Erin Brockovich. Tooleville has been trying for years to connect its water system with that of the neighboring city of Exeter. But it has run into political pushback. Exeter voted last year to reject Toolevilles plea and has tabled the talks. Unfortunately, thats not unique, says Michael Claiborne, an attorney at the Leadership Counsel for Justice and Accountability, a nonprofit organization in Sacramento. Few consolidations have gone smoothly. Ive seen a lot of situations where politics are a barrier, and theres an unwillingness to serve nearby communities. He says that more than 90 percent of Tooleville residents are Latino and that the city council of Exeter is 100 percent white. Benjamin Cuevas, a resident of Tooleville, says that he and his wife, Yolanda Cuevas, have been careful to make sure their three daughters and two grandchildren do not consume any of the water out of their taps. Yolanda Cuevas rinses the kids down with bottled water after they shower. And she insists that they also use bottled water to brush their teeth. The Cuevases and Ramos have different problems, but they share a lot of the same concernsand aspirations. I wish a lot more could be done so that we could have clean water, Ramos says. She adds another important strategy to improve drinking-water quality: I urge people to be involved, to go to meetings, to give your input. I hope we can get this solved soon, Benjamin Cuevas says. These problems have been going on a long time. Editors Note: This article was supported by funding from the nonprofit organizations Park Foundation and Water Foundation. Americas Water Crisis Consumer Reports has a long history of investigating Americas water. In 1974, we published a landmark three-part series (PDF) revealing that water purification systems in many communities had not kept pace with increasing levels of pollution and that many community water supplies might be contaminated. Our work helped lead to Congress enacting the Safe Drinking Water Act in December 1974. More than 45 years later, America is still struggling with a dangerous divide between those who have access to safe and affordable drinking water and those who dont. Communities of color often are affected disproportionately by this inequity. Consumer Reports remains committed to exposing the weaknesses in our countrys water system, including raising questions about Americans reliance on bottled water as an alternativeand the safety and sustainability implications of this dependence. In addition to our ongoing investigations into bottled water, we are proud to be partnering with our readers and those of the Guardian US, another institution dedicated to journalism in the public interest, to test for dangerous contaminants in tap water samples from more than 100 communities around the country. The Guardian and CR will also be publishing related content from Ensia, a nonprofit newsroom focused on environmental issues and solutions. Americas Water Crisis is the name we are jointly giving to this project and the series of articles we co-publish on the major challenges many in the U.S. face getting access to safe, clean, and affordable water. We will share the results of our upcoming test findings with you. In the meantime, you can join our social media conversation around water under the hashtag #waterincrisis. Gwendolyn Bounds Chief Content Officer, Consumer Reports Some 235 retired senior military officers have signed a letter backing the reelection of President Donald Trump and warning that electing former Vice President Joe Biden would lead to growing influence in government by "socialists and Marxists." A letter released Monday by the Trump-Pence campaign was signed by eight four-star generals or admirals, 42 three-star generals or admirals and at least one Medal of Honor recipient: retired Marine Maj. Gen. Jim Livingston. Read Next: VA Data Breach Leaves Personal Info of 4,600 Veterans Exposed "It can be argued that this is the most important election since our country was founded," the open letter from the retired officers said. "With the Democratic Party welcoming to socialists and Marxists, our historic way of life is at stake." "We believe that President Donald Trump is committed to a strong America," the letter continued. "As president, he will continue to secure our borders, defeat our adversaries, and restore law and order domestically." Announcing endorsements from retired military leaders has become a mainstay for campaigns of both parties, a play to the bipartisan support and credibility the military enjoys. In 2016, the Trump campaign announced endorsements from 88 retired military officers; the campaign of Hillary Clinton announced endorsements from 110 retired military officers. The endorsements for Trump from respected military leaders came close on the heels of allegations from anonymous sources that the president had routinely insulted the Pentagon's leadership and called those who died in battle "losers" and suckers. Those claims were reported in a Sept. 3 story in The Atlantic. Several other news organizations, including Fox News, have partly confirmed the allegations, but Trump has dismissed the report as a "total lie." In August, 73 former national security officials in Republican administrations and former Republican lawmakers issued an open letter backing Biden, saying "it is imperative that we stop Trump's assault on our nation's values and institutions." The list of retired officers and the letter have been posted on the Trump-Pence campaign website and can be seen here. -- Richard Sisk can be reached at Richard.Sisk@Military.com. Report: Trump Disparaged US War Dead as 'Suckers,' 'Losers' Booker Prize 2020: Indian-origin writer Avni Doshi in the shortlist of six 'Burnt Sugar', Doshi's debut novel, was first published in India in 2019 as 'Girl In White Cotton' Indian-origin writer Avni Doshi has been shortlisted for the 2020 Booker Prize for her debut novel Burnt Sugar, first published in India as Girl In White Cotton last year. With this honour, Doshi joins an august list of Indian-origin writers such as Neel Mukherjee, Jeet Thayil and Anita Desai. advertisement advertisement Doshi is among five othersDiane Cook, Tsitsi Dangarembga, Maaza Mengiste, Douglas Stuart and Brandon Taylorshortlisted for the 50,000 prize. Among the notable omissions from the longlist is two-time winner Hilary Mantel, who was nominated for the third part of her Thomas Cromwell trilogy, The Mirror And The Light. Doshi's novel, written over 8 years and as many drafts, is a powerful account of a mother-daughter relationship. In an interview with Mint, she described the story as having a "polarizing" effect on readers. "What some found unflinching, others found repugnant," she said on being chosen for the longlist. "Some people (some friends) were triggered by the book because it reminded them of something close to home." advertisement advertisement The plot revolves around the protagonist Antara and her fractious relationship with her mother Tara, who was never a conventional parent. Having walked out of her marriage to join a spiritual clan when she was young, Tara was forced to live in penury with Antara. But not only did she defy every expectation of being a mother and wife, she also did so with scant regard for society's opinion. Frighteningly cruel but also unexpectedly tender, Tara's volatile bond with her adult daughter begins to disintegrate as she is suspected of suffering from early onset of Alzheimer's disease. Doshi delves into their troubled filial ties with a surgical precision, her prose stinging while also being emotionally daring. The Guardian praised it as "an unsettling, sinewy debut, startling in its venom and disarming in its humour." advertisement advertisement In a press statement, Margaret Busby, who presided over the panel of jury, spoke of the diversity of the shortlisted novels, both for their themes and styles. The novels...range in setting from an unusual child growing up in working-class Glasgow in the 1980s, to a woman coping with a post-colonial nightmare in Zimbabwe," she said. "Along the way we meet a man struggling with racism on a university campus, join a trek in the wilderness after an environmental disaster, eavesdrop on a woman coping with her ageing mother as they travel across India and in an exploration of female power, and discover how ordinary people rose up in 1930s Ethiopia to defend their country against invading Italians advertisement advertisement The winner will be announced on 11 November. Gorakhpur: You may find it difficult to believe that a village in eastern Uttar Pradesh did not witness any crime in the last one and a half years, but it's true. The village, Chitowna, under the Gorakhpur district, has now become a model village enjoying all the basic amenities. The Chitowna village in Uttar Pradesh has seen no criminal incidents like theft, robbery, and eve-teasing in the last one and a half years, and has emerged as a unique village in the district that has been represented by current Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath as an MP in the Lok Sabha. With a population of around 1450 and 295 houses, the village is located 12 to 15 kilometers away from Gorakhpur district headquarters. The village boasts of having all the basic facilities including electricity, water, and roads. Live TV The spirit of nationalism also reverberates from every nook and corner of the village. One can see the national tricolour on every pole, tree, or wall of the village. Notably, the village also surprises people from outside with CCTV cameras installed outside every house to ensure a sense of security for every village member. This has also made the village crime-free for the last one and half years. In case of any crime in nearby villages, people come here and take the help of CCTV footage to get a clue. The credit for this development goes to Dinesh Yadav, the village head (Gram Pradhan) who earlier lived in Mumbai, and when he came back to the village, he ventured into politics and strived hard to transform Chitowna into a model village. As part of measures to ensure a hitch free electoral process in Edo State, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has deployed 1,500 members of its personnel to cover the forthcoming gubernatorial elections, slated to hold on Saturday 19 September, 2020. According to assistant corps marshal Bisi Kazeem, the corps public education officer, the FRSC team is to be led by the zonal commanding officer RS5, Benin and to be assisted by the assistant corps marshal in charge of federal operations at the Federal Road Safety Headquarters, and the sector commander RS5.1 Benin. Mr Kazeem noted that the corps marshal, Boboye Oyeyemi, equally approved that a total of 35 vehicles, including tow trucks, ambulances and other operational vehicles be deployed to aid the electoral processes in the 18 local government areas of the state. In his words, the deployed personnel are to engage in the following tasks: carrying out enforcement of no movement order, certification of INEC vehicles to be used to convey electoral materials, removal of obstructions and rescue operations as well as joining other sister agencies to maintain orderliness at assigned polling booths. While expecting the elections to be conducted in an orderly manner, Mr Kazeem stated that the corps marshal admonished the FRSC personnel to conduct themselves in a professional manner, carry out their duties diligently and ensure compliance with the Presidential Task Force directives on Covid-19. He stated that the FRSCs 122 emergency toll free line remains open to the general public to reach out in case of any unforeseen circumstances that may arise. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-15 22:51:59|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close CAIRO, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Secretary-General of Cairo-based Arab League Ahmed Aboul-Gheit and visiting Armenian Foreign Minister Zohrab Mnatsakanyan discussed on Tuesday the latest developments in the Middle East and North Africa during a meeting in the Egyptian capital. "The two sides voiced concerns over the ongoing provocative actions in the region that aim at undermining stability and security," the Arab League said in a statement. They highlighted the need for mobilizing joint efforts by the international community to maintain and strengthen regional peace and stability, it added. On the Palestinian cause, the two officials described the two-state solution, ending the Israeli occupation and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state as the main factors for reaching peace between Israel and Palestine. Enditem Israeli security forces inspect the scene of a rocket attack fired from the Gaza Strip and crashed in the southern coastal city of Ashdod on September 15, 2020. An Israeli military spokesman said the Iron Dome anti-missile system intercepted one of two rockets fired from Gaza. Israel's Magen David Adom ambulance service said paramedics treated two men for light injuries from flying glass in Ashdod, and four others suffered shock. Warning sirens sounded in the coastal cities of Ashkelon and Ashdod as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. President Donald Trump met the foreign ministers of United Arab Emirates and Bahrain at the White House. Palestinian militants fired rockets from Gaza into Israel on Tuesday, the Israeli military said, at same time as Israel and two Gulf Arab states signed normalization agreements at the White House in Washington. Israeli men remove the shattered glass window of a laundry shop following a rocket attack fired from the Gaza Strip and crashed in the southern coastal city of Ashdod on September 15, 2020. In Gaza, which is controlled by the Islamist militant group Hamas, dozens of Palestinians rallied outside a U.N. office to condemn the normalization deals shortly before the signing ceremony began. "Palestine isn't for sale," protesters chanted. Sami Abu Zuhri, a Hamas spokesman, said the Bahrain and UAE agreements would not bring Israel peace in the region. "Peoples of the region will continue to deal with this occupation as their true enemy," he told Reuters, speaking from Turkey. Hamas did not claim responsibility for the rockets. In Ramallah in the occupied West Bank there was a small, muted protest at which 200 people gathered in a central square. Some carried a banner reading: "The UAE-Israeli normalization agreement is a reward for the state of occupation and for settlements, and is a stab in the back of Jerusalem and of Palestine." The normalization agreements are the first signed between Israel and Arab states since the peace accords with Egypt in 1979 and Jordan in 1994. However, they breach what had been a long-standing Arab consensus that normalization of ties with Israel should only come after the creation of an independent Palestinian state in Gaza and the occupied West Bank with East Jerusalem as its capital. The Palestinians see that aspiration as badly damaged by the new agreements. A major shakeup at IGM Financial Inc. has been brought about by the retirement, for health reasons, of out-going CEO Jeff Carney. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 14/9/2020 (493 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. A major shakeup at IGM Financial Inc. has been brought about by the retirement, for health reasons, of out-going CEO Jeff Carney. The company announced Carneys retirement on Monday because of a diagnosis of early stage Alzheimers disease. Jeff Carney - CEO of IGM Financial Inc. and IG Wealth Management. James OSullivan a 29-year veteran of senior executive positions at Scotiabank, takes over as CEO of IGM Financial Inc., the parent company of IG Wealth Management (formerly Investors Group), Mackenzie Investment and a few other operating companies. Carney, 57, was also the CEO of IG Wealth Management but the board decided to split the work up, announcing that Damon Murchison, currently executive vice-president and head of retail of Mackenzie Investments, will become president and CEO of IG Wealth Management. As the CEO of IGM for the past seven years, Carney was the architect of an overhaul of the company (that included the name change to IG Wealth Management). Among other things, his leadership created better connections with clients and a greater emphasis on attracting more high net worth clients. Jeff Orr, chairman of the board of IGM Financial, said that although there is sadness regarding Jeff Carneys health situation, there is optimism about future success for the company going forward. Orr would not say how much time they had in finding a replacement for Carney. "All I will say is that Jeff made it easy, if I can put it that way, to come to a good outcome in the way he handled it," Orr said in an interview adding that Carney brought about tremendous change focusing on how to best serve the clients. "He had positioned IGM, IG Wealth Management and Mackenzie and the rest of the companies to be in a much more competitive and stronger position than when he came on board," said Orr. "He created a lot of momentum and set us up for a lot of future success." OSullivan comes to IGM Financial after a lengthy run at Scotiabank with ever increasing senior positions. He left the bank last fall as group head of Canadian banking, but said he did not plan on retiring. When thinking about what he wanted to do next he said at the top of his list of criteria was quality and purpose and he believes IGM Financial is both a high quality enterprise and the purpose associated with wealth management is "all about empowering Canadians financially." OSullivan said, "When I got this call I saw quality and purpose and that was a fantastic start." In an interview Orr was careful to point out that IGM Financial which is responsible for $173 billion of assets under its management from its host of mutual funds and financial planning consultancy would not experience any disruption in its management. "Todays message is one of continuity," Orr said. "While we recognize and are sad for what Jeff Carney is going through we are building on momentum and optimism for continued growth in the future." IGM Financial is majority owned by Power Financial out of Montreal and is a sister company to Great-West Lifeco, also based in Winnipeg. OSullivan will continue to live in Toronto, as did Carney, but will be here often. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. "I fully understand how important these businesses are to Winnipeg and Im looking forward to being introduced to the Winnipeg and Manitoba business communities," he said. Murchison, who had been working out of Toronto, will acquire a Winnipeg residence to run the Winnipeg-based IG Wealth operations. "I am excited to lead IG Wealth Management into its next phase of growth," Murchison said in a prepared statement. In addition to the appointment of OSullivan and Murchison, Mark Kinzel, currently executive vice-president of financial services for IG Wealth Management, has been appointed vice-chair of IG Wealth Management. "This company is well rooted in Winnipeg and I dont see anything in these announcements that will do anything to diminish that," Orr said. "I think it will augment success of the overall group including IG Wealth and that, ultimately, is good for Winnipeg." martin.cash@freepress.mb.ca NEW YORK, Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Mikimoto, the originator of cultured pearls, has partnered with Scent Beauty, the world's first multi-brand e-commerce platform for bespoke scents, to introduce their first-ever fragrance. Launching in the U.S. this week, Mikimoto Eau de Parfum is the brand's first foray into the fragrance category and is indicative of their increased focus on beauty within the luxury marketplace. Mikimoto Eau de Parfum Expert fragrance designer, Raymond Matts, and master perfumer, Frank Voelkl, came together to create a signature scent inspired by the brand's nautical identity. The timeless, gender-neutral scent offers universal appeal, while the bottle, designed by Lance McGregor, emulates the exquisite color and luster of pearls to create an uber-minimalist expression of the jewelry brand's identity. "Scents evoke an emotional reaction, parallel to the feeling of wearing a treasured piece of pearl jewelry making this a natural next step for the brand. At Mikimoto, every piece of jewelry celebrates the beauty that exists in the smallest details, and Mikimoto Eau de Parfum embodies the brand's spirit of excellence," said Yasuhiko Hashimoto, Director and Executive Vice President, K. Mikimoto and Co., Ltd., and CEO, Mikimoto (America) Co., Ltd. "The results exude the unmistakable opulence of the Mikimoto brand." The centerpiece of this elegant and luxurious fragrance is a combination of floating iris and magnolia, with additional notes throughout, including: Top Notes: the subtle smell of the cool sea breeze blended with fresh citrus notes, composed of grapefruits, orange bigarade, Sicilian lemon, and bergamot the subtle smell of the cool sea breeze blended with fresh citrus notes, composed of grapefruits, orange bigarade, Sicilian lemon, and bergamot Middle Notes: an exquisite floral blend of iris and magnolia, inspired by pearls one of the most beautiful gems and a mysterious gift from nature an exquisite floral blend of iris and magnolia, inspired by pearls one of the most beautiful gems and a mysterious gift from nature Base Notes: aromatic, woody scents: ambergris, royal oud, and sandalwood are paired with the calming softness of saffron, creating a lasting impression of depth and elegance "Mikimoto represents a highly refined expression of pure elemental beauty that has now been exquisitely captured in scent," said Scent Beauty CEO, Stephen Mormoris on Mikimoto's foray into fine fragrance. "We are thrilled to be Mikimoto's U.S. partner in online retail." Mikimoto Eau de Parfum is now available for purchase at MikimotoAmerica.com and ScentBeauty.com, and 'Behind the Fragrance: Mikimoto Eau de Parfum' can be viewed at: https://youtu.be/PILCVFn1msg. About Mikimoto: Mikimoto is recognized as the world leader and foremost producer of the finest quality cultured pearl jewelry. Company founder Kokichi Mikimoto was the first person to develop a technique for the cultivation of pearls in 1893, which is still in use today. The company is internationally recognized for its product design, superior craftsmanship, and strict quality control. Mikimoto's American retail stores are located on Fifth Avenue, New York; The Beverly Wilshire, Beverly Hills; South Coast Plaza, Costa Mesa; and The Wynn, Las Vegas. Mikimoto is also sold at select fine jewelers nationwide. International locations include Ginza, Tokyo; New Bond Street, London; Place Vendome, Paris; and Hong Kong. For additional information on Mikimoto please visit: www.mikimotoamerica.com. About Scent Beauty: Scent Beauty is the world's first multi-brand e-commerce platform for bespoke scented products through unique, culturally relevant Brands to consumers worldwide, available on ScentBeauty.com. Scent Beauty's portfolio consists of sectors that showcase the extensive possibilities of scent: Fashion, Lifestyle, Influencers, Artists and Artisans. Scent Beauty is a leader in product innovation and subscribes to the values of diversity, sustainability and ease of shopping from home. Media Contacts: Mikimoto Nike Communications [email protected] Scent Beauty Paul Wilmot Communications Hampton Carney [email protected] (212) 206 7447 x 6415 SOURCE Mikimoto Related Links https://www.mikimotoamerica.com MONTREAL - Aimia Inc. propped up a slumping bottom line last quarter through its holdings in airline loyalty programs, which generated profits despite the near-collapse of the travel industry amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 15/9/2020 (493 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. An AIMIA logo is shown at the company's annual general meeting in Montreal, Friday, May 4, 2012. Aimia Inc. says it earned $14.4 million in its latest quarter, down from $43.5 million in the same quarter last year. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes MONTREAL - Aimia Inc. propped up a slumping bottom line last quarter through its holdings in airline loyalty programs, which generated profits despite the near-collapse of the travel industry amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Net earnings fell by more than two-thirds in its second quarter as Aimia began to unfurl its new strategy as an investment holdings firm bolstered by the proceeds of its $516-million sale of Aeroplan to Air Canada last year after veering away from loyalty program management. Aimia's 48.9 per cent stake in PLM, which operates Aeromexico's Club Premier rewards program, and 20 per cent share of AirAsia's Big Loyalty program operator Biglife amounted to $25.8 million in profit. In June, Aimia closed a deal to spin off its money-losing Loyalty Solutions business in a merger with Waterloo, Ont.-based tech company Kognitiv Corporation. The new venture called Kognitiv, in which it has a 49.3 per cent stake "has yet to reach profitability," said Aimia president Michael Lehmann, but the company expects it will start to make money next year. In May, Aimia paid $76.2 million to scoop up an 11 per cent stake new in Clear Media Ltd., one of China's largest outdoor advertising firms. Controlling shareholder Ever Harmonic Global Ltd. will likely to start to digitize Clear Media's 58,000 display panels mostly bus shelter ads across two-dozen cities in China to swell its advertising revenue ahead of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, where it has more than 70 per cent market share, Lehmann said. "The economic recovery within China does appear to be underway. The typical patterns are once corporations are confident consumers are back and spending, they come back and engage on the marketing and advertising front, and we're starting to recognize that now," he said. Shares of Clear Media have been suspended from trading on Hong Kong's stock exchange as part of a plan to privatize the company, though not yet delisted. New majority stakeholder Ever Harmonic has 40 per cent ownership by Clear Media CEO Han Zi Jing and 30 per cent ownership by Ant Financial, a company controlled by Jack Ma, co-founder of Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group. One-third of the 58.8 million shares Aimia acquired in Clear Media were previously held by clients of Mittleman Investment Management, whose parent company Aimia bought in a US$5-million deal that closed in June and saw co-founder Phil Mittleman become Aimia's CEO earlier in the year. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Aimia said Mittleman Brothers had US$148 million under management as of June 30, a more than 50 per cent drop from three months earlier. Aimia said Tuesday it earned $14.4 million in its latest quarter, down from $43.5 million in the same quarter last year. Profits at the Montreal-based company amounted to 12 cents per share for the quarter ended June 30 compared with a profit of 29 cents per share a year ago. Aimia's profit from continuing operations totalled $6.1 million or three cents per share for the quarter, down from $34.7 million or 22 cents per share in the same quarter a year ago.After the end of the quarter, Aimia received the remaining funds held in restricted cash of $66.9 million in accordance with the terms of the purchase agreement related to the Aeroplan sale, as well as $2.3 million from the general escrow account related to the Aeroplan transaction. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 15, 2020. Companies in this story: (TSX:AIM, TSX:AC) Flash Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Monday that China firmly opposes any person or force creating instability, division and turmoil in China, and firmly opposes any country's interference in its internal affairs. He stressed the stance when holding a meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, whose country currently holds the EU's rotating presidency, European Council President Charles Michel and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen via video link. Xi clarified China's principled position on issues related to Hong Kong and Xinjiang, stressing that the essence of issues related to Hong Kong and Xinjiang is to safeguard China's national sovereignty, security and unity, and to protect the rights of people of all ethnic groups in China to live and work in peace. Earlier on Tuesday, Israel and two Gulf Arab states, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, signed normalisation agreements at the White House in Washington Saudi Arabia said on Tuesday it stands by the Palestinian people and supports all efforts aimed at reaching a just and comprehensive solution to the Palestinian issue, according to a cabinet statement. "The cabinet notes that the kingdom stands by the Palestinian people and supports all efforts aimed at reaching a just and comprehensive solution to the Palestinian issue that enables the Palestinian people to establish their independent Palestinian state on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, in accordance with international legitimacy decisions and the Arab Peace Initiative," the statement said. Earlier on Tuesday, Israel and two Gulf Arab states, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, signed normalisation agreements at the White House in Washington. Short link: MIAMI, Fla. Annette Collazo, a Florida Democrat who is running for a seat in the state legislature, was campaigning at a constituents home when she heard a TV ad that caught her attention. Former Vice President Joe Biden and other Democrats were shown side-by-side with Latin American leaders such as former Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and former Cuban leader Fidel Castro. The ad was paid for by President Donald Trumps reelection campaign and played on Spanish-language television. It is a concern because it's such a very offensive accusation, said Collazo, who is Cuban American. It's preying on people's vulnerabilities, their sensitivities, their family trauma of having to leave everything in their home country to come here." More: 'Anxious, fearful, angry.' At 50 days out to Election Day, many voters are wary of both Trump and Biden I think its deceptive, Collazo said of comparing Democrats to communist dictators. The ad is one of many that have dominated TV and radio in the state, and its message appears to be resonating with an influential group of Latino voters in Florida: Cuban Americans. Biden is underperforming with Cuban Americans in Miami-Dade, the largest county in the state, as well as with Latino voters across Florida, according to recent polling. The lack of support from Latino voters could cost Biden a win in Florida, which has backed the national winner in every election except one since 1964. Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden and his wife Jill Biden meet with people in a backyard as they discuss education in Wauwatosa Wis., Thursday, Sept. 3, 2020. Trump narrowly won the state four years ago by a little more than 1%, a margin of fewer than 113,000 votes out of more than 9.5 million cast. Weeks of anxious prodding from Florida Democrats that Biden has taken the state for granted could finally be paying off. On Tuesday, Biden will make his first visit to the Sunshine State since he secured the Democratic nomination. The former vice president also is doing more to take on the round-the-clock attacks that he's a socialist, a potent message when delivered to Latinos who fled repressive regimes. And key allies, notably former New York City Mayor and billionaire Michael Bloomberg, are pledging to expand their efforts to help Biden win the state. Story continues With early voting just weeks away, the question now: Is it too little too late? The importance of Miami-Dade County Biden's visit Tuesday comes a few days after his running mate, Sen. Kamala Harris, campaigned in Miami, meeting with Black leaders at Florida Memorial University, a historically Black college. She also stopped for arepas at Amaize, a Venezuelan restaurant in Doral also known as "Doralzuela" to locals due to the large Venezuelan population. The president and Biden are virtually tied in the Sunshine State, according to an NBC News/Marist poll, after several polls over the summer had showed the former vice president with a lead over Trump. President Donald Trump smiles during a Latinos for Trump Coalition roundtable Sunday in Las Vegas. The poll also shows Biden trailing Trump among Latino voters in the state, 46%-50%, a group Hillary Clinton won by nearly 30 points four years ago. Hispanic people in Florida make up about a quarter of the state's roughly 21.5 million population and 17% of its registered voters. As the single biggest Hispanic ethnicity in the nation's biggest swing state, Cuban Americans in South Florida wield big influence on the political stage. They have generally leaned Republican, but younger generations are more liberal. More: 'Outrageous': Sen. Kamala Harris, Democratic nominee for vice president, tells Black leaders in Florida Trump must be removed A poll of Miami-Dade County voters by Bendixen & Amandi International and the Miami Herald, also showed Trump with a slight lead over Biden among all Latino voters. But the survey also found that among Cuban American voters, Trump led Biden by a whopping 38 percentage points. Miami-Dade alone represents about 10% of the states votes. In 2016, Clinton won the county over Trump by more than 290,000 votes; President Barack Obama won the county by about 200,000 in 2012. While Clinton in 2016 also beat Trump statewide among Latino voters, 62% to 35%, she trailed him in support among Cuban American voters, 41% to 54%. Biden doesn't need Florida to win the presidency, but capturing the Sunshine State would likely portend an overwhelming victory nationally and be an embarrassing setback for the president who made the state his primary residence after complaining about being treated "very badly" by political leaders in New York. No Republican since Calvin Coolidge in 1924 has captured the White House without winning Florida. Biden has cut into Trump's support with older voters in Florida and nationally but some of his strength with that demographic has been offset by his weakness with Latino voters, including Cuban Americans. A protester holds American and Cuban flags during a demonstration at Jose Marti park on December 20, 2014, in Miami after President Obama announced his decision to normalize relations with Cuba. Biden could get a boost from outside his campaign. A top aide to former presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg confirmed media reports that the former New York City mayor plans to spend at least $100 million to help Biden in Florida. Nuestro PAC, a group focused on Latino voter outreach created by former Bernie Sanders advisor, Chuck Rocha, also is investing millions into bilingual mail outreach to newly registered Latino voters in Florida, North Carolina and Pennsylvania. Some Democrats also want to see Biden hit back more strongly against Trump's characterization of the party as "radical socialists." The message has struck a nerve with many Latinos who are Cubans, Venezuelans and Nicaraguans, some of whom have fled communist regimes or have family members who did. 'Democrats have gone silent' Al Cardenas, a Cuban American activist who once chaired Florida's Republican Party, said the Trump campaign has successfully wooed South Florida Latinos largely because the president's frequent broadsides against the Castro regime in Cuba and the Maduro regime in Venezuela have gone unanswered. "Democrats have gone silent on the subject, so he filled up that silence to satisfy significant portion of the exile communities," said Cardenas, who opposes Trump's reelection but has not endorsed Biden. Latino activists in the state have been pressing the Biden campaign to do more outreach with Hispanic voters. In July, a seven-page letter from Florida Democratic Party field organizers accused the Biden campaign of lacking a fully actionable field plan as moves into working with the Florida party on voter outreach, according to the Miami Herald. Last month, Voto Latino CEO Maria Teresa Kumar said the Biden campaign nationally has not done enough outreach to the Latino community. Susan MacManus, political science professor emeritus at South Florida University, said the letter was no surprise to us because it happens every four years." More: Trump campaign courts Latino voters in Arizona, historically Democrats. Here's what that looks like "People from outside of Florida think the Latino vote in Florida is cohesive and its very diverse, MacManus said. Dario Moreno, a political professor at Florida International University who specializes in Cuba politics, said Democrats sensed momentum in Miami-Dade after they flipped two congressional seats there from Republican to Democrat in 2018 with the victories of Rep. Donna Shalala and Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell. After 2018, when (Democrats) won the two congressional seats, they really took the Latinos for granted and havent really worked that community as much as they should have, Moreno said. Door-to-door versus social media The Trump campaign has invested heavily in Miami-Dade County. Politico reported last week that the campaign has outspent the Biden campaign by nearly $4 million in TV ads for the Miami-Fort Lauderdale media market, with much of that spent on Spanish-language ads. While the Trump campaign has an extensive strategy of door-to-door campaigning, Democrats are relying far more on social media. Obamas Cuba policy, which many older Cubans objected to, remains a millstone for Biden, some analysts said. Get ready: Register to vote or check your status here Moreno said the Biden campaign needs to invest more resources into courting Latino voters in Florida, especially given the anger among many Cuban Americans at Obama's efforts to restart diplomatic relations with Havana. Biden's serious consideration of California Rep. Karen Bass as a running mate also was damaging given her past praise for Fidel Castro, which she later renounced. Given the margins that Hillary Clinton won Dade County by and given how close Florida is, the Democrats have to put real resources in the Hispanic community," Moreno said. "And they have to stop offending Cuban voters." Cardenas said the competitive presidential campaign of Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., who describes himself as a Democratic socialist, also appears to have turned off older Cuban Americans from the Democratic ticket, he said. Former Vice President Joe Biden and President Donald Trump are on opposite sides of the vote-by-mail issue. The Biden campaign says it is not taking the Latino vote for granted. During Harris' visit in Doral, she spoke briefly with diners in the restaurant and met with political strategist Ana Navarro and Democratic state Sen. Annette Taddeo. Navarro, who wore a Biden-Harris T-shirt, has participated in virtual roundtables with the campaign for Latino voters in Florida and Wisconsin. The campaign this past weekend also launched a series of television and radio ads aimed at appealing to Latino voters in Florida. Two of the ads focus on Trump's handling of the economy and how Latino small business owners contribute to the economy. A third ad is focused on outreach to Puerto Rican voters in Florida that criticizes the president's response to Hurricane Maria, which devastated the island in 2017. Ahead of the Florida primary in March, the Biden campaign also created Latino organizing groups in the state, such as Cubanos Con Biden Cubans With Biden" and Boricuas Con Biden, or "Puerto Ricans With Biden." The groups have done digital organizing, phone banking and caravans, called "Ridin' With Biden." Cubanos Con Biden has called into local radio shows to amplify Biden's campaign message and has held counterprotests to Trump supporters. Biden's Florida press secretary Kevin Munoz said the groups "ensure that members of their own community are communicating to their friends, their families about Joe Biden and doing this really culturally competent organizing." "It speaks to the fact that we cannot just use a one-size-fits-all approach to reaching Hispanics," he said. The Biden campaign has tried to hit back against Trump's messaging by doing interviews with local stations, including with Spanish-language stations Telemundo and Univision. During an interview last week with NBCs local Miami station, Biden said Trump "has done nothing to advance democracy and human rights; on the contrary, the crackdown on Cubans by the regime has gotten worse under Trump, not better." 'Do I look like a socialist?' Biden also accused Trump of failing Venezuelans, adding that he would extend Temporary Protected Status to undocumented Venezuelans fleeing a humanitarian crisis in their country, which Trump has not done. Venezuelan people are worse off, living in one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world," Biden said, adding that the country is "no closer to a free election." Visiting Pittsburgh last week, Biden also pushed back hard against being labeled a socialist. "Do I look like a radical socialist with a soft spot for rioters. Really?" Biden said during a campaign event. US President Donald Trump holds a roundtable on "Supporting the People of Venezuela" at Iglesia Doral Jesus Worship Center in Doral, Florida, on July 10, 2020. Collazo said some Democrats are have tried to combat the "radical socialist" messaging from Republicans on their own. She said she has a shirt that says "Anti-Communist" and wears it proudly. But for Trumps Cuban American supporters, it still comes down to that one word: socialism. Bob Woodward book takeaways: Trump admits 'playing' down COVID threat, secret nuclear program, Kim Jong Un letters Ricardo Gomez, a former police officer turned criminal defense attorney in Miami, said his family fought too hard to flee Fidel Castros Cuba only to end up with a socialist-leaning administration in the United States. Gomez, whose father fought in the Bay of Pigs invasion and was held captive by Castros forces for seven months, doesnt believe that Biden and Harris are moderates, but have instead adopted the most radical ideals of the Democratic party. Theyve adopted Bernie Sanders, theyve adopted the AOC model, said Gomez, 60, referring to progressive Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Theyre not calling the anarchists in the street burning and looting what they are street thugs. Gomez supports the idea of Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid limited government programs that provide a last-resort safety net for people facing difficult times. But, he said, a Biden administration would push to vastly expand those programs, allowing people to become dependent on government handouts. And that, he said, strikes fear into the hearts of immigrants from Cuba or Venezuela or Nicaragua. The way communists and socialists work is they start taking from the top and distributing, but sooner or later they run out of stuff to distribute, he said. Do we want this to become another Cuba? Do we want this to become another Venezuela? Mike Rivero understands that fear. The 30-year-old Cuban American has heard the anguish in the voices of his relatives and friends when talking about the upcoming election. But Rivero, who sells cruise packages, accused the Trump campaign of exploiting those fears by exaggerating, and oftentimes lying about, what a Biden presidency would look like. More: Where do Americans stand on election issues? Let them tell you. The ads down here, its Biden with a red background, hes there saying hes going to take your house, Rivero said. Yet we know that Joe Biden is a centrist. Hes more in the middle than Hillary (Clinton) was, hes more in the middle than Obama was, and we know hes not a socialist, hes not a communist. But the Trump campaign, hats off to them. Theyre basically using that fear to re-traumatize people. Its triggering people to close up and refuse to have a conversation. He likens it to the psychological concept of ancestral trauma when the agonies endured by one generation are passed down to the next. Pushing back against Trump supporters Cardenas said he doesn't understand why so many fellow Cuban Americans who fled the repressive Castro regime support the president, given his embrace of autocrats such as Russia's Vladimir Putin and North Korea's Kim Jong Un. "They havent learned their lesson from 1958 when Fidel said he was not a communist and he would provide good governance for everybody. And people bought into that, including everybody who came into exile a year later. And now we have Trump who made all these promises, none of which have been fulfilled and people are buying into it again," he said. "Clearly his authoritarian style seems to be a hit among some folks. But Rivero said hes hearing quietly from more friends and relatives that theyre leaning toward Biden. He joined Cubanos Con Biden. Hes taken part in caravans flying the Biden/Harris flag and been shocked to see so many people honking, giving them the thumbs up and asking for lawn signs. More: A majority of Americans see Biden as more empathetic to those with COVID-19 than Trump, survey finds In the predominantly Cuban American neighborhood of Westchester, Trump supporters have held rallies nearly every Saturday outside Tropical Park going back to 2016. But now, Rivero said he and other Biden supporters have set up a competing rally at the same park each Saturday and have been getting similarly sized crowds. We do that so when people drive by its not all Trump, he said. Theyve tried to rent every corner of the city and tried to paint it as a Trump town. Were trying to provide that outlet and say, No'." This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Joe Biden lags Trump with Cuban American voters, Latinos in Florida /* custom css */ .tdi_75_d96.td-a-rec{ text-align: center; }.tdi_75_d96 .td-element-style{ z-index: -1; }.tdi_75_d96.td-a-rec-img{ text-align: left; }.tdi_75_d96.td-a-rec-img img{ margin: 0 auto 0 0; }@media (max-width: 767px) { .tdi_75_d96.td-a-rec-img { text-align: center; } } Advertisement SOUTHERN KADUNA PEOPLES UNION (SOKAPU) Press Statement (13th Sept. 2020) The attention of the leadership of Southern Kaduna Peoples Union (SOKAPU) has been drawn to yet another invitation extended to the former presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Dr Obadiah Mailafia, to report to the Plateau State office of the Department of State Service (DSS) on Monday September 14, 2020 for yet another session of questioning. We are worried that this is the third time that the nations secret police is inviting Dr Obadiah to appear in its Jos office over a radio interview he granted. It is now undoubtably obvious that these series of summons are aimed at not only intimidating the former deputy governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), but also throwing him into an abyss of frightening uncertainties in a bid to force him into silence. /* custom css */ .tdi_74_d65.td-a-rec{ text-align: center; }.tdi_74_d65 .td-element-style{ z-index: -1; }.tdi_74_d65.td-a-rec-img{ text-align: left; }.tdi_74_d65.td-a-rec-img img{ margin: 0 auto 0 0; }@media (max-width: 767px) { .tdi_74_d65.td-a-rec-img { text-align: center; } } This is not the first time a prominent Nigerian would come up with what Dr Mailafia came up with in his radio interview. That the DSS has continued to be on the trail of this distinguished son of Southern Kaduna who is a national patriot reveals that an unsavory plot orchestrated by certain elements in the security agencies to coerce him into silence may be in the offing. Dr. Mailafia has every reason to warn against any further threats to our dear country, real or perceived, moreso, that today, over 101 communities of Southern Kaduna where he hails from are literally captured, the natives chased away and are now occupied by armed Fulani militia, where the native owners of these lands have been living in dehumanizing conditions as IDPs, mostly in neighbouring communities. What has the DSS and the Nigeria state done about it? Nothing! SOKAPU therefore, wishes to state without any form of equivocation that we hold Dr. Mailafia in high esteem and very proud of his scholarly footprints in both national and international arena. As a Union, we are in total agreement with the disclosures made by the erudite scholar and technocrat. As he rightly said without doubt, the current gale of killings in our rural communities are deliberately sponsored and a part of a bigger agenda to cause anarchy with the ultimate objective of taking over our ancestral lands. We recall that in the past, there have been prominent people who came up with similar disturbing disclosures, but no such invitation was ever extended to them for questioning. For instance, officials of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) had in many instances claimed responsibility over deadly attacks on communities, but the response from the security agencies has always remained an embarrassing silence. We also recall an instance when a university don who was teaching at the North-West University Kano, Professor Umar Labdo Muhammed, caused a national outrage when he recklessly declared that by right of conquest, Benue State belongs to the Northern Caliphate. Despite the tension and outrage displayed by Nigerians, the university teacher was allowed to roam the street unmolested by the security agencies. Amidst the bloodshed and waves of attack that rocked the country in June 2018, the National President of Miyetti Allah Kauta Hore, Alhaji Abdullahi Bello Bodejo, declared in a media interview that Nigeria belongs to the Fulani. Reacting to Bodejos reckless and unguarded statement, the Northern Christian Association of Nigeria immediately called for his arrest and interrogation, but the DSS played the ostrich and never invited him for questioning till date. In a similar manner, Governor Nasir Ahmad el-Rufai of Kaduna State shocked his audience on national television when he disclosed that he had traced the foreign attackers of Southern Kaduna communities to Mali and other countries where he paid them compensation to stop their murderous expedition in the area. Nearly four years after this disclosure, the bloodbaths in Southern Kaduna have not ceased, rather, its on the increase. If indeed security agencies were genuinely concerned in resolving the insecurity ravaging the people, why have the security organisations not invited Governor el-Rufai to unveil those he paid the compensation to? More frightening, the Kaduna State Governor declared during a television programme that foreign observers who dated to interfere in the conduct of the 2019 polls would return to their various countries in body bags. Despite the bewilderment expressed by Nigerians and other global citizens, not even a whimper was heard from the security agencies. There are several instances where security agents have developed cold feet in inviting top officials for a chat in order to further open up on certain issues with the view of staving off further bloodbath. Why has it remained impossible for DSS to invite MACBAN officials who had always claimed responsibility for attacks, claiming such attacks as revenge or reprisals? Dr. Obadiah has not done anything evil to earn these incessant invitations. SOKAPU totally condemns the invitation by the DSS for the former presidential candidate to appear before the secret police this Monday for the third time. By constantly inviting the global scholar to appear before it for questioning, the DSS seems to be embarking on a deliberate ploy aimed at coercively silencing Dr. Obadiah. We believe that the radio interview by the Oxford-trained Economist which has now become the subject of grilling sessions by the secret police contains leading facts that could be worked on by security agents to end the current bloodshed. As Dr. Mailafia prepares to honour the third invitation tomorrow, September 14, 2020, SOKAPU wishes to place on record that should any evil be visited on him, the DSS should be held responsible. SOKAPU calls on men and women of good conscience in Nigeria and the international community to rise up against this apparent dictatorship and stop further persecution of Dr. Mailafia over his audacity to stand up for truth and patriotism. We call on Nigerian patriots and groups engaged in the battle for a better tomorrow for our nation not to relent but speak up against the deliberate attempt at bullying a voice that has courageously spoken for us all. We believe that the lives of Southern Kaduna people matter, and there can be no acceptance of this reality than for all to unite and stop further persecution and hounding of Dr. Mailafia for daring to expose the forces that threaten our corporate existence as a nation. Thank you. Signed: Hon. Jonathan Asake NATIONAL PRESIDENT Sunday September 13, 2020 Advertisement Former Congressman Anthony Weiner has been spotted out with his ex-wife Huma Abedin as he continues to piece his life back together following his release from prison. On Tuesday, the disgraced Democrat - who spent 18 months behind bars for sexting a minor - joined his former spouse to drop off their eight-year-old son, Jordan, at school in New York City. Weiner, 56, and Abedin, 44, separated back in 2016 following the bombshell criminal claims, which were unearthed by DailyMail.com. And while the pair now appear committed to co-parenting their only child, it seems a romantic reunion is off the cards, with the former couple keeping distance from one another on the school grounds. Abedin - who served as a longtime Hillary Clinton aide - walked in front of her former husband and shielded her eyes behind dark sunglasses. The Clinton confidante appeared in no mood for small talk as she kept her head down and a mask over her mouth. Former Congressman Anthony Weiner was spotted out with his ex-wife Huma Abedin in New York City on Tuesday as he continues to piece his life back together following his release from prison Social distancing! It seems a romantic reunion is off the cards, with the former couple keeping distance from one another after the school drop-off The 56-year-old Democrat, who spent 18 months in a New York prison for sexting a 15-year-old girl, was recently unveiled as the CEO of Brooklyn-based IceStone Weiner seemed somewhat downcast as he trailed tentatively behind his ex-spouse. Meanwhile, Weiner seemed somewhat downcast as he trailed tentatively behind his ex-spouse. His outing came less than 24 hours after a report that he is now working as the CEO of Brooklyn-based glass countertop manufacturer, IceStone. And the former felon looked ready to hit the office, dressed suitably in beige chino pants and a sensible gray sweater. Although Weiner has been working with IceStone since May, he only recently announced his new line of work in a promotional email showcasing IceStone's products. 'One of the amazing things about IceStone countertops, is that since people throw away all kinds of glass, there is almost an unlimited array of different colors we can use in our recycled glass creations,' he wrote, according to a Monday article in The New York Post. 'So that when I joined the company as CEO I asked what I thought was an obvious question Can we make a countertop in the colors of my favorite New York teams? 'So while not everyone is a fan of the Islanders (fingers crossed), Mets (ugh) or Knicks (don't ask), if you are interested in a little color in your life, give IceStone a call,' he added. As cold as Ice(Stone)! Abedin - who served as a longtime Hillary Clinton aide - walked in front of her former husband and shielded her eyes behind dark sunglasses The pair appeared to go their separate ways following the school drop-off. Weiner may have been headed to the IceStone office, where he works as CEO Abedin - who is one of Hillary Clinton's closest confidantes - was pictured following the school drop-off According to its website, IceStone champions itself as an employer committed to giving 'second chances' beyond its factory and products. The company says it hires the homeless, refugees and even helps to train the formerly incarcerated, while ensuring 'everyone gets paid a living wage and has access to subsidized health insurance and a voice in the company.' Weiner and Abedin married back in 2010, in a star-studded ceremony, during which Hillary Clinton called the bride the closest thing she had to a second daughter. But the couple's high-powered political union hit troubled waters the following year. Weiner stepped down from his seat in New York's 9th congressional district in 2011, after he accidentally tweeted a crotch-shot of himself in his underwear to the public, on his official page. The move was also made official on his LinkedIn page, having been officially appointed to the role in May He attempted to revive his political career two years later in a 2013 run for New York mayor. He surged to first place in the polls before his campaign suffered a spectacular blow when a second sexting scandal surfaced. Weiner, still married to Hillary Clinton's aide Huma Abedin at the time, was found to be exchanging lewd messages online under the alias 'Carlos Danger'. But the successive scandals were eclipsed four years later in 2017, when Weiner admitted to sexting with a 15-year-old girl, following a DailyMail.com investigation. For months, Weiner and the minor exchanged sexually graphic text messages, spoke over several social media platforms and he sent her photographs of himself in various states of undress, sometimes posing with his son. After DailyMail.com exposed Weiner, he admitted to knowing that the victim, from North Carolina, was underage at the time of their exchanges. Weiner was arrested by FBI agents in May that year. He admitted one count of transmission of obscene material later that month, weeping in court as he entered his guilty plea. 'I have a sickness but I do not have an excuse,' he said, after the judge told him that he would have to register as a sex offender. He was then sentenced to 21 months in prison that September, but was let out three months early on good behavior. In 2017, Weiner admitted to sexting with a 15-year-old girl, following a DailyMail.com investigation (pictured above with Abedin) For months, they exchanged sexually graphic text messages, spoke over several social media platforms and he sent her photographs of himself in various states of undress, sometimes posing with his son IceStone owner Del LaManga told the Post he has known Weiner for a long time, having met him a number of years ago after an launching his own unsuccessful Congressional bid. He said he also visited Weiner a number of times while he was in prison. 'I knew him from the political world. He talked me out of running for mayor, which was good, and we developed a relationship,' he said. 'And then he got sucked into that whole thing. I wanted to help him any way I could. He served his time and coming out is tough. And so I said, 'Can you work for Ice Stone?' because he knows everybody in the city and the company is in Brooklyn.' The 74-year-old said the company has 'never been successful' and he hired Weiner around five months ago in an effort to turn its fortunes around. According to its website, IceStone champions itself as an employer committed to giving 'second chances' beyond its factory and products (a promotional shot of a product is seen above) LaManga, who made his fortune as the founder of the Tweezerman brand of beauty tools, was originally an investor in the company but later took control and when the owner ran into financial difficulties. Earlier this year he decided to 'replace himself'. Citing Weiner's experience from Congress, he said there was no better man for the job. And LaManga's faith has reportedly been repaid, as he says 'Anthony is a better CEO than I was.' 'He's just methodically going through and reinventing every aspect. The first thing he did was rebuild the website so it works betterHe took over supervising the factory, so he shows up there and he's a fanatically organized person, and he's cleaned all that up.' LaManga declined to disclose to the post what salary Weiner is on. He did however voice confidence that he's 'completely moved on' from his troubled past. 'He's doing extremely well He's very bright. I like him, my wife likes him.' COLUMBUS, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said he believes Ohio will not have too much trouble finding a new Ohio Department of Health director, after a South Carolina physician and state government official declined the job just five hours after he publicly announced her appointment last week. I dont think Ohio is unique, DeWine said during his Tuesday coronavirus update. Weve seen protests against governors. Weve seen protests against health directors throughout this country. We know these are issues that can be divisive. Dr. Joan Duwve on Thursday backed out of the job to lead the states health department, telling a South Carolina newspaper that the harassment former Ohio Department of Health Director Dr. Amy Acton faced which included demonstrators showing up at her home, including at least one who carried an anti-Semitic sign, and an anti-abortion organization publishing an interview with her estranged mother made her reconsider. DeWine said Duwve told him she couldnt take the job for personal reasons, which he said he takes at face value. He said he, Lt. Gov. Jon Husted and other members of the administration talked to Duwve about the job, and in those talks the demonstrations against Acton came up. I dont think were in any different position than any other state that would be hiring a health director, DeWine said. Hes not aware of any other candidate for the position who has expressed concern about the harassment that was directed at Acton, who critics blamed for the coronavirus public health orders that shut down the economy in the spring. DeWine said hes also looking for a medical director for the Ohio Department of Health, after longtime state employee Dr. Mark Hurst retired. Last week, Duvwes resume surfaced online, and anti-abortion activists seized on her work for eight months as a volunteer coordinator for Planned Parenthood in 1984, questioning whether she would enforce the states abortion laws, which are some of the nations strictest. The health department director has the authority to shut down abortion clinics. An abortion rights activist, on the other hand, blamed extremists in the anti-abortion movement for politicizing public health to such an extent that people were emboldened to show up at a health directors home with signs. She said that Ohios current abortion laws will make it tough for good candidates to want to apply. Ohio is one of a number of states that have seen health directors step down amid harassment, said Dr. Joshua Sharfstein, vice dean for public health practice and community engagement at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Its obviously made it harder to recruit people, said Sharfstein, who previously served as Marylands state health director. Thats really unfortunate, he said, as states right now are having to deal not only with the coronavirus, but other public health crises such as drug overdoses and racism. Sharfstein said theres a pool of only several hundred people nationwide who have the experience to become a state health director -- and only several dozen in any given state. State health directors often make less money than they could elsewhere, and they usually work behind the scenes instead of the spotlight, Sharfstein said. As a result, people who choose to take such a job usually do so because of a profound sense of satisfaction that they are making life better for people. I think, in general, the kind of person who wants to be a health officer is not very excited about the idea of having protests on their front lawn or being called all kinds of names, Sharfstein said. However, Sharfstein said, Ohio is seen as a more desirable place to be a state health director than some other states, as DeWine consistently defended Acton. In fact, Sharfstein said hes already been circulating the job posting for Ohios health director around to potential candidates after he was asked to do so by a member of the states search committee. Theres some states I might not send it around at all, Sharfstein said. But Ohio I did because of the fact that the governor was supporting the health officer. Other coverage: 87 new coronavirus deaths reported in Ohio, 3rd highest number in pandemic: Tuesday update Number of patients buying Ohio medical marijuana up to 103,632 DeWine choice to lead Ohio Department of Health cites harassment of Dr. Amy Acton in decision to back out Summit back as a red county on latest coronavirus advisory map Columbus Police arrest couple at state lawmakers house in connection to May slaying Its just garbage, Gov. Mike DeWine denies FEMA camps Prime Minister Imran Khan says rapists should be handed down the most severe punishments to curb rising sexual violence in the country, such as either hanging them publicly or chemically castrating them. Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has called for public hangings and chemical castration of rapists after a woman was raped in front of her children on a highway in Lahore last week. They [rapists] should be given exemplary punishments. In my opinion, they should be hanged at the chowk [intersection], Al Jazeera quoted Khan as saying. The way murders are graded as first degree, second degree and third degree, rape should also be graded this way, and the first grade rapists should be castrated and (made) incapable completely, he added.Last week, the woman was attacked when her car broke down near the eastern city of Lahore in Punjab Province.Unidentified assailants attacked her as she stopped her vehicle, smashing her car window before raping her in a nearby field in front of her children, Al Jazeera reported. She was also robbed of her cash and jewellery.The incident pulled a number of protesters out on the streets in several cities, including Islamabad and Karachi, condemning attacks on women. Al Jazeera reported that Lahore police chief Umar Sheikh faced an angry backlash and calls for his resignation after the incident last week, after suggesting the rape was partially the victims fault. On September 10, the police took as many as 15 people for questioning. Till now, two people have been arrested. ALSO READ: UN High Commissioner for Human Rights raised concern for Uyghurs Muslims in China ALSO READ: US State Dept releases new webpage on Chinas atrocities on Uyghurs in Xinjiang New Delhi: Indeed, history is written by the victor but its first inconvenient draft is written by journalists, men and women often labelled as liars, insane and anti-national by authoritarian regimes and their toadies. Despite that, you wont find them screaming on TV screens. Youll find them repeating the truth, calmly, with facts. The acclaimed, 71-year-old Polish writer-director Agnieszka Hollands English language feature film Mr Jones tells the story of two foreign journalists in Stalins Russia Gareth Jones (James Norton), a freelance Welsh journalist, and Pulitzer award-winning reporter Walter Duranty (Peter Sarsgaard), who was the New York Times bureau chief in Moscow. The film is set in 1993, during what has since come to be known as the Holodomor (to kill by starvation), or the Famine-Genocide in Ukraine. Jones arrives in a Moscow that is simultaneously welcoming and hostile. Hes chasing a suspicion. Russias claim of a successful revolution, of happy factories and prospering farms, doesnt feel right because the numbers dont add up. Duranty dismisses it as a conspiracy theory. Mr Jones is gorgeous to behold and is made with impressive technical prowess. Its scenes are shot and edited beautifully, often adding tension and energy. But the Communist Moscow that it creates is the sort we often see in Hollywood films shadowy men lurking in dark corners, and Russians speaking English in an accent we have come to identify with duplicity and evil since the first James Bond film. All the warmth in Hollands film comes from her respect for Jones and the art directors love for Russian interiors large, plush rooms with red walls, gorgeous carpets and lamps. But the Russians drink too much and they eat all the time. Except in Ukraine, where Jones story takes him. A thick, gruesome coat of snow covers Ukraine, as if trying to hide how Stalin's policies were leading to the starvation and death of six million people. We stand next to Jones as he travels through ghost villages, walks into a house where dead bodies lie next to wood sliced into bite-size pieces. He watches all the grain being taken to Moscow and listens to kids sing of hunger and eating their dead. We are ready to throw up when a tiny piece of protein is offered to him. In between, George Orwell and his Animal Farm make brief appearances. But central in all this is Jones, the first journalist to report about the famine and deaths, and his very public clash with Duranty, who NYT then called our man in Moscow though he was Stalins own Goebbels. James Norton is a big, gorgeous man with the air of upper class elegance and decency. He brings good boy-piety to the character of the earnest Mr Jones, but carefully saves it from descending into self-righteousness. Jones returns to England to tell the story of famine and deaths, and a government determined to hide it. Duranty immediately debunks it in NYT, painting the famine with government propaganda. He calls it widespread mortality from diseases due to malnutrition. Jones was killed a year later. He was 29. Duranty died aged 73, in Florida, in 1957. Hollands Mr Jones carries an urgent message: Two people may tell the same story differently. But there is only, always, one truth. You'll know you've spotted it when authoritarian regimes, their cohorts and apologists scream, "It's not true". The Battle of Britain Parade set to take place in Tauranga this Sunday has been cancelled due to the extension of alert level 2. BOP Air Force Association vice president Lee White says for the decision has been made for safety of the general public. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced yesterday that Cabinet will meet on Monday to decide if the country can move down alert levels. There will be no event this year, Lee says, But we will see you all next year with a larger parade. Lee says that the Battle of Britain refers to the Second World War air campaign waged by the German Air Force against the United Kingdom in 1940. The Battle of Britain was the first major campaign to be fought entirely by the air forces as well as being the largest and most sustained aerial bombing campaign to that date. The objective of the Nazi German forces was to achieve air superiority over the RAF especially its Fighter Command. He says The RAF lost 1250 aircraft, including 1017 fighters. In total, 520 men were killed serving with Fighter Command. But with more than 700 fatalities during the period of the battle, Bomber Command suffered even more heavily. Another 200 men were killed flying with Coastal Command. There were 57 New Zealand airman that died during the course of this battle. Lee says the New Zealanders came from all walks of life. There were 39 clerks of various types, 20 farmers, three postmen, two sailors, a neon sign erector and a cinema manager. They were public servants and they were tradesmen. The majority were pilots, but there were also 34 air gunners and four observers. Half were among the 500 New Zealanders already serving in the Royal Air Force when war broke out; some of them veterans of the disastrous campaigns in France. The other half were new arrivals from the early RNZAF wartime training courses. Imposing Visa Restrictions on Nigerians Responsible for Undermining the Democratic Process Press Statement Morgan Ortagus, Department Spokesperson September 14, 2020 The United States is a steadfast supporter of Nigerian democracy. We commend all those Nigerians who participated in elections throughout 2019 and have worked to strengthen Nigerian democratic institutions and processes. We remain committed to working together to advance democracy and respect for human rights and achieve greater peace and prosperity for both our nations. We condemn the acts of violence, intimidation, or corruption that harmed Nigerians and undermined the democratic process. As the Edo and Ondo State off-cycle elections near, we urge all stakeholders, including the Independent National Electoral Commission, the political parties, and the security services, to uphold the tenets of democracy and facilitate genuinely free and fair elections, conducted in an appropriately transparent and non-violent manner. In a statement on January 24, 2019, the U.S. Government said we would consider consequences including visa restrictions for individuals responsible for undermining the Nigerian democratic process or for organizing election-related violence. In July 2019, we announced the imposition of visa restrictions on Nigerians who undermined the February and March 2019 elections. Today, the Secretary of State is imposing additional visa restrictions on individuals for their actions surrounding the November 2019 Kogi and Bayelsa State elections and in the run up to the September and October 2020 Edo and Ondo State elections. These individuals have so far operated with impunity at the expense of the Nigerian people and have undermined democratic principles. The Department of State emphasizes that the actions announced today are specific to certain individuals and not directed at the Nigerian people. This decision reflects the Department of State's commitment to working with the Nigerian government to realize its expressed commitment to end corruption and strengthen democracy, accountability, and respect for human rights. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address MELBOURNE (dpa-AFX) - The chief executive officer of BHP Group Plc. (BHP.AX, BLT.L, BBL, BHP) Mike Henry's fixed pay was set at US$1.87 million per annum, which included a base salary of US$1.70 million per annum plus a pension contribution of 10 per cent of base salary. This level of fixed pay was a reduction of 12 per cent from Andrew Mackenzie's fixed pay of US$2.125 million per annum. Mike Henry was appointed CEO and Executive Director effective 1 January 2020. Andrew Mackenzie stepped down as CEO and a Director of the Group on 31 December 2019, and he retired from BHP on 31 March 2020. In fiscal year 2020, the company's tax, royalty and other payments to governments totalled US$9.1 billion. Of this, 82.2 per cent or US$7.5 billion was paid in Australia, BHP said in statement. During the last decade, the company paid US$85.0 billion globally in taxes, royalties and other payments, including US$64.2 billion or about A$76 billion in Australia. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. [September 15, 2020] IFSEC Virtual Expo & OSH Virtual Expo set to provide a powerful edge to safety & security domains - 2nd editions of the E-Expos with Informa Markets in India's - Super September- Virtual B2B celebration NEW DELHI and MUMBAI, India, Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Informa Markets in India (formerly UBM India), India's leading B2B exhibition organiser, announced the launch of the second editions of IFSEC India Virtual Expo and OSH India Virtual Expo on September 17-18, 2020. The virtual shows have been organised as a result of the positive feedback from the security & surveillance, and the occupational safety & health industries to the debut virtual shows that were held in June and July 2020. The virtual expos will be a part of the Informa Markets in India's Super September- Virtual B2B celebration, a powerful array of 6 digital expos in 6 key verticals in the month of September 2020. The initiative of the Virtual B2B Celebration will help the relevant communities, and businesses overcome the limitations of lockdown, achieve business goals and provide a powerful edge as the economy readies itself to get back on track. Speaking at the announcement of the IFSEC Virtual Expo and the OSH Virtual Expo, Mr. Yogesh Mudras, Managing Director, Informa Markets in India, said, "Businesses and workplaces are currently at a tipping point in their journey to recover from the pandemic. Although budgets are a constraint, sizeable investments in surveillance and digital transformation have been necessary in the professional establishments. Besides, commercial establishments continue to face complex challenges associated with enabling a remote workforce, a significant percentage of whom have dealt with stress, overcoming supply chain disruption, or embracing new digital platforms. These platforms will continue to serve in the future. For instance, the global electronic security systems market, estimated at US$45 billion due to Covid-19 is expected to reach $70. 4 Billion by 2027. It is therefore critical for the relevant businesses to leverage as well as understand trends and latest offerings which our shows offer." "The shows are also significant additions and contributors to our Super September - Virtual B2B Celebrations. The digital celebration caters to green energy, pharma, travel and tourism, packaging, occupational health & safety and security and surveillance along with a host of conferences. This year, with our strategy to implement a hybrid version of shows, the digital offerings in September will complement the physical shows," he further added. According to Mr. Pankaj Jain, Group Director, and Digital Head, Informa Markets in India, "While one cannot overstate the importance of physical expos, our virtual events enabled us to keep the community engaged. After all, digital consumption has grown substantially in the pandemic, and will continue to do so. Our customers have also adopted rapidly to the digital medium as face to face engagements are not happening. Quality of speakers, attendees and delegates don't feel the constrain of geographies.". IFSEC India Virtual Expo: Supported by key associations like the ASIS Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad Chapters, OSAC Delhi and Mumbai Chapters, IISSM and GACS, the 2nd edition of the IFSEC India Virtual Expo, by the organiser of the International Fire & Security Exhibition and Conference (IFSEC) India Expo -- South Asia's largest security, civil protection and fire safety show-- will bring together renowned brands, consultants, business experts and key Government officials pertaining to the safety and security under a common virtual platform. The virtual expo seeks to provide timely overview on opportunities on the current industry need in managing industrial security with a focus on digital security and an enhanced interest in AI, Cyber security and contactless devices for access control. The two day virtual show will be marked by the presence of Chief Guest Dr. Nirmaljit Singh Kalsi, IAS, Chairman, State Police Complaints Authority, Punjab; Guest of Honour Address: Mr. Rajan Medhekar, IPS (Retd), Former Director General, National Security Guards, Mr. Yogesh Mudras, Managing Director, Informa Markets in India and Mr. Pankaj Jain, Group Director - Securiy & Safety Portfolio, Informa Markets in India. The virtual expo will include a formidable repertoire of products and technologies pertaining to Surveillance, Identity Management, Intrusion Control, IP Video Surveillance management Software, Storage Solutions, Unified Communications, Digital Signages ,Access Control, Parking Automation, Perimeter Protection, IoT, Home Security & Integrated solutions for Safe Cities for the end users ,channel partners and Solution Providers . The expo will feature key brands like Prama Hikvision, HID, Western Digital, Milestone systems as Platinum Partners, Genetec & Globus Infocom as Gold partners, eSSL & Matrix Comsec as exhibit partners. IFSEC Virtual Expo is conducted on an easy to navigate and engaging virtual environment. The IFSEC virtual expo includes a two-day power-packed conference with a focus on topics such as - 'Secure Communication Trends in Access Control Industry'; 'The New Normal in Security and the Crucial Role Played by Technology'; 'Discover Innovative Solutions for Today's Reality'; 'Emerging Technologies in Security Systems'; 'Control Room Display Solutions - Best Practices and why they are proven to resonate'; 'Defending against China's Comprehensive National Power'; 'The New Normal in Security; Promoting Diversity and Inclusion in Corporate Security, Safety & Loss Prevention'; 'Preparing for tomorrow's normal in today's workplaces'; 'Security post Covid-19'; 'Turn setbacks into comebacks'; 'Leadership - inside-out among others. Key speakers at the conference will include Mr. Shiv Khera, Educator, Business consultant, Author Dr. Nirmaljit Singh Kalsi, IAS, Chairman, State Police Complaints Authority, Punjab; Mr. Rajan Medhekar, IPS (Retd), Former Director General, National Security Guards; Mr. Cleo Paskal, Non-Resident Senior Fellow for the Indo-Pacific, Foundation for Defense of Democracies; Mr. Harendra Bana, Associate Director - Global Security, PepsiCo India; Mr Vivek Prakash, VP - Corporate Security, Goldman Sachs and Chairman ASIS Bangalore Chapter. OSH India Virtual Expo: Supported by International Power Access Federation ( IPAF ), the OSH Virtual expo, from the organiser of Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) India Expo, South Asia's largest show catering to the occupational safety and health industry, and OSH South India, will bring together renowned brands, consultants, business experts and key Government officials pertaining to the occupational health and safety under a common virtual platform. The virtual inauguration will be marked by the presence of Guest of Honour: Dr. C. Lakshmi Prasad, Additional Director of Fire Services, Telangana; Keynote speaker: Dr. S. K. Raut, National President, Indian Association for Occupational Health; Special Guest: Mr. Hemant Sapra, President, Safety Appliances Manufacturers Association; Mr. Yogesh Mudras, Managing Director, Informa Markets in India and Mr. Pankaj Jain, Group Director - Security & Safety Portfolio, Informa Markets in India. The virtual expo will feature top notch brands such as Ansell, Dupont, TaraPro, Venus, HindSiam, ReflectoSafe, NIST, Magnum, TORP, Teijin, INDIFORM and Idos, to include a formidable repertoire of products and technologies that make the work sphere in corporate houses and factories optimal. Gold Partners include - Ansell India Protective Products Private Limited, ID Overseas Private Limited, Silver Partners include - DuPont, Hindsiam Protective Equipment LLP, JLG, Tara Lohia Pvt. Ltd, Venus Safety & Health Pvt Ltd and Exhibit partners include - Ketty Apparels, Magnum Health & Safety Pvt. Ltd, NIST Institute Pvt Ltd, Reflectosafe, Teijin India Pvt. Ltd, Torpedo Shoes India Pvt. Ltd. The products at the expo comprise hard hat, goggles, gloves, masks, safety shoes, fire & gas detection / protection, safety signage, respiratory protection, fall prevention accessories & height safety products, safety accessories & work wear. With Unlock 4.0 allowing 30 per cent of office employees to return to the workplace, occupational safety and health in India continues to be an onerous task. OSH India Virtual Expo has decided to proactively decipher relevant insights gained in the global workplace safety market by including a one-day power packed conference with renowned International speakers, and product showcase and workshops by leading brands. The subjects on focus at the conference will be: 'Sometimes What Hurts the Most Can't Be Seen'; 'Is it possible to Social Distance in Manufacturing? Digital Technology to help'; 'Turn setbacks into comebacks'; 'Want to create a safety culture? Check your 'UGRs'; 'Focus on 4 Main Killers in Construction Industry'; 'The Effect of COVID-19 Pandemic on the Safety of Global Workforce'; 'Differences between Compliance and Getting Certified'; 'Management of Human Capital in the New Normal: Role of PPE Coverall in ensuring Safety to Caregivers'; 'Lessons from Lockdown - How to stay resilient in times of crisis'; and 'Hazard Identification & Risk Control: Strategies for Successful Accident Prevention', among others. Some of the key speakers at the conference will include Dr. S. K. Raut, National President, Indian Association for Occupational Health; Dr Sean Young, Workplace Health Without Borders-UK; Mr. Birendra Verma, Joint President and Group Head Safety, Adani Group and Dr. Aniruddha Agnihotri, Environmental Sustainability, Health & Safety, Tata Consultancy Services. About Informa Markets Informa Markets creates platforms for industries and specialist markets to trade, innovate and grow. Our portfolio is comprised of more than 550 international B2B events and brands in markets including Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals, Infrastructure, Construction & Real Estate, Fashion & Apparel, Hospitality, Food & Beverage, and Health & Nutrition, among others. We provide customers and partners around the globe with opportunities to engage, experience and do business through face-to-face exhibitions, specialist digital content and actionable data solutions. As the world's leading exhibitions organiser, we bring a diverse range of specialist markets to life, unlocking opportunities and helping them to thrive 365 days of the year. For more information, please visit www.informamarkets.com About Informa Markets and our business in India Informa Markets is owned by Informa PLC, a leading B2B information services group and the largest B2B Events organiser in the world. Informa Markets in India (formerly UBM India) is India's leading exhibition organizer, dedicated to help specialist markets and customer communities, domestically and around the world to trade, innovate and grow through exhibitions, digital content & services, and conferences & seminars. Every year, we hosts over 25 large scale exhibitions, 40 conferences, along with industry awards and trainings across the country; thereby enabling trade across multiple industry verticals. In India, Informa Markets has offices across Mumbai, New Delhi, Bangalore and Chennai. For further details, please visit - www.informa.com LOGO : https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1274601/IFSEC_Virtual_Expo_logo.jpg LOGO: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1274600/OSH_india_virtual_expo_logo.jpg LOGO : https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1245301/Super_September.jpg LOGO : https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/956845/Informa_Markets_Logo.jpg [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Germany has agreed to take 1,553 additional refugees from five Greek islands after a fire destroyed an overcrowded camp. German Chancellor Angela Merkels Christian Democratic Union and its junior coalition partner, the Social Democrats (SPD), agreed on September 15 to take in 408 families in a gesture of solidarity with EU member Greece. Thats on top of up to 150 unaccompanied migrant children that Germany has agreed to accept from the camps. Vice Chancellor Olaf Scholz said the refugees will be families with children whose asylum applications have already been accepted. More than 12,000 people, mostly asylum seekers from Afghanistan, Africa, and Syria, were left homeless after a fire last week destroyed the notoriously crowded Moria migrant camp on the island of Lesbos. Greek police said on September 15 that they have arrested five alleged arsonists who are accused of having set fire to the Moria camp. Police said the five are young Afghan nationals whose asylum applications were rejected. The Greek islands have been affected by waves of migrants crossing from Turkey in hopes of reaching the EU. The fire has brought renewed attention to the EUs failure to implement a common asylum policy to distribute asylum seekers, many of whom lanquish in Greek camps. With reporting by dpa and Tagesschau Is Yuengling considering a move away from its Pennsylvania roots? Read more D.G. Yuengling & Son Brewing Co., the Pottsville-based beer behemoth, has set its sights on becoming a national brand by forging a partnership with industry giant Molson Coors. Yuengling already is the largest craft brewer in the United States with two breweries in Pottsville and another suds factory at a former Strohs brewery in Tampa, Fla. The companys sales are concentrated on the East Coast and the South. Yuenglings recipes, including its flagship brand, Traditional Amber Lager, will be produced at Molson Coors breweries under the supervision of Yuengling brew masters. On Tuesday, Yuengling announced it had entered a long-term arrangement with the Chicago-headquartered Molson Coors. The joint venture bucks the current trend of brewers retrenching to focus on core home markets, said Bart Watson, chief economist at the Brewers Association, a nonprofit trade group. Maybe they see opportunity in zigging where others are zagging, Watson said. Yuengling, which celebrated its 191th anniversary this year, is sold in 22 states. The Molson Coors partnership will expand Yuenglings geographic reach into the West Coast. Molson Coors will benefit from the joint venture in a big way, said Brian Sudano, managing partner at the Beverage Marketing Corp., the industrys dominant consultant and market analyst. It is not a secret that Molson Coors has struggled over the past five years, Sudano said. Since 2014, Molson Coors has lost 14% of its market share, going from 26.2% share to 22.5% in 2019. The company is looking for a brand with potential scale that they can grow. Formed in 2005 by the merger of the Molson and Coors companies, Molson Coors sells such well-known brands as Molson Canadian, Miller Light and Coors, among many others. While Yuengling will maintain brewing for the East and South, Sudano said, Molson Coors will have the brand for sale and distribution in Americas two largest beer markets: California and Texas. [The deal] also provides Molson Coors with the potential inside track if Yuengling were to decide to sell at some point in the future, Sudano said. Yuengling produced 2.65 million barrels last year to hold on to 1.4% of the total U.S. beer market, said Watson of the Brewers Association. Sales were down slightly from 2018s totals, Watson said, in part due to newer hard seltzers grabbing market share from lagers and light lagers, where Yuengling is focused. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a big impact on sales of craft beers. Nearly 40% of smaller craft brews are sold on draft at tap rooms, bars and restaurants, Watson said, economically devastating to the industry as the virus has led to social distancing and restrictions on public gatherings. Yuengling will remain independent and family-owned. A six-member board of directors evenly split between Yuengling and Molson Coors family members and executives will govern the operation with Yuengling retaining the chairmanship, the company said. This partnership is a great opportunity for us to grow our distribution footprint for the long term, while continuing to support our existing markets and the communities in which we operate, said Wendy Yuengling, chief administrative officer of D.G. Yuengling & Son Inc. Yuengling, a staple at regional bars, generated controversy during the 2016 election cycle after owner Dick Yuengling endorsed Donald Trump for president. The stance triggered calls for a boycott. Yuengling said that those calls had little effect on the companys bottom line. Indeed, EP Global doesnt appear to be aiming for 100% it says it does not expect to hold more than 50%. This is what is known as creeping control. Bulking up could give Kretinsky more influence over the CEO recruitment process, and his or her strategy. The risk to Metro shareholders is that he gradually gains ownership of the company, without paying them a premium. The market is pushing back: Metro stock rose above the offer price on Monday. Will We See More Indictments in Durhams Probe? Commentary In a recent interview with Pete Williams of NBC News, U.S. Attorney General William Barr was asked to provide an update on the ongoing investigation by U.S. Attorney John Durham, who has been looking into the origins of the Spygate scandal. Specifically, Durham has been tasked to investigate if any crimes were committed by federal officials abusing their federal powers as they launched an unprecedented investigation targeting the Trump presidential campaign. It has subsequently been revealed through numerous declassifications of key documents over the past year that these Obama-era officials perpetrated a massive fraud upon the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance (FISA) Court to get approval for this highly unusual and historic spying operation. To date, Durham has publicly revealed one federal crime committed by former FBI lawyer Kevin Clinesmith, who pleaded guilty in August to altering evidence to get a FISA surveillance warrant renewed. When Williams tried to pressure Barr into saying there wouldnt be any further indictments coming from Durham, Barr strongly rebuffed him. Mr. Williams: Would you say its unlikely that therell be further criminal charges? Mr. Barr: No, I wouldnt say that at all, no. Mr. Williams: So there could be? Mr. Barr: Yeah, there could be. Its a longstanding Department of Justice (DOJ) policy not to discuss the material details of ongoing investigations before they conclude and the results are announcedif they ever are. Why DOJ Investigations Cant Be Transparent Sometimes people are investigated, but it turns out no chargeable crimes can be proven. For this reason, the DOJ often doesnt announce theyre targeting certain individuals for criminal investigations. Only if the investigation finds evidence that crimes were committed are the results publicly announced. If the U.S. attorney cant find the evidence to sustain a federal charge, the matter is dropped; this often happens without the public ever knowing the target was investigated by the federal government. This protects the civil rights of the targets of federal investigations. A lot of people dont seem to grasp this, especially those working in the news mediawho really should know better. Carter Page, a former Trump campaign official who was the target of the FISA warrant, has written a book, Abuse and Power, in which he goes into detail about how his entire life was turned upside down due to leaks to the media about his being the target of a federal investigation. Being accused in the media of being a traitor to his country based on illegal leaks of classified information that revealed he was the target of a federal surveillance warrant instantly sabotaged Pages international business as an energy consultant. He literally became radioactive overnight. So the DOJ doesnt have just theoretical reasons for secrecy when it comes to the investigations it pursues. Theres a highly irresponsible news media thats all too happy to hang targets on the backs of people such as Page and Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn through strategic leaking campaigns of often out-of-context classified information. Moving the Durham Goalposts For months as Durham investigated, it was stated in some circles that no one would ever be indicted for this attempted coup against a sitting president. The goalposts then effortlessly shifted after the Clinesmith indictment was announced. Now, were confidently assured that Clinesmith shall be the lone FBI fall guy, or that if any more indictments are coming, they will only be of other low-level people, and they certainly wont be unsealed before the election. Were confidently assured that the deep state is still in firm control of the DOJ, and both Barr and Durham are part of a massive cover-up. Well, if the deep state had the powers the conspiracy theorists attribute to it, none of the extensive evidence that has surfaced over the past several years would ever have seen the light of day. The theory that, after declassifying and exposing to the public just about everything the Spygate plotters did, the plan is to let them all walk away is absurd on its face, because there would be nothing left of the DOJs and the FBIs reputation but a smoking crater if that were to happen. More than three years of promises about the rule of law and equal justice under the law and getting rid of a two-tiered justice system would be revealed to be just empty hot air by a bunch of lying bluffers. And the two chief lying bluffers would be named President Donald J. Trump and Barr. These men dont want to go down in history as lying gasbags full of hot air who, after all the evidence came out about this massive Spygate plot, passively sat back and watched the guilty parties walk away free. Nobody knows better than Trump what will happen to him and his family if he loses this coming election and returns to private life with opponents hot on his trail eager for revenge. Far from looking like a desperate and hunted man, the president on the campaign trail looks like hes having the time of his life. He keeps saying, We caught them, or, We have it all, and, Lets see what happens. History Is Repeating Itself Beginning in December 2018 and stretching all the way through March 2019, news kept breaking every other week of top people such as Andrew Weissmann leaving special counsel Robert Muellers team. Then, acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker confirmed in a press conference in late January 2019 that Mueller was wrapping up soon. Although he certainly was in a position to know what he was talking about, he was instantly dubbed either a liar or a fool. More than a few network analysts and political pundits continued to insist these departures meant exactly nothing, and it was inconceivable that Mueller would end his investigation before the 2020 election occurred. So it doesnt surprise me that the same people who pontificated that there was simply no way the Mueller special counsels office was wrapping up in early 2019 are the same ones now claiming the Durham investigation is nothing more than a massive coverup. They were wrong then and theyre wrong now. Durham isnt running a politicized investigation, no matter how many fake news people or politicized activists on the right insist he is. Theres no evidence of that. Durhams probe is 180-degrees different from the Mueller investigation, which is in the process of being revealed as having been exactly what Trump often claimed it was: a political witch hunt based on faked evidence. No matter how many times Barr states politics and the election are playing no role in the Durham investigation, either in how its being conducted, whos being targeted, or when its ending, many simply dont believe him. I believe Barr. And so should you. Brian Cates is a writer based in South Texas and the author of Nobody Asked For My Opinion But Here It Is Anyway! He can be reached on Twitter @drawandstrike. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. An SUV has careered off the road and smashed through the window of a senior Labor MP's electorate office. The female driver in her 60s was uninjured in the crash at the office of Shadow Health Minister Chris Bowen in Fairfield West, western Sydney. Police, paramedics and firefighters were all called to the scene after the vehicle mounted the kerb about 2pm on Tuesday afternoon and plowed into the premise's waiting room. An SUV has careered into Labor MP Chris Bowen's electorate office in Fairfield West in western Sydney Mr Bowen said neither the driver nor anyone in his office was hurt in the crash on Tuesday afternoon A New South Wales Police media spokeswoman told Daily Mail Australia the driver was taken to Fairfield Hospital, where she was assessed for shock. A photo taken at the scene and shared by Mr Bowen on his Twitter page showed a window bearing his face had been crushed and detached from the wall. Mr Bowen wrote alongside the photo the crash had been caused by a 'local resident' who 'had some difficulty parking'. Police, paramedics and firefighters were all called to the scene after the vehicle mounted the kerb and smashed through one of the office's windows 'She has been taken away by ambulance but is doing OK,' he said. 'Luckily, there was no-one in our office waiting room at the time. 'All my staff are OK. It will be a while before we are able to get back in the office, so please understand why we aren't answering the office phones or emails just at the moment.' French President Emmanuel Macron gathered leaders from the world of high technology and the digital economy at the Elysee palace on Monday ahead of this year's France Digitale Day summit. This year's theme is the role of start-ups in the coronavirus recovery. There were fewer visitors at the Elysee's "French Tech" gala on Monday night, the first major physical gathering since Covid-19, that took place hours before the startup event France Digitale Day. Around one hundred entrepreneurs instead of last year's 600 guests gathered around President Emmanuel Macron to hear about technology's role in navigating the pandemic. Macron highlighted the digital sector's robust health and strong recruitment power, saying that it was responsible for creating up to 30 percent of new jobs, even during the lockdown. This in part was due to the rise in home deliveries, virtual meetings and teleworking, using new digital tools. Supporting tech sector In the first half of 2020, the tech sector has secured investment superior to the amount it secured at the same time last year. Aware of its potential, the French government has also stepped in to invest. Earlier this month, authorities unveiled a 7-billion-euro stimulus package for tech companies out of its 100-billion-euro reboot rescue plan. The money is intended for start-up infrastructure investment and digital transformation. Alternative living Monday's event saw presentations by three of the companies that best thrived during the health crisis: Mobile video game publisher Voodoo, the marketplace startup Mirakl, and biotech company Innovafeed that uses proteins from insects for animal feed. The French president also flagged up new areas where the state is keen to invest, such as cybersecurity, artificial intelligence and digital health. In addition, funds will be invested in online services that ensure the continuity of education, the Elysee said. The event set the tone for Tuesday's Digitale Day summit in Paris where the theme of this eighth edition is "Alternatives", exploring new ways of living in a turbulent world. After a local silk importer was recently found to be disguising Chinese products as Vietnamese to sell them in India, experts have warned of the risks of losing out on exports and preferential tariffs due to intellectual property (IP) violations. The Department of Post-Customs Clearance Inspection from the General Department of Customs revealed that it had recently discovered a company in HCM City using its certificate of origin (C/O) to pass off Chinese silk products as Vietnamese and export them to India. Customs officials said the firm imported finished silk from China to Cat Lai Port in HCM City, then labelled them as 'Made in Vietnam' in a local warehouse. Customs officials deemed the move tax evasion as silk exported from Vietnam to India are only taxed at 5 per cent, while products shipped from China have a tax rate five times higher. Each year India imports from 2,200 to 2,500 tonnes of silk from China with a value of US$750 million to $800 million. According to an India market insider, the Indian Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC), the Karnataka State government and the Silk Association of India (SAI) recommended banning silk imports from China to support domestic producers, which should help Vietnamese silk enterprises gain a stronger foothold in the Indian market. However, the insider told a Vietnamese newspaper: Such a case has swept the hope further away. It is also a sign that some Chinese silk exporters have taken advantage of the lower tax position of Vietnam to export their products, he added. Deputy director of the Trade Remedies Authority of Vietnam under the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) said: If Vietnam does not take active measures to deal with the problem of evading trade remedies, especially through origin fraud, those activities will affect businesses and industries first. In the long run, it will have a negative impact on the competitiveness of the whole economy, especially in the context of joining a series of high-demand free trade agreements (FTAs)." The problem doesn't lie with silk products alone and from the beginning of the year, customs officials have uncovered at least 77 cases where they discovered 24 violations of origin in exporting. Customs said bicycles, solar batteries and wooden items accounted for the majority of cases. The trade remedies authority said origin frauds have a great impact on trade defence lawsuits. In the first eight months of 2020, Vietnamese exporters faced 27 investigations for fraud of origin, greater than the figure for the entire of 2019. Nguyen Thuy Duong, a lawyer from the Hanoi Law University said: The risk of evading trade remedies and origin fraud has been increasing, especially in the context of the escalating US-China trade conflict and Viet Nam participates in many new FTAs such as the comprehensive and progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership Trade Agreement (CPTPP) or the Europe-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA). To make matters worse, regulations for dealing with origin fraud and illegal transhipment are not very strong. For example, the firm that evaded tax when exporting the Chinese silk only faced an administrative sanction of VND60 million ($2,588) and another VND550 million of illegal profit (it is the profit they gained from the Chinese exporter) for the trading. Lawyer Duong said when origin fraud helps violators enjoy tax incentives, countries suffer losses in tax revenues, affecting domestic industries and reducing the benefits of joining FTAs. If there is a suspicion of fraud or inaccuracy of the C / O issuance, in the CPTPP for example, if the importing country discovers a series of similar acts by the exporter or the manufacturer regarding fraud or counterfeiting of goods to enjoy preferential tax, they may decide to stop granting tax incentives for similar goods until it is proven those goods meet preferential conditions," he added To deal with the problem, Nguyen Cam Trang, deputy head of the Import-Export Department, MoIT said: Together with more investigations and checking products and export activities, we are educating and providing information to local enterprises, warning them not to join hand with foreign exporters (to commit fraud). Recently, the Trade Remedies Authority built an early warning system for many industries and products at risk of being sued for trade remedies. The customs officials considered it necessary to add regulations on calculating illegal profits for local firms which outsource some of the work to help foreign exporters take advantage of tax incentives. Customs also said the MoIT needed to have specific guidance documents on all relating C/O activities for products with labels 'Made in Vietnam' so that they could investigate fraud more easily. VNS Vietnam Customs Agency vows to combat origin fraud The Prime Minister has given instructions to fight against origin fraud and illegal transshipment to protect brands and the prestige of Vietnamese goods. Meet Nobel Prize Winner Dr. Lou Ignarro, Ph.D. As He Presents "Nitric Oxide From Viagra To COVID-19" SAN FRANCISCO, CA / ACCESSWIRE / September 15, 2020 / Tribe Pubic announced today that Nobel Prize Winner Dr. Lou Ignarro, Ph.D. will present at Tribe Public's Zoom Webinar Presentation and Q&A Event that is scheduled to begin at 8 am pacific/ 11 am eastern on Thursday, September 17, 2020. During this complimentary, 30-minute event, Dr. Ignarro will deliver his presentation "Nitric Oxide From Viagra To COVID-19" and be available for a Q&A session. To register to join the complimentary event, please visit the lou.tribepublic.com. Dr. Lou Ignarro, Ph.D. Background Dr. Ignarro won the Nobel Prize in medicine in 1998, along with Robert F. Furchgott and Ferid Murad, for his research discoveries showing the powerful ability of Nitric Oxide (NO) to support cardiovascular health. His groundbreaking work-the basis for his 2005 best-selling book, NO More Heart Disease-established him as perhaps the world's leading authority on nutritional approaches to cardiac wellness. He sits on the Herbalife Nutrition Advisory Board, which is composed of leading experts in the areas of health and nutrition. As part of his role with the organization, he also developed the formulation of the entire Herbalife cardio line. He spent more than 40 years as a research scientist, seeking to understand the incredible role that NO plays in fostering optimal health. One of his most important discoveries was that antioxidants increase NO levels by protecting blood vessel walls from damage. As co-author of The New Heart Health and the Health Is Wealth series, he refined his research on NO to help people live healthy, active lives and support heart health. He has a Ph.D. in pharmacology and is professor emeritus at UCLA, where he received 11 outstanding teacher awards voted by the medical students in the program. He is also a part-time professor at King Saud University in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. ABOUT TRIBE PUBLIC LLC Tribe Public LLC is a San Francisco, CA-based organization that hosts complimentary worldwide webinar events & meeting events throughout the U.S. Tribe's complimentary events focus on issues that the Tribe members care about with an emphasis on hosting management teams from publicly traded companies from all sectors that are seeking to increase awareness of their products, progress, and plans. Tribe's members primarily include Family Offices, Portfolio Managers, Registered Investment Advisors, & Accredited Investors. Visit Tribe's Website to join today http://www.tribepublic.com. Forward any questions to Tribe's management at research@tribepublic.com. CONTACT: Tribe Public, LLC. John F. Heerdink, Jr. Managing Partner john@tribepublic.com SOURCE: Tribe Public LLC View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/606121/Join-Sept-17-Nitric-Oxide--From-Viagra-To-COVID-19-By-Nobel-Prize-Winner-Dr-Lou-Ignarro-PhD From left, Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Zayani, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Trump and United Arab Emirates Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nahyan during a ceremony at the White House on Tuesday. (Associated Press) Hoping to bolster his foreign policy credentials ahead of November's election, President Trump on Tuesday oversaw the formal recognition of Israel by two Arab countries, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, during a White House South Lawn ceremony. The two Persian Gulf nations became only the third and fourth Arab states to fully open ties with Israel, longed shunned by most Middle Eastern countries, in part because of its failure to resolve the conflict with Palestinians. Egypt and Jordan had previously established ties with Israel. The historic step in Arab-Israeli relations was orchestrated by the Trump administration, which dangled U.S. arms sales as an incentive for the United Arab Emirates. In an elaborately choreographed ceremony, Trump hailed the agreements as a "foundation" for peace in the region that could finally end the Arab-Israeli conflict. Emirati Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nahyan said the agreements marked "a change in the heart of the Middle East." He was joined by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Zayani. Israel is not at war with either country and already enjoys business and security ties, albeit discreetly, with both Arab states. Tuesday's agreements broke a decades-old commitment by most of the Arab world to normalize relations with Israel only after it agreed to a two-state solution with the Palestinians. Palestinian leaders in the occupied West Bank have condemned the Emirates and Bahrain for moving forward without a peace deal for the Palestinians. Rockets were reportedly fired from the Gaza Strip into Israel as the ceremony took place, injuring two Israelis. "Efforts to bypass the Palestinian people and their leadership will have dangerous consequences," Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas said in a statement. "The U.S. administration and the Israeli government will be held accountable." Story continues "We are witnessing a black day in the history of the Arab nation," Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh said on Twitter. At the White House, there were no handshakes, possibly in observance of coronavirus restrictions. The leaders, who did not wear masks, read statements from a White House balcony to about 200 people below, sitting side by side. Some in the audience wore masks, but the administration did not require them. The men then descended a staircase and sat at tables on the lawn to sign statements in English, Arabic and Hebrew. Trump predicted additional Arab countries would soon join in recognizing Israel, but declined to name any. He used an Oval Office meeting before the ceremony to take several digs at his Democratic presidential rival, Joe Biden, and to criticize the Palestinians, who flatly rejected as one-sided his administration's attempts to broker a resolution with Israel. Even before the documents were released later Tuesday, both Arab diplomats made their recognition of Israel clear in their statements, using its name and acknowledging Netanyahu. However, unlike Trump or Netanyahu, both Arab leaders also made a point of recognizing the Palestinians and saying that Tuesday's agreements must lead to a two-state solution, a long-held vision of a viable sovereign Palestinian state alongside Israel. The Emirati foreign minister also said Israel had agreed to "halt" annexation of large parts of the West Bank claimed by Palestinians. But despite earlier claims by several officials that Emirati participation was conditioned on stopping what much of the international community would consider an illegal land grab, there is no mention in the Emirates agreement released Tuesday of anything related to Palestinians or the occupied territory. Facing backlash from Israeli conservatives back home, Netanyahu had sought in recent days to downplay that part of the agreement as a temporary concession. In the seven-page treaty signed by Israel and the Emirates including annexes the two countries state that "peace, diplomatic relations and full normalization of bilateral ties are hereby established." The two will exchange resident ambassadors "as soon as is practicable" and agree to cooperate in a large number of fields, including civil aviation, investment, trade, telecommunications and water. The shorter Bahrain-Israel document is a "declaration" with fewer specifics. The countries agree to "open an era of cooperation and friendship" that will lead to a "secure, stable and prosperous Middle East." It calls for all parties to commit to "continuing the efforts to achieve a just, comprehensive and enduring resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict." Middle East analysts said time will tell whether the deals bring substantial change to the region. "Whether these transactions lead to transformations will depend on how many Arabs sign up and what happens with Palestinians," veteran Middle East negotiator Aaron David Miller said on Twitter. Senior Israeli officials were not told in advance what the documents contained, creating a storm of controversy there. Virtually any agreement of substance would probably have to be ratified by Israel's parliament, the Knesset. Like Trump, Netanyahu badly needs a political boost. The embattled prime minister faces criminal corruption charges, an economy buckling under the pressure of coronavirus-related slowdowns and a swelling protest movement demanding his resignation. Diplomatic sleight of hand cant absolve Netanyahu of the domestic omni-shambles, said Gershom Gorenberg, a prominent Israeli historian and author. The Emirates on Aug. 13 announced it was agreeing to work on normalizing relations with Israel. In exchange, the U.S. agreed to sell the Emiratis F-35 stealth fighter jets. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) said she welcomed Tuesday's agreements, but urged a renewed commitment to the two-state solution. She also expressed concern that the sale of the fighter jets, the most sophisticated of such weaponry, could tip the region's military balance against Israel. "The U.S. Congress, on a bipartisan basis, will be watching and monitoring to ensure that Israel can maintain its qualitative military edge in the region," Pelosi said. Other analysts warned of the danger of an accelerated arms race once the sale is made. Congress has previously sought to block some sales to Persian Gulf states because of human rights abuse and other issues. The Trump administration has not disclosed what concessions, if any, were granted to Bahrain for its agreement. The kingdom is home to the largest U.S. naval base in the Middle East. Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law and point man for the Middle East, praised the Emirates and Bahrain decisions. The administration is betting the agreements signed Tuesday will further isolate Palestinians from the rest of the Arab world. "I think that this will help reduce tension in the Muslim world and allow people to, you know, separate the Palestinian issue from their own national interests, and from their foreign policy," Kushner told reporters. The Trump administration also sees an emerging alliance between Israel and some gulf countries as a bulwark against Iran. "There was this deep belief inside the foreign policy establishment in the United States indeed, in most Western countries that you had to resolve the conflict between the Palestinians and Israel before Arab nations would have a shared view that Israel had a right to exist," Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo told French radio Tuesday. "These nations have come to understand that the threat, the harm, the risk to their people doesnt come from the Jewish state. It doesnt come from Israel, but rather comes from the Islamic Republic of Iran." Michael Hanna, a senior fellow at the Century Foundation think tank, said on Twitter that "whatever benefits these agreements have for Israel and the gulf states, there are none for Palestinians." American Jewish groups welcomed the agreements as a step in ending Israel's long international isolation. The Israeli-American Council in Los Angeles said in a statement it "commends Israel, UAE and Bahrain for their courage and commitment towards launching bilateral relations and for accelerating the winds of change in the region." Times staff writer Wilkinson reported from Washington and special correspondent Tarnopolsky from Jerusalem. Staff writer Nabih Bulos in Beirut contributed to this report. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Good morning, Please find below the press release issued today. Best regards, Michele Moore Duhen Global PR Manager | Group Marketing & Communications Capgemini Group | London Tel.: +44 3709 053408 Email: Michele.MooreDuhen@capgemini.com _____________________________ Capgemini Press Contacts: Efma Press Contact: Mary Sacchi (North America) Anna Quinn WE Communications for Capgemini Tel.: +33 1 47 42 6771 Tel.: +1 (212) 551 4818E-mail: anna.quinn@efma.com E-mail: msacchi@we-worldwide.com Bartu Sezer (EMEA) WE Communications for Capgemini Tel.: +44 (0)20 7632 3861 E-mail: bsezer@we-worldwide.com COVID-19 accelerates insurance digitalization to meet customer demand: World InsurTech Report 2020 Adopting a new mindset, leveraging intelligent processes and collaborating with ecosystem partners will be crucial to meet rising business and customer needs Paris, September 15, 2020 - Insurers must explore new ways to build capabilities to meet the digital needs of customers as BigTechs1 and non-traditional players enter the insurance space, according to the World InsurTech Report 2020) published today from Capgemini and Efma . With COVID-19 increasing customer engagement and expectations, the World InsurTech Report 2020 outlines a growing opportunity for InsurTechs, as insurers focus on their digitalization efforts. As BigTechs make their presence felt in insurance, the boundaries between insurance, InsurTechs, BigTechs, and tech partners are blurring. Insurers need to improve on high-impact focus areas including customer centricity, intelligent processes, product agility and an open ecosystem to remain competitive. "Insurers have to look beyond other insurance companies as their competitors, and instead include BigTechs and other new non-traditional players, which are often offering a superior customer experience," said Anirban Bose, CEO of Capgemini's Financial Services Strategic Business Unit and Member of the Group Executive Board. "Forming scalable relationships with InsurTechs will help insurers digitize faster and more efficiently, deepening their customer relationships and helping them to fend off these new entrants." "Insurers need to become more customer-centric in everything they do," said John Berry, CEO of Efma. "InsurTechs' maturity and willingness to collaborate to bring new technology solutions to insurers are accelerating, aiding insurers to meet rising customer expectations." COVID-19's sector-specific influence COVID-19 impacted sub-sectors of the insurance market in different ways as life and health experienced a hike in claims, while travel and auto felt a decline. However, all insurance providers have felt changes in how their customers engaged with them. Even with over 90% of incumbents fully able now to conduct business remotely, they felt the COVID-19 impact on their new customer acquisition and retention. Some 61% of insurers in July vs. 57% in April believed COVID-19 impacted new customer acquisition, and 42% of insurers in July vs. 29% in April believed it impacted customer retention. Customer-centric BigTechs are digital stars COVID-19 is not the only threat to customer acquisition and retention. BigTechs have raised the bar for customer experience and trust during the pandemic, providing consumers with crisis-proofed processes, real-time responses, and intuitive customer care. Policyholders' willingness to purchase insurance from BigTechs has increased from 17% in 2016 to 36% in January 2020 to 44% in April 2020. To compete with BigTechs, insurers need to focus on critical priorities which are important including delivering superior customer experience (94%), crisis-proof processes (90%), deliver real-time response (87%), be a caring partner (86%), and have insurance-as-a-utility (70%.) While utilizing the cloud and open APIs is essential, insurers are falling short. Only 19% of insurers represented in the report say they have touchless processes, 29% have human-centered design capabilities and digital-ready systems, 38% have implemented open APIs, and 48% have a cloud-native enterprise. More competition means more collaboration The report highlights that to improve capabilities, insurers can either build and buy technology or collaborate after thoughtfully weighing trade-offs among four factors: time, investment, autonomy, and differentiation. Collaborating via partnerships is the most efficient way to get the technology needed to remain competitive in the marketplace. Partnerships with specialists via shared access will ensure all insurance industry players can focus on their core competencies and deliver better value while being cost-efficient. Willingness to collaborate amongst the players in the insurance space has been increasing, the World InsurTech Report 2020 found: 67% of insurers want to collaborate with InsurTechs 85% of InsurTechs want to partner with technology providers, while 83% want to collaborate with insurers More than 60% of insurers and InsurTechs are interested in collaborating with BigTech firms A new mindset will be required for firms to shift from capability and asset ownership to shared access to foster efficiency and encourage partnerships with specialists. It will also enable firms to focus on their core competencies and deliver better value through hyper-personalization and continuous co-innovation. Report methodology The World InsurTech Report (WITR) 2020 covers all three broad insurance segments: life, non-life, and health insurance. This year's report draws on research insights from two primary sources - surveys and interviews with traditional insurance firms and InsurTech firms. This primary research together covers insights from over 175+ executives across 26 markets: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Israel, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, The Netherlands, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, and United States. About Capgemini Capgemini is a global leader in consulting, digital transformation, technology and engineering services. The Group is at the forefront of innovation to address the entire breadth of clients' opportunities in the evolving world of cloud, digital and platforms. Building on its strong 50-year+ heritage and deep industry-specific expertise, Capgemini enables organizations to realize their business ambitions through an array of services from strategy to operations. Capgemini is driven by the conviction that the business value of technology comes from and through people. Today, it is a multicultural company of 270,000 team members in almost 50 countries. With Altran, the Group reported 2019 combined revenues of 17billion. Visit us at www.capgemini.com . People matter, results count. About Efma A global non-profit organization, established in 1971 by banks and insurance companies, Efma facilitates networking between decision-makers. It provides quality insights to help banks and insurance companies make the right decisions to foster innovation and drive their transformation. Over 3,300 brands in 130 countries are Efma members. Headquartered in Paris. Offices in London, Brussels, Andorra, Milan, Stockholm, Bratislava, Warsaw, Moscow, Istanbul, Beirut, Dubai, Tokyo, Singapore, Sydney and Montreal. Learn more: www.efma.com 1 The report defines BigTechs as large, multinational technology firms such as Google, Amazon, Facebook, Apple, Alibaba, etc. Attachments Copyright 2020 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE A Santa Fe teenager died of cancer last week after his parents allegedly didnt get him the life-saving medical care he needed, according to recently filed court documents. His parents, Ramiro Miranda-Quinonez, 54, and Maria Urias-Astorga, 53, have been charged with child abuse resulting in death. They were arrested by the Santa Fe police Friday. Jail records show that as of Monday night, they were still in jail, each held on a $10,000 unsecured bond. On Thursday, the boy, identified as R.M. in court records, was taken to Presbyterian Hospital in Albuquerque for treatment of a severe form of cancer. The 14-year-old had a tumor so large that it took up nearly all of the left side of his torso, police said. He died that night. The teenager was previously seen at the Presbyterian Santa Fe Medical Center emergency room on Sept. 7, but hospital staff in Santa Fe did not report R.M.s condition to police, court documents say. Hospital staff in Albuquerque notified police of potential abuse due to the cancers progression, as well as ligature marks seen on his ankles and wrists consistent with being tied up. Doctors and nurses also reported finding scars and cuts covering his body. But an autopsy determined these were stretch marks caused by rapid weight loss. The parents didnt get the child medical care for the cancer over the past two years and the boy stopped being able to eat three weeks prior to his hospitalization, court documents say. The mother, Urias-Astorga, told police she hadnt taken her son to the doctor in the past two years because they dont have Medicaid. Both the father and mother told police they would give R.M. herbs if he was sick, according to court documents. R.M.s sister was questioned by police and told them her family trusts nature, home remedies, herbs and vegetables. On his Facebook page, Miranda-Quinonez has posts written in Spanish voicing his disbelief of the World Health Organization concerning its COVID-19 protocols, along with posts saying masks are harmful. Several of his COVID-19 and health-related posts were fact-checked by Facebook and are marked as being fake or containing partly false information. Doctors said the cancer would have taken about six to 12 months to develop to the severe stage it had reached by the time of his death, according to court documents, adding that R.M. had no previous treatment for his cancer and that if he had received care earlier, he likely would have survived. He will die from this because his family didnt bring him to care, one doctor wrote, according to the court documents. Its hideous and atrocious. His mother has killed him. R.M.s tumor was so large that doctors couldnt do chest compressions on him because the tumor would crush his heart. The tumor also prevented breathing tubes from being inserted into R.M.s lungs. Medical staff said they were told that R.M. hadnt been able to walk for several weeks, had been increasingly lethargic, was vomiting several times a day, losing weight and in respiratory distress. He weighed 68 pounds when he was taken to the hospital. R.M. appeared to be in similar disposition to photographs of Nazi concentration camp survivors from World War II, court documents said. Tuesday, September 15, 2020 Covid-19 has caused a serious cash flow crisis small business owners could not have anticipated. If a business owner has been denied working capital by their banker or don't know where to turn, Greater Prairie Business Consulting, Inc. can help these business owners in many ways. James J. Talerico, Jr., CEO & Founder of Greater Prairie Business Consulting, Inc. has more than 30 years of diversified business experience, a solid track record of success, and an A+ BBB rating helping thousands of business owners across the US and in Canada tackle tough business problems to improve their organizational performance "We can advise small business owners about how to reemerge successfully from the Covid-19 crisis, rightsize operations, and create a loan package to help these businesses get the funding they need to move beyond the Covid-19 crisis," says Mr. Talerico. This service is an example of the scope and breath of value-added services Greater Prairie Business Consulting, Inc. can offer small-to-mid-sized businesses in the US. A Louis Harris Poll of 2,000 business owners found that "2/3's of business owners considered themselves successful beyond their own expectations, and if given the chance to start all over again, fully 78% of these respondents said they would choose to be in the very same business they are in now." Small business owners who would like to learn more about how Greater Prairie Business Consulting, Inc. can help them realize their dreams are encouraged to contact James J. Talerico, Jr. at 1-800-828-7585. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) Activists are fighting to save a 300-year-old tree in Agusan del Sur from being cut down, saying it is worth saving because of its historical, environmental, and aesthetic value. Speaking to CNN Philippines on Tuesday, Jurgenne Primavera said one report says the tree can be saved, while another said it posed a risk. Primavera, a marine environmentalist who's been inducted as a member of the National Academy of Science and Technology, is a member of the Philippine Native Tree Enthusiasts who is working to keep the Philippine Rosewood tree, locally known as "toog." It is the tallest tree of its kind in the country, and Primavera said it was worth saving on three levels. "The value of this tree is...first it's historical. The age goes back centuries in time, that's our history. The second value is environmental... And lastly, of course, aesthetically. What a beautiful tree. Old trees, big trees are really majestic. On those three points, the value is really immeasurable," she said. The fight for the tree has been going on for years, but Primavera said it has recently became more popular. She said a permit to cut down the tree had already been secured, but "the groundswell was larger because of social media." "We had consultations and feedback (with) the local government , provincial and municipal, and with DENR if we could hold, suspend the cutting because this year, another set of permits was also again approved," she said. She said they also asked for a more complete study of the tree to determine what should be done. Watch the interview here. There are currently more than 90 large wildfires burning across the west, forcing tens of thousands of people to evacuate and consuming more than 5 million acres. The American Red Cross has mobilized a massive relief effort across three states and is working around the clock to ensure that people have a safe place to stay, with food, comfort and other assistance during this time of uncertainty. IN OREGON, Denise Everhart, division disaster executive for the Pacific Division of the Red Cross, gave this account of the situation: I wish I knew a stronger term to describe how unexpected, unmanageable and unpredictable the fires in Oregon were. The winds started and almost immediately fires popped up. The Red Cross started opening temporary evacuation centers and firefighters started trying to get the blazes under control. The fires kept starting and merging, and becoming bigger and harder to control. Another day passed. The fires got bigger. And more people evacuated. The Red Cross continued to open temporary evacuation points, put people in hotels, and started opening shelters. Friday morning there were people in shelters, RVs and sleeping in cars and tents. We knew we had a substantial population in our shelters and we were filling hotel rooms for non-congregate sheltering as fast as we could. We were also serving meals to folks in hotels. We worked with partners to determine the need and had Red Crossers helping from the area as well from across the country. The Red Cross workers on the ground or helping virtually, they are heroes, making a difference in peoples lives right now, and they are the ones that will help Oregonians recover from this disaster. Know that the entire Red Cross, the state and the country are in awe of the generosity of the American Red Cross donors and the power of our volunteers to prevent and alleviate suffering. IN OAKHURST, CALIFORNIA,16-year-old violinist Nyanza Williams and her music teacher, violist Licia Clark visited the Oakhurst Community Center to play for the Red Cross volunteers. The facility serves as the Red Cross feeding headquarters for the Creek Fire response. Its going to sound like an oxymoron but this is a breath of fresh air to come do this, said the 16 year-old. The pair of elegantly dressed musicians gave an impromptu concert for several hours to the delight of dozens of masked volunteers from the Red Cross, Southern Baptist Disaster Relief Team and churchgoers from local parishes. The volunteers work every day, following CDC COVID-19 guidelines, readying hundreds of utensil packets, napkins and meals, which they deliver three times a day to evacuees at area hotels where meals are not otherwise provided. I thought it was the radio, says Red Cross feeding volunteer Kelly Peck, who was stunned to emerge from the back office to find live music in the hall. Everyones spirits are soaring; its such an unexpected treat for us. Like teens across the country, Nyanza hasnt seen her friends, been to school, or played with other musician colleagues for six months. I was feeling down because of COVID. Being isolated was hard emotionally. Coming here, its something bigger than myself to see how everyone is coming together to help out. Im so happy I could come do what I was created to do make music. She added, It was exactly what I needed. CARING FOR THE ANIMALS The best part is helping the pet owners. Being able to care for their animals relieves their stress so much, explains Betty Wong, who has volunteered with the Central California Animal Disaster Team (CCADT) since its inception in 2013. The animals feel their owners stress, and we can help with that. Wong spends her volunteer shifts with CCADT caring for some 185 animals located in and around a building near thea Red Cross . The site, caring for dogs, cats, geese, chickens, ducks, rabbits, parrots and parakeets, and whatever other fur or feathered friends evacuees bring in, is at the Oakhurst Community Center in the Sierra Nevada foothills near the Creek Fire. There is a site for large animals too. The most unusual pets Ive cared for over the years were chinchillas, which are very fragile, and a bearded dragon, recalls Wong. We keep clean water in their cages and feed them as needed. Mostly the owners come daily, and feed and exercise their pets. When owners return home and see their house is okay, they are so relieved and they pass that feeling onto their pets. You can see it. I love that. The Red Cross and CCADT are long-time partners in disaster relief so that families can have the peace of mind that their pets are safe in times of emergency. ONE FAMILYS STORY: The Red Cross kept us from having to sleep in a parking lot, said Stacey Dey, a native Mono from North Fork Rancheria. She evacuated her family of six on Labor Day Weekend as they watched the Creek Fire steadily approach their home from across the valley. We took all our camping gear because we really thought we would end up down by the river with nowhere else to go. The Punkin-DePalma family consists of Stacey, her fiancee Jason DePalma, and their four children: Ta-weh (15), Kaleia (14), Joshua (4) and Makiah (2). We registered at the drive-up temporary evacuation point at the Mariposa Fairgrounds, and in ten minutes the Red Cross sent us a text saying they had a hotel room for us, recalls the relieved mother. It was at The Monarch, a boutique hotel. Sunday afternoon, the evacuation order was lifted for North Fork Rancheria and the Punkin-DePalmas excitedly packed their vehicles to head for home. Thank you so much! You guys have been awesome, Stacey said as she signed out of the hotel. We appreciate everything and Im glad I met everyone here. Its critical that those in the path of wildfires listen to the advice of local authorities and evacuate immediately if asked to do so. Follow CDC guidelines around social distancing and wear a face covering to ensure that your evacuation is as safe as possible. To find a safe place to stay, listen to local officials for evacuation guidance including the nearest temporary evacuation point. You can also visit redcross.org or view open shelters through the Red Cross Emergency app. If you dont have access to a computer or smart phone, try calling 211, if this service is available in your area, or call 800-RED-CROSS (800-733-2767). Due to COVID-19, the Red Cross is unable to welcome pets into our shelters for everyones safety; we are working with partners to establish co-located pet shelters. If you are evacuating with pets, please consider visiting RedRover.org/WesternFires to view their resource list of pet-friendly evacuation shelters and tips. Help people affected by the western wildfires by visiting redcross.org, calling 800-RED CROSS or texting the word WILDFIRES to 90999 to make a $10 donation. Donations enable the Red Cross to prepare for, respond to and help people recover from these disasters. Want to help people specifically affected by the California, Oregon or Washington wildfires? Write California Wildfires, Oregon Wildfires or Washington Wildfires in the memo line of a check and mail it to your local Red Cross chapter with the completed donation form. For California Wildfires you can also text the word CAWILDFIRES to 90999 to make a $10 donation. Paris, 15 September 2020 - Apax Partners SAS has entered into exclusive negotiations with the shareholders of Groupe Crystal with a view to acquiring a majority stake in the company. With currently 300 employees and 35,000 customers - including 5,000 outside France, Groupe Crystal is one of France's leading IFAs (Independent Financial Advisers). The company offers a unique blend of services for expatriates and interprofessional channels. Groupe Crystal is principally owned by its management team, the OFI Group and the Apicil Group. Groupe Crystal's management team, including Bruno Narchal and Jean-Maximilien Vancayezeele, as well as the OFI Group would invest alongside Apax Partners SAS. Apax's objective is to foster the group's development, three years after the acquisition of Expert & Finance. At the same time, the Apicil Group, the OFI Group and the executives of Alpheys, Philippe Michel Labrosse and Sisouphan Tran, entered into exclusive negotiations with Groupe Crystal to acquire its minority stake in Alpheys. Definitive agreements related to these transactions can be executed once employee representative bodies have been informed and consulted. The agreements must also be approved by the relevant regulatory authorities. About Altamir Altamir is a listed private equity company (Euronext Paris-B, ticker: LTA) founded in 1995 and with an investment portfolio of more than 1bn. Its objective is to provide shareholders with long-term capital appreciation and regular dividends by investing in a diversified portfolio of private equity investments. Altamir's investment policy is to invest via and with the funds managed or advised by Apax Partners SAS and Apax Partners LLP, two leading private equity firms that take majority or lead positions in buyouts and growth capital transactions and seek ambitious value creation objectives. In this way, Altamir provides access to a diversified portfolio of fast-growing companies across Apax's sectors of specialisation (TMT, Consumer, Healthcare, Services) and in complementary market segments (mid-sized companies in continental Europe and larger companies in Europe, North America and key emerging markets). Altamir derives certain tax benefits from its status as a SCR ("Societe de Capital Risque"). As such, Altamir is exempt from corporate tax and the company's investors may benefit from tax exemptions, subject to specific holding-period and dividend-reinvestment conditions. For more information: www.altamir.fr Contact Claire Peyssard Moses Tel.: +33 1 53 65 01 74 E-mail: investors@altamir.fr ------------------------ This publication embed "Actusnews SECURITY MASTER ". - SECURITY MASTER Key: l51sYMpqlZmWnptwaMZuZ2ljapqUxWWbaGPLxJadZZrKm59mlZxha5SWZm9mlWdp - Check this key: https://www.security-master-key.com. ------------------------ Copyright Actusnews Wire Receive by email the next press releases of the company by registering on www.actusnews.com, it's free Full and original release in PDF format:https://www.actusnews.com/documents_communiques/ACTUS-0-65023-acquisition-groupe-crystal_en.pdf Measuring body temperature of those returning home from Singapore (Source: VNA) Of the total, 691 were infected in the community, 926 have recovered fully, and 35 died from complications related to the disease. Among those still under treatment, 13 have tested negative for SARS-CoV-2 once, 13 others twice and 19 three times. Three patients are in severe conditions. There are 32,578 people having close contact with confirmed cases or coming from pandemic-hit regions under quarantine at present. The Health Ministry has called on residents to wear masks in public places, regularly wash hands with soap, avoid crowd gatherings, and install Bluezone app to receive infection risk alerts./. LEVITTOWN, Pa. Ernie Gross learned to find hope and humor in the darkest of places. It was not an easy task for Gross, who from a very young age was known as the boy who never laughed. At school, his teacher ignored him, turning the other way when classmates mocked his kosher lunch, held him down, and rubbed ham and bacon on his lips. My youth was going from bad to worse, said Gross. That was before Hungarian soldiers showed up at his home in Romania on the last day of Passover in April 1944. They forced Gross, his six siblings and parents from their home and told them to go to the towns synagogue or be shot. Weeks later, they were boarded on a crowded cattle train destined for Auschwitz. Ernie Gross, of Philadelphia, recalls his story of survival, Friday, July 31, 2020, as he describes living on small rations of bread and potatoes during his captivity at Auschwitz-Birkenau and Dachau. What came next took decades to reveal. From his home in Northeast Philadelphia one recent day, Gross told his story through his thick Romanian accent, painting a vivid picture of a harrowing journey that took more than 60 years to disclose, even to his three children. Today, the 91-year-old is among a declining number of Holocaust survivors alive and able to share his story. This year marks the 75th anniversary of his liberation from Dachau, and Gross continues to speak at synagogues, churches, rotary events and now on Zoom calls to spread the message that hope prevails above hate. Its a message, he says, thats as relevant to surviving in todays world as it was that day he stepped off the train. Ernie Gross, a holocaust survivor living in Philadelphia, leafs through the pages of a Siddur prayer book, as he shares his story Friday, July 31, 2020. 'I didn't have a name' He was just 15 then. Upon arriving at Auschwitz, Gross lost sight of his parents, who were ahead holding onto his younger sister and brother. Surrounded by German soldiers, Gross stood in a line with his two older brothers, and noticed a prisoner working at the camp looking at him. When the soldiers werent looking, the prisoner jumped off the train and approached him. How old are you? You better say youre 17. Because if youre 15, youll go where your parents went. The man pointed to the sky. "You see the dark smoke? In four hours, its going to be your parents." Story continues Gross watched as an SS officer directed his brothers to the right, in the direction of those going to the work camp. In the other direction were the gas chambers. My turn came, Gross recalled. The guard was silent. "He was not saying anything ... That made me more nervous. He was scanning me, trying to figure out where to put me." Gross mustered up the nerve to act older. I'm going to stand up straight and tall and (talk) strongly. When I did that, he told me to go to the right. He joined his two brothers as they stood in a big building packed with prisoners. They didn't say a word about the fate of their parents and younger siblings. They were stripped of everything they had clothes, hair and, soon, their names. My number was 71366. I didnt have a name, just my number. Learning to survive When Gross first saw the barracks and witnessed how prisoners were living, I cant even tell you how lonely and helpless I was. He had been separated from his brothers. They went to one camp, while he was imprisoned in a camp 50 kilometers from Munich, Germany. Life over the next year was a test in survival. For nearly a year, he shifted from one camp to another, hoping to avoid "Camp 7, where those who were unable to work went and where no food was provided. I was determined to live, said Gross. That took creative rationing and reasoning. A small aluminum container held his daily ration of coffee and soup, and he kept this with him at all times. If we were lucky, we would get a little piece of potato in the soup." A small loaf of bread about 10 inches long had to be split among eight prisoners, he said. Gross broke his into small crumbs that he would nibble on throughout the day, and one morning he asked a neighboring prisoner why he didnt do the same. The man replied: How do I know I'll be here for lunch?" Those kinds of people died first because they gave up hope. I made up my mind every day when I got up that no matter what life would give me, I wanted to be here for the next day. I never gave up," Gross said. One day, a father begged his son to swap slices, both arguing that they needed the larger piece more. To survive was to be selfish, Gross saw, even with family. He learned this first hand after his cousin, also imprisoned, refused to share even a sliver of skin of a whole potato he had. The food was never enough to keep prisoners alive for very long. It was not unusual for me to get up in the morning to see that neither of my neighbors got up. They died through the night. There was a group of prisoners ... their job was to go to all the barracks to take out the dead people and put them in small wagons. Most died of starvation. Gross needed to find another source of food. He learned that some prisoners, who were former smokers, offered their bread for at least seven cigarette butts, so Gross scoured the train stations where he cleaned toilets. It took me two weeks to find seven butts, but I knew that I would live seven days longer. One night when his hunger was unbearable, he heard Allied Forces planes flying over the camp. "When that happened, all the lights go out in the camp," he said. He snuck to the kitchen to get food. He avoided being seen by the guards, but on the way back, other prisoners attacked him, taking the potato he managed to steal and one of his shoes. The next day, it snowed. "I couldn't walk, said Gross, adding that a guard threatened to shoot him if he didnt join the others and work that day. So he jumped in the snow, careful to not let his toes freeze. Whatever life gave me, I just tried to deal with it. Instead of feeling sorry for myself. That's how I did everything; that's how I survived it, said Gross, who was eventually able to negotiate with another prisoner to get a pair of shoes that fit. Ernie Gross, right, and his first wife, Bella, who also was a Holocaust survivor. Neither ever spoke of their experiences, but after Bella's death, Ernie Gross realized he needed to share his story. 'No longer felt pain' His daily work was grueling, hauling 50-pound bags of cement to trucks. "When I put it on my shoulder, it felt like my bones would break, but the guards would yell Mach schnell, meaning 'Do it faster, Gross said. If they didnt move fast enough, the guards would beat them. It got to a point where my body didnt feel the pain ... Youd be surprised at what your body could take when you have to. It went on for eight hours like this every day. He felt the despair of others, too. One day, marching next to two other prisoners, a man questioned the existence of God. He said, If I survive this, Im not going to believe in God. I said, Why not? He said, Two days ago, I had a wife and 10-year-old son ... Both are gone. How could God do something like that? A man to my left overheard this and said, I never believed in God, but If survive, I'm going to believe in God. Everyone had a different way about thinking about God. Camp 7 The day came when Gross was too weak to work. His weight had dropped from 145 pounds to 85 pounds. He was moved to Camp 7. He knew what that meant. Gross, then 16, was forced onto another train, this time headed to Dachau. It was supposed to arrive a day earlier, on April 28, but Allied Forces bombings stalled the journey by a day. When he stepped off the train, he was among thousands of inmates inching their way in the direction of Dachau. He remembers the struggle to stay on his feet, marching in the cold drizzle, his soaked clothes weighing on his frail body. As he began to accept his fate, the line suddenly stopped. He looked up and saw an American Jeep, with four American soldiers at the gate. American troops had arrived to liberate the camp. It was April 29, 1945. His next memory was waking up a sanitarium, where prisoners were sent to recover. There was a room dedicated for prayer services, and while inside that room one day praying, the door flew open. His older brother Abraham was standing there. "I felt both happy and sad," said Gross, noticing that his favorite brother David wasn't beside him. He later learned that David died of starvation in the camp. Gross also lost his parents, two brothers and a sister, and several other relatives. Gross settled in Philadelphia, where his aunts lived. He married and had three sons, but never discussed his Holocaust experiences with any of them. Ernie Gross, of Philadelphia, recalls his story of survival, Friday, July 31, 2020, as he describes living on small rations of bread and potatoes during his captivity at Auschwitz-Birkenau and Dachau. Ending the silence Gross' first wife Bella, also a victim of the Holocaust, never spoke of her time in the Nazi death camps. When she died, he realized he lost a part of her that no one would ever know. I was going through my life at night, thinking of her, and I found the energy to speak. That first trip to the podium didnt come easy. I was trying to tell my story, but I couldnt do it, said Gross, remembering people approaching him with napkins to wipe his nose and eyes. I couldnt continue like that. So when I got to the point I couldnt speak, I threw in a joke, and sure enough it worked perfectly. The more he joked, the more he laughed and the easier it became to share. Over the last 10 years, hes spoken dozens of times, and most times with a bag of props a loaf of bread, seven cigarette butts and a potato. He says the potato is symbolic, a reminder of what he learned at the camp and what he had to unlearn, the "selfish" survival skills. The Hebrew word, tzedakah, which encourages charity, came to mind. He said he realized that only through acts of generosity and charity could he begin to retrain his brain to fight the selfish tendencies he learned at the camp. When students hear his story, they ask questions like, How can you believe in God? How do you forgive? He tells them: "If you dont forgive, it means you're angry. If you forgive, your body can relax and you keep on functioning." Rising above hate Still, in today's world, there are images of hate that are hard to stomach, including the video of George Floyd dying beneath the knee of a white police officer. I had to close my eyes when I saw that. In all his years, he said, I cannot figure out how one person could hate another so badly. Even after sharing his story hundreds of times, its never easy to recount the horrors of the Holocaust. But he feels it's his duty to teach others the power of hope and the healing power of forgiveness. We all come from the same source; it doesnt matter where you came from or what you look like. People shouldnt get angry because someone is different. We have to learn to get along ... we have to learn to forgive. I believe in that throughout my life. And if you dont lose hope, you could live longer and be happier. No matter what happens, tomorrow can be better. That is why I'm 91 and am still here. Follow Marion Callahan on Twitter: @marioncallahan. This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: 75 years after Dachau, Holocaust survivor shares hope, forgiveness A drug treatment counselor, who has been seven years sober, was rescued in extraordinary fashion after his kayak flipped on a family trip in early August. Jimmy MacDonald, from Albany, paddled his kayak a distance away from his wife and step-children at Lake George, New York, so that he could take photos with his new smartphone. Relaxed and distracted, he didnt notice that the waters around him were growing increasingly choppy until it was too late. Fighting against the undertow, MacDonald told WNYT he eventually tipped the kayak, lost his paddle, and fell into the lake. (Ritu Manoj Jethani/Shutterstock) My pride and ego told me, Ill figure this out, he explained. But in 30-foot-deep water with an ill-fitting life preserver and a $1,400 smartphone in his hand, the reformed addict started to panic. Thats when I said, Alright, I think I might die today. I think this might be it, he admitted. Nobody could see me and the feeling in my chest was like, wow, this is it. MacDonald yelled for help, but to no avail. Out of earshot of his family and other boaters on the lake, he prayed to Jesus. At that moment, the captain of a floating tiki bar carrying seven Catholic priests caught sight of MacDonalds paddle, and then the counselor himself, struggling beside his capsized kayak. Captain Greg Barrett of Lake Georges Tiki Tours was hosting seven priests and seminarians from the Paulist Fathers of Washington on a tee-total Catholic retreat. But upon catching sight of MacDonald in the water, their joy ride turned into a rescue mission. [A]s I turned the boat toward him, I realized his life preserver had been in the upper portion of his head, Barrett recalled. The capsized kayaker was holding on for dear life. Deb Oliveira, our new deckhand on her first day of work, and four of the priests scooped him up onto the bow of the boat, Barrett later regaled to Glens Falls Living. His eyes were the size of silver dollars. The tiki bar returned the exhausted kayaker to his family, where he recovered quickly, and the group took photos for posterity. (Illustration Cole Carrara/Shutterstock) MacDonald, relieved and grateful for his rescue, urged others to ensure that their life preservers are worn correctly if heading out onto a body of water. He also hopes that the story of his timely rescue inspires caution, and reverence, in others. The Paulist Fathers openly credit a higher power. Were missionaries, second-year seminarian Chris Malano reflected, speaking to WNYT. For us, that day, that was our mission: to be present and to help someone in need. The former drug addict saved himself from drowning in addiction, and ironically a floating tiki bar saved his life, seven years later. The entire rescue episode is not lost on MacDonald. I just take that as a sign from God that Hes got me here for a real reason, he concluded, making a pledge to ask for help sooner in the future, and to continue helping other addicts keep their heads above water. We would love to hear your stories! You can share them with us at emg.inspired@epochtimes.nyc RAF fighter jets have intercepted two Russian aircraft off the coast of Scotland. The Eurofighter Typhoons were scrambled into action after the Tupolev Tu-142 planes entered the UK's controlled zone of international airspace, the Ministry of Defence said. An MoD spokesman said that monitoring the zone ensures the safe passage for all other aircraft, including civilian transatlantic airliners that are under UK civilian air traffic control. The Russian planes were identified as Bear F maritime reconnaissance and anti-submarine warfare aircraft. It comes after the RAF confirmed on Friday that its Typhoons had joined large-scale military exercises over the North Sea with the US Air Force and the Royal Netherlands Air Force. On that occasion the Typhoons played the role of the enemy as part of Exercise Point Blank, which takes place every three months. Recommended RAF Typhoon jets scramble to intercept three Russian aircraft approaching Baltic airspace Group Captain Chris Layden, the Station Commander of RAF Lossiemouth, said: "Our Typhoons have played a different role in this iteration of Exercise Point Blank. "They acted as the Aggressors against the fifth-generation F-35s from the RAF, US Marine Corps, and Royal Netherlands Air Force, simulating the tactics and threats of our adversaries whilst challenging their colleagues in a series of complex air-to-air battles that tested the skills of the pilots involved, and pushed these world-class aircraft to their limits. RAF Typhoons are also used to intercept commercial aircraft if a security threat is reported. In July they escorted a Ryanair flight to London Stanstead after a note warning explosives were on board was found in the toilets during the journey from Krakow to Dublin. Last month the fighter jets were scrambled from RAF Coninsgby to intercept a passenger flight from Vienna to Stansted on Sunday night following reports that suspicious items had been found in the toilets. The Quick Reaction Alert Typhoons are currently based at former RAF Leuchars. This is now the British Army's Leuchars Station, the home of the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards. Additional reporting by Press Association I have fond memories of going to the Cliff House during the 1970s and 80s. Friends and I would arrive in the early evening, grab a Crab Louis from the kiosk near the bar, and then pounce when someone vacated one of the coveted window seats. There was no better place to watch the sunset, or gaze at the seals out on the rocks. The Cliff House is closed during the coronavirus pandemic because its location makes it nearly impossible to serve food outside. But before the pandemic, the renowned roadhouse had previously survived economic downturns, fires and explosions, so I decided to look for photos in The Chronicles archive to see what we hadnt digitized yet. I wasnt disappointed. The first Cliff House was built by Charles Butler in 1863. Butler also constructed a toll road so patrons could more easily travel the 6 miles from the developed eastern portion of San Francisco. The citys wealthy were undeterred by the steep $1 round-trip toll and made frequent trips out to the Cliff House for food, cocktails and the view. Business was good, and Butler tripled the size of the building. Mark Twain made at least two visits to the Cliff House, at first singing its praises, as Gary Kamiya wrote in a previous Portals of the Past column. The second time, not so much. The wind was cold and benumbing, Twain wrote. It came straight from the ocean, and I think there are icebergs out there somewhere. In 1883, Adolph Sutro, who made his fortune in the Comstock lode, decided to purchase the Cliff House, after the restaurants reputation had fallen. A trio of calamities would befall it during Sutros reign. First, in 1887, the ship Parallel carrying 40 tons of explosives blew up after being wrecked on the rocks beneath the Cliff House. The explosion was felt miles away in downtown San Francisco. Every room, said one account, was a wreck. In the barroom, all the glasses, decanters and bottles were a mass of broken glass on the floor. Huge patches of plaster from the walls and ceiling littered the floor. The windows were burst in, the chandeliers wrenched from the ceiling. Sutro made repairs, but seven years later, the Cliff House burned to the ground on Christmas Day. The Cliff House is a smoldering ruin where the silent ghosts of memory hover pale and wan over the blackened embers, the Dec. 12, 1894, Chronicle declared. Sutro rebuilt the Cliff House as a seven-story Victorian Gothic-styled building, which struck some as a romantic castle, while others described it as a sensational monstrosity, wrote The Chronicles Robert OBrien. This second Cliff House rode out the 1906 earthquake with only minor damage, but burned to the ground less than two years later on Sept. 7, 1907. The Chronicle reported thousands went to the beach to watch the conflagration. After the fire, the Cliff House was rebuilt again, reopening in 1909. The tavern changed ownership in the 1930s and was acquired by the National Park Service in 1977. It continued to draw locals and tourists throughout the 20th century. In 1989, Chronicle architecture critic Allan Temko wrote a savage critique of the building. More from the Archive The Vault Home of the San Francisco Chronicle's archive and more than 150 years of journalism covering the Bay Area and beyond. Decades of neglect, decay and vulgarity have turned the Cliff House once a glory of the West into a crumbling tourist trap, Temko wrote. Hardly a beauty to begin with, Cliff House III has been rendered almost unrecognizable by successive remodelings and haphazard repairs. But tourists and locals alike still kept coming in droves, and in 2004, the Cliff House underwent an extensive 19-month, $18 million renovation. More from Chronicle Vault A scandalous journey: Sally Stanford from madam to mayor. Our San Francisco: A ride through amusement park history. Total war on polio: Archive photo finds on the Bay Area K.O. Polio vaccination campaign. From the Archive is a weekly column by Bill Van Niekerken, the library director of The Chronicle, exploring the depths of the newspapers archive. Its part of Chronicle Vault, a twice-weekly newsletter highlighting more than 150 years of San Francisco stories. It is edited by Taylor Kate Brown, The Chronicles newsletter editor. Sign up for the newsletter here, and follow Chronicle Vault on Instagram. Contact Bill at bvanniekerken@sfchronicle.com and Taylor at taylor.brown@sfchronicle.com. P&O Ferrymasters, a leading pan-European ferry and logistics company, has announced the launch of an advanced track and trace service for its container customers, making it the first major logistics business in Europe to introduce the technology. Its parent company, DP World, the Dubai- based provider of worldwide smart end-to-end supply chain logistics, is supporting the service as part of concentrated efforts to accelerate the digitisation of the global supply chain, and to enhance the capabilities of digital platforms, a statement said. The service will allow customers to receive real-time updates on the precise location of their goods as they are transported by rail, road and sea. This innovation improves efficiency, reduces costs and increases the speed of information exchange. The new track and trace system is designed to advance the digitalisation of trade and significantly improve customers' visibility of the supply chain. The technology is being introduced this month and is expected to be extended to more than half of the company's 4,000-strong fleet of 45 foot containers by the end of the year, with the aim of completing the roll out by the end of 2021. Thorsten Runge, Managing Director of P&O Ferrymasters, said: "We are at our best in solving complex logistical challenges for our customers and this next step in our digital journey will enable the faster and smarter exchange of information across Europe. Our customers can continue to rely on us to invest in new platforms to make trade flow and provide a door-to-door logistics service. "Track and Trace is being introduced with the support of our parent company, DP World, which aims to lead the transformation of the global logistics industry by building joined up, standardised, digital systems. DP World's vision is to lead the digitisation of world trade, increasing efficiency, transparency and control, and building new ways of enabling trade." P&O Ferrymasters has been working in partnership with the leading Swiss enabler of transparent digitalised supply chains, Nexxiot, on the project. Stefan Kalmund, Chief Executive Officer of Nexxiot, said: "Visibility, efficiency and predictive capabilities are all key drivers for data driven organisations who are seeking improved reliability, trust and accountability. As one of our most innovative clients, P&O Ferrymasters can now access the business intelligence they need for full fleet coordination, improved efficiency and business process automation." The new system follows a series of steps forward in P&O Ferrymasters' services in the last 12 months, including the opening of a new 17,000 square meter warehouse facility in Rotterdam and commencing operations at DP World's London Gateway logistics park. The company has also launched new connections between Budapest, Duisburg and Rotterdam, and between Oradea and Lodz. P&O Ferries is a leading pan-European ferry and logistics company, last year sailing 27,000 times on eight major routes between Britain, France, Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, Holland and Belgium. Together with its logistics business, P&O Ferrymasters, the company also operates integrated road and rail to countries across the continent including Italy, Poland, Germany, Spain and Romania, Turkey and facilitates the onward movement of goods to Britain from Asian countries via the Silk Road. P&O Ferries is part of DP World, the leading provider of smart logistics solutions, enabling the flow of trade across the globe.--TradeArabia News Service Allegations surfaced late Monday thatamong other alleged abuses of detained immigrants at the Irwin County Detention Center in Georgiafemale detainees are being given forced hysterectomies without their consent. The allegation comes from a complaint filed on behalf of a nurse who worked in the detention center, by the nonprofit Project South, along with three other nonprofits, Georgia Detention Watch, Georgia Latino Alliance for Human Rights, and South Georgia Immigrant Support Network. The allegations in the complaint, which was directed at the inspector general of the Department of Homeland Security, are shocking and disturbing. Dawn Wooten, the whistleblower and a former nurse at ICDC, said that she was concerned that many women had received the procedure without being spoken to in their native language or being told why they were getting the surgery. The story elicited calls for investigation, due to the horror of the allegations and the limited corroboration for the claims that immigrants had indeed received the hysterectomies without proper process. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The complaint was first reported by LawandCrime.com, a website run by attorney and television personality Dan Abrams. That report is entirely sourced from the filed complaint and mostly focuses on the lack of proper COVID-19 protocols, but the LawandCrime.com headline focused on the alleged sterilizations Like an Experimental Concentration Camp: Whistleblower Complaint Alleges Mass Hysterectomies at ICE Detention Center. The story was widely shared on Monday night, and as of Tuesday, multiple other news outlets covered the allegations. Thus far, no one has obtained direct corroboration from women who allege they were forced into a hysterectomy. On Tuesday night, the Intercept published a story on the allegations around the hysterectomies that quoted several anonymous women staying at ICDC who shared stories about how they felt they had been pressured into having a hysterectomy, and who noted that they were frequently forced to go without an interpreter, but it was unclear if they had gone through with the procedure. Advertisement Advertisement In the complaint, the allegation about the high rate of hysterectomies is listed as part of the fourth section detailing the general lack of medical care, following three sections that mostly focused on lack of proper COVID-19 protocols. The complaint does not directly quote women who experienced a hysterectomy but relies on the testimony of a detained woman who said she had spoken to many women who had had hysterectomies and that many of those women seemed confused about the procedure. The complaint also includes testimony from Wooten, who said she was concerned about what she perceived as a high rate for the procedure at ICDC and the problematic circumstances that seemed to surround the procedure. Wooten tells the story of a young woman who was supposed to have a cyst removed from her left ovary, but the doctor accidentally removed the right ovary. The woman had to go back to have the left ovary removed, which meant she wound up with a total hysterectomy. Wooten gave a statement in which she claimed that there is a doctor treating the detained women who she described as the uterus collector, saying, Everybody he sees, hes taking all their uteruses out or hes taken their tubes out. The organizations legal and advocacy director, Azadeh Shahshahani, told Vox that though the group knew the identity of the doctor in question, it had decided not to release his name publicly yet. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There are very good reasons to proceed cautiously, given the current level of sourcing. At the same time, the cases in Georgia would not be unprecedented if proved true. In a statement issued on Monday evening to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Immigration and Customs Enforcement refuted many of the claims in the account, stating that ICE epidemiologists have been tracking the outbreak, regularly updating infection prevention and control protocols, and issuing guidance to ICE Health Service Corps (IHSC) staff for the screening and management of potential exposure among detainees. ICE further responded to the Law and Crime story by saying that it does not comment on matters referred to its inspector general but that in general, anonymous, unproven allegations, made without any fact-checkable specifics, should be treated with the appropriate skepticism they deserve. But the point of the whistleblower complaint is not to prove the allegations themselves. The point is to sound the alarm and raise questionsin fact, Wootens complaint urges a prompt and thorough investigation into these practices at ICDC as well as all other LaSalle operated facilities. The Office of the Inspector General has not said whether it will open a probe, but Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi issued a statement Tuesday calling for immediate investigation, noting that if the allegations are true, they represent a staggering abuse of human rights. Advertisement Advertisement Further investigation is clearly warranted; the key question here seems to be how likely it is that the allegations are true. There are very good reasons to proceed cautiously, given the current level of sourcing. At the same time, the cases in Georgia would not be unprecedented if proved true. Its difficult not to layer the prospect of forced sterilizations against the long, troubling history of mandatory forced sterilizations that were blessed in 1927 by the Supreme Court in Buck v. Bell. That case featured Oliver Wendell Holmes now-infamous assertion that three generations of imbeciles are enough. At least technically, Americas experimentation with eugenic sterilization culminated in the U.S. Supreme Courts 1942 decision in Skinner v. Oklahoma, when the high court finally rejected eugenic sterilization as a legitimate state goal and recognized that procreation involves one of the basic civil rights of man. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But it hardly stopped there. Allegations of forced sterilization are often complicated to prove, as the procedure is often connected to other medical procedures and it can be difficult to determine whether it was medically required and whether consent was acquired ethically. From this perspective, America has a long history of forced sterilization directed at different ethnic and racial groups depending on the time and region of the country, even after Skinner v. Oklahoma. To understand the oft fraught circumstances surrounding these scenarios, and the barriers women face in attempting to get legal redress, its useful to look at Madrigal v. Quilligan, a case on mandatory sterilizations that were performed on poor and minority women in the 1970s. The case was unpublished (any decision can be), but San Francisco School of Law professor Maya Manian has contributed some shocking and must-read scholarship on the case. From Manian: Advertisement In 1973, twenty-three-year-old Consuelo Hermosillo arrived at the Los Angeles County USC Medical Center in the midst of labor. In an effort to persuade her to sign a consent form for sterilization, medical staff claimed that she was high risk and could die from another pregnancy. While enduring labor pains and waiting for a cesarean section to be performed, a nurse told Hermosillo that her cesarean surgery would not proceed until she consented in writing to a tubal ligation. Fearing that her baby might die if she did not consent and unable to stand the pain any longer, Hermosillo signed the consent form. She was so upset about signing the form that she said a bad word. Years later, Hermosillo described herself as a bird who wants to fly and has had its wings cut. Advertisement Advertisement Hermosillo was one of 10 women who eventually filed a lawsuit alleging that medical personnel at the L.A. County USC Medical Center, which operated a busy maternity ward serving low-income and immigrant populations, systematically coerced similarly situated Mexican American women into submitting to sterilization. Antonia Hernandez, a recent UCLA law school graduate, and Charles Nabarrete, two Mexican American attorneys at the nearby Model Cities Center for Law and Justice, took on the case, interviewing, as Hernandez later said, almost a hundred women. During these interviews, Hernandez was forced to ask, Do you know you were sterilized? She further said that some of them knew, but they all had the misconception that their tubes were tied but could be untied. Advertisement Advertisement These womens stories demonstrate the complicated nature of gaining appropriate consent for these procedures, and the complicated nature of proving the abuse. Eventually the so-called Madrigal Ten brought suit, alleging that doctors at the medical center coercively sterilized each of them between June 1971 and March 1974. As Manian writes, all of the ten cases involved women whose primary language was Spanish; each of the women underwent a tubal ligation after childbirth by cesarean section. Nurses and physicians exploited the fact that the women had limited English language skills and were seeking medical care for childbirth in several ways. Further, the 10 women had all been approached for consent to sterilization while in the midst of labor, some after being heavily medicated, and pressured into signing English language consent forms that they could not understand. Moreover, most of the women had to resist multiple requests by multiple staff to submit to sterilization. One plaintiff, Georgina Hernandez, refused to sign the consent even though a doctor told her the Mexican people were very poor and that she should not have any more children because she could not support them. She signed a consent solely for a cesarean operation, but before going inside the operating room, the doctor claimed she had agreed to be sterilized. Georgina Hernandez later recalled: And this lady came, I dont remember seeing her face, I just remember her voice telling me, Mijita, you better sign those papers or your baby could probably die here. Hernandez learned that she had been permanently sterilized three weeks later at her post-delivery examination. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These womens stories demonstrate the complicated nature of gaining appropriate consent for these procedures, and the complicated nature of proving the abuse. Imbalances of power, authority, language barriers, and the fact that signatories may be under duress all complicate the claims. Some of the women in the Madrigal Ten never signed any consent form to be sterilized; their doctors simply waived consent based on asserted exigent circumstances. The Madrigal Ten filed their suit in 1975, and as Manion notes, the case galvanized Chicana feminist activism in ways that highlighted tensions between mainstream white feminists and women of color. As she writes, in the 1960s and 1970s, white feminist groups focusing on reproductive rights emphasized the right not to become a parent, but women of color during this same time period began fighting for a broader conception of reproductive justice. While white feminist activists argued for unimpeded access to sterilization, contraception, and abortion, women of color sought to change the conversation on reproductive rights to include their concerns about abusive practices designed to restrict racial minority womens reproduction. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Eventually the trial judge, U.S. District Judge E. Avery Crary, granted a preliminary injunction against the California Department of Health, ordering state health officials to rewrite Spanish language sterilization consent forms to a sixth-grade reading level (they had been written at a 12th-grade reading level). State regulations were later amended to add a 72-hour waiting period prior to sterilization procedures. While the case was pending, the U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare also issued new guidelines requiring any hospitals receiving federal funds to have bilingual consent forms and a monitoring program to ensure compliance with the new regulations. Advertisement The second phase of litigation involved compensation for the victims. Crary died in 1978, and the case was transferred to Judge Jesse W. Curtis. After extensive evidence of abuse was presented at trial, Curtis ruled against the Madrigal Ten. In his opinion, he said that he failed to see how the case as a whole exposed a broader pattern of abuse at the medical center based on gender, race, and class. He refused to find a discriminatory pattern and opted to view the case as 10 distinct random occurrences, in which each womans story was explained away because the attending physician believed that the patient consented based simply on a signed consent form or other medical documentation. Curtis summarized the case as essentially the result of a breakdown in communications between the patients and the doctors. He found that: Advertisement There is no doubt that these women have suffered severe emotional and physical stress because of these operations. One can sympathize with them for their inability to communicate clearly, but one can hardly blame the doctors for relying on these indicia of consent which appeared to be unequivocal on their face and which are in constant use in the Medical Center. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals decision denying the womens request for redress is also unpublished. It was not until 2003 that the state of California finally apologized for its history of coercive sterilization, although it did not award any reparations. Almost 40 years after the litigation, historian Virginia Espino and documentary filmmaker Renee Tajima-Pena spoke to the women for the 2016 film No Mas Bebes. Some of their lives were irreparably ruined. And of course, the tragedy hardly ended even there. As Manian notes in her article, only ten years after Californias official apology for abusive sterilization practices, an independent investigation found that the states prison system had sterilized almost one hundred and fifty female inmatesmost of whom were low-income women and women of color without proper approval. In other words, the allegations from Georgia, while not yet fully investigated or corroborated, are horrific, and they are most certainly not without ample precedent. Huawei has appointed its UK sales director, Tony Yangxu, as the new chief executive for its operations in Ireland. Mr Yangxu takes on overall responsibility for Huaweis carrier, enterprise and consumer business units in Ireland, including the national rollout of 5G, according to the companys announcement. He takes over from Jijay Shen, who has been CEO in Ireland for four years. Read More Huawei employs 500 people in Ireland in Dublin, Athlone and Cork. The company has substantial research and development sites here. I am honoured to have the opportunity to lead the Huawei Ireland team and help contribute to Irelands recovery at such a challenging time, he said. Huawei Ireland is fully committed to playing an active part in helping to create world-leading digital infrastructure throughout the country, including broadband and 5G, which will be essential for Irelands future economic success. The move comes after Eir reitereated that it had no security concerns about using Huawei in its 5G rollout in Ireland. Eir CEO Carolan Lennon told CNBC that the telco was following European Commission advice and that the majority of European telecoms networks use Huawei equipment. Huawei is currently enmeshed in a global standoff between the US and China. A US ban on American companies supplying the Chinese telecoms giant has hurt Huaweis smartphone sales, with Google not allowed to allow its Play Store onto Huawei handsets. Earlier this year, the UK tightened its restrictions on Huawei equipment in British 5G telecoms rollouts. The President of the Republic has reaffirmed his commitment to safeguarding the enviable peace and political stability Ghana continue to enjoy before and after the 2020 December 7th Elections. According to the President, efforts are underway to ensure peace and stability in Ghana during and after the general elections. Speaking at the annual conference of the Ghana Bar Association in Accra, Nana Akufo-Addo said the general elections will be closely monitored to ensure that no incidents are recorded. I assure you and indeed the Ghanaian people that unstinting efforts are being made to ensure the peace and stability of the nation as we enter the last three months of the electioneering campaign. President Akufo-Addo is seeking a second-term extension of his mandate with the same running mate, Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia. Both the NPP and NDC have already launched their manifestos ahead of the polls which will be held on December 7, 2020. In 2016, John Mahama, then the incumbent, lost the election to the New Patriotic Party's Nana Akufo-Addo. The post Well ensure peace and stability in Ghana during elections Nana Addo appeared first on Citinewsroom - Comprehensive News in Ghana. ---CitinewsRoom Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-15 22:20:48|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close DHAKA, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- The Bangladeshi government has extended the suspension of jail sentence of ex-Prime Minister Khaleda Zia for another six months. Bangladesh's Ministry of Home Affairs issued a gazette notification to this effect on Tuesday, saying that she can not leave the country during this period. The Bangladeshi government in March decided to release Zia from jail for six months on humanitarian grounds following the COVID-19 outbreak in the country. In line with a government order, Zia, chairperson of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), on March 25 left the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) in capital Dhaka, where she was being treated. Zia was shifted to the BSMMU in April 2018 when she fell ill and had remained there ever since. Zia had been in jail since February 2018 after a court sentenced her over the alleged embezzlement of foreign funds. Enditem To the Times: We, the undersigned business owners, clergy members, community leaders, and residents of Media Borough, are united in expressing our strong support for Media Borough Councils decision to demote and terminate the employment of Officer Robert Skippy Carroll. Officer Carroll betrayed his profession and the public trust when he posted threats via social media against businesspersons that choose to speak out against the police. Officer Carroll also posted an ominous public warning that could have been directed at any person, business, or community institution daring to speak out against police abuse or on behalf of Black Lives Matter: Try us. Well destroy you. No public safety officer who is paid by our tax dollars, equipped with taxpayer-funded weapons, and entrusted with life and death decision-making power on the streets of our community can be permitted to publicly threaten to destroy anyone and expect to remain on the public payroll. Officer Carrolls act of intimidation tarnished the image of the other men and women on the Media Borough police force who strive to serve our community with integrity. Should Officer Carroll appeal councils decision and seek to retain his position, we believe the evidence supports his removal. The decision by borough council was made to ensure the physical safety and psychological well being of our entire community, not simply as a response to a mundane employer-employee dispute. Our chief of police characterized councils decision to demote and fire Carroll as absurd. We believe that councils decision was fair, just, and a proper stewardship of public dollars. Everybodys Hometown needs to be safe for every stakeholder, no matter their ethnic background, religion, race, or political views. Liss Small: The statement was also signed by 60 Media business owners, clergy members, nonprofit leaders, and community stakeholders. We dont need any special advantage when it comes to trade, we just need a level playing field, said Jim Mulhern, president and CEO of National Milk Producers Federation. If we dont have a trade policy that focuses on increasing trade, well just continue to play catch up. We need to focus on expanding U.S. market access. China is a serial abuser of trade regimes, and its hard going it alone to win that kind of confrontation. In my view, were fortunate that China is not dairys largest market. We dont have enough trade agreements around the world. We need to lower tariffs and drive our exports, continued Mulhern during the AgTalks Wisconsin Town Hall, the fifth in a series of virtual meetings to discuss trade, supply chain, and the future of American agriculture. Best ways forward The discussion, hosted by Tom Vilsack, U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC), considered the best ways to improve the American trade agreements. When the middle class increases, the demand for protein also increases. The population in Asias growing middle class will dwarf the entire population of the U.S., so the outlook is tremendous, but we have to have fair trade agreements. If we dont, the advantage will go to other regions, said Mulhern. Managing COVID-19, especially considering business relationships, has proven to be a barrier. Building and maintaining a relationship is best done in person, said Randy Romanski, secretary-designee of the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture Trade and Consumer Protection. There is no substitute for it. While we consult virtually, its just not the same as in-person meetings, and this hampers new business development. Until we can manage COVID-19, this will be a barrier to creating new trade relationships. In addition, the panelists noted the aggressive use of Geographical Indicators (GIs) from the European Union and how best to address it. What I want to say is you want a bilateral agreement? You want greater access? Reverse this GI issue. Unleash us. We need better and more market access, said Mulhern. With the election coming in the fall, the dairy leaders noted they have no idea what to expect. A Trump administration would most likely follow the policies it is using now, while a Biden administration may take a similar approach to trade under Obama. We need exports to use the milk we have today, and the milk we will have in the future, said Jeff Schwager, president of Sartori Cheese. We need fair treatments to be treated equally, and if this doesnt occur, more dairy farmers and processors will go out of business. As for the most challenging trade barriers, those attending in the audience shared the following responses during the webinar. The author and her family own and operate a sixth-generation dairy farm near St. Johns, Mich. To comment, email your remarks to intel@hoards.com. (c) Hoard's Dairyman Intel 2020 September 10, 2020 Pets & Animal, Local News By Ls Cohen Published: September 15 2020 Injured dog wandered away and couldnt make its way back to shore. Over the weekend police were called in to rescue an injured dog who got stuck in a marsh off north Long Beach, according to a Facebook post by the Nassau County Police Department. NCPD Marine Bureau and Fourth Precinct officers were able to get to the dog and take him safely to Town of Hempstead Animal Control employees, who scanned the pup for a microchip and were able to contact the owner. On her Facebook page, Nassau County Executive Laura Curran praised the officers for rescuing the dog, which she identified as a boxer. Another incredible animal rescue by the Nassau County Police Department, she wrote. Thanks to their quick rescue, the dog is making a full recovery! TAYLORVILLE A former Jacksonville radio host has been arrested on a possession of child pornography charges stemming from a Taylorville investigation. Robert T. Tobin, 64, of Springfield was arrested by Illinois State Police and federal marshals Thursday. Tobin lived in Taylorville in February when police started the investigation, according to Police Chief Dwayne Wheeler. Author Martin is the General Manager of Tripadvisors Hospitality Solutions business arm. He is tasked with the P&L responsibility of the unit, while leading the growth strategy and continued development of Tripadvisors existing solutions to maximize accommodation and restaurant partners long-term success. He achieves this by working directly and cross-functionally across Product, Marketing, Engineering, Sales & Operations. Most recently, his team has been supporting Tripadvisors accommodation and restaurant partners through the COVID-19 pandemic by providing free tools, such as Travel Safe and Contactless Menus, as well as financial relief in lockdown markets. They have also been building new solutions, revamping Business Advantage and launching Sponsored Placements Direct for accommodations, and launching Review Hub for restaurants. The team has exciting plans for Q4 2020 watch this space! Prior to this role Martin, led the Global Display Business that he grew to 250+ people across 15+ countries, contributing an +80% profit margin. He also worked at AOL UK, Classic FM, IIR Exhibitions, and BBC Worldwide, as well as having a shorter than planned but fun motor racing career! Martin holds a BSC in Marine Biology from Newcastle University. Not content with all his business travel Martin also holds a private pilots license. He lives in Barnes, London. ERIE, Pa., Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The team at Purchase, George & Murphey, P.C. are pleased to announce that partner Craig Murphey has once again been recognized by Best Lawyers as a 2021 Pittsburgh region "Best Lawyer." First published in 1983, The Best Lawyers in America is a highly regarded resource for those searching for a lawyer in a particular area. Lawyers are selected based upon a confidential, comprehensive peer-review evaluation process. While the scope and scale of this publication has dramatically grown over the past three decades, the core mission of Best Lawyers to highlight the top legal talent in America has remained unchanged. "This honor is very meaningful to me because it comes from my peers, other lawyers who practice in the same areas," said Murphey. "I am gratified that my colleagues have confidence that I, along with my partners Eric Purchase and Tim George, are effectively representing our clients." Craig Murphey has been a trial lawyer for over 25 years. Over the years, Murphey has represented and advised insurance carriers in numerous types of claims involving automobile, homeowners, or commercial general liability policies. He has also handled many cases that shaped Pennsylvania auto insurance law, especially in the arena of uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage. Craig has been honored by his peers and clients as an outstanding lawyer and leader. He has been President of the Erie County Bar Association and the Pennsylvania Defense Institute. Craig is currently a member of the Board of Governors of the Western Pennsylvania Trial Lawyers Association. Craig has been selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America every year since 2012. He was recognized by Best Lawyers as the 2017 Pittsburgh region "Lawyer of the Year" for Personal Injury-Defense, and he received another "Lawyer of the Year" Honor for Insurance Law (Pittsburgh region) in 2019. These were significant honors because The Best Lawyers in America recognizes only one lawyer in each practice area and region as "Lawyer of the Year." Craig has also been selected as a Pennsylvania Super Lawyer every year since 2011. The Super Lawyers designation is awarded to only the top 5% of all Pennsylvania attorneys the honor is bestowed at the conclusion of a selection process that includes peer nominations, an evaluation of professional achievement, and independent research of the candidates. Media Contact: Janie Mackenzie NextLevel.com [email protected] / 215.607.8428 SOURCE Purchase, George & Murphey, P.C. As a result of social-distancing orders, criminal trials in Philadelphia have been moved from the Criminal Justice Center to online, with the proceedings being broadcast over YouTube. Prosecutors, public defenders and advocates say the practice is dangerous. Read more At the start of Khyzee Browns trial on murder charges last week, Assistant District Attorney Robert Foster described to jurors, from behind his mask, how the 24-year-old had shot a neighborhood rival multiple times, while Browns defense attorney insisted that police had the wrong man. On Monday, the jurors acquitted Brown in the death of Markeise Chandler in February 2019 in Olney. In between, the two lawyers, Brown, and the jurors never shared a room: The entire homicide trial, Philadelphias first since the coronavirus restrictions were lifted, took place virtually, with the proceedings broadcast over YouTube. The unprecedented technological workaround to satisfy social-distancing concerns is the subject of a challenge that District Attorney Larry Krasner has brought to the state Supreme Court. In a petition directly to the high court, a rarely taken step called a Kings Bench motion, Philadelphias top prosecutor on Monday asked the court to prevent future trials from being streamed online in real time, saying the practice opens the door for witnesses and defendants alike to be intimidated by viewers illegally recording and distributing their testimonies. The [First Judicial District] has gone too far in attempting to meet public access requirements in the COVID-19 era, Krasner and his staff wrote in the petition. The policy of streaming criminal jury trials over YouTube violates the privacy of all parties and endangers witnesses in a jurisdiction known for intimidation and retaliation achieved through social media. There is no need to take these risks where ample alternatives exist that meet or exceed constitutional requirements. READ MORE: As jury trials resume in Philadelphia, courts lay out plans for juror safety Knowing that theyre being recorded might scare away already-reluctant witnesses, Krasner asserts. And having the proceedings available essentially worldwide makes sequestering witnesses almost impossible. There are also concerns about re-traumatizing victims and their families, especially if excerpts of testimonies later surface online through social media. In a rare instance of collaboration, public defenders, legal advocates, and some private attorneys agree, saying they worry that the practice could cause more harm than good. A spokesperson for the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts, the entity representing the Philadelphia court system in Krasners legal challenge, declined to comment Tuesday, citing a policy against speaking about pending litigation. The petition lays out several alternatives to YouTube broadcasts, including closed-circuit television feeds for jurors seated elsewhere in the Criminal Justice Center or private Zoom calls, which other jurisdictions have been using during the pandemic for smaller preliminary hearings and other matters. Outside the city, some suburban counties have resumed trials as well, notably Bucks and Chester, without having to resort to online broadcasting. Instead, those courts have spread out proceedings into larger courtrooms, restricting the number of people allowed inside. Local defense attorneys who practice in both the city and the suburbs are split over the issue. Paul Lang, a regular at both Philadelphias criminal justice center and suburban courthouses, said the increased access to court proceedings could thwart an attorneys ability to defend his or her client. I cant imagine any litigant prosecutors or defense lawyers in a homicide trial would want streaming video: Autopsy photos frequently show bodies in undress, further embarrassing victims; Witnesses dont want any publicity, he said. And defense lawyers dont want the public guessing their defenses, ideas, or strategies. It does nothing to advance the interest of a fair trial. But A. Charles Peruto Jr., another veteran defense attorney in the Philadelphia region, sees it differently. I dont think there is any reasonable basis to exclude cameras from a courtroom unless youre hiding something, he said. You talk about intimidation: Those people in a non-COVID era were permitted to go to court and watch a witness, and thats even more intimidating. You cannot violate the Constitution and prevent the people from watching a trial." Krasners petition also points out that it is illegal in Pennsylvania to record criminal proceedings, and that courthouse staff usually prohibit cellphones from being used in courtrooms. The new online policy, in effect performs that very function" for anyone who wants to record and distribute testimony with malicious intent, the petition said. Thats also a concern for Keir Bradford-Grey, chief defender and head of the Philadelphia Defenders' Association. In a statement Tuesday, Bradford-Grey said she and her organization fully support Krasners efforts. Using YouTube to stream homicide trials will benefit neither the victims' families nor the accused, she said. "We do understand the need for transparency, but we need to find a better way to provide the public with access to court processes during the pandemic. Theres also a risk that excerpts of recordings might be wielded against a defendant later, especially if he or she is acquitted of criminal charges. Deborah Gross, the president of Pennsylvanians for Modern Courts, a nonprofit that advocates for improving access to and understanding of the judicial system, said that permanency may be an unintended consequence of the YouTube policy. What happens to innocent until proven guilty? Gross said Tuesday. We can expunge records, but I dont know how youre going to be able to prevent any kind of recording from haunting somebody. You would potentially have access to a snapshot of a testimony, and that could be used to prevent someone from getting a job, or getting housing. Staff writer Chris Palmer contributed to this article. Actress Kangana Ranaut has criticised Samajwadi Party MP and actress Jaya Bachchan for her remarks against people who are trying to tarnish the image of the film industry, and questioned whether her stance would change if her children were involved. "Jayaji would you say the same thing if in my place it was your daughter Shweta beaten, drugged and molested as a teenage, would you say the same thing if Abhieshek complained about bullying and harassment constantly and found hanging one day? Show compassion for us also," Kangana said. In the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday, Jaya Bachchan demanded the government to provide protection and put a ban on the unending bashing being faced by members of the film industry. "Some of the people who have got name and fame has said it is 'gutter'," she said, without naming the individuals but added they should not defame the industry. "It is the film industry that gave name and fame to many people. There is a continuous process to defame the industry for the things done by a handful, she added. Previously, Kangana had called the film industry a "gutter" and alleged that 99 per cent of the people who work in it have been exposed to drugs. Kangana tweeted: "Like a famous choreographer once said "rape kiya toh kya hua roti toh di na" is that what you implying? There are no proper HR departments in production houses where women can complain, no safety or insurances for those who risk their lives every day,no 8 hours shift regulations." "This mentality that gareeb ko roti mila toh that's enough need to change,gareeb ko roti ke saath samman aur payaar bhi chahiye, I have a full list of reforms I want from centre government for workers and junior artists,some day if I meet honourable Prime Minister I will discuss," the actress added. Kangana continued: "As and when I get time to meet authorities I will share the detailed list of reforms I have prepared for labourers in the film industry across India so that young leading Indians can fight for similar reforms for their underprivileged friends in their own respective fields." BEIJING, Sept 15 (Reuters) - China's aviation regulator said on Tuesday that passenger numbers in August fell 25.6% from a year earlier, recovering from a decline of 34.1% in July. Passenger traffic for international travel was still down 97.3% year-on-year in August, with the daily number of passengers carried averaging about 6,000, Zhang Qing, an official with Civil Aviation Administration of China, told a press conference. (Reporting by Lusha Zhang, Stella Qiu and Ryan Woo; Editing by Christian Schmollinger) Facilities California Top State in School Solar A new study ranked California first among states for installed solar capacity at K-12 schools. The project was undertaken by Generation180, a nonprofit that addresses clean energy and which is currently running a "Solar for All Schools" campaign to advance clean energy usage in K-12 facilities. According to the organization, energy is the second largest individual expense for U.S. schools after personnel. California ranked number one in three categories: First in installed solar capacity at 616 megawatts, an increase of 41 percent since 2017; First in the number of "solar" schools at 2,430, a jump of 25 percent since 2017; and First in the number of students attending a solar school, 2.03 million students. Those installations in California schools contributed to a 139 percent increase for the entire country of solar installations at schools since 2014. The state is home to a third of solar schools and 45 percent of the installed capacity. New Jersey came in second across the board, with 182 megawatts in 621 schools, educating 408,000 students. Some 7,332 schools in 2,231 districts run solar, representing 5.5 percent of all K-12 public and private schools in the United States. Over the last five years, K-12 solar capacity has grown by 139 percent. The number of schools with solar grew by 81 percent. The top five states for those installations were, in ranked order: California, New Jersey, Arizona, Massachusetts and Indiana. Three states with the fastest growing installed capacity were Indiana, Virginia and Illinois; each moved from the bottom half of Generation180's 2014 list to the top 10 in 2019. Hawaii was the top state in terms of the percentage of schools with solar (29 percent); District of Columbia came in second (23 percent of schools have solar); and Nevada came in third (20 percent). At the bottom of the ranking were eight states, each of which has five or fewer solar schools and one (South Dakota) that has no solar schools whatsoever. Wyoming Alaska Alabama Mississippi North Dakota Oklahoma South Dakota Four of these states (Wyoming, Alaska, North Dakota and Oklahoma) are also among the top oil producers in the country. The survey and a report of the findings was developed in partnership with the Solar Foundation, a nonprofit that advances the use of solar and related technologies worldwide, and industry organization Solar Energy Industries Association. The study found that most schools install solar with minimal to no upfront capital costs. Nearly eight in 10 installations (79 percent) were financed by a third party. The report noted that California is one of 28 states that allows for third-party financing of solar projects. Another 14 percent are owned outright by the districts that have used bonds, loans, cash or other sources for funding and seven percent have direct ownership through grants and donations. The authors reported that schools were capitalizing on solar projects not just to reduce fossil fuel usage, but also to provide students with STEM learning opportunities, job training and internships. An increasing number of schools were able to position their solar and battery storage for usage in emergency situations, to provide backup power during grid outages. For example, the Santa Barbara Unified School District intends to install 4.5 MW of solar shade canopies on 14 sites, providing up to 94 percent of the district's energy needs. Six of those sites will have solar-powered microgrids that can provide backup power when the grid is down, an important consideration in a state where planned and emergency power outages due to wildfire risks is a more frequent event. Those measures are just one of several environment and sustainability initiatives being undertaken by the district. "Solar is absolutely attainable for all schools--regardless of how sunny or wealthy it is where you live. Too few schools realize that solar is something they can take advantage of to save money and benefit students today," said Wendy Philleo, executive director of Generation180, in a statement. "Schools that switch to solar can put energy cost savings toward return-to-school preparations, such as installing ventilation systems, or toward retaining teachers and preserving essential programs." The report is available with registration through the Solar for All Schools website. A court in Vietnam has jailed four people over their roles in the death of 39 migrants found in a refrigerated truck in England last year. The deaths of the 31 men and eight women from Vietnam, who were found in a vehicle in Grays, Essex, in October 2019, highlighted the enormous risks of illegal migration to Europe and sparked an international outcry. A series of people have been arrested and charged in the UK, France and Belgium in connection with the case, including several from Northern Ireland. Expand Close Maurice Robinson / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Maurice Robinson The driver of the lorry, Maurice Robinson (25), of Laurelvale, Co Armagh, pleaded guilty to manslaughter in April this year. Emergency services were contacted shortly after 1.30am on October 23 by a panicked Robinson who reported that there were people inside who were not breathing. Expand Close Ronan Hughes / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Ronan Hughes Ronan Hughes, 40, from Tyholland, Co Monaghan, also pleaded guilty to manslaughter last month. The deaths shocked Britain and Vietnam and shone a spotlight on the illicit global trade that sends the poor of Asia, Africa and the Middle East on perilous journeys to the West. The defendants, aged between 24 and 36, were found guilty of organising and brokering illegal emigration, after a one-day trial in the central province of Ha Tinh. They were given prison sentences of between two-and-a-half years and seven-and-a-half years by a court in central Ha Tinh province on Monday. Three others on trial were given suspended sentences. The victims, who included two 15-year-old boys, were mostly from Ha Tinh and its neighbouring Nghe An province, where poor job prospects, encouragement by authorities, smuggling gangs and environmental issues have fuelled migration. They were discovered last October in a container at the back of a truck on an industrial estate in Grays in Essex, about 20 miles (30 km) east of London. Expand Close Police activity in 2019 at the Waterglade Industrial Park in Grays, Essex (Aaron Chown/PA) PA / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Police activity in 2019 at the Waterglade Industrial Park in Grays, Essex (Aaron Chown/PA) A police statement said the defendants arranged for Pham Thi Tra My, whose desperate text messages sent from inside the container first alerted the world to the victims plight, to travel illegally to France and then to Britain for $22,000. I honestly dont want the defendants to face long prison sentences as I know that it was just an accident, said Thin, Tra Mys father, who attended the trial. Handing them long prison terms wont help me get back my daughter, Thin said. Expand Close Candles laid out at a vigil for the 39 victims (Yui Mok/PA) PA / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Candles laid out at a vigil for the 39 victims (Yui Mok/PA) But Nguyen Dinh Gia, who lost his 20-year-old son Luong in the tragedy, said he believed the defendants should not have been given jail terms. The people involved were just trying to help and then the accident happened, he said, and added that he had not known the trial was taking place. He was an adult who made his own decision and joined the trip voluntarily, with the aim to improve his life, earning money to alleviate our poverty. Mr Gia said his son had wanted to travel to Britain from France, where he had been living illegally since 2018. The journey to Britain, where he aimed to look for work in a nail salon, would have cost him around 11,000 (12,000). It has been almost a year but whenever I think about this, its still painful, Mr Gia said. Mr Gias son and the majority of the other migrants came from a handful of poor central provinces, hotspots for illegal migration to Europe. The lorry carrying the victims arrived on a ferry from the Belgian port of Zeebrugge in the early hours of October 23. They died from lack of oxygen and overheating, according to post-mortem examinations Cardi B is calling it quits on her marriage to Offset. The Love & Hip Hop star turned WAP rappers filing comes as a shock to some fans. For others, the news is not surprising. The couple has overcome infidelity and rumors of more cheating throughout their relationship but always reconciled. This time, Cardi says shes leaving for good. Offset and Cardi B | Francis Specker/CBS via Getty Images Cardi B reportedly files for divorce from Offset Hollywood Unlocked reports that Cardi has filed for divorce from Offset after three years of marriage and one daughter. The media site claims they contacted the Fulton County superior court in Georgia who confirmed that a divorce petition has been filed in Superior Court with Cardi as the petitioner. They also report that a few days prior to Cardi filing for divorce, she posted a cryptic quote to her Instagram story that read: Her heart finally told her to stop wasting her time, along with the writing, its time . RELATED: Cardi B Says Offset Leaves Her Vulnerable to Enemies E! News is also reporting Cardis divorce filing. Her legal team tells the media outlet that her marriage is irretrievably broken and there are no prospects for reconciliation. She is requesting child support from Offset and hopes the divorce will be settled by agreement of the parties. Their daughter Kulture is two-years-old. Offset also has other children with different women. The pair recently moved into a mega-mansion in Georgia. Cardi is requesting custody of Offset. She also wants Offset to cover her legal expenses. Its unclear what triggered the divorce filing or if the two are currently separated. This isnt the first time Cardi B and Offset have split Cardi and Offsets love story has not been without hiccups. They secretly married in September 2017. Just a year later, Cardi split with Offset due to infidelity. Offset publicly pleaded for Cardis forgiveness, even interrupting her live concert to beg for to reconcile with him. Taking their family into consideration, the couple decided to work things out, which Cardi says her fans were not happy with. In a January 2020 interview with Vogue, Cardi explains her decision to stay. RELATED: Did An Instagram Leak Prove Offset Is Cheating On Cardi B? When me and my husband got into our issuesyou know, he cheated and everythingand I decided to stay with him and work together with him, a lot of people were so mad at me, she said, as reported by E! News. A lot of women felt disappointed in me. She continued: But its real-life st. If you love somebody and you stop being with them, and youre depressed and social media is telling you not to talk to that person because he cheated, youre not really happy on the inside until you have the conversation. Additional cheating rumors followed. A woman claiming to be the girlfriend of Tekhasi 69 posted a video to her Instagram account with a screenshot from what she says is from the Migos rapper. The screenshot shows Offset allegedly flirting with her in her direct messages. Cardi responded, alleging her and Offsets accounts were hacked but fans did not believe them. Other social media influencers have accused Offset of being unfaithful. Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao on Monday assured in the Assembly that the state government will take sincere efforts to provide employment on compassionate grounds to the kith and kin of Singareni workers who die in harness, apart from ensuring hassle-free retirement benefits. He was responding to queries raised by the MLAs on medical board meetings and employment based on compassionate grounds during Question Hour in the Assembly. He told the members that they will see good decisions shortly in this regard. He said that the state government will definitely look into it. But the candidates should have some patience as posts cannot be created for them. He assured that when posts relevant to their educational qualifications fall vacant, priority will be given to them. On the issue of Income Tax exemption to workers in mines, he when he brought the issue to the notice of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the latter told him that if exemption was given to Singareni workers, the same facility will have to be extended to Coal India workers too. Stating the with regard tax exemption, UPA government and the BJP government speaks the same language, he said will continue to fight for it, we will also ask our MPs to raise the issue during the ongoing Parliament session. JK Rowling is embroiled in yet another trans row after it was revealed that the villain in her latest book is a male serial killer who dresses as a woman to slay his victims. Troubled Blood - written under Rowling's pseudonym Robert Galbraith - is set to be released on September 15 and will see detective Cormoran Strike work out what happened to missing GP Margot Bamborough. He fears she fell victim to Dennis Creed, who has been dubbed a 'transvestite serial killer' for murdering his victims while wearing female clothing. An early review of the 900-page book by The Daily Telegraph - in which the critic states the book's 'moral seems to be: never trust a man in a dress' - sparked immediate backlash online. Furious readers rushed to Twitter to share their thoughts, making #RIPJKRowling trend in the UK. Others said the book - which is not released until Tuesday - is not transphobic at all and over-eager detractors should read it before jumping to conclusions. Observer journalist Nick Cohen wrote: 'I've read the latest Strike novel, and the claim it's anti-trans is total sh***. JK Rowling (left) is embroiled in yet another trans row after it was revealed that the villain in her latest book Troubled Blood (right) is a male serial killer who dresses as a woman to slay his victims 'I can't tell you why it is total sh*** without giving away the ending. So until you read it yourself, which you should, you will just have to trust me: this is total sh***.' A Twitter user called Steve replied stating: 'But when you combine it with all the negative stereotyping she's done about trans women, it shows a clear pattern. 'It's not anti-trans as such but it does play into the fears that trans women are cis males looking to spy on women.' Cohen replied: 'Read the bloody book why don't you?' Piers Morgan added: 'The fact #RIPJKRowling is trending says all you need to know about the woke brigade - they're nastier and more viciously intolerant than anyone they preach about.' In June, the Harry Potter author hit the headlines after she mocked an online article using the words 'people who menstruate' instead of 'women'. Observer journalist Nick Cohen wrote: 'I've read the latest Strike novel, and the claim it's anti-trans is total sh***' Piers Morgan added: 'The fact #RIPJKRowling is trending says all you need to know about the woke brigade - they're nastier and more viciously intolerant than anyone they preach about' She was hit by what she described as 'relentless attacks' after she wrote: 'I'm sure there used to be a word for those people. Someone help me out. Wumben? Wimpund? Woomud?' The acclaimed novelist then penned a deeply personal essay to address the controversy, revealing she was sexually assaulted in her 20s and saying she still feels the scars of 'domestic violence' in her first marriage. Rowling's remarks sparked backlash from a range of stars including Ron actor Rupert Grint, Emma Watson who played Hermione in the film franchise, Daniel Radcliffe who played Harry and Eddie Redmayne, who stars in her Fantastic Beasts films. But actor Robbie Coltrane - who played Rubeus Hagrid in the movies - told the Radio Times: 'I don't think what she said was offensive really. 'I don't know why but there's a whole Twitter generation of people who hang around waiting to be offended. He added: 'That's me talking like a grumpy old man, but you just think, "Oh, get over yourself".' Cormoran Strike - the fifth book in the series - has been published by Sphere, an imprint of the Little, Brown Book Group. Little, Brown Book Group are owned by Hachette, one of several publishers involved in Miss Rowling's children's book The Ickabog. In June, several of those involved in The Ickabog, are said to have staged their own rebellion during a heated meeting. JK Rowling with first husband Jorge Arantes in 1999. She detailed why she has become embroiled in a bitter row on Twitter with campaigners who seek greater rights for men and women changing gender, referring to her experience of domestic abuse during her first marriage to Jorge Arantes JK Rowling pictured with Rupert Grint, Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson in 2001 THE VERY WOKE PUBLISHING HOUSE JK ROWLING WORKED HER MAGIC ON AFTER HARRY POTTER JK Rowling published all seven of her Harry Potter novels - as well as spinoffs - with British publishing house Bloomsbury. But she broke away from the London-based company when she launched her foray into books for adults and screenplays. Her first book targeted at adults, The Casual Vacancy, was published with Little, Brown Book Group. Her Cormoran Strike series, which she wrote under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith, was also published with the group - as was the screenplay for global phenomenon Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. Little, Brown Book Group are owned by Hachette, one of several publishers involved in Miss Rowling's new children's book The Ickabog. The group has published a wide variety of feminist literature over the years, including a children's book titled 'Feminist Baby! He's a Feminist Too!' The group - whose staff have threatened to down tools in protest at Rowling's views on gender - have also published a book simply titled Woke by Titania McGrath. Rowling has been an undoubted success for Little, Brown Book Group - and therefore Hachette. The Casual Vacancy was a huge hit. The book sold 125,000 copies in its first week. The first novel in her Cormoran Strike series, The Cuckoo's Calling, was heaped with praise by critics before the real author was unmasked. When Rowling was unveiled, sales skyrocketed by an eye-watering 156,866% in just one day. The book sold 17,662 copies in six days in 2013. The script of global smash-hit play Harry Potter and the Cursed Child sold more than 680,000 in three days after it too was published by the group. The figures smashed the record for the biggest single-week sale of any title this decade. Advertisement One source said: 'Staff in the children's department at Hachette announced they were no longer prepared to work on the book. 'They said they were opposed to her comments and wanted to show support for the trans lobby. These staff are all very 'woke', mainly in their twenties and early thirties, and apparently it is an issue they feel very strongly about.' Another insider said: 'It was a handful of staff, and they are entitled to their views. If they were being asked to edit a book on domestic abuse, and they were a survivor of domestic abuse, of course they would never be forced to work on it. But this is a children's fairy tale. It is not the end of the world. They will all be having chats with their managers.' Hachette is the parent company of Virago Press, a London-based company who publish women's writing and feminist books. Notable published authors include Maya Angelou, Beatrix Campbell and Angela Carter. Then, in August it was revealed that Hodder Education, part of Hachette, invited a transgender activist group to edit a court report covering a free speech ruling. The writer of the legal article said it was 'effectively destroyed' due to extensive feedback from trans rights charity Mermaids. The move by Hodder Education, part of Hachette, saw Ian Yule resign as chairman of the editorial board of A-level Law Review magazine, for which the article was written. Mr Yule's article was a summary of a case in which the police were likened to 'the Gestapo or the Stasi' for their response to an accusation that businessman Harry Miller, 55, had posted transphobic tweets. Officers visited his workplace to tell him the tweets including one saying 'I was assigned mammal at birth, but my orientation is fish. Don't mis-species me' were recorded as a 'non-crime hate incident' after receiving a single complaint in 2019. High Court judge Mr Justice Julian Knowles's ruling in February found the force's actions were a 'disproportionate interference' with Mr Miller's rights to freedom of expression and his tweets were 'lawful'. However, bosses at Hodder Education felt readers of the court report might find it 'offensive' and referred it to Mermaids, according to The Sunday Times. The charity was asked to suggest 'examples we can use to counteract the tone and opinions in the piece' and to suggest changes to 'anything you feel is untrue, unfair and/or offensive'. Mermaids' head of policy reportedly responded with four typed pages of feedback saying the article 'doesn't come over as balanced'. The publisher is said to have already deleted two-thirds of the original article because it had to be 'very careful how we present certain views'. Mr Yule, 72, said: 'This article contained little or no commentary by me, and no comments whatsoever on the issue of transgenderism. 'My article did not express my own thoughts or beliefs but was a straightforward and accurate report of a High Court judgment.' Mr Yule said the publisher's behaviour was 'far beyond parody', adding: 'If the judgment of a respected High Court judge is likely to upset such students and their teachers, they have no business studying or teaching this subject.' If you attended a dinner party in the mid-1800s, you might have eaten each food with a different fork. There were forks designed specifically to eat sardines with. There were lettuce forks. Macaroni forks. Pickle forks. Cherry forks. For dessert, youd have used a pastry fork. (Click to see; they're not pictured above.) And there were many more. Why? In truth, it had nothing to do with the food and everything to do with business. These forks are a lesson in entrepreneurship. Theyre an insight into how smart companies can adapt to changing times, by understanding exactly what their customer wants. The silverware companies of the 1800s knew that, oftentimes, customers top priority isnt the product itself. Its how a product makes them feel. To understand what happened with forks, you first need to know where forks came from. The Strange History of Forks The fork may be common today, but its a relatively new addition to our table. For most of the past two millenniums, the attitude toward forks went like this: God has given us our hands. God gives us food. Our hands are worthy of touching that food, recounts Darra Goldstein, a food historian and cookbook writer, author most recently of Beyond the North Wind. And you introduce something that is foreign and alien and metal that distances from the God-given food and that is bad. Forks did gain some popularity in Byzantium (now known as Constantinople) in the 11th century, when upper-class women used them to eat candied fruit. But when the Byzantium princess Maria Argyropoulina married a Venitian leader, she brought a fork with herand things didnt go well. The world of Venice was aghast, Goldstein says. The tool was immediately associated with the devil because the forks of those days had two prongs, which looked like Satanic horns. Unfortunately for the poor princess, she fell very ill and died shortly, so that was proof that she was consorting with the devil. And then the fork pretty much disappeared for a few more centuries. The fork made a comeback during the Renaissance, beginning in the 1400s. Wealthy people in Florence, Italy, began constructing dining rooms for the first time, and then hosting elaborate banquets in them. They would serve up to 100 courses, have live birds flying out of pies, and wanted to create a sense of elegance and sophistication. Forks served that purpose: They enabled all these people to eat without messing up their hands. After that, forks slowly gained acceptance around Europe. But when America declared its independence from Great Britain a few centuries later, its new citizens decided that the fork wasnt for them. When John Quincy Adams became president in 1825, he used forks in the White House and according to Goldstein, Americans were aghast. They said, We Americans are simple people who fled the class system of Europe, and you're introducing something that distinguishes yourself from the rest of us, she says. So what changed? Thats how this becomes a story of entrepreneurship. The Fork Becomes Cheaper Up until the 1800s, utensils were extremely expensive. Ancient Romans made them out of lead, but that was a health hazard. Later people made them out of steel, but that can rust and make food taste bad. There just werent a lot of good options for a safe, durable material throughout the centuries, except for very expensive metals. Silver was good, and gold was better. For this reason, the average person might splurge to buy a single spoon and knife. But a fork was deemed an unnecessary luxury item. It became a status symbol for the rich. Then the market changed. Silver plating was commercialized in the 1840s, which created a market of affordable, silver-plated forks. Then, in 1859, a massive amount of silver, known as the Comstock Lode, was discovered in Nevada, which flooded the market and lowered the price of silver. Suddenly, the average person could buy a fork. That meant the wealthy had lost their status symbol. The New Forks Arrive A fork was no longer cool. It was common. And that was a problem for silver companies. What were the wealthy to do?" says Goldstein. "They still had to find a way to be distinctive, The dominant silver companies of the day, like Tiffany & Co. and Gorham, understood this. They knew that, to their wealthy customers, a fork was not just a tool for eating. It was a symbol, and using it made them feel special. To maintain their fork businesses, they needed to find new ways to deliver that same emotional value. So they started making different kinds of forks for different kinds of food, Goldstein says. This is where sardine, olive and macaroni forks come from. (At the time, macaroni was very fashionable.) These new products came with new routines: A customer could feel exclusive by using a specialized fork for each item on a plate, while the rest of the world just used the same old fork for everything. Did it last? Yes and no. Most of these forks eventually faded away, replaced by even newer products that inspired those same old emotions. But a few are still with us, like the salad fork and the fish fork. Most importantly, these forks remain a quirky lesson in customer obsession. A brand produces products and services, but entrepreneurs cant be defined solely by what they create. They have to understand the deeper connection they create with their consumer the way they fit into peoples lives, and the emotional value they deliver. If an entrepreneur can internalize that, theyll have a far easier time pivoting during times of change. Because while tastes may evolve, and industries and markets will shift, consumers will always want to feel special. There's more to know! Hear the full history of the fork, including how it changed the way we eat and think about ourselves, in this episode of the podcast Pessimists Archive. Or sign up for a newsletter about how people fear and accept innovation. Related: Don't Get Disrupted! How to Protect Yourself From Your Competition Struggling With Change? Take a Lesson From These Weird Little Forks We Need Entrepreneurial Leaders Now More Than Ever Copyright 2020 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved DALLAS, Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Sargent Law founder David Sargent has earned placement in the 2021 edition of The Best Lawyers in America, the oldest peer-review guide in the country. Mr. Sargent is honored for his work on behalf of defendants in personal injury litigation, recognition he has received since 2012. "This honor is meaningful because it shows that others in the legal industry recognize our hard work," said Mr. Sargent. "Our firm is dedicated to defending our clients all the way to trial." The Best Lawyers selection process involves a rigorous method that begins with peer evaluations from lawyers across the nation who nominate attorneys, followed by a thorough vetting from Best Lawyers researchers. The complete 2021 Best Lawyers in America edition is available online at http://bestlawyers.com. Mr. Sargent is a skilled trial attorney who has tried more than 100 cases to verdict in Texas federal and state courts in a range of high-stakes litigation. His expertise in personal injury defense includes representing clients involved in transportation accidents, on-the-job injury, premises and general liability cases. In addition to receiving recognition from Best Lawyers, Mr. Sargent was honored in the 2020 Texas Super Lawyers listing as a top-rated transportation and maritime attorney. As a guest lecturer, Mr. Sargent often presents at conferences on defending personal injury lawsuits. He is a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates, Texas Association of Defense Counsel and the Trucking Insurance Defense Association, to name a few. Sargent Law, P.C. is a trial litigation firm with more than 100 years of combined experience defending companies and individuals in transportation, personal injury, general and premises liability, workplace injury and commercial litigation. Visit our website: http://sargentlawtx.com/. Media Contact: Sophia Reza 800-559-4534 [email protected] SOURCE Sargent Law, P.C. Related Links http://sargentlawtx.com After initially announcing iOS 14, iPadOS 14, and watchOS 7 at WWDC 2020 earlier this year, Apple has announced the public release date of all three operating systems. All three updates will be released for all compatible iPhones, iPads, and Apple Watches this month itself. iOS 14 Release Date Despite Apple not releasing new iPhones in September this year, the company has not delayed the public release of a major new iOS update. iOS 14 comes with a number of new features including a redesigned home screen experience with new features like App Library and widgets support, new compact caller UI, Picture-in-Picture mode, compact Siri UI, App Clips, enhanced Safari browsing experience, and more. You can find an in-depth look at the 100+ new iOS 14 features here. Apple will release iOS 14 to the public on September 16. iOS 14 is compatible with the following iPhones: 2020 iPhone SE iPhone 11 Pro Max iPhone 11 Pro iPhone 11 iPhone XS Max iPhone XS iPhone XR iPhone X iPhone 8 Plus iPhone 8 iPhone 7 Plus iPhone 7 iPhone 6s Plus iPhone 6s iPhone SE iPod touch (7th generation) iPadOS 14 Release Date iPadOS 14 is also releasing alongside iOS 14 to the public next week on September 16. This is also a major update for iPads as it brings an enhanced Siri experience, revamped system apps, Spotlight search, Scribble for Apple Pencil, and more. There are over 100+ new iPadOS 14 features which makes the update a pretty substantial one. Like iOS 14, Apple is not dropping support for any of the existing iPads with iPadOS 14. The following iPads are compatible with the OS: 2020 iPad Pro 2018 iPad Pro 2017 iPad Pro 2015 iPad Pro 7th gen. iPad 6th gen. iPad 5th gen. iPad iPad Air 3 iPad Air 2 iPad mini 5 iPad mini 4 watchOS 7 Release Date Unlike iOS 14 and iPadOS 14, Apple has dropped support for some older Apple Watch variants with watchOS 7. All Apple Watch models older than Series 3 are no longer supported. Below are all the Apple Watch variants compatible with watchOS 7: Apple Watch Series 5 Apple Watch Series 4 Apple Watch Series 3 Apple will be releasing watchOS 7 to the public for all compatible Apple Watch on September 16. tvOS 14 Apple will also be releasing tvOS 14 for Apple Watch for all compatible Apple TVs on September 16. Are you looking forward to the public release of iOS 14 and iPadOS 14? Or have you already jumped on the beta bandwagon? Drop a comment and let us know! The Congress also walked out of the Lok Sabha after being denied permission to speak about support to the Indian Army following Rajnath Singh's statement. New Delhi, Sep 15 (IANS) The Congress on Tuesday took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his absence from the Lok Sabha as Defence Minister Rajnath Singh spoke about the India-China border issue, saying that "he is frightened to face tough questions". Speaking to the media outside Parliament, Congress MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said: "Today, in the Lok Sabha, Rajnath Singh was set to speak about Ladakh. For the Congress, the country is supreme. Our Army is our pride. "Thus, when Rajnath Singh spoke on Ladakh and talked about a resolution, we demanded a minute to pay our respect to the armed forces. But we were not allowed to speak." Chowdhury said that though there were many questions on the issue, the Congress knew that the Modi government was not ready to provide the answers. Citing the parliamentary debate over the 1962 India-China war, the Congress leader said: "Then opposition leader Atal Bihari Vajpayee had demanded to know about the India-China war and sought a debate in Parliament. Then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru ensured a debate was held for two days in Parliament." The Congress leader said: "We knew that this government will not be ready to discuss the India-China issue in Parliament though we have given a number of notices for a debate." "We were stopped from speaking in Parliament. We know that the government is frightened by questions raised by the Congress. The manner in which a resolution was moved by Rajnath Singh, he praised the Prime Minister; but when the resolution was to be passed, Modiji was absent. Why was he absent? It is because he is frightened. He had earlier claimed that no one had entered India, nor any Indian land occupied by China. The Prime Minister has no answers; so he fears a discussion in Parliament." He said that if the Congress members were allowed to speak in Parliament, the government would be exposed. Chowdhury demanded that the government must tell the nation what actually was transpiring on the LAC. "They curtailed the discussion because they don't have any answers," he said. --IANS aks/miz/tsb/bg Governor Babagana Umara Zulum spent the most part of his weekend traveling to Diffa province in Niger Republic, Damasak in northern Borno, and Banki l, a border town in central part of the State over the welfare of refugees and internally displaced persons. DIFFA Gov. Zulum, who was in Abuja for series of developmental activities, flew to Diffa on Friday in company of Senator Basheer G. Mohammed, federal commissioner in charge of National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally displaced persons, and the acting permanent secretary, federal ministry of humanitarian affairs, disaster management and social development, Alhaji Ali Grema. In Diffa, the governor and the federal team visited Nigerians taking refuge in Niger republic to assess their welfare and to follow up discussions with stakeholders on how to fast-track the safe and dignified return of the refugees in Diffa for resettlement in Borno. BANKI After using Saturday for some activities in Maiduguri, Governor Zulum, on Sunday, resumed humanitarian efforts by traveling to Banki, a commercial border town in Bama local government area, Borno central, to distribute N80m cash to displaced families as livelihood support. The households were faced with challenges of means to buy food from vendors around them. Prof. Zulum traveled alongside Senator Basheer G. Mohammed of the commission for refugees, and Ali Grema of humanitarian affairs ministry. Together, they distributed N80m cash to households in Banki. The Banki camp hosts about 42,000 IDPs mainly from Banki, Kumshe and other surrounding communities. Each male and female beneficiary was given N5,000 to enable them procure food items. Governor Babagama Umara Zulum sympathised with the displaced families over their plight, he assured that government will device means of ensuring food sufficiency while Banki -Bama road will be made motorable . The Governor also informed them of the desire of government to resettle Banki town. District Head of Banki, Baba Shehu Arjinoma led stakeholders and IDPs to express gratitude to government of Borno and the federation for demonstration of empathy. At the 152 Battalion in Banki which was visited by the delegation, Zulum appreciated officers and soldiers for their sacrifice to protect lives and property. The Governor and commanding officers rubbed minds on wide range of issues relating to delivery of food items to the community, provision of security to the returnees, the resuscitation of farming activities, and plans for evacuation of refugees from Cameroon to be settled in Banki. Before their departure, Gov. Zulum accompanied by the Federal delegation drove round Banki town to assess ongoing construction works during which the Governor directed resumption of clearing works preparatory to community resettlement in the next one month. Insurers and observers are weighing in on the ruling by a London court in a test case brought by Britains Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to clarify insurance coverage for COVID-19 related business interruption claims. The FCA says the court brought clarity to the COVID-19 coverage issues for many small-to-medium (SME) businesses by finding in favor of its policyholder arguments on the majority of key issues, while insurers point out they won some parts, too. (See related article titled: Financial Conduct Authority Hails Business Interruption Ruling as Policyholder Win.) The FCA acknowledges that the judgment did not say that insurers are liable across all of the 21 different types of policy wording considered by the court in the test sample. Each policy needs to be considered against the detailed judgment to work out what it means for that policy, said the FCA. The case was brought against eight insurers including Hiscox, RSA, QBE and Zurich over whether various business interruption (BI) policy wordings should cover for closures and disruption put in place due to the pandemic. Hiscox said the judgment clarifies that fewer than one third of its 34,000 UK business interruption policies may respond and it estimates additional COVID-19 claims arising from business interruption to be less than 100 million net of reinsurance Insurer RSA said the ruling upheld some but not all of its interpretations of provisions and it estimates the impact of this judgment to be around 85m, which it expects will be reduce further through reinsurance. Zurich Insurance said the decision affirms its policy interpretations. QBE said that catastrophe reinsurance will limit the net cost of business interruption claims in its UK insurance business to $70 million. It is weighing whether to appeal. (See below for comments from QBE). Analysts at rating agency AM Best said they expect COVID-19-related BI claims to have a material impact on U.K. commercial property insurers 2020 earnings; however the aggregate solvency of the U.K. non-life insurance sector should remain robust. AM Best estimates that commercial property premiums account for approximately GBP 7.5 billion of the GBP 50 billion gross premiums written by U.K.-domiciled non-life insurers, and that approximately 10% of commercial property premiums relate to business interruption extensions. Moodys said the financial impact on individual insurers should be manageable, net of reinsurance. Fitch said its ratings of UK non-life insurers are likely to be unaffected by the decision since the amounts likely to be involved appear within ranges already disclosed and considered in its ratings sensitivities. Lawyers for the policyholders Hiscox Action Group said they are writing to Hiscox demanding immediate interim payments for many clients who are struggling to survive. Clients deserve clarity, and the fact that this case had to take place at all is a rebuke to our industry and the often obscure language we use, commented Christopher Croft, CEO, London & International Insurance Brokers Association. There is speculation over possible appeals by insurers but also some doubt. While some appeals may arise, it is possible that, for the sake of the insurance industrys reputation, and due to the fact that claims are manageable (especially considering lower claims frequency on other lines of business), the insurers may decide to pay and move on, analysts at Berenberg Capital Market wrote. According to Meyer Shields, analyst at Keefe, Bruyette and Woods (KBW), the test case did not discuss the key question in the U.S. of whether COVID-19 constitutes physical damage, rather it focused on whether government actions constituted a mandatory denial of access. Shields noted that exposed insurers, especially Hiscox, are trading up today, with the decision seen as better than potential worst-case scenarios. Still, Shields wrote, he expects the impacted insurers to appeal the decision, with final resolution still some time away. The Association of British Insurers said it is important to look ahead so that there is a solution in the event of another pandemic. It favours a public-private partnership for that. Lloyds of London said it welcomes the test case judgement for bringing coverage clarity and said it will carefully consider the implications for its customers as well as its impact on the Lloyds market, which it said retains less than 2% of the overall UK property SME market. Reactions to the COVID-19 BI Ruling Some of the reactions to the 162-page ruling: Association of British Insurers, commented in part: Covid-19 and the application of insurance in relation to Business Interruption insurance created a complex situation requiring legal consideration of the many different issues of proximate causation and wording interpretations. That is why, from the outset, we welcomed the FCA intervention in bringing this test case and the ultimate clarity the judgement will bring (once any appeal process is complete). We recognise how important this case is for customers and the insurance industry alike and we will study the judgement in detail over the coming days while waiting to see if any of the parties appeal. Meanwhile, the outcomes do not prevent individual policyholders from pursuing issues through the courts, or eligible complainants from taking a complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service. Looking forwards, it is important that we have a solution so that customers can be protected in the event of another pandemic. It Is our belief that that a public-private partnership would be the best means. Already in the UK we have been looking at a model called Pandemic Re and many other nations are also considering these types of shared risk models. Pool Re, which is the UKs answer to terrorism risk, provides a working example of how such a partnership could work in practice. Financial Conduct Authority. Christopher Woolard, interim chief executive of the FCA, commented in part: Coronavirus is causing substantial loss and distress to businesses and many are under immense financial strain to stay afloat. Our aim throughout this court action has been to get clarity for as wide a range of parties as possible, as quickly as possible and todays judgment removes a large number of those roadblocks to successful claims, as well as clarifying those that may not be successful. Insurers should reflect on the clarity provided here and, irrespective of any possible appeals, consider the steps they can take now to progress claims of the type that the judgment says should be paid. They should also communicate directly and quickly with policyholders who have made claims affected by the judgment to explain next steps. If any parties do appeal the judgment, we would expect that to be done in as rapid a manner as possible in line with the agreement that we made with insurers at the start of this process. As we have recognised from the start of this case, thousands of small firms and potentially hundreds of thousands of jobs are relying on this. The Hiscox Action Group, a 400-member policyholder group participant in the case: This group said the High Court ruling means that hundreds of Hiscox Action Group members who were forced to close their premises during the pandemic should now receive an insurance pay out from Hiscox Insurance. The law firm Mishcon de Reya said it is writing to Hiscox Insurance demanding immediate interim payments for many clients who are struggling to survive. This is part of a twin track strategy being pursued by the law firm which also includes an expedited arbitration to ensure the matter is resolved as soon as possible. Attorney Richard Leedham, the Mishcon de Reya partner representing HAG: Todays High Court judgement is a landmark ruling for many thousands of business who are struggling to survive the impact of the pandemic. Its also very good news for our clients who have led this fight and for whom we are now seeking an immediate interim payment. Attorney Richard Leedham from Mishcon de Reya says: Todays judgement by the High Court is one of the most significant in recent years and will provide a lifeline for small businesses across the country. We joined the court case as we believed it was vital for businesses to have a voice in the proceedings and we are delighted they have finally been heard. We were delighted to support the FCA and its legal team. Mark Killick, a Hiscox Action Group steering committee member: Todays judgement represents a huge victory for the Hiscox Action Group. We led this campaign and our stance has been fully vindicated by the Court. The most important thing now is that the insurers accept this ruling and start to pay out rather than embark on a fruitless appeals process that will just cause more suffering for the very policy holders they were meant to protect. RSA Insurance, an insurer participant in the test case: Our interpretations of some provisions impacting RSA were upheld by the Court and some were not. RSA is committed to responding to the wide-ranging impacts of the pandemic in the best interests of our customers and business. Our H1 Interim Report showed that RSA had paid or reserved for c.57m in claims in relation to COVID-19 losses, as well as participating in industry initiatives to provide support and relief to customers and communities affected in all our territories. Based on our initial review, RSA estimates the additional financial impact to RSA of todays judgment to be approximately 104m on a gross basis across its portfolio of relevant business interruption policies. After the application of our catastrophe reinsurance protection, RSA estimates the impact of this judgment to be around 85m which is in turn expected to reduce further through qualifying as a loss covered by the group-wide aggregate reinsurance programme. The court judgment is complex given the breadth of questions posed across the different policy wordings considered. If there are appeals, further legal actions, or other relevant rulings on these or other policy wordings not yet considered, they may impact our assessment of the estimated gross figure upwards or downwards, potentially materially. This, alongside the inherent complexity of business interruption claims more generally, means the financial impact of the judgment will not be fully resolved for some time but, as above, reinsurance protection is expected to apply should the figures increase. Hiscox Ltd., an insurer participant in the test case, commented in part: The Judgment clarifies that fewer than one third of Hiscoxs 34,000 UK business interruption policies may respond. Coverage under these policies is essentially limited to those customers who were mandatorily closed by Government orders, and then only in certain circumstances. Hiscox is assessing the Judgment in detail to ascertain how the Courts conclusions should be applied to the claims and circumstances of individual Hiscox policyholders. Any issues not addressed by the Judgment will be assessed on a case-by-case basis as part of the normal insurance loss adjustment process for claims. As a result of the Judgment, the Group estimates additional COVID-19 claims arising from business interruption to be less than 100 million net of reinsurance. This encompasses claims from all divisions including Hiscox Re and is a reduction of 150 million from the upper end of the Groups previously published risk scenario. All parties involved now have an opportunity to apply to the Court for permission to appeal some or all of the Judgment to a higher court. The parties may also ask that any appeal proceed directly to the Supreme Court, rather than to the Court of Appeal first, in order to expedite the appeal process. It is expected that a ruling on any such application would be made in October. The outcome of any appeal could impact loss estimates. Hiscox recognises these are extremely difficult times for businesses and regrets any contract dispute with customers, which is why it is committed to seeking an expedited resolution through this Industry Test Case. In line with FCA Guidance, Hiscox will communicate an update on the Industry Test Case to relevant policyholders through the appropriate channels. Zurich Insurance, Tulsi Naidu, CEO Zurich UK: Zurich agreed to participate in the FCAs test case, which tested a wide range of insurer policy wordings, to help provide certainty to policyholders about their business interruption insurance. The Courts decision in respect of the Zurich policy wording has confirmed our interpretation and approach under these policies is correct. We are pleased that Zurichs participation in the process has helped achieve clarity for policyholders across the UK insurance sector. Lloyds of London: Lloyds welcomes the FCAs test case judgement which will bring coverage clarity for many policyholders with certain non-damage business interruption insurance extensions. We will now take the time to carefully consider and respond to the implications of this complex judgement for our customers as well as its impact on the Lloyds market, which retains less than 2% of the overall UK property SME market. Our extremely strong capital position ensures that we are well prepared to respond to the financial implications of the High Courts judgement, and importantly to support our impacted customers. Lloyds expects to pay out 5 billion in COVID-19 claims to its customers around the world across a wide range of policies, including event cancellation, property, casualty, and credit. The Corporation has also committed a 15m package of support for charitable organisations responding to the pandemic, together with 15 million in seed capital investment to develop a Systemic Risk Centre of Excellence, which aims to better understand, model and provide insurance for systemic catastrophic events. We are also progressing at pace a number of solutions to support insurance industry and government partnerships to fast-track societal and economic recovery and build resilience to future systemic and black swan catastrophic events. QBE Insurance, commented in part: The court ruled in favour of QBE with respect to two out of three of QBEs notifiable disease policy wordings examined and in favour of insurers generally with respect to denial of access policy wordings. However, the Court ruled in favour of insureds with respect to one of QBEs notifiable disease policy wordings and QBE is considering its options to appeal that decision. Based on the notified claims affected by the FCA test case and having regard to individual policy sub-limits, QBEs estimate of its UK business interruption claims exposure is around $170 million before allowing for recoveries under the Groups catastrophe reinsurance protections. Consistent with the Groups previous announcements, QBE believes that catastrophe reinsurance will limit the net cost of business interruption claims in our UK insurance business to $70 million (which formed part of the $335 million net cost of COVID-19 allowed for in our recently announced 1H20 result). The FCA test case decision is highly complex and will take time for the industry to fully consider and for claims to be resolved. All parties involved now have an opportunity to apply to the court for permission to appeal some or all of the ruling with a decision on any such application expected to be made in October. Given the possibility of appeals and further legal action, the estimated gross cost to QBE could increase or decrease, however, the net cost to QBE is not expected to vary. British Insurance Brokers Association (BIBA): COVID-19 and the application of insurance in relation to Business Interruption insurance created a complex situation requiring legal consideration of the many different issues of proximate causation and wording interpretations. That is why, from the outset, we welcomed the FCA intervention in bringing this test case and the ultimate clarity the judgement will bring (once any appeal process is complete). We recognise how important this case is for customers and the insurance industry alike and we will study the judgement in detail over the coming days while waiting to see if any of the parties appeal. Meanwhile, the outcomes do not prevent individual policyholders from pursuing issues through the courts, or eligible complainants from taking a complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service. London & International Insurance Brokers Association, Christopher Croft, CEO: Clients deserve clarity, and the fact that this case had to take place at all is a rebuke to our industry and the often obscure language we use. Customers deserve to understand exactly what it is they are getting in language they recognise. The swift action taken by the FCA to bring clarity after the fact is to be commended. Many other countries are looking on with interest as their BI cases grind slowly through their legal systems. The fact that the court found in favour of the policyholders hopefully brings this action to a close. The industrys reputation has been damaged by the debate over exactly what is or is not insured, and we need to think hard about how we redress that and introduce absolute clarity into the product our customers buy. This will include challenging the principles at the heart of these cases principles which insurers have held dear but which we have seen make no sense to the general public. AM Best, commented in part Although COVID-19-related BI claims will have a material impact on UK commercial property insurers 2020 earnings, AM Best expects the aggregate solvency of the overall UK non-life insurance sector to remain robust. At year-end 2019, the Solvency II ratio for the combined 100 largest non-life UK insurers stood at around 170%. The impact of BI losses on individual insurers results and solvency will depend on the nature of business written, the level of reinsurance protection in place and the diversification of earnings. A key factor determining the financial impact of the test case ruling on UK insurers will be their ability to make recoveries from reinsurers. The structure of programmes purchased will vary from insurer to insurer, and recoveries will depend on deductibles and limits. Uncertainty surrounds the extent to which COVID-19 claims will aggregate within and across different lines of business for reinsurance purposes. That aggregation will determine whether cover is triggered and if limits in excess of loss contracts are reached. The definition of the event or occurrence that triggers the reinsurance cover is important. While loss triggers are likely to be a source of dispute, the clarification, as part of the test case, that the COVID-19 pandemic and government and public response form a single cause of a covered loss, is likely to increase insurers per event losses. The higher an insurers per event loss, the more likely it is to make recoveries on its excess of loss reinsurance policies. Dispute risk between insurers and reinsurers is lower where quota share cover is written back-to-back, with the reinsurer committed to following the fortunes of its cedent. Moodys Investors Service, Dominic Simpson, a vice president and senior credit officer: The result of the FCAs business interruption test case is broadly credit negative for UK insurers and reinsurers as policies that cover business interruption from disease and, to some extent, denial of access should pay out. Despite the outcome, the financial impact on individual insurers should be manageable, net of reinsurance. More positively for insurers, most SME business interruption policies are designed primarily to protect property damage interruption, and do not cover pandemic-related claims. Fitch Ratings, commented in part: The ratings of UK non-life insurers are likely to be unaffected by Tuesdays High Court judgment on the test case brought by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to help clarify the validity of business interruption (BI) claims related to the coronavirus pandemic. The case focused on a narrow set of policy wordings linked to the applicability of BI coverage. Insurers may now have to pay BI claims originally rejected on the grounds of policy wording. However, based on company estimates made public after the ruling, the amounts likely to be involved appear within ranges already disclosed by the affected insurers and considered by Fitch in its ratings sensitivities. BI claims are likely to be one of the main costs from the pandemic for the UK non-life sector, along with claims for event cancellation. They will affect underwriting results for the rest of the year and may not peak until 2021, particularly where litigation is involved. Most BI cover in the UK is provided by London market insurers, including Lloyds of London. International Underwriting Association, Dave Matcham, chief executive: The impact of the COVID-19 crisis on the London company market has been widespread and profound. IUA members have supported their clients, making claims payments across a range of business classes, but most notably on contingency and business interruption policies. Where there have been coverage disputes, companies have cooperated fully with the FCA in its legal test case to bring about a resolution as speedily as possible. The court decision provides a degree of certainty for both sides. The economic losses brought about by COVID-19 are unprecedented and have raised important questions for risk managers. Insurers are now working with clients and government to ensure that effective preparations are in place for any future pandemics. Airmic risk management association, John Ludlow, CEO, commented: On behalf of our members, we are pleased with the ruling. 2020 has already been a tough year for business across most sectors, due to COVID, which has been exacerbated by the harsh insurance market. We think this ruling is to the benefit of businesses, risk professionals and insurance buyers, but importantly should serve to smooth a period of uncertainty faced by policyholders, and especially for those in the SME space. Analysts at Berenberg Capital Markets, commented in part: Although the ruling overall was in favour of the policyholders, the market will be relieved to have a judgement and early estimates suggest that the claims will be manageable for insurers. There may be some appeals on individual policies and there remains some uncertainty regarding the actual amount and timing of payments; nevertheless, in our view, this clarity will act as a positive for the sector since a catastrophic result has clearly been avoided. While some appeals may arise, it is possible that, for the sake of the insurance industrys reputation, and due to the fact that claims are manageable (especially considering lower claims frequency on other lines of business), the insurers may decide to pay and move on. Any material appeal process is likely to cast further doubt on the industry and provide a headwind to shares from the uncertainty. We note, however, that insurers will be cognisant of the ramifications of accepting such a result and the impact a second wave could have on claims. The aim of this exercise was always to expedite the claims process and provide clarity for policyholders, and hence any appeal process would likely receive a ruling in October 2020. Hiscox: The high court ruling alleviates some of the uncertainty regarding Hiscoxs impact from the case which was one of the main reasons the shares have underperformed ytd, although it will not repair the reputational damage. RSA: RSAs discussions with its lead reinsurers are positive, with both parties in agreement that their group aggregate reinsurance programme will be triggered. RSA continues to benefit from lower claims frequency in various lines during the pandemic and hence the impact of the court case and lower claims frequency is neutral; this means RSA expects to meet consensus underlying earnings for the year. Topics Carriers Catastrophe COVID-19 Legislation Claims Profit Loss Excess Surplus Reinsurance Property Market AM Best Lloyd's London The RSS on Tuesday criticised Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's announcement of monthly financial assistance of Rs 1,000 and free housing for over 8,000 Brahmin priests in the state, terming it a "mockery" and alleged that the existence of Bengali-speaking Hindus is under threat in present-day Bengal. Senior state RSS leader Jishnu Basu said if the West Bengal government was so keen to help the Hindus, then it should have helped those families who lost their relatives to"jihadi terror" in different areas. "The Hindu Brahmins don't accept 'Daan' (donation),the Hindu priests and Brahmins are given 'Dakshina'(honorarium) by the society for the excellent work done by them. It is not the job of the government (to give them financial assistance). Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore has written extensively about it in his works," he said. "The existence of the Bengali-speaking Hindus is under threat in present-day Bengal. Such kind of announcement hurt Hindu sentiments," Basu, who is Prant-Karyavaha of south Bengal region, said in a statement. Under frequent attack by opposition parties for"minority appeasement", the chief minister on Monday announced monthly financial assistance of Rs 1,000 and free housing for over 8,000 Hindu priests in the state ahead of the assembly election, which is likely to be held in April-May next year. RELATED NEWS West Bengal Cabinet Gives Nod to Scheme for Brahmin Priests Facing Financial Crisis "If the state government is keen to help the Hindus,then it should assist those scheduled tribe families in Nadia, who were killed by the Jihadis. The state should help those families who have lost their near and dear ones to Jihadi terror. The Hindus will be happier if the state government help those families. Such mockery of Hindus pains us," he said. In 2012, the state government faced intense criticism for announcing a similar monthly allowance for imams and muezzins. It was later routed through the state Wakf Board after Calcutta High Court said it was unconstitutional and against the public interest. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-15 16:05:59|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close LUANDA, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Angola and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) came together on Monday in Luanda to debate security issues along their common border. Speaking at the opening ceremony of the bilateral defense and security commission meeting, the commander-general of the Angolan National Police, commissioner general Paulo de Almeida, said crimes and incidents along the common border is a concern. According to the senior Angolan police officer, among the main crimes recorded along the border are illegal immigration, the smuggling of fuel, drugs, medicines and diamonds, human trafficking as well as poaching. De Almeida said both countries should strive to prevent these crimes since they affect the political, economic and social stability of the two states. On his side, DRC spokesman Louis d'Or Ngalamulume pointed out that his country and Angola have a long-standing relationship which must be maintained. The Congolese official underlined that both countries "are working to maintain security on our border, both on the Angolan side and on the Congolese side." Several legal instruments concerning security and that emphasis cooperation are expected to be signed during the event. The meeting taking place behind closed doors will last until Wednesday. Enditem New Delhi: The national capital recorded a surge of 3374 new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday (September 15) taking the total tally to 2,21,533 as per the Ministry of Health data. Delhi is among the top five worst-hit state due to coronavirus in India. Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia tested positive for coronavirus COVID-19. Taking to micro-blogging site Twitter, Sisodia asserted that he had a mild fever after which he got himself tested. He added that after the result came positive he isolated himself. Sisodia added that currently he doesn't have a fever or any other difficulties and is completely fine. "After having a mild fever, the corona test was conducted today, whose report has come positive. I have kept myself in isolation. Right now there is no fever or any other problem, I am completely fine. Soon after getting all your blessings, I will return to work," he tweeted. . Manish Sisodia (@msisodia) September 14, 2020 Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday during the one-day session of the Assembly said that Delhi is conducting the highest number of COVID-19 tests in the whole world. Meanwhile, the coronavirus cases in India crossed 49 lakh mark on Tuesday (September 15) with 83,809 new cases reported in the last 24 hours. As per the Ministry of Health data the total number of Covid-19 infections in the country stands at 49,30,237. The death toll also crossed the 80,000 mark with 1,054 deaths reported on Monday taking the toll to 80,776. At present, the country has 9,90,061 active cases and 38,59,400 people have been treated and discharged so far. Residents of Banyan Village sew Panxiu, a traditional type of embroidery, in a workshop in Huzhu Tu Autonomous County, Haidong, Qinghai Province, on August 26, 2020. [Xinhua] Development of Businesses Is Bringing Wealth to Isolated Communities. Like many women of the Tu ethnic group, Ma Baoqin started learning Panxiu, a type of embroidery with Tu characteristics, when she was about 10 years old. Ma, 76, and her peers in Huzhu Tu Autonomous County, Qinghai Province, have decorated traditional garments for decades, but they have rarely seen any financial benefits from their skills. Though she managed to sell some garments to tourists in 2005, becoming known as the first Tu woman in the county to make money from her embroidery skills, it didn't improve her family's financial situation. Now, as the local government works to build a moderately prosperous society in all respects by promoting business development, the women's skills have helped generate an industry with annual revenue of millions of yuan, lifting many locals out of poverty. "My family used to rely on farming to make a living. We never managed to make much money from it," said Ma, a provincial-level inheritor of Panxiu intangible cultural heritage. Gaining its status as a national intangible cultural heritage in 2006, Panxiu, an art form unique to the Tu culture, dates back more than 1,000 years. Ma never imagined she could make at least 30,000 yuan ($4,390) a year from her embroidery, which she only does as a leisure activity. She is one of more than 140 women from her home village of Yaoma and nearby residential communities who work with a company in the village called Lansuoka Traditional Handicrafts. The company, which was established last year with local government help, concentrates on Panxiu. Hu Lansuoka, the owner, said the company sold Panxiu products worth 170,000 yuan last year, and has earned more than 250,000 yuan so far this year. Most of the younger women who work with the company can make over 3,000 yuan a month, while those age 60 and older can earn at least 1,400 yuan, though most have to combine embroidery with working on their farms and household chores, Hu said. She added that most of the orders come from the county's cultural center. "No matter how many products we make, the center will purchase them all," she said, noting that in October last year alone, the center bought goods worth more than 40,000 yuan. Internet Platform The 38-year-old has also turned to the internet to boost sales. In 2017, at the suggestion of her 13-year-old son, Hu registered an account on Kuaishou, a short-video app, and began selling handcrafted goods on the platform. "I have over 8,000 followers on Kuaishou and can sell products worth at least 10,000 yuan every month on the platform. Many of our items are very popular," she said. Hu has been making efforts to innovate traditional embroidery styles and make new products. For example, a recent trial run of embroidered wall hangings featuring the 12 animals of the Chinese zodiac proved successful. The hangings sell for 100 yuan each on Kuaishou and many of the women can make four a day, she said. Ha Chengqing, an official with the cultural center, said there are 34 companies like Hu's in the county, jointly employing 5,000 women part time. According to the Huzhu government, the annual output of the county's Panxiu industry is 100,000 items and sales revenue stands at 22 million yuan. Some products are exported to 10 countries and regions. Ha also heads one of the companies, a state-owned enterprise called Jinpanxiu, where 208 of the 635 female employees were formerly impoverished. She said the women have to undergo a short training program, and are paid according to the number of pieces they complete per month. In addition to providing all the raw materials, the company is responsible for designing products and the sales strategy. Last year, Huzhu invested 1 million yuan to innovate the Panxiu designs and provided training for about 1,000 people, the government said. "I can now earn about as much as my daughter-in-law," said Lan Lamushijie as she made Panxiu items at a workshop in Banyan Village. Relocated by the local government from a mountainous area plagued by water shortages just four years ago, the 68-year-old never expected such big changes to her life. "Every day, I had to get up at 3 am to collect water from the nearest source. It was daybreak when I reached home," she recalled, adding that it took about two hours to walk to the nearest township to buy daily necessities and the road could be made impassible by rain and snow. Lan was one of 484 people from 129 households who moved to Banyan, located near the Yellow River, China's second-longest waterway, in 2016. Before, her family of 10, including four children, depended on farming and raising livestock to make a living. The harsh conditions made it hard to earn much money, she said. She makes Panxiu items in her free time, while her two sons and their wives have all found jobs near their new homes. The family can now save at least 20,000 to 30,000 yuan a year. "We enjoy good roads now and it's convenient to go anywhere," she said. "Everything is good. I have no difficulties in my life and am in a good mood every day." Solar Power Every home is equipped with running water and natural gas. Meanwhile, the village runs a photovoltaic power generation project and solar panels have been installed on the roofs of the houses. Excess electricity is sold to the State Grid Corp, which means that each family receives an average 2,500 yuan from the project every year, said Zhong Guanyinbao, Party chief of Banyan. At the end of 2015, there were 370,000 people in Huzhu and 48,523 of them were listed as poverty-stricken. As a result of local government efforts to develop businesses, including Panxiu embroidery and tourism, the poverty headcount ratio fell from 14.1 percent in 2015 to 0.26 percent by the end of 2018. Huzhu was removed from the national list of poverty-stricken counties in May last year, according to the county government. Though Ma Baoqin's five children, including her three daughters, have found well-paid jobs near their homes, she is determined to continue making Panxiu goods. "I want to promote this art form across the country," she said. (Source: China Daily) Presidential Candidates of smaller political parties in Ghana will struggle to pay the GHC100,000 (Old One Billion Cedis) as filing fees for this year's December 7th Elections being demanded by the Electoral Commission (EC). The filing fee is currently GHS100,000 which represents a 100% increase as compared to the 2016 filing fee. According to a Presidential hopeful of the Peoples National Convention (PNC), Sampson Asaki Awingobit, the Electoral Commission (EC) should consider reducing the amount and also pegging to the level of smaller parties. Speaking to Citi News, Mr. Awingobit, expressed concern that the high fees could eliminate the smaller political parties like his own. Why wouldn't they segment and say the bigger political parties should pay a GHS100,000 and the smaller political parties pay GHS50,000, he asked? For independent candidates, he said the EC could further reduce it to like GHS20,000 or GHS10,000 for them. His call according to him is in service of preserving Ghanas standing as a multi-party democracy. That shows that Ghana and the EC itself is protecting the constitution which says we need to practice multi-party democracy, Mr. Awingobit said. CPP calls for transparency The Convention Peoples Party (CPP) also criticised the increment and accused the EC of a lack of transparency. There should be some democratic precedence here and some transparency in the whole thing. This is an institution that overlooks a democratic process and they are not democratic themselves, the CPP's General Secretary, Nana Yaa Jantuah, said in a Citi News interview. According to her, the EC failed to consult the various political parties before agreeing on the increment. The CPP believes that there was no consensus making. IPAC did not meet. We were there and we were told that the filing fee for the presidential candidate is GHS100,000 and the parliamentary one is GHS10,000, she said. Is it the exchange that has affected it? Is it the economy? If there is some change in parameters, why is it that the parliamentary fees remain the same from four years ago? That is an issue of concern. ECs justification The EC has said the increment is in tandem with the value of the Cedi. A Deputy Chairman of the Commission, Dr. Bossman Eric Asare, said if the value of GHS50,000 in 2016 and 2020 was compared, you will notice that the Commission has not increased it much. And even when you look at the [filing fee for] parliamentary [aspirants], the GHS10,000, you will realise that the Commission has reduced the price because we all know that GHS10,000 in 2016, is not the same as GHS10,000 in 2020, Dr. Asare said. ---CitinewsRoom Mumbai, Sep 15 : In a crucial development, Mumbai Police on Tuesday re-arrested six Shiv Sainiks who allegedly attacked a retired navy sailor Madan Sharma days back leading to major outcry, officials said here. They were produced before a Borivali magistrate court and remanded to 14 days' judicial custody. Those arrested include: Kamlesh Kadam and Sanjay Manjare, both Shakha Pramukhs, besides activists Pratap Vera, Sunil Desai, Rakesh Mulik and Rakesh Belnekar. The arrests by Samata Nagar police came after additional charges were invoked against them under Indian Penal Code Section 452 pertaining to house trespassing after preparation of assault, hurt and wrongful restraint in the first information report (FIR). On September 11, Sharma, a former Chief Petty Officer had forwarded a cartoon depicting Shiv Sena President and Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray. The forwarded WhatsApp message found its way to Kadam and others. The Sena men then stormed Sharma's house in Kandivali east and called him down in the society complex and assaulted him. The issue snowballed into a political row with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh calling up the 65-year old Sharma and ex-servicemen protesting in New Delhi and other parts of India to protest the assault. On Tuesday, Sharma went to Raj Bhavan to meet Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari and recounted the incidents. "When they were assaulting me, they alleged that I am with the BJP-RSS... Ok... from now on I am announcing that I am with the BJP-RSS," Sharma said after meeting the Governor. Soon after the assault, the Shiv Sainiks had been arrested by the police but released on bail a few hours later, resulting in another political uproar. Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant had castigated the move by the Defence Minister to call up Sharma even as the BJP Leaders of Opposition - Devendra Fadnavis (Assembly) and Pravin Darekar (Council) slammed the MVA government urging it to "stop the goonda-raj" in the state. Completes 1 year of Trust in Science academia-industry initiative GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals Ltd. (GSK Pharmaceutical Ltd.) in collaboration with the Regional Centre for Biotechnology (RCB) has completed the first year of its Trust in Science Program and is marking it by hosting a six part Trust in Science webinar series. Like the program, these webinars are also an academia-industry collaboration in which experts from the private sector and scientific community will provide insights on trends in bioinformatics and biostatistics and the future outlook of this valuable skill set. The Trust in Science program offers full PhD courses in Biostatistics and Bioinformatics to equip Indian students for a career in a data and AI-driven pharma research ecosystem. Commenting on the progress of the program, Prof. Sudhanshu Vrati, Executive Director, Regional Centre for Biotechnology, said, Biostatistics and bioinformatics are rapidly emerging fields in biology and are set to change the way we approach scientific R&D. In the first year of this program, we got a good response from aspiring PhD candidates eager to explore scientific careers in these fields. Now, through our webinar series, we hope to reach out to even more Indian students and faculty to make them aware of the potential that lies in these fields and to realize the value of the Trust in Science PhD program. In the keynote address of the first webinar, HE Jan Thompson, Acting British High Commissioner to India, said that the Trust in Science initiative is a great example of public-private-partnership. She added, It is my hope that the Trust in Science initiative will give young researchers an opportunity to explore high-end expertise in drug discovery and the program becomes a spring-board for them to transition into a full-fledged pharma career in the future. The UK and Indian governments continue to work together in healthcare, exploring opportunities for some of the best UK companies to offer their products and services for improved healthcare delivery in India. Dr. Renu Swarup, Secretary, Department of Biotechnology, Government of India said, It is great to see that this RCB-GSK collaboration is more than a research budget collaboration between academia and industry, but one that looks to create a human resource foundation for new technology. I would like to see this partnership scaled up, with more partners included so that it becomes a national network for the country. I believe this webinar series can reach out to more people and draw in more institutes to see the value of this partnership.. Sridhar Venkatesh, Managing Director, GSK Pharmaceuticals Limited (India) said, The ongoing pandemic has highlighted the value of biostatistics and bioinformatics tools and methodologies to significantly reduce the time taken for a medicine to be brought from lab to market. This is the future of pharmaceuticals research and we believe that the Trust in Science programme is contributing to prepare a workforce that is future ready. We hope the webinar series will help aspiring PhD students to get a primer on the likely future of pharma research. The launch webinar concluded with a learning session by Prof Partha Mazumdar, Distinguished Professor, National Institute of Biomedical Genomics, who said, A confluence of statistical science and data science is the enabler of rapid and robust inferences in biology and medicine. He also spoke of the critical value of biostatistics and bioinformatics during the ongoing pandemic by referring to the study on the diversity and evolution of the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 through the analysis of RNA sequences collected from 3636 infected patients across 55 countries. This is an exciting time in modern biology and medicine, he added, referring to the coming together of statics and big data analysis. GSK Pharmaceutical Ltd.s Trust in Science initiative is a novel public-private partnership model to build R&D capacity for development and discovery in science. The pillars of this initiative are: scientific excellence, trust and talent development in line with GSKs Science, Technology and Culture values. The initiative was launched in 2011 initially to engage with leading researchers and institutions in Latin America, focused on Brazil and Argentina. GSK Pharmaceutical Ltd. is pleased to expand this initiative beyond Latin America to other emerging markets such as India. Washington: The Justice Department has opened a criminal investigation into whether President Donald Trump's former national security adviser John Bolton unlawfully disclosed classified information when he published a memoir, a case that the department opened after it failed to stop the book's publication, according to three people familiar with the matter. The department has convened a grand jury, which issued a subpoena for communications records from Simon & Schuster, publisher of Bolton's memoir, The Room Where It Happened. In the book, Bolton delivered a highly unflattering account of his 17 months working in the Trump administration. Former Trump administration national security adviser John Bolton. Credit:AP The investigation is a significant escalation in the fraught publication of the book. The Trump administration had sought to stop its publication, accusing Bolton in a lawsuit of moving forward with publication without receiving final notice that a prepublication review to scrub out classified information was complete. The director of national intelligence referred the matter to the Justice Department last month, two of the people said. John Demers, head of the department's national security division, then opened the criminal investigation, according to a person briefed on the case. The official results of presidential elections do not reflect the real expression of Belarusian people's will. The Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's parliament, considers it unacceptable to involve Russia's troops and apply the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) agreement in resolving the crisis in Belarus. The relevant statement was approved by Resolution No. 3053, backed by 228 MPs, an UNIAN correspondent reports. "We shall consider such a step a direct threat to the European security and that of Ukraine," the statement says. The Verkhovna Rada believes the presidential elections in Belarus were neither free nor fair, and held amid the lack of competition between candidates, free media, and authoritative observers from international organizations such as the OSCE and the Council of Europe. Read alsoLukashenko loses legitimacy in democratic society Polish FMIt is also noted the elections "were held with significant violations, multiple refusals to register candidates, and non-transparent vote count." The MPs consider it unacceptable to intimidate opponents, imprison them, and create obstacles to independent national observers at polling stations. "All this gives grounds to believe that the officially announced results of the presidential elections in Belarus do not reflect the real expression of the will of Belarusian citizens," reads the statement. The Ukrainian parliament condemns the use of "excessive force and brutality" by Belarusian law enforcement. "We join the European Union's assessment of the undemocratic nature of presidential elections in Belarus and support the imposition of sanctions against those responsible for falsifying election results and using violence against protesters," reads the report. The Verkhovna Rada demands the release of all detainees and hopes the official authorities of Belarus will not allow further escalation of persecution, both of their opponents, for political reasons, and citizens of Belarus who took to the streets of cities to expressed their disagreement with the government's actions. "We strongly condemn and consider unacceptable the illegal detention of Ukrainian citizens. We will protect their rights and interests by all legal means," the statement reads. Ukraine respects the sovereignty of Belarus and "resolutely rejects accusations voiced by the Belarusian side of involvement in destabilization of Belarus." The Ukrainian parliament also calls on the Belarusian authorities to establish an equal dialogue with the Belarusian society to find a peaceful way out of the crisis. "One of the options could be new, free and democratic elections with the attendance of independent international observers from leading European institutions," the statement said. Belarus protests: background On August 9, presidential elections were held in Belarus. The country's Central Election Commission announced the final election results. In particular, 80.1% of voters supported incumbent President Alexander Lukashenko, 10.1% voted for Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, 1.67% for Anna Kanopatskaya, 1.2% for Andrey Dmitriev, and 1.14% for Sergei Cherechnya. Some 4.59% voted against all candidates. Thousands took to the streets to protest what many believe was a rigged vote count. Riot police violently cracked down on protesters. Belarus' Ministry of Internal Affairs said about 7,000 protesters had been detained in different cities since August 9. On the evening of August 13, the authorities started to release detainees. On August 14, the European Union announced it did not recognize the outcome of the presidential elections in Belarus. The March of Freedom, the largest protest in the history of Belarus, took place on August 16 in Minsk. Hundreds of thousands of people joined in. On August 20, the Prosecutor General's Office opened a criminal probe into the attempt by the opposition to "seize power." Lukashenko has repeatedly claimed "foreign interference" in the election and the external efforts to foment protests. He spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin who had promised him comprehensive assistance upon request. Belarusian Defense Minister Viktor Khrenin has warned of the possible use of army to disperse protesters rallying under the flags he claims were once used by Nazi troops. On Sunday, September 6, the March of Unity was held in the cities of Belarus. According to various sources, a total of nearly 100,000 protesters took part in the rally. The European Union has not recognized election outcome in Belarus. EU leaders reached an agreement to impose sanctions on Belarusian officials in response to vote rigging and the use of violence against protesters. On September 13, the law enforcers again detained protesters amid mass rallies across Belarus. The police used force even against women. Klarna is now officially Europe's highest valued private fintech company. The Swedish online payments firm says it has raised $650 million in an equity funding round, valuing the company at $10.6 billion. The round was led by Silver Lake Partners, alongside GIC, Singapore's sovereign wealth fund, as well as BlackRock and HMI Capital. "Klarna is one of the most disruptive and promising fintech companies in the world, redefining the ecommerce experience for millions of consumers and global retailers, just as ecommerce growth is accelerating worldwide and rapidly shifting to mobile," said Jonathan Durham, managing director of Silver Lake Partners, in a release announcing the deal. A regulated bank, Klarna is mostly known for its "buy now, pay later" model that offers shoppers interest-free financing on retail purchases over a period of installments. Klarna pays a merchant once a customer buys something using its platform, while users are later invoiced over a number of installments. Its regional competitors include British banking app Revolut and payments software maker Checkout.com. Revolut, Klarna and Checkout had all been valued at $5.5 billion, according to CB Insights' unicorn tracker, before the deal. The company also competes with the likes of U.S.-based Affirm, which is led by PayPal co-founder Max Levchin, and Australia's Afterpay. Last month, Afterpay said it had agreed to buy Spanish firm Pagantis in a deal that allows it to expand into Europe, effectively challenging Klarna. To date, the Klarna app has more than 12 million monthly active users worldwide, with 55,000 daily downloads, which the company claims is almost three times as many downloads as its closest competitor over the last year. Klarna ranked No. 5 on this year's CNBC Disruptor 50 list. "We are at a true inflection point in both retail and finance," Klarna co-founder and CEO Sebastian Siemiatkowski said in the deal announcement. "The shift to online retail is now truly supercharged and there is a very tangible change in the behaviour of consumers who are now actively seeking services which offer convenience, flexibility and control in how they pay and an overall superior shopping experience." President Donald Trump speaks during a campaign event at Xtreme Manufacturing in Henderson, Nev., on Sept. 13, 2020. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images) Host of Trump Rally Fined $3,000 for Violating Ban on Large Gatherings The company that hosted President Donald Trump for an indoor rally on Sunday was fined $3,000. During the event, a compliance officer observed six violations of the directives and the Citys Business Operations Division has issued a Business License Notice of Violation to Xtreme Manufacturing and assessed a penalty of $3,000, a spokeswoman for the city of Henderson said in a statement to news outlets. The rally violated requirements on mask-wearing, social distancing, and crowd size. Xtreme Manufacturing has 30 days to pay the fine or file papers disputing it, the spokeswoman said. Don Ahern, owner and chairman of the company, said in a prepared statement at a press conference Monday: I am also a proud American, and believe that it is my patriotic duty to do what is right for our country, and what is right is supporting our great President, Donald J. Trump. The decisions we make and actions we take are always with specific goals in mind. My goal was to continue the great American traditions of the right to assemble, and to free speech, which is no different than the thousands that are allowed to assemble at gaming tables, mask-less pool parties, and protests across the state. I hope that we can come to an end of this activity now that our President has come and gone, he added. Ahern said he understood that agencies and cities have jobs to do. He said, they are possibly being directed, but we respect everyones position in this situation. Ahern declined to answer additional questions, citing pending litigation. Several thousand people attended the rally. Trumps campaign said rallygoers were checked for high temperatures before entering the venue. They were also given masks. Face covers were not required. Current rules in Nevada ban any gathering larger than 50 people and require people at events to maintain at least six feet of distance and wear masks. Supporters greet U.S. President Donald Trump as he arrives at a campaign event at Xtreme Manufacturing in Henderson, Nev., on Sept. 13, 2020. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images) Xtreme Manufacturing owner and Ahern Rentals CEO and Chairman Don Ahern speaks during a President Donald Trump rally at Xtreme Manufacturing in Henderson, Nev., on Sept. 13, 2020. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images) But, like in many states across the country, the rules have not been enforced during protests. Michael Van, Aherns attorney, pointed out the inconsistency. Its interesting that if its a demonstration, its OK. If its a rally, its not OK, Van told the Associated Press. Theres just inconsistent application of that declaration. Trump thanked Ahern during the rally before telling the crowd that his campaign had tabbed a number of outdoor sites as places to possibly hold the gathering. Then, Gov. Steve Sisolak, a Democrat, insisted Trump cancel the rally. Today, youll hear these phonys back there, the president said, referring to reporters. Well, look at that. Now today youre going to hear them. Theyll say, Oh, it was in Well, the reason it was, we had five sites, all outside sites, like last night. Tremendous room. And a great gentleman who owns this building said, You know what? What theyre doing is really unfair. You can use my building, Don. I want to thank you, Don.' Sisolak took to Twitter to accuse the president of taking reckless and selfish actions that are putting countless lives in danger here in Nevada. Despite reports from his own White House, despite local officials in Southern & Northern Nevada reiterating to the venues the existing restrictions in State emergency directives, tonight, the President is knowingly packing thousands into an indoor venue to hold a political rally, he said. The President appears to have forgotten that this country is still in the middle of a global pandemic. Ivan Pentchoukov contributed to this report. Your tax-deductible gift today powers our reporters and keeps us independent. We rely on you, our reader, not paywalls to stay funded because we believe important news and information should be freely accessible to all. Start your day with LAist Sign up for the Morning Brief, delivered weekdays. Subscribe Our news is free on LAist. To make sure you get our coverage: Sign up for our daily coronavirus newsletter. To support our non-profit public service journalism: Donate Now. Los Angeles County schools will probably not be able to welcome all students back to campus for at least another six-to-eight weeks, but as of this week, they can bring back students in need of "specialized support and services" in small groups. According to the guidance from county public health officials, schools can welcome back 10% of the total campus enrollment at a time, and should prioritize "students with Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) and children who are English Learners (EL) needing assessments and/or specialized in-school services." So far, more than 50 schools -- accounting for 400 staff members and 2,100 students -- have notified county health authorities of their intent to do so, including 38 campuses in the Alhambra Unified, Centinela Valley Union High, El Monte City, Lennox, Paramount Unified, and San Gabriel Unified school districts. Two are charter schools, and the other 15 are private schools. You can check out the full list on the public health website. At a Sept. 9, 2020 press conference, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health director Barbara Ferrer explained the process for welcoming small cohorts of students back to campuses after the coronavirus closures. (Screenshot of Los Angeles County Department of Public Health press conference) School administrators have to fill out a form and confirm they'll have "sufficient and appropriate" personal protective equipment for staff, that they have plans for "surveillance testing and follow up testing" and will report the results to county public health officials, and that they will comply with the county's school reopening checklist. Los Angeles County Department of Public Health director Barbara Ferrer said last week that schools are supposed to submit this information to county health officials five days before opening, though "the school does not need to wait for our approval to reopen, as long as they're adhering to the required directives and attestations." Los Angeles Unified Superintendent Austin Beutner told reporters on Monday that his district has just begun "a one-to-one [tutoring] effort outside of schools." "We'll see how that goes," he said. "We'll let the science provide the foundation. We'll continue to learn from other school districts." United Teachers Los Angeles, which represents LAUSD teachers, had previously expressed concerns about reopening for these small groups of students. UTLA elementary vice president Gloria Martinez, who herself is also a special education teacher, told KPCC's AirTalk that reopening too soon "not only puts our members at risk, but it puts a group of students who are already vulnerable at a greater risk." "We just don't feel that is a risk worth taking," she said. "We just don't feel comfortable that the state and the district or the county has done enough to prepare our district to open up." Manhattan Beach Unified, a much smaller district, had already been looking at a "high need hybrid" as a step in its reopening plans. (Hybrid is a term that's gotten a new meaning as a result of the pandemic closures. Here, it means students will sometimes get their instruction in person, and other times will learn remotely). At a school board meeting last week, administrators said the district is also in discussion with its own teacher's union, and other local districts, as it considers when and how to offer in-person services. "We need to look at needs," assistant superintendent for student services Irene Gonzalez-Castillo told the board. "We also have to take a look at which services we've been actually successful at delivering through distance learning, that we can continue to do so in a hybrid model, and which ones need in-person." Carrie Wetsch is a Manhattan Beach Unified parent. Her son Tyler, who's in eighth grade, usually has a team of adults supporting him at school -- including his special ed teacher, a one-on-one aide, a speech therapist and assistant, and an occupational therapist and their assistant. But when schools closed to slow the spread of coronavirus, all of that support moved online. Some aspects could still be done over Zoom. Others -- like occupational therapy and behavioral support -- were more difficult to deliver remotely. "Not being able to go to school, he's forgetting and losing some of those skills that we've been working really hard on," Wetsch said. Which is why she was excited to hear there was a way for some students with special needs, such as Tyler, to return to school for in-person services, though she recognizes it's a complicated issue. While she's comfortable with the safety precautions the district is taking, she wishes there was a way to try going back one day a week. "This whole situation is just such a mixed bag of every emotion ... for so many different reasons," Wetsch said. "There's no black-and-white concrete direction that I'm going with [for] any of these decisions that we have to make." KPCC's education reporter Kyle Stokes contributed reporting to this story. FOR MORE OF OUR REPORTING ON THE REOPENING OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA SCHOOLS: OLMSTED FALLS, Ohio -- After a late spring and summer filled with uncertainty related to beginning the 2020-2021 school year during a pandemic, Olmsted Falls City Schools Superintendent Jim Lloyd said any apprehension he had last week as the district began operating in a hybrid mode was normal. The concerns are always the same going into any new school year regarding the transition for students, Lloyd said. Obviously, with our district being one of the very few in our county to start with in-person, the concerns had to do with how would that go, as well as transportation and students logging in from home," he said. "Would everybody get to where they needed to be and then would learning happen? The superintendent said it was apparent early on last week that the districts planning was a success. From everything Ive been able to ascertain from our staff, its been successful thus far, Lloyd said. "Now, were four days in and this is the beginning of day five, but proper planning by the staff -- particularly our principals and our building-level committees -- really put us in a good position to be able to hit the ground running. I visited every building last week, talked to lots of teachers, lots of kids, and it was one of the smoothest starts we had in the opening of a school year," he said. Roughly 2,730 students involved in Pathway A hybrid instruction are divided into the blue group, attending school Mondays and Tuesdays, and the gold group, which is in class on Thursdays and Fridays. Wednesday is a virtual day for everyone. The solid beginning also applied to the 596 students involved in the districts Pathway B, or Distance eLearning 2.0, for remote learning during the entire first semester. This is somewhat of an educational experiment across the country, Lloyd said. Having half of the students in class -- going from 25 to 28 down to nine to 12 kids -- itll be interesting to see if that one-to-one close attention to students may very well pay off in ways that we didnt anticipate. The districts Pathway A plan is tied to the states four-tiered public health advisory system. Cuyahoga County is currently at Level 2. Olmsted Falls City Schools plan is that in-person instruction will take place during Level 1, with the hybrid model for Level 2 and Level 3 and fully remote learning at Level 4. Regarding how a potential spike of COVID-19 could affect the hybrid model, Lloyd said the district will continue to keep a close eye on Cuyahoga County Board of Health numbers, the positivity rate and the number of new cases. As we are gaining experience of having students in school, and effectively mitigating this virus, our experience in doing that successfully is also going to be a factor in (our decision), Lloyd said. "It isnt as though, well, now the county numbers are up again, so immediately were going to just take everybody out of school and go to remote. Thats not going to happen. Were going to certainly look at those numbers, but were going to rely on the experiences that were gathering as we work our way through this. Read more news from the Sun Post Herald. Bongaon, Sep 15 (UNI) Much to the gastronomic delight of the Bengalis of this part, first consignment of 12 ton Bangladeshi Hilsa arrives the state. Thee trucks carrying 12 ton of Bangladeshi Hilsa out of 1,450 ton promised by the neighbouring country arrived in Bengal late on Monday evening through the Petrapole border here in North 24-Parganas district. The Sheikh Hasina Government had last week announced that it would export 1,450 ton of hilsa to India as a Puja goodwill gesture. The remaining will arrive through the Petrapole border, around 71km from Kolkata, in phases by October 10, officials and agents said Sources in Petrapole said the unloading of Hilsa from the Bangladeshi trucks began Monday morning. Packed in theromocol boxes with ice, the fish was then loaded onto Indian trucks. For the first time since 2012, when Bangladesh had banned the export of Hilsa fish to India, the government of the neighbouring country has given special permission for the export of the much-loved delicacy to India. The export wing under the Bangladeshi commerce ministry on Thursday last approved nine private agencies in the country to export around 1,450 MT of Hilsa to India. The first consignment of 12 tonnes, the largest consignment in recent times, headed for Kolkata soon after its arrival. More such consignments will come by October 10. We are thankful to the Bangladesh government for responding to our letters to their commerce ministry, a member of West Bengal Fish Importers Association said. We have been trying for this since 2012. Hopefully, the price of Hilsa would be now within the reach of fish lovers, said Syed Anwar Maqsood, secretary of the West Bengal Fish Importers Association. The price of Bangladeshi hilsa would come down to Rs 1,200 per kg for bigger sizes and Rs 800 per kg for smaller sizes, weighing 700 to 800 grams, he added. Meanwhile, exporters and wholesale fish traders in Kolkata and Howrah said they were relieved and expect the Hilsas to be readily available in another day or two Ganga and sea hilsa are being sold in Kolkata markets at between Rs 1,500 and Rs 1,800 per kg. The production of Hilsa has been declining over the years. However, Bangladesh has been able to check the declining Hilsa population by banning fishing during the breeding period and establishing sanctuaries for the fish. UNI BM SJC AND WELLINGTON (Reuters) - Dozens of children were injured in New Zealand on Wednesday after a school bus collided with a train at a level crossing in the North Island town of Bunnythorpe. The police said in a statement that none of the children had been seriously injured but some were being treated for minor injuries. The total number of children on the bus was being determined, the statement said, but local media reported that at about 30-40 children were involved in the crash and were being treated for injuries. Several children were wrapped in blankets and were receiving medical care at the site in Bunnythorpe, near the region's major city, Palmerston North, media reports added. (Reporting by Praveen Menon; Editing by Sandra Maler) New Delhi, Sep 15 : Widening its probe into the Kerala gold smuggling case, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) is all set to question Kerala Minister K.T. Jaleel in the next two days, officials said on Tuesday. "We will record the statement of Jaleel in the Kerala gold smuggling case," a senior NIA official told IANS. The official clarified that he is not named in the case, but the agency wants to question him to know if there was any gold smuggling activity under the guise of distribution of religious texts. Jaleel, who is the state Higher Education Minister, was questioned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) last Friday. Following this, the opposition Congress and the BJP had demanded his resignation. The NIA official also said that the anti-terror probe agency is going through the digital evidence it collected so far from the possession of Swapna Suresh, the kingpin in the case, which points fingers to VIPs with whom she was associated with. Earlier, a team of NIA led by Superintendent of Polic travelled to United Arab Emirates (UAE) to question several other accused named in the case. The official said that a team of NIA officials will once again visit the UAE as part of its probe in the coming days. The gold smuggling case was unearthed when P.S. Sarith, a former employee of the UAE Consulate in Thiruvananthapuram, was arrested by the Customs on July 5 when he was facilitating smuggling of 30 kg gold in diplomatic baggage to the state capital from Dubai. Things turned murkier when the name of Swapna Suresh, a former employee of the Consulate and later employed with the IT Department, surfaced. Later, her links with now-suspended IAS officer M. Sivasankar, then posted as Principal secretary to Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan and also the IT Secretary, came to light. So far, the NIA has zeroed in on 25 accused, of which 20 have been arrested. This massive fire is one of thousands of blazes sweeping the Pantanal this year in what climate scientists fear could become a new normal, echoing the rise in climate-driven fires from California to Australia. The region is smaller and less-known than its famous cousin, the Amazon jungle. But its normally abundant waters and strategic location - sandwiched between the rainforest, Brazil's vast grasslands and Paraguay's dry forests - make it a magnet for animals. An otter eats a fish at the Encontro das Aguas park at the Pantanal wetlands near Pocone, Mato Grosso state. Credit:AP Some 200 jaguars have already suffered injury, death or displacement because of the fires, according to Panthera, an international wild cat conservation organisation. Whats unique about the park, which covers more than 1000 square kilometres, is that the jaguars are used to human observation. They have been a top eco-tourism draw for more than 15 years, according to Fernando Tortato, a conservation scientist for Panthera, which owns a neighbouring property where jaguars range. Even before fires started raging, employees and volunteers used two earth-movers to create a firebreak around the propertys perimeter. Since blazes arrived, the group has tracked the shifting winds to open new firebreaks and head off the devastation. Vultures stand next to the carcass of a alligator on the banks of the Cuiaba river at the Encontro das Aguas Park in the Pantanal. Credit:AP We prepare the team, a truck with a water pump, fire swatters and backpack water pumps so that, in case the fire jumps that barrier, we can combat it, Tortato said by phone. Its the only strategy that has managed to resolve the fire, in some situations. Despite tireless efforts, some 15 per cent of Pantheras sprawling property has been consumed by fire, he said. Whereas farmers in the Amazon often use fire to clear brush and open new pasture, fires in the Pantanal are often unintentional, set by locals and then spiralling out of control due to climate conditions, according to Felipe Dias, executive director of environmental group SOS Pantanal. One cause of this year's Pantanal fires was the use of burning roots to smoke wild bees out of their hives to extract honey, said Sebalhos. This year has been the Pantanal's driest in 47 years, and rain isn't expected until October, Dias said. Only rain can truly extinguish the wildfire, he added. A volunteer firefighter walks along Transpantaneira road at the Pantanal wetlands region in Porto Jofre city, Mato Grosso state. Credit:Bloomberg Theres a climate problem. The rains happen in a concentrated way and then 30, 40, 50 days go by without rain, Dias said. The Pantanal is a flood plain; the soil should be soaked. The number of fires the area has seen so far this year already exceeds the annual totals for every year on record, stretching back to 1998, and is more than double the annual average for the prior 10 years, according to data from the governments space agency, which uses satellites to count the blazes. More than 10 per cent of the area has been consumed by fire this year, according to WWF and SOS Pantanal. Fires burn in the Pantanal wetlands region in Mato Grosso state on Saturday. Credit:Bloomberg President Jair Bolsonaro, a staunch supporter of development in the country's hinterland, bowed to international pressure and issued a decree in July prohibiting the use of fire to clear land in the Amazon and Pantanal regions throughout this years dry season. In practice, its done little to slow the burn, with scant enforcement of his moratorium, environmentalists say. The Environment Ministry didn't respond to requests for comment about its oversight. The government dispatched 173 members of the armed forces to Mato Grosso and Mato Grosso do Sul states, along with 139 firefighters from the Chico Mendes Institute, the arm of the ministry that manages federal parks, according to the Defence Ministry. Tallies provided by state firefighter corps indicate the numbers might be significantly fewer. Bolsonaro has chalked up difficulties in fighting the Pantanal fires to the size of the affected area. The Pantanal's fauna and flora are one of Brazil's biggest tourism attractions. Credit:Shutterstock I started to suffer criticism because the Pantanal is on fire, the President said on August 20 in a live broadcast on Facebook. He noted the vastness of the Pantanal, saying: You can imagine the difficulty of fighting the fire in that area. Loading Unlike the Amazon that has a slew of federally protected areas, some 95 per cent of the Pantanal is privately owned, according to WWF and SOS Pantanal. The swamp land can also regenerate quickly. There are about 2000 jaguars in an area that is called the Jaguar Conservation Unit, which is half of the Pantanal, according to Panthera. Between 80 per cent and 90 per cent of Meeting of the Waters is susceptible to fire, with the remaining rivers, brooks and swamps currently serving as refuges for fauna, Tortato said. The most vulnerable creatures are baby birds, reptiles and amphibians, whereas larger mammals have greater ability to flee and survive. Colonel Paulo Barroso, who is coordinating animal rescue for Mato Grosso states environment secretariat, hopes animals will escape to the private Sao Joao ranch adjacent to the park. He said his strategy was to start making firebreaks to guide animals to an artificial safe haven. The letter filled with stickers for a 5-year-old boy named William was mailed at the post office in the Los Angeles community of Sylmar on Aug. 22. It was sent first class, at a cost of 55 cents, and with a promise, according to the U.S. Postal Service website, of "delivery in 1-3 business days." The plain white envelope arrived at its destination, a ranch-style house in Austin, Texas, 11 days later. Another letter, mailed from Malibu to the San Francisco suburb of Millbrae, sat in a Los Angeles processing center for three days and wasn't delivered for an additional four days after that. And a letter sent from the Alhambra post office to a residence in Washington, D.C., took four days to get to the mail processing center in the capital, and three more days elapsed before it reached its final destination. The slow mail service from Los Angeles to cities near and far was just one of the findings of a Los Angeles Times effort to test, in a small but revealing way, the reliability of the Postal Service as it comes under increasing scrutiny due to deep cuts by the Trump administration. The Times survey, which tracked 100 letters sent between Aug. 21 and 24 to multiple destinations within California and beyond, showed that postal performance in the summer of 2020 is spotty at best, dismal at worst. There is no single snag in the complex postal delivery system. Instead, multiple choke points can slow a letter's journey. In the worst cases, the postal system fails in more than one way. The Times measured its letter delivery times against the advertised figure from the Postal Service, which says first-class letters should arrive at their destination in one to three business days. Gaare Davis, president of the American Postal Workers Union, California, said the Postal Service has had a goal of delivering first-class letters within the state in two business days and in three business days to Austin, Atlanta and Washington. Story continues Among the findings: Half of the 20 letters sent to the San Francisco Bay Area arrived late, taking four to five business days to be delivered. Only about half of the 40 letters sent to Atlanta and Washington were marked as arriving on time. Ten arrived within four to five business days; eight were never marked in the Postal Services certified mail tracking system as delivered, although they did end up arriving at some point. One letter sent to Texas never arrived; another took eight business days to land, out of 20 letters sent to Austin. Overall, 75% of the letters sent by The Times that should have arrived within two business days actually arrived on time. This rate is substantially lower than the Postal Service's most recent performance metric, which shows a 92.4% on-time delivery rate in April, May and June. The Times survey found that it is possible for first-class mail to arrive far quicker than the official standards, but it didn't happen all that often. Of the 60 letters sent to Texas and the East Coast, just 12 were scanned as arriving within three calendar days. In response to questions about The Times' findings, Postal Service spokeswoman Evelina Ramirez said in an email that the agency continues to "identify and address some ongoing service issues in certain areas." But she stressed that "service performance improved across all major mail categories in the weeks prior to Postmaster General [Louis] DeJoys testimony on Aug. 24, and this trend has continued through August, returning to early July levels." Ramirez did not respond to any specific finding and would not discuss whether the slow performances were related to the recent cutbacks. But Davis called the findings "unacceptable" and said they should be brought to the attention of Congress, particularly to the House Oversight Committee, which grilled DeJoy on Aug. 24 about cost-cutting measures that led to current postal delays. The changes in service have left customers waiting for prescription drugs and landlords waiting for rent checks, and created chaos in the Los Angeles processing center. DeJoy "is the current problem," Davis said. "He took the [sorting] machines out. If the mail was running fine before he took over and before COVID, whats the problem now? It sure ain't the employees. The employees are doing their jobs with the tools provided. DeJoy, a major donor to President Trump, started as postmaster general in mid-June. The Postal Service, starting in July, dismantled sorting machines, slashed employee overtime pay and began strictly enforcing truck schedules, which workers say caused further disruptions. The ensuing uproar caused DeJoy on Aug. 18 to say he would suspend some of the operational changes until after the presidential election, but he also said the cutbacks would not be restored. DeJoy has acknowledged significant slowdowns in service. We had some delays in the mail, he said in Senate testimony on Aug. 21. Our recovery process in this should have been a few days, and its amounted to be a few weeks. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy arrives to testify before a House Oversight and Reform Committee hearing on the Postal Service on Aug. 24. (Tom Brenner / Associated Press) But he also vowed that the possible flood of mail-in ballots an expected increase tied to fears of standing in long lines during the COVID-19 pandemic will be handled appropriately. As we head into the election season, I want to assure this committee and the American public that the Postal Service is fully capable and committed to delivering the nations election mail securely and on time," he said. "This sacred duty is my No. 1 priority between now and election day. The degradation of first-class mail is not exactly a new phenomenon; California has lost more processing plants than any other state between about 2006 and 2012, said Phil Warlick, the union's legislative director. In 2015, the Postal Service changed its first-class service mail standards so that most mail once delivered overnight is now delivered in two days. That shift largely ended the overnight first-class mail delivery service once enjoyed by people sending letters within the same metro region. The worsening delays worry Ola Steenhagen, a 74-year-old from Porter Ranch who was protesting in front of the Granada Hills post office on Aug. 22, waving a sign that said, "Save our Post Office!" Ola Steenhagen, 74, from Porter Ranch, protests outside the Granada Hills post office on Aug. 22. (Maria LaGanga / Los Angeles Times) It was a Saturday, the same day the House held a rare weekend session and voted to block Postal Service changes and give the beleaguered agency $25 billion. Trump tweeted that the measure was a "money wasting HOAX." Steenhagen's husband is a veteran who receives his medication in the mail. Inhalers that help him breathe have been arriving weeks late. The couple vote by mail and are worried about the effect of postal problems on the coming election. "I'm worried about everybody," she said. "I'm worried about the farmworkers, the people who might be able to vote and won't have the services to mail their vote. And their kids who can vote, but it's not easy." This is how The Times' survey worked: From Aug. 21, when DeJoy was grilled by a Senate committee, to Aug. 24, when he testified before the House, The Times mailed 100 letters to five destinations. The first-class letters were sent from 20 post offices all around Los Angeles County, from Lancaster in the north to Long Beach in the south, from as far west as Malibu to as far east as Pomona. They were sent from pricey spots, such as Beverly Hills, and from Boyle Heights, a working-class Eastside neighborhood with high poverty rates. The destinations included Arcadia, in the San Gabriel Valley northeast of downtown Los Angeles; Millbrae; Austin; Atlanta; and Washington, D.C. Among the bottlenecks The Times' survey revealed were inexplicably long travel times, lengthy waits at the processing center in the destination city and unexplained stretches of time between leaving that facility and landing in the recipient's mailbox. None of the departure neighborhoods in Los Angeles County had dramatically different levels of service; mail sent from Compton fared about the same as that sent from Pasadena. A USPS processing and distribution center in the City of Industry on May 14. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) Three distribution centers that process outgoing mail for L.A. County also had no systemic delays in sorting departing letters, according to The Times survey. Of the letters sent to the Bay Area, most spent less than three hours in the sorting facilities in Los Angeles, Santa Clarita and Santa Ana. But arrival cities are a different story entirely. Mail delivered to Washington took markedly longer to arrive than that sent to Austin or Atlanta. The processing center that serves the Washington, area was a destination bottleneck. The three letters The Times sent that lingered longest between destination processing center and final recipient were all headed to a residence in the capital. It took three days for all three letters to get from the Washington processing center to the residence, even though it was just one mile away. Letters sent to Millbrae were slowed by multiple choke points in the system: one during the time in transit, another at the destination processing center in San Francisco, and a third at the local post office. In one vivid example illustrating the slow California service, it took nearly three times as long for a letter mailed in Malibu to reach the San Francisco distribution center as it took for a letter mailed in Pomona to reach the distribution center in Washington. The Postal Service can be speedy. Seven of the 20 letters sent from Los Angeles County to the residence in Millbrae arrived within two calendar days. These envelopes spent only about four hours at the sorting facility in San Francisco. However, just as many letters took a full week to make that same trip. The transit time alone between L.A. County and the Bay Area was between 2 and 4 days for a drive that takes less than seven hours in traffic that's coronavirus-light. The letters then spent between one and four days at the San Francisco sorting facility before being sent to the post office in Millbrae. There was still one more stop. And at this point, the journey got even stranger. Most of the slowest letters were marked as out for delivery and en route to their final destination at 8:36 a.m. on Aug. 27. But it took them more than a day to get from the Millbrae post office to a residence within the tiny city, which is less than four square miles in size, arriving on Aug. 28 at 10:05 a.m. The distance? Just a quarter-mile. About 1,400 feet. A five-minute walk. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. The highly-anticipated IPO (initial public offering) of Life Insurance of India (LIC) is unlikely to happen this fiscal year owing to delay in its valuation process. The much-awaited IPO is expected to lag on account of a growing realisation in the government and LIC that the designation of an asset valuer, which is considered to be the most critical aspect of the pre-IPO process, is still pending. Even if one is appointed now, it may take six to eight months for the valuation process to be concluded, given the vast land assets of the state-owned insurer, a government official told the Business Standard. Also Read: 25% in LIC up for grabs? The next big IPO to watch out for Meanwhile, several policymakers in the government were fully aware that while the highly ambitious disinvestment target of Rs 2.1 lakh crore (for FY21) might not be met in the wake of the economic downturn, exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic, they were still eager to conduct a few large-scale stake sales as a show of intent. This plan included the scheduled IPO of LIC. However, with the first half of the current fiscal year almost over, the government may not have much time by its side. The Centre, along with the insurance sector giant, needs to do a lot of work before LIC is ready for its market debut. Another government source told the publication that although the valuation of business assets of a company like LIC can be done within a short time span, the valuation of its physical assets is a much longer procedure. The source further stated that the appointment of an asset valuer "could still be some months away." The Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM) has already appointed SBI Caps and Deloitte as pre-IPO transaction advisors for LIC's IPO. Also Read: LIC IPO: Government may go for 25% stake sale in insurer Meanwhile, it is yet to put out requests for proposal (RFPs) for asset valuers and legal advisors. An asset valuer ascertains the embedded value of the company basis several parameters such as assets, investments, land bank, product, and so on. The Centre also has to make specific amendments to the LIC Act, 1956, to facilitate the passage of the IPO. The government plans to table the amendments during the ongoing monsoon session of Parliament. This handout photo published by Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny on his instagram account, shows himself and his wife Yulia, posing for a photo in a hospital in Berlin, Germany. Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny has posted the picture of himself in a hospital in Germany and says hes breathing on his own. He posted on Instagram Tuesday Sept. 15, 2020: Hi, this is Navalny. I have been missing you. I still cant do much, but yesterday I managed to breathe on my own for the entire day. (Navalny instagram via AP) Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny has posted a picture of himself from his hospital bed in Germany, looking gaunt but joking wryly about his condition and saying he was enjoying the ability to finally breathe on his own after being poisoned with a nerve agent. The Instagram post was the first image of the 44-year-old released since he was taken to Berlins Charite hospital two days after falling ill on a domestic flight in Russia on August 20. Hi, this is Navalny, he wrote in the Russian-language post. I have been missing you. I still cant do almost anything on my own, but yesterday I managed to breathe on my own for the entire day. He had been kept in an induced coma for more than two weeks as he was treated with an antidote before hospital officials said on September 7 that his condition had improved enough for him to be brought out of it. On Monday, the hospital said he had been removed from mechanical ventilation and was able to leave his bed for short periods of time. In the photo, Mr Navalny is being given a hug by his wife Yulia and is flanked by his two children as he sits upright in his bed in a hospital gown. His statement even had the ring of his well-known sarcastic humour. Just on my own, no extra help, I didnt even use the simplest valve in my throat, he said of being able to breathe without ventilation. I liked it very much. Its a remarkable process that is underestimated by many. Strongly recommended. Despite his recovery, doctors have said they cannot rule out long-term health issues associated with the poisoning. Mr Navalnys spokeswoman, Kira Yarmysh, tweeted that once he has recovered, he plans to return to Russia, adding: No other option has ever been considered. A German military lab has determined that Mr Navalny was poisoned with Novichok, the same class of Soviet-era agent that Britain said was used on former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter in Salisbury in 2018. On Monday, the German government said independent tests by labs in France and Sweden backed up its findings. The Hague-based Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons also is taking steps to have samples from Mr Navalny tested at its designated labs, Germany has said. Expand Close Vladimir Putin and Angela Merkel (Chris Jackson/PA) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Vladimir Putin and Angela Merkel (Chris Jackson/PA) The Kremlin has bristled at calls from German Chancellor Angela Merkel and other leaders to answer questions about the poisoning, denying any official involvement. French President Emmanuel Macrons office said he had expressed deep concern over the criminal act that targeted Mr Navalny directly with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday. The Kremlin said Mr Putin in the call underlined the impropriety of unfounded accusations against the Russian side and emphasised Russias demand for Germany to hand over analyses and samples. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters Russia is puzzled by the German refusal to share Mr Navalnys analyses and other medical data, or compare notes with the Russian doctors who found no trace of poison in his system while he was at a hospital in the Siberian city of Omsk. Russia has been absolutely open for co-operation in determining what happened, he said. Russia needs co-operation with the German side in getting the patients biological samples to be able to advance. Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov, who has cancelled a scheduled trip to Berlin, said Russian authorities have conducted a preliminary inquiry and documented the meetings Mr Navalny had before falling ill, but he emphasised they need to see evidence of poisoning to launch a full criminal investigation. Mr Lavrov said Mr Navalnys life was saved by the pilots of the plane who quickly landed in Omsk when he collapsed on board and by the rapid action of doctors there. He accused the West of trying to smear Russia and use the incident as a pretext for new sanctions against Moscow. Berlin has rejected suggestions from Moscow that it is dragging its heels on sharing evidence. With Germanys findings corroborated by labs abroad, we do not expect the bringer of the bad news namely us to be attacked further, but rather that they should deal with the news itself, German foreign minister Heiko Maas said. Asked why no samples from Mr Navalny had been given to Russia, his spokeswoman noted: Mr Navalny was in Russian treatment in a hospital for 48 hours. CAMBRIDGE A new chief will lead the Cambridge Fire Department starting this November after former fire Chief Neil Main retired last month. Brian Arnold served as the fire chief with Sarnia Fire Rescue until recently. He is returning to Cambridge after briefly serving as fire chief with Sarnia Fire Rescue. Arnold was a deputy fire chief with the city of Cambridge from 2015 to 2019. With more than 27 years experience, Arnold has worked with the Woodstock Fire Department, the London Fire Department, and with the Toronto Fire Services. He has served on a variety of emergency services committees across the province. Main retired after 31 years with the Cambridge Fire Department. President Trump and his campaign are defending his right to hold rallies indoors, despite the private unease of aides who called the practice a game of political Russian roulette and growing concern that such gatherings could prolong the pandemic. Im on a stage, and its very far away, Mr. Trump told The Las Vegas Review-Journal, as thousands of his supporters gathered on Sunday night inside a manufacturing plant in a Las Vegas suburb, flouting a state directive limiting indoor gatherings to 50 people. The president did not address health concerns about rally attendees, few of whom wore masks or socially distanced. When it came to his own safety, he said, Im not at all concerned. The decision to hold a rally indoors, officials said, came after failed attempts to procure five different outdoor locations. A Trump campaign official said they all faced pressure from state officials not to host the rally. FILE PHOTO: Full shelves with fruits are pictured in a supermarket during the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Berlin BERLIN (Reuters) - Europe's largest economy is set to continue recovering from the coronavirus crisis in the remainder of 2020 and will likely grow strongly in the third quarter but it probably will not reach its pre-crisis level until 2022, the German Economy Ministry said. The trough of the recession was reached in the second quarter and the easing of lockdown measures since May led to a rapid recovery in industry and in some service sectors, the ministry said in its monthly report on Monday, adding that the revival has lost some steam lately though. "The German economy is continuing to pick up, albeit at a more moderate pace," the ministry said. Economists expect Europe's biggest economy to show a return to growth in the third quarter after a record 9.7% contraction in the second quarter as consumer spending, company investment and exports all collapsed. The ministry said significant economic growth was likely in the third quarter thanks to impetus from May and June, when there were signs of a rebound. It said exports remained far from their pre-coronavirus levels and while industrial production had returned to almost 90% of its pre-coronavirus level and was continuing to rise, it had lost some momentum. Earlier this month, the German government revised upward its economic forecast for this year to a decline of 5.8% from a previously expected slump of 6.3%. A temporary cut in Germany's value-added tax (VAT) as part of the government's stimulus package and a child bonus are also expected to boost domestic demand in the second half of the year, it added. (Reporting by Riham Alkousaa; Editing by Michelle Adair) Advertisement New York City has reversed its decision to transfer homeless individuals out of a luxury hotel on the Upper West Side, after some residents protested the transfer and others expressed outrage that the scheme was allowed to continue. Mayor Bill de Blasio on Monday said that 'the whole system is being looked at right now' after facing criticism from all sides over his plan to house some 13,000 homeless people in hotels across the city during the coronavirus pandemic. 'As the Mayor said this morning, at this time, while Commissioner Banks and Corp Counsel Johnson are reviewing the situation, we are not moving any clients from these locations as part of this initiative (moves in the normal course, such as to permanent housing, for example, may proceed),' the Department of Homeless Services said in a statement to WABC-TV. 'We want to make sure that each person is treated with dignity,' de Blasio said at a press conference. 'Again, I don't think a temporary hotel placement should be misunderstood as the ideal. I don't think it is the ideal. It was never meant to be the ideal. We got to get people to the right kind of location for them, so this is why the whole system is being looked at right now.' Mayor Bill de Blasio on Monday said that 'the whole system is being looked at right now' after facing criticism from all sides over his plan to house some 13,000 homeless people in hotels across the city Last week, Upper West Side residents and supporters of UWS Open Hearts Initiative gathered at a news conference in front of the Lucerne Hotel in support of the homeless who are currently being housed there The UWS Open Hearts Initiative opposed transferring homeless men from the Lucerne, saying they had suffered enough It follows competing protests over the fate of the men being housed at The Lucerne on the Upper West Side, after homeless advocates implored the city to rethink transferring them. The UWS Open Hearts Initiative, which advocated for the homeless men to remain in the hotels, responded to the pause with a statement cheering the move. 'This victory belongs to the residents of The Lucerne and Harmonia who spoke out last might at great personal risk to themselves given their vulnerable position. Now we need to keep the pressure on & keep fighting--this is an opening, but we MUST continue to make our voices heard,' the group said. A group opposing the hotel scheme, the West Side Community Organization, issued its own statement, saying: 'We understand and expect that the City will honor its commitment to move folks out of the Lucerne and into state-accredited shelters with proper services on-site by the end of this month.' 'As the Mayor has explained, SRO hotels should only be temporary housing, and what's happening on the Upper West Side is 'not acceptable,' so this move will be a win-win for this neighborhood and this vulnerable population,' the statement continued. A group of presumably homeless people pass around a bottle of alcohol out in the open at the corner of W79th Street and Broadway in the Upper West Side earlier this month A homeless man sleeps on a chair at the corner of W80th Street and Broadway in the Upper West Side earlier this month The homeless men were quietly moved into the hotel in July, and the city had begun to transfer them after a massive outcry from residents who said that open drug use and lewd displays had become rampant in the upscale neighborhood. But it then emerged that the men were being moved to the Harmonia in Midtown, resulting in disabled residents of the Harmonia being displaced. Advocates for the homeless reacted with fury, marching from Carl Schurz Park to Gracie Mansion and demanding that de Blasio resign with chants as police guarded the property. A large sign read: 'Because you are displacing 900 homeless NYers and think that 'shelters are better environments' please be advised that you will be transferred from Gracie Mansion to a homeless shelter.' The Department of Homeless Services only paused plans to move families accommodated at Harmonia after Legal Aid filed a lawsuit on their behalf. Members of the Open Hearts Initiative on Sunday urged Upper West Siders to show compassion for the people stuck without homes, ways to make a living and many living with mental illness. 'A lot of us are just trying, like I said, get on out feet and move on,' Shelter resident Mario Charles told the station. Protesters marched to Gracie Mansion in Manhattan to demand that Mayor Bill de Blasio resigns A sign read: 'Because you are displacing 900 homeless NYers and think that "shelters are better environments" please be advised that you will be transferred from Gracie Mansion to a homeless shelter' State Senator Brian Benjamin attended the demonstration to voice how the local government was not showing enough kindness to the less fortunate. Councilwoman Helen Rosenthal said that while officials have been listening to people who 'don't like to see poverty. the mayor's decision to move people out of the Lucerne had a ripple effect that no one could've expected.' NYS Assemblywoman Linda Rosenthal added: 'It's our responsibility as a society to save those less fortunate than us during a pandemic.' After four hours of efforts from activists and politicians outside Gracie Mansion, the Mayor's administration agreed to open a line of communication with houseless constituents who are affected by relocation and displacement. 'Victorious councilmember @HelenRosenthal can finally go home and eat!!!! She fought side by side with us for EIGHT hours today,' the Open Hearts Initiative tweeted. As the wildfires in the western United States encroach upon neighboring states, the smoke has invaded airspace stretching into the eastern half of the country. Meanwhile, Hurricane Sally recently weakened near the Louisiana coastline from a Category 2 storm to a Category 1, but forecasters say the exact strength won't likely change the battering it is starting to unleash along the Gulf Coast. AccuWeather Senior On-Air Meteorologist Adam Del Rosso posted a NOAA satellite image Monday evening on Twitter, highlighting the overlap of the wildfire smoke and two Atlantic hurricanes churning nearby. The satellite imagery of the U.S. shows how the dense smoke from the wildfires spawned in the West has fanned out and drifted into the Eastern skies of the country. To the south of the smoke is Hurricane Sally, which had been downgraded from a Category 2 hurricane to a Category 1 before the time of the image. Farther to the east, the smoke has extended into the Atlantic and overlapped with Hurricane Paulette. At the time of the image, the Category 2 hurricane was continuing to strengthen. Satellite imagery of wildfire smoke from the western U.S. that has traveled to the eastern part of the country. Meanwhile, a weakened Hurricane Sally churned in the Gulf on Sept. 15, 2020, as Paulette strengthened out in the Atlantic. (CIRA/RAMMBA/GOES-East/edit by Adam Del Rosso) The western U.S.'s wildfire season has had an intense impact across at least the 10 states currently fighting to contain the blazes. Collectively, over 4.6 million acres of land -- a portion of the U.S. amounting to the size of Connecticut -- are currently burning. The wildfires have scorched over 6 million acres total, a little over the size of New Hampshire, since Jan. 1, 2020, to date, according to the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC). A total of 87 large fires, not including individual fires within complexes, are burning across the 10 states, according to the agency. The USDA Forest Service defines a "large fire" as a fire burning more than a specified area of land, which may differ between states, but also as "a fire burning with a size and intensity that its behavior is determined by interaction between its own convection column and weather conditions above the surface." Story continues For comparison of the intensity of wildfires from 2020 compared to the previous year, California has seen at least 3.3 million acres scorched to date this year where it only saw 0.3 million burned throughout the course of 2019. For the 10 states currently fighting wildfires, only 1.6 million acres had been burned during 2019. From Jan. 1, 2020, to date, the same states have seen a collective 6.5 million acres burned, according to data from the NIFC and compiled state-level fire reporting sources. The smoke from these destructive fires has drifted as far east as parts of Pennsylvania and even dipped down toward more Southern states like North Carolina and Tennessee -- and even extending out to sea over Paulette. Residents across the western U.S. can monitor the air quality levels in their neighborhood with AccuWeather's Air Quality page, which includes detailed air quality forecasts. The smoke has been impacting air quality reports across the nation, and has even caused some drop in temperatures. Knowing hurricanes thrive off of heat and moisture, is it possible for smoke to impact tropical development should the haze drift to the Gulf? The afternoon sun sank in the hazy sky of Altoona, Pennsylvania, on Sept. 13, 2020, veiled by smoke from active wildfires at the other side of the country. (Brian Lada) Hurricanes thrive off of heat and moisture, and there are a multitude of factors that can hinder a storm's development. As far as smoke affecting the weather, it can dim and block out enough sun to hold the heat of the day at bay, according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski. "If the smoke layer is thick enough, especially aloft, like it is in the East, it can hold high temperatures back by several degrees," Sosnowski said. "Smoke can also insulate a bit at night... act like a blanket and keep temperatures from bottoming out so much by a few degrees." CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP But hurricanes are fueled by the heat and moisture of the sea surface -- and bodies of water tend to take much longer to adjust to fluxes in temperature. This is one of the reasons why hurricane season peaks in September and into October, after the blistering, peak summer heat pre-heats the ocean. Due to drawing power from the ocean, the storms typically reside in the lowest part of the atmosphere. The smoke from the wildfires above the Central and Eastern states linger around 20,000 to 40,000 feet. In the Gulf, the highest-reaching storm clouds might extend to 30,000 to 50,000 feet above the sea's surface. The "prime energy zone" the hurricane feeds off of, as Sosnowski refers to it as, is from the sea level to about 15,000 to 20,000 feet, roughly. The energy driving the activity comes from the sea surface and this lower area of the atmosphere. While particles in the atmosphere, such as the Saharan Dust that travels from Western Africa to the Gulf Coast each June into July, tend to suppress tropical development, the wildfire smoke won't have the same effect. As Sally churns in the Gulf Coast and Paulette treks farther out to sea, smoke from the wildfires in the western U.S. can be seen invading the skies of the Eastern states. (NOAA/GOES-East) "[Wildfire smoke] typically resides higher in the atmosphere and is probably not as thick," AccuWeather's top hurricane expert Dan Kottlowski said. "The only thing smoke does is reduce insolation -- the amount of solar radiation reaching the Earth's surface which can cause temperatures to be cooler than they otherwise would be." "While the smoke could theoretically have some effect on Sally, it would likely be minimal with effects from the Gulf, land and wind shear far outweighing impact on the tropical system," Sosnowski said. Wind shear, or the increase in winds with increasing altitude, is a common factor in the suppression of tropical systems. However, in the case of Sally, as Sosnowski points out, it didn't act alone. With smoke out as a factor, we turn to the nature of the storm itself. Sally didn't weaken from any intervention from the wildfires, but more from self-sabotage. "Sally weakened because of its own slow movement causing waters in the Gulf of Mexico to churn and bring up cool water from the depths," Sosnowski said. "In addition, Sally stalled near the coast so friction from the land was tugging on the storm's circulation." Wind shear in the region was also beginning to ramp up. "This is also beginning to tear away at part of the storm," Sosnowski added. Meanwhile, Hurricane Paulette continues to strengthen under smoky skies. Perhaps for the best, 2020's two record-breaking seasons will most likely not interact as they overlap. Due to some of the clouds and upper vertical circulation of hurricanes, Sosnowski says there could be some mixing, but questionable as to what becomes of it -- though likely nothing major in terms of impacts. "There is no direct impact that can be solidly proven that smoke enhances or takes away from hurricanes, I would say," Sosnowski said. "But ,since they are in two different parts of the atmosphere in this case, the effects would be minimal at best or perhaps not at all." Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios. (Natural News) Now that a top Democrat data analytics firm has finally confirmed that Democrats plan to claim victory weeks after the presidential election once enough of their votes show up in the mail to be counted, I dont think any rational observer could view this as anything but a promise to destroy the legitimacy of the 2020 election. The Democrats mission to fracture America permanently should be codenamed Operation Chaos, because it is chaos they are preparing to unleash. (Article by J.B. Shurk republished from AmericanThinker.com) It was not a few thousand dollars worth of Russian Facebook posts and online internet trolls that nearly destroyed the Union after the 2016 election. It was the way the Obama White House and an intelligencelaw enforcement cabal run by the Democratic Party maliciously and intentionally magnified Russias limited hijinks into the greatest political hoax in American history. The Democrats preferred to drag the United States through four years of nonsensical conspiracy theories, needless investigations, and cries of high treason rather than to acknowledge that President Trump had legitimately defeated Hillary Clinton. The Democrats chose an unprecedented campaign of sabotage against an American president, and in doing so, they accomplished what Putins Russia could never have dreamed: they succeeded in convincing half of America that the 2016 election was stolen from them. The Democrats and the Deep State that has aided and abetted their cause have sold bitter acrimony for four years and birthed our precarious pre-civil war tinderbox today. With American peace now hanging in the balance, will Democrats choose country over socialism and temper passions already overinflamed? Of course not. If four years of the Russia hoax has brought our nation to the brink of civil strife, the Democrats Operation Chaos will make it nearly impossible for wisdom and reason to succeed in the months ahead. This fact alone should disqualify Democrats from office in 2020. A party that is driving the country to civil war cannot be trusted to have the countrys best interest at heart. Most Republicans (except the useful idiots who will look past corruption and fraud for the chance to remove President Trump) understand how the Democrats plan to use cheat-by-mail chaos to elevate a man who cant remember his opponents name (or even his running mates) to commander in chief. They have a three-tailed con in play: (1) attempt to win swing states fast and declare victory before fraudulent ballots can be scrutinized; (2) harvest loose ballots after election day until Trump vote leads disappear; (3) throw the whole mess into state and federal courts until a Democrat-leaning judge gives them a Democrat lead. At any time that one of these tails secures a Democrat victory, the useful idiot NeverTrumps and hacks in the press will aid the Democrats in quickly declaring the election over and calling for President Trumps concession. (When executing a good con, its always best to have disinterested third parties move the con along.) By that point, offending ballots will be disappeared before they can ever be scrutinized again. And at any stage of this dangerous game, if President Trump and his supporters fight the outcome, our efforts not Democrat vote fraud will be framed as threats to democracy. All the chaos lying ahead was preventable, of course. In the most modern and technically advanced nation in the history of the planet, the idea that the United States cannot vouchsafe the results of a democratic election is absurd. All over the world, successful elections take place without high-tech voting booths or sophisticated methods for tallying votes, but in America, we are plagued with so much uncertainty as to whether our elections are the outcomes of massive fraud that election integrity is impossible. You cant have fair and equitable elections when every single American believes the vote is already rigged. Obviously, if our constitutional republic is to utilize democratic elections to decide whether we choose Donald Trumps America First policies or Bernie Sanderss Green New Deal, then safeguarding the American vote is paramount over any other responsibility of our federal and state governments. Instead, because the political establishment in America routinely ignores the wishes of American voters, it has turned a blind eye to the corruption and inaccuracy of American elections. Democrats (and Republican enablers like Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan) argue that election fraud is a myth when it is, in fact, well documented. They argue that non-citizen voting occurs in such low numbers as to be meaningless when meaningful elections every year are decided by a few hundred votes. They argue that election judges can be trusted when many have been prosecuted for altering votes and stuffing ballots. They argue that sensible voter identification laws are unnecessary (and racist) when votes routinely show up from dead voters, non-voters, and voters who long ago left the jurisdictions in which theyre now cast. They argue that ballot-harvesting is nothing to worry about when the outcomes of elections are overturned days and weeks after election day. They argue that the same U.S. Postal Service that just endorsed the Democratic Party can be trusted to impartially handle Republican votes. By never letting a crisis go to waste, Democrats have so effectively guaranteed cheat by mail in swing states this year that stacks of ballots can go out with coupon mailers and come back without proper signatures or any other voter authentications and go right into the ballot box. A recent election in New Jersey was just thrown out after it was determined that mail-in vote fraud had tainted 22% of the total vote, while twenty-eight million mail-in ballots have gone missing in the last four elections. And a top Democrat operative revealed last week how he and others have been committing voter fraud on a grand scale for decades. Gone are the days when the United States recognized the solemnity of the vote by securing for each citizen a private and uncoerced secret ballot. Now Democrat election operatives can simply go from hospital bed to hospital bed in nursing homes around the country collecting votes or swallow up entire mail drops at apartment buildings before residents even hold them in their hands. Operation Chaos will test the limits of our countrys bonds. How does a free country governed by the people destroy itself? When elected representatives make it impossible for the people to believe they are still governing. If we had a functioning free press in this country that hadnt thrown out objectivity and professionalism for partisan entanglements and personal vendettas, the two biggest stories of the last four years would both center on the efforts of the Democratic Party to undermine American elections so completely that the breakup of the Union is not only a real possibility, but the Democrats likely objective. They sabotaged the peaceful transition of power in 2016 with the Russia hoax. In 2020, whether they can eke out victory or not, they have implemented a cheat by mail voting catastrophe that will render the 2020 election outcome unavoidably illegitimate to the losing side. It is a strategy intended to damage the country. It is an operation meant to unleash chaos. Read more at: AmericanThinker.com and VoteFraud.news. Chandigarh, Sep 16 : Terming the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act 2020, passed by the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, a "direct and deliberate assault" by the Centre on the interests of the farmers, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh said his Congress will challenge it in court. Riding roughshod over the concerns of the farmers, the Modi government, of which the Shiromani Akali Dal is a constituent, has imposed a Central law on a state subject, thus eroding the federal structure of the country, he said. "We will challenge it in court," he said. Asserting that he will not allow the interests of the farmers to be compromised in this "shameless" manner, Amarinder Singh claimed the enactment of the legislation is clearly a step towards abolition of the MSP regime. "It is a conspiracy on the part of the BJP-led NDA government to destroy Punjab and its farmers," he said, declaring that the Congress will fight this attack on the state's interests tooth and nail. "The legislation talks of encouraging competition among farmers. Do they really expect the poor farmers, who are only competing with themselves for survival every day, to rival big corporates for protecting their interests?" he asked. Noting that the enactment, along with the other two farm ordinances that the Centre has already tabled in the Lok Sabha, was in line with the recommendations of the Shanta Kumar committee, Amarinder Singh pointed out that the same committee had also suggested dismantling of the MSP regime. It is evident that the NDA government is now moving towards the elimination of the MSP system, which is the lifeline of the farmers, he said, adding that the Congress will not allow the interests of the farming community to be trampled in this manner. The very survival of the farmers is at stake, he warned. The Chief Minister also took on SAD chief Sukhbir Badal, who was reportedly present in the House when the bill was passed by a voice vote, for failing to protect the interests of Punjab's farmers, whose messiah he claimed his party to be. Sukhbir Badal and his SAD were clearly party to the treachery of the Union government, which has paved the way, through the passage of this bill, for taking away the rights of the farmers, who have fed the nation and given it food security for decades, he added. "Will you quit the ruling coalition at the Centre, or will you continue to wait outside their doors for any crumbs they throw your way?" Amarinder Singh asked Sukhbir Badal, adding that the Akalis had totally and irrevocably failed their own state yet again. Taking a dig at Sukhbir Badal's remarks that the SAD would live up to the legacy of senior party leaders who had stood with the farmers before him, the Chief Minister said the only legacy that the incumbent Akali chief was promoting was of a party that will always put its own interests over those of Punjab's people, particularly the farmers. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text SEATTLE, Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Outreach , the number one sales engagement platform, today announced hiring Leslie Pendergrast to the new role of Chief People Officer. Pendergrast brings more than 20 years of experience driving global technology growth and has held senior Human Resources leadership roles in both public and private companies. "As Outreach grows its employee base and expands into new markets, we searched for a talented global human resources executive with a track record of bringing startup technology companies to scale, while ensuring employees have an outstanding experience and continuing Outreach's reputation as a best place work," said Manny Medina, co-founder and CEO of Outreach. "I'm excited to welcome Leslie on board." Pendergrast has held numerous senior human resources leadership positions including Code42, Datalogix, Sourcefire, and Citrix Systems. At Citrix Systems, she played an integral role in growing the company from $24M to $1B in revenue and 100 to 4,000 employees. She was also instrumental in scaling Sourcefire's global business from $75M to $223M in revenue and 200 to 700 employees, at which point the company sold to Cisco for $2.7B. Prior to joining Outreach, she was the Chief People Officer at Code42. Pendergrast has a proven track record advising CEOs and boards of technology companies on how to transform talent acquisition, talent development, culture and well-being, total rewards, and HR operations to scale operations and growth. "I am thrilled to be joining Outreach. From my first interview, even virtually, I could feel the enthusiasm for our customers, our product, and our company values. I thrive in a fast-paced, nimble environment that inspires rapid growth, and I am eager to help build people practices that allow us to scale quickly and effectively," said Pendergrast. Outreach also welcomed five strategic leadership hires: Victoria Grady , vice president of Product Marketing . Grady leads the growing product marketing team, working alongside engineering and sales leaders and their respective organizations. She is a proven tech industry executive who has led a broad range of international product marketing and management efforts throughout her two-decade career. She previously led product marketing for Microsoft Azure and multiple worldwide startup programs at Microsoft. . Grady leads the growing product marketing team, working alongside engineering and sales leaders and their respective organizations. She is a proven tech industry executive who has led a broad range of international product marketing and management efforts throughout her two-decade career. She previously led product marketing for Microsoft Azure and multiple worldwide startup programs at Microsoft. Rajit Joseph , vice president of Product Management . Joseph brings deep expertise in sales engagement and enterprise product management to his role leading product strategy for Outreach's knowledge graph, data insights, developer and partner ecosystem. He previously worked at People.ai and XANT (formerly InsideSales.com) in lead product management roles. He also led product management at various enterprise companies, including Salesforce, Oracle and GE. . Joseph brings deep expertise in sales engagement and enterprise product management to his role leading product strategy for Outreach's knowledge graph, data insights, developer and partner ecosystem. He previously worked at People.ai and XANT (formerly InsideSales.com) in lead product management roles. He also led product management at various enterprise companies, including Salesforce, Oracle and GE. Min Zhu , vice president of Engineering. Zhu leads Outreach's data platform and infrastructure team. He brings more than 22 years of experience building high performing teams that define, produce, and operate world-class software and services across many platforms and industries from some of the largest enterprise companies in the world, including Microsoft and Amazon. Zhu leads Outreach's data platform and infrastructure team. He brings more than 22 years of experience building high performing teams that define, produce, and operate world-class software and services across many platforms and industries from some of the largest enterprise companies in the world, including Microsoft and Amazon. Ella Dillon , vice president of Customer Success Strategy & Support. Dillon leverages her experience scaling global teams that deliver excellent customer experience to her role. She joined Outreach from DocuSign, where she led customer success operations and global support, and previously held leadership roles at AT&T and Cingular Wireless (later acquired by AT&T). Dillon leverages her experience scaling global teams that deliver excellent customer experience to her role. She joined Outreach from DocuSign, where she led customer success operations and global support, and previously held leadership roles at AT&T and Cingular Wireless (later acquired by AT&T). Kara Blumberg , vice president of Professional Services & Training. Blumberg now heads up the professional services arm of Outreach. She has more than 25 years of leadership experience across multiple talent-focused specialties including professional services, customer success, business execution consulting, and HR. Blumberg previously oversaw professional services and deployment at HireVue and worked at SAP for several years. "I'm thrilled to welcome Leslie, Victoria, Rajit, Min, Ella, and Kara to our team," added Medina. "This group of leaders brings the expertise we need as Outreach continues to expand both in the types of customers we serve and the technology innovations we are bringing to market. These are crucial areas for Outreach's further expansion." Outreach had a busy past few months, bringing home awards and industry recognition. The company took home two best place to work awards from the Puget Sound Business Journal and Seattle Business Magazine, as well as, The Next Tech Titan title at the GeekWire Awards. Most recently, Outreach was named a leader in The Forrester Wave: Sales Engagement, Q3 2020. The platform earned the highest scores possible in 11 criteria in the evaluation and received the highest score of any vendor in the current offering category. Forrester recognized Outreach as "a strong fit for organizations that value innovation and category leadership." About Outreach Outreach is the number one sales engagement platform with the largest customer base and industry-leading usage. Outreach helps companies dramatically increase productivity and drive smarter, more insightful engagement with their customers. More than 4,500 companies such as Adobe, Tableau, DoorDash, Splunk, DocuSign, and SAP depend on Outreach's enterprise-scale, unparalleled customer adoption, and robust AI-powered innovation. Outreach is a privately held company based in Seattle, Washington. To learn more, please visit www.outreach.io. PR Contact: Amanda Woolley [email protected] SOURCE Outreach Related Links www.outreach.io Since the morning of Sept. 9, 2019, Linda Ximenes has stood in front of the Alamo every morning, undeterred by heat, rain or cold. She arrives and leaves long before tourists do. They never hear her prayers, never hear her songs. Other members of the Tap Pilam Coahuiltecan Nation have joined her from time to time. Like her, some are lineal descendants of the Native Americans buried at the Alamo. Not so long ago, state and local officials vehemently denied the Alamo grounds constituted a cemetery, even after officially designated as one. In June, the states historical oversight agency declared the Alamos mission-era church a verified cemetery in light of the recent discovery of multiple human burials. Robin Jerstad /Contributor Such is the state of Texas relationship with the first peoples of Texas, especially when a $450 million restoration project at the Alamo is on the line. Blame George P. Bush, commissioner of the General Land Office, which oversees the Alamo. Blame Doug McDonald, former CEO of the Alamo Trust who was hired by the GLO to manage the Alamo. You couldnt have found overseers that were more ill-prepared for this responsibility. City of San Antonio officials share blame for the broken relationship with Tap Pilam, the most well-known, organized and self-sustaining indigenous group in the city. At the very least, the city has put itself on the wrong side of history. Robin Jerstad /Contributor Its estimated that more than 1,000 people were buried at the Alamo. Death records dating to the 1700s are readily available. Many of the names of the dead are known, including indigenous inhabitants, Spaniards, Canary Islanders, Mexican soldiers and even the Tejano Battle of the Alamo defenders believed to have been buried there. Ximenes, a 76-year-old healer and tribal council member, is the head of Tap Pilams Xarame clan, whose members lived and died at the Alamo and at Mission San Juan. Robin Jerstad /Contributor She began her daily pilgrimage to the Alamo last year after the state for the first time denied Tap Pilam access to the chapel for an annual religious service called a llanto. Ramon Vasquez, a Tap Pilam spokesman and executive director of its nonprofit agency American Indians in Texas at the Spanish Colonial Missions, said the Alamo Trust declared the site only available for public tours. That decision crushed tribal members, who saw it as a violation of their religious freedoms. They held their ceremony outdoors as armed guards stood by. If Texas wanted to look like a bully, it succeeded. Vasquez said the annual ceremony commemorates the first reburial of ancestors inside the chapel 25 years ago. This year Tap Pilam held its llanto outdoors in front of the Alamo, again. But several tribal elders went inside the church by reserving free tickets online. Robin Jerstad /Contributor A guard ordered them not to pray, but tribal leader Ray Hernandez said, Were not going to ask to pray. Were just going to pray. The guard backed down, Vasquez said. Finally, a state official of some sort showed some sense. Spanish for wailing, a llanto is a time of grieving. It was part of a larger observance during Tap Pilams Semana de Recuerdos, a week of remembering and honoring their ancestors. Vasquez called it our Day of the Dead, alluding to another annual observation that will be marked in San Antonio in November in the time of coronavirus. Saturdays observance was followed by a spirit run from the Alamo to Missions Concepcion, San Jose, San Juan and Espada. The runners male and female, young and old were blessed at each mission. A pandemic made for a different remembrance. Masks and social distancing were required. Like before, it also laid bare divisions. Last year Tap Pilam sued the Texas General Land Office and the Alamo Trust, as well as the Texas Historical Commission and the city of San Antonio, for excluding the tribe from its archaeological committee and human remain protocols. Tap Pilam believes that effectively bars the group from future re-interment ceremonies at the Alamo. For years, city officials called on Tap Pilam to conduct those sacred rites. Over the last year, other indigenous groups representing federally recognized tribes have been called instead. They have limited connections to the people buried at the Alamo. So, Linda Ximenes prays for inclusion, that the powers-that-be recognize we have a legal right to have a voice in what happens to those remains. On Monday morning, she prayed to the four directions and Mother Earth and sang songs recognizing tribal families, Our Lady of Guadalupe and Tonantzin, an indigenous mother goddess. Ximenes also recited a daily prayer. Its words are telling. Aqui estamos y no nos vamos we are here, and we are not leaving. Pa que sepan, pa que oigan so they know, so they hear. Elaine Ayala is a columnist covering San Antonio and Bexar County. To read more from Elaine, become a subscriber. eayala@express-news.net | Twitter: @ElaineAyala Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-15 19:59:13|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close KABUL, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Police in Afghanistan have arrested 48 drug traffickers and nine suspected criminals, authorities said on Tuesday. "Counter-Narcotics Police of Afghanistan (CNPA) and detective security organizations arrested 48 suspects, linked to 31 cases of transportation or keeping of narcotics from various provinces within the past seven days," Counter Narcotics Justice Centre of Afghanistan (CNJC) said in a statement. The CNPA seized some amount of narcotics from the suspects, the statement added. After initial investigations, the CNPA handed over the cases to the Central Narcotics Tribunal or CNT, a special Afghan court for jurisdiction of major drug cases, the statement added. Furthermore, the Afghan National Police (ANP) arrested nine suspected men for their involvement in criminal cases in Helmand, Paktika and Kunduz provinces, the Afghan Interior Ministry confirmed earlier in the day. Further investigation was underway, the ministry added. Enditem The nationwide halt on most evictions is a Band-Aid for millions of renters who are at risk of losing their homes, Matthew Desmond, a Pulitzer Prize-winning author and professor who leads Princeton University's Eviction Lab, said in an interview with "Axios on HBO." Why it matters: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's order halting evictions expires on Dec. 31 throwing more uncertainty into the lives of renters who could still owe months' worth of rent without any improvement in their hopes of finding a job. What he's saying: "[F]rom a tenant's point of view, this eviction moratorium is a giant reprieve. But it doesn't solve their problem, which is, 'What am I going to do when my bill comes due?'" Desmond said. States and cities are setting up their own rental assistance funds to help residents pay rent but the money hasn't been enough to keep up with demand. In Houston, $15 million worth of rental aid dried up in just two hours. "It's like we have a problem and that problem has stage four cancer. And then we give it two aspirin and we wonder why it doesn't work," said Desmond, who believes a new stimulus package from Washington is necessary to shore up landlords and tenants. Between the lines: "If the economy is still in the place it is right now, if the virus is still rampaging the country, then we're going to be in deep trouble" if the CDC order isn't extended beyond the end of the year, Desmond said. The other side: "There could be a case where the moratorium gives tenants enough time to get back on their feet and it gives landlords an incentive to work with those tenants," Desmond said. But evictions could spike in the new year if the economy doesn't pick up and tenants are still thousands of dollars behind in rent. The big picture: Both the pandemic and its economic effects have hit Black people and Latinos, who are much more likely to rent than other racial groups, particularly hard. "Most white families in America are homeowners. And they're kind of shielded from the eviction crisis. So this has a giant racial dimension and it has a giant poverty dimension," Desmond says. The state of play: The CDC's action comes as a patchwork of eviction moratoria put in place by state and local governments were beginning to expire (or had already expired) across the country. The gap between the Trump administration's order and states' individual actions left renters vulnerable to eviction even as medical experts warned that people are safest from the virus in their homes. When statewide protections expired, places like Milwaukee saw spikes in eviction filings higher than the city's historical average, according to Eviction Lab's database. Of note: Eviction court was "business as usual" in parts of the country at the height of the coronavirus outbreak, with some states moving eviction hearings "to Zoom or the telephone," Desmond said. The bottom line: Housing experts and activists are still bracing for the "tsunami of evictions" they anticipated before the CDC's order. For now, it looks like it has just been put off a little longer. Go deeper: Fears grow of an eviction apocalypse India marks Engineer's Day every year on September 15 which is the birth anniversary of Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya, one of India's greatest engineers and Bharat Ratna awardee. Popularly called 'Sir MV' has given immense contribution to India's early infrastructure development, education and social welfare. He was awarded the Bharat Ratna in 1955 for his immense contribution towards the development of India. Born in 1861 M Visvesvaraya was had contributed to several technical projects in Hyderabad, Mysore, Maharashtra and Odisha. His his first job was as an assistant engineer in the Public Works Department of the Government of Bombay. Some of his major contributions include - the block system of irrigation in the Deccan canals in 1899, irrigation system with water floodgates at the Khadakvasla reservoir, the irrigation system was later installed at Gwaliors Tigra Dam and Mysurus Krishnaraja Sagara (KRS) dam. Several leaders paid tribute to Sir M Visvesvaraya on his birth anniversary including Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Railways and Industry minister Piyush Goyal, Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. Taking to Twitter, Amit Shah wrote, ''Tributes to prolific engineer & statesman, Bharat Ratna Sir M. Visvesvaraya on his jayanti. On #EngineersDay, I salute our talented & skilled engineers who have contributed significantly in the development of nation. India is proud of their pioneering works all across the world.'' Tributes to prolific engineer & statesman, Bharat Ratna Sir M. Visvesvaraya on his jayanti. On #EngineersDay, I salute our talented & skilled engineers who have contributed significantly in the development of nation. India is proud of their pioneering works all across the world. pic.twitter.com/kW19M5nJpW Amit Shah (@AmitShah) September 15, 2020 Piyush Goyal paid his tribute to the prolific engineer by saying, ''Tributes to Bharat Ratna Sir M. Visvesvaraya on his birth anniversary. An exemplary engineer and a great nation builder, he also played a crucial role in expanding Railway lines in parts of Southern India. Best wishes to all engineers on #EngineersDay.'' Tributes to Bharat Ratna Sir M. Visvesvaraya on his birth anniversary. An exemplary engineer and a great nation builder, he also played a crucial role in expanding Railway lines in parts of Southern India. Best wishes to all engineers on #EngineersDay. pic.twitter.com/9VUyPLyYNU Piyush Goyal (@PiyushGoyal) September 15, 2020 The eminent engineer Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya breathed his last in 1962. Poll workers are seen during curbside voting in Madison, Wis., on April 7, 2020. (Andy Manis/Getty Images) Wisconsin Supreme Court Denies Green Party Bid to Get on November Ballot The Wisconsin Supreme Court on Monday rejected the Green Party presidential candidates bid to be added to the state ballot, clearing the way for clerks to resume sending over a million absentee ballots requested by voters. The high court ruled that Green Party nominee Howie Hawkinss request to make it onto the state ballot came too late for any relief that would not cause confusion and undue damage a mere 7 weeks before the election, according to an opinion issued Monday (pdf). Justice Brian Hagedorn, a conservative, joined the courts liberals for a 4-3 decision that kept Hawkins off the ballot. The state Supreme Court put the mailing of absentee ballots on hold Thursday while it considered whether Hawkins should be added. The high court said Hawkins waited too long to bring his legal challenge. Even if we would ultimately determine that the petitioners claims are meritorious, given their delay in asserting their rights, we would be unable to provide meaningful relief without completely upsetting the election, the majority wrote in an unsigned opinion. Three conservative judges, Chief Justice Patience Roggensack and Justices Rebecca Bradley and Annette Ziegler, dissented. This lawsuit is not about the Green Party sleeping on its rights, Roggensack wrote in an opinion joined by the other dissenting judges. It is about the treatment that independent candidates from a small political party received from the commission, who repeatedly refused to follow the law relative to nomination papers. It comes after rap star Kanye West, in a decision Friday by Brown County Circuit Judge John Zakowski, was also denied a spot on the Wisconsin ballot. West had filed a lawsuit in Brown County asking the local court to put him and running mate Michelle Tidball on the ballot in November. Zakowski ruled that the state elections commission was correct in determining that the musician narrowly missed a 5 p.m. filing deadline. The unfortunate fact is this dispute could have been avoided had the West representatives simply arrived earlier, the judge said. Candidates need to plan ahead and arrive in time to get into the building and file the papers in the office of the commission prior to the deadline, there are no exceptions under the statute or the relevant case law. The decisions were welcomed by Democrats, who feared Hawkins and West could siphon votes from presidential nominee Joe Biden in a battleground state that Trump won by a narrow margin of around 23,000 votes in 2016. Jill Stein, the Green Partys presidential candidate 4 years ago, won 31,006 votes in Wisconsin. Following last Thursdays state Supreme Court decision to put mailing of absentee ballots on hold until it could consider Hawkinss challenge, local election clerks expressed dismay. This is potentially a huge disaster, said Dane County Clerk Scott McDonell, in remarks to The Associated Press. Just the delay of a decision is deeply irresponsible and jeopardizes the integrity of our election. Election clerks face a Sept. 17 deadline to mail absentee ballots to anyone who had already requested one, although anyone who makes a request later will still be mailed a ballot. Oct. 29 is the deadline for most voters to request a ballot by mail. Returned ballots must be received by the time polls close at 8 p.m. on Election Day. State elections officials have estimated that more than 2 million of the states roughly 3 million eligible voters will cast absentee ballots, largely due to concerns about the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus pandemic. The Associated Press contributed to this report. The Third Day had its world premiere at Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF 2020). This article contains no spoilers whatsoever. To make it to the credits of a horror movie, the people in it must strictly observe a few obvious commandments. Don't look in the basement, don't split up, don't hold seances (even over Zoom calls), etc. In the HBO miniseries The Third Day, Sam (Jude Law) starts off by flouting a big one: Don't go wandering through the woods (Commandment 5). He does, and chances upon a young girl, Epona (Jessie Ross), intent on hanging herself. He rescues her in the nick of time and offers to drive her home, despite her grievance: "They will kill me." Home happens to be on a secluded island called Osea, which is connected to the British mainland by a causeway. It is the only way in or out, and only accessible for a short period of time every day when the tide recedes. Once they reach Osea, it's red flags galore. There is no cell phone reception (Commandment 12: Dont opt for a cell phone carrier with network coverage issues). Sam admits to a "never-been here-but-looks-familiar" sensation almost instantly. Similarly, as a viewer, we're affected by a nagging sensation of this being another folk horror facsimile. The islanders react in contrasting manners to his arrival: the local pub owner Mr. Martin (Paddy Considine) seems suspiciously friendly and offers him a room to stay, while his wife Mrs. Martin (Emily Watson) is more hostile and insists he leave right away. One of the other townsfolk even brings out a shotgun, but the Martins convince Sam he's really a good guy. Before he can break free of the island's mysterious allure, it's high-tide. Deciding to stay overnight, he meets Jess (Katherine Waterston), an American woman researching into the island's history and traditions, and both of them join the rest of the islanders in an ayahuasca-and-alcohol-driven bacchanal. Its clear Sam hasn't watched The Wicker Man or Apostle. Once we realise the islanders believe in an archaic form of Christianity, our paranoia barometer beeps continuously to the point of crashing. It feels like the islanders are all in on some collective conspiracy, like Sam is being accepted into their close-knit community to later become the subject of some Burning Man ritual. So, some of the revelations shouldn't come as a surprise, but simply confirm our hunches. The HBO-Sky co-production comes from the minds of Felix Barrett and Dennis Kelly (Utopia), who have decided on an unusual structure for the series. Their story will unfold in three parts: Summer, three chapters which focus on Sam's (mis)adventures in Osea; Winter, three chapters which begin with Helen (Naomie Harris) and her two daughters visiting the same island; and Autumn, a 12-hour live theatrical special that will air between them, and follow half a day in the life of the islanders in one continuous take. That's mighty ambitious, and it will be interesting to see how they pull it off. So, in Episode 4, the audience surrogate shifts from Law's Sam to Harris's Helen. We jump forward to Winter, where Helen arrives on Osea with her daughters Ellie (Nico Parker) and Talulah (Charlotte Gairdner-Mihell), eager to celebrate Ellie's 14th birthday amidst the archaeological wonders of this little island. Like Sam, Helen too ignores all the red flags. Even when they are refused accommodation, find strange vaginal imagery graffitied on the walls, come across a vacant house with odd surgical equipment, and hear screams of a young woman in a deserted construction project. Like Sam, Helen and her girls too stay overnight. Stranded on the island, it doesn't take long for Sam and Helen to realise these islanders are hiding something. Yet, they are strangely attracted to this sense of mystery. From the first moment, it becomes clear grief over some personal tragedy a possible deceased child is slowly eating Sam alive. We seem him put on his earphones, Florence + The Machine's "Dog Days Are Over" kicks in, he lays down a child's T-shirt in a creek and watches it float away like it were a ritual. He is also distressed over a burglary of some 40,000 from his office. Helen too seems to be searching for answers only the island and its inhabitants are privy to. They're both trying to come to terms with some resurfaced demons from their past. In Sam's story, the nature of reality, and thus the narrative itself, becomes a mystery. Part of its appeal lies in trying to figure out the truth by poking holes in this established reality, and Law holds us precariously on this razors edge. In Helen's, the story seems more straightforward: of a mother trying to protect her daughters in this hostile environment. Harris is simply riveting in a performance of great emotional authenticity. The heart of The Third Day's horror lies in the way it foregrounds its atmosphere, which is practically a character in itself. The show uses the sprawling woods, the isolated island and the mist covering them to create an ominously intoxicating one. These act as parallels to the geography of Sam's own troubled mind. The green of the forest has the opposite effect: it doesn't convey a feeling of serenity, but something sinister hidden in its saturation. The music frays our nerves and doubles up as warnings too. The show layers on the details of its world with low and high voltage creepiness, keeping things ambiguous enough to hold the viewer's attention throughout its six-episode run. Though it feels like a puzzle you have solved before, it's hard not to get drawn in, at least in hope Sam, Helen and her two daughters make it to the credits. The Third Day begins streaming on Disney+ Hotstar from 14 September. The official disappeared from the public spotlight three weeks ago. Kharkiv City Council has officially denied reports that Kharkiv Mayor Hennadiy Kernes has allegedly gone into a coma. The official is indeed on sick leave, but he in "full control of the situation in the city," an official statement posted on the city council's website says. Read alsoTymoshenko speaks up first time after testing COVID-19 positive "The reports disseminated by certain Kharkiv-based websites alleging that Kharkiv mayor Hennadiy Kernes is in a coma are false," it said. Kharkiv City Council says such deliberately false reports are instigated by "the aggravation of not very successful politicians' presumption." What has happened to Kernes: Behind the curtains The Congress on Tuesday questioned the absence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the Lok Sabha when defence minister Rajnath Singh made a statement on the India-China border standoff and asked the government why is it shying away from a discussion in Parliament on the issue. Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi, who is in the United States accompanying his mother Sonia Gandhi for a health check-up, attacked the Prime Minister for misleading the country over Chinese transgressions. The country has always stood by its armed forces and will continue to do so in future. But Modiji, when will you stand against China? When will we take back the land of our country from China? Dont be scared of taking Chinas name, he tweeted in Hindi. Also read: What Rajnath Singh said in Lok Sabha , , ? ? Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) September 15, 2020 Earlier, Congress members staged a walk-out from the House soon after the defence ministers statement, alleging they were not allowed to raise certain issues related to the India-China border row. They later protested in front of Mahatma Gandhis statue in the Parliament House complex. In his statement in the Lok Sabha, the defence minister said India is committed to a peaceful resolution of the current border standoff with China but any attempt to unilaterally alter the status quo by the neighbouring country was unacceptable. Singh also said the Indian troops had inflicted heavy costs, including casualties, on the Chinese side during a violent clash with the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) at Galwan valley on June 15. The clash left 20 Indian soldiers, including Colonel B Santosh Babu, dead. Later, addressing reporters outside Parliament, Congress leader in the Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said the Prime Ministers absence from Parliament when the defence minister made a statement in the Lower House on the India-China situation showed that the government was afraid of a discussion on the face-off. For the Congress party, the country is the most important. We are proud of our armed forces. This government did not allow us to speak in Parliament. They are afraid of Congress asking questions that they will not be able to answer, he said. It is our entitlement to put forward our views. When the defence minister made a statement on the India-China situation in the Lok Sabha, the Prime Minister was not present. He is afraid of conducting a discussion on the issue in Parliament, Chowdhury alleged. In 1962, when India-China war took place, he said then opposition leader Atal Bihari Vajpayee sought to know about the situation at the border. The then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru agreed to his demand and there was a discussion for two days in Parliament on the war and border situation, he added. Chowdhury said the Congress members staged a walk-out from the Lok Sabha because they were not allowed to send their message to the country and the armed forces. Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala also said the government should give an answer on whether China has encroached Indian territory at specific positions across the border. The entire country is proud of the armed forces and that is why we are talking here. But why is the Prime Minister shying away from a discussion? he asked. Our questions are very straight forward. Has China occupied Indian territory? Have the Chinese encroached on Depsang Plains, Gogra, Pangong-Tso Lake till Finger 8, Y-junction in Bhutan, Lipulekh Pass in Uttarakhand and in Arunachal Pradesh. The government should answer these questions, asked Surjewala. He said the Prime Minister should apologise to the nation if the answers to the questions asked by the Congress are affirmative as he had told an all-party meeting on June 19 that the Chinese have not entered and occupied Indian territory. Congress deputy leader in the Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi told reporters that Chowdhury and his other party colleagues wanted to send a message of solidarity with the armed forces and also issue a stern warning to China that they should not test Indias patience. Unfortunately, the government feels as if only they can speak in support of the army, he added. The Defence Minister excoriated China for transgressing the LAC, could the Govt explain why the Prime Minister had issued an extraordinary statement claiming that China had not entered our territory? Presumably, the Government has changed the PMs stand? Congress leader Shashi Tharoor tweeted. Another question: since the defence minister says that both countries have now agreed in talks to respect the LAC, but separately says the two countries have differing perceptions of where LAC lies, isnt that a recipe for another clash? Shouldnt we just insist on status quo ante? he added. Justice Ministry files disbarment plea against ex-defense attorney Russian actor Efremov RAPSI, Vladimir Burnov 15:20 15/09/2020 MOSCOW, September 15 (RAPSI) The Russian Justice Ministry on Tuesday submitted to the North Ossetian law chamber a disbarment plea against lawyer Elman Pashayev over professional misconduct during the trial of actor Mikhail Efremov. The Ministry also urges to open disciplinary proceedings against lawyer for the case victims Alexander Dobrovinsky, RAPSI was told in the authoritys press service. The Justice Ministry says that its pleas are related to public statements of the attorneys during the court proceedings against Efremov. The statements, according to the authority, contain signs of violation of the Federal law "On Legal Practice and Advocacy in the Russian Federation" and the Code of Legal Ethics, demonstrate disregard of the legal profession rules and show disregard of the corporate ethics, discipline and morality. According to the Federal Chamber of Lawyers, the North Ossetian bar association will hear a disciplinary case against Pashayev on September 18. The Moscow law chamber has adjourned a case against Dobrovinsky upon his request. On September 8, actor Efremov received 8 years in penal colony for and was banned from driving for three years. The Presnensky District Court of Moscow however returned him his broken Jeep. The court found that victim Sergey Zakharov was killed in the accident due to the defendant's driving behaviour. After the conviction the defendant waived the services of Pashayev. With Covid hospitals in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack groaning under growing cases, the Odisha government has asked districts to not rush their Covid patients to hospitals in these cities. The Covid hospitals of Bhubaneswar are being used by all other districts as referral hospitals. The facility available in the cluster district will be exhausted first before deciding to shift it to Bhubaneswar. The medical officer of the district will inform the medical officer of the Covid hospitals of Bhubaneswar and obtain confirmation about the availability of the requisite facility needed before sending the patient to Bhubaneswar, development commissioner Suresh Mohapatra noted in a letter to senior officials in charge of Covid management in the state. Mohapatra, who last week chaired a meeting of top health officials to analyse the situation, told the officials that the available Covid-care facilities at district level must be utilised to the fullest extent before referring the patient to the Covid hospitals of Bhubaneswar. With 4613 active cases in Bhubaneswar and 2213 cases in Cuttack city till Monday, the twin cities have now become Covid hotspots while the hospitals in the two cities are struggling to admit new patients. With just six ICU beds left in Covid hospitals of Bhubaneswar, it remains a challenge. What has made the Covid situation in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack difficult is the rush of patients to the Covid hospitals there from other hotspot districts such as Puri, Balasore, Mayurbhanj, Kendrapara and Jajpur due to perceived better care and management. In Bhubaneswar and Cuttack, just about 20 per cent of the beds are occupied by patients from both the cities while the rest have been taken over by people from other districts. Mohapatra has now instructed the officials that Covid hospitals should only be for moderately severe symptomatic patients and those who are asymptomatic and very mild to mild symptomatic cases should be in home isolation. The facility of home isolation needs to be promoted further and asymptomatic and very mild to mild symptomatic cases should invariably be allowed for home isolation. The Covid hospitals should only house moderate to severe symptomatic cases, the letter from Mohapatra said. To lessen the Covid load on the capital city, the government asked KIMS hospital that has set up Covid hospitals at Bolangir, Mayurbhanj and Kandhamal districts to make functional lCUs available. The government has also asked the Covid hospitals in Bhubaneswar to convert some of the general beds to high dependency unit (HDU) beds for shifting stable patients from ICU to HDU thus increasing availability of ICU beds for deserving critical patients. The government has also decided on a new discharge protocol under which a Covid patient would be clinically discharged after 10 days from the date of sample collection provided he has no symptoms for the last three days. Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation has been asked to prepare the list of such patients on 9th day district wise and post the same in the Collectors WhatsApp group. The respective district collectors would have to pick those cured cases on the 10th day from the respective Covid Hospitals of Bhubaneswar. To deal with allegations of negligence of doctors and paramedics in treatment of Covid patients, the government also asked the authorities at Covid hospitals to install CCTVs in their ICU and general wards for close monitoring of doctors and paramedics. It also asked the laboratories doing RT-PCR tests to mention the CT (Cycle Threshold) value in each of the positive samples so that the viral load in each case can be tested. As the CT value determines the viral load of the positive cases, those patients with lower CT value (meaning higher viral load) can be prioritised for admission in Covid hospitals. Meanwhile, health secretary PK Mohapatra, asked all district collectors and Municipal Commissioners to shut down the temporary medical centres, Covid care homes and Covid care centres in the districts where the occupancy has dramatically fallen. The state government also asked all private hospitals in Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Sambalpur, Berhampur and Rourkela Municipal to keep a minimum 50% of their general beds and 80% of ICUs for treatment of Covid positive patients. TEGUCIGALPA (Reuters) - Honduran Finance Minister Marco Midence said on Sunday he has tested positive for coronavirus, only weeks after stepping into the post. Midence, 35, said on Twitter that "today I found out that I've tested positive for #covid 19". Midence, appointed finance minister on Aug. 20, said his symptoms are "mild" and that he will remain isolated at home and work from there. "I will continue to execute the projects and actions under my responsibility," he said. (Reporting by Gustavo Palencia; Writing by Drazen Jorgic; Editing by Tom Hogue) By ANI GENEVA: India on Tuesday came down heavily on Pakistan, Turkey and Organisation of Islamic Cooperation at the 46th session of the Human Rights Council for their remarks on India's internal affairs. Responding to reference made by Turkey on Jammu and Kashmir, India in its right to reply has advised Turkey to refrain from commenting on the internal affairs of India and develop a better understanding of democratic practices. India also repeatedly emphasized and repeated its position on the comments made by the vis a vis Kashmir. First secretary, Permanent mission of India in Geneva Pawan Badhe who delivered India's right to reply said: "We reject the reference made by the OIC to the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir which is an integral part of India. The OIC has no locus standi to comment on internal affairs of India. The OIC has allowed itself to be misused by Pakistan to subverse its own Agenda. It's for the members of the OIC to decide if it is in their interests to allow Pakistan to do so." ALSO READ | Revived grassroots democracy: India's response to UN human rights chief's reference to J&K situation India also took on Pakistan at the Human Rights council and the First Secretary Badhe in India's right to reply said, "It has become habitual for Pakistan to malign my country with false and fabricated narratives for its self-serving malicious purposes." "Neither India nor others deserve this unsolicited lecture on human rights from a country that has consistently persecuted its ethnic and religious minorities, is an epicentre of terrorism, has the distinction of providing pensions to individuals on UN Sanctions list and has a Prime Minister who proudly admits training tens of thousands of terrorists to fight in Jammu and Kashmir. "It is not surprising that other relevant multilateral institutions have been raising serious concerns on its failure to stop terror financing and lack of effective actions against all terror entities in Pakistan," the First Secretary Badhe said. ALSO READ | Soldier killed, officer among two injured in Pakistan firing along LoC; infiltration bid foiled in Bandipora India also raised issues of state-supported persecution in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir, Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. In its reply India also highlighted the attacks on liberal voices and journalists in Pakistan Badhe said: "The nefarious designs of Pakistan continue in Pakistan Occupied parts of Indian Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. The mass influx of outsiders has whittled down the number of Kashmiris to an insignificant number in Pakistan occupied parts of Indian Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Laddakh. "Thousands of Sikh, Hindus and Christian minority women and girls have been subjected to abductions, forced marriages and conversions in Pakistan. The plight of people under its subjugation is well represented by the state of affairs in Baluchistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh. Not a single day has gone by when a family in Baluchistan doesn't find its members picked up or kidnapped by the security forces of Pakistan," he said. "Pakistan does well when it comes to intimidation and attacks against journalists, human rights defenders and political dissidents in particular by its state machinery. It is not without a reason that Pakistan has been highlighted by international organizations as a country where journalists are slain and their killers go scot free," Badhe added. A lexei Navalny has shared a picture from his hospital bed after falling ill following a suspected Novichok poisoning. The 44-year-old, a vocal critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin, collapsed on a domestic flight in Siberia on August 20. He was flown to Berlin for treatment at the Charite hospital two days later. On Tuesday, he shared a picture on Instagram alongside his family and wrote that he has managed to breathe for an entire day without medical help. A portable isolation unit used to transport Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny / Getty Images He told his followers: Hi, this is Navalny. I have been missing you. I still cant do much, but yesterday I managed to breathe on my own for the entire day. Just on my own, no extra help, not even a valve in my throat. I liked it very much. Its a remarkable process that is underestimated by many. Strongly recommended. A German military lab determined that he was poisoned with Novichok, the same class of Soviet-era agent that Britain said was used on former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter in Salisbury in 2018. On Monday, the German government said tests by independent labs in France and Sweden backed its findings. Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny speaks during an interview at the office of his Anti-corruption Foundation (FBK) in Moscow in 2018 / AFP via Getty Images The Kremlin has bristled at calls from German Chancellor Angela Merkel and other leaders to answer questions about the poisoning, denying any official involvement. Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov has accused the West of using the incident as a pretext to introduce new sanctions against Moscow. French President Emmanuel Macrons office said he had expressed deep concern over the criminal act that targeted Mr Navalny directly with Mr Putin on Monday. The Kremlin said Mr Putin in the call underlined the impropriety of unfounded accusations against the Russian side and emphasised Russias demand for Germany to hand over analyses and samples. Mr Putin also called for joint work by German and Russian doctors. New Delhi: The Central government was on Tuesday urged in Rajya Sabha to support quota for Marathas in jobs and education. Raising the issue through a Zero Hour mention, Rajeev Satav of the Congress said the Supreme Court has referred the issue of quotas for Marathas in jobs and education to a larger bench. The Central government, he said, had not placed its view when the issue was considered by a three-judge bench. But before the larger bench, "the central government should along with state government (of Maharashtra) support Maratha reservation," he said. Last week, the Supreme Court imposed an interim stay on quotas in jobs and education to Marathas and referred the matter to a larger bench to examine if the 2018 law, which breached the 50 per cent apex court-mandated cap in the cast-based reservation, was legal. The law originally provided a 16 per cent quota but in June 2019, the Bombay High Court trimmed it to 12 per cent in education and 13 per cent in jobs. Sambaji Chhatrapati (BJP) too raised the issue of quota for Marathas. YSRCP MP Vijay Sai Reddy urged the Central government to immediately release Rs 3,805 crore towards the Polavaram project. Since the project is classified as a national project, it has to be funded by the central government, he said adding the state government had released Rs 3,805 crore for the project. The amount spent has also now been audited by the CAG, he said adding the Andhra Pradesh government is finding it difficult to spend further money on the construction of Polavaram in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. Release of funds will ensure the completion of the Polavaram by the target date of December 2021, he stated. Responding to it, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman assured the MP that the matter will be looked into in coordination with the Water Resources Minister. Vikas Mahatme of the BJP raised the issue of abusive language and explicit scenes being telecast in web series and wanted a law to be brought to regulate such content. While Chhaya Verma (Cong) wanted employment guaranteed under MNREGA to be doubled to 200 days in view of distress in the country, K R Suresh Reddy (TRS) demanded setting up of a tribunal to decide on the sharing of Krishna river water. M Shanmugam (DMK) urged the government to expand the ambit of the PM Kisan Yojana to tenant and lease holding farmers. Under the scheme, Rs 6,000 per year in three equal installments is provided to small and marginal farmer families having landholding/ownership of up to 2 hectares. Ripun Bora (Cong) sought a package for the revival of paper mills in Assam. Dave Grohl penned a superhero theme song for a 10-year-old British schoolgirl this week, amid their ongoing online drumming battles. The Foo Fighters rocker, 52, wowed viral sensation Nandi Bushell as he shared the track with he on Twitterr, after she won the first round of their recent drum-off, during which she displayed her skills to Them Cooked Vultures' Dead End Friends. He said: 'OK Nandi, you got me. You win round one, but I've got something special for you something you've never head before. Something I've never heard before, because I'm about to write this off the top of my head for you.' Personalised song: Dave Grohl penned a superhero theme song for a 10-year-old British schoolgirl this week, amid their ongoing online drumming battles The musician then broke into song, drumming away as he belted out the song, during which he dubbed her 'number one supergirl' and 'best drummer in the world'. Adding to the song's heartwarming factor was Grohl recruiting his daughters to provide backing vocals for the track. After dubbing her the 'coolest on the scene' who's 'gonna save the world with her rock and roll', Nandi took to her own Twitter account to share a reaction video. Online friendship: Their online friendship began to develop last month, when the rocker accepted Nandi Bushell's challenge to cover Foo Fighters' track Everlong Queen: The musician broke into song, drumming away as he belted out the song, during which he dubbed her 'number one supergirl' and 'best drummer in the world' She wrote: 'I cant believe Mr. Grohl wrote a song about me!?! This is so so so #EPIC!! I think its the best song EVER, in the WORLD, EVER!!! 'Thank you so much Dave. You have raised the stakes to all instruments! I accept your next challenge! Thank you to the whole Grohl family!' Their online friendship began to develop last month, when the rocker accepted Nandi's challenge to cover Foo Fighters' track Everlong. Speaking on her YouTube page, the precocious youngster said: 'Dave Grohl, I challenge you to a drum-off.' Heartwarming: Adding to the song's heartwarming factor was Grohl recruiting his daughters to provide backing vocals for the track Improvised: Veteran rocker Grohl impressively revealed that he had improvised the entire ditty In the videos description, she wrote: 'My dream is to one day jam with Dave Grohl, Taylor Hawkins and all the Foo Fighters! Mr Grohl I would love to have a drum battle with you! I LOVE Everlong its really hard to play as its so fast but so much FUN!!!' Once he accepted the challenge and subsequently conceded the win to Nandi, Grohl gave the second round of their challenge a more personal touch. He wrote: 'Ok @Nandi_Bushell.Round 2! Every superhero needs a theme song. Heres one for you! Mad props to The Grohlettes for the background vocals.' This isn't Nandi's first brush with fame last year, she was filmed playing the drums after circling the musical kit in the Argos catalogue, in the Christmas advert. Reaction: After dubbing her the 'coolest on the scene' who's 'gonna save the world with her rock and roll', Nandi took to her own Twitter account to share a reaction video The retailer's advert opened with a father seeing that his daughter has circled a drum kit in the catalogue, renamed the 'Book Of Dreams'. Nandi, who boasts more than 156,000 Twitter followers and started drumming four years ago, has proved popular for her numerous rock covers. The youngster, of Ipswich, has previously shared that she is a big fan of Dave Grohl and School of Rock is the 'best film in the world'. She has dedicated performances to song-writer Lenny Kravitz who has inspired her to learn every instrument and is a new fan of The Prodigy. Huge fan: The youngster, of Ipswich, has previously shared that she is a big fan of Dave Grohl and School of Rock is the 'best film in the world' Fan of rock: Nandi, who boasts more than 156,000 Twitter followers and started drumming four years ago, has proved popular for her numerous rock covers Celebration: Nandi took to Twitter to celebrate after she won the first round earlier this month Nandi's talent on the drums impressed talk show host Ellen DeGeneres so much that she was invited on the show in December. Ellen tweeted: 'Nandi has been drumming for years, even though she is only nine. I adore this young girl.' During the interview, Nadi revealed how she would listen to The Beatles and saw Ringo Starr and the drum kit. She said seeing him play inspired her to have a go on the drums. The rock enthusiast loves to scream during her performances as she 'can be free and let everything out'. Advert: This isn't Nandi's first brush with fame last year, she was filmed playing the drums after circling the musical kit in the Argos catalogue, in the Christmas advert San Diego, CA, September 15, 2020 Prime Healthcare recently selected American Claims Management (ACM) to handle national workers compensation claims management for their system of 45 hospitals and more than 300 outpatient locations in 14 states. We needed a third-party claims administrator who could handle our claims in clinics and hospitals nationwide, explained Kimberly Naucler, employee safety & workers compensation manager. After our due diligence on a number of claims managers, ACM rose to the top, due to their leading edge technology and the collaboration it offers. Prime Healthcare leads to the rescue and transformation of financially struggling community hospitals across the country. Their flagship hospital, Desert Valley Hospital, has been recognized as a Top 100 Hospital in the nation on numerous occasions. Prime Healthcare also chose us for our ability to deeply customize our services to best fit their needs across their medical facilities in all 14 states, added ACM President Dhara Patel. About ACM. Since 1988, American Claims Management has been a nationwide third-party claims administrator specializing in both commercial and personal lines. By offering professional expertise in claims administration, ACM is committed to providing superior claims services and innovative solutions. View more at ACMclaims.com. ACM is a subsidiary of Arrowhead General Insurance Agency, Inc. About Prime Healthcare. Prime Healthcare is an award-winning health system operating 45 hospitals and more than 300 outpatient locations in 14 states. It is one of the nations leading healthcare service providers with nearly 40,000 employees and physicians dedicated to providing the highest quality healthcare. Fifteen of the Prime Healthcare hospitals are members of the Prime Healthcare Foundation, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit public charity. Media Contact: Dhara Patel DPatel@ACMclaims.com Mumbai: Demonetised currency notes worth Rs 65 lakh from three businessmen in suburban Kurla by Crime branch of Mumbai Police on Tuesday. "Police got to know that the three businessmen possess scrapped currency notes. Based on the tip-off, a dummy agent was sent to the trio, who told them that he can get their notes exchanged at 35 per cent commission," officials said. When the businessmen agreed, the officials of crime branch Unit-III laid a trap and recovered these notes from them. "The Crime Branch sleuths laid a trap near L ward office of Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) at Kurla, where they caught three businessmen with scrapped currency notes," the official said. During the searches, police recovered Rs 33.70 lakh in Rs 500 denomination notes and Rs 31.30 lakh in Rs 1,000, police said. The Income Tax Department has been informed about the seizure, the official said. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky has arrived in the Republic of Austria on an official visit. The official ceremony of a meeting at the Office of the Federal President of the Republic of Austria was broadcast live by the Office of the President of Ukraine. Our first international visit during the quarantine is to Austria. Our countries have long historic relations, during new challenges they need to be strengthened. Grateful to Austria for supporting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, the Ukrainian president wrote on Twitter. As Ukrinform reported, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky will be on an official visit to the Republic of Austria on September 15-16. The program of the visit includes talks with Federal President of the Republic of Austria Alexander Van der Bellen, Federal Chancellor Sebastian Kurz and President of the National Council (Parliament) Wolfgang Sobotka. iy Page Content The Department of Labor (DOL) has issued an update to the temporary rule the agency issued in April regarding worker leave related to the COVID-19 pandemic by changing the definition of health care workers, according to analysis by the American Health Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL). Employees defined as health care workers are not required to have paid sick leave and expanded family and medical leave. Other employees of providers, such as food service, housekeeping, and records and billing, are required to have paid sick leave and expanded family and medical leave, the update from the Labor Department said. AHCA/NCAL said these changes apply to employers with fewer than 500 employees, and the aggregation of employees across locations is possible in certain instances. This rule applies to nursing facilities and all long term care facilities, which would include IDD [intellectual development and disabilities] and assisted living providers that meet the definitions in the rule, the association said. Providers should work with their employment counsel to determine whether these leave provisions apply. AHCA/NCAL said the revised Labor rule came in response to a district court decision in New York that found part of the original rule invalid. The revisions impact the definition of a health care provider, which can be exempted from paid leave and emergency family and medical leave expansion act (EFMLEA) requirements. The new definition is limited to those providing health care services and those reporting to health care providers. This definition includes employees who may not directly interact with patients but provide services that are integrated with and necessary for the provision of patient care, AHCA/NCAL said. Examples of duties considered necessary for patient care include bathing, dressing, and feeding a patient/resident who cannot perform the activity independently. For assisted living, this could include direct care providers, certified nurse assistants, personal care assistants, or other titles providing direct care to residents. Previously, all employees, regardless of job activity, in a health care facility were included in the broad definition of health care provider and thus excluded from the paid leave requirements, AHCA/NCAL said. The Labor Department defines covered employees as employees who do not provide health care services, even if their services could affect the provision of health care services. Examples include building maintenance staff, human resources personnel, cooks, food service workers, and records and billing staff. Covered paid sick leave for non-health care staff includes up to two weeks of COVID-19-related paid sick leave if an employee is: --Under quarantine order from a government entity (local, state, or federal); --Advised by a health care provider to self-quarantine; --Experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 and seeking medical diagnosis; --Caring for another who meets any of the above conditions; or --Caring for a child whose school or childcare provider is closed due to COVID-19-related reasons. EFMLEA for non-health care staff includes up to 12 weeks of expanded family and medical leave, some of which is paid in certain circumstances, if unable to work due to need to care for a child whose school or childcare provider is closed due to COVID-19-related reasons. Currently, the coronavirus leave requirements are in place through Dec. 31, 2020. Providers should familiarize themselves with these new requirements, which go into effect on Wednesday, Sept. 16, AHCA/NCAL said. On Labor Day, Josie Silva reeled in a 9-foot female tiger shark. The 37-year-old told mySA.com she caught the estimated 300-pound shark around 7:30 p.m. from the shoreline near Bob Hall Pier in Corpus Christi, close to mile marker 300 on the beach. Silva, who is from Orange Grove about 38 miles west of Corpus Christi, also said it was a personal record. The fisherwoman said the fight between her and the shark lasted about 45 minutes, adding it was a tough catch due to the weight of the shark. "It was really hard. I'm not going to lie," she said. "She was really heavy. My rod was completely bowed over several times during the fight." BIG GAR: Webb County Commissioner reels in monster alligator gar After Silva reeled in the tiger shark, she measured it and walked it back out to the ocean for release. Typically, anglers tag their catches for the Texas Shark Rodeo. However, Silva said it was too dark for her to tag her catch safely that evening. Texas Shark Rodeo is a voluntary year-long competition that allows fishermen to gain points based on the sharks and species they catch. The data from each catch goes to the Harte Research Institute at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. Silva, who is part of Team 3rd Coast Beach Bums, has been fishing for sharks for about a year and a half and says the feeling she gets when she makes a catch is one of the reasons she keeps doing it. "When you hear that clicking sound from when a shark clicks on, it's a rush," she said. "Your adrenaline is going and your game face turns on. It's just an amazing feeling overall." Silva said she caught the tiger shark from a rod she built herself, which made it even more special. Priscilla Aguirre is a general assignment reporter for MySA.com | priscilla.aguirre@express-news.net | @CillaAguirre The US restrictions on some textile imports from Xinjiang in China is likely to augur well for the Indian textile exporters, according to a report. On September 14, the US imposed restrictions on the import of certain products originating from the Xinjiang Autonomous Region in China, citing concerns on illegal and inhumane forced labour in the region, rating agency Icra said in a report. The agency said it expects this development to benefit domestic textile exporters. While there were speculations of a more broad-based ban on the products originating from the region, the restrictions have been limited to a few entities, for now, it said. Besides banning imports of other product categories, including hair products and computer parts, it also includes restrictions on some entities from the region involved in manufacturing apparels and producing and processing cotton. Xinjiang is a major cotton-producing belt, which accounts for an estimated 80-85 per cent of Chinas cotton output. While the immediate impact, in terms of the market catered to by the identified entities, is not quantifiable, this development could have major repercussions for the global textile trade. With China being the leading apparel exporter, accounting for more than 35 per cent of the global trade and more than three-fourths of Chinas cotton originating from the Xinjiang region, any extension of the ban to a wider base in China could trigger a material shift in global apparel trade in coming years, Icra Ratings Senior VP and Group Head Jayanta Roy said. Amid concerns on origination of the coronavirus from China, there have already been reports of several international buyers looking at diversifying their sourcing base across countries, the report opined. Several major apparel exporters from India have either already started receiving increased orders or are in active discussions with large international buyers, looking at increasing their sourcing from India. The shift, which was previously expected to take place gradually over the medium term, could be expedited in the light of this recent development, the report added. While over the past few years, Vietnam and Bangladesh have been the key beneficiaries for a shift away from China, India also stands to gain from any such market opportunity which may arise, given its strong presence in the cotton-based apparels, Roy added. Widening of the scope of the ban could, however, be practically challenging as the existing systems are not adequate to track the origin of the raw material. Accordingly, cotton originating in the Xinjiang region could end up as yarn or fabric in another region/ country, which could be processed further to manufacture apparels. Further, there could be likely retaliatory actions by China, as seen over the past couple of years amid the ongoing US-China trade war, which could prevent widening of the scope of the ban, Icra report added. If you had visited the quaint English village of Great Rollright in 1945, you might have spotted a thin, dark-haired and unusually elegant woman emerging from a stone farmhouse called The Firs, and climbing on to her bicycle. She had three children and a husband, Len, who worked in the nearby aluminium factory. She was friendly but reserved, and spoke English with a faint accent. She baked excellent cakes. Her neighbours in the Cotswolds knew little about her. They did not know that the woman they called Mrs Burton was really Colonel Ursula Kuczynski of the Red Army, a dedicated communist, a decorated Soviet military intelligence officer and a highly-trained spy who had conducted espionage operations in China, Poland and Switzerland, before coming to Britain on Moscows orders. They did not know that her three children each had a different father, nor that her husband was also a secret agent. They were unaware that she was a German Jew, a fanatical opponent of Nazism who had spied against the fascists during the Second World War and was now spying on Britain and America in the new Cold War. They did not know that in the outdoor privy behind The Firs, Mrs Burton had constructed a powerful radio transmitter tuned to Soviet intelligence headquarters in Moscow. The villagers of Great Rollright did not know that in her last mission of the war, Mrs Burton had infiltrated communist spies into a top-secret American operation parachuting anti-Nazi agents into the dying Third Reich. These Good Germans were supposedly spying for America; in reality, they were working for Colonel Kuczynski of Great Rollright. But Mrs Burtons most important undercover job was one that would shape the future of the world: she was helping the Soviet Union to build the atom bomb. [ Return to the review of Agent Sonya. ] For years, Ursula had run a network of communist spies deep inside Britains atomic weapons research programme, passing on information to Moscow that would eventually enable Soviet scientists to assemble their own nuclear device. She was fully engaged in village life; her scones were the envy of Great Rollright. But in her parallel, hidden life she was responsible, in part, for maintaining the balance of power between East and West and (she believed) preventing nuclear war by stealing the science of atomic weaponry from one side to give to the other. When she hopped on to her bike with her ration book and carrier bags, Mrs Burton (or, more precisely, Beurton) was going shopping for lethal secrets. WASHINGTON - Donald Trump is a "climate arsonist" bent on watching the country burn, his Democratic challenger said Monday as climate change and presidential politics collided on the campaign trail. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 14/9/2020 (494 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Jackson County District 5 firefighter Captain Aaron Bustard walks through the ruins of a massive fire in a neighborhood to check for smoldering fires as destructive wildfires devastate the region on Friday Sept. 11, 2020, in Talent, Ore. (AP Photo/Paula Bronstein) WASHINGTON - Donald Trump is a "climate arsonist" bent on watching the country burn, his Democratic challenger said Monday as climate change and presidential politics collided on the campaign trail. Joe Biden chose to exploit Trump's contempt for the climate crisis on a day when the U.S. president was en route to California for an update on the deadly blazes ravaging tinder-dry parkland up and down the U.S. west coast. For Biden, the arrival of a category-1 hurricane churning in the Gulf of Mexico just off the Florida panhandle a queue of other tropical cyclones lining up in the Atlantic Ocean behind it couldn't have come at a better time. "Donald Trump's climate denial may not have caused these fires and record floods and record hurricanes, but if he gets a second term, these hellish events will continue to become more common, more devastating and more deadly," Biden said from his home state of Delaware. "If we give a climate arsonist four more years in the White House, why would anyone be surprised if we have more of America ablaze? If we give a climate denier four more years in the White House, why would anyone be surprised if more of America is under water?" Trump, who famously tried to blame California wildfires two years ago on the state's failure to conduct proper "raking and cleaning" of its forest floors, doubled down on that remark prior to Monday's briefing. Wildfires are also terrorizing residents of Oregon and Washington state. There are 60 firefighters from Quebec who are currently helping battle the North Complex fire in California, and federal officials in Ottawa say they don't anticipate sending more unless asked. But in an update on the fire Monday, Jake Cagle of the U.S. Forest Service sounded an anxious note. "We are getting stretched thin," Cagle said during his daily update. Smoke from the fires is already having an impact on the other side of the Canada-U.S. border, said Environment and Climate Change Minister Jonathan Wilkinson, who represents the riding of North Vancouver. "The air quality in Vancouver is as bad as any air quality in the world," Wilkinson said as some of his cabinet colleagues gathered in Ottawa for a two-day meeting prior to next week's throne speech. "It's an important lesson for all of us that we need to think forward about the crisis that looms on the horizon. And that is the crisis of climate change." The wildfires and the resulting smoke has at least helped to drive home the importance and the urgency of the climate crisis particularly in Canada, where the variations in seasonal temperatures can make people complacent, said Kyla Tienhaara, a School of Environmental Studies professor at Queen's University in Kingston, Ont. "In Canada, I think we've often felt sort of sheltered, not only in terms of time, like this is something that's going to happen in the future, but also in terms of our location," Tienhaara said. "If you're on the west coast of Canada right now where, for example, my family lives you're experiencing really terrible air quality." A catastrophic wildfire season in Australia just prior to the COVID-19 pandemic claimed at least 34 lives, destroyed nearly 6,000 buildings and razed more than 18 million hectares. In the end, the smoke claimed more lives than the flames did, Tienhaara said. For years, activists have struggled to convince people to make environmental concerns a priority, particularly in times of high unemployment or fiscal uncertainty, which invariably end up pulling public and policy focus. But the sheer scale of the fires, the fear of a coming historic barrage of hurricanes, the flooding that swamped the upper midwest last spring all of it appears to be adding up to a paradigm shift. "California's climate apocalypse," the Los Angeles Times declared Sunday in its banner front-page headline. "Fires, heat, air pollution: The calamity is no longer in the future it's here, now." Trump nodded politely as Gov. Gavin Newsom, who does not shy away from linking the fires to climate change, spelled out the scale of the disaster for the president on Monday. "The hots are getting hotter, dries are getting drier," said Newsom, who acknowledged the state has more to do when it comes to forest management. He also noted more than half of the state's forests are federally managed. "Something's happened to the plumbing of the world ... humbly, we submit that the science is in, and the observed evidence is self-evident that climate change is real, and that is exacerbating this." In an exchange with someone else at the table who blamed climate change, Trump pushed back: "It will start getting cooler," he said, eliciting chuckles from elsewhere in the group. "Just watch." When the official tried to point to scientific evidence, the president said: "I don't think science knows, actually." Biden sought to put the climate emergency on the same tier as the other three crises roiling the U.S. and the world: the pandemic, the ensuing economic collapse and the racial upheaval sparked in May by the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Trump, who also spent part of Monday bestowing honours on a group of National Guard pilots who rescued trapped residents from the wildfires last week, is likely to try to do the opposite, particularly given how much an economic recovery is likely to mean for his re-election chances. "The government has sort of taken advantage of the COVID crisis in order to try to push a gas-led recovery, which is catastrophic in environmental terms," Tienhaara said of the Australian aftermath. "I hope to God that they don't have anything catastrophic happen again this season, but you know, the timing is important because things do fade from people's memory very quickly, unfortunately, when they have so much to deal with." This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 14, 2020. Follow James McCarten on Twitter @CdnPressStyle Note to readers: This is a corrected story. An earlier version neglected to make clear Tienhaara's comments about a gas-led recovery were in reference to Australia. Aston Martin has launched its latest special edition model. Only 150 units are going to be made of this beauty, and each one costs around $74,000, or roughly the price of a base Porsche 718 Boxster S. There is, however, a catch to this special edition model. It doesnt have any wheels, and it doesnt actually move. No, its not a new Aston performance car; its Aston Martins ridiculously awesome racing simulator. Its called the AMR-C01, and its described as the ultimate luxury home simulator, complete with a full carbon fiber monocoque, among other insane details and features. Best be quick if you want to score a piece of the AMR-C01 simulator. Aston Martin is already taking orders, and seeing as most of us well probably still be stuck at home for the foreseeable future, theres no better way to satisfy our urge for racing than to get wild and crazy in the AMR-C01 simulator. Whats the Aston Martin AMR-C01 all about? Weve seen a lot of cool gaming rigs in the past, but I dont know if anything can come close to replicating this incredible simulator that Aston Martin just created with the help of technological company Curv Racing Simulator. The latter hand-assembled the gaming rig using parts and pieces provided by Aston Martin, including the lightweight carbon fiber monocoque that effectively serves as the body of the simulator. Really, how many times have you seen a racing sim with a carbon fiber monocoque body? Once? Twice, maybe? It gets better, too. In addition to the carbon fiber frame, the AMR-C01 was designed to match Aston Martin's unmistakable aesthetic qualities. The automakers racing grille is prominently shown in the front, and the seating position is positioned in such a way that it completely mirrors the seating position of the Aston Martin Valkyrie. Not that any of us knows that since we havent sat inside a Valkyrie, but well take Aston Martins word for it. The simulator also comes in a number of color schemes, some of which youll recognize as being available on Aston Martins own line of performance and luxury vehicles. If none of these colors match the colors of your game room, you can opt for the bare carbon fiber look because why not, right? On the software side of things, the AMR-C01 comes with the latest Assetto Corsa software, ensuring the kind of immersive driving experience that you dont find in a lot of places. Why is Aston Martin building gaming rigs all of a sudden? I dont know if this was something Aston Martin cooked up one night and just decided to go for it or if this was something thats been in the oven all this time. This pandemic makes you think of these things. But its origin story doesnt matter now. Whats important is that the AMR-C01 racing simulator is here, and its probably the most aesthetically stimulating racing simulator Ive ever seen. Even if you buy it without any intention of using it, the AMR-C01 can sit as a work of art and a testament to the kind of ingenuity that a lot of these automakers possess. Of course, admiring the AMR-C01 from afar is a totally different experience compared to ringing Aston Martin and putting in an order for one of these bad boys. Those who can afford to do the latter have a limited time to do it since Aston Martins only selling 150 units of its racing simulator. Each one is priced at an insane 57,500, which converts to around $74,000 based on current exchange rates. Its an incredibly steep price to pay for a racing simulator $74,000 is around the same price as a base Porsche 718 Boxster S but good Lord, its still amazing to look at, let alone and actually use. Deliveries are scheduled to begin sometime in the fourth quarter of 2020, so if youre looking to buy one, nows as good a time as any to place an order before stocks dry up. Given how so many people have been forced to stay in their homes in light of the global pandemic, an Aston Martin AMR-C01 racing simulator would probably come in handy these days. Shares were mostly higher in Asia on Wednesday after advances for big technology companies carried Wall Street to further gains overnight. Benchmarks rose modestly in Tokyo, Hong Kong and Seoul but the Shanghai Composite index was almost flat. Investors are awaiting the outcome of the U.S. Federal Reserve policy meeting later Wednesday. The Federal Reserves policymakers are expected to keep the benchmark rate at nearly zero for some time to help the economy recover and will release a statement that economists say might change some of the language around its existing pledge to buy bonds to support markets. Asian markets already have a quiet look about them, as they remain in wait and see mode ahead of the latest FOMC rate decision that is released in the early hours of tomorrow morning, Jeffrey Halley of Oanda said in a commentary. Japans central bank has begun a policy meeting that will wrap up Thursday but also is not expected to result in any major changes. Japan reported that its trade balance swung into surplus in August as a 15% decline in exports from a year earlier was outpaced by a 21% drop in imports. Exports have been hammered by the coronavirus pandemic but the rate of decline has been narrowing over the past several months as shutdowns eased and the Chinese economy began to recover from a sharp downturn in early spring. Japans long-serving prime minister, Shinzo Abe, resigned as of Wednesday and was replaced by his chief cabinet secretary, Yoshihide Suga. Suga has said he intends to push ahead with Abes policies and little change is expected for the worlds third-largest economy. Tokyos Nikkei 225 edged 0.1% higher to 23,483.17 while the Hang Seng in Hong Kong also rose 0.1%, to 24,763.29. South Koreas Kospi climbed 0.2% to 2,448.53 and the S&P/ASX 200 in Sydney jumped 0.7% to 5,938.70. The Shanghai Composite index was almost flat, at 3,294.87. Shares were mostly higher in Southeast Asia. On Tuesday, the S&P 500 rose 0.5% to 3,401.20 after gaining more than 1% earlier in the session, its second straight sizable gain following the benchmark indexs worst week since June. Big Tech stocks have been bouncing back this week after suddenly losing altitude earlier this month amid worries that their prices had climbed too high. The Dow Jones Industrial Average inched up less than 0.1%, to 27,995.60. The Nasdaq, which is heavily weighted with tech stocks, climbed 1.2% to 11,190.32. Stocks of smaller companies eked out a tiny gain, with the Russell 2000 index of small-caps picking up 0.1% to 1,538.15. A report showed U.S. industrial production strengthened last month, but not by as much as economists were expecting. Analysts expect more volatility for stocks in the months ahead as the market navigates uncertainty over the outcome of the election, pessimism that Democrats and Republicans in Washington will be able to reach a deal to send more aid to unemployed workers and an economy still struggling amid the pandemic. Treasury yields were relatively steady. The yield on the 10-year Treasury was at 0.66%, down slighly from 0.67% late Tuesday. The 30-year yield ticked up to 1.44% from 1.41%. In other trading, U.S. benchmark crude oil rose 69 cents to $38.97 per barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. It surged $1.02 on Tuesday to $38.28 per barrel. Brent crude, the international standard, picked up 62 cents to $41.15 per barrel. The dollar fell to 105.29 Japanese yen from 105.43 yen late Tuesday. The euro slipped to $1.1845 from $1.1848. ___ AP Business writers Alex Veiga and Stan Choe contributed. In a recently published study, researchers from the Turku Bioscience Centre at the University of Turku and Abo Akademi University in Finland monitored the production of new proteins as they were produced by the cells' protein building machinery, the ribosome. They found that in the skin cells obtained from the forearm of Parkinson's patients, translation of RNA into protein was reduced compared to cells from healthy donors of a similar age. The reason for this was an enzyme called LRRK2 which was more active in patient cells compared to cells from healthy donors. "These results are interesting because LRRK2 is thought to contribute to Parkinson's disease, but precisely how, it is not yet known," says lead author Eleanor Coffey, the lead author of the article. "Although drug programmes developing LRRK2 inhibitors for treating Parkinson's are already underway, it is still important to understand what LRRK2 is doing in cells that may contribute to the disease," adds first author of the study Prasannakumar Deshpande. Once common pesticide helped unravel the mechanism When the researchers added LRRK2 inhibitor drugs to the patient samples, they found that the synthesis of new proteins returned to control levels. They next used the pesticide rotenone, exposure to which induces Parkinson's-like symptoms in humans, to model Parkinson's disease in rodent brain cells. They found that rotenone repressed protein synthesis and caused the axons of dopamine-producing nerve cells, which also die in Parkinson's, to waste away. Both effects were reversed when treated with LRRK2 inhibitor drugs. Moreover, in mice lacking the gene for LRRK2, protein synthesis was increased in nerve cells. "These data identify a critical role for LRRK2 in the control of the process that converts genetic code into protein," tells Coffey. To understand how LRRK2 reduced protein synthesis, researchers examined a brain region called the substantia nigra, which is affected in Parkinson's disease. In rats exposed to rotenone, they found that controllers of protein synthesis acquired "phosphate marks" which signal protein synthesis to stop. One such mark was particularly prominent in patient skin cells. The authors were able to show that LRRK2 inhibitor drug reversed these marks and allowed the cell to resume making new proteins. Reduced protein synthesis might be an indicator for Parkinson's disease "It is significant in this study that we found no evidence of decreased protein synthesis in individuals with multiple system atrophy, a movement disorder that is symptomatically difficult to distinguish from Parkinson's disease, but with distinct etiology and prognosis," Coffey explains. This suggests that a reduction in the synthesis of certain proteins are specific to Parkinson's disease and could be used as a biomarker readout. Also, as patients aged and the disease progressed, the repression of protein synthesis was more notable, adds Deshpande. This did not happen in healthy individuals. Analysing the repression of the synthesis of certain proteins will provide a means to monitor disease progression. Early detection may help treatment The research group is now examining hundreds of patient samples to determine which group of downregulated proteins shows the best discriminating power to identify Parkinson's disease and if it can be used to detect Parkinson's before motor symptoms appear. "If such a signature can be found, it could help improve clinical trial outcome by providing a tool for patient stratification. If successful, this would help accelerate the development of better treatments for Parkinson's disease patients," summarises Coffey. The study was carried out on samples from individuals from Finland and the United States. The work was done in collaboration with Drs Valtteri Kaasinen and Sirkku Peltonen at Turku University Hospital and Prof. Peter James at Abo Akademi University. ### Bengaluru, Sep 15 : An education corridor would soon be built in the Muddenahalli-Nandi Hills region near Bengaluru in memory of eminent engineer Sir Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya, Karnataka Medical Education Minister K. Sudhakar said on Tuesday. "The state government will build the education corridor in the Muddenahalli-Nandi region in the memory of Visvesvaraya, who was born here on September 15, 1861," said Sudhakar at Muddenahalli in Chikkaballapura district, 60 km from Bengaluru. September 15 is commemorated every year as "Engineers' Day" across India to mark the birth anniversary of Visvesvaraya (1861-1962). "It is a matter of pride that the eminent engineer and statesman is from our district (Chikkaballapura). My wish is to develop his village as an education corridor with a university at Muddenahalli," said Sudhakar after laying the foundation stone for building Sir M. Visvesvaraya International Institute. Recalling Visvesvaraya's outstanding contributions to the state and the country, the minister said his birthplace Muddenahalli should be made well-known in the education field. Noting that skill training was as important as education, Sudhakar said a skill development training centre would also be set up in the region. "Unemployed youth who discontinued education will benefit from the skill centre," he added. Deputy Chief Minister C.N. Ashwath Narayan, who was present on the occasion, also spoke on Visvesvaraya's contributions. Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi greeted all engineers across the country to commemorate Visvesvaraya's birth anniversary. Paying his tributes, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said as a visionary engineer and statesman, his (Visvesvaraya's) many contributions will be remembered by generations to come. Well-known for solving irrigation-related problems in the country, Visvesvaraya's major works including the irrigation system in the Deccan Plateau canals, and inventing automatic gates to regulate flow of water in reservoirs. Born to two Sanskrit scholars, he moved to then Bangalore for higher studies after primary education in Muddenahalli. He later graduated in civil engineering from the Pune College of Engineering. With expertise in irrigation and flood management, Visvesvaraya designed the 'automatic barrier water floodgates', installed at at Khadakvasla reservoir in Pune in 1903. He later become the architect of the famous Krishanarajasagar dam across the Cauvery river in Mandya. In his later years, Visvesvaraya served as the Diwan of Mysore. He was knighted by King George V in 1915 for his valuable contributions to the country and in 1955, the Indian government conferred the Bharat Ratna on him. (Bloomberg) -- Oil markets were paralyzed on Monday by uncertainty over exactly when global fuel demand will rebound from a pandemic-driven collapse. Some of the worlds largest oil suppliers are painting a bleak picture for crude demand, with the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries cutting the demand estimate for its oil by 1.1 million barrels a day and BP Plc saying the relentless growth in oil demand is over. But U.S. stock markets gained, signaling that investors are seeing an increase in business activity which could buoy demand. West Texas Intermediate crude for October delivery was virtually unchanged, falling 7 cents to settle at $37.33 a barrel in New York. Theres no demand for crude oil and theres plenty of supply if you actually needed it,said Bob Yawger, director of the futures division at Mizuho Securities USA. Thats the killer here. Trafigura Group expects the market to return to surplus. Meanwhile, Citigroup Inc. analysts expect global refinery utilization may stay around 75% until early 2021 to clear the ongoing surplus in gasoline and distillate inventories. Oil has erased much of its gains from the summer as the coronavirus pandemic surges worldwide, clouding the outlook for a sustained demand rebound as global virus cases top 29 million. Nigerias crude, often viewed as a bellwether for the wider global oil market, is again selling slowly as traders report lackluster demand for the grades. On the supply side, compliance with OPEC+ output cuts may be an issue during talks this week after new signs of exporters reneging on the deal. The sentiment has shifted from positive to negative, said Giovanni Staunovo, an analyst at UBS Group AG in Zurich. Concerns on a stalling oil demand recovery and concerns of cheating OPEC members have been a drag on oil prices. The oil demand recovery is still taking place -- its just uneven. Brent for November settlement declined 22 cents to $39.61 a barrel. A widening contango in Brent crude is also heightening concerns about over-supply. Iraq has cut pricing for all of its crude grades to Asia and the U.S. for October following similar curbs by Saudi Arabia and other Gulf producers as demand stalls. It almost guarantees youre going to start racking up some big storage builds in weeks to come, Yawger said. Even BPs most bullish scenario sees demand no better than broadly flat for the next two decades as the energy transition shifts the world away from fossil fuels, according to a report from the company. Vitol Group, however, predicts there will be 10 years of growth before a steady decline. In the U.S., Gulf Coast oil producers and refineries have begun preparing for Hurricane Sally. Phillips 66 has started a shutdown of its Alliance refinery in Louisiana and Royal Dutch Shell Plc has curtailed operations at three Gulf of Mexico platforms. 2020 Bloomberg L.P. T he Home Secretary has issued a stark warning to families going out for a stroll, as she promoted a hard-line approach to new social gathering limits. Priti Patel suggested that groups stopping for an innocent chat would be breaking the law if they did so in groups of more than six people. The Governments new rule of six which came into force on Monday made it illegal for anyone to mingle with more than five other people when socialising. Asked if two families of four bumping into one another on the way to the park constituted mingling, Ms Patel told BBC Radio 4s Today programme: It is mingling. I think it is absolutely mingling." She continued: You have got to put this in the context of coronavirus and keeping distance, wearing masks. The rule of six is about making sure that people are being conscientious and not putting other peoples health at risk. Ms Patel added: Mingling is people coming together. That is my definition of mingling. Coronavirus: Weekend Round-up before New Rule of Six - In pictures 1 /30 Coronavirus: Weekend Round-up before New Rule of Six - In pictures People sing and dance as they watch a street performer in Leicester Square PA General view of people enjoying a night out in Soho PA People have been warned against having a "party weekend" PA A former chief scientific adviser said the UK is "on the edge of losing control" of coronavirus PA People sing and dance as they watch a street performer in Leicester Square PA A group of friends enjoy the Autumn sunshine at a bar in Brighton PA Beachgoers pack the beach in Brighton AFP via Getty Images General view of people enjoying a night out in Soho PA General view of people enjoying a night out in Soho PA People sing and dance in Leicester Square REUTERS People gather in the Soho area REUTERS People dance in Leicester Square REUTERS People sing and dance in Leicester Square REUTERS People sing and dance in Leicester Square REUTERS Beachgoers pack the beach in Brighton i AFP via Getty Images People gather on Primrose Hill AFP via Getty Images People gather in the food market in Camden AFP via Getty Images People gather on Primrose Hill AFP via Getty Images People drink and dine at restaurants and cafes on Northcote Road Getty Images People gather on Primrose Hill AFP via Getty Images People drink and dine at restaurants and cafes on Northcote Road Getty Images People drink and dine at restaurants and cafes on Northcote Road Getty Images People attend a busking show in Leicester AP Earlier, the Cabinet minister admitted she would be willing to call the police on her own neighbours if she spotted them flouting restrictions. If I saw something that I thought was inappropriate, then quite frankly I would effectively call the police, she told Sky News. Its not about dobbing in neighbours, I think its all about us taking personal responsibility. If there was a big party taking place, it would be right to call the police. The clampdown comes amid concern over testing shortages, especially in areas suffering the highest Covid-19 infection rates. But Ms Patel insisted that tests were available for people in their local areas, and that Public Health England was adding capacity on a daily basis. The majority of tests are available within a 10-mile (16-km) radius, she told BBC Breakfast. It seems to me therell be extreme cases where people cant get to test locations within that radius but that doesnt mean that Public Health England are not working night and day to boost capacity, she added. Loading.... Tests are available, particularly in local lockdown areas, Ive seen this myself, Ive seen the teams that have been working on this. The Queen's Sandringham estate clawed in almost 1million in EU handouts last year after Prince Charles turned the farms organic, a royal finance expert has revealed. Her Majesty's sprawling Norfolk residence has been showered with Brussels subsidy money since the UK joined the bloc in the 1970s and became eligible for a portion of the Common Agricultural Policy's multi-billion-pound pot. In the past five years, Sandringham has received more than 3million, including 935,908 in 2019 - 55 per cent more than the 604,844 awarded the previous year. The Prince of Wales's sustainability drive won the estate an extra 313,517 from the EU's budget to support rural development projects. Royal author David McClure has claimed these often overlooked EU cash injections has long depressed estimates of the Queen's overall wealth - which he puts at around 400million. But the Family's finances could take a hit when Brussels turns the subsidy taps off as the Brexit transition period ends in December. Her Majesty's sprawling Norfolk residence has been showered with Brussels subsidy money since the UK joined the bloc in the 1970s and became eligible for a portion of the Common Agricultural Policy's multi-billion-pound pot Royal author David McClure has claimed these often overlooked EU cash injections has long depressed estimates of the Queen's overall wealth - which he puts at around 400million In his forthcoming book, The Queen's True Worth: Unravelling the Public & Private Finances of Queen Elizabeth II, McClure stresses that Her Majesty's wealth remains murky and is hotly contested by royal watchers. This is because much information remains out of public viewing and the Royal Family are not bound by Freedom of Information laws to disclose their wealth. McClure rubbishes some 'crude' estimates which arrive at 'astronomical' amounts by factoring in residences such as Buckingham Palace, which the Queen does not own, into their calculations. Yet unlike her other royal residences, Sandringham is privately owned and was passed to her from her father King George VI upon his death in 1952. In The Queen's True Worth, McClure chronicles how Prince Philip grappled with the 20,000-acre estate, which was burning money. 'What had reduced profitability was fragmentation: there were simply too many small farms with too many workers producing too few profits,' he writes, according to an extract published in the Daily Express. In The Queen's True Worth, McClure chronicles how Prince Philip grappled with the 20,000-acre estate, which was burning money In his forthcoming book, The Queen's True Worth: Unravelling the Public & Private Finances of Queen Elizabeth II, David McClure (left) stresses that Her Majesty's wealth remains murky and is hotly contested by royal watchers A radical shake-up by Philip, who melded the smaller plots of land into around a dozen 'mega-farms', shrank the workforce and generated profits. But McClure pins Sandringham's revived fortunes on the UK's accession to the European Community which allowed it to benefit from lucrative handouts. McClure writes: 'After the United Kingdom entered the EEC in 1973, Sandringham as one of the largest farms in Norfolk, became eligible for a large slice of the Common Agricultural Policy's farming subsidy budget.' Brussels' CAP is a system of subsidies paid to EU farmers to shore up production and safeguarding farmers from an often uncertain business environment. What is the Common Agricultural Policy? The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) is a system whereby Brussels makes direct payments to EU farmers. Subsidies are paid to ensure continued food production on the continent, and to safeguard farmers from volatile business environments. Since its inception in 1962, the CAP has been a thorny issue, not least because of its enormous cost. The CAP budget is 58billion euros, around a third of the entire EU budget. Critics also say the majority of payments are made to big farms, rather than smaller more vulnerable ones. And some argue that millionaire farmers do not need generous subsidy payments. British farmers will no longer receive payments when the Brexit transition period ends in December. The government has previously said it will continue financial support for farmers. Advertisement It also doles out money for farms engaging in environmental action as part of its war on climate change. McClure dredges up public data from the last five years which reveals the amount the Sandringham farms, which among other produce grow blackcurrents for Ribena, were awarded from the EU. Sandringham raked in '553,051 in 2015, 524,466 in 2016, 695,001 in 2017, 604,844 in 2018 and a massive 935,908'. The most recent handout is topped up by over 300,000 in rural development money because of Charles's transformation of the farms to become organic, he writes. It is understood the heir to the throne hopes to make the estate fully organic by July and is introducing 500 beef cattle so their manure can be spread over the fields. Underscoring the importance of the EU subsidies to Sandringham, and in turn the Queen's private wealth, McClure vastly elevates standard estimates for the estate's value. He writes: 'Previous estimates have put the value of Sandringham at between 30million and 45million but, significantly, do not take into full account the extra value attached to the royal name. 'If that is factored in, then as we have seen from inflated prices paid at auction for other royal property Sandringham might easily be worth 60million to 80million on the open market.' But he reckons the 'true test' of Brussels handouts will be exposed when Sandringham is starved of CAP subsidies when the UK officially cuts ties with the bloc at the end of the year. Sir Iain Duncan Smith called for all Chinese tech firms to be banned - Luke MacGregor/Bloomberg No Chinese company dealing with data should be allowed to operate in the UK, a senior Conservative MP has said, following revelations that a firm has collected intelligence on 40,000 people in Britain. Sir Iain Duncan Smith, the former Tory leader, said all Chinese internet and data companies should be ejected from the UK to protect British citizens' cyber security. "The government should automatically ban any Chinese owned companies that are involved in the internet or the use of data, he told The Telegraph. Sir Iains comments came after The Telegraph revealed a Chinese technology company, Zhenhua Data, has compiled an intelligence database of British citizens including members of Parliament, royals and convicts. Hundreds of thousands of social media posts, online biographies and newspaper records on British citizens have been collected and are thought to have been supplied to Chinese intelligence agencies. Experts said the leak showed the Chinese state was using ostensibly private companies as listening posts for its secret services. Although Zhenhua does not have an office in the UK, Sir Iain said the database showed that other Chinese data companies with plans to expand should be automatically banned from operating here. Boris Johnson has already committed to expelling equipment from the Chinese telecoms firm Huawei from the UK's networks, while ByteDance, the owner of the social media app TikTok, has abandoned plans to establish an office in the UK amid controversy over its links to the Chinese state. "Straight away, ByteDance should be banned and TikTok should not be allowed to set up their headquarters here," Sir Iain said. "[The Government] needs to look again at how quickly they can get Huawei out of their system. There is a whole range of things they need to do, which is to say: We now recognise that China poses the biggest threat to democracy and human rights than anywhere else. Story continues The Zhenhua database revealed on Monday by The Telegraph contains information about the families and children of China critics in the UK, including Tom Tugendhat, the chairman of Parliaments Foreign Affairs Committee. Mr Tugendhat said he did not support a blanket ban on Chinese data companies, but has huge concerns about ByteDance. A report by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute last year said ByteDance was working with security forces to facilitate human rights abuses against Uighur Muslims - a claim the company denies. Mr Tugendhat said TikTok should not be allowed to set up an office in the UK if it continues to be operated by its Chinese parent company. Bob Seely, the MP for the Isle of Wight, said the Zhenhua files showed the Government must do more to understand the threat of data technology used by China. This is not just an authoritarian state issue, but it is made much worse by the fact that China is doing it, and is effectively globalising its surveillance state, he said. Whether its hoovering up information on us or whether its spying on their own people, I think were really behind the curve on this. Mr Seely suggested the Government should set up a royal commission or inquiry to analyse data privacy issues. I think its breathtakingly naive of us [...] and I just think there are all these 21st century problems our state hasnt got its head around, he said. Dr Alan Mendoza, executive director of the Henry Jackson Society, said: While the U.K. hands out massive fines to companies that hold private data without good cause, in China its not so much a commodity, as an instrument of state power. Theres no point protecting our privacy at home, only to see it violated in Beijing. Given grave concerns about the ability of the Chinese state to obtain data held by Chinese companies, it stands to reason that we should be wary of allowing any such companies to operate in the UK." Sudanese official says dropping Christian education was error, but church leaders dont believe it Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment The top official of Sudans education regulatory body claims he erroneously omitted Christian education on a list he sent to all public schools in August directing them to teach only the subjects on the list. Christian leaders have raised concerns that Christianity won't be taught in schools, despite the admission, because educators qualified to teach the subject haven't been hired. In Sudanese schools, Christian students are required to study Islam and some educators have forced students to convert. Director-General Omer Ahmed al-Garay of National Centre for Curriculum and Educational Research, said in a letter that he did not intentionally omit Christianity from school subjects in NCCER's previous directive, according to the U.S.-based Morning Star News. In reference to our previous letter dated Aug. 23, 2020, regarding the school subjects, we wish to consider the new timetable attached. The old timetable had unintended error, Al-Garay wrote. The official said many Christians called him to ask why Christianity had been omitted from the list of school subjects. I apologize to Christian brothers who called asking why Christianity was dropped out from the school subjects, Al-Garay wrote. Islam has long been taught in schools in Sudan and now deposed President Omar al-Bashir had vowed to adopt a stricter version of Sharia (Islamic law) and recognize only Islamic culture and the Arabic language after the countrys secession from South Sudan in 2011. While a transitional government, led by Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok, was sworn in last year, an Islamist deep state rooted in Bashirs 30 years of power remains influential. The apology of the director will not change the reality of the matter, the Rev. Yahia Abdelrahim Nalu of the Sudan Presbyterian Evangelical Church, was quoted as saying. Christianity will continue to be in the timetable, but there will be no one to teach it in government schools, because there are no teachers appointed by the government to teach it, he explained. Christian students have to study Islam as a school subject and in some areas, they are often forced to convert, Nalu said. The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom cautiously acknowledged improvements in the countrys religious and political atmosphere after the commissions chair, Tony Perkins, visited Sudan in February. We are grateful to Prime Minister Hamdok and other members of the countrys bold transitional leadership who met with USCIRF to convey their explicit desire to bring a new era of openness and inclusivity to their country that suffered for 30 years under brutal and autocratic religious repression, he said at the time, according to Crux. At the same time, we understand that the countrys challenges are deeply-rooted, and we urge the leadership to move quickly to turn that optimism into tangible and meaningful reforms for all people across Sudan, such as acting to formally repeal Article 126 of the 1991 penal code, which outlaws apostasy, he added. Prime Minister Hamdok and other transitional government officials met with USCIRF in Washington, D.C., during a visit last December the first time in three decades that Sudanese leaders had visited Washington, D.C. The officials also shared at the time how they planned to expand religious freedom in a country that is ranked as the seventh-worst in the world when it comes to Christian persecution, according to Open Doors USAs World Watch List. NAPLES, Italy The run-down, paint-chipped Detroit house where U.S. civil rights icon Rosa Parks took refuge after her historic bus boycott is going on display in Italy in a setting that couldnt be more incongruous: the imposing central courtyard of the Royal Palace in Naples. Its the latest stop for the house in a years-long saga that began when Parks niece saved the tiny two-story home from demolition in Detroit after the 2008 financial crisis. She donated it to an American artist who took it apart and rebuilt it for public display in Germany, and now Italy, after failing to find a permanent resting place for it in the U.S. As racial tensions seethe across the Atlantic, the exhibition of the home starting Tuesday has taken on fresh relevance. The display is being accompanied by a repeating soundtrack entitled 8:46 and lasting that long. Its the original time prosecutors said it took for a Black man, George Floyd, to be killed by white police officers in a May slaying that has fueled the Black Lives Matter movement and protests around the nation in a reckoning with Americas history of slavery and racial injustice. Minnesota prosecutors later acknowledged the police officer had his knee on Floyds neck for seven minutes, 46 seconds, but said the one minute difference didnt affect the case. Artist Ryan Mendoza has been campaigning for more than five years to draw attention to the historic value of the home, where Parks lived for a short time after her 1955 defining act of defiance: refusing to give up her seat on a bus to a white passenger in Montgomery, Alabama. The yearlong refusal of African Americans to ride city buses that followed is regarded as the first major U.S. demonstration against segregation. In an interview ahead of the opening, Mendoza said he hoped the grandeur of the Naples debut of Almost Home would draw attention to Parks legacy and help America remember a house it didnt know it had forgotten. Parks lived in the tiny house in Detroit with her brother and his family as she struggled to make a new life for herself in the northern U.S. after receiving death threats following the bus protest. The family says Parks, who died in 2005, lived there with 17 other relatives. The house was abandoned and slated for demolition after the financial crisis in 2008 and Detroits dramatic decline, but Parks niece, Rhea McCauley, bought it from the city for $500 and donated it to Mendoza. After unsuccessful efforts to persuade the city to help save the building, Mendoza in 2016 dismantled it and moved it to the German capital, rebuilding it on the lot of his studio for public display. In 2018, Brown University announced it would feature the house as part of a planned exhibition on the civil rights movement organized by its Center for Slavery and Justice. But it backed out at the last minute, citing a legal dispute with the family. Earlier this year, Mendoza approached the Naples-based Morra Greco Foundation, where he had worked for a year in the 1990s. The Foundation agreed to help organize the exhibit with the backing of the Italian culture ministry and Campania regional government. For Mendoza, the house epitomizes the experience of many African Americans who migrated north in the last century, only to face redlining and other discrimination that has affected generations of Black Americans. This house, in a word, is a way for people to understand why people in America are so enraged, he said. He takes particular satisfaction that the house, which is so fragile that you can almost blow it over, is being exhibited in the central courtyard of a royal palace, where it certainly would have never found welcome by the kings of the House of Bourbon. But now, instead of being rejected by the walls of the royal palace, its embraced and protected by these walls, he said. Potentially thanks to the showing of the house in this way, America will allow the house to have a home. ___ Winfield reported from Rome. Defence minister Rajnath Singh told Parliament on Tuesday that China has engaged in massive mobilisation of troops at the Line of Actual Control (LAC), engaged in aggressive behaviour, and sought to unilaterally change the status quo all in contravention of existing border agreements and pacts between the two countries. In the face of this, he said, Indias armed forces have shown both restraint when needed and courage when required, and will defend Indian sovereignty and territorial integrity in any situation. In the first official statement by the government on the floor of the Lok Sabha on the India-China standoff in eastern Ladakh, Singh provided the historical backdrop of the border question; emphasised the importance of maintaining peace and tranquillity at the border for bilateral relations to progress; chronologically outlined the series of aggressive moves by China and violent conduct since April this year; acknowledged how the current situation is qualitatively different from the past in terms of the number of troops involved and the number of friction points; laid out the Indian position and principles on the need to respect the LAC; and alluded to the recent understanding between the foreign ministers of both countries in Moscow, putting the onus categorically on China to disengage. The amassing of the troops by China goes against our 1993 and 1996 agreements. Respecting and strictly observing the Line of Actual Control is the basis for peace and tranquillity in the border areas and explicitly recognised in both agreements. While our armed forces abide scrupulously by it, this has not been reciprocated by the Chinese side... In the recent incidents, this year, the violent conduct of Chinese forces has been in complete violation of all mutually agreed norms, Singh said. As of now, the Chinese side has mobilised a large number of troops and armaments along the LAC as well as in the depth areas. There are several friction areas in eastern Ladakh, including Gogra, Kongka La and north and south banks of the Pangong Lake. In response to Chinas actions, our armed forces have also made appropriate counterdeployments in these areas to ensure that Indias security interests are fully protected. The House should have full confidence that our armed forces will always rise to the challenge and do us all proud, he added. Singh suggested that in the past too, there have been long standoffs which were peacefully resolved, but acknowledged that the scale of troop mobilisation and number of friction points made then current situation different. We are ready to face any situation, he said. The defence minister also urged the House to pass a resolution expressing admiration for the bravery of Indian soldiers at the front line and solidarity with the troops as Parliament has done in times of crisis. The Congress walked out after it was not allowed to speak under House rules after the defence minister ended his address. Adressing reporters outside Parliament, Congress leader in the Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said Prime Minister Narendra Modis absence from Parliament when the defence minister made a statement showed that how the government was afraid of a discussion on the face-off. Also read| Dont be afraid to name China: Rahul Gandhis jibe after Rajnath Singhs LAC statement For the Congress, the country is the most important. We are proud of our armed forces. This government did not allow us to speak in Parliament. They are afraid of Congress asking questions that they will not be able to answer, he said. Singh began his speech by offering the context to the long-festering border dispute between India and China, and said that customary alignments, geographic principles, historic use and border pacts have not been accepted by Beijing. China is, the defence minister said, in possession of 38,000 square km of Indian territory in Ladakh; 5,180 sq km of Indian territory in Kashmir given to it by Pakistan in 1963; and has claimed Arunachal Pradesh. But since 1988 (when then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi visited China), Singh said that both countries decided that the border issue needed patience and a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable solution. And while on the LAC itself both countries had differing perceptions, they agreed that peace at the border was essential for the progress of bilateral relations. This, then, led to agreements in 1993 and 1996 which stipulated minimal troop presence, respect and adherence to the LAC, and an understanding to arrive at a common perception of the LAC, a process China stalled in 2003. Turning to the present crisis, Singh said that in April, China began mobilising both troops and armaments. In May, it interrupted regular patrolling patterns in the Galwan valley where there was a face-off, and it also attempted transgression in the western sector in mid-May, in Kongka La, Gogra and Pangong Tso. Singh said that India conveyed to China, through diplomatic and military channels, that attempts to change the status quo unilaterally wont be acceptable. Also read| India inflicted heavy casualties on Chinese forces in June: Rajnath Singh On June 6, there was an understanding on disengagement. But on June 15, in Galwan, Singh said, China created a violent situation. Indian troops made sacrifices and secured the border, but, Singh said emphatically, there were also heavy casualties on the Chinese side. Twenty Indian soldiers were killed in the violent brawl in Galwan valley. Singh said that India, in its communication with China, had clearly laid out three principles the need to respect the LAC and adhere to it strictly; the need to not change the status quo; and the need to respect all pacts and agreements. But on August 29 and 30, even as discussions were underway, Singh said that the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) tried to unilaterally change the status quo on the southern bank of Pangong Tso, but timely action by Indian armed forces repelled the design. India, Singh said, engaged in counterdeployment so that Indian security interests were safeguarded no matter what the situation. But he added that there were sensitive operational matters involved, which he, even if he wanted to, could not discuss. The defence minister then turned to the state of negotiations, while emphasising that India wants a resolution of the situation peacefully. He spoke about his meeting with the Chinese counterpart in Moscow, where they had an in-depth discussion. I made it clear that even as we wanted to peacefully resolve the issue and would like the Chinese side to work with us, there should also be no doubt about our determination to protect Indias sovereignty and territorial integrity. He then referred to foreign minister S Jaishankars meeting with his Chinese counterpart. The two have reached an agreement that, if implemented sincerely and faithfully by the Chinese side, could lead to complete disengagement and restoration of peace and tranquillity in the border areas. Experts hailed the clarity in the ministers statement. I think the defence minister has unequivocally laid the responsibility for the current tensions on the actions of the PLA and the complete disregard for past agreements and protocols. He has also clearly stated that while we would prefer that the matter be resolved through dialogue, there will be no compromise with our territorial integrity. This is a firm and clear statement of our intent, said former Northern Army commander Lieutenant General (retired) DS Hooda. Former ambassador Rajiv Bhatia, distinguished fellow for foreign policy studies at Gateway House, said Singhs statement was a combination of clarity, candour and confidence and reflected the new phase in the standoff following the meeting of the foreign ministers in Moscow and the five-point roadmap for the way forward. It is a strong statement reflecting Indias national determination. It addressed three constituencies our own people, who have been taken into confidence on what is happening and Indias strategy to tackle the situation; the international community because a clear-cut message hadnt been going out to the world that it was China which created this situation by violating all agreements and that India still wants a peaceful resolution and if this doesnt happen, it could lead to further deterioration; and the Chinese government and elite, to say that it is still Indias preferred option to resolve things through negotiations, he said. By PTI NEW DELHI: Free ration was distributed to 2.67 crore migrant workers per month in May and June against the target of 8 crore under the Atmanirbhar Bharat package announced following the COVID-19 outbreak, Parliament was informed on Tuesday. Under the scheme, 5 kg foodgrains per person and 1 kg pulses per household was to be distributed for free to 8 crore migrants who neither have a central or state ration card. Initially, the scheme was for two months (May to June). Later, it was extended till August. "Until August 31, about 2.67 lakh tonnes (provisional) of foodgrains have been distributed under the scheme to about 2.67 crore persons (i.e.94.6 per cent of estimated beneficiaries by States/UTs) per month for the months of May and June," Minister of State for Food and Consumer Affairs Danve Raosaheb Dadarao said. The minister, in a written reply in the Lok Sabha, further said the Centre had liberally allocated foodgrains to cover maximum migrants/stranded migrants. The government had allocated 8 lakh tonnes for two months. Responsibility of identification of beneficiaries under this scheme was entrusted with states, which initially indicated about 2.8 crore total migrant population, he added. Since the identification of migrants took substantial time, the Centre extended the distribution period of foodgrains till August 31 this year, the minister said. Newly elected head of Liberal Democratic Party Yoshihide Suga poses for photos following his press conference at its headquarters after the party's leadership election in Tokyo, Monday, Sept. 14, 2020. AP As Yoshihide Suga, a key loyalist of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, is poised to succeed the hawkish leader, Tokyo is likely to stay the course in its hard-line stance on Seoul rather than seeking an immediate policy shift, analysts said Monday. Chief Cabinet Secretary Suga won the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP)'s leadership contest and is expected to be endorsed as new premier in a parliamentary vote slated for Wednesday. Abe announced his surprise decision to step down due to ill health last month. Suga's election came after he garnered crucial support from five of the governing party's seven factions, many favoring policy continuity, in a reminder of the intricate political dynamics that make it difficult for a new leader to push for a drastic policy change. Suga could seek to call a snap general election to tighten his power grip and secure a stronger public mandate for his own brand of policy, but the imperative to rally right-wing voters for a win may keep him from drifting far away from Abe's conservative agenda, analysts said. The leadership change in Japan comes in the midst of tensions between Seoul and Tokyo over trade and wartime history, which have stoked concerns over their failure to step up cooperation to meet shared challenges, such as North Korea's nuclear and missile threats. "In the broad scheme of things, there may not be a big policy change under Suga, who was once a key member of the Japan Conference," Nam Chang-hee, a professor of international politics at Inha University, said, referring to Japan's largest ultraconservative group. "Given that the Suga administration will operate within the LDP power dynamics, it may not be easy for him to independently push for policies of his own color immediately," he added. During his campaign for the ruling party chief post, Suga hinted at his desire to inherit Abe's policies ranging from the "Abenomics" of fiscal and monetary stimulus and structural reforms to the security priority on the U.S.-Japan alliance. During an election debate on Saturday, Suga said that he will "consult" with Abe on foreign policy while casting the outgoing leader's diplomacy as "truly amazing." But he also said that he will stick to "my own style," without elaboration. Having taken a central role in the Abe administration over the last nearly eight years, Suga is not expected to depart much from key tenets of its policy agenda. But his unique background different from other political heavyweights, mostly with illustrious political pedigrees like Abe, raises cautious hopes that he could have more room for policy recalibration. Suga, a son of a strawberry farmer and a self-made politician, is seen as largely free from pressure related to ancestral political traditions, or less fettered by factional demands from within the ruling party, analysts noted. MUMBAI: Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut on Tuesday (September 15) amended her petition before Bombay High Court to seek compensation of Rs 2 crore from Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) for illegal demolition at her bungalow. In her amended plea, Ranaut alleged that the BMC's decision to demolish her property was a direct consequence of her comments against the Maharashtra government. Kangana is locked in a public spat with the Shiv Sena, which heads the ruling coalition in the state, after her statement comparing Mumbai to 'Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir' irked the ruling party in the state. She had also stated in a video message that she feared Mumbai Police more than the "movie mafia" after tne death of Sushant Singh Rajput. Reacting strongly to her comment, Shiv Sena leader Sanajy Raut had purportedly said, "We kindly request her not to come to Mumbai. This is nothing but an insult to Mumbai Police." Following her remark that evoked controversy, Kangana's Bandra office here faced action and its portions were demolished for illegal alterations by Shiv Sena-led Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on September 9, the day she arrived in Mumbai from her hometown Manali. On September 9, a BMC team reached the bungalow at Pali Hill in Bandra with bulldozer and excavators and demolished alterations made sans the civic body's approval. The Bombay High Court, however, stayed the demolition process initiated by the BMC and sought to know why the city civic body entered the property when the owner was not present. On September 10, Kangana took on the Maharashtra government by castigating Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray for misusing power and declaring that her voice won't be suppressed. The Queen actor, who has been given Y-plus category security, posted a series of tweets comparing the BMC to goons, terming the state government a 'milavat' sarkar and recalling Marathi culture and pride. Here are some of todays top stories. A gas found on Earth that signifies life has been detected in the clouds on Venus Phosphine, a stinky, toxic and flammable gas found on Earth, has been detected in the atmosphere of Venus. On Earth, this gas signifies life. On Venus, it could suggest the presence of aerial life but its not likely. Biden says Trumps climate denialism, his disdain for science and facts is unconscionable Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden said Monday that President Donald Trumps refusal to acknowledge the scientific reality of the climate crisis is unconscionable and that he has failed to protect the United States from the ravages of climate change. Putin faces tough choice on Belarus: How to sort out Lukashenko without giving ground Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko visited Sochi in southwest Russia on Monday for one-on-one talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, seeking reassurances of Russias support after weeks of protests in Belarus. US Ambassador to China stepping down as tensions with Beijing rise Terry Branstad will be stepping down as United States Ambassador to China after more than three years in Beijing, a source confirmed to CNN Monday. I thought I was going to die. Inside Venezuelas mandatory quarantine motels Doctors say Venezuelas government has been using motels and other makeshift facilities to quarantine patients suspected of having the novel coronavirus, in a bid to keep them from overburdening the countrys already crumbling hospitals. Does TikToks deal with Oracle avert a US ban? TikToks US partnership with Oracle comes days before the Trump administration is expected to ban the popular short-form video app from the United States. But despite the two companies reaching a deal before Trumps Sept. 20 deadline, its far from clear whether the agreement can successfully stave off the ban. Israeli supermodel Bar Refaeli given nine months community service for tax evasion An Israeli court sentenced supermodel Bar Refaeli to nine months of community service for tax evasion Sunday, and handed her mother 16 months in prison, concluding a years-long case against the national celebrity. Neymar makes racism allegation as game ends with five red cards Paris Saint-Germain forward Neymar has said he was the target of a racist slur by an Olympique Marseille player during the French champions 1-0 defeat in Ligue 1 on Sunday. A chunk of ice twice the size of Manhattan has broken off Greenland in the last two years A 44-square-mile chunk of ice, about twice the size of Manhattan, has broken off the Arctics largest remaining ice shelf in northeast Greenland in the last two years, leaving scientists fearful over its rapid disintegration. Is there life floating in the clouds of Venus? Its an extraordinary possibility the idea that living organisms are floating in the clouds of Planet Venus. But this is what astronomers are now considering after detecting a gas in the atmosphere they cant explain. Nigerias slave descendants prevented from marrying who they want In a tragedy reminiscent of Romeo and Juliet, a couple in Nigeria killed themselves earlier this month after their parents had forbidden them from marrying because one of them was a descendant of slaves. Theyre saying we cant get married all because of an ancient belief, the note they left behind said. Paul Rusesabagina: Hotel Rwanda hero charged with terrorism Paul Rusesabagina declined to enter any pleas in court but his lawyers denied the charges against him. Daimler to pay $1.5bn over emissions claims in US German carmaker Daimler, which owns Mercedes-Benz, has agreed to pay $1.5bn (1.2bn) to resolve US government claims that it designed its diesel vehicles to cheat air pollution tests. The firm was investigated for installing software to evade emissions laws in 250,000 Mercedes cars and vans. TikTok: Oracle confirms being picked by Bytedance to be apps partner By Leo Kelion Technology desk editor US tech firm Oracle has confirmed that TikToks owner has formally proposed it become a trusted technology partner to the video-sharing app. Full details of the tie-up have yet to be disclosed, but the aim is to avoid President Trumps threat to shut down the Chinese-owned service in the US. ARM: UK-based chip designer sold to Nvidia Until now, it has specialised in high end graphics processing units (GPUs). These are commonly used by gamers to deliver more detailed visuals, as well as by professionals for tasks including scientific research, machine learning, and cryptocurrency mining. Swiveling LG Wing 5G takes dual-screen phones in a new direction LG finally took the wraps off its new smartphone and its certainly different. The LG Wing 5G comes with two displays: a main display on top that swivels to reveal a second screen underneath. If youre wondering why LG decided to suddenly experiment, its all part of the companys new Explorer Project, which it announced earlier this month. Possible life on Venus prompts a whole bunch of alien memes Hey! Have you heard the news? In an extremely 2020 plot twist, aliens might be real after all. Yeah, yeah. We know that alien theories are usually easily squashed. Heck, in 2017 we even published an article titled, Its not aliens. Its never aliens. Stop saying its aliens. Nvidia makes record-breaking $40 billion deal to buy Arm from SoftBank Nvidia has announced the biggest, most expensive semiconductor deal in history on Sunday, agreeing to purchase British company Arm Holdings from Japanese conglomerate SoftBank for $40 billion. SoftBank previously bought Arm for $32 billion in 2016 its largest ever investment at the time, and one that seems to have paid off massively. Walmart to start using autonomous drones for 1-hour delivery Starting next year, certain Walmart orders will literally fly to your door. The retailer announced a trial run with medical supply drone delivery company Zipline early Monday. Only medical and health and wellness products from Walmart will be part of the pilot program and itll only be in Northwest Arkansas in early 2021. Wonder Woman 1984 moves to Christmas The theatrical release of Wonder Woman 1984 has once again been delayed, this time for a scheduled premiere on Dec. 25, 2020. The sequel to 2017s Wonder Woman was originally meant to release more than a year earlier on Dec. 13, 2019 and has had its date moved five times since that initial announcement. Nature under attack: Lower Lough Erne and the view over Cleenishgarve Island, towards Lough Navar Forest The Stormont Government has failed to meet more than 80% of commitments made in a five year conservation plan, according to the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds. The Biodiversity Strategy launched by Stormont in 2015 has failed to deliver on targets such as water quality and protection of habitats and efforts to improve were "too little too late", the RSPB NI concluded following a review. If action is not taken, 11% of species in Northern Ireland face extinction, the advocacy group warns. The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs did not respond to any requests for comment on the report. According to the RSPB review, the Stormont Government has failed to meet 35 of 42 targets set out in the 2015 planning strategy. The conservation charity called for an "urgent review" of strategy and the "development of new commitments underpinned by law". RSPB NI said that "some piecemeal improvements have been made, but it is too little too late with no systematic, concerted effort to implement the outcomes of the strategy". According to the RSPB, water quality is "going backwards", witha "deterioration in the water quality of Northern Ireland's lakes and rivers since previous surveys in 2015 and 2018". "There has been a failure to complete crucial protected area designations for habitats and species that are internationally important, including hen harriers, curlews and redshanks", the organisation said in its report. It added: "Vital reviews have not yet taken place. For example, a review of 'Strategic Planning Policy Statement' to ensure that measures to promote nature in planning decisions remain appropriate has not even been started". RSPB NI director Joanne Sherwood said: "It is imperative that the Northern Ireland Executive's strategy matches both the nature emergency we face and growing positive public attitudes towards nature and wildlife in Northern Ireland. "The NI Executive's failures to deliver our Biodiversity Strategy and the lack of achievement of wider international targets is a wake up call that things need to change today. "Nature is our life support system and as we begin to rebuild our economy in light of the Covid-19 pandemic, the NI Assembly needs to play a leading role in delivering a green recovery and making commitments in law to secure the future of our environment." The RSPB noted that of the 20 'Aichi Targets' the UK Government pledged to meet under the International Convention on Biodiversity in 2010, its own assessment shows that it has achieved just five. The RSPB is launching a 'Revive Our World' campaign to lobby for "legally binding targets" to "restore nature by 2030". Ms Sherwood said: "In Northern Ireland, without laws to enforce protection and restoration, 11% of species are threatened with extinction. "If people don't want to endure devastating losses in nature in Northern Ireland - and the impact this will have on our health and economy - targets must be enshrined in law. "This will be vital as we work towards a green recovery in Northern Ireland". Dubai, Sep 15 : After living in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for 13 years without any valid documents, an Indian man finally flew home after getting a waiver of nearly half a million dirhams in overstay fines, it was reported. Pothugonda Medi's repatriation became possible after he sought help from the Indian Consulate in Dubai to avail the ongoing initiative of the UAE government to exempt visa violators from overstay fines, Gulf News said in a report on Monday. Originally from Hyderabad, Pothugonda told the mission that he had come to the UAE on a visit visa in 2007, but the agent who brought him abandoned him. He also reported that the agent had not returned his passport, Jithendra Negi, an official at the Indian Consulate, told Gulf News. However, the Consulate found it difficult to assist Pothugonda immediately because he did not have any official document to prove that he is an Indian citizen. The mission then sought the help of a social group in Hyderabad to trace Pothugonda's family. "With the support of a social worker, we managed to get the copies of his old ration card and election ID card from his native place. Some of the details that he gave were not matching, but still we could establish that he is an Indian," Negi told Gulf News. Apart from the free emergency document, a one-way travel document for Indians without a valid passport, the Consulate also provided the man a free flight ticket. Indian missions have waived the fees for expats seeking to leave the country during the temporary amnesty period announced by the UAE government which has been extended till November 17. PRESS RELEASE Emergex Vaccines and George Mason University Identify T-Cell Epitopes Presented by SARS-Cov-2 Infected Cells First detailed, empirical analysis of Class 1 epitopes presented by SARS-Cov-2 infected cells which define the T-Cell repertoire necessary for cytotoxic T-Cell function MHC expression library provides an accurate basis for COVID-19 T-Cell vaccine and related diagnostics development Doylestown PA, USA and Abingdon, Oxon, UK, 15 September 2020 - Emergex Vaccines Holding Limited ('Emergex'), a company tackling major global infectious disease threats through the development of synthetic 'set point' vaccines which prime the T-Cell immune response, today announces the determination of a Class I MHC expression library, or ligandome, for SARS-Cov-2 infected cells, in collaboration with George Mason University ('GMU'), National Center for Biodefense and Infectious Diseases, Virginia, USA. During the collaboration researchers at GMU grew SARS-Cov-2, the virus which causes COVID-19, in human cells expressing ACE-2 representing six HLA supertypes. The MHC Class I peptide expression library for cell surface expressed Class I molecules and the precursors for internal Class I bound peptides feeding the surface pool were determined using Emergex's proprietary immunoproteomics 2-D liquid chromatography mass-spectrometry platform at Emergex Vaccines, USA. The library of approximately 30,000 Class I bound viral-derived peptides contains the first detailed empirical data for Class I epitopes that are presented by a SARS-Co-2 infected cell (potential T-Cell target cell) and therefore defines the T-Cell repertoire necessary for CD8+ cytotoxic T-Cells to perform their kill-and-clear function of an infected cell. The most abundant viral derived subset of peptides (COVID-19 ligandome) was determined by reference to all possible positive and negative strand RNA derived peptides without sequence bias. The library also provides a search tool to determine the physical presence of any predicted expression of a SARS-Cov-2 derived peptide sequence at mass accuracy of approximately 10 ppm. Details of the library have potentially significant implications for the development of T-Cell targeted COVID-19 vaccines and also T-Cell memory diagnostic reagents which can definitively determine the pre-exposure history of COVID-19. The data revealed "hot spots" of Class I peptide derived from open reading frames (ORFs) of the proteome not previously identified in the literature and demonstrated the lack of concordance between the empirical method and in silico or inference (megapools) methodologies. Emergex will apply the insight gained in this study in its onoing programme to generate a second generation COVID-19 vaccine which is intended to generate a lasting and safe cellular immune response. Emergex's next generation vaccines have been designed to expand the body's natural immune response by programming CD8+ T-Cells to rapidly recognise and respond to pathogens. This approach is aimed at providing effective prevention of disease while eliminating the allergic, autoimmune or antibody mediated side effects associated with traditional vaccines. Clinical trials of the first Emergex COVID-19 vaccine candidate are intended to start in Q4 2020. Professor Thomas Rademacher, CEO and co-founder of Emergex, commented: "It is increasingly clear that T-Cell responses to SARS-Cov-2 are the major if not dominant factor in the immune response to COVID-19 infection and a vaccine which can safely and effectively harness this response could be critical to controlling the pandemic.Studies on T-Cell memory recall to predicted peptides in convalescent COVID-19 individuals have inferred the presence of a strong T-Cell response in these patients. However, some studies suggest healthy and asymptomatic individuals also appear to have a previous T-Cell memory response to COVID-19 making the origin and diversity of this memory response ambiguous." Dr. Xiaofang Huang, Leading Scientist, Emergex Vaccines USA, commented: "To date only computer predictions or data from screening of 15-20-mer pools and megapools of peptides derived from spike protein or extensive regions of the SARS-Cov-2 proteome for recall responses have been used to infer the identity of the CD4 T-Cell epitopes on SARS-Cov-2. Neither approach can definitively conclude that a CD8+ T-Cell response against SAR-Cov-2 infection has occurred, since the actual viral targets are unknown and computer predictions are required to anlayze the pools for Class I epitopes. "Our empirically determined library provides a rational basis for CD8+ T-Cell vaccine and T-Cell diagnostics development. We believe this is a significant step towards an effective vaccine and look forward to progressing our programme in the coming months." Dr. Aarthi Narayanan, Associate Professor of Systems Biology in George Mason University's College of Science, added: "This is an exciting and highly pertinent approach to develop a vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 which takes into account the critical need for a robust and targeted T-Cell response to elicit functional immunity. We are excited to be working with Emergex on this venture." - Ends - For further information, please contact: At the Company Emergex Consilium Strategic Communications Storme Moore-Thornicroft, Executive Director Phone: +44 (0) 1235 527589 Email: smt@emergexvaccines.com (mailto:smt@emergexvaccines.com) Chris Gardner / Sue Stuart / Carina Jurs Phone: +44 (0)20 3709 5700 Email: Emergex@consilium-comms.com (mailto:Emergex@consilium-comms.com) About Emergex Emergex, a UK-based biotechnology company headquartered in Abingdon, UK, is pioneering the development of synthetic 'set point' vaccines which prime the T-Cell immune response to address some of the world's most immediate health threats such as COVID-19, Dengue Fever, Zika, Ebola, pandemic flu and serious intra-cellular bacterial infections. These set-point vaccines modify the initial immune status of recipients in a way that 'primes' their immune systems to recognise subsequent infectious agents much like a natural infection would do, preventing an acute or severe manifestation of the disease. Emergex combines validated technologies together with the very latest scientific insights to develop its vaccines, including using synthetic peptide codes determined on actual infected cells and using a proprietary gold nanoparticle carrier system for programming. The Company has a growing pipeline of vaccine candidates. The most advanced development programme is a vaccine for Dengue Fever, which may also be disease modifying for other Flaviviruses such as the Zika and Yellow Fever viruses. Emergex also has programmes in development for a universal Influenza vaccine and a universal Filovirus vaccine (including viruses such as Ebola and Marburg) and discovery programmes for a Yellow Fever Booster vaccine and a Chikungunya vaccine. Emergex has partnered with the Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB) of Singapore to develop a vaccine for the emerging threat of Hand, Foot and Mouth (HFM) disease and has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Brazil-based Oswaldo Cruz Foundation 'Fiocruz' for the development of viral vaccines. This initially covers the development of a vaccine that universally targets diseases within the flavivirus family such as Dengue Fever, Zika and Yellow Fever but could be expanded to include the development of vaccines to target other viral families that are endemic to the region. Find out more online at www.emergexvaccines.com . About George Mason University George Mason University is Virginia's largest public research university. Located near Washington, D.C., Mason enrolls more than 37,000 students from 130 countries and all 50 states. Mason has grown rapidly over the last half-century and is recognized for its innovation and entrepreneurship, remarkable diversity, and commitment to accessibility. The Institute for Biohealth Innovation. The College of Science at Mason is a leader in scientific discovery creating innovative solutions for the rapidly-changing needs of today's world. Mason's College of Science blends traditional science education with sought-after programs in disciplines as diverse as personalized medicine, infectious diseases, geoinformatics, climate dynamics, materials science, astronomy, forensic science, and applied mathematics. The College encourages meaningful education and research at all levels offering innovative undergraduate programs, minors, certificates, and graduate degree opportunities, as well as global, transfer-focused, and online, or hybrid, programs that allow professionals the opportunity to reskill or change careers. Learn more at science.gmu.edu. George Mason University Biomedical Research Laboratory is one of thirteen Regional Biocontainment Laboratories constructed with funding support from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases/National Institutes of Health Doctors having to stay off work because they can't get a test. Pleas for university scientists to help process a huge backlog of swabs. Sound familiar? Those stories dominated the headlines at the end of March. Incredibly, nearly six months on, they have resurfaced. So how did it get to this? The Government spent April and May dealing with their testing failures by building a huge new system that was meant to be able to provide a test to every person who needed one. First, we were promised 100,000 tests a day, then 250,000, then 400,000. Finally, last week, came Boris Johnson's 'moonshot' announcement 'literally millions' of people would be tested every day 'in the near future', he claimed. Health Secretary Matt Hancock announced a new 'prioritisation' list, making clear that patients and care home residents would be front of the queue. So why has this vast testing system so dramatically crumbled? It sounded remarkable a pathway back to normality. But the reality? On most days in the past few weeks the system has struggled to process even 150,000 swabs a day, and is now facing a backlog of at least 185,000. People with symptoms are regularly told there is no test available unless they are willing to travel hundreds of miles. And yesterday Health Secretary Matt Hancock announced a new 'prioritisation' list, making clear that patients and care home residents would be front of the queue. So why has this vast testing system so dramatically crumbled? The core reason is that demand has soared and the network of laboratories that process the tests simply cannot keep up. Infections are doubling every week and for each person who tests positive, there are up to 100 more who need a test even if they're found to be negative. The start of the school term has also meant a spike in seasonal coughs and colds, which has led to even greater demand. But all of this was foreseeable. Scientists have long warned that the testing system must be fit for purpose by the time the schools return, and even more importantly, in time for a predicted second Covid spike this winter. Sir John Bell, at the University of Oxford, said ministers had 'underestimated' the speed at which cases would surge and the extra demand from children going back to school. 'They are definitely behind the curve,' he said. A woman uses an umbrella to shelter from the sun as she waits for a coronavirus test outside a community centre in Bury But instead of accepting they were caught unawares yet again ministers have instead blamed the public for 'frivolously' seeking tests when they do not have symptoms. Given that ministers and officials spent the summer trying to persuade people to seek tests, this is not only unfair but also misleading. The Government seems intent on diverting attention away from fundamental problems with its network of seven privately run 'Lighthouse' labs, set up in the spring. At the time, scientists questioned why ministers were turning to the private sector, instead of using the expertise in Britain's university labs. The Lighthouse labs are now reportedly dealing with a staffing shortfall. There have also been issues with reliability. Allan Wilson, the president of the Institute of Biomedical Science, the professional body for lab scientists, said: 'We are calling for transparency. We need someone to lift the lid on the Lighthouse labs and say what is the capacity.' With cases on the rise, and no quick solution in sight, the problems of last spring are definitely back and they seem set to stretch into the winter. BALTIMORE, Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Canton & Company, a leading healthcare growth and innovation firm, today announced that William Streck, MD, has joined its leadership team. Streck joins as Chief Clinical Officer, building on the firm's capabilities in the areas of healthcare strategy, innovation, and reform. William Streck, MD, Chief Clinical Officer, Canton & Company "What an honor to welcome Dr. Bill Streck to the Canton team," said Don McDaniel, Canton & Company CEO. "Having someone of his caliber is a huge complement to the outstanding leadership team already in place at our firm. Our clients require multi-faceted perspectives and strategies, and we have achieved excellence in each area we have pursued from research and value-based market development, to technology and operations, to communications and marketing. Dr. Streck enhances and elevates all of that out with incredible clinical, industry, and policy expertise." Having begun his career as a board-certified endocrinologist, Dr. Streck advanced to become the CEO for Bassett Healthcare Network in New York, serving in that role for more than 30 years. During his leadership, Bassett evolved from a single academic teaching hospital to one of the top integrated networks in the country with more than 4,000 full-time employees across more than 40 locations. A champion for healthcare reform, Dr. Streck has also contributed his expertise to multiple governmental, professional, and policy groups, including his role as Chief Medical and Health Systems Innovation Officer for the Healthcare Association of New York State (HANYS). "I have always considered it a great privilege to participate in healthcare, which in many ways serves to define our society's values," said Dr. Streck. "Continuing this work with Canton & Company affords the opportunity to become part of a dynamic and creative organization committed to new ideas and solutions." Dr. Streck will be based in New York and provide strategic growth services to Canton & Company's national client base. He will support Canton's corporate office in Baltimore, MD, in addition to the company's growing number of US locations including Cleveland, OH, Dallas, TX, Los Angeles, CA, and Minneapolis, MN. About Canton & Company Canton & Company is a growth and innovation services firm focused exclusively on the healthcare industry. Guided by a dual commitment to accelerating the industry transition to a market-based health economy and creating sustainable success for its clients, Canton & Company inspires change through innovation, with particular emphasis on consumer-centric, smart health markets. We do this by fast-tracking client growth through a diversified suite of offerings that includes strategy, go-to-market, and performance services, along with innovation and venture solutions, using our powerful network of industry change-makers to connect clients with the right tools, partners, talent, and capital for sustainable success. To learn more, visit www.cantoncompany.com. Media Contact Kathleen Hertzog Chief Marketing Officer [email protected] 763.213.9565 SOURCE Canton & Company Related Links http://www.cantoncompany.com How many of you are prepared to have reduced city services? I suspect not many people would volunteer to have fewer streets paved, or drainage and park improvements. However, if the plan to fund the Edwards Aquifer Protection Program, or EAPP, as presented to City Council last week passes, that is exactly what will happen. In a city with a community already described as economically challenged, it makes no sense to consider further burdening our general fund with the sole responsibility of funding the EAPP. Mayor Ron Nirenbergs workforce development program and Pre-K 4 SA have been approved for the November ballot, with VIA Metropolitan Transit adding its own initiative. There is no room for the EAPP to be voted on by the public. Never mind the EAPP sales tax elections have been supported by an overwhelming majority of voters four times over the last 20 years. The plan presented last week at City Council will simply allow the EAPP, as funded by the 1/8-cent sales tax, to run out. Its funding source will then be picked up by San Antonio Water System ratepayers and carried forward through the citys general fund at the cost of $100 million over 10 years. This is money that should be used for other core requirements of this city. Last Thursday, City Council was briefed on the plan to continue the EAPP. Proponents of this plan have invited other ideas to the table, but they have ignored the most obvious option letting the voters decide whether they want to keep it. I strongly believe this item should have been placed on the November ballot. It can be placed on a future ballot, in May 2022, if the council chooses to delay the item and if one of the proposed propositions on the upcoming November ballot fails. Top hits: Get San Antonio Express-News stories sent directly to your inbox I do not believe our general fund should carry the burden of the EAPP. The current funding mechanism utilizing the 1/8th cent sales tax ensures that anyone who makes a purchase in San Antonio contributes to aquifer protection. People who live outside city limits, tourists or anyone who is conducting business in our city contribute to the fund. The new proposal states that the EAPP will go from being funded by the sales tax to being funded through the general fund with revenue received from SAWS. Supporters have said this initiative will not cause SAWS rates to go up because the money is already going to the general fund, but I disagree. Last year, members of council suggested we increase the revenue that we receive from SAWS from 2.7 percent, which was about $20 million, to 4 percent, an additional $10 million. The argument was that the citys general fund needed to be replenished due to unforeseen decreases in revenue from previous state legislative acts. Now, those same council members are suggesting we use the extra $10 million from SAWS revenue to fund the EAPP. SAWS officials have said due to the increase in revenue contributed back to the city, they would have to adjust their models, which could lead to increased rates. It is also important to note Bexar County leadership has not confirmed it will fund the Howard W. Peak Greenway Trail program, and even if it does, county taxes are still paid by San Antonio residents. 2020 Voter Guide: A roadmap of the races, candidates and issues on the ballot The EAPP funding option will go to City Council for a vote Thursday. There is absolutely no need for City Council to vote so quickly. We do not know the fate of the current ballot initiatives set for November. If any of those items fail, then there is the 1/8-cent sales tax, or more, that could get voted on in May 2022. Funding for the EAPP being collected now is projected to last well into 2022, so there is no reason for City Council to vote on this now. If you are uneasy about the rushed plan to fund the EAPP as I am, let your council member and Nirenberg know before the vote comes up Thursday. Let them know you want this item delayed until after the November election. City Councilman Clayton Perry represents District 10. CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cuyahoga County elections board finds a novel way to help you vote, and the Ohio Secretary of State moves to block it. Were talking about absentee ballots on This Week in the CLE. Listen online here. Editor Chris Quinn hosts our daily half-hour coronavirus news podcast, this weekwith politics editor Jane Kahoun and me, answering all sorts of questions from the news. Youve been sending Chris lots of thoughts and suggestions on our from-the-newsroom account, in which he shares once or twice a day what were thinking about at cleveland.com. You can sign up for free by sending a text to 216-868-4802. And youve been offering all sorts of great perspective in our coronavirus alert account, which has 13,000-plus subscribers. You can sign up for free by texting 216-279-7784. Here are the questions were answering today: Did the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections just do an end run around Secretary of State Frank LaRose to make it easier for us all to vote? The board tried, at least. While Ohio wont allow multiple collection boxes for early ballots, the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections unanimously voted to staff six libraries where residents can return ballots leading up to the presidential election. Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRoses office swiftly ordered the board to back down. Did Republican lawmakers in Columbus just shoot down Secretary of State Frank LaRoses efforts to make it easier for us to vote? Republican state lawmakers rejected LaRoses request to pay for return postage on absentee ballots for the presidential election. Are we finally getting close to averting the looming disaster of Irishtown Bend collapsing and clocking shipping in the Cuyahoga River? A Cleveland City Council committee gave its approval Monday to legislation that would commit Cleveland to contributing more than $1.4 million toward the $28 million project, slated to finish in 2023. That includes stabilizing the hillside, rebuilding a road and developing a park with a view of downtown. Is it fair to point out the irony of the leader of the Ohio Senate, which has fought against Gov. Mike DeWines coronavirus restrictions, having to self-quarantine because he was exposed to the virus? Perhaps. Senate President Larry Obhof is staying at home this week after another senator he interacted with tested positive for coronavirus. With no end in sight for the coronavirus pandemic, can we take any lessons from how the 1918 flu pandemic ended in the United States? Probably not. Doctors didnt know what a virus was then, and there was no hope for a vaccine. The virus may have died out or run out of people to infect. What Ohio schools sit atop the latest U.S. News and World Report ranking of public and private universities? Case Western Reserve University was ranked the top private university in Ohio, and Ohio State best among public schools. The magazine this year included a graduate indebtedness category, as well as graduation and retention, graduation rate performance and social mobility. Is a rapid and reliable coronavirus test which we could use before heading to holiday gatherings with our families coming anytime soon? The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently granted emergency approval to saliva and antigen tests that offer hope, but they still require a health care worker or laboratory. How is Greater Clevelands Jewish population coping with all of the coronavirus restrictions as they approach their high holy days of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur? Orthodox Jews do not use electronics on the Sabbath or holidays, so livestreaming is not an option. Their synagogues will limit attendance and hold extra services -- some outdoors -- to accommodate congregations, while non-Orthodox synagogues will instead broadcast services online. Do I have to slow down in a school zone if schools are operating remotely? Depends where you are. During a typical school day, local police enforce 20 mph school-zone speed limits from 7 to 9 a.m., after school ends, between 2 to 4 p.m., and while students are in recess. Whether or not police will enforce the limits depends on the city. Want more? You can find all our past episodes here. Do you get your podcasts on Spotify. Find us here. If you use Stitcher, we are here. RadioPublic is another popular podcast vehicle, and we are here. On Google Podcasts, we are here. On PodParadise, find us here. And on PlayerFM, we are here. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Nina Loasana (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Tue, September 15, 2020 09:32 493 e22cd4161040e111d73a5626c44d9c4b 1 World diplomacy,ambassador-candidates,Indonesia-US-relations,GSP,Muhammad-Lutfi Free Indonesias newly appointed envoy to the United States, Muhammad Lutfi, has vowed to double down on the governments economic diplomacy push to ensure the country retains its trade perks and commences negotiations of a limited trade deal with Washington. Lutfi, an economist by training, is set to fill the position at the Indonesian Embassy in Washington that has been left vacant for almost a year after the government recalled its last ambassador to spearhead President Joko Jokowi Widodos economy-heavy foreign policy priorities from Jakarta. As a former trade minister, he was the most prominent name among the 20 ambassadors-designate sworn in at Merdeka Palace on Monday. He vowed to ensure that Indonesia would continue to enjoy its trade perks under Washingtons Generalized System of Preferences (GSP), which provides designated countries with a competitive advantage over other nations. I will push for and ensure that the GSP agreement will be extended, Lutfi said after the swearing-in ceremony, according to a press statement. Since 2011, Indonesia has been one of 120 countries that have benefited from the US GSP program, the countrys oldest and largest trade preference program. It aims to promote economic development in beneficiary countries and territories by eliminating duties on thousands of products. Indonesia ranks third among countries that have benefited most from the program, with almost 15 percent of the country's products exported to the US covered under the program. However, the US Trade Representative (USTR) is currently reviewing Indonesias eligibility for the program after it excluded Indonesia from its developing and least-developed countries list in February. While the government has insisted that the countrys upward mobility does not affect US preferential treatment, GSP beneficiary status is based on 15 criteria defined in a different statute, including reserving eligibility to middle-income and low-income countries as defined by the World Bank. In 2018, US President Donald Trump said his administration would review the GSP benefits provided to several developing countries, including Indonesia, with which the US has trade deficits. Jakarta has since tried to lobby the US in the hopes of retaining its trade privileges. India and Thailand both saw a loss of trade privileges with the US in October last year. In addition to securing the GSP benefits, the former head of the Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) said he would also commence negotiations on a limited trade deal with Washington. We will begin talks to negotiate a limited trade deal to exempt [export] products to the US that have duties below 5 percent without having to go through Congress. We will start the talks immediately because that is a priority issue, Lutfi said. Lutfi, who previously served as Indonesias ambassador to Japan, said he would also make sure US businesses knew about the countrys improving investment climate. He said economic diplomacy with the US would be strengthened going forward, and that to sell its products, Indonesia must be willing to buy US products as well. I want to ensure that US products can compete in the Indonesian market, he said. Since Trump came to power, Indonesia has tread carefully as the mercurial US leader proceeded to upend his predecessors policies and ushered in what many observers have described as a more transactional approach to US diplomacy. With the US election looming, making the most of Indonesias relationship with the US has become an increasingly urgent matter for Jokowi, who has sought to attract investments from firms seeking to relocate their factories out of China. In addition to Lutfi, Jokowi also appointed on Monday several political figures without backgrounds in diplomacy to represent the country overseas, such as former Metro TV editor-in-chief Suryopratomo, who was appointed ambassador-designate to Singapore and Hildi Hamid, a former regent of North Kayong in West Kalimantan, who was appointed as the envoy to Azerbaijan. He also named Golkar Party politician Roem Kono as the ambassador-designate to Bosnia Herzegovina, Indonesian Solidarity Party (PSI) politician Mohamad Irzan Djohan as the envoy to Oman and Yemen, and Crescent Star Party (PBB) deputy chairman Sukmo Harsono as the envoy to Panama, Honduras, Costa Rica and Nicaragua. A bipartisan group of 50 House members known as the Problem Solvers Caucus unveiled a roughly $2 trillion coronavirus stimulus bill on Tuesday amid frustration with congressional and White House leaders for failing to deliver desperately needed aid to Americans. Why it matters: The legislation, which is widely viewed as unpassable, is a last-ditch effort by centrist lawmakers to force party leaders back to the negotiating table before the November election. By the numbers: The proposal, titled March to Common Ground" and led by Reps. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.) and Tom Reed (R-N.Y.), includes ... $100 billion for COVID-19 testing and health care. $316 billion in direct payments to individuals and families. $120 billion in enhanced unemployment benefits. $290 billion for small businesses. $145 billion for schools and child care. $500 billion in state and local aid. $400 million for election security. $52 billion to support broadband expansion, the agriculture industry, the U.S. Postal Service and the census. Additional language on liability protections. The bottom line: Few on Capitol Hill, including some in the Problem Solvers Caucus who have championed the bill, think Congress will be able to reach a stimulus deal before Election Day. Before the bill was even released, it received sharp criticism from many Republican senators who have insisted that another round of coronavirus stimulus include a smaller price tag. The most recent Senate GOP "skinny" bill was roughly $650 billion. Meanwhile, Democratic lawmakers argue the bill doesn't go far enough. But the measure offers many moderate members who are infuriated with the impasse an opportunity to show their constituents that they are trying to deliver coronavirus aid, and it puts added pressure on leaders to do something to help lessen the burden of the pandemic on American families. SAN DIEGO, Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Mapp, the international provider of insight-led customer engagement, announced today the launch of its new partner program. The partnership is aimed at service providers, agencies, consultants, and resellers in the digital marketing industry, as well as innovative technology companies and software vendors, with the goal of providing joint expertise in customer acquisition and support. The expansion and long-term strengthening of partnerships is a priority for Mapp. With the help of chosen partners, Mapp plans to tap into unused customer potential and make its offering more comprehensive and effective with a larger range of services. Sharing resources, networks, and knowledge will bring synergy to Mapp and its associates. Mapp partners that need digital solutions for their customers will gain access to the market-leading capabilities of Mapp Cloud, the scalable and modular marketing platform. This includes Mapp Acquire, a data management platform that manages and enriches data centrally; Mapp Intelligence, an AI-based solution for data insights and customer activation; and Mapp Engage, a cross-channel marketing solution for manage a seamless, personalized customer journey. Data exchange with third-party systems is handled by a special interface that supports a wide range of common marketing applications. Likewise, partners can make use of Mapp Empower, a white-label email marketing solution. The new program is aimed at organizations that want to seamlessly integrate customer intelligence, marketing analytics, and cross-channel marketing into their portfolio. Partners will have access to unified raw data and will be able to use Mapp's proven intelligence expertise to generate AI-based insights. This, in turn, can be used to enable cross-channel customer activation in conjunction with a powerful marketing automation. The Mapp offering is certified according to internationally relevant standards, including ISO 27001 and ISO 27018. The offering will enable service providers, agencies, consultants, and resellers to help their customers maximize the value of Mapp's digital marketing solutions. The program enables consulting partners to profitably sell Mapp's technology and services with dedicated sales support. For technology companies and software vendors, the program focuses on making the most of Mapp Cloud's interfaces and extensions. Technology partners complement and expand Mapp Cloud and its data exchange possibilities. In addition to attractive commission-based payment, Mapp will provide its partners with extensive training and other educational opportunities. The organization will also offer regional on-site support across its locations of the USA, UK, Germany, Italy, and France. The global program has a range of levels and may include certification. The first cohort of Mapp partners includes prominent service providers, such as Code Party, Davies Meyer, GroupM, Prisma, UserCentrics e Wavemaker Italy. Nicola Liverani, Senior Director, Partner Global at Mapp, comments: "Cooperation is all the more important in challenging times. With our new partner program, we want to promote the exchange and joint development of best practices in digital marketing. Based on our technological expertise, we can offer partners innovative and profitable solutions. Our offering is designed to help Mapp and its partners to grow together in the areas of customer intelligence, marketing analytics and cross-channel marketing." About Mapp Marketers and data specialists should be able to focus on what will make a difference for their business, instead of spending all their time taming the technology behind it. With the insight-led customer engagement platform Mapp Cloud, they can focus on what really counts and the exciting insights that come with it. Thanks to customer intelligence and marketing analytics, companies can easily and effectively gain data-driven customer insights across all channels in order to trigger highly personalized marketing activities. Customers benefit from AI-supported forecasting models that enable targeted and self-optimizing cross-channel campaigns. Automated messages are sent via the most suitable marketing channel, at the right time, with the optimal contact frequency. Thanks to advanced one-to-one personalization, the highest levels of engagement and long-term customer loyalty are achieved. Mapp has global offices in six countries. Mapp's digital marketing platform helps more than 3,000 companies break away from the pack by uncovering missed opportunities, including Xerox, PepsiCo, LG, Qantas, Flixbus, MyToys, ING, Infinity and Lloyds Banking Group. Press contacts: PR Agency: The PR Network Matt Cartmell +44 (0)7930 485 333 [email protected] https://www.thepr.network Mapp Digital Harald Oberhofer +49 30 755 415 120 [email protected] www.mapp.com SOURCE Mapp Related Links mapp.com This handout photo published by Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny on his instagram account, shows himself, center, and his wife Yulia, right, daughter Daria, and son Zakhar, top left, posing for a photo in a hospital in Berlin, Germany, on Sept. 15, 2020. (Navalny Instagram/AP Photo) Navalny Posts Photo of Himself Online, Says He Can Breathe BERLINRussian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posted a picture of himself from his hospital bed in Germany on Tuesday, looking gaunt but joking wryly about his condition and saying that he was enjoying the ability to finally breathe on his own after being poisoned with a nerve agent. The Instagram post was the first image of the 44-year-old released since he was taken to Berlins Charite hospital two days after falling ill on a domestic flight in Russia on Aug. 20. This handout photo published by Alexei Navalny on his instagram account, shows himself and his wife Yulia, posing for a photo in a hospital in Berlin, on Sept. 15, 2020. (Navalny Instagram/AP Photo) Hi, this is Navalny, he wrote in the Russian-language post. I have been missing you. I still cant do almost anything on my own, but yesterday I managed to breathe on my own for the entire day. Navalny had been kept in an induced coma for more than two weeks as he was treated with an antidote before hospital officials said on Sept. 7 that his condition had improved enough for him to be brought out of it. On Monday, the hospital said he had been removed from mechanical ventilation and was able to leave his bed for short periods of time. In the photo, Navalny is being given a hug by his wife Yulia and is flanked by his two children as he sits upright in his bed in a hospital gown, and his statement even had the ring of his well-known sarcastic humor. Just on my own, no extra help, I didnt even use the simplest valve in my throat, he said of being able to breathe without ventilation. I liked it very much. Its a remarkable process that is underestimated by many. Strongly recommended. Despite his recovery, doctors have said they cannot rule out long-term health issues associated with the poisoning. Leonid Volkov, a top associate of Navalny, refused to give any details on his condition or possible plans after his recovery when reached by The Associated Press on Tuesday. A German military lab has determined that Navalny was poisoned with Novichok, the same class of Soviet-era agent that Britain said was used on former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter in Salisbury, England, in 2018. On Monday, the German government said independent tests by labs in France and Sweden backed up its findings. The Hague-based Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons is also taking steps to have samples from Navalny tested at its designated labs, Germany has said. The Kremlin has bristled at calls from German Chancellor Angela Merkel and other leaders to answer questions about the poisoning, denying any official involvement. French President Emmanuel Macrons office said he had expressed deep concern over the criminal act that targeted Navalny directly with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday. The Kremlin said Putin in the call underlined the impropriety of unfounded accusations against the Russian side and emphasized Russias demand for Germany to hand over analyses and samples. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters Tuesday that Russia is puzzled by the German refusal to share Navalnys analyses and other medical data, or compare notes with the Russian doctors who found no trace of poison in his system while he was at a hospital in the Siberian city of Omsk. Russia has been absolutely open for cooperation in determining what happened, Peskov said. Russia needs cooperation with the German side in getting the patients biological samples to be able to advance. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who has canceled a scheduled trip Tuesday to Berlin, said Russian authorities have conducted a preliminary inquiry and documented the meetings Navalny had before falling ill, but he emphasized they need to see the evidence of his poisoning to launch a full criminal investigation. Lavrov charged that Navalnys life was saved by the pilots of the plane who quickly landed in the Siberian city of Omsk when he collapsed on board and by the rapid action of doctors there. He accused the West of trying to smear Russia and use the incident as a pretext for new sanctions against Moscow. Berlin has rejected suggestions from Moscow that it is dragging its heels on sharing evidence. With Germanys findings corroborated by labs abroad, we do not expect the bringer of the bad newsnamely usto be attacked further, but rather that they should deal with the news itself, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said on Monday of Russian authorities. Asked why no samples from Navalny have been given to Russia, his spokeswoman noted that Mr. Navalny was in Russian treatment in a hospital for 48 hours. Most of Germanys political parties have joined Merkel in calling for an investigation, but leaders in the Alternative for Germany party have said Berlin should not be involved. On Tuesday it invited media to a discussion with a Russian parliamentarian on the Russian view of the Navalny case. By Vladimir Isachenkov And David Rising In the latest of a growing number of incidents, a Russian diplomat was caught while Harsharn Singh Tathgar, a Norwegian citizen originally from India, was turning over classified information in a restaurant. The PST (Norwegian Security Police) men who made the arrest did not realize that the Russian involved was a diplomat although that was revealed loudly and repeatedly when the PST men searched the Russian and his briefcase for the classified data. The Russian had diplomatic immunity and could not be arrested or, technically, searched. Tathgar works for DNV GL, an international risk management firm based in Norway that did business with the Norwegian military, giving Tathgar access to classified material. Tathgar pled not guilty of espionage but did admit he was receiving money from the Russians for information. The PST had discovered that Tathgar had been doing this for several years. This was the first time since 1984 that a Norwegian citizen was arrested for selling classified information to Russia. Its unusual for a Russian diplomat to be so directly involved in local espionage efforts. If caught the diplomat would be expelled and the staff size of the Russian embassy might be reduced. Normally the Russian are more careful when receiving classified information. One thing that is certain is the increasing Russian interest in Norwegian military affairs and technology developed by the many Norwegian firms that develop and export military technology. Back in 2008 Norwegian counter-intelligence officials reported that Russian espionage had returned to Cold War levels. Russian espionage has increased worldwide since 2000, ever since former espionage chief Vladimir Putin took charge after he was elected president. He has since become president-for-life. Russia denies this increased espionage, as one would expect, but does defend the use of espionage to protect Russian interests. At first those interests appeared to be mainly economic, but since 2014 military secrets have been sought as well. While Russia depends on the more traditional forms of espionage, like recruiting agents in foreign countries, China has energetically gone the high-tech route, making increasingly effective espionage forays via the Internet. China also uses human spies a lot, but also relies on thousands of Chinese students, businessmen and tourists to pick up bits of intel that are put together back in China to produce useful results. There was a sharp drop in Russian espionage during the 1990s, and one of the first Russian targets was oil field technology. Norway is a leading developer of off-shore oil drilling equipment and techniques, as well as military equipment and other high-tech items. Norwegians understood Russian interest in oil production tech but hoped that, after the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, the Russians would reduce their espionage efforts in Norway and the rest of Europe. That was the case for a short time before Russian rejoined other nations that were also after Norwegian technology, and had spies active in Norway but not to the extent of the Russians. Since 1976, the Framingham Heart Study (FHS)--the longest running multi-generational epidemiological study in the world--has followed participants for incident dementia. The findings have helped to analyze the differences between normal, age-related changes in thinking and disease-related pathological alterations. In addition, the inclusion of many of the original participants' children and grandchildren (known as the second- and third-generation cohorts) has also provided an opportunity to explore genetic factors related to Alzheimer's disease (AD) and vascular dementia. Now thanks to a five-year, $26.56 million grant from the National Institutes of Health, a new program called the Framingham Heart Study Brain Aging Program (FHS-BAP) will continue the surveillance and evaluation of FHS participants for dementia (including cognitive assessments and brain imaging) and invigorate the FHS brain donation program and brain bank. The program will also establish a platform to promote data sharing that will accelerate AD research using FHS data and conduct three interrelated projects using FHS data and specimen resources. Lindsay Farrer, PhD, chief of biomedical genetics at Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM), is one of two principal investigators of the award and will lead the research. The primary goal of this new program is to continue dementia surveillance, bring added resources to the brain donation program including neuropathological examination to identify new and expand on known AD-related genetic and other risk factors and biomarkers and to pursue innovative research about the vascular and inflammatory basis of AD." Lindsay Farrer, PhD The FHS-BAP will feature three inter-related projects that focus on vascular and inflammatory contributors to AD. One project will identify factors that are associated with AD risk and resilience using longitudinal analyses of FHS data including various genetic, clinical, imaging, lifestyle and other traits. A second project will investigate the link between AD genetic vulnerabilities and chronic inflammation. A third project will study the impact of variants in genes affecting immune function on AD-related brain changes and cognitive performance. All of the projects will leverage the unique features of this family-based cohort and up to 70 years of follow-up data collected from study participants. Rhoda Au, PhD, professor of anatomy & neurobiology, neurology and epidemiology at BUSM and BU School of Public Health (BUSPH), who is also a principal investigator and will coordinate research participant engagement in this program, noted that "FHS-BAP investigators will apply inter-disciplinary approaches that maximize use of a wide array of clinical, lifestyle, biomarker and 'omic information collected from three generations of FHS participants over the course of their adult lives to develop strategies that preserve cognition and memory and to identify novel therapeutic targets." Finally, "this program will promote using FHS-BAP data, especially by early-stage and investigators nor currently working in the AD field using a pilot projects program and through enhanced and proactive data sharing efforts," added Farrer who is also a BU Distinguished professor of genetics as well as a professor of medicine, neurology, ophthalmology, epidemiology and biostatistics at BUSM and BUSPH. Farrer's research has led to more than 450 publications on genetic risk factors for several familial neurodegenerative and other chronic diseases. In collaboration with other laboratories worldwide, his group has identified genes and delineated mechanisms causing a variety of rare and common disorders including AD, age-related macular degeneration, substance use disorders, Wilson disease, Machado-Joseph disease, Waardenburg syndrome, and hypertension. Au has been involved in FHS research related to cognitive aging and preclinical/clinical dementia since 1990. The limits of standard neuropsychological testing led her to apply the Boston Process Approach (BPA) to increase the sensitivity of these tests. The BPA includes tracking error and extraneous responses and she has exponentially expanded the scientific potential of the BPA approach by introducing digital technologies to detect changes in cognition much more effectively than traditional paper-pencil tests. FHS is the first to apply the BPA method to epidemiologic research. She is currently focused on building multi-sector ecosystems to enable solutions for chronic disease prevention generally and optimizing brain health specifically and to move the primary focus of health technologies from precision medicine to a broader emphasis on precision health. The FHS has had a major impact on public health by establishing links between cholesterol and heart disease, blood pressure and stroke, as well as precursors to a variety of other diseases of the elderly. Information that an inspection was planned at Ukrainian combat positions near Shumy is a myth, said Vice Prime Minister for Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories of Ukraine Oleksiy Reznikov. "The myth that there should have been an inspection at Ukrainian combat positions, this is not true, there was even no talk about this," Reznikov said on air during the "Svoboda Slova" (Freedom of Speech) program on ICTV on Monday, September 14. Reznikov said that it was an investigation as an exception, which was agreed with the Special Representative of OSCE Chairman-in-Office in Ukraine and in Trilateral Contact Group (TCG), Ambassador Heidi Grau. "Further, there was a discussion as an exception, argument for that OSCE SMM should be trusted, it was agreed with Ms Heidi Grau - she said that this is an exception, she held consultations with her colleagues - as an exception, an investigation will be made with the possibility to come to the "gray zone" on the spot and see if a new trench has been dug there or it is an old one. It was not about visiting the combat positions of Ukrainian Armed Forces. It was about visiting jointly in the JCCC regime, in presence of OSCE representatives, this place in the 'gray zone.' There was no talk of any inspection of Ukrainian combat positions by Russian-led fighters, and I ask you not to spread this myth," Reznikov said. Japanese independent game developer community Asobu has launched a new initiative to nurture and support the country's indie scene. The group wants to help Japanese indies thrive both domestically and abroad by supporting them via a mix of developer outreach, networking, promotional and education events, and consultation opportunities. Asobu will kick off the initiative with the 'Asobu Indie Showcase,' a video event hosted on YouTube and Twitch that will shine a spotlight on a bunch of promising projects from some of Japan's best and brightest indies. Other plans are being made to offer additional forms of online support, including an always-open Discord chat server where creators and aspiring devs can come to ask questions, learn, and generally chew the fat, and also take part in special events run by Asobu and its partners. The group also intends to launch real-world developer support programs from its headquarters in downtown Shibuya, Tokyo, once COVID-19 has subsided -- all of which will be free-of-charge to developers thanks to Asobu's sponsorship model. "Making games is never easy," commented Asobu co-founder Mark MacDonald, who also works as SVP of production and business development at Tokyo-based developer Enhance, "but Japanese indie devs face unique challenges -- some historical, some cultural -- that have kept them from realizing their true potential; Asobu is our attempt to do something about it." You can tune in to the Asobu Indie Showcase on Monday, September 21, at 5am PT, 8am ET, or 2pm CEST. If you'd like more information right now, head on over to the Asobu website. A fundraiser launched for the two LA deputies shot during an ambush over the weekend has amassed more than $315,000 in donations in just over 24 hours as the reward for helping to locate the gunman responsible rises to $200,000. The two officers - one, a 31-year-old woman, the other a 24-year-old man were shot multiple times as they sat inside their patrol car outside the Metro Blue Line station at Willowbrook Avenue and Oak Street on Saturday night by a black male suspect who then fled the scene. Both are now in a stable condition in hospital, and a massive manhunt is now underway for the hooded gunman, whos said to be between the ages of 28 and 30. A GoFundMe page, set up by Keegan McInnis Monday to help cover the costs off the officers medical bills, has already reached a staggering $318,850 as of late Tuesday morning. We are asking for our brothers and sisters in our communities as well as our brothers and sisters in law enforcement to come together and help us raise money to ensure their needs and the needs of their families are taken care of, the appeal urges. Scroll down for video The two officers - one, a 31-year-old woman, the other a 24-year-old man were shot as multiple times as they sat inside their patrol car outside the Metro Blue Line station at Willowbrook Avenue and Oak Street on Saturday night A GoFundMe page , set up by Keegan McInnis Monday to help cover the costs off the officers medical bills, has already reached a staggering $318,850 as of late Tuesday morning Video released by the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department shows the moment the male suspect opened fire on two deputies at a Compton bus station before fleeing on foot Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva confirmed in an interview with KABC 790 Monday that two donors stepped forward with $25,000 and $50,000 to increase the departments $100,000 reward for information that leads to the gunman's arrest. Phillip A. Washington, the CEO of the Los Angeles Metropolitan Authority, later announced his agency would be contributing another $25,000 to the reward, bringing the total up to $200k. 'We hope this small contribution will help to bring the perpetrator to justice,' Washington said in a statement. The reward amount is expected to continue increasingly significantly in the coming days. Sheriff Villanueva has also challenged LeBron James, an outspoken activist and Black Lives Matter supporter, to match the current sum. 'This challenge is to Lebron James. I want you to match that and double that reward,' Villanueva said, speaking on KABC Radio, on the John Phillips Show. 'I know you care about law enforcement. You expressed a very interesting statement about your perspective on race relations and on officer-involved shootings and the impact that it has on the African-American community. 'And I appreciated that. But likewise, we need to appreciate that respect for life goes across all professions.' Villanueva says his department needs all the help it can get to bring the currently unidentified gunman to justice. Earlier video released by cops showed the suspect approaching an LACSD vehicle parked outside the Metro Blue Line station and opening fire before he fled on foot. Alex Villanueva, sheriff of LA County, on Monday challenged LeBron James to match the funds The 31-year-old mother of a six-year-old is seen applying a tourniquet to her partner's arm. She then supported him until ambulances arrived to rescue them on Saturday. Both are now in a stable condition Claudia Apolinar was identified as the female deputy involved, by DailyMail.com Moments after the gunman runs away, the passenger door of the patrol car opens and a deputy stumbles out, pressing a hand to their head. The driver's-side door opens soon after. Authorities said that the deputies, who both graduated from the police academy 14 months ago, each sustained multiple gunshot wounds. 'That was a cowardly act,' Sheriff Villanueva said at a press conference. 'The two deputies were doing their job, minding their own business, watching out for the safety of the people on the train. 'Seeing somebody just walk up and start shooting on them. It p***es me off. It dismays me at the same time. There's no pretty way to say it.' In a photo obtained by FOX11 the female deputy, identified by DailyMail.com as Claudia Apolinar, is seen calling for her help as she tended to her partner, a 24-year-old male, who was kneeling behind a pillar after he was also struck in the head. Harrowing dispatch call reveals a shaky voice called in the shooting, muttering: '998 Compton Pax.' Recognizing the code for a deputy-involved shooting, a dispatcher asks: 'Just happened?' The voice replies, almost unintelligibly, 'Compton Pax, deputies down. Compton Pax 998.' The suspect, meanwhile, is described as a black male between 28 and 30 years old. He was wearing dark clothing at the time of the shooting and was last seen in a black four-door sedan. Fox News reporter William la Jeunesse said Monday: 'Los Angeles police will not say this publicly - but some believe this ambush was retaliation for some recent police shootings of black suspects in LA.' On August 31 black man Dijon Kizzee was shot and killed by Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies after he was stopped for a traffic violation while riding a bike. At the beginning of this month the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors also voted to ask the coroner to conduct an inquest into the fatal deputy shooting of 18-year-old Andres Guardado on June 18. The gunman, said to be between 28-30, is pictured running from the scene on foot Protesters blocked the entrance to the hospital where the two Los Angeles sheriff's deputies ambushed in a shooting Saturday are fighting for their lives, chanting: 'We hope they f***ing die' On Sunday evening a video emerged showing a bystander mocking the attack on the officers as a large convoy of patrol cars raced to the scene. 'Compton. N***** just aired the police out,' the unidentified narrator says with a smile. 'That's crazy. Damn. It goes down in Compton.' 'It's going up. Somebody bust on their a**. Somebody bust on the police. Two sheriffs shot in the face. Two sheriffs shot in the face - they tripping. 'Somebody just ran up on the corner and bust on their a**, right through the window'. He then concludes, grinning: 'It's a wrap.' And footage said to have been taken outside St. Francis Medical Center in Lynwood on Saturday night shows as one protester yells: 'I want to deliver a message to the family of the pigs, I hope they f***ing die.' The protesters had been connected to the Black Lives Matter movement on Twitter but that has not been officially confirmed. Another demonstrator tells police: 'Y'all gonna die one by one. This ain't gonna stop.' Donald Trump on Sunday said the man who opened fire should face a 'fast trial death penalty' if the deputies die. Speaking at a rally in Nevada on Sunday night, he said: 'If you murder a police officer, you should receive the death penalty.' Joe Biden said: 'This cold-blooded shooting is unconscionable and the perpetrator must be brought to justice. Violence of any kind is wrong; those who commit it should be caught and punished. Jill and I are keeping the deputies and their loved ones in our hearts and praying for a full recovery.' (Refiling to adjust headline to reflect order to reroute pipeline) Sept 14 (Reuters) - Pennsylvania environmental regulators ordered Energy Transfer LP's Sunoco Pipeline unit to reroute a section of the Mariner East 2 natural gas liquids pipeline after spilling 8,000 gallons of drilling fluid in Marsh Creek State Park in August. Analysts at Height Capital Markets said on Monday the reroute could delay an upgrade to the already operating Mariner East 2 project that was expected to be completed in the second quarter of 2021. Officials at Energy Transfer were not immediately available for comment. The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection said late Friday the Marsh Creek spill caused the park to close 33 acres (13 hectares) of the lake from boating and other recreational uses. "These incidents are yet another instance where Sunoco has blatantly disregarded the citizens and resources of Chester County with careless actions while installing the Mariner East II Pipeline," DEP Secretary Patrick McDonnell said in a statement. The reroute order was the latest in a long series of sanctions against the company for violations of its permits during construction of Mariner East 2. Since May 2017, Pennsylvania has issued 115 notices of violation to Mariner East, mostly for drilling fluid spills, including one in September. Pennsylvania has fined the company and stopped construction on the pipe several times. Several politicians and local groups have long urged the state to stop work again and shut the pipe. Mariner East transports liquids from the Marcellus and Utica shale in western Pennsylvania to customers in the state and elsewhere, including international exports from Energy Transfer's Marcus Hook complex near Philadelphia. Sunoco started work on the $2.5 billion Mariner East expansion in February 2017 and had planned to finish the 350-mile (563-km) pipeline in the third quarter of 2017. But completion was delayed until December 2018 due to several work stoppages by state agencies. (Reporting by Scott DiSavino; editing by Jonathan Oatis) Algerian courts in several parts of the country have ordered prison time for defendants in cases related to leaking exam papers, the ministry of education has said. In the southern province of Djelfa, two people were sentenced to three years in prison and ordered to pay a fine of 500,000 dinars ($4,000; 3,020) after they leaked the Arabic language exam papers online. Other jail sentences ranging from 10 to 18 months have been ordered against people accused of posting national exam papers on social media in the provinces of Tebessa east and Laghouat south of the country, the Algerian press agency APS reported. The leaking of exam papers has been a perplexing problem for the government in recent years with the ministry of communication technologies deciding to cut the internet during the exams period and exam boards banning electronic devices in their centres. The Baccalaureate exams started this week throughout the country after a long delay due to the coronavirus pandemic. Extra online security measures have been taken according to the ministry of education to prevent cheating and leaking of exam papers. Source: BBC Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Three COVID-19 vaccines are at a clinical trial stage in the country and two indigenous vaccine candidates have completed phase one trial, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) DG Dr Balram Bhargava said on Tuesday. The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) had asked SII to suspend any new recruitment in phase 2 and 3 clinical trials for the COVID-19 vaccine until further orders. Three COVID-19 vaccines are at a clinical trial stage in the country and two indigenous vaccine candidates have completed phase one trial, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) DG Dr Balram Bhargava said on Tuesday. Three vaccines are at the clinical trial stage in India. Zydus Cadila and Bharat Biotech have completed phase-I trials. Results are being analysed. They have started recruitment for the second phase, Dr Bhargava said at a press conference here. He was replying to a question on the status of COVID-19 vaccines in the country. Serum Institute of India (SII) has completed phase II-B3 trials. They took seven days break and will start phase-III trial (with 1,500 patients at 14 locations) after clearances, he added. The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) had asked SII to suspend any new recruitment in phase 2 and 3 clinical trials for the COVID-19 vaccine till further orders after reports from AstraZeneca that it had paused the ongoing trial of nCoV19 coronavirus vaccine (recombinant) as a volunteer developed an unexplained illness. Also Read: Covid-19 will likely become seasonal, but not yet, say scientists AstraZeneca, which has partnered with Oxford University for development of the vaccine, has since resumed trials in UK. There is yet no specific drug and vaccine available yet for coronavirus. Dr Bhargava had said that four factors would need to be considered once India has a safe and effective vaccine against coronavirus priority and fair distribution of the vaccine, logistics and roll out in a cold chain, stockpiling and training of people who are to be given this vaccine. He said India has been rolling out other vaccines for many years and has the requisite know-how. Experts say a sustained behavioural change is required at least till there is a safe and effective vaccine. This includes wearing a mask, proper hand hygiene and physical distancing. Indias COVID-19 case count crossed the 49-lakh mark on Tuesday. A total of 49,30,237 cases have been reported in the country including 9,90,061 active cases, 38,59,400 cured/discharged/migrated patients and 80,776 deaths. (ANI) Also Read: Maharashtra CM announces My Family-My Responsibility campaign to battle coronavirus At various points during the day, Trump said that five, six and seven or eight or nine Arab countries were queuing up to join. Including the big ones, he told reporters as he returned to the South Lawn later in the day to depart for an evening trip to Philadelphia. Asked about Saudi Arabia, he said that he had been in frequent contact with King Salman and that at the right time, I think they will come in. New York, US (PANA) - The United Nations marked the annual International Day of Democracy on Tuesday calling on world leaders to build a more equal, inclusive and sustainable world, with full respect for human rights All the 2,500 employees working at Rail Nilayam have been subject to RT-PCR tests on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. HYDERABAD: Concerned at reports of many COVID-19 positive cases in its premises, South Central Railways (SCR) shut the doors of its headquarters, Rail Nilayam, for two days as a preventive measure. Thorough sanitation and other protocol precautions that were taken up on Monday would continue into Tuesday. All the 2,500 employees working at Rail Nilayam have been subject to RT-PCR tests on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. After deciding to sanitize the entire premises, employees were urged to work from home. They have been asked to furnish latest COVID-19 status reports to the concerned authorities. Those who test positive will be assisted by railway doctors. A high-ranking official, on the condition of anonymity, told Deccan Chronicle that results of positive cases have shocked everyone. It is also learnt that many in the general managers office have also been found infected with coronavirus. Those who have not undergone tests will have their RT-PCR tests at LGDS Central Hospital on September 15, 17 and 18. Joel Osteen's Lakewood Church to hold in-person services in October Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Pastor Joel Osteens Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas, will reopen its doors for in-person services next month as the city continues to see a decline in COVID-19 cases. On Monday, Osteen announced that on Oct. 18, the megachurch will resume in-person worship services at 25% capacity and require that all attendees wear masks. We have a very exciting announcement: Were going to come back to in-person services on October the 18th. We cant wait to see you guys. Weve missed you the whole time, the pastor said in a video message to the congregation. He added that worshipers must sign up before services on the church's website, and people will have to practice safe social distancing. Lakewood has remained shuttered since February due to ongoing lockdowns in response to COVID-19. However, the church has continued to hold worship in an empty chapel and stream the services online, via social media, satellite television, and SiriusXM. It is going to be so much fun to get together, to worship together, Victoria Osteen said in the video. We know weve been doing it online, but to be in the presence of God in the house it is going to be phenomenal. On its website, Lakewood identifies measures the church has undertaken to ensure a more sanitary environment for church attendees in adherence to CDC guidelines, such as restroom and touchless upgrades; interior building air purification, and sanitizing high-traffic public areas. For the past six months we have been consulting with medical experts here in Houston and adhering to the guidelines set by the Texas Governor and the Houston Mayor and feel that it is the appropriate time to begin reopening the church for in-person worship services, said Pastor Joel Osteen. We are moving forward carefully and will reopen in a steady, gradual manner. We have undertaken many effective safety precautions, as well, that are designed to create a safe environment for our members who wish to attend. The churchs announcement comes just days after Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner allowed the return of special events with a 25% capacity limit. Attendees are also required to adhere to strict guidelines including social distancing, mask requirements, answering coronavirus screening questions before entering venues, and a temperature check at entrances. According to Turner, the COVID-19 positivity rate in Houston is continuing to decrease, standing at just 6.1% positivity rate compared to 6.6% last week. Harris County Public Health announced Monday that among a population of more than 4.7 million residents, the county has seen "117,568 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Houston/Harris County and 1,578 [COVID-related] deaths. A total of 100,941 patients have recovered." Over the last few months, churches have grappled with how to safely operate amid state closure orders and the lifting of regulations to allow for reopening. Ed Young, founding and senior pastor of Fellowship Church one of the first churches to re-open in Texas after Gov. Greg Abbotts stay-at-home order expired told The Christian Post that physical worship is important to God and so it should matter to the Body of Christ. I want to applaud churches that are reopening and would encourage the ones who aren't to really think through why they arent reopening, he said. Something supernatural happens when we gather physically in a house of worship. I believe the risk of not coming together is greater than the risk of meeting." Acknowledging that there are at-risk groups, Young highlighted the importance of providing options when it comes to worship. Options are important. I am very much a proponent of having different doors of the church open, whether they be physical doors or digital doors, he said. We want to show love to those who arent comfortable with meeting physically. Thats their prerogative. US citizen Greg Kelly, who faces 10 years in prison on financial misconduct charges, pleads not guilty in a Tokyo court. The trial of Greg Kelly, the former right-hand man of ex-Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn, on charges of financial misconduct has begun in a Tokyo court. Kelly, who is accused of violating Japanese stock market requirements, pleaded not guilty on Tuesday. The two ex-managers are accused of misrepresenting levels of remuneration in official reports to the Japanese stock exchange, and in Ghosns case, under-reporting them for years. On November 19, 2018, Ghosn and Kelly were arrested in Tokyo. While Kelly stayed in Japan, Ghosn fled to Lebanon. He reportedly hid in a musical instrument case to make his escape. The court separated 64-year-old United States citizen Kellys trial from that of his former boss after Ghosn fled. Kelly said he did not break any laws in Japan. If he is found guilty, he could face up to 10 years in prison. Ghosn extradition Meanwhile, Japanese authorities are making efforts to secure the extradition of Ghosn. Japan has no extradition treaty with Lebanon. Ghosn once saved Nissan from near bankruptcy and formed the alliance of Renault, Nissan and Mitsubishi. The scandal surrounding him left the grouping in a deep crisis. The French justice department is also investigating an alleged embezzlement of funds by Ghosn at Renault. About half a year after his spectacular escape, Japan called on the US authorities to extradite two people suspected of helping him. The father and son were arrested in the US state of Massachusetts in May. The South Asian nation wins a place at the UN Commission on the Status of Women that works for gender equality. Afghanistan has secured a seat at the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) for the first time in its history, the South Asian countrys Permanent Mission to the UN announced on Tuesday. Afghanistan received 39 votes to find a place at the prestigious body, which is dedicated to the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women globally. India also secured a seat. China was also a contender but failed to secure enough votes. The term will last from 2021 until 2025. Afghanistans representative to the UN, Adela Raz, said winning the seat was of critical importance. AFG wining w/ the highest votes the competitive CSW election today, represents a victory for the process started 19yrs ago when, along w/our intl partners, we committed to the empowerment of our women. This is of a critical importance during our PeaceTalks to demonstrate d NewAFG https://t.co/gAa9mBVhQW Adela Raz (@AdelaRaz) September 15, 2020 Sahraa Karimi, a filmmaker and director of the countrys Afghan Film directorate, praised Razs efforts in winning the seat, adding that: Afghan women have reached a state where they no longer need to be handed something, they earn it through their own worth. The position she [Raz] has won is very important, God willing she will be able to use this opportunity to further highlight the issues of Afghan women, to increase their visibility at a time when we are in the peace negotiations and we need to defend our rights, Karimi told Al Jazeera. A spokesman for Afghan President Ashraf Ghani said winning a seat on the prestigious commission means a lot to us. Afghan women are not only reshaping the future of Afghanistan and their meaningful role but also will demonstrate their potential globally, Sediq Sediqqi told Al Jazeera. Of course, they can defend universal rights of women, but, for sure, firstly they will champion for the women of Afghanistan. This is yet another reminder to the world that our society is being run by women now. The issue of womens rights in Afghanistan is significant in negotiations between the current Afghan government and the Taliban aimed at bringing an end to conflict in the country. While Afghan women are being underestimated and their rights are in on the edge and there is a fear of [those rights] being compromised during peace negotiations, I highly appreciate the appointment of Adela Raz this important position. This will pave the way for her to advocate more efficiently for Afghan women and their rights, Shkula Zadran, Afghanistans youth representative to UN, told Al Jazeera. The so-called intra-Afghan talks being held in the Qatari capital, Doha, come more than six months after the United States and the Taliban signed an agreement to end the 19-year war. That deal called for the withdrawal of American troops from the country in exchange for a security guarantee from the Taliban, which has waged an armed rebellion since 2001 when it was removed from power in a US-led invasion. Many Afghan women have shown concern that a US troop withdrawal and the re-emergence of the Taliban in Afghan politics could thwart their efforts to secure more rights for women. During their six-year reign from 1996 to 2001, the Taliban imposed measures to limit womens rights, banning girls education and employment. But last year, a Taliban official told Al Jazeera that the group would strike a moderate tone on womens issues. It is a privilege for an Afghan woman to win the highest votes. I am proud of Adela, Zakia Wardak, Consular General of Afghanistan in Mumbai, told Al Jazeera. We need strong women to represent Afghan women, to show that we, the women of Afghanistan, can be the best political figures, great entrepreneurs, the best housewives, teachers and soldiers. We need this especially now that the peace talks are happening. Additional reporting by Ali M Latifi from Kabul The ministry of tourism has sanctioned two projects in and at a cost of Rs 125 crore under the Rural Circuit as part of its endeavour to take tourism to the villages of the country. In a written reply in Rajya Sabha, Tourism Minister Prahlad Patel said the ministry has launched the Swadesh Darshan Scheme for Integrated Development of theme-based Tourist Circuits for development of tourism infrastructure including last mile connectivity. He said recognising the potential of rural tourism in the country, the ministry has identified Rural Circuit as one of the 15 thematic circuits for development under this scheme. "The objectives of the Swadesh Darshan scheme include creating employment through active involvement of local communities and promoting community-based development and pro-poor tourism approach. "Based on the above criteria, the ministry has sanctioned two projects total amounting to Rs 125.02 crore for development of Rural Circuits under the Swadesh Darshan Scheme which are under different stages of implementation," he said. One of the projects has been sanctioned in during FY 2017-18 - Development of Bhitiharwa -Chandrahia -Turkaulia amounting to Rs 44.65 crore and the other in Kerala, during FY 2018-19, - Development of Malanad Malabar Cruise Tourism amounting to Rs 80.37 crore, he said. The ministry has also instituted a Tourism Award in the category of Best Rural/Agri/Plantation Tourism Projects' to motivate the stakeholders in the for implementing such projects. "Ministry of Rural Development has informed us that their Shyama Prasad Mukherji Rurban Mission (SPMRM) follows the vision of development of a cluster of villages that preserve and nurture the essence of rural community life with focus on equity and inclusiveness without compromising with facilities perceived to be essentially urban in nature, thus creating a cluster of 'Rurban Villages'," he said. Under the Mission, 300 clusters are being developed across 28 States and 8 Union Territories.Tourism is one of the themes of the Rurban cluster development. Tourism related activities/projects are among the 21 component categories under SPMRM. Patel said the ministry of rural development has informed that a total 67 Rurban clusters have proposed tourism-related activities in gram panchayats across 26 States/UTs. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees (AUPCTRE) and the Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) have restated their demands for the National Assembly to jettison the National Water Resources Bill 2020 at a meeting with Minister of Water Resources, Suleiman Adamu, in Abuja on Tuesday. The meeting, at the instance of the minister, followed country-wide criticism that has trailed the re-emergence of the Bill in the current Assembly after it failed to secure concurrent passage by both Houses in the Eighth Assembly in 2018. Benjamin Anthony, AUPCTRE national president, described the meeting with the minister as frank. The minister advanced reasons why the bill should pass but we drew his attention to the contentious clauses that must be addressed, Mr Anthony said. We restate our opposition to this anti-people bill and urge the National Assembly to trash it. The bill fails to address human rights issues and does not enjoy the support of Nigerians. Philip Jakpor, CAPPA director of programmes, said the contents of the bill are against the spirit of the July 28, 2010, United Nations General Assembly Resolution which recognised the human right to water and sanitation. Our position remains unchanged: President Buhari should use his good office to recall this contentious bill from the legislative quarters and kick-start a fresh process which will entail consultation and input from Nigerians from the beginning through the entire process at the National Assembly. AUPCTRE and CAPPA had, in a press briefing last month, raised fears that the bill will fling the doors wide open for privatisers to seize the nations water resources. Both organisations in a joint letter to President Muhammadu Buhari on September 3 also catalogued obnoxious sections of the bill and how they posed danger to the attainment of the Human Right to Water. In his reaction, Nobel laureate, Wole Soyinka, described the bill as a roundly condemned project. The Nigeria Labour Congress said the bill protends danger to national unity. The controversial bill is titled An Act to Establish a Regulatory Framework for the Water Resources Sector in Nigeria, provide for the equitable and sustainable development management, use and conservation of Nigerias Surface Water and Ground Water Resources and for related matters. It failed to secure concurrent passage in both Houses in the Eighth Assembly. In the current dispensation, it has scaled second reading in the House of Representatives and has been referred to the House Committee on Rules and Business. Some of the contentious provisions in the bill include: Section 98 which states that the use of water shall be subject to licencing provisions. Section 107 says that a licence may be cancelled if the licencee fails to make beneficial use of the water. Section 120 makes it compulsory for Nigerians to obtain a drillers permit before sinking a borehole in their homes. Sec. 104 Emergency powers in case of shortage of water (1) (b) direct a person who has a supply of water in. excess of his needs for domestic purposes to reduce the amount he is permitted to abstract under the terms of any licence or general authorization. Sec. 125 Entry onto land in furtherance of duties (2) An authorized person may, at any reasonable time and on production of their identity card or other instrument or certificate of designation if so required, enter a property with the necessary persons, vehicles, equipment and material in order to carry out routine inspections of the use of water or disposal of waste water under any authorization. Sec 131 Non-compliance (1) No person shall- (a) use water otherwise than as permitted under this Act; MailOnline has been inundated with emails from people who had already jetted into Sin City from across the US, Canada , Mexico, the UK and Europe to see the star, who is making a record-breaking $685,000 (500,000) per gig before merchandising. Adele announced the decision in a tearful Instagram video, apologising and telling fans: 'I'm so upset and I'm really embarrassed. We've been absolutely destroyed by delivery delays and Covid. Half my crew and team are [ill] with Covid and still are, and it's been impossible to finish the show'. PR guru Mark Borkowski told MailOnline the last minute cancellation was a 'disaster' for the singer, saying: 'It's not great for Adele and I think she knows it', adding: 'Her response seemed very authentic. I guess it's down to whether the fans believe her word'. He said Adele will have to do something to appease her angry supporters, and fast. Ticketmaster are urging people to 'hang on to their tickets' for new dates predicted to be between April and June - but says they will give refunds. But many are already in Vegas having travelled thousands of miles to be there for the opening night, demanding the singer covers the thousands of dollars they have already laid out on flights and hotel rooms they have no hope of getting refunds for, A British fan called David posted a photo from outside Caesars Palace just after the shows were axed. He tweeted: 'Christmas gift gone pear shaped as my wife and daughter are on the way to meet me in Vegas and unfortunately Adele has had to cancel'. Gillian Rowland-Kain, 32, was already on her flight to Las Vegas from New York with her twin sister (together left) when she found out about the cancellation via social media. The attorney from Brooklyn said: 'I was furious that Adele waited so last minute to make this call. Her lack of notice is astounding. I'm angry and frustrated'. By PTI CHENNAI: DMK president M K Stalin on Tuesday kept up the attack on the ruling AIADMK over the NEET issue and said the people were gearing up to dislodge it in the 2021 Assembly election. Speaking at a party event, he launched a broadside against the state and central governments and claimed a regime change is on the cards and the DMK would come to power next year. Stalin was addressing his party members at the "Mupperum Vizha" organised by the DMK to celebrate the birth anniversaries of late Chief Minister C N Annadurai and rationalist EVR Periyar, (falling on September 15 and 17 respectively) and the constitution of the DMK, here. Referring to the Assembly debate on NEET earlier in the day, Stalin, also the Leader of Opposition in the House, said Chief Minister K Palaniswami had accused his party of being responsible for NEET and the suicides of NEET aspirants. "But starting from the death of Anitha of Ariyalur (in 2017) to Motilal of Tiruchengode, I hold the AIADMK government and the Centre to be responsible" for the students' deaths, Stalin alleged. Palaniswami had earlier in the day said DMK, as a key constituent of the Congress-led UPA earlier, was "responsible" for the alleged suicide of 13 medical aspirants in the state for "thrusting" the National Entrance cum Eligibility Test on the country. ALSO READ | DMK responsible for NEET, death of 13 aspirants: Tamil Nadu CM Palaniswami As many as four MBBS aspirants from Madurai, Ariyalur, Dharmapuri and Namakkal districts allegedly took their lives last week, sending shock waves across the state. Stalin claimed DMK has been raising the issue of suicide of the students over the national level screening test and insisting on exempting Tamil Nadu from NEET in the interest of the medical aspirants. Flaying the state government on the handling of the coronavirus crisis, Stalin claimed both the chief minister and health minister Dr C Vijaya Baskar asserted the pandemic was under control and it was on the wane, but the statistics revealed by the government painted a grim picture. "Even if we are to believe government statistics on the virus, the number of those who contracted the virus exceeded five lakhs and over 8,000 have died due to COVID- 19," the DMK leader said. Initially, the government ridiculed Duraimurugan (DMK general secretary) for demanding masks for legislators to attend the assembly session. "See what is happening now. The positive cases are on the rise," he added. The Glider service was launched in 2018 and is operated by Translink. One further person in Northern Ireland has died after testing positive for Covid-19, while 79 new cases of the virus have been also been reported. The fatality was a man aged between 60 and 79 and he died in a hospital in the Belfast area on Monday. It brings the death toll to 571, while the total number of cases since the outbreak began is 8,502. Some 563 people have tested positive for coronavirus in the last seven days. There are 23 Covid patients in hospitals across Northern Ireland, with three in intensive care. A total of 27 care homes are also dealing with outbreaks, while cases at 189 facilities have been closed. Read More The news comes after Translink announced it has had to make very difficult decisions in response to the impact of the pandemic and is targeting cost savings of 20million. Chief executive Chris Conway said the public transport operator anticipates a number of redundancies, with trade union Unite putting this figure at 54. Read More Published on Tuesday, the latest Northern Ireland labour market statistics show just over 9,000 redundancies have been proposed in the 12 months up to the end of August - more than double those proposed in the previous 12 months. The number of people claiming unemployment benefit also increased by over 0.6%. Overall unemployment rose to 2.9%. Read More Meanwhile, Brid Ruddy, a resident in Belfast's Holyland area, has warned that it is now "a hotbed of Covid-19" with students causing "circles of infection" that can easily spread. And she voiced growing fears that the situation is spiralling out of control with Freshers' Week just around the corner. Read More Elsewhere, senior sources in the SDLP, Alliance and UUP have accused the DUP of engaging in bogus briefings about their position on Covid-19. They claimed that Arlene Fosters party was pretending that they had proposed sweeping coronvairus restrictions at last Thursdays Executive meeting, which the DUP had successfully opposed. Here's how Tuesday unfolded: Rome, Sep 15 : Former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi was sent home to complete his Covid-19 recovery nearly two weeks after first testing positive for the virus. Berlusconi was released from the San Raffaele Hospital in Milan on Monday, reports Xinhua news agency. The four-time Prime Minister, who will turn 84 later this month, was tested positive for the virus on September 2. Berlusconi is expected to complete his recovery at home for several more days as he prepares his Forza Italia political party for the upcoming regional elections. The media tycoon's 30-year-old partner, Marta Fascina, and two of his children had also tested positive. Berlusconi, a billionaire media tycoon, served as Prime Minister four times and last year was elected to the European Parliament. His career has been dogged by sex scandals and allegations of corruption. He was convicted of tax fraud in 2013 and ejected from the Italian Senate. But later his ban from public office was lifted. India walks out of SCO meet after Pakistan projects 'fictitious map' showing Kashmiri territory India pti-Madhuri Adnal New Delhi, Sep 15: India on Tuesday walked out of a meeting of the national security advisors of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) member countries in protest after the Pakistani representative used a "fictitious" map showing Indian territories as part of Pakistan. "This was in blatant disregard to the advisory by the host against it and in violation of the norms of the meeting. After consultation with the host, the Indian side left the meeting in protest at that juncture," External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said. NSA Doval led CSG to meet, work on agenda for military commander level talks with China The meeting was chaired by Russia. "As was to be expected, Pakistan then went on to present a misleading view of this meeting," he said responding to a query on the issue. Government sources said the Pakistani action was "blatant violation" of the SCO charter and against all its established norms of safeguarding the sovereignty and territorial integrity of SCO member states. News Release Basel, September 15, 2020 Dufry wins new, twelve-year concession at Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen International Airport Dufry has been awarded a new concession contract at Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen International Airport to operate a total of 3,900 m2 of duty-free and specialty shops until 2032. The airport is the closest hub connecting Istanbul's City Center with 137 international and 37 domestic destinations and ranks as second busiest Turkish airport welcoming more than 35 million passengers per annum. The new concession further consolidates Dufry's footprint in Turkey, where it will now be operating in four locations Commenting on the new contract, Cengiz Iman, General Manager Turkey, said: "Dufry Group is proud to have been awarded this new important concession in Turkey. We will honor the trust given to us by our partners at Malaysia Airports Holding Berhad (MAHB) and Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen International Airport (ISG) by providing passengers of Sabiha Gokcen Airport with a state-of-the-art shopping experience. This will be further evolved in the context of the opening of the new terminal where our shops will feature a complete new design, incorporating the latest digital technology and setting the scene for a vast assortment of renowned international and domestic brands." The new concession includes 2,800 m2 of duty-free retail space in the departure area as well as 1,100 m2 of shops at arrivals. As per November 2020, Dufry will take over the 8 existing shops and upgrade the retail space to best serve customers in the current Terminal 1. The attractive assortment will comprise the core travel retail categories such as liquor, tobacco, perfume and cosmetics as well as accessories and confectionery. A refined selection of local food and souvenir brands, which will create an immersive sense of place showcasing Turkey's cultural heritage and specialties, will further complete and enhance the shopping experience. Sabiha Gokcen International Airport has accelerated the completion of the second runway by 2021 and the planned Terminal 2, with completion expected for 2024. Once fully operational the airport's capacity will increase to 65 million passengers from today's 41 million. This will additionally extend Dufry's footprint in Turkey where the company has been operating since 1993 and currently manages duty-free and specialty shops at Antalya Airport serving the famous tourist resorts lining the Mediterranean cost of Southern Turkey, Kayseri airport in the Cappadocia region as well as Zafer airport at Kutahya. Ersel Goral, CEO of ISG says "As Sabiha Gokcen International Airport operator, duty free is one of our most essential terminal services. With this new start up, we are initiating a longlasting and trustful cooperation with Dufry, world's leading organization in the field of travel retail. Their global experience will be an important advantage for Sabiha Gokcen, Istanbul's gateway to the world. We are very much excited that our partnership with Dufry will gain an even more distinctive aspect in our new terminal building, which we plan to open in 2024." For further information, please contact: Renzo Radice Dr. Kristin Kohler Global Head Corporate Communications Global Head Investor Relations & Public Affairs Phone: +41 61 266 44 22 Phone: +41 61 266 44 19 Mobile: +41 79 563 18 09 Mobile: +41 79 461 23 34 kristin.koehler@dufry.com renzo.radice@dufry.com Dufry Group - A leading global travel retailer Dufry AG (SIX: DUFN) is the leading global travel retailer operating over 2,400 duty-free and duty-paid shops in airports, cruise lines, seaports, railway stations and downtown tourist areas, in more than 420 locations in 65 countries across all six continents. The Company, founded in 1865 and headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, is offering customers a first-class shopping experience, global brands a unique market access and landlords a reliable, value-enhancing partnership. To learn more about Dufry, please visit www.dufry.com. Social Responsibility Dufry cares for children and supports social projects from SOS Kinderdorf in Brazil, Cambodia, Mexico, Morocco and Ivory Coast. SOS Children's Villages is an independent, non-political and non-demonstrational organization established for orphaned and destitute children all over the world. Relatives of 12 Hong Kong activists detained at sea by Chinese authorities, are escorted by lawmakers and their assistants as they head to attend a press conference in Hong Kong, Saturday, Sept. 12, 2020. They called for their family members to be returned to the territory, saying their legal rights were being violated. (AP) Beijing: The 12 Hong Kong people arrested at sea by mainland authorities last month were separatists, a spokeswoman for Chinas foreign ministry said on Sunday, in response to her U.S. counterparts characterisation of the arrest as a deterioration of human rights. The comment came a day after relatives of the detainees held a news conference in Hong Kong demanding the urgent return of the 12 who were intercepted by the Guangdong coast guard on Aug. 23 on a boat bound for Taiwan. Donning masks and hats to shield their identities, they made their first public appeal for help and information on their relatives plight, pleading for them to be allowed to consult lawyers appointed by their families and not the Chinese government and to be allowed to call relatives in Hong Kong. U.S. State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus tweeted on Saturday that their arrest was another example of the deterioration of human rights in Hong Kong, and called on mainland authorities to ensure due process. The arrests came about two months after the mainland government imposed a security law on the special administrative region following months of pro-democracy demonstrations. Chinas Hua Chunying responded in another tweet. Seriously?! Fact check: The 12 people were arrested for illegally crossing the border in waters. They are not democratic activists, but elements attempting to separate #HongKong from China, she wrote. The Shenzhen city police, in its first notice since the arrest, on Sunday said the 12 Hong Kong citizens were under criminal detention on suspicion of illegally crossing the border. The investigation is ongoing, it said. Police will protect the legitimate rights and interests of criminal suspects in accordance with law, the police said. The relatives on Saturday said they had been given no information on the allegations, and that assistance from the Hong Kong government had been insufficient. A spokesperson for the citys Immigration Department said staff were assisting in the case and were in regular contact with the families. Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam on Tuesday said the city government would provide assistance to the arrested citizens. Hong Kong has its own independent legal system and rule-of-law traditions that are vastly different from mainland China, where the justice system is ultimately controlled by the Communist Party. WASHINGTON (PTI): The US has signed a framework for defence cooperation with the Maldives to deepen engagement in support of maintaining peace and security in the strategic Indian Ocean, the Pentagon has announced, as the Trump administration looks for strengthening alliances in the Indo-Pacific to counter China's growing presence in the region. The framework for defence and security relationship was signed in Philadelphia on September 10 between Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for South and Southeast Asia Reed Werner and Maldivian Minister of Defence Mariya Didi. "The framework sets forth both countries' intent to deepen engagement and cooperation in support of maintaining peace and security in the Indian Ocean, and marks an important step forward in the defence partnership, the Pentagon said. The Indo-Pacific is a biogeographic region of Earth's seas, comprising the tropical waters of the Indian Ocean, the Western and Central Pacific Ocean. During discussions after signing the agreement, Mariya said the framework will strengthen defence and security cooperation between the two countries, Maldivian portal Sun Online reported. Mariya said that peace and security in the Indo-Pacific and Indian Ocean region is tied to the best interests of both countries. She stressed the importance of bilateral dialogue and engagement, against a backdrop of growing transnational threats such as piracy, violent extremism, terrorism, and illicit trade, which she said remained relevant, even amidst the coronavirus pandemic. According to a statement released by the Defence Ministry, the framework outlines a number of bilateral activities, including senior-level dialogues, discussions, engagements, and opportunities in areas such as maritime domain awareness, natural disasters, and humanitarian relief operations, the report said. Mariya said that the Maldivian government sees the framework as an important milestone in defence and security cooperation between the Maldives and the US. Werner and Didi also discussed US support for the island nation in its response to COVID-19 and areas for future cooperation, and agreed to work toward scheduling the first Defense and Security Dialogue, the Pentagon said. Both sides reiterated their commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific that promotes the security and prosperity of all nations in the region, the Pentagon said. The Central Indo-Pacific includes the numerous seas and straits connecting the Indian and Pacific oceans. The resource-rich Indo-Pacific region is where China has been trying to spread its influence. The US has also been pushing for a broader role by India in the strategically important region. China is eyeing to expand its influence in the Indian Ocean region. China has already taken control of Pakistan's strategic Gwadar Port on the Arabian Sea. China is engaged in hotly contested territorial disputes in the South China Sea, and with Japan in the East China Sea. Both the areas are said to be rich in minerals, oil and other natural resources. Beijing claims almost all of the South China Sea. Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan have overlapping claims in the waterway. US ambassador to China leaving post amid heightened tensions Iran Press TV Monday, 14 September 2020 10:37 AM United States Ambassador to China Terry Branstad will step down amid an escalation of tensions between Washington and Beijing over a whole host of issues. The US Embassy in China said on Monday that Branstad was expected to retire from his post while media sources reported that he would leave Beijing before the November presidential election in the US. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo acknowledged the ambassador's "years of service" in a tweet on Monday. "Ambassador Branstad has contributed to rebalancing US-China relations so that it is results-oriented, reciprocal, and fair," Pompeo added. Pompeo did not give any reason for the ambassador leaving his post; however, he pointed out that Branstad had been initially chosen by President Donald Trump for the job because of "his decades long experience dealing with China." Branstad has been "the best person to represent the [Trump] Administration and to defend American interests and ideals in this important relationship," Pompeo tweeted. Pompeo has not named the envoy's successor yet. Branstad has overseen one of the worst episodes in US-China relations in recent history. The US and China are currently at loggerheads over a range of issues. As a case in point, Washington and Beijing have leveled accusations at each other over the origins and spread of COVID-19. The US and China have also clashed over Hong Kong and Taiwan, US military patrols and navigation in the East and South China Sea, as well as the stealing of US corporate secrets that resulted in shutting consulates by both sides. The two countries have also engaged in a trade war, with the Trump administration slapping tariffs on hundreds of billions of dollars worth of Chinese goods. The Trump administration has also banned Chinese technology firms -- such as Huawei -- from the country's communications infrastructure and receiving US components. In addition, the administration has placed visa restrictions on Chinese officials as well as Chinese nationals working and studying in the US. Recently, Trump issued an executive order to ban Chinese-owned social media platform TikTok from operating in the US. These issues among others such as the US sanctions slapped against North Korea, in addition to allegations of China's interference in the upcoming US presidential election in favor of Trump's rival, and Chinese President Xi Jinping's revival of the Silk Road and his initiative to strengthen China's military, have been some of the issues at the heart of the standoff between the two countries. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address In January 1983, police visited the north-London home of a mild-mannered 37-year-old Scottish civil servant, Dennis Nilsen, who worked at a Job Centre and kept himself to himself. Human remains had been found in his drains. It was the start of a series of extraordinary revelations which would expose Nilsen as one of Britain's most notorious serial killers, a quiet monster who had killed at least 12 young men and boys since December 1978. Two years after Nilsen died in prison he is being given the ITV treatment in Des, a three-part series running on consecutive nights this week. David Tennant plays Nilsen, the latest effort in Tennant's attempt to prove no actor is more versatile. Even by his standards, 2020 has been a wide-ranging year. In January, he played the goody two-shoes doctor suspected of murder in Deadwater Fell on Channel 4. Then he returned to comedy with Staged, a lockdown concept in which he and Michael Sheen played locked-down actors. That was less of a stretch of his skills than this, in which he has to grapple with one of the worst criminals in recent British history. Nilsen didn't resist arrest, and cooperated with the investigation. With no "who", the question hanging over Des is why. What made this unassuming man do these terrible things? Daniel Mays, back on more solid ground after the iffy White Lines, plays DCI Peter Jay, the detective tasked with bringing the facts to light. The first problem is that Nilsen can't remember the names of his victims, who were often mentally ill or addicted to drugs. Nilsen would pick them up with an offer of food or shelter, and take them back to his flat where they would drink and chat before he strangled or drowned them. Tennant, his face partially hidden beneath a thick fringe and large wire-framed glasses, uses Nilsens accent mildly Doric, to my untrained southern ear to great effect, letting words fall off to punctuate a particularly heinous crime. His Nilsen isn't likeable, exactly, but he seems reasonable. The case attracts the attention of Brian Masters (Jason Watkins), a biographer who sees the opportunity for a book. Masters is gay himself, and Watkins is instantly convincing as the Capote-ish figure trying to establish a rapport with a killer. Between the two inquisitions, Nilsen emerges as a vain, arrogant psychopath, haunted by his own sexuality and all too aware of his value as a story. Des is made to last. It has a confident script directed with a good sense of time and place. Smells are everywhere: the bodies rotting for more than a year under Nilsens floorboards, the tyres he burnt to mask the smell of burning flesh, the still air in the interrogation rooms, thick with cigarette smoke. How could all this happen, right under the policemen's noses? Nilsens crimes are grounded in the economic misery of the early years of Thatcher's government, which forced desperate young men into shadowy half-lives, undocumented and vulnerable to predators. Although Tennants turn naturally draws the eye, there are fine performances from all the leads. It totally amazes me, peoples attraction to the macabre, Nilsen tells Masters. Because all of us have skeletons rattling around in our cupboards, you know, secrets they would never dare to tell to anyone, so what comes is this flood of self-righteous public condemnation whilst simultaneously everyones talking about it over and over. Theyre consuming it, and indulging in it, but at arms length." Im here to comprehend, Masters replies. Because the law cannot comprehend, beyond guilty or innocent. Like all good true crime, Des constantly asks us why we are watching. We like to tell ourselves we care about the victims, or understanding the killer, but these may simply be excuses for our fascination with the gruesome. A BBC World News journalist being probed by the Corporation for allegedly trolling Jewish presenter Emma Barnett anonymously on Twitter is now accused of attacking critics of Jeremy Corbyn and anti-Semitism campaigners under his own name. Nimesh Thaker is already under investigation after the Jewish Chronicle published images which they claim show that he had used a Twitter account called Not That Bothered to support attacks against the BBC Radio 5 Live presenter. Ms Barnett, whose grandmother had fled Austria to escape the Nazis, had used her programme to condemn rapper Wiley's anti-Semitic outbursts in July, claiming that his incendiary comments had fuelled anti-Jewish online abuse. Mr Thaker's alleged Twitter account had retweeted one post accusing Ms Barnett of using 'the same old 'antisemitism' excuse whenever people criticise Israel'. The account also suggested Israel was a 'racist' and 'white supremacist state', and branded Tony Hall, the outgoing BBC director-general, a 'white male Tory'. It can now be revealed that Mr Thaker has also appeared to use a Twitter account under his own name to attack and harass alleged critics of Jeremy Corbyn's handling of allegations of anti-Semitism in the Labour Party - including Laura Kuenssberg. Photos shared by the Campaign Against Antisemitism group with MailOnline indicate that Mr Thaker, who has worked for BBC World News for more than 20 years, described allegations of anti-Semitism against Mr Corbyn as 'smears'. One screenshot shows Mr Thaker attacking British comic David Baddiel, who produced a film called Confronting Holocaust Denial for the BBC earlier this year, for spreading 'smears' after he criticised Corporation content. He allegedly publicly trolled anti-Semitism campaigners including actress Tracy-Ann Oberman and Stephen Pollard, the editor of the Jewish Chronicle, tweeting them dozens of times, using the handle @thaker_nimesh, which has since been deleted. Mr Thaker is accused of sharing posts by political activists dogged by allegations of anti-Semitism, such as Left-wing militant Jackie Walker, who was expelled from Labour last year for 'prejudicial' behaviour during an anti-Semitism row. A BBC World News journalist being probed by the Corporation for allegedly trolling Jewish presenter Emma Barnett anonymously on Twitter is now accused of harassing critics of Jeremy Corbyn including anti-Semitism campaigners - using his personal Twitter account Mr Thaker appears to have used a Twitter account under his own name to attack and harass anti-Semitism campaigners and alleged critics of Jeremy Corbyn's handling of allegations of anti-Jewish bigotry in the Labour Party - including BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg The BBC journalist also allegedly defended Ken Livingstone, the former Mayor of London who quit Labour after he was suspended for making comments about Adolf Hitler supporting Zionism, and the disgraced former Labour MP Chris Williamson. Mr Thaker appears to have used his @thaker_nimesh handle for work purposes, such as booking interviews on the BBC - like he was previously accused of doing with his anonymous Twitter handle @BotheredThat. He allegedly also criticised the BBC and colleagues including Ms Kuenssberg, whose Twitter account he accused of being 'officially the Tory fan club message board' and who he urged to 'do some digging what is the money for journalism please'. Ms Kuenssberg has faced accusations of bias against Mr Corbyn as well as the Conservative Party in past general and local elections. It is claimed that Mr Thaker adopted the anonymous handle @BotheredThat after abandoning his personal account. The Campaign Against Antisemitism is now claiming that Mr Thaker has repeatedly and blatantly breached the BBC's own social media policy and is calling for 'zero tolerance for anti-Semitism by its employees - on screen and off'. A spokesman for the anti-Semitism campaign group told MailOnline: 'The BBC must swiftly and transparently investigate Nimesh Thaker for his blatant breaches of the Corporation's social media policy, including posting appalling comments online, using an account in his own name as well as an anonymous account. 'More broadly, this should be a moment of reflection for the BBC, whose relations with the Jewish community have been strained for many years. 'If licence fee payers are to have confidence in the broadcaster, it must show zero tolerance for anti-Semitism by its employees - on screen and off.' Photos shared by the Campaign Against Antisemitism group with MailOnline indicate that Mr Thaker described allegations of anti-Semitism against Mr Corbyn as 'smears' The BBC journalist also allegedly defended Ken Livingstone (left), the former Mayor of London who quit Labour after he was suspended for making comments about Adolf Hitler supporting Zionism, and the controversial former Labour MP Chris Williamson (right) According to BBC guidelines: 'All BBC activity on social media, whether it is 'official' BBC use or the personal use by BBC staff is subject to the Editorial Guidelines and editorial oversight in the same way that our on-platform content is. 'We should take particular care about maintaining our impartiality on social media, both in our professional and personal activities... BBC staff should avoid bringing the BBC into disrepute through their actions on social media.' In a statement, the BBC told MailOnline: 'The BBC takes allegations of this nature extremely seriously, and while we cannot comment on individual staff issues, we have robust processes in place to investigate any such matters with urgency.' MailOnline has approached Mr Thaker for comment. The inquiry into Mr Thaker's antics comes as director-general Tim Davie imposes sweeping reforms in the biggest anticipated shake-up of the BBC in its history. BBC World is an international channel with an estimated 121 million viewers. It broadcasts news bulletins, documentaries, and interview shows. Ms Barnett had previously condemned rapper Wiley after he said in an Instagram video: 'Crawl out from under your little rocks and defend your Jewish privilege.' Twitter was then accused of 'ignoring anti-Semitism', as Wiley's tweets were still visible 12 hours after they were first posted. Speaking on her BBC radio show, Ms Barnett read out his tweets and said: 'Those words burn, I'm sure I don't need to tell most of you that, but just in case I do, they burn deep and they are deeply dispiriting and they play on a very well hidden fear a lot of Jewish people have, that some day anti-Semitism will rise up once more, because anti-Semitism is fresh and so raw for us.' A BBC World News journalist being probed by the Corporation for allegedly trolling Jewish presenter Emma Barnett anonymously on Twitter is now accused of harassing critics of Jeremy Corbyn and anti-Semitism campaigners under his own name He publicly trolled anti-Semitism campaigners including actress Tracy-Ann Oberman and the editor of the Jewish Chronicle, tweeting them dozens of times, using the handle @thaker_nimesh, which has since been deleted. Mr Thaker has also shared posts by political activists dogged by allegations of anti-Semitism, such as Left-wing militant Jackie Walker, who was expelled from Labour last year for 'prejudicial' behaviour during an anti-Semitism row Nimesh Thaker is accused of using a Twitter account under the pseudonym Not That Bothered to support attacks against BBC Radio 5 Live presenter Emma Barnett (pictured) after she spoke about the Holocaust following rapper Wiley's anti-Semitic outburst in July Screenshots seen by the Jewish Chronicle show that Mr Thaker's alleged Twitter account supported attacks against Ms Barnett, Israel and Tony Hall, the outgoing BBC director-general Mr Thaker, who has worked for the BBC for more than 20 years, is accused of using Not That Bothered to make contact with sources for reports he was making for the BBC - seemingly exposing his involvement with the account, the Jewish Chronicle reported The inquiry into Mr Thaker's antics comes as director-general Tim Davie imposes sweeping reforms in the biggest anticipated shake-up of the BBC in its history The Jewish Chronicle reported how Mr Thaker's alleged account Not That Bothered supported a string of attacks against Ms Barnett as people demanded a boycott of Twitter following its delay in removing Wiley's anti-Semitic posts. 'Has the level of hate and political smearing just dropped on twitter or are racists on holiday at the moment?' the Not That Bothered account posted. It retweeted a post written by Left-wing activist Jackie Walker, who was expelled from Labour last year for 'prejudicial' behaviour during an anti-Semitism row. Ms Walker's tweet accused people who wanted a boycott of Twitter following Wiley's anti-Semitic outburst of being 'infamous' for 'anti-black/Muslim racism'. On another occasion, Mr Thaker appeared to support claims by Canary editor Kerry-Anne Mendoza, who has also been embroiled in an anti-Semitism row. Not That Bothered retweeted a post by Ms Mendoza suggesting the 'antisemitism witch-hunt' was heading for a 'face-off' with the Black Lives Matters movement. The incendiary post also said: 'those anti-Black, anti-Palestinian racists are gonna get their arses dragged all over town.' Meanwhile a post written on Not That Bothered and tweeted on July 7 to the MediaGuido site said: 'Guido doesn't like black women to have an opinion. 'But white male tory as DG of the BBC is ok.' The announcement was praised by Oliver Dowden, the Culture Secretary, who has warned the BBC must do more to 'guard its unique selling point of impartiality'. 'We are an open and tolerant society and there is no place for antisemitism on or offline,' Mr Dowden told the Jewish Chronicle. 'These allegations are very concerning and, as the nation's broadcaster, we expect BBC journalists to adhere to the highest standards of impartiality. Ms Barnett had condemned rapper Wiley after he said in an Instagram video: 'Crawl out from under your little rocks and defend your Jewish privilege.' The 2018 party at the home of USA Todays Washington bureau chief Susan Page was thrown for two Trump administration honorees, one of them Seema Verma, who had been appointed administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. A congressional investigation into Vermas use of taxpayer funds to hire public-relations consultants found that about $3,000 went to Republican consultant Pam Stevens for her work organizing this party. As it happens, Stevens has had a longtime role managing the Girls Night Out guest lists sending out invitations and gathering RSVPs. But in this case, she was also working for Verma, paid to elevate the Trump appointees brand. Police Shots Heard Live on Melbourne Radio A man carrying a knife has been shot by police in Melbournes east, with the terrifying incident heard live on radio. Victoria Police has confirmed the man was shot in the upper body. He has been airlifted to hospital. A talkback caller identified as Pauline called 3AW shortly after 9am and was describing the scene at the Lilydale markets when a volley of shots was heard in the background. Oh s***they are shooting. Theres just been three or four rounds, she said. Victoria Police have released a statement saying members were called to a man armed with an edged weapon on Hutchinson Street around 8.30 a.m. A police firearm was discharged and the man received an injury to the upper body, the statement said. Ambulance Victoria also have released a statement, saying the man is in a serious condition. The talkback caller did not see the shooting, but was describing the confrontation when the shots were heard. She had said the man was walking near the Lilydale Markets, adding police were telling him to put down the knife. Just before the shots she said there were five police involved, with more arriving, plus an ambulance was parked nearby. He didnt seem agitated, she said after the shots were fired. He was just wandering, I dont know if he meant to do anything. He wasnt in an agitated state. He wasnt waving the knife, he was just holding it. I dont know what he did to cause them to let loose with gunshots. Asked if she was okay, the woman replied [its] life these days, isnt it? Video footage has also been posted on Facebook, showing a man holding a knife and talking to police. Three police members can be seen in the video. Victoria Police said the incident is under investigation and Professional Standards Commands have oversight. By Roger Vaughan A breast cancer cell, photographed by a scanning electron microscope. Credit: Bruce Wetzel and Harry Schaefer, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health COVID-19 has touched almost every country around the world since it emerged months ago. As of September 9, 2020, 27.6 million people have been infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus, and there have been 898,000 deaths. But, a Dal scientist is hoping that there is a silver lining to this catastrophic pandemic. Dr. Shashi Gujar, a scientist with the Department of Pathology at Dal, together with partners in France, Demark, Germany, the United States and India, is examining whether the immune response to SARS-CoV-2 could be repurposed as the next generation of cancer immunotherapy. A built-in defense system From the time you are born, your immune system helps protect you against viruses, bacteria and anything harmful. But why doesn't it protect you against cancer? It turns out that the immune system fails to recognize cancer as a threat. According to Dr. Gujar, this is where viruses like COVID-19-causing coronavirus can play a key role. "We've figured out how to trick your coronavirus-specific T cells to think that your cancer is infected by the virus," says Dr. Gujar. "The key is to do this without using the virus or actually causing the real infection." When a person becomes infected with SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, their immune system recognizes the virus and activates a particular type of immune cells called "T cells." These T cells act in a highly precise manner and kill only virus-harboring cells. Multiple vaccines being tested internationally have shown a similar capacity to activate these coronavirus-specific T-cells. Retraining T cells These T cells can establish a memory response that maintains active protection against possible re-infection with the virus, which means that coronavirus-specific T cells can hunt for the virus inside the body, eliminate the areas where the virus replicates, and aid in the recovery from COVID-19. Dr. Gujar and his team are trying to get these same T cells to go after tumors by getting the cancer cells to express the same identifying tags as the coronavirus-infected cells, and become the targets of the anti-coronavirus T cells. "Once we know it works, this immunotherapy will actually be a straightforward process, and may be something we'll be able to start using on patients sooner rather than later. This is a highly novel and practical strategy to harness virus-specific T cells against various types of cancers. That's what makes it so exciting." According to Dr. Gujar, what makes this research truly unique is that due to infection or vaccination, the coronavirus-specific cells have the potential to be found in millions of individuals worldwide- making the use of this cancer immunotherapy useful for masses globally. The power of partnerships Dr. Gujar is quick to point out that this work would not be possible without the support of partners from around the world. Dr. Gujar and his international collaborators are continuing to learn more and more about the virus and are currently in the process of testing the coronavirus-specific tags (called as epitopes in scientific terms) that exist in different human populations. From there, they will prepare a cocktail of these tags that can be used in human clinics to cure cancers. Dr. Gujar emphasizes his gratitude towards the local support via Dalhousie Medical Research Foundation (DMRF) without which this work could not have started. He believes that this Dalhousie University-led global initiative promises to identify highly exciting cancer immunotherapy and is set to position us an international leader in this field. Moving forward, he is working with DMRF to garner necessary financial support and partnerships to successfully bring this project to fruition. Dr. Gujar's scientific article explaining this approach "Repurposing CD8+ T cell immunity against SARS-CoV-2 for cancer immunotherapy: a positive aspect of the COVID-19 pandemic" was recently published in the journal OncoImmunology. Explore further Exposure to common colds might give some people a head start in fighting COVID-19 More information: Shashi Gujar et al. Repurposing CD8+ T cell immunity against SARS-CoV-2 for cancer immunotherapy: a positive aspect of the COVID-19 pandemic?, OncoImmunology (2020). Journal information: OncoImmunology Shashi Gujar et al. Repurposing CD8+ T cell immunity against SARS-CoV-2 for cancer immunotherapy: a positive aspect of the COVID-19 pandemic?,(2020). DOI: 10.1080/2162402X.2020.1794424 Photo Illustration by Elizabeth Brockway/The Daily Beast/Getty TOKYOThe right-hand man of Japans longest-reigning Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe, who orchestrated the administrations control of the press and helped cover up the corruption scandals that forced Abe to resign, is set to be the next prime minister. Yoshihide Suga was crowned the president of Japans ruling party, the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), on Monday in an election that had been pre-decided in back-room deals. The LDP controls the lower house of Japans parliament and so their president will become the new prime minister. The Japanese press, who Suga has successfully tamed, did their best to spin his ascension as a story of a simple hard-working boy from a rural prefecture who worked his way to the top. But the real Suga is no country bumpkin. He is an information junkie, a control freak, loyal to his boss to a fault, ruthless, vindictive, and never forgets a favor or a slight. In a way, he shares many of the qualities that would make him an ideal number two in any yakuza organization in Japan; indeed, his past ties to the yakuza may come to haunt him as he takes power. Who is Yoshihide Suga? The best authority on Yoshihide Suga turns out to be himself. He has written a book, The Resolution of a Politician (2012), and is a skilled essayist who has been published in Japanese periodicals. Suga, age 71, was born in a farming village in Akita Prefecture where his wealthy family reportedly had a successful strawberry plantation. While most people in the area entered the labor force after graduating from middle school, Suga went on to high school. By 38 he had entered politics as Yokohama City Council Member, and within a decade he was in the national parliament. When Abe ran for the presidency of the Liberal Democratic Party in 2006, Suga backed him all the way. As Abe rose politically, so did Suga. When Abeplagued by scandal and illness, was no longer able to stomach being the PM in 2007he resigned for the first time. Suga, ever the loyal vassal, did not abandon his master even in semi-political exile. By helping him win the backing of the powerful right-wing lobby and Shinto cult, Nippon Kaigi, Suga paved Abe's way for a return to power. Story continues Suga is the longest serving cabinet secretary in Japanese history, and it is a crucial position. The cabinet secretary speaks to the press twice a day and in some ways may be said to actually rule the country. The secretary coordinates policy across government ministries, is the conduit between the prime minister and his political party, is on-call 24/7 to deal with crisis management, and is sometimes called the shadow prime-minister. A 2016 book by Isao Mori, The Reflection Of The Prime Minister, details just how powerful Suga had become in his position. Sugas own political accomplishments are rather minor. He is credited for getting telecommunications operators to drop their comparatively high-priced mobile phone rates. He pushed for the relaxation of visa rules to spur tourism in Japan. He masterminded the furusato nozei (hometown tax donation) program, which permits tax reductions for those who make donations to the municipality of their choice. Suga, despite his dour demeanor, is immensely sociable. He spends each night attending several dinner and drinking sessions with journalists, politicians, academics, influential power brokers, and sometimes bureaucrats. They may get drunk but he never does; Suga doesnt touch alcohol. He has different thirsts: a thirst for power, a thirst for respect, a thirst for influence. For breakfast, he dines with businessmen, CEOs, and economists. He stays in good shape; he does 100 sit-ups a day and has a spartan fitness regimen. He is also an avid reader. One of his favorite books is a novel about Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1537-1598) who rose from a peasant background to become one of the most powerful rulers in Japan. Its easy to see why Suga admires him. Toyotomi operated in the shadows most of his life but when he seized power, he ruled effectively and brutally. He launched a failed war to take over Korea in 1592, a war of such epic cruelty that even Japanese scholars of the time noted the terrible atrocities. Toyotomi was also very vain, despite the fact that Lord Nobunaga had dubbed him kozaru (little monkey) because of his simian appearance and stature. In the LDP, some of Sugas opponents call him kozaru behind his backbut never to his face. Friends in dark places The ruling LDP party has long running links to the yakuza, so its no surprise that as Suga is about to become prime minister some of his questionable ties to the traditional Japanese mafia are being re-examined. The magazine Shukan Shincho notes that Suga was closely connected to yakuza-related firm Suruga Corporation, which was once listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. The firm paid a Yamaguchi-gumi Goto-Gumi front company millions of dollars to evict elderly tenants and small businesses from properties they wanted to develop between 2001 and 2008. During this period, the company regularly donated money to Sugas political fund. All of this came to light in March of 2008, when the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department arrested yakuza members for illegally evicting tenants. No one from Suruga Corporation was arrestedbecause technically at the time, it wasnt illegal to hire yakuza for unsavory business practices. The firm was also well-connected and had placed an ex-prosecutor and former National Police Agency officer on their board. An investigator on the case told The Daily Beast, Suga and the president of Suruga Corporation, Iwata, were close friends. I cant believe that Suga had no idea what was going on. The company did a lot of business in his electoral district. In fact, one tenant who confronted the yakuza trying to evict her on behalf of Suruga was told during the negotiations, Suga has Suruga Corporations back on this. Just give up and get out. At the time, the scandal broke, Surugas office told the press, We had no awareness of such things happening. Sugas office reportedly later returned the political donations from Suruga Corporation. In November of last year, another yakuza problem emerged. A photo of Suga posing with a yakuza boss, at a cherry blossom viewing ceremony hosted by Prime Minister Abe, came into circulation. When Suga was questioned about it, he refused to answer by saying that it was impossible to define anti-social forcesa euphemism for yakuza. His remarks ended up empowering the yakuza. Many of the laws in place to counter organized crime depend on there being a definition of the term. Information junkie and control freak When Abe returned to power in 2012, he faced three challenges. One was to make the public forget his disastrous first term in office. Two, to rein in Japans press, which might report on new scandals or poor decisions made by the PM. Three, tame Japans independent bureaucracy and government agencies to make sure that they followed Abes policy. Suga has taken on those tasks successfully. He was the architect of a plan to restrict and muzzle the media systematically. In 2012, Japan was ranked 22nd in the world press freedom rankings determined by Reporters Without Borders; it now hovers around 66th place. Suga deserves credit for that significant drop. Suga forged Abes strategy of wining-and-dining the top management of Japans newspaper and television stations while shutting out critical media from major stories. He has endeared himself to some members of the cabinet press club, which has helped him ensure he gets to see almost all questions before a press conference, and he actively works to limit questions that might embarrass the government. When a tough question slips by, he is able to lie with stoic aplomb, as he has done throughout numerous scandals. He has been instrumental in getting news anchors and outspoken commentators removed from Japans few hard-hitting news programs. In the numerous corruption scandals involving the prime minister and his appointees, Suga has knowingly lied to the press about the existence of documents and evidence. Some reporters have pointed this out, to their regret. He does not deal with dissent gracefully. Especially from female reporters. Suga has a particularly prickly relationship with Tokyo Shimbun reporter Isoko Mochizuki, who is one of the few reporters in the press club who will ask him tough questions. She has the audacity to follow up when he evades the question. He attempted to have her removed from the press club and snubbed her for months on end. She has become a popular hero to some for standing up to him and not backing down, which inspired a critically acclaimed documentary and the surprise hit movie Newspaper Reporter in 2019. At a press conference related to Abes role in approving construction for a school inappropriately, when Suga kept evading questions, she asked, What exactly do you think the purpose of a presser is supposed to be? He responded, There is no need to answer your question. Mochizuki wrote in Weekly Post magazine last week, That is the essence of his problem. He doesnt understand that when he is talking to the press that he is talking to the people who read the papers, the public, and that he has a duty to inform them. In 2015, Sugas former personal secretary, Itaru Nakamura, who had been appointed the police chief in the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department, squashed an investigation into the rape of journalist Shiori Ito. The man accused of rape was a friend of Suga and had written two glowing biographies of Abe. Suga was consulted before Nakamura halted the arrest. When Shiori Ito won a civil lawsuit against the man last year, Suga refused to comment on the case. When Nakamura was promoted to a high-ranking position in the National Police Agency this January, Suga responded to questions about the propriety of the decision by answering, Hes the right person, in the right place. Ironically, one of the reasons Abe resigned is that Nakamura was not chosen to be the head of the National Police Agency. It was also Suga who is credited with masterminding a plan to change the laws so that a high-ranking prosecutor close to Abe, Hiromu Kurokawa, could become the top prosecutor in the country. This would have ensured that Abe, and possibly Suga as well, would be immune to criminal investigation. That plan failed terribly and the backlash drove down Abes support ratings to all-time lows. Cover-up and rise-up Suga was an architect of the Cabinet Personnel Bureau in 2014 that gave the administration unprecedented, centralized control of over 600 top bureaucratic appointments. In other words, if you are an elite government worker and you want to rise to the top, you have to do what pleases the prime minister, or risk being sidelined. It created an atmosphere which encouraged any ambitious agency employee to make decisions with an eye to pleasing the administration, over serving the public interests. Critics have pointed out that this has created the problem of sontaku (presumptive actions), in which officials not only make policy to please politicians rather than what might be effective, but also destroy and alter public documents on their own to cover up for their bosses. Under Sugas watch, officials who participate in cover-ups are rewarded and promoted. In a recent TV appearance, he defended his stance saying, Any government worker who does not agree [with me] will be moved somewhere else. Dissent is not tolerated. A top-ranking bureaucrat who protested that Sugas hometown tax program unfairly benefited the wealthy was sidelined for his candor and taken off the so-called elite course. In 2017, when Kihei Maekawa, a former bureaucrat in the Ministry of Education, came forward with evidence that confirmed Abes involvement in a school scandal, Suga allegedly orchestrated a smear campaign to discredit him. The nations largest newspaper, the Yomiuri Shimbun, which is to the Abe administration what Fox News is to the Trump administration, gleefully helped. Whether you like him or hate him, Suga is adept at getting the media to do what he wants. Abe 2.0? Many expect Suga to be more or less a carbon copy of Prime Minister Abe when he takes office. At the press conference on September 2, in which he announced he would be running for president of the LDP, he repeatedly said he would continue Abe-era policies, while also making it clear that he would not open the lid on Abes corruption scandals. The press was so frustrated with his evasive answers and pledges to follow Abes footsteps that a reporter from the Mainichi Newspaper jabbed him with the following question: I feel like Im listening to the statements of Prime Minister Abe. As Prime Minister Suga are you simply aiming to be an extension of the Abe regime? If theres any difference, whats different and how will it be different? Suga was momentarily dumbfounded and blurted out that he would shake up the bureaucracy. He is even expected to continue Abes disastrous economic policies with small variations. This time it will be called Suganomics. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now! Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more. A resident is tested for COVID-19 in Ruili, in southwestern China's Yunnan Province, on Sept. 15, 2020. (STR/AFP via Getty Images) Chinese City Goes on Full Lockdown After Confirming 2 CCP Virus Infections Chinese authorities locked down Ruili city in southwestern Yunnan Province on Sept. 14, mandating that anyone who wants to enter or leave the city must apply for a special permit. Yunnan governor Ruan Chengfa announced on Sept. 14 that regions that border Burma, Laos, and Vietnam have entered wartime status to prevent a further outbreak. Authorities claimed that the lockdown was to prevent the CCP virus from spreading after two people who illegally crossed the border from Burma to Ruili were diagnosed with COVID-19 on Sept. 13. But a nearby citys quarantine policy suggests that the outbreak is more severe than Ruili authorities let on. Residents in Ruili told The Epoch Times in phone interviews that authorities suddenly installed iron bars to seal in their residential compounds and didnt give them time to prepare beforehand. Now is the second day of the lockdown. I already cant stand it. I feel very depressed. I lost my freedom. Im very angry about being stuck here, said Zhao Liang (pseudonym), who lives in the Aoxing Century II residential compound. Authorities have also tightened border control. On Sept. 14, they declared that a Ruili court sentenced three people to eight months imprisonment and a 5,000 yuan ($737) fine for illegally crossing the BurmaYunnan border. According to state-run mouthpiece Peoples Daily, the three are Chinese nationals who went to Burma in April and crossed the border into Ruili several days later. Although Ruili has only reported two imported COVID-19 patients, the government of Tengchonga nearby city that also borders Burmaannounced on Sept. 15 that all people who arrived in Tengchong from Ruili after 10 p.m. Sept. 14 must go back to Ruili. People who left Ruili between Sept. 12 and 10 p.m. Sept. 14 and arrived in Tengchong must pay for a nucleic acid test and self-quarantine at home, the government said. U.S.-based China affairs commentator Tang Jingyuan told The Epoch Times: Chinese governments dont report the true scale of an epidemic or other disasters. The fact that the Tengchong government rejected everybody from Ruili and Ruili city fully locked downthese indicate the outbreak in Ruili might be more severe. Residents are tested for COVID-19 in Ruili in southwestern Chinas Yunnan Province on September 15, 2020. (STR/AFP via Getty Images) Lockdown Ruili is home to about 210,000 people. It shares a 100-plus-mile border with Burma. People living on both sides of the border speak the same dialect. Many have family members living on both sides. Much of Burmas jade trade is shipped to China via Ruili, where there are many jade-processing factories and jade retailers. Although the city government locked down the Aoxing Century I and Aoxing Century II residential compounds on the evening of Sept. 12, it didnt announce the latest COVID-19 cases until the morning of Sept. 14. Xie Dapeng, mayor of Ruili, said at a press conference on the evening of Sept. 14 that a 32-year-old woman named Yang entered China with her three children and two nannies illegally on Sept. 3. All of them hold Burma passports. After arriving in Ruili, all six people lived in Yangs sisters apartment in the Aoxing Century I residential compound. On Sept. 10, Yang lost her sense of smell and taste. Her sister took her to a hospital. Yang and the 16-year-old nanny Yi tested positive for COVID-19 on Sept. 12 and were formally diagnosed on Sept. 13. At about 6 p.m. Sept. 12, authorities quickly sealed off the Aoxing Century I and Aoxing Century II residential compounds. Xie told reporters that all jade stores had been closed at midnight on Sept. 13, and the whole city had been locked down Sept. 14. Only supermarkets, pharmacies, and open-air food markets have been allowed to operate. At the same time, all residents in Ruili are required to take nucleic acid tests. Yang Mou, deputy mayor of Ruili, said at the press conference that the city has 11 hospitals, with a capacity to treat 1,540 patients. The city designated Ruili Zhongdai Hospital as a dedicated COVID-19 treatment facility, with 291 beds. State-run broadcaster CCTV reported on Sept. 14 that Dali prefecture sent 200 medical staff to Ruili, while Mang city sent 61 medical staff to help treat patients. Residents are tested for COVID-19 in Ruili in southwestern Chinas Yunnan Province on September 15, 2020. (STR/AFP via Getty Images) Depressed Residents I was told that we [Ruili city] are on level-one alert! said a business owner who lives in Aoxing Century I residential compound. A jade businessman said there are normally about 100,000 to 200,000 people trading jade in Ruili every day, but now all operations have ceased. Another Ruili resident said her child studies in Mang city, located about an hours drive away. The school told the child to take a nucleic acid test and self-quarantine in the dorm. The resident said her child hadnt recently returned to Ruili, but was treated differently because her family lives in Ruili. Zhao Liang, a resident at Aoxing Century II, said, We were told the lockdown would be at least two weeks. Zhao said she and her neighbors took nucleic acid tests on Sept. 12 and 13. They used iron bars to seal all the gates. Nobody can enter our residential compound, Zhao said. Being locked at home, Im very depressed. She said local authorities asked all residents to deposit 1,000 yuan ($147.5) into a WeChat Pay account as credit, then the residential compounds management team would use the credit to buy groceries for them. Fearing reprisal from authorities, the interviewees chose not to disclose their names. Chinese media Caixin reported on Sept. 15 that the lockdown caused food prices to increase dramatically in Ruili. Residents who live in other compounds have also not been allowed to leave their homes. One city resident told Caixin that he went shopping for food at 2 a.m. on Sept. 14 after hearing about the lockdown. All vegetables and meat were quickly sold out. The price of pork increased to more than 60 yuan per 500 gram [about $8.03 per pound], the resident told Caixin. In Yunnan, the average price of pork is normally 24 to 31 yuan per 500 grams, according to Chinese market reports. Lebanon County authorities arrested a man who they said went on an overnight crime spree of vandalism and theft when he stole yard signs supporting police and Donald Trump, and spray-painted personal property. District Attorney Pier Hess Graf said 13 home or business owners called police Monday to report vandalism or missing items including American flags, political or we support our police signs, Graf said. Graf said Richland resident Jon G. Shanfelder, 24, spray-painted racist on the side of a truck, and ACAB all cops are bastards on someones home. The inside and outside of two pieces of farm machinery worth more than $6,000 were also vandalized, Graf said. Weve reached a sad time in our world when every police officer is labeled a bastard simply because he or she wears a uniform, Graf said. Vile crimes like those committed by this defendant are the reason good, law-abiding citizens of our community fear showing their showing their support of police." Shanfelder also damaged Trump banners with a box cutter and put Black Lives Matter stickers on peoples homes and cars, according to Graf. The vandalism and thefts were reported to Pennsylvania State Police, North Lebanon Township and South Lebanon Township police. According to an affidavit of probable cause, the crimes were largely committed around Richland, Myerstown and Jackson Township. Graf said Shanfelder admitted to his actions after state police arrested him at his Richland home. Shanfelder is charged with felony criminal mischief, 10 counts of theft, criminal trespass, as well as three counts of loitering and prowling at nighttime. The 24-year-old was arraigned and bail was set at $60,000. I want to be clear, my office and the law enforcement of Lebanon County will not tolerate violent, destructive behavior. Criminals like the defendant will be arrested and prosecuted, Graf said. The chaos weve seen across the country will not become the norm in Lebanon. READ MORE: Handguns stolen from Dauphin County dealer: police 19-year-old charged with stabbing 2 women in Adams County 4 Penn State football players facing marijuana charges Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-15 08:04:31|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close ISLAMABAD, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa met with visiting U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad in Rawalpindi on Monday and discussed matters related to the Afghan peace process, the Pakistani army said. Khalilzad arrived in Pakistan following the start of intra-Afghan negotiations in Qatar that are aimed at deciding the future political system in Afghanistan and to end the war. An army statement said that matters of mutual interest, regional security and ongoing Afghan reconciliation process were discussed during the meeting at the army's General Headquarters in Rawalpindi. The statement quoted Bajwa as saying that Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan has given clear vision regarding peace and connectivity in the region and all elements of national power are united towards making that vision a reality to ensure long-awaited peace, progress and prosperity in the region. The U.S. embassy in Islamabad in its statement said that Khalilzad thanked Pakistan for its role in advancing the Afghan peace process. Enditem GREENWICH The votes have been counted and the book has been selected for the 2020 edition of Greenwich Reads Together. Make that books two have been chosen, the Greenwich Library announced Monday in a video posted on its social media accounts. Both are notable nonfiction titles: Mountains Beyond Mountains by Pulitzer Prize winner Tracy Kidder and Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson. The selected books both highlight the power of the individual to effect positive change and also explore topics in public health and racial justice, making them relevant and applicable to the times we are living in, according to Greenwich Library. Kate Petrov, Greenwich Librarys public relations officer, noted the current relevancy of the selections. Both books highlight individuals who decided to use their considerable skills and talents to help communities and make a difference in the world, Petrov said. Theyre both stories of hope in the face of adversity, which we thought would resonate during our current difficult times. Theyre both compelling stories of narrative nonfiction, which are always popular with our readers. Every year, the program picks a book for the Greenwich community to read collectively and features programming throughout town based around the theme of the book. The process of choosing a book began with 100 suggestions from the community. A Greenwich Reads Together committee whittled that down to four finalists, which were voted on by library patrons. Nearly 500 people took part in the final vote. The books had meet critical criteria to be considered for Greenwich Reads Together. Titles must be of literary quality, reflective of universal issues and capable of generating thought-provoking discussions and must also lend themselves to engaging public programs while appealing to a diverse population. To accommodate the readership, the books must be available in large qualities and multiple formats, including print, eBooks, audiobooks and large print. Mountains Beyond Mountains tells the true story of Dr. Paul Farmer, a founder of the global health organization Partners In Health who set out to cure infectious diseases around the world. Just Mercy details Stevensons founding of the Equal Justice Initiative, which is dedicated to defending the poor, the wrongly condemned and women and children trapped in the furthest reaches of the criminal justice system. It was adapted into a movie starring Michael B. Jordan, Brie Larson and Jamie Foxx. A programming slate with virtual discussion groups and special events in October and November is expected to be announced soon. The library said it would look to explore the books issues and how they converge. The library has successfully pivoted to offer virtual programming during the coronavirus pandemic, Petrov said. From our first story times and author interviews in late March, weve demonstrated there is a strong appetite for virtual programs, she said. In fact, often there is a larger audience for virtual programs than would be possible in person. Our Date with an Author series routinely attracts 300 to 400 participants, and the Night Out With Friends has attracted 350. Our Conversations on Race program with Ijeoma Oluo attracted 650 live attendees, far more than we could have accommodated in person. Library card holders can place a hold on both titles and pick them up at Greenwich Library. eBooks and audiobooks can be downloaded with no wait time. Four thematically related books will be available for younger readers. There will be versions of Mountains Beyond Mountains and Just Mercy adapted for young people. Additionally, the library will feature Manjhi Moves a Mountain by Nancy Churnin and The Undefeated by Kwame Alexander. Copies of all the books will also be available for purchase at Dianes Books. The Greenwich Reads Together program is underwritten by the Friends of Greenwich Library. The full slate of programming will be posted at www.greenwichreadstogether.org. kborsuk@greenwichtime.com 'There will be increases.' 'There is bound to be, but you have to bear with all this.' 'The focus should be to provide optimum care for those who are in the need.' 'We should focus more on care, better care. Not on testing.' IMAGE: A healthcare worker collects a swab sample in New Delhi, September 9, 2020. Photograph: Rahul Singh/ANI Photo A lakh a day more people ill each day -- COVID-19 cases are now jumping by nearly one hundred thousand or a lakh daily in India. Recently, as COVID-19 case numbers radically and frighteningly surged since the start of September, and we recorded 4.4 million cases totally, a group of public health experts from the Indian Public Health Association, Indian Association of Preventive and Social Medicine and the Indian Association of Epidemiologists jointly released a statement about the way COVID-19 is evolving in India. They said community transmission was now evident all over the country. 'Increasingly, COVID-19 positive persons are being reported from small-sized towns, as well as from rural areas. Sero-surveys* have revealed that the disease has spread to most parts of the country indicating community transmission of COVID-19'. Dr Sanjay K Rai, who heads the Indian Public Health Association, and is a professor at the Centre for Community Medicine attached to New Delhi's All India Institute of Medical Sciences, spoke to Vaihayasi Pande Daniel/Rediff.com and explained that this surge of cases was not "unexpected" and reflected that the country was now in the middle stage of the pandemic. Dr Rai says the rise in cases is related to the amount of testing happening, be it in Delhi or other parts of the country. Testing has been stepped up to one million tests per day and maybe some days more than one million. The public health expert gives the example of New Delhi by way of illustration. According to the figures available with him for Tuesday (September 8), for instance, New Delhi reported approximately 3,500 cases and they carried out 55,000 tests on that particular day. But before testing started rising, says Dr Rai, "Maximum tests done by Delhi was 20,000. And on an average 18,000 to 20,000 per day. And they detected -- in the last one month if you see -- around 1,200 to 1,500 cases per day. But the sero-survey report showed that on an average 40,000 cases were infected (people became infected) per day in Delhi." IMAGE: People wait to board buses during rush hour, September 9, 2020. Photograph: Niharika Kulkarni/Reuters "Now, the focus should be to decrease the deaths -- only to decrease the deaths. Don't test everybody." Dr Rai goes on to explain that the sero-surveillance has uncovered that Delhi has had a six per cent increase in cases over 30 days. And that "if you convert six per cent into numbers, taking Delhi's population as 2 crores (as per 2011 census figures) that means around 12 lakhs were infected in one month's time. That means 40,000 infection per day occurred during that time but you detected only 1,200 to 1,500 per day. So, if you increase the number of tests, the case numbers increase. There is no end to this type of testing." He feels the situation calls for a new testing strategy. A different strategy because India is at a different stage in the pandemic. "There are various stages of an epidemic -- beginning phase, then ongoing community transmission phase and then the endgame phase. Definitely we are not in the beginning phase. We are in the middle. Definitely we are not close to the endgame phase also. That is very far away. So, when this wide community transmission is occurring, if you increase the number of people you are testing, you will detect more cases. That will only aid the numbers." Dr Rai strongly feels that attention should move away from testing, because it is very costly and turn towards containing deaths and upping the quality of care. He says the expenditure on testing is "huge" with as many as 12 lakhs tests being done per day and the Government of India is already spending too much money on its testing strategy. "Now, the focus should be to decrease the deaths -- only to decrease the deaths. Don't test everybody. There is no need. You are hardly detecting all the cases. Even with this huge number of testing -- some 10 lakh or one million tests per day -- you are detecting hardly two to three per cent of the total estimated cases. All sero-surveillance reports are showing that." Dr Rai instead suggests a strategy of selective testing and not testing everyone. He says it is more important to test the people who need to be tested -- those who are having fever and other symptoms suggestive of COVID-19 or those who are in very close contact with someone ill with COVID-19 or healthcare providers or those with comorbid conditions. IMAGE: A shopkeeper waits for customers inside his shop in Mumbai, September 6, 2020. Photograph: Francis Mascarenhas/Reuters "Now it is time for mitigation. Provide better care to those who are in the need." From testing the emphasis should shift to "mitigation". Testing, earlier, was a means of separating the infected from the non-infected, but now with community transmission in full flow, that is less necessary. "Now, there is no need to separate. Hardly you are detecting the full number. You are only detecting three per cent of the cases." Again, Dr Rai stresses, "Now it is time for mitigation. Provide better care to those who are in the need." Testing is not the only reason case numbers are going up, pan-India, though. "Definitely from fewer locations and geographical areas, this is spreading. So, the graph is going up. More people are exposed and disease is progressing." According to him, Mumbai and Delhi are slowly reaching case saturation points as per the sero-surveys done. "In a few areas, like Delhi and Mumbai, already 30 to 40 per cent people have been infected. So, if you see the last sero-survey report of Delhi around 30 per cent have antibodies, which means they were exposed to this virus. In Mumbai also around 40 per cent had antibodies, so they were exposed too." Dr Rai instead advocates opening up facilities on which livelihoods depend because though numbers will rise as the disease progresses, he doesn't believe the progression of the disease will not be that much faster than it already is. "There will be increases. There is bound to be, but you have to bear with all this. The focus should be to provide optimum care for those who are in the need. We should focus more on care, better care. Not on testing." *The testing of blood serum for the presence of antibodies that might have formed if a person had contracted COVID-19 at some stage. Feature Presentation: Ashish Narsale/Rediff.com Credit: CC0 Public Domain Migrants arrested for tending plants in the flats, houses and attics where cannabis is grown in bulk are often victims of trafficking and "debt bondage"yet many are not recognized as such by police, according to a new study. Research from Cambridge criminologists suggests that those charged with drug cultivation have often been forced into illegal work as a condition of debt to criminal gangs for smuggling them into the UK. The researchers, including a Detective Inspector who completed a Masters at Cambridge's Institute of Criminology, argue that police take too narrow a view of modern slavery when it comes to "growers" arrested during cannabis farm raids. While growersoften Vietnamese nationalsare not always imprisoned within farms, many work under threat of extreme violence towards themselves or family back home, with little in the way of language or contacts in the UK. The researchers say that arresting officers often lack detailed training on modern slavery, and make only "perfunctory" enquiries: a brief question that places the onus on a victim who doesn't understand their own situation. As such, migrants end up serving years in UK prisons despite being forced to commit the cultivation crimes by gangs who seize passports and threatenand administerviolence. "The abuses of freedom in cannabis farm cases do not tally with traditional perceptions of slavery. Victims may be held against their will, forced to work and unable to leave, despite an unlocked door," said Prof Heather Strang, the study's senior author. "Big questions remain about how the criminal justice system should ethically manage modern slavery victims who are also illegal immigrants involved in illegal activity," she said. The new study, published in the Cambridge Journal of Evidence-Based Policing, was co-authored by DI Adam Ramiz of Surrey Police as part of his research at Cambridge, where he worked with Strang and Prof Paul Rock from LSE. Cannabis farms are unassuming abodes in towns and city suburbs that house hundreds of plants in blacked-out rooms, grown with equipment such specialist lighting. A live-in "grower" will work for criminal gangs to feed and protect the Class B drug crop. The latest study is small in scalegaining access to growers willing to talk is difficultbut criminologists say that it's an important addition to this under-researched area. The team looked at criminal histories of 19 Vietnamese nationals arrested in connection with cannabis farming in Surrey and Sussex between 2014-2017, and conducted in-depth interviews with three further growerstwo Vietnamese and an Albanianas well as the arresting officers in those cases. The growers all described being in hock to human smugglers, working in farms to pay debts, and some spoke of death threats and physical intimidation. Two spoke of dangerous journeys to the UK via lorries, similar to the 39 Vietnamese nationals found dead in Essex last year. One witnessed murder by smugglers while trekking for days through forests. Another was locked inside the house once in the UK. The victims didn't consider themselves such, as they had wanted to come here, yet had been forced into illegal labour on arrival: smuggling that becomes trafficking. Interviews with officers revealed police questioning on slavery to be limited, cursory and "binary"whether or not the grower was physically locked inand conducted with a presumption of guilt on the that the grower is an offender. "We found that some officers only had an hour of modern slavery training, and felt that the onus is on trafficking victims to volunteer that information, rather than police to investigate further," said Ramiz, who led the study. "The brief question or two on slavery will often come after a grower has been given the standard legal advice to say nothing and later to plead guilty," he said. Police frustrations focus on growers, with one officer talking of "hitting a brick wall" if they won't open up, but researchers say that the legal advice offered to trafficked cannabis growers is routine and uncritical: "go quietly". They argue that police should "re-frame" their response to cannabis farms so that the possibility of modern slavery is "more fully considered", and suggest detailed training for front-line officers along with greater willingness to refer cases to specialist investigators. Dame Sara Thornton, the UK's Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner, described the study as a "welcome contribution to building an evidence-based approach to preventing modern slavery". "The Modern Slavery Act includes a statutory defence for those compelled to commit an offence as a direct result of their being a victim of modern slavery. It is essential that the police investigate all lines of enquiry when they come across these complicated cases," said Thornton. Added Ramiz: "While much more research is needed, these accounts of debt bondage and fierce intimidation suggests the mass cultivation of cannabis is rife with modern slavery, and the grey area between offender and victim in these cases can become a blind spot for UK police." Case study: A 34-year-old Vietnamese man now in an English prison for growing cannabis told researchers he had been a taxi driver, before fleeing his home after taking part in protests against a Chinese oil rig in the disputed South China sea. Accused of betraying his country by police, he entered into contract with a smuggler after fearing for his life when a friend disappeared following arrest. Unable to pay in full, he ended up in debt bondage to a criminal gang. Believing he was going to the UK to work in kitchens, the grower found himself in a series of lorries and flights across China and Russia, and taken into Europe via the forests of Poland. "You have to walk for maybe two, three days... I saw one person had been beaten up... when I turned around he was unconscious... he walked too slow," the grower told researchers. He believed the person he described had died. The grower arrived in the UK in a lorry container. He was eventually taken to a house already full of cannabis plants and shown how to tend them, and given an allowance for food and phone calls home. "I do not dare leave the house without telling them, because I fear for my life... They told me if I tried to escape they would harm my family," said the grower. He remembered police asking some questions about being forced to work, and he had told them. His legal advisor asked no such questions. He did not consider himself a trafficking victim, as he had wanted to come to the UK. The police interviewer of the grower was a 33-year-old probationary police officer. He had been given an interview plan, and told researchers he viewed the matter in simple terms: "...you're interviewing him as a suspect to get a confession, or to get the points across to get the conviction or charge...". No trafficking questions were in the officer's plan, but he asked some anyway based on the grower's response. The officer acknowledged his ignorance of modern slavery legislation to researchers. A further interview was done by the officer's supervisor, who was in charge of the investigation. He told researchers the training given to police on slaveryone hour-long sessionwas insufficient, and until guidance improved they had to rely on instinct. The officer-in-charge entered a submission to the National Referral Mechanismthe framework set up in 2009 to ensure victims of trafficking receive help. The NRM returned a decision that the grower had "consented" to the illegal work, so was not a victim, and he was sentence to prison. Explore further New study to review COVID's impact on modern slavery survivors More information: Adam Ramiz et al, Detecting Modern Slavery on Cannabis Farms: The Challenges of Evidence, Cambridge Journal of Evidence-Based Policing (2020). Adam Ramiz et al, Detecting Modern Slavery on Cannabis Farms: The Challenges of Evidence,(2020). DOI: 10.1007/s41887-020-00052-1 Lovely Warren is the mayor of Rochester, New York. This week she fired the citys African-American police chief, who, by Warrens own account, had already resigned. According to the Washington Post, she fired him based on findings that the police department did not take the death of Daniel Prude seriously enough and engaged in conduct that may have been designed to mislead the public. (Emphasis added) The findings Mayor Warren relied on state that the police departments response to Prudes death showed a culture of insularity, acceptance and, quite frankly, callousness. The officers involved displayed a cavalier and unsympathetic attitude toward Prude, the report adds. The Posts Tim Craig describes Prude only as a black man who was having a mental health crisis. Nowhere does Craig mention the behavior by Prude that led the police to place a spit hood over his head and press his head down. The omission is a clear case of anti-police bias by the Post. Its also journalistic malpractice, in my view. What happened is that Prude had been running naked in the street. His brother called the police for help. When the police intervened, Prude began spitting repeatedly. According to an officer, Prude also said he had the coronavirus. Mental crisis or not, placing a spit hood on Prude was the right thing to do under these circumstances. So too with pressing his head down and demanding that he stop spitting. Michael Mazzaeo, president of the Rochester Police Locust Club says the officers did exactly what they were trained to do. Moreover, the need for the hood and to stop the spitting were all the more acute given the pandemic. As far as I can tell from the Posts report, the findings Mayor Warren relied on dont dispute this. Instead, they use subjective words like insularity, acceptance, and. . .callousness, with cavalier and unsympathetic thrown in for good measure. Its challenging enough for officers to deal with thugs and aggressive nut jobs who are out to harm them. Expecting officers to be sympathetic towards this client base is asking too much. Some members of the Rochester police department may have tried to cover up and/or misstate the facts surrounding Prudes death, as the report says. If any members actually did this, they should be punished. Otherwise, they should be exonerated without regard to whether they are insular, callous, cavalier, or unsympathetic. And the police chief should not have been sacked unless he participated in a cover up or knew about it and failed to act. Palomar Insurance Corp. has added Jeremy Dickey as Operations manager. As a specialist in standardizing, modifying, and expediting systems, his focus will be on improving methods and planning for personal and commercial insurance programs. Dickey has 20 years of experience as an active duty Air Force officer, combat search and rescue pilot, and wing safety commander. Dickey was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant into the USAF and ultimately became an HC-130J Combat Search and Rescue Pilot. He deployed eight times around the world and focused on Air Force Safety Standards and Evaluation. Under his command, his team received the Safety Program of the Year for Air Combat Command. He retired as a Major in July. Palomar Insurance offers management and insurance programs to U.S. and international companies. It is headquartered in Montgomery, Ala., with offices in Georgia and Tennessee. Topics Georgia Russian-occupation forces violated the ceasefire in Donbas three times over the past day, Ukrainian servicemen were not injured, the press center of the Joint Force Operation (JFO) headquarters said. "Over the past 24 hours, on September 14, the armed formations of the Russian Federation have violated the agreements of the Trilateral Contact Group three times," the JFO said in the morning report on its Facebook page on Tuesday. In particular, violations of the ceasefire regime were recorded near Avdiivka and Maryinka. In these areas, unaimed shots towards Ukrainian positions using a hand-held anti-tank grenade launcher and small arms were recorded. "Unaimed shots did not pose a threat to life and health, so our servicemen did not open fire in response. There were no combat losses or injuries among the personnel of the Joint Forces," the headquarters said. In addition, an enemy's unmanned aircraft was found in the area of Pyschevyk, which crossed the contact line. By means of electromagnetic warfare, the enemy's drone was destroyed. It is also noted that in the area of the JFO, other components of the defense forces are duly performing tasks. The servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, together with the rescuers of the State Emergency Service, extinguished the fire near the settlement of Mykolaivka, located in Donetsk region. "Since the beginning of the current day, September 15, the ceasefire has been observed in all sectors of the front, no violations of the agreements that entered into force on July 27, 2020 have been recorded," the headquarters said. The (PDP) on Monday alleged that an atmosphere of despair and distrust was prevailing in Jammu and Kashmir, which it termed "worrisome", and called for the release of all youths arrested following abrogation of provisions in August last year. At a meeting of party leaders held here under the chairmanship of PDP General Secretary and ex-legislator Surinder Choudhary, the contribution of the party in restoring peace not only in but in the entire region was highlighted. In a statement after the meeting, the PDP said, "Democratic institutions in stand demolished while the administration was not even remotely connected with the masses and their issues leaving behind an impression of chaos and panic." "The very foundation of the party was laid on the promise to struggle for strengthening ties between the different shades of opinion within the state, people of three erstwhile regions, state and rest of the country besides with the neighbouring countries." Among those who attended the meeting were Firdous Tak, Vijay Dogra, Abdul Rasheed Malik, Rajinder Singh Manhas, Sheikh Nasir Hussain, Satpaul Charak, Shafeeq ul Rehman, Sunil Bhat, Shabaz Mirza and Ashok Jogi. They said that even at this crucial juncture stood tall "despite conspiracies hatched and aimed against it". "The relevance of the PDP's vision has today assumed more significance in view of the current scenario not only in but the entire subcontinent. We have been insisting that there is no alternate to reconciliation and dialogue and our late leader Mufti Muhammad Sayed always believed that Jammu and Kashmir can be an epicentre of South Asian cooperation," the statement read. It alleged that the Union Territory was being "pushed into darkness" and administration was "playing a key role in demolition of all democratic institutions" "The ruling BJP has played with the aspirations of every sections of the society and today, the volcano of dissent and despair is ready to explode." "It is now clear that the Union government was not willing for any kind of political outreach in Jammu and Kashmir as such it is continuing with the illegal and unjust detention of mainstream leadership, especially those from the PDP, in the erstwhile state," the PDP said. "Thousands of youth were arrested post-August 5, 2019, from across Jammu and Kashmir and they continue to languish behind bars within and outside the erstwhile state," it said. The party demanded immediate release of all the political prisoners and youth who are either languishing in jails or detained in their houses. "The status quo has to be changed and New Delhi will have to reach out to the people of this erstwhile state one day or the other," the PDP leaders said. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) I believe that anyone with enough desire and creativity can live the life theyve always wanted, and I can give you a head start in the right direction. David Mansilla, serial entrepreneur, angel investor, and CEO/Founder of the leading custom software solutions enterprise, http://www.ISUCorp.ca, has written this book to guide entrepreneurial spirited people through the process of creating the life of their dreams. Audible is an online audio-book and podcast platform for people to enjoy and learn from books and stories. In a digital age where everyone is on the go, all the time, being able to consume information in a hands free way is highly critical. Audibles mission is to provide individuals with access to a vast library of content and information. With Audible featuring Breaking Out Of Corporate Jail as a new released audio-book, it is a huge achievement. Now, individuals and budding entrepreneurs can learn from the trials and tribulations of David Mansilla. They and anyone who feels stuck will be able to recess their life and start creating abundance after reading or listening to this amazing book. I believe that anyone with enough desire and creativity can live the life theyve always wanted, and I can give you a head start in the right direction. David Mansilla, International Bestselling Author Check out Breaking Out of Corporate Jail now in the Audible library or at http://www.DavidMansilla.com. About Breaking Out of Corporate Jail In Breaking Out of Corporate Jail you will learn from David as he shares his trials and tribulations with anyone who feels stuck in life. He takes the reader through a journey of learning how he came to Canada with only $50 in his pocket, a family to feed and a dream to fulfill, to now being the Founder and CEO of a industry leading software solutions and consulting company. Drawing from inspirational figures like Tony Robbins, Tim Ferris, and Richard Branson, this book will expand what you think is possible and show you the steps that David took to realize his potential and ability to create abundance. If you want to have control over your calendar and make your life one thats worth living, read - Breaking Out Of Corporate Jail-. Anil Gupta, International Bestselling Author CANBERA (dpa-AFX) - Japan will on Wednesday release August figures for imports, exports and trade balance, highlighting a light day for Asia-Pacific economic activity. Imports are expected to sink 18.0 percent on year after tumbling 22.3 percent in July. Exports are called lower by an annual 16.1 percent after falling 19.2 percent in the previous month. The trade deficit is pegged at 37.5 billion yen following the 11.6 billion yen surplus a month earlier. New Zealand will provide Q2 numbers for current account, with forecasts suggesting a surplus of NZD595 million, down from NZ$1.56 billion in the three months prior. Australia will see August results for the leading economic index from Westpac Bank; in July, the index added 0.1 percent on month. Finally, the markets in Malaysia are closed on Wednesday for Malaysia Day and will reopen on Thursday. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. Despite the overwhelming need for a new stimulus relief bill and the federal government wanting to push new legislation to provide assistance to the American people suffering amid the coronavirus pandemic, talks have been stalled due to differing perspectives. $1,200 stimulus checks? The most asked question right now is when the new relief package will be given out or if it ever will be. If new legislation pushes through, experts worry if it would too late to reach those who need it the most. According to CNET, discussions for the next coronavirus relief bill are stalled due to differing views of how much money to put in initially. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell wanted to have a package ready by August 7 which is now a pipe dream because of the disagreements. On Sunday, Florida Democratic Representative Val Demmings said that American citizens are suffering from a problem that was not their own fault. The politician added that officials should quickly pass a supportive bill that aims to help the people. Despite some belief that a new relief bill will be passed before the November elections, some officials in the White House are expressing their concerns and doubts. But if new legislation does get through, several possible benefits could be included. The second stimulus check which could be part of the next coronavirus relief bill would amount up to $1,200 for every individual. The subsequent, direct payments could also come if United States President Donald Trump pushes with his idea of supplying the funds through executive action. Also Read: $300 Billion Coronavirus Relief Bill Denied by Democrats Amid Rising Threat of Unemployment Benefits of a potential stimulus bill The new legislation could also provide enhanced unemployment benefits to millions of unemployed Americans who have been laid off amid the coronavirus pandemic's effects on the economy. Previous assistance included a weekly $600 benefit and a renewed weekly aid of $300 has begun with distribution but would only last for about six weeks. Last week, a skinny bill was proposed that aimed to implement a new version of the Paycheck Protection Program and an expanded unemployment benefit system. However, Republican Senator Rand Paul was among those who blocked the bill, arguing it would add a substantial amount to the budget deficit, as reported by Fool.com. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said other Republican politicians are too focused on the financial issues when the economic devastation of the coronavirus needs to be mended. The secretary is calling for fellow officials to look past the money problems and move forward as Democrats have expressed their agreement in passing a broader relief package. According to Forbes, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said on Monday that despite both Congress and Trump's administration cooperating for another bipartisan stimulus bill, efforts of negotiating with the Republican president directly are not a "good use of time." With Democrats urging Pelosi to pass smaller-sized bills, the speaker refused the strategies, arguing that despite the desperate need for a stimulus relief package, a skinny bill would not address the problem the American people are facing due to the coronavirus pandemic. Related Article: Weekly $300 Unemployment Duration: How Many Payments Can You Expect to Receive? @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. MIDDLETOWN The Middletown, Cromwell, Durham and Middlefield health departments have announced this seasons schedule of regional flu clinics. In order to receive a flu shot, people must be at least 18 and in good health, according to a press release from the Middletown Health Department. The vaccine is free of charge and there is no co-payment with most insurance plans (people should bring their insurance card). Appointments will not be taken and residency is not required. Face masks are required and social distancing will be enforced. Vaccines be given on a first-come, first-served basis (appointments will not be taken). Residency is not required. Pneumonia and single vaccines will also be available. Participants are strongly encouraged to save time by downloading and completing the consent form online at cromwellct.com; townofdurhamct.org; pshd.org; or middletownct.gov. Dates are: Sept. 23, from 8 to 10 a.m. at the Senior Center, 61 Durant St., Middletown; Sept. 30, noon to 6 p.m. at the Town Hall Gymnasium, 41 West St., Cromwell; Oct. 7, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., City Hall Council Chambers, 245 deKoven Drive, Middletown; Oct. 14, noon to 6 p.m. at the Town Hall Gymnasium, 41 West St., Cromwell; Oct. 16 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at MARC, 25 Industrial Park Road, Middletown. Also, Oct. 21, 9 a.m. to noon at the Community Center, 405 Main St., Middlefield; Oct. 28, noon to 6 p.m. at the Town Hall gymnasium, 41 West St., Cromwell; Nov. 3, noon to 6 p.m. at the Activity Center, (second floor), 350 Main St., Durham; Nov. 7, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Town Hall gymnasium, 41 West St., Cromwell; Nov. 10, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Cross Street AME Zion Church, 440 West St., Middletown. Anyone with questions should call 860-638-4962 in Middletown; 860-632-3426 in Cromwell; 860-349-8253 in Durham; or 860-276-6275 in Middlefield. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, (R-W.Va.) listens during a hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington on May 20, 2020. (Al Drago/Pool/Getty Images) Sen. Capito Going Into Isolation After Exposure to COVID-19 Patient One of West Virginias two U.S. senators is going into isolation for two weeks because of exposure to a person with COVID-19, the lawmaker said in a statement Tuesday. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), who appeared on the Senate floor in Washington on Monday, said she learned recently that [she] came into contact with an individual who tested positive for coronavirus. The coronavirus, or the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, causes the COVID-19 disease. Capito said she had been tested herself. While the test result has not come back yet, I will be following CDC recommendations and the advice of the Capitol Attending Physician and will be quarantining for 14 days as a precaution. I will make the test result public when it is available, she added. Because of the isolation, Capito will not be able to participate in voting. There is no proxy voting in the Senate. Two of the 100 U.S. senators have so far tested positive for COVID-19. Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) tested positive in March while Bill Cassidy (R-La.) tested positive last month. A number of representatives have tested positive throughout the pandemic. COVID-19 is a disease that primarily spreads through close contact with infected people. The vast majority of patients recover with symptom treatment or hospital care. Many patients see zero or no symptoms. Jammu/New Delhi, Sep 15 : The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Tuesday launched search operations at nine locations in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) including the premises of former Minister Choudhary Lal Singh, in an ongoing investigation into a case of illegal encroachment and occupation of forest land in Kathua district. On June 25, CBI had registered a preliminary enquiry (PE) to probe into allegations of land encroachment in the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir. During the PE, the agency tried to discover if prima facie material exists to move ahead with a formal registration of a case also known as a Regular Case or FIR to start investigation. A CBI spokesperson in Delhi said, "Multiple CBI teams are conducting searches at nine locations -- three in Jammu and six at Kathua, including at RB Education Trust office, residence of its chairperson Chaudhary Lal Singh and other accused." The official said that the CBI registered a case against RB Educational Trust, (through its Chairperson) and others including the then DC Kathua (J&K), the then Tehsildar, then Naib Tehsildar, the then Girdawar, the then Patwari and unknown persons on the allegations of having facilitated the trust in possessing land much beyond the ceiling limit and submission of false affidavit in support of the trust, causing loss to the State exchequer. According to a CBI official the allegations in the complaint mentioned that the RB Educational Trust continues to be in possession of huge tracts of land in gross violation of cealing prescribed under J&K Agrarian Reforms Act 1976. It was also alleged that an affidavit was filed before the Jammu and Kashmir High Court on June 6, 2015 in which false information was submitted by public servants serving in Kathua. The official said a writ petition was filed in Jammu so as to favour the RB Educational Trust, a family trust of Chaudhary Lal Singh, who is also a former Member of Parliament. The official said that in lieu of illegal gratification for consideration, Revenue and Forest department officials of Kathua have allowed sale/purchase of the government/public/forest land by the persons after recording false certificates that such land falls under exempted category as per J&K Agrarian Reforms Act. The official said that such encroachment is still continuing and vast tracts of state land is in illegal possession of encroachers due to connivance of officials of revenue department in Kathua.Chaudhary Lal SIngh had quit BJP following a row over rape and murder of an 8-year-old girl in Kathua in 2018. -- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed The family of a Compton police officer who was ambushed by a gunman over the weekend have shared a graphic image just moments after she was shot. Two Los Angeles County deputies were wounded by a gunman, and their families approved the release of footage showing the graphic moment, FOXLA correspondent Bill Melugin shared on Twitter. In the image, a female deputy was standing moments after she was shot with across her face and the front of her shift. A male deputy is seen on the ground with a blood-soaked hand with a gun on the ground in front of him. Im told female deputy was shot through jaw, still radioed for help & applied tourniquet to male deputys wounds. Both stable now, Mr Melugin reported. The two cops a 31-year-old mother and a 24-year-old male were shot at close range at 7pm on Saturday in Compton, California. Although they were shot multiple times during the ambush while their vehicle was parked, the officers were able to radio for help. Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department released a surveillance video of the ambush, and it showed a lone gunman shooting through the passenger window of the deputies vehicle "without warning or provocation," according to the department. Sheriff Alex Villanueva said both deputies were out of surgery and expected to survive, which he called a double miracle. As of Monday, the gunman remained on the loose. The department has offered an $100,000 reward for information that could lead to an arrest. Officers only have a very, very generic description of the shooter to go on, officials added. The suspect is described as a male Black 28-30 years-old, wearing dark clothing. He was last seen northbound on Willowbrook Avenue in a black 4-door sedan, the department said in a Facebook post. The office has cautioned the public from spreading information on Twitter about who the gunman could potentially be, as they said posts identifying the alleged shooter had the wrong person. Currently, there is a social media post that is being circulated which identifies a male out of the Los Angeles area as the suspect responsible for the ambush of our 2 deputies yesterday. This is ERRONEOUS information and there are no named or wanted suspects at this time, the office read. The shooting on Saturday happened hours after hundreds of demonstrators took to the streets to protest the death of Dijon Kizzee, who died during a police shooting with the department. Officers with the county have faced criticism for police brutality and racism from the public. But it was unclear if the protests were related to the shooting later that evening. Of course, theres an important conversation going on about policing in this country, but these are folks who put their lives on the line for us, and we will find justice for them, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said on CNN Sunday. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - September 15, 2020) - SilverCrest Metals Inc. (TSX: SIL) (NYSE: SILV) ("SilverCrest" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the appointment of Tara Hassan as Vice President, Corporate Development. Ms. Hassan is a mining engineer with over 15 years of industry experience, including mine operations, mining technology, project development, and capital markets. After working at several open pit and underground mine operations, she spent the bulk of her career as an equity research analyst covering the precious metals sector. Her work as an analyst included coverage of early stage companies through to established producers, with a notable track record for identifying takeover targets. Ms. Hassan graduated from the Robert M. Buchan Department of Mining at Queen's University and holds her P.Eng in Ontario. Chris Ritchie, President remarked, "We are excited to add Tara to the team ahead of what will be a pivotal year for SilverCrest. As we approach the completion of our Las Chispas Feasibility Study in Q4 2020, we welcome Tara's technical and capital markets experience. Tara's addition further complements our highly experienced and dedicated team, which remains focused on moving Las Chispas forward and driving additional value through the drill bit both at Las Chispas, and the recently acquired El Picacho property." ABOUT SILVERCREST METALS INC. SilverCrest is a Canadian precious metals exploration company headquartered in Vancouver, BC, that is focused on new discoveries, value-added acquisitions and targeting production in Mexico's historic precious metal districts. The Company's current focus is on the high-grade, historic Las Chispas mining district in Sonora, Mexico. The Las Chispas Project consists of 28 mineral concessions, of which the Company has 100% ownership of where all the resources are located. SilverCrest is the first company to successfully drill-test the historic Las Chispas Property resulting in numerous high-grade precious metal discoveries. The Company is led by a proven management team in all aspects of the precious metal mining sector, including taking projects through discovery, finance, on time and on budget construction, and production. N. Eric Fier, CPG, P.Eng Chief Executive Officer SilverCrest Metals Inc. For Further Information: SilverCrest Metals Inc. Contact: Jacy Zerb, Investor Relations Manager Telephone: +1 (604) 694-1730 Fax: +1 (604) 357-1313 Toll Free: 1-866-691-1730 (Canada & USA) Email: info@silvercrestmetals.com Website: www.silvercrestmetals.com 570 Granville Street, Suite 501 Vancouver, British Columbia V6C 3P1 To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/63841 By most objective standards and metrics, the United States is the least racist among the advanced countries of the world. Yet racism has been made into the foremost boogeyman in America of the 21st century. Why? The short answer is that exaggerating the problem of racism is an absolute necessity for many. Racism is the wind under the wings of Marxists in their flight to Utopia, while at the same time, it is useful for the liberal establishment in maintaining its hold on power. The race card is also the glue holding the Democrat coalition together. The two groups that the current obsession on racism hurts are the white middle class and, ironically, black and Hispanic minorities themselves. As for the liberal establishment, it has been fundamental in fomenting a "cancel culture." To be called a racist, even when unfounded, has cost people their employment and careers. Just the accusation can be enough to exclude a person from the public square. Liberals hurl charges of racism against anyone who disagrees with them as a way to bully the opposition into silence. The greatest enemies the liberals see are the populists. They're the ones who had the temerity to notice the glaring failures of the elite in both domestic and foreign matters and who elected Donald Trump. To defuse this threat to their power and privileges, the establishment uses racism to take the focus off their failures while at the same time tarring the opposition as racists. This is why prevalence of racism and its danger are so exaggerated throughout every aspect of society. Racism also divides Americans. Despite media propaganda to the contrary, however, it is President Trump who unites people under the banner of E pluribus unum ("Out of many, one"). Such a concept is an anathema to the liberal establishment. Their action guide is "Divide to conquer," and there's nothing better to do that than race. The Democrats need to instill the fear of a return of Jim Crow to keep blacks voting for them in overwhelming numbers. Without that, the Democrat Party becomes non-competitive. Never mind that Jim Crow laws were Democrat policies. History has been turned upside-down by the schools and media. It is now Republicans who are painted as the racists, coming for blacks with the chains. And as long as blacks accept this false narrative, they will suffer...along with the country as a whole. While the liberal establishment needs racism to stay on top and the Democrats need it to keep blacks on their plantation, the left needs racism to overturn the system. Marxism is based a class struggle between the oppressed and the oppressor. However, the American middle class has constantly turned a deaf ear to appeals for revolution on economic terms. Kevin Portteus of Hillsdale College writes: The contemporary Left has largely abandoned its efforts to revolutionize ordinary Americans, and as a result their contempt for such people is now open and undisguised. The Left disdains them precisely because they are trying to retain elements of traditional American culture like faith and self-reliance. They are deplorable because they have refused to join the revolution. Accordingly, the left has made whiteness the oppressor and everything else the oppressed. The Marxists believe that race will be the issue that sparks their long awaited revolution so they harp on it. Charges of racism are being used to squeeze the middle class from the top by the liberal establishment and by revolutionary Marxists from below. The only thing preventing ordinary Americans from being crushed is President Trump and the resolve of his supporters. The height of irony here is that the established elite are so focused on holding onto their power that they look at the middle class as their enemy without realizing that ordinary Americans are what's standing between them and the revolution. Minister of Foreign Affairs Bogdan Aurescu welcomed, on Tuesday, the US Ambassador in Bucharest, Adrian Zuckerman, and they discussed, among other topics, about the Three Seas Initiative and about the case of Aleksei Navalnii, informs a press release to the MAE, sent to AGERPRES. As regards the Three Seas Initiative, officials considered "the role of this platform in strengthening the Strategic Partnership between the European Union and the United States of America, essential for the security and prosperity of the two shores of the Atlantic," the MAE release shows. Minister Aurescu presented the in-depth cooperation between Romania and Poland within the Three Seas Initiative, as evidenced by recent discussions with his Warsaw counterpart, Zbigniew Rau, with an emphasis on the common Romanian-Polish interest and commitment to implementing priority interconnection projects, in particular the Rail2Sea projects (the modernization and development of the railway corridor between the Polish port of Gdansk and the Port of Constanta) and the Via Carpathia road project. At the same time, Aurescu pointed out that the Initiative must continue to deliver concrete results and maintain its strategic orientation. According to the MAE, the US Ambassador, in his turn, expressed support for the carrying out of strategic interconnection projects on the north-south axis of the Initiative, including Rail2Sea and Via Carpathia. Bogdan Aurescu also highlighted the main conclusions of the official visit to Israel and Palestine on September 2 and 3, especially with regard to the stage of the Middle East Peace Process. He conveyed to the US ambassador that Romania appreciates the role of the United States in the process of normalizing relations in the region, referring to recent developments between Israel and the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, respectively. The head of the Romanian diplomacy highlighted that such initiatives contribute to the improvement of the climate of security and trust in the region, our country encouraging such progress. Bogdan Aurescu reiterated Romania's support for a lasting and comprehensive settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, based on international law and the two-state solution. According to the minister, Romania will continue to support, as indicated in the discussions held during the visit, both in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, as well as in Ramallah, the engagement of the two sides in a constructive dialogue, with a view to resuming the direct negotiations between the two parties aimed at identifying a lasting solution. Ambassador Adrian Zuckerman conveyed the US appreciation for Romania's efforts to support the Peace Process, as a state that traditionally has a balanced approach and a good relationship with both parties involved in the conflict, the MAE release mentions. Minister Bogdan Aurescu and Ambassador Adrian Zuckerman also exchanged assessments and positions on the case of Alexei Navalny, developments in the negotiation of the new START agreement, the situation in the Eastern Mediterranean and Belarus. The US Ambassador voiced his appreciation for the Romanian Government's constant position in supporting the democratic process and the civil society in Belarus, further shows the MAE release. As India and the UK work on a comprehensive roadmap to strengthen their strategic partnership in the next decade, the development of Covid-19 vaccines is a crucial area with potential, foreign secretary Harsh Shringla said on Tuesday. Besides partnering India for improving and augmenting healthcare systems, the UK can take advantage of the countrys economic reforms and Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative to forge new supply and value chains, Shringla said in his address to the inaugural session of the annual UK conference organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Boris Johnson are committed to further strengthen our strategic partnership in the next decade, and a comprehensive roadmap for this is being formulated. While we undertake this exercise...both our countries are in a unique position to forge a truly global partnership and should not miss this opportunity, he said. Referring to work being done by the Serum Institute of India with Oxford University and AstraZeneca on a Covid-19 vaccine, he described the development of vaccines as a crucial area where there is potential for collaboration. Just as Indias pharmaceutical sector played a key role in meeting global demand for medicines during the pandemic, the companies of the two countries can work on developing an affordable and accessible vaccine for Covid-19, he added. The issue of secure and reliable supply chains has also gained increased salience in the current global context. It is important to design supply chains which have greater resilience to major disruptions like the current pandemic, Shringla said. By increasing its domestic capacities, India can contribute to making global supply chains more resilient by mitigating disruptions, he said. The Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative for self-reliance needs to be seen in this context as it is not about seeking self-centred arrangements or economic isolationism, he said. It aims to ensure Indias position as a key participant in global supply chains, Shringla added. The pandemic led to the acceleration of reforms with the launch of the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative, whereby India rolled out a stimulus package of $270 billion, or close to 10% of the GDP. This ensured that India received more than $20 billion of foreign direct investment (FDI) in 2020, he said. While the global FDI declined by 1% in 2019, FDI into India rose by 20% in the same period. Several global technology majors have announced major investments in India. Google is investing $10 billion, Facebook $5 billion and Mubadala, the UAE Sovereign Wealth Fund, $1.2 billion, he said. Pointing to the complementary nature of the Indian and British economies, Shringla said the UK is strong in research and innovation while India offers scale and affordability. I would invite British companies to take advantage of the economic opportunities opened up by the reforms currently underway in India, he added. India emerged the second largest source of FDI for the UK in 2019. Around 850 Indian companies in the UK employ more than 100,000 people and bilateral trade touched 24 billion last year. The UK is the sixth largest investor in India, with investments totalling $28.21 billion till date. Details of ByteDances deal with Oracle for control of TikTok are beginning to come into focus. ByteDances partnership with Oracle will place TikToks global business in a new US-headquartered company with Oracle investing as a minority shareholder, the Financial Times reports. The partnership, which could be made official as soon as Tuesday, according to Reuters, will bring TikToks months-long drama over its ownership to an end. Under the arrangement, TikToks headquarters for the entire app, not just its American operations, will move to the US. ByteDance will keep the apps recommendation algorithm, while TikToks data will be processed independently by Oracle, according to the FT. American user data will be stored by Oracle in the US. Donald Trump had previously set a Sept. 15 deadline for TikTok to become an American company or face a ban in the US. Microsoft had also teamed up with Walmart on a bid, which was ultimately rejected. The fate of TikToks algorithm, which powers the apps endless feed of personalized videos, had become the latest sticking point in recent weeks. China imposed new trade rules to control the export of AI software, and reports indicated ByteDance would be unwilling to part with the technology. At the same time, Trump and US officials have insisted the app, which has 100 million users in the US, could pose a threat to national security if the Chinese government were to force ByteDance to hand over US user data. ByteDances arrangement with Oracle would seem to address those concerns at least on the surface as it would move Americans data to the US, while allowing ByteDance to hang onto its algorithm. ByteDance has also reportedly promised to bring 20,000 jobs to the US. But the prospect of a deal that ultimately allows ByteDance to continue to control TikTok, and its algorithm, has also sparked criticism. In an open letter to Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley argued that anything short of a full sale of TikTok and its underlying technology would not satisfy national security concerns about the app. A TikTok spokesperson pointed to the companys previous statement on the negotiations. "We can confirm that we've submitted a proposal to the Treasury Department which we believe would resolve the Administration's security concerns, the spokesperson said. This proposal would enable us to continue supporting our community of 100 million people in the US who love TikTok for connection and entertainment, as well as the hundreds of thousands of small business owners and creators who rely upon TikTok to grow their livelihoods and build meaningful careers. The Bucharest Stock Exchange (BVB) has launched the first Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG)-focused initiative on the Romanian capital market, which aims to provide high-level ESG insights for BVB-listed companies, according to a press statement released on Tuesday. Utilising Sustainalytics' flagship ESG Risk Ratings, BVB's goal is to make available top-line ESG research and ratings for the majority of companies listed on its exchange, to promote responsible investing and highlight the importance of ESG standards among Romanian market participants. The initiative also aims to encourage local companies to align their business strategies with ESG practices, which have witnessed a spectacular growth globally in recent years."We have recently noticed a substantial increase in the investor and issuer interest towards the implementation of ESG standards on the Bucharest Stock Exchange. We consider this project as an important pillar in our plans to develop the local capital markets infrastructure. We aim to implement the best international standards by working with Sustainalytics, a leading global provider of ESG research, ratings and data," says Adrian Tanase, CEO of the Bucharest Stock Exchange.Sustainalytics' ESG Risk Ratings are designed to help investors identify and understand financially material ESG risks in their portfolio companies and how that risk might affect performance. The ratings measure a company's exposure to industry-specific material ESG risks and how well a company is managing those risks.Comparable across all industries, Sustainalytics' ESG Risk Ratings provide a quantitative measure of unmanaged ESG risk and distinguish between five levels of risk: negligible, low, medium, high and severe."Investors are increasingly seeking more information on how corporations are managing the ESG issues that are material to their business. Sustainalytics is delighted to be working with BVB to bring this information to Romanian market participants. Access to high-level ESG insights will provide investors with greater transparency into how companies are addressing these critical issues and this initiative will additionally raise further awareness of responsible investing," says Simon MacMahon, Executive Vice President of Research Products, Sustainalytics.According to BVB, ESG standards represent of set of norms taken into consideration by investors in their decision making process. ESG standards are made of three components: Environment - the environmental impact and externalities derived from the activity of the company, Social - the relationships with the stakeholders and Governance - encompassing the corporate governance rules and best practices. New Delhi: Communal incidents have declined significantly since the Narendra Modi dispensation assumed office and no such major episode occurred in the near 32-month period, Union minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said on Tuesday. Addressing the inaugural session of the annual conference of state minority commissions, Naqvi hailed the Modi government for creating an atmosphere wherein minorities are becoming part of the countrys development process. He, however, cautioned the political establishment of the country to remain alert and work with honesty for empowerment of minorities as he said that its accountability will be tested every six months when elections take place in some or the other parts of the country. The minister also asserted that the constitutional rights of the minorities are absolutely safe and secure in the country and no one can weaken them. There is a significant decline in communal incidents in the the NDA governments tenure of about 32 months and no major communal incident occurred during this period, he said. The Narendra Modi-led governments empowerment without appeasement policy has created an atmosphere where minorities are also becoming part of the development process, he said. To buttress his point, the minister said the National Commission for Minorities (NCM) received 2,638 complaints in 2013-14. During the next fiscal, the number of complaints came down to 1,995. The Commission received 1,974 complaints in 2015-16 and until December 31, 2016, has obtained 1,288 grievances. Most of these complaints were related to individual disputes. Still, we want to stop every single such incident which disturbs social fabric of the country, he said, reiterating that the NDA government has zero tolerance for such incident. Naqvi said confidence can be created among the people only when communities feel they are equal partners of development of this country. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Representative image Toyota Kirloskar Motor has decided to halt expansion blaming the high taxes levied on automobiles in the country. At a time when Prime Minister Narendra Modi is trying to bring in global countries to scale production in India, the Vice Chairman of Toyota has said that due to the high taxes on cars and motorcycles, ownership becomes a problem for customers thereby making it difficult for companies to scale up. In an interview with Bloomberg, Vice Chairman, Shekar Viswanathan said, The message we are getting, after we have come here and invested money, is that we dont want you. Vishwanathan also made it clear that if reforms are not made to the current situation, Toyota may not exit India, but they do not plan to expand either. According to Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA), Toyota, operational in India since 1997 has a relatively small market share which has also decreased from 5 percent last year to 2.6 percent in August, this year. According to report, taxes on the SUVs and two-wheelers attracts taxes as high 28 percent not including the taxes depending on vehicle type, which by itself range from 1 percent to 22 percent. Vishwanathan says that such a tax structure makes it prohibitive to launch new products as foreign investment becomes more difficult while the automakers margins also suffer. Youd think the auto sector is making drugs or liquor, he said. New financing, led by Icon Ventures, will allow Volansi to rapidly scale in the US and global emerging markets SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Volansi, Inc. , the leader in vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) middle-mile drone delivery services, today announced that it has closed $50 million in a Series B round of funding. Led by Icon Ventures, other participants in this financing include existing investors Lightspeed Venture Partners and YCombinator as well as new investors Harpoon Ventures and Merck Global Health Innovation Fund. In addition to the company's funding, Volansi also announced Joe Horowitz, managing partner of Icon, and Barry Eggers, founding partner of Lightspeed, will join its Board of Directors. Volansi provides automated point-to-point drone delivery services for time-critical parts and urgent medical supplies for enterprise customers and the U.S. Department of Defense. This new funding will allow Volansi to build on current momentum by expanding its team, launching new projects and scaling current initiatives in both emerging markets and in the US. "The combination of our best in class cargo drones and unique software platform set us apart from others in the industry," said Hannan Parvizian, CEO and Co-Founder of Volansi. "Closing our Series B with such high-quality investors, especially during these challenging times, is further testament to the venture capital community's confidence in our business and will allow us to keep pushing the envelope of mobility and robotics." "The drone market is very crowded with all sorts of players, but after getting to know Hannan and his team and doing an extensive amount of due diligence, especially with Volansi's key customers and distribution partners, it became abundantly clear that the company is well-positioned to rapidly build a huge business," said Joe Horowitz of Icon. "We are particularly excited about Volansi's unique ability to address the medical community with urgent vaccine delivery, particularly in looking ahead to a post-COVID world." With $25 million of prior capital provided by Lightspeed and other investors, Volansi developed and brought to market first-of-their-kind autonomous drones , including the VOLY M20 and VOLY C10. The VOLY C10, the workhorse of Volansi's UAV fleet, carries up to 10-pounds of cargo over 50 miles. The aircraft has already performed operations in Africa, the Caribbean, and the US. The VOLY M20, is a dual role aircraft with the ability to simultaneously carry up to 20-pounds of cargo in addition to 10-pounds of sensor payloads. It has a 350-mile range, a cruising speed of 75 mph, and more than eight hours of endurance for sensor operations. "The Volansi team has made significant progress since Lightspeed led the company's Series A back in 2019," said Barry Eggers, founding partner of Lightspeed. "We've been impressed by the leadership and team's ability to innovate and execute, and we are looking forward to deepening our partnership during this next phase of growth." About Volansi Volansi provides fast, on-demand aerial delivery services for time-critical shipments over long ranges. We build and operate long-range, heavy-payload drones for commercial, defense, and humanitarian applications. Leveraging drone technology as a transportation method, we help our customers gain control of their supply chain by delivering critical equipment (and aid) where it otherwise faced unpredictable delays- helping to save time, money, and lives. To learn more, visit volansi.com or follow us on Twitter ( twitter.com/volans_i ). About Icon Ventures Icon Ventures believes that great companies start with extraordinary entrepreneurs. Based in Palo Alto and San Francisco, Icon Ventures is a venture capital firm specializing in Series B and C financings. With over $1 billion under management, Icon leads financings alongside the most successful early-stage venture firms in companies that are category winners. Icon Ventures has generated numerous successful exits, including market-leading companies such as Aster Data (Teradata), Bill.com (BILL), FireEye (FEYE), 41st Parameter (Experian), Infinera (INFN), MoPub (Twitter), Opcity (News Corp), Palo Alto Networks (PANW), Proofpoint (PFPT) and Teladoc (TDOC). For more information visit: iconventures.com and follow @iconventures Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 1 anno fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili. Power Transformer Market Analysis 2019 - 2029 Future Market Insights published its recent report on the global power transformer market, which comprises of the global industry analysis for 2014-2018 & opportunity assessment for 2019-2029. It includes a comprehensive assessment of relevant and related market dynamics. After conducting a complete analysis on the historical as well as current growth prospective of the power transformer market, the growth predictions for the market are obtained with maximum accuracy. Power Transformer Market Taxonomy The global power transformer market is segmented into six segments in detail to cover every aspect of the market and present complete market intelligence to the reader Type Core Shell Insulation Dry Wet Phase Single Phase Three Phase End Use Residential & Commercial Utilities Industrial Voltage 100-200kV 200-400 kV Above 400 kV Application Generation Step-up Transmission Region North America Latin America Europe South Asia East Asia Oceania MEA For more insights into the Market, request a sample of this report@ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-10800 Chapter 01 Executive Summary The report begins with the executive summary of the power transformer market, which includes a summary of the key findings and statistics. It also includes the market value (~US$ million) estimates of prime segments of the power transformer market. Chapter 02 Market Overview Readers can find detailed taxonomy and definitions for the power transformer market in this chapter, which will help them understand basic information about the power transformer market. This section also highlights the inclusions and exclusions, which help readers understand the scope of the power transformer market. Chapter 03 Key Market Trends The report provides key market trends that are expected to impact the market growth significantly during the forecast period. Detailed industry trends are provided in this section, along with key market developments and product innovations. Chapter 04 Key Success Factors This section includes key inclusions of the report. It includes the product adoption & usage analysis, opportunity analysis, and manufacturer strategies for market expansion. Chapter 05 Global Power Transformer Market: Demand (Volume in Units) Analysis 2014-2018 & Forecast 2019-2029 This section explains the global market volume analysis and forecast for the power transformer market. Chapter 06 Global Power Transformer Market: Pricing Analysis This section highlights the average prices of power transformers. The pricing benchmark for manufacturer-level pricing and region-level pricing is analyzed in this section. Chapter 07 Global Power Transformer Market: Demand (Value or Size in US$ Mn) Analysis 2014-2018 & Forecast 2019-2029 This section explains the global market value analysis and forecast for the power transformer market during 2014-2029. This chapter includes detailed analysis of the historical power transformer market, along with an opportunity analysis for the future. Readers can also find absolute $ opportunity for the current year (2019-2020) and incremental $ opportunity for the forecast period (2019-2029). Chapter 08 - Market Background This chapter explains the key macroeconomic factors that are expected to influence the growth of the power transformer market over the forecast period. This section highlights the opportunity analysis and key market dynamics of the power transformer market such as drivers, restraints, trends, and opportunities. Chapter 9 Global Power Transformer Market Analysis 2014-2018 & Forecast 2019-2029, by Type Based on type, the power transformer market is segmented into core and shell. In this chapter, readers can find information about the key trends and developments in the power transformer market and market attractiveness analysis based on type. Chapter 10 Global Power Transformer Market Analysis 2014-2018 & Forecast 2019-2029, by Insulation This chapter provides details about the power transformer market on the basis of insulation dry and wet. In this chapter, readers can also understand the market attractiveness analysis for these divisions. Chapter 11 Global Power Transformer Market Analysis 2014-2018 & Forecast 2019-2029, by Voltage Based on voltage, the power transformer market is segmented into 100-200kV, 200-400 kV, and above 400 kV power transformers. In this chapter, readers can find information about the key trends and developments in the power transformer market and market attractiveness analysis based on voltage rating. Chapter 12 Global Power Transformer Market Analysis 2014-2018 & Forecast 2019-2029, by Phase This chapter provides details about the power transformer market on the basis of phase single phase and three phase. In this chapter, readers can also understand the market attractiveness analysis for these divisions. Chapter 13 Global Power Transformer Market Analysis 2014-2018 & Forecast 2019-2029, by End Use This chapter provides details about the power transformer market on the basis of end use residential & commercial, utilities, and industrial. In this chapter, readers can understand the market attractiveness analysis based on end use. Chapter 14 Global Power Transformer Market Analysis 2014-2018 & Forecast 2019-2029, by Application This chapter provides details about the power transformer market on the basis of application generation step-up and transmission. In this chapter, readers can also understand the market attractiveness analysis for these divisions. Chapter 15 Global Power Transformer Market Analysis 2014-2018 & Forecast 2019-2029, by Region This chapter explains how the power transformer market will grow across several geographic regions such as North America, Latin America, Europe, South Asia, East Asia, Oceania, and the Middle East & Africa (MEA). Chapter 16 North America Power Transformer Market Analysis 2014-2018 & Forecast 2019-2029 This chapter includes detailed analysis of the growth of the power transformer market in North America, along with a country-wise assessment that includes the U.S. and Canada. Readers can also find regional trends, regulations, and market growth based on end uses and countries in North America. Chapter 17 Latin America Power Transformer Market Analysis 2014-2018 & Forecast 2019-2029 This chapter provides the growth scenario of the power transformer market in Latin American countries such as Mexico, Brazil, and the Rest of Latin America. Along with this, an assessment of the market across target segments has been provided. Chapter 18 Europe Power Transformer Market Analysis 2014-2018 & Forecast 2019-2029 This chapter provides the growth scenario of the power transformer market in the Europe region with detailed country level analysis of Germany, the U.K., Spain, France, Italy, BENELUX, Russia, and the Rest of Europe. Chapter 19 South Asia Power Transformer Market Analysis 2014-2018 & Forecast 2019-2029 This chapter provides the growth scenario of the power transformer market in South Asian countries such as India, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Rest of South Asia. Along with this, an assessment of the market across target segments has been provided. Chapter 20 East Asia Excluding Oceania Power Transformer Market Analysis 2014-2018 & Forecast 2019-2029 This chapter provides the growth scenario of the power transformer market in East Asian countries such as Japan, China, and South Korea. Along with this, an assessment of the market across target segments has been provided. Chapter 21 Oceania Power Transformer Market Analysis 2014-2018 & Forecast 2019-2029 This chapter provides the growth scenario of the power transformer market in countries in Oceania such as Australia and New Zealand. Along with this, an assessment of the market across target segments has been provided. Chapter 22 MEA Power Transformer Market Analysis 2014-2018 & Forecast 2019-2029 This chapter provides the growth scenario of the power transformer market in countries in Middle East & Africa such as GCC countries, Turkey, Northern Africa, South Africa and the Rest of MEA. Along with this, an assessment of the market across target segments has been provided. Chapter 23 Market Structure Analysis In this chapter, readers can find detailed information about the tier analysis and market concentration of key players in the power transformer market, along with their market presence analysis by region and product portfolio. For Information On The Research Approach Used In The Report, Request Methodology@ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/askus/rep-gb-10800 Chapter 24 Competition Analysis This chapter includes company overview, revenue shares, strategic overview, and recent company developments. Some of the key market players featured in the report are ABB, General Electric, Schneider Electric, Siemens AG, Toshiba Corporation, Eaton, and Kirloskar Electric, among others. Chapter 25 Assumptions and Acronyms This chapter includes a list of acronyms and assumptions that provide a base to the information and statistics included in the power transformer market report. Chapter 26 Research Methodology This chapter helps readers understand the research methodology followed to obtain several conclusions as well as important qualitative and quantitative information about the power transformer market. September 15, 2020 As announced today by Petrobras, SBM Offshore confirms it has entered into negotiations with Petrobras for a charter contract for the FPSO Almirante Tamandare which will operate in the Buzios field which is part of the Santos basin, offshore Brazil. The anticipated production capacity of the unit is 225,000 barrels of oil and 12 million m3 of gas per day. If and when an agreement is reached, SBM Offshore will inform the market. Corporate Profile The Company's main activities are the design, supply, installation, operation and the life extension of floating production solutions for the offshore energy industry over the full lifecycle. The Company is market leading in leased floating production systems, with multiple units currently in operation. As of December 31, 2019, the Company employed approximately 4,450 people worldwide spread over offices in our key markets, operational shore bases and the offshore fleet of vessels. SBM Offshore N.V. is a listed holding company headquartered in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. It holds direct and indirect interests in other companies. Where references are made to SBM Offshore N.V. and /or its subsidiaries in general, or where no useful purpose is served by identifying the particular company or companies "SBM Offshore" or "the Company" are sometimes used for convenience. For further information, please visit our website at www.sbmoffshore.com . The Management Board Amsterdam, the Netherlands, September 15, 2020 Financial Calendar Date Year Trading Update 3Q 2020 - Press Release November 12 2020 Full Year 2020 Earnings - Press Release February 11 2021 Annual General Meeting of Shareholders April 7 2021 Trading Update 1Q 2021 - Press Release May 12 2021 Half Year 2021 Earnings - Press Release August 5 2021 Trading Update 3Q 2021 - Press Release November 11 2021 For further information, please contact: Investor Relations Bert-Jaap Dijkstra Group Treasurer and IR Telephone: +31 (0) 20 236 3222 Mobile: +31 (0) 6 21 14 10 17 E-mail: bertjaap.dijkstra@sbmoffshore.com Website: www.sbmoffshore.com Media Relations Vincent Kempkes Group Communications Director Telephone: +31 (0) 20 236 3170 Mobile: +31 (0) 6 25 68 71 67 E-mail: vincent.kempkes@sbmoffshore.com Website: www.sbmoffshore.com Disclaimer Some of the statements contained in this release that are not historical facts are statements of future expectations and other forward-looking statements based on management's current views and assumptions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance, or events to differ materially from those in such statements. Such forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties, which may cause actual results and performance of the Company's business to differ materially and adversely from the forward-looking statements. Certain such forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "believes", "may", "will", "should", "would be", "expects" or "anticipates" or similar expressions, or the negative thereof, or other variations thereof, or comparable terminology, or by discussions of strategy, plans, or intentions. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in this release as anticipated, believed, or expected. SBM Offshore NV does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update any industry information or forward-looking statements set forth in this release to reflect subsequent events or circumstances. Nothing in this press release shall be deemed an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, any securities. Attachment The first wave is over, thousands have been buried, and in a city that was once a global coronavirus epicentre, the hospital is calling back the survivors. They are drawing blood, examining hearts, scanning lungs and asking about their lives. Twenty people per day; measuring what the coronavirus has left in its wake. How are you feeling? a doctor recently asked a 54-year-old who still can't ascend a flight of steps without losing her breath. I feel like I'm 80 years old, the woman said. Six months ago, Bergamo was a startling warning sign of the viruss fury, a city where sirens rang through the night and military trucks lined up outside the public hospital to ferry away the dead. Bergamo has dramatically curtailed the virus's spread, but it is now offering another kind of warning, this one about the long aftermath, where recoveries are proving incomplete and sometimes excruciating. Those who survived the peak of the outbreak in March and April are now negative. The virus is officially gone from their systems. But we are asking: Are you feeling cured? Almost half the patients say no, said Serena Venturelli, an infectious-disease specialist at the hospital. A patient gets an X-ray at a Bergamo convention centre, converted for Covid-19 patients in the spring and now used for follow-up care (Alberto Bernasconi for The Washington Post) The follow-ups are the basis for medical research: data on the patients now fills 17 bankers boxes, and scientific reports are on the way. Bergamo doctors say the disease clearly has full-body ramifications but leaves wildly differing marks from one patient to the next, and in some cases few marks at all. Among the first 750 patients screened, some 30 per cent still have lung scarring and breathing trouble. The virus has left another 30 per cent with problems linked to inflammation and clotting, such as heart abnormalities and artery blockages. A few are at risk of organ failure. Beyond that, according to interviews with eight Pope John XXIII Hospital doctors involved in the work, many patients months later are dealing with a galaxy of daily conditions and have no clear answer on when it will all subside: leg pain, tingling in the extremities, hair loss, depression, severe fatigue. A patient gets his respiration rate checked (Alberto Bernasconi for The Washington Post) Some patients had preexisting conditions, but doctors say survivors are not simply experiencing a version of old problems. We are talking about something new, said Marco Rizzi, the head of the hospitals infectious-disease unit. One patient, Giuseppe Vavassori, 65, has developed short-term memory loss and now lives under a mountain of Post-it notes and handwritten reminders, with names and phone numbers, so he can still run his funeral home business. A post-Covid MRI showed dot-like lesions on his brain. Under an oxygen helmet, he willed himself to stay awake for five days. 'It's like when you are on a high mountain in the cold. If you fall asleep, you die' Another, Guido Padoa, 61, recovered well enough that he was able to go on vacation this summer. But he sleeps four extra hours per night and sometimes falls asleep suddenly midday, head on the computer keyboard. Some patients who were self-reliant before contracting the virus remain so weakened that, when they arrive for their follow-up appointments, theyre helped to the waiting room by relatives, or in wheelchairs. Four people so far were too frail to make it through the several hours of testing and were rushed instead to the emergency room. Other times, people show up months later, having been through the worst oxygen support, intubations and are, improbably, almost fine. Doctors say one of the virus's mysteries is how recoveries can be swift for some and brutal for others. Venturelli mentioned a man in his 80s whod come in for his follow-up visit, mostly recovered. His son, whod also been infected, hadnt fared as well. Italy trials new coronavirus 'smart helmet' When Venturelli tried to refer the father to a specialist, he said he was too busy these days. Cover had turned the father into his son's caretaker. The Bergamo research is being led by the same doctors who worked frantic 14-hour days in March, sometimes falling sick themselves, while watching patients rapidly outnumber the beds. Now, wearing just masks, those same doctors and patients are sitting down together in a way that was impossible months ago. We did feel a moral obligation to call them back, said Venturelli, who helped start the study in early May. It was such a tsunami for us. What we saw in March was a tragedy, not a normal hospitalisation. Bergamo, in March, was a place with six-hour waits for ambulances and 16-hour waits in the ER. At one point, the hospital had 92 people on ventilators compared with 143 now in all of Italy and so many who required breathing assistance that it needed to pipe in oxygen from a rush-delivered emergency tank. Patients in a waiting room at the Pope John XXIII Hospital annex in Bergamo (Alberto Bernasconi for The Washington Post) In the province of 1.1 million people, 10,000 were hospitalised, including more than 2,000 at Pope John XXIII. I have a picture in my mind from that time of the ER with eight ambulances queuing outside, said doctor Monica Casati. Inside the hospital, she said, people were crying, moaning and gasping for air. It was a noise that would remind you of Dantes inferno, she said. The hospital was admitting only the worst cases, and to keep pace with the influx, it sometimes had to discharge patients before they were fully ready something confirmed when the hospital started calling people for the follow-ups. In addition to the 440 people who died while hospitalised, 220 died after being told to go home. The study in Bergamo is one of multiple efforts around the world to examine aspects of Covids lingering damage. One German study of 100 people found that nearly 80 per cent had heart abnormalities several months after infection. Other studies are under way to look specifically at long-haulers a subset of people, some never hospitalised, who nonetheless have fatigue and other symptoms months after the illness. Funeral home owner Giuseppe Vavassori developed short-term memory loss in the aftermath of the coronavirus (Alberto Bernasconi for The Washington Post) Some of the doctors in Bergamo see reasons for encouragement in their findings, especially given the severity of what patients faced in March and April and the trial-and-error treatments they were given. They say that patients breathing seems to gradually improve, even though the lung scarring is permanent. Doctors have found nobody with a fever. Many of them coming in for repeat visits, they are doing better now than they were in May, said Caterina Conti, a lung specialist. For the patients who have been able to regain a semblance of their lives, the last barrier is the trauma itself the raw memory of being in a hospital where so many were dying, and wondering if they might be next. Eugenio Poletti de Chaurand, a surgeon at Pope John XXIII Hospital, contracted coronavirus in March. Hes made almost a full recovery (Alberto Bernasconi for The Washington Post) Padoa, a photographer, said he remembers hearing others in his ward struggling to breathe, and seeing hospital workers remove the bodies, change the bedsheets. With his own lungs on the brink of failure, he worried what might happen if he let his eyes close, so he drew on his training four decades earlier as a paratrooper. Under an oxygen helmet, as it beeped and hissed, he willed himself to stay awake for five days, he said. It's like when you are on a high mountain in the cold, Padoa said. If you fall asleep, you die. But the gravest patients of all, like Mirco Carrara, 55, have no recovery in sight. By the time he arrived for his follow-up, it was late August, and he'd moved back into his home on the outskirts of Bergamo. He'd started going to work again, as a manager at a military parts company. But he was also coming to terms with how drastically his life had changed. There were now fungus-filled bubbles inside his lungs, each a bomb-like threat that could critically impair his breathing if it burst He had spent more than a month in a medically induced coma. In the middle of that, he was transferred on a German medevac plane to a hospital in Cologne. Doctors there saw that his lungs had developed not only scars but also a fungal infection. He was removed from the ventilator, re-intubated after his lung collapsed, then removed again. By the time he returned, conscious, to a rehabilitation centre in Italy, he had lost 45 pounds. He needed to relearn to swallow and stand. Mirco Carrara experienced a severe bout of covid and now lives with the risk of fungus-filled bubbles exploding in his lungs (Alberto Bernasconi for The Washington Post) Even that he had felt capable of doing, until doctors told him one more thing. The full trauma of Covid the ventilation, the treatment, the compounding infections meant there were now fungus-filled bubbles inside his lungs, each a bomb-like threat that could critically impair his breathing if it burst. I started crying, Carrara said. Up until that point, I had thought I'd be able to recover. In an interview, Simone Benatti, the doctor at Pope John XXIII who consulted with Carrara, described the air and fungus bubbles as a bad complication and mentioned a separate Italian study showing that some deceased Covid victims were found to have bacterial or fungal abscesses in their lungs. There is an interplay between Covid and other infections, Benatti said. [Sleeping pills were] the one way to briefly quiet his mind six months after being infected with Covid-19 Carrara said the bubbles were like a Damocles sword, and soon enough, in early June, a cough sent his oxygen levels dipping. His girlfriend rushed him to the hospital. He had a tube inserted into his lungs for a week. A month later, it happened again dipping oxygen; another hospital trip; another surgery to drain his lung except this time, he wasn't even sure what set it off. He felt a rage about his body. He said he wished the surgeon would just cut my lung out. He arrived for his follow-up in Bergamo carrying a thick stack of medical paperwork and figured there was only so much more about his body he cared to know. Carrara's daily medication regimen (Alberto Bernasconi for The Washington Post) Like the others, he submitted to a CT scan, an echocardiogram and blood tests. But when filling out a survey about how he was feeling and coping, he checked all the boxes in the middle, he said moderate, good, OK. I lied, Carrara said. He didnt mention how deep his despair has been, as he comes to grips with his lungs. He didnt mention the guilt he felt, wondering if he passed the virus to his father, who had not survived. He didnt mention his first nights back home, when he lay fully awake, one night and then two nights and then three. He didnt say how his partner then said enough was enough, and went to the pharmacy to get sleeping pills, and how hed agreed to take them, because that was the one way to briefly quiet his mind six months after being infected with Covid-19. The bubbles will remain. Theyre not going anywhere, Carrara said, and he figured it was just a matter of time before he was back in the hospital again. I live with this terror, he said. Scott Morrison has warned that coronavirus is 'keeping us from living' as he urges state premiers to open up their borders and economies. In a speech in Newcastle, NSW on Tuesday, the prime minister said Australia's coronavirus response can only be considered a success if jobs are saved. 'During this pandemic we continue to do better than almost every other developed country in the world when it comes to protecting lives and livelihoods,' he said. Locals wearing facemasks walk along the South Melbourne Beach on Monday Scott Morrison has warned that coronavirus is 'keeping us from living' as he urges state premiers to open up their borders and economies 'But as long as we are closed, we cannot claim success, as a country. If we are shut, we are not living alongside the virus, the virus is actually keeping us from living.' Victoria premier Daniel Andrews on Tuesday announced that regional Victoria will be allowed out of lockdown from Wednesday night. Melbourne will remain locked down until it has fewer than five cases per day, which is expected to take until October 26. The prime minister said: 'So as we emerge from this second wave in Victoria, and I had a good message from the Victorian Premier this morning, let's now seize the opportunity ahead of us to safely and successfully reopen this country, reconnect this country, and stay open.' Parents and children taste freedom as playgrounds are opened for the first time in seven weeks in Melbourne Victoria wants restaurants to set up outside to reduce the spread of coronavirus. Pictured: A CGI of what Melbourne may look like Police question a person at a rally against lockdown regulations in Melbourne on Sunday Mr Morrison has been pressuring state governments to open their borders. Queensland and South Australia are closed to Victoria, NSW and the ACT while Tasmania and Western Australia are closed to everyone. The federal coalition has berated the Queensland Labor government over its strict border restrictions which denied a Canberra woman permission to attend her father's funeral. Mr Morrison advocated for Sarah Caisip and Finance Minister Mathias Cormann labelled premier Annastacia Palaszczuk 'cold-hearted and nasty'. Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton called her 'pig-headed'. A dying Queensland father desperate to see his children also caused outrage. He will get to see them but they will be in full PPE and unable to touch. The prime minister has contributed $1000 towards a GoFundMe campaign for the visit. Queensland Health Minister Steven Miles accused the federal government on Saturday of targeting the Labor premier because of their hopes for a Liberal win at the looming October state election. Sarah Caisip (in yellow) was allowed to have a private viewing of her father's body, dressed in PPE and with security guards minding her. She was not allowed to greet her family Australia's state border controls Victoria: Completely open, but other states are banning residents from going there NSW: Border with Victoria is closed but others are open without restriction Queensland: Open to everywhere but Victoria, NSW, and the ACT Northern Territory: Open to everywhere but Victoria and Sydney, which must do hotel quarantine South Australia: Closed to Victoria, NSW and ACT arrivals must self-isolate, rest are open Tasmania: Closed to Victoria, everywhere else must do hotel quarantine Western Australia: Closed to everywhere without an exemption Advertisement 'These restrictions apply in Tasmania, South Australia, Western Australia and the Northern Territory,' he told reporters. 'But did you see Scott Morrison talk about any of those states? 'No you didn't. What you saw was a planned and orchestrated attack.' The NT has announced a significant relaxation of its borders to Sydneysiders from October 9, dropping the two-week quarantine requirement. 'Our hotspots policy is nation-leading and it is working,' chief minister Michael Gunner said. The federal government is aiming to convince the rest of the nation to adopt a hotspot approach, with the topic again on the agenda at next week's national cabinet meeting. New daily cases of COVID-19 are coming in now at a faster pace in Southwest Virginia than any other region in the state. Gov. Ralph Northam said during a news conference Tuesday that he doesnt intend to impose any new restrictions and that he thinks Radford University, Virginia Tech and the local communities are doing a good job of addressing the surge. The most concerning thing about Southwest, and Ill repeat this, is we just dont have the hospitals and especially the ICU capabilities, he said. Northam did not elaborate as to which parts of the vast Southwest region he was talking about, nor was there an opportunity to ask him to explain. The far southwest coalfields experienced a spike in cases in August, and the regions health provider, Ballad Health, shifted services and opened up more COVID-19 beds. Ballad has seen cases trending downward for the past two weeks. In the Roanoke Valley, Carilion Clinic and LewisGale Medical Center have said throughout the pandemic that they have enough capacity and have plans to add COVID-19 units should the need arise. The Salem VA Hospital has also been treating COVID-19 patients. Carilion and LewisGale also provide hospital care in the New River Valley, where there has been a surge of cases mostly in college students, many of whom have had mild or no symptoms. The New River Health District on Tuesday reported it had seven confirmed COVID-19 hospital patients, and six others who are suspected of having the virus. The majority of hospitalized COVID-19 patients throughout Virginia do not need ICU beds. On Tuesday, hospitals statewide reported 1,015 COVID-19 patients, with 228 in intensive care units. Throughout the Southwest region, 153 hospital beds were occupied by COVID-19 patients, with 36 of them in an ICU. Dr. Molly ODell, who is leading the pandemic response for the Roanoke City and Alleghany Health Districts, said during her weekly media call that seven residents are in area hospitals. Wednesday marks the six-month anniversary of the first confirmed local case of COVID-19. That was in a Botetourt County woman who was also the areas first fatality. Since then, 41 people in ODells health districts have died. There are 10 outbreaks, including two in long-term care facilities. So far at least six residents of the Raleigh Court Health and Rehabilitation Center have died. The home reports that it has had 67 cases in residents, with 36 of them current, and 30 in staff, with 19 current infections. The homes information has yet to show up on the Virginia Department of Health dashboard that reports long-term care outbreaks. An outbreak that began Sept. 5 at the Berkshire Health and Rehabilitation Center in Vinton was added Tuesday to the states website. The home reported on its website Tuesday that it had seven cases in patients and four current cases in staff members. Every one of the outbreaks comes down to human behavior, and some pause or breach in infection prevention, ODell said. Routine preventive testing required now in long-term care facilities is picking up cases in people who have the virus but dont have symptoms, she said. But she said people in the community arent always heeding orders to wear face coverings. Well, today, I popped in to get my car inspected, and when I walked in, the person who greeted me to take my keys didnt have a mask on, ODell said. I asked him was he aware he was supposed to, and he said, No. I didnt know it was required. ODell introduced herself, then gave him an education. Do these people not read the newspaper or listen to the radio or watch TV? I dont know. Im dumbfounded, she said. Northam, too, said behavior is key to lowering the spread of the coronavirus. We are doing all the right things with PPE, with testing, with tracing. But its the behavior thats the challenge, and thats up to Virginians, he said. Northam said Virginias numbers would go down if people would wear face coverings, stay clear of large gatherings and practice social distancing. Its that behavior that will put this pandemic behind us. Not testing, not tracing, not PPE, but behavior, and thats what we need to continue to emphasize, he said. The New River Health District has assembled a task force. Its report on Tuesday noted so far there have been 11 deaths in the district and 50 hospitalizations. It reported 52 new cases for the day, and an average of 94 a day during the past week. Returning students to Radford University and Virginia Tech have caused the surge in New River cases. Radfords dashboard Tuesday afternoon showed 40 new positive tests out of the 575 administered by the school and its partners from Sept. 7 to 13. The overall positivity rate sits at 11.39%, down from just over 12% the previous week. Radford has administered 3,486 tests since students began returning to campus in late July, yielding a total of 397 positive tests. Virginia Tech as of Tuesday afternoon showed 13,242 tests given, with 727 students and eight employees testing positive since Aug. 3. Of those, 227 students and five employees tested positive the week of Sept. 8-14. Staff writer Sam Wall contributed information to this report. Concerned about COVID-19? Sign up now to get the most recent coronavirus headlines and other important local and national news sent to your email inbox daily. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Drug and Alcohol Use in College-Age Adults in 2019 Credit: National Institute on Drug Abuse Vaping marijuana and vaping nicotine rose sharply in the past three years among college-age (19-22 years old) adults, according to 2019 survey results from the Monitoring the Future (MTF) study. The percentage of college students who said they vaped marijuana in the past 30 days rose from 5.2% in 2017 to 14% in 2019. The corresponding percentages for their non-college-attending peers increased from 7.8% in 2017 to 17% in 2019. MTF, an ongoing study of the trends in substance use by adolescents and adults in the United States, is funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), part of the National Institutes of Health. The survey is conducted by scientists at the University of Michigan's Institute for Social Research, Ann Arbor. The percentage of college-age adults aged 19 to 22 who vaped nicotine also rose dramatically between 2017 and 2019. In 2017, 6.1% of college students and 7.9% of those not in college said they vaped nicotine in the past month, rising to 22% and 18%, respectively, in 2019. These increases in vaping marijuana and nicotine are among the largest increases in use for any substance reported by the study in its 45-year history. "We are seeing an increasingly concerning trend," said Nora D. Volkow, M.D., director of NIDA. "Many young people may view vaping and cannabis use as 'safer', but the reality is that nicotine is highly addictive, and cannabis can also be addictive, particularly in younger adults for whom the brain is still developing." The MTF study has been annually tracking substance use among college students and non-college adults since 1980. Results are based on data from college students one to four years beyond high school graduation who are enrolled full-time in a two- or four-year college in March of the given year, compared with same-age high school graduates not enrolled full-time in college. The 2019 data also revealed a continued high prevalence of marijuana use among young adults, who are 19 to 22 years old. In 2018, 43% of this groupregardless of college attendancereported using marijuana in the past year, and this percentage was unchanged in 2019. Particularly notable is the prevalence of daily, or near-daily, use of marijuana among those not attending college in 2019at 15%, it is at the highest level since the survey began. This compares to 5.9% of college students who reported daily, or near-daily, use of marijuana. The 2019 MTF survey data reflect drug use patterns prior to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic's impact on substance use and related behaviors and attitudes among the nation's young adults may be reflected in future MTF survey results. The 2020 MTF middle and high school student findings are due to be released later in 2020. Other highlights from the 2019 survey results on college-age adults include: Cigarette smoking continued a downward trend, with 7.9% of college students reporting having smoked in the past month. Among their peers who are not in college, 16% reported having smoked in the past month, an all-time low. Binge drinking (five or more drinks in a row in the past two weeks), which has been declining gradually over the past few decades, showed no significant changes for young adults attending or not attending college. In 2019, 33% of college students and 22% of same-age adults not in college reported binge drinking. High-intensity drinking (10 or more drinks in a row in the past two weeks) has stayed level at about 11% since 2015 for people between the ages of 19 and 22, regardless of college attendance. Prescription opioid misuse continued to decline, with 1.5% of college students and 3.3% of those not attending college reporting non-medical use of opioids (narcotic drugs other than heroin) in the past year. This represents a significant five-year decline from rates of 4.8% and 7.7%, respectively, in 2014. Amphetamine use continued to decline, with 8.1% of college students and 5.9% of noncollege respondents reporting non-medical use of amphetamines in the past year. BAMBERG, S.C., Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- For more than a century, Phoenix Specialty has made small, precision components that are critical to a host of industries all made to the exact specifications of the customer. Phoenix is a fourth-generation family-owned company, with a long history of stability and growth. Built by people with a passion for service, quality and reliability, Phoenix has become a trusted supplier of specialty parts to OEMs around the world over the last 113 years. Since its inception a century ago, a lot has changed. What hasn't changed, however, is Phoenix Specialty's commitment to reliability and dedication to excellence. The company has ensured its growth over the years by making significant investments in their equipment. Phoenix's in-house tool & die shop is home to many state-of-the-art CNC lathes, CNC milling machines and Wire-EDMs. Its production machining department also houses cutting edge equipment, including Swiss screw machines, water jets, CNC lathes, CNC milling machines and numerous stamping presses. Phoenix most recently announced its plans to expand operations in Bamberg County in a $5.5 million dollar investment. The expansion is projected to create 35 additional jobs over the next three years. Made right here in the USA, Phoenix Specialty manufactures parts to exacting standards, for the most technically advanced industries of the 21st century. In fact, Phoenix became one of the first AS9000 certified company in the United States, and later achieved AS9100 accreditation. In a time when supply chain disruptions are becoming more frequent, it would be hard to find a supplier more reliable than Phoenix Specialty. As an essential American-made supplier, Phoenix is dedicated to investing in the future of the industry, its people, customers and facilities. Even during tough economic times, Phoenix has proven their ability to stand the test of time. Since 1907, Phoenix Specialty has been the leading supplier of custom parts to America's Original Equipment Manufacturers. Located in Bamberg, South Carolina, Phoenix delivers high-quality precision parts all made in the USA. Serving all industries, this business has manufactured millions of parts, for thousands of customers worldwide. With an extensive raw materials inventory and an in-house tool & die shop, Phoenix has the capability to produce specialty parts fast. Offering a written Risk-Free Promise and a Managed Inventory System, Phoenix Specialty has made sourcing custom components easy for more than a century. For more information about Phoenix Specialty Mfg. Co., visit PhoenixSpecialty.com. Contact Info: Abby Lee, Marketing Assistant [email protected] 7433 Main Highway Bamberg, SC 29003 803.245.5116 Related Images image1.jpg SOURCE Phoenix Specialty Mfg. Co. Related Links http://PhoenixSpecialty.com From the ignominy of one of the worst public corruption cases in the history of Connecticut arose an idea that has proven beneficial for the health of democracy and become a model for the nation. After then-Gov. John G. Rowland resigned and went to prison on fraud charges a decade and a half ago, lawmakers devised a way to make elections clean take out the campaign contributions of lobbyists and special interest groups. The result is the Citizens Election Program which made campaigning for public office more equitable and thus increased the diversity of the elected body. With time, however the bipartisan public financing was signed into law by then-Gov. M. Jodi Rell in 2005 and went into effect for the 2008 legislative races impetus can fade. That should not happen with the intent of public financing; the commitment must remain strong. The positives are numerous. A report released this week by Common Cause, an independent election watchdog, quantifies the success of the voluntary program. In 2006, before the Citizens Election Program, nearly half of the $9.3 million raised for campaigns came from political action committees, lobbyists and contractors. By the 2018 legislative races, 99 percent of the funding came from individual donations in limited small amounts. The CEPs reliance on these small-donor funds transferred political power from wealthy contributors and businesses back to the people, the report states. To participate, a candidate must raise a certain amount in individual contributions of no more than $270 to qualify for state funds. Those running for state representative need to raise $5,300 from as many as 150 people to be eligible for $30,575 from the state. For state senate, candidates need $16,000 from at least 300 people to receive $104,000. The contributions come from inside the district the people the candidate would represent not outside influences. The limits bring financial equality to the races, and enable a broader range of people to reach for elected office. For example, before the program women held just 28 percent of the seats in the General Assembly, though they are 51.2 percent of the population. By the 2018 election, women were 33 percent of the legislature. State Sen. Gary Winfield, a Democrat from New Haven, said that without the state grants his first run for office as a candidate of color who did not come from money would have been almost impossible. The states pool for funding comes from unclaimed property in the state treasurers office and unredeemed bottle and can deposits. But and heres the threat in recent years the General Assembly has redirected the deposits, as much as $24 million, to the General Fund. It has cut the budget of the State Elections Enforcement Commission and limited the time regulators can investigate irregularities. The Citizens Election Program works at pushing out Big Money influence and bringing in more voices for the people. An unwavering commitment must be maintained. A major campaign promise by the Flagbearer of the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) former President John Mahama to make motorbike transport business legal popularly known as OKADA, has generated a huge row. The latest to wade into this controversy is the National Organiser of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), Sammi Awuku. He has ridiculed John Dramani Mahama, the flagbearer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) on his promise to legalise the okada business should he emerge victorious in the 2020 presidential polls. Mr. Mahama had earlier urged Ghanaians to give him a second chance at the Presidency to enable him right the wrongs of his previous administration. Mahama has thus promised that a new NDC administration will put the interest of the country first. Development takes place in stages. The last time we were in government, it was to improve the road network so we get many of the roads on contract. Unfortunately, because the NDC left office, a lot of these projects came to a standstill. So I can assure Nana that, I am in a unique position because I am the only President who has the opportunity to come back and correct his mistakes. No other President in Ghana can do that. I believe that a new NDC government will be a much better government than the previous one. But Mr. Awuku speaking on Citi TV's, The Point of View on Monday, September 14, 2020, said the law banning the okada business was passed under Mr. Mahama's presidency. The NPP National Organiser said: The NDC under Mr. Mahama for the avoidance of doubt passed the Road Traffic Regulation 2012 (LI 2180) declared okada business illegal. It was under him [Mr. Mahama]. So now, is it one of the mistakes he wants to come and correct? Because in one breath he says he is coming to continue with his good works and in another breath he says, he is coming to correct his mistakes. He [Mr. Awuku] added that the NPP is not against okada but he thinks the NDC intends to hoodwink Ghanaians with the promise. The honest truth is that what the NDC is promising is to hoodwink people but we [NPP] are not against cycle riding because we have established an assembling plant at Tamale in the Northern Region for tricycles. Our plan is not to put lives on the streets and put them at risk. After the consultative process, if we need to support these young ones, we surely will. Okada has come to stay; stop acting like ostriches Mahama to critics John Mahama has called on critics of his promise to legalise the okada business to stop acting like ostriches. According to him, the business has come to stay. He added that okada is the only means of transport for some people in some parts of the country. When I announced our intention to legalise okada and regulate it, there were varied opinions on it. We cannot behave like ostriches with our heads in the sand because it's a business that has come to stay and sustaining many people. We like it or not, it is reality and so it's better we legalise and regulate and make it safe so that they can become part of our transport modes. There are some people who ride motorcycles to work every day because that is the means of transport they can afford. There are those who ride it to deliver parcels, food and other items and there are others who use it for commercial purposes and people sit behind, and they take them from one location to another. If we legalise it, we will be able to make it safer. We will be able to ensure that there is some insurance for the person sitting on it so if anything happens the person is covered. ---CitinewsRoom The number of confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Limerick since late February has reached 880 after a further eight cases of the disease were reported today. The Health Protection Surveillance Centre says it has also been informed that three more people with Covid-19 have died bringing the total number of deaths in Ireland to 1,787. The National Public Health Emergency Team says it has been notified of an additional 357 confirmed cases of the disease. Of the new cases, 218 are in Dublin, 18 in Louth, 12 in Waterford. 11 in Kildare, nine in Cork, nine in Kerry, eight in Limerick, eight in Meath, seven in Westmeath, six in Wicklow, five in Offaly, five in Roscommon, five in Mayo, five in Tipperary and the remaining 32 cases are located in Carlow, Cavan, Clare, Donegal, Galway, Kilkenny, Laois, Leitrim, Monaghan, Sligo and Wexford. Six confirmed cases of Covid-19 were reported in Limerick last night, nine on Sunday, two on Saturday, ten on Friday, eleven on Thursday, zero on Wednesday and 15 last Tuesday. Of the 357 new cases notified nationally today 185 are men and 172 are women with 63% being under 45 years of age. A total of 38% are confirmed to be associated with outbreaks or are close contacts of a confirmed case while 60 cases have been identified as community transmission. Commenting on the latest figures, Dr Ronan Glynn, Acting Chief Medical Officer at the Department of Health, said: "In the first half of 2020, Ireland responded swiftly to a new and unpredictable pandemic. Our collective response suppressed the curve, saved lives and put us on a solid foundation to deal with Covid-19 going forward. Now, we must focus on our response to the pandemic in the medium term." Following publication of the Government's Living with Covid plan, Dr Glynn says the advice remains the same. "The basic preventions against the spread of Covid-19 remain unchanged; wash your hands regularly, physically distance from others including friends and family, wear a face covering, know the symptoms and what to do if you experience them," he said. Meanwhile, it has emerged this Tuesday evening that members of the Cabinet are to self-isolate and restrict their movements as a precaution. It comes after the Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly, felt unwell this afternoon and contacted his GP for a Covid-19 test. It's understood, members of the Cabinet were advised to restrict their movements on foot of guidance from the Acting Chief Medical Officer. The number of Oregonians tested for coronavirus during historic wildfires is likely to plummet to levels not seen since this spring, a senior public health adviser said Monday, with the long-term impact of wildfires on the pandemic unclear. The Oregon Health Authority reported preliminary data showing a 35% decrease in testing last week compared to initial figures from a week earlier. As a result, Oregon may record fewer than 20,000 tests for the week ending Saturday. Officials expect similarly low numbers this week, too, as smoke from wildfires shuts down some testing locations and people with mild symptoms choose not to seek screenings. The long-term consequences of the wildfires may not be seen in coronavirus cases for months. Officials are unsure if transmission will decrease, as more people stay inside, or increase among people displaced by fires and forced to live with others. Public health leaders also worry exposure to hazardous air now could lead to more severe COVID-19 cases among people infected this fall. Of course this is a horrible time for historic wildfire, said Dr. Melissa Sutton, a senior health adviser for the Oregon Health Authority. Sutton added that its more important than ever to mask, to physically distance, to wash your hands, to avoid social gatherings. Sutton said people with coronavirus or smoke exposure may experience similar symptoms, including headache, sore throat, cough, trouble breathing or runny nose. Smoke exposure does not typically lead to fever or diarrhea, two symptoms associated with COVID-19. Oregonians should not assume symptoms are caused by smoke, she said, and seek testing if necessary. Our guidance is that anyone with COVID-like symptoms should be tested for COVID-19, and we want them to seek appropriate medical care, Sutton said. Wildfires now add uncertainty to Oregons battle with the pandemic. The state had been making strong strides containing coronavirus, with average case counts down to about 185 a day -- not quite half the peak from July -- and positivity rates trending down for more than a month. But much of the state is now blanketed in hazardous smoke from wildfires that have burned more than 1 million acres, including blazes in southern Oregon and the Cascade foothills beyond the Portland metro area. Resulting air quality has ranked among the worst in the world. Oregon isnt expected to see improvement in air quality until late in the week, said Gabriela Goldfarb, an environmental public health manager for the state. Fully 10% of recent emergency room visits across Oregon have been for asthma-like symptoms, she said. Those wildfires have already reduced the number of Oregonians tested for coronavirus, according to preliminary statistics released Monday. Just 17,365 people provided test samples last week, although that number will increase as more results are reported to the state. The preliminary figures from the previous week were 26,855, eventually climbing by an additional 13%. But even with an expected increase, the latest weekly testing totals are likely to at the lowest levels since May, when the state saw fewer than 21,500 tests. That is a substantial drop in testing, absolutely, Sutton said. The current weeks testing numbers may be similar. Some test-collection locations, such as two drive-up outdoor sites operated by OHSU, have shut down through at least Tuesday because of smoke. And even the Oregon State Public Health Laboratory, capable of processing hundreds of tests a day, has shut down because of hazardous indoor air quality. Im not certain it would be lower, Sutton said of this weeks testing totals. But I do anticipate it would be similarly low. I think a lot depends on the weather. Reduced testing may also make it more difficult to keep tabs on the states progress in slowing the spread of COVID-19. Data from the states preliminary report Monday showed 5.6% of people tested last week had coronavirus the highest rate since late July. But some of that could be due to the sharp decrease in testing, with sick Oregonians still getting screened and skewing the percentages higher than otherwise, had more people been tested. Sutton said officials will closely monitor the positivity rate with an eye on whether wildfire displacements leads to additional spread. She said transmission could go up or down, with the potential that smokey air keeps people home and fewer people get sick. But theres also concern about spread among people who have moved because of fires, particularly those in congregate settings such as prisons, she said. Anytime you bring new groups of people together, you have an increased risk of COVID transmissions, she said. Sutton said public health officials also worry that smoke inhalation now could potentially increase the severity of COVID-19 among people who become infected. But, she cautioned, we honestly dont know because so much is still being learned about the disease. If anything, Sutton said, perhaps the wildfires can serve as a rallying point for Oregon. Sutton said politics has in some instances hindered public health interventions and shes eager to see improvements. Im also hopeful that these wildfires can bring us together, she said, and sort of refocus us on what we can do collectively. -- Brad Schmidt; bschmidt@oregonian.com; 503-294-7628; @_brad_schmidt A mother takes her baby to a medical center in HCMC to register vaccination against diphtheria, 2020. Photo courtesy of Vietnam Vaccine JSC. A 12-year-old boy from the Central Highlands Kon Tum Province died Sunday in HCMC, becoming Vietnams fourth reported diphtheria death this year. Doctor Nguyen Van Vinh Chau, director of the HCMC Hospital for Tropical Diseases, said the boy, whose name has not been disclosed, was transferred to the hospital at 3 a.m. Sunday, the seventh day after he contracted diphtheria. The disease had triggered heart complications by then. He died 11 hours after being admitted. He had not been vaccinated against diphtheria, Chau said. The earlier dead victims were a nine-year-old girl and a 13-year-old boy from Dak Nong Province and a four-year-old boy from Gia Lai Province, all in the Central Highlands region hit by the diphtheria outbreak since June. The HCMC hospital is currently treating two other cases of diphtheria, also from the Central Highlands. The two have been receiving treatment for more than a month and their health condition is now stable. Vietnam has reported 200 diphtheria cases in the first eight months of this year, mainly in the Central Highlands and the nearby Quang Tri Province in central Vietnam. Low vaccination rates have been blamed for the repeated incidence of diphtheria outbreaks in the region. The General Department of Preventive Medicine under the Health Ministry said last June the vaccination rate for diphtheria in the Central Highlands was just 48-50 percent, leaving the region susceptible to reoccurring outbreaks. In Vietnam, children under two are given free five-in-one vaccine shots that include diphtheria. Diphtheria is an infection caused by the Corynebacterium diphtheria bacterium. It spreads through the air and direct contact. Symptoms include fever, a sore throat, swallowing difficulties, and white patches in the throat that could block the airway. Complications include myocarditis, kidney problems, respiratory failure, inflammation of nerves, coma, and death. on Tuesday said Brickwork Ratings has assigned short-term rating of A1 plus to the company, signifying adequate degree of safety and low credit risk. The rating agency has reaffirmed the long-term rating at AA plus, suggesting high degree of safety and very low credit risk, according to a regulatory filing. The rating committee of Brickwork Ratings has assigned short term rating at 'BWR A1+'. The long term rating has been reaffirmed at 'BWR AA+', the company said in the regulatory filing. The long term rating reaffirmation was on account of long-term liquidity position of the company, comfortable capitalisation, established market positions as one of the largest housing finance among others, it added. The Brickwork A rating to an issuer signifies adequate degree of safety and low credit risk, and AA as of high degree of safety and very low credit risk. The company's total CRAR (capital to risk weighted assets) comfortably stood at 27.94 per cent with Tier 1 CRAR of 21.08 per cent, it said. Experienced promoters and professional management and strengthening the corporate governance and credit practices of the company also helped in the reaffirmation of long term rating to AA+, said. In a QIP closed on Monday, the company raised Rs 682.87 crore and another Rs 522 crore by selling partial stake in the UK-based OakNorth Bank in last few days, taking the total fund mop-up to Rs 1,205 crore. Besides, in top management level changes last month, had appointed former RBI Deputy Governor S S Mundra as its non-executive chairman, who had joined the company's board in 2018 as an independent director. While, promoter and Executive Chairman Sameer Gehlaut stepped down and took over as the chief executive officer of another listed firm promoted by him -- Indiabulls Ventures Ltd. Indiabulls Housing Finance shares closed at Rs 185.85 apiece on BSE, down 1.87 per cent from the previous close. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) ST. LOUIS October at the Saint Louis Zoo offers three special events to kickstart fall Autumn with the Animals. Boo at the Zoo and Halloweekends. Saint Louis Zoos daytime Halloweekends are from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 17, and Sunday, Oct. 18, Saturday, Oct. 24, and Sunday, Oct. 25, and Saturday, Oct. 31. Admission is free to Halloweekends, presented by SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Childrens Hospital, Mid America Chevy Dealers, Wells Fargo, Prairie Farms Dairy, Kiddie Academy, Eckerts Country Store and Farm and Sixlets. Halloweekends include: Pumpkin Stomp n Chomp enrichment for the animals, non-scary Halloween decorations throughout the zoo, More Information Don't forget to make your free reservation! Free, timed-ticket reservations are required to visit the Saint Louis Zoo, and Autumn with the Animals. Visit stlzoo.org/zooreservations to make a reservation. For everyone's safety, the Saint Louis Zoo has implemented enhanced protocols and procedures. Guests age 9 and older are required to wear masks/face coverings - which must cover nose and mouth - while visiting. See stlzoo.org/zooreservations for up-to-date details prior to your visit. See More Collapse fall-themed food for purchase, kids digital activity for families, and the zoos daily schedule, exhibits and attractions open, weather permitting. Free, timed-ticket reservations are required to visit the Saint Louis Zoo and Halloweekends. Visit www.stlzoo.org/zooreservations to make a reservation. See daily schedule at stlzoo.org/halloweekends. Note that this is not a trick-or-treating event and the zoo will close at 4 p.m. for regular daily visitors but reopen doors at 5 p.m. for the ticketed event for ticket holders on the days of those events. Follow the zoo at hashtag stlzoo and hashtag Halloweekends at Facebook.com @stlzoo, Instagram.com @stlzoo and Twitter.com @stlzoo. Autumn with the Animals Enjoy a festive fall day at the zoo with specialty menu items, like, caramel apples and caramel-apple funnel cakes, chicken-apple bratwurst, giant pretzels, Oktoberfest beers and more, available for purchase for a limited time. Take advantage of the cooler weather and visit the zoos animals, exhibits and attractions. Keepers will provide apples and apple-themed enrichment for the animals throughout the day. Families can participate in a kids digital activity throughout the zoo, and kids will receive a craft project to take home. Autumn with the Animals hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 3, and Sunday, Oct. 4, and Saturday, Oct. 10, and Sunday, Oct. 11. Free, timed-ticket reservations are required to visit the Saint Louis Zoo, and Autumn with the Animals. Visit stlzoo.org/zooreservations to make a reservation. For everyones safety, the Zoo has implemented enhanced protocols and procedures. Guests ages 9+ are required to wear masks/face coverings which must cover nose and mouth while visiting. See stlzoo.org/zooreservations for up-to-date details prior to your visit. For more information about Autumn with the Animals, visit stlzoo.org/autumn. Follow the zoo at hashtag stlzoo and hashtag AutumnAtTheZoo at Facebook.com @stlzoo, Instagram.com @stlzoo and Twitter @stlzoo. Autumn with the Animals sponsors are Ambetter from Home State Health, Urban Chestnut Brewing Co., Eckerts Country Store and Farms and 106.5 The Arch. Boo at the Zoo Boo at the Zoo is from 5 to 8:30 p.m. nightly, from Friday, Oct. 16, through Friday, Oct. 30, at the zoo. Note that this is not a trick-or-treating event and the zoo will close at 4 p.m. for regular daily visitors but reopen doors at 5 p.m. for the ticketed event for ticket holders on the days of Boo at the Zoo. General admission costs $8.95 for age 2 through 12 and $9.95 for age 13 and older. Children age 2 and younger get in free. Families can enjoy festive decorations, strolling entertainers, special food and drink menus and more at the Saint Louis Zoos nighttime, non-scary Halloween experience, Boo at the Zoo, presented by SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Childrens Hospital. Timed-ticket reservations are required and must be purchased in advance online at stlzoo.org/boo beginning Thursday, Oct. 1. Capacity is limited and tickets will not be available at the door. Free parking is available on both zoo parking lots during the Boo at the Zoo event hours. Proceeds from the event help the zoo provide the highest quality care for its animals. Halloween decorations, animal encounters Grab a witchs broom and float around the decorated zoo where youll encounter fun photo opportunities at Candy Corn Lane, the Witchy Walk, Ghost Town, Pirates Cove, Fragile Forest Fairyland, Skeleton Picnic, Glowing Jack-o-lantern Tunnel, 10-foot-tall Magic Dragon, Serpents of Historic Hill and much more. Three animal exhibits will be open during the event. Slither into the Charles H. Hoessle Herpetarium to catch sight of turtles, tortoises, frogs, toads, lizards, snakes and more. Spiders, centipedes, beetles and other invertebrates await you at the Bayer Insectarium. Meet stingrays and sharks at Stingrays at Caribbean Cove, presented by SSM Health. Other activities, attractions Eerily draped in cobwebs, the Mary Ann Lee Conservation Carousel transforms into the not-so-spooky Scare-ou-sel. Look for strolling entertainers throughout the event. Souvenirs, food Taste whats brewing for dinner or a snack at zoo cafes. Visit Candy Crossing and Starbucks for fall treats and drinks, shop the boo-tique for souvenirs, and receive 10% off any purchase at zoo gift shops. This years Boo at the Zoo souvenir T-shirt features a hyena dressed up for Halloween. The shirts will be available for purchase online and at select zoo gift shops, while supplies last. Instagram contest Enter the Saint Louis Zoos Instagram contest using hashtag #stlzooboo for a chance to win tickets to the zoos upcoming U.S. Bank Wild Lights and a $75 zoo gift card. Details are available at instagram.com/stlzoo and stlzoo.org/boo. Costume policy, safety measures Family friendly Halloween costumes are encouraged. Costume masks are not permitted for any age. For everyones safety, the Saint Louis Zoo has implemented enhanced protocols and procedures. Guests age 9 and older are required to wear masks/face coverings which must cover nose and mouth while visiting. See stlzoo.org/boo for the costume policy and up-to-date details prior to your visit. More information Visit stlzoo.org/boo. Follow the Saint Louis Zoo at #stlzoo and #BooAtTheZoo at Facebook @stlzoo, Instagram @stlzoo and Twitter @stlzoo. There are foundational programs that cut across all partisan divisions, says John Hishta, AARP senior vice president for campaigns. And they are, notably Social Security and Medicare, issues that the 50-plus care deeply about, no matter where you stand politically. And it shows that the candidates should be addressing those issues with these voters. The polls also show that older Americans plan to continue a long-standing tradition of heavy voter turnout, regardless of concerns over whether the coronavirus could impede their ability to vote safely. AARPs robust Protect Voters 50+ campaign is designed to reach these voters in each state to make sure they know how to cast a safe and secure ballot. Older voters are taking a look at the voting process and making personal decisions on how they want to vote either absentee through the mail or by going to the polls and voting, Hishta says. The interest in this election is incredibly high and the coronavirus is not going to stop them. Coronavirus concerns More than 50 percent of voters surveyed in six battleground states (Arizona, Florida, Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin) said they were worried about getting the coronavirus. The greatest concern about the virus was in Florida and Michigan, where 58 percent of respondents said they were worried about contracting the virus. More than 80 percent of voters in all six states said they would be more likely to vote for a candidate who increased protections for nursing home residents during the pandemic. This is part of the whole theme that older voters are very concerned about their health and well-being, and thats reflected in all the results whether people being worried about getting the coronavirus or about the situation in nursing homes, Hishta says. And those concerns, he says, is an example of an issue that transcends partisanship. Opinions were mixed in the results of five state polls (Colorado, Georgia, Iowa, Maine and Montana) over whether voters were more likely to support a candidate who is focused on keeping families healthy and reducing the spread of the coronavirus in their community or one who would concentrate on rebuilding the economy by reopening businesses. Voters in Georgia were tied at 48 percent on that question, while Maine voters expressed the widest disagreement, with 52 percent saying they wanted a candidate who would concentrate on reducing the virus and 41 percent favoring a nominee who focused on economic concerns. President Donald Trump attacked the Nevada governor after a clash over social distancing at his campaign rallies then said he should not be in charge of ballots in his state. Trump blasted Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak Tuesday as he left the White House for a town hall event, interweaving complaints about his recent campaign rally and attacks on mail-in voting there. The ballots are going to be a disaster for our country and the governor of Nevada should not be in charge of ballots, Trump said. His comments come days after longtime Trump advisor Roger Stone said U.S. Marshalls should seize ballots in the state on Election Day, and even said the president should consider imposing martial law. Stone called ballots in the state 'completely corrupted.' The ballots are going to be a disaster for our country and the governor of Nevada should not be in charge of ballots, Trump said. He blasted the governor for not allowing his campaign to hold large rallies The president explained his decision to hold a packed event at an indoor venue in the state, after plans for large outdoor gatherings got nixed. When he wont let us meet and congregate and do really a friendly protest, he should not be in charge of the ballots, Trump said. Youre going to have problems with the ballots like nobodys ever seen before, he said of the elections. The Trump campaign had to scrap two large outdoor rally events they were planning over the weekend. Instead, the president held a small airport event in Las Vegas Saturday and a roundtable event in Henderson Monday. Nevada fined a facility owner $3,000 after Trump's rally in Henderson drew thousands of unmasked participants. State rules limit gatherings to no more than 50 people Supporters wait for President Donald Trump to speak at a rally at Xtreme Manufacturing, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2020, in Henderson, Nev. President Donald Trump and White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany walk toward members of the press prior to Trump's departure from the White House on September 15, 2020 in Washington, DC. President Trump was traveling to Philadelphia to participate in an ABC News town hall event Trump blasted Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak Tuesday and said he should not be in charge of ballots in his state Thousands attended Trump's Henderson rally, and the state fined facility owner Xtreme Manufacturing for violating the state's cap on events larger than 50 people due to coronavirus social distancing rules. Trump fumed at the governor for not allowing his campaing to hold an event at Cirrus Aviation near McCarran International Airport in Vegas, and another planned for Reno. 'They canceled six different sites because the governor wouldnt let it happen, all external sites,' Trump told the Las Vegas Review Journal Sunday. Trump also went after the governor earlier Tuesday in a call-in appearance to Fox News. He said. Gov. Sisolak will cheat on the ballots. Trump has attacked mail-in voting for months, and has singled out battleground Nevada, which changed procedures to send mail-in ballots to all registered voters amid the pandemic. Trumps campaign and the Republican Party sued to try to stop Nevadas expansion of mail-in voting. Trump attacks the practice and claims it will lead to fraud, although he defends absentee voting and does so himself in Florida. His attacks on Nevada voting come days after his longtime advisor Roger Stone said U.S. Marshalls should seize ballots in the state on Election Day. He also said Trump should consider declaring martial law and invoke the Insurrection Act if he isn't declared the winner. 'The ballots in Nevada on election night should be seized by federal marshals and taken from the state,' Stone told conspiracy theorist Alex Jones' radio show. 'They are completely corrupted. No votes should be counted from the state of Nevada if that turns out to be the provable case. Send federal marshals to the Clark county board of elections, Mr. President!" New Delhi: At a Union Health Ministry briefing on the prevailing Covid-19 situation in the country, an ICMR official said three vaccines are at the clinical trial stage in India. The official also said that Serum Institute will start phase-III trials after the necessary clearances. "Cadila and Bharat Biotech have completed phase-I trials. Serum Institute has completed phase II-B3 trials, and will start phase-III trial (with 1,500 patients at 14 locations) after clearances," said Balram Bhargava, DG, ICMR. Phase-I clinical trials have revealed "excellent safety" of the two candidate vaccines indigenously developed by Bharat Biotech in collaboration with ICMR and Cadila Healthcare Ltd and their immunogenicity testing is now in progress, Minister of State for Health Ashwini Choubey informed the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday. Their phase II clinical trials are going on, Choubey said in response to a question on the present status of the vaccine programme/clinical trials for COVID-19 undertaken by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and other private research centres in the country. Choubey further informed that discussions on collaborations on the recombinant vaccine developed by Russia are ongoing. However, no formal studies have been initiated. Serum Institute of India (SII) and ICMR have partnered for clinical development of two global vaccine candidates. The first is ChAdOx1-S, a non-replicating viral vector vaccine developed by University of Oxford/AstraZeneca. This vaccine is undergoing phase III clinical trials in Brazil. Late-stage trials of the vaccine were suspended last week after an illness in a study participant, casting doubts on an early rollout and sending the London-listed company's shares lower. Global trials of the vaccine had also been paused following the UK suspension. Brazil has approved restarting the trials and the Serum Institute of India is awaiting permission from the Drugs Controller General of India. Phase II/III bridging studies have been initiated by ICMR at 14 clinical trial sites, Choubey said. The ICMR-National Institute for Research in Tuberculosis, Chennai is the lead institution. Choubey further informed that ICMR and SII have also partnered for clinical development of a glycoprotein subunit nanoparticle adjuvanted vaccine developed by Novavax from USA. The trial will be initiated in the second half of October after the vaccine is manufactured by SII. The trial is led by ICMR-National AIDS Research Institute (NARI), Pune, he said. Elaborating on the two indigenously developed candidate vaccines, Choubey said an inactivated whole virion candidate vaccine for SARS-CoV-2 has been developed by Bharat Biotech International Ltd using the virus isolate provided by ICMR-National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune. Characterization of the vaccine candidate has been undertaken at ICMR-NIV followed by safety and tolerability studies in small animals like rats, mice and rabbits. Phase I clinical trials along with parallel studies in large animals have been completed. "The trial has revealed excellent safety of the candidate vaccine. Immunogenicity testing is in progress. Phase II clinical trials are ongoing," he said. Besides, a DNA vaccine (ZyCov-D) has been developed by Cadila Healthcare Ltd, pre-clinical toxicity studies of which were conducted in small animals - mice, rats, rabbits and guinea pigs. The vaccine has been found to be safe and immunogenic. Cadila has partnered with ICMR for conduct of parallel pre-clinical studies in large animals. "While the Government and Industry are trying their best to make available a safe and effective vaccine for COVID-19 at the earliest, it is difficult to comment on the exact timelines in view of various complex pathways involved in vaccine development," he said. Other companies in India involved in COVID-19 vaccine development are Premas Biotech, Gennova, Mynvax, Epygen Biotech, Luxmatra Innovations, Biological Evans. All candidates are in preclinical development stages, the minister said. Novavax Inc is doubling its COVID-19 vaccine manufacturing capacity to two billion doses under an agreement with Serum Institute of India, the U.S. company said on Tuesday. In August, Novavax signed a deal with Serum Institute, the world's largest producer of vaccines, to produce a minimum of one billion doses of its vaccine candidate for low-and middle-income countries and India. As part of the expanded agreement, Serum Institute will also manufacture the antigen component of the vaccine, which is dubbed NVX-CoV2373. The U.S. company's vaccine is in mid-stage trials after an early-stage trial showed it produced high levels of antibodies against the novel coronavirus. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Never miss a story! Stay connected and informed with Mint. Download our App Now!! The monsoon session of Parliament is meeting under unprecedented circumstances, with unprecedented measures of social distancing in place. That 25 members of Parliament were found Covid positive in the mandatory tests prescribed before everyone assembled goes to show the pandemic has not plateaued in any wayand 200 MPs are of vulnerable age. The political class needs to strictly abide by safety norms while continuing public activities. Their everyday style of working puts them at risk; enough of them have contracted the infection to prove that. The staggered seating arrangements, with the additional precaution of polycarbonate partitions between seats, and features such as the app-based attendance the presiding officers have put in, may help. But this is about the form, the content of the session must also match these efforts. Houses of Parliament cannot just become stamps of majority vote for legislation the treasury needs to get passed18 bills are slated to be taken upor for ordinances and supplementary demands for grants. The prime minister, making his customary remarks prior to the first days sitting, said he hoped Parliament would unitedly give a strong message to China and the Indian soldier at the bordersa resolution will probably be adopted on the Indo-China situation. The Congress has introduced an adjournment motion on the LAC, while the CPI(M) has one on the Delhi riots and arrests related to it. For citizens, struggling against a pandemic thats touching ever new crests and a deep-sliding economy, a non-partisan approach towards issues could have a calming, salutary effect. Political strife and shrill rhetoric is the last thing people, already stressed beyond limits, should be subjected to. It is incumbent on the treasury to reach out to the opposition and find a middle ground. This cannot become another session wasted on political upmanship, held only to score television points with an eye on upcoming state elections and bypolls. Fox News host Tucker Carlson has blamed Democrats and the Black Lives Matter movement for the shooting ambush on two Los Angeles sheriff's deputies over the weekend, claiming that anti-police rhetoric prompted the attack. 'He tried to kill them because they were cops,' Carlson said in his opening monologue on Monday night. 'Can we really be surprised that he tried to do that? Since the beginning of summer, the Democratic Party has told us that the police are evil. That they're killers. Agents of racist genocide. Cops are the problem,' he continued. Police are still desperately seeking the identity of the shooter in Saturday's attack, which appeared to be an unprovoked ambush on the two deputies who were sitting in a police vehicle parked near a transit station. Fox News host Tucker Carlson has blamed Democrats and the Black Lives Matter movement for the shooting ambush on two Los Angeles sheriff's deputies Video released by the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department shows the moment the male suspect opened fire on two deputies at a Compton bus station before fleeing on foot Both deputies were struck in the head by gunshots, but miraculously both are in stable condition and expected to survive. One is a 24-year-old male and the other is a 31-year-old former librarian and mother of a six-year-old child. Carlson pointed out reaction videos shot by bystanders at the scene of the shooting, which show the bystanders laughing and mocking the two deputies who had been shot. He also noted videos showing protesters blocking the entrance to the emergency room where the two cops were rushed for treatment, with protesters celebrating the shooting and expressing hope that the deputies would die. 'This is the country they're creating,' Carlson said, referring to Democrats and left-wing activists. 'A young woman shot in the face gasping for air as she tries to stay alive for her child. What kind of person could laugh at that?' 'Black Lives Matter has told this man that police officers deserve to die because they're sub-human,' he added. 'So why wouldn't he celebrate?' A radio reporter who was near the protest scene was taken into custody, KABC-TV reported. The sheriff's department later tweeted that the reporter interfered with the arrest of a male protester He claimed Democratic leaders nationwide condoned this act of violence and others, as protesters continue treat criminals and suspects who die in police custody as 'martyrs.' 'It's all such an absurd lie,' he said. 'And everyone who's paying attention knows it's a lie. But they demand that we all play along. And they punish us if we don't.' Joe Biden, the Democratic presidential nominee, did speak out swiftly to condemn the shooting, saying it a tweet that it was 'unconscionable and the perpetrator must be brought to justice.' 'Violence of any kind is wrong; those who commit it should be caught and punished,' Biden wrote. Investigators reportedly believe the ambush was retaliation for recent police shootings of black suspects in Los Angeles. On August 31 black man Dijon Kizzee was shot and killed by Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies after he was stopped for a traffic violation while riding a bike. And at the beginning of this month, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors also voted to ask the coroner to conduct an inquest into the fatal deputy shooting of 18-year-old Andres Guardado on June 18. FOX11 obtained a photo (above) of the female deputy, who has not been named but was described as a 31-year-old mother of a six-year-old boy, covered in blood after she was shot in the jaw helping her colleague Officials have asked for the public's help in identifying the gunman with a $175,000 reward for information leading to an arrest. Investigators are still working to determine the motive for the shooting, which they said occurred 'without warning or provocation'. The suspect is described as a black male between 28 and 30 years old. He was wearing dark clothing at the time of the shooting and was last seen in a black four-door sedan. Authorities said that the deputies, who both graduated from the police academy 14 months ago, each sustained multiple gunshot wounds. 'That was a cowardly act,' Sheriff Villanueva said at a press conference. 'The two deputies were doing their job, minding their own business, watching out for the safety of the people on the train. 'Seeing somebody just walk up and start shooting on them. It p***es me off. It dismays me at the same time. There's no pretty way to say it.' Boris Johnsons proposal to tear up part of the Brexit treaty with the European Union has cleared its first parliamentary hurdle, amid a rebellion from Tory MPs. The Internal Market Bill passed by 340 votes to 263 on its second reading in the House of Commons. Two Tory MPs Sir Roger Gale and Andrew Percy voted against the Bill, while 30 did not cast a vote although some may have been "paired" with opposition MPs Further crunch votes are expected next week. The prime minister had urged his party to support the bill in the Commons. During the five-hour debate in the Commons yesterday, Mr Johnson, said: I have absolutely no desire to use these measures They are an insurance policy. But senior Conservative MPs lined up to warn they could not back the plans after a minister admitted last week that they could breach international law. Former chancellor Sajid Javid and former attorney general Geoffrey Cox were among those who made it clear they would not support the bill in its current form. But a number of rebels made it clear the move had done little to ease their concerns. Former Tory ministers Jeremy Wright and Andrew Mitchell warned the government that the measures would weaken the UK's authority on the world stage. Conservative MP for Wakefield Imran Ahmad Khan also became the first of the new 2019 intake of MPs to announce he would not vote for the bill. Mr Mitchell told MPs he had in the past voted in ways he later regretted, including for Section 28, for the poll tax and for the Iraq War. "But I don't believe I've ever gone into a lobby to vote in a way that I knew was wrong and I won't be doing it on this occasion either," he said. Other MPs appeared to express more general dissatisfaction with their government. Tory MP Charles Walker told the Commons: I'm not going to be voting for this bill. Because if you keep whacking a dog don't be surprised when it bites you back." Ed Milliband, business spokesman for the Labour Party, accused Johnson of trashing the reputation of this country and trashing the reputation of his office. Business news sources began reporting on Sunday evening that California-based software services and technology giant Oracle Corporation had been selected by the Chinese-owned social media platform TikTok as its trusted tech partner in the US. The Wall Street Journal reported, Oracle Corp. won the bidding for the US operations of the video-sharing app TikTok, people familiar with the matter said, beating out Microsoft Corp. in a high-profile deal to salvage a social-media sensation that has been caught in the middle of a geopolitical standoff. On Monday morning, the preliminary deal was confirmed by Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, who said his office received a bid from Oracle to take over TikToks US operations over the weekend. Mnuchin also said the proposal had yet to be reviewed and approved by the White House. Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo meets with the Oracle Leadership Team, in Redwood City, California on January 15, 2020. [State Department photo by Ron Przysucha/ Public Domain] Mnuchin told CNBC that two aspects of the deal will be examined. The first is by the Treasury Departments Committee on Foreign Investment in the US (CFIUS) which brokered the deal. The second is the national security review under the presidents executive order. President Trump issued an emergency order on August 6 demanding that the China-based ByteDance divest itself of TikTok on the unsubstantiated grounds that the company was turning over Americans personal and proprietary information to the Chinese intelligence state. Mnuchin said that the Presidents executive order specified that the acquisition of TikTok had to be completed by September 20 in order prevent a shutdown of the tremendously popular short-form video sharing app, not by September 15 as had been previously stated by the President. It is estimated that TikTok has 100 million users in the US, nearly two-thirds of them under the age of 30. Mnuchin also claimed that the Oracle plan included a commitment to create TikTok Global as a US-headquartered company with 20,000 new jobs. From the beginning of the anti-Chinese campaign against TikTok, references to national security have been a top priority for the administration. As Mnuchin explained on CNBC, From our standpoint, well need to make sure that the code is, one, secure, Americans data is secure, that the phones are secure, and well be looking to have discussions with Oracle over the next few days with our technical teams. Mnuchins comments on CNBCwhich assumed the features of a public relations damage control operationraised many more questions than they answered. He did not explain why a TikTok technology partnership with Oracle has been announced instead of a purchase of the assets of the social media platform from ByteDance as originally demanded by Trump. Mnuchin also would not explain why it was that Oracle beat out Microsoft, an early front runner in the negotiations for the TikTok deal. He said, I dont want to go into the details of the negotiation. I would say there has always been a critical factor for us driving national security is making sure that the technology on Americans phones is safe and make sure that it is not corrupt. He added that Oracles proposal included many representations for national security issues. By mid-August, President Trump made it clear that he favored Oracle in any TikTok deal. On August 18, Trump said, I think Oracle is a great company, and I think its owner [Larry Ellison] is a tremendous guy. Hes a tremendous person. I think that Oracle would be certainly somebody that could handle it. Oracles CEO Ellison, a fervent Trump supporter, is the fifth wealthiest person in the US, with $72 billion in personal net worth. That Trump and Mnuchin were able to maneuver the deal in Ellisons direction lends the entire affair the distinct odor of high-level corruption. Oracles stock value jumped 8 percent on Wall Street on news of the deal, or approximately $15 billion. Ellison owns 35 percent of company stock and personally made $5 billion in one day. Ellison is also a supporter of the US intelligence state and went on record in the aftermath of the 2013 revelations by Edward Snowden of unconstitutional mass government surveillance of the public, saying that the National Security Agency programs are absolutely essential. With Ellisons record of support for illegal spying combined with the emphasis on national security concernsincluding the massive amounts of personal data the Trump administration claims the social media app can gather about usersthere is every reason to believe that the new TikTok Global is being created as a platform for international NSA intelligence gathering. TikTok is available globally in 150 markets, in 39 languages and with 500 million users. It appears that the Oracle deal has been announced as a partnership due at least in part to the intervention of the Chinese Ministry of Commerce last week, which changed economic policies to prevent the export of key software such as AI and software algorithms, both of which represent the core technologies of TikTok. Any deal that does not involve the complete divestiture of all the assets of TikTok and leaves the sophisticated video recommendation engine as property of ByteDance undermines the bogus national security claims of the Trump administration and, thereby, exposes the real purpose of the campaign in the first place: to whip up anti-China fears and xenophobic hatred in the run-up to the 2020 elections. The United Nations Human Rights Council has published its latest biannual report on Syria, documenting abuses by all the parties in the nine-year-long conflict. The allegations leveled against Turkey and its Sunni rebel allies suggest they are engaging in gross violations of international humanitarian law. Syria remains a human rights inferno where abuses committed in government-held territory are rivaled by those witnessed in areas held by the jihadi opposition and the Turkish army, the United Nations revealed today. Based on investigations carried out from Jan. 1 to July 1 of this year, the latest report of the UNs Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Syria makes for grim reading. The horrors inflicted by the Syrian government on its citizens are well known and are among the underlying causes of Syrias bloody, nine-year-long civil conflict. Torture, arbitrary detentions, targeting of civilians and enforced disappearances continue to be the norm in government-controlled Syria. Prison conditions remain dire. Inmates are confined to tiny cells drenched in feces, urine and vomit and are forced to survive on a loaf of bread and four olives per day. Some said they ate the olive pits in order to get extra nutrition. Abuses occurring under Turkish occupation are, however, only just starting to be formally documented by the UN, with potential legal consequences for Ankara. The main perpetrators are brigades and factions operating under the military arm of the Istanbul-based Syrian opposition called the Syrian National Army, who are accused of organized extortion, looting, property expropriation, rape, kidnapping and murder. Some of the worst offenses were recorded in Afrin, the Kurdish majority enclave that was invaded by Turkish forces in January 2018. One boy described to the commission how he had been detained by the Syrian National Army military police in the city of Afrin in mid-2019 and held for five months in Syrian National Army headquarters before being transferred to the Afrin central prison and released in March 2020. While detained, both Syrian National Army members and Turkish-speaking officials dressed in military fatigues were present. The boy was handcuffed and hung from a ceiling. He was then blindfolded and repeatedly beaten with plastic tubes, the report said. Sexual violence is rife. On two occasions, in an apparent effort to humiliate, extract confessions and instill fear within male detainees, Syrian National Army military police officers forced male detainees to witness the rape of a minor. On the first day, the minor was threatened with being raped in front of the men, but the rape did not proceed. The following day, the same minor was gang-raped, as the male detainees were beaten and forced to watch in an act that amounts to torture, stated the report. The incident occurred in Afrin. Rights groups and international jurists following Syria welcomed the UNs scrutiny of Turkey. Claims of egregious human rights violations targeting nearly every aspect of civilian life in Afrin have been reported since the start of the Turkish invasion in January 2018, but for two and a half years, the international community has paid little attention, said Meghan Bodette, a Washington-based independent researcher who founded the Missing Afrin Women Project, a website dedicated to tracking missing women in the Turkish-occupied zone. Bodette told Al-Monitor, This Commission of Inquiry report marks the first time that the United Nations has put forward such strong evidence of war crimes committed by occupying forces there in particular, evidence of torture, and sexual and gender-based violence. It will hopefully serve as a much-needed first step toward accountability. By failing to intervene, specifically in cases where Turkish forces were present when the abuses took place, Turkey may have violated its human rights treaties obligations, the UN said, using typically cautious language. With those words, legal experts contended, the UN is effectively suggesting that Turkey participated in violations of international humanitarian law. Roger Lu Phillips, legal director for Syrians for Justice and Accountability, a Washington-based organization that is documenting rights abuses in Syria, said the UN Commission of Inquiry clearly states that Turkey is an occupying power and, as such, has obligations pursuant to the Geneva Conventions and international human rights law. Phillips argued that Turkey has effective control because of the sustained presence of its military, imposition of Turkish law, and administration of schools and other public functions. The Syrian National Army are proxy forces of Turkey, and responsibility for the acts of the [Syrian National Army] is imputed to Turkey. Phillips observed in emailed comments to Al-Monitor, Syria could challenge Turkeys occupation of its territory as an act of aggression before the International Court of Justice, which would have jurisdiction to rule the occupation illegal. Likewise, victims could bring suit against Turkey in the European Court of Human Rights. Although there are obstacles to achieving enforcement of any judgment, victims might be able to raise the profile of abuses committed by the Syrian National Army, and to shame Turkey into reigning in its proxy forces, Phillips concluded. Others aired skepticism that the UN report would have an impact. A Western diplomat speaking on condition of anonymity in order to speak freely said, This is unlikely to shift the diplomatic landscape. Turkish operations in northern Syria have been possible because of Russian and US approval. So they are the ones who could step up the international response. But it is unlikely Moscow will do anything because it hopes to exploit the situation to get the Kurds to make peace with Damascus. Distracted by presidential elections and unwilling to pressure Ankara, the United States will do little either. As for the Europeans, the diplomat said, Most EU countries refuse to fund projects in Turkish-controlled areas beyond humanitarian assistance, but this is not going to change the Turkish calculus. And when we think about Turkeys use of Syrian mercenaries in Libya or recent calls made by these Syrian groups to defend Turkey against Greece, the UN report informs a potentially very worrying trend for the entire region." In any case, Ankara rarely bows to EU pressure over rampant violations within its own borders let alone those occurring in the broad swath of territory it controls in northern Syria, dismissing these as baseless. Still, there is a sliver of evidence that the UN censure may be having an effect. The UN reported that a member of the Syrian National Army-affiliated Ahrar Al-Sharqiyah brigade was sentenced by a military court of the Turkey-based Syrian Interim Government (SIG) for the murder of Syrian Kurdish politician Hevrin Khalaf. US pressure is believed to have played a role. The SIG also banned the recruitment of child soldiers in May, a violation that is also committed by the US-backed Syrian Kurdish Peoples Protection Units, the UN said. Turkey, however, continues to detain Syrian Kurds inside Syria and render them to Turkey, where they are jailed and prosecuted on thinly supported terror charges, in a further breach of the Geneva Conventions, Phillips said. Elizabeth Tsurkov, a fellow at the Center for Global Policy who closely follows the Syrian conflict, said Turkey largely focuses on stopping the documentation of abuses, as the [armed opposition] factions did early on during [Turkeys] October 2019 invasion of northeast Syria. Turkish officers on the ground at times stopped abuses, but there is no clear overall policy on halting these abuses, Tsurkov remarked in an interview with Al-Monitor. Ankara has the leverage to do so because Turkey is the one paying salaries to these fighters. If salaries were cut off from abusers, if there were serious prosecution of abusers, the suffering of civilians under the control of these factions will be greatly reduced, Tsurkov said. Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 1 anno fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili. San Francisco, 15 Sep 2020: The Report Furniture Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Material (Metal, Wood, Plastic, Glass), By End Use (Residential, Commercial), By Region (North America, Europe, APAC, MEA), And Segment Forecasts, 2018 - 2025 The global furniture market size is expected to reach USD 718.3 billion by 2025, according to a study conducted by Grand View Research, Inc. It is projected to expand at a CAGR of 5.1% over the forecast period. High demand for branded home furniture coupled with rising spending capacity of consumers on home decor products are some of the driving factors for the growth of this market. Additionally, government initiatives to provide housing for all is also expected to positively impact the growth. For instance, since the last few years, Germany has witnessed immigration of various refugees and migrants resulting in rising demand for housing or shelter. Owing to this, the government of Germany is encouraging public and private developers to build new rental flats to solve the issues like shortage of affordable housing, resulting in a supplementary demand for furniture products. The commercial segment includes hotels, offices, and other public buildings. It held a market share of more than 30.0% in 2017 and is anticipated to register substantial CAGR over the forecast period. This growth is attributed to extensive industrialization due to expanding development of corporate offices and hotels. For example, India is one of the key countries witnessing an extensive establishment of IT parks. Furthermore, increasing job opportunities and employment across the globe creates a need for additional office spaces, which subsequently fuels demand for office furniture. This is also a prominent factor expected to bolster growth of the furniture market. Companies are adopting innovative furniture to enhance workforce productivity and to inculcate creativity in workspace. For instance, in March 2017, Microsoft Corporation announced its collaboration with Steelcase. Steelcase offers a diverse range of architecture, furniture, and other technology products. This collaboration was intended to introduce creative and modern furniture in the work space with a view to boost productivity and creative thinking. Additionally, growing global population has led to a requirement for an increase in the number of schools, colleges, and other educational institutions, resulting in rapid infrastructural growth. The growing demand for furniture from the hospitality industry is also a key factor boosting growth of the commercial segment. Furthermore, rising requirement for furniture from restaurants, coffee shops, and bars, among others is expected to accelerate market growth. Increasing global competition, high cost of raw material processing and labor, and ageing workforce are some of the key challenges likely to hinder market growth. The residential segment in North America is expected to expand at the highest CAGR over the forecast period owing to the presence of key players offering luxurious interior design products. Consumer inclination towards purchasing luxury furniture can further drive the regional demand. Additionally, increasing adoption of modern furniture and the growing popularity of online distribution channels that offer convenience and time-saving during furniture purchase are anticipated to fuel growth. Furthermore, growing demand for multi-functional products, in addition to the rising awareness about environmental concerns and the use of eco-friendly products are anticipated to gain prominence in U.S. Middle East is expected to witness significant growth over the forecast period owing to boosming commercial and industrial sectors. The government of Kuwait has invested substantial amount of capital in the construction of public hospitals and other healthcare infrastructure. Additionally, increasing investments from private and public sectors aimed at expansion of commercial and residential construction projects in the country is another factor contributing to market growth. Access Research Report of Furniture Market @ https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/furniture-market Furniture Market Report Highlights In 2017, the wood furniture segment accounted for more than 30% market share in terms of revenue attributed to usage of wood in combination with other materials for the production of different furniture products. For instance, objects classified as metals also use wooden components or wood in furniture fittings. Middle Eastern and African is also anticipated to witness substantial growth over the forecast period accredited to growing residential and commercial construction industry The furniture market is highly fragmented and has an array of players across different regions holding varied market shares. Major players include Herman Miller, Inc.; Kimball International; HNI Corporation; and KOKUYO These players engage in partnerships and collaborations with a view to expand their market presence. For instance, in June 2018, HNI Corporation announced partnership with Nowy Styl Group, a Europe-based manufacturer of office furniture and chairs. As a result of this partnership, both companies expect to establish a homogenous support and service network to ensure consistency in client services and solutions. Browse more reports of this category by Grand View Research at: https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry/hvac-and-construction-technologies Grand View Research has segmented the global furniture market based on material, end use, and region: Furniture Material Outlook (Revenue, USD Billion, 2014 - 2025) Metal Wood Plastic Glass Others Furniture End-Use Outlook (Revenue, USD Billion, 2014 - 2025) Residential Kitchen & Dining Living Room Bedroom Outdoor Others Commercial Office Hotels Others Furniture Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Billion, 2014 - 2025) North America Europe Asia Pacific Latin America Middle East & Africa Access Press Release of Furniture Market @ https://www.grandviewresearch.com/press-release/global-furniture-market About Grand View Research Grand View Research, Inc. is a U.S. based market research and consulting company, registered in the State of California and headquartered in San Francisco. The company provides syndicated research reports, customized research reports, and consulting services. To help clients make informed business decisions, we offer market intelligence studies ensuring relevant and fact-based research across a range of industries, from technology to chemicals, materials and healthcare. For More Information:www.grandviewresearch.com Chairman of HCM City Peoples Committee Nguyen Thanh Phong (Photo: VNA) HCM City attaches great importance to cooperation with and support from foreign partners, including those from the Republic of Korea (RoK), in the process of becoming a financial, economic, and technological centre, Chairman of the municipal Peoples Committee Nguyen Thanh Phong has said. During an online working session with the Mayor of Daegu city in the RoK, Kwon Young-jin, on September 14, Phong congratulated the city on being recognised as a smart city and expressed a hope that it will expand cooperation and share its experience with HCM City in this regard, especially in developing information infrastructure, databases, and cyber security. HCM City is also ready to cooperate with Daegu in areas where the latter possesses strengths, such as water treatment and tourism, he added. He spoke of the effective measures adopted by HCM City to contain the spread of COVID-19 and its efforts to recover economic growth. Noting proposals from the mayor, Phong said he will soon instruct relevant agencies to conduct online exchanges and cement cooperative programmes between the two sides, which will be implemented when the pandemic is under control. HCM City will ask the Ministry of Transport to pay due regard to a proposal from the mayor to open a direct air route between Daegu and Vietnams southern economic hub, Phong said, while expressing his belief that with efforts and determination from both sides the relationship will be stronger in the time to come. For his part, Mayor Kwon affirmed that Daegu is willing to share its experience and hopes to contribute to and support smart city development in HCM City. He thanked HCM City leaders for their interest in supporting and promoting cooperation between the two localities, saying that given the pandemic, online meeting and exchange activities are key channels to call for investment and international cooperation. He suggested the two cities organise online meetings on specific cooperation activities for deployment as soon as restrictions are removed. Kwon committed to promoting cooperation programmes with HCM City in the fields of health and tourism, and to foster investment cooperation in the areas of water treatment immediately after the pandemic is controlled. Asylum seekers who have arrived in the UK have been targeted by far-right groups as the country's authorities try to deal with the migrant crossings. (PA Images) A refugee charity has warned an MPs remark that he doesnt care what the far-right are doing when discussing their confrontation of asylum seekers risks him being seen to endorse unlawful, threatening and intimidatory behaviour. Tory MP for Gravesham Adam Holloway made the comment on BBC Newsnight during its report about far-right activists confronting asylum seekers in hotels, as authorities try to tackle small boat arrivals on the Channel. Video footage broadcast on the programme shows activists knocking on doors in a hotel corridor, asking one person in a room which country they come from, and another if they are staying there for free. Newsnight reports that hotels housing asylum seekers are being shared on social media, along with calls for a boycott of the companies and anti-Muslim conspiracies. The Home Office has condemned abuse aimed at asylum seekers as unacceptable, the programme adds. Holloway said he was more interested in making it very difficult for people who arrive illegally in the UK to claim asylum, or else the far-rights response will go on and on. But in statements to Yahoo News UK, the anti-racism charity Hope Not Hate and Maurice Wren, chief executive of the Refugee Council, have criticised his reaction. Read more: Home Office to house Channel migrants in military barracks In an interview on Newsnight, Holloway said: I dont care what the far-right are doing. Thats for them. And if they want to wander into hotels and intimidate young illegal immigrants, asylum seekers, then that just tells you about them. What Im more interested in is until we can change the rules so that its very difficult for you to claim asylum if you come in illegally in this way then sadly this will go on and on and also, frankly, well have more drownings like that poor boy the other day. Maurice Wren, chief executive of the Refugee Council, said: In his apparent reluctance to speak out against the thuggery of the far-right fringe, this MP runs the risk of being seen to endorse unlawful, threatening and intimidatory behaviour. Story continues Each time an MP repeats the myth that it is illegal to enter a country irregularly for the purpose of seeking protection from persecution and harm, they stoke anti-migrant sentiment that can have real consequences for people who have sought safety here. Home secretary Priti Patel has pledged to make the migrant crossing route "unviable". (PA) Wren added that the only way to reduce the amount of people risking their lives for refugee protection is to work with European countries to set up safe and regular routes, as well as expanding the highly successful refugee resettlement programme and changing family reunion rules. A spokesperson for Hope Not Hate said: It is worryingly complacent for a Member of Parliament to say that they werent interested in the far-right trespassing into hotels and seeking out migrants to harass and intimidate. Read more: Dinghy packed with migrants speeds onto Kent beach as crossing row continues They added: The government has a duty to protect people from the far right before there is a serious incident. Irrespective of their views on the migration issue, all responsible politicians should be clear in their condemnation of the far-rights actions. At least 168 people crossed on 12 small boats on 14 September. Analysis by the PA Media news agency shows more than 5,000 have made the journey to the UK by small boats in 2020. AXIS Re, the reinsurance business segment of AXIS Capital Holdings Limited ("AXIS Capital") (NYSE:AXS), today announced the promotion of Camilo Rodriguez to Head of International Credit Surety in its Global Markets division. Mr. Rodriguez will continue to work from the Zurich office and report into the President of Global Markets, Ann Haugh. "Camilo has been a vital member of the Global Markets team," said Ms. Haugh. "His knowledge and expertise in the space makes him the perfect choice for the Head of International Credit Surety. We are excited to see him take on this leadership role in AXIS Re." Mr. Rodriguez first joined AXIS Re in 2012 as a Vice President Underwriter for Credit and Bond. Most recently, he held the role of Credit Bond Head of Latin America responsible for strategic planning and underwriting within the region. Prior to AXIS, Mr. Rodriguez was based in Colombia where he held various managerial positions in the surety space for the Compania Mundial de Seguros and underwriter and reinsurance roles in Sefuros Confianza. The Head of International Credit Surety being filled by Mr. Rodriguez is one of two new global co-lead roles reporting to Ms. Haugh. AXIS Re is recruiting to fill its new Head of North America Mortgage and Surety position which will complement Mr. Rodriguez's role. About AXIS Capital AXIS Capital, through its operating subsidiaries, is a global provider of specialty lines insurance and treaty reinsurance with shareholders' equity at June 30, 2020 of $5.3 billion and locations in Bermuda, the United States, Europe, Singapore, Canada and the Middle East. Its operating subsidiaries have been assigned a rating of "A+" ("Strong") by Standard Poor's and "A" ("Excellent") by A.M. Best. For more information about AXIS Capital, visit our website at www.axiscapital.com. Follow AXIS Capital on LinkedIn and Twitter. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200915005210/en/ Contacts: Investor Contact Matt Rohrmann AXIS Capital Holdings Limited investorrelations@axiscapital.com (212) 940-3339 Media Contact Anna Kukowski AXIS Capital Holdings Limited anna.kukowski@axiscapital.com (212) 715-3574 Prince Harry is 'happier than ever' on his 36th birthday and 'doesn't miss his old life at all', royal experts have claimed. The Duke of Sussex, who today turns the same age his mother Princess Diana was when she died, is 'very content' with his marriage and family and 'thriving' in his professional life, according to Omid Scobie. Scobie, who co-authored the controversial royal biography Finding Freedom which raised eyebrows for its gushing praise and intimate knowledge of Harry and Meghan Markle, 39, told Vanity Fair: 'This is the moment [Harry] can sit back and think, "I made it".' Meanwhile royal commentator Ingrid Seward told the publication that the Duke of Sussex can celebrate his birthday 'on a high', adding: 'He's embracing his new life and everything is an adventure right now. He has moved on very quickly, and I don't think he misses his old life at all.' Prince Harry, pictured in Amsterdam in September 2019, is 'happier than ever' on his 36th birthday and 'doesn't miss his old life at all', royal experts have claimed Writing in Vanity Fair, royal expert Katie Nicholl said it's likely that the prince is reflecting on his mother's life and legacy even more than usual on this milestone day. Harry was just 12 years old when Princess Diana died in a car crash in Paris in 1997, aged 36, and on his 18th birthday he vowed to 'to carry on the things that she didnt quite finish' with regard to her charity work. Having quit as a senior member of the Royal Family in March, he, wife Meghan and son Archie, one, have relocated to California, where they live in a sprawling $14million mansion in Santa Barbara. Earlier this month the couple signed a mega production deal with Netflix believed to be worth around $150million, announcing their intention to provide 'hope and inspiration' with their upcoming documentaries, feature films and children's programming. Having quit as a senior member of the Royal Family in March, Harry, wife Meghan (pictured in London in March) and son Archie, one, have relocated to California, where they live in a sprawling $14million mansion in Santa Barbara Harry was just 12 years old when Princess Diana died in a car crash in Paris in 1997, and on his 18th birthday he vowed to 'to carry on the things that she didnt quite finish' with regard to her charity work. Pictured: Diana at an event in support of land mine victims in Bosnia in August 1997 - weeks before her death 'Harry's royal life is very different, but that pledge remains as important to him now as it was 18 years ago,' writes Nicholl. Scobie branded it 'destiny', adding: 'We've long mourned Diana's place on the humanitarian landscape, and here we have Harry, who embodies her values and is willing to dedicate his life to them. 'He's at an age now where hes taken that baton and is able to run with it in a way that he would never have been able to do within the House of Windsor. That's very powerful and exciting.' This morning Prince William and Kate Middleton led tributes to Harry on his birthday - a month after fresh claims of the brothers' strained relationship were published in Finding Freedom. The Cambridges shared a light-hearted snap of Harry beating them both in a running race at a joint engagement in London in 2017, accompanied by the caption: 'Wishing a very happy birthday to Prince Harry today!' Prince William and Kate Middleton appeared eager to lay to rest any reports of a family rift and chose a light-hearted snap of Harry beating them both in a running race for their Instagram post. The image, taken in London in 2017, was accompanied by this simple caption The Queen, 94, also sent her best wishes to her grandson on social media, posting a simple message alongside a photo of him smiling at her at a Buckingham Palace reception in 2017. Proud father Prince Charles, 71, opted for a snap of him laughing with his son at the Invictus Games in 2014 and a second portrait of Harry. Despite tensions between Harry and William, heightened after the younger brother's decision to exit The Firm, royal sources have claimed the pair are back in regular contact and will make a point of speaking on his birthday today. Harry will also chat to his father and his grandmother - whom he 'frequently calls and video-chats to', according to Nicholl. Earlier this month a source told Fabulous Digital that Meghan and Harry failed to tell the Queen about their Netflix deal before announcing it to the world. Earlier this month a source told Fabulous Digital that Meghan and Harry (pictured in January) failed to tell the Queen about their Netflix deal before announcing it to the world Her Majesty had to be told by her aides about the couple's new venture - which involves a yet-to-be-named production company. 'Her Majesty is all too aware of the pitfalls of when senior royals embark on lucrative projects - Prince Edwards production flop and some of the deals Sarah Ferguson has signed over the years to name a few,' the source said. 'Her view is simple, the Royals are not for sale and danger surrounds high profile roles outside of the institution itself.' Maybury and Palin together? What do they want with me? Fazackerley laughs. Youre the true fucking oracle, Head Constable OConnor. Didnt you know that? They want you to tell them what the future holds. If theyd paid me any heed before, then Charley Brett might still be living. That could be true, but itll do you not the slightest good to point it out. Our great lords and masters dont generally enjoy being reminded of their missteps. I hear Palins out on his arse anyway after all this dies down. Pensioned off. Policemen do love to gossip, dont they? Fazackerley says. Do you fancy your chances of taking over if he goes, Jimmy? Chief Constable OConnor, is it? Fazackerley snorts at the idea as if he has just made a great joke. OConnor finishes his tea, tugs down his waistcoat, and politely advises the duty sergeant to bugger off. Upstairs, he listens for a moment at the office door. He knows Maybury well enough, but he has seen the chief constable only at a distance on official occasionsstanding on a dais or seated on a charger. Palin is a short, soldierly-looking man. And, in public at least, rigid and a little twitchy. The day of the ambush he was away somewhere, unreachable, and the various clear warnings went unheeded as a consequence. A clerk in the Head Office has already been dismissed for it, but now the rumors are that the Home Secretary, Mr. Gathorne Hardy, has intervened and Palin will eventually be made to step down, forced retirement to the country and an afterlife of ease and plenty being about as rough as it ever gets for a fellow like him. OConnor hears them talking through the door, Palins low voice, Mayburys occasional interruptions, but cant make out the words. He knocks, the conversation pauses, and Maybury calls him to come in. Neither man smiles or rises from his chair. Maybury, who is of medium height, stout with muttonchop whiskers and a port wine stain on one cheek, nods once. Palin gazes suspiciously at OConnor as if he has seen him before but cant remember where. Both men are in their shirtsleeves and Palin is smoking a cigar. There is a jar of mustard and a bottle of vinegar on the table; a smell of sausage lingers in the blueish air. The sergeant told me you wanted to see me, sir, he says to Maybury. Maybury glances at Palin, offering him the chance to speak first, but Palin shakes his head. In less than 24 hours, the six Shiv Sena goons who had been re-arrested on Monday night over their brutal attack on retired Navy officer Madan Sharma have once again been granted bail on a surety of Rs 15,000 each. This comes shortly after Navy veteran Madan Sharma met Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari saying that the Governor has assured that he will speak to the Centre about the imposition of President's rule. Lashing out at the Maharashtra transport minister who allegedly sided with the goons, the navy veteran said that he has no right to stay in the post. He also said that they have demanded appropriate charges be levelled against those arrested as the Maharashtra Police has charged them under a bailable offence. While two of the accused are Shiv Sena Shakha chiefs Kamlesh Kadam and Sanjay Manjre, four others are also associated with the ruling party of Maharashtra. Read: Shiv Sena Loses The Plot; Questions Navy Veteran Its Goons Thrashed As If He's A Neta Read: Sanjay Raut Defends Attack On Navy Veteran; Questions Defence Min Over 'interest' In Issue 62-year-old Navy veteran attacked On Friday, Shiv Sena goons allegedly attacked Navy Veteran Madan Sharma over a Whatsapp forward. CCTV footage from the area shows the goons dragging Madan Sharma and slapping him as he tries to run away. Sources report that the Kandivali resident was attacked by goons led by a Shiv Sena 'Shakha' head, who allegedly barged into Sharma's compound. Calling the ex-Navy officer to come out of his house, the Sena unit chief allegedly attacked him. The Whatsapp forward was a satirical cartoon featuring Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray and his allies - Sharad Pawar and Sonia Gandhi. "Uddhav Thackerayji, if you can't control law and order then resign, let the public decide which government can handle it. Those (assailaints out on bail) are infuriated - hence I ask the CM to arrange for security to me and my family. Uddhav Thackerayji along with his party must apologise to the nation and ensure such an incident must not repeat," said the Navy veteran. Read: Rajnath Singh Dials Assaulted Navy Veteran; Condemns Shiv Sena Goons' Deplorable Attack Read: Assaulted Navy Veteran Seeks CM Uddhav's Resignation; Reminds Him Of Cartoonist Balasaheb Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-15 19:59:34|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close ISLAMABAD, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan on Tuesday strongly rejected what it called the "unwarranted" reference to Pakistan in the joint statement of U.S.-India Counter Terrorism Joint Working Group and Designations Dialogue. The seventeenth meeting of the U.S.-India Counter Terrorism Joint Working Group and the third session of the U.S.-India Designations Dialogue, which was held virtually last week, "underlined the urgent need for Pakistan to take immediate, sustained, and irreversible action to ensure that no territory under its control is used for terrorist attacks." The joint statement had also urged Pakistan to expeditiously bring to justice the perpetrators of terrorist attacks. Pakistan showed serious concerns and rejected the unacceptable reference to Pakistan in the U.S.-India joint statement and had conveyed concern to the U.S. side, the foreign ministry of Pakistan said. "It is important that partner countries take an objective view of the issues of peace and security in South Asia and refrain from endorsing positions that are one-sided and divorced from ground realities," a foreign ministry's statement said. The statement said that the international community is well-aware that Pakistan is "a country most affected by cross-border terrorism," adding that the international community also recognizes Pakistan's efforts, sacrifices and successes in the fight against terrorism. "The international community must urge India to reverse course and desist from playing a role detrimental to regional peace and stability," the statement said. Enditem Ten pupils have died in a fire in a school dormitory in north-western Tanzanias Kagera region. Seven other pupils who sustained serious injuries have been hospitalised. The dormitory was housing boys aged six to 10 years. Police have started investigations and the cause of the fire is yet to be established. The fire started at one of the dormitories of Byamungu English Medium Primary School in Kyerwa district at around 04:30 local time. Kyerwa District Commissioner Rashid Mwaimu told the BBC that the bodies were burnt beyond recognition and will need DNA tests to confirm the victims identities. Follow Us on Facebook @LadunLiadi; Instagram @LadunLiadi; Twitter @LadunLiadi; Youtube @LadunLiadiTV for updates Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 15) A lawmaker is seeking to restore funding for the Department of Foreign Affairs' Philippine Studies program, noting that years of effort for negotiations are wasted if these are discontinued. During the House of Representatives budget hearing for the department's 2021 budget, Deputy Speaker Loren Legarda asked DFA why there was no allocation for 2021 for programs such as this. She noted that these were not formulated overnight and that "these were negotiations and relationships forged between the DFA and those respective jurisdictions and it would be such a waste not to continue." The government has inked partnerships with several countries like Berlin, Madrid, and Singapore for the Philippine Studies program. This aims to gives access to other nationalities to study Philippine culture and society. DFA chief Teodoro Locsin Jr. said these were removed from the budget since they have to allocate funds for COVID-19 response. Budget allocated for the program this year was also transferred to address the health crisis, he said. However, Locsin noted that these are part of the department's tier 2 recommendations, hoping that these will also be approved. Meanwhile, Legarda also pushed for the restoration of the Foreign Service workers hardship allowance for hardship posts. Locsin committed that this will be restored even if they have to redirect the department's funds for this. Under the Executive Order No. 156, series of 2013, hardship posts shall receive an additional five percent in their Overseas Allowance to address additional expenses caused by adverse living conditions in their posts. Bob Woodward shared an April clip with late-night show host Stephen Colbert Monday where President Trump spoke of the dangers of the coronavirus, noting he "bailed out" of a White House room after someone sneezed. Why it matters: Trump's comments to the veteran journalist regarding the coronavirus pandemic deeply contrast with what he has said publicly. The president argued for weeks that the virus would "disappear" and slow-walked economic lockdowns. Trump has tweeted that Woodward withheld recordings of Trump saying his strategy was to intentionally downplay the threat of the coronavirus in February and March because "he knew they were good and proper answers." Of note: Woodward told Colbert Trump's response makes him wonder if the president would bail on a rally if someone in the front sneezed. Trump has said he's not worried about catching the virus at rally because he is "on stage and it's very far away ... and so I'm not at all concerned," per The Las Vegas Review-Journal. What Trump told Woodward: "Bob, it's so easily transmissible, you wouldn't believe it ... I mean you could, you could be in the room ... I was in the White House a couple of days ago, meeting with 10 people in the Oval Office and a guy sneezed innocently. Not a horrible ... you know, just a sneeze. The entire room bailed out, OK? Including me, by the way." The other side: Trump told Fox News in an interview broadcast last Wednesday that he downplayed the virus' threat because he wanted to "show a calmness." The president also accused Woodward of doing "hit jobs with everybody" on his books. Addressing Woodward's book, "Rage," about his presidency, Trump said: "I don't know if the book is good or bad I have no idea. [I] probably, almost definitely, won't read it because I don't have time to read it." Go deeper: Bob Woodward says it wasn't Trump's idea to restrict travel from China Chairman of India's Reliance Industries Mukesh Ambani (L) looks at rows of produce during a visit to a Reliance Fresh supermarket in Hyderabad. (AFP Photo) New Delhi: US private equity firm Silver Lake Partners has picked up 1.75 per cent stake in the retail arm of Reliance Industries for Rs 7,500 crore, the Indian firm said in a statement. "Reliance Industries Limited and Reliance Retail Ventures Ltd (RRVL) announced today that Silver Lake will invest Rs 7,500 crore into RRVL, a subsidiary of Reliance Industries," the statement said. This investment values RRVL at a pre-money equity value of Rs 4.21 lakh crore. Silver Lake's investment will translate into a 1.75 per cent equity stake in RRVL on a fully diluted basis. This marks the second billion-dollar investment by Silver Lake in a Reliance Industries subsidiary after the USD 1.35 billion investment in Jio Platforms announced earlier this year. "Reliance Retail Limited, a subsidiary of RRVL, operates India's largest, fastest growing and most profitable retail business serving close to 640 million footfalls across its about 12,000 stores nationwide," the statement said. With more than USD 60 billion in combined assets under management and committed capital and a focus on the world's great tech and tech-enabled opportunities, Silver Lake is the global leader in large-scale technology investing. Its other investments have included Airbnb, Alibaba, Alphabet's Verily and Waymo units, Dell Technologies, Twitter and numerous other global technology leaders. After monetising Jio Platforms -- which houses the firm's telecom arm and digital ventures, richest Indian Mukesh Ambani is looking to rope in investors in the retail business. Reliance may be looking to sell about 10 per cent of Reliance Retail. Late last month, Reliance acquired the retail and logistics businesses of Future Group for Rs 24,713 crore to boost its retail vertical. Silver Lake was the first US private equity firm to invest in Jio after tech giant Facebook took a 9.99 per cent stake in the company for Rs 43,573.62 crore. Silver Lake bought 2.08 per cent in Jio in two tranches for a total of Rs 10,202.55 crore. Rival private equity groups KKR, Vista and General Atlantic followed Silver Lake to take stakes in Jio. Other notable investors included Google and Abu Dhabi's sovereign wealth fund Mubadala. All investors in Jio Platforms including Silver Lake have been offered a chance to explore investing in Reliance Retail. Ambani had at Reliance Industries' recent annual general meeting stated that it had been approached by strategic/financial investors for a stake in Reliance Retail. Commenting on the transaction with Silver Lake, Ambani, Chairman and Managing Director, Reliance Industries, said, "I am delighted to extend our relationship with Silver Lake to our transformational efforts of building an inclusive partnership with millions of small merchants while providing value to Indian consumers across the country in the Indian retail sector." "We believe technology will be key to bringing the much-needed transformation in this sector so that various constituents of the retail ecosystem can collaborate to build inclusive growth platforms. Silver Lake will be an invaluable partner in implementing our vision for Indian Retail," he said. Commenting on the investment, Egon Durban, Co-CEO and Managing Partner of Silver Lake, said, "we are pleased to deepen our relationship with Reliance with this investment. Mukesh Ambani and his team at Reliance have created an outstanding world leader in retail and technology through their courageous vision, commitment to societal benefits, innovation excellence and relentless execution." "The success of JioMart in such a short time span, especially while India, along with the rest of the world, battles the COVID-19 pandemic, is truly unprecedented, and the most exciting growth phase has just begun. Reliance's new commerce strategy could become the disruptor of this decade. We are thrilled to have been invited to partner with Reliance in their mission for Indian Retail," Durban said. The transaction is subject to regulatory and other customary approvals. Morgan Stanley acted as financial advisor to Reliance Retail and Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas and Davis Polk & Wardwell acted as legal counsel. Latham & Watkins and Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co acted as legal counsel for Silver Lake. PLA launches more than 30 sea drills amid US, Taiwan exercises Global Times By Liu Xuanzun Source: Global Times Published: 2020/9/14 18:48:40 The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) announced new maritime exercises in the Yellow Sea on Monday, the dayas the US launched the Valiant Shield exercises around Guam, and the island of Taiwan started the computer-aided war games phase of the Han Kuang drills, with media saying both the US and Taiwan drills are aimed at the PLA. Since late July, the PLA has conducted more than 30 maritime drills in all four of its major sea regions, and experts said on Monday that the PLA is ready to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity, deter the US interference and Taiwan Taiwan secessionist forces, and, if they go too far, reunify the island by force and stop possible US intervention. On Monday, the US is expected to start the Valiant Shield 2020 exercises on Guam and around the Mariana Islands Range Complex. The US Pacific Fleet said multiple warships, including the USS Ronald Reagan aircraft carrier and USS America amphibious assault ship, 100 aircraft and 11,000 personnel from the US Navy, Air Force, Army and Marine Corps will participate in the 12-day drills. The computer-aided war games phase of Taiwan's Han Kuang drills, which have the PLA as a "threat" in mind, also began on Monday, reported Taiwan's Liberty Times Net. It said in a separate report on Monday that the US exercises are also a muscle-flexing move at the PLA. Guam is a US advance base in the Western Pacific, and a key nod in the second island chain aimed at containing PLA activities. The Valiant Shield features some of the main forces from multiple military branches, but Guam is within strike range of PLA missiles and bombers, a Chinese military expert who requested anonymity told the Global Times on Monday. Taiwan's Han Kuang drills are a blatant attempt to resist reunification by force, which again showed the secessionists' ignorance on the power gap between the island and the mainland, the expert said. Also on Monday, China's Maritime Safety Administration released a navigation restriction notice, and announced that the PLA will hold military missions in the northern Yellow Sea from Monday to Sunday. Over the past two months, the PLA has conducted maritime exercises in all four major sea regions of the Chinese mainland, namely the Bohai Sea, Yellow Sea, East China Sea and South China Sea, with the total number of exercises exceeding 30, Shanghai-based news website eastday.com reported on Sunday, noting that these are incomplete data, and there were more PLA exercises. While Chinese Defense Ministry spokesperson Wu Qian said at the routine press conference in August that the recent PLA drills in the Yellow Sea and South China Sea were annually arranged and not targeted at any country, he stressed that recent exercises by the PLA Eastern Theater Command along the Taiwan Straits were targeted at external interference and Taiwan secessionist forces. The PLA drills are not only sending a warning to the US and Taiwan secessionists, but also enhance combat capabilities to reunify the island, experts said, noting that the PLA can deter and also win a war if it comes to that. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Facebook on Monday night announced it will launch a new information hub to provide its users with "science-based information" about climate change. It said a link to the hub will appear when people search for information related to climate change on Facebook, or when people see certain posts related to the subject. The climate change hub comes after the company dealt with a rash of misinformation across its services regarding the cause of the wildfires raging across the Western U.S. One article containing false information blaming the wildfires on antifa arsonists had been shared more than 63,000 times on Facebook, according to The Guardian. The new feature is called the Climate Science Information Center, and it will provide Facebook users with facts, figures and data from factual sources, the company said in a blog post. These sources include the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, U.N. Environment Programme, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, World Meteorological Organization and the Met Office. In addition to the information center, Facebook said it will continue to reduce the distribution of posts containing false information on its News Feed feature and it will label those posts as false. Facebook, however, did not say it would remove those posts. The company also did not say if it would remove or label posts within private Facebook groups that contain misinformation about climate change. This year, the company has deployed information centers as a tactic to combat the spread of misinformation on Facebook and Instagram. The company launched a Covid hub in March, and in August, Facebook rolled out a voter information center. Facebook's Climate Science Information Center will go out to users in the U.S., U.K., France and Germany at launch, and it will appear in more markets "soon," the company said. By Pat Ryan In my 40 years in Trenton as a business executive and president of the New Jersey Clean Communities Council (NJCCC), I recognize that these are difficult times for government leaders desperate to find revenue to plug state budget holes. But responsible revenue policy must stay within the legal boundaries of state law. Case in point: the recent proposal by the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to raid New Jerseys Clean Communities program, a highly-respected, statewide environmental program. The fund stands to take a draconian hit a 50% cut in funding with $10 million diverted for administrative salaries in the state parks division. However, in making this decision, a provision of the Clean Communities law was apparently overlooked, based on reauthorization legislation adopted in 2002. The law includes a poison pill, in which if any money is raided from Clean Communities, the business tax revenue used to fund the program would immediately be suspended and the program would lose all future funding. This is a clear and deliberate provision to prevent money from being diverted. That poison pill provision was enacted after Gov. Christie Whitman pulled $500,000 from the line item in the 1990s to pay salaries for state park employees within the DEP. In 2002, the state Legislature recognized that it would be reckless to cut out critical funds to municipalities and counties, thus placing the safeguard. Ever since, no governor has attempted to pull funds from this environmental program. Until today. If the fund is raided, it would create an incredible financial drain across the state. New Jersey counties stand to lose $2.1 million, while municipalities like Cherry Hill would lose $141,000; Woodbridge $164,000; Vineland $125,000; Toms River $210,000 and Newark $404,000, just to name a few. Every New Jersey town and country would suffer. The Clean Communities program is funded by businesses, not taxpayers, and is known commonly as the litter tax that generates an estimated $20 million a year. It is a dedicated, non-lapsing fund to run a comprehensive, statewide litter abatement program. Funds come from a user fee for 15 categories of businesses that produce litter-generating products, such as paper, glass and metal containers. Both manufacturers and retailers pay the litter tax, generating millions of dollars that are then distributed to municipalities and counties statewide for community clean up and education programs. In recent months, Clean Communities has been squarely focused on a campaign regarding the proper way to dispose of masks, gloves and wipes, swiftly shifting to respond to the pandemic. Clean Communities resources are needed now more than ever. This statewide program a best practice that many other states have emulated has steadily removed a massive amount of garbage from neighborhoods, waterways, roadways and beaches since the 1980s and has educated generations of our residents and students about the need to put litter in its proper place. The program supports hundreds of education programs and clean-up events throughout the state, every year. Tens of thousands of volunteers participate in community clean up efforts every year. Today, the program supports the Adopt-a-Beach and Adopt-a-Highway programs. No longer can New Jersey be an environmental joke. NJCCC collects statistics from municipalities and counties to gauge its steady progress. It also conducted visual litter surveys in 2005 and 2018, revealing a 53% reduction in litter in New Jersey over that time further underscoring the immense impact on the quality of life for every New Jerseyan. This program works and has a proven track record of success. Any attempt to gut the Clean Communities program is on the wrong side of the law. We are forever grateful for this poison pill provision, which is more vital now than ever. Now is the time to remind legislative leaders why they must promptly restore these critical funds for the direct benefit of all New Jerseyans. Pat Ryan was the first-ever president of the New Jersey Clean Communities Council, serving from 2001 to 2019. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Heres how to submit an op-ed or Letter to the Editor. Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion. Follow us on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and on Facebook at NJ.com Opinion. Get the latest news updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. QUISPAMSIS, N.B. - New Brunswick's Progressive Conservatives won a majority government on Monday, concluding a highly unusual election race the first in Canada since the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 14/9/2020 (494 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. QUISPAMSIS, N.B. - New Brunswick's Progressive Conservatives won a majority government on Monday, concluding a highly unusual election race the first in Canada since the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic. "Come what may in the months and years ahead, we know we'll have stability and experience leading us through these challenging times," Premier Blaine Higgs told about 50 supporters who were wearing masks and standing two metres apart in a Quispamsis, N.B., bingo hall. "I want to thank every New Brunswicker who showed the country how democratic elections can be held safely during this pandemic." With all votes counted, the Tories were elected in 27 ridings, the Liberals in 17, the Green party in three and the People's Alliance in two. At least 25 seats were needed for a majority in the 49-seat house. As Higgs walked to the stage with his wife and two daughters, all four were wearing full face shields. When the premier arrived at the podium, he took off the shield, looked at the sparse crowd and said with a smile: "There's nothing like coming to a packed hall. This is life in COVID." Soon after Higgs delivered his victory speech, Liberal Leader Kevin Vickers announced he would be stepping down. "Obviously with the results of this evening, it's time for another leader to step up and take this party forward," he said. "I'm hoping the next leader will take the torch and bring it up higher." Visitors stroll at Hopewell Rocks in Hopewell Cape, N.B., Sunday, Sept. 13, 2020. The rock formations are caused by tidal erosion along the Bay of Fundy. New Brunswick voters go to the polls on Monday for the first provincial election during the COVID-19 pandemic. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Andrew Vaughan It's the first time a government in New Brunswick has won two consecutive terms since Bernard Lord led the Tories to re-election in 2003. Higgs called a snap election four weeks ago, saying his 21-month-old minority government lacked stability at a difficult time for the province. His opposition rivals accused him of political opportunism, but Higgs gambled that the electorate wouldn't see things that way, given that he had won widespread praise for his leadership in the face of the rapidly evolving COVID-19 crisis. During the last week of the campaign, Higgs said he wanted a majority win to ensure the Tories could focus on health care and keeping people safe. He said any other option would put the province at risk. The 66-year-old former Irving Oil executive cast himself as a dull but dependable in a crisis. "Maybe I'm boring, but I'm no surprise," he said last month. "I'm consistent. You can trust me." At dissolution, there were 20 Tories, 20 Liberals, three Greens, three People's Alliance members, one Independent and two vacancies. During the 28-day election race, few candidates campaigned door-to-door, and those who did were careful to wear a mask and stand well back when speaking to voters. There were no handshakes, no kissing of babies, no big rallies. A resident arrives to vote in the New Brunswick provincial election at St. Mark's Catholic Church in Quispamsis, N.B. on Monday, Sept. 14, 2020. Premier Blaine Higgs, the Progressive Conservative leader, called the first provincial election during the COVID-19 pandemic after the opposition Liberals wouldn't support a plan that would have allowed his government to stay in power until October 2022 or until the end of the pandemic. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Andrew Vaughan Campaign literature was sent through the mail and the party leaders took part in outdoor events that were livestreamed, as masked candidates stood well in the background to comply with physical distancing rules. And at most campaign stops, Higgs wore a plastic face shield. On the campaign trail, Vickers accused Higgs of listening to political advisers rather than the people of New Brunswick, arguing that the election wasn't wanted or needed. Acclaimed Liberal leader in 2019, Vickers had served as sergeant-at-arms in the House of Commons, where in 2014 he was credited with fatally shooting a gunman who had fired a rifle inside Centre Block. When the election campaign started on Aug. 17, Green party Leader David Coon also accused Higgs of opportunism. As the Tories secured their majority win on Monday, Coon said the electoral system has to be changed. "It speaks to the need for electoral reform, so we don't have these majority governments where premiers can have their way," he said. In recent election campaigns in New Brunswick, voters were confronted with polarizing issues, such as hydraulic fracturing, skyrocketing auto insurance rates or privatization of the province's Crown-owned utility, NB Power. But this election was all about the province's response to COVID-19. Premier Blaine Higgs embraces his wife Marcia Higgs, right, and daughters Rachel Hiltz, left and Lindsey Hiltz after winning the New Brunswick provincial election in Quispamsis, N.B. on Monday, Sept. 14, 2020. The Progressive Conservative leader called the first provincial election during the COVID-19 pandemic and there was no door-to-door canvassing and no distribution of hand-held brochures. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Andrew Vaughan New Brunswick has one of the lowest levels of infection in Canada bested only by P.E.I. and the territories. That fact became Higgs' key talking point during the election race. He also cited forecasts suggesting the province was leading the country in terms of an economic recovery. Higgs highlighted the fact that New Brunswick had experienced a smaller economic contraction than the rest of Canada due to COVID-19, mainly because the province contained the virus quickly. The Tories argued during the campaign that all that good news was a result of Higgs' leadership. By contrast, Vickers took a gloomier view, saying the Tories were pretending that everything had returned to normal, when "businesses are still feeling the repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic." While the Tories managed to secure a majority, they largely failed to make gains within the province's French-speaking regions. As a result, the province remains divided along linguistic lines, with the Tories dominating in the English-speaking ridings of central and southern New Brunswick and the Liberals hanging on to the French-speaking ridings in the north a problem that emerged after the 2018 election. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. The leaders of the smaller parties warned voters against electing a majority government, saying the minority arrangement had performed well with an all-party cabinet committee handling the COVID-19 crisis. People's Alliance Leader Kris Austin said he was disappointed with the Tories' majority win but insisted the People's Alliance would continue to press for change in the legislature. "We have made some significant changes in the political landscape," he said. "We still have our foot in the door, make no mistake about it." Mackenzie Thomason, 23-year-old interim leader of the New Democratic Party, said during the campaign the smaller parties were there to "keep the big parties' feet to the fire." The NDP didn't win any seats in the 2018 election and it was shut out again Monday. With files from Michael MacDonald in Halifax This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 14, 2020. If youve enjoyed buying cocktail kits with bottles of liquor from your favorite bar or restaurant over the last few months, that time will soon come to an end. The Alabama ABC will not extend the emergency order allowing curbside and to-go sales of alcoholic beverages at licensed locations in the state. The ABC Board passed the initial emergency order in March after health departments around the state ordered bars and restaurants to halt on-premise consumption in an effort to stop the spread of COVID-19. The order was extended in July and set to expire today. At this time, there are no plans to extend that order, Dean Argo, Government Relations Manager of the Alabama ABC Board, told AL.com in an email. The emergency order, Argo explained, was executed when Governor Iveys Stay at Home order was first implemented, causing most retail licensees to shutter indoor service. However, under the Safer at Home order, retail licensees, including restaurants, are now allowed 50% capacity inside, so the need to provide emergency curbside service is no longer necessary, said Argo. Restaurants and bars in the state were allowed to resume on-premise consumption on May 11. This decision comes as bars and restaurants around the state are still prohibited from selling patrons alcohol after 11 p.m. in an effort to mitigate the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. In July, the ABC Board unanimously voted to cut off on-premise alcohol sales at bars, restaurants and clubs at 11 p.m. each night with the requirement that all alcohol be consumed by 11:30 p.m. The order, which went into effect on Aug. 1, has a 120-day limit. The ABC Boards next regularly scheduled meeting is next Thursday, Sept. 24. Argo says ABC Administrator Mac Gipson and the rest of the ABC Board are expected to discuss the status of the order during that meeting. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-15 19:36:35|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close GENEVA, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- China's Permanent Representative to the United Nations Office at Geneva Chen Xu on Tuesday urged the international community to uphold multilateralism, strengthen unity and address global challenges together. In a statement delivered on behalf of a group of like-minded countries on the second day of the 45th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, Chen also called upon the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) to treat all human rights on an equal footing. "We support the OHCHR to continue dialogue and cooperation with States, attach importance to the authoritative information provided by governments, carry out work based on its mandate in an objective, impartial and non-selective manner, and stand against double standards and politicization of human rights," Chen said. Noting that the year 2021 will mark the 35th anniversary of the Declaration on the Right to Development, Chen urged the OHCHR to take more substantive actions on mainstreaming of the right to development. The Chinese envoy expressed support for an earlier appeal by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet for addressing inequalities, and urged the UN rights agency also to increase support in combating racism, racial discrimination and hate speech. He noted that many developing countries and least developed countries are under negative impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and unilateral coercive measures (UCMs) and facing severe challenges in fulfilling international human rights obligations. "We call upon the OHCHR to provide technical assistance upon the request of the States concerned and oppose UCMs," he said. Enditem Dao Tran Quoc Chuong, born 1974, living in District 6 in HCM City, has surprised antiques collectors in Vietnam with his invaluable collection of ancient Japanese pottery, which cannot be measured in cash. Collector Dao Tran Quoc Chuong and the world's only pair of Satsuma ceramic vases. Photo: Nguyen Son. Chuong owns one of the worlds rarest collection of ancient Satsuma pottery, Japan's most famous ceramic. To enhance the value of his collection, Chuong sets out four strict factors when collecting antiques. The items in my collection must meet the four elements. Firstly, it must be Japan's national treasure. Secondly, the item must be crafted by artisans whose names have been honored by the world. Thirdly, they must be the ones used by the Japanese royalty. Fourthly, the item must be exclusive, Chuong said. To illustrate the first criterion, he showed a VietNamNet reporter a 78cm high ceramic vase covered with extremely sophisticated patterns. This vase, he revealed, is Japans national asset, which is the only one of its kind in the world. Gold motifs are drawn and covered with gold. Photo: Nguyen Son. According to information from a reputable antique broker in the world, this vase was previously gifted by the Japanese government to a senior US official. The broker affirmed the information because they have sufficient data about the material, origin and history of the vase. The bottom of the vase is also stamped by the Japanese government," Chuong added. In addition to the vase, Vietnamese antique collectors are also overwhelmed by the size and rarity of the pair of Satsuma ceramic vases owned by Chuong. This pair of vases is 175cm high, 63cm in diameter and 70cm in diameter at the mouth. The vases are covered with patterns that recall the legendary theme of civil war and original motifs of Japan. According to Chuong, these are the only two products of their kind in the world. I bought this extremely rare pair of vases from a private foreign museum. To own them, I had to sell a piece of land and my house. It was also extremely difficult to bring them to Vietnam. I had to wait for eight months with a huge shipping fee to touch the two pots, Chuong said. Chuong said that he began collecting ancient Japanese pottery on the advice of his friends. However, the more he collected these items, the more he was attracted to the beauty of them. The 3D embossed motifs on the antiques look like a painting with a harmonious and lively layout. Photo: Nguyen Son. Each culture has its own famous ceramic and porcelain lines with its own beauty recognized by the world. However, Japanese Satsuma ceramics are prized above all because this ceramic line is perfectly created by artisans with brilliant yellow color, representing Japan full of vitality, Chuong said. According to Chuong, this Japanese ceramic line has its own unique features that no other ceramic has. Specifically, other ceramic lines often draw individual patterns in an area, or a part of the surface of products. Japanese Satsuma pottery items are covered with 3D embossed patterns of various and extremely vivid colors. More specifically, gold-colored motifs are all made with real gold. The other colors are made up of minerals, not paints. Although they are embossed, the motifs are very vivid and harmonious. Observing items in his collection, viewers admire the technique of using gold and mineral colors to show fine details that even the naked eye cannot clearly see because, at that time, the artisan did not have support from modern machinery and technology. All motifs and drawings are made with the artist's skillful hands and incredible imagination. Chuong said: If drawing people, each character has a very lively charisma, giving viewers the feeling that they have different personalities and a connection, communication with each other ". If it is a landscape, the motifs are clearly displayed with a complete and vivid layout where viewers feel the scent, noise, and space the artist wanted to express. If you take pictures of the patterns on the product and put them together, the drawings will become a perfect painting, he added. Another special thing that makes Satsuma pottery popular with world antique collectors is that they fully express the cultural features on a product. Chuong explained, if an item shows the Buddhist culture, the product will be covered with drawings of Arhat, Amitabha Buddha, Avalokiteshvara, Buddha Tathagata ... Many products are seen as a slice of Japanese history from the period it was born because the artist visualized the information and events on Satsuma ceramic products through his sophisticated drawings. Nguyen Son Massachusetts residents who step outside their homes Tuesday can see a noticeably brownish haze in the sky. That milkiness in the atmosphere, forecasters said, can be attributed to smoke from the devastating wildfires in California, Oregon and Washington state, which continue to rage on. The fires have killed at least 35 people and burned around 4.6 million acres in the West, CNN reported. The historic plumes of smoke from the fires out West have now spread across the United States, including to New England. They may even blot out the sun in the afternoon, according to NBC Boston. Several people Tuesday morning in Massachusetts were tweeting photographs of the dimmed sun, the smokey clouds and the haziness. Although the haziness is prominent, the smoke is not surface-based, forecasters said. It is well off into the atmosphere, noted Alan Dunham, a meteorologist with the National Weather Services Boston/Norton office. Youre not going to see it at the surface, he told MassLive. It will effect sunrise and sunset, but it wont be down on the surface. The NASA smoke model not painting a pretty picture for the next 5 days in the Pacific NW. Also notice how the eastbound smoke gets wrapped up in Paulette later in the week. #idwx #orwx pic.twitter.com/aLL3tZFA87 NWS Boise (@NWSBoise) September 14, 2020 Satellite images from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration showed that shifting wind patterns have blown smoke from the fire east throughout the continental U.S. CNN reported that the smoke from the fires barreled east in two large swaths, according to NOAAs Office of Satellite and Product Operations. One of the swathes of high-density smoke traveled from across upper western states to Michigan and the Great Lakes region, ending in Rochester, New York. The other swath went blew across the southwest through Missouri, Illinois and Kentucky, ending in the Mid-Atlantic. The federal governments images showed the alarming shroud of smoke that hangs over the majority of the country. They also showed the aerosols that accompany that smoke. Along with the smoke, small particles suspended in the air are also moved along the jet stream and bring hazardous air quality across the country, NOAA and NASA said in a statement. Aerosols are a mixture of small particles and chemicals produced by the incomplete burning of carbon-containing materials like trees and brush, according to the two agencies. The smaller the particles, the easier they can be inhaled and absorbed into the lungs, the agencies said. The health risks posed to Massachusetts residents from the wildfire smoke appear to be nonexistent. The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protections air quality monitoring website continues to show good air quality across Massachusetts, and elevated levels of fine particulates have not been recorded, officials said. The smoke from the wildfires that is aloft in the atmosphere across the United States is expected to remain that way, authorities noted. The biggest health threat from smoke is from fine particles, the Environmental Protection Agencys website said. "These microscopic particles can penetrate deep into your lungs. They can cause a range of health problems, from burning eyes and a runny nose to aggravated chronic heart and lung diseases. Exposure to particle pollution is even linked to premature death. See images of the hazy sky in Massachusetts Haze courtesy of the West coast fires. The smoke is now in the upper level atmosphere here in Massachusetts. pic.twitter.com/S29u37Xo5V Mike Malone (@rfgenerator) September 15, 2020 Smoke from the west coast rolling into Massachusetts. pic.twitter.com/0noCY4cXo4 Steve Edwards (@The_Big_Quiet) September 14, 2020 Sun dimmed today over Massachusetts by smoke from the west coast fires at 25.000 ft. pic.twitter.com/aBsM46uwiJ Jim Manning (@JimManning9) September 15, 2020 New Jersey police have been called in to break up a huge crowd of revelers gathered together for an event held by a group of YouTube pranksters. The Nelk Boys - a Canadian trio who boast 5.7 million YouTube subscribers - encouraged fans to show up outside a Seaside Heights home for the launch of their new clothing merchandise on Monday evening. Footage shared on one of the prankster's Instagram accounts shows hundreds of people cheering outside the residence. The attendees were not following social distancing guidelines and most were not wearing face masks, despite the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. New Jersey police have been called in to break up a huge crowd of revelers gathered together for an event held by a group of YouTube pranksters known as The Nelk Boys The Nelk Boys were seen popping champagne as they celebrated the launch of their new merchandise range. The group encouraged fans to head down to their rental house to celebrate the event Under current rules in New Jersey, outdoor gatherings cannot exceed 500 people and social distancing must be practiced at all times. As night fell, the crowd grew larger and more rowdy, sparking serious concerns. The Nelk Boys had been staying at the 'Jersey Shore House' - the residence made famous by the MTV reality show which ran from 2009 until 2012. Another video posted by the group to their Instagram shows the landlord ordering them out of the house as the situation outside became increasingly chaotic. 'Get your s**t and get outta here, guys. It's time to go,' the landlord can be heard telling them. Aerial footage captured by NBC shows police cars trying to break up the crowd, which had spilled onto nearby roads, blocking traffic. Aerial footage captured by NBC shows police cars trying to break up the crowd, which had spilled onto nearby roads, blocking traffic. Seaside Heights Police Chief Thomas Boyd told The Asbury Park Press that the crowd had grown to a 'couple thousand' Seaside Heights Police Chief Thomas Boyd told The Asbury Park Press that the crowd had grown to a 'couple thousand'. There are no reports of any arrests, Last week, YouTube temporarily demonetized The Nelk Boys' account after video surfaced of them hosting a rowdy party at Illinois State University. A company spokesperson accused the popular pranksters of 'creating a widespread public health risk'. 'These creators were encouraging large groups of people to actively disregard social distancing guidelines from local health authorities that were put in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19, creating a widespread public health risk,' they stated. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 15) Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque on Tuesday denied that President Rodrigo Duterte's confidence in Health Secretary Francisco Duque III influenced the findings on the investigation of controversies on PhilHealth. Duque, who serves as the PhilHealth board's ex-officio chairman, was not included in the list of officials recommended to face complaints based on the initial findings of the Justice Department-led Task Force. In the 177-page report to Duterte, the Task Force said members of the PhilHealth board of directors and executive committee were found to be "negligent" in some of their duties, including in the implementation of the interim reimbursement mechanism (IRM). RELATED: Task Force says PhilHealth execs negligent on IRM implementation, concealed info and documents This was similar to the pronouncement of Duterte earlier this month. The President said while the embattled official may be found negligent in his work in PhilHealth, he assured that Duque has his full trust. Roque denied Duterte's stand influenced the investigators. "Hindi naman siguro, eh 'di dapat wala nang admonishment na nirekomenda," Roque said during a media briefing. [Translation: I don't think so. If so, then it shouldn't have recommended the admonishment.] The Task Force made a recommendation to Duterte to "strongly admonish and remind the Chairman and Members of the Board of the grave consequences of their action or inaction." It also said the negligence of some officials was "mitigated" by the active concealment of important documents to gain the board's approval. Roque said Duque is not yet completely off the hook as the investigation will continue. "This is only the beginning," Roque said. "Nakasaad din po sa report na magpapatuloy po ang imbestigasyon ng NBI at ng DOJ at magpapatuloy pa rin po ang mga imbestigasyon ng Ombudsman." [Translation: This is only the beginning. The report also indicates the NBI, DOJ, and Ombudsman will continue their probe.] Duterte approved the filing of complaints over the alleged anomalies within the agency against Ricardo Morales, former PhilHealth president and CEO; Jovita Aragona, senior vice president and chief information officer; Arnel De Jesus, chief operating officer; Renato Limsiaco Jr., senior vice president on fund management sector; Calixto Gabuya Jr., acting senior manager of Information Technology and Management Department; and Israel Pargas, senior vice president on health finance policy sector. Olivia Attwood paid tribute to her late grandfather in a heartbreaking post on Monday. The Love Island star announced the passing of the patriarch with a sweet throwback picture of her grandfather cuddling Olivia and her siblings. Alongside the snap she shared an emotional note detailing the impact he had on her life and the traits she has hoped to inherit from him. Heartbreaking: Olivia Attwood paid tribute to her late grandfather in a heartbreaking post on Monday. The Love Island star announced the passing of the patriarch with a sweet throwback Olivia penned: 'Yesterday we lost our lovely Grandpa. He was an extraordinary person who achieved so many amazing things.' She went on to reveal he had been awarded the Woodrow Wilson Fellowship, which cultivates talented emerging leaders from both the academy and public service. She continued: '(He was one of the two first ever Canadians awarded the Woodrow Wilson Fellowship, to name just one) but more importantly than that he was the most wonderful grandfather and adored by many. 'I may not of inherited your intellect.. but I hope I inherited some of your endless charm and zest for life. You will be missed terribly. Until we see you again'. Emotional: Alongside the snap she shared an emotional note detailing the impact he had on her life and the traits she has hoped to inherit from him Time of change: Olivia's poignant post comes at a crossroads in the star's life as she is reportedly set to quit The Only Way Is Essex Olivia's poignant post comes at a crossroads in the star's life as she is reportedly set to quit The Only Way Is Essex. The TV star joined the hit show in April last year, but after securing her own reality show, the blonde beauty may soon walk away from the long-running series. A TV source told The Sun: 'Liv is focused on her own show and getting married. No one would be surprised if she left after this series.' The former Love Island star has also revealed she's set to skip some filming for TOWIE in order to spend more time working on her own reality series, Meets Her Match. She said: 'I will go missing a little bit later in the series due to commitments to my own show but I am involved in the tenth anniversary show.' PRINCETON JUNCTION, N.J., Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The International Card Manufacturers Association (ICMA), a global trade association for card manufacturers, personalizers, issuers and suppliers, will host a historic event, ICMA Connect: A Global Virtual Forum & Trade Show on November 4-5, 2020. Registration is now open for the online event, which will offer a dynamic lineup of interactive experiences, including educational opportunities, networking sessions and roundtable discussions. The "main stage" will feature speakers and panelists, who will discuss trends, technology, the "green" movement, COVID-19's impact on the card market, sustainability trends in the global card market, biometric smart cards and the future of the card industry. Participants will be invited to post questions, take part in polls and chat live with attendees and exhibitors. Bernard Baumohl, chief global economist at The Economic Outlook Group LLC, will deliver the keynote address, "The Global Economic Outlook," in which he will discuss the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the economic and business landscape, forecasts for consumer and business spending, as well as how the outcome of the presidential election could impact the economy in 2021 and 2022. "Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, with travel restrictions and social distancing protocols in place, virtual events have become necessary," said Jeffrey Barnhart, executive director and founder of ICMA. "We are excited to unveil the lineup of highly engaging speakers and presentations for ICMA's inaugural virtual event, ICMA Connect. As the leading global trade association for the card industry, it was critical for ICMA to continue to deliver the cutting-edge education and networking opportunities that our members expect." Winners of the 2020 ICMA Elan Awards of Excellence, which celebrate the pinnacle of design innovation, security and technical achievements in the card industry, will be announced at ICMA Connect. The seven award categories include: Secure Payment Cards, Loyalty, Promotional and Gift Cards, ID and Access Control Cards, Unique Innovation, Personalization & Fulfillment (Product, Service or Project) and Best Supplier or Vendor for a New Product, Service or Innovation. Earlier this year, ICMA cancelled its 2020 Card Manufacturing and Personalization EXPO amid COVID-19 uncertainties. ICMA's 2021 EXPO will take place on May 17-20, 2021 at the Renaissance Orlando at SeaWorld in Orlando, Florida. Sponsorship and exhibiting opportunities for ICMA Connect are now available. For more information and to register, visit icma.com. Invaluable Networking and Industry Connection Since 1990, the annual ICMA Card Manufacturing & Personalization EXPO has served as the world's only manufacturing-focused global card conference and exhibition. A global meeting of leading card industry professionals, the EXPO is replete with information sharing and networking opportunities. Geared to prepare attendees for the changing future of the card industry, presentations feature valuable insight on trends and new technologies, as well as market forecasts. EXPOs regularly feature more than 50 exhibitors, made up of global industry leaders who manufacture and supply materials and services to the card manufacturing and personalization industry. In addition to its annual EXPO, ICMA offers its members two other important events through the year. CardTREX North America and CardTREX Europe are geographic-specific conferences that focus on regional trends, challenges, opportunities and emerging technologies for card manufacturers, personalizers and suppliers. Each one-and-a-half days long, the conferences are geared to technical and production staff, as well as executives and business owners in the transaction card industry. The conferences also feature tours of local members' plants. Throughout the year, ICMA hosts live webcasts featuring expert tips from card manufacturers, personalizers and issuers about the card industry. Webcasts are archived and members may access them on ICMA's website. Sample topics include, "European Card Market Statistics," "Card Security: Ink Solutions and Trends in Security Features" and "Effectively Designing and Introducing New Trends in Card Design." Cutting-Edge Training, Education ICMA maintains several industry-leading training and education programs about card manufacturing. These include the Advanced Card Education (ACE) program, which provides information on key areas of the industry, as well as online tutorials and webinars on specific topics from card industry experts and leading industry suppliers. The ACE program is the global standard of recognition for advanced knowledge of the card manufacturing industry. There is a certification level curriculum and designations offered in manufacturing, personalization and advanced technologies. The newest addition to the program is ACE-Commercial, a virtual training series, which offers education to various segments of member companies. The ACE program is designed to offer companies an edge in an intensely competitive field. As the demand for experts grows, continual training and expertise is crucial for individualsand companiesto stay ahead of the crowd. ICMA continues to invest in education for its members, keeping them knowledgeable and current on new innovations in the marketplace. CITE The Card Industry Training & Education (CITE) program provides a basic overview of the industry, its history and manufacturing processes. It provides a basic education for individuals new to the card industry or who otherwise want a better understanding of the industry. The self-led online course covers general card manufacturing, personalization and applications. Key sections of the CITE curriculum include card history, card markets, industry scope, card product categories, card manufacturing, materials, components, card-based financial transactions, industry trade associations, basic concepts of card personalization, data recording technologies, machine-readable recording technologies and the card personalization process. There are self-tests at the end of each section. The Card Industry Training & Education (CITE) program provides a basic overview of the industry, its history and manufacturing processes. It provides a basic education for individuals new to the card industry or who otherwise want a better understanding of the industry. The self-led online course covers general card manufacturing, personalization and applications. Key sections of the CITE curriculum include card history, card markets, industry scope, card product categories, card manufacturing, materials, components, card-based financial transactions, industry trade associations, basic concepts of card personalization, data recording technologies, machine-readable recording technologies and the card personalization process. There are self-tests at the end of each section. Card Manufacturing Magazine Published six times a year globally, Card Manufacturing is the flagship publication of ICMA. The magazine outlines industry news and trends, member news, product releases, standards updates and member/ACE spotlights. Published six times a year globally, is the flagship publication of ICMA. The magazine outlines industry news and trends, member news, product releases, standards updates and member/ACE spotlights. Technical Standards Reports ICMA officially participates in two major standards organizations, the International Standards Organization (ISO) and the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). An ICMA representative attends ANSI and ISO meetings, offering card manufacturing and personalization perspectives to the standard-making bodies and providing guidance to members about forthcoming changes to standards. ICMA maintains representation on both of these committees through its official standards representative, David Tushie of Magellan Consulting. Tushie is at the forefront of current and emerging standards for all types of cards and related devices. ICMA maintains a library of reports published by Tushie detailing outcomes of ISO and ANSI meetings from 2011 to present that impact the card manufacturing process. ICMA officially participates in two major standards organizations, the International Standards Organization (ISO) and the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). An ICMA representative attends ANSI and ISO meetings, offering card manufacturing and personalization perspectives to the standard-making bodies and providing guidance to members about forthcoming changes to standards. ICMA maintains representation on both of these committees through its official standards representative, of Magellan Consulting. Tushie is at the forefront of current and emerging standards for all types of cards and related devices. ICMA maintains a library of reports published by Tushie detailing outcomes of ISO and ANSI meetings from 2011 to present that impact the card manufacturing process. Global Market and Personalization Statistics Reports ICMA publishes two annual reports that analyze the industry and assess the industry's present environment and future. Designed to assist ICMA member companies with strategic planning, the reports are segmented by global views, industry verticals and geographic regions and they cover trends in manufacturing, personalization, and fulfillment statistics. The reports are free to members. About ICMA Celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2020, ICMA is a nonprofit association of card manufacturers, personalizers, suppliers and related industry participants. With more than 200 members globally, ICMA is a resource for industry issues, including the production, technology, application, security and environmental issues of cards. More information is available at icma.com. Media Contact: Kimberly Tjoumakaris, public relations manager (609) 297-7845 [email protected] SOURCE ICMA Related Links http://www.icma.com For some voters, theres a nagging question hovering over the campaign to pass a workforce-development ballot proposition. If voters approve the four-year, sales-tax-funded, $154 million plan, and local workers subsequently get the training they need, will this community be able to provide enough good-paying jobs for those trained workers? Thats where the work of the Economic Development Foundation comes in. Jenna Saucedo-Herrera, the organizations president and CEO, recently spoke to Express-News business editor Greg Jefferson about her commitment to help San Antonio break away from its reputation as a bastion of low-wage jobs. Jefferson talked about that interview during this weeks episode of the Express-News Puro Politics podcast. On ExpressNews.com: Q&A with EDF chief Jenna Saucedo-Herrera Jefferson said the EDF, since its mid-1970s inception, consistently had sold the city as a place where the cost of living was low and cheap labor was readily available. Over the past four years, however, Saucedo-Herrera has redirected the EDF to seek out higher-paying jobs. Her efforts align with Mayor Ron Nirenbergs workforce-development initiative and with the current priorities of employers across the country. Companies, when theyre looking to expand into a new city or to relocate, real estate and economic incentives basically, public giveaways used to be high on the list, Jefferson said. Now, whats replaced those two items recently has been quality of life, culture and, more importantly, the quality of the workforce. Economic development experts in San Antonio have finally come around to the idea that if you want to attract better-paying jobs, you need a better-educated workforce. And that kind of goes hand-in-glove with what Nirenberg is trying to do with this workforce-training program. Hear more about this and other issues on this weeks edition of Puro Politics. Gilbert Garcia is a columnist covering the San Antonio and Bexar County area. To read more from Gilbert, become a subscriber. ggarcia@express-news.net | Twitter: @gilgamesh470 New Delhi: Security forces have busted a terror recruitment module of Hizbul Mujahideen in Ganderbal district of central Kashmir. On reliable information that a module comprising of three youth namely Arshid Ahmad Khan, Majid Rasool Rather, and Mohd Asif Najar, all residents of Ganderbal, have come in contact with one Pakistan based terrorist, Fayaz Khan. Fayaz Khan was continuously trying to motivate them to join terror ranks and was in touch with them through social media and finally got success in his plan. According to police, just a few days back Fayaz tasked them to take up terrorist activities and attack security personals and security establishments in the area. The security personal, however, got the input about the youth getting active in terror ranks, and launched a joint operation comprising team Ganderbal, police, and 5RR, during the intervening night of 14/15 September and arrested all three local youth. Live TV Police claimed to have recovered incriminating electronic gadgets, and during the questioning, the trio disclosed about three hand grenades that were recovered from their possession. A case has been registered against them, and the police are probing if there are other youths in contact with these terrorists. They revealed that their Pakistani handler had tasked them to attacks on security forces in the area. This is another example that how Pakistan-based terrorists are luring the youth of the valley and motivating them to join the terror ranks. Apart from killing the terrorists, the security forces are also working on saving the lives and future of the common youth of Kashmir. After a rigorous evaluation process, STARLUX Airlines chose IBS Software's iCargo SaaS-based cargo platform to provide a single, unified platform for all critical functions. iCargo now manages all aspects of STARLUX's cargo business, including sales, airline operations, US customs, mail, Unit Load Device, cashiering, claims, cargo and mail revenue accounting, portal services, data warehousing and business intelligence modules. "We chose the industry-leading iCargo management platform to achieve our goal of providing the best and seamless cargo service to our customers," said Glenn Chai, CEO, STARLUX Airlines. "So far, iCargo has proved itself to be well worth the investment. It is an advanced digital solution featuring advanced and user-friendly functions. STARLUX is very glad to have made the right choice." "We were proud to have been selected as a launch partner for STARLUX Airlines, our first iCargo customer in Taiwan. As a startup airline, STARLUX had strict timelines for implementation and regulatory requirements, and extremely high expectations for the technology and its support of their business model. In IBS Software they found a partner with deep expertise, total commitment to driving business value, and a strong delivery track record. We're thrilled to welcome STARLUX to the iCargo family and to continue our partnership as the airline continues to thrive," said Ashok Rajan, Head of Cargo & Logistics Solutions, IBS Software. STARLUX plans to expand its network with additional A321neo aircraft scheduled for delivery, plus wide-body A350 XWB aircraft. iCargo is fully enabled to support this future growth and continue to empower STARLUX to deliver on its brand promise to customers. Over the last 24 months demand for iCargo has gained significant momentum around the world, with 18 implementations going live over this period including eight new customers. About IBS Software IBS Software is a leading SaaS solutions provider to the travel industry globally, managing mission-critical operations for customers in the aviation, tour & cruise and hospitality industries. IBS's solutions for the aviation industry cover fleet and crew operations, aircraft maintenance, passenger services, loyalty programs, staff travel & air-cargo management. IBS Software also runs a real time b2b and b2c distribution platform providing hotel room inventory, rates and availability to a global network of hospitality companies and channels. For the tour and cruise industry, IBS provides a comprehensive customer-centric, digital platform that covers onshore online and on-board solutions. IBS Software is a Blackstone portfolio company and operates from 11 offices across the world. Further information can be found at https://www.ibsplc.com/ About STARLUX Airlines STARLUX Airlines was founded in May 2018. Out of his passion for aviation and determination to cultivate the aviation industry, the founder, K.W Chang, established a luxury boutique airline. Taking safety and quality of aviation service into account to provide travelers the safest and most luxurious flying experience. STARLUX Airlines is introducing all 10 A321neosand three are already in place. The delivery of the 17 A350 XWBs is expected to begin next year. The fleet is planned to have a total of 27 aircraft by the end of 2024 and 50 by the end of 2030. STARLUX Airlines officially launched its first flight on 23rd January to Macau, Penang and Danang. With its hub at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, STARLUX Airlines will initially fly routes in Southeast Asia and Northeast Asia, gradually developing its trans-oceanic routes to North America. SOURCE IBS Software David Tennants blood-curdling performance as serial killer Dennis Nilsen has been widely praised by viewers. Tennant stars in ITVs Des, a crime drama about the infamous Muswell Hill killer and the biographer who became obsessed with him. The shows first episode, which was broadcast last night (14 September), was called confident and gruesome by The Independent, with Tennant particularly marked for praise. Tennant, his face partially hidden beneath a thick fringe and large wire-framed glasses, uses Nilsens accent mildly Doric, to my untrained southern ear to great effect, wrote TV critic Ed Cumming. His Nilsen isnt likeable, exactly, but he seems reasonable. Across social media, viewers similarly heaped praise on the actor. David Tennant truly is one of Britains finest actors, tweeted one fan. Blood curdling. Another wrote: It's genuinely freaking me out just how spot on David Tennant is portraying Dennis Nilsen. This is f***ing fantastic. One viewer additionally praised the somewhat inevitable appearance of actor Jason Watkins, a regular presence in ITV crime dramas. Its not a creepy crime drama until this man rocks up, the viewer wrote. Was starting to worry but in the 43rd minute he made an appearance and all is good in television thriller land again. Others who have worked within the prison system also claimed the show was impressively true to life. A viewer tweeted: I work at full Sutton Prison for many years and Ive got to say David Tennant is playing Dennis Nilsen to the letter. David Tennant as Dennis Nilsen in ITV's 'Des' (ITV) Finally, as if to comfort those left shaken by the series, a Doctor Who fan account tweeted some much-needed distraction: photographs of Tennant holding a kitten. This week (14 September), Tennant said that one of the most instructive facts he discovered about Nilsen while preparing for the role was that he was actually rather boring. Read the full story of Dennis Nilsen, including his killings, capture and the circumstances of his death, here. "360training is excited to partner with a brand as distinguished as DEWALT," says Ryan Linders, the Chief Marketing Officer at 360training. "We're honored to work with an award-winning company that has driven quality innovation for the past century and excited that this is going to further the mission of ensuring safer workplaces for employees." 360training and DEWALT will bring OSHA authorized Outreach Instruction for both the 10- and 30-hour formats to the General Industry and Construction communities through online and mobile-optimized courses. As indicated by its 4.6 star Trustpilot product rating, 360training is the most trusted and largest OSHA-authorized online training provider who makes customer satisfaction their top priority by delivering plastic DOL cards within 2 weeks of course completion. Just in time for National Safety Week, DEWALT and 360Training will be having a 25% off promotion that includes a 25% discount on all advertised products when you sign up online through 360Training at checkout (before taxes and fees). This promotion will be available during Safety Week, from September 14th-18th. Limit one offer per account. Cannot be used on other training products. Get 25% off with DEWALT25 before time runs out! What is OSHA Outreach Training? The federal government created the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) to ensure that worker safety standards were established and enforced. The OSHA Outreach Training Program provides workers with both basic and advanced training surrounding common safety and health hazards they may encounter on the job. This Outreach program has 10 and 30-hour formats for Construction and General Industry that come with a Department of Labor card on successful completion of the training. OSHA authorized institutions, such as 360training, administer courses that fulfill safety training requirements. Authorized providers ensure that course material and training plans are up to date while simultaneously tracking and reporting on course progress and completion. OSHA General Industry vs. Construction OSHA safety standards apply to all industries, however, certain industries such as Construction have more specific training requirements as defined by Title 29 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). Construction health and safety requirements are defined in 29 Part 1926 of the CFR while those for General Industry are defined in 29 Part 1910 of the CFR. As defined in 29 Part 1910.5 C of the CFR, the standards outlined for the General Industry apply to any and all employees in any industry, meaning that the General Industry training applies to all industries. Some industries, however, require more training according to their prescribed standards and DEWALT does not guarantee that this training is appropriate for all situations. About DEWALT DEWALT is obsessed with how users work in the real world and is relentlessly pursuing total jobsite solutions. By incorporating its latest technology and industry innovations, DEWALT is leading the charge for the jobsite of the future. DEWALT products. GUARANTEED TOUGH. For more information, visit www.dewalt.com or follow DEWALT on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn. About 360training For over 23 years, 360training has provided individuals and businesses with online regulatory-approved training, facilitating a safe, healthy environment for the communities they serve. The company has delivered over four million training plans across multiple disciplines including food and beverage, environmental health and safety, real estate, and insurance. To learn more, please visit www.360training.com or their social media accounts on Facebook , Twitter , and LinkedIn . SOURCE 360training.com Related Links www.dewalt.com "Our request to them was not necessarily for give us all your information. Instead, it was, we would like the special investigative committee to be able to talk to and request information from individuals who we think have that. And they had no objection to that. Navy veteran Andy Cuevas has always prided himself on being self-sufficient. But when the pandemic hit and the Belmont resident was laid off from work as a veterans coordinator at Canada College while his wife Nadia lost her job at the Gap, they turned to the Second Harvest of Silicon Valley food bank for a weekly grocery box to keep food on the table for their two children. We have never had to struggle like this, said Cuevas, 39, who is now pursuing a degree in social work. Weve never had to ask for assistance. But we got really scared; what are we going to do? Six months into the pandemic, hunger is more pervasive than ever among households throughout the Bay Area and California. Ive been an anti-hunger advocate in California for over 20 years, and never seen anything like this, said Jessica Bartholow, legislative advocate for the Western Center on Law and Poverty. Widespread, devastating layoffs have left millions of people scrimping to pay for basic necessities. Desperation is especially high among workers from low-wage service jobs at hotels, restaurants, airports and stores who bore the brunt of layoffs and who lacked financial cushions. Food insecurity a government term for lacking access to enough good, healthy and culturally appropriate food has more than doubled statewide and more than tripled in some Bay Area counties. In San Francisco, for instance, 18.7% of households struggled to get enough to eat in April and May, up from 5.7% in December 2018, according to the Institute for Policy Research at Northwestern University. The need is far outstripping what is available, said Tracey Patterson, senior director for social safety net at Code for America, a nonprofit that has created online support for people applying for CalFresh, the states version of food stamps. The number of people facing instability and job loss is just staggering. Applications to CalFresh have surged, but strict federal rules bar many from getting that help. Still, in the nine-county Bay Area, where about 250,000 people qualified for CalFresh before the pandemic, the number receiving it now is up about 28%, reflecting how many peoples incomes plunged below the federal poverty line. CalFresh benefits, which come on an electronic card to use at food stores, average just $1.39 per person per meal, so most recipients also rely on food banks and other assistance. Even if you do qualify, the benefit is inadequate for the area we live in because its not adjusted for cost of living, said Leslie Bacho, CEO of Second Harvest. Constanza Hevia H./Special to The Chronicle Those providing other forms of assistance are also scrambling to meet the challenge. Food banks around the Bay Area now serve about twice as many people as before. Some are even more besieged. The Redwood Empire Food Bank, which serves five counties from Sonoma to the Oregon border, says the number of people seeking food is up 260% while the number asking for help getting food benefits has tripled, according to spokeswoman Rachelle Mesheau. With schools shuttered, layoffs rippling through our communities, and the entire state coming to a standstill, food banks found themselves responding to an unprecedented demand for emergency food, said Lauren Lathan Reid, a spokeswoman for the California Association of Food Banks. All the while, they were fielding cancellation of volunteers, rearranging their warehouses to meet social distancing protocols, updating their cleaning protocols, and standing up new distributions. School-lunch programs for low-income children, which switched to offering grab-and-go meals during distance learning, say the need among their students is more acute than ever. I know this may be the only meal some families get, so I try to make sure they are extra-large, said Hope Williams, a family liaison for the San Francisco Unified School District, who works with families on Treasure Island, most of whom live in affordable housing, including many formerly homeless people. Nick Otto / Special to The Chronicle If anything, hunger has risen in recent weeks. Since late July, unemployment benefits were slashed by $600 a week when a federal supplement ended, so many jobless people saw their incomes plunge. Raging wildfires and choking smoke forced many families to evacuate, and left others temporarily without power, risking spoilage of refrigerated food. The start of the school year left many parents struggling to supervise distance learning, too strapped for time to pick up free meals at their childrens schools. A temporary waiver that allowed people to get CalFresh without a phone interview has expired, adding a choke point. Every day we do this work, we know were playing a critical role in families lives, said Jennifer LeBarre, executive director of student nutrition services at the San Francisco Unified School District. For so many families, this is the meal they rely on even in normal times, but COVID has exacerbated the issues. Its heartbreaking. San Francisco provides three free meals a day to needy students. Ordinarily, all must be consumed on campus. But with the pandemic came a federal waiver allowing school districts to package meals for take-home. The city provides five days worth of meals during a Wednesday distribution at school sites. Volunteers do some limited door-to-door deliveries, focusing on the most-vulnerable students. There are parts of the city, especially the Tenderloin, where families just dont feel safe coming out, LeBarre said. Were trying to figure out how to deliver more meals for families who cant leave or dont feel safe to leave their homes. Constanza Hevia H. / Special to The Chronicle Government rules curtail who can receive CalFresh and free or lower-cost school meals. Incomes must meet the same federal poverty guideline used in all 48 contiguous states. Ironically, in cities such as San Francisco that boosted the minimum wage, that means parents who work full-time at minimum wage often earn a smidgen too much to qualify for help, LeBarre said even though their incomes are grossly inadequate for the expensive region. Government rules also bar undocumented people from receiving CalFresh, leaving 2 million Californians out in the cold. (Food banks and school meal programs do not ask about immigration status.) To address that safety-net gap, the Legislature last month passed AB826, which would provide $600 in emergency grocery money on prepaid cards. Here we are in the middle of a pandemic, and we have just one bill that made it through to passage that offers food assistance, said Bartholow, the anti-hunger advocate, who urgently hopes Gov. Gavin Newsom will sign the bill by months end. His office said he had not yet taken a position on it. She and other advocates would love to see renewal of Pandemic-EBT, a just-ended program for families of low-income schoolchildren that provided a debit card for grocery shopping. California did a lot with Pandemic-EBT over the summer to prevent hunger, Bartholow said. About 3.7 million children received more than $1 billion in benefits, according to the state. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. Nick Otto / Special to The Chronicle There are many other steps the government could take to help, she and other advocates said, including passing the stalemated Heroes Act, which includes several forms of food relief. We could use this as a time to re-examine how we administer CalFresh in California, said Paul Ash, executive director of the San Francisco-Marin Food Bank, which now serves 60,000 households weekly, up from 32,000 pre-pandemic. There are all sorts of bureaucratic hurdles CalFresh normally puts people through. A few were removed during this time. Wed like to see those extended, even made permanent. Increasing benefits can actually jump-start the economy, advocates said. Its a ripple effect, said George Manalo-LeClair, executive director at California Food Policy Advocates. When you give households food benefits, they immediately go to work not just helping those eating food but generating economic activity for growers and grocers. Advocates are concerned that the crisis will only deepen as the months wear on. The need we said was unprecedented back in March and April is now our new normal, said Cassidie Carmen Bates, policy and advocacy manager at the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano, which is now serving 270,000 people a month, up 92,000 from pre-pandemic. We anticipate continuing to serve that really high level of need, not just for the next few months, but for the next few years. The winter months bring higher heating bills and the expiration of some protections for renters. We worry about what January will look like as eviction moratoriums go away, as peoples rent comes due, said Second Harvests Bacho. We want to be ready to respond to any big spike in need. Many folks who rely on benefits try to express their appreciation by volunteering. San Francisco resident Patricia Minor, 72, gets a weekly food box that helps her feed the grandchildren she often watches. Hunger rises in Bay Area, California Food insecurity, the USDA term for lack of access to enough good, healthy and culturally appropriate food, has dramatically increased in Bay Area counties and the state. County % of households with food insecurity, April 23-May 19 % of households with food insecurity, December 2018 Alameda 18.9% 7.4% Contra Costa 19.3 7.6 Marin 15.1 5.7 Napa 22.6 7.1 San Francisco 18.7 5.7 San Mateo 16.7 5.5 Santa Clara 16.7 6.4 Solano 19.6 9.5 Sonoma 20.3 6.6 Statewide 21.8 10.2 Sources: County Predictions of Food Insecurity, Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University How government could help Hunger advocates say there are many ways the federal government could address hunger, including: Pass the long-stalemated Heroes Act, which would increase food stamp benefits; allocate money to food banks; extend Pandemic-EBT, which provides a grocery debit card for families of children who qualify for free school meals. Issue a waiver allowing schools to provide meals on weekends and school holidays, as well as to provide meals for adults in low-income homes. Pass the Serve and Carry Act, which would allow food stamps to be spent at restaurants. Pass Pandemic EATS, allowing low-income college students to receive food stamps. Pass the Closing the Meal Gap Act, which would add 30% to baseline food stamp benefits and eliminate time limits for people seeking work. Source: Western Center on Law and Poverty See More Collapse Its a blessing not to have to buy certain things, she said. I volunteered at the food bank for a long time. They help me out and then Im giving back to the community. Cuevas, the Belmont resident, feels lucky that Second Harvest was available and thankful that he could reciprocate by volunteering during the weekly distributions to help recipients sign in. It makes me feel so much better, not just receiving, but contributing, he said. One friendly face makes a big difference. Carolyn Said is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: csaid@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @csaid Since nationwide protests over police violence erupted, in May and June, American culture has been engaged in an examination, however nominal, of its relationship with racism. Such an examination is sorely needed in classical music, because of its extreme dependence on a problematic past. The New Yorker Time to focus: WHO Director General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus says mortality rates will rise in the months ahead. Photo: Salvatore Di Nolfi/Keystone via AP The head of the World Health Organisation has warned that Europe is "not out of the woods" as it recorded a huge rise in the number of coronavirus cases over recent days. WHO Director General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that while deaths remained at a "relatively low level", the average number of daily cases in Europe was now higher than during the first peak of the pandemic. Spain and France in particular have faced a resurgence of the virus. According to data from the European Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Spain is now seeing 250 cases per 100,000 head of the population, compared to around 200 at the peak of the pandemic. The country is also witnessing a rise in the rate of deaths. On Saturday, France reported 10,561 new cases of the disease - a record increase and a rise of 1,000 from the previous day. The number of deaths remains low but Hans Kluge, the WHO's regional director for Europe, said these numbers would probably rise in the next few weeks as there was a time lag between new cases and deaths. "It's going to get tougher. In October, November, we are going to see more mortality," he said. Dr Tedros, speaking at a meeting of the WHO's European region, agreed that the worst of the virus could be yet to come. "Many [European] countries have been among the hardest hit. We are by no means out of the woods," he said. He also urged richer countries to join the WHO's coronavirus vaccine facility to ensure people in low- and middle-income countries have access to the jab. He said: "If people in low- and middle-income countries miss out on vaccines, the virus will continue to kill and the economic recovery globally will be delayed." He added: "WHO is urging countries to focus on four essential priorities. "First, prevent amplifying events. All around the world, explosive outbreaks have been linked to gatherings at stadiums, nightclubs, places of worship and other crowds. "Second, protect the vulnerable, to save lives and reduce the burden on the health system of severely and critically ill patients. "Third, educate and empower communities to protect themselves and others. "Physical distancing, hand hygiene, respiratory etiquette and masks can all help to curb transmission and save lives - not in isolation, but together. "And fourth, persist with the public health basics: find, isolate, test and care for cases, and trace and quarantine their contacts. "Countries that do these four things, and do them well, can reopen their societies, economies and borders safely." ( Daily Telegraph) Visit our Covid-19 vaccine dashboard for updates on the roll out of the vaccination program and the rate of Coronavirus cases Ireland Telegraph Media Group Limited [2021] Fair trade regulator Competition Commission of India (CCI) dismissed a complaint of abuse of dominance and unfair business practices against the Indian units of ecommerce giant Amazon by the owner of a popular apparel brand. Netherlands-based Lifestyle Licensing BV and Lifestyle Equities CV, which owns and distributes Beverly Hills Polo Club (BHPC), accused Amazon India of selling their counterfeited or unlicensed products at heavily discounted prices on its platforms. They said the exclusive arrangements between Amazon India and preferred sellers cause an exclusionary effect to other sellers on the ecommerce platform. Moneycontrol reviewed the CCI order passed under Section 26(2) of the Competition Act, 2002. Referring to other competitors, such as Paytm Mall, Snapdeal, Shop Clues etc, in the Indian online fashion retail market, the CCI ruled that Amazon India is not dominant, and therefore, no abuse of dominance is made out. The nature of the market is dynamic, the CCI said in an order on September 11, 2020. The CCI has adopted a nuanced approach while assessing Amazon's dominance in the relevant market, said Ram Kumar Poornachandran, a partner at Talwar Thakore & Associates (TT&A), who specialises in competition law. Lifestyle Equities CV and Lifestyle Licensing BV filed the complaint against Amazon Seller Services (Amazon India), Amazon Exports Sales (Amazon Exports) and Cloudtail India, a joint venture between Amazon and NR Narayanamurthys Catarmanran Ventures. The Netherlands-based companies alleged that Amazon India is dominant in the online fashion retail in India on account of its high market share of 31.1 percent, deep pockets, and high gross merchandise value. The CCI noted that the complainants have relied on its observations in an earlier order it passed to bolster their allegations. That case, now held up in the Karnataka High Court, pertains to a complaint by trade body Delhi Vyapar Mahasangh (DVM) against Walmart-owned Flipkart and Amazon India for similar arrangements centred on preferential listing, discounts etc in the online smartphone market. The CCI said the markets for online fashion retail and smartphones are extremely different, with the online fashion market being dispersed and having a multitude of players. There were no allegations of platform-specific exclusive launch of fashion products on the platforms, unlike in the DVM case where there were exclusive launches of smartphones on the online platforms, the regulator said. The parliament went largely virtual in March, when the pandemic hit, leaving this stretch the longest the parliament has gone without appearing in France in its history. This weeks plenary session is the first large-scale attempt to convene in-person, and even now, only 420 of the 705 lawmakers said they planned to come to Brussels, according to Delphine Colard, a spokeswoman for the parliament. Only 200 people will be allowed into the parliamentary chamber at any one time. Monday, September 14, 2020 Spending time in natural light has powerful results on mind and body Would it surprise you to learn that there are several very powerful impacts of spending time outdoors? Natural daylight impacts a variety of physical, mental, and emotional functions. Lets remember that without the sun plant and animal life could not thrive. As you probably remember from early science classes the sun helps plants grow by providing energy for the process of photosynthesis to occur. Photosynthesis is the way plants convert sunlight, water, carbon dioxide, and minerals into resources that the plant can use to grow. Similarly, the energy from the sun has a variety of chemical responses that take place in humans. Here is how it works. First of all, when light strikes the skin, Vitamin D is activated. As you may know Vitamin D is important for building strong bones and absorbing calcium. As a matter of fact, Vitamin D is known as the Sunshine Vitamin. There are a variety of benefits to our body from Vitamin D: strengthening of immune system, cardio vascular system, muscles, brain and many other systems. Some of the other physical improvements made by spending time in natural light include: Reduced blood pressure Boosted immune system Lowered Type 2 Diabetes Lowered blood sugar levels Lowered risk of nearsightedness There are also mental and emotional benefits: Boosted alertness Enhanced mental function and memory recall Increased happiness through the release of serotonin, a happiness hormone Reduced effects of depression, and Seasonal Affective Disorder, a condition which occurs in the northern region during winter months, when many days pass without direct sunlight and much lower levels of serotonin. SAD is estimated to affect 10 million Americans every year. Sleep is another important area impacted by light. Melatonin is released at night and cortisol, during the day. That is why we are sleepy at night and are alert during the day. You can help balance your body clock or Circadian Rhythm by going to bed on time and getting enough sleep. Having a balanced circadian rhythm impacts energy, mood, alertness, and other mind-body functions. Another benefit of a balanced Circadian Rhythm is a suppressed appetite. Who knew spending time outside could reduce your appetite? In terms of stress and anxiety, light improves the communication between various parts of the brain to help us handle emotions. Furthermore, studies have shown that the more time you spend outdoors, the more serotonin you get and the happier you feel. And you also get a boost of endorphins, the feel-good hormone. Conversely, decreased sun exposure is associated with a drop in serotonin levels which can lead to major depression. Without enough sun exposure, your serotonin levels can dip, which can impact your mood & symptoms of major depression. During this Covid crisis, you can easily get outside and take a walk. Thats one area that is still open to us. The benefits include not only the exercise, but the added benefit of saying hello to neighbors and all the happiness chemicals you will receive from the social interaction, as well as from the sun. Finally, have you ever noticed the awe you feel when you travel to an exquisite natural site, such as the Grand Canyon, Yosemite, the Adirondacks in New York, or the Upper Peninsula of Michigan? In 2015 researchers at University of California, Irvine found that people commonly experience awe when they spent time in nature. They describe awe as that sense of wonder you feel in the presence of something vast that transcends our understanding of the world, and went on to explain that awe serves as a vital social function which helps people behave more socially. IMAGINE Just imagine a mental and physical health treatment that is free and easy to access, that does not require a doctors prescription, nor a lot of time and that can boost your productivity at work. In just ten to twenty minutes per day, you can have improved physical, mental, and emotional health. - Janice Litvin is on a mission to help leaders and teams banish burnout in their organizations. If you would like more information about Janices talks, visit http://www.JaniceLitvin.com or Janice@JaniceLitvin.com / 415.518.2202. Her new book, Banish Burnout Toolkit is due out later in September. Order information will be available at http://www.JaniceLitvin.com/book. When you book Janice to speak for your conference, books can also be made available. Strengthened financial position during H1 2020 with drawdown of IPF loan of EUR 10 million and a capital raise of EUR 17.7 million Imeglimin New Drug Application in Japan (J-NDA) was submitted for the treatment of type 2 diabetes in Q3 2020 and a target launch is expected in 2021 1 ; a milestone payment of EUR 4 million was received in Q3 2020 from Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma Initiated PXL065 Phase 2 trial in biopsy-proven NASH patients in Q3 2020; streamlined development with a single Phase 2 trial given knowledge of pioglitazone, including data in NASH, and 505(b)(2) regulatory pathway, which offers the opportunity for an efficient and lower risk development program PXL770, a first-in-class direct AMPK activator produced positive results in a pharmacokinetic (PK) pharmacodynamic (PD) trial in likely-NASH patients; PXL770 Phase 2a efficacy and safety results expected around the end of September 2020 PXL770 produced additive benefits in a preclinical NASH model when combined with other late-stage agents in development and was observed to improve cardio-renal disease and adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD) adrenomyeloneuropathy (AMN) in animals Poxel will host an investor conference call today to discuss the Half Year 2020 results at 1:30 pm EDT (New York time) 7:30 pm CEST (Paris time). To participate in the call, please use the dial-in numbers: US: +1 646-722-4916 UK: +44 20 71 94 37 59 France: +33 1 72 72 74 03 Access Code: 97417835#. A slide presentation to accompany the conference call will be available in the Investors Company Info Corporate Presentations section of the Poxel website: https://www.poxelpharma.com/en_us/investors/company-information/corporate-presentations For a replay of the call, please use: US: +1 646-722-4969 UK: +44 20 3364 5147 FR: +33 1 70 71 01 60 Access Code: 418947860#. POXEL SA (Euronext POXEL FR0012432516), a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of innovative treatments for metabolic disorders, including type 2 diabetes and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), today reported its financial results for the period ended June 30, 2020 and provided a corporate update. "Through September, we accomplished several important corporate and clinical objectives, including strengthening our financial position through multiple financial sources including the drawdown of the IPF loan of EUR 10 million in March, a capital raise of EUR 17.7 million in May and a subsequent milestone payment of EUR 4 million during the third quarter from our partner Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma for the Imeglimin J-NDA submission," said Thomas Kuhn, CEO of Poxel. "We also continued to make solid progress with our development programs. We reported positive results from preclinical and clinical studies for PXL770 and are continuing to evaluate broader metabolic diseases, including chronic and rare diseases, for our AMPK activation and D-TZD platforms." "From an execution standpoint in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, I am very pleased to report that we recently initiated the Phase 2 trial for PXL065 in biopsy-proven NASH patients across multiple clinical sites in the U.S.," continued Thomas Kuhn, CEO of Poxel. "This is a streamlined development program with a single Phase 2 trial given the knowledge of pioglitazone, including data in NASH, and the 505(b)(2) regulatory pathway. Based on pioglitazone's known efficacy and safety results in NASH, its cardiovascular benefits combined with the exciting PXL065 results to-date, we believe that PXL065 has the potential to produce compelling results and become a leading oral drug candidate in development for this important unmet medical need." "For the remainder of 2020, we expect several important upcoming milestones and events, including the PXL770 Phase 2a efficacy and safety results in approximately 100 likely-NASH patients around the end of September 2020, finalization of the Imeglimin Phase 3 plan in the U.S. by Metavant, additional preclinical data related to our AMPK and D-TZD platforms and presentations for Imeglimin, PXL770 and PXL065 at several scientific meetings and published results in peer-reviewed scientific journals," added Thomas Kuhn. Clinical Development Updates Imeglimin (Type 2 Diabetes) The J-NDA for Imeglimin was submitted by Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma to the Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency (PMDA) to request approval for the manufacturing and marketing for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. Poxel received a milestone payment of EUR 4.0 million related to the J-NDA submission. J-NDA approval and a target launch is expected in 2021. 2 A J-NDA approval would trigger a milestone payment of EUR 14.2 million ($16.6 million). 3 A J-NDA approval would trigger a milestone payment of EUR 14.2 million ($16.6 million). The Company is working with Metavant, who is in discussions with the FDA, regarding the Imeglimin Phase 3 program in type 2 diabetes patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) stages 3b/4. Further FDA interactions are expected during the second half of 2020. Imeglimin results were published in Clinical Pharmacokinetics showing that repeated co-administration of Imeglimin with metformin or sitagliptin did not result in clinically relevant changes in drug exposure and that Imeglimin was observed to be safe and well-tolerated. These results are consistent with prior preclinical and longer-term clinical studies. showing that repeated co-administration of Imeglimin with metformin or sitagliptin did not result in clinically relevant changes in drug exposure and that Imeglimin was observed to be safe and well-tolerated. These results are consistent with prior preclinical and longer-term clinical studies. Poxel anticipates presenting Imeglimin results at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) meeting and the Japanese Diabetes Society meeting as well as publishing data in scientific journals during the second half of 2020. PXL770 (NASH) A PXL770 PK/PD trial in 16 likely-NASH patients met its primary endpoint and objectives. PXL770 was observed to demonstrate a consistent PK profile and to be safe and well-tolerated. In addition, it showed target engagement and efficacy signals in NASH that support the potential for PXL770 in NASH and for the AMPK platform in other chronic and rare metabolic diseases. Results from a PXL770 preclinical trial demonstrated additive benefits in a NASH model when combined with other late-stage agents in development, including an FXR agonist (obeticholic acid), a GLP-1 receptor agonist (semaglutide) and a thyroid receptor agonist (MGL-3196). Results from a PXL770 preclinical trial demonstrated in animal models improvements in cardio-renal disease and ALD AMN, a deadly inherited rare metabolic disease characterized by neurodegeneration. Efficacy and safety results from the Phase 2a trial in approximately 100 likely-NASH patients are currently expected around the end of September 2020. Poxel anticipates presenting results for PXL770 at the EASD meeting, American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD) meeting and NASH Summit as well as publishing data in scientific journals during the second half of 2020. PXL065 (NASH) The single Phase 2 study in approximately 120 biopsy-proven NASH patients was initiated in September 2020. The single Phase 2 study will evaluate efficacy and safety and aims to identify the optimal dose or doses to be evaluated in a Phase 3 registration trial. Results from this study are expected during the first half of 2022. Poxel is developing PXL065 using the 505(b)(2) regulatory pathway, which offers the opportunity for a streamlined and lower risk development program. Poxel anticipates presenting results for PXL065 at the AASLD meeting and publishing data in scientific journals during the second half of 2020. Additional Development Opportunities The Company is currently evaluating additional research and development opportunities from its AMPK activation and D-TZD platforms as well as external opportunities with a focus on chronic and rare metabolic diseases. Corporate Highlights During the first quarter, Poxel appointed David E. Moller, MD, as Chief Scientific Officer. Dr. Moller is responsible for leading scientific-related activities to support the advancement of the Company, including scientific innovation and scientific communications at Poxel. During the first quarter, the Company drew down the second tranche of EUR 10 million of the IPF loan, which was contingent on the successful completion of the Imeglimin Phase 3 T rials of IM eglimin for E fficacy and S afety(TIMES) program. The third tranche of EUR 13.5 million can be drawn down by December 31, 2021, contingent on obtaining marketing authorization of Imeglimin in Japan. Specific debt covenants are attached to the loan agreement. rials of eglimin for fficacy and afety(TIMES) program. The third tranche of EUR 13.5 million can be drawn down by December 31, 2021, contingent on obtaining marketing authorization of Imeglimin in Japan. Specific debt covenants are attached to the loan agreement. During the second quarter, Poxel completed a capital raise of EUR 17.7 million with U.S. and European investors, including long-term shareholder, Bpifrance Participations, through its Large Venture Fund. During the second quarter, Poxel conducted the Annual and Extraordinary General Meeting. The shareholders approved all the resolutions that were recommended by the Board of Directors. For further information, please visit: https://www.poxelpharma.com/en_us/investors/shareholder-information/annual-general-meeting-documents. First Half 2020 Financial Results (IFRS standards) Revenue Poxel reported revenues of EUR 6.4 million for the six months ended June 30, 2020, as compared to EUR 23.2 million during the corresponding period in 2019 (historical). Revenue in the first half of 2020 includes an allocated portion of the EUR 36.0 million upfront payment received from Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma relating to the strategic corporate partnership announced on October 30, 2017, as well as the residual Imeglimin Phase 3 program costs in Japan incurred during the first half of 2020 that were re-invoiced to Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma. Both the allocated portion of the upfront payment and the re-invoiced costs of the Phase 3 trials of the TIMES program are recognized based on the accounting percentage of completion of this program, which has been completed. Revenue also includes a JPY 500 million (EUR 4.1 million, USD 4.5 million)4 milestone payment that Poxel is entitled to receive from Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma upon submission of the Imeglimin J-NDA, which was anticipated to occur in Q3 2020 and was recognized in Q2 2020 according to the IFRS15 accounting standard. EUR (in thousands) H1 2020 H1 2019 6 months 6 months (adjusted) (historic) Roivant Agreement 13 155 155 Sumitomo Agreement 6,359 18,909 22,914 Other 100 100 Total revenues 6,372 19,164 23,169 The review procedures have been performed and the issuance of the report is in process. Note: A change in the accounting policy of revenue recognition method was reported as part of the fiscal year 2019 financial statements reported in a press release dated February 12, 2020. This resulted in an adjustment to the Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma partnership revenue recognition for the previous years. For more information, please visit: https://www.poxelpharma.com/en_us/investors/news-events/press-releases/detail/144/poxel-reports-financial-update-for-cash-and-revenue-for-the This change in accounting policy had no impact on Poxel's cash flows. Income Statement Poxel devotes the bulk of its resources to research and development (R&D) activities. R&D expenses totaled EUR 12.6 million for the first half of 2020, as compared to EUR 24.2 million for the corresponding period in 2019. R&D expenses for the first half of 2020 primarily reflect the clinical study costs incurred for PXL770 and PXL065, Poxel's two Phase 2 clinical-stage programs for the treatment of NASH. To a lesser extent, they also reflect the remainder of the R&D costs for the Phase 3 TIMES program and the regulatory costs incurred over the period for the preparation of the Imeglimin J-NDA submission that occurred in July 2020. R&D expenses are net of the R&D Tax Credit (CIR) that resulted in an income of EUR 1.5 million for the first half of 2020 as compared to EUR 1.6 million for the corresponding period of 2019. General and administrative expenses totaled EUR 5.9 million for the first half of 2020, as compared to EUR 4.9 million for the first half of 2019. The financial income amounted to EUR 0.2 million for the first half of 2020, as compared to EUR 0.1 million for the first half of 2019, which primarily reflected the change in fair value of the IPF warrants and the interests attached to this debt. The net result for the financial period ending June 30, 2020 was a net loss of EUR 12.1 million, as compared to a net loss of EUR 9.8 million in the corresponding period in 2019. Condensed Income Statement EUR (in thousands) HY HY HY 2020 6 months 2019 6 months (adjusted) 2019 6 months (historic) Revenue 6,372 19,164 23,169 Research and development expenses* (12,580) (24,164) (24,164) General and administrative expenses (5,983) (4,868) (4,868) Operating gain (loss) (12,191) (9,869) (5,864) Financial income (loss) 249 71 71 Income tax (118) Net income (loss) (12,060) (9,798) (5,792) *Net of R&D tax credit The review procedures have been performed and the issuance of the report is in process. Cash As of June 30, 2020, cash and cash equivalents were EUR 46.0 million (USD 51.5 million), as compared to EUR 37.2 million (USD 41.8 million) at December 31, 2019. Cash and cash equivalents net of financial liabilities (excluding IFRS16 impacts and derivative debts) were EUR 29.0 million as of June 30, 2020, as compared to EUR 27.4 million at December 31, 2019. In September 2020, Poxel received a EUR 4.0 million milestone payment from its partner Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma for the Imeglimin J-NDA submission, which is not reflected in the June 30, 2020 cash update. EUR (in thousands) Q2 2020 Q4 2019 Cash 26,122 18,161 Cash equivalents 19,846 19,026 Total cash and cash equivalents* 45,968 37,187 * Cash and cash equivalents net of financial liabilities (excluding IFRS 16 impacts and derivative debts) were EUR 29.0 million at the end of Q2 2020 and EUR 27.4 million at the end of Q4 2019. The review procedures have been performed and the issuance of the report is in process. Planned Presentations and Participation at the Following Upcoming Events 56 th European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) Annual Meeting, September 21-25, 2020, Virtual Meeting European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) Annual Meeting, September 21-25, 2020, Virtual Meeting The 63 rd Annual Meeting of the Japan Diabetes Society, October 5-16, 2020, Virtual Meeting Annual Meeting of the Japan Diabetes Society, October 5-16, 2020, Virtual Meeting The American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD), the Liver Meeting , November 13-16, 2020, Digital Meeting , November 13-16, 2020, Digital Meeting The 4th Annual NASH Summit, December 15-18, 2020, Digital Meeting Next Financial Press Release: Third Quarter 2020 Financial and Corporate Update is expected on October 20, 2020 About Poxel SA Poxel is a dynamic biopharmaceutical company that uses its extensive expertise in developing innovative drugs for metabolic diseases, with a focus on type 2 diabetes and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). In its mid-to-late stage pipeline, the Company is currently advancing three drug candidates as well as earlier-stage opportunities. Imeglimin, Poxel's first-in-class lead product, targets mitochondrial dysfunction. Poxel has a strategic partnership with Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma for Imeglimin in Japan, China, South Korea, Taiwan and nine other Southeast Asian countries. A Japanese new drug application (J-NDA) is under review by the Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency (PMDA) to request approval for the manufacturing and marketing of Imeglimin for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. Poxel also established a partnership with Roivant Sciences for Imeglimin's development and commercialization in countries outside of the partnership with Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma, including the U.S. and Europe. PXL770, a first-in-class direct adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activator, is in a Phase 2a proof-of-concept program for the treatment of NASH. PXL770 could also have the potential to treat additional metabolic diseases. PXL065 (deuterium-stabilized R-pioglitazone), a MPC inhibitor, is in a single Phase 2 clinical trial for the treatment of NASH. Poxel also has additional earlier-stage programs from its AMPK activator and deuterated TZD platforms targeting chronic and rare metabolic diseases. The Company intends to generate further growth through strategic partnerships and pipeline development. Listed on Euronext Paris, Poxel is headquartered in Lyon, France, and has subsidiaries in Boston, MA, and Tokyo, Japan. For more information, please visit: www.poxelpharma.com. In the context of the COVID-19 outbreak, which was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) on March 12, 2020, the Company is regularly reviewing the impact of the outbreak on its business. As of the date of this press release, and based on publicly available information, the Company has not identified the occurrence of any material negative effect on its business due to the COVID-19 pandemic that remains unresolved. However, the Company anticipates that the COVID-19 pandemic could have further material negative impact on its business operations. The worldwide impact of COVID-19 may notably affect the Company's internal organization and efficiency, particularly in countries where it operates and where confinement measures are implemented by the authorities. In addition, COVID-19 may impact market conditions and the Company's ability to seek additional funding or enter into partnerships. Particularly, delays in the supply of drug substance or drug products, in the initiation or the timing of results of preclinical and/or clinical trials, as well as delays linked to the responsiveness of regulatory authorities could occur, which could potentially have an impact on the Company's development programs and partnered programs. The Company will continue to actively monitor the situation. All statements other than statements of historical fact included in this press release about future events are subject to (i) change without notice and (ii) factors beyond the Company's control. These statements may include, without limitation, any statements preceded by, followed by or including words such as "target," "believe," "expect," "aim," "intend," "may," "anticipate," "estimate," "plan," "project," "will," "can have," "likely," "should," "would," "could" and other words and terms of similar meaning or the negative thereof. Forward-looking statements are subject to inherent risks and uncertainties beyond the Company's control that could cause the Company's actual results or performance to be materially different from the expected results or performance expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. 1 Year noted is Fiscal Year from April 2021 to March 2022, which is Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma's Fiscal Year. 2 Converted at the exchange rates as of July 28, 2020. 3 Converted at the exchange rates as of June 30, 2020. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200915006034/en/ Contacts: Poxel SA Jonae R. Barnes Senior Vice President, Investor Relations, Corporate Communication and Public Relations jonae.barnes@poxelpharma.com +1 617 818 2985 Aurelie Bozza Investor Relations and Communication Director aurelie.bozza@poxelpharma.com +33 6 99 81 08 36 Investor relations Media EU/US Trophic Communications Joanne Tudorica or Valeria Fisher tudorica@trophic.eu or fisher@trophic.eu +49 171 351 2733 or +49 175 804 1816 Investor relations Media France NewCap Emmanuel Huynh Arthur Rouille poxel@newcap.eu +33 1 44 71 94 94 Coresight Research is known for our research into, and analysis of, the critical factors that will help drive retail into the future delivering data-driven insights at the intersection of retail and technology. In this time of unprecedented change, we have re-evaluated the Coresight 100, our focus list of the top 100 largest and most influential companies in the global retail ecosystem. We look at this as part of our mission to advance the broader retail ecosystem, navigate the disruption and achieve a renaissance in retail. Our list comprises stalwart industry leaders, emerging innovators and disruptors, and includes both public and private companies. More from WWD The evolution of retail has picked up speed in the past decade, driven by the rise of e-commerce and technology-fueled competitive advantages. In 2020, the COVID-19 outbreak has accelerated the pace of inevitable retail adaptation. Three years of change have been conflated into six months, during which time retailers globally have been digitalizing and modernizing their supply chains; adopting contactless ordering, delivery and payment; and embracing social media and livestreaming as new ways of reaching consumers. We believe that our revised Coresight 100 comprises the companies to watch in this tumultuous year for retail. As we approach the holiday season, we expect them to continue to define and lead their respective segments. We started with a database of more than 600 global retailers, brands, marketplaces, retail real estate management firms and new, innovative service providers all of which have operations primarily in Asia, Europe and the U.S. We evaluated candidates based on sales, public (stock market) and private valuations, while making room for smaller, innovative companies that we believe are changing the retail landscape. The Coresight 100 companies are valued in the $800 million to $1.6 trillion range with sales in a range from $100 million to $550 billion. Story continues The inclusion of innovators ensures that we capture the most creative, cutting-edge approaches to reinventing retail. We have found that innovators in retail span from global retail powerhouses to the up-and-comers and emerging leaders. We distilled our retail coverage into eight sectors, of which seven directly address the consumer. We believe that the lines separating retail sectors have blurred as strong brands have increasingly opted out of traditional retail channels to go direct to the consumer, via e-commerce, social media and brick-and-mortar stores. Access is ubiquitous; apparel is sold at dollar stores and luxury flagships, while food is also sold at department stores. Food, drug and mass retailers The food, drug and mass retailers category is our largest, accounting for nearly one-quarter of the total 100 companies. This category includes dollar and drug stores, grocers, mass merchandisers and warehouse clubs from around the world. We have British, French, German, Indian and U.S.-based retailers in this group. Considered to be essential retailers amid coronavirus-led lockdowns, these companies benefited from remaining open while other sectors saw temporary store closures, and they rose to the occasion of dealing with rapid demand shifts combined with supply chain bottlenecks. Apparel brands and retailers Apparel brands and retailers is our second-largest category representing one-fifth of the Coresight 100 and it is worth noting that apparel (and beauty and home, too) is sold in multiple retail sectors, including e-commerce and new commerce. This category includes traditional specialty apparel retailers as well as global apparel brands that began as wholesale brands (traditionally sold through department stores, mass merchants, specialty and off-price retailers) and have started to sell direct to the consumer, both online and offline. Coresight 100 E-commerce and new commerce E-commerce and new commerce spans multiple product categories. Whats new with the Coresight 100 is new commerce innovative disruptors that are creating new markets as they solve old and new consumer needs. We have included marketplaces, social shopping, consignment, live-streaming and rental. In total, we include 19 e-commerce/new commerce companies that increasingly represent the ways in which the world discovers, shops and buys. Luxury brands Coresight Research covers many of the leading global luxury names, spanning global portfolio luxury companies to single-brand entities, from aspirational to haute couture. Our focus list includes 13 luxury companies that together have over 100 individual luxury brands, spanning product categories from luxury outerwear and small leather goods to fine jewelry and watches. Beauty brands and retailers In beauty brands and retailers, we cover four distinct beauty portfolio companies and beauty retailers, in addition to captive beauty brands and retailers. Department stores, including luxury and off-price Our department store coverage includes luxury, moderate and off-price department stores for a total of nine companies. Home, home-improvement and electronics stores In the category of home, home-improvement, consumer electronics and appliance specialty stores, we cover six companies. Retail real estate investment trusts (REITs) Finally, since the vast majority of retail today still occurs in a physical location, Coresight covers five major retail REITs, a few of which have global holdings. The Coresight 100 list is not limited to public companies: we also cover large influential private companies, such as European discount grocers, a renowned luxury product company, and an e-commerce company that recently filed to go public. On a geographic basis, the Coresight 100 follows our diverse geographic footprint; we have offices in China, Europe, India and the U.S. One of our highlights is our coverage of the Indian retail market, including three retailers spanning e-commerce, fashion and grocery. Our longstanding relationships in China enhance our coverage of Chinese marketplaces and e-commerce companies as well as providing insights into retail globally. One of Coresight Researchs major themes is New Retail, which originated in China and uses technology and data to fuse online and offline commerce in a seamless fashion. For a thorough look at the Coresight 100 companies, visit coresight.com. Deborah Weinswig is the founder of Coresight Research. The company offers clients research subscriptions, in-person and virtual events, advisory services and innovator intelligence, which supports entrepreneurs with lead generation, brand awareness and thought leadership. When President Donald Trump hosts the signing of a diplomatic agreement between Israel and the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday, the White House ceremony will also serve as a tacit recognition of Trumps embrace of arms sales as a cornerstone of his foreign policy. The president sweetened the Middle East deal with a secret commitment to sell advanced fighter jets and lethal drones to the Emirates. But White House officials are working to push through the weapons transfer in the face of broader concerns that the presidents arms-sale policies could lead to charges of war crimes against US officials, a New York Times examination has found. Those concerns stemming from US support for Saudi Arabia and the Emirates as they have waged a disastrous war in Yemen, using US equipment in attacks that have killed thousands of civilians will be the subject of congressional hearings Wednesday. House lawmakers are expected to question top State Department officials over their role in keeping weapons flowing into the conflict and burying recent internal findings on civilian casualties and the legal peril for Americans. Interviews with more than a dozen current and former US government officials show that the legal fears related to the arms sales run far deeper than previously reported. Over the course of two presidential administrations, those concerns have prompted some officials to consider hiring their own lawyers and discuss the risk of being arrested while vacationing overseas. Concerns intensified under Trump as senior officials pursuing his arms-sale agenda clashed with rank-and-file federal workers who review and approve lethal exports. No episode in recent US history compares to Yemen, legal scholars say, where the United States has provided material support over five years for actions that have caused the continuous killing of civilians. United Nations investigators last week issued a detailed report on atrocities in Yemen that asked the Security Council to refer actions by all parties to the International Criminal Court for potential war crimes prosecution. Regardless of whether that occurs, prosecutors in a foreign court could charge US officials based on them knowing of the pattern of indiscriminate killing, legal scholars say. Some countries, including Sweden and Germany, assert universal jurisdiction over war crimes. Spanish judicial officials in 2009 pursued charges related to the torture of prisoners in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, against six officials in the George W. Bush administration, citing universal jurisdiction, but a higher court dismissed the case. This March, the International Criminal Court ruled that its chief prosecutor could open an investigation into the actions of US forces in the Afghanistan War the first time the court has authorized a case against the United States. The Trump administration this month imposed sanctions on that prosecutor and another of the courts lawyers, a sign of how seriously the administration takes the possibility of prosecution. Yet rather than taking meaningful steps to address the potential legal issues raised by the Yemen war, State Department leaders have gone to great lengths to conceal them, records and interviews show. When an internal investigation this year revealed that the department had failed to address the legal risks of selling bombs to the Saudis and their partners, top agency officials found ways to hide this. They ensured that the inspector general relegated details to a classified portion of a public report released in August, then insisted on heavily redacting the classified material so that even lawmakers with security clearance could not see it. In 2016, when a State Department lawyer determined that US officials could plausibly be charged with war crimes, the departments top lawyers decided not to send the analysis to the secretary of states office, though it was shared with some agency officials. If I were in the State Department, I would be freaking out about my potential for liability, said Oona Hathaway, a Yale Law School professor and a Defense Department lawyer in the Obama administration. I think anyone whos involved in this program should get themselves a lawyer. Its very dangerous territory the US is in, continuing to provide support given the number of civilians who have been killed. The State Departments failure to elevate a substantial legal finding on the US role in Yemen is emblematic of what scholars of executive powers say has been an increasingly problematic practice across administrations: Government lawyers who work on national security issues generally avoid putting in writing any analysis that could constrain policymakers. The State Department declined to discuss its decision-making process but said in a statement that it had put in place a strategy to lessen civilian casualties before the last major arms sale to the Saudi-led coalition, in May 2019. It added that the department had continued to work tirelessly on reducing civilian harm in Yemen and elsewhere, citing redesigned policies, expanded analyses and new training for partners, which the Saudis and Emiratis were eagerly accepting. The Obama-era decision not to elevate the troubling legal analysis was made as the administration was already taking a tougher line on civilian deaths in Yemen. In December 2016, President Barack Obama blocked a shipment of precision-guided bombs he had agreed to sell to the Saudis. But other military aid continued. And by setting the legal opinion aside, the outgoing officials, regardless of whether they were aware of the potential consequences, ensured that it did not have sufficient weight when Trump took office. Within months, Trump delivered the bombs Obama had halted. Then his administration sought to advance still more sales: $8.1 billion in weapons and equipment in 22 batches, including $3.8 billion in precision-guided bombs and bomb parts made by Raytheon Co., to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Lawmakers blocked shipments for nearly two years, until Secretary of State Mike Pompeo instructed his subordinates to circumvent Congress. They did so by declaring an emergency over Iran, which prompted the inspector general review. That investigation not only documented the long-standing legal worries but also created a critical report that could itself increase the legal risks, scholars said. The findings could be used as evidence in the future against US officials or the US government, said Ryan Goodman, a New York University law professor who was a Defense Department lawyer in the Obama administration. With the civilian death toll rising in Yemen, the US role in the war has become a significant political issue. Joe Biden, the Democratic presidential candidate who was vice president when the conflict began, says he would end US support for the war. By contrast, Trump is doubling down on arms sales and boasting of revenue from the Saudis. I have a very good relationship with them, Trump said during an interview in February. They buy billions and billions and billions of dollars of product from us. They buy tens of billions of dollars of military equipment. The Specter of War Crimes Under Obama, top State Department officials could have confronted questions of American complicity in crimes carried out by the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen. Instead, they set the matter aside. In March 2015, when the Saudi-led coalition first moved to dislodge Houthi rebels who had captured Sanaa, the Yemeni capital, Obama agreed to support the effort. His administration signed off on the sale of $1.3 billion in precision-guided bombs and bomb parts to replenish Saudi stockpiles depleted due to the high operational tempo in Yemen. But it quickly became clear that the Saudis and their partners at the time, including the Emiratis, were either using the bombs negligently or deliberately aiming them at civilians. In the first 18 months of fighting, human rights groups linked American bombs to attacks on homes, apartment buildings, factories, warehouses, a cultural center, an agricultural complex, a primary school and other nonmilitary sites. As concerns over such strikes were intensifying in Washington, a State Department lawyer examined whether US officials who approved arms sales to the Saudis and their partners faced legal risks. Drawing on the international tribunal case against Charles Taylor, the Liberian warlord, that the United States has cited in al-Qaida prosecutions, the lawyer reached an alarming conclusion in a 2016 memo: US officials, including the secretary of state, could be charged with war crimes for their role in arming the Saudi coalition, according to six current and former government officials with knowledge of the legal memo. And that year, scholars discussed a law journal paper laying out a war crimes argument for that type of conflict written by Brian Finucane, a State Department lawyer assigned to the agencys Bureau of Political-Military Affairs. Speaking in a private capacity at a Yale Law School conference in 2018 on the Yemen war, Finucane said officials who could be prosecuted were those who have decision-making authority or veto authority. He added, I think youre looking at potentially very senior individuals. But top State Department lawyers never sent the internal memo to the secretary of states office. Brian Egan, the departments legal adviser at the time, did not respond to requests for comment. Though the legal analysis did not advance within the State Department, the Obama administration opened a policy review, and Secretary of State John Kerry tried to broker a cease-fire. Since 2018, Rep. Ted Lieu, D-Calif., has asked the State Department to release the memo, but it has refused to do so. Scrambling for a Legal Shield Over the spring of 2017, Trumps aides and some State Department officials worked to unfreeze the bomb delivery that Obama had halted. But officials in the departments Political-Military Affairs Bureau, which shepherds arms exports, wanted assurances that they could do the presidents bidding without putting themselves in legal jeopardy. During a White House meeting before Trumps visit to Saudi Arabia that May, one official, Mike Miller, then the director of that bureaus Office of Regional Security and Arms Transfers, put the concerns bluntly, according to two officials. He said he was worried he could be found liable for aiding the killing of civilians. A brief exchange at the Pentagon that March had offered a potential breakthrough. Pressed by Defense Secretary Jim Mattis to stop bombing the women and children, the visiting Saudi deputy crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, had agreed to take steps to curb the killing of Yemeni civilians, according to participants. US officials then drafted a set of guidelines for the Saudi and US governments to follow as a condition of future arms sales. They envisioned the plan not only saving civilian lives, but also offering protection against claims of American complicity in war crimes. We worked pretty rigorously to try to give them a sense that this was now going to be a harder sell, Tina S. Kaidanow, who headed the Political-Military Affairs Bureau at the time, said of the Saudis. But over three months, officials eager to push through the weapons deals pared back the guidelines. Stuart E. Jones, then the acting assistant secretary in the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, led subordinates to quickly settle on conditions, officials said. Jared Kushner, Trumps adviser and son-in-law, was helping to restart arms sales and wanted the president to announce them during the May 2017 trip to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Emails obtained by The Times show that Jones and his colleagues discussed how to craft acceptable language about the use of precision-guided munitions that Adel al-Jubeir, the Saudi foreign minister, would sign before Trumps trip. In April 2017, Timothy A. Lenderking, a deputy assistant secretary in the bureau, wrote to Jones that he had met with State Department lawyers and agreed on edits to cut back the language of the letter. The next day, Jones wrote that al-Jubeir had quickly agreed to sign a letter to Rex Tillerson, then the secretary of state, and had asked for language. (Jones, who left the State Department in 2018, referred questions to the department.) The letter listed about five assurances, including a promise by the Saudis to have their forces take part in a $750 million training program run by the US military. In Riyadh, Trump and King Salman announced the arms deal. A Horror Show After Trump abruptly fired Tillerson in March 2018, and as Pompeo awaited Senate confirmation to lead the State Department, John J. Sullivan, the deputy secretary, served as the agencys acting head. The officials worried about the arms sales believed Sullivan to be attentive to the humanitarian concerns in the Yemen war. In the roughly three weeks he was running the department, they sent an appeal for legal clarity. Sullivan responded by approving a memo the officials had drafted that recommended carrying out a robust strategy to reduce civilian casualties and an updated legal analysis before the bomb sales moved forward, according to two US officials. Pompeo took over soon after. That August, a coalition jet dropped a US-made bomb on a Yemeni school bus, killing 54 people, including 44 children, in an attack that Trump would later call a horror show. The next month, Pompeo issued a formal certification to Congress that the Saudi-led coalition was working to minimize civilian deaths, despite news reports and internal State Department assessments to the contrary. Senior department officials had warned Pompeo against the certification, in part because they had grown more anxious over the legal issues, officials said. The move provoked a backlash in Congress and strengthened lawmakers resolve to continue blocking arms sales. By April 2019, senior State Department political appointees were discussing a rarely invoked tactic to force through $8.1 billion in weapons sales without congressional approval: declaring an emergency over Iran. At the center of those discussions was Marik String, a young former Senate aide who had joined the State Department in 2017. By January 2019, he had become the acting head of the Political-Military Affairs Bureau and closely oversaw the emergency planning. Pompeo announced the emergency May 24, and the stalled weapons deals moved forward, including the sale of some 120,000 bombs and bomb parts to the Saudis and Emiratis. But, critically, no updated civilian casualty mitigation strategy or legal analysis as Sullivan had ordered was carried out before the equipment was shipped, according to the inspector generals report. Released this August, the report said that although Pompeo did not violate the law in declaring an emergency, the State Department had failed to take proper measures to reduce civilian casualties and the associated legal risk. The public section of the final report, however, did not include an unclassified recommendation from an earlier draft: that the department should update its analysis of legal and policy risks related to selling bombs to the Saudi coalition, according to text obtained by The Times. The language of that recommendation was edited and moved to the classified annex after pressure from department officials. The day Pompeo declared the emergency, he also promoted String to be the State Departments top lawyer. From that position, String tried to pressure Steve A. Linick, the inspector general, to drop his investigation, Linick, who was fired in May, said in congressional testimony in June. Strings office also handled the redacting of the report. Since the emergency declaration, which applied only to the sales last year, the Saudis and their partners have sought to buy more American bombs. About $800 million in orders is now pending, held up in the same congressional review process that had frustrated Pompeo and the White House. The Emirates announced last summer it was withdrawing most of its forces from the grinding war in Yemen, but it is fighting in the Libyan war. From July to early August this year, at least three airstrikes by the Saudi-led coalition in northern Yemen killed civilians, including a total of nearly two dozen children, according to the United Nations, aid workers and Houthi rebels. One strike occurred during a celebration after the birth of a newborn baby, a human rights worker said. The boy, just 1 week old, did not survive. For Texas travelers who don't want to venture too far off-the-beaten path as the pandemic drags on, there's one hotel that embraces the soul of Texas arts and culture tucked right in the heart of Big D's Arts district. If you're a fine arts connoisseur or enthusiast, the Hall Arts Hotel is much like a creative masterpiece in itself. "I strongly believe that art in all its forms nourishes the human spirit. As a long-time patron of the arts in Dallas, I cannot thing of a better location for this exciting new boutique hotel," Hall Arts Hotel founder Craig Hall said. NEW DELHI: India has listed achievements since the abrogation of special status for the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir at the United Nations Human rights council saying 'grass-root democracy' has been revived and social and economic development has gained new momentum in the region. Speaking at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), India's permanent representative to UN in Geneva, Indra Mani Pandey said, "Since the changes made in August 2019, people in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir have been enjoying the same fundamental rights as people in other parts of India." "We have been able to revive grass-root democracy and provide new momentum to social and economic development, despite the challenge posed by Covid-19 pandemic and persistent attempts by one country to infiltrate terrorists to derail this process," he said. Last year saw Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi reach out to UNHRC after India revoked special status from Jammu and Kashmir, but found no traction. At the council, India's envoy highlighted how as 'the largest and most vibrant democracy' India has been since its independence, an ardent supporter of human rights, which we have sought to promote and secure through enshrining them in our Constitution as fundamental rights. "We have also endeavoured to create an international environment conducive to dialogue and cooperation for promoting and protecting these rights," he added. He stated, "India remains committed to upholding all human rights. It is of the view that the human rights agenda and discourse must be pursued in a transparent and impartial manner." Pushkar Banakar By Express News Service NEW DELHI: The meeting between External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in Moscow is the first step in the right direction and gives guidance for disengagement amid the stand-off between Indian and PLA troops along the LAC, sources said on Friday. The two leaders met on the sidelines of the SCO foreign ministers meeting and decided to adopt a five-point mechanism to resolve the tension. Experts, too, say the tone of the joint statement issued after the meeting appeared to conciliatory. It appears the tone is conciliatory at this time, and both agreed that existing mechanisms and protocols must be adhered to. Both reiterating that channels of communication will remain open and that soon the special representative-level meeting will take place demonstrates that there is a silver lining as regards solving the stand-offs through diplomacy. This, ultimately, may pave the way for another Modi-Xi meeting that could be a face-saver to both sides, BR Deepak, Sinologist and chairperson of the Centre for Chinese and South Asian Studies at JNU, said. Russia-based political analyst Andrew Korybko said the development was unexpected by welcoming. It shows that, at least for the time being, neither party wants to further escalate tensions along the LAC. This proves that the problems are political, not military nor economic, since the foreign ministers are referring to their respective leaders guidance, which was formed through their interactions with one another during several high-profile meetings across the last six years, he said. However, they were divided on who must be cautious of the other. While Deepak said both sides must walk the talk, Korybko felt Beijing needed to be cautious of New Delhis approach in implementing the five-point mechanism that was agreed upon. It would be important to see the results on the ground. The military exercises by the PLA, the usage of drones for logistics and the tone of the Chinese media points to something else, which I hope Indian forces and the government are taking note of. Undoubtedly, a peaceful settlement is a necessity, both sides must de-escalate the situation for the larger interest, Deepak said. Korybko believed that the successful implementation will depend on the political will of each leader (PM Modi and President Xi). UPDATE: Pa. man, 78, shot son and wife in head, then himself: such a tragedy A man and a woman were shot dead and another man injured in a Monday night shooting police are calling domestic in nature. The shooting call came in around 8 p.m. Monday, stemming from a deadly incident in a home on the 2900 block of Reifsnyder Road in the Gilbertsville section of New Hanover Township, Montgomery County, as 6ABC and WFMZ 69 News report. As of last report, however, police and the Montgomery County district attorneys office werent naming the three victims a woman and two men nor would they detail their relationship to one another. The DAs office told the media that officers responding to the shooting call found a man and woman shot dead, while another man was taken to the hospital after suffering from a gunshot wound. Authorities did not initially comment on the second mans condition. A joint homicide investigation by Montgomery County Detectives and New Hanover Police determined that the incident was domestic in nature and that there was no threat to the community, as WFMZ reports. No further details were released by investigators. Anyone with information is asked to contact the New Hanover Township Police at 610-327-1150, or the Montgomery County Detective Bureau at 610-278-3368. #BREAKING: 2 dead, 1 hurt after shooting in New Hanover Township, Montgomery County: DAhttps://t.co/clCNPk89AZ Action News on 6abc (@6abc) September 15, 2020 READ MORE: Black Lives Matter protesters accused of harassing diners at Pa. restaurants face charges Pa. high school football games attract big crowds despite COVID-19 limits: I dont know how they expect schools to stop it Pa. man accused of raping 12-year-old after posting her naked pictures online: cops 3 charged in shooting, killing of 1-year-old Pa. boy Job applicant at Pa. restaurant accused swiping tip jar right after applying Pa. man, 21, slapped with 88-year sentence for rape, sexual assault at his moms day care Pa. day care worker, 24, gets off with probation after fracturing 7-month-old girls skull Missing mans body pulled from Pa. river Road rage suspect accused of pointing gun at off-duty Pa. cop, pulling the trigger twice The VHV Group, with its core companies VHV Allgemeine Versicherung AG and Hannoversche Lebensversicherung AG, is one of the 20 leading primary insurance groups and one of the largest motor and construction insurers in Germany and, as a life insurer, a specialist in biometric business. In order to strengthen its leading position in the market and to continue to meet changing customer demand and need in the best possible way in the future, VHV Allgemeine Versicherung AG is renewing its insurance application landscape as part of a comprehensive transformation project. As software provider and partner in this project, VHV has chosen Guidewire. Release 1 "Motor Claims" was successfully launched with the migration that has now taken place as an important milestone in the company-wide digitization project. Meanwhile, more than 500,000 claims have been processed already in the new system. In July, the migration of the motor claims management system was carried out with more than 2.3 million closed and open claim files migrated from the old VHV claims system to Guidewire ClaimCenter. Since then, all motor claims handlers have been using the new Guidewire claims system. This makes VHV the first German insurer to successfully complete the migration of a motor claims system to Guidewire. "Modern insurance core systems form the basis of the VHV Group's digitization to meet the challenges of digital business models and the changing expectations of customers and business partners," explains Bernd Scharrer, Chief Operating Officer at VHV. "In addition to competitive products and tariffs, an effective claims management system and efficient processes are crucial for market success. With the introduction of Guidewire ClaimCenter, we have taken a first important step in this direction," adds Dr. Sebastian Schulz, who has been managing the project as Managing Director since 2019. "We are pleased with the successful ClaimCenter implementation at VHV, which is a benchmark for many other projects in the industry and beyond," said Mark Williams, Vice President, Professional Services EMEA at Guidewire. Guidewire wants to contribute to the successful digitization of processes and workflows at VHV, so that VHV can fulfill its performance promise "insured by experts" through optimized, modern systems that are future-proof and sustainable. As a next step, VHV plans to gradually roll out Guidewire PolicyCenter for motor insurance contract processing. Further expansion of ClaimCenter in other lines of business will follow in the coming years. About VHV The VHV Group is a professional and reliable partner in the areas of insurance, pension plans and assets. Our strong foundation is a stable business policy, which on the one hand is based on tradition and experience and on the other hand sets itself new future-oriented goals. The VHV Group companies are specialized experts who operate independently in clearly defined sub-markets. VHV Allgemeine Versicherung AG is a traditional specialist building insurer (founded in 1919) and one of the largest German motor and liability insurers. The main sales channel is the cooperation with over 12,000 qualified independent insurance agents. About Guidewire Guidewire is the platform general insurers trust to engage, innovate, and grow efficiently. ?We combine digital, core, analytics, and AI to deliver our platform as a cloud service. As of the end of our fiscal year 2019, more than 380 insurers, from new ventures to the largest and most complex in the world, run on Guidewire. As a partner to our customers, we continually evolve to enable their success. We are proud of our unparalleled implementation track record, with 1,000+ successful projects, supported by the largest R&D team and partner ecosystem in the industry. Our marketplace provides hundreds of applications that accelerate integration, localization, and innovation. For more information, please visit www.guidewire.com and follow us on twitter: @Guidewire_PandC. NOTE: For information about Guidewire's trademarks, visit https://www.guidewire.com/legal-notices. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200915005174/en/ Contacts: VHV Group Martina Westholt Head of Corporate Communications mwestholt@vhv-gruppe.de +49 511 9074808 Guidewire Louise Bradley PR Communications EMEA +44(0)7474 837 860 lbradley@guidewire.com Vivian Dadamio Allison+Partners +49 89 388 892 010 GuidewireGer@allisonpr.com BRATTLEBORO, Vt., Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Omega Optical (Omega or the Company), a leading manufacturer of precision optical filters and coatings, announced today that it has been acquired by Artemis Capital Partners (Artemis), a Boston-based private equity firm focused exclusively on partnering with differentiated industrial technology companies. Omega has been recognized as an innovator in precision optical filters and coatings since its founding in 1969 by Dr. Robert Johnson. The Company's filter products are designed and fabricated to control the passage of light and enable a broad range of mission-critical optical applications including flow cytometry, fluorescence microscopy, spectroscopy, LiDAR, machine vision, and satellite imaging for global OEM customers in the life science, aerospace & defense, instrumentation, semiconductor, environmental and industrial sensor industries. "Having recently celebrated our first fifty years as a Company, we are delighted to partner with Artemis and continue growing the Company here in Vermont for the next fifty years" said Omega Founder Dr. Robert (Bob) Johnson. Omega's Chief Executive Officer, Thomas Smith added, "With the strategic support of Artemis, we gain critical additional resources to build on Omega's legacy here in Brattleboro. We will continue to pursue further job growth and employee development and be an active member of both the local community and the greater Vermont economy. Artemis's understanding of our core markets, technology and value proposition allowed us to quickly align on the key priorities for Omega's next phase of growth. Our customers and channel partners can count on a seamless transition and an unwavering focus on quality, delivery, and exceptional application expertise." "In Omega, we saw a company with an innovative culture, exceptional technical capabilities, and a desire for growth. Omega's deep applications expertise, OEM business model and differentiated technologies are signature characteristics of an Artemis partner company." said Peter Hunter, Managing Director at Artemis and new Chairman at Omega. "Now more than ever, we believe that Omega is uniquely positioned to grow both organically and inorganically." Euan Milne, Vice President at Artemis and new Board member at Omega indicated: "We are thrilled to partner with the talented Omega team and are honored to help build on the longstanding success of the Company. Omega represents the first company of Artemis's Optical Technology platform, which will serve the growing global demand for high precision, no-fail optical coatings, components and assemblies." Artemis recruited John Ippolito, an experienced photonics industry executive, to join the Omega Board and provide assistance with corporate development activities, including targeting and integrating future acquisitions. Ippolito said, "Omega is a great first step in pursuit of building a larger optics business. The Company has a strong position in several high growth end markets that we can build upon. We intend to be active acquirers of complementary businesses to quickly get to greater scale with an expanded product offering." Omega's existing management team of Thomas Smith, Chief Executive Officer, and Dr. Robert Johnson, now Omega's Technical Director, have retained a significant ownership interest in the Company, now known as Omega Optical, LLC, and will continue to lead the business going forward. Omega will continue to operate as an independent company from its headquarters in Brattleboro, VT. Omega Optical Founded in 1969, Omega Optical designs and manufactures precision optical filters and coatings enabling mission-critical optical applications for global OEM customers in a wide range of industries, including life sciences, environmental monitoring, aerospace, defense, semiconductor, and more. From prototyping to production, Omega has the breadth of capabilities, technical experience, and ISO 9001:2015 quality management to consistently deliver the light you need. For more information on Omega Optical, please visit: www.omegafilters.com Artemis Founded in 2010, Artemis Capital Partners is a Boston-based private equity firm focused on acquiring and growing manufacturers of differentiated industrial technologies, including optics and photonics. Artemis seeks to partner with companies that have strong established management teams, outstanding engineering capabilities, unique products, and expanding niche markets. For more information on Artemis, please visit: www.artemislp.com. SOURCE Artemis Related Links https://www.artemislp.com You are here: Business China's continuous efforts to crack down on illegal activities in the banking industry have achieved desired effects, an official with the country's top banking authority said Monday. The market order of the banking sector has continued to improve, Zhu Tong, deputy director of the Banking Inspection Bureau of the China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission, said at a news conference. The number of illegal activities and the amount involved fell 40 percent year on year in 2019, he added. Liu Zhongrui, another official with the commission, said China has achieved remarkable results in stemming the growth of the shadow banking since 2017. Shadow banking levels in China have fallen by 16 trillion yuan (about 2.34 trillion U.S. dollars) from a peak in 2017, Liu said. In recent years, China has clamped down on shadow banking, amid concerns over the hidden risks in the high volume of complex and potentially risky loans in the sector. The commission will continue to strengthen oversight of the sector to maintain the progress made, Liu added. Preeja Prasad By Express News Service BENGALURU: My friend was among those arrested two days ago. He got into ganja first after completing school as he was going through depression, said Dhruv Acharya (named changed), a third-year BSc student. This is the familiar story of many college students who started off consuming drugs, and later shifted to peddling.With the increasing number of drug raids in the city, students formed a majority among peddlers and consumers, according to Bengaluru City Police. ALSO READ: Hang Zameer if evidence found in drug case, says Siddaramaiah Last month alone, over 300 raids were conducted -- the highest so far this year. Of this, 90% of the cases were youths in the 18-25 age group. Sources in the department stated that they received strict orders from the Home Minister to focus on the drug menace. A senior police officer said that the raids have increased five-fold in the past one month. Most of the students were either from other states, foreigners or college dropouts. And most of these synthetic drugs are sourced over the Dark Net, said Additional Commissioner of Police (East) S Murugan. Number of NDPS cases 2020: 530 2019: 768 2018: 286 But what exactly is the darknet? The search engines we use which provide us with results are called the surface web. However, there is much more to the web which is unsearchable called the Deep Net. A fraction of this, where the user and site owner are anonymous, is called the Dark Net.Sources say that with city police closing in on them, drug peddlers are forced to sell them in bigger quantities. ALSO READ: Sandalwood drugs case - Actress Ragini Dwivedi remanded to 14 days judicial custody When you sell the drugs in bigger quantities, the job is done faster. If we sell it in smaller quantities, it takes more time. And cops are likely to catch us since we will be left with the possession of the drugs, says a source. While there is severe risk involved in drug peddling, the prices have increased since last year depending on the quality. For example, earlier, a ganja packet of 10 grams cost Rs 500 while at present a 20 grams packet costs Rs 1,500-Rs 2,500. ALSO READ: 'Will get him to surrender', says elusive drug dealer Sheikh Faisal's family Purchasing the drugs requires bitcoins wherein one bitcoin costs over Rs 7 lakh. Cops say it is unclear from where the youths are procuring the money. Police Commissioner Kamal Pant said, There is nothing new about these raids. We are doing our routine work. There have been rumours of NCB being involved but none of that is true. The United Arab Emirates (UAE), currently OPECs third-largest producer, breached its OPEC+ oil production quota by a massive 520,000 barrels per day (bpd) in August, data from the International Energy Agency (IEA) showed on Tuesday, suggesting that one of Saudi Arabias allies in leading by example in the deal could be the cartels new compliance headache. According to IEAs Oil Market Report, cited by Bloomberg, the UAE pumped 3.11 million bpd in August, up by 240,000 bpd from July and 520,000 bpd above its ceiling of 2.59 million bpd as per the OPEC+ deal. Using tanker-tracking data, the IEA estimated that OPECs third-largest producer exported as much as 2.7 million bpd in August, stockpiled oil at a rate of 115,000 bpd, processed 370,000 bpd at refineries, and blended 100,000 bpd of condensate in its crude streams, Bloomberg reports. Earlier this month, the UAEs Energy Minister Suhail Al Mazrouei himself admitted that the UAEs production increased to the above-quota 2.693 million bpd in August, but that measures have been taken to compensate for this temporary increase due to peak summer electricity demand in the UAE, which required an increase in oil production and associated gas. Al Mazrouei also said that Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) had notified its term customers that a 30-percent nomination cut would be applied to all grades in October. The UAE was already estimated last week to have exported a lot more crude oil in August as it produced more than its quota under the OPEC+ deal, undermining the oil markets faith in the groups unity in the cuts. Unlike in previous OPEC+ pacts, non-compliance with the quotas this time requires the culprits to compensate for any above-quota production with more reductions in the following months. Saudi Arabia, which has been publicly pressing non-compliant OPEC members Iraq and Nigeria to fall in line with their quotas, is likely to be more discreet in its pressure on the UAE, RBC Capital Markets told Bloomberg. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Sir Keir Starmer will today offer Boris Johnson cross-party support for a genuine national plan to protect millions of jobs as the UK faces a possible resurgence of the coronavirus crisis. Speaking to the TUC, the Labour leader will repeat the partys demand for a targeted extension of the governments job retention scheme to allow workers in sectors hit particularly hard by lockdown to remain on furlough. And he will call for a ban on firing and rehiring practices which have seen some employees made redundant and then taken back on worse pay and conditions. Starmer will accuse the prime minister of failing to get the basics right on testing and protection of care homes over the summer. And he will say that the current row over plans to override elements of the EU withdrawal agreement is an attempt by Johnson to reopen old wounds over Brexit to distract from his failings in the Covid-19 crisis. Addressing the PM directly he will say: Get your priorities right. Get on with defeating this virus. But despite his criticisms, the Labour leader will say that the government, opposition, trade unions and business should now come together to avoid the scarring effect mass unemployment will have on communities and families across the country. At this moment of national crisis we should take inspiration from our past, the Labour leader will say. Be willing to put party differences aside and work together in the interest of the country. Imagine how powerful it would be if we could form a genuine national plan to protect jobs, create new ones and invest in skills and training. Im making an open offer to the prime minister: work with us to keep millions of people in work. Work with the trade unions and work with businesses. Do everything possible to protect jobs and to deliver for working people. Although his pre-briefed comments appeared to allude to the Second World War government which brought together members of Winston Churchills Conservatives and Clement Attlees Labour in the national effort, party sources insisted Starmer was not referring to any specific moment in Britains history. UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 11 January 2022 A couple walk underneath an umbrella during wet weather on Westminster Bridge in central London PA UK news in pictures 10 January 2022 A jogger passes the Covid Memorial Wall in London AP UK news in pictures 9 January 2021 The sun rises over horses at Seaton Sluice in Northumberland PA UK news in pictures 8 January 2022 Riders compete during the Veterans Men's race at the UK Cyclo-Cross National Championships 2022 in Ardingly, south of London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 7 January 2022 A dog looks out of a car window at the wintry conditions in Killeshin, Co. Laois PA UK news in pictures 6 January 2022 People walk through frost and mist alongside a frozen lake during sunrise in Bushy Park, London REUTERS UK news in pictures 5 January 2022 A skier jumps on the slopes at Allenheads in the Pennines to the north of Weardale in Northumberland PA UK news in pictures 4 January 2022 Freshly-fallen snow covers houses in Corbridge, near Hexham in Northumberland PA UK news in pictures 3 January 2022 Dean Morrison, 13, receives his Covid-19 vaccine from student nurse Anthony McLaughlin during a vaccination clinic at the Glasgow Central Mosque PA UK news in pictures 2 January 2022 Konastantinos Tsimikas of Liverpool with Chelseas Mason Mount during the Premier League match at Stamfrod Bridge Liverpool FC/Getty UK news in pictures 1 January 2022 New Years Eve Lasers, drones and fireworks illuminate the sky in front of the Royal Naval College in Greenwich shortly after midnight in London EPA UK news in pictures 31 December 2021 Competitors in fancy dress run across the Pennine tops near Haworth, West Yorkshire, in the annual Auld Lang Syne Fell race which attracts hundreds of runners every year PA UK news in pictures 30 December 2021 Sunrise at Bamburgh Castle in Northumberland PA UK news in pictures 29 December 2021 The Very Revd Dr Robert Willis, Dean of Canterbury Cathedral, looks at Becket, a six month old red-billed chough as he visits Wildwood Wildlife Park in Kent on the anniversary of the murder of Thomas Becket PA UK news in pictures 28 December 2021 Troops of the Household Cavalry are seen reflected in a puddle during the changing of the Queens Life Guard, on Horse Guards Parade, in central London PA UK news in pictures 27 December 2021 A pedestrian walks past a winter sale sign outside a John Lewis store on Oxford street in London Getty UK news in pictures 26 December 2021 Riders take their bikes through the snow near Castleside, County Durham PA UK news in pictures 25 December 2021 Patrick Corkery wears a santa hat and beard as waves crash over him at Forty Foot near Dublin during a Christmas Day dip PA UK news in pictures 24 December 2021 People stand inside Kings Cross Station on Christmas Eve in London Reuters UK news in pictures 23 December 2021 Christmas shoppers fill the car park at Fosse Shopping Park in Leicester PA UK news in pictures 22 December 2021 The sun rises behind the stones as people gather for the winter solstice at Stonehenge. Getty UK news in pictures 21 December 2021 People take part in a winter solstice swim at Portobello Beach in Edinburgh to mark the solstice and to witness the dawn after the longest night of the year PA UK news in pictures 20 December 2021 An auction employee displays poultry to buyers and sellers attending the Christmas Poultry Sale at York Auction Centre in Murton PA UK news in pictures 19 December 2021 Joao Moutinho of Wolverhampton Wanderers looks on during the Premier League match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Chelsea at Molineux Getty Images UK news in pictures 18 December 2021 Freight lorries queuing at the port of Dover in Kent PA UK news in pictures 17 December 2021 Newly elected Liberal Democrat MP Helen Morgan, bursts 'Boris' bubble' held by colleague Tim Farron, as she celebrates following her victory in the North Shropshire by-election PA UK news in pictures 16 December 2021 Brussels sprouts are harvested by workers as they prepare for the busy Christmas period near Boston in Lincolnshire PA UK news in pictures 15 December 2021 Lewis Hamilton is made a Knight Bachelor by the Prince of Wales at Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 14 December 2021 The Royal Liver Buildings surrounded by early morning fog in Liverpool PA UK news in pictures 13 December 2021 People queue outside a walk-in Covid-19 vaccination centre at St Thomas's Hospital in Westminster Getty Images UK news in pictures 12 December 2021 People take part in the Big Leeds Santa Dash in Roundhay Park, Leeds PA UK news in pictures 11 December 2021 People arrive at a Covid-19 vaccination centre at Elland Road in Leeds, PA UK news in pictures 10 December 2021 Stella Moris speaks to the media after the US Government won its High Court bid to overturn a judges decision not to extradite WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange PA UK news in pictures 9 December 2021 Camels are lead around Salisbury Cathedral during a rehearsal for the Christmas Eve Service PA UK news in pictures 8 December 2021 Margaret Keenan and Nurse May Parsons, a year after Margaret was the first person in the UK to receive the Pfizer vaccine PA UK news in pictures 7 December 2021 Snowfall in Leadhills, South Lanarkshire as Storm Barra hits the UK with disruptive winds, heavy rain and snow PA UK news in pictures 6 December 2021 A person tries to avoid sea spray on New Brighton promenade in Wallasey as the UK readies for the arrival of Storm Barra Getty UK news in pictures 5 December 2021 People release balloons during a tribute to six-year-old Arthur Labinjo-Hughes outside Emma Tustin's former address in Solihull, West Midlands, where he was murdered by his stepmother PA UK news in pictures 4 December 2021 People walk through a Christmas market in Trafalgar Square Reuters UK news in pictures 3 December 2021 A pedestrian carries a dog as they dodge shoppers on Oxford Street in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 2 December 2021 Duchess of Cambridge inspects a Faberge egg at the Victoria and Albert Museum Getty UK news in pictures 1 December 2021 Meerkats at London Zoo with an advent calendar PA UK news in pictures 30 November 2021 Workers put the finishing touches to the Trafalgar Square Christmas Tree ahead of the lighting ceremony later in the week PA UK news in pictures 29 November 2021 Home Secretary Priti Patel is greeted by a police dog at a special memorial service for Met Police Sergeant Matiu Ratana Getty UK news in pictures 28 November 2021 Riyad Mahrez of Manchester City battles for possession with Aaron Cresswell of West Ham United during a match at the Etihad during snow Manchester City/Getty UK news in pictures 27 November 2021 Residents clear branches from a fallen tree in Birkenhead, north west England as Storm Arwen triggered a rare red weather warning AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 3 December 2021 An aerial picture shows a worker using a quad bike and trailer to transport freshly harvested trees at Pimms Christmas Tree farm in Matfield, southeast England AFP via Getty UK news in pictures 26 November 2021 A shopper browses Christmas trees for sale at Pines and Needles in Dulwich, London Reuters UK news in pictures 25 November 2021 A murmuration of hundreds of thousands of starlings fly over a field at dusk in Cumbria, close to the Scottish border PA UK news in pictures 3 December 2021 A pedestrian carries a dog as they dodge shoppers on Oxford Street in central London AFP/Getty Labour has warned that chancellor Rishi Sunaks one-size-fits-all plan to halt the furlough scheme across the economy on 1 November risks a giant wave of job losses in the weeks before Christmas. Sir Keir will acknowledge that the scheme - under which the state paid more than 9 million workers up to 80 per cent of monthly pay at the height of the pandemic - cannot continue forever in its original form. But he will say that with a bit of imagination and acting in the national interest, a better approach is possible that the blanket withdrawal of help at the end of October. Drawing on schemes introduced or proposed elsewhere in the world, the Labour leader will suggest: - The expansion of part-time working and rewards for employers who offer hours rather than cutting jobs. - Training and support for those who cannot come back full-time. - Targeting help at sectors most in need, such as retail, aviation and those hit by local lockdowns. Addressing the TUC by video-link from his home after being forced to self-isolate because a family member showed symptoms of possible coronavirus, Starmer will also condemn fire and re-hire practices as not just wrong but against British values. Calling for them to be outlawing, he will say: These tactics punish good employers, hit working people hard and harm our economy. After a decade of pay restraint, thats the last thing working people need. And in the middle of a deep recession, its the last thing our economy needs. Starmer will give credit to the trade union movement for prompting the chancellor to introduce the job retention scheme. When it came to protecting millions of jobs and keeping people safe at work it was the union movement that stood up, he will tell the conference. Without you there would have been no furlough scheme. No life raft for seven million people. The trade unions have always been the unsung heroes of our national story - and through this crisis you have helped to write another proud chapter. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-15 16:25:18|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close A student attends a drive-through graduation ceremony at Kuwait Technical College (K-Tech) in Ahmadi Governorate, Kuwait, Sept. 9, 2020. Kuwait Technical College (K-Tech) celebrated its students' graduation in the first of its kind drive-through ceremony. More than 125 students gathered in the university's parking lot to receive their degree while driving-through to the president and keeping social distancing protocols in place. (Xinhua) KUWAIT CITY, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- The COVID-19 pandemic has shuttered universities across Kuwait and large group gatherings, including graduations, were cancelled. Some universities in the Arab country tried to find safe ways to make sure the graduation celebration goes on. Kuwait Technical College (K-Tech) celebrated its students' graduation in the first of its kind drive-through ceremony. More than 125 students gathered in the university's parking lot to receive their degree while driving-through to the president and keeping social distancing protocols in place. Some graduates expressed their thanks for the impressive and heartwarming celebration. Fares Al-Mutairi, one of the graduates who major in management information systems, told Xinhua that the drive-through ceremony was unexpected. "The ceremony was very satisfying and I had an amazing experience because whether the graduation was a drive-through or a regular one it was a unique experience and I will never forget it! I will forever be grateful to my college," he said with smile. Tariq Walid Al-Eissa, who majors in businesses management at K-Tech, said that the ceremony was much better than what he expected. "The graduation was one of the most beautiful days of my life after a long journey in studying that took place despite many obstacles that our country and the world are going through," he said. "Much appreciation to each person who has made this day happen and give us memorial graduation that will always be in our memory," he noted. Meanwhile, many universities in Kuwait held virtual celebrations for graduates. The Arab Open University (AOU) of Kuwait held a virtual ceremony celebrating the graduation of its students, honoring top graduates from its branches in eight countries via live broadcast. Accoring to the graduates and their parents, the virtual ceremony contributed greatly to raising their spirits, and left a positive impact on them at a time when they did not expect to celebrate their graduation in light of the coronavirus outbreak. Ali Hesham, a graduate accountant at AOU, told Xinhua that the graduation under the current circumstances is unique as it was celebrated virtually from a distance. On the other hand, some parents emphasized that the costs of traditional celebrations are expensive, while the virtual ceremony saves 75 percent of the costs that were spent on organizing the traditional ones. Um Israa, mother of a graduate, told Xinhua the virtual ceremony allowed all family members to attend and see unlike the traditional ceremony, which was limited to a certain number of tickets for family and friends. Enditem Former House Foreign Affairs Committee chair Ed Royce, a Republican from California, has registered as a lobbyist for Chinese tech giant Tencent, which helps implement the Chinese Communist Party's censorship and surveillance regime. The catch: While in office, Royce was an outspoken critic of the Vietnamese Communist Party's human rights abuses and backed several bills targeting China. The big picture: Royce is only the latest in a line of former elected officials to lobby on behalf of Chinese companies accused of being complicit in human rights abuses. Driving the news: Tencent has retained several lobbying firms to help plead its cause in Washington amid the looming ban on WeChat, including Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck LLP, where Royce works. Background: Inside China, Tencent's WeChat is a "super-app" that most Chinese people use not just for messaging but also for banking, hailing cabs, paying bills and running their businesses. Chinese residents know that if they post politically sensitive content on WeChat, Chinese public security officials could show up at their doors within hours. Tencent readily hands over user data to the Chinese government and allows public security officials ongoing access to messages, facilitating the CCP's authoritarian crackdown on any kind of dissent. The Xinjiang public security bureau has used WeChat to identify, surveil and threaten Uighurs abroad, as China has engaged in a sweeping campaign of repression aimed at forcibly assimilating the ethnic minority. Royce has a long history of criticizing a different Communist party's human rights record: Royce threw his support behind a 2007 bill that would withdraw non-humanitarian support from Vietnam unless the government made progress in human rights, such as the release of political prisoners. He explicitly discouraged the idea that warming ties with Vietnam meant the U.S. could overlook human rights abuses there. "The United States has a growing relationship with Vietnam, particularly in the security and trade arenas. However, human rights remain a core value to us and we cannot segregate them from our on-going engagement with the Vietnamese government," said Royce in a June 2017 statement. Royce did not respond to a request for comment. The bottom line: Money talks. New Delhi, Sep 15 : The Lok Sabha on Tuesday passed a Bill which has provisions to suspend the MP Local Area Development (MPLAD) funds for two years and for a 30 per cent deduction of salaries of all lawmakers and the money thus saved can go to the Consolidated Fund of India to fight the Covid-19 pandemic. The Salary, Allowances and Pension of Members of Parliament (Amendment) Bill, 2020 was passed on the second day of the Monsoon Session despite objections by opposition MPs. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi moved the Bill to replace an ordinance issued by the government after the Union Cabinet in April approved a 30 per cent cut in the salaries of all Members of Parliament and suspension of the MPLAD scheme during 2020-21 and 2021-22. The consolidated amount of MPLAD funds -- around Rs 7,900 crores -- will go to the Consolidated Fund of India. The Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, had approved the ordinance to amend the Salaries, Allowances and Pension of Members of Parliament Act, 1954, to cut the salaries of MPs by 30 per cent. The MPs, including the Prime Minister and his Council of Ministers, would take the salary cut for the financial year 2020-2021. In addition, the Cabinet had decided to suspend the MPLAD funds for 2020-2021 and 2021-2022. Many MPs had already pledged to use their MPLAD funds, Rs 5 crore a year, for efforts to combat the coronavirus pandemic. In his concluding remarks, Joshi said the suspension of MPLAD funds is temporary and for two years. "I am happy that charity began from Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. This charity is because the economy has been affected due to lockdown and other things. When such things happen, we need to take some extraordinary decisions," Joshi said. The Minister said that the government has taken the decision to be a role model for others. "We have taken so many measures and unprecedented steps to contain the Covid-19 pandemic. PM Modi ji told me to tell all MPs not to politicise the issue as it is not related to Centre or state." Joshi mentioned how the government had put together a Rs 20 lakh crore package and the Rs 1.76 lakh crore Garib Kalyan Yojana scheme through which free ration is being provided to all poor people upto November this year. The government also given a Rs 40,000 crore budget for the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act. Initiating a debate over the Bill, Congress MP Dean Kuriakose said it is very sad that MPLAD has been frozen without any consultation and prior information. The MP said he supports the move but opposes the method adopted by the government. "The government on March 24 issued one circular regarding utilisation of MPLAD funds to fight against Covid-19. I have allotted Rs 1.5 crore to various government hospitals in my constituency for purchasing medical equipment. At that time, the government froze MPLAD unexpectedly for two years which will be Rs 10 crore. If this fund is not frozen we could have used these funds for purchasing medical infrastructure. These funds should be allocated for medical purposes," Kuriakose said.` Chennai North MP Veeraswamy Kalanidhi of the DMK said there are other ways to mobilise funds for the country. "I am not saying that this should not be done in accordance with the present situation, we also have to look for other ways to mobilize funds." He said that the government has gone ahead with the proposal to construct a new Parliament for Rs 20,000 crore in the next three-five years when the country is facing a big crisis. Kalanidhi said that the amount can be used to combat the pandemic and the economic crisis. Supporting the Bill and saying that his party MPs have already given funds to fight Covid, Midhun Reddy of YSR Congress urged the government to rethink about the move, permit the MPLAD and increase the MPLAD amount during this period. Trinamool Congress MP Saugata Roy asked the government to take the MPs salary but provide MPLAD. Pinaki Misra of the Biju Janata Dal said that suspension of MPLAD is disempowering the MPs. "MPLAD is money by the people and for the people. This is not a token gesture. The government should reconsider it." US President Donald Trump on Monday vowed that any attack by Iran would be met with a response 1,000 times greater in magnitude, after reports that Iran planned to avenge the killing of top general Qasem Soleimani. A US media report, quoting unnamed officials, said that an alleged Iranian plot to assassinate the US ambassador to South Africa was planned before the presidential election in November. According to press reports, Iran may be planning an assassination, or other attack, against the United States in retaliation for the killing of terrorist leader Soleimani, Trump tweeted. Any attack by Iran, in any form, against the United States will be met with an attack on Iran that will be 1,000 times greater in magnitude! Relations between Washington and Tehran have been tense since the Iranian revolution, and have spiralled since Trump unilaterally pulled out of a landmark international nuclear deal with Iran in May 2018. In January, a US drone strike killed Soleimani in Baghdad, and Washington is pushing to extend an arms embargo on Iran that starts to progressively expire in October as well as reimposing UN sanctions on the Islamic republic. - Iran denies plot - Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Monday declined to comment directly on the reported threat to Lana Marks, the US ambassador to South Africa who is a close ally of Trump. But Pompeo told Fox News that the Islamic Republic of Iran has engaged in assassination efforts all across the world. They have assassinated people in Europe and in other parts of the world. We take these... allegations seriously. We make very clear to the Islamic Republic of Iran that this kind of activity -- attacking any American any place at any time, whether its an American diplomat, an ambassador, or one of our service members -- is completely unacceptable. The Iranian foreign ministry spokesman on Monday dismissed the report of an assassination plot as baseless and part of repetitive and rotten methods to create an anti-Iranian atmosphere on the international stage. The Iranian navy last week said it drove off American aircraft that flew close to an area where military exercises were underway near the Strait of Hormuz. The military said three US aircraft were detected by Irans air force radars after they entered the countrys air defence identification zone. In June last year, a US RQ-4 drone was shot down by Iran after allegedly violating Iranian airspace -- a claim the US has denied. Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Ashwini Kumar Choubey, told the Rajya Sabha, in a written reply, also said: "However, the database of those seeking relief under the 'Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Insurance Package' is maintained at the national level." New Delhi, Sep 15 (IANS) Data on Covid-19 fatalities amongst healthcare workers is not maintained at the Central level by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare as health is a state subject, parliament was told on Tuesday. The minister listed 155 health workers who died due to Covid-19 as per the PMGKP. According to the data, relief was sought for 64 doctors, 32 Auxiliary Nursing Midwifery and Multi-Purpose Health Worker, 14 ASHA workers and 45 others under the scheme. Choubey also said that states were asked to constitute Infection Prevention and Control committees, and hospitals were directed to identify a nodal officer who will monitor the healthcare workers and review their exposure status. "High risk exposures are placed under quarantine for seven days. Based on their exposure and clinical profile of such doctors, nursing officers and other health workers, a decision shall be taken by the Nodal Officer and Head of the Department (or his appointed Sub-committee) for a further period of one week." He said that the healthcare workers were also provided with hydroxychloroquine for prophylaxis and prevention of infection. N-95 masks and triple- and double-ply masks were brought under price control. Export of PPEs, N95 masks, triple- and double-ply medical masks, goggles and visors were banned till such time the country became self-reliant. A Rs 15,000 crore ($2 billion) package under "India Covid-19 Emergency Response and Health System Preparedness Package" was approved by the Cabinet on April 22, 2020. The funds and commodities are allocated to the states under various components including emergency Covid-19 response. The states were supported with 9.81 Crore tablets of hydroxychloroquine and 28,476 ventilators were supplied. "In initial part of the pandemic, there were concerns on non-availability of protective gear. However, with the Government of India stepping in to enhance capacity and allocating PPE to states as per need, this concern was addressed. States were provided with 3.05 crore N-95 masks and 1.2 crore PPE kits," the minister added. --IANS aka/vd The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrations Office of Satellite and Product Operations Smoke from multiple wildfires burning across the West Coast reached the East Coast, turning skies everywhere from New York City to Washington, D.C., hazy. "The smoke is swirling clockwise around the high pressure over the Great Basin and then getting caught up in westerly flow east of the Rockies," explained National Weather Service meteorologist Julie Malingowski. "Then it's making its way across the plains to the East Coast. It looks like the smoke, depending on whats happening with the winds, could be reaching anywhere from the Carolinas to the Northeaster part of the county. Its hard to tell exactly." NEW YORK Many Americans have vivid memories of Jan. 28, 1986. That was the day the space shuttle Challenger exploded over a chilly Florida, just seconds after liftoff. School children across the country had tuned in to see Christa McAuliffe become the first teacher in space. One person watching was Steven Leckart, a space-obsessed elementary school kid. Like everyone else, he was shocked by the blast and felt the slow, sickening realization that all seven aboard were gone. I remember wanting to be an astronaut and I remember wanting to go to space. And then I remember Challenger completely shattering my dream for that, he recalled. Leckart has returned to that dark day as co-director of the four-part Netflix documentary series Challenger: The Final Flight, executive produced by J.J. Abrams and Glen Zipper. It premieres Sept. 16. The series approaches the disaster less like a post-mortem and more like a drama. It explores NASA history and the lives of the seven lost astronauts, why the accident occurred and the inquest that followed. Zipper and Leckart conceived of it in 2015 while looking to make something personal. Both had seen the disaster as boys but could only remember the name of one astronaut aboard Challenger: McAuliffe. Who were the other six? The more they dug, the more they found extraordinary people: Ellison Onizuka was the first Asian American in space and Ronald McNair was the second African American. Judith Resnik was the second American woman in space and the first Jewish woman. We wanted to humanize these astronauts and wanted you to know these characters and understand the human side of this whole story, co-director Daniel Junge said. Watching the series was a roller-coaster ride of emotion for June Scobee Rodgers, the widow of Challenger commander Dick Scobee and the person who helped establish the Challenger Center for Space Science Education. There is sadness and as a reminder of that tremendous private grief that was made so public, Scobee Rodgers said. But there is also home movies of her late husband having fun with family and friends. There are wonderful snippets of joy. She credited the filmmakers for telling a story no one else has ever been able to do. Theres been many, many stories, but they give it the serious respect that it deserves by telling the whole story. Months after the disaster, the cause was revealed: O-ring seals failed, causing leaks in the right booster rocket. An investigation found some workers had warned NASA about the danger of launching Challenger because the O-rings grew brittle in cold weather. But NASA was under pressure to keep to its ambitious flight schedule and the risk was deemed acceptable. When we started this series, I did kind of expect to find that mustache-twirling villain, that one person that everything could be laid at their feet. And I dont think we did find that person, Zipper said. There is no one who said, This thing is definitely going to disintegrate. But lets launch it anyway. They all were loyal to their missions to a fault. Scobee Rodgers said the series shows how people can rationalize away problems, but despite her immense loss, she has no anger toward the Challenger decision-makers. I have such empathy for the gentlemen that made the difficult decisions because they were under pressure for that schedule, placed on NASA unfairly, I do believe, she said. Leckart likened the way the Challenger disaster unfolded to another man-made disaster in 1986 the Chernobyl meltdown. These are not necessarily nefarious people with anything but the best of intentions. But that can quickly go awry. The series airs just as space exploration has returned to Americas consciousness. In May, Elon Musks SpaceX launched astronauts into orbit from home soil for the first time in nearly a decade. Jeff Bezos Blue Origin and Richard Bransons Virgin Galactic also plan trips to space. We are going to be going further in space and were going to be taking more risk. So the time is right to remind people of what can go wrong, Zipper said. The series has lessons for any complex organization, especially how red flags are handled, the necessity to slow the process down when necessary and the need to have both transparency and clear decision-making. Theres always going to be risk. Theres always going to be loss. If we want to launch ourselves into the next frontier, the final frontier, were going to lose more people. Its inevitable, Zipper said. But the question becomes, What level of risk is acceptable? Because if we said no risk is acceptable, then I dont think we can continue our mission into space. Making Challenger made watching the SpaceX launch earlier this year a dicey proposition for Leckart. He was with his children to witness two NASA astronauts blast off to the International Space Station I remember having a moment of thinking, like, Do I want my children to be watching this live? And Im not sure I would have thought about that quite the same had I not made Challenger, he said. When they did get to orbit safely, I had breathed a huge sigh of relief. MANILA, Philippines - A U.S. official accused China on Tuesday of bullying and insincerity in its dealings with Southeast Asian nations, but said Washington isnt forcing the region to choose sides between the two world powers. U.S. Assistant Secretary of State David Stilwell emphasized American resolve in maintaining its presence in the region and preventing unwelcomed and certainly unhelpful military adventurism, including in the disputed South China Sea. The comments in an online news conference were the latest display of the Trump administrations tough rhetoric toward China. Last week, U.S. and Chinese officials squared off in annual meetings of foreign ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Stilwell pointed to Chinese actions toward countries with rival territorial claims in the South China Sea, suppression of pro-democracy groups in Hong Kong and operation of dams that threaten the water supply for downstream nations along the Mekong river. Washington is also concerned about persistent reports of Chinese weapons ending up in the hands of various armed groups in Myanmar, he said, without elaborating. Myanmar, which is fighting several insurgent minority groups, has close ties with Beijing. He said Chinese insincerity is best illustrated in its aggressive behaviour in the South China Sea, where it has turned disputed reefs into weaponized artificial island outposts despite a commitment not to militarize the region. The U.S. regards Chinas vast maritime claims in the strategic waterway as unlawful, Stilwell said, but stressed that the long-simmering disputes should be resolved peacefully and through dialogue. Stilwell said Beijings control of dams along the upper Mekong River has harmed the livelihood of tens of millions of people in Southeast Asian communities up and down the Mekong region basin. Washington has encouraged the affected countries Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Myanmar and Laos to hold China accountable, he said. The five countries belong to the 10-nation ASEAN, which has often been caught in the U.S.-China regional rivalry. Four member states Vietnam, the Philippines, Brunei and Malaysia are locked in territorial disputes with China in the South China Sea. We often hear from our ASEAN friends and others this desire to `dont make us choose, Stilwell said, stressing that the U.S. is not forcing countries to take sides between it and China. If China brings stability and it brings positive outcomes and it respects sovereignty of ASEAN partners ... then we have no objection, Stilwell said. But he said Chinas track record is not good. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi lashed back at the U.S. in last weeks ASEAN meetings, saying Washington was the biggest driver of militarization and the most dangerous factor damaging peace in the region. The U.S. deployed military aircraft in nearly 3,000 sorties and more than 60 warships in the disputed region in the first half of the year, Wang said. He accused the U.S. of driving a wedge between China and rival South China Sea claimant states and of undercutting Chinese attempts to resolve disputes through ASEAN. district reported 2,481 new cases in the last 24 hours, taking its count to 2,27,307 on Monday, a health official said. The death toll increased to 5,222 with 79 more patients succumbing to the infection during the same period, he said. Also, 1,456 patients were discharged from hospitals following their recovery from the infection in the western district, the official said. "Of the 2,481 cases, 1,100 were reported from areas under Municipal Corporation limits, where the count rose to 1,20,757. "With 760 cases, Pimpri-Chinchwad's tally stood at 64,382," he said. The number of positive cases in rural and Cantonment Board areas increased to 42,168, the official said. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The government is considering the possibility of allowing Ghanaians to access healthcare with their National Identification Card (Ghana card) under the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS). According to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), Dr Lydia Baaba Dsane-Selby, the initiative, which is part of efforts to help achieve the universal health coverage, would be piloted soon in a yet-to-be-identified region to determine its feasibility. Dr. Dsane-Selby, made this known at a mass NHIS registration of residents of Morso in the Asante-Akim South Municipality. She said children under 15 years of age would continue to use their NHIS cards to access healthcare until they are also captured by the National Identification Authority (NIA). This, according to Dr Dsane-Selby, formed part of the governments determination to ensure that the huge investments in the healthcare delivery system benefited every Ghanaian without any impediments. She hinted that the NHIA was taking steps to address the phenomenon, where patients were told that their ailments were not covered by the NHIS and thereby, compelling them to buy drugs instead of receiving them from the health facilities. We are deploying some of our staff to health facilities to check those practices so that nobody would be turned away or forced to buy drugs which are on the NHIS drug list, she assured. She said the Authority had expanded the services provided to NHIS card holders, saying, we have even added the treatment of breast cancer, eye and dental services which were previously not catered for. The NHIA, she said, had also introduced another innovation where patients were notified that they had visited a particular facility as part of efforts to clamp down on illegal claims. She therefore entreated the public to notify the Authority in case they received such messages when they had not visited any facility to collectively eliminate fraudsters from the system. Dr. Philip Bannor, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Health Facilities Regulatory Agency (HeFRA), underlined the need for every Ghanaian to enrol on the NHIS to ensure unimpeded access to healthcare. He said the NHIS had been one of the biggest interventions that expanded access and coverage to healthcare since it was introduced by former President John Agyekum Kufuor and urged the people not to be left out of the benefits of the policy. If for nothing at all, your access to primary healthcare is guaranteed by registering for the NHIS so try and keep your cards active at all times to survive any unforeseen circumstances, he implored. Source: graphic.com.gh Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video New Delhi/Beijing, Sep 15 : : Under the garb of Xi Jinping's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), China's Wuhan Institute of Virology and Pakistan Army's Defense Science & Technology Organization are conducting experiments on deadly pathogens to expand potential bio-warfare capabilities. An Australian investigative media group The Klaxon, in an exclusive report in August this year, revealed that the two countries have been carrying out extensive research operations on deadly 'animal to human' pathogens in Pakistan involving more than 7000 Pakistani farmers, herders and others and over 2800 camels and other animals. The Wuhan scientists have been conducting tests in collaboration with Rawalpindi in Pakistan since 2015, the Klaxon reported. The programme is funded by China under Xi's ambitious BRI project. The results of at least five studies conducted on some of the world's deadliest and most contagious pathogens -- West Nile Virus; MERS-Coronavirus; Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever Virus; the Thrombocytopenia Syndrome Virus; and the Chikungunya Virus -- have been published in scientific papers between December 2017 and March 9, 2020. The China-Pakistan research involves experiments and genome sequencing of the deadly viruses. One of the studies thanked Wuhan's National Virus Resource Centre for "providing the virus-infected Vero cells". In its comprehensive investigative report, the Klaxon reported that each of the five studies stated it was "supported" by the "International Cooperation on Key Technologies of Biosafety along the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor". The Klaxon said "international cooperation on key technologies program" has not been formally announced, and the only public references to it appear to be in the acknowledgements sections inside the five scientific papers it obtained. The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, or CPEC, is the flagship component of China's Belt and Road infrastructure programme, both of which were announced in 2015. "The Belt and Road program has been widely criticised as being a veil for Chinese colonial expansion, which lumps poor countries with unsustainable amounts of debt and so undermining their sovereignty, enabling China to exert control and influence over them," the Klaxon reported. As recently as late 2018, Pakistan's Government publicly attempted to push back against the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, declaring it a bad deal, but it was almost immediately overruled by Pakistan's powerful military, which has said it would defend the programme "at all costs". In a previous report published in July, The Klaxon quoting "highly credible intelligence sources" claimed that Wuhan Institute of Virology, was testing lethal biological agents in Pakistan and providing "extensive training on manipulation of pathogens and bio-informatics" to Pakistani scientists, which could "enrich a potential offensive biological program". The Wuhan Institute of Virology, according to the Klaxon recently signed a secret three-year deal with Pakistan military's Defense Science and Technology Organisation to collaborate research in "emerging infectious diseases" and the "biological control of transmitted diseases". Strangely, the Wuhan-Pakistan military tie-up has never been publicly announced or disclosed before, the Klaxon said adding that the key concerns are that Pakistan could use the technology in bio-warfare, or that deadly pathogens could accidentally escape from inadequately equipped facilities. Both China and Pakistan have denied the claims. However, the Pakistan government has confirmed the existence of a deal between its military and the Wuhan lab. "There is nothing secret about the Bio-Safety Level-3 (BSL-3) laboratory of Pakistan referred to in the report. Pakistan has been sharing information about the facility with the States parties to the biological and toxins weapons convention (BTWC) in its submission of confidence building measures," Pakistan's foreign office said in July. Islamabad did not identify the location of the BSL-3 laboratory. Incidentally, Pakistan's sharp decline in Covid-19 cases just two months after the mid-June peak of around 6800 cases in a day, has been widely referred to as a mystery. One of the ministers Asad Umar, who was at the forefront of the battle against Covid-19, had warned that around 1.2 million people could be infected in Pakistan by the end of July. However, the spread was so low that Pakistan lifted most restrictions by mid-August. Even scientists in Pakistan are unable to explain the drop in the cases. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text A coalition of nearly 4,000 individuals and organizations is calling on the federal government to implement a guaranteed basic income to address the systemic gender inequities exposed and intensified by the COVID-19 pandemic. Citing the disproportionate economic impact of the pandemic on women, who have suffered greater job losses compared to men, and the inability of employment insurance to assist most unemployed women before the pandemic, the coalition of womens groups and basic income advocates says now is the time for Canada to implement a basic income. The human rights of women and children are really under a lot of pressure, said Josephine Grey, a member of the Basic Income Network Canada. Its unbearable for me as a grandmother. Listen to Rosa Saba discuss how the pandemic has been another setback for women Womens participation in the labour force is at its lowest level in 30 years, according to a recent study by the Royal Bank of Canada, while domestic violence has increased in some parts of the country by up to 30 per cent. The number one reason why a lot of women dont leave an abusive partner is because they dont have the financial resources to do so, said Tracy Smith-Carrier, a professor in the School of Social Work at Kings University College at Western University. A guaranteed basic income could take many forms, but in essence it is an automatic, unconditional cash payment delivered by the government to all individuals on a periodic basis. It would, theoretically, replace other government assistance programs such as Employment Insurance and welfare that critics say are insufficient, administratively onerous and exclusionary. With the pending expiration of the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB), which paid $2,000 a month to 8.5 million Canadians who lost income as a result of the pandemic, calls have been growing for it to be replaced by a permanent basic income. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is scheduled to make his throne speech on Sept. 23, when hell lay out the governments COVID recovery plans. The minority Liberals will need the NDPs support to avoid a fall election, and basic income advocates are hopeful the political winds are in their favour. Earlier this month, federal Labour Minister Filomena Tassi said the government is considering a guaranteed basic income. Everything is on the table for us as we move forward, she said. This past weekend, Liberal MPs made implementing a guaranteed basic income their top policy resolution for consideration at the partys national convention in November. Noting that the COVID-19 pandemic had exposed serious gaps in our federal and provincial social safety nets, and its economic fallout has disproportionately affected women, youth and financially insecure workers, the resolution called on the party to take advantage of the unique opportunity today to rethink the Canada of tomorrow. Smith-Carrier said Canadas current system of social assistance addresses only the symptoms of poverty, where a basic income would allow us to actually provide income security for everybody. Ontario launched a basic income pilot project in three communities in 2017, but Doug Ford cancelled the project soon after he was elected premier in 2018. Correction Sept. 16, 2020: The university that Tracy Smith-Carrier works at has been corrected to reflect that she teaches at King's University College at Western University. You are here: World Flash At least seven people were killed and 30 others wounded on Monday when a car bomb went off in a rebel-held city in the Syrian northern province of Aleppo, a war monitor reported. The car exploded in the Ashrafiyeh neighborhood in the center of the Afrin city in Aleppo, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The death toll could likely rise due to the high number of critically-wounded people, it added. The UK-based watchdog group said the explosion took place in a crowded civilian area. Meanwhile, the pro-government Sham FM radio reported the explosion, saying three people were killed as an initial casualty toll. Other state-run media outlets also reported the explosion without giving a death toll. Turkey and Ankara-backed rebels captured Afrin from the Kurdish-led militias in March, 2018. Activists have made several reports about the situation in Turkey-controlled areas in northern Syria, saying a state of lawlessness is rampant in that region. PALE, Bosnia - Momcilo Krajisnik, a former top wartime Bosnian Serb official who was convicted of war crimes by a U.N. court, has died after contracting COVID-19. He was 75. The hospital in the northern Bosnian town of Banja Luka said that Krajisnik died early Tuesday from consequences of infection with the new coronavirus. Krajisnik was convicted and sentenced to 20 years in prison by the U.N. Yugoslav war crimes tribunal in The Hague, Netherlands, for persecuting and forcibly expelling non-Serbs during the 1992-95 war. He was released from a British prison in 2013 after serving two-thirds of the sentence. Krajisnik served as the Bosnian Serb parliament speaker during the conflict that erupted after the breakup of the Yugoslav federation in the 1990s. He was among the top Bosnian Serb leadership that led the effort to create a Serb self-styled state in parts of Bosnia and unite it with neighbouring Serbia. He was a close aide to Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic, who was convicted by the Hague tribunal for genocide. Bosnian Serb forces took control of about one-third of Bosnian territory, expelling Muslims and Croats from their homes and brutally killing thousands. More than 100,000 people died before the war ended in a U.S.-brokered peace agreement that created Serb and Muslim-Croat entities under a joint government. Many Serbs consider Krajisnik and other Bosnian Serb wartime officials as heroes despite the U.N. war crimes convictions against them. Reflecting such sentiments, Milorad Dodik, a top Bosnian Serb politician who is a member of Bosnias multi-ethnic presidency, described Krajisnik as a great patriot. Momcilo Krajisniks name will be written in special letters in the history of our Republic and our nation, Dodik said in a note of condolence to the family. In Sarajevo, Bosnias other two ethnic groups, had a different view. Momcilo Krajisnik is one of the biggest criminals in the history of Europe, said Zeljko Komsic, another member of Bosnias presidency. He will be remembered as one of the signatories of a genocidal policy. Munira Subasic, who leads a Mothers of Srebrenica group comprising relatives of the more than 8,000 Bosniak men and boys killed in the 1995 massacre in the eastern town, said I am sorry that he died. He should have lived 100 years with his crime, sleep with the crime and wake up with the crime, with the images of our children always before his eyes, Subasic said. Funeral arrangements were not immediately known. Krajisnik is survived by two sons and a daughter. New York Though she's making a name for herself, actor Archie Panjabi still gets a kick out of it when strangers ask for her and clearly don't anticipate what they're getting. "They expect a blond Scottish boy with blue eyes to come out," she says. "They're always pleasantly amused when I tell them Archie is me." Panjabi is certainly helping her name recognition levels these days: The actor, who earned a supporting Emmy for her work on "The Good Wife," is back on American screens this month, but this time as the star. On Peacock's six-part series "Departure," Panjabi is the star opposite Christopher Plummer and Claire Forlani. She plays a brilliant aviation investigator and single mom who is called in to solve the strange disappearance of a jetliner en route to London. Was it a hijacking? Pilot error? Could it be a government cover-up? The mystery deepens when a survivor is miraculously located in the middle of the ocean. Panjabi calls the series, which was inspired in part by missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, "highly bingeworthy." "It's everybody's worst nightmare to have a member of family or somebody that you love on a flight and the flight goes missing," she says. "And I think there is this universal kind of fear and fascination of flying." If anyone tuning in to the series is worried that her character won't survive the mystery, relax: Panjabi is speaking from the Toronto-based set of season two of "Departure." "That's a bit of a giveaway. But I do," she says, laughing. The London-bred actor of Indian descent initially was sent all six scripts for season one and devoured them. In addition to the loss on the plane, her character is trying to process the death of her husband. "I remember reading it and I couldn't put it down," she says. "You go on this journey where you're just so unsure of what could be the cause. I thought, 'Well, if I'm feeling like this and I read so many scripts in my line of work, I really feel this would be that kind of show that an audience would want to watch all in one go.'" Christina Jennings, the executive producer of "Departure," calls Panjabi one of the smartest actors she's ever worked with and considers Panjabi's role as a woman stuck in a vice. "She's in the vice of being a mother, her own grief, dealing with a son and this investigation all at the same time," Jennings says. "She was the best women for the job." Season one of "Departure" was filmed last summer over seven weeks and has aired elsewhere in the world. The Peacock streaming platform will launch the American premiere of "Departure" on Thursday, and it will air in Canada on Oct. 8 on Corus' Global Television. The world has changed so much since the first season wrapped that Panjabi is not entirely sure how it will be greeted now. Will a disaster show during a disaster fall flat? Or will viewers actually seek it out? "There could be even more interest than maybe it would normally get because of what we're going through. How do you cope when there's a disaster like that?" she says. "But, at the same time, it could be that people want pure escapism and they want something a lot lighter. Maybe they'll run away from it. I think it's so difficult to tell." Whatever happens, there's one thing Panjabi can be proud of: The actor who's had scene-stealing roles in "Bend It Like Beckham" and opposite Angelina Jolie in "A Mighty Heart," is the series' big star, her face on the poster, front and center. "As a child growing up, I never felt I would have that opportunity because there weren't that many roles for somebody like me leading a show. And I was quite happy to take second or third position as long as I was working," she says. Of the producers handing her the lead, she says: "I'm sort of eternally grateful for that trust." Panjabi, who was born with the name Archana but changed it because teachers couldn't pronounce it, has had quite a purple patch lately, with roles in "Run," "Blindspot" and "I Know This Much Is True." These days, she's on the set of "Departure" and it's completely different from the last time. She and the cast are now tested for COVID-19 regularly, they keep face masks on until the moment the cameras start rolling, there are limited props and there's plenty of sanitizer on hand. WASHINGTONCanadians really do not like President Donald Trump. And their distaste for the U.S. president is dragging their opinion of the entire country down to record low levels. In that, they are not alone, as a Pew Research survey released Tuesday showed dramatically low favourability for both the U.S. and Trump among residents of 13 nations in Europe, North America and Asia. In several countries, the share of the public with a favourable view of the U.S. is as low as it has been at any point since the Center began polling on this topic nearly two decades ago, the Pew Report reads. Among Canadians, only 20 per cent expressed confidence in Trump to do the right thing regarding world affairs, a new low for a president whose previous standing was already a record nadir for American presidents in the 20-year history of Pews survey. George W. Bush reached a previous low of 28 per cent confidence among Canadians during the Iraq War period in 2007, while Barack Obama inspired Canadian confidence throughout his presidency, trusted by 83 per cent of Canadians when he left office in 2017. Their opinion of Trump seems to be poisoning Canadians on the country that elected him. During the mid-2000s, while Bush was unpopular among Canadians, most continued to have a favourable impression of the country itself in 2007, the depth of Bushs personal favourability in Canada, a majority 55 per cent of Canadians still held a favourable view of the U.S., and that rating remained a majority opinion, often with well over 60 per cent of Canadians favourable, throughout Bush and Obamas terms. But less than half of Canadians held a favourable opinion of the U.S. beginning in 2017 when Trump took office, and has bottomed out to a record low of 35 per cent in the new report. Even among Canadians who describe themselves as being right wing, a majority still hold an unfavourable opinion of the U.S. at the moment, with only 44 per cent generally favourable towards the country, compared with 25 per cent of those on the left, according to the survey. Canadian firm Ekos research recently found similar results when they polled Canadian opinion on Trump and the U.S. In one Ekos survey this summer, 79 per cent of Canadians said they feared the U.S. was on the verge of chaos. That Ekos survey sampled 1,021 Canadians, leading to an estimated margin of error of +/- 3.1%, 19 times out of 20. Its amazing, Frank Graves, the president of Ekos Research recently said on the phone. Canadians are saying their outlook on the United States is the most unfavourable ever. Graves says Trumps approval among Canadians hes surveyed is in the mid-15 per cent range, and that this is unprecedented. In the height of the, you know, Iraq War, there was enormous antipathy in Canada to George W. Bush, but even then it pales compared to the level of approval of Donald Trump. Graves says a range of issues are driving the opinions towards Trump and the country he leads, but key among them is the coronavirus response: 72 per cent of Canadians feel the U.S. would stand a better chance of recovering from the crisis with a change in government in the upcoming November election. When I ask, When do you think we should think about opening the border? They go, Well, maybe never, Graves says. That, too, aligns with Pews findings. In the Pew survey, 83 per cent of Canadians say the U.S. has handled the coronavirus either very badly or somewhat badly as compared to their opinion of Canadas handling of the virus, which 88 per cent of Canadians say has been good. The Pew survey drew on phone interviews with nationally representative samples of 13,273 adults from June 10 to Aug. 3 of this year in Canada, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, the UK, Australia, Japan and South Korea. The Pew report does not include an estimated margin of error. According to Pews report, these sentiments towards the U.S. are fairly common around the world. Some countries expressed even greater antipathy toward the U.S. Germany has only 26 per cent holding a favourable opinion of the U.S., France 31 per cent, and Australia 33 per cent. Of the countries in the survey, only South Korea continued to have a majority favourable impression of the U.S., at 59 per cent. Across all 13 countries, a median of only 15 per cent say the U.S. has done a good job dealing with coronavirus, and only 16 per cent have confidence in Trump to do the right thing for the world. Belgium expressed the least confidence in Trump at nine per cent, Japan the most with a still anemic 25 per cent confidence in the U.S. president. Trump is even less trusted among Canadians and those in the other countries in Pews survey than the leaders of Russia and China. Among Canadians, 24 per cent had confidence in Russian President Vladimir Putin, 22 per cent in Chinese President Xi Jinping, and only 20 per cent in Trump. The median of all countries in the survey ranked the trust in those leaders similarly, with Putin at 23 per cent, Xi at 19 per cent, and Trump at 16 per cent. Read more about: In interviews, some J.M.U. students described the experience of watching hundreds of students around them test positive for Covid-19 as bizarre, chaotic and paranoia inducing. The traditional autumnal return to campus a time of reconnecting with old friends and diving headfirst into classes and activities had taken on morbid overtones. Students spent their first week tracking campus case numbers, getting tested, reporting peers for partying, nervously getting meals at crowded dining halls and waiting for classes to be shut down. Their experience is not unique. Thousands of students on campuses that have resumed in-person classes have watched anxiously as coronavirus case numbers have skyrocketed around them. As of Sept. 14, The New York Times counted more than 88,000 cases and 60 deaths at 1,190 campuses nationwide. (Not all of those cases are new, and the increase is partly the result of more schools beginning to report the results of increased coronavirus testing.) At least eight schools have canceled or temporarily suspended in-person classes because of virus outbreaks, including the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; the University of Wisconsin, Madison; and Notre Dame. Others seem to be trying to power through the pandemic. The University of Alabama and the University of Georgia have continued to hold in-person classes despite more than a thousand positive cases of coronavirus at each school. As case numbers tick up, students at these schools have been airing fears and concerns, and posting photos, videos and frantic questions, on Twitter, TikTok, Instagram and Reddit pages dedicated to their schools. There are also, of course, plenty of morbid jokes. In a Reddit post on a J.M.U. page from Sept. 1, one person commented: 513 cases, only half of quarantine beds remaining as J.M.U. begins to resemble mid 1300s Europe. FORT LAUDERDALE/DAVIE, Fla. - They are some of the most iconic and unique-looking creatures in our oceans. While some may think they look a bit "odd," one thing researchers agree on is that little is known about hammerhead sharks. Many of the 10 hammerhead shark species are severely overfished worldwide for their fins and in need of urgent protection to prevent their extinction. To learn more about a declining hammerhead species that is data poor but in need of conservation efforts, a team of researchers from Nova Southeastern University's (NSU) Save Our Seas Foundation Shark Research Center (SOSF SRC) and Guy Harvey Research Institute (GHRI), Fisher Finder Adventures, the University of Rhode Island and University of Oxford (UK), embarked on a study to determine the migration patterns of smooth hammerhead sharks (Sphyrna zygaena) in the western Atlantic Ocean. This shark, which can grow up to 14-feet (400 cm), remains one of the least understood of the large hammerhead species because of the difficulty in reliably finding smooth hammerheads to allow scientific study. To learn about smooth hammerhead behavior, the research team satellite tagged juvenile hammerhead sharks off the US Mid-Atlantic coast and then tracked the sharks for up to 15 months. The sharks were fitted with fin-mounted satellite tags that reported the sharks' movements in near real time via a satellite link to the researchers. "Getting long-term tracks was instrumental in identifying not only clear seasonal travel patterns, but importantly, also the times and areas where the sharks were resident in between their migrations," said Ryan Logan, Ph.D. student at NSU's GHRI and SOSF SRC, and first author of the newly published research. "This study provides the first high resolution, long term view of the movement behaviors and habitats used by smooth hammerhead sharks - key information for targeting specific areas and times for management action to help build back this depleted species." The researchers found that the sharks acted like snowbirds, migrating between two seasonally resident areas - in coastal waters off New York in the Summer and off North Carolina in the Winter. Their residency times in these two locations coincided with two environmental factors: warmer surface water temperatures and areas with high productivity - indicative of food rich areas. "The high resolution movements data showed these focused wintering and summering habitats off North Carolina and New York, respectively, to be prime ocean "real estate" for these sharks and therefore important areas to protect for the survival of these near endangered animals," said Mahmood Shivji, Ph.D., director of NSU's GHRI and SOSF SRC, who oversaw the study. Identifying such areas of high residency provides targets for designation as "Essential Fish Habitat" - an official title established by the US Government, which if formally adopted can subsequently be subject to special limitations on fishing or development to protect such declining species. The tracking data also revealed a second target for conservation. The hammerheads spent a lot of resident time in the winter in a management zone known as the Mid-Atlantic Shark Area (MASA) - a zone already federally closed for seven-months per year (January 1 to July 31) to commercial bottom longline fishing to protect another endangered species, the dusky shark. However, the tracking data showed that the smooth hammerheads arrived in the MASA earlier in December, while this zone is still open to fishing. "Extending the closure of the MASA zone by just one month, starting on December 1 each year, could reduce the fishing mortality of juvenile smooth hammerheads even more", said Shivji. "It's particularly gratifying to see such basic research not only improving our understanding of animal behavior in nature but also illuminating pathways for recovery of species and populations that have been overexploited so we can try and get back to a balanced ocean ecosystem". The tracks of the smooth hammerheads (and other shark species) can be found here: http://www.ghritracking.org. The teams' complete research paper can be found ONLINE (https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2020.566364/full). ### About Nova Southeastern University (NSU): At NSU, students don't just get an education, they get the competitive edge they need for real careers, real contributions and real life. A dynamic, private research university, NSU is providing high-quality educational and research programs at the undergraduate, graduate, and professional degree levels. Established in 1964, the university includes 15 colleges, the 215,000-square-foot Center for Collaborative Research, the private JK-12 grade University School, the world-class NSU Art Museum Fort Lauderdale, and the Alvin Sherman Library, Research and Information Technology Center, one of Florida's largest public libraries. NSU students learn at our campuses in Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers, Jacksonville, Miami, Miramar, Orlando, Palm Beach, and Tampa, Florida, as well as San Juan, Puerto Rico, and online globally. With nearly 200,000 alumni across the nation and globe, the reach of the NSU community is worldwide. Classified as having "high research activity" by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, NSU is one of only 50 universities nationwide to also be awarded Carnegie's Community Engagement Classification, and is also the largest private institution in the United States that meets the U.S. Department of Education's criteria as a Hispanic-serving Institution. Please visit http://www.nova.edu for more information. About the Save Our Seas Foundation: Founded in Geneva, Switzerland, in 2003, the Save Our Seas Foundation (SOSF) is a philanthropic organization that aims to protect and care for the world's oceans. Its support for research, conservation and education projects worldwide focuses primarily on endangered species of sharks, rays, skates and their habitats. Three permanent SOSF research and education centers reinforce its action in the Seychelles, South Africa and the U.S.A. Over the past 17 years, the SOSF has supported some 300 projects worldwide, passionately upholding the Founder's pledge to protect the populations of sharks, rays and skates whose presence is essential to the health and biological diversity of our seas. Please visit saveourseas.com/sosf-shark-research-center for more information. Baldwin County officials are encouraging residents living near three of the countys rivers to consider evacuating today. EMA Director Zach Hood and Sheriff Huey Hoss Mack, during a Facebook news conference Tuesday afternoon, said that residents living within the floodplain areas of the Fish, Styx and Perdido rivers to leave for higher ground. As of 1 p.m. CDT Tuesday, the center of Hurricane Sally was located about 105 miles south of Mobile and was crawling to the northwest only at 2 mph, as it has all morning. The storm, while diminishing in wind strength, is predicted to bring what the National Weather Service is calling 'historic" flooding for coastal Alabama. You need to consider alternative options now, said Hood. You have time to safely get out of these areas. We know the water will continue to rise. Its very important to protect yourself, family and friends. Hood said that if people have family or friends living near the three rivers to contact them and encourage them to evacuate. Its about helping each other out, he said. Today you can help your community make sure the residents of anyone living near Fish River, Styx River and Perdido River communities (evacuate). There are major life-threatening conditions. Mack said the latest weather update -- which called for the historic flooding that will affect the Styx, Fish and Perdido rivers -- should prompt any resident to take this serious. Checking out Fish River in Fairhope in advance of Hurricane Sally with @JohnSharp99. Been recommended folks evacuate near this river. #HurricaneSally2020 @aldotcom pic.twitter.com/WLZh7gRQtB Ben Thomas (@BenThomasPreps) September 15, 2020 Hurricane #Sally remains a Category 1 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 80 mph. The system is inching towards the Gulf Coast at 2 mph and is located 60 miles east of the mouth of the Mississippi River. Watch our LIVE continuing coverage for the details. pic.twitter.com/3ZUteSXXUb The Weather Channel (@weatherchannel) September 15, 2020 Curfews running from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. on Tuesday and Wednesday are in place for Gulf Shores and Orange Beach and along the Fort Morgan peninsula. But there is no widespread curfew in place in other areas of Baldwin County. Mack warned residents living near one of the three rivers that volunteer firefighters might not be able to reach them safely for a water rescue. There is a short window of opportunity to move about freely and safely and comfortably to evacuate from outside those flood basins, he said. Americas first flight to Antarctica after the southern winter arrived with crews taking extra safety measures to keep the coronavirus out. The U.S. Air Force flight arrived Monday from Christchurch, New Zealand. The flight carried 106 passengers and crew, said Tony German. He is a representative for the U.S. Antarctic Program. The program carries out U.S. scientific research activities. Antarctica is the driest, coldest and windiest place on Earth. It is the worlds only continent with no recorded cases of the coronavirus. A worldwide effort aims to make sure incoming scientists and workers do not bring the virus with them. German told The Associated Press the new arrivals will start getting ready for Antarcticas upcoming summer season. The team will replace much smaller crews that spent the Southern Hemispheres winter in Antarctica. Mondays flight was delayed for three weeks by big storms. That meant the passengers had an extended, six-week quarantine. German said the crews were first isolated in San Francisco for four days. They then spent five weeks isolated in New Zealand, where they received several coronavirus tests during their stay. On their arrival at McMurdo Station - the main U.S. base in Antarctica all crew members will still be required to wear face coverings for two weeks. We are being meticulous to ensure nothing happens, German said. If the virus does enter the station, German said measures have been established to test and isolate any infected individuals. Still, the flight delays over recent weeks showed how difficult it can be to quickly remove people from Antarctica. German said it took more than a week for winter crews at McMurdo to remove snow from the storms and clear the runway. The Boeing C-17 Globemaster that landed Monday afternoon was the first U.S. flight to arrive on the continent since early May. Officials say unusual teamwork involving the U.S., China, Russia and other countries took place this year in an effort to keep the virus out. All countries are planning to reduce numbers at their stations for the summer. The number of people at McMurdo is set to reach 450 this summer. That is about one-third of the usual level. Some planned research and building projects will be delayed. German said the main goals are to keep the stations running and prepare for next years winter, while trying to do some science along the way. The show must go on, he said. Im Bryan Lynn. The Associated Press reported on this story. Bryan Lynn adapted the report for VOA Learning English. Mario Ritter, Jr. was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story quarantine n. a situation in which a person or people are kept away from others in order to prevent the spread of disease isolate v. to be kept away from other people meticulous adj. very careful about doing something, to be very exact ensure v. to make sure something happens runway n. a long flat area from which airplanes take off and land BRUSSELS (dpa-AFX) - At 2.00 am ET Tuesday, the Office for National Statistics releases UK labor market statistics. The jobless rate is forecast to rise to 4.1 percent in July from 3.9 percent in June. Ahead of the data, the pound traded mixed against its major rivals. While it rose against the greenback and the yen, it held steady against the euro and the franc. The pound was worth 1.2858 against the greenback, 135.85 against the yen, 1.1656 against the franc and 0.9251 against the euro as of 1:55 am ET. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. Delhi: A Jodhpur sessions court acquited Bollywood actor Salman Khan in the 1999 arms act case during a hearing on Wednesday. Besides the cases of poaching of endangered antelopes under Wildlife (Protection) Act, a case under sections 3/25 and 3/27 of the Arms Act was filed against Khan for allegedly keeping and using the fire arms with expired licence in the poaching of blackbucks in Kankani near Jodhpur on October 1-2, 1998. Read | Salman Khan Arms Act case: Jodhpur court to pronounce verdict on January 18; know all about it Arguments by both the sides in the case were completed on January 9, after which magistrate Dalpat Singh Rajpurohit reserved the judgment for January 18 directing the actor to be present in the court. Here are the live updates: # Salman's lawyer says that the prosecution failed to provide conclusive evidence in the case # Court acquits Salman Khan in arms act case Rajasthan: Salman Khan leaves Jodhpur CJM Court after the Court acquits the actor in the Arms Act case. pic.twitter.com/K5mX0GG2e4 ANI (@ANI_news) January 18, 2017 # Salman Khan reaches Jodhpur court, verdict in arms act case to be pronounced shortly # Sessions court asks Salman Khan to appear before it within 30 minutes # Salman Khan to appear before court shortly # Salman Khan leaves hotel to appear before court # Salman's sister Alvira reaches Jodhpur sessions court For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / September 15, 2020 / First Mining Gold Corp. ("First Mining" or the "Company") (TSX: FF) (OTCQX: FFMGF) (FRANKFURT: FMG) is pleased to provide an update on the ongoing Pre-Feasibility Study ("PFS") on its Springpole Gold Project ("Springpole" or the "Project") located in northwestern Ontario, the federal and provincial environmental assessment processes and other ongoing or planned development and exploration activities. "We are very optimistic and remain encouraged with the progress First Mining is making in advancing the Springpole gold deposit through PFS and through the environmental assessment processes" stated Dan Wilton, CEO of First Mining. "As we advance these critical de-risking steps for the Project, we are becoming increasingly aware of the value of the nine years of continuous environmental baseline data collection that we and our predecessors have completed at Springpole. We are very thankful for the dedication of our team and our partners to advance this important work in this uncertain environment. Our recent financing leaves First Mining in a very strong position to continue to move Springpole forward toward these critical de-risking milestones." Pre-Feasibility Study Update The PFS is being conducted by Ausenco Engineering Canada Inc. as Lead Consultant (see news release dated November 14, 2019). AGP Mining Consultants Inc. are acting as the overall QP and Mining Consultant, SRK Consulting (Canada) Inc. as the Resource Consultant, Knight Piesold Ltd. as the Tailings and Coffer Dam Consultant, Hemmera Envirotech Inc. and Wood PLC as Environmental Consultants, Nordmin Engineering Ltd. as the Power Infrastructure Consultant and Fracflow Consultants Inc. as the Geotechnical Consultant. Throughout the PFS process, the Company has undertaken a number of key trade-off studies which are nearing completion. These studies have identified several important avenues to optimize the project scope, reduce the overall project footprint, mitigate environmental risks, and improve the economic robustness of the Project. The October 2019 Preliminary Economic Assessment ("PEA") outlined a plan incorporating a design for a conventional tailings storage facility. A key trade-off study of the PFS assessed the feasibility of both thickened tailings and dry stack tailings solutions. Both were found to be viable solutions based on economic impacts, while significantly reducing the environmental risks and overall project footprint. Mine plan optimization has been completed and is currently under review. Several iterations and varying combinations of pit shells, phasing, and haulage routes point to an opportunity for an improved mine plan from what was incorporated into the previous PEA. The optimization work has also demonstrated that there is more than enough suitable material that can be taken from the initial pre-strip and used for the full construction of the coffer dams. The PFS metallurgical test program is also nearing completion. The process design in the PFS will incorporate conventional methods for recoveries but it is expected that further test programs during any subsequent feasibility study on Springpole will incorporate the study of potential value increases from the use of recent and significant industry advances in technology. Other key trade-off studies include the selection of a value-optimized processing rate/throughput for the mill and the selection of a safe and environmentally robust design and construction methodology for the coffer dams. CAPEX and OPEX estimating are well underway with major equipment quotes being received for process, infrastructure, and mining. The PFS is on schedule for delivery in the first half of Q1 2021. Environmental Assessment Update Drilling to support the ongoing metallurgical, hydrogeological, and geotechnical programs has been completed, for a total of 5,700 metres ("m"). A 6,300 m condemnation drilling program has also recently commenced and is scheduled to be completed over the winter. The Company's goal is to prepare a synchronized Environmental Impact Statement ("EIS") that meets the federal and provincial environmental assessment requirements. For the provincial process, there are two main stages, namely the development of the Terms of Reference ("ToR") and the development of the EA Report. First Mining submitted the ToR for Springpole to the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks ("MECP") on August 21, 2020, and it is available on the Company's website, www.firstmininggold.com. First Mining recently engaged Wood PLC's Environment and Infrastructure Solutions group to support the preparation of the federal EIS and the provincial EA Report for the Project. Some recent examples of Wood's experience and success in this field include the permitting of several of the largest and most significant gold projects in Ontario, including Cote Gold, Rainy River Gold Mine, Detour Lake and Goliath. Over the past year, the Company has made significant progress on collecting the data it needs to complete the EIS. This data collection exercise complements the nearly 10 years of continuous environmental baseline monitoring and study of the aquatic and terrestrial environment in the region of Springpole. Over the past year, the Company has initiated ARD/metal leaching testing of its tailings and waste rock, installed a climatic station, noise dosimeters and dust monitors, conducted biophysical baseline studies and, working with our Indigenous communities, initiated traditional knowledge and land use studies. Surface water quality monitoring has been well advanced and will continue as necessary to support the requirements for submission of the draft EIS in 2021. Assessing Springpole's Ongoing Exploration Potential The Company plans to undertake additional regional exploration at Springpole, initially focusing on its Satterly Lake property, which is located to the west of the Springpole deposit, and a small drill program of 4 to 6 drill holes is being planned for this area. This property has a favourable regional geological setting within the Birch-Uchi greenstone belt and proximity to the Swain Lake Deformation Zone. Exploration will focus on areas of anomalous gold mineralization along the contact and within the Green Camp porphyritic stock located in the northern part of the property, which has been previously identified by historical rock sampling, channel sampling and drilling. The gold mineralization in the northern part of the property is widespread with numerous mineralized zones. The most significant area to date is the Green Camp area, where the gold mineralization can be traced over a distance of 220 m x 75 m and to a vertical depth of 130 m, as defined by six historical drill holes. One historical drill hole (RB85-05) assayed 1.33 g/t Au over 132 m. The Green Camp is located approximately 12 kilometres southwest of the Springpole camp. Qualified Person Hazel Mullin, P.Geo., Director, Data Management and Technical Services of First Mining, is a "Qualified Person" for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101"), and she has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical disclosure contained in this news release. About First Mining Gold Corp. First Mining is a Canadian gold developer focused on the development and permitting of the Springpole Gold Project in northwestern Ontario. Springpole is one of the largest undeveloped gold projects in Canada, currently hosting a mineral resource base of 4.67 million ounces of gold in the Indicated category and 0.23 million ounces of gold in the Inferred category1. A Pre-Feasibility Study is underway, with completion targeted in early 2021, and permitting is ongoing with submission of the Environmental Impact Statement targeted for 2021. The Company also holds a large equity position in Treasury Metals Inc. that is advancing the Goliath-Goldlund gold projects towards construction. First Mining's portfolio of gold projects in eastern Canada also includes the Pickle Crow (being advanced in partnership with Auteco Minerals Ltd.), Cameron, Hope Brook, Duparquet, Duquesne, and Pitt gold projects. First Mining was created in 2015 by Mr. Keith Neumeyer, founding President and CEO of First Majestic Silver Corp. ON BEHALF OF FIRST MINING GOLD CORP. Daniel W. Wilton Chief Executive Officer and Director For further information, please contact: Spiros Cacos | Vice President, Investor Relations Direct: +1 604 639 8825 | Toll Free: 1 844 306 8827 | Email: info@firstmininggold.com www.firstmininggold.com Note: 1. These numbers are from the independent technical report titled "Preliminary Economic Assessment Update for the Springpole Gold Project, Ontario, Canada", dated November 5, 2019, which was prepared by SRK Consulting (Canada) Inc. in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101") and is available at www.sedar.com under First Mining's SEDAR profile. Readers are cautioned that the PEA is preliminary in nature, it includes inferred mineral resources that are considered too speculative geologically to have the economic considerations applied to them that would enable them to be categorized as mineral reserves, and there is no certainty that the PEA will be realized. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This news release includes certain "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" (collectively "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian and United States securities legislation including the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release. Forward-looking statements are frequently, but not always, identified by words such as "expects", "anticipates", "believes", "plans", "projects", "intends", "estimates", "envisages", "potential", "possible", "strategy", "goals", "objectives", or variations thereof or stating that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved, or the negative of any of these terms and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements in this news release relate to future events or future performance and reflect current estimates, predictions, expectations or beliefs regarding future events and include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to: (i) timing for completion of the trade-off studies that the Company has been undertaking as part of the Springpole PFS process and the optimization potential that may be identified as a result of these studies; (ii) timing for the completion of reviewing the mine plan optimization and the potential for the mine plan to be improved from what was in the Springpole PEA; (iii) timing for the completion of the PFS metallurgical test program and the results of such program; (iv) further metallurgical test programs during a feasibility study on Springpole incorporating the study of potential value increases from the use of recent and significant industry advances in technology; (v) the PFS for Springpole being completed by Q1 2021; (vi) timing for the completion of the condemnation drilling program at Springpole; (vii) submission of the draft EIS in 2021; (viii) the Company's plans to undertake additional regional exploration at Springpole by drilling 4 to 6 holes at the Company's Satterly Lake property and the results of any such drill program; (ix) the Company's focus on advancing its assets towards production; (x) Treasury Metals advancing construction on the Goliath-Goldlund gold project; and (xi) realizing the value of the Company's gold projects for the Company's shareholders. All forward-looking statements are based on First Mining's or its consultants' current beliefs as well as various assumptions made by them and information currently available to them. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Forward-looking statements reflect the beliefs, opinions and projections on the date the statements are made and are based upon a number of assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by the respective parties, are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties and contingencies. Many factors, both known and unknown, could cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from the results, performance or achievements that are or may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements and the parties have made assumptions and estimates based on or related to many of these factors. Such factors include, without limitation: fluctuations in the spot and forward price of gold, silver, base metals or certain other commodities; fluctuations in the currency markets (such as the Canadian dollar versus the U.S. dollar); changes in national and local government, legislation, taxation, controls, regulations and political or economic developments; risks and hazards associated with the business of mineral exploration, development and mining (including environmental hazards, industrial accidents, unusual or unexpected formations, pressures, cave-ins and flooding); the presence of laws and regulations that may impose restrictions on mining; employee relations; relationships with and claims by local communities, indigenous populations and other stakeholders; availability and increasing costs associated with mining inputs and labour; the speculative nature of mineral exploration and development; title to properties.; and the additional risks described in the Company's Annual Information Form for the year ended December 31, 2019 filed with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities under the Company's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com, and in the Company's Annual Report on Form 40-F filed with the SEC on EDGAR. First Mining cautions that the foregoing list of factors that may affect future results is not exhaustive. When relying on our forward-looking statements to make decisions with respect to First Mining, investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties and potential events. First Mining does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time by the Company or on our behalf, except as required by law. Cautionary Note to United States Investors This news release has been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the securities laws in effect in Canada, which differ from the requirements of U.S. securities laws. Unless otherwise indicated, all resource and reserve estimates included in this news release have been prepared in accordance with NI 43-101 and the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy, and Petroleum 2014 Definition Standards on Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves. NI 43-101 is a rule developed by the Canadian Securities Administrators which establishes standards for all public disclosure an issuer makes of scientific and technical information concerning mineral projects. Canadian standards, including NI 43-101, differ significantly from the requirements of the SEC, and mineral resource and reserve information contained herein may not be comparable to similar information disclosed by U.S. companies. In particular, and without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the term "resource" does not equate to the term "reserves". Under U.S. standards, mineralization may not be classified as a "reserve" unless the determination has been made that the mineralization could be economically and legally produced or extracted at the time the reserve determination is made. The SEC's disclosure standards normally do not permit the inclusion of information concerning "measured mineral resources", "indicated mineral resources" or "inferred mineral resources" or other descriptions of the amount of mineralization in mineral deposits that do not constitute "reserves" by U.S. standards in documents filed with the SEC. Investors are cautioned not to assume that any part or all of mineral deposits in these categories will ever be converted into reserves. U.S. investors should also understand that "inferred mineral resources" have a great amount of uncertainty as to their existence and great uncertainty as to their economic and legal feasibility. It cannot be assumed that all or any part of an "inferred mineral resource" will ever be upgraded to a higher category. Under Canadian rules, estimated "inferred mineral resources" may not form the basis of feasibility or pre-feasibility studies except in rare cases. Investors are cautioned not to assume that all or any part of an "inferred mineral resource" exists or is economically or legally mineable. Disclosure of "contained ounces" in a resource is permitted disclosure under Canadian regulations; however, the SEC normally only permits issuers to report mineralization that does not constitute "reserves" by SEC standards as in-place tonnage and grade without reference to unit measures. The requirements of NI 43-101 for identification of "reserves" are also not the same as those of the SEC, and reserves reported by the Company in compliance with NI 43-101 may not qualify as "reserves" under SEC standards. Accordingly, information concerning mineral deposits set forth herein may not be comparable with information made public by companies that report in accordance with U.S. standards. SOURCE: First Mining Gold Corp. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/606125/First-Mining-Provides-Update-on-its-Springpole-PFSEnvironmental-Permitting-and-Development-Activities Error. Page cannot be displayed. Please contact your service provider for more details. (28) The National Assembly Standing Committee yesterday discussed the 2020 working reports compiled by the Supreme People's Court and Supreme People's Procuracy, as well as Government reports on crime prevention and legal violations, judgment enforcement and anti-corruption work in 2020. Lieutenant General Le Quy Vuong, Deputy Minister of Public Security, presents the report on crime prevention and legal violations. VNA/VNS Photo According to the reports, out of 81 cases involving officials acting irresponsibly, resulting in corruption, 62 people were disciplined for their wrongdoings (an increase of 66.1 per cent compared to 2019), of whom 12 were punished under criminal law. Police investigated 508 cases this year, with more than 1,000 people accused of corruption. The People's Procuracy at all levels resolved 218 cases, a decrease of 17.5 per cent compared to the same period in 2019. The People's Court at all levels processed 388 cases with more than 1,000 defendants. Regarding implementation of judgments related to the recovery of corrupt assets, more than VND11 trillion (US$473 million), accounting for 23.25 per cent of the total amount, was recovered. For cases under the management of the Central Steering Committee for Anti-Corruption, more than VND74 trillion ($3.1 billion) was due to be recovered, but only VND19 trillion was collected. According to the reports, corruption was being gradually curbed but could still be found in many fields, especially "minor corruption" that caused problems for people and businesses. Reduction in criminal cases Regarding crime prevention and fighting, Lieutenant General Le Quy Vuong, Deputy Minister of Public Security, said police forces had busted 2,485 criminal gangs operating across a range of areas, including "black credit". This strong response had resulted in a reduction of 3.19 per cent in the number of criminal cases compared to the same period in 2019. Authorities uncovered 17,887 crimes and legal violations related to economic management, an increase of more than 25 per cent compared to last year. They included, 228 cases and 492 defendants. There were also 19,682 violations of the Law on Environment discovered, with 357 defendants. Regarding drug crimes, police uncovered 24,842 cases, seized over 580kg of heroin and nearly 1.7 million synthetic drug pills. The report said drug-related crimes remained complicated, with rising quantities of synthetic drugs being smuggled from Laos and Cambodia into Vietnam. Hostile forces at home and abroad continued to expand their activities in many fields, and the disclosure of state secrets in cyberspace was becoming increasingly serious. Illegal entries were also an issue, especially during the COVID-19 outbreak. Lieutenant General Le Quy Vuong said that police would take a strong and aggressive stance against crime, focusing on fighting organised gangs, "black credit", weapons and explosives, fraud and the appropriation of property. VNS Prime Minister orders intensifying fight against crime, smuggling, fraud Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc requested that breakthroughs be made in 2020 in the fight against crime, smuggling and trade fraud at a national conference on January 2. Following the Supervisory Board meeting on September 4, 2020, HERIGE announces the appointment, as of today, of Benoit Hennaut, as member and Chairman of the Executive Board, replacing Alain Marion who has resigned. In addition, the Supervisory Board appointed Alain Marion as censor for a term of 2 financial years. The Board will thus be able to immediately benefit from its expertise, after more than 30 years within the Group. Benoit Hennaut, Chairman of the Executive Board of HERIGE, said: " I would like to thank the Supervisory Board for its confidence in this very special period and I am grateful to Alain Marion for his support over the past two months. I am proud to take the leadership of a Group united by shared values, a corporate culture and deep commitment. The agility, solidarity and resilience demonstrated during this very special period of health crisis strengthen my determination and my confidence in HERIGE's future." Trained as a nuclear engineer with a management degree from the University of Leuven in Belgium, 59-year old Benoit Hennaut has solid experience in the construction and building industry. He began his career in 1988 with the Ariston Thermo Group, an Italian family-held business specialized in thermo-sanitary segment (heating and air conditioning). Benoit held several executive positions within the company in Belgium, France and Italy, before joining the Lafarge group in 1992, where he was in charge of development, innovation, marketing and performance for the group's Roofing division, based in Frankfurt, Germany. In 2006, Benoit relocated to Southeast Asia to head up operations in the area, before becoming Chairman for the entire Asia-Pacific region, including China and India. In 2010, he moved back to France where he was appointed as Chairman of Lafarge France. In 2013, Benoit joined the Aliaxis Group, a world leader in plastics specialized in water and energy management, where he was responsible for the Building division in Europe, before leading all operations, including Building, Industry and Infrastructure, in France, Benelux, Morocco and Greece. Since 2018, Benoit Hennaut has also been the Chairman of the Federation of Plastics and Composites, and a member of the strategy committee at the French Association of Industries and Construction Products (AIMCC). NEXT PUBLICATION: Q3 2020 turnover on November 3, 2020 (after the close of trading) All our financial communications are available on our website www.groupe-herige.fr About HERIGE HERIGE Group focuses on three sectors of the building industry: Building Materials Trading, the Concrete Industry and Industrial Joinery. Originally based in the Vendee region, HERIGE currently employs more than 2,300 people and has a strong presence in Western France. HERIGE is listed on Euronext Growth PEA/PME eligible Indices: EURONEXT FAMILY BUSINESS, EURONEXT GROWTH ALL SHARE, ENTERNEXTPEA-PME 150 ISIN FR000 0066540, Ticker: ALHRG, Reuters ALHRG.PA HERIGE Benoit Hennaut - Chairman of the Executive Board Caroline Lutinier - Head of Group Communication Tel.: +33 (0)2 51 08 08 08 E-mail: communication@groupe-herige.fr ACTUS finance & communication Corinne Puissant - Analyst/Investor Relations Tel.: +33 (0)1 53 67 36 77 - E-mail: cpuissant@actus.fr Anne-Catherine Bonjour - Press Relations Tel.: +33 (0)1 53 67 36 93 - E-mail: acbonjour@actus.fr ------------------------ This publication embed "Actusnews SECURITY MASTER ". - SECURITY MASTER Key: yGtxY8lplmiYnp6fZJllb5dkbmhllmKcmmaXyWlra8idm56VlWiSmp2dZm9mlWZp - Check this key: https://www.security-master-key.com. ------------------------ Copyright Actusnews Wire Receive by email the next press releases of the company by registering on www.actusnews.com, it's free Full and original release in PDF format:https://www.actusnews.com/documents_communiques/ACTUS-0-65013-herige-gouvernance_vdef-uk.pdf From the EditorFriday Reflections Upon the Waters The Friday Reflection by James M. Kushiner Tweet September 11th, 2020 Without water, there is no life. The planet earth is truly a water world, with 71 percent of its surface covered by water, and filled with water-dependent creatures innumerablesome comprised of nearly 90 percent water, others, like homo sapiens, 60 percent water. Every living cell requires water, a fortuitous combination of two hydrogen and one oxygen atoms. Water is everywhere. Of the Creator of this water-world we confess: "He covers his high walls with the waters; appointing the clouds for his staircase, ascending on the wings of the wind; making his angels his spirits, his ministers a flame of fire. The deep like a garment is his clothing, the waters shall stand upon the mountains. At your rebuke they shall flee, at the crash of thy thunder they shall tremble with fear. The mountains rise, the valleys sink down to the place thou hast founded for them. Thou didst set a boundary never to be passed, the waters shall never again cover the earth. Sending springs into the valleys, he shall make the waters flows between the mountains. They shall give water to every beast, the wild asses shall quench their thirst. He waters the mountains from his upper chambers. (Psalm 103, Septuagint, translated by Donald Sheehan) The mountains rose, the valleys sank downto provide the planet with just 29 percent of its surface as land sticking up through the 71 percent ocean surface for man to live onsome of that land it not easily habitable (Antarctica anyone?) We are all islanders; some islands are just larger than others. I am amused by Scottish islanders speaking of "going over to the mainland," by which they mean the northern part of the island of Great Britain which they call Scotlandnot the "mainland" Continent of Europe. We all live on a thin earthen skin of islands in the sea and grow our food upon an even thinner skin of soil. While much of the skin of the earth upon which we might stand may be rock, sand, or tundra, for our daily bread we must have a precious skin of soil. Soil is considered an ecosystem, and, no surprise, water plays a crucial part in its formation, maintenance, and replenishment. Water is the lifeblood of both the plant and the planet. Yet of all the earth's water, 97 percent of it is in the salty ocean, which will not quench our thirst or water our cattle or crops (except seaweed). Of the remaining 3 percent of the earth's water, two-thirds of it is frozen in glaciers and ice caps. Just 1 percent of the earth's water is liquid fresh water, including a tiny fraction of that which is actually water vapor in the atmosphere, which is needed to daily water the earth. As much as we depend on our daily bread, we depend on our daily water, and the earth depends on the daily cycle of rain creating that fresh water that fills ours wells, springs, rivers, and lakes. The Lord is the one who "waters the mountains," providing slowly melting snow to keep the rivers flowing in the summer. Fresh water itself, then, is a tiny island of all the earth's water, one upon which we depend, separated from the undrinkable salty ocean that covers most of the world. We either dwell near or import this fresh water, without which we die. There are two streams in which we live. We live in this fragile yet abundant stream of fresh water in the world, but also in a second stream, the waters of baptism and the living streams of the Spirit, which are supposed to flow from our innermost being. We are in the world, alive, but not of it, for we live by the Spirit into whom we have been baptized. Human life sits on a knife's edge, on a thin blue line of water, and when catastrophe strikes a village and disrupts life, oftentimes water is the first thing required and brought in by relief workers. The spiritual life of Christians, the Church itself, the Body of Christ, rests in the waters of baptism, a dying with Christ. When we take up the daily cross and the yoke of Christ, we are relieved by a life-giving drink of the living water discovered by the Samaritan Woman at the deep Well of Jacob. It's there for us, every day. Yours for Christ, Creed & Culture, James M. Kushiner Executive Director, The Fellowship of St. James James M. Kushiner is Executive Editor of Touchstone: A Journal of Mere Christianity, and Executive Director of The Fellowship of St. James. PHOENIX - The backup Uber driver involved in the first self-driving vehicle fatality has been charged with negligent homicide for being distracted in the moments before fatally striking a woman in suburban Phoenix. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 15/9/2020 (492 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. PHOENIX - The backup Uber driver involved in the first self-driving vehicle fatality has been charged with negligent homicide for being distracted in the moments before fatally striking a woman in suburban Phoenix. Maricopa County Attorney Allister Adels office said on Tuesday that Rafaela Vasquez was charged on Aug. 27 in the 2018 crash in Tempe that killed 49-year-old Elaine Herzberg. She pleaded not guilty during a hearing on Tuesday. Her attorney did not immediately respond to an inquiry from The Associated Press. Prosecutors declined in March 2019 to file criminal charges against Uber, as a corporation, in Herzbergs death. Vasquez, 46, told investigators that she didnt use her cellphones before the crash. But the National Transportation Safety Board concluded Vasquezs failure to monitor the road as she watched the television show The Voice on her phone was the main cause of the crash. The contributing factors cited by the board included Ubers inadequate safety procedures and ineffective oversight of its drivers, Herzbergs decision to cross the street outside of a crosswalk, and the Arizona Department of Transportations insufficient oversight of autonomous vehicle testing. The board also concluded Ubers de-activation of its automatic emergency braking system increased the risks associated with testing automated vehicles on public roads. Instead of the system, Uber relied on the human backup driver to intervene. The Uber system detected Herzberg 5.6 seconds before the crash. But it but failed to determine whether she was a bicyclist, pedestrian or unknown object, or that she was headed into the vehicles path, the board said. The death reverberated throughout the auto industry and Silicon Valley and forced other companies to slow what had been a fast march toward autonomous ride-hailing services on public roads. Uber pulled its self-driving cars out of Arizona the day before the NTSB issued a preliminary report on the crash, eliminating the jobs of about 300 people who served as backup drivers and performed other jobs connected to the vehicles. Gov. Doug Ducey prohibited Uber from continuing its tests of self-driving cars after Herzberg was run over. A toxicology report showed that Herzberg tested positive for methamphetamine. Vasquez had previously spent more than four years in prison for two felony convictions making false statements when obtaining unemployment benefits and attempted armed robbery before starting work as an Uber driver, according to court records. Vasquezs first name was listed on a drivers license as Rafael, but police say Vasquez identifies as a woman and goes by the first name of Rafaela. The decision not to criminally charge Uber in Herzbergs death was made by Yavapai County Attorney Sheila Polk, whose officer handled the case after the prosecutors office in metro Phoenix cited a potential conflict of interest for having previously participated in a public-safety campaign with Uber. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. The case was returned to prosecutors in metro Phoenix after the decision not to charge Uber had eliminated the conflict of interest. A trial for Vasquez is scheduled for Feb. 11, 2021. ___ This story has been corrected to show Vasquez's age is 46. ___ Krisher reported from Detroit. WASHINGTON, Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Nearly 50% of women founders and women working in tech have experienced harassment, a statistic that has barely budged since 2017, according to Women Who Tech's new report State of Women In Tech at www.stateofwomenintech.com Despite the #MeToo movement that spurred trending hashtags, diversity pledges among Silicon Valley's biggest VCs, and tech companies hiring Chief Diversity Officers, women in tech continue to face significant sexism and toxic workplace culture. Women Who Tech anonymously surveyed 1,003 tech employees, startup founders, and investors about their experiences in tech and startups. The survey identified trends and shifts in the treatment of underrepresented tech founders and employees since 2017 . "With startups shuttering due to COVID-19 and 97.3% of funding still going to startups led by men, there's a clear need for diverse innovation. But how can women founders thrive in a broken system where a startling 44% of women founders experienced harassment? And especially when 59% were explicitly propositioned for sex in exchange for funding and introductions." said Allyson Kapin, founder of Women Who Tech. Harassment of Women Tech Founders 44% of women founders said they experienced harassment. Women of color (47%) and LGBTQ (65%) founders experienced persistent harassment. 43% of those who experienced harassment said it occurred within the last 12 months, after the peak of the #MeToo movement. Of the women of color founders who were harassed, 46% were harassed by a potential investor, compared to 38% of white women founders. "Quite frankly, the amount of harassment that women in tech and women founders experience is disturbing. We need less ally theater and more people in positions of power to recognize that power, not abuse it, and support women in tech," said Craig Newmark, founder of craigslist and Craig Newmark Philanthropies and a member of Women Who Tech's Advisory Board. 41% of women founders who were harassed experienced sexual harassment. 65% of women founders said they were propositioned for sex (+9% from 2017) 59% of women founders experienced unwanted physical contact (-3% from 2017) 32% of women founders were groped (+7% from 2017) 24% of women founders were sent graphic photos (+14% from 2017). Nearly 50% of women founders were told they would raise more money if they were a man. While the data illustrates that barriers for women are still being upheld at unprecedented levels, the data also exemplifies the disconnect between founders and investors who are men, and those who are women. "Only 2.7% of investor funding goes to women-led startups and .02% for Black women founders, yet 56% of investors don't think access to funding is a big deal, assuming that the best startups always rise to the top. This is a complete disconnect from the reality and biased pattern recognition that women and underestimated founders face," shared Kapin. Harassment of Women Tech Employees 48% of women working in tech as employees experienced harassment. 43% of this harassment was sexual in nature. Of the women working in tech who were sexually harassed: 75% were told offensive "jokes" 54% experienced unwanted physical contact 51% had sexual slurs directed at them 35% were propositioned for sex When women reported the harassment to HR, 85% said their harasser faced no repercussions at work after it was reported. Of the women working in tech who were harassed, 30% reported it to HR and 45% reported it to senior leadership. Further, 45% of women working in tech said they faced negative repercussions after reporting the harassment at work. It is this very data that illustrates how the existing systems in HR contribute to the barriers women face, while doubly protecting the very power structures that construct and proliferate them. Methodology Women Who Tech retained Lincoln Park Strategies to survey 1,003 tech founders, investors, and employees between February 13 - March 23, 2020 via an anonymous online survey. 69% of respondents were women and 29% were men who worked in tech or were startup founders. 169 investors were surveyed and no gender data was collected for investors. About Women Who Tech Founded in 2008, Women Who Tech draws global attention to the significant gender bias in venture capital funding by shaking up a culture and an economy that has made it exceedingly difficult for women to launch and scale startups. The nonprofit provides capital, mentoring, direct access to leading investors, and other resources for women building the most innovative tech companies, with the ultimate goal of closing the funding gap for good. For media inquiries, contact: Women Who Tech Allyson Kapin [email protected] 240-475-3362 SOURCE Women Who Tech Related Links http://www.stateofwomenintech.com In every crisis, lessons must be learned, but opportunities also are revealed. And so it goes with the COVID-19, which has shown the need for contract certainty in the re/insurance industry, while at the same time providing an impetus toward digitalization of the value chain. While the London market has done a lot of work over the past few years to improve contract clarity, the COVID-19 crisis has highlighted the fact that more work needs to be done, according to David Flandro, who is Managing Director, Analytics, at London-based Hyperion X, the data and technology-focused division of Hyperion Insurance Group. He was specifically referring to the disputes that have arisen over non-damage business interruption exclusions for pandemic when there is a gap between what customers think they are buying as opposed to what the industry thinks its selling. Visit the Big Re, Carrier Managements reinsurance hub, for complete reinsurance coverage. Launched during the week of what would have been the Reinsurance Rendez-Vous de Septembre, this special page aims to provide complete reinsurance coverage of, by and for reinsurance professionals and buyers including news, features, interviews, commentaries, whitepapers, videos, webinars and more. Contract wording is very important. We need absolute clarity about what is being covered, what isnt being covered and what youre paying for. We need to make that as simple and accessible to the end buyer as we possibly can. And, of course, this [crisis] has only reinforced that, he said. (Video clips of the interview with Flandro can be viewed by clicking on the images in this article. The full audio podcast is available below). Reputationally as an industry, if were selling a product that needs to be providing coverage, we have to be careful about that, and thats absolutely clear, Flandro added. So thats one thing weve relearned from COVID, is that contract certainty, wordings, and clarity of coverage are crucial, both for our own reputation and for our business, because ultimately were in the business of paying claims. Silver Lining Another pervasive lesson from the crisis and perhaps one of the few silver linings is that face-to-face trading was able to convert quickly to being conducted online. Indeed, Flandro said, the way in which the sector transacts business has evolved rapidly. Theres been a real growth in online trading and also digital marketplace trading, he continued. We can do a lot of business virtually. We can maintain relationships virtually. Even for some of the big stuff and lumpy stuff, we can win new business and we can create new opportunities, virtually, using technology. However, Flandro did not think that face-to-face trading would disappear, especially when large amounts are involved with complicated deals. On the other hand, the standardized, homogenized risks will increasingly be handled digitally, he noted. Acquisition Costs Hopefully, he said, the growth in online trading will have a positive effect on acquisition costs for clients because of lower expenses facilitated by digitalization. Thats the hope. The sectors certainly changing and COVID has expedited that in a number of different ways. Acquisition costs have been too high for too long in the London market and worldwide, he emphasized. In the London market, that acquisition cost ratio has gone from somewhere in the twenties percent in the mid-2000s, up into the low thirties, while Lloyds total expense ratio was at around 40% at year-end 2019, he said. Why are acquisition costs rising? I guess this is a dangerous question for a broker to ask, but why are you paying your broker more? Is it because youre getting better service? Is it because the nature of the business has gone more towards programs? he questioned. Ive heard that excuse. It still doesnt make sense to me. Is it because theres a greater mix of specialty business? Fair enough. But then why is the trend the same worldwide? Or is it because theres not enough competition? Is it because we are in a world where the broking market is relatively oligopolistic? Flandro said the lack of competition is a factor that needs to be considered. I think that we need true innovation in the broking sector to lower those acquisition costs. When 30 cents on every dollar go to acquisition costs, it makes it harder to underwrite, he emphasized. And thats just the acquisition cost ratio it doesnt even include the expense ratio. When you include the expense ratio, you get up to around 40% in the London market. This has to be lowered. Flandro suggested that competition and technology will be part of the answer to lowering these costs. Value-Added Broker Services Some brokers say that the efforts to digitalize the value chain are really an attempt to disintermediate their services. However, Flandro said, while digitalization will transform the industry, that doesnt mean that brokers will cease to be relevant. Its just that brokers will have to add more value to the transaction. That comes with advisory; it comes with analytics; it comes with consulting; it comes with better market insight and research, and it comes with better data. I think thats what clients really want to pay for. Listen to the full interview below: This article first appeared in Insurance Journals sister publication, Carrier Management. Visit the Big Re, Carrier Managements reinsurance hub, for complete reinsurance coverage. Launched during the week of what would have been the Reinsurance Rendez-Vous de Septembre, this special page aims to provide complete reinsurance coverage of, by and for reinsurance professionals and buyers including news, features, interviews, commentaries, whitepapers, videos, webinars and more. Topics COVID-19 Agencies Reinsurance London Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut is being trolled for reacting to a piece of fictitious news on Twitter. This comes at a time when there is growing tension between the actress and the Shiv Sena led Maharashtra government. On Monday, a satire web portal, thefauxy.com, which describes itself as Indias finest, fastest and fictitious news source", posted a tweet on their unverified Twitter account that reads: Facebook Launches Mark Yourself Safe From Shivsena Goons Feature." Reacting to the tweet, Kangana posted on her verified Twitter account, Thank you Facebook free speech must be protected in a democracy, people need to be protected from Sonia Sena goons much like COVID -19 virus, thank you for being considerate, well done." Thank you Facebook free speech must be protected in a democracy, people need to be protected from Sonia Sena goons much like COVID -19 virus, thank you for being considerate, well done https://t.co/v2BZYpQdAx Kangana Ranaut (@KanganaTeam) September 14, 2020 Netizens didnt let go of the opportunity to troll the actress over her reaction to the fake news. Confused if she knows this is a humor website and she also playing along or not," commented a user. Must be sarcasm in all probability. Fauxy is known comic website," wrote another user. Are u doing this for real," asked another user who found Kanganas tweet hard to believe. I think she doesnt know," declared another user. On Monday morning, Kangana Ranaut returned to her hometown Manali from Mumbai. Referring to that, a user alleged, She ran away from Mumbai and marked her safe against NCB and Mumbai police for her involvement with the drug mafia." A lifestyle blogger who lost her father to melanoma has issued a warning about the deadly disease after finding a tiny cancerous spot on her own leg a year later. Louise Hay visited Bondi Junction's Skin Cancer Clinic in Sydney three months ago for a routine check of her moles only to be told that one very insignificant-looking freckle was actually a dangerous cancer. 'This time last year I lost my dad to melanoma, so ever since then I've been super vigilant about getting my skin checked,' she said in an Instagram Story. 'Last week was my one year check up and they found a little mole on my leg which they removed and sent off to get checked, to find out what it was, and yesterday I found out it was a melanoma.' Scroll down for video Louise Hay visited Bondi Junction's Skin Cancer Clinic in Sydney three months ago for a routine check of her moles only to be told that one very insignificant-looking freckle was actually a dangerous cancer Louise was told the spot was graded a 'stage zero', meaning it's just on the surface of her skin and can easily be removed. She had caught it early (pictured) Louise was told the spot was graded a 'stage zero', meaning it's just on the surface of her skin and can easily be removed. She had caught it early. 'This is great, they can just cut it out and it will be fine. I just got it removed today. I just wanted to take this opportunity to remind everyone to get their skin checked,' she said. 'I never would have thought it would happen to me until my dad was diagnosed and it's crazy to think I would never have gone for a skin check and found the melanoma that I did had my dad not gotten sick.' Louise's father Donald Hay, who built the company Hayco into one of the world's largest brush makers, died on July 17 from melanoma at the age of 76. Louise's father Donald Hay (pictured with his daughter), who built the company Hayco into one of the world's largest brush makers, died on July 17 from melanoma at the age of 76 Louise shared the cut doctors had to make in her leg to remove the freckle on Instagram His daughter believes he is still 'looking after me' from 'up there' after her own brush with cancer became a story of survival and awareness. On her social media page Louise posted an image of what the mole looked like on June 5, and later, the large cut doctors had to make to remove it. 'I know everyone thinks they are invincible and it'll never happen to them but... just go and get your skin checked. Put a date in the diary once a year with your girlfriends,' she said. After posting the images the Sydney socialite was inundated with messages of gratitude, with many of her followers booking in their own skin checks as a result. What are some warning signs for melanomas? The first five letters of the alphabet are a guide to help you recognise the warning signs of melanoma. A is for Asymmetry. Most melanomas are asymmetrical. If you draw a line through the middle of the lesion, the two halves don't match, so it looks different from a round to oval and symmetrical common mole. B is for Border. Melanoma borders tend to be uneven and may have scalloped or notched edges, while common moles tend to have smoother, more even borders. C is for Colour. Multiple colours are a warning sign. While benign moles are usually a single shade of brown, a melanoma may have different shades of brown, tan or black. As it grows, the colours red, white or blue may also appear. D is for Diameter or Dark. While it's ideal to detect a melanoma when it is small, it's a warning sign if a lesion is the size of a pencil eraser (about 6 mm, or inch in diameter) or larger. Some experts say it is also important to look for any lesion, no matter what size, that is darker than others. Rare, amelanotic melanomas are colourless. E is for Evolving. Any change in size, shape, colour or elevation of a spot on your skin, or any new symptom in it, such as bleeding, itching or crusting, may be a warning sign of melanoma. Source: Skincancer.org Advertisement 'So many of you have gone and booked skin checks,' she acknowledged in a separate post. 'This was my annual check up... where they found the mole that looked funny. I didn't see that there was anything wrong with that mole, it just looked like a freckle to me, honestly it was so small. It looked completely normal.' Louise encouraged her fans to follow the page Call Time On Melanoma, which works to dispel some of the myths about sun protection and how much sunscreen you need to apply to be safe. Melanoma occurs when the pigment-producing cells that give colour to our skin become cancerous. She encouraged her fans to follow the page Call Time On Melanoma , which works to dispel some of the myths about sun protection and how much sunscreen you need to apply to be safe While it is less common than basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), it is more dangerous because of its ability to spread to other organs more rapidly if it is not treated at an early stage, skincancer.org reported. Australia has one of the highest rates of melanoma in the world and it is the most common cancer affecting 15 to 39-year-old Aussies, melanoma.org said. While most people believe the hole in the ozone layer above Australia is the sole cause of our high rates, it's actually got more to do with migration. Most Australians have the wrong type of skin for their environment. Our country has been populated by people with fairer skin types whose ancestors come from much less sunny climates, like the United Kingdom. Having less protective pigmentation leaves our skin cells vulnerable to the DNA-damaging rays from the sun, cancerwa reported. The apex court said the manner in which some media houses are conducting debates is cause for concern as all type of defamatory things are being said The Supreme Court on Monday, calling for the media to self-regulate, restrained Sudarshan News from broadcasting its series on 'UPSC jihad' and came down heavily on the channel, saying it could not be allowed to "target one community and brand them in a particular manner". As per Live Law, the bench comprising Justices DY Chandrachud, Indu Malhotra and KM Joseph, observed that prima facie, "The object, intent and purpose of the programme is to vilify the Muslim community" and the show is an "insidious attempt to portray them as part of a conspiracy to infiltrate civil services." Justice Chandrachud, chiding Sudarshan News, noted: "This programme was so insidious. Citizens from a particular community who go through the same examinations and get interviewed by the same panel. This also casts aspersions on the UPSC examination. How do we deal with these issues? Can this be tolerated?" He exclaimed, "How rabid can it get? Targetting a community appearing for civil services!" The Supreme Court's comments come a day after seven former civil servants asked to become parties to the plea seeking stay of Sudarshan News' 'Bindas Bol' programme on the alleged "infiltration" of Muslims into the bureaucracy and requested an authoritative pronouncement on the scope of "hate speech". The apex court also stated that the manner in which some media houses are conducting debate is cause for concern as all type of defamatory things are being said, as per PTI. The court's statement is noteworthy coming just days after the Bombay High Court, hearing petitions related to the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput, said it was surprised to know that the government had no control over the electronic media and asked why television news should not be regulated by the State. Solicitor-General Tushar Mehta, in today's hearing, told the top court that it would be disastrous for any democracy to control the press and that freedom for journalists is supreme, as per PTI. As per Bar and Bench, Justice Joseph responded that journalistic freedom is not absolute. "There is no separate freedom for journalists like in the US. We need journalists who are fair in their debates." Bar and Bench reported that, Justice Chandrachud, speaking to advocate Nisha Bhambhani (appearing for the News Broadcasters Association), said: "We need to ask you if you exist apart from the letter head. What do you do when a parallel criminal investigation goes on in the media and reputation is tarnished?" Justice Chandrachud's remarks assume significance coming just just days after the Delhi High Court on 10 September, warned that the media could not be allowed to run a "parallel probe" in the Sunanda Pushkar death case. The Delhi court, hearing an application by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor seeking an interim injunction against Arnab Goswami, Editor-in-Chief of Republic TV, from making defamatory remarks against him, urged Goswami to show restraint and "bring down the rhetoric" while covering the case. The court said a police investigation was ongoing and that while the media would not be gagged, warned that it could not be allowed to run a "parallel probe". 'There should be self-regulation' Senior advocate Shyam Divan, appearing for Sudarshan News, told the bench that the channel considered it as an investigative story on national security. Your client is doing a disservice to the nation and is not accepting India is a melting point of diverse culture. Your client needs to exercise freedom with caution, the bench told Divan, PTI reported. The bench further said, We are not suggesting some kind of censorship on media but there should be some kind of self-regulation in media. We are not saying states will impose any such guidelines as it would be an anathema to Article 19 of freedom of speech and expression, the bench said, as per PTI. The apex court observed that revenue model of TV channels and their ownership patterns should be put in public domain on their websites. The point is this that the right of the media is on behalf of the citizens only and it's not an exclusive right of the media, the bench said. Electronic media has become more powerful than print media and we have not been supportive of pre-broadcast ban, it added, as per PTI. On 28 August, the top court had refused to impose pre-broadcast ban on Sudarshan News from telecasting ''Bindas Bol'' programme, whose promo claimed that the channel was all set to broadcast a ''big expose on conspiracy to infiltrate Muslims in government service''. It had issued notice to the Centre, the Press Council of India, News Broadcasters Association and Sudarshan News on a plea filed by advocate Firoz Iqbal Khan who has raised a grievance pertaining to the programme. The apex court had said that prima facie, the petition has raises significant issues bearing on the protection of constitutional rights. The Delhi High Court, on 11 September, had declined to stay the telecast of the series. With inputs from PTI. Three suspected drug peddlers, arrested in the probe related to drug angle in the actor Sushant Singh Rajput death case, were on Monday remanded to NCB custody till September 16 by a court in Mumbai. On Sunday, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) had arrested six more persons, taking the count of people held so far in the case to 16. These half a dozen accused were identified by the agency as Karamjeet Singh Anand, Dwayne Fernandes, SanketPatel, Ankush Anreja, Sandeep Gupta and Aftab Fateh Ansari. They were on Monday produced before a magistrate court which remanded three of them - Anand, Anreja and Patel - to NCB custody till September 16 and sent the rest to jail under 14-day judicial remand. While praying for their custody, the NCB told the court that Anand appears to be a major player" in drug syndicate active in Bollywood and high society". He is not cooperating with investigation and vital information related to the case is yet to be disclosed by him, the apex drug law enforcement agency said. It further argued that Anreja was directly connected with another accused, Anuj Keshwani, from whom commercial quantity of narcotics had been seized. It is necessary to interrogate Anreja to find out to whom he was delivering contraband in Bollywood, the probe agency told the court. The NCB submitted that Patel, too, is part of this drug syndicate. Special public prosecutor (NCB) Atul Sarpande told that the court investigation in the case was at preliminary stage and revelations made by the accused were yet to be verified. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the NCB is probing the drug case in which actress Rhea Chakraborty, her brother Showik, Rajputs manager Samuel Miranda, domestic help Dipesh Sawant and others have been arrested. They are currently in judicial custody. Rajput (34) was found dead in his flat in suburban Bandra on June 14. The CBI is separately probing abetment to suicide" case related to his death. It seems like everyone tuned in to Dancing with the Stars for the big 2020 fall premiere. The star-studded lineup, including brand new host Tyra Banks to replace Tom Bergeron and Erin Andrews, was enough to draw huge crowds eager to see what was going on. Even celebrities tuned in and live-tweeted their reactions to the new cast. The View co-host Meghan McCain was not shy about expressing her disgust and excitement for one of the most notorious contestants of all: Tiger King star and animal sanctuary owner Carole Baskin. Heres what she said. Who is Carole Baskin from Tiger King? Carole Baskin from the Netflix series Tiger King | Netflix The world became obsessed with Carole Baskin earlier in 2020 after the Netflix documentary Tiger King exploded in popularity. The limited release series followed the eccentric life of Joseph Maldonado-Passage, aka Joe Exotic, and his experience running a zoo in Oklahoma. Carole Baskin came onto the scene as Maldonado-Passages sworn enemy. Though she was never formally accused of any crimes, many fans became convinced that Baskin murdered her former husband Don Lewis and fed him to the rescued tigers in her care. Even celebrities like McCain are at least partially swayed by this narrative. Its not great for Baskins reputation, but it is encouraging fans to watch DWTS just to catch a glimpse of her. Meghan McCain made it clear she thinks Carole Baskin is guilty Carole Baskin is an absolutely terrible dancer and danced to eye of the tiger and definitely murdered her husband with sardine oil and what am I doing with my life.?!? #DWTS pic.twitter.com/V9iLUzpOFd Meghan McCain (@MeghanMcCain) September 15, 2020 RELATED: Carole Baskin Calls Justice for Don Commercial a Publicity Stunt The anticipation leading up to the DWTS premiere and Baskins big debut was palpable. The View star expressed her excitement to her followers by sharing on Twitter, Watching #DWTS and just sitting here waiting for that b*tch Carole Baskin. #coolcatsandkittens. Later, McCain indicated disdain for Baskins dance moves plus insinuated that shes guilty of murder. She tweeted: Carole Baskin is an absolutely terrible dancer and danced to eye of the tiger and definitely murdered her husband with sardine oil and what am I doing with my life.?!? #DWTS. The tweet was attached to a GIF of Jeff Bridges as The Dude from The Big Lebowski looking confused and wondering what day it is. Don Lewiss family bought commercial airtime during DWTS The family of Don Lewis, the man many believe to have been murdered and fed to tigers by Carole Baskin, ran a commercial looking for justice for Don during tonights Dancing with the Stars premiere featuring Carole Baskin. WHATTA move. pic.twitter.com/wtdEiBRKrm KFC (@KFCBarstool) September 15, 2020 McCain isnt the only one whos suspicious of Baskin. Lewiss family paid for a commercial to air during the highly publicized DWTS premiere which included a $10,000 reward and tip hotline for information about his disappearance. Lewiss daughters and former assistant, who both made appearances in Tiger King, were featured in the commercial, too. Don Lewis disappeared in 1997. His family deserves answers. They deserve justice. Do you know who did this or if Carole Baskin was involved? the familys attorney John P. Phillips asked. Baskin might not last long on DWTS Carole Baskin and Pasha Pashkov on DWTS | Eric McCandless/ABC via Getty Images Most fans didnt expect the Big Cat Rescue founder to be hiding serious dance talents up her sleeve, and they were right. The DWTS judges had some tough feedback for Baskin, giving her a score of 11 out of 30 the lowest of the night. Still, theres a silver lining to all of this. Baskin already said all proceeds she earns from the show will go toward helping animals in need. To hear her tell it, her participation has nothing to do with defending murder accusations. Not even to Meghan McCain. Law Offices of Blumenthal Nordrehaug Bhowmik De Blouw LLP If you would like to know more about the National Distribution Centers, LLC lawsuit, please contact Attorney Nicholas J. De Blouw today by calling (800) 568-8020. The Riverside employment law attorneys at Blumenthal Nordrehaug Bhowmik De Blouw LLP, filed a class action complaint alleging that National Distribution Centers, LLC failed to provide accurate wages and legally required breaks. The National Distribution Centers, LLC class action lawsuit, Case No. RIC2003144, is currently pending in the Riverside Superior Court of the State of California. A copy of the Complaint can be read here. As a result of their rigorous work schedules, PLAINTIFF and other CALIFORNIA CLASS Members are periodically denied their proper rest periods by DEFENDANT and DEFENDANTs managers. Allegedly, PLAINTIFF and other CALIFORNIA CLASS Members were from time to time unable to take off-duty meal breaks and were not fully relieved of duty for meal periods. They were also from time to time allegedly required to work in excess of four (4) hours without being provided ten (10) minute rest periods. Additionally, DEFENDANT intentionally and knowingly failed to reimburse and indemnify PLAINTIFF and the other CALIFORNIA CLASS Members for required business expenses incurred by the PLAINTIFF and other CALIFORNIA CLASS Members. Cal. Lab. Code 2802 expressly states that "an employer shall indemnify his or her employee for all necessary expenditures or losses incurred by the employee in direct consequence of the discharge of his or her duties..." If you would like to know more about the National Distribution Centers, LLC lawsuit, please contact Attorney Nicholas J. De Blouw today by calling (800) 568-8020. Blumenthal Nordrehaug Bhowmik De Blouw LLP is an employment law firm with offices located in San Diego, San Francisco, Sacramento, Los Angeles, Riverside and Chicago that dedicates its practice to helping employees, investors and consumers fight back against unfair business practices, including violations of the California Labor Code and Fair Labor Standards Act. If you need help in collecting unpaid overtime wages, unpaid commissions, being wrongfully terminated from work, and other employment law claims, contact one of their attorneys today. ***THIS IS AN ATTORNEY ADVERTISEMENT*** A coronavirus testing centre in Kent was closed to make way for a post-Brexit lorry park, according to reports. Testing at the railway station car park in Ebbsfleet was suspended earlier this month. It is said to have had capacity for about 2,000 tests a day and 15 people lost their jobs after it closed. A leaked letter from Kent County Council, seen by KentOnline, stated: "We have been notified that the Ebbsfleet testing centre has closed, as the site is required by HMRC for EU Exit. It is understood the car park serving Ebbsfleet International is being considered for use as a site to carry out customs checks of cross-Channel lorries after the Brexit transition period ends on December 31. Covid-19 testing at the site began in April but staff were told out of the blue earlier this month that the centre was closing. Dartford councillor Sacha Gosine, who represents the area at district level, told KentOnline that it would be a logistical nightmare for officials and warned that it would cause chaos on the M25 if there was a crash near the Dartford Tunnel. A Government spokesman said: Regional testing sites were set up at great speed and selected for their immediate availability, security and access. Coronavirus hits the UK - In pictures 1 /81 Coronavirus hits the UK - In pictures A deserted Westminster Bridge PA A man wearing a face mask or covering due to the COVID-19 pandemic, walks past customers sat outside a restaurant AFP via Getty Images Boris Johnson addresses the nation on the Coronavirus lockdown Andrew Parsons Runners pass cardboard cutouts of Britain's Queen Elizabeth II and Prince William during the London Marathon in London AP An empty escalator at Charing Coss London Underground tube station Jeremy Selwyn Electronic bilboards displays a message warning people to stay home in Sheffield PA A sign is displayed in the window of a student accommodation building following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Mancheste Reuters People take part in a 'We Do Not Consent' rally at Trafalgar Square, organised by Stop New Normal, to protest against coronavirus restrictions, in Londo AP People sing and dance in Leicester Square on the eve on the 10PM curfew Reuters Hearts painted by a team of artists from Upfest are seen in the grass at Queen Square, following the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Bristol Reuters Graffiti reads 'good luck and stay safe', as the number of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases grow around the world, under a bridge in London Reuters A sign is pictured in Soho, amid the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in London Reuters Prime Minister Boris Johnson gestures, during a coronavirus briefing in Downing Street, London AP A person runs past posters with a message of hope, as the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues in Manchester REUTERS Riot police face protesters who took part in a 'We Do Not Consent' rally at Trafalgar Square, organised by Stop New Normal, to protest against coronavirus restrictions in London AP An image of The Queen eith quotes from her broadcast to the UK and the Commonwealth in relation to the Coronavirus epidemic are displayed on lights in London's Piccadilly Circus PA Military vehicles cross Westminster Bridge after members of the 101 Logistic Brigade delivered a consignment of medical masks to St Thomas' hospital Getty Images Durdle Door in Dorset Reuters Captain Tom Moore via Reuters Mia, aged 8, and Jack, aged 5, take part in "PE with Joe" a daily live workout with Joe Wicks on Youtube to help kids stay fit who have to stay indoors due to the Coronavirus outbreak PA An NHS worker reacts at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital during the Clap for our Carers campaign in support of the NHS Reuters Goats which have taken over the deserted streets of Llandudno @AndrewStuart via PA Tobias Weller PA Novikov restaurant in London with its shutters pulled down while the restaurant is closed London Landscapes: Hyde Park and the Serpentine, central London. Matt Writtle A newspaper vendor in Manchester city centre giving away free toilet rolls with every paper bought as shops run low on supplies due to fears over the spread of the coronavirus PA Theo Clay looks out of his window next to his hand-drawn picture of a rainbow in Liverpool, as the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continue Reuters A young man cuts another man's hair on top of a closed hairdresser in Oxford Reuters General view of the new NHS Nightingale Hospital, built to fight against the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in London via Reuters Jason Baird is seen dressed as Spiderman during his daily exercise to cheer up local children in Stockport, as the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues Reuters A woman wearing a face mask walks past Buckingham Palace Getty Images A man holds mobile phone displaying a text message alert sent by the government warning that new rules are in force across the UK and people must stay at home PA Medical staff on the Covid-19 ward at the Neath Port Talbot Hospital, in Wales, as the health services continue their response to the coronavirus outbreak. PA Prime Minister Boris Johnson taking part in a virtual Cabinet meeting with his top team of ministers PA A shopper walks past empty shelves in a Lidl store on in Wallington. After spates of "panic buying" cleared supermarket shelves of items like toilet paper and cleaning products, stores across the UK have introduced limits on purchases during the COVID-19 pandemic. Some have also created special time slots for the elderly and other shoppers vulnerable to the new coronavirus. Getty Images People on a busy tube train in London at rush hour PA Mia, aged 8 and her brother Jack, aged 5 from Essex, continue their school work at home, after being sent home due to the coronavirus PA Children are painting 'Chase the rainbows' artwork and springing up in windows across the country Reuters Social distancing in Primrose Hill Jeremy Selwyn A general view of a locked gate at Anfield, Liverpool as The Premier League has been suspended PA Homeless people in London AFP via Getty Images A piece of art by the artist, known as the Rebel Bear has appeared on a wall on Bank Street in Glasgow. The new addition to Glasgow's street art is capturing the global Coronavirus crisis. The piece features a woman and a man pulling back to give each other a kiss PA The Queen leaves Buckingham Palace, London, for Windsor Castle to socially distance herself amid the coronavirus pandemic PA A general view on Grey street, Newcastle as coronavirus cases grow around the world Reuters Matt Raw, a British national who returned from the coronavirus-hit city of Wuhan in China, leaves quaratine at Arrowe Park Hospital on Merseyside PA Britain's Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty (L) and Chief Scientific Adviser Patrick Vallance look on as British Prime Minister Boris Johnson gestures as he speaks during a coronavirus disease (COVID-19) news conference inside 10 Downing Street Reuters The ticket-validation terminals at the tram stop on Edinburgh's Princes Street are cleaned following the coronavirus outbreak. PA Locked school gates at Rockcliffe First School in Whitley Bay, Tyne and Wear PA A sign at a Sainsbury's supermarket informs customers that limits have been set on a small number of products as the number of coronavirus (COVID-19) cases grow around the world Reuters Jawad Javed delivers coronavirus protection kits that he and his wife have put together to the vulnerable people of their community of Stenhousemuir, between Glasgow and Edinburgh AFP via Getty Images A sign advertising a book titled "How Will We Survive On Earth?" Getty Images A man who appears to be homeless sleeping wearing a mask today in Victoria Jeremy Selwyn A pedestrian walks past graffiti that reads "Diseases are in the City" in Edinburgh AFP via Getty Images Staff from The Lyric Theatre, London inform patrons, as it shuts its doors PA A quiet looking George IV Bridge in Edinburgh PA A quieter than usual British Museum Getty Images A racegoer attends Cheltenham in a fashionable face mask SplashNews.com A commuter wears a face mask at London Bridge Station Jeremy Selwyn A empty restaurant in the Bull Ring Shopping Centre Getty Images A deserted Trafalgar Square in London PA Passengers determined to avoid the coronavirus before leaving the UK arrive at Gatwick Airport Getty Images The regional testing site at Ebbsfleet has ceased operations and a new regional testing site is operating at Curtis Way, Rochester. The relocation will allow the network to continue operating as long as needed. In July 2020, the Government committed to spending 470 million on new border infrastructure to support ports in building extra capacity to meet the new control requirements where there is space to do so, and, if necessary, to build additional inland sites across the country where checks can take place. Final decisions on inland sites will not be made until we have established the extent of new infrastructure that will be delivered at ports. MPs approve giving Brexit Bill a second reading Eurostar announced earlier this month that its trains will not resume serving Ebbsfleet International until 2022 due to the collapse in demand caused by the pandemic. Domestic Southeastern trains continue to call at the station. It comes as the Government admitted it is preparing for the reasonable worst-case scenario for next year as a leaked report warned of queues of 7,000 lorries in Kent and significant delays to cross into the EU. A confidential document prepared by the Cabinet Offices Border and Protocol Delivery Group, and seen by The Guardian, also predicts thousands of passengers could have to wait an additional two hours for Eurostar trains. A Cabinet Office spokeswoman said in a statement the Government was using a stretching scenario as opposed to a prediction. Leading union Unite warned on Monday that Britains ports would be plunged into chaos and confusion in the new year unless customs systems and lorry parks are completed. Loading.... The union said lorry drivers feared the complex computer software to deal with customs would not be ready by December 31, adding most of the planned lorry parks were still to be built. Additional reporting by PA Media. The fate of at least 10 major infrastructure projects that will directly affect the citys Ridge the green lungs of the national capital is likely to be decided by the Supreme Court-mandated Ridge Management Board (RMB), on Friday without its two independent expert members present. The RMB, headed by the chief secretary, was formed in 1995 on the directions of the apex court, to preserve the Ridge. It has scheduled a meeting on September 18 to discuss at least 10 projects that will affect the Ridge. The Ridge is the northern extension of the Aravalli Range, extending from Tughlaqabad in south-east to the north near Wazirabad, covering a distance of about 35km.The Delhi Ridge acts as the green lungs of the capital and, through various government orders over the years, all construction has been banned in the Ridge in an effort to preserve it. While six of the eight members of the RMB are permanent, two are nominated environment experts who represent the public interest and ensure transparency in the functioning of the board. Sunita Narain, director-general of environment NGO Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) and Vimlendu Jha, executive director of NGO Swechha, were nominated as the two independent expert members for a tenure of two years, which ended last March. But since new independent experts are yet to be nominated, the board will meet on September 18, minus the two experts. Officials privy to the RMBs workings, said both Narain and Jha have been asked to attend the meeting as special invitees, but they refused on the grounds that the board needs to be reconstituted before any meeting can be scheduled. They also confirmed that since Narain and Jha are not nominated members anymore, their opinions will not be binding on the board. The board technically has not been complete since March 2019. Both these experts have been invited as special guests and they can give their suggestions only as experts, but the board will be under no obligation to follow them. However, if they were attending as members, their votes could have swayed the fate of the projects discussed, a senior government official, who did not wish to be identified, said. The list of projects to be discussed includes permissions for the 22km Tughlakabad-Aerocity corridor of the Delhi Metros Phase 4, which has proposed four stations on Ridge land. The meeting agenda will also look into the proposal for the Delhi-Alwar corridor of the Regional Rapid Transit System, which will cross the Ridge area. The meeting agenda also includes proposals for the construction of the campus of Indian Institute of Foreign Trade, two skill centres and a new laboratory complex, all abutting the Ridge. Documents accessed by Hindustan Times show that tenure of the last RMB expired last March , after which the board was not reconstituted. A senior official from the forest department, without wanting to be named, confirmed that a request for the reconstitution of the board was sent to the Delhi environment ministers office in November 2018, but the proposal is still awaiting a clearance. The proposal to renominate Narain and Jha was sent from our end but the file is pending approval, the official said. Responding to HTs query, environment minister Gopal Rais office Tuesday said the file, with the names of the expert members, is in the process of being cleared. While both Narain and Jha refused to comment on the matter, Narain confirmed that she had written to the Delhi government that she will only attend the RMB meeting once the board has been reconstituted. Environment activist Ravi Agarwal, a former member of the RMB for over 12 years, said the board was constituted to ensure that decisions taken by government agencies were transparent. It is illegal to have meetings of the RMB without all members present. The whole idea behind the board was to ensure public scrutiny, and independent members made that possible. Without them, the board is just an internal group headed by the chief secretary. Which junior official will ever go against the CSs decision? Agarwal said. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON ABOUT THE AUTHOR Soumya Pillai Soumya Pillai covers environment and traffic in Delhi. A journalist for three years, she has grown up in and with Delhi, which is often reflected in the stories she does about life in the city. She also enjoys writing on social innovations. ...view detail T Muruganandham By Express News Service CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu Assembly on Tuesday unanimously passed the Bill introduced by Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami to provide 7.5 percent horizontal reservation in undergraduate courses in medicine, dentistry, Indian medicine and homeopathy for government school students who have cleared NEET. It would not apply to seats reserved for the all-India quota. In due course, the state government will notify the rules for executing this legislation. The principal opposition party DMK said this should be only a beginning and this reservation should be increased in the coming years while Law Minister CVe Shanmugam clarified that the reservation system would be followed for the 7.5 percent quota. He also said the 7.5 percent reservation would withstand the test of the law in the light of recent Supreme Court verdicts which ruled that the state government which has powers to provide reservations also has powers to provide sub-quotas. "Students from government schools shall also be entitled to compete for the government seats, other than those set apart on a preferential basis, along with students from private schools," said a provision in the legislation. The Chief Minister said due to this sub-quota, over 300 medical seats will go to students hailing from poor economic backgrounds. Those who studied from the sixth standard to higher secondary schools in Corporation schools, municipal schools, Adi Dravidar and tribal welfare schools, Kalla reclamation schools, forest department schools and other schools managed by the government departments would benefit from this reservation. Explaining the justification for providing sub-quota, the Chief Minister said, "Of the 7,968 higher secondary schools in the state, 3,054 schools (38.32 percent) have been run by the government. Of the 8.41 lakh students in higher secondary courses, 3.44 lakh students (41 percent) were in government-run schools. Of the 5,550 medical seats in Tamil Nadu, 4,043 are of state quota. Of this, only 0.15 percent of seats have been given to students hailing from poor economic backgrounds who study in government schools." Stating that students from government schools and those studying in private schools hail from different socio-economic backgrounds, the Chief Minister said considering these disparities, it would be unfair to weigh them on an equal footing. "Though students from government schools clear the NEET, they are not getting a sufficient number of medical seats. Hence, this sub-quota becomes necessary," he added. Speaking on the Bill, the Chief Minister said between the period 2006-07 to 2010-11, around 300 new medical seats were created. On the contrary, during the past nine years alone, 1,400 more medical seats have been created in Tamil Nadu by starting new medical colleges. During 2010-11, the total number of medical seats stood at 1,945 in Tamil Nadu. This had now gone up to 3,345. To help rural students join medical courses easily, 11 more medical colleges were being established in the state. Through this measure alone, 1,650 more medical seats would be created in Tamil Nadu in the coming years, he added. DMK MLA R Masilamani said since the state government had admitted that admissions secured by students from government schools to MBBS courses in Tamil Nadu had become dismally poor after a uniform entrance examination was introduced, the 7.5 percent reservation would only be a nominal reservation for government school students. This should go up steeply in the coming years, he said and demanded that the reservation system should be fully followed for providing this 7.5 percent quota so that social justice could be protected by this move. Masilamani further said this sub-quota should be extended to students studying in government-aided schools too. Stating that definitely someone would challenge this sub-quota before a court, Masilamani urged the state government to strengthen this legislation with appropriate safeguards so that it could withstand any legal challenges since the earlier effort by former Chief Minister M Karunanidhi to provide special reservation for rural students was rejected by the court. The Bill said a commission headed by retired judge P Kalaiyarasan recommended that 10 percent of seats could be reserved for students of government schools and after considering many factors, the state Cabinet approved 7.5 percent reservation for these students. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-S.C) has hinted that a huge bombshell is about to drop after a review of the Russia investigation. Graham responded to the Friday resignation of US attorney John Durham's top aide, Nora Dannehy, which was reported to have happened because investigators were not given enough time to gather information on former FBI Director Robert Mueller's team ahead of the November 3 election. After it emerged devices belonging to Mueller's team were wiped before they could be analyzed, Graham claimed more findings would emerge by next week. 'You think you are mad about the phones being wiped?' Graham said on Fox News' Hannity last week. 'Stay tuned. We'll talk in about 10 or 12 days and we'll see if there is something else you can get mad about.' Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham, has hinted that a huge bombshell is about to drop in the probe into why the Russian investigation was initiated US attorney John Durham (left) is leading the probe into Robert Mueller (right) and his team that investigated Russia's meddling in the 2016 election On Monday a source close to the situation told Fox News that speculation about Dannehy's reason for leaving is simply from an 'echo chamber trying to make things look bad' for Attorney General Bill Barr. Barr hired Durham to look into what potentially illegal activity could have sparked the investigation into whether Russia meddled in the 2016 election. President Trump has accused rival former Vice President Joe Biden and President Barack Obama of 'treason' and having 'spied' on his campaign. 'They lied. They cheated. They leaked. They got caught. They spied on my campaign. Never in history has there been anything like this,' he said. 'It's treason, and other words can be used also.' In the year and a half since he was appointed, Durham has questioned former law enforcement and intelligence officials former CIA director John Brennan among them about decisions made during the course of the Russia probe. 'You think you are mad about the phones being wiped?' Graham told Hannity. 'Stay tuned. We'll talk in about 10 or 12 days and we'll see if there is something else you can get mad about' Graham responded to the Friday resignation of federal prosecutor, Nora Dannehy, which was reported to have happened because investigators were not giving enough time to get information Dannehy had been a top leader on the team, present for interviews with such officials, including Mr Brennan. The investigation has not yet produced the results that Trump supporters had been hoping for. The insider reassured Fox News that Dannehy only 'came in for a brief job.' 'They're doing their job,' the source continued about the investigation which reportedly should have been complete by Labor Day. 'It's not easy to do stuff like this. Takes time.' The federal prosecutor gave up her post and resigned by email, the Hartford Courant reported, stating the reason was at least partly due to concern the probe is being pressured for political reasons to produce its report ahead of schedule. Attorney General Bill Barr said last week that there 'could be' more charges coming in the probe. The autumn sunshine is set to continue today with the top temperatures expected to be much higher than the September average. Yesterday's brilliant weather saw Katesbridge in Co Down reach 21.1C - the highest temperature across Northern Ireland. The west of the country had a bit more cloud and isolated outbreaks of rain but the temperature still hit highs of 18 to 20 degrees. The eastern areas basked in the brighter and sunnier weather throughout the day. Plenty of people took advantage of the unexpected weather in Belfast's Victoria Park and Co Armagh's Lurgan Park as they tried to enjoy what is left of the summer sun. Met Office meteorologist Luke Miall explained that today could see highs of 23C in areas such as Katesbridge and Belfast - seven degrees above the average temperatures for this time of year. "Typically for this time in September, Belfast for example would see a maximum of 16 degrees so we're well above average," he said. "If we reach 23 degrees that's seven degrees above the average so that is quite warm indeed. "It's not uncommon at this time of year to get warm weather because we're in that transition period now of between the summer and going into the autumn. "September can be quite notable for large swings. You can get this warm weather and then there can be cold nights and cold weather." Outbreaks of light rain were expected across the country in the early hours of this morning but that was due to clear. Mr Miall added that the morning will be bright and sunny across Northern Ireland with "plenty" of sunshine throughout the day. He said that in terms of temperatures it will be higher than what we had yesterday. Today, in the first interview of Disrupt 2020, Human Capital's Baris Akis and investor Michael Ovitz announced the winners of its Delta Fellowship program. Human Capital launched in 2016 with a mission to become a talent agency for engineers in the same way that CAA, founded by Michael Ovitz, was a talent agency for entertainers. Human Capital helps engineers find great positions at great companies, and fosters their careers well beyond that, including helping them switch jobs, ask for raises and promotions, and more. Human Capital also has an investment arm that seeds these same entrepreneurs with funding when they're ready to start on their own project. The fellowship program is an extension of Human Capital's commitment to people over metrics, explained Michael Ovitz, who invested in the company earlier this year. Sixteen fellows were selected from more than 1,300 applications across 20 countries and more than 200 universities. Interestingly, the Delta fellowship application process did not include a request for a business proposal, but rather evaluated the people themselves. Were here to partner with founders, said Akis. We get to know the people behind the ideas. We consider ideas in the context of the people driving them. Delta Fellows include: Abu Qader, a Cornell junior who developed a low-cost mammography tumor detection platform after seeing the challenges of healthcare firsthand in Afghanistan as a teenager Katie Mishra, a Stanford junior who published three books by the time she was 16 and started a nonprofit to teach middle schoolers the design, logic, and engineering behind computer science Eeshan Tripathii, an MIT sophomore who built a prototype for a low-cost ductless air filtration system and reverse engineered a $20,000 prosthetic glove into a $550 working prototype Ovitz and Akis walked us through the details of the fellowship program in an interview today, which you can watch from start to finish below. Story continues https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/themes/techcrunch-2017/features/shortcodes/vidible-callback-js.php?id=0 Disrupt 2020 officially kicks off tomorrow at 9 am PT and there's still plenty of time to register for a pass. Speakers include Dropbox's Drew Houston, Kerry Washington, Jennifer Doudna, Roelof Botha and Kevin Hart. See you there! https://tcprotectedembed.com/protected-iframe/bc5e644f85a11b970469253c6a947a65 ( function() { var func = function() { var iframe = document.getElementById('wpcom-iframe-bc5e644f85a11b970469253c6a947a65') if ( iframe ) { iframe.onload = function() { iframe.contentWindow.postMessage( { 'msg_type': 'poll_size', 'frame_id': 'wpcom-iframe-bc5e644f85a11b970469253c6a947a65' }, "https:\/\/tcprotectedembed.com" ); } } // Autosize iframe var funcSizeResponse = function( e ) { var origin = document.createElement( 'a' ); origin.href = e.origin; // Verify message origin if ( 'tcprotectedembed.com' !== origin.host ) return; // Verify message is in a format we expect if ( 'object' !== typeof e.data || undefined === e.data.msg_type ) return; switch ( e.data.msg_type ) { case 'poll_size:response': var iframe = document.getElementById( e.data._request.frame_id ); if ( iframe && '' === iframe.width ) iframe.width = '100%'; if ( iframe && '' === iframe.height ) iframe.height = parseInt( e.data.height ); return; default: return; } } if ( 'function' === typeof window.addEventListener ) { window.addEventListener( 'message', funcSizeResponse, false ); } else if ( 'function' === typeof window.attachEvent ) { window.attachEvent( 'onmessage', funcSizeResponse ); } } if (document.readyState === 'complete') { func.apply(); /* compat for infinite scroll */ } else if ( document.addEventListener ) { document.addEventListener( 'DOMContentLoaded', func, false ); } else if ( document.attachEvent ) { document.attachEvent( 'onreadystatechange', func ); } } )(); New Delhi, Sep 15 : Chinese smartphone brand Poco on Tuesday said its sold more than 1.30 lakh units of its new M2 device during the first sale in India. The device is priced at Rs 10,999 for the 64GB storage variant and the other variant with 6GB RAM and 128GB internal storage is priced at Rs 12,499. ''The next sale for Poco M2 is expected to be announced soon,'' the company said in a statement. Poco M2 features a 6.53-inch Full HD+ display, with a resolution of 2340A1080 and an aspect ratio of 19.5:9. The smartphone comes with a MediaTek Helio G80 octa-core processor with two Cortex-A75 cores at 2.0GHz and six Cortex-A55 cores at 1.8GHz, coupled with 6GB RAM and 128GB storage. The device houses a 13MP primary sensor, 8MP ultra-wide sensor, 5MP macro sensor and a 2MP depth sensor. There is also an 8MP selfie camera with night mode. The smartphone comes packed with a 5,000mAh built-in battery, powered with support for 18W fast charging (10W charger inbox). Donald Trump has presided over the signing of historic diplomatic pacts between Israel and two Gulf Arab nations that he hopes will lead to a new order in the Middle East and cast him as a peacemaker at the height of his reelection campaign. Hundreds of people amassed on the sun-washed South Lawn to witness the signing of agreements between Israel and the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. The bilateral agreements formalise the normalisation of the Jewish states already thawing relations with the two Arab nations in line with their common opposition to Iran and its aggression in the region. "We're here this afternoon to change the course of history. After decades of division and conflict, we mark the dawn of a new Middle East." pic.twitter.com/DDe3Y9EwDM The White House 45 Archived (@WhiteHouse45) September 15, 2020 Were here this afternoon to change the course of history, President Trump said from a balcony overlooking the South Lawn. After decades of division and conflict, we mark the dawn of a new Middle East. The agreements do not address the decades-long Israeli-Palestinian conflict. While the UAE, Bahrain and other Arab countries support the Palestinians, the Trump administration has persuaded the two countries not to let that conflict keep them from having normal relations with Israel. President Trumps political backers are looking for the agreements to boost his standing as a statesman with just seven weeks to go before Election Day. Until now, foreign policy has not had a major role in a campaign dominated by the coronavirus, racial issues and the economy. The pandemic was in the backdrop of the White House ceremony, where there was no social distancing and most guests did not wear masks. The agreements will not end active wars, but supporters believe they could pave the way for a broader Arab-Israeli rapprochement after decades of enmity and only two previous peace deals. Sceptics, including many longtime Middle East analysts and former officials, have expressed doubts about their impact and lamented that they ignore the Palestinians, who have rejected them as a stab in the back by fellow Arabs. Today is a HISTORIC day at the White House! President @realDonaldTrump welcomes the Prime Minister of Israel and the Foreign Ministers of Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates for the signing of the Abraham Accords! pic.twitter.com/l5O0mCk398 The White House 45 Archived (@WhiteHouse45) September 15, 2020 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has insisted that Israel has only suspended its plans to annex West Bank settlements. Yet even the harshest critics have allowed that the agreements could usher in a major shift in the region should other Arab nations, particularly Saudi Arabia, follow suit, with implications for Iran, Syria and Lebanon. Other Arab countries believed to be close to recognising Israel include Oman, Sudan and Morocco. We are very down the road with about five different countries, President Trump told reporters before the ceremony. In addition to the bilateral agreements signed by Israel, the UAE and Bahrain, all three are signing a document dubbed the Abraham Accords after the patriarch of the worlds three major monotheistic religions. The Palestinians have not embraced the US vision. Palestinian activists held small demonstrations on Tuesday in the West Bank and in Gaza, where they trampled and set fire to pictures of President Trump, Mr Netanyahu and the leaders of the UAE and Bahrain. A poll released on Tuesday found that 86% of Palestinians believe the normalisation agreement with the UAE serves only Israels interests and not their own. The poll, carried out by the Palestinian Centre for Policy and Survey Research, was carried out between September 9-12 and surveyed 1,270 Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and Gaza. Even in Israel, where the accords have received widespread acclaim, there is concern they might result in US sales of sophisticated weaponry to the UAE and Bahrain, thus potentially upsetting Israels military edge in the region. New Delhi, Sep 15 : Premium automobile manufacturer Toyota Kirloskar Motor on Tuesday reaffirmed its commitment to India as being an integral part of the company's global strategy. "We need to protect the jobs we have created and we will do everything possible to achieve this," the company said in a statement. "Over our two decades of operations in India, we have worked tirelessly to build a strong competitive local supplier eco-system and develop strong capable human resources. Our first step is to ensure full capacity utilisation of what we have created and this will take time." The company's statement comes after a report cited that future investments by the auto maker might stop given the high tax incidence in India. "In wake of the slowdown that has been exaggerated by the Covid-19 impact, the auto industry has been requesting the Government for support to sustain industry through a viable tax structure," the statement said. "We remain confident that the government will do everything possible to support industry and employment. We recognise the strong proactive efforts being made by the Government to support various sectors of the economy and appreciate the fact that it is open to examine this issue despite the current challenging revenue situation." The company had started production in 1999 and has 6,500 employees. It has two plants and manufacturers Innova, Fortuner, Yaris and Camry Hybrid in India. It imports Vellfire. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Samsung has found itself in hot water a French consumer watchdog sued the company for deceptive marketing practices . As reported by Que Choisir, this all relates to Samsungs claims about running an ethical business. This is not welcome news for Samsung after what has actually been quite a successful couple of months. After a dip, the companys stranglehold on the top of the smartphone distributor charts looks set to strengthen. This is in no small part to the decline of one of its rivals, Huawei, who may leave the smartphone market altogether. This is due to restrictions placed upon it by the U.S. Advertisement This lawsuit originates in France and the consumer watchdog UFC Que Choisir. They accuse Samsung of using systematically deceptive marketing strategies. Samsung accused of deceptive marketing strategies The consumer watchdog that sued Samsung claims that the company has built up and image of a fair-trade organization. However, in reality, the company fails to live up to that ideal. UFC-Que Choisir described the strategy as an example of persistent malpractice. The specific term used was that Samsung has been fairwashing its own image. Advertisement This all comes after allegations of Samsungs use of child labour in cobalt mines in Congo. If true a quite obvious example of them as a not all too ethical company. The lawsuit also mentions examples of suspected forced labour in China. It also mentions the possibility of toxic chemical exposure incidents in South Korea. The lawsuit also claims that these issues have been exacerbated greatly by the global pandemic currently raging around the world. As such the overall goal of the litigation is to force Samsung into putting its stated principles into practice. Advertisement This is not the first lawsuit of this type filed against Samsung. In July 2019, ActionAid France and Sherpa filed a similar piece of litigation against the company. Samsung tends not to comment on ongoing litigation proceedings and as such has not made a statement on the matter. Overall, this could be quite a worrying trend for companies as many now try to represent an image of an ethical company as a marketing strategy. This could then come to bite them if dodgy practices are revealed which do not align with the image they portray. Advertisement It will be interesting to see how this plays out as it may have repercussions for other big companies around the globe. There is no word yet on how this lawsuit will proceed. Wildfires raging in northern California and southern Oregon have killed at least 36 people as the blazes burn through an area larger than than the state of Connecticut. Thousands have been impacted by the historic flames as a hot and dry summer has led to a devastating wildfire season. In Oregon, more than 1 million acres are burning, and two small towns near the California border have been wiped out. Officials in both states have warned about dangerously unhealthy air quality due to the smoke from the fire. At least 10% of emergency room visits in Oregon are for asthma-like symptoms, said Gabriela Goldfarb, section manager of Environmental Public Health at the Oregon Health Authority. More: Wildfires burned millions of acres across the West. See what that looks like. Here's a look at 13 photos of the smoke and devastation in Oregon: The Oak Park Motel was destroyed by the flames of the Beachie Creek Fire east of Salem, Oregon. Larry Weyand (L) hugs Darwin Seim in front of Weyand's burned mobile home at the Clackamas River RV Park on September 14, 2020 in Estacada, Oregon. A man crosses a street in downtown Portland, Oregon as wildfires continue to burn in many parts of the state, September 14, 2020. Smoke from wildfires and fog are blanketing the city. A neighborhood destroyed by wildfire is seen on September 13, 2020 in Talent, Oregon. Hundreds of homes in Talent and nearby towns have been lost. This NASA photo obtained September 13, 2020 shows what NASA's Aqua satellite captured in this image of a huge number of wildfires that have broken out in Oregon, some beginning in August, but the majority started after an unprecedented and historically rare windstorm that swept through the Cascade foothills in the afternoon of September 7 through the morning of September 8, 2020. Flames from the Beachie Creek Fire burned through Fishermen's Bend Recreation Site east of Salem, Oregon. The wildfire caused the evacuation of 40,000 residents. A firefighter surveys a field near the Riverside Fire on September 13, 2020 in Glen Avon, Oregon. Local residents Wyatt Dunn, 13, and James May, 14, help to put out hotspots on a neighbor's property, in Molalla, Oregon on September 13, 2020 which has been evacuated due to the Riverside Fire. Residents collect belongings from a housing structure saved by fire retardant in a neighborhood largely destroyed by wildfire on September 13, 2020 in Talent, Oregon. A burnt car sits in a neighborhood destroyed by wildfire on September 13, 2020 in Talent, Oregon. Spot fires smolder in a field on September 14, 2020 in Estacada, Oregon. A fire warning sign is seen through the smoke in Sandy, Oregon, on Monday, Sept. 14, 2020. A man walks along the banks of the Williamette River in downtown Portland, Oregon, on September 14, 2020. Contributing: John Bacon and Lindsay Schnell This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Oregon fires: Photos show wildfire's destruction, air quality, smoke Navalnys allies have blamed Russian President Vladimir Putins government for Navalnys poisoning, and an eventual return to Russia could be dangerous. Navalny, who was barred from running for president in 2018, has frequently been jailed and harassed. And this was not the first time he has been the victim of a toxic attack. In 2017, Navalny was attacked with an antiseptic green dye that damaged vision in one of his eyes. DUBLIN, Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- ResearchAndMarkets.com published a new article on the streaming industry "Streaming Rights and Wrongs" TikTok has announced a distribution partnership with UnitedMasters. The deal will involve TikTok promoting music from UnitedMasters' artists on its platform. TikTok will also add music from UnitedMasters to its commercial music library of royalty-free music for use with companies' promotional content. Business to business streaming service Soundtrack Your Brand has also signed a global licensing agreement with Universal Music Group. The company hopes that the expanded music catalog the deal brings will encourage businesses using private streaming accounts to move to its legal streaming alternative. Meanwhile, musicians and record label representatives have challenged Twitch to deal with unlicensed music streaming. The Artists Rights Alliance published a letter to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos urging him to ensure that artists are fairly compensated for the use of their music on the Amazon-owned platform. While representatives from the Recording Industry Association of America have questioned why Twitch, unlike other streaming services like Instagram Live, Amazon Music and Youtube, does not have a licensing agreement in place with record labels. To see the full article and a list of related reports on the market, visit "Streaming Rights and Wrongs" About ResearchAndMarkets.com ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends. Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research. Media Contact: Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager [email protected] For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1904 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 SOURCE Research and Markets Related Links http://www.researchandmarkets.com After deadly wildfires swept the western United States, President Donald Trump has blamed lax forestry and declared that "it'll start getting cooler, you just watch. On September 14, Trump said I dont think science knows as he refused to believe the role of climate change in the spread of wildfires. US Presidential candidate Joe Biden has branded Trump a "climate arsonist" for refusing to acknowledge global warming`s role in the deadly. Biden said, "If we have four more years of Trump`s climate denial, how many suburbs will be burned by wildfires? How many suburban neighbourhoods will have been flooded out?" Trump has referred to climate change as a "hoax," and in 2017 pulled the United States out of the Paris accord that laid out an international approach to global warming. Biden, the former vice president, has included climate change on his list of major crises facing the United States. California Governor Gavin Newsom acknowledged more needs to be done to better manage forests to reduce fire risks, while more than a century of aggressive fire suppression has allowed fuels to build up. But he countered that global warming was nevertheless a driving factor in newly extreme wildfire behaviour, and he reminded Trump that 57% of forest land in California is under federal ownership. We come from a perspective, humbly, where we submit the science is in and observed evidence is self-evident: that climate change is real, and that is exacerbating this, the Democratic governor said during a meeting with the president. Trump, who has authorized federal disaster aid for both California and Oregon, questioned that science. Dozens of conflagrations have raged with unprecedented scope across some 4.5 million acres (1.8 million hectares) in Oregon, California and Washington state since August, laying waste to several small towns, destroying thousands of homes and killing at least 36 people. The fires also have filled the region`s air with harmful levels of smoke and soot, bathing skies in eerie tones of orange and sepia while adding to a public health crisis already posed by the coronavirus pandemic. Ten deaths have been confirmed during the past week in Oregon, the latest flashpoint in a larger summer outbreak of fires accompanied by catastrophic lightning storms, record-breaking heatwaves and bouts of extreme winds. Those incendiary conditions gave way over the weekend to cooler, moister weather and calmer winds, enabling weary firefighters to gain ground in efforts to outflank blazes that had burned largely unchecked last week. Fire managers cautioned that the battle was hardly over. Thunderstorms forecast for later in the week could bring much-needed rain but also more lightning. Officials also braced for a rise in the death toll. As disaster teams scoured the ruins of dwellings engulfed by flames amid chaotic evacuations last week, Oregon`s emergency management authorities said they had yet to account for 22 people reported missing in the fires. At least 25 people have perished in California wildfires since mid-August, and one fatality has been confirmed in Washington state. More than 6,200 homes and other structures have been lost, according to figures from all three states. FIRES FOCUS CAMPAIGN ON CLIMATE Biden, the Democratic presidential nominee slammed by Republicans for not visiting disaster areas, spoke from his home state of Delaware on the threat of increasingly frequent weather extremes that scientists have pointed to as evidence that climate change is supercharging the fires. Trump, who trails Biden in national polls ahead of the Nov. 3 election, met with firefighters and officials in California after Democrats blasted the Republican president for remaining mostly silent on the wildfires. "I think this is more of a management situation," Trump answered when asked by a reporter if climate change was a factor behind the fires. Without mentioning large wildfires that have raged elsewhere around the world in recent years - from southern Europe to Australia and Siberia - Trump asserted that other countries "don`t have this problem." "They have more explosive trees, meaning they catch fire much easier," he said. "But they don`t have problems like this." The president and his administration have long sought to pin the blame for large wildfires on state officials, saying fuel-choked forests and scrub need to be thinned, more firebreaks should be cut and flammable debris cleared from forest floors. Trump said improved forest management was something that could be tackled quickly, whereas climate change would take more time and require international cooperation that he said was lacking. "When you get into climate change, well is India going to change its ways? And is China going to change its ways? And Russia? Is Russia going to change its ways?" he said after landing in McLellan Park, California. Tens of thousands of displaced residents across the Pacific Northwest continued to adjust to life as evacuees. Around the devastated southwestern Oregon towns of Phoenix and Talent, some people set up food stations in parking lots. Others defied evacuation orders to guard their own homes against looters. Reinforcing local law enforcement resources strained by the disaster, Oregon is deploying as many as 1,000 National Guard troops to fire-stricken communities. Two men were arrested in Oregon, one on Friday and another on Monday, on arson charges stemming from a handful of relatively small fires. But police have cautioned against fake social media reports blaming wildfires on left-wing anti-fascists or right-wing Proud Boy activists. Of all the hazards that hurricanes bring, storm surge is the greatest threat to life and property along the coast. But what exactly is storm surge? Since mid-July, Alabamians have been under an order requiring facial coverings in public settings. Extended twice, the order is currently set to end Oct. 2 though the possibility exists it could be extended as the fight against coronavirus continues. Gina Maiola, spokesperson for Gov. Kay Iveys office, said the governors ultimate goal is to continue to ease restrictions, balancing that with the need to keep people safe. There is not necessarily a magic number (to ease the mask ordinance) but instead, Gov. Ivey wants to see our hospitalizations heading in the positive direction that they are now, students and teachers making a safe return to the classroom, and of course, she wants to keep our businesses open, Maiola said. The governor is proud that Alabamians have stepped up to the task. She and Dr. Harris will continue closely monitoring the states progress, but she is pleased with the direction we are moving in and hopes to see all of this in our rearview mirror sooner, rather than later, she added. Ivey originally issued the mask order in mid-July, then extended it through the end of August and, later, to the start of October. Since the mask order was put in place, the state has seen a drop in average number of new daily cases. In the seven days before the original mask ordinance, the average increase in daily cases was 1,652. The average daily increase in the last week was 689. Currently, there are 792 people hospitalized due to the virus, down from a high of almost 1,600 in mid-July. Alabama currently has 126,299 confirmed coronavirus cases and 2,221 COVID deaths. Educational activities, including schools of all levels from kindergarten to university, have a moral duty to teach only free software. All computer users ought to insist on free software: it gives users the freedom to control their own computerswith proprietary software, the program does what its owner or developer wants it to do, not what the user wants it to do. Free software also gives users the freedom to cooperate with each other, to lead an upright life. These reasons apply to schools as they do to everyone. However, the purpose of this article is to present the additional reasons that apply specifically to education. Free software can save schools money, but this is a secondary benefit. Savings are possible because free software gives schools, like other users, the freedom to copy and redistribute the software; the school system can give a copy to every school, and each school can install the program in all its computers, with no obligation to pay for doing so. This benefit is useful, but we firmly refuse to give it first place, because it is shallow compared to the important ethical issues at stake. Moving schools to free software is more than a way to make education a little better: it is a matter of doing good education instead of bad education. So let's consider the deeper issues. Schools have a social mission: to teach students to be citizens of a strong, capable, independent, cooperating and free society. They should promote the use of free software just as they promote conservation and voting. By teaching students free software, they can graduate citizens ready to live in a free digital society. This will help society as a whole escape from being dominated by megacorporations. In contrast, to teach a nonfree program is implanting dependence, which goes counter to the schools' social mission. Schools should never do this. Why, after all, do some proprietary software developers offer gratis copies(1) of their nonfree programs to schools? Because they want to use the schools to implant dependence on their products, like tobacco companies distributing gratis cigarettes to school children(2). They will not give gratis copies to these students once they've graduated, nor to the companies that they go to work for. Once you're dependent, you're expected to pay, and future upgrades may be expensive. Free software permits students to learn how software works. Some students, natural-born programmers, on reaching their teens yearn to learn everything there is to know about their computer and its software. They are intensely curious to read the source code of the programs that they use every day. Proprietary software rejects their thirst for knowledge: it says, The knowledge you want is a secretlearning is forbidden! Proprietary software is the enemy of the spirit of education, so it should not be tolerated in a school, except as an object for reverse engineering. Free software encourages everyone to learn. The free software community rejects the priesthood of technology, which keeps the general public in ignorance of how technology works; we encourage students of any age and situation to read the source code and learn as much as they want to know. Schools that use free software will enable gifted programming students to advance. How do natural-born programmers learn to be good programmers? They need to read and understand real programs that people really use. You learn to write good, clear code by reading lots of code and writing lots of code. Only free software permits this. How do you learn to write code for large programs? You do that by writing lots of changes in existing large programs. Free Software lets you do this; proprietary software forbids this. Any school can offer its students the chance to master the craft of programming, but only if it is a free software school. The deepest reason for using free software in schools is for moral education. We expect schools to teach students basic facts and useful skills, but that is only part of their job. The most fundamental task of schools is to teach good citizenship, including the habit of helping others. In the area of computing, this means teaching people to share software. Schools, starting from nursery school, should tell their students, If you bring software to school, you must share it with the other students. You must show the source code to the class, in case someone wants to learn. Therefore bringing nonfree software to class is not permitted, unless it is for reverse-engineering work. Of course, the school must practice what it preaches: it should bring only free software to class (except objects for reverse-engineering), and share copies including source code with the students so they can copy it, take it home, and redistribute it further. Teaching the students to use free software, and to participate in the free software community, is a hands-on civics lesson. It also teaches students the role model of public service rather than that of tycoons. All levels of school should use free software. If you have a relationship with a school if you are a student, a teacher, an employee, an administrator, a donor, or a parent it's your responsibility to campaign for the school to migrate to free software. If a private request doesn't achieve the goal, raise the issue publicly in those communities; that is the way to make more people aware of the issue and find allies for the campaign. The global smart connected baby monitors market size is expected to grow by USD 34.85 million as per Technavio. This marks a significant market growth compared to the 2019 growth estimates due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in the first half of 2020. Moreover, steady growth is expected to continue throughout the forecast period, and the market is expected to grow at a CAGR of over 6%. Request Free Sample Report on COVID-19 Impacts This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200915005331/en/ Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global Smart Connected Baby Monitors Market 2020-2024 (Graphic: Business Wire) Read the 120-page report with TOC on "Smart Connected Baby Monitors Market Analysis Report by Product (Audio and video monitors, and Audio monitors) and Geography (North America, Europe, APAC, South America, and MEA), and the Segment Forecasts, 2020-2024". https://www.technavio.com/report/smart-connected-baby-monitors-market-industry-analysis The market is driven by innovations in technology and product features. In addition, the increase in the availability of multifunctional products is anticipated to boost the growth of the Smart Connected Baby Monitors Market. Innovations in technology and product features, leading to premiumization will be one of the major drivers in the global smart connected baby monitors market. The new smart connected baby monitors in the market are integrated with features such as temperature monitoring, remote monitoring, humidity history, and noise detection. Mobility is the primary advantage of wireless smart baby monitors. This allows parents to keep a constant watch on their babies indoors and outdoors. In addition, smart baby monitors are integrated also with Wi-Fi connectivity and cameras which provide greater visibility. These factors will bolster the demand for smart connected baby monitors, leading to market growth during the forecast period. Buy 1 Technavio report and get the second for 50% off. Buy 2 Technavio reports and get the third for free. View market snapshot before purchasing Major Five Smart Connected Baby Monitors Companies: Arlo Technologies Inc. Arlo Technologies Inc. operates through one reportable segment by offerings a range of products and services such as wireless security cameras, doorbells, and security lights among others. The company offers Arlo Baby, all-in-one smart baby monitor with 1080p HD camera, lullaby player, night light, rechargeable battery, and air sensors. Baby Gear Essentials Baby Gear Essentials offers a line of baby monitors and car seats such as Nanit Plus, Eufy SpaceView, Miku, Chicco KeyFit 30, and Peg Perego Primo Viaggio among others. The company offers Nest Baby Monitor with infrared night vision, multiple cameras, and humidity featured among others. Dorel Industries Inc. Dorel Industries Inc. has business operations under three segments: Dorel Juvenile, Dorel Sports, and Dorel Home. The company offers HD Wi-Fi Baby Monitor with Smart Audio Parent Unit, through its product line, Safety 1st. Eastman Kodak Co. Eastman Kodak Co. operates its business through various segments such as print systems, enterprise inkjet systems, software and solutions, consumer and film, advanced materials and 3D printing technology, and Eastman business park. The company offers a line of products such as KODAK CHERISH C520, KODAK CHERISH C225, 2KODAK CHERISH C220, KODAK CHERISH C125, and KODAK CHERISH C120 among others. iBaby Labs Inc. iBaby Labs Inc. offers an extensive range of baby monitoring devices such as iBaby Care M7 Monitor (Baby Monitor), iBaby Care M7 Lite Digital Baby Video Camera (Video Monitor), iBaby M2C Smart Baby Monitor (Video Monitor), iBaby Care M7 iBaby Wall Mount Kit (smart baby monitor), iBaby M7LK (M7 Lite Wall Mount)- Smart Wi-Fi Baby Monitor, iBaby Monitors Base, and iBaby M7 M7 Lite Power Adapter (wifi adapter) among others. Register for a free trial today and gain instant access to 17,000+ market research reports. Technavio's SUBSCRIPTION platform Smart Connected Baby Monitors Market Product Outlook (Revenue, USD mn, 2020-2024) Audio and video monitors size and forecast 2019-2024 Audio monitors size and forecast 2019-2024 Smart Connected Baby Monitors Market Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD mn, 2020-2024) North America size and forecast 2019-2024 Europe size and forecast 2019-2024 APAC size and forecast 2019-2024 South America size and forecast 2019-2024 MEA size and forecast 2019-2024 Technavio's sample reports are free of charge and contain multiple sections of the report, such as the market size and forecast, drivers, challenges, trends, and more. Request a free sample report About Technavio Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focuses on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200915005331/en/ Contacts: Technavio Research Jesse Maida Media Marketing Executive US: +1 844 364 1100 UK: +44 203 893 3200 Email: media@technavio.com Website: www.technavio.com/ Known for quality and customization in the tech accessory space, CASETiFY looks at every detail, creating Apple Watch bands just as stylish and resilient as the people wearing them. 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For more information on the waitlist and availability of the new iPad Case collections, please visit www.casetify.com/ipad-cases-waitlist . All of the collections are available to shop now, shipping worldwide, from www.casetify.com . For more information on CASETiFY, its products and platform, visit online, and stay tuned to @CASETiFY on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. ### About CASETiFY Founded in 2011, CASETiFY is recognized as the first and largest global platform for custom tech accessories. The leading Gen Z casemaker not only delivers high quality products to millions of customers around the world, but every case is inspected top to bottom for a stylishly slim, drop-proof accessory. Fans of the brand often look to CASETiFY for special edition collaborations with top creatives and talents across industries. Members of the CASETiFY Co-Lab program include Moncler Genius, Vetements, DHL, Coca-Cola, The Pokemon Company, streetwear label BAPE, and global K-Pop group BTS. For more information on CASETiFY, its stores, partners and products, visit www.CASETiFY.com. SOURCE CASETiFY The chairman of the Social Democratic Party (PSD), Marcel Ciolacu, stated on Tuesday that the Social Democrats will decide, after seeing the motivation for the decision of the Constitutional Court of Romania (CCR), if they will go forward with the censure motion that they have submitted in the extraordinary parliamentary session. "I read the CCR release, we are waiting for the motivation and then, together with my colleagues, we will make a political decision regarding the opportunity to continue the demarche [regarding the censure motion - e.n.]. On the other hand, I saw from the allotments in the Government Decision the cost of the motion by looking at a certain political formation that received in this allotment the sum of 130 million RON. For us things are becoming more and more clear. We will also see the MPs who did not vote on what positions and lists they will be found. Categorically on those of the PNL [National Liberal Party]. (...) I don't want to have an opinion until I read the motivation and have a discussion with my colleagues and a negotiation in Parliament with the other political forces, we will see, there are still allotments to follow, there are MPs that will be found on the PNL lists. It's an open political game that I, at this moment, don't want to speak of too early," said Ciolacu, in a press conference at the end of the sitting of the National Political Council of the PSD. The Constitutional Court of Romania established, on Tuesday, that there is no legal conflict between the Government and Parliament following the submission of a censure motion during an extraordinary session of Parliament. (Alliance News) - Coronavirus tests in England will be rationed as the government struggles to get to grips with soaring demand amid warnings that the country faces a tough six months in the battle with Covid-19. Health Secretary Matt Hancock said there would be "prioritisation" of tests for people with acute clinical need and those in social care settings as he acknowledged "operational challenges" in the system. He faced a barrage of complaints in the Commons about people being forced to travel long distances or even enter false addresses in the hope of securing a test. NHS leaders have called for health workers and patients to be given priority after government sources admitted that demand for tests is currently far outstripping supply. Hancock said an updated prioritisation list would set out who will be at the front of the queue. It comes after anyone suffering symptoms, regardless of where they work or live, were urged to book tests in recent months and amid concerns that the return of children to school a and a government drive to get employees back in the workplace a could increase testing demand. "We have seen a sharp rise in people coming forward for a test, including those who are not eligible," Hancock said. "As demand has risen, so we are having to prioritise once again and I do not shirk from decisions about prioritisation. They are not always comfortable, but they are important." Acute clinical care is the top priority, with social care next on the list and currently receiving more than 100,000 tests a day. Hancock said prioritisation was "a choice that we must make". Government sources acknowledged there was no accurate data on how many people who are not eligible for a test have tried to book one. Hancock admitted that it might be "a matter of weeks" before the testing problems are resolved. Shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth claimed Hancock was "losing control of this virus". Hancock told MPs that the average distance travelled to a test site is now 5.8 miles and defended the government's efforts. But in the Commons, Twickenham MP Munira Wilson said her constituents had been told to enter a postcode as if they lived in Aberdeen in order to secure a test near their south-west London homes. Former health secretary Jeremy Hunt said constituents in his Surrey constituency had been sent to Bristol or the Isle of Wight for tests and Public Accounts Committee Chair Meg Hillier said 90 people were turned away from a walk-in test centre in east London by staff from Deloitte, which runs the service. Downing Street was forced to deny reports that tests are not available in the worst-hit parts of England. A No 10 spokesman said: "Our capacity continues to be targeted to where it is most needed, which is why booking slots and home testing kits are made available daily for people with symptoms." The testing situation was discussed at the Cabinet meeting on Tuesday. John Bell, regius professor of medicine at Oxford University, who has been advising ministers, said the speed at which more people would need tests had been underestimated and warned that the problem could get worse. Bell told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "I think they are definitely behind the curve in terms of getting the necessary tests for what we need today." NHS Providers Chief Executive Chris Hopson said the health service in England had been hit by staff being off work who were unable to get a test or were forced to wait for results. He said the NHS "simply can't spare members of staff waiting for tests not being able to come into work" and patients unable to be tested. Professor Alan McNally, director of the Institute of Microbiology & Infection at the University of Birmingham, who helped set up the Milton Keynes Lighthouse Lab, told BBC Breakfast there were "clearly underlying issues which nobody wants to tell us about", plus a surge in demand for tests. Leading figures in Whitehall are braced for a difficult winter with the possibility of further increases in Covid-19 cases among the more vulnerable elderly population. "This is going to be a problem for six months and I think anyone who thinks otherwise is extremely optimistic," a senior source said. While the number of people in hospital with Covid-19 was relatively low, the source said "the direction of travel is only going to go one way, in my view between now and the winter, which is up". "And as that happens, the risk is that we get bigger numbers," the source warned, potentially leading to an increase in the number of deaths. The government said that as of 0900 BST on Tuesday, there had been a further 3,105 lab-confirmed cases of coronavirus in the UK. A further 27 people had died within 28 days of testing positive for Covid-19 as of Tuesday. This brings the UK total to 41,664. Separate figures published by the UK's statistics agencies show there have now been 57,500 deaths registered in the UK where Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate. source: PA Copyright 2020 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved. The two most recent victims of Oregons widespread wildfires were identified Tuesday by officials in Marion County. The bodies of Justin Cook, 41, and Cathy Cook, 71, were discovered near the family property on the 32000 block of North Fork Lane Southeast in Lyons, the Marion County Sheriffs Office said in a statement. Cathy Cook was Justin Cooks mother, according to the Albany Democrat-Herald, which reported that Justin Cook was a humble, soft-spoken, great guy, according to those who knew him. Last week, Travis Cook, Justin Cooks brother, told Fox 12 News the last time he had heard from the pair was around 7 p.m. on Sept. 7. At the time, the area where they lived was under Level 2 Be set evacuation orders. They were supposed to get notice maybe later that night, but they werent sure, so they were waiting things out, they said they had things ready to go, Travis Cook told the news outlet. Justin and Cathy Cook were not heard from again. At least 8 people have died since strong winds kicked up conflagrations across the state over Labor Day weekend. Wyatt Tofte and Peggy Mosso, a 13-year-old boy and his grandmother, were both killed in Marion County as the Beachie Creek fire burned through Santiam Canyon. At least three people died in the Almeda fire, which ignited near Ashland and decimated the communities of Talent and Phoenix. Over the weekend, firefighters near Goodpasture Road in Vida found a dead body inside a home within the perimeter of the Holiday Farm Fire in Lane County. None of the deceased have been publicly identified. At least 50 people remained unaccounted for Tuesday a number that state officials stress is fluid and may rise as recovery efforts continue. Twenty-two of those people have been confirmed missing, according to the Oregon Office of Emergency Management. -- Kale Williams; kwilliams@oregonian.com; 503-294-4048; @sfkale SAO PAULO, Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Qintess, one of the main suppliers of technology solutions and digital transformation in Brazil, was elected one of the 100 most innovative companies in the country by the "The 100+ Innovators in the Use of IT" award, held annually by IT Midia, one of the main communication Medias in Brazil, in partnership with PwC. With a thorough analysis of the innovation scenario in Brazil, the award assesses companies of all sizes and segments throughout the year, and analyzes their innovations enabled by technology. With investments dedicated to innovation, culture and agile methodology, solid initiatives to accelerate startups and a huge program to create new solutions with open innovation and digitalization, Qintess was recognized within the 2nd position in the Digital Industry - IT and TELECOM category and 17th in the general ranking, being the technology company best positioned among the 100 elected. "It is an honor to be on this list next to so many brands that we admire and, among them, many are also our customers, to whom we dedicate ourselves day by day and with whom we share values and purposes to promote positive transformations for building a better society," says Nana Baffour, CEO, Chairman & Chief Culture Office of Qintess. This recognition reinforces the direction of Qintess towards creating a differentiated innovative ecosystem in Brazil, where through technologies, it will facilitate transformations at a speed the world demands and leave a relevant legacy for a fairer society. "We have enabled a robust open innovation integrated system, with startups (Qintess Ignites Startups program) and all employees (Qintess Lab), to create innovative products and new technologies to improve the speed, impact and scale of our work with Experience Management, Automations, Artificial Intelligence and Analytics - including acquisitions of companies specialized in these themes," says Breno Barros, Chief Innovation & Marketing Officer at Qintess. "On Qintess Labs, an intra-entrepreneur's acceleration platform, we had 12 projects approved in 2020, with 97 ideas submitted and 30 new ones in progress at this time." This year, the award methodology was revised and the pillars of Technology and Innovation Strategy, Innovation Processes and Digital Transformation had 40% relevance in the overall assessment, while the success cases represented 60%. The change was made to better contemplate good innovation practices and the entire ecosystem. "The Pandemic only increased our focus on innovation allowing us to create mature processes in a short time using continuous augmented collaboration with customers, employees, shareholders and society," concludes Barros. About Qintess Qintess brings together expertise with regard to strategy, innovation, design and technology to position itself as a leader in digital transformation. Its actions are informed by ESG best practices and it operates with a genuine concern for its people as well as the communities Qintess engages with. Qintess has approximately 3,200 employees and more than 2,000 customers, with operations in Brazil, Chile, Colombia, the US and EMEA. Visit: www.qintess.com SOURCE Qintess Related Links https://www.qintess.com The Slender man goaded the defendant to kill the victim by stabbing her in the forest. According to a representative lawyer, the case should be in juvenile court instead. When the crime was committed, the suspect was just 12-years-old at the time. One of the arguments of the defendant's lawyer is to raise it to the Supreme Court that the crime was done when she was a minor. It happened in Milwaukee Wisconsin in May 2014 involving three girls going to the woods. When they got there, Morgan Geyser stabbed their friend Payton Leutner, while Anissa Weier told the attacker to continue stabbing, reported Meaww. When the stabbing attack stopped, they left the victim to bleed to death in the woods. The two girls were apprehended by police walking the interstate to the Nicolet National Forest. According to the girls, an imaginary character called the Slender Man ordered them to kill their friend. Or if they didn't, the Slender man will do something bad to their families. This was the reason they told the police about the unprovoked attack on Leutner. It was reported by the Associated Press that the lawyer told the Supreme Court last September 11 to negate the decision since the stabbing was done as a minor. The convicted Geyser is already 18-years-old, and she pled guilty to homicide in the first degree in 2017. When Geyser stabbed the victim in 2014, she was not guilty because of insanity but was sent to a mental ward, reported CrimeOnline. Also read: Step Dad Molests, Impregnates 10-Year-Old Girl, Church Gives Her Baby Shower Last Wednesday, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel said that Wisconsin's 2nd District Court of Appeals did not agree with the appeal stating the venue for the trail was not an error. For the public information, it is the second time Geyser has been defeated after conviction. Mathew Pinix, the attorney of the convicted attempted murderer stresses that he wants to overturn the verdict. One of his arguments is that the charge should have been attempted second-degree intentional homicide that would have been tried in juvenile court. He added that Morgan Geyser's attempt to kill the victim, who survived should be changed, from guilty to a lesser charge, in the Wisconsin Supreme Court. The Associated Press noted that the petition mentioned the extreme fear of Geyser saying that the Slender Man is real. She was convinced that he would indeed kill her loved ones if she did not follow what the fictional character told her to do. Another point that her lawyer raised was that she claims that Lautner attacked her, hence self-defense. Neither was the mental ward sentenced convict able to be sure of what she said. At that time, she was a minor and did not know any better. The victim would have bled to death in the woods if she didn't have the strength to crawl while injured to be discovered by a rescuer. A cyclist passed by and noticed the dying girl who was saved in a timely manner. She was interviewed on ABC's David Muir in 2020 episode recently, saying it was hard to trust anyone after she nearly died. Morgan Geyser, who stabbed the victim 19 times claims self-defense, but the courts have not decided yet on her petition. Related article: Teen Boy Smashes Sister's Skull With Hammer While Asleep Because of Tablet @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Calgary, AB -- (SBWIRE) -- 09/15/2020 -- Rent to Own Canada is a company in Canada that offers assistance to clients experiencing difficulties in obtaining conventional financing. They have a unique rent-to-own program that allows clients to buy a home without having to meet the typical qualifications required by conventional lending institutions. The firm offers its services to all clients regardless of their situation. Speaking about Winnipeg, the company spokesperson said, "Winnipeg is the capital city of Manitoba. It has one of the fastest-growing economies in Canada. Individuals can easily find jobs in manufacturing, finances, information technologies, and many more. Rent prices in the city are among the lowest in Canada. Some of the areas where one can live in Winnipeg include Downtown, Elm Park, Corydon Avenue, and many more. The city features a vast range of amenities, including festivals, museums, art galleries, and many more. Those looking for rent to own home in Winnipeg can contact our firm." Looking for rent to own homes in Toronto? Rent to Own Canada offers a vast range of housing options in Toronto. The firm's houses are located in some of the most popular neighborhoods in the city. The firm helps individuals pursue their homeownership dreams with ease. They offer a variety of payment options tailored to suit the client's financial capabilities. For more information about the firm's services and programs, clients can visit the firm's website. Speaking about the firm's privacy policy, the company spokesperson said, "Privacy policy describes how our firm and our affiliates collect, use, and disclose clients' personal information. We collect personal information when one requests further information, fills out an application form, subscribes to a newsletter or information feed, and many more. Our firm uses personal information to offer personalized services clients, provide products and services related to credit and financial information and many more. We respect our client's right to privacy. That's why our firm is committed to providing a high level of security to one's personal data. For more information about our privacy policy, clients can visit our firm's website." Ottawa is one of the best places to live in. It is the capital city of Canada. Housing prices in the city are more reasonable than in Vancouver and Toronto. Thus, clients can find houses that fit their needs and budget. Low-income rates, high incomes, and plenty of neighborhoods make the city an excellent location to own a home. While living in the city, clients can carry out various activities such as visiting the parliament buildings and little Italy and taking a stroll around Chinatown. Clients can find rent to own homes in Ottawa through Rent to Own Canada. About Rent to Own Canada Rent to Own Canada offers clients the opportunity to find rent to own homes in Calgary. They have a team of experienced realtors who help clients find a suitable home. Through its rent-to-own program, the firm aims to make homeownership easier for their clients. Actor Vishal Singh, who played Jigar Modi in Saath Nibhana Saathiya, opened up about being contacted to reprise his role in the highly-anticipated second season. The actor said that hes okay with a cameo, but is not interested in a full-fledged return to a show he has already been a part of before. Talking to Times of India, Vishal said, I got a call from the makers for the same, and we had a conversation about it. As of now, I am not sure about joining the show again. I am okay doing a cameo but not much interested in doing a show of which I have already been a part of before. I was part of Saath Nibhana Saathiya for more than six years. Right now, I am busy with other work assignments, which involve a lot of travelling. So it will not be possible for me to invest my whole time in doing a daily soap," he said. Vishal also said that putting his prior commitments aside, he would want to showcase his versatility by doing something new. He said that he does not want to be a part of a show he has already done for more than six years. The Saath Nibhana Saathiya reboot came after the viral song Rasode Mein Kaun Tha? by Yashraj Mukhate. While the new season will bring back Devoleena Bhattacharjee as Gopi and Rupal Patel as Kokilaben from the previous season, actors Harsha Nagar and Sneha Jain will join the actors in the show. How ByteDance's CEO balked at selling TikTok's U.S. business Zhang Yiming, founder and global CEO of ByteDance, poses in Palo Alto, California By Echo Wang, Keith Zhai and Joshua Franklin (Reuters) - ByteDance founder and CEO Yiming Zhang's decision to drop his pursuit of a sale of TikTok's U.S. operations to Microsoft Corp in favor of a partnership with Oracle Corp was the culmination of pressure from the Beijing-based firm's investors as it searched for a deal to appease the United States and China, according to people familiar with the deliberations. Concerns among major ByteDance backers such as Sequoia and General Atlantic over the financial hit of selling the popular short-video app in the United States for less than what it is worth led Zhang to opt for the sale of only a stake to Oracle, rather than an outright divestment, the sources said. It is a risky strategy. President Donald Trump has made it clear he wants to see an outright sale of TikTok to a U.S. technology company, amid concerns among national security officials that U.S. user data could be passed on to China's Communist Party government. He has threatened to ban TikTok in the United States as early as Sept. 20 if ByteDance does not comply. China also got involved in the process last month, updating its export control rules to give it a say over the transfer of technology, such as TikTok's recommendation algorithm, to a foreign buyer. Chinese officials have said ByteDance should not be coerced by the United States into a deal. Microsoft executives grew frustrated over the course of the past week as ByteDance became unresponsive to the Redmond, Washington-based company's $20 billion-plus bid for TikTok's U.S. business, three of the sources said. The bid also allowed for future payments based on TikTok's performance, one of the sources added. This offer fell short of ByteDance investors' expectations, the sources said. In arguing for its bid with the Trump administration and U.S. lawmakers, Microsoft upset Zhang, because it referred to TikTok as a security risk it could fix, the sources added. ByteDance has maintained that its ownership of TikTok presents no such risk. All the while, Sequoia and General Atlantic were working with Oracle on an alternative deal that would avert an outright sale, according to the sources. Story continues Concerned over ByteDance's lack of engagement, Microsoft asked the Chinese company whether it had lost out in the race for TikTok's U.S. business, one of the sources said. Microsoft also asked if it could change the deal structure to match Oracle, the source added. ByteDance responded it would choose Oracle even if Microsoft offered the same structure and terms, the source said. Oracle had been working on the potential deal with the ByteDance investors for several weeks, and had made them and Zhang more comfortable about their partnership, according to the source. On Sunday, Microsoft announced ByteDance had rejected its bid to acquire TikTok's U.S. business. This account of how ByteDance picked Oracle as its partner for the TikTok deal is based on interviews with six people with knowledge of the discussions who requested anonymity to disclose details. ByteDance and Microsoft did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Oracle declined to comment and pointed to its statement earlier on Monday that confirmed its participation in the proposed deal. General Atlantic and Sequoia also declined to comment. ByteDance has worked feverishly in the last few days on a deal proposal that would allow the Chinese company to retain a minority stake in TikTok while addressing U.S. security concerns, the sources said. Zhang is referring to this deal in discussions with other ByteDance executives as a restructuring, the sources said. One of the sources called the proposed arrangement akin to a joint venture. Oracle is in negotiations to take a sizable minority stake in TikTok's U.S. business, with the remainder owned by some large ByteDance investors, including General Atlantic and Sequoia, the sources said. Oracle would also take over the management of TikTok's user data in the United States and be responsible for its safety, according to the sources. It is not clear what valuation this deal would infer for TikTok's U.S. business, which has as many as 100 million users. The proposal calls for the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), the U.S. government panel overseeing the deal talks, to approve board directors at TikTok U.S., as well as relationships with major vendors, the sources added. The arrangements would be similar to those CFIUS put in place when Lenovo <0992.HK> acquired IBM's personal computer business in 2005 and SoftBank Group Corp <9984.T> acquired U.S. wireless carrier Sprint in 2013, according to the sources. ByteDance also plans to argue that CFIUS's approval two years ago of China Oceanwide Holdings Group Co Ltd's purchase of U.S. insurer Genworth Financial Inc offers a precedent for its proposal with Oracle, Reuters reported on Sunday. In that deal, China Oceanwide agreed to use a U.S.-based, third-party service to manage Genworth's U.S. policyholder data. ByteDance will argue a similar arrangement with Oracle can safeguard TikTok's U.S. user data. MORE JOBS ByteDance has also made other concessions to appeal to Trump, the sources said. It has offered for TikTok to create 25,000 U.S. jobs, up from a little over 1,000 employees in the United States currently, according to the sources. ByteDance is hoping that Oracle founder Larry Ellison's fundraising for Trump, as well as Oracle CEO Safra Catz's backing of Trump's transition team four years ago, will also boost its chances, the sources said. So far, the White House has been noncommittal in its discussions with ByteDance, and it remains unclear whether the proposed deal will go ahead, the sources said. On Monday, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said CFIUS would review the deal this week and make a recommendation to Trump. The White House did not respond to a request for comment. Reuters reported last week that China's government would rather see TikTok shut down in the United States than see it be part of a forced sale. It would need to approve the transfer of TikTok's algorithm to a foreign buyer. The proposed deal with Oracle would not require ByteDance to apply to Chinese authorities for an export license for TikTok's algorithm, the sources said. (Reporting by Echo Wang and Joshua Franklin in New York and by Keith Zhai; Additional reporting by David Shepardson in Washington; Editing by Greg Roumeliotis, Matthew Lewis and Mark Potter) About 9,000 Romanians can benefit from 15,000 euros each to make their homes energy efficient, through the "Energy Efficient House" programme, which begins on Tuesday, informs a press release of the Ministry of Environment sent to AGERPRES on Tuesday. The programme has a budget of 430 million lei and approximately 9,000 homeowners in Romania will be able to make their homes energy efficient.The aim of the programme is to reduce the energy consumption of Romanians' homes and greenhouse gas emissions. In other words: increasing energy efficiency and/or the use of energy from renewable sources in existing single-family homes, located in a building with a height of no more than three levels.Romanians can benefit from an energy premium amounting to a maximum of 15,000 euros (approximately 70,000 lei), an amount that the Ministry of Environment, Waters and Forests finances through AFM (Environment Fund Administration). The non-reimbursable financing reimburses 60 per cent of the cost of such works, but not more than the mentioned amount, respectively 15,000 euros."The Energy Efficient House is one of the programmes that I care about a lot and that will help the population a lot, and also the economy and the environment. Most houses are not well insulated. Therefore, energy losses reach up to 30 per cent through the exterior walls, 25 per cent through the windows and the roof. It's a known fact that today the building sector is one of the largest consumers of energy and the largest source of greenhouse gases. Our programme has a large environmental component, but also an economic and social one: such an investment leads to a halving of energy bills and, implicitly, to a decrease in national energy consumption," says Minister Costel Alexe.Eligible expenditures of the "Energy Efficient House" programme concern the installation of insulating windows, roof insulation, exterior walls, installation of a more efficient boiler, solar panels, ventilation systems, LED lighting fixtures, motion sensors, taps and new pipes and so on. The condition of the project's eligibility is that the energy efficiency of the house to increase, after its implementation, by at least one energy class.All those interested in the "Energy Efficient House" will apply online for the energy premium, accompanied by an initial energy performance certificate and an energy audit of the house where they want to do the work.Immediately after accepting the application, the owners will receive a unique registration number and have 15 days to submit the investment file. After the approval of the file, the works can start and can take place in a maximum period of 18 months. In the end, AFM settles 60 per cent of the investment, after a new energy audit of the house.Online registration opens at 1.00 pm. Rice University engineers will gain a better understanding of brain activity over time with the support of the National Institutes of Health. The agency has awarded a four-year grant of $4.15 million to Chong Xie of the Brown School of Engineering's Neuroengineering Initiative to maximize the use of devices based on the flexible nanoelectronic thread (NET) he has developed. The information they gather could be critical to the future treatment of neurological disease. The biocompatible probes have the unique ability to stably record electrical information from individual neurons. They will be designed to record neuronal activity in different parts of the brain to help researchers understand complex, three-dimensional patterns that occur on a millisecond time scale but evolve over days, months and years. Xie said current probes are often rigid electrodes that lack the necessary lifetimes to collect dynamic information over the long term and are ill-suited to use with imaging techniques. Micron-thick NET probes, each with 128 contacts, can be implanted in various regions of the brain by attaching them to more rigid tungsten wires of the same size with a water-soluble adhesive. When the glue melts, the wires are withdrawn, leaving the probes in place. "In order to do this at a large scale so we can analyze neural dynamics, we do need to get closer to the scale, to a certain extent, of the nervous system, which we know is huge," said Xie, an associate professor of electrical and computer engineering and of bioengineering who joined Rice this year. "This project is designed to extend the current spatiotemporal scales we have in neuroscience studies by making smaller and more flexible electrodes and with longer-lasting recording capabilities," he said. "We've also engaged a neuroscientist in this project -- co-principal investigator Loren Frank of the University of California, San Francisco -- so we have direct knowledge of what these scientists need." The probes enabled a study published earlier this year by his collaborator, Lan Luan, who used the technology to discover that blood flow recovers faster than the brain in microscopic strokes. In that study, NET probes were combined with optical lines that measured blood flow by laser speckle patterns for as long as eight weeks. Our electrodes in that study were really limited to just a few dozen. But with the new technology development, we're hoping to be able to test these bi-model types of measurements with larger-scale recordings in different regions of the brain." Lan Luan, Study Co-Investigator and Assistant Professor, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Rice University The researchers plan to optimize NET probes to gather high-density information in animal models for various brain regions and species. The current technology is just a start, according to Xie. "We have parallel efforts to design electrodes that may eventually be used in humans," he said. Alex Huk of the University of Texas at Austin and Mattias Karlsson at SpikeGadgets Inc. are also co-investigators on the project. The grant is being administered by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. Dubai Future Accelerators (DFA), an initiative of Dubai Future Foundation (DFF), has opened registration for The Fall 2020 Programme. Now in its eighth edition, the programme aims to attract startups from around the world to participate in an acceleration programme that will take place both virtually and physically in Dubai, UAE. The announcement of the upcoming edition follows the success of earlier cohorts that saw 14 government entities and 299 startups working in synergy to find solutions to more than 115 challenges. Furthermore, more than 125 of the participating startups went on to sign agreements with their partner entities to test their solutions through pilot projects or to implement them within their organisations. DFAs programme provides startups with the opportunity to co-create innovative solutions to future challenges in collaboration with Dubai government. The programme will have startups work on utilising technologies to tackle challenges facing the future of Dubai in key sectors, including transport, energy, health, and digital technologies. The 2020 edition is a 10-week programme that is structured into two phases. A four-week virtual programme; which concludes with a virtual pitching session, where each company will present its customised proposal to a committee. Following an evaluation period, shortlisted startups will advance into the second phase and join a six-week in-residence programme in Dubai. In this phase, participants will test and run a proof of concept (PoC) and pilots of their proposed solutions. The selected startups to join DFAs in-residence programme will receive a plethora of opportunities to partner with government entities and industry leaders throughout the duration of the programme. They will have access to a series of workshops, office hours with mentors, social and cultural activities, infrastructure support, and be part of an ecosystem that enables them to scale their solutions to a potential market of two billion people. DFA is a no-equity accelerator programme and the participating startups are offered a complimentary roundtrip airfare to Dubai as well as accommodation for the duration of their participation in the programme. The last date for receiving applications is September 20. -- Tradearabia News Service Despite the Government encouraging workers to get back to the office, many continue to work from home, either full-time or part-time. It may now mean households are on the hunt for faster and more reliable internet deal, with an increased strain on their service. Holly Niblett, head of digital at Compare the Market, said: 'We have seen a huge increase in the number of people opting for superfast broadband as working from home has become the new norm for millions of workers. 'Superfast broadband has evolved from a luxury to a necessary utility for many households across the country, and as a result it should be accessible to the average household.' There are a range of broadband deals on offer that those working from home could switch to A range of new broadband deals have entered the market, many with added benefits to sweeten the deal, such as reward cards pre-loaded with cash. To help households find a better deal, This is Money has compiled the best broadband offers currently available: What are the best superfast deals? One of the best deals for customers looking to improve their broadband and TV package is with Sky. It is offering its Broadband Superfast + Sky TV deal for 37 per month over 18 months with a 29.95 set-up cost. The deal will give customers an average download speed of 59Mb as well as access to over 100 channels not on Freeview plus over 500 Box Sets. The offer is currently available until 17 September. Meanwhile, Virgin Media is offering their M100 Fibre Broadband for 24 per month for 18 months. The deal comes with a free 75 Amazon voucher and no set-up cost which would usually cost customers 35. These set-up fees have all been waived until 27 September. The average download speed is 108Mb and the deal ends on 20 September. For those facing financial difficulty, one of the best deals soon to be available is Virgin Media's new Essential Broadband plan. Virgin Media's new Essential Broadband plan will help customers in financial difficulty Launching in autumn, the service is targeted specifically at customers facing financial uncertainty in these challenging times. The broadband-only plan will be available to those receiving Universal Credit and will come with a speed of 15Mbps and a fixed price of 15 per month, with no fixed-term contract length and no price changes while benefit payments are being received. Available initially for existing Virgin Media customers, they will be able to take the new service by simply filling out an online form and providing proof of their Universal Credit status. TalkTalk is also offering its Superfast Fibre for 24 per month for 18 months with no setup cost and a free 50 voucher. It has an average download speed of 67Mb and promises to fix its prices until 2022. The deal runs out tomorrow. John Lewis' Unlimited Broadband & Evening and Weekend Calls is now available for 20 per month for 12 months. Customers will receive a free 40 John Lewis e-Gift Card and there will be no setup cost. However, the average download speed is lower than its rivals at 10Mb. The offer ends on 22 September. For those who want speedy internet, BT's Fibre 2 deal is now on offer for 29.99 a month for 24 months. It comes with a free 110 Reward Card, a card preloaded with funds customers can spend at most merchants that display the MasterCard logo. There is a 9.99 setup cost and offers an average download speed of 67Mb. The offer ends on 17 September. Plusnet is offering its Unlimited Fibre deal for just 22.99 per month 18 months with a free setup. It comes with a 60 Reward Card which again can be spent anywhere with a MasterCard logo. The average download speed is 36Mb and the deal ends on 16 September. Those looking for the fastest broadband could benefit from Hyperoptic's 150Mb fibre connection. The 12 month contract offers households some of the fastest internet speeds available with unlimited downloads. Customers will pay 29 a month as well as a 29 set-up fee. Australians have given Treasurer Josh Frydenberg the green light to borrow big in next month's federal budget to pull the country out of recession and help the nation's unemployed while businesses want a higher GST to pay down government debt. With Mr Frydenberg expected to reveal a record budget deficit of more than $200 billion in the October 6 budget, the long-running tax survey by progressive think tank Per Capita shows almost half of all respondents back the use of government debt to rebuild the economy. Major infrastructure projects, such as Sydney's Westconnex project, will feature in the federal government's plan to recover from the recession. Taxpayers back more borrowing to fund such projects. Credit:Sam Mooy The government will outline a major infrastructure program in the budget as well as other measures to lift productivity. With the budget expected to be in deficit for several years, any extra spending will have to be financed by borrowing. The Reserve Bank, in the minutes of its September meeting released on Tuesday, argued all levels of government could increase their borrowing levels to boost the economy. SAN DIEGO, Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) has made the 'unconventional' decision to host their annual conference in an all-digital format from October 26th-29th. Product View 2020 has not been a conventional year, so ACEP needed an unconventional way to host its annual conference, now fittingly named Unconventional 2020. ACEP's annual event is the world's largest emergency medicine conference, and Unconventional 2020 will now be hosted on JUNO, a virtual event platform created to connect and engage attendees to events, on-demand content, courses, and more 365 days a year. ACEP promotes the highest quality of emergency care for physicians and patients alike, and this commitment to quality drove them to choose JUNO as the platform to deliver a best-in-class experience for their members. This innovative and interactive online event will uniquely capture the pace and spirit of the emergency medicine industry. JUNO's platform will create one-of-a-kind experiences featuring main stage presentations and breakout sessions where users can participate in live question and answer, chat, and networking with other attendees. Exhibitors and sponsors will showcase their products and services while being able to interact with attendees live via JUNO. Unconventional 2020 will offer over 250 courses with unlimited seating capacity, so there's no need to reserve a spot or run down the hall to catch the next speaker. Unconventional 2020 allows attendees to access unlimited content from the comfort of their own home. Each Unconventional attendee will have their own JUNO room, giving them the ability to network with other attendees, share ideas, and more! Immediately following the event, attendees will gain access to additional presentations as well as all recordings of breakouts, panel discussions, and more for three years-all of which are included in registration for the event. JUNO allows organizations to make their events not just a one-time experience, but something that gives their members the value they expect in a way that's accessible and helps build their networks. Additionally, the platform allows attendees to earn 250+ hours of on-demand CME credit with the ability to customize their experience based on individual schedules. With JUNO's innovative and engaging platform, ACEP's Unconventional 2020 event will be a virtual conference with a year-round impact. Want to learn more about ACEP or JUNO? Visit them here: ACEP & JUNO Contact: Desiree Bergman 661-246-7447 [email protected] SOURCE JUNO Amazon announced on Monday its plans to hire 100,000 additional workers across North America as it tries to keep up with the increase of online orders. The retail giant plans to hire both full-time and part-time associates across the United States and Canada with a starting wage of at least $15 per hour with benefits. It includes a sign-on bonus of up to $1,000 in selected cities. The hiring plan comes in addition to the openings for 33,000 corporate and technology jobs announced last week. According to senior vice president of worldwide operations at Amazon, Dave Clark, the majority of roles will be at the company's 100 new warehouse and operations sites opening this month. The company has been expanding its reach to provide improved services to customers in their communities. The company has been receiving numbers of orders since the beginning of the pandemic. The firm quickly announced its first hiring spree in March to keep up with the overload of orders as many people were forced to stay home and shop online. The company's revenue increase by 40 percent to $ 88.9 billion, compared to the $63.4 billion recorded a year ago. Amazon also reportedly invested $350 million to fund near-term wage increase for its workers in the United States, Canada, and Europe through April. Clark said getting a priority item to your doorstep is vital as communities enforce social distancing, especially to elderly and others with preexisting conditions. "We are seeing a significant increase in demand, which means our labor needs are unprecedented for this time of year," Clark said in a report. The company said U.S. workers would receive an additional $2 per worked hour beyond the company's $15 minimum wage. It added that employees in Canada and some European countries would receive similar increases through the end of April. Amazon said in March that it is following recommended health practices such as social distancing to protect the public health during the pandemic. Amazon is inviting workers from the industries most affected by the pandemic to apply. These industries include restaurant workers. Clark said they know many people have been economically affected as jobs in hospitality, restaurants, and travel are lost or furloughed because of the pandemic. He added that the company wanted those people to know that they welcome them on their teams until things return to normal, and their past employers can bring them back. Amazon earlier announced its plans to invest $18 billion to help small and medium-sized businesses grow their sales. "This new investment will go toward putting a spotlight on the diversity of small businesses selling in Amazon's store, positioning them for increased sales during Prime Day and throughout Q4," the company said in a report. Amazon noted that despite the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic has had on small businesses, many Americans selling through their platform have experienced continued growth. The company added that global third-party sales from these businesses had reached over $2 billion during last year's Prime Day. Want to read more? Two suspects have been arrested for the murder of a Utah woman who was found dead just days after her mother warned that she had been kidnapped. Joseph Edward 'Joey' Fought, 30, and Brittany Elizabeth 'Josie' Phillips, 27, were taken into custody on August 31 in San Bernardino, California, authorities announced Tuesday. Their arrests came a week after 26-year-old Stevie Shay Wilkerson's body was found in a rural part of Iron County, Utah. Her death was ruled a homicide. Stevie was first reported missing from her home in St George on August 9 by her mother, Vawna Wilkerson. The day after Stevie vanished, Vawna issued a desperate plea on Facebook claiming that her daughter had been 'abducted [and] taken against her own will' by a couple who threatened to kill her. Vawna claimed Stevie was 'being held hostage by a man calling himself Joey and a woman calling herself Jose', who she 'accidentally crossed paths with' at a hotel. 'Please help me find my beautiful baby girl... they are armed and have threatened to kill her,' the mother wrote in all caps. Authorities investigating the case never confirmed any of the details Vawna presented in her Facebook post, but it now appears that she was right about the nicknames of the suspects. Stevie Shay Wilkerson (left) was found murdered in Utah just days after her mother Vawna Wilkerson (right) warned that her daughter had been kidnapped by a couple who were holding her hostage and threatening to kill her Stevie (right) was reported missing in St George on August 9 and her body was recovered about an hour away in Iron County two weeks later on August 23 One day after Stevie vanished, her mother Vawna issued a desperate plea on Facebook (pictured) warning that the 26-year-old had been 'abducted [and] taken against her own will'. Police have not commented on Vawna's claims Iron County Sheriff's Lt Del Schlosser said Fought, of North Carolina, and Phillips, of Missouri, were arrested at a motel in Barstow, California, on August 31. According to a probable cause statement filed in support of the arrests, the couple were seen in the St George area around the time Stevie was last seen leaving a Claridge Inn on South Bluff Street. The suspects were allegedly driving a white Chevrolet Colorado pick-up truck that had been reported stolen from a rental company in Arkansas - matching the vehicle description Vawna gave in her post. The statement from Lt Schlosser said Fought and Phillips transported Stevie and another unidentified female in the truck to Cedar City, where the other woman said Stevie was 'removed from the truck and left near the city of Enterprise'. Stevie's body was found near where the woman said she was left on August 23, and police said it had been there 'for some time'. Authorities have not said how Stevie was killed or whether she was alive when she was dropped off near Enterprise. Fought and Phillips are currently being held on charges for felony possession of a stolen vehicle, but Lt Schlosser said 'additional charges are pending'. The pair have been held without bond since their arrests as they await extradition to Idaho. Both suspects have extensive criminal histories spanning multiple states, police said. Police have not said how Stevie (pictured) died or how she knew the suspects in her death In the comments section of her Facebook post, Vawna claimed that the couple who took her daughter were wanted for kidnapping in other states. She also expressed frustration with the investigation prior to Stevie's body being found. 'I don't think they are even doing anything,' she wrote on August 11. 'They quit keeping in touch with us yesterday...' Vawna further claimed that the police, Stevie's boyfriend and staff at the hotel where she disappeared were refusing to give her descriptions of the people she claimed abducted her daughter. Stevie's cousin, Angie Golish, expressed her heartbreak at the body discovery in an interview with the Deseret News. Golish described Stevie as an animal lover with 'a big heart, not a mean bone in her body'. 'She was just sweet and a little shy,' the cousin said. 'She was so kindhearted and loved all animals, big and small. She dreamed of being a veterinarian growing up.' 'My aunt said it feels extra tragic that she would die this way because she was truly a person who wouldn't hurt anyone or anything,' Golish added in apparent reference to Vawna. Stevie worked as a quality control inspector at Megapro Screen Printing in St George, according to her Facebook profile. In her final post on June 26, she asked for help finding an apartment to rent with her boyfriend and dog, Niko. An equestrian center in Oregon that opened its doors to horses displaced by raging forest fires soon found its stalls home to almost an entire farmyard including pigs, ducks, donkeys and even an ox. Last week, staff at the Mount Hood Center in Boring, east of Portland, offered refuge to owners and their horses fleeing the West Coast blazes that have torched an area roughly the size of the state of New Jersey and killed at least 35 people. In just a few hours each one of their 80 stalls had been filled, with desperate owners bringing in their horses, often from places just a few dozen miles (kilometers) away from the fires. People were desperate, they had nowhere to go they were losing their homes, losing their barns, and certainly didnt want to lose their animals," said Aaron Shelley, director of operations at the center. But it wasnt just horses that came in two by two the staff also welcomed an ox, donkeys, ponies, ducks and pigs. There were a lot of animals that were panicked and they were kicking and they were yelling. It sounded like this was a war zone in here with all the screaming and yelling," Shelley said. The horses in particular used to being out in the open air had to be kept calm by the staff. My staff did an amazing job," Shelley said. Walking the aisles, talking to the horses comforting them with nice words." Help also came from some locals who provided food for the animals, while pictures posted online by the center showed trucks arriving laden with donated hay and staff distributing it to the animals. We have all these empty stalls. It just was the natural thing to do", said Brandi Hatch, the centers director. Its wonderful to see how people came together and helped us." Sarah Anderson, who works in the center, brought her four horses in on Wednesday. I brought the animals first, then I came back with my motorhome, and decided to camp here," the 34-year-old said. Her home in Eagle Creek had not been destroyed, but she did not know when she would be able to return. Even though the horses are safe now from the fires, the dense smoke that fills the air is still a danger. With animals of this size, the danger is inhalation of fumes and the quality of the air," said Anderson. We dont make them exercise a lot, we walk them at a walk so that they dont get their heart rate up and dont make them breathe more than they need to." By Sunday, many had found more permanent shelters and had moved on, and there were only about 20 horses left in the center. But with the fires still burning in the state, the staff are still on alert. You cant predict whos going to be affected next," said Shelley. Were just keeping our doors open, to make sure were available for anybody who needs us." Bahrain to normalize diplomatic ties with Israel, second Arab nation in 1 month in deal brokered by Trump Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Bahrain will establish full diplomatic relations with Israel, President Donald Trump announced Friday, making it the second Arab Gulf nation within a month to normalize ties with the Jewish state. A joint statement about the peace agreement that was released by Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Bahraini King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, said: Opening direct dialogue and ties between these two dynamic societies and advanced economies will continue the positive transformation of the Middle East and increase stability, security, and prosperity in the region. The statement said that every nation would continue to work toward achieving "a just, comprehensive and enduring resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The announcement of the deal coincided with the 19th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. Johnnie Moore, a prominent religious freedom advocate and founder of the KAIROS Company, called the agreement as an "astonishing, diplomatic feat." "If this were any other President there would be wall-to-wall coverage heralding it as a once-in-generation achievement," Moore wrote on Twitter Friday. Bahrain is a small nation-state comprised of a small archipelago of 40 islands in the Persian Gulf with a population of approximately 1.5 million people comprised of mostly Arab Bahrainis and Asians. The country is situated between the Qatari peninsula and the northeastern Saudi Arabian coast and is home to the U.S. Navy's regional headquarters. Friday's announcement comes on the heels of Serbia and Kosovo a partially-recognized Muslim-majority nation in Eastern Europe normalizing economic relations last week. As part of that deal, agreements in principle were made for Kosovo to recognize Israel and for Serbia to relocate its embassy to Jerusalem as the United States did in late 2017. In August, the United Arab Emirates agreed to establish full relations with Israel. In response to the deal with the UAE, a Norwegian politician nominated Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize. The conventional thinking about Middle East affairs has been that a peace agreement between the Israelis and the Palestinians in their long-running conflict is a necessary predicate for re-establishing diplomatic ties between Israel and other Arab nations. The Trump administration appears to be doing it the other way around, ironing out peace accords with Arab nations in view of ongoing efforts with Israelis and the Palestinians. That two peace deals happened so quickly has some believing that normalized relations might be broadened with other nations throughout the region. A senior Palestinian official called the deal with Bahrain "a betrayal." This is another stab in the back of the Palestinian cause, the Palestinian people and their rights, said Wasel Abu Yousef, a senior Palestinian official, according to The Associated Press. It is a betrayal of Jerusalem and the Palestinians. ... We see absolutely no justification for this free normalization with Israel. In the UAE agreement, Israel agreed to the freezing of its decision to annex Palestinian territories, a condition the Arab nation saw as essential. Yet a senior Israeli official has said Netanyahus annexation was only temporarily suspended to permit the signing of the deal with the Emirates. After the Arab League refused to condemn the normalization agreement between Israel and the UAE, Mohannad Aklouk, the Palestinian envoy to the Arab League, said in a Facebook post on Wednesday: With pride ... [Palestine] wanted a decision from the Council of Arab Foreign Ministers rejecting and condemning Emirati normalization [with Israel] ... but [Palestine] could not impose it ... We have honor, we have martyrs, we have prisoners, we have the camps of glory. .. And this is enough for us. The geopolitical shift in the region highlights easing tensions between Israel and some Arab states and the increased disdain mostly Sunni Muslim nations in the Persian Gulf have toward Iran, whose Shi'ite government is openly hostile toward Israel and funds proxies throughout the Middle East, such as the terrorist group Hezbollah. Bahrain has blamed Iran for arming militants in the island nation. Netanyahu indicated that other deals were in the works in a separate statement Friday, noting that it took 26 years between the second peace agreement with an Arab country and the third, a reference to a 1994 treaty with Jordan and the August deal with the UAE. But only 29 days between the third and the fourth, and there will be more, he said. Deputy General Secretary of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Boamah Otokunor, is livid at the Electoral Commisision (EC) for announcing a whooping GHS100, 000 as filing fee for any candidate seeking to contest as President in the December 7 polls. To him, the figure is unreasonable arguing that the commission has already been funded by government to run a smooth election. What did they factor into consideration to determine this amount? he questioned. The EC, at a press conference in Accra on Monday, announced that presidential nominees for the upcoming 2020 elections are required to pay an amount of GH100,000 as filing fees to enable them to partake in the elections. The Commission also announced a filing fee GH10,000 for parliamentary nominees. The monies are to be paid through a bankers draft and they must all file their nominations between Monday, 5 October, and Friday, 9 October. Speaking in the issue in an interview on NEAT FMs morning show Ghana Montie, Otokunor asserted that the amount to be paid is an attempt by EC to end the presidential ambition of some aspirants. Their plot is unfair to the democratic advancement of this country. A democratic instituition like the EC should not put in policies to negatively affect others, he told host Mac Jerry Osei Agyeman. Source: King Edward Ambrose Washman Addo/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Liddell Power Station is seen February 14, 2006 in Muswellbrook, Australia. (Ian Waldie/Getty Images) Build New Power Plant or We Will: Australian PM Prime Minister Scott Morrison has delivered an ultimatum to the energy sector, promising to step in if private companies do not replace electricity generation for the soon-to-be-closed Liddell power station. In a speech in Newcastle on Tuesday, Morrison said private energy companies have seven months to come up with a plan to replace the 1,000 megawatts generated by the coal-fired station in the New South Wales Hunter Valley. The Liddell power station is slated to close 2023. The prime minister has promised to mobilise the government-owned Snowy Hydro to build a gas power plant in its stead, however, emphasised that this was not the preferred course of action. The move is founded on fears energy prices could spike like what occurred in Victoria following the closure of the Hazlewood coal-fired power station, which sent wholesale prices rising by 30 percent on average. Morrisons announcement forms one part of the JobMaker plan, which aims to create more jobs post-COVID. Driving down energy prices and creating reliable sources for businesses is designed to encourage business investment. Treasurer Josh Frydenberg sits as he listens to Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison speak in the House of Representatives during Question Time at Parliament House in Canberra, Australia on Sept. 2, 2020. (David Gray/Getty Images) Energy Minister Angus Taylor says replacing Liddell with a gas plant will also help reduce Australias carbon emissions. This particular initiative, which is focused on replacing Liddell, will not just bring down emissions in New South Wales, it will also contain prices and keep the lights on, he said. Morrison also pledged $53 million to unlock more gas supply for the domestic market. The government will focus on dispatchable powerelectricity generation that can be turned off and on when necessaryrather than renewable energy to ensure reliability. Five key gas basins will be unlocked at the cost of $28.3 million, including the Beetaloo Basin and Galilee Basin. Morrison also wants to fast-track interconnectors and build more gas pipelines to ensure electricity can be moved around the east coast of Australia. States and territories will be subject to useit or loseit gas licenses to manage energy usage. An Australian Gas Hub will also be established in Wallumbilla in Queensland to facilitate a trading system for liquid gas between the states. Labors energy spokesman Mark Butler said the coalitions gas plan was heavy on spin and light on substance, arguing it was not ambitious or fast enough. Its hard to see where you get a single job from this announcement in the time frame that we need, in the deepest recession in almost a century, he said. Butler said the role of renewable energies such as batteries and pumped hydro was completely missing from the plan. This is the cheapest new energy in the system, and its continuing to drop in price every single year, he said. New gas power is the most expensive way to build new energy, he added. Labor is also facing scrutiny over its climate policies after a draft policy platform leaked to The Australian had no specific medium-term emissions targets. The Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, has said the security agency would deploy a 31,000 police personnel ahead of the governorship election in Edo state. Mr Adamu said this on Monday at a stakeholders meeting held at Oba Akenzua Cultural Centre, Benin the Edo state capital, Vanguard newspaper reported. The meeting was organised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). INEC had fixed September 19 for the Edo governorship. The polls are also expected to hold, amid the coronavirus pandemic. As of Monday, Edo State ranks fifth with over 2,000 cases of COVID-19, according to data from the NCDC. However, there are also security challenges rocking the state, with reports of reports violence, shooting, and disruption of public peace during the electioneering campaigns in the state. Some civil right groups have expressed concerns over the spate of violence in the state. Osagie Ize-Iyamu is running under the APC, while the incumbent governor Godwin Obaseki is running for re-election on the platform of the PDP, after being denied renomination by the APC. This is arising from his fall out with his successor, Adams Oshiomhole, who was then the national chairman of the party. But, the IGP, while assuring the safety of lives and properties, said the Police have been able to map out all the three senatorial districts and the 18 local government areas in the state. Aside from the optimal deployment of our intelligence assets to pro-actively frustrate any threat to the elections, we shall be deploying a total of 31,000 Police personnel for the purpose of protecting the personnel and assets of the Independent National Electoral Commission, the electorate, and residents of Edo State before, during and immediately after the elections. As part of our election security plans, all the three senatorial districts, 18 local government areas, 192 wards and 2,627 polling units across the state have been appropriately mapped out, and adequate deployments will be made to ensure security, he said. In his remarks, the INEC chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, said the Commission is determined to deepen the deployment of technology in elections. He said the new technology deployed by the commission called Z-pad would serve as biometric accreditation using the facial image of the voter fingerprint authentication. INEC had also introduced last month a dedicated online portal, INEC Result Viewing (IRV), that will enable Nigerians to view results. The platform was used during the August 8 Nasarawa central by-election; noting it would be used as a test run for feature elections. The electoral umpire, however, stressed that the innovation does not constitute electronic collation of results. Perhaps the most critical of the recent innovations introduced by the Commission is the use of a tablet now popularly called the z-pad. It is a new innovation introduced to serve as a secondary means of achieving full biometric accreditation using the facial image of the voter in support of the fingerprint authentication by the Smart Card Reader. Secondly, the camera on the tablet will be used to take a picture of the polling unit result (EC8A) and to upload same on a dedicated portal (INEC RESULT VIEWING IRV). This will enable all those interested in viewing the results to do so in real-time. The Commission deployed the z-pad in the Nasarawa Central State Constituency bye-election in Nasarawa State on 8th August 2020. It was a test-run intended to assess the functionality of the technology before its deployment in major elections. While the capture and upload of polling unit level result went on smoothly, the facial authentication did not. Without going into the technical details, let me say that the Commission encountered hardware and software issues which needed to be fixed. Scientific American is backing Joe Biden for president, the first endorsement in the magazine's 175-year history. The editors backed Biden in the magazine's October policy and ethics section while calling President Trump's response to the coronavirus pandemic "dishonest and inept." In the announcement, editors wrote that the endorsement was not given lightly, but with sufficient evidence to support that "Donald Trump has badly damaged the U.S. and its peoplebecause he rejects evidence and science." The article also calls into account numerous decisions on the Trump administration's part to roll back environmental protections and medical care in legislation. "That is why we urge you to vote for Joe Biden, who is offering fact-based plans to protect our health, our economy and the environment," the editors wrote. "These and other proposals he has put forth can set the country back on course for a safer, more prosperous and more equitable future." The endorsement comes as the American death toll of the coronavirus pandemic surpasses 195,000, millions are threatened by disastrous wildfires and hurricane seasons, and Mr. Trump continues to challenge the reality of climate change. In a briefing on the deadly western wildfires with California Governor Gavin Newsom, Mr. Trump asserted that climate change was not a part of the growing fires, stating "I don't think science knows, actually." With less than 50 days left before the presidential election, both Biden and Mr. Trump are ramping up campaign events across the country. While the Trump campaign has doubled down on the inefficacies of American scientific institutions, holding rallies despite rules against large crowds in many states, the Biden campaign has grown stronger in its messaging on climate change. "If we have four more years of Trump's climate denial, how many suburbs will be burned in wildfires?" Biden asked in a Delaware campaign speech. "How many suburban neighborhoods will have been flooded out? How many suburbs will have been blown away in superstorms?" Story continues While the editors focused on Mr. Trump's reaction to the COVID-19 health crisis, including not wearing masks in public appearances, and failing to develop a national strategy for testing, they also noted Biden's plans for economic recovery, public health and family-focused initiatives, calling him a candidate "who has a record of following the data and being guided by science." Eye Opener: Gulf Coast residents brace for Hurricane Sally Hurricane Sally strengthens as it barrels toward the Gulf Coast Search for suspect who ambushed 2 Los Angeles sheriff's deputies (Newser) Bob Woodward says that when he was researching new book Rage, he was shocked to realize that President Trump blew a major opportunity to warn the public about the pandemic. Woodward told NBC Monday that Trump was briefed on the virus threat Jan. 28, but failed to share the warnings a week later in his State of the Union address, which was watched by 40 million people. Woodward said "a lot more could have been done" if Trump, like FDR after Pearl Harbor, had told the truth to the public. "It is one of those shocks, for me, having written about nine presidents, that the president of the United States possessed the specific knowledge that could have saved lives, and historians are going to be writing about the lost month of February for tens of years," Woodward said. story continues below Host Savannah Guthrie asked Woodward about his book's claim that restricting travel from China was Dr. Anthony Fauci's idea, not the president's, the Hill reports. It's not that President Trump banned travel, people coming from China to the United States," Woodward said. "He restricted it, and as we now know, there were some problems and lots of people from China instead of coming to the United States went to Europe and then came into John F. Kennedy airport in New York, And that's why there was such a firestorm of a virus in New York City at that time. Woodward also played an interview clip in which Trump, discussing his relationships with world leaders, said: "The tougher and meaner they are, the better I get along with them." (Woodward has defended his decision not to release Trump's virus remarks earlier.) She rose to fame with her lingerie campaigns in the Nineties. And Sophie Anderton gave a nod to her modelling heyday as she posed in a neon pink 90s-inspired bikini while soaking up the sun in the South of France. The model, 43, flaunted her model credentials at the poolside against a backdrop of the luscious French landscape for an Instagram post on Tuesday. Wow: Sophie Anderton, 43, gave a nod to her modelling heyday as she posed in a neon pink 90s-inspired bikini while soaking up the sun in the South of France Highlighting her toned frame, Sophie pulled her bikini bottoms high on her hips and posed with her leg pointed to elongate her sun-kissed pins. Sophie rested one hand on her peachy posterior while she raised her right arm above her head to showcase her incredibly-toned limbs. The Gossard icon swept her raven tresses off her face into a sleek ponytail and accessorised with layered colourful bracelets and hoop earrings. Stunning: The Gossard icon swept her raven tresses off her face into a sleek ponytail and accessorised with layered colourful bracelets and hoop earrings Captioning the snaps, she penned: 'Total poolside throwback to the 90s! Loving the whole neon vibes by Hunza G with @castanerofficial' Keeping all eyes on her figure, Sophie added a dash of bronzer to her cheekbones and dash of mascara. Captioning the snaps, she penned: 'Total poolside throwback to the 90s! Loving the whole neon vibes by Hunza G with @castanerofficial.' Sophie currently lives in Wicklow with her boyfriend, Polish jazz musician Count Kaz Balinski-Jundzill. The Celebrity Big Brother star has been practising yoga to keep fit and sane in lockdown and suggests others do the same. What a babe! Sophie proved she's still got it earlier this month as she uploaded images of herself sunbathing during her scenic trip to the South of France Sophie prioritises her health and wellness following her highly publicised battle with drink and drugs. Yet speaking to The Daily Mail in 2015, the media personality dismissed all this as 'light years from where I am now.' She explained: 'I was very unhappy [in my 20s]. I had no control over who I was or how I looked. 'I was a model but at some point modelling became only one part of what was required of us, and suddenly to be successful we had to be celebrities. 'Its not something that came naturally. I was terrible at being famous.' Kangana Ranaut seems to have taken it upon herself to 'fix' the prevalent issues in the Hindi film industry and the actor took to Twitter to comment on the rampant use of drugs in the film fraternity. "Most popular drug in the film industry is cocaine, it is used in almost all house parties it's very expensive but in the beginning when you go to the houses of high and mighty it's given for free, MDMA crystals are mixed in water and at times passed on to you without your knowledge," tweeted Ranaut. While Kangana's comment portrays a picture that everyone in the industry is wrong and needs to be boycotted, Manoj Bajpayee in an interview with India Today offered a different perspective, disagreeing with Kangana's opinion. He said, Its unfair to generalize. We have all sorts of people in the industry. I dont know why but I feel that the one who is painting such a picture of everyone in the industry being a drug addict has vested interests. I am not defending the industry. If I say there are good things, there are flaws too and I will keep fighting the wrongs. Its everywhere. He added, When you compare the entire industry to a drug cartel, people who are watching TV think that I am some drugs ka godaam. They think Kancha Seth is Manoj Bajpayee. Jab iss tarike se baat ho rahi hai, toh lagta hai ki koi vested interest hai. I have been saying these to people that theres some hidden truth in whats being projected on TV. After Jaya Bachchan @BajpayeeManoj tells me that the film industry is NOT a drug cartel & that certain individuals were discrediting & maligning the Hindi film industry due to their own 'vested interests' @anubhavsinha pic.twitter.com/EshceFhwC1 Sushant Mehta (@SushantNMehta) September 15, 2020 And honestly, Manoj Bajpayee's response seems very sensible and balanced, if we may say so. The actor has also been in the limelight for his Bhojpuri rap song on migrant workers, Bambai Main Ka Ba. The song showcases the plight of migrant workers who leave the comfort of home behind to move to a bigger city for their livelihood. Directed and conceptualized by Anubhav Sinha, the song has been penned down by Dr. Sagar and sung by the actor himself. Speaking about his own journey from a small village in Bihar to Mumbai, Manoj had earlier told Humans of Bombay, Im a farmers son. I grew up in a village in Bihar with five siblings we went to a hut school. We led a simple life, but whenever we went to the city, wed go to the theatre. I was a Bachchan fan and wanted to be like him. At 9, I knew acting was my destiny. Do you agree with Manojs statements that stem from his own experiences? Let us know ABC/Frank OckenfelsMonday nights season premiere of Dancing With the Stars was one you didnt want to miss. Disney Channel alum Skai Jackson showed off her incredible moves dancing to Nicki Minaj's "Super Bass. Along with her partner Alan Bersten, the 18-year-old actress brought her high energy and flexibility to her Tango performance, along with a split, earning one of the highest scores of the night: 21 out of 30. "The sky is the limit," judge Bruno Tonioli told Skai after her impressive performance. With numbers like this, Skai could be one of the youngest winners in DWTS history and Twitter was buzzing with words of support. "You killed it," tweeted Yung Miami of City Girls. Another stellar performance fans cant stop talking about is Nellys hot salsa performance to his Country Grammar single, "Ride Wit Me. Mr. "Young Swivel" himself showed the judges his fancy footwork, wearing a red ensemble during a routine with his partner Daniella Karagach. Their performance opened with the two on the back of a motorcycle, a nod to the song's music video. The Grammy-winning rapper even managed to pull off a backflip while wearing retro Jordan sneakers during his performance instead of ballroom dance shoes -- all with a smile on his face. Even after all that, the judges rated Nelly and Daniellas performance a 16 out of 30, prompting boos from what seemed to be virtual viewers. One fan tweeted, "If Nelly keeps doing the salsa to his own songs he will win the peoples vote." Tune in to the next episode of Dancing with the Stars, airing Mondays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC. By Rachel George Copyright 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved. Turkey withdrew its seismic research vessel, the Oruc Reis, from the contested waters of the eastern Mediterranean Sea, where tensions triggered by the ships activities have run high for more than a month. The move came as a surprise for many, and observers wonder whether the move is just a tactical pause. The move closely followed a showdown between the two NATO allies. On Sept. 13 Greek President Katerina Sakellaropoulou visited the island of Kastellorizo, or Meis in Turkish, a Greek island with about 500 inhabitants only a mile off Turkey's coast and some 355 miles (570 kilometers) from the Greek mainland. The Turkish side interpreted the visit as a provocation amid the dangerous escalation in the eastern Mediterranean. In response, Turkey's defense minister and the top military brass traveled to the coastal town of Kas, just across the water from the Greek island. The Oruc Reis, which had been exploring the contested waters for hydrocarbon resources accompanied by Turkish warships, withdrew from the zone and returned to port in Turkeys coastal province of Antalya. According to a NAVTEX issued by Turkey this month, the ship was expected to continue its research in the contested waters until Sept. 25. Many observers consider the withdrawal a step back by Turkey. Although the Turkish Energy Ministry quickly announced that the vessel had left the area for refueling and maintenance, the statement convinced no one. Apparently, Turkeys strongman President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was the first to blink in the standoff, facing increasing international pressure campaign led by French President Emmanuel Macron. It is also no coincidence that the move came as Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was visiting the Greek Cypriot administration, which is not recognized by Turkey. During his visit, Pompeo stressed the need for a de-escalation, calling on Turkey to stop its drilling activities in the conflicted zone. The Turkish political opposition also interpreted the withdrawal as a concession. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis welcomed the move. Greece is ready to start a new cycle of exploratory contacts with Turkey," he said in a Sept. 13 TV interview. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu tried to downplay the Turkish ships withdrawal, saying, The Turkish opposition claims that we have conceded are not true. The ship will be back once it is refueled and maintenance work is completed. Although its clear that Erdogan has backed down, he is clearly timing his comeback rather than working for de-escalation and prioritizing diplomacy. Erdogan tacitly conceded to his new nemesis, Macron. During a summit between the Mediterranean countries of the European Union on Sept. 10, Macron lambasted Ankara. Turkey is no longer a partner in the eastern Mediterranean, Macron said, adding that Erdogan was the problem. Erdogans response was fierce as usual, but he must have realized at the summit that all the Mediterranean EU countries would line up behind Greece and France at the end of the day. The European Council is expected to discuss sanctioning on Turkey on Sept. 24-25. It is also no coincidence that Erdogans step back came two days after the international credit rating agency Moodys downgraded Turkeys credit rating to an all-time low. Moodys cited three key drivers for the downgrade, explaining, Turkey's external vulnerabilities are increasingly likely to crystallize in a balance of payments crisis. As the risks to Turkey's credit profile increase, the country's institutions appear to be unwilling or unable to effectively address these challenges. Turkey's fiscal buffers are eroding. Facing a deep economic and financial crisis, Turkey has used various expedients to counter the depreciation of the Turkish lira without success. Since the beginning of 2020, Turkeys Central Bank has used billions of dollars from its hard currency reserves to stop the weakening of the Turkish lira. Turkeys economy heavily relies on foreign markets, especially the European Union, for exports, imports and for short-term finance and technology with no alternatives. Thus, EU economic sanctions could have a fatal impact on the Turkish economy and Erdogans survival. Yet despite this prospect, Turkeys withdrawal does not mean that Ankara will lean on diplomacy to solve highly complicated territorial conflicts between Turkey and Greece. The Turkish power structure does not have much room for diplomacy. Under Erdogans autocracy, the Turkish Foreign Ministry is a highly politicized public relations instrument. Erdogan's foreign policy is a reflection of his heavy-handed style in domestic politics that leaves no room for dissent. Its gunboat diplomacy in the eastern Mediterranean has been shaped by anti-US, anti-EU Eurasianist sentiments and expansionist doctrine. Erdogan counts many ultranationalists among his allies, including former hawkish navy generals who have no use for diplomacy in dealing with Greece. They use Greece's claims over the contested waters to feed their anti-Western and pro-Russian stance. As long as Erdogan's alliance with the ultranationalists continues, there is not much room for diplomacy and negotiated settlements in the eastern Mediterranean. Thus, Erdogans decision to withdraw the Turkish ship from the conflicted area might only mark a respite until the end of the upcoming EU summit in a bid to dodge possible EU sanctions. After sanctions that could further damage the Turkish economy and his own chances of survival are averted, he may well revive his belligerent eastern Mediterranean policy. Erdogan will always need nationalism and confrontational foreign policy to unite a highly polarized Turkish society and consolidate his support base. A genetic predisposition to late-onset Alzheimer's disease affects how the brains of young adults cope with certain memory tasks. Researchers from the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) and the Ruhr-Universitat Bochum report on this in the scientific journal "Current Biology". Their findings are based on studies with magnetic resonance imaging in individuals at the age of about 20 years. The scientists suspect that the observed effects could be related to very early disease processes. The causes for Alzheimer's in old age are only poorly understood. It is believed that the disease is caused by an unfavorable interaction of lifestyle, external factors and genetic risks. The greatest genetic risk factor for late-onset Alzheimer's disease stems from inherited mutations affecting "Apolipoprotein E" (ApoE), a protein relevant for fat metabolism and neurons. Three variants of the ApoE gene are known. The most common form is associated with an average risk for Alzheimer's. One of the two rarer variants stands for an increased risk, and the other for a reduced risk. "We were interested in finding out whether and how the different gene variants affect brain function. That is why we examined the brains of young adults in the scanner while they had to solve a task that challenged their memory," explained Dr. Hweeling Lee, who led the current study at the DZNE in Bonn. Distinguishing similar events The group of study participants comprised of 82 young men and women. They were on average 20 years old, and all of them were university students considered to be cognitively healthy. According to their genotype for ApoE, 33 of them had an average, 34 an increased and 15 a reduced risk of developing Alzheimer's disease at a late age. During the study in the brain scanner, all individuals were presented with more than 150 successive images displayed on a monitor. These were everyday objects such as a hammer, a pineapple or a cat. Some pictures were repeated after a while, but sometimes the position of the displayed objects on the screen had changed. The study participants had to identify whether an object was "new" or had been shown before - and if so, whether its position had shifted. "We tested the ability to distinguish similar events from one another. This is called pattern separation," said Hweeling Lee. "In everyday life, for example, it's a matter of remembering whether a key has been placed in the left or right drawer of a dresser, or where the car was parked in a parking garage. We simulated such situations in a simplified way by changing the position of the depicted objects." High-resolution through modern technology Simultaneously to this experiment, the brain activity of the volunteers was recorded using a technique called "functional magnetic resonance imaging". Focus was on the hippocampus, an area only a few cubic centimeters in size, which can be found once in each brain hemisphere. The hippocampus is considered the switchboard of memory. It also belongs to those sections of the brain in which first damages occur in Alzheimer's disease. When measuring brain activity, the scanner was able to show its full potential: It was an "ultra-high field tomograph" with a magnetic field strength of seven Tesla. Such devices can achieve a better resolution than brain scanners usually used in medical examinations. This enabled the researchers to record brain activity in various sub-fields of the hippocampus with high precision. "Up to now, there were no comparable studies with such level of detail in ApoE genotyped participants. This is a unique feature of our research," said Hweeling Lee. No differences in memory performance There were no differences between the three groups of subjects with regard to their ability for pattern separation. "All study participants performed similarly well in the memory test. It did not matter whether they had an increased, reduced or average risk for Alzheimer's disease. Such results are certainly to be expected in young healthy people," said Nikolai Axmacher, Professor of Neuropsychology at the Ruhr-Universitat Bochum, who was also involved in the current study. "However, there were differences in brain activity. The different groups of study participants activated the various subfields of the hippocampus in different ways and to varying degrees. Their brains thus reacted differently to the memory task. In fact, we saw differences in brain activation not only between people with average and increased risk, but also between individuals with average and reduced risk." At present, it is uncertain whether these effects are significant for developing Alzheimer's in old age. "Our findings might be related to very early disease processes. Determining this is a task for future studies and could help to devise biomarkers for the early diagnosis of dementia," said Hweeling Lee. "In any case, it is remarkable that a genetic predisposition for Alzheimer's disease is already reflected in the brain at young adulthood." ### Original publication Genetic Alzheimer's disease risk affects the neural mechanisms of pattern separation in hippocampal subfields, Hweeling Lee et al., Current Biology (2020), DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2020.08.042, URL: https://www.cell.com/current-biology/fulltext/S0960-9822(20)31232-X On the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) The DZNE investigates all aspects of neurodegenerative diseases (such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases and Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) in order to develop novel approaches of prevention, treatment, and health care. The DZNE is comprised of ten sites across Germany and cooperates closely with universities, university hospitals, and other institutions on a national and international level. The DZNE is a member of the Helmholtz Association. Website: http://www.dzne.de/en Russian dissident Alexei Navalny posed on his German hospital bed with his family today and announced he could breathe by himself a month after he was poisoned with Novichok. Taunting the Kremlin in a defiant Instagram post, Navalny appeared with his wife Yulia and their two children from the Berlin hospital where he was flown for treatment after falling ill. 'Hello, this is Navalny,' he said. 'I can still hardly do anything, but yesterday I was able to breathe on my own all day. Actually on my own, no extra help. 'I liked it very much. It's a remarkable process that is underestimated by many. Strongly recommended,' Navalny said in his first social media post for 26 days. Doctors at the Charite hospital say Navalny's condition 'continues to improve', announcing yesterday that he was able to leave his bed for short periods. Russia, which denies involvement in the poison plot, said today it would welcome Navalny's recovery but continued to demand more evidence from Germany in an effort to cast doubt on the Novichok finding. Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny poses with his wife Yulia and their children at the German hospital where he is being treated after being poisoned with Novichok Navalny being taken to an ambulance in Omsk (left) after falling ill on a plane following a trip to an airport cafe (right) in August where his friends suspect he could have been poisoned Navalny's spokeswoman Kira Yarmysh said today that the opposition leader, 44, planned to return from Germany to Russia once he has recovered. 'I'll confirm again to everyone: no other options were ever considered,' she said in response to questions from journalists. Friends of Navalny have suggested his tea was spiked in an airport cafe in Tomsk where he was pictured shortly before boarding a flight on August 20. After Navalny fell ill, the aircraft made an emergency landing in Omsk and he was initially taken to hospital in the Siberian city. The following weekend he was airlifted to Berlin, where doctors at the Charite hospital treated him with the antidote atropine and kept him in a medically induced coma. On September 2, the German government announced that a military lab had found evidence of Novichok, the Soviet-era nerve agent used to target Sergei Skripal in Salisbury in 2018. Germany said there was 'unequivocal evidence' of Novichok which has since been independently confirmed by labs in Sweden and France. Navalny's allies have pointed the finger at Vladimir Putin, saying that only the Russian government could use a military-grade nerve agent such as Novichok. Western leaders have piled pressure on Russia to explain how Navalny was poisoned, but the Kremlin has denied involvement and played down Germany's findings. Despite international calls for Russia to carry out a transparent investigation or risk sanctions, it has not opened a criminal probe. 'There are very serious questions now that only the Russian government can answer, and must answer,' Angela Merkel said earlier this month, describing what happened to Navalny as 'the attempted murder by poisoning of one of Russia's leading opposition figures.' Navalny arrives at Berlin's Tegel Airport after he was airlifted from Russia. Doctors at the German hospital say his condition has been improving While Berlin stopped short of accusing Russia directly, Navalny's aide Ivan Zhdanov said Novichok 'can only be used by the state' - suggesting that the GRU or FSB intelligence agencies were responsible. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said today that everyone would welcome Navalny's recovery, adding that he was free to return to Russia. 'Any citizen of the Russian Federation is free to leave Russia and return to Russia. If a citizen of the Russian Federation recovers his health, then of course everyone will be happy about that,' he said. Peskov said the Kremlin was open to clearing up what happened to Navalny, but needed access to information on his case from Germany. Moscow did not understand why Russia was not being given the same access as French and Swedish laboratories, Peskov said. A spokesman for Germany's foreign ministry previously countered the Russian line by saying that Russian medics had access to Navalny immediately after he fell ill. Samples taken from Navalny have also been sent to the Organisation for the Prevention of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) in The Hague for additional tests. Doctors at the Charite hospital (pictured on Monday) say Navalny's condition is improving, two weeks after a German military lab found that he had been poisoned with a nerve agent The head of Russia's foreign intelligence service claimed today that Navalny showed no signs of poisoning before he was flown to Berlin for treatment. 'It is a fact that the moment Alexei Navalny left Russian territory there were no toxins in his system,' Sergei Naryshkin said. 'Therefore, we have many questions to the German side,' he told reporters. Hospital medics said in their sixth official update on Monday that Navalny's condition 'continues to improve'. 'The patient has been successfully removed from mechanical ventilation. He is currently undergoing mobilisation and is able to leave his bed for short periods of time,' the statement said. 'The decision to make details of Mr Navalny's condition public was made in consultation with the patient and his wife.' Despite his recovery, doctors have said they cannot rule out long-term health issues associated with the poisoning. The EU's diplomatic chief Josep Borrell today urged Russia to carry out a 'full and transparent procedure' to investigate what happened to Navalny. Navalny's allies have pointed the finger at Russian president Vladimir Putin (pictured) after the opposition leader fell ill, but the Kremlin has dismissed the claims Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has accused the West of using the incident as a pretext to introduce new sanctions against Moscow. The apparent assassination attempt has fuelled calls to scrap the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, a Kremlin flagship project to bring more Russian gas directly to Germany under the Baltic Sea. Navalny has been a thorn in the Kremlin's side for more than a decade, exposing what he says is high-level corruption and mobilising protests. He has been repeatedly detained for organising public meetings, sued over corruption investigations and barred from running in the 2018 presidential election. The 44-year-old has also served several stints in jail in recent years for organising anti-Kremlin protests. The European Court of Human Rights has ruled that Russia's arrests and detention of Navalny in 2012 and 2014 were politically motivated. French leader Emmanuel Macron's office said he had expressed 'deep concern over the criminal act' in a call with Putin on Monday. The Kremlin said Putin 'underlined the impropriety of unfounded accusations against the Russian side' and reiterated Russia's demand for Germany to hand over samples. 15.09.2020 LISTEN Please, what is your name? is often the first question asked by strangers. Based on the name of a person people form their judgements about their personality. As introductions have more to say about the content of a write-up, so does your name speak about your personality. But what is there in a name? Garvey Williams is attributed with the response to the above question that A name is a nonsense syllable. According to the Collins dictionary, the psychological phrase nonsense syllable means any of numerous letter combinations without meaning, used in learning experiments. To wit, Garvey Williams meant that a name is just a meaningless combination of words. This whole expression violates the sanctity of the name given to a person, especially in the social context of Africa. More so, the expression proves to be an Achilles hill in the round of intellectual argumentations. As the guest speaker of the 27th July, 2004 Democratic National Convention in Boston, Barack Obama began his speech by devoting the first 2 minutes discussing his lineage and the meaning of his name. He said his parent gave him an African name Barack or Blessing believing that in a tolerant America, your name is no barrier to success. Why was this so important in Obamas Speech? This was important because knowing who you are from your name helps you to relate better in the midst of others. Again, your name could determine the extent to which one could excel in certain societies. The truth is, in the Ghanaian context, hearing names such as Nkrumah, Danquah, Akufo-Addo, Mahama, Ofori-Sarpong, Agyemang Prempeh, Tsikata, Ofori-Atta, Agyapong and others alike come with some imagery of wealth and royalty in the minds of listeners. A question one having such a name cannot skip responding to is Are you related to so so and so? This may not be unique to only Ghana. Same questions may come up if you should sit in the same class with a colleague who has Bezos, Gates or Zuckerberg attached to his name. All these show that a persons name confers identification, honour or wealth on them. Parents sometimes name their children after their best friends, sisters, brothers or any honourable person as a way of paying homage, symbolize a bond or as a reminder of the relationship that exists between them and the people. In the light of these, Garvey Williams expression is inaccurate. The Bible, which is the sacred scripture of Christians has numerous instances where the birth names given to certain people had to be changed. Before God promised Abraham, that he will be the father of many nations, his name was Abram which meant Exalted father. However, his actual state symbolized Childlessness. Hence the change of name from Abram to Abraham represented a change of state. Jacobs name was changed to Israel symbolizing a Nation. In Daniel 1: 7 the Bible says Unto whom the prince of the eunuchs gave names; for he gave unto Daniel the name Belteshazzar, and to Hananiah, of Shadrach; and to Mishael, of Meshach; and to Azariah, of Abednego. In here, Judah was captured by King Nebuchadnezzars Babylon. The change of the Judaic names to that of Babylonians basically symbolized the transition of a state of Freedom to Slavery. Why was it necessary for a change of name in all these contexts? The name of a person represents his status in society. The difference between a rich man and a poor man is the name rich and poor. Not forgetting Jabez whose name was a symbol of sorrow and poverty. In 1 Chronicles 4: 10, Jabez had to call on the Lord to bless him, enlarge his territory and grant him protection. This meant that the name Jabez was a name that brought him impoverishment and insecurity. In such situations, a change of fortune must come with a change of name. In a research titled We look like our name, Goldenberg, et.al (2017), discovered that the social attitude that a name triggers and its influence on ones identity may affect the individuals self-perception and development of traits, which eventually may be realized in his or her facial appearance. This makes the issue of a persons name transcend above social description to personal trait development. This means that the positive or negative tag associated with a name can affect how the bearer of that name think about him or herself in relation to the society around him or her. This suggests that confidence, courage, intelligence, discipline, temperament and others could be associated with persons having certain names, and not others. Adam Alter, a professor of marketing and psychology asserts that the name of a person is a determining factor on how far they could rise in their carrier. Basing his supposition on the structure of a name, Alter asserts that a person who has a name that is simple to pronounce has a higher chance of rising in the corporate ladder than a person with a complex name, even in the situation where both people started work on the same day. Alter also posits that people are more likely to be benevolent to other people who share in the same name as them. With this being the case, a name cannot be a mere nonsense syllables as asserted by Garvey Williams. Rather, a name is a life-changing description that can alter the path of success or failure for an individual. Throughout my life, Id known that the name Michael was the most superior of all-male given names, and Michelle was the best among all female names. I read about the life of people called Michael or Michelle, Michaela and Michel, and I have fallen in love with all such persons I have come across including all those Movie casts. Until I met a lecturer with the name Michael during my days in the University, I learnt that there are two types of Michaels; the original and fake. Funny as it may appear, I learnt that it was compulsory for people with the name Michael to exhibit certain intellectual prowess, a sense of confidence, great social life, great communicators and they must adore their names. Hence anyone who could not exert these characteristics better was a fake Michael. Hence, Michelle Obama, Michael Bloomberg, Michael Jordan, Michael Owusu Addo (Sarkodie), are some typical examples of the originals. The relevance of this inclusion is to show that a name is a spirit, a characteristic that becomes part of a persons genetic makeup. It is in view of this that the Good book cautions that A good name is to be chosen than great riches. If names were a combination of nonsense syllables nothing would have made sense on Gods-green-earth. Therefore, in choosing a name one must first ask what is there in this name?. The last time I saw Abodam (Mad man), who was my senior in Junior High School, he was attempting to jump over his own shadow. His self-appointed nickname was having an impact on him. What does your name say about you? Author: Michael Ofori Gaza is now in the grip of the coronavirus. The blockade preventing aid reaching the Strip must be dismantled. In late August, the coronavirus, which causes COVID-19, found a foothold in the Gaza Strip, one of the most densely populated territories in the World. Since then, infections have spiked significantly, with nearly 1,000 new positive cases reported in the last two weeks alone. Now, Gaza faces a health catastrophe that will be difficult to contain and mitigate without swift and significant aid. The detection of community transmission in the Strip marked a grim turn in what had been a relatively successful prevention strategy. From the onset of the pandemic through much of August, fewer than 100 cases had been reported all among travellers returning from Israel and Egypt and all of whom were systematically quarantined. Gaza is particularly vulnerable to the spread of COVID-19. Its weak healthcare system barely serves the daily needs of the areas nearly 2 million people and is not equipped to handle a pandemic that has overwhelmed even the most advanced healthcare systems in the world. That system has been debilitated by years of blockades, violence, and a dearth of funding. It suffers from ubiquitous shortages of drugs, equipment, supplies, and personnel. The World Health Organization (WHO) warns that Gazas hospitals can handle only 350 COVID-19 patients. But with more than 1,200 cases already, the virus will likely sicken thousands of people. And with fewer than 100 ICU beds and even fewer ventilators, COVID-19 could push Gazas healthcare system over the brink. To make matters worse, the pandemic comes against the backdrop of renewed violence and access restrictions. In August, during a three-week escalation between Israel and Hamas, Israel tightened the blockade, banning the entry of construction materials and fuel to Gaza, which has forced the enclaves only power plant to shut down. By early September, the Strip regained calm after a successful yet likely temporary Qatari-led de-escalation agreement. Still, the Qatari mediation does not lessen the effects of Gazas blockade, nor will it prevent a future outburst of violence. All this is taking place in communities reeling under the weight of a decade-long humanitarian crisis triggered by 13 years of blockades with varying degrees of restriction and periodic war. There is a real risk that Gaza cannot withstand the economic shockwaves of the COVID-19 pandemic. More than 80 percent of people in Gaza depend on humanitarian aid to survive, and the long-term socioeconomic repercussions of a months-long lockdown could be devastating. Thousands of Gazans have already completely or partially lost their income, which has exacerbated a high unemployment rate estimated at more than 50 percent prior to the Coronavirus. A chronic shortage of humanitarian funding for Gaza, exacerbated by major recent cuts in US funding, has made the delivery of even the most basic services a challenge. The Trump administrations 2018 decision to end US funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) was and remains deeply problematic. Now, more than ever, this policy needs to be reversed. The virus knows no borders, and this is no time to politicise aid. Quite the contrary, in the face of the worst pandemic the world has experienced in more than a century, global efforts should come together to mitigate these risks worldwide. Amid lockdowns and a blockade, Gazans now face a quarantine within a quarantine. It took only a few cases for the virus to spread quickly inside the Strip. At the very least, the terms of the blockade need to be revised to help the population cope with the pandemic and the areas long-term humanitarian crisis. Israel should commit to ensuring that the blockade is not used as a form of collective punishment against the Palestinians living in Gaza. At the minimum, Israel should allow construction material or goods aimed at humanitarian aid, development projects, or the health sector to enter the territory. It also should refrain from banning fuel a basic and critical commodity. International donors including the US must increase their support to help Gaza through the worst of the outbreak. They should immediately provide medical equipment including ventilators, personal protective equipment (PPE), and testing kits. In March, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for a global ceasefire to focus on the true [COVID-19] fight of our lives. This call is true in Gaza today more than ever. Parties to the conflict must put down their guns and set politics aside in order to help prevent greater hardship on a population that has already suffered tremendously. The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial stance. Deadly and historic wildfires in the West are sending smoke as far away as the East Coast, officials said. The smoke was creating a hazy appearance in skies over part of Virginia, the National Weather Service said. It was also affecting New York City's skies. At least 36 deaths have been linked to the fires in California, Oregon and Washington state. In Oregon, 10 people have died and thousands have been displaced. "Without question, our state has been pushed to its limits," Oregon Gov. Kate Brown said at a news briefing Monday. Image: Bobcat Fire Burns East Of Los Angeles (David McNew / Getty Images) Nearly three dozen fires were active Monday night, according to state data. Around 1 million acres had burned, and more than 1,100 residences have been confirmed destroyed, according to the state emergency management department. Twenty-two people were being called missing persons, according to the emergency management department.Washington state has seen one death, and 25 are dead in California. In California, where more than 16,500 firefighters are battling 28 major wildfires, the death toll grew by one Monday after officials in Butte County discovered the remains of someone believed killed by the blaze, Sheriff Kory L. Honea said. The state's deadliest fire, the North Complex in the Sierra Nevada Mountains region north of Sacramento, has now claimed at least 15 lives. The inferno, driven by high winds, moved into Butte County and caused major damage to the communities of Berry Creek, Feather Falls, Brush Creek and others, Cal Fire has said. More than 3.2 million acres an area larger than Connecticut have burned in California since the beginning of the year, and more than 4,200 homes or other structures have been destroyed, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, known as Cal Fire. After some help from the weather, so-called "red flag" conditions returned Monday to the northeastern part of the state, the agency said. The largest fire in modern California history, the massive August Complex which as of Monday afternoon had burned more than 755,600 acres in Northern California, was 30 percent contained. That fire was started by lightning last month. Story continues President Donald Trump visited California on Monday, as Gov. Gavin Newsom and other officials raised the issue of climate change for playing a role in the fires. Trump interjected at one point and said, "It will start getting cooler." After California Department of Natural Resources Secretary Wade Crowfoot said he wished the science agreed, Trump replied: "I don't think science knows, actually." Former Vice President Joe Biden on Monday called Trump a " climate arsonist" and called for action. Climate change "requires action, not denial," he said. "It requires leadership, not scapegoating." Oregon's governor asked the president to issue a major disaster declaration. He previously issued an emergency declaration for the state, which frees up federal aid. The state's Congressional delegation urged that the major disaster declaration be approved, writing in a letter that the confirmed fire-related deaths are likely to increase, and that "entire communities have been destroyed." Cooler weather is forecast in Oregon for the end of the week, which "will be a tremendous help," Brown said, but that "the smoke blanketing the state is a constant reminder that this tragedy has not yet come to an end." The Holiday Farm Fire, in Lane County east of Eugene, has burned more than 160,000 acres and destroyed homes, including those of Upper McKenzie Rural Fire Chief Christiana Rainbow Plews and a dozen volunteer firefighters. A fire station was also destroyed. Brown hailed the fire chief as heroic for immediately ordering a level three evacuation which means people must leave immediately which allowed residents to escape. "She and her team remind us of why we love this state," Brown said. The more than 1 million acres that have burned in Oregon is double the average of around 500,000 during an entire wildfire season, the Oregon Congressional delegation said. The state is also facing its worst drought in more than 30 years, which has resulted in extremely dry forest conditions, they said. Kobe and Vanessa Bryant in 2018. (Jordan Strauss / Invision / Associated Press) Vanessa Bryant is unhappy with comments made by Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva in the aftermath of the shooting of two sheriff's deputies Saturday in Compton. During a radio interview Monday, Villanueva challenged Lakers star LeBron James to double a $175,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the assailant. James has yet to respond to Villanueva's remark. But Bryant who has filed a claim against the sheriffs department over deputies sharing photos from the site of the helicopter crash in January that killed her husband, Lakers legend Kobe Bryant, their daughter Gianna and seven others had plenty to say about it on her Instagram story late Monday night. Bryant's posts mainly consisted of screenshots of Twitter responses from Twitter user @ElanMaree and articles regarding Villanueva's challenge to James and the controversy regarding the photos from the crash site. "How can he talk about trusting the system?" read one of the tweets. "His sheriffs dept. couldnt be trusted to secure Kobe Bryants helicopter crash scene, his deputies took and shared graphic photos of crash victims. Vanessa Bryant is suing them." How can he talk about trusting the system? His sheriffs dept. couldnt be trusted to secure Kobe Bryants helicopter crash scene, his deputies took and shared graphic photos of crash victims. Vanessa Bryant is suing them. https://t.co/X48h2h4MNv Elan (@ElanMaree) September 15, 2020 Another tweet, from the same user and posted on Instagram from Bryant, said: "He shouldnt be challenging LeBron James to match a reward or 'to step up to the plate.' He couldnt even 'step up to the plate' and hold his deputies accountable for photographing dead children." Following the police shooting of Jacob Blake, an unarmed Black man in Kenosha, Wis., last month, James told reporters: I know people get tired of hearing me say it, but we are scared as Black people in America, James said. Black men, Black women, Black kids, we are terrified. Story continues Villanueva seemed to reference that comment in issuing his challenge to James during an interview on 790 KABC. "You expressed a very interesting statement about your perspective on race relations and on officer-involved shootings and the impact that it has on the African American community," Villanueva said in a comment aimed at James. "And I appreciated that. But likewise, we need to appreciate that respect for life goes across all professions." One of Bryant's Instagram posts featured photos of eight of the crash victims, along with the sheriff department's Instagram tag. She concluded her posts by expressing concern for the wounded deputies, both of whom have undergone surgery and are expected to recover. "Not all deputies are bad apples," Bryant wrote. "Prayers for the two deputies that were shot." For the record: 1:28 PM, Sep. 15, 2020: An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated Vanessa Bryant is suing the L.A. County Sheriffs Department. She has filed a claim against the department. The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) said on Tuesday three vaccine candidates against the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) are in the clinical stage of trials in India and one of them will soon begin Phase 3 trials after getting clearances. Covid-19 vaccine candidates being manufactured by Cadila Healthcare and Bharat Biotech have completed the first phase of the trial while the Serum Institute of India (SII) will begin with Phase 3 trial after getting the nod, Balram Bhargava, ICMRs director general, said during the health ministrys briefing. Watch | Covid: 3 vaccines at clinical trial stage in India; SIIs phase 3 trial soon The Pune-based Serum Institute will conduct the Phase 3 trial on 1,500 volunteers across 14 locations, Bhargava added. Also read: Scientists predict that Covid-19 will become a seasonal virus, but not yet ICMRs statement comes a day after SII said that there wont be enough vaccines to immunize everyone in the world by 2024. Its going to take four to five years until everyone gets the vaccine on this planet, Adar Poonawalla, the CEO of Serum Institute of India, had told the Financial Times. Earlier in the day, minister of state for health Ashwini Choubey had informed the Lok Sabha that Phase II clinical trials of Bharat Biotech and Cadila Healthcare are underway. He also informed the House that discussions on collaborations on the recombinant vaccine developed by Russia are ongoing. However, no formal studies have been initiated. On SII and ICMRs partnership for the clinical development of two global vaccine candidates, Choubey said, the first is ChAdOx1-S, a non-replicating viral vector vaccine developed by University of Oxford and AstraZeneca. This vaccine is undergoing Phase 3 clinical trials in Brazil. He added that Phase 2/3 bridging studies have been initiated by ICMR at 14 clinical trial sites. The ICMR-National Institute for Research in Tuberculosis, Chennai is the lead institution. Also read: Only 4 states have more than 50,000 Covid-19 case, says health ministry He also told the lower house of Parliament that the trial of the second vaccine candidate being clinically developed by ICMR and SII will begin in the second half of October after the vaccine by Novavax from the US is manufactured by the Pune-based company. The trial is led by ICMR-National AIDS Research Institute (NARI), Pune, he said. Union health minister Harsh Vardhan had last week said that a vaccine might be ready by the first quarter of 2021. Indias Covid-19 tally is set to approach the grim milestone of five million cases while the toll from the viral disease has surged past 80,000. (With agency inputs) Professor Philip Nolan said contrary to recent commentary, many people are "underestimating both the effectiveness of surveillance in April, and the seriousness of the situation now." He said Ireland was doing 3000 - 4000 tests per day (not 500) in April, with positivity rates over 20 per cent. "We saw close to 1,000 cases per day at peak. Seroprevalence studies (the number of people in a population who test positive for a specific disease) suggest that for each detected case, there were 2 asymptomatic or mild cases not detected," he said. He said based on that data it shows a "highly effective surveillance by international standards," and added that it is "all the more remarkable given the speed with which it was mobilized and the historic under investment in such systems." "If we had 3,000 new infections per day at peak, at an average infectious period of seven days, thats 21,000 active infections (not 50,000)." Advertisement "We are doing close to 12,000 test per day now, expertly targeted by general practitioners and public health, with 2 per cent testing positive, so we are detecting a much higher proportion of cases, many of which are mild or asymptomatic," he said. We were doing 3000 - 4000 tests per day (not 500) in April, with positivity rates over 20%. We saw close to 1,000 case per day at peak. Seroprevalence studies suggest that for each detected case, there were 2 asymptomatic or mild cases not detected. 2/13 pic.twitter.com/zVvx5bmJGI Professor Philip Nolan (@President_MU) September 15, 2020 Mr Nolan said mild and asymptomatic cases do matter and If not detected and isolated, they will transmit the virus to others which then fuels a growth in infections. "We are seeing the level of disease growing again in Ireland, at a rate of 4 per cent-6 per cent per day and a doubling time of 12-18 days (incidentally, in the unlikely scenario where we do nothing to mitigate such growth, this would lead to 1400 - 3500 new cases per day at end October. "For cases arising in the community in the first phase of the pandemic in Ireland, for those under 65, 11 per cent were hospitalised, 2 per cent admitted to ICU and 0.8 per cent died; for those 65 and over 54 per cent were admitted to hospital, 6 per cent to ICU and 20 per cent died," he said. Speaking about cases in August, he said the vast majority of cases were in younger people. He warned that we will not be able to protect older people as the levels of infection in the community rise. People 65 years and older comprise about 13% of the population; 10% of the cases confirmed in the last 14 days were in people 65 and older. 10/13 pic.twitter.com/AM2tr4ogpY Professor Philip Nolan (@President_MU) September 15, 2020 He concluded by saying "We need to prevent avoidable illness and death, but to reduce the risk uncontrolled spread in our community and major outbreaks in vulnerable settings. We owe it to each other to suppress the virus." A Conservative MP has defended the government's intention to break international law by claiming that countries violate it on a "routine" basis. Theresa Villiers, one of Boris Johnson's former cabinet ministers, argued that it was "not unusual" for countries to disregard the rules and said such laws were merely a "set of political constructs". MPs on Monday are debating the Internal Market Bill, which includes provisions that violate the Brexit withdrawal agreement signed by Boris Johnson last year. Senior figures such as John Major, Theresa May and Tony Blair have warned against the plan, saying it will undermine the UK's standing in the world and make it harder to criticise other countries that violate international law. But, taking to the TV studios to defend the government's actions, Ms Villiers argued: "The reality is that there are routine occasions where countries or indeed the EU are in violation of obligations under international law. "You can see, for example, parliament's failure to vote to give prisoners votes. Arguably that is in violation of international law but I don't see people calling the United Kingdom a pariah state because it has failed to abide by that judgment in the European Court of Human Rights." She told Sky News: "The reality is international law is a set of political constructs, which actually countries abide by or depart from in a number of circumstances including the European Union itself. For example, it didn't apply WTO rules on Airbus. Arguably that's a violation of international law but the EU did it because the EU felt it was inappropriate to do that. "It is not unusual for there to be disputes over international law, it is not unusual in certain limited circumstances for countries not to comply with all obligations under international law." A new poll by YouGov shows the public is wary of the government's approach. Forty-seven per cent of voters say planning to break the law is unacceptable, compared to just 25 per cent who say it can be acceptable. UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 14 January 2022 Ecologist Emma Smart (left) and retired GP Dr Diana Warner outside HMP Bronzefield, in Surrey, following their release from the prison where Emma undertook a 26-day hunger strike during her incarceration. Ms Smart was sentenced in November, along with other members of Insulate Britain, to serve four months for breaking a High Court injunction by taking part in a blockade at junction 25 of the M25 motorway during the morning rush hour on 8 October last year PA UK news in pictures 13 January 2022 A TV presenter holds a copy of a newspaper outside 10 Downing Streetafter the Prime Minister apologised for attending a gathering of colleagues in the Number Ten garden in May 2020, while the UK was in strict lockdown due to the Coronavirus pandemic Getty UK news in pictures 12 January 2022 Fitness guru Derrick Evans after receiving an MBE during an investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 11 January 2022 A couple walk underneath an umbrella during wet weather on Westminster Bridge in central London PA UK news in pictures 10 January 2022 A jogger passes the Covid Memorial Wall in London AP UK news in pictures 9 January 2021 The sun rises over horses at Seaton Sluice in Northumberland PA UK news in pictures 8 January 2022 Riders compete during the Veterans Men's race at the UK Cyclo-Cross National Championships 2022 in Ardingly, south of London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 7 January 2022 A dog looks out of a car window at the wintry conditions in Killeshin, Co. Laois PA UK news in pictures 6 January 2022 People walk through frost and mist alongside a frozen lake during sunrise in Bushy Park, London REUTERS UK news in pictures 5 January 2022 A skier jumps on the slopes at Allenheads in the Pennines to the north of Weardale in Northumberland PA UK news in pictures 4 January 2022 Freshly-fallen snow covers houses in Corbridge, near Hexham in Northumberland PA UK news in pictures 3 January 2022 Dean Morrison, 13, receives his Covid-19 vaccine from student nurse Anthony McLaughlin during a vaccination clinic at the Glasgow Central Mosque PA UK news in pictures 2 January 2022 Konastantinos Tsimikas of Liverpool with Chelseas Mason Mount during the Premier League match at Stamfrod Bridge Liverpool FC/Getty UK news in pictures 1 January 2022 New Years Eve Lasers, drones and fireworks illuminate the sky in front of the Royal Naval College in Greenwich shortly after midnight in London EPA UK news in pictures 31 December 2021 Competitors in fancy dress run across the Pennine tops near Haworth, West Yorkshire, in the annual Auld Lang Syne Fell race which attracts hundreds of runners every year PA UK news in pictures 30 December 2021 Sunrise at Bamburgh Castle in Northumberland PA UK news in pictures 29 December 2021 The Very Revd Dr Robert Willis, Dean of Canterbury Cathedral, looks at Becket, a six month old red-billed chough as he visits Wildwood Wildlife Park in Kent on the anniversary of the murder of Thomas Becket PA UK news in pictures 28 December 2021 Troops of the Household Cavalry are seen reflected in a puddle during the changing of the Queens Life Guard, on Horse Guards Parade, in central London PA UK news in pictures 27 December 2021 A pedestrian walks past a winter sale sign outside a John Lewis store on Oxford street in London Getty UK news in pictures 26 December 2021 Riders take their bikes through the snow near Castleside, County Durham PA UK news in pictures 25 December 2021 Patrick Corkery wears a santa hat and beard as waves crash over him at Forty Foot near Dublin during a Christmas Day dip PA UK news in pictures 24 December 2021 People stand inside Kings Cross Station on Christmas Eve in London Reuters UK news in pictures 23 December 2021 Christmas shoppers fill the car park at Fosse Shopping Park in Leicester PA UK news in pictures 22 December 2021 The sun rises behind the stones as people gather for the winter solstice at Stonehenge. Getty UK news in pictures 21 December 2021 People take part in a winter solstice swim at Portobello Beach in Edinburgh to mark the solstice and to witness the dawn after the longest night of the year PA UK news in pictures 20 December 2021 An auction employee displays poultry to buyers and sellers attending the Christmas Poultry Sale at York Auction Centre in Murton PA UK news in pictures 19 December 2021 Joao Moutinho of Wolverhampton Wanderers looks on during the Premier League match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Chelsea at Molineux Getty Images UK news in pictures 18 December 2021 Freight lorries queuing at the port of Dover in Kent PA UK news in pictures 17 December 2021 Newly elected Liberal Democrat MP Helen Morgan, bursts 'Boris' bubble' held by colleague Tim Farron, as she celebrates following her victory in the North Shropshire by-election PA UK news in pictures 16 December 2021 Brussels sprouts are harvested by workers as they prepare for the busy Christmas period near Boston in Lincolnshire PA UK news in pictures 15 December 2021 Lewis Hamilton is made a Knight Bachelor by the Prince of Wales at Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 14 December 2021 The Royal Liver Buildings surrounded by early morning fog in Liverpool PA UK news in pictures 13 December 2021 People queue outside a walk-in Covid-19 vaccination centre at St Thomas's Hospital in Westminster Getty Images UK news in pictures 12 December 2021 People take part in the Big Leeds Santa Dash in Roundhay Park, Leeds PA UK news in pictures 11 December 2021 People arrive at a Covid-19 vaccination centre at Elland Road in Leeds, PA UK news in pictures 10 December 2021 Stella Moris speaks to the media after the US Government won its High Court bid to overturn a judges decision not to extradite WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange PA UK news in pictures 9 December 2021 Camels are lead around Salisbury Cathedral during a rehearsal for the Christmas Eve Service PA UK news in pictures 8 December 2021 Margaret Keenan and Nurse May Parsons, a year after Margaret was the first person in the UK to receive the Pfizer vaccine PA UK news in pictures 7 December 2021 Snowfall in Leadhills, South Lanarkshire as Storm Barra hits the UK with disruptive winds, heavy rain and snow PA UK news in pictures 6 December 2021 A person tries to avoid sea spray on New Brighton promenade in Wallasey as the UK readies for the arrival of Storm Barra Getty UK news in pictures 5 December 2021 People release balloons during a tribute to six-year-old Arthur Labinjo-Hughes outside Emma Tustin's former address in Solihull, West Midlands, where he was murdered by his stepmother PA UK news in pictures 4 December 2021 People walk through a Christmas market in Trafalgar Square Reuters UK news in pictures 3 December 2021 A pedestrian carries a dog as they dodge shoppers on Oxford Street in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 2 December 2021 Duchess of Cambridge inspects a Faberge egg at the Victoria and Albert Museum Getty UK news in pictures 1 December 2021 Meerkats at London Zoo with an advent calendar PA UK news in pictures 30 November 2021 Workers put the finishing touches to the Trafalgar Square Christmas Tree ahead of the lighting ceremony later in the week PA UK news in pictures 29 November 2021 Home Secretary Priti Patel is greeted by a police dog at a special memorial service for Met Police Sergeant Matiu Ratana Getty UK news in pictures 28 November 2021 Riyad Mahrez of Manchester City battles for possession with Aaron Cresswell of West Ham United during a match at the Etihad during snow Manchester City/Getty UK news in pictures 27 November 2021 Residents clear branches from a fallen tree in Birkenhead, north west England as Storm Arwen triggered a rare red weather warning AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 26 November 2021 A killer whale (orca in the fjord of Skjervoy, northern Norway AFP/Getty Young people are said to be particularly opposed to the government's plan, with just 6 per cent of 18- to 24-year-olds in favour. Fifty-two per cent of Conservative voters support the move. Wera Hobhouse, Liberal Democrat justice spokesperson, said: "It seems that under Boris Johnson, accepting the rule of law has become optional. " "For the sake of the future of our country, Ministers must stop playing fast and loose with the rule of law. Far from protecting the national interest, Boris Johnson's government seem content to see the UK's international reputation trashed." Trump admin. proposes expansion of Mexico City Policy banning abortion funding Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment The Trump administration on Monday formally proposed a new regulation to broaden the Mexico City Policy barring foreign organizations that receive federal global health funding from promoting or performing abortions overseas even if they do so with other funding sources. The Department of Defense, General Services Administration and NASA expanded the Mexico City Policy to apply to contracts and subcontracts. The policy currently enacted and expanded by the Trump administration, a regulation that has been rescinded and reinstated along party lines by presidents since Ronald Reagan, already applies to grants and cooperative agreements between the U.S. and foreign organizations. But the proposed rule would apply to contracts, a major avenue in which a large share of global health funding is doled out. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, 40% of global health funding obligated to prime recipients in recent years was provided through contracts. As President Donald Trump seeks to bolster support among pro-life voters and conservative voters of faith who care deeply about the abortion issue, an administration official told The Christian Post on Monday that the proposal is yet another great example of the Trump administration continuing to fight for the right to life as the most pro-life administration ever. The proposal submitted to the Federal Register will undergo a two-month public comment period. The Administrations action would mean even more US global health funding will be subject to the restrictions contained in the MCP [Mexico City Policy], wrote Jen Kates, senior vice president at Kaiser Family Foundation, in a Twitter thread. In the past, when in place, it has required foreign NGOs to certify that they will not perform or actively promote abortion as a method of family planning, using any funding (including their own), as a condition of receiving US global family planning assistance. Upon taking office, one of President Trumps first actions (on 1/23/17) was to reinstate the policy but he also significantly expanded it to apply to virtually all U.S. bilateral global health assistance, including PEPFAR, malaria, maternal and child health funding, and more. According to Kates, the administrations expansion of the Mexico City Policy has brought the policy from applying to up to $600 million per year in U.S. assistance to more than $7 billion per year to the extent that funding was channeled directly or indirectly to foreign NGOs. In 2019, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo vowed that the administration would cut down on loopholes within the policy to eliminate backdoor funding schemes as well as make clear that the U.S. government will refuse to provide assistance to foreign NGOs that give financial support to other foreign groups in the global abortion industry. Kates explained that Pompeos expansion prohibits foreign NGOs that receive U.S. global health aid from providing any funding for any purpose (e.g., education) to other foreign NGOs that perform or actively promote abortion as a method of family planning. The Kaiser executive added that the administration has been clear since 2017 about its intention to apply the Mexico City Policy to contracts, something that would require regulation to accomplish. This is an area where there is a clear-cut difference between President Trump and VP [Joe] Biden, Kates noted about the 2020 election. Whereas Trump has continued to expand the MCP, Biden would rescind it if elected. Abortion rights activists have condemned the Mexico City Policy as a global gag rule. The pro-abortion Guttmacher Institute was quick to offer its opposition to the new proposal. The #GlobalGagRule's harm extends well beyond family planning programs to a range of other health programs, the organization tweeted. The Trump admin's proposal to expand this policy further is especially cruel as the #COVID19 pandemic continues. The proposed rule was praised by pro-life activists and abortion opponents. This proposed expansion would prevent taxpayer funds from being used to bankroll the deaths of unborn children around the world, Carol Tobias, president of National Right to Life, said in a statement Tuesday. "We thank President Trump and his administration for preventing taxpayer funds from being used to pay for abortions around the globe." You are here: China The 2020 China cybersecurity week, a campaign to promote public awareness of cybersecurity, was launched on Monday nationwide. Addressing a forum on cybersecurity in Zhengzhou, central China's Henan Province, on Monday, a key event of the campaign, Zhuang Rongwen, director of the Cyberspace Administration of China, stressed the importance of establishing a correct view of cybersecurity and promoting the construction of cybersecurity protection systems and capacity in the face of the increasingly serious and complex situation. The campaign, scheduled to run until Sept. 20, will also feature events including a digital exhibition and a cybersecurity contest. China initiated the first cybersecurity week in 2014. At the Colonna home, the back-to-school excitement is in the air. But its mixed in with a bit of COVID-related anxiety. As he gets ready, Michael, 11, tries one more time to convince his mom, Teresa just as he did the night before to let him stay home. I dont want to go. Im not going to go. Its the first day of Grade 6 for Michael at St. Norbert Catholic School in north Toronto, but after six months of being at home during a pandemic, Michael isnt quite ready to face the germ-filled world. His sister Isabella, 13, couldnt be any more ready. The Grade 8 student has been up since 6 a.m. to straighten her curly hair, while texting her friends about exactly when she will arrive at the school drop-off point, nearby Ancaster Park near Dufferin St. and Wilson Ave. Teresa hugs Michael and reminds him of all the extra gear shes packed to keep him safe: a little bag with a few masks, hand sanitizer, Lysol wipes and gloves to wipe his table. Michael, you can do this, you are going to do it and you are going to be fine, she says. I would never send you somewhere thats unsafe. It sounds a little like she is reassuring herself. This week, across Toronto, two very different back-to-school scenarios are underway both filled with uncertainty. Those returning to school have to be educated around new safety protocols: masks, social distancing and hand washing. Those at home will have to adjust to learning in a fully online environment. This experiment of sorts has already started elsewhere in the province. But this week, 42,000 elementary students at the Toronto Catholic District School Board will return for in-person learning, with high school students back to class by Wednesday, in a staggered approach. The Toronto District School Board will have a staggered start over the next three days for all students in person. It announced Monday that virtual school will now be delayed until Sept. 22. In Roncesvalles, its the first day of virtual orientation week for Grade 7 student Dimitrius Dick. The end of summer and the start of school begin to blur when classroom is at home, so it takes a bit of persistence for Jo-Ann Davis to wake up the 12-year-old son for the first official day of school this morning. Cant I start later? he asks. But Davis is determined for her son to start Grade 7 just as he would have any other year at 9 a.m. sharp. And for him to get into a normal school routine. At home, its a little bit harder to get into that routine, admits Davis. Dick is one of 23,000 kids in the TCDSB who have opted for virtual learning, which is scheduled to officially start next week. But to get into the spirit of things, she took Dimitrius back-to-school shopping for supplies and set up a dedicated work space and bookshelf. Davis, who was the trustee from 2010 to 2018 and chair of the of the board in 2013, says the family opted for virtual education because her father lives with them, and because she felt the government didnt fund boards so they could have classes of 15 or less, she said. Dimitrius was also concerned about the idea of having to wear a mask all day, the likelihood that there would be no team sports, and no extracurriculars, she says. The first day of orientation is done early. The morning consists of mostly watching videos around graduation expectations and reflecting on them, with the option of doing an art piece or an essay. That was it for today online, so I have supplemented it with math, English and French work, says Davis. She says their expectation is that there will be 225 minutes of synchronous learning daily, starting next week, and that it will be more reflective of real-time learning that you would have in a classroom. She worries about kids who dont work well independently, those with learning disabilities or those who dont have the right environment to work virtually. We are making decisions for health and safety reasons, says Davis, but we also want to make sure that the kids are learning, too. Health and safety are front and centre during morning drop-off, Teresa says. She knows she has done her due diligence and prepared her kids as much as possible, especially because their school falls in one of the COVID-19 hot spots in the city. And the school has clearly taken precautions: drop-off at a nearby park, marked spots on the ground for kids to stand, and COVID-19 screening passports that kids have to show their teachers when they arrive for the day. One kid in line has forgotten his passport, and asks Teresa to call his mom. She made it back before the bell rang. The drop-off was much more sombre than normal, she said. It was actually a little sad, when we got to the school. There wasnt that same energy of excitement, said Teresa. And it was clear that teachers were concerned, she said, with some wearing masks and shields, and others opting for just masks. In a press release Sunday, the Toronto Elementary Catholic Teachers union said they felt the system was still not ready. This apprehension has created great uncertainty among the membership, particularly given that physical distancing will not be possible in many classrooms and more measures are required to ensure the health and safety of staff and students, the release said. A few hours after he left, Michael is home for lunch just as he used to do before the pandemic shut everything down. And Teresa cant wait to hear how the morning went. Despite his initial reluctance, he seems excited. The teachers look like they are all out of a movie, he says, describing all their PPE gear. And we have to wash our hands a lot but other than that, its a lot of fun, he says. I might even start staying at school for lunch. Has your child been assigned to a large class or has your school kept class sizes low? We want to hear from you. Tell us about your familys experience with in-person school by emailing schools@thestar.ca . Please include your school board in the email. Noor Javed is a Toronto-based reporter covering current affairs in the York region for the Star. Follow her on Twitter: @njaved Tech giant Oracle has finally confirmed being chosen by Byetdance as TikTok's technical partner in the United States. Bytedance was given 90 days by President Donald Trump to sell the US operations of TikTok to an American Company or face a ban in the country. However, social media was abuzz with reports that Oracle, not Microsoft has been picked for a deal by Bytedance that does not involve the complete sale of the TikTok operations in the United States. "Oracle confirms Secretary Mnuchin's statement that it is part of the proposal submitted by ByteDance to the Treasury Department over the weekend in which Oracle will serve as the trusted technology provider. Oracle has a 40-year track record providing secure, highly performant technology solutions," Oracle said in a statement. Microsoft was also one of the first tech companies that had expressed its desire to purchase the US arm of TikTok but their proposal was rejected by Bytedance. "ByteDance let us know today they would not be selling TikTok's US operations to Microsoft. We are confident our proposal would have been good for TikTok's users while protecting national security interests. To do this, we would have made significant changes to ensure the service met the highest standards for security, privacy, online safety, and combatting disinformation, and we made these principles clear in our August statement. We look forward to seeing how the service evolves in these important areas," Microsoft said in a statement. Walmart had also joined hands with Microsoft in a bid to acquire but that didn't happen. Earlier, US Treasury Secretary Mnuchin had revealed that the US government had received a proposal from Oracle and Bytedance and will review the deal later this week. "I will just say from our standpoint, we'll need to make sure that the code is, one, secure, Americans' data is secure, that the phones are secure and we'll be looking to have discussions with Oracle over the next few days with our technical teams," Mnuchin was quoted saying by CNBC. Trump had given September 15 as the deadline for Bytedance to sell off the US operations of TikTok or face a ban in the country. Trump called TikTok and WeChat a threat to "national security" in its executive order. This had compelled TikTok's CEO to step down after only 100 days of assuming the position. WASHINGTON The U.S. militarys Africa Command is pressing for new authorities to carry out armed drone strikes targeting Qaeda-linked Shabab fighters in portions of eastern Kenya, potentially expanding the war zone across the border from their sanctuaries in Somalia, according to four American officials. The new authorities, which must still be approved by Defense Secretary Mark T. Esper and then President Trump, do not necessarily mean the United States will start carrying out drone attacks in Kenya. Nevertheless, they would give Africa Command permission under certain circumstances to expand the counterterrorism drone war into another country. The push for the expanded authorities traces back to a Shabab attack in January on a military base in Kenya that housed United States troops, the officials said. The attack on the airfield at Manda Bay killed three Americans and caused millions of dollars in damage. U.S. commanders scrambled immediately after that attack to track and kill the Shabab hit team that had infiltrated the base from Somalia, securing permission on the fly to carry out a drone strike on them in Kenyan territory, according to the officials. But they never attacked because the militants retreating to Somali territory eluded them. Unit load carriers to contribute the largest market share in the automated guided vehicle market The global automated guided vehicle market to register an incremental growth of USD 1.19 billion, witnessing a CAGR of almost 10% during 2020-2024, according to latest market research analysis by Technavio. The report offers a detailed analysis of the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the automated guided vehicle market in optimistic, probable, and pessimistic forecast scenarios. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200915005860/en/ Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global Automated Guided Vehicle (AGV) Market 2020-2024 (Graphic: Business Wire) Get a detailed insights on COVID-19 pandemic Crisis and Recovery analysis of automated guided vehicle market. Download free report sample The automated guided vehicle market will witness a Negative and Inferior impact during the forecast period owing to the extensive spread of COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, as per Technavio's pandemic-focused research highlights, the market growth is likely to Increase compared to 2019. Automated Guided Vehicle Market 2020-2024: Vendor Analysis The market is fragmented. Key players in the market have been launching several initiatives and introducing innovative products and services to cater to a larger target audience during the pandemic. With a rapidly shifting focus toward creating a digital marketplace to provide a convenient platform for stakeholders in the supply chain, several companies in the market are resorting to move their businesses online along with existing brick-and-mortar channels. Major Automated Guided Vehicle market participants are Daifuku Co. Ltd. Hitachi Ltd. Hyster-Yale Materials Handling Inc. John Bean Technologies Corp. KION GROUP AG KUKA AG Murata Machinery Ltd. Seegrid Corp. SSI SCHAEFER Group Toyota Industries Corp. Click here to learn about report's detailed analysis and insights on how you can leverage them to grow your business. Automated Guided Vehicle Market 2020-2024: Segmentation Automated Guided Vehicle Market is segmented as below: End-User Distribution and logistics Automotive Manufacturing Retail Others Product Unit load carrier Tow vehicle Pallet truck Assembly line vehicle Others Unit load carriers will account for the largest share as they can easily interface with conveyors and automated storage and retrieval systems. Also, unit load carriers are mostly used in warehouses, wherein guided paths are relatively short, and high volumes of materials are involved. Geography APAC Europe North America South America MEA APAC region will account for the highest incremental growth during the forecast period due to the factors such as the growing demand for AGVs from the manufacturing, e-commerce, and automotive industries. The automated guided vehicle market is driven by rapid growth in e-commerce retail and growing adoption of Industry 4.0, as per Technavio's pandemic impact-focused research study. Furthermore, Technavio's custom research reports offer detailed insights on the impact of COVID-19 at an industry level, a regional level, and subsequent supply chain operations. This customized report will also help clients keep up with new product launches in direct indirect COVID-19 related markets, and significant developments in vendor operations and government regulations in Industrials industry. For gaining more insights about the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on related reports, check out Technavio's Industrials section Key Considerations for Market Forecast: Impact of lockdowns, supply chain disruptions, demand destruction, and change in customer behavior Optimistic, probable, and pessimistic scenarios for all markets as the impact of pandemic unfolds Pre- as well as post-COVID-19 market estimates Quarterly impact analysis and updates on market estimates Register for a free trial today to access 17,000+ market research reports using Technavio's SUBSCRIPTION platform Table of Contents: Executive Summary Market Landscape Market ecosystem Market characteristics Value chain analysis Market Sizing Market definition Market segment analysis Market size 2019 Market outlook: Forecast for 2019 2024 Five Forces Analysis Five forces summary Bargaining power of buyers Bargaining power of suppliers Threat of new entrants Threat of substitutes Threat of rivalry Market condition Market Segmentation by Product Market segments Comparison by Product Unit load carrier Market size and forecast 2019-2024 Tow vehicle Market size and forecast 2019-2024 Pallet truck Market size and forecast 2019-2024 Assembly line vehicle Market size and forecast 2019-2024 Others Market size and forecast 2019-2024 Market opportunity by Product Market Segmentation by End-User (qualitative) Distribution and logistics Automotive Manufacturing Retail Others Customer Landscape Geographic Landscape Geographic segmentation Geographic comparison Europe Market size and forecast 2019-2024 APAC Market size and forecast 2019-2024 North America Market size and forecast 2019-2024 South America Market size and forecast 2019-2024 MEA Market size and forecast 2019-2024 Key leading countries Market opportunity by geography Market drivers Market challenges Market trends Vendor Landscape Overview Vendor landscape Landscape disruption Vendor Analysis Vendors covered Market positioning of vendors Daifuku Co. Ltd. Hitachi Ltd. Hyster-Yale Materials Handling Inc. John Bean Technologies Corp. KION GROUP AG KUKA AG Murata Machinery Ltd. Seegrid Corp. SSI SCHAEFER Group Toyota Industries Corp. Appendix Scope of the report Currency conversion rates for US$ Research methodology List of abbreviations About Us Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focuses on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200915005860/en/ Contacts: Technavio Research Jesse Maida Media Marketing Executive US: +1 844 364 1100 UK: +44 203 893 3200 Email: media@technavio.com Website: www.technavio.com/ TEHRAN, Iran, Sep. 15 Trend: The Brazilian Ambassador to Iran has met with the head of the Public Relations and International Affairs Center of Iran`s Ministry of Agriculture Jihad, and both sides were emphasized to hold online meetings in the form of video conferences with the Brazilian side and sign three cooperation documents. Brazilian Ambassador to Iran, Rodrigo de Azeredo Santos, met with the Head of the Center for Public Relations and International Affairs of the Ministry of Jihad Agriculture, Alimurad Sarafrazi, today on Tuesday. The meeting was aimed at cooperation and interaction between the two countries in the field of agriculture, Trend reports citing Mehr News Agency. Consultations were also done to provide the conditions for the signing of three cooperation documents between Iran and Brazil in the fields of plant health, animal health, and research cooperation with the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (Embrapa). It was decided to hold three video conferences with the Brazilian side to sign the final agreement virtually. Another topic of discussion was the holding of videoconferencing sessions in areas of mutual interest to transfer existing experiences and knowledge by Iranian and Brazilian experts in the fields of conventional agriculture, agricultural promotion, and technology transfer. There was also a discussion about following up on Brazilian corn exports to Iran. It was decided to pave the way for corn imports from Brazil. Over 1,000 National Guardsmen to be Deployed to Oregon to Help Battle Wildfires Sputnik News 21:54 GMT 14.09.2020 WASHINGTON, September 15 (Sputnik) - More than 1,000 National Guard troops will be deployed to Oregon to help the state fight ongoing wildfires, National Guard Adj. Gen. Mike Stencel said during a press conference. "By the end of today, the National Guard is looking at having almost 700 soldiers and airmen mobilized for this effort and by the end of the week that number will be exceeding 1,000 Guard members," Stencel said on Monday. Earlier, Oregon Governor Kate Brown said that she has asked US President Donald Trump to declare a major disaster in the state. As of Monday, 34 wildfires have burned through more than 935,000 acres in Oregon. Tens of thousands of people in California, Oregon and Washington have been forced to evacuate amid the wildfires. In Oregon, the death toll from the fires stands at ten. A Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Save on our all-time favorite cloth face masks. Recommendations are independently chosen by Revieweds editors. Purchases you make through our links may earn us a commission. If you're in the market for new face masks, you're in luck. Right now, you can get 20% off the best face coverings we tested at Revieweda 5-pack of masks from Athletawith the code AP192CA4T2. Whether you already have a number of cloth face coverings or not, this could be a great time to invest in more. Why? 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Prices were accurate at the time this article was published but may change over time. This article originally appeared on Reviewed.com: Athleta face mask deal: Get 20% off the best face covering we tested Washington: Australians' perceptions of the United States have plummeted over the past year, with three in four Australians saying they have no confidence President Donald Trump will do the right thing for the world. The findings are contained in a new study by the Pew Research Centre, to be released on Wednesday (AEST), that compares attitudes towards the US in 13 countries across Europe, North America and the Asia-Pacific. Just one in four Australians has confidence that Donald Trump will do the right thing for world affairs. Credit:AP A major reason for the plunge in support for the US and its President appears to be the country's failure to contain the coronavirus, which has killed more than 194,000 Americans according to Johns Hopkins University. At-home care isnt a substitute for professional care. Remember: Your first-aid kit does not replace trained medical care. First aid is either for minor injuries that you dont need to go to the hospital for or for temporizing while youre trying to transport to the hospital, Balmes said. Injuries that leave you immobilized or cause severe pain or a change in mental status are urgent and require immediate care. Balmes adds shortness of breath to that list, too, in light of the pandemic. This pandemic has laid bare our societys inequities, and nowhere more than in our public schools. Gov. Andrew Cuomo, lauded as a hero for his handling of the states pandemic response, has overseen a supposedly temporary 20 percent reduction of its payments to school districts since this summer. In New York City, the decrease would amount to a $2.3 billion loss for the schools over the next year. The city schools chancellor, Richard Carranza, said that the cuts, if made permanent, would mean game over for in-person learning, and would lead to programming cuts and 9,000 layoffs in the Department of Education. Yet the governor has resisted raising taxes on the states 118 billionaires (up from 112 last year), who have seen their collective wealth increase by $77 billion during the pandemic, a figure that dwarfs the states projected budget gap of $14.5 billion this year. Even before the pandemic, New York State was second in the country when it comes to inequities in education funding with rich districts getting $10,000 more per student on average than poor districts. (The states failure to equitably and fully fund New Yorks low-income school districts motivated me to run for governor in 2018.) The city has compounded the continuing disinvestment in our public schools. In June, Mayor Bill de Blasio and the City Council pushed through nearly $1 billion in cuts and savings to the education budget. Coupled with the state reductions, the schools are now facing a staggering cut of $3.3 billion. The mayor has been hamstrung by the governor and his own political miscalculations and leadership failures. As experts warned of a pandemic earlier this year, the mayor, echoing Mr. Cuomos confidence that the virus could be contained, resisted calls to close the schools. By early May, at least 74 Department of Education employees had died in connection with Covid-19. (Researchers at Columbia found that had the city shut down even a week earlier than March 16, the date when schools were finally closed, some 18,500 Covid-19 deaths citywide could have been avoided.) Bill that would break intl law has fuelled anger at home and outrage in Brussels and now faces more intense scrutiny. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson secured initial backing for his controversial plan to breach the Brexit treaty agreed with the European Union last year, despite outrage in Brussels and anger at home over such an overt move to break international law. Johnson won the second reading parliamentary vote on the Internal Market Bill by 340 votes to 263, but some 30 of his MPs abstained and two voted against the bill. Lawmakers will now spend four days scrutinising the text amid a growing rebellion over the bill within Johnsons ruling Conservative Party. The prime minister earlier told parliament the legislation was a safety net against what he claimed were EU threats to impose tariffs on UK internal trade and even stop food going from mainland Britain to Northern Ireland. The EU still have not taken this revolver off the table, Johnson told parliament before the vote. What we cannot do now is tolerate a situation where our EU counterparts seriously believe that they have the power to break up our country. EU leaders have dismissed Johnsons argument as spin, saying he should uphold commitments he himself made in the Brexit treaty last year. The bloc is demanding that he withdraw the offending parts of the new bill by the end of September or risk no trade deal at the end of the year to cover everything from food to car parts. Angry debate The legislation also sparked angry debate in London, reminiscent of the years of bitter political battles that followed the 2016 shock referendum vote to leave the EU. Johnson was told it was his mess [and] his failure that created any alleged problems in the Brexit treaty [Parliamentary Recording Unit via AFP] Several of Johnsons own Conservative MPs expressed alarm about breaking international law, with ex-finance minister Sajid Javid and former attorney general Geoffrey Cox among those saying beforehand that they would not back the bill as it stood. Every living former prime minister Conservatives John Major, David Cameron and Theresa May and Labours Tony Blair and Gordon Brown also warned of the risk to the UKs global reputation. Johnson has made clear he has cast the bill as a defensive insurance policy aimed at preventing a foreign power from dividing the United Kingdom by using Northern Ireland as leverage. I understand how some people will feel unease over the use of these powers and I share that sentiment myself, Johnson said. They are an insurance policy and if we reach agreement with our European friends, which I still believe is possible, they will never be invoked. The UK left the EU in January but remains bound by the rules of the 27-member bloc until a transition period ends on December 31. Johnson says the UK Internal Market Bill will ensure unfettered access for future trade within the UKs four nations Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Under the proposed legislation, London would unilaterally regulate UK trade and state aid within Northern Ireland, in violation of the Brexit treaty, which requires Brussels to have a say. His mess, his failure Northern Ireland will remain subject to some EU rules after Brexit to ensure a free-flowing border with the Republic of Ireland a crucial part of the 1998 peace accords that ended decades of sectarian violence. Downing Street last week claimed the Brexit deal was agreed at pace and the problems with the aspects of the treaty regarding Northern Ireland were unforeseen. But opposition Labour spokesman Ed Miliband ridiculed the idea. Either he wasnt straight with the country about the deal in the first place or he didnt understand it, Miliband said. He added: This is his deal. Its his mess. Its his failure. Some EU diplomats believe Johnson is playing a game of chicken, inviting the collapse of trade talks to either get the deal it wants or leave without a deal. One of Johnsons special envoys, MP Rehman Chishti, earlier quit over the bill and more trouble could be ahead. The main battleground in the next four days of debate is likely to be an attempt by Bob Neill, a Conservative lawmaker, to amend the bill to give parliament, not ministers, the power to decide whether to overrule the Brexit treaty. Even some Brexit-backing Tories are unhappy, with one, Charles Walker, saying: Im no fan of the EU but surely we have to exhaust all other options before we press the nuclear button. CABINET Ministers have been told to restrict their movements in the coming days as Health Minister Stephen Donnelly is tested for Covid-19. The Dail will also be recalled on Tuesday evening having earlier been dramatically suspended for the week by Ceann Comhairle Sean O Fearghail who said the entire Cabinet had to self-isolate. The Government has now confirmed that junior ministers will fill in for senior Cabinet members in the Dail, which will resume on Tuesday evening. The Taoiseach confirmed to the Labour leader Alan Kelly that Junior Ministers will take questions as opposed to Ministers. Cabinet ministers are being advised to work from home, while restricting their movements, but are not required to self-isolate. A Government source said the move was being taken out of an "abundance of caution". The acting Chief Medical Officer, Dr Ronan Glynn, is also now restricting his movements. Read More Mr Donnelly felt unwell earlier following this morning's Cabinet meet in Dublin Castle and is now seeking a test for the virus following discussions with acting chief medical officer Dr Ronan Glynn. A Government spokesperson said: "The Minister contacted his GP and he has been referred for a Covid-19 test. He has gone home and will restrict his movements." The communication has gone to all ministers to restrict their movements pending the outcome of that test, Taoisech Micheal Martin said on the Six-One News. The CMO had used the phrase an abundance of caution, while giving his advice he said. The Chief Whip had then informed the Ceann Comhairle and he had suspended the Dail, he said. But the Dail was returning because we believe Ministers of State can take certain issues and represent the Government. The Cabinet was being cautious because there were a number of meetings Stephen Donnelly attended yesterday, including when he briefed the whole Cabinet on todays plan. Mr Martin stressed that he would continue to work, via Zoom and on the phone. I will be at my desk. Hopefully the test will come back normal, or negative, for Mr Donnelly, he added. Cabinet Ministers were taken by surprise by the announcement on Tuesday afternoon. Earlier it emerged that Green Party leader Eamon Ryan was restricting his movements as one of his family was being tested for the virus, while junior minister Thomas Byrne was also self-isolating. A spokesperson for Mr Donnelly said: "The Minister for Health began to feel unwell this afternoon. He contacted his GP and has been referred for a Covid-19 test. As per public health guidance, he is now self-isolating." The varsity has instructed that the questions should be based on syllabus taught till 13 March, however, for those appearing for the backlog exams, the question paper would be based on the entire syllabus The Mumbai University has released a new circular that carries instructions for conducting the final year exams for various programmes for colleges affiliated to the university. In the circular sent out on Monday, the varsity outlined some rules regarding the formulation of multiple-choice questions (MCQs) for the exams. The notice signed by Vinod Patil, the controller of examination, said that the MCQs should be drafted to cover part of the syllabus taught in colleges until 13 March, 2020, reported The Hindustan Times. Nothing outside of that should come in the exams. However, repeat candidates must appear for the entire portion. The notice also explained the vision behind the formation of the group of colleges or a cluster. It said that the aim was to bring together a group of affiliated colleges in a given geographical region offering similar programs and facilitate the synchronisation and coordination with respect to the execution of various academic and examination work. The lead and affiliated colleges in this system are required to coordinate to form the question papers for the 2020 final year exams. The varsity has instructed there should be 25 to 40 MCQs in each paper. The one-hour exam will be of maximum 50 marks. According to Times of India, these in-depth guidelines were released by the varsity as lead colleges across clusters were coming up with varied plans. Preparing a question back of about 250 questions was proving to be difficult as the teachers lacked any back-paper material. Stating that teachers should make sure the other alternatives other than the correct option is absolutely wrong, the circular banned the usage of certain alternative types. The alternatives such as All of the above, None of these or None of the above, Other than those given as options, true/false and a and b cannot be used in the MU exams. The circular also states that mock tests should be conducted to provide practice and feel of online MCQ examinations to students. Colleges have also been asked to prepare sample MCQs and provide these to students. Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny and his family members pose for a picture at Charite hospital in Berlin, Germany, in this undated image obtained from social media September 15, 2020. Reuters In his first public message since being poisoned, Alexei Navalny on Tuesday said he is recovering and finally able to breathe on his own. Navalny, a prominent critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin, has been recovering in a German hospital since he was poisoned in Siberia in late August. Navalny's press secretary said he plans to return to Russia. Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny on Tuesday posted a picture on Instagram for the first time since he fell ill after being poisoned last month. "Hi, this is Navalny," Navalny said in Russian in the caption, which was translated by CNN. "I miss you. I still can hardly do anything, but yesterday I was able to breathe on my own for the whole day. Just myself. I did not use any outside help, not even the simplest valve in my throat." This was Navalny's first public message since being poisoned. Navalny, the most prominent opponent of Russian President Vladimir Putin, is recovering in a German hospital after getting sick on a flight back to Moscow from Siberia in late August. His aides immediately suspected he'd been poisoned. After an emergency landing, Navalny was first taken to a hospital in Siberia, where doctors rejected the notion he'd been poisoned. Russian authorities initially barred Navalny from being medically evacuated from the country, but he was eventually permitted to travel to Germany for further treatment. After he was transferred to Germany, the nerve agent Novichok was found in Navalny's system. Novichok has been used to poison other Russian dissidents. The German government has demanded answers from the Kremlin over Navalny's poisoning, but the Russian government has denied any involvement in the incident. The international community has joined Germany in condemning the incident, though President Donald Trump has faced criticism for barely acknowledging Navalny's poisoning. Story continues Navalny, who has faced yearslong harassment from the Russian government, is the latest victim on a long list of Putin critics who were poisoned and/or killed. But the anti-corruption campaigner still plans to return to Russia, according to his press secretary, Kira Yarmysh. "No other option was ever considered," Yarmysh told CNN. Read the original article on Business Insider The government may impose a new minimum export price (MEP) on onions, CNBC-TV18 reported. India on September 14 placed a ban on export of onions, after a spike in wholesale prices. The onion prices trebled at Lasalgaon market after heavy rainfall in southern states hurt the crop. The National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED) will immediately release 500 mt of onions in Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Pune, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad and Indore, the news channel reported. The government will continue monitoring onion cultivation and prices over the next few moths. The finance ministry has asked for a detailed analysis of the current prices of onions, the report said. The finance ministry believes that the spike in onion prices was seen without a significant increase in demand, sources told CNCB-TV18. The government will procure onion seeds from all possible sources to increase cultivation, the report added. India is the world's biggest exporter of onions, supplying it to countries such as Bangladesh, Nepal, Malaysia, and Sri Lanka. Boris Johnsons plan to reform social care has been delayed again, leaving families continuing to face sky-high bills for the foreseeable future. Insiders say no details will be released until Chancellor Rishi Sunaks Autumn Statement in late November or even later. It is understood that Downing Street has gone back to square one after cooling on the idea of a cap on the costs of care. The Prime Minister is now looking at a new plan based on the pensions system, with people getting basic care for free but with the ability to pay more for better care. Families continue to face sky-high bills for the foreseeable future. Under Englands broken social care system, people pay the full cost of their care until their assets including the value of their home fall to below 23,250 Under the scheme, championed by Theresa Mays former deputy Damian Green, the elderly would pay more via their savings or housing wealth if they wanted larger rooms in a care home, more appetising meals or more frequent trips. Earlier this week Health Secretary Matt Hancock was asked by MPs when the plan for social care would be published and he refused to give an answer. Last night charities said the further delay was gut-wrenching for families. Under Englands broken social care system, people pay the full cost of their care until their assets including the value of their home fall to below 23,250. It leaves many parents unable to pass on much of an inheritance to their children. It had been thought that No 10 was close to announcing a version of economist Andrew Dilnots care cap, which would see everyone paying a maximum of 40,000 towards their care, with the state stepping in to pay the rest. But senior figures are believed to be cooling on this idea, partly because it would not guarantee that people would not have to sell their homes to pay for care. This is because the Dilnot scheme sees people having to pay hotel costs for bed and board of up to 10,000 a year. And the 40,000 cap would not be a significant help to people in some northern areas where house prices are much lower. Downing Street is now looking at other models, including one promoted by Mr Green for a system based on pensions. Everyone would get a guaranteed basic level of social care for free, just as they get a state pension. But they would have to pay more if they wanted better care, in the same way as people can take out private pensions. Boris Johnson is now looking at a new plan - with people getting basic care for free but with the ability to pay more for better care The system could see them having the option of paying a lump sum of 10,000 or 20,000 on retirement for the promise of better care should they need it. The Daily Mail has campaigned to end the injustice of families of patients with dementia and other illnesses having to spend billions on care. Mr Johnson claimed when he entered No 10 in July last year that he already had a plan to end the social care crisis once and for all. But in the many months since he made that confident announcement, no information has been forthcoming. Caroline Abrahams, charity director at Age UK, said: Social care was in desperate need of refinancing and reform before the pandemic and six months later the red warning lights are now flashing brighter than ever. Given everything else going on, a further delay is not surprising but it is gut-wrenching. New Delhi, Sep 15 : Over two months after dreaded Uttar Pradesh gangster Vikas Dubey was shot dead in a police encounter, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) said on Tuesday that it had registered a money-laundering case against him and several of his accomplices. "We have registered a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) against Dubey and his gang members," an ED official told IANS. The official said that the ED will identify properties of Dubey and his gang members and attach these under the PMLA as proceeds of crime. The official said that it has taken over investigation into the money-laundering angle to the case from the UP Police. In July, the ED had collected case documents from Uttar Pradesh Police. Dubey was killed on July 10, seven days after he and his accomplices killed eight police personnel in his native village Bikru in Kanpur district. More than two dozen accused in the Bikru shootout were arrested by UP STF and sent to jail while six others, including Dubey, were gunned down in separate encounters. Seven accused had surrendered in a special court. The Beyhive is back in action on Twitter today to defend their Queen after she was the subject of a controversial Bollywood song "Beyonce Sharma Jayegi," (which roughly translates to "Beyonce will feel shy"). Needless to say, the internet was not thrilled to hear Beyonce's name creep into the song's suggestive lyrics: "By merely looking at you [my light-skinned lady], even Beyonce will be embarrassed." "Beyonce Sharma Jayegi," which was set to be featured in the upcoming Bollywood rom-com, Kaahli Peeli and stars actors Ishaan Khatter and Ananya Panday, promotes colorism and, in turn, harmful beauty standards that many have pointed out is the antithesis of the musician's platform (see: Black Is King). Following the social media backlash, as well as some legal concerns (Beyonce had her name trademarked, according to Fortune Magazine) the director, Maqbool Khan, released a statement to The Times of India, writing: "We have made the film to entertain audiences and not to offend or hurt anyone. Since our lyrical arrangement did not go well with few people, we thought why not keeping the essence the same while changing the song a little bit." The song has since been changed to say "the world will feel shy," however people are still upset that the song's problematic messaging remains intact and are calling for the movie's boycott. The film is set to be released on October 2 on Zee Plex, a new Bollywood-movie/ television pay-per-view streaming service. Let's hope Khan rethinks the intent behind the song all-together before it makes its way into our homes. Source: Xinhua| 2020-09-15 00:21:34|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Paul Rusesabagina (1st L), portrayed as a humanitarian in the controversial Oscar-nominated film "Hotel Rwanda," arrives at a court in Kigali, Rwanda, on Sept. 14, 2020. Rusesabagina on Monday declined to plead guilty or not guilty to 13 charges against him during a pre-trial hearing, which was his first appearance in court after being arrested. (Photo by Cyril Ndegeya/Xinhua) KIGALI, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- Paul Rusesabagina, portrayed as a humanitarian in the controversial Oscar-nominated film "Hotel Rwanda," on Monday declined to plead guilty or not guilty to 13 charges against him during a pre-trial hearing, which was his first apperance in court after being arrested. Rusesabagina appeared before a judge at Kagarama Primary Court in the Rwandan capital city Kigali, who read 13 charges against him, including terrorism, forming and recruiting people into an armed organization, issuing instructions of the terrorism act, complicity to murder and arson, among others. The 66-year-old said while he admitted committing some of the alleged charges during his interrogation, he "would respond to each of them when the trial opens in substance," he said. "All my answers to these accusations were well documented in my file before the court and for now I will not add anything to my written submissions," he said. The prosecution in the hearing alleged Rusesabagina was behind serious crimes against unarmed, innocent Rwandan civilians in the south-western districts of Nyaruguru and Nyamagabe in June 2018 and December in the same year, respectively. Defence lawyers questioned the court's competence to try their client, arguing that Rusesabagina was not a Rwandan resident and he was not in the country when the alleged crimes were committed. It was dismissed by the court as Rusesabagina was arrested at Kigali International Airport located in Kigali's Kicukiro district and still keeps his Rwandan citizenship while holding the one of Belgium. They also demanded for the immediate release of their client as he is sick, while the prosecution asked the court to remand Rusesabagina for 30 days as investigations into his alleged crimes continue. The hearing was adjourned to Thursday, when it will pronounce its ruling on the bail application. Rusesabagina was made famous by the film "Hotel Rwanda," where he saved over 1,000 ethnic Tutsis during the 1994 Rwandan Genocide against the Tutsi, which claimed over 1 million lives. However, survivors and experts disputed the story. Liberal Democrats are planning a four-year drive to woo soft conservatives repulsed by the thuggish values of the Tories under Boris Johnson and Dominic Cummings, the partys new campaigning chief has revealed. Speaking to The Independent in an interview to announce her election as deputy to leader Sir Ed Davey, Daisy Cooper said that the route out of the Lib Dems current electoral trough could be found through appealing to voters who had always thought of themselves as conservatives but found the current government at odds with their values of competent governance, respect for the law, international alliances, civil liberties and protection of the environment. Mr Johnsons current threat to breach Britains obligations under international treaty law in his row with the EU was the latest in a chain of shocking acts which showed his party no longer represented the values of moderate voters, she said. In a sharp change of tactics from former leader Jo Swinsons approach in last Decembers election when she flopped after declaring herself a potential prime minister looking to win seats across the country Ms Cooper made clear she will be tightly focusing on winnable Tory-held seats where she can deploy an army of activists in a long-term war of attrition. Under the first-past-the-post system, she calculates that concentrating energy and resources on well-chosen target constituencies can deliver a good number of seats in parliament, while increasing the Lib Dems support generally across the country would not even if they were able to lift themselves from their current position of 6 per cent in the polls to the heights of 23-24 per cent seen briefly under Sir Vince Cable. It is a strategy based on her experience in St Albans, where she provided the only point of light for the party on a dismal election night by overturning an 11 per cent Tory lead to romp home by more than 6,000 votes in a constituency last held by Liberals in 1904. She claimed to have had around 1,000 activists out during the time of the campaign, with a hardcore team of 300 deploying the traditional Lib Dem weapon of close attention to local community issues for years before the election was called. And she believes that performance can be replicated to make significant numbers of Tory MPs vulnerable. She named foreign secretary Dominic Raabs seat of Esher and Walton in Surrey which she said the party came within a whisker of seizing in 2019, falling short by less than 2.2 per cent as it put on more than 18,000 votes as a key target, but said she was looking at a list of 82 constituencies where Lib Dems are running second to Tories, in order to select those with the most potential for an upset. I think the Tory party has been moved so far to the right that there are swathes of soft conservatives in the country who don't see the current party under Boris Johnson as representing anything like their views and their values whatsoever, said Ms Cooper. And I don't think it's just on rule of law issues. It is this kind of thuggish behaviour around giving contracts to their mates, threatening the independence of the judiciary, the double standards emanating from Dominic Cummings, the mixed messaging, the chaos that we're getting week in week out, the staggering incompetence. I think many people have thought before that the Conservative Party was a party of competence and now its anything but. She said: In St Albans we started early and it took us three and half years to win the seat by getting out there and talking about our values, about being an open, internationalist party which believes in environmentalism and civil liberties. Weve got three and a half years now to the next election, so I think that if we start now, weve got a very good chance of winning a good number of seats. Ms Cooper said that she was surprised by the fury she heard from Tory voters in her Hertfordshire seat over the prime ministers abortive attempt to shut down parliament as he struggled to force through his Brexit deal last year. People just found it truly shocking the lengths to which he would go, his willingness to break the rules, she said. While accepting that the 2019 trump card of stopping Brexit will not be available to Lib Dems in the election scheduled for 2024, she said the party could be buoyed by Jeremy Corbyns departure as Labour leader, which deprives Tories of the argument that voting for Sir Eds party risks letting in a hardline socialist government. Sir Ed who was a minister in the Tory-Lib Dem coalition cabinet has made no secret of his willingness to work with Mr Corbyns successor, Sir Keir Starmer. And Ms Cooper said she saw Sir Keirs values as much closer than Mr Corbyns to the Lib Dems and to mainstream voters. I don't think people will be scared off by that argument, she said. If anything, I think it will enable them to feel confident they can vote for Liberal Democrats in the seats where we can win without fear that were going to end up with an extreme left or extreme right government. Handed the education brief alongside her campaigning role by Sir Ed, Ms Cooper said she wanted to push for better support for children with special educational needs, who she said had been neglected by the Conservative government amid horrible slashing of budgets for schools. Ive seen parents who, you can see in their faces, are living, fighting and battling a broken system, she said. They are prepared with every single bone in their body and every pound in their bank account to fight for their children and their childrens futures, and theyre being let down at every single turn. I want to get a much better spotlight on those children that are largely being ignored and not listened to and really struggling to have a voice. And I want to tackle this issue that is now coming to the front of the agenda around child poverty and the provision of free school meals. I think it is shocking that in the 21st century we have children going to school with hungry tummies. Its just absolutely scandalous and I think weve to turn the help which was given because of Covid into change for good. Before becoming an MP, Ms Cooper studied law at university and worked on campaigns for LGBT+ rights abroad and against human rights violations in Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe as well as on the Hacked Off campaign against media intrusion. She came from a small-L liberal background and remembers cutting out Persil vouchers for the Greenham Common women as a small child. But she came relatively late to party politics, joining the Lib Dems after seeing a Labour minister arguing for stop and search and 42-day detention without charge in 2008. It was a light-switch moment, she said. I was just watching TV on a Sunday and I remember listening to this minister talk and feeling genuinely shocked to my core that any government of any colour could propose these measures. I thought I can do a better job than her. So I got my laptop out, and I thought Ive always voted Lib Dem, I think Im probably a Lib Dem and I signed up that afternoon. That decision led to two unsuccessful bids for parliament in no-hope seats in the 2010 and 2015 elections and a second place in the 2014 election for the party presidency, before her first shot at St Albans in 2017 when she added 14 percentage points to the Lib Dem tally to take second place on the way to unseating Tory Anne Main two years later. David Cameron was chomping on cigars over endless bottles of wine the weekend after the Brexit vote, claims a former ministers wife. Sasha Swire also alleges that Mr Camerons wife Samantha was only able to join him for his resignation speech after a large negroni cocktail. She makes the claims in her forthcoming bombshell book about her life as the wife of former Foreign Office minister Sir Hugo Swire. Fortified: Samantha Cameron with husband David as he resigns In the latest extracts Lady Swire, 57, recalls visiting Mr and Mrs Cameron at their Oxfordshire home the weekend after the EU referendum in June 2016. She says her husband had texted Mr Cameron to say we are around if he wants cheering up and he texted back asking them to come with two fat Cohibas and plenty of booze. Cohiba is a premium brand of Cuban cigar. Lady Swire says Mrs Cameron told her she did not think she could join her husband for his resignation speech made in Downing Street at about 8am, hours after the result was announced without drinking a large negroni. She adds: When they walked back inside, Dave apparently recoiled from her gin-sodden breath. It was almost wholly directed against his Cabinet colleague Michael Gove, who had jointly led the Vote Leave campaign with Boris Johnson (pictured with David Cameron) When the Swires arrived at the Camerons Oxfordshire home, Mr Cameron was not there but his wife was and she was devastated not by Daves departure, but by the stupid decision the country has made, Lady Swire claims. When Dave arrives, he makes a lethal negroni before we progress to endless bottles of wine, whisky and brandy, she writes in the book, the latest extracts of which were published in The Times yesterday. Mr Cameron, who resigned as prime minister and leader of the Conservative Party after Britain voted to leave the EU in the referendum, was incandescent with anger. It was almost wholly directed against his Cabinet colleague Michael Gove, who had jointly led the Vote Leave campaign with Boris Johnson. As for Boris, he says that this whole episode was to do with his leadership ambitions and that he despised his lack of ideology, which is a tad ironic, Lady Swire says. Revelations: Lady Swire with Sir Hugo David tells us that even when he switched sides, Boris was telling him via texts that Brexit would be crushed like the toad beneath the harrow and that he (David) would survive. Lady Swire adds how after dinner Mrs Cameron conks out on the sofa while Mr Cameron and her husband, whom she refers to as H, are now chomping on cigars. In an entry the following year, Lady Swire says Mr Cameron is by then billed as one of the most prominent global influencers of the early 21st century by the Washington Speakers Bureau. But she says below the bravado she feels there is a residue of sadness. Lady Swires book, Diary of an MPs Wife: Inside and Outside Power, is due out on Thursday next week. A spokesman for Mr Cameron said yesterday: We are not commenting on the book. The overall situation at friction points in eastern Ladakh remains unchanged and continues to be tense, four days after foreign ministers of India and China agreed on a five-point plan to resolve the prolonged border standoff, government sources said. The sources also said both the Indian and Chinese troops are firmly holding onto their respective positions at the Line of Actual Control(LAC). They said while the situation in the region continues to be tense no fresh movement of Chinese troops was witnessed. The Indian Army will not lower its guard and will maintain the current state of very high-level of combat readiness in eastern Ladakh till there are visible changes in the ground situation, the sources added. The sources said the date for the much-anticipated Corps commander-level talks between the two armies is yet to be firmed up but it is likely to take place in the next few days. The military talks are expected to focus on implementation of certain provisions of the five-point consensus to ease tensions. India and China reached an agreement to resolve their border row at a meeting between External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in Moscow last Thursday on the sidelines of a Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meet. The agreement included measures like quick disengagement of troops, avoiding action that could escalate tensions, adherence to all agreements and protocols on border management and steps to restore peace along the LAC. It also mentioned that the two sides should expedite work to conclude "new confidence building measures" to enhance peace and tranquillity in the border areas. However, the agreement has not mentioned any timeline for disengagement of troops. Meanwhile, Chinese envoy Sun Weidong, referring to consensus reached during previous talks between leaders of the two countries, said both sides should "pursue win-win cooperation" instead of "zero-sum game". "I hope and believe that as long as the two sides earnestly implement the consensus reached by the two foreign ministers to the front-line troops and adhere to the correct means of dialogue and negotiation, the two sides will find a way to overcome the current difficulties," Sun was quoted as saying by the Chinese embassy. He was commenting on the Jaishankar-Wang talks. The envoy further said: "As long as the two sides keep moving the relationship in the right direction building on the previous achievements, there will be no difficulty or challenge that can't be overcome." The five-point consensus at the Jaishankar-Wang talks came days after a fresh confrontation between the two armies early last week in eastern Ladakh that triggered a massive military build up by both sides in almost all friction points along the LAC. The Indian Army and the Chinese People's Liberation Army(PLA) have been locked in a tense standoff in multiple areas along the LAC in eastern Ladakh since early May. Shots were fired across the LAC on Monday last for the first time in 45 years with the two sides accusing each other of firing in the air. In the five rounds of the Corps commander-level talks, the Indian side has been insisting on immediate restoration of status quo ante in all areas of eastern Ladakh prior to April. The face-off in eastern Ladakh erupted on May 6. At the Jaishankar-Wang talks, the Indian delegation highlighted its strong concern over amassing of troops and military equipment by China along the LAC besides referring to "provocative behaviour" by Chinese army personnel at numerous incidents of friction. The Indian side clearly conveyed that it expected full adherence to all agreements on management of border areas and would not countenance any attempt to change the status quo unilaterally, according to the Ministry of External Affairs(MEA). Last week, the Army further bolstered its dominance over a number of strategic heights overlooking key Chinese-held positions around the Pangong lake area in eastern Ladakh Detailed magnetic survey over the property identifies fold structures similar to the one hosting the Camflo stock and mineralization. Preliminary compilation of drill hole data identifies a syenite intrusion 800 metres southeast of the Camflo orebody. Monarch awards contract to InnovExplo to develop a drill hole database and 3D digital model for the Camflo property. The Camflo mine was in production for 27 years, from 1965 to 1992, and yielded a total of 1.65 million ounces of gold from 8,862,240 tonnes of ore grading 5.78 g/t Au (Source: QERPUB-M.E.R. Publication DV93-01 Rapports des Geologues Residents sur l'Activite Miniere Regionale, 1993). MONTREAL, Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ - MONARCH GOLD CORPORATION ("Monarch" or the "Corporation") (TSX: MQR) (OTCQX: MRQRF) (FRANKFURT: MR7) is pleased to announce that it has received the final results from the helicopter airborne magnetic survey conducted on its behalf by Novatem Inc. on the Camflo property (see press release dated June 18, 2020). Given that Camflo Mines discovered the Camflo deposit while drilling distinct magnetic features in 1962, Monarch decided to conduct a detailed helicopter airborne magnetic survey over the property at a 25-m line spacing in a bid to identify fold features similar to the one hosting the Camflo stock and mineralization along the southern limb of a larger, more regional fold. The survey was successful in clearly outlining the folded iron formation associated with the mineralization at the Camflo mine, as confirmed by underground work at the mine. It also identified potential targets to the southeast, defined by a similar fold feature along the same stratigraphy, and two additional potential fold features to the northwest of the mine. As a next step, Monarch will undertake a detailed compilation of historical data from the Camflo property. This will include all historical works, drifts, sub-levels, shafts, stopes and other underground openings. The compilation will also include 3,000 surface and underground diamond drill holes drilled from 1939 to 2007. Information from mine openings used for mine production and contained on level plans and cross sections will be digitized in order to reconstruct the underground infrastructures in 3D. Lithological contacts, geological structures and mineralized zones contained in the level plans and cross sections will also be digitized and may eventually be used for the preparation of the 3D litho-structural model to improve the understanding of the deposit and generate quality exploration targets with the objective of identifying new mineral resources on the property. The Company has retained the services of InnovExplo of Val-d'Or, Quebec, a company experienced in this type of historical data compilation and 3D modelling, to undertake this important project. Work will begin in early September and should be completed before the end of the year. A preliminary compilation of historical surface drill holes by Monarch geologists has identified a syenite intrusion intersected in two holes drilled in 1962, located approximately 800 metres to the southeast, along the stratigraphic horizon that hosts the Camflo stock. "We are excited about moving this project forward in our pipeline of advanced projects, especially given the early results we have on hand," said Jean-Marc Lacoste, President and Chief Executive Officer of Monarch. "Some exciting targets are emerging and we believe there are more in store." Qualified person statement The technical and scientific content of this press release has been reviewed and approved by Louis Martin, P.Geo., the Corporation's qualified person under National Instrument 43-101. ABOUT MONARCH GOLD CORPORATION Monarch Gold Corporation (TSX: MQR) is an emerging gold mining company focused on becoming a 100,000 to 200,000 ounce per year gold producer through its large portfolio of high-quality projects in the Abitibi mining camp in Quebec, Canada. The Corporation currently owns over 315 km of gold properties (see map), including the Wasamac deposit (measured and indicated resource of 2.6 million ounces of gold, which includes proven and probable reserves of 1.8 million ounces of gold), the Beaufor, Croinor Gold (see video), and McKenzie Break advanced projects, the Camflo and Swanson exploration projects, and the Camflo and Beacon mills. It also offers custom milling services out of its 1,600 tonne-per-day Camflo mill. Forward-Looking Statements The forward-looking statements in this press release involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause Monarch's actual results, performance and achievements to be materially different from the results, performance or achievements expressed or implied therein. Neither TSX nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release. www.monarquesgold.com SOURCE Monarch Gold Corporation Related Links http://www.monarquesgold.com/en/ Lacy Johnson is the Republican who is challenging Ilhan Omar in Minnesotas 5th District. Lacy is an excellent candidate fighting an uphill battle. Last night, two of his campaign volunteers were shot in North Minneapolis. The local CBS outlet has the story: The 17-year-old boy killed and another man hurt Monday in a north Minneapolis shooting were members of a Republican congressional candidates campaign. The Lacy Johnson campaign says the two victims were members of the outreach team and were not performing campaign duties when the shooting occurred Monday afternoon at the intersection of North Fremont and Dowling avenues. Minneapolis police say a group of people were standing outside of a Super USA convenience store when one or more shooters opened fire. The teenager and the man were hit, and emergency crews brought them to Hennepin Healthcare for treatment. The teenager was pronounced dead shortly thereafter. Investigators are still searching for the shooters, who fled the scene on foot. At this point, the shootings are not believed to have anything to do with the election. But they highlight the dangerous situation that has been unleashed by anti-law enforcement elements, primarily Black Lives Matter, in Minneapolis. Lacy Johnson commented appropriately: It is shocking and unnecessary acts of violence like this that prove why change is more needed than ever in our community. the Johnson campaign wrote, in a statement. The CBS story concludes: Minneapolis has experienced a surge in gun violence this summer. According to police, this year is on track to double 2019s homicide total. One wonders whether Black Lives Matter and Antifa will ever be held accountable for the wave of violence they have encouraged and helped to unleash. By William Schwartz | Published on 2020/09/14 As of September 14th, "#ALIVE" is still holding strong in the global Netflix film rankings on FlixPatrol. The zombie movie has been a surprise success on the streaming platform. But it is far from unprecedented. After all, "Kingdom" and more recently "Kingdom - Season 2" made big waves on Netflix with a similar concept, albeit taking place in the historical era rather than the modern day. Advertisement In general Netflix has been a major boon for South Korean media. While the streaming platform's initial launch was laggard, and had little to offer domestic South Korean audiences until "Kingdom", Netflix has been more aggressive recently in terms of acquiring streaming rights to popular domestic dramas. "Crash Landing on You", "It's Okay to Not Be Okay", and "The King: Eternal Monarch" have all been big successes on the platform, improving Netflix's business prospects this year. The reprocussions for this go far beyond just the South Korean domestic market, however. Netflix has become the dominant streaming platform for South Korean media worldwide, a situation that has benefited Netflix as much as it has the dramas it has promoted. Last year "Arthdal Chronicles" was a domestic disappointment on traditional television relative to its cost, but the prehistorically themed drama was a big enough hit worldwide to prompt approval of a second season. "#ALIVE" is noteworthy mainly in that it's the first big Netflix success with a South Korean film as opposed to a drama, and particularly a film that Netflix did not help produce. "Okja" and "Time to Hunt" were closely tied with Netflix to appeal to the international market, though neither succeeded as well as Netflix would have liked. But the South Korean film market has plenty of titles with potential broad appeal, as many learned from "Parasite" last year, which Netflix did not license worldwide. Written by William Schwartz VINNYTSIA, Ukraine They sang. They danced. They slumped in exhaustion on their luggage. For a second night in a row, hundreds of Hasidic Jewish pilgrims remained outdoors along a road between checkpoints on the border between Ukraine and Belarus on Tuesday, stranded by coronavirus travel restrictions. Border guards in Ukraine have reinforced the crossing where the pilgrims are seeking to enter the country to celebrate Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year, in the city of Uman, site of the grave of Rabbi Nachman, the founder of the Breslov branch of Hasidic Judaism. As Covid-19 cases in the country ticked up, Ukraine closed its borders last month, blocking the pilgrimage, which typically draws tens of thousands of people, many coming from Israel. Israeli health officials have supported Ukraines decision. Angela Lambert, Director of Standards Compliance at Clarion Safety The UWs conference is a go-to event for product safety. I look forward to sharing the latest warnings news including considerations for our COVID-19 world. The University of Wisconsin-Madisons 32nd Annual Product Liability Conference will feature a course on warnings and instructions from Angela Lambert, a safety and liability industry expert from Clarion Safety Systems, a leading designer and manufacturer of safety labels, signs and tags. Lamberts session, titled On-Product Warnings: Standards and Trends for Domestic and Global Markets, is part of the universitys Advanced Products course through its College of Engineering Engineering Professional Development department, and takes place September 29 to October 1, 2020. The UWs conference is a go-to event for product safety. I look forward to sharing the latest warnings news including considerations for our COVID-19 world, Lambert says. Failure to warn and inadequate warnings top product liability allegations. Lambert will present key considerations on creating effective warnings for both domestic and export markets. That will include information on the latest warnings technology as defined by the ANSI Z535.4 and ISO 3864-2 standards. The discussion will also center on the most recent updates to these standards and those anticipated in 2021, as well as warnings considerations for our COVID-19 world. At Clarion Safety, Lambert heads the companys standards compliance initiatives. She has more than fifteen years of experience in the safety and manufacturing industry, helping product safety engineers solve their warnings and liability challenges. Lambert is actively involved at the leadership level in the ANSI and ISO standards. Shes chair of ANSI Z535.1, the standard that focuses on colors used in visual safety communication, as well as a delegate representative to ANSI for the ISO/TC 145 SC2 WG 1 committee, responsible for the library of ISO 7010 registered symbols and the ISO 3864 set of standards. Rather than the traditional in-person conference, this years event will be virtual to protect the health of attendees and presenters during the COVID-19 pandemic. The three-day course centers around current and emerging product liability prevention practices from experienced product safety management professionals including consulting engineers, product safety standards experts, and a defense attorney. It features product safety management information geared toward industrial and commercial equipment manufacturers along with companies who insure them. Course participants are typically safety and design engineers but also include writers of warnings and safety literature, liability and product managers, in-house counsel and outside experts. Other topics to be covered at this years conference will include product safety manuals, engineering and human factors, product safety management systems and more. To learn more about the conference, including earning credit hours for the course (CEU and PDH) as well as how to register, visit the University of Wisconsin's website. Contact Clarion Safety to learn more about the companys industry experts and opportunities for collaboration on media and educational projects. ABOUT UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING The University of WisconsinMadison College of Engineering is a top-ranked engineering school of the University of WisconsinMadison, one of the leading research universities in the world. The college comprises 13 academic departments and dates back to 1857. ABOUT CLARION SAFETY SYSTEMS Clarion Safety Systems is a worldwide leader in product and workplace safety communication. Clarion Safety designs and produces product safety labels and facility safety signs and tags along with offering complementary solutions and services like safety and risk assessments needed to reduce risk and protect people. The company also provides a wide range of printing services outside of the safety realm, addressing identification, branding, dataplates, serialization and more, to add value for its customers. With 30 years of safety standards leadership, Clarion Safety has unparalleled knowledge of national and international best practices and codes to meet specific regulatory requirements, from OSHA, ANSI and ISO to WEEE, RoHS and REACH. Its corporate headquarters and state-of-the-art production facility are located in Milford, PA, and products are made in the U.S.A. The company is a registered ISO 9001:2015 manufacturer and offers top 3M materials. For more information, visit http://www.clarionsafety.com.